Advocate 1-31

WEDNESDAY l 1.31.18 OUR 68TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

WORKOUT FUNDS CLUB Dance class garners money for college tour

By Gabriel Quiroz advocate staff

gquiroz.theadvocate@gmail.com

A Dance-A-Thon, which raised $2,000, was held in the Contra Costa College Gymnasium on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

The event helped raised funds to go toward the Puente Club’s annual college tour that visits campuses in Southern California.

Over a hundred participants attended the event with the majority of them being women who showed up ready to dance and support Puente.

The Dance-A-Thon started with some hiccups as the DJ for the event didn’t show up, but was quickly replaced by a phone an auxiliary cord and a powerful speaker.

This didn’t cause much of an issue for the instructors or the dancers as after the music problem was solved and as the first song came on, the room was filled with energy.

The instructors, as well as members of the Puente Club or Puentistas, led participants into the first dance of the day with huge amounts of enthusiasm and spirit.

SEE DANCE-A-THON, PAGE 3

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Aerobics dance instructor Nancy Castillo guides roughly 100 dancers through a choreographed workout during the Puente Club’s Dance-A-Thon fundraiser in the Gym on Saturday. All of the donations will be used to cover college tour expenses for the club.

Officials negotiate finances FTES-based funding process restricts economic elasticity

By Michael Santone

Scholar campaign promotes grants

associate editor

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

ing or arresting someone without a warrant.

Homan sees the situation a bit differently.

“Those (Differed Action for Childhood Arrivals) DACA recipients, I mean, if they’re in the country illegally — they can be arrested.

The way California community colleges receive funding could possibly change with a new funding formula proposal outlined in the 2018-19 California Community College budget and legislative request.

Currently, community colleges around the state receive 100 percent of their funding based on the number of Full Time Equivalent Students (FTES) registered each semester.

“There is $175 million in additional ongoing funds for a student focused funding formula that would replace, potentially, the current enrollment formula,” Contra Costa Community College District Chief Financial Officer Jonah Nicholas said at the Jan. 24 Governing Board meeting.

“We get paid for how many students we have in class and Governor Brown is looking for a change to incorporate some Jonah measures and metrics of student success,” Nicholas he said, “as well as represent students who qualify for the Board of Governors Fee Chief Waiver (BOG).” financial officer With the new student focused formula, for Contra funds will be divided into a 50, 25, 25 perCosta centage strategy.

Fifty percent of the funding would College continue to come from FTES while anothCommunity er 25 percent would come from closing College the equity gap.

District This includes providing services for low-income students such as the Promise Innovation Grant, BOG and financial aid.

The remaining 25 percent would be outcome- and performance-based funding such as success rate, transfer rates and degrees offered and achieved.

“We’re not exactly sure how this is going to pan out.

We’re kind of getting a range of possibilities for what this may mean for us,” Nicholas said. “We have very rudimentary information at this point, but we’re pegging $300 million at a lower end and $500 million at a higher end.”

With the budget and legislative proposal put forth by Gov. Brown, the Foundation for California Community Colleges under the direction of Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley released the Vision for Success on Sept. 18.

According to the document, the system’s budget request for 2018-19 totals approximately $382.5 million.

SEE ICE RAIDS THREAT, PAGE 3

SEE BUDGET FORMULA, PAGE 3

INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

FEDERAL WARNINGS HEIGHTEN TENSION Agency leads campaign to promote fear in sanctuary cities

By Robert Clinton opinion editor

rclinton.advocate@gmail.com

Immigrant communities and those who support them have experienced a heightened sense of fear and anxiety following Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting Director Thomas Homan’s announcement of a massive immigration sweep across Northern California in the near future.

The planned action, seen by many as a retaliation to Gov. Jerry Brown’s signing of SB 54, leading to the subsequent designation of California as a “sanctuary state,” has hopes of arresting up to 1,500 undocumented residents.

The bill does not prevent immigration officers from operating within California’s borders, but it does prevent agents from detain-

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Criminals and public threats come first. But for those people that are, you know, found to be in the country illegally, they’re not off the table.”

Thomas Homan, ICE acting director

INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate

TWITTER: @accentadvocate

YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate

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FILM SCREENING HONORS LEGACY PAGE 6

Squads clash against Mustangs Men’s and women’s basketball game recaps PAGE 7 SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate

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Jonathan Yardley book critic 1997 Denis Perez editor-in-chief

Ryan Geller Benjamin Bassham news editor Jessica Suico assistant news editor Robert Clinton Alondra Gallardo opinion editor Xavier Johnson Andrew Weedon scene editor Dylan Collier assistant scene editor Efrain Valdez social media editor Mayra Garcia multimedia editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Advocate Staff Carina Castrillo Christian Alvarez Dan Hardin Esma Alkrizy Gabriel Quiroz Joseph Bennett Julian Robinson Leon Watkins Drew Thomas Sean Austin Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 Member

Associated Collegiate Press

California Newspaper Publishers Association

Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accentadvocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

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EDITORIAL ALLIES SHOULD PREP TO SHIELD

Quotable “Television news has evolved from a medium for reportage to a stage for melodrama.”

Anthony Kinney Michael Santone associate editors

opinion

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31, 2018 VOL. 106, NO. 12

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

Threats of ICE raids demand preparation to impede arrests

I

n the wake of recent threats by the federal government to conduct sweeping immigration raids across Northern California and the Bay Area in general, civic leaders and state employees have vowed to stand up to the impending menace.

On Jan. 23, Diablo Valley College President Susan Lamb sent an email to all her campus employees urging them to reaffirm their commitment to Differed Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students.

In this political atmosphere, if convincing DACA students that you are on their side is still where you are socially, that’s OK. All progress is progress, but at CCC we expect more.

Since CCC President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh has consistently expressed written support of undocumented students, her next message should be a call to action. She should urge her employees and students to collectively form a human shield encircling our undocumented classmates to prevent them from being ripped away from their families, homes and everything that they have ever known.

The demographics of sister college DVC may illuminate why some of the minority students may still need reassurance on their Pleasant Hill campus.

Out of 228 academic, tenured or tenuretrack DVC professors, only 11 percent are Hispanic, on a campus with over 2,000 students that identify as Hispanic in its student body, according to Datamart.

At CCC, 15 percent of its professors with the same classifications designate themselves as Hispanic, which is still low considering its 40 percent Hispanic student body. However, the campus does consistently show overt support to students coping with immigration issues.

Despite the forums, marches, counseling assistance and news coverage dreamers receive on campus to promote the idea that CCC is a sanctuary space, the precipice many of our friends and loved ones face means stronger commitments need to be forged.

If Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents come to CCC no email or district doctrine will stand in their way.

Administrators should form the first line of defense when it comes to protecting students on campus.

CCC Vice President Ken Sherwood said that he would be willing to put his own freedom on the line, in the form of a human blockade, if ICE agents attempted to infringe on his student’s constitutional rights.

Other faculty and staff on campus have mixed feelings about forming a human wall of defense to keep students from the grasp of federal agents.

Some professors welcome the idea and even hope the plan becomes a topic of discussion surrounding civil disobedience at next month’s Dreamers Alliance Conference.

Other faculty and staff express the opposite sentiment, saying nobody has ever sacrificed themselves for them or any of the causes that they believe in, so the dreamers will have to sacrifice for themselves.

Without a literal underground railroad to shuttle students to safety, little else can be done to protect students while on campus, other than the campus community’s numerical advantage in the moment.

The strength of a united campus community is the only leverage that dreamers still hold.

Knowing that professors and classmates will actively work to help in what, for some, is the bleakest moment of their life is the only hope that some immigrant students have.

MAYRA GARCIA / THE ADVOCATE

■ FEMINISM

Mainstream movements obstruct real feminism

E

arlier this month, thousands of women put on their knitted pink hats and took to the streets all over the U.S. to protest the inequalities that they have dealt with since the birth of this nation. For some this is an everyday struggle and for others — not so much.

White feminism was on full display during the Women’s March of 2018 leaving many to wonder where all of that energy disappears to during other social movements that happen throughout any other time of the year.

According to the urban dictionary, white feminism is a brand of feminism centered around the ideals and struggles of primarily white women, effectively ignoring issues regarding other women — especially women of color.

In many cases, white feminism chooses not to focus on issues that affect women from marginalized groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender women and even white women who come from immigrant communities.

White feminism ignores the privilege that accompanies being white and, as a consequence, creates a flawless glass ceiling that is in dire need of being broken.

This is not to say feminists who are white are necessarily white feminists, nor that white women do not face issues, it’s rather to say there is a lot to learn about the barriers women of color face.

It is not about silencing, devaluing or invalidating the

women, affect women of color even more.

While a white woman fights for her wage difference to be equal to her male counterpart, Latinas and black women are fighting to obtain the same earning potential as white women.

White feminism, in more barriers white women face, ways than one, excludes but rather allowing diverse intersectionality which voices to be heard. downgrades its relevancy.

White women, the next Relegating the reality to a time you decide to particmere concept or theory. ipate in a march that takes Intersectionality is the place once a year because interconnected nature of it has all of social categorizations. a sudden Issues Rather than putting a become pink “pussy hat” (the epitsocially that affect ome of white feminism) on acceptable, the Harriet Tubman memowhite think twice rial, how about you also about who women, participate in a Black Lives you supMatter march. ported at the affect White feminism is oblivballot box ious to the huge role whiteand who you women ness plays regarding beauty really should of color standards. be supportCritics who tell Nicki even more. Minaj ing in the to respect herself fight for genand cover up while praising der equality.

Miley Cyrus for revolutionThe majority of the izing twerking, or labeling women who are protesting Taylor Swift as a feminist year-round march because icon, but saying Beyoncé the government is threatneeds to learn her place and ening to defund or shut stay in it, are just two examdown places like Planned ples ways society shoves Parenthood. white beauty standards in Slashing social services is everyone’s faces. more of an attack that harms Put plainly and clearly, non-privileged women rath- feminism itself bears the er than those who are privburden of race, gender, ileged because they do not sexuality and stereotypes of possess the same access to what the movement actually support systems or medical really is. care.

The way a white woman experiences misogyny and Alondra Gallardo is objectification is not the the opinion editor for the same as a woman of any Advocate. Contact her at other race experiences it. agallardo.theadvocate@ Issues that affect white gmail.com

alondragallardo

CAMPUS COMMENT What scholarships are you applying for, and why?

“I am not really sure on my major right now so I don’t know of any scholarships.”

“I want nursing scholarships.”

“This is my first year here. I’m just looking into grants right now.”

“I don’t know what the scholarships are right now. I have to look.”

“I plan on transferring so I’m looking to apply for transfer scholarships.”

“I am looking into nursing scholarships right now.”

Samuel Jose-Hernandez

Chris Salabao

Edwartt Scott

Joyce Vecena

Paulina Luna

Sachita Karki

technician

nursing

JESSICA SUICO AND GABRIEL QUIROZ /THE ADVOCATE

business

psychology

nursing

nursing

campus beat

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Newsline DANCE-A-THON | Puente Club fundraises with dance n COMMUNITY

RICHMOND TO HONOR BLACK HISTORY

There will be a Black History Month celebration on Saturday from 5-8:30 p.m. at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center.

The annual celebration is to honor the achievements of Richmond’s youth through dancing, music and speeches.

The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts and the Richmond High School Majorettes will perform drum routines and dance numbers.

There is an admission fee of $10 and dinner will be provided.

Tickets can be purchased at the Richmond Rec Complex at 3230 Macdonald Ave. in Richmond.

For more information or for ADA accommodations call the Richmond Community Service staff at 510-620-6793

n COMMUNITY

AUDITIONS FOR PLAYS OPEN UP THIS MONTH On Monday and Tuesday at 7 p.m. auditions will be held in the John and Jean Knox Center for two drama productions taking place this semester.

“Emotional Creature” will be directed by Kathryn G. McCarty with performances in March.

“The Cries of La Llorona” will be directed by Carlos Manuel Chavarria with performances in April.

Auditions for both productions will be held concurrently and students have the option of preparing a monologue or reading from the script.

For more information on “Emotional Creature,” email McCarty at kmcCarty@contracosta.edu.

For more information on “The Cries of La Llorona” email Chavarria at cchavarria@contracosta.edu.

n RACE

KNOX CENTER HOSTS TOWN HALL

Representatives Mark DeSaulnier and Barbara Lee will co-host a town hall to discuss race on Saturday from 2-3:30 p.m. in the John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts.

The town hall event is named, “A Conversation on Race” and it will kick off an ongoing series of town hall discussions about the subject.

To RSVP go online to desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp.

For more information or ADA accommodations call Lee’s office at 925-933-2660.

CrimeWatch Saturday, Jan. 6: Windows in the Knox Center were smashed by unknown person(s).

Friday, Jan. 12: There was a report of an alarm triggered on the corner of Campus Drive and Mills Avenue.

Monday, Jan. 22: An auto burglary was reported in Parking Lot 6 near Library Drive.

Vandalism was reported on Campus Drive.

Monday, Jan. 23: A Middle College High School student reported his assigned laptop was stolen. The suspect(s) are unknown.

A student reported his laptop was stolen in the Music Building.

Monday, Jan. 29: A student reported his vehicle stolen from off campus behind the Armory.

— Jessica Suico, Anthony Kinney

Continued from Page 1 One of the liveliest was president of the Puente Club and dance instructor Kike Duarte as he charged out into the middle of all the participants with his fellow instructors and Puentistas.

They all stood in the middle of the Gym with 50 or so participants on both sides eager to have a funfilled morning of dancing.

The energy could be felt from everyone as participants flawlessly executed the moves instructed to them almost instinctively like when you see a flock of birds flying in sync beneath the clouds.

Song after song, the Dance-AThon continued with small breaks.

But the party always returned with a high energy feeling and enthusiastic dancers that never seemed to slow down.

One of the participants, Carla Aguilera, said she found out about the event through one of the instructors and had nephews in the Puente program.

“I saw how it helped them and the community, so I wanted to participate,” Aguilera said.

The instructors interchanged leading each song as well as the Puentistas to support them as the event continued.

Puentista Jimena Avila who has been a dancer for five years, doing Hip Hop and Mexican style dance, could often be seen going back and forth to support the dance instructors.

All of the Puentistas had planned a dance performance well in advance of the event with regular practices last semester.

Puente Club member Katherine

Delgado is a Spanish major in her second semester. As a Puentista, she helped with concessions at the event and served as greeter at the front door until the event started.

She also supported the instructors.

Delgado and Avila were both had roles in the performance put on by the Puente Club a little more than halfway through the DanceA-Thon.

The routine gave participants a break but also amazed them with a fun and provocative performance.

The event carried participants through different genres of music as well as different dance styles and even some boxing moves.

Most of the instructors collaborated previously and had experience putting on charitable events such as 5K and other dance events.

All six of the instructors had their own styles but many of them kept a similar pace.

One instructor seemed to make sure everyone was upbeat and knew that they were part of the group.

Nancy Castillo, a previous student of Duarte and now an instructor herself, said Duarte motivated her to become an instructor.

Castillo was particularly lively during the event. She could be seen teaching as well as going around to the participants dancing in sync with individuals and smiling.

It was as if to let them know they were part of something special. The event concluded with a speech given by Duarte about the importance of helping the students in need.

They also thanked Puente Counselor Norma Valdez-

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Dance instructor Nora Villalobos dances during the Puente Club’s Dance-A-Thon fundraiser on Saturday in the Gymnasium.

Jimenez, all those that participated and his fellow instructors. All the Puentistas current and previous that showed up to support and staff that made it possible for Puente to use the gym were also acknowledged.

Duarte has been a dance

instructor for over eight years and this is his second semester being Puente Club president after being voted in last spring.

The Puente Club will be going to UCLA, USC and UC Riverside for the college tour this year.

BUDGET FORMULA | Possible shift divides funding Continued from Page 1 20 percent the number sures by 40 percent within The document not only outlines the formula funding change but the strategies for improving all of California colleges’ ability to meet education and training needs.

“Gov. Brown is (proposing) funding in a crazy way that looks nothing like what we asked for,” United Faculty Vice President for Contra Costa College Jeffrey Michels said. “The budget took us by surprise.”

The Vision for Success highlights seven core commitments the California community college system should make to achieve these ambitious goals, while allocating funding per core commitment.

It includes $200 million for an increase by at least

of students annually who acquire associate degrees, certificates, or specific skill sets that prepare them for an in-demand job.

Seventy-five million dollars will go to full-time faculty hiring while $25 million will be allocated for part-time faculty hiring.

The goal of this funding is to increase the number of students transferring annually to a UC or CSU by 35 percent.

Other core commitments include $52.5 million to decrease the average number of units accumulated by students earning an associate degree, from approximately 87 total units to 79 total units.

Five million dollars is slated to reduce equity gaps across all of the above mea-

five years and closing those achievement gaps for good within 10 years.

And it also includes $25 million to reduce regional achievement gaps, helping underrepresented students, across all of the above measures, with the ultimate goal of closing regional achievement gaps for good within 10 years.

“What’s most disparaging is that Gov. Brown’s proposal went without dialog from stakeholders,” Michels said. “There is a weakness in our system.

Why does the government think they know better than the people who work in the field.”

Michels said more of an incentive should be placed on hiring full-time faculty, Disabled Students’

ILLUSTRATION BY BENJAMIN BASSHAM / THE ADVOCATE

Programs and Services and CalWORKs personnel.

“We are pushing the district for more fulltime employees and we hope we will have influence. Educators should be

involved,” he said. “There’s a lot of time between now and final budget approval to meet with groups of faculty and staff to discuss our issues with the proposal.”

ICE RAIDS THREAT | Notice stokes social anxiety Continued from Page 1 However, we do prioritize our work. So, if a DACA recipient lost his status and went and committed a crime, of course they would rise on our list of priorities,” Homan said in a Jan. 26 interview with NPR’s Ari Shapiro.

“Criminals and public safety threats come first. But for those people that are, you know, found to be in the country illegally, they’re not off the table. They can be arrested. But we do it in a prioritized manner.”

Since the election of President Donald Trump over one year ago, advisers and officials have criticized the creation of sanctuary spaces, deeming those areas a haven for criminals and in direct opposition to administrative immigration goals.

Homan also warned California residents to “hold on tight” in reference to the raids in an interview on the Fox News Network Jan. 2.

Despite aggressive words from the acting director, local law enforcement agencies have not shown heightened activity toward immigrant communities in the Bay Area or Contra Costa County in particular.

Contra Costa County Sheriff spokesperson Jimmy Lee said his department has not been notified of any impending immigration action in this area.

“We haven’t been notified by any federal agency,” Lee said. “We have not been requested to assist and we are not authorized to per-

n “We have not been

requested to assist and we are not authorized to perform immigration enforcement.”

— Jimmy Lee, Contra Costa County Sheriff spokesperson

form immigration enforcement.”

With mixed messages coming from law enforcement officials, the uneasy feeling is palpable for those with friends or colleagues caught in this whirlwind of uncertainty.

The Contra Costa Community College District makes clear its commitment on behalf of all faculty, staff, administrative staff, and district police services to protect all of its students.

In a district resolution titled support of our students and employees in defense of diversity and inclusion, the CCCCD reaffirmed that it will not release personally identifiable student information, including any data related to immigration status, without a judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order, unless authorized by a student or required by law.

It also states, no district employee, including police, has the authority to enforce federal immigration laws and shall not participate in any immigration enforcement efforts of federal authorities.

District Governing Board member Gary Walker-Roberts reaffirmed the district’s com-

mitment to the resolution at the Governing Board meeting Jan. 24.

“Going into this semester I think it’s important that we continue to elevate the resolution,” Walker-Roberts said. “And to continue the ‘if you see something say something’ mantra.”

Confidential counseling services for the district’s undocumented students, including DACA recipients, employees, and their families, will also be made available using district resources.

Keeping the Dream Alive pamphlets are available at CCC in the Counseling Office and throughout campus to keep students informed of their individual rights and of services that are available to help navigate their emergence from the shadows.

Most importantly in this climate is a list of Bay Area legal aid resources. It also urges DACA students to consult an immigration attorney to determine eligibility for other immigration relief programs.

Currently, a meeting is being planned to weigh the best options available to support students feeling the brunt of the Trump administration’s ire.

“There will be a meeting (Friday), a group of people are going to meet for the Dreamer’s Alliance to come up with more ideas,” La Raza studies professor Agustin Palacios said. “We have a rapid response team and a plan as well, but we want to see what other people are doing.”

While away from campus, stu-

dents still have constitutional rights, both documented and undocumented.

“Know your rights” red cards Lee were distributed on campus by immigration lawyers and faculty following Trump’s inauguration last year that remind people of their options when approached by immigration agents.

With an estimated 2.3 million undocumented people living in California, the potential for “collateral arrests” as a result of potential ICE raids is high.

Collateral arrests occur when immigration agents, while looking for actual crime suspects, arrest and detain undocumented people they come across during questioning or surveillance.

Immigration support groups have already filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming the practice to be unconstitutional.

Collateral arrests are precisely the kind of action Gov. Brown’s SB 54 looks to eliminate.

Despite the protections afforded Californians in the bill, federal agents are doubling down on their threats to further disrupt the lives of the state’s undocumented communities.

“We will not turn a blind eye to somebody that we find during our enforcement operations that’s in the country legally,” Homan said.

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spotlight

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 1.31.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

LEFT: Richmond resident Muhamed Alomari (front left) helps type his sisters’ information on the online enrollment application on Jan. 22 in the Welcome Center in the Student Service Building.

Over 2,000 Full Time Equivalent Students have enrolled in the 2018 spring semester according to the enrollment report of 2018.

CHRISTIAN ALVAREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Enrollment gradually rises Full Time Equivalent Student numbers increase

By Alondra Gallardo

n “We are continuing to

opinion editor

agallardo.theadvocate@gmail.com

As of the beginning of the spring semester Contra Costa College has experienced a 6 percent increase in total student head count as it continues to advertise and further increase enrollment figures.

The total head count for the start of the spring term of last year as of Jan. 21, 2017 was 6,415 and the start of this year’s term as of Jan. 20, 2018 was 6,472, according to CCC’s Admissions and Records’ spring 2018 Enrollment Report.

In addition to an increase in enrollment numbers, there has been a 0.4 increase in admissions, according to the enrollment report.

Admissions are students who apply to attend college and enrolled students are applicants that actually attend classes.

Outreach Program Manager Maryam Lucia Attai said, “That’s nearly 400 more students on campus.”

Dean of Enrollment Services Dennis Franco said that it is always good to see an increase, even a modest one, and hopes that from here on out the upward trend con-

work to grow awareness of the college’s degree and certificate programs and support system through advertising campaigns.”

— Maryam Lucia Attai, outreach program manager

tinues California community colleges receive their funding from the state based on FTES. The Full Time Equivalent Student (FTES) is based on the total number of units students enroll in divided by 15 units. One student enrolling in 15 units represents one FTES. Franco said collaboration at the department level has been a big part of fostering a healthy enrollment process.

“The strong partnership between outreach and marketing has definitely led to more students being on campus,” he said. “It includes the work that faculty and staff are doing to retain students

that we already have on campus through efforts like our learning communities.”

Heightened exposure through advertising campaigns has also helped to increase enrollment.

Attai said, “We are continuing to work to grow awareness of the college’s degree and certificate programs and support services through advertising campaigns.

Advertising plans for our summer/ fall 2018 campaign include mailing materials, running commercials at the (Century) theaters, mobile ads and bus ads.”

Franco said that in addition to advertising, they are planning to produce existing written materials in other languages, including, but not limited to, Spanish.

Campus administrators have also increased their presence at community events and local high schools.

Attai said they are offering a seven-part college prep workshop series that is facilitated by outreach counselors and program assistants.

The workshops provide an opportunity for students to meet with CCC counselors off campus.

Aside from the workshops,

the college also has bi-monthly office hours scheduled at local high schools for spring 2018 and is scheduling drop-in hours at the local community centers as well, Attai said.

The college is also working closely with faith-based leadership inside the community in order to make its programs and services more visible to the people of various faiths in the community.

Franco said that it is not only important to recruit new students, but it is just as important to keep students.

The financial aid department has given support to 500 more students than were granted funding last spring which also leads to greater retention of the students that are already here, Franco said.

At the District Board meeting last week, District Chief Financial Officer Jonah Nicholas said more will be known about how the enrollment numbers this year affect the budget after the census date (when district colleges finalize enrollment), which is Feb. 5, a week or two after all the drops and adds have been processed.

APPLIED ARTS BUILDING RENOVATIONS ON TRACK Construction sectors mar learning space

By Andrew Weedon

n “The work is currently on track and is expected to be finished by June.”

— Bruce King, Buildings and Grounds manager

scene editor

aweedon.theadvocate@gmail.com

Renovations to the Applied Arts Building are progressing quickly this semester as students and staff remain displaced.

Work began near the end of 2017 with plywood being put up to cordon off the old culinary and dental classrooms.

While the construction area is still only studs and wires hanging from the ceiling, Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said, “The work is currently on track and is expected to be finished by June.”

Part of the renovations involve previously occupied spaces, so those affected had to be moved elsewhere in the building temporarily, but King said that they have done everything they can to reduce the impact on student learning.

In order to facilitate this promise, the construction on the old dental lab, AA-212, was fast tracked so that another classroom could be available for this semester.

The work was a bit rough, King said, as there was still some paint drying and some missing trim on the first day of class.

While everything is being done to help the students through this difficult time, there are still many concerns.

Middle College High School Principal Finy Prak said that scheduling classes for her students has been very difficult because college classes get priority for available class-

rooms.

This has resulted in classes being in different rooms some days which has been confusing to students.

Prak said that when MCHS is assigned alternate classrooms the rooms are often too small for the number of students in a class, a situation that can be a major hindrance to learning.

“We are doing our best to work through the difficulties to give our students the best learning experience they can get,” MCHS office manager Kris Moore said.

Since there is an issue with potentially too many students being in a classroom, the question of fire safety must be raised.

Classrooms are assigned a maximum number of occupants in a yearly report made by the Department of State Architects (DSA), King said.

The DSA decide this by looking at the size of the room and seeing how many workstations could safely fit.

This number is to be strictly adhered to in order to make classrooms safe for students in the event of an emergency like a fire. King said that during the construction the temporary locations would be within compliance of these building safety codes.

“More attention should be paid to the environment and space to make sure stu-

LEON WATKINS / THE ADVOCATE

Fences cordon off the rear of the Applied Arts Building while renovations continue.

Work began at the end of 2017 in the fall semester and is expected to be finished around the end of the 2018 spring semester with the addition of new classrooms.

dents are able to learn,” Director of Gateway to College Karl Debro said. Gateway offices were moved to the bottom floor of the AA Building during the winter break.

While the construction project has gone smoothly for the most part, there have still been a few hiccups. King said. At the beginning of the semester, the water supply to most of the building was cut off without warning which caused much confusion before it was restored.

Noise has also been a continual complaint since the renovations began, however that has been somewhat remedied by cutting work times to create less conflict with classes.

Once the renovations are completed there

will be a few new spaces to occupy, King said.

The custodial department will have a dedicated location for all of their equipment and supplies as well as there being a few general-use classrooms.

King said that the nursing department will be moving into the space where the culinary department and Three Seasons Restaurant used to be located, while the new science building is built where the Liberal Arts Building currently sits.

“Doing construction in a building that has people in it is always difficult but this (inconvenience) will help students once it’s finished,” King said.

campus beat Severe flu bursts campus into action College officials prepare campus for flu outbreak

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5

By Efrain Valdez social media editor

evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Administrators at Contra Costa College are starting a campaign to combat this year’s flu season that has taken the lives of 29 people under the age of 65 in the greater Bay Area region.

Campus Student Services has taken preventative measures such as social media posts, signs and installing hand sanitizer dispensers around the campus.

“We’ve posted information on our social media sites and have information basically everywhere on campus. We have received positive reaction from the community for posting this information for our students,” CCC President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said.

The red and white signs that have been placed around campus give students instructions on how to cover their cough and wash their hands effectively.

Flu season began in October 2017, but right after the holidays the amount of flu cases skyrocketed, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention influenza

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

division Daniel Jernigan said in an interview with the Washington Post.

This was due to ill children returning back to school campuses.

CCC Athletic Trainer Michael Jackson said regardless of the heightened concern, people should always take precautions when dealing with the flu.

“Standard precaution should be taken. It’s important to emphasize a good hand washing technique,” he said. “If anybody has symptoms of the flu they should be isolated from people who are asymptomatic.”

The normal preventative precautions haven’t been enough to stop the spread of this current flu virus.

Jackson said that cleaning every desk, surface or handle that is often touched by people is an extra pre-

ventative measure that has to be taken during the flu season.

CCC Vice President Ken Sherwood said, “If this outbreak worsens, we will send a mass text message to students. But we are limited to the number of mass texts we can send out, so it would have to be an emergency. If students experience any kind of flu symptoms, or those of any other illness, they can report to any office and let an administrator or professor know.”

The CDC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommend that any civilians or workers should stay home if they are experiencing flulike symptoms.

Mehdizadeh said she told professors to be thoughtful of the needs of their students.

“We (faculty and staff) potentially can be experiencing an illness. We don’t want to get our colleagues or students sick,” she said.

Mehdizadeh highlighted the importance of everybody doing their part to stay healthy.

Even with all the extra measures being taken by administrators, students are still encouraged to not share food and beverages.

Also, washing hands after touching your face or before and after every meal to kill any dangerous germs is highly recommended by the CDC and OSHA. Jackson said that anybody who works with the public should get a flu shot to protect themselves.

“Regardless of the custodial practices I still try to go and clean the training room just to prevent the spread of germs,” he said.

ABOVE: Business major Javier Garcia sips his coffee in the Student Dining Hall behind a CDC flier which recommends practicing effective flu precautions on Jan. 22.

Scholarship program grants money

By Gabriel Quiroz staff writer

gquiroz.theadvocate@gmail.com

More than $8,000 in unclaimed scholarships was left on the table last year that could have assisted students struggling to make ends meet. However, a lot of the students don’t know that this funding is available.

The Comet Scholar program at Contra Costa College is aiming to change this by informing students, through teachers and staff on campus, about the scholarships and the process to apply for them.

Faculty associated with the program wear T-shirts and lanyards that contain valuable information about applying to scholarships, and most importantly, the March

2 application deadline. Scholarship Coordinator Mia HendersonBonilla is spearheading the effort to bring this vital information to students.

“The program is designed to have a more face-to-face approach for students with their teachers informing them,” Bonilla said.

“They even have their own hashtag for social media platforms, #cometscholar.”

The Comet Campaign Committee consists of Director of Marketing and Media Design Brandy Howard, Financial Aid Supervisor Monica Rodriguez, college Foundation Coordinator Sara Marcellino and HendersonBonilla, who all worked together to create the program.

Awareness is the goal of the

Comet Scholar program as many students do not know there is a streamlined way for them to apply for all scholarships in one place with the new online application process.

Fred Zatkoff Batton is a veteran who served five years in the Marine Corps and now studies physics at CCC. He said he was unaware of the online scholarship application but that he would definitely apply now that he knows about it.

CCC’s online scholarship application allows for students to apply for more than 80 different scholarships at one time, unlike the previous paper format that mandated students to apply individually.

When applying, there is a general application and six essay questions, 300 words or fewer, that will

filter students into scholarships that fit the student’s academic profile.

Scholarships are broken up into departments, specialized programs and memorials.

Biology professor Katie Krolikowski informed her students about the Comet Scholar program on the first day of class as she said she wanted to get the word out.

She was aware that there are a lot of students who could use the scholarships although many don’t apply for them because they think scholarships are only for straight A students.

Many of the scholarships accept a GPA of 2.0 through 3.0, while others seek out honor students.

However, there are many opportunities for students as shown by the

fair amount of unclaimed scholarships last year.

Quite a few students didn’t know about the online application, but some had already begun to apply, showing the program may already be working.

Biology major and Middle College High School graduate Luis Gonzalez, who hopes to transfer to UC Davis or Humboldt State, is one of the students taking advantage of the program.

Gonzalez is now in his second semester studying biology and said he was told about the online application by one of his MCHS teachers.

There are also workshops on campus and an open lab where students can get help crafting their applications.

Reform group primes community activists

By Jessica Suico news editor

jsuico.theadvocate@gmail.com

Getting Contra Costa College and other communities involved in educational justice across the nation is what Students for Education Reform (SFER) is all about.

SFER is a nationwide organization that has staff in New York, Colorado, North Carolina, and California.

The purpose for the organization, which has a chapter in Richmond, is to fight for public schools and to inspire every child to reach their full potential, regardless of race or financial background.

SFER develops college students into grassroot organizers who fight for educational justice in their community.

Program coordinator for SFER Raquel Antolin spoke to students Jan. 24 about the benefits of SFER at the “Why I SFER” meeting in SA-106.

“SFER is about a one love, community and overcoming difficult events,” she said.

Antolin gets her experience from her personal experience growing up as a low-income person of color in the educational system.

She was born and raised in Richmond and told attendees how all of her brothers dropped out of school and a few got into criminal activity.

She said that being looked down upon

and not having access to the same opportunities as others made her brothers more vulnerable to having problems and getting into trouble.

Antolin said her brothers felt lost and that the teachers didn’t care about their futures, so they strayed and fell through the cracks of school. She wants to make sure other students will not have to go through that.

“I am a first generation college student and I am doing this to better my life, further my career and do something my family never had the opportunity to do,” Antolin said.

Spanish and La Raza major Lizbeth Gonzalez said, “I have been a part of SFER since the fall of 2015 and I love this organization.”

The process of planning events and meetings for SFER differ. For big meetings or events, planning has to be done in advance to make sure events are well prepared.

The group then creates fliers and posts them around campus or out in the community if it’s a meeting or event that involves the people off campus, Gonzalez said.

Psychology major Alejandra Navarro said, “This is my second semester being a part of SFER.” What Navarro likes best about contributing to the organization is having a voice and being able to learn more about education.

Gonzalez’s personal goal as an organizer with SFER is for children not to have to

CHRISTIAN ALVAREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Psychology major Lizbeth Gonzalez (left) speaks to communications major Lionel Harris (right) about Students For Educational Reform during a tabling and informational meeting in the College Center Plaza on Monday.

go through the same struggles she went through as a child.

She came to the United States from Mexico with her parents when she was 12 years old and didn’t know any English.

She remembers all the educational barriers she faced and how unjust the school system was.

She became passionate about helping create change toward a more equal academic community.

“There are some students who feel passionate about school,” psychology major Mikaela Pollard said. “Then there are others that don’t really care about school and they

just do enough to get by. I think that shows some of the poor aspects of our educational system.”

Pollard said it’s a great idea that SFER is on campus to inform people about fighting for justice in education, because a lot of people don’t know their rights.

SFER is most active during the fall and spring semesters, when more students are on campus.

The summer is dedicated to internships, interviewing for new members, political training, and door-to-door canvasing to inform the community and recruit people, Gonzalez said.

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scene

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LEFT: The John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts will host the anticipated premier of “Love, Cecy,” a film based on the murder of San Pablo resident Cecilia Rios, on Friday and Saturday from 7-10 p.m.

JAY LOPEZ SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

Film screening remembers legacy of slain teen girl Fundraiser to boost awareness on gang violence, domestic abuse

By Michael Santone associate editor

msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com

A red carpet will line the entrance of the John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts for the premier of “Love, Cecy,” a film based on the murder of San Pablo resident Cecilia Rios.

The screening and fundraiser, to be held Friday and Saturday from 7-10 p.m., is being organized by local writer, director and producer of the film Jay Francisco Lopez.

All proceeds from the $15 ticket price will go toward getting Rios’ story to reach more people and toward keeping her memory alive.

“I began this project eight years ago and it’s been a journey into post-production and finally to the screen,” Lopez said. “This is exclusive for the community because they have been waiting so long for the film.”

The film is hosted by “American Me” and “Boulevard Nights” actor Danny De La Paz and the evening will begin with light appetizers before the premier of “Love, Cecy.”

A live performance by musical artist Fego Navarro of his original song “I Feel Good” will follow the film.

The evening will conclude with an audience-involved question and answer session with Lopez and other actors.

“I grew up in San Pablo and was 9 years old when she (Rios) was murdered. I remember the community coming together and leaning on one another,” Lopez said. “We want to give her the legacy that she deserves — and the community wants to see that.”

Adding a special touch, the lobby of the Knox Center will be transformed into a miniature museum with memorabilia celebrating the life of Rios.

Items will include her Richmond High School identification card, newspaper clippings of the actual event, as well as the movie replica of her quinceañera dress.

“Her story never left Richmond,” he said. “It’s still relatable today and will touch the lives of others.”

The film is based on true events ripped from the headlines of 1990s gang violence and follows a 15-year-old Rios who dreams of being a lawyer as she struggles to keep her gangster boyfriend off the streets.

While taking a shortcut home one evening through a deserted elementary school, Rios was brutally raped and

murdered.

Last October, “Love, Cecy,” had its world premiere at the HBO Latino New York Film Festival.

Lopez, an independent filmmaker, has used his own money as well as personally fundraising to support the film so far.

“I’m the only one doing this. I don’t have a team like in Hollywood with movie companies,” he said. “I can no longer support the cost of the film; it’s too expensive for me to do it alone.”

Lopez said the money from the fundraiser screening will help further distribute the film. He hopes to hold screenings at other film festivals, develop a website, hire a publicist and cover other expenses.

Navarro, who not only composed the music for “Love, Cecy,” but also portrays Flako, a character from the film, said he worked with Lopez on his other film “Sin Padre.”

“We are shedding light and resurfacing the story with ‘Love, Cecy.’ The family is reliving it,” he said, “So things are a little heavier.”

“Themes in the film are relevant today,” Navarro said. “Struggles, broken homes and how we find our way. It

tells the story of Richmond.”

Performing the theme song for the film, “I Feel Good,” a catchy summer jam that captures the feel of 90s music, Navarro said he really had to study the aesthetic of the era.

“I’ll do some a cappella, get the crowd on their feet and energized after watching the film,” he said. “Take them back to the 90s.”

Karen Gonzales, who plays Cecilia’s mother Eva Rios in the film, said that after her initial hesitation she is glad she decided to take the role.

“It was the story that caught my attention,” she said. “This story is a part of the Bay Area and it raises awareness to gang and domestic violence.”

Gonzales said she is looking forward to the question and answer session after the movie because it shows that the audience is paying attention and wants to go further with them into the tragic story.

“It’s always exciting when people ask questions. How did you prepare?

Did you talk to the family?” she said.

“Whether its gaps they want filled or kudos on the performance, it’s all great.”

TIMBERLAKE’S REINVENTION HINDERED BY BORING MUSIC

By Xavier Johnson scene editor

xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com

After several years of relative quiet in the music scene, Justin Timberlake is back with a whimper.

Timberlake is gearing up to unleash his upcoming album “Man of the Woods,” with three unremarkable singles released over the past month.

With “Man of the Woods,” Timberlake seems to be attempting to force a change. Now, Timberlake is trying to portray himself as a conscious man of the people, trying to eschew creature comforts for a flannel button up. He’s channeling pure Americana.

The three singles Timberlake has released, “Supplies,” “Say Something” and “Filthy” aren’t all in line with his apparent newfound image.

One would imagine a pop star going back to their roots would lead to some acoustic tracks or maybe a bold shift in sound. For Timberlake, however, this image change seems to only lead to safe music that’s not even fun or danceable like Timberlake’s music usually is.

Timberlake has always had an issue with his music having an inauthentic feeling to it. Latching on to soul music and R&B tropes, Timberlake wasn’t necessarily on the cutting edge, but instead he packaged his decent pop music with a general aesthetic that elevated it beyond itself.

None of that charm and aesthetic can be found in Timberlake’s new singles.

“Filthy” was the worst track in the trio. Not only are the dubstep sounds an outdated attempt to sound cutting-edge, but those sounds are some of the most generic and safe sounds he could have used.

The problem with “Filthy” is that the song is lacking in any personality to make it feel like a Timberlake song. It’s not a particularly sexy song, nor is it catchy. Timberlake doesn’t give listeners a strong melody to latch onto to carry them through the song.

It seems like Timberlake was trying to recapture the sound from his 2006 album “Future Sex/Love SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE Sounds.”

Justin Timberlake is set to release his fifth studio album, and first The vocals blend into the song to become indisin five years, “Man of the Woods” on Friday. The album release is tinguishable and droning as the instrumentation two days before Timberlake is scheduled to perform during the follows a basic loop that isn’t groovy enough to be Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday. worth the repetition. It’s a five-minute track that has

no right to be that long.

“Supplies” is a hip-hop flavored jam with rolling hi-hats, booming bass, and ad-libs taken straight from Atlanta trap.

“Supplies” is a fine song, but doesn’t really stand out. The safe, unadventurous feeling found in the dubstep bass on “Filthy” is the same here on “Supplies.”

The beat doesn’t command anyone’s attention.

Timberlake does just enough to craft a song with a verse and hook while throwing curveballs. Instead of a safe dubstep, it’s safe hip-hop inspired R&B. The music video Timberlake released for “Supplies” is a shining example of why this rebranding won’t work. In the music video Timberlake is on the streets of a protest, similar to Black Lives Matter protests.

There, clad in his high fashion, he takes to the streets with the people trying to fight the good fight.

However, Timberlake sticks out like a sore thumb.

He is as tone-deaf and inauthentic as that Kylie Jenner Pepsi commercial from about a year back.

Him failing to come off as a man of the people makes it hard to believe that Timberlake’s shift in sound will be anything but lackadaisical and surface level when “Man of the Woods” hits stores and streaming services across the world.

“Say Something” is the best track out of the three pre-release singles because of the guest artist Chris Stapleton. Stapleton’s vocal range and powerful voice elevate the song in the chorus and his verse. The acoustic guitar is a nice change of pace as well.

“Say Something” is a pop-country that sounds like it fits the “Man of the Woods” theme Timberlake seems to be going for.

The three singles don’t give a clear vision for what this Friday’s album will contain. On one hand there are songs like “Supplies” and “Filthy” which are average Timberlake songs that don’t really change his formula.

On the other hand we have the stripped down rootsy image Timberlake is going for with the marketing and the country infused “Say Something” which gives hope for “Man of the Woods” to truly be a new artistic direction for the pop star.

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sports

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 1.31.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Turnovers hurt squad Foul troubles early on knocks Comets out of their rhythm n “It’s up to us to take

By Drew Thomas staff writer

dthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Comet forward Jovell Vance (right) takes a contested jump shot against Mustang guard Demarie Smith during the Comets’ 72-62 loss at Los Medanos College on Friday.

PITTSBURG — Turnovers, early foul trouble and the Mustang (13-9 overall and 6-5 in the Bay Valley Conference) zone defense were huge factors in the men’s basketball team’s 72-62 loss to Los Medanos College here on Jan. 26.

Contra Costa College (12-10 overall and 6-5 in the BVC) started the game sluggishly and with players getting into foul trouble in the first 10 minutes, the multiple substitutions made it difficult for the Comets to establish any rhythm.

“We couldn’t really get a rhythm because of the stoppage and rotation,” coach Miguel Johnson said.

“It’s a young group. They have to understand how to execute. A lot of that is about our substitutions and putting guys in different positions. So we kind of sputtered offensively.”

When there is foul trouble, it takes the energy out of the game and it results in some players playing tentatively.

Comet guard Kemare Wright said the foul calls did hurt the team’s aggressiveness.

“We saw everything going their way,” he said. “The fouls made us start settling for jump shots instead of attacking the basket.”

The Comets, after putting themselves in a tough position, were forced to constantly make lineup adjustments.

“The inconsistent foul calls make it hard to get a feel for the game,” forward Demond Washington said. “It’s up to us to take the game out of the referees’ hands, so the unfavorable calls won’t affect the outcome of the game.”

Despite the team’s disadvantage, CCC still managed to keep it close finishing the first half trailing just 34-30.

“I don’t think we understood the urgency of the game,” Johnson said. “Were a young team. Guys have to figure out what conference play means.”

At tipoff, both teams had identical 6-5 BVC records after playing

the game out of the referees’ hands, so the unfavorable calls won’t affect the outcome of the game.”

— Demond Washington, forward

11 games.

In the second half, LMC continued its game plan of running a zone defense against the Comets and closing out on CCC shooters.

Washington said although the team prepared for zone defense and know that some teams will throw it at them, they don’t expect them to play it for the whole 40 minutes of the game.

The Mustangs’ defense made some players uncomfortable and took them out of their respective games.

Johnson said the Comets allowed the zone defense to take them out of being aggressive.

The team struggled to get on track offensively since outside shots weren’t falling and tried forcing contact by attacking the basket.

The effort failed to get the team any additional trips to the free throw line.

Late in the second half, the Comets tried for a final COMETS comeback, after forward Trevon Silas got past M u s t a n g s MUSTANGS Demarie Smith and Andrew Hall for a breakaway dunk to cut the LMC lead to 68-62 in the final two minutes.

But then LMC took advantage of Comet turnovers, converting them to points, to put the game out of reach.

“The turnovers played a big role in our loss because they scored a lot off of turnovers,” Wright said.

Squad blown out in conference play Turnovers hurt chances of comeback

COMETS

39 86

MUSTANGS

By Drew Thomas staff writer

dthomas.theadvocate@gmail.com

PITTSBURG — The Contra Costa College women’s basketball team (4-17 overall and 2-9 in the Bay Valley Conference) continued its losing streak with an 86-39 blowout loss against Los Medanos College here Friday.

The Comets established an early lead against the Mustangs (15-7 overall and 9-2 in the BVC) in the first quarter, but that quickly changed after they started committing turnovers.

Coach Vince Shaw said the team has to sustain consistent effort — what its been searching for in these last few games.

Players for CCC also knew that there were things that they could have done better.

“We committed a lot of turnovers, lacked communication and just didn’t play fundamental basketball,” Comet shooting guard Brooklyn Crawford said.

Play was stagnant from the opening tip for the Comets.

“We were stagnant. We didn’t have good defense, and offensively we didn’t move,” Crawford said.

The Comets return to action tonight against Solano Community College in the Gymnasium.

In the second quarter, Comet turnovers continued to minimize the team’s chances for success giving LMC fast break opportunities.

In a play indicative of the Comet evening, point guard Kristyle King looked to make a routine entry pass to forward Kianie Williams.

The Mustangs were able to steal the ball, get out on the break forcing a two-on-one situation for Mustang

62 72

Comet guard Jameelah Hanif shoots over Mustang guard Elsa Ross in an attempt to end their offensive drought during Contra Costa College’s 86-39 blowout loss at Los Medanos College on Friday.

guard Adorah Buggs to score.

Comet forward Jahna Maramba said some players have anxiety during games that lead to bad passes and turnovers.

“We’re a young team and it’s still new for some of the players to play basketball at the collegiate level,” she said.

CCC trailed the Mustangs at halftime 46-28.

Coming out of the locker room the Comets looked to make adjustments to reduce turnovers.

Maramba said some of her teammates stepped up and came out of their comfort zones which helped contribute in creating plays.

Late in the third quarter, Comet players began making plays for each other and aggressively attacking the rim.

The renewed sense of urgency gave them more opportunities to get points from the free throw line.

The Comets got foul calls but did not take advantage of free throw attempts that could have helped cut into the lead.

“We had too many empty possessions,” Shaw said. “We would get the right play call, get the ball where we want it to be, but we didn’t convert or execute the layup and didn’t knock down the free throws.”

The Comet defense couldn’t slow down the Mustang offense for sustained periods of time. LMC would attack the basket, then pass to an open shooter before the defense could recover.

“Our coach does a great job coaching, but our players just didn’t execute his defensive game plan for this specific game,” Maramba said.

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

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focus

Applied Arts Building renovations bring change Photos by: Denis Perez For

more photos, please visit our website: www.cccadvocate.com

ABOVE: The Applied Arts Building has been fenced off during its renovation, which continues through the 2018 spring semester.

The renovations are planned to be completed by the end of the semester.

LEFT: Building and Grounds Manager Bruce King walks across what used to be the old culinary department’s Switch cafe.

The nursing department will move into this area of the Applied Arts Building after renovations are completed this semester.

LEFT: A toolbox stands in what used to be the Contra Costa College president’s office inside the Applied Arts Building as construction continues through the 2018 spring semester.

A wheelbarrow sits next to a commercial dumpster by the back of the Applied Arts Building while renovations continue during the 2018 spring semester.