campusbeat WEDNESDAY l 3.21.18 OUR 68TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
WOMEN INSPIRE MOVEMENT
Conceptualizing equality in genders allows everyone chance at success opinion editor
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
The “Improve Your Study Habits, Improve Your Grades” workshop will be hosted April 16. The workshop will help students identify the areas they need to improve and capitalize on their strengths.
editorial
The last workshop, “Meals for Your Mind,” will be hosted on April 25 at 3 p.m.. This workshop is designed to give students ideas for brain boosting foods that help make a positive impact on how well their mind and body are able to function.
n ENTERTAINMENT
SEE OVERVIEW, PAGE B4
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Invaluable veteran leader leaves center Vet outreach coordinator resigns citing lack of support
n LOCAL
associate editor
akinney.theadvocate@gmail.com
By Ryan Geller news editor
rgeller.theadvocate@gmail.com
Adjunct professors have become a reliable underclass who are exploited as a quick fix for budget woes despite longstanding statewide and national recommendations calling for more full-time positions to support student success. Many part-time professors are forced to piece together full-time work from different districts to afford the high cost of living in the Bay Area, earning them the dubious nickname, “freeway fliers.” The maximum load allowed by the state for faculty to be considered part-time is 67 percent, the equivalent to about two or three classes. Without a variance, teachSEE TUITION, PAGE A3
Contra Costa College’s veteran outreach coordinator and office assistant Dedan Kimathi Ji Jaga has resigned from his position in the campus’ Veterans’ Resource Center (VRC). Via email, Ji Jaga announced his resignation early Thursday morning, stating “a number of rather disturbing, provocative and debilitating factors” as the reasoning behind his sudden departure. Ji Jaga said his frustration with the campus’ lack of support for the VRC and the college’s veteran population aided in his decision to leave CCC’s two-year-old veteran center. Veteran chapter President Derek Casanares said losing Ji Jaga’s wealth of expertise and extensive experience with working alongside veterans to ensure they receive their benefits will have a major impact on the VRC. He said finding someone as adept as Ji Jaga is impractical as Ji Jaga brought more than 50 years of experience working with veterans to the VRC. “He (Ji Jaga) was not only a staple in the Veterans’ Resource Center, but he is also a former student of the college,” Casanares said. “His history with the campus is extensive. I believe he
Athletic fundraiser serves crab
Calender changes for fall
Gym hosts Crab Feed
Class schedule shrinking
PAGE A6 FACEBOOK: /accentadvocate
MEXICAN FOLKLORE PERFORMED AT KNOX The drama department will be closing out the spring semester with “The Cries of La Llorona,” which is based on the Mexican folklore of an immigrant family overcoming life’s obstacles. The play is written and directed by drama department Chairperson Carlos-Manuel Chavarria. Performances will be April 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and April 8 and 15 at 3:00 p.m. For more information or questions contact cchavarria@contracosta.edu.
By Anthony Kinney
Full-time employment figure attracts district scrutiny
STUDENT SUCCESS WORKSHOP SERIES
The first workshop of the series, “Remember What You Read,” will help attendees explore active reading strategies that good readers use to increase their comprehension and retention. This workshop will be hosted April 11 at 4 p.m.
This month The Advocate celebrates International Women’s History Month by publishing a package of stories, photos and art that tell stories of women from all walks of life, while highlighting the accomplishments they’ve made in the face of subjugation. Celebration of the month has roots that stretch back to the first International Women’s Day in 1909. Originally recognized as an American symbol commemorating the fight for women’s rights, the day garnered international acceptance following a successful suffrage movement by the women of Soviet Russia in 1917. In this issue, the lives of campus professors, LGBTQ entertainers, student ambassadors and the collection of poster-sized photos displayed in Lack of physical activities buildings on campus of women with for women explored stellar accomplishments in the STEM The Advocate takes a position on the fields are featured. importance of physical education and During the sports activities for women here at Contra March, women in the Contra Costa Costa College. PAGE A2 College drama department dominated the stage at the Knox Center. “Emotional Creatures” focuses on the struggles of international women. Using prose, the six actresses paint vivid imagery of their lives and vastly diverse cultures. “Cries of La Llorona” is a fable about a mother who drowned her kids. The folklore, acted out for the first time on stage, serves as a
PROFESSORS WITH ADJUNCT STATUS SUFFER EXPLOITATION
n WORKSHOP
All CCC students are invited to attend the Student Success Workshop Series hosted in the Career/Transfer Center (SA-227) throughout the month of April.
By Robert Clinton
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY BENJAMIN BASSHAM / THE ADVOCATE
NEWSLINE
was one of the key reasons the center was created.” However, Ji Jaga and Casanares both believe there are college administrators charged with aiding the campus veterans who wittingly exclude veteran representatives from committee meetings and discussions. “Decisions are made regarding the VRC without veteran input, occasionally without veterans even knowing about it,” Casanares said. “There hasn’t been any level of transparency, and this trend has to stop.” Information about most decisions made about the VRC are not even disseminated to veterans unless inquired about by the group, Casanares said. Ji Jaga believes that if this distressing trend persists, veteran morale on the campus will continue to decline and further deter other veterans from attending CCC. Prior to becoming dean of students, Dennis Franco was dean of enrollment services which supports Veteran Services as an area of responsibility. “When I first came to CCC in this role, the VRC didn’t yet exist,” Franco said. “We worked with Sentinels of Freedom, Dedan Ji Jaga and Leon Watkins (former veterans resource liaison) to establish the VRC in its cur-
Visit Davis Park in San Pablo this Saturday to join the annual spring egg hunt. The event is free and will take place rain or shine. Children ages 12 and under will have the chance to meet the Easter bunny and make crafts. Each age range up to 12 will have scheduled times to hunt for eggs between 10 and 11:30 a.m. For more information, contact the recreation division of the City of San Pablo at 510-215-3080
CRIMEWATCH DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
A military service member walks on campus by the entrance to the Student Services Center on Monday.
rent form.” Although Franco has a new title on campus, he still bears the responsibility of supporting the college’s veteran services until a new dean of enrollment services assumes the position. Franco said it’s a definite loss of leadership for the VRC with Ji Jaga’s resignation. “For much of his tenure in the VRC, he volunteered 15-20 hours a week of his time, which is why I put forth his name to the (state) Assembly member Tony Thurmond’s office and he was awarded
as the Assembly District 15 Veteran of the Year,” he said. However, Ji Jaga said he isn’t looking for personal accolades but strong campus support for the community he loves. Ji Jaga said, “They say they appreciate us and they thank us for our service, but their actions and how they choose to ignore the veterans center’s needs proves otherwise. “You would think that after everything that some veterans have gone through, they SEE VETERANS, PAGE A3
FIGHTER IGNITES THE CITY’S LIGHTS PAGE A8 TWITTER: @accentadvocate
YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate
Monday, March 12: There was a report of an alarm triggered in the Early Learning Center. No further details were documented. Tuesday, March 13: There was a report of an alarm triggered in the John and Jean Knox Center for the Performing Arts. No further details were documented. Thursday, March 15: A student reported their backpack stolen from their vehicle while parked in Lot 5.
— Anthony Kinney
Correction In the March 14 issue of The Advocate on page 1 in the graphic “Nominees run unopposed,” the nominated president of clubs’ name was misspelled. The correct spelling for the nominated president of clubs’ is Camillo Cisneros. The Advocate regrets the error.
Boxer brings fighting to SF
PAGE A3 INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate
LOCAL EGG HUNT WELCOMES CHILDREN
SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate
— The Contra Costa Community College District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and campus life. The District does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, parental status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any access to and treatment in College programs, activities, and application for employment.
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 3.21.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
3
New schedule aids learning Schedule changes to reduce class conflicts
By Ryan Geller
n “Professors are having to think
about moving a little faster, and they have to examine their curriculum.” — Ghada Al-Masri, dean of natural, social and applied sciences
news editor
rgeller.theadvocate@gmail.com
Block scheduling, early bird classes and a more convenient winter break cybersession are some of the changes coming with the shortened 16-week schedule for the fall 2018 semester. Many classes may not feel much different with the addition of 10 minutes to lectures and some classes that used to meet only Monday and Wednesday will be meeting on Friday as well, according to Liberal Arts Division Dean Jason Berner. There will be some classes, such as English 1A and 1B and possibly some math classes, that will begin in the 7 a.m. hour, Berner said. Although it is an early start, the time slot offers more options for classes with a lot of demand and it may allow some students to get to work earlier. The 16-week schedule will bring the college
in line with many other colleges and make it easier when students transfer, Natural, Social, and Applied Sciences Division Dean Ghada Al-Masri said. The block scheduling will standardize class times during the most popular morning hours until noon. This is a design to reduce class conflicts in student schedules and it will also maximize limited classroom space. Later in the afternoon, there will be more flexibility for more lengthy classes and labs. “The new scheduling is a challenge, as well as a cultural shift for us as an institution,” Al-Masri said. “Professors are having to think about things moving a little faster, and they have to examine their curriculum in order to fit all the essentials into the time constraints.” Time management is going to be key for
the new scheduling Al-Masri said. “And not just for students, but for all of us. We tend to over-commit. We will have to say, ‘Can I really do this and be responsible with my time?’” Al-Masri encourages students to talk with a counselor to keep from getting sidetracked. The new block scheduling should help students avoid having to take classes outside of their educational plan, simply because they fit into their schedule. The cybersession that has been held over winter break for the last two years will be offered again, but due to the shortened 16-week schedule, the session will run after the holidays rather than during the holidays as it has the past. According to Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Ken Sherwood the administration has had some discussion about creating an additional intersession that would offer face-to-face classes during the winter break like the intersession that is held in the summer. A true intersession would require the district to petition the state for approval, and that process is still in the initial stages. As of now, the winter cybersession of 201819 will technically be part of the spring term.
ADJUNCT | Professors express funding concerns Continued from Page 1 ers who exceed 67 percent would become entitled to the benefits and pay of full-time employees. This has created an incentive for colleges and universities across the state to employ more part-time workers who can be paid less. This trend was recognized as a problem more than 30 years ago. In 1988, Assembly Bill 1725 outlined recommendations that 75 percent of student instruction hours to be provided by full-time professors, according to Eugene Huff, executive vice chancellor of administrative services at the Contra Costa Community College District. The district has reported fulltime faculty percentages ranging from 48.56 percent to 54.65 percent over the past 10 years, according to United Faculty Executive Director Jeffrey Michels. “The ratio as measured by the weekly student contact hour matrix is currently at 56.4 percent full-time in the district. That means that 56.4 percent of credit instruction (not instructors) is taught by full-time employees,” Executive Director of the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Jonathan Lightman said. “There is a clear relationship between the rate of full-time faculty instruction hours and student success,” Michels said. “When we rely on part-time faculty, when we don’t pay them a living wage or give them job security and adequate health care, the quality of education suffers.” Adjunct professors expressed difficulty in finding time to meet with students because they are only on campus during specific hours.
Adjunct English professor Brandon Marshall said, “We are only paid for class time and a minimum amount of office hours, sometimes. When we need to take more time with students we are in a position where we are not getting paid for our craft and profession.” Professors who work at multiple districts have to keep track of the policies and curriculum at each institution. “Here at CCC, English 1C requires one full length work and an anthology. Other districts have different standards,” adjunct English professor Guilherme Mylius said. “This creates extra things that you have to do for each class making meeting all the standards more difficult.” Adjunct anthropology professor Kweku Williams, who commutes from Stockton, asked, “Why is it that people cannot afford to live in the communities that they serve?” Marshall said, “The transportation aspect is brutal. I almost got run off the road today because someone was road raging. “I lose a lot of time just driving, and there is always the thought that if something happens to my car... I have no idea what I would do. But for sure I would miss my first class.” Adjunct anthropology professor Melinda McCrary said that all the adjunct professors work hard to provide quality instruction, but as a part-time professor they are not able to participate in campus culture and keep students updated on campus events. Full-time faculty are also under pressure due to many departments having only one full-time employee to shoulder all the department’s administrative tasks.
n “When we need to
take more time with students we are in a position where we are not getting paid for our craft and profession.” — Brandon Marshall, adjunct English professor
CCC Vice President Academic and Student Affairs Ken Sherwood said that employing adjunct professors is one of the only ways to operate within the college’s limited budget. “When you hire a full-time salaried employee there is more cost in health insurance and benefits,” he said. “We have a PR problem right now. Taxpayers look at our outcomes or our success measures and they complain that taxpayer money is being wasted because not enough students are graduating,” Sherwood said. “For the past five years enrollment has been going down. When funding goes down it becomes more expensive to operate per student and less funding comes in per student.” Marshall offered another perspective. “You talk about where we could cut costs and then you hear that some administrators are making upward of $250,000 a year. The pay scale for administration is exorbitant.” Sherwood admits that the pay scale has created tension. “There really isn’t a significant salary differential between administrators below the presidential level and full-time faculty members. If we did not have as many administrators, the work would just not get done.”
Much of the funding that CCC receives comes with additional reporting duties. Sherwood does not believe that the frustration of adjuncts is ill-intentioned, but more of a misunderstanding. Marshall also said that there is a lack of understanding. He said, “There is no reasonable assurance of further work, even though I have two master’s degrees and 10 years of (teaching) experience. I worry day-to-day with the skyrocketing cost of rent. “I worry about being homeless. My rent just went up (again),” Marshall said. “I’m very scared.” Williams said part-time faculty wish the administration would see what they deal with in the classroom; how many combat vets, students with disabilities or emotional trauma they have in class. Huff suggests that the budget problems originate at the state level. “When the goal was put in place there was funding that was supposed to be put in place as well. But there have been many more years that the funds have not been made available than years that the funding has been made available,” Huff said. “Decisions about funding are, to a large degree, a consultative process between the governor and state Chancellor’s Office.” Lightman pointed to the circular nature of the funding problem. “There’s no way to ‘move the needle’ on student achievement unless we fund instruction and instructional advising like counselors, librarians and student services,” Lightman said. “The current two-tier system of faculty is particularly detrimental and has been gnawing at our system for well over three decades.”
VETERANS | Lack of support brings resignation Continued from Page 1 would be shown a higher regard of respect at the college,” he said. However, Franco sees things differently. “In a perfect world where funding and staffing were no object, I think we would have a fully dedicated staff in the VRC,” he said. Though the college is experiencing budget constraints, he believes the campus has shown a great deal of support for its veteran community with the opening of the VRC and the authorization of many events, including a Marine Corps birthday celebration and a Veterans Day ceremony through a “mini-grant” offered by the Veterans Stakeholders Group. Established in 2016, the Veterans Stakeholders Group consists of college faculty and staff, community members and student veterans. Franco said it stands as an advisory group to veterans services at CCC and the VRC. Casanares said it’s vital for veterans to run veterans’ organizations. History shows civilianrun veteran programs are usually inadequate and unsuccessful at fulfilling the needs of its veteran population. “Civilians lack the knowledge, but more importantly, the understanding of veterans and their unique situations,” he said. “For that reason, veterans simply just feel more comfortable and at ease when dealing with other veterans.” Franco said Ji Jaga’s departure means that the campus has to step up its level of work for the VRC and student veterans to fill the void. He feels confident that faculty and staff will continue to partner with the Veterans Club and
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Chris Babcock, a mechanical engineering major (right) and John Mortera, an electrical engineering major (left) study on their laptops in the Veterans’ Resource Center.
Casanares to listen to the student veteran voice to better the VRC and Veterans Services. In his resignation email, Ji Jaga ensures his “veteran student brothers” that his abrupt exit is not intended to be seen as abandonment of
the campus’ veteran population, but rather a time to “stand down” and re-evaluate how to better serve the veteran student body in a more meaningful way.