The Advocate 3-12

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‘In the Blood’ hits the stage

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Certifications earned

Month gives chance to honor important figures

Celebrating women

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Modern adaptation of classic drama opens tonight

VOL. 101, NO. 17

SINCE 1950 THE STUDENT VOICE OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, SAN PABLO, CALIF.

Old goal far from reality

MOTIVATOR

Change in alert system coming

Colleges statewide lack full-time faculty, funds

By Brian Boyle NEWS EDITOR

bboyle.theadvocate@gmail.com

An emergency text alert system may soon be used in the Contra Costa Community College District.

The district is currently looking to work with the technology company Regroup. Regroup focuses on providing mass alert services and has partnered with community colleges across the country.

“We saw a demo of a product just about a month ago,” district Executive Vice Chancellor of Education and Technology Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said. “On March 31 there is going to be another demo, this time a remote one.”

Regroup’s first demo was for officials from the district, the three Police Services lieutenants and the district police chief Charles Gibson. The demo on March 31 is supposed to be for officials at the individual college level, Mehdizadeh said.

She said that Regroup partners with the company that provides the district’s communication services. She said the product will not only allow the district to send out emergency alerts, but also alert students to things such as a cancelled class.

“Their (Regroup’s) product will integrate easily with the technology we already have,” she said.

Mehdizadeh said Regroup is asking somewhere in the low $20,000 range for their product.

Many colleges in California and across the nation use text messages to alert students to dangers on campus. Emergency texting allows a college campus to provide real-time alerts to students. Alerting students to dangers on campus in a timely fashion is a rule set by the 1990 Clery Act. “Right now, to alert students we send out an email blast or use the air raid siren in San Pablo,” Police Services Lt. Jose Oliveira said. “We can use the fire alarms too if we need to evacuate people.”

Last semester, there were 41 crimes reported by The Advocate, which bases the numbers upon Police Service’s

By Cody McFarland ASSOCIATE EDITOR

cmcfarland.theadvocate@gmail.com

1. The photovoltaic panels collect photons from the sun through silicon mounted underneath non-reflective glass.

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Intermediary — Computer sciences department Chairperson Thomas Murphy began teaching at Contra Costa College in 2001. He plans to retire in two years when his banked load expires but will remain on campus through the fall semester.

‘MASTER OF

OPPORTUNITY’

Endeared

By Christian Urrutia

professor

currutia.theadvocate@gmail.com

will soon retire after his banked load ends in 2016.

PHOTO EDITOR

High performance computing and computer sciences professor Thomas Murphy attributes his teaching philosophy to a prized quote by a Spanish author: “Only he who attempts the absurd is capable of achieving the impossible.”

Though set to unofficially retire this fall, Murphy has established a wealth of opportunities for his students, primarily through his quality instruction and outside ventures he regularly invites students to, over the course of his 13 years at Contra Costa College.

It is said by his students that he has shed light on opportunities they would

Panels save funds, energy District solar projects monies

By Lorenzo Morotti ASSOCIATE EDITOR

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

More than $1.3 million has been saved in avoided energy costs for the district since 2011 with the help of solar panels that harness power from the sun.

Solar energy, however, is not enough to

eclipse the district’s demand for electricity.

Electricity purchased through the Pacific Gas & Electric Company makes up the rest of Contra Costa Community College District’s energy needs.

CCCCD Energy Manager David Vasnaik said using solar energy effectively and avoiding energy waste is necessary to reduce the

The savings so far: CCC: LMC: DVC: Total:

$ $ $ $

173,440 639,532 523,931 1,336,903

2-year savings (2011-2013) Overall costs

Q SEE SOLAR: Page 3

Solar savings

Power savings: When the solar panels went online in 2008, the district’s kilowatt expenses began to gradually decline 1500 1,500,000 kWh 1200 1,250,000 kWh 1,000,000 kWh 900 750,000 kWh 600 500,000 kWh 300 250,000 kWh 0

2009

2010

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3. The inverter transforms the power into basic voltage and alternating current electrical power that becomes available to the campus.

Q SEE 75/25: Page 3

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conserve

2.

Photons are converted into direct current power and flowed through an inverter.

Q SEE MURPHY: Page 3

edit orial

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How it works:

have never otherwise known.

“It’s been a crazy ride,” computer sciences major Michial Green said.

“He’s a master of opportunity and has had no shame or qualms about getting those opportunities for us.”

Green said that due to Murphy’s instruction, he was able to teach himself an advanced form of computer programming called parallel programming and subsequently led seminars on the topic at two four-year universities.

Murphy said students like Green are teaching college faculty parallel programming and are the first in the nation to do so. Educational field trips he took students on include conferences by the Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education, super computing and several Intel Developer Forums.

The statewide goal of community colleges to achieve and maintain a standard that a minimum of 75 percent of classes are taught by full-time professors is far from a reality in California, despite being initiated more than 25 years ago.

Assembly Bill 1725, passed in 1988, mandates that California community colleges work toward and preserve that standard, yet Evaluating the state failed to continue old goals funding its progress after Despite reguonly two years. larly meeting Like most two-year colleg- the minimum es in the state, Contra Costa requirement, College struggles to progress our district toward the 75/25 full- to part- continues to time ratio. However, a wide stray from the variety of factors, including 75/25 goal. geography, unstable enrollment and cuts made to education funding over the last two decades, have impeded growth for many community colleges throughout California.

“It is a project that the state undertook but proved unable to fund on an ongoing basis,” CCC President Denise Noldon said. “I would never argue against having more full-timers. I just don’t see it as possible under our current funding structure.”

As of fall 2013, the Contra Costa Community College District’s percentage of full-time faculty was at 50.78 percent, down nearly 4 percent from fall 2012. Yet CCC, like many other California community colleges, continues to meet the annual state mandated minimum, known as the Full-time Faculty Obligation Number, without making any actual progress toward the 75/25 goal.

“Fifty percent is an embarrassingly low number,” United Faculty President Jeffrey Michels said. “It’s unfortunate and a real weak spot for our district. Our faculty deserve fulltime jobs and our students deserve full-time teachers.”

The district currently has one of the lowest ratios in all of Northern California, Dr. Michels said.

As of fall 2013, only two districts in the state had 75 percent or more classes being taught by full-time faculty: San Mateo and West Hills community college districts.

Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Employee Relations for the San Mateo Community College District Harry Joel said that in his 12 years of service with that district, they have not gone below the 75 percent fulltime faculty line.

Joel attributes their success to monitor-

2011

2012

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 ACCENTADVOCATE.COM

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2 THE ADVOCATE Quotable “Freedom is poetry, taking liberties with words, breaking the rules of normal speech, violating common sense. Freedom is violence.”

Norman O. Brown philosopher 1966 George Morin editor-in-chief Cody McFarland Lorenzo Morotti Rodney Woodson associate editors Brian Boyle news editor Mike Thomas sports editor Veronica Santos scene editor Qing Huang Christian Urrutia photo editors Janae Harris assistant photo editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Fanisha Ayatch Joseph Bennett Jamah Butler Nina Cestaro Daniel Cifuentes Sharrell Duncan Florinda Hershey Ryan Holloway Sinoti Iosua Jose Jimenez Van Ly Ryan Margason Manning Peterson Stephen Son Mark Wassberg Sean Whatley Madisen William Staff photographers Cody Casares Jordan Khoo Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Member Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges How to reach us Phone: 510.235.7800 ext. 4315 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: advocate@ contracosta.edu or accent.advocate@ 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.

OPINION

l WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 VOL. 101, NO. 17 L

Editorial In need of change College needs funding, bill revision

C

ommunity college districts throughout the state are challenged by a goal to achieve and maintain a status where 75 percent of classes are taught by full-time faculty.

Passed in 1988, Assembly Bill 1725 was a hiring reform act geared toward enhancing the quality of education and the availability of professors by mandating a 75/25 ratio of full-time to parttime faculty. However funding for the policy dried up after just two years.

From 1988 to 2004, the State Chancellor’s Office documented the annual outcomes of all 72 community college districts in relationship to the 75 percent goal. What was found was the system average had decreased by nearly 1 percent. Though slight, that decrease is proof that the current methods to attain a 75/25 status are ineffective.

Last fall, the Contra Costa Community College District sat at 50.78 percent full-time faculty, down almost 4 percent from fall 2012. Despite slipping further away from the 75 percent goal, the district continues to meet its full-time faculty obligation number (FON), the minimum full-time faculty requirement.

The annual FON is determined by the previous year’s state-funded growth.

Though some districts struggled to do so, most met their obligation numbers with little difficulty, while simultaneously showing little to no progress and, in some cases, even regression from the 75 percent goal.

A significant increase to higher education funding is necessary to ensure the progress of all districts. However, fluctuating enrollment, shifts in course demand and an outpour of resources on the 2012 Student Success Initiatives have tied the hands of California community college administrators.

Leave it to legislators who don’t see what happens on campuses and within the communities they serve to drown districts with lofty goals, not supply them with the necessary resources, then concoct new ones before the old ones come to fruition.

If an objective made more than 25 years ago remains largely unmet by community colleges statewide, it is safe to say it warrants reconsideration. That is not to say it was a misguided step, but more deliberation on how to properly fund AB1725 should have been considered ahead of time.

Mandating that 75 percent of classes be taught by full-time professors remains a good idea today, and is mutually beneficial to students and faculty.

However, state legislators need to revisit AB1725 and revise it to increase and tailor the full-time obligation numbers to better reflect each unique district, then supplement the state’s higher education budget with adequate funds to ensure the goal’s success — with funds that won’t disappear in two years.

LORENZO MOROTTI / THE ADVOCATE

N Emotion

Slowly tearing down my ‘suit of armor’

G

rowing up, I learned how to not feel.

Emotions in my family were viewed as a weakness — a fatal flaw that would be the downfall of success.

Logic, on the other hand, was viewed as a strength, a merit of success.

I am the youngest in my family and the only girl. I have four older brothers. My eldest brother is 44 and the youngest is 24.

When I was 5, I looked up to my brothers because they didn’t let anything affect them. Nothing could penetrate their suits of armor.

They were invincible.

I was the complete opposite of them. I had no suit of armor. Every little thing affected me.

I cried on my first day of kindergarten. I cried when I watched the movie “Lassie.”

Each time I cried my brothers would laugh and poke fun at me. The only comfort they gave me was by telling me, “Lys don’t cry.

We don’t feel anything.”

I wanted my brothers to stop calling me a weakling.

I wanted to be strong. I wanted the power my brothers had over their fears and emotions. But most of all, I wanted to live up to my family name — I wanted to be a “Ly.” From then on, I began to build my suit of armor.

Whenever I felt anything, I buried those feelings within me. Sadness. Fear.

Confusion. Happiness.

Eventually, I stopped feeling anything. I became indifferent and numb.

I knew that sadness had

downfall.

What I learned is that by shutting off one’s emotion, one shuts down everything else. Sorrow, fear, happiness — they can’t exist unless you allow yourself to feel what you’re supposed to feel.

Each and every one of us frowns; fear had eyes closed; has built an armor of steelconfusion had question like emotional callous at marks; and happiness had smiles on people’s faces. But some point in life. The presI didn’t know how to feel or ence of our suits of armor is evident in times understand emotions. when we become “I don’t know how So take second-guessers, you do it,” a friend expert dismissers said to me when I off your and harsh inner-critwas 16. ics.

“Do what?” I suit of Each time you asked. shield yourself with “Be numb,” she armor. your armor, you said, as her eyes keep yourself not began to tear up. “I only from others, wish I didn’t feel any- You are but from yourself as thing.” well. You lose out At this point, I stronger on understanding started to freak out. I while trydidn’t know how to than you yourself ing to make sense of comfort her. every little thing.

The only thing that Emotions are I could muster up was think. what make me strong, even to ask her what happened. though at times they make “My grandfather died,” me feel weak. The greatest she said. suit of armor is one’s own “I did everything I could skin. Exposing my true self, to forget,” she continued, “but god, it hurts. I miss him. leaving myself vulnerable, it allowed me to feel everyI miss him so much that I thing, regardless of how can’t function any more.” scary it may be.

I was silent. I didn’t By confronting my feelknow what to say because ings and facing things I couldn’t feel. But in that moment, I wished that I did. head on, I allowed myself to understand myself — I I wished that I could feel. allowed myself to grow.

Now at age 20 I am still So take off your suit of afflicted by an absence of emotions. My fatal flaw was armor. You are stronger than you think. my logic, my attempts at rationalizing my emotions.

Van Ly is a staff writer for Contradictory to the lesThe Advocate. Contact her at sons taught by my family, vly.theadvocate@gmail.com. my lack of emotion was my

vanly

CampusComment

Where do you park when you come to school?

“Me and my friend park beneath the solar panels in Lot 10. It’s convenient, shady and acts like an umbrella when it rains.”

“I usually park in Lot 2 because it’s close to my class.”

“I park on Shane Drive because I don’t have a parking permit.”

“I park on Shane Drive because I can’t find parking on campus.”

Muey Saeyang

Michiko Talingting

Ryan Kang

undecided

Adell Cornejo engineering

MIKE THOMAS, CODY CASARES AND SEAN WHATLEY / THE ADVOCATE

business

culinary arts

“I park in the student parking lot (Lot 10) because it’s closer to my math class.”

“I either park near the Gymnasium for the Library or I park in Lot 10 because it’s closer to my class.”

Samneet Singh engineering

Priscilla Benavidez radiology

CAMPUS BEAT

Q VACATION

Campus closed for spring break The campus will be closed from Sunday to March 21 for spring break.

The campus will reopen on March 24.

Q FUNDRAISER

Gymnasium to host Crab Feed The Contra Costa College athletic department in conjunction with the college Foundation is sponsoring the 13th All You Can Eat Crab Feed on March 29 in the Gymnasium.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Crab will be served at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $40 per person. The funds collected will be donated to the athletic department.

For more information, call 510215-4804 or 510-215-4801.

Q VIOLENCE

Community to show support “A Mother’s Cry,� an annual tribute to all victims killed by gun violence, will be held at the Tabernacle of Praise at 10 Harbor Way, Richmond at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

A “Mother’s Cry� was birthed after the founder Bessie Lyon’s son Thomas James Jr. was killed in a drive by shooting in 2006.

This traumatic experience was the inspiration to start an organization to help other mothers know that they are not alone.

Lyons and the “A Mother’s Cry� organization is determined to make a change and stop the violence in our communities.

The aim of the event is to help and support families who have lost their loved ones to violence recently.

For more information, call 707720-8129.

Q AB 540

Dream Act facts, myths explained

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and is ideal for working professionals who can pass down knowledge and experience from the field.

Adjunct fine art professor Dana Davis agrees. “Part-timers are a screaming deal,� Davis said. “They come at a low cost and teach students about the world they come from, a world many of the students are trying to enter. That’s our added value.�

He said he appreciates his minimal teaching load as an adjunct because it allows him to expend all of his energy in one class session, adding that, “As a part-timer only teaching one class a day, I don’t feel the need to pace myself.�

Yet, there are some downsides. “I like having a foot in both worlds, but the money could be better,� he said. “Job security is very tenuous and there’s no guar-

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antee or feeling of control over whether we’ll (adjuncts) be here from one semester to the next.�

Engineering and physics major Christopher Estrada said, “It doesn’t matter to me if a teacher is part- or full-time, so long as we have more classes being made available, especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program.�

Estrada said discerning between part- and full-time professors is not an issue of quality, but one of availability. He said having more fulltimers would allow for students to become familiar and comfortable with a specific professor and really get the attention they need through office hours, which most adjunct professors do not have. “But really, part-timers are just as good as full-timers,� he said.

Murphy | Computational expert Texting Q FROM: Page 1

But future students will not be able to share this privilege. “I expect this to be my last full semester teaching, so I have a few semesters of banked load that I will be using until I actually retire,� Murphy said. “I’m the only computer sciences professor here at CCC, so it was easy for me to generate banked load, which meant that there were classes that needed to be taught and I taught them so I opted out of overtime.�

Murphy has accumulated enough banked load to stay financially afloat for the next two years prior to officially retiring.

Alexis Liu, a former student of Murphy’s, said that he challenges his students to perform better and that she enjoyed that he does not give students the answer but makes them work for it.

Liu, currently a senior at UC Berkeley, said the difficulty of Murphy’s tests from his computer sciences courses are comparable to UC Berkeley. “He exposed us to outside opportunities and parallel programming. (My first visit) to one of the conferences opened my eyes to high performance computing,� Liu said.

She will be an Intel student representative for UC Berkeley at the upcoming Wearable Game Makeathon, which will be held during the Game Developer’s Conference March 17-21.

Some of Murphy’s current students will also be attending the event, adding to the list of field trips to which he has taken students. “Our students being there (at GDC) is not just to occupy space. They’re doing what Intel employees at this conference are doing: booth duty,� Murphy said.

Paul Steinberg, academic community manager for Intel, said, “I started to collaborate with Murphy because of his expertise with parallel computing. I was bringing this subject into computer sciences undergraduate curriculum globally.�

The fourth annual More Than A Dream event will be held on April 5 at the Diablo Valley College Performing Arts Center.

The event is a free district-side conference for undocumented high school and college students and parents to learn about the opportunities and resources available from the Dream Act. To register and find out more, Q FROM: Page 1 visit www.dvc.edu/events. amount of electricity the district uses.

The district has paid about $4 million in electrical expenses over the past two years, Vasnaik said. “If we (CCC) can reduce PG&E’s need to produce energy to power, the colMonday, Feb. 24: lege’s energy usage will also (decline),�

A student was arrested for pos- he said. session of alcohol on school propCCC’s solar panels, that provide cover erty, being intoxicated and caus- for 34 parking spots in Lot 10, saved the ing a disturbance. The student was college $81,199 in energy costs last year. found in the Computer Technology In the 2011-12 fiscal year, the solar panCenter. els saved the college $11,000 extra.

Buildings and Grounds Manager Wednesday, Feb. 26: Bruce King said, “They (solar panels) A staff member tripped and fell do not power the whole campus, only a over a phone cord in the Student couple of buildings.� He said it is imposServices Center. The staff member sible to tell which specific buildings complained about pain, but refused receive the solar energy. medical treatment.

Since 2011, Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College have cut their Thursday, Feb. 27: energy costs by $523,931 and $639,532, An unknown suspect stole a respectively. victim’s purse in the Art Building.

King said the reason for the savings being higher at CCC’s sister colleges is Saturday, March 1: because they have more space to place A student reported that her vehi- the solar panels. Large buildings with cle was hit while parked in Lot 9. lots of classrooms draw a large amount of power.

Monday, March 3: Vasnaik said campuses with larger A vehicle was vandalized by an structures will often see larger amounts unknown suspect while parked on of money saved through solar power. campus. “DVC and LMC have solar panels in two or three parking lots,� King said. — George Morin “We only have it in the one.�

The solar panels came to be after the CCCCD received $286.5 million from Bond Measure A in 2006.

Q FROM: Page 1

Most recently he funded getting a 3D printer so students can use hackathons to develop ways of 3D printing prosthetic hands for kids without hands. “Murphy was an expert and so we worked together for a number of years and the collaboration grew from there. I’ve been privileged to work with these students over the years,� Steinberg said.

Murphy said the biggest thing Steinberg has done to help is by enabling opportunities. “For more than five years I have gotten 20 to 30 passes to the fall Intel Developer Forum, valued at $1,500 a pass,� Murphy said.

He said that it is useful for students to get updated on the latest in computer sciences hardware and how they can be a part of it is true, and most important that it is possible for them personally to be part of a company like Intel.

One of the first students Murphy brought to IDF was Tareq Saif. Saif won the code-breaker competition at the IDF in 2009 and shortly thereafter transferred to the Energy Sciences network at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he worked for two years as a computer systems engineer before starting his own business, Tekk Support in San Pablo.

Saif said, “The problem solving you learn is not only applicable in computer sciences, but in the real world as well. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am.�

Murphy said the heart of computer sciences is making mistakes, and mistakes are the only way students learn.

He plans to advise the four clubs in computer science after he stops teaching and continue working with Steinberg. “As long as (Murphy) wants to (continuing to) work together, I’m happy to do so,� Steinberg said.

Murphy said, “Most of the students from Contra Costa don’t have the availability to do these things.

They couldn’t attend, let alone participate.�

Solar | Energy costs cut

CrimeWatch

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Bay Area full-time faculty percentages 71.65

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74.34

“It’s very hard to be a good, consistent teacher while trying to run back and forth between different colleges,� Michels said.

Astronomy, physics and engineering assistant professor Mark Wong was formerly an adjunct, but is now in his first year as a fulltime professor.

Wong said that becoming a fulltime faculty member has “absolutely� benefitted his ability to assist students. “I’m here all day long, so rather than running from campus to campus, I’m able to meet with students more in accordance with a schedule,� he said.

Speech professor and department Chairperson Sherry Diestler served as an adjunct professor for eight years before getting hired as a full-time instructor at CCC. Diestler said her experience “teaching in three districts and living in a fourth� made her feel as if she was not really a part of the three college’s departments she was teaching in. Her opinion was seldom considered and she was forced into schedules instead of being allowed to choose one that worked within her existing teaching schedule.

She said the advantages of becoming a full-time professor are that you have a professional home, one student body to love and a loyalty to one campus. “You feel like you have more of a part to play in the success of students and of the campus. Our adjuncts have that, but they have to subdivide that between the places they work,� Diestler said.

She said, however, that being an adjunct professor is good for some

56.36

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ing numbers on a regular basis, having many people involved and constantly reviewing up-to-date and historical information with the 75/25 goal kept closely in mind. “It’s more of an art than a science,� he said. “We’re juggling the college budget. How much can we afford? Is enrollment up or down? What demand is there and for what classes? These are factors to consider when staffing for a new semester.�

Unlike the CCCCD, SMCCD is a basic aid district, meaning that property values within that area are high enough to cover the expenses of the college district through property taxes alone. Basic aid districts do not receive additional state funding per Full-Time Equivalent Students, like the CCCCD does.

If AB 1725’s provisions were strictly followed, districts that fail to improve their ratio would be stripped of up to 40 percent of their funding. Though a high number of districts fall into this category, none have been denied funding for this reason.

Because part-time faculty are less expensive than full-timers, there is an incentive for colleges to not hire full-timers in favor of hiring adjunct professors, Michels said.

Adjunct or part-time professors are only allowed to teach up to 67 percent of a full load and are only paid for half of one office hour, if given office hours at all. Attempting to make a connection with students and provide the quality instruction and regular availability of a fulltime professor is not possible from adjunct professors, he said.

75.30

Q FROM: Page 1 Receive breaking news and sports updates by following The Advocate on Twitter and Facebook. twitter.com/accentadvocate facebook.com/accentadvocate

3

75/25 | AB 1725 mandates faculty standard Full-time faculty percentage by district

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 l THE ADVOCATE

ADVERTISEMENT

The solar panels went online in January 2008. At the time they were installed, the panels were projected to save the district more than $70 million over 25 years.

The demand for energy at colleges in the district has decreased. In 2008 the district saw the most energy expenses accrued. It paid more than $3 million in expenses to PG&E that single year.

Ultra-violet energy Solar power has saved CCC 1,092,884 kilowatt hours since 2011 according a report compiled by Vasnaik. This translates into $173,440 in avoided electrical costs for the campus. “The solar panels almost never turn the meters on campus backward,� he said.

Every campus in the district has a base-load of electricity flowing through its meters. A base-load is the smallest amount of current the college needs to maintain its lights at night or when the school is empty.

The base-load of energy that flows into CCC’s grid is about 500,000 kilowatts an hour. This number fluctuates at different colleges in the district, Vasnaik said. “The campus’ peak production hours for solar energy are from 1 to 2 p.m.,�

Vasniak said. “Let’s say that at this time the solar panels are only creating 40 percent of the needed electricity into the meters on campus. PG&E will have make up the difference. In this case, there would be a difference of 60 percent.�

crime reports. Many of these crimes involved non-students from the surrounding community. A few of these reports involved firearms, though theft is by far the most common crime on campus.

The adoption of an emergency text alert system is something students believe is absolutely necessary. “I’ve never been made aware of a crime on campus quickly,� nursing major Chris Brooks said. “A lot of colleges use some sort of Amber Alert system to let students know about crimes. I know San Jose State uses one.�

Already this semester multiple instances of theft have been reported to Police Services.

On Feb. 5, one student reported being robbed at the Bus Transfer Center.

She was waiting for her bus when a man she did not know stole her cell phone after a brief struggle, Lt. Oliveira said. No arrest has followed from this report, and Police Services currently do not have a suspect, Oliveira said.

Crimes on campus can also take the form of embezzlement.

Last semester, a female student working at the Bookstore was found to have illegally refunded money onto her personal credit card and was fired. No charges were filed by the Richmond district attorney, Oliveira said.

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l WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014

Modern take on classic drama

CAMPUS BEAT

‘IN THE BLOOD’

Adaptation of ‘The Scarlett Letter’ opens

By Van Ly STAFF WRITER

vly.theadvocate@gmail.com

From a distance, a faint wailing sound accompanied by a rumbling series of wheels clicking and clacking against the railroads — the sound of BART trains — echo the lives of Hester La Negrita and her five fatherless children.

“In the Blood” is a modern day version of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” that takes place underneath a bridge “It’s about all near BART in the these people Bay Area.

With the reputawho exploit tion of a “slut,” life Hester is diffiher in a cycle for cult as she struggles of poverty and to find a life beyond bridge for her helplessness.” the children.

Contra Costa College’s drama department will present Suzan-Lori Parks’ play “In the Blood,” directed by drama professor Tyrone Davis. The Tyrone Davis, play will run today drama professor through Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Knox Center.

Determined, Hester does her best to find help from one of her children’s fathers with hopes that her children can live better lives.

Lead actress Audrey Webb said that

JANAE HARRIS / THE ADVOCATE

Taxi — Reverend D. (Terry Tracy) (left) calls a cab for Hester La Negrita (Audrey Webb) during rehearsal for “In the Blood” in the Knox Center on Monday. The play is a modern rendition of “The Scarlett Letter” and will open tonight at 8 p.m. unfortunately because of Hester’s giving nature, people take advantage of her.

“Hester is a loving woman and giver.

She’s a very good person, and very beautiful, but she doesn’t make very good choices and can be naive,” Webb said.

Davis said, “It’s about all these people who exploit her in a cycle of poverty and helplessness.”

Webb said the play is very powerful, and controversial. She said she knows the audience will connect with it.

Nick Wong, who plays the doctor, said, “Hester is a caring mother undergoing the pressures of society. People assume she got around and look down on her.”

Davis’ skills and background in theater and acting serve to be useful for his cast members. He received a bachelor of arts

degree in theater from Cal State-Northridge and a master’s degree in acting from the California Institute of the Arts. Webb said Davis uses his mind as an actor and director to help the cast members be true to their characters.

“It’s a very tight-knit group of us who are all dedicated to the play and a large part of it is because of Tyrone’s emphasis on working as an ensemble,” Webb said.

Wong said Davis is a unique director. He said Davis’ style of teaching is having the cast work together as an ensemble.

Webb said, “He has a vision of what the play needs to be and stays true to the play.”

“In the Blood” will have mature, explicit, adult language.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for general admission.

JANAE HARRIS / THE ADVOCATE

Working out the kinks — Hester La Negrita (Audrey Webb) massages the Welfare Lady (Kat Welton) during a rehearsal for “In the Blood.”

Single Stop offers up services, advice

By Ryan Holloway STAFF WRITER

frosario.advocate@gmail.com

Free tax preparation is being provided on campus by IRS-certified tax preparers. Single Stop USA, a national entity that assists impoverished people claim government benefits for which they qualify is assisting students in SSC-106 for free.

The service is offered TuesdaysThursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until April 15. April 15 is Tax

Day, the day everyone’s state and federal tax returns must be filed.

The service will be provided to individuals with a 2013 income of less than $52,000. U.S citizenship is not required.

Students wishing to take part in the service must bring a Social Security card, W2 form, bank routing and account numbers and landlord information for renter’s credit.

Single Stop has been located on campus since January 2012.

“For a little more than two

“For a little more than two years they have provided students with different types of assistance such as benefit screening for CalFresh, MediCal, CalWORKs and PG&E discounts.”

Teresa Archaga, program director

years they have provided students with different types of assistance such as benefit screening for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs and PG&E discounts,” Program Director Teresa Archaga said.

Single Stop can provide students with references to local resources for financial coaching and legal services also.

Single Stop also provides bus passes to students whenever posi-

ble.

The through Single through p.m.

bus passes are attained donations, Archaga said.

Stop is open Monday Friday from 9 a.m. to 5

Eddie Rhodes gallery showcases 3D-printing Abstract shapes created through various media

By Madisen William STAFF WRITER

mwilliam.theadvocate@gmail.com

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Breaking out of the box — A wooden 3D print is one of the many art pieces on display in the Eddie Rhodes Gallery.

The Eddie Rhodes Gallery is currently featuring its first ever exhibit on the art form of 3D and computer numerical control printing.

Titled “Return of the Thing: 5 Bay Area Artists use 3D Printing,” the exhibit features 33 3D printed and CNC printed pieces from four of the five featured artists: Robert Geshlider, Robert M. Smith, Kim Thoman and Andrew Werby.

For unspecified reasons, Bruce Beasley pulled his three pieces from the gallery.

Adjunct fine arts professor Dana Davis said, “Even without Bruce, I think this is going to be a full show.”

Located in the Rhodes Gallery in A-5, the exhibit opened on March 3 and will remain open until April 4.

Using different media from marble to wood, plastic to high tech plaster, the featured artists have created unique pieces using 3D printing that they could not manage to produce any other way, Werby said.

“It will be a really important art form in the next 20 years.

It’s unfortunate that Contra Costa College does not offer any classes on it.”

Dana Davis,

adjunct fine arts professor

3D and CNC printing allows artists to use computer-assisted design programs to create any simple, intricate or eccentric idea they can think of, he said.

From there, the design is formed by a 3D printer into a physical piece of art that people can touch and look at from all angles, although touching the pieces within the gallery is prohibited.

On March 13 there will be a reception for the gallery where students and other guests can view the exhibit, enjoy refreshments and talk with the artists from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Smith will lecture on 3D printing starting at 5:30 p.m.

CNC printing has been around for more than 30 years for industrial uses, however, in the past decade or so, 3D printing has been made available to artists for the use of their own

creativity, Werby said.

The works displayed in the gallery show the wide variety of possibilities that can be created with 3D printing.

Werby calls his style of 3D printed pieces “juxtamorphic.”

He draws inspiration from shapes, images and forms from nature using raw materials he has collected over the years, he said.

“Abstraction is a very real aspect of all the pieces being featured,” Thoman said.

Geshlider’s pieces are vibrant in color, yet abstract and cartoony.

Smith said his pieces feature repetitive geometric lines and shapes, while drawing inspiration from nature as well.

Davis said, “These pieces are really interesting to look at. It’s fun, even pretty.”

The current generation of artists are the ones who are going to become most familiar with the medium, as advances in technology are currently making 3D printing more widely available, he said.

“It will be a really important art form in the next 20 years,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that Contra Costa College does not offer any classes on it.”

For any questions about the exhibit or the reception, email Thoman at kim@kim.thoman. com or Davis at danapics@lmi. net.

CAMPUS BEAT

Departments earn green certification

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 l THE ADVOCATE

5

ECO-FRIENDLY

By Sinoti Iosua STAFF WRITER

siosua.theadvocate@gmail.com

Being one of the first campuses in the nation to have a collision and repair department green certified has brought about a new mindset on becoming more environmentally friendly at Contra Costa College.

Peter Lock, automotive services professor and department chairperson said, “To be green certified means that a particular facility operates with different rules and techniques to dispose, use and operate in an eco-friendly way, while using less energy and potentially saving a large chunk of money.�

Currently, the automotive department and Buildings and are the only “The long- Grounds green certified proterm goal of grams on campus, the custodial embracing while and culinary arts certification stands at a this eco“The long-term friendly shift halt. goal of embracing this eco-friendly is for the is for the entire entire campus shift campus to one day to one day become green certified,� Lock said. become green C u l i n a r y arts department certified.�

Chairperson Nader Sharkes said his Peter Lock, department is putautomotive services ting the certification chairperson process on hold, as they are waiting to relocate to their new facility once the construction of the new Campus Center is complete in 2016.

Wasting limited resources on newer kitchen appliances that are going to be replaced within two years is one of the main reasons the culinary arts department will remain patient and hold the process, Sharkes said.

He said his department already follows the green certification rules and has an organic garden where he and students grow their own vegetables. Another eco-friendly way in which the culinary arts department contributes is by composting scraps of food and used organic materials collected throughout the day.

The custodial department, on the other

hand, is still waiting for paperwork to be finalized before it can attain certification.

Buildings and Grounds is only one of the two green certified departments that have already begun to make changes, such as maintaining ventilation at cool temperatures and replacing old light fixtures with lowmercury fluorescent lighting.

The automotive department became certified in March 2010. It has paved the way for all other campus departments that have already started using more green ways of cleaning and operating, Lock said.

Before the green push, if any oil spills took place, the automotive department would wash away the spill. Now, the department owns a vacuum that sucks up and contains spilled oil, which saves the drains from leaking any more oil into the San Pablo Bay. Shop equipment assistant James Gardner said that they want to instill a green mindset into their students so when they are out on the job they will know the correct procedures to execute the task given while using the least amount of resources and energy.

Some of the ways they have become more eco-friendly are by re-using the backsides of scratch paper, composting debris and maintaining a clean outdoor space, Gardner said.

The relationship between green and safety is emphasized within the automotive department in hopes of making students become aware of their surroundings, not only in the auto body shop but around campus as well, he said.

Cutting back half of the energy and resources being used will not only help the environment, but will help the school’s budget as well, he said. “Understanding the importance of becoming green certified is starting to root its way onto campus. As humans, we should care about the state of the planet we live on,�

Gardner said.

Reuse, reduce, recycle and rot are the four most valuable R’s when it comes to becoming environmentally friendly, which is what CCC hopes to see more of in the future, he said.

Automotive services department Hazardous chemicals from motor oil changes, brake fluid and other maintenance is collected and taken to a proper facility for disposal.

Buildings and Grounds department Old light fixtures and ventilation systems were replaced with “eco-friendly� equipment.

Culinary arts department - Still pending Its green certification has been put on “hold� until it relocates to the new Campus Center at its projected completion date of fall 2016.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

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6 THE ADVOCATE Unleashed

Movies

l WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014

Pharrell still able to entertain ‘G I R L’ presents latest style, lyrics

By Veronica Santos SCENE EDITOR

vsantos.theadvocate@gmail.com

This week: “Need For Speed” (PG-13) “Tyler Perry’s Single Moms Club” (PG-13) “The Art of the Steal” R “Bad Words” R “Better Living Through Chemistry” (G)

DVDs

SCENE

Pharrell Williams’ sophomore solo album, “G I R L,” creates an upbeat atmosphere that lifts the mood of its listeners.

“G I R L,” released on March 3, is Williams’ first album since “In My Mind” in 2005.

There is a major difference between these albums. “In My Mind” focused on Williams’ fame while “G I R L,” as its title presumes, is heavily structured toward the female sex. And “G I R L” can captivate its target audience easily.

It is by no means a step toward embracing feminism, but Pharrell uses women as the topic for each track.

With titles like “Marilyn Monroe,” “Lost Queen” and “ItGirl,” the theme of the album is easy to follow.

It also shows Williams knows who his listeners are. Simply put, the track list is made for a

girls’ night out or to brighten up an unpleasant day.

“G I R L” features 10 tracks including the inescapable “Happy” from the film “Despicable Me 2.”

The first listen to the album will automatically make listeners want to dance.

It is an easy listen, and Williams’ signature sounds are present.

There is heavy influence of funk in most of the songs on the album.

“Hunter” is one of those songs.

It features the same staccato-like bass lines and a melody to groove to. The vocals harken back to Blondie’s “The Rapture.”

Justin Timberlake lends his voice to “Brand New,” a song made to start the day.

The lyrics are simple: “Good morning / you got me feeling brand new / you got me feeling brand new / like the tag’s still on me.”

There is no need to overthink.

The album is upbeat, happy and made for listeners to feel good.

Another featured artist is Miley Cyrus in

“Come Get it Bae,” undoubtedly the most danceable track on the album.

It is also the most mainstream friendly.

The intro riffs are similar to “Too cdreview Hot to Stop” by The Bar-Kays, which is the intro song to the film “Superbad’s” dance sequence.

“G I R L” “Lost Queen” +++++ Artist: Pharrell may be the song Genre: Pop most women will Columbia find lyrically pleas- Label: Release Date: ing. It starts with March 3 humming which, oddly enough, could remind one of “The Lion King.”

It also captures the most signature Williams’ sound — heavy bass, smooth vocals and strange sounds Williams makes with his mouth that, somehow, just work.

It is the longest track on the album and takes inspiration from his work producing for Timberlake.

It then

drifts into the sound of waves, which lead listeners to what sounds like a completely different song, but simply continues the track.

Many of the songs are inspired by, and comparable to, the work Williams has produced with other artists throughout his years as a producer.

“Gust of Wind” is a continuance of Williams’ partnership with Daft Punk and boasts the same funky electro-pop feel as “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance” from Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” album.

The impact Williams has created while producing for other artists is audible within the album.

With today’s most popular artists lending a hand to Williams’ project, it provides a new light to what these artists are capable of doing, with the help of Williams’ vision.

New releases: “Homefront” R “Inside Llewyn Davis” R “Out of the Furnace” R “The Book Thief” (PG-13)

CDs

New releases: 311: “Stereolithic” Aloe Blacc: “Lift Your Spirit” Architects UK: “Lost Forever // Lost Together Charlie Oxford: “Charlie Oxford” Young Money: “Rise Of An Empire”

Games

SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

Movie lacks story, depth

By Jose Jimenez STAFF WRITER

jjimenez.theadvocate@gmail.com

New releases: “Titanfall” (M) “Putty Squad” (E10+) “TowerFall Ascension” (M) “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes” (M) Editor’s note: This column lists popular new (and upcoming) releases for the week.

Noam Murro’s “300: Rise of an Empire” features Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) as a disappointing Greek general leading an army of men against invading Persian forces.

The new character is unlike Gerard Butler’s portrayal of King Leonidas, which made an impact on the big screen in the original “300” in 2007.

William Wallace (“Braveheart”), Captain Miller (“Saving Private Ryan”) and even the fictional character John Connor (“Terminator”), are all characters from films who showed outstanding leadership skills.

These films had good supporting characters and boasted well-written dialogue, achieving excellent chemistry throughout the these movies.

SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

Standing together — Noam Murro’s “300: Rise of an Empire” revisits the Greek Spartans as they battle the Persian army. The bloody violent movie is full of sex and men in speedos and capes fighting waves of enemies.

However, Themistokles fails in a big way as a general and leader.

Leonidas and Xerses, both of moviereview whom were in the first film, both return for the sequel.

“300: Rise Of An But their Empire” relevance to +++++ the movie Starring: Sullivan feels like a Stapleton, tease.

Rodrigo Santoro Directed by: Leonidas Noam Murro is only Genre: Action shown in glimpses and flashbacks, which is very disappointing.

The film focuses on the coastline of ancient Athens and the Battle of Salamis and is based on an unpublished book, “Xerses,” by Frank Miller (“Sin City”).

The origins of the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes,

are explained and his rise to power is graphically detailed.

This translates to him laying in a pool of “holy water” transforming himself from an ordinary prince and apprentice to his father, to a king.

Unmerciful and pitiless, Xerxes stands over 7 feet tall and is drenched in pure gold.

Leonidas died for Sparta and what he believed in.

Themistokles is the complete opposite and is an uneven match both sexually and mentally against the vengeful female navy commander Artemisia (Eva Green).

As a child Artemisia witnesses her entire family being raped and murdered.

She is then kept as a sex slave until adulthood.

It is very graphic but that is expected when a

novel by Miller is being translated into the big screen.

Conflict arises between Xerxes and Artemisia when a certain victory for the Persians is in sight.

This heated exchange persuades her to set a private meeting with Themistokles to end the war and call a truce.

Both agree they cannot come to terms verbally and engage in a sexual fantasy of fight and lust.

The sex and fight scene is amusing but way over the top and leaves Themistokles only as a physically fit specimen — not as a strong leader.

The action sequences are loud, bloody and gory.

The story is bland and there are more decapitations and scenes of heads rolling than story.

Most of the battles are

on the water and ships collide in a jaw-dropping fashion.

Violence rarely sleeps in the film and even the crew that paddles the big ships under the decks is shown receiving several lashes.

The computer-generated imagery is amazing and that may substitute for the poor screenplay by Zack Snyder (“Man of Steel”).

Snyder has his name on the film but it feels like he provides little help on this project.

He directed the first “300,” which opened earning more than $70 million at the box office.

Maybe all of his energy has been channeled into the upcoming BatmanSuperman movie. Allin-all, “300: Rise of an Empire” is a disappointing film.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 l THE ADVOCATE

7

N Off the record

danielcifuentes

Instant replay changes style of baseball

T

he National Football League is probably the most predictable of all the unpredictable sporting leagues.

One minute a team’s offensive unit can be driving down the field looking to make a play in the end zone to score a touchdown and the next, a yellow flag is thrown on the field.

The referee who threw the flag convenes with the rest of the officials and after a few minutes the head official will come out of the huddle and announce why the flag was thrown.

One thing that an NFL audience has at the palm of its hands is televised replays.

The network broadcasting a game will show the replay of a particular play or call.

A coach on the field will have other coaches in booths throughout the stadium telling him whether or not to challenge that particular call.

When the coach takes that action, the officials will go into a booth and review the call, and then either let the ruling on the field stand or change the call.

While the NFL may be the king of sporting entities, Major League Baseball has been a close second in monetary growth and popularity for quite some time and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon. But many sports enthusiasts claim that baseball, “America’s pastime,” is boring, monotonous and not as exciting as football. I beg to differ. There is just a sort of romance with baseball.

With the start of the 2014 MLB season just a few weeks away, there is much anticipation about the season. The Boston Red Sox will defend their third World Series Championship in the last nine years.

The free-spending Los Angeles Dodgers are coming out of spring training as the favorite to win the World Series at season’s end.

Despite this mounting drama, it has been the story of MLB’s expanded replay that has baseball enthusiasts all over the United States in a huff.

Although fans may think there is a new replay system, it is actually an expansion of already existing technology the MLB has used in past seasons.

This year’s expanded replay system will focus on a number of situations and calls including: ground-rule doubles, fan interference, boundaries (managers may not challenge home run or potential home run calls), force plays at all bases (except whether a middle infielder touched second base during the attempt to “turn” a double play), tag plays on the base paths and whether a runner was tagged or touched a base first.

MLB games last at least nine innings, but with this new system of replay many people believe games will now drag past the three-hour mark.

This system should not only heighten the popularity of the game, but get people talking about how the game is better for it. Instant replays are the solution to shaky calls from umpires.

And that can only mean happier baseball fans.

Daniel Cifuentes is a staff writer for The Advocate.

Contact him at dcifuentes. theadvocate@gmail.com.

QING HUANG / THE ADVOCATE

Almost home — Comet catcher Tyler Niemeyer (left) waits for the ball to reach his glove as Viking right fielder Jake Villa slides into home plate during CCC’s game against Diablo Valley College at the Baseball Field on Saturday. The Comets lost 15-0.

Vikings crush Comets, 15-0 Walks, missed opportunities lead to shutout

The baseball team (3-11 overall) lost 15-0 to Diablo Valley College (12-3 overall) at the Baseball Field on Saturday. CCC freshman pitcher Javier Millan lasted only 2/3 of an inning giving up five hits and four earned runs.

The Comet pitchers strug“We’re gled and their hitters could practicing not get on base hard and against the trying to Vikings. CCC only managed get wins. to get three hits We need to in the game.

D V C swing more scored early.

The Vikings on the field turned five hits into four and in the runs in the first batting inning. The cages.” game started off with sophMarvin Webb, omore catcher baseball coach Luke Van Holten hitting a sacrifice fly to left field with two outs, to bring in freshman outfielder Jake Villa, giving DVC a 1-0 lead.

Then freshman shortstop Anthony Taliaferro hit an RBI single to bring in another runner making the score 2-0.

“We scored a lot of runs today and we’re getting better offensively,” DVC baseball coach Steve Ward said.

Freshman third baseman AJ Welsh hit a double to bring in Taliaferro making the score 3-0 still in the top of the first inning.

Then sophomore outfielder Athan Koutsoubinas hit an RBI double to bring in Welsh.

In the third inning sophomore designated hitter Max Gonzales hit a single to make the score 5-0 DVC. Then Villa (4-6 for the day with three RBIs) hit a single to bring in Gonzales.

“We are throwing more in the bullpen and working on our mechanics,” CCC’s baseball coach Marvin Webb said. “We are preparing for the season. Our better pitcher got the day off.”

DVC sophomore starting pitcher Jesse Scholtens was the complete opposite on the mound and went six innings three hits, one walk, and four strike outs. He gave up no runs during the game.

“Our starting pitchers are getting better also,” Ward said.

In the fifth inning sophomore first baseman Nick Gavello (2-3 at bat) scored on a wild pitch. Two batters later freshman pinch hitter Jordan Gough hit an RBI single to make the score 7-0 Vikings.

With the bases loaded, freshman pinch hitter Shaylor Giberti was walked to bring in Taliaferro.

Then center fielder Davis Strong hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Koutsoubinas making it 11-0 DVC’s favor.

Starting in the sixth inning both teams began to use their relief pitchers. CCC sophomore pitcher Dominic Cooper walked four batters and freshman pitcher Sean Jackson gave up two runs.

“I am targeting well in the bullpen. I’m also starting to throw strikes,” CCC freshman relief pitcher Drew Donaldson, who had a solid outing, said about his practicing in the bullpen.

Donaldson pitched three innings giving up four hits, striking out three, walking two and allowing no runs. Donaldson said he is getting lots of rest physically and mentally, but is nursing a sore ankle.

Box scores

Galvez (W, 2-1) Donaldson Chavez (Sv, 1)

6.1 5 0.1 0 2.1 3

4 0 0

3 0 0

2 0 1

2 0 2

Cosumnes River College Pigg (L, 1-2) Mahon Hummer Miramontes Santistevan

4.0 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.0

2 3 1 1 0

2 0 1 1 0

0 2 0 0 0

4 2 1 0 2

By Ryan Margason STAFF WRITER

rmargason.theadvocate@gmail.com

Baseball (March 6) Contra Costa AB Brown lf 5 Buckley 1b 5 Davis 2b 5 Bowie cf 4 Hughes 3b 4 Ray dh 5 Niemeyes c 3 Cowart rf 4 Smith ss 4 Totals

R 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0

H 1 1 2 1 1 2 0 2 1

Cosumnes River College AB R H RBI Santistevan 5 0 1 1 Carolan ss 3 1 0 0 Blake 1b 4 0 1 1 Morris dh 2 0 1 1 Chapan cf 4 0 0 0 IFriello 3b 3 1 0 0 Marston c 0 0 0 0 Cosio rf 0 0 0 0 Watkins 2b 4 0 1 0 Castelan lf 4 1 2 0

RBI 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 0

39 7 11 5

Totals

Contra Costa College Cosumnes River College Contra Costa College

29 3 6

010 121 110— 7 100 000 300 — 4 IP

H

R

ER BB SO

3

Baseball (March 8) Diablo Valley College AB R H RBI Strong cf 6 2 1 0 Villa rf 6 1 4 3 Gavello 1b 3 3 2 0 Gazder 1b 2 0 0 0 Holton c 2 0 0 2 Borrelli c 2 0 1 0 Tallaferro ss 7 3 5 1 Welsh 3b 5 2 2 1 Koutsoubinas 2 2 2 1 Wright lf 3 0 1 2 Snyder 2b 1 0 0 0

3 2 3 3 0

Contra Costa College AB R H RBI Brown lf 4 0 1 0 Buckley 1b 4 0 1 0 Davis 2b 4 0 1 0 Bowie cf 4 0 0 0 Hughes 3b 3 0 0 0 Ray dh 3 0 0 0 Smith rf 2 0 0 0 Jones rf 0 0 0 0 Cowart ss 2 0 0 0 Niemeyer c 3 0 0 0

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Walk of defeat — Comet third baseman Timmion Hughes walks back to the dugout after striking out to end the CCCDiablo Valley College game at the Baseball Field on Saturday.

DVC had solid relievers. The Viking pitchers gave up no runs and only allowed two walks.

The Vikings continued to hit the ball hard. In the sixth inning Koutsoubinas (2-3 at bat with two RBIs) hit a single with the bases loaded to score two runs bringing the score to 13-0.

“I was looking for the ball outside and reacted inside,” freshman third baseman Timmion Hughes said.

In the top of the eighth inning DVC’s Villa doubled to drive in Strong and freshman second baseman Frank Panacci to end the DVC scoring.

Gough ph Panacci 2b Gonzalez dh Giberti dh Totals

1 0 2 1 1 1 2 0 45 15

Schedule

1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 20 13

Totals

Diablo Valley College Contra Costa College

29 0 3

403 042 020— 15 000 000 000 — 0

Contra Costa College Millian (L, 0-1) Castaneda McFadden Cooper Jackson Donaldson

IP

H

R

ER BB SO

0.2 2.0 0.1 1.1 1.2 3.0

5 5 1 1 4 4

4 3 0 4 2 2

4 3 0 3 2 0

0 2 2 4 2 2

0 1 0 1 1 3

Diablo Valley College Scholtens (W, 2-2) Marx Peters McIntyre Simmons

6.0 1.0 0.2 0.1 1.0

3 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

1 0 2 0 0

4 0 0 0 1

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’re practicing ScoreBoard hard and Vikings 15 trying to Comets 0 get wins,” Webb said. Next game: “We need Thursday vs. to swing Laney College, more on 2 p.m. the field and in the batting cages.”

CCC’s next home game is against Laney College (9-6 overall) on Thursday. The Comets’ played their first Bay Valley Conference game on Tuesday against the Eagles in Oakland after presstime.

0

Baseball vs. Laney College, March 13, 2 p.m. at Laney College, March 15, 1 p.m. vs. Solano Community College, March 18, 2 p.m. at Solano Community College, March 20, 2 p.m. vs. Solano Community College, March 22, 1 p.m. at Napa Valley College, March 25, 2 p.m. vs. Napa Valley College, March 27, 2 p.m. at Napa Valley College, March 29, 2 p.m.

Softball BYE March 13 at Los Medanos College, March 18, 1 and 3 p.m. vs. College of Marin, March 20, 1 and 3 p.m. at Solano Community College, March 25, 1, 3 p.m. at Yuba College, March 27, 1 and 3 p.m. vs. Mendocino College, April 1, 1 and 3 p.m. at Napa Valley College, April 3, 1 and 3 p.m.

BYE April 8 vs. Los Medanos College, April 10, 1 and 3 p.m.

8 THE ADVOCATE

SPOTLIGHT

l WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014

Important women throughout history

Honoring her history Month offers opportunity to praise past, present important women

By George Morin EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

gmorin.teadvocate@gmail.com

Michelle Obama Obama is an American lawyer and writer. She is best known for being the wife of the 44th and current president of the U.S., Barack Obama. She has also tackled the issue of obesity among youth.

Susan B. Anthony Anthony was an American social reformer who played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement.

In 1856 she became the New York state agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society. She was a strong advocate for women’s voting rights.

Valentina Tereshkova Tereshkova is a retired Soviet cosmonaut and engineer. She is also the first women to fly into space. Also, in 2013 she offered to go on a one-way trip to Mars.

Harriet Tubman Tubman was an AfricanAmerican abolitionist, humanitarian and a Union spy during the American Civil War. Born into slavery, she escaped and made more than 19 missions to rescue more than 300 slaves through the Underground Railroad.

March is a celebration of the contributions women have made throughout history, and in modern day.

Known as Women’s H i s t o r y M o n t h , March has become a t i m e to pay tribute to the generations of women w h o h a v e proved invaluable to society.

Celebrations take place all over the country, including specific thematic celebrations. The 2014 theme is “Women of Character, Courage and Commitment,” according to the National Women’s History Month Project.

According to the NWHMP’s website, women’s history is often not considered a serious topic.

In 1978, the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women sought to change this.

It initiated a Women’s History Week celebration. The week of March 8 was chosen to coincide with International Women’s Day. Since then, the world has undergone a metamorphosis. Almost every college now offers women’s history courses, accord“When I’m ing to www.NWHMP. teaching, its org.In 1981, Sen. Orrin not like I’m Hatch (R-Utah) and Barbara Mikulski working. I Rep. (D-Md.) co-sponsored love teach- a joint congressional proclaiming ing. You want resolution a national Women’s the best for History Week. In 1987, expanded the students, Congress the celebration to a like how you month.

Since Women’s want your History Month became own children officially recognized, the field of women’s to succeed.” history has grown tremendously.

Studies range from women in sports, landmark Supreme Court cases, famous female political leaders and notable speeches given by famous women.

In the spirit of the Sherry Diestler, month, there are two speech department chairperson specific women at Contra Costa College who have made a difference in the lives of students.

One woman of note is Sherry Diestler, the speech department chairperson. In Diestler’s 38 years of service to students, she has helped many students gain confidence in themselves.

She works closely with the speech and debate team to hone their skills. In September she won the Contra Costa Community College District’s 2013-14 Teacher of the Year award.

“Diestler has an inner strength in her teaching skills. She brings out the best in you and does it with gentle care,” CCC alumnus

Marilyn Tims said.

“There has not been one time that she hasn’t shown genuine care and concern for each one of her students.”

Diestler said, “There’s a quote I like to stick by: ‘Go from where the student is and see where they want to be’.”

Every student is in a different place, Diestler said.

“How can you start people off on different starting points, but have them all end up at the same place. That is the real challenge of being a teacher,” she said.

Tims said, “Diestler demonstrates kindness, compassion and dedication to making each student feel comfortable and welcomed.”

Psychology major Stephanie Murray said, “Diestler takes the time in class to explain something four or five times, to make sure everyone understands the material. She knows how to work with students in a way that benefits everyone in the room.”

Diestler is a mother figure, as students share their lives with her and seek her guidance.

Murray said, “Diestler is a caring mother figure to us on the speech and debate team.

She’s always supportive but is able to be honest with us in ways that we can better ourselves.”

CCC alumni Janelle Knudson said, “Diestler is motherly. She motivates and encourages her students just like a mother would. I felt that I was able to be vulnerable and share parts of my life with her that I wouldn’t otherwise share with any of my other teachers.”

Teaching for Diestler doesn’t feel like work.

“When I’m teaching, it’s not like I’m working.

I love teaching,” she said. “You want the best for the students, like you want your own children to suc-

ceed.”

Another person to note is Associated Students Union Vice President Luanna Waters.

Waters has been a student at CCC since 2009.

She also is a student representative for the Student Success, and Student Services committees.

ASU president Ysrael Condori said, “It’s great having her on our team. I can rely on her for whatever I need. She has a lot of knowledge due to all of the roles she has taken.”

Condori said Waters is a great example of a leader.

“She adds a lot to the ASU with her maturity and life experience,” Condori said. “I don’t think there has been a situation that I could check with her and she wouldn’t be able to help me or direct me in the right direction.”

Waters wears many hats, Condori said.

“She does a great job on the ASU and always thinks about the students’ perspective,” he said.

Women, as leaders, have always been a part of Condori’s life, he said.

“I’m used to looking up to women as leaders. I can’t see it any other way. Sometimes women are not well valued for what they do,” he said.

Waters said, “When you’re passionate about something, you don’t really have to work. I like to help people. So long as I continue to do that for the rest of my life I will be content.”

CampusComment

Who is the most important women in your life?

“My grandmother because without her my mom wouldn’t be here.”

“My mom because she supports everything I do and I have a responsibility to her.”

“Gabrielle Union because she’s smart, sophisticated, intelligent and a go-getter.”

Davonte Sapp-Lynch

Chan Saechao

Chayntel Hunter

liberal arts

administration of justice

health sciences

“Susan B. Anthony because she was the first to empower all women and was a beautiful person.”

“Rosa Parks because she wasn’t afraid to show her courage to stand up to what’s right.”

Carla Paniagua

Mark Jackmon

undecided

computer science

“Dr. Temperance from the show “Bones” because she’s a very strong, independent woman who’s very educated and different.”

Victoria Gonzales nursing

MIKE THOMAS AND CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE