The Advocate 3-4

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CMYK

CMYK

WEDNESDAY l 3.4.15 OUR 65TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

“ I just want to emphasize that you should never underestimate the power of networking.”

Students listen to life experiences

by Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers non-student President of the San Francisco chapter, Aaron N. Martinez during a forum in the Planetarium in the Physical Science on Friday.

Andrew Mairena, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers community outreach chairperson

Engineers explain ‘power of networking’

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Speakers emphasize importance of creating connections with peers, establishing financial aid plan

BY Lorenzo Morotti EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

A panel of professional engineers shared experiences from before and after their transition into the workplace with a group of students crammed into the Planetarium in the Physical Science Building on Friday at 2 p.m.

The three engineers are members of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) of the San Francisco and Silicon Valley non-student chapters.

While each represented different career paths within the discipline, they all highlighted a distinguishing skill to develop no matter which branch of engineering a student chooses to pursue.

SHPE Silicon Valley chapter Community Outreach Chairperson, 26-year-old Andrew Mairena, said he worked on multiple projects for companies that he would not have known about without reaching out and making con-

nections with his peers while studying at UC Berkeley.

Mairena said while studying with other engineering students is important, nurturing a relationship with them is essential because these are the people who could possibly open up future job offers.

“I just want to emphasize that you should never underestimate the power of networking.”

He said that these relationships he built in college are what helped him get hired at his current position as an application development engineer for DCG Systems, a worldwide designer and manufacturer of integrated circuits that are used to power the various mobile devices used today.

Another speaker on the panel was 27-yearold Marisela Rocha, treasurer of the SHPE San Francisco chapter and a civil engineer working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“I have a lot of friends that are unable to find jobs because they were always too busy with

school and didn’t enjoy any of organizations the colleges offer,” Rocha said to the crowded room of students in the Planetarium. “Now they are struggling to get a job because they don’t know anyone in the industry and have no connections at all.

“So it’s very important that you do that right now during college because when you graduate you may be able to say ‘I have a degree and I know a lot’ but if you don’t know anyone your resume is going to be buried in the pile of others.”

SHPE non-student President of the San Francisco chapter, currently working for Macy’s as a application manager, Aaron N. Martinez said, “Don’t just focus on school.

“Everyone is trying to get those straight A’s, so what is going to distinguish you from those other individuals is being involved with clubs.

It helps taking on leadership positions to show

12% 18 weeks

58.5%

27%

nCCC’s SHPE student chapter is seeking members join regardless of ethnicity.

STUDY ABROAD TRIP PROVIDES CHANCE TO ALTER VIEWS

No opinion

16 weeks

nThree members of the non-student chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) spoke at an open question panel.

SEE ENGINEERS, PAGE 3

More than 18 weeks

2.5%

in brief

The study abroad program gives students the opportunity to explore culture and education in Spain.

PAGE 5

The Advocate randomly surveyed 200 students and asked their opinion about the possibility of reducing semester length by two weeks districtwide.

SEMESTER SHRINK STILL IN DISCUSSION

BY Cody McFarland ASSOCIATE EDITOR

cmcfarland.theadvocate@gmail.com

As faculty continue debating the possibility of compressing semester length from 18 to 16 weeks, students have begun familiarizing themselves with both sides of the argument and taking a stance.

While such a change would not occur at Contra Costa College until the fall 2016 semester, discussions are anything but pre-emptive, considering the district must form and submit its proposal to the State Chancellor’s Office at least one year in advance. That means by next semester at the latest a decision will be made, but will have yet to take effect.

To provide a glimpse of the CCC student per-

Activists demand right to education March in March survives despite lack of support, funding

BY Roxana Amparo NEWS EDITOR

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

SACRAMENTO — During this year’s March in March student participants proceeded to stand their ground as a lack of funding and support kept the annual protest from drawing a large crowd.

The small group in attendance was forced to galvanize around the cause and continue the procession to the state Chancellor’s Office.

“We didn’t have the funding, so there was no official march,” San Bernardino Valley College student Jason Martinez said.

Martinez participated

as one of the lead organizers of the impromptu march after finding out the planned march was canceled due to lack of support from legislatures.

“We didn’t like the idea of March in March with no march,” he said.

The Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) organizes the March in March annually to empower and educate community college leaders while taking a stance on educational issues.

Former Diablo Valley College Associated Student Union president and current Senator Keith SEE MARCH, PAGE 3

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SEE CALENDAR, PAGE 3

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

ABOVE: Diablo Valley College student Keith Montes initiates an impromptu march toward the California community colleges Chancellor’s Office during the annual March in March in Sacramento on Monday.

Bullpen issues bring home loss PAGE 8

Photography showcases annual march, student issues PAGE 6

CMYK

How long do you think semester length should be?

CMYK

2

Donna Britt columnist, The Washington Post 1998

State of current services deters student involvement

Lorenzo Morotti editor-in-chief

Cody McFarland Rodney Woodson associate editors Roxana Amparo news editor Jared Amdahl opinion editor Robert Clinton sports editor Jason Sykes assistant sports editor Qing Huang Christian Urrutia photo editors Janae Harris Cody Casares assistant photo editors Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Benjamin Bassham Nina Cestaro Rodney Dunlap Marlene Rivas Florinda Hershey Jose Jimenez Manning Peterson Evelyn Vazquez Mark Wassberg Kadijia West-Dickens Staff photographers Jordan Khoo Staff illustrators Marci Suela 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, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 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.

L

EDITORIAL CORNERED VETERANS

Quotable “In any given discipline, there are people who pursue it with honor and with decency and there are people who don’t. To say that (the media are) all terrible is not quite accurate or fair.”

George Morin art director

opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2015 VOL. 102, NO. 15

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

O

ut of roughly 6,000 students currently enrolled in classes at Contra Costa College only 86 of them are veterans of the United States military.

And the modest number of veterans on campus reflects in the effort CCC has put into creating resources that cater to these students.

Limited services and a sheer lack of space offered to veterans on campus is hindering CCC’s help to these students in comparison to the other two colleges in the district.

The only designated place for veterans to get help signing up for classes or submitting forms from Veterans Affairs, which is needed to receive financial benefits for classes, is a tiny corner room located inside the Student Services Center — the Veteran’s Corner.

Furthermore, the only time veterans can use this space is for a few, sparsely-spread hours between Tuesday and Thursday.

The district is making a larger effort to promote all three colleges to veterans who may need assistance adjusting to an academic environment after serving their country.

And CCC currently finds itself offering the least amount of help of all of the colleges in the district.

During the most recent district Governing Board meeting on Feb. 25, the board asked the presidents from each college to give a brief status report of veteran activities on campus and the services provided to them.

Between the three, however, the only brief report was from CCC’s interim President Mojdeh Mehdizadeh.

“The number of vets is certainly limited in comparison to our sister colleges.”

Mehdizadeh said to the board. “(The numbers of veterans at CCC) is chilling and I don’t think we are serving as many veterans as (CCC) should.”

Both Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College have seen an increase of their veteran headcount since the fall of 2008. Their veteran enrollment stands at 422 and 833, respectively.

Both DVC and LMC college presidents correlated the increase in veteran enrollment with the completion of their new campus buildings, hiring dedicated counselors for veterans and the creation of a Veteran’s Club at each campus.

Currently, the services being provided to veterans at CCC are subpar at best.

This could be because half of the campus is under construction, limiting space for many potential resources, courses and clubs.

And with increases in veteran students at DVC and LMC after the completion of their new buildings, CCC must carefully recognize the upcoming opportunity to follow suit.

It is up to college administrators to work with the district to gain ideas on how CCC can increase veteran enrollment through facilities planning and outreach.

Time, however, is limited. The college must plan where in the new buildings can it accommodate a Veteran Center, before the veterans we have opt to go elsewhere.

LORENZO MOROTTI / THE ADVOCATE

N CHAUVINISM

Sexualized comments off-putting, unnecessary T

here are a few things that will instantly ignite my anger and draw a dark shadow over my already sullen face.

Of those things, one of the worst is the indecent behavior men can have toward women.

And it always seems to be done in a forceful nature. Women will often have no choice but to be subjected to comments and looks of all kinds.

On campus, when a girl passes by one of the tightly-knit groups of men that are almost blocking the whole walkway, she is lucky if she gets through the pack without any unwanted attention.

It is a regular thing. It ranges from the guy I rang up at work the other day, who jokingly asked how much I would cost, to the classmate at least twice my age who I often catch staring at me in a way that makes my skin crawl. It may vary from girl to girl because there are those who certainly have it much worse.

Men do not see their behavior as much of a problem. They may refer to it as a compliment or casual flirting. However, the borderline between a compliment and an act of harassment is constantly being crossed. There is nothing wrong with saying “You look pretty,” with a smile. It is certainly way better than the usual “You lookin’ good baby,” that comes with an indecent scan of our entire bodies.

The problem with this,

marlenerivas

The most unreasonable part of it all is men do not react kindly to receiving even a minimum of the treatment they often give women.

I once uncomfortably witnessed the flurry of insults that one man handed to a gay man who looked at him for a second too long. This proves that men do not like any attention they perceive as negative or unwanted. However, this does not even come close to the degrading and revolting comments made toward women.

Quite frankly, it’s unacceptable.

Asking a girl if she wants to come home with you.

Asking her if she would like a penis in any part of her.

Telling her what parts of her you like or what you want to do to her is grotesque. Men would not want anyone speaking to their sisters, mothers, cousins or even future daughters that way, so refrain from speaking to someone else’s that way.

It is high time that the sense of entitlement that men have toward treating their female counterparts any way they please is terminated. Women have always been expected to take these comments, acknowledge them, and not respond in a way that might upset the man. That, is some serious bullshit.

aside from the discomfort caused to women, is the sense of entitlement to this behavior that men feel.

It is hardly ever done in hopes of landing a date, or simply to make a woman feel good about herself.

Rather, it is the man trying to demonstrate his superiority over a woman they perceive as weaker in comparison. The concept of being dominant continues to rank high for many men.

The obscenities directed toward women are often said in front of the man’s friends. Whether or not she responds to him is not of any importance, because what matters is that he has shown his masculinity before others.

It is astounding how many men cease to realize that the way they look at, approach and speak to women can come off as offensive. The thing that makes me run my fingers through my hair in frustration is that men, quite often, have the audacity to respond angrily to not being acknowledged in the way they want.

“All right, fuck you. You ain’t shit,” one guy said to Marlene Rivas is a staff me after I ignored the comwriter for The Advocate. ment he had made about how I had “a nice rack,” in Contact her at mrivas.theadvocate@gmail.com. reference to my chest.

CAMPUS COMMENT

Do you think the college offers adequate services for veterans?

“No. I’d think they would (offer) more because they risked their lives for us.”

Alexander Henry undecided

“I don’t recall hearing of services for veterans, so I would think they have to find out on their own.”

Stephanie Cortez nursing

JASON SYKES AND JORDAN KHOO / THE ADVOCATE

“No, because I don’t see anything happening (for veterans) on campus.

Matthew Young political science

“No, I have never heard of specific services for veterans on campus.”

“No, I don’t know much about veteran services on campus.”

Abigail Serano

James Delvin

biochemistry

health and human services

“Honestly, I don’t know.

But veteran resources here seem to have to be sought out.”

Dominique Trevino journalism

campusbeat Follow The Advocate

NEWSLINE ■ CULINARY

ANNUAL FUNDRAISER SERVES FOOD, WINE The culinary arts department will be hosting its eighth annual Food & Wine fundraising event in the Gymnasium on April 26 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

There will be samples of signature dishes from more than 40 popular Bay Area restaurants and wineries, souvenir wine glasses and carry bags, silent and live auctions, music and much more.

Tickets can be pre-ordered for $35 or bought at the door for $40.

With the purchase of a ticket comes a souvenir wine glass.

Tickets can be purchased through the culinary arts department by calling 510-215-3837 or ordered online at www.contracostabooks.com.

■ TRANSFER HELP

UC REPRESENTATIVES MEET WITH STUDENTS

Students can now schedule an appointment with a four-year transfer representative to have their questions about transferring answered.

Students can visit the Welcome/ Transfer Center within the Student Services Center or call 510-2154110 to schedule an appointment with a representative.

Representatives from UC Berkeley have a scheduling window of 9:40 a.m.-3 p.m.; from UC Davis between 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; from Cal State-East Bay between 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; from San Francisco State to be announced; and from Samuel Merritt University between 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Transfer representatives can answer students’ questions regarding TAG/TAP/TOP requirements for transferring or any other transfer question at the college.

For further information, contact counselor Andrea Phillips at aphillips@contracosta.edu.

■ WORKSHOP

RESEARCH PAPER TUTORIALS OFFERED Two workshops designed to help students learn how to get started on a research paper will be held today and Thursday in the Library from 4-5 p.m.

There will be an explanation on how to start and how to finish the assignment with a step-by-step process guided by professors.

CRIMEWATCH Monday, Feb. 23: An instructor reported he found two room doors open in the Applied Arts Building. The cabinets and desk drawers were unlocked, but nothing was reported missing.

An officer conducted a traffic stop and it was determined the subject was driving with a suspended license. The subject was cited and released.

Tuesday, Feb. 24: Two cellphones were stolen at the same time when they were left near a printer in the Library and Learning Resource Center.

— Roxana Amparo and George Morin

3

CALENDAR | Faculty debate draws student interest Continued from Page 1

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WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 3.4.2015 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

spective, The Advocate conducted an anonymous survey to gauge students’ opinions regarding the possible switch to a compressed calendar. The final census showed that of the 200 students sampled, nearly 59 percent want semester length to remain the same at 18 weeks. In contrast, only 27 percent favored the reduction to 16 weeks, and 12 percent did not claim a strong stance for or against.

To deem this remotely conclusive would be a mistake. In fact, what was far more revealing than the numbers were the comments students wrote candidly on the survey sheets.

Administration of justice major Sha’Ronda Jones said, “We do not have enough time in the current semester to learn all the material we need. Shortening the semester will only bring more stress to students and it’s likely some will feel pressured and may drop out.”

An anonymous student with an undeclared major wrote similar comments on his or her survey.

“Students need time to retain knowledge and not only test well, but be able to apply the things they learned in a real life situation,” the student wrote. “Condensing the semester would rush students to study and not really process what they are learning.”

The strongest counterargument offered by students relates the current calendar to those of UCs and CSUs. An anonymous chemistry major wrote, “UCs and CSUs go on a quarter system, which is even shorter. I feel shortening our semester would better prepare those of us who plan to transfer to a four-year university.”

One consequence of shortening semesters would be longer class sessions, as students are still required to meet state mandated instruction hour minimums for course credit. A more favorable consequence among students is the possibility of lengthened summer sessions and the addition of a winter intersession.

A molecular biology major wrote, “It should happen because it would prepare us for the UC system that runs on a quarter system.

It would challenge us to have better time management and a better work ethic. It would also let students graduate way earlier if winter classes were to happen.”

Sociology major Dominique Brooks said she likes the schedule how it is now, but would favor the switch if it meant only slightly longer class sessions.

Extending the length of individual class meetings could benefit many students by giving them more time with professors to absorb the material, Brooks said. However, if class length exceeds three hours, she said she could see students’ attentiveness decrease in the extended time and that the lengthy meetings may lead to scheduling conflicts with other classes and work.

General poll: The Advocate polled 200 students of all majors regarding their opinion on the proposed compressed calender, which would reduce spring and fall semesters from 18 to 16 weeks and allow colleges districtwide to extend summer sessions and add a winter intersession, if approved.

Not likely

9%

No

8.5%

Most likely

25%

No

19% Yes

29.5%

Not likely

57.5%

Have you or would you take a class(es) during the summer session?

Yes

25%

Most likely

26.5%

If CCC offered a winter intersession, would you take a winter class(es)?

INFOGRAPHIC BY CODY MCFARLAND AND GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

n “There is research out

now that indicates it may increase retention rates.

Our primary objective is to do something good for our students.”

— Eugene Huff, district executive vice chancellor of administrative services

“A huge increase in the time you have to be in class is not ideal at all, considering some people also have jobs,” she said.

Though the general presumption has been that lab-based classes and nursing majors would be the most opposed to making a switch because of already-rigorous course loads, the amount of sciences majors for and against the switch, according to the surveys, were proportional.

Since The Advocate last reported on the compressed calendar (The Advocate, Feb. 11) decision, further research on the potential benefits of compressing semester length has been made available.

These resources can be found online at the United Faculty website, uf4cd.org, under latest news and the link titled compressed calendar data and discussion.

“The district is considering switching to a compressed calendar for student success purposes,” district Executive Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Eugene Huff said. “There is research out now that indicates it may increase retention rates. Our primary objective is to do something good for our students.

“The research also shows that students are better off with two longer class meetings than three shorter ones in a week,” he said.

Though the finer details have yet to be hashed out, if the district decides to switch to a 16-week semester system, a tentative yearlong schedule is published on the

UF website for consideration.

The extended summer session is proposed as beginning June 6 and ending Aug. 6. Fall would span Aug. 24-Dec. 12 and the winter intersession is proposed to run Jan. 4-28, followed by the shortened spring semester beginning Feb. 1 and ending May 27.

Of course, these dates are all subject to change.

Also posted is a study conducted in 2008 at San Joaquin Delta College is nearby Stockton.

Though similarities between CCC and SJDC blur along the lines of student and local resident demographics, the study shows that average full-time equivalent student (FTES), student success and student retention rates all saw a slight increase after SJDC converted to a compressed calendar.

Community colleges in California receive state apportioned funding per FTES. One FTES is the equivalent of one student enrolled in 15 semester units or multiple students enrolled in a combined 15 semester units.

The addition of a winter intersession, as well the enhancement of the currently offered summer intersession, opens the door for more students to enroll and complete courses quicker than before, Huff said. Consequently, this means more potential FTES for CCC, which currently faces dwindling FTES totals as the result of declined enrollment. Though not facing the same decline, sister schools Diablo Valley and Los Medanos colleges would also benefit.

As of press time Tuesday, the faculty senate presidents for DVC and LMC, Laurie Lema and Silvester Henderson, respectively, were unavailable for comment.

Former DVC Associated Student Union president and current Senator Keith Montes said that he was aware of the faculty debate regarding the compressed

calendar decision, but has not heard much student buzz about it around DVC’s campus.

If compressing the calendar guarantees the addition of winter classes, Montes said he absolutely supports the switch.

Considering some classes are successfully taught during intersessions elsewhere in as little as three weeks, the sociology and psychology double major said shaving two weeks off of spring and fall semesters is not necessarily a large adjustment for students to make.

“A class is just as unique as an individual,” he said. “What may be more challenging for some students will be a smooth transition for others. I’d recommend that students determine if it is feasible for them to take shorter classes, particularly intersessions, when weighed against their other life responsibilities.”

Montes said he believes that for the majority of students, making this switch to shorter semesters is well in the realm of possibility.

But like with anything in life, there are two sides and various pros and cons, he said.

“Will it work for everybody?

No, I don’t think it will,” he said.

If the change is made, which would take effect fall 2016, students concerned or stressed by the idea should seek academic counseling, he said.

Although the decision to compress the calendar is regarded as a districtwide decision, there are no rules against one college operating on its current schedule while its sister school or schools convert to a compressed calendar.

“The state office doesn’t require all colleges in the same district to have the same calendar,” Huff said. “Administratively speaking, it would be difficult to have the colleges operate on different calendars. It’s not that it’s impossible, it’s just not practical.”

ENGINEERS | Speakers explore educational paths Continued from Page 1

A question that sparked a lot of interest among the crowd was Talavera’s when he asked employers that you put yourself out there to how do you maintain an academic drive at improve your leadership skills.” a four-year university when working while Contra Costa College’s SHPE student chap- going to a community college can already be ter President Valeria Avila and Vice President stressful.

Christian Talavera contacted the speakers The speakers unanimously agreed that stuwhile Dr. Seti Sidharta, the Center For Science dent grants and loans are the best options to Excellence (CSE) coordinator, reserved the ease at least a portion of the stress. room for the panel of engineers to answer Mairena related to Talavera by briefly talkstudent’s questions. ing about his hectic life as a community college CCC student Javier Ochoa, civil engineer engineering student, who worked two jobs and major, said the responses of the panel of work- played soccer, helping him during his transiing engineers were “motivational.” tion into a four-year university.

“You may feel like you are kind of at a disadvantage because you had to work and go school (simultaneously) and now you have to compete with these other engineers who have been there since freshman year so they’ve got the system down,” he said.

“But I saw being a transfer student as a blessing because we are there for a shorter amount of time. I myself took out a loan, and quit my job but was glad because I was able to get in there and focus (on getting a degree).”

Martinez said, “Don’t think of it as debt.

Think of it as an investment that it will repay for itself over time.”

MARCH | Impromptu protest advances on Capitol Continued from Page 1 Montes said this year they didn’t receive enough funds nor support to have liability forms signed in order to organize a march.

“The turnout was deplorable,” Montes said. “We lost a lot of support in advocating to bring the march back.”

With the lack of support, discouraged students returned home.

But those who felt inspired shared with the participating group what they so support.

Sixteen Contra Costa College students took part in the March in March event, ASU President Antone Agnitsch said.

He said to make a bigger impact there needed to be more student

participation, but with the number of students present, the event allowed for networking opportunities among other community college leaders.

Regardless of the official march’s cancellation, a diverse group of students from different walks of lives remained to support one another.

Support from San Bernardino Valley College, DVC, American River College, Santa Monica College, Riverside City College, CCC and several other California community colleges was vital to the event even being held this year.

The LGBT community was present chanting “trans lives matter,” while encouraging others to

take part in their cause.

“If our government is not there for us, they need to step aside,” American River College student Barbara Fowler said.

Fowler is a person with a disability. She participated in the march riding an electric wheelchair and holding a sign that said “No more $200 textbooks!”

DVC Vice President of Legislative Affairs John Michaelson said the repeatability law is wrong.

Students cannot repeat courses once they fail, which derails students from their educational path.

“Students united will not be divided” was one of the sayings student participants chanted as they walked through the streets of Sacramento heading toward state

Vice Chancellor Paul Feist’s office.

Feist listened to students expressing their thoughts and opinions. He said he appreciates listening to the students’ powerful messages.

CCC interim Student Life Coordinator Ericka Greene said, “It gives students the opportunity to take on a leadership role and become an activist — to use their energy in a positive way.”

The power and drive of the students made it possible to maintain a common goal in mind at the event.

“The 2.1 million students (in California community colleges) can be a force of power,” state Vice Chancellor Denise Noldon said.

4

campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 3.4.2015 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Event traces ‘Black Warriors’ lineage

LEFT: Sociology department Chairperson J. Vern Cromartie talks to the crowd during a lecture in LA-100 on Saturday.

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

In an event billed as a speaking engagement by former Black Panther Billy X Jennings, students in attendance were instead given a history lesson by sociology professor J. Vern Cromartie about Geechee and Gullah lineage and its relation to the Seminole Nation Saturday in LA-100.

Dr. Cromartie explained the trouble the United States government had prior to the Civil War in containing the Seminole Nation, which led to the American Indian wars. He also outlined the numbers of black people that fought alongside the Indian warriors.

“I was upset when I found out the Black Panther wasn’t going to be speaking,” Black Student Union Secretary Shani Miranda said. “The presentation was helpful if you take (Cromartie’s) class, so it was like a study session for me. I knew some of it because he went over it in class, but I know a lot more now.”

Cromartie showed his family tree, which traces back five generations to his Geechee/Gullah roots, with him being the sixth.

Gullah people are the descendants of slaves who held on to their West African heritage and intertwined it with the ways of their new land.

The professor took a DNA test to find out his country of origin within the Gullah heritage.

As with 20 percent of slaves on record with the Port of Charleston, his DNA traced back to Senegal, a country located on the West Coast of Africa, and a major slaving port.

Cromartie presented a key unattributed antebellum Gullah quote that clarifies what a Gullah is for those who are unaware.

He said, “All the people that came from Africa or overseas were called Gullah and their talk was called Gullah talk.”

Cromartie details essays, photographs and research documents on Gullah and Geechee history in his new book, “Morgan-Frazier Family Clan: Chronicles of a Black Family with Geechee and Gullah Heritage.”

Students watched two movies instead of listening to the scheduled speaker. The first movie, “Black Warriors of the Seminole” covered the early 19th century partnership between escaped slaves and the Seminole Indians.

Blacks were free among the Seminoles. When the U.S. government tried to relocate the Indian nation, blacks fought side by side with Indians in three wars against the government.

The second movie, “From Florida to Coahuila,” traces the culture of the Mexican people known as the Mascogos, referred to as Black Seminoles.

It showed the path that Indians from the Seminole Nation took from Florida through Texas and into the state of Coahuila, Mexico. It tells the tragic story of time and cultural saturation leading to the demise of the Seminole way.

“There was a lot of history in the presentation that I didn’t know about,” criminal justice major Malcolm McCreary said.

Study abroad program offers cultural, linguistic experience

BY Marlene Rivas STAFF WRITER

mrivas.theadvocate@gmail.com

The opportunity to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain will be available to students in the 2015 fall semester.

Although this is a districtwide program, the majority of students who participate are from Diablo Valley College, Aleks Illich, director of international education, said. “We want to encourage this area as well.”

Illich said he sees studying abroad as a linguistic, cultural and social experience that can help students think more globally, rather than limiting themselves.

The takeoff to this experience is Sept. 12 and its return date, with a mid-term break from Oct. 26-30, will be on Dec. 11.

Upon their arrival, students will be provided an orientation program that includes a welcome reception and workshops on travel, cultural differences and safety.

“Students need to deal with the global society in which they will work or live. No longer can we consider the East Bay our universe,” Illich said.

The courses available for students vary depending on the college within the district.

Contra Costa College will be allowing students to choose from Speech 110, Speech Communication, and Speech 120, Argumentation, and Political Science 43,

International Relations. The mandatory course is WDLG 100, Spanish Life and Culture. All of the courses offered are 3-unit classes. Since only 12 units need to be taken, students only need to choose two more of the classes offered, Illich said.

Students have the option to live in shared apartments throughout their stay, which are fully furnished and include appliances.

However, meals are not included in this option, he said.

There is also the chance to stay with a local family in their home, which includes two meals for five days of the week, for an additional cost, he said.

The program will provide students with a three-month travel pass to use on buses and the metro during their stay. Illich said trips will be made to historical and cultural sites, cinema and sporting events. A half-day guided tour of Barcelona will also be given.

To ensure students get the best cultural experience possible, there will be an Articket pass that will provide free entry to seven different museums, he said.

The assistance and services of the American Institute for Foreign Study will be available throughout the entire semester. Students will also be able to have free email and Internet access at school. Classes include field trips which allow students to see or experience the learnings of the classroom.

Colleen Garland, who took part in the fall semester’s trip to Paris, said the program provided her with more of an experience than traveling there alone could. Garland said it was a chance to really explore the city, make friends and improve her grasp on the language.

She said the expenses were tough on those students that were low on funds.

“While it’s more expensive than a semester spent at home, it’s an incredible experience and probably more affordable than studying abroad through most universities,” she said.

Kristen Koblik, art professor at DVC, was among the teachers on the trip to Paris during the fall semester.

Students were able to experience the works of art in presence rather than through an overhead, which presents them in a scale that cannot be achieved through explanation or pictures, Koblik said.

She encourages students to not be discouraged by the program’s high costs and to look for as many scholarships as possible. “It is not impossible for a student who is determined to go (to Spain),” she said.

The trip has an estimated cost of $7,745 but that does not include airfare, tuition, textbooks, additional field trips required by teachers, passport or visa fees and personal costs. “It is not cheap. Students should expect to pay $10,000 or more,” Ilich said.

SPOKEN WORD, POETRY ENERGIZE LIBRARY

BY Cody McFarland ASSOCIATE EDITOR

cmcfarland.theadvocate@gmail.com

Students expecting to study in the usual quiet confines of the Library were interrupted and entertained by oral interpretations of written works on Feb. 24.

The faculty poetry reading and student open mic hosted the works of six faculty members, which in turn garnered the participation of six students who signed up and presented on the spot.

The event, a joint effort by Library coordinator Andrew Kuo and English professor Jeffrey Michels’ Creative Writing class, was largely regarded as a success, drew a sizeable crowd of 50 or more and will certainly not be the last event of its kind hosted at Contra Costa College.

“These types of events are significant because a lot of people go to class and do not participate in a meaningful way,” history major Rose Cowens said. “But here (students) stand up and get to be the event.”

Though Cowens admitted she attended for extra credit in one of her classes, she said that she was interested to see students read their works publicly and that the event was quite entertaining.

“You hear things you wouldn’t normally in a school setting,” she said. “It’s fun to see. I’m into it.”

Student Caleb Turner shared similar notions.

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

“These types of events give students the chance to connect with one another and get different perspectives,” he said.

Turner, a young poet who said he seldom shares his work, felt revamped and inspired after shaking his jitters, taking to the stage and reciting a love poem to the audience.

He dedicated the piece to counseling department Chairperson Norma Valdez-Jimenez, who he told the audience had inspired him to read his poem aloud that Tuesday afternoon. Turner said he was very nervous about reciting his poem to a live audience, but overall enjoyed the experience and said he would definitely do it again.

“After coming to this, yeah, I’d do it again,” he said. “Being on stage is always energizing and seeing the work of others is encouraging.”

Valdez-Jimenez found the event enjoyable and pertinent in that it fosters students’ creative processes and encourages their active participation, she said.

“How else do you learn an art without having a place to practice at?” she said. “I would love to see more student-driven activity on campus like this event.”

Valdez-Jimenez said that while faculty have ideas for what might interest and engage students, it is the students who truly know what they want.

Though she enjoyed hear-

LEFT: Counselor Norma ValdezJimenez recites a poem of hers during the open mic event held in the Library and Learning Resource Center on Feb. 24.

ing her colleagues present their works, she said “the students were the most exciting part.”

Kuo said the idea to host this event in the Library came to him sometime last semester.

During fall 2014, he said he began discussing the possibility of a live creative writing and poetry reading with various faculty members who he knew enjoy to write in their free time.

“I write poetry and I work in the Library. I wanted to put the two together,” he said. “Hopefully it gets students excited about literature and writing.”

He said that he is considering hosting the same event again, but not until the fall 2015 semester.

campusbeat

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5

Path to universities streamlined Six-year

BY Lorenzo Morotti

program

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

provides eligible students chance at law school

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Select community colleges statewide will be providing students a streamlined path to enroll into select universities and ultimately graduate from law school within six years.

The Pathway to Law School initiative will be piloted at Contra Costa College starting this fall semester to promote the statewide push for ethnic diversity among working attorneys in California.

The California Bar Association and its Council on Access and Fairness created the initiative with the partnership of the California community college Chancellor’s Office.

Administration of justice department Chairperson Rick Ramos said once a student meets his or her general education requirements he or she would have to only take an additional six courses, or 19 units, to be part of the pathway program.

“After some analysis,” Dr. Ramos said, “(CCC) has about 1,200 students who are eligible to enroll into the program because they already have the appropriate number general education courses completed.”

He said once a student graduates

with an associate degree in political science or administration of justice, he or she will be given priority above other applicants at select universities where they will spend another two years before transferring to a law school for three years.

Hence the “Two, plus two, plus three” slogan that CCC’s Community and Educational Partnership liaison Ashley Patterson will be promoting throughout the campus with informational fliers and workshops.

The colleges include Loyola Marymount University, Santa Clara University, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, San Francisco State and USC. The brochure provided by Patterson states additional benefits the program will provide students, including specialized counseling appointments and membership to the Pre-Law Club on campus. Also, financial aid counseling is available to waive the application fees to get into law school and help in preparing to take the LSAT, which is the law school entrance exam.

“Students who get into the cohort will also have access to law school support,” CCC Vice President Tammeil Gilkerson said.

Gilkerson said the only course that needed to be created for the pathway to

n “(The Pathway to Law

School program) will increase diversity within the law field so that there is representation from different ethnic groups across the board. And (CCC) is prime for that because the campus is diverse and reflects the unique community it represents.”

— Ashley Patterson, Contra Costa College’s Community and Educational Partnership liaison

law school program was ADJUS-135, Law and Democracy.

Ramos said this class will be offered on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m., but is not limited to those hours if there is a large enough student interest.

He added that he is currently reviewing applications of potential instructors.

“I have been looking for somebody to not only (teach the course) but to be the adviser,” he said. “For (a student) to get into law school, you need to delegate someone who knows the ins and outs and who is willing to work with

students.”

Patterson is working to create a comprehensive brochure promoting the new initiative and will be in charge of reaching out to high schools within the college’s service area from March through April.

She said informational events, which aim to explain the program to students, will be held on March 18 and April 11 in AA-113 and LA-102, respectively. “(The Pathway to Law School program) will increase diversity within the law field so that there is representation from different ethnic groups across the board,” she said, “And (CCC) is prime for that because the campus is diverse and reflects the unique community it represents.”

In order to promote the new program, she will be visiting administration of justice clubs at Pinole Valley, De Anza, Kennedy and Richmond high schools in April.

“We need to bring awareness that graduating law school is attainable starting at the high school level,” she said.

Ramos said the Pathway to Law School pilot program was approved by the Contra Costa Community College Governing Board last fall after the state Chancellor’s Office helped push the initiative.

CAMPAIGN AIMS TO TEAR DOWN BILINGUAL BARRIER, FEARS

BY Roxana Amparo NEWS EDITOR

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

FILE PHOTO / THE ADVOCATE

Cramped Fitness Center drives athletes to seek ‘realistic’ option ABOVE: Psychology major Sean Harris does a rep on the bench press in the Fitness Center.

BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Fitness Center, located in the Gym Annex Building, is a place on campus where athletes go to preserve peak physical condition for the field and also where students go to fulfill their gradation requirements.

In any respect, the room was never meant to accommodate both needs. Originally the weight room was on the upper floor of the GA Building, an area that has since been converted to classroom space.

“It’s not realistic from a competitive standpoint,” Contra Costa College football coach Alonzo Carter said. “We have to compete with teams that have a physical advantage. They have complete weight rooms. We don’t even have dead lift stands or squat racks.”

CCC students agree with the coaches that the athletes need a separate training space.

“I don’t mind the athletes being here, I just don’t go to their side because I feel like I’d be in their way,” physical education student Joslyn Diaz said. “The room just needs to be bigger. I feel cramped in here. Sometimes and I have to wait for equipment to get free.”

Carter and men’s soccer coach Nikki Ferguson agree that the best solution would be to add an upper level to the room. The lower half would be for weight training and the upper would be for cardio.

Yet, other than money set aside years ago for the new elevator and out of compliance ADA doorway, no money will be put toward refurbishing the GA Building until Measure E funds are released.

“The Measure E funds are a long way out,” Athletic Director John Wade said. “It’s not just something for this school, it’s districtwide. Schools have to lay out what they propose to use the money for, then the district decides how to disperse the funds. It’s not even clear who gets how much yet.”

n “The Fitness Center

should be a service to students like the Library is. Nobody would think of closing the Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. like the Fitness Center is. It’s hard enough to adjust your schedule to meet class availability. So 9 till 11 a.m. and 1 until 4 p.m. isn’t enough accessibility.”

— Shakayla Adams, student

Given the current reality that athletes and students have to make due with what they have, the department has upgraded much of the cardio equipment in the Fitness Center.

Ferguson said strides were made in the last two years with $15,000 in upgrades made to the cardio equipment. Five treadmills, three exercise bikes and four elliptical machines were purchased because the warranty ran out on several pieces of equipment in 2012.

“When we got the new cardio equipment students were excited,” he said. “The new equipment makes a bad situation better, but in no way makes it right.”

Ferguson said the heating and/or air conditioning unit has not worked in recent memory of anyone that frequents the Fitness Center, student or faculty. This allows stagnant air to fill the room.

The door configuration does nothing to promote air circulation, even if both doors are open.

The non-industrial grade fan placed in the doorway does little to help, he said.

In the Athletic Training Room, located in the Men’s Locker Room, trainer Mikel Jackson frequently wipes down his equipment and tables with Super Sani-Cloth.

These are disposable germicidal wipes that kill bacteria, viruses, blood borne pathogens, TB and pathogenic fungi.

Jackson said a byproduct of the standing air is the dust and dead skin left to accumulate over many of the surfaces in the room. The custodial crew comes in at night to take out the trash and sweep the floor, but the majority of the disinfecting is left up to students.

In contrast, Diaz pointed out a sports drink spill on an elliptical machine that had been there for days.

“Given all that’s going on with staff infections and measles there should be daily cleanings done by students and the night crew,” physical education department Chairperson Miguel Johnson said.

“Monitoring should be done by their superiors, there needs to be a system of checks and balances.

Someone should be held accountable if it’s not clean.”

Sharonda Jones does her part to try and keep the equipment germ free.

“Coach Ferguson keeps a bottle of cleaning solution behind the counter and towels to wipe the equipment down. I wipe down anything sweaty,” Jones said.

Aside from the cramped quarters, untamable temperatures and less-than-desirable cleaning techniques, there are other issues surrounding the facility plaguing average students.

The irregular hours make a tough situation harder for working students looking to squeeze time into their day to use the Fitness Center.

“The Fitness Center should be a service to students like the Library and Learning Resource Center is.

Nobody would think of closing the CCC Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. like the Fitness Center is,” student Shakayla Adams said. “It’s hard enough to adjust your schedule to meet class availability. So 9 until 11 a.m. and 1 until 4 p.m. isn’t enough accessibility.”

The Proud to be Bilingual campaign will be set up in the Library and Learning Resource Center starting in April to expose the beauty of knowing a second language while raising awareness through bilingual pride.

“Being bilingual is not a disability, we need to change the perception,” English as a second language professor Gabriela Segade said.

The campaign is dedicated to inform and educate students, faculty and staff about the diverse tongues spoken throughout campus.

By working to remove the negative perceptions of speaking a different language, the English as a second language department (ESL) plans to invite speakers to share their experiences coping with language barriers.

ESL professor Elisabeth Xiezopolski said, “We need to change the value that we have nProud to be because we all have language Bilingual campaign will be needs.”

There is stigma attached to located in being an ESL student, she said. the Library Having an accent instills the doubt and Resource that those people with a second Center. language are not as smart or worthy nThe camas those who have a crisp English paign will vocabulary already mastered. stretch Having an accent, for many, is from April to intimidating, Xiezopolski said.

May. Although English speakers have the advantage, those who pick up nVarious bilinanother language have the ability gual speakers will share to thrive on campus.

The campaign is not only struggles. directed toward those who have learned English as a second language, but for those whose first language is English but know a second language.

Xiezopolski said the campaign also reaches to those who are monolingual to learn a second language and benefit from speaking more than one language.

One of the main goals of the campaign is to encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and not allow a language to hinder them from advancing.

There are students with similar challenges like those who are bilingual, Xiezopolski said.

She said knowing another language makes things easier when they want to travel to another place, as well as when applying for a job.

Speaking another language gives someone an advantage and in the process allows the brain some growth.

Information about the benefits of learning a second language will be on display during the campaign as well, English as a second language department Chairperson Anoosheh Borhan said.

Those who speak a second language will be given a button with a globe and the quote “Proud to be Bilingual” in both English and other languages.

Faculty and staff will wear a button that says “Proud to be Bilingual” to represent the many different languages spoken throughout campus.

Xiezopolski said they will show different people who speak another language, including celebrities.

Visual displays, resources and articles with benefits of speaking a second language will be set up inside of a display case in the Library, Segade said.

Not knowing a language can limit someone from reaching out to receive the help they need.

“It is a feeling of deficiency, but we have so many learners,” Xiezopolski said. “Faculty needs to accept that it takes a while to get rid of errors.”

Borhan said for future Proud to be Bilingual campaigns, they plan to expand the event and bring in more ideas.

in brief

6

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focus

Calling for adjustments in education Photos by: Cody Casares and Christian Urrutia FOR

MORE PHOTOS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

ABOVE: Student protesters voice their concerns with tuition costs, eventually gaining the attention of Vice Chancellor Paul Feist outside of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office after the impromptu march from the Capitol in Sacramento on Monday.

RIGHT: San Bernardino Valley College student Mohanned Abdelhameed discusses issues affecting students at his college at the entrance to the State Chancellor’s Office in Sacramento during the annual March in March event on Monday.

LEFT: Student protesters gather to demand lower college tuition costs outside of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office during the impromptu march from the Capitol in Sacramento on Monday.

ABOVE: Robert Espinoza, a Santa Monica College student, speaks to the crowd about higher education tuition costs during the annual March in March’s public forum at the Capitol in Sacramento on Monday.

LEFT: Rudy Fox (left) and Barbara Fowler of American River College show support outside of the Capitol on Monday.

spotlight

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7

The old soul with hands of gold

BY Manning Peterson STAFF WRITER

mpeterson.theadvocate@ gmail.com

T

omorrow is the fifth anniversary of the most devastating day of my young life. The exact date of this egregious event was Friday, March 5, 2010.

My name is April May. I am a 36-year-old single mother of three charming children, community service employee for 10 hours a week and a full-time student at Contra Costa College. To say my life’s plate is full is an obvious understatement.

This abominable adventure began the night I entrusted my reliable 18-year-old cousin, Debbie, to babysit for my 5-year-old son Jack.

I had planned to spend a private romantic overnight visit with my boyfriend.

These opportunities were rare and time truly flies when you’re having fascinating fun.

Before I knew it, a serious sunrise had jumped up and bit me on the butt.

When I rolled out of bed and reached for my phone, there was one message showing and the phone was ringing.

I answered and the voice on the other end sounded severely stressed. It was struggling to reluctantly report a desperately disturbing dilemma.

“We can’t find Jack!”

The word cut into my left eardrum with the precision of a skilled EMT surgeon’s scalpel. They paralyzed my body from the top of my neck to the balls of my feet.

It would have only required a moment or two to focus and ask for the exact details involving the specific questions I didn’t wish to have answered.

So, I just screamed, “What? We can’t find Jack,” Debbie screamed back.

These are the words no living, responsible mother ever wants to hear — that your child is missing.

I don’t recall saying goodbye or hanging up, but I wasn’t immobile any longer because I was now frantically tugging at my long blonde locks while shrieking, “Oh, my god, oh, my god!”

The 10-minute trip in my tan 2002 Ford SUV to the supposed sanctuary on Overend Avenue in Richmond is the only area of my terror territory which was a complete void in my manic mind.

“Nobody takes care of a child like his mother — nobody,” is what I kept repeating to myself. Guilt is the gift that never stops giving.

I pulled up in front of the dilapidated duplex at 666 where I had jettisoned Jack the day before. This was not a house designed and built by the Feng Shui Construction Company.

My next nerve-numbering task was to take a couple of deep breaths and fake a fantasy of phony physical and psychological harmony. My teenage classmates call it “keep your cool.”

A pudgy, 58-year-old, dark brown skinned African-American male from the Richmond Police Department was talking with Debbie.

My meticulous visual inventory of their haptics and kinesics for any positive signals of the hope my heart and

soul were pleading for netted nada.

Optimism was not yet a feasible focus factor on my radar screen. My guilt trip had already ambled around all four of those bases.

My imaginary emotional exit and schizoid-side trip was sent packing when the exact answer I had prayed for became a sudden surprise and rewarded me with a sweet surge of serenity.

The smiling police officer politely introduced himself. “Hi, my name is Sgt. Hank Jennings and I have wonderful news for you. Your son is alive, safe and healthy. Last night about 8 o’clock, an elderly Mexican grandfather who lives down the street was working on his car in his yard when he noticed the boy wandering across the street. After looking up and down the block, it was obvious to him the child was alone and disoriented. He picked your son up, brought him home and called us at RPD to report the incident. He gave your child a grilled cheese sandwich, a glass of milk, a warm bath and put him to bed. He washed and dried his clothing while the boy was sleeping.”

I thought to myself, “This wonderful old man truly saved my baby boy’s life.”

I did not share my anxiety-based anger or joy with this articulate police officer who was providing first

class community service. Sgt. Jennings continued, “RPD and the founding-grandfather mutually agreed to have the boy’s return exchange site at a neighborhood public park.

“El Abuelo,” also known as the grandfather in Spanish, had adamantly advised our RPD negotiator, Lt. Ellie English, he would not be willing to part with the boy until his mother personally presented herself to take custody and control of her son.

His decision was consistent with that of a loving, experienced, responsible parent.

The old man was already at the park when we arrived. Lt. English, an attractive 30-year-old, caramel-toned African-American female, was seated on the redwood bench next to him.

Jack was serenely seated on his surrogate grandfather’s lap. The old man was cuddling and caressing Jack like he was his own child or grand child.

I calmly strolled toward the seated duo. The old dude politely stood up when he saw me. His instincts told him I was Jack’s mom.

When we came face to face, I looked down to closely scrutinize this 5-foot-5-inch, wiry, copper-skinned gentleman crowned with a salt and pepper crew cut.

My quick haberdasher inventory revealed excessively experienced light blue coveralls which were torn at the

knees and permanently spot-stained by the longevity of a cruddy career of auto repair activities.

The axle grease grit on his stubby fingers and under the finger nails perfectly accessorized his mechanic’s tuxedo.

We didn’t speak because we didn’t need to. There are certain circumstances and scenarios in life when the spoken word won’t adequately express the depth, magnitude or specific intrinsic intent of the message.

He gazed up into the tearfilled brown eyes and gave me a warm wonderful left eye wink as he placidly placed my darling, joyously smiling tow-headed Jack in my anxious arms before he vanished behind the three swings.

I didn’t have time to say goodbye, thank you or ask him his name and address. My mother-wit told me his classy convenient exit coincided with the relief, gratitude and happiness his unconditional love and generosity had delivered to my life.

The one incredible image I will always carry from this brief immortal incident is the old man’s hands with a semi-circle of thick calluses on each hand and hard, timeworn fingernails saturated with auto-related residue.

The fashion police might have considered his scruffy appearance; especially the hands, as ugly or unkempt. But to me, they were golden.

On second thought, they were more precious than gold. They were priceless.

Those heroic hands had righteously rescued me from a bottomless dungeon of despair and bestowed a bounty of blessings complete with a spiritual foundation.

My memory of the old man’s powerful yet affectionate hands will always be an indelible symbol of the supreme power of unconditional love.

One transfusion of compassion by this elderly angel had rescued me from a potential lifetime of torment and endless sleepless nights self-induced by the “What if ’s? or shoulda-wouldacoulda’s,” known only to those who have lost a child to the winds of fate or the dust of destiny.

Today is March 4, 2015. It is a cool, foggy, windy prototypical East Bay late winter day and an eerily exact replica of March 5, 2010.

I will always carry my life lesson learned that divine day from “The old soul with the hands of gold.”

And I will never again pass any child in need. You know why? Because she or he is my child and we are all God’s children.

Author’s information: April May is a fictitious name to protect the anonymity of the main character. All other names used are also fictitious. The story’s events are true. This is April’s story as she lived it. I simply did the ghost writing for the pleasant privilege of sharing this truly wonderful unusual slice of Americana with the world.

ILLUSTRATION BY MARCI SUELA / THE ADVOCATE

8

sports

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Late inning collapse dooms squad Base running blunders, mental errors hurt team

BY Jose Jimenez STAFF WRITER

jjimenez.theadvocate@gmail.com

Eagle outfielder Tano Garza blasted a solo home run in the sixth inning and Mendocino College (77 overall and 3-0 in the Bay Valley Conference) scored three runs in the ninth to break a 4-4 tie beating the Comets 7-4 at the Baseball Field on Saturday.

Comet coach Marvin Webb said bullpen woes continue to be a challenge facing Contra Costa College (3-11 overall and 1-2 in the BVC) early in the season and pitcher David Gustafson was not hitting his spots in those late innings on Saturday.

“We should’ve won today,” Webb said. “We’re up 42 after 7 (innings), EAGLES but then we got into bad base running and very poor execution. We’ve got to execute when given COMETS the chance if we expect to win.”

The game fell apart for the team in the bottom of the seventh inning as Webb went to home plate to argue his case for Lumus Russell after the third baseman was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game without being awarded first base.

The umpire argued Russell did not do enough to get out of the way of the pitch. Russell’s numbers on his back were clearly facing the pitcher. Webb lost the argument.

Mendocino scored five runs total in the eighth and ninth innings. The significant difference in the game was that CCC left six runners stranded on base after totaling 11 hits throughout the game.

The Comets will have to find ways to get runners home when they take on Laney College Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Baseball Field.

In the ninth inning Eagle infielder Jason Hibbein scored on outfielder Cayetano Garza’s sin-

7 4

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Eagle infielder Dylan Malone (left) catches the ball as Comet infielder Jared Borunda (right) slides toward third base during CCC’s 7-4 loss to Mendocino College at the Baseball Field on Saturday. Borunda was called safe.

gle, Nathan Gadsby followed with an RBI double and then infielder Nicholas Agliolo produced an RBI single.

Mendocino’s closer Zachary Visinoni came in for ninth inning and finished off the Comets.

“I think the biggest problem with us (the baseball team) right now is we hang around in games and we really don’t put our foot on the opponents’ necks when we get a lead,” Comet catcher Lawrence Duncan said. “We really don’t have that killer instinct on this team.”

Duncan said defensively everyone could do better overall.

“When we do get a lead or find ourselves down a run I feel like sometimes this Comet team is content with that,” he said. “We just can’t sit back individually and let the other team catch up.”

Duncan went 2-4 with an RBI and two other CCC players had a multi-hit game. However, lead off hitter and the Comet with the highest batting average, Timmion Hughes (.364), went 0-5.

Sophomore outfielder Kevin

Spence scored twice early in the game, once after a triple in the fourth inning, but CCC failed to add more runs late in the game.

Comet starting pitcher Christian Sadler was solid again Saturday afternoon in muggy conditions, pitching 6⅓ innings with three strikeouts while facing 27 batters to help CCC hold a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning.

But the Comet bullpen couldn’t hold the lead.

In his last three outings, Sadler has pitched more than six innings in each start and said the season is still “young” and he hopes he, and his Comet teammates, will improve.

He said the team can turn it around as well, and will have to in order to get back above .500 in the win-loss column.

“My teammates got over 10 hits today while I was out there on the mound and made good contact with the ball, but we just didn’t get enough runs,” he said.

Sadler said the Comets need to work on their defense.

LEFT: Baseball coach Marvin Webb (left) challenges a call the umpire made after third baseman Lumus Russell was apparently hit by a pitch, during CCC’s 7-4 loss to Mendocino College at the Baseball Field on Saturday.

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

COMETS SETTLE WITH LOSS DESPITE HIGH SCORING GAME Comets prepare for artificial field, still unable to grab win

BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Comets played their last two games before their Bay Valley Conference opener Thursday, taking on City College of San Francisco and losing both 20-2 and 24-10 Saturday.

CCC (0-8 overall) had its best shot at victory all year facing the Rams (2-7 overall and 2-1 in the North Coast Conference) on its home turf, playing on the first artificial surface the Comets have seen all year.

“We prepared for the turf all week,” Comet coach Karolyn Gubbine said. “We took good angles on the ball. It worked to our advantage a few times on offense.”

The squad scored more runs in the doubleheader than it scored in

all of its games this season combined. It will need to score when the Mustangs of Los Medanos College come to challenge CCC on the Softball field Thursday. The first game of the doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m.

Late in the first game against CCSF, Comet third baseman Roggell Ryan hit her first home run of the season on a rocket that shot over the infield. The turf and field configuration gave Ryan a better chance to score.

“I think we played the best we have all season because we put (runs) on the board,” Ryan said.

“I look forward to pitching again also. I’ll be working on it more in practice.”

The Comets made good contact with the ball but could not translate the knocks into base runners.

n “I think we played the

best we have all season because we put (runs) on the board.”

— Roggell Ryan, Comet third baseman

CCC lost the first game 20-2.

In an inversion of her usual pitching rotation, Gubbine started Cicily Ragsdale in the first game, leaving Melissa Watkins to take the mound in the second game.

The team got bunts down and moved runners over. The team averaged two runs per inning in the second game.

Watkins left the game early due to arm pain leaving Ryan to take the hill after pitching in practice for the first time earlier this week.

“Jo-Jo (Ryan) was nervous early

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and really had trouble finding her footing,” Gubbine said. “A few pitches got away from her. It was her first time pitching in a game.”

The coach still has many players playing out of position. Although, she finds a positive in the shifts as it gives newer players a chance to see the game from multiple perspectives and help them adjust to game speed at this level.

Newer players go through drills with intensity in practice and against CCSF the bottom of the lineup came through, putting runs on the board, in the second game.

Sofia Morin, Catherine Nieva and Gina Balan all registered RBIs in the game.

CCC’s first signs of momentum of the year stalled in the second game and the team ran into some fielding trouble late.

RAMS

20 2 24 10 COMETS

RAMS

COMETS