The Advocate 4-20

WEDNESDAY l 4.20.16 OUR 66TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Two suspects hold up student Armed robbers raise safety concern, drop wallet near Bus Transfer Center

BY Lorenzo Morotti ASSOCIATE EDITOR

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

Twenty-one-year-old student Douglass Castro had his wallet taken at gunpoint by two unknown assailants on the elevated walk bridge between the Liberal Arts Building and Physical Sciences Building on April 5 at about 2:40 p.m.

Castro, enrolled in Contra Costa College’s Gateway to College high school program, said he was late to class so he decided to use the L-shaped bridge to get to the second floor of the LA Building.

The stretch nearest to the LA Building is exposed while the area where the armed robbery happened is covered by trees and hugged by the PS Building.

“It shocked me. I always expected this campus to be air tight,” Castro said. “For the most part it is, but there are areas where it is not secure.”

While walking on the bridge, he said he heard someone say, “Don’t turn around, give me your wallet” as he was shoved forward.

“So I turned. I thought it was a friend of mine playing around, but it wasn’t a friend,” he said. “Then it happened. I had a gun pointed at me and one of the guys reached into my back pocket.

“I’m glad I was broke that day. The only things I had in (my wallet) were my student ID, California ID, debit cards and other business cards.”

Castro said he wasn’t able to get a good look at distinguishing facial features, but he gave some general information to Police Services student aide Parmdeep Singh about the two suspects still at large.

Corporal Tom Holt sent out a campuswide email to students and faculty describing the armed robbery suspects as two 5-foot-10 inches to 6-foot tall African-American males

about four hours after the incident.

Holt said Castro’s wallet was returned to Police Services the next day after being found at the Bus Transfer Center.

Castro said he checked the contents of his wallet but could not tell if anything was stolen.

“It was weird they didn’t take anything,” he said “I had a laptop in my backpack, an iPhone in my pocket and they didn’t take those. They didn’t even ask me for my car keys.”

Castro said he also told Singh that he was not sure if the gun they pointed at his head was real or not and raised further questions about the suspects’ intentions.

“The way it looked and the way he was holding it, I was not sure if it was a gun or a pellet gun,” he said. “It looked like a Glock but the barrel was

ABOVE: Two students walk across the bridge where two armed robbers held up Douglass Castro (not pictured) at 2:40 p.m. on April 5 between the Liberal Arts Building and Physical Sciences Building.

SEE ROBBERY, PAGE 3

SEXUAL CRIME STIGMAS HALT VICTIM FROM LEGAL ACTION CAMPUSWIDE POLICY BANS HOVERBOARDS ON CAMPUS PAGE 6

Culture of silence produces shame, fear of ‘snitch’ label DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Art Center highlights ‘human spirit’ Richmond Center recognizes, celebrates high school talent

Alumni fuse Asian, Latin taste, launches food truck PAGE 9

BY Yesenia Melara STAFF WRITER

ymelara.theadvocate@gmail.com

RICHMOND — An afternoon of music, art and local young talent filled the halls of the Richmond Art Center on Thursday. The RAC and West Contra Costa Unified School District partnered to hold their 51st annual WCCUSD Student Art Show from 5 to 7 p.m.

The reception was free to the public and recognized the various artistic work of students and their art teachers from middle and high schools within WCCUSD. Among the participating schools were Korematsu Middle, Richmond High, De Anza

High, El Cerrito High, Kennedy High and Pinole High.

More than 300 art pieces from 12 different schools were displayed.

RAC Executive Director Richard Ambrose said he wants students to recognize there are going to be challenges within their art and lives, but they can overcome them with a sense of confidence.

“Art is interactive, something that can be done with their minds, emotions and hands,” he said. “It is the gathering of the whole human spirit.”

As attendees walked down the hall to view the exhibit, the walls were filled with art representSEE ARTS, PAGE 3

ABOVE: High school student Mian Jalal (right) poses next to his pencil drawing as Richard Ambrose, RAC executive director, takes a picture with his cellphone during the WCCUSD Student Art Show at the Richmond Art Center on Thursday.

BY Lorenzo Morotti ASSOCIATE EDITOR

lmorotti.theadvocate@gmail.com

Many college students are not sure how to define, report or prevent sexual crimes — from assault to harassment — because cultural stigmas may prevent victims from coming forward or bystanders from intervening.

While Contra Costa College has had just one case of rape since 2009 according to the district’s Crime Awareness Report, Ferguson the report does not include code of conduct referrals to the dean of student services or sexual crimes that go unreported.

The most recent conduct referral to the dean was a possible sexual harassment incident on March 10.

Coincidently, the investigation conducted by Dean of Student Services Vicki Ferguson spilled into Sexual Awareness and Harassment Awareness Month.

Ferguson said that because the person accused of the violation was suspended, and the victim did not want to press criminal charges, the investigation SEE HARASSMENT, PAGE 3

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Quotable “It’s critical we make sure the tools of the information revolution are used to the benefit of the American people — not to their detriment — and that the risks associated with these advances aren’t used by the government as an excuse to limit our access to information.”

John Podesta former White House chief of staff 2001 Christian Urrutia editor-in-chief Marci Suela art director Roxana Amparo Lorenzo Morotti associate editors Benjamin Bassham news editor Asma Alkrizy Marlene Rivas opinion editors Mike Thomas scene editor Robert Clinton sports editor Xavier Johnson assistant sports editor Cody Casares photo editor Denis Perez assistant photo editor Paul DeBolt faculty adviser Staff writers Adan Alfaro Joseph Bennett Tobias Cheng Dylan Collier Salvador Godoy Edwin Herrera Mickalea Manuel Yesenia Melara Jshania Owens Warren Samuel Jason Sykes Mark Wassberg Atorriana Young Staff photographers Perla Juarez Jordan Khoo Tashi Wangchuk Staff illustrator Nora Alkrizy Honors ACP National Newspaper Pacemaker Award 1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award 1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013 JACC Pacesetter Award 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 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: 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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2016 VOL. 103, NO. 19

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM

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EDITORIAL DISTRICT PUTS MONEY FIRST Guarding investments trumps funding student safety

S

tudent safety is the primary concern of police officers, but obstructive construction, a decentralized Police Services building and lack of surveillance cameras in key locations at Contra Costa College have impeded their mission.

While there is not much that can be done to speed up the construction projects, the district could increase safety by expediting the installation of surveillance cameras to the main entrances onto campus.

Having cameras located in key spots outside could not only provide police officers with evidence, but act as a crime deterrent at a campus that has the highest crime rate in the district.

According to the district Campus Crime Awareness Report, there have been 31 robberies at CCC, six at Los Medanos College and three at Diablo Valley College since 2009.

Already this semester, an assault and an armed robbery happened on campus.

These two robberies happened during the middle of the day in areas that see a lot of foot traffic near the Biology and Physical Sciences buildings.

Three masked assailants attacked a student in the Biology Building on March 1, and on April 5 two suspects robbed a student of his wallet at gunpoint on the bridge between the PS Building and the Liberal Arts Building.

Because neither of these locations, or the entrances of the campus, have surveillance cameras the suspects were able to flee campus without being identified.

District Police Services Corporal Tom Holt said while the two crimes are unrelated, police officers have been pressed to apprehend these suspects with virtually no information to build an investigation upon.

“If the cameras that the district already approved were installed at the entrances of the college we could have caught them (on camera),” Holt said. “We would have more (evidence) to work with to catch these guys.”

It is not the fault of the police officers and aides who patrol campus that these suspects were able to escape.

Instead of installing cameras inside eight buildings on campus, the Contra Costa Community College District should have realized most robberies happen outside.

It is concerning that more attention is placed on protecting the campus from burglary rather than robberies. According to the crime report, CCC has 15 recorded cases of burglary, DVC has 20 and LMC has 63, since 2009.

This information isn’t new, so why is it that the district put more funds into protecting equipment when CCC has the highest rate of robberies, and lowest number of burglaries throughout the district?

According to a Oct. 22, 2014 Advocate editorial, “Campus supervision,” there are at least 16 cameras inside the Computer Technology Center according to computer and communication technology professor Rick Figuera.

Student safety is the primary concern of police officers, but this information shows the district values protecting its investments more than students.

MARCI SUELA / THE ADVOCATE

■ WELLNESS

Daydreaming shields mind from reality A

llowing my thoughts to wander off into a pleasant journey of reveries has enabled me to explore my creativity and future goals and dreams.

But unconsciously, it has gradually made me lose touch with the real world.

Daydreaming and fantasizing are defensive mechanisms individuals often use to satisfy their desires or escape unwanted emotions. But when it becomes compulsive, it can affect their personal goals and relationships.

Ultimately, it can develop into a psychiatric disorder called maladaptive daydreaming, where your daydreaming gets out of control.

In this case, the individual has difficulty controlling fantasies or repetitive thoughts triggered by internal or external stimuli such as books, songs, shows or ads.

While maladaptive daydreaming occurs from extensive fantasizing or daydreaming, it is important to understand fantasizing and daydreaming are different.

Daydreaming is a mind wandering process that occurs when your mind drifts into a series of pleasant or pensive thoughts before being snapped off.

Fantasizing is similar in the mind wandering process, but the mind concocts fantasies about futuristic goals and dreams that almost seem impossible to happen in real life.

While daydreaming about your future goals

asmaalkrizy and dreams can be motivating and amplifies your creativity, if stuck in it for long, things can go wrong.

In addition, a marketing research study

by Elsevier, FantasiInc. revealed zing that extensive daydreaming resulted in less became satisfaction and my happiness in a relationship. favorite The study also manifestpastime ed that having repetitive in thoughts about ninth past relationships or potengrade. tial partners made the couple unhappy and lonelier, producing a negative impact on their overall satisfaction.

A downturn of maladaptive daydreaming is over-overthinking about something that isn’t actually there.

I almost fell victim to maladaptive daydreaming in high school before I realized I had to set limits to my fantasies.

When my parents encouraged me to attend an online school to evade the high school drama, I spent most of the days at home.

I resorted to concocting

stories based off shows, movies, and books I read and began imagining myself interacting with the characters.

Fantasizing became my favorite pastime in ninth grade.

I’d pace the room back and forth thinking about being in the hunger games with my siblings and friends, and ponder over the best strategy that would lead me to win in the arena.

I remember imagining myself a dauntless girl who concealed her face with the hijab and went to save a friend who a group of bandits had kidnapped.

Even though I’m not that skilled at fighting, I held a prowess in the martial arts in my imaginary world and whacked the bandits off with my Jackie Chan moves.

I realized I was spending hours fantasizing about something that never really happened.

Recognizing my lack of sleep and loss of concentration due to overthinking, I researched my condition, and landed on maladaptive daydreaming.

Setting inner limits is the best way of controlling one’s consciousness.

So every time my mind wandered off, I conditioned myself to return to reality by reminding myself those thoughts were just make-believe.

Asma Alkrizy is an opinion editor for The Advocate.

Contact her at aalkrizy. theadvocate@gmail.com.

CAMPUS COMMENT How safe do you feel on campus?

“I feel confident that we are safe on campus.

There isn’t much that happens.”

“I feel pretty safe knowing there are security officers around campus. At night, I tend not to walk alone.”

“I feel cool on campus.

I’m not here a lot to have complaints, but I feel safer here than at Berkeley City College.”

Markel Woods

Melissa Chavez

Malik Wilson

computer sciences

nursing

XAVIER JOHNSON AND DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

photography

“I feel safe here. The mood outside of campus is different than on it. For example, I have never seen any act of violence here.”

“I feel 99 percent safe because of the police always vigilantly watching the campus.”

“I have to walk cautiously to where my ride is located after my class at 9:30 p.m. because I do not feel safe at all.”

Hyram Piper

Alejandra Leal

Sana Khan

undecided

nursing

nursing

campus beat Follow The Advocate

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.20.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

ROBBERY | Suspects drop loot, victim speaks out

Continued from Page 1

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NEWSLINE AWARENESS

STUDENT LIFE TO HOST SEXUAL CRIME PANEL A sexual harassment forum will be held in LA-100 from noon to 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

To end Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Student Life Office, in collaboration with Community Violence Solutions, presents “The Hunting Ground” documentary about the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses in the U.S. Students will receive information about what sexual assault, Title IX and how to report sexual assault.

There will be light refreshments and counselor will be available if needed.

Contact Student Life Coordinator Erika Greene at egreene@contracosta.edu for more details.

CULINARY ARTS

FOOD, WINE TO FILL GYMNASIUM, BELLIES The annual Food and Wine event will be held in the Gymnasium on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Tickets can be bought in advance for $35 or $40 at the door.

There will be samples of signature dishes from more than 40 popular Bay Area restaurants and wineries.

Silent and live auctions, a cake raffle and live music will be held. A souvenir wine glass and carry bag will also be offered to attendees.

Tickets are available now at the culinary arts department. To order, call 510-215-3878 or order online at www. contracostabooks.com.

CRIMEWATCH Tuesday, April 5: A victim reported that he was robbed. The victim said the suspect had a gun but he believed it to be a pallet gun. The suspect took the victim’s wallet.

Tuesday, April 5: Police officers investigated a domestic battery that occurred off campus between a boyfriend and girlfriend. The male suspect was arrested and taken to county jail in Martinez.

Thursday, April 7: Police Services received a report of a student verbally attacking a fellow classmate in class. Police Services investigated the report and determined the event did not meet the criteria for an immediate arrest.

The student suspect was contacted and removed from campus and is unable to return until cleared by the dean of students.

Monday, April 11: A student reported that two unknown males were staring at her while she was riding the bus to CCC. She said the constant stares made her feel uncomfortable.

— Roxana Amparo

— The Contra Costa Community College District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and campus life. The District does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, parental status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any access to and treatment in College programs, activities, and application for employment.

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short and it felt like he didn’t want to (shoot).”

He said the armed assailant asked if he had any cash in his pockets while his partner moved behind Castro to pluck his wallet. He said they both then ran toward the Student Services Center with his wallet.

Castro said he wanted to seek revenge on the suspects at first, but finding God changed his mind. “ I was angry. I wanted to get my revenge,”he said. “But I know that’s not the way.”

Singh, also a criminal justice major, said, “(Castro) was walking fast so I stopped him and asked him what was wrong. He told me he was just robbed. I was the first person he approached.”

Singh said he has been a police aide on campus for two years and this is the first incident in which someone was robbed at gunpoint.

“I escorted him back to the (Police Services building) while asking him questions like are you OK? Are you hurt? What did they look like?” he said. “He seemed all right so I then told Officer Vanessa Avilos and she compiled the report.”

Since Castro was robbed on the bridge, Singh and Holt said Police Services has

increased the frequency of police officers and aide patrols throughout the day and during night classes.

According to a Contra Costa Community College District Crime Awareness Report, there have been 10 robberies and seven arrests for weapons on campus since 2012.

These statistics at CCC are the highest rate at any campus in the district.

Middle College High School student Danilo Moran said the walk bridge is visibly obstructed by trees so he is not entirely surprised that a robbery took place there.

“I don’t think this area is safe. It’s scary because not everyone is always in a group. I know I am not,” Moran said. “Also, there is lots of tree coverage. The view from below is blocked.”

Neither stretch of the walk bridge is monitored by a surveillance camera.

But Holt said if the district’s plan to install cameras at the campus entrances were completed, police officers investigating the incident would have an easier time tracking down the suspects.

Gateway to College student Ashley Stevenson said she was surprised because the walkway it is an area that sees a lot of traffic.

“I don’t think a camera would help anything.

“I don’t think a camera would help anything. There are a lot of people around here and they wouldn’t have anyone to (monitor) the camera anyway. “I’m not tripping off (being robbed) because I’m worried about other things and I am always with someone else.”

— Ashley Stevenson, gateway to college student

There are a lot of people around here and they wouldn’t have anyone to (monitor) the camera anyway,” Stevenson said. “I’m not tripping off (being robbed) because I’m worried about other things and I am always with someone else.”

Holt said, “(Cameras) are everything. If a camera is there and people think they could be caught on tape, then it can be a deterrence that way. We can also go back and look at the tape for investigative purposes.

“When we do get the new cameras, I hope we have someone to monitor them,” he said.

“But it is all about the money and what the district can afford.”

HARASSMENT | Dean investigates conduct referral Continued from Page 1 is closed.

“Each situation is different, but due process is given,” Ferguson said. “The main thing is that we protect the college community.”

According to the police report, a male student slapped a female student’s buttocks in the Bookstore or Library and Learning Resource Center. The report was filed by a professor on March 15, Police Services Corporal Tom Holt said.

District Police Services Officer David Sano said he wrote down the statements from those involved.

Sano said the female student said it happened in the Library while the accused said it happened in the Bookstore.

“It is not a crime (if charges aren’t pressed by the victim),” Holt said. “I don’t have the authority to decide if it’s sexual harassment because it’s a (student) code of conduct violation so it’s up to the victim or dean (Ferguson).”

Shielding victims According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Holt and Ferguson are not able to disclose any identifiable information about the victim, the accused or the professor who reported the incident.

FERPA, in this case, protects the victim, witness and professor from possible retaliation from the accused. Holt, however, was able to give general information regarding the incident.

While Ferguson refused to release any information using FERPA as a shield, Holt said the female student had engaged in consensual conversation with the accused before she was slapped, and, besides having her buttocks slapped, nothing else happened to escalate the situation.

He said, “(The victim) said nothing really happened. She said it got reported (to the police) and blown (out of proportion).”

Holt said the report was filed by a professor after being approached by the victim’s friend. But when the female student was approached

by Police Services, she did not want to press charges.

“She didn’t want the police involved,” Holt said. “She didn’t want to talk to us or (The Advocate) about what happened.”

Zarinah Bell, a political science major who was not involved in the incident but offered her opinion when approached by an Advocate reporter, said as long as consent is given then it is not a problem, but the behavior described in the police report should not happen on a college campus.

“If I’m just getting to know someone then that should not happen,” Bell said. “But if he is my boyfriend or I am (dating) that person, then I guess it’s fine. But not at school. Don’t slap my ass at school.”

Sheril Kumar, another student uninvolved in this event who is a biology major, partially agrees with Bell.

“It could happen with anyone.

It is not always a stranger who could sexually harass you,” Kumar said. “It could even happen with your boyfriend. If it makes you uncomfortable, then it is sexual harassment, especially at school.”

Ferguson said, on average, she investigates one or two conduct referrals of a sexual nature annually.

She said that she has to adhere to the district conduct policy despite the victim or the accused pleas to not issue a conduct referral. Any further action, however, is dependent upon whether the victim wants to take legal action or not.

“As a conduct officer, I have to uphold the district code of conduct,” Ferguson said. “I meet with both students — no different than any other conduct referral meeting — and I have to show there was ample discussion. The district doesn’t tolerate that behavior in an environment of learning.”

She said, however, many incidents go unreported because of societal pressures and stigmas that make the victim feel ashamed because of public scrutiny. And there is always the fear that the

accused may react with hostility toward the victim.

“These are all pieces of the degradation that happens to people on a daily basis. It’s unfortunate that we do not have a strong culture that says no, it is not OK to slap someone on the ass.”

Prevention W h i l e there is a public forum and screening of “The Hunting Ground” to bring attention to sexual assault, harassment and stalking in LA-100 on Tuesday at 2 p.m., there are other measures planned to educate students about the complex nature of sex crimes, Ferguson said.

To prevent these sexu- — Tammeil al offenses Gilkerson, vice in the future, president Ferguson said high school students enrolling at CCC will be required to complete a “Not Anymore” online orientation beginning at the start of the 2017 spring semester.

According to its website, “Not Anymore” helps students become informed about sexual assault, harassment and stalking, and prevention measures to meet Title IX mandates of gender equity.

ASU President Nakari Syon said, “I think (“Not Anymore”) is a good thing. Not only will it provide quality education (about sex crimes), but students will know the code of conduct and that they are protected.”

College Vice President Tammeil Gilkerson said she helped bring the “Not Anymore” online program to the college to help students understand that sexual crimes are common, but are often suppressed by cultural stigmas.

“Gender roles show how pervasive (sex crimes) are, culturally,” Gilkerson said. “For men, there is

the sexualization of what being a ‘real man’ means and it is difficult to cope with that. I think it’s the same for women. There are particular messages that say it is OK to cat call or stalk someone, when it is not.”

Inter-Club Council President Safi Ward-Davis said it has become more difficult for students to get help.

Ward-Davis said since the Student Activities Building was demolished in 2013, the campus has been without a Wellness Center that functioned as a safe place for sexual assault or harassment victims to talk to counselors. “(The college) needs to bring the Wellness Center back,” she said. “Because a lot of the time (sexual assault) stays within culture. You are a snitch if you tell and are told you are not cool. We can’t have that. We need a place with people who will advocate for (sexual assault or harassment victims).”

Anthony Kinney, a journalism major, said no one should be afraid to report a sex crime, but it becomes an issue when our culture promotes silence.

“The stigma of being labeled a snitch runs deep,” Kinney said.

“But at the same time sexual assault cuts just as deep. She should have the courage to come forward, but it is a tough situation.”

Austin McDonald, a communication major, said while he has never been sexually assaulted, he has been harassed by a stalker off campus.

“It’s uncomfortable,” McDonald said. “It makes me feel anxious knowing when you go out you could possibly run into them.

Confrontation is one way (to deal with a stalker) because if you don’t say anything they won’t stop.

“But then again, you never know how (the stalker could) retaliate.”

Gilkerson said, “These are all pieces of the degradation that happens to people on a daily basis. It’s unfortunate that we do not have a strong culture that says no, it is not OK to slap someone on the ass.”

ARTS | Annual exhibit displays high school works Continued from Page 1 ing an emotion, a memory, a person of admiration or a combination of favorite things that inspired these students.

For others, it was also their first time taking an art class.

Evan Quan, a ninth grade El Cerrito High student, said he had a tough time in his art classes when he started.

“I didn’t have the art skills but my teacher Ms. (Cathy) Coleman always pushed me to work harder on my drawings,” Quan said. “I improved a lot through the semester, so I’m proud of myself.”

He said he was surprised when he found out one of his works was going to be on display in the art center. It was a great experience for him.

El Cerrito High art teacher Coleman said she is proud of Quan’s hard work.

“He started really low, but I was always there pushing him. I saw potential in him,” she said.

“Many of these students don’t know the talent they have. They just need someone to believe in them. I want them to be confident in their work and in what they can accomplish.”

Korematsu Middle School student Cecelia Moco’s art work shows the faces of her two best

friends, drawn in white and dark brown colors.

She said what inspired her to draw her best friends was the strong friendship they had since she first met them. Art for her is her own inner voice.

“There is writing and music, but drawing is my way of expressing my voice,” she said.

During the art show, Ambrose recognized three individual students for their artistic work.

They were awarded prize money given by the RAC. The winners were Kennedy High students Rudy Suarez and Kenneth Huang and Pinole High student Eric Sanchez.

Ambrose said they judged the artworks on display and thought these the artwork of these three students were outstanding.

“They deserved an artistic achievement,” he said.

Suarez’s winning artwork was inspired by his math teacher, Mark Moran. His drawing incorporates a background of statistics formulas surrounding his math teacher colored in black and white.

Moran said, “Rudy is a good math student and a talented artist. For him to combine both elements was very creative. I feel honored that he chose to draw me.”

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

Visitors move through the art gallery Thursday at the Richmond Art Center.

The art works of these students will be on display until Sunday. Admission is free to the public.

For more information about the WCCUSD Student Art Show, contact RAC Communications Director Jessica Parker at 510-620-6780.

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campusbeat

WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.20.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

“

The (state’s community college) budget is disappointing. This is not what we were looking for and does not (address the district’s concerns.)” — Jonah Nicholas

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Funding growth stunted Budget forum addresses FTES shortfall, borrowed revenue

BY Benjamin Bassham NEWS EDITOR

bbassham.theadvocate@gmail.com

Low enrollment is blocking funding growth in the district, pension laws could double interest payments on unfunded liability for California community colleges, and the governor’s budget disappoints, the district vice chancellor and chief financial officer said.

The 2016 Budget Forum was presented as a PowerPoint on April 13 in HS-101 by District Vice Chancellor Gene Huff and Chief Financial Officer Jonah Nicholas.

Chancellor Helen Benjamin was originally to attend, but was unavailable due to an engagement on the East Coast.

Huff said enrollment sank from its recession peak in 2009, and stayed mostly flat. The district has not hit its FTES goal in years now.

A Full Time Equivalent Student (FTES) is 15 units of classes being taken by students. FTES count is the yardstick the state determines most of a college’s funding.

Huff said Contra Costa College has a resident FTES goal of 5,581, but will achieve around 4,653 in the 2015-16 fiscal year, a shortfall of 16.6 percent. Diablo Valley College will have shortfall of around 3.3 percent, and Los Medanos College around 1.2 percent. Between them, that is a shortfall of 1,515 FTES, an average 5.3 percent shortfall.

CCC has the hardest hit, with most of the total shortfall. CCC’s target FTES has been reduced by 200 to 5,381 for 2016-17.

The presenters said the district survived by borrowing FTES count from the 2016 summer semester, placing the district on what’s called “stability,” promising that FTES will be made up later. This caused a pattern of borrowing and stability that repeats yearly, maintaining funding, but preventing the district from claiming permanent growth funds that would be added to its base, annual funding. In 2012-13 the district missed $900,000, and in 2014-15 missed $3.7 million.

Huff said based on the project-

ed FTES shortfall, the Governing Board approved borrowing all FTES from summer 2016 to use 1,515 FTES to cover the shortfall, getting the $7.2 million in already budgeted revenue, and the rest to generate extra around $3 million in one-time revenue over two years, and get $8.3 million in additional apportionment revenue.

Huff said this means the district gets funding in 2016-17 for at least 29,249 resident FTES, and the district goes on stability in 2016-17, earning no growth funding.

Huff said the hope is to pay down long-term liabilities, and invest in future FTES generation.

To encourage new students, districtwide commercials have been made, the district Enrollment Management Framework made guidelines for all three colleges and student services has been budgeted an extra $2.7 million.

FTES from about 2,707 non-resident or international students (about 2,334 at DVC) have grown since 2009-10 and now provide about $13.5 million in additional revenue, the presentation said.

Huff said the budget was adopted with a $4.8 million structural surplus, largely predicted on the cumulative revenue from a 1.02 percent cost of living adjustment for $1.35 million, a $6.9 million increase in the base allocations, and $1.54 million from funds earmarked for full-time faculty hires (21 new hires across the district).

Huff said in October 2015, the Governing Board approved a 5 percent salary increase for permanent employees, retroactive to July 1, 2015, adding a $5.1 million salary cost to the district.

The cost of salary and benefits increased from $147.5 million in 2009-10 to $159.1 million in 201516, representing about 88 percent of district expenditures, Huff said.

Since California’s economy is growing faster than the national average, the state is stockpiling a rainy-day fund, against the next economic downturn. Nicholas said the Legislative Analyst’s Office

“projects really rosy figures,” and says the rainy-day fund will grow, with enough left over to raise funding to community colleges. If LAO’s projection is wrong then the fund will be needed.

The presentation quoted Gov. Jerry Brown saying, “Between 2000 and 2016, you find that the total deficits were seven times as large as the surpluses, resulting in painful, and unplanned for, cuts.”

LAO states, “A sizable reserve is the key to making it through the next economic downturn with minimal disruption to public programs.”

Nicholas said if a new recession begins, the existing fund will be insufficient to prevent cuts to the district’s budget in 2019-20.

For now, the community college system expects 11 percent of the Proposition 98 funds, consistent with the historical split between K-12 schools and community colleges.

Nicholas said, “The (state’s community college) budget is disappointing. This is not what we were looking for and does not (address the district’s concerns.)”

Nicholas said the major proposals of Brown’s budget include 2 percent growth funding, systemwide, giving the potential for districts to earn an extra 575 FTES worth about $2.7 million, but on stability, the district will see none of it.

The second proposal is a 0.47 percent Cost of Living Adjustment, amounting to $600,000 in ongoing apportionment funding, which Huff said is so small “it’s a joke.”

Third is $283 million allocated systemwide for deferred maintenance and instructional equipment, of which the district gets about $6.4 million, Nicholas said.

Fourth is $76 million systemwide, and $1.6 million for the district in one-time funds for mandate cost claim reimbursements, Nicholas said.

In January 2016, Brown proposed a $200 million increase to the Strong Workforce Program to expand access to career technical

education and implement a regional accountability structure. The presentation said it is unknown how the district would participate or benefit.

Unearnable growth, COLA that ignores ongoing and increased costs, no increase to base funding and minor amounts of one-time funding all fall short of the district’s needs. Nicholas said the district is hopeful for a better picture by the May budget revision.

Huff said that between the Governmental Accounting Standard Board 68, 74 and 75 provisions the district’s position regarding pension, and benefits, is dangerous.

The district’s share of unfunded liabilities (money owed to pensioners) is $148 million, which under the new rules subtracts from the district’s net value, dropping it from $169.1 million in 2014, to $37.3 million in 2015.

This is bad because the value of the district’s holdings represents what can be sold in an emergency to cover pension costs. If the district looks unreliable, its credit rating could be lowered, and interest payments increased, Huff said.

The presentation predicted the district’s annual payments could go from $9 million in 2013-14 to $22 million in 2020-21.

Huff said, “It’s not just us, it’s all (California’s) colleges.”

“Due to alarmingly high liability (under GASB 74 and 75), a more aggressive investment scheme was chosen.”

That trust has grown impressively. Currently the district has $77 million to cover a liability of about $172 million. About $95 million will be added to the district’s liabilities in 2017-18, Huff said.

The presentation said retirees make up about 38 percent of total district-paid premiums and 6.5 percent of total operating costs.

Between GASB 68, 74 and 75, the district must recognize $250 million more in liabilities by 201718, likely giving the district negative net value, Huff said.

ABOVE: District Vice Chancellor Gene Huff discusses missed FTES goals districtwide, resulting in dwindling funds during the 2016 Budget Forum in HS-101 on April 13.

SYSTEM TRACKS CAREER TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE

BY Tobias Cheng STAFF WRITER

tcheng.theadvocate@gmail.com

Students who took career technical education (CTE) courses at California community colleges during the 2013-14 academic year experienced large median wage gains, according to a report about a new student performance measurement system by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office released on March 3.

CTE courses help students maintain or add to their experience skills.

The median wage gains were 13.6 percent, or $4,300 per year, according to the report by the State Chancellor’s Office.

Contra Costa College’s Economic and Workforce Development Director Kelly Schelin said students who take these classes for raise increases and concurrent employment are called “skills builders.”

The report states most skills builders tend to be older than other students and take only

one or two CTE courses at a time.

Evan Decker, career pathways manager for economic and workforce development, said, a report that was sent only to faculty, showed the statistics of skills builders at CCC. There were exactly 300 skills builder students on record in 2013-14, Decker said. The average wage gain for a CCC skills builder was 17.62 percent, or $2,576 per year.

This means, compared to the statistics from all of the California community colleges, the average CCC skills builder experiences a higher-than-normal percentage wage gain, but was earning less to start with.

CCCCO Chancellor Brice Harris said, “These students come to us seeking to keep their skills current or move ahead in their careers. After finishing a few courses reap significant rewards.”

He said that for $46 per unit, a wage gain of $4,300 is a phenomenal value for students.

Schelin said, “A little bit of time and

money can impact the livelihood of the rest of your life.”

Decker said community colleges only calculate completion rates by measuring how many students receive degrees or transfer to a four-year university.

Schelin said that before the student measurement system was implemented, it was hard to track these students.

“The Chancellor’s Office is giving (faculty) better services to track (skills builders) and serve them better,” she said.

The report states the new measuring systems are “forcing a pause and reset in how we think about college dropouts by revealing many students have figured out how to effectively engage the post-secondary system at a low cost with high returns.”

The report states, this month, the option will be provided to view the percentage and wage gains of skills builders in the 2016 Student Success Scorecard.

Decker said students working in tech-

nology related CTE progress industries are goals defined: common for skills builders The average wage because tech- gains for CCC CTE nology changes students is $2,576 per so fast. year at CCC. Schelin said Improved measuring that students system offers accurate working in tracking figures. health care are There are 300 “skills also common builder” students on because they campus. need to renew their certificates.

Decker said, “I would imagine that if the economy had a downturn, more skills builders would come to CCC.” Schelin said that it is cheaper and faster for skills builders to take their CTE courses at a community college instead of a university.

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Panel aims to expose ‘New Jim Crow’ era Prisonindustrial complex imprisons minorites at higher rates, provokes backlash

BY Tobias Cheng STAFF WRITER

tcheng.advocate@gmail.com

The “Mass Incarceration Panel” event, organized by English professor Dickson Lam, was held in LA-100 on April 7 and was attended by more than 40 people.

Lam said his class has been reading “The New Jim Crow” by author Michelle Alexander. He said the point of the event was to bring awareness to the campus about the issues with mass incarceration.

Mass incarceration is the imprisonment of a large number of people, Lam said.

The U.S. has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. People of color are affected disproportionately by the penal system because of racial discrimination.

He compiled a group of six panelists to talk about what they do as well as the penal system, mass incarceration and discrimination against people of color and formerly incarcerated people in general.

Only one panelist did not show up.

Alexander writes about the new “under-caste” and the restrictions put on incarcerated people, Lam said.

In her book, mass incarceration is the new Jim Crow, because peo-

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

ple coming back into the community are denied rights everybody else has, such as housing or work.

He showed a two-minute long video that showed statistics about the topic.

According to the video, 68 percent of all African-Americans who drop out of high school end up in prison.

One in nine African-American children has a parent either in prison or on parole.

The video states that incarceration can become a trait that is passed down from generation to generation.

A member of the Berkeley Copwatch, Marcel Jones was one of the panelists.

He said, “Even though you can kill Jim Crow, he will still exist.”

Since 1990, more than 50 percent of the black population in Berkeley has been “kicked out,” Jones said.

According to the Berkeley Police records, African-Americans

and Latinos were 7.5 times as likely to be stopped while in a car by a police officer than drivers of other races, he said.

Contra Costa County public defender Ji Seon Sung said while all people make the same mistakes while driving, including herself, she has seen more AfricanAmericans pulled over than any other race.

“What is disturbing is that it is not an accident that people of color are so much more common in the (penal) system,” she said.

Sung said that her clients are often refused government support because of their criminal records.

She wants more people to understand while 10 percent of Contra Costa County is AfricanAmerican, only two percent of juries are African-American.

Sung said many of her clients would go to court “all locked up” and handcuffed. She can’t believe that prisons are an accepted part

of society.

RYSE Center Youth Justice Director Stephanie Medley said many people who have been in prison leave a burden on their family members.

If they move back in with their families, she said the landlords will often find an excuse to kick the whole family out because of the one person’s criminal record.

To make enough money, formerly incarcerated individuals have to turn to “things many would consider illegal” to provide for their families, which in turn, lands them back in prison.

“The new Jim Crow is when you break families apart,” Medley said.

Nursing major Robert DeMesa said he thought the forum was educational.

Student Cynthia Anderson said she would have liked more questions faster after the panelists finished talking about themselves.

ABOVE: Berkeley Copwatch member Marcel Jones (right) speaks to the audience during the “Mass Incarceration Panel” event held in LA-100 on April 7.

Forum to address sexual harassment

BY Tobias Cheng STAFF WRITER

tcheng.theadvocate@gmail.com

The sexual harassment forum, organized by the ASU and Police Services, will take place in LA-100 on Tuesday at noon to discuss the issue of sexual harassment on college campuses.

Corporal Tom Holt said many colleges try to hide it when students at the college are sexually assaulted.

“We’re not trying to cover it up.

We’re trying to bring light to it,” he said.

Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Andrea Tavenier said, “This forum will provide a more open dialogue about these things.”

The documentary “The Hunting Ground” will be shown during the event.

“It is a documentary which address the epidemic of sexual assault at college campuses all across the country,” Javier Lopez, the prevention educator at Community Violence Solutions, said.

“The documentary will highlight four or five instances where

women have had cases appealed through the college judicial process.”

Lopez said after the screening there will be an open discussion panel available to discuss the reality of sexual assault on campus.

The panelists will include Holt, Tavenier and Dean of Student Services Vicki Ferguson, among others.

Tavenier said, “We want to encourage an open dialogue especially with younger students just entering the college environment.

There is a huge percentage of sex

assaults occurring among students ages of 18 to 23.

“We want to reduce incidents by encouraging bystander intervention.”

Bystander intervention is when a bystander sees something inappropriate being done to someone else and he or she steps in to prevent a possible sexual assault.

“It’s good. It opens up the conversation between professionals and non-professionals to find a better solution,” social sciences major Erick Jackson said.

Political sciences major Carrie

Walker said holding the event would be informational and gives confidence to others to discuss sexual assault, giving “them a backbone (to open up).”

Tavenier said, “We are just now gearing up to reach out to all campuses in Contra Costa County to provide sex assault and harassment training for students.”

She said first they will start at the college level but the panelist group plans to move onto different public events in the community “to reduce incidents of sexual violence.”

Berkeley program eases minorities toward leap

BY Roxana Amparo ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ramparo.advocate@gmail.com

Two Experience Berkeley Transfer Program (EBTP) representatives visited the College Skills Center on April 6 from 2 to 3 p.m. to inform students about the possibilities of attending UC Berkeley and the opportunities available to obtain resources.

Aiming to increase and retain AfricanAmerican, Latino and Native American students, EBTP works to ease the transition from a community college to a four-year university.

“You’re going to face some adversity when you come to UC Berkeley, when coming to a place where being the smartest and brightest is the average,” UC Berkeley Experience Director Kenny Gutierrez said.

Although UC Berkeley is seen as a prestigious university, he said he urges students to take advantage of the program.

To qualify for the program, a student must have a minimum 3.4 GPA, attended a California community college, have completed 30 transferable units and be AfricanAmerican, Latino or Native American.

The program was a response to Proposition 209 of 1996, also known as the California Civil Rights Initiative, which prohibits discrimination by public institutions based on race, sex or ethnicity.

“There are two things I’ve realized that are barriers for students applying to Cal. One, they don’t think they are Berkeley material. Two, they think they can’t afford

it,” Gutierrez said.

Deemed as one of the top four-year universities in the state, many students shy away from adding it to their list of choices.

“It is expensive to be shy,” Gutierrez said.

“I didn’t have the privilege to say I am shy.

My connection to higher education was community college. I had to tap into those resources out there.”

Since 2005, the program has connected community college students with coordinators who mentor students to build competitive applications and guide them through their transition to UC Berkeley.

Students connect with one of the 10 UC student mentors on a personal level by receiving help with personal statements, feedback from admission officers and information about financial aid, housing and other resources on campus.

“It’s important to create that personal relationship with students,” Gutierrez said.

Communication studies major Daniel Santos, who attended the event, said he likes the idea of having a mentor.

He said, “They are resources who I feel connected to.”

Santos said he is waiting for a response from UC Berkeley for his fall 2016 application. If accepted, he will join the program.

Although the event had a low turnout, the few students present received important information and motivation to see UC Berkeley as an option.

Biology major Marta Rivera said it is important to bring awareness about EBTP to

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

UC Berkeley Experience Director Kenny Gutierrez explains the application process for Experience Berkeley in the College Skills Center computer lab in April 6.

let students know that they have the ability go to UC Berkeley.

“There are so many things that I didn’t know,” she said.

Before the event, she said she wondered if she even had a chance to attend UC Berkeley.

Gutierrez said there are many opportunities for transfer students such as the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan financial aid program.

The financial aid program ensures free systemwide tuition to qualifying students.

There are resources for undocumented students, co-op housing plans, EOPS and more.

“If you are an EOPS student, you might as well apply to UC Berkeley,” Gutierrez said.

He said he is a resource for his students if

they need a letter of recommendation.

EBTP program coordinator and UC Berkeley student Jeanette Rios said there is a class offered at Cal for transfer students through the program.

The class gives students resources such as counseling, EOPS, fellowships and scholarship information.

She said the coordinators care about students’ well-being and mental health.

“School is a stress producer,” Gutierrez said.

He said the program offers a lounge space at the four-year university for tense students to relax and meditate the stress.

Students who are interested in the program can contact Gutierrez at ebtransfers@ stileshall.org.

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OPERATIONS COUNCIL BANS HOVERBOARD USE OUTRIGHT Student safety concerns outweigh convenience

BY Asma Alkrizy OPINION EDITOR

aalkrizy.theadvocate@gmail.com

DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE

With its introduction this semester, the green screen added to the media lab in A-1 will soon become the focal point of a course structured around the use of green screens in the movie industry. This is targeted toward fine and media art students interested in learning computer generated imaginary.

Minimum wage increase divides businesses, citizens Stagnant income outpaced by worker output, inflation rates

BY Robert Clinton

in brief

SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

California workers can expect a gradual increase in earnings over the coming years after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill raising the state minimum wage to $15 on April 4 in Los Angeles.

In March 2016 California lawmakers and union representatives proposed legislation named the Fair Wage Act of 2016.

The act would raise the statewide minimum wage in gradual increments culminating in a $15 per hour plateau in 2022.

The act was certified by the state and was decided on by voters during the election process this November.

“This is about economic justice,” Brown said to supporters and union members following the signing at the Ronald Reagan State Building in Los Angeles. “It’s about people. It’s about creating a little balance in a system that becomes everyday more unbalanced.”

Following the signing, California’s minimum wage increased from $9 to $10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2016. This will increase to $11 in 2017 and $1 per year until the $15 per hour wage in 2022.

Following that, the wage adjusts with rate of inflation based on the previous year’s statistics using the California Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical workers.

It also contains “governmental discretion” which allows the state to halt the annual increases in event of an economic disaster.

Senate Bill 3’s path through the Legislature traveled along party lines, with every democratic member giving a yes vote, and the only votes against coming from republican lawmakers.

Both chambers of the California Legislature have been controlled by democrats since 1959, minus a pair of two year stints, 69-71 and 94-96.

The state Senate, which has 40 members, voted 23 yes to 15 no, with two members abstaining or absent.

The state Assembly voted equally lopsided for the bill with 48 yes votes and 26 no votes.

SB3 came to fruition follow-

California’s minimum wage increased from $9 to $10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2016.

In March 2016, California lawmakers and union representatives proposed the Fair Wage Act of 2016.

The act would gradually raise the minimum wage to a $15 per hour plateau by 2022.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill to raise the minimum wage on April 4.

ing two competing proposals put forth by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers (SEIU-UHW) and the California council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The (SEIU-UHW) negotiated clauses similar to the incremental increases in the bill the governor signed, while the (SEIU) state council version also proposed increasing the allowable number of employee sick days to six, doubling the three Californians are already afforded.

Following the signing of SB3, both initiatives were withdrawn as potential ballot proposals.

“The initiative put on the ballot by (SEIU-UHW) gave a real thrust and without that we probably wouldn’t be here today,” Gov. Brown said.

With a total of 2.2 million people earning minimum wage across the state the initiative will have an immediate effect on daily life.

The pros Increases in worker productivity have outpaced wage growth since 1968. Today’s wages, adjusted to current worker productivity, would be $21.72 according to a 2012 report by the Center for Economic Policy and Research.

American financier, and former self-professed corporate raider, Asher Edelman best laid out the case for raising the minimum wage in an appearance on CNBC’s “Fast Money”.

He explained the pay increase with respect to velocity of money, a financial term that measures the amount of money that consumers reinvest into the economy after

receiving a paycheck.

As wages fail to keep up with American productivity, and profits returning to the top 1 percent, top earners only spend 5 or 10 percent of what they earn. When the lower end of the spectrum receives their pay, nearly 100 to 110 percent is injected back into the economy.

Over the past 30 years a transfer of wealth to the top, coupled with a shrinking consumer base, results in a shrinking velocity of money.

According to a report by the Bureau of Labor statistics, the largest difference between the rich and poor is not the amount they spend, it is how much they save.

For every dollar low income people spend for food, roughly $.12 is saved. Among the top earners, for every $1 spent nearly $3.07 is saved, keeping vital funds out of the economy.

The cons “We can’t have a situation where our labor is so much expensive than other countries that we can no longer compete,” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said.

Opponents to the wage increase point to the San Francisco restaurant industry, which took a hit while adjusting to the city’s wage increase to $15 in November of 2014. There were restaurants that cited increased labor costs as the reason behind some of the closures.

Michael Saltsman, research director at the Employment Policies Institute said, “Abbot’s Cellar, once one of the city’s top 100 restaurants, closed its doors earlier this year (2014) and cited the minimum wage hike as the determining factor.”

A 2014 Congressional Budget Office report showed a wage increase could result in the loss of 500,000 jobs, however that same report also found that higher wages might move 900,000 people above the poverty line.

The argument that raising the minimum wage is not an effective way to address poverty echoes down the line that divides the issue.

Pew Research Center polling suggests 73 percent of Americans are for an increase in wages while 24 percent of people oppose it.

The use of hoverboards has increased on many college campuses, with USA Today reporting more than 30 colleges having banned the use of hoverboards on campus in favor of student’s safety.

“Nobody As of this semester, the Operations Council voted to so far has ban the hoverboard from being used as a means for transporta- said anytion at Contra Costa College. thing to me Students aren’t allowed to ride the devices on any roadway, about riding sidewalk or paved surfaces due it. I’m going to student safety concerns. to keep ridHoverboards, two-wheeled electric boards, have become ing it until popular lately for transpor- someone tation alongside bicycles and makes me skateboards.

Students increasingly ride stop.” them in the hallways, along the — Joshua sidewalks and even inside the Pharr, criminal buildings. justice major Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said as the head of the Operations Council, which constitutes students and faculty members, he envisioned the dangerous use of such devices at campus.

King said he doesn’t personally advocate for the overall ban of hoverboards on campus, so long as students ride the device away from congested areas “that include lots of people, such as in hallways or buildings. “(Hoverboards) shouldn’t be used in certain places where it is easy to run into people, such as inside buildings,” King said.

He said many accidents occurred on colleges as a result of students riding hoverboards in congested areas on campus. One of the accidents is a hoverboard catching fire as a result of students charging the devices. “Some (hoverboards) can explode while charging,” King said.

Criminal justice major Joshua Pharr said the ban of hoverboards is an inconvenience because the construction in progress makes it difficult for students to get around campus.

The Campus Center and Classroom Building Project, which will be completed August 2016, has made students take circuitous routes to reach their classes.

Pharr said he considers hoverboards a convenient transportation method.

“Besides, (hoverboards) are a good tool to move around campus efficiently,” Pharr said. “Nobody so far has said anything to me about riding it. I’m going to keep riding it until someone makes me stop.”

Adhering to students’ safety standards, Police Services are citing any students riding hoverboards on restricted areas.

Corporal Tom Holt said many students aren’t using the hoverboards properly.

He said creating hoverboard regulation signs and spreading the word by placing them on campus would strengthen the college’s step to reduce the risk of collisions and potential fires on campus.

“It is not like I’m trying to take away an alternative transportation for students,” he said. “It will bring into attention the risks of using hoverboards on college (campuses).”

While citations will be issued to a student or faculty member violating the cycle regulation signs, King said he is upset about the context behind the signs.

“They don’t say anything about hoverboards,” he said. “The wording of the sign makes it seem (the campus) is not welcoming to bicycling.”

He said the Sustainability Committee members were angry about the misleading signs on campus, petitioning for the sign to articulate the hoverboard issue, not a “got you” type of sign.

The signs reinforce the violations of students who roller skate, in-line skate and use skateboards, but do not address the main issue, the use of hoverboards.

“The wording of the sign makes it troubling for (cyclists),” he said.

PAY WITH PLASTIC OPTION COMES TO THE SWITCH Debit, credit purchases to boost culinary revenue

BY Joseph Bennett STAFF WRITER

jbennett.theadvocate@gmail.com

As long as The Switch Cafe has been on campus as an extension of the Three Seasons Restaurant, it has been a success.

The Switch is a cash-only student operated cooking kiosk under the culinary arts program that serves affordable hot food and drinks when the main restaurant is closed or crowded.

Beginning next semester, as an answer to many student questions

and complaints, The Switch will begin accepting payments other than conventional cash.

Culinary arts department Chairperson Nader Sharkes is looking forward to implementing card transactions.

He said, “Being able to use cards, it could bring 20 percent higher income to The Switch.”

Out of the three food spots on campus, The Switch Cafe is a convenient option for students needing a quick bite before heading out to their next class.

Criminal justice major Junior Perez said, “I really despise the whole no card transactions. They are only doing it because they don’t want to get charged.”

The Switch Cafe serves fresh food at reasonable prices and some students don’t mind paying with cash.

Culinary arts major Angliza Johnson said she has been part of the baking program for more than a year.

She said, “We just deal with the cash only rule and continue going on with our day. On the other hand, businesswise, we probably lost a small percent-

age (of purchases) without cards.”

Johnson said the card transactions are not worth investing in because of the bank charges and needed approval from the district.

“In order to start card transactions the bank will charge 4 percent all year around. I can’t just order the card device and start today if I wanted to without their confirmation,” she said.

The Switch is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Applied Arts Building.

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Symposium emphasizes preparedness Nurses articulate responsibilities, planning ahead

Registered nurse Mia Johnson (left) and Samuel Merritt College representative Sheri Holbrook speak to students about the challenges of entering a nursing program during the Nursing Symposium event in HS-101 on April 8.

BY Marlene Rivas OPINION EDITOR

mrivas.theadvocate@gmail.com

A nursing symposium was held on April 8 in HS-101, providing new and continuing nursing students with advice from nurses and doctors on educational planning and expectations for what is to come after graduation.

“We wanted to get them at the beginning of their journey and give them advice beforehand instead of hearing about students’ regrets at the end,” counselor Kim Blackwell said. “We wanted to support and encourage students and provide them with more information. We care about our students and want them to succeed.”

This event had not been put together for nursing students before, she said. Students in attendance appeared eager to take in as much information as possible as they took notes during the discussions and participated by asking the panelists questions.

“A lot of us don’t know what direction to go. This was very helpful and could benefit a lot of us,” nursing student Kamya Cook said.

The students present included a group from Los Medanos College in Pittsburg. There were even some from schools outside of the Contra Costa Community College District.

Some of the panelists worked within Contra Costa County, while others came from Cal StateSacramento, Stanford Hospital and Samuel Merritt University.

“We wanted to represent different areas,” Blackwell said.

The jobs of the panelists vary.

Some are involved in more handson care while others hold administrative positions. All of them have nursing backgrounds.

Blackwell started off the event

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

by asking the panelists to talk of how they became interested in nursing, where they obtained their degrees, what are their previous and current jobs and to explain the road between where they started and now.

Hearing about their paths allowed students to understand the effort required to achieve a career in a medical field and the different options available for students to get to their destination, Blackwell said.

The panelists also did not hesitate to list in detail the struggles they faced during their academic journey.

Middle College High School junior Meily Reyna said the discussion was insightful, hearing the struggles of people in the field she

plans to enter.

“Most people do not want to talk about the struggles,” Reyna said. “They will tell you about how great the job is and the paycheck, but they won’t tell you the struggles they had.”

The next question for the panelists was about the skills they used in their daily work.

A lot of the skills the panelists mentioned were personal qualities they possess or are needed to be a nurse. They mentioned organization, critical thinking and empathy .

Advice on juggling responsibilities as a student was also covered.

Another objective of the event was to encourage students to create an educational plan with a counsel-

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or and do more personal research, counselor Andrea Phillips said.

Nursing department Chairperson Cheri Etheredge discussed the importance of planning ahead and insisted that students who plan ahead of time do better.

Dr. Etheredge said this field of study comes with sacrifices and other things in their lives may need to be rearranged in order to meet the needs of their classes and work.

Biology professor Ellen Coatney said students should follow their strengths and maintain realistic expectations in all that they do. She pointed out this can be done, starting with their course planning.

“We all fail when we have too much on our plate. But anything worth doing is worth doing well,”

Financial Aid Office to issue ‘Cash Cards’

BY Cody Casares PHOTO EDITOR

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DON’T SCRATCH THE SURFACE.

BREAK THE GROUND. NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2016 STAY ON TRACK.

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Saint Mary’s College of California smcadmit@stmarys-ca.edu

(800) 800-4SMC

Dr. Coatney said.

Coatney mapped out some of the prerequisite classes needed in order to pursue nursing. She also made the connections between the relevance of the material taught and how it will be used in the workforce.

Nursing schools build on what students learn in their prerequisites, Etheredge said.

“You need to know your stuff.

Not knowing your stuff will reflect in your work,” Stanford registered nurse Mia Johnson said.

Samuel Merritt University certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) Shawna Holbrook said it is important for students to seek tutoring and get to know their teachers.

Financial aid disbursements will be easier for students starting this summer.

The college has partnered with Blackboard, an educational service program, to streamline the financial aid services for students.

“The service that we are going through with Blackboard is called Blackboard Pay. We are very excited to partner with Blackboard and offer these options for students,” Financial Aid Supervisor Monica Rodriguez said.

Blackboard Pay is a disbursement solution program which provides options for students on how they receive their financial aid funds.

The program works through either a reloadable Money Network Service prepaid account, direct deposit into an existing bank account or, the current method, of a paper check, Rodriguez said.

“The Money Network account, which is our College Cash Card, gives students access to their funds the same day that the district send the refunds to the Money Network,” she said. “This usually takes no more than 15 minutes.”

Sociology major Claudia Rivera said she looks forward to nearly instantaneous transfer of funds when she receives her financial aid next semester.

“I wait about a week with the paper checks. The new system is very convenient,” she said.

The paper check option takes about seven to 10 business days for the check to arrive by mail.

The direct deposit takes three to five banking days to be processed depending on each student’s bank, Rodriguez said.

“We left the paper check as an option for students who prefer paper checks, but we do want to encourage all students to go with one of the electronic options, which are much quicker.”

The Money Network Service allows students to receive, access and manage their student aid funds with the prepaid account.

Each student is assigned an individual Money Network account, similar to a personal bank that includes the Money Network enabled Master Card that can be used everywhere that debit Master Card is accepted, Rodriguez said.

“It’s important to remember that a prepaid account is not a credit card or a bank account. There’s no overdraft fees or min-

“It’s important to remember that a prepaid account is not a credit card or a bank account.

There’s no overdraft fees or minimum balance requirements. It’s strictly a prepaid card.”

— Monica Rodriguez

imum balance requirements. It’s strictly a prepaid card,” she said.

Computer information systems major Francis Sanson said, “It’s a big change. As we go forward with this it will affect the whole campus.”

An additional benefit to selecting the Money Network account option is the ability to access the free mobile app.

Students using the app will have the ability to manage accounts, check balances, see transaction history and set up automatic mobile notifications, she said.

The app also provides the locations of participating free ATM and check cashing locations, Rodriguez said.

“We have an existing ATM on campus, that is not part of the All Point network. I tried going to the ATM at Walgreens and 7/11 (near the college) and their ATM is part of the network. We are trying to have a discussion with the existing bank on campus to change that,” district Director of Financial Aid Wilbert Lleses said.

“Students can also request Money Network checks that can be self issued and cashed for free at Wal-Mart,” she said.

The website where students can go to set up their choice is not yet ready but will be available soon, Rodriguez said.

“We will be contacting students directly via email to enroll once we’re actually ready for the website to go live,” she said. “If no selection is made, the default option is the paper check by mail.”

The Money Network College Cash Card option has access to a Piggy Bank Account, which allows students to automatically transfer money into an existing savings account, Rodriguez said.

“Students who want to start practicing saving their money will have the option to do that as well either through the online account or the mobile app,” she said.

Money Network checks are also provided with the College Cash Card to ensure that students have the ability to utilize all of their disbursement funds in case they end up with a low balance, Rodriguez said.

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WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.20.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Poetry reflects death, sadness

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

BY Asma Alkrizy OPINION EDITOR

aalkrizy.theadvocate@gmail.com

Librar y department Chairperson Andrew Kuo riled up the audience with his third poetry reading and open mic event at the Library and Learning Resource Center on April 12, offering staff and students a chance to present their literary works.

Although the second poetry reading and open mic event was last fall in October, Kuo said he decided to hold the event in April this time because it is deemed as a poetry month.

“I want the campus to be exposed to poetry, creative fiction and to get people to listen to different voices on campus,” he said.

He invited five faculty and classified staff participants, three of whom are adjunct and full-time English professors. Students also signed up at the event to share their literary works.

English professor Rafaella Del Bourgo began the panel, discussing how poetry seems initially intimidating to students.

“There are two ways to approach poetry,” she said.

One is the mind and the other is the heart. If students have a hard time understanding poetry, they should see if they can feel what the poet is saying, she said.

Del Bourgo said she still writes poems about her deceased parents, whose loss is engraved as a wound in her heart.

She introduced two poems, one called “Roses and Moons” and the other epistolary poem, a poem in the form of a letter, titled “Dear Father.”

She said she dedicated “Roses and Moons” to her mother who died 16 years ago.

“She cries out once. Twice.

Then lapses into silence,” she said, reciting a verse of the poem.

English assistant professor Dickson Lam read an excerpt from his memoir, recounting a day when his mother asked him to attend Lowell High School, setting high expectations on him.

He wanted to go to a high school “outside his zone.”

He said he attended middle school in San Francisco. At that time students were required to fill out applications if they wanted to attend a high school outside of their neighborhood.

He said when he brought the paperwork to his mother to sign while she was washing the dishes, she squinted in dismay. She questioned why he didn’t apply to Lowell, a revered high school in San Francisco.

“If I were to get into Lowell she would do a victory celebration in Chinatown, and boast to everyone about the privilege,” he said.

“But the deadline was passed, so I couldn’t go.”

He recounted the times his mother boasted and praised him in front of cashiers for his hard work and effort in school.

“At the beginning of middle school I received A’s and B’s, but my mother expected a 4.0,” he said.

“Anything I did was a bonus. So my mom insisted to get things straightened out by going to Lowell High School.”

LEFT: Counseling instructional assistant Vanessa Johnson recites her poem during the open mic event for students and faculty in the Library and Learning Resource Center on April 12.

Recovery efforts underway, aftershocks threaten lives

BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

A collection of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks rocked Ecuador and the island of Japan this past weekend. The combined number of injured rests at 1,300 with total deaths at 392. Both numbers are expected to rise in the coming days.

Seismic activity ramped up earlier in the week in Japan where a swarm of smaller temblors in the magnitude 4 range prompted officials to warn for potential larger aftershocks in the days to come.

In the city of Kumamoto on Japan’s Kyushu Island, search and rescue teams scrambled to find survivors following days of seismic activity, most notably a 6.2 earthquake on April 14 followed by a magnitude 7.0 shaker on Saturday.

Currently, the death toll is 32 with 16 deaths occurring in Saturday’s quake, according to the Kumamoto prefecture disaster management office.

Seven hours later and over 9,000 miles away, a 7.8 magnitude temblor struck off of the coast of Ecuador in the town of Muisne, some 250 miles north of the capital city of Quito.

The earthquake, which triggered tsunami warnings, caused widespread destruction and death. Initial reports put the death toll at 77 but that figure quickly ballooned to 233, according to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa.

In Ecuador, 10,000 troops dispersed to help victims affected in the region’s coastal areas

hit hardest by the quake.

Both quakes occurred on the Ring of Fire. It is an area at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean that consists of oceanic trenches and volcanic arcs that are responsible for 80 percent of the world’s largest earthquakes, according to the United States Geological Survey.

California also rests in the 25,000 miles of seismic fury that is the Ring of Fire.

Images of crumbled homes and collapsed infrastructure are eerily reminiscent of the images that were seen in the last large scale earthquake to hit the Bay Area, the 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989.

That quake killed 63, injured more than 3,500 and left more than 12,000 Bay Area residents displaced across the region.

Images of a buckled overpass in Guayaquil, Ecuador are similar to those of the Cypress freeway which collapsed in Oakland during the 1989 Bay Area quake.

The temblor caused the demolition of two roadways, the aforementioned Cypress along with the Embarcadero freeway in San Francisco.

Without a major seismic event in more than 25 years, new statistics from USGS attempt to predict the probability of a 6.7 or larger quake on a 30-year scale.

Of the area’s three major faults, the Hayward, the Calaveras and the San Andreas, the Hayward Fault, which bisects the Contra Costa College campus, shows the most potential for activity with a 14.3 percent chance of eruption.

This is opposed to figures on more well-known fault lines like the San Andreas which erupted in

SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

With a death toll that continues to rise, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has said rebuilding the country will cost billions of dollars and may inflict a “huge” toll on the economy.

1906, destroying much of the Bay Area in the process.

Even in the face of potential disaster, the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) reports 60 percent of Americans have not practiced what to do in case of an emergency. Only 39 percent of that same group have developed an emergency plan that they have discussed with their family.

At www. contracosta.edu there is currently no disaster or evacuation plan listed. At CCC, California Shakeout Day is the time the Library holds its earthquake preparedness drill. Students crouch under desks until the all clear is

signaled.

“Only about half of the students in the Library participated in the drill,” electric audio and video service librarian Megan Kinney said.

“I’m not sure if it is something that is done campuswide.”

Across California, USGS data shows the prospect of a magnitude 8.0 or larger quake occurring in the next 30 years has risen from 4.7 percent to roughly 7 percent.

However, the probability for a 6.7 or smaller quake has decreased.

Information about what to do in an emergency, or what should be included in a disaster kit, can be found on redcross.org.

EARTH DAY STRIVES TO DIMINISH USAGE

BY Roxana Amparo ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

In honor of Earth Day, the Sustainability Committee will hold its annual Earth Day celebration outside of the Applied Arts Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday to promote a greener world.

“Too many times we are wasting things, damaging Earth. This is to remind us that we should be nice to Earth,” Buildings and Grounds Manager Bruce King said.

Seedlings, including tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and other vegetables, pamphlets with information and tips for reducing the use of unnecessary resources to

conserve energy will be handed out to students.

King said they will aim to set a good example and remind students to be “environmentally correct.”

For about five years now, the committee has been promoting an eco-friendly environment on campus.

“There is too much garbage on the ground. It’s like people don’t know how to put it in the trash,” pathology major Danielo Moran said.

He said everyone needs to know there are ways to keep the campus clean.

Partnering agencies like PG&E, EBMUD and 511, transportation information also will be shared in the pamphlets.

There will be information shared on ways to save water indoors, such as making sure the tap is off when brushing teeth or washing the dishes.

Tips on how to save water, for example lawn conservation, and other methods will be discussed.

The Sustainability Committee will be giving out handbags with seedlings, a water bottle and a sticker from PG&E. Counseling assistant MaryKate Rossi said they are trying to bring awareness about the California drought.

She said people think that because it has been raining it means the drought is over.

“We are trying to remind people that there are little things they can do (to help). There is a bigger

idea,” she said.

King said they are trying to remind people to be green and that everyone should be taking care of the Earth.

“The world needs more plants for oxygen. And also just to have more plants and keep the world greener,” undecided major Colleene Lawrence said.

She said she would be interested in attending the event for more information.

Rossi said this year there will be more participation from students.

She said students can join the Sustainability Committee to help plan future events.

“We all need to help out the environment,” she said. “We all need water to drink, to shower.”

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9

LEFT: East Bay Coffee Company owner Bill Ancira extracts espresso for a customer at its location in Pinole on Monday.

Ancira said he plans to expand to more locations, including Church Lane in San Pablo.

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Cafe engages in lively interaction East Bay Coffee Company open mic, ukelele nights to promote friendly atmosphere

By Roxana Amparo ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ramparo.theadvocate@gmail.com

P

INOLE — The East Bay Coffee Company knows how to keep an open mind with its lively environment and inviting atmosphere.

It is a place where college students, family members and anyone comfortable with a talkative setting can enjoy.

With its location in Old Town Pinole, it brings in crowds on a daily basis.

The building looks like a house with surrounding neighbors and designated parking spaces. On weekdays it is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Upon entering, whether it’s from the front door or from the hidden back door, the aroma of coffee fills the air and the bright colored macarons draw the eyes toward the pastry case filled with a wide assortment of pastries.

The array includes cream-filled doughnut holes, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and plump croissants.

Its menu choices are easy to understand with a selection of espresso drinks like macchiatos and americanos, hot or iced drinks such as lattes and mochas, and hot teas.

When it comes to its hot chocolate and vanilla chai lattes, the simplicity of the drinks, served on either a to-go cup or mug, is a delight.

Although hot chocolates FOOD REVIEW don’t come with whip cream, “East Bay Coffee their velvety foam makes up Company” for it. Latte art is included if the workers are feeling crafty.

Cuisine: Cafe The employees will offer Where: Pinole a friendly greeting if they see Price Range: $$ customers come in, unless they are too caught up on their cell phones or in a conversation with each other.

When engaging with a customer, they make sure they answer any questions about the drinks.

Oftentimes they exchange information about their lives. The employees seem to be attentive to their regulars.

Weekend mornings keep a consistent flow and drinks are ready in a timely manner.

The location draws in a lot of morning people picking up coffee to go.

There is the option of paying either with cash or credit card. Prices range from 50 cent doughnut holes to $4.25 for a vanilla chai tea latte.

The walls are full of art pieces from local artists and photographs of the Milky Way, Aurora lights, starry nights and forests. Every so often they change up the art with other local artists’ creations or photography.

It gives something for wandering eyes to be refreshed. It gives the cafe an art gallery feel and

the pieces are for sale.

The coffee shop is divided into two sections.

The side closer to the bar has a few tables and the other side is a larger area with tables and couches. Each side has its own rest room.

While the side closer to the register remains peaceful, the other side can get loud enough to distract those studying without earphones.

The idea of having a coffee shop where no one is bothered with how loud it may get while studying makes it seem like a social gathering. It seems that everyone is accepting of each other’s space.

Whether it is students going in for a study session while using the free WiFi (ebcc12345), friends meeting up or folks picking up a cup of coffee, visitors can enjoy one of the nightly events.

On Wednesday nights a table is reserved for game night. It is not a recommended spot to sit nearby if studying quietly is the goal. There are ukulele nights on first and third Tuesdays.

Thursdays an open mic night is hosted and on Fridays there is a group playing music and a contemporary worship night on Sundays.

Board games including Monopoly, Taboo, Scrabble and Chess. And more can be found stored on the counters near the register area.

Although it is usually cold inside, it is a spot worth visiting whether for a study session or to try the hot chocolate.

CURBSIDE KITCHEN BINDS ASIAN, LATIN GOURMET Zesty sandwiches need proportional adjustment

By Marci Suela ART DIRECTOR

msuela.theadvocate@gmail.com

E

L CERRITO — The new food truck, Curbside Kitchen, needs work on perfecting its craft of Southeast-Asian/Latin fusion mobile gourmet.

Although its sweet service makes the experience pleasant, the ingredients on some FOOD of its products are not REVIEW evenly proportional.

“Curbside Curbside Kitchen Kitchen” is owned by brothers Raynard and Russell Cuisine: Southeast-Asian/ Lozano.

Latin Russell graduated Where: El Cerrito from Contra Costa Price Range: $ College’s culinary arts program in spring 2012, where he trained in contemporary American cuisine.

For its grand opening on April 10, Curbside Kitchen parked its truck next to Barney McBears (previously known as The Sky Lounge under different management) at 10458 San Pablo Avenue. Outside the bar is a sit-down area for people to eat, but only patrons who are 21 or over are allowed to eat inside Barney McBears.

The service of Curbside Kitchen goes beyond what is required.

This could be seen through worker Ticiane Lozano, who would often exit the truck and deliver orders to customers already inside the bar.

Waiting for one’s order can always leave a person anxious about the time of its arrival.

Raynard, however, reassured customers as he constantly updated them on the completion of their orders.

Curbside offers a small arrangement of sandwiches and appetizers: Curbside Burger, Curb-bahn mi, Curbside Chicken, loaded shoestring fries and lumpia. It also serves mousse and brigadeiro as dessert.

The Curbside Burger consists of an Angus beef patty, tocino (Filipino bacon), melted Monterey Jack cheese, marinated onions, achara slaw (carrots and daikon), sliced tomato and house aioli served on a toasted bun.

The tangy flavor of the house aioli pops in one’s mouth, giving the Curbside Burger a piquant taste.

The size of the patty, however, challenges other flavors the burger has to offer.

Because the Angus beef patty is thick and the tocino is cut into smaller bits, the tocino’s flavor gets lost in the burger.

The buns are slightly greasier on the outside than they needed to be.

The Curbside Chicken is a Brazilian styled sandwich, consisting of yucca breaded fried chicken breast, melted Monterey Jack cheese, Brazilian salsa, cabbage and house aioli on a toasted bun.

MARCI SUELA / THE ADVOCATE

An El Cerrito resident places an order at Curbside Kitchen, outside of Barney McBears, on April 10. The food truck is parked next to the bar every Sunday.

The zesty Brazilian salsa and house aioli complements the hot tenderness of the chicken, leaving a person to dream about it days after.

The size of the chicken, however, was too big for the buns.

As for the loaded shoestring fries, an individual will be visually stimulated with fries topped with tocino, Monterey Jack cheese, onions, cilantro and house aioli.

There is no disappointment in the consumption of this glorious product.

The freshness of the cilantro complements Curbside’s tangy house aioli and the saltiness of the fries.

The tocino completes the circle of flavors, topping it off with a savory element.

The lumpia offered has a clean flavor of ingredients, including ground pork, shrimp, green onions, carrots, water

chestnuts and celery. This gives customers a break from the weary taste of frozen lumpia packages.

Curbside is off to a great start for its meals, but needs to reconsider its sizing and experiment more.

Recently on Curbside Kitchen’s Facebook page, it started to offer tacos made with Filipino adobo pulled pork, Brazilian salsa, marinated onions, cilantro and house aioli.

Upon each purchase of $10, a stamp card is given as an incentive to visit them again and earn a free dessert after 10 stamps.

Curbside Kitchen can be found next to Barney McBears every Sunday, from 8:15 p.m. to midnight.

Other locations and hours for Curbside Kitchen are to be announced through its Facebook and Twitter pages.

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WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.20.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

Eagles rout team, snap two-game win streak Comet bullpen cedes early runs, dooms chance to rally at home

BY Dylan Collier

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Comet infielder Chris Brue is called out after taking three strikes during CCC’s 14-2 loss to Laney College at the Baseball Field on Saturday.

STAFF WRITER

dcollier.theadvocate@gmail.com

The Comets (11-18 overall, 7-12 in the Bay Valley Conference), fresh off a two-game winning streak, got behind first place Laney College early in the game and eventually lost 14-2 Saturday at the Baseball Field.

Comet starting pitcher Sean Jackson couldn’t contain the Eagles’ offense, as EAGLES Laney (22-9 overall, 16-3 in the BVC) jumped out in front with four singles, two doubles and a walk in the first inning.

Contra Costa College returns to the Baseball Field Saturday to face the College COMETS of Marin at 2:30 p.m.

The first and fifth innings were the most problematic for Comet pitchers, as they contained Laney’s biggest rallies, giving up five runs in the first inning and six in the fifth.

“Our pitchers had a tough start and weren’t hitting their spots,” catcher James Hodgson said. “Laney’s pitchers stuck with their fastballs and changeups through most of the game, and we weren’t getting solid hits.”

Laney second baseman Jose Mercado got an RBI in the first inning with a double to deep left field driving in left-fielder Brandon Alenla.

With shortstop Mickey Nunes and right-fielder Trevor Greenley each thumping consecutive singles, that left the door wide open for designated hitter Kaleo Johnson to hit a double to centerfield, scoring both Greenley and Nunes.

In the Comet first at bat leadoff hitter Johnny Velasco didn’t hesitate to answer with a double on the first pitch off of the left-centerfield fence.

He then called a timeout after his slide into second base because he thought he may have rolled his ankle.

CCC infielder Eric Whitfield drove in Velasco on a line drive to centerfield giving the squad its first run of the game.

By the top of the third inning coach Brian Guinn had

14 2

BOX SCORES Baseball (April 16) Contra Costa College AB R H RBI Whitfield lf 2 0 1 1 Brue dh 4 0 0 0 Perez 3b 2 0 1 0 Hodgson c 4 0 0 1 Quintal ss 4 0 2 0 Ressler 1b 4 0 0 0 Velasco 2b 4 1 1 0 Tachis 3b 1 0 0 0 Hutchings cf 2 0 0 0 Ray rf 2 0 1 0 Parnell if 0 1 0 0 Carter cf 2 0 0 0 Totals

31 2 6 2

Contra Costa College Laney College

Laney College AB R Mercado 2b 5 2 Nunes ss 5 2 Johnson cf 4 1 Alcala lf 3 2 Morris 3b 5 1 Myers 1b 5 0 Greenley rf 6 1 Paz c 2 0 Johnson dh 6 4 Reichel ph 3 1 Marquez p 0 0

H 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 4 3 0

RBI 3 1 1 0 0 2 3 0 2 0 0

44 14 17 12

“Our pitchers had a tough start and weren’t hitting their spots. Laney’s pitchers stuck with their fastballs and changeups through most of the game, and we weren’t getting solid hits.”

James Hodgson, catcher

already made a few trips out to the mound to calm the infield down. He then turned the ball over to right-hander Kyle Brown (2-4) already down on the scoreboard 7-1.

Shortly after, he turned to his bullpen again, sending Joe Banks (2-4) out to the hill. He went on to carry the team on his shoulders for the next seven innings of the game.

Hodgson did a good job blocking the pitches behind the plate and keeping the ball in front of him.

Later in the third, a strike three pitch got away from Hodgson, but the Laney batter interfered with the throw to second, so the runner on first base was called out.

After seven scoreless innings for CCC, the Comets looked to regain a little momentum in the ninth.

Guinn substituted a lot of players and rearranged most of his lineup for the final three outs of the game.

In the ninth, with the first two batters getting hit by pitches, they managed to load the bases for Hodgson who got a hit up the middle.

Laney failed to get the runner at second and the throw to first base was no match for Hodgson’s speed. This was the Comets’ second RBI of the game, putting their run total at two for the day.

“That ninth inning is the type of intensity we need to keep and continue playing with. We need to come together as a family. As long as we can keep playing with the intensity we had in our last two games in the North Bay we’ll be fine,” Contra Costa College Jackson (L, 1-2) Brown Balnks Laney College Marquez (W, 4-1) Bay Valley Conference Laney College Los Medanos Folsom Lake Marin Solano Contra Costa Yuba Mendocino Napa

IP

H R ER BB SO

2.2 0.7 6.1

7 6 4 2 2 0 1 1 3 0 10 7 7 0 1

9.0

6 2 2 3 6

W 16 14 14 10 9 7 6 5 3

L 3 4 5 8 9 12 13 14 16

Pct. .842 .778 .737 .556 .500 .368 .316 .263 .058

Gp 31 30 31 30 30 29 28 31 31

100 000 100 - 2 511 600 100- - 14

CODY CASARES / THE ADVOCATE

Comet outfielder Bryce Hutchings fails to beat the throw at first base and is called out during CCC’s loss to Laney College at the Baseball Field on Saturday.

Banks said.

Even though CCC was dealt a damaging 14-2 loss to Laney, the final score has no correlation with how they’ve played late in the season.

Looking at the statistics, CCC has had a rather interesting season thus far.

During the first half of the season the Comets scored only nine runs after the sixth inning.

To the contrary, the second half of the season has been their time to shine.

“We will just keep playing every game like it’s our last one, and continue to work hard and get better,” Guinn said.

The CCC baseball team has accomplished something only three other teams in their conference have done — scored 30 or more runs after the sixth inning in the second half of their season’.

SCHEDULE Baseball Saturday vs. Folsom Lake College, 2:30 p.m.

April 26 vs. Yuba College, 2:30 p.m.

April 28 vs. Solano Community College, 2:30 p.m.

April 29 vs. Los Medanos, 2:30 p.m.

FOOTBALL PLAYERS TRANSFER, EARN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS Options remain open to players chosing smaller schools

BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

Every year millions of kids enter kindergarten and elementary school and inevitably some percentage of them are going to say, when they grow up they want to be a professional athlete.

With eight million high school students participating in athletics across the nation, a fraction of those, only 480,000 will have the opportunity to compete at the NCAA level.

Contra Costa College, the underdog campus in San Pablo, habitually defined by its lack of resources and characterized by its athletes with big hearts and bigger attitude, seems to always shock the doubters.

Over the past two years the Comet football program under coach Alonzo Carter has transferred 34 players into institutions of higher learning.

“We target guys that want to go D1.

Whether they are or not, we’ll find that out,” Carter said. “We try to get students that for some reason didn’t get the scholarship but had their academics in order — it all starts with character.”

Football, at the community college level in particular, can be tough on transitioning players.

They usually fall into one of two categories — 1) the player that needs to develop physically to get attention from larger schools, or 2) players that may need to get their academics in order.

“Carter’s track record matters to me because I know what I want to do and I know people get to D1 schools from here.

— Harris Ross,Comet running back

In either case, a proven system with a track record of success is the best place for a player that falls into either of those categories to land.

“Carter’s track record matters to me because I know what I want to do and I know people get to D1 schools from here,” Comet running back Harris Ross said. “So I just work hard and follow the examples that came before me.”

In the 2014-15 season and college year Carter took a collection of out-ofstate, local and transfer students, then melded the group together to win the Living Breath Foundation Bowl.

Of that championship team, 25 players transferred to four-year colleges.

Twelve of those players transferred to Division I schools.

They are: Jonathan Banks, QB, Kansas State University; Daris Workman, OL, North Carolina State University; Takkarist Mckinnley, LB, UCLA; Marquez Mackey, DB, University of New Mexico; Deonte Reynolds, DT, Arizona State University; Alem Amores, OL, Jackson State University; James

Alex Reid, DL, Jackson State University; Brandon Wright, DL, Jackson State University; Yacoub Hammoudeh, OL, Jackson State University; Theodore Spann, DB, Houston Baptist University; La’Ray Davis, OL, Texas Southern University; and Jerimah Rainey, DB, Eastern Illinois University.

For those following the revolving door that is community college athletics, losing 25 players might have signified a fall from grace for the Comets.

Coach Carter has a track record of finding NCAA Division I gems.

Over the last 10 years he has been responsible for guiding the lives of more than 50 players, high school and college, to D1 schools and one step closer to their dreams.

“I’ve known Carter since high school and I knew he’d do whatever he can for his players on and off of the field. I put my full faith in him,” Comet quarterback Cameron Burston said.

This past season in 2015, with only a handful of sophomores returning, Comet football returned to bowl action, this time losing in a rematch to Hartnell College in the Living Breath Foundation Bowl.

Following the 2015-16 season, 10 Comet players transferred to four-year schools with seven of those players moving on to Division I colleges.

Chibu Oneykwu, LB, San Diego State University; Billy Nico Hurst, DB, Youngstown State University; Ted

Noble, LB, Delaware State University; Sterling Taylor, 8 million high WR, Murray State school students University; Frank participate in Stephens, WR, sports in the U.S. Northern Colorado University; Jaelen 34 Comet footCollins, TE, ball players have Arkansas-Pine Bluff transfered to D1 and schools in the last University; Chima Onyekwu, two years.

DE, Washington 15,842 NFL draft eligible spots State University.

These men are exist in NCAA now one step closfootball. er to realizing their 256 players are dream in defiance drafted to the NFL of the known statiseach season. tical odds.

“They have to believe in our system even though we don’t have state of the art facilities,” Carter said. “Because of what we’ve built this program into, on the first day of recruiting coaches from Division I schools from all over the country, from as far away as the SEC, are here to look at our players.”

Of the 1,093,324 athletes playing high school football only 15,842 draft eligible positions exist in NCAA football. Of those, only 256 players were drafted into the NFL last year.

Two hundred forty-nine of those players were drafted from Division I schools.

in brief

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WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.20.2016 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE

“ game.”

11

She seems to be able to get along with everyone. I can see her coaching in the future — she really loves the — Nick Palter, father

Comet pitcher Anna Palter lends supporting advice to her squad during a difficult season.

CHRISTIAN URRUTIA / THE ADVOCATE

Evolution, guts inspire last shot at lifelong love Struggles plague season, studentathlete unfazed

BY Robert Clinton SPORTS EDITOR

rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com

In life, people choose to walk away from the thing that they love for many different reasons; time constraints, new responsibilities or sometimes the passion just seems to fade away.

For first-year Comet pitcher and infielder Anna Palter it was a combination of things that made her walk away from softball after graduating from Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in 2012.

“It came as a shock. She wasn’t getting a lot of attention from some of the (colleges) she wanted to attend so I think she lost focus on sports and began to live more of the average teenage life,” Palter’s father Nick said. “I was surprised and disappointed, but we support her making her own decisions within reason.”

Palter grew up in an athletic atmosphere. Her parents are big

San Francisco Giants fans and her father began taking her to games shortly after her birth, May 2, 1994.

It was those early days studying Giants players with her dad, Omar Vizquel in particular, that honed Palter’s feel for baseball and the cerebral side of the game.

When she was a child, Palter’s father recognized his daughter’s athleticism by enrolling her in Taekwondo and gymnastics, but it was softball that she ultimately gravitated toward and by age 11 Palter made her first all-star team.

In the following years, Palter would join a traveling team that barnstormed areas from Colorado to Las Vegas playing against tough competition in preparation for high school and college ball.

“In high school our team was not very good. We were always the underdog,” Palter said. “I had a bad temper and it was frustrating — it forced me to be a leader.”

Palter’s run of winning ball was waning but the softball gods had another obstacle in store for the infielder.

While playing shortstop in her junior year Palter suffered her first injury.

On a routine throw to catch a runner stealing second base, the first baseman’s throw ricocheted

off of the runner’s helmet into Palter’s face, fracturing her orbital socket. She sat out a week and a half, missing a handful of games and then returned to action, finishing the season with her team.

“I try not to let injuries get to me,” Palter said. “I was kind of nervous my first game back, but getting hurt is not something I worry about.”

The following year, a knee injury forced the then high school senior to miss all but 10 games of the season, mentally depleting the athlete and easing her path toward walking away from the game.

After graduation, she enrolled at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo majoring in wine and viticulture, in hopes of pursuing a career in the wine industry.

Palter said she felt out of place from the moment she arrived at Cal Poly.

“It had that judgmental close-minded small town feel. It was devoid of that Bay Area acceptance. I felt secluded,” Palter said. “I regretted leaving softball. I identified as an athlete for so many years.

It was hard to see who I was.”

Palter toughed it out in San Luis Obispo for three years sans her identity as an athlete which complicated her struggle to fit into

her new envi“I was ronment. kind of The idea of returning home nervous my was not an option until a first game family emergen- back, but cy forced her to getting reconsider her choice of school. hurt is not “I couldn’t something give up. I felt pressure from that I worry my parents to about.” go to a good school,” Palter — Anna Palter, Comet pitcher said. “I come from a (Cal) Berkeley family, parents, aunts, uncles. It was an elitist mindset — it’s hard to let go.”

Admittedly scared to play at SLO after so much time away from the game, Palter, now home, yearned for a return to softball. She sought the advice of her former pitching coach Al Estoesta who convinced her to give the game another go-round.

He also said he knew of a local coach that was looking for some players.

“Anna took lessons from my San Francisco State University coach and mentor and he recommended that she come and play

for me,” softball coach Karolyn Gubbine said. “She’s the kind of player that you want on your team — I wish I had nine more of her.”

Since arriving in San Pablo, Palter has been a natural fit with her teammates. Her experience shines through and her personable disposition makes it easier for less experienced players to gravitate to her for leadership.

“She’s a natural salesman — not the used car kind. People like her,” Nick Palter said. “She seems to be able to get along with everyone. I can see her coaching in the future.

She really loves the game.”

Comet third baseman Stacy Fernandez recognizes what Palter means to the squad.

“She’s great. She’s always supportive of us even through bad innings. She says positive things to get us through to the next good play. She’s a good teammate on and off of the field.”

The sentiment surrounding Palter is the same, from players and coaches alike.

“She’s one of the most intelligent players that I have seen on this level,” Comet assistant coach Claire Scott said. “She’s an extremely hard worker and can do anything she sets her mind to. “She is someone any coach would be lucky to have.”

SOFTBALL TEAM FORFEITS TO MUSTANGS DUE TO INJURY Misfortune follows ailing team, victory remains elusive

BY Dylan Collier STAFF WRITER

dcollier.theadvocate@gmail.com

Contra Costa College (0-17 overall and 0-13 in the Bay Valley Conference) had a tough outing at the Softball Field against third place Los Medanos College (11-15 overall and 10-7 in the BVC) Thursday.

Although the weather was cool and the wind factor was low, the team’s normal doubleheader was cut short due to an injury on the field. The Comets did not have enough players to finish the first contest and had to forfeit the second game.

CCC returns to the field for a doubleheader Thursday against Solano Community College in Fairfield at 1 p.m.

Against LMC, in the bottom of the first inning, the first three Comet batters in their lineup all hit high pop ups to right field, with the third by Sidney Davis finally dropping for a single.

Davis was ultimately left stranded on base and after the first inning the game was scoreless.

In the following inning, the Comets were able to retire pitcher Julie Lopez on a ground ball, resulting in an out at first base.

Following the out, the Mustangs rallied to score three runs in the second

“I’m glad we put up a fight today but I was hoping everyone would jump on the wagon, and we’d get something going.”

CCC’s batting order in the bottom of the second inning, making it a three-up, three-down inning.

Pitcher Julie Lopez seemed to be keeping her pitches low, as she got out of the inning retiring three Comet batters, Angelica Espinal, Mi’Jai Wilson — Sidney Davis, CCC catcher and Nancy Bernal, all on ground balls.

The bottom of the third was non-eventful for the Comets, but Palter inning. did average one strikeout per inning, “Uncontrollable things will happen totaling five in the game. in the game of softball. You just have The fourth inning was the biggest to learn how to play through them,” inning for both teams.

Comet coach Karolyn Gubbine said.

Palter found herself in a toilsome sitLMC third baseman Jazmyn Brown uation, with the bases loaded in the top hit a triple to deep right field, but Comet of the fourth and ended up walking in pitcher Anna Palter followed that up LMC’s Brittni Brown from third. by striking out second baseman Erika The Mustangs would go on to bat Hilderbrand. through their lineup and add on a total The next batter, Mustang right field- of four runs, putting the score at 7-0 in er Ryan Yelder, reached first base on a the fourth inning. walk. Then a single by shortstop Renee In the bottom of the fourth, the Smith drove in Brown from third.

Comets found a way to get something This also allowed Yelder to move started when Davis hit a double to the into scoring position. With runners center field fence. on first and second base, Mustang left “I’m glad we put up a fight today, fielder Shayna Lee hit the second triple but I was hoping everyone would jump of the inning for LMC, scoring two on the wagon, and we’d get something more runs. going,” Davis said.

“I tell them to learn how to conOn a 2-1 count, Regina Balan sintrol their attention when all else fails.” gled up the middle, driving in Davis Gubbine said. from second. Moments later, Angelica Mustang pitching breezed through Espinal found a way to sneak a squib

bunt to advance Balan to second base.

With the exception of the fourth inning, the Comets had trouble moving COMETS runners into scoring position, and the Mustangs ended that inning with Brittni Brown catching a bunt attempt and throwing to second base to double off Balan.

Comet shortstop Angelica Espinal had a rocky day getting temporarily injured from a pop up that was roped high into the air. She couldn’t get her glove under it, and it landed right on her nose. This stopped the game for about 45 minutes, while the athletic trainer clotted the bleeding.

In the top of the fifth inning, Palter maintained her focus and managed to escape a bases-loaded situation giving up just two runs in the inning.

“I just didn’t want to give her a pitch to hit, and my ‘low-rise’ is my go-to pitch,” Palter said.

Despite the difficult 9-1 loss to LMC, the Comets demonstrated their camaraderie as a team and remain hopeful as they continue the search for their first victory of the season while fielding a nine-player roster.

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WEEK-LONG CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL UNITES SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, CULTURES Photos by: Cody Casares FOR

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

ABOVE: Parade participants riding the Anime Costume Parade group float wave to bystanders during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival on Polk Street in San Francisco on Sunday.

LEFT: A dancer with Tokushima Kenjin Kai performs on the Peace Plaza Stage during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival on Polk and Buchanan streets in San Francisco on Sunday.

BELOW: A dancer with Tokushima Kenjin Kai performs in traditional “geta” footwear on the Peace Plaza Stage on Sunday.

RIGHT: Veterans with VFW 9879 lead the Grand Parade during the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival on Polk and Buchanan streets in San Francisco on Sunday.

LEFT: A performer dances for the onlookers during the Grand Parade at the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco on Polk and Buchanan streets on Sunday.