May 2016
San Gabriel
Another Campus Joins the District p. 5
Our Farewell Issue
A New Chapter in Student Media p. 8
The Sociology of Politics
Rise of the Outsider-candidate p. 9
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Contents A Green to be Envied............... 4 ACC’s Newest Campus............. 5 Study Abroad Photo Story....6-7 Changing Student Media.......8 Political Sociology.....................9
The Student Voice of Austin Community College Adviser • Era Sundar
Business Clerk
Contributors • Destinee Buchanan • Jordan Cortez • Molly Farr • Nohra Johnston • Kimmy Rivera • Gaius Straka • Irvianne Torremoro
To Submit a Story Idea, Comment or Correction:
• Ryan Fontenette-Mitchell
Photography • Malinda Baum • Joe Lee
Layout Designer • Mary Maule
To Place an AD: • accent@austincc.edu
• editor@austincc.edu Contact us: Accent Austin Community College 4400 College Park Drive, Room 2107 Round Rock, Texas 78665 Phone: 512-223.-0122
To
Apply for a Position:
• theaccent.org/openings
On the Cover: The American flag, photographed by Malinda Baum and enhanced by Mary Maule, commemorates an election year in which the nation seems more divided than ever. It also hearkens to the early days when TV stations signed off with an image of the flag. This is Accent’s final print issue.
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK! ve
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Papal Message Spans Both Sides of Border Ryan Fontenette-Mitchell
During Pope Francis’ visit to Juarez, Mexico in February this year, mass was broadcast live across the border to the crowd who gathered at the University of Texas - El Paso Sun Bowl Stadium. As the congregation prayed, a young girl stands out as she turns to look behind.
High tuition rates burn. Save 81% on transferable summer classes compared to other area colleges. austincc.edu/summer
May 2016 | 3
ACC Expands Earth Day into a Week of Green Jordan Cortez
As one of the leading schools in the district, ACC not only observes Earth Day but dedicates an entire week to sustainability. Earth Week, scheduled from April 18-22 this year, is designed to promote environmental awareness and sustainability. Planned events include things like the second annual Earth Day Garden Planting, wellness walks and a student-run café utilizing local products. The ACC Photo Technology Department will also promote the Keep America Beautiful campaign by organizing a trash clean-up along Walnut Creek.
According to Sustainability Coordinator Darien Clary, ACC works closely with other schools in its district and is even leading the pack in many areas. “ACC shares a lot of our students with the University of Texas, St. Edwards and Texas State. So it makes sense for us to be on the same page and try and move the needle forward together,” Clary said. Clary said ACC’s Highland campus was the first school in the district to be awarded a gold rating in compliance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Three ACC
campuses have a LEED rating of silver. “I’ve seen the recycling bins next to the trash cans and those new water fountains that can fill up your water bottle,” business major Jozie Thomas said. Other students, however, were unaware of ACC’s contributions to the environment but were glad to hear about its many initiatives. “I think it’s good that ACC is putting an effort toward these things,” freshman Taylor Freeman said. “I think they’re doing a great job. Earth Day first began in 1970 as
a result of a 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. The spill prompted Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson to organize a teach- in to educate the population on issues related to the environment. The movement took place on April 22, 1970 and has become what is now know as Earth Day. The original effort was a huge success with approximately 20 million participants and has grown to over 200 million world-wide. Students who would like to get more involved can join the ACC Green Team at www.austincc.edu/ greenteam.
Campus Viewpoint: What is your favorite Austin hotspot? Destinee Buchanan
Justin Cole Digital Imaging
Irvianne Torremoro Journalism
Emma Strickland Psychology
“I like to go out to Town Lake and go boating. I prefer to go by myself to get away from everything, mostly during the weekends.”
“I enjoy going to the Elephant Room on South Congress. They have good, live Jazz music. Ephraim Owens is a great artist who often performs at the Elephant Room. The environment is very soothing, nice and dim lit.”
“If I had to choose, Spider House Coffee would be one of my favorite place’s to go. It’s a coffee shop with good queso and they serve alcohol. At special events, I Heart Video presents movies and sometimes they have dances.”
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Ryan Scott Health and Society “Bennu Coffee Shop is probably my favorite coffee shop to go to. They have delicious coffee along with a great atmosphere. It stays open 24-hours which makes it a great place to study during dead week.”
Maya Ellison Teaching “I love going to Hemphill Park. Me and my boyfriend like to play soccer there and enjoy playing on the basketball courts. It’s a lot of fun and a great getaway from school and homework.”
New Campus on the Block Accent Ryan Fontenette-Mitchell
Enter the exciting world of student media production
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sm i l a n r u o J marketing ARTISTIC VIEW — An artist’s rendition captures the spacious feel intended for the San Gabriel Campus. The ground breaking ceremony for the campus is scheduled for Thursday, April 21, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the campus site near 183A at Hero Way. Photo courtesy of ACC.
In the summer of 2018 ACC is scheduled to welcome the newly named San Gabriel Campus. With an enrollment capacity of about 2,500 students, the new campus will help relieve crowding at the Cypress Creek Campus. “This campus is a critical piece of our mission at ACC, we are a regional district,” ACC Board of Trustees Vice Chair Allen Kaplan said in an interview reported by the ACC Newsroom. “Our boundaries extend beyond the Austin city limits. This is a commitment to expanding our reach.” Location. Location. Location. Just as in real estate sales, location is a major factor in determining value for campus placement. The San Gabriel Campus will be built in the city of Leander near Highway 183A and the Leander Capital Metro rail station on 100 acres of land. In fact, the Capital Metro train station will be right next to the campus. With
construction underway, architectural and engineering firm Pfluger Associates plans to use the land’s natural features, which include a green belt and part of Brushy Creek, to the advantage of the campus. The new campus is anticipated to be part of a Transit Oriented Development. TOD is a fancy way of saying Leander will create a mixed-use development similar to the Domain in Austin. According to the city of Leander website, it will incorporate a mixture of housing, office and retail space within walking distance of public transportation. The purpose of a TOD is to create a smaller carbon footprint and promote healthy and active lifestyles. “TOD is an important concept to grasp. ACC purchased the land because it’s next to the rail station to serve the students,” ACC Director of Energy and Sustainability Andy Kim said. “Students from many different locations can use
the rail to get to the campus. There will be a nice walkway they can [use to] walk to the campus.” The San Gabriel Campus will be awarded with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate of silver. The campus will also have green car parking spaces for hybrid and low emission compact cars. A rainwater collection system, solar panels and a rooftop garden are also planned. A budget of $60 million which will go toward construction of the building, a smaller version of the Highland ACCelerator, classrooms, science labs and common areas. “I hope the campus can offer something new to the ACC community that hasn’t been introduced at other campuses,” ACC dental hygiene student Jade Wren said. Construction is scheduled to start this September and take approximately two years to complete.
Event Coverage
photography
MULTIMEDIA BROADCASTING Contact us • editor@austincc.edu • theaccent.org/openings/ • Twitter - @theaccent • Facebook - AccentNews May 2016 | 5
Who wants to Study Abroad?
Photos by Donna Caraway & Stephanie Calk
For information on the study abroad program visit austincc.edu/studyabroad
Recognize this Edinburgh street from Harry Potter? On the right: Tower of London, Fellow student-Linda Opp in full garb at Jane Austin’s house, Buckingham Palace guard, Professor Caraway on High Street in Edinburgh. “I was walking where Emily Bronte walked.” — Donna Caraway , who studied British literature on her study abroad trip to the United Kingdom. 6 | ACCENT
Stephanie Calk stayed at Ecole Nationale Superieure de Patisserie in France during her trip.
A beach in Marseille, France.
“The French have such an incredible appreciation for beauty.” — Pastry arts student Stephanie Calk. Stephanie Calk with Chef Olivier.
Chef Olivier is framed by the beautiful outside view from the kitchen at ENSP on graduation day.
End of the week buffet.
French pastry class from left to right: Chef Herrington, Steve, Abi, Stephanie, Katie, Amanda, Alex, Hannah, Wara, Chef Olivier.
“Tarts we made in class.” - Calk May 2016 | 7
Accent: Not Saying Goodbye — Just Changing
This edition marks the final printing of Accent Newspaper. As one era ends, a new, exciting chapter in student media begins here at ACC. The metamorphosis from print to digital is simply the latest step in modernizing and adapting to better suit student needs. The paper started more than a decade ago as a broadsheet (shaped like the Austin American Statesman) and was printed every other week. In 2012 the paper switched to its current size
and format and was printed twice per semester. The accompanying website was also updated to meet the requirements of mobile devices. Accent’s latest recalibration will allow us to more effectively serve students as they are immersed in the new Guided Pathways approach to higher education. Accent Newspaper is now Accent Student Media with an emphasis on broadcast. Our new web series, “Student Life Chronicle,” can be seen at bit.ly/accentslc and Life4U
Magazine will still be produced for the fall and spring semesters. Accent is also in the midst of an exciting website relaunch. As we move into this new phase, I thank past Accent leaders and participants for their contributions and I welcome the new wave of participants. Rather than goodbye - see you around campus. Era Sundar Accent Student Media Adviser
Restaurant Review: Bufalina Due
Restaurant Review: Lenoir
6555 Burnet Rd #100, Austin, TX 78757 Bufalina has expanded up north with their new concept, Bufalina Due, in the Burnet neighborhood. Due feels like a newer, bigger version of the downtown original but still has the familiar feel with the same stone fire pizza hearth that doles out the famous Neopolitan pies they’re known for. The extensive wine list is accompanied by a locally curated beer list with the likes of Live Oak, Austin Beer Works and the new Blue Owl Brewing on tap. The starters on the menu consistently change to keep local and seasonal ingredients featured with appetizers like the housemade burrata cheese accompanied by fennel, beets, fennel pollen, and olive oil. Most everything on the menu is house made and it shows in the quality of their food. When slicing into the
1807 South 1st Street, Austin, TX 78704 When first walking into Lenoir, guests are greeted with a cheery host outside of the front door that leads you into the tiny yet breathtaking restaurant. The dining room consists of high tables, a communal table, and a bar all made out of reclaimed wood provided by Habitat for Humanity. Every window is draped with long white curtains that add to the dreamy ambiance along with a plethora of beautifully designed chandeliers. Chef Todd Duplechan, formerly of Four Seasons, opened Lenoir early 2012 with his wife, Jessica Maher, heading pastry. They lovingly refer to their menu as hot-weather food: food that is spicy, citrusy, and brothy, but not heavy, with little gluten and butter. The prix fixe menu changes
Irvianne Torremoro
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burrata, the creaminess oozes out over the thinly sliced fennel and beets along with the classic pairing of olive oil which enhances all the flavors of this dish. Their pizzas are classic and timeless, such as their calabrese with tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, serrano, garlic and basil. Adventurous diners may want to experiment with choices such as brussels sprouts pizza with ham, scallion pesto, mozzarella, serrano and parmesan. Experimental dishes such as the brussels sprouts pizza show the strength of Bufalina with its shaved brussels sprouts that pair well with thinly sliced ham and the nuttiness of scallion pesto along with the heat of serrano. Every single bite of this pizza takes the taste buds on a roller-coaster of a ride, cementing the fact that Bufalina Due is a staple in Northern Austin.
Irvianne Torremoro
frequently, due to Duplechan’s affinity for local seasonal ingredients and each course is thoughtfully named field (for starters and salads), sea, land, and dream (for delectable desserts), with the choice of an additional course for $10. Each course consists of three choices. Their heavier dishes such as sea have a delicious poha almond snapper served with berbere cauliflower and grapefruit or a delectable duck dish served with acorn spaetzle and orange marmalade swimming in a kimchi broth. Aptly titled dream, the dessert options include sweet potato miso cake with orange salad and mesquite bean ice cream or a smoked caldera flan paired with pecan shortbread, peached sapodilla and sour cherry.
Strange Political Times Indeed How the odds have come to favor outsiders, renegades, rabble-rousers and other political misfits who seem out of place in the political parties they seek to represent. Molly Farr
America is experiencing an extreme change in the political climate this election cycle. Rarely have major party candidates with non-mainstream ideologies seen such success in political circles. This change in political climate is personified by Democratic contender Bernie Sanders who supports what he calls Democratic Socialism. Further pushing the envelope is Republican front-runner and self proclaimed Washington outsider Donald Trump. Trump began his run for president with comments that painted Mexicans as drug lords and rapists and managed to offend several minorities, ethnicities and women. Still, he pulled ahead of all other Republican candidates. In previous years candidates like Sanders and Trump would not have faired as well in the primaries and caucuses. These changes in public opinion did not occur overnight. “This presidential election cycle is dramatically different as the result of a number of factors that have been building for at least the last thirty years — especially in the Republican party which is engaged in civil war,” ACC Sociology
Professor Dr. Alfred Maldonado said. “Donald Trump is a smart individual who, so far, has been able to give voice to much of America’s dissatisfaction.” At a time of economic difficulty, the perception of Trump as a strong, successful businessman plays well to the emotions of frustrated voters. They don’t seem to care about the lack of details in his message. Similar to the concerns with Trump’s rise to the top, the Democratic Party is dealing with its own issues. There seems to be a shift in what people want and what is driving the young to come out and vote this year. According to several political polls, Bernie Sanders has a message that resonates with young voters. Many are encouraged by the way he addresses income inequality and the fact that he supports universal healthcare. “On the left, a stark generational gap is widening as millennial voters take their freshly-minted college debts over to camp Sanders, bedeviling Hillary Clinton, who was all but awaiting a coronation when this campaign began,” Phi Theta Kappa Public Relations Officer Cecily Maciejeski
CYP On-campus Food Vendor Finally Opens Molly Farr
The much anticipated Austin Café is now open at ACC’s Cypress Creek Campus. The café offers a wide variety of tasty options including pizza, wraps, salads and smoothies. The café opened in March just before spring break and has created a space of lively conversations and food instead of the once empty, quiet space left vacant by Simon’s Café. Austin Café allows for a relaxing getaway or interesting diversion. The food comes out within
ten minutes and is a quick grab-and-go option or makes for a between-classes reprieve thanks to cafeteria-style seating. David Michael Leandro, a pre-pharmacy student at ACC started working at the café and suggested that students and faculty try the delicious wraps such as the classic gyro wrap. Other options include the Chicken Philly with grilled chicken and American cheese, roasted onion, lettuce and tomatoes with honey
said. “In this unexpectedly lively primary season, it seems the most important ideology is the ideology of the outsider.” According to Maciejeski, the social-media driven world seems to favor Sanders’ “earnest grandpa-with-a-Werther’s-and-a-student-loan-refinance message over Clinton’s nuanced analysis.” No matter who the nominees end up being, both parties have been put on notice that voters are dissatisfied and both sides have been pulled away from their preferred messages. “The country has become increasingly polarized for years now. Trump and Sanders both speak to people who feel that they’ve been left behind,” ACC government major Kaleb Kelly said. “Trump’s followers blame minorities while Sander’s folk blame the rich.” According to Kelly, economics is a big reason why people are angry. “Trump gets away with saying outlandish and provocative things that Mitt Romney or any other politician could never get away with. He’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” Kelly said. Overall, the candidates are telling people what they want to hear. mustard or mayo on a fresh hoagie bun. The Turkey Sub with roasted turkey, American cheese, onion, pickle, lettuce, tomatoes and mayo on a fresh grilled hoagie is another menu classic. Some of their best-selling, all-natural smoothie flavors include, Strawberry-Mango, Strawberry-Banana, and Georgia peach. Now that the café is open, Students on the Cypress Creek campus have more food choices than vending machines, bagged lunches or leaving off campus. May 2016 | 9
Riverbat Games Political Edition 1
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ACROSS 5. devotion to one’s country 7. that which takes care of the issues that are related to ACC 8. one that chooses a candidate in public office 11. that which is guaranteed to every U.S. Citizen 12. person appointed to manage financial needs of a unit 13. large part of the legislative branch 15. members meet, usually of the same party, to decide policy DOWN 1. law-making body of a political unit 2. formal decision-making process where the public appoints a candidate for public office 3. where to cast one’s vote 4. those that comprise the senior executive officers of the executive branch 6. head of the state department 9. used to gain money for a candidate 10. formal discussion in which opposing arguments are put forward 14. having two branches/chambers
Word Bank: Bicameral • Cabinet • Caucus • Debate • Election • Freedom • Fundraising • Legislature • Patriotism • Polling Place • Secretary of State • Senate • Student Government • Treasurer • Voter 10 | ACCENT
Campus Viewpoint: What is your favorite Olympic Sport? Joe Lee
Leah Nguyen Physics
Aaron Wall Journalism
Maia Medel Photography and Film
Bobby Wasabi Advertising
Sam Gribble Psychology
I really like figure skating. My mom and I used to watch it all the time when I was a little girl. I loved the way that they glided across the ice and how they would go so fast and then start spinning so fast all of the sudden. I thought it was super beautiful.
I’d have to say Olympic skating just because it’s awesome. They do a lot of cool tricks. I saw some flip tricks when I was watching it. It’s quite a great experience.
My favorite Olympic event, I think, is ice skating just because I like how they do the freestyles and the spins and stuff like that. I don’t know, it’s just my earliest childhood memory — watching ice skating.
My favorite Olympic event was the opening ceremony when it was hosted in England because of the history. I love history.
I’d have to say archery just because of all the physics that go into it and the preparation. I don’t know. It’s not as active, but I just thought the precision involved is so cool.
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