Accent Issue 9

Page 1

First Copy Free

February 28, 2011

Volume 13, Issue 9

theAccent.org

Retired astronaut visits ACC pg. 4 Food for Thought: Rio Grande pg. 7

SXSW to hit Austin in March pg. 10 PTK involved in Special Olympics pg. 3

News → Facilities

Campus Life → South Austin Campus

Panel discusses gun rights on campuses

Increased rodent sightings reported at Rio Grande Nick De Cesare

Staff Writer

Dana Manickavasagam•Lead Photographer

STANDING UP FOR THEIR BELIEFS — Scott Lewis, Texas legislative director for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, defends his beliefs as John Woods and Colin Goddard, both survivors of the Virginia Tech massacre, listen and share their opposing thoughts about concealed guns on campus. ACC held a panel discussion for students to share their thoughts and ask questions after a viewing of Goddard’s documentary Living for 32 at the South Austin Campus on Feb. 17.

Living for 32 documentary screened at South Austin Campus revisits Virginia Tech University massacre Juliette Moak  Staff Writer

As the debate continues over whether or not guns should be permitted on Texas college campuses, many students and faculty attended the timely screening of Living for 32, a documentary about the Virginia Tech massacre from the perspective of Colin Goddard, who was one of the students shot during the massacre. The film, shown on Feb. 17 at ACC’s South Austin Campus, was followed by a panel discussion featuring Goddard, John Woods, a fellow survivor and the current director of Students for Gun Free Schools at the University of Texas (UT), Scott Lewis, the Texas legislative director of Students For Concealed Carry on Campus, and Robert Dahlstrom, chief of police at UT. ACC government professor Mike Gividien brought Living For 32 to the college, after the film toured colleges and universities around the country and was shown at Sundance Film Festival.

“It’s the purpose of higher education to give people opportunities to attend events like this,” said Gividen. “Whatever your viewpoint, it’s an important topic.” The title of the film refers not only to the 32 victims of the Virginia Tech massacre, but also to the 32 gun-related murders which take place on a daily average in the United States. Beginning with his recollection of the gripping events of the tragedy, the film follows Colin as he revisits the site where the killings took place, as well as the memorial erected in the honor of the students and teachers who died that day. Living For 32 goes on to document his investigation into the loopholes and lack of accountability in the private sector of the firearm industry, revealing shocking facts not widely known among the general public. “I wanted to make this film to educate people and to show them that from negative, there can come positive,” said Goddard.

Colin is now the assistant director of federal legislation for the Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence. He and Woods are both involved in lobbying against Texas House Bill 1167, which, if passed, would legalize concealed carry on public junior college campuses in Texas. Student opinions were split after viewing the film. Student Monterey Fields admitted to being very surprised at how easy it was to obtain a gun, making him even more strongly opposed to guns in schools. “It’s a ridiculous idea,” said Fields. “I wouldn’t ever want to be around that.” Rio Grande student Henry Henze also commented on the documentary’s message in light of the new bill. “I’ve been a concealed carry license holder for a year and a half,” said Henze. “I don’t see anything going on at ACC or any other college that is different from my other daily activities where I can legally carry it.” Rather than arming students, both Woods and Goddard

support an all-around approach to violent crime prevention, which deals with adhering to legal gun selling procedures as well as limiting the types of firearms available to private citizens. They place the heaviest emphasis on practical solutions, such as requiring all sellers to perform a background check, and ensuring that all mental health records are submitted to the background check system. Their goal is not primarily to create new gun laws, but to ensure the enforcement of laws that is already there. “The line must be drawn at different places for different issues,” said Goddard. “There are some places where we are trying to increase standards, and some places where we’re trying to keep the standards as they are.” In reference to HB 1167, Woods stated that “This bill is not about making students safe. This bill is about creating a new market for firearms: college students. If more guns meant less crime, the U.S. would be the safest place in the world.”

The Environmental Health, Safety and Insurance (EHS) department held a meeting with campus officials on Feb. 1 to discuss increased rodent sightings at the Rio Grande Campus. Student Life representatives, campus management, Purchasing and Building Maintenance personnel, and EHS met to provide each other with a clear understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities in trying to fix the problems under their control, according to Rebecca Cole, the executive director for EHS department. According to Cole, over the past few years there has been an increase in rodent reports typically around the fall and winter season when the weather turns colder. “This is when rodents generally begin nesting,” wrote Cole in an e-mail. “They are attracted to areas that provide them protection, a place to nest, and a ready food supply. These infestations affect not only commercial/public buildings but also homes.” Cole is unaware of any damage that has been caused by the rodents at Rio Grande Campus (RGC). “There is not any reported damage due to rodents,” wrote Cole. “ACC will continue its efforts through the established extermination program.” ACC has focused on the three key areas recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for preventing and eliminating rodent infestations. These measures include exclusion by sealing up holes to prevent entry, removing rodent food sources and nesting materials, and increased extermination to help reduce the rodent population. The prevention and cleanup effort have cost the college approximately $4,000 since the beginning of this year, according to Cole. The main areas of focus have been student life, student government offices and the student lounge area. EHS is providing the affected areas an enclosed metal storage cabinet for Student Life to store sealed plastic containers for food. ACC is also partnering with Simon’s Café for proper overnight storage of food, according to Cole. “The key is to ensure that no food, including candy, popcorn,

etc., is kept in the area or left overnight in desk drawers,” wrote Cole. “ In addition, any rags, clothing or other materials that might be used for rodent nesting should be kept in tightly closed plastic containers.” According to the CDC’s website, rats and mice spread over 35 diseases. These diseases can be spread to humans directly, through handling of rodents, through contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva, or through rodent bites. Diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly, through ticks, mites or fleas that feed on infected rodents. The college has been working on finding solutions to the rodent problem at RGC and has hired two pest control service companies, Worldwide and Kila-Bug, to help ward off rodents at the campus, according to Donna Caraway, an administration assistant for Facilities and Operations. “Since the meeting, we brought in a contracted remediation vendor to clean the area and remove potential nesting materials (rags, newspapers, etc.),” said Cole.” ACC staff then took action to seal visible openings, which was completed [Feb. 18].” “Our current licensed exterminator recommended and implemented a thorough extermination plan. They have placed different kinds of traps in various locations in and around campus buildings,” wrote Cole. “ACC maintenance personnel are checking the traps, and the exterminator has been visiting the campus as needed for additional service calls and doing routine checks.” During to the closings of some offices to complete rodent control measures in February, some students and staff were not told why they were not allowed into offices located near the student lounge. Student Government Association (SGA) President Sophia Downing said that the problem has interfered with the SGA’s activities. According to Downing, she and other SGA officials were not allowed into their offices for three weeks and have been left in the dark as to why for most of the time. “I’m concerned. I have class in the basement, and I am not rodent friendly,” said Downing. “When I’m on campus, I am thinking it is safe and clean, but since the administration is not even letting SGA know that this problem exists, it is quite troubling.”

News → Education

Foreign delegates visit ACC, learn about college Hilary Shepherd

News Editor

Eight delegates from North Africa and the Near East visited ACC on Feb. 16 and 17 to explore the college’s curriculum. They focused specifically on programs such as nursing, renewable technology, and women in green jobs. The representatives – educational administrators from Morocco, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Palestinian Territories – were selected by the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitors Leadership Program to study community colleges and vocational education in the United States. “The concept of a community college does not exist in any other part of the world, so this is a unique

certificates and have careers that concept they’re being exposed to they can be proud of and to see the here,” said Pamela-Jean Mohamed, professions as honorable,” she said. the associate executive director During the delegation’s twoof international programs for the International Hospitality Council of day visit to Eastview, Riverside and Rio Grande Campuses, college Austin (IHCA). administrators spoke on topics “They’re looking at starting such as career and job placement community colleges in their countries to service the gap between services, transfer issues, and success initiatives, as well as the college’s students who finish high school but vocational programs. The group don’t qualify to go to a university, also took tours of the school’s as well as students who maybe need electronics and applied technology a little extra time or really have no and health sciences departments. desire to get a college degree,” she “Community college is a said. very unique system that you The hope, according to only find in the U.S.,” said Mohamed, is that their countries Stephanie Amundson, director of will adopt a community college international programs at ACC. system to offer more educational In order to provide insight into opportunities to students. the system, Amundson said the “The U.S. is trying to get the college aimed to make presentations countries to give an educational, vocational background to these See foreign delegates, pg. 3 students so that they can have

Dustyn Cope•Staff Photographer

INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP — Edward Ardizoni, Coordinator for

Workforce Continuing Education and the Business and Industry Institute at ACC, talks with international business representatives about green/sustainable energy, women in the workforce, and industry in Austin.


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