First Copy Free
April 18, 2011
Volume 13, Issue 11
theAccent.org
Accent endorses ACC pres. finalist pg. 2 College hosts environmental events pg. 5
Hoosiers win basketball tourney pg. 7 ACC helps student create album pg. 8
News → The Board
Your next president
News → Student Government Association
SGA works to hold elections by end of year Karissa Rodriguez
Editor-in-Chief
Pete Perreault•Staff Photographer
Edgar Rodriguez•Lead Photographer
Presidential candidate Dr. Richard Rhodes speaks at Eastview Campus April 6 about his past achievements and future goals for Austin Community College.
Dr. Katherine Persson of Lone Star College-Kingwood near Houston, speaks about her ACC presidential candidacy at the Highland Business Center on April 4.
Search for next college president continues as finalists speak at forums, board members travel to campuses Natalee Blanchat
Campus Editor
The selection process for president/CEO of Austin Community College continues on April 18 as ACC board of trustee members travel to the college campuses of the two finalists. They will meet on May 2 to report the visitation and make their final decision. Three members will go to Lone Star College-Kingwood (LSC-Kingwood), while the remaining three will go to El Paso Community College (EPCC), to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates, according to board of trustees Vice Chair Alan Kaplan. “We will be talking to students, administrators, and board members to get a feel of what they think about the candidates,” said Kaplan. The two candidates, Dr. Katherine Persson, president of LSC-Kingwood, and Dr. Richard Rhodes, president of EPCC, summerized their agendas and answered questions during external and internal
forums held on April 4 and 6. Barbara Mink, Chair of the board of trustees, facilitated all four forums. Two internal forums were open to ACC staff and faculty members at Eastview campus, while later, external forums were held at Highland Business Center (HBC) and open to the general public. Donald Doucette, Senior Vice President of Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis, was also named a finalist for the position, but declined the offer in order to take a position as chancellor for the Eastern Iowa Community College District. Kaplan said there was an impressive pool of potential candidates, and he thinks the two finalists have the overall credentials it takes to become the next president of the institution. “They’re the entire package,” said Kaplan. “They understand the state. They understand community colleges and they can both articulate their visions not only by what they have done in the past, but what they plan to do with future endeavors.”
A diversity of topics were discussed at the forums including developmental education, budgeting, working with external community partners, background information, staff hiring objectives, and overall goals for the college. Brent Sherrane Russel, the supervisor for Admissions and Records, addressed Rhodes during his forum at HBC, and strongly agrees with his policy that faculty members should take more aggressive measures in ensuring the completion rates of their students. “I think Rhodes did an exceptional job, and I am very impressed with his vision to help achieve student success,” said Russell. “His love for students and his passion for success really came through.” Susan Dawson, president and executive director of E3Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works directly with ACC, thinks that Persson’s history of serving on the Splendora Independent School District (SISD) board of trustees from May 1990-Dec. 2005 will help in relating to individuals
both inside and outside the college setting. “I think that Persson will make a very strong president,” said Dawson. “Her experience serving on the SISD board of trustees will help her provide a unique experience, especially when working with the community college as well as public school faculty members. Those skills will be a good crossover in terms of working with ACC staff as well as working with the outside community, including AISD [Austin Independent School District] faculty members.” According to Suzanne Ortiz, an administrative assistant for the Campus Manager at Cypress Creek campus, whoever becomes the next president has big shoes to fill. “Dr. Kinslow has done so much and is so popular in the community,” said Ortiz. “He has really made ACC stand out that I think whoever is chosen will have their work cut out for them.” Both forums were filmed and are currently available to view online on the ACC website.
The election for Student Government Association (SGA) officer positions has been delayed this semester, but SGA members are currently attempting to make sure new officers will be elected before the end of the spring semester. To run for an officer position, candidates need to fill out election packets which are documents to state thier intent to run. According to the SGA calender set up last year, election packets were originally due on Feb. 25. However, SGA did not provide students interested in running for office with election packets in time to to meet that deadline. SGA members were told via an email sent on April 11 by SGA President Sophia Downing that election packets needed to be turned in on April 15 to the SGA office at Rio Grande Campus. However, Downing did not seek the approval of Student Life to distribute the packets. SGA Advisor Jennifer Flowers, who works directly with SGA, explained that she did not have the opportunity to review or approve the election packet that was distributed by Downing. “I was not aware a final election packet was ready for approval or distribution before
it was sent out via email,” Flowers wrote in an email. “The hardcopy election packets were not received until Wednesday [April 13], at Eastview campus and the SGA website did not have the packet available to all students.” According to Downing, SGA does not need to seek Student Life approval to distribute the election packets, and any more delays would have a negative impact on the election. “It’s not coming from Student Life, it’s coming from Student Government,” said Downing. Downing claims that since seeking approval for election packet distribution is not directly written in SGA’s constitution or bylaws, SGA is entitled to releasing the packet on thier own. However, Student Life Communications Coordinator Lori Blewett explained that in prior elections, SGA and Student Life have always worked together planning out the election process. “In the past, Student Life has worked collaboratively with SGA on the election packet to ensure accuracy and timely distribution, so all students may be informed of SGA and the election process,” wrote Blewett in an email. The first delay in the election process was setting up an
See SGA election, pg. 4
Campus Life → Rio Grande Campus
Carnival ah! draws together students, staff, community
Arts → Music
Music benefit drums up support for Japan Sarah Vasquez
Assistant Editor
Andrea Sykes knew she wanted to help Japan the moment she learned of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. “As soon as I heard about it, [I thought,] ‘Oh a benefit,’” said Sykes, an ACC commercial music management major. “I’m just going to do it. Japan really needs our help, and it’s really bad over there.” Sykes, whose marketing consulting and event planning company is named Bearded Allies, organized a benefit show on April 9 at Scoot Inn for the survivors in Japan. The eclectic mix of local bands attracted people to the East Austin venue even though they had to deal with the downtown street closures for Texas Relays. Sykes and the bands shared their gratitude throughout the night.
“Thank you, Bearded Allies, for booking us. This is awesome, and much appreciated,” Ryan McGills, guitarist/vocalist for Little Lo, said during his band’s set. “Thank you for coming out tonight. It was pretty crazy out there coming over here.” The proceeds from the show went to the Mercy Corps charity, a non-profit that provides emergency supplies to the families that were evacuated from their homes in Japan. The organization also helps children with the emotional effects through the program Comfort for Kids. “The past few benefits I [donated to] Care.org. I wanted to switch it up... I was going through all sorts of different organizations, and I thought that Mercy Corps was the best one,” said Sykes. “They’re donating the money to the children and families. I’m big on children... and that is what our future is, so I want to help
Dana Manickavasagam•Lead Photographer
ENJOYING HERSELF — Mary Faris (right) looks in the
mirror to check the position of feather extensions that Katie Levy (left) winds into her hair at Carnival Ah!.
Annual event at Rio Grande Campus celebrates film, art, life Sarah Grover Staff Writer
Edgar Rodriguez•Lead Photographer
LET ME HEAR YOU SAY — Austin local band, Lean Hounds, rock the house for Japan. On April 9 a benefit show was organized by Bearded Allies to aid Japan in it’s time of need. the children in need.” In the past, Sykes has also organized other benefit shows helping other countries in crisis like Haiti and Pakistan. “I really want to give back
to the world, because I’m a very caring person,” said Sykes. “I really want to help other people... It’s so much fun doing it. I love it, and it can get stressful, but it’s worth it.”
In celebration of arts and humanities, ACC held a series of festivities outside the Rio Grande Campus on April 12 and 13 for the fourth annual Carnival ah!. The event, ran by faculty and students, showcased various films, art, and literature pieces, daily dance performances, as well as an original play assembled by Intro to Theatre teacher, Arthur Adair, titled Manifest the Whale: The Tea Cup Destiny. Many student vendors set up booths, selling handcrafted items including jewelry, ceramics, and collections of
artwork. One student, Ryan Bogenrein, coordinated the film part of Carnival ah! titled, The Cinem-Ah! Film Festival, putting twenty films together that were shown throughout the two day festival. An international food tent was also set up giving students a chance to sample food from around the world. At the tent, students were also encouraged to give donations to help the recovery efforts in Japan. According to Adair, also the project coordinator and manager for Carnival ah!, each year the event has a theme. This year’s was “Choice, Challenge,
See Carnival, pg. 5
FORUM
page 2
Forum → Columns
RUN! WALK!
RAWK?!
www.theAccent.org
April 18, 2011
Forum → Editorial
Accent endorses Rhodes for college president
JAMIE ESTRADA-CARPENTER
The Anniversary As I mentioned in my last column, April 12 marks one year of running. Although one year does not make me an expert, below is a list of some things I have learned: 1. Hot wings are awesome. Running after eating hot wings is not awesome. You can substitute hot wings with bleu cheese burgers or anything that tastes really good. 2. Races should be fun. Don’t feel pressure to do one if you don’t want to. 3. If your thighs tend to rub together when you run, invest in some Body Glide or something that will prevent chafing. Hardcore chafing is no fun at all. It feels like someone scrapped part of your skin off with a razor. I forgot to wear some when I ran my half marathon, and it was brutal. 4. If the Porta-Potties are smelly by the time you get to them before the race, get there earlier. Problem solved. At the Cap 10k I got there earlier and I was pleasantly rewarded with a ... clean port-a-potty? hmm... maybe not much of a reward, but still. 5. You may think in a race you will be faster then the pregnant lady, the man with the jogging strollers, the eighty year old, but you’d be surprised. 6. A year ago, I started running. I was slow. A year has passed, I’m still slow. Whatcha gonna do? 7. Be kind. My last race, my
first “aquathon”-a swimming and running race, I was struggling to see where to go. This lady who was also competing helped direct me where. At the end of the run, I made sure to stay and clap for her as she came through the finish. 8. It’s good to have goals but don’t discount being comfortable in a race. You will not always have time to train for that half marathon or be able to get an awesome pace and so in those instances, just running a 5k where you feel good afterwards is great. 9. Get that pebble out of your shoe! Dont wait! Next thing you know that pebble is going to invite another pebble in your shoe! Seriously, pebbles are like rabbits only not as soft to step on. 10. My very first race was my favorite. It wasn’t the nicest, nor did it have the best crowd support, or the best t-shirts. But I strongly believe if I had not done that first 5k, I wouldnt have done any other races and would have lost out on a ton of great experiences. Although running or racing may not be for everyone, I think we could all benefit from taking some time to reflect on what we have learned from the things we enjoy doing. I particulary think that reflection is a good idea because reflecting is not running and therefore is quite a good match with eating some hot wings!
Forum → Columns
How to land an internship
Hilary Shepherd
News Editor
Scoring an internship in college can be tough. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula to landing one, and, let’s face it: rejection sucks. But whichever field you dream of working in, remember that interning is vital. How do I know? In seven weeks, I’ll be on a plane to New York to intern for my dream magazine. The journey wasn’t easy, and it took a lot of hard work, persistence, and, yes, many coffee-runs. Because this will be my third internship, I feel well-equipped to dole out some useful tips I’ve learned along the way. Polish up your resume. Have everyone you know review it. A typo or a formatting error is detrimental. Be detailed in your bullet points and avoid using fancy logos and colors. Remember that your resume should represent you - use it to sell yourself. Reach out. Send emails to family, friends, and coworkers. Mention that you’re on the hunt for an internship and would appreciate any suggestions or contacts. Someone is bound to know so and so’s hairdresser’s aunt and can pass your resume along to a higher-up at that company you’d die to work for. Keep an open mind. Apply for as many internships as you can. If you only apply to your dream company, you’re limiting your options. Plus, interning for a smaller company might be more valuable, since it can be
easy to get lost in the shuffle at larger companies, where they can hire as many as 20 interns. Be patient, but persistent. If you don’t hear back in two weeks, don’t cut your losses just yet. Employers like aggressiveness, but there’s an art to it. Send a polite follow-up email and emphasize that you really want to work at the company and that you hope to hear from them soon. Try once more two weeks later, but after that, move on. Be professional. If you do get an interview, bring a pen and several copies of your resume. Dress appropriately and familiarize yourself with the company so you don’t sit there in silence when they ask why you want to work for them (and they will ask this). Show up early and be friendly to everyone, including the receptionist. Send a thank-you note. Immediately after the interview, drop a handwritten thankyou note in the mail. This is crucial. It doesn’t have to be a fancy one, but make it tasteful. Handwrite neatly and make sure to personalize it. Breathe. If you get a rejection letter, don’t take it personally. Be professional and thank them for considering you. Mention that you’re disappointed, but would love to work for them in the future. Maturity goes a long way. Consider your options. If you receive an offer, don’t immediately accept. Take a day to think hard about the position. Are you accepting it because of the name? Will you get more experience elsewhere? Consider other options before making your final decision. Be a star intern. The difference between a good intern and a great intern boils down to one thing: attitude. Don’t act like a diva when you’re asked to make copies or fetch mail; your boss will remember if you throw a fit or roll your eyes at menial tasks. Show up early, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and, most importantly, be eager and excited to take on anything.
Chris Scott • Web Editor
Rhodes’ vision, initiative makes him perfect fit for ACC president/CEO Staff Editorial The Accent editorial board officially endorses Dr. Richard Rhodes for the position of the next Austin Community College president/CEO. Rhodes, the current president of El Paso Community College (EPCC), demonstrated during the April 6 forums held at ACC campuses that he is passionate about working at ACC and seeks to build upon the foundation the college has in place serving its 44,000 students. We believe Rhodes is the ideal candidate to become the next president because he has a vision for what he would like to do as ACC’s president and we were disappointed not to hear any similar vision at all in the speeches given by ACC’s other presidential finalist Dr. Katherine Persson, President of Lone Star College-Kingwood on April 4. In his speech, Rhodes briefly spoke about himself and his family and spent the majority of his speeches discussing what he would like to do at ACC while looking toward the future - something we believe is an essential skill our next president should have. We believe one of Rhodes best strong-suits is his initiative that he has demonstrated at EPCC in order to constantly keep improving the quality of education at EPCC. As president of EPCC, Rhodes put in place a data exchange between EPCC and the University of Texas-El Paso (UT-El Paso). Students who are simultaneously enrolled at both colleges can use credit earned at UT-El Paso to earn an Associate degree at EPCC. We believe this system will be beneficial to ACC students as
Forum → Letters
SGA letter to ACC Sophia Downing
Guest Columnist
Dear Fellow Students, As the school year comes to an end, I hope you are able to find time to take deep breathes and relax. It is important to remember to take good care of yourself; physically, mentally, spiritually, intellectually for with out students, Austin Community College would cease to exists. Change, that directly affects the students, is coming. Mostly policy related. Your Student Government worked hard to ensure the change was in the best interest of the students. The Board of Trustees approved an 8% tuition increase. While SGA understands the need for the increase, we felt that considering the funding cuts at the state and federal levels, the tuition increase should happen in smaller increments. SGA recommended if tuition was raised, it should happen in the fall, not during the summer when funding is limited. We also stated that with the tuition increase, we as students would like to receive better service from faculty. By better service, we mean having understanding instructors that work to ensure student success instead of student failure; ensuring instructors are using up-todate instructional materials; not failing students based on attendance; to grasp the student success initiative by enabling students to finish their degree plan intended. Community college is the bridge to either the
workforce and/or to a four-year institution. Students should not fail at the community college level. Thank you all who participated in the surveys. We took the ‘Guns on Campus’ survey to the legislative session as documented proof of our position of NOT allowing Guns on Campus. At one point, the bill was stalled! Students, we can make a difference. Continue to speak out regarding local, state and federal policies that directly impact lives. April 22nd, SAFAC will meet to review the annual budget and spending of the Student Activity Fee. Do you feel your student activities fees are being spent wisely? The committee needs your input. What should the fees be used for? We will survey the body the week of April 17th asking how should these fees be spent. You may also send an confidential email to sgapres@ austincc.edu. Elections have begun. Please take a moment to meet and talk with your candidates if you see them around. Voting will take place at the end of the month. Our Website has been updated! Please visit the site for up-to-date information, news and events. I wish you all the best as you finish out the semester. Use the resources in place for you to elp you succeed. SGA is your voice as well. Let us know how we can serve you. Kind Regards, Sophia SGA President
well to improve the college’s graduation rate. Rhodes explained that rather than waiting for EPCC students to take the initiative to apply for graduation, he automatically sends out award letters congratulating students for earning enough credits to earn an Associate degree and invites them to participate in the graduation ceremony. Through programs like that, Rhodes successfully demonstrated his passion for improving student success rates. Passion is something we felt Persson lacked during her speeches. While she seems to have an excellent professional background filled with positive relationships with board of trustees and faculties in the past, we feel that she is lacking in the area of working with students directly based on her speeches. Rhodes is focused on building a positive relationship with students. He wants to help give students the building blocks they need to earn their education through developmental courses, career counseling, or specialized career paths. We believe that Rhodes is the perfect fit for the role of ACC president because we feel he will serve students in a way that Persson cannot. These were just a few of many factors we found that indicates Rhodes will be the right choice for the position of ACC president. While the Accent is the voice for the student body, we feel that in addition to our endorsement, students needs to be proactive in the search for the next ACC president/CEO and learn more about each candidate at austincc.edu/pres/search. We encourage students to send a letter to the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) in support of the candidate of their choosing.
The Accent is accepting applications for the fall semester. Go to theaccent.org for more information.
CORRECTIONS 3/28/2011 In issue 10, the news brief “Community car show to be hosted at RVC” stated that the date for the car show was April 2. The car show has been rescheduled for June 4.
Advertising 512.223.0122
Editorial 512.223.0393
Fax 512.223.0904
RRC, 4400 College Park Drive, Room 2107 Round Rock, TX 78665 Editor-in-Chief....................................................................................... Karissa Rodriguez Assistant Editor..................................................................................... Sarah Vasquez Photo Editor........................................................................................... Joey Gidseg Web Editor............................................................................................... Chris Scott Layout Editor.......................................................................................... Elizabeth Brown News Editor ............................................................................................ Hilary Shepherd Campus Editor....................................................................................... Natalee Blanchat Accent Adviser....................................................................................... Matthew Connolly Student Life Director.......................................................................... Cheryl Richard Student Life Communications Coordinator............................ Lori Blewett Staff Reporters Era Sundar Lead Photographers Dana Manickavasagam, Edgar Rodriguez Staff Designers Olga Race Writers Jason Witmer, Juliette Moak, Nick De Cesare, Jamie Carpenter-Estrada, Danielle Wellborn, Tyler Brackenbury, Jessica Blair, Bianca Flores, Ryan Janik, Sarah Grover Photographers Erica Bean, Rufus Barr, Saul Hernandez, Dustyn Cope, Walter Challapa, Ty Hardin, Pete Perrault Staff Artists Odin Amador, Megan McKay ACC President Dr. Stephen B. Kinslow Board of Trustees Dr. Barbara P. Mink—Chair; Allen H. Kaplan—Vice Chair; John Michael V. Cortez—Secretary, Tim Mahoney, Nan McRaven, Jeffrey Richard, Dr. Victor H. P. Villarreal, Guadalupe Q. Sosa, Dr. James W. McGufee All rights reserved. All content is the property of Accent and may not be reproduced, published or retransmitted in any form without written permission from the Office of Student Life. Accent is the student newspaper of Austin Community College and is printed by the Austin American-Statesman. Accent is published biweekly. ACC students may submit articles for publication in Accent to RRC’s Student Publication Office, Room 2107; e-mail articles to accent@austincc.edu or fax submissions to 223-0904. ACC does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation or disability. Accent offers ACC’s faculty, staff, students and surrounding community a complete source of information about student life. Accent welcomes your input, as well as information about errors. If you notice any information that warrants a correction please e-mail accent@austincc.edu. Individual views, columns, letters to the editor and other opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of Accent.
NEWS
April 18, 2011
News Briefs
www.theAccent.org
page 3
News → People
Prof. named state chair
Board approves tuition raises due to state cuts Governor Rick Perry Austin Community College board of trustees voted April 4 to raise all student tuition by $5 per credit hour to help offset significant state budget cuts outlined in HB1 and SB1 budget bills. This change will go into effect immediately for the Summer 2011 semester. Registration for the summer begins on April 7. The board’s decision will increase tuition to $47 per credit hour for in-district students and $155 for out-of-district students. “We don’t like to raise tuition, but we are facing an extremely tough economy,” Dr. Barbara Mink, chair of the ACC board of trustees, said in a press release. “This is a modest increase that allows us to partially offset drastic cuts in state funding while maintaining quality programs and services. We will look at all options for cost savings, because we are mindful of the impact a tuition increase has on students.” This summer, ACC trustees plan to consider possible additional increases that may go into effect fall 2011 and spring 2012, according to a press release issued by the college.
Waitlist option now available for students Some students registering for summer classes can now place themselves on a waitlist if the course they want to register for is full. Austin Community College announced on April 7 that they have begun testing a pilot program that will eventually encompass all classes and serve as an aid to those wanting to register for high demand classes. So far three classes have begun accepting waitlists: BIOL 2420, MATH 1350 and MATH 1351. The pilot will expand to additional classes in the fall semester, including all developmental math classes and BIOL 2404, according to an ACC press release. Tentative plans call for offering the waitlist option to other instructional departments by fall 2012. “The waitlisting system will be an important tool for moving students closer to graduation,” said Kathleen Christensen, vice president of student support and success systems. “Open seats in high-demand classes are more likely to go to those students with the most credit hours, so they can get the classes they need to graduate.”
appoints ACC professor Kristin Benton as new Chair of Texas Board of Nursing Pete Perreault Staff Writer
Kristin Benton, an ACC vocational nursing professor, was appointed the chair of the Texas Board of Nursing by Governor Rick Perry. Her term is set to expire on Jan. 31, 2013. “Governor Perry is confident in her leadership of the board and appreciates her willingness to serve Texas in this capacity,” said Lucy Nashed, deputy press secretary for the governor’s office. “My colleagues here are the people that have given me the courage and the confidence to even apply,” said Benton, referring to the faculty at Eastview Campus. She was initially appointed to the board to represent the educators of vocational nursing alongside other health professionals and consumer members. Benton explained that the board’s primary goal is to protect the public. Other board functions are to accredit both new and established nursing schools and to monitor nurses to ensure compliance with requirements to practice in the field.
“Sometimes there are difficult issues, especially when you have situations where you have nurses who are having licensing issues because of practice violations... It can be tense,” said Benson. “I certainly want to portray that we respect everyone. We give everyone due process.” Benton earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology at the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Science in nursing at Louisiana State University before completing her master’s degree in nursing at University of Texas in San Antonio. She previously worked at Brackenridge Hospital and South Austin Medical Center where students came in and inspired her to consider teaching nursing. She became a full-time faculty member a year after beginning at ACC as an adjunct instructor in 2000. “I’ve grown to enjoy the classroom teaching and love it now. But in the beginning, it was very hard for me to be out in front of a lot of people, and I’ve worked on that,” Benton said. Since the state organization usually meets for quarterly two-day sessions, Benton does
Pete Perreault•Staff Photographer
EXTENDED DUTIES — Kris Benson, a vocational nursing instructor at the Eastview campus, was recently appointed chair of the Texas Board of Nursing. not expect her expanded role with the board to detract from being an instructor at ACC, but she expects it to enhance her teaching skills. “I teach our first semester foundation course, and I find that there’s so much information at the board meeting that can be brought back to the class,” said Benton. “I can bring in real cases, and I can share some of the information, some of the outcome of certain things not
thought of before that could affect your nursing license, especially when we talk about the roles of the LVN [licensed vocational nurse], because an LVN is not the same as an RN [registered nurse].” “Kris is a very genuine person. She’s always available to us,” said Tabitha Rhodes, one of Benton’s students. “She always makes sure that you know the information. It couldn’t have happened to a better person.”
News → Events
Annual exhibit, reception hosts student art Award-winning student art chosen to be featured, displayed at Dougherty Arts Center until April 28 Rebecca Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Students, faculty and community members attended the 35th Annual Student Art Exhibit Reception and Award Ceremony in the Julia C. Butridge gallery at the Dougherty Arts Center on April 6. Attendees enjoyed snacks and wandered among ceramic pottery, acrylic paintings, ink and pencil drawings, and molded metal structures. Students and their respective pieces were selected by faculty members based on their enrolled courses, which ranged from ceramics to applied metals. Brent Baggett, art studios and exhibition specialist, said the pieces were chosen from students who show “promise, advancement and dedication.” “The exhibit is a celebration of hard work,” said Baggett. “My goal is to help the students that are career-oriented, know the direction they are going, and create a nice exhibit to advertise all of those qualities. The students make the art, and I let other people see the art and, consequently, plug their pieces into viewership.” Several pieces on display won awards for various categories, such as Viewer’s Choice Award, which allowed the audience to select a winner, and ACC’s own Purchase Prize award, which was given to the artist whose work was bought by the school. Pieces created by students included a towering praying mantis, titled “Mantis!,” by Lora Fritsche, and a monochromatic study of Buddha, titled “Buddha’s Aura,” by Jessica Steinman. Adjunct professor of ceramics Ishmael Soto said that
Erica Bean•Staff Photographer
GOT MY EYE ON YOU— A student art exhibit held at the Dougherty Arts Center showcased original art and sculpture; a man studies the art piece by Lora Fritsche, titled, “Mantis!” inventiveness is what brings him to the exhibit each year. “I want to see what direction contemporary art is going in, and more importantly, find that creativity and skill that breaks boundaries in any given medium,” said Soto. Some artists, such as studio art major Jessica Steinman, had a number of pieces on display, with each chosen from classes taken in the current spring semester. Steinman had three works in the exhibit. “Last year, I was asked to show my work by one person and this year I was asked by two more people,” said Steinman. “I’m so happy and really excited to have more than one piece on display.” The event, hosted by ACC’s art department, is free and open to the public and will run until April 28.
Erica Bean•Staff Photographer
FIRST IMPRESSION— Art appreciators check out the unique art sculpture, “Impressions” by Amy Hendrix, which won Ceramics Honorable Mention at the Art Exhibit.
page 4 | News
www.theAccent.org
April 18, 2011
News → People
News → People
Renewable energy club SGA reverses position lands national recognition on late registration ban Renewable Energy Student Association club becomes official student chapter of American Solar Energy Society in April
Hilary Shepherd
News Editor
The Renewable Energy Students Association (RESA) will become an official student chapter of the national American Solar Energy Society (ASES) at its April 27 meeting. “This meeting is important – profound, even – for RESA and ACC,” said Jason Shaw, co-chair of RESA. “ACC will be the first higher education [school] in Texas to become a student chapter of ASES. This will bring more exposure to the college and the renewable energy program that RESA supports.” According to Shaw, two industry professionals, Fred Yebra, chair of the Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES), and John Umphress, a consultant for Austin Green Energy Building, will speak to RESA members
and answer questions about the renewable energy field. “I think it’s a good idea for students to meet industry leaders and professionals so they can have a chance to ask questions face to face,” said Shayna Lee, a consultant for RESA. Lee said the second portion of the meeting wWill be dedicated to voting on bylaws and electing executive board officers for the one-year term that will start in the fall. These procedures, she said, are part of the process of becoming a student chapter of ASES. “We thought a national organization would give us some continuity and structure so that we can continue to keep students informed and give them encouragement,” she said. “The idea of going straight to
the national level is pretty neat.” As part of ASES, Shaw said all RESA members will be able to take part in events and conferences, and connect with professionals, businesses and organizations in the renewable energy community. “There are a lot of students at ACC, and I think that the renewable energy field is something that some people are passionate about,” said Lee. “We want to give them an organization to make them feel like they can go out and meet people in the industry and be there with an organization rather than just being out there by themselves.” The meeting will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Rio Grande Campus. Shaw said RESA members and nonmembers are welcome to attend.
SGA election campaign period shortened by multiple delays continued from pg. 1 election committee but has since been resolved, according to Downing. The election committee is set up every year with students who are not running for office to oversee the election. “The other big delay in the beginning of the election was because none of the paperwork and documents wered line up like the job descriptions [in the election packet],” said Downing. Several changes concerning job descriptions, timelines, and SGA conduct code were made to this year’s election packet causing a delay in its release. According to Downing, who worked with SGA’s constitution and bylaws committees, the reason for its change was to ensure that students don’t sign up for postions that, in reality, have different duties than those stated in the packet. “What we’ve done different in this packet is that as [election packets] come in, the election commissioner or committee member would do the interviews. That way Flowers, with her being new and not really having a history with student government, would do the grade point check. Then someone from the election commission or myself would do the one-on-one interview,” said Downing who is this year’s election committee commissioner. In previous elections, the SGA adviser conducted interviews and checked the GPA status of SGA candidates. “Student Life and SGA students are always looking to fine tune and tweak the SGA election process, which is why we work with SGA to set and approve the timeline a year in advance, as stated in the SGA constitution,” wrote Flowers. “It’s been especially challenging this year because conducting a fair and well publicized election takes a lot of time, planning, collaboration and communication. It’s not impossible; we just want it to be fair to interested students and ultimately the 45,000 students that SGA represents.” However elections take place, Downing is confident in the students who she has seen show interest in running this year. “I feel good that the senators we have now are all really excited about the elections and the process and running and campaigning,” said Downing. “I think it’s going to be good getting people back into office and to secure the members that are already there so they know they have a spot for next year.” One student, who is not currently involved in
SGA, was discouraged from running due to the late release of the election packet. “I wanted to run for a senator position, but I have no idea how and the staff in the Student Life office didn’t know when elections were going to start so I don’t think I will anymore,” said Stephanie Rodriguez, a student at the South Austin Campus. Rodriguez said she thinks it is unfair that only people currently involved in SGA know what’s happening. “I definitly think that election packet should have been out there earlier in the semester,” said Rodriguez. “At the very least [SGA] could have posted somewhere what the requirements are for running even if the packet wasn’t available yet or Student Life should at least have told students what was going on.” Aside from the contents of the election packet, time has become a crucial factor in the election process. “The packet should have been up online in January so that any general population of students should be able to get it and say ‘I want to run for something,’” said Cheryl Richard, director of Student Life. During the 2010 SGA election, in which the election process began in January 2010, the candidate campaign period ran from March 29 through April 25, according to the 2010 SGA election packet. This year, according to the schedule that has been revised by SGA, the campaign period has been shortened to just one week from April 17 through 23. “I do think it will hurt the voting process,” said Richard when asked how the shortened timeline would affect this year’s elections. “We wanted to give students time to look at their options as far as candidates and what their platforms are,” said Richard. “I know that we are getting real close to the end of school, and so it seems like time is beginning to be very limited. I want our student body to review their candidates and their choices.” Despite the problems SGA and Student Life have encountered this semester, Student Life still wants to work with SGA to ensure the election process runs smoothly. “Student Life wants all students to be involved, and SGA should be a place for all students’ voices to be heard and incorporated into the shared governance process,” wrote Flowers. “SGA plays a big part in that, and that’s why elections and the election process are so important.”
Student Government approves amended proposal to ban late registration, shorten add/ drop dates Edgar Rodriguez•Lead Photographer
Hilary Shepherd
News Editor
HEATED DISCUSSION — Members of SGA inform one another on issues faced at each campus. SGA held its monthly meeting to review progress and future events on April 8.
The Student Government Association (SGA) recently voted in favor of the amended proposal to ban late registration for first-time-in-college students and to shorten the add/ drop period to two days for continuing students. “We support it because it makes sense,” said SGA President Sophia Downing. “It seems kind of harsh and unfair at first, but the main interest is for student success.” According to Downing, the Academic and Campus Affairs Council (ACAC) presented the original version of the proposal, which banned late registration and add/drops for both new and continuing students, to SGA last March. Downing said SGA did not approve the initial version. “It seemed like they didn’t have student success in mind. But the plan they have in place now with only first-entry students seems like it would work better to get new students committed to coming to college.
Limiting add-drops also sort of protects students so they don’t meet that six withdraw limit so soon,” she said. After SGA and other various groups sent their comments and concerns about the initial proposal to ACAC, the council amended it and changed the verbiage to restrict the banning of late registration to first-timein-college students only, said Mike Midgley, chair of ACAC. The council’s next step, according to Midgley, will be to gather feedback to determine the outcome of the proposal before sending it to the president for finalization. “The proposal has really evolved in the year and a half that we’ve been discussing this,” said Midgley. “And, frankly, I think it’s improved over that time. I think that, while it’s taken us a long time to get to this point, it’s not necessarily a bad thing because we’ve ended up with a lot more support for the current proposal from different groups, and we’ve
ended up with a more finely honed proposal.” According to Kathleen Christensen, vice president of student support and success systems, the proposal is just one part of the collegewide student success initiative. “Do we want students to be successful? Should that be our number one priority? Yes, it should,” said Christensen. “I believe students should be in class on the first day in order to be academically successful. There is ample research to support that.” Dylan Pera, vice president of SGA, said the proposal will benefit students in the longrun, though it will take some adjusting. “It might make things a little more difficult for the students, but, overall, in the council’s plan of student success, it should help,” he said. The next ACAC meeting is scheduled for May 6 and will take place at the Highland Business Center.
CAMPUS LIFE April 18, 2011
www.theAccent.org
News → People
Diagnosis leads to student advocacy
Rare skin condition inspires student to help others
Campus Life → Rio Grande Campus
Students support sustainability
Environmental fair promotes conservation, stewardship Natalee Blanchat
Campus Editor
Era Sundar Staff Reporter
At 5 feet 8 inches tall, Jassamine Domino is often asked if she plays basketball. However, the 22-year-old graphic artist has never participated in sports, dance, cheerleading or any similar activity because of a painful genetic disorder. Domino was born with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a skin condition in which the layers of the skin are unable to bond causing blisters to form when the skin is exposed to friction. Walking, exposure to heat or even a gentle hug can result in painful, disfiguring blisters. Symptoms range from mild blisters to severe external and internal lesions which may cause fatal complications. Domino suffers from the least severe form of the disease and said that her condition has improved over the years. According to statistics published by the Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America, EB is rare. The disease affects one in every 50,000 live births in the United States. Domino said that in her hometown of Keene, Texas,“the doctors had never seen it [EB] before.” She had to travel to Dallas for a biopsy before she could be diagnosed, Domino said. Despite the hardships caused by the disease, Domino said that her condition has made her stronger and helped her become the person that she is today, especially after a pivotal experience at Camp Dermadillo, a summer camp for children with skin disorders. “In 2004 my mom and I went
Photo courtesy of Mark Alba
to a conference, and for the first time I met people worse than me. I saw kids in wheelchairs, babies with trachea tubes, and kids fed with tubes in their stomachs. Many of them didn’t have fingers,” said Domino. “I am just grateful for what I do have.” Since attending her first camp, Domino has not missed a single summer session as a counselor. “Every year I leave camp a better person,” said Domino. The kids are so independent. I met a wheelchairbound girl who didn’t need help for anything.” According to Domino, she is determined to raise awareness, because currently, there are few resources available for people suffering from the ailment. “I want to start my own organization, and start my own skin disease camp because I can count on one hand how many there are,” said Domino. Domino encourages those who do not suffer from EB to volunteer to become camp counselors at EB summer camps and see what the kids go through, because according to her, it can be an eye-opening experience. “We’re all beautiful in our own way,” said Domino. “It doesn’t matter really what anybody says. It is important that you accept yourself for who you are.” More information about Jassamine Domino and EB can be found at jdomino.webs.com.
We’re all “beautiful in our own way.
”
Page 5
In celebration of Environmental Awareness Month, the Students for Environment Outreach will host a round of events surrounding various types of environmental issues and information on different ways to get involved. They held the first event to kick off the series titled, The Sustainability Fair: Focus on Food and Sustainable Agriculture, on April 7 at Rio Grande Campus. Different organizations affiliated with ACC as well as ones throughout Austin came out to raise awareness about different types of environmental issues. Subjects ranged from organic gardening tips to preserving the Edwards Aquifer, and different types of energy conserving practices. According to Amy Cunningham, the faculty advisor for Students for Environment Outreach, student officers for the club are the ones who decide the theme for the annual fair. This year they chose sustainability. “The goal of the event is to spread awareness of sustainable ideas, such as sustainable energy, and sustainable agriculture,” said Cunningham. George Staff, the department
chair for environmental science and technology at Northridge, thinks that the event is one of many ways students can get involved and spread information about techniques to help preserve the environment. “Anytime we can raise environmental awareness and become better stewards of the planet we should take advantage of that,” said Staff. “This will get students potentially involved and get them exposed to groups that they can make connections with.” Vice president for Students for Environment Outreach, Nick Zargorski, hosted a game of wits during the event, quizzing attendees on their newly acquired green knowledge. The game consisted of three different aspects: pictionary, classic charades, and vocal charades, and touched on array of topics from global oil spills to genetically modified food, as well as harmful chemical enhanced fertilizers. According to Zargorski, the fair is a good way for students to congregate together and give student organizations an opportunity to teach healthy living practices. “I think the event is great because it promotes student education,” said Zargorski. “A teacher talks in class however sometimes students fall asleep
Sarah Vasquez•Assistant Editor
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY — Student Karina
Hernandez looks through photos at the organic eggs booth during the Sustainability Fair at Rio Grande Campus. Texas,” said Cremona. “A lot of people are here for the greater good of the environment.”
or don’t really listen, but productions put on by the student body, those are what inspire participation.” According to one student, Carolyn Cremona, the event is more than just about raising environmental awareness and sustainability; it is also a way to give donations to grassroots organizations who are starving for funding. “More people should get out and donate to the grassroots organizations like Environment
Other events held as part of ACC’s celebration of Environmental Awareness Month include Earth Fair Monday, April 18 from 6–8:30 p.m. at the Eastview Campus, and Star Party on Friday, April 29 from 5:30–9:30 p.m. at the Round Rock Campus.
Carnival ah! echoes Austin charm continued from pg. 1 and Commitment,” which challenges performers to execute their performances to the best of their abilities. Adair has been involved in the three previous Carnival ah! events, and describes the objective for Carnival ah! as a time for people at ACC to create friendships and to corroborate with one another. According to Adair, he hopes that the event will give an inside look at all of the different clubs and organizations ACC offers, as well as the different student talents. “A lot of the work at Carnival ah! was work that had
never been seen before, so it was a great time for people to offer their work in order to see what the public response is,” said Adair. During the event, students also were given a chance to give back. The Give Blood Mobile was at the carnival on Wednesday, and gave students the chance to help their community and donate blood. Monika Alejo, a nursing major, said that she loved Carnival ah!, and wishes that it would happen more often. “I liked it because it was Austiny. The feathered hair wraps, the eccentric art, the dancers, the veggie dogs - it was all very cool,” said Alejo.
www.theaccent.org
Interested in reading more ACC coverage? Accent has more stories and multimedia available to read on our website. Use a barcode scanner on your smartphone to scan the QR code to head directly to the website.
Dana Manickavasagam•Lead photographer
ASL ROCKS — Paul Geers displays his sign language letter blocks for the public to view at Carnival ah! on April 7. Geers designed the blocks out of clay for his son 20 years ago.
Dana Manickavasagam•Lead Photographer
WARMING UP — Rufus Jones (left) makes the crowd laugh during class warm ups, while Kat Elvrom (right) also warms up. Jones and Elvrom are part of a jazz dance class at ACC.
rant & rave
Round Rock Campus students were asked: Do you believe that the Student Government Association serves its purpose of representing the student body of the college? Why or why not? Juan Franco History
I really haven’t heard much of Student Government. I know they are there, but they don’t push forward and make a big deal about it... I don’t see too many issues they put out. I’m more involved in Round Rock. Maybe they do more on other campuses, but here it is really quiet. They should be more involved in major decisions, like changes on the campus.
Paul Manzon
s Bu
ss Administrat ine io
Adam Adams n
I know they exist, but I don’t know what their purposes are, or what their objectives are. I’m not very involved with the college besides just getting my classes done. I guess I’m the least qualified person to answer this question.
Education
I’ve never seen anybody here. I’m on campus all the time. Last month there was some activity going on. I’m not sure though that Student Government Association was involved.
Interviews by Olga Race and photos by Edgar Rodriguez
page 6 | Campus Life
www.theAccent.org
Learned What I’ve
April 18, 2011
Scott Romero Sarah Grover Staff Writer
Sarah Grover • staff photographer
As a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, Scott Romero knew he had something to live for. He obtained a healthy cultural background from New Orleans and a strong business background from his family, and he currently lives his dream as the sole owner of Soul of the Boot Entertainment, an Austin-based independent entertainment firm, thanks in part to ACC. Romero grew up in Louisiana as the youngest of two children and moved to New Orleans in 2002, but when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, he and his family were forced evacuate. When the area was deemed safe, they returned back to their home, and with the belongings they were able to obtain when they evacuated, they made their way to Austin, Texas. “It was an extremely heartbreaking decision for me because I’ve always considered New Orleans home, even though I wasn’t born there,” said Romero. “But when you’re raising a family, you have got to do what is safest for them. So we ended up here. Austin felt like it could work, and it has. We have been here ever since.” Romero then decided to go to school for his newly acquired passion: music. “There has to be something here educationwise that will allow me to be a businessminded person, and yet, learn that side of the art industry,” said Romero. “And that’s when I came across the commercial music management program at ACC, and I just dug in.” He started to research what was courses were available, and found that many of the classes covered both of his desired subjects, business and music. Romero took classes varying from concert promotion to venue management while at ACC. One of the things Romero likes about his classes was that all of the courses were taught by industry professionals.
“No one had a bachelor of arts. They were people that were actively managing bands and actively engaging in the industry,” said Romero. Romero described his learning experience at ACC as straight-up teaching, meaning he received a valuable experience that came in many forms. One of his most memorable experiences at ACC came from his most challenging class, the Legal Aspects of the Music Industry taught by his mentor, Buck McKinney, a current music attorney in Austin. “He definitely was a real world teacher,” said Romero. “I was able to develop my own skill set by taking what he had given me, and then adding more to it.” Romero’s passion for music began when he moved to New Orleans. “During my time in New Orleans, I discovered that you can actually work in the music industry and not be a musician,” said Romero. “I knew that before, but I was someone that had an aspiration to be close to something, but did not know how to actually get involved.” “For me, it was refreshing and euphoric to be in New Orleans where I could actually start breaking out of that [business] mode,” said Romero. Romero always knew that he wanted to start his own business, since he came from an entrepreneurial family. “I’ve always had it in me, but the program catapulted me to a position where I was ready to create an entity that would be me. One that would represent where I am now, where I am from, and where I wanted to go,” said Romero. Becoming the owner of Soul of the Boot Entertainment has given Romero the opportunity to co-author the prospering monthly event Night Fever, allowing Romero to make his dream a reality. Romero describes Night Fever as his brain child, because it has given him and his partner Jeff Strange a presence. He hopes to soon own his own venue, that way, he can actively do what he does best as frequently as he wants.
SPORTS
April 18, 2011
www.theAccent.org
page 7
News → Sports
Hoosiers win basketball tournament Nine teams participate in elimination-style tournament hosted by Office of Student Life Walter Challapa
Staff Writer
It took enthusiasm and organization for team Hoosiers to show why they are the best team of the spring ACC Intramurals Men’s Basketball Tournament. The tournament was held all day on April 9 at the Virginia Brown Recreation Center and Brentwood Christian School Gym simultaneously. The Hoosiers overpowered team Too Live with a score of 67-60 during the last minutes of the final game of the tournament. Nine teams started to play at 9 a.m. in this semester’s tournament. It’s Over was the first team to be defeated by the Hoosiers. The winners, wearing white Austin uniforms during all matches, improved their organization after each game and showed more energy than
their opponents until after 8 p.m., when the last game ended. Eric Brown, a business major, scored most of the points for the Hoosiers team in the final match. “Playing all games in one day is hard for the body, and keeping endurance is part of the game. We did a good job,” said Brown. The ACC Intramurals Men’s Basketball Tournament, one of the the spring season’s main sports events for ACC students, was hosted by the Office of Student Life’s Intramural Sports and Recreation program. Student Life Intramurals Coordinator Tracy Partin conducted the awards ceremony at the end of the students’ competition. Each member of the Hoosiers team received a trophy, an intramural T-shirt and a commemorative bag pack. The runner-up team, Too Live, received individual trophies
Walter Challap • Staff Photographer Walter Challapa•Staff Photographer
DETERMINED TO SCORE— Roman Echevarria secures the ball for his team, Power, while
being guarded by one of the Too Live team’s defensive players at Virginia Brown Recreation Center on April 9.
CHAMPIONS - Team Hoosiers were named winners of the
Intramurals Men’s Basketball Tournament on April 9. Team members include Carl Bellinger, Jeff Harris, Immanuel Peterson, Joseph Burns, Eric Brown, Bobby Ashby and Chris Chacon.
also. “The teams had good attitudes. Everyone that I had seen tried very hard during the event’s organization duty,” said Partin. Partin considered the ACC Men’s Basketball tournament an opportunity to exercise, have fun, expose skills and teamwork, and have a release from school work. Partin also announced that the biggest basketball tournament hosted by the college is coming up and will be held by November. The tournament will be open and free of charge for ACC students. For further details, contact Partin at Rio Grande Campus. The ACC Intramurals Men’s Basketball Tournament had a double elimination system and followed official college rules, according to referee Duane Muse. Each game during the tournament had two periods of 20 minutes with timeouts requested at team’s convenience. Despite an incident where Joshua Juarez of team Power crashed into the teeth of Mark Williams from Too Live, Muse believed the tournament went well. “Overall, the event was very good. Everything went pretty smooth. I enjoyed it. Students keep up your work; your future is in your hands,” said Muse. Students interested in participating in intramural sports next year can find more information about the program at www.accstudentlife.info.
LIFE & ARTS www.theAccent.org
April 18, 2011
Arts → College Sound
Fortnight Forecast
Student to release hip hop album Hip-hop artist draws on fellow students, campus resources, to create album featuring relatable theme
photography facilities at Northridge Campus for his photo shoot, he also enlisting the assistance of his audio engineering professor Joe McDermott. After the album was done, McDermott mixed and mastered the tracks in the Northridge Campus recording studio. “I’m in audio engineering, so it was to see what we could do with it,” said Payne. “I let him hear three or four tracks that I
had. Do you think we can do anything with mastering with it? I expected him to say no because I was like maybe (it is an) Audio 4 project, but he was like yeah, we can do something. He did it, and it came out incredible.” Now that Late Night Thoughts is ready to drop on April 30 as a free download, Payne is definitely happy with his decision to recruit his schoolmates to the production
of a high-quality package for his release. “That’s the smartest way to go, obviously. I think that I would probably do that until I couldn’t do it anymore. College students (are) really the ones that are the next generation,” said Payne. “You’ll never know where they’ll go. You’ll never know where you’ll go. So as long as you keep that network, that contact, then the sky’s the limit.”
Food for thought: Eastview
Jessica Blair
DAY ON M
El Zunzal Restaurant
If students are looking for good South American food, then they definitely need to check El Zunzal. Located across the street from the H.E.B on 7th St. and Pleasant Valley, El Zunzal is a great place to eat. It’s hard to get to because of the construction in the area, but it has great parking.
Staff Writer
642 Calles St
Figuring out what to eat between classes is an important decision for any college student. And though each campus has some form of a Simon’s Cafe, stepping away from campuses provides other choices to fill those tummies. For each issue, Accent will feature several restaurants around the different campuses. In this issue, we feature Eastview Campus.
One of their specialties is pupusas and a vinegar salad. The pupusas is two flour tortilla filled with cheese, pork, and a secret ingredient. Ask for a corn tamale made with a mix of corn and sugar for dessert. Their hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday. With their great and efficient service, students will leave with a smile on their face and a happy wallet as well.
$
Pete Perrault • Staff Photographer
This place not only serves good Nubian Queen Lola’s Cajun Cajun food, but the owner also 1815 Rosewood Ave helps out the homeless with her food. The special is the Crawfish Etouffe with little bits of tender crawfish pieces over a bed of rice with peppers and mixed-in spices. What students would love is Lola’s special Cajun tea. This tea is made with a combination of regular tea, pink lemonade, mango, and a secret ingredient.
Scale: $ = 15 dollars and under an entree $$ = 15 to 20 dollars an entree $$$ = 20 to 25 dollars an entree
Restaurant
While the food and service is a great experience, the surprising thing is that this whole restaurant is run by one woman. Lola Stephens (everyone calls her “Queen Lola”) runs everything by herself since she opened the place seven years ago. The hours are 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Monday through Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 5 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. on Saturdays. The restaurant is closed on Sundays to feed the homeless. Nubian Queen Lola’s is a great place to find homemade Cajun food done right.
$
TUE SD AY
SUNDA Y
RISING STAR— Ogden Payne is a local hip-hop artist and ACC student. His latest mixtape Late Night Thoughts was mixed and mastered with the help of ACC professor Joe McDermott that will be released on April 30.
AY RD U
Ty Hardin•Staff Photographer
Austin Record Convention April 30 to May 1 North Austin Event Center This bi-annual event hosts the largest sale of recorded music in the U.S. under one roof selling both vintage and contemporary records, ranging from 45s, LPs, cassettes, and CDs. The type of music varies from different genres and years, including music of the ‘30s. www.austinrecords.com
SA T
Arts → Food
Cirrus Logic and H-E-B Present 2011 Corporate Battle of the Bands April 28, 6 p.m. Antone’s Ten bands will compete against each other to win judges’ votes and grand prizes. This is also a benefit for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians and will also have an after-show by The Black and White Years. www.Myhaam.org
Saul Hernandez • Staff Photographer
NESDAY TH ED UR W S
Ogden Payne started dabbling into hip hop when he was 15 years old. After getting cut from the baseball team, Payne was searching for what he was supposed to do next. He discovered hip hop when a friend playfully suggested they rap to Kayne West’s College Dropout. “I was like whatever, I’ll do it. But a few months later, he didn’t want to stick with it, and I started to fall in love with it. I would write every day. I would go on YouTube and look up different instrumentals, whatever I could do,” said Payne. “So I guess it really started just for fun. I guess that’s how usually everything starts.” Now three years later, Payne is getting ready to release his latest mixtape Late Night Thoughts on April 30, which he created with the help of ACC resources. Late Night Thoughts tells the story of the 18-year-old hip hop persona Payne. Like most musicians, the character dreams of being signed to a record deal for his music. “Basically it’s about a kid who gets into the industry. With the first track ‘Hello,’ if you can’t tell, he’s really arrogant. He’s really cocky. He’s saying well, I’m heading to the top and bringing nobody with me,” said Payne. “Then all of the sudden, the last half of the mixtape is reflective. This isn’t
what I thought it was. Was I really chosen for this or did I push my way through it? Then all of sudden, he’s faced with the reality of why he was so arrogant... He goes back into the humble mode that he was supposed to be in.” While Payne is actively pursuing hip hop, the story on the mixtape is not solely based on his personal experiences. “I’m not currently signed,” said Payne. “What I’m going to try to do is keep the same character throughout the whole process to see how he grows. Take personal stories which is what I’ve done and mix those with some of those industry stories and different things like that.” Payne took the opportunity to use the resources available to him at ACC to put together this mixtape. The photo for his album cover was taken by the ACC photography department. While most photo shoots are pretty pricey for a college student’s budget, Payne had one simple solution: just ask the ACC photography students. “They did the album cover, and they did so many different pictures. It was all in the ACC studio,” said Payne. “I emailed at least five to six teachers, and only one contacted me and turns out that was the best one... I really can’t thank them enough. I love it. I love the pictures. I love the cover. Everything they did.” In addition to using the
Art Week Austin April 27 to May 1 Art Week Austin was developed to encourage creative minds, and the city will host several art exhibits and discussions around Austin, including one at the Austin Museum of Modern Art. www.Artalliance.org
FRIDAY
Sarah Vasquez
Assistant Editor
Play Me, I’m Yours Ongoing to May 1 This artwork doesn’t limit itself to one location. Throughout the month of April, pianos appear in public places downtown. Everyone is encouraged to play a few notes on the piano and take close observation of the environment while doing so. www.Playmeaustin.com
AY D
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April 18, 2011
www.theAccent.org
Life & Arts | Page 9
Arts → Performing Arts
Festival delivers laughs Hell Yes Fest debuts first comedy week with improv, stand-up, workshops Erica Bean Staff Writer
It’s 8:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night, and there are 15 people on stage in the New Movement Theater. A woman is walking around removing shoes from audience members’ feet and replacing them with a previous audience member’s shoes. On stage, there is a man in colorful clothes and house slippers doing stand-up while the shoe lady is still quietly moving between chairs. It seems like a strange sight for some, but Austin is known by its unofficial slogan, “Keep Austin Weird.” And that Wednesday night Austin truly lived up to its reputation. The event, The Only Ultimate Culmination of Human Expression, was one of the first shows for Austin’s first Hell Yes Fest during April 6 to 10. The festival is the new comedy week centered on free expression and stand-up comedy, and was started by
Chris Trew, the co-founder of the New Movement Theater, and producer of the official comedy festival. Comedians and comedylovers flocked to Austin for this week-long event. Though some events took place at the New Movement Theater, the festival didn’t limited itself to one location. Venues such as the Mohawk, Red 7, Spider House Ballroom, and the ND hosted events for the festival as well. Various comedy troupes from around the country and Austin performed different forms of stand-up and improv including an improv marathon and a lumberjack match where the audience heckles the comedians for a response. The Only Ultimate Culmination of Human Expression improv jam encompassed a sort of organized chaos of instruments and comedians on one stage. The purpose of the shoe lady was to evoke a few laughs by the end of the show and
Low - C’mon
The group’s ninth album is a mix of mellow sounds and inspirational lyrics. Each song is backed up with the lesson “get up and get out.”
Ben Allison - Action-Refraction
Tuned to what Ben Allison calls “electro-acoustic orchestra,” his carefully-arranged covers make jazz music proud.
Vivian Girls - Share The Joy
Soda mixed with pop rocks best describes the all-girl Brooklyn trio. Their fast-paced pop music is sure to give a rush without the crash.
Erica Bean•Staff Photographer
NO JOKE— A local comedian performs stand-up at The New Movement Theater called, The Only Ultimate Culmination of Human Expression, a show for the first night of Hell Yes Fest. involve audience interaction. Seasoned sketch comedians Micah Philbrook and Tim Soszko also taught improv classes for those wanting to bring out their funny bone. While most of the events were free, other events had a 10 dollar cover charge to offer more renowned comedians and stand-up acts from across the country. One of the highly
Red Fang - Murder The Mountains
recognized comedians to make an appearance at the festival was Chelsea Peretti, who is most well-known as a writer for The Sarah Silverman Program and Parks and Recreation. Austin’s first Hell Yes Fest brought the laughs. Even though, Austin has always been known to keep it weird, it might soon be “Keep Austin Funny.”
Arts → Music
Documentary reveals music scene’s underbelly Sarah Vasquez
Assistant Editor
The politics behind the music in the “live music capitol of the world” is something tourists rarely see. A new documentary, Echotone, which opens April 24 through 27 at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, sheds some light on how city ordinances and other decisions directly affect the Austin music scene. Echotone’s director, Nathan Christ, originally began the documentary to follow the synth-pop band Belaire. He was already in talks with the band when he realized there was something else brewing that needed to be seen. “I realized that musicians were being called terrorists downtown. There’s noise ordinance and midnight curfews,” said Christ. “I was like holy s---, maybe the story of the city could somehow mirror the careers of these musicians in some way, how a city defines itself, how artists define themselves in 2008.” Instead, Echotone now reveals how the music scene is threatened with sound ordinances that make music venues turn down the noise while condos fill up the Austin skyline from 2007 through 2009. “I understand from the beginning [the slogan is] a marketing angle,” said Christ. “It’s a good way to talk about what’s happening in our city. A city that prides itself so much on its music culture and talks about it so loudly and proudly, and there’s this very specific thing that might potentially be threatening in the future.” While the film presents both sides of the argument with the city and the music scene, it doesn’t show a solution to fix this conflict. Instead, Echotone focuses on compromise. One example from the film focuses on the well-known Red River venue Mohawk. When apartments were built across the street from the Mohawk, the venue, with the help of the apartment complex, built a wall to control the sound at their outside shows . In Echotone, Christ also follows several Austin favorites such as Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Belaire, and The White White Lights, who each have their own story to add to the melting pot of the music scene.
Adrienne Sparks•Staff Photographer
ROCKING OUT — The White White Lights’ lead singer, Jenny Gacy, belts out a tune at Club DeVille. The rock band was one band featured in the documentary Echotone. Appearing sporadically throughout the film recording sound clips was intelligent dance music duo, Machine, who brought the two colliding worlds of live music and downtown living together. “They’re the ones that are in the background walking to the construction site, recording all the sounds, the hammers, the saws, nail guns, and all that, and eventually turning it into music of its own kind,” said Christ. “And after all the hullabaloo on all of the music, noise pollution, ‘musicians are terrorists,’ they actually are the echotone in a way, because they blend the sounds of the city, and they turn it into something beautiful and constructive.” So while the debate continues (recently, city officials passed a new ordinance that extends downtown parking meters’ hours to midnight), Echotone gives those on the music’s side some comfort.
student student
The group cleans up their hardcore metal appeal for a more constructive approach. But fear not, they still have plenty of headbanging moments.
page 10 | Life & Arts
www.theAccent.org
April 18, 2011
Arts → Lifestyle
Eastview students show off outfits Hilary Shepherd
News Editor
ACC students aren’t just diverse in their backgrounds and career goals. It turns out their outfits are pretty diverse, too. This month, Accent visited Eastview Campus to speak with a few fashionably-dressed students about their style inspiration and their spring must-haves. Damien Greene,
Kinesiology Inspiration for outfit: “What don’t I have to iron?” (Or anything wrinkle-free.) Spring obsession: Flat top hats; preppy cardigans Inset: Damien’s watch is from o.d.m.’s latest M Bloc collection
Erica Bean•Staff Photographer
Erica Bean•Staff Photographer
Erica Bean•Staff Photographer
Lin Wang, Communication Inspiration for outfit: Simplicity with jewelry to liven it up. Spring obsession: Coats Inset: Lin’s sunglasses are Fendi.
Joe Davis, Commercial Music Management Inspiration for outfit: Matching head-to-toe Spring obsession: Louis Vuitton loafers
Inset: Joe’s shoes are limited edition All-Star Adidas.