Accent, Feb. 15 Issue

February 15, 2010

Neighboring communities look into joining taxing district

www.theAccent.org

Volume 12, Issue 8

Of sons and rivers

Sarah Neve Editor-in-Chief With the high enrollment numbers for this semester and a brand new campus set to open in the fall, the Austin Community College District has experienced record growth and might be about to get even bigger.

Five communities in the ACC service district, the North Hays Effort, which is a collaboration between Buda and Kyle, and Bastrop ISD, Elgin ISD, and McDade ISD independently, are in the petition phase of the annexation process.

They need to get signatures on a petition from at least five percent of registered voters in their community to include an annexation option on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Austin Community College District has a state defined 7,000 square mile service area, with a smaller taxing district contained within. In order to expand its taxing district, territories, usually school districts, from the service area are annexed into the taxing district, usually through a general election.

Once signatures are verified, the annexation would go on the state general election ballot. The ACC Board of Trustees would present a service plan to the community outlining the services and options that would be open to them if they voted to become part of the taxing district. ȩȩ See Annexation on page 3

Decision to push back add/ drop dates delayed, debate continues Christopher A. Smith Assistant Editor

The Academic and Campus Affairs Council (ACAC) postponed their decision on the proposal to move the late registration and add/ drop period to the week before the first day of class. The members of ACAC discussed the proposal at their Feb. 5 meeting, but took no action.

The council will take up the issue again at their March 5 meeting.

Currently, students have three days after the first class day to register for class and make changes to their schedule by adding and dropping courses, but if the new schedule is approved, students would have to register and make all changes to their schedule before the first day of class. If approved by the ACAC, the changes to the registration could go into affect as soon as next fall semester.

To go into affect by next fall, the administration would like to have consensus and approval of the proposal before the Fall 2010 registration calendar is published, said Director of Admissions and Records, Linda Kluck.

The new registration deadline dates would need to be sent to the Publications and Creative Services department by March 29, the last day to include new information in the Fall 2010 Student Handbook and Course Catalog.

Kluck presented the proposal to the council and said that the reason behind moving both late registration and the add/drop period to the week before the first day of class is to make sure students are enrolled and are not joining a class after it has already started.

Kluck collected and presented a number of studies which deal ȩȩ See SGA on page 3

David Saenz • Staff Photographer

“The G and D” — Chef Greg Lee explains his enthusiasm for cooking while his signature dish, “The G and D,” which stands for “God’s Dinner,”

is simmering in the background. Greg’s two month old catering business “G&G New Orleans Cuisine and Soul Food” is heavily grounded in his roots. When asked to explain why he has chosen to be an executive chef, Greg explains simply, “It’s my heartbeat.”

Greg Lee was a successful chef and lived with his wife and children in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward before Hurricane Katrina swept away everything he had built Christopher A. Smith Assistant Editor

The Beginning Greg Lee doesn’t usually cook at home. Gregjeana, his wife, cooks for the family most days, but today is special.

“Greg’s cooking his S&S today,” his wife says. The family gathers in Greg’s apartment, laughing and kidding each other while Greg works in the kitchen. A slender man, Greg never seems as animated as he does when he is bounding around the kitchen. His hands reach out and grab, clean, cut and plop ingredients into the waiting pot with a smooth grace, not a single wasted motion.

It is the first day of the Mardi Gras season, and everyone knows Greg will be cooking his famous southern smothered potatoes.

He cranks up the tunes, and Greg’s in the zone as he cooks. This is what he’s always wanted to do: cook food and then wait for the “mmmm’s” and the “wow, this is so good” and the glow on the faces of people as they eat.

“I just love to hear people say my food tastes good,” said Greg, but while being a chef is Greg’s calling, for the last five years, he has tried to do everything but that.

Greg and his wife, partners in G&G New Orleans Cuisine and Soul Food, are getting ready for their first big catering event: the Black History Month celebration at Riverside Campus on Feb. 18. The celebration will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

In his kitchen in his Austin apartment, Greg cooks only for his family and a few friends, but it wasn’t always so. Five years ago, Greg never would have pictured himself in Austin working as a building attendant at ACC’s Riverside Campus. Five years ago, Greg was an executive sous chef at two French Quarter restaurants in New Orleans. He owned a house in the Lower Ninth Ward where he lived with his wife, son and two-step sons. At 40 years old, felt he had accomplished something. He provided for his family and he was a chef on New Orleans famed Bourbon Street.

That was before the storm.

ȩȩ See Renewal on page 5

Rio Grande Campus set to expand Michael Needham Staff Writer

According to a press release, the ACC Board of Trustees unanimously approved the purchasing of three tracts of land adjacent to the Rio Grande Campus.

“Basically we purchased an office building we were already leasing,” said Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration Ben Ferrell. “It’s one property subdivided into three.”

The tracts are located at 1209 and 1215 Rio Grande St., and 605 W. 13th St. The tracts add up to about half an acre, and will cost the college $2.1 million plus closing costs. Revenue bonds from 2009 will be used to cover the cost.

ACC had been leasing

the property for about $8,000 a month, Ferrell said.

“Over time it just makes since to go ahead and buy it,” Ferrell said. “Also, it just gives you more control.

It’s beneficial to the district to have some growth options.”

Final decisions for what the tracts will be used for won’t be happening anytime soon. Currently, ACC is creating a district wide master plan that, among other things, will recommend uses for the tracts.

“They will take all of 2010 and develop plans for all the campuses,” Ferrell said.

The master plan will take a comprehensive look at the situation. Ideas will be taken from people who

will use the facility as well as from students on the advisory committee.

Also, nearby residents will be part of the planning.

“You want to get the people who live around the campus to be involved in the planning process too. ACC likes to be a good neighbor,” Ferrell said.

The purchase is part of an overall plan the board has to obtain land for future expansions.

“We just look around for land close to campuses, and when we find some MORE LAND — ACC will be purchasing about a half an acre of property where we can get a that it has been leasing so far. good price we buy it,” Ferrell said.

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Forum w w w.the Accent.org

Karissa Explains

February 15, 2010

it ALL

Technology: good or bad?

I remember the first time I used a computer in Design Intern elementary school. They were big and clunky and it took place in a time before the Internet was invented. It took me years to understand new technologies and not until high school was I able to learn how to quickly adapt to them.

My four-year-old son on the other hand, knows how to start up and shut down my laptop, navigate Web sites and, even though he doesn’t know how to write yet, and he can type his name and several words on various programs.

I’m astounded by how fast he has picked up using a computer and this got me to thinking if all of these new technologies, like smart phones or social networking sites, are hurting or helping us.

PBS recently aired a special “Frontline” episode, titled “Digital Nation: Life on the Virtual Frontier,” that took an in-depth look at just that.

The show covers everything from video game addiction to how the military is using technology to use unmanned aerial vehicles to execute air strikes in foreign countries from a base near Las Vegas.

What I found most interesting were interviews with several professionals discussing whether multitasking may actually be hurting students’ mental abilities.

“It turns out multitaskers are terrible at every aspect of multitasking,” sociologist Clifford Nass, from Stanford University, said during an interview. Nass says multitaskers are terrible at ignoring irrelevant information, keeping information in their head organized and switching from one task to another.

This revelation was eye opening for me because I am that person. When I am doing homework, I have my e-mail open, and I am also listening to music and reading other Web sites, including Facebook and Twitter.

So what are we losing out on by multitasking?

“At the end of the day, it seems like it’s affecting things like ability to remember long term, ability to handle analytic reasoning, ability to switch [from one task to another] properly, etc,” Nass said.

After listening and reading Nass’ study results, I found myself believing that technology is hurting us. However, Digital Nation goes on to show us how technology has helped students at a failing public school in New York.

The principle decided to give all students laptops and create a curriculum based around using technology. Within a year, test scores increased 30 percent in reading, 40 percent in math and attendance went up 90 percent.

Now I’m really confused. Is technology helping us?

I don’t believe anyone really knows because there have been several conflicting studies in the past that have looked into whether or not social networking sites impact college student’s grades.

A University of New Hampshire study released in December found no correlation between heavy social media usage and grades. However, a study released last April from Ohio State University found that college students who use Facebook spend less time studying and have lower grades than students who don’t use Facebook.

Also, this month a report from the Canadian Press said that constant Twittering and texting causes students to have bad grammar. The report is based in part on the failure rate of an English language exam administered by the University of Waterloo.

All of these studies are meaningless though because there is no way anyone can truly prove a correlation between social networking sites and student grades. Technology changes too often for a study to be relevant, and I seriously question the validity of studies based off of what college students say they do.

Besides, if a student is failing, isn’t it possible that other outside factors like jobs or family responsibilities could be the reason why?

What I have discovered from watching Digital Nation and reading all the studies on social networking and grades, is that technology is neither good or bad; it is a set of constantly evolving tools that can be used or misused.

Students should learn to multitask less, or, if something is important, log out of e-mail, and silence phones, and focus on the task at hand. Just because we have an enormous amount of information and technology available to us, it doesn’t mean we have to be in the know every second of every day.

As for myself, I think utilizing technology is a great way to teach my son basic reading, writing and math skills and at the same time the importance of not misusing technology.

At the end of the day though, I believe what’s important is that students should spend at least part of their day disconnected from technology in order to stay connected to reality.

Karissa Rodriguez

Editor’s note: The Accent editorial board believes that it is important for members of the ACC community to be aware of the background and credentials of people invited to speak about important issues. This editorial went to press before the Date to Mate talk show. We are commenting on the previously published opinions expressed by the speaker. A full and fair report of the actual event will be available on the Accent web site.

Staff Editorial Last week, ACC’s Student Life Diversity cluster brought in “Date Doctor” Hasani Pettiford to host a love and relationship series entitled “Date to Mate.” The series ranged from “a fun dating game to serious talks on how to survive a breakup.” Pettiford is a professional public speaker and author of such books as “The 12 Habits of Wealthy People,” “Pimpin’ from the Pulpit to the Pews,” and “Why We Hate Black Women.” While the series was intended to help students with their dating issues, Pettiford’s controversial background raises questions about Student Life’s commitment to diversity, especially in regard to modern sexuality.

Pettiford has “spent eight years of [his] life traveling across the nation to university campuses teaching students the importance of godly relationships and sexual purity,” according to his book “Pimpin’ From The Pulpit to the Pews.” His Web site also offers a variety of seminar topics, which he delivers at university campuses as well as church functions, with titles like “Pornography: Exposing Satan’s Fivefold Ministry,” “Black Thighs, Black Guys & Bedroom Lies,” and “Homosexuality: To Be Or Not To Be?,” the last one being a presentation designed “to help every homosexual with a desire to change, live a heterosexual life.” While Pettiford might not have expressed his homosexual reformists views or hardline stance on abstinence, at the “Date to Mate” series, his presence on campus still raises issues.

ACC is an incredibly diverse college and home to students of all ages, genders, and sexualities. There are many gay students who attend ACC who see nothing wrong with their sexual orientation, and nor should they. That is why it is so troubling that Student Life hired a speaker like Pettiford to coach ACC students on dating and sexuality, though he has written an essay about a supposed “organized gay agenda” titled “Homosexuality: The Corporate Takeover,” and lumps consensual homosexual relations in with “incest, sexual addiction, and other areas of sexual brokenness.”

In his book, “Pimpin’ From the Pews to the Pulpit,” Pettiford had this to say about homosexuality: “Several abominations, or wicked things, are listed in Leviticus 18: 1) having sexual relations with close relatives, 2) committing adultery, 3) offering children as sacrifices, 4) having sexual relations with animals and 5) having homosexual relations. It is quite interesting how these various sexual behaviors are all grouped together.

They all appear to be equal in their wickedness... Such practices lead to disease, deformity, and death. They disrupt family life and society and reveal a low regard for the value of oneself and of others.”

The Accent is an adamant supporter of First Amendment rights, and believes

that everyone should be free to say what they believe, even when we don’t agree with them. However, ACC is a public institution, and Student Life has a duty to hire speakers, whom they pay with money from the student activities fee, whose backgrounds are not likely to alienate and offend large segments of the student body. Equating being gay to bestiality and child sacrifice, and stating that a person’s sexual orientation leads to deformity and death, is offensive not only to ACC’s openly GLBT students and faculty, but to everyone who supports people’s choice to live their lives how they see fit.

Questionable positions on homosexuality aside, Pettiford does not have the qualifications needed to speak to ACC students about sexuality and relationship issues. In the introduction to “Pimpin’,” Pettiford writes, “Well, I have no degree from any seminary or theological school, no formal ministerial training or any group of letters that appear at the end of my name that would warrant me an expert on such a topic.

The only qualification I have is my own personal testimony and the call from God to go out into the world and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Divine mandate may have worked for kings in the Middle Ages, but when it comes to teaching students about issues that could seriously affect their health, more professional accreditation is needed.

In his book “Black Guys, Black Thighs, and Bedroom Lies,” Pettiford boldly states this erroneous information about STD prevention: “The HIV virus itself is 450 times smaller than a sperm cell, about onefifth the size of the holes in latex - the material from which the best condoms are made. So, these super small viruses can get through a hole in a condom much more easily than sperm can. The transmission of HIV can be compared to a ping-pong ball going through a basketball hoop. It’s just that easy.”

That statement is patently untrue.

The Center For Disease Control and Prevention states, “Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS... Laboratory studies have demonstrated that latex condoms provide an essentially impermeable barrier to particles the size of STD pathogens.” Pettiford’s ping-pong ball and basketball hoop analogy has no scientific backing or citation. It’s just that untrue.

When hiring a speaker to lecture to sexually active college students, possessing current and correct information on HIV transmission should be essential. Unfortunately, Pettiford’s “facts” about HIV aren’t the only things in his repertoire that are grossly outdated. Homosexuality is not the only “sin” Pettiford has an issue with. In “Pimpin’,” Pettiford states, “Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, loose and unclean conduct and

masturbation are all examples of sexual vices.” Pettiford believes that any premarital sexuality, including kissing, masturbation, and sexual fantasies, are inappropriate and wrong and declares that “a lustful mind is complete hatred towards God.” ACC educates students of all types and all ages, and many of them are sexually active. Those students especially need informed, rational, and sane dating advice and have little to benefit from Pettiford’s unique brand of abstinence only education. How many ACC students would agree with the following prescription for their dating lives?

“Group dating and long telephone conversations are the safest forms of quality time spent. Sometimes, however, you may just want to be alone in the physical presence of your partner... When these occasions occur, time should be spent in public venues or in other places that lend no time or opportunity for physical intimacy.”

Physical intimacy is an important aspect of many students’ relationships.

Hiring someone who shuns it completely is willfully ignoring a large part of the student body who are sexually active and need advice specifically in that area. Pettiford claims that, “Each and every time you indulge in the pleasures of fornication, you are partaking in a form of demonic worship.”

Citing “demonic worship” as a reason to abstain is just an example of the sort of fringe religious beliefs Pettiford holds. When discussing the problems of sexuality within the church, Pettiford puts forth this extremely violent and unsettling solution: “The body of Christ must adorn itself with the full armor of God and go on a killing spree... The spirit of fornication in all of its forms needs to be utterly destroyed. If it is not, then that demonic spirit will spread throughout the church and kill (spiritually and physically) every believer in sight.”

Demonic worship, no kissing, and divinely inspired killing sprees; Is this what ACC students need from an unlicensed “Date Doctor?”

No, it is not. ACC is a modern, public institution of education, and its students have a right to speakers and presentations that are in line with their actual needs. Instead of hiring speakers like Pettiford, Student Life needs to bring in sex positive speakers, real experts with accreditation and education, who can talk to students of all genders, sexual orientations, lifestyles, relationships, and levels of sexual activity.

Not all of ACC’s students are heterosexual Christians looking to enter into marriage and lifelong partnerships, and even many of those might be offended by Pettiford’s fringe beliefs.

That’s why the “Date Doctor” is, sadly, out of date.

Open Letter from Devorah Feldman

Photo courtesy of Devorah Feldman

Devorah Feldman ACC Professor

“Start Here”: The Need For Grace ACC belongs to the community. So when the college that boasts of accessibility and open doors proposes changes that will shut the doors on many students, eyebrows are raised.

The recommendation is to end registration and add/ drop the Friday before classes

start with no option for late registrants to enter 16-week classes.

ACC serves to provide retraining, build bridges, offer second chances. ACC is here to inspire intellectual curiosity, provide safe haven, and challenge students to think more critically about the world around them. The college takes pride in serving diverse populations of students, and so far, late registrants have been welcomed among those students. ACC currently offers a three-day grace period that allows for late entry and schedule tweaking. This element of grace will be abandoned, however, if the proposal passes.

Late students may be advised into 12-week or 8-week classes, but the selections, times, and locations will be considerably limited. Furthermore, short sessions require that students grasp 16 weeks’ worth of material in 12 or 8 weeks.

Perhaps the very factors that caused them to register late (e.g.

work or family conflicts) are the same reasons for not advising them into shorter, more intense classes.

Proponents believe that students who register late have a higher rate of failure, citing studies that show correlation but not causation. Some students who register on time miss the first class. Should they be deregistered using the same logic? And is missing the first class so much more unforgiveable than missing the middle class, maybe an important review session or lab? In fact, a student who is willing to catch up on missed work will find a way to do so, whether it is the first class or the tenth class. Furthermore, it is logically unsound to attribute a student’s failure to having registered late, rather than to a myriad of factors, such as lack of preparedness, lack of commitment, or conflicting priorities.

In addition to data, let’s consider the facts. There are

reasons that students register late. A student may enter late because her work schedule has changed to allow her to take classes. Late registrants can include recently laid-off workers, mothers with childcare concerns, students awaiting funding, overseas travelers, or newly arrived residents.

Colleges cannot control the countless external factors leading to late registration, but they can do their best once the student arrives.

Let’s keep this in mind: ACC belongs to the community. The students and the community at large should be invited to weigh in on this proposed change that redefines the culture of the college, restricts academic freedom, and compromises ACC’s open door policy.

The views expressed here are intended to represent mine alone.

Devorah Feldman, ACC Professor

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Editor-in-Chief..................................................................................................................... Sarah Neve Assistant Editor................................................................................................... Christopher A. Smith Photo Editor.................................................................................................................... Teodora Erbes Layout Editor.........................................................................................................................Chris Scott Design Intern............................................................................................................Karissa Rodriguez Life & Arts Editor ......................................................................................................Devon Tincknell Campus Editor................................................................................................................ Sarah Vasquez Web Editor...........................................................................................................................Hanlly Sam Accent Adviser........................................................................................................ Matthew Connolly Accent Coordinator.......................................................................................................... Lori Blewett Student Life Director................................................................................................... Cheryl Richard Writers Rob Cohen, Trevor W. Goodchild, Michael Needham, Jason Witmer, Diana Leite, Brynne Harder, Tara Vaughan, Olivia Watson Photographers Jorge Solares, James Eastham, Trevor Goodchild, Brandy Rodriguez, David Saenz ACC President Dr. Steve Kinslow Board of Trustees Nan McRaven– Chair; Dr. James McGuffee—Secretary, Dr. Barbara P. Mink, Allen Kaplan, Jeffrey Richard, John-Michael Cortez, Tim Mahoney, Raul Alvarez 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 RGC’s Office of Student Life Room 101.1; e-mail articles to accent@austincc.edu or fax submissions to 223‑3086. 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.

February 15, 2010

News Briefs

Pinnacle Parking Lot update A new parking lot is currently under construction at Pinnacle Campus. Projected to open for the fall 2010 semester, it will provide an additional 440 parking spots for students, faculty and staff.

In the meantime, students can catch a five to ten minute ride to campus with the help of a free shuttle servce. Located at the former Albertson’s parking area in Oak Hill Plaza, shuttles will run throughout the day. The first shuttle starts at 7 a.m. and the last runs at 8 p.m..

The plan is to ensure that the three shuttles provided are constantly in route to campus, with one at the old Albertson’s parking lot, the second at Pinnacle Campus and the third bus in transit between the locations.

If someone needs to get to the parking lot after the last shuttle has completed its run, the Pinnacle Campus police are available for an escort. The police office is located on the first floor next to the elevators and can be reached at 223-8014.

The last day this service will run is May 13. However, once the parking lot project has been completed, the shuttle service will no longer be needed.

Students participate in mock health care panel at State Capitol Students from Austin Community College and the University of Texas teamed up for a mock health care panel on Feb. 13 at the Texas Capitol. Playing the roles of Republicans and Democrats, the students discussed issues of the health care debate that is currently going on in Washington: primary care expansion, patient safety, hospital staffing, and healthcare for the uninsured and the underinsured. Students also heard expert testimonies from both sides of these issues.

The event was sponsored by ACC’s Center for Public Policy & Political Studies and the Center for Student Political Studies club.

The Vice Provost and UT School of Law Dr. William Sage, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Dr. Ray Marshall, ACC Professor of History Dr. David M. Lauderback, and the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC) also hosted the event. The debate topics were selected with the help of the NNOC and Marshall.

For the full story, check out theaccent.org.

Spring Enrollment Increases This semester is the fourth consecutive semester where more Austin Community College students are starting here to get there.

Compared to Spring 2009, this year’s enrollment broke a record with 41,050 students enrolled. Last year’s spring semester had 36,601 students enrolled.

The newest Round Rock Campus is projected to open in Fall 2010, where it’s expected to serve more than 5,000 students.

Eventually, the campus will serve more than 11,000 students once the project is completed. Full-time faculty and staff are currently being hired as well as new classes are being offered to serve this need.

News www.theAccent.org

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SGA against changing dates ȨȨ continued from page 1

with the possible link between late registration and poor student performance to the ACAC. Kluck said the goal of the proposed change to registration dates is that it would be “something that would help students.”

Jon Luckstead, ACC librarian, said that after reading the studies presented to the ACAC, he felt that most of the studies did not prove that late

registration caused poor student performance and that a few studies even indicated that “adds and drops, and late registration actually correlated with higher grades.”

“What we are going to be doing is cutting out a lot of people that would be helped by an open door policy,” said Luckstead.

“The SGA is against changing the add/drop [period]. We want the add/drop [period] to stay the same,” SGA president Joshua Bacak said in the meeting full of

Annexation would lead to new taxes, in-district tuition ȨȨ continued from pag 1

If the annexation initiative does pass, the Board of Trustees would formally expand the taxing district borders.

Residents in the new area would begin paying an ad valorem (property) tax, and would be able to attend any ACC institution at the in-district tuition rate.

The Bastrop County Friends of Higher Education web site endorses the annexation.

The county’s below average participation in post secondary education, and the growing need for a college education in the job market are cited as reasons why an ACC presence in their community would be worth the increase in taxes that the people in that community would pay.

Newly annexed Round Rock experienced a surge in ACC enrollment after they became part of the district. “Watching the growth in Round Rock, there were just under 3000 students from Round Rock

(attending ACC) before their annexation, we are closing in on 5000 now, and they don’t even have a campus yet,” Brette Lea, Executive Director of Public Information & College Marketing said.

Not everyone in these communities is for the annexation. Some voters are concerned about the permanent tax increase that the annexation would lead to. The Bastrop Advisor, a Bastrop news publication, ran an opinions piece expressing concern over another taxing entity coming in from outside the community.

Taxes will go up for areas that are annexed into the taxing district. The average tax rate for community colleges in Texas is 0.15 cents per $100 valuation, while ACC’s tax rate is 9.46 cents.

Lea stressed the value of community colleges and the importance of making sure that the fastest growing populations in the service area have access to an education.

faculty, staff, and administrators.

Bacak suggested that late registration and the add/drop period were two separate issues and that, while they currently occur at the same time, changes to either should be dealt with individually.

The SGA is gathering signatures of students who are against the proposed change to the registration schedule. At the March 5 meeting of the ACAC, the SGA plans to present the signatures to the council.

International Business major, Hannah Hoelk, said that, while she agrees that being in class on the first class day is important, she thinks changing the add/drop period to the week before classes begin is not a good idea.

Hoelk said she has had to drop a class after she went to the first class and realized the course was not right for her.

“I think that you need to experience your class first,” said Hoelk. “And if you don’t enjoy it, you might as well withdraw.”

February 15, 2010

www.theAccent.org

Students support the DREAM Act SGA gathers signatures to back undocumented students’ chance for a college education Trevor Goodchild Staff Writer

The Student Government Association (SGA) is now publicly endorsing the DREAM Act, which stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. It’s currently being debated before the House of Representative and the Senate.

If passed, it would allow undocumented students (the children of illegal immigrants) that are high school graduates and have been in the country at least five years before the bill was enacted to gain a conditional permanent residency, according the bill’s text.

“Now we’re creating a resolution we can officially send to the administration of ACC to try to get ACC’s backing for the DREAM Act,” President of SGA Josh Bacak said.

SGA’s support of the act was not instantaneous. It involved research and time starting last year. Students were given a chance to voice their opinions through a petition that is still being compiled this year from all of ACC’s campuses.

“When we talk to the board of trustees and the president, we want to show that it is the students not just SGA that are concerned. By having these names on the petitions, we’re showing them that the student body as a whole believes this is a good act,” Rio Grande SGA Senator Mike Atencio said.

Atencio is is the vice chair of this three-person committee, the chair being Minority Senator Blanca Gonzalez, and Secretary Mirage Moniruzaman. The committee was formed last year to start the study which concluded that SGA will support the DREAM Act. Not everyone supports its passage into a law.

“Some may ask, why are we going to give some outsiders a

Trevor W. Goodchid • Staff Photographer

HEAR ME OUT — Radio Television Film major Tigist Mekonnen signs a petition from SGA on Monday February 8 to make her voice heard. SGA canvassed over one thousand ACC students since last year to develop a consensus on what students felt about the DREAM Act. free education? There is some confusion as well. People aren’t getting permanent residency, they are just getting their degrees.

They aren’t entitled to the Pell grant. They still have to pay for tuition. This is only allowing them to go to school without fear of being deported,” Atencio said.

It is possible that SGA’s support of the DREAM Act may also reach a wider audience than just ACC. The president of SGA each year gets invited to attend the National Community College Legislative Summit (NCCLS) in Washington D.C. to attend various classes and educational seminars as well as talk to various members of Congress regarding

topics that affect ACC students.

“I’d like to talk about the overwhelming support from the students attending ACC for the DREAM Act and how this bill would positively affect students attending higher education. The act getting passed would also have an overall impact on the economy by allowing students already educated by secondary schools to go to higher education institutions and becoming an active participant in society,” said Bacak.

Atencio has a similiar view regarding the future if the act is approved, “I think it will do nothing but brighten our future,” said Atencio.

SGA teams up with hip hop artists to aid in Haiti relief Brynne Harder Staff Writer

In an effort to help with the the rescue and rebuilding process in Haiti, the Student Government Association (SGA) has partnered with Student Life and hip-hop artist NIKKAGE to plan the Haiti Relief Concert that will be held from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 27 at the Eastview Campus.

The cost to attend is a minimum $5 donation.

Coordinators have partnered with the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to ensure that 100 percent of concert proceeds as well as 10 percent of food vendor sales go towards helping Haiti through the Red Cross.

“[The earthquake] touched several of us. None of us have any personal ties, but it touched several senators and they brought it to our meeting,” SGA Director of Communications Sophia Downing said. “We definitely felt moved to respond to that call and do something as a whole.”

SGA became involved when ACC student, Levar Emanuel, who is the hip-hop artist NIKKAGE, presented the idea to the Eastview Campus Student Life. Emanuel has become the primary coordinator and contracted as a third party fundraiser for the Red Cross.

“This is the first fundraiser of this type and size at ACC that I know of,” SGA Vice President Mike Reid said. “We wanted to

find a way to help the citizens of Haiti and do humanitarian aid.

We decided this was the best use of our resources and time.”

SGA has organized different charitable giving opportunities in the past, but they have usually been toy or food drives.

At this time, nine acts: LoonaC, Drankola, Lungzilla, Anti-Scene, 5th Element, Glitter Billies, Texas Youth, White Chocolate, poetry slam group Word Collective, and NIKKAGE, have agreed to perform at the concert, but more are still needed. Coordinators are eager to have performers from all musical genres so that everyone will enjoy the concert. Musicians and food vendors interested in participating can send an email to sga@austincc.edu.

News | page 4

Tejano heritage to be bronzed in memory Diana Leite Staff Writer

This past January, the State Preservation Board unanimously approved the construction of a bronze monument that includes a Tejano riding his mustang, a Tejano couple, a Tejana girl with her sheep, and a Tejano boy with his calf, as well as two longhorn bulls.

“In political decisions made in the legislature it is rare to get unanimous or even almost unanimous support on anything,” said Andrés Tijerina, Austin history professor and Tejano history scholar. He adds that having the project approved unanimously “is very complementary and it very strongly reinforces that that is something the people wanted.”

The idea of honoring the Tejano heritage with a monument was born almost a decade ago. “I was making a speech at The University of Texas-Pan American,” remembers Tijerina. “An individual came up to me and said that he had this common interest in seeing Tejano heritage not only in books, but also in monuments and statues.”

Tijerina is the chair of the fundraising committee of Tejano Statue-Capitol, Inc., the organization working with the Texas State Preservation Board to raise funds and erect the Tejano monument.

In 2001, the work of the organization came to fruition, when the 77th Texas Legislature passed House Concurrent Resolution 38, approving the erection of a statue or monument honoring the Tejano heritage on the Texas Capitol grounds.

In 2005, with the project already approved, a different issue was raised: the State Preservation Board prohibited additional memorials or

monuments on the southern grounds. The Tejano monument would have to be placed on the north side of the government headquarters.

“It was almost an affront. It implied that we were not good enough to be on the front of the capitol,” said Tijerina. “MexicanAmericans in Texas have traditionally been denied equal access in education, housing, and funding, and employment, and certainly in monuments and statues, and history books. That’s why we Jorge Solares • Staff Photographer took it as an insult.”

At first, the HIGH VIEW — Dr. Andres Tijerina poses organization behind the in his office on the 10th floor of Pinnacle monument statue did Campus. not argue the location.

Even if unsatisfied with before 1821,” clarifies Tijerina. the Preservation Board But the statue is not only decision, “we made a strategic a tribute to contributions decision to focus our energy on of Mexican-Americans or getting the full funding and the Americans with Spanish final approval first, as a priority, ancestry to the history of and then discuss the issue about Texas. Tijerina said “other the location secondary, because the ethnic groups, whether they obstacle and barriers that we were are minorities, or not, are also facing were so big that it did not represented in the monument. mattered in which side it was going The monument is a monument to be,” Tijerina explained. for Anglo-Americans as well, The issue was solved when because they like longhorns too, the House approved the bill that because they love Texas too.” authorized the Tejano monument Dr. Richard Fonte, former construction on the southern president of ACC, endorsed the grounds with 135 votes in favor, project. one against and one present, not Tijerina said that Dr. Fonte voting. told him, “I want you to know With the, almost, 33-foot long that anything you do for the monument by painter, sculptor, and educator, Armando Hinojosa, monument of the Tejano heritage, I will stand behind the organization intends to you. I will support you.” inform Texan citizens about the “Acc has made it their state’s history, focusing on the monument, and supported it Tejano heritage. more than any other college or “People were here 100 year university,” said Tijerina. “A lot before 1821 and all the things of people have contributed with that are at the capital; the money, but of the colleges, ACC cowboy statues, the laws, the has done more than any other.” name Texas, all of them were

DON’T FORGET YOUR

DEGREE!

If you’re completing your program requirements this semester,

APPLY FOR GRADUATION.

Meet with an advisor, then fill out and turn in your application before the deadline (that’s March 22).

Visit the Student Support and Success website at http://www.austincc.edu/support for forms and instructions.

February 15, 2010

Campus Life www.theAccent.org

page 5

Renewal through family, faith, food ȨȨ continued from page 1

The Storm All the old men said Katrina wasn’t going to hit New Orleans because, if it did, the city would be destroyed, so logically it wasn’t going to hit New Orleans.

Greg, like so many others, decided to ride out the storm in his home. It would have been difficult for them to leave even if they had thought it necessary.

Greg’s father-in-law, Gregory Sr., was just coming out of triple bypass surgery. He was still too raw to be moved out of the city.

“Just in case things went bad,” Greg had come up with a plan. If the water started to rise, they’d use the fence to climb onto the roof of the house, and they’d be safe.

The fence was the first thing to go. The old men had been wrong. The blow that could never fall on the city was now falling in waves. The waves tore down the fence, lapped against the walls of the house, crept up under the door and into gaps and cracks, and soon Greg’s whole life, everything he had worked to build, was being flooded by the mighty overflow of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain.

What happened next is still a blur for Greg. He remembers the water rising and having to get his family out of the house. The building across the street was two stories, so Greg took sheets from the beds and tied his three boys together. He tied Calvin, the oldest, Devon, and Greg Jr., only seven years old, to himself so that the river that had replaced the street outside their home would not carry them away.

Greg opened the front door, heavy with water pushing against it, and stepped out into the water. Already the city was crumbling, and people were dying. The unbelievable was happening. Greg didn’t know it yet, but the life he had built was dissolving into the brown water.

Shoving dead bodies and debris out of the way, Greg made sure his boys were still tethered to him. They made it across the street and up the stairs. Out of the water and the floating dead. Out of the spontaneous river marking the line between life and death. His boys were there, all safe. Wet but safe, Greg remembers. But, then he had to go back. He had to help his father-in-law cross the water.

Greg was able to get both his wife and father-in-law safely to the second story refuge and they hunkered down. Outside, the winds screamed. Pieces of their once familiar neighborhood took flight and became deadly shrapnel. All around them people moaned, cried out, and shrieked to drown out the wind and the marching waves.

Eventually, people’s moans did grow louder than the wind.

The waves stalled in their upward march. The river outside their door turned into a lake. It was then that Greg did a head count to make sure they were all there, his family safe.

He came up one short.

Five years later Greg still doesn’t know how it happened.

He had all three boys with him when they crossed the flooded street. He remembers untying Greg Jr. from the tether that had kept him from being swept away

in the murky waters. He left him there with his brothers. But when Greg did his head count as the storm died down, Greg Jr. was not there.

After the storm

the helicopters to see where they were dropping food and water.

It was a race to get to the supply drops, get the food, and get back to his family. He kept them alive as best he could while looking for his son. Greg knew he needed to get his family out of the city, but to leave would mean leaving his little boy behind.

Greg suddenly found himself in a world he could never have imagined. In his wildest nightmares how could Escape he have ever pictured his beloved city under water, his Greg’s neighbor, Tyrone, was friends and neighbors stranded down the street, also trying to or dead, bodies floating in the keep his family together and waterlogged streets, his youngest alive. It was while foraging son missing? The world outside together on the fourth day after Greg’s the storm second floor that they sanctuary came across now the city resembled bus. It had a medieval already been painter’s rummaged version of over, and it — Greg Lee hell more was out of than a diesel fuel, modern but Greg and American Tyrone knew city. they’d found something useful.

The bus was only a few blocks His son was missing, but from their homes and down the Greg still had four other people to look after. He had to find food street was a garage full of Mardi Gras parade floats. They knew and water. How long were they going to be here? Was somebody that with the floats would be diesel filled tractors. coming for them? Was anyone They siphoned diesel into alive outside? containers until their lips There were people still alive, burned and their lungs felt and now they were either trying dipped in vats of diesel fumes. to survive or were bemoaning They filled containers and took the deaths of their loved ones. them to the bus until they finally Many of those floated dead in the waters. The street was a toxic got it running. Once they did, they cranked the A/C up and soup of debris, corpses, trash, got their families inside. branches, parts of houses, and Out of the oppressive heat, the clothes. It was as if every house stench, and the dankness, hope in the neighborhood had been began to grow. For four days picked up, its contents shaken Greg had been asking himself, out, then dropped back into the “Why aren’t we being rescued?” water and mud.

But now, with the bus, they had a Greg knew it was up to him way of rescuing themselves. to keep his family alive. The They gathered all the older storm made its way past and day followed night, and the next day, folks and people in need that they could fit in the bus. His and the next. Four days Greg and his family stayed. Overhead, son was possibly still out there somewhere, but Greg didn’t helicopters buzzed by, but they weren’t coming for them. Greg have a choice. He had to leave. spent the days looking for food, He had to look after the rest of water, and his son. On the first his family. They waited until day he found a generator and a night, then Tyrone took the hot plate. He was a cook after all wheel and Greg, pistol in hand, and he would some find way to manned the front door. feed his family.

They knew not to go to the One of the boys found a Superdome, but they would have McDonald’s and returned with to go near it. Horror stories were chicken patties that were already spreading. Greg had heard that the starting to rot in the humid place to get help was the airport.

Louisiana air. Greg threw them Some people tried to reassure him on the hot plate. It was a meager that his son would be there. meal, but it would do. They They made their way through were lucky to have that. The the dark city, and, more than entire city was full of people once, people rushed at the bus. looking for food, looking in It was a life raft and everyone stores, restaurants, scavenging wanted on. But the bus was full, what they could, and looking and Greg and Tyrone had seen hungrily and covetously at those what happened to buses that fortunate to have found some. stopped. They were swamped by Greg had also come across desperate people. The stopped a .38 snub nosed pistol in the busses were rocked to and fro, water. He didn’t know if it and made no progress. worked or not, but he gave it to Tyrone didn’t let off the gas his father-in-law whose job it was pedal, and Greg put his shoulder to run the generator. The noise to the door to keep it shut was starting to attract attention, against the crowds. The short and at night the light they were black pistol in his hand weighed able to run with it shined bright heavy on Greg’s conscious. He in the darkened city. Pistol stuck still didn’t know if it worked, but in his pants, Gregory Sr. sat by every time a man bum rushed the generator waiting. the door he prayed, “Please God For four days, Greg did don’t let me shoot this man.” what he could. He went into Greg never had to shoot. cavernous grocery stores, pitch The bus made it to the airport black and smelling of rot and where thousands of people were decay, to try and find something gathering. The newly arrived edible. He looked to were asked to line up and

“

Don’t call us refugees.”

David Saenz • Staff Photographer

THE CHEF — Chef Greg Lee, a New Orleans native and Hurricane Katrina survivor stands on his back porch as one of his signature dishes “The G and D” simmers on the stove. proceed in an orderly manner into the airport. As the mass of people made their way to the doors of the airport, the authorities asked those who had weapons to lay them down.

“No questions asked, but you just can’t have weapons in the airport,” they said.

Planes were leaving by the minute taking the hungry and exhausted all across the country.

Greg and his family made it on a plane. They had no idea where they were going, but anywhere had to be better than where they were. They fell asleep in the cargo hold while the plane flew away from the Mississippi, over the Sabine and the Brazos and on toward the Colorado.

And somewhere, Greg and his family passed over the old river separating the living from the dead.

“Don’t call us refugees,” says Greg as he thinks back. The people of New Orleans fleeing their decimated city were not refugees he argues. They are survivors.

The plane touched down in Austin. They were met by the Mayor and the Governor, then bussed over to the convention center where they could finally eat, drink, and take hot showers. The camera crews of journalists hung around like flies buzzing with questions.

Families huddled together and

tried to make sense of what was happening to them.

Above all the din was the sound of names being announced on the PA system.

The Red Cross was calling out names, and then the summoned person would go speak with a representative and find out about their dead spouse, or parents, or child. Greg did not want to hear his name called, and he didn’t. Not right away.

He held out hope that his son was still alive somewhere.

Greg would find out three months later. Greg Jr. had his dad’s ID on him and that was how his body had been identified.

Greg Jr. would not be joining his family in Austin. He would stay on the far side of the river.

The Beginning It took some time, but Greg made it out of the convention center. They got an apartment on Oltorf, and many of their neighbors were also from New Orleans. Greg had much to do.

His two sons enrolled in school.

His wife was dealing with the shock of losing her little boy as well as a brother in the storm.

Greg tried to find work as a chef, but most places said he was overqualified or they would only offer to pay him a fraction of what he was worth and what he needed to rebuild his life. The Spaghetti Warehouse downtown wouldn’t hire him in the kitchen but gave him a job waiting tables for a while.

“If I cook again it will be in New Orleans,” Greg declared, but he knew he was never going back to that city. Instead, he threw himself into any and all kinds of work. Whatever would pay the bills and keep his family fed. He did hard labor, worked at a dry cleaner, even built sound booths for recording studios.

With his life turned upside down and its contents swirling around him, Greg turned to St. James Baptist Church to find some balance. It’s this church that Greg credits for helping him stabilize his life. It wasn’t long after joining St. James that he got his job at Riverside Campus.

For a while Gregjeana had been trying to convince Greg to start a catering business, to start cooking seriously again, but Greg refused. That was in the past. But for a friend’s birthday party, Greg cooked some gumbo and word spread quickly around the campus. Gregjeana brought up the catering business once more, but Greg still said no.

Finally she said, “Well if you won’t do it then I will,” and started the business herself.

Now Greg and his wife are partners in G&G New Orleans Cuisine and Soul Food. It is a family affair, and they are getting ready for their first big event: the Black History Month celebration at Riverside Campus on Feb. 18.

Greg is excited. He is ready to get back into the groove.

He misses the rush that comes when cooking for a big crowd.

He’s waiting to see the faces of people who try his food. He talks about it animatedly in his apartment with his wife and his father-in-law. They laugh and joke with almost no trace of sadness in their voices, until something takes them back.

It has been five years since the storm. They’ve built a new life, but somewhere behind their brown eyes the memories remain. A picture or a story will make them remember sons and brothers and then they’ll grow quiet for a moment. Then the moment will pass, and Greg smiles again.

There are new stories to tell as life goes on along the tranquil Colorado. Once more, there are southern smothered potatoes and the sounds of people enjoying their food.

THE FAMILY — From left:

David Saenz • Staff Photographer

Gregjeana Lee, Chef Greg Lee, Brittany Weathers, and Gregory Robinson Sr..

page 6 | Campus Life

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w w w.the Accent.org

ant ant n’ ave

South Austin Campus Student and Staff Opinions

Next semester, the add/drop date may change from three days after classes start to the week before it begins. What do you think about the new add/drop deadline proposal?

“That is not possible. What happens if a class is cancelled or if my work schedule changes?”

- Dan Sian Cing Gualnam,

nursing major

“Actually, [the new add/drop deadline] will force people to prepare earlier. Students have to plan ahead. Those first three days of class are important and the students who lose them end up slowing the class down” - Marc Menard, accounting major.

“Anything that gives less flexibility to the students is not going to work. Isn’t it because of flexibility that we come to junior colleges?”

- Ricky Johnston,

communication major.

Outreach gospel event gets down with God Michael Needham Staff Writer

A hole in the side of a building told Officer Roy Shipp that he wasn’t alone. Up until that point Shipp had thought everything was routine, and it was just another check-up on a usually faulty alarm. Then he was pursuing a suspect on foot. A block and half later, he was in a physical fight with the suspect. The fight lasted for thirty minutes and ended with the suspect putting a gun to Shipp’s head. Shipp thought about the life he’d never have. Then the gun went off.

Although the gun was at point blank range, the bullet missed, and Shipp went on living.

“After all of that, I know that God is good,” said Shipp to the audience at the Tenth Annual Gospel Extravaganza.

Shipp was the Master of Ceremony at the extravaganza which took place on Feb. 6 at Eastview Campus. The event showcased 15 talents from Austin and surrounding areas. There were performances by singers, dancers, rappers, and mimes. Using music to praise God, they all worked together to

“I am a little nervous about it.

I can see how the new deadline will help the school to schedule classes, but at the same time I know what it is like to be a college student. I think it is important for the students to know their professors and read the syllabus before they can decide whether to stay in class or not.”

- Julie Cuellar Reck, M.A., special populations specialist.

February 15, 2010

kick off Black History Month.

The event was hosted by Austin Community College’s Community Outreach program.

“This is our way of opening the month, by making a joyful noise,” said ACC Director of Community Outreach Loretta Edelen.

Edelen explained the importance of music for the African American people.

“Through music, we as people have not only gotten through trials like slavery or discrimination issues, but music has been a strong influence on us,” Edelen said.

Edelen opened the event by telling the audience that it was time to get their praise on. The audience responded by shouting praises throughout the entire three hour plus extravaganza.

The first performer, Blue, talked about the hood as an acronym for “habitat of oppressed dreamers.”

“The hood isn’t a place but a state of mind where people with big dreams settle for less,” said Blue. “I was from there, but to be from somewhere, you have to have left it.”

Shipp believed that the attendees would benefit from the event.

GOSPEL EXTRAVAGANZA

“People need encouragement, and I can’t think of any better encouragement than what we’re doing today,” Shipp said.

The music from the auditorium attracted some ACC students who knew nothing about the event.

“There were students who were cutting from class who came to see what was going on, and they thought it was great,” said ACC student Monique Maxey.

One group called God’s Grace was composed of 11 young girls who danced to the song “The Sound”

by Mary Mary. The Karissa Rodriguez • Design Intern audience participated with the performance A PERSONAL STORY — ACC Patrol by shouting praises and Officer Roy Shipp sings “By the Grace moving to the music. of God,” a song he wrote about his Another group called experience nearly being shot as an Sky Choir voiced a general Austin Police Department Officer theme shared by some of in the past. Shipp served as Master the performers: have fun. of Ceremony during the Gospel “If I thought heaven Extravaganza. was going to be boring, I wouldn’t want to go there, but I various websites. We’ve sent save know it’s going to be fun,” said a the date postcards to churches woman in the choir. in Austin and the surrounding Correy Wilson, and ACC areas,” said Clark. student, Amber Perkins, Edelen was pleased with the performed at the event in a turnout at the event. group called New Era. They “It was exciting to see so many thought the extravaganza was an people who had never been to important way to show where this campus before,” Edelen said. they came from as people.

“We’re hoping people will feel “I believe that this will comfortable coming back.” really get everything going in Edelen summed up the the community and in Austin purpose of the event by explaining period,” said Wilson. the importance of gathering Phyllis Clark, Administrative people from the area together.

Assistant in the Community “Our middle name is Outreach Department, said that a lot of planning went into the event. Community, and that’s what it’s all about,” Edelen said.

“We’ve advertised it on

— Local performer Davidle Praise Mime performs a routine to a gospel song.

“It seams to be working just fine the way it is. [The ACC Administration] should probably leave it alone.”

-Amy Joyce, communication major

Karissa Rodriguez • Design Intern

TOGETHER — Community members take part in singing “The All photos by Diana Leite

Black National Anthem.”

Karissa Rodriguez • Design Intern

Pinnacle

Northridge Winner

Hanlly Sam • Web Editor

Programs Offered: With a whopping 84 programs, it nearly doubles what Pinnacle has to offer.

Class Size: According to campus manager Belvolyn Smith, the approximate average class size is 30. The class sizes range from 24 to 36.

Parking Capacity: An equally whopping 1,340 spots once again shatters Pinnacle’s claim to fame.

Planned Growth: Northridge is done growing for the moment. Executive Director of Facilities and Construction William Mullane says that the site is pretty much built out.

Why NRG? Smith said that NRG is a very open and friendly campus.

“People are always telling me they enjoy coming to this campus because we meet their needs; everything they want they find is at this campus,” Smith said.

Smith also pointed out that Northridge offers a commercial music department.

“We offer some programs not at any of the other campuses,” Smith said

It’s a battle for valor. The trophy? Glory. Only one ACC campus will fit on the pedestal of the world’s gaze. As students and faculty, we are the ACC legacy. Our best campus will stand out as a beacon. Undoubtedly, we will be scrutinized by the world. They will decide whether to forget us, or move us on into legend. For the sake of our immortality, we must find our best and herald it now, so its legacy may last forever.

People are starting to notice their beloved campuses being pitted against each other. The hearts of Cypress Creek failed as they read their defeat in last issue. Our condolences go out to them, but we must understand that none of us really fail when we brush aside the losers to find greatness. So let us move one step closer to glory by narrowing it down between the Northridge and Pinnacle campuses. We’re off!

VS

In the future this might be a fairer fight, but we can’t judge according to guesses as to what might be. At the present it seems clear that Northridge just has more to offer students than Pinnacle.

With comparable class sizes, and soon to be comparable parking lots, it really comes down to the programs offered at Northridge. Pinnacle might have more potential than Northridge, but with nothing in the books for growth right now, the victory falls into Northridge’s hands.

Good job Northridge!

Programs Offered: The slim 48 they offer does seem small in comparison to Northridge’s bundle.

Class Size: According to Campus Manager Judy VanCleve they have some that seat 20, some 28, the standard is 36, and there is a couple a little larger. So, they’re about the same.

Parking Capacity: While the scant 544 lot capacity hurts Pinnacles chances in this category, both the plans to build a larger lot, and the shuttle they currently offer, will be taken into account.

Karissa Rodriguez • Design Intern

Planned Growth: Pinnacle is growing. ACC purchased 36 acres for expansion. Construction of additional parking will be starting up soon. This will add about 440 spaces and a new driveway to the campus, and relieve the need for the shuttle.

Mullane says that out of the existing campuses, Pinnacle is one of the better options for expansion.

Why PIN? It appears that one of the major draws of Pinnacle Campus might soon be going away. VanCleve pointed out the Shuttle as a major plus of the Pinnacle Campus, but with the parking lot expansion on the horizon the shuttle’s days are numbered.

Still, Pinnacle does offer something very unique.

“It’s tall instead of short,” VanCleve said.

Pinnacle is by far the tallest ACC campus.

Michael Needham

Staff Writer

February 15, 2010

Life & Arts www.theAccent.org

page 7

Movies

Undocumented documentary

Fortnight Forecast

DREAM Act on display in Papers Tara Vaughan Staff Writer

Each year in the United States 2.8 million students graduate from high school. Of those 2.8 million, 65,000 lack the legal documents to do the things in life that many of us take for granted.

These things range from obtaining a driver’s license in almost all states, to having the legal right to work and even, dependent upon University policy, attend college.

Texas is ahead of the curve on public policy, believe it or not, and some community colleges allow undocumented persons to attend school.

Graham Street Productions has released a documentary called “Papers” that illustrates the plight of these students. The film represents undocumented persons of many nationalities and brings this huge issue that is sweeping the nation into the limelight. The Director of the film, Anne Galisky, along with the Producer, Rebecca Shine, put

out “Papers” in a grassroots effort to help adolescents affected by the current immigration law.

“The film moves people and brings to light the stories of these young people that are not often heard,” Shine said.

The documentary itself emits a sense of caring as well as urgency from the beginning to the end. Many people in the nation are not even aware that this problem exists; the magnitude to which it does is baffling. “Papers” brings this reality to life and leaves viewers motivated toward taking steps in the direction of Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

The students that are featured in the film are like any other student their age. They do the things that every teenager and young adult does. They contribute positively to society, and one young man Yo Sub graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and was even a National Merit Scholar.

He was denied admission into every college he applied to,

even those with a 98 percent acceptance rate. There are students that do very well in school and who have a promising future ahead of them and, because they lack the necessary paperwork (i.e. social security number), the door to that future is literally shut in their face.

However, a piece of legislation called the DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act), if passed could provide undocumented students the key to that future. The legislation was introduced on March 26, 2009 by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois and Representative Howard Berman of California.

The act aims to provide minors who were brought into the United States by their parents the same opportunities as other youth who have grown up in the states.

There are certain provisions in the act that must be met, but the act itself aims to give those persons an opportunity to enlist in the military or enroll in an institute of higher education in

Feb 19 - Oscar Animated & Live Action Shorts Alamo South Lamar, 7PM Come see this year’s Academy Award nominated short films so you can impress your friends by having seen more than just the one with Wallace and Gromit.

Photo courtesy of Graham Street Productions

order to give them a pathway to citizenship that they will not be provided without this piece of legislation.

ACC’s Student Government Association, after careful review, has decided to support the DREAM Act. SGA did careful research and Mike Atencio, Rio Grande Student Senator, provided students, faculty and staff with a well researched and unbiased presentation on the matter. SGA then went out and collected over a 1,000 signatures on a petition that also supports

the DREAM Act, in order to see how many students that attend ACC are immediately affected and/or know someone who is affected by the current immigration policy.

“The people that want to do something positive, something to better their lives should have just as much a right to that opportunity as anyone else,” Atencio said.

“Papers” is a great tool that is and will continue to move the dreams of the young people in this nation forward that are affected by the current policy.

Unlikable actors take all the love out of Paris Hyper-masculine action flick shows little love for women, minorities, or any semblance of decent filmmaking Devon Tincknell Life & Arts Editor

If you don’t like the new film From Paris with Love, you had better pull out your wallet right now and make sure your ID says you’re a U.S. citizen, because this film is nothing but star-spangled, terrorist killing, French hating, goatee wearing American pride. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a Hummer with both “Support our Troops” and “No Fat Chicks” bumper stickers on it.

John Travolta kicks so much terrorist/foreigner butt, he probably had to change out his American made work boots ten times during the shooting of this film cause they were getting so worn down from all the butt kicking!!!

But seriously, From Paris With Love would have made more sense if it had been a co-production between Maxim magazine and the U.S. State Department. Like a live action Team America: World Police (minus any notion of satire), From Paris is a message to the world to watch out, because despite our crumbling economy

and quickening loss of political might, America is still a force to be reckoned with. Jonathan Rhy-Meyers stars as James Reese, a weasly Ambassador’s aide who, when not playing chess with his diplomat boss or hooking up with his “supa hot” girlfriend, works for the CIA. During the first five minutes of the film, Rhy-Meyer’s anticharisma is so overwhelming it seemed like he might actually be the film’s bad guy. Luckily, the producers hired veteran actor John Travolta to liven things up a bit.

Travolta plays hard as nails Special OPs agent Charlie Wax, who is introduced as an obnoxious loud mouth who yells racial slurs and chugs energy drinks, and then only gets less likable from there.

Reese, the whiny rookie, has been assigned to escort Wax around Paris and assist in his mission, which consists of making a scene everywhere they go and shooting lots and lots of ethnic people. First they’re after Chinese coke dealers, so Travolta gets to use all sorts of words that haven’t been said in polite company since the forties.

Photo courtesy of Europa Corp

Charlie Wax is a big obnoxious musclebound cowboy, basically a personification America’s foreign policy during Bush II’s administration, who’s idea of diplomacy is making threats before you start shooting. After he’s killed every Chinese person he can find in Paris (and done all their coke), Wax suddenly reveals that the Chinese coke dealers were just a way to get to the real enemy, Pakistani terrorists!

From Paris with Love portrays anyone who is not a white male with a goatee as evil incarnate. Asians, French, Pakistanis, and women are all revealed to be America hating psychos who deserve nothing more than a bullet in the brain. Wax isn’t just a casual xenophobic misogynist, he is the living embodiment of what is wrong with modern American masculinity.

Both Reese and Wax are so detestably unlikable that

by the time From Paris wraps up its “bros before hos” moral message, it feels like they were made for each other, since nobody else on Earth could tolerate their company for more than a minute.

F

From Paris With Love Opened Feb. 5

District 13: Ultimatum makes good on its predecessor’s promise to deliver parkour, Paris, and high octane, European action Staff Writer

In District 13: Ultimatum, the sequel to 2004’s Parisian parkour action hit District 13, director Patrick Alessandrin works with the principle that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Super cop Damien Tomasso (Cyril Rafaelli) and thug-witha-heart-of-gold Leito (parkour founder David Belle) reunite to tackle the forces of corruption that, once again, threaten to wipe District 13, future Paris’ walled off ethnic slum, off the map.

This time around, a construction company named Harriburton wants to blow up five buildings in District 13, home to warring ethnic gangs, so that the valuable real estate can be reclaimed for the middle class, and the impoverished residents and local drug lords can be disposed of. Tomasso is a good cop, who after being framed with heroin, is forced

to work with the gang lords to save District 13.

The moral struggle of a police officer forced to rely on criminals isn’t highlighted as much as it could’ve been, but the plot mainly serves to put Leito and Tomasso back on the same team. The film’s real eye candy is the ultraathletic parkour, which consists of leaping from buildings and other obstacles in the landscape, creating something that is part urban warfare, part chase scene, and part choreographed ballet.

District 13: Ultimatum succeeds in blending humor into its fighting without being cheesy. There aren’t cliché car chases or Die Hard aping explosions here, but instead interesting combinations of fast paced parkour and old school martial arts action.

District 13: Ultimatum is a film for those that like a sequel to be as good as the original and for fans of quick camera work.

Feb 21, Feb 22 Everything is Terrible...

Live! Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 7PM, $8.50 Everything is Terrible is the creme de la creme of finding freaks on film.

They will be at the Alamo two live to show you stuff you’ll never be able to unsee.

Feb 24 - The Eyes of Me Studio 4D 7PM, free This documentary on four students who attend the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired explores the lives of those living in a sightless world.

Feb 25 - Pee Wee’s Big Adventure Quote-Along Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 7PM, $10 The folks at the Alamo were smart to show this Tim Burton classic as a “Quote-Along.” This way everyone can clap and sing when Pee Wee says, “The stars at night, are big and bright...”

District 13 sequel a success Trevor Goodchild

Feb 20 - To Serve Man: Dubstep Sci-Fi The Vortex 10PM, free Mixing classic science fiction celluloid with the ultra-modern sounds of dub step, DJ Lord Pyro serves up a night of filmsound pairings. Expect some deep bass notes and hubcaps on strings.

District 13: Ultimatum Opens Feb. 12

Dear John — Typical Nicholas Sparks adaptation which means it’s another hyper-sensitive chick flick.

Avatar — This is what happens when you mix an old Kevin Costner film with a Saturday morning cartoon and a huge lump of environmentalism.

Edge of Darkness — A remake of a British Miniseries… should have stayed a British Miniseries.

The Tooth Fairy — Watching this is a like a shot of Novocain for your mind… zzzzzzz Crazy Heart — Liked it better when it was about a real singer and called “Walk the Line.”

Techniques seen in The Matrix or Requiem for a Dream such as bullet time shots and 360 camera angles are used, yet it manages to stay unique.

With its stereotyped ethnic gangs and ridiculous fights, District 13: Ultimatum manages to have fun and not take itself too seriously. At one point Tomasso even fights off the Chinese mafia while dressed in drag, wearing lip stick and eyeshadow. It is one of the many high tension moments in District 13: Ultimatum broken by a comedic action scene, boosted by a bumpin’ European hip-hop soundtrack. Despite its status as a sequel, there is a flare for originality that makes this film worthwhile to watch.

A-

Subpar Cinema

The Book of Eli — Same apocalypse, different day Legion — “Why doesn’t God care anymore?” I’ll tell you why, because of movies like this.

When in Rome — Valentines Day is coming up, so it’s the season for over used rom-com plots and gags, right?

The Blind Side — Like we need another true, heart warming story about football. Enough already Extraordinary Measures — The extraordinary measure is sitting through the whole thing. Nice story, bad movie

Photo courtesy of Europa Corp

Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel — Now just waiting on the next one, hopefully called Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Exterminator

page 8 | Life & Arts

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February 15, 2010

Get Down Austin

GadjO Disko Devon Tincknell

To celebrate the final Gadjo Life & Arts Editor Disko, Austin’s weirder residents filled La Zona Rosa to capacity on Feb. 5, leaving a line outside that stretched for blocks. The anything goes party has been a regularly occurring institution for the last two years, and for its final blowout Austinites put on their wildest outfits and got down at the packed event which featured live music, acrobatic antics, and bumpin Balkan beats and ethnic techno. Our community’s abundant creativity could be seen in every costume on display and the fevered dancing could be scene in every corner of the venue.

While it was sad to see Gadjo go, Saturday’s festivities was a fitting end to an eccentric event.

All Gadjo Disko photos by

Brandy Rodriquez • Staff Photographer

Sarah Vasquez Campus Editor

Models strutted their stuff on the Mohawk runway stage at Fashion Freakout! 3 on Feb. 5. Three local stores, Buffalo Exchange, New Bohemia and Phototype Vintage Design, pulled nostalgic looks from various decades. Some of the trends, including 80s Madonnaglam fashion and 70s country western style, were revamped for a more modernized look.

Attendees cheered as models of both sexes rocked out in layered outfits that predominately featured lacy stockings, rock star teased hair, capes, cowboy hats and much more. Comedic Host Matt Bearden and doo-wop band, The Carrots, provided entertainment in between the different stores’ showcases.

Fashion Freakout! photos by Sarah Vasquez • Campus Editor and James Eastham • Staff Photographer

February 15, 2010

www.theAccent.org

Life and Arts | page 9

Music Compilation comes off cliquey Rebirth should Matador have been aborted spotlights Austin garage but neglects city’s diversity

Olivia Watson Staff Writer

Rob Cohen Staff Writer

The Austin music scene is known for being The Live Music Capital of The World. Which means it can be tough to navigate due to an over saturation of great bands and worthwhile artists.

That’s why Gerard Cosloy, long time partner in Matador records, a prominent staple of 90’s indie rock who put out releases from luminaries such as Pavement, Guided By Voices, and Yo La Tengo, finally decided to do something about it. Cosloy has been an Austin resident for the last six years, and this year he and Matador attempted to highlight the best rock and roll bands in the Austin bar scene with their Casual Victim Pile (an anagram of “Live Music Capital”) compilation.

Its release was celebrated with three days of CD release shows at Beerland featuring most of the bands on the album.

Rather than be an all encompassing view of Austin’s music, CVP, much like Cosloy’s past two regional compilations, is an admittedly insular look at Austin’s rock music scene. The criteria for the compilation is simple: club level competency and a general rock ‘n’ roll sound with vague tinges of punk and garage rock.

While Cosloy makes a point in interviews to state that the compilation’s sound is varied, the stylistic ground covered here can be also be found in a single Black Lips album.

There are no true surprises to be held sonically, so the album stands on its songs, which are

Hanlly Sam • Web Editor

TOP — Lead Singer of

the band Love Collector Shawn Carpet Bagger rocked the stage wearing fur and a flower like a celebrity on Saturday Feb. 6 at Beerland.

RIGHT — Rob Yazzie

bass player of the band Love Collector played on Saturday Feb. 6 at Beerland for the presentation of the Casual Victim Compilation. fair but quickly fade from memory.

The album’s best track comes from Austin’s The Persimmons’ who’s scuzzy “The Notice” features some actual danger, with its cheesy keyboards, and creepy processed vocals.

Its hard to tell who this compilation is for. Fans of the label probably won’t find much of interest here. Those who hold “keep Austin weird” as a personal motto will be bored.

The lack of a strong blues or Americana influence means there is nothing explicitly Texan about these bands, so the album has a sort of regional anonymity.

Austin’s great female groups like the Carrots and Yellow Fever are also sadly underrepresented.

In short, those who follow this sort of thing probably

Turn on any rap radio station in the country these days, and you’re guaranteed to hear Lil Wayne’s voice in a matter of minutes. Whether he’s guest rapping for another artist, or scoring a hit on his own, Lil Wayne is everywhere. It should come as no surprise that Wayne has been flirting with rock music lately, first collaborating with Weezer and now making his official bid for rockstar status with his new record Rebirth.

We have seen rappers turn to different genres before (Nelly featuring Tim McGraw anyone?), but none as bad as this. Rebirth consists mainly of angsty breakup songs, while the remaining few tracks are filled with vapid lyrics sung to a 90’s rock beat. Weezy may be rap royalty, but his failure as a rockstar is apparent in his

lyrics, music and auto-tuned vocals.

The first track, “American Star” pays homage to President Obama in an unconventional way.

Just as Miley Cyrus and Gwen Stefani taught us how to spell U.S.A. and bananas respectively, Wayne takes a similar elementary school spelling bee approach to his lyrics. “Born and raised in the U.S.A. and my president is B-L-AC-K,” sings the chorus.

Five of the 13 tracks highlight heartbreak, all perfect songs for a freshly dumped high school student. It is odd to hear Wayne, who dropped out of school at 14, sing “we used to be the cutest couple up in this class, but now she’s kissing any motherf---er with a hall pass” in “The Price is Wrong.”

Jay-Z announced the end of auto-tuned vocals as of June 2009 in his song “Death of Auto-Tune.”

Apparently, Weezy didn’t get

the memo. The only relief from Wayne’s auto-tuned voice is when another featured artist grabs the mike for a minute.

Though the album sounds primarily like Garage Band rock, one song makes the pop music cut. “Still Raising” is electronic, catchy and upbeat with a touch of drums and electric guitar, but the rest of Rebirth blends together and is easily forgettable.

With its combination of awful lyrics, dull music, and computerized vocals, Wayne’s latest album gets a big thumb’s down. Hopefully Lil Wayne gives up on being reborn as a rock star, and Rebirth becomes little more than an embarrassing reminder of an aborted career change.

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Lil Wayne Rebirth Cash Money 02/02/10

The Name of the Game

MAG invites you and two hundred and fifty five friends to play a game

Hanlly Sam • Web Editor

already know all these bands.

One of the biggest perks of being in Austin is the musical variety of its scene, which makes it a shame to see Casual Victim Pile pick from offerings that sound so similar. So if you’re looking for a decent rock act to check out at a bar, Casual Victim Pile is a passable, if narrow, guide.

C+

Casual Victim Pile Matador 01/26/10

Jason Witmer Staff Writer

In Texas, bigger is always better. So as a proud Texan, it should come as no surprise that I was eager to play Sony’s new gigantic first person shooter – MAG (Massive Action Game) on Playstation 3.

MAG allows two hundred and fifty-six players to play simultaneously online. This is huge news for gamers since previous games have been limited to about 16-32 players as the standard (with some games such as Battlefield 2 going as high as 64). MAG takes the

futuristic shooter genre into uncharted territory by allowing a massive amount of people to play together in a beautifully rendered world.

The single player story line is about dwindling fuel resources blah blah blah – this is a First Person Shooter. Who cares about story line when you can go online and wreak havoc? With an army this large, you gotta have grunts. Players can fight face to face in the battle with grenades or snipe each other from afar undetected. Alternatively, you can attempt to become the commander – assigning orders and leading a 128 person army.

MAG enables you to

customize, upgrade, and personalize the weapons you use in your arsenal, which includes driving destructive vehicles and taking control of stationary turrets that rip through your opponent’s pixels. MAG has a few minor glitches right now, but I’m sure they will be fixed soon via a downloadable patch.

If you are a fan of military first person shooters such as Killzone 2 or Call of Duty 4, you should find this ambitious and original game enough to satisfy your shooter cravings. It’s like an all you can eat buffet of gunshots, explosions, and multiplayer mayhem, only super sized!