First Copy free
Sept. 21, 2010
Volume 13, Issue 1
theAccent.org
Fun things$ to do in austin The board’s busy summer pg 4 for under 5
pg
10
Public deserves a debate pg 2
Campus opens at full capacity
Board hires outside help for Kinslow’s replacement search
photo courtesy of ACC Public Information and College Marketing
Hilary Shepherd Staff Reporter
Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor
GRAND OPENING — ACC President Stephen Kinslow and board of trustees Chair Barbara Mink cut the ribbon to dedicate the official grand opening of the Round Rock campus. Board of trustee members, local politicians and other community members were invited to attend the ceremony held on Aug. 27.
ACC, Round Rock community celebrate the first semester Natalee Blanchat Staff Writer
In celebration of the new opening of Round Rock campus ACC students, faculty and staff, as well as members of the construction and planning team who helped design the campus attended a dedication ceremony on Aug. 27. ACC president Stephen Kinslow, ACC board of trustees members, as well as Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw spoke at the event, and the ACC jazz band performed. A time capsule was also buried on campus grounds, with the intention of having it opened on the fiftieth anniversary of the campus. “I think the huge enrollment we’ve had is a testament to how badly these programs were needed in Round Rock. It’s a wonderful investment for Round rock and Williamson County folks to have this level of resources available to them,” said Kinslow. The first phase of the Round Rock campus, which had a 119 million dollar budget, includes a total of five buildings on roughly
300,000 square feet. Once the second phase of construction on the campus is completed, the campus will be at its maximum capacity, serving up to 11,500 students. This figure would significantly surpass enrollment at Northridge, which currently has the highest ACC enrollment with 9,000 students enrolled in the fall 2010 semester. However, the enrollment for the new campus is something that could be a problem in the future according to the Vice Chair of the board of trustees, Allen Kaplen. “We’re going to be up to capacity by the end of the fall semester, and we’ll be squeezing people into classrooms and labs because the response of student registration has been so unbelievable,” said Kaplen Project manager for the Round Rock Campus, Paul Mason, who helped design and construct the new campus, isn’t worried about a student overload. “The square footage per student is double the next closest campus. If we packed this campus with students like
Round Rock Campus features There are 5034 students enrolled at Round Rock There is a total of 1250 parking spaces on campus There is no permanent food vendor on campus “If we packed this campus with students like Northridge, this campus could hold 12,000 students just like it is now,” said Paul Mason Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor
GIVING BIRTH — A mannequin baby is “born” during a live
simulation held by nursing students and staff. Event attendees were invited to tour the new campus facilities.
Northridge, this campus could hold 12,000 students just like it is now”, said Mason. According to Mason, keeping capacity set lower than the maximum is intentional. “Here we’ve been trying to provide breathing room. Our hope is keep the ratio lower so its starts to set a precedent for the district. So in the future we don’t build campuses that feel overcrowded,” said Mason
The campus has an emphasis on health and sciences instruction. Adela Mercado Gonzalas, a nursing student, attended the dedication ceremony and is excited about the new equipment on campus. “Everything is new,” said Gonzalas about the clinical labs, “the mannequins in the labs, the Iv’s, and the blood pressure See ROOM page 3
This is the first phase of the Round Rock campus, which had a 119 million dollar budget The campus includes a total of five buildings built on roughly 300,000 square feet There is no public transit system that serves the campus Once the second phase of construction on the campus is completed, the campus will be at its maximum capacity, serving up to 11,500 students The square footage per student is double the next closest campus
Students hungry for more choices Sarah Neve
Assistant Editor Though the new Round Rock Campus is up and running, there is a room in building 2000 attached to the student lounge that is empty, locked and decidedly unfinished. Originally, this room was designed to house two food vendors, making Round Rock the only campus with more than one food vendor, and the only campus equipped to cook food on a grill. “Because ACC doesn’t have on campus dorms, potential investors don’t feel there is enough student traffic to invest the capitol into a new location. At UT you have students on campus sleeping, studying, and eating from 8:00 am until midnight every day,” said Round Rock Campus project manager
Paul Mason. Instead of being the location with the most options for on-campus dining, Round Rock has a small cart run by Simon’s Cafe. The cart is selling a very reduced version of the menu Simon’s offers on other campuses, and is running fewer hours than other locations, closing at 2:15 every day but Friday, when it closes at 1:30. “I’m kind of angry because some people go here and are hungry. On top of that, some can’t leave to go get food somewhere else,” said Round Rock student Collin Grider. Mason attributes the lack of interest from outside food vendors to the faltering economy, and is hopeful that now that the campus is open and the economy is starting to get better, new vendors will take See BIG page 3
RESTRICTED DIET — A Simon’s Cafe
vending cart sits outside the empty food service room as a substitute for a full café.
Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor
After 34 years at the college, ACC President and CEO Stephen Kinslow announced his retirement over the summer. This month, Austin Community College’s board of trustees will begin the search to find a new president to replace Kinslow. The board will select a group of 20-25 ACC faculty members, students and community members to assemble a search advisory committee. The board hosted an open meeting on Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Highland Business Center to review and edit the detailed list of duties and responsibilities the new president must abide by. These have been compiled by the board and the American Association of Community Colleges. “The policies revolve around five basic aspects: leadership, management, accountability, community partnership and fiscal responsibility,” said board of trustee chair Dr. Barbara Mink. The board recently hired Gold Hill Associates, a search consulting firm, to assist in the ten-month process of selecting a new president. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the 20-year-old firm focuses entirely on administering presidential searches for community colleges all over the nation. “Gold Hill Associates has long-term experience in senior leadership roles for community colleges. They are very wellrespected in our field and have a proven track record of successful searches,” said Mink. Gold Hill’s maximum estimated consultant fee is roughly $41,000 and includes recruiting, screening and reference-checking for prospective candidates, along with visits to various institutions and host expenses. “We recognize that our job is to assist. We try to learn about as much of the college as we can and make adjustments in our procedure that accommodate the needs of the Board and the college,” said President of Gold Hill Associates Dr. Bob Barringer. For the rest of the year, and possibly until January, the board and the firm will work in conjunction to finalize outreach materials and produce advertisements for various community college publications and higher education chronicles. In the spring, applications will be reviewed, interviews will be conducted, and the list of prospective candidates will be narrowed down. “Because of ACC’s success, we are expecting a very large pool of candidates,” said Mink. By June, the board hopes to make an offer to the appropriate candidate and announce the start date of the new president. In a June, 7 memo Kinslow said, “it has been a rewarding thirty-four year career at ACC.”
FORUM
page 2
Rep. Doggett talks about tuition, going green, education
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D)
Guest Columnist It is my pleasure to welcome new and returning students for another ACC semester. ACC has just opened a new campus in Round Rock, and I know that voters will soon decide on campuses in Kyle, Bastrop, and San Marcos. As the ACC motto states, it will soon be easier to “Start Here; Get There,” with students having more places from which to start. But access to education is more than about the proximity of quality institutions, it is about having financial access. Especially in times of economic uncertainty, it is important that students have the opportunity to obtain all the education for which they are willing to work. Because education and job training are the keys to economic security, I succeeded in passing a law to require that federal aid to education actually aids our local schools, instead of just replacing state funding and providing no additional help for our students. Locally, this would mean new federal money to close any budget gaps and protect local jobs. Ben Franklin wrote: “If a person empties his purse into his head, no one can take it away.” In Congress, I am working to ensure that filling your head doesn’t mean having to empty your purse or wallet. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which passed the House of Representatives with my strong support, saves $87 billion dollars over the next decade and reinvests this money in education and paying down the national debt. The legislation represents one of the largest single investments in higher education, with $40 billion more put into Pell Grants. Over the next decade, college students in Texas will receive about $2.5 billion more in Pell Grants. This success builds on my efforts to support higher education achievement by simplifying the student aid process and providing tax benefits to those seeking a degree. Each year, an estimated 1.5 million students decline to seek the federal student financial assistance for which they are eligible because the form is too complicated. Congress passed an amendment I authored to simplify filing
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by reducing number of questions on the form and the instructions necessary to complete it. The Doggett Amendment also strengthens student privacy by eliminating the need for schools to stockpile sensitive financial information in order to verify the income information submitted on the FAFSA. To support students in obtaining a degree, I successfully authored a tax cut of about $14 billion in the form of a “More Education” Tax Credit. For every dollar that you or your family spend on tuition, textbooks, and course materials during this year, you will get a credit on your tax return up to $2,500. An additional 346,000 Texas families, who previously received no higher education tax credit, will benefit from this new law. For those about to graduate, the economy offers little hopeful news. I will continue to look for ways to improve our economy and protect American jobs. Working families need our help, not the banks. I opposed all bank bailouts, whether proposed by President Bush or President Obama. I also voted for stronger oversight of banks and credit card companies to protect consumers and hold these companies accountable. We need to create more jobs at a wage where folks can support their family. In these tough times, we also have to help Americans who, through no fault of their own, are unemployed and need help to hang on. ACC sure shows that when it comes to providing its students with knowledge that can be put to real, everyday use in Austin and elsewhere, it knows what employers want. In January, ACC announced more than $1 million in federal stimulus funds to be used to help students develop new skills and learn emerging green economy fields—a sector of the economy that holds much promise for the future. Just this month, the National Council for Continuing Education and Training recognized ACC’s renewable energy programs with a National Exemplary Program Award. As Hector Aguilar, executive dean of continuing education noted, “These types of awards are rare and they highlight the top-notch talent and collaboration of people working at ACC.” That’s not the only green news coming out of ACC—I hear that this year, if you’re driving an energy-efficient car, you get a parking spot that could make your classmates jealous! Please visit me on Facebook, on Twitter (@RepLloydDoggett), or my website at www.house.gov/doggett, where you can find helpful information about internship opportunities and student aid. I stand ready to assist you in matters of a federal nature. Have a safe, productive and memorable year here at ACC and let me know what I can do to help you “get there.”
Karissa Explains
it ALL
Managing your money the right way
Karissa Rodriguez
Photo and Web Editor I hate math. I loathe it so much that I would rather go without coffee (I love coffee) for a year than solve a differential equation (whatever that is). Due to this hatred of math I’ve realized that I am just absolutely terrible at budgeting my money. It’s a good thing I married an accountant. Through him I’ve learned to stop managing my money day to day and start budgeting for the long term. It is essential that every college student learns how to budget their money because it is what will determine whether you have a ramen noodle diet or if you can spring for that new iPod Touch. From my experience of starting out as a poor college student years ago to being financially stable
today, I have found that there are three things college students need to understand in order to keep out of the red. Learn how to balance a checkbook, and manage your online banking. It sounds simple and unnecessary, but its really the basis of budgeting money. Way before online banking was invented, people used registers to keep track of their money. Writing down how much money coming in and out of all of your accounts gives you a better understanding of just how much money you are spending. Once you see in writing how much money you spend at Starbucks (or wherever you get your fix), you’ll be quick to change your habits. Essentially, keeping track of your accounts in a register is the same thing as using online banking. It’s a great tool to help you keep
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Sept 21, 2010
Public needs gubernatorial debate
Voters deserve side-by-side look at candidates Staff Editorial
For the first time since 1990, when Democrat Ann Richards and Republican Clayton Williams ran for the governor’s office, there may not be a an official Texas gubernatorial debate during this election year. Gov. Rick Perry says he will not participate in a public debate with his opponent Democrat Bill White until White releases his 15-yearold personal tax records. This is a ridiculous, thinly veiled attempt from Team Perry to avoid a debate and paint White as a shady businessman. It should be clear that Perry is not actually accusing White of having done anything illegal or corrupt. He just says that the public would benefit from knowing how much money White earned “serving the public” in the mid-1990s. It’s a nice sentiment, but the public would benefit from a fair and open debate
track of your finances, monitor accounts for fraud and add money to your accounts. However, be aware that some transactions take two-three days or more to post to your account which may lead you to believe you have money when you actually don’t. Understand how much money you have incoming and outgoing Since balancing a checkbook and using online banking are not foolproof, students really need to learn how to keep track of how much money they have incoming and outgoing. It’s really easy to know how much money you are bringing in through paychecks and other sources of income, but knowing how much money you need to pay out is much harder to keep track of. For example, if you make one thousand dollars a month, but pay $400 in rent, $100 in electricity and $200 in car payments and insurance, you will have $300 leftover each month to spend on food and luxuries like cable and Internet. Its important you understand how that works because if you spend more than you bring in per month it doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that you
between the candidates that allows for a side by side comparison on the issues. Other than the “I know something you don’t know” attitude coming from Perry and his campaign, there is little reason to believe that these documents would reveal anything other than the fact that Bill White is really, really rich. That’s no secret, and Perry is wealthy too. The Perry camp continues to insist that the governor would love to debate White. However, putting aside the fact that Perry is the one refusing to attend the debate over ancient and likely underwhelming tax documents, no one on Perry’s re-election campaign could seriously want to see Perry on stage with White. Both candidates on stage together will invigorate the White campaign and put Perry in a position where he has to debate the issues. Issues such
will end up in debt. Start building your credit early. Credit is everything if you want to be financially successful in life. You will find that buying a house or a car on your own is much easier if you have an established and healthy credit score. Students can start building credit in several ways. Lenders want to see if you are able to hold a job. They don’t like long periods of unemployment. Your ability to hold a steady job can improve the likelihood of getting approved. Another way is by paying your bills on time and refraining from overdrafting on accounts. Lenders will look at these things to determine your risk factor and will use this as the basis for approving or denying you a loan. If you take away anything from this column let it be this: Don’t pretend that your accounts and bills are not there and ignore them. Check them at least once or twice a week. Neglecting your accounts will have negative results. Side note: Karissa explains it all is a recurring column that focuses on providing students with advice on general topics that affect them. Next issue I will discuss time management.
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as the state’s deficit, the uncontrollable inflation of tuition and the rising unemployment rate. All of which took place on Perry’s watch. Obviously attending the debate is not in the best interest for Perry, but debates are not held for the candidates. They are for the voters. The public deserves a chance to hear both candidates talk about issues side by side in order to decide who to vote for based on what is important to them and not based on the TV campaign ads we are sure to start seeing anytime now. Perry has an edge over White in the polls. Not only is he the incumbent, but he has held the office longer than anyone in history. Maybe the debates will give White a bump. Maybe Perry will say something stupid and have to walk it back afterward. He should do it anyway because the people deserve to see it.
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RRC, 4400 College Park Drive, Room 2107 Round Rock, TX 78665 Editor-in-Chief....................................................................................... Christopher A. Smith Assistant Editor..................................................................................... Sarah Neve Photo and Web Editor........................................................................ Karissa Rodriguez Layout Editor.......................................................................................... Chris Scott Life & Arts Editor ................................................................................. Sarah Vasquez Campus Editor....................................................................................... Michael Needham Accent Adviser....................................................................................... Matthew Connolly Accent Coordinator............................................................................. Lori Blewett Student Life Director.......................................................................... Cheryl Richard Staff Reporters Diana Leite, Hilary Shepherd Lead Photographer Andrew Pagan Staff Designers Elizabeth Brown, Carmen Maverick Writers Alejandro Alvarado, Odin Amador, Natalee Blanchat, J. Erasmo Castro Dragustinovis, Austin Nicholas, Jason Haydon, Olivia Palmer, Winston Rivas, John Walker, Jason Witmer Photographer Adrienne Sparks 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 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.
NEWS
Sept 21, 2010
www.theAccent.org
Room to grow in Round Rock continued from page 1
gauges, they’re all new. Nothing is broken.” Although the campus has many new features, there are also concerns about what is not at the Round Rock Campus yet. There is no Simon’s café or a public transit system. Mason explains that the reason for the current absence of food services is due mostly to the bad economy. The original plan was to have a campus with two on-campus options for dinning. Unlike of the other campuses which all have a Simon’s Cafe. “We built out a 2,400 square foot shell that we were going
to put that into, but then the recession happened and no food corporations wanted to invest in ACC. We’re keeping it a shell until we can find the right fit. We want to do it right,” said Mason. As for transportation, ACC is going to try to partner with Texas State and Texas A&M campuses located in Round Rock to see if they can work with Williamson County and get a local transit system running between the three campuses. Capitol Metro does not serve the new campus. “For the foreseeable future, this is going to be a strictly car based campus with no public transportation,” said Mason. However Melanie Jones, a
pre-med major, is taking her government classes in Round Rock and has no problems driving to school, especially since the new campus is closer to her than any other campus. Jones is also optimistic about the availability of parking spaces the new campus has to offer, since parking has been a problem at other campuses “At least you don’t have to fight for a parking spot, depending on what day it is. At some campuses you know that if you’re have a ten o’ clock class your going to be fighting for a parking spot. Here there is parking available,” said Jones “If I could take all of my classes here I would.”
page 3
MODEL CAMPUS
— (Left to right) Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman and Texas State Library Archilves Commissioners Russlene Waukechon and Beverley Shirley look at a model of the Round Rock Campus as they tour the library. The model is based on the approximetely 300,000 sq. ft. Round Rock Campus.
Karissa Rodrigues • Photo/Web Editor
Debate, art celebrate Constitution J. Erasmo Castro Staff Writer
Benjamin Franklin impersonator Lou McCreary will moderate debates on Sept. 22 at the Palmer Events Center in observance of Constitution Day. McCreary, a former assistant attorney general who practices constitutional law, will be presenting Franklin’s comments and perspective on the Constitution. McCreary is a “Constitutional expert” and “an expert on Franklin” said Peck Young, director of the Center for Public Policy and Political Studies (CPPPS). The CPPPS is sponsoring the event along with the help and cooperation of the social and behavioral sciences division, the government department, and the arts and humanities division. “The importance of the
celebration generally is that this is a good time, especially in a center of higher education, to remember that the U.S. Constitution is not only the fundamental legal document of our nation, but it is also relevant to our times. This is not a historic artifact but, I believe, a living document that provides the basic legal rights and obligations of all Americans today and into the future,” said Young. The debate will take place in a small group format. Faculty will facilitate each group discussion, and moderators will roam from group to group. “Students leave having wrestled with the complexities of the Constitution and current political issues,” said Gay Lynn Scott, dean of social and behavior sciences. The government department will take the lead facilitating the discussion, but faculty from other departments, including history
and philosophy, will also take part. The division of arts & humanities is also sponsoring an art exhibit with the theme “the right to be let alone” which is a famous quote from Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis. The art will be on display from Sept. 13 to Oct. 14 in the lobby of ACC’s Highland Business Center. “Students submit work in various categories (2-D art, 3-D art, personal essay, research essay, poetry), and prizes are awarded for the top submissions,” said Scott. “This year we owe a special thank you for all the help we have received,” said Young of co-hosts the City of Austin with Honorary Chairman Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Martinez, the Texas ACLU, the Texas Campus Compact and the American Board of Trail Advocates and the staff of the Palmer Events Center. This year’s debate will be
the third Constitution Day celebration at ACC, and while the celebration has grown, Scott said the purpose remains the same. “ACC’s Constitution Day observance each year has the same goal,” Scott said, “to help students find ways to enhance their understanding of and appreciation for the Constitution.”
Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
FIRST AMENDMENT — Student Matthew Conway’s multimedia sculpture, titled “Lawrence vs. TX” (above) and student Soromya Lanka’s sculpture “Birth Control of a Nation” (left) on display as part of the Constitution Day celebration art exhibit in the Highland Business Center lobby. “ACC does not censor artistic expression of students or faculty,” according to a press release from the college.
ACC not ranked in top 50 community college list Odin Amador Staff Writer
Washington Monthly magazine published their latest ranking of the top 50 community colleges in the country in August and Austin Community College did not make the list. When the periodical released their first ranking of community colleges in 2007, it was the first of its kind. Several Texas community colleges are ranked among the top 50, such as the Texas State Technical Colleges of West Texas (at 28) and Waco (at 41). Whether or not this is significant is a source of contention. In fact, the validity of the rankings themselves has been subject to national debate. Washington Monthly derives its rankings using data from two sources: the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), which
works out of the University of Texas at Austin, and graduation rates published by the U.S. Department of Education. The data is put through a formula devised by the magazine, which assigns different levels of importance to an assortment of different factors. For example, “active and collaborative learning” accounts for 29 percent of the score, while “support for learners” accounts for 12 percent. The majority of the data weighed, about 85 percent, comes from the CCSSE’s survey instrument, The Community College Student Report, and the remaining 15 percent comes from the Department of Education’s graduation rates. According to CCSSE’s website, The Community College Student Report “provides information on student engagement, a key indicator of learning and, therefore, of the quality of community colleges.” It’s
described as a benchmarking instrument, diagnostic tool, and monitoring device, but never as a rankings tool. Dr. Angela Oriano-Darnall, an Associate Director at CCSSE, had this to say about the Monthly’s rankings; “The colleges featured in Washington Monthly’s rankings are doing important work—CCSSE’s focus is on two-year community colleges and technical colleges— stressing the importance of student success, outcomes, and retention. This is the case with ACC and other Texas community colleges. Their participation in our surveys has been very productive.” When the Washington Monthly published its new rankings, the CCSSE immediately issued a news release voicing its opposition to the use of its data for rankings purposes, citing its own literature; “CCSSE does not support the use of student engagement survey results
Big plans lead to empty stomachs Continued from pg 1 an interest in the location. “In the past, Austin Community College has always done business with Simon’s Cafe. We wanted to do something different, something better,” said Mason. Right now, Simon’s Cafe does have a contract with the school to be at the campus for two years, and they will be expanding from the cart they have set up now. “It would be a semipermanent setup. We have to be mindful of the cost of setting something up that might have to be torn out and redone later,” said Mason. Simon’s Cafe is definitely going to be a presence in Round Rock for two years, after that their contract is in question. “If given the opportunity to, of course we would like to stay at the Round Rock campus,” said Simon’s Cafe President Jae Park. According to Mason, the food services area could hold a Simon’s Cafe, and another
vendor, or two new vendors entirely. “I think they should have one (a Simon’s Café); I mean it’s convenient for the people that don’t bring their lunches. On top of that, the bookstore, where food is available, is expensive, said Round Rock Student Beatriz Belman. Two vendors might offer more options to the students, but it could pose a problem for potential vendors who don’t want to share the space as well as for Simon’s which has not had to compete directly with another restaurant on campus. “Having two vendors, with the current student traffic, it would make it hard to survive to be honest,” said Park. Hungry students can expect a few more options from Simon’s starting in the spring semester, and in the long run, there plans for two vendors for students to choose from on campus. “We were hoping we could find more options,” said Mason. “Hopefully in a year or two, when the economy improves, we can find a better solution.”
Currently available at the Simon’s cart
Hot Menu Breakfast Taco $1.69 Ham, Egg and Cheese on Bagel $3.59 Chicken Fried Rice $3.29 Cold Menu Simon’s Ham Sub $4.09 Simon’s Turkey Sub $4.09 Grilled Chicken Salad $4.79 Tuna Salad Sandwich $3.99 Turkey and Cheese Croissant $4.45
for the purpose of ranking community and technical colleges. Such uses would obscure complex dimensions of institutional performance and student behavior.” Kevin Carey, the policy director of Education Sector, a Washington think tank, worked with the periodical on the recent ranking. He spells out the intentions behind the rankings in an article accompanying the rankings. “We believe that ranking community colleges is important,” he writes. “There is little demand for national rankings of [community colleges]. That means that students, educators, and policy makers have no comparable, consumer-friendly information when evaluating two-year schools ... The more we know about community college excellence, the better the case for investing in the best institutions and holding the rest accountable for improvement.”
photo courtesy of Washington Monthly
page 4
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The board’s busy summer
News | Sept 21, 2010 By Olivia Palmer, John Walker, Hilary Shepherd, Alejandro Alvarado
Austin Community College’s board of trustees set policy and plans to direct the operation of the college. What they do at their monthly board meetings affect students, employees and all who live within the ACC taxing district. Here are just a few of the important issues the board dealt with this summer.
ANNEXATIONS ON THE HORIZON Registered voters will head to the polls On Nov. 2 to determine the outcome of the annexation election that could allow five central Texas school districts—Bastrop ISD, Hays CISD, Elgin ISD, McDade ISD and San Marcos CISD—to become part of the ACC district. The annexation initiative, if passed, would dramatically lower the cost of tuition for students from those areas from $150 per credit hour to $42 per credit hour, and raise the tax rate for homeowners in the district to a total of $0.0951 per $100 assessed property value, according to the ACC District Tax Guide. Early voting is Oct. 18-29. The annexation process begins when a steering committee circulates a petition among the community. After North Hays County Steering Committee (NHCSC) proposed a request for annexation to ACC’s Board of Trustees in December, the group began collecting signatures from reg-
istered voters. When the required amount of signatures was reached (5% of registered voters in the territory, according to the Texas Education Code), NHCSC submitted them to an ACC election administrator for verification and review. A Service Plan was then presented to each community in order to summarize the potential programs and services accessible to them as part of the taxing district. Throughout the year, the Board has held public hearings to provide further information about the initiative. The board called for an annexation election on Friday, August 20. If enough voters support the annexation, ACC will begin amending its boundaries and changing tuition rates for residents who are now included in the district. With the exception of McDade ISD, each county will receive a new ACC campus.
J. Erasmo Castro • Staff Photographer
MONEY TALK — Board of trustee members Nan McRaven, Guadalupe Q. Sosa, John-
Michael V. Cortez and ACC President Stephen Kislow, (left to right) listen to Derek Thomas as he gives the Classified Employees presentation at the Sept. 7 meeting. At the meeting the trustees dealt with 2010 tax rate adoption, among other things.
TUITION INCREASE
University of Texas Approx. $408 Austin Community College $42
St Edwards University Approx. $93
Texas State $191
Houston-Tillotson University $315
Tuition went up for all ACC students when the board of Cost per credit hour at ACC over the last 10 trustees approved the increase at a May 3 board meeting. Both in-district and out-of state students saw a $3 raise per years semester credit hour (SCH) bringing the cost to $42 per $45 semester credit hour for in-state and $288 for out-of-state. Students who live out of district (but in state) saw tuition $40 increase by $13 to bring the cost to $150 per semester credit hour. $35 There are many factors that influenced the tuition increase; the most prominent of which being that both local $30 property tax revenue and state appropriations are expected to decrease in the upcoming years as specified in the proposal $25 submitted by Ben Ferrell, executive vice president of finance and administration and Stephen Kinslow, president/CEO of $20 ACC. With the approved tuition increase, student tuition will $15 cover 31.8% of ACC’s needed income, Ferell told the board at the May 3 meeting. $10 ACC has not issued an in-district tuition raise for the last five years even though the college has continuously offered a $5 wide variety of classes, labs, student activities and competitive, health-benefit-including salaries for all the full time $0 professors, Kinslow said in a memo to the Student GovernFall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall ment Association (SGA). 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 In Kinslow’s memo, he also mentioned that there are many resources available to help students manage the cost of higher education; Financial Aid received by students has risen from 52 to 80 million in just the last two years, and the number of students receiving such aid has jumped 7% to 40%. The government-awarded Pell Grant has increased and now tax payers can claim as much as $2,500 from the American Opportunity Credit (formerly known as the HOPE Tuition Credit) on their tax returns. ACC has also enabled students to make payment installations on their tuition. They pay a 25% down payment with follow-up payments due throughout the semester. Cost per credit hour in dollars
Local College and University Tuition per Credit Hour
LAND PURCHASES $35 million is what ACC spent to buy five properties over the summer. ACC is under contract to purchase a 96 acre section of property in Kyle. The buy, which carries with it a $9.84 million price tag, is the most recent in a series of acquisitions made by ACC which began in May. Others include a $12.4 million, 100 acre parcel in Leander, 98 acres in Elgin and 87 in Bastrop, each costing over $3 million, and a $4 million procurance near ACC’s Highland Business Center, which includes a 194,000 square foot building formerly owned by Dillard’s at Highland Mall. The purchases were based on recommendations made by ACC’s board of directors as part of the College’s 2007-2009 “Master Plan.” By laying claim now to properties in strategic areas, and in counties where annexation is still pending, the taxpayers have “more choice and a better deal,” said Bill Mullane, executive director, Austin Community College facilities and construction. The strategy is to accommodate a projected 2025 Austin population. The metro population is projected to climb to an estimated 2.7 million according to a Bizjounals.com report, and is likely to surpass San Antonio, becoming Texas’ third most populous metropolitan area. The projects are being largely funded by bonds issued based on projected tax revenues in each locale. In this way, Mullane said, each new area brought into the district has a major role in funding its future campus.
$12.4 million for 100 acres at Highway 183A and County Road 269. (May 13)
$4 million for 18.5 acres and 194,000 sq. ft. building at Highland Mall; approximately $385,000 paid to RedLeaf Properties, LLC and sub-consultant for analysis and due diligence services. (May 25)
$3.3 million for 98 acres at U.S. Highway 290 and County Line Road (May 18).
$3.19 million for 87 acres at FM 304 south of SH 71 (June 9). $9.84 million for 96 acres at Kohlers Crossing and Kyle Parkway (June 29). ©2010 Google
EMPLOYEE PAY The board of trustees at ACC recently finalized the 2011 budget and the budget does not include any kind of pay increase for ACC employees. For the first time in the last 15 years faculty and staff will not be getting a raise. Instead, employees will receive a $50 to $185 stipend to help offset rising health insurance costs. Board members and ACC President Stephen Kinslow cited the economic downturn and the 5 percent and possible 10 percent across the board cut in funding by the state as reasons for not being able to include a compensation increase. Juan Molina, a professor in the mathematics department, spoke to the board on July 5 and disagreed with this economic assessment. “We all hear gloom and doom from the board and the administration, but we keep on acquiring land; we keep on incurring debt; students are attending in record numbers; administration revenue projections paint a positive picture. So how come when it comes to compensating employees, the only thing we hear is how bad ACC’s situation is?” Molina said. “We have tried to be extremely transparent in the budget process,” Kinslow said at the meet-
Title Professor Assistant Professor Associate Professor AdministraKve Assistant Patrol Officer Building APendant Lab Technician Student Services Assistant
TAX RATE ADJUSTMENTS
ing that took place on July 5. He responded to the faculty and employees, pointing out that the college spent $35 million on land purchases but, “the cost of real-estate, the funding for real-estate, cannot be applied to compensation increases. Real-estate is purchased with bonds, and those bonds are restricted to the purchase of real-estate or the construction of facilities.” The board was able to approved a stipend for employees of up to $185 to help offset the rising cost of health insurance. Classified employees will receive $185, professional employees $100, faculty $100, and administrators will receive $50. Most board members were not happy about not being able to include a raise, but the board approved the budget, and vice chair of the board of trustees Allen Kaplan said, “I’m going to support the budget as proposed because it is in the best interest of this college this year.” For the complete list of all employee salaries go to theAccent.org
Highest Salary Lowest Salary Median Salary $122,743 $34,445 $79,920 $65,502 $20,215 $53,348 $78,908 $28,094 $62,847 $51,511 $14,325 $35,893 $51,031 $39,000 $43,547 $34,369 $13,706 $27,411 $48,762 $16,742 $38,780 $38,376 $17,947 $34,342
Number of Employees 327 65 167 171 44 23 42 33
The Austin Community College board of trustees voted to raise the property tax rate from 9.41 cents to 9.51 cents per $100 in property value at a Sept. 7 meeting. Over the summer the board made several changes concerning taxes. Austin’s historic preservation program, which has been in place for Austin since 1974, offers tax breaks for property owners for the maintenance of historical properties, resulting in a loss of approximately $250,000 dollars in potential district revenue in 2009 according to the board. Board members decided to elimination the exemption for at least one year as the district attempts to make up for the revenue drop. But even with the property tax increase in place, property owners will see a lower tax bill due to a drop in property values. The property tax exemption for both senior and disabled citizens will be raised by $10,000 dollars to a total of $115,000. Austin Community College District Board Chair, Dr. Barbara P. Mink said that despite the revenue drop due to lower property values, and the 5 percent cut in funding by the state, student services or instructional programs would not be affected. “While our property tax revenue will go down this year, we will continue meeting the needs of the community,” Mink said. “There will be no reduction in instructional programs or student services, even in this time of remarkable growth for enrollment.” According to an official ACC press release Austin Community College District still ranks as one of the lowest in the state.
ACC and Taxes Ten cent jump
The ACC property tax rate went from 9.41 cents to 9.51 cents for $100 in property value.
Increased exemption
Tax exemption for senior and disabled citizens was raised by $10,000 dollars to a total of $115,000.
ACC cheaper than average The state average community college tax rate is 15 cents higher than that of ACC.
Historic exemption removed
Removing the historic landmark tax will bring in approximately $250,000 to the college. Information provided by ACC board of trustees.
CAMPUS LIFE
R
Sept 21, 2010
ant n’ ave
Round Rock Campus Student Opinions Round Rock students were asked why they chose this campus for their classes, and what part of town they live in. “It’s very convenient. I live close so I can take all my classes and not drive all over. We were at Texas State, but I had to take some classes at Cypress. Now I can take all my classes in one place.” Kristin Yancy – Round Rock (Nursing) “I found that the staff that I’ve worked with here seem to be much more knowledgeable, it’s been seamless. My experience here has been great. There is always someone around that I can ask questions to.” Wendy Mayer – Round Rock (Nursing)
“It’s closer and more convenient. I live in Georgetown. I love it. It’s better and bigger and it’s not all in one building, that’s what I like about it. It’s actually like a college campus.” Melissa Vincent – Georgetown (Nursing)
“It’s six miles away from my apartment. It’s not as crowded, and more easily maneuverable. Parking is still a pain.” Ashlee Willis – Round Rock (Business Administration)
“I thought it may be cheaper, it ended up not being cheaper. I got stuck with out of state (tuition).” Ben Tovar – Hutto (Dental Hygiene)
www.theAccent.org
Beauty is born from garbage
Dance with trash trucks to become local documentary Diana Leite
Staff Reporter Municipal sanitation workers are rarely associated with the fine arts. During the summer of 2008, ACC Dance Professor Allison Orr started to work on a dance choreography called the Trash Project with The City of Austin Solid Waste Service Department employees which culminated in an applauded performance. “It was really important to be able to show that the employers of the Solid Waste department have a lot of skills and passions aside from just picking up the trash,” said Orr. The Solid Waste Department employees don’t just pick up the trash. They take care of the recycling, collect dead animals, and clean the city when nobody is looking. Some of them are talented musicians or potential dancers. A crowd of 2,000 people got to witness these 26 performers with the help 14 garbage trucks last September for the Trash Project live show. “I listened and asked them who had artistic talents that they wanted to feature and that could be used in the performance. Orange Jefferson is a professional blues musician and Ivory Jackson Jr. wrote a rap that was performed live at the show,” said Orr. The process of giving life to her project wasn’t just about choreographing dancers. Orr is also a professional choreographer and the artistic director of Forklift Dance Works. She had to go through The City of Austin Solid Waste Service Department to get authorization to use some of their employee’s time, trucks and gas. All other expenses were paid by a City of Austin Cultural Funding Program
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Andrew Pagan • Lead Photographer
TRASH DOCUMENTARY — Dance Professor Allison Orr sits down to watch one of her dance
classes after instructing them to dance without creativity, without any prior thought. grant and Orr herself. “Getting the department authorization was the harder thing I had to do. It took about eight or nine months for my project proposal to get through,” said Orr. The performance will become a documentary directed by University of Texas at Austin RTF professor Andrew Garrison. Garrison, who is also the founder of documentary project East Austin Stories, was introduced to Orr by her husband when she was starting her project. Garrison saw the Trash Project as a natural extension from his previous film, Third Ward TX in which a group of artists in inner city Houston rebuild a left-for-dead neighborhood. “I learned about Allison from reading about her in the paper. I was ready for a new project and I liked how she did art with people who don’t usually think of themselves as artists, and that she worked with working people,” Garrison said in e-mail. Part of Garrison’s 200 hour long footage shows Orr work-
ing side by side with the Solid Waste Department employees. She partook in the sanitation workers late night tasks, emptying public trash cans, riding on the back of a garbage truck, learning their professional secrets and getting to know them personally. “Working side by side with them is really important because, in order to gain their trust, I had to learn what they do, so they know I am for real. The objective is to show what they do, how is their work,” said Orr. Garrison is raising funds online to make a documentary out of all the footage he produced throughout the Trash Project production faze and show. He set a goal of $10,000 dollars and offered different thank you gifts for the contributors. Patrons that donate between $10 and $20 will receive a bumper stick and a thank you note from Garrison, and whoever donates $1,000 will be invited for a homemade dinner with the director himself. With 11 days to go, the Trash Dance project is $90 dol-
lars away from being made. “Crowd funding is a significant and growing way for projects to get funding. I am a reluctant convert, but now I am completely enthusiastic. It does more than raise money, it starts to build resources, a team of support.” Orr has been working with people that are not usually thought of as dancers since her graduation. For instance, she worked with the Mills College cleaning crew. Since then she choreographed Sextet, a dance performed by two women, professional dancer Karly Dillard and her and two visually impaired men with their guide dogs. In another project called In Case of Fire she worked with 13 Austin firefighters. “I love the way we see all of these people as secret artists. They step forward and out as dancers. I like that it honors the people doing the work that keeps this city from calling on its own waste. They are often invisible to us. And on this project and this movie, there are faces and names and real stories,” said Garrison.
Kinslow talks with Round Rock students
All interviews and photos by Elizabeth Brown
Calendar of Events Constitution Debate Day Celebration Sept. 22, 5:30 p.m. Palmer Events Center The Center for Public Policy and Political Studies (CPPPS) in conjunction with the City of Austin will host a discussion and debate night centered on the Constitution. Students will work with experts as they try to solve constitutional issues. Refreshments will be served. ACC-UT Advising Marketplace Sept. 24, 11 a.m. Eastview Campus Representatives from the University of Texas at Austin will teach about the transfer process and answer questions. Literature and other resources will be provided. Utility Lineworker Information Session Sept. 25, 9 a.m. Riverside Campus, Bldg. S, Room 103 Anyone interested in the utility lineworker degrees offered at ACC are invited to this event. Professionals from the field will be there to answer students’ questions. There will also be an opportunity to take a pole climbing test. Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Community Forum Sept. 27, 5 p.m. South Austin Campus Imagine Austin invites students to help plan the future of Austin. The event will have an open house format, so that people can come and go as they wish. Visitors can look at four different models of how Austin might look in the next 30 years. TACRAO Recruitment Fair Day One Sept. 28, 1 p.m. Cypress Creek Campus, Commons ACC students have the opportunity to meet recruiters from over 40 colleges and universities. They will be available to answer students’ questions and talk about scholarship opportunities. TACRAO Recruitment Fair Day Two Sept. 29, 1 p.m. Riverside Campus, Bldg. G
Diana Leite • Staff Photographer
ASK KINSLOW — ACC student Brianne Perry asks ACC president, Dr. Stephen Kinslow, about future district annexations. All ACC
students and staff were invited to ask questions to the soon to be retired president during the Yak n’ Sak event.
Students, faculty get a chance to ask Kinslow questions about bus routes, covered walkways, parking, and microwaves Michael Needham Campus Editor
One student comment among many to ACC president Stephen Kinslow had a immediate impact on the Round Rock Campus. About a dozen students, faculty, and staff gathered at RRC food service area for an event called Yak ‘N Sak on Sept 14. Anyone there could ask Stephen Kinslow, president/CEO of ACC, whatever they wanted. One student used this opportunity to ask why there wasn’t a microwave in the student lounge. “You don’t have them anywhere in this area?” said Kinslow. “Let’s have them in here in the lounge. We can afford a few microwaves.” Round Rock Campus Manager Judy VanCleve worked quickly to resolve the problem. “We’ll have a microwave out here this afternoon,” VanCleve said. “I knew we needed to do it, but it became at the top of
the list when the student asked for it.” Within an hour there was a microwave in the lounge. This was just one example of how important it is to have students at these meetings, said VanCleve. If enough students don’t show up, VanCleve will go out and try to find some. She explained why they need to be there. “This is where you find out what the students and faculty are thinking,” said VanCleve. “These are some of the best meetings we have.” Microwaves weren’t the only thing on the audience created agenda. One person asked if a bus line would be going to the campus soon. Kinslow said that it might occur in the future, but it’s not going to happen any time soon. “It’s my understanding that the city of Rock Rock is in conversation with Capital Metro, so maybe in the future,” said Kinslow.
A faculty member asked if the college had any plans to become a four year school. Kinslow replied by explaining his vision of the future of the college. “We don’t want to grow up and become a four year university,” Kinslow said. “While there are stereotypes that community colleges aren’t real colleges, well, we are. We offer a pretty good education. We want to continue to do more as a two year school.” One student asked if there are any plans to put covers over the sidewalks for when it rains. Kinslow said that they will not be doing this, but he did have a plan to help students with the problem. “Maybe we’ll urge students to bring umbrellas or wear plastic bags,” Kinslow said. After a student mentioned the distance between parking and the buildings, Kinslow explained the rationale. “This campus was designed to have parking a little further away to encourage walking;
also, so you wouldn’t always see a sea of cars,” Kinslow said. Some of the attendees were interested if there were any plans to expand the Round Rock Campus. Kinslow said that they did have plans on how to accommodate more students. “We’ve been invited by Texas State, that aren’t even close to being at capacity, to continue using some of their rooms,” Kinslow said. Kinslow has been doing Yak-n-Sak for five years. He said that this one went great and explained why. “It’s a way to connect with the faculty and students,” Kinslow said. “That’s the whole point: to be open to anything said, whether it be positive or not.” Students who wish to attend a Yak ‘N Sak will have two more chances this semester. On Oct 14, at 9 a.m., Kinslow will be at Eastview Campus in room 8111; and on Nov. 9, at noon, at Northridge Campus in room 3140.
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www.theAccent.org
Sept 21, 2010
What I’ve Learned: Henry King Austin Nicholas Staff Writer
Henry King, age 30, began his taking classes at Austin Community College in the fall of 1998. He studied in the Automotive department at the Riverside campus, and in the midst of going to school he started a small automotive repair business that he has steadily cultivated. King graduated in May of 2003 with a degree in Applied Science Automotive Technology and he continues to remain the sole proprietor of his company, Hulk Automotive, and is an assistant professor of the same degree that he pursued at ACC Riverside campus. I began schooling at ACC as a music major, but when I realized that I was interested in Automotive (mechanics), I just began with one class and went from there. [Instructor Chuck Estrada] made students get involved in the projects when they usually wouldn’t have wanted to. He had this ability to make a boring subject interesting and gave students the ammunition to think outside of the box. It’s been a while since I’ve been there, but when I was there it was about the community aspect. Everyone around me wanted to learn and progress their own life goals, whether it be to learn something about a topic or become a professional in a certain field. After our lab was out, the guys in my group would brainstorm on ideas to get the tough problems knocked out. We would talk about questions and further each other along. I made a lot of friends that I continue to keep contact with to this day. The amazing thing about teaching at ACC is that the relationship between the teacher and the student is very one-on-one. You can pin the instructor down and ask them the tough questions and they didn’t hesitate to answer them or at least try to the best of their abilities. The principle of, ‘this is the science, now go and apply it,’ that I learned at ACC is how I run my business and how I live my life. There is always room for improvement, but going from an environment where you’re doing work on the side and don’t have any tools to a place like ACC where I could
Karissa Rodriguez • Photo/Web Editor
AUTO KING — Automotive Technology Assistant Professor, Henry King, stands in front of a tool display in the automotive garage at Riverside Campus. King commutes four ties a week directly from his company Hulk Automotive in Round Rock to teach at Riverside Campus. analyze things scientifically in an environment that had the proper tools was integral to my success.
I had a class ending at Northridge campus at 4:30, and another started at Pinnacle at 5:00. That was a bad semester.
My most memorable experience was me fighting with the fundamental concept of “voltage drop.” This concept was the last thing I really had to battle before I could get my associate degree and it was really confusing me. I continued for four weeks to ask my professor the same question in an attempt to understand, and when he finally explained it in a way that made sense, it was like everything clicked and everything from then on was easy. It was an epiphany and a beautiful thing.
Students in general should dabble around, because you’ll never know what you truly have a knack for if you don’t. ACC doesn’t restrict you from doing that, and the more that we progress as a society, the higher the standard of living will be. If you have a problem with communication, take a speech class. There is nothing wrong with taking classes to better yourself as a human.
LIFE & ARTS Sept 21, 2010
www.theAccent.org
A guide to Fantastic Fest
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Fantastic Fest is celebrating six years of giving the cinephiles films that aren’t normally in the biggest box office hit list. That is if they ever make it to the big screen. These are the films that usually come second to whatever is the latest Jerry Bruckheimer or James Cameron film. Before Accent endures a week full of sitting in uncomfortable movie chairs, eye strains from the bright lights and sore thumbs from playing video games, Accent Life & Arts Editor Sarah Vasquez sorted through the list of the selected films while staff writer Jason Witmer listed the video games from the debuting Fantastic Arcade that caught their attention.
Movies Buried - Ryan Reynolds puts on a one-man show in this thriller about a man, Paul Conroy, waking up in a buried coffin. Now Conroy has to find a way out before it’s too late with just the help of his cell phone and a lighter. Playing Columbine - A free video game based on the Columbine High School shootings appeared on the internet five years later. Gamers could play as the actual shooters which sent created an uproar. Was this insensitive towards the victims and families who were effected by this tragedy? Was it just a video game? This documentary takes a look at both sides of the debate.
Buried Let Me In - Why do American film studios feel this need to remake acclaimed foreign films that require reading subtitles? Let Me In is the English adaptation of Swedish Let the Right One In about a 12-year-old boy that befriends his new neighbor who also happens to be a vampire. Nerdcore Rising - MC Frontalot brings nerdiness to hip hop, creating a new genre called Nerdcore. This documentary shows MC Frontalot on his first national tour with his band. Hip Hop is not just about bling-bling anymore. Hatchet 2 - A squeal to the award-winning 2006 comedic slasher film, Marybeth, the only survivor from the first film, heads back to Louisiana for one important thing: revenge. Hatchet won “Best Picture” at Fantastic Fest in 2006. Let Me In The Intergalactic Nemesis - Creator Jason Neulander gives new meaning to the comic book experience by bringing 1,250 hand-drawn comics to the theatre with the help of three actors, a Foley artist and a keyboardist. It’s one of those shows you have to see for yourself. Summer Wars - Imagine Facebook getting attacked by a virus that could take the whole site down. What would we do without the ability to tag ourselves in those party photos or give the thumbs up to your friend’s post about what they had for breakfast? This anime brings beautiful animation to answer these questions. Undocumented - Wanting to record the process of helping undocumented Mexicans across the border, these filmmakers are in for a surprise when the truck is pulled over. Like they always say, “No good deed goes unpunished.” The Intergalactic Nemesis
GAMES FEIST – Exploration is the key to this completely physics driven game. The world is infested with capricious creatures, and you must help a small furry creature through the forest. This game is very cause and effect driven; everything you do will affect how you overcome each obstacle. As the developers Faller and Stutz put it, “FEIST is more like a narrative toy than a game.” McDonald’s The Videogame – No, this is not a remake of that M.C. Kids game on the original Nintendo. This is more like a business game, in the same vein as “Rollercoaster Tycoon”, which delves deep into the money and profit aspect of this fast food giant. It spans from slaughtering the cows to make beef, to managing your employees at your restaurant.
Feist
Tiny and Big: Up That Mountain – Developed by black pants studio, you play as Tiny, a small technophile dude with some handy gadgets. Your enemy Big has stolen the only memento from your grandfather’s legacy: a pair of white underpants. You have to climb that mountain in any way possible to get them back and will be accompanied by a wisecracking backpack.
The Path – This short horror game is based upon old Little Red Riding Hood tales, but is set in the modern day. As Little Red Riding Hood is covered in her favorite goth makeup and clothing, The Path offers a dark themed world to explore. Think Tim Burton doing Little Red Riding Hood, or the video game “Mad Alice”, two great ways to describe this horrific awesomeness. Tiny and Big: Up That Mountain Enviro-Bear 2000 – “Sweetie, do you see that car in front of us? The Nissan. Is that a bear? Is that a BEAR DRIVING A CAR?! OH GOD IT’S A BEAR DRIVING A CA…” This game is amazing. There’s a bear driving a car on one mission: hibernation. Enough said. Trine – Created by developer Frozenbyte, The physics-based action game is available for three players where everyone must think of clever and unique solutions to the challenges that surround them. Every player uses a different character with different abilities, and manipulates a full interactive world to achieve their goal. Overcome the obstacles and save the Kingdom!
Enviro-Bear 2000
NIDHOGG – While the graphics on this game look like it was made for a 1984 IBM computer, it is definitely competition at its finest. NIDHOGG is a two-player territorial dueling game where both players must fence to save their lives. Kills only take one hit and you have infinite lives as your opponent tries to move the screen toward your end of the court.
Este Vato more than just dudes Winston Rivas Staff Writer
“Este vato” translates to “this dude”. Just looking at the six-piece Spanish fusion band, you would think that they are just some regular dudes. They are unassuming and very approachable. But on stage, Este Vato is a fiery blend of rock, hip-hop, cumbia and reggae. With their infectious live shows, Este Vato has quickly become one of the most well-known Latin bands in Austin. Formed in 2008,
Este Vato is part of the everevolving Latin music scene. The group stands out with it’s ability to play a wide range of sounds from the classic cumbia dance song to the more rock-heavy anthems. This versatility of their sound stems from each band member’s unique musical background ranging from the heavy metal to traditional tejano. “If you mix everyone’s idea of Latin music and influences and styles and mix it all together, the final product is Este Vato music,” said bassist Rocky Reyna.
Este Vato enjoyed their first break in early 2009, performing in Myspace Latino Remezcla.com En Tu Cuidad tour which has the band opening for punk rock stars Girl in Coma. “That show helped us get a lot of exposure. It was definitely easier for us to get shows with local Latin bands,” said Reyna. Since that show, the band has continued to have success receiving attention from local Latino media such as GoHispano.com and Austin Vida.
photo courtesy of Este Vato
The guys now find themselves headlining or co-headlining their own show at various Latino music venues, but unlike most bilingual bands, Este Vato has also found itself often playing in many of the Red River venues including Beauty Bar, and Beerland, among others, but the reception has remained the same. “We been lucky enough to have a good reception for our shows, and I think the fact that we have all these genres, we have this different sound that allows to play with rock bands and allows us to play hip-hop bands,” said Reyna. “It’s not necessarily something they can understand because not everyone speaks Spanish, but it’s something they can feel.” Este Vato is currently promoting their debut self–titled album released in February 2010, which has helped bring even more buzz around this relatively young band. But even with this first album, the band is already looking forward to the future. “Within the next couple of years, we want to drop a full length [album] that’s professionally engineered and sounds ok, and one we’ll shop around to record labels and hopefully get a deal,” said Reyna. So for anyone looking for an all-out cumbia dance party or some rock en español or everything in between, Este Vatos have you covered.
Feel the beat Music tweet The Walkmen - Lisbon New York’s reverby rock band The Walkmen return with an even more subdued, stripped down sound on their 6th studio album Lisbon. Of Montreal - False Priest Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes explores the sexual exploits of his alter-ego Georgie Fruit, on their funky, freaky new album False Priest. Chromeo - Business Casual Electrofunk duo Chromeo return with more brilliantly cheesy love songs on their third album Business Casual. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Jacinta - Always Besides Me Jacinta’s new album Always Besides Me brings beats that will keep you dancing on a music trance or make you reach for a bottle of Advil. The Murdocks - Distortionist The Murdocks aggressive guitar riffs make your feet move, but the singer’s screams will make you delete the album Distortionist from iTunes. Sonoio - Sonoio This album might be a bad electro album or the soundtrack to encounters of the fourth kind. For safety measure, just press stop. Like Clockwork - Here Are Some Things Like Clockwork brings cute indie lyrics, acoustic guitar melodies and a promise in their full-length record, Here Are Some Things.
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www.theAccent.org
Sept 21, 2010
Gay film festival intrigues, inspires Jason Haydon Staff Writer
The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, more commonly known as AGLIFF, presented its 23rd festival this year. It started in 1987 with four films and has grown to six days with over 150 films. The selection continues to grow and be more diverse every year. According to program director Jake Gonzales, this year’s festival includes 68 films for the ladies and 65 for the men, “It’s about time we got some gender equality around here.” Held at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, the lines were long, and a few times nonbadge holders were turned away for lack of seating, but overall, it seemed like people were happy to be there, no matter how long the wait was.“I’ve come every year, for the past five years,” said festival attendee John Hartford. Despite the pouring rain on Tuesday night, people turned out to see the opening night film, Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, with the accompanying short, Ajumma! Are You Krazy??? Fun, witty and unusual, this film was a great way to kick things off for the festival. The Topp Twins are twin Lesbian sisters from Australia who have their own prime time TV show, spread a political message and yodel their way to your heart. Thursday night featured the avant garde short After coupled with the thought provoking, if not controversial The Adults in the Room. After, based on the poem “After School, Street Football, Eighth Grade” by Dennis Cooper, follows three teens as they daydream about their favorite football playing classmate. You see some rather interesting images, including some almost graphic medical fantasy scenes. Then you follow each of the boys as they watch their fantasy figure is struck by a car and the horror they feel
because of it. Andy Blubaugh struggles in The Adults in the Room with an affair he had as a teenager with an adult. He has grown up to be a film teacher himself and struggles with making a film documenting his first relationship with Peter. In the movie, a real-life parallel unveils itself when a local politician admits that he has been having an affair with his younger male intern. The film combines documentary with first-person storytelling. No matter what your feelings are on what transpired between Andy and Peter, this film will leave you thinking. Gen Silent on Friday follows older members of the LGBT community and talks about the struggles they faced in the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s. The film then explores the problems and discrimination they encounter when they reach retirement age. Because of fear due to their past experiences, they didn’t seek the medical help they needed and would have received with elder care provided in nursing homes and assisted living centers. I never would have imagined people working in nursing homes trying to convert elderly people to make them see the light so to speak, as they are on their deathbeds. Gen Silent touched deeply emotional issues and brought one audience member, who didn’t wanted to be named, to tears. He stated that he was terrified by the idea that if he ever ended up in a nursing home, he would receive the same treatment the movie characters did. For many, the fear of retirement, old age and the health issues that accompany seniority are not far off. The movie is definitely worth watching, but keep a Kleenex box nearby. The centerpiece film of the festival was Howl. The movie, directed by Rob Epstein, is based on a poem by Allen Ginsberg and the legal issues surrounding it. Considered obscene at the time, Ginsberg’s poem became an integral part of the beat movement of the sixties.
Adrienne Sparks • Staff Photographer
WELCOME — Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival staff greets festival goers with free goodies as they enter the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. With Ginsberg played by James Franco, the film reenacts the poem’s first reading in San Francisco, 1957. Line-by-line, the film examines the poem and brings the words to life through images and animation. Franco gives a great turn as Ginsberg, and it is a treat to see a portrayal of Howl being performed for the first time. This film release is scheduled for September 24 and is worth the watch. Sunday morning brought the Queer Youth Media Project and My Queer Movie Competition. In conjunction with Out Youth, a local organization for
GLBT youth, the students spent the summer learning the whole movie making process and produced their new public service announcement. The accompanying films included robots, metrosexuals, a history about gay culture, a love triangle and the sinfulness of being left-handed. They are hard to describe but all are strong first efforts in their own ways. You can feel the heart and emotion put into each one of them, and more information on them can be found on the AGLIFF website, for those who would like to learn more about this project.
Faith of the Abomination was interesting to watch, and depending on your religious views, might be rather funny as well. Ceil and Hahn are a highly religious lesbian couple. Ceil is a minister who believes strongly in the evangelical faith she grew up in. They leave the comfort of their regular church, Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), and spend a year in an evangelical church, only to be asked to repent for their sins so they can be accepted. Feeling that this is wrong, they decide to do a social experiment and transform themselves into Viet-
PHOTO CUTLINE —
namese missionaries. They visit an Austin Evangelical church where they are accepted with open arms as a straight couple. When they reveal themselves as lesbians, they are asked to repent. It’s fun to watch in some ways and disturbing in others, but the final reveal is fraught with tension. AGLIFF was a great festival that offered something for everyone, GLBT or not. It is definitely worth the long lines. If you plan on attending next year’s festival, go early to guarantee your seat. Each film is carefully selected, and is sure to be worth the long lines.
Sept 21, 2010
www.theAccent.org
Austin’s live band karaoke scene offers rocking alternative to old classics, discovers new talents Diana Leite
Staff Reporter Remember the old karaoke machines with a bad selection of music and those landscape images scrolling on the background of the lyrics? Forget that. You are in Austin, and in Austin, music is always great. Austin’s karaoke scene is still a fetus if compared with the amount of local bands playing gigs around town. But only in a karaoke gig can a nobody win the crowd with an amazing performance or kill everybody in the room with a banshee scream. Karaoke has been a weird pastime since its birth day, no wonder it was born in Japan. But in a town where weird mean awesome and mainstream means boring, it might become a fever-turning epidemic. The local hip, modern and rebellious air cached on what can be considered one of the lamest types of entertainment and has made karaoke into a show to be seen. Karaoke Underground brings punk and indie rock to the amateurs, getting rid of the 15 minutes radio hits that usually populate old karaoke machines. For the fans that always complain about the bad music selection, Karaoke Underground, founded by Hannah Ford and Kaleb Asplund, was born with the purpose of erasing karaoke’s set list’s dark past. Ford and Asplund brought their karaoke addiction from the source, Japan, but the bad selection of music helped
them decide to open their own Austin style of karaoke. “Singing karaoke is fun in and of itself, but when you can sing songs that you love at the top of your lungs to a room of people that love them too, it’s a whole other level of awesome.” said Ford. With a list made of old and new, rock and indie anthems, from the mellow sound of Belle & Sebastian to dynamic essence of Iggy Pop, passing by the more accustomed karaoke favorites New Order and The Ramones, Ford’s and Asplund’s business honor the name “underground.” “Kaleb produces the videos these days and he works mostly by request. The songs mostly fall into the punk or indie genres and none made the Top 40 on commercial radio in the U.S. We have 525 songs on our list, and it’s growing all the time,” said Ford. Karaoke Apocalypse is not just any karaoke especially because there are no karaoke machines. Replacing the bad recording is a rock band with only one spot vacant: the microphone. The live band, The Dead Motley Sex Maidens, make up Karaoke Apocalypse and is constituted by guitarists Chepo Peña and Mario Alvarez, bassist Chris Nine, drummer Adam Tyner with hostess Mel Joulwan and the singer which can be any person in any stage of attunement or drunkenness. “We’re really lucky and get amazing singers. I guess because everyone here is a musician.
Life & Arts Editor They perform in England and Japan. They shared the stage with Bob Dylan, The Killers and N.E.R.D. at various music festivals such as Austin City Limits (ACL) and New American Music Union. This is an impressive track record for Austin band, The Steps. What makes it more impressive is that the garage rock band members, three of which attend Austin Community College, are currently 20-22 years old. “It helps having a management,” said drummer Alexander “Z” Lynch. “We met in high school and played. We met Kevin (Wommack) who wanted to manage us. Then we started to get more serious about things. We got ACL 2007 and then in 2008.” The Steps formed when drummer Lynch and lead guitarist Sam Thompson were 15 year old high school students. Lynch met vocalist Will Thompson, who is also Sam Thompson’s cousin, through his band members at the time. “I met Will and Sam through (another) band and eventually I stopped playing with that band,” said Lynch. Bassist Stephen Ross was added to the roster after he met Will Thompson through their respective girlfriends. Sam Thompson remembers that Ross was 16 years old when he joined
because he had his driver’s license. “I remember he drove,” said Sam Thompson. “He drove to the practice and we were ‘oh, he can drive. That’s cool.’” While The Steps were in search of a bassist, Will Thompson decided to ask Ross if he was interested in joining the band. But there was one problem. Ross didn’t know how to play bass. Ross showed up to the practice anyway after being invited to jam with the band and see how he fit. However, with no experience in playing the bass, Ross decided to improvise. “I made it up,” said Ross. “I’m still making it up.” While their classmates were worrying about prom and finals, The Steps were going to Europe and getting their names printed in something other than the high school newspaper. “It was a popular thing to talk about it for a little while, but I feel like I didn’t get more popular because of it,” said Sam Thompson. Now five years later, The Steps is currently competing with nine other bands in the Mead Five Star Music Insider program. They were handpicked for the competition and now have a chance to win the prize of $25,000. However, in order to win, they have to gain the most votes from the Five Star Music Insider website. Voters also get a chance to win $25,000. Voters can also purchase
Fortnight Forecast Smashing Pumpkins w/ Bad City Sept. 20, 6:00 p.m. Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Check out Billy Corgan’s lovely bald head while listening to tunes from their latest angsty album, Teargarden by Kaleidoscope. Pixies Sept. 21 and 22, 8:00 p.m. Austin Music Hall They have been rocking since before most Austin hipsters where born. Here are two chances to see them live before they break up again.
Adrienne Sparks • Staff Photographer
LIVE KARAOKE — A local Austinite (center) sings with a live band and competes for the chance to win $5,000 and a day in a recording studio during Speakeasy's Live Band Karaoke Contest.
If they can’t sing, they at least have energy and put on a great show. But we have had some singers that have absolutely no idea what they’re doing, which is really hard to deal with. But that’s part of the gig”, said Tyner. The band, that regularly plays at The Nomad and The Highball once a month, attracted a crowd of the brave singers and karaoke music enthusiastic at Thunderbird Coffee on September 5th in support of Peña’s Star Wars meets La Loteria art project “Space Loteria.” The crowd was so excited and the singers were so good that if it wasn’t for the pedal activated screen
with the lyrics in front of the microphone, a misinformed passerby might have mistaken the karaoke for one of the many new local bands. But Karaoke Apocalypse is not looking for a permanent singer. “Obviously we are not in it to ‘make it big’ since we play covers. We just want to have a blast playing songs we love.” said Tyner. Speakeasy Superstar brings the live band concept to a whole other level. The band, constituted by Gred Williams on the sax and guitar, Glenn Rexach on the guitar, Dave Scher on the bass and keys and Cecilio Ruiz on the drums, don’t play just
for anyone. Speakeasy’s karaoke band is the stage of a talent competition and every Wednesday the amateur get a step closer towards the grand prize of $5,000, a booking contract with BBA/Management & Booking, and an original single produced and recorded by a local recording studio. But there is a catch. There will be preliminaries to quality for quarter finals, semi finals and finals. “(The point of a live karaoke is) to give singers the opportunity to work with Austin’s finest musicians and front the band of their dreams, using a common list of karaoke tunes as the vehicle.” said Williams.
College Sound: ACC student band The Steps sits down with the Accent
Sarah Vasquez
Life & Arts | page 9
Action Pack’s Napoleon Dynamite Quote-Along Sept. 23, 7:45 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse Ritz There is just one thing more “stupid” than Napoleon Dynamite: people that can quote him. Have fun with the “Gah. Idiot!” team. Movies my Girlfriend needs to see: Star Wars Sept. 24, 8:30 p.m. Starving Art Studios Mini Drive-In The force is strong with the girlfriends that think light sabers fight and family drama Darth Vader style on a drive-in screen is romantic. Ballet Austin’s Production of Carmina Burana and Kai Sept. 24 and 25, 8:00 p.m., Sept. 26, 3:00 p.m. The Long Center for the Performing Arts Two ballet productions for the price of one. Carmina Burana is poetry in motion based on repression and liberation. The University of Texas Wind Ensemble with Joseph Alessi and the Jim Cullum Jazz Band Sept. 26, 7:00 p.m. Bass Concert Hall You saw the UT-Austin marching band at the games. Come and see the wind ensemble as the stars of their own show. Ratatat Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m. Stubb’s Bar-B-Q NY’s electro power duo comes to Austin to shake some bodies from the new album LP4’s dancing hits. The Action Pack Presents: The Glee-Along Sept. 29th, 7:00 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek For the gleeks that dream of the Promise Land where knowing the lyrics from Glee is socially acceptable. Come forth and rejoice. Daniel Tosh Oct. 1, 8:00 p.m. Bass Concert Hall Comedy Central’s Tosh.0 star visits with the hope that there will be comic YouTube videos and sardonic comments in a live setting.
Photo courtesy of Playing in Traffic Records
selected Five Star products that include codes for free content such as mp3s and video blogs from the bands. The competition has brought The Steps more attention on a national level.
“People are looking at it and at least looking at the bands on the website,” said Sam Thompson. “We got good odds. Somebody is going to look at us and like us hopefully.”
College Sound is a recurring feature. If you’re an ACC student and a musician, please contact Sarah Vasquez, Life & Arts Editor at editor2@austincc.edu.
Free Anime at Alamo Drafthouse Every Tuesday, 10:00 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse Lake Creek Nighttime entertainment for the diehard Anime fans. And it’s free.
page 10 | Life & Arts
www.theAccent.org
Sept 21, 2010
Having fun in Austin for under $5
Adrienne Sparks Staff Writer
As most people know, Austin is an eccentric town that offers a plethora of activities, ranging from live music, dancing, movies, to hiking and more. For those on a budget looking for a way to change things up, here are some examples of activities to do in Austin for under $5.
Alamo Drafthouse’s Terror Tuesdays and Weird Wednesdays Every Tuesday and Wednesday nights, you can catch all of your favorite campy, old movies for just $1. If you’re into scary flicks, check out Terror Tuesday at the downtown location, Alamo Drafthouse Ritz. If you’d rather see something a bit more obscure, head over to the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz for Weird Wednesday. http://www.originalalamo.com/ Ruta Maya Coffee House’s Free Sunday Morning Kid’s Shows - For those with children, Ruta Maya Coffee House on S. Congress offers free children’s entertainment every Sunday. For those that don’t have children, Ruta Maya also hosts a variety of community classes that come free with the purchase of a cup of coffee. These classes include Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and yoga. http://www.rutamaya.net Austin Famer’s Market - With three locations in Austin, the Austin Farmer’s Market is a great way to get out of the house on a Saturday morning (or a Wednesday evening) and check out seasonal produce grown by local Austin farmers. The market also includes a variety of food vendors, bakers, beauty products and free live music. http://www.sfcfarmersmarket.org/ Blanton Museum’s Free Thursday Admission - If you are looking to add a little more culture into your life, the Blanton Museum, located near the University of Texas at Austin campus, offers free admission every Thursday. Every third Thursday of the month, the museum extends its viewing hours to 9 at night. http://www.blantonmuseum.org/
Waterloo Records Free Instore Music Events - Every month, Waterloo Records offers free music events and CD signings. In addition, if free music isn’t enough for you, most events offer refreshments courtesy of Shiner beer. http://www.waterloorecords.com/cdstoreevents.html
Bright Leaf Hiking Tours - If you are the outdoorsy type, the Friends of Bright Leaf offer free guided hiking tours of the Bright Leaf Preserve every second Saturday and Sunday of the month. Located in Northwest Austin, just north of Camp Mabry, the preserve spans over 200 acres. http://www.brightleaf.org/
Austin City Limits Studio Tours - Every Friday, beginning at 10:30 a.m., the Austin City Limits Studio opens its doors to the pubic for free studio tours. Bring your camera, see where the magic happens and take a photo with the famous Austin skyline mural in the background. http://video.pbs.org/program/1273976454/
All photos by Adrienne Sparks •Staff Photographer