The Advocate, Issue 25, April 21, 2011

VOLUME 46, ISSUE 25

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APRIL 22, 2011

FEATURES

The Advocate

page 6

With a strike looming, why is there no talking?

Budget proposal includes tuition increase and parking fee

By Jen Ashenberner

Inside the video game development degree

Editorial

MHCC President John Sygielski, to a serenade Wednesday night of stomping feet and chanting faculty members outside the board room, presented a proposal for a balanced budget to deal with a projected $5.8 million shortfall.

The shortfall for the next fiscal year was attributed by Sygielski to projected state funding cuts. This is an increase from earlier reports by the board of a $5.5 million shortfall.

The proposed 2011-2012 general fund budget is $66 million, an increase of about a million dollars from the current year’s general fund budget.

Sygielski, in his proposal to the MHCC board acting as the district budget committee, said, “The state expects community colleges to balance their budgets by increasing tuition, so we propose to increase our tuition by $6 per credit hour.”

The proposed increase in tuition and a parking fee of $25 per term were presented as revenue generating items. Sygielski said these increases, plus a $5 increase in the college service fee and $10 for the distance learning fees and increasing rental rates

by 20 percent, was estimated to generate $450,000 of new revenue with a “onetime only implementation cost of about $250,000.”

Another item in the proposal was cost reduction in the area of instruction, which includes honoring the layoff notices delivered to full-time faculty and reducing the number of full-time faculty to 153 to save the college approximately $1.4 million and eliminating two dean positions estimated to save the college $280,000.

District board member Ralph Yates addressed the audience, pointing out that over the 12 years he has sat on the board the college has lost 12 years worth of interest, “which any mathematician in the audience can calculate is 30 percent roughly.”

“This is what we have and what we have to work with,” he said.

Yates asked, “How much would (tuition) have to go up in order to accommodate the current demands?” Sygielski responded that it could be $6-$8 per credit hour.

Board member Dave Shields asked Sygielski what the one-time implementation cost of $250,000 was for regarding

See Contract on page 8

Board will not impose contract; no date for strike

Earthquake Awareness Month hits MHCC page 7

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By Jordan Tichenor The Advocate

The MHCC District board has decided to not arbitrarily impose its last offer this quarter in the full-time faculty contract negotiations, board chairperson Brian Freeman said Wednesday night.

On the faculty side, rumblings of starting the 10-day countdown to a strike have continued this week among faculty association members, according to Sara Williams, the full-time faculty chief negotiator and faculty association president.

“There have been discussions (of a strike), but a date has not been set,” said Williams.

Freeman said, “We don’t think it will be helpful to impose a contract. The board is trying to be cooperative to avoid a strike.

We are taking a break for spring term but we will continue to meet to negotiate. The faculty can still choose to start the clock.”

Williams had no response Thursday to the board’s decision not to impose its latest offer.

No talks were held or meetings set by either side this week. The last meeting between the parties was a mediated bargaining session April 13.

Williams said the association has not had any contact with the administration

4

since the last mediated session.

Asked why the faculty association has not reached out to the administration, Williams said the association has been focusing its energy on a number of other things, such as an informational picket Wednesday and the “Subs for Sandwiches,” event Tuesday.

Williams said, “If the board could show movement on non-economic issues, in the areas of subcontracting and faculty rights, that would really help us move forward.”

Freeman said Wednesday the board does not typically ask for language changes in the contract, and is opposed to faculty right stipulations which would allow a faculty member with seniority to teach a course or bump someone else out of teaching a course.

Williams said, “That’s inaccurate,” in response to the statement that the board does not ask for language changes. “In Article 1, they wanted to remove the word part-time from our contract. There were language changes necessary to accomplish that.”

Negotiations began more than a year ago and faculty have been working on last year’s expired contract since September. Key disputed economic issues include compensation for extra teach and summer teach and benefits for retired faculty.

Thrower has habit of breaking records

11

Making light of Moliere

2 OPINION Editors-in-Chief

Jen ashenberner & Jordan tichenor

Sports Editor Jon Fuccillo

Living Arts Editor David Gambill

Assistant Living Arts Editor Anevay Torrez

Photo Editor

Devin Courtright

Advertising Manager David Guida

Assistant News Editor John Tkebuchava

Reporters Jill-Marie Gavin Chanel Hill Riley Hinds Laura Knudson Yuca Kosugi Mike Mata Kylie Rogers Mario Rubio Shelby Schwartz

Adviser

Bob Watkins

Assistant Adviser Dan Ernst

E-mail advocatt@mhcc.edu 503-491-7250 (Main) 503-491-7413 (Office) 503-591-6064 (Fax) www.advocate-online.net

Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030

Submissions The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication.

All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission.

Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600.

The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board.

The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length.

Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc. edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print.

Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

THE ADVOCATE

APRIL 22, 2011

Editorial If they aren't talking, then they are wasting time

The Advocate hates to sound like a broken record, but here we go.

You see, we’ve been running editorials since November that “the administration and the faculty have to actually talk to be able to end this stalemate.” Clearly our cries have fallen on deaf ears.

However, contract negotiations between the administration and the full-time faculty association have stretched out for more than a year.

Faculty members have been working without a contract for eight months.

Advertisements and information from both sides have students concerned and talking about leaving MHCC for a campus that is not under the threat of a strike.

What The Advocate has a hard time understanding is why, at this point, would even a week be wasted without the two sides talking to each other? At any time the clock could start and we could be 10 days away from a strike. That would at least be action, and probably cause the sides to talk. A lot. But as it is, the board says it’s unwilling to impose its last offer, the faculty are dragging their feet about declaring a strike — and no one is winning.

And what about that? Why wouldn’t the board just impose its offer? Why wouldn’t the faculty association just start that ticking strike clock?

Clearly, the decision to go on strike is not one taken lightly, and the board claims it’s trying to avoid provoking such a response. But an argument could be raised that it’s completely the opposite.

Think about this: If the board doesn’t impose its offer and “takes a break for spring,” how will

it benefit faculty to strike for summer term? By deciding not to impose its offer, they are washing their hands of the negotiation crisis and putting whatever happens from here on out entirely on the backs of the faculty. If the faculty strikes at this point, without the board implementing its position, the community is a lot less likely to support the teachers. The board says they plan to continue to negotiate during this “break,” but if that is true, why aren’t any meetings scheduled?

In lieu of all of this drama, we, the students, are now facing at least a $6 per credit hour increase in tuition, a $25 parking fee and other increases to help balance a budget regardless of what is settled on in the full-time faculty contract.

Pardon our disbelief . . . but what the hell? We thought all of the bickering with the full-time faculty association was to avoid a tuition hike.

We have quoted board members and published advertisements paid for by the college stating students would be faced with a $15 per credit hour increase if the faculty does not come toward the administration.

Now they’re saying it makes no difference.

The Advocate believes the board needs to start directly answering questions that students and taxpayers raise about how their money is really being used, rather than skirting the issues and drowning the facts in a sea of numbers that no one can seem to decipher.

In addition, we believe that talks, whether mediated or otherwise, need to resume immediately. With the threat of a strike looming over the college, the only time wasted is time spent not talking. Just choosing to not impose a contract doesn’t lessen the threat.

Letter to the Editor:

The proper protocols of guide dog etiquette Submitted by MHCC student Terry Blosser There have been several incidents which have occurred while walking with my guide dog Bryson, which makes me feel that perhaps a note is warranted regarding the proper protocol or etiquettes when dealing with a guide dog team (the guide dog and the handler).

Please understand I am grateful to the kindness and compassion the students and faculty at MHCC have given to me and my guide dog. I honestly feel that some of the incidents that have occurred are merely attributable to just not knowing how to properly handle a particular situation involving a guide dog.

The following is a list of etiquettes regarding guide dogs which I was able to locate on the Guide Dog for the Blind website (www.guidedogs.com): •

•

•

As tempting as it may be to pet a guide dog, remember this dog is responsible for leading someone who cannot see. The dog should never be distracted from that duty. A person’s safety may depend on their dog’s alertness and concentration.

It’s okay to ask someone if you may pet their guide. Many people enjoy introducing their dogs when they have the time.

The dog’s primary responsibility is to its blind partner and it is important the dog not become solicitous.

A guide dog should never be offered food or other distracting treats. The dogs are fed on a schedule and follow a specific diet in order to keep them in optimum condition. Even slight deviations from their routine can disrupt their regular eating and relieving schedules and seriously inconvenience their handlers. Guide dogs are trained to resist offers of food so they will be able to visit restaurants without begging. Feed-

•

• •

•

• •

ing treats to a guide dog weakens this training.

Although guide dogs cannot read traffic signals, they are responsible for helping their handlers safely cross a street. Calling out to a guide dog or intentionally obstructing its path can be dangerous for the team as it could break the dog’s concentration on its work.

Please don’t honk your horn or call out from your car to signal when it is safe to cross. This can be distracting and confusing.

It’s not all work and no play for a guide dog. When they are not in harness, they are treated in much the same way as pets. However, for their safety they are only allowed to play with specific toys. Please don’t offer them toys without first asking their handler’s permission.

In some situations, working with a guide dog may not be appropriate. Instead, the handler may prefer to take your arm just above the elbow and allow their dog to heel. Others will prefer to have their dog follow you. In this case, be sure to talk to the handler and not the dog when giving directions for turns.

Remain calm in your approach and mannerisms.

Never tease a dog.

In Bryson’s case, he has three other “siblings” he plays with when he gets home. It may appear he’s all work and no play but trust me, he gets PLENTY of attention. When he arrives home from a hard day of working, I take his leash and harness off and all of a sudden, it’s Bryson, the playful pup.

He runs and plays with the others.

If and when an opportunity presents itself, introduce yourselves to me and, if time and circumstances permits, I would be happy to introduce you to Bryson.

SPORTS 3

APRIL 22, 2011

Saints sweep Southern Region rivals as offense gets busy

By Chanel Hill The Advocate

Neither rain, cold, nor a malfunctioning scoreboard at the MHCC softball field Wednesday night — which froze somewhere between the fifth and sixth inning in game two of the Saints doubleheader against Southern Region rivals the Clackamas Cougars (10-5, 4-2) — could stop the Saints from closing out the Cougars 9-6 in game two of a doubleheader sweep.

The Saints (11-5, 6-0), who won the opener 6-5, continue to post victories despite weather challenges and stiff competition and took two steps forward in their quest to defend their back-to-back NWAACC titles that has every team in the conference gunning for them.

Kayla Anderson was the starting pitching for the Saints in game 2, with Chelsea Schriber relieving in the fifth inning to close the game against a motivated Cougars team looking to claw their way back to earn a split in the day’s action.

Clackamas took a 3-1 lead in the first inning but the Saints came to life in the second inning, behind the heavy-hitting of sophomore infielder Amanda Bunch, who drove a homerun to centerfield to get the Saints on the board. Bunch racked up four singles and two homeruns against the Cougars in the doubleheader.

“It feels really good,” said Bunch Wednesday night after the game. “I wanted to come out hard.

Clackamas is a big rival for us, and we knew we had to come out strong. They were a tough team last year, so it felt great.”

Bunch, who said she has been struggling recently at the plate, showed nothing of the sort in her performance. “She’s been really working hard,” said head coach Meadow McWhorter, “She kept going, and now we’re seeing the sophomore Amanda.”

The Saints, who in the past have relied heavily on their pitching staff in sophomores Anderson (who recently threw a no-hitter against the Chemeketa Storm followed by a weekend one-hitter against the Skagit Valley Cardinals) and Schriber, took a back seat to the production of their team’s offense.

Photo by Devin Courtright/The Advocate

Sophomore Amanda Bunch hits one of her two homeruns in game one of a doubleheader against the Saints’ Southern Region rivals the Clackamas Cougars.

Schriber, who started on the mound in game one, was relieved quickly by Anderson in the second inning after falling behind. “She struggled a little bit with rhythm, so we took her out to let her rest a little bit,” said McWhorter.

Anderson closed out the second inning, but the true ignition for the Saints came from the offense.

In the third inning, Bunch hit a homerun with a runner on base to score two runs for the Saints.

The production from sophomores Jade-Marie Kealiinohomoku, who hit a game one homerun and two singles, Jessica Guy (four singles in the two games) and freshman Mai Galusha, who also hit a homerun, helped to give the Saints the edge over the Cougars.

In the two games, the Saints combined for 25 hits.

“It’s important to take it one game at a time,” said McWhorter. “The great thing is that you get to see different leaders emerge” The Saints, who are No.1 in the Southern Region, continue to stack up the wins while remaining humble. McWhorter said, “It’s about staying confident, and keeping a quiet confidence.”

The Saints are scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Southwestern Oregon Lakers (16-8, 5-1) Saturday at Coos Bay, with a starting time of 1 p.m.

Then the team travels Wednesday to Vancouver, Wash., to battle the Clark Penguins (9-14, 1-4) in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.

Titans end Saints six-game winning streak in doubleheader split

By Jon Fuccillo and Riley Hinds The Advocate

The Saints baseball team proved human Tuesday afternoon, dropping the first game of a doubleheader 5-4 to the Lane Titans in Eugene.

The loss ended a hot six-game win streak in the Southern Region. Although they did not sweep their fourth conference doubleheader conference in a row, they did rally to win the second game, a seven inning contest.

It was the first time during the regular season that the team lost the opening game of a conference doubleheader.

The Saints (13-6, 9-3) didn’t go down without a dogfight. Trailing 5-2 at the top of the seventh inning (12-12, 7-5), the Saints stringed together two runs to cut the Titans lead to 5-4 but that was the end of the rally. Sophomore pitcher Nate Dolman (4-2) took the loss for the Saints loss.

In six doubleheaders this season, the Saints have won all six of the first nine-inning games. Their last Southern Region loss came April 2, 3-2 against the same Titans team.

“We were happy with our streak.

Contributed photo by Eugene Johnson/The Torch

Freshmen infielder Alex Foulon dives for second base in Tuesday’s game against the Lane Titans.

But we got lackadaisical and they beat us because of it,” freshman pitcher Christian Bannister said.

Game two came down to good oldfashioned “small ball.” With the game tied 3-3 in the extra-innings (eighth), Donohue decided to pull out some tricks. With the bases loaded and one out, freshman second baseman Trevor

Cass laid down a squeeze bunt that worked perfectly, scoring sophomore third baseman Grant Fink for a 4-3 lead. In the next at-bat, freshman outfielder Scott Stone hit a screamer between first and second base for an RBI single to boost the lead to 5-3.

“There are a lot of things we do well, but one of our standouts is our

small-ball game,” Dolman said.

Bannister (1-0) picked up a rare win in relief to finish off the Titans in the bottom of the eighth inning. Bannister leads the team with six saves out of the bullpen. It was a shaky inning that saw two Titans reach base before Bannister got himself out of trouble with a game-ending ground ball double-play started by Fink.

“We had a lot more confident and energy (during) our second game,” Bannister said.

“Last year we went 2-4 (against) Lane,” Dolman added. “We as a team want to take those wins back, but they are a good squad so it will always be a battle.

“We were expecting a challenge, but we also expect to win. Our goal is not only to win every game, but win every inning.”

The Saints next turn their sights to a Saturday doubleheader with the Chemeketa Storm (6-17, 3-9). The Saints and Storm are set for a 1 p.m. first pitch in Salem. They will square off with the Southwestern Oregon Lakers (9-15, 5-7) Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Coos Bay.

4 SPORTS

APRIL 22, 2011

MHCC athlete has a history of record breaking In only his first year on the MHCC track and field team, Tyler Callahan is already making a name for himself...

By John Tkebuchava The Advocate

Ever since Tyler Callahan joined the MHCC track and field team, records have fallen and continue to fall with no signs of stopping.

The old saying is that all records are meant to be broken — and that’s exactly what freshman javelin thrower Callahan had in mind when he signed on with MHCC. Beginning with the season opener March 5 at the Eric Anderson Icebreaker meet in McMinnville, Callahan broke the school record with a throw of 212’ 8’’. The previous record was 209’ 7’’, held by Randy Huchinson and was set in 2003.

“I was excited and the coaches were excited,” said Callahan, recalling the initial break. “It was a good way to open the season.”

He broke his own record the week after spring break at the April 2. Shotwell Classic in Tacoma, Wash., with a throw of 214’ 11.’’ The next best throw was more than 20 feet shorter.

Callahan topped it off by breaking his own record not even a week later during the John Knight Twilight meet at Western Oregon University in Monmouth. His throw and PR of 215’ 11’ was more than 15 feet beyond the second-place mark.

Callahan ranks second in the NWAACC standings, with sophomore Wesley Nolen of Spokane Community College holding with the top mark of 220’ 9’’. Nolen and Callahan are the only throwers in the conference over the 200-foot mark.

Breaking records is nothing new to Callahan. According to his Estacada High School coach.

“He broke our school record twice,” said Estacada’s head coach Jonathon Erickson “The first time was at the Centennial Invitational, with a throw of (199’ 9’’), then he broke that again when he won the 4A state title with a throw of 204’ 8.”

Can Callahan continue to further his legacy at MHCC? He thinks so, as do his coaches.

“My goal is to get it up a foot every time,” Callahan said of his season goals.

MHCC head coach Matt Hart said, “He’s not even getting close to being done for us this year.”

Erickson said, “I was expecting him to improve his marks at the college level, He just has a great coachable aspect about him that gives him the ability to adjust and be successful easily, I hope his current level of progress continues.”

Erickson’s praised Callahan for several qualities but said his mental toughness may be his strongest trait.

“As a competitor, he is very focused,” the Estacada coach said. “But his focus is on what he needs to do, so other athletes do not distract him.”

Asked whether he believes Callahan can continue to succeed at a university environment, Hart said, “Oh yeah, he’s already got university setting marks. He’ll be very explosive at the next level.”

Callahan’s approach to life is simple – lead by example and push the envelope.

“As a person, he was a great student and always personable,” said Erickson. “He received many comments from random people and he would always stop and acknowledge them and was very appreciative. It was very nice to see.”

Hart said, “He’s a delight to coach and he’s fun to hang around. I can’t think of a time when he’s not joking around,” although the MHCC coach added that Callahan does so while still maintaining focus.

“He likes to play around, but he gets business done,” Hart added.

Despite his performances in the javelin, Callahan is not exactly a seasoned veteran in the event.

“He was a baseball player as a freshman and sophomore, then decided to give track a try his junior year and competed well,” said Erickson.

Callahan said, “I was a pitcher in baseball,” explaining how he got into the event.

“His senior year was defi-Matt Hart nitely his banHead MHCC track and field coach ner year. Who knows what he would have done had he been (competing) all four years,” said Erickson.

Although Callahan considers the javelin one of his strongest events, he’s not afraid to see what else the world of track and field has to offer.

“I’m experimenting a bit now,” said Callahan. He said the decathlon is definitely something he will try next year as a sophomore.

“He was a basketball player (among other sports, including two years of football) in high school. He’s pretty athletic,’ said Hart. “He’s highly coachable. He’s like a sponge.”

“You tell him to do something and he picks it up immediately,” Hart said. “He’s very positive and naturally (skilled) in the javelin.”

Originally from Duval, Wash., Callahan said he is an outdoorsy type of guy. “I like the outdoors and fishing and hunting,” he said. “I want to try hunting with a spear,” he added with a laugh.

Asked what drives him as an athlete and as a person, he said, “Just (the pursuit of success) and being good at something.”

“To have something to talk about with my grandkids,” he said while chuckling.

As for the years to come, both academically and athletically, Callahan said, “I haven’t even thought about it.”

“I’m trying to take it as it comes.”

“He’s pretty athletic," said Hart.

“He’s highly coachable. He’s like a sponge.”

Above: Tyler Callahan

SPORTS 5

APRIL, 22 2011

Photos contributed by Matt Hart

Top left: Gabriella Diaz running during the Pioneer Open. Bottom right: Mariah Crumpler ran a new lifetime PR in the 200m. Top right: Zach Young (left) and Nick Mulick blasting out of the blocks during the 200m.

Saints have good showing at Pioneer Open with eight top-3 results

By John Tkebuchava The Advocate

MHCC runners won both the men’s and women’s 400-meter hurdles Saturday at the Pioneer Open at Lewis and Clark College as the track team scored eight top-three finishes at the meet.

Freshman Terra Zodrow placed first on the women’s side with a time of 1:07.38

while freshman Robert Hanke finished first in the men’s event with a time of 55.43 seconds. Both have become consistent top finishers in the 400-meter hurdles; Hanke also placed first at the previous meet.

The other top finishes included: freshman Erica Drake was second in the 100-meter dash (her third top three

finish in a row); freshman (5000-meter run). The disMariah Crumpler’s was third tance crew is coming on pretin the 200-meter dash (26.22 ty hard now,” he said, naming seconds); Zodrow was second Donnie Coulson and Amanda in the 100-meter hurdles, Smith among those who had (15.60 seconds); and sopho- lifetime PRs. more Wes Hughes was third But not all was well with in the 3000-meter steeple- the Saints’ effort as several chase. issues arose during the meet.

Both men’s and women’s “Quite a few athletes 4x100-meter relay teams scratched out of their events. placed second at the meet as It’s a bit frustrating,” said well.

The men’s 4x100 team, consisting of freshman Justin Oliveri, sophomore Nick Mulick, sophomore Matt Hart Zach Young MHCC Track and Field Head Coach and sophomore Chris Zeller, finished in 42.54 seconds; the Hart. women’s team, consisting of “Our team’s a little Drake, Crumpler, freshman beat up right now.

Amy Kegler and freshman It’s kind of a chalLaura Knudson, finished in lenge to know as a 49.69 seconds. coach when to back With Crumpler’s effort, off and when to she moved into the second press on.” overall spot in the NWAACC Already several standings in the 400-meter weeks into the run, right ahead of Knudson. competitive seaCrumpler also jumped into son, the team’s the first-place ranking in the strengths and 200-meter dash as well. weaknesses be“Mariah Crumpler did come increasawesome,” said track and ingly apparent and from field head coach Matt Hart of Hart’s perspective, the the highlights. good outweighs the bad.

“Hanke ended up doing “We have good posireally well in the 400-meter tive mindsets for the hurdles. Several of our dis- most part,” he said. tance runners PR’d in the “We’re closing the races

off more aggressively than other teams. We finish strong.

We’re accelerating coming of the line.”

The next meet is April 2930 in the Pacific Twilight at Pacific University in Forest Grove.

“We’re closing the races off more aggressively than other teams. We finish strong.”

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6 FEATURES

APRIL 22, 2011

Upcoming Annual Earthquake Drill

...

Date-April 28 Time-10:40 a.m.

PlaceAll MHCC campus’

 Geological records indicate that Oregon might up for large earthquake

By Kylie Rogers

Who: Great Shakeout

Earthquake Quick Tips  Practice drop, cover and hold on in each safe place.

 Keep a flashlight and sturdy shoes by each person’s bed.

 Stay away from

windows to avoid being injured by shattered glass.

 If you're in the

bathroom, crouch against the wall.

 If you're in a car,

pull over and avoid any underpasses.

 Be aware of fire evacuation and earthquake plans in buildings.

Information gathered from Karen Reynolds and www.redcross. org

The Advocate

MHCC’s building structures may not withstand the “big one,” an earthquake projected to hit the Northwest in the near future, according to the MHCC health and safety and science departments.

MHCC’s buildings were constructed “anywhere between 1965 to right now with our Early Childhood Development Center,” said Environmental Health and Safety Manager Karen Reynolds, much of it before there was any real concern about seismic activity.

Reynolds said the main academic campus and the gym are at a high hazard if there is seismic activity.

“Wooden-structured buildings tend to hold up better in earthquakes and all of our Visual Arts buildings are wooden structures,” said Reynolds.

The fisheries building was seismically upgraded last summer. Director of Facilities Management Dick Byers headed the project, according to Risk Management Coordinator Staci Huffaker.

Public interest in earthquake preparedness has spiked since the earthquake in January 2010 in Haiti and the quake last month in Japan. April has been designated Earthquake Awareness Month.

Huffaker has been working with the University of Oregon to help mitigate a plan for disasters on campus. The plan is one part of working toward getting grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help protect the campus against natural disasters.

MHCC is the first community college to be involved with the University of Oregon to work toward these grants, Huffaker said.

“The good news is that we’re on bedrock, which is really nice,” said geology instructor Diana Hardisty.

“If we get a quake like the one that struck Japan, which is a total possibility and it could happen anytime, then we will have severe destruction much like Japan in the metro area and coast areas,” said Hardisty.

Hardisty said the last 9.0 earthquake to hit this area was more than 300 years ago. Hardisty said that the geologic record shows a “mega-quake” hitting on average every 300 to 500 years.

“Geologic timeline-wise, that’s nothing. Our lifetime-wise, that’s a big difference. Since 200 years is such a big time difference it’s hard to get serious,”

said Hardisty.

“There’s no saying when that can occur. It may occur today, tomorrow, next week. It might not occur for the next 200 years. So the thing to do is get a disaster preparedness kit so you are ready,” said Hardisty.

As shown on the four-zoned hazard map in the geology lab room, Gresham and the Mt. Hood campus are located in a zone D for earthquake possibilities.

Zone D is the lowest risk zone shown on the map.

Areas along the Columbia and Willamette rivers are located in zone A, the most risk, due to the potential of liquefaction.

“It’s totally unstable. It really shakes as opposed to bedrock which is what we’re on (at Mt. Hood),” Hardisty said.

“The Gresham area — I don’t know about Troutdale — but the Gresham area sets its earthquake building codes to Portland’s,” said Hardisty, pointing to the higher zone markings in Portland on the hazard map.

Hardisty points out that there are fault lines close by.

“There’s a fault line that runs right through downtown Portland. There’s also an east bank fault and there’s several faults that run through the Portland hills. If there are any faults in our area, they really haven’t been mapped per say. I do know there is one in Gladstone that almost follows the trail of the Portland hills fault.”

“If you’re over in the major Portland area you have to find out what your own particular geology is because that does affect your personal safety as opposed to being here at the college.” Hardisty said.

She recommended www.oregongeology.org and www.naturenw.org, also mentioning that some information may cost something but there is free information available.

“Japan is probably one of the most prepared countries earthquake-wise and this even gave them a big jolt and there’s a lot more damage than they originally thought there would be despite their preparedness,” said Hardisty.

“Really, the Japan earthquake should be our wake-up call to prepare.”

Hardisty advised people to put together a kit as you see fit, focusing on water. She recommends having iodine tablets or a filter. A first aid kit and some food are important as well, she said.

“Those would be the starting essentials,” she said. “By food, even a few granola bars and chocolate. Chocolate

always makes everyone feel better. “ As part of Earthquake Awareness Month Huffaker, Karen Reynolds, and Hardisty are amping up the readiness at MHCC. “There is information coming in from different sources indicating at best a third of the population is taking preparedness to a level that will help sustain them,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds will be providing Red Cross natural disaster information pamphlets available in the main campus library and at the Bruning and Maywood campuses.

The pamphlets contain information on how to make a plan, build a kit and first aid information. Pamphlets are also available on the Red Cross’s website, www.redcross.org.

“I love it. They have a lot of tips that you wouldn’t think about, like your financial plan,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds emphasizes that students should have a three-day emergency kit in preparation for disasters.

“I’ve got cookies and pudding and crackers, all sorts of delicious things,” said Reynolds of what is in her bag. She also had a flashlight, poncho and emergency blanket. “The only thing that’s not in here is water. You need a gallon of water per day.”

Proper responses to an earthquake, according to Reynolds, is if you’re outside to get to an open area away from trees or power lines; if you’re indoors, you should drop, cover and hold on; if you’re driving, pull over in an open area not under an overpass.

It’s really important to protect your head and neck, said Huffaker while moving her arms into a cradle to cover hers.

To help students prepare and better understand earthquake safety, all of MHCC’s campuses will be participating in the Great Shake Out earthquake drill, along with the City of Gresham and several participating states, from 10:40 a.m. to 10:43 a.m. on Thursday.

“I always want to know what to do and why we do it. I’m a strong believer in ‘if you’re prepared, you’re not scared,’” said Huffaker “People sometimes think (natural disasters) are going to be at a time that’s convenient for them, but it’s not,” said Reynolds after referencing the early morning Nisqually Earthquake on Feb. 28, 2001, whose epicenter was south of Seattle. That quake registered at 6.8 magnitude.

FEATURES 7

APRIL 22, 2011

Eric Christensen designs a 3D model during a game design class

photos by devin courtright/the advocate

By Jordan Tichenor The Advocate

A

t 4 p.m. on a Friday, the majority of the MHCC classrooms are empty. A notable exception is one computer lab where nine students are gathered, inspecting 3-D models and discussing the elements of building a game demo. Ordinarily the room would be vacant, but this year is a special case.

These students don’t mind coming in on a Friday afternoon for two to five hours because it’s not a chore.

They’re allowed to put their feet up on the table and drink coffee while keeping their laptops open on the side.

These are the first students of the game development degree program at MHCC. “Once upon a time, the dot.com industry blew up,” says Wayne Machuca, an instructor of computer education who brought the program to life. “(Former MHCC President Robert Silverman) says to me, ‘What would you do about enrollment?’ I say, ‘I would bring in game design as bait.’ ” Machuca said he was able to add game design classes into pre-existing computer information system degrees, and saw almost an immediate response.

“What was interesting is that we had a tremendous response, but only a small percentage were going into the degree programs,” said Machuca.

He noticed that many people were taking only the classes geared toward game design, and that “many who were taking our classes were artists.”

One such person was Amber King, a second-year art student at MHCC. “I’ve been playing video games my whole life. I saw intro to game design, took it, and loved it,” she said. King is currently taking 3D modelling and digital drawing classes, and “thinking very seriously” about taking part

in the game design degree program.

Machuca found there was more opportunity in the Portland game development industry for people who were doing the design work, which is why he “wants game designers leading this program.”

“Ours has some programming, but it is really more directed toward design, art direction,” said Machuca.

The degree was approved by the state March 14, and should be in the catalogue as early as this summer, according to Machuca.

Asked if the degree is set up more like an art degree, Machuca said, “If Erika was in the room, she would say ‘yes’ and I would say ‘no,’ and we would both be right.”

Erika Ruhl, the lead adjunct instructor for the program, moved “on impulse” to Portland from Silicon Valley and eventually attended the Art Institute of Portland where she gained her bachelor’s degree in game art and design. She admits that classes she designed “are oriented more toward the art side.”

“For me, it’s the next medium up,” says Ruhl, explaining why she became involved with video game development. She refers to games as “just a little more immersive” than movies or books.

Machuca explains that Ruhl’s presence “allows us to see more than one side of this industry. Where I’m technical, she’s more artistic, conceptual, creative.”

This is compared to similar programs at the Art Institute of Portland, the only institution in Oregon with a game development degree, which both Machuca and Ruhl agree is much more technically based.

While there is greater emphasis on design in the proposed MHCC degree, there is still a great deal of technical training in the program.

Students learn to use the Unreal Engine (used to make the “Gears of War” series, the “Bioshock” series

and the “Mass Effect” series), Flash (used to make most browser-based web games) and Unity (used primarily for computer games and iPhone apps).

Machuca said the program was set up this way so that “you get through it, get your A.A. degree, and then decide where to specialize.”

The fall quarter game development class focused on theory, involving not only design theory but concepts such as market analysis. In winter quarter, the class is designing a game demo, and in spring the class will be putting the demo together.

One of the game design students, Kyle Thompson, said the flow of the classes shows “the game process.

How it’s actually made.”

Thompson said he “didn’t know what to expect (from the program),” but that it interested him because he has always been interested in video games. ` It would appear that not many people knew what to expect from the program, as Ruhl insists “it’s more work than people realize.” She said the number of students in the first quarter class dropped from 24 to nine. She calls the remaining nine “the hardcore.”

One of those “hardcore,” Robert Patterson, was encouraged by Ruhl to participate in the degree program.

Patterson, originally an engineering major until he “just got sick of calculus,” says the work the students are doing on the game demo has become more focused as the classes progress.

“We’re trying to condense. We’ve had a lot of broad ideas,” said Patterson.

During one class, students discuss how to build a game demo from the ground up, starting with what happens when the game is started. From the middle of the classroom someone calls out “loading screen,” with “a menu” called out almost immediately after. Eventually the students dis-

cussed the type and feel of the game, ultimately deciding the game demo would be a first person-shooter with a steampunk theme set primarily underground.

While it is obvious the students have had deadlines placed in front of them that involve a fair amount of technical work, everyone in the class seems relaxed.

Students are smiling and joking while they work.

Ruhl stresses the collaborative nature of the program, explaining Erika Ruhl that the students even organized an off-campus dinner to discuss aspects of their game demo.

She feels the direction of MHCC’s game development degree fits the local industry well.

“Portland is like a hotbed of random creative talent. I think because of the type of people Portland has, there are many more opportunities (for work in game development),” she said.

Ruhl said most of the development companies in Portland are indie studios, with some having been bought by bigger companies, such as Microsoft (to incorporate indie games into the Xbox) and Sony (to do the same for the Playstation), as well as Apple (for iPhone apps).

“People of all different types of talents can be successful in this major,” said Ruhl.

Ruhl and Machuca hope their game design degree will be able to bring in even more students who are willing to sacrifice their Friday night.

Or maybe it’s not much of a sacrifice, after all.

“It’s game design. It’s fun,” said Ruhl.

8 NEWS

THE ADVOCATE

APRIL 22, 2011

Corrections: In last weeks issue, it was said that SAB hosted the club fair. It was actually the SOC (Student Organizations and Clubs). Also Chako-Kum Tux Native Americans Club provided the Aztec dancers.

Check out The Advocate online at www.advocate-online.net

Budget: 'It puts us at more than our comparator colleges' Continued from page 1

Photo by Jordan Tichenor/The Advocate

Unexplained leak shown above next to the College Center, positioned directly beneath a men’s restroom.

Leaky ceiling emerges next to College Center

By Jill-Marie Gavin The Advocate

A ceiling leak located near the College Center is left unexplained by MHCC Facilities Management.

Dick Byers, director of facilities management, said Tuesday he didn’t know when the leak would be fixed.

The leak has left a large watermark dripping from the ceiling near the College Center, directly below the men’s restroom nearest to Vista Dining Center.

Byers said that fixing the leak would require turning off the water to the entire build-

ing, which would force Vista to close early.

The maintenance crew, according to Byers, has found the source of the leak.

Asked if he had any idea where the leak had come from or how much it may cost to fix, Byers said, “No.” He also said that the maintenance crew was upstairs working on the leak Monday, but he hadn’t heard if they had made the repair yet.

Asked if there have been similar leaks reported on campus in the past year, he said they don’t keep track of that type of information.

The men’s restroom above the leak was closed all day Tuesday for maintenance.

the parking fee. Sygielski said the cost would cover expenses for the equipment public safety officers would need for ticketing and installation of day meters.

Sygielski said parking for employees would be free and part of the discussion includes leaving lots farther away from campus (gymnasium and old childhood development center lots) free to students and having them pay the fee to park closer to campus.

Asked how MHCC would compare to other community colleges locally with the increase in tuition, Sygielski said when you add the other increases in fees and parking fee, “It puts us at more than our comparator colleges.”

Sygelieski ended the proposal by stating the budget included “no contingency to address adverse affects of the current full-time faculty negotiating a contract.”

He said the proposal provides only “effective shortterm solutions” and without a long-term solution the issue will “continue and compound.”

“With eight weeks re-

maining in the legislative session, let’s use the time we have now to influence the Legislature and make it known what community colleges are facing,” said Sygielski. “Our students are well known for their legislative advocacy.”

During public testimony at the meeting, board chairperson Brian Freeman set a time limit for each of three speakers who had previously signed up to talk: full-time faculty members George Hicks and Mike Brayson and student Angela DeCorte.

Brayson said he attempted to find information about the budget on the college’s website and came up short.

When he researched other local community colleges, he said, “In the area of transparency, MHCC failed in comparison and I would give it an F grade.” He was later stopped by Freeman, who said he was out of time.

The budget proposal, after approval by the budget committee, goes to the district board for final approval.

Any changes must be made by the June board meeting, when the final budget must be approved prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

MHCC scholarship application deadline is May 11

By Riley Hinds The Advocate

Funds are limited and available on a first come-first served basis for fall 2011 MHCC Foundation scholarships.

Students can apply for a scholarship online at www.mhcc.edu/financialaid. There are scholarships in a variety of subjects, ranging from automotive technology to nursing and education.

The deadline for application entry is May 11.

Students are urged to visit the college website for information about individual scholarships. Sunny Klever,

coordinator of the MHCC Foundation, said, “There are links there that will direct students to the different branches of our scholarships.”

The site offers four links for Foundation groups and two for scholarships through other organizations, the OSAC (Oregon Student Assistance Commission) and a general private scholarship website called fastweb. com.

“There are certain scholarships available at different times through the year,” said Klever.

The deadline for high school scholarships has passed but “there are

more than 50 scholarships available,” said Maggie Huffman, MHCC director of communications.

“We had 506 applicants in 09-10,” said Huffman. “Most of scholarships offered and awarded are those for students seeking an MHCC degree and certificate.”

Huffman added that the organization awarded more than $259,000 in scholarships to students during the 2009-2010 school year.

Klever, said, “Finances come from private donors.”

Huffman advised students to pay close attention to the details of the

process. “The three most important things are to follow all instructions on the scholarship application, fill out the application in its entirety and meet the submission deadline.”

Huffman urged students to begin the process well before the cutoff date. “Give yourself plenty of time to pull together letters of recommendation, transcripts and other information.

Huffman said, “It is a good idea to always check with financial aid for both scholarship and other financial aid options available.”

NEWS 9

APRIL 22, 2011

MHCC celebrates Earth Week with crafts, campus clean-up

Left: Jacqueline Altamirano and SEED students encouraged students to participate in a raffle, sign pledges, and participate in green activities Wednesday afternoon in the Main Mall.

Right: A sculpture made from paper cups collected from all over the main campus. The poster contains information on energy saving and recycling opportunities.

photos by devin courtright/the advocate

By Devin Courtright The Advocate

An Earth Walk today from noon to 1 p.m. and a campus clean-up Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. will end this week’s MHCC Earth Week activities.

The Earth Walk will feature a tour around campus by Political Science instructor Chris Gorsek.

“I will be leading a group around campus discussing the positive and negative environmental issues that we can observe right here on our own campus,” Gorsek said in an email Thursday. This event is free to everyone and those interested should meet Gorsek in the Social Science lobby.

Saturday’s campus clean-up will be led by Nancy Smith of the Science Division and Gorsek. The group will begin at Troutdale Road and Stark Street (across from Dairy Queen) to pick up trash in the area along Troutdale Road. Beverages, snacks, hypoallergenic gloves, and trash bags will be provided.

This week, students had a taste of “Earth Week” in the Main Mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, hosted by a collaborative effort by the Associated Student Government (ASG), SEED (Scholarships for Educational and Economic Development) and the City of Gresham.

ASG Director of Public Safety and Campus Sustainability Jacqueline Altamirano’s plan for the

week was to give people information about the new signs posted on the recycling bins and use different ways to extend sustainability at MHCC, beyond this week and throughout the years at the college.

“I hope that this (event) doesn’t become just a one-day-a-year thing at MHCC,” said Altamirano.

“I really hope that it (MHCC) can become a green and sustainable school.”

The activities included creating a collage made up of recycled magazines and newspapers. The images represented the artist’s idea of sustainability and what it meant to them.

There were also dinosaurs/monsters created from paper cups seen around campus.

“Paper cups were one of the biggest preventable pieces of garbage that we found and so that’s what kind of spurred us to decide and give away re-useable mugs,” said Aubrey Lindstrom, a community outreach coordinator from the City of Gresham.

“What really popped out at us was the amount of beverage containers that were paper cups, which was 51 percent of (all) beverage containers.”

Wednesday featured the display of an “Earth Week Pledge Wall” where the MHCC community was able to post a recycling pledge. As of Wednesday at 1 p.m., there were 53 pledges posted.

Another important thing SEED and the City of

Career Week on main campus to focus on career-building seminars

By Mario Rubio The Advocate

MHCC will host Career Week beginning Wednesday through May 4 at the main campus.

The event will kick off Wednesday at noon with a “Dress for Success” fashion show in the Main Mall, with clothing provided by Calvin Klein and Jones New York.

Other seminars such as resume building courses and effective interviewing techniques will also take place April 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Career Planning and Resource Center, Room AC1152.

Employers who will be on campus include FedEx Ground, Comcast, KOIN Local 6 and Portland Fire and Rescue.

According to Career Planning and Resource Center Program Assistant Christy Weigel, this year’s fair will be co-sponsored for the first time by FedEx Ground and East Metro Work

Source.

Weigel is optimistic about Work Source’s involvement as they can assist career center advisers with job seekers.

Along with planning the fair, Weigel has also been busy teaching human development classes that include resume building workshops for students and community members alike.

“This workshop only occurs once a year and it’s imperative that everyone know about it” says Weigel.

Weigel also added that the common expectation all of these employers will have is professionalism and the workshops offered are a stepping stone to reach that common ground.

“We give those taking the seminars a week to prepare for finding a job,” said Weigel. “One thing we like to stress is the difference between a job and career,” she said.

Weigel acknowledged that

MHCC is full of very professional people with potential career skills applicable to the employers scoping the campus. She and other counselors encourage those even curious about job scoping to visit one of the seminars.

A full schedule of workshops and all employers attending can be found online under MHCC’s student services tab of Career Planning and Counseling Center. For other Career Week information, contact the Career Planning and Resource Center at 503-491-7432.

Career Week April 27 Dress for Success Fashion Show April 29 Effective Interviewing and other job search related seminars May 4 Job Fair featuring FedEX, Comcast, and KOIN Local 6

Gresham realized during the Waste Sort event in February was the signage currently posted on the containers. Lindstrom said the signs say “bottles and cans only” for one container and another for glass. She said they found “lots and lots of perfectly great paper in the garbage because people thought it couldn’t go in with the bottles and cans.” As of last weekend, all the signs on the recycling and garbage containers have been changed.

“Now when you see the signs, they clearly say paper, metal and plastic on them,” said Lindstrom.

She said people need to know paper can be recycled with the plastic and metal items.

“It feels great. I’m really happy to get out there and start talking to students and get people excited and make people aware (about recycling and pollution),” said Altamirano. “People don’t realize how much is wasted (and) we wanted to make sure people saw what was being wasted at MHCC. Lindstrom said the City of Gresham will host an “Earth Day” event Saturday at City Hall from noon to 2 p.m.

“We’re trying to make people aware of what items are not recyclable and also to let them know that they can make a really big difference on campus by just not using paper cups and by using a re-useable mug,” said Lindstrom.

Three ASG tickets to vie for president and VP posts

By Mike Mata The Advocate

There will be three official tickets running for president and vice president of the MHCC Associated Student Government.

The three tickets are: Nikki Jauron for president with David Mast as vice president; Katherine Lindquist for president with Jennifer Gruell for vice president; and Jackie Altamirano for president with Erika Molina for vice president.

Jauron was ASG president in 2001-2002.

There were between 45 and 50 candidacy packets picked up in the two weeks before the April 15 filing deadline. These six were the only packets filed.

“We were expecting a little more than six packets to be turned in, but we are glad that people were interested in the first place,” said Laura Pinto, the elections committee chairwoman.

“It shows us that our campus was interested in making a difference, even if that meant deciding not to run or apply for president and vice president,” said Pinto.

“We did hope for them to be turned in earlier than the deadline, but we do understand that being a student is first priority and like I said, we are glad we got people to run or even being interested,” said Pinto.

10 LIVING ARTS

APRIL 22, 2011

Cafe Tuesdays/Thursdays are back and will run through May

From left: Kevin Hanson, hospitality and tourism major, serves Linda Neumann and Sherry Mosher during Cafe Tuesday in the Jazz Cafe.

:

Wednesday April, 27

Thursday April, 28

:

The Advocate

Café Tuesday open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. located directly adjacent to Vista Dining Center.

:

Theater Production: "Dead Man’s Cell Phone" in the Studio Theater beginning at 7:30 p.m.. Adult admission is $10.

Saturday April, 30

May 3: Southern Cuisine

April 28: Mexican

May 17: Mexican

May 12: Comfort Foods

May 31: Buffet

May26: Barbeque

Luncheons provided on Tuesdays and Thursdays this quarter as part of Café Tuesday/Café Thursday are put on by students taking the HT105 Catering, Restaurant, and Foodservice Management classes.

Also contributing are the HT237 Culinary Arts classes, responsible for the menu planning and cooking.

According to Court Carrier, hospitality and tourism director, the revenue from Café Tuesday and Café Thursday goes to Chartwell’s Foodservice, as they are the college contract foodservice operator. Any gratuities earned go to the Hospitality and Tourism Program Scholarship, Fieldtrip Supplemental and Resources fund.

The luncheons alternate weeks: the next Café Thursday will be Thursday April 28 and the next Café Tuesday will be on Tuesday, May 3.

Reservations are required for each luncheon and may be made at 503-491-7230. Any questions about the program may be directed to Court Carrier at 503-491-7486.

By Jill-Marie Gavin

Tim Mooney performs Moliere skits in the Visual Arts Theater from noon to 2:15 p.m.

Friday April,29

Thursdays

Britney Spears on the road again?

Oregon Institute of Technology provides transfer information in the College Center from 10 a.m. to 2p.m.

:

Tuesdays

Column: Should we be glad to see

Calendar of Events Tuesday April 26

Photo by Devin Courtright/The Advocate

Café Schedule and Menu

:

Theater Production: "Dead Man’s Cell Phone" in the Studio Theater beginning at 7:30 p.m.. Adult admission is $10.

As Britney Spears and Nicki Minaj have confirmed that they will be going on a nationwide tour together, this is both confusing and exciting.

Britney has transformed from America’s sweetheart to America’s naughty sweetheart to America’s bald Jerry Springer Show/Intervention-like superstar and back to a Jerry Springer/ American Idol winner.

Once upon a time, Spears reigned supreme over the charts and over adolescent hearts worldwide. She made young ladies want to be sexy–glitter-jumpsuit-wearing-snake charmers that sang about being lucky. If Brit-Brit brought back her vintage Pepsi commercialself, it would be beyond enthusing, and may go down in history as the best tour ever.

Unfortunately, Spears has elevated the amount of synthesized portions of her songs, a notably difficult task. It seems now that all she does is go into the studio and nasally hum a few sexy words and leaves the rest to the producers. There’s no solid proof that her albums are devoid of artistic substance, but there is a lot of incriminating evidence.

Grouping herself with the Fem-Cee Nicki Minaj was a wise decision on her part; this shows that she at least has a few businessoriented brain cells left.

Minaj, the self proclaimed “Black Bar-

bie,” has burst onto the music scene under Lil’ Wayne’s rap label, Young Money. Already though, Minaj has begun to water down her music to be more industry friendly. Her style is comparable now to a strip mall version of Ms. Lauryn Hill’s rapping/singing compilations.

In her early mix tapes, Minaj rapped about things that would make a sailor blush, and carried a heavy “hood” influence in her lyrics. In newer songs, there’s still an obvious Jamaica Queens edge, but she’s savvy to the necessary changes that Top 40 hits demand.

Minaj is considered one of the biggest names in the game at this point, which may leave one asking, why choose to tour with a dimming star? One reason she’s decided to hit the road with Spears may be something like the pretty girl, ugly-friends rule which states that a pretty girl chooses ugly friends to appear more attractive than usual. Britney Spears is not ugly, but she’s also not what she used to be in the fame department; it could be that Minaj has chosen to tour with her to seem iconic next to the fading diva.

Outside of the skepticism about Spears, and her tarnished reputation, she has always put on a great show. Her stage antics and wild concerts, paired with Minaj’s fashion that is reminiscent of a mixture between Lil’ Kim and Madonna, may make for a visually compelling two hours, or an epileptic seizure.

Only time will tell. Hmm, should we expect some girl-on-girl action?

LIVING ARTS 11 Stage veteran to make first appearance at MHCC APRIL 22, 2011

By Mike Mata The Advocate

In her first performance for Mt. Hood Community College, Laura Leonard will take on the lead role in the MHCC College Theater Program’s presentation of Dead Man’s Cell Phone” from April 28-30 at 7:30 p.m. in the College Theater.

Leonard’s character in “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” is Jean, the only un-related character in the play who is thrown into the play when she answers the cell phone of another character and reveals that Gordon, played by Coleton Sticka, is dead.

“My character, Jean, just kinda gets thrown into this. Everyone else is related, but I just get thrown in. It’s Gordon’s cell phone and I answer it to stop it ringing and it falls to me to tell everyone he died,” said Leonard.

Leonard’s other cast members add another layer to Jean as well: “She’s a very slutty liar,” said David Koshuba, a firstyear theater major who plays the part of Dwight, younger brother to Gordon.

Leonard would agree with Koshuba, “People who I’ve been (describing) my character to, they’re like ‘wow, you’re a slut’.”

“My favorite character in the

play is Dwight. It has nothing to do with David. I just like Dwight,” she added.

Leonard is in her first term at MHCC, and thirteenth show, since returning from an increasingly complex post-high school career involving two stints in Hawaii, a year at Hope International in California, and a term at Portland State University before coming to MHCC. “PSU was great for the part of a term I went there, but decided it wasn’t the right fit, which is how I ended up here,” said Leonard.

Leonard joins a friend, Amanda Pred, who plays Harriet Gottlieb, the mother of the dead man, in the play. Leonard and Pred have been friends since their days together at David Douglas High School, though they graduated in different years (Leonard in 2008 and Pred in 2009), and have performed before in their school’s adaptation of “The Anne Frank Story.”

“We go way back,” said Leonard.

The play takes place in New York City in 2005, though this is only the cast’s interpreta-

On Mt. Hood Community College Campus

Dead Man's Cell Phone College Theater

April 28, 29, 30 $5 students $10 adults Box Office: 503-491-7154

One-man show to highlight Moliere and Shakespeare

By John Tkebuchava The Advocate

Would you like to earn a teaching license while on the MHCC campus?

Two years after earning your AAOT you can earn a BS Degree, Oregon Teaching License, ESOL (English as a Second or Other Language) and a Reading Endorsement.

We are currently recruiting for 2012-2013.

For advising, please call EOU @ MHCC 503-491-7332 or email: mwebster@eou.edu

tion as no actual city is named. But based on the landscape described in the script, New York City fits the bill.

“It (the script) alludes to a place with really tall buildings,” said Koshuba.

When asked what her favorite play is, Leonard said, “I really enjoyed seeing ‘Wicked’ on Broadway and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and meeting Mickey Rooney after the show.”

Her favorite movie was much harder to narrow down, but she responded with her top three: “I’d say ‘Spaceballs.’ I love that movie; don’t judge, (an aside to her snickering friends). I can quote ‘Clueless’ in my sleep, so that one as well, and I really liked ‘Inception’.”

Leonard’s major is integrated media, specifically the broadcasting program, which she hopes to use in order to get in the music industry, specifically in music marketing and management.

“I’m really interested in the business side (of music). I spend a lot of my time in that side of things,” said Leonard.

For someone who wants to go into the music business, Leonard has a wide range of musical tastes and attends many concerts around Portland, with her last one being All Time Low and Yellowcard at the Wonder Ballroom on Sunday. Her perfect playlist would be “Cobwebs” by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, “Will All Be” by The Maine, “Cough Syrup”

by Young the Giant, “Wannabe” by The Spice Girls and “Therapy” by All Time Low. “Usually when I’m in plays, I get small roles, but a lot of them, like three or four,” said Leonard. She said she’s played variety of roles, but has played a mom a lot, so she knows mom-roles really well, from Anne Frank’s to Auntie Em. “I’m so excited to not be the mom in this show,” Leonard added.

Professional actor Tim Mooney will perform two one-man shows Wednesday in the Mt. Hood Community College Visual Arts Theater.

Mooney will perform “Moliere Than Thou,” which features works by French playwright and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (more commonly known by his stage name, Moliere), recognized as one of western literature’s great comedic playwrights. The show is from 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

“Moliere” will be preceded by “Lot O’ Shakespeare” from noon to 1 p.m., in which dozens of Shakespeare plays are tied together and presented in a single hour.

Because of the up-tempo pace of plays and since Mooney will be playing every character, props will be minimal.

“He always combines skits from various plays, with the briefest of interruptions in between as he changes characters, said Eric Tschuy, MHCC language instructor. “To do that, all he does is switch hats or a cape or a wig.”

As for the set of plays’ relevance and significance to MHCC and students, Tschuy said, “I think it is extremely important to bring examples of our collective cultural heritage to a learning institution like MHCC. “Students rarely get a glimpse of this heritage in their busy lives. It makes more real

what they learn in French language or in English literature courses,” he said.

“Theater, and this actor, has a way of making these old stories alive and relevant to us today.

“And Molière is simply funny. So is Shakespeare. He points out our human foibles and hypocrisies,” he said, “What better way than through the funny bone to learn something?

“This also helps MHCC reach out to our communities,” he said.

Other schools will also be visiting the see the show.

“At least three Oregon high schools are bringing in an important contingent of students of French and English (classes) to see the plays on Wednesday,” said Tschuy.

To reserve vouchers for the event, contact Tschuy at eric.tschuy@mhcc.edu, or Holly DeGrow at holly.degrow@mhcc.edu and indicate which show you would like to see (or both).

LIVING ARTS 11

APRIL 22, 2011

FaCUlTY Has OFFeRed a sOlUTiOn TO wHaT THe adMinisTRaTiOn ClaiMs is a “BUdgeT sHORTFall” Our offer is fair and comes in under their budget.

• We offered a pay freeze.

• We offered to reduce the number of days we work.

• We met the Board’s demands to pay more for benefits.

Our offer saves the college over $1.6 million.

Yet the Board keeps rejecting our offers.

Clearly, the issue is NOT about money.

The issue is about power and differing philosophies.

The Board seems bent on converting MHCC into a corporate-style, for-profit business where high paid executives manage a massive pool of part-time faculty. They want to squeeze money from faculty and students to build a $4.55 million dollar surplus.

Your teachers want to work for a school where the primary focus is serving students and our community. We want a voice in how our school is managed. We want to be valued for our fulltime, year-round commitment to educating our students.

Keep Mt. Hood Community College for YOU, not for-profit.

Tell the MHCC Board to put YOUR education first.

Brian Freeman, Board Chair: 503-666-1606 brianjfreeman@msn.com

Rod Monroe: 503-760-4310 pogomonroe@aol.com

Dave Shields: 503-666-6167 dave.shields@comcast.net

Beverly Russell: 503-512-8854 bevruss@comcast.net or Beverly.russell@mhcc.edu

Bob Morris: 503-669-0744 BnBmorris@comcast.net

Ralph Yates, D.O.: 503-667-9647 ryates@tpcllp.com or cfma525@msn.com

Paid for By the mhcc faculty association

find out more @ www.Be-informed.net