The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 4 – Oct 11, 2013

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The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College

October 11, 2013

Volume 49 Issue 4

Derr addresses

fumes

Editorial:

by George peery The Advocate

CLOUDY POLICY LEAVES US

GASPING FOR AIR

T

he Advocate has been noticing a trend around here – not just noticing, but smelling: A lot of people are smoking on campus.

The problem with that is, MHCC is a smokefree campus.

The rules about smoking here are clear: No one can smoke in any area that is campus property, including the parking lots. However, smoking in your car is kosher, because that is technically private property.

smoke s moke

Continued on page 2 Art by Jared Lichtenberg - The Advocate

Hungry? Let Barney ease your pain

by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate Forget your lunch at home? Are you out of food at home?

Barney’s Pantry offers a free food option for students in need.

Joy Smith, ASG director of community affairs, is responsible for Barney’s Pantry and encourages students to stop by as many as three times a week, for any three food items per visit.

This pantry is filled not just with food, but also hygiene items. Visitors

who pick up a snack or lunch may also grab some of the latter.

There will be a stock of deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner and feminine items throughout the year.

Smith said the pantry will have “all sorts of ready-made meals” on hand.

The pantry stocks both ready-toeat items and some that require a little more preparation, such as canned soups. This week, there were Hamburger Helper, canned vegetables and microwaveable meals available.

Refrigerated items are also stored in the pantry.

A section is devoted to babies, and includes food, formula and diapers.

Additional changes are in store.

Smith hopes to put together bags with items that would make a meal for, say, a family of four, by later this year.

Eduardo Ortiz, ASG Vice-President, said the pantry experienced a “dramatic increase” in demand during the last school year.

The first step is to visit the ASG office in the Student Union to sign in

by I.D. number. The pantry is located next to the student government office but remains locked, so guests need an ASG member or someone at the front desk to let them in.

“Our goal is to help all the students we can help,” said Smith, the ASG manager.

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Could you be among students who could benefit from Barney’s Pantry?

Barney

The monthly MHCC District Board meeting on Wednesday covered a variety of issues, but one that stood out wasn’t raised until after a scheduled evacuation drill interrupted the session.

President Debbie Derr addressed the occurrence of noxious odors during the first stage of a three-month upgrade of MHCC’s HVAC (heating and air conditioning) sysTo see how tem. the board During this voted on the time, Aug. 12 to part-time Sept. 27, several contract new fan systems Wednesday, were installed by see page 6 Johnson Controls, the job contractor.

Once these systems were turned on, an offensive odor resulted that caused several reported cases of burning eyes, headaches and nausea.

The odors surfaced again in early October, during the second stage of the HVAC replacement process. After this second episode, the source was determined to be a sealant used in the fan rooms by the company.

Derr said she confronted Johnson Controls with several questions about the incidents. A decision was made to switch to an odorless sealant and change the times when these new systems will be operated for the first time, she said.

According to Derr, Johnson Controls insisted that the sealant used initially is commonly used on work conducted at hospitals and other facilities that are populated during HVAC work, without complications.

A page covering this issue has been added to MHCC’s website.

Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) and SAIF (State Accident Insurance Fund) experts are now working with the college to test air quality during the ongoing renovation work.

The Wednesday Board meeting covered several other issues.

An upcoming college accreditation process will use self-reporting, via an online, virtual visitation, a process that no board members seemed familiar with. Derr quipped that, at least, “If we roll our eyes (at accreditation officials), they won’t see it.”

Continued on page 3

Board

Continued on page 6

Pick up next week's

Halloween issue for costume trends, Halloween events, and the do’s and don’ts of the holiday.

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Opinion

Oct. 11, 2013

Smoke : Continued from page 1

Let’s give smokers a place to go Those caught smoking on campus by a public safety officer are given a warning. If caught again, they will be given a final warning and be put on a list of other former offenders, and if caught a third time, hit with a citation that is worth $15.

We think this is a sound system. No one likes to get on any sort of list, let alone a list where they possibly could be fined. However, we know for a fact there are plenty of people who aren’t seen by Public Safety and sneak in a good drag on campus. We know, because we see (and smell) them near our office, all the time.

In fact, it’s questionable whether or not the no-smoking rule is truly effective or properly enforced. There are teachers who have addressed class breaks as a time to go for a quick smoke, and some of the students we’ve talked to aren’t even aware there is such a rule here. The fact that we have a spot on campus widely known as the “smoking tree,” shows that the rule is not well en-

Photo courtesy of Mykala Williamson

forced. We’re not asking Public Safety to hunt down everybody who pulls out a cigarette, but a little more diligence would be great.

Note that none of us at The Advocate

are smokers, but we do not judge or belittle those who are. We understand that life has more than a few rough patches, and cigarettes are a way for some people to smooth them out.

We appreciate why we are a smoke free-campus. Cigarette smoke stinks, we don’t want used butts thrown everywhere, and always there is the danger of second-hand smoke.

Believe us, we would love the idea of having the campus be 100 percent smoke-free, but that’s not happening. We don’t have enough officers or enough people who care to fully enforce that rule. And so we think giving smokers a designated area (with an ashtray or two) on campus would be an amiable compromise.

There used to be booths here that would give smokers a place to go, but they were removed because they were in public areas with clouds of smoke hovering everywhere.

We think the booths should be brought back, but placed in low-traffic areas. If they returned, we would likely see fewer smokers scattered around campus because they would actually have a place to go that is reasonably close. If constructing them is a problem, putting signs and a few chains near areas were not many people pass by would also work.

If designated areas for smokers are out of the question, it should be made abundantly clear that this is a nonsmoking campus, and so too, the rules that apply. A few large signs around campus or a blurb on Mt. Hood’s main web page would be helpful to newcomers who

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

aren’t aware. It’s a fairly important rule, and there are a lot of people who smoke, so it should be better publicized.

And then, there are e-cigarettes: These are tricky, because while they supposedly don’t produce actual smoke or affect others, there are reports starting to debunk whether or not they are harmful. We feel these should still be treated the same as cigarettes, because

we can definitely smell them.

We understand the dislike of smoke, and we understand the need to smoke.

We think we can live in harmony at Mt. Hood if we give smokers a spot they don’t need to walk so far to find, and still be mostly out of the way.

It just paints a bad picture of our college, allowing smokers to loiter around the campus for everyone to see.

To see what students had to say about the no-smoking rule, go to our website: www.advocate-online.net

Food carts at Mt. Hood would be awesome

by Danny Perez-Crouse The Advocate

I dig Vista, and the snacks around the MHCC campus are nice, but it would be awesome to have a little more variety at the college. Not just variety, but higher quality. I’m thinking the perfect solution would be food carts.

Yes, I’m a little biased towards food carts because I live in Portland, but we do love them for a reason. Some of the most unique and delicious foods can be found in a cart on the street. They’re a quick and easy way to get high-quality food without having to go to a restaurant.

And if we can snag a cart, it should serve food that we can’t get at Vista.

Maybe a Chinese cart or a vegan cart or a fried chicken cart (Oh man, my

mouth is watering).

We already have more than enough crap-inducing options within a threeminute drive, and I think our school should promote higher quality food.

I know partnering with fast-food restaurants has become a popular venture among colleges. That would be one response to our food woes, but I think we have enough of that junk near by.

We should be implementing healthier options at the college. I know that not all food carts are healthy, but they are certainly better than the chemicallaced “food” you’ll find at Taco Bell.

It would also be great publicity: How many colleges have food carts on campus? It would make Mt. Hood seem more fun and vibrant.

I am not saying that doing this would be easy. There are definitely some sticky rules in Gresham about where a food cart may be located. There isn’t anything in Gresham law that says we can have them at the college, but there’s nothing that says we can’t, either. Food carts can be allowed on institutions, and it can be argued that Mt.

Hood is an institution.

Also, the Gresham City Council will soon consider new laws for food carts. Some of the revisions will apply towards fees, location standards, etc.

The council will be reading new laws on Nov. 5 and hopes to enact them on Dec. 5. Hopefully the changes will make it easier to get food carts in Gresham, and find them a home on our campus.

If so, just where would they go?

Most customers find them in parking lots or on street corners, and we don’t really have extra space in those departments. But who says they have to be in a parking lot? I’m sure we can find a place on campus for them. A great spot would be near the Student Union and its seating section outside. Maybe we could even find them a home in the Vista (I know there is plenty of room there).

If we could make these allowances, I know that food cart owners would be more than happy to get situated here.

Making a successful cart is hard. If you’re outside of Portland, people are more wary of your food quality. And

Web photo

if you’re in Portland, you are going to have one hell of a time standing out from the vast sea of competitors.

In a prime location such as a community college, operators would gladly hand over a percentage of the profits because they would make so

“I think the fines that they have in place are effective, but are not enforced as well as they should be”

much more money than roughing it in the street.

C’mon, you know this sounds freaking sweet! How cool would it be to stop by a food cart between classes and grab a fresh, delicious meal that was handcrafted with love? We have to make this happen.

“If Public Safety sees you, they will get you” Comment from Adrian on smoking video

Comment from Jaquie Beatty on smoking video

the Advocate Editor-in-Chief Katelyn Hilsenbeck

Living Arts Editor Rebecca Gaulke

Opinion Editor Danny Perez-Crouse

News Editor Katelyn Hilsenbeck

Submissions Sports Editor Aaron Marshall

Copy Editor Rebecca Gaulke

Photo Editor Carole Riggs

Ad Manager Cameron Miller

Advisers Howard Buck

Reporters Missy Burchell

Dan Ernst

Lindsay Frost

Bob Watkins

Greg Leonov George Peery

Video Team

Q Quarterman

Melissa Casey

Edgard Valencia

Jared Lichtenberg Lobsang Tenzin

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu 503-491-7250

www.advocate-online.net #mhccadvocate

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

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.

News

Oct. 11, 2013

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Cultural center finds a home on campus The Diversity Resource Center has found a home in the Student Union to “foster a sense of community.”

by George Peery The Advocate The Student Union at MHCC has evolved over the years. Long gone are its old pinball and arcade machines, as is its former name, the College Center.

So, too, has the facility’s stated mission to support “development of the whole student” and “foster a sense of community and cross-cultural understanding between students, staff and faculty” been revamped in order to meet current needs.

The newly opened Diversity Resource Center (DRC) on campus is the latest example of MHCC’s intent to fulfill that mission.

Located in the former Lake Room (AC 1051) the DRC will provide resources and services to students, faculty and staff that administration and students alike have sought for more than a decade.

The center is already open, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

A formal ribbon cutting ceremony is due on Nov. 6, where MHCC President Debbie Derr will join other speakers at the event that will include an open house and snacks.

“This is a really powerful statement,” said DRC coordinator Melinda Bullen, when talking about the strong push made by both the ASG and faculty to get the DRC established.

Arriving at Mt. Hood just six weeks ago, Bullen has had to hit the ground running to deliver on the promise that promoters of the center envisioned.

Students are invited to see the resources available. They include a library of culturally relevant DVDs and books, and four Macbooks that may be used by students to explore websites that feature culturally diverse information or as general study tools.

The center also has a modular conference table, a living room-type setting, a projector screen and a personal mediation area.

“I want everyone to find a reason to come here,” Bullen said. She said the DRC will welcome not only people who seek personal assistance, but also classes, clubs and organizations that

Melinda Bullen

The DRC is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the Student Union.

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Melinda Bullen, Diversity Resource Center coordinator and a student in the newly furnished center in the Student Union. need a space to meet or make presentations.

“Ninety percent of what we will do will involve student leadership,” she said.

The DRC will organize lectures and events designed to help students interact learn about different cultures.

An example is Latin Heritage Day on Oct. 23. Scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Union, it will feature speakers, resource materials, cultural food and dance.

A sampling of Latin American textiles is already on display in the DRC, which will host monthly rotating art

installations.

Future events could include international films, national speakers and guest lecturers from Oregon Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Bullen’s own journey fueled her desire to seek inclusiveness for students.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina-Asheville who began her studies at a community college, she was hired by her alma mater. Within two months, she was sent to rural areas to recruit for new students. She found that these communities had ethnically

diverse populations that weren’t represented by the student body of UNCAshville.

Bullen was inspired to approach her supervisor with a proposal to develop outreach programs for those communities, she said. The idea that “access and inclusion” must be developed for all to be educated would eventually lead her to Chile for almost two years before taking the new job at Mt. Hood, she said.

“I want to dedicate my professional life to providing an education for everybody,” she said. “I’m grateful. I have the best job you can get.”

Barney

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Education

Continued from page 1

Future Teacher Fair Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Room 296 Smith Memorial Student Union 1825 SW Broadway, Portland

Food supply fueled by student fees

• Hear about PSU’s innovative teacher preparation programs • Learn how you can start early to prepare for a teaching career

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Barney’s Pantry is stocked with ready-to-eat food items, items to prepare a meal at home, and hygiene items.

SESSION 1

SESSION 2

GENERAL INFORMATION

BILINGUAL EDUCATOR OPPORTUNITIES

4-5 pm

Presentation at 4pm, followed with breakout sessions of our six teacher training programs.

5-6 pm

Are you bilingual? Learn about increasing demand for bilingual educators in Oregon’s classrooms.

Register for one or both sessions at: pdx.edu/education/FutureTeachers or contact gseinfo@pdx.edu

The pantry is funded through stuThe pantry is funded through student fees. Smith’s budget this year for dent fees. Smith’s budget this year for the pantry and other outreach events the pantry and other outreach events is $10,000. Last year, approximately is $10,000. Last year, approximately $4,500 was spent on the pantry, Smith $4,500 was spent on the pantry, Smith said, said.

Donations are always welcome.

Donations are always welcome. A There was a faculty food drive that recent faculty food drive produced a brought in a large cart and several boxlarge cart and several boxes of food, es full of food, she said. Keep an eye out and more food drives are planned this for more food drives year. this year.

Smith said she She said she also also receives bread receives bread dodonations and Monday through Friday 10 nations and hopes hopes to connect a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday to connect with the with the Oregon through Thursday 5 p.m. to Oregon Food Bank.

Food Bank. Chart7 p.m.

Chartwells donated wells, Mt. Hood’s sandwiches to Barfood service conney’s Pantry at the tractor, donated beginning of fall term. sandwiches at the start of the fall term.

If your need for food items exceeds For those whose need for food exwhat the pantry can provide, they have ceeds what the pantry can provide, information available to help fill your the pantry has additional information need. available.

Fall hours:

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Living Arts

Oct. 11, 2013

New staff profiLe: 3 of 4

Linsell has high hopes

by Greg Leonov

ed students in my career, but I would trade all of them for students that work hard, no question,” he said. “Being curious and skeptical, and a hard worker, beats talent any day.”

He said he’s happy now to be a part of a college that is very accessible to lots of people. “There’s something about a school like Mt. Hood, that offers a pretty darn inexpensive education to people, that I can really get behind,” he said.

The Advocate

Photo by Carol Riggs - The Advocate

Grant Linsell is the new Symphonic and Jazz Band conductor.

“It’s the people… willing to work through frustration that are successful,” said Grant Linsell, MHCC’s new symphonic and jazz band conductor, who relishes his role.

While facing the challenge of adjusting to a new college environment, Linsell said he enjoys the actual teaching aspect of his job.

“The real stuff is good – the teaching is good, the classes are good,” he said.

“The music at MHCC has historically been very, very strong.”

Linsell’s arrival as full-time band leader for MHCC comes after the departure of longtime instructor Susie Jones, followed by stints by part-time instructors.

There’s no mistaking his enthusiasm.

Linsell decided that he wanted to be a musician while a freshman in high school.

He was a mediocre band student, playing the clarinet. When he got a difficult piece to play, it frustrated him, “but the process of learning that, and then performing that successfully, blew my 14-year-old mind,” he said. “Plus, I got to do it in a room with all of my friends, and I thought that was so cool.”

It was then that he recognized his desire to be a musician, he said: “I didn’t know that I could be, but I knew that I wanted to be.”

Linsell said any great musician must be willing to work hard and not just rely on talent. “I have worked with a lot of talent-

i’m in a position where i get to do the two things i wanna do... and i feel very lucky.

Grant Linsell

Symphonic & Jazz Band Conductor A Midwesterner who grew up in Detroit, Linsell was familiar with the face of poverty. “The only way out of pretty horrible poverty was through some kind of post-secondary (education) experience,” he said.

“I’ve seen the transformative power of higher ed. The kids that didn’t finish high school, or that finished high school and didn’t do anything else, had a really rough life after that.”

Linsell began student teaching in downtown Detroit while working on his

Looking for something to do? Check out our revamped weekly calendar for

TO BE DETERMINED

Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra 3 p.m., Sunday MHCC Theater

Brilliance & Beauty: Enjoy the musical sounds of the violin; tickets are just $5 for students of the music department. www.columbiasymphony. org

Viral Vid of the Week

some fun ideas!

3 Divergent Series: Book pick

Allegiant

2 1

undergraduate degree. He chose to teach because he’d had good relationships with his own teachers and wondered what it was like.

In doing so, he was able to blend his two passions. “If there was a way for me to make both, teaching and music happen, it seemed like a really good plan,” he said.

His instructors at the University of Michigan emphasized that “you have to be a great musician if you want to teach music,” he said. “Being a good teacher is not enough. I really took that to heart.”

Now, said Linsell, “I’m in a position where I get to do the two things that I wanna do, and that’s very uncommon, and I feel very lucky.”

One thing that hasn’t met his expectation is the low number of MHCC students participating in the music program.

His arrival as full-time band leader for MHCC follows the departure of longtime instructor Susie Jones, and then stints by part-time instructors.

“In a college this size, we should probably have two symphonic bands, and two or three jazz bands,” said Linsell. Currently, Mt. Hood has only one of each.

“We want to have as many people in the college community participate as possible. I’m sure that we could find a place for most people who want to be involved in music,” he said.

He is confident that with new outreach and effort, he can help grow the program.

“There are a lot of interested people around; we just have to find good ways to connect with them,” he said.

The Haunted Maize Open Saturday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sauvie’s Island Portland

It’s that time of year again to get into the Halloween spirit. What better way than a corn “maize”? Nothing says “fall” like scariness, pumpkins and corn.

So, grab your friends and make it a weekend outing!

by Veronica Roth In stores/ebook available

Oct. 22 The highly anticipated third installment in the Divergent series is almost here.

Attracting fans of “The Hunger Games”, this trilogy takes place in a society based on factions that are determined based on characteristics. Fans of the series have been held over by short e-books, which are in the perspective of one of the main characters, Four. The Divergent series is set to hit the big screen too, with the first one opening in March 2014.

Ellen Gets Serenaded

By Taylor Swift In the mood for a laugh? As part of our new weekly feature, we will show you one awesome video and tell you why you should watch it.

This week, it’s a clip from “The Ellen Show.” In the clip, Ellen is sitting at table full of a panel of kids. One girl says she wants to sing, so of course Ellen lets her.

And not just for a minute. To the other kids’ disdain, the little girl sings an entire Taylor Swift song, “I Knew You Were Trouble.” The looks on the other kids’ faces as well as Ellen’s reactions make the what seems like never-ending clip worth watching, so check it out on YouTube.

Living Arts

Oct. 11, 2013

Review:

‘Captain Phillips’ is all thrills Tom Hanks delivers noteworthy performance

by Danny Perez-Crouse The Advocate It’s nice to be reminded that you don’t need massive explosions, chase scenes, excessive slow motion or an egregious budget that could feed a nation

in order to create an engaging thriller.

This is intense, this is powerful, this is tragic-- this is “Captain Phillips”: no frills, all thrills.

Captain Phillips takes a multi-layered approach to the real-life events of an American cargo ship off the coast of Somalia raided by pirates in late 2009,

and later turns into a tense hostage situation.

What pushes this film beyond the average thriller is its evenhanded approach towards the situation. Rather than demonize the pirates as generic foreigners preying on the helpless white man, we see the other side of the argument and why these hijackers are left with no choice but to engage in criminal activities. Later in the film, when things really go south, you realize these pirates are in just as much trouble as Phillips.

The humanization of these pirates make for an increasingly tense situation, because you’re conflicted in wanting Philips to make it out safe, but you aren’t totally on board to see these pirates harmed or go home empty-handed.

I’m not saying they are justified, but you can see where they are coming from.

All of this turns the film into a more intellectually intriguing affair. I left the theater a little more informed about some very troubling globalization issues.

And the pirates wouldn’t be as terrifying or as sympathetic if it weren’t for a batch of terrific performances, with the cream of this unsavory crop

HHHHI Movie review being Barkhad Abdi’s portrayal as the pirate captain, Muse. He is a man desperate for what he needs, but does not wish to harm others in the pursuit of his goals. Abdi’s performance is both enigmatic and terrifying.

And let’s not forget Tom Hanks.

His wise and calm portrayal of Phillips is very nuanced, letting in little cracks of fear and nervousness that seem genuine. It all comes to a head in the third act with one of the most incredibly emotional performances I’ve ever seen on film. This is some of the Hank’s greatest work, and will surely earn him an Oscar nod.

At first, the film is a little boring because we don’t see much happening, but you will soon realize how important that downtime is later on. Once things get going, they never let up. I found myself literally on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion. The relentlessly thrilling and

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unnerving nature of the movie is the result of some terrific direction.

It’s a solid return to form for Paul Greengrass, who is best known for directing the “Bourne” series. His vision is beautiful in its minimalism, letting the events speak for themselves. The use of shaky-cam and drowned-out colors are implemented just enough to deliver a raw, unfiltered experience.

And Greengrass does a terrific job of making every change in circumstance feel like an event. The subtle zoom of the lens and musical cue elevate the tension in each scene.

All of his little touches help us appreciate the severity of what’s going on, without feeling manipulative. I truly felt like I was a part of the crew, and when the pirates first latched on to the boat, my heart plummeted like an anchor.

If I have one complaint, it’s the early reactions of the ship’s crew, who are never truly developed. They are inexperienced and say very cliché things like “I didn’t sign up for this”, or yell out terrible ideas that are ultimately refuted by Phillips to show his wisdom.

But I’m really grasping for straws here.

The few complaints I have are mere dents on a very sturdy exterior.

I found myself moved and rattled by this unforgettable experience. Captain Phillips is an incredibly paced, acted and directed film that is thoroughly enjoyable and satisfyingly provocative.

Archer joins Theater Department; New staff Profile: brings acting experience 4 of 4 by rebecca Gaulke The Advocate

Photo by Carol Riggs - The Advocate

Mace Archer is the new Artistic Theatre Director. He is currently directing the Children’s Theatre Production, “Alice In Wonderland”, which opens early next month.

Mace Archer, the new Artistic Theatre director at MHCC, has been acting for more than 25 years and hopes to apply his experience to help his students.

“I love providing ways for people to tap their own creativity,” he said.

Archer left his previous job as theatre department chair at Randolph College in southern Virginia to take his position at Mt. Hood. “When I interviewed, it seemed like I could do something really exciting here,” he said.

In June, Archer spent one day in Portland interviewing for the MHCC position and five days touring the city. He witnessed Portland’s yearly Naked Bike Ride—and it sure made an impression.

“I just thought – that doesn’t happen everywhere.”

That quirky character played a role in his decision, he said.

“There’s such a free-spiritedness in Portland, and a lot of culture. I mean, all the arts are represented well here and I

think it’s just a place where there’s a lot of creativity, and a place where people in general aren’t afraid.”

Currently, Archer is directing MHCC’s Children’s Theater production, “Alice in Wonderland,” which opens in early November. The play is actually rehearsed within his Theater Workshop class, so its cast consists of his class members.

He said the play is going well. “Children’s theater is always a lot of fun because the actors get to do kind of crazy outlandish things that they don’t get to do in contemporary realistic plays,” he said.

The play will include lots of colors and will capitalize on the “clownish nature of the characters,” he said.

While Archer thrives on helping actors improve their skills, he also enjoys teaching those new to the field. “Nonmajors that take an acting class almost always walk away from the class just sort of feeling better about who they are – being able to communicate better with other people, not being afraid to stand up in front of groups,” he said.

“I think the ability I have to bring

things out of people who are new to the game is going to serve me really well here.”

He hopes to bring some “gutsy and gritty” plays to Mt. Hood. “Sometimes it’s not even the particular play, it’s just the way we do it, that makes it an event,” he said.

Working as an actor as well as a director, Archer has played a variety of roles: personal favorites include the ghost of Marley in “A Christmas Carol,” and Hamlet, he said. He enjoys lesser-known roles, too. “I really like small plays that nobody would have heard of.”

In the spring, he will direct MHCC’s rendition of “Footloose.” He hopes a wide variety of students, as well as community members, will show up for auditions. “I want everyone to know that theatre at Mt. Hood is for everybody… whether they are an audience member, or if they decide to audition, which we want everybody to do,” he said.

Auditions for “Footloose” will be held Nov. 19 and 20 at 6 p.m. in the MHCC College Theater.

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News

Oct. 11, 2013

Evacuation drill

Manufacturing Day a success

by Lindsay Frost The Advocate

Photo courtesy of Vanessa DeGree

MHCC hosted two sets of evacuation drills Wednesday which were reported to be swift and well organized.

Board

Continued from page 1

Software glitch puts out lights Derr signaled her intent to launch more strategic planning for MHCC, extending through 2020.

In other facilities news, a software glitch was the suspected cause of failed lighting in the 1600 and 1700 classroom buildings earlier this week.

A number of board members attended an Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) convention

in Seattle last month. Diane Noriega, Board chairwoman, who was elected to the ACCT Diversity Committee, said there was a surprisingly political atmosphere to the convention.

The board approved changes to the Adult High School Diploma program and is looking at creating a comprehensive marketing plan for the college to promote increased student accessibility.

The MHCC’s classified employee group gave a presentation to familiarize Derr, the newly hired president, and Board members with the 195 employees who serve numerous functions on campus.

The workers have been in contract negotiations described as “disappointing” so far by Cathy Nichols, president of their bargaining group.

Advocate staff

Part-time contract okayed

present at district board Faculty adviser Dan Ernst, Editor-in-Chief Katelyn Hilsenbeck and former Editorin-Chief Mike Mata spoke on The Advocate’s behalf about its accomplishments, video and social media additions and how being on staff has benefited them.

MHCC President Debbie Derr and Board Chairwoman Diane Noriega presented The Advocate with an award of appreciation.

The Advocate will also join Derr for lunch today.

First Place for General Excellence was awarded to The Advocate by the Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association in May.

News Briefs

Domestic violence forum

Blood drive results ASG and the American Red Cross collected 61 pints of blood at their blood drive held Monday.

Kristin Werner, MHCC ASG student activities board director, said, “I’m very pleased with the student and faculty turnout and their willingness to help those in need.”

While the drive fell short of a 74-pint target, “I don’t doubt that for our next drive we will exceed our goal,” Werner said.

With only one week to recruit

volunteers, the turnout was a success, she said.

The next blood drive will be held Jan. 27-28. Donors can sign up online at www.redcrossblood. org starting Dec. 1, by using sponsor code “MHCC.” The campus blood drives are more convenient for students and show them “they can make a difference in another person’s life,” Werner said.

- Katelyn Hilsenbeck

Gluten-Free Food Fair Do you know what gluten is?

Or why it’s a serious concern for some eaters?

Gluten is a natural protein found in certain grains, but the promotion of gluten-free products and diets has exploded in recent years.

MHCC is hosting a GlutenFree Food Fair on from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, in the Vista Dining Center.

About 40 gluten-free vendors will offer sample products and the opportunity to buy bulk products.

James Brook, MHCC biology and nutrition instructor, said there will be a lot of carbohydrate-type food available.

There also will be a guest speaker to discuss the history of gluten and how those who are

negatively affected can adjust.

“There’s actually more (food items) that you can eat.. than you

For more of information on the fair, go to our website: www.advocate-online.net

think you’re going to be able to eat,” Brook said.

The Fair is sponsored by the Gluten Intolerance Group and MHCC. “It’s going to raise the awareness of gluten-free living and give people some of the correct information,” Brook said.

- Katelyn Hilsenbeck

On Oct. 4, MHCC hosted Manufacturing Day, drawing students from three area high schools to learn about the Running Start program and specialized training that could help them land local manufacturing jobs.

The focus was Mt. Hood’s Integrated Metals program, where Running Start students can earn early college credit while they learn valuable technical skills.

The event “really highlights how the Mt. Hood region has a viable pipeline for manufacturing jobs,” starting with high school CTE (career and technical education) programs and continuing through the MHCC degree and certificate programs to local employers, said Mark Wreath, MHCC industrial technology instructor.

Sixteen students from Sam Barlow, Gresham and Centennial high schools attended.

After meeting Mt. Hood instructors, the visitors toured the machine tool and welding facilities. They

watched demonstrations of some of the equipment, including surface grinders, drill press, lathes, mills, welding and CNC (computer numerically controlled) machines.

The students also toured the MHCC campus and learned more about other college programs.

The Mt. Hood event was one of 10 held at Oregon campuses during the second annual National Manufacturing Day, which saw 824 campuses across America participate, said Robert Weinman, customized training coordinating of advanced manufacturing.

“This was only our first year participating, but if this event keeps growing at this pace, I expect our event will grow with it,” Weinman said.

He said the manufacturing sector in east Multnomah County is eager for new skilled workers.

“Locally, we need both employers and our whole community to get behind this national event,” Weinman said. “We need to get the word out that manufacturing in East County is thriving.”

ASG will host a domestic violence presentation from noon to 12:50 p.m.

Wednesday in the Town and Gown room.

“When you start getting people to think about it, to talk about it; when you get people educated on the subject, that’s when change can happen,” said Jonathan Albi, MHCC director of public safety and campus sustainability.

Guest speaker Karina Rutova from the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence will provide information about the Center and discuss such things as: What to do if you are a victim; restraining orders; and reducing chances of becoming a victim.

“She’s going to be sharing a whole bunch of resources” and other valuable advice on combating domestic advice, Albi said. “It’s one of those crimes that goes largely unreported. It’s kind of silent crime in a way.”

The MHCC Public Safety department approached Albi with the idea of the forum, with a Gateway Center speaker in mind. He said he was happy to schedule one.

“This is a huge social epidemic that has permeated itself throughout the globe,” he said. “It’s for everybody, because the whole community is affected by this.”

ASG will host another event Nov. 20 to highlight the Beaverton-based Sexual Assault Resource Center.

“We want to raise awareness on campus about domestic violence, which is something that really has made an impact on our society,” Albi said.

- Katelyn Hilsenbeck

by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate A new, four-year contract for MHCC part-time faculty members was ratified this week by a 95 percent vote of members and approved unanimously

by MHCC District Board members on Wednesday.

Marilyn Pitts, part-time faculty association president, said, “I’m really satisfied with the contract. Neither side gets everything they want, but I believe we’ve made some improvements in the contract which will benefit everyone – including our students.”

Included in the new contract is improved language clarity, a new employee orientation, development of a tutor evaluation process, a sick leave bank that lets faculty donate unused sick time to others, and paid jury duty.

Health insurance will be available for purchase through the Oregon Education Benefit Board to eligible individuals, said Pitts.

“This was a very collaborative ex-

perience,” said Jeff Forbis, a member of the administration bargaining team, at the Wednesday meeting, where the board vote was 5-0 . “It was a very friendly and supportive environment.”

Since MHCC’s salary for four of five employee groups within the PFTA has been lower than that at Clackamas and Portland community colleges, the newly approved contract gives those four groups a 4-percent increase, Pitts said.

“Salary is always an important issue. It can encourage someone to apply for a job, and it can also be a factor in retention of good employees,” Pitts said.

She said a salary study will be conducted during the winter term. Salaries would be adjusted in 2014-15 if they remained below the market average.

Pitts said an agreement resulted because “both the college and the (PFTA) teams came prepared for the negotiation sessions, listened to each side’s perspectives, and worked hard to resolve differences.”

Sports

Oct. 11, 2013

7

Cross Country battles sickness, hangs tough in Salem

by Q Quarterman The Advocate The Mt. Hood mens and womens cross country teams battled the flu bug, other medical issues and stiff competition on Oct. 5 to carve out some team and individual success.

The Saints ran at the Charles Bowles Invitational, staged in Salem’s Bush Park and finishing on the Willamette University running track.

“We had two weeks of solid training but also had a lot of runners sick this week,” said Head Coach Matt Hart.

The MHCC men placed 16th with an average time of 27:42, while the women worked to improve their times, as both squads look ahead to NWAACC championship meet on Nov. 10.

“The bulk of our team is freshmen. We have a young team but they are all getting along well together,” said Hart.

Freshman Emily Trosino paced the womens team, hitting her first mile in 6 minutes flat and finishing in 20 minutes flat, beating more than half the women’s field. Freshman Haley McDon-

ald followed with time of 21:10. The Saints were without Freshmen Courtney Andre, due to a minor medical matter.

“Brandon had a good time this week. He was battling a calf injury and he had some negative self-talk cause he knew he could have done better if he wasn’t battling an injury,” said Hart.

Freshman Brandon Raleigh led the mens squad with a time of 26:20, a season best for him.

He was followed by Freshman Taylor Hybl at 26:98 who improved his standing with the team, and Freshman Auston Burns, at 27:14.

“This was Brandon’s fastest time thus far, while the team was solid and got better today,” said Keith Maneval, MHCC assistant coach.

Mt. Hood’s next meet comes on Saturday, at 10 a.m. at the Mike Hodges Cross Country Invitational at Clackamas Community College.

“The south region championships are also being held at Clackamas (CCC), so this is a good chance to learn the course and get a better strategy,” Hart said.

According to assistant coach Jim Satterfield, this year’s squad has made solid progress.

Sport

BORDER WARS

T

his weekend in Pacific Northwest sports features several bouts between teams from the states of Oregon and Washington.

While both Oregon and Oregon State’s football teams face season-defining games on the road, the Portland Timbers will be hosting the Seattle Sounders at Jeld-Wen Field on Sunday.

The region will be a war zone for the teams and their fans on both sides of the Columbia River. From the divided house fans of Oregon and Oregon State, to the classrooms and offices here in Oregon filled with Washington residents and graduates – this weekend should provide more than enough drama and maybe even some controversy.

Football of both varieties will fill the weekend with fervor and fanaticism.

Oregon looks to continue its undefeated play, Oregon State hopes to outpace their opponent with their potent passing offense, and the Timbers attempt to secure three points on their home field to ensure an MLS playoff berth.

Beavers preview After losing to Eastern Washington in their opening game 49-46, the Beavers have been playing well, led by junior quarterback Sean Mannion, who leads the NCAA Division I-A in passing yards, with 2,018 yards total. Junior wide receiver Brandin Cooks has been phenomenal, leading the nation in receiving yards with 807.

Beavers running back Storm Woods is expected to return after missing three weeks with a concussion, a major plus. During his absence, OSU has desperately sought a run game; they are second-to-last in the conference, with 68 rushing yards a game. The Cougars are last in the conference, with just 58.7 rushing yards a game. But Cougars’ junior quarterback Connor Halliday is third in the nation in passing yards with 1,993.

Now at 4-1, the Beavers head to Pullman to face the resurgent Cougars. With their best start in years, at 4-2, the Cougars have been a surprise and have even put up wins against Cal and USC. It’s expected to be a cold, gloomy night Saturday, with near-freezing temperatures, as the two pass-happy teams battle it out.

Last season, the Beavers defeated the Cougars in Corvallis, 19-6.

Photo Contributed by Matt Hart

Freshmen Auston Burns and Keenan Follett fight the pack during the Charles Bowles invitational.

“This year’s mens and womens teams are a lot better than last year’s. We have a lot more depth this year and our pack is even stronger. We have runners that are competing with the big dogs from

other schools,” Satterfield said.

The teams’ last contest before NWAACC regionals late this month will be the Lewis & Clark Invitational, at Lewis & Clark University on Oct. 19.

SC entral #2 Oregon Ducks AT

#16 Washington Huskies 1 p.m. FOX Sports 1

Oregon State Beavers AT

Washington State Cougars 7:30 p.m. ESPNU Network

Portland Timbers (50 pts) VS

Seattle Sounders (51 pts) 6 p.m. ESPN

Ducks preview Two of the best teams in the Pac-12 conference will collide for the 106th time in the newly renovated Husky Stadium.

Through five games, Oregon, 5-0, has outscored its opponents 29659. But now the Ducks face their first real showdown of the season on the road against the 4-1 University of Washington Huskies. Besides their in-state foes, the Beavers, the Huskies are the Ducks’ biggest rival. Dating back to 1900, the Huskies lead the all-time series, 58-42-5, but the Ducks have won the past nine games. Oregon is coming off a dominating 57-16 win over struggling Colorado, while the Huskies lost a heart-breaking nail-biter to Stanford in Palo Alto, 31-28.

This Saturday will be the first time ESPN’s College Game day broadcast has been staged at the UW. That will add to the expected frenzy in Seattle, where cool temperatures and possible rain showers are forecast.

Oregon enters the game leading the conference in total yards per game and points, with 630.4 and 59.2, respectively (including nonconference action).

Washington ranks third with 557 yards, and is seventh in points, at 37.4 per game.

Washington’s junior running back Bishop Sankey is fourth in the nation in rushing, with 732 yards on 131 attempts, and has seven rushing touchdowns. Oregon junior running back De’Anthony Thomas is still uncertain to play after missing a week while recovering from an ankle injury suffered during Oregon’s 55-16 win over Cal on Sept. 28.

8

Sports

Oct. 11, 2013

SportS profile

Sophomore driven by desire for success

Volleyball rides win streak into Clackamas

by Edgard Valencia The Advocate

Keely Siegel

What You Should Know Age: 19

Centennial High School Graduated: 2012

Position: Outside Hitter Two-time NWAACC South Region Offensive Player of the Week

Returning hitter receives South Region awards

by Cameron Miller The Advocate With a quiet and soft-spoken attitude off the court, Keely Siegel might not be labeled as a “fierce competitor.” But for anyone who sees a Mt. Hood volleyball match, she’ll leave that impression.

“I want to win, that’s my ultimate goal. Whether we’re in practice, drills, games, or tournaments, I want to win,” said Siegel.

The 5-foot, 10-inch outside hitter is one of just three returning Saints players from the 2012 season.

Her valuable experience and leadership has helped propel Mt. Hood (17-6, 4-0 in league) to its No. 1 ranking in the NWAACC South Region.

Her play has earned Siegel several awards in the first four weeks of competition. They include an alltournament team award, and South Region player of the week honors twice, already.

She called the awards a big “pat on the back” that lets her know her hard work has paid off, she said.

Off the court, Siegel has a softer side. Her downtime activities include just relaxing, hanging out with friends and reading novels.

The sophomore seems to be a hometown, Northwest girl throughand-through – even when it comes to other sports. “I like watching men’s basketball, the Portland Trail Blazers. I’m hopeful they’ll do well this year,” she said.

Siegel grew up in the Portland area and has played volleyball for eight years. She rose through the local ranks while competing at Centennial High School.

She chose to attend Mt. Hood hoping to transfer to a four-year college later on. “I was going to go here (MHCC) whether I played volleyball or not, and I just got lucky

that I got another chance to play,” she said.

Her Saints teammates hail from all over the Northwest, but some played in the same high school district, she said.

“I remember playing against Lihau (Perreira), she was always fun to play against, and Rachel (Woodcock) and Ally (Rombach),” she said.

After Mt. Hood fell short in the seasonPhotos by Carole Riggs - The Advocate ending NWAACC tournament last year, Siegel Sophomore outside hitter Keely Siegel practices kills and swings during practice. dedicated herself to improving in the offseason. percent attitude and effort. We have ward to tonight’s showdown against She focused on weight training and really good team chemistry and evClackamas (21-7, 3-1 in league). nutrition, among other things. eryone can feed off of each other,” Siegel said the Saints are excited to “I wanted she said. try and sweep the Cougars in three to prove that I “The Mt. Hood sets while seeking the edge in the don’t have to philosophy is to season series that stands tied at 1-1. rely on just my give your best Keys are staying healthy, focused ability, but I every time – ‘100 and “taking care of business,” she can go farther. percent attitude said.

I want to be and effort,’” she Another NWAACC team receivthe best hitter said. “It’s a little ing a lot of attention from many in the Southdifficult to get evrivals, including Mt. Hood, is Blue Chelsie Speer eryone to buy into Mountain Community College, out ern Region and take my team to Head Volleyball Coach the Mt. Hood phi- of Pendleton. The Timberwolves are NWAACCs,” she losophy, but once currently 26-1 (7-0 in league play), said. they do it’s a good and they’ve given the Saints three of While sharpening different arfeeling.” their six losses this year. eas of her game, Siegel knows hitThe Saints have weathered some Siegel said the Saints want anting and blocking are her strengths early-season injuries, which “made other shot at Blue Mountain, as they but she still has work to do. “Someus realize we need to play for the pursue a NWAACC Championship thing I need to work on is mixing up person next to us, and rely more on Tournament title. “They’re a solid my swings and making smart decieach other,” said Siegel. team, they have good defense and sions,” she said.

The active roster has dropped good hitters,” she said. “They just The Saints are the only South to 12 players, and head coach Chelcaught us on one of our off days. We Region team to remain unbeaten in sie Speer has been forced to rely on really want revenge on them.” league play. younger players stepping up and After this season, Siegel’s future Heading into tonight’s clash playing well. is wide open, she said. with Clackamas, they have won four That’s made Siegel’s improve“I might study radiology and if I straight matches, two of which were ment as a player and leader all the have an opportunity I would be willin a three-day span on the road. more critical, Speer said. “She has ing to play (volleyball) again,” she Siegel said the success reflects come a long way as a player because said. “I’ll miss MHCC, but I’ve had on the team as a whole. “It’s everyof her commitment.” an amazing time here and learned a one working together and giving 100 The team has been looking forlot.”

She has come a long way as a player because of her commitment.

With another convincing win Oct. 4 against Linn-Benton Community College in three games (25-18, 25-12, 25-22) the Mt. Hood volleyball team stretched its winning streak to five games.

The Saints dominated throughout the contest in Albany, recording their highest blocking match of the year with 13 blocks.

Head Coach Chelsie Speer was pleased with the team’s play.

“Friday’s match set a new standard and raised the bar for us.

We played very well. It was our best perfortonight’s mance this seaGame son,” she said.

Sophomore MHCC Shawna Smith at led the team in kills with 10 Clackamas and digs with 6 p.m.

14, and total attempts on attack with 27.

The Saints kept a healthy attack error margin, receiving 14 while Linn-Benton had 34 attack errors.

“We limited our errors, we were siding quickly,” Speer said.

With the win, the women sit in first place in the South Region table.

They improved their record overall to 17-6 and kept their division record perfect, at 4-0.

Next up for Mt. Hood, tonight, is Clackamas Community College, which also won its Oct. 4 match, defeating Chemeketa in four games.

The Cougars trail MHCC by just one game in the South Region table.

The contest is scheduled for at 6 p.m. and will be played in Oregon City.

It will be the third meeting between the two rivals this year, after they split the first two matches.

A win not only would extend the Saints’ streak but it also could also help them start to pull away from the Cougars in the standings.

Clackamas could give Mt. Hood a lot of headaches, as they have a team height advantage, Speer said. But the coach is confident the Saints will take their best shot.

“Clackamas will be very tough on Friday. We’ve got to show up with the same mentality that we had against Linn-Benton,” she said.

Speer has encouraged her team to keep pushing themselves for the remainder of the regular season.

“Winning definitely builds confidence and that’s been very important with a young team. It creates belief and allows for growth and improvement in practice,” she said.

Upcoming Schedule Green river Crossover “Dig pink” Friday-Saturday, Oct. 18-19 Auburn, WA

MHCC vs. linn-Benton

Wednesday, Oct. 23 Gresham, OR

Dorian Harris Classic tournament

Friday-Saturday, Oct. 25-26 Gresham, OR