Independent Student Voice of MHCC
Volume 52, Issue 6 OCTOBER 27, 2017 advocate-online.net
Rockwood Rising controversy PAGE 4
The ‘Jungle’ at MHCC theatre PAGE 5
ADVISING SHORTAGE AFFECTING ASG’S WORK
Arcade Fire blares! PAGE 6
PAGE 7
Report shows campus car theft rampant PAGE 2
2016 FIRST PLACE
General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association
OPINION EDITORIAL
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
CAR THEFT, BREAK-INS COMMON CRIME ON CAMPUS
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rime at Mt. Hood Community College? Yes, we’ve got it – and anyone can find the gritty details, thanks to the Clery Act. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or simply the Clery Act, is a pretty important piece of legislation. The federal law is named after Jeanne Clery, a student who was raped and murdered in her dorm in 1986 at Lehigh University, in Pennsylvania. This was one of 38 violent crimes reported to that school over a three-year period. But since there was no compulsion to do so, the school didn’t report it, or make those statistics available to anyone. Clery’s parents argued that if they would have known the school was prone to this much violence, that Jeanne never would have attended. This triggered a storm of litigation and law reform across the country when it came to schools and what they were required to report to
students and the government, and led to creation of the Clery Act. The Act requires colleges and universities to do four things, or they risk losing eligibility to receive financial aid money for their students. First, all schools are required to submit an annual report by Oct. 1 of each year. The report must detail the crime statistics for the previous three years, the school’s policies on safety and security, a description of any crime-prevention programs, and the procedures that the school must follow in any investigation or prosecution of an alleged sexual offense. (You can find Mount Hood’s most recent report here: https:// www.mhcc.edu/PublicSafety/ CleryReport/) Second, the school must provide a crime log that lists out all crimes that were reported to them or that they became aware of, which must contain at least the last 60 days’ worth of crime information. For each incident, the school must include the nature, date, time and general location.
(Currently, MHCC has logs stretching back to 2012 on its website, at: mhcc.edu/PublicSafety/ CrimeLogs/) The third requirement requires that schools give a “timely warning” to students and staff when there is a threat to safety. There is no definition required for the school to follow that defines the expectation of timely warnings, but the school must have the guidelines they follow listed in their annual Clery report. (MHCC has just introduced its RAVE emergency mass notification system to keep students, employees and others updated - visit mhcc.edu/ rave.) Lastly, campuses are required to keep crime history statistics for the most recent eight years. If they are not available immediately (say, via a website) they can be requested from the school and must be available for viewing within two days. Many of you may be aware that much of the crime we’ve seen around the MHCC campus involves stolen cars. We decided to take a look at
the most recent Clery Act report and found that car theft seems to be overwhelmingly the most common crime here. The current report covers 201416, and we see three instances of assault and nine instances of burglary but 25 instances of motor vehicle theft, and this is not a trend that’s slowing down. While schools must provide this information, as students we should be taking advantage of these statistics so we know where to be the most vigilant. Obviously we have a car theft problem here at MHCC, so we need to do all we can to focus on preventing these incidents. We also see instances of stalking, drug/ alcohol abuse, and arson, other areas we need to be aware of. Thankfully, one thing the report does show is we go to a safe school with the report showing of the 11 criminal offenses they report on, only 4 had incidents reported, and of those 4, only motor vehicle theft had more than 5 instances in a whole year.
Since car theft seems to be our biggest trouble, we think we should be aggressive in doing something. The Advocate challenges students, staff, faculty and student government to do something to help with this problem, whether that’s increasing funding for Public Safety, student watch groups, better communication with outside law enforcement agencies, or simply students taking better steps and measures to keep their cars safe. We live in an era of information. We have access to knowledge about pretty much everything at our fingertips, 24 hours a day, and we need to make sure it doesn’t go to waste. We can do more for ourselves, we can keep ourselves and our property safe, and it’s part of our responsibility as adults to take those steps that are needed to keep our community safe from crime, to help Public Safety combat crime when and where it can, and to help our fellow students from having their property stolen or damaged.
CRIMES REPORTED FROM MT. HOOD’S CLERY REPORT
itle: CMISC/Theft 3 T Date Reported: 8/24/2017 Date Occurred: 8/12/17-8/18/17 Description: Damage reported to the outdoor portable restrooms used by Gresham Saturday Market.
Editor-in-Chief Matana McIntire Associate Editor News Editor Greg Leonov Co-Arts & Entertainment Editors Ryan Moore Noah Guillen
Title: UEMV/Theft 3/CMISC 3 Date Reported: 8/30/2017 Date Occurred: 8/30/17 Description: Unknown person(s) entered a locked vehicle and stole items from within.
Sports Editor Position Open Graphic Design Team Prisma Flores Jonathan Diaz Quirarte Amy Welch Nicole Meade Bethany Lange Photo Editor Fletcher Wold
Opinion Editor Donovan Sargent
Photo Team Fadi Shahin Andy Carothers
Web Editor Dusty Sargent
Video Team
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Cory Wiese Megan Hayes
Title: Theft 3 Date Reported: 10/2/2017 Date Occurred: 10/2/17 Description: Subject failed to pay for services and took food without paying for it.
Nick Krane Gabriel Donaldson Miguel De La Rosa Ad Managers Megan Phelps Yen Le Social Media Manager Cassie Wilson Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Staff Writers Antonio Edwards Hanna Benson Summer Frickey Maddy Sanstrum
Title: Student Conduct-Stalking Date Reported: 8/30/2017 Date Occurred: 8/11/17-8/21/17 Description: Oregon Uniform Stalking Complaint was issued by GPD to a subject who continued to try to get in contact with an employee after being told not to.
Bethany McCurley Kyle Vanooker Logan Hertner Steven Rousseau K.C. Merkt Kente Bates Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Twitter: @MHCCAdvocate Facebook: facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline Instagram: @MHCCAdvocate #MHCCAdvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030 Room AC1369
Graphic by Bethany Lange
Title: Student Alcohol Violation
Date Reported: 9/10/2017 Date Occurred: 9/10/2017 Description: Two under age subjects were contacted in reference to their having alcohol on campus
Cover design By Nicole Meade
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 | OPINION
OCTOBER 27, 2017
PUBLIC SAFETY DOES MORE THAN KEEP US SAFE K.C. Merkt
the advocate Since January, 39 vehicles have been broken in to or stolen at MHCC, accounting for 38 percent of all crimes reported on the campus crime log so far in 2017. Mt. Hood’s Public Safety team has warned students and staff about the problems, which include stolen tires and vehicle damage. It also offers help to prevent or avoid other crimes. “Our main purpose is to get the word out on how to prevent these kinds of thefts, (warn) people to keep alert and to notify us of any suspicious activity,” said Public Safety Officer Wayne Feagle. Although these crimes are the most common in the parking lots, there are others occurring, including vandalism to school property elsewhere. The security team cannot
stress enough how important it is for witlessnesses to report any suspicious activity immediately. Lead Public Safety Officer Cherilyn Nederhiser said notifying the team is imperative, “so we can prevent crimes from occurring in the first place.” Public Safety officers recommend purchasing a steering wheel lock, installing an anti-theft system, and if there is a detachable stereo in your car, bringing the unit into the school. The MHCC Bookstore has steering wheel locks on sale for $10, to continue for the foreseeable future. Officers also recommend keeping car keys and key fobs in a safe and secure place. They also advise storing personal belongings and valuables in the lockers available in the Student Union building (lower level, $5 per term). Public Safety services go beyond responding to theft. Officers will
escort students, staff or other visitors to a car if desired, unlock a vehicle if keys are locked inside, and jump a dead battery. Public Safety also can open locked classrooms when personal belongings are left behind. As long as students or staff on campus at night, there will be a Public Safety officer available to help. When medical emergencies and first aid calls occur, officers are present to assist. All officers are certified through the state of Oregon under the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). Public Safety also works closely with community outreach programs. When MHCC became a Red Cross emergency shelter for residents evacuated during the Eagle Creek wildfire, officers provided 24hour service on the campus. Much of what is run past Mt. Hoods’ safety team isn’t reported as
a crime. The department will assist with handling persons of concern, filing restraining orders, issuing safety plans, trespass notices, and connect students with counseling services. An outline of MHCC crime 2014-16 3 assaults 9 burglaries
The department is not standalone when it comes to the security of students and staff. It helps connect members of the community with organizations such as the Gateway Center, Title IX, Call to Safety, SNAP and 211. Nederhiser referred to 211 as the 911 of social services, able to connect people with services to assist with food, healthcare, housing and shelter, utilities, and family services.
25 motor vehicle thefts 5 arson 2014-16 figures from 2017 MHCC Clery Report
“It’s not just the Public Safety department; we work hand-inhand with the counselors,” said Nederhiser. “Our Title IX team, our threat assessment team, we’re all integrated here so when there is a response, we all respond together appropriately.”
For all of you interested students, volunteer opportunities, internships, and Federal Work Study opportunities are available through Public Safety. Public Safety contacts: For non-emergencies, or to request a Public Safety escort: 503-491-7310 For emergencies only: 503-491-7911
OPINION
TEXTBOOKS ARE OBSOLETE: INFORMATION IS FREE Hanna Benson the advocate
Hmm... if only there were some way to have a lightweight backpack and access to endless information at a low cost. Oh, wait: there is! I’m not sure about most Mt. Hood students, but from my experience, a lot of the textbooks I purchase probably only get opened a few times during the term. Yes, we have to appreciate the
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teachers who help get our money’s worth out of those textbooks and even go out of their way to find an inexpensive version for us. But why is it that in 2017 we are still using paper to provide us with our information? We aren’t talking about saving paper here, although that would be a big bonus. Call me crazy, but how about we just use the internet for our information? Imagine, slamming that book shut and jumping on the web of knowledge. I’m aware, fake news is a real thing, and it’s a shame we can’t trust the majority of our sources. However, how much credit can we give our textbooks when they are constantly going out of date? How bad would it be if we learned what a reliable source is, and could spare students from living on a diet of cup-of-noodles? Come on, the internet is free
(aside from our personal internet bills), our outdated textbooks are expensive, and even when we find them cheap, they still ain’t cheap.
Imagine, slamming that book shut and jumping on the web of knowledge, We live in a world that is bombarded with ideas from every perspective and we have endless information at our fingertips. Let’s use it! There’s instant help in every subject – you name it. Need help with a math problem late at night? YouTube tutorials can help you solve a problem in an effective way
that makes more sense to you. A textbook basically says “If you don’t understand it in this example, good luck understanding it at all.” You can’t remember the name of the 23rd first lady? Have fun checking out five books that may or may not have that name for you (It’s Caroline Harrison, and yes, I did Google that). We all know how to look for information, so how much more are we really learning if we find Caroline Harrison’s name in a textbook versus a quick Google search? Even some of the curriculum that teachers use for their online classes is being pulled directly off Quizlet and we have to pay over $100 for an access code: Seriously? If we are really worried about students learning misleading information, how hard would it be to do a quick lesson (which I
actually recall being taught in high school) about reliable sources? You can print a whole textbook on it! Just kidding. I’m not saying we should have a giant textbook-burning festival and dive headfirst into the knowledge of the web. We need a foundation, a good setup to use. We have better things to do with our time than spend four hours on textbook homework, versus two hours online and learn the same amount. It benefits us all: Students can save a few bucks and teachers won’t have to sift through dusty old books for current information. The internet’s cheap, easy to access, and it saves loads of time. What does a textbook do?
YOUR OPINION MATTERS | CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVOCATE We accept guest columns! To inquire or submit your writing,
email us at advocate@mhcc.edu PA G E 3
NEWS
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
PART 1 OF AN ONGOING SERIES
'ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING' Raising economic value in Rockwood will push people out
through rent will skyrocket causing the displacement of families.” She goes on to describe gentrification as “the erasure of culture, its displacement… gentrification is rich white people coming into a neighborhood, a neighborhood with less resources than other communities, and basically trying to make a business and turn a profit off a low-income community.”
Kyle Venooker the advocate
Mt. Hood students joined community members who gathered Oct. 15 to express their reservations regarding Rockwood Rising, a multi-use development planned for the area just east of 185th Avenue, between East Burnside and Southeast Stark streets. Their concerns focus on affordable housing, urban development and the effects of gentrification the project could trigger in the Rockwood neighborhood of northwest Gresham. Rockwood is home to 28,000 people, per the 2010 U.S. Census, a number that is likely much higher in 2017 with the influx of people that Gresham and the greater Portland metro area has received recently. The event, titled “Save Rockwood,” was hosted by Pueblo Unido, a community organization. Diana Marin Duran, an MHCC student, describes the group as being committed to “connecting people with legal services… specializing in removal defense,” in situations such as detainment by ICE. Duran said the Save Rockwood event was created to “inform people. We wanted to let people know what was happening in the community, because that information wasn’t accessible.” She said that surveys were taken asking attendees what they knew about the Rockwood Rising project slated to be constructed and finished in 2019. ‘Market rate’ worries According to its website, rockwoodrising.com, the construction project is envisioned to be an “ ‘economic engine’… that would not only alleviate the symptoms of poverty, but provide the pathways out of it,” with space for an “innovation hub,” “residential space,” and a “market hall.” A chief concern Pueblo Unido has with the development is its plan for housing. “We know that bringing in a PA G E 4
Photos by Gabriel Donaldson
TOP: Anakbayan Portland, an organization "working to... address important issues that affect Filipinos," according to their Facebook page, set up a table at the Save Rockwood event. BOTTOM: Organizers from Pueblo Unido; Diana Marin Duran in the middle.
new building that will be “market rate” will attract people who can’t necessarily live in Portland, because the rent is high over there, but it’s also going to push a lot of the Rockwood community out,” said Duran. She said that in her conversations with Rockwood CDC, the nonprofit development company behind Rockwood Rising, the proponents
described the residential building as “an apartment complex with 100 market-rate apartments, 20 percent of which will be ‘affordable housing.’ ” Duran describes 20 percent as “not enough,” saying Pueblo Unido believes that any construction that takes place in that neighborhood should be affordable. “Affordable
housing, that’s all we’re asking for. That’s what we really want,” she said. Duran also cites a potential conflict of interest as problematic. In an Oct. 10 email, she wrote that “Brad Ketch, the CEO of Rockwood CDC, is also the owner of a private contract company. [He] will benefit from the gentrification of Rockwood. If this project goes
CEO: no conflicts Ketch responded to the Advocate regarding conflicts of interest: “Several members of our board and staff have businesses, family relationships, and other board seats that could pose potential conflicts of interest. Our (Rockwood Rising) Board of Directors has a written Conflict of Interest Policy... At this time, the board knows of no violations of our policy. “If anyone has evidence that one of our directors or staff members has violated our policy, we welcome him or her to contact us,” Ketch wrote in his email. When Pueblo Unido brought these allegations to the Gresham City Council, that body was “defensive,” said Duran, though it remains unclear whether or not the Council found any evidence of a conflict of interest, she said. Meantime, the Rockwood Rising development is already underway. An official groundbreaking took place earlier this year, and Rockwood Rising’s website says the property was fenced off Sept. 21 to begin construction. Duran said Pueblo Unido is planning on attending the next City Council meeting, on Nov. 7. She said the group intends to bring community members together to raise more questions. She said Mt. Hood students or members of the community interested in Rockwood’s development can attend and testify to their own experience with housing, as well. Information about Rockwood Rising can be found at rockwoodrising.com, at 503-618-2416, or by email at RockwoodRising@ GreshamOregon.Gov.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
OCTOBER 27, 2017
ACTORS TRANSFORM INTO ‘JUNGLE BOOK’ ANIMALS Cassie Wilson the advocate
“The Jungle Book” cast at Mt. Hood is getting excited for their upcoming November performances in this year’s Children’s Theatre production: They’re constantly being challenged and working to better their physicality and choicemaking before the shows begin. In the play, almost everyone is acting as an animal, a type of character that most cast members didn’t have previous experience playing. Megan Worden, a woodpecker and puppeteer in the production, said, “Up until this point, most of my shows were being a human or being something human-like.” She has been involved in theatre since the age of 13, and this production is pushing her to grow in her acting as a whole. “It requires you to make big choices which is always something I get (as) feedback, saying, ‘You need to make bigger choices,’ and so this has been a challenge, to say the least,” Worden said. Theatre major Christopher Wolfe is playing Akela the wolf, as well as a monkey. He’s been in a handful of Mt. Hood productions and was in theatre for the majority of high school. He said that before this play, he had trouble with his physicality, and was stiff a lot of the time. “[This play] helped a lot
Photo by Fletcher Wold
Cast members of “The Jungle Book” rehearse a scene of the play where their characters search for Mowgli.
because it forces you to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to being physical, like being the monkeys in the play,” he said. “You kind of get to a vulnerable spot, but it’s also very fulfilling once you get to that place because you can literally just go nuts and people enjoy it.”
Students were given a homework assignment to watch videos of the animals they would be playing. “We’re trying to get as much physically into the animal as we are vocally,” Wolfe said. Playing a wolf, he noticed that the animal typically has a lot of shoulder movement
when walking, so he’s working to incorporate that as he walks closely to the ground to portray Akela. As for acting as a monkey, he said, “Your arms are going everywhere, you’re slapping them against stuff, you’re banging the ground, so it’s a lot of fun.” Behind the scenes, the set
designers and tech crew are well on their way to getting everything ready to set the stage. This time around, they’re using backdrops as opposed to painting the jungle background on wood, and painter Tiffany “TJ” Purvis has enjoyed the new technique. There’s a lot that goes into making everything look how, and function how, it should, she said. “It’s a lot of hard work. It takes more than just two or three people to do it,” Purvis said. She has always loved performing, and began acting in, and designing sets for, Mt. Hood plays last year. She’s playing a young elephant in “The Jungle Book” and said, “I’m a lot more confident than I was last year.” So, with opening day approaching – Nov. 6 – what’s everyone most excited for? Purvis said, “The kids. It’s always fun with children’s plays because we interact with them a lot.” That was the unanimous answer from her, Worden, and Wolfe. It’s a different, unpredictable crowd each day, and the cast of “The Jungle Book” is eager to see if they’ve put together a show that will hold the young audience’s attention. “If a kid doesn’t like it, then they’ll pick their nose, they’ll play with the seats, they’ll talk to their friends – they’re going to do anything but watch what you’re doing,” Wolfe said.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
ARCADE FIRE DAZZLES IN LIVE SHOW Noah Guillen the advocate
Arcade Fire’s performance at Seattle’s Key Arena Oct. 15 was a deafening reminder that the thematic qualities of music – specifically, rock music – are far from dead. Gerard Butler and Régine Chassagne dazzled the audience with a show that played on classic showmanship in exciting ways that was powerful and loads of fun. The show kicked off with an opening act from Phantogram, a band I will forever more recognize as infinitely better live than recorded. Opting for acoustic drums over a drum machine, and even at times guitar over synth, Phantogram primed the audience with a genuine enthusiasm often unmet by the less-than-half-full arena. The audience wasn’t there for them – or even there at all, at that point – but they played as if it were, all the same. Following Phantogram was
some down-time filled with odd circulating symbolism (from the band’s album art) on the jumbotron. Often the symbolism was interrupted by fake ads for products themed around song titles. Then the main show started. A bizarre blend of soundtracks from the movie “Clockwork Orange” and other hits from various years blared while a narrator introduced the band out of the corner of arena like boxers (they had stats and everything). Arcade Fire kicked off with their newest single, “Everything Now,” which roared through the audience with much more energy and purpose than the recorded rendition. Following their opening song, the band moved through a wide range of their material, going all the way back to their sophomore album, “Funerals.” In general, the band had an energetic stage presence that worked to move the audience. Percussionist Will Butler would often run around
the stage smashing things and hopping on other band members with a single drum in hand. When not
playing any number of instruments, Régine would often dance, and even once broke out a pair of streamers. Lead singer and guitarist Win Butler inter-
acted with t h e audie n c e often, holding mics out for moments of audience participation. Often, Win would rouse the audience with relevant alterations to songs. In one instance, he subbed out
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lyrics from “Here Comes the Night Time” that normally go “…It’s behind a gate, they won’t let you in/ And when they hear the beat…” to “…It’s behind a gate, they won’t let you in/ Because they @#$%ing hate that you’re Mexican!” Mostly, these moments were enthralling, once even compelling the crowd to quote, “Sing against all those @#$%ing Nazi @#$%s that plague our country!” In choice instances, though, the effects seemed preachy. Arcade Fire’s ability to retain a soft alternative/indie title while still putting on one very powerful performance is a thing of beauty. The band fully embraces the need to make the show stand out from its source material in a way that astounds and excites the way only a live performance can.
Arcade Fire performed a rousing set at Seattle’s Key Arena Oct. 15. Lead singer and guitarist Win Butler (pictured above) and band roared through a variety of hits, including their newest single “Everything Now”.
‘STRANGER THINGS 2’: READY TO BINGE Ryan Moore the advocate
No one expected the massive success of last year’s hit Netflix original show, “Stranger Things,” including series creators Ross and Matt Duffer. But, thanks to the rapid following the show has gained after its premiere, “Stranger Things 2” is poised to make an even bigger and more exciting return when it becomes available to stream on Friday, Oct. 27. As many may have noticed, this new installment is being teased more as a sequel rather than a typical second season. The first look fans had at the return of the hit show was at this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, with a 3-minute trailer filled with various references from its 1984 setting while backed by the especially
UPCOMING NETFLIX ORIGINAL SHOWS PA G E 6
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appropriate tune, “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson. The trailer ended with the show’s iconic, bold-looking title which felt more like a movie trailer than a television series. Since Comic-Con there have been additional teasers promoting the second installment along with several poster artworks that cleverly recreate movies popular in the 1970s-80s such as “Jaws,” “Stand by Me,” and so on. Amidst the ongoing Harvey Weinstein allegations, actor Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler in “Stranger Things,” has recently dealt with similar struggles regarding his own agent. Wolfhard left his talent agency, APA, after his agent, Tyler Grasham, was accused of sexual harassment and assault against several young actors. The situation was
TRAILER PARK BOYS: OUT OF THE PARK: USA Season 1 Special
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Season Two’s nine episodes will be available to binge Friday, Oct.27.
brought to light after Blaise Lipman, a filmmaker who worked with Grasham as a teenage actor, revealed that Grasham supplied him alcohol and sexually assaulted him. He and other former actors decided to speak out in response to the recent #metoo campaign that has unfold-
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ed online, regarding numerous actresses sharing their stories of sexual harassment in the industry – along with other women who have been harassed elsewhere. Grasham was fired by the Los Angeles-based talent agency on Oct. 20. Nearing the release of “Stranger
SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT Series Premiere 10 Episodes
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Things 2,” critics were able to get an early look to see how well it would fair compared to the success of the first season. It’s easy to say there are some big expectations for the sequel, but many early reviews refer to it as both exciting and satisfying. This thrilling sci-fi drama makes a timely return, arriving just before Halloween. The Duffer brothers were asked about how long the show will last after rumors floated around that it would be ending after four seasons. Executive Producer Shawn Levy said, “The truth is we’re definitely going four seasons and there’s very much the possibility of a fifth. Beyond that, it becomes I think very unlikely.” “Stranger Things 2” features a total of nine episodes for those who plan on diving into the sequel with the intention of binge-watching.
MARVEL’S THE PUNISHER Series Premiere 13 Episodes
NEWS
OCTOBER 27, 2017
STUDENT GOVERNMENT FACES MENTORING CHALLENGE Part 1 of an ongoing series on MHCC’s staffing issues Bethany McCurley the advocate
Associated Student Government (ASG) leaders at Mt. Hood find themselves picking up the slack for several vacant Student Life staff positions, after significant upheaval in the Student Union. Within the last two years, the Student Life department has lost a bookkeeper, an ASG adviser, the manager of specialized student services, and an events coordinator. Upon being hired last spring and arriving in July, Justin Core, MHCC director of student life and civic engagement, has filled in for the work normally assigned to these positions. Bruce Battle, director of communications for MHCC, said he wouldn’t call the situation “understaffing” because that implies the college has a choice. He said the personnel changes were unpredictable and that the hiring process to replace departed employees is “complicated.” Core was hired to fill those vacant roles until new staff could be
hired, he said. Battle couldn’t specify a timeline for the hiring of replacements for the other departed employees. This is not the first time multiple responsibilities have been reassigned, within the MHCC organizational chart. During the 2016-17 school year, MHCC eliminated three top administrative jobs, and the MHCC District Board of Education agreed to create a new chief of staff position to assist President Debbie Derr in day-to-day duties. Derr told the Gresham Outlook newspaper the moves were made not just to save money, but said the college has “redistributed our workload… We are redefining and prioritizing our work.” When David Sussman, former manager of specialized student services who assisted in some ASG duties, resigned in 2016, Derr told the Outlook that the administrative cuts were unrelated, but that “any time a position is open we reexamine (it) to prioritize… and make sure we have positions (staffed) to move us forward.” Current ASG President PonyBoy Peterman and Vice President Carey
McIntosh agree that Core juggles his duties well. But they also said their transition into the new school year was challenging. With the majority of the student government members being new, ASG members have had to adapt to their positions with far less staff guidance than in previous years. “It makes life a lot harder. We practically started from ground zero,” said Jessica Lara a contemporary issues coordinator. Last week, it was announced that the events coordinator, Pam Kuretich, had transferred to another administrative position. Despite the “new challenges,” McIntosh said, the ASG team plans to carry on and noted that Kuretich still helps ASG members as a resource. Peterman said he hopes for new staff members to be hired soon, and that he is optimistic for the future. Core said during the summer training ASG focused on change and adaptability, and despite the lag in Mt. Hood filling the staff vacancies, he is optimistic about his “engaging” and “dynamic” team of students.
VICTIMS’ ADVOCATE EXPLAINS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Greg Leonov the advocate
On Wednesday, Mt. Hood’s Public Safety officers hosted an event called “Be Part of the Solution,” taking direct aim at domestic violence. Guest speaker Saron Nehf, a domestic violence victims’ advocate from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit covered different types of domestic abuse, how they happen, what can be done about them, and the different steps victims and perpetrators go through legally. Nehf started off by telling her backstory. She said she is a two-time survivor of domestic abuse: “I grew up in a home that was very abusive and growing up, I used to tell myself when I grow up and I find a partner in life, I’m going to find someone who’s the complete opposite of my very abusive parents.” Instead, “I went out into the world and I found someone who was worse,” she said. As an adult, Nehf said she found herself dealing with worse abuse than she witnessed growing up. “That’s something that is somewhat normal in the dynamics of domestic violence, because we (young
victims) tend to go to what we’re comfortable with.” A definition Nehf offered for domestic violence is “a pattern of abusive behaviors which are used to maintain power and control over someone else.” Examples of abuse include financial leverage, separation from support systems, gaslighting, and religious abuse. Nehf explained that “gaslighting” includes actions an abuser takes to make a victim feel like they’re going crazy. Moving another’s belongings such as keys, and making the victim believe they keep misplacing everything is an example she provided. “You start really believing you’re going crazy,” she said. With religious abuse, Nehf focused on biblical interpretation. Perpetrators will often use scripture to claim a strict patriarchy. In such relationships, women are forced to be submissive to men. “In a lot of cultures – the Bible says that because you’re a woman you need to submit to me (the man), you need to be submissive, you need to obey me,” she said. As for someone seeking legal action, Nehf said a police report is required before the District Attorney’s Office decides to pursue action. The state steps in and
presses charges so that the victim doesn’t have to. “When somebody goes, ‘I want to press charges because they’re (the abuser) going to retaliate against me,’ ” the state steps in to take on the responsibility, she said. “It’s the state’s responsibility to keep our system safe.” During the legal process, it’s the victim’s right to either know what is happening throughout the proceedings, or the victim may choose to avoid most parts of the procedures. The victim has to hear about that happens during grand jury proceedings and trials, said Nehf. Nehf noted that victims are sometimes uncomfortable talking about their situation, so to help, friends and family are encouraged to offer moral support, but not to pry – to “be there” when a victim does decide to open up. She also described the aspects of healthy relationships: “You want someone who’s going to be open and honest with you, talk about the really difficult things with you,” she said. To view a complete version, visit: advocate-online.net
MHCC BOARD MEETS IN CASCADE LOCKS Greg Leonov the advocate
The Mt. Hood District Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting in Cascade Locks on Oct. 18, where the aftermath of the Eagle Creek wildfire still is deeply felt. It was the first of several board meetings planned this school year at locations around the large MHCC service district, which stretches from Portland as far east as Sandy and Government Camp and up the Columbia River Gorge, to Cascade Locks. Paul Cook, general manager of the Port of Cascade Locks, talked about the city losing $150,000 of toll revenue since the Bridge of the Gods was closed, but said the city is doing fine and recovering from the fire and closure of Interstate 84 for weeks. Board member Diane McKeel took a few minutes to commend those working to battle the wildfire. “While others were on TV talking about how sad the situation was for the Gorge – and it was sad – your leaders were on TV talking about the resiliency of the Gorge and the people who actually live here. You all are truly an inspiration to us,” she said. Most of the meeting was spent outlining the board’s goals and vision. Chairwoman Tamie Arnold facilitated the discussion and started off by listing off her own board goals which were advocacy, affordability, access equity, college financial stability, workforce, community, and communication. “To move forward, one of the first things we need to do is define what it is we mean by each of these words,” she said. Arnold then said the board needed to set up “actionable items” to accomplish its goals. The members spent about 40 minutes discussing how they would define community and communication, a task to be picked up at their next workshop. McKeel, who is leading the Mt. Hood presidential search committee (responsible for finding Debbie Derr’s successor this school year) updated the attendees on the process. So far, the board has hired a consulting group, the Association of Community College Trustees. A link on the MHCC website (mhcc.edu/ presidentialsearch) has some information on what the committee is looking for. Serge Shepelov and John Hamblin, who oversee student enrollment and development, presented their monthly enrollment report. So far, enrollment for Fall Term is down 6.2 percent in for-credit tuition, and 6.7 percent overall, compared to last year. The numbers will not be final until January or February, said Shepelov. The primary loss is in students 21 years or older, he said. Hamblin presented some results from a new software system for students going through the various steps required before they enroll and start classes. The system is called EAB Navigate and it centralizes all the steps. It also contains surveys so the college gets data on students’ expectations. Out of 1,099 people who took a particular survey, 69 percent said they would like a job that matches their interests, Hamblin said, while 19 percent said they want a high salary and 12 percent said they want a job that’s in demand. PA G E 7
STUDENT LIFE
A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T
AUTUMN COMES TO MT. HOOD CAMPUS
Photos by Fletcher Wold
STAPLING CHRIS CARTER
Photo by Fletcher Wold
Self-described “freakout artist” Christopher Carter entertained MHCC students Tuesday with his magic and mind reading abilities. From blindfolding himself and accurately guessing the thoughts of the audience members to successfully dodging a staple gun to the hand, he blew minds and gave students a good time. This is the first of many events the Associate Student Government hosts. - Fletcher Wold
The Adventures of Sir Tiny Knight Part II by Amy Welch
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Across 1. The acronym ‘AC’ stands for this Mt. Hood building categorization: _______. 2. MHCC’s competitive collegiate speech and debate team can also be referred to by its technical name, ______. 3. For the 2016 and 2017 EcoChallenge, Mt. Hood competed with the team name of “______ Saints” (covered in Issue 5 of the Advocate). 4. The Fall Term play put on by Mt. Hood’s theatre department is ______ (covered in Issue 5 of the Advocate). 5. The anticipated sequel season of this Netflix original became available on Friday, Oct. 27. PA G E 8
Down 1. The president of MHCC, who is in her final year at the college, is Debbie _____. 2. The number of years Mt. Hood has been a college: ________. 3. Barney’s Pantry, a pantry of free food available to MHCC students, is located in the _____ Union. 4. The _____ is the name used in reference to MHCC’s online student tool, also known as “MyMHCC.” 5. The Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at MHCC is Felisciana _____ (covered in Issue 5 of the Advocate). 6. MHCC’s Associated Student Government President for 2017-18 is PonyBoy _______.