Gresham, Oregon | Februar y 1, 2013 | Volume 48, Issue 15
advocate
The independent student voice of Mt. Hood Community College
the
www. advocate -online . ne t
Whatcha gonna get?
No more student dilly dallying on financial aid Jackie Garrity The Advocate
Up to four new board members will take their seats in spring — Page 5
Energy crisis: Are energy drinks a valuable addition to one’s everyday diet or an empty source of calories? — Page 3 Bookstore now offering more healthy snacks for students on the go — Page 4.
New rules this year for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) dictate the pace at which students should be completing their degree. Know this: Dilly dallying is definitely frowned upon. So far in 2013, 848 MHCC students have been mailed a letter telling them they either were loitering – they had accumulated more than 150 percent of credit hours needed toward their degree – or were failing to meet the required pace towards their degree. Meeting pace with a specified degree is defined as students earning 67 percent of their attempted credits and transfer credits during each term. Those who fall short might find their financial aid cancelled unless they apply for an appeal. “Gone is the day where college is the place you find yourself: You need to find yourself somewhere else,” says MHCC academic adviser Calvin Walker. Previously a FAFSA review would start to check on a student’s progress towards their degree around 120 credit hours. Now, it’s 90 credit hours with more rigid requirements, said Walker. If students are nearing that cut-off point, they can meet with an academic adviser to assess how close they are to a particular degree, Walker said. “We try to custom fit a degree for them, because they’ll only have so much time.” What does this change mean for MHCC students? “Transferring (to a four-year university) should be something they should be thinking about the moment they start at this campus,” said Walker. On the MHCC campus there are a multitude of resources to help students on the journey to a degree: the career counseling center, academic advising and transfer center and tutors. There also is an option to dual-enroll at MHCC and a four-year university if students need to stay on track for financial aid but have not fulfilled all their
See “Transfer” on Page 5
rent
the next three profiles of leads in the winter musical pages 6-7
asg progress
baller profile:
student leaders work toward more security cameras, diversity center and d.c. lobbying
barlow grad becomes the man behind the mask on defense
pages 9
page 12
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Opinion Feb. 1, 2013
Editorial: Permanent positions allow visions to happen Over the past several years, interim positions and shuffling titles has weakened the progress towards the vision of MHCC. Interim or reduced staff and administrators reduce the ability of the college to progress. There is not enough time for an interim to make and achieve goals, fix problem areas or benefit their department greatly when they will be quickly moved to another position or move on from MHCC. In 2010 the college received four new, permanent deans. Robert Cox, for example, filled four interim positions before becoming Dean of Student Success and Enrollment. There are currently two interim deans at MHCC, Eric Tschuy of Humanities and Rick Bolesta of Science. According to the director of communications Maggie Huffman, the college is “conducting executive searches now.” The job posting online for the two dean positions expires on Feb. 10.
Huffman added that the college “consolidated areas to achieve administrative savings.” “Organizations often do this to achieve savings or increase efficiency. We would not call this shuffling which implies randomness. Strategic decision-making goes into creation of the organization,” added Huffman. Math instructor and former president of the Full-Time Faculty Association Sara Williams said that while interim deans are a result of less funding from the state, they are also less of a vision in hard times for the college. Williams added that she is unsure whether the interims selected to fill positions were chosen for their merit, worthiness or their availability. Interim positions may allow programs and/or departments to be weakened because they are not as invested in a department as a permanent position would be.
They essentially act as space-filler until the college hires a full-time replacement. Part-time or interim employees are a short-term solution to a problem. The goals formulated seem to be tied to narrow and short-term visions. We feel there is a need for longterm goals, progress and commitment. College President Michael Hay was an interim for his first year and his second contract solidified his position until he retires this June. The board is considering applicants to fill Hay’s position, with the quality of longterm commitment in their top priorities after one of the shortest-term presidencies. A long term and commitment to MHCC administration will allow goals to be made that affect the school over the duration over a longer period. “MHCC has an active and fully engaged president, Mike Hay, and an active and fully engaged Board, as well as many other leaders throughout the college for their adminis-
Livestrong needs a new leader after Armstrong’s admission
Jeff Hannig The Advocate
Lance Armstrong made a career out of fighting against all odds. Last week he submitted to his newest challenge, allegations of doping while competing in his Tour de France victories. If there ever were someone who could overcome career-ending circumstances such as these, it would be him. Armstrong has never been the most compassionate guy. He has a history of betrayal, solitude and single mindedness, which makes the fact that he has a brand as recognizable as Nike riding on his career all the more interesting. Livestrong is a brand that was built on the back of Armstrong and his seven Tour de France titles. Armstrong started Livestrong, originally the Lance Armstrong Foundation, after his fight with cancer. Armstrong recently admitted to using an array of performance-enhancing drugs while competing in Tour de France. “I will spend the rest of my life trying to earn back trust and apologize to people- for the rest of my life,” said Armstrong in his interview with Oprah.
So what happens to the Livestrong brand? A brand that’s manifesto uses phrases like, “We believe in information. Not pity,” and “Founded and inspired by Lance Armstrong, one of the toughest cancer survivors on the planet.” Transparency has been a buzzword in business since companies became aware of the benefits of an online presence. The more transparent a company is, that is the more information is available to a consumer and the easier it is for a consumer to engage with that company, the more likely a consumer will trust them. And one of the best ways to be more transparent is to build a solid brand. When we think of some of the most memorable brands — like Disney, Nike and Apple – there are feelings and personality that come to mind. An established brand encourages consumers to engage with a brand and share it with their friends. Advertisers have long been aware of the value in this. A single phrase, person or event can change a company into a household name — or in this case, a really memorable brand. Nike was built on the “Just do it” campaign, Michael Jordan and tapping into consumer’s personal reasons for participating in sports. Rebuilding the brand could be an ad agency’s worst nightmare or a major victory. And the same can be said for Armstrong’s career. Some might say his career is over and others might argue that a carefully executed social branding strategy could allow him to remain a figurehead for Livestrong, and could save him from withering from the limelight and be blown away like other fallen greats like Pete Rose, Darryl Strawberry,
Co-Editors-in-Chief
News Editor
Reporters
John Tkebuchava & Mike Mata
Mike Mata
Daniele Caldwell Jackie Garrity Hayden Hunter Shaun Lutz Aaron Marshall Cameron Miller Kayla Tatum
Associate Editor Kylie Rogers
Living Arts Editor Shelby Schwartz
Assistant Living Arts Editor Danny Perez-Crouse
Opinion Editor Jeff Hannig
Sports Editor John Tkebuchava
Copy Editors Kylie Rogers & Dorothy Ocacio
Webmaster Logan Scott
Ad Manager Katelyn Hilsenbeck
Photo Editor Jeff Hannig
Photographer Jonathon Long
Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Bob Watkins
Correction
Michael Irvin and Jose Canseco. So what does it take to lasso a falling star? Poker players call it calculated risk, others call it brand strategy. Most rebranding, reinventing or repositioning starts with what we can see. An actress will stun the red carpet with a drastic new haircut, a brand will change its name or logo and Charlie Sheen will host a cooking show from his house. According to a Business Insider article, “In the late 90s, Target was seen as just another low-brow discount retailer, indistinguishable from Wal-Mart or K-Mart.” But with smart initiatives by Ron Johnson, a former vice president of marketing, they became “the second largest discount retailer in the United States, after Wal-Mart.” In the Bloomberg Businessweek Executive profile on Johnson, it was said, “Mr. Johnson presided over a successful period of growth at Target, playing a key role in developing new initiatives for branding, marketing and merchandising. Mr. Johnson (headed) the team responsible for launching the Michael Graves exclusive line of products, as well as the addition of other key brands to the store’s selection. Armstrong needs a Ron Johnson or a blog about cats. Anyone on the Internet can be noticed if they talk about or post enough pictures of cats. We’ll just have to wait and see what will happen to Livestrong and Armstrong. One thing is for certain: expect some major changes. I hope Livestrong survives this storm. Armstrong I can do without.
the advocate E-mail advocatt@mhcc.edu 503-491-7250 (Main) 503-491-7413 (Office) 503-591-6064 (Fax) www.advocate-online.net
Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030
trative areas,” said Huffman. Williams said that board seems to be prioritizing for long-term goals due to current uncertainty in the administration. Following these changes, the board will have at least two board members will retire and bring four seats up for election. This provides an opportunity for a fresh perspective to be brought to the college. Williams said that she hopes the new board members will bring a fresh perspective to the college as well as a willingness to ask questions. So, with a new college president in the works, a possibility of two new deans as well as three new board members in the spring, we at The Advocate hope to see the administration and faculty of MHCC coalesce into a definitive direction that is aimed at maximizing the student experience and effectiveness at the college. What else would they be here for?
In last week’s issue we ran “KHMD2” in a photo caption of Karl Yody a “KMHD2” DJ.
“What factors do you consider when buying an energy drink?” 1Flavors 1Amount of caffeine 1Amount of suger 1Supplements and vitaminsy 1I don’t drink energy drinks
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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.
Opinion
the advocate
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Are the effects of energy drinks worth it? Offers a variety of flavors that coffee can’t match I don’t know about all of you, but as a college student, I find myself lacking energy every day. I can barely roll out of bed, let alone go to classes each morning. Enter energy drinks. For all of you Hayden Hunter people that have The Advocate been living under a rock the past decade or so, energy drinks are those sweet but tangy, cool cans of deliciousness that have the potential to jump-start your body into a level of alertness you never knew you had. At least, that’s how it is for me. They are good to drink in the morning to wake you up, in the afternoon for a pick-me-up, or even late at night when you are writing that essay due the next morning. Their ingredients consist of a bunch of vitamins, minerals, and sugar that are beneficial not only for our health but also for waking ourselves up. A lot of people say that they are addictive.
Next time you hear these accusations, ask that person how many cups of coffee they drink in a week. It is not the energy drinks that are addictive, it is the caffeine, and I would much rather be addicted to something that doesn’t yellow my teeth. I’m sure a lot of you can relate. Another plus of energy drinks is their wide variety. Almost any fruity flavor that you adore can be found in one of the different cans of energy drinks, whether it is classic, such as grape and orange, or more exotic, such as guava. There’s even coffee-flavored for all of you Dutch Bros. addicts out there. A lot of people, especially around the New Year, are trying to lose weight. You’re probably wondering how that could be possible if you are drinking energy drinks with all this sugar added. The energy drink corporations have solved that, as well: They offer zerosugar and zero-carb energy drinks, instead. In a nutshell, as long as your palate can handle their taste, energy drinks will not let you down, quite literally.
Illustrations by Jeff Hannig / The Advocate
Not a good resource for energy It’s close to midnight. I’m pooped, thirsty and need some energy. I decide to try an energy drink for the first time to see what all the fuss is about. For Danny Perez-Crouse three bucks, it The Advocate better be freaking delicious. I take a sip, and what I believe to be liquid candy mixed with piss starts flowing down my throat. It was so gross I couldn’t finish it. I certainly wasn’t feeling energized; in fact, I felt like crap. How in the hell do people down these things everyday? Now I don’t think all energy drinks are terrible. Just like everything, you shouldn’t overdo it. Eat too much and you’ll get sick, watch too much television and your eyes are going to start hurting, have too much caffeine and you will have a heart attack, eventually. However, I wouldn’t be talking about these drinks if people were taking it easy.
This is America, after all. We like to do things big, and do them a lot. First, the idea that energy drinks give you energy is totally false. Caffeine and sugar do not equal energy. True, caffeine is known to make you focus and increase the heart rate, but not for long. Long-lasting energy comes from vitamins. Having a couple eggs with lean ham after getting at least eight hours of sleep is like putting a big old AA battery in the body, while an energy drink is like taking jumper cables to the body after the battery has died. Yes, you will certainly be feeling something, and it may get the job done for now, but soon you’ll be at it again, and again, and again until your totally burned out. A regular-sized energy drink can range from 100-400 calories per can. They are also packed with sugar. The best selling energy drink in the world, Red Bull, has 27 grams of sugar in each can, and that’s a small can, around 250ml. Most people I know who love energy drinks have two at a time. That’s between 200-800 calories and a
hell of a lot of sugar, almost a small meal’s worth of calories. And these are empty calories with very little nutritional value. If you are living on energy drinks to get through the day, you may want to re-evaluate a few things. You cannot replace energy with sugar and caffeine. Quick fixes will always have complications and using energy drinks to make up for an unhealthy schedule will only make things worse. So plan ahead and schedule enough time to get a good night’s rest. Eat a full, healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Saying you don’t have the time to get more sleep or eat healthier is total bull, and just a defense mechanism of your caffeine addiction to prevent you from making any serious change.
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News Feb. 1, 2013
Photo by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate
Student requests fulfilled in bookstore Hayden Hunter The Advocate
In response to recent student surveys, the MHCC bookstore has begun offering a new line of healthy foods. The bookstore now offers freshly made sandwiches and salads, Greek yogurt, veggie/fruit platters, and healthy snack bars for those who like to eat on the go. Genta Guitron, bookstore merchandise buyer, said a current goal is to bring in new material that not only responds to what students are requesting, but that also gives back to the economy or community. “We are a part of the community, not just the college,” Guitron said. In trying to offer something for everyone, the bookstore decided to bring everybody’s best friends Ben and Jerry into the mix, along with the healthy foods. “I think that ice cream and finals go really well together, for some reason,” Guitron said. If patrons are still seeking something else, the bookstore will be putting out questionnaires to follow up on the food additions. Julie Godat, bookstore manager, said, “We want the students to find what they like, what they want to see.” Trade books, which are general-interest books (nonrequired nonfiction/fiction reading), can now be found throughout the store. A lot of students were requesting them ever since the national bookstore chain Borders went belly up, said Guitron. “Wherever possible, Genta tries to support literature,” Godat said. A wide selection ranges from “A Tale of Two Cities” and “Moby Dick” to the Twilight saga and “Beautiful Creatures.” Guitron checks the bestseller list weekly to match prices and make sure that the store has books that are trending. “We try to stay competitive with (popular booksellers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com) and make sure you guys (students) have the convenience and prices you guys want,” she said. Some students believe items are a little too pricey at times, though. MHCC student Kristi MacDaniels said, “There are a lot of good quality items in here, but it is really expensive.” The two things Guitron gets asked most is if the product is eco-friendly or if it was made in the USA, she said. Due to these requests, Guitron has sought a lot of locally produced items and
John Tkebuchava The Advocate
Fresh food now offered in the campus bookstore is up for review and requests by students.
environmentally friendly products. These range from backpacks manufactured from recycled water bottles to Blue Q T-shirts made by a process that save gallons of water, with each T-shirt having a graphic on the back bottom left saying how many gallons of water that T-shirt saved. The tag on each backpack notes how many recycled bottles were used in its production. “We Oregonians are really interested in saving the environment. I love my Blue Q T-shirt,” Guitron said. The bookstore also sells products that support different causes. There’s a line of jewelry made uniquely by African women to help support women and children there. The Blue Q line directs some sales revenue to assist children with disabilities. The store even carries clothes with old book covers on them, called the Out of Print clothing line. “All sales from our new Out of Print clothing line go to support literacy here in the U.S. and in Africa,” Guitron said. “My goal when getting stuff is to put smiles on your guys’ faces,“ she said. The store’s gift section is new, but on the rise. It features most anything you can think of, from novelty mugs and tea diffusers made to look like a robot, to Star Wars and Star Trek USB drives. “We listen to our students and that’s what we are going to keep doing,” Godat said.
News Briefs Math instructors to lead 3 free presentations The Dead Mathematicians’ Society is hosting three presentations that will feature math, science, technology, and engineering. All are free and open to the public and are led by MHCC mathematics instructors. The first installment, 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in AC1575, will be an introduction to probability and will use some famous examples that demonstrate the power probability. The speaker will be Jon Spindor. Prizes may be awarded at the end of the presentation. The second presentation will discuss the formulas of Leonhard Euler. It will be presented by Shu Masuda and will also cover other “exotic sums.” It starts at 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 12 in AC1575. The last presentation, also 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 26 in AC1575, will be on the mathematics of origami (folding paper) and kirigami (folding and cutting paper). Nick Chura will be the presenter.
- Mike Mata and Cameron Miller
ASG programs justify budgets as deficits loom
Board retreat will be followed by executive session A retreat of the Mt. Hood Community College District board will be held Saturday at 8:30 a.m. in the college board room, followed immediately by an executive session. At the meeting there will be a board
self-evaluation, a financial forecast presentation and the executive session to consider matters of labor negotiations. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Feb. 13.
- Danny Perez-Crouse
Financial Aid still having technical difficulties Some financial aid for this term is still delayed due to a continuing computer systems problem, according to an MHCC update posted Wednesday morning. David Minger, vice president of Student Success and Enrollment Management, sent the update, along with answers to some common questions students might have. The FAQs pinpoint “recurring deletion of key information in student financial aid records” as the problem in the system. The update also said students who have already received their aid will not be affected. The update explains that staff members from Information Technology (IT), Financial Aid Office (FAO) and Jenzabar
(the database provider) are working to fix the underlying glitch causing the disbursement issue. The problem also may affect the processing for financial aid for 2013-2014. Students will be notified of any financial aid updates by e-mail, FAO and college website announcements. David Minger; Robert Cox, dean of Student Success and Enrollment Management; Luis Juarez, the manager of Advising, Testing & Retention; and John Hamblin, the manager of Admissions, Record & Registration are all available for further questions. Their e-mail addresses can be found on the MHCC website under the “Faculty & Staff” tab.
- Mike Mata
MHCC’s co-curricular programs and athletic programs met for the second time this year with Student Finance Council on Tuesday, where they made presentations and attempted to justify increased budget requests. The two sets of programs face current deficits of $69,013 and $29,703 respectively. The Finance Council meeting opened withAssociated Student Government’s (ASG) budget justification, presented by ASG President William Miller. In asking to double the Student Organization Council’s (SOC) funding from $20,000 to $40,000, representatives stressed a need for increased funding to meet demands of participating groups. As an MHCC organization, SOC assists various campus clubs and groups that offer student events, club trips, etc. Miller reported that SOC has only $8,000 of its $20,000 budget left for the remainder of the 201314 fiscal year. Increased support allows “for more events to be produced by clubs,” he said. ASG also added a new $3,000 line item to help offset the cost of funding ASG elections during spring term. As of the Tuesday meeting, ASG is requesting a total of $219,850 for 2013-14, an increase from $207,350 for 2012-13. Following the ASG presentation, the Student Senate presented its budget, led by Steven Page, senator of finance, mathematics and science, which asked for $55,000 next year, an increase from $45,000 for 2012-13. The group said the new request owed to more clubs and organizations requesting additional funding. Similar to the SOC, various campus clubs and groups may approach the Student Senate to ask for money. Page said requests are limited $750; higher amounts must earn formal Student Senate approval. The StudentActivities Board (SAB) made its budget presentation, requesting an increase of $15,600. SAB Director Kristen Stewart said due to underfunding, the board has had to seek more Student Senate assistance. An increased budget would mean SAB would no longer have to draw from the Student Senate pool. Following the co-curricular programs, the athletic programs met to discuss their own line items. Aside from the softball team, all requests made by the athletic programs were less than the requests made in the 2012-13 year. Softball is requesting $22,450, up from $19,000 from the 2012-13. The increases have been attributed to higher in-state travel costs and replacement of supplies. As a part of contingency funds put aside at last year’s Finance Council meeting, athletics has approximately $150,000 available, should they decide to fold any of the funds into this year’s budget. The money was set aside last year to potentially fund several projects, including resurfacing the track or renovating the baseball fields. In total, the co-curricular programs have requested $529,413, and with $460,400 available to them, are facing a $69,013 deficit. The athletic programs are requesting $410,103 with $380,400 available to them, resulting in a $29,703 deficit. The next Student Finance Council meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday.
News
the advocate
District board could see four new members for 2013-14
John Tkebuchava The Advocate
Along with the impending selection of a new college president, MHCC may also see the arrival of up to four new board members by July 1. Board member Rod Monroe announced at a board meeting several months ago his intention to not run for re-election come spring, and fellow board member Brian Freeman now has also stated he will not be running for re-election. Current board chair Dave Shields has said he is unsure whether he will run for re-election. Board member Paul Capell, currently serving as interim in the position of Ralph Yates who resigned from the board in September 2012, will also have to re-run for the position in the spring as well. Monroe, whom serves as the Zone 4 MHCC district board member, was originally elected to the board in 2005 and is now finishing his second term. He was elected as a state senator in 2006, where he now serves and intends to continue. In addition to being a veteran member on the board, Monroe has also had three sons attend MHCC. Even with possibly four new members, Monroe said he feels it will be business as usual with the change. “I don’t see that changing with the new people coming on,” said Mon-
roe. ‘Overall I think that will be a positive thing.” As for not seeking another MHCC term, Monroe said, “I decided to not run for election because I’ve been overwhelmed by my responsibilities as a state senator.” Monroe added he will be going to Salem for five months and will miss some board meetings. “So I decided that it’s not fair to the board if I’m a member but not attending all the meetings,” he said. Though his time on the board is coming to a close within months, Monroe says there is still a lot of work to do. “ They still have a lot of work to do in this final stretch, and specifically faculty negotiations and electing a new president.” Freeman, former board chair and current member representing Zone 2, is now in his 12th and final year on the board. “I’ve been on the board for 12 years and there has been a number of people that I’ve worked with and that gives me confidence that whoever replaces us will be good people,” said Freeman in regard to his decision to step down. “I have friends who work here and still do. (MHCC is) a part of me, part of my blood,” he said. Although Monroe and Freeman have both served multiple terms and are both leaving, Monroe said he is still confident that whomever is elected will not “miss a beat.”
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With some “fresh blood” to be tossed into the fray, Freeman said this could even be a good thing, “Sometimes you exhaust all your ideas. Somebody with fresh ideas can bring something new to the board. “I don’t think it would be good for the college if the same members remained on the board too long. Maybe 12 years is a little too long,” he laughed. Current board chair Shields said he hasn’t “made up his mind yet” on whether he will run again. Shields is also a former MHCC instructor and has had two sons attend the school. “I have been associated with the college for almost 40 years,” he said. Whether or not he remains with the board, in regard to the departure of Monroe and Freeman, Shields said, “They’re fine board members, dedicated individuals.” “Their dedication to MHCC has been noteworthy,” he said. With Shields possibly not returning, the board may need to select a new leader. Asked who he thinks would fill that role nicely, Freeman said, “It’s kind of been tradition that we select the vice chair. Diane Noriega is doing that now and she is just a top quality person. She’d slip right into the position well.” The next board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 13.
Transfer: Focus moved to completion or transfer Continued from Page 1 requirements. Walker’s other advice to transferring students is to run a DARS report, which will show how close a student is to a particular degree. MHCC currently has the Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer Degree (AAOT), which enables a student to have automatic junior status when they trans-
fer to a four-year university. It is the only degree at MHCC to carry that status. “The only thing that (can) stop you . . . is the GPA,” he said. “It’s not impossible for anyone to get a four-year degree.” In the current U.S. economic climate, jobs are less available while the market is flooded with capable people, Walker noted. In 2008 the U.S. economy lost 800,000 jobs
IS IMAGE EVERYTHING? IT MAY SEEM THAT WAY.
2 interim dean positions open until Feb. 10 Cameron Miller The Advocate
Mt. Hood Community College is seeking candidates for the full-time dean positions in the humanities and science departments. Interim positions are filled for a period up to two years before the college resumes the search in hope of more candidates. Both full-time positions have been posted publicly on sites like craigslist.org as well as the college’s human resources hiring tab. The current interim position for the Dean of Humanities, Eric Tschuy, took over for Ursula Irwin, also an interim who was promoted to Associate Vice President of Instruction. According to Vice President of Instruction Christie Plinski, “Dr. Tschuy has done a great job and stepped up for the two years as well as Rick (Bolesta).” Plinski added that these two positions opened up previously but didn’t yield large enough candidate pools. Bolesta, the current interim dean of sciences, also stepped in for the science department when their search for a permanent dean failed a year ago. Plinski said the college is searching for a larger pool of candidates who are dedicated and qualified individuals. In the Nov. 16 issue of The Advocate, Bolesta referenced his responsibilities by saying, “In a sense, I am here trying to pass that baton on and lead people by example. It’s important to maintain good quality and educational standards.” According to Plinski, filling full-time positions will be the focus to pass the baton of educational excellence to the next generation of deans.
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a month, and the average age of an MHCC student rose from 24 to 33 years in a single quarter, he said. He recommends that students look for business and private sectors where there are jobs needs. “We want people to graduate. It’s not just coming here to take some classes. That’s never going to do it; you need to have the credential, the degree,” he said. “It’s so competitive out right there right now.”
12/20/12 2:05 PM
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Living Arts Feb. 1, 2013
Photo by Jeff Hannig/ The Advocate
RENT shows are Feb. 22, 23 and March 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the College Theater and at 2 p.m. on Feb 24 and March 3.
med
port
The Advocate will feature profiles for the final two lead characters of “RENT” in next week’s issue. MHCC Theater director Jesse Merz supervises a Tuesday rehearsal for RENT. The actors shown are a part of the shows chorus. The show will start on Feb. 22.
psu student portrays First year stu complex charac high class lawyer Danny Perez-Crouse
She grew up and went to high school in Minnesota. She eventually moved to Seattle for college, but college didn’t really work for her there. “Eventually I A prim and proper lawyer may not be a lead headed to Portland, liked it, then stayed,” Leewright that excites everyone, but one actor in the upcom- said. She has high hopes for a future in theing performance of “RENT” ater. “I would love to audition one day couldn’t be more thrilled to in New York. There is a part of me that play her. thinks I could make it.” She also has goals Mariah Leewright, a to pursue careers in social justice and po22-year-old Portland State litical theater. University student, will porLeewright has been involved with tray “Joanne” in the winter theater since she was in eighth grade. musical at MHCC. Joanne Since then, she has done a variety of is considered part of the things from straight plays to avant-garde high-class society, a Harvard theater, and has even had a hand in makgraduate on the road to being her own plays. She has had singing coming a lawyer. Howevroles, acting roles, and singing/acting er, she is gay and is in a reroles, a variety of experiences to prepare lationship with one of the her for “RENT.” This is her first lead role since high other lead characters, Maureen (Elizabeth Sanchez). She is open with her friends about her relation- school. “I am very excited because Joanne is one of ship but keeps it secret at her workplace. She also my dream roles,” she said. Leewright says faces heavy opposition that she cannot from her parents, who do wait to see how not approve.“ It’s the late the audience will 80s and being gay is still react to her kissing seen as something people scene with Sanwouldn’t be in that profeschez. sion,” Leewright said Some of Lee“I think there is this wright’s hobbies nice dichotomy of this include playing the straight-laced character African drums and who is not in touch with slam poetry (or spothis whole bohemian ken word poems). scene while she is dating She said she has Maureen who is a perplayed the drums forming artist and is very for about eight years much the opposite of her,” and has gotten quite Leewright said. “I think Mariah Leewright poses during Tuesday’s rehearsal for RENT. good. the challenge with this Fun fact: she cannot whistle. character is (that because) this show is so charismatic Leewright said she loves her role in a play she and so bohemian, it’s a little difficult to play such a treasures. “ ‘RENT’ is definitely one of the plays I straight-laced character,” she said. Leewright is attending PSU as a theater major. have enjoyed the most,” Leewright said. The Advocate
Photo by Jeff Hannig/ The Advocate
Mariah Leewright
Shelby Schwartz The Advocate
It is easy to see that the young actor who portrays filmmaker Mark in the upcoming “RENT” is excited as well as invested in his character as cast members rehearsed songs in the lobby of the studio theater more than an hour before the regular rehearsal began Monday night. Matt Rowning, is a 19-year-old, first-year student at Clackamas Community College and recent graduate of Clackamas High School. He is currently an undecided major who is “enjoying theater and music a lot.” Rowning’s theater career started his junior year of high school after he saw his first musical, “Les Miserables,” when it was performed at his high school the previous year. As a senior, Rowning was a part of the cast of the musical comedy a gui A “Bye Bye Birdie,” as well as being involved in several one-act plays. Rowning was involved in the children’s musical “The Peppermint Bear Show: Who Needs Sneed’s” at the Lakewood Theatre Company in Lake Oswego in December. “Coming over here has been a joy, moving away from children’s theater for the first time and into college,” Rowning said. “This fell at an extremely opportune time. I finished ‘Peppermint Bear’ and I immediately started ‘RENT.’ ” Rowning has been playing classical guitar for seven years as well as French horn for six years. “I am also a piano player and a musical director when I can. I have assistantdirected several musicals,” he said. “So when I saw my first musical, which actually was ‘Les Miserables,’ it was sort of mind blowing because Matt Rowning rehearses lines at a RENT rehearsal last Tuesday it was all the components that I worked on, that I was already doing in my life,” he said. “I was already roma conducting, I was already writing some of my own music and playing he sa H guitar and playing French horn and I hadn’t started singing yet, but when I saw this on stage, I said, ‘Wow, this is the highest form of my to m antic craft, and I want to be involved in this,’ ” Rowning said. Rowning added, “My musical background is what drew me to mu- caree
M
Living Arts
the advocate
7
dley of metro area thespians
tray the characters from
RENT
udent plays Actress has big dreams cter in RENT for a future in performing
Photo by Jeff Hannig/ The Advocate
Matt Rowning
Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate
After she moved to the U.S. from Vietnam at age 4, music allowed Violet Phan to express herself and fit in. “I remember being the new kid and didn’t have anything to really relate to anybody because I was from Vietnam, another country,” Phan said. “It was really hard to express myself, so I got into music and that really got me to be me.” She channels the challenges she faced throughout high school to portray her character, Mimi, in “RENT”. Mimi is a dancer with an illness who smiles through it all. “Everyone knew me as a girl who (would) always dance and sing and smile and I think that’s what I can relate to,” said Phan, who hopes to inspire other girls to smile despite hardships they might face. Phan was scared to audition for Mimi, because she felt as if, stereotypically, she fit the role of Joanne (a law attorney). Halfway through the audition process she found a desire instead to play Mimi and connected with the role. She said she feels the director saw the passion in her. “I feel like a part of me is very Mimi and, actually, like every girl has Mimi in her,” with regards to typical struggles most girls face, Phan said. Throughout her years at Reynolds High School she acted, sang and directed. She participated in choir starting in sixth grade and was assistant director for some Reynolds High productions. She was vice president of the thespian club. Backstage work, acting, writing, and singing are all things Phan enjoys. Although her main aspiration is to be a singer / songwriter, she also hopes to produce and direct films, all while acting on the side. This is Phan’s first MHCC production, in her first year on campus. She attended PSU last year to study psychology. Her love for the arts brought her to MHCC to study theater. Phan said her parents do not support her aspirations as
an artist. She felt psychology was a career that would please them, and one in which she could do well. She decided to return to the arts after taking a year off, realizing that “I felt so out of place and like I lost myself pretty much,” she said. “I just want to get back into performing and being part of a theater family. I love these people.” After “RENT” is over Phan will return her focus to creating music and a fan base, and to playing gigs. She hopes to start recording with her band and promoting its music. “I feel like I’m very independent, because I’m always changing and like there’s not one specific genre that I want to tackle... I want to experiment with everything,” she said. She hopes to transfer to Clackamas Community College to pursue music engineering and save money to transfer to a California or New York university to study the arts. P h a n ’ s dream is to achieve success and make a name for herViolet Phan is shown during a choreography rehearsal last week in self in America. the college theater. “The only reason why I love being in America is because my dreams could really come true here,” she said. If she achieves success in the arts, Phan wants to be able to help open hospitals and schools in Third World countries. Eventually, when she starts a family she wants Vietnam to be a part of their lives, and perhaps become a famous artist there.
Violet Phan
Photo by Shelby Schwartz/ The Advocate
sicals, and I’m more drawn to musicals than straight theater.” For the young performer, although he was unfamiliar with the story before entering the show, he now feels a connection with the character he portrays. “I completely connect with Mark,” Rowning said. “Mark is so multifaceted. He has been left by his girlfriend for another woman and I can tell firsthand that that is not a pleasant thing to have happen. Mark still has feelings for her,” Rowning said. “I think Mark has ilt that he is kind of privileged in some way.” According to Rowning, Mark is one of the characters who does not suffer from AIDS; the other characters who do not are Joanne, Maureen and Benny. And because of that, he is guilt ridden because he will live and his friends will not. “Mark is all by himself and he doesn’t have anyone to love, unlike everyone else, and because of that he desperately needs this community feeling, because there isn’t that person. Because of that, he will go to any length to keep that community together,” Rowning said. Rowning said that “Mark is an extremely complex character, I feel, compared to anything I’ve had to do in the past.” Mark is a 20-something-year-old filmmaker who is the narrator. “He is the mouthpiece through which ‘RENT’ is told,” Rowning said. “He’s not the y in the college theater. romantic lead, he’s never involved in a ance. He simply lays the story out, more or less with his camera,” aid. His goals are to finish his associates of arts requirements and then move east to finish up in a musical theater program. “I do totally cipate continuing with musical theater, at least as a hobby, if not a er,” he said.
Feb. 1, 2013 Contributed photo
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Living Arts
the day tripper your weekly event planner
Friday 2.1
NE Portland
The Annual Portland Seafood and Wine festival, hosted at the Oregon Convention Center, kicks off today. Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. today, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday. Tickets at the door are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and children age 6-16, and free for kids 5 and younger. Patrons with a Fred Meyer Rewards card earn a discount. 777 N.E. MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland.
Sunday 2.3 The “Beauty of the Visible and Invisible Night Sky” on Monday will include a number of dramatic images of supernovas. Show times are 7 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. Admission for the general public is $2 and free for MHCC students with a valid student ID.
Planetarium to show ‘The Beauty of the Visible and Invisible Night Sky’ Kylie Rogers The Advocate
Patrons of the monthly planetarium show will have the ability to see with x-ray vision as well as infrared and ultraviolet during “The Beauty of the Visible and Invisible Night Sky” on Monday. The show will highlight views through different light, “you can get so much more information when you look at different wavelengths,” said planetarium director Pat Hanrahan. “Orion it looks like a bunch of stars and then you put it in infrared, my gosh, the whole thing just lights up,” Hanrahan said. “(Radio waves tell) us something about electric and magnetic properties; things that are spinning around give off a lot of radio waves. You can detect things like black holes,” Hanrahan explained. Hanrahan wanted to offer a new perspective to something
seen every night. “Many things you can’t see the beauty unless you look at it in a different angle, a different light. That’s what I wanted to show. I think that some of these things are just amazing and you learn things you just wouldn’t know unless you
“I really love having the school kids at the shows, too, because they have a lot of enthusiasm.” - Pat Hanrahan planetarium director look at them in different lights.” Some of his favorite things to look at in the sky are the North American and Pelican nebulae. As always, questions are encouraged at all planetarium shows. And while Hanrahan notes that more members of the Rose City Astronomer’s club are show-
The annual MHCC literary magazine, “Perceptions,” is accepting artwork, photography, poetry, fiction and nonfiction submissions through Feb. 15. “Perceptions” offers student editors an opportunity to showcase art and for contributors to compete once a year. Judges choose winners in each section, such as art, fiction, nonfiction, painting, photography, etc., for publication. The submissions chosen are compiled into a book or magazine form, which sometimes contains a CD/ DVD with original songs and documentary films. Category winners will be announced in May when the magazine is released. Those who wish to submit
work may check with the English Department or email a hardcopy to editor Megan Jones at megan. jones@mhcc.edu.
-Kayla Tatum
File photo
Living Arts Brief
The Bossanova Ballroom will host a Super Bowl party for those 21+. Game time is 3:30 p.m.; doors open at 2:30. Fans can purchase food and beer and watch the game on a 30-foot movie screen. 722 E. Burnside St., Portland.
Wednesday 2.6
ing up, some of his best questions come from children. “I like it, it’s really nice. It’s an honor that they’re coming here,” he said about the Rose City Astronomers.“ “My hardest questions come from the kids,” he said and then recalled a story of a first grader asking him to explain the space-time continuum. “I get questions from college kids everyday but those school kids, they sometimes surprise me. I really love having the school kids at the shows, too, because they have a lot of enthusiasm and they do come up with some great questions sometimes.” The planetarium show runs twice, once at 7 p.m. and once 8:15 p.m. on Feb. 4. Admission is $2 for the public and is free to students with a valid student I.D. For more information contact Pat Hanrahan at pat.hanrahan@mhcc. edu.
The 2012 finished issue of “Perceptions” magazine at the launch party last May.
E Portland
ne Portland
To honor Black History Month, the Hollywood Theatre will host the Portland Black Film Festival, featuring films directed by African Americans and films that center on the theme of being black in America. Movies start tonight and run through Feb. 27. Show times and ticket prices are available at http://hollywoodtheatre. org/. 4122 N.E. Sandy Blvd., Portland.
Thursday 2.7
MHCC
The Sadie Hawkins Dance will be in the Vista Dining Center at 8 p.m. The dance will end at 11 p.m. There is only one rule: the women ask the men to the dance. Students with an ID card will get in for free, but any nonstudent or student without ID will have to pay $3. Light refreshments will be provided, and there is a chance to win a $100 gift card or dinner for two to Olive Garden.
News
the advocate
ASG officers working to complete three platform goals Mike Mata The Advocate
Nearly halfway through the school year, the Associated Student Government (ASG) president and vice president are still working on completing two of their three main platform objectives. Completion of the original three goals — increased security cameras on campus, the implementation of a diversity resource center and increased lobbying for students at the local, state and federal level — has been the priority for ASG President William Miller since he took office this year. “I think the end goal is to exceed our platform goals,” Miller said about the general direction for ASG for the rest of the year. “Right now, we’re pretty solid on local, state and national advocacy. We’ve been working in partnership with our statewide legislators. We’re planning a few lobby days in coalition with OCCSA (Oregon Community College Student Association),” said Miller. He said ASG is also working with Chris Gorsek, newly elected local state representative, to visit Salem and tour the Capitol as well as talk with Gorsek and his staff about issues and barriers pertaining to college students. Gorsek is an MHCC instructor of criminal justice and geography. “I’m really excited about that, because it gives us a chance to actually just sit down and talk about what we face, with tuition and textbooks — the list goes on and on,” said Miller. Miller added that ASG plans to send a few members to Washington, D.C., on March 15-23 to work with the American Student Association of Community Colleges (ASACC) to lobby on Capitol Hill for student rights. He said the trip will include lobbying on Pell Grants, textbook affordability and student loan debt. Miller said MHCC President Michael Hay also will travel to Washington before ASG’s visit, lobby for college interests. “When he comes back, he will give us a list of legislators he has spoken to and then we’ll be talking to them as well, so we’ll have double representation from Mt. Hood,” Miller said of the D.C. trips.
Security cameras The plan to add campus security cameras is in the works with Public Safety, according to Miller. He said ASG has
been meeting with officials to decide on locations and pricing. “We had implemented security cameras as part of the Access Fee and they (Public Safety) worked through this company, and as far as I know they weren’t satisfied,” said Miller about new cameras installed earlier this school year. He said ASG’s communications director is researching different installation companies to find a better deal on new cameras to offer the college. “I know that A Lot was a huge target and I had brought up the causeway between the Academic Center and HPE just because those two places are the biggest areas of concern, and the tunnel. I hear all the time about students walking on the causeway and not feeling safe, not that there’s been any incidents on the causeway, but safety is a huge key,” Miller about potential camera locations. Miller said he’s met with Staci Huffaker of Risk Management and Gale Blessing of Human Resources (HR) about a proposed Active Shooter Lockdown drill and given input for the drill procedures. The proposal is due to be released this month.
Diversity resource center The third of the major platforms is creation of a diversity resource center in the Student Union. Funds for the diversity center were earmarked by last year’s Co-Curricular Finance Council, which allocates funds from the student fees. “We’ve been pushing forward for the (center),” Miller said. “I’m really excited about it because I worked really hard on it last year and it’s kind of my baby, so to speak. I’m excited to be continually moving forward on that.” He said HR should soon be posting the center coordinator job. “Once we hire the coordinator, we are going to move forward in getting new paint, carpet and furniture and actually convert it (the Lake Room inside the Student Union) to a diversity resource center,” said Miller. Asked when ASG wished to have the diversity resource center up and running, Miller said, “last year.” He added, “Ideally, it would be moving forward as soon as possible . . . but I would love to see it up and moving and growing before I leave here” later this year. Miller said there has been continued positive feedback from the students about having a diversity resource center.
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Short-term projects Additional short-term potential projects ASG has in mind include increased community engagement; adding a student staffer for Barney’s Pantry; more collaboration with, and open transparency for, students; and increased signage and literature about and for veterans on campus. Laura Aguon, ASG director of state and federal affairs, is heading the veterans project. Another new aspect of ASG that started just this term is its new campus text alert system, called On Campus Text. Students can opt in by texting “hood” to 63566, which ASG uses to promote events as well as inform students about oncampus news. “The CNN (Call of Nature News) is great, The Advocate is great, too. But, students check their phones more than they read the CNN, so it’s a great tool that we’re utilizing. Students can opt out, too, which is amazing,” said Miller, saying the feature will revolutionize how ASG markets its information. Miller said his proudest accomplishment thus far in his term has been making discounted TriMet passes and tickets available to students. “For a very long time — and I have to say this without sounding rude — for a long time when the Access Fee was implemented, it was promised that there would be a 10 percent TriMet discount to students. Well, there wasn’t. So we met with people around the college with the authority to push that,” said Miller. When the discounted passes showed up in the bookstore, they (staff) required multiple pieces of identification as well as class schedules, he added. He also said the person in charge of buying the passes didn’t receive the reimbursement for the discount until ASG worked it out with the business offices. Miller and his vice president, Antonio Guerrero, found that the district board language for the discounted TriMet passes said it was for both passes and single tickets, and so had to work it out again in order to get both for students. “It’s something small, but it’s huge at the same time. It showed us that, keep pushing for it, keep pushing for it and you’ll finally give the students what they deserve,” he said. He said the process helped to build relationships between ASG and the college administration because delays in the passes were in order to implement tracking so that students were not over-purchasing with the discount.
Photo by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate
Onto the next step....
An MHCC student spins for Mt. Hood swag during Oregon Transfer Day on Thursday. The transfer day took place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Vista Dining Center. There were more than 20 universities and colleges from the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
10 Sports
Feb. 1, 2013
The MHCC women’s basketball team took another hit Saturday as they fell 74-54 to Linn-Benton in Albany, bringing their overall record to 2-16. As usual, the women’s small group of sophomores proved to be a valued asset to them, performances of which included Hannah Mocaby’s 11 points and nine total rebounds and Sadie Jenks, who had one of her best offensive performances of the year, scoring 15 with a 56 percent shooting percentage. Not to be outdone by the upperclassmen, freshman Sydney Mendoza was the second highest scorer on the team with 13 points. Mendoza also had two steals in the game. Overall, the team, which has struggled all season long to get its offense up and running, had one of its better shooting percentage games of the
Photo by Jonathan Long/The Advocate
Saints face big challenge in game against Lane Saturday month, finishing with 35 percent. Though the Saints played as consistently as they have been in the last couple weeks, with 49 total defensive stops, Linn-Benton managed to put up 29 points off MHCC turnovers. The Saints will host their first game in a week on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Lane. The Titans are currently ranked second in Southern Region (20-1 overall), dropping just one game in regional play against No. 1 Clackamas (17-3). The last time the teams played, the Saints were routed 87-43. On Wednesday, the Saints will take on Portland Community College (2-15 overall) at 5:30 p.m. The Saints have seven regular season games left until Southern Region playoffs, which begin Feb. 25.
-John Tkebuchava
Freshman Kirsten Shockman takes a shot at the rim in last week’s home game loss against Chemeketa.
Men’s team drops another close one against Linn-Benton Shaun Lutz The Advocate
The Saints men’s basketball team suffered another narrow loss Saturday, the third time in four games they have fallen by four points or less. During this stretch, they’ve led each ball game with two minutes remaining. Head coach Geoff Gibor said his team has been in control of each game.
over. In the loss, sophomore Colby Mitchell led the team with 17 points while freshmen Landon Rushton and Mac Johnson scored 13 points each. Unfortunately, the duo of the Roadrunners guard Bonhan Stafford and forward Adam Hastings combined for 38 points. Their outstanding 15 of 22 shooting from the field spearheaded the Linn-Benton victory. The Saints are now tied with
“We just need to execute both
offensively and defensively
down the stretch to hold on to those close games.”
Geoff Gibor Men’s basketball coach “We just need to execute both offensively and defensively down the stretch to hold on to those close games,” Gibor said. Last weekend’s 71-68 loss in Albany to the Linn-Benton Roadrunners dropped Mt. Hood to 3-4 in the Southern Region of the NWAACC and 7-12 overall, leaving them with very little room for error as regional play is now half
Portland Community College and Umpqua for the fourth place in the south, which is is crucial since only the top four seeds make the yearend NWAACC tournament. “Our goal is to improve day by day and ultimately make NWAACC’s” said Gibor. “We’re only about five possessions away from being in first place in the South” he added.
Freshman Brock Otis, a starting forward for the Saints, attributed ball security and execution to their recent string of misfortune. “We just need to execute the plays Coach calls, box out on rebounds, and give ourselves an opportunity to control the outcome of these close games.” Otis said the Saints are able to put the tight finishes behind them and shift their focus forward as the season moves on. Heading into the home stretch, Mt. Hood opens up the back half of their schedule with a home game against the Lane Titans tomorrow at home, hoping to erase the memory of their last meeting in which Lane took total control in their 91-56 throttling of the Saints. Only two Hood players, Mitchell and Johnson, scratched double figures in the first game versus the Titans. “Watching film, both teams are completely different than that first game,” said Gibor. “We just need to match their intensity. In the first game they were much more active on both ends of the floor, so once we cut down on allowing easy buckets, we can control the game from there.” As for the schedule winding down, both Otis and Gibor said their eventual goal was to get to NWAACCs. Maintaining their po-
sition is important, but improving it would substantially benefit the young Hood squad.
“Once we’re in, whether it’s the fourth seed or better, anything can happen” Otis said.
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entral
- Super Bowl -
47th Super Bowl is mixing things up in ways both good and bad
Shaun Lutz The Advocate For the first time since 2002, the Super Bowl will not feature a quarterback named Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Ben Roethlisberger. It will also be the first time the NFL’s championship game features a matchup of coaches who are brothers. These are only two of many story lines leading up to this weekend’s Big Game. But the Super Bowl is much more than just a game — it’s an experience. The two-week layoff following conference championship games gives the players a chance to recover from physical battles in the postseason. It gives the players
a chance to go to the Super Bowl site and soak up the culture and festivities preceding the game. It also allows all the stories and controversies to rise and take hold of the surrounding media. The Harbaugh brothers have been at the epicenter of this years media frenzy. One Harbaugh (Jim) switched quarterbacks in the middle of the year after his starter suffered a concussion. It turned out positively and actually looked genius as Colin Kaepernick has flourished into a bright, young star. The other Harbaugh (John) fired his offensive coordinator on Dec. 10 and since has had an elite offense, racking up 90 points in their three postseason contests. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell even held a joint press conference with both head coaches, another Super Bowl first. These were just a few of the questions asked of theopposing coaches: “Which Harbaugh dresses better?” “Which Harbaugh has a more firm handshake?” “Which Harbaugh is more handsome?” Yes, those were all asked at the annual Media day Tuesday. Between the brother talk, you had the always entertaining, always unpredictable Randy Moss giving us possibly the quote of the
week, claiming that “I do believe that I’m the greatest receiver. No disrespect to Jerry Rice.” To each his own, I suppose. Regardless of Moss’ outlandish comments, it gave reporters yet another story to follow. Another notable sound-off included 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver making insincere comments about homosexuals in the NFL, saying there’s no room for them in the locker room and they should wait 10 years after retirement to come out about their sexual orientation. Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs joined the party by sharing his plans to go visit Hogwarts after the Super Bowl. The whimsical atmosphere is gasoline for the media fire. Ray Lewis was the main attraction of players this year. This Sunday’s game will be the last for Lewis, who is widely considered the best middle linebacker and one of the greatest defensive players of all time, The talented and outspoken Raven has had an emotional rollercoster of a run during the postseason this year. His infamous walk-out dance to Nelly’s “Hot in Here” erupted throughout Baltimore’s M & T Bank Stadium before their victory over the Colts. Then a double-overtime
San Francisco 49ers
thrilling victory over Denver sent Lewis and the Ravens to the AFC championship game to square off against heavily favored New England. After their disappointing loss in last year’s championship game, Lewis and Co. walked into Foxboro with not only a chip on their shoulders but a mission to conquer the Patriot dynasty. Lewis helped avenge that loss by beating the Patriots for a berth to the Super Bowl. Of course, the debate of Lewis’ murder trial during the year 2000 were discussed this week, a case where the linebacker was first indicted, then had charges dismissed in exchange for his testimony during the trial. Then came the Sports Illustrated report that he used a deer antler velvet spray to recover quickly from the torn triceps he suffered earlier this season. Lewis denied the claim, of course, but nonetheless it was another Super Bowl saga. East Coast will meet West Coast in the clash for football supremecy. Stories grow, reporters wait on the next controversial slip-up, and all of us fans await the flash of the millions of cameras during kickoff. The build-up will never overshadow the game itself, but media day provides one hell of an entertaining plot line.
Baltimore Ravens
- Staff Score Predictions Winner: 49ers
Winner: 49ers
Winner: 49ers
Score: 27-23
Score: 31-28
Score: 24-21
Shaun Lutz
Aaron Marshall
John Tkebuchava
The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate
12 Sports
Feb. 1, 2013
Competitive Barlow graduate adds consistency to the Saints basketball team Photos by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate
Aaron Marshall The Advocate
Ask an athlete for his or her reason for playing at MHCC, and you most likely don’t expect diet to be among the factors. But for freshman basketball player Brock Otis, proximity to family and a warm meal can go a long way. “I liked Mt. Hood because it was local. I like being able to see my family every day, and it’s always nice being able to get a home-cooked meal,” said Otis. In his first year at MHCC, Otis, 6 foot 3 inches, is the Saints’ starting small forward. Originally from Everett, Wash., he played his junior and senior years at nearby Sam Barlow, graduating in 2011. Otis said college ball is very different. “Besides the competition, it’s a lot harder, the game is a lot quicker and you have to use a lot more strategy. You’re always moving on the court, you can’t ever stop,” he said. Otis has always played sports including baseball, football, track and basketball. “Baseball was my favorite sport growing up. I played that a lot,” said Otis. But that eventually changed. “My dad was always in the gym when I was younger. He was a coach. So I started to be around basketball a lot and I liked it more and more. I wanted to be like my dad,” he said. So far, Otis has enjoyed his time at MHCC, both on and off the court. “It’s fun playing here. I’ve met new people and made new friends, I like the team aspect as a whole. I plan on returning next season to play,” he said. This season has not been without its difficulties. Two months ago, Otis suffered a “noticeable” injury. “I broke my nose in December during a practice where one of my teammates inadvertently elbowed me. Now I plan on wearing my facemask for the rest of the season. I’m used to it now,” Otis explained. He describes his overall game as playing solid on both ends, and being athletic but mostly a defensive player. “I am a competitive person. I am always in the zone when I play basketball,”
Freshman Brock Otis is always concentrated when it comes to basketball.
Otis said. But, when the facemask comes off, Otis likes to “hang out with my family, especially with my brothers,” he said. He said he also enjoys golf. “It’s one of my passions.” During baseball season, he likes to travel back to Seattle to watch the Mariners play at Safeco Field. Otis is working toward his associate’s degree in business. He plans to continue at a four-year school, but hasn’t decided where. “I like physical therapy; it would be cool to run my own physical therapy business one day,” he said. This term, Otis is registered for 15 credits. Balancing class with basketball practice can be a difficult thing to handle. “It’s tough with all the studying and work and basketball but you’ve got to grind throughout the semester and get it done,” he said. While Otis spent his early years playing more baseball, he has long looked up to NBA stars Tim Duncan and Vince Carter. “I think Duncan is the best power for-
ward of all time. He has great footwork and knows how to win. And Carter was amazing the way he dunked when he was younger,” he said. As for his own efforts on the court, through 18 contests Otis is averaging seven points per game and shooting 48 percent from the field. He said he believes the men’s team is headed in the right direction recently. “We haven’t been finishing games this season like we should, but ever since we lost to Lane, we have been playing a lot better overall,” he said. “Our goal is to string wins together and finish this season strong and get to NWAACCS. I think we can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime. We just have to play right,” he said. Head coach Geoff Gibor said Otis’ toughness and reliability are what makes him the valued player he is on the team. “As a person, Brock is an even-keeled, consistent guy. He is mentally tough as a young man and a player,” said Gibor.
“Brock steps up as a leader when the team needs one.”
“I think we can beat anyone, anywhere, anytime. We just have to play right.” Brock Otis