Issue 4

www.thecrcconnection.com

Passion and perspective: campus hosts contemporary Bay Area sculptures

See Page 5

Ashley Navarro| The Connection

FAFSA changes

Students can apply for financial aid earlier News, Page 2 ISSUE 4 Fall 2016 Student voice of CRC since 1970

Tiny Houses

SMUD presents: Living large while keeping it small Features, Page 7

FACEBOOK /crcconnection

Death Penalty

Proposition 62: It’s a matter of life or death Opinion, Page 9

TWITTER @crcconnection

Women’s Basketball Team looks to rebound after tough season Sports, Page 10

INSTAGRAM @thecrcconnection

Page 2

October 27, 2016

FAFSA applications open three months earlier

By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com This year, the opening submission date for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA, has been shifted from January to October.

This new, earlier submission date is a permanent change. Students will now be able to submit their FAFSA in the future as early as Oct. 1 each year, according to the Federal Student Aid website.

The new submission date will not affect the application deadline, which is June 30 of the following year. Students must submit their completed FAFSA by this date in order to be considered for financial aid.

The purpose of this date change was to give students more time to review their FAFSA application, said Thuan Do, a financial aid representative. Do said he hopes that students will now take the

opportunity to more carefully review their applications.

“I think it was for the ease of people already having their taxes filed,” said Financial Aid Officer Janet Alvarado. The current FAFSA application is for the 2017-18 school year.

The FAFSA now requires a student’s tax information from the year prior to the year of the opening submission date.

Even though the application will be for the 2017-18 school year, since the new submission date occurred before the start of 2017, students will be required to use their 2015 tax information. Students who are reapplying for financial aid and have already used their 2015 tax information for a prior FAFSA will be using that year’s tax information again.

Students sometimes have difficulties with obtaining their tax information from the prior year. With the date change, students will be accessing tax information from two years prior, which should

already be readily available to them. Alvarado said that students will “hopefully not have to go through that delay.”

Alvarado also encourages students to make use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which will automatically take any tax information that has been submitted to the IRS and insert it into the appropriate locations within the FAFSA. Students can access the IRS Data Retrieval Tool by clicking the “Link to IRS” button in the finances section of the FAFSA if they are eligible to use the tool, according to the Federal Student Aid website.

If students want to get their tax transcripts online, they will need to use their email account, phone number, social security number and a personal credit card number, according to the IRS website.

Another benefit of the earlier date is that students can receive financial aid earlier, and thereby have more time to

School Year Attending

FAFSA Application Submission Dates

Tax Information Year

July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017

January 1, 2016 June 30, 2017

2015

July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018

October 1, 2016 June 30, 2018

2015

July 1, 2018 June 30, 2019

October 1, 2017 June 30, 2019

2016

plan for the next school year, said counselor Anna Davtian.

Students who receive financial aid before the next school year starts will have more time to purchase necessary items for their courses.

“A lot of students struggle with not having their textbooks and fall behind in their courses,” said Davtian. Receiving financial aid before the next school year provides students with more time to access

resources they need to succeed in their courses.

Students should take advantage of this change in the date and apply as early as possible. The FAFSA works on a “first come, first serve” basis, said Do. The longer students wait to apply, the more likely they are to miss out on potential financial aid.

“Apply early,” said Alvarado. “The earlier [students] apply, the better.”

Proposition 64 could legalize recreational cannabis

By Lola Chase and Alejandra Morales lchase.connect@gmail.com & amorales.connect@gmail.com Depending on how voters vote on Proposition 64, the recreational use of cannabis could be legalized for people over the age of 21 in California.

With the proposition, smoking would be permitted in a private home or a business licensed for on-site marijuana consumption, according to BallotPedia.

Cosumnes River College students were interviewed to get a reaction to the bill of the proposition.

Kaleemah Muttaqi, an 18-year-old international relations major, said she is undecided on the issue.

“It probably should be legalized because it would bring tax revenue that I hope would help go back to schools and the homelessness issue in Sacramento,” said Muttaqi. “[The] only negative side I see is that it is a gateway drug. For some people [addiction] is inevitable. I have seen it happen in my own family.”

A yes vote would tax the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis and make it legal by state law.

“I think they should be able to smoke in public, but not everyone agrees with it,” said 24-year-old undeclared major Cheng Vong. “So I would say to use designated smoking areas out of respect for other people.”

Others feel the passing of this law does affect them because they fear the worst.

41-year-old liberal arts major Sarah Prosser said that some of her biggest concerns are that the legalization of cannabis will make crime grow, expose youth to cannabis and allow people to take advantage of growing drugs in their own houses.

“I think the downsides to this law being passed will be issues with law enforcement, vehicle accidents, criminal activity, increased street sales,” said Prosser. “And honestly my biggest fear is that by making marijuana easily available it may fall into the hands of even younger individuals.”

According to BallotPedia, people under the age of 18 will be convicted of cannabis use or possession and would be required to attend drug school education or counseling programs while completing community service.

Also, if the proposition is approved, people who are

currently serving sentences for activities now made legal from this law would be eligible for resentencing.

Prosser said she would vote no on Proposition 64.

“I understand the thought process that if we legalize it, collect taxes and have some form of restriction to excessive use it will make the government feel like it has some sort of control,” Prosser said. “On the other hand I don’t feel like there would be any type of real control over the selling of cannabis.”

A no vote would keep the growth, possession and con-

sumption of recreational cannabis illegal and the laws regarding it would not change.

“I would vote no because if you let that become legal I feel like there will be other things that will go the same route,” said 31-year-old human services major Michele Gonzalez.

Over the last four years, four states have legalized the recreational use of cannabis, according to The New York Times. These states include Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada will also have propositions po-

tentially legalizing recreational cannabis use in November’s election.

According to BallotPedia, California is the tipping point for national legalization of cannabis and might impact the state’s southern neighbor Mexico. Some also say that the approval of the proposition could be a “game changer,” said Troy Dayton, CEO of marijuana investment and research firm ArcView group.

“If [people] want it they’re going to get it,” said 21-yearold business major Kyle Somatis. “It doesn’t really matter what the government says.”

Kaelyn Blizzard/ The Connection

thecrcconnection.com

Page 3

Technology department hosts open house SAVE THE

By Abigail Babineau ababineau.connect@gmail.com The Technology department hosted an open house on Saturday for technical careers to provide current and future students with more information about what programs the department offers, and the advantages that they provide.

Current Cosumnes River College students and high school students that are interested in a career in technical education went to the open house to learn more about the program and the future education that CRC can provide them with. “[The reason for this event is] the realization that they [high school students] can come to CRC, be close to home, low cost, small classes and not have to go far away for some of these technical careers that they don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree for, and they can still get a job,” said CRC’s

Outreach Specialist, Peggy Ursin.

“I have always been interested in architecture, but I never knew how to achieve my dream,” said Jessica Keyes, 17, a senior in high school.

Keyes said that she is considering different community colleges in California, but is looking at CRC as a possible choice to stay close to her family.

CRC’s technology department offers different interests in technical careers such as: Agriculture & Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, Automotive, Culinary Arts Management, Building Trades and many more.

Professor of Construction, Building Inspection Technology and department chair Ryan Connally said the technology department is now beginning to focus their attention towards local high schools as enrollment approaches to encourage high school graduates

DATE Abigail Babineau | The Connection

Open house attendees toured the Northeast Technical Building on Saturday.

to apply at CRC. “We want to heighten the awareness of students here on campus and our local feeder schools,” Connally said.

“There’s kind of a newly invigorated push at the high school level [for technical careers],” Connally said.

The open house showcased CRC’s Tiny House from Oct. 15, which won fourth place in the competition.

They offered tours of the inside of the tiny house and showed the different features of the house.

CRC’s spring 2017 class schedule is now available for viewing. Ursin hopes that students who are interested in a technical career will take advantage of all the classes CRC offers its students and will register for upcoming spring classes.

Campus continues working for accreditation

By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com Last year, Cosumnes River College was reaffirmed for accreditation and is currently on track with maintaining this status.

Accreditation is the process by which outside agencies evaluate the campus to make sure the college is meeting educational standards. Being accredited gives colleges the authority to teach and award degrees to students.

In spring 2015, CRC was evaluated for accreditation.

The campus received a temporary accreditation status.

The school administration was given 18 months to submit an updated report to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, addressing the areas that they were asked to improve upon. This is a new practice that the ACCJC is instituting at all the campuses they are observing, said CRC President Edward Bush.

CRC’s administration is confident that these improvements can be made and that the school will retain its accreditation status. The chances of CRC losing its status are miniscule, Yamamura said.

“I’m as comfortable as saying that as I can say that the sun is going to rise tomorrow,” said Yamamura.

In order for CRC to maintain its status, the updated report must be submitted by March 15, 2017. The report will detail how CRC is improving upon the recommendations it was given.

“Some of the intrinsic benefit is just the process of accreditation allows institutions to evaluate themselves to make sure they are making the improvements necessary to get better as a college,” said Bush.

Being accredited also allows the college to continue operating properly. Without accreditation, the school could be incapacitated and potentially closed down. If a college is not accredited, any units a student earns may not be accepted by another school. Unaccredited schools also have the disadvantage of not being eligible to award federal financial aid, said Yamamura.

“Very typically, enrollment falls off dramatically,” said Yamamura. “Students don’t want to go to a college where, before they finish their degree, the institution loses their accreditation.”

In order to get the most accurate report about the col-

leges, the ACCJC evaluates multiple areas within the school, such as leadership, finances, education standards and quality of teaching, said Emily Bond, faculty chair of accreditation.

“It’s intended to assure quality,” Bond said.

CRC received two recommendations from the ACCJC. The first is for the school to become better at achieving student learning outcomes and faster overall at assessing student progress.

To remedy this, CRC has shortened the allotted assessment period. The plan is to finish the assessment cycle by the end of spring 2017.

“We had a schedule of assessment that was spread over six years,” said Bond. “We shortened it to end it two years earlier.”

While some of the assessments will not be finished until after the updated report has been submitted, the school will have completed up to 85 percent of the assessment cycle by the time it has been sent, said Bush.

“Our goal is, by the end of spring, to have all of our assessment done,” said Bush.

The hope is to show the ACCJC that the school is on track to finishing the assessment cycle by the end of spring.

The second recommendation was to practice regular documentation of institutional effectiveness by making records of all meetings that involve discussion about student assessment, Bond said.

“We weren’t systematic about it,” said CRC Vice President Whitney Yamamura. “We were kind of haphazard.”

While departments were already having discussions about student assessment, they were inconsistent with keeping a record of these discussions. The goal for departments is to work on being more consistent about keeping these records.

Every six years, the ACCJC reevaluates the campus.

A small team of education professionals come onto the campus and observe, said Bond. This team creates a report and sends it back to the ACCJC for evaluation. The ACCJC then decides whether the school will receive accreditation status.

The CRC website has an accreditation page where students can see the college’s work towards accreditation and letters from the ACCJC itself. Students are encouraged to be involved in the accreditation process by attending strategic planning meetings and being knowledgeable

Break the Silence

W.E.A.V.E. is hosting a domestic violence workshop as the last event for Domestic Violence Awareness month.

The workshop is today in the Orchard room, located in the cafeteria, from 1-2 p.m.

UC Application and Personal Insight Workshop

This workshop is to help students with filling out fall 2017 UC applications and answering personal insight questions.

The workshop is today from 1-2 p.m. in LRC 210. Priority seating is for students who registered for the event earlier at the Transfer and Career Center.

Orchestra Concert

There will be an orchestra concert on Monday at 7 p.m. in the recital hall.

Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, and $10 for the general population.

”A Continued Conversation”

Olympic Gold Medalist and former Sacramento Monarch Ruthie Bolton will speak at this follow-up event to the Women’s Conference hosted last month by Focus 4 Women. The event is free and lunch will be provided.

The event will be on Nov. 4 in the Winn Center. Sign up in L-106 by Nov. 2.

Page 4

October 27, 2016

California passes bill for homeless college students

By Andrew Maestas amaestas.connect@gmail.com California community colleges will give shower access to students who are homeless at the beginning of 2017.

Assembly Bill 1995, proposed by Assemblyman Das Williams, D-Carpinteria, requires community college campuses that have shower facilities to create a plan that would give homeless students access to those facilities.

Students must be taking courses, up to date on tuition fees and in good standing with the community college district, according to the Orange County Register, an Orange County local newspaper.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 1995 on Sept. 23. On that same day, Williams published a press release on his website.

In the press release, Williams said he was homeless when he attended community college two decades ago, living in a vehicle and showering at the beach.

“This bill removes a major obstacle attending class for some people,” Williams said

in the press release. “Students won’t have to skip class because of personal insecurities or fear about class acceptance if they are able to shower on campus.”

Cosumnes River College has responded to this bill by welcoming homeless students to use the showers in the PE building.

“We are still looking at ways this bill might affect the college, but we are allowing access to the showers in the PE building Monday through Thursday mornings from 7-8 a.m.,” said Kristie West, communications & public information officer.

Awareness about college student homelessness is something that isn’t easy to talk about. Addressing the issue starts when there is information available through multiple outlets letting students know that there are resources available, said Kathy Degn, EOPS coordinator at CRC. “Very often, food insecurity and homelessness are tied together, and working with the Student Development where they have the food pantry the Hawk Spot, people can

Stan Smith | The Connection

get food,” said Degn.

California State University staff, faculty and administrators estimated homeless students at 8.7% and food insecure students at 21%, according to the Serving Displaced and Food Insecure Students in the CSU study, conducted by

the CSU Chancellor in 2015.

“As long as they’re students and they are enrolled in coursework here, they should have access to our facilities like every student has and the less intrusive we can make the actual access, the better we will be,” said Degn.

Along with CRC’s Hawk Spot food pantry CSUs are taking actions to help students.

California State University, Sacramento is among the 11 out of 23 CSUs to offer a food program according to the CSU study.

And with AB 1995, California Community Colleges are beginning to address homeless students’ needs.

“I feel a lot of people put homelessness as shameful,” said Alejandro Carmonma Anguino, sociology major.

“We want students to be in school and not having to worry about do I not smell or I haven’t taken a shower in three days. You shouldn’t worry about food or taking a shower; you should be worried about academics when you come here,” Anguino said.

Christy Johtson, an art major, expressed that she is okay with homeless students using shower facilities. “As long as it’s monitored, so you know they’re aren’t any off campus people,” Johtson said.

“I think it probably should be for just students, come in to feel safe and be able to use it.”

Clubs engage students with interactive displays

By Courtney Fong cofong.connect@gmail.com It was around 1 p.m. on Thursday when cheers sounded from the wide walkway near the quad. A small audience of students clustered around the Veterans Club table to watch two participants stuff their faces with bagged barbeque pork.

They only had two minutes left to finish an entire MRE, a military Meal Ready to Eat, which included a side dish, snack and entree.

Unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately - neither student beat the seven-minute time limit. But the energized atmosphere from the competition lasted well beyond seven minutes during the club activities fair.

“For the clubs and the students as a whole, I think it’s a very good event,” said Veterans Club member and 30-yearold veterinary technology major Marc Gonzalez. “It helps get a showcase of who’s out here, what clubs are available on the actual campus itself, as

“You get to know your community. You get to do

things outside of classes that could benefit either the community or helping others. And it could also make connections, for future reference.”

– Steve Hoang

Muslim Student Association and Solar Boat Club Member well as kind of just showcasing what we do for fun and what we provide to not only our student body, our faculty members, but also in our community.”

The fair took place in the afternoon near the quad, with nine clubs displaying their projects and offering freebies at tables lining the walkway.

“The idea of the event is so that clubs can build more of their culture,” said Commissioner for Club and Events Board and 21-year-old sociology major Evan Nguyen. “The theme was homecoming, so clubs [were] supposed to promote what they’re about, or promote spirit.”

Each club provided interactive activities and engaging

displays at their table. Nguyen compared the event to previous club activities fairs and said that clubs used to show up with just a table and a signup sheet. “[Clubs] didn’t have VSA’s tri-card, they didn’t have MSA’s globe and everything, they didn’t have the engineering boats and all that stuff that was out, and vet tech didn’t have pets before,” Nguyen said.

The Vietnamese Student Association, which received the most votes for best club table, featured club members dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing.

Students who voted for the best club table were given ten beans to delegate to their

favorite tables, and the winning club was determined by how much its bean container weighed. The Veterans Club has won the $250 prize the past two years, but this year first-time winner VSA took the money and spirit trophy.

In addition to the food competition, the Veterans Club had a pull-up bar, which students used to test their physical fitness to earn prizes. At the Chi Alpha table students chatted with club members over cups of hot tea and cocoa while Chi Alpha Student Leader and undeclared major Josh Collier, 20, played guitar.

“People have been really fond of the idea of having some tea, having some hot chocolate,” Collier said. “Then we can talk about the Christian club and what we do at the club.”

Muslim Student Association and Solar Boat Club member Steve Hoang sipped his cup of hot tea from Chi Alpha while watching the Veterans Club food challenge.

Hoang said he enjoyed seeing each club’s personalities and the unique opportu-

nities they present to students.

“You get to know your community,” Hoang said.

“You get to do things outside of classes that could benefit either the community or helping others. And it could also make connections, for future reference.”

While students seemed satisfied in engaging with the clubs that did participate in the fair, Student Ambassador and 20-year-old art major Asia Jelks said that more clubs should have participated.

“A lot of clubs did participate. We should’ve had more, but you know the ones that are out here, I’m glad that they’re out here,” Jelks said. “The students seem to be enjoying it.”

Nguyen said that there wasn’t a lot of clubs at the fair because many were getting rechartered.

The newly-chartered clubs are “still getting their feet wet,” Nguyen said.

To join a club, visit the Student Life and Leadership Center in T-108 or email the club’s advisors, whose contact information can be found on the ClubsVue website.

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October 27, 2016

Art Exhibition hopes to inspire new artists

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com A reception on Saturday kicked off the start of an exhibition displaying the artwork of bay area ceramic sculptors at Cosumnes River College’s art gallery.

The reception brought the artwork of contemporary artists Lisa Reinertson, Bill Abright, Richard Shaw and Claudia Tarantino together to expose students to the diversity of possibilities within the art field. CRC’s very own art professor, Yoshio Taylor, curated the event.

“My intention is to bring this high caliber work to our students here as well as the surrounding community so they don’t have to go to San Francisco to view them,” said Taylor. “This is all museum quality work.”

The college tries to display at least two exhibitions every semester, sometimes even three, but the work it takes to organize these events is a lot harder than it may

seem. This exhibition, like many others, was scheduled about a year in advance.

“It takes so much preparation and arrangements,” said Taylor.

“There is a lot of time involved.

You can’t just come and hang up a piece and be done.”

Events on campus are an excellent way of bringing the community together. The art gallery located on campus is the largest art gallery in southern Sacramento, which gives the art department a great opportunity to display art that normally wouldn’t be displayed on a community college campus.

“We’d like to invite students to these events because it is their gallery,” said Dean of Communication Visual and Performing Arts Dr. Colette Harris-Mathews.

The artwork displayed was all primarily clay. Each artist had their own style, which added to the effect of appealing to a variety of attendees. Viewing different types of art made by successful artists can be incredibly motivat-

ing to an aspiring artist.

“I think that since we are at a community college and a lot of students are embarking on their adult lives, seeing artists who have spent their career following their passion and seeing a survey of artwork gives them a perspective of what one can do in the art world,” said featured artist Tarantino.

Managing a career in art could be a little worrisome, but the skills that are gained over the years are a lot like life skills.

Pursuing grad school to gain a masters is a tip Tarantino suggested to students who have an interest in the field.

Just outside of the gallery, a framed poster signed by Milton Brown, jars of Spease Bees Honey and even wine were being auctioned off. The value of the items ranged from $50 to $500.

The exhibition will be on display until Dec. 1 in the art gallery located at the schools south entrance.

Ashley Navarro | The Connection

All of the artwork on display is made primarily from clay. Pieces ranged in many sizes, both large and small.

College president reflects on first year on campus

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com

Courtesy Photo

Having the presidential role at a community college can be a daunting position, but Cosumnes River College President Edward Bush has made great strides of advancement in his first year.

The key to being a successful president of a college is being able to connect with students and staff to find what improvements need to be made to benefit both. It takes great communication skills and a tremendous desire to lead to fulfill the position.

“Being the president of any college or university is a very lofty feeling but you don’t see that with him,” said Extended Opportunity Programs and Services coordinator Kathy Degn.

Bush spent the first few months of the year adapting by listening to students and faculty. It was going to take a sense of knowing what the community excelled in and what could be improved based on their perspective.

“From looking at the data of student success and having those conversations with people, I began to formulate what I thought was the initial vision and my ideas for the college,” said Bush.

Within the last year, CRC banned smoking on campus completely, enacted the First Year Experience program, hired new faculty members and even received a $1.5 million grant from the state.

One of the biggest academic changes to the campus was the introduction of the First Year Experience program. The program uses high school transcripts to help determine a student’s ability to take college courses. This could help save a student’s time and money. Bush said he hopes tactics used in the program will help change the way the campus approaches student placement and assessments.

“I can’t take credit for all of these. If you’re at a college or institution where everyone isn’t on board and participating in their parts and even exceeding, then none of this could ever get done,” said Bush.

It is clear to those who meet Bush that he maintains a wel-

coming persona. It is very easy to assume a president of a college campus to be reserved and strict, yet Bush is very keen on keeping open communication on campus.

“He maintains an open-door policy and has actively listened to faculty concerns about the increase in workload over the past year,” said President of the Los Rios College Federation of Teachers and history professor Jason Newman. “He is a visible presence on campus and will undoubtedly continue his record of success at CRC during his second year.”

A lot of work was put into Bush’s first year as president and a lot more is going to be needed to continue the success in academic improvements. The goals he has set for the school are long term, sustainable practices that he hopes will change the way the campus conducts its approach to academics and business.

“I think he has presented himself as being a servant to the staff and students and he’s genuine about that,” said Degn.

“This is a campus that is ready for change so anything new, people are receptive to that.”

PAGE 6

OCTOBER 27, 2016

New adaption of a cult classic film disappoints

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com Imagine a world filled with a medley of brightly colored mohawks, new wave punk and an unnecessary amount of tongue action. That world would be what Fox created with their sad attempt of an adaption of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is most notably known in the form of a 1975 feature-length musical directed by Jim Sharman. The 1975 film stars Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Tim Curry and singer Meatloaf. The film was a screenplay adaption of a musical stage production.

Creating an adaption of any cult classic is asking for trouble, but every once in awhile it might actually be decent. This isn’t Fox’s first attempt of producing their adaption of a musical. Earlier this year Fox broadcasted a live version of “Grease” and it was widely praised.

With Kenny Ortega directing, having high expectations for it would have been a little bit unrealistic. In his early days, Ortega choreographed “Dirty Dancing” and a few music videos. Soon after, he stepped into the world of directing and made the adolescent hit trilogy of “High School Musical.”

“Grease Live” gained a lot of praise because of how well it managed to appear on screen and the impressive singing during a live broadcast. A lot of practice and precision goes into making a production like that.

Keeping that in mind, Fox’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” wasn’t live so it should have been a better production b e -

cause they had more freedom to rehearse and make sure everything looked crisp.

This wasn’t the case.

It was as if a nuclear bomb, composed of cheap Halloween costumes and over-produced music, hit television with the intent of making it seem like a good thing. But as history has taught us, it takes a lot more effort to make an impact.

The wardrobe was atrocious and incredibly tacky. It consisted of tulle material and an ungodly amount of leather and chokers.

For a segment of a song that in-

cluded one character tap dancing, the actor wore combat boots instead of tap shoes.

Along with the questionable decisions of wardrobe, every time the actors danced in between singing there seemed to be a need for them to stick their tongues out and have them do their own dance number.

The cast mainly consisted of

Courtesy Photo

broadway stars that aren’t very wellknown to the public. Along with these actors, the musical starred Victoria Justice reprising Susan Sarandon’s character Janet Weiss, and Laverne Cox as Tim Curry’s legendary role of Dr. Frank N. Furter.

Because the production wasn’t live, it was hard to give credibility to how well the actors could actually sing. Despite being unsure of their voices, Justice’s acting stood out the most.

She perfectly portrayed the inno-

cence of Janet Weiss without being overbearing. In contrast, Cox’s portrayal of Dr. Frank N. Furter was an absolute flop.

Although slightly controversial to some, Cox taking on the role of a beloved transexual character seemed like it couldn’t have been any more perfect. Cox had previously gained fame from the popular Netflix original “Orange is the New Black” and has been a spokesperson for the LGBTQ community. Her involvement should have been a success yet it was anything but.

Cox’s singing was pitchy and lacked strength. At times she was singing in an octave way out of her range and it became unbearable as the showing progressed.

In short, did I watch the newer, cheapily produced version of “High School Musical” that seems like it was made by an angsty teen that screams “My Manic Panic dyed hair is original!”? Yes. Yes I did.

VOTE

Whether you are part of the Democratic, Republican, Green or Libertarian party, vote because it is your right!

Find your local polling online.

Trap or Treat

Ace of Spades in Sacramento will have a halloween costume competition on Oct. 30 in three categories: scariest, most unique and best imitation.

Where: 1417 R St., Sacramento Ages: 14+ Time: 6 p.m.

Admission: $10 at the door or free with online RSVP.

CRC Nerdvana Movie Festival Halloween Palooza

Score out of five stars For more reviews, visit thecrcconnection.com or follow the Connection on Twitter @CRCconnection

#StreamingNow:

At CRC in the L11. A double feature movie of Nosferatu & Night of the Living Dead on Oct. 27.

Time: First movie starts at 6:15 p.m.

Admission: Free

Monster Dash 5k Run

A 5k run at River City High School to benefit engineering and tech academy scholarships on Oct. 29.

Where: 1 Raider Lane, West Sacramento Time: 9 a.m.

Admission: Student registration: $15 Adult Registration: $25 Day of Race: $30.

Halloween Edition

Compiled by Ashley Navarro and Stan Smith

Scaramento Natural Foods Coop: Grand Opening Weekend

Deathgasm

2015. Horror/Comedy. Netflix

We Are Still Here 2015. Horror. Netflix.

The Babadook 2014. Drama/ Thriller. Netflix.

The event will have live music as well as some local beer and wine tasting. There will also be some activities available for children attending. Oct.28 to Oct. 30.

Where: 2820 R St., Sacramento Time: Different activities have designated times. Go to event website to find more information.

Movie Premiere The House of the Devil 2009. Slasher/Thriller. Hulu.

Event Horizon 1997. Fantasy/Horror. Netflix.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse 2015. Action/Horror/Comedy. Amazon, Hulu.

Oct. 28: “Inferno”

Nov. 4: “Trolls” “Doctor Strange”

PAGE 7

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

Tiny House competition sees huge turnout

By Rachel Norris rnorris.connect@gmail.com In the midst of all the tininess, a rather great event took place in parking lot E of Cosumnes River College on Oct. 15. Students from multiple universities and residents from all over the state of California visited the campus to view the energy-efficient tiny homes, built over a span of two years by the architecture students from each college.

Along with the tiny houses, food trucks served an array of different cuisine, a kid’s zone that offered different activities for children and hay stacks that offered seating.

The event saw tremendous success. It brought in over 10 thousand attendees, smashing Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s projected number of 2,500 people, according to Brent Sloan, SMUD’s program manager of community solar.

Sloan stressed the importance of not selling CRC or any community colleges short of what they are able to do and the level of experience compared to universities around the state.

“The fact that CRC did so well in this event, you should hold your head high for competing and going head to head with the Berkeley’s and Sac State and scoring better in a lot

of cases. That’s something to be proud of,” Sloan said.

CRC’s architecture program did not end up winning the overall competition; however, they did win other sub-awards that were granted, such as the best sleeping arrangement and an award of excellence.

Brenda Delgado, a 25-yearold architecture major from CRC who has now transferred to UC Berkeley, was under the supervision of alumni architecture professor John Ellis while designing the tiny house for the event.

“The great thing about the tiny houses is that while you get to help the environment, you also get to help an individual or a small family not spend so much money on a home,” Delgado said. “Especially now, homes are so expensive and we’re giving somebody the opportunity to own a home and save money.”

Not only was the architecture program involved in the creation of the tiny house, but collaboration with CRC construction students is what made the building of the tiny house possible, Delgado explained.

“In real life, it’s not just the archi-

tecture department or the construction department that does it all, they match each other. So, that’s what we’re trying to do with this tiny house. We’re trying to get the departments to start working together to learn what each side has to do,” Delgado said.

The University of Santa Clara won the overall best tiny house of all ten colleges and universities competing at the event. Martin Prado, a 22-yearold electrical engineering student from the University of Santa Clara, explained why their tiny house came out on top.

“We’re donating our tiny house to a client who is in a wheelchair with a service dog, so we tailored the house to her specific needs, such as scratch-resistant floor and walls and a kick-out doggie bowl for food and water,” Prado said.

“So having that story not only gave us a vision, but it

gave us an advantage. We wanted to make it the best that we could for her.”

Prado said the materials needed to make their tiny house came out to $85,000, significantly more what the other tiny houses cost. Most of the money was donated by the university on the terms that the architecture students pay back what they borrowed through fundraising. Donations were also made from parents and people from the community.

This being the first tiny house event ever in the state of California, Sloan said, CRC was more than willing to accept the notion to host the event on its

campus. Sloan explained why he specifically chose CRC to host the event.

“It’s a beautiful campus.

It has big, open parking lots, and to be perfectly frank with you, Ryan Connolly, a professor here, was very passionate about doing it. Your administration from day one was sold on the idea and asked how they can help,” Sloan said. “We were very, very happy about the response we got from CRC. In fact, I think we can double the size of this event and still have it here on this campus.

We look forward to considering that.”

Sloan said he could see the event becoming much bigger in the future.

“I think you’re going to see this tiny house event take off because more and more colleges are going to be able to compete. It allowed more people to get the same learning opportunities for a lot less money.

So, way to go, Cosumnes.”

Photos compiled by Stan Smith and Rachel Norris

October 27, 2016

Page 8

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Community colleges need to fix low transfer rates Community college, require all the work of a four-year state college but don’t have as big of a payoff. That’s because most community colleges, as they stand now, are supposed to be a two-year system where a student can get in, get out and move on to the next phase of their education.

However, it doesn’t always work out that way.

There are many variables factors that come into play as to why community college students aren’t transferring on time or at all. Many can’t afford it or don’t want to get pegged with large debt so early in their lives. Some do not want to relocate, or are possibly frightened by the process of transferring and competing for a spot in their major.

Many students who enroll at a community college have a plan to earn a transfer degree to a four-year university where they pursue their bachelor’s degree. More than 80 percent of students who attend community college plan to earn a bachelor’s degree. That percentage notably drops down to 25 percent of those that actually transfer, and that is after five years of being there, according to research compiled by Columbia University’s Community College Research Center.

Data collected from the Community College Chancellor’s Office shows that Cosumnes River College during the school year from 2008 to 2009 there was a full-time student cohort of 6,227, the number of students that transferred within two years of this populace was only 304. After five years the number grew to 1,907 students who transferred to a four-year college which is still only 30 percent of students.

This has been a problem for community colleges for a long time, however it is often not often talked about among students.

A key political topic at the moment is what to do about the state of colleges in America, more specifically the tuition. Bernie Sanders and now Hillary Clinton have both talked about free college tuition. However, both seem to have overlooked the importance of community colleges and some of the problems students face.

According to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office there are currently 113 schools in California with about 2.3 million students versus the nine Universities of California and the 23 California State Universities with the both institutions totalling around 500,000 students.

As the data reveals there is a large student population staying at a community college working hard for an associate’s degree or a certificate .

Some students may fear the rejection of getting into a college they’ve worked hard to get into. According to Yale University’s admission office, the college receives more than 1,000 transfer applications, although they only have spots for around 30 students. UC Davis had 48,338 students apply from California, but were only able to accept 15,836 in 2015.

If the Clinton is able to implement a free college plan, there will be an increase of students applying to college which means more rejections and fewer spots for transfer students.

Community college is flexible, and provides opportunity to students with their academic schedule. Students right now might just be taking classes to be “productive,” while other things like the deterrents mentioned above might keep the degree in the very back of their mind.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know at connection.crc@gmail.com thecrcconnection.com

Scan this QR code with your smart phone to submit a letter to the editor.

HAWK TALK What do you think about Halloween costumes that could be seen as culturally insensitive?

Compiled by Lola Chase Photos by Joe Padilla

Lynette Shepard 57, undeclared

Neng Vang 27, human services

“As a society we need to be sensitive to other countries which we should reflect in our costumes and daily life.”

“It is inappropriate. It doesn’t match the theme of Halloween, being a tradition of the dead. It’s similar to Dia de Los Muertos, and you wouldn’t see people dressed up as other cultures then.”

Jackie Joseph 20, fire technology

“I have no issue with it. We all appropriate. We all take something from everybody. Am I culturally appropriating when I eat Chinese food? No. So how are Halloween costumes any different?”

Tyler Holdener 22, linguistics

“Certain ethnicities can pull it off, but there’s no hard feelings. It’s more of an homage to them and their culture, not any disrespect. I mean it’s different if it’s demeaning, like the “Red Skins” as a mascot, but Halloween is just one day of the year.”

thecrcconnection.com

Page 9

It’s time to put the death penalty down

By Andrew Flores aflores.connect@gmail.com

As the Nov. 8 election nears, Californians are presented with 17 propositions, one of which is a matter of life or death. Voters will be given the opportunity to repeal the death penalty under Proposition 62, which will establish life in prison without the possibility of parole as the most severe punishment.

With the prison and justice system in a defective state, it is best for the citizens of California to vote “yes” on Proposition 62 and finally end the inhumane practice of the death penalty.

California has 756 inmates on death row, 33 percent who are white, 24 percent who are Latino, 36 percent who are black and 6 percent who are of other races, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The population of California, according to a July 2015 report by the United States Census Bureau is estimated at 39,144,818 people with whites at 38 percent, Latinos at 39 percent and blacks at seven percent of the population. The statistics highlight the disproportionate rate at which blacks are sentenced with the death penalty compared to their white and Latino counterparts, who are a higher percentage of the population within California.

This is not to assume that blacks are committing more violent crimes than other ethnic groups, but to reveal the fact that capital punishment has been rooted in racial bias. History can attest to the United States’ negative portrayal of blacks and false notions that they are dangerous and violent.

A 2005 study issued in the Santa

Clara Review by Glenn Pierce, of the College of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University, and Michael Radelet, a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado, revealed “the probability of a death sentence for those who kill non-Hispanic whites is 3.09 times higher than those suspected of killing non-Hispanic African Americans and 4.33 times higher than those suspected of killing Hispanics.”

The reinstatement of the death penalty in California began with legislation in 1977, followed by the passing of Proposition 7 by voters, which reinstated the practice, in 1978. From then to now, 13 people have been executed in California.

In the study “Executing the Will of the Voters?: A Road map to mend or End the California Legislature’s Multi-Billion-Dollar Death Penalty Debacle,” U.S. Circuit Judge Arthur L. Alarcon and Loyola Law professor Paula M. Mitchell, revealed that $4 billion of state and federal taxpayer money has been expended administering the death penalty in California since 1978, with a cost in 2009 of approximately $184 million above what taxpayers would have spent without

Courtesy Photo

the death penalty.

The study suggests that abolishing the death penalty and establishing life without parole, for current death row inmates and future criminals, will “save taxpayers billions of dollars and eliminate the risks of wrongful executions entirely.” An estimated $1.7 million is expected to be saved per year with an estimated $5 billion saved in the following 20 years after the capital punishment has ended.

Those who oppose Proposition 62 could argue that Proposition 66, another initiative up for the November ballot, could alleviate these issues and be a fix to the broken system.

Proposition 66 would keep the death penalty but change the procedures in order to have a quicker appeals process. According to the official voter guide of the state of California, the initiative also “designates superior court for initial petitions and limits successive petitions. Requires appointed attorneys who take non-capital appeals to accept death penalty appeals. Exempts prison officials from existing regulation process for developing execution methods.”

Though the initiative seems plau-

sible to some, Prop 66 is the wrong choice. The initiative is not guaranteed to reduce the amount of money spent to maintain the practice and there is questionable doubt that the process will speed up cases.

The percentage of people wrongly accused of a crime further exposes the fact that our criminal justice system is dysfunctional.

Politicians who support the death penalty are more concerned about being viewed as tough on crime rather than finding tangible solutions to prevent crime from happening in the first place. In addition, it is not an effective deterrent of murder or any other offense against the law, if it was then we would not have an increasing rate of death row inmates.

The United States’ history of violence has instilled the belief that we, as a society, should seek retribution for those who have hurt or wronged us. This sense of retribution can manifest into violent yearnings that call for harsher, severe punishments such as death.

Instead we should focus on moral and humane approaches to justice that establish standards that will help progress our society further.

That is not to say that the feelings of the victim and those affected are not valued, but rather that emotions have no place in decisions of justice.

For those eligible to vote, I urge you to research into the death penalty and our prison system. In that research I hope you find that voting “yes” on proposition 62 is the best decision.

Abolishing the death penalty is a step towards a moral high ground, prison reform and stopping the never-ending cycle of violence.

Taxation without representation: smoker’s rights

By Steven Byrla sbyrla.connect@gmail.com With the elections coming up in the next few weeks, many are focused on who the next president will be, but what will voters do on Proposition 56?

Proposition 56 is encouraging a two dollar tax increase per pack of cigarettes and an equivalent tax on other tobacco products including vape products.

A yes on Prop 56 in the November election would be supporting the tax and a no vote would be keeping the taxes the same as they are now. Cosumnes River College recently began an outlaw of having tobacco products on campus Aug 1. Clearly they are joining the new health kick craze that has gone around the nation for some time now.

I am a tobacco user and still adjusting to the school’s policy, but see both the positives and negatives of having the campus smoke and tobacco free.

I am opposed to the increase that Prop 56 is offering because I am a tobacco user and don’t think I should pay more taxes for a product I have been using for years at my own risk. If the tax is increased and being a former veteran, I can believe that they will not be willing to pay an extra two dollars for a pack of cigarettes or an average of one - dollar tax for chewing tobacco.

It would be exceptionally hard for tobacco users that are military members who go on deployments.

The stress of dealing with day to day operations in the military is not easy in any branch of service and for most times, tobacco products did help me focus.

The increase of the tax may discourage people to buy tobacco products and have them lead to a healthier tobacco-free lifestyle. The improvements on the ban of tobacco products has already had a positive impact on the CRC campus. Students are now able to walk around campus without having to walk in smoke designated areas and worry about inhaling second hand smoke.

The negative on the tax being increased is obviously the price of every tobacco product would be higher, but it’s also our choice to put tobacco products into our body. So as a deterrent for users to stop buying tobacco products it’s not going to work. Plus we all know the risk of using because, on a can of chewing tobacco for instance, it clearly states that it can cause mouth cancer and smokeless tobacco can be

addictive.

Even with the warning signs right on there, I still choose to do it.

The federal government already placed in April earlier this year that to buy a tobacco product that you must be the age of 21, which corresponds with being the proper age to buy alcohol products. According to theawl. com, the average price of cigarettes per pack is $7.16 in California for 2016, so adding that extra two dollars would make a pack of cigarettes costing over nine dollars.

Whether you agree or disagree with the tax increase on tobacco products, it is still an important issue to certain people. Go out and read all of the propositions on the ballot that you are available to vote on and cast your vote at your local polling places on Nov. 8, 2016.

PAGE 12

OCTOBER 27, 2016

Hawks conquer adversity to push for playoff spot

By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com Despite injuries to multiple players and some recent defeats, the women’s soccer team is pressing on.

While the Hawks have gone through rough times with at least three players being injured, they have seen steady improvement as the season has progressed.

“I think we’ve done pretty well, considering all the injuries we’ve had,” said sophomore forward Andrea Story.

“We’re right at the .500 mark and we’re on our way to make it to playoffs, so I think we’re doing pretty good.”

Head coach Cesar Plasencia said he is looking forward to continued growth for the team.

“We have not yet exceeded expectations. We’re close though; that’s one of our objectives,” said Plasencia.

He talked about the players’ improvements and how they are better understanding what he expects from them.

Plasencia also spoke about the different ways that

the team is already improving, including having to learn how to play without the players who have been injured.

“We’ve had to learn how to adjust around them,

those players that are not there, and I feel like we’re getting closer to that,” said Plasencia.

While players are certainly focused on constant improvement, they are happy with how the team is performing currently.

“As a whole, we definitely have our ups and downs, but we’re doing really good coming back from defeat,” said freshman midfielder Averen Calvin. “We have the fight in us, definitely.”

Calvin is the team’s leading scorer this season with eight goals in 16 games, in

addition to four assists.

She also has contributed three multi-goal games t h i s season, all of which came in wins for the Hawks.

Story and Calvin have been able to help each other out a lot this season, making themselves and the team better.

The pair have spent significant time together on the field, and it has helped turn them into a 1-2 punch as they continue to support each other.

It’s made for a combo that has provided great

scoring opportunities for the two leading scorers.

“I’m happy with the chances that myself, and me and Andy [Story] have created for each other.”

The team is currently [6-75] overall this season, including a [4-5-3] record in the Big 8 Conference.

The team is on track to surpass its [8-11-3] overall record from last season, including [4-8-2] in conference.

Players talked about how one of the biggest improvements that the team needs to make is “staying on frame,” which means trying to keep the ball lined up between the goalposts as much as possible.

“We’re just trying to continue to get progress and goals,” said freshman goalkeeper Elizabeth Kowalczyk.

The team is also working on a new formation in practices in an effort to increase scoring opportunities and be more aggressive.

“We went from a 5-3-2, which is five defenders in the back, but that was more defensive,” said Story.

“We switched to a 4-4-2,

so then we can have more attackers up top.”

The players also shared how they feel their individual contributions to the team have been important.

Kowalczyk said she tries to be a positive influence for the rest of her team.

“I feel like my contribution is more positive,” said Kowalczyk. “I’m trying to motivate everybody to be the best that they can.”

While Plasencia said that every team is different, he is appreciative of the high character and strong work ethics that this year’s team has brought to the table.

“This is just a really, really good group of girls,” said Plasencia.

“They genuinely are decent to each other, they treat each other kindly,” he said.

The Hawks will continue to fight for a playoff spot in the final weeks of the season, with hopes of making it to the postseason for the second consecutive year.

The Hawks’ next game is on Friday at American River College at 5 p.m.

Freshman goalie's play earns player of the week

By Lola Chase lchase.connect@gmail.com For Elizabeth Kowalczyk, a lifetime of work has been rewarded.

The freshman goalie’s road to the soccer fields at Cosumnes River College started at a young age.

“15 years [ago]. I started when I was three. I always played with my little brother until my parents finally got me into little league, so I started playing when I could run and walk,” Kowalczyk said.

While she has always worked hard on the field, so it came as a surprise to being recognized this week,“ This award is pretty special. I was very happy and it’s just good to know that all the hard work pays off,” she said.

Kowalczyk has started 16 games this season and allowed a 1.27 goals against average, with a 79.3 percent save percentage.

The recognition as athlete of the week showed her that she has to keep working and

stick with her work ethic.

“As far as motivation from this award, I was just wowed that I was acknowledged. It just shows you just gotta keep doing it and go for it,” she said.

She attributed much of her inspiration to her parents.

“They’re the ones who have been there for me and started everything. They’ve been there to support me and help me out through the tough times and the fun times.”

But her ongoing inspiration is her effect on others.

“My inspiration since I’ve been young was probably just being able to inspire other people," Kowalczyk said.

"Being able to show them what they are capable of and to show them the things that are possible to them.”

Soccer had always been a great fit for her, connecting with her desire to compete with others.

“The thing I like about soccer is the competitiveness.

I’m very competitive,” Kowalczyk said.

She sometimes struggles

to balance schoolwork and athletics, but is grateful for the academic program at CRC. “Luckily, us student athletes get a chance to pick our classes and give a chance to balance that time between class and soccer,” Kowalczyk said.

The bond with her teammates provides a lot of support, as they all provide for one another.

“The best thing about this season is the girls. The girls are really fun to play with and are very motivational. But the coaches, they’re great," she said.

"They know how to motivate you in the right way and if you’ve done something Lola Chase | The Connection amazing, they know how to praise it. That’s hard to find in Freshman Elizabeth Kowalczyk was named athlete of the week after she allowed one goal across three conference road matches from Oct. 18-25 a coach.”

"You may have problems “I’ve worked with them and being able to just go out before, so to work with them there and leave it all out on the in your everyday life, but as field," Kowalczyk said. soon as you cross that line, all again, I’m very happy.”

Soccer has been an escape those problems just go away," She has had a love for the game since such a young age, for her, no matter when she en- she said.

"Soccer is that getaway. so it became a beneficial thing counters problems. It's always there to provide a sense of re- It’s like people going on vacafor her. tion – this is my vacation,” “I just enjoy the game lief and clears her mind.