The Connection Vol. 56 Issue 5 11/18/2010

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GREEN

CAMPUS MEMBERS Students and faculty take measures to protect the environment.

FEATURES } Page 6

The Connection The student voice of Cosumnes River College since 1970

Volume 59, Issue 5

www.crcconnection.com

November 18, 2010

Student tells of problems with spelling Jennifer Parsons Special to The Connection

CHEATING IN COLLEGE As cheating becomes more prevalent in college, educators seek to address issues Alex Mosqueda Connection Staff With the recent cheating scandal at the University of Central Florida, attention has shifted toward cheating in college. Rick Schubert, professor of philosophy and chair of the Cosumnes River College Academic Integrity Committee, has made it his personal mission to stamp out cheating at CRC. Schubert has done research on the subject of cheating and said while students cheat for a number of reasons, there is one that outweighs others. “The primary reason appears to be that they don’t see the value in doing the work that’s being asked of them,” Schubert said. Over the last four years, surveys were conducted among a group of 14,000 undergraduate students. Fifty-five percent had admitted to cheating, according to the New York Times.

However college faculty have taken precautions over the years to combat cheating via the Internet. Many websites have been created to detect plagiarism and other types of falsified work. One of the best-known services is Turnitin.com, where teachers have their students submit their work and the website searches for any type of copying. No matter how many different tools and tactics teachers come up with to fight against cheating, some students still insist on cheating to get ahead. Unlike faculty, students have a more moderate outlook on the act of cheating. Stephen Morris and Ian Curtis, both 21-year old CRC students, have witnessed and participated in different types of cheating. By request, their names have been changed to avoid any conflict with professors. When asked about different cheating tactics, both Morris and Curtis listed

Carlo Dela Cruz | The Connection

>> Did you know? • According to research published by the American Psychological Association, students who cheat in college are highly likely to fit the profile for “subclinical psychopathy” - a personality disorder defined by erractic lifestyle, manipulation, callousness and antisocial tendences. • Problematic students cheat because they feel entitled and disregard morality, the study found. • Almost 80 percet of college students admit to cheating at least once. • 36 percent of under graduates have admitted to plagiarizing written material. • 30 percent of a large sampling of Berkeley students were recently caught plagiarizing directly from the internet. Information compiled from sciencedaily.com and turnitin.com

See CHEATING, page 12

See SPELLING, page 12

As transfers loom, faculty gives advice Alex Mosqueda Connection Staff

Campus hosts 5th annual Fall Ethics Symposium

NEWS } Page 11

} On the Web • Students die in triple homicide. • CRC addition Andi Atkins Pogue • Thanksgiving history questioned crcconnection.com

As a child, Ashley Birch said she was a bad speller. She asked friends, classmates and even her younger brother how to spell. Today, 21-year-old Ashley Birch, an undeclared major, said she is still not a great speller. And she isn’t alone. In a 2009 study conducted by the Spelling Society, an organization dedicated to “raising awareness of the problems caused by the irregularity of English spelling,” one in four Americans said they were bad spellers. The study found 62 percent of Americans cannot spell “embarrassed,” 61 percent “liaison” and 52 percent “millennium,” according to the study. These findings did not surprise professors at Cosumnes River College. “Americans’ inability to spell is not a surprise because too many educators and administrators in the educational environment misunderstand the use of technology,” said Billie Miller, a business professor. Professors and students blamed technology for the decline in spelling. “There’s something about the increased efficiency of technology that fools you into thinking the actual technological copy is error-free,” said Jason

Demitri Fellines | The Connection

Cody Blackbird performs his album “Raven Speaks,” on Nov. 16 in the Fountain Quad. The performance is a part of Cosumnes River College’s first ever “Native American Gathering,” which celebrated the indigenous culture, on Nov. 15 -17.

With the spring semester just around the corner, many Cosumnes River College students will be transferring to new colleges to continue their education. Countless colleges around the country are selected by CRC students as their ideal school, but it does raise the question of what school should a student transfer to. “I chose UC San Diego mainly because of its location,” said 20-year old performing arts major Natalie Garza. “People typically pick schools that are close to home but I really wanted to go to a good school that’s far away and try to make it on my own.” CRC counselor Lynn Fowler agrees with Garza that students do tend to base school selection on proximity, though Fowler doesn’t believe that this is the wisest of choices. “Many students choose a transfer university by default, that is, they only apply to the four year institutions near their homes,” Fowler said. “An ideal college is one that meets the person’s individual needs. Selecting a transfer destination is very important.”

See TRANSFER, page 12

News

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November 18, 2010

Young voters stay at home during midterm election Johny Garcia Connection Staff

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Americans between the age of 18 and 29 strengthened their notorious reputation for not voting in elections with the midterm elections on Nov. 2. The 25 percent level for participation among this age group in 2006 dropped to 20.4 percent across the country, according to Dayton Daily News. In California, this lack of political participation was even greater than the national average. About one out of every ten people in this age group showed up to vote on Nov. 2, according to the Washington Post. Stephan Starnes, 20, undeclared major, said the lack of young voters on Nov. 2 “will have consequences.” “It is important for the younger generation to vote,” Starnes said. “Things that affect them aren’t always things the older generations even think twice about. If they don’t vote for what they need, how are they supposed to get it?” Adalynn Makihele, an 18-year-old English major, said she was surprised that California’s young voter turnout rate was so low, especially since there were so many topics she found interesting and controversial. “I’d figure it would turn them towards it,” Makihele said. “There are just a lot of controversial things that happened, I would have thought people would have been into it.” The relatively few students who did vote said they did so in order to shape the future. “I felt it was my civic duty to participate in the decision of California’s laws in order to make the future favorable and help keep it from more economic distress,” said Elwyn Yabut, a 20-year-old civil engineering major. Joseph Escajeda, an 18-year-old criminal justice major, said not as many young people voted during this election as the presidential

election because of the differences in publicity. “I don’t think too many people voted in this election because it was the congressional election and did not have nearly as much media coverage as the presidential elections do,” Escajeda said. Other students registered but ended up missing the event. “I did register, I just didn’t get around to it,” Makihele said. “I got a real busy schedule so it’s just kind of hard to fit other things in.” Students said the voting process might have intimidated “There are so young voters. “Wording on many underlying loopholes that the ballot makes can be created by certain things very passing laws that hard to underit makes voting stand,” Yabut said. “I feel this worda chore to really ing makes first time investigate which voters, and also would be most ben- those who have not eficial.” voted often, turned off from voting.” Elwyn Yabut Students also Civil Engineering said becoming a well-informed voter might have turned some young voters away. “Advertisements and the media make the voting process complicated as insults and facts are being thrown left and right,” Yabut said. “There are so many underlying loopholes that can be created by passing laws that it makes voting a chore to really investigate which would be most beneficial.” Elizabeth Huffman, political science professor at CRC, said absent young voters were detrimental to Democrats. “Its been the lack of young voters that have boosted the Republican success in this election because the older crowd tends to vote more Republican,” Huffman said.

News

November 18, 2010

11

Professors invited to campus to discuss ethics in education Branden Wiens Tracy Gilkerson Connection Staff Cosumnes River College hosted the 5th Annual Fall Ethics Symposium on Nov. 16 and 17 at the Recital Hall. Presented in collaboration with the Sacramento State University Center for Practical and Professional ethics, the event focused on ethical issues present in education. Over the twoday event, four scholars, Dr. Elizabeth Minnich, Dr. George A. Bekey, Dr. Mark B. Brown, and Dr. Lois A. Weinberg presented lectures that dealt with ethics in their respective fields of knowledge. “I don’t want ethics to be an add-on, not just a bunch of courses,� said Minnich, a senior scholar at the Association of American Colleges & Universities.“If we’re talking about ethics in education, then we need to do something about education.� Minnich spoke strongly against for-profit schools, saying that they sold “prepackaged� degrees to paying customers and repeatedly used technology as an example: “The knowledge has moved to the massively accessible and massively

flexible world.� She gave a formula that dealt with the way that she perceives the role that technology is playing in our lives, “Technology plus privatization equals globalization.� On the second day of the symposium, Dr. George A. Bekey, an emeritus professor of computer science at the University of Southern California, lectured on the increasing emphasis that is being placed on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at American universities. “The amount of students entering universities to study STEM courses is dropping when compared to China and India,� Bekey said. A large part of Bekey’s lecture was devoted to the increasing specialization he has seen in universities. “When I was studying engineering, there were about ten courses, now there are several hundred. We know more and more about less and less,� Bekey said. The final lecturer of the symposium was Dr. Lois Weinberg, a Professor of special education at California State University, Los Angeles. Weinberg spoke about

disabilities, and whether they are created by the person’s physical and societal environment, or by other factors. “A person’s disability ends up defining the person,� said Weinberg. “The disability may be seen as there being something wrong with the person that needs to be fixed.� Weinberg showed two very specific examples. In both cases the students in question were disabled and

needed a wheelchair. Student A was surrounded by an environment that was both hostile, and difficult for a disabled student to survive in, while student B was surrounded by a supportive environment. Student A faced greater challenges than student B, despite similar disabilities. Weinberg’s solution to the problems that are faced by disabled students is a plan known as a “Universal Design for Learning,�

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Dr. Elizabeth Minnich, senior scholar at the Association of American Colleges & Universities, started off Cosumnes River College’s 5th Annual Fall Ethics Symposium on Nov. 16.

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a learning plan that is designed for all students from the outset. “It took many court cases for disabled students to be in the general classroom,� said Weinberg, “If we believe in equal opportunity, then we are obligated to level the playing field.� Weinberg finished by noting how society’s attitudes are changing, and people are choosing their words more carefully when referring to the disabled.

Philosophy professor Dr. Rick Schubert, who opened and organized the symposium, summed up the event. “I was extremely pleased with the event,� said Schubert, “I wish we had more time, and I wish very much that we had a larger venue. The last time this event was held, we had people on folding chairs in the foyer. Essentially, we are victims of our own success.�

Health care information technology program offers six-month field training Johny Garcia Connection Staff Students entering the health care industry now have help through the health care information technology program. Thanks to a grant, Cosumnes River College will have a program that enables students to attain a certificate within six months. The grant came from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, according to a lecture on Nov. 10 by Lance Parks, head of the computer science department at CRC and one of the professors for the newfound program. The grant will pay for administration, faculty, staff and equipment. However, it will not cover any fees for courses, books or parking. In order to enter the program, one must be enrolled at CRC and have either two years of experience or a two-year degree in the health care or information technology field. Currently, the program offers two certificates, the health care IT implementation support specialist certificate and the health care IT technical support specialist certificate. The first certificate program teaches students how to make medical records electronic and enter them in a database. The second certificate program teaches students how to maintain the electronic system once it is setup.

Students with one or both of the certificates can expect to earn from $33,000 to $120,000 a year, with an average salary of $77,000 a year, according to Parks. “The thing that I like about this is that people can own homes,� said Parks. “They can support their families with this kind of an income.� Ger Vang, an 18-year-old undecided major, said six months of schooling is definitely worth the salary. “Yeah it’s worth it,� Vang said. “That’s way faster than my major, which will take three to five years.� Jessica Rivera, a 21-year-old undecided major, said she would join the program if she had enough experience. “I would join the program because it’s only six months and it’s good pay,� Rivera said. Given the amount of businesses that need to update their medical records, the HIT field will grow, according to Parks. “In the U.S., only about 15 percent of health care providers and doctors have electronic health care records,� Parks said. “That’s a big growth area, isn’t it?� Parks said the change for health care is inevitable. “Where healthcare is going is where a lot of places have already made the transition to: digital records,� Parks said. “Health care organizations are going to go there eventually. People are coming and talking to us because they know this is coming and they’re going to have to hire people.�

Opinion

2

November 18, 2010

EDITORIAL

Questions on academic integrity condemns cheaters According to a study conducted by Donald McCabe, a professor at Rutgers University and a leading expert in academic integrity, 70 percent of students admitted to cheating on exams. Further, 84 percent of students admitted to cheating on written assignments, and 52 percent had copied sentences without citing the source, according to the study conducted in 2001 at nine universities with a sample of 1,800 students. Cheating in college has received more attention due to a recent scandal at the University of Central Florida, where some 200 out of 600 students admitted to cheating on an exam. As a response to the national attention the situation has received, many seek to point fingers. Are the students who cheated to blame? Is it the professor for his lack of preventative measures? Is it both? Is it society? We are all subject to the concept of free will -- that our actions AT A GLANCE are our own and not a result of an The Issue: Cheaters do external force or probabilistic denot consider the effects termination. Because we possess such freethat dishonesty has on dom, regardless of peer pressure, their peers. the heavy workloads or the ease Our View: Cheating will with which those students attained not be solved until peo- their means of cheating, each indiple become individually vidual had a choice. Those 200 or responsible for their ac- more students that engaged in acations. demic dishonesty chose to do so. Inherent in that choice are Agree? Disagree? consequences and repercussions. Send comments to Two-thirds of the students connect@crc.losrios.edu taking the exam acted honestly. They researched, analyzed, and absorbed the necessary material – or didn’t – and accepted the consequences of their effort. However, because of the cheaters, the entire class, including those who hadn’t cheated, had to endure another exam. The punishment of the whole seems unwarranted and unfair, but it is a reality that we must all learn to live with. Our actions have repercussions that affect more than just the individual making decisions – social responsibility is key. But because American society is so deeply ingrained in this “me first” mentality, coupled with an insatiable desire for instant gratification, we overlook how this may affect our peers. This lack of accountability is a depressing trend that our country as taken on. A trend that is embodied by a president who wrote in his memoir that an “all-time low” in his presidency was when he was labeled a racist – not a decision he made in an eightyear term littered with criticism, but when an angry celebrity called him a name. A trend that is embodied by a student who, rather than condemn the cheating, accused the university of “making a witchhunt out of absolutely nothing.” Cheating is not the issue. It is a byproduct of an overwhelming disregard for academic integrity within our institutions. Until we acknowledge and understand the problem, however, we cannot hope to address it.

The Connection Co-Editors-in-Chief Opinion Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Online Editor Copy Editors Production Manager Faculty Adviser

Holly Sanderson & Cory Fong Alex Mosqueda Holly Sanderson Jarrad Hicks Alycia Lourim Cory Fong Maria Zavala & Kelsey Simpson Mikha Collins David Weinshilboum

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 400 newspaper production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or the Los Rios Community College District. The Connection is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC). Staff Writers/Photographers/Graphic Artists: Troy Davis, Carlo Dela Cruz, Demitri Fellines, Johny Garcia, Tracy Gilkerson, Markie Jewell, Rodrick Lewis, Cynthia Mach, Varsha Narayan, Alyssa Novak, Unique Pierre-Cody, Drew Pitts, Alena Slater, Raynisha Taltoan, Jackie Tse, Branden Wiens Telephone Fax Website E-mail Send letters to

(916) 691-7471 (916) 691-7181 www.crcconnection.com connect@crc.losrios.edu The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Or drop by LRC 109 on the first floor of the Learning Resource Center

Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include first and last name and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

Teaching methods subtract from learning Holly Sanderson Connection Staff There is nothing more fascinating than the advancements that are being made in technology. Social networking allows us to interact with one another whether we are physically present or not. Cell phones allow us to receive answers and communicate immediately with each other. Advancements in technology such as these benefit our desires to receive everything we faster and more efficiently. It simply makes our daily lives more convenient. However, the more we advance ourselves, the more we drift from humanity. A new device has been created to track students’ attendance more conveniently, and force class participation is successfully moving our generation of students to the top of the pyramid. “Clickers”, created by Turning Technologies, are being utilized at prestigious universities such as Northwestern University and Harvard, according to an article published in The New York Times. Quizzes are conducted at the beginning of every class session, and students must use their “clickers” to answer questions. They also allow the student to communicate with the professor without having to utter a word. Just a simple “click,” and your professor can respond to you immediately. Now, I am not going to rant about how these “clickers” are horrible and “Big Brother-like.” Technological advancements such as these may seem invasive, but they are fascinating and serve a good purpose. According to the article, class participation increased as was the students’ grades and knowledge. However, these “clickers” stray from certain valuable educational experiences. If you cannot interact

with anyone personally in class, you might as well take an online class. People learn from each other and from interaction. Communicating with clicks doesn’t allow one to interact, or simply even use verbal language. There isn’t anything like communication. Although there might be difficulties with language and understanding, it is valuable and priceless. Verbal communication allows the person to see a glimpse of your character. By speaking up in class, whether to ask a question or comment on the lecture, you are sharing your knowledge. Also, what is the most common method we interact with each other with? We certainly do not speak to each other with “clicks.” The purpose of higher education is to prepare you for your future, for the day you get a job and begin to contribute to society. You cannot be fully prepared for a job if you do not know how to interact with your peers. Unless you are physically unable to speak, you will end up talking to someone at some point in your day. Simple acts of asking questions in class improves your speaking skills, self-confidence and understanding of the topic. Now as for these devices being “Big Brother-like,” that is only an excuse for students who do not want to show up for class and get caught by a professor. And, if you want to compare it to George Orwell’s “1984,” take a look at his ideas on language. Orwell discusses language and communication multiple times, particularly emphasizing its importance. Although technology such as these “clickers” can make things more convenient, convenience is not always the best answer. Convenience causes us to neglect certain aspects of humanity, such as verbal communication. We are not robots, and let’s keep it that way.

Music piracy leads to heavy penalties Carlo Dela Cruz Connection Staff With technology use still at a high level, people find ways to gain access to music online, either legally or illegally. One individual though, is heavily paying the price for following the latter option. After four years in court, Jammie Thomas-Rasset has been ruled to pay major music label, Capitol Records, $1.5 million for downloading and sharing 24 songs on the peer-to-peer program Kazaa. It has been calculated that Thomas-Rasset has to pay about $62,500 per song she illegally shared on the Internet. Out of so many people who have access to the Internet and share music, Thomas-Rasset gets caught. Other people who might share might have larger libraries of music so far beyond Thomas-Rasset’s mere handful of 24. These people much more potential to get away while Thomas-Rasset doesn’t and is burdened with so much money? For a mom in Minnesota to owe a large amount of debt to both Capitol and its representative organization, the Recording Industry Association of America, just for a handful of songs is unreasonable. She is held back with something she might have to pay for the rest of her life and with the responsibility taking care of five children, it makes the matters even worse to resolve. Why make her pay for something that can be almost impossible to fulfill? For songs that are sold for a dollar on Apple’s

iTunes Store, it seems to be unnecessary to charge her so much for a song. Granted though that she violated copyright laws, which in turn can affect royalties by the musicians and bands and other various factors the proceeds go towards. According to the RIAA, the trial against ThomasRasset is to make a word of warning to people who file share. There will be penalties similar to ThomasRasset. To help compliment the message, Thomas-Rasset should pay a much lesser debt than the very large sum demanded from her currently. It seems completely unfair to give judgment when the price is too high for someone who might have not been aware of the consequences. For others who might know about possible consequences, they will still likely continue to share music illegally. With so many people illegally downloading music, it seems like a hassle to attempt to sue every single person doing it. The only way to completely remove the issue of piracy is having some form of heavy security system, which can immediately detect piracy or another form of unauthorized file sharing. However that method will bring more controversy than what is currently happening with ThomasRasset. The damage is done and the only thing the recording industry and even other outlets can really do is just endure and hope there is still some feasible success when users actually pay for the content.

Opinion

November 18, 2010

3

Rising tuition costs make completing college difficult Johny Garcia Connection Staff Tuition fees at California State Universities will increase by 15 percent by fall 2011, despite a 32 percent increase last year. The change will weigh down on students and California’s future in jeopardy. In economics, one basic principle lies on the bottom of everything else. As the cost of something increases, the number of people who are willing and able to purchase it at that price level will decrease. This is exactly what is happening as tuition fees increase in California. As the price of school skyrockets, fewer students are willing and able to stay in school. Some are simply not able to afford it, because in these economic times they can only get a part-time job or have had their hours cut. Others resort to bending the rules to stay in school by prostituting themselves, engaging in theft or dabbling in the sale of illegal substances. These ways of making ends meet may sound amusing or absurd to some, but the fact is that students are being forced to make these tough decisions in order to pay for college. Lucy Laguna, a recent graduate of Cal State Northridge, said a student had, “sold herself to make tuition,” according to SFGate.com. As tuition fees increase and fewer students receive a higher education, the state and country will start taking steps

backwards towards a less civilized and less equal time. The country’s not completely egalitarian right now, but as education disappears from the masses, so will the idea of equality. In other countries where women are grossly mistreated in countless ways, lack of education is one of the culprits to blame. As education rises in these countries, women are able to fight for their own rights and realize that they’ve been told lies that were designed to CSU’s control them. The same is and other true whether you’re educational looking at the subinstitutions jugation of a group in California of people by genneed to realize der, race or religion. that they were The less educated a created with a group of people are, goal of the more they are bettering taken advantage of. When tuition society as a fees are increased in whole. California, the future of the state is being taken advantage of. As opposed to educating more people and allowing the state to remain highly ranked among the world’s economies, the CSU system is deciding to take a different, declining road. With fewer educated people in California, our economy will surely plummet and non-educated people will be taken advantage of.

Some argue that the tuition hikes are merely a last resort. However, according to Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado, a member of the CSU Board of Trustees, this may not be the true story. “Is this the last resort? If we don’t do this, do we really cut access or can we cut more at the very, very top of the system?” Maldonado asked. CSU’s and other educational institutions in California need to realize that they were created with a goal of bettering soci-

ety as a whole. However, when they limit the number of people who are willing and able to receive an education, they consciously refrain from reaching that goal in its entirety. Instead of changing the prices of tuition, CSU’s should change the way they treat the students in California. Students should be treated like the future of this state, not as paychecks waiting to be cashed in on.

Republican takes away rights in order to gain vote Alycia Lourim Connection Staff While we all know the Democrats lost the House of Representatives, along with many other positions. I don’t think anyone realized just how dirty some Republicans played to win. In a New York Times article, Oklahoma Republican State Representative, Mike Reynolds, wrote an amendment that was added onto the recent November ballot. The amendment had to do with a case in New Jersey that let a man off the hook for rape charges against his wife. For this case the court took into consideration the Islamic Shariah law, which is a code of law derived from the Koran. The new amendment was successfully passed and it also helped Republicans get their win. The amendment bans Oklahoma courts from using this law in future case rulings. Reynolds believes he is just trying to protect the civil liberties and future freedoms of the future generation. He thinks that by Muslims coming to America they will take away those rights

HAWK TALK

from Americans Cory Williams, who was the former Democratic State Representative of Oklahoma voted no on the amendment because he believes it violates the first amendment to freedom of religion. The most amusing part of the debate was that Reynolds believes our country was founded on Judeo- Christian religious beliefs. Yet what he fails to remember was that it was actually built on religious freedom. People fled from England to find America because they did not like how King Henry VIII made his people pay taxes to him. Also because he believed he was the highest authority along with the Bible. If our Founding Fathers wanted us to be one type of religion it would make them hypocrites. Church and state were made separate for a reason. The founding fathers believed that the churches shouldn’t be apart of governmental matters. For one it’s a personal choice, and second because King Henry taxed all the

people to pay for the Church of England. One would think a political official would know their history but apparently not. It is sad to see how far “islamophobia” has grown over the years. We as Americans are on the verge of becoming Nazis. It might be a harsh statement but with Koran burnings being held and threatening emails being People sent to builders of Islamic believe they possible are protecting community centers future and now we are trygenerations ing to amend the when in reality constitution to take away their freedom all they are of religion, well it is doing is just what Hilter had instilling fear in mind. into them. It was one case that a judge felt was the right choice in what he saw in the case. Others were not in the room therefore they do not know all the facts of the case to make such harsh accusations. People believe they are protecting fu-

ture generations when in reality all they are doing is instilling fear into them. Making them fear Muslims and making them believe they are cruel people. I understand that 9/11 was a very momentous and upsetting part of our history, but because it is history people should learn to educate themselves on the facts of all religions along with how we became a country. Don’t make yourself as ignorant as the next person. I am not saying Republicans play dirtier then Democrats, I am just saying that lets attack your opponent in dozens of slam campaigning commercials rather then attack an entire religion and culture just so you can get the vote of the people. This is a country built on freedom, that is why people come here, to leave the laws of their land that allow them to not be free. Shall we just flush away the Constitution, the very document that allows you to be a citizen of the United States of American? Because for some people, I think they are already trying to use it as toilet paper.

What’s your favorite food to eat at Thanksgiving? Compiled by and Photos by Johny Garcia

“I would have to say the turkey. It’s symbolic for that entire holiday.”

“Stuffing, macaroni and cheese and turkey.”

“Definitely got to go with the turkey, my grandmother makes it.”

Andre Viney, 19 Business and Finance

Erica Basham, 18 Undecided

Benjamin Hutter, 19 Forensics Chemistry

“Ham, I guess because the way my grandma makes it. She uses brown sugar and pineapple.” Tanya Miller, 32 Neurobiology

Features

4

Novemeber 18, 2010

Fighting the hate Nationwide movement to end bullying hits CRC

The death of a Rutgers University student, Tyler Clementi, put cyber bullying in the spotlight. Clementi took his own life on Sept. 22 due to being bullied via the Internet With bullying becoming because he was gay. Fourty-two percent a nation-wide issue, a group of Clementi’s death is the latest in of kids have been students on campus are doing their a string of suicides due to cyber bullied while online. part to put an end to it. bullying and gay bashing. One in four have Make Beats Not Beat Downs The media has been had it happen more than is a new club on campus which focused on bringing once. focuses on using music to raise attention to cyber Thirty-five percent of awareness and put an end to bullying. bullying and gay kids have been threatened The club is a part of a nationwide bashing in hopes of online. movement and colleges around the preventing similar Nearly one in five have had country are doing their part in helping. incidents from it happen more than once. The organization focuses on youthhappening. helping-youth through their love for music “ I t ’ s Compiled from isafe.org and their thirst to make a difference. spreading “We are trying to educate the community quickly and students at Cosumnes River College and the about why bullying is bad and also educate more about a statistic that is rising in the nation throughout the last couple of years,” said club founder Sabrina Garcia, 22, a business major. “People have one common interest: music. Through music we can make a voice for those unheard.” Garcia said she discovered the organization in Georgia the previous semester. “The club differs from other clubs on campus because they pride themselves on being the voice for the students who don’t have the courage to speak for themselves,” said Garcia. According to the organization’s website, the goal of the club is to use their contacts both musically, professionally and personally to bring to light the atrocities that are happening to children and teenagers across the nation. The main focus of the club is simple and self-explanatory. “Instead of making beat downs, we choose to make beats,” said Christina Alvarado, 23, a psychology major. Amidst recent suicides in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities due to bullying, the club is working hard to make an impact on those affected by the tragedies as well as those who are suffering in silence. The club also recognizes there are many different types of bullying happening on a daily basis, such as cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is a growing trend in our community and statistics show that it is becoming a bigger issue. According to isafe.org, 42 percent of kids have been bullied while online. One in four have had it happen more than once. Thirty-five percent of kids have been threatened online. Nearly one in five have had it happen more than once. These kids tend to suffer in silence because they don’t know who to go too for help, according to isafe.org. Varsha Narayan Connection Staff

attention people give it, the more people know about it, the faster we can put an end to it,” said Carolyn Fernandez, 19, an undecided major. “It’s a good thing people are becoming more aware of the issue and are willing to do more to stop it.” Along with cyber bullying, gay bashing has also become a widely addressed issue among celebrities as well as among students. “I think it’s really cruel to hate someone based on their sexual orientation and to torture them so much emotionally that they feel the need to take their own life,” said Jaspreet Jagpal, 21, an undecided major. Make Beats Not Beat Downs is trying to raise awareness and get more students involved in stopping these kind of harassments. “We are organizing a fundraiser, we are going to sell raffle tickets and hold a drawing,” Garcia said. “Our main goal is to make a benefit show for the campus next semester.” Garcia said they want to showcase different musicians to help bring awareness to the cause as well as the club. Different organizations such as To Write Love On Her Arms and Make Beats Not Beat Downs are bringing a lot of attention to cyber bullying and gay bashing because of recent incidents. However, some students said they believe more attention should have been paid sooner, considering cyber bullying is nothing new. “I think it’s terrible and I’m glad people are aware of what’s going on, but I feel like this is an old issue and people should have paid more attention so incidents like this could be prevented.” said Joshua Lilley, 19, undecided major. “It’s sad that kids feel the need to kill themselves over someone else’s stupidity.”

Features

November 18, 2010

5

Students lend a hand as the holidays approach Mikha Collins Connection Staff As winter sets in, the season of giving approaches and the need to do something good in someone else’s life arises. Many students on campus have embraced this feeling and do their part in making a difference in the lives of others. One of Cosumnes River College leading givers is the Christian Club who has been distributing gifts to disadvantaged students and families for a number of years. Corletta Taylor, a nursing major and a long time member of the Christian Club, is taking part in the giving this year. However, there had been some changes with the distribution of the gifts. In the past we used to distribute thanksgiving baskets,� Taylor said. “Unfortunately, the facility [cafeteria] is under reconstruction and we had to re-strategize our plan.� Instead of the gift baskets this year, the club is giving out gift cards to needy CRC students and families, Taylor said. Along with the Christian Club’s generosity, the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) club has taken a break from economic education to help out the needy. This would be the third year that students from the SIFE club and their advisor, Karena Benskin, have been collecting cans for “Campbell’s Let’s Can Hunger Challenge,� which is a global campaign against hunger. “The CRC SIFE Club partnered with the Elk Grove Food Bank Services and Grocery Outlet to distribute 2,000 collection bags to homes throughout the city of Elk Grove,� said Benskin. “The SIFE club will be distributing the donated food on Friday, Nov. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and then return to collect donations on Friday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.� The true goal for both of these clubs, and hopefully everyone who decides to give to the disadvantaged, is to help out those in need. Taylor said the clubs main goal is to achieve “a better, stronger, loving, and spiritual community,� and that giving is a vital part of reaching that goal. As students, there are plenty of ways to help out those in need during the holidays. Taylor said she recommended students could help out in their everyday lives by “extending

a helping hand such as giving to others, listening to others concerns, and living a lifestyle that will illuminate God.� Giving can be as simple as donating food to organizations like the Christian and SIFE clubs or giving directly to someone in your community that needs help. “Students are welcome to join us on the SOC steps in parking lot D on either date to assist us with the food drive,� Benskin said. Have a conversation with a neighbor or donate your time at a shelter. For anyone who’s willing to help, it doesn’t really matter what the method is, as long as the goal is to be a helpful and positive factor in someone else’s life. “The gift of giving is a blessing,� Taylor said. “And we want to help, as Christians and as a club, those who are fighting and struggling on a constant basis.�

>>Donation Locations On Campus Locations: -Presidents Office -Business and family science building(SOC) -Student Development Office -T109 -CVPA 100 -OPS 145 -CAC 130c -LRC123 Community Locations: -Mercy Methodist Hospital of Sacramento -Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento -Alldata -Romanos Macaroni Grill Elk Grove -Smog ‘n Go: Orchard Loop -Smog ‘n Go: Harbour Point dr. -Sacramento Food Bank -Local Elementary Schools -Elk Grove Food Bank News 10 Turkey Drive -November 19 2010 4:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sacramento Food Bank and Family ServicesOak Park facility - 3333 Third Ave (near 34th & Broadway) KCRA Turkey Drive -Friday, November 19, 2010 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 3333 3rd Avenue, Sacramento

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Features

6

November 18, 2010

Faculty and students promote “going green” on and off campus

Alycia Lourim Connection Staff At a Cosumnes River College Biology professor’s desk sits a Brita water filter. Her name is Andrea Salmi, a biology professor and head of the campus’ Sustainability Committee. She uses the Brita water filter instead of buying water bottles, which is just one example of how she chooses to sustain the earth. The Committee has been around for three years now. It was first organized by Geography Professor Debra Sharkey. It is led by 13 faculty members, two classified staff members and three student members. Professor Julie Oliver, who also teaches biology, was the previous head of the committee. “Our goal is to make people environmentally aware. It’s about making good decisions, that your decisions can have consequences on the environment,” Oliver said. One act of their commitment can be seen in classrooms all over the campus, which are the blue recycling bins they added to many classrooms. Oliver said they are also trying to encourage less paper use by posting all of the school schedules online instead of publishing a printed version and they reduced the size of the phone directory. Salmi said they wanted to help out the campus in any possible way they could. “For people to look at what they are doing and help reduce overall waste in individual’s life,” Salmi said. Besides increasing awareness through their little daily habits they also host earth day on campus every year and bring in speakers to lecture on campus. Most recently was the community activist Riki Ott, who spoke on Oct.. 18 at the CRC Recital Hall. Oliver said they hope that through these events it will help educate students and faculty. But they aren’t the only ones on campus trying to make a difference. Professor David Andrews of Horticulture said the subject he teaches is considered the “Original Green Scene.” In his courses he focuses on using water resourcefully along with less chemical fertilizers. Andrews attended a seminar on the

environment and said what stuck out to him most from the seminar was when the speaker said how people pour drinking water onto the ground without even a second thought. To help protect this resource two years ago the state came out with a new model water ordinance. This ordinance only allowed an acre-foot of water to be used per year, which equals out to 325,000 gallons. Andrews said the amount only covers half the landscape he uses for his horticulture classes. “We have finite resources. I think for me it’s our duty to care for the land,” Andrews said. It is his duty to protect the soil in order to provide landscape, Andrews said. Through this he created a new water program that focuses on smart controllers which are used for irrigation cycles. Before they had to be manually adjusted but now they are

“All

the small things

you do,

up.”

add do

really

Dino Vajraca environmental and weather data solar, set to auto adjust the irrigation cycles. He said before, when they had to be manually adjusted, people would forget to do so. Because of this result they would use the wrong amount of water during certain seasons. Such as summer, which needs the most water Andrews said. Another way he has protected this resource is by having his students use silk fencing, which erodes naturally therefore not to pollute storm drains. Andrews said that these courses have always contained such information but it is

actually now being practiced. Andrews said protecting the environment is not only important to him because of his field of work but because “I have young kids and I think about what can I do to keep it [the earth] healthy for them and to live healthy lives.” Besides professors trying to reach out and make a difference on campus, two students shared how they try to stay green off of campus. Dino Vajraca, a 19-yearold architecture major said during the summer semester he rode his bike to school instead of driving. And at home during winter he said he told his mom to preserve energy and gas by using the heater less. “All the small things you do, really add up,” Vajraca said. He said he even goes as far to unplug his phone charger out of the wall when he’s not using it. But besides those daily habits, Vajraca contributes to protecting the environment through his eating habits. He is a vegetarian and only buys organic food from stores that support local farmers such as the Sacramento National Foods Co-Op. He said they use less chemicals which causes less harm to the environment and buying their products helps this practice of farming to continue. Another student, Ian Bravo, 21, a bio-genetics major said his family installed a sun roof window. This window now allows more natural lighting to come in during the day which helps them to use less electricity. All four of these people said they feel it is their civil duty to protect the environment. As Salmi said, “To sustain the planet for future generations, it’s not just for you.”

>> Did you know? -Green Scene Newsletter is located online to save paper. Found on the CRC website through Sustainability Care link. -Reuse newspapers and magazines by sharing them with a friend afterwards. - Use fluorescent light bulbs around the house. -Invest in a water filter to cut down the use of plastic water bottles. - Ride your bike instead of a car when weather allows. - Hang your clothes outside to dry to use less energy on a dryer. -Turn computers off at night. -Turn the faucet off when you brush your teeth. -Pay your bills online. -Take shorter showers. -Recycle used batteries

Features

November 18, 2010

7

Great cast headlines “Morning Glory” Alycia Lourim Connection Staff Roger Michell is most famously known for “Notting Hill”, the ever heart winning romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Well now he has brought you just another one of those. “Morning Glory” stars Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford. In a movie where timing is everything, that certainly isn’t on these characters side. In this romantic comedy, McAdam’s character, Becky Fuller, has just been given the job as Head Producer of the national morning news “Daybreak”, and its up to her to bring the show back to the top. Fuller is your typical workaholic, and she has good reasoning for it. She was a college drop-out therefore lacking the credentials, but she has the passion for breaking news and hard working skills which landed her the job. McAdams completely embodies Fuller’s over-talkative habits, which she does when she finds herself in awkward situations. But her tough side comes out when she has to whip into shape the most honored news anchorman in history, Mike Pomeroy, played by Ford. Pomeroy starts out as a hard ass, but when he gets pushed to the limits by young and feisty Fuller he finds a soft spot for her realizing they both care just as much about breaking news, even if her ideas are just a bit more “fluffy.” Diane Keaton plays Colleen Peck, a former Miss American contestant and will do absolutely anything for her “Daybreak”, even if it means kissing frogs, to show just how perfect she was meant for the morning news. Keaton battles it out with Pomeroy even though they are supposed to be co-anchormen but instead compete

on live television as to who gets to say the final goodbye. This film reels in the audience to the behind the scenes of just how hard people work to bring us the daily news and welcome us into their world as we drink a cup of coffee in our living rooms. But that’s where the hard work almost fails Fuller as she attempts to have a love life. Fuller unexpectedly finds a guy who is willing to deal with her crazy news addiction, but for how long? Adam Bennett played by Patrick Wilson, who was most recently in the film “A-Team”, plays a fellow producer at the news station and definitely gives Fuller a run for her money. McAdams and Wilson’s on-screen chemistry is nothing short of real life making you feel the burden both characters bare as they struggle with careers v. love. Through all these conflicts, the cinematography takes you on its own journey. Done by Alwin H. Kuchler, whose most recent work was the film “Solitary Man”, he approaches every scene with a new perspective to illustrate every moment between the characters. Kuchler exemplifies this creatively in a scene between Fuller and Pomeroy who are arguing on the streets of New York City late at night. Instead of doing a typical over the shoulder shot back and forth between the characters he views it from behind a fence covered i n ivory. Showing just how absorb it is for them to be arguing when in reality they are the exact same person: stubborn and strong willed. Instead of trying to find a compromise they would rather argue late at night in public if that means they get their way. Michell puts together an

amazing crew and cast that doesn’t execute, but rather brings to life a moving story about people who love their careers and will do whatever it takes to makes their dreams stay true and the road of struggles that come along the way.

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Patrick Wilson Directed by: Roger Michell Rating: PG-13 Runtime: 102 min. Author’s score:

-Author’s score is four out of five stars

Odd couple delivers laughs in “Due Date” Holly Sanderson Connection Staff There has always been a fine line between what comedy is and what is comical. However, Todd Phillips, the acclaimed mastermind director of “The Hangover,” brings his audience a new refreshingly heartwarming comedy in “Due Date,” where he demonstrates how “timing is everything to comedy” in a new light. Dealing with issues such as time, death and change, the film is about a hot-tempered architect Peter Highman, played by Robert Downey Jr. His character Highman is forced to take a road trip with the odd, aspiring actor Ethan Trembley, played by Zach Galifianakis, in order to be present at the birth of his first child. Unlike “The Hangover,” the film lightly plays on outrageous circumstances the characters are presented with, but focuses more on the development of the characters. Like classic comedy, Highman and Trembley appear to have nothing in common. However as the film progresses we learn they share a few commonalities, such as the stressed relationships with their fathers. Both Downey Jr. and Galifianakis do a fantastic job of embodying their characters. Much like his character in “The Hangover,” Galifianakis shines as the champion in delivering the unexpected. As Trembley, Galifianakis acts much like a child, someone in need of companionship. His character enables Highman to learn how to control his emotions, and more importantly, prepares him for fatherhood. Downey Jr. succeeds in providing a rebuttal to Galifianakis’ chaotic antics. Although his character is supposed to one who has

it “all together,” Downey Jr. reminds the audience we all are a bit crazy at times through his abrupt explosions of anger. Downey Jr. perfectly portrays the intolerableness of his character, yet he also surprises the audience with his display of his character’s soft side. At the half-way point of the film, Phillip brings in Highman’s close friend Darryl, played by Jamie Fox, to exemplify how time does not define a friendship. An interesting aspect about this comedy was how Phillips portrayed the element of time. Instead of emphasizing on how little time the characters have to reach their destination, Phillips does the opposite. While most comedies are shot with cuts from scene to scene in a frantic manner, Phillips uses mostly panoramic shots. This technique helps demonstrate time in moment rather than what is on the clock. This correlated beautifully with the lack of sound track, focusing on the silence represented in those moments. With the lack of music, the silence creates a peaceful feeling to the film. These choices shift the focus of the film onto the characters and their development rather than the mission within the story. With this heart-warming story about family and growing up, Phillips proves to his audience that great comedy is not just simply outrageous events. While timing is everything when it comes to comedy, this film reminds the audience that time is not what is important. How we treat each other and the relationships we create is what’s important, and it is these relationships and situations we encounter in life that creates great comedy.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx and Michelle Monaghan Directed by: Todd Phillips Rating: R Runtime: 100 min.. Author’s score:

-Author’s score is four out of five stars

8

Sports

November 18, 2010

Fans Critical of NFL Cracking Down on Hard Hits Johny Garcia Connection Staff

Professional football players across the country have been voicing their anger with recent changes in the National Football League regarding tackles. The NFL said will be cracking down on tackles made in the NFL not only by increasing fines, but also suspending players they feel are crossing the line. Students like Mario Cortez disagree with the NFL’s reasoning and side with many players in the NFL, saying the changes are unnecessary and changing the sport they grew up watching Cortez, a 20-year-old psychology major, said that he doesn’t like the changes because he’d rather see an action packed football game full of hard hits as opposed to a safer, gentler game.

“I’d rather watch the one with more tackling because it’s more exciting and it’d make me want to watch it more,” Cortez said. “I guess it’s just more in the spirit of the game when you watch other people get tackled. It’s football, it’s what they do, tackle.” Some students said the changes put into effect are making the game soft. “Football is basically defined by the tackling, so yeah it really is making it soft,” Cortez said. Satpinder Atwal, a 19-yearold undecided major, said the changes mean defenders will hold back from giving the game everything they’ve got. “Tacking on fines or suspensions is somewhat softening up the league because the big hits were what made it a tough sport,” Atwal said. “Fining the players makes them sort of have to hold back and can’t hit like before with-

out losing thousands of dollars.” James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker, said he is considering retirement because he was fined $75,000 on Tuesday for a tackle he made on a wide receiver even though there was no flag thrown on the play during the football game. “I’m going to sit down and have a serious conversation with my coach tomorrow and see if I can actually play by NFL rules and still be effective,” Harrison said, according to several published sources. “But the way that things were being explained to me today and the reasoning for it, I don’t feel I can continue to play and be effective and, like I say, not have to worry about injuring someone else or risking injury to myself.” Atwal agreed with Harrison and said that a lot of penalties and rules in the NFL give offenses an

Late Turnovers, Youth Cripple Hawks at the CRC Invitational Jarrad Hicks Connection Staff After starting the weekend with a 30 point blowout victory, the men’s basketball team looked poised to start out the 2010-2011 season in spectacular fashion. But turnovers and inexperience led to the Hawks losing in the third place game of the Sixth Annual Hawks “It was our first Invitational Nov. tournament 12-14, failing to win the tournament’s so we haven’t final two games. really played CRC finished the together. We’re weekend with a all coming in record of 1-2. from different CRC raced places. You out quick in can go through their tournament all that stuff opener, beating in practice but Solano College there is noth92-62. Freshman forward Tony Gill ing like a game and sophomore situation.” guard Michael Elliott led the way Paris Sims for CRC with 14 Guard and 8 first half points, respectively. But in the final two games, stingy defense and opportunistic play down the stretch from both Cañada College and College of the Sequoias all played a role in tough losses for the Hawks. CRC fought back from a 13 point deficit in the second half but lost to Cañada 65-57. In the third place game against College of the Sequoias, CRC used a 2-21 press to create turnovers, which led to an 8-2 start for the Hawks. But, despite 17 first half points from Gill, including 5 three pointers, Sequoias battled back late in the second half to take the lead for good and prevail over CRC 67-61. Head coach James Giacomazzi said he wanted to make sure his team was focused on doing things the right way as opposed to just the end result.

“I never talked about winning once with these guys,” Giacomazzi said. “I talked about what are we doing, how are we playing, are we doing what we’ve been practicing, are we sticking with our game plan and talking more about the process than the end result. And the reason being is that once we get the process squared away, the end result will happen.” Already playing without All League sophomore forward Gabriel Strong for the tournament, poor execution and miscommunication plagued in the second half of games for CRC, at times looking great and at others still learning how to play with each other. Guard Paris Sims, one of the team’s freshman players, said the team is still “meshing together” and they’ll only get better with more games and experience. “It was our first tournament so we haven’t really played together,” Sims said. “We’re all coming in from different places. You can go through all that stuff in practice but there is nothing like a game situation.” Gill said he knows that cleaning up the little mistakes will go a long way in the team’s growth over the season. “It’s weird how one play can change a whole game,” Gill said. “It’s just like when you’re up three (points) and you think you’re in good shape but one offensive rebound here or a three there…it’s just little mistakes. Those are the things were you watch the film and you see here’s where I messed up and you learn from it.” But despite the tournament’s outcome, the Hawks are very optimistic about what the future holds for them. Fred Mobley, a freshman forward said that he is confident that his team continues to improve, they can play with the best teams in the area. “We can play with anybody,” said Mobley. “And we feel like the only we can beat ourselves.” Giacomazzi said it is these tough tests early in the season that will health them mature as a group. “It’s going to be a learning curve,” Giacomazzi said. “The fact that we lost to a team that’s 5-0 right now and won the tournament (Cañada) and we lost to a team that’s 4-1 and ranked in the top five in Northern California. We didn’t lose to any slouches, we played to really good teams that are well coached.” Giacomazzi said he is very encouraged by the potential of his young team. “This team can go far,” Giacomazzi said. “We’re learning and getting better now. And this will be a far different team come league play than we are right now.”

Of the 15 players fined on Oct. 22, these 12 were fined for unnecessary roughness James Harrison Brandon Meriweather Dunta Robinson Ndamukong Suh Ray Edwards Malcom Jenkins William Hayes Dave Ball

Adewak Ogonleye Kevin Kolb Dashon Goldson Antwan Barnes Wade Smith Bernard Pollard Bernard Berrian Stephen Peterman

upper hand. There’s a “definite advantage to offense,” Atwal said. “Some of the hits that occur, the offensive players sets themselves up for it, but it’s the defender’s fault.” Students like Atwal said the fans like seeing the hard tackles. “The big hits sort of set it over the top,” Atwal said. “Loads

of people would love to see those hits on highlights.” Students said the changes put into effect will continue to be challenged. “You’re going to have a whole bunch of problems with the players, the teams and the coaches,” Cortez said. “There’s going to be a huge debate on this.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL Opponent

Location

Date/Time

Mendocino Invitational James Clark Inviational Modesto JC Invitational

Ukiah CRC Modesto

Nov. 18-20 - TBA Dec. 3-5 - TBA Dec. 8-12 - TBA

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Opponent College of the Sequoias Butte College Solano Tournament

Location

Date/Time

COS CRC Solano

Nov. 23 - 5 p.m. Dec. 4 - 6 p.m. Dec. 10-12 - TBA

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Sports

November 18, 2010

9

Determined men’s soccer team proceeds to playoffs Mikha Collins Connection Staff The men’s soccer team’s match against West Hills turned out to be a lesson in perseverance for the Hawks. After an intense struggle against West Hills’ intimidating defense, midfielder Alan Salcedo scored the game’s lone goal as the Hawks won 1-0 in their final home regular season match. In the last five minutes, Salcedo got possession near the goal and sent the ball straight into the net, earning the Hawks the winning point. Early in the game, the West Hills’ players seemed to be running circles around the Hawks, keeping them on their toes with short passes to keep possession. By the end of the first half the game was still scoreless and the Hawks were noticeably tired. “Our problem this game was fitness,” said defender Sterling O’Neal. “But just like coach said we have to grind it out and work hard no matter what the score is.” The second half began with a renewed sense of purpose for the Hawks as they fought hard to keep possession of the ball and to break through the West Hills’ defense. Tempers began to show as time ran down without a score from either side. As the teams grew frustrated the game got more physical. O’Neal was escorted off the field near the end of the second half with an injured ankle after defending the ball from an opposing player. There were calls against both teams for

Carlo Dela Cruz | The Connection

On Nov. 2, Freshman forward Benjamin Garcia dribbled the ball wih his team for a spot in the playoffs against West Hills College. unsportsmanlike behavior. The last 10 minutes of the game was noticeably intense. As the clock ran down, the Hawks pulled together with renewed energy. About five minutes before the end of the game, Salcedo scored the only goal, the ball sailing past a stunned looking goalie. Supported by cheers from the audience, the

Hawks didn’t hesitate to celebrate with a dog pile on top of Salcedo, knowing that that score had just won them the game. “We were a little desperate at the end,” Salcedo said. “It was a very intense game.” West Hills scrambled to tie the game, even attempting a penalty shot in the last two minutes that ended up going wide. In the end,

the Hawks left the field with smiles knowing that this win helped them qualify for the playoffs. O’Neal said the “win or go home mentality” is what helped them push through the end of the game. Even with the shaky start, Hawks head coach Ron Preble said he was happy about the results. “We played decent. We lost our rhythm for a stretch there

but we managed a goal there at the end,” Preble said. “They’re improving every game.” In addition to this victory, the men’s soccer team clinched a playoff spot after defeating San Joaquin Delta College 4-2 on Nov. 12. The team will travel to De Anza College for the first round of playoffs this Saturday in a single elimination match.

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News

12

November 18, 2010

Cheating: modern technology influences student cheating Continued from page 1

various methods that students attempt during an examination. “In my stats class we’ll pay this guy $10 each to look at his answers,� Morris said. “What he’ll do is go up to the professor during the test and ask him a question and while he’s up there one of my friends will grab his test and pass it on to the rest of us.� While Morris relies on money to help him get ahead, Curtis

prefers a more modern approach, his cellular phone. Curtis explained that when a professor gives him a study guide prior to the exam he’ll program the answers into his cell phone. When the time for the test arrives, Curtis simply pulls out his phone and scribbles the answers down. “If you’re going to use your phone it’s best to sit in the back

during a test,� Curtis said. “And don’t check to see if the professor’s looking because if you look up too much they’ll notice and they’ll be suspicious.� Curtis’ method might reinforce a lot of beliefs that technology plays a big part in the cheating trend, but Schubert disagreed. Modern technology’s influence on cheating is small, and even if a student doesn’t have

high-tech phone they’ll find another way to get around the system, Schubert said. “I think technology makes it easier to cheat, but it doesn’t turn good students into cheaters,� Schubert said. “Cheaters have been finding low-tech ways to cheat for centuries. I don’t think technology is the problem.� Yet it isn’t the students’ actions that alarm Schubert the

most, it’s the indifferent attitude that most students seem to have towards cheating. “It’s sad that so many students don’t seem to understand that when they cheat, they are hurting themselves,� Schubert said. “Studies show that it isn’t your GPA that best predicts your future success, it’s your level of engagement as a student. Cheating is the ultimate disengagement from learning.�

Transfer: counselors say students need to make better use of transfer programs Continued from page 1

Some students may wonder how to tell which school is the right choice. Fowler explained that there are many things to check while researching for schools. “First, students should look for universities that are accredited by regional accrediting agencies,� Fowler said. “Regional accreditation means that the institution undergoes regular evaluation of the entire school, curriculum, services, finances, etc., by outside personnel.� Yet while CRC students are picking schools solely on location and reputation, some counselors are concerned that many CRC students are unaware of different transfer services that are available. CRC counselor and Transfer Center Coordinator David

Aagaard believes that more students should transfer through the University of California Transfer Admission Guarantee program. Aagaard explained that TAG is a program that helps any qualifying CRC student a guaranteed admission to any participating UC or to University of the Pacific. “This is the first year we’ve had an online process,� Aagaard said. “And approximately 117 TAG agreements from CRC are being reviewed by the UCs.� The qualifications for the TAG program depend on the college but most of the standards are similar. Students just need to maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete at least 30 transferable semester units to be eligible.

Aside from recommending TAG, there’s another piece of advice that Aagaard has for transferring students. “The number one mistake that a lot of transferring students make is that they think they’ll only have to do GE classes,� Aagaard said. “They forget that they have to take classes to prepare for their major as well.� There was one thing that both Aagaard and Fowler put a lot of emphasis on. They both say that it’s important for a student to identify their major and a desired school as quickly as possible. “Think of it as an investment, would you buy a car you’d never driven?� Fowler asked. “Of course not and your education is more important than any car.�

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Spelling: spell-check technology impact questionable as student writing affected Continued from page 1

Newman, a history professor. “There’s something about looking at the printed page, thinking, ‘Wow, that looks snazzy‌oh wow that’s perfect,’ but it’s not.â€? Ashley Birch, who now owns an iTouch that autocorrects errors, agreed. “Most everything does the spelling for you, whether it be a computer, iPod or a cell phone,â€? Birch said. “I think there is a way to turn it off, but who would want to?â€? It’s this technological ease that has some CRC professors saying students are getting careless. “Word processing has made it very easy for us to be sloppy because it’s so easy to fix things,â€? said Marjorie Duffy, a computer information science professor. Adam Birch, a 20-year-old software engineering and programming major and the younger brother Ashley Birch sought help from, does not count himself among this group. “I consider myself to be an extremely good speller,â€? said

Adam Birch. “I pride myself on my ability of grasping the English language and portray it to the world on a daily basis.� He said that while some students have become sloppy because of their dependence on spell check, others have not. “There are students, such as myself, who don’t bother with spell check because I go back the moment I make a mistake and correct it myself,� Adam Birch said. Adam Birch may be a strong speller, but many others are not. Nearly two-thirds of Americans say spelling among adults has declined in the last 10 years, according to the Spelling Society study. CRC professors said this decline is evident in student work. “Based upon the business students with whom I work, about 75 percent of them turn in assignments with misspelled words and about 90 percent of them have errors in e-mails,� Miller said. Newman now refuses to an-

swer e-mails that have drastic misspellings and said several of his colleagues do the same. But once a bad speller does not necessarily mean always a bad speller. Tracy Jordan, a 29-year-old communications and radio production major, said her spelling has improved since she started seeing it as a game. “I look at spelling as a challenge now,� said Jordan. “I like big, fancy words. I enjoy typing out a word that I don’t know how to spell without spell check, then putting it in to see if it came out correctly.� Ashley Birch said that she, too, has gone from bad speller to fair speller but credits the change to her job as an instructional assistant at a local middle school. “I think that I have gotten better because I work at a school,� said Ashley Birch. “I know that students don’t know all the words and they turn to me for help, so that has helped me become better.�

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