VOLUME 62, ISSUE 4
EOPS WORKSHOP TEACHES THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR SUCCESS
PHOTOJOURNALIST MICAH ALBERT VISITS CRC
FEATURES | Page 5
FEATURES | Page 4
THECRCCONNECTION.COM
- OCTOBER 31, 2013
CAMPUS ATHLETICS
ONE YEAR LATER
In the wake of
PROPOSITION 30 By Stephan Starnes & Zach Hannigan sstarnes.connect@gmail zhannigan.connect@gmail
By Ben Brown bbrown.connect@gmail
With the passage of Proposition 30 in the November 2012 elections, California saw an increase in sales tax of a quarter of a cent and an increase in income tax on those earning more than $250,000 annually for the next seven years Some of that extra funding from the added tax was slated to go to California community colleges to “provide continuing funding for local school districts and community colleges,” according to a document in the agenda of a Los Rios Board of Trustees meeting. Proposition 30 created the Education Protection Account in which the funds from the temporary tax revenues could be received and disbursed to respective community college districts. These districts “have sole authority to determine how the monies received from the EPA are spent,” according to that same meeting document. However, the district cannot use the money towards administrative salaries and benefits and must make the determination in an open session of a public meeting. PROP 30 | Page 3
4 Sacramento $8,331,347 Francisco 9 San $5,184,328
Costa 10 Contra $4,421,468
6 Alameda $7,287,522
CRC women’s basketball team starts season strong As November approaches, the Cosumnes River College women’s basketball team is gearing up to make some noise in the Big 8 Conference this season. After narrowly making it into the playoffs as an 18 seed a year ago, the Hawks know they are going to need a mix of returning sophomores and talented incoming freshman to step up to repeat their prior success. “I think this is our most talented team that I’ve ever had,” said CRC head coach Coral Sage. “We have all the key pieces we need: a good point guard, a great post player and good shooters.” Last year, CRC started off strong in the preseason with a 10-4 record but struggled in conference play by adding only four wins to their record. “We need to be more consistent and not drop off,” Sage said. “Conference is extremely tough, but we need to continue building on our talent through the year.” Preview | Page 8
8 Fresno $5,463,589
Clara 7 Santa $5,904,403
Angeles 1 Los $48,304,636
Top 10 counties that received Proposition 30 funds in the first quarter of 2013
5Riverside $7,692,304
County 2 Orange $15,124,981 Diego 3 San $15,039,590
Source: CA State Controller’s Office & the National Atlas of the United States
NEW COMMITTEE PLANS FOR FOUR YEAR DEGREES AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
NEWS | Page 3
Infographic by Josh Slowiczek
Ben Brown | The Connection Guard Janie Myles gets ready to go for a layup in a scrimmage drill against her teammates during team practice in the gymnasium on Oct. 22.
LEFT UNSAID - PART ONE
An increasing need for mental health services By Josh Slowiczek jslowiczek.connect@gmail If you’ve recently felt depressed, alone and overwhelmed, if you’ve felt anxious and hopeless, you’re not alone. Lives are built and spent on college campuses, and while to a casual observer the fall leaves and sunny days of Cosumnes River College may well seem serene, statistics indicate that many students on campus are struggling with one or many issues that are negatively impacting their men-
tal health and academic performance. “There are an increasing number of students with serious psychological problems,” said California State University Shannon Dickson, Sacramento, during the Eighth Annual Fall Ethics Symposium on Mental Health on Oct. 23. Dickson, a counselor at both CSUS and CRC, shared the panel with the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management, Celia Esposito-Noy. Left unsaid | Page 2
Font size proportional to student’s response of being diagnosed or treated for the above conditions.
Source: ACHA-NCHA II Report
Serving Cosumnes River College since 1970 Font size equal to percentage of student response in ACHA-NCHA II Report
2
NEWS | OCTOBER 31, 2013
Left unsaid: Anxiety, stress commonplace Editor in Chief Josh Slowiczek News Editor Scott Redmond Features Editor Emily Collins Sports Editor Zach Hannigan Opinion Editor Elizabeth Witt Online Editor Stephan Starnes Photo Editor Rachel Norris Copy Editor Stephan Starnes Production Manager Nick Valenzuela Faculty Adviser Rubina Gulati Staff Darren Allen Bobby Bishop Ben Brown Camille Caulk Tia Dehoney Emanuel Espinoza Amari Gaffney LaChandra Marzetta Christopher McKnight Brusly Voong
The Connection is an awardwinning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production classes Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District. The Connection is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges and California Newspaper Publisher’s Association.
Continued from page 1
“What happens outside of campus also happens on campus, meaning, there are students, there are faculty, there are staff and administrators who may indeed have some mental challenges,” Dickson said. Stress, sleep difficulties, anxiety and depression were only a few in the long list of factors that students reported were negatively influencing their academic performance on campus, according to the Spring 2012 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment II, one of the most recent reports studying the mental health of undergraduate students in the United States. Of the 76,481 students who responded to the survey, 58 percent said they had felt very lonely, 46 percent said they felt things were hopeless, 43 percent said they had felt “more than average stress” and 7 percent had seriously considered suicide, according to the 2012 ACHA-NCHA II report. These pressures, along with external factors like limited support systems, personal or family history of substance abuse, chronic stress and peer coping abilities contribute to the overall mental health of a student, Dickson said. “These risk factors in and of themselves don’t mean anything,” she said. “But when you put these risk factors together, that is when
HAWK’S EYE
Rachel Norris| The Connection
Senior editor of The Sacramento Bee Dan Morain delivers his keynote speech at Sacramento State University for the 8th Annual Fall Ethics Symposium on Ethics and Mental Health on Oct. 23.
you are going to increase the probability that the student will not matriculate, and it puts the student at a higher risk for developing a mental disorder.” The ACHA-NCHA report goes on to detail various diagnoses and treatments that students had received within the past year, of which, anxiety (11.6 percent), depression (10.6 percent) and panic attacks (5.5 percent) were the top three. “Here we have these mental health needs that many colleges feel they are not responsible for,” Esposito-Noy said. While students at CRC have mental health services through the counseling department, statewide, more than 16 percent of
campuses lack services. On average, 26 percent of the funds received from health fees are allocated to mental health services for colleges, according to 2013 Capacity Survey of Mental Health Services Baseline Report from the California Community Colleges Student Mental Health Program. However, simply because a campus is offering mental health services, it does not mean a student who needs assistance will actively seek them out. Mental health has a history of being stigmatized and it is these notions, in combination with social pressures and previous school experiences, which keeps certain students from talking to a counselor, Esposito-Noy said.
“It is important to realize that all of us in higher education did not do this alone,” Esposito-Noy said. “Every single one of us has stories of people and resources that have helped along the way. Because, if we hadn’t of been helped, we probably wouldn’t have completed the degrees that we had.” If you or a loved one is depressed, having thoughts of suicide or in need of mental health services, call the Suicide Prevention Crisis Line: 1-916-368-3111 or 1-800-273-8255 Want to share your experiences with CRC’s mental health services? Email: jslowiczek.connect@gmail
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ONE BOOK LECTURE
Cosumnes River College’s OneBook coverage continues with a lecture by economics professor Dr. Eddie Fagin called Agriculture, the Environment and Us on Nov. 7 in the Recital Hall. The lecture will cover the continously increasing population and the need for increased food production in the future.
The Connection Cosumnes River College 8401 Center Parkway Sacramento, CA 95823 Telephone: (916) 691-7471 Fax: (916) 691-7181 www.thecrcconnection.com connect@crc.losrios.edu
UNIVERSITY TRANSFERS
Students looking to transfer to California State University or University of California schools for Fall 2014 have until Nov. 30 to turn in applications. For more information on transferring and help checking on school requirements, visit the Transfer Center in L-217.
NETWORKING FOR JOBS
Utilizing social networking sites like LinkedIn in order to get jobs is the focus of a Nov. 5 workshop held by the Career Center. The workshop is open to all CRC students and staff and will be held in Sci-215. For more information, contact the Career Center. www.Facebook.com/crcconnection
TRANSFER
TO FINISH YOUR DEGREE
Here’s why National University is a leading choice for California community college students who want to finish their bachelor’s degree: • • • •
Credits easily transfer Transfer anytime
Special transfer scholarships Military friendly
FIND OUT MORE:
WWW.NU.EDU/TRANSFER 800.NAT.UNIV 3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS IN THE SACRAMENTO REGION ©2013 National University 13206
OCTOBER 31, 2013 | NEWS
3
A brand new four-year journey? A look into expanding the degrees that community colleges offer may mean more time spent at Cosumnes, and community colleges as a whole, for many students. By Scott Redmond sredmond.connect@gmail
C
ommunity colleges have long been the first step for many students into a world of higher education as they complete the first two years of their higher education before moving onto the four-year universities, but what if a student never had to leave their community college to earn a higher degree? California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice Harris has asked that question by forming an exploratory committee to discover the viability of such an endeavor, according to a Los Angeles Times article. This 16-person exploratory committee has been looking into the viability of offering four-year degrees at community colleges with their results reported to Harris and the Board of Governors in January, according to the same article. The panel is made up of administrators, faculty, a student, a college trustee and representatives from the University of California and California State University systems. “This is a matter that is being discussed across [and] throughout the state in relationship to how it would impact the primary mission of the California Community College,” said Cosumnes River College President Deborah Travis via e-mail. “More analysis and discussion will need to be completed at the state and local level to deter-
mine if that is the best option for community colleges.” California would not be the first to offer such a program. There are 21 states that already offer similar programs, with Michigan being the most recent to pass a bill giving the ability to offer four-year degrees at junior colleges, according to the LA Times article. Spearheaded by Gov. Pat Brown in 1960, California’s “A Master Plan for Higher Education in California” defined the roles of the three tiers of public education – the community colleges, CSU system and the UC system. Through the plan each system was to serve different purposes to eliminate redundancy, community colleges being focused on openadmission to the community and on transfer to the other institutions. In recent years, the Master Plan has been less of a focus as budget-strapped colleges have tried to find ways to keep funding the schools, with two-year schools having to turn away many potential students. With the budget and an excess of students still a problem, the ability to offer these degrees comes into question. “The mission of community colleges right now is transfer, basic skills and career education,” Travis said. “That is where we are putting our resources. A great example of that is our new Elk Grove Center where the majority of classes offered meets general education requirements.”
While CRC may already offer classes in their new expansion, the question remains about what courses would be offered if four-year degrees are offered. “We’re curious to see what kind of bachelor’s degrees they’re proposing,” said Academic Senate President for California Community Colleges Beth Smith. “Are they in limited areas, not just geographic areas but in certain discipline areas? So there are a lot of questions yet to be answered about how this will help serve students in the community colleges that are in certain geographic areas.” Smith, also a professor at Grossmont College, said that community colleges are currently funded to offer two-year degrees and certificates and that the Legislature would need to take action for their to even be funding for community colleges to attempt such an endeavor. A report from the Public Policy Institute of California is one piece of research in the reports filed by the committee. According to the report, titled “California 2025: Planning for a Better Future,” the demand for college educated workers will exceed the supply. According to the same report, California public institutions award slightly more than 110,000 bachelor’s degrees each year with private institutions awarding 40,000. To meet projected demand by 2025, the report showed that the state would need to immediately increase the number of bachelor’s de-
grees by almost 60,000 per year, which is about 40 percent above the current levels. Opposition states that increasing the number of degrees offered would require updating facilities as well as hiring more faculty to teach many of the upper-division courses that are required for four-year degrees, according to the LA Times. The students, who are the main beneficiaries of the proposal, should it be considered for passage by the Legislature and Gov. Brown, have mixed reactions. “I feel like that would be a nice idea for some people but not for me,” said Matt Lindemann, 20, an undeclared major. “I feel as if staying at CRC for that long would hold me back.” Megan Hires, 20, a business administration major had a similar statement. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Hires said. “I think people stay at junior colleges too long as it is. I think it’s important for people to go to a four year, it’s good life experience.” Not everyone is as against the idea as Hires and Lindemann. Alex Davis, 19, an undeclared major found a positive in the proposal. “I think it’s a good idea,” Davis said. “It would be cheap and it would give people the opportunity to stay local
if they have children.” While funding and the amount of time spent at community colleges was a concern for some, it was the effect on the degrees themselves that came to mind for others. “I think from the standpoint of a kid who doesn’t have a ton of money, that would be great,” said 18-year-old undeclared major Drew Absher. “But I think it would really diminish the integrity of a college degree from a true four year.” Camille Caulk contributed to this article
Prop 30: Board recommends funds be used for salary Continued from page 1
In 2012-13, the Los Rios Community College District received $38,547,050 from 16 percent of funding that the EPA allotted to community colleges, according to the meeting document. In the 2013-14 school year, the EPA will pump $688,710,000 into the community college system and the funds will be distributed quarterly, according to a document from the meeting. Los Rios will receive $33,318,264 of those funds, but the amount could change as the year goes on, according to the meeting document. With that fact, comes the question of what is Cosumnes River College doing with their piece of the pie? Deputy Chancellor of Finance and Administration for the LRCCD Jon Sharpe recommended that the funds from Proposition 30 be used for supporting instructional salaries. LRCCD Chancellor Brian King approved
that recommendation for consideration during the meeting. “Faculty got a 2 percent bonus, but that was one time only, not a permanent salary increase. In addition, it was paid out of reserves, not from Prop 30 funds,” Murakami said. “All Prop 30 funds go toward our formula with 80 percent to salaries and benefits and 20 percent for operation.” Los Rios College Federation of Teachers President Dean Murakami laid out what the Proposition 30 funding covers in an interview via e-mail. “There was not enough tax revenue generated to provide any more than what was removed,” Murakami said. “So we did not gain revenues for community colleges, but it did stop the yearly budget [cuts] we have endured the past five years. We would have had very large budget cuts if Prop 30 did not pass.” In the Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 11, that very issue was discussed. In the meeting, it was stated that since Los Rios did not cut
courses as quickly as other districts, classes would not have to be brought back as quickly. Murakami expanded on this in the e-mail interview. “While Los Rios did reduce classes, we did not completely
“
In general, the faculty are happy that we are not having to cut classes or turn as many students away as in previous years. Faculty morale had been sinking over the past couple of years because of the downturn in the economy...” —Jason Newman LRCCD Union President
eliminate summer or have as many class cuts as others,” Murakami said. “Instead we did use some of the district reserves to hold back on class cuts or make reductions to salaries. Now that we no longer have to make cuts for this year and actually [have] a slight increase we have to use that surplus to stop borrowing from our reserves. “So we will not be able to increase the number of classes as quickly as others. However, we think that preventing a steep roller coaster approach to budgeting by prudently using reserves is better for students and employees,” Murakami said. The final determination of how the funds are spent must also be published on the district’s website of accounting and an annual audit will verify whether the funds have been properly disbursed. Cosumnes River College LRCFT President Jason Newman said in a phone interview the 2 percent payment at the end of summer was a “monetary incen-
tive” for faculty because they have not gotten a cost of living increase in the last five to seven years. “In general, the faculty are happy that we are not having to cut classes or turn as many students away as in previous years,” Newman said. “Faculty morale had been sinking over the past couple of years because of the downturn in the economy and the loss of students and reduction in access.”
For more information on Proposition 30 and its intended uses see: The California Community College Chancellor’s Office http://www.cccco.edu/ Or The LRCCD Website www.losrios.edu
@CRCConnection
4
FEATURES | OCTOBER 31, 2013
Photojournalist shares experiences By Amari Gaffney agaffney.connect@gmail
T
he world is full of stories that affect humanity and unless you decide to venture out on your own and find what the content of those stories are, you probably rely on mainstream media to provide those answers to you. But what about the stories that are just as important but don’t make the headlines? International photojournalist Micah Albert has made it his mission in life to document areas commonly not accessible. “I made it a mission to be a voice for the voiceless,” Albert said. He’s most famous for his work at the Dandora Municipal Dump, where the toxicity levels were way too high to be near humans let alone provide a place of residence for them. Danielle Acock, 20, a nursing student, expressed her admiration for Albert’s work, saying how brave he is for doing what he does. “I actually think it’s pretty interesting,” Acock said. “Especially because he goes to places that nobody really knows about, let alone sees.” The stories that don’t make the headlines are usually because they are in hard to reach places or are ignored because they have nothing to do
Micah Albert
with U.S. security interest, Albert said. A story being overlooked or ignored doesn’t mean that it’s not
important. “I saw him speak at the World Affairs Council and I was just really impressed with his work,” said Elizabeth Huffman, a political science and global studies professor. “I was impressed by the depth, the feeling and the emotion he brought to these issues. I was thrilled when he agreed to share them with the students.” Winner of the highest award in photojournalism, the World Press Photo Award, Albert has appeared in over 45 major publications globally. His photos have appeared in well-known publications such as the New York Times, Smithsonian, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Washington Times, National Geographic, Traveler and Foreign Policy. Albert made it very clear that his presentation was not a lecture. He made himself easy to engage with due to his laid back approach and question and answer format. Ezekial Tamayo, 19, an international relations major,
said that the feel of the presentation was better than the lecture that he had expected. Tamayo said that he admires the fact that Albert goes out to these countries. “He exposes the things that people don’t know about,” Tamayo said. “I heard none of these things.” Our world is much bigger than what makes the headlines. Albert has traveled to over 60 countries, 25 refugee camps, seven conflict zones and five rebel-controlled countries. He just returned from South Algeria, one of the hardest places in the world to get access. Corey Clark, 37, an electrical engineering major, appreciated the depth of emotion Albert spoke with. “Sounds like he dropped the idealized American way to pursue his interest of journalism, which is a very respectable profession,” Clark said. “The integrity it takes to go to the places that he’s been, he’s obviously very passionate about what he does.”
Photos by Rachel Norris | The Connection
Restaurant serves up great meals for fair price
LaChandra Marzetta | The Connection
Sal Safi, owner of Kabob and Gyro Grill, carves pieces of lamb into a pan to prepare dishes at his restaurant on Laguna Boulevard on Oct. 24.
www.thecrcconnection.com
By LaChandra Marzetta lmarzetta.connect@gmail Looking for great and inexpensive Middle Eastern food with an American flair? Then Kabob and Gyro Grill is the place for you. A quick 10 minutes from campus, this quaint restaurant offers meals from gyros and shawarmas to Philly cheese steaks and old fashioned burgers. With menu items reasonably priced, this grill makes for a good lunchtime destination. Walking into the restaurant, you will be greeted with the smell of fresh lamb being prepared and the friendly face of the owner, Sal Safi, and his two employees, Mom and Dad. Three booths align on one wall and five tables covered with black and white
table cloths fill the restaurant. The family-owned business comes from the Bay Area and the owner is proud to say that within the last three years, four Kabob & Gyro Grills were successfully opened. With locations in Fremont, Lodi, Stockton and the newly opened Elk Grove location, things are looking great for them. As you walk down the runway, you can view the menu that hangs from the ceiling. They offer options such as mild, medium or hot on the lamb platter. Huh? Safi could tell I was caught by surprise, this special preparation is only done here. Getting excited? As I sat down and took in the cozy atmosphere, a woman and her son walked in, mentioning this was her third trip that week. It was a Thursday. Excited yet?
After a mere eight minutes, Safi delivered the most appetizing platter to my booth. With steam still coming from the marinated slices of lamb over basmati rice, I couldn’t wait to dig in. The platter also included sides of salad, hummus, tzatziki (cucumber sauce) and a hot piece of pita bread, all for under $8. Are you familiar with Greek cuisine but don’t see it on the menu? The chefs here are willing to customize your meal. I was an extremely happy camper. The food was delicious. The service was phenomenal. I wasn’t the only one who thought this, as the place was bursting at the seams as the lunch hour began. It says a lot that they’ve only been here for four months and already have a good customer base. If you can’t already tell, I would definitely recommend this grill.
OCTOBER 31, 2013 | FEATURES 5
Students learn failure can be positive
Bobby Bishop| The Connection
Campus Life Coordinator Winnie LaNier discusses how to use failure to your advantage on Oct. 25 during the “Turning Mistakes into Success” workshop.
By Brusly Voong bvoong.connect@gmail The Orchard room at CRC on Oct. 25 was alive and well as a full crowd was on hand for the “Turning Mistakes into Success” workshop. The workshop is a part of the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services Fall 2013 workshop series and was hosted and presented by Professor and Campus Life Coordinator Winnie Moore LaNier. “The purpose of it was to introduce people to a new way of looking at failure,” LaNier said. As the name suggests, the workshop was about reaching success by changing your outlook and attitude on failure. In order to become successful one has to change his/her definition of failure, LaNier said. Don’t look at failure as an instance where you failed one time, but look at failure in the bigger picture, LaNier said. Failures should be seen as learning opportunities where people learn from their mistakes by making the necessary adjustments so that they don’t repeat those same mistakes. “Failure is not avoidable, objective, irreversible, final, an event, the enemy and a stigma,” according to the handout. “Success is a process where mistakes are inevitable
encounters in your day to day life and is determined by your ability to alter those mistakes.” The wrong approach and attitude to failure emanates from and is perpetuated by fear, according to the handout. “People are afraid to fail in general and that they are programmed to see failure as being a bad thing that happens,” LaNier said. “So this workshop looks at failure and looks at it from the standpoint of minimizing the fear of failure and looking at it as a tool to move forward.” To rectify this fear, people should give themselves chances to fail, even if it means to fail on purpose, as a way to overcome their fears so that they can become accustomed to making mistakes and better learn to deal with failure in order to help them become successful, LaNier said. “Relationships make or break you,” LaNier said. “So much of your success depends on who you work with and your ability to get along with those people.” There are four factors that can ultimately determine one’s success. They are relationships, equipping, attitude and leadership, according to the handout. LaNier explained that failure can be a healthy experience and that it can get you ahead in life if one has the right approach.
She calls this approach “failing forward” and distinguished it from “failing backward.” A way to tell if you are failing backward or forward is to align yourself with the elements in each category and whichever one you relate to more tells you the path you are on. If you’re always blaming others, repeating the same mistakes, expecting never to fail again and constantly thinking of yourself as a failure, then you are failing backwards and putting yourself on the path to utter failure, according to the handout. However, if you take responsibility, learn from your mistakes, maintain a positive attitude, understand that failure is a part of the progress to success and persevere, then you are failing forward and one step closer to reaching success, according to the handout. Katelynn Rodriguez, 20, a criminal justice major, thought the workshop was good, but that it could have been longer. “I really honestly just think that we needed more time. She set it up for an hour and the one she gives at other places is two and a half hours, so I really think we just needed more time,” Rodriguez said. “I think it would have been more informative.”
‘Grandpa’ behaving badly in newest Jackass movie By Ben Brown bbrown.connect@gmail Johnny Knoxville, the creators of the MTV franchise “Jackass” along with Paramount Pictures are back at it again in “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.” The film is the fourth installment of the “Jackass” movie series and is directed by Jeff Tremaine, who also directed the previous three. Knoxville plays as 86-year-old Irving Zisman, a character he initially used while performing pranks on the final season of the TV show. Zisman finds out his wife has just passed away, finally freeing him and Leroy, the name for his genitals, from marriage to once again play the field and chase some tail. As Zisman sets to philander around since Ellie (Catherine Kenner) has kicked the bucket, his drug addict daughter Kimmie (Georgina Cates) is set to return to jail, leaving Irving to lead his grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll) on a whirlwind road trip across the country so that he can live with his dad Chuck (Greg Harris) in North Carolina. On the way, Irving and Billy perform various stunts and pranks from grocery
store encounters to pageant show escapades; some of the scenes were shot right here in Sacramento, all featuring real people who are clueless about their participation. The film shines with the real-time reactions of innocent bystanders and even left myself wondering how cameras were hidden in the angles and spots they were. Everyone in the theater knew what to expect from the daredevil prankster Knoxville, but Nicoll is not to be thrown to the side. After initially just being along for the ride, Billy begins a connection with Irving and finds himself engaging real-life improvisation at 8 years old acting as Robin to Knoxville’s Batman. While the previous films in the series include no plot at all and are more of a prank/stunt montage, “Bad Grandpa” keeps it’s plot throughout the film, which is a pleasant surprise. Overall, if you are thinking about coughing up the money for “Bad Grandpa” you should know what to expect from the film. Neither Knoxville nor Nicoll will get nominated at next year’s Academy Awards for the performances they put on, nor will
Crazy California
Courtesy Photo
Billy (Jackson Nicoll) pushes his drunk grandpa (Johnny Knoxville) down the street on their journey to North Carolina in the new film “Bad Grandpa.”
Jeff Tremaine for his cinematography, but the movie did do what it was intended to do. If you’re a fan of the “Jackass” series or looking for a good late night laugh, then “Bad Grandpa” will not disappoint.
author’s score out of 5
Know of another crazy law in California? Share it with us! Visit our website and add a comment, tweet it to us or comment on Facebook! We’d love to hear from you.
Compiled by Emily Collins Laws obtained from www.funlaws.50webs.com/California.html
Portola:
One may not allow his or her dog to chase a squirrel in the summer.
San Francisco:
Prohibits elephants from strolling down Market Street unless they are on a leash.
Lodi:
Fresno:
It is illegal to shoot silly string at parade participants.
No one may annoy a lizard in a city park.
Eureka:
Men who wear moustaches are forbidden from kissing women. www.Facebook.com/crcconnection
6 OPINION | OCTOBER 31, 2013
EDITORIAL
College campuses have no room for harassment A young college freshman attending Rutgers University in New Jersey walked across the George Washington Bridge and jumped to his death into the Hudson River on Sept. 22, 2010. Three nights before, Tyler Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, remotely accessed his laptop and broadcasted a brief webcam feed of Clementi and a male friend becoming intimate in their dorm room. Ravi took to Twitter to advertise the video and word quickly made its way back to Clementi, who found himself at the center of a sick and senseless joke. Clementi, a member of the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra, was 18 years old when he decided to take his life. In honor of the freshman’s memory, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act in 2010, and for the third year in a row the bill waits for approval on the floor of the House of Representatives. This legislation would require higher education institutions that receive federal aid to institute and adhere to policies that prohibit harassment of any kind, be it based on sexual preference, gender, race, religion or creed, according to the Human Rights Campaign website. This bill not only discourages harassment on college and university campuses, but also offers incentives to institutions that strive to address these issues. The legislation “authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to Institutions of Higher Education to initiate, expand, or improve programs to
prevent the harassment At a Glance of students, provide counseling … and train The Issue: students, faculty, or staff The U.S. Senate has created to prevent harassment legislation that will offer or address harassment incentives to colleges that if it occurs,” accordaddress bullying on campus. ing to the United States Legislative Information Our Stance: website. Harassment is unacceptThe United States government needed able in institutions of higher education. law to abolish slavery. It needed law to ensure women had the right Agree? Disagree? to vote, and it may now Send us your thoughts at need a law that battles connection.crc@gmail.com discrimination on campus. Dozens of organizations, such as the Anti-Defamation League and the American Association for University Women, have lined up in support of the bill, according to the Human Rights Campaign website. One of the most predominant instances of harassment on college campuses is towards women. In 2006 the American Association of University Women conducted a statewide study and found that “62 percent of female college students report having been sexually harassed at their university with 80 percent of the reported harassment be-
ing peer-to-peer.” These are frightening statistics for an unacceptable situation, much like the abundance of rape jokes in both entertainment and social media. It takes a special kind of coward to harass and abuse a woman. On the smallest level, human biochemical individuality, or genetic differences between family, friends, strangers, bullies and victims, is approximately 0.1 percent, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History website. This means that at the most, the bully is, genetically, 99.9 percent the same person as the bullied. We are all similar in this manner. We seek happiness and love. We strive for victory and success. We take to pleasure and battle pain. We cultivate and share our dreams, our goals and our lives. On this, the most basic of levels, the color of your skin, how you dress, who you sleep with, where you come from or what you believe in, is of no importance. The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act plans to use education as a preventative measure against harassment and bullying. If it is defeated once again it is up to college students all across the nation to take the first of many steps towards turning their campuses into harassment-free environments. The sooner we all realize that this life is and always will be shared, the better off our future will be.
Heads will roll with Facebook’s Worldwide equality new gruesome censorship policy By Emanuel Espinoza eespinoza.connect@gmail
By Brusly Voong bvoong.connect@gmail Facebook recently uplifted its ban on any graphic content that depicts violence posted on Facebook. The ban emanated from a video posted in spring of this year that showed a woman being beheaded. The video quickly circulated newsfeeds and left many outraged who witnessed the disturbing video. Since then Facebook has implemented several changes to its policy regarding the posting of violent content. Users are now able to post violent content as long as “the intent is to raise to awareness rather than celebrate violence,” according to a CNN article. Another change will include a new setting that warns users if the image or video that they are about to watch may contain graphic material, according to an article by the Washington Post. The news of the change left many angered, but it left me applauding. People are well within their institutionally-protected rights to post graphic content even without these changes. Now with these changes in place it only solidifies this right. Users have the choice to click the play button and videos usu-
ally include a title and a thumbnail that foreshadow the content of the video, providing adequate warning. After that, it is a matter of relying on your own integrity to watch or not.
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It is very hard to draw the line between what is acceptable and unacceptable free speech.”
Unless someone repeatedly posts violent videos and images to send a message of intimidation or to mock people being beheaded, these videos and images should be allowed on Facebook for the purpose of educating others and providing news on what’s taking place around the world. Many people displeased with the uplift claim that teens as young as 13 that frequent the site may unintentionally be exposed to such gruesome graphics, which can cause psychological harm. At this point, it is up to the parents to educate their children on the potential dangers of using Facebook and to monitor their activities.
HAWK
TALK
“What is the oldest or youngest trick-or-treaters should be?”
Holly Holt 20, Business
Compiled by Darren Allen, Bobby Bishop and Christopher McKnight
www.Facebook.com/CRCConnection
It is very hard to draw the line between what is acceptable and unacceptable free speech. That line gets much more convoluted when free speech involves media since it is still a relatively new ordeal in our society. As long as this line is blurred, we should remain cautious in making a definitive decision on censoring graphic content on Facebook. “When trying to draw the line about what should or shouldn’t be allowed, it is important to look at context, not just content,” according to a Washington post article. Another issue opponents of the uplift have is the discord between permitting violent content while upholding its ban on nudity, leaving many guessing just what graphic really means. Facebook could be more consistent with this policy. But as far as violent videos and images go, they shouldn’t be banned without first looking at the bigger picture. Not only do we have to consider the intentions of those who post graphic content when it comes to making a decision for censorship, but the freedom users have to simply not watch. In any case, beheadings and images considered violent should not simply be taken at face value, but evaluated more in depth before censoring it.
“I think once you’re out of high school you should stop going trick or treating. I would take my kids trick or treating when they’re like three.”
Bryan Lindsey 20, Music
In different parts of the world, women are still fighting for equal rights with men. When it comes to the internet, even the net shows that we still live in a sexist world. A powerful United Nations ad campaign uses Google searches to show that gender inequality still exists. Google has an auto-complete in the search bar so when a user tries to search for something, it automatically puts in potential search results. In all of these ads, it shows a woman’s face with the search bar on her mouth and these results say things like “women should stay home,” “women cannot drive,” “women shouldn’t vote” and other misogynistic remarks that would make a feminist cringe. One example in particular that goes with one of those search results has to do with women in Saudi Arabia who are trying to gain the right to drive. Women are banned from driving in that country, enough that driving leads to detention, fine and even imprisonment. Women have been trying to gain equality for years and the fight has not stopped. Though it isn’t as bad as when
“I think the youngest acceptable age is any age, as long as the parents are with them. I think the oldest age should be 18 to 20, depending if they’re going for candy.”
women couldn’t vote, didn’t often work and other things of a similar nature. Sexism is still a common thing, and so is misogyny, the biggest offender here. Women are often objectified and looked at as inferior to males. It’s no secret that women will strive for equal rights, even though there are a lot of odds stacked against them. Women are still discriminated against in many places. Despite women being more qualified educationally than men up to the age of 44, men are still paid on average 21 percent more than women, Dr. Rebecca Leach said in an article written for Keele University’s blog on Sociology and Criminology. No matter how hard women try to gain similar rights, sexist ways of the world will not cease. Though Hillary Clinton was unsuccessful in the 2008 presidential race, she is fighting again for the women in this country and helping to take a step in the right direction. Women deserve equal rights, no matter hard it is to gain them, especially in this sexist society we live in. The least we can do is just see that they are able to prosper as much in this world as men do.
Jenny Quan 20, Medical assisting
“I think you could be however old to go trick or treating. You could be twenty, I’m twenty and I want to go trick or treating.”
Visit www.youtube.com/ConnectionCRC for Hawk Talk videos and student interviews
OCTOBER 31, 2013 | SPORTS 7
The ¢heap Seats
Hawks shut out conference rival at home Cosumnes River College has now pushed their win streak to three
A Sports Column
Showboating has no place in pro sports Win at all costs. It’s what children hear when they grow up playing sports, and it’s what our favorite athletes hear every day. But when is simply beating someone not enough? For players in the National Football League, that question seems to be put in the back of their minds, along with their maturity. In the Monday Night Football matchup on Oct. By Zach Hannigan 28, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate took showboating too far. After he caught a pass and realized he was going to score, he turned around and started waving bye-bye to a St. Louis Rams defensive back. It was a classless move that left viewers shaking their heads and wondering where Tate’s was on that play. Before the 2013-14 season started, the NFL said it was going to start cracking down on players who act like Tate did. That’s fine and all, but its punishments do not discourage players from doing it. For a league that wants to pride itself on its upstanding citizens and golden boys like Tom Brady and Drew Brees, it doesn’t make much sense that that kind of behavior is condoned. Yes, Tate drew a taunting penalty on the play, but he didn’t cost his team the touchdown or the win. That 15-yard penalty that he drew was simply not enough. Players will continue to “taunt” as long as they know that they’ll still be awarded the points. That simple fact is why the rules need to change in the NFL. Make a taunting penalty a spot foul. So, whatever spot or yard line a player commits the penalty on, that is where the 15-yard penalty should be enforced. This will accomplish two things: One, a player will have to bring their maturity level to the forefront and think before they act, and two, when a player is accountable to his team, he is less likely to do the same thing twice. As soon as a player’s actions hurt his teammates is when he’ll finally start to grow up. Now if the NFL doesn’t want to do anything, teams have the ability to self police. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll should have sent Tate to the showers after that boneheaded play. If Carroll set that precedent, then other teams would have no choice but to do the same at the expense of looking like an inferior organization that doesn’t care about public image. Now, all that is not to say that the NFL should take away celebration from football. However, there is a difference between the two verbs. Celebration is not showing up the other team, it is about acknowledging your accomplishments, like beating the other team. Taunting is an insulting and provoking action that shows no respect for your fellow players. So please Mr. Tate and fellow NFL players, think before you act next time. Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHannigan
Bobby Bishop | The Connection
Freshman midfielder Kylie Forbes heads a ball in the Hawks’ game against Sacramento City College Panthers on Oct. 25.
T
By Emanuel Espinoza eespinoza.connect@gmail
he women’s soccer team squared off against conference rival Sacramento City College Panthers on Oct. 25. CRC spent the majority of the first half passing the ball and trying to score a goal, but to no avail. Both teams tried to score, but sailed over, went past the net, or fell into the goal keepers’ arms. For the majority of the first half, no goal had been made. Towards the end of the first half, CRC sophomore forward Vilma Gonzalez tripped and fell over freshman midfielder Fianna Correa of Sac City. After that, Gonzalez scored the Hawks’ first goal of the match on a penalty kick. The first half ended with a score of 1-0. Gonzalez said that the team could have done better in this game despite their victory. “I feel like we weren’t as aggressive as we should have been,” Gonzalez said. “I think that if we had a better game, we could play better and we didn’t show that today.” The second half started with Sac City in possession of the ball. CRC had a great chance on goal when freshman midfielder Kylie Forbes did a header towards Sac City’s goal but the ball sailed over the net. Not long after that, Gonzalez scored another goal for CRC. Gonzalez was close to Sac City’s goal line and kicked the ball right into the net. Freshman defender Selina Barbosa had a wide-open goal attempt, but missed the shot as the ball hit the post. It remained a 2-0 in CRC’s favor. Freshman forward Breonna Robinzine got a yellow card for kicking before the whistle was blown. Towards the end of the second half, Kylie Forbes tripped and fell, but wasn’t injured and still continued to play for the rest of the game. The final result of the match was 2-0. Head coach Cesar Plasencia said that the team could have done a lot better despite their victory. He said that the Hawks lacked intensity. “We won, we didn’t play very well, but we won,” Plasencia said. “In the end we got we wanted.” Freshman defender Kori Martin said that the team did well in the game. “I thought it was good,” Martin said. “I thought we did a lot of good through-balls to each other and we all encouraged each other pretty well.” One Oct. 29, the Hawks played to a 0-0 draw with Modesto Junior College, pushing their undefeated streak to four.
Women’s Soccer Big 8 Standings 1. Sierra, 6-1-2, 20 points 2. Santa Rosa, 6-2-1, 19 points 3. Cosumnes River, 6-3-1, 19 points 4. Diablo Valley, 5-3-1, 16 points 5. Modesto, 4-4-2, 14 points 6. San Joaquin Delta, 4-4-1, 13 points 7. American River, 2-7, 6 points 8. Sacramento City, 0-9, 0 points
zhannigan.connect@gmail
www.thecrcconnection.com
8 SPORTS | October 31, 2013
Preview: Team looks to establish low-post game Continued from Page 1 Only three players are returning from last year’s group, and only two of those three saw playing time. Luckily for the Hawks, their leading scorer from last season and all Big 8 Conference player sophomore guard Jade Sowell-Hundon returned. Sowell-Hundon averaged 14 points a game last season while playing 20 minutes per game; a role which should be increased this season. “We are a pretty aggressive team,” Sowell-Hundon said. “We have the talent,
Ben Brown | The Connection
Sophomore guard Jade Sowell-Hundon shoots free throws during practice on Oct 22.
we have the skills, all we need is the mental toughness to carry us through.” Along with Sowell-Hundon, sophomore guard Miya Oaks looks to build on her freshman season where she averaged 3.4 points a game, while averaging 15 minutes of playing time. Oaks had the best assist-toturnover ratio on the team last year at 1.2.
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I think with this group they are going to come out playing hard, because we practice hard and smart.” —Coral Sage
Head Coach
“I have to be a leader and the experience I have will help the younger team,” Oaks said. “I think we should be great, I am really excited.” With only three returning players, freshman are going to be key to this team’s success. How effective these freshmen are going to be is a question Sage cannot answer. “Sometimes they can come out and not know what to expect and great things happen, other times you can get a group where they are so nervous they play timid,” Sage said. “But I think with this group they are going to come out playing hard because we practice hard and smart.” One characteristic the Hawks look to use to win games this year is speed. CRC finished second in the Big 8 last year in scoring at just over 46.5 points per game and will run-and-gun this year with eight guards. In addition to using speed to win games, the Hawks plan to establish some post presence, which was lacking last year. “We have two post players this year
Ben Brown | The Connection
Coach Coral Sage directs freshman forward Empres Barner during a team practice on Oct. 22.
Upcoming Games Nov. 8-10, Tournament: Jocelyn Mancebo Classic Games played at San Joaquin Delta College Nov. 14-16, Tournament: CRC Invitational Home Opener: Nov. 14 vs. Feather River, 7 p.m. and we didn’t have any true post last year so that will make a big difference as well,” Oaks said. Although 5-foot-11-inch Janie Myles did not play last year due to transfer rules, she practiced with the team all year and
should establish a presence down low. “I need to be strong in the post, make my shots, layups and rebound,” Myles said. CRC will get its season started Nov. 8 at San Joaquin Delta College in the Jocelyn Mancebo Classic.
Hawks look to use competitive nature to their advantage By Camille Caulk ccaulk.connect@gmail
With the start of the season quickly approaching, the players of the men’s basketball team are going hard on the wood in preparation for a strong and successful season. With brand new players from as far as the East Coast to right here in the valley teaming up with returning sophomores, the group is ready work with and learn from Cosumnes men’s basketball head coach James Giacomazzi. It is clear that Giacomazzi is dedicated not just to the game but to his players. “You can really tell he cares about his players, he’s not just in it for the wins, but he really cares,” said sophomore guard A.J. Bridges. Giacomazzi is excited for the the promise of the coming season, but said that the team’s emotions could play a factor. “It’s competitive, we’re more competitive this year than any other year ... And once we learn to harness those emotions we should be good,” he said. Bridges also agreed with the competitive level of the team this year. On a scale of one to ten on how competitive the team is, he responded with, “definitely a ten.” Constant hard work and advancement is the goal for the team, with requirements such as having to run five miles for every missed practice, no matter the reason. It is an excellent motivator for the players to come prepared, on time and focused. “It makes me be on time for sure,” said sophomore forward TJ Williams. Freshman guard Mitchell Love said @CRCConnection
he is “not going to miss practice” because of that rule. The chemistry on the team shows that players are more than just teammates, but comrades. They work well together and are all understanding that they are all there for the same things and the same reasons. Each player has input and experience completely different from another, that can be shared to build a well-rounded, diverse and equipped variety of young men. “You can’t walk before
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It’s competitive, we’re more competitive this year than any other year.” —James Giacomazzi
Head Coach
you can crawl,” Giacomazzi said about winning the state championships this year. While the odds may or may not be in the Hawks’ favor, it is important to take it step by step or game by game and not get ahead of themselves. The first tournament for the team is at San Jose Community College, and it was agreed upon from each of the players and coach that it will be a good learning experience for the team, enabling them to see what their strengths and weaknesses are as a team. “It’ll be good for us, we’ll get to see what we need to work on as a team and come back and improve on those things,” Bridges said.
Camille Caulk | The Connection
The team gathers around Cosumnes head coach James Giacomazzi during practice on Oct. 24.
Upcoming Games Nov. 7, vs. Lassen, 8 p.m. Game played at San Jose Community College Nov. 21, Tournament: James Clark Classic Games played at Cosumnes River College