Connection Volume 59, Issue 1

Page 1

Volume 59, Issue 1

Get Connected Falling marriage

Recent studies show that fewer and fewer people are getting married in our modern age. What is happening today that might reflect negatively on marriage rates? Is it just not important anymore? See Page 3

Love and texting

We live in an age that goes far beyond simple interactions, with texting, statuses and social media leading the way. But do students think our way of communicating today is more or less romantic than the past? Also check out Valentines given by CRC students. See Page 4

First place in Big 8

Freshman forward Nikki Gordon

The CRC women's basketball team is 18-5 this season, and in first place in the Big 8. Read about some of its important most games and challenges. See Page 7

Los Rios Chancellor announces retirement

Brice Harris served the district for 16 years and will retire in August. Read about how he impacted CRC and community colleges and the changes he made in a time of budget cuts. See Page 8

Get connected. Stay connected.

Scan this QR Code with your smartphone or visit thecrcconnection.com to read the latest CRC news, vote in our poll, view photos and more!

www.thecrcconnection.com

february 9, 2012

Freshman seminar earns award for promoting college success Award recognizes class for engaging students and helping them reach their academic goals and achieve success By Ben Levy blevy.connect@gmail.com The bright, low-ceilinged classroom buzzes with discussion. Small groups of students huddle together around long paper lists hanging on the walls. In one corner, members of another group eagerly suggest words such as money, social life and family, while one member writes. A casually but well-dressed professor moves from group to group, giving encouragement and joking with students. The students are doing a brainstorming activity in Freshman seminar, a class designed to help first-time college students succeed. The class introduces students to support systems such as tutoring and financial aid, teaches skills such as time and money management and integrates students into Cosumnes River College by introducing them to faculty, staff and other students.

Jon Peralta | The Connection

Dr. B.J. Snowden holds a discussion with students in the Freshman Seminar class on Feb. 2. The class received recognition from the California's Board of Governors for helping increase college success. The freshman seminar recently earned the 2011 Exemplary Programs award from the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. The award recognizes community colleges that “engage [students] and help them stay on course and reach their academic goals,” according to a press release from the

California Community Colleges ard, an 18-year-old communicaChancellor’s Office. tions major. “I’ve learned the imThe kudos for Freshman portance of community college.” Seminar goes beyond the award. The class also helps students Only three weeks into the 12- after community college. week class, students have plenty “I know exactly what I need of praise. to get in and get out,” said Teonna “Anybody who plans on com- Brown, a 24-year-old criminal ing to community college should justice major. “It’ll be really helptake this class,” said Chris WoodSee SEMINAR, Page 2

Student Success Task Force recommendations passed by California’s Board of Governors “

It was never my wish to ration attendance at community colleges, but this was forced upon us by the very severe budget cuts. The reality is we just can't offer everything to everybody.

Jack Scott California Community Colleges Chancellor

cess by aligning classes based on the needs of students, increasing college readiness by collaborating California’s Community Col- with K-12 and improving the baleges Board of Governors unani- sic skills of first-year students. mously voted to adopt the 22 “At a time when resources are recommendations made by the scarce, our system must impleStudent Success Task Force on ment solutions that improve stuJan. 9, according to a press release dent outcomes, deliver an edufrom the California Community cated and trained workforce and Colleges Chancellor’s Office. ensure the efficient use of state The SSTF final report, which investment in higher education,” will be sent to the state legislature California Community Colleges for full review, includes plans to Chancellor Jack Scott said in the increase community college suc- press release. By Imran Majid imajid.connect@gmail.com

California’s community colleges are in the midst of a fiscal crisis brought on by cuts in state funding that has limited the spending power of community colleges by 10.88 percent since 2009, according to the final report. In 2010, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1143 and forced the Board of Governors to come up with a plan to increase college success by 2012, according to the press release. The result was the SSTF, and its See STUDENT, Page 2

Students discuss possible effects of state tax increase people,” Brown said. cut from schools and community If the initiative passes, sales colleges. taxes would increase by half a Eight out of 12 interviewed In the State of the State Ad- percent, and income taxes would students at Cosumnes River Coldress on Jan. 18, Gov. Jerry Brown be raised on those who earn lege said they support Brown’s proposed tax increases as a way to $250,000 or more a year, accord- proposal. balance the state’s budget and pre- ing to the governor’s budget sumWilhelm Lichnock, a vent deeper cuts in education. mary. 19-year-old physics major, said The Address was part of his These tax increases would be that the wealthy should be taxed campaign to put the tax measure in effect until the end of the 2016 because they “can afford a little on the November ballot. tax year, according to the budget bit more of the tax.” “Putting our fiscal house in summary. If the proposal does “If you are making that much order is good stewardship, and not pass, the budget summary es- money, you can afford a little bit it helps to regain the trust of the timated that $4.8 billion would be See TAXES, Page 2 By Vince Schwede vschwede.connect@gmail.com

Need to Know • Gov. Jerry Brown's tax proposal recommends increasing taxes by half a percent • Income taxes would also be raised on those who earn $250,000 or more. • If the plan does not pass, the budget summary estimates that $4.8 billion would be cut from schools and colleges.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Connection Volume 59, Issue 1 by The Connection - Issuu