Spring 2014 - Issue five by The Connection

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Should community colleges offer Bachelor’s Degrees? Opinion, Page 9

Unemployment is down but students still are struggling. News, Page 3

A PASSION FOR NUMBERS Features, Page 6

Spring Sneezing As the flowers bloom and spring rolls in, flu season ends and allergy season begins. Features, Page 8

Shafa Ilyas/The Connection

ISSUE 5 04.10.2014—04.30.2014 Student voice of CRC since 1970

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March 27, 2014

>>News

Program provides students a faster path through their college years By Emiliano Martin emartin.connect@gamil.com For many, the transition into community college can seem overwhelming. In an effort to alleviate this challenge, the Student Success and Support Program has been implemented into junior colleges across California, as of 2014. The SSSP was designed to allow students an easier way to navigate the college process through orientation and the help of school counselors through funding provided to California’s community colleges, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office’s website. “Declaring a major early in the process helps students focus on and at least begin to answer the question, ‘Why am I here?’ and ‘What do I want to do?’” said Debra Sheldon, the SSSP specialist for the CCCCO. “Although the answer to that question will change over time as students are exposed to different courses and learning experiences, asking students to declare a major sooner helps students confront the questions and avoid taking classes that won’t be of use to them.” Funding for SSSP is provided to colleges based on campus population and can be cut based on whether or not the college enrolls new students in the program, according to SSSP funding guidelines provided by Dean of Counseling and Student Services Dr. Michael Marion. “Basically, [the funding] keeps us at level. We’re funded at 100 percent now,” Marion said. The funding drops in subsequent school years, while going towards things like “core services,” such as orientation, education planning services and assessment, according to the SSSP funding guidelines. This provides a benefit to students because many, such as 19-year-old nursing major Justynne Olinda, came into college unsure of what to do. “They have freshman orientation and it’s your choice whether to accept it or not, but a lot of people don’t real-

ly,” Olinda said. “That would have been really helpful. I took a long time to figure out what I wanted. And I didn’t know what options there were because I didn’t really research a lot.” The SSSP looks to provide better communication between counselors and students, which begins as a requirement of incoming freshman to choose a major. “I wish I had been provided with information on what I needed to do to succeed in the major that I have now, because it was really hard to meet with a counselor,” said Kiara Joubert, 20, a sociology major. “I had no idea what classes to take. I just took classes to get units.” The new online orientation, through Desire 2 Learn, is required of students coming into college. “The students are going to get started on a better foot because of that orientation,” said Tiffany Clark of Cosumnes River College’s Elk Grove Unified School District Outreach. “We did implement a new orientation. It’s a Los Rios orientation. It’s a little more in-depth then we had before and that’s been a big benefit.” There was one major improvement that Clark said came with the new orientation for students. “I think they have a better understanding of what the assessment process is,” Clark said. “Why it’s important, why they should look at the study guides, that we begged them to look at in the past, it gives them an overall picture of the college, how we operate and gets them more acclimated to our college system before they start that process.” Students who already attend CRC “are grandfathered in” to the service, meaning they don’t have to complete the process, Marion said. Despite the goals of the program, many students, such as 18-year-old biology major Sloan Chau, don’t see a benefit to incoming students choosing a major as part of enrollment. “It’s a big life decision, you’re 17 or 18, and feel this is

for the rest of your life. You’re expected to make a decision right away. And I feel it’s pressuring and kind of hard,” Chau said. For Chau and the many

of the college experience, but I think there’s a lot of other things missed that were in there as well.” “You have people focused on the beginning, when stu-

“Declaring a major early in the process helps students focus on and at least begin

to answer the question, ‘Why am I here?’ and ‘What do I want to do? Although the answer to that question will change over time as students are exposed to different courses and learning experiences...”

—Debra Sheldon

Student Success and Support Program Specialist other students who feel pressured by choosing a major as part of enrollment, the SSSP supports students throughout their time at junior college. “At the end of the day we still have to focus on completion,” Marion said. “[The SSSP] looks at the whole scope

dents first come into college, and you have people that focus on the end, but I think we also have to remember that middle piece for the student that’s been here for a year and a half, or two years, and where they are now in that space,” Marion said.

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Unemployment down, except for students By Shafa Ilyas silyas.connect@gamil.com

Summer marks the beginning of job searches for many college students in the country. Sacramento’s unemployment rate hit an all-time low in March 2014 at 6.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . However, getting a job as a student has not gotten any easier. Student unemployment has reached 25.8 percent nationally last week, according to Businessweek. The national unemployment rate for people 60 and over is ﬁve percent. There are many reasons for employers not wanting to hire young students. “I think it was lack of experience. I did not have much to put on my resume,” said

Victor Mendoaz, an 18-yearold business major Over 192,000 jobs have opened up in March alone. Many private-sectors, construction and medical ﬁeld jobs have opened up again since the recession, according to an article in Businessweek. However, according to the same article, many of those jobs are not hiring students, and if they are, they want those with experience under their belts. “Usually, for a lot of retail jobs, they want someone with at least one year of experience,” said Cathalina Phayboun, a 21-year-old English major. Getting at least one year of experience is hard for many college students, because they

are looking for their ﬁrst job. Employers do not want to risk having a student who is not fully committed to work. A student not only has to dedicate his or her time to education, but also to working. Many businesses are not willing to take such a risk, they would rather have an employee who works 50 hours or more, according to Businessweek.

Another reason students are struggling to get jobs is the hit that the economy took a few years ago. “This could be due to the way the economy is functioning right now,” said Anna Davtian, the student personnel assistant for the Cosumnes Rier College career center. “There were so many people that were laid oﬀ with a lot of experience, and match high-

“There were so many people that were laid off with

a lot of experience, and much higher degrees. Now the students are competing for regular jobs with these people to be waiters, or working in restaurants, coffee shops.”

—Anna Davtian

Career Center Student Personal Assistant

Where fast-tracking career goals meets

SAVE THE

“I want to get started right away.”

DATE

Students can transfer at any time Transfer scholarships are available One-course-per-month format 28 campuses plus online programs

Learn more at nu.edu/transfer

Sacramento Campus 10901 Gold Center Drive NU14_129-13_CC_PrintAd_Sacto_Consumnes_5p88x8_K.indd 1

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(916) 855-4100 3/13/14 1:15 PM

Are you unemployed? Share your stories with us on our Facebook: www.facebook.com/thecrcconnection

CELEBRATING EARTH DAY

CRC will celebrate Earth Day with a variety of events. The writer of the 2013-2014 OneBook selection, Michael Pollan, will give the keynote speech, on April 24. Additional events include a poetry slam, a sustainable food festival as well as a lecture to introduce the next OneBok event. Check the calendar on the CRC website for more details.

SPRING COLLEGE FAIR

BIKING IN MAY

ROUND’EM UP WESTERN STYLE

A BUS TRIP TO CHICO

Transfer students, high school students and parents will be welcomed by over 100 represenatives from public and private universities at Sacramento State on May 4. The fair will be held in the University Union Ballroom from 12 p.m - 3 p.m. Registration must be completed in advance through the CSUS website. For more information contact Manuel Lopez at (916) 278-2529.

• • • •

er degrees. Now the students are competing for regular jobs with these people to be waiters, or working in restaurants, coﬀee shops.” Many experts argue that students have high standards when it comes to looking for a job. There are many jobs in the food industry and local internships available, students do not apply for them. “I do get a lot of job announcements from diﬀerent companies, and the employers get back to me and ask why students are not applying for the positions. Some students are not really really looking,” Davtian said.

Wild west lovers can celebrate the old days as Elk Grove hosts the 57th annual Elk Grove Western Festival on May 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Elk Grove Regional Park. The event includes a parade on Saturday, a weekend carnival, vendors and festival foods. Saturday provides a night concert and a barbeque competition hosted by the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

For National Bike Month, the City of Elk Grove will host the GO Fest on Longleaf Drive on May 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will consist of a street fair experiece, as well as a fun run/walk, bike cruise, ﬁtness classes and workshops along with an activity zone for children. Sponsorship and vendor opportunites are available. Contact Kristyn Nelson at (916) 478-2206 for information.

A full-day ﬁeld trip to Chico State will be provided by EOPS and CARE on May 2. Students will be given a tour of the campus along with information on ﬁnancial aid, admission requirements, majors, and have a chance to check out dorms and meet faculty and more. The deadline for registration is April 25 and there is a $10 deposit for a seat on the bus as space is limited.

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Beyond The Smoke While the debates on marijuana legalization and cigarette bans continue, the greater issue is hazy.

By Bobby Bishop & Shafa Ilyas bbishop.connect@gamil.com & silyas.connect@gmail.com you are inhaling something When it comes down to it, die,” Barkley said. Cigarette smoking also you do not breathe in natumost stories and rallies focus on the bare basic issue when it comes with the chance to affect rally. The pesticides and the comes to cigarettes and mari- the health of others through chemicals added to the growsecondhand smoke. Some of ing plant changes the chemijuana: one’s right to smoke. While the rights that we the health conditions caused cal makeup and what you put all have or want are not in by secondhand smoke in into your body. CRC Nurse Tracy Starnes question, there is more to con- adults include coronary heart disease, stroke and lung can- said that smoking marijuana sider . Smoking causes cancer, cer, according to the the CDC. too much can often have an While more places, in- impact on one’s health. heart disease, stroke, lung “The bad effects of mardiseases and diabetes, accord- cluding schools like UC Davis, ing to the Centers for Disease have turned to banning smok- ijuana are, there can be longControl and Prevention. Cig- ing cigarettes for health con- term memory loss, and it afarettes are addictive and con- siderations, marijuana comes fects everything, the lungs, the heart, the cognitive ability tain carcinogens and nicotine with its own stigmas. when you are that contribute trying to foto the deterio- The bad effects of marijuana are, there can be Starnes ration of one’s long-term memory loss and it affects everything, the cus,” said. health. Smoking “The nic- lungs, the heart [and] the cognitive ability when you anything inotine in cigavolves putting rettes is more are trying to focus.” addictive —Tracy Starnes foreign chem[than] heroin,” Cosumnes River College Nurse icals into your body and “it said Cosumnes Recent changes allowed affects your lungs, it decreases River College’s head nurse Michelle Barkley. “There are the sale of recreational mari- your airway size and its smoke quite a few health hazards and juana in Colorado and Wash- that pollutes your lungs,” Barit starts with your respiratory ington, as well as the reduction kley said. “Everyone is coming out system, it can affect your heart of possession of marijuana in but eventually it affects all or- Washington D.C., to a civil of- and saying they do weed in public. They have it in songs. fense with a $25 fine. gans of your body.” Comparing marijuana It’s everywhere,” said Arron Barkley said that nicotine is not only deadly to the peo- and cigarettes, there are many Hoang, a clerk and nurse asple who smoke it, but also to similar and different health ef- sistant. “It doesn’t even seem like it’s illegal. Even good stufects. the people who harvest it. Marijuana contains tetra- dents, I know students who “Tobacco leaves are harmful for people to touch, the hydrocannabinol which is a get A’s and they still use it.” While both pose potential harvesters get cuts in their mind-altering chemical. Smoking marijuana alters risks to the body, Barkley said hands and absorb the nicotine directly into their blood and your lungs due to the fact that there was one that would be

“

Courtesy Photo

chosen over the other. “If I was being contained and had to do one against my

will, I’d be more on the side of marijuana,” Barkley said. “It’s less addictive than cigarettes.”

Four out of every five cases of cancer of the esophagus are due to smoking. As smoke enters your throat, cancer-causing chemicals condense on your mucous membranes.

If you smoke, you’re as much as 20 times more likely to die of lung cancer. But long before that, you’ll find your lung capacity decreased. You may develop asthma and, if that doesn’t stop you, emphysema – where 90 percent of all cases are caused by smoking.

Marijuana smoke is an irritant to the lungs, and frequent marijuana smokers can have many of the same respiratory problems experienced by tobacco smokers, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness and a heightened risk of lung infections. Marijuana raises heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to three hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug. Source: tobaccofacts.org & National Institute on Drug Abuse

April 10, 2014

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>>Features

Students compete in 10th annual Integration Bee

Shafa Ilyas/The Connection

Duyen Nguyen, 18, an economics major, Yi Lor, 22, a biology major, and Xuan Ho, 19, a mechanical engineering major, solve integrals in the second round of the annual Integration Bee on April 4 in LRC 105. Nguyen was the first place winner of this year’s Integration Bee.

By Shafa Ilyas

silyas.connect@gmail.com Cosumnes River College students who enrolled in Calculus I or higher competed in the 10th annual Integration Bee to test their math skills with one another in LRC 105 on April 4. The event was hosted by CRC’s mathematics department. There were 100 people who attended, and 41 students signed up to compete ranging in age from 17 to 35. “It has grown over the years. The first year I took over we had 20-25 contestants. This year we have 41, and it’s still pretty good, so yeah, it has grown,” said Roy Simpson, a mathematics professor at CRC. The Integration Bee started when a student in the campus math club realized that a college on the east coast had this competition. Inspired by the idea, the math professors came together to sponsor a math competition, and the event has been quite successful, Simpson said. “We want to encourage academic excellence, and create a positive environment,” said Min Zeng, a CRC math

professor. The room was full of positive vibes, as contestants proceeded to further levels. Losing participants shook the others hand as they congratulated the winner. “I signed up because I’ve always liked math, always found it fun. I am unique among my friends, I actually like taking math tests,” said Alejandro Bupara, a 19-yearold Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum major. The first round required all 41 participants to solve four problems. In the second round, 27 students were eliminated and the top 14 were left to compete. The top 14 contestants were Alexandro Arguello, Hai Van Duong, Xuan Ho, Khoi Hoang, Joe Kuang, Brian Leung, Yi Lor, Mesfin Mohammed, Duyen Nguyen, Nataliya Polichshuk, Earl Ramirez, Ai Vu, Hung Vu and Thien Nguyen. Contestant Brian Leung resigned round two. “I knew I couldn’t solve the problem in time,” Leung said. Of the 14 contestants, the top four were allowed to compete in the final round.

Fourth place winners, Hoang and Mohammed, both won a prize of $100. Third place winner, Kuang, won a TI-inspire CX calculator and $100. Second place winner Hung Vu, won a TI-inspire CX calculator and $200. The winner for the 10th annual Integration Bee was Duyen Nguyen, an 18-yearold economics major. She was the only one to solve all of the problems correctly in the last round. Nguyen won an iPad and $300. “I feel very happy that I won, I never thought I could win for first place. It was all thanks to professor Min Zeng and professor Simpson,”said Nguyen. The top five finalists were not the only ones to receive prizes. Raffle tickets were given to both the audience and contestants. A total of 29 gift cards were given away from Jamba Juice, Starbucks, Subway or Target to the raffle winners. “We love our students. Honestly, there are not many ways we can give back to our students. This is our way of granting scholarships to many great students,” Simpson said.

“I feel very happy that I won, I never thought I could win for

first place. It was all thanks to professor Min Zeng and Roy Simpson.”

—Duyen Nguyen, 18, an economics major

Shafa Ilyas/The Connection

As first place winner, Nguyen won a $300 cash prize along with a brand new iPad. Among other prizes from the raffle, $5 gift cards were awarded from Jamba Juice, Target and Starbucks.

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‘Grand Budapest Hotel’ offers a delightful experience By Greg Prouty gprouty.connect@gmail.com “His world had vanished long before he ever entered it, but he certainly sustained the illusion with remarkable grace,” one of the narrators of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” notes of the film’s lead character, Gustave H. The Grand Budapest Hotel, written and directed by Wes Anderson, has been one of the most delightful movies I have seen in the last few years. It is hilarious, beautiful, violent and features a huge cast of incredible talent including Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson and many other brilliant performances from lesser known actors. It centers around the legendary concierge Gustave H., played by Fiennes, who served the Grand Hotel between the two world wars, all told through the perspective of his trusted lobby boy, played by newcomer Tony Revolori. Gustave H. is a personification of high level service, schooling the young Zero Moustafa in the art of understanding what a guest wants, owning few possessions including a perfume called “Eau de Panache,” and a large collection of romantic poetry, which he is quick to quote even in the most dire of circumstances. The whole

Courtesy Photo

The narrator of the film played by Tom Wilkinson (left), and Chuck, played by Owen Wilson (right) discuss the management of the Grand Budapest with Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) in the conclusion of the film’s events.

movie is centered around the illusion that Gustave H. maintains and without it the whole thing would collapse. Presenting itself as a story within a story within a story, the movie jumps back to the ‘80s, to the ‘60s and ﬁnally to the late ‘30s, where the story of a romantic living in a cynical era takes place. The main story surrounding Mr. Gustave and his lobby boy Zero moves fast and takes the characters to perfectly framed and constructed setting after setting, each looking

like a page in a pop-up book. It’s full of humor, sped up chase scenes, gunfights, a prison break and hilariously fake special effects, all meant to make the events look increasingly ridiculous. However, just underneath the surface is a very dark and melancholy reality. The political landscape of the 1930’s Europe is sliding closer and closer to war as a Fascist power becomes increasingly aggresive, finally occupying the Hotel in the climax of the movie. The scenes where

Zero and Gustave H. are alone show his illusion fade away as he shows how aware he is of the world around him changing. The country that The Grand Budapest exists in is about to experience war, Fascism and the Holocaust, only to be followed by decades of Communist totalitarianism. Wes Anderson has always attempted to capture emotions that are seldom explored in other movies to the depths that he manages. In “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” the

feeling is one of nostalgia. It takes place in the past, but not the historical past. It manages to present a beautiful and ideal time that as Zero Moustafa describes, “probably never existed.” Take the time to see this movie, you won’t regret it.

author’s score out of ﬁve

#TrendingNow Rage cage is a new popular drinking game among young adults. It is a cross of beer pong and King’s Cup. “I prefer beer pong because I’m better at it. When I throw [the ball], I’m a sharpshooter so it actually goes in, instead of bouncing oﬀ,” said Kelvin Hang, 21, an automotive major.

r Facebook? With Instragam as the new popular social media, Facebook is slowly declining and losing its users. Both have diﬀerent uses in today’s society. “Instagram is more popular. [Facebook] is more for family. I don’t add my family on Instagram,” said Natalie Rehm, 23, a liberal studies major.

‘WalkingD

age’

Instagram o

‘RageC

Compiled by Damon Hickman and Kaley Andrews All photos are courtesy photos

ead’ The Walking Dead season 4 finale aired on March 30, preparing its fans for season five, which airs in October. “I saw the whole trap thing from a mile away, it was too obvious. It wasn’t too bad of a cliffhanger. It took a different route from the books,” said Erin Lasley, 25, a business and culinary arts major.

PAGE 8

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Allergy season on the rise By Kaley Andrews kandrews.connect@gmail.com Recent rains and heavy winds have set Sacramento blooming and allergy sufferers sneezing, coughing and cursing Mother Nature as stirred-up allergens saturate the air. The dreaded allergy season has begun. As a life-long allergy sufferer, spring is the worst season of the year. Severe allergies can prove to be socially and professionally restrictive as well as miserable to experience. “Sometimes I get the allergies that affect my eyes, and they get very itchy and watery and swollen,” said Sean Tillman, 47, a health sciences major. “The worst symptoms would have to be the swelling of the eyes, and then in the evenings it becomes almost asthmatic, it’s horrible.” Seasonal allergies typically afflict sufferers in the spring and summer months, but can manifest year-round, according to Medicinenet. com. Symptoms range from irritating machine-gun sneezing to itching, watery eyes, a runny nose and excess mucus production. Some symptoms can be far more severe, especially for asthma sufferers, as allergies can worsen asthma symptoms, said Michelle Barkley, the Cosumnes River College nurse. “When your first line of defense goes down...your body’s trying to fight off the allergens, it narrows your airways, it makes it more difficult for you to breathe, hence, starting that cycle of asthma,” Barkley said. “Asthma works on the smallest, microscopic pieces of our lungs, which is our alveoli. It collapses them, making it hard for air exchange.” However, there are ways to alleviate allergy symptoms. Environmental control is one of the first steps in controlling allergies, according to the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic suggests that allergy sufferers should stay indoors on dry, windy days, avoid gardening and lawn maintenance chores, remove clothes

that have been worn outside and take allergy medication before symptoms start. Allergy medication, or antihistamines, are also among the first line of defense for allergy sufferers, relieving the symptoms for up to 24 hours by reducing histamine production in response to allergens. They may result in sleepiness, though there are antihistamines that are non-drowsy, Barkley said. However, Barkley said antihistamines are not always effective, especially for those who become immune to them. Immunity can be fought by alternating medications, or switching between antihistamines. “Use your allergy medication in moderation,” Tillman said. “And if one doesn’t work, or if one works and quits working, then find another one and alternate.” Rinsing the nasal passages using a sterile saline solution is another option, Barkley said. Nasal irrigation directly flushes mucus and allergens from the nose, and has the added benefit of being inexpensive and very effective, according to the Mayo Clinic. “We have a neti pot,” said Heather Martin, a 26-year-old history major with a fiancé who suffers from allergies and uses nasal irrigation to alleviate his symptoms. Martin said it does help her fiancé, but it takes some time to learn to use. For those who have severe allergies and cannot find relief, one option remains: Immunotherapy, also known as allergy shots. Allergy shots

gradually introduce increasing amounts of the allergen into the body, effectively decreasing sensitivity to allergens, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology. In the beginning, patients must receive shots on a weekly basis for several months before reaching a maintenance dose, according to WebMD.com. Though severe anaphylactic reactions can occur, they are rare, according to the AAAAL. Typically, anaphylactic symptoms include wheezing, swelling of the throat, nausea, dizziness and tightness in the chest. More typical reactions involve redness and swelling at the site of injection. Effectiveness of immunotherapy is typically linked to the length of time of the treatment program, according to AAAAL, and can prevent the development of new allergies. Allergy season is miserable, but allergy sufferers can take steps to combat Mother Nature’s onslaught. “Do what you can with your environment,” Barkley said. “Know that the season will pass, but stay as healthy as you can. Basic health things, to keep you healthy

For more Features stories, please visit www.thecrcconnection.com

Friends with benefits: Good or bad idea? By Rachel Norris & Scott Redmond

She Said:

I am proud to say that I am breaking the stereotype that women can’t have emotion-free sex. No, I’m not shallow and no, I don’t have sex with all of my guy friends. However, from past experience, I have found that the whole “friends with benefits” thing is actually very fun and enjoyable, if you have the right mind-set that is. If you catch feelings easily, then sleeping with a friend is not for you. Having a friendship with sexual benefits is a situation for somebody who is not looking for commitment. Me and my male friend are still very much friends today, even though we stopped with the whole benefits part of our friendship. Both of us knew we weren’t looking for a relationship, and that was okay with us. There was never any point of real love or intimacy between us, just the occasional hook-up to satisfy our raging hormones. Because, let’s face it, everybody has sexual needs. It’s easy to just call up your friend and ask him or her to come over and “hang out.” Taking a friendship to the bedroom can also lead you to have more confidence because you’re more willing to try new things, as you are very comfortable with each other. So, for the people who say that being friends with benefits will in the long-run ruin a friendship, that’s because either you or your friend were not psychologically prepared for that type of a friendship.

He Said:

It was only a matter of time that a column titled No Strings Attached got to the topic that that title implies: friends with benefits. No this isn’t that romantic comedy called “Friends with Benefis” with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake from a few years ago. Friends with benefits seems like a harmless thing to broach, but it’s a really bad idea. Sure you get to fool around with someone and don’t have to worry about all that relationship stuff like dates, anniversaries and all the relationship centered talk. Sounds like a dream come true right? Wrong. Emotional attachments are bound to happen in some way. They always do. If you take anything from the aforementioned Kunis and Timberlake romcom, or the similar movie titled “No Strings Attached” with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, it should be that, in the end, feelings of some kind will erupt and bring the so called consequence-free fun to an end. Human beings are emotional creatures. There are the rare few who won’t get attached and can maybe do such an agreement with ease. More power to them. Why put yourself through the possibility of emotional turmoil and confusion? Eventually, if you’re not exclusive, someone is going to find a date or a partner, while the other is left high and dry. While the two of you might have agreed to be fine with that, reality is far harsher than what we can imagine at times. Check out a dating website or pull up some internet porn. In the end, you’ll be better off for it.

Do you think friends can have beneﬁts? Let us know your thoughts at www. thecrcconnection.com.

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PAGE 9

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Bring four-year degrees to community colleges From an impressive architecture program housed in the Winn Center, which a former student helped design, and a cutting edge photography program that includes an associate degree and multiple certificate programs, CRC is one of the premiere colleges that should add a new program to its already large list of impressive offerings. Cosumnes prides itself on having students who can produce professional level work, and being able to send students into the workforce with even higher degrees should become the next selling point for the campus. A senate bill currently on the table is looking to add programs to community colleges that will bring four-year degrees to what are traditionally two-year schools. Senate Bill 850 will expand the current law that requires community colleges to offer courses through only the second year of college, according to the California Legislative Information website. The bill will allow the California Community Colleges Chancellor to start an eight-year pilot program at one campus per district that would offer bachelor’s degrees, according to the California Legislative Information website. As it stands, 21 other states offer four-year degrees in their community college systems. Northwestern Michigan College became the first progressive community college in its state to offer a bachelor’s degree, according to a 2013 NMC news release. The Bachelor of Science degree in maritime technology brought a lot of benefits to the college and surrounding areas. “Our estimate is that this degree path will save cadets in the neighborhood of $10,000 and allow some to go to work a semester earlier,” said MNC President Timothy J. Nelson in the news release. “Given current starting rates for our maritime graduates that could mean as much as $30,000 in extra earnings.” Having a stellar example of what could be possible for students, and with so many states participating in similar programs, it should be no surprise that California would want to be a part of the future of education. According to the California Legislative Information website, “California needs to produce one million more baccalaureate degrees than the state currently does to remain economically competitive in the coming decades.” If California students can follow a path to a degree at the community college level, and the example given by the NMC president holds true, then more students would be encouraged to strive not only for higher education, but for four-year degrees, as well. The unemployment rate in 2013 for people with associates degrees was 5.4 percent, and the figure drops to 4 percent with a bachelor’s degree; the median weekly earning for those with associate’s degrees is $777 while obtaining a bachelor’s degree brings that figure up to $1,108, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. With facts like these, not only should the bill have full support of the public, but the Los Rios Community College District should be pushing for a pilot program to be opened in the district. Cosumnes River College could benefit greatly, as it already boasts an impressive set of programs for students. Agree? Disagree? Let us know at connection.crc@gmail.com or thecrcconnection.com

HAWK

TALK

Should the U.S. change the legal drinking age?

Kyle Ayubi 19, Music

Mandy Vo 18, undeclared

“Personally, I think it’s fine at 21. A lot of kids under 21, and even in their mid 20s, they’re really reckless, they get drinking and go partying, which is all good and fine, but then they make stupid decisions.”

“I think it should be kept where it is. If anything, maybe even bumped up more, so 21 or higher, no less than that. I feel that some people aren’t educated as much as they should be about alcohol.”

Pearla Lam 18, Business

Miguel Lemus MESA coordinator

“I believe that there basically is no age for drinking in my opinion, it all depends on maturity. And a lot of the times, it’s the adults instead of the teenagers. But, probably 18, because if you’re 18, you can go off to the military and put your life in danger.”

“I think it should be kept where it’s at right now, 21 is an age where people can actually think a little bit more about what they’re doing. So, I think it should be where it is.”

Check out staff writer Heather Kemp’s take on the issue at thecrcconnection.com Scan this QR Code with your smart phone to view the Hawk Talk video.

Editor in Chief: Scott Redmond Features Editor: Rachel Norris News Editor: Scott Redmond Online Editor: Zach Hannigan Opinion Editor: Zach Hannigan Sports Editor: Nick Valenzuela Visuals Editor: Stephan Starnes Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati Staff: Kaley Andrews, Bobby Bishop, Jelina Cortero, Kayla Gangl, Stacey Marie Harris, Damon Hickman, Shafa Ilyas, Heather Kemp, Emiliano Martin, Greg Prouty

Compiled by: Jelina Cortero & Damon Hickman

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production class. 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. Letters to the Editor must be typed, signed and include the first and last name of the author and a phone number. They must be 200 words or less and may be edited for length, clarity or taste.

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April 10, 2014

>>Sports

The Season in a Second

Who is Johnny Football? Zach Hannigan zhannigan.connect@gmail.com He’s too hot headed, he has durability issues, he’s too small and he doesn’t fit the mold. Those are all reasons that experts and analysts have come up with to tell NFL teams to stay away from Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel or Johnny “Football” as he is affectionately known. The experts have it right when they say Manziel doesn’t fit the mold. He’s a shade under 6 feet and he weighs 207 pounds. Obviously, a little small compared to today’s NFL quarterback. But Manziel is so much more than his size, he is the ultimate play-extending, gun-slinging, make-it-up-as-you-go dual-threat quarterback we’ve seen since Steve Young. The truth is, no one knows what to make of Manziel. However, we do know that he will not be mediocre. It is either boom or bust for a player with his style. It is that very reason that makes him so intriguing at the top of the first round of the May draft for NFL franchises. While there is a very real potential that one of the teams like the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders, to name a few, could strike out on Manziel, there is an equal chance they hit a home run. That is why Manziel will go in the top 10 and it is the same reason he has the chance to be one of the all-time greats. Yes, he may rub people the wrong way, especially after his alleged payed autograph signing got him into a little trouble. But in typical Manziel fashion, he shrugged it off in a way that split his supporters and detractors even more. After throwing a touchdown pass, Manziel unveiled his “show me the money” signal. Yes, it was a bit over the top, but that’s what makes him great. It’s refreshing to see an athlete who isn’t robotic like most we see and hear from today. He isn’t afraid to show how he feels, and he is the ultimate competitor. He is the definition of a bull dog. Following Manziel’s pro day, which featured a record crowd and former president and first lady George H.W. and Barbara Bush, Minnesota Vikings’ coach Mike Zimmer said he was unimpressed and call the pro day a “sideshow.” Those are strong words from a coach who is on a team that could draft Manziel, not to mention the franchise that had the quarterback that Manziel is most often compared to in Fran Tarkenton. Oh, and by the way Tarkenton, a hall of famer, called Manziel a “quarterback savant” and said Manziel most closely plays like him. Maybe Zimmer is just afraid. Love him or hate him, Manziel has a spot in the NFL. Defensive coordinator’s fear him, offensive coordinators aren’t quite sure what to make of him and fans are just trying to figure out what this guy has. I’ll tell you what he has: a lot of potential and the chops to back it up.

“We have to work on the fundamentals playing catch, throwing strikes and putting the ball in play.” —Tony Bloomfield

“It is a long season. [The team] gets along well. Team dynamic is a big part. They want to come and they want to play.”

Head baseball coach

—Kristy Schroeder Head softball coach

Men’s tennis struggles through new faces and time constraints Nick Valenzuela nvalenzuela.connect@gmail.com Every team in every sport will see good seasons and bad seasons. They will play strong games and weak games. They will find both glory and defeat. For Cosumnes River College’s men’s tennis team, the 2014 season proved to be a rough season on the surface. However, despite finishing the season with a 2-8 record, not all involved with the team saw it as a failure. “From an outside looking in you would look at the total record and say that it was a tough season,” said Nicholas Podesta, head men’s tennis coach. “But the reality is, if you look at the situation at the beginning of the year to where we were at the end of the year, I thought it was incredibly productive, I thought it was a very good season.” The Hawks saw a team entirely composed of fresh faces, some of which were completely new to competitive sports. “It was pretty tough because I got the job so late, I got the position so late that I didn’t really have time to even recruit a roster,” Podesta said. “We didn’t bring any

players back from last year, we were in a position where we were literally trying to almost field a roster on the spot.” Podesta said he thought the season was productive in terms of improvement and using available resources. “We didn’t get a chance to recruit any players or hold try outs, we just kind of took all of our players as volunteers,” said freshman tennis player Kevin Yu. “Basically anyone who came to play could.” Yu agreed with Podesta, saying he thought Podesta did well with the little time he was given. “Our overall conference record was 2-8, but considering the fact that our coach didn’t have a lot of time on his hands, we still did pretty good,” Yu said. “Our coach started late and did what he could do for our team.” Despite the losses, the Hawks found themselves able to overcome a Big 8 rival in both a home and away game. “The two matches we won were against Sac City, which were tough games,” said Brian Leung, freshman tennis player. Leung, who has been playing tennis for four years, will return to the team next

season. As for the rest of next season’s team, Podesta has a very positive outlook. “We’ll be healthier. The thing was, with quite a few of the players on the team, they were relatively new to the sport,” Podesta said. “Just in terms of conditioning and stuff like that they just didn’t have it. They could be competitive, but they could lose their legs later on in the match because they didn’t have the ability to cover a whole lot of ground and they were more susceptible to injury because they hadn’t been exposed to competitive athletics before.” Podesta also said next season’s team is already showing promise in experienced new faces. “This upcoming year will be my first actual recruiting class and we’re going to have an influx of new talent,” Podesta said. “We’ve already had a couple of commitments from some area players that are very, very good. They’re going to come in and right away make us better. “We’re just going to have a better talent pool.”

Stacey Harris and Emiliano Martin contributed to this story.

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THECRCCONNECTION.COM

HAWK

TALK s t r Spo

Should college football players be paid as employees of their universities?

Sunshine Faiad 19, biology “There’s a lot of people who actually follow college football, I definitely think that they should be getting some kind of compensation.”

Bryan Lindsley 21, biochemistry “That’s a very risky deal and it’s going to take a lot of organization.”

Angelo Garon 19, computer science “They shouldn’t get paid ... it would be unfair for other college students not getting paid.”

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April 10, 2014