The Connection Vol 61 Issue 6

CRC’s newest problem Many campus-related emergencies are adderall related, college nurse Michelle Barkley said.

News | Page 6

Volume 61, Issue 6

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May 9, 2013

COLLEGE TUITION

New bill could increase fees for certain classes

By Stephan Starnes sstarnes.connect@gmail Last year, Santa Monica College tried to implement a two-tiered system of class offerings to students, where students would be given priority enrollment if they could pay $180 per unit for required classes.

This year, while still in its early stages,

,

according to The Modesto Bee. At Cosumnes River College, the classes would be offered at the same rates as non-residents, which is at $236 per unit, according to college president Deborah Travis.

“The purpose is to partially restore access to classes at the community college system,” Williams said in an interview via

“We have consistently opposed legislation that would lead to charging higher fees to certain students.”

—Dr. Brian King | Los Rios Chancellor

Source: California Community Colleges

assembly member Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara) introduced Assembly Bill 955, which will legalize intersession extension courses, which are offered outside of normal course offerings, according to the bill’s text.

The bill made it through the higher education committee on April 9, as well as the Appropriations committee on May 1,

phone. “Open access does not exist when the community college turns away hundreds of thousands of people from even registering from one class.”

Williams said that his bill, in combination with Proposition 30 and “every year pushing for a little bit more from the state budget,” has the possibility of restoring AB 955 | Page 6

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

CAMPUS PULSE

Anthropology department gains interest at CRC Short-handed Through their work with the college and students, the Anthropology department is growing in popularity

By Rachel Norris rnorris.connect@gmail Attendance has shown that anthropology is a popular class to take for fulfilling general education requirements. However, there is a lot more to Cosumnes River College’s anthropology department alongside the charming chimps and lethargic apes.

CRC’s anthropology department has worked exceptionally hard this semester

and many past semesters to make the educational experience one of a kind for students. Anthropology professors and students have attended multiple conferences, offered the Cosumnes River Archaeological Working Lab, coordinated Women’s History Month and participated with the Sacramento Zoo. “I think there are a lot of people who are unfamiliar with anthropology and what it is,” said anthropology professor Shannon Mills. “And to those people, we say to just come check it out because there’s so much more to it than people really understand.”

The anthropology department took on a big task in coordinating Women’s History Month in March. Between scheduling events and encouraging people to attend, the department’s full-time and part-time

Stephan Starnes | The Connection

Skull casts of the early Homo genus are used in the anthropology lab classes to help students see traits on the skull that make each species different.

members stayed dedicated throughout the month-long event.

“We really spearheaded the whole thing. We established a committee and worked to get everybody involved,” said anthropology professor Amanda Paskey.

“I thought it turned out pretty amazing.

We took on more than we could probably handle, yet we still pulled it off.”

Marcos Martinez, a 21-year-old anthropology major, found out he wanted to major in anthropology when he took his first archaeology course.

“We have a really great club,” Martinez said. “There’s so many activities, we’re always raising money and doing on-campus events. It’s so nice to have such a great group of people who like the same thing that you do.”

Another thing that the anthropology department has been devoting time to is the CRAWL lab. These are independent studies that allow students interested in archaeology to work on post gold rush artifacts from a historic site in Old Sacramento.

“We’re taking these collection of artifacts and recataloging them,” Martinez said. “We’ve had a few events already where we have done poster days and such for the lab. Even if you don’t care about the subject go and take a class anyways. I promise you will learn something new.”

There are multiple anthropology conferences that CRC students and professors attend together.

“We are very well represented at these conferences,” said anthropology professor Priscilla Loforte said. “Even from our students.”

The next anthropology conference they will be attending is going to be the American Anthropological Association conference this upcoming November in Anthro | Page 7

Women’s tennis wraps up season on high note

By Cody Durham cdurham.connect@gmail

As another spring semester comes to an end, so does another Hawks’ women’s tennis season.

Although this season saw the Hawks make it to the state tournament for only the second time in school history, it didn’t come without some hurdles.

Injuries at the beginning of the season drastically altered the >> Did you way the Hawks know? would have to play for the rest This is the second of the season. time members “In the beof the women’s ginning of the tennis team have season, we were made the state kind of wortournament. ried about even having a season with just four girls,” said women’s head coach Suzanne Stebbins. “You immediately have to forfeit five and six doubles and three singles.”

This meant that every single time the Hawks played, they were down. Essentially, the opponent only had to win two matches, where as the Hawks needed to win five to claim victory.

“That stunk every single match Tennis | Page 12

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OPINION

MAY 9, 2013

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The Connection Editor in Chief Zach Hannigan News Editor Josh Slowiczek Features Editor Britni Alford Sports Editor Cody Durham Opinion Editor Brittany Patrick Online Editor Scott Redmond Photo Editor Britni Alford Multimedia Editor Mary Garcia Copy Editors Kevin Frodahl Stephan Starnes Faculty Adviser Rubina Gulati Editorial Assistants Ben Brown Emily Collins Rachel Norris Sean Thomas Elizabeth Witt Mozes Zarate

Staff Katana Brown Latisha Gibson Oswaldo Guzman Victor Macias Courtney Rich Nick Valenzuela The Connection is an awardwinning newspaper published biweekly by the Journalism 400 newspaper production class.

Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District. The Connection is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC).

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.

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

EDITORIAL

Assemblyman looks to increase fees in misguided attempt to restore courses A bill has been proposed in the California Assembly that would raise the costs of classes for community college general education courses, including English, math and history.

AB 955, written by Assemblyman Das Williams (D-Santa Barbara), proposes the creation of an extension program that would allow these general courses to be offered at $236 per unit instead of $46 per unit.

The idea is that it would help to provide an opportunity to still take general education courses if the cheaper class fills up too quickly before another student can register for that class.

This extension program would not benefit those who rely on financial aid and would benefit those who can pay for the class on their own.

This demonstrates the idea that those who can afford their education will always be favored over those who are unable to pay up to $708 for a three-unit-class they need to graduate.

Proposition 30, which was passed in last year’s election, is supposed to help fund community colleges by raising sales tax a quarter of a penny and raise income taxes for the wealthy.

However the funds for Prop 30 do not help colleges until the 2013-2014 school year.

The California Government has not AT A GLANCE allowed for Prop 30 to take into full efThe Issue: fect. This bill is beAB 955 proposes a ing pushed in order two-tier payment to try and regulate system for general what will happen education classes. after the 2013-2014 school year.

Our Stance: Proposition 30 The bill will be has the potential to pointless when bring back classes Proposition 30 goes that have been cut into effect and is unin the past and to fair for students who possibly bring back cannot afford the big more teachers to increase. teach those classes.

With the proAgree? Disagree? posed bill, who send us your would teach these thoughts at classes? connection.crc@ According to gmail.com an interview with Das Williams, these classes would not be offered when a more af-

fordable class is offered during a semester and would be offered during the breaks, which takes much needed breaks away from professors.

This is not a new idea. Santa Monica College tried to pass a bill very similar to this in spring 2012.

Not only did the student protests affect the vote, but it was also found that it was a violation of educational codes.

By implementing two different fees, it automatically creates a hierarchy among students.

Many community college students cannot afford to take a class that costs them $708 and have no financial aid.

The vast majority of college students rely on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Board of Governors waiver and Cal Grant to help pay for their classes that currently cost about $138 a class.

Williams is leading the way and as of May 1, 13 out of the 17 representatives of the Assembly for Higher Education support the passage of this bill.

If this bill passes, you can thank the Assembly for making your college career even harder.

Do lesbians fulfill society’s fantasies?

By Courtney Rich crich.connect@gmail Homosexuality is rooted in a history of fighting for equality, from the riots of Stonewall to the current dispute for the right to marry. Lesbian women and gay men are fighting for the same rights, and want to be treated with equality from others.

But is one sexuality more accepted than the other? Is it easier for lesbians to gain acceptance than gay men? The two are working towards the same cause, so it stands to reason that their plight would be equal.

Saying that gay men and lesbians are treated equally by society shows a gross oversimplification of the issue, and a lack of understanding of the fight for equality.

As a general rule, women who only have feelings for other women are more understood by other individuals. Whereas being a homosexual male carries a heavier stigma. This difference is due in part to a male dominated society.

Despite 51 percent of the population being female, most of the power and societal norms are dictated by men. The men in our society carry the power to change how something is viewed. As a result, most of the attitudes surrounding homosexuality are determined by heterosexual males. Thus, lesbianism carries

less of a threat.

Serving as the wet dream for heterosexual males, two girls kissing in public is seen as a bonus, something to brighten the day. While the same behavior from two gay men results in disgust, and even getting kicked out of some locations. This is because two men kissing is not a fantasy for most heterosexual males; it is not an object of sexual gratification for them.

Another cause of the differences is the attitudes around companionship. It is deemed acceptable and is often portrayed as typical for two women to be best friends. There is an understanding in their friendship, and it is not difficult to believe that they would take the next step and become lovers. Even within their friendship, it is okay for them to show signs of affection and even kiss each other without repercussions.

However, within most friendships between males, affection is not a factor. It is often seen as a feminine trait, and thought of as crossing the line. To take that a step further, and find love and compassion in another man, is repulsive. It threatens the masculinity of other males, and is a source of weakness.

It is not just men who hold this sentiment.

There are many women who scorn men for finding friendship in one another. It is seen as weird, or makes them needy.

This line of thinking leads to some people

thinking that NBA player Jason Collins is not only a lesser individual because he is gay, but that he is now a weaker man or less of a man because of his sexual orientation. When in fact he is a strong and brave individual for coming out when he is playing in a league made up almost entirely of heterosexual males.

While some may say that lesbians being more highly accepted is a good thing, existing purely for the sexual enjoyment of others is entirely counter productive. Just because it is easier for people define lesbianism “Serving as the to over gay men, does wet dream for not mean that gay men deserve to be treated heterosexual without respect and males, two girls understanding.

The fight for kissing in public equality for people is seen as a based on their sexuality has come a long bonus, ways, but it still has something to more to go. One day, the majority of people brighten the will see both lesbianday.” ism and gay men as the same, not because they are having sex the way that someone else wants them to, but because they are people whose lives should not be judged for who they love.

Communities defend rapists and slander victims

By Kevin Frodahl kfrodahl.connect @gmail Sports are an important part of American culture, but the way Americans embrace sports and athletes is in terrible need of revision.

Over the last few years, public attention has been drawn again and again to incidences of horrific sexual misconduct on the part of both athletes and faculty members. While the victims, towns and locations vary significantly from case to case, one thing re-

mains the same: in almost every incident, the communities involved rallied around the sexual predators.

Let’s have a recap for those that may be coming in late. In November of 2011, Jerry Sandusky, an assistant coach at Pennsylvania State University, was accused of more than 52 sex crimes against children. Despite overwhelming evidence that not only proved that Sandusky was guilty, but also that faculty such as head coach Joe Paterno knew about the sexual misconduct and did nothing to stop it, the Penn State community and fans came out in droves to support the college football program and

especially the venerable Paterno.

Even celebrity Ashton Kutcher took to Twitter to defend Paterno.

“How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste,” tweeted Kutcher. Kutcher would go on to retract his statement as more information surrounding the case came to light, but the damage was already done.

Fast forward to February of this year, where two different rape cases involving high school football players have received an even more horrifying response. In Connecticut, Torrington High School football players Edgar Gonzalez

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and Joan Toribio, both 18, were arrested for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, according to the New York Times.

Almost immediately, social media was flooded with Torrington community members berating the victim of the sexual assault.

“Even if it was all his fault, what’s a 13-year-old girl doing hanging around with 18-year-old guys,” one user tweeted.

“I wanna know why there’s no punishment for young hoes,” another tweeted.

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OPINION

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MAY 9, 2013

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Embracing obesity at your doorstep Hawk Talk

By Elizabeth Witt ewitt.connect@gmail Ever since Morgan Spurlock’s film “Supersize Me” was released in 2004, the knowledge about low quality food and poor nutrition in the McDonald’s menu has been hammered into the brains of the U.S. population.

Films such as “Fast Food Nation,” “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” and “Food Inc.” have all introduced Americans to the notion that as a nation, we are fat.

Newsflash everybody: It’s true.

And McDonald’s isn’t helping one bit, especially since they’ve discussed mobilizing their fast food menu.

Mickey D’s has already begun to test fast food delivery overseas and in some U.S. cities, and Burger King delivers to customers in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and San Francisco.

McDonald’s president and CEO Don Thompson said in a CNBC interview that he sees a lot of potential for delivering the fast food, especially in cities that don’t have drive-thru options.

The fast food chain has already received heat in the past about their unhealthy menu, with its high cholesterol and greasy options. If they think that delivering food to people is a good idea, they’re wrong.

Yes, there are some people who

have children to feed and simply can’t take them to Mickey D’s whenever they feel like it. It might be a convenience for some parents.

But who would want to make a greasy, unhealthy, poor excuse for a meal more convenient?

Along with mobilizing, Thompson has also mentioned that a rewards system might be established for frequent eaters, possibly similar to Starbucks’ “My Starbucks Rewards” system, where they earn points for free drinks, refills and drinks on their birthdays.

I imagine a McDonald’s rewards system going something like this: “Congratulations on your successful triple bypass surgery! As soon as you’ve fully recovered and are ready to clog up those arteries again, we have a free Angus Bacon & Cheese Burger waiting for you at your favorite McDonald’s location!”

Quite frankly, it’s an awful idea.

Rewarding people for constantly making poor meal decisions is not the way to help America slim down and shape up.

In the last decade, McDonald’s has claimed that they are shifting towards healthier food choices for those who dine at their restaurant.

However, with most breakfast meals reaching or passing 1,000 calories in a 13-15 ounce serving, I fail to see how they’re making options healthier.

I don’t count calories, and it’s not

the only nutritional component in their meals, but it is a good indicator of nutritional value.

One Big Breakfast with hotcakes, egg whites and a large biscuit has 2290 milligrams of sodium, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 grams of fat, 115 grams of carbohydrates and only 7 grams of protein.

Some people say that McDonald’s breakfast is healthier than their other menu items, but after looking at their nutrition facts, it appears as though their breakfasts are the unhealthiest options on the menu.

In his documentary, Spurlock took on the challenge of eating McDonald’s for every meal of every day, including snacks, for 30 days.

His results were shocking. Spurlock gained 25 pounds, suffered liver dysfunction and had depression after the 30 days had ended, all because of the junk food he was consuming.

It took Spurlock’s body 14 months to recover from this attempt to reveal how awful McDonald’s really is for your health.

We can’t blame McDonald’s for obesity here in the states, but we can blame them for encouraging unhealthy eating habits, which is one of the biggest problems we face.

Rewarding unhealthy eating, creating a more convenient, lazier way to get fast food and simply providing food with poor nutritional value isn’t going to help us get healthy anytime soon.

“What would be your dream summer vacation?”

“I would like to go to an isolated beach or something. Just read, nothing to do, lazy hours, get up when I want to, hang out, go to the beach, a bunch of nothing. My brain’s fried from this semester. And hang out with my favorite family, my grandchildren and my children and do the summer holidays.“

Genelle Sires, 63 Human Services

“Going to San Diego and drinking. I’m turning 21 this summer, it makes sense! So yes, drinking, and being on the beach, and roasting and turning tan. That would be great. ” Kaila Prestridge, 20 English

“To go to the Bahamas and dance, be on the beach and swim with the dolphins.”

Melinda Williams, 19 Undeclared

Educators’ actions face repercussions

By Scott Redmond sredmond.connect @gmail A professor from Florida Atlantic University was placed on administrative leave on the very same day that a high school teacher from South Carolina finally resigned from a position the district wanted to fire him from.

The university professor asked students in class to stomp on the word “Jesus” while the high school teacher stomped on the American flag three times in one day for different classes, to teach the idea that it was just a symbolic piece of cloth.

At first glance, many would assume these are issues of freedom of speech, the time tested right given to citizens by the Constitution. That may be the case, but that is not the argument here.

Arguing over the idea of such freedoms is an argument as old as the Constitution and there are few new points.

There is a greater argument that calls for an idea that seems to be

forgotten in this day and age: your speech might be free but there are always consequences.

Whether they had the right to express whatever idea they were trying to express with their actions is irrelevant. They had that right, but for every action there are reactions.

In a digital age that encourages people to say anything that pops into their minds at any moment, the idea of accountability has slipped away.

An old adage about the freedom of speech speaks about not yelling fire in a crowded theater. Clearly the reason for this is that there are consequences for yelling such a thing. It might be your right to say it, but the consequences that come from it could be dangerous.

While they didn’t deserve to lose their jobs, they should have thought of the backlash of their stunts. When one rocks the boat, they face the chance of it tipping over.

Their actions brought a backlash that involved death threats and accusations brought down upon the institutions they worked for. In the case of the Florida professor, racially moti-

vated slurs were also levied.

Death threats, racial slurs and hurling insults at the schools they worked for or the men themselves is deplorable. Yet in the age that we live in, rational people know that once something that is seen as unsavory in the eyes of the public gets out, the flood of anger begins.

“Be careful what you say and do” is advice that needs to be followed in all walks of life. There are actions that right away are known to cause controversy.

Standing up for what one feels is right has been beneficial to society in the long run, as many that stood up over time have brought great change to the world.

One thing that they all had in common was that they were prepared for the consequences that came from those actions. That has been forgotten this time.

Speak and act freely, but remember there are always consequences, whether positive or negative, that will ensue.

For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction.

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“I would go travel in Europe. Greece, France, somewhere like that. And probably just sit down and watch movies all day and read. Live that bum life I guess.“ Asma Negash, 23 Film Studies

Tymothye James, 20 Kinesiology

“It would probably be a whole trip through California. From the top going all the way through to see all of my great state. Not just to stop through, but actually go and spend a couple days. And start at the top by Mount Shasta and go all the way even through Death Valley.”

Check out the full video and other Hawk Talk content on our website.

Compiled by Nick Valenzuela and Katana Brown Photos by Oswaldo Guzman

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MAY 9, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

Letters from the

Bruceville Jail

By Mozes Zarate mzarate.connect@gmail Behind the barricades of concrete and barbed wire circling the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Facility on Bruceville Rd., Danny Ray Williams is on his sabbatical.

A former Cosumnes River College student, the 45-year-old spends his time in lock-up improving his vocabulary through books like “Verbal Advantage” and learning about the African American experience in Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man.” On his breaks from literature, he digs into his math textbooks.

“It is imperative that I stay in college and get as much knowledge that I can in order to have a decent shot at life,” Williams wrote in a letter to communication studies professor Christine Wagner, intending to return to the classroom to finish his pursuit of degree when his time has been served.

Wagner, who saw Williams as a student of “hope and promise” when he attended her introduction to public speaking course in the fall 2012 semester, corresponds with him regularly through letters, and when is she able, mails him books and learning materials.

“We could do more to serve our students if we knew them better,” Wagner said.

Williams said that before he decided to attend college, “struggle” was a word that encompassed his development. He grew up in Oakland, an environment that provided more dangers than opportunities to progress. Alcohol consumption became an overwhelming coping mechanism for many years as Williams tried to hold a job with minimal qualifications.

“I began to accept that I would die as an alcoholic,” Williams said. “But I didn’t want to be remembered that way. Everything I had tried didn’t work out, and so I decided that that I would have a better chance at life If I had an education.”

He moved to Sacramento and enrolled

in a carpentry pre-apprenticeship at CRC for the fall 2011 semester. There he was mentored by lead faculty of construction Ryan Connally, who said Williams thrived in all of his courses.

By summer 2012, Williams earned both available scholarships awarded to building trade students at CRC, one from the Building Industry Association of Northern California Women’s Council and the other endowed by the American Building Supply Foundation.

“I think he kind of used the structure of school to give structure to his life,” Connally said. “A lot of other students just come here to be here sometimes “You could tell and they put forth minimum efhe was someone the fort. He was very of experience, disciplined. I wish I could package someone who and give it to had a couple of that everyone, but I rough patches in can’t.” rehis life that were ferredWagner to Williams tougher than as someone who just awoken giving a speech.” had from a coma when describing his in- Christine Wagner satiable appreciaProfessor of tion for learning Communication and fresh perspecStudies tive of the academic landscape.

Wagner also remembers Williams always meeting her after class to discuss the material post-lecture and visiting her office often for clarification.

“I guess I just like teaching that kind of student, where they’re in the moment and they just want to learn,” Wagner said.

That year, Williams claimed to only have “picked up the bottle twice.” But, an outstanding warrant for a DUI a year prior

Mary Garcia | The Connection

would have law enforcement searching for him at home and on campus.

“I think our whole society gambles on the edge of the brink with alcohol,” Connally said. “It’s such an undeniable part of our social fabric. I’d warn people to be aware of that underbelly that seems to be so popular in our culture. It can have long lasting impacts on people who’ve spent years trying to get their life together.”

After a semester of perfect attendance, Williams missed class on the day his final speech was scheduled to be presented. Unable to enroll into courses for Spring 2013, Connally and Wagner advised that he turn himself in. On January 23, Williams checked into the Sacramento County Jail to serve his sentence.

“Although it could be seen as a setback that he had to go, in his mind it was a success that he chose it, it didn’t choose him,” Connally said. “Now that he’s there, with foresight and planning, and with all of his accolades that he’d built, it’s got to seem like the light at the end of tunnel must be close.”

Wagner allowed him to make up his final speech in the visiting quarters of the county jail. Speaking through the telephone behind the glass, he delivered a speech re-

flecting on his life up to the arrest.

“You could just tell he was someone of experience,” Wagner said. “Someone who had a couple of rough patches in his life that were tougher than giving a speech.”

Williams was recently transferred from the Sacramento County Jail to Rio Cosumnes. On May 14, he will meet with a judge who will decide whether or not he will be granted admission into a residential treatment program for alcoholism in the Bay Area. His defense consists of an outstanding academic performance, several accolades, and the support of his professors.

“He’s a perfect example of the phrase ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’,” Connally said . “You can look at him and make any kind of assumptions you want, when in reality he was a very mature, level headed, and respectful leader among his peers.”

In a letter to professor Wagner, Williams said he intends to return to the classroom to finish his pursuit of a degree when his sentence has been served.

“I’m a strong believer that if I stay in college my life will get better,” Williams wrote.

Senate bill moves to outsource general education

By Scott Redmond sredmond.connect@gmail California Community College students are no strangers to new propositions and bills aimed at budgetary issues faced by the public schools and state overall, but a recently proposed senate bill might not be what most expect.

Senate Bill 520, authored by Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), is a measure to increase access to California college and university classes, helping hundreds of thousands of students avoid delays in completing their degree courses, according to a press release from Steinberg’s office on March 13 .

“The California Master Plan for Higher Education promised open access to all, yet thousands of students are struggling to complete their degrees and going deeper in college debt because there simply aren’t enough classroom seats available in the courses they need,” Steinberg said in the press release.

28-year-old animal science major Issac Vargas thought it could be a good idea if the bill was passed, but that there could be issues if the courses did not match up between campuses.

“I mean I guess it sounds cool,” Vargas said. “I mean as long as you’re getting some education, it counts as something. Better than not doing anything at all.”

Rhys Williams, Senator Steinberg’s

spokesman, said that the supply of classes is a main concern.

“Obviously when we’re talking about the practical effects that Senator Steinberg is concerned about it’s with the supply not meeting demand on students being able to get into classrooms,” Williams said. “Students are not graduating on time and their building up tens of thousands of dollars in debt unnecessarily simply because of an access issue.”

With 85 percent of community colleges reporting waits lists, Williams said that it equates to 7,000 students per community college on a wait list.

Critics of the bill, such as T. Guy Masters and Kit Pogliano of the University of California San Diego Academic Senate who wrote an open letter to the Academic Senates of the colleges and universities of California about the bill, said that it raises concerns about the privatization of public state higher education through allowing online courses from for profit unaccredited schools.

Masters and Pogliano also stated in their open letter that limits on student access to the courses the bill targets are in large part the result of significant reductions in public state higher education funding, especially over the last six years.

Unaccredited classes are not what the bill is designed for and the measure would be faculty driven as no classes would be accepted without faculty and academic senate

acceptance, Williams said.

Williams said that they are seeking to assess, develop and teach accredited classes to meet a state standard.

Not all see a need for the bill after recent developments of the 2012 election cycle when Californians voted for Proposition 30 which raises taxes on the wealthiest of taxpayers to fund state colleges.

“It’s true that we have had to reduce offerings the past few years due to lack of funding and many of our students have had trouble getting into general education courses,” said Cosumnes River College President Deborah Travis via email. “But with the November passage of Proposition 30, we will gradually, over time, restore access and have the opportunity to offer additional sections, whether in person or online.”

Travis said that Steinberg’s bill is getting a lot of attention from the education community and that there is much discussion about what it would mean for higher education but until the details of the bill become clear it is difficult to say how it could impact CRC. “We need to tear down these barriers. We want to lead the nation in melding technology with our great institutions of higher learning,” Steinberg said in the press release. “No college student in California should be denied the right to move through their education because they couldn’t get a seat for the course they needed.”

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7,000

STUDENTS

On average are waitlisted for each of California’s 112 Community Colleges.

16% 60% 85%

Of CSU students graduate with a degree within their first four years.

Of UC students graduate with a degree within their first four years.

Of community colleges in California reported courses with wait lists for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Source: Senate Bill 520 fact sheet

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Young motherhood provides its own challenges

By Emily Collins ecollins.connect@gmail

“ You need to do your best to wait to have kids until you can actually afford it. It’s not really fair to the kid if you can’t support them.” ­­—Caitlin King Agricultural Business major

Being a parent is not the easiest thing to do. Changing diapers, preparing bottles and sleepless nights are just a few of the things that parents face when they have a baby.

Research, including “Counting It Up­— The Public Cost of Teen Childbearing: Key Data,” released in June 2011, has shown that becoming pregnant while in your teens can create additional difficulties for both the parents and the child.

“Childbearing during adolescence negatively affects the parents, their children, and society,” according to the Office of Adolescent Health of the US Department of Health and Human Services website. “Compared with their peers who delay childbearing, teen girls who have babies are less likely to finish high school, more likely to rely on public assistance, more likely to be poor as adults and more likely to have children who have poorer educational, behavioral and health outcomes.”

Most students at Cosumnes River College seemed to agree with HHS, that waiting to get pregnant may be the best thing to do.

“Stay in school, get a job, don’t focus on kids until you’re

established in life,” said Robert Favila, 20, a computer engineering major.

Favila recalled a few people that got pregnant while in high school and it didn’t always end well for them.

“There have been a lot of miscarriages in high school which is heartbreaking to see,” Favila said.

At least one child of a single-parent household agrees that waiting to get pregnant is the best decision to make.

“You need to do your best to wait to have kids until you can actually afford it,” said Caitlin King, 18, an agricultural business major. “It’s not really fair to the kid if you can’t support [them].”

While teen pregnancy may present challenges, it is not impossible to succeed in life if you are a young parent.

“It’s difficult, but I think that if you work hard and persevere you can get through it,” said Kai Graham, 19, a film and media studies major.

“My mom was a single mom at 21, so she was still in college, but she’s doing really well for herself and I turned out okay,” she said.

Graham’s mother graduated college and is now an elementary school principal but hers is not a typical story.

“Teen mom’s have a ridiculously low percentage of completing college,” said James Frazee, a professor of psychology who teaches human sexuality at Cosumnes River College. “That’s a real travesty.”

Frazee believes it is up to parents to educate their children about sex and sexuality but acknowledges that it can be a difficult subject.

“Despite the fact that I talk every day about penises and vulvas, vaginas, pregnancy, chlamydia and whatnot to people, when I am going to be talking to my boys it will still be intensely anxiety provoking,” Frazee said.

While there are many difficulties associated with being a teen parent, there are advantages as well.

Teens can recover quickly from losing a night of sleep, something older parents may not be able to do so well, Frazee said.

While being a young parent can create unique challenges, many argue thata parenting is not an easy thing to do no matter what your age.

“Being a teen parent is not the end of the world,” Frazee said.

“But it certainly does group you into a group of people that are going to have more difficulties in life.”

Weekly engagement for CRC students brings an exchange of culture

By Oswaldo Guzman oguzman.connect@gmail On Wednesday of each week, Cosumnes River College English professor Heather Hutcheson and a few students from her class meet at a local Home Depot in order to help undocumented workers learn English.

In return, the workers teach Hutcheson and her students Spanish. The class time is divided into 30 minutes per language.

“When I was on sabbatical last semester in Mexico I was immersed in speaking Spanish,” Hutcheson said. “When I returned I really wanted to continue learning Spanish and I figured if I was going to continue doing it I might as well find people with whom I can share English and other people who would be willing to come with me.”

On Feb. 6 Hutcheson approached a group of undocumented workers in front of the Home Depot on Florin road and suggested the educational exchange.

“So I came out here one

day and asked if they wanted to have classes and they said yes,” Hutcheson said. “They couldn’t really believe I was going to come back but I did and every time I’ve had a few students with me and we’ve had an opportunity to meet new people and learn a little about another language.”

Daniel Ramirez, a 42-yearold migrant worker said that he likes that the class has helped him be more outgoing and he enjoys helping the students learn Spanish.

“My little son reads to me in English and I help him in mathematics,” Ramirez said.

“I think this is another example of a very dynamic learning environment where we’ve had some very powerful conversations about peoples goals, dreams and lives,” Hutcheson said. “We’ve had conversations where its a little more superficial and not in depth, it varies and I think there’s a lot to learn.”

Annalise Burney, a 24-yearold business administration major, came through word of mouth by professor Hutcheson and ad-

Oswaldo Guzman | The Connection

Students and Spanish-speaking migrant workers gather together on May 1 in front of the Home Depot as part of extra credit for English professor Heather Hutcheson’s ENGWR 302 class. mits to needing a little extra credit. “I’m actually glad that I came out here, it’s really interesting. I feel like I’m having fun instead of doing something for homework.”

At the end of class professor Hutcheson gives the migrant

workers english homework and they give her and her students homework in Spanish.

Gonzalo Rivas, a 70-year-old migrant worker also attending Hutcheson’s outside class shared some wisdom with the group.

“A winner never quit and a quitter never wins,” Rivas said.“If you know where you’re going there is room in the world for you.

If you don’t know where you’re going everywhere you go is going to be full.”

CORRECTION: Katherine McLan was incorrectly quoted in the “Grading the Graders” article last issue (Volume 61, Issue 5). Her original quote was “performance based funding will not change CRC’s interest in student success.”

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MAY 9, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

OBLEM?

WHAT’S THE P

Throug hout the course of the semester, many college students across the state of California are faced with the question of whether or not to use the pharmaceutical drug Adderall as a study aid in times of exams and high workloads.

Prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, Adderall is a pharmaceutical drug containing amphetamine salts, allowing the user to focus intently for an extended period of time. However, some students attempt to acquire the drug illegally through friends, family or Facebook and use it to stay up late completing coursework or studying for an exam the next day.

“In the last month I’ve seen about three students [during appointments] who have admitted to it [un-prescribed use],” said Michelle Barkley, the head nurse at Cosumnes River College. “But coming here towards finals week, I’m going to see a lot more.”

However, the non-prescribed use of ADHD medications is not just confined to periods around mid-terms and finals; it is also the cause of on-campus medical emergencies.

“I’m going into some classrooms because students have been hyperventilating, have passed out, or are having a major anxiety attack,” Barkley said, adding that many of the medical emergencies she handles on campus are Adderall related.

These campus emergencies correlate with results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health which found that “nonmedical use of prescription drugs among youths and young adults in 2010 was the second most prevalent illicit drug use category, with marijuana being the first.”

The increasing presence of ADHD medications on college campuses is part of a growing trend that can be seen nationwide. Since 1991 the number of amphetamine-based prescriptions has risen to over 15 million, according to the 2011 Research Report Series on prescription drugs from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“I don’t think we should really be giving anybody who has a [disorder] amphetamines for an extended period of time,” said James Symes, a professor of chemistry at CRC. Acknowledged as useful for certain medical conditions, it is warned that “when not administered properly, amphetamine can cause serious problems.” This is due to the similarity between amphetamine and methamphetamine, widely known as crystal meth, according to a fact sheet from the website Methamphetamine Treatment.

This is partly a reason why both chemicals fall under the category of stimulants or ‘speed’.

“While amphetamine and methamphetamine are quite similar in many ways, having basically the same effects, it is worth noting that methamphetamine breaks down into amphetamine when it is metabolized,” according to the fact sheet.

Though somewhat different in their chemical make-up, both drugs can prove to be highly addictive and dangerous.

Adderall /Ad•der•all / noun

Produced by Shire Pharmaceuticals 1. Pyschostimulant containing amphetamine salts and dextroamphetamine.

2. Used to treat cases of attention defecit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy 3. A study drug

NH 2

CH 3 Am-

phetamine

NH 2 CH 3

CH 3 Methampetamine

The presence of amphetamines in the body keep dopamine, a natural chemical and neurotransmitter which controls feelings of pleasure and reward, in the system longer. This is often why consumers of amphetamine-based drugs have a difficult time stopping their use, Symes said.

Unfortunately, possible addiction is only one of the negative side-effects of extended use of ADHD medications.

“Whatever heightened affects you had with concentration, it wears on your body.

Your kidneys have to filter it, your liver has to detoxify the medication, and there are different heart diseases you can develop,” said Barkley. “It’s a long list.”

A 20-year-old television production major, Drahcir Ballesteros, is aware of the use of Adderall as a “study aid”, but would

not use the drug himself.

“I wouldn’t say that it’s definitely bad,” he said. “But it’s something that they [CRC students] should be aware of. It’s definitely something that is dangerous.”

However, for some students, the benefits of these prescription medications outweigh the negative side-effects.

Having taken it a couple of times in high school, Jared Grubb, a 20-year-old un declared major at CRC, is aware of what the drug is capable of.

“I took it because it made me feel good, I guess,” he said. “It made me do good [in school]. It made me concentrate, but I wouldn’t take it at night because I couldn’t fall asleep.”

Just in time for finals, Grubb has pondered using it again and said that it should be relatively easy to acquire over Facebook.

“I’ve thought about it,” said Grubb.

“Actually, because of my final I’m thinking about taking it.”

Another student at CRC, Devin France, a 24-year-old anthropology major, is diagnosed with ADHD has been prescribed Adderall for “a few years now,” but finds himself on the fence about the drug’s benefits.

“I’ve kind of been going back and forth on it,” said France. “I mean, it does make me do my homework and stay up later, but sometimes it makes me a little too jittery.”

France himself acknowledges the alternative uses of the medication and admitted to using the amphetamine-based drug when needed for finals and essays. He’s also heard of the popularity of the drug on other campuses.

“My cousin goes to Sacramento State University and she tells me that a lot of people over there take it and want it,” he said. “It’s like gold over there. But here, really, I don’t know anyone who wants it.”

As an alternative to using the drug for finals week, Ballesteros suggests a simpler approach.

“Just try to get as much rest as possible.

Don’t stress too much about these classes. I mean, at the end of the day it’s going to be over and you just need to pull through,” he said. “It’s kind of like a storm, and eventually the storm will pass.”

AB 955: Proposed assembly bill will start intersession classes Continued from page 1

classes to “a semblance of what they should be.”

Proposition 30 passed in the 2012 statewide elections and the measure raised sales tax by a quarter of a penny, as well as income taxes on those with annual incomes of more than $250,000. This move by voters spared California community colleges of $338 million in cuts, as well as increasing revenue for the colleges by $210 million, according to the Official Voter Information Guide.

Opponents of AB 955 have cited the proposition as a reason why the bill is unnecessary.

“Proposition 30 is gradually leading us back to where community college funding needs to be and while it may take several years to restore full funding, I don’t think our students should have to pay exorbitant rates in the meantime,” Travis said.

History professor and campus president of the Los Rios College Federation of Teachers Jason Newman called Proposition 30 “the stake in the heart of this thing [AB 955] already, before it is even born.”

The Los Rios Community College Dis-

trict as a whole has taken a stance against the bill.

“We have consistently opposed legislation that would lead to charging higher fees to certain students,” said the LRCCD Chancellor Brian King.

A spokesper- “The passage son for California Community Col- of Proposition leges Chancellor 30 is gradually Brice Harris said to the L.A. Times leading us back that the twoto where comtiered system of education would munity college limit open-access funding needs to to colleges.

King elabo- be.” rated on the idea, saying that a “major concern” is - Deborah Travis that the legislature CRC President would give even less funding to community colleges.

Williams responded to his critics by saying that the current situation is limiting open-access more-so than his bill would.

“I would say that open-access is much more compromised when you turn away 500,000 people than when you offer people the choice of taking a course during winter break for a little bit more money than they would otherwise,” Williams said.

Sylvester Charles, a 19 year old psychology major, said he is unsure if he would be able to pay the course fees, but that he would be willing to try.

“If I really had to take a class, I would take it,” Charles said.

Williams said that the “knee-jerk reaction” against the bill is due to last year’s opposition of Santa Monica’s plan.

“We changed the bill considerably compared to what was introduced last year, and we have stronger protection to protect the basic services that community colleges provide,” Williams said.

Williams said that three changes were made: that extension courses could not be offered when normal courses are being offered, a scholarship program would be set up for students who could not afford the classes and it would be illegal to replace subsidized classes with extension classes.

King said that he was unsure of the timeline of the bill, but said it could take

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effect in 2014-15 if it passed.

“I think we [Los Rios] would be reluctant because we are adding classes for students and if the law were passed, we would at least have a discussion with our faculty about whether they had any interest, which would require changes to our existing faculty contract,” King said.

Newman said that the bill would also create a two-tiered system among professors.

“If they created this intersession, they would jack up prices for the students in the intersession and they would lower the pay they would give to us as instructors,” Newman said. “So because of that fact, it would be part-timers who would take this job, full timers would say ‘no.’”

As a whole, Newman disagrees with the idea of intersession courses, and said professors have a hard enough time teaching during shorter sessions.

“The short nature of the intersession course, four week course, in and of itself is a poor way of teaching a subject,” Newman said. “Four weeks is too short. Six weeks, is a summer session, is short enough. Eight weeks is about right … So you’re paying more and you’re getting less.”

FEATURES

7

MAY 09, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

Henna and metalwork showcase Islamic tradition

By Elizabeth Witt ewitt.connect@gmail Students and staff of all faiths trickled in and out of the Orchard room to admire modern and decades-old traditional Islamic art, some of which dated back to the 1950s and beyond, on April 29.

Professor Anna Trent helped her Islamic Art History students put together an exhibit to showcase the unique characteristics of traditional art that originated in the middle-east.

“My students are doing this, not me,” Trent said. “I just guide them.”

Trent teaches six art history classes including an ancient art history course. Of the six classes she teaches, Trent chose Islamic art class because of what she saw in her students.

“I saw the potential. They work well in groups,” Trent said.

A lot of the art in the museum was brought in by Trent’s students. One student brought in a prayer rug that their family used, another student had a perfume bottle brought back by her boyfriend who served in Iraq.

A few items, such as a carpet from Iraq, were donated for the exhibit by Trent, and several pieces were brought by other teachers.

Many of the pieces in the exhibit were original pieces that came from middle-eastern countries, and each item had a descrip-

tion that explained the origins of the art and the piece.

Examples of Islamic metalwork were on display as well. One item Trent was excited about was a water canteen from the 20th century used by nomads or Bedouins who travelled in caravans.

The canteen had been handhammered into a star-like design on one side, with a floral design on the other.

Items such as woven carpets, water pipes and jewelry also reflected very traditional Islamic styles of art as seen on the canteen.

Another part of the exhibit was a henna demonstration, presented by 23-year-old biology major Nikki Olesen.

Olesen is in Trent’s art history class and does henna tattoos as a hobby.

“I started doing this about 10 years ago,” Olesen said. “I got more serious about it when I started this class.”

Olesen did several tattoos for many students and visitors and even faculty throughout the day, creating examples of traditional Islamic art with some modern incorporation.

Trent explained the tradition of new brides having henna scrollwork all the way up their arms as a display of art and beauty.

While henna is a popular art form in Islamic and middle-east-

Emily Collins | The Connection

Rondell Almodovar, 21, an architecture major checks out a water canteen at the Islamic art exhibit at Cosumnes River College on April 30. ern cultures, calligraphy is a more prominent style of art.

“Calligraphy means ‘beautiful writing,’” Trent said. “The writing

becomes a work of art.”

A number of pieces in the exhibit had calligraphy woven into the designs including a ceramic

plate with the 99 names of Allah, Islam’s god and a large silver coin with an intricate signature on one side.

Mobile restaurants descend upon Elk Grove Anthro: working to offering a variety of food once a month

teach in a unique way

By Sean Thomas sthomas.connect@gmail

Anyone who happened to be walking around the Old Elk Grove area on May 1, probably could have seen the collection of people, tents and trucks huddled together near the railroad crossing.

Every first Wednesday of the month, a small army of food trucks descend for Food Truck Mania: A traveling celebration of clean and high-quality food trucks.

“We really en- not“They’re the food joy the events trucks of the they put on, ‘80s anymore,” said it brings out 39-year-old a nice diverse SactoMoFo manager crowd.”

Paul Somerhausen.

-Merit Cutler “They have great food; they’re mom and pop shops and they’re great economic tools.”

Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis joined together with SactoMoFo, the event organizers, to bring Elk Grove an outdoor family friendly alternative to the traditional brick and mortar restaurants.

The occasional passing of a Southern Pacific freight train did little to disrupt the pleasant environment of the event. The large crowds of families were encouraged by SactoMoFo staff to

Continued from page 1

Emily Collins | The Connection

Musician Clemon Charles sings performs at Food Truck Mania on May 1, located in Old Elk Grove. try their hands at the twelve different food trucks bordering the parking lot.

Each food truck had a noticeably unique appearance, theme and menu. Looking for a slider?

Stop by Krush Burger. Tacos on your mind? Chando’s the line you want to get in. Need to satisfy your sweet tooth? Tube Cake or Rich’s Ice Cream has you covered.

Food Truck Mania had the benefit of an uplifting soundtrack supplied by local musicians, Clemon and Friends, who entertained the crowd of eating fami-

lies with a mix of original folk tunes and popular cover songs.

“Elk Grove is great, just full of great people,” said lead singer and guitarist Clemon Charles. “I always have the best time here, and it was such a great turnout.”

The event also gave local businesses an opportunity to show off their products with a ready-made audience.

Merit Cutler, 32, has set up a booth at a number of SactoMofo events in the past and wholeheartedly recommended both the event and each food truck in at-

tendance.

“We really enjoy the events they put on, it brings out a nice diverse crowd,” Cutler said. “Everyone loves to eat so it’s a great reason to gather.”

SactoMoFo has been doing food truck events in Elk Grove for the last six months. Besides Elk Grove, SactoMoFo hosts events regularly in the Folsom, West Sacramento and Roseville areas. Somerhausen hopes that the stigma against food trucks in the Sacramento area lessens with each stop.

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Chicago.

The anthropology instructional assistant Grace Cesario has played a big part in assisting students with their anthropology courses and guiding them through some of their projects.

“In the lab we talk about bones, cultural anthropology and primates,” said Cesario. “There’s so many opportunities at this college that I didn’t even think people could ever get at the community college level.”

The department has been working with the Sacramento Zoo this semester in the Anthropology 301 lab where students get to go observe primates for the primate observation project.

“Students get discounted passes so they can continue to go back to the zoo to continue their research on primates,” Mills said. “It’s really a great project that they get to do with us.”

Despite the discipline of the anthropology department, the staff said that they make education fun and exciting.

“While we take the discipline very seriously, we do silly things like pose for crazy pictures and wear birthday hats for Charles Darwin’s birthday,” Paskey said.

“We try to have fun and we just hope our enthusiasm spills out and infects the students.”

8

FEATURES

MAY 9, 2013

www.thecrcconnection.com

‘Iron Man 3’ blasts into #TrendingNow theaters with a lot of hype

u i d even

fireballs.

If harnessed properly, those who are given the serum can replenish limbs, m e l t metal d ow n t o liqand

breathe fire from t h e i r mouths.

However, if the body can’t handle it, the host self-implodes.

The comedy that Black inserts throughout the movie fits well and is never awkward or forced. Often when directors try to insert comedy into an action movie, it comes out cheesy, i.e, “A Good Day to Die Hard.”

Obviously, where this movie makes its money is the action. The CGI during the action scenes is

truly amazing.

There’s never a dull scene and there are several action scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat, while Iron Man is flying around doing his Iron Man things. The film is loaded with fighting, explosions and intense scenes, which on their own, make the movie worth the 10 bucks you’ll likely spend to see it.

The film earned a PG-13 rating, but due to some of the darker and more violent scenes, parents may want to watch the film first before determining whether or not the younger ones should get to see it as well.

“Iron Man 3” kicks off what appears to be a loaded summer of action movies with “Fast and Furious 6,” “Man of Steel” and the next Marvel installment, “Thor: The Dark World,” all on the horizon.

Although it’s not a must-see, the awesome action, nicely executed comedy as well as a little drama ensured that “Iron Man 3” will entertain a wide range of audiences from die-hard comic book fans, general action fans and those just looking for a fun way to kill a couple of hours.

n James

LeBron James was awarded the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award on May 5. This is James’s fourth time winning the award in his 10-year career, being awarded 120 of 121 first place votes.

“I think it’s very good for him,” said Luis Martinez, 19, an undeclared major. “He’s always shown a lot of effort in the game.”

s Kelly

A member of the popular ‘90s rap duo Kris Kross, Chris Kelly, died on May 1. His death is being investigated as a drug overdose after the investigators were told that he had taken heroin and cocaine the night before.

“He was a really good rapper back in the ‘90s, especially performing with Kris Kross,” said Ashley Robertson, 26, an undeclared major. “I remember them wearing their jeans backwards.”

Author’s score out of five Oscars:

‘Swa

The wealthy and witty Tony Stark and his iron suits blast into box offices for the third time in “Iron Man 3.”

“Iron Man 3” is the next installment of the Marvel series, clearly leading up to a sequel to “The Avengers.” Unlike the previous two, “Iron Man 3” is directed by Shane Black, most known for directing the Lethal Weapon series.

The film, released on May 3, was well-executed and delivered everything you would expect in an action/comedy.

R o b e r t Downey Jr. plays Stark brilliantly as his naturally cocky, deadp a n personality f i t s the role of the wealthy genius perfectly.

Downey does an amazing job at providing strength, tenderness and humor all in one character. “Iron Man 3” also features a strong group of supporting cast including Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce as the main villain.

Pearce plays Aldrich Killian, a genius who believed he was mistreated by Stark in the past and

now sets out to wreak havoc.

Killian develops a serum that changes the composition within the body, effectively turning people into

Chri

By Cody Durham cdurham.connect@gmail

LeBro

Compiled by Emily Collins and Rachel Norris All photos are courtesy photos

This momenT began wiTh a choice.

tting’

‘Swatting’ is when someone falsely alerts emergency services in an effort to summon authorities to others’ homes. Ashton Kutcher, Justin Beiber and Anderson Cooper have all been ‘swatted.’

“I think that’s very irresponsible of people to do,” said Sam Waegell, 21, an early childhood education major.

Cat

Fashion

He chose to make a difference. Chose to get a degree. To learn new skills. And it was all made possible by the National Guard.

Education BEnEfits • skills training • Part-timE sErvicE

Contact Sergeant First Class Antonio Costa at 916.233.7613

1-800-GO-GUARD 10BW-04_5.88x7_Costa.indd 1

1/15/13 11:38 AM

A growing trend called cat fashion has dominated the web recently and is influencing people’s choice of clothing to include pictures of adorable felines.

“I don’t have a cat but I think it’s very cute,” said Raheela Zareen, 25, an accounting major.

“Most people have cats these days and the clothes with the cats on them, it’s cute.”

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FEATURES

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MAY 9, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

You know you are a Cosumnes River College student when...

We asked The Connection staff and the students of CRC to give their opinions of what makes them a staple of the college.

Compiled by Scott Redmond Photos by Mary Garcia and Scott Redmond

“...you buy the same thing from the cafeteria everyday.”

--Ashley Austin (right), 20 biology science major

“... the parking ticket dispenser eats your dollar and then it takes 45 minutes to find a spot.”

“...if you go into the lunch room and know the staff’s name.”

--Vernadette Stevens, 29, studio art major

“...you have to deal with traffic on the Calvine and Bruceville intersection.”

“... you walk around campus repeatedly and run into the same people.”

--Mozes Zarate, Editorial Assistant

--Brandon Scott, 19, radio, television, film production major

--Cody Durham, Sports Editor

“...you hear Travis Parker yelling to motivate his Bootcamp class in the mornings.” “...you’re dependent upon Rate My Professor.”

“... you hear about and want to take a class with Van Patten, Zisk or Newman.”

“...you hear the piano being played in the cafeteria.”

--Gaby Velazques, 18, early childhood education major

--Scott Redmond, Online Editor

--Brittany Patrick, Opinion Editor

--Rachel Norris, Editorial Assistant

Finals bring rituals for superstitious students As the end of the semester approaches, students find different ways to prepare for finals.

By Ben Brown benbrown.connect@gmail

As the end of the semester is nearing, students are gearing up for summer break, a time where students can take some time off from school, possibly get a job for a few months or dive right back into classes.

The only thing standing in students’ ways from summer break is finals. For some classes, depending upon how grading is weighted, midterms and finals can make-or-break your grade and change the outcome of the class.

With added stress and importance placed on finals, students have different ways and habits for preparing for them.

Some habits, you can say are traditional while others are not so much.

“I drink beer because there is a theory that alcohol brings refreshment to the head ,and I have aced every test,” said 30-yearold computer science student Minh Tran.

“When I drink I become relaxed and it makes it easier to concentrate on studying because the stress of the finals is not fresh on my mind.”

Students also did their research in ways to help study for finals and to help strengthen their brains.

According to campustalkblog.com, foods like fish, nuts and fruits among others can help you concentrate more and help you study for things like finals.

Foods like these can contain certain minerals and fatty acids which increase things like mental alertness.

“I eat peppermint the night before a big test because it is supposed to help you study and do something to your brain,” said 22-year-old television production student Tracey Saechao. “I read it in a Cosmopolitan magazine and I have been horrible at taking tests, so I tried it last semester and I passed my test with a higher score than I normally would.”

Of course, there are other more traditional ways of studying and getting prepared for big tests like using flash cards and gathering with classmates in study groups.

“I like to meet my friends at a place like Starbucks where we can share our thoughts about things like the study guide and help each other,” said 20-year-old mechanical engineering major Vien Bui. “Quiet places where you can concentrate and not have distractions are good like Starbucks.”

While study groups and collaboration are good tools to ace tests for some, they are not for everyone.

Some students feel like being alone and avoiding distractions is the way to go.

“I enjoy studying for tests at home, in my nice quiet room,” said 39-year-old human services student Latrice Anderson. “Also, I usually wait until the last minute because I feel more motivated, since the test is soon.”

One of the main things students like to take into consideration with studying is the time factor.

“I look over my notes after every class so material and content stays fresh in my mind,” said 20-year-old medical assistant

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“I like to meet my friends at a place like Starbucks where we can share our thoughts about things like the study guide and help each other,”

Fred Hernandez.

Along with He r n a n d e z , 1 8 - ye ar- ol d art major Karisa Newton believes studying throughout the semester is a good op-Vien Bui tion.

“I look mechanical over my asengineering major signments and homework once I get it back,” Newton said.

“Preparation continuously all semester is what I do, so I do not have to learn too much new stuff.”

Overall, whether you prefer study groups, being alone or even using other theories to help you study for tests all that matters is the end result of getting a satisfying grade.

10

SPORTS

MAY 9, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

Softball team positive despite missing playoffs

By Stephan Starnes sstarnes.connect@gmail “To be able to keep players after you have a bad season tells you that they still had a good experience and we finished and we learned and we got better,” said softball head coach Kristy Schroeder.

By that standard, Cosumnes River College’s sophomore players had good experiences, as nine out of the 10 players from last season returned to the team, and added to that is a mix of freshman.

However, the team missed out on achieving its goal of heading into the postseason by a few games. That’s not to say that this season was bad. In fact, Schroeder said that she thinks all of the current freshman will return to next year’s team.

Team captain and sophomore pitcher Allison Barsetti said that she watched the team come together throughout the season and saw her teammates improve, become stronger players and become better prepared for their games.

“It was a good season, I had a lot of fun with all the girls,” Barsetti said. “We were really close, [especially] all the sophomores.”

Schroeder said she thought that the team played well and showed improvement throughout the season.

“It was fun to see this team grow. I do think we have a lot of good kids on this team,” Schroeder said.

“There are definitely some kids that had their ups and downs, but I think at the end everybody left with a good taste in their mouth and felt like ‘hey we were really close to achieving our goal of making it to postseason.’”

Despite the positive outlook on the season, missing out on

Stephan Starnes | The Connection

The Cosumnes River College Hawks softball infielders, freshman third baseman Alysia Ortega, sophomore shortstop Alissa Greenhaw, freshman second baseman Amy Pedretti and sophomore first baseman Gabrielle Magana, stand together and link pinkies during the national anthem before their game against Gavilan College on March 1. postseason play was still difficult.

“Ending the season was hard for me because we were so close to moving on to playoffs,” said sophomore shortstop Alissa Greenhaw in an email interview. “We had a really solid team coming into league and then unfortunately there were a few injuries and other mishaps. I think it’s safe to say that we had the talent to make it, but we gave up a few games that should have been definite wins for us which cost us in the long run.”

The team started the season with a few close losses, but began

to win some of the close games towards the end of the season.

“We were in it to the end,” Schroeder said. “I thought that we definitely progressed throughout the season.”

Schroeder made sure to emphasize the ability of the team to get hits and runs. Even in the games where the Hawks would not score, she still said the team was able to hit the ball hard.

“I never felt like in any of the games we couldn’t score enough runs to win,” Schroeder said. “It was a matter of ‘can our pitchers

eliminate the amount of walks’ and ‘can our defense make the plays when we need to make the plays.’”

And pitching is one of the things the coach is looking to work on for the next year. Barsetti did a majority of the pitching throughout the season, but freshman pitcher Jessica Venturelli did her fair share.

“I think Jessica started pitching better at the end of the year too, and we were able to get a little bit more from her,” Schroeder said.

“If she can come back with a year

under her belt and get a little bit more confidence, then I think that will help us.”

Barsetti is looking into fouryear schools to transfer to, but she still had a message for next year’s team. “[The future team members] need to have that aggressive attitude and want to win and keep on pushing themselves to that next level to constantly make themselves better,” Barsetti said. “And [they should] compete with other people on the team to constantly strive for more.”

Hawks win a high scoring game to wrap up the season

By Sean Thomas sthomas.connect@gmail The atmosphere was set for baseball at Conway Field as the Cosumnes River College Hawks welcomed their regional rivals, the American River College Beavers for the last CRC home game of the season on April 25.

Both teams came into the day’s game already eliminated from the playoffs, and it showed as both teams allowed fielding and mental errors to keep the game close in the early innings.

“It was a rough game, both sides kind of struggled defensively,” said Hawks’ freshman catcher Cody Morris. “I was worried for a minute, but I knew that Harry [Blake Harrison]was going to do the job and get us out.”

The Beavers and Hawks battled back and forth in the early innings. For the first four frames, it seemed like neither team could grab ground.

The Beavers were able to score the first run of the game in the first inning. Following a successful stolen base attempt, Beavers’ sophomore outfielder Greg Harris was driven home on a groundout to second base. The Hawks, not to be outdone, tied the game in the bottom of the sec-

ond inning. Freshman infielder Hunter Carolan smoked a pitch to right field, scoring Morris and tying the game at one.

Morris replaced Hawks’ sophomore catcher Bryan Case at his usual position behind the plate and made the most of the opportunity. Morris hit his first home run of the season in the bottom of the fourth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie.

“He hit that ball out, I think he had two of three hits for the game,” said head coach Tony Bloomfield. “He played well today.”

Morris’ home run was the fifth of the year for the Hawks, placing them in second place in team home runs in the Big 8 conference behind Sierra College who has a commanding lead at 14 home runs.

The Hawks broke the game open in the fifth inning, scoring three runs forcing Beavers’ freshman starting pitcher Chase HuntMurray out of the game. Morris added two more to his RBI total after driving home freshman infielder Michael Chavarria and sophomore first baseman Garrett Heisinger. Carolan followed with a single, bringing home Morris.

The Hawks ended the fifth with a 7-4 lead. Neither team would

Britni Alford | The Connection

Sophomore first baseman Garret Heisigner attempts to tag American River’s freshman shortstop Cameron Bennett on April 26 in the top of the third inning. The Hawks won the game and wrapped up the season with three straight wins but missed the playoffs with a 14-20 record. score again until the eighth inning.

Cosumnes took the field in the ninth inning with a comfortable 8-4 lead following an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, but as every baseball fan knows: it’s not over, till it’s over.

Down, but not out, the Beavers’ bats came alive in the top of the ninth inning. CRC’s freshman

pitcher Blake Harrison allowed three runs in the ninth before shutting the door on the Beavers and wrapping up the last Hawks’ home game of the season 8-7.

“We played good, we held on at the end of the game,” Bloomfield said. “We’ve been losing those one run games late in the game.”

Despite today’s win, Case

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was still put off by the team’s overall season performance. The belief among the players coming into the season was that the team would return to the playoffs, but this year the Hawks will have to follow the playoffs from home.

“It was definitely disappointing,” Case said. “I think we all thought we should have done better.”

SPORTS

MAY 9, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

Opinion: Is this the end of the Black Mamba?

By Latisha Gibson lgibson.connect@gmail With five NBA championships,15 AllStar appearances and other accolades under his belt at the age of 34, this may be the end for Kobe Bryant.

During a victory against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, the Los Angeles Lakers’ star felt a pop as he pushed off his left foot, tearing his achilles tendon.

Many feel that the career of the Black Mamba may be over but why have doubt for one of the greatest players that has ever played in the NBA? Kobe has endured many injuries in the past but still works through all the struggle and obstacles that he has faced and makes sure his team would prove people wrong and come out with a victory.

The Cheap $eats NBA’s Jason Collins opens doors for future athletes

By Scott Redmond sredmond.connect@gmail

So just sit back and enjoy the show because he will be coming back next season and will be leaving the NBA with another championship ring.

This is the man that has recently surpassed Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, becoming the fourth highest scorer in NBA history.

Age doesn’t mean a thing when it comes to a talented athlete like Bryant.

Even with all the hate that people have towards him, no one can say he isn’t one of the best players who has played the game.

After guaranteeing that the Lakers would make the playoffs earlier this season, Kobe delivered. He averaged 45.2 minutes per game in April, the most for an entire month during his entire regular season, according to The Inquisitr website.

The Lakers have the option of cutting their star player from the roster before next season. He’s due $30.4 million in the last year of his contract, and the team has the option of cutting him under the new amnesty clause.

That won’t happen.

The Lakers have some of the best players playing on one team, however they have not been fully healthy with injuries to Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol.

Out of all those injured players the best

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Lakers’ superstar guard Kobe Bryant ruptured his achilles just two games before the playoffs. The injury generally takes six to 12 weeks to recover from. is the Black Mamba, who has averaged 27.3 points from the court and lead the team in 3-point percentage with .324 during the regular season.

He is looking at his injury on a brighter note and is letting the fans in on his journey to recovery through Facebook and Instagram.

Kobe is one of the best players in the NBA and nobody knows what he has up his sleeve.

He is the Superman of the Lakers, whenever the team needs saving he is there to save the day and never fails.

There is no ending to the last chapter of this story but just know the only person that is in control of the Black Mamba’s future is him.

So just sit back and enjoy the show because he will be coming back next season and will be leaving the NBA with another championship ring.

Hawks’ athletes prepare to transfer from CRC

By Victor Macias vmacias.connect@gmail It’s been a rough year for Cosumnes River College athletics, but that won’t take away the honor of a few athletes, who will be transferring and making the move from CRC to bigger colleges to continue their athletic careers.

Charles Standifer, a 21-year-old sophomore, will be transferring to Division 1 University of California, Riverside next year to continue his basketball career. This year Standifer averaged 20.9 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game and becomes the fifth CRC player since 2010 to sign a division 1 scholarship.

“It means a lot to my staff and I to have guys transfer to four-year schools, because it shows our student-athletes are doing what they need to do academically and athletically to move on,” said men’s basketball head coach James Giacomazzi.

When it comes to the men’s basketball team, Standifer will not be alone. 21-yearold sophomore Orion Kidd will also be transferring next year, but Kidd is going a different route. He chose Greenville College in Illinois, but for reasons other than just Mary Garcia | The Connection basketball.

Hawks' guard Charles Standifer will con“The main reason is that it is a christinue his basketball career at University tian school and I am a christian,” Kidd said. of California, Riverside next year.

“I have prayed about it and I know this is

where God wants me.”

Despite finishing the season with a 1217 record, neither feel that record reflects their game and who they are as a player. Instead, they believe it reflects the team.

“It motivated me to work harder on my game so I can help win more games next year,” Standifer said.

As individuals, they know what they have to offer and what they can bring to their new teams.

“I think offensively, my game can bring a versatile scoring threat to UC Riverside,” Standifer said. “Someone who can score at the rim as well as on the perimeter.”

As for Kidd, he plans to bring something different to the table.

“One thing that I can never take out of my game is my energy and my hustle,” Kidd said. “Both of those qualities just come with my love and passion for the game of basketball.”

Both players will head to their new schools, new teams and new homes, taking with them a lot that they have learned from their coaches here at CRC and their time here as CRC students.

“The biggest thing I will take with me from my time at Cosumnes is to really take advantage of my opportunity. I have to go on to a four-year school both on and off the court,” Standifer said.

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Fans and players alike have been wondering what would happen if a player in professional sports were to come out of the closet, and now the question will be answered.

Washington Wizards’ center Jason Collins now has the distinction of being the first active player in pro sports to come out as gay, when he made the announcement on April 29.

Normally players reveal their sexuality after retiring, seemingly making it easier for people to handle the revelation.

Now that the first question has been answered, a new one rises: what does this mean for pro sports going forward?

The belief that such a revelation would ruin a player’s life seems to be dispelled with Collin’s choice to come out. Everyone from fellow athletes like Kobe Bryant and Martina Navratilova, to the NBA Commissioner David Stern, former President Bill Clinton and current President Barack Obama have all offered support of Collin’s decision.

Not only is the support pouring in from individuals, but Collins’ only endorsement, Nike, has chosen to stand by and support him.

“We admire Jason’s courage and are proud that he is a Nike athlete,” Nike said in a statement. “Nike believes in a level playing field where an athlete’s sexual orientation is not a consideration.”

The support of a large conglomerate like Nike, which is the leading athletic sponsor for endorsements, goes a long way.

Collins might not have as impressive a career as many of the names that even non-sports fans know like Bryant, but clearly he’s doing something right having a career of ten years.

Clearly his sexuality had no effect on his career or interactions with others on the team, and now that it’s known that he’s gay, it won’t have any effect besides any that others let it have on themselves.

Collins has opened a door that makes it possible for any active athlete that has been hiding their true self to come out into the light with less concern for what might happen.

No longer will athletes have to wait till they retire to come out for fear of repercussions. In fact, in Collins’ case, coming out could be beneficial for more reasons than just being true to himself.

While the main point is that he can be himself, it’s hard to ignore that with coming out, there will be more attention paid not only to Collins through possible endorsements, but in the fact that he will now be seen as the leading spokesman for gay athletes in pro sports.

The courage to come forward could very well be the new image that companies want to associate their brand with, and in the greater picture that isn’t a bad thing at all.

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MAY 9, 2013 www.thecrcconnection.com

SPORTS

As playoffs arrive, rituals become more apparent

By Ben Brown bbrown.connect@gmail In a sporting competition, it’s not just about the game with players and athletes.

The way you prepare for the game and get your mind right for some friendly competition is all about consistency.

Most teams, players and coaches all have different ways of raising team morale or getting themselves ready to compete.

Some of these sporting rituals you might have heard of before, like the playoff beard in hockey where teams will start growing their man fuzz on their face as a team in hopes of bringing luck their way and progressing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Others may go unseen like former Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan who wore his University of North Carolina basketball shorts under his uniform during every game.

Superstitions and rituals are just as much a part of the game as the game itself.

Former Sacramento Kings point guard Mike Bibby used to clip his fingernails on the bench during timeouts and stoppages while Miami Heat forward LeBron James opts to use his teeth to bite them instead of clipping them.

Although players have traditions and things they do, lets not leave teams as a whole out.

Usually in sports, throwing objects is frowned upon, but not so much in hockey.

The Detroit Red Wings before every home playoff game throw a dead octopus onto the ice to pump up the crowd and continue the tradition.

The octopus legend started in 1952 when a fan threw a dead octopus onto the ice before a playoff game symbolizing the number of wins needed to win the Stanley Cup at the time of eight.

That year, the Red Wings went on to sweep the Stanley Cups Playoffs and became champions, the rest is history.

Also in hockey, once a player scores his third goal of the game he completes the

hat trick. Once a player gets a hat trick fans around the ice start throwing hats onto the ice as a way of celebrating the feat by the hockey player.

As traditions and rituals get passed on, others have changed and adapted in recent years.

For example, the quarterback position in the NFL has been one of importance and prominence. Quarterbacks have always been looked on as the team leader and a professional.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick does not fit that model.

Kaepernick who is tattooed from head-to-toe was ridiculed last year because of his walking body mural.

During his out of nowhere run last year from backup quarterback to one incomplete pass away from being a Super Bowl champion, some sports columnists believed his tattoos were more fit for prison than for the NFL. AOL Fanhouse columnist David Whitley wrote, “Approximately 98.7 percent of the inmates at California’s state prison have tattoos... I’m also pretty sure less than 1.3 percent of NFL quarterbacks have tattoos.

There’s a reason for that.”

While some agreed with Whitley and thought tattoos were not to be had by quarterbacks, others thought the comments were plain disrespectful and silly.

Jarrett Bell of the USA Today fired back writing in an article, “This is America, 2012. We have a black President with a Muslim name, Barack Obama, who is biracial like Kaepernick. The Niners quarterback is of African-American and European descent and was raised by white parents who adopted him as an infant... Deal with it. Times have changed.”

Kaepernick is not the only person in the sporting world to express himself through artwork on his body. In the NBA, seeing a player with a tattoo or multiple tattoos is more common than seeing an NBA player without one.

NBA players like Chris “Birdman” Andersen of the Miami Heat and Wilson

Courtesy Photo

Hockey player Greg Zanon of the Colorado Avalanche sports a full beard as many of the NHL players do during the playoffs.

Chandler of the Denver Nuggets come to my head as players who have seemingly every inch of their body covered with tattoos.

If you look back 30 years ago in the NBA when players like Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the league,

tattoos on players were not even questioned because there simply weren’t any.

In sports some traditions never die, but also, things change, people change and positions change. No matter if they change for the better or not, this is how it is and rituals are here to stay.

continued from page 1

“One real positive is Luis Lopez assisted me all year and Brandon Ellis is going to be my paid assistant next year for both teams,” Stebbins said. “We’ll have one fall class, one spring class and I’ll be coaching both teams.”

Even though Stebbins said her “heart pounded in her chest” at the thought of coaching both teams, she’s more than ready for the upcoming challenge.

“I’ve been coaching for a long time,” Stebbins said.

Tennis: Women’s tennis season a success despite injuries

Stephan Starnes | The Connection

CRC sophomore Taylor Osborne won both matches against Fresno City on March 19.

knowing you were down,” Stebbins said.

“That was tough.”

With a shrunken down roster, Stebbins and her four players set out for a specific goal. They decided to focus on individual play instead of doubles. It was a good decision.

All four players qualified for state and the Northern California tournament. At the Ojai State Tournament, the doubles team lost in the quarterfinals, sophomores Taylor Osborne and Cassie Gomez lost their singles matches in the second round and freshman Lilana Seisa and Angela Guererro lost their singles matches in the first round of the primarily southern dominated tournament.

Despite not advancing deep into the tournament, having the whole team qualify was a success in its own.

“The high [point of the season] was definitely all four of us making it to state,” Osborne said.

Although the season has come to an end, that does not mean the work for the players and coaches is done.

The players will be conditioning all summer, playing in various tournaments and taking the tennis class in the fall to get ready for next season.

Stebbins has the task of recruiting like crazy in an attempt to fill a full roster next season. In addition to the women, in an odd turn of events, Stebbins has been called upon to coach the men’s team as well next season, meaning she has to recruit for the men’s team also.

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Courtesy Photo

Suzanne Stebbins has been coaching women’s tennis at CRC for four years.

This will be her first year coaching the men’s team in addition to the women’s team.