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Spring play looks at past and present causes of drought
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May 7, 2015
>>News
Postponement of new psychology hire shines light on diversity issues and fear of retaliation of the department members who was already on the committee, a woman, stepped off the committee for personal reasons,” Snowden said. “The college itself, once that hapThe hiring of a new psychology pened, decided to just postpone the professor at Cosumnes River College hiring committee into the fall,” he said. Hannan, who has taught at CRC has been postponed to fall semester following disagreement over the com- for 44 years, said he was “shocked” mittee’s composition and a key mem- when he saw the final list of names and ber’s withdrawal from the committee, that he has “never been here before.” “We got a kind of ‘thank you for said radio, television and film producyour process and consultation, I’ve tion Professor Robert “BJ” Snowden. The disagreement began when appointed myself,’” Hannan said. “He psychology professor and department didn’t say ‘I didn’t appoint James Frachair James Frazee was not invited to zee,’ the only thing we had sent back to sit on the board. Snowden, who also us was the list.” Snowden cited diversity goals serves as Academic Senate President and is in charge of deciding the final as the reason for the changes that he hiring committee, made changes to the made to the list of names. “It was a solid list. All content exrecommendations given to him by the psychology department, which Frazee perts, all people who traditionally are great colleagues and would be fantassaid violated district policy. “The regulation says the president tic on hiring committees,” Snowden is to appoint three to five faculty mem- said of the original list. “But it just wasn’t a diverse combers,” Frazee said. “The leader of our college, from the faculty standpoint, mittee. It wasn’t diverse in perspective, refused to put the required number it wasn’t diverse ethnically. It was a of discipline faculty on the committee strong committee, but it didn’t meet despite urgings from many different one of my interests, and that is the diversification of faculty hiring commitplaces.” “His unilateral action to refuse to tees,” he said. Specifically, Snowden said he put me on the committee made the administration in a place where they wanted the diversity of the committee couldn’t go through with the hiring, to reflect the diversity of the campus. “So my goal was to take the core and that hurts the college. That hurts the students, that hurts our depart- membership of that committee, which ment, and that hurts our other faculty included two members of the department, and I wantmembers who lack ed to add three that person now People aren’t willing to other members,” to interact with, to said. bounce things off talk to you about it because, Snowden “So I added a of, to be with,” Frabiology professor zee said. frankly, they’re scared of and I added a soThe original retaliation, and that may ciology professor, list of names givboth women, one en to Snowden be an even bigger issue ... I a woman of color, included all three don’t stand for that, so I am and I added myself psychology proas a male of color fessors from CRC: going to speak my mind. I as an outside perJeanne Edman, Evson on the commiterett “Bud” Hanam going to tell you when I tee, but someone nan and Frazee, as think you’re wrong.” who has a broader well as sociology understanding of Professor Paul Zisk campus,” he and geography – James Frazee the said. Professor Debra Psychology professor However, Sharkey, according Snowden’s reato the Academic soning prompted Senate’s meeting minutes from Feb. 27. Snowden chose Frazee to question how diversity was to remove Frazee and Sharkey and re- being measured. “If anybody justifies my not being placed them with sociology Professor on the committee for a diversity issue, Donnisha Lugo and himself. Shortly after Snowden released his you have to ask the question, ‘well, final appointments to the hiring com- what’s the metric by which they’re mittee-to-be, Edman withdrew from measuring diversity?’” Frazee said. “Who asked me about my diversity? the committee, Frazee said. “While we were in the process, one Do you assume things when you look By Johny Garcia & Nick Valenzuela jgarcia.connect@gmail.com
“
at people? Because if you do, that’s ac- and our own concepts because that’s tually illegal, it’s called color discrimi- how we move forward in intellectual nation.” inquiry, the academy grows. And so Frazee also said he should be on I’m not afraid to answer those questhe committee because he teaches the tions, I’m not afraid of what it might specific classes the college would have be.” been hiring for. So why should students really care “What would about postponing your rationale the psychology It was a solid list. All be for excluding hire? content experts, all people someone from a “I think, from committee? Well, the students’ perwho traditionally are great I’m the chair of spective, what the department, they should be colleagues and would be I’m the only who’s concerned with is fantastic on hiring committaught the classthere need to be es we’re hiring more full-time factees ... But it just wasn’t for in the last sevulty on campus, en years here on that we have the a diverse committee. It campus who is lowest ratio of fullwasn’t diverse in perspecfull-time faculty,” time faculty to our Frazee said. “I’m Frazee tive, it wasn’t diverse ethni- students,” the only one who’s said. qualified really to “And when cally.” do the assessment we hurt that even of whether or not more by not hiring – Robert “BJ” Snowden somebody, then they can teach in RTVF professor the long run from we’re shooting ourthe faculty perselves in the foot,” spective ... I’m the he said. only one who’s taught them, and we’re Hannan said he has mixed feelings hiring somebody to teach these classes, about the postponement. yet you’d keep me off the committee? “I did make a statement in the That’s like hiring a Spanish teacher but senate meeting that I was supportive only keeping teachers that teach Ger- of that decision to pull the hire until man on the committee. It’s a terrible next semester when we’ll have a new choice.” administrative team, we’ll be hiring And while some professors voiced a new president of the college, a new their opinions about the issue, sever- senate president,” Hannan said. al refused or could not be reached for “It made sense to pull the position, comment, which Frazee said was out but it just doesn’t sit well that it even of fear of retaliation. had to happen,” he said. “People aren’t willing to talk to Snowden said the postponement you about it because, frankly, they’re of the psychology hiring does have its scared of retaliation, and that may even upsides. be a bigger issue,” Frazee said. “That if “Now we have an entire semester they think that they want something and summer to get it to every UC and and they speak out and say, ‘I don’t CSU with a psych grad program, to think what you’re doing is the correct get it to every list serve and job search thing,’ that somehow they’re going area that are specifically for psycholoto be retaliated against or not given gy organizations, minority groups in the correct thing. Or maybe they’ll psychology, women in psychology,” take away a position from you. That Snowden said. scares people into not being authentic “We can truly do a national search and not participating as professionals now because we have time. There’s no in this environment. I don’t stand for rush,” he said. that, so I am going to speak my mind. Snowden also said that he stands I am going to tell you when I think by his decision. you’re wrong.” “I’ve been here 13 years, not everyFrazee said he felt it was more im- thing that I do makes everyone happy. portant to speak about the problem But, at the same time, I’ve made a lot than worry about the possibility of re- more people angry than I have in the taliation. last six months over my 13 years and “I’m not afraid of what happened. we all seem to get along just fine,” I’m also not afraid of the implications Snowden said. of [what] it means because I’m gonna “I look at the hiring committee as allow for us to grow as a community of an opportunity to agree to disagree, faculty,” Frazee said. “We should con- and that’s how I’ve taken it and that’s stantly be challenging our own ideals how I’ll move forward with it,” he said.
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Author discusses water consumption, issues of sustainability in OneBook keynote event By Heather Kemp hkemp.connect@gmail.com Elizabeth Royte, the author of this year’s OneBook Project selected reading, was interviewed by Students for a Sustainable Future Club President Jaime Gonzales about her book “Bottlemania: Big Business, Local Springs, and the Battle Over America’s Drinking Water ” on April 29. Taking place in the recital hall, a full and engaged audience listened to the pair discuss topics ranging from climate change, bottled water alternatives, waterways and current legislation. Royte who has authored other books such as “Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash” and written for publications like National Geographic and New York Times Magazine had specific reasons for wanting to visit Cosumnes River College. “I’ve never been to Sacramento and I’m fascinated by California. I’m also a big fan of Joan Didion who grew up in Sacramento and has written very eloquently on water issues,” Royte said. “I’m so happy that all of the students are reading my book so I wanted to honor their interest and come and talk to them,” she said. Gonzales began by interviewing Royte and then then the floor was opened for audience questions. One of Gonzales’ first questions to Royte was about the effect she thinks her books has had on sustainability efforts, overconsumption and waste. “After the book came out, I was happy to see that the rate of increase of plastic water bottles went down and stayed down for a couple of years, but I can’t really take credit for it because I think that the economy had a lot to do with it and also there were a lot of activist groups out there and I want to give them credit,” Royte said. Royte said that that the amount of people who purchase plastic water bottles is a number that constantly fluctuates and has since risen again. She went on to discuss one big problem that using so many plastic bottles is creating especially in developing nations who do not have the means to
Bobby Bishop | The Connection
Students for a Sustainable Future Club President Jaime Gonzales interviews Elizabeth Royte at a keynote event on April 29. Royte’s book, “Bottlemania: Big Business, Local Springs and the Battle Over America’s Drinking Water” is the subject of this semester’s OneBook Project at CRC.
deal with it. “Every year we are putting 8 million tons of plastic into our oceans,” Royte said. Later on in the interview, Gonzales asked Royte her opinion on why it is so difficult for states to pass laws to enforce recycling and whether or not recycling is really the solution to the world’s waste problem. “Often times a proposed solution is to recycle bottles, however there are currently only 11 states in the U.S. that have current container deposit legislation,” Gonzales said. “Since the release of ‘Bottlemania,’ a number of states including Texas, Tennessee and Massachusetts have unsuccessfully attempted to pass unsuccessful container deposit legislation.” Royte said that states have a hard time passing legislation because of a large amount of industry pushback and it can take years to achieve anything. “Recycling is great, but it is something that we do at the end of the fight when other efforts to recover these resources have failed,” Royte said. “Recycling is the last of the three R’s that comes last.
First is reducing our consumption, and then reusing these materials and only when those aren’t possible do we recycle,” she said. Recently introduced boxed water, an alternative to packaging it in plastic was also discussed, however Royte said that looking at how the boxes are disposed of determine how promising they are, which isn’t very in most cases. She also said that we need to move away from the entire idea of buying single use water products and instead drink from the tap. “If you can avoid buying these containers whether they’re paper or plastic or metal use a reusable container,” Royte said. Climate change and it’s affect on water usage and need as well as its effect on waterways and how well they can handle and process large amounts of water were also brought up. Gonzales brought up Gov. Jerry Brown’s recent mandate that residents have to severely cut back on water usage while the industry continues to have a sort of free for all and asked Royte to elaborate on this idea.
“Utilities focus on residential units because their customers are residential,” Royte said. “Everyone needs to scale back and industry has scaled back quite a bit over the years they have learned to do much much more with much much less water and even in conservation and efficiently there has been a lot of innovation in that area,” she said. She also added that farmers have been doing a lot of ground pumping for water and will soon begin to be metered and so their usage can be tracked. Big business like Nestle and their monopoly on the industry as well as Royte’s future ventures that include some upcoming articles for National Geographic were also discussed before the floor was open for audience questions. Tyler Trunnell, a 21-yearold kinesiology major and attendee of the event who was very vocal during the audience discussion said that he enjoyed it and got a lot of good information for a paper he is writing for his English class. “I have a class where we
had to read Royte’s book this semester and we’re doing a nine page research paper so this will work as some of my evidence for my paper so I thought coming would benefit me,” Trunnell said. “I’ve never seen an author in person and so I thought it was really interesting,” he said. Gonzales said that although he was nervous, he felt the entire event went off great. “I think it went really well,” Gonzales said. “Elizabeth and I had been talking for about a month and we’re both people who aren’t used to making public appearances like this so we both shared the nervousness, but after we got together this morning and started talking more as friends that all sort of melted away and we became much more comfortable. The audience just did a really great job at making us feel at ease and their questions were so great as well.” After the event ended when asked if there was one thing that students took away from the experience what would she want it to be, Royte said that “your actions matter.”
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Partnership puts spotlight on sexual assault By Nick Valenzuela nvalenzuela.connect@gmail.com
One in five college women and one in 16 college men are survivors of sexual assault in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Campus Sexual Assault Study. In 1993, these numbers were 49 percent higher, according to the DOJ’s National Crime Victimization Survey. Through years of campaigning, various organizations working against sexual violence have brought awareness to the issue and helped curb the statistics. Now, one local organization is working to bring more awareness to Cosumnes River College. Women Escaping a Violent Environment, a Sacramento-based nonprofit dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, has paired with CRC in an attempt to educate more college-age students about domestic violence and sexual assault. “We’re actually partnering with CRC. The grant we’re working under is really to address violence on campus,” said Rebecca Kneppel, campus violence and prevention coordinator at WEAVE. “What we’re doing is a lot of classroom presentations, and we’re trying to do them in series. If you do one presentation one time, you don’t really impact people. It’s really when you have a conversation for an extended amount of time.” Michelle Barkley, CRC’s head nurse, said that WEAVE had already been active in the area, but a new grant they received aimed to expand the organization’s reach. “[In the past] WEAVE has come
“What we’re doing is a lot of classroom presentations, and
we’re trying to do them in series. If you do one presentation one time, you don’t really impact people. It’s really when you have a conversation for an extended amount of time.” – Rebecca Kneppel
WEAVE campus violence and prevention coordinator
onto the campus, done presentations, they go to health education classes … different campus programs ask them to come out,” Barkley said. “They wanted to target a middle school, a high school and a college with more than 75 percent [of students] from socioeconomically disadvantaged families.” Under the grant, WEAVE is also presenting at Will C. Wood Middle School and Hiram Johnson High School, Barkley said. According to the annual Clery report, CRC had four incidents of forcible sex offenses, five incidents of domestic violence and no incidents of dating violence between 2011 and 2013. However, 2013 marked the first year domestic violence and dating violence statistics were recorded in the Clery report after amendments made to the Violence Against Women Act requested colleges make honest estimations of such crimes in 2013, said Los Rios Police Capt. Chris Day in an email. Kneppel said the estimations likely aren’t the true numbers. “Sometimes colleges have different definitions of sexual assault and domestic violence, and unless it’s super extreme, they might not count
them,” Kneppel said. Kneppel said that schools sometimes report lower numbers of sexual assault to make their campus appear safer, but this practice can result in students attending a college they think is safer because of underreporting. “Colleges are really under pressure right now to report accurate numbers because it can affect financial aid,” Kneppel said. “If you’re not reporting accurate numbers, federal financial aid will be pulled from your school. So they’re like saying straight up, ‘you need to not be deceptive in this process,’” she said. On CRC’s campus, there are currently no programs specifically dedicated to helping victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Students can go to the police department or health services to report incidents and get help, but the college has yet to create a support group-like program for victims. “In the past there’s been some talk of it,” Barkley said. “For a while I think it was because we didn’t have space, but we’re getting more space. But now it’s just the interest and the energy someone has to get [a program] going. Because if there is interest and someone is able
to do it, getting the right person there and getting something going, it very well could happen,” she said. Andrew Schiele, a 19-year-old biology major, who helped out during WEAVE’s denim day event on April 29, said that WEAVE’s presence on campus provides victims with a valuable new resource in getting help. “I feel like WEAVE is a really good organization, and they would take care of the majority of anything that happens,” Schiele said. Students should note that Kneppel and campus nurses are mandated reporters, meaning they must relay any incidents reported to them to the police. “Anything that anyone says to [Kneppel] she does have to report,” Barkley said. “As a college nurse, I’m a mandated reporter … if they report anything to me, I generally contact the campus police,” she said. Schiele said that the first step to curbing sexual assault in society is to get more people talking about it. “There has to be a complete movement for everyone to actually participate,” Schiele said. “If only a few people are doing it, there will always be people that ignore it and go against it, which will cause more problems,” he said. While there were multiple events on campus this semester, Kneppel said WEAVE’s efforts will begin to pick up more next semester. “I feel like it’s going to pick up a lot in the fall,” Kneppel said. “We’re learning what the students need here, because of course I’m not going to come here and talk about stuff people don’t want to know about. I want to see what people are interested in.”
Campus may soon see new web design degree By Omar Chan ochan.connect@gmail.com Given today’s booming technological climate, Cosumnes River College is currently in the process of considering the creation of web design developer associate’s degree. Currently, CRC only offers certificates in this field. “Students can get certified here as a web designer,” web Professor Wendell Fishman said. “But we don’t have a degree yet.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of web developers is expected to grow 20 percent from now until 2022. This is faster than the average of all other occupations. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand is high,” Fishman said. “This makes sense because every-
“I’ve always been good
at anything that has to do with a computer, but I want to get creative and make things that are original.” – Wayne Nguyen
21, computer science major thing is mobile and the web isn’t going away,” he said. The occupational demand for web designers is not going unnoticed by certain students attending CRC. “I want to focus on designing websites,” said Hassan Shabbir, 22, a computer science major. “I know that a job in this sector is paying very well and I already have an understanding of the languages.”
The languages Shabbir is referring to are HTML5, Dreamweaver, Creative Cloud and other code writing languages necessary to properly construct a website. “If you want to enter this occupation, the typical level of education is an associate’s degree,” Fishman said. “To be able to work on websites for my career is something that’s very intriguing,” said Wayne Nguyen, 21, a computer science major. “I’ve always been good at anything that has to do with a computer, but I want to get creative and make things that are original,” he said. The necessity of an associate’s degree is what is prompting the consideration of a web design developer degree. “It kinda makes sense that we could make this degree here,” Fishman said.
Creating a new degree to be offered at CRC is multi-step process. First, CRC must approve this degree. After this step, approval is needed on the district level which is followed by enactment on the state level. “If students are already interested, they can already start taking the classes,” Fishman said. “I have quite a few students who are pursuing the certificates,” he said. Fishman is the professor who is spearheading the movement to create the web design developer degree. He wants to create a field of web developers that are trained at CRC and have the right tools to succeed. “This degree would prepare students to become expert web developers, webmasters, web administrators and web programmers,” Fishman said. “Students will learn the skills that are necessary.”
MAY 7, 2015
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>>Features
EYE
STRAIN LINKED TO OVE RU S E OF T E C H N O LO G Y 73% of adults are unaware of the dangers of blue light emitted from digital screens
61% of adults experience digital eye strain due to prolonged use of digital devices Source: The Vision Council
By Nicole Goodie ngoodie.connect@gmail.com As technology continues to grow at a rapid pace, it is obvious that digital technology isn’t going away anytime soon. As these devices become a bigger part of our daily lives, it’s our eyes that are paying the price. With 61 percent of adults staring at digital screens for more than five hours a day, according to studies done by The Vision Council, an organization that serves as the global voice for vision care, it is no wonder digital eye strain is becoming more common. Digital eye strain is the temporary discomfort felt after more than two hours in front of a digital device, according to The Vision Council. Symptoms may include eye strain, dry eyes, headaches and even blurred vision.
“The human eye is not designed to look at computer screens eight hours a day,” said Michael Wang, a local optometrist at the Royo Eye and Laser Center in Sacramento. According to The Vision Council, two in five millennials, which includes many college students, spend up to nine hours looking at a screen that emits harmful blue light. Wang said that one of the big problems is that people don’t blink enough, which can cause uncomfortable dry eyes. “When patients are looking at a computer for eight hours, they don’t blink because they are so focused,” he said. “They are consumed, almost obsessed, by their cell phones and by their computers.” Wang said people using screens should use the 20/20/20 rule. This involves looking away from your
screen every 20 minutes, looking 20 feet away and blinking for 20 seconds. The sun can also be a huge part in preventing eye strain. “Lighting makes a huge difference,” Wang said “Sunlight is the best light for the eyes.” Wang said the animal kingdom is an example of how sunlight can be beneficial to the eyes. Animals who live in the sunlight, like hawks and eagles, have very good eyesight, unlike animals that live in the dark, such as moles and shrews. “I’m trying to encourage kids to read by sunlight instead of in the dark and to put the iPad away,” he said. Wang said he reminds patients that, although sunlight is good for the eyes, direct ultraviolet light emitted from the sun can be just as harmful as blue light emitted from
screens. However, sunglasses are an easy way to protect your eyes when outside. As digital screens become an essential part of our lives, finding ways to limit the amount of strain put on the eyes becomes more important. Inventions, such as glasses with digital lenses are helping people focus more clearly on screens and limiting these harmful effects. Although prevention is a huge part of fighting for our eyes, it’s only possible if people are aware of the effects of their devices. Unfortunately, 73 percent of adults are unaware of the harmful effects of blue light, according to The Vision Council. Chris Ragotero, a 20-yearold criminal justice major, said more information on the subject should be posted where
students can easily see it, such as D2L or the CRC website. “Our generation is known for using technology all the time,” Ragotero said. “We should take a lot of precaution on this.” Justice Cooper, a 20-yearold liberal arts major, said bad eyesight runs in her family, so she wants to be more cautious in preserving her eyesight. “I’m definitely not going to be on my phone as much, because I wear glasses,” Cooper said. Wang said some easy ways to begin prevention are to take breaks, make a conscious effort to blink, use artificial tears, which Wang calls “lotion for the eyes” and to take advantage of the sunlight and its benefits. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Wang said.
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New theatre production tackles California drought By Nicole Goodie ngoodie.connect@gmail.com
F
or their newest production “The Chisera,” the Cosumnes River College theatre arts department was given the rare opportunity to not only work side-by-side with the playwright, but to also be the first theater company to perform the work. “The Chisera” follows characters in two timelines, 1903 and present day, while exploring the man-made climate issues that are still relevant to our region today. Part of the play follows Mary Austin, a woman who lived during the California water wars of the early 1900s while the other part follows geologist Alice and her daughter Lily in present day. After a trip through Owens Valley, director Cheri Fortin said she was inspired by the tender beauty of the desert valley, according to the play’s program. She began to research Owens Valley and found an article about playwright Paula Cizmar and her work in progress. Soon after, Fortin contactCeejay Willis | The Connection ed the playwright, and Cizmar agreed to let CRC’s theatre The Chiseras, one pictured above, are spirits of the land in the form of rocks that spoke to the character Mary Austin at various points of the narradepartment work on the first tive. Rachel Dirksen, Taran Bullar and Michelle Nadra wore the costumes for the Chiseras during the performance and moved into different shapes production of the play, ac- and poses throughout, even becoming living scenery for the characters to move around during certain moments of the production. cording to the program. “You rarely get the chance Dimal said the final cut of ture because there is nothing There’s wanting to entertain people and then there’s to first work with a playwright, the scene flowed a lot better for them to look back on, they to have a workshop where the than the original script. have to rely on themselves. wanting to send a message and get people to think.” script is being changed as we While they have to rely on While many people might go along,” said Justine Lopez, think putting on a play with themselves and their skill to 22, who portrayed Mary Aus- a long history of productions put on an all-new work, Di—Ryan King tin in the play. is easier, “The mal said a good production Theatre Arts Major, 21 “It was interChisera” cast requires there be a strong re“The Chisera” esting [because] said they felt lationship between the actors by Paula Cizmar “This part, as a whole, I from this…they’ll learn histowe were able to and the playwright. differently. Directed by Cheri Fortin ask questions “I think it’s important that think had the most growing ry they’ve never known be“If it’s a directly to the play that’s al- a playwright should work points as an actor,” King said. fore,” Lopez said. “Or [they’ll] Cast: playwright. ready out, you with the actors directly there- “I feel that’s one of the great realize something about what Mary - Justine Lopez Susanna - Ronnie Fowler There were would have to fore they can make a nice, re- opportunities in collegiate the- their impact is on the Earth. Fred - Ryan King They will be aware.” some lines that get all of the ally solid production,” Dimal atre.” Alice - Zoie Utterback King said that the fact In the play, the Chisera are were given to us insight from said. Lily - Haleigh Miller two days before However, there were spiritual beings of the desert that “The Chisera” is a new yourself,” said Everett - Timothy Dimal opening night.” Ryan King, 21, some challenges in working that communicate with Mary production gives the actors Chiseras - Rachel Dirksen, a chance to make their mark Timothy who portrayed on a new play, especially for Austin. Taran Bullar, Michelle “It’s almost like the genius and teach the audience about Dimal, 19, who Fred Eaton, those playing characters from Nadra of the Chiseras feed wisdom in the issues around them. played EverMary Austin’s a different time. “There’s wanting to enterett Diaz, said “The hardest part was to a sense to Mary,” Lopez said. antagonist. Next Production: the playwright “But to have portray someone that is from “They are all knowing, they tain people and then there’s “The Gingerbread Man” December drew inspirathe playwright 1903,” Lopez said. “You have are part of nature [and] they wanting to send a message and get people to think,” King tion from the there as an extra to subtract all the modern are timeless.” Much like the Chiseras said. actors and vice resource, you mannerisms that we have and “The Chisera” has two fiversa. reach your decisions and your to put yourself into the mind- teaching Mary about the desert, “The Chisera” is meant to nal shows on May 8 and 9 at “We had a long scene that objectives and it’s just easi- set of early 1900s.” she really didn’t know what to er to put things together as a King said this role was speak to the audience about 7:30 p.m. on both nights. Up do with it,” Dimal said. “But whole.” more of a struggle because the issues going on in our next for the theatre arts deonce she heard it in our voicLopez said she thought of Fred Eaton is more grounded own community, as California partment is a performance of David Wood’s “The Gingeres, she got ideas and ended up it as more of a chance to create than the comedic roles he is dries up from the drought. “I think people will learn bread Man” in December. changing it.” new paths for actors in the fu- used to.
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Saving dough: eating pizza on a budget Searching for cheap foods to satisfy a late-night craving or for fuel before an intense study session is common for most college students, and one of the staples of the college life is pizza. Looking around the city we found five places that offer a variety of pizzas that go beyond the usual chains and also fit well into the tight budget of a college student. Old Town Pizza - 9677 Elk Grove Florin Road
New York Pizza - 9059 Bruceville Road
Man cave is probably the first thing that comes to mind with this shop. It’s the type of place that a bunch of guys go to after work and hang out to drink beer and eat pizza. While there were people of all genders, it was clear that the atmosphere was meant to appeal to what they expect men to like. The No Sleep ‘till Brooklyn pizza with mozzarella, ricotta, meatballs, onion and fresh basil was a very modest pizza with ingredients that mixed well for some of us but not for others who found it bland.
If you’re in the mood for pizza and don’t want to go far from the campus, New York Pizza is definitely the place to go. You’ll need someplace else to go afterwards to eat the pizza, either to tables at nearby places or a park, because there is no seating within. It’s a shop more geared towards picking up and going. For the slices you only have the option of cheese or pepperoni, but you get basically what amounts to two slices of the pizza for just $2.50.
Slice of Broadway - 2424 16th Street
Pieology- 1020 16th Street
When you walk into this shop you almost wouldn’t think it is a pizza shop as it has a very cozy feel, with couches and chairs to sit in, it almost feels like a sports bar or tattoo parlor in its decor. Their pizza was very classic in style and composition, but was still delicious. For just $5.50 we were able to get a slice which actually is two slices and equals a quarter of a 20 in. pizza. It was definitely the best value with the price and size of the piece. It’s a fantastic place to curl up with your favorite slice.
The simplest way to describe Pieology is that it is the Chipotle of pizza places, as you can build your own pizza from all the available toppings for just $7.95. The size of the pizzas, 11.5 inches, is perfect for a quick slice with friends. The hickory was tangy and light, and the thin crust gives the perfect crunch that is delicious and fills you up without leaving you feeling too full. A good diet cheat kind of pizza.
What we ordered: 12 in. No Sleep Till Brooklyn $14.75
What we ordered: Slice of Pepperoni pizza $5.50
What we ordered: Slice of Cheese pizza $2.50
What we ordered: Hickory BBQ Chicken $7.95
Uncle Vito’s Slice of NY - 1501 16th St. What we ordered: Slice of Pesto $3.95
Upon first look, Vito’s fits the mold of a hole in the wall establishment with seemingly basic pizza and brews. Once you have a slice though, it’s far from basic. We tried a slice of the Pesto pizza that comes with tomatoes, pesto and feta cheese. The tomatoes melt with the pesto for a more sublte flavor. Even those of us that hate tomatoes enjoyed this slice. It was so good on its own that there was no need to add parmesan or pepper flakes.
All pizza scores are out of five Compiled by: Bobby Bishop, Nicole Goodie, Heather Kemp, Scott Redmond & Ceejay Willis Photos by: Ceejay Willis Courtesy Photo
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MAY 7, 2015
>>Opinion EDITORIAL
S AV E Y U R STUDENTS S ME M NEY School needs to re-evaluate their terms with Higher One bank
Higher One, the bank that Cosumnes River College and many other colleges in the United States use to give students their financial aid award, is nothing but a big hassle. There is nothing worse than when a company tries to say they care about college students and helping them make the most of their money when they actually do the complete opposite. Sure, there are some positives about the company, like the ability to receive financial aid through direct deposit instead of having to wait for a check in the mail and the fact that you can use the card almost anywhere, but the list stops there. Whenever someone slides their debit card to purchase an item, Higher One charges an extra 50 cents to their account as a transaction fee. This may not seem like a lot of money, but say you shop four places in one day, that is $2 gone. Other ridiculous fees include $19 a month for inactivity, a $25 fee for transferring money to another account and a $2.50 fee when you take money out of a non Higher One ATM, according to Higher One’s website. If Higher One was just a normal bank, their actions may not be so upsetting, but the fact that their website claims to want the best for students while simultaneously scamming money from them is what makes the situation so irritating. “In an age when the other guys are cutting student-focused programs, we are constantly striving to roll out new and different ways to offer you more,” Higher One’s website says. “After all, we’re a company founded for students, by students and we’ve never forgotten our pledge to give you more choices and better value!” Anyone who has dealt with Higher One for even a semester knows that this statement is total bull. Besides the difficulties that all students face when dealing with Higher One, CRC and other Los Rios campuses face additional issues with the company. The ATMs at the campuses hardly ever work, leading to stu-
dents not being able to withdraw money without visiting another bank’s ATM. Higher One points the finger for the ATM malfunctions at the Financial Aid Offices and vice versa, resulting in nothing being fixed. It’s pretty hard to avoid being charged the $2.50 for withdrawing money from another bank’s ATM or the 50 cent fees for swiping as a debit card when you cannot access your money. Conspiracy? Maybe. While CRC and Los Rios have adopted Higher One and its fees, other colleges have fought for their students. Portland State University and Southern Oregon University negotiated to stop the debit fees that students are charged when re-signing their contract with Higher One in 2011, according to The Oregonian. Higher One made $66 million just from fees charged to students in 2010, according to The Oregonian. While it is ultimately students’ responsibilities to manage their money, being bombarded with unfounded fees is not helping anyone. It is time for students and administrators to stand up to Higher One and demand changes to their contracts or find a new bank. This controversy is not going away. There is even a Facebook page titled “Fuck Higher One” completely dedicated to exposing their wrongdoings and urging them off all college campuses. The company is constantly being investigated and sued. Recently, they agreed to pay out a $15 million settlement to students in response to claims that their marketing tactics and fees were predatory, according to Michigan Live Media Group. Higher One outright admitted to preying on college students. It’s clearly time to expose this wolf in sheep’s clothing and get the company off of Los Rios’ territory. We invite all students and faculty to join us in asking our campus leaders to take a stand for each and every one of us against Higher One.
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Courtesy Photo
‘No one would dare tell Obama, Bush,
Reagan or any other president
to lighten it up.’ Hillary Clinton is being criticized for things that her male counterparts do not have to deal with. By Heather Kemp hkemp.connect@gmail.com When thinking about the presidents who have served this nation throughout history, all except Barack Obama are white and they are all male. Older males who are steadfast in their beliefs and stand up for what they feel is best for the country. Clinton is a name that stands out from the pack, and besides Bill Clinton’s questionable interactions with an intern, he is generally remembered as a good president. To my delight, on April 12, Hillary Clinton announced her bid for presidency on her website, YouTube page and Twitter account. According to the Huffington Post, her tweet got 100,000 retweets in just hours, which is pretty amazing. Things were going great, as a powerful and accomplished woman was finally getting support and recog-
nition that she could be a legitimate competitor. Then, articles started claiming that in order to make it past the Democratic Primaries and beat any male counterpart for the White House, she would have to soften her image and become more likeable. Clinton’s likeability is a bit questionable, as she does come off stone faced at times. Compared to Bill, she is far less charming, but we have had quite a few unlikable presidents in our history. Likeability is also subjective, as the Pew Research Center conducted a poll last year that said 64 percent of people surveyed found her likeable. Also, according to The University of New Hampshire’s most current survey on the 2016 election, Clinton will not only overwhelmingly win the nomination to run for the Democratic Party, but will win the entire election by 58 percent.
The troubling thing is how closely articles written after her announcement echo thoughts expressed in leaked 1992 democratic polls meant to strengthen Bill’s career. Americans polled referred to Hillary as a “tough political wife” and the consensus was that “few Americans think of you [Hillary] in personal terms (warm, caring, funny, kind, maternal) or have a sense of your [Hillary’s] deep love of children,” according to the Wall Street Journal. No woman or girl should have to be feminine, soft, maternal or anything else for that matter. More importantly, no president should be soft. It is ludicrous that anyone would even suggest Hillary become anything but tough and political if she is going to be president. Should she negotiate with terrorists too? With all of the pressures and
demands put on a president’s plate everyday, there is no way to survive or get anything done unless you have a strong personality and opinion. No one would dare tell Obama, Bush, Reagan or any other president to lighten it up. If you are going to criticize Hillary for anything, it should be her lack of understanding about how to use an email account. These criticisms that are based on her gender are similar to those cast against Obama in 2008 because of his race. Whether you are a democrat, republican or a member of a third party, there is no denying that the country took a huge step forward when those criticisms were ignored and we elected Obama. Muddying the water with talk of gender roles and stereotypes does nothing but take us a step backwards, and that is not the way to go.
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May 7, 2015
>>Sports
Athletic summer camps offered on campus for kids By Heather Kemp hkemp.connect@gmail.com Over the summer, Cosumnes River College sponsors a variety of community education classes in the form of sports camps for kids and young adults. Volleyball, basketball, soccer, tennis and swimming are all being offered this summer. The campus will provide use of their athletic facilities for the camps. The classes are organized by age and skill, and CRC head volleyball coach and summer volleyball camp director Cassie Baxter said participating in any camp gives youngsters a new experience and a chance to build their skill sets. “This summer camp allows the youth in our area to enhance their skills while being on a college campus,” Baxter said. “Being able to see our state of the art facilities and interacting with current CRC athletes gives the child an opportunity to envision themselves at that level.” Summer swim lessons were the first program offered when CRC opened in 1970 and remains the most popular camp to this day, said athletic director Liz Belyea. “We run about 1,400 kids through that [swim] every summer,” Belyea said. Each camp has its own goals and activities, like volleyball, which is offered to children ages 10 to 17 at the
beginner/intermediate and intermediate/advance levels, Baxter said. “These skills camps are designed to focus on all aspects of the game with an emphasis on fundamentals,” Baxter said. “Drills and games are geared toward specific age and ability groups.” Baxter said that both individual and team training as well as practice and play repetitions are emphasized. Head swim coach, and director of the swimming camp for the past seven years, Elizabeth Abrams said that teaching water safety is her program’s main focus. “Water safety is our number one goal. We are a community with lakes, rivers and pools surrounding us,” Abrams said. “We hope that these campers will go away from our program with the knowledge and ability to safely swim independently. In addition to safety, teaching the proper techniques and strokes provide the swimmers with a skill set they can use as they expand their participation in other aquatic programs in the community.” Swim lessons are offered from the toddler level to beginning adult classes and private lessons. Some camps also reward participants for their hard work. “Camp ends with an allcamp tournament and awards ceremony,” Baxter said. “Each day ends with a number one
Attitude Award and number one Hustle Award from each team with a chance for a $5 Jamba Juice Award.” Abrams said that the last
Summer Camps Basketball: Ages 7-16 July 6-10
Soccer: Ages 6-14 June 29- July 2, July 6-10, July 13-17 Swim: All Ages June 8-19, June 22- July 3, July 6-17, July 20-31
“Our summer swim program goes five days a week for two weeks while a lot of the other ones are four days a week for two weeks and charge about the same amount, so we are pretty competitive,” Belyea said. While coaches and CRC faculty serve as directors, the program reaches into the community to find other staff. “The people who teach, that we are really proud of, for summer swim that we have come in are a lot of kinesiology majors from Sac
State,” Belyea said. “We really try to have good quality staff rather than just people who are marking time.” Campers can show off their new skills at other community events held on campus during the break like the Volleynation volleyball two-day doubles tournament for all ages and levels on Aug. 8 and 9. For more information about the camps, enrollment or pricing visit crchawks.com/ information/camp_information.
Tennis: Ages 4-17 July 6-10 Volleyball: Ages 10-17 July 13-17 day of the swim camp is the one the kids enjoy the most. “The best part of Summer Swim is the last day of each session,” Abrams said. “There is always a theme, staff dress up and fun games are a must. The kids love to see their swim instructor dressed up as their favorite Disney character.” Prices vary by camp, but are very comparable to programs offered elsewhere, Belyea said. There are also discounts for enrolling siblings, according to the Hawks website.
Courtesy Photo
THECRCCONNECTION.COM
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Swim team looks to build its program after first season By Stephanie Lopez slopez.connect@gmail.com With their first season behind them, the Cosumnes River College women’s swim team accomplished a lot in their inaugural year. Being a new team to the campus, there were understandably some growing pains, but the women did not let it stop them. “A lot of the girls were either new to swimming or hadn’t swam for a period of time, so there was a huge learning curve from the beginning of the season to the end,” said CRC’s swimming head coach Elizabeth Abrams. Abrams said that the small size of the team, which was only five swimmers, ended up being very beneficial for them in the long run. “We had a really small group of girls, but the upside to having a small team was that the girls got a lot of individualized attention and training,” Abrams said. “We were able to focus on the girls individually and that also created a great team experience.” The swimmers said that having a small team allowed them to grow strong friendships. “It was a great season because we were able to bond so much and I know I made friends to last me a lifetime,” said freshman swimmer Natasha Supan, in an email interview. The women received seventh place at the Big 8 Conference this season. “Even being so small we were strong enough as a team
Editor in Chief: Heather Kemp Features Editor: Scott Redmond News Editor: Nick Valenzuela Opinion Editor: Johny Garcia Sports Editor: Heather Kemp Visuals Editor: Ceejay Willis Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati
Staff: Bobby Bishop, Omar Chan, Taylor Gomez, Nicole Goodie, Stephanie Lopez, Tierra Palumbo, Francisco Rodriguez, Tim Taylor, Jasmine Teng
not to be last like everyone expected,” said freshman Megan Lapomardo in an email interview. “We are the lady Hawks and we are here to make our claim in the pool.” With some experience under their belts now, the women are ready to return to the pool with additional members next season. “I will be returning next season to continue to get better and pick up where I left off at,” Lapomardo said. “I’m also looking forward to meeting the new coming girls and welcoming them to our amazing lady Hawks swim team.” Some of the ways the coaches are recruiting are by informing the local high school swim teams about the new swimming program at CRC.
“Coach Sieger and myself have been going out to a lot of the local high schools in the area and visiting their teams, and just letting them know that we have a program,” Abrams said. “In addition to that, just students on campus are inquiring,” Abrams said. And as far as future plans go, Abrams said that she is hoping to host games at the CRC pool with a bigger team next season. “Small steps for big longterm goals is kind of where we’re at right now,” Abrams said. “We plan to host a few home meets next season, which will be a next step in growing our program and, in addition to that, just having a larger team with the hopes of being more competitive as a whole.”
Scott Redmond | The Connection
A swimmer from the Hawks team participating in an event at the Big 8 Invitational at American River College on March 13 .
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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It’s not easy to be a sports fan By Scott Redmond sredmond.connect@gmail.com Being a sports fan is really hard. Sure watching your team lose, trying to keep up with all the statistics of the chosen sport, buying merchandise to support the team or watching as the coach or manager makes a boneheaded move that sends the best player away can be hard. What’s really hard though is having to reconcile that love of the sport with the fact that some of the people playing the sport or running the sport are not fit to be cheered for because they are disgusting human beings. Floyd Mayweather Jr. recently took home a giant paycheck, with more money to follow from endorsements, after a long anticipated fight with Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather has an admitted history of domestic abuse, a history that includes him serving time for his crimes. Yet boxing fans flocked from all over, paying obscene amounts of money to watch the fight. Some did it because they were rooting for Pacquiao and wanted Mayweather to lose, but with a 50/50 chance of him winning they were still supporting him even if they didn’t realize it. For that moment in time, crimes and abuse didn’t mean anything. The same goes for the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice, caught on video in late 2014 beating his wife Janay Rice, and the Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson, who savagely beat his son with a switch. Many fans of the teams ignored the fact that the men did these heinous acts because both are seen as some
of the most skilled players their teams have to offer. Being a sports fan is hard because it’s not always cut and dry about the reaction of fans to these men and their crimes. What makes being a fan hard is that if you are a fan of the sport, but not what the officials or athletes do, it’s hard to walk away from what you love because of some bad eggs. I’m a fan of football, a San Francisco 49ers fan all the way, but I was disgusted earlier this year when they refused to let go of defensive end Ray McDonald who was accused of domestic abuse. The problem is, I love the sport of football and I love the 49ers. Even knowing that poor decision that was made, I’m still a fan and wear their team merchandise proudly and can’t wait for the season to begin. It’s a very murky area where the love of a team or sport and the disgusting acts of owners, athletes or officials meet. It should be a simple matter to turn and leave it all behind, to vote with the wallets, to let these people know that what they did was wrong. Yet, it’s not that simple. Loyalty to a sport or organization is a hard feeling to shake. It really can’t be explained. It needs to change though. Our silent acceptance of this behavior of athletes and officials can’t continue. With every piece of merchandise we buy or every ticket we purchase, we’re telling those in charge that no matter what we’ll support the sport, team or athlete. As sports fans, it’s a dangerous line we walk, and we need to stop walking it as soon as possible. While we still can and before it’s too late.
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THECRCCONNECTION.COM
Hawks softball brings home the win After two consecutive victories against Fresno City, the team moves on to Super Regionals By Heather Kemp hkemp.connect@gmail.com The Cosumnes River College softball team is officially moving on to the next round of playoffs after defeating the Fresno City Rams on May 2 and 3. During their May 2 game, the team left the field victorious with a 5-2 win and spectators were left wondering if the women could keep their mojo overnight and win their rematch the next day. In the first inning of game two, the Hawks experienced a rocky start, striking out almost immediately while Rams freshman pitcher Sarah Santana hit a homerun and brought her team to an early 1-0 lead. At the top of the second inning, Hawks freshman shortstop Brenda Velasquez and freshman pitcher Christy Satterlee both got walks and Velasquez was able to score a run after a hit from freshman catcher Raechel Hooper. With the score tied 1-1, the women quickly struck out the Rams, ending the second inning. “One thing I like about this team is that we were down early and we don’t let it phase us,” said Hawks head coach Kristy Schroeder. With the bases loaded in the top of the third, sophomore third baseman Hanna Miller’s hit to center field earned her a 3 RBI double that brought home sophomore outfielder Christin Stein, sophomore pitcher Amanda Horbasch and freshman second baseman Kaitlin Pires, giving them a 4-1 lead. The third and fourth innings proved to be difficult for the Rams as
the Hawks scored yet another run in the fourth when sophomore first baseman Briana Cherry’s sacrifice bunt brought Velasquez home. The Hawks kept their 5-1 lead into the sixth inning which they started with a bang, as Hooper hit a home run increasing their lead 6-1. Although they tried, the Rams once again could not respond with any runs in the sixth. However, the Hawks were struck out quickly in the seventh inning, leaving the Rams one last shot at redemption. With Rams sophomore pitcher Selena Ruiz on second and freshman pitcher Carissa McMillion on first, freshman pitcher Aubrey Blankenburg got a walk, loading the bases. With two outs, Santana was up to bat at the make or break moment that could have increased the Rams score and potentially lead to winning the game or going into extra innings. Even though Santana hit a home run earlier and had two runners on base, Horbasch, was not intimidated and was able to strike Santana out as well, leaving the final score at 6-1. Schroeder said she was happy about the game’s outcome and some of its big plays. “Hanna Miller came up big with the nice hit there,” Schroeder said. “And it was great that Raechel Hooper ended it with a home run there because one run makes a big difference.” Freshman pitcher Olivia Dibble said that the team played well throughout the entire game. “We were consistent all the way through the game and didn’t really have a bad inning,” Dibble said.
Ceejay Willis | The Connection
Freshman shortstop Brenda Velasquez running across home plate at the Hawks May 3 game against the Fresno City Rams during playoffs.
The Hawks will next play Cabrillo College in game two of the Super Regionals being held at Sierra College on May 8-10. Potentially, depending upon the outcome of their match with Cabrillo, the Hawks could face Sierra or Shasta colleges on May 9 and May 10 on their path to the State Finals. Horbasch said she is confident and excited to be moving onto the next
By Bobby Bishop & Heather Kemp bbishop.connect@gmail.com
Baseball beats Gavilan and continues postseason play
The Hawks baseball team beat the Gavilan College Rams on May 1 and 2 during the first round of playoffs. Cosumnes River College’s team won their May 1 game 6-2. “We played well,” said head coach Anthony Bloomfield. “Fitchett [sophomore right fielder Alex Fitchett] had hit one out of the park and Blake [sophomore first baseman Tyler Blake] hit one out the first end in game one.” During their May 2 game, the Hawks were once again victorious, winning 4-2. “The second game was a nail biter until the last inning,” Bloomfield said. “We came through and bunted
round of playoffs. “I’m excited for it, we’ve taken Sierra before,” Horbasch said. Schroeder said that she hopes to keep the team’s momentum going. “I feel pretty good going into that and we’ll just keep doing all of the things that we’ve been doing and hopefully having a good showing off of it,” Schroeder said.
some balls and played really well. I thought we were more talented than they were position wise, but their pitchers matched up with our guys.” Sophomore pitcher David Smith said that he thought their games went well. “We played well together as a team and the guys were executing. We kept it loose, but at the same time serious,” Smith said. Since the Hawks beat out Gavilan, they are moving on to play in Super Regionals on May 8 and 9 at Feather River College with the possibility of a tie breaker game on May 10. Bloomfield said to prepare for their upcoming games the team is looking to eliminate mental errors and throw a lot of strikes. “We’re going against the league champion in Feather River and it will be a tough
task for us, but we think that the Big 8 is the best conference so we’ll see where we match up,” Bloomfield said. Fitchett said that he will be treating their playoff games just like any other. “I’m superstitious, but it’s just another weekend for us. We’ve just got to go in and keep a level head and keep the grind,” Fitchett said. “You can’t change just because it’s playoff baseball, you’ve just got to keep doing what you’re doing.” Bloomfield said that the team he has this year reminds him of the Hawks state championship winning team he coached in 2012. “It’s a good group of guys,” Bloomfield said. “Its got the same feeling that we had back in 2012, all we have to do is keep playing and keep winning.”