Issue 4, Volume 51

thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college

Nov. 30, 2016

www.thegrcurrent.com

issue04 volume51

Mariya Mubeen | The Current currentcampus

currenta&e

currentsports

Making Green River A Hate-Free Zone

December Artist Spotlight Goes To Miranda Ward

Men’s Basketball Team Approaches Preseason

Petition to make Green River College a sanctuary college.

Post-impressionist inspired works to provoke a series of emotions. page3

page7

The team is one step closer to league play. page11

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thecurrent

2 2016-2017

Melanie Bell| Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Mariya Mubeen | The Current

Students gathered outside with signs such as “Dump Trump” to protest the new President-elect Donald Trump .The protest lasted throughout the day and grew in size, many of people wanting to join.

Students Protest Controversial President-Elect Trump By: Cameron Braun Staff Writer Students protested President-elect Donald Trump outside of the Student Union building Nov. 11, following in stride with several other protest demonstrations across the nation.

The protest took place all throughout the day and grew in size as time went on. Students waved signs bearing slogans like “Love Trumps Hate” and “Not My President,” along with several rainbow flags symbolizing the LGBTQ community.

The general consensus from the protesters was that they opposed Trump’s alarming language and actions during his campaign, accusing him of using racist, homophobic and misogynistic rhetoric to appeal to members of the alt-right community.

Lena Summer, 18, disclosed that she voted for Clinton, as many of the other protesters did, and remarked, “I’m very afraid for the next four years… as a member of the LGBT Bottom left: Students holding more signs.

Bottom right: Another student holding signs mocking Trump’s campaign

Mariya Mubeen| The Current

community I’m scared by the stance Trump seems to be taking against my community.”

Eden Ulrigg, 18, with regards to the attacks on the accused attacks on the LGBT community, commented, “As [a] bisexual [person],

“I’m very afraid for the next four years… as a member of the LGBT community I’m scared by the stance Trump seems to be taking against my community.”

- Lena Summer

I do not feel comfortable with our president-elect, and our vice president who is for Conversion Therapy Camps to change the way that kids are…” In addition to accusing

Trump of racism, Ulrigg also accused him of being a rapist and said she worries that he is misrepresenting America.

Almost nothing was said with regard to issue with Trump’s economics, however. The majority of the issues posed by the protesters had to do with what they considered hate speech against marginalized communities to instill fear and violence.

Star Dragon, 17, however, spoke out about the hypocrisy: “When I saw Trump take the presidency, I saw people showing hatred on campus… we got together to let people know that hatred is not welcome on our campus… our campus will remain safe for everyone.”

There were a few students watching the protests who openly admitted to supporting Trump. Alfredo Hernandez, 25, disclosed voting for Trump and explained, “As a veteran, I don’t feel comfortable voting for Hillary considering the things she has done… she got away with things generals were fired for… I don’t think Trump is racist, I don’t think it’s wrong to deport illegal immigrants in place

of spending the money we do accommodating people who are here illegally.”

Hernandez commented on what he saw as hypocrisy amongst the protesters in that they were chanting to stop hatred, yet they seem to be fighting fire with more fire.

The protesters’ general consensus was that the nation needs to understand the weight of their actions and who they have hurt at the cost of being able to throw their “Molotov at the establishment.” The crowd wanted to say they are trying to stop the spread of hate, and that even in defeat, they’ll still be fighting for their beliefs.

The final question posed to the crowd was what they would say to someone who voted for Trump if they were asking these questions right now.

As a group, they all stood behind one individual who chose to remain anonymous who said, “I will not hate you, I will still love you, but you need to understand the implications of who you just voted for.”

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thecurrent

Melanie Bell| Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

3 2016-2017

Transfer Students Prepare As College Applications Open Up By: Annie Chan Staff Writer Students wishing to transfer to a four-year university for fall quarter of 2017 should prepare for their transfer process.

The transfer process is more than just preparing a personal statement. Students should begin by researching different universities and getting to know what each has to offer. Different universities usually offer similar courses but some may offer ones that are better fit for certain majors.

It could be helpful for students to check which of their classes they have taken are considered college-level and make sure that they are able to be transferred to their preferred universities. Courses may not hold the same name or code at different universities. Some universities also may not accept certain courses taken at Green River College (GRC), so students should be cautious about that.

With better awareness of which classes are able to be transferred smoothly, it should be easier for students to figure out what classes they still have to take after the transfer process and prior to applying for their major.

“Students should always plan ahead and come up with an end goal,” says Srey Chea, an educational planner for the Career and Advising Center. “By picking a pathway and setting goals, they can then identify what they want to do and establish a purpose of being here.”

Universities give priority to students who have obtained their AA-degrees or have reached the maximum 90 transferable credits.

Other aspects universities look for

is how major-ready students are.

Being major-ready means that a student has taken a majority of their prerequisites that allows them to get into their majors.

Chea recommends that transfer students come up with an end goal and that is when students should determine what major they want to get into and perhaps what university they want to pursue that major at. Different universities have better programs for majors.

By establishing this goal, it should be more clear to students when it comes to what classes they will need take for their two remaining quarters at GRC “I am making sure that by the end of this year, I will have completed 90 credits for my AA for a hopefully easy transfer,” Kamryn Hughes, a two-year running start student said.

“It’s all about me finding classes I enjoy for these last two quarters. I tried my best to get the hard classes out of the way so I can take more electives during the Spring before I transfer,” Hughes said.

Hughes has already applied to Portland State University, her top choice. She has started on her applications for Western Washington University and University of Washington, Seattle.

It is important to note that running start students have different requirements than transfer students when it comes to transfer applications. Running start students like Hughes are facing earlier application deadlines as they are transferring the same time as future freshmen are. They must also send in their SAT scores and official high school transcripts.

Direct transfer students have a later application deadline and are

Top 5 Institutions GRC Transfer Students Applied To (2014-2015): 1

2

3

4

5

University of Washington

Central Washington University

Washington State University

Western Washington University

Eastern Washington University

not required to send in their SAT scores. Students should check different university requirements in advance to starting their applications. Better preparation and awareness of requirements can make the transfer process a lot more stress-free and easy as deadlines inch closer.

Community colleges have slowly experienced increasing enrollments. More students are looking to save money and hope for smaller class sizes at their local community colleges. Roughly 50 percent of undergraduate students take the

students, Green River sits as the top ten for international student enrollment in the United States. A lot of international students choose to attend Green River prior to transferring to a four-year university. They tend to take English classes for speakers of other languages to sharpen their skills.

International students have the same transfer application deadline as direct transfer students, but may have more hoops to jump through.

“Just like most internationals students, my main purpose on studying abroad was to enter a four-year

Application Checklist Send official transcripts to selected colleges Write a personal statement or essay requested by colleges Apply for financial aid by the deadline and scholarships community college route before heading to a university. With over 40 technical programs and a majority of classes being transferable, Green River helps students prepare for a smoother transition to a fouryear university.

Green River is no longer a community college, but a high percentage of students here still transfer to a four-year university. According to statistics, 58 percent of students who graduated with a transfer Associate degree transferred to a four-year university in the 20132014 school year. This data accounts for all domestic, running start, and international students.

With over 1,700 international

university,” Kyla Nagatsuka, an international transfer student said.

“I am studying liberal arts at Green River to save money. This transition will let me gain more professional knowledge,” Nagatsuka said.

Nagatsuka hopes to attend Temple University in Philidelphia and will be starting her application during Winter break.

Transfer applications have already opened for some universities such as Western Washington University. For the popular University of Washington Seattle, applications open on December 15.

As applications open, students are welcome to visit the writing center to receive aid in writing

their personal statements. Transfer advisers also hold a workshop called Transfer 101 where students can come to an understanding about the application process. They can also be better informed about scholarships, strict application requirements, and deadlines.

Advisers are holding a transfer 101 workshop on December 1. For more information, students can visit the advising center. Transfer advisers are also available through appointments or drop-in’s throughout the week for students who wish to receive direct help.

International programs also host a similar workshop called the Personal Statement Workshop.

Students who take part in these workshops come to an understanding about what universities are looking for. Advisers of the workshop encourages students to start on their applications and personal statements so they can share them with peers and get extra help if needed. This workshop is available for both domestic and international students.

The online College Transfer Center is always available on the Green River website for students to gain easy access to the help they need. With their three-step guide, students can be better prepared during the transfer process.

Transferring may be stressful for most students, but it can also be an exciting transition.

“I’m really excited,” Hughes said.

“I am looking forward to my independence and to explore a new city and be away from my family. I am also a bit nervous because I can’t clean or cook, but it’s going to be a great learning experience.”

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND: There will most likely be application fees to submit applications International students may have additional forms to fill out when applying.

Additional forms may be required for international students as a part of their transfer application Check your progress with transfer advisers at Green River and establish a pathway for your transfer process Pay attention to deadlines of all selected colleges and allow extra time to start and complete your application

campus

thecurrent

4 2016-2017

Melanie Bell | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Board of Trustees discusses faculty, ASGRC, and budget By: Cameron Braun Staff Writer

The Green River Board of Trustees (BOT) is focusing on the future, accepting state grants to remodel the Student Affairs building, and laying out requirements for hiring a permanent president for the college.

The Washington State Department of Commerce had previously offered Green River College (GRC) a grant of $450,000 to remodel the existing Student Affairs building, which was repurposed after the newly renovated Mel Lindbloom Student Union building was opened.

However, recently the state offered Green River an addition to that grant, raising the total from $450,000 to $715,028 - an amount not required to be used in total, but was offered nonetheless.

Green River’s current agreement with the state is that they will take the money to an energy service company, which specializes in optimization of energy consumption for sustainability. This company will ensure that the remodeled Student Affairs building is eco-friendly, and will renovate other things like the ducts for the new floor plan, work on a better air filtration system to limit harmful intrusions and replace the fluorescent light fixtures with LEDs. The BOT accepted the additional grant from the state. The funds must be spent by

June 30 2017, and renovations are scheduled to begin shortly afterward.

Interim President Scott Morgan and the committee for selecting the new president have brought forward a draft set of requirements for applicants.

The new president will be required to have at least a Master’s Degree, along with experience in Senior Level Education Administration, whether that be at a high school or another college.

President Morgan continued to reiterate rhetoric similar to what he’s been saying so far with regards to his presidency, and the search for a new president for the school.

Green River is looking for a president who will take the issues of increasing completions, diversity, and operating with stronger communication between the administration and both the staff and students at GRC. President Morgan began his Interim Presidency on Aug 1 2016, and will leave his office for a new president to continue taking Green River forward on June 30 2017.

Part of the BOT meetings is the monthly ASGRC report, in which the selected representative from the student government provides a monthly overview of what is going on at Green River. According to the report, ASGRC committee chairs were appointed, and the Senate ratified 32 official new clubs.

In addition, the ASGRC, in direct affiliation with the Office of Diversity, has been working to organize multiple events to

Faculty Spotlight: Adrienne Palmer

Mariya Mubeen | The Current

Math Learning Coordinator, Adrienne Palmer

By: Raghav Mandhana Opinion Editor Whether you are a student who has trouble with math, or you are exceptionally good at math, like math tutors, an ever friendly face greeting you in the Math Learning Center (MLC) is the one of Adrienne Palmer, the long-time coordinator of the MLC. Having worked in the Math department for 21 years, and as the Math Learning Center supervisor for 16 years, the expertise that Palmer has is unparalleled. She is also very committed to the betterment of the Math Learning Center and works in a way that

inspires hard work.

Among the many responsibilities that come with the position, the most important one would be managing a workforce of nearly 50 people which includes tutors, student instruction leaders, and office workers. As a part of managing them, she schedules their working hours, makes sure that everyone reports during their shifts, and approves the time sheets of all the student employees.

An excellent employer, she also conducts interviews for hiring tutors, who are the essence of the Math Learning Center. Having screened them carefully, she then schedules them to shifts based on their availability and the budget that she has been assigned.

She also takes care that the Math Learning Center remains sufficiently supplied with stationery so that the students coming in don’t face any problems. Not just for the Math Learning Center, but she also orders class room supplies and textbooks for all math instructors on campus.

In an effort to make new students aware of the Math Learning Center, she also visits math classes during the course of the quarter and talks about the resources that are available to them if they are ever facing trouble in their math classes.

Being the manager of the Math Learning Center, she also conducts calculator workshops for all students in order to help demonstrate the working of the many Texas Instruments calculator series.

Her relentless hard work and superior management skills have helped make the Math Learning Center the trustworthy resource it is today, and has helped many students.

support inclusion for members of the LGBTQ community. Student forums will be held in order to better coordinate a path of acceptance and safety for all communities at Green River in the coming years, as well as offering peer navigators, and inclusive study tables for the groups.

Presenting in place of Jaeney Hoene, Jamie Fitzgerald presented the monthly report from the staff. The focus of this presentation was set on the imbalance of the adjunct to full-time faculty ratio.

According to Hoene’s PowerPoint, there are a grossly high number of adjuncts doing the work of full-time faculty. According to their report, there are 237 adjuncts covering the workload of 158 full-time faculty members.

Adjunct faculty earn a significantly lower wage and aren’t being offered full-time positions to keep them committed to teaching at Green River.

As a result of Green River’s high adjunct ratio, other schools like Seattle U are able to offer better conditions for many of the teachers here at Green River, and Green River suffers in terms of education as a result of this.

When taking comments from the audience, one man stood up and spoke about the issue raised in the overcrowded BOT meeting with the previous president Eileen Ely. A request was made that in the event that public attendance of the BOT meetings exceed the legal capacity of the regular meeting rooms that they be relocated to a secondary

location capable of safely and legally to accommodate the larger audience.

Last Spring in a controversial meeting with Ely, audience members were stretched into the hallway attempting to listen in on what was supposed to be a public meeting. When the room reached capacity, both Campus Security and fire marshalls were called to prevent any more audience members from entering the boardroom.

A request was made of the BOT that this be taken into account for the future, especially with regards to President Morgan’s reiterating of rhetoric regarding better communication between the administrative body and the faculty/student body.

In a final comment, President Morgan addressed the protests on Nov. 11 in reaction to the Presidential Election results, as well as the college’s take on them.

President Morgan asked that while Green River encourages open and constructive speech, that it be kept civil. He continued by reinforcing that one of Green River’s principles is to be open and accepting of its student body. He was uncertain about the future for the 527 reported undocumented students currently in credit programs but continued to reinforce that Green River would continue to show acceptance to its students.

Next Board of Trustees Meeting:

Dec. 15, 2016 @ 4 pm

Melanie Bell| Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

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5 2016-2017

Staff Creates Petition To Make Green River A Sanctuary By: Mariya Mubeen Co-Editor

The result of the 2016 election has created turmoil on the usually peaceful Green River (GR) campus. In order to restore some peace and hope, interim President Scott Morgan, sent out an email on Nov. 18. The email promised that the college will always “stand by its core values and principles” and think for the betterment of the students.

Within very short notice, the college staff, faculty, and students conducted an event on November 22 for the people of the GR community to come together and voice their concerns. The event was held in three different parts.

From 10 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. group discussions were held in the Pin, Noble and Emerald City rooms in the SU building. People were put into small groups and held informal discussions where students and faculty alike expressed their various concerns, problems, and possible solutions. The discussion groups provided a safe space for people to talk about their feelings and fears.

At noon, a panel discussion took place in the SU Gator Hall. The discussion was hosted

by Itai Jefferies, a sociology professor. The panelists included: Liz Becker, Humanities Chair person, Scott Morgan, Marisela FleitesLear, Spanish faculty, Marwa Almusawi, Diversity and Equity Division Head, Kinzah Mohammed, Student, Victoria Pacho, ODEI

Commissioner and Armando Valenzuela, ODEI Peer Navigator.

During the discussion, Fleites-Lear voiced her concerns over the possible elimination of the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the Muslim registry under Donald Trump’s campaign. She further spoke about a petition drafter by her and reviewed by other staff members.

“I’m hoping for this petition to be signed by a lot of students, faculty, staff, and a lot of my community members; a petition to declare our college a sanctuary college,” said FleitesLear.

The petition is addressed to the board of trustees, the president and vice presidents of GRC. It requests the administration to guard the privacy of the students and staff by refusing to release sensitive information to the border patrol and the police. The administration is requested not to force undocumented students to pay international tuition.

The hope is to make the campus a safe space for peaceful gathering. The petition also requires that the staff and faculty be given nondiscrimination training to identify and respond appropriately harassment and hate crimes. All students, staff and faculty are urged to sign this petition and support the motion to make Green River a sanctuary college. The petition is being circulated across the college by email. It can also be found here: https://goo.gl/forms/flOpcK99LUI9SVdl2 “Ideally, the campus should be a safe place,”

Mariya Mubeen | The Current

Students and faculty at the meeting concering the new petition to make GR a sanctuary college. said Becker, “… all of you are here equally, you’re paying tuition, you deserve to be able to go wherever, whenever and feel safe.”

When the panel was asked how the college officials would respond to an incident of harassment, Morgan explained that all cases would be treated differently and their consequences would be different.

Morgan was further asked to elaborate on the process that students would have to go through if they witness such an incident by Pacho. Things started to escalate between the Morgan and Pacho, but Vice President Deborah Casey diffused the heat by providing a detailed response to Pacho’s question.

Casey elaborately described the process that the student and the violator would have to go through depending on who the violator

Interim President Morgan Holds GRC Faculty Meeting

Morgan explains three year plan for Green River College By: Deadra Johnson Staff Writer Although he is only going to be here for a year, Interim President Scott Morgan is using meetings and setting goals to show that even for an interim president, transparency, and consistency are imperative for Green River College’s (GRC) future.

On November 10, Morgan invited all GRC faculty to a meeting. This optional meeting was open to all faculty and ended up consisting of about 65-70 faculty members in the River Room. Morgan has also held similar meetings for the entire college and even managers. He plans to hold these meetings every quarter.

The topics brought up during this meeting centered on enrollment, diversity, and the budget. Morgan chose to focus on these three topics because he views them as the main problems holding GRC back. “These are the challenges this college faces, in my estimation, and some of them are interrelated,” Morgan said.

Overall, the purpose of the meeting was to talk about the goals he has set and to reiterate his rhetoric. Morgan wanted to make sure the faculty found his goals reasonable. During the meeting, he explained what the problems were in his opinion and then what his goals were to put the school on track to solve them. Early Childhood Education instructor Leslie Kessler says that one of his goals is to increase enrollment. This is to help increase the budget so that more classes and departments won’t have to be cut.

Morgan has put in place a three-year plan to

begin dealing with the issues he sees GRC facing. “It’s going to take more than a year to deal with everything. We set a plan for a three-year period.” He says. Even though he’s not going to be with GRC much longer, he feels he needs to set things up for the next president.

This way, when they take over they already have a plan to focus on. Kessler says that she’s happy that he is setting goals for the future president to meet.

As to be expected numerous questions were asked. Kessler says that many of these questions were about the budget among

“He’s been trying to be really transparent about the budget, but of course we can’t expect him to have all of the answers,” - Leslie Kessler

faculty. Considering the issues concerning the budget in years past at GRC it’s easily one of the topics that stand out. Curious about the budget herself, she attended the entire meeting. “He’s been trying to be really transparent about the budget, but of course we can’t expect him to have all of the answers,” Kessler says. However, Kessler didn’t ask any questions herself nor did she disagree with or dislike any of the questions and comments

her colleagues brought up.

In addition to answering questions about the budget, Kessler says that Morgan showed the faculty slides about how enrollment is going down. Any questions Morgan couldn’t answer himself he had his vice president answer to the best of her ability. Morgan felt that he said all he needed to during the meeting.

He does realize that there is always going to be more to say, however. “There’s always more to say and more questions, but it’s important to get rid of as much of the mystery as possible.” Morgan says. His approach is focused on being as transparent as possible to keep the faculty close and positive.

Kessler agrees with this sentiment, saying that “He didn’t really get to the last few topics so I don’t think he needed to say more.”

Kessler says that she’s happy with the topics that were brought up. She also says that she believes her colleagues left feeling satisfied because many of their questions were addressed during the meeting. She plans to attend as many meetings as she can in the future to stay informed about any upcoming changes for GRC. Morgan has purposefully been transparent to his faculty. Though he may not be here to see his plan put in place, Morgan is aware of the issues here at GRC concerning diversity, enrollment and the overall budget, and addressed them.

Morgan’s three year plan, overall, is to keep the budget, diversity, and enrollement high.

Every quarter, there will be an opportunity to learn more about Morgan’s plan to keep GRC’s student body and budget floating.

is. The officials would investigate the case from both perspectives. After an investigation, and if the violator is found guilty in terms of code of conduct, the victim will be asked what they want to see happen to the violator.

“There confidentiality that comes with that [the result] though, so sometimes we can’t tell you the outcome of every situation that’s investigated,” said Casey.

The panel discussion was followed by another informal discussion which took place in the Emerald City room. Becker, FleitesLear, Pacho and Almusawi were available during that time to answer further questions.

The discussion allowed the students to freely interact with the panelists. The final discussion ended at 1:50 p.m.

GRC Crime Blotter

11/08 1:15 pm Kent Campus

A faculty member reported a student with severe stomach pain. An ambulence was called and the student was taken to Valley Medical Center.

An office assistant reported 11/10 that a swastika had been 4:15 pm Parking Lot drawn in parking lot P1.

P1

11/10 4:50 pm RAC

A student reported his iPhone 6s Plus was stolen while he was working out in the RAC. The phone was found and returned to it’s owner

11/14 3:41 pm Parking Lot P1

A student reported that a large truck lost control and slammed into a tree in parking lot P1.

A student appeared to be in11/16 toxicated upon arrival of their 8:00 am B500 Manu- 8 am manufacturing class. facturing

11/16 10:19 am HL and PE Building

One small fire was set Western side of the Physical Education building, and another was set on the northern side of Holman Library

6 2016-2017

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M. Kienan Briscoe | A&E Editor a&e@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Photos By: M. Kienan Briscoe | The Current

Students of Cindy Hall’s intermediate and beginning drawing class maintain a silent focus. It is up to Rick Giombetti (left) and Odie DeBlume (right), both professional art models, to maintain stillness.

Hold That Pose: Modeling For Figure Drawing

rounded art programs make Green River College her favorite of these, she said.

“The instructors make it an amazing experience,” DeBlume said.

When figure drawing, an artist depends Her daughter is now nine years old and one on movement for their drawing to take of her “unsuspecting” art models. shape; the opposite is often true for their Rick Giombetti, another model, says the subjects. hardest part of the job, although physically In Green River College’s Salish Hall, the demanding, is getting to the locations. intermediate and beginning drawing classes “ninety percent of the job is just showing take to a silent focus, aside from the scribup,” Giombetti said. bling of pencils and new age music emitting Giombetti has worked as an art model for from a boom box. Their live models only job 20 years, 16 in the Seattle area and the first is to stay still. four in Colorado where he attended college.

Odie DeBlume, a professional art model Although most of his modeling is done and previous Green River student, sits still on nude, he says it is importa chair while a handful of ant to not be embarrassed. eyes study her every detail.

More often than not the “Everyone...should She has worked as an art artists are more uncombe an art model and model for over nine years. fortable than he is, he said.

“I love what I do,” Dea waiter, because you Differently from DeBlume said. “Sometimes Blume, Giombetti prefers treat people better.” your body falls asleep… you - Cindy Small modeling for private artists need a strong sense of self and studios because there’s - a strong ego.” “less paperwork.”

DeBlume got into art Cindy Small, of the Green River College Art modeling while a student of Green River. She Department and drawing class instructor, was seven months pregnant, looking for a job believes it is important for her students to and feeling she was all out of options when a practice on live models. There is something fellow student said to her she’d make a great removed from copying a photograph, she model for feature drawing. said, and lacks the details and three dimen“I asked ‘what do I have to do?’ They said sions of a live subject. ‘just stay.’ So I did,” DeBlume said.

But as well as the technical aspects, Small Deblume thought being pregnant at the believes it is equally important to learn how time was an added feature because it is to treat live models. She believes they are the important for artists to practice with a variety artist’s muse, without which the artist cannot of dynamic models of different colors and work. shapes, and a pregnant body added more “I think everyone at some point should be rounded shapes and shadows for the artists an art model and a waiter, because you treat to practice with. people better,” she said.

DeBlume, an artist herself, prefers active, In her classes, models sit for short periods unaware, models because they are more of 25-30 minutes, and only hold difficult natural and often allow you to capture poses anywhere between 30 seconds and one movement, yet believes stationary models are minute, taking eight minute breaks between important for learning about measurement. sessions.

Although DeBlume has worked for private Small has been teaching art for 15 years, artists and studios, she prefers modeling but doing her own art for more. She prefor college art classes. The new president, fers mixed media, oftentimes building and tenured and experienced faculty, and well-

By: M. Kienan Briscoe A&E Editor

designing her own frames, because it adds a third dimension to her work, she said.

She considers her works “narrative paintings” because the paintings tell stories.

To visit Small’s online gallery and portfolio, visit http://www.cindysmallstudio.com

M. Kienan Briscoe | A&E Editor a&e@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

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2016-2017

The Artist’s Portfolio Exhibit Comes To Its Annual Close By: M. Kienan Briscoe A&E Editor

Art Works: Untitled (Top Left), Chronotherapy (Top Right), Self Portrait (Bottom Right), courtesy of the Art Department

Miranda Ward (Bottom Left), Photo By Mollie Clements

December Artist Spotlight Goes To Miranda Ward By: Mollie Clements Staff Writer Miranda Ward, 20, was selected as the December Artist Spotlight by the Fine Arts faculty.

Ward, an Auburn native, started taking her art seriously during her senior year of high school. She has been a student of Green River College for two and a half years and is working on getting her Fine Arts degree. She only has one quarter left at GRC, afterwards she plans on attending a four year college, exploring the idea of Western Washington University. Ward would like to go to college in state, not wanting to leap out of her comfort zone too much.

Her mother has been a huge inspiration in her art journey. Ward’s mother creates art frequently and likes to do more traditional types of drawing and painting. Her mother has encouraged her to do art from a young age. Both her parents have supported her dreams in obtaining

her degree, which Ward believes is essential because art is a very difficult and expensive field to get into.

All of her teachers in high school and GRC have been a great influence on her works as well. Her intermediate drawing and advanced drawing instructor, Cindy Small, has been very inspiring with how passionate she is about art. “[Small is] always helpful, positive, supportive, and wonderful at giving critique to help students improve their work,” Ward said.

Classes that have been most influential to her have been drawing, color theory and pottery. She applies the things she has learned in the color theory class in just about everything she does. Now that she has the knowledge, it allows her to be way more comfortable and creative when using color.

When taking her pottery class she learned a lot from the class and stayed persistent. However, it took her weeks in order to create

anything remotely decent on the potter’s wheel.

She didn’t give up on herself, though, she continued to try and make things.

“Practice makes perfect, no particular piece is better or more valuable just because I spent more time on it…behind every masterpiece are hundreds if not thousands or not so great efforts” Ward said.

Another favorite professor of Ward’s is Paul Metivier because his lectures are always interesting and inspiring, and his passion for the subjects he teaches are extremely apparent.

Although she is most comfortable with drawing, the classes she has taken at GRC have really pushed her to do work that is both different and better than she has ever imagined.

Ward plans on pursuing art as a career. At first, she was not quite sure where in the art field she would like to go, but by process

of elimination she has chosen illustration. She doesn’t like graphic design, and she is not interested in becoming a full-time studio artist either. However, she would like to continue working in both digital and traditional media, and she believes illustration exists in those two fields.

Ward’s favorite art style historically would be impressionists such as Monet. She also likes post-impressionism and lots of uses of color.

Her favorite art style that she likes to work with is painting, drawing, and design. She is hoping to connect with similar people through these art works.

“You have to just keep creating,” Ward said as advice to aspiring artists.

Ward likes that she overemphasizes warm and cold colors in her art to make it look more intense and expressive. Sometimes it is to help portray a feelings and sometimes it is purely an aesthetic choice.

The Artist's Portfolio student exhibit comes to a close this week, holding its closing ceremony Thursday, December 1, in the Helen S. Smith Gallery.

The exhibit is the final project for ART180, a capstone class for students pursuing degrees in art or, in some cases, careers as an artist, art tech, art teacher, or simply chasing the passion.

As part of the class, students assemble portfolios, websites, and eventually the design of the Artist's Portfolio exhibit.

Throughout the quarter, they are taught how to choose their best work, and arrange an effective gallery.

Each of the artists featured in the exhibit will be in attendance at the ceremony to engage in conversation with guests, answer any questions, and share their extended portfolio.

Complimentary refreshments will be served.

If guests are interested in purchasing any of the works featured, they can leave a message in the gallery's comment book or contact Paul Metivier, the gallery director.

The portfolio exhibit has become a Fall tradition ever since 2004, when the Art Department first began teaching the program.

The exhibit is one of the most popular of the year, said Cindy Small of the Art Department, giving students, faculty, and other guests the opportunity to see what Green River College art students have been up to while giving the artists the chance to acknowledge who they are as professionals.

During the closing ceremony, the artists are encouraged to bring their “support group,” Small said, including family, friends, instructors and co-workers to showcase their pieces .

"We have heard over the years that this class is one of the most important art classes we teach because it causes the student to really think about who they are as an artist and why they do what they do," Small said.

games

8

thecurrent

2016-2017

M. Kienan Briscoe | A&E Editor a&e@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

A Winter-Themed Puzzle For Those Cold Indoor Days Name:

Winter Themed Puzzle Complet e t he crossword below 1

2 3

4

5

6 7 8

9

10 11

12

13

14 15 16 17

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Created with TheTeac hers Co rner.net Cro s s wo rd Puz z le Generato r

Across 2. Santa's ride 5. A nine branched candelabra 6. Often times spiked with rum 9. Done with customized sho 15. Month 17. The shortest day of the year 18. A winter fashion statement 19. Adornment

Down 1. Gift 2. Frosty 3. This sport is played in three periods 4 . Leave of absence 7. A household 8. A warm beverage 10. One is clear, the 11. Celebrated globally 12. Also known as a Caribou 13. A tasty treat 14 . Kissing plant 16. Celebration of religious or cultural relevance

Raghav Mandhana | Opinion Editor opinion@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

opinion

thecurrent

9

2016-2017

More Changes in the Newsroom of The Current

Editorial

Closing out fall quarter with out last issue has brought a few things to the attention of The Current.

The first order of business within our office is the promotion of former Managing Editor, Mariya Mubeen, to co-editor-in-chief. Riley Agnew has had some serious health issues this quarter and the duties of Editor-in-Chief were straining him.

It was the best move for this student-run newspaper of Green River College and a much needed one.

“Physically I am okay, but I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder in October. Having the paper to focus on helps, but the strain of it can send me into a downward spiral sometimes. I wanted to continue working for The Current, and I knew that Mariya was ready for the responsibilities that come with sharing the position,” Agnew said.

The advisor for The Current, John Knowlton, first recommended that Mubeen be promoted to Co-Editor.

Knowlton and Agnew agreed that Mubeen would be a good fit for the role and that should Agnew’s condition worsen, the paper would still put out an issue.

“I’m really impressed with her

sense of organization, hard work and commitment to journalistic excellence,” Knowlton said.

“I’m very happy with my position.

In one quarter I went from my position as Copy Editor, to Managing Editor, and now I am the Co-Editor.”

Mubeen said.

Mubeen has already whipped our office into shape, keeping track of section editors and managing story assignments to writers.

“I’m glad Mariya is my Co-Editor; she has a good head on her shoulders and I know that in the event of a possible medical emergency the paper would be fine. Quite frankly, I look forward to working with her as an equal,” Agnew said.

“So far, Mariya’s been great,” mentioned Kienan Briscoe, the A&E editor. “Journalism is all about racing the clock, so it really helps to have her organization skills and authoritative leadership.”

One of the tactics Mariya has implemented, that Kienan believes has really helped the newsroom, is a Messenger group with all the editors, copy editors and reporters to stay connected with the status of stories, edits, and page layouts. That way, the

staff at The Current can stay connected with each other and can help in keeping the track of the status of each issue wherever they are.

“Having the Facebook message has really helped us work as a team,” Briscoe said.

“When I came in to interview, she was very approachable and kind,” Melanie Bell, Campus editor, said. “I think she’s doing a great job.”

On a bit different note, a major thing that we noticed was the reluctance of students to write to us about their issues. With the ongoing distress caused by elections, the staff of The Current would like the faculty and the students to know that we are here to listen. If there are any incidents or accidents that go unreported by the college, we will write about it. We urge you to send in letters to the editor about events that concern you, because it is our job to bring the concerns of the college to light.

Sending the co-editor an email on editor@thegrcurrent.com. You can also call us from any phone on campus with the extension 2375.

Someone is usually at the Current office located in OEB 17. Feel free to contact us.

Editorials reflect the opinions of the entire editing staff of the Current.

Under-represented Student Singled Out? By: Mariya Mubeen Editor-in-Chief

ODEI officer Victoria Pacho received a letter on Nov. 22, informing her that her registration process had been halted due to her violating the student code of conduct. The letter left Pacho very confused and distressed as she did not know what incident violated the particular code that it referred to.

She led a protest on Nov. 9 in which she was speaking on a bullhorn in the student union building. Two separate people had complained to security as they were being disturbed by the noise. However, Victoria did not know that this was the reason that she had been called out for.

She found it curious how the letter arrived the same day that she had a tousle with President Morgan at the panel discussion.

Editorial Policy

She claims that this was not an isolated incident where minority had been blamed. She gave the example of another student, Ahmed, who, in a board of trustees meeting, offended the then chairperson Pete Lewis by using obscene language and calling him a racist. Ahmed was reprimanded, but no action was taken against him.

As well, she feels that this isn’t the only instance of her getting singled out. During some of her protests, she wrote with chalk on the pavement in the Kennelly Commons and Campus Safety erased the writing several times, calling it vandalism. However, the activists did not have the college’s permission to write on the ground (the journal Espial, for example, regularly to use chalk to promote their product).

Furthermore, Pacho said that the letter she received had an

The Current is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions without censorship or advanced approval. The opinions of these stories are those of the writers and the writers alone. If you have an opposing viewpiont feel free to write The Current a Letter to the Editor.

error and did not cite the correct sub-article of the code of conduct.

The letter said, “You have been charged with an alleged violation of Green River College’s Rule of Student Conduct, specifically,

“They messed with my future. They made it feel like it was in jeopardy. That is manipulative.That is abusive.”

- Victoria Pacho

WAC 132J-126-090 (15) Demonstrations.”

The issue here is that sub-article 15 in the code of conduct is harassment, which protects the status of people’s race, color, disability, national origin, etc.

Sub-article 19 talks about disruptions related to demonstrations.

Theft Policy

The hearing on the Nov. 29 was cancelled. She was not notified about the cancellation until Monday, Nov. 28. She said that the mental trauma she had to go through in the days between the hearing and the cancellation notices qualifies as emotional abuse.

Her registration process had been halted to ensure her presence at the hearing. She only needs five more credits to transfer, and she was frustrated that she might have to pay tuition for another quarter if she did not get into the class she needed.

“They messed with my future,” she said. “They made it feel like it was in jeopardy. That is manipulative. That is abusive.”

She is very upset at the fact that she had been punished without being found guilty. Halting registration is a method that the college uses to punish students among other things.

Each individual is permitted one free copy per issue. Additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting The Current. Newspaper theft is a crime.

Anyone who removes, discards or destroys more than one copy to prevent other individuals from reading that issue may be subject to civil, criminal and/or campus penalties.

Letters to the Editor

thestaff

Riley Agnew Co-Editor-in-Chief 253-833-9111 x2377

Mariya Mubeen Co-Editor-in-Chief Photographer Kartik Sarda Web Editor Ads Manager Melanie Bell Campus Editor

Kienan Briscoe A&E Editor

Raghav Mandhana Opinion Editor

Aiman Ahmad Sports Editor

Nadia Kuftchak Copy Editor

Aart Boer Graphic Designer

Staff Writers: Cameron Braun, Matt Caras, Annie Chan, Mollie Clements, Deadra Johnson, Amethyst Mcknight, Kirara Nagatsuka.

Photographers: Matt Caras, Joshua Tan

Corrections

If you find and error in our facts or simply a name spelled wrong, please contact us at: editor@thegrcurrent.com 253-288-3457 or come in to our office in OEB room 17

The Current encourages its readers to be involved and will accept letters of 400 words or less for publication. Anonymous letters are not accepted and the editors reserve the right to reject or edit letters for space, taste and legal concerns. All letters become property of The Current. Send letters to editor@ thegrcurrent.com.

opinion A New Person On The Other Side Of The Screen

10

2016-2017

By: Annie Chan Staff Writer

Our generation is known for relying on technology and resorting to social media to stay connected to people around the world.

While the focus has always been on our addictions to smart phones, we are not putting into consideration that social media is the reason why we are staring at our screens all the time.

Before social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter became popular, texting was the primary reason why people always had their phones out. Now, we can thank the geniuses such as Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey for giving us more reasons to resort to our smart phones.

We now have the most social media platforms that has ever existed and people seemingly cannot get enough of them. Platforms such as Twitter allow us to easily access information and updates quickly.

As soon as we have information we would like to share with our peers, we feel the need to post a status on Facebook or tweet about it. Perhaps it is the need for attention or the good feeling of acquiring likes and comments, but we often post excessively without even being aware of it.

I personally admit that I once tweeted nearly everything I thought about throughout the day.

After ordering holiday lattes from Starbucks, I would snap a photo and write a caption about how

thecurrent

happy the drink made me.

“Everyday is a good day for coffee,” some of my tweets would say.

Now that I think about it, I wonder if any of my followers really cared about the fact that I went to Starbucks.

The amount of likes and followers I have do not actually validate what type of person I really am.

Upon further reflection, I have come to think that someone else out there could be doing the same thing as me but won’t even post about it. If I post about it but they don’t, am I really more interesting than them?

I recently reflected a lot on my social media usage. After realizing that social media takes up a lot of my time each day, I finally decided to limit my usage.

The fact that I woke up checking tweets each morning felt rather unsatisfying. Waking up to dramatic posts about someone wanting to punch another person’s face because they cheated on their friend became unsettling.

I do not actually need to pay attention to what people do on a daily basis. Similarly, people can care less about my life that I share on my social media.

Recently having deleted my Twitter and Snapchat accounts, I can safely say that I feel more connected to the world than ever.

When I used Twitter and Snapchat on a daily basis, I felt connected to the world because I saw what my peers were doing. However, I did not take into account that my

peers are just a little part of my life. There is so much more to be seen and to be learnt outside social media.

Checking my phone first thing in the morning is no longer a part of my routine. My Facebook and Instagram accounts, although existing, are not important enough that I would feel the need to check them every morning.

I feel more freedom without two extra social media platforms readily available on my smart phone. It feels satisfying to walk to my classes without having to check what my friends are tweeting or snapping about. Instead, I am now able to have brief conversations with my classmates or friends I run into in the hallways.

The most satisfying aspect of my limitation would be that I feel presentable and approachable.

Without my phone in hand wherever I go, I feel that I handle social situations in a better manner.

I was once that person who would resort to my phone and surf my social media timelines to avoid social interactions in a social setting. Now that my habit of pulling out my phone has been wiped out, I feel a lot more comfortable approaching people or starting conversations that actually soothes me and makes my days.

Kendall Jenner, a model who is well-known from her appearances on E!’s Keeping Up With The Kardashians, recently deactivated her Instagram account. Fans made a big deal out of it but Jenner explained

Raghav Mandhana | Opinion Editor opinion@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

her action.

She told her fans during her interview with Ellen that she wanted to refresh herself while being away from social media. She felt that she always resorted to her phone every morning and felt the urge to check them all the time.

Although Jenner recently reactivated her account, she claimed that she enjoyed the time away from the platform. She also shared that there were more social interaction in real life during her time away from Instagram.

I was curious one morning and decided to ask my classmate about her social media usage. She shared that she recently deleted her Twitter account just like I did.

“A lot of people used Twitter to complain,” Hannah Smulski said. “I have too many social media already, so I definitely do not need Twitter.”

Social media seems to continue to entertain and update people on what is happening around them.

Whenever I do go on Facebook now and then, I still see people excessively updating about their lives.

A few students here at Green River actually bumped into me a few times this quarter while being consumed by social media. When I walk past students on their phones in the hallways, I see them as people from a different world. Their world revolves around what they are looking at on social media and I expect them to bump into someone anytime.

If more people were to try cutting down on social media, more social

interaction could occur. Conversations can come out to be less awkward in social situations and people will be more comfortable reaching out to others.

Deactivating our accounts even for just a week could be refreshing. We would have more time to face the real world as it is without following what is behind a screen.

We will also have more time to do homework with less distractions and urges.

Avoiding social media may start off as a strange feeling. We may worry that we are missing out important updates and information that we may need to know. We may also feel disconnected from our friends and peers.

I think all of those worries eventually leads us to satisfaction and potential. Without the help of social media, we will find ways to personally reach out to people.

It will be required for us to set up meetings with friends for interaction which is healthy for our relationships.

By turning off our screens and leaving our phones in our backpacks, we can take on the real world. We no longer need to act as if we are “texting” or checking our social media to avoid social situations. We will act upon that social situation and make an experience We must realize that a potentially better version of ourselves is probably waiting for us right outside that bright screen. All we need to do is have the courage to go and change ourselves to be that person.

Letter To The Editor From Victoria Pacho

There are two parts to the issue at hand. On one hand a student did take a mega phone into a building which is true.

On the other hand she only did so because admin failed to establish campus as a hate free zone. The only reason why that student reacted in this way was because students were being intimidated an harassed on campus the day following the election. The administration had no immediate response to ensure the safety of all their students. It was the failure of our administration to immediately respond with professionalism and addressed the surge of hate on campus that lead a student, myself, to picking up the ball admin had dropped. Clearly a message of no hate was not going to come from our administration.

They chose to be silent in addressing the situation. It is unacceptable for a public institution that holds the obligation of ensuring

the safety of all its people, to not respond to hateful and intimidating climate on campus.

Had Admin declared campus a hate free zone then neither I nor the protestors would have felt compelled to establish safety in our own way. Admin failed us and I chose to do the job they refused to do and are paid to do. I got in trouble for picking up the slack and doing what our admin should have done.

I disrupted the environment to establish safety and some people claimed that my actions disturbed them. Talking about race and safety does disturb those who have privilege but it makes the marginalized and oppressed group feel safer. The claim that a student advocating for a hate free zone is disruptive, is to completely erase the fact that some people on this campus feel unsafe. It also send a message that a person’s personal comfort level is more

important that student safety.

GRC would rather protect white fragility than deal with the issue on campus that is oppressive to marginalized students.

So for the sake of the argument and so we can move to the real issue, lets GRC was right in issuing me a sanction. Now this is debatable but Ill give it to you, even though it infringes upon the freedom of speech and expression. We won’t go into that, not enough time, not enough space.

The letter notifying me of the sanction came via 1st class mail.

I was notified of the WAC that I was being accused of and was blocked from registration. As per policy GRC was to list the factual accounts of what happened, who was involved and what specifically invoked the judicial process. None of this was stated in the letter. It was vague and I wasn’t even given the correct WAC number. Also, had I not showed up to the hear-

ing THEN could they sanction me by blocking my registration.

They fact that my privilege of registering was revoked BEFORE I had the chance to miss the meeting means they assumed me guilty before it was found that the infraction was in deed committed.

I was guilty until proven innocent. In addition the appropriate process is to issue a warning first and that conversation never took place. GRC flexed their muscles and used their power and leverage to intimidate me.

The issue of the bullhorn should have been properly addressed with a warning not removal of privileges before the hearing. I was so stressed and crying wondering how this would affect my future and trying to think back to what the infraction was. Again no factual account was given, no explanation, just a vague letter.

So I prepare for the worst. I

reach out publicly to other students on Activism At The River Facebook page and to faculty. We had a plan and we were ready.

They stood by me and understood why I loudly advocated for safety.

Then Monday evening I get an email from Shane Detwiller and it state that GRC will not initiate the disciplinary hearing. So why sanction me by stripping away my privilege to register and why send the letter that had me fear for my future if in the end they cancel the hearing and gave me a proper warning. Were they just having their way with me, trying to teach me that if I go to far to remember that they have the power? The sanction was justified as a way to get me to attend the meeting.

So why sanction me when there ended up being no meeting to attend. It is the policies and the way GRC goes about their process that is the issue and founded in institutional racism.

Aiman Ahmad | Sports Editor sports@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com

sports

thecurrent

11 2015-2016

Photo courtesy of the NWAC

Men’s Basketball Team Approaches Preseason Men’s basketball team is one step closer to NWAC league play By: Matt Caras Staff Writer

added Armann Brar.

Lars Stenseth also mentioned, “I hope we can work with our consistency during prac“Deon Sanders said it best,” said sophtice and play during preseason.” omore player, Cole Luckett. “If you look Many of the Green River players undergood, you feel good, if you feel good, you play stand the importance of practicing. Often, good, they play good.” the starting players would be under the With basketball, there is a reaction to every eyes of the coach and receiving constructive movement. Sometimes, the slightest movefirsthand coaching. The red shirt players on ment at any given time can alter a play. You the other hand would practice individually, could be dribbling across the court at one honing their dribbling, shooting, and workpoint and lose the ball in another. ing on conditioning drills such as running This year, the team consists of four sophoand passing drills. more players and eight “It’s important to incoming freshmen work on defensive plays “My hopes for the players. Practiced since because we are not big early October and represeason is to use it as in height so we need to cently finished their last be able to move fast on a learning experience jamboree, the team now our feet.” said McGrew, eagerly anticipates the preparing ourselves for sophomore player. preseason.

“It’s also important on league play. ” “We have all new individual skill work - Michael Williams members and we are because we need to be trying to figure it out,” accurate in shooting the said Coach Ryan Blassingame, also known ball as well as dribbling with consistency.” as Coach Goof. “A lot of us are spread out “It all starts with improving individual playing different styles of basketball.” skills,” said Luckett. “If one person does Early in November, the Gator team vistheir job and if everyone follows it, we come ited Bellevue College participating in the together in defense which makes it difficult Jamboree. Various teams who competed in for the other team to score.” the NWAC league played three 20 minute “Both individual and team development is scrimmages among each other. The Green important when improving our players skill River Team played against Olympic, Lane, level,” said Goof. “Getting our player to play and Yakima college. The objective of the jam- at a 4-year college skill level is our premise. boree was to evaluate various playing styles, Therefore, both individual and team skills fine tuning any strengths and weaknesses the are important.” team had. Both red-shirt and active starting Coach Goof not only vocalizes with his team members played during these matches. players during practice, he plays with them.

As the preseason approaches, many of the Sometimes, with a fast paced game such as players expressed excitement as they continbasketball, it is hard to visualize the play at ue to work with each other. A few sophomore hand and execute it. Therefore, by playing players vocalized their hopes for the preseawith his players, he hopes to lead by example son leading to league play. using a hands-on approach.

Michael Williams, one of the sophomore “I think it’s very important to play with our players, said, “My hopes for the preseason is players,” said Goof. “If they see an old man to use it as a learning experience preparing like me playing and leading by example, ourselves for league play.” it helps with our overall development as a “We hope to play together to have a team.” winning record going into the league play,” Last season, the Green River team, finished

in 6th place in the Western Division. The year before, the team tied 3rd in the Western Division and 4th in the NWAC championships. While the team and Coach Goof decide to strap on to their new fresh pair of

shoes or their worn out pair of Jordan’s that some have played with since ‘94, the team eagerly awaits the preseason and hopefully the league play.

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