Etera Eastfield College
Youngest EFC student demographic on the rise See page 5 ➤ Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Volume 50, Issue 12
A Fine act to follow Student-directed plays, dance and jazz hit the spotlight in monthlong Literary and Fine Arts Festival See page 12 ➤
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Briefs Imthurn to lead Carnegie Voice professor Melinda Imthurn will lead the Women’s Chorus of Dallas at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Saturday, May 25 at 8 p.m. The chorus includes current and former Eastfield students as members. Imthurn has been the artistic director for the Women’s Chorus of Dallas for 14 years and has taught at Eastfield for nearly nine years. — James Hartley
Eastfield pool opens Eastfield’s pool will be open for use by students from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The pool, located outside on the first floor of P building, is heated and has lap lanes. Administration may close the pool due to inclement weather or any malfunctions. — James Hartley
HVAC hosts career fair Eastfield’s air conditioning and refrigeration program is having a career fair April 23 at 6 p.m. in the Hive. About 15 recruiters will be in attendance, including representatives from Lockheed Martin, Lennox and Carrier Enterprise. Former HVAC program student Brian Reid, owner-operator of the successful business Serveway Heating and Air Conditioning, will be in attendance. — Aria Jones
Voters to decide on bond The Dallas County Community College District will hold a bond election May 4, hoping to get voter approval on a $1.102 billion bond to fund master plan-related projects. About $535 million would go toward a complete redesign of El Centro College. About $332 million could be distributed to student-related needs. The remaining money, $235 million, would be used to fund industry-aligned workforce projects. There is no indication yet as to how much money Eastfield would receive. — James Hartley and David Silva
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State contractors must sign Israel agreement By SKYE SEIPP News Editor @seippetc
Art professor Eric Eley felt uneasy as he fumbled through the legalese of his contract to create a sculpture with the Austin Film Society. He downloaded it, printed it out, re-read it and set it down for two days before he signed it. The contract included a required statement that Eley did not and, for the duration of his contract, would not boycott or harm the economic interests of the nation of Israel. This part of the contract, often referred to as a pro-Israel clause, is PHOTOS BY ANTHONY LAZON/THE ET CETERA legally required for any person or company working with a government Left, Eric Eley helps Ian McMahon prepare his inflatable art piece. Right, Tesa Morin gives a lecture on entity in Texas. Texas isn’t the only her “Borderlands” art gallery. nine years of service. state that has this requirement. She and the American Civil LibTo date, there are 27 other states DCCCD rules for contractors on boycotting Israel: erties Union of Texas have both filed with similar laws. lawsuits against the state of Texas arIf Eley broke the pro-Israel clause ...in order to do business with Dallas guing that it is unconstitutional to rewhile under contract, he would not be County Community College, verifies quire individuals to sign the contract. paid for his services. “I didn’t know if by signing I was Problems also arose when resithat: saying I’m anti-something or if I was dents of the city of Dickinson were 1. Said Company does not boycott Ispro-something,” Eley said. “It didn’t forced to sign the contract to receive seem clear on what its intent was or aid in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. rael; and what the requirements of me were.” This prompted King to say that “It’s Eley said that the problem with a complete misunderstanding of the 2. Said Company will not boycott Israel signing was that it seemed to force an statute,” in an interview after hearing during the term of any contract with the agenda on him. of people being forced to sign it to reHis uneasiness came from not ceive aid. DCCCD. knowing where he stood on the issue. Morin had to sign the clause when And he said in some ways he felt like she came to Eastfield to give an artist the wording was telling him how to Texas and Israel and that this law is Texas has a law to protect, when other lecture. She was surprised by the conkey to maintaining that relationship. think about the issue. tract but signed it anyway. She said countries also trade with the state. “You just don’t know where you Currently, artists, guest speakers “People have the right to be against she was confused as to what exactly land and you don’t know what you’re or companies signing a contract to what they’re going to be against,” Vera Texas had to do with Israel. signing on to,” Eley said. “Are you the receive payment for their goods and said. “In that setting, I didn’t imagine frog and the water is boiling around services with the Dallas County ComHe said that lawmakers should not anybody would be contacting me beyou and you don’t know it?” munity College District must sign a pass legislation like this based on their cause of a show I had at Eastfield to Bills like this began to be passed similar clause. religious beliefs, since Israel has been try and purchase art and that I would to deter the boycott, divestment and The form says that the DCCCD known to get support based on reli- have to make that decision,” she said. sanctions movement, which is a Pal- cannot enter into a contract with that gious sympathy. He said that America “In that way, it feels very insignificant. estinian-led effort to end the Israeli company without written verification is a democracy and not a theocracy. But then within the broader picture occupation of the West Bank, and has they do not boycott Israel and will not The bill passed in the House with and you think of how many people been called anti-Semitic by some crit- while under contract, and was signed a 131-0 vote and in the Senate with this affects, it does matter.” ics. by people like Tesa Morin and Ian Mc- a 26-5 vote. But the bill is making its Morin said the bill is a breach of House Bill 89, or the Anti-BDS Mahon when they visited Eastfield. an individual’s right to free speech, way back to the Texas Legislature. Law, was authored by Rep. Phil King The form also makes the company In the current legislative cycle, and that by not signing the bill, you’re (R- Parker and Wise County) and was verify they are not listed on the State King has made amendments to the forced to become an activist. passed in 2017. of Texas Comptroller’s Companies bill with HB 793 that would stop soleIt has been months since Eley “Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas that Boycott Israel List. proprietors like Eley from having to signed his contract. He said it’s the policies, and we will not tolerate such The list so far has identified four sign the bill. only contract he has ever had to quesactions against an important ally,” companies the state will not do busiThe new bill would only require tion whether signing was the right Gov. Greg Abbott said about signing ness with. companies with 10 or more employees thing to do. the bill. According to Maria Garza in the and contracts greater than $100,000 Although he does not regret signGroups that support the bill made DCCCD Purchasing Office, the con- to sign the clause. Whereas now the ing it, he does wish he had asked more similar statements and many argued tract has not restricted business be- bill applies to anyone that is classified questions. the bill does not diminish a company’s tween companies and the district. “It’s like sending out my own ripple as a business. right to boycott Israel, but companies Speech professor Nick Vera said The law came under fire when of uncertainty and hoping that it helps that choose to will not get money the reason why legislators passed the speech pathologist Bahia Amawi, a other people ask the right questions, from the government. bill should be clearly explained. He contractor with Pflugerville Indepen- people with power, or more influence Supporters of the bill argue that it is said that if it is for economic purpos- dent School District, refused to sign than I have and keep that going,” he fundamental to protect trade between es, then why is Israel the only country her contract and was terminated after said. “That’s all you can do.”
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College improves minority, overall completion By SKYE SEIPP News Editor @seippetc
An increase in student completion in 2018 at Eastfield has been recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for “highest improvement,” along with three other community colleges. The THECB commended Eastfield for increasing degree and certificate completion numbers in 2018 from 2017. An upturn in African American (14 percent increase), economically disadvantaged (37 percent increase), Hispanic (58 percent increase) and overall student completion rates (27 percent increase) were all recognized by the board, as was a rise in three year graduation rates (35 percent increase). Courtney Carter Harbour, executive dean of Arts and Communications, said that Eastfield has been making changes around campus with completion in mind. She said with the state switching to a completion-based funding program, it’s important for Eastfield to focus on students completing. But she said the data has not been narrowed down yet to figure out what exactly is and is not contributing to the recent increases. “Eastfield is known around the district as being a very innovative campus,” she said. “It could just be faculty, staff and administrators really focusing on student success and trying to figure out all of the different ways to engage and retain our students.” Since not all students have the same needs, Harbour said that the school has to take that into consideration and should be culturally
SOURCE: EASTFIELD COLLEGE
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sensitive to ensure that all students are prepared to finish. Sebastian Garcia, a political science major who expects to transfer in the next year, said that the tutoring services offered in the library was a major contributor in helping him succeed in algebra. He also noted that Eastfield offering more flex-term classes has been a key to his success, saying that some classes can be too long and having the option to finish them quicker helps him complete at a faster pace. While Eastfield has helped Garcia in some ways with his goal of transferring to Texas A&M University, he said when he initially began at Eastfield he was dissatisfied with the advising on campus. “I think the advising process is a little hit or miss,” he said. “As far as recommendations on some classes to take or how many credits needed, some more of the specific questions I had for my advisers sometimes felt it was as clear
as mud.” He said that the unclear advising improved when he started seeing a second-year adviser, but said that first-year advisers should still be able to help students with questions like the ones he had. Looking ahead, Rachel Wolf, associate vice president of academic affairs and student success, said they are planning to hire more advisers among other things to ensure that Eastfield remains on course to continue increasing completion. Wolf said that Eastfield will be following the draft “educational plan” that was written by Mike Walker, executive vice president of academic affairs and student success. The plan lays out four goals to focus on for 2019-2020, with the first being a focus on student completion. “We want to continue our successful trajectory,” she said. “Though our numbers are good, they still aren’t great. I think that especially when you look at improvement, and we’ve
made significant strides, there are lots of things we know we can do to improve student completion.” Since Wolf started in 2009, Eastfield has drastically improved institutionally by creating offices like the Office of Student Engagement and Retention, updating the registration process and creating a more aesthetically appealing campus, she said. While she can’t tell exactly what contributed to Eastfield’s success in the past year, she said the administration’s comprehensive approach to assessment will allow them to review data for student support offices, student success and different areas of instruction to figure out what has worked for Eastfield and where improvements should be made. “Eastfield has an open mind in its approach at looking at what works, what might work and being willing to take some responsible risk to possibly reach underrepresented groups,” she said.
‘Spare Parts’ could spark new robotics competition at Eastfield By ANDREW WALTER Copy Editor @AndyWalterETC
“Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream” by Joshua Davis tells the true story about four students who prove that raw talent can come from the humblest of beginnings. “Spare Parts” will be Eastfield’s common book for the 2019-2020 school year. While the common book committee chose it with STEM students in mind, they encourage the entire campus community to use the common book in classes and activities, committee co-chair and English professor Sabine Winter said. “For me personally, I think it’s a very uplifting story,” Winter said. “It illustrates the hardships of immigration and being an undocumented
immigrant, but it also shows that education can provide opportunities.” The book tells the story of four undocumented Mexican students from Carl Hayden Community High School in Phoenix, Arizona. The four boys are inspired by two of their science teachers to build an underwater robot for the 2004 Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
“Spare Parts” was a finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize in 2015 and was adapted for film that same year. The Washington Post called it “a delightful book, perfect for entertaining and inspiring high school kids.” Computing professor David Kirk was contacted by the common book committee to help plan possible campus events related to the book’s topic of robotics. He said using “Spare Parts” as the common book would be a great way to spotlight subjects like engineering, manufacturing and mechatronics on campus. At the end of each semester, he hosts a line-following robot race competition for his students. Kirk said he hopes it will become a team-based robot-building competition open to all students. “Some students, they just really get into it and put a lot of effort into it,” he said. “That’s how you learn, when
you’re trying to build something and start adding things to it and making it better.” The common book committee releases a survey on the Eastfield College and Eastfield College Library Facebook pages each fall asking students to submit common book ideas for the next academic year. Committee co-chair and librarian Megan Horlander said the survey received less than 15 student responses last semester. In December 2018, the committee narrowed down all common book idea submissions to four finalists. The other finalists were “Black Klansman,” “A Long Way Home” and “Nobody: Casualties of America’s War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond.” The committee typically wants books that aren’t too long, are scholarly and have paperback copies that sell for $20 or less, Horlander said.
Affordability and accessibility are important qualities needed for the library to stock plenty of copies of the book as well. “If you want to include STEM, you have to kind of pick and choose your books,” she said. “Something that’s about the history of America, the forefathers, might be a great book for history and English but it wouldn’t work for STEM. We try to pick something that would work for everybody.” Kirk said having his computer science and engineering students read “Spare Parts” might encourage them to refine their soft skills as well as their technical knowledge. He emphasized a company’s desire for applicants with both skillsets. “STEM is everything,” he said. “If you pull up any website that shows the top 10 paying jobs for college graduates, every one of them is technical. That’s just the way it is.”
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Activists assemble at first Human Rights Fair
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By ARIA JONES Editor in Chief @AriaJonesETC
The Hive was filled with organizers from the Dallas area April 10 as part of Eastfield’s first Human Rights Fair. Causes represented included women’s rights, immigration, clean air and more. It’s one of the events the common book committee has organized this year, centered around the themes of “Maus,” a graphic novel about the Holocaust. “With this book, we wanted it to be big,” librarian and committee member Megan Horlander said “It’s something we want to build on and expand and have more speakers every year, and be able to bring to our students.” Three speakers shared personal stories related to human rights and how they took action as part of a panel discussion at the event. The first was Johnny Boucher, a transgender man, advocate for transgender health care and parent of a transgender child. He said very few people know a transgender person, but they’ve probably heard about the bathroom bill. Boucher and his daughter were both affected by the bill and went to the state capital to speak against it. “To be told that I wasn’t allowed to use the restroom felt like I wasn’t even human,” he said. Boucher spoke about being ostracized from his Catholic community, feeling discriminated against at work, marriage equality and the challenges of finding health insurance and healthcare. He said he has been turned away from 17 primary care providers in his hometown of Grand Prairie. He said he tells them he’s on hormones, transgender and non-binary, and they turn him away. One provider suggested he go to an HIV clinic, another told him that they’re a family practice. “But I have a family,” he said. “It almost brought me to tears to try to tell them that I have a family and we matter.” The second speaker, Nahela Morales, who moved to California from Mexico City when she was 4 years old, talked about her conversion to Islam from Catholicism. “I always tell people that I am a better Catholic as a Muslim than when I was Catholic because I was just born into the faith,” she said. Soon after she converted, she was excited to wear a headscarf and show the world that she was a Muslim, but then she was fired from her job. She believes her employer was uncomfortable with her new identity. “It was very clear that they didn’t want me there,” she said. “So that’s really when my journey began and my activism, not only for myself but for those who came after me.” Morales said her family in Mexico also
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From left, nursing majors Imani Finley and Cristina Nuño, and Stefany Carrera, a biology major, study anatomy in the library on April 15.
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Johnny Boucher spoke about transgender rights at Eastfield’s first Human Rights Fair on April 10.
wasn’t accepting of her faith, but her work has begun to speak for itself. She is part of the Islamic Council of Social Justice and has gone to El Paso to advocate for migrant children separated from their families and translated for asylum seekers. As an activist, Morales has worked alongside the third speaker, Julio Acosta. Acosta moved to North Dallas with his family from Mexico when he was 2 years old. His father, who is from El Salvador, gained amnesty as a result of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The amnesty granted Acosta and his mother citizenship. He said that citizens can to take an ally role for immigrants, and it’s important that immigrants know their rights. He referenced resources for immigrants and for people who witness a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid or police brutality. Siscely Crayton, a science major, said she learned a lot about how she can help others and use her citizenship to be an ally. “That was interesting because I have a lot of Hispanic friends, and their families, and I have a few who are not really citizens,” she said. Acosta is part of DFWLeaders on Facebook, where people can send a message about what they’re interested in, and the group can find an organization for them. “I believe that if I go to any mother or father in the world, they want shelter, they want some food, they want an education for their child, they want not to be killed or wronged,” he said. “That’s pretty much what all of us want.” Acosta said in the last three years, he has learned more about the Black Lives Matter movement, women’s rights, LGBTQ movements and more. “Not all of us have to do everything, but all of us can do something,” he said. “It’s enough to become educated and informed on the issues so that whenever we’re in public, or whenever we see something on social media that is not true or dehumanizing, we can be like ‘Actually the truth is XYZ.’ ”
Library services evolving By ASHLEIGH AMBURGEY Contributor @TheEtCetera
The soundscape of Eastfield library is populated with the exchange of ideas from students, tutors tweaking papers and teaching math tricks and the clicking from the 80 computers packed into the front room. When Karla Greer began working at Eastfield 35 years ago, the college library was a quiet, studious environment that relied primarily on print materials. Today, as executive dean of academic support, Greer oversees a library that has evolved into the technological center of the campus, where students can find resources and work more collaboratively. “We have gone from being that very quiet, tomb-like atmosphere, to an atmosphere where we’re a little bit more noisy than the normal library,” Greer said. To some people, the front of the library may not look or sound much like a library at all. The two hallways at the back of the front room lead into the back, a quieter space with shelves filled to the brim with books. “A lot of times students don’t know we have books,” librarian Kathy Carter said. “It’s kind of the best kept secret.” The library has more than 50,000 books, including everything from graphic novels to textbooks that you can check out in the library. The study rooms, also located in the back of the library, are a regularly used resource. Last year 2,253 scheduled groups and 7,550 students used them. Students are also increasingly taking advantage of tutoring services. In fall 2018, 1,244 students received tutoring in 3,963 visits. That’s a 27 percent increase in students and a 20 percent increase in visits since fall 2017. The library will soon surrender some of its space for a coffee shop at the intersection of the G, L and F buildings. Library activity increases during finals,
with heavy computer use, tutoring traffic and congestion. Computers can become scarce during this time, especially with some classes taking exams in the library. “Sometimes we’ll have a class of 20 already scheduled, and another professor will come in and need 20 more computers,” librarian Megan Horlander said. For students who may not have access to personal computers, laptops or graphing calculators, they have the resources provided at the library to help them succeed. If all of these resources are being occupied, it could create challenges for students. The future change in space also raises a challenge for potential expansion with tutoring. The tutoring space will have to accommodate with the construction, and will be more centralized into one location. Regardless of space, librarians and tutors want to provide the best atmosphere they can. “Our focus is just to make sure that we make our space as student-centered as possible,” tutoring coordinator Anand Upadhyaya said. “That means that we’re welcoming, that students feel comfortable in the space, that it’s conducive to them studying and learning.” Eastfield’s library stays open longer than any library in the district in an attempt to help students with busy schedules that need those resources. Adding 3D printing services was one recent expansion to the library. Students can create 3D plastic objects from a computer file, in STL format, using 3D printing. For 10 cents a gram of polylactic acid material used for printing, students can design objects for class or personal use. Depending on the project and amount of printing jobs, average prints will be ready to pick up in one to two weeks. Horlander said the primary focus of the library and its staff is to help students succeed. “That is our main goal,” Horlander said. “We are very much student-focused and want the students to have the best of everything.”
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W.W. Samuell High School graduated 54 percent of students from the 2018 cohort in two years, showing better success than non-early college high school students.
Early college program continues to grow By JAMES HARTLEY Life & Arts Editor @ByJamesHartley
Early college high school programs play a big part in the Dallas County Community College District’s future, as Chancellor Joe May has made clear in recent meetings and speeches across the district. Dual credit and early college high school students made up 28.4 percent of students enrolled at Eastfield College in fall 2018, according to the college’s institutional research department. Early college high school student enrollment grew 44 percent between fall 2017 and fall 2018, while dual credit enrollment saw a 27 percent growth in that same period. Students in early college high school programs simultaneously complete two years of high school and college. The success of these students has risen since the first cohort reached graduation. Twenty-seven percent of students from W.W. Samuell High School who took part in the program graduated in 2016, completing in two years. Thirty percent completed in three years. The most recent group, the 2018 cohort, graduated 54 percent of students in two years. That means the success rates of high school students at Eastfield is higher than that of nonearly college high school students. Janice Hicks, coordinator for Eastfield’s dual credit and early college high school programs, said wraparound services, such as the food
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pantry, counseling and other nonacademic services, and additional advising contribute to the success of these students, but they still have to work hard. “Some of these students do have jobs,” she said. “Some of them have parents they have to take care of. So the circumstances are all different.” Early college high school programs can also play a role in the statewide 60 by 30 initiative, which aims to have 60 percent of Texans college educated by 2030. The district has adopted this with the goal of having 60 percent of Dallas County residents college educated by 2030. With higher success rates among early college high school students,
they may be one of the keys to reaching that goal. Culture shift History professor Liz Nichols, president of the Faculty Association, said the number of early college high school students is changing the culture at Eastfield. Many faculty believe that the introduction of progress reports was partially driven by the presence of high schoolers on campus. Nichols said the classroom environment also can be changed by the presence of these students. While the numbers show success, and Nichols has not had any real problems in the past, she said the feedback in the Faculty Association
isn’t all positive. “I think that the dual credit office needs to have better communication with faculty about their processes,” Nichols said. Hicks said the course registration process for her students is largely the same as non-early college high school students. While these students are unable to register themselves, they are not able to register ahead of other students. Students can tell their advisers which classes they want to register for in advance, but Hicks said nonearly college high school students have the same opportunity to browse classes and meet with an adviser ahead of time, then register the day classes open.
“I know that faculty have expressed concerns to me this semester that sometimes in certain locations of the college where there is a higher population of high school students that there is too much PDA, there are loud levels of noise around classrooms and faculty offices.” Hicks said most PDA, such as holding hands, is not prohibited in the student handbook. Most early college high school students integrate well into the college community so it’s hard to know if the students publicly displaying affection are high schoolers or not, Hicks said. Nichols said PDA and noise levels are probably due in part to the age difference between traditional and early college high school students. “You are dealing with an element of immaturity because of their age,” Nichols said. Chemistry professor Vinu Johnson said he has experienced more maturity with most early college high school students, not less. “On the whole I find them much more enthusiastic, much more receptive to instruction,” Johnson said. “And they are, on the whole, better learners. I think they are more invested in learning compared to other students.” He said since early college high school students aren’t taking a break between high school graduation and college, some of the foundation necessary to understand chemistry is still fresh. Immaturity and interest in the subject matter have been an issue See Faculty, page 16 ➤
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Professors address misconceptions about feminism By SKYE SEIPP News Editor @seippetc
After asking students, faculty and staff to define feminism, professors Kat RegueroVandeventer and Tiffany Nacoste realized they needed to change campus misconceptions. Some believed it was about equality, while others said they had no idea what is was. One administrator described it as a woman acting feminine, while a faculty member said he didn’t understand why women were fighting for equality since they’ve had the right to vote since 1920. This was the inspiration for the seminar they gave on April 11, “Carving Out a Space of Their Own: The Politics of Feminism.” Reguero-Vandeventer started the conversation by clearing up what feminism is. She described it as the “social, political and economic equality of the genders.” “Most people today, when asked if they are a feminist, will not raise their hand because feminists are ‘angry,’ feminists are ‘man-haters,’ feminists are ‘wanting to put the men down,’ feminists ‘want power over men,’ ” she said. “That’s been the perception. It is not the reality.” Nacoste used to be unaware of the social injustices found in the world. She described her early life as being “naive and optimistic” about the world because she thought everyone was equal. “I grew up in a household where my dad did dishes. He did laundry. So I didn’t know any different,” she said. “My dad did it all. There was never an ounce of, ‘Oh I don’t do that.’ I had a Mr. Mom.” Reguero-Vandeventer came from a different cultural background. She said her family was “very Latino” and that her dad has yet to do anything in the kitchen. However, an early attempt at activism when she was just 12 years old gave Reguero-Vandeventer another perspective. Seeking support to add a street light in her neighborhood, she met a woman who asked why the light was important. Reguero-Vandeventer explained that the boys on the next street were able to skateboard later due to their streetlight, but she and her friends couldn’t play outside longer because they didn’t have a light. “Well then, you’re a feminist,” the woman told her. Reguero-Vandeventer said it’s important for parents and media content providers to teach girls to be heroes rather than princesses. “It’s incumbent upon media to empower women, to empower men, to empower people to understand that we are equal,” she said. “There should not be a gender bias. There should not be a gender pay gap. These things shouldn’t exist. We must start at a very young age. It’s when they’re little that you teach them that they’re equal.” The gender pay gap in the United States has been improving since 2006, but still in 2018 the
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Kat Reguero-Vandeventer, middle, marches at a pro-immigration protest in Dallas February 18, 2017. Reguero-Vanderventer is also an advocate for student activism.
gap remains at around 15 cents according to a recent Pew Research analysis. This pay gap is not expected to be fully equal until 2070 according to the jobsite Glassdoor, which would mark 150 years since women received the right to vote. Phillip Ortiz, program coordinator of social work and substance abuse counseling, issued a challenge to the men in the audience. “I have two daughters, and I worry about the world that they’re growing up in,” he said. “I would like to invite the young men in this room to not simply just sit back but challenge the status quo so that everybody can have an opportunity to achieve these things.” Kiersten Lewis, who is studying to be a teacher and attended the feminism event, said the idea of women being lesser than men is rooted deep in cultures due to religion. She said people lived their lives around religions like Christianity, which instilled the foundations of women being subjects to their husbands. Lewis said it can be hard for people to venture from their religious upbringings, whether or not they fully agree with what is being taught. She said the church has always had problems with people who went against what was taught, from scientists to philosophers, but eventually those subjects become accepted. “So obviously over time things can change. We just need to make the steps to
be able to change those things in the world,” Lewis said. “And I think over time a lot of things will change.” Nic Nash, an undecided major, said the ideas of feminism have been misconstrued, but the idea of equality for all is something he supports. Nash went to the seminar to figure out how to improve those negative connotations. He said the problem is with the name and that he would rather see the word “humanism” put in its place. “I think the name itself makes people think it’s only about women when really it’s about
everyone being treated equally,” panel attendee Mariana Hernandez said. “If you know what it actually is about, it’s hard to not support it. It is literally about being equal.” Nacoste sees changing the name as a “cop out.” She said if the word makes some people uncomfortable, then those discussions need to be had to change the misinterpretations. “I think it’s going to be more rewarding to actually get people to understand, instead of just throwing the baby out with the bathwater and starting all over,” she said. —Ashleigh Amburgey, Daniel Durrett, and Alexis Rodriguez contributed to this report.
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A SEISMIC C ONCLUSION To those of us who have come of age concurrently with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s almost cliche to point out how groundbreaking its journey has become.
The first cinematic universe to successfully cross over multiple movie storylines, the MCU has had its share of great moments, copycats and cultural influence in its decade of existence.
Compiled by David Silva
With what can only be described as the most anticipated cinematic culmination of all time in “Avengers: Endgame,” a celebration of all things MCU is in order.
Illustrations by Aldahir Segovia
Cinematic universes that tried When you passionately dedicate millions of man hours to meticulously plan out years’ worth of crossover material and succeed, everyone else looks at your work and thinks that they can do the exact same thing with half the heart and in a fraction of the time. As it turns out, they were all wrong. Namely, these guys:
Dark Universe In 2017, Universal Pictures sought to reboot all of these iconic horror characters and put them in one cinematic universe. “The Mummy” starring Tom Cruise was paired with a huge marketing campaign focusing on future films with Russell Crowe, Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem. But “The Mummy” sucked, actors left and future movies are currently on hold.
DC really does blow
The critically polarizing “Man of Steel” was the first sign of trouble, then the fast-tracked “Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Suicide Squad” and “Justice League” put the nail in the coffin for DC’s first iteration of a cinematic universe. Zack Snyder got the boot, both the actors playing Superman and Batman called it quits and several upcoming DC films are not considered a part of the universe. At least we got “Wonder Woman” and “Shazam!”
Amazing Spider-Mess To sum up what Sony has done with the Spider-Man character: They’ve fumbled two trilogies despite having two pretty great directors. They have one Spidey in the MCU. They have one cinematic universe with only Spidey villains, and they have one animated Spidey cinematic universe.
Marvelous feats seen thro Reality The MCU has not become a cultural icon without finding itself in other aspects and mediums of our reality. Iconic moments, lines and stills have been quoted and memed nonstop. The effects of these superheroes have even been felt on a societal scale, with films like “Black Panther” and “Captain Marvel” not only helping diversify the MCU lineup but also bringing diversity to films in general.
Soul This stone represents the MCU’s ability to make both beloved and obscure characters accessible to audiences while still staying true to the soul of the original comic books. When Captain America films were made, they kept his core moral compass intact while giving him a relatable vulnerability. Iron Man’s genius billionaire core has always been intact, but was modernized by Downey’s eccentric yet troubled personality.
Mind The mind stone represents the change of mentality that has rippled through the film industry following the MCU. The MCU has elevated audience expectations for superhero movies. With cosmic entities and multicolored aliens showing up in blockbuster films, no longer are superhero movies made with the intent to ground them into reality as much as possible.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL, WARNER BROS. AND SONY PICTURES
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The future of the MCU: Likely Departures Iron Man, Thor and Captain America will leave a need in leadership for the Avengers crew.
Likely Villains
Likely Newbies
Galactus, the Skrulls or Dr. Doom may be the next big bad guy after Thanos is (hopefully) defeated.
The X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the Eternals are next in line to make their MCU debuts.
Must-see movies before Endgame
ough the Infinity Stones Space The MCU’s full-fledged dive into the cosmic realm and sneak peeks into the multi-dimensional and microcosmic realms are held together by their superb casting, tight writing and commitment to balancing the intensity with a Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic. These things allow the MCU to transport us into its films no matter how odd they become.
Let’s say you’re like most people and have only seen a few MCU movies, but you don’t want to be totally lost when watching what is essentially the 22nd episode of Super Friends. For those who don’t have the time or patience to sit through 59 hours of content in preparation, here are the bare bones, minimum films to watch before “Endgame.”
The Avengers
Guardians of the Galaxy
92%
91%
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Captain America: Civil War
75%
91%
Power The power stone represents just how much of a juggernaut the MCU is as a franchise, racking up more than $18 billion worldwide. The studio has also made successful trilogies out of characters that were considered obscure to mainstream audiences, played by actors who had troubled, stalled or otherwise mediocre careers in Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans.
Time The time stone represents the longevity that the MCU has claimed as a film franchise, which can be attributed to a dedication and patience to make character-driven worlds. Its 11 years of existence has surpassed the original Harry Potter franchise and “Endgame” will put the MCU two films shy of matching the James Bond series in films produced.
Thor Ragnarok
92%
Avengers: Infinity War
85%
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Campus assistant aspires to be college VP Administrative assistant for the dean of student services, Isabel Lopez, sat down with reporter Lauryn Sierra. She shared her experience growing up in Dallas, being a first-generation college student and her view of the college as a staff member.
Q A
What’s it like working on a college campus?
I enjoy it. I work more on the back side with budgeting and records, but I see students from time to time. I feel very accomplished when a student walks up to me and tells me they remember me or express how thankful they are for me helping them. That makes me feel 10 times better when I can build that relationship with a student, especially when they come to me with questions or concerns.
Q A
What made you want to work at Eastfield?
I started at a high school. I really liked the environment and working with students, but I wanted to work more on the administrative side and with the budget. I moved from a university to Eastfield because … I get to work with students who are in college for the first time, students who are coming back and then you have the older population that’s never been to college. I like seeing students start and then complete, but not only our young students, but also our older population.
Q A
Do you have any crazy or funny memories?
I think my craziest memory happened here at work. It was my first week at Eastfield, and I was trying to figure out how to get from C building to A for the president’s office. I took the elevator and ended up getting stuck for three hours with no cellphone, and I’m very claustrophobic. I sat there and I had to wait. I was pressing the help button, but nothing was happening. All of a sudden, I heard something and yelled for help.
Q A Q A
What does your life look like outside of work? I’ve been married going on two years. No kids. It’s just me and my husband and two dogs. Is there something unique about your background or upbringing?
We are the sixth generation from Dallas. My grandpa had the first Hispanic barbershop in Oak Cliff. It’s still open and still running. It’s the Lopez Barbershop. It’s a family-owned barbershop. As of right now, one of my cousins, who is actually my age, runs the barbershop.
Q
Did you attend college?
A
I did attend college, but I didn’t finish my degree. When I graduated high school, I went to Mountain View and I also attended the medical branch at Galveston.
Q
As a first-generation college student, were your parents supportive of your decision to attend college?
A
They were very supportive. My mom came from a family of migrant workers, so she worked in the fields. My dad came from a family who weren’t migrant workers, but you worked and provided. They didn’t have that opportunity to go, so when they had their family, my parents said, “Education is the most important thing. You go to school, you make the grades and you don’t have to work. You don’t have to worry about anything. That’s what we’re here for – for you to get your education so you don’t have to struggle the way we struggled growing up.” To this day my parents are asking “Are you going to go back? You’re young and you don’t have kids. Go back.”
Q A Q A
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I do want to go back to college and complete my education in the field I’m currently in and hopefully move up and possibly become a vice president. What was that like for you, growing up and knowing your parents came from humble beginnings?
It was a good upbringing. They were supportive, not just with me, but with my two sisters and my brother. Their philosophy is when you start working and get that feel of money, you think as a young person, “I’m making decent money. I don’t need to continue in school. I’m good where I’m at.” My dad always said when you get that feel of money at a young age, you won’t continue. So, growing up, they didn’t let me work, and now I understand why they did a lot of the things they did. They weren’t overprotective. They wanted me to stay a kid and not rush to grow up. That has stayed with me, and when I have a family, I want to raise my family like that where my kids can stay as kids and not have to worry about many problems.
Q A
Who in your life has helped shape the person you are today?
I would say my parents, but most of all my dad. My dad is a person that I can turn to. He is very firm, but most of the time it’s positive, and he puts things in a different perspective for me.
Q A
What have been some of your highs and lows in life?
I think my high was receiving my high school diploma, going to college, and starting the next chapter of my life. My low was not continuing my education because I let the feel of money get in the way.
SARALYN COREY/THE ET CETERA
Isabel Lopez works as an administrative assistant.
Q A
What are some things you find most important in life?
Family, of course. That’s a big thing with me. I’m very family-oriented. Going to church, having morals, respect for others and just having that type of lifestyle where you don’t have to stress.
Q A
What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m a music person. I’m a concert junkie. I love going to concerts, anything from country to rock. One thing that I’m fixing to start doing again is getting violin lessons. When I was younger, I played violin, cello and I also played piano.
Q A
What did you want to be when you were younger?
My ideal job was a coroner. The reason why is I thought it was interesting to find out how somebody passed by doing autopsies. It’s the perfect job because you have nobody talking back to you. I was very intrigued by crime scenes when I was younger.
Q A
What do you think about being a coroner now? No, I couldn’t do it. It’s very creepy, and I don’t like hospitals.
LIFE&ARTS
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HIDDEN GEM
Family recipes, creativity combine at Dia de los Tacos By JAMES HARTLEY Life & Arts Editor @ByJamesHartley
Dia de los Tacos in Mesquite isn’t your everyday taco shop. It starts with the pristine environment at the front of the shop (the best taco shops are usually a hole-in-the-wall, but not this one) and continues back into the kitchen. That’s where Jessica Rodriguez, Le Cordon Bleu trained chef turned taco master, does her work. There are no microwaves, no frozen foods, no shortcuts. And it shows in the food, made with family recipes and a touch of her own flare. From the filling breakfast tacos — a fresh tortilla nest for a generous serving of eggs and meat — to the perfectly seasoned fajita tacos to the crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside chicken flautas, everything at Dia de los Tacos is made with extra thought. Jessica Rodriguez and her mother, Mary Lou Rodriguez, opened the joint in November. The business is thriving without any paid advertising because of the food, Mary Lou Rodriguez said.
YESENIA ALVARADO/THE ET CETERA
Jessica Rodriguez grills a steak for fajita tacos at Dia de los Tacos.
“It has always been my dream to own a small restaurant,” Mary Lou Rodriguez said. “I’m lucky to have my oldest daughter who has a culinary degree.” Jessica Rodriguez has been in the food service industry for about 10 years, working all across Texas. From opening her own restaurant in San Antonio with a fellow chef, to working at Rapscallion, a fusion restaurant in Lower Greenville that combines Southern cooking with Southeast Asian flavor. Coming back
to Mesquite wasn’t really in the plan, Jessica Rodriguez said, but in the end it made sense: get back to her roots, both with food and location. Jessica Rodriguez grew up in Mesquite and went to John Horn High School, just a few minutes down the road from where Dia de los Tacos is located. Tex-Mex was a staple in her family, so opening a small taco restaurant near home was like coming full circle. While this gem truly is hidden in the shopping center on Faithon P. Lucas, the same as Kroger,
its location is intentional. “I used to stop for breakfast when I took the kids to school and the only options were doughnuts,” Mary Lou Rodriguez said. “The nearest breakfast tacos were 15 minutes in the opposite direction.” Still, with a location picked out and a determination to open the store, Jessica Rodriguez wasn’t on board right away. “I remember telling [my parents], ‘You don’t know what it takes to run a kitchen,’ ” Jessica Rodriguez said. Prep time, cleaning, supply and food runs and all the other work that goes into managing a kitchen requires more time than most people think, Jessica Rodriguez said. Mary Lou Rodriguez admits that she didn’t really understand the difficulties. “We do now,” she said. “We’ve been here till 9 p.m. prepping food before, and we close at 3 p.m.” The 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. time allows the Rodriguez family to enjoy dinner and evening activities together, things that weren’t possible when Mary Lou Rodriguez worked in the medical field before opening the restaurant.
The idea was to provide a breakfast and lunch spot, so missing the dinner rush was always a part of the plan. When they do extend hours to 9 p.m., usually the 25th of each month, Dia de los Tacos gets slammed, with the order rail full the entire evening. They haven’t turned a profit yet — five months is too soon for a new restaurant to start seeing the money, Jessica Rodriguez said — but the enthusiasm from the community is encouraging. When the Rodriguezes closed down for vacation three months ago, they stayed open late their entire first week back. There were more orders than prepped food. It was a reminder that the three-person staff wasn’t ready for dinners. Jessica Rodriguez said there is still more to come. Fresh horchatas (none of that powdered stuff) and elotes may be available soon. She’s also perfecting her queso recipe, hopes to expand their space in the near future and would like to one day offer special nights with five-course meals, which is what she trained for. “I can’t get too crazy yet,” Jessica Rodriguez joked. “I don’t think Mesquite is ready for that.”
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Fine arts spring to life Eastfield’s Literary & Fine Arts Festival continues through May 10, with Communications Career Day, a guitar festival and Eastfield’s Got Talent still to come. Past events include a digital scholarship lecture, a talk from the Sequential Self curator and original short plays written and directed by students. —James Hartley
PHOTOS BY YESENIA ALVARADO/THE ET CETERA
Left, game design major Fernando Tovar visits the Sequential Self comic gallery April 1. Above, Karen Fanka performs at the Student Shorts event that featured studentdirected original plays. Right, the jazz band and dance classes displayed their work at the dance and jazz event in the Lower Courtyard April 9.
Exhibit displays comics by female, queer, trans artists By ARIA JONES Editor in Chief @AriaJonesETC
Comics and illustrations by female, queer, non-binary and transgender artists are on display in an exhibition titled “Sequential Self ” in F-219C. Artist Christine Suggs visited the exhibition Monday to speak about her artwork featured in the gallery and draw journal comics with visitors. Her comics center around her identity as someone who is half Mexican, plus-size and bisexual. She thinks about her younger self, growing up in the “’90s Disney princess era,” and not seeing anyone who looked like her. She wants other people to have what she didn’t. “That’s kind of what I would like for people to take away, is that you can be all these things and it’s totally fine and good even,” she said. She said drawing comics is a good way for her to process the issues she’s dealing with. When she posts her art online she enjoys seeing people relate to her art or give her feedback. For example, she started a series about plussized yoga. “I would talk about how I can’t do this pose ‘cause my stomach’s in the way,” she said. “I had yoga teachers commenting like ‘Try this.’ And I was like ‘Oh, that totally worked.’ It’s been really fun getting tips from people who actually know things.” She said she has recently started making
Plan it Out Artist Lecture
Melanie Gillman Monday, April 22 11 a.m.-noon, G-102
YESENIA ALVARADO/THE ET CETERA
Artist Christine Suggs discussed her art and her identity on April 15.
more comics about being bisexual, something she said was scary to admit in public. Her comic “Bi and Married” is featured in the gallery. “I really appreciate being in a relationship where I can be that open about it,” she said. Suggs also has a comic titled “Fat and Happy” in the gallery, which she feels perfectly describes the piece. “That’s something I didn’t think was possible for so long and I spent so many years hating my body and being upset about it,” she said. Over the past five or so years she said she has
made it to the point where she is happy with her body, but the message a lot of people get is that you have to be thin to be happy. Last Wednesday, curators Iris Bechtol, gallery director at Eastfield, and Lynné Bowman Cravens, gallery manager at Texas Christian University, spoke at the gallery. “We focused on artists that are really underrepresented in the medium of comics and those artists are of course, female, non-binary, trans, queer individuals,” Bechtol said. “For the most part, comics are run by white males and it hasn’t changed a whole lot. It has changed just a
little bit, but those other voices are still kind of at the fringe” Bechtol said many comics address real social and political issues like war, genocide, body image, mental illness and identity, and it can be seen throughout the gallery. “Comics themselves have really come into their own,” she said. “They no longer fit the sort of traditional stereotype that we assume they are. They’re not these silly, slapstick, kiddie comics. They’re not just superhero comics. They’re not just a way to escape reality.” Cravens said that while people assume comics will be comical, that’s not always true. “It’s very mature, serious content matter,” she said. “It’s not lighthearted all the time. It’s like watching a drama movie there might be lighthearted moments, but the drama is drama.” Science major Jeffrey Montes visited the exhibit and said he didn’t think there would be so many LGBTQ comic artists or that much representation. “I think we should be talking about everything, obviously in a very respectful way,” he said. “I think it’s good that they’re taking serious subjects and making light of it but still addressing the seriousness of the issues.”
Sports The Et Cetera
April 17 April 22 April 24 May 3 May 4
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Baseball vs. Mountain View College Baseball vs. Hill College Baseball vs. Cedar Valley College Baseball vs. Richland College Baseball vs. Richland College
2 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. noon
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Wednesday, April 17, 2019
PHOTOS BY YESENIA ALVARADO/THE ET CETERA
Above, catcher Ryan Dempsey throws to second hoping to get an out in Eastfield’s April 12 game against Brookhaven. The Harvesters lost the game 8-6. Bottom left, pitcher Quint McCrory has logged eight strikeouts in eight appearances at the mound this season. Bottom right, the Harvesters have .394 on base percentage this season.
Harvesters swing and miss in regular season play With three weeks left until the postseason, Harvesters baseball head coach Michael Martin said inconsistency in all areas has been a plague to the team this season. The Harvesters are 9-12 in conference play, with a 20-16 record overall. The Harvesters went 20-10 in conference play last season. “There haven’t been very many highlights,” Martin said. “We’ve been really inconsistent going out and playing weekend to weekend. Last weekend we played really well against North Lake, who is leading our conference, and we had the chance to win three games. Then we came out this weekend and didn’t play very well.” Martin said the team has had trouble making adjustments at the plate and on the mound. He said there haven’t been any memorable things this season, at least “not in a good way.” “Every game’s a challenge for us right now,” Martin said. — James Hartley
opinion
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Etera
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Vegan food abounds in Dallas
Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association
Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Aria Jones Managing Editor David Silva Visual Arts Editor Yesenia Alvarado Copy Editor Andrew Walter Life & Arts Editor James Hartley News Editor Skye Seipp Web Editor Anthony Lazon Senior Graphic Designer Manuel Guapo Staff Writers Alexis Rodriguez
Photographers Rory Moore
Saralyn Corey
Videographers Marisol Ramirez Reporters Adolfo Resendiz Olguin Ashleigh Amburgey Francisco Longoria Kaitlyn Moore Contributors Sarah Ivy
Lauryn Sierra
Graphic Artists Abednego Leal Roxana Santillan Julie Cordova
Aldahir Segovia Jesus Madrid
Editorial Assistant Marie Garcia Tambresha Anderson
Daniel R. Durrett
Student Media Manager Sarah Sheldon Publication Adviser Elizabeth Langton Faculty Adviser Lori Dann The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Eastfield College or the Dallas County Community College District. The Et Cetera is published by a student staff. Each member of the college community is entitled to one free copy of The Et Cetera. First Amendment Right Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters will be edited for profanity and vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed. The content will remain that of the author. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.
ABOUT THE COVER Karen Fanka performs at the Student Shorts event that featured student-directed original plays. PHOTO BY YESENIA ALVARADO
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
OUR VIEW
ANTHONY LAZON/THE ET CETERA
Pro-Israel clause hampers First Amendment rights The First Amendment guarantees Americans certain unalienable rights. So why are those rights currently being trampled merely to play big brother to one of Texas’ top trading partners? In 2017, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 89, also known as the Anti-Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions Bill, into effect. The law prevents the state from doing business with any companies or individuals that boycott Israel. The Et Cetera isn’t interested in picking a side in the Israel-Palestine debate. What we are interested in is how the Anti-BDS law blatantly ignores our constitutional rights and gives favoritism to a nation that a broad majority of our state senators and representatives support. Whatever happened to “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, … or abridging the freedom of speech, … or the right of the people peaceably to assemble …”? Look, Israel. Just because our politicians seemingly have a soft spot for you doesn’t mean you should be immune to our criticism. It’s nothing against you, personally. It’s just free speech. Most people, especially most Texans, probably wouldn’t even pay attention to this law. What made us notice this is that any paid contractor (an individual or a business) who does business with the Dallas County
Community College District or any state agency is affected by the Anti-BDS law. Sure, it’s only for their time while contracted by the DCCCD, but do you really think they’d ever be contracted again if it was found out they protested Israel? We find it strange that our notoriously red state, with a political ideology that loves to stick close to whatever the Constitution says, like freedom of speech, would seemingly ignore the Constitution in this case. It’s hypocritical for a conservative legislature to disregard our First Amendment rights when conservatives have chastised liberals for being anti-free speech. How far do our lawmakers intend to go with protecting our most treasured ally? If it were a private business that enforced this policy, it wouldn’t be an issue. It would be their own choice. When the government decides to do this however, our sense of freedom becomes muddied. Shouldn’t the free market decide what happens to Israel? Even if Israel is our ally and trading partner, they should be able to stand on their own. Our government has no business restricting the voices of the people, even if it’s for the financial benefit of an ally. We agree with the original author of Texas’ Anti-BDS law. While it might have been made with good intentions, it only hampers what makes us uniquely American.
Dear Editor, The places and foods mentioned in the April 2019 article “Five vegan dishes to meet your leafy needs” are a good place to start for those interested in healthier, cleaner eating. I, too, heartily recommend the nachos supremo at Spiral Diner and the spicy muchacho pie at Pizza Lounge, both of which I have tried and rate five stars. Another commendable vegan pie at Pizza Lounge is the sofa king, which features four types of meats, including bacon, and mozzarella cheese. I have avoided eating at Spiral Diner ever since they hiked up their prices, but if one has spare change, they should order the big kahuna burger and ask for the famous beyond patty. One place which I felt was missing from the article was El Palote Panadería, located a mere 10 minutes from campus. El Palote Panadería is a vegan restaurant that sells a great variety of delicious foods such as tacos, nachos, rice and beans and desserts such as sweet breads. Also, as previously mentioned, it is only 10 minutes away from Eastfield, so it’s easy to stop by post-class. I personally recommend the chicken sandwich, which comes with fries and genuinely tastes like the real thing; the nachos, which are arguably better than Spiral Diner’s; and, last but not least, the chocolate-glazed doughnuts. Thank you for the article, and I encourage anyone interested in plant-based eating to attend one of the Plant-Based Nutrition Club’s meetings. Sincerely, Diana Tezock President Plant-Based Nutrition Club
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Lazon nails cover in April 3 issue Dear Et Cetera Staff, My compliments to Anthony Lazon for his excellent cover illustration and design on the April 3 edition of The Et Cetera. It was an excellent homage to my generation’s favorite Saturday morning program! Great corresponding article by Skye Seipp as well. I appreciate all you do to keep the Eastfield College community informed and aware, because — as we all know from “Schoolhouse Rock!” — “Knowledge is power!” Keep up the great work, Et Cetera Staff. Sincerely, Rachel Wolf Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs and Student Success
OPINION
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Eastfield invaded by teenagers Your letter to the editor here Eastfield College is becoming so overrun with high school students that the Dallas County Community College District should rename the college Eastfield High School. Eastfield currently claims there are about 400 high school students enrolled on campus. They project to have almost 700 by this fall. As of April 1, students are required to carry campus-issued ID cards, and a new districtwide policy also mandates all students will receive progress reports in their classes, just like in high school. As a student who has been here for seven semesters, it’s now commonplace to see the teenage horde almost everywhere you go, especially in the early afternoon. This wasn’t the case during my first semester. I supposed depending on the success of the new high school-oriented policies and programs, the administration will likely implement designated blocks for lunch break, recess and nap time. Everywhere they go, these high schoolers leave behind litter, unkempt break areas, faint wafts of Hot Cheeto dust and even the occasional used condom or two. Don’t get me wrong. I remember being a high school kid, and that’s why I want Eastfield to better prepare high school students for college. But the last thing I’d want is for Eastfield to hold a high school student’s hand every step of the way. That’s probably the worst way to prepare anyone for college and real-world expectations. While I encourage any high school student who even considers going to college to give it a shot, I think it defeats the purpose of going to college just to attend a class already full of high school students.
Andrew Walter
@AndrewWalterETC
While they are by no means second-class students, the high schoolers need to understand that Eastfield wasn’t made almost 50 years ago with them in mind. Eastfield was made to provide an affordable means of education to the surrounding community, and whether the district wants to give high school students an accessible path to a degree, the DCCCD needs to know that this will come at a cost. It’s ridiculous that there are college courses primarily filled with high school students. What college student wants to attend a class full of disruptive teenagers? What college professor wants to walk into a class full of students lacking in maturity? To any high schoolers reading this, I don’t bear a grudge against you. I’m just worried you won’t get the wake-up slap you need to adapt to the college environment. You’ll have to learn that your college professors and future employers won’t think it’s as funny as you do when you turn in assignments late and pester your classmates or co-workers for attention. You need to realize that college standards shouldn’t be lowered to accommodate you. If colleges keep lowering their standards and expectations, then they might as well become high schools. — Andrew Walter is an electrical engineering major and copy editor at The Et Cetera
Do you want your voice to be heard? Send your letter to the editor or submit a guest column to the
at etc4640@dcccd.edu Letters considered for publication must be 250 words or fewer and will be edited for vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed.
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You have a voice. We’ll make it heard.
GMOs benefit humanity, may help cure illness From the food on your plate to the pets in your home, humanity has been artificially selecting desirable traits in other organisms for thousands of years. With the results of our success all around us, why is society so afraid of the term GMO? The millennium-long practice of selectively breeding animals with favorable traits in the hopes that offspring would share these traits turned feral wolves into man’s best friend. We later did the same with plants. One of the greatest examples is corn, which started off a fraction of its modern size and with very few kernels. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts all started off as wild cabbage. But if you hear people talking about GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, they’re likely talking about a much more recent and controversial method. Creating a GMO is a much quicker and more accurate way of adding new genes to an existing organism’s DNA. The World Health Organization defines GMOs as “organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.” A GMO is created when a foreign gene is inserted into the DNA of a cell. The new gene then
Niko Robbins @TheEtCetera
replicates naturally as the cell divides, eventually forming a complete organism. The new gene is present in every cell of that organism. According to the Purdue Research Foundation, a vast majority of the organism’s genetic code remains “completely unchanged by the process.” Despite its infinite room for growth, fear of the unknown and unseen consequences of tampering with DNA have many people standing firmly opposed to the idea of more GMOs. One of the highest points of controversy lies in genetically modifying crops in food production. The overall public opinion on genetically modified crops is negative, and there is a widespread belief that organic food is healthier, and that genetically engineered crops are somehow hazardous to our health. Contrary to this belief genetically modified crops, such as golden rice, were created with the express purpose of increasing their nutritional
value. Golden rice was developed in 2000 to help combat vitamin A deficiency, which leads to more than 500,000 deaths each year. Many of the genes added to genetically modified crops are put in place to protect the plant itself from common diseases, harsh climates and herbicides. Hardier crops are easier to cultivate, making them a safer investment for farmers. In addition, the European Research Area released 10 years of research done on GMOs and their effects. It was largely concluded that eating genetically engineered food was no more dangerous than eating traditionally selected crops. From selective breeding to cutting and pasting genes, the potential developments to be made through working with genetically modified organisms are near limitless. The benefits of furthering this technology range from subtly increasing our quality of life to creating cures for life-threatening illnesses. Either way, the practice of artificially selecting traits is something people have been doing for millennia and will likely continue on into the future. — Niko Robbins is a biomedical engineering major and contributor at The Et Cetera
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
City and school board elections are May 4. Visit these sites for more info. Dallas County dallascountyvotes.org Rockwall County rockwallvotes.com Kaufman County kaufmancounty.net/ elections Collin County collincountytx.gov/ elections Ellis County co.ellis.tx.us/629/ Upcoming-Elections
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The Et Cetera
Faculty hold mixed opinions on early college high school
Continued from page 5 from time to time, but overall his experience has been positive. In most cases, professors don’t know how many early college high school students are in their classes. That’s a good thing, Nichols said. Integration into the Eastfield community and the college experience means students will get the most out of their education. “There’s always going to be a mixture, but I think if early college high schools are located in the structure, the actual physical structure of the college, then as much as possible we should be integrating them into the classes rather than them having high school classes or college classes in very much a high school setting,” Nichols said. “I personally have an ideological issue with that.” That college experience is paramount to the success of the program and, in many cases, Nichols said high school students have integrated well into the rest of the Eastfield culture. English professor Elizabeth Huston said, like Nichols, she usually doesn’t know when she has early college high school students in her classes.
In most cases, she only knows when students self-disclose that they are in high school during ice-breakers or when they have conflicts with class activities due to being a high school student. One of the problems she’s had has been with parents reaching out to her in place of her students. Some want to know what grade their children are making in her class — something she is legally prohibited from sharing — and others want to argue about grades or get an explanation about why their child didn’t do as well as they expected. “I think one of the things that could be helpful is to help parents learn about what their students are doing and learn that their students need to be responsible for themselves rather than relying on parents to help them when they have a problem,” Huston said. She attended a parent orientation once, but hasn’t heard about any recently. “We had the parents come, and some other family members could come, and they were so excited about their kids getting to go to college like this,” Huston said. “[Administrators] spent some time with them explain-
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ing that this is college, so maybe we could do something like that again, making sure parents know what their students are going to be expected to do. So not only do we train the students to be ready, we train the parents to be ready.” Hicks said parent orientation is still an event, as well as a signing day, where students dedicate to attending an early college high school are important events. She said she’s seen parents tear up when they realize that their children will be able to get a college degree. Many of these students are first-generation college students, Hicks said. Nichols said most faculty don’t see the presence of the high school principals or other high school administration walking around campus to monitor the behavior of high school students. She suggests early college high school administrators attend division meetings to introduce themselves. Nichols said the effort to increase the number of early college high schools means professors are more and more likely to be teaching classes exclusively made up of high school students. Justin Lonon, vice chancellor of
the DCCCD, said with concerns about space some professors may be going to high school campuses to teach more often. It already happens from time to time. Lonon said that the DCCCD is looking into creative ways to handle space problem. Nichols said she knows she will eventually be teaching high school classes on high school campuses. Career technologies programs
Career technologies early college high school programs are different than those in other divisions of the college, Executive Dean Johnnie Bellamy said. Classes are not all integrated, there isn’t as strong an emphasis on transferring to a four-year university — though it is encouraged as an option — and students are doing more hands-on work, she said. The CTE early college high school program with Spruce High School is about to graduate its first cohort of students. Bellamy said several are transferring to four-year universities while others are going directly into the workforce, including some for Texas Instruments. The heating, ventilation and air
conditioning early college high school program will be graduating two of the five original students with associate of applied science degrees in their first cohort this year — the other students either decided HVAC wasn’t right for them or went back to their home school. Those HVAC students were integrated this year. “We haven’t had any problem with it,” Bellamy said. Mechatronics will be sending 16 of 20 early college high school students to graduation this year. Some students will transfer while others have jobs lined up, Bellamy said. Mechatronics and computer aided design instructors don’t have a problem with the prospect of integration, Bellamy said. The obstacles faced by career technologies instructors haven’t been so related to maturity as much as helping the students stay interested. “Students who are not so interested, having to try to get them interested, help them understand this is life, this is employment for you after high school,” Bellamy said. “You may be going straight to work after high school or off to a four-year, whichever you choose.”