New Year, New Bee Eastfield reveals a new mascot, and it needs a name See page 2 ➤
Eastfield College
Monday, August 27, 2018
Volume 50, Issue 1
2
NEWS
Monday, August 27, 2018
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The Et Cetera
CONVOCATION 2018
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Employees gather to take pictures with the new mascot during Thursday’s Convocation after-party.
Campus commences new year By ANDREW WALTER Opinion Editor @AndyWalterETC
JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA
Top photo, the new mascot dances with college President Jean Conway. Below, campus employees play Jenga after Convocation.
Bee finds its home The new Harvester bee made a triumphant debut Thursday at the convocation after-party in the Hive. The bee, who is not yet named, tore through a banner and then danced before the crowd to The Black Eyed Peas’ “Imma Be.” Dozens of cellphones captured photos and videos as he kissed the hand of President Jean Conway, led her in a few dance moves and then high-fived people on the front row. The 6-foot orange and blue pollinator then posed for photos with employees. “I think it looks like a wasp, not a bee,” said English professor Kassi Buck. But “it has this fierce competitiveness in it.” Eastfield last year adopted the bee to represent its longtime mascot, the
Harvester. Though the design of the mascot for the college’s sports teams was unveiled then, this was the first appearance of the mascot costume. Students and employees can vote on a name for the bee at eastfieldcollege.edu/mascot. The finalists Sting, Beezy, Herbee, Motley and Buzzy Buzzfield were culled from suggestions in a previous survey. The name will be revealed during Homecoming Week, which starts Nov. 5. Look for the bee to make appearances at campus events this semester, including Pizza with the President at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29 in the Hive. —Compiled by Et Cetera staff
Eastfield’s Focus and Finish initiative could be paying off, as the school’s contact hours growth is exceeding head count growth for the first time in more than 10 years. “You know what that means?” said college President Jean Conway during Thursday’s Convocation. Students are “taking more hours per person. That’s eight-week, folks.” As of Friday, enrollment was 14,850, 23.6 percent ahead of the same time last fall. Contact hours have increased by 24.3 percent. Focus and Finish was one of the central themes during Convocation. The new marketing campaign was created to encourage students to take more classes and complete their certificates, degrees or transfer plans faster. Too many students linger in community college or stop classes all together, Dallas County Community College District records show. As part of the initiative, Eastfield has converted a large portion of fall and spring courses into eight-week terms instead of the traditional 16 weeks. This allows students to create unique course schedules that have two classes during the first half of the semester and then two different classes in the second half. The advantage is that students could take two classes at a time and still be full-time, officials say. A professor who served on the committee to plan the new eight-week terms, Daniel Murphy, explained why Eastfield thinks this transition will work. “The idea is that if you are part-time and you feel you can only handle one class at a time, you are still doing only one class at a time but you’re taking two every 16 weeks,” he said. “If you take one class every 16-week
semester, it will take you 12 years to complete. Let’s be completely honest. Not many people are going to finish at that point.” Conway, who will retire this semester after a new president is hired, also discussed goals to increase enrollment and graduation rates, hire more staff and fulltime faculty, expand community and business partnerships, and overhaul campus facilities. In the days leading up to Convocation, employees participated in professional development training. Topics included the new progress reports policy, how to support the LGBTQ+ community, a demonstration of the campus’ new 3D printer and advice on vocal care for professors. The two training sessions about the LGBTQ+ community hosted by Chris Schlarb and Katy Launius from the Office of Student Engagement and Retention offered information about gender, sexuality, pronoun use and other ways faculty and staff can be aware of student needs. The Disability Services Office explained the variety of ways they provide physical and academic accommodations to students. The DSO reassured faculty that they would not be required to lower course expectations and standards. They made it clear that disabled students still have responsibilities and should meet with professors to discuss services. Title II Director Nancy Singer explained a new district policy that mandates faculty update students on their class progress mid-semester. Students can expect to get two reports for 16-week classes and one report for eight-week classes. Classes under five weeks in length won’t have progress reports. “We’ve increased the graduation rates significantly: 267 percent [within 10 years]. That’s amazing,” said Conway. “But you know what? It’s still only 13 percent [that graduate] and it’s not enough.”
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Monday, August 27, 2018
Money raised, plan underway for on-site pantry By ARIA JONES Editor in Chief @AriaJonesETC
More than 55 percent of DCCCD students say they can’t afford to eat balanced meals and 31 percent responded that they’ve been hungry but didn’t eat because there wasn’t enough food, according to a 2016 survey. Combatting food insecurity has become a districtwide initiative for the Dallas County Community Colleges, and Eastfield is establishing its own on-site food pantry through a partnership with North Texas Food Bank. The survey taken by Wisconsin Hope Lab in Fall 2016 showed that food insecurity — not having access to enough affordable or nutritious food — may be an issue affecting more than half of college students in DCCCD and across the nation. Katy Launius, associate dean of the Office of Student Engagement and Retention, said the study revealed that a shocking level of undergrads, at two-year institutions and technical colleges especially, struggle with food insecurity. “I think our nation has grown to understand that K-12 students need breakfast to be successful in the day,” she said. “They need lunch to be successful. If you’re hungry, you can’t focus. If you’re hungry, your brain just can’t work. It can’t cognitively do what you need it to do.” This challenge, she said, doesn’t end with the graduation from high school. Students may be choosing between buying books or purchasing groceries, a decision they shouldn’t have to make, she said. Launius is leading the initiative until a director for the new Center for Equity, Inclusivity and Diversity is in place, and is optimistic that it will open by the end of the
fall semester. Desiree Dillon, the senior manager of partner agency resources for the North Texas Food Bank, said the pantry would provide a resource for students so that they won’t have to choose between school and food. “Campuses should be providing this resource because the whole goal of community college is for students to go and take classes and get the appropriate skills so they can go out and find jobs and have a higher quality of life,” Dillon said. “But what we’re finding is that students are facing barriers. They have children, they still have childcare costs, and they’re either working full-time and can’t take a full course load or taking a full
tions with different needs. The partnership between DCCCD and the food bank means that each college will be able to purchase food at a cheaper rate and gain knowledge about what it takes to run a food pantry on campus. A three-pronged approach is being used to combat student hunger. It comprises a mobile pantry that travels from campus to campus delivering fresh foods, school visits from food bank to sign-up students for social services like SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, and support from food bank to set up on-site pantries. Students receiving assistance from the food bank or the pantry may be asked to fill out a survey. Dillon said this is a non-invasive way to determine what each person needs, and there won’t be questions about income. In a campaign called “Stock the Pantry,” the DCCCD Foundation exceeded its goal of MATEO COREY/THE ET CETERA raising $5,000 for each pantry over the summer. This campaign course load and can’t work full time.” Dillon said that when she spoke was to serve as seed money for the to campus representatives interested pantries opening across the district. Amanda Nguyen, assistant direcin setting up pantries, they wanted tor of Human Resources at Eastfield, to help students face these challenges said she joined the fundraising team and move through college. The DCCCD campuses are all es- when her boss invited her because it’s tablishing their pantries at a different a good cause. She said her team raised most of rate. Brookhaven, Mountain View, North Lake, and El Centro have the money in two weeks. But raising them. Richland’s, Cedar Valley’s and the money is only a baby step. The next step will be to get the pantry up Eastfield’s are in development. Dillon said that each campus pan- and running. “If there’s anything we can do as try would be unique, based on space availability, volunteer resources, geo- a college, we’ll be happy and willing graphical location and faculty and to help,“ she said. “I think that’s how most of us feel. That’s how I feel.” staff support. Employees have the option to Each school has various leadership structures and student popula- make payroll deductions toward a
Students can find the mobile pantry outside of G building 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on: Thursday, Sept. 6 Thursday, Oct. 4 Thursday, Nov. 1 Thursday, Dec. 6 DCCCD Foundation fund of their choice, and now the pantry will be on that list. “I’m hoping that the fundraising doesn’t stop here,” Nguyen said. Launius said the values of Eastfield like person-centeredness, diversity and fairness align closely with this mission. Sometimes people need help, she said, and the idea that they can simply work hard and pull themselves up by their bootstraps is false. She said it’s a myth of American exceptionalism that we’re a country of opportunity and everyone has equal access. Solutions like financial planning and budgeting won’t work if the money isn’t there to meet a student’s needs. The goal that Eastfield wants to work toward, Launius said, is serving as a comprehensive pantry because they know that students don’t just experience hunger momentarily. But the school must have enough space and capacity to make it happen. “I don’t think it’s us being overly involved in students lives,” she said. “I don’t think it’s about making excuses for students. It is about understanding that there are real barriers to enrolling in college, to being successful in college and we have a responsibility as an institution to identify those barriers and do our best to remove them.”
NEWS
Briefs DCCCD approves budget
The 2018-19 Dallas County Community College District Budget was approved on Aug. 7 with an unrestricted operating fund increase of about $28.9 million. This brings the yearly budget to about $466.3 million. Three percent raises were approved for all employees.
Scholarships and tuition waivers, in support of early college high school and dual credit, were funded at $19.3 million. There was no tax or tuition increases, and the district will be restructuring General Obligation Bonds to saving taxpayers an estimated $9 million. The district committed $2.56 mil-
lion to continue offering the DART GoPass program, its pilot of free digital learning materials, and access to local support services.
DART changes
Changes are being made in the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system, including changes in the GoPass app. Eastfield will be having a Public
Transportation Workshop Wednesday, Sept. 5 12:30-1:30 p.m. in G-101 The Dallas County Community College District and DART have a partnership and will continue to offer free Student GoPasses, which allow students to ride DART buses and trains for free. For regular riders, fares increased by 20 percent and two-hour passes
have been replaced with a.m. and p.m. passes. Weekly passes have been eliminated. Single Ride Passes were reintroduced for bus rides and cash for $2.50. Capping for daily passes began Aug. 18 and monthly fare capping will begin Sept. 1. Call 214-979-1111 or go online at DART.org for more details.
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Search continues for Conway’s replacement
August
Mon
27
First day of classes for 16-week term and first fall eight-week Harvesterm Welcome Week, coffee, donuts and campus information, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Vibee Lounge
Tue
Welcome Week, coffee, donuts and campus information, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Vibee Lounge
Wed
Welcome Week, Pizza with the President, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Hive
Thu
Welcome Week, Involvement Fair: learn about clubs and campus services, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., the Hive
Fri
Welcome Week, Grill and Chill Fun Friday: hot dogs, snow cones, dunk tank and more, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Lower Courtyard
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September Mon
Labor Day, campus closed
Tue
Play auditions, 5-9 p.m., F-114, email dreasons@ dcccd.edu
Wed
Blood drive, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., C-135
3 4 5
Interview Like a Boss, learn the art of job interviews, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the Hive Catch a Ride: Public Transportation Workshop, 12:30-1:30 p.m., G-101 Recital: Sean Burrows String Quartet, 1 p.m., F-117
Thu
Meet the Nurse, 9-11:30 a.m., Pleasant Grove campus lobby
Mon
12th class day
Wed
Recital: Pianist John Solomons, 1 p.m., F-117
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The Et Cetera distribution, 10 a.m.-noon, the Hive
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By YESENIA ALVARADO Managing Editor @YeseniaA_ETC
Eastfield was expecting to begin a new academic year with a new president, but due to delays in the search it is uncertain when someone will step in. According to members of the search committee for the new college president, there will be four to six candidates visiting the campus during the first weeks of the semester. President Jean Conway announced her retirement during a Jan. 11 convocation speech. Conway was initially planning to retire by Aug. 31. Due to delays in the search for a new incoming president, the Dallas County Community College District Board of Trustees approved an extension in her contract to Dec. 31. “It’s very fluid at this point, and I’m willing to stay whatever length of time I’m needed until the new president is actually on the campus,” she said. “But not after Dec. 31.” DCCCD Chancellor Joe May continued to receive applications throughout the summer. May sent out an email to the community saying that the plans to find a new leader during the spring 2018 semester would have to be extended throughout the summer and early fall.
He noted that the extension would allow faculty, staff and students to be involved in the search process since many aren’t available throughout the summer. Executive Vice President Mike Walker said that May wasn’t 100 percent certain with the first pool of candidates. “It’s just going to be hard to find someone to follow someone like Dr. Conway because she’s very special, so he’s just being careful,” Walker said. Walker is also part of the official college search committee. This team is made up of about 20 faculty, staff and community members who were chosen by the district office. Although part of the hiring process, Walker and other members are unaware of the identities of the candidates. “We have no idea who they are,” said Walker. “We will be as surprised as everybody else.” Campus visits from potential candidates are tentatively scheduled for Sept. 4-7 and Sept. 10-11. During their visits, candidates would tour the campus, meet professors, staff and student leaders. Also on the agenda are two forums to give as many people as possible a chance to meet the candidates. “Everyone who is a part of Eastfield College is encouraged to come and hear from these candidates to get a sense of who they are,” said Walker.
After the forums, May will contact each of the search team members and get their input and input collected from other attendees. May and his staff will check references, make a decision and announce it to the college. Finally, the name will be given to the Board of Trustees for final approval. There is still a lot of uncertainty on how these forums will pan out. History professor Matt Hinckley, a member of the search committee, said they were asked to keep several days of the week open but weren’t affirmed a visit from a candidate. “We’re all just supposed to keep open most of next week and most of the week after for these candidates to come in,” he said. “But who they are and how many they are? I have no idea. And I don’t think any of the other members do either.” Because these visits will be occurring as the semester begins, Hinckley expects to miss some of the meetings because he will be teaching. “I’ve got a couple of eight-week classes. And when you’re in eightweek classes, there’s a lot of stuff you need to cover and missing a class, you could be missing a lot,” he said. “I’m going to have to figure out how to juggle both my classes and meeting this responsibility as the search team.” Conway said her replacement
should be someone who makes the best decisions for the college. Although, Eastfield is a great campus, there is room for improvement. “There a lot of challenges and opportunities,” she said. “The right person coming will be able to see how wonderful this college is and what needs to be continued and where the college can grow.” As a professor who was hired by Conway, Hinckley is looking for someone with all of Conway’s qualities. After Conway’s retirement announcement, Hinckley said he realized how much work she had done in her time at Eastfield and although hopeful, he is also worried about the new college president. “I think she has done a fantastic job for the college, so part of me is a little uncertain,” Hinckley said about Conway. “We’ve had almost a decade of stability and now we have some questions like, ‘who will our next leader be?’” Hinckley hopes the new college president will keep the current initiatives moving but also bring new ones to help with student retention. “Someone who can advocate for our college and for our students at the district level and in the community,” said Hinckley. “Someone who can tell our story, support us and continue giving us opportunities to innovate.”
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www.eastfieldnews.com
Monday, August 27, 2018
Solar-powered tables installed during break Matthew Portis, below left, and Bruce Mantz connect the electronic components of the new solar tables over the summer. The tables are located in the upper courtyard and are ready for student use.
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Faculty, administration aim to establish diversity center By Aria Jones Editor in Chief @AriaJonesETC
A new department designed to support diversity efforts is coming to Eastfield after questions arose about support for LGBTQ students. Last spring, when LGBTQ support stickers were vandalized, administration revealed its goal of opening a new Center for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity. Now, a location for the center has been chosen, and the hiring process for a new director is underway. Associate Vice President Rachel Wolf, who spearheaded the effort, said she hopes to hire a director by October. “We know so many reasons why students aren’t successful has to do with the fact that they don’t have some basic needs met,” Wolf said. “In other cases it’s because they don’t have their emotional and physical and mental needs met. So the goal of the center is to place that in focus.” When questions arose about sup-
port for LGBTQ students, Wolf said that she would like to create the center as a physical and visible place for students to go on campus. This office would function like an umbrella, much like the Office of Student Engagement and Retention, but with a different mission. Oversight for the on-site food pantry, support for LGBTQ students, social justice efforts for diverse groups, sustainability efforts, housing and legal support, veterans’ services, disability services, and other resources and community efforts for students would be coordinated through the new department. The center will be in C-145, close to Counseling Services, the Health Center and the Disability Services Office. Wolf said it was a priority to have the office near the services it will connect. “When you go to a university or college, there are a lot of services available for students,” said Jaime Torres, one of Eastfield’s professional counselors. “Sometimes what we
hear from students is, ‘I didn’t know you had an office for this or a director for that or that we could get help’ and so on.” Torres is leading an effort on campus to train students and faculty about preventing sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking through the Violence Against Women Act. An office like the Center for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity could help provide exposure for the workshops he hopes to offer this year. “I welcome the idea of having a network where they can at the very least direct students and give them more options,” he said. “I’m always about options.” The center’s staff could also help students navigate the multiple, scattered options that DCCCD offers for support. For instance, many students are unaware that the district has a services hotline or the My Community Services search engine, both of which guide students to outside agencies that can could provide housing, health care, food assistance
and counseling. The center would also provide diversity and inclusivity training for faculty and staff in partnership with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Wolf said. This would ensure that employees are educated and aware of issues that impact certain demographics of the Eastfield community. Wolf said administrators hope to involve campus groups with the center to support diversity on campus in a more intentional way. Sandra True, a substance abuse counseling major, said she noticed students asking questions about an LGBTQ club on campus, and within five days of offering to start something, she had at least 15 inquiries. “It gives somebody some place to go,” she said. “A safe place to be on campus and a safe place to meet other [LGBTQ] students without them actually having to out themselves.” She said the interaction between different efforts on campus is a good thing because there are struggles that span across many different groups.
“Having them interact and using the services for a better purpose would be so much more beneficial to the public, and to the student body,” she said. “[Rather] than them trying to work individually and trying to accomplish an individual goal.” True said the center’s leadership would enable various student organizations to work together on issues such as homelessness and food insecurity, which don’t affect one campus group. Wolf hopes to have a director hired and ready to start in October. “We want somebody who has experience working with diverse populations,” Wolf said. “Somebody who understands what it takes to do outreach and build partnerships with the community and support of student needs. Somebody who has a heart for doing things for the greater good. Somebody who demonstrates the ability … of recognizing differences and honoring those differences. Somebody who has some understanding of what social justice education is about.”
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Communication Club holds Meet the SGA president key to student engagement By ARIA JONES Editor in Chief @AriaJonesETC
The Communication Club, two-time winner of Club of the Year and Fundraising of the Year at the OSER awards, remains one of the most active student groups on campus. The club consistently has about 40 members and, new president Dylan Kinnard said the secret to the club’s success is creating a community environment where students feel welcome. “After I got involved with the Communication Club and other clubs, I met people with similar interests,” Kinnard said. “I started to make different peer groups, and now it’s hard to go down the hallway and not see a friend.” He said the Communication Club does not force students to speak at a podium or give a specific number of speeches. Instead, the focus is on building life and leadership skills through community service, fundraising and attending socials. Students who join the club can earn one speech credit hour per semester and up to four transferrable credit hours total. The club has participated in volunteer activities such as planting trees, picking up trash and even helping to set up hot air balloons that take people on rides. Through fundraising, the club raises money to go on a yearly retreat to Sky Ranch, where members can build their leadership skills while also enjoying zip line rides and horseback riding. Communication Club fundraisers have included flower sales, bake sales and an event where people pay to shove a pie in someone’s face. Two pieces of advice that Kinnard has for students who want to start a club are to choose a topic that all members are passionate about and to have a good adviser that can support the team. Mary Forrest, the adviser of the Communication Club, is who Kinnard said encouraged him when he first became treasurer of the club. “She encourages really everyone,” Kinnard said. “I don’t know how she does it, she has students from 10 years ago that will still talk to her.” Michelle Salas, who still visits Forrest to help out on campus, was club president in 2009. She said when she joined the club 10 years
JESUS AYALA/THE ET CETERA
The Student Government Association is an elected body that advocates for student concerns to the administration. Students are elected to serve on committees, the Senate, the House of Representatives, or the Executive What is the SGA?
ET CETERA FILE PHOTO
Communication Club flower sale.
ago, it was during a transitional period. Everyone was leaving and she was quickly promoted to president, having to restart the club from scratch. “Thankfully now,” she said, “there is a system where people stay and choose their president.” Aley Salcedo, who was president of the club from 2015 to 2017, said she was able to intern at the state capital, having her stay paid for because of the connections she made through the Communication Club. She said interpersonal communication at the club is more important than just giving speeches, and it is the system of accountability that makes the club function so well. “It may be the caring environment,” she said. “It might just be that we sit there and we talk to each other as friends, but as leaders … something just seems to work well when we’re in that room together so that we hold each other accountable.” Communication Club Meets 12:30–1:50 p.m. on Mondays for lunch and a meeting. Contact: Adviser Mary Forrest 972-860-7658, maryforrest@dcccd.edu
I feel like it’s a way for students who are in community college to really get a feel of what government is. Honestly, before the SGA, I didn’t really participate that much in government. Do you think it’s important to have a student government organization on campus? I think it’s important because as I said, I wasn’t part of government at all before. I wasn’t interested or thought that it mattered. Then I started talking to the president before, Yazmin Lopez. She made sure that I felt welcomed. I just wanted to make that same experience for someone else.
What are some of the things that SGA does for students on campus? We discuss their concerns. One thing that we would have in our itinerary [during meetings] would be ‘new business’ and that’s whenever students, anyone, it doesn’t matter who, could just come up and say ‘Oh, I have a problem with this.’ One of those problems in spring was that we didn’t have enough microwaves. Then one of our committees [arranged] it so that we’re going to get another microwave.
Board. Et Cetera Editor Aria Jones spoke with the SGA president Jasmin Larez. The mechanical engineering major was previously an SGA representative for the Plant Based Nutrition Club, and Economics Club. How can students get involved with the SGA? They just need to show up to our meetings.
What else can students learn from being in the SGA? One thing I learned is to speak up and express myself. Because if you want your voice to be heard, you have to be in front of people and show them you care about something. What is it like for you to be in a leadership role? It’s been really cool. We got to go to Austin in the spring, where we got to meet with lots and lots of people [at the Texas Junior College Student Government Association]. They inspired me even more. As soon as I started talking to them, I knew I wanted to be a leader. I knew I wanted to be like them. They just represented their schools so proudly and so passionately, I knew I wanted to be part of this organization.
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Monday, August 27, 2018
National champions begin season at No. 1 By DAVID SILVA Senior Videographer @DavidSilvaETC
The Lady Harvesters volleyball team kicks off its season with a No. 1 national ranking, a veteran squad and a national championship to defend. The team, which claimed the NJCAA Division III national title last November, began their preseason with a 3-0 sweep at Paul Quinn College on Aug. 22, followed by their participation in the Vernon College Classic after press time on Aug. 24 and 25. With eight returning players, two of whom are national stat leaders, the Lady Harvesters know they have a target on their backs. Outside hitter Keishla “Kiki” Reyes, who led the nation with 118 aces last year and was named the national tournament’s most valuable player, said the team has to prepare for opponents bringing out their best efforts against them. “We have to take it even more serious this year,” she said. “We have more people who know our name who are going to try to beat us.” Head coach Brandon Crisp said despite the talented squad, repeating as champions will be a difficult task. “It’s almost easier to get there [the first time],” he said. “It’s gonna be harder to keep it there and keep doing that same thing, especially because everyone is gonna be going after you… I believe that they have the potential to be better than last year’s squad, but it’s only potential. It hasn’t been realized yet.” A year ago, the Lady Harvesters dominated their conference opponents, not dropping a single set until their 3-2 win over Cedar Valley during the Region V semifinal. When the team reached the national tournament, the only dropped set came against Harper in the championship match. Setter Kalli Caddell, who made the all-tournament team at nationals with her 100 assists, said that the celebratory energy coming off of last year’s win settled when two-a-day practices began. “It was still kind of in my mind like ‘oh my gosh that’s so exciting,’ but at the same time, the first day of two-a-days you have to step back and [realize] this is a brand new team,” she said. The new team lost key players Faith Faulkner, Kerstin Fredrickson and Payton Costlow to graduation. However, the team is bringing in 11 promising freshmen, a group that Crisp began scouting and recruiting at the UIL state tournament the week following the national championship match. “As far as getting ready, it started when we got back from the championships,” he said. “We
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ET CETERA FILE PHOTO
Setter Kalli Caddell and outside hitter Keishla “Kiki” Reyes have set the preseason tone as the sophomore captains for the Lady Harvesters. Caddell earned a spot on the all-tournament team at nationals while Reyes was named the most valuable player. The team is the first Eastfield women’s team to win a national title.
got back [and] I hit the road recruiting.” That puts 19 players on Eastfield’s roster, the most that Crisp has ever had during his time as head coach. Other returning sophomores, in addition to team captains Reyes and Caddell, include middle blockers Alex McPherson, who led the nation in hitting percentage, and Chloe Hope, left blocker Maura Munoz, setters Naisjah Rivera and Mica Turner and right side hitter Jade Turner. In the offseason, Crisp wanted to add depth by recruiting players with athleticism, in-game
ability and a high volleyball IQ. Then, he looks at the intangibles. “You try to make sure they’re the right fit for the program,” he said. “What’s their personality? Are they good kids? Is this someone who we want to join our family?” Crisp said that visitations with potential recruits run as long as three to four hours to evaluate their potential on the team. “I ask the players, ‘Hey, what do you think of them?’” he said. “Because we really want to make sure we get the right people coming into our family.”
This family mindset has resonated with new and returning players alike. Many hangouts and activities after practice are done as a group, and some of the players are even roommates. Caddell said that in comparison to last year, this team’s strong relationship on and off the court is evident even early in the season. “We can all rely on each other, especially in times of stress,” she said. “I think the bond is already a lot stronger.” Freshman right side hitter Skylar Fowler said the reason she chose to join the Lady Harvesters is because she felt welcomed to the team even before she committed to Eastfield. She said she still sees her teammates’ efforts to constantly build each other up. “When you’re down they always pick you up,” she said. “No one on the team makes you feel bad. We’re all like ‘Hey, you got the next one.’” Freshman outside hitter Shelby Browning said she was surprised at how quickly she was accepted as a new teammate. “I expected them to have an attitude and understand that they were better than us,” she said. “They didn’t at all. They all took us in.” Browning said that the commitment by her teammates pushed her in the early days of the offseason. “Coming in as a freshman and doing college two-a-days is pretty difficult,” she said. “[The sophomores] helped us understand that that’s where we want to get to if we want to be national champions. This is how we’re going to have to play and going to have to practice.” Browning said that going into the season, the leadership of captains Reyes and Caddell are important in distinct ways. “Kalli leads by being that strong person on the court, that stable person that knows what’s going on at all times,” she said. “Kiki leads by her actions, just showing us how to play and how to be a good teammate. Seeing her makes me want to play better.” As they eye their first home game on Aug. 28 against Navarro College, the Lady Harvesters know expectations are high. Although they don’t have their sights set on a specific win-loss record, Crisp said there’s an extra sense of enthusiasm for this season. “Every day when I’m in the gym [and] we leave practice, I can’t wait to get back,” he said. “When I came here to Eastfield five years ago, I had a vision for what we could do. From recruiting the right players, to establishing the right culture with the program to having a vision and sticking with it: that we’re holding each other accountable every day. I like that we’re there. Now we wanna keep maintaining it and keep working even harder.”
SPORTS
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Eastfield’s women’s soccer team played a scrimmage game on Wednesday, Aug. 15. The team has begun its first season with new head coach Paul Tate. Tate is a former coach at Eastern New Mexico University.
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Women’s soccer kicks off with new head coach By SAMUEL FARLEY Reporter @TheEtCetera
Despite having only five returning players, new Eastfield women’s soccer coach Paul Tate is excited to lead his young team. “90 percent of our team is freshmen, so we might be an underdog,” he said. “But I think that making it to the conference tournament is doable. We just have to work as a unit.” Tate is replacing Dustin Stein, who resigned for an assistant coach position at the University of Pittsburg after accumulating a 56-32-4 record during his five seasons at Eastfield. Tate, an Austin native, came to Eastfield from Eastern New Mexico State University. Looking at the Lady Harvesters, Tate sees the potential in his players to have a great season. The team currently ranked No. 8 by the National Junior College Athletic Association for Division 3. A year ago, the Lady Harvesters went 18-4-1 for the season. The team did exceptionally well playing at home, posting an 8-11 record.
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The Lady Harvesters are in a rebuild season, with a team mainly composed of new players. Eastfield has only five sophomore players returning.
The Lady Harvester’s season ended when they advanced to the NJCAA Region V tournament semifinal where they lost 1-0 to
Richland College. Tate’s assessment of the team going in to this season is energetic but realistic.
“90 percent of our team is freshmen, so we might be an underdog,” he said. “But I think that making it to the conference tournament is doable. We just have to work as a unit.” Midfielder Sara Tackett is one of the five returning players to the team. She said she’s optimistic about the new group of players coming in. “We seem to have a pretty talented group of freshmen,” Tackett said. “And even though I was nervous at first, after the first couple of weeks of practice we could tell that the team was starting to come together.” During this rebuilding season, the Lady Harvesters have been working diligently to improve the team’s chemistry and ability to control the ball. “We have to keep the ball on the ground,” Tate said. “When it pops up it throws the game off and it’s harder to pass. If we can do that we can control the game a lot better.” For the upcoming season, Coach Tate’s philosophy is to keep things simple. Tate said his mission as a coach at Eastfield is to “show these girls what a college team looks like and to be that stepping stone which gets them to the next level.” Because Eastfield is a two-year
program Tate explains that the dynamics of coaching are different from a four-year school because student athletes are focused on more than just sports. “Sometimes you get players who are less committed because they just want to get that associate of arts and move on or they have to work a job that’s helping them pay for classes and I have to work with that.” Tate said. But even with these challenges, the coach is glad when student athletes are able to get to the next level. “If I can help players get an academic scholarship that helps them move on to a four-year school then I’m happy,” he said. With the season right around the corner, the new freshmen players are eager to get out on the field and show their talents. New left back defender, Emily Garcia, is excited for the season and confident in the teams passing and speed abilities. “We are a short team, but we’re fast, and we can dominate through our speed because we’re good at passing the ball, so I feel really good about this season,” she said.
opinion
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Eastfield College 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Aria Jones Managing Editor Yesenia Alvarado Photo Editor Jesus Ayala Opinion Editor Andrew Walter Web Editor James Hartley Graphic Design Editor Mateo Corey Multimedia Editor Esther Moreno Senior Videographer David Silva Senior Graphic Designer Manuel Guapo Photographers Vaylan Jacques Rory Moore Graphic Artists Anthony Lazon Sean Watkins
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Student Publications Adviser Elizabeth Langton Digital Media Adviser Sarah Sheldon 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 every two weeks—except December, January and summer months—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 considered for publication must be 250 words or fewer. Letters may be delivered to Room N-240 or sent to etc4640@dcccd. edu.
Monday, August 27, 2018
OUR VIEW
We’re not your enemy, no matter what Trump says Editor’s Note: The Et Cetera joined hundreds of publications nationwide in response to a call from The Boston Globe asking newspapers to remind Americans the value of free press. The free press is a fundamental part of American democracy, but President Donald Trump frequently claims it produces fake news and is the “enemy of the people” with little regard for the work of news organizations across the country. This pseudo-war on the press goes against the values that many media organizations stand for: integrity, accuracy and a dedication to informing the public. It goes against freedom of speech, the right that all Americans have to express themselves without fear of censorship. Trump’s own use of free speech, including his rambling tweets about the “fake disgusting news,” have become so commonplace that they should easily be dismissed as hot air. But many revel at his attempts to undermine and vilify the free press. The media is not above criticism, and it is important that bias, misleading or otherwise incorrect information is called out. But Trump’s fixation with using “fake news” to describe information he deems uncomplimentary is a threat to freedom, justice and democracy. When the president attacks
freedom of speech and the press, he also attacks society’s ability to be informed and to inform each other. As much as President Trump would like you to believe the opposite, journalists and news organizations aren’t entities that revel in misleading the public. Why is it that one of the most important foundations of American democracy, one that has fought against political corruption, faulty business practices and war crimes, is now being trampled upon by the President of the United States? Without our free press, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein wouldn’t have exposed the Watergate scandal. Without our free press, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center would still be a dilapidated government facility where wounded veterans would find themselves trapped in a bureaucratic nightmare. Without our free press, Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” wouldn’t have been published and the meatpacking industry would still be held to a low standard. In Texas, the 2016 Houston Chronicle investigation uncovered that the Texas Education Agency illegally limited the number of students receiving special education services. Without that investiga-
THE HOT TOPIC Denise Beltran Biomedical Engineering major
“Fake news is a way that social media, or the media in general, manipulates the thoughts or opinions of the people in society in order to get people to act according to their benefit. To start a conversation. And the more that it gets spread, the more that people’s actions are going to be influenced by what they’re exposed (to) by the media.”
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tion, nearly 200,000 special needs students would be left behind. We could name more examples of times that journalists bettered our world, but just thinking about a world without them makes our stomachs twist in knots. President Trump, whether he doesn’t care or has forgotten, acts as though a free press is the single biggest threat to the American people. A free press is what keeps President Trump in line. A free press ensures that he doesn’t get away with doing anything he wants. And frankly, that’s probably why he despises us so much. In Trump’s America, one made “great again,” journalists would be
“yes men.” They would report the president’s words without question. They would refrain from questioning elected officials. They would stop acting on behalf of the people and instead act on behalf of the government. But that’s not democracy. That’s not freedom. That’s not what our Founding Fathers intended. As long as there stands that star-spangled banner, the spirit of American journalism will never be defeated by someone who relies on the First Amendment to destroy the First Amendment. We plan to keep fighting for your right to know. We hope you will support us.
What is fake news? Nathan Figueroa
Auto/ Computer Aided Design major “News not backed up by facts or credible references. Like CNN, who usually tends to report on what’s current, trendy, faddish, not really factual or credible.”
Jaen Janfira Mechatronics major
“Fake news is any information that is conveyed through our mass media with the purpose of leading the audience astray in their belief and whatever is the truth. It’s not actually based on a real fact. It’s probably based on an opinion the editor has and tries to find a fact that will lead the rest of the audience to the same opinion.”
Christina Scaria Health Care Management major
“Fake news is a term created by the president. My meaning of the term is just news that’s construed in a way that people don’t like.”
OPINION
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Monday, August 27, 2018
Level 50 plagiarism unacceptable even in gaming Plagiarism and other unethical practices in journalism can happen at the local news station, the multi-million-dollar news conglomerate and even at one of the most influential video game and entertainment media websites worldwide. After releasing a video review for “Dead Cells,” IGN’s now ex-Nintendo Editor Filip Miucin was accused of plagiarizing his review from a smaller YouTube channel known as “Boomstick Gaming.” IGN’s editorial board conducted an internal investigation and found Miucin guilty of plagiarism and then swiftly fired him. Plagiarism of any kind, in academics or journalism, is never justifiable. “Boomstick Gaming” made a video comparing his review and Miucin’s in a sideby-side viewing and formed a compelling argument that Miucin (and IGN by extension) used Boomstick’s review without attributing proper credit. This video has garnered about 1.3 million views and quickly spread throughout most gaming circles, especially those who already
Andrew Walter @AndyWalterETC
dislike IGN. This is also evidenced by the 81,000 likes on the video. “Dead Cells,” the critically-praised, roguelite-metroidvania hybrid video game, was officially released on Aug. 7 after about one year in early access. IGN has a skewed reputation within the gaming community, so this scandal certainly doesn’t improve their public image. IGN clearly made the right call by firing Miucin. If they didn’t fire Miucin as fast as they did, the public reaction would have been the final nail in IGN’s figurative coffin. Miucin responded to the accusations by uploading a now deleted non-apology video. In it, he claims that if he plagiarized, he did so unintentionally. He even challenged his critics to find more
examples of plagiarism within his work. If he didn’t already destroy his own career beforehand, he now doused it with gasoline and dumped it into a volcano. The internet quickly found more evidence of plagiarism in game reviews made by Miucin. Luckily for IGN, nearly all the new accusations come from reviews made while Miucin worked elsewhere. A Forbes article by Paul Tessi highlights several instances where Miucin almost certainly plagiarized reviews from other websites. Perhaps the most damning evidence of plagiarism by Miucin comes from a video he made in January 2017 where he describes the HD rumble feature of the Nintendo Switch. Almost a year-and-a-half later, Twitter user @joseph39151 found a thread on the forum NeoGAF with identical language to Miucin’s video. The post was made two days before Miucin uploaded his video. After watching the video and looking through the discussion, it is difficult to defend
It’s time to fix online harassment The environments on major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been hurting users for years, and there’s still no solution in sight. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter all have bullying or harassment guidelines with specific methods to report abuse. But the sites place the burden on users to stop abuse. When someone receives threats of death and violence, reporting each threat individually is taxing. Social media becomes an unpleasant place to be. The CEOs of these sites need to examine their laissez-faire approach to addressing the leaders of harassment campaigns and hate movements that directly threaten their customers. Take the case of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who hosts a radio program and runs the website Infowars. In early August, Facebook, Spotify, Apple and YouTube began removing content from Jones, citing his use of hate speech. This month, Facebook went further and removed four of Jones’ pages from their site. Twitter, at first, declined to take action. “We welcome everyone to express
Eva Rosen @TheEtCetera
themselves on our service. Sometimes these expressions may be offensive, controversial and/or bigoted,” Twitter Safety tweeted. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted: “He hasn’t violated our rules. We’ll enforce if he does.” A week later Twitter suspended Jones and Infowars, saying a video posted by both accounts incited violence. This may be a sign that sites are beginning to enforce harassment policies regardless of how large a user’s audience is. With more than 891,000 followers on Twitter alone, Jones uses his platform to spread false information with no proof required. This was demonstrated by his claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax. After years of harassment from conspiracy theorists, two families of the shooting’s victims filed a defamation lawsuit against Jones. His lawyer responded by demanding the parents’ home addresses,
according to a report by Huffington Post. The New York Times reported that parents Veronique De La Rosa and Leonard Pozner have had to move seven times to avoid death threats from Jones’ followers. In cases like these, social media companies fail their users. Instagram, for example, helpfully notes: “Once you’ve reported the abuse, consider blocking the person.” This advice seems almost willfully ignorant and patronizing coming from platforms where disposable profiles can be created in minutes. Asking victims to take full responsibility for removing themselves from their harassers is insulting and may be impossible depending on how far bullies and their followers are willing to go. It took too long for these companies to block a few of Jones’ many platforms. The solution is temporary at best, nonexistent at worst. Jones isn’t the only bully on social media, and companies need to change their methods when individuals target other users. They can start by consistently enforcing their own bullying policies. — Eva Rosen is a reporter for the Et Cetera
Miucin in any capacity. To restore its credibility and distance itself from Miucin, IGN has promised to remove “most”content Miucin posted while under IGN’s employ. Hopefully this helps to clean up IGN’s tarnished reputation. Miucin has already lost his well-paying job, any chance he had left in a journalism career, and the respect of fellow gamers and journalists everywhere. But once he created his first plagiarized review, he cast away something infinitely more valuable: the trust of readers everywhere. As a journalist myself, I’d like to think that my work could help to better the current public impression of modern journalism. If you’ve ever trusted an ethically compromised game review or article, I hope you won’t give up on the gaming community, gaming journalism or any aspect of journalism. Please remember that one bad plumber doesn’t ruin the platformer. — Andrew Walter is the Et Cetera’s Opinion Editor
Wrapup The Et Cetera
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Awkward Avocado By Abednego Leal
Monday, August 27, 2018
New ‘Art for Thought’ faculty gallery opening
COURTESY OF IRIS BECHTOL
“Casa View Shed,” an oil on panel painting by Peter Ligon, is one of the pieces of art that will be featured in the faculty show. Peter Ligon painted it as a scene reflecting the local area.
Faculty integrating 3D printing with lesson plans
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The library added a 3D printer this year, Eastfield faculty got a chance to see and learn about the benefits of using a 3D printer in their classrooms.
The art show “Looking, Thinking, Making” is set to open Aug. 29 featuring the work of faculty in the Department of Visual Arts. The art gallery will include a variety of media while aiming to engage the community and create a critical and collaborative dialogue on the arts. “We want to reinforce to our students that our faculty that teach in the art department are also professional artists who have art careers as well as teaching careers,” gallery manager Iris Bechtol said. The art is for the community, she said. Anyone is welcome to visit. “The artwork is presented here as an additional teaching opportunity,” Bechtol said. “For students to engage with the way that artists communicate about things that are happening in the world. Or to communicate about things that are happening to them on a personal level. It’s about learning about other cultures and other people’s ideas.” Eric Eley, who teaches sculpture and ceramics, has two very different pieces in the exhibit.
The most recent one is based on the research of prisons and their history. “That’s stuff I’ve been reading about a lot lately,” Eley said. “The design, the architecture, the history of the architecture, the philosophy behind why we make those spaces and how we build them.” The other is a drawing based on aerial photographs he got from his grandfather, who was a pilot in World War II. Artwork from Eley and other artists will be on display in F-219 from Aug. 29 to Sept. 28. Participating artists are Eley, Bechtol, David Willburn, Kathy Windrow, Michelle Thomas, Peter Ligon, Courtney Hamilton, Daniel Martinez, Gary Uribe, Jessica McClendon, Jenna Edwards, Val Curry and Tuba Köymen. The reception will be held 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. -5 p.m. weekdays. Contact Iris Bechtol at 972-8607329 or irisbechtol@dcccd.edu for additional information.