Eastfield Et Cetera February 2, 2022

Etera Dallas College Eastfield Campus

An introduction and breakdown

of the pros and cons of NFTs

See pages 6-7

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Volume 53, Issue 6

Lessons learned Oscar Passley reflects on music’s instrumental role in his growth See page 4

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NEWS

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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Enrollment declines as omicron surges

By HARRIET RAMOS Editor in Chief @HarrietRamosETC

More Dallas College students opted for online classes than face-to-face for the spring semester.

According to data provided by Senior Vice Provost of Academic Services Greg Morris, 46,555 students are enrolled in online classes this spring as opposed to 30,194 enrolled in face-to-face courses.

“With omicron, [at the] last minute people decided ‘I would rather just go online,’” Morris said. Morris said the best indicator of trends is to compare term to term, or spring to spring and fall to fall. The caveat with that practice is for spring 2021 there were limited face-to-face options due to COVID-19.

“COVID has just upended every type of legitimate predictive ability that we have in looking what the trends are,” Morris said.

In addition to the trend toward online classes, overall Dallas College enrollment is at 65,873, down 5.84% from spring 2021, according to data from Dallas College’s Data Depot.

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Marco Flores leads a tour of the Eastfield campus, Jan. 13.

This drop in enrollment mirrors a national trend. According to the 2020 Census, college enrollment is at its lowest since 2007. The majority of the decline took place in community colleges, which had the lowest levels in 20 years.

Texas community colleges saw an 11% drop in enrollment between fall 2019 and fall 2021.

Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management Marisa Pierce said COVID-19 has a lot to do with the drop in enrollment.

“It’s really about … what’s happening environmentally,” Pierce said.

“School closures, parents having to pivot again, work-related issues, financial issues. But it’s really contingent, I think, at this point in time

with the omicron variant and having that consistent uncertainty.”

In an interview last semester, Pierce said she and other officials at Dallas College are working to boost enrollment by using various types of targeted campaigns, such as ZIP code recruitment, reaching out to women, current students and first-time college students.

Morris said administrators had to cancel about 19% of face-to-face classes during the spring registration period as compared to about 6% of online classes. Classes are typically canceled when they don’t meet a certain enrollment number.

Morris said hybrid classes are up this spring. Last spring there were 2,443 students enrolled in hybrid classes, meaning a mix of face-toface and online, and this spring there are 7,698 students enrolled in hybrid classes.

In spite of the majority moving toward online classes, some students say face-to-face is still the best option for them.

Nursing major Chiamaka Okafor said she does not retain information if she is not in the classroom.

“Last semester I took anatomy and physiology and the teacher didn’t teach because it was online,” Okafor said. “I don’t really remember anything for that class….It will be harder for me when I get to nursing school.”

Elizabeth Zavala, who is in her first semester at Dallas College and working toward her Associate of Arts degree, said she prefers face-to-face learning because of distractions at home.

“I learn better in that way,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like if I’m in an environment that forces me to be focused, I can actually do the work better.”

Morris acknowledged some students learn differently than others, but he said the trend toward online also shows that some students who would never have considered online classes prior to COVID-19 decided they actually preferred that method of learning.

“I think we are seeing some more students saying ‘Yeah, I can do this.

I can do online and it really does fit better with my lifestyle,” Morris said.

Riley Cook contributed to this report.

Faculty concerned about losing rolling contracts

By HARRIET RAMOS Editor in Chief @HarrietRamosETC

Some Dallas College faculty say removing the rolling three-year contract eliminates their academic freedom and the security to teach truth.

Andrew Tolle, English faculty and president of Eastfield’s Faculty Association, called the move a “huge defeat for faculty.”

“The faculty have a real reason to be concerned about this,” Tolle said. “We need to be able to go in the classroom and teach the truth, no matter if it’s politically popular or not.”

On Jan. 11 the Dallas College Board of Trustees voted to do away with rolling threeyear contracts for faculty and replace them with merit-based contracts for up to three years.

Rolling contracts which are currently in effect will be honored until they expire.

For most of its existence, Dallas College has used a rolling three-year contract — the practice of giving faculty a one-year contract for the first three years of their employment and then awarding a three-year contract that is renewed annually.

This essentially gave faculty a perpetual three-year contract that could not be terminated without a due process hearing, retirement or

death.

Now faculty could potentially receive multiyear contracts for up to three years, but the new policy prohibits them from being given a new contract before the current contract expires. All faculty contract extensions are contingent upon an evaluation process, which is still being finalized.

Trustee Diana Flores said in a Dec. 2 board meeting that faculty need accountability for their performance and the rolling contract practice gave faculty a sense of entitlement.

“In our experience … whatever happens with faculty, it’s sacrosanct,” Flores said. “You can’t touch it.”

In board discussions at the Dec. 2 meeting, Flores proposed limiting the multi-year part of the new policy to two years. She cited the concern that the wording “up to three years” is too similar to the rolling contract practice.

“If we really have a faculty member that needs to be exited based on evaluations, based on performance, based on whatever it is that is set out, we don’t want to prolong it,” Flores said.

Not all the board members agreed with Flores.

Trustee Dorothy Zimmermann said limiting the new contracts to two years will make it harder to attract new faculty.

“If you’re moving from out of state or you’re

taking a job that you’re going to have to move your family, you’re not going to take a job for two years,” Zimmermann said.

Tolle said faculty provide a vital service and removing the protection offered by the rolling contract threatens their ability to teach.

“We have people with PhDs and master’s degrees and 20 years of industry experience,” Tolle said. “We should never have them worried about what’s going to happen at the end of that year just because they’re teaching what they’re supposed to be.”

Anatomy and physiology faculty Carl Knight, who has taught at Eastfield since the college opened its doors in 1970, said the rolling contracts were a way to give faculty job security. Knight was president of Eastfield’s faculty group in the early 1970s and helped negotiate rolling contracts on behalf of the faculty with then chancellor Bill Priest.

“It’s a very sad day for us because they took away all of our academic freedom,” Knight said.

“We’re not free to speak anymore, because if I say anything wrong, they can fire me.”

History faculty Matt Hinckley said whatever evaluation system is used should take into consideration the goal of attracting and retaining faculty for their entire career.

“Having an evaluation system that is affording faculty frequent contact with their depart-

ment chairs to give them opportunities for constant growth and improvement is … critical,” Hinckley said.

Hinckley added that not renewing faculty contracts should only be a last resort for those who have been frequently told about things they need to improve and haven’t done it.

“That’s what we need to strive for is that nobody is ever taken by surprise with non-renewal,” Hinckley said.

Chancellor-elect Justin Lonon said the administration is not just concerned about dismissing low-performing faculty but retaining good ones.

“The focus with the new evaluation for all employees I think does start a new day and a new opportunity to address the things that we need to address,” Lonon said at the Dec. 2 meeting. “Certainly to have flexibility where we can to retain good people — we want to be able to do that because we have a lot of good people.”

Knight said he is concerned the change to faculty contracts will ultimately have a negative impact on students.

He said if faculty are preoccupied with staying in line they will neglect what should be their primary goal — helping students succeed.

“We love our students,” Knight said. “We care about them, and the compassion we have … drives us. It’s not about making money.”

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eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Student Care Network offers new resources

By CARLOS GUZMAN Managing Editor @TheEtCetera

As people strain to make ends meet amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the rampant omicron variant, coordinators for Dallas College’s Student Care Network are reminding students about expanded resources.

The Student Care Network is a triage of resources composed of a campus’ basic needs and community connections, counseling services and health services.

Recently, the food pantries for all campuses have expanded to include clothing closets.

Wendy Garner, case manager for Eastfield’s food pantry in C-105, said that the goal is to help students receive presentable clothes for job interviews.

“As case managers, we come together and look at what could possibly hinder a student’s education,” Garner said. “If it’s an issue with basic needs, health or emotions, we help students with their particular needs.”

The food pantry also introduces students to the non-food services provided by the Student Care Network. Alongside providing clothing, Dallas College now allows students to borrow laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots at their campus library.

“When people walk by [the food pantry], it’s like a grocery store – it automatically catches their eye,” Garner said. “You don’t see the counselors or nurses with their door open and people go, ‘It’s so pretty in there. Let me go in there.’”

Garner’s job as a case manager involves reviewing individual cases of food insecurity and helping meet students’ needs. Case managers can even review rental assistance applications, which students can fill out through the Student Care Network’s website.

“It’s [a good visualization] for a student to come in and say they need these services,” Garner said. “As we build that relationship, we learn that they need more.”

In 2020, at the height of the lockdown, the Student Care Network received additional funding from the Dallas College Foundation and CARES Act to cover the increased number of students dealing with basic needs insecurity.

Since the network’s founding, Eastfield’s Health Center in C-139 offers free health consultations and screenings through appointments, but students can also walk in to receive health services. However, campus nurse Nancy Abdo said that students primarily learn about these services through the food pantry.

“We just need to make sure students know about us,” Abdo said. “A lot of times, students don’t actually know they have a health center.”

Eastfield counselor Jaime Torres said a similar trend occurs when students come for counseling appointments in C-140.

Information to schedule appointments for these resources can be found on the network’s website at: dallascollege.edu/studentcare

Student Care Network Services Health Services •General Health Information •Confidential Health Counseling •Over-the-counter (nonprescription) medicines •First aid and acute care for illness and injuries •Vaccinations •Health screenings and tests •Counseling Services •Mental health/behavioral health counseling and psychotherapy •Psycho-educational workshops and events

Basic Needs and Community Connections

•Food, including SNAP and TANF benefits •Shelter, including rental assistance •Child care •Transportation •Clothing and school supplies •Legal aid •Scholarships

For more services visit: dallascollege.edu/studentcare

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Wendy Garner places items inside the new clothing closet for students in C-104A

“Anything that will help get this information to the students would really benefit [the Student Care Network],” Torres said. “I hear students saying they weren’t aware. And then they’re appreciative when they do find out about counseling services, nursing services and the food pantry.”

Abdo and Torres frequently host educational presentations in classrooms to help bring awareness to the Student Care Network and its services.

Thanks to additional government aid and funding, the Student Care Network now offers

a wider selection of services.

“There’s a single parent mom who makes just enough money to not get the SNAP benefits she needs,” Garner said, “But she was able to get the food she needed with [the food pantry]. That helped her lessen the stress of how she’s going to feed her kids. These resources helped her stay in school.”

The Student Care Network also has stories for how Dallas College benefits from students obtaining the resources they need. “[Students] don’t have to try and get [the meningitis vaccine] somewhere else,” Abdo

said. “They can get it here and help with the enrollment process.”

Alongside vaccinations for COVID-19 and meningitis, students can receive free HIV and STD testing.

The counseling center has received praise for its versatile counseling services.

“I’ve had students come back and tell me how appreciative they are for counseling services,” Torres said. “Because of the skills learned in counseling, they were able to cope with anxiety or depression.”

Even if there’s an issue that the network can’t address directly, coordinators can refer students to off-campus resources.

The Student Care Network is partnered with a variety of community providers, specializing in a wide array of services – from legal aid to health information. This outreach allows the network to host its services with massive outreach.

“We’re trying to offer services on campus as much as we can,” Garner said. “[Students] need assistance to get in a place where they can focus on their studies. That’s what the Student Care Network is.”

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The Et Cetera

Passley shares career wisdom with students

By JORDAN LACKEY Contributor @TheEtCetera

Oscar Passley was in his comfort zone as his trumpet sang, glistening in the light of the performance hall during a recent performance. He couldn’t have looked any more relaxed as he finished his solo. Shortly after, melodic notes echoed through the room as beginning trumpeter Hazel Behning finished her first solo of the performance.

Passley wore a musician’s mask, equipped with a snap away piece of cloth, but it couldn’t conceal his smile and the look of pride in his eyes when Behning looked to him for a sign of approval.

Since 2007, the Eastfield music instructor has been guiding students and teaching them lessons he’s learned in over two decades as a classical and jazz artist.

“I teach them what to say, what to do, what to wear,” he said.

“How much to charge. That’s a big one. Like, who’s your audience? What to program. What to play. It’s a whole thing.”

Passley played his first gig the night of his 17th birthday. Ironically, it was for someone else’s party.

“We started playing ‘Happy Birthday,’” he said. “We pulled it off and everyone was clapping and I was hooked. Man, they handed me 50 bucks cash. I was like, ‘Oh boy! That’s it? That’s all I had to do? Happy birthday to me!’”

His performance with Behning on Dec. 1 was a stark contrast to his early years as a performer.

Passley said he learned many lessons the hard way, and he hopes sharing his experiences with students will prevent them from making the same mistakes he did as a young musician.

When Passley was around 19 years old he was asked to perform at a wedding in his hometown of Baltimore. It was one of the worst performances of his life.

“So I get there and I’m late,” he said. “Not even a little late.

Like 30, 40 minutes late.

Not to mention I’m like the only black dude within a 10-mile radius. So, I’m like that black, young musician that’s new, that’s super late. Super embarrassing.”

Lesson one: never be late to a wedding.

The wedding was a big opportunity for him because he was booked to play alongside members of the Baltimore Orchestra.

However, before the days of GPS, MapQuest led him astray.

Things didn’t get any better once he arrived.

“I’m playing with these Baltimore Symphony people,” Passley said. “They’re like, ‘Who are you?’ I’m like, ‘I’m the late guy.’ …

So they hand me the music and I’m like, ‘I should have got here earlier.’”

He could play that music with his eyes closed now. But, at the time, he didn’t have the same level of experience.

“We start playing and I’m all over the place,” he said. “I’m jacking up the music. Worst gig ever. Like it was so bad they couldn’t even look at me.”

Sometime later, Passley received a phone call from the contractor who booked him. The contractor cussed him out and refused to pay him.

Passley now understands his role as a musician with a lot more clarity.

“Musicians, when we get hired to go in, we’re helping to create a moment in time,” he said. “You know, I feel sorry for that bride.

I hope they’re still married. Because that moment I created, I mean, God, it was bad. … I was very talented … I just wasn’t disciplined enough.”

Since then, Passley has been able to create moments for audiences all around the globe, including South Africa, Bolivia, Russia and Finland.

“Music has taken me all over the world,” he said.

Music faculty member Oscar Passley plays the trumpet during a Jan. 26 private lesson.

Passley takes great pride in his history as a performer, but he takes even greater pride in seeing his students succeed.

“When you’re in music, it’s like being a coach,” he said. “It doesn’t take much to figure out if a kid has something that another kid doesn’t have.”

Behning had only been playing trumpet for a few short months when she performed alongside Passley in December.

Most of her background was with the piano. But, under Passley’s instruction, she’s come a long way in a short amount of time. “[Passley] tried to get me to improvise on the first day,” Behning said. “Basically, the lesson was just throw yourself in the deep end, and you know, you’ve got to swim. No pressure.”

As an instructor, Passley has developed his own brand of tough love when it comes to teaching.

Gabe Rodriguez, music major, said it’s all for the betterment of students.

“He can be hard,” Rodriguez said. “Every little bit is because he wants us to improve. … He can be a little hardnosed without being horrible.”

Passley believes that if someone is going to do something, no matter what it is, they should do it to the best of their ability. He learned this from his Jamaican immigrant parents.

“They always emphasized education and hard work,” he said.

“They didn’t really care what we did. We just had to do the heck out of it.”

His parents wanted a better life for their children. Passley and his brothers were always encouraged to aim high and pursue

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their ambitions.

“I’m basically living the dream of my family,” he said. “At the end of the day, you know, just got to work hard. I mean, yeah, it’s not easy, but it could be worse. There are places on this earth where you can work as hard as you want and it doesn’t even matter.”

Passley’s passion for teaching and music are only overshadowed by one thing, his family. As a young man, he liked the idea of being hugely successful as a performer. However, he now sees the obvious tradeoff that comes with that level of success.

“When you kick it into gear and you strictly perform, you trade something when you do that,” Passley said. “It’s very hard to have a functional personal life when you’re on the road all the time.”

This is a tradeoff Passley isn’t willing to make.

“Some people are like ‘Man, family, whatever. Burn it down.

Give me the gig,’” he said. “But no, it’s pretty cool to teach your kid how to ride a bike.”

Passley said his family has gotten used to him being away from home when he’s gigging on holidays, but when he’s home, he’s home, and his family gets 100% of his attention.

“When I get home, I’m just Daddy,” he said. “Nobody cares that I played in different countries. Nobody cares that I went to school and I’m super qualified. … They’re just like ‘Dad, can you make us pancakes? With chocolate chips in it? Oh, and by the way, make one of them with chocolate chips and strawberries.’

And if I do that, I’m a rockstar.”

Life &Arts Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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Singles can celebrate Valentine’s Day, too Words and Design by April Calvo Each February, those who are single in our society face an important question.

What to do on Valentine’s Day? If you happen to be single on this glorious day, don’t panic. Here are 10 ideas for celebrating this occasion in a meaningful way.

Family appreciation Today is a great day to show your appreciation for parents, grandparents and friends.

You could babysit your younger siblings so your parents could have a date night. Or you could send a gift or flowers to someone special. Baking a cake or having a nice dinner with your family could also work. It’s the day to appreciate the people around you, after all. Don’t wait to go out and show your appreciation to your loved ones.

Treat yourself You’ve worked hard during the pandemic and now it’s time to splurge on an expensive item. Buy something that gives you solace and keeps you motivated to keep doing the things you do. Plus, with all the Valentine’s Day sales, there’s a possibility you’ll find a few things on your wishlist for a discount. Take the chance and spend a little more on yourself. Your single, independent self deserves it.

Power off & chill

This is the only day where it is widely accepted for singles to relax in their homes and take a break without being called lazy. Power off all your social media to avoid the Valentine’s Day drama, lay back and just chill. You can listen to some music, audiobooks, watch a movie, binge K-dramas, play video games, meditate, take a spa day or just sleep. If you want to hibernate, go for it.

Take a hike If you’re the bitter type who gets annoyed seeing couples act mushy, spending the day outdoors is a great idea. You could explore the Trinity Forest Piedmont Ridge trail or visit the various nature reserves in Dallas County. If you like nature, you’ll love taking pictures and basking in the silence. Just you, nature and no couples to destroy your peace and quiet.

Try a new recipe

If you’ve seen some weird recipes on social media you haven’t gotten the chance to try out, today is the day. Now is your opportu-

nity to experiment with ingredients and make something like fried Oreos, fried chicken with hot Cheetos, whipped coffee, cloud bread, spaghetti tacos, pancake cereal and so much more. After all, you never know what you’ll like until you try.

Level up skills & hobbies

Cleaning makes your surroundings look better and it helps your wellbeing by reducing stress.

You can listen to a podcast, audiobook or music and have a dance party while you’re at it. Once you’re done and able to see the floor, you’ll feel the fulfillment of crossing something off your todo list.

Volunteer There are many places in Dallas and in your local neighborhood that need volunteers. It usually doesn’t matter if it’s just for a day. Your help is very much appreciate and you’ll be doing your conscience and your community a favor. If you have some free time, drop by and sign up to volunteer at the Stewpot, Soup Mobile, Inspired Vision, the Salvation Army or any other place that need’s help.

Maybe you’re not the outdoorsy or cooking type. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to go online and learn something new. Watch a tutorial on how to draw with Markcrilley, improve your wardrobe or home with Frugal Aesthetic, try to make charms with Creative Rachy, learn some DIY crafts with Maqaroon or go on Skillshare Babysit to learn from professionals. It’s a great time to If you have the mental capacity finally start checking things off that bucket list and physical tolerance to handle you’ve made years ago. children for a few hours and need Cleaning some cash, babysitting on Valentine’s Day is also a great idea. You Time goes so fast it’s easy could be doing your friends or to neglect cleaning your family a favor and earn money for room or home. Now would it. It’s a win-win scenario if you can be a good time to do that.

handle the little angels.

Video games, movies and activities where you can keep an eye on them will save your sanity.

Karaoke If you’re not one of those families that has their own karaoke machine your uncles and aunts wail into at family gatherings, there’s better options than singing in your room. Dallas offers various karaoke bars with private rooms like Encore Family Karaoke, Soju 101 Karaoke, Vetted Well and many more that can be rented for a few bucks. Remember to check their website and see if they have private rooms. Those usually start around $30 for small parties.

If you’re looking for an audience, try the Nostalgia Tavern or The Old Crow. Go ahead and sing away your single feelings until your lungs give out.

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LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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The Et Cetera

Exploring the strange and N

FTs have been the talk of the digital town with huge backlash toward influencers who have jumped on the hype train. This new medium for buying and selling digital assets, including art and videos, has its pros and cons. This article exists to address concerns, clear up misconceptions and educate about potential benefits and harms observed in the NFT space.

What is an NFT? NFTs, otherwise known as “non-fungible tokens,” are unique tokens that represent a digital deed of ownership linking back to an asset. When NFTs are “minted” they are stored onto a blockchain and metadata coded into these NFTs allows others to verify ownership of the asset. Smart contracts coded into NFTs dictate how they mint, transfer and track transactions. These NFTs can be bought and sold on various marketplaces for different cryptocurrencies.

The utilities of NFTs Establishing royalties Smaller artists are often victims of profit-motivated art theft. As a digital deed of ownership, NFTs allow artists to profit off their own work and establish royalties. This could expand into music, videos and other digital mediums.

Tracking assets Smart contracts embedded in NFTs allow brand owners to track the sale of an asset. For example, NFTs minted as QR codes on price tags with apparel provides consumers with authentic details of creation and ownership.

Identity verification NFTs contain smart contracts with unique information that can be used to verify documents like degrees, licenses, passports, birth certificates and even death certificates. This ability to verify and condense important information into one place has the potential to innovate resume construction and reference authentication.

Collectibles NFTs can be used to ensure a smooth transaction of digital collectibles. For example, on the trading site NBA Top Shots, clipped highlights from NBA games are tradable.

NFTs allow traders to verify the ownership and originality of the clip, thanks to its digital ledger. Verification of originality facilitates safer transactions for digital collectibles. This practice is also expanding into gaming.

Ticketing American rock band Kings of Leon recently partnered with Yellowheart to mint unique VIP tickets as NFTs. This is one of many examples of how NFTs have expanded to better protect consumers. In this case, concertgoers are protected from buying fraudulent tickets online since the code can be verified as authentic by event organizers.

Common misconceptions about NFTs Right-clicking devalues NFTs Saving or screenshotting an NFT does not represent digital ownership or mean you can claim royalties. For example, taking a photo of the ‘Mona Lisa’ doesn’t make you the owner of the original. Ownership is authenticated via a blockchain ledger which lists the original creator and verifies its unique value.

NFTs are a form of copyright NFTs simply give a unique token on the blockchain with a record of transaction and a hyperlink to the asset attained.

Currently, most NFT marketplaces like OpenSea and Rarible lack a legal framework to punish fraud or infringement. Since NFTs don’t have special protections, pursuing legal action for theft is relatively fruitless. “Never trust, always verify” is a common saying in the decentralized and unmoderated NFT community. This is because assets minted by someone who isn’t the owner can be difficult to verify.

NFTs are a cryptocurrency As mentioned before, NFTs are minted onto blockchains which digitally record transactions. Unlike cryptocurrency, you cannot exchange one NFT for another. Their value is based on their underlying assets that will be traded for different cryptocurrency.

NFTs are worthless A great deal of people think NFTs are a novelty with no inherent value, but this disregards the practical applications of NFTs. Traditional artist Lana Denina used NFTs to sell her paintings and generate collections of variations. This is just one of the many tangible examples of content creators benefiting from their NFTs.

NFTs harm the environment This criticism is partially true. Most NFTs right now exist on the Ethereum blockchain. According to the website Digiconomist, a single NFT transaction using this blockchain is equivalent to the power consumption of one U.S. household over 8.25 days.

Ethereum is not the only blockchain used to facilitate NFT transactions. Alternative blockchains like Hive and Tezos use a more eco-friendly transaction/minting mechanism. According to Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum is now being optimized reduce carbon emissions by 99%.

LIFE&ARTS

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The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

d troubling world of NFTs The dark side of NFTs

Lost royalties Unless the NFT you’ve created is sold on the same platform, like OpenSea or Rarible, there’s a chance the smart contract may not execute properly. This can occur if you’ve minted an NFT on OpenSea and try to sell it on Rarible. According to Law Firm White & Case, U.S. law doesn’t recognize the resale rights of creative works, providing little financial recourse when this happens.

Data protection laws

White & Case states NFTs could potentially violate data protection laws in certain countries if they contain personal or inaccurate information. Since NFTs are permanent, the sale of such to individuals in certain countries could prove to be legally problematic.

NFT projects are insecure

The sale of an NFT created by Mike Winkelmann, known as Beeple, revealed a crucial flaw in NFTs. Sleepminting is a practice of impersonating an author and minting an NFT in their name. A hacker named “Monsieur Personne” took advantage of this and minted an NFT in Beeples’ name.” His goal was to expose the insecurity of NFT projects and show the possibility of impersonating established NFT artists. It’s up to the platforms where NFTs are sold to ensure legitimate transactions.

Art theft is rampant

NFT trading platforms don’t have a thorough vetting process, which leads to stolen digital assets being minted as NFTs. Many creators have had to combat theft on these platforms. For example, DC Comics artist Liam Sharp found his art was being minted as NFTs and his reports to OpenSea, the site hosting the stolen art, were consistently ignored.

NFTs are forever The underlying asset of an NFT is not stored on a blockchain but rather connected to the asset via hyperlink. An NFTs metadata cannot be modified and lives on the blockchain forever. However, if the host link goes down, the NFT becomes worthless.

This is especially problematic when there are individuals minting famous tweets, YouTube videos and music — content which could be removed at any time.

words and design by Matteau Faught

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Wednesday, February 2, 2022

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The Et Cetera

Black pioneers who changed medicine Words by CARLOS GUZMAN Design by MATTHEAU FAUGHT

As the name implies, Black History Month honors the influence African Americans had over world history. The creation of modern medicine is no exception, especially when COVID-19 reminds us how much medicine has evolved. We owe many of today’s medical marvels to African Americans striving to improve healthcare standards for all.

History overlooked these people, but this doesn’t nullify their impact. This list chronicles five African Americans and their respective medical breakthroughs.

Solomon Fuller A Liberian immigrant who took interest in his grandparents’ work as medical missionaries.

Solomon Fuller perfected his medical education in various parts of world. In 1897, he earned his medical degree at the Boston School of Medicine.

Fuller started his career by interning at the Westboro Insane Hospital as a practicing neuropathologist. After two years of studying mental patients, he moved to Germany to study degenerative brain disorders in partnership with Dr. Alios Alzheimer. He is responsible for translating Alzheimer’s work for English researchers and doctors.

In 1905, Fuller returned to work at the Westboro Insane Hospital and identified numerous causes for Alzheimer’s.

On top of being credit as a leading researcher for Alzheimer’s, Fuller pioneered research for depression and schizophrenia.

Patricia Bath During her childhood, Patricia Bath’s parents told her to “never settle for less than [her] best.”

Her parents encouraged intellectual pursuits, and even purchased a chemistry set for their daughter.

Bath had passion for medicine and science. In 1960, at only 18 years old, she was the recipient of the National Science Foundation scholarship for her research on cancer structure and growth.

Her academic achievement culminated when she attended the Howard University College of Medicine.

After graduating in 1968, Bath returned to New York to practice medicine at the Harlem Hospital Center. She practiced optometry and examined a disproportionate number of blind patients.

Although her workplace didn’t staff any ophthalmologists, Bath’s research swayed her superiors into allowing her to operate on blind patients.

In 1969, she performed the hospital’s first eye surgery.

Bath’s research confirmed higher occurrences of blindness and glaucoma among AfricanAmericans. This work led her to form the American Institute for the Prevention in Blindness, a non-profit organization which specializes in humanitarian aid.

Bath is credited with pioneering modern optometry. Her work led her to invent several tools used in today’s cataract and eye surgeries.

Charles Drew Born to a middle-class family in 1904, Charles Drew worked hard throughout his youth to stay on top of his education. He graduated as the second ranked in his class with a Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery.

Drew’s post-graduate career involved with doctors trying to perfect the blood transfusion process. At the time, blood only had a shelf life of one week and was frequently unavailable. The existence of numerous blood types worsened this issue for hospitals.

In 1940, after two years of research, Drew compiled a thesis on “blood banking” methods and proposed using blood plasma as an alternative to whole blood in transfusions. His innovations improved blood storage and transfer on a national scale.

Among numerous efforts to support Great Britain during World War II, the US launched the Blood for Britain campaign and appointed Drew as the project’s director. His oversight helped quell the overwhelming demand of plasma for war victims.After the war, he organized mobile blood banks with the American Red Cross but resigned when officials planned to separate stored blood by ethnicity.

Drew is credited as the “father of blood banking.”

Onesimus A name that means “useful” in ancient Greek.

Onesimus was a Bostonian slave gifted to minister Cotton Mather in 1706. Thanks to Mather’s education, Onesimus was among the low percentage of literate slaves in the American colonies.

In 1716, a conversation with Mather prompted Onesimus to recount his experience undergoing smallpox inoculation in Africa. In a letter to the Royal Society of London, Mather reported, “People take juice of Smallpox; and cut the skin, and put in a drop.” Although Onesimus survived contracting Smallpox, his testimony was met with near-unanimous skepticism for its African origin.

Regardless, a local doctor tested Onesimus’ method of inoculation when Boston experienced a Smallpox outbreak in 1721. Out of the 280 inoculated patients, only 6 died.

This method eliminated later outbreaks and was adopted as a treatment during the Revolutionary War. Onesimus is widely credited for establishing the framework of modern immunization.

Jane Wright Wright initially pursued a degree in art but later transferred to New York Medical College and graduated at the top of her class with a degree in medicine.

In 1949, she joined the Harlem Cancer Research Center and became its director in 1952.

At the time, chemotherapy was often considered as the final option for cancer treatment since it was an unknown science. But Wright took a keen interest in chemotherapy as a potential cancer treatment.

In 1955, Wright was appointed as the director of cancer research at Bellevue Medical Center. Her division prototyped various anti-tumor drugs that effectively combated numerous types of leukemia and various other cancers.

In a profession with non-diverse demographics, Wright is credited as a leading contributor to cancer research and treatment.

Sports The Et Cetera

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Basketball vs. Richland Basketball vs. Brookhaven Basketball vs. North Lake Basketball vs. Cedar Valley Basketball vs. Mountain View

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Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Simes gets second chance at Eastfield

By ALEJANDRO CONTRERAS Staff Writer @TheEtCetera

The first year of college is a difficult transition for many students.

For Spencer Simes, it meant a new home five hours away from his family, a new team and a new leadership role.

Before attending Eastfield, Simes played one season at Arkansas State University Mid-South, but things didn’t work out there.

“I was just kind of almost going to stop playing basketball,” he said.

“It’s just I didn’t have anything to lean on.”

Eastfield assistant coach Delano Wilson, who played for the Harvesters in the 2007-2008 season, coached Simes’ AAU team in Arkansas and persuaded him to transfer to Eastfield.

Wilson has been impressed by the commitment Simes has demonstrated over the years.

“He’s always going to do whatever it takes to get it done,” Wilson said.

“He’s the type of kid that would run through a brick wall if that’s what it takes. He’s just laying it all out there and has no regrets.”

Simes viewed this season as a second chance to prove himself. And so far, he has been dominant.

With just a few games left in the regular season, Simes leads the Division III national rankings in points scored and field goals (244). He also ranks third in offensive rebounds (79) and total rebounds (197), fifth in blocked shots (37), sixth in points per game (26.6) and eighth in assists (108).

“Spencer has been doing a really great job for us,” Eastfield coach Anthony Fletcher said. “He fills the stat sheets with everything he does on the floor.

He can also score at a very high level and has just been doing awesome.”

Since joining Eastfield, Simes has collected nine double-doubles, helping lead the Harvesters to a 19-5 record and a No. 8 national ranking.

Simes is one of the captains on the team and focuses on picking up teammates when they are down and helps them learn from their

RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA

Spencer Simes scored 28 points for the Harvesters in a 94-91 loss to North Lake on Jan. 22.

mistakes.

“Man, I’ve literally established a relationship with all these guys,” Simes said. “They’re genuine, funny guys, and winning helps. It helps a lot.”

Fletcher said Simes’ strengths include being able to score from all levels, the 3-point line, mid-range and at the basket but he also rebounds and plays strong defense.

Simes’ biggest game of the season came on Nov. 4 when he scored 51 points, had 13 rebounds and two assists to finish off the night. He was 20-for-26 on his field goal attempts, 4-for-4 from three-point range and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.

“I’ve just got great teammates, man. They just kept feeding me and giving me the ball, and they saw that I was hot,” Simes said. “It just ended with a great night, and what

was crazy is that I didn’t even know I had 50.”

The performance was the thirdhighest scoring total by an Eastfield player in school history. And it could have been higher.

Simes had 51 points that night.

During his two free throw attempts he made both, but one point was taken away due to a lane violation.

Sitting on the sideline that night due to a foot injury was Simes’ best friend, Jacore Williams, who has been teammates with Simes since their sophomore season in high school.

“It was a quiet 51 points,” Williams said. “Nobody else saw him but I was noticing, I was keeping up with him because you know, that’s my guy. He was doing everything.

He shoots threes, he was making floaters, and he missed no free

throws, which is tough. He went out and was locked in and made sure we got the W.” Williams said he wanted Simes to hit 60 that night.

“Damian Lillard has this thing called Dame time, where he just takes over the game,” Williams

said. “Spencer came down, shot a transition three with no pass coming down and made it cash. He comes down again, they go under the screen and cash. After that, he just went on a roll. It was his time, and See TRANSFER, page 12

OPINION Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Etera Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association

Dallas College Eastfield Campus 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Harriet Ramos Managing Editor Carlos Guzman Presentation Editor Mattheau Faught Photo Editor Rory Moore Reporters Alejandro Contreras Contributors Bismita Ghimire Keturah Jones

Daniel Sera Luna Jordan Lackey

Graphic Designer April Calvo Publication Adviser Elizabeth Langton Student Media Adviser EJ Vernon 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 Oscar Passley is a music instructor, performer, and family man who balances his many talents and shares his insights with students.

Photo Illustration by Mattheau Faught

10 @TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Americans are getting meaner During my time as a hostess in Dallas Love Field Airport over the holidays, I was subjected to harassment in various degrees from the customers.

People tend to be on edge during the holidays. Add to that the uncertainty of the ongoing pandemic, broken supply chain and severely short-staffed restaurants, and you have a population with a vendetta against service workers.

I was yelled at, called names and spit on. My server colleagues dealt with worse.

They were subjected to racist and sexist remarks and one even got in a violent altercation with a customer who was upset the service was too slow.

Unfortunately, these aren’t isolated incidents.

Reddit is full of stories about service workers having meltdowns because they were verbally abused for things outside of their control.

YouTube has countless videos of customers shouting at and throwing things at service employees and even getting into fistfights with them.

People have turned into Karens, the meme sensation of 2020.

The name Karen had been used as a stereotype earlier than that, but in 2020 its use to describe someone who is rude or mean to minimum wage

Bismita Ghimire @TheEtCetera

service employees skyrocketed.

Reddit and Twitter were ready to bring vengeance to anyone who dared to cross the line.

Social media was out for #Karen.

Fast forward to now when Omicron is making its rounds like that annoying racist uncle.

You know, the one who will always ignore your pronouns and keeps dropping in for dinner with no prior notice.

At this point even the sense of déjà vu feels like double déjà vu.

We are all exhausted, depleted, and ready to snap at anyone who dares cross us.

And the poor service workers are bearing the brunt of our pent-up wrath.

Timothy Egan from The New York Times wrote about how a flight attendant got their teeth

knocked by an uncooperative passenger. And that’s a drop in the bucket in the internet’s catalogue of nightmarish passengers.

It seems as if everyone in America has turned into Karens.

We are all touting the metaphorical haircuts and carrying our sense of entitlement and ready to unleash our frustrations at anyone who dares to mildly inconvenience us.

We are boiling from all that bitterness and anger because of the current state of world, unpredictable information all over the media and the sense of impending doom that seems like it’s here to stay.

We are ready to bring out the worse in us and give it to these poor unsuspecting service workers who are doing the best they can while also dealing with short staffs, the crisis of minimum wage and the rising inflation.

The toxic mentality of “the customer always right” has made the lives of our service workers absolute hell.

Let’s give them all a break. After all, according to our millionaires, we are all in this together.

-Bismita Ghimire is a contributor and a liberal arts major.

It’s your body, so hold men accountable The Supreme Court refused to block Texas Senate Bill 8, unofficially named the Texas Heartbeat Keturah Act, yet protesters are still chanting, “It’s my body.”

Jones While looking at the news, I @TheEtCetera saw women standing on the front line, holding the bag alone.

First, ladies, I respect that you are taking a stand to make your voices heard, but isn’t there anthat privilege. other approach to exercising control Holding men accountable should over your body on the front-end of be a priority in the minds of every conception so that no lives are lost? woman when it comes to her body.

The “my body, my choice” moveThe consequences are too high, ment has a valid voice. and in the end, most of the time Yet there must be a better way to the woman is left standing alone to demonstrate the control you have decide about the future. over your body. How about holding Women, you must start setting the men accountable before consent- standards on the front-end of a ing to intimacy? pregnancy to make sure you are not Think about new boundaries. left stranded.

Your body is the most precious Put him to the test by saying possession on earth. Anyone hav“no” to a one-night stand. If he ing access should know there are says “Baby, I love you,” resist. If he responsibilities that come along with leaves, then you know the love was

not real.

You owe it to yourself to protect your body from the consequences of terminating a pregnancy.

Post Abortion Stress Syndrome, grief, anger, regret, shame, guilt, mental turmoil, depression and anxiety are just a few things that can wreak havoc on your mind and body.

An often-overlooked issue about abortion is that these problems can linger for years.

You might find yourself struggling to control promiscuity, eating disorders, drugs, alcohol, low-selfesteem and suicidal urges. Not to mention, you could lose your ability to reproduce once you are ready to conceive.

Every woman will react differently after an abortion and some will need more support than others along the path to healing.

Yes, it is your body, and your body deserves to be treated lovingly

with respect and kindness. If a man is unwilling to recognize he is putting you in jeopardy by asking for your body without a commitment, that man is not demonstrating real love.

If you do not hold him accountable, then you are signing your life away.

Where are the men? It takes two people to conceive. It may be hard to believe, but men are injured when a decision to terminate a child he desires is made.

I read an article about a man’s perspective in the New York Times Magazine. The man’s name was Hal. “What about my choice?” he said. “It was like something was being taken away from me.”

Beyoncé’s song says “put a ring on it.” She is right. This will stop all confusion and lock both parties to a union that is nurturing and healthy.

—Keturah Jones is a contributor and a communications major

OPINION

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The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

OUR VIEW

Student Care Network meets a vital need

Times are tough. Not only has COVID-19 upended life as we knew it, but inflation and supply shortages are making it harder than ever to pay rent and put food on the table.

The economic chaos is forcing some students to choose between a job to support their family or staying in college.

As students, we want to thank Dallas College for going above and beyond academics and providing basic resources through the Student Care Network. The support this network provides is free and available to all Dallas College students.

Student Care Coordinators can be contacted through the Student Care Network webpage at dallascollege. edu/studentcare. These employees are the face of the Student Care Network. They connect students to resources that will meet their needs and allow them to continue focusing on their academic goals.

If a resource is not available on campus, Student Care Coordinators refer students to community services. The 2020 Hope4College survey found 39% of students at two-year institutions and 29% at four-year institutions experienced pandemicrelated food insecurity.

To meet this need, food pantries on each Dallas College campus are stocked with items for nutritious meals so students won’t have to choose between paying for their classes and paying for food. Recently, food pantries expanded to include

MATTHEAU FAUGHT/THE ET CETERA

clothing closets. Now students have a place to go if they need professional attire for an interview or an outfit for their child.

Another great resource Dallas College students can take advantage of is technology.

Wi-Fi hot spots and laptops can be checked out from any campus

library for the duration of the semester. Students who don’t have technology or reliable internet at home now have access to these necessary tools.

Not only has the pandemic deprived students of basic resources, but it has increased stress and mental health issues.

According to the Hope4College

survey, 35% of students surveyed experienced some level of anxiety.

Free counseling services are also available through the Student Care Network. Students can talk to a counselor and get help and direction with any issues they’re facing. Health Centers on each campus provide non-prescription medicine, health

counseling, pregnancy tests and certain vaccinations, among other services.

In a world where there are countless obstacles to finishing college, we see the help that the Student Care Network provides as a safeguard to keep us in college and studying for a brighter future.

It’s time to reclaim our social lives from COVID-19

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost two years since our lives were forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overnight, the pandemic forced us to make changes to our day-to-day life. Many of us stayed home from work or worked remotely, and students had to finish the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year online. We sat and waited for some sort of good news to sprout amidst the chaos of the pandemic.

Fast forward several months and we’re back in office buildings, restaurants and school campuses. We have vaccines available and life seems to be going back to “normal.”

Yet it feels like something is missing in the new normal.

Yes, we’re back to 9 to 5 work schedules, face-to-face learning and casual activities like walking the dog or shopping for groceries. But there are still a lot of elements missing in the

Daniel Serna Luna @TheEtCetera

social aspect of life.

If you’ve looked around campus, the streets or even social media, you can tell that there is a lot less activity going on. Not many venues or clubs are holding major events to promote social life. Many yearly traditions and celebrations are scaled back or not celebrated at all.

There isn’t enough social activity happening because there aren’t enough people participating in these activities. This past semester, only a handful of clubs were active here on Eastfield

Campus.

The most any organization did was a small Halloween event held in The Hive. Only six people participated in the costume contest.

Before the pandemic, there were at least 20 participants in the costume contest.

Think about this: It only took us five months since the initial shutdown in March 2020 to get back into some office buildings and school campuses. It took another seven months for vaccinations to become available to the majority of adults in the United States.

By the time we reached the first anniversary of COVID-19 shutdowns, we as humans had adapted our lifestyles to the pandemic.

We have become so used to the pandemic in such a short amount of time that even the newest variant, Omicron, usually gives us mild reactions — both literally and metaphorically.

There is no reason for there to be any lack

of social activity.

The pandemic has caused a lot of us to be very cautious with what we do and how we interact with other people, but it shouldn’t shut down our social life. It’s good to stay in touch with other people, especially during these troubling times, because they might be experiencing the same struggles as we are.

The pandemic has isolated everyone, but we can build those bridges again and connect with other people. We can party and play in several other ways. COVID shouldn’t stop us from having fun again.

History has shown us time and time again that we can bounce back and become better people. Time has not stopped. We should keep moving forward, re-open our doors and become an active community once more.

—Daniel Sera Luna is a contributor and an digital media technology major

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WRAP-UP

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Transfer leads Harvesters to No. 8 national ranking Continued from page 9 he just took off. I’ll compare that to Damian Lillard.”

Simes’ mother Jackie Hale was one of the first people to hear about the 51 points her son scored that night.

“I thought he made it up,” she said. “I thought he really exaggerated that night, but he sent pictures and everything to prove he did.”

Simes grew up in north Little Rock, Arkansas, with his mother. His interest in basketball began at age 3. He tried out football, but it was too physical.

Sports ran in the family. Hale ran in competitive track and field when she was involved in her AAU summer track and field team. In high school, Simes played on a traveling team called the Arkansas Magic that played a very fast-paced style of physical basketball.

Simes said Eastfield plays the same way.

“I had adapted to that playing style already,” said Simes. “It’s been in me, and I think that’s why I fit so well here.”

His goals are to play Division I basketball and hopefully join a team in the NBA. “He’s here on a mission,” Fletcher said. “He’s not just here to play basketball. He’s here to graduate and get his degree and then get to the four-year level and play on TV one day.”

Simes played alongside Moses Moody, a first-round

draft pick of the Golden State Warriors, as a student at Horace Mann Middle School in Arkansas. They won two championships together.

The last time the Harvesters won a national championship was 1997.

However, this isn’t stopping Simes. He wants to win a national championship and bring another banner to the gym wall.

“Through losses you learn,” Simes said. “But a lot of my goals I have to understand that even not accomplishing certain things you still learn. So, I take everything one step at a time.”

Eastfield is now 4-1 in conference play, beating Richland (80-69), Brookhaven (90-67), Cedar Valley (100-66) and Mountain View (90-84). The Harvesters’ only loss was a 94-91 loss to North Lake, which is now ranked No. 1 in the latest Division III national poll.

Simes is on a mission to lead Eastfield back to the national tournament. But he also wants to prove something to everyone who doubted him, especially the ones who put him to the side last season.

“It’s just like in a relationship when you break up with a girl or they break up with you,” he said. “It might have been for the best, though, you know. And that’s kind of how it was. It was like a breakup. It just hurt because I love basketball.”

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