Hornet vol 101 issue7

Symphonic Winds perform a successful spring concert

Hornet season ends in dramatic fashion

Entertainment Page 9

Sports Page 12

Vol. 101, Issue 7

THE HORNET Serving Fullerton College since 1922

Wednesday, May 17, 2016

NEWS BRIEFS FC Forensics Speech and Debate team finish strong

The Fullerton College Forensics Speech and Debate Team took home numerous awards during the 22nd Blumer Speech and Debate Tournament at Cal State Fullerton on May 7. Some included first place awards in Persuasion and Informative categories both won by Andrea O’Laughlin and Olivia LeValley.

Snyder Recommended for Fulbright Specialist Roster FC Faculty Dr. Pete Snyder has been recommended for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster.

Snyder hopes to be assigned with a physical education and aquatics program at a college in Latin America

Commencement Ceremony This year’s graduation ceremony will take place Saturday, May 28 at 10:30 a.m. on Sherbeck Field.

Gates open to friends and family at 9:30 a.m. There is no limit on seats.

INDEX

News........................2,3,4,5 Local............................6,7 Opinion...........................8 A&E.........................10, 11 Sports............................12

The Hornet @FCHornet @FCHornet FCHornet

Christian Mesaros/The Hornet

Fullerton College Police Academy’s future is in question after state suspension.

By Tae Jang and Robert Watson The Hornet

T

he Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) suspended the Fullerton College Police Academy’s certification on Oct. 5, 2015. POST certified training is a requirement to be sworn in as a peace officer in California. The FCPA has a handful of compliance issues, according to North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD) and POST documents.

Amidst the recent suspension of the program, several issues surrounding the FCPA have come to the surface, including accounting discrepancies, a FCPA instructor charged with misdemeanor battery and most recently, a pending class action claim brought by former academy students.

Ralph Brown, the POST Public Information Officer, explained it is uncommon for an academy to have their certification suspended and there are typically many years between occurrences.

“We’re trying to make the students whole. We’re doing this through this gap course training that we’re developing,” Brown said.

Fullerton College is committed to work with the academy

students as well.

“Whatever the cost is, whenever, whatever, we don’t want there to be any financial burden to the alumni of class number 44,” said Director of Campus Communications Lisa McPheron.

The gap training, which POST deemed necessary for class 44 graduates, will cover areas not initially taught or adequately covered by FCPA. “The gap training are areas that we identified during our audit as being either difficult to completely identify and trace or may conflict with the records the college had conflicted with what is a state regulation or penal code requirement,” Brown said.

The college’s view on gap training differs from that of POST. “This notion that a gap training course is needed we disagree with.

They have not formally reviewed the police academy,” McPheron said.

According to Fullerton College officials, the FCPA asked POST in March where the gap in the training was, but they were not able to point out anything that was not covered.

“We maintain we did everything right, the campus, the department, the police academy did everything right,” Vice President of Instruction José Ramón Núňez said at a March faculty senate meeting.

Despite Núňez’s claims, Brown identified three gap areas the FCPA had in their academy.

“The three areas are scenario

testing, arrest and control training and testing and presenting legislative mandates,” Brown said.

According to McPheron, POST is required to review the police academy every three years, but they are nine years behind on giving the college a formal review.

POST was scheduled to do a Basic Course Certification Review in 2012, but did not because of budget restrictions, according to Brown.

“Every year, they’re [POST] required to certify the courses that our students take and every year they’ve certified our courses and gave us no indication that there were problems of the magnitude that they alerted us to after the fall term started,” McPheron said.

The college is working to resolve the issues with the academy and graduates.

“Our first priority is to work with POST to resolve this matter for our alumni. Once that step is complete, the college will then be in a position to review the next steps and options as it relates to the FCPA,” Fullerton College President Greg Schulz said in a statement.

However, not everyone believes the police academy is as important to Fullerton College.

“I’m not sure going forward the police academy is as important to the school as it has been in the past,” former Faculty Senate President Marcus Wilson said. “And now that we’re stepping back and looking at how the police academy operates and the connection

between the police academy and the college as a whole personally I think that is going to be reevaluated.”

The issues surrounding the police academy has brought up the question of whether the academy should be brought back.

“We need to determine whether a police academy is necessary to fulfill the educational mission of the college, and I don’t see it as a crucial part of that mission,” Wilson said.

According to Wilson, other faculty members don’t see it as necessary for the long term educational plan for the college.

“We should have seen a lot of this coming and we didn’t,” Wilson said.

In March 2009, POST performed the BCCR and issues within the academy began to come to light. The 2009 BCCR was written but never finalized.

POST found that many of the instructors did not have resumes included in their files, and many of the ones who did only included one page of the resume. Very few of the instructor files provided training certificates to prove instructors have been trained, according to POST. The 2009 BCCR found no evidence that instructor resumes were reviewed and approved by an academy designee to ensure instructors were qualified.

See POST page 4

2

NEWS

EVENTS CALENDAR Your listing of events on and off campus

May 18

Jerry’s Kids Fullerton College Brass Ensembles directed by Jerry Garvin. In the Fullerton College Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Join the FC Brass Bands as they put people in the summer vacation mood. Tickets: Adults $10 Children $5 Students and Seniors 60+ $7.

May 19 - October 27

Fullerton Market in Downtown Fullerton every Thursday at 4p.m.

May 19

Musicians at Work Directed by John Tebay. In the Fullerton College Campus Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy The Fullerton College Concert Choir with solos and small groups performing musical theater selections, love songs, and spirituals. Adults $10 Children $5 Students and Seniors 60+ $7.

May 20

Comedy Improv in the Fullerton College Bronwyn Dodson Theatre at 7:00 p.m. Come enjoy and be part of the comedy made up in front of the audience as it is performed. All Tickets are $5 at the door.

May 21

Talk Like Yoda Day. Celebrate the wisest and most powerful of all the Jedi Councilors by talking like him for a day.

May 21

Big Band and J Train Directed

by Jamie Shew and Bruce Babad.

Enjoy an exciting evening of instrumental and vocal jazz in the Fullerton College Campus Theatre. Tickets: Adults $10 Children $5 Students and Seniors 60+ $7.

May 23

Last day to Register to Vote in the California for the 2016 Primary

May 28

Last Day of Term and Commencement. Come and celebrate the Fullerton College graduating class of 2016. Ceremony Starts at 10:30 a.m. on Sherbeck Field.

May 29

Memorial day holiday celebrate the men and women of the United States Military. Most restaurants offer big discounts or even free meals for veterans and active service members.

May 31

World No Tobacco Day created to spread the awareness of the health issues of tobacco use. If you smoke or chew tobacco kick the habit for this day. One day could turn into more.

June 1

Say Something Nice Day. Take the time to say something nice to somebody. Be it family, friends or random strangers take the time to spread some joy.

June 7

California Presidential Primary.

Vote for a candidate for the November general elections.

June 13

Summer Classes Begin

June 14

Flag day. Celebrate the American flag and everything it represents.

June 19

Father’s Day. Celebrate and spend time with dad.

June 20

Summer Solstice is the official start of summer. The day with the most amount of sunlight. Marks the when days start to get shorter and nights get longer.

June 26

Shark Week begins on Discovery Channel. Dive into an entire week of television all about sharks

July 4

American Independence Day Come celebrate America’s independence with a fireworks display at the Fullerton High School Stadium (corner of Berkeley and Lemon). Free Admission.

August 4

Dog Days during the Fullerton Market located in Downtown Fullerton. Bring your dog out for a night of fun at the Fullerton Market. Enjoy entertaining dog contests including loudest bark and fastest eater.

August 5

Rio 2016 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. The entire list of events and times for all sumer events can be found on the NBC website

August 18

End of Summer Term.

August 22

Fall Classes Begin.

Have an event coming up?

Get it listed in the calendar!

Send information to: hornet@fullcoll.edu

CAMPUS INCIDENT REPORT Tuesday, May 3 Vandalism 500 building was vandalized with graffiti.

Thursday, May 5 Medical Aid A medical aid was sent out to the 1200 building Petty Theft A petty theft occurred in the 200 building.

Friday, May 6 Vehicle Damage A vehicle was hit and damaged by a baseball in staff Lot 3.

Fullerton College honors scholars at Men and Women of Distinction banquet Thirty men and women were recognized for their excellence and contributions to Fullerton College .

By Yvonne Villasenor The Hornet

Ah, the sweet smell of the end of the semester. While some eagerly await summer vacation to begin, others reminisce on their memories at FC. The Men and Women of Distinction banquet gathered 30 students, their families and their professors. In order to win an award, these students had to be nominated by faculty, staff and/ or peers.

“Our job is to take students from where they are and take them where they want to go,” Dr. Savannah Jones, Interim Vice President for Student Services, said concluding the ceremony.

Students who won the award include Lik Jay Lam, Kimberly Madrigal, Christian Ramirez, Gabriel Maldonado, Nicole “Hallow” Richardson, Jayson Baker, Diana Sovilla, Jessica Wu-Woods, Joshua Lee, Emily Maldonado, Kevin Christensen, Christopher Lim, Sophia Alexander, Justine Banal, Josue Mendez, Charlene Egizi, Lauren Raiza, Samantha Topacio, Kien Trung Bui, Kalie Mozingo, Stephen Tith, Christopher Ziadeh, Rita Wainess, Frances Hong Phung, Natalie Gomez, Adam Brown, Katelyn Hall, Christo-

pher Hagen Sr., Haein Yun and Ryan Pena.

These students have done so much for Fullerton College through consistently excelling and embedding a piece of who they are into the campus.

Their passion to make FC better than when they found it leaves others inspired to do the same.

The professors who nominated them spoke on why the student was nominated as well as the impact he or she had on their teaching experience.

“She’s a reason why I teach,” Gerald Padilla said referring to Kimberly Madrigal.

“Everyone says college is all about overcoming obstacles... the only to overcome is yourself,” Joshua Lee said during his speech.

Parents and faculty smiled, some even wept, seeing the individual they’ve mentored get recognition for their accomplishments.

“It’s a beautiful setting...high energy...extraordinary students...I’m really proud of our students,” President Schulz said.

The 2016 Woman and Man of the Year were rewarded to Kimberly Madrigal and Christopher Lim. Once the ceremony ended, some students were nothing but smiles and others had tears streaming down their face.

Nevertheless, they were appreciative and proud of the impact they’ve made.

Students like Joshua Lee were

incredibly humbled by being rewarded for their time at Fullerton College.

Lee is active within FC’s Rescue Robotics Team and will be transferring to UCLA this fall.

He noted that his speech was composed very last minute since he was working on robots earlier in the day.

He referenced Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself ” during his speech and gave students a piece of advice on how they too can prevail past their selfdoubts.

“If you don’t think you will do it, you won’t do it...You gotta stand up and overcome, look at

the goal,” Lee said.

Natalie Gonzalez’s parents, Rocio and Jaime, mentioned it was a really touching ceremony and that their daughter has made them both proud.

Other students, like Hallow Richardson, were shocked to receive acknowledgment for their time at FC. That doesn’t mean that their hard work goes unnoticed. Richardson is majoring in math and has been accepted to all UC’s they’ve applied to.

“It’s kind of amazing. I work my behind off...” Richardson said. “I need to figure out myself, stabilize...I really need to take a break.”

All 30 students will be graduating from FC, transferring to a

four-year university or completing a certificate program once summer ends.

If that wasn’t already impressive, they will also be receiving permanent honorary membership in Mu Omicron Delta or Alpha Gamma Eta, distinguished honorary societies of Fullerton College and last but not least, scholarships supplied

by Associated Students, Schools First Federal Credit Union, NOCCCD District Management Association and Dr. Janet and Henry Emoto.

To all the winners, good luck on your future endeavors, and remember - once a Hornet, always a Hornet.

Christian Fletcher/The Hornet

All seriousness aside—The 30 men and women honored by Fullerton College as distinguished transfer students show their silly side after all is said and done Friday, May 13.

NEWS

3

Scholarships given to Disability Support Services students Fullerton College shared its students achievements at the Disability Support Services Recognition Ceremony May 5.

By Olivia Hawkins Online Editor

Family and faculty gathered at Fullerton College to acknowledge the scholarships, graduations and achievements of students helped

by DSS. Wasting no time, faculty began to hand out scholarships. New to Fullerton College, Alexis Atkins received the Kasey Crouse Memorial Scholarship and was recognized for her work with foster children.

Second recipient of the day was sociology major, Humberto

De Santiago, receiving the Jason Horn Memorial Scholarship.

When Santiago’s passion for baseball came to an end after being told he could no longer play sports, he fixated himself on college.

Taking a different path than first expected, in his speech Santiago stated, “I am happy with my decision.”

Cheryl Bordelon accepted this year’s Shawna Morrill Memorial Scholarship. Bordelon shared a touching speech where she opened up about the struggles she had overcome in living with her disability.

“Because I have no visually obvious characteristics of being disabled, I have experienced being discredited and mistreated as a person,” Bordelon said.

Bordelon’s overall message was that of hope and determination.

Sitting in class many mornings hungry, that did not differ her from continuing her schooling.

Other winners were Krista VanDyke for the Frances Wahl Scholarship and Katherine Myers for the Scholarship for Student Affected by ABI. Following these awards, guest speaker Alan Brantley gave an inspiring speech about his journey and the obstacles he faced as a person living with a disability.

“My previous experience with school had been discontinuous and disjointed. I attended 10 schools in four states by the time I dropped out at 15, “ Brantley said.

Brantley is a double major in math and physics with a goal of one day attending Berkeley.

Throughout the event students who have or are about to graduate from Fullerton College were

Neddie Facio/The Hornet

Atkins’ Award— Alexis Atkins stands proudly as she receives the Kasey Crouse Memorial Scholarship.

recognized.

Lastly, student Kimberly O’Campo introduced the Staff of Distinction recipient, Dr. Gretchen Stanton.

O’Campo is a student of Stanton’s who is a first year Chemistry Professor at Fullerton.

Working with a student with disabilities can present some challenges however, Stanton’s only concern was providing resources for O’Campo to access.

The event ended with photos, cake and gifts to celebrate the day.

FC recognized for strong support of military students

The ongoing dedication and determination to its students earn FC’s distinction of Military Friendly® school.

By Robert Belleville The Hornet

The men and women of the United States military have done so much for this country they have put their lives on the line in the name of liberty. It is only fitting that after the service to their country is finished that their country should help with their future.

The Veterans Resource Center at Fullerton College is working hard to make veterans and family of veterans feel welcome at Fullerton College. The VRC has been worked tirelessly to earn Fullerton College the designation of Military Friendly® school.

Fullerton College has always been a place that has accepted and provided guidance to people from all walks of life including the military, but there are special requirements required to earn the designation of Military Friendly® school.

There is an annual survey conducted on over 10,000

VA-approved schools nationwide. According to militaryfriendly.com, the requirements include support on campus, graduation and retention rates, military student body composition, career outcomes, and even military spouse polices.

Fullerton College has been recognized as one of the top schools in the nation to engage prospective military students in a recruiting environment, educate military students once they are part of the institution, and employ military students with meaningful employment.

“The process was extensive it took over a year to com-

plete it,” Aghabi Rangel, VRC Coordinator said. “With more funding the level of dedication increases.”

The staff at the VRC is more committed to helping veterans than ever before. The center provides services specifically designed to help veterans with workshops and counseling. It is also staffed with people who are extremely knowledgeable about GI Bill benefits.

Rangel wants to help veterans even before they get on campus.

She wants to be able to help military men and women on nearby military bases figure out what is next.

“The military friendly designation will help us reach even more veterans who are looking for assistance and guidance in their reintegration process,” Rangel said. “It puts Fullerton College among the top institutions that support veterans.”

There are over 1,200 student veterans, dependents of veterans active-duty service members and reservists that attend FC. It is not only the VRC, but the entire community FC is that makes veterans feel so welcome.

The helpful staff and faculty, and the accepting student body that make veterans and everybody feel so welcome.

Saving Huey Foundation speaks out against underground dog fighting Huey’s touching story embarks the stepping stone against animal abuse.

By Tae Jang The Hornet

W

hen talking about dogs, some may remember the phrase “Dogs are a man’s best friend.”

Dogs are naturally compassionate animals - they stand by their owners with a stern loyalty and unbreakable bond.

These characteristics go a long way in showing the world the bond between man and dog.

But some people take advantage of the traits that make dogs so lovable. They force them to participate in dog fighting, a cruel underground blood sport for the subculture notoriety and profit it brings.

Although dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states, it continues to occur in every part of the country and in every type of community, according to the Saving Huey Foundation.

“After hearing about dog fighting, it makes you wonder about what is happening all over the world. It makes you realize the cruelty of what the dogs have to face on a daily basis,” FC student Daniel Tracy said.

The Saving Huey Foundation’s goal is to bring awareness and expose the brutality of animal abuse. Their mission is to educate the public on the atrocities that animals endure at the hands of human beings.

“When it comes to dog fighting, it’s a huge issue and someone needs to stand up to raise awareness,” said Tracy Lystra, Saving Huey Foundation founder.

Through the years, Lystra’s mission has led her to travel all over California, rescuing abandoned and abused animals.

On December 25, 2015, someone found a dog named Huey in Riverside County and gave him food and shelter for the night.

The next day, Lystra’s family transported Huey from Moreno Valley to a vet in Corona, CA. Huey’s medical prognosis was grim, as he had severe injuries to his face and body. It appeared as if Huey had been used as a bait dog. He was extremely malnourished and weak.

If Huey were a bait dog, that means his sole purpose in life was to entice other dogs to fight.

In the process of transporting Huey from Moreno Valley to Corona, Lystra fell in love with him. She could see the sadness in his hollow eyes. They decided at the vet that Huey would come home with Lystra’s family while he healed from his physical and emotional wounds.

For the first 12 hours, Huey vomited and experienced diarrhea, and they thought he would surely pass away during the night. The next 48 hours were critical, but he had a burning will to survive.

Huey has made an amazing recovery, but his biggest obstacles right now are anxiety and nightmares. But Lystra’s family is showing love and dedication to help Huey recover from his

gruesome past.

Because of Huey’s survival, the foundation has dedicated its name to the courageous dog.

“The cruelty that animals are facing shows the people that put them there are heartless. Obviously, this type of event needs to come to an end,” FC student Marissa Vacchev said.

When it comes to dog fighting, there are two types of dogs.

There are dogs that are categorized as fighting dogs. These dogs are taken from birth, which eliminates the nurturing love from its mother, and the owners train them to chew on dead or live animals to develop the taste for blood.

Then there are those catego-

rized as bait dogs. These dogs are portrayed as rag dolls when the fighting dogs train on them.

Both types of dog go through mental and physical strains during dog fighting. From the perspective of a dog killing another dog, this is natural because it is what they learned from their owner.

After the fights happen, the fighting dogs are praised by their owners for a brief moment and are rewarded with food. To the dogs, this type of love is the only thing they look forward to.

On the other hand, the dogs that lose are deemed useless and are either left to die or killed by their owners.

Sociology professor Angie

Andrus said, “I wanted to bring Saving Huey Foundation to Fullerton College because I’m very much an animal lover.

Someone has to be the voice for the animals, and I hope we raised awareness here.”

For more information on dog fighting and how it can be prevented, visit www.savinghuey.com.

Huey after months of recovery

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Fullerton College

3/11/16 9:42 AM

4

NEWS

POST: Future of police

academy still in question Continued from Page 1

Many instructors did not meet the minimum training standards in Physical Training, Arrest Methods and Baton/Impact Weapons blocks of instruction, POST said.

The 2009 BCCR also revealed the students had the ability to evaluate the course as a whole, but not the instructors individually. When instructors are not evaluated or critiqued, the quality of instruction cannot be assured, the BCCR stated.

Another issue brought to light in the 2009 BCCR was that staff members had conflicting reports as to where student owned firearms were stored during non-firearm related activities such as physical training. One staff member said the firearms and duty belts were locked in a classroom, another said they were set on the grass under the supervision of a staff member and yet another said they were worn during physical training.

The Work Sample Test Battery is a type of agility test administered to students.

POST found the test did not meet the regulations. The 500-yard run was administered on concrete instead of a standard track. Additionally, the solid wall, chainlink fence and sawhorse did not meet the required dimensions.

An academy student can only miss up to five percent of course certified hours.

However, the 2009 BCCR found the attendance log only noted if a student was late or absent for the day. The BCCR noted that this would have created a problem determining if a student missed more than 5 percent of certified hours.

POST wasn’t the only entity to find discrepancies. An audit of the academy performed by the NOCCCD and released in 2010 uncovered some other issues.

According to the 2009-2010 review, the FCPA successfully completed its POST recertification on March 26, 2009.

The program was reviewed by five participants. The participants were Scott Mckenzie (Former Dean Of Technology), EJ Pellegrino (Department Coordinator), Edgar Oglesby (Professor), Robert Smitson (Academy Coordinator) and Jerry Stokes (Academy Instructor).

But the documentation from a NOCCCD internal audit shows there were eight existing issues after passing recertification.

This audit displays data from the years 2003 to 2012.

One issue shown from the audit was its financial situation.

From January 12, 2008 through November 1, 2008, the data shows how much money was recorded by the academy.

The total wages paid out in 2008 to full

time and adjunct faculty members was $798,449. The total FTES reported was only $568,799. It is unclear where the additional $229,650 paid out to the faculty members came from.

The Hornet requested an accounting of the department budget and expenses for 2012-15, but the NOCCCD has yet to respond with that information.

Another issue in the audit was the faculty time sheets. The time sheets were created as a vehicle to ensure proper control of reporting time.

“It is also a vehicle that can be easily misused and lead to fraud if proper controls are not in place,” according to the NOCCCD audit.

The audit states in September 2008, that Smitson, the academy coordinator prepared and approved all time sheets prior to forwarding them to the division Dean for final approval.

Also in January 2009, it appeared Smitson signed the name of a faculty member on the latter’s timesheet, not the individual

“I’m not sure going forward the police academy is as important to the school as it has been in the past.”

—Marcus Wilson Business Professor, Former Faculty Senate President

assigned to perform the work, according to the district audit.

After this altercation with the time sheets, the Fullerton College Management Response team implemented steps to the process to assure proper accounting practices in the future.

The following sequence was developed jointly by former Dean Scott McKenzie and former Director of Budget & Finance Adam O’Connor.

In addition to the financial issue there was an issue with the fees paid by cadets.

Each cadet was charged $500 at the start of the academy to defray the cost of materials and other publications required for use. But the total cost of material needed for the cadets is $349.38.

Any unused fees are collected and are

Rising fees— An info graph illustrating the non-refunded material fees banked in the Bursar’s account from 2003-2009. The amount of unused material fees almost reached 60K by February 2009.

Illustrations by Robert Watson

Revealing issues—POST revealed issues with the police academy as early as 2009. The issues only grew to several more issues which led to the certification suspension in October 2015.

retained in the bursar account. The Bursar’s Office provides student account and billing information; receives payments for tuition, fees and miscellaneous campus charges; provides collection of delinquent accounts; delivers refunds and financial aid residuals after disbursement. At the end of the program, any unused fees paid by cadets should be returned at the end of the program.

In the district audit a year by year accounting shows the amounts that continued to build up in the account:

2003: $14,871.49 2004: $31,832.02 2005: $45,347.15 2006: $58,423.61 2007: $62,618.92 2008: $38,881.75 2009: $54,538.03 The funds accumulated annually indicates the academy overcharged cadets and more importantly, did not refund students at the end of their term as promised.

Although POST requires a BCCR audit every three years, in 2012, it was not performed due to budgetary issues at the time.

POST did, however, get back on track last year. The 2015 BCCR is still being written but has been summarized.

POST dispatched a team of consultants from their Basic Training Bureau to review the academy on Sept. 10, 2015. The BTB advised the academy of the severity of POST’s concerns.

Class 44, which graduated in May 2015, was audited by POST to determine if it had received an appropriate level of training to be equal to POST regulations.

They found multiple compliance violations and that many components of the Regular Basic Course (RBC) deviated from POST mandates.

Inadequate attendance tracking procedure was identified by POST. Students were marked absent or late, but there was no documentation of making up the day or time missed.

POST requires documentation by the course coordinator explaining how a student successfully completed the course if more than five percent of certified hours were missed, according to POST.

FCPA reported full attendance, meaning all 1,091 hours were completed by all 31 graduating students with no student hours missed.

However according to POST, the FCPA’s own daily attendance logs deviated from that assertion and showed multiple absences and tardies possibly equalling more than five percent for some students.

A RBC must test in a minimum of 14 different scenarios and be accomplished using POST approved scripts, evaluation and scoring forms. Any academy forms must be approved prior by POST. POST found the FCPA conducted 11 instead of the 14 scenarios and used no scripts at all. The BCCR found the student performance forms the academy used failed to measure a majority of the performance objectives set by POST. POST determined class 44 had not received all components required by POST and California law to verify the completion of RBC. As a result, the class did not meet the requirements to exercise peace officer powers and was decertified.

After the findings, class 45 was subsequently shut down midway through its term and the FCPA’s POST Certification was suspended.

In the months following the suspension, FCPA instructor Todd Rheingold was charged with misdemeanor battery on two separate occasions. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, the alleged incidents took place on campus between September and October 2015.

Arraignment is scheduled for next week.

In response to the academy’s decertification and abrupt suspension, cadets from classes 44 and 45 recently brought forth a class action claim against the FCPA. With the magnitude and volume of issues unearthed, Fullerton College must now look at the academy as a whole and decide whether it wants to bring the police academy program back.

Wilson brought up how now is a good time to look at and evaluate the Fullerton College police academy program.

“I think now we really have a great opportunity to look at this honestly. We have a new dean in that division, we have a new president and we have a new chancellor,” Wilson said. “All three of those people come to this with a fresh set of eyes. No bias, no hidden agenda, and I think when the three of them look at this situation in the context of what’s happened, I trust they’ll make the right decision.”

NEWS

5

Former academy students file class action suit Disgruntled former students hire law firm to sue school and district for class expenses.

By Robert Watson The Hornet

T

he claim names the school district and Jerry Lee Stokes, former academy director. The class action claim accuses the academy of negligent misrepresentation,training, hiring, supervision and fraud.

The last two academy classes, class 44 and 45, are being represented by eight former students with 73 in total involved in the claim. The academy is accused of not properly certifying the classes with the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training, POST, before they were set to begin.

California law states an academy must receive POST certification 30 days prior to day one of instruction. On the first day of instruction, Stokes is accused of promising POST certification by the end of the class term but the claim accuses him of knowing that was not possible and had known class #44 and #45 had not been certified.

The claim seeks $4.75 million, according to Michael Jeandron of the Roberts Law

Firm. Fullerton College must accept or reject the claim. Currier & Hudson has been the law firm consulting the college about the police academy, but Lisa McPheron, director of campus communication, is unsure who will represent the school if it turns into litigation. The claim must be accepted or rejected by 45 days or it is automatically rejected. If the claim is rejected a class action lawsuit will be filed on behalf of the 73 students.

Jeandron said he doesn’t expect to hear back from the college and doesn’t expect them to accept the claim and wishes the college would take responsibility for the students “POST has failed in their oversight, consistently neglecting to give clear, actionable direction for the College to responded to. Yet, even in the face of this mismanagement, Fullerton College has gone above and beyond to mitigate the damages felt by our students, including agreeing to pay for the unnecessary gap training for Class 44.

But it is difficult to work with an agency that doesn’t function as it’s designed to, and, unfortunately, our students are now paying the price,” Kai Stearns-Moore, district director, public and governmental affairs, said in a statement.

Photo illustrations by Christian Fletcher

Discipline through formation—Fullerton College police cadets stand in formation as they graduate.

California raises legal age to purchase tobacco Gov. Jerry Brown signed a series of bills which will raise the smoking age in California from 18 to 21.

By Javier Tinajero Jr. The Hornet

Raising the smoking age in California is one of many laws passed by the governor.

The bill will take affect on June 9, raising the smoking age to 21.

This makes California the second state to pass a bill raising the legal smoking age—the other being Hawaii.

Under other legislation signed by the governor, electronic cigarettes are considered to be tobacco products and cannot be used in restaurants, theaters, bars and other places where smoking has long been banned. They also cannot be marketed to minors.

Health advocates praised the recent signing.

“By increasing the tobacco age to 21, the nation’s largest state provides in-

credible momentum to similar efforts nationwide,” Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement.

However, The Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association, which represents makers of electronic cigarettes, criticized Brown’s action Wednesday.

“Stigmatizing vapor products, which contain no tobacco, and treating them the same as combustible tobacco while actively seeking to economically penalize smokers attempting to switch is counterproductive to public health,” the group

said in a statement.

Although the legal smoking age will be raised next month, other laws won’t take affect until Jan. 2017.

Other measures signed by the governor include expanding the tobacco-free campus law to include more areas of charter schools and public school facilities and offices, closing loopholes in the ban on smoking in workplaces to include warehouses, gambling clubs, motel lobbies, covered parking lots and other public areas left out of the existing law, and raising the licensing fee for tobacco retailers.

Campus receives $1.5 million for basic skills Faculty continue to stand for better wages

By Diana Garcia The Hornet

Fullerton College was awarded $1.5 million over the course of three years to improve students’ progression rate from basic skills to college-level classes.

The award came from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

California community colleges were eligible to apply for up to $1.5 million and FC is one of 43 colleges in the state to receive the grant.

The Board of Governors approves all the grants in mid-May. Once finalized, funding for FC will begin July 1, 2016 until June 30, 2019.

The state defines basic skills as the foundational skills necessary for students to be successful in college.

FC’s basic skills classes are those that are below transfer level and include developmental classes in English, reading, math, and English as a Second Language.

To apply for the grant, faculty from different departments and divisions, including English, math, reading, ESL, counseling, social sciences, and automotive collaborated to introduce the Fullerton College Pathway Transformation Initiative.

“The idea is to build on the programs that are successful now and to continue to find new ways to help as many students as possible,” said Director of Basic Skills and Support Programs, Kristine Nikkhoo.

According to the FC News Center, The Pathway Transformation Initiative consists of four project areas – a course-placement process, which integrates multiple measures of assessment to increase persistence and completion rates, a direct placement,

By Olivia Hawkins Online Editor

Award bringing new programs - FC plans to use the $1.5 million award to better their basic skills methods.

which will provide support to students who determine for themselves that they can be successful in college-level courses, content-alignment, which supports students enrolled in automotive and social science courses, and a proactive student services process, which integrates FC’s thriving Growth Mindset instructional initiative with counseling.

Currently a Basic Skills Initiative is already in place at FC. The Entering Scholars Program is one basic skills program that embeds tutors in classes and provides extra tutoring support free of charge to students outside of class.

In ESP, tutors are embedded in both basic skills and transfer-level English and Reading classes.

The Supplemental Instruction Program at FC is also a form of embedded tutoring.

SI leaders attend all classes and provide

extra support as well.

“The new grant will help more Fullerton College students reach their goals in less time, whether it’s completing their college-level classes and transferring to a university or earning their degree or certificate,” Nikkhoo said.

The faculty look forward in bringing new methods and to continue assisting students.

“We were very excited to learn from the California Community College Chancellors Office that Fullerton College will be the recipient of a Basic Skills and Student Outcomes Transformation Program grant.”

President Schulz said. “This funding provides the college with a unique opportunity to apply innovative practices focused on increasing the number of students accessing college level Math and English.”

Even with all deliberating put on hold until August, faculty attended another Board of Trustees meeting May 10.

The issue of low wages and poor benefits will not be addressed by North Orange County Community College District board members until next fall. However, that did not stop educators from attending the meeting and speaking out.

At the start of each meeting, audience members are allowed to speak to the board for a total of three minutes. This time the faculty were not alone in their speeches, students were by their side.

Both past and present Fullerton College students spoke about the hard work and dedication they receive from their teachers.

This was paired with the unjust rewards they see them attain in the form of small salaries and poor benefits.

Several students shared with the North Orange County Community College District officials that they have started petitions and acquired countless signatures from supportive staff and students.

Even with all deliberations off the table until August, faculty still plan to attend each board meeting. As the debate for a better salary and benefits continues into the fall, faculty remain strong and hopeful that there will be a decision made.

6

LOCAL

Fullerton Transportation Celebration Full Steam Ahead! Railroad Days returns to Fullerton .

By Derek Hall The Hornet

Derek Hall/The Hornet

Santa Fe steam engine amazes the crowd with its massive size and horn as visitors wait in 45 minute lines jump aboard the steam locomotive

Crowds gathered for the annual celebration of railroad culture on April 30 in Fullerton. This is the first installment of Fullerton Transportation Celebration.

Thousands of happy faces raced around trying to get a glimpse of the N-scale model trains as they dashed around the miniature tracks.

With a total of 14 exhibitors on site, attendees were delighted with modular displays. Each club member works up a module and then connects his/her module the via “N-scale” locking system.

“I have been with this club since 1995,” Mark Carnighan, a Fullerton College Hornet alumni, said.

Carnighan is part of the Orange County N-gineers which does about six shows per year.

His love came to him as a child in Phoenix, AZ. Lacking a proper place to set up his system, Carnighan decided it was best to join a club when he came out to California.

Disney was a welcomed sponsor to the event providing their engine that has recently been restored for the annual event.

The Southern California Railway Plaza Association, SCRPA, organized another successful event. The lines were long but it was easy to navigate through the crowds.

Food and beverages were flowing and merchants and vendors did a good amount of business.

With children in tow, parents stood, for some attractions up to an hour. The 1927 steam engine #3751 held the captive audience especially when it blew its horn.

Look down the tracks for next years Fullerton Railroad Days.

Fullerton Airport kicks off another stellar air show

By Diana Garcia The Hornet

Your tax dollars are not going to waste. At least that's the message the Fullerton Municipal Airport wanted to convey when they hosted their annual Airport Show on Saturday, May 7.

This is the second installment of Fullerton’s Transportation Celebration.

The event displayed physical flight transportation to the public, inside and out, and invited pilots, mechanics and staff to answer questions about their aircraft and programs.

Helicopter and plane rides were offered. There was also a fire department water drop, and a police department K-9 demonstration.

"We come to the airport for fun to watch planes take off either way, but our little girl is really interested in planes so this is a chance for her to be exposed to

as many of them as possible, " attendee Cindy Blandford said.

Parents gathered with their children, letting them crawl inside to explore machines that appeared larger than life to them.

Even adults jumped at the chance to sit on the pilot's chair, or the driver's seat.

Among spectators were the Marine Corps, the Anaheim and Fullerton Police Department, the Orange County Fire Authority and several other organizations who made their transportation available for the attendees viewing pleasure.

Even for showgoers that did not have children, they still had plenty of reasons to come.

They include educating oneself about what happens at the airport, talking to pilots and learn about the organizations. If that didn't do any good there was plenty of beer and food to be enjoyed.

Hangar 24 sold beer on site, and

2 planes of the Tiger Squadron taking off and getting ready to perform at Fullerton Airport Day

Wings Cafe, the restaurant inside the airport was open this year for their very first Airport Day. There was a VIP section so the adults could lounge and sip their drinks, which was guarded by security.

"We are very busy. It's a lot

of exposure for the organizations that are here," airport staff member Vincent Alagado said, "Especially the Wings Cafe. They opened 6 to 7 months ago so a lot of people are going to try their food for the first time today.”

"The airport is not just a loud,

Neddie Facio/The Hornet

crowded place, it's a necessary part of the community. These planes are used for rescue missions. Your tax dollars help," said Capt. Marc Rendinelli, who flies for the volunteer organization Civil Air Patrol.

Annual Muck Motor Car Festival drives its way into Fullerton

By Diana Garcia The Hornet

The third installment of the Fullerton Transportation Celebration featured classic cars and hot rods.

The Muckenthaler Motor Car Festival brought nostalgia, entertainment and showmanship of some of the most luxurious classic cars and hot rods in North Orange County over the weekend.

Spread over eight acres of grassy lawns, cars were parked side by side for attendees to admire.

Saturday was the "Hot Rods" event, which featured sports cars and muscle cars. Sunday was the Concours D' Elegance event that featured classic cars, and luxury vehicles.

"I've been coming to this car show for 15 years. It's great, its a

lot of fun, and it's such a different mix of cars. It's a higher class group of cars and people than the average show you see around town," attendee Chuck Ray said.

Owners of vehicles were mostly older folks who stressed the importance of appreciating the qualities of vintage motors.

"I love the nostalgia, Everything is vintage. You don't see this anymore. Hopefully the new generation will come and appreciate this and keep it going.

You notice you see a lot of elderly here, but if we get more kids coming here and more inspiration this is going to go on forever," attendee Maria Bernell said.

On both days, judges gave out awards for several categories, including Best Paint, Most Elegant, Best of Show, Best Interior, Best Flames, High School Memories,

FC Music Professor Jerry Garvin arrives to the auto show to showcase his 1948 Packard

Best Custom and Best Engine.

At the end of the show on Sunday, the grand prize called the Muckenthaler Award went to Deanna Roth, for her green 1952 Maverick Sportster.

The hot rods and elegant cars were judged separately.

"We have different judges who know all about these older

vehicles, they know what to look for. The gentleman go out and critique them and decide who is going to win," chairman Tom McDonnell said.

Food, drinks and merchandise for spectators were available for purchase. Bootleggers Brewery was there, and the Muck also had a live band for entertainment.

Marlon Rizo/The Hornet

"This is my first year being chairman. Overall, I think the show was fantastic, We generated a lot of income for the center, and that's what its all about," McDonnell said.

All the proceeds from the event went to the Muckenthaler Cultural Center to support various art programs for kids.

LOCAL

Finals are here, but have no fear

Stressed out over finals? Fullerton College is taking action to help students survive.

By Yvonne Villasenor The Hornet

The end is near, meaning students may feel too exhausted or disoriented to slay the monsters that await them. Students consider them monsters - professors call them finals.

FC has many resources on campus to help students prepare for finals, whether they're tests, essays, projects - you name it. FC has students covered.

From tutors to librarians to Associated Students, students can feel more at ease about finals if they take advantage of the resources that are provided on campus.

Alyssia Ramirez, Chicano Studies major, explained what the Skills Center has to offer. She has been working there for two years.

"The programs help move students forward... they help build progress," Ramirez said.

The Skills Center is a place where students can help build their vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and reading skills through numerous programs including Oxford, Jamestown Comprehension, Townsend Press and Inspiration.

There are review kits available for students to study, ensuring they will learn the material.

Students are able to finish their homework and complete their hours at the Skills Center, whether it is required for a class or solely for the student's own benefit.

Have a big paper due for a final? The Writing Center is the place to go.

Nursing major and volunteer at the Writing Center, Norma Ramos, gave some input on it can be a beneficial place to go during finals week.

"Here at the Writing Center, we help with brainstorming, revisions, resumes...anything that has to do with writing," Ramos said.

The Writing Center isn't just a place to go when you need help with an English paper - it's a place to go when you need help with any sort of paper.

Although, it must be noted that the tutors there will not correct or edit a paper for students, but rather, give students feedback on the skills and strategies to fix their own errors to guarantee a top-notch paper.

Because the last two weeks of school are so hectic, students are encouraged to make an appointment in advance to get the proper help from the Writing Center.

For those who struggle with math, the math lab is regularly open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m., Friday from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and is closed on Sunday.

They will be open all throughout finals and will have 19 review

Oscar Barajas/The Hornet

Frustrated student tries to keep herself awake as she prepares for her upcoming finals exams coming up next week .

sessions starting May 20 until the last day of school.

Computer programs, tutors and lectures are also available resources at the math lab.

The library is also a place that provides a wide range of opportunities for students to review for finals.

Librarian Jane Ishibashi recommends a few books that can help prepare students. Some books that can be checked out at the library are "Good Grades in No Time: Ten Minute Tips

that Guarantee College Success", "The Student's Guide to Exam Success", "How to Get A's in College: Hundreds of Student-Tested Tips", "The Anxious Test Taker's Guide to Cracking Any Test" and many more.

These reads will assure student success.

"There are many e-books and online articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals that cover study skills and test-taking...We want students to use the library," Ishibashi said. "Students

can study with classmates, read about test-taking strategies, and conduct research using the library databases for their last research assignments."

A.S. will be holding finals hospitality during the last week of school. During finals hospitality, students can get help studying for finals. Coffee, tea and water will be provided.

Finals week doesn't have to be the worst week of your life - be proactive and utilize the resources around you.

Living With T1D Today E M P O W E R . C O N N E C T. S H A R E. June 25, 2016

•

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

PROGRAM TOPICS

Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center 520 Superior Ave., Newport Beach, CA 92663

Navigating Insurance

Details & Registration: Hoag.org/T1DToday

Body Image

Register by June 17

7

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Depression Traveling with T1D Intimacy Peer Pressure

The Herbert Program for Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes presents an empowering, informative, FREE event to discuss real life issues you face every day.

Herbert Program for Young Adults at the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center Empowering young adults with Type 1 Diabetes with the confidence to handle all of life’s complications For more information, visit hoag.org/diabetes

Discussions for family and friends Vendor Fair

8

The Hornet

Serving Fullerton College

since 1922

Editor-in-Chief Christian Fletcher Managing Editor Jason Burch News Editor Javier Tinajero Opinion Editor Priscilla Aguilera Local Editor Oscar Barajas Entertainment Editor Kim Cisneros Sports Editor Teren Guerra Photo Editor Neddie Facio Multi-Media Editor Marissa Gonzalez Online Editor Olivia Hawkins Calendar Editor Bobby Belleville Staff Reporters Abi Bulus Chelena Gadson Diana Garcia Derek Hall Cory Irwin Tae Jang Kristine Jaranilla Helena Kim Rachelle Laurente Julia Medina Christian Mesaros Mara Nogales Kyle Richey Amber Vaughn Jackie Valdez Yvonne Villasenor Robert Watson Adviser Jay Seidel The Hornet is a proud member of the following associations: Associated Collegiate Press California Newspaper Publishers Association Journalism Association of Community Colleges The Hornet is published as a learning experience, under the guidance of Fullerton College’s journalism program.

The editorial and advertising published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff.

Under appropriate and federal court decisions and California law, college newspapers are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Accordingly, information published in this newspaper, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted to represent the position of the North Orange County Community College District, Fullerton College, or any officer or employee thereof.

THE HORNET 321 E. Chapman Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832 714-992-7134

EDITORIAL

Priscilla Aguilera Hornet Opinion Editor

Almost everything we consume has most likely gone through a system of checks and balances, similar to the Food and Drug Administration regulating our food, making it is safe for consumption. Sometimes regulations fail to keep a company or entity honest and ethical.

What if regulators stopped checking to make sure a certain set of standards were met?

Now you paid two dollars more for ‘organic’ chicken when it’s antibiotic fed, and malnourished with an ‘organic’ sticker.

This metaphor can easily be applied to our front-page story on the Police Academy here at Fullerton College.

As college students we put faith into our education system to somehow take us to the next level in our lives and prepare us for the career of our choice.

When the system fails, students lose their money, time spent and their opportunity to advance. With Peace Officer Standards and Training failing to give their students adequate regulations, they put unhired graduates at a disadvantage.

What else could be said about the Fullerton College police academy graduates that were actually hired? If they hadn’t been audited since 2009, could graduates hired into the police force be adequately trained to serve and protect us?

As Journalists we fight for the truth, thrive for transparency and hold ethics as the highest standard.

From this moment on The Hornet will now be uncovering more in depth articles in a section called “Fullerton Overwatch.” Fullerton Overwatch is here to educate, expose and inform the public and our campus on the most important topics surrounding our community.

The Hornet takes its role as a watchdog agency seriously and continue to serve our readers no matter what it takes.

OPINION

‘No, not California State Fullerton - the community college’

Priscilla Aguilera/The Hornet

Joeseph Phillips reaches for the star he placed on the transfer center hall of fame, he was accepted into CSU Maritime.

By Cory Irwin The Hornet

I used to make fun of those people wearing the once a hornet always a hornet shirts. I thought this was all so lame, like why are you embracing being a loser? I used to feel slight embarrassment when having to correct friends and colleagues ‘no, not the Cal State, the community college’. I think many of us feel slightly embarrassed, as if we’re lesser than those who made the jump to a four year college straight from high school.

I came to community college because I hated high school. In high school I made the conscious decision that I would rather party, play sports and slide by academically than put in effort and get to a “real college”. My best friend ended up here because she shot for the stars and got accepted to none of the top schools. Another friend simply didn’t feel he was ready to go away to college.

We all have these stories maybe we chose war instead of college but now want a second chance at getting an education.

Some of us gave up, had kids, or even have a medical condition that stopped us. These things shouldn’t diminish yourself or your standing just because you’re at Fullerton College while your friend is at Arizona State University.

In a class of mine, I stumbled upon a conversation between a classmate named Christian

Ramirez and a professor, only slightly overhearing the mentions of UC Berkeley. Intrigued, I poked my head into their conversation and listened more intently.

As the student was asking the teacher for advice on the next steps in his path towards a career,

Taking students from a transfer program has become highly encouraged, as these are the students who have already exemplified that they are here to work...

“UCLA has better grad school, but I would enjoy Berkeley’s program more,”Ramirez said.

Shocked I finally spoke up, “You’re telling me you got into Berkeley, and UCLA?” When pushed to answer me how,“I have a 3.8 GPA, and got my AAT, so essentially I take priority over almost anybody,” Ramirez said.

That’s when it hit me community college is not any lesser, and while trying to avoid being cheesy, it’s just a different path.

Something I wish people recognized from the beginning.

Don’t feel like a chump and don’t give up on chasing the stars. It’s actually easier to get into these highly prestigious schools from

a community college than it is from high school. Requirements are dropped down a bit, and with an AAT (associates degree for transfer), which can be easily acquired, you take priority.

Another student I asked shared a similar story, “I spent four years in the Marines before attending school. After two years at Fullerton College and a semester with the study abroad program in London, I received a 3.4 GPA and will be attending UCI in the fall for a degree in Literary Journalism,” student Zachary Kam said.

Colleges want their students to be hard working to make sure that they won’t drop out before graduation. Taking students from a transfer program has become highly encouraged, as these are the students who have already exemplified that they are here to work, not the high school kid looking to go ‘experience parties and live away from home’.

Not to toot my own horn, but I have maintained a 3.0 GPA during my time here at Fullerton College. I am receiving my AAT in History this semester, and will transfer to Long Beach State in the fall to continue an education that few, including myself, thought would have ever finished.

It’s important that students digest this information, as everyone should be putting in their best effort. Don’t settle for a school in lower rankings than you originally wanted, shoot for the stars.

Teachers work harder to earn less money

By Olivia Hawkins Online Editor

Teachers inspire the next generation of politicians, doctors and engineers, but how can they do that with a smile on their face when they are receiving little benefits and a small salary?

The California Community Colleges Chancellor Office publishes funds that are remaining in the system at the end of the year. In the 2014-2015 school year, the district had over $47 million in carry-over funds.

With that much money left over, one would think some of it could go towards better wages for our faculty. Sadly, the money they receive can have a direct link to happiness of our teachers.

Sure it is easy to say that if you are doing what you love then money should not be an issue. However, when you are in control of classes ranging from 30 to 50 students and expected to perform on all cylinders, you want a monetary reward that matches others doing the same.

In a letter she wrote to the members of the NOCCCD, Fullerton College biology teacher Julie Wells said, “While I hate

the idea of leaving Fullerton College, I accepted the position at OCC because it is a better decision for my family and would be a $12,000 a year raise.”

Teachers are feeling unappreciated by the NOCCCD and many students can see that in the attitudes of adjunct faculty who are teach at multiple campuses.

When a teacher is driving between campuses, do they really give students their full attention?

Sometimes it’s the students who end up having to remind teachers what they were doing in class.

Also it’s important to remember that a teacher’s job does not stop once they get home. There are papers to grade and lesson plans to make, all while trying to maintain a life of their own.

If the teachers are unhappy, unhealthy and unfocused, the environment they are creating is not conducive to the learning process.

Teachers are always expected to be there and invest in students. They should receive better wages and benefits for all the work they do and time they put in.

Illustration by: Bill Lajousky

10 ENTERTAINMENT Theatre Department goes absurd with ‘Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth’ Get lost in a universe where “Cube” means “Thank you,” the secret police want to toss you in prison and throw away the key, and “Hamlet” is performed in less than two minutes.

By Kevin Christensen Special to The Hornet

Imagine being a foreigner in a universe where although the words are familiar—brick, cube, daisy, artichoke—their definitions are entirely different. This is the world that Easy, played by Lizzie MacCabe, discovers upon delivery of her shipment of large white opaque cubes and rectangular prisms.

In “Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth,” the audience is drawn into the universe of Tom Stoppard’s “un-identical twin plays” as director Jessica Runde likes to refer to them. Her reasoning can be taken from the introduction of the script, which refers to how the first play—“Dogg’s Hamlet”— is necessary to the second—“Cahoot’s Macbeth”—and the second is necessary to the first, hence the comma between the two in the title of the show.

Runde isn’t a stranger to Theatre of the Absurd, as her side company—Alchemy Theatre Company—will be performing Samuel Beckett’s titular piece of theatrical literature “Waiting for Godot” at Theatre of Note for Hollywood Fringe in June later this year.

Inquiring as to why she decided to choose “Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth” for the spring workshop theatre show this year at Fullerton College, she explained that not only does the show have many roles for students to fill, but it is very much a comedy—something needed in a fairly dark season—as well as it presents many challenges for the student

actors.

“Challenging show” could be considered an understatement if the audience is unaware of the time and commitment that acting requires. For, much like Shakespeare, in many senses is a foreign language to the average person, so is “Dogg’s Hamlet.”

The show consists of many levels, from the “play-within-a-play” level (a commonality to many Shakespearian plays— including “Hamlet” itself) to the language of “Dogg” (spoken at one point or another by all the actors) to playing players who speak “Dogg” as their primary language while trying to perform a reduced rendition of Hamlet in Shakespearian English—to which they consistently butcher the pronunciations of certain words and phrases.

The combination of all of these “levels” is reminiscent of the combination of Reduced Shakespeare Company’s “Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged” meets “The Twilight Zone” meets “Lost in Translation,” and as one could imagine, hilarity ensues.

Despite the challenges Stoppard presented to his actors with such a dense script, the performers commitment to quality theatre truly becomes apparent in the relationships developed between the characters. The language of “Dogg” and its unfamiliarity subsides as the play progresses and the physicality really takes a center stage helping the audience navigate the plot.

Obviously when the characters do their rendition of “Hamlet” anyone familiar with the story will be able to follow along, but the plot of “Hamlet,” really takes a back seat to the relationship of the characters present and as such the audience is able to detach from their cognition, and allow the characters to draw them in on their journey.

Much like the theater masks or yin and yang, “Cahoot’s Macbeth” compliments “Dogg’s Hamlet” with its dark charismatic charm. Following a brief intermission, act two—or “Cahoot’s Macbeth”—begins with a bang—or better described as a crash. The audience is transported to the living room of Hostess, played by Emily Boliver, as a theatre company performs a secret production of “Macbeth” written by Pavel Cahoot, played by Darren Barrett.

The audience is made out to be the attendees of the production as the secret production is first crashed by the impetuous police inspector, played by Elizabeth Hernandez, who is on the warpath to silence any acts against “normalization.”

Later, the production is also interrupted

by Easy, who—once again—is attempting to deliver a shipment of large opaque cubes and rectangular prisms, while being lost in translation. As she has now caught the language of “Dogg” and cannot understand english.

Although “Cahoot’s Macbeth” has many similarities to its sibling “Dogg’s Hamlet,” it very much presents a different picture and addresses its audience in a significantly more serious tone. Runde explained that the piece asks us to recognize and be thankful of our freedoms and liberties as well as not be afraid to speak out against repressive rule. She explains that it can be easy to become comfortable when one feels safe.

“Cahoot’s Macbeth” was inspired by Stoppard’s friendship with Pavel Kohout a novelist and playwright who experienced repression by the Czechoslovakian police in the 1970s because of his involvement in Charter 77.

Kohout, with other dissident theater workers, performed Living Room Theatre productions including a rendition of “Macbeth.” Although this particular production of “Macbeth” is not an exact

replica of Kohout’s production, “Stoppard is like Shakespeare, he is terrible at coming up with new plots,” Runde explains with a chuckle.

But the message of “Cahoot’s Macbeth” is one which the audience members should take to heart. Art by its nature, is dangerous because art challenges its viewer. From satirical theater to insurgent theater, it is necessary that the freedom of speech and language is not traded for faux-safety and faux-comfort. Language may have the potential to cause discomfort, or even anger—but it is a necessity to challenge the status quo. Kohout was a revolutionary who recognized this and took action regardless of the risks involved.

Despite “Cahoot’s” mostly serious tone, it is also not without its humorous moments. The Police Inspectors interaction with Landovsky/Macbeth, played by Corry Chapman as well as Vlastra Chramostova/Lady Macbeth, played by Krystal Navarro, and Easy, lend for some wonderful situational humor that, on occasion, even flirts with being farcical.

Finally, the concoction of technical theater magic, as seen in wonderfully expressionistic light design by Steve Pliska, fantastically geometric set design by Kevin Clownes (reminiscent of Braque and Picasso), and fabulous costume design ranging the gambit of period Shakespearian to modern dress by Mela Hoyt-Heydon, provide just the right ingredients for a visually entertaining night.

And the combination of the two plays metaphorically stirred together with three witches chanting “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble,” huddled around a big black cauldron, provides for a memorable night of theatre that is sure to open the door to fierce post-show discussion amongst those who attend.

Bright takes center stage for final FC performance Playing the role of actor number six in Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth, Timothy Bright details his journey as an actor.

By Olivia Hawkins Online Editor

Timothy Bright is set to take the stage as actor number six in Fullerton College’s production of Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth May 12-15.

Growing up in Hawaii, Bright was immersed in the theater culture all his life.

His grandfather was a theater director and educator. However, growing up, he did not know he wanted to go into theater.

It was not until he graduated high school, moved out to California to live with his brother and attend Fullerton College for a year that he decided to delve into theater arts.

“I originally moved here because Hawaii in the sense a lot of the times is a rock in the middle of a very isolated area. There’s not a lot of opportunities,” Bright said.

After a year of attending Fullerton College Bright decided to take a theater arts class and from that moment, he was hooked.

Bright is a huge fan of The Bronwyn Dodson Theater, where the play will take place. This is what motivated him to be a part of the production.

“Doing a show in this department is one of the highlights of being in this department by far.” Bright said.

Bright shared the excitement he feels working with the theater department. He expressed that it gives students the opportunity to work with amazing faculty, sets, make up and costume designers.

With an entire semester to prepare for Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth, Bright and the cast had many table reads, long rehearsals and opportunities to collaborate

with one another. From blocking out scenes to the stylistic choices, Bright mentioned that it was very “collaborative.”

As for his personal preparation for his role as actor number six, he said that for every play there is a different process behind it.

Bright explained the lack of development in the characters that author Tom Stoppard created in his production which led to a much more creative rehearsal process.

This gave Bright and his fellow actors more freedom to play with the roles given.

Both cast and director Jessica Runde took this freedom and were able to play with the idea of language; how language will enhance the characters.

Dogg’s Hamlet, Cahoot’s Macbeth will be Bright’s fourth and last main stage show with the Fullerton College Theater Department as he will head to Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutger’s in New York in the fall.

The process of getting into a conservatory college looks a lot different than just your typical college application. Bright, along with other hopeful theater department transfer students began their application and the next step was to go out to these schools and audition for their program.

“I liked that school a lot specifically because they are very global and worldly and also interested in who I was,” Bright said.

The school also studies in London at Shakespeare’s Globe, which Bright also hopes to take advantage of that program one day.

As the school year is coming to a close and students will have to part ways with their friends, Bright said he will truly miss his “tribe,” his theater friends.

“Yes, I’m going to miss doing shows here so much, obviously, but saying bye to the families that you build from doing the shows is going to be the most difficult.”

Photo by Neddie Facio

Face to Face: Logan Pawlus and Timothy Bright acting alongside each other in Dogg’s Hamlet Cahoot’s Macbeth at the Fullerton College Campus Theatre during their final dress rehearsal.

ENTERTAINMENT 11 A night filled with electronic music

By Kristine Jaranilla The Hornet

Who ever thought that the Fullerton College Campus Theatre could turn up on a Monday? Well, that was the case as students filled the seats to see their fellow peers perform eclectic covers from the biggest names in electronic and psychedelic rock and also perform their own original songs.

Markus Burger hosted the event by keeping the audience entertained and introduced all of the performers.

The band Emael started off the night with beautiful harmonies and flowing violins and cellos. Emmanuel Ventura-Cruess led the band as Alyssa Cantal sang back up vocals for the group. Even though there was an emphasis on electronic music that night, that didn’t stop the group from whipping out violins and cellos through-

out their set.

Next to perform was soloist Angel Garcia playing house beats from his computer and wealth of machines. At the beginning of his set, there were technical difficulties and Garcia thought that he blew the speakers out as soon as the bass dropped during one of the first songs that he played.

His music sounded like it was meant to be heard in the bustling night clubs of Las Vegas on a Friday night instead of a school concert on a Monday evening.

After the performances by Emael and Garcia, it was a mix between the various members of the ensemble performing different songs.

The Fullerton College Electronic Music Ensemble stepped onstage to perform covers hits like “Tether” by the synth pop group CHVRCHES, “Omen (feat. Sam

Smith)” by well-known electronic brother duo Disclosure and “Mind Mischief ” by the psychedelic rock group Tame Impala.

Carlos Parada crooned the songs from CHVRCHES and Tame Impala that would make the bands proud.

One of the ensemble members, Richard Hurst, entertained the crowd by performing in various costumes. A princess, a cat and a Jedi were some of the costumes Hurst rocked onstage that night to animate the crowd.

Jason Anderson performed a cover of the song “Oxygen” with the help of some fellow ensemble members, but asked them to start over again once they started to get off beat with his lyrics. But his overall performance was stellar, keying in the emotion and depth the song portrayed.

Joe Jewell, one of the professors at Fullerton College, was accompanied by Burg-

er to transport the audience into a world of psychedelia by using his skills on the guitar to create those mind-blowing vibes.

Images of swirling kaleidoscopic watercolors created the vibe that would make the audience much more relaxed and calm.

The ensemble also played the songs “The Killing Man” by Echo and the Bunnymen but also faced technical difficulties during the beginning of their performance.

Parada commented on the setback by joking the audience that they will get back a dollar of what they paid on their ticket.

They ended the night by performing the legendary song “Under Pressure” by the late David Bowie and Queen.

At the end of the night, Burger congratulated the entire ensemble on a job well done and gave thanks to the people that controlled the lighting and sound of the theatre.

Symphonic Winds make it a melodious night

By Marylin Eko The Hornet

The Fullerton College Symphonic Winds took the stage in elegant black dresses and tuxedos for the performance of their Spring Concert last week.

Each instrument player took to the stage carefully watching as the conductor Anthony Mazzaferro led them throughout each piece.

“The overall role of the conductor is to have two rules, we educate the players on the music and then we try and inspire them to play to the best of their abilities,” Mazzaferro said.

The performers all looked incredibly focused and passionate about putting forth a spectacular performance for the audience.

This concert offered a melodious mood and there was no denying that the audi-

ence was captivated. The beautiful range of sounds all seemed to simultaneously flow as one, offering a story from beginning to end with each piece.

The music would build in intensity filled with fast paced sounds, suspension, leading to a euphoric adrenaline rush.

Then it would move towards striking an emotional cord by producing soft and calming sounds. A distinction of moods were evoked with each piece performed.

Several pieces were performed, which all offered various origin influences as well as sounds.

“Melodious Thunk,” which offered a jazz flare, was performed, offering a different sound from prior events that they’ve ever played. Mazzaferro said it offers jazz sounds for a concert band.

“I really like to play all the low notes,

Student artist devotes exhibition piece to his long-time pal Never underestimate the saying “dog is man’s best friend.”

Tyler Fitzpatrick creates a piece of art dedicated to his dog, Thunderpaw.

By Yvonne Villasenor Assistant News Editor

Although nothing lives on forever, art has the power of keeping memories and simultaneous feelings stay alive.

That was the case for Fullerton College artist, Tyler Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick, art major, created a digital art piece called “An Old Friend” that is currently showcased in the student artist gallery. He decided to dedicate his piece to his German Shepherd/Australian Shepherd mix, Thunderpaw.

Fitzpatrick has had Thunderpaw since he was six years old (and even got to name him), making Thunderpaw almost 16 years old.

Fitzpatrick mentioned he realized his beloved dog was getting older and would eventually not be with him anymore, so in honor of his dog, he created a digital portrait of him.

There weren’t any other pieces that came to mind that seemed nearly as important to Fitzpatrick while thinking of what he would put up for display for the art gallery, making this particular work quite personal and close to the heart.

Fitzpatrick has been interested in creating art since he was a child and from there, it was an off and on hobby. Near the end of high school, he began to take art more seriously, and it has been a constant in his life since.

When he’s not making art, Fitzpatrick is playing video games. He noted that there are a lot of career options that come with digital art. He plans to take his love for video games and digital art and to some-

day design for movies or television.

Although he does not have any favorite artists to take inspiration from, he does not need to seeing how he takes it from his surroundings – anything and everything is a chance to take inspiration from.

“I really like thinking of something in my head and being able to bring it to life,” Fitzpatrick said.

He particularly enjoys digital and traditional art. Had he been asked if he would be able to create “An Old Friend” five years ago, his answer would be no.

He went on to say how art is a learned skill and not many people realize that. Instead, most believe the majority of artists have always had that talent.

“Talent gives you a springboard, but it’s not going to carry you,” Fitzpatrick said.

When others compare their artistic ability to Fitzpatrick’s, they claim art has never been a strong side of theirs and mention how the most they can draw are stick figures.

Fitzpatrick’s response to those scenarios was, “everyone starts out drawing stick figures.”

As an artist, Fitzpatrick noted that there are a lot of stepping stones to get where someone is at in their artistic ability. Audiences never see the bad pieces – they see the polished pieces the artist wants displayed. Hence, why viewers assume artists have always been incredibly skillful.

Fitzpatrick recalled some of his experiences with art such as his difficulties trying to fill out a sketchbook for the first time as well as his teachers showing the class his tarot card sketches.

Art has been in Fitzpatrick’s life as long as his long-time furry friend, Thunderpaw, has – making this the perfect chance to integrate his love for one through another.

“An Old Friend” and a number of works by other students will be on display at the Student Art Exhibition until May 18.

and I got to play the funky groove low note part,” bass clarinet player Mariah Alio, a Health Science major, said about “Melodious Thunk.”

Alongside the great leadership of Mazzaferro, this particular performance also offered two additional guest conductors, Fernando Penaloza and student Emmanuel Arredondo. Clarinet player David Lopez also performed a special feature.

Arredondo, a music major, led the band for the song “Russian Sailors Dance,” one of his favorites from the show.

“Every section as it got faster and faster is supposed to mimic a Russian sailor dancing,” Arredondo said, as he describes the song.

One of the closing pieces was the “Funeral March from ‘The Twilight of the God,’” which was both solemn and dark.

Garrett Beige French a horn player and music performance/education major said that one of his favorite pieces to perform was “Funeral March from ‘The Twilight of the God.'” “It was very dark [with] very open sounds, and gave me a lot of leeway for my own performance as far as interpretation of the piece itself,” Beige said.

The overall performance was a success and seemed to be enjoyed by both attendees as well as performers.

The time spent in preparation for the performance could be entirely noticed by the dedication in which each player exhibited.

Each performer was satisfied with the show and the symphonic winds definitely ended on a high note.

SPORTS

12

Walker soars for two titles and a chance at a State Championship

By Teren Guerra

Hornet Sports Editor

Justin Walker claimed not one but two titles at the Southern California Championship meet this past weekend at Antelope Valley College.

As the Orange Empire Conference champion in only his freshman year, Walker headed to AVC confident and a favorite to seriously contend for a double crown in the men’s long jump and the men’s 110-meter-hurdles.

“Justin is easy to coach because he is built for the two events he competes in, and he is natural gifted athlete,” Fullerton head coach Sean Sheil said. “I knew he had the capability to win it was just a matter of executing.”

Walker’s first attempt at a title came in the men’s long jump.

After qualifying with the best mark, Walker was able to skip his first jump in the final round and get a look at the other competitors.

His first jump in the final round was 7.23 meters, which was first place after the second round and was good enough for third place. The duo of Vincent Calhoun and Stacy Chuwunmezie both of Cerritos College, took hold of first and second place jumps of 7.38 meters and 7.36 meters respectively.

With only one jump left, Walker knew his only chance at a title would require a personal best.

He delivered with a jump of 7.40 meters, claiming the SoCal title.

“I just prayed to God that he give me strength and let me do my best to hit my mark,” Walker said. “When I heard the judge say 7.40, I just threw my hands up

and celebrated.”

With one title claimed, Walker was ready for another as he competed later in the 110-meter-hurdles. After qualifying for the championship heat with ease, Walker faced another talented field of runners including last year’s SoCal champion, Cameron Atkins of Mt San Antonio College.

Atkins ran the third fastest time of any community college competitors all year.

Again Walker knew his previous best was not going to be good enough and he was going to need something special. He delivered again with a time of 14.34 seconds, edging out Atkins by 1/100 of a second who finished with a time of 14.35. It was Walker’s best time by 2/10 of a second.

“Everyone had counted me out because I was going against the favorite, but I just used that as fuel to win,” Walker said. “I got over the hurdles smooth and was even with the [Atkins] but I got him in the end with the lean.”

Up next, Walker will be competing in the California Community College Track and Field Championship, Saturday at San Diego Mesa College.

Walker’s times will ensure him being a favorite to repeat as champion in both events. His mark at long jump beats at the Northern California co-champs, who won with jumps of 7.30 meters.

“Now that [Walker] is the champ he’s not just some unknown,” Sheil said. “He’s going to have a target on his back, but if he does his best I think he can compete with anyone.”

Courtesy of Antelope Valley College

Justin Walker is a two-sport athlete at Fullerton also competing in football, all while qualifying as a scholar-athlete

Hornet’s dream season ends in heartbreaking fashion

By Teren Guerra

Hornet Sports Editor

The Hornets were eliminated by conference rival Cypress College in the quarter-finals of the Southern California Super Regional.

The Hornets have been a strong favorite to represent the Southern Region in the state tournament this year. They were ranked No. 2 in the south entering the postseason, having been the only team that won a series against No. 1 ranked Saddleback College.

Not all of the season was smooth sailing for the Hornets, just a week before the postseason they were informed they had played with an ineligible player and had to forfeit nine wins.

With their postseason dreams in question the Hornets dug deep and took two of three games against Saddleback College to end the season, squeaking their way into the postseason.

Fullerton was done no favors by the selection committee, they were given the No. 17 seed forcing them to virtually play all road games. After handling business in the play-in game, No. 2 seed Glendale College awaited the Hornets.

Again, the Hornets took care of business like a team of destiny with two come from behind victories to sweep Glendale College.

Next up was conference rival Cypress. The Hornets took the season series winning two of three and looking to repeat.

Behind a complete game by Hornet pitcher Randall Ortiz, the Hornets took Game 1 by a score

of 5-0. Having to win just one of the next two games the Hornets were shocked by the Chargers loosing both games.

After being blown out 11-4 in Game 2, the win or go home stage was set for Game 3. The Hornets and Chargers went down to the wire going extra innings, only to see the Hornets come out on the losing end.

“Obviously it isn’t what we wanted, I hurt for the boys because they gave it all they had and when that’s not enough it just hurts,” Fullerton head coach Nick Fuscardo said.

The Hornets will be losing some talent to the next level with three players already committed to play baseball at the Division I level next season. Shane Carrier (Cal State Fullerton), Justin Row (University of South Carolina), and Laine Huffman (Long Beach State).

“This is by far been my favorite team to be apart of, I wouldn’t trade any of these guys,” Carrier said. “It didn’t end quite like we wanted but that’s baseball. It gives you the highest highs and days like today the lowest lows.”

Carrier is the big bat in the lineup and will be missed when it comes to bringing in runs. He led the conference in RBIs with 59 on the year, he also led in home runs with 12, hits 72, and was third in batting average of .387.

Row and Huffman were the middle of the infield for the past two seasons, which turned 34 double plays. Besides playing rock solid defense they both are key factors on offense batting second and third respectively.

Row averaged .377 this season

Teren Guerra/Hornet

Fullerton head coach Nick Fuscardo giving his pitcher and infield a plan of attack for the next batter at Cypress College

and hit five home runs while stealing 15 bases. Huffman managed to hit .333 and led the conference in steals with 16.

Kevin Foley and Joey Parente are the only returning starters and will be key to adding to the success of this season.

Parente was the leadoff hitter and batted .376 with 17 RBIs while scoring 44 runs. What might be most impressive in his

first season with the Hornets, Parente had 0 errors as the starting center fielder.

Foley came onto the scene later in the season, after appearing sparingly as a pitcher throughout the season he started the last 12 games at third base. He managed nine RBIs and scored 12 runs in those final 12 games.

Unlike many of his players, Fuscardo has will get another

shot at a state title as he will be entering his 31st season as Hornet head coach next year.

“I don’t like predicting how next years team will be, but like all my teams we will complete for championships while playing smart Hornet Baseball,” Fuscardo said.

Fullerton ends the season with a (19-23, 11-10) record. On the field the Hornets were 28-12.