The anger Volume 93 • Issue 12 San Antonio College A forum of free voices since 1926
March 4, 2019 WWW.THERANGER.ORG
SLAC lab offers free tutoring on 13 subjects Test proctoring is also available in the lab for making up missed tests. By Travis Doyle sac-ranger@alamo.edu Tutoring through the student learning assistance center is free for 13 subjects and is available by appointment. “The students have no idea tutoring is free of charge. They really think they have to pay,” administrative services specialist Bertha Ovalle said in an interview Feb. 11. The lab has 10 tutors available by appointment and 14 workstudies. The work-studies help on a day-to-day basis by working at the front desk or answering general questions about the lab. Total lab visits were at 20,730 in the fall by 3,320 students, and the most used service was access to the computers, academic Coordinator Geraldo Guerra said in an interview Feb. 22. The services offered by the lab are free, except for printing which
is paid for with a GoPrint account or with a GoPrint online account. The lab is for students who need tutoring or a quiet place to do homework at school instead of being distracted at home, he said. The main lab has 70 computers, including three iMac computers with a suite of Adobe software. “It offers Photoshop and Illustrator, and that’s what I usually use to edit my pictures, said criminal justice sophomore Mayra Mendez in an interview Feb. 11. Mendez said she uses the lab at least twice a week to edit pictures for a photography class, and she hopes the lab can get the Adobe Bridge program to help her keep photos organized. Guerra’s biggest goal for the lab is “to make the student more aware of their responsibilities as a student.” “So we really want the student to really take an active role of being a student here at SAC,” he said. “It’s not high school anymore, so it’s your responsibility as a student and as an adult.” The lab also offers exam-proctoring for students who need to make up exams.
Students can get an exam proctored by asking their instructor to submit a SLAC proctoring exam request with a list of all the students who are making up the exam. The lab also hosts workshops to teach skills, such as résumé writing, formatting and citations, stress management and financial aid basics. The schedule for the workshops can be found on the SLAC webpage of this college’s website. The SLAC webpage also offers 39 downloadable self-help handouts in English/writing, mathematics, natural science, social science, study skills and tutoring. The SLAC lab is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday in Room 707 of Moody Learning Center. Students can make tutoring appointments at 210-486-0165 or sac-slac@alamo.edu. For more information, visit www.alamo.edu/sac/about-sac/college-offices/slac/.
District approves Fresh Start No concrete promotion campaign has been created for the program. By Sergio Medina smedina104@student.alamo.edu
Psychology sophomore Thaddeous Kelly cross punches boxing coach Hector Ramos while sparring at boxing practice Feb. 25 on the second floor of Loftin. Practices are from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Practice for new members begins March 18. The next boxing competition is
the Olympic-Style Boxing tournament from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. April 17 in the mall. Ramos said if students want to compete in matches, members need to show up consistently to practice. Go online to see the slideshow and story. Deandra Gonzalez
ESL program hopes for a language learning center Almost 1,000 students enrolled in ESL classes in the fall. By Marissa Macias sac-ranger@alamo.edu English-as-a-second language faculty hope they are getting closer to adding a developmental lab for the center for English language learning in Oppenheimer Academic Center. Sharla Jones, English-as-a-second language professor, has worked to build this lab for the past 10 years. “The sense of community that the students have is something I would like to see more of in a learning center,” Jones said Feb. 19. Jones also created a language learning lab at Northwest Vista College, which operated from 2000 until the ESL program was canceled in 2010. “Students would come because they like the idea of those specialized workshops when we had a facility to do it in,” Jones said. The lab here would offer computers equipped with supporting software for reading, writing, grammar, listening and speaking skills practice; writing and reading centers with an ESL resource library; tutoring services; and specialized work-
shops and seminars. Cross-language tutoring would be an added benefit the lab would bring to the program by encouraging better collaboration between all student languages, Jones said. “You can have students who are studying Spanish who could get tutoring from the students who are studying English who are Spanish speakers,” Jones said. Funding is the main factor holding up production, Jones said. “That’s what we are trying to figure out. Where we are getting the money from to do this,” Jones said. With a cost of about $30,000, the lab would have 25 sign-in computers with software, 30 headphones with microphone capabilities and job opportunities for supplemental instructional leaders. Monitors would be furnished by the office of technology services, she said. The development of the learning center is coming out in phases, Tom Cox, chair of languages, said Feb. 19. Phase 1 is finding a suitable classroom for the lab, then finding the funding for furniture and software, Cox said.
“It is still in the early planning stages, but it would be nice if we could have part of it rolled out by fall, but that would be a little optimistic depending on what would happen over summer,” Cox said. The ESL program is part of the languages department. The coordinator for ESL is Professor Anna Budzinski. The program offers four levels of courses in Flex 1 and Flex 2 semesters. Each level offers courses under the ESLA rubric in speaking and listening, writing, grammar and reading. After Level 4, students who are enrolled in the ESLA credit program can take English for Academic Purposes classes. ENGA courses are designed for English language learners to help transition them into collegelevel classes, according to the ESL webpage on the college website. ENGA courses are in reading and vocabulary, and composition and grammar. During the fall semester, 993 students were enrolled in the ESLA program in two flex semesters. For more information, call Cox at 210-486-1115 or email tcox@alamo.edu.
The board of trustees unanimously voted to pass the Fresh Start program for students during the regular meeting of the board Feb. 26 at Killen Center. Beginning in the fall, the program will allow former students without college accreditation and with financial holds of $500 or less to re-enroll. The program will benefit up to about 9,000 students in Bexar County who owe money to the district. That translates to $1,832,943 in money owed. In total, there are about 277,000 students in Bexar County who have some college credit but no accreditation. After completing six credit hours with a C grade or better, students will receive a scholarship in the amount owed. Students will be able to enroll in financial aid to cover tuition expenses. Further, students will be encouraged to attend financial literacy workshops, develop academic plans with academic advisers and connect with student advocacy services. Dr. Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said before the board the program
See START, Page 2 Students who benefit:
About 9,000 students in Bexar County with financial holds of $500 or less
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News
March 4, 2019
Start from Page 1 provides students the ability to come back. “Then going forward, we can scholarship amounts that were owed in the past to allow them to go ahead and complete their degree,” she said. District 5 trustee Roberto Zárate moved for approval with the rest of the board following suit. District 7 Yvonne Katz received the program enthusiastically. “That is a cool program,” she said.
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In an interview after the meeting, Snyder said the district does not yet have a concrete strategy to promote the program. “We’ve still got to work out all these details,” Snyder said. “We have to first make sure we have their (board) support to do a program like this. Of course, you know, we have the list of the students that are part of the population we’re talking about so there’ll be an outreach campaign to reach to them.”
The board of trustees discusses the Texas Community College Day, e-rate tuition strategies, and the Fresh Start program Feb. 26 in Killen. The trustees approved the Fresh Start program, which allows former students with financial holds of $500 or less to re-enroll. Amaru Ruiz
Dr. Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, discusses the Fresh Start program with the board of trustees Feb. 26 in Killen. After completing six credit hours with a C grade or better, students’ old balances will be covered with a scholarship. Amaru Ruiz
Scheduling challenge leads to a detailed Scobee tour for elementary students Students at this college can visit the planetarium for $2 on Fridays. By Rogelio Escamilla rescamila69@student.alamo.edu Dilley Elementary School students traveled 73 miles to visit Scobee Planetarium Feb. 26. The tour for 74 fifth-graders and more than five chaperones was led by center Director Rick Varner; He explained NASA missions and astronauts in the main floor of Scobee Education Center. The planetarium is inside the larger center, which also includes the Challenger Learning Center and observatory. Varner said the Dilley field trip didn’t go as planned. “The students were supposed to just visit the planetarium,” he said. “Dilley was running late, so we had them switch time spots with a different
school that was early so they could get documented the medical examinations the most out of their experience.” of astronauts who went to the moon, The school they switched with was a painting of astronaut Buzz Aldrin Gonzales High School’s astronand his autograph, the Apollo omy club, which arrived moon missions and moon early to the planetarium. rocks that are locked in a Varner said schedsafe in the center. uling difficulty left Edward Austin, the Dilley group with chaperone and social additional time as the studies teacher, said the Gonzales students were last time he visited was in already in the planetarium 1967 or 1968. after switching their time spots. “I remember coming here The Dilley students were James Russell back when the Tower of then split into two groups. Americas was being built,” Austin said. One was given the tour inside, the “The planetarium now is way more other took part in a solar system scale advanced. It has more visual effects. It’s activity between Lot 21 and the center. crazy the technology their generation The activity teaches students about has now; it’ll be interesting to see what distances between planets using metal happens in the future.” plaques, engraved with the names of The planetarium was remodeled planets, embedded in the sidewalk. 2012-2014, when the Challenger Center Some of the items he explained to was opened. the students included a 16 mm film that Paraprofessional chaperone Odessa
Fifth-grader Sofia Lynton, 10, illuminates the teeth of classmate Shaelyn Marks, 10, using a temperature reader gun with her hand in a glove box in the space station during the VIP grand opening of Scobee Education Center Oct. 31, 2014. Students from Scobee Elementary were selected for a field trip to the center. File
Mata said taking a fifth-grade field trip to Scobee has been a tradition at Dilley. “This is also my first time visiting here,” she said. “My hope is they can learn more than what they can in the classroom. They get to see more handson, more advanced things than what they get to see inside a classroom.” Mata said this is her first year teaching fifth-graders. Parent chaperone Troy Gonzales said he visited Scobee when he was in school in Pearsall in 1998 or 1999. “I hope they learn more about the astronauts,” he said. “And the amount
of time and effort it takes them to do just one thing. That’s pretty crazy.” Varner said Scobee doesn’t typically do random tours. Students and employees at this college can visit the planetarium for $2 on Friday evenings. All that’s required is an Alamo Colleges ID. The education center is free to enter and walk around, and the observatory is open 10 p.m. Fridays, depending on the weather. School groups visiting the planetarium Monday-Thursday usually get a reduced rate of $100 per 32 individuals.
Patrick Lanclos, member of the San Antonio Astronomical Association, guides Tré Newsoma, 11, look through one of the telescopes set up Feb. 6, 2009, next to Scobee Education Center. File
March 4, 2019
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News
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Adjunct Faculty Council pushes for better pay, sick leave All adjuncts are welcome to attend open council meetings. By Blanca Granados sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Lots 20 and 21, near the tennis courts, are closed for the upcoming construction of a third parking garage on campus, which is expected to be completed in spring 2020. See story online. Brittney M. Moreno
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College offers resources to combat depression By Julian Gonzales To help students stay mentally healthy, this college offers opportunities for exercise, classes in nutrition and counseling and support groups. The most common mental illnesses are depression and
anxiety, “which tend to go hand in hand,” psychology Professor Suzanna Borawski said. Mental illnesses affect mood, thinking and behavior. “It could get in your way of being productive or functioning in life,” Borawski said.
Committee to review funding requests By James Russell The Student Activity Fee Committee will consider applications at 3 p.m. March 7 in the employee lounge of Loftin Student Center. At its monthly meeting Feb. 7, the committee approved four organizations’ fund requests.
Amanda Martin, Adjunct Faculty Council chair, explained the demand for better pay, sick leave for adjuncts and the commitment required from them in an interview Feb. 21. The council has been requesting better pay and sick leave for adjunts since at least 2016, she said. Martin said she did not know the difference in pay between adjuncts and full-time staff. She said the adjuncts’ pay varies depending on their department, hours and other factors. “We included it in a compensation proposal back in 2016,” Martin said. “It’s been a consideration for some time ... I could not specify how long,” she said. The council provides a voice for adjuncts. It is composed of normally no more than 10 representatives. They serve terms of one year with no limit on the number of terms, she said. Any concerns adjuncts have may first be presented to the council, she said. Adjuncts are hired to teach classes full-time
professors cannot fill, Martin said. They are part-time employees, she said. “Usually (they teach) no more than three classes per semester,” she said. While adjuncts are not required to have a specific number of office hours, many of them schedule time for students outside of class, she said. Adjuncts made up 60 percent of the faculty at this college only a year or so ago, Martin said. “They are important,” she said. The requirements to be an adjunct vary by the department, she said. It requires a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, depending on the field taught, she said. “It is important to have adjuncts who are passionate to teach,” she said. Adjuncts don’t receive many benefits, she said. The council is working on a survey that will be released in March. “The survey will let us know any current concerns the adjuncts may have that are not known,” she said. The council’s next meeting is at 1 p.m. March 19 in Room 303F of Fletcher Administration Center. For more information on the council, email Martin at amartin@alamo.edu.
Puppies provide stress relief before midterms Couple houses more animals than they can count, they said. By Lionel Ramos
lramos174@student.alamo.edu
The office of student life and the Student Government Association sponsored Puppy Day. A home-based nonprofit, Vun-Veq Rescue brought about 15 animals Feb. 26 to the mall to provide stress relief for students as midterm exams begin. The nonprofit, owned by Virginia and Juan Vasquez, has been in operation for more than 20 years and has come to this college three times, Virginia Vasquez said. The rescue brought puppies, rabbits, mice and tortoises. Juan Vazques said there could be up to 20 dogs living in their home at any given time in addition to a variety of cats, gerbils, tortoises, rabbits, mice, guinea pigs and birds. When asked about the total number of animals inhabiting the couple’s home, Juan said, “I have no idea. A lot.” All of the animals present were available to play with, walk or adopt. As part of the care the animals receive while with Vun-Veq Rescue, they are spayed or neutered and vaccinated, making the adoption process easy with a single adoption donation of $150 per dog at the event. The animals will be back March 26 and May 7, in time for finals exams, said SGA Historian Marina Ramirez. Those seeking information regarding the nonprofit can contact Vun-Veq Rescue at 210863-1858 or vunveqrescue@aol.com. Those with questions regarding student life can call the office at 210-416-3672 and SGA at 210-486-0133.
Puppy Day
Vun-Veq Rescue will return to campus with adoptable animals March 26 and May 7. For information, call 210-863-1858 or email venveqrescue@aol.com. Alexandria Gayton-Gutierrez, American Sign Language and interpreting sophomore, holds a bunny at Puppy Day Feb. 26. James Russell
Computer programming freshman Tristan Nelson holds Pippa, a border collie mix, who licks Maya, a chihuahua mix, held by political science freshman Danielle Knabel. The office of student life hosted Puppy Day with the nonprofit Vun-Veq Rescue Feb. 26 in the mall. James Russell
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Sports
March 4, 2019
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Student athletes improve study skills four hours a week The tutoring program stemmed from the SACMEN initiative.
them solve issues with classwork, finding a tutor and learning basic study skills and time management. “Mainly, the study skills is the biggest thing, just By Travis Doyle understanding how to take notes, how to stay orgasac-ranger@alamo.edu nized, communicate with your instructor,” he said. The student learning assistance center is workGuerra hopes the program can expand with coling with the office of student life in a tutoring and laboration from other areas of the college that also mentoring program to help student athletes improve offer tutoring, such as the math lab, the writing study habits and to make sure they reach the 2.0 center, INRW writing center, the BioSpot and the grade-point average needed to be in a club. MESA center. “They’re a captured audience since they travel “It can’t just be SLAC on its own. It’s got to be and they play, and they represent the college in the everybody so we’re exploring those options,” he said. sports world, and so if they The lab was previously want to play they have to working with minority come to tutoring,” academic males on campus through Coordinator Geraldo Guerra SACMEN. said in an interview Feb. 13. “It started as a mentoring The lab started the sports program to help our minormentoring program with the ity male students because sports teams in the fall, he their demographic is the one said. that lags over everyone else “Dr. Lisa Alcorta, the vice as far as their retainment for Geraldo Guerra president of student success, any college-level degree or Academic Coordinator approached me a year ago persistence,” Guerra said. and talked to me about my “Usually what happens is involvement with our minority males program and they’ll get discouraged, and they’ll drop out and she wanted to replicate it with the sports teams,” they will never come back to the college. So what we he said. try to do is build a mentoring relationship with the She referred to the San Antonio College Men students and match them up with someone in the Empowerment Network. career they’re trying to get.” Guerra said an estimated 70-75 student athletes The students in this program are matched with are using this program. students or faculty mentors. The program requires four hours a week in the Students can fill out an application to be part of lab. the minority males program by visiting this college’s Two of those hours are for team meetings. website or lab. The teams meet 4-6 p.m. once a week in a More information about the program is available classroom in the lab. Men’s and women’s basketball on this college’s website teams meet Monday, men’s and women’s soccer The SLAC lab is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondayteams Tuesday, and the women’s volleyball team Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday. Saturday in Room 707 of Moody Learning Center. Each team is assigned a peer mentor, who is a For more information about the SLAC lab, visit work-study with the lab. www.alamo.edu/sac/about-sac/college-offices/ The mentor meets with team members and helps slac/ or call 210-486-0165.
“Mainly, the study skills is the biggest thing, just understanding how to take notes, how to stay organized, communicate with your instructor.”
Paralegal freshman Cristina San Miguel pulls a 25-pound plate until her partner finishes with 30 rows on a rowing machine Feb. 27 in Candler. Brianna Rodrigue
Kinesiology Club plans Backyard Beast Club seeks to challenge community to improve fitness through a grueling fitness competition. By Alberto Ramirez sac-ranger@alamo.edu On April 5, the Kinesiology Club will host the Backyard Beast, an extreme fitness team competition held every semester since the 2001-02 academic year, Coach Linda Casas said Feb. 26. The competition requires four-person teams. At least one member of each team has to be a student, faculty or staff at one of the Alamo Colleges, club adviser and kinesiology Instructor Dawn Brooks said Feb. 21. There are divisions for men, women and mixed teams. The competition will be in the college’s original parking garage east of Chance Academic. The competition will begin with teams running from the top to the bottom level. Then teams will work their way back up to the roof of the garage, completing challenges at each of the five levels of the garage. The challenges include rowing a set distance on a rowing machine and carrying a 150-pound dummy, known as a buddy carry. Other events are rope slams, box jumps, tire flips and medicine ball tosses. Four teams at a time will race in 30-minute time slots with members of the K-Club shadowing them to keep score. Roxanne Barrera, a workforce development support specialist training for the event, said, “Finishing is an accomplishment in itself.” Casas completed the
Backyard Beast last semester to celebrate her retirement, She was the facility manager for Candler Physical Education Center until she retired Jan. 31. She has since returned to volunteer as a coach in a faculty fitness class and to assist with a physical conditioning class whose students are required to compete in the fitness competition as part of their final grade. Although she has begun training with competing in mind, she will continue to volunteer her time to help students, faculty and staff reach their fitness goals. The teams with the best times in each division will be announced at an awards ceremony 12:30 p.m. April 5 on the top floor of the parking garage. According to an event flyer, chicken fajita tacos, sausage wraps, a variety of fruits, water and sports drinks will be provided on the top floor of the garage. Food will be for competitors and spectators. “This is meant as a family event, too,” Brooks said. The cost to register is $20 per person or $15 with a military ID. Full team payment is required to reserve a time slot. Registration forms can be picked up in Room 131A of Candler. Registration deadline is March 29. For more information, call Chrystal Gutierrez, administrative assistant, at 210-4861010 or Professor Martha Stephenson at 210-486-1022.
Business sophomore Spencer Watson does two sets of 20 rope slams Feb. 27 in kinesiology Instructor Dawn Brooks’ physical conditioning class in Candler. After the two sets, Watson and his partner had to run from Candler to West Dewey. Brianna Rodrigue
Pre-nursing sophomore Chelsea Keeble performs a T-plank with a 10-pound weight Feb. 27 in Candler. Keeble said her least favorite activity is running in kinesiology Instructor Dawn Brooks’ physical conditioning class. Brianna Rodrigue
Ashley Hernandez, dental assistant sophomore and forward, goes for a layup in the last quarter but gets called for traveling Feb. 27 in Candler against Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Hernandez scored 14 points. The Rangers defeated TAMU-SA 72-62. The women play St. Philip’s at 6 p.m. March 6 in Candler followed by the men’s team at 8 p.m. Brianna Rodrigue
6 Opinion
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March 4, 2019
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Staff Editor Sergio Medina Managing Editor Rogelio Escamilla News Editor Lionel Ramos Web Editor James Russell Staff Writers Breonica Broussard, Dean Contreras, Sandy Cordell, Travis Doyle, Julian Gonzales, Blanca Granados, Geoffrey Hovatter, Marissa Macias, Janie Medelez, Sarah F. Morgan, Jackie Muralles, Alberto Ramirez, Michael Smith, Isacc Tavares, Samantha Woodward Photographers Mitchell Gawlik, Deandra Gonzalez, Brittney Maria Moreno, Brianna Rodrigue Photo Team Andrea Moreno, Amaru Ruiz Illustrators Raia Blankenship, Amanda Graef
©2019 by The Ranger staff, San Antonio College, 1819 N. Main Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212-3941. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. The Ranger news outlets, which serve the Alamo Community College District, are laboratory projects of classes in the journalism-photography program at San Antonio College. The Ranger is published Mondays except during summer, holidays and examinations. The Ranger Online is available at www.theranger. org. News contributions accepted by telephone
Raia Blankenship
District should provide aid to current students The requirements for receiving free college tuition should be more strict. The Fresh Start program will allow former students with financial holds less than $500 to re-enroll in the Alamo Colleges starting next fall. According to previous Ranger reporting, all students have to do is enroll in at least six credit hours and their previously unpaid balances will be covered by the district in the form of a scholarship. This is the second of two programs aimed at providing aid to students who are not attending school in this district, while enrolled students are receiving no benefits for their hard work and commitment to the Alamo Colleges. The first program tailored to
non-Alamo Colleges students is called the Alamo Promise program. It commits to covering all tuition costs for high school seniors graduating in fall 2020 — so long as they apply for financial aid and graduate with a minimum 2.0 GPA. The district should focus more on its current students when it comes to providing financial aid. The district should reward hardworking students who are already in the system and enable them to graduate with the ease of not having to pay for their last couple of classes. It is the students who are currently enrolled that make the Alamo Colleges what it is today and it will be future students who determine the face
of the district then. According to the district website, there are currently 98,774 students enrolled in the district, but only 12,756 of those students were awarded degrees in the 2017-18 academic year. Does attracting younger students with low GPAs and older students who haven’t attended college in over a decade really help the district? In terms of immediate enrollment numbers, it does. But what about graduation rates two years in the future? Students with limited college experience most likely won’t graduate on time because they are ill-prepared for college in the first place. Faculty will likely have to struggle to teach college-level
Editorial
material to students who aren’t necessarily ready — bringing their success rates down. The requirements for receiving free college tuition should be more strict for students who have not yet proved themselves as individuals committed to an education. The idea of rewarding students who owe the district money is counter-intuitive and an insult to students who have contributed to the district with high GPAs, thousands of dollars and culturally diverse campuses. Instead of using district money to lure students into the system and keeping them there, the district should use that money to help currently enrolled students pay for their final semester at one of the Alamo Colleges and continue their college careers.
(210-486-1773), by fax (210-486-9292), by email (sac-ranger@alamo.edu) or at the editorial office (Room 212 of Loftin Student Center). Advertising rates available by phone 210-486-1765 or as a download at www.theranger.org. The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and the
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Texas Community College Journalism Association. Guest Viewpoints: Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to contribute guest viewpoints of up to 450 words. Writers should focus on campus or current events in a critical, persuasive or interpretative style. All viewpoints must be published with a photo portrait of the writer. Letters Policy: The Ranger invites readers to share views by writing letters to the editor. Space limitations force the paper to limit letters to two doublespaced, typewritten pages. Letters will be edited for spelling, style, grammar, libel and length. Editors reserve the right to deny publication of any letter. Letters should be emailed to sac-ranger@alamo. edu or submitted online. Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, mailed to The Ranger, journalismphotography program, San Antonio College, 1819 N. Main Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-3941 or faxed to 210-486-9292. Letters must be signed and must include the printed name and telephone number. Students should include classification, major, campus and Banner ID. Employees should include title and telephone number. For more information, call 210-486-1773. Single Copy Policy: Members of the Alamo Community College District community are permitted one free copy per issue because of high production costs. Where available, additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting The Ranger business office. Those who violate the single-copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and college discipline.
While academic performance is important to get through college, don’t forget to have fun while you’re at it. College is not without stress. There is constant pressure to maintain good grades and avoid wasting tuition expenses. That is why it’s important to find opportunities to relax and experience another side of college sometimes forgotten. Take advantage of low cost and free events — lectures, plays, dance recitals, concerts, planetarium shows and art exhibits — to make your college experience more than school work. For example, if you missed Puppy Day Feb. 26, mark your calendar for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 26 and May 7 in the mall west of Moody Learning Center. Small animals, such as puppies, kittens and rabbits, are brought on campus to give students some stress relief and possibly a new companion. Get better acquainted with administrators over free pizza and drinks, during Pizza with the President 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. April 10 in Room 218 of the nursing complex. The Cheshyre Cheese Club hosts Open Mic events where students can freely express themselves before other students. As long as the content is suitable for all ages, expressions include, but are not limited to, speeches, poetry and song. Free
coffee and cookies are provided. Open Mic nights are scheduled 6-9 p.m. March 28 and April 25 in the cafeteria of Loftin Student Center. Singers and wanna-be singers can line up for karaoke 11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 25 and April 8 in the cafeteria of Loftin. Engage in feedback sessions at student body hangouts with the Student Government Association at 2 p.m. March 25, 12:15 p.m. April 8, 22 and May 6 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Free food will be served. Tune in to KSYM 90.1 FM 7-9 a.m. Monday-Friday to listen to “The Sauce,” hosted by James “Hot Mustard” Velten. The show offers commentary, college announcements, rock and blues music. The public relations office sends out “SAC Talk” emails every Monday, informing students, faculty and staff about events happening during the week. And don’t forget your Alamo Colleges ID also gives you free admission to the McNay Museum, San Antonio Museum of Art and the Institute of Texan Cultures. College is an important stage of life, and it should be experienced to the fullest, but education is also about engaging in culture and encouraging fellowship. Attend some events to see for yourself. If you weren’t before, this will make you SAC proud.
Editorial
Free March Events To view a full calendar of Women’s History Month 2019, visit: www.alamo.edu/sac/WHM19
March 5
SAC Event: “Kick-Off: D.J. dance party and photo wall” 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the mall. Call: 210-486-0125. SAC Event: Free breakfast tacos 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the mall. Available while supplies last. Call: 210-486-0133.
March 6
SAC Event: Free pizza at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the mall. Available while supplies last. Call: 210-486-0133. SAC Panel: “The ‘F’ Word: Being a Feminist in the 21st Century” 6-8 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center.
March 18
SAC Event: Spa Day 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call: 210-486-0125. SAC Meeting: CAB meeting 1:45-2:15 p.m. in the craft room of Loftin. Call: 210-486-0125.
March 29
SAC Event: Volunteer at the Catholic Worker House soup kitchen 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Meet 10 a.m. in the craft room of Loftin.
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A healthy life is a happy life
Opinion
March 4, 2019
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Theme park provides good exercise. At 21 years old, I’ve learned that eating healthy, Isacc Tavares exercising, sac-ranger@ and just alamo.edu getting up and moving around can be good for overall health. In early June, I didn’t feel like myself. I felt tired and lazy. I didn’t look that healthy. I couldn’t fit into my shorts and went from 36-inch waist to a 38-inch. I weighed 203 pounds, not a good weight for a 21-year-old, who is 5-foot-7. I had to do something, even Isacc Tavares, radio-televisionthough I didn’t expect to like it. broadcasting sophomore, uses seaI asked my mom to buy son passes to Six Flags Fiesta Texas healthy foods. She got veggies, as a way to lose weight and exerfish and juice. It took a while to cise. Courtesy get used to eating this. Days later, I added grilled trying not to eat it was harder. I chicken and quinoa and avoided caved; I ate pizza. I thought all fried food, junk food and other that progress would be ruined fast food high in grease. by a couple of slices of pizza. The diet was I learned limitgood, but I had ing such treats to get up and do to every once in more. a while meant I That’s when could still lose I started taking weight. my ChihuahuaAs the sumIsacc Tavares mer came to an dachshund mix RTVB sophomore named Jax on end, I lost about walks. 15 pounds. I added 15 minutes to our I felt happier. I was more walk for a total of 30 minutes a mobile and was in the best physiday. cal shape I’ve ever been in. Walking a dog in the Texas It’s really hard to keep this heat in June was not ideal, but Jax type of diet, but putting the mind began to lose weight too. to it and having motivation is Later on, my parents purwhat a person can do to lose chased season passes to Six Flags weight. Fiesta Texas, which offered a perHealth is arguably the most fect opportunity for more exerimportant thing a human can cise. have, making it more likely we Walking around Six Flags was can live long lives, be diseasefun and swimming in the water free, be there for our kids, have park was what I needed. money and not worry about havLater in the summer, my dad ing a heart attack at 30 years old. brought a pizza home. Trust me, As the poet Virgil said, “The trying to ignore it was hard, but greatest wealth is health.”
“I had to do something, even though I didn’t expect to like it.”
Students can schedule appointments with a counselor or shop the food pantry at the student advocacy center 8 a.m.-7 p.m. MondayThursday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday. Mitchell Gawlik
Seek help for depression CDC reported twice as many people died by suicide than homicide in 2016. When you think of depression, what do you imagine? A cold empty room, Rogelio Escamilla a raining cloud above rescamilla69@ one’s head or a gray student.alamo.edu veil of sadness that distorts your vision are all common descriptions I’ve heard. The truth is a depressive’s mind is a playground for what can only be described as a twisted game. Depression is not the gray veil of sadness that blinds you. Rather, it feels as if the thin veil of joy you momentarily believed was real has been lifted from your eyes, and you now see the truth clearer than ever: Nobody else feels the way you do; being miserable is what’s real; and it’s not that people don’t care about you — you could make a list of everyone who does — but that somehow, you’d be doing those people a favor if you didn’t exist. Sound ridiculous? Because it is, but depression lies. When I heard this description by writer Andrew Solomon during a Dec. 18, 2013, TED Talk, I felt comfort in knowing that my experience is shared. Of course, there are variations to depressive disorders; your experience might not look like mine.
There are far too many symptoms of depressive disorders to list, as they can impact every aspect of our lives physically and mentally. Take this recipe for disaster and add final exams, projects, work, and no sleep into the equation. Last semester, I overloaded myself by taking 18 credit hours. The droning pressure to do well only amplified my symptoms of depression, making the game much more difficult. If you can help it, don’t overwork yourself, especially if it feels like your mind is working against you. The good news is students don’t have to play depression’s game alone. There is help and it’s free to students. Students can make an appointment in the main lobby of the student advocacy center to see a behavioral counselor. Talking to somebody is the first step to a better quality of life, and for some people that’s all it may take. Others may also need a change of activities. In my experience, the counselor I spoke with helped provide context to what I was feeling. I felt there was no way out of the hole I was in, and the simple act of speaking with a professional improved my mental state. Students can also join one of 10 sup-
port groups, including the depression and anxiety support group that meets 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday and 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday in the student advocacy center. Other support groups discuss addiction recovery, intimate partner violence and LGBTQ+ issues. Call the student advocacy center at 210486-1111 for more information on support groups. My experiences are not only real, they are common. Far too common, in fact, for the amount of discussion that isn’t taking place in our communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10-34 in the U.S. in 2016. That year, there were twice as many deaths by suicide as there were by homicides. Suicides numbered 44,965; there were 19,362 homicides. Ask yourself, which one are you more afraid of? Mental illness is real and has infected our population. We must do all we can to eliminate the taboo of talking about depression, and other mental illnesses, until nobody feels trapped by depression’s twisted game. Talking with others about your experiences is the first step and this college offers great opportunities to do so. Although it may not seem like it at times, this game is one you can win, so long as you keep playing.
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March 4, 2019
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