The Ranger 10-8-12

Single copies free • 210-486-1773

This week Chalk Day kicks up dust for free speech Visit the mall today between 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. south of Loftin Student Center to join in the fun of Chalk Day sponsored by the student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, The Ranger and media communications.

Everyone in the college community is welcome to write messages on the pavement to celebrate the First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and association.

Write a favorite quote, draw or leave messages of patriotism, protest, love, team spirit or religion.

For more information, call the newsroom at 210-486-1776.

Vol. 87 Issue 4 • Oct. 8, 2012

theranger.org

Rule could limit adjunct load, classes Exceeding a two-class limit would mean new retirement contributions by district and part-time faculty members.

By REBECCA SALINAS

rsalinas191@student.alamo.edu

Adjunct faculty members teaching more than 7.4 semester hours must make a contribution of 6.4 percent of their compensation to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas beginning in the spring semester.

The Alamo Colleges also must contribute 6.4 percent.

On Sept. 27, President Robert Zeigler sent an email to all faculty members at this college, informing that there are three options.

One option is that this college will limit adjunct faculty to fewer than 7.5 semester hours and hire more adjuncts.

Zeigler said the college is planning an adjunct recruitment fair, but details will be determined later.

The second option is that adjuncts will be able to teach the 7.5 semester hours and the district will pay the retirement contribution. The third idea is

that the college will offer fewer classes.

Zeigler said cutting classes will have “long-term negative impacts.”

He said classes would be canceled in extreme circumstances.

Zeigler said Tuesday that he does not like the rule change because it left the college “scrambling.”

He said hiring more adjuncts was not budgeted, so budgets will be tight.

He said the rule might feel “callous” to adjuncts, but the rule applies to colleges across the state and not just this college.

Zeigler also confirmed that the change does not apply to adjuncts who are retired from this college.

The rule also would affect adjuncts after one semester of employment.

On Sept. 26, Chancellor Bruce Leslie encouraged affected faculty to call the human resources benefits team if they have questions about participation or benefits.

Jerry Townsend, Adjunct Faculty Council chair

and media communications full-time adjunct, said he is currently researching the issue, but he expects it to affect about 100 adjuncts at this college.

Dr. David Wood, director of institutional research, planning and effectiveness, said there is a total of 468 adjunct faculty members this semester at this college.

Of those, 34 are full-time adjuncts, Wood said.

Townsend said he was informed about the change on Sept. 24, but department chairs learned about it the week before.

Townsend said he thinks the college will not be willing to pay the 6.4 percent, except for adjuncts with qualifications and expertise that is difficult to replace. He said it is unfair if the college picks and chooses who is able to teach the 7.5 or more hours.

Vernell Walker, dean of professional and technical education, said the rule change was a “big surprise.”

See RULE, Page 4

Police investigation of dispute ongoing The investigation of a Sept.

26 verbal altercation among four to 15 students in Oppenheimer Academic Center is at a standstill until the Alamo College police department completes its portion of the investigation, Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs and interim vice president of academic affairs, said Wednesday.

“There were just a lot of people involved, so it’s just taking a little bit of time to get everyone interviewed,” he said.

He said he expects the investigation to conclude by early this week.

Vela said he has not received a copy of the police report and would not have it until the police department completes its investigation.

Campus police have not released the incident report even though the incident transpired more than one week ago.

According to the district police blotter, a student reported a disturbance on campus property at 11:20 a.m. Sept. 26.

An estimated 10 Alamo College police officers responded.

Vela said Sept. 27 that two students faced interim disciplinary action and more participants could face action.

Faith Duarte

/ReadTheRanger

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Kinesiology sophomore Tyler Pennington swims a relay lap during Aquatic Conditioning 1 and 2 taught by kinesiology Professor Brad Dudney Thursday in the pool in Candler.

Recreational swim hours are from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Effective Oct. 22, hours will change to 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Carolina Vela

MyMAP requires posting of midterm grades

By ALMA LINDA MANZANARES amanzanares6@student.alamo.edu

Phase 1 of MyMAP, or My Monitoring Academic Progress, rolled out this semester and requires faculty to give progress reports every four weeks to first-time-in-college students, JoCarol Fabianke, interim vice chancellor for academic success, said Tuesday.

She said the initiative is being tested on first-time-in-college students this semester to see how the system works.

“We’re only doing the first-timein-college students this semester because we want to make sure that our process works and the system works as it’s been put together. We’ve probably got between 9,000-10,000 FTICs, and each one of those FTICs is taking probably somewhere between

two and five classes. So that’s kind of our pilot to see how it’s going to work,” Fabianke said.

Fabianke said faculty receive a list of first-time-in-college students from Banner and are asked to submit grades and record attendance for those students to see if they are at risk of failing the course.

She said if a student is at risk, an email is sent to the student asking them to meet with their instructor.

“A lot of faculty do that anyways,” Fabianke said.

Teams from all the Alamo Colleges including advisers, faculty, deans, information technology services staff, financial aid staff and district employees, developed the system to improve student success.

Fabianke said for spring 2013, this progress tracking will be expanded to

every student in every course.

She said the next phase in the spring will be to gather all reports for one student in an accumulative report and figure out what the problem is if a student is getting multiple reports from multiple instructors.

“Then we want to maybe have a process for the student services people to contact you kind of as a second phase,” Fabianke said. “Each of the colleges has been doing some kind of early alert, but it’s not been linked with Banner and it’s not been in a way that we could do any kind of cumulative report about actions on students.

So this is just kind of to be a little more comprehensive.”

She said this semester, after one of the periods has passed and faculty submit their reports, then the report will go to the department chairs.

“It is really just for the department chairs to be able, maybe, to say to a faculty member, ‘Well, you had 30 FTICs and you didn’t even have one at risk,’ to kind of try to prompt to make sure everyone’s doing this,” Fabianke said.

She said she understands faculty will have to get used to submitting the progress reports.

“This is really all to help students and so it may take awhile, and we’re going to have to reinforce this and talk about what it might do for students.

And this is not about anything punitive. This is to encourage faculty to be sure to provide the information to the students,” Fabianke said.

MyMAP used to be called the Comprehensive Advising and

See MYMAP, Page 4

People

2 • The Ranger

Oct. 8, 2012

www.theranger.org/people

Calendar For coverage in Calendar, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.

Today SAC Deadline: President’s Holiday Card Designs need to be submitted by 4 p.m.

Turn in to president’s suite in Room 323 of Fletcher. Continues through Oct. 17. Call 210-486-0956/.

SAC Deadline: Completed graduation application submission to a counselor or to the department of major. Continues through Oct. 31. Call 210-486-0864 or visit www.alamo.edu/main.aspx?id=880.

SAC Workshop: Canvas: Student Essential sponsored by the student technology center 9 a.m.-10 a.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Continues Tuesday 2 p.m.3 p.m. Call 210-486-0160.

SAC Event: Karaoke sponsored by student life 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Continues Mondays. Call 210-4860128 or RSVP at www.orgsync.com.

NVC Lecture: “You Need a Runway?

Take off from Where You Are!” led by Vernice “Flygirl” Armour sponsored by the National Society of Leadership and Success 12:30 p.m. in Rooms 121 and 122 of Cypress. Call 210-485-0800.

SAC Workshop: Adobe Illustrator sponsored by the student technology center 1 p.m.-2 p.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210-486-0160.

SAC Meeting: Men’s Bible study 1 p.m.-2 p.m. at the Church of Christ Student Center, 301 W. Dewey. Continues Mondays. Call 210-736-6750.

SAC Event: Rock the Vote 2012! sponsored by Student Government Association and the center for civic engagement in the Fiesta Room of Loftin and mall. Call 210-486-0133.

PAC Performance: “All In The Timing,” a series of one-act comedies by David Ives, 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. in auditorium of performing arts center. Call 210-4863218.

Tuesday Deadline: Last day to register to vote for Nov. 6 general election. Visit www. votetexas.gov.

SAC Workshop: Microsoft Word sponsored by the student technology center 11 a.m.-noon in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210-486-0160.

SAC Concert: Pop Pistol as part of Hispanic Heritage Month noon-1:30 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Visit www. orgsync.com.

SAC Meeting: College Council at 2 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210-486-0956.

Wednesday SAC Workshop: PowerPoint sponsored by the student technology center 10 a.m.11 a.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210-486-0160.

SAC Advising: “Money Matters: Credit” sponsored by Generations Federal Credit

Union and student life 11 a.m.-noon in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Continues Oct. 17. Call 210-486-0126.

Speech Workshop: “Help Me I have an Interview” by Ashley Click sponsored by the speech communication program 2 p.m.-3 p.m. in Room 203 of McAllister.

Call 210-486-0255.

SAC Meeting: Gay Ally and Lesbian Association 3 p.m. in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Continues Wednesdays.

Call 210-201-4252.

SAC Workshop: Blackboard Introduction sponsored by the student technology center 3 p.m.-4 p.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210-486-0160.

Thursday

English sophomore Ashley Yandell shakes hands with Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs and interim vice president of academic affairs, while Daniel Chitty, vice president of Phi Theta Kappa looks on. Forty-three students were inducted into the organization Tuesday in McAllister. David Torres

SAC Workshop: Excel sponsored by the student technology center 10 a.m.-11 a.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210486-0160.

Friday SAC Workshop: ACES/Blackboard Essentials sponsored by the student technology center 11 a.m.-noon in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210-486-0160 SAC Workshop: Windows 7 sponsored by the student technology center 1 p.m.-2 p.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210486-0160.

SAC Performance: Ballet Folklorico performance sponsored by student life 7 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. $5 general admission, free for SAC students with ID. Visit http://www.alamo.edu/sac/ events/hispanic-heritage/.

Oct. 13 Event: LiveGreenFest sponsored by the Parks Foundation and CPS Energy 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Olmos Basin Park, 651 Devine. Call 210-212-8423.

Art Professor Tom Willome hangs photos by Katherine Schneider for the art student exhibit Wednesday in visual arts. The show, which is normally in the spring, is in the fall this year because of maintenance on the gallery walls.

The opening ceremony for the exhibit is from 5 p.m.-8 p.m.

Friday. The exhibit will be open through Dec. 15. Vincent Reyna

Criminal justice sophomore Emelda Figuero and English sophomore Tammy Leschber measure the distance between stars Tuesday during Professor Alfred Alaniz’s astronomy class on the west side of chemistry and geology. Riley Stephens

SAC Event: Deaf Awareness Week’s “Diversity and You” workshop sponsored by the American Sign Language and interpreter training department 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister. $15.

Visit www.alamo.edu/sac/events/deafawareness-week.

SAC Event: Deaf Awareness Week’s “See What I’m Saying” 7 p.m. sponsored by the American Sign Language and interpreter training department in auditorium of McAllister. $10. Visit www.alamo.edu/ sac/events/deaf-awareness-week.

Oct. 15 PAC Awareness: National Latino AIDS Awareness Day sponsored by the office of student engagement and retention 10 a.m.-noon in student center annex. Call 210-486-3125.

Oct. 16 Lecture: “Present and Future Impacts of Climate Change on Drought” by Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Call 210-357-1900.

Computer forensics freshman Frankie Lizcano spins a wheel to win a prize during a Rock the Vote campaign Tuesday at Northwest Vista College. The campaign awarded Northwest Vista related prizes, such as teddy bears, shirts and messenger bags. Vincent Reyna

News

Oct. 8, 2012

The Ranger • 3

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Math lab required for classes The labs have the most students on Mondays and Fridays, lab coordinator says.

By CARLOS FERRAND sac-ranger@alamo.edu

If you are taking any math courses this semester, you might want to make a list of items you will need to succeed.

• Textbook • Calculator • Computer • Tutor Students can check those off the list because the math labs in McCreless Hall have them covered.

There are two math labs in McCreless, one in Room 121 for developmental math students — MATH 0300-MATH 303 — and one for college-level math students.

There are usually four or five tutors in the lab.

Tutors range from graduate students to students enrolled at this college.

Thirteen computers are available for students using Connect Math and other math programs.

The developmental math lab also has 17 tables that groups of students can use to study together.

Students can check out textbooks while working in the lab and graphing calculators for a test or the entire semester.

Educational DVDs are available for check out for use at home.

The developmental lab can get)_busy at times — Monday and Friday are the busiest — because all development math courses require lab hours.

Lab Coordinator Steve Ochoa recommends students not wait until the end of Friday to get all their lab hours.

“These labs can get very busy,” Ochoa said.

Last fall, more than 14,000 students visited the math labs.

The math learning resource lab in Room 124 of McCreless is for college-level or higher-level math courses.

The college-level lab offers 20 computers, two rooms for study groups and six tables for group use.

The college-level lab has four to five tutors always scheduled.

Both labs are for math only, no Web surfing or Facebook.

“If you’re struggling in math, come and use our facility,” Ochoa said. “You get results.”

Visually impaired students needing special equipment should first contact disability support services on the first floor of Moody Learning Center before visiting the math lab.

DSS will be able to transport any equipment needed to either math lab.

Hearing-impaired students can request an interpreter by contacting interpreting services Supervisor Francis Quick in Room 109D of Nail Technical Center.

An interpreter should be scheduled at least 48 hours prior to lab time.

Hours for the developmental math lab are 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Saturday.

Hours for the college-level math lab are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday though Thursday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday.

For more information, call Ochoa at 210-486-0204.

Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs and interim vice president of academic affairs, explains the importance of Orgsync, an online community for

student organizations, to keep track of clubs’ activities at the Presidents Round Table Sept. 27 in Loftin. Monica Correa

Error corrected in student organization accounts A district error stopped access to funds, vice president says.

services. The money from student life, groups and organizations are separated into agency accounts and money left over in accounts from

By JENNIFER LUNA a previous year, stay in the account. sac-ranger@alamo.edu The process to “roll over” money from the On Sept. 27, Dr. Robert Vela, vice president previous year takes a minimum of 20 days, of student affairs and interim vice president of Vela was told, which left an impression that the academic affairs, appeared at account was empty. the President’s Round Table “… It doesn’t mean that “We continued to to clarify an error that caused your money is not there, it drill down because panic and rampant rumors just means that you can’t we wanted to see about the finances of the see what’s there,” Vela said. why that error even office of student life and stu“We have no interest in going took place.” dent clubs and organizations. in there and getting your Dr. Robert Vela, “I know some of you may money; that’s your money.”

VP of student affairs have had issues accessing Vela also said the your accounts, or there was appointment of a new chair nothing in your accounts,” he to the Student Activity Fee said.“What district told me was there was an Committee had nothing to do with the error and error. They stopped some access to the accounts is a separate issue. and there was an error and they were going to Dr. Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs reverse it. We continued to drill down because and new chair of the Student Activity Fee we wanted to see why that error even took place.” Committee, was granted access to the accounts Vela explained students were unable to view from the Student Activity Fee Committee to funds in their accounts because of an annu- review the committee’s allocations. al process at the district department of fiscal “We need to see what did the fee committee

approve … so we can start allocating everything,” Vela said.

The presidents of the clubs, nodding around the room, seemed satisfied with and relieved by Vela’s explanations.

Jacob Martinez, assistant coordinator of leadership activities, announced funds from each club was readily available.

“All of ya’ll’s accounts are showing,” he said.

“I already emailed all of ya’lls advisers so they all know that the funds are available.”

Jacob Wong, president of Student Government Association, described the fundamentals of clubs and organizations at this college.

Martinez then had each member in the meeting introduce themselves and their groups.

Phi Theta Kappa, an international two-year honor society, invited all clubs to participate in a project benefiting the food pantry.

The Onstage drama club will present a haunted house at this college Oct. 19-20 and invited other groups to join in the fundraiser.

Martinez then directed the club presidents to draw from a hat to decide the order in which the groups opted for food and items to sell at Oktoberfest Oct. 23.

Advising, adjuncts top forum

By REBECCA SALINAS

rsalinas191@student.alamo.edu

This college is moving toward faculty advising, President Robert Zeigler said at an open forum Tuesday in response to English Professor Dawn Elmore-McCrary’s question on how advising will be handled in the spring semester.

Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs and interim vice president of academic affairs, said he wants to keep advising simple to minimize confusion.

He said first-time-in-college students will continue to look for a major, then once a decision has been made, that student will then see the chair in the department of their major.

The chair will assign an adviser to that student, Vela said.

“The chair will have the ultimate decision on where the advisees go,” Vela said.

He said they will finalize training steps to get it started in the spring.

Vela said advising is something the college needs to ease into, rather than students rush to department advisers.

Julie Cooper, public information officer, asked questions submitted anonymously.

Kinesiology and nursing sophomore Edric Filpo asks President Robert Zeigler why parking attendants are still needed in Lot 21 east of the tennis courts when the lot is now open to students Tuesday in Loftin. Zeigler said thefts were occurring in the lot so parking attendents are a safety precaution. Alma Linda Manzanares One question asked for more information on salary increases.

Staff and administration received a 2 percent raise, while faculty salaries were based on a range system.

The Ranger reported that faculty increases ranged from 1.65 to 14.55 percent.

Chancellor Bruce Leslie received a 7 percent increase.

Zeigler said faculty salaries were looked at for two years to align them with peer colleges in the state, and raises varied with each

faculty member.

He said it also depended on summer pay, which used to be if faculty members taught the whole summer, they would get an extra three-month salary in addition to their nine-month contract.

The summer salary was reduced, and the money that was saved from the summer was put in faculty’s nine-month schedule.

“Everybody is important,” Zeigler said. “Wherever you are, whatever you do, how you do it, how well you do it affects students.

It just does.”

Fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt asked about the new rule change in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, which states adjunct faculty with 7.5 or more semester hours will be required to contribute 6.4 percent of compensation to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

The college will also have to contribute 6.4 percent.

Hunt wanted to know how chairs can go forward with scheduling the spring semester and if the college is willing to pay to keep adjuncts teaching 7.5 hours.

Zeigler said there are three options: Teach within 7.4 hours and hire more adjuncts, let adjuncts teach more than 7.4 hours with justification or cut classes.

He said there needs to be justification to show efforts for hiring adjuncts and more information will be made available to faculty as it comes.

He clarified that the rule change does not apply to retired employees.

Go to theranger.org for more coverage from the forum, with topics ranging from complaints about The Ranger to construction on campus.

News

Oct. 8, 2012

The Ranger • 4

www.theranger.org

Senate agrees district needs to pay into adjuncts’ retirement A location in the mall is recommended for the displaced college seal.

By REBECCA SALINAS

rsalinas191@student.alamo.edu

THIS ROAD TO

SUCCESS

IS 25,000 FEET UP. The men and women of the Air National Guard serve part-time, which gives them the chance to dominate their full-time civilian career fields as well. You’ll develop the kinds of high-tech skills employers value, while receiving generous benefits and wearing our country’s uniform with pride.

The district needs to contribute 6.4 percent of compensation to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas to keep adjuncts, Jerry Townsend, Adjunct Faculty Council chair and media communications adjunct, said at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

A new rule change states adjunct faculty members teaching more than 7.4 semester hours will be required to contribute 6.4 percent of their compensation to the Teacher Retirement System. Additionally, the Alamo Colleges will be required to contribute 6.4 percent of compensation. President Robert Zeigler sent an email to all faculty, stating the three options are to hire more adjuncts, have adjuncts teach more than 7.4 hours with justification or cancel classes.

Townsend said he wants the district to pay their contribution and keep adjuncts teaching more than 7.4 hours, since the district was able to come up with money for raises. Staff and administration received a 2 percent raise, Chancellor Bruce Leslie received a 7 percent raise and faculty raises range from 1.65 percent to 14.55 percent.

Math Professor Gerald Busald said, “It’s amazing how we can find money for certain things.”

Townsend said he estimated that $300,000 will be the total contribution the district would have to make if they decide to keep adjuncts teaching 7.5 hours.

Psychology Chair Thomas Billimek said, “Even if it’s an estimate, what is going to be the cost if we do have to pay that amount, which I am for, versus what happens if we don’t.”

Townsend said he wants to talk to Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs and interim vice president of academic affairs, to see how many adjunct faculty members would be hired.

Townsend said then they could get a better estimate on how much the college would have to pay. He said he estimated that there are about 100 faculty members affected by the new change.

Busald said adjunct professors will not be willing to go through the trouble of commuting here if they are only going to work for six hours.

“We’re going to lose adjuncts because of this policy,” Busald said.

He said some adjuncts would opt out of teaching 7.5 or more hours because they would not want to contribute, but if adjuncts cooperate, then they would be “connected” to the college.

RULE from Page 1 “I didn’t think it would be implemented this quickly,” Walker said.

She said the rule change limits the number of classes adjunct professors teach.

“You’re basically limited to two,” Walker said.

Dr. Conrad Kreuger, dean of arts and sciences, said the changes are new so he is still waiting for more information.

He said information will be sent out to chairs and faculty when the administration receives it.

He said he has received emails from adjunct faculty members asking for more information,

MYMAP from Page 1

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Monitoring System plan, or CAMS, which was developed in the spring and summer of 2011.

Phase 1 of MyMap this semester also includes Smart Start, which instructed faculty to drop students who do not attend a class at least once during the first week of the semester, she said.

District Procedure F.6.1.5 states that if a student misses at least one session during the first week of class, the student will be dropped from that class. The procedure was approved July 26, 2011.

Fabianke said Phase 2 of MyMAP will roll out

Townsend said some departments, like math, will not have trouble replacing adjuncts since there are a lot of math professors.

He said it would be unethical if the college has to pick and choose what adjuncts will be able to teach 7.5 hours.

“From an ethical point of view, that is just absolutely wrong, and from a legal point of view, I don’t think you can defend it either,” Townsend said. He said he wants to show Zeigler and the Alamo Colleges board of trustees that he has support in his favor of having the district pay their contribution.

“I don’t think there would be any question, that that’s the right thing to do,” Townsend said.

“These are people that are depending upon this district, this college for income to live on.”

Larry Rosinbaum, Faculty Senate chair and business professor, said future problems will be departments fighting over the same adjuncts.

Political science Professor Suzanne Martinez said department chairs should have gotten the word out to faculty members as well because some adjuncts did not know.

Billimek said if he does not have enough professors, then he is going to start canceling classes.

“That’s too bad.” Billimek said. “I’ll cancel it because I won’t have anyone else to teach it.”

He said they have to presume there will be “adequate resources” when planning for the spring semester.

Martinez said another thing to take into consideration is the long time it takes to hire faculty members.

Rosinbaum said he would talk with Leslie when the Super Senate meets with him.

He said Leslie canceled their meeting this month and the senate is trying to reschedule.

Townsend said he contacted Richard Moore, director of Texas Community College Teachers Association, which was also blindsided by the issue. Moore said he would contact Townsend when he got more information.

He will send a resolution to Leslie about the support he has from the college.

Librarian Celita DeArmond said she will go around and get signatures.

In other news, kinesiology Chair Bill Richardson said a design is being made for the placement of the college seal.

Richardson said the seal will be on the west side of Moody Learning Center and it will be on a brick base with a slanted top.

but he told them he will give them more information once he gets it. “They just have questions, as would anybody,” Kreuger said.

He said he wants people to be patient and wait for information as it comes to them.

Larry Rosinbaum, Faculty Senate chair and business professor, said he does not know much information on it so he does not have a stand.

He said departments will be flexible because some departments will not be able to find adjuncts.

The issue was on the agenda for Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

in the spring where incoming students will have to complete mandatory modules online before they are officially admitted in the district.

Modules include “Introduction to College and Pathways,” “Admissions Process,” “Paying for College,” “I-CARE,” “Assesment Information,” and “Test Prep.”

She said other pieces of MyMAP will be developed and tested, but it will take time to get them in place.

“We’ll probably, I would imagine, be working on this for at least a couple of more years, for different pieces of it,” she said.

Oct. 8, 2012

News

The Ranger • 5

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Constitution evolves with technology

SGA vice president joins fee committee

By KIRK HANES

By JENNIFER LUNA

As technology changes, the Supreme Court will evaluate whether law enforcement is intrusive based on search methods, Walter “Bud” Paulissen said Sept. 17 in a Constitution Day lecture.

In the anniversary celebration of the Sept.

17, 1789, signing of the Constitution, Paulissen spoke of the living Constitution and the fact that even modern cases have evolved and been enabled by constitutional amendments.

Paulissen, chief of the major crimes unit in the San Antonio Division of the U.S. attorney’s office and criminal justice professor, presented “Shifting Baselines and Constitution” in the nursing complex.

“The document was created as a framework to answer questions,” he said. “If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for the law; it invites anarchy.”

The Constitution is a hybrid of powers that leaves many rights to the states and enumerated laws.

The Fourth Amendment grants the right of people to be secure against unreasonable property search without probable cause.

In Miller v. U.S. in 1958, Miller had narcotics on his property but because the police were not permitted to enter his property to search, his arrest was declared unlawful.

Police had no warrant or notice to break into Miller’s property.

In Mapp v. Ohio in 1961, police, without the owner’s permission, searched the property of Dollree Mapp for pornography, including her dresser, a chest of drawers, a closet, suitcases, a photo album, personal papers, basement and a trunk.

When Mapp demanded to see a search warrant, police said she was “belligerent” and arrested her.

This case allowed the state to exclude evidence from a search, which formerly was only allowed in federal cases.

“Nothing can destroy a government more quickly than its failure to observe its own laws or disregard the charter of its own existence,” Paulissen said.

In U.S. v. Leon in 1984, officers executed a search warrant, which the court found was without probable cause, but there was no suppression of evidence in the case because the officers acted in good faith.

In 1987’s New York v. Burger, the case allowed warrantless searches on properties if businesses were given notice the location would be inspected.

This case involved less protection against warranted searches on properties.

Officers inspected automobiles and vehicles at Burger’s business and gave him advance warning. Burger did not object and claimed not to have documents required by statute.

The case decided that a warrantless search was accepted and necessary.

In Kyllo v. U.S. in 2001, police suspected Kyllo had marijuana in a triplex.

From across the street at 3:20 a.m., police directed an infrared detector at the triplex and observed part of the property was hot, which they suspected was caused by grow lights such as those used for growing marijuana plants.

Police found that Kyllo was growing more than 100 marijuana plants.

Kyllo’s attorney argued that use of the detector was a violation of his Fourth Amendment rights, and without the sensor, no probable cause would have existed.

The court declared that the violation of Fourth Amendment rights no longer applied because there was no evidence the police trespassed on Kyllo’s property.

This year, in U.S. v. Antoine Jones, the government indicted Jones and others on drug trafficking, but it was learned that the government used a GPS tracking device on a vehicle registered to Jones’ wife.

The court initially decided the vehicle traveled on public property so Jones shouldn’t have an expectation of privacy, but he argued that without a warrant, the government tracking a GPS was a violation of search and seizure of the Fourth Amendment. The court agreed.

OnStar monitoring was used for Jones’ wife’s vehicle. The Jones case showed as technology evolves, so will the court’s view of protecting rights and analyzing the law and facts.

SGA treasurer steps down

By JOSHUA TRISTAN sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Student Government Association Treasurer Laura Belalcazar is switching positions with commissioner Ariel Reynolds, Belalcazar announced during the Oct. 1 meeting in the craft room of Loftin Student Center.

Wong said after the announcement Belalcazar had other responsibilities in addition to student government.

Belalcazar is the president of the Criminal Justice Student Association and host of the SAC in the City fashion show, an event scheduled Nov. 14 by the office of student life.

Wong said the decision was made during a previous executive session.

Wong said Tuesday he wanted Reynolds and Belalcazar to accept their new titles before the announcement.

Wong said Tuesday that Reynolds was appointed treasurer because she was the only commissioner elected by students in May. Reynolds received 120 votes while running unopposed for the commissioner position.

In other news, one Student Senate representative attended the meeting.

Speech communication sophomore James Riebeling was appointed by fine arts chair Jeff Hunt to serve on the senate.

The senate is a new organization sponsored

by SGA to broaden participation in student governance, Wong said Sept. 11 at College Council. Senators will be appointed by depart-

ment chairs and will operate under the supervision of commissioner Keely Ross.

No other senators attended the meeting.

In other news, human services sophomore Jeff Schnoor volunteered to join the Student Activity Fee Committee.

During the meeting, SGA announced the need to fill vacant seats on the committee.

The committee is composed of five students, two alternate students and four faculty or staff members.

Members decide on the allocation of funds collected from the student activity fee for which students pay $1 per semester hour.

Wong said Tuesday he is reviewing a list of other potential participants, but Schnoor is a strong candidate. SGA appoints the student members.

SGA moved into an executive session after the public meeting Oct. 1. Wong said he believes executive sessions are necessary to prepare for future meetings.

Wong said executive sessions are not used to withhold information from the public.

According to Bylaw 11 of the SGA constitution, “The president of the Student Government Association, at his or her discretion, may call the SGA into a closed session to discuss issues of a sensitive subject. The president may allow others into the session with simple majority consent of the SGA Commission.”

For more information, call SGA at 210-4860133.

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Student Government President Jacob Wong, psychology sophomore, has appointed SGA Secretary Justin Wideman to be one of five student representatives on the Student Activity Fee Committee.

The committee is composed of five students and four faculty or staff and determines the expenditure of funds collected from the student activity fee. Students pay $1 per semester hour each semester.

During the committee’s first meeting of the semester meeting Sept. 25, the committee did not have a quorum of members present, and college President Robert Zeigler directed Wong to find students to serve on the committee.

Wong appointed Wideman, a biology and prenursing sophomore during the SGA meeting Monday. Anthropology sophomore Mike Martinez, SGA vice president, said there are four to five names that were emailed to him by Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs, and new nonvoting chair of the committee. Those students are being considered to fill the two positions left.

The students already chosen for the committee are James Riebeling, speech communication sophomore; and Martinez.

One of about seven students up for consideration is Alex Post, theater sophomore and Onstage Drama Club president.

For more information, contact Mendiola at 210-486-0939.

Launch Your Creative Career Today

SCAD offers the largest array of degree options of any nonprofit arts university in the U.S. New students may begin in September, January, March or June. Financial aid is still available.

To request more information or apply, visit scad.edu/stilltime

Adam Floeck, B.F.A., animation, 2012, Metuchen, New Jersey

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

ATLANTA · HONG KONG · LACOSTE · SAVANNAH · eLEARNING

News

6 • The Ranger

Oct. 8, 2012

www.theranger.org

Hot Potato covers Latino electorate Latino electorate defines the American dream in terms of equal opportunity.

By FAITH DUARTE

fduarte3@student.alamo.edu

The Latino electorate needs to be viewed as more than one entity, political science Professor Fernando Piñon said during Tuesday’s Hot Potato lecture at the Methodist Student Center.

“Sometimes we refer to Latinos as ‘a sleeping giant’ ­— there’s only one giant. But there’s really several giants instead of one,” he said.

He said most Hispanics have been assimilated into American society.

He said the Anglo-American electorate defines the American dream in terms of economic opportunity, while the Latino electorate defines it in terms of equal opportunity.

“The American dream is basically economics. You have a better house, you have a better car, you have money in the bank,” he said. “It is not opportunity and equality in terms of political value, like civil rights and being treated equally under the law.”

“Equality to an Anglo means, ‘You have a bet“Sometimes we ter job, you have a better refer to Latinos as house.’ He has never been a ‘sleeping giant’ the subject of discrimina— there’s only one tion,” he said. giant. But there’s “As soon as he came really several giants to the United States from instead of one.”

Europe, he became fully Fernando Piñon, vested in American society simply because he never political science fell under discrimination.” professor There is distinction between Hispanics and Mexican-Americans in American society, he said.

He said Hispanic “criollos,” those who immigrated to the United States from Spain during the colonial era, easily assimilated into American culture, while Mexican-Americans immigrated to the United States after the Mexican Revolution and see “the American political system in terms of equal treatment under the law.”

“As Mexican-Americans came here — the poor, undereducated, not educated, mestizo — you can see that there was not only a culture clash, it was also a political clash because they couldn’t assimilate into American society,” he said.

He called the period of 1836, the year of the Battle of the Alamo, to 1920 the “politics of resistance.”

“This is when Anglo-Americans came to the area and took over the culture and took over the positions of power,” he said.

“The resistance also came about because they were herded, especially the poor Mexicans.”

Piñon calls the next period from 1920-60 the “politics of assimilation.”

“We realized that Anglo-Americans were going to be here, they weren’t going anywhere, they were going to become the power in Texas, and so there was an attempt to assimilate,” he said.

“The whole objective was to assimilate the Mexicano into American culture through education and more access to civil rights,” he said.

Piñon called the period of 1960-80 the “politics of La Raza Unida,” or “the united race” in Spanish.

“Young Mexican-Americans were basically saying, ‘You know what? We are Americans, we have a distinct culture, we come from a different history and the way we assimilate into American society will be our way. So, we’re not going to turn ourselves into Americanos,’” he said.

Piñon called the period of 1980 to the present the “politics of population.”

He said, “This is when the Republican Party begins to realize that Mexican-Americans are going to be affiliated with the Democratic Party.” This is the time when the Republican Party moves from ignoring to neglecting Mexican-Americans, he said. “Now you have the Republican Party saying, ‘Look, we’re not interested in you because you’re not voting for a Republican candidate, but we’re going to make it as difficult for you as possible for you to vote in the first place,’” Piñon said.

“Don’t think of ourselves as victims. Don’t think of ourselves as inferior. Don’t think of ourselves as, ‘We are less than someone else.’ Think about ourselves as generally historical entities that are self-actualized,” he said.

The lecture series continues 12:15 p.m. Tuesdays.

Economics Professor Susan Spencer will host “Ethics in Business” Tuesday and political science Professor Asslan Khaligh will host “Revolution Across the Islamic World: Our Friends or Foes?” Oct. 16.

For more information, call 210-733-1441.

Accounting sophomore Johana De Leon, member of Students United for the DREAM Act, asks a student to pledge to become a DREAM voter Tuesday in the mall. Ingrid Wilgen

SUDA helps ‘DREAMers’ policy.

By LUCIA ESPINO

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services estimated about 250,000 applications for the first month of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy. So far, less than 100,000 are estimated to have been filed.

Students United for the DREAM Act held an information session to help students understand the DACA policy and application process.

The panel was formed by English Professor and SUDA adviser Mariano Aguilar; Kimberly Rendon, liberal arts major and SUDA officer; and Marisol L. Perez, immigration attorney.

At the beginning of the session, Rendon clarified that DACA is not the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act or DREAM Act (under strict circumstances) will provide a path to citizenship after years of conditional residency to current, former, and future undocumented high school graduates and GED certificate recipients through college or the armed services.

On Dec. 2010, the DREAM Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives but, in a vote of 55-41, the Senate failed to approved it.

On the contrary, DACA only provides an individual with two years of nondeportation along with the possibility of a work authorization, but the DHS can terminate or renew it any time at the agency’s discretion, Rendon explained.

According to the USCIS, on June 15, 2012, Janet Napolitano, secretary of Homeland Security, announced that certain people who came to the U.S. as children and meet several key guidelines may request DACA. The official guidelines stated that candidates must: • Be under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012.

legal status to ICE, but this is not true,” Perez said. “They don’t ask for family information in any of the forms.”

• Have been brought to the U.S. before Perez also stated some states, like reaching your 16th birthday.

Texas, candidates granted DACA could • Have continuously resided in the qualify for in-state tuition and a driver’s U.S. since June 15, 2007, up to the preslicense, but they will not be eligible for ent time. public benefits anywhere in the country • Have been physically present in the or to enlist in the armed forces.

U.S. on June 15, 2012, and at the time of According to the American making their request for DACA with USCIS. Immigration Council, nearly half of the • Have entered the U.S. without potential candidates for this policy live in inspection (undocumented) before June California and Texas.

15, 2012, or your lawful immigration staHere in Texas, Mexicans are the tus expired as of June 15, 2012. main beneficiaries, followed by Central • Be currently in school, have graduand South Americans (including the ated or obtained a certificate of compleCaribbean) and then Asians. tion from high school, have obtained a Rendon mentioned that SUDA is general education development (GED) allied with San Antonio Immigrant Youth certificate, or are honorably discharged Movement and at a national level with veterans of the Coast Guard or armed United We Dream. forces of the U.S. All of these are nonprofit organiza• Have not been convicted of a felony, tions, led by DREAMers and supporters, significant misdewho are dedicated meanor, three or to promote the “One of the major more other misdeDREAM Act. obstacles is fear. They meanors, and do Most recently (candidates) are afraid not otherwise pose they are helping that if their case is a threat to national candidates through denied then they will be security or public the application proreferred to Immigration safety. cess with the help of and Customs Candidates must pro bono immigraEnforcement (ICE).” submit an I-821D tion lawyers.

DACA form, I-765 SUDA started in Marisol L. Perez, application for the spring of 2009 immigration attorney employment authowith one member, rization, I-765WS psychology major Worksheet, and the documentation to Alina Cortes, who then spread the word prove they meet all guidelines. and recruited members by giving out The cost for this process is a $380 plus cookies around this campus. $85 for biometric services as stated by This organization’s purpose is to USCIS. promote and advocate the passage of “One of the major obstacles is fear,” DREAM Act by educating people about Perez said, “They (candidates) are afraid this piece of legislation and how it benthat if their case is denied then they will efits others outside of DREAMers. be referred to Immigration and Customs Aguilar would like for others to “Get Enforcement (ICE).” involved and realize that DREAMers are The USCIS will only refer cases with a productive members of the society.” criminal record to ICE, Perez explained.

For more information, SUDA at: suda“Another fear is that the USCIS could sac@gmail.com or visit www.facebook. reveal their parents or family members’ com/sudasac.

News

Oct. 8, 2012

The Ranger • 7

www.theranger.org

National Coming Out Week begins today

By NICOLE A. WEST sac-ranger@alamo.edu

In honor of National Coming Out Week, the college will host eight events today through Thursday.

President Robert Zeigler will introduce Dale Carpenter, law professor at the University of Minnesota, who will talk on his book “Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence v. Texas” at 11 a.m.– noon today in Room 218 of the nursing complex.

Local LGBTQ professionals will host a LGBTQ business leaders panel discussion titled “Stories of Success in The Real World” about succeeding regardless of orientation 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m. Tuesday in Room 218 of the nursing complex.

Also on Tuesday, comedian Jade Esteban Estrada will perform his one-man show “ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 4” 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister.

An LGBTQ community fair will take place 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Wednesday in the mall. Farias said students can learn information on health, advocacy and business organizations.

Students and community performers will participate in a drag show 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center.

The week will conclude with

two events Thursday. tionally recognized event like Black Transgender activists will disHistory Month, Hispanic Heritage cuss rights based on gender idenMonth, and Women’s History tity and expression during “The Month, Farias said.

Journey Towards Transgender Psychologist Robert Eichberg, Acceptance” 9:25 a.m.–10:40 a.m. and Jean O’Leary, a lesbian nun, in the faculty and staff lounge of organized the first White House Loftin. meeting of gay leaders. They English Instructor Farias will founded National Coming Out Day host the discussion. on Oct. 11, 1988.

Political science Instructor Eichberg founded a political Fred Williams will host “Is Gay the action committee for gay rights in New Black?” 10:50 Los Angeles. a.m.-12:05 p.m.

About 10,000 “Our purpose in the faculty and rainbow-colored is to educate, staff lounge of wristbands will advocate, provide Loftin. be distributed a safe place The discussion throughout the and provide will cover simiweek. information on larities and differ“Our purpose resources for the ence between the is to educate, LGBTQ people.”

African-American advocate, provide and LGBTQ civil a safe place and Rene Orozco, rights movements. provide informaGALA president Coming Out tion on resources Week is meant to for the LGBTQ celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, people. The club is like a training transgender and questioning comground for leaders in the commumunity, Farias said. nity,” GALA president Rene Orozco, He said the week is also meant advertising and public relations to encourage people to “come out” sophomore, said. and be proud of who they are.

GALA meets 3 p.m. Wednesdays In honor of Ally Week, which in the faculty and staff lounge of immediately follows National Loftin.

Coming Out Week, drag performers For more information on will host drag show bingo 10 a.m.-1 Coming Out Week, contact Farias p.m. Oct. 17 in the faculty and staff at 210-486–0668. lounge of Loftin.

For more information on GALA, Coming Out Week is an institucall 210-201-4252

Drag queen Eryca Daniels announces freshman Jasmine Culton during National Coming Out Week in Loftin Oct. 11, 2010. File

Campus police go green patrolling the campus

By JENNIFER CORONADO

jcoronado60@alamo.student.edu

Chief Police Don Adams provides a tour in the new electric carts distributed to Alamo Colleges district police. Jennifer Coronado

The Alamo Colleges Police Department now has electric patrol cruisers at each college for police officers.

The cruisers have features similar to a golf cart with additional seating in the rear to transport passengers.

Two cruisers were issued to each campus for police operation on Alamo campuses this fall.

Each cruiser costs about $9,000 for a total of $90,000 for the 10 cruisers, Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said.

The funds for the cruisers came from the department savings budget, Police Chief Don Adams said.

The Alamo College board of trustees approved the cruisers.

The new cruisers give the ability to operate year-

round with the plastic coverage to keep out the rain, Adams said.

The cruisers cost the same price as the T3, another electric patrol vehicle used on campus. The cruisers are fully electric-powered.

“The T3 could not be used in the rain and had a higher service price for repairs,” Snyder added.

“They keep trying to use the T3, but they’re not as hardy.”

The cost to go with the cruisers was less than a car and they’re more reliable, Snyder said.

“We primarily don’t patrol in the cars anymore, but we’ll always have them,” Adams said.

The cruisers are a better way to build a relationship with students, Adams said.

They can give students a lift, Adams said.

Safety tips discourage theft of property

By JENNIFER CORONADO

jcoronado60@alamo.student.edu

The most common crime reported at this college is the theft of unattended property, Sgt. Robert Tomlinson of district police said during an interview Oct. 3.

“We have had a few vehicle burglaries this fall,” Tomlinson said.

According to the campus

police blotter, at this campus there have been 18 reports of theft, five of burglary of a vehicle and seven reports of damage to personal property this fall.

Chief Don Adams said victims often create a situation that invites the opportunity for theft.

There was one report of robbery and two of simple assault.

Students leave valuables on tables in Loftin, Tomlinson said.

Don’t leave property alone for any length of time, Adams said.

Tomlinson said the department has officers divided equally among the five Alamo Colleges.

The crime investigation division uses investigative tools to help students recover lost or stolen property, Tomlinson said.

“Theft happens all over campus,” Tomlinson said. “Maintain control of your property.”

In 2011 crime statistics, there

were reports of one sex offense, one robbery, two aggravated assaults, 12 simple assaults, four cases of intimidation, 143 thefts, 11 motor vehicle thefts, 48 vandalism, three arrests for drug violations and one arrest for liquor law violations on campus.

Off campus there was one report of intimidation, 24 of theft, 20 of vandalism.

To view additional safety tips on personal safety and crime prevention, visit http://alamo. edu/district/police/.

Crime prevention tips: • Be aware of your surroundings.

• Immediately report any suspicious people to Alamo Colleges police.

• Use the “buddy” system when walking.

• Request an Alamo Colleges police safety escort at 485-0099.

Contact Information: Emergency Number: 210-222-0911 24-Hour Dispatch: 210-485-0099

Editorial

8 • The Ranger

Oct. 8, 2012

www.theranger.org/opinion

Editor Alma Linda Manzanares Managing Editor Rebecca Salinas Calendar Editor Jennifer Coronado Photo Editor Riley Stephens Photographer Vincent Reyna Photo Team David Torres, Gloria Fernandez De Clements Jovan Ibarra, Monica Correa, Samber Saenz Sergio Ramirez, Carolina Vela Multimedia Editor Ingrid Wilgen Illustrator Juan Carlos Campos Production Jason Hogan Mandy Derfler Staff Writers Cristina Carreon, Jennifer Charo Angelo Thomas Dixon, Chelsea Driskell Lucia Espino, David Espinoza, Carlos Ferrand Edgar Garcia, Kirk Hanes, Jennifer Luna, Beau McCarter, Patricia McGlamory Adam Meza, Ivie Okungbowa, Osita Omesiete Diana Palomo, Felipe Perez Jr. Janeka Porter, Christina Quintanilla, Amanda Rios Paula Christine Schuler, Joshua Tristan, Nicole West Web Editor Faith Duarte

©2012 by The Ranger staff, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212-4299.

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 journalism classes in the Department of Media Communications 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 (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 upon request 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 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 mailed to The Ranger, Department of Media Communications, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299.

Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, emailed to sac-ranger@alamo.edu 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.

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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.

Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single- copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and subject to college discipline.

Juan Carlos Campos

Use fee wisely Under the supervision of Chair Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs, the Student Activity Fee Committee has the opportunity to invest students’ money in students as it should have been all along.

The activity fee fund comes from the collection of $1 per credit hour per student.

In 2006, the fund was estimated to reach $472,000 and was used for construction and student life personnel under the supervision of the previous nonvoting committee chair, Jorge Posadas, student life director, when he engaged an architecture class here to remodel Loftin Student Center with a budget of $170,000.

That fall was Posadas’ first semester as director and the first semester the college collected the student activity.

Based on a recommendation to double the student activity fee to $2 per semester hour, a proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 would have added $110,000 to the $100,000 already paying for two associate directors.

That would have meant the fee meant to serve students would be shelling out $210,000 for two associate directors and two assistant coordinators. That budget was never enacted because district colleges did not approach the board of trustees for approval to double the fee.

At the Sept. 25 committee meeting, President Robert Zeigler said the committee needed to approve proposals that will have a broad student impact. For example, installing a $70,000-$80,000 Steinbach piano in Loftin was rejected.

Another attempt to divert funds from students was a suggestion allegedly from Posadas in November 2010 to buy iPads for committee members. Though the Student Activity Fee Committee meetings were closed to the public at that time, a student member of the committee who opposed the idea told The Ranger that theater instructor Charles Falcon made the motion and five members of the committee approved it.

After sunshine leaked into the closed meetings and the vote to buy iPads was made public, the committee dropped the idea.

Falcon also reported at the Sept. 25 meeting that Posadas conducted catered committee meetings in his home.

It is hard to see how that benefits students if the catering bill was charged to the student activity fee fund.

Instead of iPads, and a Steinbach piano, the committee needs to focus on entertaining while educating students. Students deserve a

bang for their ever-increasing buck.

The committee is supposed to review proposals submitted by student organizations seeking funds and determine which are worthy to dip into the $50,000 allotted for organizations.

It would be good start to give a small allocation to every club that submits the appropriate documentation to student life at the beginning of the year to encourage them to be active. The money could go for signs, a field trip or even refreshments for a get-acquainted meeting.

Campus clubs such as the Gay, Ally and Lesbian Association and the Onstage Drama Club consistently provide entertaining events that benefit students, but what about other campus clubs that could provide a wealth of knowledge such as the Teaching Academy Program Peers and the Non-Traditional Student Club?

Instead of spending $20,000 a year advertising activities for students in The Current, that money could be put to use on campus to make banners and hang them around campus to advertise upcoming events.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month and Women’s History Month, the committee could sponsor films in Loftin during daytime hours such as “The Color Purple” and “Erin Brockovich.”

Northeast Lakeview College’s office of student leadership and activities doesn’t even wait for monthlong celebrations to bring in movies. It presents Middle of the Month Movies with free popcorn and drinks. The event is first-come, first-served for a maximum group of 85 with multiple showings of popular flicks such as “The Hunger Games,” “Dark Shadows” and “The Bourne Legacy.”

Investing in a space for clubs to set up shop or store items for upcoming events or having a student life work-study answer a line for questions pertaining to clubs would be beneficial.

How about just cleaning up the trophy case on the southern exterior of Loftin and maintaining it to honor the students who worked hard to earn those accolades for this college?

The layer of dust, bugs and spider webs covering trophies and plaques shows disrespect to those students and the college.

The money students pay in the student activity fee fund should promote broad aspects of college life.

And the college community should keep a close eye on the direction of the Student Activity Fee Committee to make sure students get their money’s worth.

Opinion

Oct. 8, 2012

The Ranger • 9

www.theranger.org

Editorial

Wealth of knowledge Be observant across street at college Students need to keep their eyes and ears open.

How many students know about The Ranger? KSYM? OrgSync?

Websites like these, as well as the school’s website at alamo.edu/sac, keep students informed about what is going on in the college.

For those into social media, check this school’s Facebook page at facebook.com/sanantoniocollege, Twitter account at twitter.com/SAC_PR and YouTube account at youtube.com/SACofficialvideo.

Who said being in the know is not cool?

Campus organizations, the office of student life and the theatre program post posters on upcoming plays and events on bulletin boards around campus.

ACES email is also a way to stay informed.

Campus crime alerts, scholarship information and weekly notifications for upcoming events are sent through ACES email.

If necessary, the emergency notification system sends messages by voice, text or email.

Verify phone numbers, addresses and personal emails in ACES. Whether you read bulletin boards or check the campus Facebook page daily, there are many ways to stay informed.

Attend events, interact with other students and check social media sites for important information.

You don’t want to be like the students who lost out on $2,500 scholarships this fall because they didn’t respond to email.

Now that is not cool.

On my way to campus one Monday, I dragged my zombified body across the street and cut a sidewalk corner, attempting to walk in the mud because I was running late to speak for The Ranger on KSYM 90.1FM. Needless to say, I slipped and fell Viewpoint by — twice — and was covered in mud ALMA LINDA from head to toe. As if things weren’t MANZANARES bad enough, I neglected to do laundry that weekend and the clothes I had on amanzanares6@ were the only “clean” clothes I had. student.alamo.edu What a horror story.

Fortunately for me, I live right across the street from campus, south of Oppenheimer Academic Center, to be exact.

If any emergency occurs, I can easily walk the five minutes it takes from The Ranger newsroom in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, to my apartment.

I can leave the newsroom midday — like that ever happens — to go home and make lunch before my next class.

No more getting up two or three hours before class starts to catch a bus, or two, to make it on time, or leaving the newsroom late on production days and arriving home when it’s pitch black outside.

I have the opportunity to take advantage of the many services the college has to offer without worrying about what time I should leave campus to catch the bus.

Two libraries are in reach: this college’s library in Moody Learning Center and the public San Pedro Branch Library in the park.

Remember when Belle walks into the ginormous library in the Beast’s castle in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”?

OK, maybe it’s not that dramatic, but it’s still a bookworm’s dream. It beats a never-ending search engine, such as Google, for a biography and worrying whether the webpage is reliable.

I also am able to stay in the evenings for recitals and plays in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center or the theater of McCreless Hall without having to worry about missing the last bus.

Once the Tobin Hill Lofts are complete, more will have the opportunity to live in such close proximity. The publicprivate partnership will be built at the northwest corner of North Main Avenue and East Laurel Street.

The project consists of a 1,000-space parking garage; a four-story, 150-unit residential development; and 63 residential units in a third building at Evergreen Street and Main. Amenities include a fitness center, theater room and swimming pool. Each apartment will have a flat screen television with rent starting at $600 to $700 per month.

While those amenities are nice, the best part is being able to sleep longer and coming and going to and from campus as I please to take advantage of the many opportunities this college offers, such as the unlimited amount of knowledge in the pages of books in the library.

Create center Country girl with a city life It’s not easy to find money for college. Some students are able to use grants received from financial aid, while others work to pay for bills and classes.

Adding new debt is not an option.

STEM students missed out on free money because they failed to check their ACES email and Facebook accounts.

STEM grant liaison Angela Stewart worked hard to find 65 students to take $2,500 scholarships by emailing applicants from the Alamo Colleges Foundation internal scholarship program and teaming up with public relations to post scholarship information on Facebook.

Who can afford to throw away money when tuition seems to increase every semester and financial aid is harder to qualify for?

The creation of a scholarship center, located centrally on campus, may be what is needed to provide a centralized location where students can get help with finding and applying for money.

The center would help students find scholarship money and organize portfolios and résumés that are usually required with the forms.

Staff members who know the latest scholarship information and access to online databases could help students to finance their education without using loans.

Shopping for scholarships can be scary. It can be hard to face competition with other students.

But when a scholarship is won, it means a recognition of your work and an understanding that someone believes in you enough to help finance your education.

The best thing of all about having a scholarship center is, with increased awareness, no more money will get lost in the mail.

It takes 45 minutes for me to get from my desk in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center to my home in far South Bexar Viewpoint County.

by REBECCA I have to be on SALINAS campus at 7 a.m. on Thursdays for rsalinas191@ production work student.alamo.edu on The Ranger, 8 a.m. on Tuesdays and before 9 a.m. other days to get a decent parking spot.

That means I have to wake up two hours before I have to be at school.

I ask myself everyday, “When are they going to invent teleporting?”

It’s not like I do not have a choice; I can easily get an apartment nearby or stay at my aunt’s house only a few minutes from campus.

I just love to be around my family, horses and donkey.

I love to go home and tell them about my day — “them” being the horses.

That is something I cannot do living in the city.

Every mile is worth the drive when I get to see them every day.

Señor, the writer’s donkey. Courtesy I don’t care; I can drive for hours; I never get tired of the answering soft neigh from the back of my land when I get home and I yell, “Boyyyyyys.”

It’s good my neighbors aren’t very close to us because the animals make a lot of noise.

My closest neighbors are my horses. They put the “neigh” in “neighbors.”

It’s also a good thing I do not live near this college; I don’t think President Robert Zeigler or anyone else here would appreciate hourly donkey honk.

My donkey, Señor, puts the “honk” in “honky-tonk.”

My frustration in the amount of time and gas I spend on the daily commute is nowhere near the love I have for my ranch.

The price of gas is my family’s worst enemy because we drive 4x4 trucks and SUVs. Everything is bigger in Texas, right?

Yeah, my family and I are the poster children for Texas ranching families.

I would not be able to live up to my family’s name if I lived downtown.

Although I have to rush to class and pray the remaining gasoline fumes get me to school, I love where I live.

I would never trade life on my ranch for the convenience of a highrise apartment downtown.

I can just picture that: three horses and a donkey waiting for me each day, eating the plants in the lobby.

IAMA (International Academy of Music & the Arts) Coffee Company “A unique, creative, art space for coffee, meetings, music and mingling.”

Coffee House, Deli, Music Lessons Biker Rewards Program, Monthly Events Calendar, 10% Discount with Student/Military ID 1627 Broadway, 78215 · www.iamacoffeehouse.com · Phone: 210.669.4277 After Hours: 210.310.6298 Hours: Monday. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Opinion

10 • The Ranger

Oct. 8, 2012

www.theranger.org

A descendant of mixed ethnicities The flashback is clear.

In a dark classroom in 1974, an old style reel-to-reel movie projector is pushing images in front of fifthgrade faces.

The projector’s motor clicks and hums joining the sounds of gunshots, horses hitting the ground and shouts of war.

Viewpoint Mrs. Coleman

by Paula had introduced Christine this as the history Schuler lesson of the day. sac-ranger@ Students enjoyed alamo.edu films of any topic.

The dark room offered unique opportunities, not to mention relief from lecture and silent homework sessions.

My fifth-grade self was glad to be in the dark because, this time, I was crying.

It seemed every year, we watched

this cowboy and Indian slaughter film.

It felt just awful.

Maybe I was sensitive. Maybe I had too much connection with my roots or was too curious about who my great-greats were, what their lives were like.

My family has been in this country a long, long time.

I was a McCoy of the Hatfield and McCoy feud.

I descended from Daniel Boone’s family, prairie farmers, a woman who ran for land from the Oklahoma Territory line, Oregon trail pioneers, a Jew from Germany, a Swedish Alaskan lumberjack who married an Eskimo, and three other Native American tribes — the daughter of a Cherokee chief, a Blackfoot named Charlie and the Cree.

So, when I sat there in 1974, watching this simple little history lesson, I was really feeling it.

Tears streamed down my face.

Letters Altercation not clear at Oppenheimer Editor:

I have a question regarding the front page story in the Oct. 1 issue of The Ranger (“Altercation spills out of Oppenheimer”).

What misconduct actually occurred on the first floor of Oppenheimer that caused an altercation? Why were so many valuable resources used and to respond to what?

Your article never clarifies what actually happened on that day. Are you aware that you gave no specific information as to what all the circling of the wagons was about?

Laura Stout San Antonio resident

Spice up ‘The Sandwich’ Editor: I’m 54 so I was a teenager when the music on “The Sandwich,” the new morning show, came out.

Hearing the long Pink Floyd songs, we get sleepy again.

Hot Mustard’s show, “The Sauce,” was awesome with blues music you heard nowhere else.

Cold Turkey can do the same with classic rock on “The Sandwich.” Mix it up with more variety.

How about Electric Light Orchestra, Shawn

To me, those actors were both sides of my family on the same battlefield.

I remember the ’70s with black pride messages on T-shirts and big afro hairstyles.

My cousin married a black man, and was uninvited from clan gatherings. Ethnic consideration was a hot topic between “black and white” at the time.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had given our nation an immeasurable legacy, and people were still working it out.

Columbus Day wasn’t a big deal, but that has changed. Groups stage

Phillips, Buffalo Springfield, It’s A Beautiful Day, Lovin’ Spoonful, The Turtles, The Animals, Traffic, Frank Zappa, The Byrds, Booker T and The MGs, Cream?

The list can keep going. Make it unique, turn the viewers on, make them curious ... and if you want to play a long song, Iron Butterfly’s “In a Gadda Da Vida” never gets old.

Elizabeth Williams SAC graduate

Students learn less about influence on U.S. history Editor:

A frequent complaint we hear in San Antonio is that history classes do not sufficiently cover the influence of Spain and Mexico on the history of the United States.

In HIST 1301, United States History 1, and Texas History classes I’ve taught at this college, I have assigned students to read a good historical novel written by Tina Juárez, a Hispanic Texas educator. “Call No Man Master” describes life in Mexico during the early 19th century and the causes and progress of the war for independence. Action in the story then shifts to Texas to discuss the causes and events of the Texas war for independence.

Unfortunately, a new Alamo Colleges policy that was announced in March will make it impossible for me to use this book or assign any book other than the textbook that adjuncts are told to use beginning this year.

I like the required textbook and do not

protests over it. Controversy began spilling over 20 years ago on the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to the “new world.”

The Internet describes the conflicted holiday as a celebration of western civilization as well as glamorization of atrocities against Native Americans.

Activists remind the public that Columbus never came to the United States.

This party started in the Christopher Colombus. Courtesy 1700s when Italians in New York City faced intense discrimination and decided to celebrate “Italian pride.”

object to using it. The text is a good book but covers all aspects of U.S. history. The influence of Spain and Mexico now will be a minor part of the narrative. Students will then learn considerably less about the early history and prehistory of this region of North America.

“Call No Man Master” is not an expensive book. Arte Público Press, a publisher at the University of Houston, lists the book for less than $20. In March, I found the book available online priced at 51 cents for a used copy — plus shipping and handling, of course.

The new Alamo Colleges policy will make critics’ complaints more true in the future.

Beginning in fall, Alamo Colleges students will learn less about the influence of Spain and Mexico on the history of the United States.

Jerry Robert Poole History adjunct

Strong financial support needed for education Editor:

Many thanks to Students United for the DREAM Act for inviting me to speak. I enjoyed the opportunity to participate with students and to work together to bring more awareness to the DREAM Act. Civic involvement like this should last a lifetime. Particularly important is becoming involved to ensure strong support for education. Too many Texans encounter financial barriers to higher education, and too many others

Times were pretty tough for Italians back then.

In 2012, Columbus Day makes me feel odd.

U.S. holidays celebrate freedom and triumph over tyranny. But this holiday generates images of ethnocentric disregard, enslavement and murder.

I reject arguments the day celebrates “western civilization.”

Columbus was on an economic mission for Spain to find a trade route to the East Indies.

Wealth and fame can create great motivational energy, but achievement does not always translate to greatness.

Unless someone agrees to fund an expensive campaign to educate the public on Italian pride, Columbus Day will remain divisive.

I believe it would be good to ditch the holiday.

Some fifth-graders would agree.

leave college with a mountain of debt.

I authored the “More Education” tax credit to help students seeking education beyond high school.

Also known as the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), this provision allows students or their families to reduce their federal tax payments by up to $10,000 over four years as reimbursement for tuition, textbooks and other higher education expenses. This $2,500 annual credit can cover most or all of the expenses at SAC. Even those attending school and working part time who do not have as much as a $2,500 tax liability, can still claim up to $1,000 in a refundable tax credit for eligible educational expenses, which is similar to the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit. The credit does not apply to expenses you paid with monies received through a scholarship or other grant, but the credit can be used to cover any of your additional out-of-pocket expenses.

Unless my “More Education” initiative is extended, as proposed by the president, 11 million students and their families will be denied this assistance in 2013.

Some in Congress oppose increasing or even maintaining federal support for students. Your involvement matters.

Both my district office and my congressional office in Washington provide year-round internship opportunities for students who have an interest in government and want to learn about the inner workings of a congressional office.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas

Health

11 • The Ranger

Oct. 8, 2012

www.theranger.org

Club plans to air dirty laundry of domestic violence

By LUCIA ESPINO

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

In America, one in four women and one in 13 men will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives. On average each day, three women die as a result of domestic violence, the U.S. Department of Justice reports.

For the third year, the NonTraditional Students Club here will sponsor the clothesline project for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

From 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 22 in the mall, students can create messages and art on white shirts for the project.

At 12:30 p.m. Oct. 23, students will meet at the empowerment center to walk a clothesline with the shirts to Loftin Student Center. The shirts will be on display on the second floor of Loftin from Oct. 23-31.

The international project started in 1990 with 31 shirts on display in Hyannis, Mass.

The idea of a clothesline came from women talking about good and bad moments of life while hanging the wash to dry, the project’s website

Criminal justice sophomore Ana Marchand-Maya, president of the Non-traditional Student Club, led women in in a march in October 2011 to bring campuswide domestic violence awareness. File states. “This project is part of the healing process, the shirts are for survivors or in memory of victims,” said Melissa Flores-Valencia, a Seguir Adelante counselor.

The white shirts will be decorated with art and encouraging messages.

“As students make the shirts, there will be counselors around for support and help in case they need it,” Valencia said.

The Non-traditional StudentsClub will march with the clothesline from

the empowerment center at 703 Howard St. to Loftin Student Center, where the shirts will be displayed.

At this college, only white shirts are used but each color represents a type of assault, Valencia said.

White represents a victim who died because of violence; yellow is for battered or assaulted; red stands for survivors of rape and sexual assaults; blue means survivors of incest and sexual abuse; purple is for victims attacked for their sexual orientation;

black represents victims attacked for political reasons.

Valencia said domestic violence is not only physical but includes emotional and sexual abuse.

Emotional abuse is usually the beginning of domestic violence.

Extreme jealousy, keeping the victim from seeing family, going to school or work, calling he/she bad names, and threatening to take their children are signs of this type of abuse.

Signs of domestic violence are hits, pushes, slaps, rape, threats, and killing, Valencia said, adding that none of these signs are normal.

Domestic violence can happen to any one regardless of ethnicity, race, color, income, sexual orientation, age or gender.

Survivors of Incest Anonymous reports one of three girls and one of five boys will be victims of incest or sexual assault before the age of 18.

In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act was passed, which combines tough penalties to offenders and offers aid and support to victims.

Valencia explained that here in San Antonio the Putting an End to

Call for help Battered Women’s Shelter crisis hotline 210-733-8810 National Domestic Violence hotline 800-799-SAFE (7233) Texas Department of Human Resources abuse hotline 800-252-5400 San Antonio Police Department victim’s advocacy line 210-207-2141 Rape Crisis Center 24-hour hotline 210-349-7273

Abuse through Community Efforts (P.E.A.C.E.) initiative is educating the community about the magnitude of often-deadly consequences of domestic violence.

The empowerment center provides counseling and information on resources for victims.

For information, call the empowerment center at 210-486-0455.

PACFit 5K Oct. 20

Lecture shows myths of sexual assault

By JENNIFER CORONADO

By KIRK HANES

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The office of student engagement and retention at Palo Alto College will be hosting a 5K run and walk 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Oct. 20 at the Palomino Center.

Palo Alto created a group called PAC Fit to initiate talk about health among college, faculty and staff, Carmen Velasquez, director of student engagement and retention, said.

The race has 14 divisions, ranging from ages 14 and younger and in five year increments up to 75. All entrants older than 75 compete with one another.

The top three winners of each division will receive medals.

The deadline for early registration is Oct. 12.

The entry fee is $15 for Palo Alto students and $20 for Alamo Colleges faculty, staff and students from other colleges with ID. The general public is $25.

Late registration is Oct. 13-19 and costs $25 for all participants. The registration fee increases to $30 for all on race day. All proceeds go to scholarships for Palo Alto students.

“We are trying to recognize the importance of staying fit,” Velasquez said. “We are not only trying to guide students on the educational level, but also on the health side.”

For more information, call Velasquez at 210-4863130.

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

“One in four females and one in six males will become sexual abuse victims by the time they are 18 years old,” said Marisa Gonzalez, prevention education and training director of Rape Crisis Center, Sept. 18 to an audience of 60 at the Methodist Student Center.

The lecture on myths and truths of sexual assault was part of the ministry’s Hot Potato series each Tuesday that explores a current and often controversial topic.

A baked potato is served after the lecture.

Gonzalez said one in 10 people are forced into sex before graduating high school.

She said that in most rape and sexual assault cases, the victim already knows the offender.

Acquaintances are responsible for 73 percent of reported rape cases: 28 percent of those are intimate relationship partners and 7 percent of them are family members.

Gonzalez said rape is an underreported crime and men are less likely than women to report it.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and intersex victims might not report a sexual assault, fearing the report will focus

Ethics and business is economics Professor Susan Spencer’s Hot Potato topic at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Methodist Student Center.

For more information, call the office at 210-733-1441.

on their own sexual orientation, be seen strictly as a hate crime in retaliation or result in the victim being outed.

Six percent of sex offenders have never been jailed, she said.

Gonzales said the biggest risks for sexual assault aimed at minors includes poverty, low self-esteem, prior victimization and past abuse, runaways, homeless youth and human trafficking.

Human trafficking is recruiting others for involuntary sexual slavery, service and forced sexual acts, Gonzales said.

State law defines sexual assault as the act of penetrating a man or woman intentionally with an object without consent.

Unconscious people or those under the influence of alcohol and drugs cannot give legal consent.

Audience members at the weekly Hot Potato lecture said they felt that the case of sexism in culture and gender roles is the same problem as it’s always been.

The Rev. John Feagins, community director of the Methodist Student Center and campus minister, said when he was in college, fraternity students’ behavior was often sexist and objectifying sexual attitudes were tolerated.

Discussion at the Hot Potato lecture addressed myths of stereotypical and common views, such as that men cannot be raped or that women invite rape by the way they dress.

Media also are seen as an influence on rape culture.

Gonzalez said, “The media influences us everyday, and we’re consumed from its messages and information. It’s violent and tolerates rape culture, sexism and racism.”

She used the “Grand Theft Auto” video game, comedy references and societal tendencies as examples of sexist media.

For information about the center, call John Feagins at 210-733-1441 or visit http:// www.saumcm.org/San_Antonio_UMCM/ Student_Center.html.

Call for Volunteer Students, Artists, Photographers, Videographers!

Visit State Representative Mike Villarreal’s Facebook page to Post Photos or Videos that Show the Very Best of San Antonio & TX House District 123!

1. ENTER YOUR PHOTO OR VIDEO DEMONSTRATING THE BEST OF TX HOUSE DISTRICT 123 & be a part of the final video by submitting your photos or videos that celebrate SAC or any other favorite place in TX House District 123. You do not have to live in TX House District 123. a.

Do you live, work, play or study in Texas House District 123?

Did you know San Antonio College is located in the heart of TX HD123?

Pick up a sign at The Texas House District 123 Office (Office of State Representative Mike Villarreal) 1114 S. St. Mary’s Street, or call 210 378 0197 (Mike Villarreal Campaign Office) for the location nearest you where you can pick up a sign, or to leave an address where a sign can be taken to you.

2. JOIN US: The final showing of the “Best of Texas House District 123” will be at Home Grown Fest, October 25 (6:30 – 10 p.m.) at Brackenridge Park. This is a great way to celebrate Texas House District 123 and a way to demonstrate your civic awareness at a great party. a. Go to https://secure.actblue.com/page/homegrownfest2012 to secure your tickets online. b. Go to Mike Villarreal’s Facebook to let us know you are coming & to share this event with your Facebook friends at http://www.facebook.com/Rep.Mike.Villarreal.

Political advertisement paid for by Friends of Mike Villarreal. P.O. Box 830601, 78283.

Oct. 8, 2012

News

The Ranger • 12

www.theranger.org

Coffee shop overflows with community Deaf chat night spills onto the sidewalk outside Starbucks in the Quarry.

By PAULA CHRISTINE SCHULER

Chelsea Long said, “The deaf community has become my community,” while she At least 50 people of all ages disremingled with an interpreter, father and his garded heavy rains Sept. 28 to attend Deaf toddler daughter.

Chat at Starbucks in the Quarry.

She laughed watching the toddler The crowd welcomed anyone who hapmake animal signs for a friend. pened to want to join in a conversation.

Those gathered that night and those To the average passerby, it would seem who couldn’t attend have another opporsomeone was throwing a party in the coftunity on the horizon for community fee shop. exchange.

All the tables inside were occupied.

The Deaf Festival is described as a The steady line kept the barristas busy. huge reunion and opportunity for games, The sidewalks outside were full. friendship, good food and learning about Throughout, the vibe was animated vendors who specialize in the deaf comand engaged. munity.

Children of deaf The annual adults, known as event has been CODAs, mingled going on as long with students of as anyone at American Sign the chat could Language from remember.

Judson High School The festiand this college. val is 10 a.m.–6 Deaf parents p.m. Nov. 3 in brought toddlers Comanche Park and laughed with No. 2 at 2600 Deaf Chat participants enjoy Starbucks while pracfriends, including ticing sign language skills. Paula Christine Schuler Rigsby Ave. interpreters, stuAdmission is dents, work colleagues and family. $2, but parking is free and the event is Some participants can hear, some canopen to the public. not. Some were bilingual in English and “Miss Manners,” a panel of deaf American Sign Language, while others “ladies” will present their insights into were just learning. proper ways to express good manners The bilingual participants were happy within the deaf community. to help novices and interpret so the “sinThe panel is scheduled 7 p.m.-9 p.m. gle-lingual” could join the conversation.

Oct. 16 in the auditorium of McAllister American Sign Language sophomore Fine Arts Center. sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Participants of Deaf Chat congregate at Starbucks in the Quarry Sept. 28 Paula Christine Schuler

Deaf Awareness Week The department of American Sign Language and interpreter training will sponsor films, workshops and sessions for Deaf Awareness Week Oct. 12-19.

Everyone will have an opportunity to meet faculty and students in an open house Oct. 12 in Room 120A and 120B of Nail Technical Center.

“Diversity and You” is a workshop with Robert DeMayo of the film “See What I’m Saying” 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 13. in the auditorium of McAlister Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $15.

Later that day, “See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainer’s Documentary” will be shown at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister.

Tickets are $10.

Combo workshop and movie tickets are $20. Tickets can be purchased in Room 114 of Nail Technical Center.

A film, “Beyond Silence,” will be shown at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 in the auditorium of McAllister.

The last event will be a game night 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 19 in the auditorium of McAllister.

For more information, call the department office at 210-486-1106.

Above: Department of ASL and interpreter training Faculty from left: Houston Carruth, Darin Dobson, Peter Skarp act in the Miss Manners skit in Loftin Student Center for sign language awareness in 2003. File photo Left: Miss Manners Deb Davidson, Brian Barwise and Darin Dobson perform for sign language awareness. File Photo

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