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Student activities to expand for Tobin Lofts
This week District celebrates international students International Education Awareness Week will be today through Friday sponsored by the district to spread awareness of the benefits of learning abroad. A reception kicks off the week at 4:30 p.m. today in Killen Center, 201 W. Sheridan St. A study abroad reception for students and faculty will be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in the same location. A luncheon for international students will be at noon Thursday at Koehler Cultural Center, 310 W. Ashby Place. Carol Fimmen, director of international programs, said the luncheon is to celebrate the 400 international students who attend Alamo Colleges, Fimmen said. For information, call 210-4850076.
Jennifer Luna
International Education Week boasts 20 events Twenty events sponsored by the foreign languages and ESL programs and the international student services office are scheduled to celebrate International Education Week today through Friday. Confucius Instructor Yaping Zhang will host a Chinese cooking demonstration 8 a.m.–11 a.m. today in the lobby of Oppenheimer Academic Center and a presentation on Chinese pressure point massage at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Room 220C. At noon today, Dr. Ryan Lozano will have a discussion on “Yogasutra Patanjali” followed by a short yoga lesson in Room 220C in Oppenheimer.. A Japanese study abroad information session will be 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Wednesday in Room 128 of Oppenheimer. An open mic poetry session themed “Mother Tongue” will be 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday in Room 220 of Oppenheimer. Students will provide booths and activities showcasing their home countries for “Travel Around the World!” at noon Thursday in the lobby of Oppenheimer. For the full schedule, visit http://alamo.edu/sac/news/international-education-week.
Nicole A. West
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Vol. 87 Issue 8 • Nov. 12 2012
Director is expected to engage more student participation. By FAITH DUARTE
fduarte3@student.alamo.edu
Volunteer Carmen Garcia distributes items to aviation sophomore Cassandra Rios Wednesday at the Phi Theta
Kappa Food Pantry, 602 W. French. The pantry is open noon-3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. Riley Stephens
Ethnic taunts, threat sparked altercation By FAITH DUARTE
fduarte3@student.alamo.edu
The verbal altercation in Oppenheimer Academic Center Sept. 26, which led to the suspension of one student and the probation of another, began when a student threatened two students Sept. 24 because of their Iranian descent. This information was provided in highly redacted incident reports released by the Alamo Colleges department of public safety Nov. 2 and Nov. 5. College officials had provided no details of the incident, which attracted 10 police officers, including the police chief, and three student affairs administrators, while an investigation was conducted. According to a Sept. 26 police report, a student threatened two students at about 11:15 a.m. Sept. 24 at the entrance to the first floor of the building. One of the victims, a female, told police that she and the other student, her father, were leaving the building when they heard two female students and one male student taunting them about their Iranian descent. One of the three students then threatened in Arabic to run over the two students, according to the report. The two students reported the incident later that afternoon. The reporting officer informed the two students who reported the threat that a campus police officer could escort them between classes and asked them to notify campus police if the victims saw any of the three students. According to a Sept. 28 redacted police report, four students harassed the two victims Sept. 26 in Oppenheimer while the father was calling campus police to identify the student who threatened them two days earlier. At about 11:30 a.m., the reporting officer noticed a crowd gathering in the lobby was yelling at the group “in a foreign language.” The father identified a male student as the aggressor, and the reporting officer then asked the male student to step outside to discuss the Sept. 24 incident. While the male student refused to cooperate, the reporting officer said several individuals told him that the male student did not need to go outside. The reporting officer then asked the male student and another male who accompanied the aggressor to go outside. As the two students walked outside, two female students shouted at the reporting officer and told
District police and college officials gather information on an incident in Oppenheimer Sept. 26. Riley Stephens the two male students not to cooperate with police. The female victim identified the two female students as the other students who accompanied the male student in the Sept. 24 incident. The reporting officer told the two female students to go outside and accompany the male students and the police when a crowd walked toward the group while shouting. The reporting officer asked the crowd to stay inside the building and requested additional police units. One of the female students said she could not talk to police “because of her culture” and two students attempted to leave the scene before an officer could get their information. The reporting officer witnessed the growing crowd and requested backup units a second time. About 10 officers responded to the scene, including Chief Don Adams. Once all of the individuals were separated, the reporting officer wrote that the male aggressor said he did not threaten anybody and called the female victim a liar. Once additional officers arrived at Oppenheimer, campus police and staff cleared the first floor and blocked entrances to everyone but students who had classes in the building. Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of academic and student success; Manuel Flores, student conduct officer; and Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs, also responded to the scene. Participants were separated into three groups as officials attempted to determine what happened. All names, including the names of the reporting officer or officers, were redacted from the reports. Vela confirmed Oct. 25 that one student was ultimately suspended while another faced probation. The student who was suspended was already on probation from the Sept. 24 incident. No criminal charges were filed.
The role of the office of student life will need to increase to provide more activities after the completion of the public-private partnership Tobin Lofts, Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of academic and student success, said Oct. 29. To increase student engagement upon completion in fall 2013, student life Director Jorge Posadas will be responsible for building a relationship with Campus Advantage, a stuJorge Posadas dent housing management company, in addition to his regular job duties. Vela said Thursday that he has established a committee of faculty and staff to collaborate with Campus Advantage. Student activities specialist Carrie Hernandez represents student life on the committee. “We will need to do more evening- and weekend-type programming in collaboration with Campus Advantage, who will oversee the day-to-day operations of Tobin Lofts,” Vela said. Tobin Lofts will be open to students from any college and include a 225-unit residential space, a 961-space parking garage and 12,000 square feet of commercial space, with Luther’s Café as anchor tenant. “We anticipate that most of those students are going to be from SAC, and they’re going to want programming, they’re going to want activities, and Campus Advantage wants to partner with us to continue to develop this, so that role will get bigger and bigger,” Vela said. Posadas declined to be interviewed concerning exactly how student activities will expand and how the office of student life is affected by the director ending involvement with the Student Activity Fee Committee, which oversees about $400,000 in funds designated for student activities. Posadas resigned from the committee during the summer. Because Posadas is no longer part of the committee, Vela said Posadas would have to ask for student activity funds “in the same proposal format that anybody else will have to do it.” Posadas had been in charge of the committee of five students and four faculty and staff since the implementation of the student activity fee in fall 2006, which is generated through the collection of $1 per credit hour per student. Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs, was appointed chair of the committee in September. A district procedure allows the college president to appoint someone other than the student activity director to fill that role. According to district Procedure F.2.3.1, “The Director of Student Activities or comparable assignee appointed by the President shall serve as a nonvoting member and chair the committee.”
See STUDENT, Page 4
People
2 • The Ranger
Nov. 12, 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 ACCD Event: Veterans Day federal holiday with classes in session and offices open. ACCD Deadline: 2012 animated holiday e-card contest submission to dmelgoza@alamo.edu. Continues through Friday. Call 210-485-0020. SAC Deadline: Foundations of Excellence survey available in ACES. Continues through Friday. Call 210486-0063 or visit www.alamo.edu/sac/ fromthegroundup. SAC Workshop: PowerPoint sponsored by the student technology center 11 a.m.noon in Room 542 of Moody. Continues 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday and 8 a.m.-9 a.m Friday. Call 210-486-0160. SAC Meeting: Student Government noon-1 p.m. in the craft room of Loftin. Continues Mondays. Call 210-486-0133. 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 Workshop: ACES/Blackboard Essentials sponsored by the student technology center 3 p.m.-4 p.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Continues 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Thursday. Call 210-486-0160. Event: Exhibit of new ceramic works by Veronica Castillo 10 a.m.-7 p.m. at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro. Continues through Friday. Call 210-288-0201 or visit www.esperanzacenter.org. Tuesday SAC Workshop: Adobe Acrobat X Professional sponsored by the student technology center 8 a.m.-9 a.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Continues 11 a.m.-noon Wednesday and 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Thursday. Call 210-486-0160. SAC Event: Angel Tree Project sponsored by Staff Council 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. in the staff and faculty lounge of Loftin. Call 210-486-0255. SAC Workshop: Prezi sponsored by the student technology center 10 a.m.-11 a.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210486-0160. SAC Event: Hot Potato lecture: “The Dragon and the Eagle” by Dr. J. Philip Rogers at 12:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 Belknap. Call 210733-1441 or visit http://www.saumcm. org/San_Antonio_UMCM/Calendar.html. SAC Meeting: Campus Crusade for Christ now called “Cru” 1:30 p.m. in Room 004 of Chance. Continues Tuesdays. SAC Meeting: College Council at 2 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210-486-0956.
210-486-0160. SAC Event: Fashion Show sponsored by student life noon-1 p.m. preceded by a reception at 11 a.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0128. SAC Meeting: Teaching Academy Program Peers 1 p.m.-2 p.m. in Room 129 in Gonzales Hall. Call 210-4860658. SAC Meeting: Gay Ally & Lesbian Association 3 p.m. in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-201-4252. Trinity Lecture: “Probing Mid-ocean Ridge Processes Through Deep Crustal Drilling” by Dr. Doug Wilson 4:45 p.m.5:45 p.m. in Room 437 of the center for sciences and innovation. Email lynda. ibarra@trinity.edu. PAC Event: Jazz Ensemble Concert sponsored by the music department 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in performing arts. Call 210-486-3227. Thursday SAC Event: Open forum with Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of academic and student affairs, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts center. SAC Event: Reception for the opening of the communication design student exhibition 4 p.m.-6 p.m. on second floor lobby of Longwith. Call 210-486-1361. SAC Performance: “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” sponsored by fine arts department at 7:30 p.m. in McCreless theater. $2 with SAC ID, $8 with other college IDs, $5 for high school students with ID, $10 general admission. Continues at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 210-486-0255.
EMS freshman Chris Shatlain and business administration sophomore Hannah Dunn perform Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” in the 28th talent show Wednesday in Loftin. Music business sophomore Robert Fly won first place and an 8 GB Nook tablet for singing his original song “The Sand In My Boots.” Riley Stephens Emily Kahanek, assistant coordinator of special projects, gives criminal justice sophomore Alicia Pacheco a voucher for a free meal in the cafeteria Monday after drawing a high income card during the OxFam hunger banquet in Loftin. Students were asked to draw cards of high-middle and low income classes, and were then served rice or beans, or both, depending on their class. English Professor Patricia Portales drew a low income card and received a small amount of rice. Portales said the banquet has taught her to be thankful for having three meals a day. Riley Stephens
Friday SAC Event: International Survivors of Suicide Day sponsored by the health promotions office 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0158. 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 Meeting: Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement at 1:30 p.m. in Room 204 of Chance. Call 210-486-0060. SAC Event: 5K Run sponsored by student life 5 p.m.-6 p.m in the mall. $5 for nonstudents. Register at the info desk in Loftin or online at https://orgsync. com/25432/forms/58907. SAC Event: Open Mic Coffee Night sponsored by Cheshyre Cheese Club and student life 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Loftin for 18 and older. Call 210-486-0128. Saturday
Wednesday SAC Workshop: Word (Microsoft) sponsored by the student technology center 11 a.m.-noon in Room 542 of Moody. Call
SAC Event: Racquetball tournament sponsored by kinesiology department at 9 a.m. at racquetball courts in Candler. $5 donation. Call 210-486-1029.
Kinesiology Instructor Medin Barreira teaches cardiovascular exercises to a spin bike class to prepare them for a two-hour final exam Tuesday in Candler. Monica Correa
News
Nov. 12, 2012
The Ranger • 3
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U.S. representative says unified voice effective
‘No hiccups’ during Region 6 meeting Chat with the Chancellor set for 10 a.m. Thursday in Loftin.
By INGRID WILGEN
icobham@student.alamo.edu
It is hard to make a difference when standing alone, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said Nov. 2 at the Texas Junior College Student Government Association Region 6 Conference in Koehler Cultural Center. He told delegates to network and learn to work together because a unified voice is a strong voice. Doggett was elected Tuesday to represent the new District 35, which goes from San Antonio to Austin. The former justice on the Texas Supreme Court has served in Congress since 1994. Attending the conference hosted by the Student Government Association were representatives of two-year colleges including Del Mar College in Corpus Christi and Victoria College in Victoria along with representatives of campus clubs. Jacob Wong, psychology sophomore and SGA president, President Robert Zeigler and Alamo Colleges District 1 trustee Joe Alderete introduced the congressman and explained the importance of student government. A common thread was the need to advocate for education. Doggett said had it not been for his 1967 term as student government president at the University of Texas in Austin, he would not be in
By CARLOS FERRAND sac-ranger@alamo.edu
U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, encourages involvement during a speech Nov. 2 in Koehler. Sergio Ramirez Congress today. Pointing out the importance of unity he said, “ I know that if you go to Austin alone, or to the trustees meeting here alone, or to the city council or other level of government, you speak only for yourself. “But in building support with all the students and reflecting that in the work of your student government, then networking with similar student governments across the region, you can have a more effective voice.” Doggett said he is fighting for the future of higher education by trying to find ways to prevent the increasing costs of education from shifting onto students. He said not everyone will go on to serve an elected office, but they can be informed, active citizens making a difference in the community.
This college played host to the Texas Junior College Student Government Association Region 6 Conference on Nov. 2-3. During their weekly meeting Nov. 5, members of SGA congratulated each other the success of their first Region 6 conference. “There was no hiccups,” Secretary Justin Wideman said. On Nov. 2, 30 members from this college, Del Mar College and Victoria College met at Koehler Cultural Center, and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, addressed the conference. Doggett served as the president of the student government at the University of Texas at Austin and credits the association with launching his future in public service, President Jacob Wong said. A team-building exercise at the conference was “toxic spill” in which participants moved a bucket filled with water from the Catholic Student Center to Loftin Student Center. If any water spilled, a judge would remove a member, and the team had to continue minus one. The exercise was designed to help break the ice between students and demonstrate the importance of working as a team, Wong said. Following the exercises, the
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conference moved downtown, and attendees cruised the San Antonio River on a tour barge. The visiting students loved it, Wong said. On Saturday, the conference turned its attention to SGA business, Wong said. They discussed expectations of advisers and contests to enter at the state conference April 11-14 in Houston. This college’s SGA will compete in poetry, song, essay, event of the year, chapter of the year and project of the year. Winning at state is not only winning for SGA, it is for this college, Wong said. “The trophy that comes back is to the college,” he said. The cost for the conference was $3,837 paid from college President Robert Zeigler’s discretionary budget. Dues collected totaled $625. In other news, SGA announced that Chat with the Chancellor will take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. The open forum with Chancellor Bruce Leslie will be open to faculty and staff, but only students can ask questions. SGA members also voted unanimously to add the positions of historian and parliamentarian to be better prepared for the state conference. The historian will be responsible for keeping a scrapbook of SGA’s activities and events for an academic year. The parliamentarian will be responsible for making sure that every meeting is following parliamentary procedure.
“We absolutely have to strictly follow it once we get to state,” Wong said. To fill the positions, SGA could hold a special election that could take weeks or Wong could appoint students. “I do not prefer to do appointment ... but it could take two weeks or more just to get everything set and then another week for end results. We’re already half way through our semester,” Wong said. No final decision on holding elections or appointments was made. Since officer positions travel to all events and conferences, SGA will ask for a budget increase. In other news, SGA is partnering with the office of student life and the Catholic Student Association to hold a nonperishable campuswide food drive 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in the mall. Anyone who donates at least eight cans will receive a voucher worth 10 percent off items at the college bookstore, excluding textbooks or food. If anybody donates 12 cans, they will receive a voucher for Clay Casa, a pottery painting studio, and the 10 percent voucher for the bookstore. The first five people each day to donate at least 16 cans also will receive a discount voucher for Julian’s Italian Pizzeria. SGA will also be giving away one 16GB Mimobot flash drive each day. Only students can sign up to win the Mimobots.
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News
4 • The Ranger
Nov. 12, 2012
www.theranger.org
500 graduate this semester Graduation applications are still filtering in from advisers.
“So I’ll get most all of them by the end of this week,” Jacques said. At the end of the semester, admissions and By NICOLE A. WEST records checks the packets for accuracy before sac-ranger@alamo.edu issuing degrees. About 500 students applied for graduation The college will have its annual comby the Oct. 31 deadline, but the admissions and mencement May 11, and December graduates records office is still receiving applications from may participate. the department advisers, Joe Jacques, assistant “An associate degree is worth money,” director of admissions, Jacques said. “Many of said Wednesday. our students will go out “An associate degree is After a student suband pursue employworth money. Many of our mits an application to ment while they’re students will go out and graduate in ACES, the going to school.” pursue employment while admissions office sends According to the they’re going to school.” the student an email Alamo College website, Joe Jacques, indicating the applicastudents with an assoassistant director tion was received. ciate degree can earn The second step for at least $7,000 or highof admissions the student is to go to er income than high a faculty adviser in the school graduates. department of the major or field of study for “Having an associates degree on a résumé advising. The student and adviser go over can transfer into dollars,” Jacques said. the degree checklist. The adviser puts in the An associate degree includes the core curstudent’s grades for courses required for the riculum that must be accepted by all Texas degree. public colleges and universities. The departments usually turn in all appliFor more information, call 210-486-0200 or cations within a week. visit www.alamo.edu/sac/graduation/
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From STUDENT, Page 1 “It’s a little different from the other colleges … But after he stepped down, we needed to figure out who would be the best person to serve in that role,” Vela said. “We’re fortunate and very happy to have Ms. Mendiola say yes to this role because it’s a very difficult role,” he said. “There’s a lot of organization, a lot of oversight, a lot of accountability of the money that needs to be transparent and it needs to be well-documented. It’s not an easy job.” Vela said when Posadas asked to resign from the committee, “he basically said he could no longer fill in the role, and he wanted to focus on his office and his team, and we Dr. Robert Vela respected that.” Vela said Thursday that Posadas’ role as nonvoting chair of the Student Activity Fee On Nov. 5, The Ranger visited the office of Committee was an added duty to his role as student life and rescheduled with Schlabig the student life director. interview with Posadas for 3 p.m. Wednesday. “His role, really, is to provide leadership She asked if the reporter wanted to do the opportunities and programs to students, story or was assigned the story. oversee the clubs and At about 2:30 p.m. organizations, oversee Wednesday, Posadas “We anticipate that our recreational sports called to reschedule most of those students programs, coordinate the interview and are going to be from SAC, and put together difrequested a Ranger and they’re going to want ferent student activireporter accompany programming; they’re going ties … to facilitate this him while attending to want activities ...” experiential learning meetings, instead of Dr. Robert Vela, piece,” he said. conducting an inter“He’s still responview. vice president of academic sible for the student “It’s going to take a and student success life office, which deals little more time from heavily with clubs you, but it’s going to and organizations, Student Government take a lot of time from me, and my time, I need Association, leadership programs and opporto give to my primary duties,” Posadas said tunities, programming, the whole club sports,” Wednesday. he said Oct. 29. “That is still a very vital piece of It would make for a more interesting story our student affairs operation.” than a sit-down interview, he said. Vela said this fiscal year is a transition“If they (Ranger advisers) don’t like the al period for the committee because of the idea … send me your questions in an email,” change in committee chairs. he said. He said he expects Posadas to continue his The Ranger does not conduct email interrole as student life director and continue being views except in unusual circumstances, such available for students. as with sources out of the area. “I expect him to do all of the activities that After Posadas told The Ranger he expected he’s been doing in the past, and engaging to be paid for interviews Oct. 17, 2011, intermore and more participation from students,” views in January and February with Posadas Vela said. were supposed to be in the presence of Vela. “And to his credit, we have a wonderful At least one took place under those conditions. student life program, and we see a lot more Vela said Feb. 9 he wanted “to ensure a students here than we’ve done in the past.” good interview process” and that everyone According to a district job description was “playing by what we agreed on.” for director of student activities, job duties “He must provide — and his staff — interinclude supervising events in the student cenviews, just like we all do to The Ranger,” Vela ter and organizing performances, seminars said Thursday. “He’s not excluded from providand lectures. ing interviews … that is part of our job.” The job also calls for an “ability to commuVela could not comment on Posadas’ job nicate well with all levels of people and work performance because “that’s more of a confieffectively with community organizations.” dential evaluation process.” Posadas declined to talk to The Ranger for “I think I need to see how this rolls out this story Wednesday “because we’ve already within the next year and see how much that had this interview,” he said in reference to The chair activity took out of his time,” he said. Ranger story “Posadas steps down as activity “Now that he’s no longer chair, I want to fee committee chair,” which was uploaded to see within the next six months or year what The Ranger Online Aug. 30. that means.” The Ranger scheduled an appointment Oct. 30 with student life secretary Mary Schlabig to For more information, conduct a face-to-face interview at 2 p.m. Oct. call Vela at 210-486-0931. 31 with Posadas. For more information About an hour before the interview was on the office of student life, to take place, Schlabig called The Ranger to call 210-486-0125. reschedule the interview with Posadas because she said he was ill.
Premiere
Nov. 12, 2012
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Mortuary science celebrates Dia de Los Muertos By AMANDA RIOS
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Thirty students celebrated Dia de los Santos and Dia de los Muertos Nov. 1 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center. These are Mexican observations in which people honor lives of loved ones who have died. Dia de los Santos is celebrated Nov. 1 to remember children, and Dia de los Muertos is observed Nov. 2 to remember adults. This Mexican holiday tradition has been going on for 500 years. The mortuary science department decided to celebrate this event because they wanted to give students the experience, mortuary science Professor Francisco E. Solis said. Mortuary science students work in funeral homes, and most funeral homes will have a celebration or place an altar for families to celebrate the dead, he said. “It’s a way to get the community back into the funeral home, but not because of a religious service,” Solis said. He said that mortuary science students who work in San Antonio will be servicing Hispanic families because Hispanics make up the majority of the population. “So we are just giving you awareness of the culture,” he said. “In our (Hispanic) culture, we expose children to death early in age because we do not want them to fear death.” Solis explained that in Mexican culture, people die three times. “We die when we are born, we die when we are dead and we die when we are forgotten,” he said. The event in Loftin included three workshops. The first workshop included the explanation of the holiday. “The difference between Halloween and Dia de los Muertos and Dia de los Santos is that it started out as a thing about death. It didn’t start off as a pagan holiday like Halloween,” Solis said. The skeletons placed for decoration are mocking death because this holiday is a celebration of life, not death, he said. “For the next two days, families are going to be revisited by their loved ones, so we prepared an altar for the dead because they have been traveling, they are hungry, and they need to
replenish,” he said. The workshop included making “alfeñiques,” which means sugar skull in Spanish. Alfeñiques are made of sugar and egg whites and are a traditional part of the culture. The department decided to buy chocolate in the shapes of skulls to decorate. Alfeñiques are being used less often and are being replaced by chocolate because children will eat them after they decorate them, he said. The students decorated the skulls with frosting in bright colors, such as blue, orange, green and red. “The skulls are painted in bright colors because we want the spirits to see where they are landing,” Solis said. The students also decorated sugar skull drawings that were later hung in the Fiesta Room. The second workshop demonstrated to students how to make papel picado or punch paper by mortuary science Chair Felix Gonzales. Papel picado was founded in Asia. “It was believed that the paper decorations were the windows to the world, that they were filled with magic,” Gonzales said. Papel picado is used to decorate the altars that are set up for the dead. “Papel picado is used to attract the attention of the souls traveling,” he said. The third workshop was a PowerPoint slide about the symbolisms of the holiday presented by Professor Jose Luis Moreno. “Death is not something that the majority of the MexicanAmericans fear. In fact, it is even embraced,” he said. “It is not the Mexican version of Halloween. It is not scary, not sacrilegious, or a sad ritual,” he said. “We honor those gone but not forgotten. You can compare it to other cultures like the Aztecs or the Spaniards and see how our culture is not similar,” he said. Moreno said marigold flowers are the most commonly used flower when decorating an altar. He explains that when decorating, bright flowers should be used. Moreno presented colors used in altars and their meanings. Purple represents pain, white represents hope, bright pink represents celebration, and orange and yellow represent light.
Mortuary science freshman Michael Hall and Professor Francisco E. Solis carry a decorated altar to the middle of the stage during the Day of the Dead workshop Nov. 1 in Loftin. It has been a tradition in the department to bring awareness to the way death is viewed in the Mexican culture. Carolina Vela “Hispanic culture includes everybody, not just immediate family, so it includes cousins and family friends,” he said. Moreno then explained elements and colors that are needed to be present on an altar. To represent Earth, people will put out flowers, usually marigolds. To represent wind, papel picado is used to decorate the altar so that it flows in the wind to direct the souls. Water is represented on the altar by bringing drinks for the dead. Fire is represented by candles to direct the dead to the light. Altars are set up at graveyards but are not seen as being disrespectful in the Mexican culture because they are honoring the souls that have passed. At the end of the workshop, students brought pictures of the deceased to the altar made by the department and decorated the Fiesta Room with papel picado made during the workshop.
Alternative to Hunger Friday
Staff Council distributes turkey raffle tickets
By ADAM MEZA
Eighteen winners will be chosen Friday.
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Six bands will be playing live Friday to support campus radio station KSYM-FM 90.1 in a fundraiser for Boysville home for boys and girls. KSYM’s 15th annual Alternative to Hunger, or Alt2Hunger, fundraiser takes place at 6:30 p.m. at the VFW Post 76 at 10 10th street. The bands and playing times are Los Nahalutos 6:30 p.m.-7 p.m., The Sky Divided 7:15 p.m.-8 p.m., Saturday Night Satellites 8:15 p.m.-9 p.m., Deep in the Heart 9:15 p.m.-9:45 p.m., Broken Buffalo 10 p.m.-10:45 p.m. and Los
#3 Dinners 11 p.m.-11:45 p.m. Entry fee is a $5 donation, five canned goods per person or one frozen turkey for five people. The proceeds will go to Boysville, a South Texas facility for homeless youth, for the third consecutive year. “We had such problems with the other charitable organizations. We noticed Boysville was struggling to raise money, and it Courtesy is a worthy cause,” said KSYM staff member Victoria Acevedo. For more information, contact program Director Charlie Castleman at 210-4861371 or KSYM@alamo.edu.
By IVIE OKUNGBOWA sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Staff Council distributed 97 turkey raffle tickets to staff during the Halloween candy giveaway Oct. 31 in the visual arts center. Rosie Carreon, fine arts academic unit assistant, said 18 winners will be awarded a dinner provided by Bill Miller BarB-Q for a family of four including turkey, dressing and gravy or a frozen turkey during the raffle at 2 p.m. Friday in the faculty and staff lounge in Loftin Student Center.
Ten winners will receive a gift certificate to Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, and eight winners will receive a frozen turkey during the drawing, she said. Jenney Vargas, student service clerk at the empowerment center, said the Halloween candy giveaway is a good way to bring employees together. Ten members of Staff Council volunteered in the candy giveaway. Vargas said since many staff are at the lower end of the pay scale, they should have opportunities like the turkey raffle to get something for free. Susana Herrera, admissions and records clerk, received a bag
of candy for her daughter but she said she thinks the sugar-filled treats cause health problems. “I want to live long,” she said. She said her daughter gets candy only once a year. Herrera advised people to eat in moderation. She lost 25 pounds in spring by participating in the “Biggest Loser” sponsored by the Wellness Committee. Housekeeper Chevela Man said if she won a turkey, she would donate the turkey to her brother, whose leg was amputated six years ago because of a diabetic injury. For more information, call 210-486-0413.
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Editorial
6 • The Ranger
Nov. 12, 2012
www.theranger.org/opinion
Editor Alma Linda Manzanares Managing Editor Rebecca Salinas Calendar Editor Jennifer Coronado Photo Editor Riley Stephens Photographers Monica Correa, Vincent Reyna Photo Team Gloria Fernandez De Clements Jovan Ibarra, Sergio Ramirez, Carolina Vela Multimedia Editor Ingrid Wilgen Illustrator Juan Carlos Campos Production Manager Mandy Derfler Production Assistant Jason Hogan Staff Writers Cristina Carreon, 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, Nicole A. West Web Editor Faith Duarte Circulation Dawn Mayen ©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 double-spaced, 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.
Single Copy Policy:
Members of the Alamo Community College District community are permitted one free copy per issue because of high production costs. Where available, additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting The Ranger business office. 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 MyAlamo app A new mobile app MyAlamo allows employDr. Thomas Cleary, vice chancellor for ees and students to access a directory, news planning, performance and information sysfeed, course information and emergency tems, said students will be able to register for contact information for iOS and summer classes from their smart Android operating systems. phone because of Phase 2. Students should download A possible Phase 3 of the app this free app for easy access to may even tell student or employdistrict information. ees the location of an available The district spent $66,000 for parking space. How cool is that? a company to create the app. Well, it may not be as trendy as So far, it looks like money wellFacebook or Twitter, but it keeps spent. students and employees up to If students need to contact date with what is happening at professors or classmates, the app district colleges. allows them to find contact inforThe app can even direct you mation in a matter of seconds. to the district’s Facebook and Class catalogs are available on Twitter account as well the webthe app now to help with the regsites for the district and each colMyAlamo, the district’s app for istration process. lege. mobile phones. Riley Stephens Phase 2 of MyAlamo, which Smart phones are popular should be implemented by the among students, so students end of spring, would allow students to view should download — and use — the app that their grades, class schedules and financial aid will help them access information that can information. help them succeed in college.
Keep adjuncts informed Adjuncts who feared they would not be able to teach more than 7.4 semester hours in the spring semester have been given a reprieve — at least for now. President Robert Zeigler said Oct. 31 that the district will make a 6.4 percent contribution to the Teacher Retirement System for adjunct faculty teaching more than 7.4 semester hours in the spring. The adjuncts will have to match that contribution as well. On Sept. 26, Chancellor Bruce Leslie announced to all faculty members that the TRS rule required retirement contributions for adjuncts who teach half of a full-time load. On Sept. 27, Zeigler sent an email proposing three options for this college: Hire more adjuncts, keep faculty teaching 7.5 hours or more with justification or cut classes. Many feared the college could not afford to pitch in its share and that adjuncts teaching multiple classes would have to settle for a reduced course load. Some would not be able to afford the cut in pay and would seek positions elsewhere. Jerry Townsend, Adjunct Faculty Council chair, voiced concerns about the rule at the
Oct. 3 Faculty Senate meeting and Oct. 9 Adjunct Faculty Council meeting and was planning to speak during the citizens-to-be heard section of the Alamo Colleges regular board meeting Oct. 30. Townsend said he was informed of the decision at the regular board of trustees meeting; however, Zeigler said the decision for the district to pay the 6.4 percent contribution was made around a month ago. While it’s great that the problem was resolved temporarily, an apparent miscommunication kept that information from getting to the people it affects the most. The Adjunct Faculty Council and Faculty Senate should have been kept up to date on the issue so they could allay the concerns of faculty. No one wants to sacrifice loyal adjuncts whose classroom performance merits their being assigned multiple classes. And certainly, students don’t want classes cut. So let’s hope the administration realizes the value of ponying up the extra money for adjuncts’ retirement in the spring — and continues to do so. That would send a clear message.
Sports
Nov. 12, 2012
The Ranger • 7
www.theranger.org
Kinesiology Majors Club hosts fifth annual boot camp run Funds raised from the run will go to scholarships and travel for members to a state convention in Galveston. By FELIPE PEREZ JR. sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The San Antonio College Kinesiology Majors club is sponsoring the fifth annual SAC 10- and 5-Miler Boot Camp Run 8 a.m. Nov. 17. The run will be at the Leon Creek Greenway Trailhead behind the Drury Inn at 15806 Interstate 10 West. The run is open to the public. The 10 miler is $35 and 5 miler is $25. Alamo College students get a discount rate of $25 for the 10-miler and $20 for the 5-miler. On average, depending on physical activity, a student can finish a 5-mile run in one hour and 10 minutes and a 10-mile run in two hours and 30 minutes, kinesiology Instructor Chris Dillon said. Proceeds from this event go to funding the Jean Dudney and Nelda Drury kinesiology scholarships named for two former professors. Each scholarship is $500.
The Dudney scholarship is for a kinesiology student, and the Drury scholarship is for a dance student. Kinesiology majors also help with the event by securing sponsors and taking donations in the form of gift cards from Academy Sports & Outdoors. Money raised goes to students of the K-Club to attend the Texas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance from Nov. 28-Dec. 1 in Galveston. This conference is important to kinesiology majors. “This is where my students began to network and establish their contacts for the field they will go into,” Dillon said. Last year the boot camp run drew 250 participants and raised $2,500. Visit http://www.active.com keyword SAC to register, the registration deadline is 11:59 p.m. Nov. 15. Participants also can sign up and pay at The Athlete’s Foot at 923 N. Loop 1604 E.
Rock wall at NLC now open Basic instruction is required before students begin climbing. By OSITA OMESIETE sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The rock-climbing wall located in the lobby of the Wellness Center at Northeast Lakeview College is now open to Alamo College students and faculty. The purpose of the rock-climbing wall is a wellness approach, kinesiology Professor Wes Adams said. He said this style of exercising steps outside the realm of how people are used to working out. Also, the wall can be used in other courses to teach kickboxing and self-defense, he said. To climb the wall, participants need a current Alamo Colleges ID and must reserve a slot with Adams via email at wadams@alamo. edu. Adams is a trained instructor who teaches students techniques and safety before participants are allowed on the wall. Rock-climbing sessions are an hour, and Adams teaches basic instructions, such as how to adjust harnesses and belay properly,
securing the rope so the climber does not fall. The instructional period takes about 15 minutes, Adam said. Adams said after he finishes teaching, the participants then take turns climbing the wall while another person belays. A grigri, locking mechanism that prevents excessive amount of slack, is used so climbers do not have to worry about slipping off the wall and falling. Since there is limited staffing, only six students are allowed at a time, Adams said. Adams said students have the opportunity to stay on the wall longer if there is not a full class in the following time slot. Currently, the rock-climbing wall is open 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m.-11 a.m Friday. Adams said times will be rescheduled in the spring because he is looking for part-time employees. For more information, call Adams at 210486-5306 or email at wadams@alamo.edu.
•
96
years providing women, men, and young people with the education, information, of clients at or below 150% and services needed to make of the federal poverty level. responsible choices about sex of all health services and reproduction. are contraceptive. are age 8 in 10 clients 20 and older.
76%
34%
900,000 clients served by
Planned Parenthood-supported partners in 10 developing countries.
activists, supporters, and donors.
estimated number
584,000
6 million+ 3/4
of clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancies.
of unintended pregnancies averted by contraceptive services each year.
3%
ONLY
in male clients 105% increase from 2000 to 2010.
of all services are abortion services
Fire science freshman Eddie Bautista break-dances in front of his friends in between classes Monday in Loftin. Bautista said he and his friends, dance freshman Ferno Guerrero, liberal arts freshman Fidel Melchor and communications freshman Nathan Wieters, share a love for break dancing. Monica Correa
News
8 • The Ranger
Nov. 12, 2012
www.theranger.org
Challenger Center fundraising gets $500,000 donation By OSITA OMESIETE
“We are working to bring in $5 million for construction and $2 million to set up an endowment,” A $500,000 donation has been received from Mrizek said. Valero Energy Foundation toward the $7 million Mrizek said the principle of the endowthe college is trying to raise for construction of the ment would be invested in the Alamo Colleges Challenger Center. The college has raised $850,000 Foundation. so far, public relations Director Vanessa Torres said Mrizek said this is the first time the college has Nov. 2. raised funds for a building of this scale. Groundbreaking for the Challenger Center at The capital campaign is led by a committee of this college was May 2, and the center is expected 22 volunteers, who have agreed to help raise funds. to open in the fall. “Basically you go out and The center will wrap around ask people to give you money,” “Basically you go Scobee Planetarium increasing Mrizek said in defining a capital out and ask people its square footage from 3,950 campaign. to give you money.” to 21,519. Professional fundraiser David Mrizek, With multiple items such Bonnie Gittinger is trainvice president of as a space station simulator, a ing this committee to raise college services gift shop and a mission control funds, Mrizek said. Charles E. room, the Challenger Center Cheever Jr., chairman emeritus and planetarium will entertain of Broadway Bancshares Inc., as well as educate, David Mrizek, vice president of chairs the committee. college services, said. The campaign is currently in the quiet phase, Challenger Learning Centers are programs to Mrizek said, where the committee speaks with equip students with knowledge, confidence, and contributors who have the capacity to give and are skills to better themselves and the nation, reports interested in supporting the project. the official website for the Challenger Center. Mrizek said he has hopes that it will not have The first learning center was opened in Houston to reach the public phase, where the college hosts in August 1988 by families of the crew that were lost bake sales and events of that nature. from Space Shuttle Challenger/STS-51L, which He said he’s calling the Challenger Center a exploded 73 seconds after liftoff Jan. 28, 1986. “pipeline” to help get people interested in science, Of the 45 learning centers, three are in Texas. technology, engineering and mathematics, known One is in San Benito, one is in an observatory at as STEM. Brazos Bend State Park in Needville, and one is in The center is a comprehensive attempt to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. attract people to STEM education, Mrizek said. Mrizek is confident the college will raise enough For more information, contact Mrizek at 210funds to fund the center. 486-0937. sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Above: Vaughn Construction works on the renovations of Scobee Planetarium with the addition of the Challenger Learning Center Wednesday. Renovations are estimated to finish October 2013 at a total cost of $10 million, David Mrizek, vice president of college services, said. Riley Stephens
Left: Vaughn Construction performs asbestos abatement Aug. 8, on Scobee. Riley Stephens Below: Renovations to the outer shell of Scobee Aug. 1 Ingrid Wilgen
Planetarium Coordinator Bob Kelley looks as a crane removes roof debris July 10 on the west side of Scobee. Ingrid Wilgen
Registration requires online modules, advising By ALMA LINDA MANZANARES amanzanares6@student.alamo.edu
Incoming students for the spring will have to complete mandatory modules online before they are officially admitted in the district. This is part of MyMap, or My Monitoring Academic Progress, an initiative that strives to improve student success. JoCarol Fabianke, interim vice chancellor for academic success, said after incoming students have completed the ApplyTexas application and submitted a high school transcript, they will have to complete required modules. She said students should receive an email or a phone call notifying them to complete the modules. Modules include “Paying for College,” “I-CARE,” “Assessment Information” and “Test Preparation.” At the end of each module, students will be required to take a quiz based on the module. Students have three attempts to get a 60 for the module to be marked as complete.
MyMap. aces.alamo.edu “All of this is really just to better prepare a student to be successful,” Fabianke said. After students complete the modules, they will have to go through HOLA, or hands online advising. The online advising is similar to the group advising students were required to take before, Fabianke said. “It is to hopefully, for some students, make it easier to get through that so they don’t have to
actually sit through a group advising,” she said. Fabianke said there is a concern that enrollment will decrease; however, she said this is not the first time the district has been concerned. She said the district was concerned when the Alamo Colleges board of trustees passed a policy July 26, 2011, ending registration early for spring 2012. Board Policy F.6.1.1 states, “The last day for students to submit an application to enroll for classes starting at the beginning of all other parts of term will be two weeks prior to the first day of the part of term.” Fabianke said concerns also arose this semester when Smart Start was enforced. Smart Start instructed faculty to drop students who do not attend a class at least once during the first week of the semester. 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. “There’s a balance of trying to keep enrollment up and do what we know is right for students,” Fabianke said. “So we feel like this is really important, and we’re trying to make sure students understand it and are going to do these things.” She compared the modules to student development courses, which “nobody wants to take.” “The results show us that that’s really valuable for students and that students have a higher GPA and persistence is greatly increased if they go through that class,” she said. “We’re trying to weigh what we need to do for students to get them ready.” Time-ticketing registration for spring begins Monday-Tuesday for students who have completed 46 or more hours, Wednesday for students with more than 31 hours, Thursday for students with more than 16 hours and Friday for students with more than one credit hour. Registration opens to all students Nov. 19.