Vol. 86 Issue 15 • Single copies free • March 5, 2012 • 210-486-1773 • theranger.org
This week Deadline Friday for graduation Students who want to walk the stage at commencement May 12 must submit an application to admissions and records in Room 216 of Fletcher Administration Center by Friday. Students who do not plan to walk the stage may turn in applications until May 12. A student may apply for spring 2012 graduation if fewer than six hours are left in the degree plan and those hours will be completed during the following summer. To graduate, a student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or higher in all coursework that applies to the degree. Students must have completed a minimum of 25 percent of all course work at this college, be in good academic standing in their final semester and submit an official transcript from all previous institutions attended. Commencement will be at 10 a.m. May 12 at Freeman Coliseum, 3201 E. Houston St. For more information, call Counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez at 210-486-0864 or visit the graduation advising office in Room 124 of the early college program building. Joshua Fechter
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Matthew Tillery, Randy Pike and Padraic “Pad” Kelly, San Antonio Living History Association volunteers, protect their ears from the sound of a cannon blast during a re-enactment of the
siege of the Alamo Feb. 25. They were firing at volunteers portraying Mexican forces trying to infiltrate the mission. Read the story on Page 6. Nicole Henry
Scholarship deadline April 15 The priority deadline for students to apply for Alamo Colleges Foundation scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year is April 15. However, students may apply until Sept. 15. The application process By JENNIFER opened Jan. 17. CORONADO According to the district website, scholarships sac-ranger@alamo.edu are available for first-time, transfer and current students. The scholarship website provides students with links to the application, eligibility and require-
ments, essay and application tips and a list of the foundation scholarships. Students are required to complete one application per academic year to be considered for scholarships. Scholarship coordinator Irene Fuentes said the majority of scholarships are awarded during the spring semester. The remainder of the money is awarded to students who apply later in the fall semester. Students who are awarded scholarships must maintain the same or higher grade-point average
to receive an award. For the 2010-11 academic year, the foundation awarded $250,965. Fuentes said the foundation awarded $152,961.31 during fall 2011. To access the application, go to www.alamo. edu/mainwide.aspx?id=5531 or visit the scholarship office by appointment from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Room 213 of Koehler Cultural Center, 310 W. Ashby Place. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Fuentes at 210-486-0963.
Offices open longer Counseling, admissions, registrar and financial aid offices at Alamo Colleges now offer more hours to accommodate students in evening courses and those who have free time only on weekends. Offices at each college are now open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the first Saturday of each month. Offices also are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays at Palo Alto, Tuesdays at this college, Wednesdays at St. Philip’s and Thursdays at Northwest Vista and Northeast Lakeview. Hours other weekdays for all offices are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jacob Beltran
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Ballot applications for board due today Today is the last day to submit ballot applications for the Alamo Colleges board of trustees election May 12. Seats in Districts 5, 6 and 7 will be on the ballot. Candidates must live in the By JOSHUA district they plan to represent. FECHTER Applications can be filed for a place on the ballot 8 a.m.-noon jfechter @student. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the office of alamo.edu the chancellor/board liaison, at 201 W. Sheridan. To view board responsibilities, visit www. alamo.edu, click “Board of Trustees” under “About Us,” then “Board Policies” and see B.5.1 board responsibilities.
Board liaison temporary election administrator The office of the board liaison is acting as the election administrator for the Alamo Colleges board of trustees election until the district hires a new general counsel. In a phone interview Monday, Chancellor Bruce Leslie said the office of legal services handled past elections, but because district general counsel Retha Karnes left in January, the office was understaffed.
He said paralegal Pat Meurin is the only staff member in the office of legal services. Leslie said allowing the office of the board liaison to handle the election will give applicants greater access to staff who can receive applications. He said if the office of legal services handled the election, only Meurin would be available to receive applications. He said once the district hires a general counsel, the office of legal services will resume its responsibility as election administrator. Leslie said he hopes to have a candidate for general counsel to submit in time for the regular board meeting March 20.
Chancellor, ethics officer see no conflict of interest Leslie said he does not think the chancellor’s office acting as election administrator for board elections constitutes a conflict of interest. The board hires the chancellor, approves his salary and charges him with achieving objectives. Leslie said he does not handle the applications personally nor does he approve applications or endorse candidates. “The primary reason isn’t management; it’s service,” Leslie said. District ethics officer Eddie Cruz said there
may be a perceived conflict of interest, but that there is not one. “Elections have to be handled,” he said. “There’s no room for mistakes.”
Trustees seek, reject re-election As of Thursday, District 5 trustee Roberto Zárate was the only sitting trustee to have submitted an application. Zárate said he submitted his application Feb. 24, and board liaison Sandra Mora said she received Zárate’s application Feb. 27. District 7 trustee Blakely Fernandez told The Ranger Feb. 23 that she would not seek re-election. In a phone interview, Fernandez said her family and Tuggey Fernandez LLP, the law practice she established in May, prevent her from dedicating the time necessary to serve on the board. “I’m juggling too many things,” she said. Fernandez said she supports Yvonne Katz, former Spring Branch ISD superintendent and president of Vision Into Action Associates, to fill the District 7 seat. In a phone interview Feb. 22, District 6 trustee Gene Sprague said he would submit his application within a few days. For more information, call Mora at 210-4850030.
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Calendar For coverage in Calendar, call 210-486-1773 or email sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance. Today Exhibit: “Darwin: How One Man’s Theory Turned the World on Its Head” in Kathleen and Curtis Gunn Gallery at Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. $6-8 with a $5 surcharge. Continues through Sept. 3. Call 210-357-1910. SAC Deadline: Applications accepted for Teaching Academy Program Peers scholarship. Continues through Wednesday. Call 210-486-0658. SAC Deadline: Proposals accepted for student activity fee funds. Continues through March 22. Call 210-86-0125.
Association 3 p.m. in faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-486-0673. Thursday SAC Event: “Cancer Prevention and Women” workshop sponsored by services for women and nontraditional students and UT Health Science Center 1 p.m.4 p.m. in empowerment center, 703 Howard. Call 210-486-0455. SAC Recital: Latin Jazz Combo 2 p.m.3 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0255. Friday
SAC Deadline: Applications accepted for Texas Public Radio Scholarship. Continues through April 15. Call 210486-1637. SAC Event: Karaoke 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210486-0125. SAC Meeting: Student Government Association noon-1 p.m. in health promotions office in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Recital: Wind and brass 2 p.m.3 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0255.
SAC Meeting: Onstage Drama Club noon-1 p.m. in McCreless theater. Continues Fridays. Call 210-486-0492. Saturday SAC Event: Healthy Body/Healthy Home fair sponsored by continuing education training network 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Oppenheimer. Call 210-486-1428. Event: Luminaria: Arts Night in San Antonio 7 p.m.-1 a.m. at HemisFair Park, 200 S. Alamo. Call 210-212-4999.
Christina De La Haya, art and education sophomore, sculpts a bowl Tuesday in Koehler to replace one she created during the fall and broke. De La Haya plans to teach elementary school. Ingrid Wilgen
Sunday
SAC Meeting: Glee Club 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Continues 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Thursday. Call 210-486-0126.
Recital: Symphonic wind ensemble concert 3 p.m.-5 p.m. in Ruth Taylor Recital Hall in Room 114 of Dicke-Smith at Trinity University. Call 210-999-8260.
Lecture: “All Roads Lead to Rome” by Dr. Richard Talbert sponsored by Southwest Texas Archaeological Society and classical studies department 7:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. in Room 126 of Chapman at Trinity University. Call 210999-7653.
March 12
Performance: Symphony orchestra concert 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. in Ruth Taylor Recital Hall in Room 114 of Dicke-Smith at Trinity University. Call 210-999-8212.
The Rev. Hector Grant of East St. Paul United Methodist Church reads works by female African-American authors Tuesday in the craft room of Loftin. Grant read Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Women” in celebration of the African-American experience during Black History Month. Ingrid Wilgen
Spring Break: Classes dismissed through March 18. Colleges closed March 15-18. March 21 SAC Event: “Criminal Justice Road to Success” 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Room 218 of nursing. Call 210-486-1313. March 23
Tuesday SAC Meeting: Campus Crusade for Christ 1:30 p.m. in Room 113 of chemistry and geology. Continues Tuesdays. Call 210-486-1233.
SAC Event: Coffeehouse open mic night sponsored by Cheshyre Cheese Club 6 p.m.-9 p.m. in Loftin. Call 210486-0125. March 24
SAC Event: Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremony 7 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0668. Wednesday SAC Event: Flag football 1 p.m. at San Pedro Springs Park with sign-up at least one day in advance. Call 210486-0125. SAC Meeting: Psychology Club 2 p.m. in Room 502 of Moody. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-486-1258.
Event: McNay Print Fair 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Leeper Auditorium, 6000 N. New Braunfels. Continues noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Free with admission. Call 210824-5368. March 27 SAC Event: “Techno Junkies Guide to Communication” speech workshop 2 p.m.-3 p.m. in McCreless theater. Call 210-486-0496. March 28
SAC Meeting: Black Student Alliance 2:30 p.m. in Room 400D of Moody. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-4467159. SAC Meeting: Gay Ally Lesbian
SAC Lecture: J.R. Martinez sponsored by Fine Arts & Cultural Events Series 7 p.m.-8 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0901.
James Card tries to photograph the moon with his cell phone through the telescope’s viewfinder Feb. 25 in Lot 21 southwest of Scobee Planetarium. The planetarium closed Feb. 26 for renovation and construction of the Challenger Space Center. Carmen Sanjuan Phlebotomist Sylvia Bonales of South Texas Blood and Tissue Center gets liberal arts freshman Bryan Gonzalez ready for a blood donation Feb. 27 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Riley Stephens
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March 5, 2012
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Ambassadors search for face of college The student ambassadors program fills the gap caused by “the budget constrictions, the low staff, the long lines of students,” director says. The student ambassadors program is looking for volunteers to be the face of the college. The program will be outlined in a meetBy ALMA LINDA ing at 2 p.m. MANZANARES Thursday in Room 305G of amanzanares6 Fletcher Adm@student.alamo.edu inistration Center, Mona Aldana-Ramirez, director of retention support services, said. The Black Student Alliance resurrected the program in the fall with ideas to improve financial aid disbursement. Student volunteers signed up to work outside the financial aid and business offices Nov. 21-Jan. 10 to triage lines and give students direction on where they needed to go to resolve their issues, Aldana-Ramirez said. She said students are currently not required to be working, but on occasion she has seen volunteers assisting students. Aldana-Ramirez said the meeting will cover procedures for the volunteers to resume duties. She said 23 students attended a four-hour training session Nov. 9-10, and about 11 were able to assist in the program. “Last semester, everything came to a head, the budget constrictions, the low staff, the long lines of stu-
dents, and this fantastic group of stu- expecting about $6,000 in funding for dents stepped up and said, ‘There’s a incentives. He said the funds would need; we can help,’” she said. be used to purchase badges, pins, Students volunteered from two royal blue blazers and awards for the hours to more than 20 hours in the ambassadors. fall semester, Aldana-Ramirez said. Aldana-Ramirez said students are “It was ‘do what you can, when eligible to receive up to $200 and you can.’ Anything helps,” she said. special designations during graduAldana-Ramirez said the idea that ation in accordance with the hours students wanted to help other stu- students volunteer. dents “navigate “There is a the maze” was little bit of money “We need more help a profound involved, not a desperately.” initiative that whole lot, but it’s Mona Aldana-Ramirez, helped admina way of saying director of retention istrators decide thank you. Thank support services to continue the you for being here program. and using this as “We need more help desperately,” your extracurricular activity and givAldana-Ramirez said. ing back,” she said. She said although the college is This semester, ambassadors not able to hire, opportunities can will assist when Army veteran J.R. be created for students to help other Martinez comes to lecture at 7 students. p.m. March 28 in the auditorium of “The fact that we are severe- McAllister Fine Arts Center. ly understaffed — that might not Martinez, winner of “Dancing with change for a while — and when you the Stars” and former cast member have students stepping up and want- of the soap opera “All My Children,” ing to help, that speaks volumes,” came to San Antonio for rehabiliAldana-Ramirez said. tation for burns suffered during his President Robert Zeigler and Dr. service in the Iraq War. Robert Vela, vice president of student Aldana-Ramirez said ambassaaffairs, oversee the ambassadors pro- dors will greet attendees and act as gram. the face of the college, welcoming the Vela said the program operates community. primarily out of his office, and he is In addition, the ambassadors will
get reserved seating for the event, she said. Ten students signed up to continue in the program this semester, Aldana-Ramirez said. “When students signed up for this, there was no guarantee that they were going to get any money. They were just doing it out of the goodness of their heart,” she said. Ambassadors must have good communication skills and be peoplefriendly, willing to help those in need, self-motivated and solution-oriented. Ambassadors will gain community service hours and a chance to refine leadership skills, develop networking skills and improve public speaking skills. Aldana-Ramirez said being part of the program gives students the opportunity to mix with various groups of people. “You really don’t know who you’re going to get coming through the doors,” she said. Applications are available in Room 305F of Fletcher. Aldana-Ramirez said working hours vary depending on when a student has the time to volunteer. “The next step would be institutionalizing it even further so that we can continue a tradition for years to come and build capacity to help many more students for semesters to come,” she said. For more information, call 210486-1419.
PEAGs ‘perfect illustration’ of shared governance Suggestions to improve the college are recommended by performance excellence advisory groups, referred to as PEAGs, and fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt said. Hunt coordinates seven advisory groups introduced in September 2010 as part of a change management model. Visit www.theranger.org for the full story. Alma Linda Manzanares
Sister recalls violence that ended Kristine Meza’s life A year after high school, Kristine Meza moved from her hometown in Laredo to Austin. She lived there for a year, then moved to San Antonio. She started working at IBC Bank where she met her best friend, Anastasia Salazar, now president of the Kristine Meza Foundation, formed to promote awareness of domestic violence after Meza was killed in a murder-suicide Feb. 11, 2011, at age 25. Visit www.theranger.org for the full story. Melissa Gonzales
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Northeast Lakeview resubmits application to SACS President says there is no timeline for accreditation. Northeast Lakeview College resubmitted its accreditation application to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Feb. 15 after the Alamo Colleges board of trustees approved the college’s annuBy JOSHUA al financial report for fiscal FECHTER years 2009-10 and 2010-11 at its January meeting. jfechter @student. The Ranger reported in alamo.edu December 2009 that SACS denied Northeast Lakeview accreditation primarily because it did not have an independent audit. At the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee meeting Jan. 17, Dr. Eric Reno, president of Northeast Lakeview, said SACS considered the
fact the college did not have an auditing process separate from the district “a deal breaker.” In a phone interview Feb. 27, Reno said it usually takes new institutions a while after they open to attain accreditation, but he said he could not specify a time period because the association operates on a first-come, firstserved basis. “If UT (Austin) opened tomorrow, it would take them from four to seven years to get accredited,” he said. In a San Antonio Express-News article published April 13, 2005, Reno said that accreditation is a two-year process, but Monday, Reno said it depends on how many other institutions are applying ahead of Northeast Lakeview. The college opened in fall 2007 and operates under this college’s accreditation to offer financial aid.
Independent auditing firm Ernst and Young LLP gave the college an unqualified opinion, signaling proper handling of finances during the Jan. 17 Audit, Budget and Finance Committee meeting. Reno said after SACS evaluates Northeast Lakeview’s application, the agency will send a team to visit the campus. Gilbert Castillo, director of institutional research, planning and effectiveness at Northeast Lakeview, said 4,657 students attend classes at Northeast Lakeview and are registered through Northeast Lakeview and this college. He said 769 students are registered solely at Northeast Lakeview. Reno joined the district in August 2004 to oversee establishing a fifth college and building the new campus.
Dr. Eric Reno, president of Northeast Lakeview, said Jan. 17 at the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee meeting in Killen that Northeast Lakeview had to resubmit its application for accreditation in February. On Feb. 15, the college resubmitted its application to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Ingrid Wilgen
District searches for new general counsel Chancellor Bruce Leslie hopes to submit candidate to the March 20 board meeting. The Alamo Colleges is searching for a new general counsel after Retha Karnes left the district in January. Chancellor Bruce Leslie said he is serving on a search committee with district ethics officer Eddie Cruz; By JOSHUA Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancelFECHTER lor of human resources and organizational development; Gary O’Bar, district director of jfechter @student. purchasing; Don Adams, chief of police; and alamo.edu Pamela Ansboury, associate vice chancellor of finance and fiscal services. Leslie said about 19 candidates submitted applications
during a search that was open to internal and external candigeneral counsel. dates. He said no internal candidates applied. According to the district website, the general counsel is Leslie said he does not normally serve on search committees, responsible for monitoring the district’s compliance with constibut the general counsel reports to the chancellor’s office. tutions, laws and regulations; supervising and disposing of legal He said he approves candidates before they go matters in areas including employment, insurFor a full list of to the board of trustees for official approval, but ance, contract development and negotiations, duties performed by because he serves on the search committee, the commercial transactions, real estate and leasing, the general counsel, committee will submit a recommendation directly purchasing, construction, intellectual property visit http://www. to the board. law, technology law and student matters. alamo.edu/main. aspx?id=12607. Leslie said he hopes to have a candidate for The counsel must have expertise in the develgeneral counsel to submit in time for the March opment of policies and procedures, and respond 20 board meeting. to routine inquiries from district and college personnel in the According to the staffing summary of the budget for fiscal form of written legal opinions and discussions with various year 2011-12, the district allocated $130,427.00 to the position of councils, committees and individuals at all levels of the district.
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Library upgrades Library loses databases Renovation will add expanded classrooms and study space. Renovation of the second floor of Moody Learning Center is expected to begin in the summer. The current reference area will shift to the north side of By REBECCA the building, and SALINAS the reference area will be turned into a sac-ranger@alamo.edu reserve area, librarian Stephen Dingman said. Renovation of the north side of the building is scheduled for July and should be completed by November. The south side renovation, the future reserve area, will begin in November and be completed by February 2013, librarian Thomas Kuykendall said. The southern portion of the library also will have newer, larger classrooms, he said. “The renovations will have considerably more, nicer places for students to study,” Kuykendall said. He also said a coffee shop will be installed in the northeast corner of
Moody. Currently, there are single unisex restrooms, but a larger restroom area will be added in the southwest corner. “The library needed a renovation for a long, long time,” Kuykendall said. The last library renovation was on the third floor of Moody in 2009, totaling $2,009,684. The college received a tax anticipation note of $23 million for renovations; $5 million for renovation of Scobee Planetarium and $18 million for renovation of Moody, David Mrizek, vice president of college services, said. A tax anticipation note is a short-term municipal bond, which will be paid back on future tax revenue. The fourth floor renovation will begin in March 2013 and be completed by November 2013, Kuykendall said. Fourth floor additions include student study areas and a small stage for performances and will hold the library’s special collections, Kuykendall said.
President affirms support for Ranger SGA president, student leaders call for investigation. College President Robert Zeigler reiterThe Ranger’s email, sac-ranger@alamo.edu. ated his support for The Ranger and for Feedback is also encouraged via telethe college newspaper’s First Amendment phone at 210-486-1773 and visits to the rights in a meeting Tuesday in the presiRanger newsroom in Room 212 of Loftin dent’s conference room. Student Center. By FAITH “Having The Ranger Three methods of communication are DUARTE on our campus is a real available online in the form of letters to the value added to all of us,” editor, news tips, which can be submitted fduarte3 @student. Zeigler said. “It helps us anonymously and comments on stories. alamo.edu see things that aren’t so The Ranger also encourages guest viewgood. It helps us see things from a perspecpoints and comments on its Facebook page tive we might not see otherwise.” and on Twitter. The newspaper’s policies on Zeigler called the meeting to discuss a letters to the editor and guest viewpoints petition signed by club members asking for are printed on the editorial page of each an investigation into The Ranger. issue. Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of stuThe petition states, “The Ranger has dent affairs; Ranger editor Joshua Fechter, taken a stance against the SGA, and has journalism sophomore; Ranger adviser falsely represented them, slandered them, Irene Abrego; and media communications and printed false information concerning Chair Marianne Odom attended along with the spoken words and activities of mema Ranger reporter. bers of the SGA.” Zeigler said Jacob Wong, president of Zeigler said SGA members say they the Student Government Association, pre- believe The Ranger constantly targets them. sented the petition at a Feb. 17 Pepsi with Fechter said The Ranger reports on activithe President meeting. ties of campus organizaWong also presented tions to hold them responthe petition at a Feb. 23 sible and accountable for Presidents Round Table, a their actions. “It’s not to monthly meeting of club target them,” he said. “It’s presidents. because these are governThe petition calls mental bodies.” for “an open apology to The news media’s An excerpt of Page 2 of the petithe students, a greater role as watchdog results tion detailing grievances against openness to all submis- The Ranger submitted to President in editorials about pubRobert Zeigler Feb. 17 by the Student sions, the taking of a lic officials. “It’s accepted Government Association president. truly objective and unbi- To view the full petition, visit www. that it’s common pracased stance, the creation tice,” Fechter said. theranger.org. of a section within The Vela said public offiRanger for retractions and corrections, and cials should recognize criticism against the immediate cessation of the tabloid- governmental bodies is not personal. “If esque behaviors, such as personal vendetI took every criticism personally, I’d be a tas and dissemination of information.” miserable man,” he said. The petition charges, “Those who wish Zeigler said he and Vela will meet with to declare open dissent to any portion SGA members to discuss the petition at 4 of any printed portion of The Ranger are p.m. Tuesday. Zeigler said he sees no reason either rejected, or printed in a neutered Pepsi with the President, meetings among version, wherein the voice of dissent is Zeigler, Vela and SGA members, shouldn’t weakened.” be open to the public. “We do encourage people to submit letFechter noted student government ters to the editor,” Fechter told Zeigler and should not withhold information from the Vela Tuesday. students they are tasked to represent. Reporters’ bylines in printed Ranger sto“They’re not holding out on us,” Fechter ries include email addresses of editors or said. “They’re holding out on the public.”
Larger budget for 2011-12 will increase book acquisitions. An increase in the budget has allowed the college library to begin ordering books this year, but databases discontinued in 2010-11 and this academic year will not be repurchased. The library has a budBy REBECCA get of $450,000 for 2011SALINAS 12, which will provide new books and materials. sac-ranger@alamo.edu Funds allocated for reserve textbook purchases alone will be $135,000. Book ordering has begun and will continue throughout the year. “We are back in the business of buying books,” Librarian Steven Dingman said. Orders will include reference books, books for circulation and e-books, digital books available for students for download to personal computers. Librarian Eileen Oliver said the library’s goal was to order about half of the materials by the end of last fall, but said, “It doesn’t always work out that way.” The library’s materials budget was about $620,000 two years ago, but Oliver says the budget plummeted to $330,000 last year because of budget cuts statewide. The library has discontinued 25 databases that totaled $79,153.34 in the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years. In the 2011 fiscal year, the library cut 13 databases which cost $40,847.38. NewsBank, a database that ranked No. 5 on this college’s list of 20 most-used databases in 2008, was cut in 2011 because of its price tag of $17,340. NewsBank offered millions of current and archived articles from local to international levels. In 2012, the library cut an additional 12 databases, totaling $38,305.96. The biggest database cut that year was EBSCO’s PsycArticles primarily used by the psychology department, costing $10,598 a year, Dingman said. EBSCO’s PsycArticles contained more than 150,000 articles from about 80 scholarly journals published by the American Psychological
Association. “The database loss really limits student access,” psychology Chair Thomas Billimek said. Billimek said it is harder for students to do research without the necessary journals. It is a disservice for the approximately 1,500 psychology majors when they transfer because they will be uneducated about the database, Billimek said. Since PsycArticles was cut, Billimek has not seen a negative effect on the program, but he expects to see one later in the semester. Dingman said, “We tried to cut the databases that affected the least number of students.” Nursing databases, such as Ovid, are expensive, but are valuable, Dingman said. Ovid contains the respected, essential academic journal, American Journal of Nursing. “We have to have it for accreditation. You cannot not have the most prestigious academic journal in a field,” Dingman said. “The library purchases the databases, but the databases are for everyone,” Dingman said. Thousands of students require their use for homework. As for irritated students looking for discontinued databases, Dingman said, “We are not the bad guys.” In 2010, Gov. Rick Perry cut budgets by 10 percent. In January 2011, the college was instructed to cut an additional 2.5 percent. In 2011, the education deficit was expected to be $15 billion, which eventually grew to $27 billion. Professors can schedule a session for a librarian to teach a class how to use the databases. Library hours are 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The library is closed Sunday. Databases can be accessed at www.alamo.edu/ sac/library. Off-campus access requires a Banner ID. For information on how to use databases, call the reference desk at 210-486-0554.
Ethics officer rules on quorum President said decisions made at the committee’s Feb. 2 meeting are valid. The confusion over the definition of a quorum dent members present.” is over. Cruz said in a Feb. 14 phone interview that he A Feb. 27 amended update of district Procedure understood a quorum for the nine-member comF.2.3.1 defines what constitutes a quorum for mittee exists if a minimum of three student memStudent Activity Fee Committee bers and two faculty or staff members are present. By FAITH meetings. Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs, DUARTE It now told The Ranger Feb. 20 he says, “For the understood a minimum of five fduarte3 @student. The next Student purpose of members constitutes a quorum alamo.edu Activity Fee Committee this commitas long as a student majority meeting is 4 p.m. April 5 tee, a quorum to transact busiexists. in the health promotions ness must consist of (1) a total of Zeigler told The Ranger in office in Room 150 of at least 5 members (2) with a plua Feb. 13 phone interview it Loftin. The deadline for rality of those seemed the procedure required submission of proposals is March 22. m e m b e r s the presence of faculty and stupresent being dent members. voting student In a Feb. 2 Student Activity members and (3) at least one Fee Committee meeting, anthropology sophomore faculty member being present.” Michael Martinez, nursing sophomore Daniel President Robert Zeigler, Having and Jacob Wong, psychology sophomore who approves decisions made by and Student Government Association president, Eddie Cruz the committee, told The Ranger met in the absence of employee members and Tuesday he will approve awards from a Feb. 2 awarded $5,721.97 to four student organizameeting because the members “acted in good tions. Charles Falcon, theater and speech comfaith” even though a quorum did not exist. Two stumunication instructor, and Deidra Flynn-Dobson, dent members and a student alternate conducted American Sign Language instructor, were absent. business without the presence of faculty members. Missing student members were theater sophIn a phone interview Tuesday, Eddie Cruz, ethomore Jonathan Scheel, psychology sophomore ics and compliance officer for the district, said Dr. Rebecca Ross and speech communication sophoAdelina Silva, vice chancellor for student success, more Leonard Herbeck. Student life Director Jorge approached him for clarification. Posadas, nonvoting chair of the committee, ruled Silva told The Ranger Feb. 20 she would seek that three students constituted a quorum and legal interpretation of a quorum. maintained no faculty or staff members needed to The procedure originally stated, “For the purbe in attendance. pose of this committee, a quorum consists of any For more information, call the office of student combination of members with a plurality of stulife at 210-486-0125.
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Dan Phillips, retired truck driver and San Antonio Living History Association volunteer, inspects a rifle to ensure it functions properly before a reenactment of the siege of the Alamo Feb. 25. Nicole Henry
Percussionist Betty Peters plays with doll figures as she hits a loose board making the toys dance to entertain the crowd Feb. 25 in front of the Alamo. Peters taps her feet along to the music her band is performing. Troy Renteria
Richard Steen, computer network security sophomore and volunteer with San Antonio Living History Association, fires a shot at Mexican troops attempting to infiltrate the Alamo Feb. 25 during a re-enactment of the siege of the
Ala of t
Restaurant manager Roger Valdez, as Gen. Manuel Fernandez Castrillon, leads realtor and drummer Kirk Scott and Mexican troops through Alamo Plaza in a march in front of the Alamo. Scott performed a battle drum line to show the intensity of the battle. Troy Renteria
Texians fire a cannon three times at Mexican troops in a re-enactment of the siege of the Alamo Feb. 25. Troy Renteria
Amanda Maloney, Lorel Smith and Roger Valdez march in a re-enactment of the siege of the Alamo. Maloney carries her son Collen and Smith carries a doll. Valdez portrays Gen. Manuel Fernandez Castrillon. Troy Renteria
Gary Lunistra as Col. Juan N. Almonte and Roger Valdez as Gen. Manuel Fernandez Castrillon lead Mexican troops while real estate agent Kirk Scott portrays a drummer for the Mexican side against the Texians during a re-enactment of the siege of the Alamo Feb. 25 in Alamo Square. Troy Renteria
miere
March 5, 2012 • 7
r.org/ premiere
Moody Facebook Art by Alexandra Nelipa
Researchers find positive and negative responses to social network.
amo. Steen’s character, John the Free Man, represented all African-Americans who participated in the Battle the Alamo. Nicole Henry
Costumed re-enacters ‘Remember the Alamo’ RTF students assist with audio, video and web components. Encampments of the ghosts of the Alamo appeared on the grounds of the Cradle of Texas Liberty Feb. 25. The San Antonio Living History Association and Communicate SA By SILVIA joined forces for the MILLAN 176th anniversary of the siege of the Alamo sac-ranger@alamo.edu to present the story of tragedy and heroism. More than 100 costumed volunteers of the living history association recreated the ambiance of 1830s Texas. Dressed in navy blue and gray, common 19th-century clothing, the volunteers played the roles of Texians, Tejanos and Mexican troops for area residents and tourists in Alamo Plaza, to honor the memory of the combatants of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. Robert Medina, vice president of Communicate SA, said “Communicate SA assists local area nonprofits with audio, video or web components at events like this one.” Medina, a media convergence sophomore at this college and a web editor for The Ranger, added that not only does the re-enactment involve radio, television and film students but also communications students who gain valuable work experience and training in the field. Tuesday, the actual anniversary, “Dawn of the Alamo” is presented 6 a.m.-7 a.m. and
“Fall of the Alamo Anniversary” 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Rob Wilkerson, as Captain Baugh of the New Orleans Greys, has been a member of the association for more than six years. “SALHA has been doing (the re-enactment of ) the Alamo for more than 20 years; our goal is to keep our history alive for future generations.” In addition to the re-enactment, members of the association used the day to teach the public about the historic battle and life and politics in the 1830s. Wilkerson explained that Alamo Plaza was inside the walls of the mission at the time of the battle. He told some tourists about the battle cry of soldiers at the Battle of San Jacinto April 21, 1836, when the Texians routed the Mexican army and captured Gen. Antonio López De Santa Anna. “That’s why the cry of ‘Remember the Alamo,’” he said. Children interacted with the characters and played music with the Celtaire String Band, a Texas band that plays Civil War, American Celtic and Old-time Texas tunes around the state. For more information on the San Antonio Living History Association, visit http://www. mysalha.org/rgardenrtx/index.html or call 210-826-8229. For more information on Communicate SA, visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/ CommunicateSA/115060455243084.
If you are among those who wonder why your classmates, friends and relatives are glued to Facebook, researchers may have the answer. The social network has become the most popular website on the Internet, By JANEKA allowing developer Mark PORTER Zuckerberg to become a billionaire with a net worth of sac-ranger@alamo.edu $17.5 billion as of November 2011. Facebook will file for an initial public offering in May that will value the social network between $75 billion and $100 billion. The service has amassed more than 845 million users globally. In a new study, researchers at the University of Milan found that Facebook has a positive effect on a person’s emotions. “Facebook is sort of magnetizing. It satisfies a human need for socialization,” psychology Professor Karen Douglass said. “It’s a self-esteem booster.” The Italian study was conducted with 30 healthy students from the University of Milan ranging in ages from 19 to 25. In this study, the students were exposed to stressful and relaxing situations. A three-minute slide show of natural phenomena, things that occur naturally with no scientific explanation, provided the relaxing condition and mathematical tasks provided a stressful condition. During each, subjects were exposed to their personal Facebook accounts. Psychologists found from their physical and physiological responses, such as breathing rate, brain activity and pupil dilation, that Facebook gives students a certain pleasure and arousal that keeps them on Facebook. “Facebook is an immediate response,” Douglass said. “We usually post things that make us feel good
or post things that we don’t feel good about, but the response that we get satisfies the need that we cannot get in reality,” she said. The results of the study are found in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., in New Rochelle, N.Y., Dec. 22. Not everyone agrees, however, on the effects of using Facebook. Hui-Tzu Grace Chou’s and Nicholas Edge’s study also in the journal C y b e r p s y c h o l o g y, Behavior, and Social Networking says people who spend a lot of time on Facebook looking at their “happy” friends are just as likely to become unhappy from it. Published Feb. 9, the study was conducted at Utah Valley University in a survey of 425 students about the quality of their lives. Students were asked how many “friends” they had on Facebook, and how many of those people were actually their friends. As it turns out, the students who spent more time on Facebook and were friends with a lot more people they didn’t actually know agreed to statements such as “mwany of my friends have a better life than me.” Because Facebook is concerned with one’s image, hundreds of people talk about how happy they are online, how exciting their lives are, and how great things are going for them. This can makes one’s perfectly ordinary day depressing. “When people are posting pictures of themselves and not their meals, pets or children, they do not generally post pictures of themselves when they are unhappy,” ABC News said. On the flipside, however, those who spent time with their actual friends in face-to-face situations were much less likely to believe their friends had better lives.
The logo for the 2012 pledge drive for college radio station KSYM 90.1 FM was selected Wednesday in a staff meeting from designs submitted by digital design students. Donors of pledges of $35 during this year’s drive, March 26 –April 1, will receive a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo by graphic design sophomore Pete Brown. Visit theranger.org for the full story.
Editorial
8 • The Ranger
March 5, 2012
www.theranger.org/opinion
Editor Joshua Fechter Managing Editor Alma Linda Manzanares News Editor Faith Duarte Sections Editor Jennifer M. Ytuarte Photo Editor Ingrid Wilgen Photo Team Janell Arnold, Victoria Drumming, Nicole Henry, Eloy Hilburn, Alberto Penuelaz, Christopher Perez, Felipe Perez Jr., Troy Renteria, Cecilia Tornel, Donna Quintana Multimedia Editor J. Almendarez Video Team Dee Dixon, Valerie Salazar, Carmen Sanjuan, Riley Stephens Illustrators Alexandra Nelipa, Juan Carlos Campos Staff Writers Carla Aranguren, Jennifer Coronado, Melissa Gonzales, Kirk Hanes, Jennifer Luna, Rachel McKee, Alicia Millan, Silvia Millan, Ivie Okungbowa, Osita Omesiete, Diana Palomo, Darrell Payne, Janeka Porter, Rebecca Salinas, Matthew Schiffmacher Web Editors Jacob Beltran Robert Medina
©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
Act to promote rights On Feb. 14, eleven same-sex couples participated in an equal rights protest organized by the Direct Action Network of San Antonio before a midnight mass wedding at the Bexar County Courthouse. The Rev. Joe Sullivan, psychology professor who began the mass wedding tradition, asked for same-sex couples to leave the courthouse steps because they did not have marriage licenses. Offended by Sullivan’s behavior, attendees Julie Pousson and Shari Kubik spoke before Bexar County Commissioners Court Feb. 21 to propose opening the free wedding ceremonies to other officiates through a lottery system. Pousson and Kubik did what citizens should do when they are confronted with a problem: They took action by voicing their concerns with public officials. The encouragement of active participation in the community is omnipresent and occa-
sionally nauseating because of heavy repetition. It permeates every level of the national discourse from presidential candidates seeking election to local charities soliciting volunteers and donations. After wading through all of the self-serving political jargon, people tune out and unfortunately, the message of participation remains unheard or ignored. Let Pousson and Kubik serve as good examples to the rest of the public. If you find the status quo harmful, address it with your representatives or other public officials. If you appreciate your representatives’ performance, support them at the polls. If you dislike your representatives’ performance, vote them out or run for office yourself. Take part in peaceful action to promote what you believe is right and lead by example.
Stay informed; speak up Faculty, staff and students should attend committee meetings before attending regular Alamo Colleges board meetings to stay informed on action items that may be approved without discussion. In Jan. 25’s “Board approves talent management software, energy loan,” the Alamo Colleges board of trustees unanimously approved a string of minute orders with no discussion, despite significant decisions representing almost $500,000 in expenses at the Jan. 24 regular meeting. District 7 trustee Blakely Fernandez was absent, making the votes 8-0. Items approved included the purchase of the Banner HR Talent Management Suite, a system that helps institutions track employee training and development and faculty and staff evaluations, according to Sungard Higher Education’s website, and a software migration to a server hosted by Innovative Interfaces Inc. to maintain access to each college’s library catalog and materials. The district will pay Sungard $469,800 over three years for the Banner HR Talent Management Suite. The software migration to Innovative Interfaces Inc. would cost the district a onetime fee of $12,000 for migrating data, an annual hosting fee of $7,788 and annual
maintenance fee of $45,512. Gary Beitzel, chairman and District 8 trustee, said trustees discussed many of the items approved during the Jan. 17 committee meetings. He said rather than repeat the discussion, trustees prefer to move through action items quickly during regular meetings. Staying informed prevents people from being manipulated. People should speak up at the citizens-to-be-heard segments and exercise their First Amendment rights or disagree on issues that they deem unnecessary. With the current state of the district, a state of continuous budget cuts and possible end to tenure, dissatisfaction is written on the faces of everyone. Employees have the chance, but don’t often enough take advantage, of expressing concerns at college meetings, and then no one presents these concerns to the board. All it takes is one voice to ignite a dozen. Employees need to stand up for themselves and fellow employees. Students need to stand in support of employees. Attend the March 13 committee meeting and sign up for citizens-to-be-heard at the March 20 board meeting. Stay informed; speak up; and let’s improve this community.
March 5, 2012
Viewpoints
The Ranger • 9
www.theranger.org/opinion
Discovering a cultural identity After spending all 21 years of my life in San Antonio and only leaving Texas once to visit California at the age of 8, I’ve been raised in a place that has many Mexican traditions along with the traditions of other cultures such as German and Irish. I’ve never actually been deep into any Viewpoint culture, and traditions by JACOB such as making enchiBELTRAN ladas and homemade tortillas have never jbeltran24@ been a big part of my student.alamo.edu life growing up. Hispanic, Spanish, Latino and Chicano are all words I wouldn’t use to describe myself. I’m not Spanish because I’m not from Spain; I’m not Latino because I don’t relate to Latin America; and Chicano is a radical title, something I’m not. Yet, I would fit into one of those categories on a government form or job application. The only reason I call myself a Mexican-American is because my lineage is based in Mexico, but that’s far back in history. During a family “what are we” discussion, my aunt said she never wanted us to call her Hispanic, rather Mexican-American. She felt the term Hispanic was a reference to people from Spain, and not to the Mexican-American population in general. My mother and grandmother agreed but didn’t see us avoiding the classification. When my mother went to Thomas Jefferson High School in 1962-63, there was still a large amount of prejudice against Mexican-Americans with pronounced accents. My mother said she would pronounce her “sh” sound as a “ch”
sound, and when she spoke, her teachers got mad at her for not speaking proper English and speaking Spanish. So I wasn’t forced to speak Spanish growing up. My family never passed down the tongue to my brothers because it wasn’t socially accepted at the time. We’re not the only ones though. During my ENGL 2322, British Literature 1, class I met other Mexican-Americans who were in the same situation. We’re Mexican-Americans, but we have neither the deep culture nor the language, and so we had to take it upon ourselves to learn Spanish on our own if we learned it at all. I’m proud of what I’ve learned to speak thus far, but I still have a way to go before sounding natural. When I was in grade school, I remember eating Spanish rice and asking my mother what it would be like to be Hispanic. She laughed and said, “But you are Hispanic,” and that was how I discovered my heritage: by eating Spanish rice. In high school, I was asked by my Spanish teacher to attend a Mexican culture celebration at Municipal Auditorium. As a mariachi band performed, it seemed everyone in the audience sang along with songs they played, as I sat silent. I couldn’t recognize a single song, aside from “Volver Volver,” but even then, it was sung differently than I remembered. Thankfully, I’ve never truly come under fire from any prejudices, especially living in San Antonio. But I’ve never felt like a Mexican, or like I even belong to one specific culture for that matter. I’ve just felt like an American in these United States.
Consider other options than transferring faculty I am addressing an issue that affects students, faculty and the whole community from the “Chancellor considers transferring faculty” article by J. Almendarez in the Feb. 13 issue. I am unfamiliar with the process of hiring faculty and administrators for a community college. Guest I have to be in supViewpoint port of the faculty, our by J’SON professors, because TILLMON they are the ones advising us as we take the necessary measures to make a better future for ourselves. Another option should be considered, or involve the students in reaching a viable solution. It’s a horrible feeling to realize a professor you have trusted and created a connection with is being transferred. To me, it’s like an artist leaving a piece and allowing another artist to continue the work, which could
possibly change the direction of the entire piece. I feel that our newly hired, fulltime professors should have the chance to finish the future masterpieces they have started. If a professor has the desire to spread vast knowledge and experiences to students on different campuses, they have the right to do so. I am not protesting against adjunct teaching nor discouraging it, but having a professor located full-time on campus makes it easier to clear up any class problems or seek advice. I am not saying it’s impossible to be done with adjunct professors, but their accessibility is limited. The student and professor have to make time out of their busy schedules just to communicate. Logically, I think having more fulltime professors on campus is not only beneficial to the students but also for the community in the long run. J’son Tillmon is a journalism sophomore.
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Health
10 • The Ranger
March 5, 2012
www.theranger.org
Nursing students learn many roles
GREEHEY DEGREE-COMPLETION SCHOLARSHIP Our Lady of the Lake University offers a degreecompletion scholarship for first-generation college students who are studying business at one of the Alamo College campuses. Eligible students who transfer to OLLU will receive a scholarship that covers half of tuition costs. Features of the William E. Greehey Scholars Program: • Scholarship covers up to half of tuition costs • Complete a Bachelor of Arts in Management in two years • Attend classes held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings Students applying for the William E. Greehey Scholars Program must: • Have an associate’s degree in Business from an Alamo College or hold at least 60 hours • Be at least 23 years old • Be one of the first in the family to attend college Learn more Call: 210-431-3961 Email: transfer@ollusa.edu
411 S.W. 24th Street San Antonio, TX 78207 210-434-6711 www.ollusa.edu
Nursing and pre-nursing students learned about the many roles today’s nurses fill in a special daylong nursing convocation Feb. 23 in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center. Speakers’ topics By CARLA ranged from legal conARANGUREN cerns to drug regulations, post-graduate sac-ranger@alamo.edu education to transitioning into the first nursing job. “Technology is good, but patient care is better,” Jocelyn Andrews, attorney and registered nurse at South Texas Veterans Health Care System Hospital, said. She stressed the importance of striving for outstanding patient care. “Nurses are getting away from patient care and focusing more on charting,” she said. She presented nursing students and faculty with various roles in the nursing field from the legal point of view. Dr. Sarah Williams, president of Texas Nursing Association, emphasized the importance of furthering students’ education to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing for better opportunities in the workforce. Former student Ben Garza gave students his perspective on transitioning from being a student to a nurse in the field. A graduate panel of recent graduates and former students offered strategies for success. During breaks, students participated in drawings for prizes donated by the nursing faculty. Prizes included stress reliever devices, scented lotions and items for the home. Hurst Review Services provided a review course for the National Council Licensure Exam and shared tips with students for increasing their chances for scoring higher. Other speakers, such as Christine Nichols, flight nurse at the University of Texas Health Science Center; Linda Garza, certified diabetes educator from Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital; and Melissa Roman, disease management from OptumHealth Care Solutions, Inc., introduced new roles in the nursing profession and answered questions. Bexar County Drug Court Magistrate Ernie Glenn and Janice Lopez, nurse supervisor at the Restoration Center, presented legal aspects
of the nursing profession as well as information on drug and substance abuse in the field. Lopez introduced students to the Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses, which offers encouragement and assistance to nurses under substance abuse or substance dependency, experiencing anxiety disorders, major depression and other mental disorders. Lopez described the approach to substance abuse in this field and the options available for nurses dealing with abuse treatment. For more information on the program, call the Texas Nursing Association at 800-862.2022. Representatives of Texas Tech University, Grand Canyon University, the University of the Incarnate Word and Our Lady of the Lake University offered assistance to nursing students interested in further education. Representatives from Project Quest Inc. offered information on assisting students with tuition, child care and books. The nonprofit is funded by the City of San Antonio, Bexar County and the U.S. Department of Labor. Project Quest, which has provided assistance for more than 130 nursing students at this college, also provides guidance on employment opportunities, résumé building and counseling. The organization invites students from this program to attend its applicant information sessions at 1 p.m. March 12 and March 26 at Sacred Heart Civic Center, 2123 W. Commerce St. For more information, call recruiter Valentina Arevalo at 210-630-4690 or email val@questsa.org. Nursing Instructor Cathy Darr, chair of the nursing student development committee, expressed her satisfaction in the 13th nursing convocation. She said the nurse’s role of bedside patient care has changed and expanded drastically in the last decade, and students need to be aware of multitasking roles. Darr said faculty and the Texas Nursing Association are working closely with students to ensure an outstanding education. “Students have an active role in putting this program together,” she said. “It’s hard to do student development when you don’t know what students need.”
Study abroad plans ahead District scholarship funds are decreasing for students to travel abroad, the coordinator of international programs said Feb. 8 at a meeting about programs this summer and proposals for 2013. By IVIE Maria Rivera said in OKUNBOWA 2010, the study abroad program was awardsac-ranger@alamo.edu ed $30,000 from the Alamo Colleges Foundation for scholarships. But in 2011, it dropped to $25,000, and in 2012, to $17,000. Eighty-four students were selected from 100 applications for five trips abroad. Thirty-eight were awarded scholarships of $200 to $1,000 in 2011-2012. Of those 38, six will travel to China, six to Europe, 11 to Italy, nine to Japan and six to Spain. Others are expected to pay by loans, financial aid or payment plans. Students pay tuition and study abroad costs, including lodging, meals, airfare, incountry transportation and museum admission fees. Rivera said the district wants to set tuition for these courses between $3,000 and $4,000 and have them last from three to five weeks. The deadline for 2013 proposals is May 31. Carol Fimmen, director of international study abroad, said a course has to have a connection to the destination, and the teacher must have visited the site. Rivera said the proposal must have two
faculty members on the trip for safety, Fimmen said when two faculty members do not attract at least 20 students for a class, they can combine the program with another faculty member with the same program. Faculty cost is built in the students’ tuition cost, Rivera said. A co-leader can also attend, much like an internship, but the expenses will be out of pocket and they will not be paid a salary. A sample budget must be created for students. Rivera said students who apply for 2013 must have a 2.5 grade-point average and submit an essay on how traveling abroad will change the student’s life. Computer information Professor Shen Jiang said, “I want the students to experience the culture and language in addition to standard terminology access.” Jiang participated in study abroad in 2010, and students visited Tianjin, China, a sister college. Architecture Professor Ana Sterner hosted a program to Italy three consecutive years. This summer, students will visit Florence to observe architecture from the Renaissance. Upon their return, students are required to write a journal and present to the class what they learned about architecture and the impact of the trip on their lives. For more information, email Rivera at mrivera@alamo.edu.
Pulse
March 5, 2012
The Ranger • 11
www.theranger.org/pulse
Pitcher Ryan McBride and first baseman Travis Polk attempt to throw out an Aggie player during a Feb. 26 baseball game. San Antonio College defeated the Texas A&M Aggies 7-2. Felipe Perez Jr.
Reds emerge victorious against Texas A&M After two weeks of rain, men’s baseball is on the right track. The Reds men’s baseball season was set to begin Feb. 4 but two separate weeks of unexpected rain put the season on hold in San Antonio. Despite the break, the By MELISSA men’s baseball team won GONZALES two of three games over the Texas A&M Aggies at sac-ranger@alamo.edu Sanchez-Spencer Field to secure a tie for first place with UT-Austin in the Gulf Coast South conference of the National Club Baseball Association. The Aggies were ranked first in the division last year with a 21-8 record. The name of this college’s team was changed from Rangers to Reds in the fall after student life Director Jorge Posadas eliminated the Ranger as a mascot. The 10 a.m. Feb. 25 game kicked off the first full weekend of club baseball for the SAC men’s team, and the team’s performance proved they were able to contend with nationally ranked teams in the NCBA. The Reds dominated Game 1 to beat the Aggies 4-2. The game started a bit shaky as business freshman Jacob Holland started off the first inning with a wild pitch, hitting Aggie Clay Balch. Holland hit Aggie Vaughn Miller in the fourth. Later, Miller blasted a two-run homerun in the top of the sixth. But the Reds’ started off strong offensively, scoring two runs in the first inning off two errors in the outfield, and the Reds’ defense kept A&M from scoring in the first five innings. Tied at 2 in the bottom of the sixth, the Reds were able to bring in two more runs capitalizing on six stolen bases in that inning with a total of eight stolen bases for the game. The Aggies failed to make anything happen in the seventh, resulting in their first loss against the Reds this season, 4-2. Holland allowed seven hits and struck out five players in seven innings.
Game 2 was scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. but was moved up to 12:45 p.m. to complete the back-to-back doubleheader. Game 2 belonged to A&M 4-1, as they held the Reds 4-1. The visiting team held the Reds to only one run in the fourth. International business freshman José Santos sent it over the left field fence for his first of two, out-of-the-park homeruns in the series. The Reds had six errors in Game 2, which played a big factor in the loss. The Reds began Sunday’s game scoring two runs in the second inning but the Aggies quickly struck back, scoring two runs in the top of the third to tie the game at 2. After that, A&M remained scoreless for the rest of the game while the Reds added two runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth. A solo homerun from Santos in the eighth, his second of the series, closed out Game 3 with the Reds on top 7-2. The Reds’ defense, combined with the pitching of accounting freshman Ryan McBride, secured the series win. “Pitching was great,” coach Sam Gallegos said. “Ryan (McBride) pitched nine innings, and you really don’t see that. He did a good job.” McBride struck out seven batters and allowed only three others to get on base during the last six innings or 20 at bats of Game 3. The Reds rallied in the fifth inning, with six players getting on base, scoring two runs. “This is our first time to actually get on a field in the last two weeks just because it’s been rained out for us, and to come and play like this, actually shows what kind of talent we have,” Gallegos said. The series is the first between the two teams. Texas A&M coach Andrew Smith said the Reds were determined. “They definitely came out to play, and the Aggies didn’t.” “The difference was our situational hitting,” Smith said. “We had guys on base and we didn’t
capitalize, and our pitchers gave up a lot of free walks.” Smith credited the Reds’ pitching and allaround team preparation for the victories. “Their pitchers came to play. They knew what they were doing,” he said. “They attacked our hitters, and we didn’t really know what to do.” The Reds and A&M will meet again April 21 in College Station. Gallegos talked about the series and what he’s expecting ahead. “I knew how good of a team we are,” he said. “That first game showed it.” Gallegos said errors killed the Reds in the second game. “This last game is what I expect all the time,” he said. “I know how good the defense is.” Gallegos pointed to key players in the series and their contributions to the team. “We have so much confidence in our catcher, Colt Tillman,” he said. “He’s actually calling the pitches, which
helps us concentrate on everything else.” “Pepé (Santos) can hit the long ball when he needs to, so, you don’t want to give him a fastball because he’ll turn on it and go.” The Reds will play the Lone Star CollegeMontgomery Mavericks at 10 a.m. March 10-11 at the Sanchez-Spencer Field, 6030 Padre Drive. The Mavericks had a 15-16 record last season and were ranked No. 11 nationally after 15 games. However, their season took a turn for the worse “because of personal player circumstances,” according to the NCBA 2012 preview guide. Go online to theranger.org for the series summary of Week 6: San Antonio College vs. the University of Texas in Austin.
view video of sac boxing at the golden gloves at www.theranger.org
12 • The Ranger
News
March 5, 2012
www.theranger.org
There are 250,854 identity theft victims in the United States, according to the U.S. Census results in 2010. In Texas, there are 24,158 identity theft victims, making the state By JANEKA the second largest state in PORTER identity theft victims. “Identity theft involves sac-ranger@alamo.edu an element of holding oneself out to be someone else by use of information that identifies them individually,” criminal justice Professor Dexter Gilford said. While nothing can protect you from identity theft, you can minimize your risk by protecting your Social Security number, treating your trash and mail correctly, looking for secure websites, using strong passwords, verifying sources before sharing information, and protecting your purse and wallet. Shredding sensitive documents is one way to reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim. The empowerment center and Generations Federal Credit Union will sponsor a community identity theft prevention event 9 a.m.-noon Saturday at the empowerment center at Howard and Evergreen streets. “It’s something that we see a lot in the
news now, and companies send mail with people’s information on it to the wrong house,” continuing education specialist Abby Gonzalez said. “Most people have old bank statements, credit card statements and old work forms and are too scared to throw it away,” she said. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the best way to find out if your identity is stolen is to monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your credit card report on a regular basis. How do thieves steal an identity? • Dumpster diving — they rummage through trash. • Skimming — stealing credit and debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card. • Phishing — false financial institutions or companies send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information. • Changing your address, billing statements diverted to another location by completely changing your address. • Stealing — stealing wallets and purses, mail, bank and credit statements, preapproved credit card offers and personal records. What should you do if your identity is
stolen? Filing a police report, checking your credit reports, notifying creditors and disputing any unauthorized transactions are steps you must take immediately to restore your identity. What can you do to fight identity theft? Awareness is effective. Be aware of how information is stolen and what you can do to protect your identity, monitor your personal information to uncover any problems quickly, and know what to do when you suspect your identity has been stolen. “Security is everyone’s responsibility,” Usha Venkat, director of information and communication technologies, said. “A way to protect yourself on the Internet is using strong passwords combined with letter and numbers,” Venkat said. “Don’t share your passwords, and when accessing websites where sensitive information is asked, make sure they are secure sites.” “When browsing the web, secure websites start with ‘https,’ and check for the lock icon in the window of the browser,” she said. For more information on the shredding event, call 210-486-0455. For more information on identity theft, visit www.FTC.gov/idtheft or www.alamo. edu/sac/ots and click on the security link.
Photo illustration by Alicia Millan