The Ranger 9-24-12

Single copies free • 210-486-1773

This week

Vol. 87 Issue 2 • Sept. 24, 2012

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‘Science of Sound’

Officials plan three collegewide surveys The college is asking for student participation in three surveys this semester.

A survey from college selfstudy Foundations of Excellence will be available for students Oct. 1-Nov. 16.

Course evaluation surveys also will be sent to students later in the semester.

The survey will remain open through Dec. 21, the last day of the fall semester.

The college administered a Noel-Levitz student satisfaction survey to 4,000 students selected at random Sept. 13. That survey closes Nov. 1.

For more information, call Dr. David Wood, director of institutional research, planning and effectiveness, at 210-486-0063.

Faith Duarte

President’s Q-and-A forum set for Oct. 2 Students and employees have a chance to ask President Robert Zeigler questions at the president’s first open forum.

The forum will be 3 p.m.-4 p.m.

Oct. 2 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center.

Public information officer Julie Cooper said this is the first time the president will have a forum for students and employees.

In the past, only employees have had Q-and-A sessions with the president, she said.

The event will be streaming live on a media site and there will be a link to that site at alamo.edu/sac.

Questions can be sent a day before the forum to sac-pr@alamo. edu, tweet them to @SAC_PR or post on facebook.com/sanantoniocollege.

Justice Steven Hilbig, 4th Court of Appeals, explains the right to privacy during a speech in honor of Constitution Day Sept. 17 in Room 218A of nursing. Monica Correa Courtesy

New course builds hands-on experience in recording industry.

By ADAM MEZA

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Young people are told they must crawl before they walk, but this adage does not apply to students in MUSB 2450, Commercial Music Project.

This semester they will be crawling, walking, strutting and running way before midterm.

These students in the music business program produce “The Science of Sound,” which airs on Channel 98 Fridays to a public audience.

That means that they will get to see the real world applications of their work as they are learning to produce the show.

The class records live bands on a set on Fridays in a television studio in Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building.

On Friday, students were scheduled to record Dawns, a band from Montana.

Music business Coordinator Donnie Meals teaches the course.

He said he has done media production since before most of his students were born.

He has taught at this college as an adjunct since 1984 and has owned Edit Point Studios since 1987.

He has also won an award from the Accolade Competition for “El Corrido,” a documentary he produced.

“As an instructor, I focus on reinforcing the technical theory involved with producing a TV studio production involving live music,” Meals said.

“The business side of music is the requirement, not just the entertainment value. I supervise all technical setups and during setup, focus on problem-solving, such as unique signal routing and stage troubleshooting.”

Meals started producing the show in spring of 2011 with a few volunteers and interns.

In those three semesters, “The Science of Sound” has produced 27 shows.

The show has featured local, regional and international talent, such as Denmark’s The Foreign Resort and New Jersey’s MK4.

This is the first semester that this college is offering college credit in this class for the show’s production.

But students in Commercial Music Project aren’t the only ones getting a piece of the public exposure.

“As program coordinator of the music business program, I combine the efforts of all the classes in that curriculum so that each student’s subject matter can put what they are learning to practice,” Meals said.

See SCIENCE, Page 7

Rebecca Salinas

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Liberal arts freshman Robbie Willis practiced kickboxing skills in kinesiology Adjunct Martha Stephenson’s cardio kickboxing class Sept. 19 in Candler. The class work is composed of basic kickboxing skills and cardio and respiratory endurance. Vincent Reyna

Constitution more than criminal tool Students explore everyday applications of U.S. Constitution.

By CARLOS FERRAND sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Justice Steven Hilbig of the 4th Court of Appeals started off Constitution Day lectures, Monday here with a question, “Do you think the Constitution has an application in your everyday life?”

Instead of a standard lecture, the former student of this college challenged his audience to explore their understanding of constitutional law.

During his time as Bexar County district attorney in 1990-98, he employed a practice encouraging citizens to ask him questions in a game he called “Stump the DA.” He adapted the game for students using the potential outcomes of a stop for a minor traffic offense to ask their opinions on the constitutionality of: • being arrested immediately for a minor vehicle offense such as rolling through a stop sign.

Test your • a strip search after an knowledge arrest for that same minor of the U.S. traffic violation.

Constitution • searching for informawith a quiz tion on a cell phone belongon Page 5. ing to the arrested person.

By a show of hands, a majority of students believed that being arrested for a small traffic violation would be an unreasonable seizure and a contradiction of the Fourth Amendment.

Hilbig referenced a similar case, Atwater v. Lago Vista, that went before the Supreme Court in which justices decided that the arrest was constitutional.

“So you think the Constitution has application in your everyday life?” Hilbig reiterated.

Regarding the strip search, far fewer indicated they were sure it was unconstitutional, and again, students were surprised to find out that this, too, was considered a reasonable seizure.

“Now, is the Constitution just that yellowing document up in Washington, D.C., or is it something that has application in your everyday life?” Hilbig asked.

To his final question, students voiced opinions rather than displaying a show of hands.

After listening to many of the students’ views, Hilbig said, “We don’t know. We don’t know because there have been cases that go on both sides. That is the beauty of the Constitution; 225 years later it is helping us out. It’s still defining the role of our government.”

Hilbig’s message to students was one of awareness and practical application of the Constitution.

He also reminded students that the Constitution is much more than just a criminal tool.

“It’s not only on the criminal side,” he said.

“If you go to a church, your freedom to go to that church is protected by the Constitution. If you read a book, the content of that book is protected.”

People

2 • The Ranger

Sept. 24, 2012

www.theranger.org/people

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

Today SAC Deadline: Applications accepted for fall 2012 graduation. Continues through Oct. 31. Call 210-486-0864 or email sac-graduate@alamo.edu.

PAC Event: Reception for new President Mike Flores 11 a.m.-noon in lobby of performing arts.

dent of Arizona DREAM Act Coalition and voted one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, sponsored by the office of student engagement and retention 10 a.m.-noon in auditorium of performing arts center.

Call 210-486-3125.

Friday

SAC Auditions: SAC Glee Club noon2 p.m. by appointment in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Continues Oct. 5. Call 210466-0126.

SAC Workshop: Résumé writing workshop sponsored by student life 11 a.m-noon in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.

SAC Meeting: Men’s Bible study 1 p.m.-2 p.m. at the Church of Christ Student Center. Continues Mondays.

Call 210-736-6750.

Event: Opening reception for an exhibit of new ceramic works by Veronica Castillo Hernández 6 p.m. at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro. Call 210-288-0201 or visit www. esperanzacenter.org.

SAC Performance: Ignacio Gallego on the cello sponsored by the music program 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0255 or visit alamo.edu/sac/finearts/calendar.

Event: Open Mic Night sponsored by Channel 99 9 p.m. at Moses Rose’s Hideout, 518 E. Houston St. Continues Mondays.

Tuesday SAC Closing: Parking Lots 1 and 2 closed for use by Temple Beth-El after 3:30 p.m. Continues all day Tuesday.

SAC Awareness: “Let’s Talk About Sex and Sex Education” 10:30 a.m.11:30 a.m. in Room 150 of Loftin. Visit www.orgsync.com.

SAC Workshop: PhotoShop training sponsored by the student technology center noon-1 p.m. in Room 542 of Moody. Call 210-486-0160.

SAC Event: Hot Potato discussion: “Who Is My Neighbor?: Basics of Community Organizing” with COPS/ Metro Alliance 12:15 p.m.-1 p.m. at the Methodist Student Center, 102 Belknap.

Call 210-733-1441.

Saturday Texas A&M Event: “Out of the Darkness” community walk sponsored by the Psychology Club 9 a.m.–noon at Koehler Pavilion in Brackenridge Park.

No registration needed. Email thesecretary@tamusapsychclub.org or visit www. afsp.org.

Sunday

Oct. 1 SAC Event: Chalk Day sponsored by The Ranger and Society of Professional Journalists to celebrate free speech 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. in the mall. Call 486-1773.

Oct. 3 SAC Event: Spa Day sponsored by the Psychology Club 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0128 or email chernandez@ alamo.edu.

NVC Performance: Air Force Band 7 p.m.-8 p.m. in auditorium of Palmetto.

Call 210-486-4527.

Oct. 4

SAC Event: “See You at the Pole” prayer event sponsored by the Church of Christ Student Center 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. at the flagpole east of Fletcher. Call 210-736-6750.

NLC Event: Career and internship fair 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in student commons.

Visit www.facebook.com/NLC.CS SAC Meeting: Gay Allied Lesbian Association 3 p.m. in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-201-4252.

Thursday PAC Event: Meet Dulce Matuz, presi-

Speech Instructor Jolinda Ramsey explains to students how to research and use resources provided by the college’s library during a workshop provided by the speech communication program Wednesday in McAllister.

The next workshop is “It’s as Easy as I, 2, iii” about organization and outlining led by Adjunct Dick O’Neal 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday. Upcoming workshops include “Say it with Style” on effective delivery by Professor Jim Mammarella Oct. 3; “Help me! I have an Interview” with Ashley Click Oct. 10; and “Interpersonal Communication” Oct. 17 with fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt.

All are 2 p.m.-3 p.m. in Room 203 of McAllister. For more information, call 210-486-0255. Monica Correa

NVC Event: Musical Tribute to Mexican songwriter José Rubén De Leon 3 p.m.-4 p.m. in auditorium of Palmetto. $10 general admission, $5 for groups of 10 or more, $3 with Alamo Colleges ID, seniors and military. Call 210-4864527.

SAC Event: Grammy U kick-off 5 p.m. in Room 101 of Longwith. RSVP at grammyutexas@grammy.com.

Wednesday

From left, nursing freshman Anakaren Rivera and biology sophomore Jillin Sotomayor learn basic salsa dance steps Wednesday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. The office of student life hosted a salsa dance workshop with salsa Instructor Chris Quickslow from Azuca restaurant 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 19. Ivie Okungbowa

SAC Workshop: Portfolio building workshop sponsored by student life 11 a.m.-noon in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.

Oct. 5 SAC Event: Media Communications Career Fair 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin in conjunction with Charting Your Course high school journalism conference 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in Loftin. Call 486-1765.

SAC Lecture: Edith Fox King Lecture delivered by Pulitzer-Prize winner Mike Leary, editor of the San Antonio ExpressNews, sponsored by the journalism program and the Society of Professional Journalists at 10 a.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 486-1765.

Above, drama freshman Hunter Wulff, playing George Gibbs, and drama sophomore Julie Ponce, playing his mother, rehearse a scene from “Our Town” Sept. 14 in McCreless. The play will be at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4-6, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11-13 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 14 in McCreless theater. Sergio Ramirez Left, architecture sophomores Alexis Rodriguez, Isaias Garcia, John Cox, Andrey Kim, and Adam Reed, chairman of the Canstruction group, discuss the results of their efforts for replicas of buildings using cans of food Sept. 16 at North Star Mall. The 3,000 cans will be delivered to the San Antonio Food Bank. The Canstruction group helped build the models by applying teamwork and skills to complete the structures.

Canstruction is a build and design competition sponsored by Luby’s Cafeteria. Vincent Reyna

News

Sept. 24, 2012

The Ranger • 3

www.theranger.org

Senators don’t make SGA meeting SGA president believes departments did not have enough time for nominations.

By JOSHUA TRISTAN sac-ranger@alamo.edu

No students who were supposed to be appointed by departments to serve on a new Student Senate showed up at Monday’s Student Government Association meeting in the craft room of Loftin Student Center.

This was the first meeting in which newly appointed members of Student Senate were to meet with the SGA, whose members are elected by students.

SGA made the announcement of creating a Student Senate Sept. 11 during a College Council Meeting.

Addressing student issues in every department is the goal of the Student Senate, Jacob Wong, SGA President and psychology sophomore, said.

Department chairs had less than a week to nominate and send representatives to the first Student Senate meeting.

Wong said he believed department chairs students were putting themselves in danger by did not have enough time to appoint represmoking on streets to avoid getting ticketed by sentatives and is confident more will be able to campus police. attend future meetings.

Zeigler said Thursday the college will conSGA Commissioner Keely Ross was named tinue to be a smoke-free campus. chair of Student Senate during the meeting.

In other news, SGA reported that Pizza with SGA has introduced a signthe President fed 500 students in sheet and an agenda for each Sept. 13 in Loftin.

For more meeting.

About 230 boxes of pizza information on SGA offered students were purchased, but SGA has nominations refreshments and the chance not yet released the cost of the and serving on to address any issues that conevent.

Student Senate, cerned them.

SGA will co-host a call SGA at 210Though no student delValentine’s Day masquerade 486-0133 or egates attended, five students ball with the Psychology Club attended to observe the meetin Koehler Cultural Center.

210-486-0132. ing.

The office of student life During the meeting, Wong funds the event, which will be brought up the Sept. 13 Pepsi with the President limited to 200 attendees. Details will be availevent with President Robert Zeigler. able soon.

Commissioner Ariel Reynolds, chemisIn other news, a launch event for the Red try sophomore, suggested at Pepsi with the Cord Honors Program has been reschedPresident that students have a designated uled to 10 a.m. Oct. 18 in the Fiesta Room smoking area on campus. in Loftin. The event was delayed because of Wong said Reynolds was concerned that scheduling conflicts.

Architecture sophomore Keely Ross, Student Government Association Commissioner, was announced as Student Senate chair Monday during an SGA meeting in the craft room of Loftin. Riley Stephens This will be the first year for this college to offer the red cord during graduation.

South Texas Blood and Tissue Center offered the red cord to high school graduates.

Eliminating Faculty get flexibility writer’s block in office hour schedules

By NICOLE WEST

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The semester has started and professors are assigning papers, which may have some students starring at blank computer screens, suffering from writer’s block The writing center in Room 203 of Gonzales Hall has tutors who provide the necessary tools for students to succeed, English Professor Jane FochtHansen said.

“We want to help the students become better writers,” English Professor said. “We are not writing for them.”

The center is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday.

The center is for students who need help in anything that involves writing.

Focht-Hansen said students determine topics they want to discuss during meetings with tutors, whether it’s creating a thesis, identifying and correcting grammar errors or documenting sources.

Charles Crowley, Educational Assistant for the writing center, said tutors are students who have passed ENGL 1301, Composition 1, and ENGL 1302, Composition 2, with an A or B, have been recommended by a professor, and who have been certified by the College Reading Learning Association.

Students are able to have one-on-one time with student tutor instead of feeling nervous meeting with a professor, Crowley said.

“The students who repeatedly are here do make better grades,” Crowley said.

The center also offers prizes for students who go to the center often: For after three sessions, students can receive a “sweet surprise” or mini dictionary; for after six sessions, students will receive a free coffee mug; and for after nine sessions, students will get a free T-shirt.

The writing center will be offering workshops throughout the semester focused on documenting sources, résumé writing and 21st century research strategies.

The workshops include: “Documenting Sources” Wednesday and Thursday, “Scholarship and Admission Essays” Oct. 10 and Oct. 11, “Résumé Writing” Oct. 24 and Oct. 25, “21st Century Researching Strategies” Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, and “Using Evidence to Support Claims” Dec. 5 and Dec. 6.

The Wednesday workshops are 10 a.m.- 10:50 a.m. and the Thursday workshops are 2 p.m.- 2:50 p.m.

For more information, call 210-486-1433.

Political science chair makes a case for faculty being in offices to meet student needs.

By REBECCA SALINAS

“What are the special circumstances other than we’re serving our students, whether they’re classroom or online?”

Full-time faculty may schedule some of Billimek said. their 10 office hours a week online or at Dr. Paul Wilson, social sciences and nontraditional times, according to a vote by humanities chair, said he does not believe College Council Sept. 11. those 10 hours are for assigned students only.

Faculty must have a minimum of 10 “I need people there for those students documented office hours per week on cam- that show up throughout the day,” he said. pus in compliance with district policy unless Wilson said he does not think online “special circumstances” are approved by instructors should be available 24/7; rather, department chairs and deans, according to the instructor should inform their students a revision in a college procedure. when they will be available.

Those special circumstances must be Mathematics Chair Said Fariabi said “warranted, documented and recommend- there is confusion in the policy between ed in writing,” the procedure reads, and all how many hours are required for advising office hours cannot be off-campus. and how many hours are needed to dedicate Faculty members must post their to their assigned students. approved office hours outside their office by Full-time faculty are required to have 15 the first week of class and submit a copy to hours a week in a class, 15 hours for service departmental offices. and 10 hours in their office.

The office hour clarification is part Dr. Conrad Krueger, dean of arts and sciof Procedure I.1: Teaching in Different ences, said professors can advise students Modalities, which was approved by the other than those in their classes during the council May 8 with the exception of refer- 10 hours because there is not a constant flow ences to office hours. of assigned students needing help.

The issue came up because the Teaching Susan Espinoza, director of college and with Technology grants developments, Committee proposed a suggested there should “I need people revision to that would be an advising office there for those allow faculty to maintain hour policy to avoid constudents that show half of their office hours fusion. up throughout the online.

Dr. Robert Vela, vice day.”

At the meeting Sept. president of student Dr. Paul Wilson, 11, President Robert affairs and interim vice social sciences and Zeigler said the office president of academic humanities chair hours needed to be flexaffairs, said it should be a ible for those who teach general policy for departonline, but under specific ments to tailor to their circumstances a professor can hold off-cam- specific needs. pus office hours.

Student life Director Jorge Posadas said Fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt said office hours although he does not like to comment needed to accommodate not only depart- on academic or faculty concerns, he also mental student success initiatives but col- believes the policy should be general. lege student success initiatives as well.

“The student life staff works 24 hours Psychology Chair Thomas Billimek said a day and so they’re available to students he agrees with the idea of faculty need- 24 hours a day,” Posadas said. He has been ing some on-campus office hours because unwilling to provide a cell number to Ranger the 10 hour-rule disfavors online instructors reporters. who get email 24/7 from students.

He said faculty members who advise stusac-ranger@alamo.edu

Dr. Paul Wilson, social sciences and humanities chair, said there needs to be faculty members available for students during a College Council meeting Sept 11. Riley Stephens dent organizations can reach him 24 hours a day because they have his cell number.

“I understand the need to identify and define, but I also think it’s a little bit silly because I don’t know a faculty member that’s not really dedicated to always being available to their students,” Posadas said.

Posadas was the lone abstention when the council voted to approve the measure.

Jerry Townsend, Adjunct Faculty Council chair and member of the Teaching with Technology Committee, said the new proposal is much more flexible than the first one.

He said chairs, faculty and students need flexibility, and this policy serves everybody.

English Professor Dawn Elmore-McCrary, chair of the Teaching with Technology Committee, said she likes the revision more than the proposed item.

She said she hopes to see the office hours go further in terms of mandating online office hours.

She said a lot of universities mandate faculty office hours to online students.

College Council will meet at 2 p.m. Oct. 9 in Room 120 of the visual arts center.

News

4 • The Ranger

Sept. 24, 2012

www.theranger.org

Board votes 8-0 on tax increase

By ALMA LINDA MANZANARES amanzanares6@student.alamo.edu

The Alamo Colleges board of trustees voted 8-0 with no discussion Tuesday to approve a tax increase that will add $10.85 to the average home valued at $144,161 to counter state funding declines. District 7 trustee Yvonne Katz was absent.

State funding is expected to decline from 22 percent to 12 percent over the next 10 years, Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, told trustees at the July 11 board budget retreat.

The combined tax rate of $0.149150 per $100 of property value, is less than eighttenths of a cent increase from the current combined tax rate of $0.141623.

The combined tax rate includes a maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.104400 and the debt levy tax rate of $0.044750.

The maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.104400 would result in estimated operating tax revenues of $103.1 million.

In other news, trustees tabled a resolution supporting the mayor’s initiative to provide pre-kindergarten classes for 4-year-olds citywide.

District 9 trustee James Rindfuss said the item would be sent back to committee because outside legal counsel William Armstrong needed to revise the resolution.

The program would serve 22,400 4-yearolds over eight years. Once fully implemented, the Pre-K 4 SA initiative would work with local independent school districts to serve 3,700 4-year-olds annually.

According to the resolution, 5,700 4-yearolds do not benefit from full-day preschool.

In other news, the board unanimously approved job descriptions for full-time fac-

Alamo Colleges regular board meeting Sept. 18 in Killen. Alma Linda Manzanares ulty and the vice president for academic success.

The new job description for the vice president for academic success was created to accurately reflect the current roles, priorities and qualifications of the position.

The job description will guide the search for vice president for academic success at this college and Palo Alto College.

The vice president would lead the college’s academic programs, such as transfer, career, noncredit, continuing education and learning support services.

Duties include promoting curriculum development; developing, measuring, evaluating and improving student learning outcomes; and revitalizing processes that meet student and public stakeholder needs.

The vice president for academic success must lead the academic team in planning, developing, implementing and improving institutional and academic publications, new technology, facility use and academic services.

The vice president is required to recommend academic policies and procedures to improve student success and fulfill the district and college’s objectives.

The job description for full-time faculty was revised because it needed to show the importance of faculty’s role in student success, according to the minute order.

M EDIA CO M M

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Dr. Michael Flores, former interim vice president of academic affairs at Palo Alto College, was named the South Side college’s sixth president Tuesday.

Alamo Colleges at the meeting stood and clapped after the unanimous vote. Flores District 7 trustee Yvonne Katz was absent.

Chancellor Bruce Leslie said he is looking forward to a long working relationship with Flores.

“I personally know you’re going to be a wonderful asset to my team and to the Alamo College’s family,” Leslie said.

Flores was one of two finalists for president of the college of 28 applicants.

The other finalist was Dr. Ernst Roberts, faculty member and former interim president at El Paso Community College.

“The vision is really to bring everybody around the table, students, faculty and staff, to kind of identify how we can enhance student success in various ways, and that’s related to engagement,” Flores said in an interview Tuesday.

Flores has been part of Palo Alto for 13 years and has had various roles including dean of institutional effectiveness and community development, vice president of college services and vice president of student services.

He is the son of Ruben Flores, retired dean of evening, weekend and distance education at this college.

He said the college is planning to have an allcollege conversation during Employee Development Day Oct. 24.

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 5 Fiesta Room Loftin Student Center

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amanzanares6@student.alamo.edu

Chart your course at the Media Communications Career Fair

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By ALMA LINDA MANZANARES

Searching for a major?

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2 1 20 EER

Duties for full-time faculty include planning an optimal learning environment; providing high quality instruction and advising; assessing themselves, their students and their teaching techniques to increase effectiveness; continue professional development; and participating in shared governance.

Separate job descriptions will be formed for adjunct faculty, librarians and counselors.

In other news, the board approved a $434,500 contract to Hay Group Inc. for an employee compensation study.

The purpose of the study is to deliver accurate job specifications and salaries to help retain employees and attract applicants.

According to the minute order, the contract will develop evaluation strategies, practices, processes, and the structure to manage a complete job and organization design study for temporary and permanent positions in about 30 areas.

Faculty will not be included in the study and administrator positions will not be included in the job pricing; however, job description updates may be made as groups are evaluated.

The scope of work is anticipated to be completed in nine months with the delivery of project goals, methodologies, desired outcomes, and processes to senior leadership, leaders of discipline areas, and the employees impacted.

The contractor will deliver documented strategies, procedures, communications, data, materials and processes for implementing job description evaluations across campuses and district offices; market pay grade assignments; U.S. Department of Labor compliance components; job pay changes; and any employee appeals resulting from the study.

PAC interim VP named president

Bring a résumé and visit with representatives of radio and TV stations, newspapers, transfer universities and more.

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10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5 Room 120 of Visual Arts Center

For information, call 210-486-1765.

News

Sept. 24, 2012

The Ranger • 5

www.theranger.org

Constitution balances power of government, individual rights

Rule of law lasts

By NICOLE A. WEST

By PAULA C. SCHULER

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

A criminal justice full-time adjunct offered an alternate view of the U.S. Constitution by looking at the courts’ impact on the formation of individual rights during his Constitution Day lecture Sept. 17.

“The constitution is relevant because it continues to be a template from which we interpret our rights today,” Instructor Dexter E. Gilford said.

Sept. 17, 1787, marked the day that the final required state ratified the U.S. Constitution.

The criminal justice program and history and humanities programs co-sponsored a series of lectures exploring the two-centuries old document defining the foundation of the U.S. government.

Gilford began his presentation, “The Constitution in the Criminal Justice System,” by stating that there are two features of the Constitution to consider.

“The first feature is that the delegates agreed and disagreed on many things. The things they didn’t agree on were left for future generations.”

One of the things that the delegates of the 13 original states were able to agree upon was the structure of the government, Gilford said.

The second important feature of the U.S. Constitution is that delegates left the language ambiguous so it could be interpreted by future generations, Gilford continued.

That the Constitution does not include the right to privacy has been questioned, but Gilford said the document implies the right in its intentionally ambiguous wording.

These two features keep the Constitution relevant today, he said.

Gilford discussed about the Supreme Court’s Warren era, 1953-1969.

The Warren court almost rewrote and expanded individual rights as it relates to criminal defendants under the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments in fewer than 20 years, Gilford said.

Some of the rights that are considered fun-

damental in the Warren era include the exclusionary rule and the Miranda warning.

“It wasn’t until the 1960s that we even found out that the Fourth Amendment can be enforced by an exclusion of evidence. Even today, it’s an extremely controversial rule among law professors,” Gilford said.

For example, a murderer can go free if a police officer makes a mistake or by intentionally violating the murderer’s rights.

The founders never anticipated that, he said. That’s something that the Warren court thought about: For due process to be fair, no accused person should stand alone without the assistance of counsel, Gilford said.

“The point I’m trying to make is that a number of those things we call fundamental are, in fact, directly related to the composition of the court.”

Gilford asked audience members if they knew what the 1973 Roe v. Wade case was and the majority of the audience raised a hand.

Many students responded that it was about abortion and privacy.

The case was about “a woman’s rights to privacy and the decisions concerning her body, specifically the decision on whether or not she should have an abortion,” Gilford said.

“Let’s assume that your personal constitutional rights are in a little bag that you carry on your back. What rights are in that bag?” he asked, noting those are the fundamental rights, including women’s rights.

The right to privacy is not in the Constitution, but it’s implied, Gilford said. “We did not know these rights existed until the Supreme Court told us they did.”

When the Supreme Court talks about individual rights, it is always doing so in the context of society, Gilford said.

“Think of individual rights as a circle. Within that circle, there will always be a division with individual rights on one hand, and safe-keeping of the public on the other. The more you expand individual rights, the more you limit the ability of the government to engage in investigation, apprehension and prosecution.”

Test your U.S. Constitution IQ: 1. Our country’s first constitution was called: a. the Articles of Confederation b. the Declaration of Independence c. the “Federalist Papers” d. the Emancipation Proclamation 2. Laws for the United States are made by: a. the president b. the Senate c. Congress d. the Supreme Court 3. The longest possible time a person could now serve as President is: a. 4 years b. 8 years c. 10 years d. 12 years 4. A person accused of a crime in court has a right to: a. hear the prosecutor’s witnesses b. be tried in any venue c. choose any judge d. change courts 5. Invoking the Fifth Amendment means an accused person: a. refuses to testify to selfincrimination b. refuses to be tried again c. demands a grand jury d. wants to appeal the case

6. Our first vice president was: a. Alexander Hamilton b. Thomas Jefferson c. Benjamin Franklin d. John Adams 7. The Bill of Rights is: a. the first 10 amendments b. the 15th Amendment c. the entire Constitution d. all of the amendments

U.S. is the largest exporter of human rights in the history of the world.

“I think we tend to ascribe a lot more forethought on the founding fathers, but frankly I The idea of rule of law is the “greatest export think many of them were just very suspicious of the United States,” a University of Texas at as to what might happen and they wanted to be San Antonio criminal justice professor said in a certain they were protected,” he said. constitution day lecture.

A listener noted delays in equality for races Criminal justice Chair Roger Enriquez said, and women during the first 150 years of the people around the world want the rule of law Constitution’s existence. for what it can empower in their lives, opportuAn audience member expressed frustranity, protection and equal treatment. tion that the U.S. status as the largest exporter The United Nations defines rule of law as of arms is in conflict with the values of the “a principle of governance in which all perConstitution. sons, institutions and entities, public and priEnriquez said no democracy is perfect and vate, including the State itself, are accountable Americans need to avoid letting the imperto laws” that are equally fections destroy the good enforced. in it.

“The idea of being Enriquez specifically He said laws are amendable to read court mentioned China working ed to reflect the changing transcripts from to build stability by progres“conscience of the people.” hundreds of years sively redesigning their govHe went on to share a ago is awesome. ernment to function under paraphrase of Founding Can’t do that without the rule of law.

Father John Adams that our Constitution.”

He said the Chinese while the United States has Roger Enriquez, are not copying our made mistakes as a nation, Constitution, but they are it has done so much good UTSA chair copying our ideas. for the world by being able Enriquez said, “Mexico to show that a nation can is moving to rule of law,” toward more open amend its rules, hold jury trials and be a nation courts with public information. of laws, not men.

“The idea of being able to read court tranEncouraging minority students, Enriquez scripts from hundreds of years ago is awesome. encouraged them to respond to jury summons Can’t do that without our Constitution,” he and participate in jury duty. said.

He exhorted the students saying minorities During a question-and-answer session, are under-represented in the jury process and the audience asked about the Dream Act, it is a small change they can make to improve why other countries do not just copy the minority influence.

U.S. Constitution and what made the U.S. “The jury is the conscience of the people,” Constitution possible. he said. sac-ranger@alamo.edu

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8. If neither the president nor vice president can serve, the position would be filled by: a. the speaker of the House b. the chief justice c. the elected president of the Senate d. the secretary of state 9. The major department head who is appointed by the President to deal with foreign countries is the: a. secretary of defense b. secretary of state c. attorney general d. secretary of commerce 10. The president is elected if he: a. wins a majority of the electoral votes b. wins most of the country’s vote c. wins all of the states’ votes d. wins most of the states’ votes

Answers: 1. a. 2. c. 3. c. 4. a. 5. a. 6. d. 7. a. 8. a. 9. b. 10. a.

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6 • The Ranger

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Halloween head start Drama club is selling seven years worth of theater costumes for fundraiser.

By AMANDA RIOS

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The OnStage Drama Club will sell costumes from the last seven years of theater productions as a fundraiser Wednesday during the Antojitos Festival.

The festival is sponsored by the office of student life for students to join in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

The festival will showcase lowrider cars and their artists.

The festival will also consist of food booths sponsored by clubs and organizations.

The drama club will staff a booth 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the mall.

Members decided to sell the costumes during the festival because that would bring in a lot of buyers, Treasurer Erika Gonzalez said Wednesday.

“Many people start looking for Halloween costumes during the first week of October, so it will be convenient for people looking to buy their costumes early,” she said.

Her sister, Stephanie Gonzalez, historian and secretary, said Monday that the sale will help make room in closets in McAllister Fine Arts Center.

“We hope to clean out the costume closet to make room for more costumes and props for the upcoming year,” she said.

They will price each piece of a costume, such as jacket or pants, at $1, she said.

“We will also have complete costumes, and the prices will vary depending on the costume,” Erika Gonzalez said.

“Since we are having full-size costumes, I would tell people to go for those costumes first, since they are a full set,” she said.

Costumes include a variety of themes and range from new to old, she said.

She could not estimate the number of costumes for sale, but she said one theater production might have 15 to 40 actors.

“Usually during a play, there are two costume changes, so the costumes will vary,” Erika Gonzalez said.

She said this is the first time the club decided to sell their collection of costumes.

Most of the costumes are handmade by students.

Students also buy thrift store clothing in creating costumes.

The club also alters costumes to fit the needs of a play.

The club also plans to sell snow cones during the fundraiser.

“The club hopes to raise money to help pay for the sets and buy costumes and other needs for this year’s theme “Malice in Wonderland,” Stephanie Gonzalez said.

“Malice in Wonderland,” is the club’s theme for the haunted house fundraiser Oct. 19-20, in Loftin Student Center.

For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/onstage.dramaclub or email the club at onstagedramaclub@yahoo.com.

Author Carmen Tafolla tells students to remember to celebrate themselves during the opening ceremony for Hispanic Heritage Month Monday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Riley Stephens

City’s first poet laureate launches Hispanic Heritage Month events

By JENNIFER CHARO sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The city’s first poet laureate said her writings are successful because they come from who she is and where she comes from.

Dr. Carmen Tafolla, who read her poem “Feeding Me” Monday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center to kickoff Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations at this college, called on audience members to celebrate themselves.

She said this month celebrates the heritage each person carries with them.

“Most importantly, this month you celebrate you,” she said.

Her prose used cultural foods to embrace Hispanic heritage.

Tafolla said the month-long observation celebrates being a piece of a puzzle that makes the city great regardless of racial background.

“You have something to contribute to this world,” she said, continuing, everyone has a dream. She admonished people from thinking that because they may not feel smart or talented, they cannot achieve something.

Tafolla said she had a dream to become a writer but thought this was unattainable because she is Hispanic and had no

money.

When she was 10, a library was built in her neighborhood.

Once a week, she and her mother would walk to the library where Tafolla would borrow the five-book maximum, which she read from cover to cover.

Many of the books she checked out were published in New York, so she thought to become a writer, she needed to live in New York.

An early writing experience began with the line, “One day while walking through the middle of Central Park.”

It ends there; she couldn’t write about what she didn’t know.

At the end of her street lived an old lady who sold tortillas out of the front of her house.

She noticed the silver of the woman’s hair and her brown, cracked hands covered in masa and realized this was the oldest woman on the face of the earth.

Without the tortilla woman, how would anyone know about Mexican food, she thought.

As a writer, she learned she didn’t need Central Park or the Statue of Liberty to appreciate her surroundings or write about what she saw.

“Remember to celebrate yourself,” she said.

‘The Butcher Show’ celebrates Hisp

By EDGAR GARCIA

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Two teachers and a staff member from this college are among 11 artists involved in “The Butcher Show,” an event at Guadalupe Crossing Market Saturday in Waring that pays tribute to photography, short videos and music.

“The Butcher Show” will be the grand finale of the Fotoseptiembre USA Festival, in which Hispanic culture is celebrated each September with art and photo exhibitions.

Art Professor Rebecca Dietz, who is organizing the event, invites the community to come enjoy a day of art from 3 p.m-10 pm.

“I love when the community comes together to enjoy art,” she said Sept. 17.

She made sure the event landed on a day where everybody would witness what she calls “a beautiful night with a full harvest moon.”

Art Adjunct Jessica Barnette DeCuir will play a rare instrument called theremin, an instrument which was popular in the 1920s for creating melodies only by using soundwaves and one antenna.

Tricia Buchhorn, journalism lab tech and adjunct, will share four of her photos. She also teaches photojournalism at Texas A&M-San

Antonio.

Buchhorn describes one of her favorite photographs as “how we view what we eat.”

Two local restaurants will remain open for guests of the show. The Waring General Store will offer burgers and beer while the Waring Country Store will offer hand-cut fries and home-made pies.

Guadalupe Crossing Market is at 542 WaringWelfare Road.

In case of rain, the show will be rescheduled for 3 p.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. For information, call Dietz at 210-486-1046.

Artists featured Musical performance: Wolverton Theremin performance: Jessica Barnette DeCuir Photography: Tricia Buchhorn, Rebecca Dietz, Jenelle Esparza, Carra Garza, Victor and Sarah Pagona, Libby Rowe Video: Joseph Almendariz, David and Cara Powers, Sabra Booth, Nancy Breslin, Joey Fauerso, Robert B. Gonzalez, Michele Monseau

Art Professor Rebecca Dietz is organizing “The Butcher Show

miere

Sept. 24, 2012 • 7

r.org/ premiere

Visual artist Adriana Corral, displays samples of her artwork Thursday in nursing and tells about her study of the murdered women of Juarez, Mexico, who began being found in the nearby desert in 1993. No one has ever been prosecuted in any of the deaths. Corral’s presentation on the anger the situation engendered was part of Hispanic Heritage Month activities at this college. Riley Stephens

Observation events continue with fiesta, lectures, play Three Hispanic Heritage Month events are scheduled for Wednesday.

From 9 a.m.-2 p.m., an Antojitos Festival is scheduled for the mall.

Dr. Larissa Mercado-Lopez, Fitness Cultures blogger for the San Antonio Express-News will present “Fitness y Cultura: Blogging at the Intersections of Gender, Identity, Culture and Health” 10 a.m.-10:50 a.m. in Room 218 of the nursing complex.

The final event on Wednesday will be a 6:30 p.m. lecture

panic culture

w” at the old Butcher’s Shop and Movie House in Waring. Courtesy

by Adam Rocha, director of the San Antonio Film Festival in Room 101 of Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building.

Civil engineer Hernan Jaramillo will speak from 11 a.m.11:50 a.m. Oct. 3 in Room 218 of the nursing complex.

Communication design Coordinator Richard Arredondo will present “Rediscovering Mexican Religious Art” from 12:15-1:30 p.m. Oct. 4 in the craft room of Loftin Student Center.

Also Oct. 4, visual artist Vincent Valdez will be presenting his works from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Chiego Lecture Hall of

the McNay Art Museum, and afterwards will be leading a guided tour of the museum.

Fine arts Adjunct Alison Vasquez presents “La Flor de la Canela,” a 40-minute play about Latina identity that translates to “Cinnamon Flower,” from 9 a.m.-9:50 a.m. Oct. 8 in the theater of McCreless Hall.

The final event will be a concert by Pop Pistol from noon-1:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Fiesta Room For more information, call English Professor Patricia Portales at 210-486-0681.

From SCIENCE, Page 1 In MUSB 2309, The Record Industry, students find the live musical talent used on the show.

ARTC 2347, Digital Design 2, students created the logo used by “The Science of Sound” and KSYM 90.1.

COMM 1337, Television Production; COMM 2302 Audio/ Radio Production; and the MUSB 2450, Commercial Music Project, students all contribute to the production.

For upcoming dates and show times of “The Science of Sound” visit intv.alamo.edu.

View “The Science of Sound” on Time Warner Channel 118119 or Channel 98 on a set top box.

On Grande cable it can be seen on channel 21 or ATT U-verse Channel 99.

For additional information, call Meals at 210-486-1380 or visit the program’s website at www.alamo.edu/sac/musicbusiness.

“The business side of music is the requirement, not just the entertainment value.”

Donnie Meals, music business coordinator

“The Science of Sound,” a joint production of classes in music business, radio, television and communication design, airs on area cable networks. Courtesy

Editorial

8 • The Ranger

Sept. 24, 2012

www.theranger.org/opinion

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

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

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

The Ranger news outlets, which serve the Alamo Community College District, are laboratory projects of journalism classes in the Department of Media Communications at San Antonio College. The Ranger is published Mondays except during summer, holidays and examinations.

The Ranger Online is available at www.theranger.org.

News contributions accepted by telephone (210-486-1773), by fax (210-486-9292), by email (sac-ranger@alamo.edu) or at the editorial office (Room 212 of Loftin Student Center).

Advertising rates available upon request by phone (210-486-1765) or as a download at www.theranger.org.

The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Community College Journalism Association.

Guest Viewpoints:

Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to contribute guest viewpoints of up to 450 words.

Writers should focus on campus or current events in a critical, persuasive or interpretative style.

All viewpoints must be published with a photo portrait of the writer.

Letters Policy:

The Ranger invites readers to share views by writing letters to the editor. Space limitations force the paper to limit letters to two 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

Disdain transparent Staff and administrators received a 2 percent salary increase this fall, while faculty members received an increase of an average of 6 percent.

The actual individual faculty increases ranged from 1.65 percent to 14.55 percent, or very little to the longest-serving and best educated and much larger increases to the newest and least educated.

At a Sept. 5 Faculty Senate meeting, radiotelevision-film Professor John Onderdonk called the 2 percent salary increase “insulting.”

At a March 9 town hall meeting at this college, Leslie likened department chairs to being “four-legged,” saying, “We try to split you between keeping one foot in the classroom and then putting your other three feet in the administrative role. I think on one level, we need to acknowledge that these are administrative roles.”

Acknowledgement for management roles by other employers usually comes in the form of increased wages.

In March, the board approved a salary plan for full-time faculty that increased full-time faculty workdays from 164 to 166 without increased compensation.

Yet, Chancellor Bruce Leslie received a 7 percent salary increase bringing his base compensation to $343,475 this fall: the 2 percent administrator increase, or $6,399, and an additional $17,139 to put his compensation on par with his peers at other two-year institutions in the state.

But wait … there’s more. He also will receive car allowance, cell phone allowance, life insurance and retention bonus.

His estimated FY 2013 compensation is budgeted at $373,000.

In FY 2012, he collected $349,462.

While Leslie enjoys his windfall, students across the district have to cough up more tuition for fewer services, such as shorter lab hours, fewer librarians, counselors and tutors, and virtually no printing of class handouts.

And faculty are expected to absorb more assignments, such as counseling students and being available 24/7 to answer student email while petty tug of wars over office hours reflect ignorance and disregard for expanded responsibilities.

Instead of retention bonuses like the chancellor’s, the faithful faculty are invited to retire early because they are too expensive.

A strong faculty is one of many factors a student takes into consideration when choosing an institution of higher education.

A college does not exist without faculty; a college is its faculty.

A college does not become a life-long mentor; a faculty member does.

The vast majority of full-time faculty members devote time beyond the classroom and office hours attending to student needs (and former students’ needs) as well as in endless meetings for committees and initiatives, all in the best interests of students.

Real leaders often make sacrifices and are usually the first to volunteer; they know, in the long run, it’s for the greater good.

Instead, this district’s top administrator couldn’t even be bothered to sit through this college’s May commencement. By the L’s, he was making his exit.

ACES email vital link Information pertaining to scholarships, events, graduation and campus crime alerts are all sent to students via ACES email.

The college public relations office sends out a weekly notice, informing students about what they can look forward to.

At the Sept. 11 Audit, Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said emails were sent to students in summer to inform them about AlamoCash cards for refunds such as financial aid disbursements.

The cards are intended to cut costs of

paper and postage. Snyder said when refunds were delayed by vendor and IT errors, students were notified by email if refunds were not expected to arrive by the start of classes.

The district adopted a policy in May 2011 making the alamo.edu account, accessible through ACES, the only official electronic method for communication.

Professors who want to remind students about homework assignments should use ACES email. Class cancellations and drop notices are sent via ACES email. Check ACES daily to stay informed and prepared.

Sept. 24, 2012

Opinion

The Ranger • 9

www.theranger.org

Editorial

Climb to health, strength, fitness The college’s Wellness Committee advises students and employees to take the stairs instead of the elevators. The initiative, “Burn Calories, Not Electricity. Take The Stairs!” promotes saving energy while burning calories.

By taking the stairs, not only do you avoid the awkward silence of shared elevator rides, you burn 10 calories per minute.

About 150 signs were placed around campus in seven buildings, but the whole campus should have them by the end of the year.

Why so many? According to a 2012 Men’s Fitness Magazine survey, 33.8 percent of Americans are obese. Houston, the fattest city on the survey, is just down the road while three other Texas cities made the list. Only two cities in the Lone Star state made the “fittest city” list and San Antonio just made the cut at No. 25.

In the magazine’s annual rankings — based on access to fitness facilities, nutrition and government initiatives — the Alamo City went from being one of the fattest cities in the country to one of the fittest in three short years.

In the 2009 survey, the city ranked third fattest, but moved to seventh in 2010.

The Wellness Committee’s and similar initiatives can help S.A. move up the fittest scale.

Take the stairs, park farther than usual or enroll in P.E. courses. In fall 2012, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board eliminated the required two hours of kinesiology courses in the general core curriculum, but you can still sign up for one of more than 80 courses.

Work out for stress relief and to be more productive.

2 halves becoming whole Imagine belonging to two races, but disregarding one until reminded by your reflection in a mirror.

Being raised in a household where no Viewpoint one shared my race by was at times confusJENNIFER ing. Even though in CORONADO my early childhood, it wasn’t my main concern, I was fully aware of my birth race, a race I chose not to identify with.

When asked by others about my ethnicity, I would quickly answer Hispanic to avoid mentioning my other half.

No matter how puzzled the questioner appeared, I stuck to my response in a desperate attempt to convince myself that I truly was fully Hispanic.

Bringing myself to identify with two cultures was harder for me than it may have been for others of biracial families partially because my father was not active in my upbringing.

My Hispanic mother raised me, and my African-American father was absent simply because my mother didn’t allow me to have much contact with him.

When I was allowed to visit my father, I got a glimpse of my black culture but was never fully introduced.

During my sophomore year in high school, my father was diagnosed with lung caner and died shortly thereafter.

I was numb to his death; our relationship was not what I would have liked it to be.

I was a self-absorbed teen never willing to spend my time to get to know him.

We were perfect strangers, and the opportunity to create a father-daughter bond was shortened.

I always wanted to please him and aspired to reach his level of intelligence.

After his passing, I was undirected and felt a sense of emptiness from having little to no knowledge of my black culture.

My two Hispanic half-siblings would tease me about being half-black and joke about how I was adopted and that no one wanted me.

Much of the name-calling and false claims about adoption brought me to truly believe I didn’t belong and urged me to seek a sense of belonging.

Attending schools on the West Side didn’t exactly familiarize me with the black community because of its predominantly Hispanic population.

I was picked on and called bad names of a racial nature by classmates who disliked me, some of whom never even cared to get to know me, so I learned to defend myself early on.

This chapter in my life brought me to disclaim my black side, and I did all I could to not be viewed as an outsider.

My upbringing into my teen years was rich in the Hispanic culture until I attended high school on the Southeast Side where there seemed to be an equal percentage of black and Hispanic students.

Being in a daily environment with blacks brought me to accept my other half and have some pride in it.

Jennifer Coronado’s family poses for a group shot after a play she participated in during kindergarten. Courtesy When I finally started making black friends, I felt like I was acting — it wasn’t a clear representation of my true character — something I never felt being around my Hispanic friends.

With my Hispanic friends, there was never pressure to be accepted because even though on the outside I had different features, I lived and breathed their very own culture.

I try to comprehend and appreciate the value of both cultures by looking back and reflecting on their history and how strong they stand in today’s society.

Today, I still struggle with my true identity and have high hopes that I’ll come to grasp it all one day.

Then I can show my pride not only during Hispanic Heritage Month but also during Black History Month.

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Health

10 • The Ranger

Sept. 24, 2012

www.theranger.org

CHIP offers free or low-cost health insurance for children Empowerment center helps parents with information about children’s health insurance.

By LUCIA ESPINO

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Children in Texas may qualify for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for a low-cost health insurance or Children’s Medicaid for no cost.

Children have been denied health insurance because of preexisting medical conditions (like asthma and diabetes), according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

In March 2010, the Affordable Care Act became a law, requiring every child to have access to health care regardless of their pre-existing conditions, including disability and CHIP/ Children’s Medicaid for low-income families who cannot afford private insurance.

“The state of Texas requires every state-registered day care to have all the information about every child’s pediatrician, along with any medical conditions before they can be enrolled in the facility,” said Marcela Espinoza, child care director and co-owner of Maria’s Registered Child Care Home.

Espinoza was an early childhood education student at this college who later obtained a Child Development Associate (CDA) and a Technical Certificate in Child Care Administration from Tick Tock Training.

“If a child is not having basic health care, his or her ability to focus and learn is minimum,” Espinoza said. “If a parent needs help paying for health care, we immediately refer them to CHIP or Children’s Medicaid,” she continued.

According to CHIP’s official website, from the moment a woman finds out she is pregnant, CHIP/Children’s Medicaid can take care of perinatal visits, labor and delivery, and medical ser-

vices until the child is 18 years old for $50 or less per year.

“CHIP is doing everything online now, and some parents still have struggles with that, so they really appreciate when they get some face-to-face help,” Espinoza said.

The empowerment center at this college will have an information session to help parents with the application process and it is asking parents or legal guardians to bring all documentation needed for the application.

The documentation required for application: Social Security number, Alien Registration Card (I-551) in case the child is not a U.S. citizen, proof of each family member’s income and proof of how much the family pays for child care, disabled adult care or child support. This event, free and open to the public and sponsored by the Empowerment center, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the empowerment center, 703 Howard St. For more information, call 210-486-0455.

Empowerment center, UTHSC-SA present cancer prevention sessions The number diagnosed with cervical cancer is increasing, especially among Latinas.

By LUCIA ESPINO

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

In 2010, the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that 12,200 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and about 4,210 died from it.

This year, an estimated 12,170 women will be diagnosed and about 4,220 women will die.

Delana Gonzales, a candidate for a master’s of public health at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, said in a Sept. 12 lecture in the empowerment center that Latinas have a greater risk for cervical cancer because the majority do not have access to screenings or they do not receive enough information about

prevention and treatments.

There are more than 100 types of cancer and they all start with an abnormal cell growing out of control, sometimes invading other parts of the body, Gonzales said.

The empowerment center here has partnered with the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute at the health science center with Salud San Antonio Clinical and Health Education Collaborative, or CHEC for Cancer, Gonzales said. CHEC targets Latinos 21 and older about the risk factors and importance of screenings for early detection of colorectal, breast and cervical cancer, she said.

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is one of the main causes of cervical cancer and a papanicolaou test, or pap smear, is crucial in preventing this cancer, or detecting it at its early stages, she said. The Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention website states HPV is the most common sexually transmitted virus.

Most people with HPV do not develop symptoms or health problems from it and do not realize they are infected or are passing the virus to a sex partner. CDC also states, it can be prevented with two vaccines called Cervarix (for women only) and Gardasil (for men and women).

Gonzales emphasized the importance of HPV prevention and regular screening for cervical cancer because symptoms don’t materialize until the condition is quite advanced.

Genetics and lifestyle have a role in developing cancer, but the social environment risk factor is the reason for this program, Gonzales said.

“When someone lives in a poor social environment, the attention they give to their health is minimum.” Gonzales said. “They often have to choose between paying bills and a doctor’s visit.”

CHEC will provide navigation support, and eligible participants will have low- or no-cost screenings for breast, cervical or colorectal cancer along with referral for treatment (if diagnosed with cancer) from CentroMed. CentroMed is a nonprofit health center and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

CHEC for Cancer will present sessions from 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Wednesdays in Room 112 of the empowerment center at 703 Howard St. This event is free and open to the public, but participants must be at least 18 years of age and the empowerment center suggests advance registration because each session is limited to 12 participants.

For more information, call the empowerment center at 210-486-0455 or visit www.alamo. edu/sac/swans.

Sports

Sept. 24, 2012

The Ranger • 11

www.theranger.org

Kinesiology works out core rejection Faculty push the benefits of fitness, sport and dance courses.

By FELIPE PEREZ JR.

worse before it gets better.”

The department has turned to several marketing campaigns to show the benefits of taking a class offered by the department, such as issuing incoming students brochures, periodically sending emails and hanging banners around campus informing students about new and existing classes.

Plans call for a course in what Richardson calls “extreme fitness,” which will combine cardio, spin bike and aquatic exercises to help train for triathlons.

Students may ask why they should take kinesiology if it is no longer required.

He encourages students to enroll in kinesiology classes to develop skills, attitudes and knowledge relative to fitnessrelated activities, lifetime sports and dance.

Richardson said, “Physically fit people are helping to stop early chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.”

Former students have told him that his classes have changed their lives and they now know that being healthy truly is the lifestyle for them.

Another benefit that students on a budget might consider is the cost of a class over a standard gym membership that could reach in access of $300 a year.

For more information, visit the department’s Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/sackinesiology or call 210486-1010.

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Have you looked at your degree requirements lately? You might have noticed that kinesiology is no longer a requirement in most new degrees plans.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board removed kinesiology from core requirements for degrees in arts and sciences beginning this semester.

The board’s decision was not based on funding, Chair Bill Richardson of kinesiology and dance, said Sept. 17.

“The decision is predicated on a big push to have an educated workforce,” he said, referring to adding academic courses in the core in lieu of physical education.

“There is more pressure and more pressure to produce more graduates.”

Richardson does not agree with the board’s decision. “A person who is fit is apt to be more productive,” he said. “The billions of dollars spent on needless health care because of people not taking care of themselves can be prevented.”

Richardson was expecting a drop in enrollment in kinesiology and dance this semester. Last spring, the department offered 100 sections, and this fall the number is 85 sections. So far, the department has not lost any full-time faculty.

He said he told his faculty of 10 full-time instructors and 11 adjuncts, “It might get

Tom Cruise climbs Dead Horse Point in Utah while filming “Mission: Impossible 2.”

Paramount Pictures

NLC to open rock climbing walls

By OSITA OMESIETE sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Rock climbing can be fun and exciting unless you are IMF agent Ethan Hunt hanging from the side of a mountain.

While rock climbing Dead Horse Point in Utah, Tom Cruise put himself in a potentially fatal situation during filming of “Mission: Impossible 2.”

Hanging by his bare hands, gripping rock for dear life, a poorly calculated move could mean not only the end for Hunt but the franchise.

Ukclimbing.com states the proper way to free solo climb is with protective rope or gear, but that’s not for the Impossible Mission Force agent.

Cruise, on the other hand, was connected by two cables at all times, which were CGI removed in post-production to make it appear he was soloing.

For students and employees of the Alamo Colleges, training for Mission: Impossible climbs could soon become a reality on a three-story rock

climbing wall and a 12-foot bouldering wall.

Kinesiology Professor Wes Adams, certified by the American Mountain Guide Association, is in the process of training Northeast Lakeview College staff to assist climbers.

In the middle of October, Northeast Lakeview will be unveiling the climbing walls and making them available to Alamo College students and employees with valid ID. If the anticipation is too much, St. Mary’s University and UTSA each have rock-climbing walls. Climbers at those campuses must be a guest of a current student and pay a $5 entry fee.

Life Time Fitness Club also offers rock climbing for a $40 day pass and $80 monthly pass.

For those who can wait, the rock wall will be available to students in October — should they choose to accept the invitation.

For more information, call the student commons at 210-486-5404.

PASS ON THE PARKING HASSLES AND RELAX WHILE YOUR FRIENDS

try to find a parking spot.

$35 for 5 MONTHS

BUS STOPS AROUND CAMPUS 37759

38719

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Ashby 37773

37747

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TAKE THE RIDE AND WIN! San Antonio College - PHOTO CONTEST

37783 38796

Courtland

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47356

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W.Locust

Stops in front of SAC

“All roads lead to SAC”

Answer one of these with a photo: 1) Why taking VIA is a good option 2) Making new friends on the parking lot shuttle 3) Putting the commute to good use

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SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE CAMPUS

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W. Myrtle

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58197

W.Park 47947

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VIA...what smart students are taking.

VIA Semester Passes are available for sale at the SAC Business Office beginning August 2012 All passes are also sold at VIA across the street from SAC, 1021 San Pedro Ave. Discounted Student monthly bus passes also available online at www.viainfo.net

It’s the best way to get to campus... a VIA Semester Pass for only $35 for five months. Finding a parking space at SAC may be more difficult because of construction on campus.

W.Park

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Route #3 & #4

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PRIZES:

Grand Prize: $500 gift card from VIA/SAC 1st prizes: $250 gift card from L&M Bookstore $150 gift card from L&M Bookstore $100 gift card from L&M Bookstore 2nd and 3rd prizes: $25 gift card SAC Bookstore $25 gift card SA Discount Textbooks

Numbers along route are stop identification numbers.

To plan your bus trip go to Google Maps, enter San Antonio College and select “get directions by public transit.”

• • • • •

For more details on how to enter go to alamo.edu/sac 210-486-0880 GET REAL-TIME BUS ARRIVALS ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE

Saves time and money Gets you there on time Forgo a parking permit No more parking headaches Drops you off on campus

Contest begins Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. All entries must be received by Friday, Sept. 28, 2012.

Construction starts soon on campus.

Phone: 210.362.2020 | www.viainfo.net

News

12 • The Ranger

Sept. 24, 2012

www.theranger.org

Chancellor receives 7 percent increase to align with peers

By ALMA LINDA MANZANARES amanzanares6@student.alamo.edu

Chancellor Bruce Leslie received a 7 percent salary increase Aug. 21, bringing his base salary to $343,475, which officials said is to align him with chancellors from peer community colleges in the state.

Other administrators and staff received a 2 percent increase, and faculty increases ranged from 1.65 percent to 14.55 percent, according to human resources.

Leslie’s total compensation for fiscal year 2013 is $373,000, which includes a $12,000 car allowance, $720 cell phone allowance, $1,805 for life insurance and a $15,000 retention bonus. For fiscal year 2012, his total compensation was $349,462, an increase of $23,538.

Leo Zuñiga, associate vice chancellor of communications, said Leslie received a 2 percent increase for 2012-13, in line with all full-time staff and administrators, plus $17,139 to his base salary of $319,937.

Trustees approved the 2 percent salary increase for full-time staff and administration across the district at the July 24 regular board meeting.

The 2 percent increase added $6,399 to Leslie’s salary and the additional $17,139 was to bring Leslie’s salary to parity with his peers in the state, Zuñiga said.

The Alamo Colleges board of trustees discussed Leslie’s contract in executive session at the Aug. 21 regular board meeting.

The board approved the authori-

Chancellor Bruce Leslie at Tuesday’s board meeting Alma Linda Manzanares zation for board Chair James Rindfuss to negotiate a rollover contract with Leslie that started Sept. 1 and will end Aug. 31, 2015.

Rindfuss said a study was conducted with the chancellor to align him with other peer community colleges in the state similar to the faculty evaluation study conducted to approve a new salary plan for fulltime faculty.

“Rather than give him a 2 percent increase, we did an analysis, a study, of what the chancellors from the largest community colleges in the state were getting and we found out we were far too low to keep him in alignment,” he said. “It had nothing to do with 2 percent, plus this, plus that. It had to do with 2 percent was not adequate. We decided what was adequate, and we voted on that by doing the analysis similar to what we’ve done with the faculty.”

According to Werling Associates’ fiscal year 2012 higher education administrative accountability report conducted in May, Leslie — with his average total compensation of $333,598 — ranked fifth of seven community college leaders in the state.

Although salaries of public officials are public information, base salaries and total compensations for FY 2013 could not be obtained from the six community colleges by deadline.

Lesa Spivey, director of public relations and media at Houston Community College, said although Spangler’s salary information is public information, she could not give the salary information over the phone. She directed a reporter to Google or human resources, which then directed a reporter to the chancellor’s office where executive secretary Linh Tran, said the information could be researched online or by filing an open records request.

Amanda Booren, director of communications and publications at San Jacinto College, said an open records request was required.

Jed Young, executive director of communications at Lone Star College, directed a reporter to the Texas Tribune’s government employee salary database.

Phone calls to public and media relations departments for Tarrant County College, Austin Community College and Dallas County Community College were not returned by deadline.

At the March 27 regular board meeting, trustees approved a new salary plan for full-time faculty.

Under the plan, the district implemented a 6 percent increase in average salaries, moved from a step system to salary ranges, paid full-time faculty at 130 percent of

Bookstore offers 50 $100 text vouchers

By REBECCA SALINAS

extracurricular activities, leadership skills, participation in community activities and A $100 bookstore scholarship is availresponses to essay questions. able for students who have not received Students with the highest scores are the financial aid reimbursement on time. first to be awarded.

Dr. Alice Johnson, dean of learning The topic came up at the Audit, Budget resources, said there will be 50 vouchand Finance Committee meeting Sept. 11 ers available for application starting in during a presentation by Diane Snyder, January. vice chancellor for finance and adminisStudents must be in good academic tration, on the AlamoCash debit card. She standing, but there is no need for proof reported that the card vendor, Heartland of financial need. The Payment Systems, neglectendowed scholarship is for ed to produce 10,000 debit Students can both part- and full-time stucards of an order of 10,. apply Jan. 14 dents of any major. Students On Aug. 21, college offifor the 2012-13 also must maintain a minicials discovered the error, academic year. mum GPA of 2.0. but the vendor managed to Johnson said the vouchdeliver the missing cards by ers are available to continuthe Aug. 24 deadline. ing education and international students Snyder reported that financial aid as well. “We were trying to hit people that refunds, which are disbursed on the cards, don’t have other options,” Johnson said. can be issued no earlier than 10 days Scholarship Coordinator Irene Fuentes before the first day of classes, and no said students can apply for the schollater than 14 days after the date the balarship at http://www.alamo.edu/main. ance occurred on the student’s account, aspx?id=2467. The application process according to the department of education opens at 8 a.m. Jan. 14. disbursement timeline window.

Students need to fill out the Alamo District 1 trustee Joe Alderete Jr. asked Colleges Foundation Scholarship applicaabout a backup plan for students who tion only once to be eligible for all scholarneed the card to buy books or materials. ships.

Palo Alto College offers book cards Fuentes said once the applications are ranging from $100-$300 dependent on received, judges — employees of this colneeds and St. Philip’s College has a textlege and community members — will sort book loan program on a first-come, firstthrough the data to find which scholarserved basis. ships best fit student needs.

The bookstore scholarship is the only She said they score each application, back-up plan at this college. then send it to Fuentes to match criteria.

For more information, call Fuentes at Scoring is based on GPA, academic plans, 210-486-0963. rsalinas191@student.alamo.edu

Average total compensation FY 2012 Mary Spangler, chancellor of Houston Community College: $372,796 Erma Johnson Hadley, chancellor of Tarrant County College: $371,000 Richard Carpenter, chancellor of Lone Star College: $347,906 Wright Lassiter, chancellor of Dallas County Community College: $339,597 Stephen Kinslow, president of Austin Community College: $323,000 Brenda Hellyer, chancellor of San Jacinto College: $266,886

the adjunct rate during summer 2013 and increased full-time faculty duty days from 164 to 166.

Faculty salaries now range from $38,500 for a beginning salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree to a maximum of $95,604 for a faculty member with a doctorate.

Before, salary was based on placement of faculty at the time of hiring based on degree, credit hours and prior experience. Increases were based on board approval and fund availability; promotion to a higher salary classification was based on degree and credit hours; and promotion in rank was based on the current promotional system.

Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said Tuesday on average, the highest percentage increase was 11.5 percent to a faculty member with a bachelor’s degree whose average salary was $40,569. The lowest percentage increase was 4.61 percent to a faculty member with a master’s plus 48 hours, whose average salary was $60,975.

However, Linda Boyer-Owens, associate to vice chancellor of human resources and organizational devel-

opment, said five professors in the district with doctorates received a 1.65 percent salary increase. She said one instructor with a bachelor’s degree received a 14.55 percent increase.

Snyder said if an individual had a salary above average, they received a smaller percent increase to bring them equal to their peers. “This is literally taking all those hundreds of employees that over time have evolved to things that weren’t necessarily the same fair compensation based on their level of education and experience: It’s cleaning all that up, so this is a clean up move. So it’s not a generic, flat, let’s perpetuate the inequity by giving everybody the same percent.”

On July 24, trustees approved Werling Associates’ recommendation of a $254,815 annual salary increase for administrators including: • $20,626 for four vice chancellors; • $153,292 for 15 vice presidents; • $13,014 for an associate vice chancellor; • $18,860 for a director; • and $49,023 for seven deans.

The minute order did not identify the administrators nor has the district.

Vehicles without permits escape tickets at Playland

By ANGELO THOMAS DIXON sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The overflow parking lot at Playland Park, 2222 N. Alamo St., is never more than half full, although the capacity is more than 650 and campus police have not been ticketing cars with a college parking permit, security guards say.

On Aug. 27, the area opened to students, faculty and staff with free shuttle rides to campus from the fenced location about a mile and a half away. The shuttles are supposed to run every 15 minutes from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. The lot will remain open until the construction of the new parking garage in finished in roughly a year, Tim Rockey, dean of continuing education training network, who is responsible for parking, said Wednesday.

Construction of the Tobin Hill Lofts at Main Avenue and West Evergreen Street have closed Lot 26 at West Park and North Main avenues, and Lot 31 and Lot 33 at Howard and West Laurel streets.

In addition, parking is limited in Lots 16 near the parking garage off of West Myrtle and Lot 21 by the tennis courts on West Park with the remodeling of Moody Learning Center and expansion of Scobee Planetarium and the addition of the Challenger Learning Center.

Continuing construction has made 450 parking spots inaccessible. To alleviate parking on campus, college officials arranged for parking at the Playland site owned by the district. The lot is unpaved, but spaces are delineated with utility markers. College parking permits are required, but cash-strapped students may have found a loophole in the requirements because two security guards at the location 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. said checks for the permits aren’t happening.

Josh Barron, a security guard, said Sept. 17 he

Only about 100 of more than 650 parking spots are being used at the Playland property at 2222 N. Alamo.

Every 15 minutes, buses commute between the lot and this college. File hadn’t seen any tickets given. “They don’t check for those,” he said.

Rich Borrego, a second security guard on the site, agreed saying, “Yeah, the police say not to worry about them.”

The college website states, “An Alamo Colleges parking permit is necessary to park at this offcampus location.”

It also contrasts with Alamo Colleges police department’s site parking rules and regulations, which states, “All vehicles parked upon the campus shall properly display a current Alamo Colleges Vehicle Registration Tag/Decal.”

“In order to park at the Playland parking location, you need an Alamo Colleges parking permit,” Rockey said, adding the failure to issue tickets on cars with no permits was a “miscommunication” between security guards and police officers and would be addressed.

He also said after a visit on the morning of Sept.

19, “only about 100 cars were in the lot, which fits roughly 700. So that may be a reason the checks aren’t happening.”

Rockey expressed some dismay over the lack of vehicles at the lot, but said he thinks that once more students park there, it will fill to capacity. “It’s growing,” Rockey says. “People are still trying to figure out the parking situation, but the best shot at parking and getting to class on time is at Playland.”

Police did not begin issuing tickets until the week of Sept. 10. Police Deputy Chief Joe Curiel did not return phone calls.