Vol. 86 Issue 16 • Single copies free • March 26, 2012 • 210-486-1773 • theranger.org
This week Board meets Tuesday The board will conduct its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Room 101 of Killen Center, 201 W. Sheridan. The board conducted its monthly committee meetings Tuesday. Visit www.theranger.org for full coverage of the committee meetings. Joshua Fechter
Club outfits proms The San Antonio College Dance Club will collect gently used prom dresses, accessories and shoes for girls enrolled in grades 8-12 in the San Antonio ISD. The club will accept donations 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday in the mall. Donations also can be dropped off in Room 131J of Candler Physical Education Center. The drive supports the Fairy Godmother Project, an organization founded in 2000 to help low-income students. Adviser George Ann Simpson, kinesiology and dance professor, said the project hopes to collect 1,000 dresses in San Antonio. Call her at 210-486-1021 or computer science freshman Carmen De La Rosa at 210-632-4014. Faith Duarte
Essay admission key Students who would like to sharpen their skills can sign up for workshops at the college writing center. A new two-part workshop, “Scholarship and Admission Essays,” will be offered twice. One session is 10 a.m.-10:50 a.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m.-10:50 a.m. April 4. The next one is 2 p.m.2:50 p.m. Wednesday and April 5 in Room 203 of Gonzales Hall. The essays count the most points for a scholarship, and writing good essays increases chances of getting them, Dr. Lennie Irvin, director of the college writing center, said. For more information about the college writing center or workshops, call 210-486-1433, or email Sela Chavez, assistant director of the writing center, at schavez@alamo.edu. Read more online at theranger.org. Jennifer Luna
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Contractors may replace mailrooms The Audit, Budget and Finance Committee of the Alamo Colleges board of trustees unanimously recommended contracting services to replace campus mailrooms at its meeting Tuesday. According to the minute By JOSHUA order, the district would pay FECHTER FEJICO, LLC, and Two Step, LCC, franchisees of Mail Boxes jfechter@student. Etc. Inc., about $76,625 for fisalamo.edu cal year 2012 and $306,500 each year for fiscal years 2013-15 to receive and sort incoming mail to each college and deliver mail to each college and district offices. John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities operations and construction management, said mailrooms are short-staffed, which results in mailroom closures that have caused delays in delivery. He said facilities personnel travel between the colleges delivering mail instead of performing their assigned duties. “Instead of an electrician changing lightbulbs, they’re delivering mail,” he said. District 1 trustee Joe Alderete asked if contracting mail services meant terminating mailroom staff. Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said staff would not be terminated. District 7 trustee Blakely Fernandez asked what would happen to the staff if mailroom services are contracted. Strybos said that because mailroom personnel are considered facilities staff, they would not be terminated and would be reassigned to other duties. Alderete asked how much running functional mail services internally would cost instead of hiring an independent contractor. “That’s an apples and oranges (equation) because our current system doesn’t work,” Strybos said. “Closing mailrooms does not serve faculty, staff and students.”
See MAILROOM, Page 7
Communications clerk Ray Ventura sorts letters and packages in the mailroom in Fletcher Tuesday. Administrators say the staff will not be terminated if the board of trustees contracts for mail services. Riley Stephens
Committee approves new salary plan The Audit, Budget and Finance Committee of the Alamo Colleges board of trustees recommended a new salary plan for full-time faculty at its meeting Tuesday. Under the plan, the district By JOSHUA will implement a 6 percent FECHTER increase in average salaries, move from a step system to saljfechter@student. ary ranges, pay full-time faculty alamo.edu at 130 percent of the adjunct rate during summer 2013 and increase full-time faculty duty days from 164 to 166. President Robert Zeigler and George Johnson III, Faculty Senate president at St. Philip’s College, co-chaired an advisory committee formed in summer 2010 tasked with reviewing the district’s 200809 faculty compensation study conducted by UM Global HR, a company that provides management consulting and research services related to organizational development, and considering a change in the salary schedule. The committee also consulted UM Global HR Dec. 2, 2011. Chancellor Bruce Leslie said the committee worked to develop a schedule that both faculty and administration would accept. Leslie said revamping the faculty salary plan was essential to staying competitive with the district’s peers in the state: Austin Community College, Dallas County Community College District, El Paso Community College, Houston Community College, Lone Star College System in The Woodlands, San Jacinto College in Houston
and Tarrant County College. During a presentation to the committee, Daniel Ulibarri, president and CEO of UM Global HR, said the committee’s goal was to improve the district’s salary competitiveness by being among the top three college systems in the state in salaries. According to the Texas Community College Teachers Association 2011-12 survey of faculty salaries, the Alamo Colleges rank eighth in salaries. Ulibarri said his company recommended that the district adopt a salary range system instead of the step system. Under the current system, salary is based on initial placement of faculty at the time of hiring based on degree, credit hours and prior experience. Increases are based on board approval and fund availability; promotion to a higher salary classification is based on degree and credit hours; and promotion in rank is based on the current promotional system. There are seven salary classifications based on education: bachelor’s, master’s, master’s plus 12 hours, master’s plus 24 hours, master’s plus 36 hours, master’s plus 48 hours and doctorate. Ulibarri said because funds are not always available, annual salary increases are not guaranteed. In a range system, faculty would still be divided into classifications based on level of education. However, Ulibarri said unlike the current system, advancement in rank will be necessary to move to the maximum salary in all categories. He said faculty would move within ranges through annual increases, market increases based
on faculty salaries at peer institutions, and rank. Under the range system, faculty can earn: • $38,500-$75,614 with a bachelor’s degree; • $42,000-$82,488, master’s degree • $43,050-$84,550, master’s plus 12 hours; • $44,126-$86,664, master’s plus 24 hours; • $45,229-$88,831, master’s plus 36 hours; • $46,360-$91,051, master’s plus 48 hours; • and $46,678-$95,604, doctorate. In addition to base salary, assistant professors will be paid $1,469; associate professors $2,919; and professors $4,388, the same as the current salary schedule. According to the minute order, implementing the schedule will cost $2.9 million, and savings from the summer sessions would offset some of the costs. As a result, the district would pay between $500,000 and $1 million to implement the schedule. District 7 trustee Blakely Fernandez said she was concerned the board was being forced to approve the plan before the district’s budget retreat in April. Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said the district would find savings during the April budget retreat. Leslie said the board needed to commit to the salary plan because the district needs the plan to stay competitive with peer institutions. “This isn’t very smart, but it’s what I want to say: We need to do this, and then we need to make the budget work,” he said.
See SALARY, Page 5
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March 26, 2012
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Calendar For coverage in Calendar, call 210-486-1773 or email sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance. Today SAC Event: Blood drive 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in mall. Continues Tuesday. Call 210731-5555. SAC Meeting: Student Government Association noon-1 p.m. in health promotions office in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Lecture: “A Kind of Conversion: From Roman to Visigoth Emerita” by Dr. Dan Osland sponsored by the department of social sciences and humanities 7:30 p.m. in Room 218 of nursing complex. Call 210-486-0262. Tuesday SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864.
the Wellness Committee 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Gyms 1 and 2 of Candler. Call 210486-1025. SAC Event: Spa Day sponsored by the office of student life 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860126. April 5 SAC Meeting: Student Activity Fee Committee 4 p.m.-5 p.m. in health promotions office in Room 105 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126. SAC Performance: “A View from the Bridge” by Arthur Miller and directed by Charles Falcon 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. $2-10. Continues 7:30 p.m. April 6, 7 and 12-14 and 2:30 p.m. April 15. Call 210-486-0255.
Groundskeeper Rudy Cruz uses a chain saw to cut down a fallen cedar elm tree Tuesday at West Park and the west entrance to Lot 21. A black scorch mark remains on the tree from a lightning strike Monday. “There was a warning for tornadoes in the San Antonio
area for Monday evening, but none were expected to form,” Robert Blaha, with the National Weather Service, said. Monday evening San Antonio was under a tornado warning until 9 p.m. shortly after a tornado touched down north of Devine. Riley Stephens
April 6 SAC Transfer: Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station and St. Mary’s University 1 p.m.-4 p.m. on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864.
ACCD Holiday: Colleges closed for Easter. Continues through April 8. April 11
SAC Event: “Techno Junkies Guide to Communication” speech workshop 2 p.m.-3 p.m. in theater in McCreless. Call 210-486-0496. Wednesday SAC Contest: Money Matters series style contest sponsored by the office of student life for students to buy professional outfits 11 a.m.-noon in faculty and staff lounge in Loftin. Call 210-4860126.
SAC Contest: Money Matters series “Dress for Success 4 Less” sponsored by the office of student life 11 a.m.-noon in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860126. April 12 SAC Event: Mortal Kombat tournament 1 p.m.-3 p.m. in Bailey’s Cyber Café in Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.
SAWS equipment operator Jared Friesen (left) and utility operator Rigo Guzman dig up a sewer lateral Monday near Maverick and West Evergreen. A sewer lateral is an under-
ground pipe that connects a residence or business to the sewer line. They said the pipe was old and needed to be replaced. Riley Stephens
April 13 Thursday SAC Meeting: Students United for the Dream Act 4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. in Room 103 of Gonzales. Continues Thursdays. Call 210-683-5879. Friday SAC Event: Olympic-style boxing sponsored by the office of student life 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in mall. Call 210-486-0126.
SAC Deadline: Last day to withdraw from a class for the semester with a grade of W. Call 210-486-0200. April 14 SAC Men’s Baseball: SAC vs. University of Texas at Austin 10 a.m.noon and 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. at Mission County Park, 6030 Padre. Continues 10 a.m.-noon April 15. Call 210-486-0126.
Saturday April 16 SAC Event: Musical Theatre Dance Workshop with Patrick LaVallee at 9 a.m.-11 a.m. in dance studio of Candler. Free with Alamo Colleges ID. Call 210486-1010. SAC Men’s Baseball: SAC vs. University of Texas at San Antonio 10 a.m.-noon and 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. at Mission County Park, 6030 Padre. Continues 10 a.m.-noon Sunday. Call 210-468-0126. April 3 SAC Drive: Voter registration sponsored by Students United for the Dream Act 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the fiesta room of Loftin. Call 210-683-5879. April 4 SAC Event: HealthFest sponsored by kinesiology and dance department and
SAC Event: Karaoke sponsored by the office of student life 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860126. SAC Event: Leadership “Listening” sponsored by the office of student life 2 p.m.-3 p.m. in craft room of Loftin. Continues April 19. Call 210-486-0126. April 18 SAC Event: Doubles ping pong tournament sponsored by the office of student life 1 p.m.-3 p.m. in Bailey’s Cyber Café in Loftin. Call 210-486-0126. SAC Event: Office of Student Life awards banquet 6 p.m.-9 p.m. in the round in Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.
Students explore a fetal pig’s circulatory system Wednesday in Professor Daniel Hansen’s Anatomy and Physiology class in Chance. Ingrid Wilgen
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March 26, 2012
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‘Don’t just graduate, transfer’ with information from fair Meet representatives of 18 South Texas universities. A spring transfer fair will bring representatives from at least 18 senior institutions to this campus 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday. The event By OSITA in the Fiesta OMESIETE Room of Loftin Student sac-ranger@alamo.edu Center is free and open to the public. The college has offered a transfer fair every year since 1989 to provide
students with knowledge on transferring to another college, Counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez said. The event gives one-on-one time with college admissions advisers. “The advisers provide a look from the other side,” she said. “It allows students to weigh their options with each university.” Gonzalez suggested students attend the fair to get answers to questions such as: How much is tuition?
How much is room and board? Will Universities that accepted inviall my credits transfer? tations are Angelo State University, Students who are within two years Baptist Health System, Concordia of transferring U n i v e r s i t y, are encouraged Dallas Baptist Students can meet to attend. U n i v e r s i t y, university representatives They do not Our Lady throughout the semester. need to bring of the Lake Check the calendar on anything, she U n i v e r s i t y, Page 2 each week for onsaid. and Schreiner campus availability. For more information, call the transfer “It’s great University. center at 210-486-0864. exposure for Others are what the uniSt. Edwards versities have to offer,” she said. University, St. Mary’s University, Texas
A&M University-College Station, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M UniversityKingsville, Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Texas Lutheran University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and University of the Incarnate Word also accepted invitations. For more information, call the transfer center at 210-486-0864.
Professor calls attack on college seal a sacrilege College investigates rescuing seal for display elsewhere on campus. Facilities Superintendent David Ortega was seen chipping away at the college seal on the college monument west of Gonzales and McCreless halls on San By ALMA LINDA Pedro Avenue Monday. President Robert MANZANARES Zeigler said Ortega was amanzanares6 not removing the seal, @student.alamo.edu but inspecting the way it was installed to determine if it is possible to preserve it. He said Chancellor Bruce Leslie made it clear at a town hall meeting March 8 that the current Alamo Colleges logo that covers the seal will not be removed. (See Page 4.) Over the 2010 winter break, the Alamo Colleges logo was installed over the college seal. At the March 8 town hall meeting, Leslie said the board charged him with rebranding the image of the Alamo Colleges. He said the brand did not change the college’s identity, and the college seal was unrecognizable to the community. In March 2009, the board of trustees adopted a set of six logos to represent the district and each of the colleges. The logos promoted Alamo Colleges and included the names of the colleges in much smaller type. None of the colleges knew in advance about the change or had any input. The Ranger reported Jan. 27, 2011, that almost $16,000 was spent on 19 signs and monuments at district facilities to brand them as parts of the Alamo Colleges. The brand at this college cost $730 and covers the college seal on both sides of the double-sided monument. Zeigler said a decision was made to determine if the seal could be removed and displayed as a historic artifact. He said he was unsure if the decision was made at an executive team meeting or in a deans and directors meeting. “Somebody brought up the idea that we ought to at least preserve the seal, and I thought it was a great idea to see if it’s possible,” Zeigler said. He said there has not been a scheduled date for when the seal will be fully removed. On Wednesday, Ortega said the seal was mortared into the monument and it could be removed. He said accommodations for the seal were made to the monument when it was built. The college’s official seal was adopted in the mid-1950s. The circular, bronze seal has a star in the center with five symbols that represent characteristics of the college. Winged feet symbolize swiftness, athleticism and protection, things typified by Hermes, the Greek messenger god. An open book symbolizes the learning process, literacy, teaching, quest for knowledge and understanding. A harp represents joy, praise, poetry and music. At the base is a lamp of learning symboliz-
ing truth, intelligence, life, wisdom, knowledge, guidance and enlightenment. Finally, a scale represents justice, just proportion, impartiality and balance. Zeigler said the seal represents the mission of the college and recognizes academic commitment, integrity and the search for excellence. “It’s an important part of our college history,” he said. English Professor Dawn Elmore-McCrary, Faculty Senate chair, said Zeigler announced at a faculty leadership meeting Tuesday that the seals would be displayed somewhere on campus as part of this college’s history. “To me, it’s an important part of our heritage,” she said. Elmore-McCrary said she likes that the seal is distinctive to this college. “It sets a unique Carpenter Charles Moss and facilities superintendent David Ortega test the college seal to see if it can be identifier for us so it makes me sad to think that removed Monday. “I was asked by Dr. Robert Zeigler to see if the seal was removable, and that is what we’re here we would lose a piece of our heritage like that in to check,” Ortega said. Riley Stephens the name of rebranding,” she said. English Professor Alex Bernal said he was ever, to schedule the meeting late in the day say the college seal was unrecognizable; howdisappointed with the way the situation was and with short notice, doesn’t allow for enough ever, he said that could be said about any seal. handled because of the disregard time to do anything. “It’s possible that people don’t know what for faculty and staff voices after “Then we return from spring break and see that seal means, but it means something to that a proposed compromise to someone chiseling or at least exploring the community — that pride that it instills,” he said. include both the seal and possibility of getting it removed again without Bernal said the idea of displaying both the district logo on the monuany warning, without any explanation,” he said. Alamo Colleges logo and the seal could have ment. “What is the point of having a town hall meetbeen a “wonderful opportunity” to get the comAt the Feb. 8, 2011, ing and seeking input and the original intent is munity to recognize both. College Council meeting, done with.” Psychology Chair Thomas Billimek said Zeigler said he would talk Bernal said he hopes the college seal is disit was unfortunate that the college’s unique to Leslie about displaying played on campus prominently, and faculty and identity was being disregarded. “District does both symbols on the college staff could have input on its location. “So far, our not grant college degrees, so to have Alamo sign. Leslie asked for the college preferences for that as the college community have Colleges overriding everything suggests to me to submit suggestions. not been, to my knowledge, followed. Nobody that the individual colleges are not really that At the April 12 College Council meetseems to care what we think about the seal.” important,” he said. “I really feel it’s a desecraing, Zeigler showed a photo illustration of the He said the University of Texas Health tion of who we are as individual colleges.” college sign that incorporated the seal and the Science Center displays its seal on a building He said it seems when it comes to items new district-imposed college logo. despite having a logo. such as rebranding, which are meaningless, the The new sign was supposed to incorporate “I hope that our seal is displayed somewhere district always has money even though it does smaller logos on each side of the engraved very prominently where people can actually see not help students be more successful. words “founded in 1925.” that’s what we do. This is “If district wants it, it gets it,” Billimek said. “District does not This allowed the college San Antonio College, and Bill Richardson, kinesiology and dance seal to be displayed above I’m hopeful people will chair, said he was glad to hear the seals were grant college degrees, the college name. revisit what those symbols actually still underneath the Alamo Colleges so to have Alamo The council agreed that mean,” Bernal said. He logo. “I still don’t understand why it is the way Colleges overriding this is what they wanted — said the attack on the seal it is,” he said. He said the seal is part of this coleverything suggests to to incorporate both symbols is wrong considering it is lege’s tradition and even though the homogenime that the individual — and passed a motion to on this college’s diplomas. zation of the colleges is not all bad, the college colleges are not really relay it to Leslie. “Seems like a sacrilege to wants to maintain their identity. “It’s personal. that important.” This spring on March 9, attack the seal,” Bernal That’s our seal. That’s SAC,” Richardson said. Dr. Thomas Billimek, project Coordinator Robin said. Librarian Celita DeArmond, president of this Psychology Chair Collett said she found no He said he understands college’s chapter of the American Association of response from Leslie about the use of branding, but University Professors, said it was “pretty petty” the sign in College Council meeting minutes “we all know that a Cadillac is a GM but the for the seal to be covered by the logo. “This is the since May. symbol on the Cadillac is the Cadillac symbol. kind of pettiness that the chancellor can show,” “Why this is upsetting is because this It doesn’t say GM in front of that.” she said. (College Council) represents the entire colBernal said he doesn’t think it is the best DeArmond said she’s glad the college is lege community; faculty, staff administration,” way to make the district known by covering all trying to preserve the seal because the college Bernal said. “That resolution was passed unanthe college’s seals. “The district is known by its is still independently accredited and it should imously to display both. It’s been over a year product. That we all know that we are part of the have its own identity. “That seal should never and been ignored.” district, that is a good thing. That all of us have die. It’s part of our history,” she said. “This colHe said although he was not able to attend the same branding like that, well, I don’t think so. lege has shown, I think, more than any other the March 8 town hall meeting, he understands Corporations don’t do it that way,” he said. colleges I’ve ever been a part of, how much discussion was brought up about the seal; howBernal said he understood why Leslie would change we are willing to accept and make.”
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March 26, 2012
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Town hall provides few answers to college Chancellor said he will not replace the Alamo Colleges brand on the college sign. Stepping up with the town hall’s first question, Bill Richardson, kinesiology and dance chair, told Chancellor Bruce Leslie March 8 that he wondered when the college seal would be returned to the college sign on San Pedro Avenue. “Well, keep wondering, Bill,” Leslie By ALMA LINDA replied. MANZANARES Over the 2010 winter break, the Alamo Colleges logo was installed over the colamanzanares6 lege seal on a sign west of Gonzales and @student.alamo.edu McCreless halls on San Pedro Avenue. The Ranger reported Jan. 27, 2011, that almost $16,000 was spent on 19 signs and monuments at district facilities to “brand” them as parts of the Alamo Colleges. Leslie said the board charged him with rebranding the image of the Alamo Colleges. In March 2009, the board of trustees adopted a set of six logos to represent the district and each of the colleges. The logos promoted Alamo Colleges and included the names of the colleges in much smaller type. None of the colleges knew in advance about the change or had any input. “We now have a logo that people recognize and has had the kind of effect that we wanted,” Leslie said. “All the signs around all the campuses now are reflective of the Alamo Colleges.” He said he does not intend to remove the logo covering the college seal. He said the “brand” has not changed the college’s identity, and the seal was unrecognizable to the community. At the Feb. 8, 2011, College Council meeting, President Robert Zeigler said he would talk to Leslie about displaying both symbols on the college sign. Leslie asked for the college to submit suggestions. At the April 12 College Council meeting, Zeigler showed a photo illustration of the college sign that incorporated the seal and the new district-imposed college logo. The new sign was supposed to incorporate smaller logos on each side of the engraved words “founded in 1925.” This allowed for the college seal to be displayed above the college name. The council agreed that this is what they wanted — to incorporate both symbols — and passed a motion to relay it to Leslie.
Multimedia specialist Isabelle Burke tells Chancellor Bruce Leslie and vice chancellors she learned she had been overpaid by $1,300,
and the district expected her to pay it back immediately during a March 8 town hall meeting in the nursing complex. Riley Stephens
On March 9, project coordinator Robin Collett said she found no response from Leslie about the sign in College Council meeting minutes since May. Isabelle Burke, multimedia specialist, said she received a letter from the district saying she owed $900 for an overpayment and later found out she actually owed $1,300. “I didn’t know whether I was supposed to laugh, or to cry, or to scream,” she said. Burke said the district has problems with accountability, transparency, bureaucracy and customer service. “We have two people here at district who made a mistake. I don’t even know their names; nothing is going to happen; I’m the one in trouble now,” she said. “I’m the one that has to deal with a much smaller monthly paycheck.” Burke said when she received her letter, there was no message apologizing for the inconvenience. “When you treat employees like that, that means you also treat the student like that,” she said. Leslie said the district has used the Baldrige model as a method to try to establish systems that address and fix those issues. The Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence model is an organizational self-assessment and self-improvement process that measures institutional efficiency.
Since Leslie’s arrival in 2006, he has used the Baldrige criteria as an organizational structure. Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said communication, ownership and accountability were issues in Burke’s case, and are things that the district takes seriously. “When we hear about an issue, we take ownership to find someone who can solve it, to address the issue and not just pass the buck,” she said. “We’re trying to transform the operation routine.” Snyder said when mistakes occur, district tries to work with the employee on the payback. “We need to relook at and make sure that we treat people with respect,” she said. “We acknowledge our own accountability, and we get the facts out there, too. Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of human resources, said as Burke was discussing her problem, she was emailing her staff, telling them if a letter has to be sent to an employee to recoup funds, the letter has to go through her. “I don’t know the facts of your case, and I feel like I should,” she said, adding she wants to work with employees on payment plans to avoid causing a hardship.
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From TOWN HALL, Page 4 English Instructor Denise Stallins asked if the district is aware of or has a problem with Pell Grant “runners.” She said Pell Grant runners are students who enroll in college, apply for financial aid and disappear without attending classes. Stallins said she has problems in her online classes with students who enroll but do not turn in classwork. She said attempts to contact these students by telephone usually fail because many do not have valid phone numbers. Dr. Adelina Silva, vice chancellor for student success, said about 13,000 students are on financial aid at this college but only 56 did not complete the semester because they failed a class or dropped. “That’s not a lot of students for all of the students that do come with good intentions and actually perform very well,” she said. Dr. Jo-Carol Fabianke, interim vice chancellor of academic success, said the student responsibility policy requires students to be in attendance the first day of the semester; however, district policy F.6.2 Student Responsibility for Success does not specify a student be in attendance the first day of the semester. Under academic success, the policy states a student must “attend classes regularly and on time, with as few absences, late arrivals, and early exits as possible.” “If students are not here at the beginning of the class, they’re much less likely to be successful,” she said. In the fall, Fabianke said faculty will be asked to drop a student if a student does not appear at least once during the
first week of class. “In general, if you have not heard anything from them, then I think we should help them by dropping them,” she said. Stallins also asked how setting a cutoff date for registration this semester affected enrollment at this college. “It actually hasn’t impacted our enrollment levels,” Fabianke said. “We thought it was going to impact it much more than it did.” She said if faculty lost students this semester, they will gain them back because students will learn the new rules. “In order for students to be successful, we know they have to be engaged, they have to make a commitment, and they have to be involved in what they do,” Fabianke said. Leslie said he appreciated Stallins for shining a light on the issue of trying to reach students, and the district is constantly pushing students toward ACES. English Chair Mike Burton said the reduction of release time needs to be rethought. “Faculty are feeling like the Hebrew slaves who have been making bricks and now they’ve got to get straw, too. They have to do advising and have to do all these other things,” he said. Burton said there is not a budget issue because release time is covered by adjuncts. He said the board wants faculty in the classroom, but they also want adjuncts in the classroom. “There is no hesitation to add more and more adjuncts,” he said. Burton said release time could be a better opportunity for faculty to guide the direction and operation of the institutions. “I think it might be a way that we can
get some more interaction and some more ownership in our institution,” he said. No district officials responded, but Zeigler said release time needed to be reduced because it was inconsistently administered across the district. “Internally, we have tried to implement a reduction of release time to be more consistent with what other colleges were doing and be consistent with what we thought was prudent for us,” he said. Zeigler said he is working with Dr. Conrad Krueger, dean of arts and sciences, to reach a compromise to get work done but not with an extensive amount of release time. The final question came from history Professor Thomas Settles who carried a copy of an editorial cartoon from The Ranger March 7, 2011, that showed district officials as “fat cats” consuming 34 percent of the district budget, the largest share. This college, the district’s largest, accounts for only 24 percent of the operating budget. Settles read from the accompanying editorial headlined “District: Get out of the classroom”: “District-level personnel suck up 34 percent of the district budget.” He asked if the percentage was “grossly misreported” or if the district has a management problem. Leslie said, “I would say grossly … well, The Ranger’s here so I will let them speak for themselves.” After shuffling through budget reports and offering totals for administrators at district and the college, Snyder said, “The total district number I think you were looking at … uh, I think you were right.”
From SALARY, Page 1 Leslie said he disagreed with the committee’s recommendation to pay full-time faculty at 130 percent of the adjunct rate during summer sessions beginning summer 2013. Last spring, Leslie, vice chancellors and the college presidents decided summer pay would be decided in a lottery to ensure a 50-50 full-time to adjunct ratio. Until summer 2011, the district paid full-time faculty on a pro rata basis of their full-time, nine-month salary. Fifty percent of summer classes will be paid at adjunct rate again this summer. Leslie said he originally favored paying all faculty at the adjunct rate during summer sessions, but he would favor paying full-time faculty at 120 percent of the adjunct rate. Stout said paying full-time faculty at the 130 percent rate would create equity with peer institutions. District 1 trustee Joe Alderete said the board needs to support the recommendation of 130 percent and be generous to faculty because the faculty is underpaid. “I’m really shocked they’ve agreed with the base (salary).” Alderete, Fernandez and District 5 trustee Roberto Zárate voted to recommend the plan to the full board with the committee’s recommendation of paying full-time faculty at 130 percent of the adjunct rate during summer sessions. District 2 trustee Denver McClendon voted against the measure. McClendon said he would like to see an effective faculty evaluation system implemented and faculty pay based on “how much they’ve contributed to the organization.” District 9 trustee James Rindfuss said he would like to see faculty paid based on student success rates. “Those who wouldn’t cut it end up having to find a better profession eventually,” he said. Stout said faculty would love a merit-based pay schedule, but it may not work because “we simply have faculty who don’t care.” Leslie said faculty evaluations were not considered during this process. Leslie is serving with English Professor Dawn ElmoreMcCrary, chair of this college’s Faculty Senate and district Super Senate, on a committee to examine faculty evaluations. Snyder said because the board opted for the 130 percent rate, which will impact savings made during summer sessions, the district would pay $1.4 million to implement the plan. If the full board approves the plan at its regular meeting, the plan will take effect Sept. 1, beginning fiscal year 2013. For the board presentation, visit alamo.edu and click “About Us,” “Board of Trustees,” “Meeting Agenda” and “Click here to access board meeting agendas.”
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6 • The Ranger
News
March 26, 2012
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Limits on online instructors unreasonable, senators say Psychology Chair Thomas Billimek expressed concern at a March 7 Faculty Senate meeting over a proposed revision to a college procedure that requires faculty members who teach online courses to live within a day’s travel of this college. He referred to Procedure I.1, Online By ALMA LINDA Teaching Expectations and Procedure for MANZANARES Exceptions, which states, “Online instructors must be located within a day’s travel amanzanares6 of the campus at any time in order to meet @student.alamo.edu with a student in person if they request it, and within 24 hours of the request.” “I don’t understand that. I have a real issue with that one,” Billimek said. He said he has an adjunct in his department who lives in Indiana and is unsure if it is possible for the instructor to meet the requirement. Fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt said this requirement dated back to the late Dr. Margaret Hyde, dean of arts and sciences for this college 1995-2005. “It has been our procedure for years, but it’s just been forgotten,” Hunt said, adding he did not understand Billimek’s point of view. Billimek said if an adjunct teaches online courses, it should not matter how far away they are from the student. “If we are serious about doing more online instruction, that means we need to be able to develop a broader span of faculty available to teach,” he said. Human services Professor Kathryn Miller said the human services program is a specialized program that has to find faculty outside of the city to meet requirements to teach courses in the department. “We wouldn’t do that if we didn’t have to, but we had to hire recently two people from Houston,” she said. “It would be wrong to ask them to travel, and we actually do need them.” The procedure also caps the number of courses faculty may teach online. The procedure says, “No full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty may teach more than three (3) courses online in a full semester as part of their regular teaching load, unless specifically justified by the department chair and approved by the dean, or in cases where human resources determines that this is necessary
Faculty Senate votes March 7 in the nursing complex to endorse a selection procedure for department chairs at this college and forward concerns about the process to the college president. Go online to read more about this meeting. Troy Renteria to meet an official ADA accommodation.” Billimek said in the past, department chairs could negotiate with the dean the number of courses that could be taught online. “Now, if I have a faculty member who, for whatever reason, wants or needs to teach all five courses online, that request has to go to the three vice presidents who have to give their blessing each in turn that this is OK,” he said. Miller said there are not enough faculty in her department to teach online courses. “If I don’t teach five, those courses don’t get taught,” she said. Billimek said there is confusion on the number of hours fulltime tenured or tenure-track faculty who teach online courses are supposed to maintain on campus. The procedure says, “Online instructors who are full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty are expected to maintain 10 office hours per week on campus.” Billimek said the college and district require service from full-time faculty members for responsibilities such as advising. “If I’m teaching online full-time, that would not dispense me from putting in those hours to serve on committees and so on,”
he said. At the Feb. 14 College Council meeting, discussion of the procedure was tabled for re-evaluation because Billimek said a proximity requirement created a burden for online instructors who live a distance from this college. Billimek said at the next College Council meeting, he will vote the procedure down if it stays the same and encouraged those who can vote on the council to join him if they believe it is an inappropriate procedure to implement. “As it stands, I will not support it,” he said. Billimek said even if everyone on the senate who is on College Council votes no, he suspects there are enough other votes from the council to overule their votes. “The deck is stacked against academics,” he said. Dr. Dawn Elmore-McCrary, Faculty Senate chair and English professor, said President Robert Zeigler plans to meet with the college executive team to draft a new procedure that would respond to these concerns. The college executive team is composed of Zeigler, the vice presidents and deans.
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News
March 26, 2012
The Ranger • 7
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KSYM rallies for donations Funds help radio station ‘keep up with the Joneses’ KSYM-FM 90.1 plans to Occupy the Airwaves with this year’s annual pledge drive. Between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m. today through Sunday, listeners can tune in to a series of guest disc jockeys and freBy IVIE S. quent pleas for donation. OKUNGBOWA The station orgasac-ranger@alamo.edu nizes the annual drive to support the station’s equipment needs and licensing fees. For those used to dashing off a check or running into the campus radio station with cash, make sure you have a debit or credit card for the upcoming pledge drive. Changes in procedure effective this spring call for donations to be made online by credit and debit cards at www.KSYM.org. Cash and check payments should be directed to KSYM-FM 90.1 on the second floor of Longwith Radio, Television, and Film Building. In April 2011, online payment transactions displayed “St. Philip’s CLLG-SWC Professional Services and Membership Organizations,” but Charlie Castleman, station program director and radio-television-film sophomore, said, “That has been taken care of, to my knowledge.” After donating online, print receipts to show as proof when you pick up your premium. KSYM accepts donations and pledges yearround but will actively seek donations during the official pledge drive period. On Feb. 27, KSYM collected $250 in an online donation, Castleman said. The station is offering T-shirts for those who pledge at least $35, and additional premium items, such as gift cards, will be offered. He said guest DJs have not yet been confirmed. KSYM is not hosting a live performance during this year’s pledge drive. Last year, the station celebrated the 25th anniversary of Richard Turner’s Sunday morning show, “The Best of the Beatles,” with a concert in the parking lot next to Longwith. Next month, the station plans to sponsor a Pick Up and Pay Party for those who pledged but did not pay and for those who have paid to pick up premiums offered during a variety of airtimes as rewards for pledging.
He said pledges have been about equal to what has been collected in the past despite the recession. The pledge drive in spring 2011 raised more than $46,700. “Whether it is $1 or $100, every dollar helps,” Castleman said. KSYM was voted best music radio station in the city last year for the
ave90.1s AirwKSYM seventh consecutive time in the San Antonio Current’s annual reader’s poll. It also received a nomination for an mtvU Woodie award earlier this semester. For more information, call 210-486-1373 or email ksym@alamo.edu.
From MAILROOM, Page 1
J.R. Martinez, war veteran, actor and ‘Dancing with the Stars’ winner, will speak 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium in McAllister. The event is free and open to the public. Visit theranger. org to read the full story. AP photo
Digital design students research, produce two new KSYM logos
Fernandez asked if operating a properly staffed mailroom internally would be more expensive than contracting mail services. Strybos responded he thinks it would cost 20 percent more than current operating costs. “You just made that up,” Fernandez said, laughing. In a phone interview Tuesday, Strybos said the district could theoretically hire more staff for the mailroom at each district facility, but the district is in a “hiring freeze.” The Ranger reported Feb. 10, 2012, that the district instituted a hiring freeze in August 2003. Since summer 2010, it has been referred to as a hiring “chill.” Often positions at the colleges, particularly faculty, remain unfilled, while positions at the district offices are filled or added. According to the staffing summary of the Alamo Colleges budget for fiscal year 2011-12, the district allocated a total of $188,953.15 for nine mailroom positions. Fernandez said the board was not consulted on whether it wanted to privatize mailroom
Students in Professor Brook Rosser’s ARTC 2347, Design Communication 2, class were given an assignment to create a logo for college radio station KSYM-FM 90.1. Works from Peter Brown and Amber Phipps were selected for this year’s design. By OSITA Zach Rodriguez, assistant AAA music director of OMESIETE the station said, “The logos chosen really expressed what they were looking for and represented the stasac-ranger@alamo.edu tion well.” Brown’s design was selected for pledge drive T-shirts, and Phipps’s design was selected for a Fiesta medal. Phipps, a graphic design sophomore, said, “I just looked for ideas that related to the theme.” KSYM’s 18th annual pledge drive is today through Sunday with a theme of Occupy the Airwaves. This is the second year Rosser’s class has been tasked with designing the logo. Graduate Bonnie Carson’s design was chosen last year to illustrate the “Science of Sound” theme, a weekly production produced by the music business program that airs on inTV, San Antonio’s education channel that is managed at this college. “It’s harder than one may think,” Rosser said. “The designer must know what your client is looking for as well as how the logo is going to be used, and it requires a lot of research.” Students worked in Adobe Illustrator on Apple computers. They had to research past designs, determine colors that work well on a black shirt and tie in the Occupy movement. Rosser said the design must be simple and stand the test of time. “Students would be required to handle the design as though they were designing as a job,” Rosser said. The students had less than two weeks to come up with a design on top of their other classwork assignments. The logo goes on Fiesta medals, hats and press releases in hopes of raising awareness for the pledge drive. KSYM’s DJs with graphic design experience or local artists designed the logos in previous years. “The logo design is considered more of collaboration than a contest,” Rosser said. The designer of the chosen logo is given the memorabilia their logo is featured on. Students whose work is not selected have another design for their portfolios, she said. For more information about the program, call program Coordinator Richard Arredondo at 210-486-1031.
services before the minute order was brought to the committee. “It seems out of order,” she said. She did not remember advertising for the contract. According to the minute order, the district advertised in the San Antonio ExpressNews and La Prensa over a 30-day period, but does not list specific dates. Snyder said the district typically investigates contractors and services before bringing proposed contracts to the board to have as much information as possible. “That’s not the process that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” Fernandez said. She said contracting services usually originate in committee. Snyder said the committee did not have to approve the motion if they did not agree with it. Fernandez said she did not have a problem with contracting services but was concerned about the board’s involvement in the procurement process. “We’re pushed into decisions instead of allowed to participate in the process,” she said. In a phone interview Tuesday, facilities
superintendent David Ortega said he was unaware of the potential contracting of mailroom services and did not know what would happen to mailroom staff. “I’m sure John (Strybos) will be briefing us soon,” he said. Wendy Meyer-Jacobs, communications supervisor of the mailroom at this college, said she would not comment and referred all questions to Strybos. According to the minute order, the contractors will offer individual mailboxes for private use, passport photograph services and basic postal supplies and services to students, faculty and staff. The minute order reads the contractors will pay the district an amount equal to 6 percent of adjusted gross revenues from providing those services. If the full board approves it at its regular meeting Tuesday, it will take effect June 1. The board will conduct its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Room 101 of Killen Center, 201 W. Sheridan. For more information, call board liaison Sandra Mora at 210-485-0030.
Prem
8 • The Ranger
www.theranger
Women’s History Symposium focus
Provider rues loss o
Planned Parenthood loses funding for 40 percent of state family-pl
Julia Barbosa Landois, UTSA new media professor, presented “The Golden Ass: Performance and Artistic Research,” Thursday in visual arts. She shows Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” because she believes it illustrates the exploitation of women along the U.S.-Mexico border. Rebecca Salinas
‘Golden Ass’ looks at prostitution, sex acts President Robert Zeigler opened Women’s History Boystown when they were “young and crazy” but Symposium March 8 saying how significant it is for now believe they are different people. students to learn about women’s health and history. In the presentation, Landois showed a picture of “This is a great opportunity for you to learn some Tlazolteotl, a goddess who inspires sinful acts but things and talk about some things that you may also offers redemption. Tlazolteotl offers redemption not talk about,” Zeigler said. only once, but if someone is redeemed and ends up By REBECCA “That is what education is all sinning again, they are damned. SALINAS about.” Landois thought Tlazolteotl represented a lot of Art Professor Marleen the men who visited Boystown, because though they sac-ranger@alamo.edu Hoover then talked about sinned, but in the end, they are forgiven, unless it this college showing more than became a continuous habit. “The Golden Ass: 50 films pertaining to women’s Landois’ project, on display at Performance and health, including “The Vagina the Blue Star Contemporary Arts Artistic Research” will Monologues” and “I, Doll.” Center last summer, included be performed April 26 at Hoover noted presentations an exhibit of a popular attracthe Fusebox Festival in from the past 20 years that pertion along the border, a “donkey Austin. “Indelible” and tained to women in education, show,” a live sex act of a woman “The Golden Ass” can be abortion, arranged marriages engaged in intercourse with a viewed at www.vimeo.com/ user8924355. and female pioneers. “This year, donkey. For more information, visit we are channeling timely and For the Blue Star exhibit, she www.julialandois.com. very challenging topics,” Hoover created an imitation Mexican bar said. The theme for the 2012 that she named “Donkey’s Show” celebration of Women’s History Month was “Texas to capture the atmosphere and went into detail about Women: Laws, Health, and Survival.” the practice in a silent short film titled “Indelible.” A one-day symposium featured lectures and preThrough a series of slides in “Indelible,” Landois sentations on “Boystown” in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico; shares her own experience at a “donkey show” and Planned Parenthood; and the murder of women in the surprising reaction of her companion to the Juarez, Mexico. live sex acts. Spectators were allowed to take photos and pose with the act. Her friend took a photo, but somehow, the photograph got lost.“It’s on the record. Nuevo Laredo’s Boystown Yeah, it’s like it’s on file somewhere,” Landois wrote On March 8, artist Julia Barbosa Landois prein “Indelible.” sented “The Golden Ass: Performance and Artistic Landois has never been to Boystown, she said, Research” on Boystown, a legal prostitution zone in because when she started researching the zone, drug Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. violence was creating danger for tourists. Landois said she used to think men who went to “I cannot understand why somebody will become Boystown were “women haters,” but she admitted a sex worker,” Landois said. “How people get to some family members and friends have been there. the point where they’re selling their bodies? I can’t “I’m trying to pick apart these men I care about understand how that happens.” or have a certain type of relationship with and what Students reacted with shock and dismay. makes them go also,” Landois said. Psychology sophomore Becky Li said, “I feel bad this She did her research by interviewing men and is going on.” Landois, who teaches new media at the prostitutes who frequented Boystown. University of Texas at San Antonio, was presenting at Some men she interviewed said they went to this college for the first time.
Rape as ‘weapon of war’ Go online at www.theranger.org to read about the plight of the citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo who suffer through civil war, troop rebellion, rape and environmental poisoning from mining for coltan to manufacture electronic goods for the West.
Women in Texas are losing health care options because of family planning cuts, an ultrasound bill and abortion politics. Representatives of Planned Parenthood, a family planning network discussed threats in “Moving Forward: Standing Strong for Women’s Health Care,” March 8 in the Women’s History Symposium. Mara Posada, strategic communications manager at Planned Parenthood of San Antonio, said Planned Parenthood provides women’s health care and provides information that people need to plan their families and futures. According to its website, By ALMA LINDA Planned Parenthood proMANZANARES vides sexual and reproductive health care, education amanzanares6 and information to about @student.alamo.edu 5 million women, men and adolescents worldwide each year. Birth control services also are offered along with education and an opportunity to discuss options. Centers offer pelvic exams, pap tests, screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer, and testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. General health care services such as anemia testing, cholesterol screening, diabetes screening, physical exams, flu and tetanus vaccines, and thyroid screenings are available. The organization also offers abortion services, which account for only about 3 percent of services Mara Posada (right), director of community re offered. Those services, however, remain controcertain laws invade women’s rights for privac versial. arts, while Kathy Armstrong, board member of privacy invasion through questions from the a Kathy Armstrong, Planned Parenthood board member and exhibitions coordinator for the Southwest School of Art, said the local organization operates 10 health centers that serve 30,000 women in this city, as well as Kingsville, Harlingen and Brownsville. On Aug. 15, the Texas Tribune reported lawmakers slashed family planning funding by two-thirds. The Department of State Health Services confirmed that the Legislature reduced its overall funding for family planning programs by $73.6 million, from $111.5 million in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 to $37.9 million in the next biennium. According to the online Texas Tribune, Planned Parenthood received the second largest share, about 25 percent, of family planning contract dollars, equaling about $12 million last year. Posada said the Texas Legislature rejected the use of family planning contracts for any organization that offers abortion services. Armstrong said in September, two-thirds of funding for the Texas Department of State Health Services was cut. “Planned Parenthood did not receive any contract renewals last year,” she said. Armstrong said the Texas Legislature passed a bill that requires women to undergo a vaginal probe ultrasound before seeking an abortion. Texas law doesn’t specify a vaginal probe ultrasound, but, to pick up the heartbeat and describe the fetus at the early stage of pregnancy when most women seek abortions, a vaginal probe is required. The sonogram must be performed at least 24 hours prior to an abortion, and the doctor is required to play the heartbeat aloud, describe the fetus and show the patient the image. Posada said a woman can cover her ears or speak loudly when the heartbeat is audible and the doctor describes the fetus. “This is not the jelly on the belly that most of you think. This is government intrusion at its best,” Armstrong said, quoting Rep. Carol Alvardo, D-Houston. “Instead of you and your doctor deciding if this is medically necessary for you, this is the government saying ‘you’re doing it.’” The Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit last summer to keep Texas from implementing the law. The Houston Chronicle reported the law took effect Feb. 7 when judges from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a temporary injunction that kept the law from taking effect Oct. 1. According to the Texas Tribune, the sonogram bill passed with limited national fanfare,
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lanning services over 3 percent of services involving abortion.
but it came in the wake of several other efforts to defund Planned Parenthood statewide. Armstrong said Planned Parenthood will comply with the law, and because of that, she is proud to be part of the organization. “It will comply with the law,” she said. “It’s not happy about it, but it certainly will make every effort to do everything to keep being able to provide a service.” Posada said Texas has the strongest pre-abortion ultrasound bill in the country. “There are other ultrasound laws; however, those laws give women the option to hear or see the image if they would like to. This one is not an option, this one is required,” she said. Virginia passed an ultrasound bill in February, which requires women to submit to vaginal probe ultrasounds. Women who live within 100 miles of the clinic must wait 24 hours after the ultrasound before having an abortion. That law goes into effect July 1. Opponents have referred to the Virginia law as “state rape.” Opponents in Texas have also referred to the ultrasound requirement in similar terms, while the Gary Trudeau comic strip “Doonesbury” has been bumped from newspapers for stirring the controversy. The San Antonio Express-News has temporarily moved the strip to the editorial page while the story line continues. The Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights through research, policy analysis and education, reports six states — Alabama, Arizona, elations for Planned Parenthood, explains how Florida, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi — cy with abortion procedures March 8 in visual f Planned Parenthood, introduces examples of require ultrasounds in which the provider must audience. Troy Renteria offer the patient the opportunity to view the image. North Carolina and Oklahoma have passed similar laws, but they are unenforceable, pending a court decision. Eight states — Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia — require that a woman have the opportunity to view the image if the ultrasound is performed as part of preparation for an abortion. Utah has a similar law that offers the option to hear a detailed description of the image. Four states — Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina and South Dakota — require providers to offer ultrasounds to women. Posada said more than 60 percent of women who decide to abort already have children so they know what they are doing; however, lawmakers in favor of the bill argued just the opposite. The Texas bill was important, they said, because women don’t know what they are doing. Posada said Medicaid Women’s Health Program provides critical screenings for cervical and breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension and sexually transmitted diseases. The centers also provide birth control options. She said these screenings are important avenues to health care for women because most of the clientele of organizations such as Planned Parenthood don’t have family physicians. Posada said the Medicaid Women’s Health Program started in 2007 and serves 130,000 women in Texas. Of those, Planned Parenthood provides health care to more than 40 percent, she said. She said last year, the Texas Legislature excluded organizations such as Planned Parenthood from the program. “What Texas did last year was they passed legislation that said ‘if we are going to accept this, we are not allowing it to go to anything affiliated with abortion,’” Armstrong said, despite the loss of health care for 130,000 Texas women. On March 10, Gov. Rick Perry said the state will find funding somewhere to maintain these health care services. On March 13, Planned Parenthood supporters gathered at the Capitol to protest the sabotaging of the Medicaid Women’s Health Program. According to Planned Parenthood’s website, more than 70,000 supporters signed a petition, calling on Perry to save the program because 130,000 Texas women rely on the services it provides. The rally in Austin ended a 16-city “Don’t Mess with Texas Women” bus tour across the state.
Artist explores pain of ‘femicides’ Book on unsolved Juarez murders inspires “Beaten With a Hammer.” From Sept. 24 until Jan. 1, anyone who happened to be in Marfa could have, at any hour of the day or night, visited 510 W. San Antonio St. and seen 476 white human heart replicas hanging from the ceiling. Each heart bore By J. ALMENDAREZ in red marker the jalmendarez25@student.alamo.edu name, age and cause of death of victims of “femicide,” or killing of women, from 1993 to 2006 in Juarez, Mexico. Artist and conservator Bettina Landgrebe crafted the installation after reading “The Killing Fields,” by Diana Washington Valdez, which gained international attention when it was published in 2005 for its graphic depiction of the mass killings of women in the border town. Juarez sits across the Rio Grande River, the U.S.Mexico border, from El Paso, the fourth largest city in Texas. With a combined population of almost 3 million people, the metropolitan area is the largest population center on any international border, according to the Industrial Development Council of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. In her book, Valdez quotes Marisela Ortiz, activist and founder of Mothers of Juarez, as saying, “They are poor, young, mainly migrants to the city looking to improve their lives in the factories. And when they are found, they have been tortured, mutilated, bruised, fractured or strangled and, in every case, violated — gang-raped.” National Public Radio, echoing other news organizations, reported in 2003 that, “Mexican authorities, unable to catch the killers, are roundly accused of being inept, corrupt and even complicit in the killings.” These accusations continue, along with the crimes. CNN reported last summer that Mexican President Felipe Calderon said homicides in the city had fallen by 60 percent since October 2010. “The president just came here and it went down, but to say 60 or 70 percent is a lie — he just left and the violence continues,” Juarez resident Gaspar Rocha told CNN. “You have seen what has happened in the past and it will continue and continue and he will leave. They’re just words ... it’s a lie.” Landgrebe’s reaction was the creation of “Beaten with a Hammer.” “It’s as if you’re holding, in a way, you’re holding the heart of that person in your hand,” she said. “I had to deal with it in a very bureaucratic manner.” Landgrebe presented on her piece and its origin to 33 attendees in the visual arts center March 8. She said she used eight medical models of a human heart and sculptor mold, a plaster-like substance, to make the hearts over three years.
She said the mold allowed for each heart to have irregularities, representing the diversity of the “femicide” victims. She said the handwritten portion of the project was the hardest part, and she found she could only write about 30 to 40 names in a given work session. “It made me feel furious and helpless all at once over and over again,” she said. Education sophomore Felisha Eiluk said she thought the irregularities and handwriting on the hearts added meaning to the piece. “I think it takes a lot for someone to go in … and touch so many people,” she said. Landgrebe said she hung the hearts from the ceiling with red fishing wire to complement the red ink on the hearts. She said from a distance, the floor to ceiling windows of the building showed what appeared to be clods inside of it, but viewers could see the defined heart as they approached the building. She also placed 100 hearts in an open circle on the floor representing the women who will yet be killed and the women’s bodies that have not been found. She said the site was chosen because lights could be on inside the building at all times, so the exhibit was able to be viewed 24 hours a day. During a segment for questions following the lecture, Marisol Macias, American Sign Language and interpreter training sophomore, told Landgrebe, “My family lives on the border, and I’ve seen how that violence grows to where I’m afraid for my family.” In an interview after the lecture, Macias said her family lives in Eagle Pass, and she visits them at least once a year. But, she said, Piedras Negras, Mexico, across the river from Eagle Pass and a city she frequently visited as a child, has become off-limits. “It was all too familiar, just the random acts of violence,” she said. Landgrebe has been prominent in the art community throughout Europe and Germany, where she is from. She has most recently been conservator for painting, sculpture and contemporary art at Kunsthalle Bremen in Bremen, Germany; head of studio at the Stichting Kollektief Restauratieatelier Amsterdam in the Netherlands; conservator at The Donald Judd Estate in Marfa; and head of painting conservation, conservation of polychrome wooden sculpture and conservation of contemporary art at the Museum Wiesbaden, in Wiesbaden, Germany. She said the hearts are packed in boxes, and she hopes to redisplay the art at another time, but she said she will not add additional hearts to the piece to reflect newer numbers. “I’m never finished with it,” she said. “I do not want to do more. It has been enough.”
Carol McDonald speaks to a crowd at a rally for women’s health care March 6 in Lot 1 at Ashby and Belknap places. The rally was to gain support for and provide information on the right of women to health care. Riley Stephens
Editorial
10 • The Ranger
March 26, 2012
www.theranger.org/opinion
Editor Joshua Fechter Managing Editor Alma Linda Manzanares News Editor Faith Duarte Sections Editor Diana Palomo 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, Alicia Millan, Silvia Millan, Ivie Okungbowa, Osita Omesiete, Janeka Porter, Rebecca Salinas 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.
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Juan Carlos Campos
Join march to learn If you missed the Martin Luther King Jr. March in January and the International Women’s Day March this month, you can plan to participate in the upcoming 16th annual César Chávez March for Justice March 31. A rally begins at 8 a.m. at Guadalupe and South Brazos streets before the march begins at 10 a.m. to Alamo Plaza. More than 100,000 people turned out for the city’s annual MLK march to celebrate the achievements of the slain civil rights leader and to comment on the work still to be done. When he started his work, blacks were kept isolated by discriminatory laws, such as having to use separate water fountains and restrooms and making interracial marriage illegal. They could be denied service in restaurants and stores and refused rental properties based on race. For most of his career, the FBI targeted King. Now his birthday is a federal holiday, and a monument in Washington, D.C., commemorates his contributions. The women’s march celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. This year’s theme was “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures.” But did you know the march originated in
1908 when 15,000 women marched through New York City to demand shorter hours, better pay and voting rights? Around the globe, women are still marching for social justice issues, such as domestic violence and human trafficking, and, in some countries, they still cannot vote. Marches provide the opportunity to raise awareness and educate the public on a variety of social, economic and political issues as well as spark debate. City streets come alive with calls for action from throngs of people marching in honor of pioneers who have won hard-fought improvements to people’s lives. Thousands of people of all races, ages and ideologies set aside their differences to unite in support — or dissent. There is strength in numbers, and civil resistance exercises your constitutional rights to freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Consider it a form of patriotism. You can be the spark that ignites change if you stand up for what you believe, join the parade and take advantage of the opportunity to learn something and educate others. Who knows what you might learn March 31 about migrant farm workers.
Submit FAFSA today May 1 is the priority deadline to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The earlier it’s complete, the more opportunities for financial aid students have. In addition to grants, other forms of aid, including work-study jobs and need-based scholarships, are dependent on completion of the application. While the application process may seem daunting and complicated, there is plenty of assistance available. The student financial services office in Room 101 of Fletcher Administration Center is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. the first Saturday of each month. During the week, each financial aid office in the district has designated extended hours
until 7 p.m. Mondays at Palo Alto College, Wednesdays at St. Philip’s College, and Thursdays at Northwest Vista and Northeast Lakeview Colleges. Help in completing the FAFSA is available in the financial aid office. Turning in the FAFSA form early grants you more time to fix any possible errors or submit any necessary documents. Submitting your application before the priority deadline may mean the difference between having available funds for school or paying for tuition and books out-of-pocket and waiting for reimbursement. It also can mean freedom from student loans, so easy to sign for and so difficult to pay off. The application takes six to eight weeks to process at student financial services, so manage your time wisely.
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March 26, 2012
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Alumnus self-publishes Ambassadors seek new members his first horror novel In January, a former student self-published his first horror novel, “The Blood Knows.” Vincent Perales, 26, wrote about a journalist named Claire Walker, who is hired by an assistant district attorney to investigate Gordy Barton’s family. By JENNIFER Barton’s son Darius disappears before LUNA going on trial for the murder of his fiancée. When he disappears, Darius sac-ranger@alamo.edu is working on a detailed project that may have killed his uncle Joe. Walker discovers the project is based on disturbing tales from around the world, and suddenly nothing is what it seems. Walker must seek out the dark truth of the world, find the meaning of being human and interpret the motivations of the monstrous “pale strangers” at the heart of everything. Perales, a student here 2003-2007, persistently collects ideas for the book. “It went into its own,” Perales said. While a computer science major, Perales was introduced to the Cheshyre Cheese Club and that helped him to take his writing skills seriously. “(English Professor) Jane FochtHansen was integral in keeping me writing,” he said. “She kept encouraging me to put out the book.” It took nine months. Perales used CreateSpace on Amazon to publish. “Self-publishing is the future,” he said. Perales started his first story while sitting in detention in third grade, and it developed into a hobby. He dreamed about how far his talent would take him, but focused on computers, which made him the go-to person for computer problems for friends, teachers and family. With this in mind, he initially majored in computer science. At 18, Perales planned to complete his basics at this college and then transfer to UTSA. After finding his passion in the Cheshyre Cheese Club, he changed his plans. “It really was a dream for him,” Focht-Hansen, Cheshyre Cheese Club adviser, said.
Vincent Perales, former student and author, talks about his first published book, “The Blood Knows,” on March 5. Felipe Perez Jr. Perales refined his ideas and learned the tools of the trade as taught by creative writing Professor Ernest Tsacalis. “He was a talented, generous, and hard-working student,” Tsacalis said. “This accomplishment speaks to his stamina as much as it does his skill. Completing a cohesive literary work that is hundreds of pages long is quite an accomplishment.” Perales, who hopes to return to college in the next two years, plans to release two sequels later this year. After those releases, Perales plans to take a break from horror. The first chapter may be downloaded for free at www. amazon.com. His book can be downloaded for $1.99 or ordered in paperback at www.amazon.com for $13.99.
The student ambassador program will be directing the flow of crowds at the J.R. Martinez lecture By REBECCA at 7 p.m. SALINAS Wednesday in the audisac-ranger@alamo.edu torium of McAllister Fine Arts Center. Though still in its early stages, the program is designed to keep students involved in school and the group gets called if an event needs flow control or ushers. Last semester, political science sophomore Ria Thompson and journalism sophomore Dee Dixon brought the program idea to Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs. For the last few months, Thompson and Dixon have been meeting with administrators to design a program that would help direct students to correct information. Last November, ambassadors helped students during registration and filing for financial aid. The program is looking for volunteers at the web center in Fletcher Administration Center and a student to fill a lead ambassador position. “You are a face of the college,” Mona Aldana-Ramírez, director
of retention support services, said. Aldana-Ramírez wants members to provide feedback from students. “Your contribution as student ambassador will be phenomenal,” she said. Aldana-Ramírez and Vela are looking for a student leadership conference for members. “If being a student ambassador means you are a leader in the college, it would be nice to have that type of professional growth,” Aldana-Ramírez said. She and Vela are discussing ways, budget permitting, to reward the ambassadors with the most hours spent volunteering at the end of the semester. For example, a member with 41 or more hours of volunteering will receive a graduation cord, $200 and a recommendation letter from Dr. Robert Zeigler, college president. Requirements include enrollment in this college, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and adherence to the student conduct code. Another meeting will be announced for April. For more information, call Aldana-Ramírez at 210-486-1419 or email maldana-ramirez@ alamo.edu.
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March 26, 2012
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The Alamo Colleges is accepting applications for a full-time director of Alamo Colleges Online, a developing facet in the growth and alignment of courses offered throughout the district. According to By J. ALMENDARAREZ the posting on jalmendararez25@student.alamo. PeopleLink, the edu district’s site for district job postings, the position is open only to current, full-time, “hard-funded,” benefited employees in the district with a minimum of five years experience in instruction, instructional leadership or business operations. Preferred experience includes 10 years in higher education or a nonprofit environment with leadership in learning management systems. The position opened March 9, and applications will be accepted through Tuesday. Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of human resources, said as of 4 p.m. March 19, two applications had been submitted, but she expects more applications closer to the deadline. She said people probably need time to get a résumé together before applying. Jo-Carol Fabianke, interim vice chancellor for academic success, said March 13 that the distance learning taskforce, which was formed last year to discuss the expansion and alignment of distance education in the district, decided a district director is necessary to organize and improve online offerings. She said the decision to hire a director came before the winter break, and it took about six weeks to complete a job description. Helen Torres, interim director of enrollment services, helped launch this nationally recognized online program in 1996. While she was distance education director of this college, the program tied with Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Ariz., for ninth place in the Digital Community College Survey at the Conference on Information Technology in February 2009. The college advertised its online courses in Newsweek Oct. 19, 2009. Torres is on vacation until March 28 and could not be reached by press time. Dr. Dawn Elmore-McCrary, English professor and task force member, said March 19 that she and others who served on the task force still believe that a committee could complete the charges set forth in the job description and that hiring is unnecessary. In a forum Nov. 18 with Dr. Robert Aguero,
then vice chancellor for academic success, faculty members challenged the possibility of hiring an administrator. During the forum, President Robert Zeigler asked, “Did you consider, rather than a director, some sort of person in a coordinating role?” Elmore-McCrary said the task force was divided about how to oversee distance learning. She said during the forum that many on the force said a committee should oversee it with the head of the committee receiving release time or a stipend. English Chair Mike Burton mentioned the need for release time at a question-andanswer forum with Chancellor Bruce Leslie and other district officials March 8. He said, “Faculty are feeling like the Hebrew slaves who have been making bricks and now they’ve got to get straw, too. They have to do advising and have to do all these other things.” District officials did not comment on his concerns, but Zeigler said release time was reduced because of its inconsistent distribution throughout the district. Elmore-McCrary said during the forum in November that a consensus was not reached about hiring a director. “We were told that during the summer, we were going to be meeting to discuss this further because we could not reach a consensus. That did not happen,” she said at the forum. Instead, task force members Aguero; Dr. Eric Reno, president of Northeast Lakeview College; and Deb Morgan, director of strategic initiatives and performance excellence, met with Leslie and suggested the hiring of a director without addressing the taskforce. “No one with the opposing view was invited to attend the meeting,” Elmore-McCrary said. Reno said at the November forum that the decision was made because committees do not typically run entire systems. Elmore-McCrary said at the November forum, “We could do it if we were given the chance to do it in a more democratic fashion without creating district authority.” Fabianke said in an interview March 13 that she spoke with members of the committee earlier this semester and a consensus was made to hire a director. For more information about the job, visit https://peoplelink.alamo.edu/applic a n t s / j s p / s h a re d / f r a m e s e t / Fr a m e s e t . jsp?time=1332259496414.
Cap, gown pickup Students who applied to graduate before the first time for many students to be the first the March 9 deadline can pick up caps and in their family to graduate college,” Counselor gowns 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 2-5 in Room 216 of Rosa Maria Gonzalez said. Fletcher Administration Center. “It is also a great motivator for the stuStudents will be allowed to dent to finish their education keep the caps and gowns. at a four-year institution,” she For more information, call Commencement will be said. Gonzalez at 210at 10 a.m. May 12 at Joe and Graduation requirements 486-0864 or visit the Harry Freeman Coliseum. include a minimum 2.0 gradecounseling center Students who did not subpoint average in all coursein the early college mit a graduation application work required for the degree. programs building. before the deadline can still Students also must submit apply until the last day of the an official transcript from all semester and receive a degree, but they will previous colleges attended. not be allowed to walk the stage. A minimum of 25 percent of coursework Students who graduate in fall 2011, spring must be completed at this college. 2012 and summer 2012 are invited to particiFor more information on requirements, pate in commencement. visit http://www.alamo.edu/sac/graduation/ “We think it’s a great idea that students commencement-info. participate in the formal ceremony because it’s Osita Omesiete
March 26, 2012
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The Ranger • 13
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Check out books nationwide Using the interlibrary loan, students, faculty and staff can check out material from libraries across the country. According to the “Request an Item via Interlibrary Loan” library By REBECCA guide, people can request SALINAS items be sent here and picked up at the reserve sac-ranger@alamo.edu desk on the fourth floor of Moody Learning Center. A request form must be filled out at www. alamo.edu/sac/library. Items from Palo Alto or St. Philip’s colleges usually arrive in two to three business days. The college library will pay fees associated with shipping items via the interlibrary loan. When necessary, fees must be paid when the item is picked up. Arrival dates depend on the lending library’s location. Overdue fines depend on the lending library’s policy and can be paid at the reserve desk. With a TexShare card, students and employees can borrow directly from participating
libraries statewide. Participating South Central Texas libraries include Northwest Vista College, Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Mary’s University, Schreiner University, Texas State University-San Marcos, Texas Lutheran University, University of Texas at San Antonio and University of the Incarnate Word. A TexShare card must be presented at check out. St. Philip’s and Palo Alto colleges also participate in the TexShare program but do not require a TexShare card if a SAC ID is used. TexShare cards are free and available at the reserve desk on the fourth floor. They expire at the end of the semester for students and Aug. 31 each year for employees. To obtain a TexShare card or an interlibrary loan, a student or employee must have a current district ID and no overdue or unpaid items. For more information, call the reserve desk at 210-486-0582 or the reference desk at 210486-0554.
GREEHEY DEGREE-COMPLETION SCHOLARSHIP Civil engineering freshman Taylor Mason and biology freshmen Usman Ahmad Dar and Ivonne Oyervidez, all Honors Academy students, discuss grading criteria for a research paper March 19 in Chance. Ivie S. Okungbowa
Grant grows Honors Academy The college’s Honors Academy received a grant of $152,000 from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Susan B. Espinoza, director of college and grant development, By IVIE informed Dr. Jonathan OKUNGBOWA Lee, history professor and Honors Academy sac-ranger@.alamo.edu coordinator, of the grant’s approval Feb. 10. Lee said President Robert Zeigler informed him in the fall of scholarships the academy was going to lose because of the district’s budget cuts. “I had an idea and began to write the proposal without any money,” Lee said. Espinoza reviewed the proposal in November. The three-year grant includes funds to create a study center, improve the honors academy’s curriculum, establish a peer mentor program and incorporate a recruitment strategy. The first semester’s curriculum is designed to build skills in identifying an argument. The second semester teaches using data to create an argument. Third semester students use their learning from a 10-page research paper. The program is adding focus to make the curriculum more challenging, said Erik Anderson, history instructor and Honors Academy adviser, “to give students the skills to use a higher level of thinking.” Sophomore academy members will mentor freshmen students, Lee said. The mentors will apply for the work-study program through student financial services and be a role model to mentees so they will learn positive networking skills in the Honors Academy environment. The history department is temporarily housing 45 honor students and five faculty advisers. “I’d like the center to be something of a nesting place for students,” Lee said. To graduate from the Honors Academy, stu-
dents must complete a 10-page research paper using multiple resources, Lee said. The Honors Academy’s job is to take students who are hard workers and show promise, and turn them into great college students, Lee said. The program accepts first-time in college and currently enrolled students. An enrollment of 200 to 300 is ideal, Lee said. “The program is for people who want to save money and may be intimidated by the four-year experience,” he said. The program is similar to the honors program at the University of Texas at San Antonio but has a smaller capstone project, Lee said. Honors Academy requirements include a 3.25 grade point average and the completion of four or all seven core courses: GOVT 2301, American/Texas: National and State; GOVT 2302, American Government: Problems and Policies; ENGL 1301, Composition 1; ENGL 1302, Composition 2; MATH 1414, College Algebra (Pre-calculus Track); or MATH 1314, College Algebra; and two natural science courses, equaling 21 credit hours. Honors level BIOL 1406, Biology for Science Majors 1; BIOL 1407, Biology for Science Majors 2; will be available in fall online and on campus. MATH 1414, College Algebra (Pre-calculus Track) and MATH 1314, College Algebra, will be available in spring 2013. Funds are available March 1, and the Honors Academy will be ready for the fall, Lee said. In the center, biology freshmen Usman Ahmad Dar and Ivonne Oyervidez shared the benefits of enrollment in the Honors Academy such as being able to find professors to ask questions. Anderson said a peer group — a community of success — is essential for students. “That is what we want to do, provide students a home at SAC,” he said. For more information, call 210-486-1104 or email jlee@alamo.edu.
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
14 • The Ranger
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March 26, 2012
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SGA discusses April election Members plan campus tours for high school students. Student Government Association met March 19 to discuss upcoming events and an April election for the 2012-13 academic year. Tiffany By DIANA Cox, crimiPALOMO nal justice instructor and dpalomo9@student. SGA adviser, alamo.edu will provide packets for students who want to run for an office or a position on the government. Cox will have requirements to participate in SGA including hours, GPA President Robert Zeigler talks to Student Government March 6 in his conference room in Fletcher about learning about the media role’s as watchdog on public officials. Riley Stephens and campaigning. She will provide dates for the election at Monday’s meeting. 2 semester. specific departments they wanted to Victoria. Visit theranger.org to read more about the Current officers must run for reStudent Government will assist see, among them mortuary science, Wong said they are working on president’s March 6 meeting election if they wish to continue to three campus tours Friday for stu- criminal justice, nursing and allied the menu for the students. with SGA. serve. dents from Taft health departments. The food provided from student In other busiHigh School and Students ages 18-27 of the San government will be free because the SGA meets the ness, Wong discussed San Antonio Youth Antonio Youth Initiative are touring SGA will pay for it. Wong mentioned a “Spring first three Mondays of student withdrawInitiative. to help them develop interest in comClubs on campus will discuss Splash” event that may be scheduled every month noonals, campus tours, a Jacob Wong, ing to this college. retention, recruitment and commufor the first week of May if approved. 1 p.m. in the health promotions office in leadership conferpsychology sophoThere will be two sessions of a nity outreach. Spring classes end May 6, and Room 150 of Loftin. ence, the Texas Junior more and president leadership conference in Loftin April The conference will be 3 p.m.-5:30 final exams begin May 7. College Government of SGA, will present 18-19. The student government will p.m. April 18 and continues 10:50 The organization did not want to Association and a an introduction on be in charge of the conference and a.m.-12:05 p.m. April 19 in the craft disclose information to The Ranger “Spring Splash.” the purpose of Loftin Student Center times. room of Loftin. because it is expected to be a surprise April 13 is the last day for stuand his experience in high school The SGA’s goal is to have a leadSGA members will attend the for students. dents to withdraw from the 16-week and college. ership workshop from information Texas Junior College Government For more information, call Cox at spring semester and eight-week Flex Taft High School students had gained from a Feb. 24-25 trip to Association April 29-May 1 in Austin. 210-486-0835.
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Augustin Ibarra, English sophomore and vice president of Gay Allied Lesbian Association, hands criminal justice sophomore Jasmine Leon cherry-vanilla cotton candy Wednesday in the mall. Ingrid Wilgen
GALA prepared to help cope “What if it was you?” asked René Orozco, communications sophomore at Northwest Vista College and Gay Allied Lesbian Association president at this college. He also is enrolled here. By J. ALMENDAREZ A room jalmendarez25@student.alamo.edu of 23 people divided into groups of four during the GALA meeting Feb. 29 in the faculty and staff lounge of Loftin Student Center to discuss coping with being kicked out of their home as a teen because of sexual orientation. Orozco asked GALA members to discuss survival needs, security, resources available to gay teens and 20-somethings, roadblocks and community resources. The club changed its name last fall from Gay and Lesbian Association to the Gay Allied Lesbian Association. After brainstorming, the members returned to the full group to review suggestions. “I don’t think, even if you’re not displaced, that you could ever be safe,” said theater freshman Julie Dunsford. Other members agreed, saying they are careful to whom they reveal sexual orientation. Sometimes, friends’ parents are no more
accepting than their parents, leaving gay teens to rely on resources in the community. Psychology freshman Opal Ransom said, “They’re really stuck with the kindness of strangers.” Orozco said he brought the issue to the group because of an 18-year-old gay person he knows who is in that situation. He said one of GALA’s missions is to be prepared to offer help to people who need support or are discriminated against because of sexual orientation. Club members agreed. One participant told a smaller group, “I had to leave my house with nothing.” Some of the ideas generated by the group were to have a reliable network of friends and family, become informed about shelters in the city, consider alternate modes of transportation and get in touch with an adviser or mentor to help cope with rejection. Orozco added, “Going with your gut is probably the best thing (for safety).” GALA acknowledged a new co-adviser Julie Rázuri, American Sign Language and interpreter training instructor. Lead adviser Richard Farias, English instructor, did not attend the meeting. GALA ensures that all attendees are com-
fortable at the meeting by having them introFor instance, at the meeting, theater sophoduce themselves, say something interesting more Alan Galvez asked members of GALA to about themselves and announce their preferred assist the OnStage Drama Club with one of its gender pronoun, commonly referred to as PGP. biggest fundraisers of the year, a dinner theater Orozco reviewed club guidelines, such as where they performed the play “Almost Maine” respecting each others’ views, no dating within March 2. the group and respecting Galvez said he needed GALA meets at 3 p.m. people’s confidentiality. people to help serve food Wednesdays in the faculty “What is said here, and beverages and clean and staff lounge. Enter to the stays here,” he said. the area after the event. left of the Starbucks vendor The Ranger does not He said the club will recin the cafeteria in Loftin. publish members’ perognize GALA at its endsonal information without of-the-year banquet. consent because the gay, lesbian, bisexual and Interior design freshman Erika Gonzalez, transgender community has historically been who started a sign-up list, said, “We’ll be there discriminated against and some members have for y’all whenever you need help.” not publicly identified themselves as gay. Psychology Adjunct Cay Crow, who teaches Orozco asked at the beginning of the meethuman sexuality at this college, will present on ing if any members had an issue with being sex and transgender issues 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April quoted or photographed by The Ranger to say 11 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. so. She also will conduct a question-andOrozco also mentioned GALA’s participaanswer session to address audience concerns. tion with an unofficial group called the SAC GALA teamed with Psychology Club memAlliance. bers to organize the event. After the meeting, Orozco said the alliance is “I think it would be very educational for an extension of the Presidents Round Table and anyone who comes,” Orozco said. allows club presidents to coordinate with each For more information about GALA, call other on events. Farias at 210-486-0673.
Hot Potato lecture discusses gender discrimination Discrimination is sometimes intended and sometimes a leftover tradition, a female minister told students March 6 at the Methodist Student Center. Organized religions are not free of discrimination and hierarchy, and the state does not interBy KIRK HANES fere with these institutions, the Rev. sac-ranger@alamo.edu Raquel Feagins of the United Methodist Church said in her Hot Potato lecture “Is Discrimination by Religious Organizations Ever OK?” She illustrated her point with a variety of examples of inequality in the church and the refusal of some denominations to allow women to be ministers. The discussion was inspired by the 2011 Supreme Court decision in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Elementary school teacher Cheryl Perich was replaced while on leave because she suffered from narcolepsy, a condition known as sleeping sickness because it causes the patient to drop off easily in any situation. She sued, but the justices favored Hosanna-Taylor in a 9-0 decision because under the U.S. Constitution, churches and reli-
gious groups are free to elect leaders, or in this case, hire or fire teachers, without government involvement, Feagins said. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibited wages based on gender rather than skills. Lutheran and reformed churches since the 1960s have allowed women pastors because they recognize equality between the sexes, she said. The debate over women leaders stems from 1 Timothy 2:12, a letter written by Paul, which states, “I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man.” Some churches still today do not ordain women because of this verse, she said. Feagins said people should consider the context of the verse, historical context and the author of the book. Religious leaders are expected to meet the requirements and adhere to the doctrine of the church or denomination of ordination, Feagins said. Women have been leaders throughout history, she said. In the Bible, Jesus first revealed himself as the messiah to a Samaritan woman, and in the Old Testament, Deborah led Israel’s army to victory over the king of Canaan.
In modern times, Catherine Booth was a preacher and theologian and wife of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, and in recent years, as many as 10 percent of all senior pastors are female, according to a Barna Group study. Feagins said the government generally does not step into church-involved activity, unless physical abuse or crime occurs. Feagins said churches tend to appeal to a culture and tradition rather than discriminate. Still, she noted female pastors are sometimes assigned to jobs at facilities with fewer accommodations, such as older and unused buildings without air conditioning. She cited a lack of mentoring and support for women in religion with her experience. Her husband, the Rev. John Feagins, campus minister at the Methodist Student Center, said the Methodist church is composed of 95 percent Anglo members who live in suburban areas. Education sophomore Dustin Pippin mentioned there are also churches that are predominantly African-American. The speaker and topic for the Hot Potato at 12:15 p.m. March 27 at the center has yet to be determined. For more information about the lecture series or the student center, call John Feagins at 210-733-1441.
16 • The Ranger
News
March 26, 2012
www.theranger.org
Threads of Love makes bonnets, baby booties and blankets. Shown are some of their creations, including funeral gowns for boys and girls. The chapter operates out of Oak Hills Nondenominational Church at 19595 W. Interstate 10. Photos by Victoria Drumming
Beth Cruz makes blankets for premature babies. Cruz, who has been active with Threads of Love for three years, said she loves spending time helping others.
Mortuary program collects to aid grieving families Mortuary science department is accepting old bridal gowns, quinceanera dresses and material to help parents through Threads of Love. While spring-cleaning, keep an eye out for “Even though the child prom, quinceanera and wedding dresses as well doesn’t get to live (long), it as fabric and sewing notions to donate for makdoesn’t mean the parents ing funeral gowns for infants. grieve any less.” Mortuary science Tammy Jorgensen, By Carla Chair Felix Gonzales sophomore said donations would Aranguren go to Threads of Love, sac-ranger@alamo.edu a sewing ministry that of the Mortuary Science Department Advisory creates and provides clothing to hospitals and Committee, and other mortuary science stufuneral homes to assist parents in a funeral dents in supporting the organization. for infants. Puente’s family owns Puente and Sons Funeral The group Chapels in San consists of volunAntonio and New teer workers who Braunfels, which sew, crochet and receives clothing knit clothing and and accessories accessories for from the orgathe “Empty Crib” nization when packets given needed. to parents. The Mortuary packet is made up science sophowith a gown, blanmore Tammie ket, booties, a cap Jorgensen also and a poem. makes donaThe group is tions to the San funded by donaAntonio chaptions and also ter and likewise provides handinforms parents made caskets and dealing with packets for homeinfant funerals at less people. Sunset Northwest Threads of Funeral Home Love established where she works its first chapter as a mortuary in 1993 at Earl assistant. K. Long Charity “We have used Volunteers of Threads of Love make clothes for premature babies Hospital in Baton the “Empty Crib” Tuesday at Oak Hill Nondonminational Church. Rouge, La. care packages In 1999, Liz about five times,” and Joe Page established a San Antonio chapter Jorgensen said. after losing four premature grandbabies. In helping parents grieve, Jorgensen said To help others dealing with the same situ- “Even though the child doesn’t get to live (long), ation, the Pages launched SARAH, Sewing And it doesn’t mean the parents grieve any less.” Reaching A Heart. Today, Threads of Love has chapters in 22 citThe local chapter sewed more than 36,000 ies in Texas, 36 states and Canada and England. pieces for infant burials in 2010. Threads of Love accepts donations all year. Gonzales said the project caught his attenDonations can be delivered to the mortution when he saw mortuary science graduate ary science department in Room 238 of Nail Yolanda Puente knitting in the hall before class. Technical Center Since then, Gonzales has worked with Puente For more information, call Yolanda Puente at and her husband, Guillermo Puente, a member 210-415-1990 or visit http://threadsoflovesa.org.
Sisters Mary Carmichael and Lilly McCue donate blankets to Threads of Love. The sisters have been with Threads of Love for eight years.
Caroline Baldwin packages sets of booties, blankets and gowns for premature babies Tuesday at Oak Hills Nondenominational Church. Baldwin who has been with Threads of Love for 13 years, said she loves it because it is so fulfilling to help others.