Vol. 86 Issue 6
Single copies free
Oct. 17, 2011
THE RANGER A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926
COLLEGE COMES OUT 5 UNIFORM DISTRICT WEBSITE 10 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAGEDY 15
The end of the world as we know it? Illustration by Alexandra Nelipa
Calendar
2 • Oct. 17, 2011 For coverage in Calendar, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.
Café in Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Music: Faculty piano recital 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210486-0255.
Today
Wednesday
PAC Event: Richard Romo’s South Africa photography exhibit 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in Room 100 of Concho. Continues through Oct. 21. Call 210-486-3205.
SAC Transfer: Texas State UniversitySan Marcos 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. by appointment in transfer center. Call 210486-0864.
Exhibit: Griff Smith’s “Texas: A Retrospective through the Lens & Images from Texas Highways” 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at the Institute of Texan Cultures. Free with Alamo Colleges ID, others $8-$6. Continues Monday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Call 210-458-2300.
SAC Meeting: Black Student Alliance 12:30 p.m. in Room 613 of Moody. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-4860593.
SAC Event: Belly dancing lessons sponsored by office of student life 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210486-0128. SAC Meeting: Student Government Association noon-1 p.m. in faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Event: Student activity fee training hosted by office of student life 2 p.m.3:30 p.m. in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Meeting: Campus Activities Board 4 p.m.-5 p.m. in faculty and staff lounge of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Transfer: Concordia University 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864. Tuesday
SAC Event: Money matters series “Consumer Awareness” by Jacob Martinez, assistant coordinator of student leadership and activities, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126. SAC Meeting: Psi Beta 3 p.m.-4 p.m. in Room 642 of Moody. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-486-1264 or email rross41@alamo.edu.
The Ranger
9 a.m.-noon on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864.
in the Fiesta Room in Loftin. Call 210486-0864.
SAC Event: Job fair 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860143.
SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio 1 p.m.-3 p.m. by appointment in transfer center. Call 210-486-0864.
SAC Event: Social services application assistance sponsored by San Antonio Food Bank 1 p.m.-3 p.m. in empowerment center. Call 210-486-0455.
SAC Transfer: Texas A&M UniversitySan Antonio 2:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. by appointment in transfer center. Call 210-4860864.
SAC Meeting: Students United for the DREAM Act 4:30 p.m.5:30 p.m. in cafeteria of Loftin. Continues Thursdays. Call 210683-5879. Friday SAC Sport: Olympicstyle boxing 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in mall. Call 210-4860128. SAC Event: “The Little Star that Could” 6:30 p.m., “Secret Lives of Stars” 7:45 p.m. and “Extreme Planets” 9 p.m. in Scobee Planetarium. $2 with Alamo Colleges ID, and children 4-17. Others $3-$5. Continues Fridays. Call 210-486-0100. Oct. 24
SAC Meeting: Gay and Lesbian Association 3 p.m.-4 p.m. in Room 644 of Moody. Call 210-486-0673. SAC Meeting: Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. in MESA Center. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210486-0342 or email mpackard2@alamo. edu.
SAC Event: Karaoke 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860128. SAC Event: Talent show tryouts sponsored by office of student life 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Continues Tuesday. Call 210-486-0128. Oct. 25
SAC Event: HIV testing 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in Room 150 of Loftin. Continues Wednesday. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Hot Potato: “Social Media and Big Brother: Who’s Watching?” by Dr. Jessica Howard 12:15 p.m.–1:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 Belknap. Call 210-733-1441. SAC Event: “Scene It!” sponsored by office of student life 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in Cyber
Thursday SAC Transfer: Texas A&M UniversitySan Antonio 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. by appointment in transfer center. Continues Thursday. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Event: Ocktoberfest sponsored by office of student life 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in mall. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Transfer: Texas Lutheran University
SAC Transfer: Dallas Baptist University 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on first floor of chance. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Event: SAC Amazing Race sponsored by office of student life 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in mall. Call 210-486-0126. Oct. 27 SAC Transfer: Transfer Fair 9 a.m.-noon
SAC Music: Halloween fundraiser for music scholarships 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0255. Oct. 28 SAC Transfer: Texas A&M University 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. by appointment in transfer center. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Event: Coffee Open Mic Night sponsored by Cheshyre Cheese Club and office of student life 6 p.m.-9 p.m. in Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. Event: Dance with the Dead 8 p.m.midnight at the Institute of Texan Cultures. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Must be 21 or older. See www.texancultures.com. Oct. 31 SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio 9 a.m.-11:30 on first floor of Chance. Continues 12:30 p.m.-3 p.m. by appointment in transfer center. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Event: Halloween costume contest sponsored by office of student life noon1:30 p.m. in Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.
Calendar Legend SAC: San Antonio College NVC: Northwest Vista College SPC: St. Philip’s College SWC: Southwest Campus PAC: Palo Alto College NLC: Northeast Lakeview College AC: Alamo Colleges
The Ranger
News
Oct. 17, 2011 • 3
College presidents reject, consider retirement Four are eligible for a 50-percent retirement incentive. By Joshua Fechter The early retirement incentive program for college presidents has no takers so far. One is not eligible, two have rejected the idea, one remains undecided, and one has not responded to calls from The Ranger. At a special meeting Oct. 5 in Killen Center, the district board of trustees voted 8-0 to allow college presidents to take advantage of retirement incentives until six months before their two-year contracts expire Aug. 31, 2013. District 3 trustee Anna Bustamante did not attend the meeting. President Robert Zeigler told The Ranger Oct. 6 that he does not plan to take advantage of the incentive program. He said he would like to work a few more years to oversee the completion of projects such as the Moody Learning Center renovation and construction of the Challenger Center and Tobin Hill public-private partnership. Dr. Jackie Claunch, president of Northwest Vista College, said in a phone interview Thursday she is eligible for retirement but has not decided whether to take advantage of the program. Dr. Eric Reno, president of Northeast Lakeview College, told The Ranger Wednesday that he does not currently plan to take advantage of the program and he wants to stay at the college to oversee projects such as the accreditation process. Dr. Adena Williams Loston, president of St. Philip’s College, said at the Oct. 5 meeting that she was not eligible for retirement. Dr. Ana Guzman, Palo Alto College president, did not return four calls over a period of a week by press time. Presidents who participate in the program will follow the same criteria employees complied with in a second offering during the summer: Participants will receive 50 percent of their current salary for a year and cannot apply for full-time employment at the district for two years after retirement. Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of human resources, said 187 employees took advantage of the program by the Sept. 30 deadline. The first offering in May gave participants a 70 percent benefit if they retired by Aug. 31.
“You never know who’s going to participate when you open a retirement window.” Linda Boyer-Owens associate vice chancellor of human resources A total of 138 employees took advantage by the May 31 deadline. If they are eligible for retirement and wish to take advantage of incentives, college presidents must submit their retirement election forms six months before the intended retirement date so the district can find a replacement. Diane Snyder, vice chancellor of fiscal affairs, said at the meeting if college presidents made an election to retire during the last incentive period ending Sept. 30, they have until seven days after that date to change their mind. If they rescind their election for the last period, presidents can make a new election for the period beginning Thursday. Snyder said presidents who may have made an election during the last incentive period do not have to rescind their election and may retire Jan. 4. She could not say which college presidents or how many of them expressed interest in taking advantage of retirement incentives. District 7 trustee Blakely Fernandez said Oct. 6 the board may discuss allowing vice chancellors to take part in the program at a later date. Boyer-Owens said she does not know how much a successful search for replacements for presidents would cost because the cost depends on how many presidents take part in the program. “You never know who’s going to participate when you open a retirement window,” she said.
INELIGIBLE
Dr. Adena Williams Loston, St. Philip’s
NOT RETIRING
Dr. Robert Zeigler San Antonio
UNDECIDED
Dr. Jackie Claunch Northwest Vista
NOT RETIRING
Dr. Eric Reno Northeast Lakeview
NO RESPONSE
Dr. Ana Guzman Palo Alto
4 • Oct. 17, 2011
People
The Ranger
Music sophomore Benjamin Griffinth leads the audience in singing “Hey Jude” at the Beatles Sing-A-Long in the auditorium of McAllister Oct. 7. The Beatles Sing-A-Long drew about 160 participants and raised $520 for the fine arts department. Alex Solis English Professor Alex Bernal gives Mike Burton, newly elected English chair, a chairprint tie to pass the torch during College Council Tuesday in visual arts. Jennifer M. Ytuarte
Temporary worker Art Reyes checks the parking permit of liberal arts sophomore Alexander Carmargo Monday morning at the east entrance to the parking garage. Reyes said, “If anyone tries to enter the parking garage without a permit, I have a number to notify the district police immediately.” Rennie Murrell
Go to The Ranger Online at www. theranger.org for a video of Occupy SA.
Endocrinology sophomore Melony Salguero, liberal arts freshman Amanda Fuhrman and liberal arts freshman Blake Markgraf enjoy cookies provided by the Catholic Campus Ministries booth Wednesday morning east of Moody during the Fall Faith Fair. This fair provided information about the faith communities here in San Antonio, Sister Clarice Suchy said. Rennie Murrell
Spinstructors Theo Davis and Kris Skogg practice the art of sign spinning as a form of advertising Monday in San Pedro Springs Park. Casandra Gonzales
The Ranger
Oct. 17, 2011 • 5
News
Video, panelists: It gets better By Brian Burdick On Oct. 11, 1987, half a million people marched in Washington, D.C., for gay and lesbian rights. The following year, National Coming Out Day was born, Instructor Richard Farias said in opening Tuesday night’s film and panel discussion in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center. In the college’s second Coming-Out Week celebration, the planning committee presented “Out and Proud: Coming Out as Soldiers, Parents, Friends and Family,” featuring a locally produced video. The video, “SAC: It Gets Better,” includes stories from students, faculty and staff of coming-out as gay and lesbian individuals and the reactions of their families and friends. It also featured several heterosexual members of this college’s administration, including President Robert Zeigler, who provided messages of hope for members of the LGBTQ community and noted the progress this campus has made to provide acceptance for all. Farias said the video will be on the college’s YouTube page soon, for public viewing. He said the video was inspired by the It Gets Better Project, which provides online
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Panelists for “Out and Proud: Coming out as Soldiers” Oct. 11 in the auditorium of McAllister. Jennifer M. Ytuarte
Support groups GALA meets at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Room 644 of Moody Learning Center. LGBT Youth Group meets 10:30 a.m. Sundays at Metropolitan Community Church. Call the church at 210-4723597. PFLAG meets 7 p.m. first Thursday of the month at First Unitarian Universalist Church. Call 210-655-2383. PFLAG Español 7 p.m. first Thursdays of the month at 2802 W. Salinas. Call 210-849-6315. San Antonio Gender Association 6 p.m.-9 p.m. First and Third Thursdays of the month at Metropolitan Community Church. Visit sagender.org.
Autumn Summers and Eryca Daniels selected criminal justice sophomore Kimberly Alonso to participate in building a pyramid with styrofoam cups while blind folded Wednesday in the Fiesta Room during Drag Bingo. This is part of this college’s National Coming Out Week events. See story online at www.theranger.org. Valerie Salazar
English sophomore Augustin Ibarra paints dental assistant freshman Tiffany Moreno Monday in the mall. Alex Solis
No hate allowed By Jennifer Flores Events across the nation this week will celebrate National Coming-Out Week. National Coming-Out Day, Oct. 11, was founded by Dr. Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary in 1988. It marked the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Eichberg, a psychologist from New Mexico, began his activism more than two decades ago with the founding of a political action committee in Los Angeles for the rights of gays and lesbians. O’Leary, a former nun who became a lesbian activist, organized the first White House meeting of gay leaders and served as chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Eichberg, who died of AIDS in 1995, said in a 1992 interview, “Most people think they don’t know anyone gay or lesbian, and in fact, everybody does. It is imperative that we come out and let people know who we are and disabuse them of their fears and stereotypes.” The week is celebrated with workshops; speak-outs, rallies and other events that show lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are everywhere. The Gay And Lesbian Association kicked off the college’s second Coming-Out Week with face painting in the mall. Hearts, rainbows and the slogan “No H8” (read: no hate) adorned student cheeks, and the association distributed bracelets that read “Acceptance Coming Out @ SAC.” Others stopped by to ask for information about GALA, the college student organization. “We are trying to get the message of “No H8” to end discrimination on preference,” American Sign Language freshman Lydia Rivera said. English sophomore Augustin Ibarra said, “We want to tell students who are still in the closet that we are here for them if they choose to come out.” For more information, email English Professor Richard Farias at rfarias14@alamo.edu.
6 • Oct. 17, 2011 CONT. FROM PAGE 5 videos from the LGBTQ community and their allies, sending messages of hope to those who may be struggling with the reality of being gay or may be dealing with abuse or prejudice at home or at school. The message is simply: It gets better. The video was well-received and drew large applause from an audience of about 150 people. Following the video, Farias led a panel discussion, asking questions relating to hardships and prejudices endured by panelists and how recent events such as the repeal of the U.S. military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy have affected their lives. The policy, heavily criticized by the gay community and the antigay lobby, was enacted in 1993 during the Clinton Administration. It continued in effect until Sept. 20, finally allowing gays to serve openly in the military.
The Ranger
News Julia DeGrace, who was born male, underwent surgery to become a woman at the age of 54. She served her country in the Marines and is now a sensitivity trainer for the San Antonio Police Department, focusing on interactions with members of the GLBTQ community, or the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning community. She presented a slide show that depicted the Oct. 11, 1987, march in Washington, D.C. The slides also featured images of hate that the LGBTQ community still endures. DeGrace noted transgendered individuals who previously served in the military are eligible to receive treatment at Veterans Affairs hospitals but not active-duty medical centers because of discriminatory policies still in effect. Don’t ask, don’t tell was also part of the panel discussion. Dr. Dale Ahrendt, a lieutenant
colonel in the Air Force, said there were several misconceptions about the repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell. He said while homosexuals are free to serve openly now, they are not a protected class. On Sept. 21, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, which defined marriage as a legal union between a man and woman. Therefore, the military still cannot recognize spouses in homosexual marriages, even in states that have legalized these unions. Another panelist, Naval Petty Officer Adrienne Griffith, added, “Since the repeal has been in effect, there is a noticeable change in attitude. We do what we do with pride, and we won’t let anyone take that from us.” Griffith said there is training in place to prepare members of the U.S. armed forces for the transition to homosexuals serving openly,
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but it has seemed to be more for the benefit of heterosexuals. While gays can serve openly now, straight members are not expected to change their religious, social or political views on the subject of homosexuality, she said. “I finally get to be me,” Griffith said, noting one of the effects of the don’t ask, don’t tell repeal. Norma Ortega, whose son came out at the age of 16, represented Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG, a nonprofit that supports families and friends of homosexuals, advocates for gay rights and educates the public. Ortega, president of the San Antonio chapter of PFLAG, is an engineering student here. “I want to be there for parents like the one that was there for me when my son came out,” she said. In closing, panelists explained how their lives have improved since they or someone they know came out as gay, lesbian or transgendered. They also encouraged others not to be afraid to be themselves. “Coming out is a process for every individual,” Griffith said. “Before we can ask anyone else to accept us, we have to accept ourselves first. I was born a brunette, tall, and gay.” Ahrendt added that the military can be a path for every individual. “If you want to be in the military, be in the military,” he said. “It is perfectly OK to be gay in the military,” he said. In closing, Farias said he is proud to work at this college where sexual orientation is protected. “The event was fantastic,” Farias said afterward. “It was a positive event and everyone enjoyed themselves.” For more information about PFLAG, go to pflag-sanantonio. org. For more information on the It Gets Better Project, go to itgetsbetter.org.
The Ranger
News
Oct. 17, 2011 • 7
OrgSync allows students to access clubs By Alma Linda Manzanares At least 40 student organizations are registered with OrgSync, said Mark Bigelow, assistant coordinator of student leadership and activities. OrgSync is management software for university and college organizations to communicate, recruit, update events, calendars and files. According to its website, OrgSync was founded in 2007 by University of Texas at Austin students Eric Fortenberry and Cayce Stone because of communication problems encountered with organizations on campus. OrgSync has more than 200 universities and colleges listed as campus partners on its website. Student life paid $6,000-$7,000 for the software, The Ranger reported Oct. 7, 2010. At the Sept. 29 Presidents’ Roundtable, Bigelow said clubs have not kept their OrgSync pages current. “It’s not that they’re not updating it enough,” Bigelow said. “It’s that after they elect new officers, they need to update it.” Computer science freshman Aketzali Aguilar
Speech sophomore James Riebeling listens as Mark Bigelow, assistant coordinator of student leadership and activities, discusses CAB events Monday in Loftin. Ingrid Wilgen said she was told OrgSync was a way to get involved in community service and that it resembled Facebook. Aguilar said she had to access OrgSync to set up an account to join the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. Linda Espino, education sophomore and president of the Teaching Academy Program Peers, said TAPP uses OrgSync frequently to
post agendas, meetings and reminders and to send e-mails to members. Biology freshman Olma Arellano said OrgSync does not ring a bell, but she recalled hearing about another site, Red Rover, during a student development session. Red Rover is an inventory program used to gather student interests from Facebook to plan activities and events students are interested in. Incoming students voluntarily sign up for Red Rover during orientation. On Feb. 12, 2010, The Ranger reported that Red Rover cost student life $12,000. Bigelow said Tuesday, “I know that we are doing away with Red Rover.” He said the program was on the old website, but since the college has launched a new site, he cannot access the site anymore. Alamo Colleges rolled out standardized websites Oct. 10. “On the new webpage, when students go there, it’s OrgSync all over the place,” he said. “Almost every page, it is ‘go to OrgSync for more information.’”
Prem
8 • The Ranger
Mortuary science freshman Sierra Solano and business management freshman Angelica Lopez practice baton twirling Monday between Loftin and McCreless. Solano, while teaching Lopez, prepares for the Onstage Drama Club’s annual haunted house. Celeste Kulla
Carnage Carnival haunts Loftin Onstage Drama Club offers a 15-minute walk of terror for Halloween.
“It is a great production for us in designing costumes, makeup and props,” said Paula J. Rodriguez, faculty adviser of By Diana Palomo the Onstage Drama Club and program coordinator of theater In the early 1900s, the Grim and speech communication in Amusement Co. was a touring the fine arts department. carnival that came to this city to Club members hope to have entertain the public. the public experience fear from A fire broke out. The pubthe carnival and try to escape. lic panicked Rodriguez and tried said there Carnage Carnival to flee the will be a sur7 p.m.-11 p.m., Oct. 21-22 area as wickprise lurking Fiesta Room of Loftin ed ghosts around every Free for students, attacked. corner. $5 general admission This is the The expestoryline the rience inside Onstage Drama Club and the the haunted house is estimated office of student life will presto be 15 minutes. ent in Carnage Carnival 7 p.m.This is the fifth year the orga11 p.m. Oct. 21-22 in the Fiesta nization has turned Loftin into Room of Loftin Student Center. a haunted house to offer scary The idea for the theme for thrills before Halloween. the annual haunted house Club members have discame from the club’s officers, cussed selling bottled water and President Alan Galvez, Vice popcorn this year, but no confirPresident Wendy Olivares, mation has been made. Secretaries Beatrice Ramos The haunted house is open and Amanda Garza, Treasurer for the public. Melissa Salazar and Historian Admission is free for stuErick Salas. dents with an Alamo Colleges Club members and volunID and $5 for general admission. teers will act as workers, clowns For more information, call and performers. Rodriguez at 210-486-0492.
Preacher says world end By Faith Duarte It seems the end of the world is upon us once again. Harold Camping, president of Family Stations Inc. and host of Family Radio, a station based in Oakland, Calif., said the Rapture, the day the souls of Christians will ascend to heaven while the entire world is destroyed, will occur Oct. 21. He predicted it for May 21, but May 22 came without incident. The Family Radio website then posted “What Happened on May 21?” According to the website, May 21 marked the beginning of a spiritual judgment spanning five months. That judgment ends Oct. 21, when Camping says the physical manifestation of Judgment Day will arrive. “We’ve always said May 21 was
the day, but we didn’t understand altogether the spiritual meaning,” Camping said to USA Today in a May 23 article. “May 21 is the day that Christ came and put the world under judgment.” He predicted a series of earthquakes would begin at 6 p.m. May 21 in New Zealand and follow through each time zone, ultimately culminating in souls of those already saved, rising to heaven. “It will continue across the Earth at such a rate,” Camping said in the May 19 San Francisco Chronicle. “Every Richter scale in the world and every news organization in the world will have no doubt — Judgment Day is here.” The U.S. Geological Survey, which no longer uses the Richter scale, says a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck at 9:17 a.m. local
time May northern day after Then, a m struck 65 Islands O Camping’ Ironic church, N tated by quake. T Monitor r than 4,0 rattled it 181 peop thousand much of t was estim South Isla 7 earthqu felt strong six weeks. On A
miere
Oct. 17, 2011 • 9
Plans Oct. 21? “I always go to the movies on Fridays.”
Jerry Muñiz, graphic design sophomore
“Laying out clothes in random places, pranking the rapture.” Jonathan Dombeck, computer programming sophomore
Alexandra Nelipa
ds Oct. 21; cries wolf again?
y 22 in New Zealand’s Kermadec Islands, a r Camping’s conjecture. magnitude 6.1 earthquake miles south of Kermadec Oct. 7, two weeks before ’s expected doomsday. cally, Feb. 22, ChristNew Zealand, was devasa 6.3-magnitude earthThe Christian Science reported Sept. 8, “More 000 aftershocks have since that quake killed ple and destroyed tens of ds of homes as well as the city center.” Recovery mated at $12.5 billion. The and also felt a magnitude uake Sept. 9, 2010, and g aftershocks for at least . Aug. 23, a magnitude
5.8 earthquake centered in Mineral, Va., 84 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., shook the Northeast United States, a surprise for a relatively stable area. A May 22 article in the San Francisco Chronicle said Family Radio headquarters was sealed shut and a warehouse on the premises housed boxes with the label “I hope God will save me — Harold Camping.” Amos Barshad, a blogger for New York Magazine, reported May 23 that The Rapture, a dance-punk trio from Brooklyn, N.Y., used the failed May 21 doomsday to announce on Facebook the Sept. 6 release of their album, “In the Grace of Your Love.” Robert Vanegas, social work sophomore and member of the Catholic Student Center, said,
“There is going to be a Rapture, but we don’t know the date. If we did, people would straighten up their lives.” Another member of the Catholic Student Center, business administration sophomore Amanda Garcia said, “It’ll happen when everyone stops trying to figure it out.” Education sophomore Bianca Guerra added, “The Bible talks about those signs, but we’re unsure of when it’ll happen.” This isn’t the first time Family Radio’s Camping wrongly predicted the end. His first reported prediction was May 21, 1988. An article in USA Today May 23 said in 1994, he concluded the world would end, but when it didn’t happen, Camping blamed it on a mathematical error. “What is
“Probably getting my kids ready for Halloween and decorating.”
Ronnie Rice, American Sign Language interpreter sophomore
“Do something I’ve never done before.” Michael Pizarro, computer science freshman
“I will be in Phoenix, Ariz., at a conference.” Dr. Jonathan Lee, history professor
Judgment Day” on the Family Radio website uses passages from the books of Genesis and 2 Peter as the basis for calculations that point to the May 21 rapture. Camping, who bought billboard space to warn people of the May 21 Rapture, said in The New York Times May 24 that it would be his last interview and he would not promote the October Doomsday. “The world has been warned.” If Oct. 22 dawns without judgment, Camping can join the proponents of the next Doomsday — Dec. 12, 2012, the end of the Mayan calendar.
10 • Oct. 17, 2011
The Ranger
News
District launches new web presence Old version of site is available until the end of the semester. By J. Almendarez The new district website scheduled to roll out Oct. 9 was inaccessible until about 11:20 a.m. Oct. 10. Kenny Patterson, Unified Staff Council president and client services manager, sent emails to students and employees in the district at 8:54 a.m. last Monday informing them the new website experienced a problem at about 7 a.m. He said later that morning, “It seems like it was an issue with the vendor Ektron.” The district paid Ektron $171,750 for application software for the new site. Mario Muñiz, Alamo Colleges Digital Communications Subcommittee member and district public relations director, said the technical error delayed or stalled access to the new site. Patterson’s Oct. 6 email to students stated the alamo.edu website was scheduled to be offline from 12:01 a.m.-5 a.m. Sunday. It functioned correctly from about 4 a.m. until the 7 a.m. error. Dr. Thomas Cleary, vice chancellor for planning, performance and information systems, said the website went offline again Tuesday
at about 2:30 p.m. for 20 minutes. He said the district rebooted their system and the problem was corrected. Cleary said in an email Thursday that the website problems have been diagnosed as a “memory leak.” A memory leak is a defect in the application code, which Ektron provided the district with. He said a memory leak is like a leak in a pipe, building slowly and degrading a system’s performance. While there is no immediate fix for the problem, Cleary said he expects Ektron to fix it within a few days. He said the district is a big account for the company and they have a vested interest in fixing the problem immediately. “The design of the new site is being so well-received I don’t want this to be diminished by stability issues,” he said. “We want it to run perfectly.” The former district website can still be accessed until the end of the semester at http://legacy.alamo. edu/. ACES did not go offline and is still available by logging in directly at https://aces.alamo.edu. Muñiz said the new website is meant to streamline a lot of information for students. For instance, departments
WE ARE
San Antonio College website screen capture within the colleges will be able to update their portion of the district website without depending on a district webmaster. He said training to update the website, starting in November, will be easy because it does not require people to know HTML code. He said the vendor who designed the website, The C2 Group, met with students, faculty and administrators the week of July 12–15, 2010, to gather input about what users like and dislike about the website. Cleary said the district paid The C2 Group $46,080 to design the website using the input of students, faculty and administrators.
Muñiz said another purpose of the change is to unify the look of each college’s website. He said the college websites will have access to a main database of information for topics, such as financial aid and scholarships, which is intended to limit miscommunication between the district, students and employees. The new design eliminates faculty pages. Students can access course syllabuses through esyllabus, rather than through their instructor’s website. Call 210-485-0555 for assistance using the new site or to report any problems with it.
The University of Texas at San Antonio is your first choice for a top tier education. Transferring to UTSA is easy and scholarships are available. Go to applytexas.org and apply now. The final Admissions Application deadline for the 2012 Spring Semester is November 15.
Learn more at
utsa.edu/transfer
Transfer Scholarships available are the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship and the Joint Admissions Agreement Scholarship. The deadline to submit either scholarship application for Spring 2012 is November 1.
We are Roadrunners and we are you.
The Ranger
News
Oct. 17, 2011 • 11
UTSA ‘donation’ for institute membership By J. Almendarez At the citizens-to-be-heard segment of the Sept. 20 regular board meeting, Sandra Hood, retired Palo Alto College librarian, brought to the board’s attention that the district was listed on UTSA’s “Honor Roll of Donors.” She was concerned tax money was being donated to another tax-supported educational institution. Pamela Ansboury, associate vice chancellor for finance and fiscal services, said the district contributes $10,000 annually to the Institute of Texan Cultures, a division of the University of Texas at San Antonio, located at 801 E. César E. Chávez Blvd. The contribution purchases the district’s annual corporate membership at the institute. James Benavides, public information specialist at the institute, said this college district ‘s membership for the museum expires at the end of this month. He does not know if the district plans to renew the membership. He said Alamo Colleges ID cardholders may access the museum floor free but must pay for special events, such as the Texas Folklife Festival. Mario Muñiz, district public information officer for the Alamo Colleges, said there is no method to inform students about the free admission at the institute. He said that task is left to the colleges. “I agree we should do a better job,” he said. The perk is disclosed as an employee discount at http://legacy.alamo.edu/district/hr/ employee_discounts.htm. Alamo Colleges students and employees also have free general admission to the San
Free admission McNay Art Museum www.mcnayart.org Sunday: noon-5 p.m. Monday: closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. San Antonio Museum of Art www.samuseum.org Tuesday, Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday: noon-5 p.m. Monday: closed Institute of Texan Cultures www.texancultures.com Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday: noon-5 p.m. (excludes special events)
Courtesy Institute of Texan Cultures Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., and McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave. Muñiz said the district pays $20,000 to SAMA and $5,000 to the McNay for corporate memberships. The combined cost of the museum memberships averages about 37 cents per student. He said many professors instruct students to visit the museums for research or as extra credit-for classes. Art Professor Debra Schafter said about 25
ARTS 1303, Art History 1; ARTS 1304, Art History 2; and ARTS 1301, Art Appreciation, classes at this campus go to the museums every semester, and studio classes also take advantage of the free admission. She said students benefit from the visits because it allows them to see art outside of the two-dimensional form presented in textbooks. “A little vase and 19-foot sculpture all look the same when projected on the wall,” she said. Schafter also said she frequently sees classes from other colleges in the district at the museums when she takes her classes.
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12 • Oct. 17, 2011
Editorial
The Ranger
Juan Carlos Campos
Board attempts to push out presidents College presidents ready to spend their days lounging on beaches and sipping frozen drinks out of coconut shells had every opportunity to accept retirement incentives, along with other employees eligible for retirement, earlier this year. However, presidents decided to commit themselves to their campuses and this district instead of taking the district’s “hush money” to retire. Oct. 5, despite that, the board of trustees passed a policy extending 50 percent retirement incentives only to presidents to retire through 2013. Trustees might as well have posted eviction signs on the presidents’ doors. This figurative nudge to retirement by the board is another example of Chancellor Bruce Leslie’s prized Baldrige model that emphasizes a strong “leadership” and apparently mindless following of solider-like “yes-men.” This falls in line with the district’s sweeping move to uniformity, such as the districtwide branding, reformation of disciplinary procedures for faculty and new website. Trustees approved the retirement incentive program to save the district money. Board members estimated a net savings of $800,000 a fiscal year from the retirement of “old-timer” faculty members. Their intention is to fill “essential” positions vacated by retirees with lower paid employees. But, according to the special board meeting minutes,
presidents’ positions must be filled, so where are the savings in that? Wouldn’t they have to pay new presidents the same amount as well? How will this district profit by retiring presidents who are already knowledgeable about how this district operates? It will not. As a matter of fact, the hiring of a third party company to seek candidates for vacant positions in the chancellor’s executive committee costs the district money. This is a clear step backward for faculty and students because it takes the years of experience accumulated by presidents out of this district. Presidents, stand up! Do not be let district bully you into retirement, leaving the colleges to Leslie and his regime. Employees, get talking! Spread the word to your coworkers about how the retirement of a president will give district a firmer grip on colleges by allowing Leslie and a select few to hand pick college leaders at one of the most trying times in the district’s history. Students, speak up! Tell your college administrators and trustees that you will not stand for the further degradation of your education. The district’s blatant disregard for student concerns will only be amplified by a new college president who may be oblivious to concerns that have arisen in this district since 2006, the year the Leslie became chancellor.
The Ranger
Editorial
Oct. 17, 2011 • 13
Board disingenuous on employee, student concerns On Sept. 13, a minute order eliminating the Optional Retirement Program went before the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee. At 5:30 p.m., it was business as usual — four committee meetings with a total of approximately three hours of executive session. The board meeting room was filled with faculty members and staff milling about, talking. Faculty Senate President Dawn Elmore-McCrary’s fighting words about defunding ORP began 5 1/2 hours later at 11:15 p.m. By then, only a handful of professors stayed to show solidarity and support. She represented the voice of full-time faculty, Chancellor Bruce Leslie speaks after discussing the issue Jennifer M. Ytuarte during College Council earlier the same day. Within about a minute of the conclusion of her speech, the committee voted to end the 2.5 percent supplement and bring the matter before the full board. English Professor Alex Bernal said he emailed each board member individually to discuss the brevity of the meeting in relation to its importance.
The only board member to reply to Bernal claims he didn’t know how important this retirement supplement was to affected faculty. How disingenuous. If you didn’t know, why not try asking employees before robbing them? They said impact wasn’t conveyed because there weren’t enough emails from affected faculty and a dwindling number voiced opposition during the following Tuesday’s citizensto-be-heard. Board members, don’t act ignorant. The whole point of selecting an official to represent the whole is to organize the facts and present them as a single supported unit. at a Sept. 14 committee meeting. If trustees need students, employees or the public to email when they think an issue is important, we’re glad to know and can act accordingly. The faculty entrusted their voice to the president of Faculty Senate. Didn’t that mean anything? But don’t ask for faculty input if you’re not going to take the time to consider it.
Donate costumes to give kids a happy Halloween Donations for gently used costumes for children can be donated in 60 locations throughout the city as part of Scare-N-Share. See www.scare-nshare.com Louis Cardenas, owner and creative director of Blonde Creative, and his wife, Pamela, created the program three years ago to give children a Halloween experience. Donations will go to children between 5-17 years old at Roy Maas’ Youth Alternatives, which works as a safe house for neglected children; and SA Youth, which works to keep low-income children in school and gives dropouts a second chance. Cardenas said the first year of the program, 100 costumes were col-
lected at about 20 locations. Last year, about 200 were collected at 45 locations. This year, help a child participate in the Halloween tradition by helping the program reach its expected 300-400 costumes. Many children in fostering facilities have never roamed the streets at sunset dressed up as fictional characters because they usually do not have a chance to participate in holiday traditions. Many old costumes go to waste in closets or attics because they no longer fit or needed a simple repair. Do not throw them in the trash or a box to be forgotten; give a child a chance to fill up a pumpkin bucket with yummy treats. Donate a costume and while you watch children laugh and smile down the streets on Halloween night, smile because you gave Courtesy someone the same opportunity.
14 • Oct. 17, 2011
Trustees District 1: Joe Alderete Jr. 1602 Hillcrest Drive San Antonio TX 78228 Cell: 210-863-9500 Home: 210-434-6967 E-mail: jvajr711@aol.com, jalderete21@alamo.edu District 2: Denver McClendon 3811 Willowwood Blvd. San Antonio, TX 78219 Work: 210-281-9141 E-mail: denvermcclendon@satx.rr.com, dmcclendon2@alamo.edu District 3: Anna U. Bustamante 511 Ware Blvd., San Antonio TX 78221 Work: 210-882-1606 Home: 210-921-2986 E-mail: abustamante20@alamo.edu District 4: Marcelo S. Casillas 115 Wainwright, San Antonio TX 78211 No telephone number provided Board of trustees liaison: 210-485-0030 E-mail: mcasillas19@alamo.edu District 5: Roberto Zárate 4103 Buffalo Bayou, San Antonio TX 78251 No telephone number provided E-mail: rzarate11@alamo.edu District 6: Dr. Gene Sprague 14722 Iron Horse Way Helotes TX 78023 Work: 210-567-4865 E-mail: sprague1@alamo.edu District 7: Blakely Latham Fernandez 3707 N. St. Mary Street San Antonio TX 78212 Work: 210-538-9935 E-mail: bfernandez35@alamo.edu, bfernandez@tuggeyllp.com District 8: Gary Beitzel 15403 Forest Mist, San Antonio TX 78232 Home: 210-496-5857 E-mail: gbeitzel@alamo.edu District 9: James A. Rindfuss 13315 Thessaly, Universal City, TX 78148 Home: 210-828-4630 Work: 210-375-2555 E-mail: jrindfuss@alamo.edu
Administrators Chancellor: Dr. Bruce H. Leslie 201 W. Sheridan, Bldg. B, San Antonio TX 78204-1429 Work: 210-485-0020 Fax: 210-486-9166 E-mail: bleslie@alamo.edu San Antonio College, Dr. Robert E. Zeigler 210-486-0959, rzeigler@alamo.edu Northeast Lakeview College, Dr. Eric Reno 210-486-5484, ereno@alamo.edu Northwest Vista College, Dr. Jacqueline Claunch 210-486-4900, jclaunch@alamo.edu Palo Alto College, Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzman 210-486-3960, aguzman@alamo.edu St. Philip’s College, Dr. Adena W. Loston 210-486-2900, aloston@alamo.edu
The Ranger
Web Editor Jacob Beltran
Guest Viewpoints: Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to contribute guest viewpoints of up to 450 words. Writers should focus on campus or current events in a critical, persuasive or interpretative style. All viewpoints must be published with a photo portrait of the writer. Letters Policy: The Ranger invites readers to share views by writing letters to the editor. Space limitations force the paper to limit letters to two double-spaced, typewritten pages. Letters will be edited for spelling, style, grammar, libel and length. Editors reserve the right to deny publication of any letter. Letters should be mailed to The Ranger, Department of Media Communications, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299. Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, emailed to sac-ranger@alamo. edu or faxed to 210-486-9292. Letters must be signed and must include the printed name and telephone number. Students should include classification, major, campus and Banner ID. Employees should include title and telephone number. For more information, call 210-486-1773.
©2011 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 (210486-1765) 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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The Ranger Editor J. Almendarez
News Editor Joshua Fechter Calendar/Opinion Editor Alma Linda Manzanares Photo Editor Ingrid Wilgen Photo Team Julianna Anaya, Rachael L. Emond, Casandra Gonzales, Celeste Kulla, Ivie Okungbowa, Valerie Marie Salazar, Katie Sheridan, Alex Solis, Riley Stephens Illustrators Juan Carlos Campos, Alexandra Nelipa, Fred Nockroes Staff Writers Brian Burdick, Sebastian Carter, Jennifer Coronado, Marc Cunningham, Faith Duarte, David Espinoza, Jennifer Flores, Sara Garza, Kirk Hanes, Stefania Malacrida, Hilary Martinez, Robert Medina, Diana Palomo Multimedia Editor Jennifer M. Ytuarte Production Manager Melody Mendoza
The Ranger
Houston funeral trip off, but New Orleans plan set By Robert Medina The mortuary science trip to Houston has been canceled because of a lack of reservations. Students who signed up for the Oct. 22 mortuary science trip to Houston will receive a full refund. An Oct. 10 Facebook post read: on behalf of department Chair Felix Gonzales: “I regret to inform everyone that the trip to Houston has been canceled as of today. We needed 50 participants to break even, and all we have is 25 paid slots with only 10 days left to go. I could not risk incurring the balance of $1,260.” Dr. Franciso Solis handled refunds. “The deposit was just enough that we could cover it,” Gonzales said. “Dr. Solis paid for a
Oct. 17, 2011 • 15
News
ticket, Dr. Moreno paid for a ticket. I had paid for a ticket, so total that’s enough to pay what we lost in the deposit so no one loses anything.” The original deadline for the trip was Sept. 22, but Gonzales extended it in hopes the level of participation would pick up. The trip included the National Museum of Natural History to see a 2,000-year-old mummy and the National Museum of Funeral History. The department is now accepting deposits for a New Orleans trip March 9-11. The fee covers transportation, lodging, food and a tour of the San Francisco Plantation where Frisco Fest will be going on. For more information, call Solis at 210-486-1138 or visit Room 232 in Nail.
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Survivor tells domestic violence horror story Gunshot ends eight years of abuse at the hands of her partner. By Jennifer Flores On Dec. 5, 2003, Carolyn Thomas’ abuser shot her point-blank in the face, destroying 80 percent of her face. Over a two-year period, she underwent 11 reconstructive surgeries at Methodist Hospital in Houston. Since then, Thomas has shared her story with anyone willing to listen to raise awareness about domestic violence. About 1.3 million women are victims of assault by an intimate partner each year. The San Antonio Police Department receives an estimated 32,000 family violence and domestic disturbance calls each year. At 11 a.m. Wednesday in Room 126 of Ozuna Carolyn Thomas Carolyn Thomas Center at Palo Alto before 1995 after 1995 College, Thomas will tell her story in her only San Antonio appearance in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “In 1995, I met the man who would change my life forever,” Thomas writes online at www.carolyn-thomas.org. Throughout the eight-year relationship, I was caged from the outside world,” she said. During that time, she experienced feelings of powerlessness and helplessness, fear and intimidation, and she had no control of her own life. Thomas appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in June 2005. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence observed a Day of Unity in October 1981 that led to the first Domestic Violence Month in October 1987. In 1989, Congress declared October National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Domestic violence services • Family Violence Prevention Services Inc., 7911 Broadway, at 210-733-8810 or 210-930-3669 • National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 • The Rape Crisis Center, David Coy Building 7500 U.S. Highway 90 West, Building 2, Suite 201, 24-hour hotline 210349-7273 • San Antonio Police Department at http://www. sanantonio.gov/sapd/victims.asp?res=1920&ver=true
16 • Oct. 17, 2011
News
The Ranger
By Sebastian Carter Until Sept. 4, the only motors a single molecule in width were powered by light or chemicals, and the smallest electrically powered motors were 200 nanometers wide. The width of a single strand of human hair is about 60,000 nanometers. But a team of researchers at Tufts University in Medford, Mass., developed an electric motor a single nanometer in size. You won’t be able to run a car with it just yet. The experiment was conducted in
a temperature of negative 450 degrees Fahrenheit, or the equivalent negative 268 degrees Celsius. This is usually done with cooling units, according to Tufts’ chemical hygiene plan. At higher temperatures, the experiment molecule spins too fast to record data. Leading the team was Charles Sykes, associate professor of chemistry at Tufts. He was unavailable for an interview. In a news release from Tufts Now, Tufts University’s online news publication, Sykes said engines of that size are not usually new, but this particular motor sets itself apart in its power source. He said molecular engines before were powered by light or chemicals, but with electrically powered motors, there are distinct advantages in precision. Sykes said light can hit multiple molecules at once, and with chemical power, scientists must add chemicals to a beaker filled with trillions of molecules. With electricity, the team was able to use a scanning tunneling
microscope and experiment with single molecules. Sykes said the motor has no practical applications yet, and although he is skeptical about practical applications in the near future, he sees potential for use in medical testing devices. The National Science Foundation, the Beckman Foundation and the Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement funded the research at Tufts. The research will continue, and Sykes said it will be focused on further documenting the interactions of the motors and on how energy might be transferred to other molecules. Dr. James A. Petrich, chemistry professor at this college, hadn’t heard of the research, but said he sees possible medical applications. Petrich said it appears as though techniques are being developed to create self-sustaining nano-machines for surgery. The findings reminded Petrich of some of Hollywood’s famous speculative fiction, such as 1987’s “Innerspace,” starring Martin Short, or 1966’s “Fantastic Voyage.” “It’s like that movie, where they shrink the guy and inject him into the other guy, except without the little guy in there,” Petrich said. He says that other applications may reveal themselves and likened the idea to the first creation of the element americium. Americium was discovered by Glenn Seaborg, a nuclear chemist at the University of Chicago in 1944, and eventually proved practically useful in several commercially used devices such as aircraft fuel gauges. “When scientists first created americium, everyone wondered why we even bothered, but now every household has a little bit of it in their smoke d e t e c t o r s ,” he said.
ˆIllustration by Juan Carlos Campos
Electric molecular motor creates buzz in nanotech