Vol. 85 Issue 14
Single copies free
Feb. 21, 2011
THE RANGER A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926
Students
rise to shine NURSING STUDENT KILLED 5 CONVOLUTED DROPS 9 DOWN IN THE DUMPS 23
2 • Feb. 21, 2011
The Ranger
The Ranger •
A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926
Physics and engineering freshman Nick Herrera pours hot water into a tea pot Feb. 14 at Chinese New Year’s celebration in Loftin. See slideshow online at www.theranger.org. Jennifer M. Ytuarte
This issue
cut to Alamo Colleges
Test tests nerves
By Zahra Farah
By Laura Garcia Photos by Tyler K. Cleveland
8 Professor urges blacks
14 Book Review
to change negative media images
Author seeks force of humanity
By Daniel Perales
By Megan Mares
Search on for robbery suspects
9 CSI finalizes drop
15 Calendar
By Julysa Sosa
By Joshua Fechter
16 Coordinating Board
5 News
10 Budget cuts move
proposes formula change
Dental Fest offers freebies, oral health information
Nursing student quiet, sweet, pleasant
international students office
By Jennifer M. Ytuarte
By J. Almendarez
18 Editorials
23 Don’t let constipation
Learn to follow up, be self-reliant
get you down in the dumps
3 News Early birds hoping to make the grade By Megan Mares
4 Blotter
By Melody Mendoza
6 NVC hosts annual Youth
process after census
By Ximena Alvarez
11 District decides to hire new librarians as staff
Viewpoint by J. Almendarez
Armchair analysts
21 Officials & Policies 22 Pulse HIV testing helps prevent infections By Valdemar Tejada
By J. Almendarez
By Melody Mendoza Photo by Jennifer M. Ytuarte
19 Stop wasting resources
24 Architecture students
By Krystal Barcenez
Be a real leader; lobby
go Lady Gaga over costumes
7 Bills mean $80 million
12 Dark areas of campus
20 Opinion
By Alma Linda Manzanares Photos by Tyler K. Cleveland
Leadership Conference
Cover: Photo illustration represents students taking early classes. See story on Page 3. Ingrid Wilgen
The Ranger
News
Feb. 21, 2011 • 3
Early birds hoping to make the grade Story and photos by Megan Mares At 6:15 a.m. Tuesday, right before the college’s earliest class meets in Room 228 of Gonzales Hall, students guzzle energy drinks. The scent of freshly washed hair wafts through the hallway. About a dozen students are waiting for ENGL 1301, Composition 1, taught by English Adjunct Helene Marie King. The class meets from 6:35 a.m.-7:50 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Since spring 1997, the English department has offered three classes as early as 6:30 a.m. — ENGL 1301, Composition 1; ENGL 1302, Composition 2; and ENGL 0301, Basic English 2. This semester ENGL 1302 and ENGL 0301 were canceled because of low enrollment. King has 22 students enrolled in the class, but Tuesday only 13 were present at 6:42 a.m. when King took attendance. Business sophomore Joseph Emore grasps an energy drink while waiting for a 6:35 a.m. class. King said originally 25 students were enrolled and usually about one-fourth of the students She said she knows it is hard to get to class drop within the first half of the semester. that early in the morning so she didn’t want to “If they make it through the third week, discourage students from coming at all. they’ll usually stick with it,” she said. Psychology sophomore Jarod Waite is one of King has taught at this college for 17 years five students who said he works an average of and has managed classes before sunrise for the 45 hours a week. past 12 years. “I’m used to waking up this early. I work at She also teaches a 7 a.m. class here on Exxon,” he said. “But it doesn’t mean I like it.” Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Waite said coming to class this early allows Then she teaches him to work from 1 p.m.-10 Addiction studies sophomore Corina Riojas two dual credit classes p.m. during the day. fills a Venn diagram with compare and conand five regular classes Dr. Robert Zeigler, presitrast details for an upcoming paper in her at Sidney Lanier High dent of this college, said stu- 6:35 a.m. Composition 1 class with Adjunct School. dents who attend class this Helene Marie King. “It’s only hard for me early usually have a lot of to get out of bed the first responsibility during the day. so she could be more comfortable. 10 minutes I’m awake,” “It takes a huge level of Writing center Director Frances Crawford King said. dedication. It’s amazing,” he said students who take classes early in the day She wakes up at 4:30 said. “I’m always impressed do it because they want to change their lives. a.m. and arrives at her with what our students do.” “Not only do they show up that early, but it’s classroom at 6:30 a.m. Last semester, The Ranger probably indicative that they have a lot of comHelene Marie King promptly. sat in Nov. 18 on Adjunct mitment in receiving their education,” she said. English adjunct For her students, the Betty Hogan’s ENGL 1301, At the end of November, the 6:30 a.m. ENGL early time is more difficult. Composition 1, class at 6:30 1301 class had decreased to 13 students, 12 At 7:17 a.m. Tuesday, mortuary science a.m. in Gonzales Hall. women and one man. freshmen Valerie Ybarra walked in late, but Biology freshman Ashley McKeller showed This semester, nuclear medicine major Thursday, she arrived ahead of time. “I woke up up hair wet and in flannel pajama pants and her Guillermo Montoya said he won’t give up on late on Tuesday, so I just took my time getting jacket was unzipped, showcasing her pregnant receiving this English credit. ready,” she said. belly. “I want to get this class out of the way,” he said. King said it is common to have tardy stuShe said parking is better early in the mornMontoya attends this college, Northwest dents because the class is early so she is lenient. ing and the classes are much smaller. Vista and the University of the Incarnate Word. Her policy is after 15 minutes you’re tardy, Each class had fewer than 23 students. Crawford said students must stay commitand three tardies make an absence. McKeller said she was wearing her pajamas ted. “It’s a gift they can give themselves.”
“If they make it through the third week, they’ll usually stick with it.”
Blotter
4 • Feb. 21, 2011
Did You Know?
The Ranger
Search on for robbery suspects By Julysa Sosa
You can defend yourself with force, sometimes deadly, to repel an aggressor.
A person must reasonably believe that the force is necessary for protection from an unlawful deadly force by the aggressor or to prevent the imminent commission of an aggravated robbery, kidnapping, murder or sexual assault. For more information on the law, visit www.capitol.state.tx.us.
light crimes from last semester. The first incident was Oct. 13, when a student Police continue to search for an aggravated rob- reported personal property had been stolen from bery suspect in a Dec. 7 incident on the second floor him at 2:30 p.m. between McCreless and Gonzales of Loftin Student Center. halls by two unknown suspects. No weapons were Two students reported being robbed by a man used. The complainant did not want to file charges with a gun in a men’s restroom. and the case was closed. Joe Curiel, deputy chief of district police, said Two days later on Oct. 15, a Gateway-to-College Feb. 11 no one has been arrested. student witnessed the assault and cell phone rob“It’s difficult to pinpoint a particbery of another student by three men ular suspect or person,” Curiel said. about 11:45 a.m. on Dewey Place For more information On Jan. 12, police released an near San Pedro Avenue. The comvisit www.alamo.edu/ district/dps. To report updated description of the suspect: plainant decided to press charges information black male in a New Orleans Saints and the case was closed Oct. 19. on the cases, call baseball cap, wearing a gold neckOn Oct. 21, a student was assault210-485-0187. lace, with a gold miniature set of ed by a male suspect who attempted stereo headsets, and armed with a to steal the student’s backpack at small-caliber, black, semi-automatic pistol with sil- 2:42 p.m. at a bus stop west of San Pedro at Dewey in ver wear marks on the slide. San Pedro Springs Park. Curiel said after searching through the school’s Stephen Andy Scheidt, public information coorvideo cameras, they were able to match a suspect to dinator for VIA Metropolitan Transit, said Thursday the two witnesses’s descriptions. in an e-mail, no suspect has been found and the case A sketch was released Dec. 14 through ACES to is still open. students and employees. Curiel said it was also sent In an off-campus incident, a student reported a to News 4 WOAI-TV. “We are hopefully waiting for a man stole his phone just before 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at the response from the public,” Curiel said of the ongoing VIA bus stop west of Gonzales Hall. investigation. The student said that about 15 minutes later, the Security has been increased because of the inci- robber and three companions assaulted him in Lot dent, Curiel said. “We have officers on bikes, foot 20 between Candler Physical Education Center and and on T3 riders,” he said. “There are officers in the tennis courts. uniform and in plain clothing.” A case was filed with the Bexar County District In addition to the search for the suspect, Curiel Attorney’s office, starting a search Oct. 29 that resultprovided updates on three of four additional day- ed in identifying two of the suspects.
SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE Feb. 7 — Individual reported his cell phone had been stolen by a student. Individual reported the door to the bookstore was damaged. Feb. 8 — Individual reported his vehicle had been burglarized and his stereo stolen. No suspects.
Contact Info Emergency 210-222-0911 General DPS 210-485-0099 Weather Line 210-485-0189
Feb. 9 — Individual reported damage to a district vehicle.
Individual reported her purse had been stolen. No suspects.
Feb. 8 — Individual reported a student being loud in the building.
Individual reported his iPad had been stolen. No suspects.
Officer stood by as a contractor spoke to an employee.
Individual reported his bicycle had been stolen. No suspects.
Feb. 9 — Individual reported finding a computer with all the wires unplugged.
Feb. 11 — Individual reported graffiti in the men’s restroom. No suspects.
Feb. 10 — Individual reported his wallet had been stolen from a locker.
Feb. 12 — Individual reported a vehicle being burglarized. Security officer was assaulted during the incident.
Feb. 11 — Individual reported broken window. Facilities division was advised. NORTHWEST VISTA COLLEGE
Individual reported a district laptop had been stolen. No suspects.
NORTHEAST LAKEVIEW
Feb. 10 — Individual reported graffiti in the men’s restroom. No suspects.
Feb. 7 — Individual reported receiving unwanted text messages.
Feb. 8 — Individual reported her parking permit was lost because of a car accident.
News
The Ranger
Feb. 21, 2011 • 5
Nursing student quiet, sweet, pleasant The 25-year-old was a victim of relationship violence.
from RNSG 1309, Introduction to Nursing, a lecture class. Osborn, who attended a memorial service on Sunday, said it appeared Meza had a close relationship with God. “At the memorial service, they By Melody Mendoza released these lovely white doves,” she said. They also released about 100 lavender balloons and mourners wore Nursing sophomore Kristine Meza, 25, was shot and killed Feb. 11 in a purple to represent domestic violence. murder-suicide perpetrated by ex-boyfriend Nicholas Rocky Maldonado, Osborn said from conversations she heard, Meza and Maldonado broke according to police. up several months ago, and it was a situation in which he could not let go. Nursing Chair Stella Cirlos said, “We are all just devastated.” She “Her pastor said she was helpful in community and church setting,” described the event as “unbelievable.” Osborn said. She also described Meza as a Meza’s professors described the nursing caretaker of her younger sister. student as quiet but a good student Cirlos Counselor Thomas Johnson will conduct A guest book is online at said. Meza had just been accepted into the a debriefing for students in her class. www.joejacksonfuneral nursing program and was a Level 1 student The American Academy of Experts in chapels.com. taking RNSG 1260, Clinical-Foundations Traumatic Stress website calls debriefing a In lieu of flowers memorial contributions for Nursing. specific technique designed to assist others may be made to account The San Antonio police report stated in dealing with the physical or psychological No. 2524566128 at any that Meza walked outside her house in the symptoms generally associated with trauma. BBVA Compass Bank Stone Oak area to go to work shortly before Debriefing allows those involved with the branch. 8 a.m. when Maldonado shot her in the incident to process the event and reflect on Kristine Meza chest and then shot himself in the head. its impact. A witness reported that Maldonado was Johnson said after getting the consent believed to be waiting for Meza outside and blocked her car in the drive- of her parents, he will talk about the facts of the incident. “Then we’ll talk way. The report also said Maldonado had been threatening and called about emotions,” he said. He said he wants to find out what fellow students Meza the day before stating he was going to do something to her. are feeling and explain reactions that experiencing a death might produce. Both were taken to University Hospital, where Meza died about 10 a.m. Johnson said reactions may include a student’s appetite goes away or The medical examiner’s office reported that Maldonado was in critical someone could experience nightmares. “It depends on how close they are condition and died at 8:32 p.m. Feb. 11. to the victim,” he said. Nursing Professor Raul Salas described Meza as a quiet individual who Then he explains normal reactions may last two to three weeks and may was always prepared, on time and pleasant. He said in clinical, Meza got fade away or become manageable. Johnson said students can help themalong with the other students. “She always did everything she was asked.” selves by talking to a good friend or a counselor at this college. Nursing Professor Patricia Osborn said Meza was a “sweet, lovely, A memorial service was Sunday in San Antonio. A funeral Mass was young lady.” Osborn and nursing Professor Maricela Aguilar knew Meza Wednesday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Laredo.
Individual reported three books were missing from his desk.
Feb. 8 — Individual reported graffiti in the men’s bathroom. No suspects.
Individual reported his laptop had been stolen. No suspects.
Individual reported her wallet had been stolen from the restroom. No suspects.
Feb. 9 — Individual reported damage to his personal vehicle.
Feb. 9 — Individual reported her purse had been stolen from the restroom. No suspects..
Feb. 8 — Individual reported she had lost her ATM card.
Individual reported he could not locate his vehicle. Vehicle was located.
Individual reported her wallet had been stolen. No suspects.
Feb. 11 — Individual advised of a disturbance that occurred at home.
Individual reported a male and female arguing in the area. Nothing was found.
Individual reported her parking permit lost.
Individual reported his backpack had been stolen from a locker. No suspects.
SOUTHWEST CAMPUS
Feb. 10 — Individual reported his cell phone had been stolen. Individual reported being stuck in an elevator. Facilities was advised and assisted.
Feb. 10 — Individual reported losing the keys to a district vehicle. Feb. 11 — Individual reported a argument between a male and female.
PALO ALTO COLLEGE Feb. 7 — Individual reported damage to district tractor due to a vehicle accident. Individual reported graffiti in the men’s restroom. No suspects.
Feb. 13 — Individual reported damage to a district vehicle. ST. PHILIP’S COLLEGE
Feb. 9 — Individual reported someone had logged into his ACES account.
Feb. 7 — Individual reported his vehicle had been burglarized and stereo had been stolen. No suspects.
Feb. 7 — Individual stuck in an elevator. SAFD arrived and assisted.
Feb. 10 — Individual reported she had lost her student ID.
Feb. 8 — Individual reported a missing district compressor. Item was located.
6 • Feb. 21, 2011
News
The Ranger
NVC hosts annual Youth Leadership Conference Comedian Cleto Rodriguez will speak to high school leaders preparing for college. By Krystal Barcenez The fourth annual Youth Leadership Conference will be held from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday Feb. 26 at Northwest Vista College for high school students and parents. The conference will be held in the Palmetto Center for the Arts, 3535 North Ellison Dr. The conference is a free event allowing junior and senior high school leaders to interact with other youth leaders and participate in sessions and workshops addressing the college admissions process, financial aid and college success. The conference is an initiative districtwide to encourage high school students to enroll in the district. There will be workshops for students and parents. “Parents are always welcome to come. They even decide to reapply and go back to college for themselves as well,” Rodell Asher, student leadership coordinator with the Alamo Colleges said. Scholarships will be presented by the vice chancellor and other faculty. The Alamo College scholarship foundation will be awarding 10 scholarships each worth $1,000 for recipients to enroll in a district’s college. To apply for these scholarships, students had to submit a personal essay, 2 recommendation letters, transcripts, and have a grade point average of a 2.5 or higher to be considered as a recipient. The deadline to turn in submissions was Friday. The conference is expecting between 400 and 450 students to attend from 24 participating high schools with more expected to register Saturday. “LOL — Lead out loud,” inspiring students to take initiative in leading themselves into higher education and maintaining leadership qualities in college, is this year’s theme. “We try to tie in the theme to connect with the keynote speakers,” Asher said. Local comedian Cleto Rodriguez is the keynote speaker because of his commitment to education and leadership through stand-up comedy.
San Antonio native, stand-up comedian Cleto Rodriguez hosts the weekly segment “Thursday Night Laughs with Cleto Rodriguez,” at the LOL Comedy Club and will act as key note speaker for the 2011 Youth Leadership Conference. Courtesy Photo “I definitely think a good education is very important, especially having six kids. I’m very stern when it comes homework; it’s very important to get the resources to educators to give a good education,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez attended San Antonio College for a semester though he could not remember when. “If you have a passion or dream, finish your education. I highly encourage pursuing school and receiving that degree, it’s not only about reaching your dreams but it’s also about that fulfillment of accomplishing that goal of a degree. There is no age limit on going to school, you can do it no matter what,” he said. Former speakers include Tino Durán, publisher of La Prensa and lifelong supporter of higher education; Webhead CEO Reggie Martinez; and last year, Mayor Julian Castro who spoke about SA natives entering leadership positions in government. A DJ will entertain from 9 a.m. to noon. Door prizes will be awarded in special con-
tests and events throughout the day; prizes include T-shirts, pens, pencils and other items donated by each of the colleges. Asher said the program is “for the students to get familiarized with the Alamo College family and to encourage them to enroll in one of our schools.” As a tradition, a Spirit Award is given to the high school with the most students in attendance with the most involvement in activities. McCollum High School has been the reigning champion since the conference started, Asher said. The planning committee included faculty and staff from NVC. “Without the planning committee, the conference would not be possible,” Asher said. Volunteers from the student leadership program there will also be participating in the conference, along with volunteers from HYPE, or Helping Youth Prevention through Entertainment. For more information, call 210-486-0729.
The Ranger
News
Feb. 21, 2011 • 7
Bills mean $80 million cut to Alamo Colleges The chancellor attends Washington, D.C., summit to find better ways to measure success.
Operating Budget of $284,588,999*
By Zahra Farah Cutting the proposed $80 million from Alamo Colleges funding for the next biennium it tantamount to having to shutter two colleges. The operating budgets for Northeast Lakeview and Palo Alto combined is $39.84 million. Biennium recommendations from the Texas Legislature Budget Board estimates a $6.6 billion cut in education funding statewide for fiscal years 2012 and 2013. The state fiscal year 2012 begins Sept. 1, 2011, and ends Aug. 31, 2012. Chancellor Bruce Leslie said the Alamo Colleges would have to cut $80 million in the mony that community colleges support 735,000 next two years based on recommendations made students in Texas, which makes up 52.3 percent in SB 1 and HB 1 in the Texas Legislature. of students in higher education. Gladys Jacobson, former district chief budAlso, 75 percent of minorities attend a comget officer, said the $80 million munity college in Texas. Junior To watch the testimony could possibly include indirect colleges have trained 62 pervisit, www.senate.state. and direct costs. Direct costs cent of nurses and 82 percent tx.us/75r/senate/commit/ of first responders in the state. are items such as district’s operc540/c540.htm. ating budget and indirect cost is Rhodes said if SB 1 passes, employee health insurance. it could possibly affect funding Jacobson said the numbers proposed in HB for programs such as nursing and first respond1 and SB 1 are not definite and will continue to ers, according to a video of the testimony. Zárate change while the Legislature is in session said the state has not reimbursed Alamo Colleges HB 1 proposes discontinuing funding to four $50 million for growth. Also, the state has forced community colleges across the state. on the colleges unfunded mandates, which have They are Brazosport College in Lake Jackson; cost the district $3.2 million. Frank Philips College in Borger; Odessa College In a Feb. 14 interview with Zárate, who is in Odessa; and Ranger College in Ranger. also in Washington, D.C., this week to attend On Feb. 8, District 5 trustee Roberto Zárate a Community College National Legislative and Diane Snyder, vice chancellor for finance Summit, said HB 1 looks disastrous. Zárate and administration, attended serves on the Association of The next regular board a Texas Senate Committee on Community College Trustees meeting is 6 p.m. Finance. Zárate notified 15 national board, which requires Tuesday in Room 101 senators on the committee him to attend. Otherwise, the of Killen Center, if SB 1 passes, tuition for the district could not afford to send 201 W. Sheridan. Alamo Colleges would have trustees to the conference. Visit www.alamo. edu, click on Board to increase from $817 for a At the summit, trustees petiof Trustees and then 12-hour class load to $1,019 to tioned U.S. senators to not cut Agendas. close the funding gap. money from Pell Grants funds, Even if the board of trustees which may not be available this increased taxes and brought in a $12 million summer for students. Zárate said the U.S. Senate revenue stream, it would not be enough to close needs to look at the value of community colleges the gap. Zárate told senators that SB 1 shows little before considering cutting Pell Grant funds. consideration for the work community colleges Zárate said he hopes Texas considers using have put into their surrounding communities. the $9.4 billion Rainy Day Fund to alleviate damDr. Richard Rhodes, president of El Paso age done to community colleges. Community College and chair of the Texas Leslie was in Washington, D.C., Feb. 8-9 for Association of Community Colleges, said in testia Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation meeting,
*Banner rounded to $284,589,000 San Antonio College
$68,635,392
St. Philip’s
$42,506,529
Northwest Vista
$36,631,571
Palo Alto
$25,371,484
Northeast Lakeview
$14,470,154
District offices
$96,973,869
seeking improved measures of success for graduation rates, retention and transferring students. Currently, state funding is based on the number of students enrolled on the census date, the 12th day of classes. The foundation invited and paid for 25 to 30 chancellors and presidents to discuss developing a way to measure student success with metrics related to a four-year universities and two-year colleges to show the state and nation what higher education is doing with government money. Leslie said there is a national dialogue on ways higher education can produce better results at less cost, while improving quality. He said policymakers are responding to the frustration of huge public funds going toward higher education, but not producing results. “By creating a series of metrics, we can compare how we are doing to other colleges.” Leslie said he hopes Congress understands how important Pell Grants are to students and to not cut funding for that at least for community college students. Also, that community colleges are making good progress with graduation and retention rates, and they are successfully helping students in development classes move to the next level in college. Leslie said trustees and his executive team will be going to Austin frequently to advocate for fewer cuts to state funding. Legislator contacts can be found at www.house.state.tx.us/members.
8 • Feb. 21, 2011
News
The Ranger
Professor urges blacks to change negative media images By Daniel Perales Blacks need to change negative stereotypes perpetuated by wearing loose clothing and diamonds in their teeth, degrading women and using profanity, a political science adjunct at UTSA said Tuesday at a Hot Potato lecture at the Methodist Student Center. “It really hurts when our black men are calling our beautiful black sisters bitches and hoes, and when our beautiful black children only have drug dealers and crooks to look up to in some neighborhoods.” Williams, in observation of Black History Month, said he cannot see the day when AfricanAmericans are equal with whites because members of their own race degrade one another. He prefers “brother” and “sister” to “nigga.” Williams pointed to a music video in which well-known rapper Nelly swipes a credit card down a black woman’s buttocks, likely referring to the woman as a prostitute. “Time will not simply change conceptions and ideologies on its own; we must take initia-
tive and act on the principle of blacks truly being equal,” Williams said. He traced the misconceptions slavery caused. Italian, Irish, Russian, Mexican and all other cultures were brought from several “mother lands” and not original to this country. Williams said African-American culture stems from African culture, but slaves were not allowed to keep their cultures and so developed their own. A second- or third-generation slave would not be able to fit in in Africa. He said he is not bitter for the suffering African-Americans have endured. Instead, he boasted of his pride to be a descendent of one the strongest races in history to overcome such a great oppression. Throughout all of their successes, AfricanAmericans today still have not overcome the perception in this country caused by hundreds of years of slavery and abuse. Williams said that after Thomas Jefferson was accused of being a hypocrite in writing “all men are created equal” while owning slaves, he conducted a study and concluded that whites
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had stronger emotions because emotions, such as anger or embarrassment, show up as redness on white skin. Another conclusion was that AfricanAmericans naturally had greater difficulty in a bowel movement; therefore, secreting more through glands of the skin gave them a strong odor, Williams said. Williams argued that among many such deductions, Jefferson’s study resulted in concluding that Africans-Americans were not equal and not even fully developed human beings. Racists, bigots and former slave owners who kept their slaves in chains couldn’t conceive of African-Americans being equal to whites, he said. Williams said observing Black History Month is necessary because historical black figures and heroes would not be taught in pubic schools otherwise. He asked why Patrick Henry, who exclaimed “Give me liberty or give me death” is celebrated while David Walker, a son of a slave who wrote pamphlets encouraging slaves to rebel against their masters, is not.
The Ranger
News
Feb. 21, 2011 • 9
CSI finalizes drop process after census By Joshua Fechter Under a new process of dropping classes, the center for student information will finalize drops made after the Feb. 2 census date. Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs, said having CSI finalize drops will streamline the drop process, creating one process for all five colleges. Vela said this initiative is part of an ongoing process to centralize back-room policies, such as processing transcripts at CSI, so admissions offices at the colleges can focus solely on serving students. Vela spent almost nine months overseeing the set-up at the new center for student information. Employees were transferred from the colleges to operate it.
“It will be a safety net for the Students can drop classes student and the colleges,” he said. through their ACES account up “It’s not at 100 percent, but there’s until the census date. room for improvement.” After the census date, students Vela said the admismust visit the departFor more sions office will continment offering the course information, ue to keep the drop slip call admissions and fill out a drop/add so they can keep track form from the departand records at of student-initiated ment. this college at 210-486-0700. drops in case a student Instead of using a The Center claims they did not iniSocial Security numfor Student tiate the drop. ber, students must us a Information Vela; Dr. Jessica Banner ID. has no central Howard, vice president The department number. of academic affairs; chair or instructor will and Helen Torres, director of enroll- sign the form after counseling the ment services, and other directors student that dropping the course from this college’s admissions and could affect financial aid and the records office will meet Monday to academic record. discuss improvements to the sysAfter that, the student will tem, such as moving away from take the form to the admissions using paper drop slips and toward a and records office in Room 216 of paperless process, Vela said. Fletcher Administration Center.
The office will keep the forms to track student-initiated drops. The professor will assign a final grade of a withdrawn, W, for the course in ACES. The next day, CSI is supposed to receive a report automatically generated by Banner of all W’s assigned and officially withdraw the student. Online students who drop after the census must speak with the professor by e-mail or telephone and ask them to withdraw them from the course. Faculty members may only initiate a drop if students have missed more than two weeks of class during a 16-week semester. Students who need to drop all courses must go to the counseling department in the basement of Moody Learning Center.
10 • Feb. 21, 2011
News
The Ranger
Budget cuts move international students office By Ximena Victoria Alvarez
semester and opened Jan. 10 in its new location. Perez said it “makes sense that the program In 2002, the international students office should be housed by the foreign languages moved to Balditt Counseling Complex in Moody department” because international students Learning Center and the oversight of the countake ESL courses in her department and need seling department. the support of foreign language professors. In December, Chair Tammy “Budget is so tight, it is difNew office hours are Perez of English as a second lanficult to get help,” Perez said. 9 a.m-12:30 p.m. guage and foreign languages said Montes said, “Of course, it is and 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. she received a phone call from a change for us, and frustrates Monday-Thursday. Melissa Sutherland-Hunt, chair us because we want to keep givof counseling and student develing the same quality services to opment, informing her of the imminent separastudents. Right now, due to lack of staff, we are tion of counseling from student development. needing to close earlier.” As a result, the international students office Computer sophomore Nguyen Nguyen of moved to Room 134 of the academic instruction Vietnam said he found out about the move via center under Perez’s supervision. e-mail. “I feel a little sad of Suzanna not being Counselor Suzanna Borawski, who has my counselor,” he said. “She helps me out a lot. served as adviser for international students It is not a good thing they changed, for the new since 2002, is no longer in that office. Rosa student that comes here needs a counselor.” Robles, assistant to the coordinator, and clerk Because of complications in the student Jessica Montes transferred with the office. records portion of the Banner system, the numThe office moved in the last week of the fall ber of international students here has decreased
substantially, Montes said. The international students office reports 260 students from Mexico, South Korea, Brazil, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, Africa, Saudi Arabia, France, Mongolia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Argentina, Turkey and the Islands of Turks and Caicos. In preparation for the change in services and increase in faculty advisement, Montes and Robles met early with foreign languages professors. “We have all the support of foreign professors,” Montes said. In this spring’s atmosphere of searching for ways to cut the budget, Perez offered an idea for cutting costs. “I would love to consolidate the international program to SAC because we have the greatest number of international students in the district, and I think it would serve the students well to have one central location for the process of all their paper work and forms,” she said. For more information, call 210-486-0116 or e-mail www.sac-iso@alamo.edu.
The Ranger
News
Feb. 21, 2011 • 11
District decides to hire new librarians as staff By Melody Mendoza Incoming librarians will be hired as professional staff from now on as one of the district’s budget strategies expected to save about $300,000 annually. But librarians here say that’s a pittance and charge that administrators are making a longterm decision influenced by a short-term financial crisis. Dr. Robert Aguero, vice chancellor for academic success, responded to the Alamo Colleges’ Faculty Senates in a memorandum Feb. 9 stating “fiscal realities” were the deciding factor. In the memo, he wrote Chancellor Bruce Leslie asked that he provide a response. As funding allows, Aguero wrote, the 32 faculty positions currently held by librarians eventually will become full-time teaching positions and that represents about 300 sections. The Alamo Colleges is expected to lose at least $25 million over a four-year period in state funding, the memo said. “Seemingly, a $300,000 savings may not be perceived as a great amount, but added to many other initiatives, the savings become considerable,” he wrote. The memorandum states that new librarians will be hired as staff on a 12-month contract instead of as a nine-month faculty member. It also states that there are no academic or accreditation requirements that librarians be considered faculty, and no external requirements that would impact accreditation or the quality of library operations. Finally, in Aguero’s summary, it states that this action doesn’t impact tenured faculty librarians because they are “grandfathered.” The memo doesn’t address non-tenured faculty. The Ranger reported Nov. 11 that librarians at this college asked Leslie to reconsider because they must have a master’s degree, which would make them over-qualified and underpaid. According to the memorandum, “credentialing” is not an issue. The district requires various degrees for other positions, Aguero wrote, and having a master’s degree does not demand faculty status. The district will continue to require this of new hires. Although three professional groups — American Association of University Professors, the Association of College and Research Libraries and the Association of American
Librarian Ralph Domas helps psychology freshman April Alvarez search through online resources to properly cite sources using MLA format Wednesday in the library in Moody. Jennifer M. Ytuarte Colleges — support faculty status for librarians, Aguero wrote maintaining the district’s accreditation is the first obligation. He wrote, “The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has no requirement that librarians be classified as faculty.” The memorandum states, “The Dallas County Community College District, South Texas College, Tarrant County College, San Jacinto Community College and other Texas community colleges are not classified as faculty.” He also covered the issue of parity between tenured faculty versus professional staff where disparity will disappear over time. Aguero wrote, “This is an action intended to create a library organization for the future and it will take some time to make the transition.” As a spokesperson for the library, Librarian Celita DeArmond said communication has not been clear, direct or formal. She reiterated that the other college’s senates supported faculty status for librarians and passed a resolution in fall 2010. DeArmond said, “Administrators are making a long-term policy decision to address a shortterm financial crisis.” Cuts have already been made in online and print resources and library faculty, and librarians submitted a proposal to President Robert Zeigler, which outlines possible cuts. Finally, in response, librarians said there is nothing specific in Aguero’s memorandum concerning tenure-track or adjunct librarians. Librarian John Deosdade said there are no nontenured librarians at this college. Librarian Clare Karabasz, the only adjunct librarian at this college, will retire in May. Both Northwest Vista and Northeast
Lakeview colleges rely heavily on adjunct library faculty. Christine Crowley, dean of learning resources at Northwest Vista College, said five of nine librarians are adjuncts. One of the full-time librarians is on tenuretrack, she said. “This is really going to hurt NVC and NLC.” She said, “I am extremely disappointed that the district did not give a heads up to the deans before the memo was sent out.” The librarians’ proposal sent to Zeigler states that this college will save $106,000 in 2011-12 with the retirements of library Chair Candace Peterson, Karabasz and specialist Betty Walters. It also states that additional retirements are anticipated, and as they occur, the college can move toward a 50-50 adjunct-to-full-time faculty ratio in librarians. Librarians also suggested reducing the number of summer contracts. The proposal states that the college hire a learning resource specialist to “supervise areas of circulation, reserve, interlibrary loan and student personnel.” This will allow current librarians to fill the spots of future retired library faculty. Finally, they suggest reducing library hours. The librarians’ proposal also includes the Ulibarri Mason 2008-09 Market Student Faculty Compensation Policies and Practices Final Report, which shows that 11 of 15 colleges compared consider librarians as faculty. Tina Mesa, dean of learning resources at Palo Alto College, said she was on the library cost strategy team, which includes a representative from each college. The team was created as a result of budget retreats from last summer, and faculty status was one issue the team investigated. ”I am disappointed that a decision was made last summer with no regard for what the team had to say,” she said. “We would have shown that there is no cost-savings involved in this change.” She said although Aguero heads the team, he didn’t wait for the team’s report. Aguero was unavailable for comment and calls were referred to Dr. Jo-Carol Fabianke, associate vice chancellor for academic partnerships and initiatives. Fabianke was unable to say why Aguero didn’t consider the team’s opposition. Aguero, who joined the district in fall 2009, has never returned a call or e-mail from The Ranger.
12 • The Ranger
New
The area at the northeast corner of Loftin completely dark after a light burned out moments before 8 p.m. Photos by Tyler K. Cleveland
President Robert Zeigler expresses dismay at the lack of light in Lot 10 at Courtland and Lewis while touring the campus Tuesday to survey the darkest areas of campus. “This is really bad,” Zeigler said.
For an update on crime incidents from fall, go to Page 4.
David Mrizek, vice president of college services, points out dead lightbulbs west of McCreless Tuesday with Sgt. Dennis Guyer, police night shift supervisor; Tammy Kothe-Ramsey, president of Student Government Association; Laura Garcia, web editor of The Ranger; facilities Superintendent David Ortega; and President Robert Zeigler.
Feb. 21, 2011 • 13
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Dark areas of campus exposed Survey found more than 80 lights out Tuesday night. By Laura Garcia Just as a district police officer paused under an isolated pool of light Tuesday evening to comment on the importance of lighting to feeling safe on campus at night, the already dimming bulb overhead burned out. Light Pole 62, at the northeast corner of Loftin Student Center, was just one of at least 81 lights found burned out or turned off during a second evening walking tour of campus with college officials and the student government president. As eyes started to adjust to the blackness, Sgt. Dennis Guyer, night shift supervisor for the college district police, held his flashlight above a reporter’s notebook so his comments could be recorded. A similar survey Nov. 15 revealed more than 35 lights were out. Other participants were President Robert Zeigler; facilities Superintendent David Ortega; David Mrizek, vice president of college services; and Tammy Kothe-Ramsey, SGA president and psychology sophomore. “This is a bad place to be dark,” Guyer said of the almost completely shadowed area outside of Loftin. Zeigler and Mrizek repeatedly echoed the comment throughout the hour-long tour. Kothe-Ramsey recalled hearing about a student frightened in the dark north of Loftin by a suspicious person asking for money. Other comments found on the college Facebook page asked for lights to be checked on the walkway between McCreless Hall and McAllister Fine Arts Center over Dewey Place. There were at least two extremely dark parking lots, including Lot 10, west of visual arts center, which had no lighting. “This is terrible,” Zeigler commented as Mrizek checked for the number assigned to the light pole. Later at about 9 p.m., that light was turned on. However, Lot 21 near Scobee Planetarium, which was also completely dark, remained unlit while students leaving kinesiology classes or sports practices streamed out to leave campus. The light in the walkway between Loftin and Gonzales Hall was out during the tour yet came
Most lights outside Nail were out Tuesday.
“This is terrible.” Dr. Robert Zeigler college president
on at about 9 p.m. Guyer suggested that still more lights be added to that area. The academic wing of Loftin that houses journalism and photography programs has a night class that dismisses students at 10 p.m. Guyer, who has worked for the district for more than 10 years and previously worked the early morning shift starting at 6:30 a.m., said many of the colleges in the district have the same type of issues. He recommended trimming shrubbery and vegetation that block existing lighting, especially because a student rounding a corner may not see someone until they are quite close. Bushes east of Loftin are easily more than 6 feet high. The height of the bushes and shrubbery is something that bothered Kothe-Ramsey during the November walk-through. Tuesday’s survey was conducted just three months after The Ranger first requested a study of campus lighting. In November, the survey found that many lights were not turned on because timers needed attention. This time, the survey found about 81 inoperable lights around buildings, particularly in the center of the campus, including a couple of blue light emergency phone lights and parking lots. There were a handful of very dark areas identified by the group. Of 26 lights on the top level of the parking garage, Mrizek counted at least 11 burned out. Areas needing additional light included
the wooded area adjacent to recycling bins along Dewey east of McCreless; an area east of Fletcher Administration Center; the northwest corner of the academic instruction center near motorcycle parking; and the north and east sides of Candler Physical Education Center. Zeigler paused to study the area surrounding the gym before saying, “This whole stretch is really dark.” The group continued to walk toward the bus stop on San Pedro Avenue, taking the route a student might take if riding the bus home after night classes. Kothe-Ramsey noted that the area was “still a little shady” though some lights had been replaced or timers adjusted since the last walkthrough. There are at least 1,000 lights outside, and electricians are responsible for adjusting the timers on more than 120 15-foot light poles. Several requests from students fielded interest in how dark the campus is while night students and employees walked to classes or to parking lots. Ironically, last semester, the college suffered several daylight crimes, which included robberies, thefts and assaults, one with a gun in Loftin. In a telephone interview Wednesday, Zeigler said he would discuss a plan with Ortega and Mrizek to see if they can “somehow, lighten up some of those darker areas.” Zeigler said he wants to have a consistent program or process to check lighting and switch to a more systematic way of doing things. “I thought that the walk was really productive,” he said. Guyer said there are normally about two or three police officers, not including supervisors, physically checking buildings and monitoring the college from 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and one or two officers assigned to the college from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. “It’s a lot of campus to cover,” Guyer said, adding that the supervisor helps. “We do the best with what we have and make sure everyone’s safe,” he said. Guyer said dispatch gets calls every night from students asking for police escorts to their parked cars. Some universities, such as Texas State University-San Marcos, have student groups that volunteer as escorts. To request an escort, call district dispatch at 210-485-0099.
Book Review
14 • Feb. 21, 2011
The Ranger
Book review: Author seeks source of humanity Japanese-born British author Kazuo Ishiguro, known for his novels “The Remains of the Day” and “When We Were Orphans,” brings his readers deep into the intimacies of human interaction. His sixth novel startes out slow, heavy with romanticized emotion and overt theme building. As a fresh science fiction story, it can be appreciated by the reader beyond the obvious humanist themes. In “Never Let Me Go,” Ishiguro explores what makes a human human, what being human means, and can it disappear with one genetic alteration? Kathy H., 31, who calls herself a “carer,w” a description that is never described beyond having to take care of “donors,” provides the narration. Although the reader meets Kathy as an adult, throughout most of the novel she speaks of herself and two other characters, Tommy and Ruth, as children whose fates are decided in early adulthood.
Hailsham, an institution on a large piece of beautiful land, isolated from the outer world, is the domain of the three characters. The dark reality behind the isolation is that unknown to them, the children of Hailsham are all clones, bred solely to be organ donors as adults. Caught up in the rituals and routines of the institution, the children have little time for speculation about life within the school and what lies beyond. Four times a year, each student at Hailsham is asked to create paintings, drawings and pottery. A woman called Madam hangs the best
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pieces in a gallery the students never see. The justification for the art work, says Hailsham headmistress Miss Emily, is to determine if the clones have souls. A dark theme recurs throughout the book and is summarized for Kathy through a lyric. Every time she hears “baby, baby, never let me go,” she imagines herself with the baby she daydreams about. Unfortunately, she is reminded her dream will not become reality — clones cannot reproduce. While Kathy sways to the song as if she is holding a baby, Madam secretly watches and is moved to tears because she sees what she looks for in the artwork: signs of humanity. Megan Mares
Calendar
The Ranger For coverage in Calendar, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.
Monday SAC Event: Regency Jazz Band 11 a.m.1 p.m. in Loftin. Call 210-486-0589. SAC Transfer: University of the Incarnate Word 3:30 p.m.-6 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Continues Wednesday 9 a.m.12:30 p.m. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Transfer: Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Event: Foosball tournament 1 p.m.3:30 p.m. in game area in Loftin. Call 210-486-0589. SAC Recital: Faculty recital by Lauren Eberhart, trumpet 7:30 p.m. auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-055. Tuesday SAC Event: African-American Read-In: “A Celebration of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas” 10:45 a.m.-noon in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0589. SAC Meeting: Campus Crusade for Christ 1:30 p.m. in Room 113 of chemistry and geology. Call 210-486-1233. SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Performance: Jazz Ensemble 12:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0255. SAC Hot Potato: “Erosion of Middle Class: What’s the Risk?” by Bruce Norton 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 Belknap. Call 733-1441.
Nicole Townsley from American Cancer Society 11 a.m.-noon in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Meeting: Gay and Lesbian Association meets from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 644 of Moody. Call 210-486-0673. SAC Transfer: Texas State University-San Marcos 10 a.m.-1 p.m. by appointment in the transfer center. Continues Thursday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Meeting: Psychology Club 2 p.m. in Room 642 of Moody. Call 210-486-2887. SAC Meeting: Kinesiology Club 3 p.m. in Room 126 in Candler. Call 210-588-1936 SAC Sports: Baseball vs. University of Texas A&M 10:30 a.m. at UTSA. Call 210486-0129. SAC Sports: Men’s basketball vs. Northwest Vista 8 p.m. in Gym 1 of Candler. Call 210-486-0129. SAC Sports: Women’s basketball vs. Northwest Vista 6 p.m. in Gym 1 of Candler. Call 210-486-0129.
SAC Event: Xbox 360 free play 1 p.m.3:30 p.m. in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0589.
SAC Lecture: “Solar Powered Paper Dolls” by Carol Flueckiger 10:55 a.m.12:05 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Reception 12:05 p.m.-1 p.m. Call 210486-1030.
SAC Event: Coffee and open mic night by Cheshyre Cheese Club 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. in Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.
March 2
Saturday Event: Squatter Camp awareness boxes, noon-sunrise at Grace Point Church, 9750 Huebner. Call 210-268-2878. Feb. 28 SAC Event: Guitar Hero from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SPC Event: “The Woolworth Experience” from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Tiger Café. Call 210-486-2887. SAC Lecture: “Smoking Cessation” with Nicole Townsley from the American Cancer Society 11 a.m.-noon in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Event: Halo Reach-League Play 11 a.m.-2 p.m. game area in Loftin.
Thursday SAC Event: “Big Brain on Campus 2: The Sequel” a trivia competition 2 p.m.3:30 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0681. SAC Sports: Women’s volleyball vs. Northwest Vista College 7 p.m. at Northwest Vista. Call 210-486-0125.
SAC Transfer: Texas A&M University 1 p.m.-4 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864. SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on first floor of Chance. Continues 3:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Call 210-486-0864. March 1
SAC Event: A storyteller in the African Tradition: Toni Simmons 11 a.m.-1 p.m. craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0589. SAC Meeting: Presidents Roundtable 2 p.m.-3 p.m. incraft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0589. SAC Event: 85th Trivia Bowl 7 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister.
Wednesday SAC Event: Dental Fest 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. first floor foyer of nursing complex. Call 210-486-1036. SAC Lecture: “Smoking Cessation” with
Feb. 21, 2011 • 15
Friday SPC Event: ’70s Soul Train Alumni Scholarship Dance from 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Old San Juan Restaurant & Discotek. Call 210-486-2887.
Event: St. Mary’s University Lin Great Speakers Series featuring Gretchen Steidle Wallace, founder of Global Grassroots, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. in conference Room A of university center. Call 210-431-4376. SAC Hot Potato: “Zero Tolerance: Is It Sexist” featuring Lilian Saldaña 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 Belknap. Call 210-733-1441. SAC Performance: Latin Jazz Combo 2 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0255.
SAC Lecture: “Georgia O’Keeffe 1925: From Petunias to Skyscrapers” by Marleen Hoover 9 a.m.-10 a.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210-486-1030. SAC Lecture: “The International Conference of 1916 in San Antonio: Women Coming Together Across Borders” 10 a.m.11 a.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. SAC Event: SAC’s Got Talent 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210486-0589. SAC Lecture: “Laboring for Love/The Silent Path of Power: Women of Little Mexico” by Margaret Greco 11 a.m.–11:50 a.m. in visual arts. Call 210-486-1030. March 3 SAC Event: Women’s Center Scholarship Awards with former Councilwoman María Berriozábal 9:15 a.m.-10:45 a.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. SAC Performance: Faculty Recital Piano Division: Duos From the Past 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210486-0255. SAC Film: “Sally of the Sawdust” 12:15 p.m.–1:30 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210-486-1030. SAC Performance: Choral Concert 3 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210486-0255. SAC Film: “Sally of the Sawdust” 12:15 p.m.–1:30 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210-486-1030.
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
16 • Feb. 21, 2011
News
The Ranger
Coordinating Board Commissioner Raymund Paredes said enrollment swells but graduation rates have plateaued. Photos by Jennifer M. Ytuarte
Coordinating Board proposes formula change By Jennifer M. Ytuarte If funded fully, college education during the next biennium could increase earned income in the state by $100 billion and create more than 1 million jobs. That’s the message a commissioner of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board gave a Feb. 10 town hall meeting sponsored by District 120 Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, at St. Philip’s College. Commissioner Raymund Paredes said investing in higher education will bring a return of $8 per $1 spent and proposed changing the way higher education is funded. Financial aid funding guidelines for firsttime students propose changing from a firstcome, first-served basis to giving preference to students with the highest academic success. “We need to make a positive case that higher
To view a blogcast of the event, log on to nowcastsa.com and search for “Texas budget shortfall public forum at St. Philip’s College.”
education is the best investment,” Paredes said. “It drives everything we do in this state.” Under HB1 and SB1, the budget bills the state House and Senate are debating, the state eliminates financial aid funding for incoming college students and ignores enrollment growth. The current legislative session must fill a budget gap of $15 billion for fiscal years 2012-13. The fiscal year 2012 begins Sept. 1 and ends Aug. 31, 2012. The Coordinating Board projects a deficit of $27 billion as a result of enrollment growth. Paredes said since fall 2008, more than 200,000 students began working toward a degree.
“It’s as if these 200,000 students dropped off the face of the earth,” Paredes said. “They weren’t accounted for during last session’s budget and now their cost and the costs of new enrollees definitely aren’t being considered.” The Alamo Community College District has increased by 9,853 students or 18 percent since fall 2008. Paredes said the Coordinating Board intends to file a $480 million appropriations request to fund 80,000 new students during the two-year biennium, 2011-13. The board proposes funding colleges based on academic performance, retention and degree completion. The six-year graduation rate among fouryear universities in Texas is 56 percent, he said. However, if the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M-College Station are removed from the equation because of their strenuous
News
The Ranger from the equation because of their strenuous selection process, then the statewide graduation rate drops to 46 percent. Paredes said the request would double graduation rates and stem the loss of funds for students who drop out as freshmen. A recent report by the American Institute for Research states from 2003-08, Texas public colleges and universities spent $441 million on first-year students alone. Texas ranks third in the nation for total state resources spent on first-year dropouts. Paredes said there has been a statewide push to increase college attendance among low-income, minority students with an initiative called Closing the Gaps by 2015, adopted in October 2000 by the Coordinating Board with strong support from the state’s educational, business and political communities. The plan is intended to address the educational gap between Texas and other states as well. “Most students coming through the pipeline are poor,” he said. “They’re going to need academic support, advising, counseling and financial aid.” The 2010 Closing the Gaps progress report
Feb. 21, 2011 • 17
District 120 Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, Dr. Bruce Leslie and St. Philip’s President Adena Williams Loston listen to a Coordinating Board commissioner in a Feb. 10 town hall meeting. states that between fall 2003 and fall 2009, while 159,824 first-generation students entered college, only 54,335 earned post-secondary cre-
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18 • Feb. 21, 2011
Editorial
The Ranger
Juan Carlos Campos
Learn to follow up, be self-reliant “It’s not their fault. I just expected more professionalism,” lamented Mike Edwards after resolving a transcript debacle caused by the Alamo Colleges. The Texas A&M University graduate requested his transcript from this college be sent to several universities where he is considering graduate programs. Among the most routine of academic activities, sending transcripts resulted in a suspicion of fraud because of the poor quality and plain paper it was printed on. If Edwards had not followed up with the institutions, he would never have known why he was denied admission. Edwards expected the Alamo College’s recently formed Center for Student Information, which has absorbed 19 admissions and records positions from the colleges, could handle issuing transcripts to universities. Unfortunately, he was wrong.
A process the colleges have always handled in a timely manner has been centralized in the name of streamlining and now doesn’t work. It’s an embarrassment. Bogus processes with their series of conflicting instructions that consume excessive amounts of time and waste scarce resources have become the norm. Students can’t rely on traditional services anymore. Now students need to take the initiative to follow up on applications, registration, drops, grades and transcripts because the implementation of Banner and CSI has created untold problems where none existed. The gospel of centralization has been the district’s rallying cry since the chancellor’s arrival four years ago. Streamlining has been touted as a way to eliminate redundancies and trim the bottom line. It also has been a path to promoting the Alamo Colleges at the expense
of the public profiles of the individual colleges. Centralization may make life easier for district officials who rarely set foot on our college campuses, but denizens of the colleges know better and find new evidence daily. In this atmosphere, we can all join Edwards in his lament. If students take one thing away from their time here, it needs to be self-reliance. Students can no longer rely on what should be automatic processes from this district. Too often, district innovations fail to account for impact on students and the classroom. Students cannot fail because of a failure of leadership. We have to look out for ourselves from here on. Complacency has no place in the degree plan. It’s time to grow up. If not, we’ll just become another “glitch or hiccup” in district accounting.
The Ranger
Editorial
Feb. 21, 2011 • 19
Stop wasting resources unnecessarily The college health center closes its door every time Coordinator Paula Daggett, R.N., is out of the office while the training and experience of LVN Josie Noriega goes to waste while she sits around the student center. San Antonio College has first-rate nursing training, however, the college must not truly appreciate employees and those who dedicate their lives to patient care. The Texas Board of Nursing’s Interpretive Guideline for LVN Scope of Practice is pretty clear. It reads: “Since Section 301.353 and Rule 217.11(2) require the LVN to function ‘under supervision’ of specific licensed practitioners, this precludes the LVN from functioning in a completely independent (without supervision) manner.” But here is the pertinent part: “However, direct (onsite or on-unit) supervision is not required.” Finally: “The LVN must have a resource person accessible at least telephonically or by some other similar means.” If Daggett can be reached by telephone, then Noriega should be allowed to work normally. But meanwhile, disabled students are put at risk because no help is available to them, and other students and
The college health center when it was closed Feb. 8 because RN Paula Daggett was ill. J. Almendarez
employees in need of assistance have to go without. What a waste and what collossal ineptitude. No one is saying who is to blame, but apparently someone didn’t bother reading beyond the scope of Cliff Notes before convincing the executive team to impose this disfunction on us. In this economy, administrators need to make sure they understand applicable laws and guidelines.
Instead of making a rash decision based on poor research of a four-yearold rule, why not take a minute to double check and get some clarification. Put Noriega and Daggett back to work serving the college as they do best. Budget woes may yet take a toll on health services, but in the meantime, we would rather not see a professional reduced to telephone answering duties.
Be a real leader; lobby your legislator Eighty-five students from the Alamo Colleges attended Community College Day at the Capitol in Austin Feb. 2. Sadly, only six students were from this college. Students were on their way by 7:30 a.m. on a very cold day to speak with Texas senators and representatives. We commend those students who went, but in a college of 21,000 students — where are the student leaders? Students will have to live with budget cuts that will be decided on by officials present at the event, but there were few who made any effort to speak up. Where was the Student Government Association? Its members addressed trustees at board meetings and attend Faculty Senate meetings. Where was Phi Theta Kappa, this college’s honor society? Where were the members of the Mexican-American Engineering Students, the Psychology Club, OnStage
Drama Club and athletic team members? What happened to students in the Leadership Institute? There are so many clubs and organizations that want to make a difference in the world, but many consider starting with the student who sits next to you in class — the disabled students who no longer have note-takers because of cuts, students who need tutors, students out of cash for printing. We, as a student body, need to speak up about the inequitable funding of community colleges. Everyone complains when services are cut or aren’t available, but how about complaining to the people who can do something about it? Many more cuts are expected so now is the time to speak up. Contact your legislators now. Be a leader.
20 • Feb. 21, 2011
Opinion
Test tests nerves I am HIV negative. Last Monday, I decided to take advantage of the free testing at the health center in Chance Academic Center. I’d never Viewpoint by been tested for J. Almendarez HIV and initially decided to have the test done in support of HIV and AIDS awareness. But, it’s an awfully long walk from the newsroom to the health center. I wanted to think that I had nothing to be afraid of, but reality quickly began nipping at my heels. I have not been safe with every sexual partner I have ever had. I was engaged for almost three years and began to question the fidelity of a relationship that was far behind me. When we broke up, we vowed to never hate each other for our failed relationship, but I knew if he’d infected me, I would hate him forever. I thought about a boy I fell madly in love with over the summer and how careless we’d been with each other. Love and hot summer nights suddenly seemed like feeble excuses for exposing myself to a disease that could kill me. I was selfish in my thoughts. I never thought about how a positive diagnosis would affect my former partners. I only thought about myself and the life I would lose with a positive diagnosis. Good-bye to motherhood and being a war correspondent for The New York Times. Good-bye to rock climbing and playing soccer on the weekends. Who would help me if I got hurt and they knew my blood was tainted? Despite the beautiful, balmy weather that afternoon, my shirt was covered in sweat by the time I walked through the shiny glass doors of Chance. As I walked down the hall, my breath became shallow and quick. Then, to my incredible disappointment, the health center was closed. I was about 20 minutes too late for the free testing. My heart sank and no amount of water made me feel less parched. I didn’t tell anybody I’d been by the health center. I was embarrassed and scared about how
nervous I was. I spent Valentine’s night staring at my bright orange toenails and sympathizing with a friend about his life woes. I wondered what he’d think if I told him how terrified I was feeling, and I foresaw silence and judgment. I said nothing. On Tuesday morning, the world looked more like I felt. The sky was overcast and I was quickly covered in droplets as I rode my bicycle to school. I was amazed and in wonder at how beautiful the water looked collecting on my green jacket. It seemed like a miracle for water to fall from the sky. I sat through the longest class of my life when I got to school and obnoxiously left my cell phone open on my desk so I could watch the minutes pass me by. Then, I made the same lonely walk to the health center where I waited for about 10 minutes to be seen. A man called me into a room. He seemed nice, but I felt unassured. I swiped a white, plastic rod along my gumline and placed it into a clear, plastic holder. The test would take about 15 minutes to be completed. While we waited for the test results, the man asked me questions. They all involved who, what, where, when, why and how. His questions made me squirm despite his friendliness and nonjudgmental attitude. With my entire future on the line, I just wanted to sit in silence and sweat. Then it was time to look at my plastic stick. I hated that stick. The test result window was facing away from me and all I could do was shoot my burning glare at it. I wanted to blame it for every bad decision I’d ever made and time slowed as I faced an uncertain future. The man let me flip over the test results. I saw one line on the stick. Negative. I felt free. I laughed out loud and my eyes welled with tears. At once, my entire life came flooding back. I saw myself married and surrounded by my children. I saw my shoes planted in foreign soil with a notebook in my hand and a camera at my side. I saw myself skydiving and zip lining. I saw myself fearlessly kissing the boy I have a date with this weekend and knowing that I was safe for him. And, I saw myself being very, very careful from that moment on.
The Ranger
After an 32-day uprising that toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak around 1,200 workers strike at the Oil and Soap Factory Feb. 17 in Mansoura, Egypt. AP photo
Armchair analysts On Feb. 11 Hosni Mubarak stepped down from his 30-year term as Egypt’s president. His decision was forced by mass protests and riots by the Egyptian people that began Jan. 25. Protests centered on dissatisfaction with government policies that have left the people impoverished and unemployed. Rioting and protesting have taken place throughout North Africa and the Middle East since January in Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Iran, Jordan, Yemen and Bahrain. Many protests are led by students so we asked for local comments. Students and staff commented on the issue throughout the week. “I’m really happy they’re doing it, but I’m cautiously optimistic because there’s a lot of room for corruption to slip in.” Morgan Moore, biology sophomore “It just goes to show that there’s a deep-rooted need for freedom of speech and the need for people to live out their lives they way they want.” Bonnie Carson, digital design sophomore “We’re so exposed through technology, and the youth of the Middle East can see the rest of the world and make their own opinions now. And they have the backing of the rest of the world.” Nathan Fox, photojournalism freshman “It’s good that people stand up for their rights and that they’re not going to let anyone hold them back anymore.” Michelle Urrabazo, child development sophomore “None of these places have a true democracy and the idea (of democracy) isn’t hard to get through the television and radio. These ideas are spreading. How do you box them up?” Dr. Eugene Venable, history instructor
Feb. 21, 2011 • 21
The Ranger
Officials Chancellor: Dr. Bruce H. Leslie 201 W. Sheridan, Bldg. B, San Antonio TX 78204-1429 Work: 210-485-0020 Fax: 210-208-8149 E-mail: bleslie@alamo.edu District 1: Joe Alderete Jr. 1602 Hillcrest Drive, San Antonio TX 78228 Cell: 210-863-9500 E-mail: jvajr711@aol.com District 2: Denver McClendon 3811 Willowwood Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78219 Work: 210-281-9141 E-mail: denvermcclendon@satx.rr.com District 3: Anna U. Bustamante 511 Ware Blvd., San Antonio TX 78221 Work: 210-882-1609 Home: 210-921-2986 Fax: 210-927-4557 E-mail: abustamante20@alamo.edu District 4: Marcelo S. Casillas 115 Wainwright, San Antonio TX 78211 No telephone number provided Fax: 210-923-3167 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: 210-567-5544 Fax: 210-520-9185 E-mail: sprague@uthscsa.edu District 7: Blakely Latham Fernandez 755 E. Mulberry, Suite 200, San Antonio TX 78212 Work: 210-244-8879 E-mail: bfernandez35@alamo.edu 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 109 Laburnum, San Antonio TX 78209 Home: 210-9828-4630 Work: 210-375-2555 Home Fax: 210-832-8292 Office Fax: 210-375-0301 E-mail: jrindfuss@alamo.edu
Presidents 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
Web Editor Laura Garcia
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, e-mailed to sac-ranger@alamo. edu or faxed to 210-486-1789. 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 (210-486-1789), by e-mail (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 Zahra Farah Managing Editor Melody Mendoza Sections Editor Megan Mares Photographers Tyler K. Cleveland, Alison Wadley Photo Team Felisia Almaraz, Carla Aranguren, Jake Ceballos, Adrian Fernandez, Victor A. Garcia, Marisa N. Montaño Garza, Jason B. Hogan, Julia Novikova, Chelsea Von Peacock, Abiel Rodriguez, JungKeun Song, Ingrid Wilgen Illustrators Juan Carlos Campos, Alexandra Nelipa Staff Writers J. Almendarez, Ximena Alvarez, Jacob Beltran, David Espinoza, Joshua Fechter, Alma Linda Manzanares, Daniel Perales, James Anthony Salamé, Julysa Sosa, Riley Stephens, Dana Lynn Traugott, Valdemar Tejada, Jennifer M. Ytuarte Production Assistant Krystal Barcenez
22 • Feb. 21, 2011
Pulse
The Ranger
HIV testing helps prevent infection Test results are ready in just 20 minutes. By Valdemar Tejada The Center for Health Care Services provided free HIV testing for sexually active students Monday and Tuesday. For five hours each day, the college health center in Room 119 of Chance Academic Center became a testing center. About 60 students were tested for HIV the two days. HIV, or the human immunodeficiency virus, depletes the white blood cells in the body. Prior to testing, a full risk assessment covering the student’s sexual and drug history is collected. Then a 20-minute Ora Quick Advance test looks for antibodies
of HIV in the bloodstream and has body fluids, such as blood, breast a 98.8 percent accuracy rate. milk, vaginal fluid or semen and The Center for Health Care can also be transmitted by sharing Services must release the stu- needles. dent’s name to the Texas Health Counselor Sean Baker, who also Department in the event of a administers HIV tests, said a stupositive test dent should result. be tested Center for Health Care Then the every three Services will offer on-campus HIV testing March 9-10. For depar tment months if information, call 210-486-1446. will conduct a they feel they second blood are putting test to confirm the positive result. themselves at risk. If the second blood test is posi“There is a lot of responsibiltive, the Texas Health Department ity when it comes to sex, and not will ask for the names of all past everyone is aware of the diseases sexual partners. that are out there,” Baker said. The department has to notify He said age 18 is the transition each individual who was poten- time from teen to adult, and 18 is tially exposed to get them to take an appropriate age to engage in an HIV test and thus prevent the sexual activity. virus from spreading. “Abstinence works for some HIV can be transmitted through people, but not everyone is going
to follow that,” Baker said. “Some young people are going to have sex and do whatever they want so it is best to teach safe sex so they will be prepared.” The Center for Health Care Services, at 3031 IH 10 West, offers testing at all Alamo Colleges, UTSA, drug treatment facilities, jails, inhouse testing, and in its office. “Anyone can get HIV,” Baker said. “If you want to be safe, first use protection, then work within yourself to reduce the number of sex partners, and don’t share any drug use equipment.” He emphasized the power of testing, “Knowing your test results is greater than doubting.” For more information, call the Center for Health Care Services at 210-731-1300 or log on to www. chcsbc.org.
Dental Fest offers freebies, oral health information By J. Almendarez Karen Gonzales, laboratory technician in the allied health department, said she hopes this year’s Dental Fest helps people “better understand how dental care affects the rest of their well-being.” According to the American Dental Association, poor dental and oral hygiene can lead to health concerns such as diabetes, respiratory infections and brain abscess. This campus’ fourth annual Dental Fest is 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the foyer of the nursing complex in observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month. “I think there was a need for it,” Gonzales said. The event will provide faculty, staff and students with information on 21 oral health issues, such as brushing techniques and the impact of oral piercings, bleaching and eating disorders. Second semester dental assisting students will demonstrate good hygiene techniques and provide brochures about each topic. Wellness Coordinator Chris Dillon said the Wellness Committee is assisting with the event, contributing about $750 to sponsor the event. Gonzales said the money paid for printing brochures and advertising fliers, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, toothbrushes, tri-fold boards for presentations and black T-shirts for dental assisting student participants that say, “Got smile?” Dillon said the committee offered to provide volunteers, but Gonzales declined because the event is already fully staffed with dental assisting students. She said the event drew about 250-300 attendants last year and she
Dental assisting sophomore Lori Castro demonstrates how to brush teeth to first graders April 11, 2007. File Photo expects a similar turnout this year. “It’s been very well received by the SAC community,” Gonzales said. The event also showcases this campus’s dental assisting program. The program is one of nine accredited dental assisting programs in Texas to provide students with skills needed to pass the Dental Assisting National Board to become registered or certified dental assistants. For more information, log on to http://www.alamo.edu/sac/alldhlth/dentasst/default.asp or visit Room 134 of the nursing complex.
The Ranger
Pulse
Feb. 21, 2011 • 23
Don’t let constipation get you down in the dumps Substitute a healthy life style for addictive laxatives, nurse says. By J. Almendarez It feels like a ton of bricks in your stomach. Your pants fit tight. The thought of sitting down is painful, and you’ve begun waddling like a penguin. No matter what you try — laxatives, stool softeners, and apple juice — it won’t come out. Your intestines are simply filled with hard, dry poop. If the situation is not rectified quickly, the Mayo Clinic website states potential results are hemorrhoids, anal fissure cracks, fecal build up that must be removed manually, and rectal prolapse, which occurs when rectal tissue pushes out through the anus resulting in anal mucus secretion. Love, however, just might be the answer to your crappy woes. The “I love you massage,” is commonly used on babies to help relieve their tiny digestive systems of gas and constipation. Nurse Paula Daggett said caution should be used by anyone choosing to implement the I love you massage because too rough a touch could cause a ruptured intestine. She also said she is unsure whether the massage works on adults. The Poop Doc website offers an adult massage for constipation relief. While their suggested massage does not have such a clever name, it begins to relieve constipation within two days if done at least once a day in three-minute intervals. The massage can be done while lying down or in the shower with either lubricant or soapy water for comfort. Gradual pressure should be applied in a circular motion to the right side of the body from the appendix to the ribcage. The motion should continue across the top of the ribcage and down the left side of the abdomen towards the groin area. Moderate discomfort and slight pain are possible during the massage, but a deep-rooted pain warrants a doctor’s visit. A lubed massage offers hope for a better fix for constipation over traditional methods of laxatives, stool softeners and fiber. Daggett does not recommend laxatives to alleviate constipation. She said laxatives are addictive because the body becomes dependant on them to expel waste. Over time, one’s body can become unable to rid itself of feces without multiple laxatives. Side effects such as bloating, cramping, gas, throat irritation, faintness, nausea, thirst and increased constipation can occur if laxatives are not taken with enough water, MayoClinic.com reports. It states that
I love you massage
stool softeners absorb water in the intestines to soften feces and reduce strain during bowel movements, while laxatives cause intestinal muscle constrictions and draw water out of muscles and tissues to relieve constipation. While Daggett said stool softeners are less harmful than laxatives, she said the best way to overcome constipation is a diet rich in fiber from fruits and vegetables like raspberries, blueberries and peas. Limiting a large intake of dairy products also is a preventative measure. “So the solution is more your lifestyle choice than a quick fix,” she said. Daggett said constipation is the direct result of an inactive lifestyle and lack of hydration and fiber. Exercise and movement increase the rate and regularity of digestion. The Mayo Clinic website also links nervous damage, loss of body salt through vomiting or diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, medication, hormonal changes, anal fissures, hemorrhoids and diseases that affect the thyroid as causes of constipation as well. Symptoms of constipation include pooping less than three times a week, hard stool, the feeling of incomplete evacuation after using the bathroom or any other changes in usual bowel movements. “Bowel movements are different for everyone. Just be aware of your routine,” Daggett recommended as an easy way to avoid and be aware of constipation. For more information, call the health center at 210486-1446 or visit www.mayoclinic.com.
Using olive oil or baby oil, use two or three fingers to trace the letter I from the bottom of the ribs to the hip joint on each side.
Stroke the abdomen from the left to right and then down the right side of the stomach to create an upside-down L.
Create the letter U by massaging upward from the left hipbone, across the top of the stomach, and down the right side of the stomach to the top of the right hip bone.
Alexandra Nelipa
24 • Feb. 21, 2011
News
The Ranger
Architecture sophomores Lucas Cornelius, Ivonne Perea, Oscar Rincon and Judith Fernandez in Design 4 model “illuminated wearable creations” Wednesday in Chance. The designs represent themes of stereometry, the process of determining the volume and dimensions of a solid, or the space people live in. Photos by Tyler K. Cleveland
Architecture students go Lady Gaga over costumes By Alma Linda Manzanares
about two to three weeks,” architecture sophomore Ivonne Perea said. Architecture sophomores took a “We’ve never worked with building turn at designing Lady Gaga lookcostumes. It’s usually just models a-like costumes to model during and drawing designs.” the American Institute of Architects The presentation room walls San Antonio Beaux Arts Ball from were decorated with drawings 6:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at the demonstrating the process students Grand Hyatt Hotel. took to make their designs. Little Illuminate challenges “archimodels stood on small stands illustectural fashionitrating various stas” to design costume ideas. illuminated runInside the classway creations to room, papers and present. wires were tossed The ball is a across tables, and seated dinner at students rushed a fee of $200 per to put last-minperson. Black tie ute touches on attire is required. their costumes. Torrey Stanley “It’s someCarleton, execu- Christina Brown thing different tive director of Illuminating Engineering because we’re the American Society representative using an actual Institute of body, and moveArchitects, said the AIA donated ment is difficult to work with,” $1,000 to the college to help with architecture sophomore Javier the costume creations. Sandoval said. Thirteen architecture majors Architecture Professor Dwayne were split into four groups with a Bohuslav said students began by $250 budget each. researching Oskar Schlemmer’s “We’ve been working on this for work from the Bauhaus Theater.
“Playing with fabric and making things glow is fabulous.”
Judith Fernandez models her costume Wednesday while team members Marcela Resendez and James Stopher watch. Students focused on how the body moves and combined ideas to generate a drawing. A week ago, the students focused on the individual to figure out how they would move and where the wires would fit. The four costumes presented fit in different ways, including one resembling a ballerina dress, lighting up red and blue, modeled by Perea and a winged design that shined blue, modeled by architectural sophomore Lucas Cornelisse. Oscar Rincon modeled a snakelike design, and Judith Fernandez modeled a Lady Gaga-type design, radiating different colors. “Playing with the fabric and making things glow is fabulous,” said Christina Brown, Illuminating Engineering Society representative. Bohuslav said it was important
to recognize that the designs were a team effort. Carleton said the costumes were not so much about the design but the movement that was presented. “(At the ball) there are people who are going to be all around, so you have to think in a 360-degree way,” Carleton said. “We want people to enjoy the whole 360-degree experience. You just need to believe you are what you’re wearing.” Bohuslav added, “They will either have masks or white face paint, so they’re also going to be transformed. They have to detach and become that objective creature.” Reservation deadline for Beaux Arts Ball is today. For more information, call 210-226-4979.