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ranger Serving San Antonio College since 1926
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Volume 89 Issue 1 • Sept. 15, 2014
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Student success initiative derived from self-help book Faculty worry 4DX subtracts from time spent with students. By Bleah B. Patterson
bpatterson13@student.alamo.edu
Food stampede Art sophomore Patrick Hawbecker sorts organic lettuce donated by the San Antonio Food Bank Sept. 3 at the Phi Theta Kappa mobile food pantry in Lot 1. The food bank donated 5,000 pounds of food. The mobile food pantry will return to campus Sept. 30. Neven Jones
Student access fee not parking pass By Adriana Ruiz
aruiz168@student.alamo.edu
Reducing costs and creating a more convenient process for students were key factors in discontinuing student-parking decals, said Pamela Ansboury, associate vice chancellor for finance and fiscal services. According to the college website, students are not required to have a parking decal on their vehicles. However, the $25 student access fee is still linked to tuition “regardless of credit hours, class location or if only web-based.” “It is not a parking permit; it is an access fee,” Ansboury said. Ansboury said the student access fee also allows access to campus facilities, information services on or off campus and 24-hour security by campus police. She said the decision is more cost-efficient because prior to the student access fee, students were required to pay a $50 nonrefundable parking permit regardless if they attended both semesters. Now students only pay the access fee during active enrollment. Ansboury said this will be more convenient for students as they will not have to worry about waiting in line for vehicle registration or receiving a decal in the mail. “We used to have lines of students,” Ansboury said. “This change will be extremely beneficial to students.” Ansboury said about $15,000 to $20,000 is spent on printing and distributing the decals, and an estimated $35,000 will be saved. According to a Sept. 3 email from Ansboury, the revenues from the campus access fee are used first to cover construction, repair and maintenance of streets, roadways, parking lots and garages. “Revenues can also be allocated through the annual budget process to provide student scholarships or technology to further innovate teaching and learning for students,” Ansboury said.
Faculty, staff: Opt out of parking decals Avoid a $50 charge to park in faculty lots. By Bleah B. Patterson
bpatterson13@student.alamo.edu
The Alamo Community College District’s decision not to print parking decals anymore raised complaints from those who do not drive or use the VIA transit system. Now faculty can opt out and avoid the monthly charge, totaling $50 over the academic year, senior human resources specialist Lucia Gatica confirmed. “When a faculty or staff member fills out their (human resources) paperwork, they can just not include their car information
Ansboury said the decision was part of the original request when the student access fee was approved to begin in fall 2013. Decal use continued through spring 2014 because the parking garages were not complete and decals were already ordered. Faculty members are required to register their vehicles to park in faculty lots. Parking decals are $50 for the year and are deducted from paychecks. Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of human resources and organizational development, said there are a small percentage of faculty members who do not drive. She said if those faculty members wish to opt out of the parking decal, they must contact human resources and they will work with them on a case-by-case basis to have the fee removed. Ansboury said the idea of discontinuing the decals originally came from Alamo Colleges Police. Chief of Police Don Adams said he does not oppose the decision of discontinuing the park-
and they won’t have the cost for the decal deducted from their paycheck monthly,” Dorothy Keys, business office registration specialist, said. Faculty also have the option of omitting vehicle information from human resources paperwork and competing for parking in student lots for which no decal is required, Keys and police Deputy Chief Joe Pabon said. Pabon added faculty who get a new car and want to transfer their parking privileges can notify human resources and have a new decal printed with updated information at no extra charge. A second replacement decal will carry a charge.
ing decals and thinks it will benefit students. He said the decision was approved for all Alamo Colleges, but this campus had questions regarding how to differentiate between students and faculty versus non-students. He said it’s different on this campus because of the businesses on Main Street and San Pedro Avenue. “I don’t think it’s going to be a big problem,” Adams said. “People who are parking there belong there.” Adams said the hassle of distributing and enforcing parking decals outweighed the value of identifying students and faculty on campus. Adams said although citations will decrease, it will not affect parking enforcement officers job stability. Instead, he said their jobs will be reclassified. He said they will not be replacing anyone but instead some of the staff will transition up. Parking enforcement officer’s still issue citations for parking illegally in faculty lots, fire lanes and spaces for people with disabilities.
The district has trained 200 faculty and staff members across the five Alamo Colleges for implementation of FranklinCovey’s “4 Disciplines of Execution,” or 4DX. Through weekly team building and planning sessions, 190 teams span district offices and the colleges. During the spring, the district began 4DX, an initiative requiring staff and faculty districtwide to undergo training and create progress boards for each unit. The cost for training was $6,500, said Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of human resources and organizational development, who leads the district’s 4DX program. Each unit is required to collaborate to construct a goal for the department, ultimately helping the district achieve its “wildly important goal.” The wildly important goal, or WIG, is the first of “Four Disciplines of Execution,” defined in the self-help book of the same name authored by Sean Covey, son of Stephen Covey who authored “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” To increase degrees and certificates from 6,300 to 7,000 by fall 2015 is the college district’s chosen WIG. “Sub-WIGS,” determined by the district are increasing the fall to fall persistence rate, or measure of returning students from the previous fall, from 60 percent to 67 percent by August. Another sub-WIG calls for increasing coursebased success from 77 percent to 80 percent by January. Boyer-Owens said, “We have a very student success-centered goal.” She continued saying, “The model is from the group up, beginning with employees. That’s the really unique thing about this program. The district has given them their WIG and now they get to choose, department by department, how to make that happen.” The second discipline of execution is to “define lead measures,” or “deciding what creates success. That means finding out what leads to degrees,” Boyer-Owens said. “It’s one thing to plan great things, but it’s another thing to do them. This plan is training us how to execute those plans and see results,” she said. “A compelling score board,” is the third discipline. Often used in a corporate settings, Boyer-Owens said, each team will create a board of accountability. “When a team picks their goal, they’ll create a compelling board and keep track of their success weekly. After 12 weeks, according to the disciplines, they’ll have successfully made their goal a reality and can take down the boards,” she said. The weekly meeting is the fourth and final discipline. Boyer-Owens said the meetings are ideally 15-20 minutes. The success of 4DX hinges on accountability, and weekly meetings serve as an opportunity for unit members to be accountable. “However, in the beginning we expect the meetings to take longer as the teams get into the groove,” she said. Mike Burton, English and reading and
See SELF-HELP, Page 7
SAConnected
2 • Sept. 15, 2014
www.theranger.org/calendar
BioSpot
Nursing sophomore Joanna Melendez studies for her biology class at the BioSpot Sept. 9 in Room 350 of Chance. Workstudy student Liz Jennings said it’s important for students to sign in when they come to the BioSpot because the district wants to see how many students are using the space. Hours are 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Neven Jones
Join us Sing it Architecture sophomore Jason Rodriguez sings Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” Sept. 8, during the first karaoke event of the semester sponsored by the office of student life in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Rodriguez said students should “pick a song you would sing in the shower and just go at it.” More than 20 students performed. The next session is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 22. E. David Guel
TODAY TUES WED THUR SAC Event: GED practice test 8 a.m. offered to the first 10 people to sign in at empowerment center, 703 Howard. Call 210-486-0455.
SAC Event: STEM Faculty Showcase 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the MESA Center in Room 204 of Chance. Call 210-486-0085.
PAC Transfer: Representatives from Tarleton State 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Texas A&M UniversitySan Antonio 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3:30-6:30 p.m., Texas A&M International University 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Troy University 9 a.m.1 p.m. in Room 101 of student center. Call 210-486-3880.
SAC Meeting: Campus Crusade for Christ 1:45 p.m. in Room 002 of Chance. Continues Tuesdays. Call 210-486-1233.
SAC Event: STEM student undergraduate research presentations 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in the MESA Center in Room 204 of Chance. Call 210-486-0085. SAC Event: Hispanic Heritage Month opening with state Rep. Mike Villarreal and musical group Los Inocentes 11 a.m.noon in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Visit www.alamo.edu/sac/ HHM14/. ACCD Deadline: Deadline for Alamo Colleges Foundation Scholarship. Call 210485-0776.
SAMA Event: Gallery Talks on museum and special exhibition highlights 4:30-5:30 p.m. 200 W. Jones. Call 210-978-8100 or visit www.samuseum.org.
SAC Event: STEMulate Science Showcase 9 a.m.-noon in the mall. Call 210-486-0085. SAC Event: Constitution Day 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860125. NLC Event: Constitution Day 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in mall of the student commons welcome center. Call 210-486-5404. SPC Event: Straight from the Taco Truck featuring Hispanic Heritage themed food 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. in campus Heritage Pavilion. Visit www. alamo.edu/ spc/hhm. SAC Meeting: Chancellor Bruce Leslie at Faculty Senate 1-2:30 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210-486-0667. SAC Tournament: Pingpong 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the game room in Loftin. Sign up in the office of student life by Tuesday. Call 210-486-0125. PAC Meeting: Student Services Fee Committee 2-3 p.m. in Room 101 of the student center. Call 486-3180.
SAC Event: Hispanic Heritage Month “Mantecatron” by graphic designer Roberto Gonzales 10:50 a.m.12:05 p.m. in Room 218 of the nursing complex. Visit http://www.alamo. edu/sac/HHM14/. SAC Lecture: Geologist George Veni as part of STEM Speaker Series at 12:15 p.m. in the MESA Center in Room 204 of Chance. Call 210-486-0085. SAC Meeting: Kinesiology Club Meet, Greet and Eat 3-4 p.m. in Room 126 of Candler. Call 210-486-1023. UIW Event: Adult Degree Completion Program information session 6:30 p.m. in Bluebonnet Hall of Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. RSVP at www.adulted. uiw.edu/rsvp. McNay Event: Exhibition Talk by Director William J. Chiego on National Gallery of Art and McNay’s permanent collection 7-8 p.m. in Chiego Lecture Hall, 6000 N. New Braunfels. Free lecture but exhibition $10. Call 210-824-5368 or visit www.mcnayart.org.
FRI NLC Lecture: E.F. “Smiley” Williams, retired Air Force sergeant, on social economic suppression and the justice system sponsored by Help Own Male Education 11 a.m.noon in Room 109 of the library. Email Zach Kearney at zkearney@ student.alamo.edu. Film: “An Affair to Remember” movie at dusk with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. at San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston. Visit http://www.sabot. org/events/. OLLU Event: Author Helena Viramontes reading 7 p.m. in Thiry Auditorium. Call 210734-9673. Event: Bill Cosby 8 p.m. at the Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle. Tickets starting at $39.50. Call 210223-8624.
Business administration sophomore Ann Marie Heesbrook explains the benefits of being part of Phi Theta Kappa to kinesiology sophomore Federico Pizeno at the organization showcase Wednesday in the mall. Kim-Briana Lorine, Phi Theta Kappa president, dressed as the Beta Nu owl. The showcase promoted clubs and recruited new students. Ayesa Hinojosa
SAT MON UPCOMING St. Mary’s Event: Academic and services fair for incoming freshman and transfer students 7:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. in Room A of the university center. Online registration required. Call 210-436-3126. Community Walk: Walk to End Alzheimer’s 8 a.m.-noon at AT&T Center. Visit http:// ww.alz.org/sanantonio/. SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-0864. SAMA Event: Meditation in the Japanese Gallery 10:15-11 a.m. Free with Alamo Colleges ID. Call 210978-8100 or visit www. samuseum.org.
Sept. 24
PAC Lecture: Generations FCU: Understanding Credit 11 a.m.-noon in Room 130 of the student center. Lunch provided. Call 210-486-3125.
SAC Event: Hecho a Mano arts and crafts sponsored by the office of student life 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the mall. Call 210-486-0125.
SAC Event: Salsa dancing lessons 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin, Call 210-486-0125.
SAC Event: Models, designers and stylists auditions for Nov. 19 fashion show 2-4 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Applications in the office of student life in Room 260A. Call 210-486-0125.
Event: Career fair 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Marriott on the Riverwalk. Bring résumé. Call 866-8385111.
Oct. 7
Oct. 1
SAC Film: “A Beautiful Mind” movie 11:30 a.m. in observation of Mental Illness Awareness Week in the health promotions office in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-4860158. Oct. 26 Event: Comicon 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Admission $30. Continues until Oct. 28. Call 210-207-8500.
Community Event: World Peace Festival 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Historic Jackson Ranch, 8910 Callaghan. Suggested donation $5. Call 210344-8910. Community Event: Jazz’SAlive 11:30 a.m.11 p.m. at Travis Park, 301 E. Travis. Free but VIP tickets $50. Continues Sunday. Call 210-212-8423.
Illustrations by Alexandra Nelipa
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For coverage in SAConnected, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.
News Retirement lowers full-time librarian count to five www.theranger.org/news
Databases and purchasing power affected by budget cuts. By Jennifer M. Ytuarte sac-ranger@alamo.edu
From the 30 faculty and seven staff members at this college accepting a retirement incentive offered in the spring, library services will lose three full-time librarians. Library Director Alice Johnson said Librarian Tom Kuykendall, who accepted Option 1 and retired this summer, was supposed to be replaced Aug. 31, but the full-time staff allotment went to the nursing department instead. By Jan. 9, Bob Singh and Karen Balcom also will retire. This will whittle the full-time faculty to five — Celita DeArmond, Eileen Oliver, Tom Bahlinger, Stephen Dingman and Christina Petimezas. These librarians will be replaced with one full-time and one part-time staff member. New hires are classified as staff, not faculty as former librarians have been, earn a lower pay rate and do not qualify for tenure. Johnson said she hopes there will be enough budget left to hire one more part-time position, but the district must approve the request. Oliver said this college hired a temporary staff librarian last year to help with the shortage and a second started Sept. 8. Both part-time positions are for 19 hours a week. The library remodel added a ser-
Sept. 15, 2014 • 3
vice desk on the fourth floor, which Oliver said stretches staff to its limits. “There’s a lot of pulling people out from what they should be doing to man the reference desks,” she said. “Everyone wants to make it work and we are all cooperative, but it does make staffing difficult.” The fourth floor, which houses a special collection, out-of-print items, rare books and study rooms, is open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Hours will extend to 4 p.m. as soon as work-study students are available. The second and third floors are open 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. MondayThursday; 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The library is closed Sunday. Oliver said the department requested eight to 10 work-study students this semester to help fill the staffing gap. Johnson said although the workstudy students’ skills are limited, they are critical to the department by cleaning, shelving books and reserving study rooms. DeArmond, reference and distance librarian, said, “We are a commuter college with online support through LibGuides and ‘Ask a Librarian!’ Even with hours rolled back over the last few years, students know where to find us. “Librarians are the technology forefront, constantly adapting new technology to make information easier to access,” DeArmond said. “We’ve learned to stretch ourselves and keep the student interaction portion solid,
Chemistry sophomore Ernesto Alva and engineering sophomore Natalya Casas ask Librarian Tom Bahlinger about reserving a study room Monday on the second floor of Moody. When Bahlinger started working at the library 15 years ago, there were 11 full-time librarians on staff. By Jan. 9, the full-time staff will be cut to five. Neven Jones but then behind the scenes things get dropped and we fall behind.” She said the college no longer has a systems librarian, who maintains the databases, server and archives. Oliver said the office of technology services has taken over some database maintenance, and the library catalog is now hosted remotely by Innovative instead of onsite and under the care of a systems librarian. Three databases and 16 percent of the book-purchasing budget were also on the chopping block. Bahlinger, reference librarian and collection manager, said the department’s budget decreased by $46,000 this year. He canceled three yearly database
Spanish Professor Tammy Perez stands in front of national flags Sept. 4 in Oppenheimer. Her advice to her successor as chair of language, philosophy and culture is “don’t lose yourself in the position. Enjoy it.” Daniel Carde
Chair returns to classroom, pursues doctorate degree Chair plans to focus on Hispanic student success for her degree. By M.J. Callahan
mcallahan7@student.alamo.edu
Tammy Perez has served as chair of language, philosophy and culture since 2011 and is now going back to teaching at this college while she pursues her doctorate in higher education leadership from Walden University. “I loved being chair, the ability to help people, to help students. That’s why you become a teacher,” Perez said. “Part of my doctoral degree says that if I am doing a project study at my own institution, you can’t be in a supervisory capacity over any students that I could possibly study. “I made a decision that I had done things for others for
a very long time and that it was time for me to do something for myself,” Perez said about finishing her doctorate degree. “I love being chair — the ability to help people solve problems, to help students. You know, that is what I did this job for. That is why you are a teacher, to help students. And the chair position, it multiplies, not only helping students in your own program but to help students across your department, college, district,” Perez said. Perez is now taking her last two classes for her degree and will be in the dissertation writing phase of her doctorate in the spring through Walden’s online program. “My writing has to take in
several areas for my higher education leadership degree. I have to do something with higher education systems or courses, or programs, for my position that I was hired for. It has to have something to do with Spanish because that is my content area so I am going to focus on Hispanic students. “I am also certified but haven’t taught English as a second language so my thoughts are to focus on the Hispanic students going through our ESL program and where it takes them,” Perez said. “My interest lies in increasing Hispanic student success,” Perez said. This semester Perez is teaching two online sections of SPAN 1411, two courses for Travis Early High School students and a Flex 2 section of SPAN 1412.
subscriptions saving $26,225 and decreased the print purchase budget by 16 percent. The databases and annual cost of each are: Safari tech books online, $11,525; America: History and Life, $10,900; and MLA: International Bibliography, $3,800. Bahlinger said the 2011 budget roughly cut $40,000 from services and the 2012 budget cut $38,000. However, during the 2012-13 fiscal year, a budget increase restored a NewsBank subscription and added to JSTOR access, he said. “What’s frustrating is the (Quality Enhancement Plan) at this college is making information literacy a focus, and to cut our services seems
unwise,” he said. During his 15 years working at this college, Bahlinger said the number of librarians has decreased from 12 or 13 to five as of Jan. 9, with no new faculty or staff hires. “It’s one thing to cut services, like access to books and databases; hopefully, we will rebound from that,” he said. “But what’s disappointing is losing so many librarians and staff and not seeing any resolution.” For research-related questions, call the reference desk at 210-4860554. For information about textbooks on reserve, call the reserve desk at 210-486-0582.
Prem
4 • www.theranger.org/premiere
Bikes stolen on campus Lack of identification hinders property retrieval. By M. J. Callahan
mcallahan7@student.alamo.edu
Biology freshman Karina DeLeon locks her bike using a U-lock Wednesday before class in the mall east of the chemistry and geology building. DeLeon said she recommends students “buy an expensive lock” to guard against theft. E. David Guel
Of the 16 bicycles stolen from this campus over the summer, none were registered, making it nearly impossible to prove ownership if recovered. This college has 10 bike racks, and B-cycle is building a bike rental station at EcoCentro on North Main Avenue and West Myrtle Street, potentially increasing the number of bike riders on campus. So, have you registered your bike? Alamo Community College District Crime Prevention Officer McLennan said registrations are low – 115 since 2009. Last semester, there were 62,377
students at the Alamo Colleges. McLennan said registering your bike with campus police adds it to a districtwide database, increasing the chances of retrieving a bike if it is stolen. Bikes are identified by serial number, model, frame and color. Only two students whose bikes were stolen this summer knew their serial numbers. However, police never recovered their bikes. A third student’s bike was found and returned over the summer, identified by a unique high-tech device on the bike, McLennan said. McLennan said bike thefts over the summer resulted in $4,688 lost. McLennan said when a bike is reported stolen, police input the registered information into a national database. Pawnshops report their inventory
to the same database before putting it on the floor, making it possible to identify stolen property. However, without a serial number on the bike, there is no way to prove ownership. During the summer, bike thefts were reported across the district, and one arrest was made, McLennan said. Thefts have decreased since the arrest, but campus police still encourage cyclists to register their property and lock their bikes. When buying a lock, a good rule of thumb is to spend 10 percent of the cost of your bike, McLennan said. Using a bike rack is safer then locking the bike to a tree because racks are usually placed in a surveillance camera’s view. For more information contact McLennan at cmclennan@alamo.edu.
EcoCentro boosts transportation B-cycle and electric car chargers offer green travel options. By Marina Garcia
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
For students who don’t drive to school, the city’s latest B-cycle station at Sinkin EcoCentro will provide another method of transportation. The EcoCentro will be installing a B-cycle station in the parking lot east of the center. Other stations closest to campus include Tobin Lofts, the San Antonio Central Library and Pearl Brewery. B-cycle stations are also at the Witte Museum’s parking garage, Travis Park, Hemisview at 212
Labor St., Roosevelt Park, Mission San José and Mission Espada. With headquarters at 600 Hemisfair Plaza Way. VIA Metropolitan Transit is moving the bus stop on North Main Avenue from Dewey Place one block south to East Locust Street at Sinkin EcoCentro along with covered seating. A free charger for electric cars will be in the parking lot east of the center. The installation of a B-cycle station at this college will take about 45 days, the bus stop about 30 days and the charger about two months. An annual B-cycle membership includes an unlimited number of 60 minute rides for $80.
A 24-hour membership, includes an unlimited number of 30 minute rides for $10. Both charge $2 per half hour after the included free time. San Antonio B-cycle recommends keeping each bike checkout 30 minutes or less to avoid a usage fee. Annual membership and seven-day passes are available online only. To obtain a B-cycle membership, log on to www.sanantonio.bcycle.com. Sinkin EcoCentro is open 7:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m. Monday- Thursday. EcoCentro Director Steven Lewis said the center can always use more volunteers to work in the
A fence surrounds the future site of a new B-Cycle station outside EcoCentro on East Locust Street east of the center. Ian Coleman garden and on other reuse and recycling projects. For more information call Lewis at 210-4860417.
miere
Sept. 15, 2014 • 5
Bike lock tips
David Torres, Davis Middle School seventh grader, reaches for a screw to bolt a handlebar to his handmade BMX bicycle Sept. 2 during open shop night at EarnABike at 2619 Guadalupe. Since mid-July, David has donated more than 24 hours to the co-op and built four bicycles from scratch. Jennifer M. Ytuarte
City’s first bicycle co-op brings color, altruism to West Side residents Volunteering “pays” for the opportunity to build a bike. Jennifer M. Ytuarte sac-ranger@alamo.edu
A lime-green row house, matching shed and shipping container on Guadalupe Street are home of the city’s first bicycle co-op. Founder Cristian Sandoval said the co-op’s goal is getting the neighborhood mobile with three key programs: open shop, where participants can use the co-op’s tools to fix or modify their own rides; BScuela, a play on the spanish word for school, a series of classes on bike repairs and maintenance; and EarnABike, its namesake, allowing participants to build their own bicycle if they volunteer at least 24 hours at the shop. BScuela is 6:30-8 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month. Open shop is weekly from 6-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 2-6 p.m. Saturdays at 2619 Guadalupe St. The co-op does not have a strongpower supply, so open shop ends when the sun sets.
Lydia Boudreaux, EarnABike general manager and business sophomore at this college, said her participation in the program started in June. The co-op debuted the same month. “I heard about this program and spent the summer cleaning, tearing down bikes and building my own,” she said. She said her bike is in a constant state of improvement. She pointed toward her bike, propped against the door of the co-op’s metal shipping container, which stores bikes in progress. “I added a sticker and some tape to the handlebars but want to work on the seat, too,” she said. As she spoke, 12-year-old David Torres, a seventh grader at Davis Middle School, walked into the shipping container and pointed out his bike, trying to lift it from the pile of unfinished bikes-in-progress. Over the summer, David assembled four bicycles and is building a BMX bike he plans to use for tricks. In the backyard, Navarro Academy graduate Clement Ronald lifted a rusty red, 12-inch bike frame and added it to a row of 12-inch and 16-inch frame
EarnABike founder Cristian Sandoval checks a tire for leaks as nursing freshman Daniel Esquivel holds the tire by its spokes. In July, Esquivel pieced together his own bicycle from used donations as part of the EarnABike program. Jennifer M. Ytuarte
Navarro Academy graduate Clement Ronald inspects his bicycle’s handlebar as nursing freshman Daniel Esquivel makes sure it is aligned with the head tube and fork below. San Antonio’s premiere bicycle co-op helps participants build their own bicycle by using donated bicycle frames and parts. Jennifer M. Ytuarte donations. Ronald helped over the summer and built from scratch a Japanesemade ’70s road bike. “I’m repaying the favor,” he said. “They gave me a bike, why not help out?”
Cable Lock Price: $10-$20 Pros: Cheap, lightweight, easy to carry, can stretch around most objects Cons: Easy to cut through, not a good source of protection unless used with another lock Uses: Best used in low-risk areas or for quick stops
Folding Lock Price: $50-$120 Pros: Compact for easier transport, sturdier than cable locks Cons: Expensive, compact but heavy, not as sturdy as a U-Lock Uses: Good for low-to-medium risk situations
Until now, the use of tools has been free, but starting Oct. 1, Sandoval said an annual membership is $25, or $5 per visit to use the shop’s tools. For more information about EarnABike, call Sandoval at 210-6608260 or via www.earnabikecoop.org.
Small business owner offers advice to new riders Cost, safety and maintenance are key factors when buying a bike. By Pam Paz
ppaz2@student.alamo.edu
Paul Magallanez, owner of Leather Hands BMX Bike School and Repair Shop, knows a thing or two about bikes. Magallanez has been a bike enthusiast for more than 20 years and has been professionally repairing bikes for the last 10 years. He said he is a self-taught bike repairman and learned his craft by working on his own bikes and helping others customize theirs. During an interview, Bobby Burge and Larry Grey, talked shop after hours. Burge is a former engineering student who attended this college 1989-1991 and transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1993. Although Magallanez mostly does repairs, he also dabbles in the buying, sell-
ing and trading of bikes and parts. Grey said Magallanez’s business is a consignment shop. People can come in to purchase new, used or “newsed” bikes, Grey said. Magallanez orders bikes and parts through bike suppliers. The “newsed” bikes Grey referred to are bikes made out of used bike parts to create a custom bike. He said, “You have to try to get the best quality for what you can afford.” Magallanez said new bikes can start anywhere from $250 to $1,000. “Newsed,” or new used bikes start at $50 and up. The purpose of the bike and experience level of the rider are also important factors. “If you’re going to be riding your bike downtown, to school or around campus, you should use a commuter bike,” he said.
Burge said many beginners make the mistake of purchasing mountain bikes for commuter riding. He said beginners don’t understand the gears and recommends against dual shock bikes. Magallanez said, when it comes to bikes, size matters. New riders should consider their own size, by finding a bike that fits. Magallanaz added, riders should do a basic check each time they ride. This includes checking air pressure, brake function, wheel alignment and steering. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website offers these safe riding tips: Wear a properly fitted helmet, adjust the bike to fit, check the equipment, see and be seen, control the bike, watch for and avoid road hazards and avoid riding at night. Maintenance is also important. “The one thing people who want to ride should learn is to fix a flat,” Magallanez said.
Heavy Chain Lock Price: $30-$100 Pros: Secure easy to use Cons: Expensive, can be heavy and bulky Uses: Typically used on really expensive bikes
Bobby Burge, engineering alumnus of this college, practices tricks Saturday outside of Leather Hands BMX Bike School and Repair Shop, 222 Fredericksburg. Owner Paul Magallenez and Burge are bike enthusiasts and ride freestyle together. Pam Paz The cost to fix a flat at a bike shop runs between $15 and $20, he said. Another common bike repair is chain replacement. The website, thebicylechain. com, recommends replacing chains every few months. Magallanez said riders who ride their bike daily should take it to a bike shop to get checked out at least
once every three months. Magallanez’s shop is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information about BMX Bike School and Repair Shop, call 210702-7388 or email magallanezpaul@yahoo.com. Visit bikeleague.org for more information about bicycles, safety and maintenance.
U-Lock Price: $20-$90 Pros: Secure, attaches to bicycle, more secure than cable lock Cons: Heavy, can be expensive, bulky to transport, might not fit around all objects Uses: For cities or anywhere bicycle safety is a concern Illustrations by Ansley Lewis
6 • Sept. 15, 2014
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Editor Bleah B. Patterson News Editor M.J. Callahan Sections Editor Adriana Ruiz Calendar Editor Pam Paz Staff Writers Jose Arredondo, Anthony B. Botello, Dorothy P. Braziel, Ana Victoria Cano, Casey Levane Coggins, Ian Coleman, Kyle Cotton, R. Eguia, S.T. Fegins, Marina Garcia, Sarah Garrett, Tim Hernandez, Cynthia Herrera, M. Horta, R.T. Gonzalez, David M. Jimenez, Shawntell Johnson, R. Longoria, Nicole Lopez, Deven Malone, Nikki D. Monson, Richard Montemayor, Nathalie Mora, Landon Penn, Cassandra M. Rodriguez, Juan Anthony Rodriguez, Lily Teran, Amanda K. Tetens, Jennifer M. Ytuarte Photo Editor Daniel Carde Photographers David Guel, Neven Jones Photo Team Milena Arias, Manuel Bautista, Anthony Carrizales, Christopher Hernandez, Javier Hernandez, Ayesa Hinojosa, Charis Kempen, Chelsea Ann Owen, Reynaldo Ruiz, Amy Staggs, Taylor Tribbey Illustrators Ansley Lewis, Alexandra Nelipa Production Manager Mandy Derfler Promotions Manager Katherine Garcia ©2014 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 Fridays except during summer, holidays and examinations. The Ranger Online is available at www.theranger.org. News contributions accepted by telephone (210-486-1773), by fax (210-486-9292), by email (sac-ranger@alamo.edu) or at the editorial office (Room 212 of Loftin Student Center). Advertising rates available upon request by phone (210-486-1765) or as a download at www.theranger.org. The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Community College Journalism Association. Guest Viewpoints: Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to contribute guest viewpoints of up to 450 words. Writers should focus on campus or current events in a critical, persuasive or interpretative style. All viewpoints must be published with a photo portrait of the writer. Letters Policy: The Ranger invites readers to share views by writing letters to the editor. Space limitations force the paper to limit letters to two double-spaced, typewritten pages. Letters will be edited for spelling, style, grammar, libel and length. Editors reserve the right to deny publication of any letter. Letters should be mailed to The Ranger, Department of Media Communications, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299. Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, emailed to sac-ranger@alamo.edu or faxed to 210-486-9292. Letters must be signed and must include the printed name and telephone number. Students should include classification, major, campus and Banner ID. Employees should include title and telephone number. For more information, call 210-486-1773. Single Copy Policy: Members of the Alamo Community College District community are permitted one free copy per issue because of high production costs. Where available, additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting The Ranger business office. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single-copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and subject to college discipline.
VIEWPOINTS ONLINE
Ansley Lewis
Library neglect hurts Caring about librarians means caring about students, which leads to success. The library is arguably the most important spot on campus for students and faculty to access resources pivotal to success. But the district refuses to approve hiring enough librarians. What students and faculty need is a library open long enough to service the campus and the district to take responsibility for the problem instead of pawning it off on us. As mentioned in “Retirement lowers fulltime librarian count to five,” of the 30 faculty who took the retirement incentive in the spring, three of them were librarians. Since then, the library has only been authorized to hire two “staff members” who earn less than their predecessors because the district no longer considers them faculty. Could this indicate how district officials view faculty? It’s obvious they’ve forgotten how essential librarians are to students who rely on the library for technological resources among others. With administrators insisting technology is the key to student success, why leave our newly renovated library unacceptably short staffed? A library with shortened hours and a skeleton crew is a travesty, plain and simple, but it’s not the librarians’ fault. Instead, it’s the fault of the board of trustees, who hear these complaints and do nothing. Let’s back up. Students deserve an accessible library to research, write and print before
classes. The library also keeps textbooks on reserve, but the catch is you can’t leave the library with them. Library hours reflective of class schedules would ensure time to check out reserved books between classes; night classes should be considered, too. Proper staffing is required to make sure the library stays open. And isn’t the district saving money by not printing parking decals? That’s one less expenditure drawn from the campus access fee. So why not use all the money saved to hire more librarians? And don’t tell us it’s not that simple. It’s been simple enough to gather thousands of dollars for administrator bonuses and pay raises. Celita DeArmond is a reference and distance librarian as well as the president of the San Antonio College chapter of the American Association of University Professors. Not only is she a distinguished librarian, keen on the needs of librarians and library patrons, but she has also been charged with representing the needs of this college’s faculty. So when she says the librarians are “stretched thin,” we need to listen. To the people who have the power to solve this problem, we ask that you listen to DeArmond and other experts appointed to make the right decisions. To faculty, staff and students, it would probably be best to make your voices heard, because when it comes to money, there aren’t many people listening to our needs.
Good to lose decals Freelance photographer Todd Robertson photographed a Ku Klux Klan rally Sept. 5, 1992, in Gainsville, Ga. Courtesy Southern Poverty Law Center
Why I chose conflict photography Viewpoint by Daniel Carde
Eliminating parking decals for students can benefit faculty and staff too. The removal of decals as a parking protocol is the first thing district has gotten right in a long time. The general public, trying to park in the now open lots, is the only real concern for students. Though if anyone wants to circle full parking lots for hours trying to find an empty spot alongside students, more power to them. About $35,000 will be saved on printing and distributing the 2-inch-by 2-inch stickers, not to mention all of the paper and hassle saved without the barrage of parking tickets passed out. Since enforcement officers will not only get to keep their jobs, many will also get promo-
tions, and campus police will be able to better serve the area without having to babysit parking lots. Students pay a one-time $25 campus access fee. Faculty and staff pay a $50 vehicle registration fee, taken out of their paychecks over the semester. Faculty and staff can opt out of the $50 fee to park in faculty lots by not registering a vehicle and avoiding the charge. These fees are not unreasonable, as funding provides services such as road repairs and scholarships. With all the upset district caused last semester, between EDUC 1300, standardized textbooks and six institutes, it’s nice to be able to give them a pat on the back for once.
Pulse
www.theranger.org/pulse
Sept. 15, 2014 • 7
Gaming Society seeks fellow gamers, friends, thrills Gamers hope to host lifelike rock concert using popular video game “Rock Band.” By Ansley Lewis
alewis87@student.alamo.edu
Students interested in playing video and tabletop games and socializing with gamers are encouraged to join the San Antonio College Gaming Society. Gaming Society meetings are at 2 p.m. Thursdays in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center. At their second meeting on Sept. 4, Gaming Society President Alex “Dovahkiin” Garza was running late, but that did not stop members from having fun. Members quickly pulled out a laptop and gathered around it to play the new indie horror-survival game “Five Nights at Freddy’s.” The basic premise behind “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is to survive for five levels, at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza without being murdered by animatronic robots. The player receives a limited amount of battery power to operate the establishment’s cameras and doors, which serve as the main protection from the killer robots. The robots cannot move if the player focuses a camera on them, but operating the cameras uses battery power. Once the battery is dead, the robots are free to roam and swiftly
move in to kill the player. When Garza arrived, the meeting officially began, and he asked the 14 members in attendance what gaming platforms they preferred. Most said the personal computer was their favorite platform. Garza said he leads the PC Gaming Group, which he started for members who own a PC. Garza said he frequently updates the organization’s Facebook page with announcements for free games and invitations to multiplayer games. He started the Gaming Society because there was a similar club at Blinn College. Garza also introduced several events the organization is planning throughout the semester. Events include a “Super Smash Bros.” tournament, a Nerf sword dueling match and a “Rock Band” concert. Garza hopes to have either the latest “Super Smash Bros.” game, or “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” available for the tournament. “Super Smash Bros.” is a game where players can battle opponents using various characters from previous Nintendo games. For the Nerf dueling match, the society will collaborate with the fencing club, Garza said. Members will learn fencing techniques while hav-
SELF-HELP from Page 1 education chair, said his department is behind the district curve. “I just did my accountability training to use the online system last week,” he said. “And we didn’t have enough personnel over the summer to start training team leaders so we’re just beginning to start the process.” “I’m not sure it’s effective for us,” Burton said. “I mean, for people who actually spend everyday with students. It keeps us occupied, but it keeps us from students. “From what I can tell it works really well in industries. The marketing shows 4DX is clearly a great tool for corporations, but here it’s just a bit of a distraction.” Burton said his department plans three teams once the leaders have access to the 4DX online curriculum. The teams have
STUDY By Ana Victoria Cano
Video game design freshman Trevin Flowers and accounting sophomore Michael Heitz play “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” on Wii Thursday in the Cyber Cafe on the second floor of Loftin. They lost the brawl to the computer’s avatar. Cyber Cafe is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and gaming systems may be checked out from the office of student life with a Banner ID. Daniel Carde ing fun at the same time. The dueling match will feature sword fighting with Nerf foam swords in a tournament-style competition. Garza said the “Rock Band” tournament is the organization’s more ambitious event. He hopes to attract enough interest to give the tournament the same
already begun working on “small scale charts.” “I think it’s something the district is putting a lot of emphasis on,” he said. “Resistance is futile.” Department chairs and coordinators are expected to report their weekly unit meetings to college administrators and progress presentations are made at board meetings. Team leaders are required to enter the results of weekly meetings on a website operated by FranklinCovey. Mathematics and computer science Chair Said Fariabi said he hasn’t heard any complaints, and his faculty members enjoy the weekly meetings. “They’re a chance for us to talk about what’s going on in the classrooms. Our goal is to interact with five students a week – we do a lot more than that – but we like talking about the experi-
Textbooks: Find a perfect fit
On average students are more likely to rent than buy their books. He said sometimes students need to refer back It’s a new semester with new classes and stuto their books but when they rent, they can’t do dents need textbooks. Should they rent or buy? so once the semester is over. Also, is a digital copy a better option than He said a lot of professors are owning a text? switching to e-books because they Renting or buying books is are cheaper. Students who have often a debate in students’ minds. a laptop, tablet or even a smart Both have merits. “I prefer to buy phone can access them anywhere. my books because I compare the Johnson recommends students prices. The difference is not a lot do research about e-books before and I can own my book for future buying them. A good choice is references,” English sophomore to try an e-book to see if the stuDiana Mundujano said. dent likes the product and feels Melvin Johnson, bookstore comfortable using it. manager at this college, said one Johnson said e-books have of the pros of buying books is printed books’ features; students students can keep them after can highlight and make notes. the semester is over. Also, stuHe said they provide speakable dents who don’t want to keep text options, interactive quizzes them can sell them back and and flash cards. They also help depending on the title and the the environment. condition, students can recover However, not all students have up to 50 percent of their value. a computer, a tablet or a smart Johnson said buying books can be more expensive, and Illustration by Alexandra Nelipa phone. He said digital is not for everysometimes a student cannot resell body; a lot of people are not used to e-books and them. prefer print. Johnson said students can save money with He offered a simple formula for undecided a rental, and students don’t have to worry about students. selling the book at the end of the semester. For “If it’s your major, buy the book so you can students who don’t like to keep books or students refer back to it,” he said. “If it is not, rent it.” whose budget is tight, renting is their best option. sac-ranger@alamo.edu
atmosphere of a real rock concert. “People will be able to develop a band name, choose a song and make costumes,” Garza said. “They will be judged on their costumes, skills and performance.” Garza stressed judging would not be solely based on the difficulty level of songs, but how the group per-
LIVING
forms overall. “We plan to have the tournament after midterms to give students a chance to wind down,” Garza said. “The ‘Rock Band’ concert will be toward the end of the semester.” For more information, join the group’s Orgsync page, or like them on Facebook at /SACGamingSociety.
ences faculty have during those interactions,” Fariabi said. The office of student life also questions the programs necessity. Carrie Hernandez, senior specialist in the office of student life, said student life has a Marvel Comics superhero-themed progress board. “Over here, we think it’s great, but we also think that we do it all the time,” she said. Hernandez said student life’s goal is to engage 90 percent of all students on campus on a weekly basis. This means making a point of greeting students and interacting with students they see in passing on campus. “We get to meet a lot of students. I’ve been here for 30 years and I see it everyday. Now we just have charts and more paperwork to keep us busy and take up more of our time,” she said.
Couples and common law
Students should weigh the benefits of cohabitation. By Nathalie Mora
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The definition of marriage has changed dramatically over the years as younger generations have given it a different meaning. Students are finding it easy to ask a sweetheart to move into an apartment together and live as husband and wife without legal obligations. Jonathan Carmona, a nursing sophomore, has been living with his girlfriend for more than three years. He said, “I personally believe marriage is just a title nowadays; marriage is an image you present to people.” Anthropology Professor Elizabeth De la Portilla, said the thinking of marriage has changed. Before, women were expected to stay at home and raise children without the opportunity of obtaining a college degree. Beginning with the feminist movement in the 1900s, this has changed. “We’re not marrying for the same reasons that we used to,” De la Portilla said. Sharing an apartment with a partner and living like a married couple may have consequences.
Illustration by Alexandra Nelipa Government Professor Asslan Khaligh said Texas law includes common law marriage. He said two people live together for more than six months and publicly announce each other as husband and wife, then the state believes they are legally married. Khaligh said if the state of Texas considers the couple to have lived under common law, that couple would have to get a divorce, even if they did not have a formal ceremony or marriage license.
8 • Sept. 15, 2014
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