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Volume 89 Issue 5 • Oct. 20, 2014
210-486-1773 • Single copies free
Dirty laundry
Dental assisting sophomore Stephanie Contreras leads a chant of “speak up!” with students, staff and faculty from this college in a march against domestic abuse Oct. 15 that began in the
By Bleah B. Patterson
bpatterson13@student.alamo.edu
District officials aim to clarify incorrectly dubbed “generic degrees,” insisting they are still associate degrees but can now be classified as “transfer degrees.” Student trustee Jacob Wong met with Dr. Jo-Carol Fabianke, vice chancellor for academic success, Wednesday to lobby on students’ behalf, and said he was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. “We’ve been using the wrong terminology all along,” he said. “This isn’t a generic degree. She told me if students understand that it’s a transfer degree, like a pathway to their bachelor’s degree, it makes a lot more sense.” Fabianke said the issue is a waste of money and time. “We feel it’s to (the students’) advantage to get the most of your classes to transfer,” and that currently isn’t the case, Fabianke said. Administrators at the district and college level have consistently expressed concern about students who take classes for degree programs at one of the five Alamo
Illustration by Ansley Lewis Colleges and have to retake similar classes at a four-year university. “Students once had to choose whether (just to) transfer, taking only the classes that they would actually be able to transfer, or getting a degree. Now they can do both,” Fabianke said. Wong said students of community colleges should be responsible about their education because they are the community’s investment. “Students don’t pay for all of their tuition. Bexar County residents pay a portion of that,” Wong said. “Students should be responsible with that money and not waste time taking courses that aren’t
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women’s empowerment center and ended in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Volunteers and staff from the women’s empowerment center held a clothesline with decorated T-shirts attached. Read the story online. E. David Guel
Transfer degrees benefit students The community invests in students’ education.
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transferrable. They should get their degrees and then get into the workforce, giving back to the community.” The state also contributes to the cost of students’ education at community colleges. Fabianke said Alamo Institutes are the next step, allowing broad areas of study in business, technology, health services and other districtdubbed “pathways,” where students can move around within that field “getting their feet wet” and still transfer with all their credit hours. The Alamo Institutes are scheduled to launch officially in 2017. Students who enrolled before this semester will not be affected by the degree change for now. Students who enrolled this fall will not see a concentration printed on their diplomas. Dr. Robert Vela, president of this college, said in a College Council meeting Oct. 14 he hopes to find compromise, possibly printing “transfer degree” and an area of study on diplomas. Fabianke said the Presidents and Vice Chancellors Committee, known as the PVC, has nothing on its agenda to change that yet.
College seeks two vice presidents Three committees review two candidate pools before sending recommendations. By M.J. Callahan
mcallahan7@student.alamo.edu
Two vice presidential searches have a combined 256 applicants for the vice president of academic success and vice president of student success positions. Members filtered the applications to ensure all of the criteria for the position were met. To apply for the vice president of student success position, applicants need a master’s degree or equivalent, however, a doctorate is preferred. Applicants also need at least five years of experience in college administration with a focus in student services. Among the vice president of student success committee members are Emma Mendiola, chair of student development; Chaye Peña, senior coordinator for student success; Martin Ortega, director of admission and records; Richard Farias, director of student life; and Mona AldanaRamirez, director of student success.
The committee reviewed 138 applicants and narrowed them to 15. For the vice president for academic success, the criteria included knowledge of academics in a multicampus district. A master’s degree and five years of experience in higher education administration are required. Criminal justice Professor Tiffany Cox; mortuary science Professor Mary Mena; Said Fariabi, chair of math and computer science; and Lauri Metcalf, chair of American Sign Language and interpreter training, are working to narrow 118 applicants to 15-20. Members had time to review candidates individually, and they compared notes Oct. 17 to narrow applicants before forwarding to the overarching committee, Cox said. Dr. Robert Vela, president of this college, and foreign language Professor Tammy Perez assembled an overarching committee. Perez will serve as chair. The committee will gather applications after the two search committees narrow the pools based on fulfillment of the positions’ requirements.
See SEARCH, Page 7