The Ranger Sept. 20, 2013

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Volume 88 Issue 2 • Sept. 20, 2013

210-486-1773 • Single copies free

Heads up

Intern on assignment at Navy Yard shooting

By Carlos Ferrand

cferrand@student.alamo.edu

Date a banned book “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and the “Goosebumps” series may not have a lot in common, but they do share one designation: both are on the list of books that have been banned from some public schools and libraries.

This college’s library will celebrate Banned Book Week with a freedom-to-read event called Blind Date with a Banned Book.

The American Library Association sponsors Banned Book Week in cooperation with libraries across the country.

A variety of banned books will be available for check out. Along with books, librarians will distribute an assortment of date night goodies.

Titles such as “The Catcher and the Rye” and “To Kill a Mocking Bird” will be among the books available.

Most of the books on the list are banned for sexual content, language or racial discussions.

Most banned books come into question when parents find the content not suitable for their children, Librarian Celita DeArmond said. “Every good library contains something that offends somebody.”

Blind Date with a Book will be 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 27 and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 28 on the third floor of Moody Learning Center.

For more information and a list of banned books, visit sacguide.libguides.com/banned.

Carlos Ferrand

Budget cuts strain English program At this point in the semester, the English lab is usually buzzing with students.

However, budget cuts have left it eerily quiet.

English lab hours have been cut by nearly two-thirds, English Chair Mike Burton said.

In spring, the English lab was open 12 hours a day, five days a week with a tutoring staff of seven.

Today, the lab is down to one tutor who is not permitted to work more than 19 hours a week.

See ENGLISH, Page 3

Former Ranger editor Zahra Farah, a senior at Texas State University on an internship for the Scripps Howard News Service in Washington, D.C., covered the Washington Navy Yard shooting Monday.

Her story “13 dead in Washington Navy Yard Shooting” was distributed to The Post, Ohio University’s independent student-run newspaper, and Kansas City infoZine, Kansas City metro area digital magazine, by the news service.

Farah, editor of The Ranger in spring 2011, is in her third internship, after graduating from this

college in 2011.

Danger and fear did not really register with Farah as she covered the shooting, she said Wednesday in a telephone interview.

“You just want to get the story,” Farah said.

“You just want to get the information and let people know what is going on.”

A reporter’s focus completely changes, and fear or danger does not register, she said. The same rules apply when covering something on campus or a national event.

In May 2010, Farah was serving as the news

The Alamo Colleges’ board of trustees voted unanimously to implement a $1 international education fee pending a majority vote of students from all five Alamo Colleges in its regular monthly board meeting Tuesday in Room 101 of Killen Center.

The assessed fee is $1 per student per semester.

The fee is intended to assist students interested in study abroad programs.

“This is going to be a great opportunity for our students,” Carol Fimmen, director of international programs, said.

The fee is scheduled for implementation in spring.

No procedure for a district-

wide vote was discussed during the meeting.

Fimmen said that there is no plan in place at the moment for a vote, but the goal is still to have the fee in place by spring registration.

“We will have to move quickly on this,” she said.

Spring registration traditionally begins in November.

During an interview following the meeting, District 1 trustee Joe Alderete Jr. said he was looking forward to seeing how the voting process would unfold.

“We need to have the students have the say in this because it is coming out of their pocket,” Alderete said.

“It is very important for students to have a role, especially

Ticketing for parking violations begins Oct. 1.

By Katherine Garcia

kgarcia203@student.alamo.edu

when the impact of that role sometimes affects some students and not others,” he said.

“So in a true democracy, you want to reflect the opinion of all those involved.”

Alderete called the vote “a good learning situation. How do we even get people to voice their opinion through their vote?”

District 2 trustee Denver McClendon said the opportunity for students to explore other cultures and study abroad is very important, but the assessment of a $1 fee should not be decided by trustees.

He said when every student is assessed a fee but only a small number participate, that deci-

See STUDENTS, Page 10

See LOFTS, Page 3

See INTERN, Page 10

Students to vote on $1 fee cferrand@student.alamo.edu

Lofts tenant parking in college garage

Police will begin ticketing vehicles in campus lots Oct. 1 if they do not have parking permits or are parked illegally.

“We do that so people have plenty of time to get their decals,” Police Chief Don Adams said.

All students pay a campus access fee of $25 per semester, which gives them two options: They can receive up to two parking decals or receive a free VIA Metropolitan transit bus pass from the business office in Fletcher Administration Center.

As of Sept. 13, 17,434 parking decals have been mailed, and as of Thursday, 1,018 bus passes have been requested, assistant bursar Michelle Gable said Thursday.

Students who don’t get a parking or bus pass don’t get a refund, said Tim Rockey, dean of continuing education and workforce development.

“You pay the one fee. That way everyone’s granted access to the campus and all its resources,” he said.

Officials do not agree on how the fee will be used to enhance access for students.

Revenue from the parking permit fee increases access for all students, John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities, told The Ranger Sept. 10. For example, he said funds can be used to support online classes or increase the library’s database collection.

According to http://www.alamo.edu/sac/ parking-permits/, however, “revenue generated is dedicated to parking facilities, construction and maintenance, and at board option, excess fees may be designated for student scholarship funds.”

In presenting the proposed fee to Alamo Colleges trustees May 14, Diane Snyder, vice chancellor of for finance and administration, said the fee would be used for paying debt service on district parking garages and repairing parking lots and roadways.

Even though students are required to pay the $25 fee, parking in the college’s garage will require an additional $1 each time they exit likely beginning in the spring semester after gates at entrances are installed and functioning.

Rockey said the garage gates should be completed by mid-October with winter break being the latest completion deadline.

Administrators with reserved parking in the garage pay $150 in addition to the $50 campus parking permit.

Student garage parking permits are not available and won’t be, said public information officer Julie Cooper.

When students or employees enter the garage, they will receive a ticket from a kiosk by the gate. When they leave, they must return the ticket and pay $1.

Drivers must pay the fee every time they exit the garage. Cash, credit or debit are accepted.

The unmanned kiosks will be emptied of cash daily to prevent theft.

According to a minute order during the May 14 Building, Grounds and Sites Selection

Performance artist S.T. Shimi thrills the crowd with a fire dance at Southwest School of Art carnival Thursday to celebrate visual arts Professor Rebecca Dietz’s photography exhibition. The exhibit “Wonder Worlds” warranted a festival fitting of its name with various booths offering cotton candy and tarot card and face readings. Casey Alcala

By Carlos Ferrand

/readtheranger

2 • Sept. 20, 2013

People

www.theranger.org/people

Business administration sophomore Victor Richarte uses a magnifier to review his astronomy homework with tutor Carlos Flores Thursday in the geology museum in Room 003 of the chemistry and geology. See story online at TheRanger.org. Daniel Arguelles

Biology sophomore Rafael Angarita practices a power shot during a racquetball class Tuesday in Candler. Angarita played tennis and wanted to try racquetball. He said it provides a good workout. Daniel Arguelles Geology sophomore Will Ingraham, assisted by astrophysics sophomore David Cooper, uses a gyroscope to demonstrate centripetal force.

Centripetal force is used in space as a way to propel objects so they can move in their desired direction.

Emily Rodriguez

Abel Flores, Grainger Industrial Supply electrical technician, replaces a 250-watt metal halide light with a 131-watt LED light Wednesday on a 25-foot pole north of Lot 28. Riley Stephens

Liberal arts sophomore Jim Hobrecht paints the final coat for his treasured object assignment in a ceramics class. He refers to his real sneaker as he finalizes details of the piece. Casey Alcala

News

www.theranger.org/news

Sept. 20, 2013 • 3

Picking a major important decision

Transfer center smooths process

Center one-stop empowerment

By Kathya Anguiano

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Transfer center allows students to shop for colleges.

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

By Kathya Anguiano sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The hardest decision to make when thinking about your future is picking a major that will prepare you to earn a living.

Thanks to the campus transfer and career center on the first floor of Moody Learning Center, students can get help in making that decision.

“It’s a perfect way for people who are just starting with their choice to go ‘shopping’ for colleges to compare and see what they have to offer,” Counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez said.

The center’s main focus is to help students pick the right transfer university. According to campus Counseling and Advising Services’ transfer checklist, the first step to a successful transfer is for students to meet with a counselor or faculty adviser to review associate and transfer degree plans.

Then students should meet with a transfer adviser from the university being considered, and if possible, visit the campus.

If applicable, students may sign a joint admissions agreement or transfer agreement. “Those agreements are like

LOFTS from Page 1 Committee meeting, $480,755 was awarded to Kratos Public Safety and Security Solutions to purchase and install “barrier gates, concrete islands, bollards, and the call stations/payment stations enabling the controlled access and collection of fees.”

Sensor loops and “lot full” signs will be installed to monitor the number of parking spaces available.

The Tobin Lofts garage under construction at North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street will be completed in February, Rockey said, and the latest date of completion is April 1. The garage will have an estimated 950 spaces with up to 550 spaces reserved for Tobin Lofts residents.

Student parking is left with 400 spots. This number may change depending on the number of residents purchasing decals, Strybos said.

your final transcript papers you fill out in high school right before you graduate,” Gonzalez said.

Next, one must submit a transfer or admission application by the appropriate deadline, which is accessible through applytexas.org for Texas public universities. Application fees might also be required, and transcripts from all colleges attended must be submitted.

According to the transfer checklist, the last thing to do is apply for financial aid and scholarships. “Colleges and representatives visit everyday to talk to students.

We’ve tried to put posters around campus with dates and information, and we also have a calendar on our website,” Gonzalez said.

The center is open for general information and advising on Monday and Wednesday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., general information only is available on Tuesdays from 8 a.m.-noon, and counseling and advising are available on Tuesdays from noon-7 p.m. as well as every first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

For more help, visit the transfer center in Moody first floor, call 210-486-0342 or visit alamo.edu/sac/transfer/.

Until the new garage opens, parking is reserved for Tobin Lofts residents on the second floor of the college garage. Administration and handicap parking have reserved spaces on the first floor, and students can park on the remaining spaces in the first, third and fourth floors.

Tobin Lofts residents can purchase a $200 overnight parking pass that is good for a year and they are exempt from the $1 exit fee.

Space may be designated on additional floors as more residents move in, Strybos said.

Every resident with a parking decal is guaranteed a spot in the garage, he added.

The garage has 1,050 spaces and four floors, and 130 students have purchased the $200 parking permit out of 261 residents living at Tobin Lofts.

ENGLISH from Page 1 Burton said he has nine work study positions available but still needs to fill seven spots.

The spots are vacant because the funds are not there to support them, he said.

“The mantra around here is ‘we need to do more with less.’” Burton said. “I think we’ve maxed out. We cannot continue to do more with less.”

Burton explains that everyone in the department is eager to make time for students and invest in tutors.

“We want to be here for the students; there just are not enough of us.” he said The English department was promised funds to hire work-studies and tutors for the upcoming semester by Sept. 1.

By Christopher A. Hernandez sac-ranger@alamo.edu

When students hear words like “for example” and repeated information is shared in classes students should pay attention and take notes.

“Note-taking is a lifelong skill and every person has their own style,” student development Instructor Casey Lechuga said.

He said there are many ways to organize notes from a lecture.

“The platform or format may have changed, but note-taking is a universal skill. To stay organized in any subject, you must take notes,” he said.

Lechuga said the most common format and method he uses in his classes

“It’s been what? Two weeks now?

And we still don’t have the funds to hire those people,” Burton said.

Burton is opposed to using volunteers in the labs because he does not believe that students should be used in lieu of funding.

“I don’t want to exploit students,” he said.

The English lab provides advising, help registering for classes, tutoring and a writing prompt for students who have been placed in developmental English classes.

Upon passing these prompts students will be able to test out of developmental English and into higher-level English classes.

The English lab is located in Room 118 of Gonzales Hall.

For more information, call 210486-1616.

is the Cornell Method. This method allows students to organize their notes by subject, lesson and a brief summary. Students can use this method to keep notes separate and organized from other subjects.

Lechuga said if students think the Cornell Method is too complicated, students could use another method called mapping.

The mapping method shows students how to become more detailed with their writing. A student will start with one word in a circle, and branch off ideas from that one word. The students could create a web or network of related sources.

“Students must listen to key points during a lecture to know information not found in the textbook,” student development Instructor Dr. Karn Mowrey said.

Bleah B. Patterson

Felix Caballero, a counselor at the empowerment center and adviser to the Non-Traditional Student Club, likes to think of the center as a “one-stop shop,” providing support, encouragement and assistance for students and the community.

The empowerment center, home to the women’s center, Seguir Adelante and Mi Casa programs and the Non-Traditional Student Club, is at Evergreen and Howard streets.

Rose Kelly, public relations sophomore, became president Of the Non-Traditional Student Club at its first meeting Aug. 28. “Most students are nontraditional,” she said.

Meetings are at 2 p.m. every third Wednesday of the month in Room 112 of the center.

The Mi Casa program uses the center’s computer lab, which is open to students and the community for job-searching assistance.

Mi Casa tries to inform students about access to social services, Director Helen Vera said Sept. 6.

This college, partnering with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, offers free health workshops 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every Wednesday at the center.

Focusing on retention, the women’s center provides support for single parents, adults reentering into college, women in transitional life phases, economically disadvantaged women and students in professional technical programs.

Vera said the center does this by supplying academic advising, counseling, housing support and referrals along with getting students, prospective students and other members of the community a few basic necessities.

Students have to show financial need to receive services, such as GED training. Call the center at 210-486-0455.

Shop smart; eat on $20 a week

living

study

Two methods for note-taking Students should take notes during their classes.

Most universities require 30 hours to transfer. Otherwise, students must apply as incoming freshmen.

In the college’s transfer center on the first floor of Moody Learning Center, students can stay on track.

Counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez said a lot of students start with developmental classes, so, “it is important to talk to an adviser because it is easy to get off track.”

For most two-year degrees here, students must complete 60 credit hours. However, the transfer universities are important because the desired major may require a certain GPA. “I believe that students should start their transfer planning from the minute they step on campus,” Gonzalez said.

Dr. David Wood, dean of performance excellence, said the transfer rates from 2009-2011 have increased from 19.7 percent to 21.5 percent. The top transfer institutions are the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University-San Antonio and Texas State University.

“Ms. Gonzalez made it very easy to transfer out,” Gilbert Rodriguez, former student and mechanical engineering major, said. He started school in fall 2006 and transferred in spring 2011. The district ran out and could not produce a transcript on watermarked paper, but UTSA agreed to accept an unofficial copy for the first semester and he was accepted within two weeks.

Gonzalez said. “I believe students should make a plan to take classes just to transfer out or to graduate and then transfer.

However, they should talk to an adviser to make sure they are on the right track and are taking all their basic classes to just study their major when they go to a university.”

For more information, call 210-486-0342.

By M.J. Callahan

Nutrition and variety are possible on the cheap at a grocery store.

By Paula Christine Schuler pschuler1@student.alamo.edu

Eating decently for $20 a week sounds impossible when a burger combo at McDonald’s is $5. A little research shows H-E-B and budget bloggers have some suggestions.

While prices continue to rise, it is still possible. Cheese may not be on the list, but $20 is sustainable.

No time to cook is the excuse for not grocery shopping with a $20 bill. But it takes time to drive through a fast food restaurant. It takes time to stop at a gas station and pick up a banana or bag of chips and soda. It takes extra gas while idling in the drive-thru line.

For $20 at Kentucky Fried Chicken, a week’s budget can be spent on an eight-piece dinner with two sides and four biscuits.

KFC prices ranges from $16.99 to $20.99 nationally.

For $20 at H-E-B, shoppers can purchase the list at right. It does not include typical cheap options of bread, peanut butter and jelly.

If a shopper replaces some of the meat with peanut butter, the cost would drop further below $20.

Alternatively, the meat could be replaced with a variety of beans and rice at about $1 a pound average. Chicken on sale can run as low as $1 a pound if purchased periodically in a bulk package.

For that occasional must-havemoment, keep chocolate chips in the pantry. Price per ounce is significantly less than a candy bar.

Almonds can run $4 a pound on sale, but a pound goes a long way.

They do not require refrigeration and last weeks. Keep a small bag on hand to avoid spending money on chips and soda.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, a well-known

$20 at H-E-B

1 lb. bone- & skinless chicken breasts 5 lbs. potatoes 4-piece corn-on-the-cob 1 lb. oranges 1 gal. skim milk 1 lb. 96% lean, ground beef 32-oz. tub of light yogurt 18-oz. oatmeal 1 lb. frozen green peas 1 lbs. dried kidney beans Source: HEB.com/healthy-at-heb

cardiothoracic physician and author, suggests three shopping lists: buy foods needed immediately; buy foods needed soon on sale; remove foods needed later.

Oz has a website where he provides diet and health advice to readers. “It is diet and wallet sabotage to shop hungry,” he says.

For more information and tips, visit HEB.com/healthy-at-heb, doctoroz.com and wisebread.com.

4 • Sept. 20, 2013

News

Cyber attack comes from within Picking a stronger password is vital to keeping hackers at bay.

ACES problems hurt online course delivery Michael Peters

mpeters28@student.alamo.edu

By Carlos Ferrand

cferrand@student.alamo.edu

It may be hard to believe anybody would use the word “password” for an ACES password, but according to Dr. Thomas Cleary, vice chancellor for planning, performance and ITS, it happens more than one might think.

Cleary presented trustees with a list of 25 inadequate passwords that an estimated 2 percent of people use at the Sept. 10 meeting of the Building, Grounds and Sites Selection Committee of Alamo Colleges board of trustees.

“Some are clever, but they are not tricky, so easy to remember but easy to hack,” he said.

A cyber attack that forced a manual system shutdown Aug. 28 came from active ACES accounts.

Hackers routinely first try the passwords Cleary listed when they look to breach someone’s account, he said.

Cleary recommended anybody creating a password should add numbers, caps or characters to make it distinctive which will make it stronger and more secure.

The stronger a password, the less likely a user will have a system hacked, he said.

Alamo Colleges has about 250,000 active ACES accounts. A students’ ACES account remains active for one year after a student leaves.

Accounts stay active because many students return within a year, he said.

Students and faculty should be aware of social engineering, Cleary said. To trick someone into divulging information, hackers manipulate a person into performing an act that will reveal confidential information.

“Social engineering is basically trickery,” he said.

Hackers might call a student, identifying themselves as an employee in financial aid or technology services.

The caller may say there is a problem with an account and ask for additional information to fix it.

www.theranger.org/news

Dr. Thomas S. Cleary, vice chancellor for planning, performance and information systems, discusses common insecure passwords Sept. 10. See list online at TheRanger. org. Daniel Arguelles Baiting is another tactic hackers use to get inside systems.

“It’s not a fishing trip in this context,” Cleary said.

Hackers load a thumb drive with a virus or a Trojan horse and leave it for someone to find.

People are curious, so they put the thumb drive into a computer to see what is on it, Cleary said.

Files on the thumb drive may contain damaging viruses or backdoor functions that allow hackers to enter the system.

“We get 180 million emails per year and 75 percent-80 percent are malicious,” Cleary said.

Spam accounts for a majority of malicious email messages received.

Most email messages try to trick users into sending confidential information, but a few contain viruses or Trojan horses.

The ACES system has filters to trap these threats before they reach a user.

There are layers and layers of security measures throughout the system, Cleary said.

“Our system is under attack all the time,” he said.

“It is under attack right now as we speak.”

When ACES is down it affects everyone who regularly uses the system, especially those involved with online courses.

On Aug. 26, high traffic volume on Banner caused the system to be unusable and on Aug. 29 cyber attacks forced the system into a manual shutdown.

“There have definitely been problems with ACES as well as Banner once the semester started,” English Professor Lennie Irvin said. “Banner is important because it was down the first few days of the semester and faculty were not able to login to check their classes to see who was enrolled and who was not.”

Professors of online courses could not check on their classes or reply to students’ email when the system is down.

“It also prevented students who were interested in adding classes, or had to switch a class because of cancellations, from being able to do so,” Irvin said.

Paul Sanchez, secretary in the English, reading and education department, has had to work his way around system failure to help students.

“When computers are down, we can rely on paperwork,” Sanchez said.

When the system is down Sanchez writes down students’ information.

“I couldn’t look up courses in ACES, and I couldn’t register students in Banner,” Sanchez said.

Once the system is running again, he goes through his list of students and calls each one after their problems are taken care of.

“ACES being up and down has been inconvenient but not catastrophic,” Irvin said. “In the IT department there are a lot

of hard-working people who do an overall good job to keep our systems going.”

Roger Castro, district director of information technology services, helps keep the system up and running.

“The problem with ACES and Banner originated with a denial of service attack that was severe enough to cause an emergency shutdown of the database server,” Castro said. “We are working with consultants to operate on our emergency system.”

Math Professor Steven Cunningham has had problems accessing ACES. “I have asked my students to be patient as these things happen on occasion.”

Cunningham hasn’t let the issue affect his classes.

“At times, I haven’t had the instant access that we as a society have become accustomed to, but it is not something that will detract from teaching and learning,” he said.

The only option for professors is to get in touch with students once the system is up.

Irvin said, so far, the system has not been down long enough to prevent his students from turning their work in on time.

Castro said although IT services has vacancies to fill, staff shortage was not a cause of the issues with ACES, Banner and email.

“The Alamo information network is complex with different systems that must work together to provide maximum utility,” Castro said. “An issue in one area can cascade and affect multiple systems.”

For more information, call the ACES help desk 210-485-0555.

News

www.theranger.org/news

Sept. 20, 2013 • 5

Initiative aims to improve transfer experience

Sound Off

Volunteers are needed for Phase 2 of Foundations of Excellence.

How would you rate ACES?

Emily Rodriguez

“I’ve had an OK time on ACES. There have been two or three times where I couldn’t log on, but other than that, it’s been good.”

Zoey Abrigo, liberal arts freshman

erodriguez734@student.alamo.edu

Despite an $18 million capital improvements project to improve Moody Learning Center, especially the library floors and basement level, the transfer center may be relocated from the basement level to make it more visible to students.

This is one of six recommendations from the Foundations of Excellence Task Force, which sponsored a celebration Wednesday in the visual arts center to mark the implementation of Phase 2 of “From the Ground Up,” an initiative to improve the overall transfer experience for students.

Vanessa Torres, director of public relations, said that the recommendations could take three to five years to reach full implementation, so the location and process of moving the transfer center have not been decided.

The Foundations of Excellence is an employee-led, two-year study funded by a grant from the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education.

The district funded the first year of the initiative; the college will fund the second. The cost for each year is $32,950.

“This is something that we chose to do, and it’s something that we studied ourselves in a very candid and honest way,” President Robert Zeigler said. “Recommendations that come out of this — we can choose to implement those recommendations or not. This has been something that I think is very valuable and worthwhile.”

More than 100 members made up nine committees that consisted of faculty, staff and students from this college as well as representatives from University of Texas at San Antonio to develop recommendations based on the study.

Out of the 267 institutions that have participated in studies sponsored by the Gardner institute in 11 years, only 50 chose to focus on the transfer process.

Any study at the institute can focus on either the first year in college experience or the transfer environment.

Dr. David Wood, dean of performance excellence, said, “In 1925, we were founded as an insti-

I like that it has everything in one place (but) there are so many technical difficulties that I sometimes can’t log on.” James Chandler, psychology freshman

Dr. David Wood, dean of performance excellence, talks about the history of Foundations of Excellence and its mission on Wednesday. He detailed the six action items in the implementation phase. Raquel Estrada tution whose primary responsibility was transfer.

Somewhere along the way as an institution, we took for granted that our students were transferring. When we look at numbers and see that we have a 21 percent transfer rate, we had to act.”

Phase 1 consisted of a self-study identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the transfer experience for students.

Phase 2 will implement the six action items identified by the study.

The six action items are to: • redesign and relocate the transfer center, • train faculty advisers and create a handbook for them to follow, • identify and track transfer-bound students, • create a handbook for transfer-bound students, • redesign Banner to utilize Alamo GPS for the two-plus-two degree plans for the 10 largest receiving institutions for transfer-bound students, and • improve communication between faculty, students, counselors, the transfer center and fouryear institutions.

Gardner recorded a YouTube video commend-

ing the work of the task force and shared the report with another college to assist them with their own study.

“These folks contributed to a final report that is as fine a piece of work as I have seen in the 11 years that we’ve been doing the Foundations of Excellence,” Gardner said in the video.

The video can be viewed at http://youtu.be/ mY_fGIPuIMQ. There are three target deadlines the task force hopes to reach.

By Dec. 1, a plan for each action item should be developed.

March 1, an action plan will be worked on and updates for the initiative will be provided.

Finally, by June 1, the team will continue to work and provide recommendations for subsequent years to maintain the purpose of the initiative going.

Volunteers are needed for the Foundations of Excellence implementation team.

To join, email Mona Aldana-Ramirez, Foundations of Excellence liaison, at maldanaramirez@alamo.edu.

College Council discusses line management program Evacuation drills to begin this month.

Emily Rodriguez

erodriguez734@student.alamo.edu

College Council learned of a new program to manage crowding and lines around campus and discussed where students should purchase textbooks Sept. 10 in the visual arts center.

Admissions Director Martin Ortega introduced to the Council Qless, a program to manage lines for admissions and records, veterans affairs, financial aid, advising and the mega lab.

Ortega said the program could be implemented by early October.

The system allows students to use a cellphone or a kiosk to check into a virtual line to prevent waiting in a physical line for long periods of time.

“As you know, some of the areas during peak times of the year, we get really long lines and wait times. What we’re trying to achieve with this is give the students back their time and give them some options for some things they can do on campus while they’re waiting,” Ortega said.

This semester, 25,458 students attend this college including students attending classes offered by this college at Northeast Lakeview College before the census date.

Enrollment for the 2012-13 academic year was 25,721 for fall and

25,038 for the spring semester.

In other news, a celebration for “From the Ground Up,” was announced at the meeting and was held Wednesday.

“From the Ground Up” is the campaign of Foundations of Excellence Task Force to study the environment for transfer-bound students.

The Foundations of Excellence is a two-year study that comes from the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education to assist institutions in identifying their strengths and weaknesses to form a corrective action plan.

The study was conducted last year, and six action items identified will be worked on this academic year.

“One of the things that we want to do is relocate the transfer center to a more visible spot. We are working on that, and it is well underway,” President Robert Zeigler said.

Also, David Mrizek, vice president of college services, reminded the council of planned evacuation drills in September and October.

The evacuation drills are planned to prevent unnecessary response from the fire department.

On another topic, all departments or offices at this college that have a social media presence must

Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs, and Robert Vela, vice president for student and academic success, listen to David Mrizek, vice president of college services, as he reminds the council of building evacuations. Casey Alcala register with the public relations department.

“The PR council is coming together to provide a social media policy for the entire district. This is just the first step of that,” public relations Director Vanessa Torres said.

“We’ll be sending out information and a form to register your site with us.”

Finally, Zeigler said instructors should not purposely “steer students away” from the bookstore because the Follett Corp. returns a percent of what is earned as a commission to the district.

The district has an exclusive contract with the company, making the district unable to bring other bookstores to sell books at district colleges.

Several e-syllabi have encouraged students not to purchase the

required texts from the college’s bookstore, Zeigler said.

“There are options, and students have a right to know what the options are. But I would prefer, and we would be much safer, if we just laid out the options without recommendations or editorial comments,” Zeigler said.

Gary O’Bar, district director of purchasing, said that Follett Corp pays the district an annual $1 million guaranteed commission payment.

It is estimated that the district will receive an additional $183,000 for sales commissions.

The company also gives the district $50,000 in gift cards to distribute to students.

Additionally, Follett Corp gives students a 5 percent discount off of the list price.

“ACES has been good; It was down the first week, but it’s been running smoothly since then. Some of the links on the student tab don’t work.” Morrissey Garcia, art communication sophomore “It works, that’s what I’ll say. If I need to find a link, I can usually find it.”

Liam Gray, liberal arts freshman “My experience has been bad. A couple of times I haven’t been able to sign in to my online courses when I’ve had homework due.” Alexandria Henry, nursing sophomore “It’s good, but the email password is hard to remember because I can’t create my own. I can access my classes and get to PowerPoints easily.”

Huyen Le, nursing sophomore “It’s always worked really good for me.

It helps me check on my financial aid status and my homework assignments.”

Priscilla Menchaca, kinesiology sophomore “It’s a good system; it’s not bad at all. It’s crashed a few times but the IT department did what they had to do. I use Canvas to look up assignments.”

Michael Murillo, information security assurance freshman “I’ve had no problems. I use it all the time. I love Canvas; I think it’s great when teachers utilize it.”

Matt Nesbitt, American Sign Language freshman “I’d rate it as moderate. I have a hard time logging in when using Google chrome. I don’t like the email password because I have to look it up and copy and paste it.” Nam Kuk Park, photography sophomore What do you think?

Sound off on Facebook at /readtheranger

Prem

6 • www.theranger.org/premiere

Dr. June Scobee-Rodgers to speak at ceremony Challenger Center founder returns for construction milestone Thursday.

By Diana M. Sanchez sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Dr. June Scobee-Rodgers will speak at a “topping out” ceremony for the Francis R. Scobee Planetarium and Challenger Center Thursday.

Scobee-Rodgers is the widow of Francis R. Scobee, an astronaut who was killed in the explosion of the Challenger Space Shuttle in 1986.

She also serves as a founding chairman for the Challenger Center programs.

The ceremony, which marks the point in construction when the steel frame is completed, is from 9:30 a.m.11 a.m. at Scobee Planetarium.

Scobee-Rodgers said Wednesday by phone she will speak about the global effort to engage children and

students in programs involved with the development of the new center.

“We hope to motivate and inspire in youngsters, through the Challenger Center, the value of science, technology, engineering and math,” she said.

Accompanying Scobee-Rodgers will be her daughter Kathie Scobee Fulgham, a journalism major who was born in this city.

Scobee-Rodgers and the shuttle commander attended evening classes at this college. “Scobee and I were the first generations going to college,” she said. “It was an amazing struggle for us to come up with the money for our evening classes.”

She continued, “He wanted to fly and I wanted to be an educator. I encouraged him to go ahead and finish so that he can get a scholarship and I would follow suit.”

Scobee continued to attend night classes here, receiving two years of

college credit. This led to his selection for the Airman’s Education and Commissioning Program.

Scobee earned his wings in 1966 and logged more than 6,500 hours flying time in 45 types of aircraft.

When Scobee-Rodgers, author, speaker and educator who travels the world, heard the Challenger Center was demolished at Brooks City Base in 2000, she decided that this college would be the appropriate location for a new Challenger Center.

“I have traveled all over the country, living everywhere, and San Antonio is the one place I feel like is home. It is a dream to me, where our lives began at SAC,” Scobee-Rodgers said.

Planetarium Director Bob Kelley said, “She is the driving force and the creation of all the Challenger centers.

Being a person who used to live in San Antonio, she has a lot of fond feelings for our city and SAC.”

With the addition of the Challenger Center, the planetarium is expected to increase from 3,950 square feet to 21,519 square feet. The center will wrap around the existing planetarium and includes new theater seating, LED lighting, sound system and restrooms.

The Challenger Center will have the latest technology, including an interactive mission control and space simulator on the first floor, classrooms on the second floor and observatory on the rooftop. A gift shop will also be incorporated.

“Every time we build a Challenger Center, we learn something new from the community building it, so just imagine what we can gain from the knowledge and experience from SAC,” Scobee-Rodgers said.

The planetarium opened in 1961, and in 1994, it was renamed to honor Scobee.

“I have unbelievably fantastic

Dr. June Scobee-Rodgers holds her book “Silver Linings” after a book-signing ceremony in February 2011 at Scobee Planetarium. File memories of this city itself, downtown and the campus,” Scobee-Rodgers said. “They are all great memories and I look forward to the Challenger Center offering all kinds of excitement for future generations.”

Vaughn Construction crew members lower a 90,000-pound block of cement Thursday for the rooftop observatory. Riley Stephens

Topping out a monument Scobee and Challenger to be finished in 2014.

By Riley Stephens

rstephens20@student.alamo.edu

A topping out celebration for Scobee Planetarium and Challenger Learning Center will be at 9:30 a.m.

Thursday at the construction site.

“The topping out ceremony started in Europe and signified the first men to reach the pinnacle of a building.

“Now, we use it to mark a significant milestone in a building’s construction,” said Kirk Kistner, vice president of marketing and business development for Bartlett Cocke General Contractors.

Brandon Gaeke, senior project manager for Turner Construction, said some contractors celebrate the milestone by putting an undecorated Christmas tree at the top of a building, while others gather their crew to sign their names just before the last steel beam is raised.

Vaughn Construction will provide an interior piece of Scobee for signatures of attendees. The piece will become part of the building.

Gary Verlinden, Alamo Colleges construction representative, said, “We had a meeting to discuss what the piece should be, but we haven’t decided what it is yet.”

Guest speakers include Chancellor

Bruce Leslie and Dr. June ScobeeRodgers, founding director and chair of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education.

She is the widow of Frances “Dick” Scobee, commander of the Space Shuttle Challenger, which exploded 74 seconds after liftoff Jan. 28, 1986. Both graduated from this college.

David Mrizek, vice president of college services, said Scobee Planetarium will reopen to the public in January.

The Challenger Learning Center will not be ready until August 2014 when the Challenger National Organization brings the mission control and space station software required for the center to operate.

Groundbreaking for the project was in May 2012. The Challenger Learning Center was formerly at Brooks Air Force Base until closing in 2004.

In December 2012, Alamo Colleges trustees voted 8-0 to approve a transfer of $5 million to fund the construction of the Challenger Learning Center.

The loan is intended to be repaid through the Challenger Learning Center fundraising campaign by Jan. 31, 2017.

“The total goal for capital investment is to raise $7 million of which $5 million is for construction and $2 million is for scholarships and upgrades,” project coordinator Robin Collett said.

“Of the $5 million for the construc-

tion goal, so far $2 million has been raised,” she said.

Challenger Centers train students in confidence and skills to excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. There are more than 45 Challenger Centers across the nation and three in Texas.

Family members from the deceased crew members of space shuttle Challenger/STS-51L that exploded in 1986 created the centers to carry the spirits of their loved ones.

The total amount to date the college has spent on the renovation of the Scobee Challenger observatory planetary renovation is $7,400,948, Verlinden said.

miere

Sept. 20, 2013 • 7

Artist’s rendering and floor plans of Scobee Planetarium and Challenger Learning Center are at alamo.edu/sac. Courtesy

Challenger technology causes delay to center Renovation expected to be complete in February.

By Diana M. Sanchez sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The Francis R. Scobee Planetarium at this college was closed in March 2012 to begin renovations for the new Challenger Center.

Dr. June Scobee-Rodgers will speak during the “topping out” ceremony at 9:30-11a.m. Thursday in front of the center.

The ceremony will commemorate the completion of the outside structure of the planetarium, a tradition to most large constructions.

The National Challenger Center, founded in 1986, is a nonprofit educational organization started by the families of the astronauts who died in the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster on Jan 28 of that year.

Their vision was to continue the Challenger crew’s educational mission. Today, there are more than 40 learning centers in the U.S., Canada, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

The planetarium is expected to open by February 2014. The Challenger Center will open a few months later when it is fully operational.

Since then, planetarium related equipment and the observatory telescope have been moved into storage.

Events and programs have been postponed until renovations are completed.

The planetarium originally was expected to be completed by fall of this year.

“The mission of the Challenger Center has been changing with the

retirement of the space shuttle fleet, and the technology that will be inside our new challenger center will be the latest technology from what we call the National Challenger Center,” planetarium Director Bob Kelley said.

“Delays are to be expected and with any big, major remodeling issues.”

Kelley attends meetings with the architects every two weeks to iron out problems and check on the progress.

“As we speak, they are revising and building for us. We will have one of the first centers with the new look for mission control and for the space simulator,” Kelley said.

The mission control and space simulator is an interactive hands-on computerized simulator, which will give students the chance to participate in simulated space missions.

Originally constructed in 1961, the structure is expected to increase from 3,950 square feet to 21,519 square feet.

The Challenger Center will wrap around the existing planetarium.

Kelley said the size of the planetarium theater dome will increase from 30 feet in diameter to 38 feet to make the sky look larger.

New seating and movie style reclining chairs with various angles of tilt and reclining ability will be added.

The planetarium will expand in seating to about 105 seats, compared to the old consortium seating.

“We would often let people in free for the worst seat. Now, we don’t have to do that. Everyone will be facing the best possible view,” Kelley said.

A new sound system and LED lighting will be incorporated into the center. The efficiency and the brightness of the lighting will enhance the

upcoming shows, and displays of outer space.

In addition, restrooms will be added to the building, a common complaint in the old planetarium.

“We have never had our own restrooms. We have always used the restrooms in the CG building,” Kelley said.

Throughout the planetarium’s history, the chemistry and geology building remained open for students or the public to use the restroom facilities.

Costs for the new planetarium and Challenger Center in 2012 before construction began, was $7 million dollars — $5 million for construction and $2 million for endowment.

With the new developments of a gift shop, space station simulator and a mission control room, Kelley wants to recruit volunteers and use workstudy students to increase staffing.

The staff in the previous planetarium consisted of three people: a director, assistant director and a secretary. Students also assisted with operating the telescope, service, ushering and ticket distribution.

The planetarium will resume evening and weekend events upon opening. Shows to look forward to are trips into outer space, a depiction of the sky, and star gazing.

“This is going to be a destination point for our community, our college and a location that we will be very proud of, that folks that are coming to the Alamo Colleges, to SAC and to our facilities, as we continue to explore outer space. It’s coming, and we hope you are too,” Kelley said.

For more information, visit the Scobee Planetarium Facebook page.

SAConnected

8 • Sept. 20, 2013

www.theranger.org/calendar

Buggy Walk aims to reduce infant mortality Time to get the kiddies out for a day of healthy fun in the sun.

By Lorena R. Rivera sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Outfit the little ones and pack up the stroller for a day of health and fitness for parents and children.

In observance of Infant Mortality Awareness Month, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and Healthy Families Network are sponsoring the Baby Buggy Walk in the park Saturday.

The mission of the Health Family Network is to strengthen community partnerships and to reduce infant mortality.

The walk will be at the Southside Lions Park and Community Center at 3100 Hiawatha St. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with a commemoration for 122 babies born in 2011 that did not

reach their first birthdays.

A 1-mile walk around the park will follow the commemoration.

A health fair will feature more than 30 vendors and local social agencies.

Vendors also will provide educational resources for parents such as help with health insurance

and Medicaid.

Dental screenings will be available along with family services for expectant women.

For the kids, a fun zone will have a bouncy house open for all ages and games.

Each game will have an educational benefit for parents and children. A free raffle with a surprise prize will be awarded.

Patrons will receive a fit passport to help guide them through the health fair and fun zone.

More than 500 people have already registered for the walk.

Registration will be open up to the morning of the event, which is free to the public.

Donations of diapers and wipes will be collected to benefit the Healthy Family Network, which partners with agencies and charities that work directly with needy families.

For more information, visit FitCitySA.com.

Sept. 28 Exhibit: Capturing South Texas on Canvas

by Porfirio Salinas at Witte Museum. Free with general admission. Visit www.wittemuseum.org Oct. 2 SPC Event: Best Tasting Salsa Competition sponsored by the department of tourism, hospitality and culinary arts 11:30 a.m-2:30 p.m. in Heritage Room of campus center. Call 210-486-2318.

Oct. 4 SAC Event: SACTacular Block Party 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in mall with live music, food, car show and free movie screening. Call 210-486-0901 or visit http://alamo.edu/ sac/sactacular/.

Oct. 5

San Antonio celebrates day of fitness City closes five miles for fitness day.

The event includes a Reclovía with events in yoga, cardio kickboxing and many other activities

By Riley Stephens

for the family.

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Oct. 10

The events are spread out in

The city of San Antonio will celebrate a day of family fitness with Siclovía 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 27.

six different locations along the

SAC Event: Opening of exhibit of paintings by Erick Salazar and James Woodward 4:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. in visual arts gallery.

Call 210-486-0255

5-mile stretch.

More than 65,000 participants

Sponsored by the YMCA, the

attended Siclovía last year, and

event will close a 5-mile stretch

Mayor Julian Castro and David

of road starting at Alamo Plaza

Robinson have been guest speak-

and ending at Mahncke Park on

ers.

Exhibit: CSI Experience at Witte Museum sponsored by Tesoro. Visit www.wittemuseum.org

“We’re thinking about 75,00

Broadway.

Colombia, in 1974 as Ciclovía,

tor of marketing and public rela-

opening city streets to bicyclists and

tions at YMCA of Greater San

pedestrians on a periodic basis.

Antonio, said.

Zumba instructor Dalia Torres leads participants Oct. 13 in the energy zone in Maverick Park at Siclovía. File

Today Weekend Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

The event started in Bogota,

this year.” Laura Waldrum, direc-

SAC Event: Inspirational movie 10 a.m. and 1 a.m. at Methodist Student Center.

Continues Fridays. Call 210-7331441 or visit www. saumcm.org.

SAC Event: Mass and Meal sponsored

by Catholic Student Association 12:15 p.m.

Continues Fridays. Call 210-736-9306.

SAC Transfer: Texas A&M University-San Antonio transfer advising 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in transfer center in Room 107 of Moody.

Continues Sept. 24, 26, and 27 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Call 210-486-0864.

SAC Event: Open Mic Coffee Night 6:30 p.m.9:30 p.m. in Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.

Event: Screening of “San Antonio Four,” a documentary about wrongfully convicted Latina lesbians, 7 p.m. at Esperanza Center, 922 San Pedro. Visit www.sanantoniofourmovie.com.

Event: Ford Lucky Duck Race and Concert 3 p.m.-6 p.m. to benefit the Hire Haven job training program at Haven for Hope. Race a rubber duck down the river for prizes. $5 to adopt a duck. Visit www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/events/river-walk-luckyduck-race.

Saturday Event: Jazz’SAlive 10 a.m.-11 p.m. at Travis Park. Showcases local, regional, national and international jazz musicians. Continues noon10 p.m. Sunday. Call 210-212-8423 or visit www.jazzsa.org.

Event: First Amendment workshop sponsored by Americans United for Separation of Church and State noon-5 p.m. at TRIPoint 3233 N St Marys.

Tickets $6 at the door.

Call 210-300-4750 or visit www.americansunitedsa.org.

SAC Event: 2013 Gridiron Show sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists to raise money for journalism scholarships at 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. $25. Visit www.facebook.com/pages/ Gridiron-San-Antonio/ 505197376161445.

Sunday Event: Graffiti Run 5k sponsored by office of student life at 8:30 a.m. at Retama Park. $20 for students. Call 210-486-0126 or email jmartinez932@ alamo.edu.

SAC Lecture: University of Texas at San Antonio adviser of College of Engineering Susan Hodges on UTSA engineering program at 1 p.m. in Room 120 of visual arts. Call 210486-0342.

SAC Prevention: Bicycle registration sponsored by Alamo Colleges police department crime prevention program, 10 a.m.2 p.m. in mall area.

Continues Wednesday.

Call 210-485-0088.

Trinity Event: Fifth annual Taiwan Film Festival sponsored by EAST, Chinese Culture Club and Taiwan Ministry of Culture 4 p.m.–7 p.m. in Chapman Center lobby.

Call 210-999-7191 or email EAST@trinity.edu.

SAC Meeting: Cheshyre Cheese Club noon in writing center in Room 203 in Gonzales. Continues Tuesdays. Call 210486-0668.

SAC Event: Portfolio day sponsored by fine arts 12:30 p.m. in gallery of visual arts center. Call 210-4860255.

SAC Meeting: CRU, formerly Campus Crusade for Christ, 1:45 p.m. in Room 004 of Chance. Continues Tuesdays. Call 210486-1233.

Volunteer: Weed Wednesday at Hardberger Park 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Help pull weeds and plant native plants.

Continues Wednesdays.

Call 210-201-3292 or email wendy.leonard@ sanantonio.gov.

SAC Transfer: St Mary’s University 8:30 a.m.-noon on first floor of Chance. Call 210486-0864.

SAC Transfer: Schreiner University 9 a.m.-noon on first floor of Loftin. Call 210-4860864.

SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio transfer advising 12:30 p.m.3:30 p.m. in transfer center in Room 107 of Moody. Call 210-4860864.

SAC Transfer: University of the Incarnate Word 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. on first floor of Loftin.

Continues 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 30 on first floor of Chance. Call 210486-0864.

Mixer: The Witte Uncorked, An Evening in the Wild 6:30 p.m.8:30 p.m. Must be 21 or over. $20. Call 210357-1910 or visit www. wittemuseum.org.

SAC Event: Adjunct music instructor Martha Fabrique performs flute recital sponsored by fine arts at 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 210486-0255.

Event: Tapping Texas Culture 6 p.m.-8 p.m. at Institute of Texan Cultures 801 Cesar Chavez. Free Texas beer and hors d’oeuvre tasting. Must be 21. Call 210-458-2300 or visit w w w. t e x a n c u l t u r e s . com.

Event: Manhattan Short Film Festival 8 p.m. at URBAN-15 Studio 2500 S. Presa. $10 general admission and $5 military, students and seniors.

Continues Sept.

28, Oct. 4-5.

Call 210-7361500 or events@ urban15. org.

Oct. 12 Event: Chalk it Up 10 a.m.-4 p.m. sponsored by ArtPace Houston Street between Main and Jefferson into colorful work of art. Call 210-212-4900 or visit http:// artpace.org/.

Oct. 18 Event: Noche Azul de Esperanza: Mujeres en la Canción at the Esperanza Center at 8 p.m., on 922 San Pedro. $5 donation.

Call 210-228-0201 or visit www.esperanzacenter.org.

Oct. 26 SAC event: Heart Walk 5K sponsored by student life and the Wellness Team 8:30 a.m. Call 210-486-0158 Event: San Antonio Founders Day 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Alamo. Call 210525-6905 or visit www.sanantoniofoundersday.org.

Oct. 31 R e m i n d e r : Halloween Nov. 2 Reminder: Day of the Dead Nov. 3 Reminder: End of daylight saving time.

Set clocks back one hour.

!

For coverage in SAConnected, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.

www.theranger.org/editorial

Sept. 20, 2013 • 9

.org

the

ranger

Editorial

Editor Carlos Ferrand Managing Editor Emily Rodriguez News Editor Katherine Garcia Pulse Editor Michael Peters Opinion Editor Paula Christine Schuler Calendar Editor Katrina Dela Cruz Staff Writers Kathya Anguiano, M. Megumi Badillo, M. J. Callahan, Priscilla Galarza, Christopher A. Hernandez, Cory D. Hill, T. L. Hupfer, Neven Jones, Jahna Lacey, Henry M. Martinez Jr., Bleah B. Patterson, Cassandra M. Rodriguez, Justin Rodriguez, Lorena R. Rivera, Adriana Ruiz, Diana M. Sanchez, Rachael Sanchez Photo Editor Monica Lamadrid Photographers Casey Alcala, Daniel Arguelles, Raquel Estrada Photo Team Ana Victoria Cano, Daniel Carde, Celeste Christy, Robbin Cresswell, Hosanna Diaz, Ian Flores, Marina Garcia, Esmeralda Gonzales, Osita Omesiete, Kirsten Simpson, Marie Sullins Illustrator Alexandra Nelipa Production Manager Mandy Derfler Multimedia Editor Riley Stephens Advertising Manager Patricia McGlamory Circulation Manager Albert Zuniga Alexandra Nelipa

©2013 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.

MetaMedia

On the record Information is only as reliable as its source.

The job of a journalist is to get information from the bestinformed sources possible Sometimes getting that information comes with strings attached.

When a source does not want to attach a name to information for various reasons, it is known as “offthe-record” information.

Information considered off-the-record can vary from source to source. Off-the-record information gives journalists additional background information, which can point them in the right direction.

Information from a public meeting or statements given to a journalist are considered on-therecord information, which is publishable.

Once the information is given, it is on the record and cannot be taken back.

Since there are no clear rules on what off-the-record entails, it is important that all parties involved know what they are getting into.

To go off-the-record, the source must let the journalist know before the information is given.

The journalist must agree to the conditions about what cannot be used or attributed.

Unless the journalist is told beforehand, any comments said before being asked to go off-therecord is publishable.

Off-the-record information the journalist can verify elsewhere can and will be used.

Every anonymous source a journalist uses chips away at the credibility of the media. And information that a journalist knows but cannot publish serves no one.

Another day, another dollar A $1 fee to help fund international travel for 200 or so students a year may be added to tuition for all students beginning in the spring semester.

A $1 international education fee was recommended by the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee Sept. 10 and approved by the board Tuesday if students at the district’s five colleges vote to approve it.

The fee would go toward funding scholarships for students who study abroad.

Although the fee is small, thousands of students would be shelling out more money for something that will not benefit them.

More than 100 students apply to study abroad each semester.

Only about 60 are selected.

About 200 could travel with the $150,000 the fee would generate.

The state Legislature has enabled institutions of higher education to levy a $1-$4 fee to support study-abroad programs.

The fee would not need student approval unless it exceeds $1.

This district would not be the first in the city to implement the fee.

Texas State University, Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at San Antonio already have implemented the fee.

District 2 trustee Denver McClendon disagreed with the fee in the committee meeting, saying it would add an unnecessary fee to students who will see no benefit from it.

District 7 trustee Yvonne Katz favors the fee but only with student approval.

The board did not discuss how campus wide voting would be done.

Of course, it is not clear how students will vote.

After all, it’s only $1 per semester, hardly enough to strap most students for cash.

But it is another attempt to charge for a service the vast majority of the district’s 60,000 students will never use or see benefits of.

Charging students another nonessential fee will lead to additional superfluous fees.

Fees are piling up. What is next, a restroom access fee?

ACES alternatives needed It’s the fourth week of school, and this not recognize the correct password. week’s Soundoff has found some students are Students need to log in to ACES to turn in still having difficulty accessing ACES. homework, but the unreliable server has made According to www.aces.alamo.edu, the site turning in assignments difficult. is described as a “secure portal that provides An adviser can’t have instructional materistudents, staff and faculty with access to vari- als on outside networks, which means stuous applications.” dents can’t access files or turn in homework to Guaranteed access to all applications hasn’t other locations if ACES is down. always been the case since the semester began The college recognizes only ACES email as Aug. 26. official correspondence.

The site Without had to be a back-up restarted in place, the first day students of classes are at the because of mercy of high trafthe servfic slowing Response a student received after sending email from a personal account er. Online down the students Banner Service System. are completely dependent on ACES; all their The system also faced an unrelated cyber- assignments are online. attack, forcing a manual shutdown of the serStudents should not have to worry about vice. At 4:30 p.m. of the same day, the system accessing or completing assignments because was restored. the system is down.

However, the problems didn’t end there.

The district should allow teachers to use Many students still experience difficulty an alternate site or email as back-up. ACES is with ACES. Issues include not being able to a portal that helps students in multiple ways, log into the site. Some students who can log in but students should not have to worry about cannot get into email because the system does being able to access the site.

News

10 • Sept. 20, 2013

www.theranger.org/news

13 dead in Washington Navy Yard shooting

By Zahra Farah

zahra.farah@shns.com SHFWire

WASHINGTON 6:11 p.m. — At least 13 people are confirmed dead and several others were wounded after a mass shooting Monday morning at Washington Navy Yard.

The suspected shooter is among the 13 dead, Washington Police Chief Cathy Lanier said at a press conference.

The FBI identified him as Aaron Alexis, 34, of Fort Worth, Texas. At about 8:20 a.m. a shooter entered Building 197, where about 3,000 people work for the Naval Sea System Command, and began shooting.

Lanier said the Metropolitan Police Department sent an “active shooter team” within seven minutes of reports of shots being fired.

She said at least one D.C. police officer was wounded and was in stable condition. It is unclear if the shooter acted alone, but Lanier said police are looking for a possible second suspect.

That person is described as a black male in his 40s with gray sideburns, wearing an olive-drab military style uniform. Anyone who has information about the two suspects should call police at 202727-9099. D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray advised residents who live nearby to stay in their homes because this was an “active situation.”

Gray said officials do not know the motive behind the shooting, but he said he believes it was not an act of terrorism.

Tim Jirus, a Navy commander who works in Building 197, said as he

was evacuating the building he went into an alley for cover.

While he was there, he said a man came up to ask him what happened inside. Jirus said he talked to the man for about a minute before he heard two shots.

He said the man next to him was shot in the head and “fell right in front of me before I ran.” “I feel very lucky to be alive,” Jirus said.

“Some guy next to me was shot this morning. He was no closer to him than it was to me, but it hit him.” Asked if he has come to grips with what he saw, Jirus replied, “No.” Hundreds of law enforcement officials from the D.C. police, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the National Park Police and the D.C. Fire Department responded.

Police closed the 11th Street Bridge and M Street between 2nd and 4th Streets SE, which border the Navy Yard, for most of the day.

However, the Navy Yard Metro station and the rest of the Metro remained open.

Buses that normally travel on busy M Street were rerouted. Eric Weill, 56, Naval Sea System Command engineer who works inside the building where the shooting took place, said he was riding a bus to work when the shooting happened.

Weill, who has taken the same route to work for the past four years, said he was running late.

Right when he was about to get off 8th and M streets, the bus stopped and made a detour to L Street. Weill said he heard sirens blaring and saw police cars block off the street. “I’m

INTERN from Page 10 editor for The Ranger when she and 40 other people were quarantined in Fletcher Administration Center while a HazMat crew inspected a suspicious package in the mail room.

Farah immediately Farah got out her reporter’s notebook and used her cell phone to send reports to The Ranger newsroom.

“Automatically start reporting, start gathering information and as soon as you can, get that information to your editor,” she said.

She did not imagine seeking a career in journalism until a high school teacher

A police officer with the U.S. Department of Defense guards the front entrance of the Navy Yard on Tuesday. He allowed some workers to enter the base and turned others away. SHFWire photo by Zahra Farah not sure what to think,” he said. “I’m just happy I was late.”

Despite police, ambulances and reporters swarming the streets, the neighborhood around Washington Navy Yard was almost a ghost town.

The area normally bustles with workers from the nearby Department of Transportation and dozens of office buildings.

The Marine Barracks is about two blocks away.

Among the few people outside was Jacqueline Alston, 63, who was waiting at Nationals Park to find out what happened to her husband.

Police used the ballpark as a place

encouraged her to attend the 2008 Urban Journalism Workshop for high school students sponsored by this college’s journalism program.

After she graduated from Stevens High School in 2009, she enrolled at this college as a journalism major. Farah wrote for The Ranger for two years.

She attributes the skills she learned at The Ranger as a major ingredient in her confidence.

“If I had not gone to SAC, I don’t know how serious I would have taken journalism,” she said.

The professors and advisers in the department hold staff to such a high level it makes everyone want to perform at a high level and produce great stories, Farah said.

In May 2012, Farah participated in the New York Times Institute in New Orleans.

In summer 2012, The Buster Haas

for family members to reunite with loved ones.

The Nats postponed a game scheduled for Monday night to Tuesday.

Alston’s husband, Ernest Johnston, 62, is a custodian who works on the fourth floor of Building 197.

“I just want to hear his voice to know that he is OK,” she said. “I feel numb,” Alston said, in tears. Johnston then looked into a camera and said if her husband of 18 years was watching to “please, baby, please come home.”

Johnston said her husband finally was able to call her at about 5:30 p.m.

Minority Internship Program selected Farah for a scholarship and an internship at The San Angelo Standard-Times in San Angelo.

While at The San Angelo Standard-Times, she was a general assignment reporter and her favorite stories dealt with the food regulation of farmers markets.

The Chips Quinn Scholars Internship program selected Farah to intern at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., this summer.

Again as a general assignment reporter, Farah gained more experience and covered a shoot-out in a McDonald’s parking lot.

Farah said she earned all her internships through her résumé and story clips from The Ranger.

She has not taken any additional journalism skills classes since she left this college.

“I’m just really nosy and I really just want to know what is going on,” she said

He was still inside the building, waiting his turn to leave.

Alston, who works at Washington Nationals Park, said that like most employees at the secure location, her husband’s phone is taken away when he reports to work every morning.

Even though she said she was worried, she said all she could do was to be “patient and leave it in God’s hands.”

Zahra Farah is a reporter for the Scripps Howard Foundation Wire in Washington D.C. Reach Farah at zahra.farah@shns.com or 202-3269868.

Nick Prete contributed to this story.

STUDENTS from Page 10 sion should belong to the students.

“If you’re going to tax students, then students should have a voice in it,” McClendon said.

The Texas Legislature approved allowing higher education institutions to assess a fee of $1 to $4 to support study abroad programs, but if the fee exceeds $1, a student vote is required.

During the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee meeting Sept. 10, McClendon said that despite not needing a student vote, it would be better if students voted anyway.

The fee is estimated to generate $150,000 a year, and eligible students could receive up to $1,000 in scholarships to be used for study-abroad programs.

The estimated cost to study abroad is $3,000-$3,500 for five weeks, Fimmen said.

Only about 60 students participate in study abroad programs.

A $1 international fee could increase that number to about 200, Fimmen said.

Pulse

www.theranger.org/pulse

Sept. 20, 2013 • 11

Fruits, fresh vegetables make healthier diet for students Dietician recommends choosing water over sugary soft drinks.

By Cassandra M. Rodriguez sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your diet is the quickest way to improve nutrition for busy college students, a registered dietician recommends.

A healthy diet starts with incorporating fruits and vegetables into meals and snacks, biology Professor Ellen Brennan said Monday in an interview.

Busy students can bring prepared snacks to campus.

Brennan suggests trying apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, carrots, peppers, and some crackers for healthy on-the-go snacks.

“It is best to eat every several hours, but it doesn’t have to be a full meal,” she said. “A person will meet their nutrient needs better by eating several times a day to get necessary vitamins, minerals, and proteins.”

Students should start the day with a good breakfast and drink water to stay hydrated, she said.

A simple breakfast is a bowl of cereal with reduced fat milk and fruit.

She recommended that to feel better and more alert, students should pay attention to getting enough sleep and to the quality of the diet.

Students need to think about what they are actually eating and what they could substitute and getting adequate exercise, she said.

Rushing students who may have skipped meals may turn to vending machines and fast food for an easy meal, which is not usually a healthy option.

If a vending machine is the only choice, healthier options may include crackers, pretzels and baked chips. Water is a healthier choice over sugary soft drinks.

At fast food restaurants, choose a single burger over a double or bacon burger, she advised. Some offer fruits for sides and are a good incorporation into the meal.

“I eat Nature Valley snacks to hold me over until my next meal,” said Victor Valencia, sophomore studying to be a paramedic.

Brennan recommends a person needs to be aware of their daily diet because of the impact it will have on their health.

“It is their present and their future. If they don’t take care

Food service supervisor Maria Rodriguez prepares the salad bar for the lunch crowd Wednesday in the cafeteria at Loftin. The salad bar provides a fresh alternative for students and employees interested in eating healthy. Salads start at $3.99 for a small and $5.99 for a large. Kirsten Simpson of themselves they won’t be able to perform as they could.

And they won’t be in very good shape for long,” said Brennan.

A good resource for healthy meal options and eating tips is

www.choosemyplate.gov.

For more nutrition information, call Brennan at 210-486-0861 or visit her in Room 345 of Chance Academic Center.

Wellness program to benefit college, president says

By Michael Peters

mpeters28@student.alamo.edu

Physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits are important for everyone, which is why wellness is getting a big push this semester.

“A lot of people have worked to build the wellness program and it’s time to take the next step,” President Robert Zeigler said.

Zeigler said wellness Coordinator Chris Dillon is the most qualified person to take the wellness program to the next level.

“Dillon has a lot of experience with

teaching and training,” Zeigler said.

“He’s on city wellness committees; he’s good with people and has contacts beyond the campus.”

Health and fitness classes such as aquatic conditioning, cardio boot camp, physical conditioning, weight training, walking and jogging are available to students.

“Physical activity and healthy habits are extremely important because not only does it benefit the individual, but the campus as a whole,” Zeigler said.

There are also recreational hours available to students who may not have

time to take classes.

“As an institution, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to provide wellness opportunities to students and faculty,” Zeigler said.

Faculty walking spree is a new program available to faculty and staff.

“You’re basically competing against yourself to better your results every day,” Zeigler said.

Walking spree involves a pedometer, which measures calories burned, distance walked and steps taken by faculty and staff members.

The pedometer feeds the statistics to

the user when plugged into a computer.

Walking spree kicked off Monday, and Zeigler said it looks like the program will be a big success.

The program now is only for faculty and staff at this college, but Zeigler hopes it will spread to other colleges in this district and involve students as well.

“Eventually, we want to get everyone involved,” Zeigler said. “There’s some cost involved, but it seems worth the investment.”

Visit theranger.org for recreational hours to facilities in Candler Physical Education Center.

Registration deadline for a free T-shirt for Oct. 19 Walk Like MADD San Antonio 5K. Visit http:// support. madd.org/ site/TR?fr_ id=3170 &pg=entry to register.

Hustling on and off the court Students and coaches are hard at work to raise funds for season.

By Michael Peters

mpeters28@student.alamo.edu

Basketball is back at this college, but it took a lot of hard work and commitment from a dedicated group of people.

Basketball adviser Raul Rodriguez worked with fire science freshman Kelby Rowe and kinesiology sophomore Matthew Ramirez to bring basketball back to this college.

“A lot has been done by the coaches and the players,” Rodriguez said.

The process of bringing the team back started last spring.

Student coaches Rowe and Ramirez circulated a petition to build support from students interested in reviving a basketball program.

“They took the initiative, and I was in the background behind the scenes,” Rodriguez said.

Bill Richardson, kinesiology and dance chair, allowed the teams to use the basketball

gym for games and practices free of charge.

Rodriguez said, “The coaches have been very motivated and driven to do this because their eventual goal is to coach athletically.”

Travel arrangements for road games are still undetermined, but the teams are in talks with student life to charter buses.

“You’re not going to get to the top without going through obstacles and getting knocked down,” Rowe said.

While Rodriguez gives a lot of the credit to the coaches, Rowe credits the students.

“The girls are working hard together, on and off the court,” Rowe said.

Rowe is trying to get sponsorships for the women’s basketball team and the women are planning fundraisers.

Students from both teams are buying uniforms out of their own pocket.

“It’s not about me,” Rowe said. “They are putting in the work on and off the court.”

Kinesiology sophomore Priscilla Menchaca leads a cardio drill focusing on physical conditioning during women’s basketball tryouts Sept. 6 in Gym 2 of Candler. Daniel Arguelles Rowe said the team is working hard to realize their goals.

“They are handling business and doing it the right way,” Rowe said.

The season starts at 6 p.m. for the women’s

team and 8 p.m. for the men Oct. 16 versus Southwest Texas Junior College, 2401 Garner Field, Uvalde.

For more information, call Ramirez at 210371-7401 or Rowe at 210-214-0333.

Premiere

12 • Sept. 20, 2013

www.theranger.org/premiere

Illustrations by Alexandra Nelipa

‘Tejano history lacking’ Communication design Coordinator Richard Arredondo wins poster contest.

By Paula Christine Schuler pschuler1@student.alamo.edu

Los Inocentes siblings Itza, Binisa and George Zentella kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with “Capullito de Aleli,” a traditional Puerto Rican song Monday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Daniel Arguelles

In July, communication design Coordinator Richard Arredondo learned he had won the poster contest for Tejano Heritage Month and would be announced at the 10th Annual Tejano Breakfast, an event on Aug. 31 kicking off the annual September observance.

Encouraged by a former student, Arredondo decided to participate in the contest.

He said he heard of contests in the past and would say to himself he should enter, but he never did.

This time was different. Summertime and student encouragement inspired him.

He hired a professional scanning service to digitize his traditional pen and ink work, then loaded the PDF file into InDesign software for finishing lettering.

In June, he delivered the project a week early to Texas Tejano.

Arredondo said, “Hispanic History Month covers the Mexicans, also the Cubans, all the groups.”

Tejano Heritage Month focuses on the people who were here already, the Indians and Spanish.”

Tejanos contributed to the development of Texas Tejano He before the Alamo,” he said. ritage win ning poste r by Profe He said people don’t find Tejano history in ssor Richa rd Arredon do Texas history books. and Mission “They always leave it out or portray them negatively,” he Espada. said. “The Alamo was a Spanish mission.” He said Hispanics “I felt the Alamo was overused,” he said. “I also illusinclude the people in the Americas from the Southwestern trated the statue of St. Anthony that stands in front of the San United States down to the tip of Argentina.

Fernando Cathedral.” He said they do receive tourists, but Tejanos are the Spanish and Indians who contributed to all three are part of the archdiocese of San Antonio and still Texas. celebrate Mass. “The missions still function as true churches Tejano Heritage Month was advocated by Texas Tejano and locals attend their parishes.” beginning in 2003. With Texas Tejano’s encouragement, Gov. The three missions and the Alamo became part of the Rick Perry declared it a state observance in 2006.

National Park Service in 1978.

San Antonio-based Texas Tejano, which trademarked Arredondo serves as the adviser for the Campus Catholic TexasTejano.com in 2004, is a historical research and pubMinistry. He said, “I was an altar boy and learned the Latin.” lishing firm that researches and publishes Tejano history He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts at University of Texas and played an important role in the establishment of Tejano in Austin in 1971. He said it was a traditional art program Heritage Month. where he learned the pen and ink technique he used in the Arredondo chose to focus on Catholic missions for his poster. piece, including Mission Concepción, Mission San José For more information, visit www.TexasTejano.com.

Hispanic Heritage continues in art, fiesta, lectures

By T. L. Hupfer

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

President Lyndon B. Johnson kicked off a celebration of Hispanic heritage in 1968.

At the time, it only spanned a week.

It was a natural initiative for a one-time teacher in Cotulla — deep in South Texas — at a school for the children of MexicanAmerican residents.

During the media-dubbed “Decade of the Hispanic,” in 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the observation to a month.

Ironically, the term Hispanic came into use in the 1980 U.S. Census to label all ethnic groups with an origin on the Iberian Peninsula.

As Mexico celebrates its independence Sept. 16, that date was an appropriate beginning of a monthlong observation.

It was also in keeping with observances throughout Latin America. Sept. 15 is independence day in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Chile celebrates Sept. 18.

The end of the month almost coincides with the Oct. 12 observation of Columbus Day, commemorating the “discovery” of the New World.

Descendants of the New World residents of the time can be forgiven for seeing things a little differently. Throughout Latin America the day is also observed as la Dia de la Raza, or Day of the Race.

Here on campus, the planning committee for Hispanic Heritage Month has compiled a list of events to please everyone.

At 9:25 a.m. Tuesday in Room 218 of the nursing and allied health complex, Mara Posada will be talking about Planned Parenthood and its struggle to continue offering services in Texas.

From 9 a.m.-2 p.m Wednesday, low riders take over the mall for the Antojitos Festival. Car owners will be on hand to answer questions during the showcase.

From 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., participation in an interactive area leads to posing for free, fun photos.

Visual artist Luis Lopez will be on campus at 9:25 a.m Thursday in Room 218 of the nursing and allied health complex.

He will be displaying his art pieces and answering questions.

From 2 p.m-4 p.m Saturday, the Coahuiltecan Creation Panel will speak in Room 120 of the visual arts center to tell the story of a rock painting found in Comstock.

Psychology sophomore Jacob Wong teaches merengue dancing Sept.

18 in Loftin. Monica Lamadrid The White Shaman Panel tells the story of distant relatives of Mexican-Americans and what was found in the 4,000-year-oldrock panel.

All events are free and the observation continues through Oct. 16. For more information, call 210-486-0880.