The Ranger Feb. 6, 2009

RANGER THE

Feb. 6, 2009

Serving San Antonio College and the Alamo Community College District

A forum of free voices

Volume 83, Issue 13

Single copies free

Four -year plan the only option?

Associate degree offers leg up Page 3 Free drinks!

Page 7 Cheap dates!

Page 8 Play ball!

Page 14

Juan Carlos Campos

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

2 • Feb. 6, 2009

Officials Chancellor: Dr. Bruce H. Leslie 201 W. Sheridan, Bldg. B, San Antonio, TX 78204-1429 Work: 485-0020 Fax: 208-8149 E-mail: bleslie@mail.accd.edu District 1: Dr. Bernard Weiner 929 Manor Drive, Ste. 7, San Antonio, TX 78228 Work: 735-9151 E-mail: bweinermd@satx.rr.com District 2: Denver McClendon 3811 Willowwood Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78219 Work: 281-9141 E-mail: denvermcclendon@satx.rr.com District 3: Anna Bustamante 511 Ware Blvd., San Antonio TX 78221 Work: 882-1603 Fax: 927-4557 E-mail: abustamante20@mail.accd.edu District 4: Marcelo S. Casillas 115 Wainwright, San Antonio, TX 78211 Home: 922-6815 Fax: 923-3167 E-mail: mcasillas19@mail.accd.edu District 5: Roberto Zárate 4103 Buffalo Bayou, San Antonio, TX 78251 Phone: Not available E-mail: rzarate11@mail.accd.edu

District police strive for safe environment

By Rennie Murrell Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies provide a level of security and protection for life, property and investments, but it’s the Alamo Community College District department of public safety that ensures the stability of a safe environment for students, staff and faculty to work, learn and teach.

In the wake of a fatal shooting Oct. 13 in the library of Northeast Lakeview College, 8300 Pat Booker Road, theater Professor James Mammarella voiced his concerns in an e-mail that many in the district have about district policy concerning encounters with violent and armed offenders in an active shooting situation.

There is a chain of command on every campus in the district in regard to their emergency response plans, and can be viewed at any of the colleges’ Web sites.

The first step concerning an active shooter is to evacuate and secure the buildings and put them in a lock-down status, Don Adams, district chief of police, said. Then determine whether a tactical response team is warranted.

“Lock-down simply means, no one in and no one out,” he said.

The first responding officers must then

determine if there are any injured persons in need of medical attention, Adams said.

Many of the students, faculty and staff had self-evacuated in the Oct. 13 incident, thanks to the quick thinking by NLC librarian Rob Vaughn, Adams said.

Although there were some individuals still trapped inside the library, Alan Godin, the selfconfessed shooter, neutralized the threat he presented by laying down the weapon and calmly waiting for law enforcement to make the arrest, Adams said.

A hearing in the Godin case is set for March 6 in the 187th District Court.

The second step is to send out a campus-wide crime alert through e-mail notification to all staff and faculty in the district once all information readily available about the incident has been obtained, and verify and act upon the information gathered, Adams said.

“It should be made clear, the circumstances of any incident will dictate how the police react to any situation,” Adams said. “We only had one building to lock down on Oct. 13.”

In the case of the shooting at NLC, “We immediately placed the entire building on lock-down and set up three separate perimeters,” Adams said. “The first perimeter was set in the parking

Tyler Cleveland

District 6: Dr. Gene Sprague 14722 Iron Horse Way Helotes, TX 78023 Work: 567-5544 Fax: 520-9185 E-mail: sprague@uthscsa.edu

District 8: Gary Beitzel 15403 Forest Mist, San Antonio, TX 78232 Home: 496-5857 E-mail: gbeitzel@accd.edu

Presidents San Antonio College, Dr. Robert E. Zeigler 486-0959, rzeigler@mail.accd.edu Northeast Lakeview College, Dr. Eric Reno 486-5484, ereno@mail.accd.edu Northwest Vista College, Dr. Jacqueline Claunch 486-4900, jclaunch@mail.accd.edu Palo Alto College, Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzman 486-3960, aguzman@mail.accd.edu St. Philip’s College, Dr. Adena W. Loston 486-2900, aloston@mail.accd.edu

Online When you see this symbol, go to www.theranger.org for more info.

Basketball photo slide show RTF student launches San Antonio Broadcasting Association and scholarships Proper terminology important when studying history, author says Application for Urban Journalism Workshop at San Antonio College is now available.

Nursing department seeks new grant to train nurses

By Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle

District 7: Charles Conner 13306 Hunters Hollow, San Antonio, TX 78230 Home: 493-7176 Fax: 493-7909 E-mail: cconner8@mail.accd.edu

District 9: James A. Rindfuss 109 Laburnum, San Antonio, TX 78209 Home: 828-4630 Work: 375-2555 Home Fax: 832-8292 Office Fax: 375-0301 E-mail: jrindfus@mail.accd.edu

lot all the way to street side, the second perimeter was set around the outside of the building, and the third perimeter was established inside the building.”

The first perimeter was critical to inform incoming students, staff and faculty of the crisis situation at that time, he said.

“Although this event was tragic, the district was fortunate to have a police officer who was entering the building seconds after the shots were fired, and the response time by both district and the Live Oak Police Department was within one minute from the first 911 call,” Adams said.

NLC is implementing a new active shooter emergency response addendum to its own response plan, but it is still in draft form and has not yet been released for publication, Kathleen JohnsonHodge, director of public relations at NLC, said.

“We constantly work with other police departments in the areas of district campuses,” Adams said. “This is critical in maintaining a solid communication and working environment with those departments.”

“Before an all-clear signal is sent out, we must determine the offenders and the threat they present has been neutralized and no longer pose a danger to students, staff and faculty,” he said.

Reflecting on the past: Architecture Professor Michael Connor shows his former instructor and highly regarded architect Richard Mogas model buildings by former architecture students on the fourth floor of Moody Jan. 29.

Blotter San Antonio College Jan. 25 – An individual reported found property. Item placed in property locker.

Jan. 26 – An officer assisted an individual in locating vehicle in the parking garage.

An officer assisted with an off-campus vehicle accident. SAPD advised.

An individual reported a suspicious noise in a building. All found to be secure.

Jan. 27 – An individual reported feeling ill in Chance. Medical treatment refused.

An individual reported a confrontation with two males in Fletcher. All found to be secure.

An individual reported found property. Item placed in property locker.

Jan. 28 – An individual reported graffiti in a men’s restroom in Moody. No suspects were located.

An individual reported graffiti in the stairwell of Moody. No suspects were located.

An individual reported a student having seizures in Chance. EMS treated the individual.

An individual reported lost district keys in Fletcher.

The nursing education department is applying to the Health Resources and Services Administration for an additional three-year grant of $880,000 for Project Cuidar.

Project Cuidar trains nurses, including students with no college hours, to become certified nursing assistants and then registered nurses. The program also pays for books, tutoring and remediation and exam review classes. All nursing students can take advantage of the exam review classes.

The program is funded by a three-year $900,000 grant that began in 2006 and ends June 30. The department will not know if they will receive the grant until June 1, but it is likely they will, Maricela Aguilar, director of Project Cuidar, said.

Sheryd J. Jackson, nursing education professor and project coordinator, said she “tries to recruit students who traditionally would not become nurses such as males or minority women.”

Aguilar said students will be able to apply

Palo Alto College Jan. 26 – An individual reported feeling ill in the applied science building. Medical treatment refused.

An individual reported found property. Items placed in property locker.

An individual reported theft of a district computer in the fine arts building.

No suspects were located.

An individual reported a male and female arguing in Ozuna.

Jan. 27 – An individual reported found property. Item placed in property locker.

An individual reported damage to a personal vehicle in Lot 5.

No suspects were located.

An individual reported smoke in the area of Lot 16. All found to be secure.

Northwest Vista College

Contact Information Emergency 222-0911 General DPS 485-0099 Weather Line 485-0189

Non-district related individual issued a criminal trespass warning in the student center.

Jan. 27 – An individual reported being injured in natatorium gymnasium. EMS treated individual.

An individual reported two suspicious persons in Lot 5. All found to be secure.

Jan. 28 – An individual reported lost personal property in the general education building.

in September. Both Jackson and Aguilar are working to continue the program.

There are 73 students enrolled in this program.

Through the program’s Minority Workforce Diversity grant, scholarships will be available to minority students who are at a financial and educational disadvantage.

Two of the requirements in applying are that students are the first generation in their family to go to college and are in financial need.

One of Jackson’s jobs is to recruit high school students from the central and south side areas of San Antonio who are interested in becoming nurses.

Students who are already enrolled in classes at this college are also eligible and could get scholarships of up to $3,500 per year. High school students who start the program to become a CNA can receive a $500 stipend.

For more information, log on to www. accd.edu/sac/nursing or call Jackson at 4861191.

An individual reported lost personal property in Lot 1.

An individual reported damage to a personal vehicle. No suspects were located.

An individual reported the theft of personal property in Sutton.

No suspects were located.

An individual reported their personal vehicle being burglarized in Lot 2. No suspects were located.

Jan. 26 – An individual reported a suspicious male in the area of Mountain Laurel.

An individual reported damage to district property in Mountain Laurel.

An individual reported being injured in Juniper. EMS treated individual.

An individual reported a vehicle with the trunk open in Lot 8. All found to be secure.

An individual reported lost property in Redbud.

Jan. 27 – An individual reported being injured. Medical treatment refused.

An individual reported damage to personal vehicle in Lot 9.

An individual reported being injured in Live Oak. Medical treatment refused.

Jan. 28 – An individual reported a suspicious male in the area of Sutton.

Jan. 28 – An individual reported vehicles parked in the loading dock area of Cypress.

An individual reported being injured. Medical treatment refused.

Northeast Lakeview Campus Jan. 26 – An individual reported damage to district property.

An individual reported lost district keys.

An individual reported found property. Item placed in property locker.

St. Philips College

Southwest Campus

An individual reported an irate student. All found to be secure.

Jan. 24 – An individual reported graffiti a the men’s restroom in Bowden.

Jan. 28 – An individual reported graffiti in the men’s restroom.

No suspects were located.

Jan. 27 – An individual reported found property in the library. Items placed in property locker.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Graduation awareness blitz planned

By Michelle Franco College officials will send out an e-mail blast to promote graduation to more than 8,000 students through PALS. This is just one of many new tactics the college is taking with the intention to increase the number of graduates.

The e-mails will go to students who are getting close to meeting requirements to graduate. According to the SAC Spring 2009 class schedule, there were 1,242 graduates in 2007-08.

“The number of graduates does not reflect the impact SAC is having on the community,” J. Martin Ortega, director of admissions and records, said Tuesday in an interview.

He said the job market is different from the 1990s, which saw prosperity.

“An associate gives you a leg up,” he said.

Because of the low graduation rates, the college has put together a graduation team that includes faculty and staff as well as a student life representative.

Their mission is to increase awareness of graduation, interim Executive Vice President Jessica Howard said.

“We believe in the value of an associate degree,” she said. “We realized we did not have a graduating culture.”

To begin to change that, college officials will also hang up posters and banners in classrooms and around campus as well as have students wearing mortarboards hand out bookmarks, which are printed with the

By Henry A. Chavarria The Student Government Association is opening its doors and lending its ears this semester as the organization welcome students to interact with the officers at all meetings.

The organization meets at 2 p.m.

Mondays in the Loftin Student Center craft room so that students can plan around a consistent schedule.

SGA President Julianne Cantu emphasizes, “All of our meetings are open to the public now, so that anyone can come sit, observe and ask questions.

“It is hard for us to function as a group without any input from the student body.”

SGA also will offer open forums in the cafeteria in Loftin.

“This is why our open forum sessions are going to be so vital this semes-

Juan Carlos Campos

increases in income that often accompany higher degrees. An average salary for someone with an associate degree is $36,362, more than $8,000 more than the average for a high school diploma. The bookmark credits the information to the U.S. Census Bureau for 2006, but figures are from 2008, Howard said.

She also said they will have staff and faculty wearing graduation buttons and are brainstorming a graduation rap contest.

The college will also host what officials are calling Operation Graduation Week Feb. 23-27 and March 23-27, the weeks before the deadlines to apply for graduation.

In efforts to make it easier for students to graduate, college officials have extended deadlines, worked to improve the application process and set up a direct e-mail address for students who have questions.

The e-mail address is SAC-graduate@ mail.accd.edu,.

The committee also plans to encourage faculty and staff to pursue their own associate degrees.

Students interested in applying for graduation must perform a degree audit, available online or in the counseling center in Moody Learning Center.

Applications can be filled out online, or students can pick one up with the chair of their department, or in the admissions and records office in Room 216 of Fletcher Administrative Center.

For more information, contact counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez in Room 123 of Moody or call 733-2752.

Student Goverment opens meetings, plans forums Students can now attend meetings.

Feb. 6, 2009 • 3

ter as an opportunity for students to come out and voice their opinions.”

Students who are interested in some day becoming part of the SGA executive staff or even those who just want to know the changes happening on campus can gain knowledge on how the organization functions simply by attending these weekly meetings.

The more students who attend these meeting, especially the open forums, the more SGA can get a better understanding of what changes need to be made on campus.

“Every person has a different college experience, and when students bring their ideas to our attention, it gives us a wider view of what is happening on our campus,” Cantu said.

The SGA open forum will be from 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 16 in the cafeteria in Loftin.

The meeting will discuss any courses of action that have taken place, actions that will take place and answer any questions or concerns addressed by students.

Librarian urges students to visit library for help.

By Jeff Reese

Need help with algebra?

Check out two labs Tutoring and assistance with homework can be found on campus.

By Theodore Knapinsky Two labs on campus offer tutoring assistance.

They are in the student learning assistance center on the seventh floor of Moody Learning Center and in the math lab in Room 124F in McCreless Hall.

The tutoring lab in McCreless Hall is available to students from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. while the SLAC lab is based on availability of tutors.

Students can schedule 30-minute sessions and they cannot be scheduled back to back, said Thomas Hungerford, a tutor in the SLAC lab.

Math lab supervisor Isaac Elizondo runs the math lab in Room 124F and has a staff of five tutors.

“Students have options,” Elizondo

Campus DPS steps up smoking rule enforcement

said. “They come in and get their homework done.

“Bring in your homework,” he said, adding that a tutor will help.

In the SLAC lab, students must have completed homework before seeing a tutor, Elizondo said.

The McCreless Hall math lab offers walk-in help with math problems and homework in developmental math, college algebra, precalculus, calculus and physics.

The math department offers four computer science courses and 20 math courses.

The SLAC lab is open from 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

The lab can be reached by calling 486-0228.

The math lab in 124F in McCreless Hall is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. MondayThursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Call 733-2170.

Tyler Cleveland

President asks officers to give more warnings and tickets.

By Jeff Reese The Alamo Community College District department of public safety will now carry out more strict enforcement of its anti-tobacco policy passed in 2006, as students continue to smoke in spite of signs posted to remind them of the ban at the five ACCD colleges.

Banned products include cigarettes, dip, snuff, chewing tobacco and marijuana.

Most of the violations take place in isolated areas on campus grounds, such as the garden area north of McCreless Hall on Dewey Street and the parking garage east of Chance Academic Center.

President Robert Zeigler has asked Chief Don Adams to make officers focus on such trouble spots by giving warnings or, if necessary, $12 tickets.

But he said the college has already made strides in

E-books enhance research ability

Fine arts sophomore Sable Martinez and liberal arts sophomore Cecily Martinez smoke Jan. 29 north of McCreless Hall on West Courtland and Belknap. preventing smoking.

“The interior mall area of the campus, I think we’re in pretty good shape,” Zeigler said. “It’s the outlying areas where we’re having some problems.”

While the college posts numerous signs located on light posts and along buildings within the main portion of campus as reminders not to smoke, it will now make such postings on the outer portions of college property as well.

Zeigler said he favors the new rule because of the risk of health problems such as lung cancer that come with smoking.

“I was delighted that the board did support a policy prohibiting smoking all across the district since the old policy allowed smoking in designated areas,” Zeigler said. “This one is much better, and, yes, I’m very much in favor of it. I think it’s a very important health issue that we need as an institution to encourage people to give up the cigarettes.”

Complete smoking control will come with dedication, Zeigler said.

“We just need to pay more attention to it, and the officers are certainly willing and happy to do that,” Zeigler said.

To find relief from subpar research papers and grades, students, teachers and staff may now supplement the 200,000 print books available at the Moody Learning Center library by visiting www.accd.edu/sac/library/ebook. htm to access more than 30,000 full-text e-books through 152 learning databases.

Celita DeArmond, reference and distance librarian, encourages students and staff to ask librarians for research assistance at any time and expresses great optimism in the library’s number of available fulltext sources on the library’s Web site through numerous general and subject-specific search tools.

“That’s a pretty powerful search, so you can get very specific with your search and add a lot of very specific key words,” DeArmond said. “People usually find at least a couple of items that fit what they need.”

As opposed to previous online reference books, the newest ones are available at any time of day.

The e-books come free of charge; students pay for access to these and other library sources as part of tuition.

Reference Librarian Stephen Dingman said most students come to Moody Learning Center for literary research and literary criticism and often use the Opposing Viewpoints database for such assignments.

Opposing Viewpoints provides articles with multiple perspectives about subjects such as lowering the legal drinking age or a more current subject such as whether text messaging while driving should be legal.

California passed a law prohibiting text messaging, instant messaging or sending e-mail while driving, which went into effect Jan. 1.

The library’s Web site, which may be reached from the campus Web page, includes NetLibrary, a service offering keyword and phrase searches to find e-books; NetLibrary includes an embedded dictionary to define unfamiliar words in the titles of e-books students find as appropriate sources.

While the five Alamo Community College District colleges have many of the same databases available, the SAC library’s site also includes e-books exclusive to certain colleges based on programs available at each ACCD campus.

For example, because only this college and St. Philip’s College offer a nursing program, they are the only two district libraries with home and school access to nursing e-books.

While students from other district colleges may come to a college and research subjects their own college does not offer, these students do not receive off-campus use of the subject specific e-books.

Dingman also encourages students to come to the library for help in using e-books to avert use of possibly unreliable sources.

“I was helping a student one time, and they were getting information on illegal guns from a blogger,” Dingman said. “You haven’t met the blogger; you don’t know if the blogger is some loon in a dark room.”

4 • Feb. 6, 2009

People Charles Cima

www.theranger.org • The Ranger Leda Garcia Svetlana Bryant sews south of Loftin Wednesday. She says she enjoys knitting for fun and relaxation between classes.

Bryant is a pediatrician from Russia and is studying English at this college. She also was a first-place winner of a knitting contest at the Guadalupe County Fair in 2008.

Longhorn cattle are herded along Houston Street Saturday. The parade kicked off the 2009 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, which continues through Feb. 22 at the AT&T Center.

Lexi Burton

Tyler Cleveland Vo l u n t e e r s serve free coffee at the 31st annual Cowboy Breakfast at The Rim shopping center Jan. 30. McDonald’s provided several 300 gallon-perhour brewers to serve an estimated 40,000 people in attendance. The event raises money for scholarships for the culinary arts program at St. Philip’s College.

Danglewood plays Jan. 30 in Loftin Student Center. Lead singer Gilbert Abundis and saxophone player Eric Garza are students at this college.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Feb. 6, 2009 • 5

Engineering students supported Renovations create confusion

By Ralonda Green

Students going to the chemistry and geology building as well as others found themselves lost during the first week of school.

The 2009 printed schedule for the chemistry/geology/astronomy department is incorrect.

It shows new classrooms in a building that does not exist yet. Only the online schedule is correct; it shows the right class changes.

For at least the first week of the semester, there were class relocations and cancellations.

The reason is the chemistry and geology building will soon receive a makeover in the middle of two moves.

The department is hoping to push the chemistry sector out of an old 1950s-’60s look, into a more modern 2009 theme.

“Our goal is to bring chemistry into the 21st century,” Chair G. Roger Stanley said.

The building needs some work. Chemistry ovens needed replacing, the conditioning and instillation system was breaking down and other material and equipment was outdated, Stanley said.

So the administration and the department agreed to a muchneeded upgrade.

The plan was to move the department into brand-new portable labs until their old location could be remodeled.

“The builders came in and looked at our old lab floor plan, asked us what we wanted and made some changes,” Stanley said.

The new portable labs are seen as an enlarged version of the old labs.

The chemistry portable will be at least an 8,400-square-foot building.

It is about 120 feet long and 70 feet wide.

“I think it’s like four home trailers making up one whole building, maybe a little bit bigger … custom-built, built from the ground up.

Yeah, you just can’t pick it out and buy it,” Stanley said.

These new labs will include more heightened security, a large storage area for chemicals, new ovens and balances as well as other lab equipment. Some old supplies will still be used in the new labs.

There will be eight restrooms and one special lab: the organic lab.

The organic lab will have more seats for students, vent-hoods and individual gauges, said Stanley. Vent hoods are ventilation and air duct tools used to suck dangerous fumes from the air, keeping air clean for students.

These are the reasons classes have been relocated to the nursing education building.

Students and faculty will have classes in the nursing education building and go to the chemistry and geology building for labs.

While waiting patiently, Stanley said, even when the new portables get here, they will not be ready.

Plumbing and much-needed fixtures will have to be installed before labs can move in.

The geology and astronomy equipment has been successfully moved to the nursing education building.

The chemistry move, however, involves so much because it is not yet settled.

Three companies currently oversee the project. The first moved office supplies into the nursing building during early December.

The second is to move only the breakables and fragile chemistry ware for $4,000-$4,500. The third will handle chemical inventory at $20,000 That totals about $24,500, Stanley told The Ranger.

“Jan. 12, 2009, was the original date of the portables’ arrival, but they have not come yet,” Stanley said.

The department suggested spring break would have been the best time to move in. However, Stanley disagrees that this could take place because the portables are not here.

John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities operations and construction management, said one company takes care of the labs, the other with moving the chemistry and geology materials.

He also said that the portables will be moved near the general area of where the old motor pool used to be on Main Avenue.

They were told that the modular buildings would be finished in December and that the finishing date would be in August 2009. But nothing has taken place yet.

“At this time, we don’t know when the completion date will be,” Strybos said.

According to the records from the board of trustees, the cost of the building as of Dec. 2, 2008, comes out to $11,326,715 in estimated construction and a consultant fee.

In addition, $593,343 was spent on a lab complex with skirting, steps, decks and ramps, gutters and eight restrooms and $371,221 was spent on lab fixtures including counter tops, cabinetry, storage units, sinks, and chemical hoods got the geology and chemistry modular building.

When asked if facility members were keeping students up to date with the current moving situation and scheduling, Stanley said, “We tell them, and we even have a sign saying it … just wait until further notice.”

Parking lots change Faculty Lot 22 south of Nail Technical Center will be closed beginning this afternoon, and six other lots will be redesignated “open parking” beginning Saturday.

Lot 22 will be used as a staging area for construction during the renovation of Nail, the chemistry and geology building and the former nursing education building, according to an e-mail Wednesday to faculty and staff from President Robert Zeigler.

The three faculty lots that will be open to students and faculty are Lot 14 north of Oppenheimer Education and Training Center, Lot 15 west of the Oppenheimer center and Lot 21 west of Nail.

The three student lots that will be open parking are Lot 23 east of the nursing and allied health complex, Lot 27 west of the Seguir Adelante Community Center and Lot 28 south and west of the academic instruction center.

The college is also building a parking lot on the site of the old motor pool building and will build additional parking where the Park Place building is located. Existing parking at Park Place is open and available for use now, according to the e-mail.

Math Engineering Science Achievement program mentors budding engineers.

By José Castillo The school’s Math Engineering Science Achievement program recently celebrated its first year of providing support and assistance to students studying math, engineering and science.

The program was brought to the school by the engineering coordinator, Dr. Dan Dimitriu in the fall of 2007 and is the only one in Texas.

“Getting approved for the program was a very complicated process. We were not approved for two years because we did not have a designated space for it,” Dimitriu explained.

The program is self-sufficient, relying on fundraisers and private grants for funding.

In one year, membership on this campus has grown to more than 50 students.

“I am very proud of the program,” Dimitriu said.

Started in California 25 years ago, MESA works with students to help ensure they graduate with math-based degrees. It has won numerous awards for its excellence in mentoring and innovative program such as the Presidential Award in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, and it was named one of the five most innovative public programs by Innovations in American

Language immersion program offered Spanish classes will meet in Cuernavaca, Mexico, this summer.

By Veronica Araiza Have an interest in Mexican culture?

Currently enrolled in a Spanish foreign language course?

Students at this college now have the opportunity to participate in a language immersion program to study in Mexico during the summer, Instructor Tammy Perez said Jan. 23.

Language immersion is a method of teaching a second language. Students spend time in a foreign country and are surrounded by an environment where the target language is the teaching tool rather than simply the subject matter.

Participants in the upcoming language immersion program will spend May 31-June 27 in Cuernavaca, Mexico, 64 miles south of Mexico City.

Government.

“This area of study needs a lot of support because students can be intimidated by math and science degrees, and companies are complaining that there are not enough engineers.

“There is a place for every personality in engineering,” Dimitriu said.

The program fosters a network of peer support and encouragement from other students who have either taken or are taking the same classes and in addition, it provides information on internships and scholarships.

Located in Room 144 of Chance Academic Center, the MESA classroom is well equipped with computers, drafting table, facultydonated technical magazines, technical library and snack bar.

“During finals, some students stay overnight so they can study with others who are more than likely studying for the same exams,” sophomore engineering major Gary Popov said.

Popov added it is very safe because the door is secured and can only be entered by authorized users.

The program is designed to help students at any educational level.

Sophomore Sandra Migliori, who has been with MESA since the beginning, explained, “Even people in basic math come in here for help and we all help each other.”

For more information, visit room 144 of Chance Academic Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or call Dimitriu at 486-1309.

Tyler Cleveland

Spanish Instructor Tammy Perez discusses study abroad opportunities in Cuernavaca, Mexico, with counselor Lisa Menard Jan. 27 in the academic instruction center.

They will earn seven to eight foreign language credits while attending Kukulcan Spanish Language School.

In-class activities are conducted in the second language, and native speakers occupy the community where the students will reside.

Students will be required to enroll in two Spanish courses at this college for the summer session.

Students can choose from SPAN 1411, Elementary Spanish 1; SPAN 1412, Elementary Spanish 2; and SPAN 2311, Intermediate Spanish 1.

Participants should have some prior knowledge of the Spanish language before going on the trip, although there are no prerequisites required to enroll.

Students will spend five hours a day learning Spanish from a Kukulcan instructor who strictly teaches in the target lan-

guage, Perez said.

After class, students are able to spend leisure time exploring the town of Cuernavaca and enjoying weekly, half-day excursions to surrounding cultural and historical areas, such as the Muros Museum, Borda Gardens and the Palacio de Cortes.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Pérez said. “I did it.

If I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. The reason I’m teaching Spanish is because of language immersion programs.”

The cost averages about $1,600 plus tuition for this college. Financial aid and scholarships can be applied to the cost of the program, and alternative financial opportunities are available.

An information session will be from 4 p.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 24 in Room 101 of the academic instruction center. For information, e-mail tperez@mail.accd.edu.

Biology facility hits the Spot

By Alice Gonzalez The BioSpot has improved the grades of biology students.

The BioSpot is an interactive facility where students can learn from their peers, take tests, interact with other students, or request a private tutor, biology Chair Teanna Staggs said Jan. 26 in an interview.

“Professors spend two hours of office time answering the questions of students,” she said.

This is a requirement for the 18 full-time biology professors.

The college requires full-time faculty to have 10 office hours a week.

According to information from the Alamo Community College District office of institutional effectiveness, students in BIOL 1406, General Biology 1, for nonscience majors, who used the BioSpot made grades 4.1 percent higher than nonusers in spring 2008.

Staggs said students are required to sign in when they visit the BioSpot, so the department can compare their scores with their counterparts who do not use the study center.

BioSpot users taking BIOL 2401, Human Anatomy and Physiology 1, scored 5.9 percent higher than their classmates who did not use the facility.

“The most helpful resources are the professors, computers, quiet study rooms, videos, and group studies you can join, but the best part of the BioSpot is the free coffee,” said Santitos Aleman, a nursing freshman enrolled in human anatomy and physiology this semester.

She is a work-study in the study center.

“Understanding the material is easier when you have extra microscopes and models, especially when you’re a hands-on learner,” Aleman said.

Ranger file

Biology sophomore Vanessa Sanlucar uses a model to study muscle groups Oct. 9, 2007, in the BioSpot in Chance.

According to the data from district institutional research, 1,449 students took advantage of the facility in cubicles or groups in spring 2008.

Data also show that a significant number of students from Northeast Lakeview College are coming to this college to use the facility.

The BioSpot is open from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday –Thursday and 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Friday in Room 350 of Chance Academic Center.

Call 486-0860.

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

6• Feb. 6, 2009

Senate irked by dean hiring, relocation plan, Blackboard Vista

By Martin Herrera “Process” was a concept that repeatedly surfaced in Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

In discussions about the appointment of a new dean of P-16 initiatives, the Faculty Relocation Between Colleges Plan, and troubles with the implementation of Blackboard Vista, senate members questioned the process by which decisions had been made.

Chairperson Paula McKenna told the senators a search had not been conducted prior to the hiring of Nancy Cobb as dean of P-16 initiatives. Cobb came to the college two years ago as director of the Gateway to College program.

McKenna said she raised this concern with President Robert Zeigler, who asserted that he made the correct decision by hiring Cobb and he felt a search would have led him back to her anyway.

“It wasn’t just overnight he decided to do this,” McKenna said he assured her.

In a phone interview Thursday, Zeigler

defended his selection of Cobb, citing her work performance on several projects and her collaboration with the San Antonio Independent School District on Travis Early College High School.

“She’s developed our early college programs into national models,” Zeigler said. “She’s recognized nationally for her work. Her expertise and experience at San Antonio College have indicated to me that she is the person for the job and that a search would have been an extraneous exercise.”

No one said Cobb was unqualified for the position; senators disagreed with the president’s logic in not performing a search. McKenna said, “That’s what aggravates Nancy Cobb everybody.”

The source of funding for the position is also an issue for McKenna, who told senators half of it is covered by a grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The other half, she explained, Cobb

was responsible for generating through the early college program.

The concern of the senate is if the grant is discontinued or if adequate revenue is not generated and the self-supporting position could become a budgetdependent line item.

“If she stops generating revenue, the job goes away,” McKenna said Zeigler told her.

Ziegler said the college would periodically reassess the program and “would eliminate it if it can’t sustain itself and grow.”

Zeigler said grant programs are temporary and he has no illusion that those funds will remain indefinitely; however, he believes the program will continue to grow and remain self-sustaining.

To address some of their concerns, theater and speech communication Chair Jeff Hunt suggested Cobb be invited to speak to the senate. McKenna said she

would invite her.

Another topic piquing the attention of faculty members was the surfacing of a draft document for Faculty Relocation Between Colleges Plan.

Concerned about the intent of the district to more readily move faculty between colleges, senate members questioned why they had not yet been consulted. Some doubted their ability to effect change now that a document exists, even if it is just a draft.

On Thursday, Zeigler characterized the practice of relocating faculty, based upon budgetary and enrollment needs of the district’s individual colleges, as something that is not without precedent.

He said he believes the document is merely the formalizing of an existing practice; however, he said he would seriously consider the input of faculty.

“I’m always happy to talk to the senate about things like that,” Zeigler said of the plan.

Technology, specifically the implementation of Blackboard Vista, also raised the

ire of senate members who cited the frequent maintenance outages as the culprit of lackluster interest in using the Webbased learning management system.

After a trial period, Blackboard Vista was officially proclaimed “live” this spring semester.

However, some senate members, because of the outages, were glad they had opted not to implement it into their classrooms.

Poor integration with existing systems was another weakness cited.

Senate members asked the senate’s technology committee to review the matter before considering an agenda item at its next regularly scheduled meeting on March 4 to request a delay in the 2010 deadline for mandatory implementation.

Faculty Senate has a special meeting Feb. 18, during which David Winney, associate vice chancellor of employee services, will address the group.

For a list of meetings, visit the Web site at http://www.accd.edu/sac/sacmain/fasenate/calendar.htm.

District consultants explain faculty compensation study Study firm wants “true and hard” data to determine faculty salaries.

By Melissa Toscano Lazcano Faculty heard an explanation of a new compensation study Jan. 28 by Dr. Daniel Ulibarri, president of Ulibarri-Mason Global HR, the firm contracted to conduct the study.

One of the goals of this board-selected firm is to establish a communication relationship and identify a comparison group, Ulibarri said. “It always depends on the relationship between the faculty and administration on the various schools that exist,” he said.

District Compensation Manager Danelle Evans introduced the compensation study team and said the last compensation study was conducted more than 10 years ago. The firm plans on completing the study in time for budgeting in June.

Ulibarri stressed “collaboration” and “transparency” in his project approach through three phases of

development described in a slideshow.

The first phase, which began this month with an appointed advisory committee for faculty representation, consists of town hall meetings, due diligence, planning and data gathering.

Ulibarri said the firm conducts due diligence before project commitments to provide opportunities to review resources and potential liabilities in detail, as mentioned on the firm’s Web site, www.umglobalhr. com.

From mid-January to mid-March, the second phase will conduct a market study of compensation and benefits to identify best practices. One of the major steps in the second phase is to report the outcomes of a faculty wage and salary survey.

Among the potential comparison institutions are systems in Austin, Dallas, El Paso and Houston.

Implementation and ongoing support is estimated from March through June in the third phase.

The third phase includes reporting on costs, time and resource requirements of various alternatives as

well as creating an overall total compensation and benefits strategy. Some of the data parameters taken into consideration are the average, median and range of salaries by level, class, tenure and rank, overload, additional assignments and number of duty days.

The firm also plans to discuss recruitment and retention issues among faculty.

Elena Mason, senior vice president of UMGHR, showed an online project dashboard sample, also available on the Web site, with the project’s timeline and status to be updated daily.

Questions and answers can be posted and progress can be viewed online.

Dr. Rodolfo Rocha, Texas higher education policy and legislative consultant, referred to the city’s living costs graph compared to Miami, where housing is 39 percent more expensive. “Texas is one of the few states doing well today,” he said.

College programs like the two-plus-two and dualcredit receive more funds because they are “very successful” in retaining students, he said, adding it has

been 24 years since a major budget crisis resulted in severe cuts for educational funding, he said.

Dr. Ellen Switkes, higher education compensation consultant for UMGHR, compared the system with the University of California, where she also consults as a project coordinator for its School of Global Health.

To increase faculty salary, there should be “true and hard” data, Switkes said.

“I was actually very surprised that the college doesn’t regularly do a compensation study,” she said after the meeting.

Switkes said it should be done regularly to know how faculty is being paid with respect to the competition.

“I’m worried that the faculty is nervous about the purpose,” Switkes said. “These things never result in pay cuts for anybody.”

Ulibarri said after the meeting, “It always depends on the relationship between the faculty and administration on the various schools that exist. This particular college, from what we’ve learned, doesn’t have a lot of the problems that we’ve seen elsewhere,” he said.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Premiere

Feb. 6, 2009 • 7

History no longer thing of the past

Accunet/AP Photos

Student drums up interest in establishing a history club as a campus organization for history enthusiasts.

By Joshua Sanchez Guerrero Sam Huckleberry loves history.

Like so many students, he has a favorite subject in school that he doesn’t mind following him home.

So when he found out there wasn’t a history club here on campus, he decided to take a leadership role and start one.

Huckleberry, in his first year at this college, fancies the ancient Roman and World War II periods, but this history major loves it all.

He loves films with historical accuracies and great attention to detail, such as “Valkyrie,” which told the story of a plot against Hitler by his own officers.

He also participates in re-enactments of his favorite time periods, where costumes and tools are very detailed.

Some of the re-enactments take place in San Antonio, with a few events lined up for next month and in April.

San Antonio College doesn’t offer an associate degree in history, but that’s something Dr. Jonathan Lee, history chair, hopes the college reconsiders.

Lee hopes the club will make the history department more visible on campus.

With about 82 students signing up and wanting to be a part of it, he’s hoping that he can be a pioneer for the college.

Along with re-enactments and field trips to museums and historical sites, such as Austin, where a former prisoner of war camp is located, Huckleberry hopes the club can help those students who may need to brush up on history.

He’s willing to help those who don’t have a knack for it and are struggling in classes, and hopes along with the help, he can recruit another member for the club.

The group is hoping to meet on the weekends when many students have the time. Huckleberry is looking for a long-term group while holding elections every semester.

Students can contact Huckleberry through one of his two e-mail addresses at s.g.hockelbern@hotmail.com or at shuckleberry1@mail.accd.edu.

Faculty-student pairs eligible for free drinks in Loftin Special from fall continues in spring semester.

By Brianna Roberts Despite miscommunication between the office of student life and the cafeteria food service company, Selrico, that a free drink special had been discontinued, the free soft drinks or coffee resumes Monday, said Pepe López, catering manager for Fresh Taste, a division of Selrico.

The faculty latte initiative was formed in fall to provide an opportunity for teachers and students to talk outside of the classroom, the director said.

“To me, the student center is a student place, and the classroom is a faculty place,” Jorge Posadas, director of student life, said. “This changes that dynamic.”

The faculty latte allows a teacher and a student to go to Loftin Student Center and receive either a free drink or a free coffee.

At the beginning of this semester, the cashiers in the cafeteria stopped allowing the drinks.

“I think it’s just a matter of reminding them,” Posadas said. “The person who was in charge of it left.”

The idea for the faculty latte came to Posadas after he visited a private university that served a free meal to faculty and students who came to the

student center together.

Knowing that he couldn’t do something that big at this college, Posadas still wanted to adapt it for here. He thought that a drink might be the solution for several reasons.

He wanted it to be something more casual than the student going to a teacher’s office and realized that many students might not have the time to sit down and talk for a long time.

“It’s for those students who have the time or want those questions answered,” Posadas said.

“We want them to have a space to do that.”

Past just going to get a drink, interacting with a teacher can carry another meaning.

“I think it’s important when a student and

faculty develop a relationship outside of class. The student learns more,” Posadas said, noting his own experience.

He described getting to know his teachers outside of the classroom. “It wasn’t just that I’m taking this class. It was ‘I’m going to get an A in this class,’” Posadas said.

“It made me more accountable to the faculty member and the faculty member more accountable to me. It became a partnership.

“It costs student life $1.50 or $3 for the coffee and the student walks away with a better understanding of the class material and a better understanding of the field. I think then that is three bucks well spent.”

e c n a

8 • www.theranger.org

m o you can R

By Joshua Sanchez Guerrero For those of us who are fortunate to have a special someone on Valentine’s Day, we are obliged to make sure we give our loved one the best of days.

In this economy, however, we are forced to squeeze every penny and cut back on items that we’d usually pay top dollar for.

No need to fear though, here are a few things that’ll help you save money this year, while still giving your loved one the day they desire.

Alwaysfrugal.com suggests checking out your local museum for free days.

Museums usually have reasonable admission prices, but for free, you can spend hours on end looking at interesting and thought-provoking items, all for nothing or a small price.

A special bonus for students of the Alamo Community College District is free admission to the San Antonio Museum of Art and the McNay Art Museum.

The San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

The McNay Art Museum at 6000 N. New Braunfels is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

A traditional evening at home might seem boring, but it can be quite romantic.

A nicely prepared home-cooked meal is not only a good way of showing your love, but it’s also cost-efficient and shows your loved one that you can actually whip something up in the kitchen.

A nice meal and a movie at home might be classic, but it’ll save you the cost of fancy restaurants and over-priced theaters.

Imagine cooking a simple and delicious meal, such as spicy spaghetti or grilled steaks, from the comfort of your own home that will save you from costly resturaunts and long lines on the special day.

Great romantic film ideas include the newly released “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” the worldwide hit “Mamma Mia,” or classics like “Titanic,” “A Walk to Remember” or “The Notebook.”

Films like “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Twilight,” “Bride Wars,” and “Marley & Me” are still on the big screen.

The Bijou theatre at Crossroads mall offers matinee admission or $7 student ID admission in prime time for the best in foreign and independent films.

Pick a flick and share a glass of wine for $4.39 or a whole bottle starting at $19.29.

The Bijou also offers other alcoholic beverages such as beer for $11.09 a pitcher for domestic beer and $16.35 for a bucket of five for import and premium beer.

Emulating ideas from some of you or your partner’s favorite movies is also a great way to sweep a new love off their feet.

Whether your style is standing like John Cusack playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” full blast outside your lover’s house as in “Say Anything” or dancing to “Hello, Dolly” like

Photo Illustration by Lexi Burton

Photos by Tyler Cleveland

d r o f f A$

$

Wall-E, emulating a scene is a fun and romantic way to impress your lover.

Celebrating after Feb. 14 can also save you some cash.

Deliver a promise of a future special event, which will give you time to save up or get a gift certicate now and save up for the party favors.

Waiting a week or so will open up more reservations and could yield cheaper prices. Just make sure you deliver the plan

by Valentine’s Day — maybe with a single rose.

Take a nice stroll around the park or beach.

Not only is walking cost efficient, but you and your loved one will be able to talk and see each other, which is what Valentine’s Day is all about, being connected.

Brackenridge Park at 3700 N. St. Mary’s has more than 340 acres to stroll on a beautiful day. Pack a picnic lunch to take along.

McAllister Park at 13102 Jones-Maltsberger offers nearly 1,000 acres including four pavilions, 156 picnic areas, a dog park and three miles of trails.

Long walks on a beautiful day with the one you

Feb. 6, 2009 • 9

The Ranger

love might end with watching a sunset or stargazing over deepest thoughts. That’s something you can’t do in a theater.

The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo offers general admission tickets for as low as $10.

You and your loved one can stroll through the barns of horses, steers, sheep, goats and poultry or across the midway.

Closer to your daily paths, SAC offers on-campus concerts and plays that are free to students with proper college ID. Check the calendar on Page 10 for more events happening around the date.

These are just a few of the things that you can do on Valentine’s Day to save some scratch.

The more thought you put into the day, even the simplest of ideas can make the day more special. And you score points for imagination.

Black and blue: Actors and musicians Ron Wilkins (from left), Danielle King and Skudr Jones perform a dramatization of an 1850 San Antonio ordinance defining punishment for slaves caught after curfew in Sterling Houston’s repertory piece “Black and Blue: 400 Years of Struggle and Transcendence,” in McAllister Monday. Presented by Gemini Ink and directed by Bett Butler, the performance kicked off Black History Month.

‘Dating Game’ seeking game show singles

By Giselle Guadron

Dancing proud: Raul “Aviala” Barriga of Capoeira Luanda spins on stage in McAllister Monday.

The Capoeira band performed as the opener to Gemini Ink’s presentation. Capoeira originated from Brazilian slaves who were restricted from practicing traditional self-defense and developed their own with acrobatics, singing and the rhythms of world instruments.

Former administrator to lecture

By Melissa Toscano Lazcano

cation psychology from Louisiana State University in 1974 and a bachelor’s degree with a double Dr. Belle Wheelan will speak for Black History major in psychology and sociology from Trinity Month at 10 a.m. Feb. 18 in St. Philip’s College University in 1972.

Watson Fine Arts Center Theatre for this year’s Her awards include the Woman of Distinction Black History Month theme of “The Quest for Award from the American Association of University Black Citizenship in the Americas.”

Women, the Distinguished Graduate Award from Wheelan was the first African-American Trinity University, both in 2002, and from the woman to serve as president of the Commission College of Education at the University of Texas at on Colleges of the Southern Austin in 1992.

Association of Colleges and The Washingtonian magaSchools which is the recogzine also recognized Wheelan For more information nized regional accrediting as one of the 100 Most Powerful on the commission, visit body in the 11 U.S. southWomen in Washington, D.C., ern states and in Latin in 2001. www.sac.scoc.org.

America for institutions “I think that I’m paying of higher education that my debt everyday because I award associate, baccalauam doing the best that I can, reate, master’s or doctoral degrees. trying to live up to the expectations of people who Wheelan worked at this campus from 1974 have supported me,” Wheelan said in an interto 1987 as director of academic support services, view with Frank Matthews, Black Issues in Higher director of developmental education and as a psyEducation editor-in-chief, on March 28, 2002, as chology instructor. posted on the Business Network Web In 1998, she was the president of site www.bnet.com.

Northern Virginia Community College, “I make myself available to others the second largest community college in as a mentor, letting them know about the nation, before being appointed eduthe pitfalls. I have opened my home cation secretary of Virginia in December to many a graduate student who was 2001. writing a dissertation on leadership Wheelan received a doctorate in eduand women. I’ve let them shadow me cational administration with a concenaround. And let them know that there tration in community college leadership is a place for them in this field, that from the University of Texas at Austin in these are the tradeoffs. I want them to 1984, a master’s in developmental edu- Dr. Belle Wheelan see the good and the bad.”

The Black Student Alliance will host “The Dating Game” from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 13 in the round of Loftin Student Center.

This event is scheduled as part of this college’s observation of Black History Month.

Students who have seen reruns of of television shows such as “The Dating Game” and “The Newlywed Game” may want to come check this out.

Judi Clark, senior secretary in the media services department and an adviser to the club, said the event will mimic the format of the television shows.

For instance, there might be three male students behind a curtain, and a female asking the questions.

Once she is finished asking questions, she then will decide who her date will be and he will come out from behind the curtain.

Even if you are not looking for a date, you can still be a member of the audience.

Students who want to be contestants can call 486-0589.

For other information, people can contact media services Chair Barbara Knotts, also a club adviser, at 733-2118.

Black History Month essay contest open

By Giselle Guadron If you like to write, you might want to enter the Black History Month essay contest co-sponsored by the English department and the Black History Month Committee.

Entrants must be a full-time student at this college.

Students can write about any topic that pertains to Black History Month or the black experience, according to information provided

by English Professor Janice Clayton.

They must submit essays by Feb. 26 in the English department office in Room 123 of Gonzales Hall.

Winners will receive $2,500 in scholarships.

For more information, e-mail jclayton@mail. accd.edu.

Upcoming

“X-Men,” directed by Bryan Singer, “Jumper,” directed by Doug Liman and “Fantastic 4,” directed by Tim Story.

Ranger rating system J Don't bother wasting your money.

JJ All right movie.

JJJ Halfway decent.

JJJJ Worthy of highpriced concession prices.

JJJJJ Don’t do anything until you see this movie.

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Pue

SAC Transfer: Appointments with Texas State University San Marcos 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 733-2099.

SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University 9 a.m.noon in McCreless and appointments noon-1 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 733-2099.

SAC Transfer: University of the Incarnate Word 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in McCreless. Call 733-2099.

SAC Performance: Faculty guitar recital by Peter Carey 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister. Call 733-2731.

Trinity Speaker: “Anti-evolution in America: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design” by Ronald Numbers at 7 p.m. in Ruth Taylor recital hall of Trinity University. Call 999-8406.

SAC Internship: For science, engineering, computer science or mathematics majors; applications due Feb. 15.

Call 733-2984.

Feb. 13

Feb. 19

SAC Event: Coffee night and open mic 6 p.m.-9 p.m. in the round in Loftin. Call 486-0127.

Feb. 14

Event: Southwest Guitar Festival and International Competition sponsored by UTSA music department. Continues through Sunday.

Visit www.swgf.org.

SAC Transfer: Texas A&M University 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in McCreless. Call 733-2099.

Feb. 20

Event: “A Night at the Witte: Hanging Out With the Helix” at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Continues Fridays through May 23. Call 357-1900.

SAC Scholarship: Scholarship for students seeking careers as teachers; deadline March 5.

Applications available in Room 123 of Gonzales. Visit www.tappatsac. blogspot.com or call 486-0665.

SAC Performance: Chuck and the Guilding Clouds gospel concert 7 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister.

Free for students with SAC ID; donations from faculty and staff. Call 733-2715.

Feb. 15 Event: “The Birth of the Bustle” discussion with Witte curator Michaele Haynes at 2 p.m. at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Call 357-1900.

Trinity Performance: “Icarus’ Mother” and “Action” by Sam Shepard 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday and 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in the Jane and Arthur Stieren Theater. Continues through Feb. 22 and Feb. 25-28. Call 999-8515.

Feb. 16 Feb. 21

SAC Exhibit: Full-time studio faculty exhibition in the lobby of visual arts. Continues through March 16. Call 733-2890.

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This reviewer also enjoyed:

Wednesday

Thursday

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In theaters: Today Rating: JJJJ

SAC Event: “Secret of the Cardboard Rocket” 6:30 p.m. at Scobee Planetarium. Ages 4-17 $2, adults $5, and ages 55 and above $3.Continues Fridays. Call 733-2910 or 486-0100.

ar

Vanessa M. Sanchez

SAC Event: Memorial for Dr. Lou Ann Cook, former professor in the nursing department 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. in Room 218 of nursing and allied health complex. Call 733-2385.

Edg

Director: Paul McGuigan Producers: Davis Bourla, Gretchen Somerfelld, Micheal C. Ohoven Actors: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Housou Rated: PG-13 Plot: While the government is conducting experiments in the headquarters of Division, a place where they try to transform those with psychic capabilities into military soldiers, they end up killing those they experiment on.

After having a vision they would save their race, however, “watcher” Cassie, Dakota Fanning, finds Nick, Chris Evans, who is a “pusher” or one who has telekinetic abilities, and persuades him to help her in completing her vision of saving the other psychics from being captured by Division or being killed by other evil psychics.

The movie progresses as it takes viewers on a journey following Fanning and Evans as they attempt to find a solution to bring down Division and the troubles they encounter along the way with higher ranking psychics and trying to stay alive.

This movie is full of action and a little suspense and runs 121 minutes.

Ed gar

“Push”

Event: Free income-tax services 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, and noon-4 p.m. Fridays in Room 166 of Oppenheimer Education Training Building, 1801 N. Main at Dewey. Continues through April 17. Call 486-0412.

SAC Transfer: Schreiner University 12:30 p.m.-3 p.m. in McCreless. Call 733-2099.

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SAC Event: Ribbon-cutting for nursing and allied health center and academic instruction center at 9:30 a.m. in the nursing and allied health complex with a reception in the academic instruction center. Call 486-0901.

Performance: St. Petersburg String Quartet at 7:30 p.m. in the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall of Trinity University.

Call 999-8212.

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Today

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

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10 • Feb. 6, 2009

PAC Exhibit: Joey Fauerso and Riley Robinson in Gallery 100 of fine arts.

Continues through Feb. 27. Call 4863205.

SAC Transfer: Appointments with Texas State 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the transfer center.

Call 733-2099.

SAC Event: Karaoke Mondays 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 733-2641.

Saturday Exhibit: “Genome: The Secret of How Life Works” at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Continues through May 25. Call 357-1900.

Monday SAC Transfer: Appointments with Texas State University San Marcos 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 733-2099.

SAC Auditions: “The Imaginary Invalid” 3 p.m.-5 p.m. in the theater of McCreless. Continues through Feb. 10.

Call 733-2715.

Tuesday SAC Meeting: Students in Free Enterprise 9:25 a.m.10:40 a.m. in Room 308 of the academic instruction center. Continues Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 486-0197.

Feb. 17 Speaker: “Just Suppose” by photographers Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor at 7 p.m. in the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall of Trinity University.

Call 999-8406.

SAC Performance: Faculty recital with Dr. Mark Alexander 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister. Call 733-2731.

Feb. 18 SAC Event: Wild West Rodeo Roundup 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mall. Call 486-0128.

Event: “Weekend Family Adventure: Build It!” 1 p.m.4 p.m. at the Witte Museum. 3801 Broadway. Adults $7, seniors $6 and children $5. Call 357-1900.

SAC Event: American Sign Language talent show and scholarship fundraiser 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. in the theater of McCreless. $5. Call 733-2071.

Feb. 23 SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio 9 a.m.-11 a.m. in McCreless and appointments 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 733-2099.

Feb. 24 SAC Transfer: St. Mary’s University 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m. in McCreless and appointments 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 733-2099.

SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University 9 a.m.noon and appointments noon-1 p.m. Call 733-2099.

Calendar Legend SAC: San Antonio College NVC: Northwest Vista College SPC: St. Philip’s College PAC: Palo Alto College NLC: Northeast Lakeview College SWC: South West Campus For coverage in Upcoming, call 486-1773 or e-mail to sac-ranger@mail.accd.edu two weeks in advance.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Teacher gets last-minute ticket to presidential inauguration Continuing education employee almost spent the day in his hotel room.

By Dani Williams For Americans across the world, Jan. 20 was an historic day, when 2 million people stood at the Capitol to watch Barack Obama take the oath of office.

Eliseo Cadena, teacher specialist in continuing education and San Antonio Independent School District trustee, had the privilege of attending the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States.

Impressed by Obama’s intellect and articulate speech, Cadena said he has been a supporter since the very beginning.

This was his first time to attend an inauguration, Cadena said.

“If I had to be part of any inauguration in history, I’m glad it was this one,” Cadena said.

Cadena was in town for a conference, to which U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who serves San Antonio and Laredo, had invited him.

Cadena decided to attend the inauguration because he would be staying a couple of days after the conference had ended.

He nearly stayed in the hotel room to watch it on television, but a woman in a gift shop told Cadena mockingly he could have watched it at home.

Realizing the importance, he decided he could not miss such an event.

“That morning, I only had a biscuit and coffee, and there weren’t many working port-a-potties because some had overflowed,” Cadena said.

Cadena said people had to obtain tickets from their congressman’s office

to attend the inauguration at the Capitol become senators and mayors so he in Washington, D.C. always had hope America would get to Because Cadena didn’t have a tickthis point in history. et, he stood waiting around for four “America’s moving in the right hours to see if someone would fail to direction,” Cadena said. show up to obtain their ticket.

Cadena said he believes most Then incredibly, he received an Americans will accept minorities available ticket. becoming president now. He said that “There were 2 million people and by President Obama breaking barriers not a single arrest,” Cadena said. for African-Americans, perhaps one Cadena said the people were so day the country will elect a Hispanic friendly and helpful to each other or a woman to the nation’s highest as if they had known each other office. forever.

“I don’t think I would have been Everyone came from different parts this excited if Hillary (Clinton) would of the country to see the sighave won,” Cadena nificance of the inauguration, he said. said.

Cadena said there Cadena met an elderly Africanwas a comparison American woman who told him between Obama and she had to attend the inauguraPresident John F. tion and she couldn’t miss seeing Kennedy, especially the first black president sworn in. when hearing it in the Standing on the lawn, Cadena said media so often. he could see President Obama to He remembers his right but only at a distance; so how people criticized he watched the inauguration on President Obama Kennedy for being the jumbo tron.

Catholic and how Cadena said he saw the joy on people criticized Obama, questioning people’s faces regardless of race. He whether he is Muslim. He is Christian. saw races being just as proud and supCadena said he sees in Obama some portive of Obama and it was an inspiMartin Luther King Jr., not only rational moment for him. because of their race but because they Being born in the 1960s, Cadena both stood for freedom. saw integration of African-Americans He believes many minorities will into mainstream society. vote now that another minority is in To see America rise above the radioffice, Cadena said. cal era of the past is a very good feelPeople should realize they are denying, Cadena said. ing themselves a right to voice their Cadena said he’s thrilled to see opinion and if they have chosen not the day an African-American became to vote, they’re only being ignorant, president. he said.

Cadena said he knew one day “The world is being seen in a differAmerica would get to the point where a ent light and Obama wants to extend minority could be elected as president. his hand to our enemies,” “I just didn’t believe it would come Cadena said. “Hopefully, his presiso soon,” he said. dency will bring peace and prosperCadena said he has seen minorities ity.”

Feb. 6, 2009 • 11

Interim dean chosen to head PTE division

By Trey Randolph

She is glad to be able to support the department chairs “not only for today Vernell Walker, interim dean of pro- but next month and next year.” fessional and technical education, was The PTE division consists of 11 named dean at the board meeting Jan. departments in the college as well as 22. three programs in arts and sciences She served as interim dean for the departments. past year, after serving as the chair of They include gerontology; digital the business department from 1990 to design; and human services, which 2007. focuses on drug and alcohol abuse Walker was born in Fredericksburg counseling. and earned a two-year degree in applied Walker said she hopes to “provide science-business technology direction and vision for the from this college in 1976.

PTE division” through new She continued her eduprograms, including more cation first at Texas State technology-preparation proUniversity-San Marcos, earngrams and dual credit courses ing a bachelor’s degree in as well as receiving the Carl occupational education in Perkins Grant for 2009-10.

May 1978, and later at the The Carl Perkins Grant University of Texas at San administers money for Antonio. She earned a masimproving workforce educater’s degree in higher education in technical programs, tion and management in 1982 Vernell Walker according to the Texas Higher at UTSA. Education Coordinating She was first employed at this col- Board’s Web site. lege in 1978 as a placement outreach She said 11 PTE programs received associate for the counseling depart- an exemplary ranking from the ment.

Texas Higher Education Coordinating She became faculty in 1982, work- Board. ing for the management department, Walker said the greatest challenge now called business, as the first female facing her programs is the need to “conmember. vince people that we provide highly Walker lists Strategic Quality skilled workers for the community,” Enhancement Team, Economic and and emphasized the need for “highly Workforce Development, Emergency educated people in our disciplines to Response Team, deans and directors teach the curriculum.” as some of the college committees on She also said the department is which she currently serves. “always looking at increasing student She is the chairperson for the enrollment (through) recruitment, new Curriculum Review Committee and was degree programs, certificates and reviformerly the chair of Faculty Senate in sion of older programs.”

2004-05.

Walker said she and Butch, her husWalker said her duties as dean are band of 30 years, enjoy nature and parbasically the same now that she has ticipate in almost anything outdoors. moved past the interim classification She credits self-confidence, somebut is glad to be able to follow through thing she learned as a student at this on initiatives that have been started. college, as a key to her success.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

DSS to expand facilities

Feb. 6, 2009• 12

HIV awareness urged

Tyler Cleveland

By Henry A. Chavarria Disability support services will be expanding its facilities this semester to obtain a larger environment to train faculty and a growing clientele of 434 students this semester.

The new DSS center will have four isolated testing rooms equipped with surveillance cameras to monitor students who need a quieter testing environment.

The computer lab will double in size by adding more computers for a total of 40 PCs, and will have a separate presentation lab for pre-college student training equipped with a projector and screen. Additionally, the lab now has three 32-inch screens for the visually impaired and a VIA surveillance monitor to alert students when the bus has arrived to avoid having to wait in the cold.

Students can always volunteer or apply for a note-taker position.

The office also has a club for volunteers called PEOPLE Club, or People Enabling Other People to Live Equally.

For more information on how to get involved, call student services assistant Delia De Luna at 486-0022.

DSS aide Elena Monsivais helps psychology sophomore Maximilian Parra zip his jacket Feb. 2 before he leaves on a VIA bus.

Student insurance covers accidents

By Alice Gonzalez Students have accident insurance and can qualify to add optional student insurance through this college.

Students paid $4 when they registered to cover insurance that will pay up to $5,000 of covered medical expenses and 80 percent of the usual and customary charges for the covered medical expenses.

The insurance covers students anywhere through June 1, and students must pay a $10 deductible.

A pamphlet available in the college health center warns students that if claim procedures are not met, the claim might be delayed.

Students must file the claim within 90 days of the incident.

Paula Daggett, coordinator of the college health center, said Jan. 26 that the policy covers any bodily injury caused by an accident.

Students who want health coverage for themselves or for family members can buy an additional policy for $142 and must select the Plan 2 option. That coverage will last through June 1.

Students can pick up a brochure at the health center in Room 119 of Chance Academic Center or visit the company online.

The health center also provides assistance in filling out the brochure for any student interested in additional

insurance coverage.

Daggett said the additional insurance has helped students, for example, with the cost of removing their appendix.

“Some insurance is better than no insurance,” she said.

The policies are from Bollinger Insurance Solution, and students can file claims by obtaining a claim form from the college nurse or the Web site at www.bollingercolleges.com/alamo.

Each claim form must obtain all itemized medical bills with the completed claim form to Bollinger, Inc., P.O. Box 727, Short Hills, NJ 07078-0727 or call 866-267-0092 (claims/coverage) 800-526-1379 (other questions).

By Laura Garcia

One in 112 African-American Texans is living with HIV/AIDS, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services 2007 report.

Approximately 1 million Americans today are infected with HIV or AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.

African-Americans account for nearly half of those infected.

“A lot of the time, HIV and AIDS becomes a sexually transmitted disease that people choose not to talk about,” Vanessa Gonzales, director of prevention education at San Antonio AIDS Foundation, said Tuesday.

It is estimated that a quarter of those infected are unaware of it and unknowingly put themselves and others at risk.

On Monday, the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center will showcase speakers from University Health Systems, Gilead Sciences, Inc. a research-based biopharmaceutical company and the San Antonio AIDS Foundation in honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. In addition to free pizza, the event will include “HIV 101” by Gonzales in efforts to reach students and address the importance of “knowing the basics” of infection prevention.

Entertainment for the event includes Unifyd Soul, a hip hop dance group voted best dance performance of 2007 by the San Antonio Current readers, along with DJ Quake.

Free confidential testing will be avail-

able courtesy of BEAT AIDS in the health center in Room 119 of Chance Academic Center from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

The rapid testing takes 20 minutes and results won’t be released to the college.

Peer Educators Counselor Dawn McFadden said, even if students decide to get tested off campus they should “know their status,” especially if they are sexually active.

All students should take measures to protect themselves and partners, which includes getting retested three to six months after a negative HIV/ AIDS result.

“The idea is just to know what is going on with themselves, to increase their awareness and educate themselves about HIV and AIDS,” McFadden said.

Additional testing dates sponsored by Peer Educators will be provided from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday in Room 119 of Chance Academic Center.

The alarming statistics alone should make a person think twice before having unprotected sex or sharing needles with anyone.

There are treatments available to help slow the progression of HIV but no cure as of yet.

“People think it only happens to gay men. But no, it also affects your normal, regular person that is having sex,” Gonzales said.

“It could happen to anybody.”

For more information, go to www. blackaidsday.org and www.cdc.gov/hiv.

Check our Web site daily for breaking news stories and register online to receive news updates by e-mail.

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The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Feb. 6, 2009 • 13

Fair offers volunteer opportunities

Ranger file

By Melissa Toscano Lazcano

By Vanessa M. Sanchez Twelve thousand students at this college could qualify for food stamps, service learning Coordinator Audrey Grams said, so she suggests that as many students as possible should attend and donate money or time to their fellow students at Wednesday’s annual ServiceLearning and Volunteer Fair.

Students will find 43 nonprofit organizations, along with eight student-based groups, occupying Gym 2 of Candler Physical Education Center.

Some of the many new features of the fair are distribution of library cards, the introduction of participating student groups, an invitation of the Girl Scouts of America and a map to show everyone exactly where to find their interests.

Grams said, there are other changes to look for besides the location.

Three vinyl banners were placed around campus to inform students of the fair, which Grams hopes will attract more students.

She said students, faculty and staff members are invited to volunteer and to donate; however, Grams said if giving time or money isn’t possible, items such as clothing will be accepted.

Another new feature this year is that each of the stations will be accepting money donations for those who just do not have the time to give.

Grams said if anyone cannot give time, it is beneficial to give money, clothes or food to contribute to the organization.

She also said the fair is a positive event for students to attend because it gives them more ideas on how to help the community and informs them of how much the community can help them.

Grams said she expects more donations

Student organizations can apply for grant for community service

Real estate freshman Naomi Avila adds her personal information Sept. 10 to the growing list of volunteers for intern Claudia Harding of the Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas. from the faculty and staff rather than students.

There were 700 people last year who signed in, Grams said.

This time around, she is trying to get as many people involved as possible, and to do so, there will be a drawing every 30 minutes instead of all at once at the end of the event.

Winners also do not have to be present to win.

Grams said that, for the most part, every organization that attends has door prizes to hand out; however, students need to accumulate five signatures from the booths and fill out a survey at the end of the event to qualify for a door prize.

Another plus is the income tax preparation assistance that will be present.

For those who make $45,000 or less, free tax filing is available by the City of San Antonio Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program; while there, they will also be looking for volunteers to help.

There will be a wide range of organizations participating, Grams said, noting that if

a student needs a subject for a paper, they can probably find a great deal of information by visiting the fair.

Grams said that even though the fair only lasts a couple of hours, the organizations will always be looking for volunteers.

This is the reason it is important for students to stop by, even for a short while, to get information and possibly contact organizations later.

Last year, the fair was in Loftin Student Center, but Grams said that if there is enough space this year in the gym, next year more organizations will be invited to join.

Grams said many of the organizations are from a three-mile radius of the college, and giving two hours a week will add up to 100 hours over the course of a year, which is great to have on résumés and college transcripts.

Wednesday’s fair, sponsored by the Learn and Serve America Higher Education program, will be in Gym 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A misprint on the fliers listed an incorrect time.

For more information, call Grams at 4860763.

Audrey Grams, service learning coordinator, is asking student groups for service learning project ideas to receive a three-year grant from Learn and Serve America, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The service learning’s current grant is effective until August, and the new grant is expected to start on Sept. 1.

The grant is service-learning based, meaning “adding service to the curriculum to both serve the needs of the community and the needs of the classroom,” Grams said.

“We still need to come up with new ideas for which teachers can add service into the curriculum,” she said.

The difference this time, Grams said, is for students to develop a project with “new ideas” and work around causes, such as hunger, homelessness, AIDS or Alzheimer’s.

“It doesn’t have to be an official group, but if it’s a student organization that would be great,” she said.

Grams said she would need to know if a group has an idea of what they want to work on and of the particular items needed in terms of money to insert them in the grant writing. Another aspect of the grant, she said, is the use of social media communication, such as Facebook, Twitter or Red Rover, in the student group or club project to inform others of their progress.

Social media experience is preferred, but training is available for students who have no background, she said.

“It’s not required, but somebody has to do something in this area (social media),” she said.

There will be a stipend given to a club or a club adviser rather than to an individual student.

“We’re not paying students to do service,” she said.

The stipend cannot provide gas money but will cover money for tools, printing and advertising.

If the group does not have a club adviser, one can be paid through the grant as well. A student may ask for resources to help develop his or her project.

“I think, if anything else, it will get them (students) to become more civically engaged,” Grams said.

Whether or not the grant is given, the service learning department will help the students with their cause.

Students only need to meet with Grams in person after submitting a summary explanation of their service learning idea via e-mail at agrams@mail.accd.edu.

The deadline for submitting the grant is March 26; however, Grams prefers ideas submitted in early March.

For more information, contact Grams at 486-0763.

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Census Bureau Opens Jobs Line for the 2010 Census The Census Bureau has launched a critical national effort for every person in our nation to “Be Counted” in the 2010 Census that will affect the apportionment of congressional seats and how the federal government annually allocates $300 billion in federal assistance to communities.

Operations have already begun and the Census Bureau needs to recruit hundreds of workers in the area to ensure a complete and accurate count in 2010. Call the 2010 Census job line at (866) 861-2010 to schedule a basic employment test.

Pulse Rangers cruise on road trip 14 • Feb. 6, 2009

www.theranger.org • The Ranger Photos by Tyler Cleveland

Men’s basketball team remains undefeated in semester.

By James Bosquez The Rangers played three away games in five days and capped their trip with yet another one-sided win Wednesday over Our Lady of the Lake University, 89-44.

The Rangers were led in scoring once again by guards A.J. Govan with 18 points and Dermon Smith with 13.

OLLU was unable to keep up with the Rangers’ full court press and repeatedly turned the ball over trying to pass out of the defense.

Turnovers turned into fast break points for the Rangers, and the game was essentially over by halftime with the score 20-41.

The sure victory allowed extended playing time for the Ranger reserves, with guard Devin Moore putting up 11 points and sixth man Anthony Sanchez contributing 6 points.

The offensive output was secondary to the reserve units’ ability to run the set plays that Rangers coach Aaron Tavitas called out.

“We’re about a step away and a look away from getting the shot that we want,” Tavitas said.

Tavitas pointed out to his team that the reserves’ ability to run plays will be key should the starters run into foul trouble or an injury in the future.

“Don’t be so quick to get up there and shoot that 3. Pass the ball around a bit. We’ve all got our points, we’ve all got looks,” Tavitas said.

Tavitas warned his team, who has now rattled off five consecutive wins by a wide margin, to not let complacency creep into their minds and gameplay.

“The day we don’t come in ready to play — God forbid, it’s when we come into a tournament. When we’re down by 10 for the first time, what are we going to do? It’s not when you’re up do you find out what kind of man you are; it’s when you are down,” Tavitas stressed to the team after the OLLU victory.

The Rangers road trip began in Houston at North Harris College on Jan. 31. The Rangers won 79-54 with a huge game from forward

Coach Aaron Tavitas huddles with the team during halftime at Our Lady of the Lake gym. “Take care of the basketball,” Tavitas told his team, “and just have fun out there. ... It’s our game, fellas.”

Johnny Taylor.

Taylor continued his excellent play in the low post by putting up a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to go with his five steals and five blocks.

The Rangers then defeated Victoria College two days later 86-61 with strong play off the bench by forward C.J. Jones, contributing 16 points and four blocks.

Starter Mark Green led the Rangers in scoring with 19 points and converted five 3-pointers.

The team as a whole shot 55 percent from beyond the arc, converting 11 of 20 attempts.

The Rangers will play their final home game Wednesday against Cy Fair College in Candler. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m.

The team will then travel to Cy Fair Feb. 14 before playing out the remainder of their schedule at Palo Alto College.

Tyler Cleveland

Criminal justice sophomore Johnny Taylor draws a foul while shooting against Our Lady of the Lake on Wednesday. The Rangers won their fifth game 89-44 and remain undefeated.

Kinesiology Club reconvenes

By Terry Ruiz The first meeting of the semester for the Kinesiology Club Jan. 29 led to a discussion of activities and fundraisers including participation in the Wild West Rodeo.

The Wild West Rodeo is a campuswide event sponsored by the office of student life Feb. 18.

The club has not yet decided what it will offer at the event, but they discussed frozen pickle pops.

About a dozen people attended the meeting, including returning members and others who saw fliers around Candler Physical Education Center and were interested enough to check it out.

The issue of developing a stronger voice and presence on campus was the focal point of the discussion.

“Many people don’t even know this organization exists,” President Mario Salazar said.

“It’s not just for kinesiology majors,” he said.

“If you have any interest at all in sports, dance, if you’re taking some courses here, or even if you just like to work out, it’d be a great club to join.”

Eric Tamayo, athletic training sophomore, has been involved in the club since the fall when he served as secretary, He said he joined “mainly to gain more knowledge about kinesiology and my particular field

The Kinesiology Club will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday. For the locations, call 486-1010 or 733-2767. of study, meet other people with similar interests and strengthen my academic motivation by getting more involved.”

Amanda Padilla, a sophomore with a passion for cross country, track and field pole vaulting, has been involved in the club since the fall of 2007.

She joined because she wanted to run in the Beach to Bay Marathon, a marathon held in Corpus Christi during May 2008. She joined to represent the club in the run.

Another student, Roscoe Govan, freshman and newcomer to the club, decided he’d like to join.

“It looks good on a college transfer, it would help me get more involved and it would be more constructive toward my goal of becoming a personal trainer.”

The Kinesiology Club participates in student life activities and fundraisers and offers scholarships and career-oriented opportunities.

Meetings also allow people who share the same interests to get to know each other.

SA Missions seeks volunteers

By Jason M. Trevino

Spike:

Liberal arts freshman Nichole Plata spikes the ball against Trinity in Candler Jan. 29. The Rangers were defeated in their first game of the semester 0-3 and will visit St. Philip’s College at 7 p.m Thursday.

Students at this college will have the opportunity to work as volunteers for the San Antonio Missions organization.

About 10 students attended an information session hosted

by Assistant General Manager Mickey Holt Jan. 28 in the Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building.

He explained students would be doing field operations, which control the media aspect of the games.

“We will have plenty of room for students to shadow employees and get hands-on experience,” Holt said.

The San Antonio Missions organization is going on its third year working with students from the college.

The team is a minor league team owned by the San Diego Padres.

The team plays locally at

Nelson Wolff Stadium and is in the South Division of the Texas League.

“It’s always a positive experience working with students,” Holt said. “They will have the opportunity to network with professionals from around the area.”

Students will have the opportunity to be around local professionals and become familiar with the technical side of professional sports, he said.

“Students will run the score board, the CD deck, two stationary cameras and one wireless camera,” he said.

Five volunteer positions will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Missions organization will host a high school game March 17 at Wolff Stadium, which will be the first game when students will be able to participate.

The Missions will play 55

Mickey Holt home games, beginning April 10. The home season ends Aug. 31.

For further information, call Holt at (830) 570-9450 or e-mail mholt@samissions.com.

Opinion

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Editorials

Feb. 6, 2009 • 15 Edgar Puente

Pay fines before they get out of control What with the money that you’ve already poured into school; tuition, books, gas to actually get here, a late library book can fall through the cracks. We’ve all been there. But for every day a book is late, 10 cents is added to your debt, and it just keeps piling up. Parking citations from the police department run $10 if you pay them within 10 days and $18 after that. Smoking tickets will cost you $12.

These fines aren’t really that much money. You would have to be 100 days late with your library book to accrue $10 worth of debt there. But for whatever reason, it seems to be an epidemic that students don’t pay their fines.

But if these fees are allowed to fester for too long, extreme consequences can occur. If you don’t pay, you will have a flag put on your record, telling anyone who looks at it not to give you your financial aid check or your transcripts when

you want to apply for a scholarship (worth a lot more than $18, we might add) or that university of your dreams.

So now, possibly for 10 cents, you have been derailed from moving on with your life.

Ten cents, is that really worth it?

And there are so many different ways to prevent getting a fine. You can renew your library book online at the library Web site. By simply stepping off campus, you can prevent getting fined for smoking. A parking permit costs $21 in the fall for the whole year, $11 for the spring, and $7 in the summer.

Don’t let a molehill turn into a mountain by waiting to pay your fees. It may not seem like something important, a couple dollars here for late books, a couple parking citations, but it can add up quickly and prevent you from continuing your education.

Experiences make more than great stories process.

History has taken a leap forward since the dawn of the 20th century, and many of our elders witnessed firsthand the changes that have swept our nation in that time.

They’ve seen more war in their lifetime than anyone born since 1975. They’ve gone through the Great Depression, the civil rights movement and complete globalization.

Don’t think they have nothing worthwhile to say.

Ask your parents or grandparents about key events that happened during the past century.

Where were they when they heard John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assassinated? Where were they when man first walked on the moon? What were they thinking while the Vietnam War killed thousands of Americans?

How did they feel when they learned of the United States dropping the atomic bomb?

Anyone can read opinions on an event seen through hindsight; hearing first-hand accounts can help you understand how society viewed these world-changing events as they occurred.

It is no wonder, then, that we are constantly regaled with anecdotes from elders about surviving love and life; war and peace; ups and downs and more.

They aren’t just talking; they are teaching.

Because of what they lived through, we owe it to them, as well as ourselves, to hear their stories.

The task now is for the younger generations to grasp hold of those stories and put them to use.

The importance of listening to elders is a tradition that must survive because one day we will all be old and gray.

When that day comes, if you’re lucky, won’t you want someone listening to you?

HIV/AIDS awareness is for everyone The number of Americans estimated by the Centers for Disease Control to be living with HIV/ AIDS is alarming.

For anyone who was of age at the onset of the disease, the only surprising aspect of the statistic is that it includes the phrase “living with.”

In the early 1980s, AIDS was a death sentence.

Treatment was simple in that it was limited to keeping a patient comfortable.

Prescription-cocktails had not been devised and the awareness campaign was the dead and dying.

Today, we have learned a great deal about the disease: how it is transmitted, how to detect it, and how to treat it. But not how to cure it.

Advancements have enabled people infected with HIV to live longer, healthier lives. But the trade-off has hurt the awareness campaign.

Studies of people who continue to engage in risky behavior often cite their characterization of HIV/AIDS as a treatable disease. In response, the Centers for Disease Control writes on its Web site, “HIV is far from over and remains a serious, lifelong disease that is best to prevent.”

For this reason, AIDS service organizations around the world have had to step up their education efforts.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is one cultural-specific effort out of many with a goal of getting people to identify their risk.

This campaign and others like it are desperately needed today.

We applaud the efforts of everyone involved in HIV/AIDS education and treatment and strongly encourage everyone to heed the call.

Get the facts. Get tested!

Corrections The Jan. 30 article “Professor recalls JFK inaugural” incorrectly stated students flew to Washington, D.C. Families drove to San Antonio where students boarded a train for the capital.

In the Jan. 30 article “Textbooks shrink students’ wallets,” bookstore manager Amy Turpin’s name was misspelled.

RANGER THE

Many Americans are content with making our own mistakes and learning from them, while writing off the experiences of those who came before us as outdated or unnecessary.

What we don’t realize is the value of listening to elders for insight, based on past experience, to solve current problems and situations.

The importance of listening to older generations can be qualified in terms of history – not just history of the nation or world, but of family.

Not only should every child know how his parents or grandparents met and fell in love, but also what kept them together, or even split them apart, over the course of many years.

These lessons can be highly beneficial in guiding the course of personal relationships over the years.

Larger than family history are the steps, both forward and back, made by society.

Photography Instructor Fred Whitecotton’s experience at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961 is a great example of an experience that lasts a lifetime, and one from which we can draw.

Whitecotton’s trip shows the importance of travel and gave him his first taste of life outside of his small-town bubble during a time of intense change for the nation.

Manuel V. Scott, keynote speaker for this year’s Martin Luther King march, rose from a life of drugs and crime to become a talented author and sought-after motivational speaker, and discovered that life can be more fulfilling than he had previously imagined.

Whitecotton and Scott are just two of the millions of storytellers in this world from whom we can learn because both were able to see outside their respective environments and experience life “outside the bubble,” enriching their lives in the

Staff

Editor Martin Herrera Managing Editor Trey Randolph Opinion Editor Brianna Roberts Photographers Tyler Cleveland Melissa Toscano Lazcano Photo Team Leda Garcia, Lexi Burton Illustrator Juan Carlos Campos, Fred Nockroes, Edgar Puente Production Manager James Bosquez Production Team Regis L. Roberts, Chris Castillo Staff Writers Veronica Araiza, José Castillo, Henry A. Chavarria, Michelle Franco, Laura Garcia, Alice Gonzalez, Ralonda Green, Giselle Guadron, Theodore Knapinksy, Rennie Murrell, Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle, Jeff Reese, Terry Ruiz, Vanessa M. Sanchez, Joshua Sanchez Guerrero, Jason M. Treviño, Dani Williams Web Administrator Charles Cima Circulation Eddie San Miguel The Ranger, the student newspaper at San Antonio College, is a laboratory project of the journalism classes in the Department of Journalism-Photography, published Fridays except during summer, holidays and examinations.

News contributions accepted by telephone (486-1773), by fax (733-2868), by e-mail (sac-ranger@mail.accd.edu) or at the editorial office (Room 212 Loftin Student Center). Advertising rates available upon request (486-1765).

The Ranger is available online at http:// www.theranger.org.

The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press, the Texas Community College Journalism Association and the Associated Press.

©2009 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.

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 Journalism-Photography, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299.

Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, e-mailed to sac-ranger@mail.accd. edu or faxed to 733-2868.

Letters must be signed and must include the writer’s printed name, classification, major, Social Security number and telephone number.

For more information, call 486-1773.

Single Copy Policy: Because of high production costs, members of the Alamo Community College District community are permitted one free copy per issue.

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.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Feb. 6, 2009 • 16

second It only takes a

Opportunities for property crime are unwittingly created, police chief says.

By Rennie Murrell

I

t was 2 p.m. Jan. 19, and the parking lot was pretty much empty.

“I had to pee really badly,” business freshman Ashley Luna, 21, said. “I really thought I was going to wet my pants.”

Just getting out of her car and into the nearest restroom at the Bill Miller’s restaurant at San Pedro Avenue and Evergreen Street was the only thing on her mind, Luna said.

“Business looked slow, so I thought I would just run in, use the bathroom and grab a tea to go,” Luna said.

When she came out of the restaurant about two or three minutes later, the back driver’s side window of her late-model Lexus was smashed in.

“My first reaction was to reach for my wallet in my back pocket,” Luna said, “and when I looked in the car I felt like my whole life had been stolen.”

About $3,000 worth of her personal property was gone in 180 seconds with no witnesses or video surveillance.

A digital camera, laptop computer, wallet, credit cards and her Social Security card were all missing.

“I had just cashed my paycheck, so there was about $500 in my wallet,” she said.

That was the new reality she was facing, although the thief left Luna’s film camera, purse and book bag behind.

“I immediately called my bank to cancel my credit cards,” she said.

It took the San Antonio Police Department about 15 minutes before an officer responded, Luna said.

Luna said she did not touch anything in her car until after SAPD had conducted their on-scene investigation.

“People unknowingly present opportunity for property crimes to be committed,” Don Adams, district chief of police, said.

“I was on my way to apply for a passport,” Luna said. “That’s why I had my Social Security card.”

Luna said she has full-coverage insurance as well as a tracking device programmed in her laptop, and the stolen property can be replaced.

“My advice is to never leave property out in the open, not even for a minute,” Luna said. “And don’t flaunt what you have.

Adams adds, “If you see a suspicious person or witness a crime, immediately call authorities and do not confront the individual. If you don’t have a phone, notify someone to make the call for you.”

To report a crime, call 485-0099 Police Emergencies 222-0911 Building Emergency 486-1235

Photo illustration by Tyler Cleveland