The Ranger March 6, 2009

RANGER THE

March 6, 2009

Serving San Antonio College and the Alamo Community College District

A forum of free voices

Volume 83, Issue 17

Single copies free

Small steps — big results

Going Green on campus

Page 5

Reptiles invade McAllister

Page 7

Student debuts in indie ďŹ lm Page 10

Juan Carlos Campos

Learn language abroad Page 11

2 • March 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 6: Dr. Gene Sprague 14722 Iron Horse Way Helotes, TX 78023 Work: 567-5544 Fax: 520-9185 E-mail: sprague@uthscsa.edu District 7: Charles Conner 13306 Hunters Hollow, San Antonio, TX 78230 Home: 493-7176 Fax: 493-7909 E-mail: cconner8@mail.accd.edu District 8: Gary Beitzel 15403 Forest Mist, San Antonio, TX 78232 Home: 496-5857 E-mail: gbeitzel@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

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.

Students’ green designs reach into community Experience as chair helps with job as vice president Photographic coverage of campus life

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

Professor suffers fatal heart failure

By Dani Williams Larry Bailey, business management professor, died Tuesday morning of heart complications.

His co-workers said they knew Bailey had heart problems and used a pacemaker, but they were unaware of the intensity of the problems that led to his death.

Bailey arrived at Methodist Hospital about 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. Tuesday and died about 6 a.m.

He had spoken with business Chair Val Calvert Monday and said he felt faint and called his physician for testing.

Thomas Friday, professor of business management, said one of Bailey’s sons had not been told early Tuesday because he was taking exams in Austin.

The family decided to let him finish before they informed him of his father’s death.

Calvert spoke with the Bailey family Tuesday morning and said they were in total shock and devastation.

He leaves behind his wife, Joyce, and five children.

He was born Nov. 18, 1939, and attended Southwest State University where he earned his M.B.A. Bailey came to San Antonio College in August 1975, Calvert said.

She said Bailey would stop by everyone’s office to make them smile with a joke. She said she’s not one for jokes, but he could make her laugh every time.

Dr. Charles Hunt, business management professor, Friday and Calvert said Bailey could turn someone’s bad day around with a joke.

“He came with jokes every day.

That’s what he loved to do … tell jokes,” Hunt said. “We knew that first thing in the morning he was going to tell us a joke.”

Hunt said he heard the shocking news from Calvert who asked him to come to Bailey’s office Larry Bailey after his class.

When he arrived, Calvert was waiting with Bailey’s wife and son Matthew.

Hunt said Bailey was well-liked by his students and co-workers, and he would do anything he could to help; he loved his students.

Hunt said he would see Bailey on his way to his classroom wheeling a cart down the hall with his countless

materials, which included magazines and newspapers.

Calvert said, “He would watch the stock market and come in and say, ‘Do you know how much the market is up right now?’ and, of course, I look at it all the time, too, and most of the time, I could tell him it’s up a hundred or it’s down 200,” Calvert, Hunt and Friday all spoke of Bailey’s passion for photography.

They showed The Ranger photos he had taken when he would go out of town and bring photos back to the staff.

He was also the department’s photographer.

Calvert said whenever Bailey traveled, he always brought pictures back.

“He was really good at photography; I would always tell him he could do post cards and could be a millionaire if he’d done post cards,” Calvert said.

Bailey’s office had numerous photos of the sunset, mountains, flowers and an old home.

Friday said he was always happy to see Bailey, and Bailey always had a million stories, though “none of them I would want to repeat.”

He said he always felt better after talking to him.

Friday said that Feb. 27 when he was about to leave the campus, he saw

Bailey and went to chat with him.

“I was headed home, and I could have easily said I will talk with him on Monday. I’m grateful, for whatever reason, I went over and sat and talked with him, not knowing that it would be our last conversation.

“I would say I learned that in the face of it all, no matter what your troubles are, you can afford to be upbeat and have a good word for your neighbor, and try and cheer them up,” Friday said.

“Just seeing him and talking to him will be the thing I will miss most about him,” he said.

Hunt said what he will miss the most about Bailey is his jokes.

“He would always say the next day after a game, ‘How ’bout them Spurs!’”

Calvert said the main thing that she learned from Bailey was his patience.

She said he was a great instructor and his students loved him.

“He will be a hard person to replace,” Calvert said.

Bailey had recently been honored with the Henry B. Gonzalez award on Feb. 21, given by his students for his outstanding service and dedication.

“We’ll miss him around the office,” Calvert said. “Really, there’s nobody like Bailey,”

No suspect in fatal student car crash

By Melissa Toscano Lazcano

Lefler, a San Antonio native, was born May 31, 1987. He graduated from Churchill High School, Business sophomore Clinton Lefler, 21, died where he played for the Chargers football team in a car accident about 12:20 a.m. Feb. 21 in the during his four years in school.

4100 block of East Loop 1604, authorities said to Lefler had also started working at IBC Bank the San Antonio Express-News. this spring.

Authorities said the Chevrolet After a business degree, Lefler Tahoe Lefler drove landed on its was planning to enter culinary roof after trying to avoid a car school and open a restaurant. traveling the opposite direction in Kendra Bratcher, a pre-nursing the wrong lane. sophomore at UTSA, had been Lefler was pronounced dead at friends with Lefler since she was in the scene, and two passengers, a second grade and lives next door to male and a female, were taken to the Lefler family, she said via teleseparate hospitals. phone Feb. 27.

The car that caused the acciShe said Lefler, an only child, Clinton Lefler with his friend dent did not stop, and witnesses was considered part of her family.

Michelle Franco, journalism are asked to notify authorities with Even though Bratcher has three sophomore, at a past rodeo. any leads or descriptions. older brothers, she still considered

Blotter San Antonio College Feb. 19 – An individual reported a suspicious vehicle in Lot 13.

An individual reported theft of district property valued at $1,500 to $20,000.

An individual reported an offcampus vehicle accident. SAPD advised.

An individual reported a suspicious male in the area of Lot 16. Male not located.

An individual reported a personal vehicle burglarized in Lot 1.

Feb. 20 – Officer responded to assist with EMS for a student having a seizure. EMS treated the student and a family member picked up the student.

Chance. Damage estimated at $500 to $1,500.

An individual reported feeling ill in Moody. Campus nurse treated individual.

Palo Alto College Feb. 18 – An individual reported graffiti on business office.

Feb. 19 – An individual reported theft of a tractor in Lot 0. Estimated value is $20,000 to $100,000.

An individual reported three suspicious males in the area of Ozuna.

Males not located.

An individual reported lost district key.

Feb. 20 – An individual reported theft of personal property. Property valued at $500 to $1,500.

An individual reported three Gateway Program students acting suspicious in Ozuna.

An individual reported a district laptop missing valued at $1,500 to $20,000.

Feb. 23 – An individual reported damage to district property in Lot 11.

Feb. 23 – An individual reported damage to district property in Lot 21.

An individual reported theft of personal property valued at $50.

An individual reported a vehicle accident in Lot 20.

An individual reported missing personal property in Moody.

An individual reported two suspicious males. All found to be OK. An individual reported trash spread across a classroom in

An individual reported theft of personal property valued at $50.

An individual reported feeling ill in Ozuna. Campus nurse treated individual.

St. Philip’s College Feb. 18 – An individual reported feeling ill in science building. EMS treated individual.

Lefler as her big brother.

Bratcher said she knew about the accident from another friend who called at 3 a.m. Feb. 21.

He was the kind of person “with open arms to everyone,” Bratcher said. “He lived life to the fullest, never got upset and was always smiling.

“We called him teddy bear,” she said. “A heart of gold, I like to say.”

She added, “It’s amazing to see how many friends he had that are showing their support.”

Lefler is survived by his parents, Mike and Kathy Lefler; his paternal grandmother, Naomi Salvitti; and his maternal grandfather, Dr. William Mills.

A memorial service was Saturday at Porter Loring North Chapel. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Clinton Lefler Memorial Fund, in care of IBC bank, 1150 N. Loop 1604 W., San Antonio TX 78248.

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

Feb. 19 – An individual reported missing district property. Item was off campus.

Feb. 20 – An individual reported receiving threatening phone calls on his cell phone.

An individual reported damage to a district vehicle of $20 to $500.

Feb. 23 – An individual reported finding the building unlocked. All found to be OK. Southwest Campus Feb. 19 – An individual reported stolen personal property in administration.

An individual reported an irate student causing a disturbance inside the library.

Feb. 20 – An individual reported found property. Item placed in property locker.

Northwest Vista College

Feb. 19 – An individual reported two vehicles involved in an accident in Lot 10.

An individual reported found property. Owner contacted about property.

A district police officer reported odor of marijuana near Lot 7.

Male found in possession of marijuana. Male ran from officer and departed area.

An individual reported suspicious male in the area of Juniper. Male not located.

Feb. 20 – An individual reported theft of bicycle valued at $50 to $500 in the area of Pecan. No suspects.

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

Feb. 21 – An individual reported on-campus vehicle accident. SAPD handled the incident.

Feb. 23 – An individual reported suspicious male in the area in Lot 8.

All found to be OK. Northeast Lakeview College Feb. 19 – An individual reported feeling ill. EMS treated individual.

An individual reported damage to district property in Building 7990.

Feb. 18 – Individual reported offcampus incident. SAPD advised.

Feb. 20 – An individual reported a suspicious male in the area of the library. No one found.

An individual reported being injured in Cypress. EMS refused.

Feb. 23 – An individual reported damage to district property.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

March 6, 2009 • 3

Peer Educators provide support for student issues

By Laura Garcia Thirteen work-study students make it their job to educate fellow students on the tough subjects most people would rather ignore.

They regularly set up tables on campus to hand out free condoms and urge students to get tested for STDs and HIV/AIDS. They conduct workshops on disease awareness, addiction and personal empowerment.

Meet the Peer Educators.

“We will go there,” speech sophomore and peer educator Destiny Houston said. “We talk about anything.”

Their slogan, “We are here for you,” is posted

on the door of Room 120 of Chance Academic Center, their office.

The educators offer personal advice, community referrals and information from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

Students can find pamphlets about HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, eating disorders, cancer and how to deal with stress.

Biology sophomore Leticia Sandoval said, “These people were here for me when I needed it the most.”

That’s how she initially decided to join the group almost two years ago.

Recently, a friend of Sandoval’s was killed in a drunken driving accident, and she attributes her

Strike a chord with Duffy in ‘Guitar Hero’

educating insight on her own personal experiences.

“There’s at least one person that’s been through what you’re going through,” Sandoval said.

Peer Educators have personally dealt with experiences such as abstinence from sex, life as a daughter of a minister, losing a parent, being a single mom and kicking a cocaine addiction.

Recalling her own struggles in life, psychology sophomore and peer educator Sharon Rodriguez said, “When they talk about those dark places, I’ve been there, too.”

Education sophomore Kristen Powell said, “Most of us are very outgoing. We’re all different, come from different backgrounds and have different experiences.”

They work with local organizations such as BeatAIDS, Project Worth and Mothers Against Drunk Driving throughout the school year as well as others to educate on issues relevant to students or refer them for additional help.

On March 28, the Peer Educators along with the women’s center and the Center for Health Training will sponsor a Women4Women Relationship Retreat from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in Room 120 of the visual arts center.

The event will focus on women’s issues such as self-esteem, stress management and sexual health as well as empowerment.

For more information, call 486-1448 or e-mail Sacpeers1@yahoo.com.

Tyler Cleveland

New history instructor’s goal is for students to “hate history as little as possible.”

By Joshua Sanchez Guerrero History may not be the most interesting of subjects to some students, but a new instructor is hoping to change that.

Instructor Sean Duffy, who joined the history department in January, said he hopes to get students to “hate history as little as possible.”

Duffy taught at his alma mater, the University of Arizona, from 2003-08 and Pima Community College from 2006-08 in Tucson, Ariz.

He said he has made a smooth transition into teaching here and enjoys this college’s university-like atmosphere, which is something most community colleges are not known for.

Duffy wrote his thesis on the origins of drug wars in Arizona.

Duffy said he has always had an interest in history but did not plan to teach until later on in his college experience.

His favorite period of history is the 20th century, especially that of the CIA and covert intelligence.

Duffy wants to make sure his students learn by making “as much of an enjoyable experience in class as possible.”

He is even hoping to launch a “Guitar Hero” tournament here on campus to rival karaoke.

Duffy is a “Guitar Hero” player himself. He loathes Fall Out Boy’s inclusion on the game but does enjoy playing “Jordan” by Buckethead.

Like many of us, he dabbles a little bit in guitar, but would rather play “Guitar Hero,” and he’s issued a “Guitar Hero” challange to any staff member on campus.

He said he knows better than to challenge students at the game.

On the academic front, Duffy will serve as one of the new History Club’s advisers.

History Instructor Sean Duffy jams with his “Guitar Hero” controller in Chance Academic Center Feb. 23. Duffy challenges students and faculty members to play with him and hopes to launch an on-campus “Guitar Hero” tournament.

Interpreters work, learn in silence

Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle

By Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle The American Sign Language/interpreter training department provides interpreting services to about 30 deaf students at this college..

This college is recognized nationally for having one of the best programs for the deaf and the best in Texas, said Jo Hilton, interpreter service manager, Feb. 27.

Half of the interpreters for the deaf who work in San Antonio are graduates of the ASL department at this college, and 10 percent of working interpreters in Texas graduated from this college, Hilton said. Hilton said these figures came from the Board for the Evaluation of Interpreters.

Of the seven faculty members in the department, three are deaf.

Deaf students do not have to register with the disability support services office here.

Instead, they sign up with deaf and hard of hearing services, a program offered by the interpreter-training department.

The department takes into account the students’ language skills and matches them up with an interpreter.

Since the Americans with Disability Act came into effect, the college has to provide deaf students with interpreters in all of their classes and at every event on campus, Hilton said.

Sophomore Edson Gonzalez, an international deaf student studying graphic design and 3-D animation, said through interpreter and support specialist Alana Grunspan, that when he came to this college in spring 2005, there were no such programs to help deaf students in Mexico.

Edson is provided with two interpreters, who switch every 20 minutes, for each of his classes.

Interpreters do not take notes for deaf students. They simply provide signing.

Be wary of PALS degree audits, counselor says Online audits can be deceiving and are not user-friendly, she says.

Tyler Cleveland

By Jade Villarreal

ASL Professor Melody Hull The department employs two full-time and 16 part-time interpreters. In addition, students in the program can start practicing interpreting through internships in the last semester of the program.

Grunspan said she is getting another education being an interpreter for deaf students. She is learning all the subjects the students are.

Interpreter Rachel Wheeler said her work as an interpreter is not the typical 9-to-5 job because it takes her to a variety of places and she meets new people. Professor Darin Dobson, who is deaf, said through Grunspan, that more people need to be informed that American Sign Language is considered a foreign language.

“It’s a facilitation through two languages,” he said. Upon mastering sign language, hearing students also learn of the deaf culture.

“Deaf people don’t consider themselves handicapped,” ASL freshman Anna Marie Sanchez said. “They have their own community and are very protective of their language.”

The ASL/interpreting training program consists of 72 hours to complete an associate in applied science. All interpreters must pass a state test through the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters.

Many students at this college aren’t aware that they can find out which courses they need to take for particular majors by using the degree audit option available on PALS. But a counselor advises students that using the degree audit is no substitute for talking to a counselor.

“The degree audit on PALS is available to any student to try to figure out what classes they need to take based on their degree that they have listed in the system,” Counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez said in an interview Tuesday.

“It’s been available for a number of years, but there are so many problems with the audit. It’s also not very user-friendly.”

Gonzalez stresses that though the audits are sometimes useful in helping students to get an idea of where they stand academically, they should take advantage of the services that the counseling department offers.

“It’s not a perfect system. Certainly students can get a feel for what they need to take in their core classes, and for some degrees it gives some pretty good information,” Gonzalez said.

Addressing concerns to a counselor is preferable, she said, and a contributing factor to the reliability of the audit is human error.

“A lot of times it won’t work because the student doesn’t have the correct codes in there or they aren’t using the right catalog year.

“If it’s an outdated catalog, you won’t be able

Counselor Rosa Maria Gonzalez speaks with mechanical engineering sophomore Manuel Lechuga in the counseling center Feb 24. to use the audit correctly,” Gonzalez said.

Students may need to go to the admissions and records office and update their major.

Problems with the accuracy of the degree audit can also be attributed to Banner Web, an online system that provides students and faculty with information regarding one’s personal, academic and financial inquiries.

Since Banner Web is projected to replace the audit within the next two years, it has not been deemed necessary to update any entities in the system, she said.

To visit a counselor, go by the Balditt Counseling Complex on the first floor of Moody Learning Center or call 486-0333.

4 • March 6, 2009 Melissa Toscano Lazcano

Transfer Fair: English sophomore Andrea Barajas talks to Kyle Pyron, undergraduate admission counselor at Texas State University-San Marcos, during the Transfer Fair, which hosted more than 20 schools Feb. 25 in Loftin.

Instant

tutor:

Tutors Emme Lopez and liberal arts sophomore Vincent Bain, left, learn how to use the avatar program Second Life in the new writing lab in Gonzales, Feb. 27.

Second Life is an online program that allows students to speak with educators from other universities and receive tutoring through text chats or conversation through microphones.

To start a free membership of Second Life, go to www.secondlife.com.

People

www.theranger.org • The Ranger Lea Thompson

Free music:

Professor Cindy Sanchez directs Concert Choir and Chamber Singers in a choral concert “Love: The Sublime and the Savage” Feb. 27 in McAllister. Music performances are free to students and faculty at this college.

Tyler Cleveland

Melissa Toscano Lazcano

Japanese food:

Animation sophomore Ivonne Schlebach, mixes meat filling for the Gyoza meat pot stickers to sell along with Japanese-related products handmade

by Japanese Club members Justin Tarin, visual arts sophomore; Christopher Garza, fine arts freshman and club president; and Sarah Pichardo, international studies sophomore; Feb. 27 in Loftin. The club is raising funds for a study abroad trip to Japan this summer.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

March. 6, 2009 • 5

Students take lead in GoGreen recycling efforts PowerPoint presentation will raise awareness through classroom presentations.

By Trey Randolph

Each college in the district is in charge of its own recycling program, with different phases being implemented at different times.

This college started the Go Green program in August and appointed Carrie Hernandez, student activities specialist, as the head of the program in September.

She said she started by distributing desk-side bins to any faculty or staff member requesting one through a link on the Go Green Web site.

She began with three batches of bins and is waiting for one last batch of 100 small blue plastic bins.

Dr. Charles Hunt, business management professor and Students in Free Enterprise adviser, has decided to take on the recycling initiative as their current focus.

He said the club has a three-pronged approach consisting of helping Hernandez distribute the blue desk-side bins and encouraging faculty to use them; working on a PowerPoint presentation to explain what this college and SIFE are doing for recycling; and installing Gummy Bins to encourage proper disposal of chewing gum on campus.

“We decided our team would go building by building,” he said of distributing the desk-side

bins, adding that they have completed distributing bins on the top floor of the academic instruction center and are awaiting more from Hernandez to continue down to the second and first floors and into another building.

Hernandez is excited to have Hunt and the SIFE team’s help as well as the PowerPoint to show students.

“As soon as we get that PowerPoint presentation, we’ll be going into the classroom and making students aware of the recycling program,” Hernandez said.

Hunt said the PowerPoint is almost done, and is being touched up to explain what this college and SIFE are doing with the Go Green and recycling initiative.

Hernandez added Hunt’s class also agreed to help by creating better signage for the large, green, paper only “toters” seen in hallways around campus.

Hernandez said she hopes they can make some “really nice signage” for the wall indicating the location of recycling bins, and they would have to get approval from the individual departments to place the signs in their halls.

She added some faculty “thought the bins were ugly” and should be located outside instead.

Visual arts faculty moved their toters outside,

and Hernandez said she is willing to cooperate with faculty or department chairs if they don’t want a toter inside.

“If for some reason a faculty member or chairperson said, ‘I don’t want it in my hallway’ or ‘I don’t want it in my building’ then we don’t put it in there,” she said. “Pretty much everybody’s cooperating.”

She said she is also thinking of ideas for a cover to make the toters less conspicuous.

The Architecture Student Association will present designs for bike racks, benches and toter covers to show support for the Go Green program March 17 in a location to be determined.

Hernandez and her five workstudy students placed the toters on each floor of every building so teachers could empty their desk-side bins and students could also recycle scrap paper if they wished.

She said there are 115 toters throughout all the buildings on campus but added housekeeping said they would not empty the toters, leaving the duty to faculty and student volunteers.

A housekeeping staffer who did not wish to be named confirmed Thursday “we don’t do that.”

Hernandez’s five work-study students gather all the toters from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays and pull them to the curb north of Loftin for pickup Fridays

“around lunchtime,” she said.

The rest of the students’ work-study times include monitoring toters as well as helping move toters where they are needed.

Hernandez said she received a call Feb. 16 from Linda Casas on the fourth floor of Moody, requesting more toters to recycle periodicals they are getting rid of in anticipation of renovation.

Hernandez said Casas had filled 18 toters that day alone.

“Besides my Go Green work-studies taking her all the empty green toters we could find, her workstudy students also helped in pulling empty green toters from various buildings to her area to fill,” Hernandez said.

She added the students returned the bins to where they found them once they were emptied.

“That’s where I get most of my support because (the work-study students) are the ones doing the work,” Hernandez said. “It’s a lot of work. I think we’re fortunate that it is doing well.”

She said the college recycled 69,550 pounds of paper and cardboard from August through January.

She added Phase 2 has not begun because initial plans of building a recycling center were changed to a recycling compactor.

The compactor will be located at 204 W. Evergreen St. Hernandez said they are still looking for ideas for more green initiatives as well as volunteers.

Anyone interested can call Hernandez at 7332680.

Other colleges recycle aluminum, plastic and glass Other colleges in the district have expanded their recycling efforts beyond paper and cardboard.

Northwest Vista College began paper and cardboard recycling back in 2007, and implemented Phase 2 to include plastic, aluminum and glass in July 2008.

Roxy Hernandez, teaching and learning office supervisor at Northwest Vista, is the chair of that college’s recycling committee as well as the college’s representative to the district committee.

Hernandez said from July to January Vista collected 23,502 pounds of office waste, 19,000 pounds of cardboard, 915 pounds of plastic and 447 pounds of aluminum.

She was also quick to add that the success of recycling at Northwest Vista is due to the committee as a whole, not just herself.

“The success of where we are now would not be without (the committee),” she said.

She added that while glass is collected for recy-

cling, the amount has been negligible, and, therefore, is not tracked.

Stacy Olivares, social sciences senior administrative secretary at St. Philip’s College, said Wednesday that while the college recycles all materials, they have seen a significant jump in cardboard and plastic recycling, often scheduling two weekly pickups of cardboard to be recycled.

Olivares said the school has seen the amount of recycled materials, by weight, triple since September, and collected 7,240 pounds in February.

Kim Corbin, visual arts lab tech at Palo Alto College, works on the Palo Alto “¡Viva Verde!” Green Committee as well as the district recycling team.

Corbin said Tuesday that Palo Alto had its first pickup by Greenstar in December after initially wanting to hold out for single stream recycling.

Single stream recycling allows all recyclables to be included in one bin to be separated by machines during the recycling process, and Corbin said Palo Alto is the only school in the district to use the process.

She said initial plans to “jettison” the campus’ current trash compactor in favor of a single stream compactor have fallen through so far, due to the need

for a concrete pad and electricity to house and operate the compactor.

Corbin said for now there are paper bins in every lab, office and workroom as well as a few classrooms on campus.

She also added every classroom has a single container for plastic, glass and aluminum.

Dr. Denise Barkis Richter, communications professor at Palo Alto and the chair of “¡Viva Verde!” said Thursday that plans for a cardboard Dumpster fell through, but they are still able to include it at curbside pickup.

Each building at Palo Alto has volunteers who collect recyclables and put them in toters, which are brought by the housekeeping staff to collection spots Thursday mornings for pickup by Greenstar.

Corbin and Richter agreed the school is not concerned with generating revenue, instead focusing on simply keeping recyclables “out of the landfill.”

“I couldn’t be happier with the results,” Richter said.

Corbin added most people seem to have realized not to throw trash in the recycle bins.

“We have been delighted that it’s not contaminated very much,” Corbin said. “There have been some mistakes, but in general, people are picking it up very quickly.”

Officials at Northeast Lakeview College did not respond to requests for information.

Professor hopes bins remedy sticky situation

By Brianna Roberts

Leda Garcia

Gum is becoming a bigger and bigger problem on campus, said Dr. Charles Hunt, business management professor. In response, the Students in Free Enterprise are placing containers known as Gummy Bins around the campus to try to clean it up.

Last semester, Hunt assigned his class to do a presentation about environmental sustainability.

One of the groups brought up the problem of gum.

According to their research, chewing gum is the second largest litter problem after cigarette butts.

A lot of the research was done in Canada where chewing gum has already been recognized as a problem, and the government is taking steps to limit the amount being thrown on the ground.

America is beginning to realize the problem, and in Dr. Charles Hunt hangs signs at the entrance of the acaSan Antonio it’s especially prominent around the river.

“I thought, ‘That would make a good project for the demic instruction center Feb. 26.

SIFE team,’” Hunt said. “So we started doing research.”

At first, they considered making their own cans, but able to make a case to a corporate sponsor that they’re found that containers were already being manufactured needed. for the sole purpose of putting The Gummy Bins retailed at Melissa Toscano Lazcano $90 each but the SIFE team was gum in them.

Hunt doesn’t know if they’re able to get them for $70. going to be used, but he said They didn’t buy the gummy that the SIFE team is going to bins from Canada where the monitor them to see. parent company is but instead His greatest concern is that bought them from Recycle Media there aren’t enough of them, in California. and that students aren’t going to Two gummy bins will go want to walk all the way across inside, one in the library and campus to drop their gum off. one in the gym.

“They were expensive and The other three will go outour budget only allowed us to side, one outside the academic order five,” Hunt said. instruction center, one outside He hopes that if the bins Stepped-on gum outside Loftin Student CenLoftin and one outside Gonzales are used, the SIFE team will be ter’s cafeteria Hall.

Illustrations by Juan Carlos Campos

By Trey Randolph

Items recycled in January

SAC

none

none

5,970 lbs

none

4,570 lbs

PAC

330 lbs

50 lbs

5,060 lbs

not tracked

not tracked

NEL

200 lbs

50 lbs

840 lbs

not tracked

1,070 lbs

NWV

290 lbs

90 lbs

4,720 lbs

not tracked

2,860 lbs

SPC

5 lbs

none

5,915 lbs

not tracked

1,560 lbs

Source: Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D.

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

6• March 6, 2009 Leda Garcia

Former student calls journalism ‘perfect job’

By Brianna Roberts

Speaker taps inner goddesses

Art history Professor Marleen Hoover presents “I Coulda Been a Goddess” Tuesday in visual arts for Women’s History Week.

By Giselle Guadron All women could have been goddesses if they had been born in the right time period or place, a professor said Tuesday at one of the events for Women’s History Week.

Art history Professor Marleen Hoover, a Women’s History Week committee member, gave a lecture “I Coulda Been A Goddess” that focused on body image and the body shapes that have been considered ideal in past civilizations.

The title refers to a movie that came out in the 1950s with Marlon Brando called, “On the Waterfront.” In the film, Brando could have been a great many things if only he had done something differently or had more faith in himself.

Hoover showed slides of female figures from various time periods.

Anthropologists, archeologists and art historians debate why the Paleolithic era had more women figures than male figures. This is curious because society was dominated by males at that time.

The figures shown from the Paleolithic era, after 40,000 B.C., were nude, abstract and barely human looking. The figures had round body parts shown in exaggeration because symbolically they meant something to that civilization.

There were also small handheld “Venus” figures whose body parts related to fertility.

In ancient Greece, the ideal body type was muscular and lean. The statues are clothed or draped. In that time period, only the wealthy were lean and muscular because they had more time to work out.

In other cultures, being fat or obese was a sign of wealth

because husbands had enough money to buy food for their families. This is in contrast to today’s society in which the lean and thin woman is likely wealthy because she can afford to shop at health food stores and has time to go to the gym.

She compared pictures of runway models to paintings

by Raphael and Rubens. In the painting “The Judgment of Paris” the women are full and thick. The runway models were thin and had no body shape.

She also compared the seductive poses of actress sex symbols Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page and the ancient Greeks. The three images were similar in their poses and the little clothing they were wearing.

Body images also changed from era to era. The Hindu body image was the hourglass shape. In the Chinese Ming Dynasty, Guanyin, a female figure, represented the ideal body image. Although Guanyin looked genderless, the traits were female.

Hoover showed the December 2008 cover of the Mexican version of Playboy magazine. The background of the picture and what little the model is wearing is a likeness of the Virgin Mary.

It was a great controversy because of the religious beliefs of the Mexican people, to whom the Virgin Mary is sacred.

The picture also suggests that the nude model represents the Virgin Mary. Hoover said that when Playboy founder Hugh Heffner was questioned about the picture, he said that he had no idea that picture was the cover.

In conclusion, Hoover said, “I could have been a goddess; I was just born in the wrong time period.”

Zane Alejandro Plemmons-Rosales was a student at this college three years ago, and now he’s a journalist in Mexico.

Plemmons, who has epilepsy, didn’t believe when he started classes here that he could lead a functional life.

He had a seizure in the mall during a campus festival and a Ranger photographer took a picture of people trying to assist him.

Although The Ranger didn’t show his face or name him, Plemmons was extremely upset when he saw the picture upon his release from the hospital.

“I thought it was a grave insult because I was trying to keep this secret,” Plemmons said. “I saw it more as trying to put a clown on display.”

Plemmons came to the newsZane Alejandro room to complain, Plemmons-Rosales and estimates he must have spent two hours yelling at anyone he could.

Nothing came of his complaints because the photo was taken in a public place, and the incident at the festival was newsworthy.

After leaving this college, Plemmons decided to go to school in Mexico because it was substantially cheaper.

There, he found the Mazatlan Pacific Pearl, the only English newspaper in Mexico.

He had grown up reading this magazine and had always wanted to write at least one article for it.

“I always wrote; I just never wrote journalism,” he said.

He wrote one article, which got him in the door.

When he was hired, Plemmons was issued a challenge.

“They said they had a story and that 15 reporters had tried for three months

to get the story,” Plemmons said. “They said that if I could do it in a week, I had the job. I had the story the next day.”

“I’m a Mexican that can write in English,” he said and explained that this allowed him to get information that wouldn’t be available to people who weren’t Mexican.

He’s the only Mexican native at his paper.

In the time that he has been a journalist, Plemmons has seen two colleagues die because of their stories and he has been assaulted once.

After he was assaulted, he found the men who did it and asked them their reasons. Their answer was simple: They had been paid.

He explained that the reporters who were in the most danger were the people on the crime beats or who worked with politics.

He said that it was common for reporters to be decapitated and for their heads to be sent back to their parents.

He added that it doesn’t matter if the criminal or the politician did what the story accuses them of; all that matters is that the reporter insulted their image.

“If you insult his image, he’ll insult yours,” Plemmons said. “That’s why I don’t touch (criminal or political stories). I stick with plight of the worker.”

Plemmons realized that he couldn’t be a “real” doctor because of his epilepsy, so he has decided to remain a journalist.

“Journalism is fun and it’s the perfect job,” he said.

Plemmons returned to San Antonio because he still has a house here and decided to drop by this campus to say hello to some of his old professors and former co-workers in disability support services.

He also decided to come back to the newsroom to apologize for yelling.

“I don’t think I would have come to terms with my epilepsy if things hadn’t gone down the way they did,” Plemmons said.

“The Ranger was just being a newspaper. A damn good one.”

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

March 6, 2009 • 7

Faculty Senate discusses curriculum alignment, budget cuts

By Brianna Roberts Curriculum alignment, faculty compensation, budget cuts and opinionnaires topped discussion at Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

Though it was the final topic of discussion, curriculum alignment seemed to garner the most concern.

The district’s plan for a cross-college common curriculum began in spring 2008 with faculty from each college meeting with faculty in their own disciplines from the other colleges.

Many faculty members are upset by the project because they believe this college has higher standards than other colleges in the district, and the faculty members here don’t want to lower standards for alignment.

“My faculty will not support the curriculum alignment,” psychology Chair Thomas Billimek said. “Our independence is being compromised.”

When the project was first suggested, faculty members were told that the project was to align the curriculums as closely as possible and not to worry if there were some differences.

Now, there are complaints that this college is being asked to completely align

with the other colleges.

The Faculty Senate at Northwest Vista sent Chancellor Bruce Leslie a memorandum saying that faculty of that college disagreed with the curriculum alignment and felt that it was “fundamentally at odds with the basic principles governing independently accredited institutions.”

This college’s Faculty Senate decided to send a letter to Leslie agreeing with the faculty of Northwest Vista.

Senate Chair Paula McKenna reported that the faculty compensation study was going as planned and that the UlibarriMason group hired to conduct the study was very professional.

“It’s going really well,” McKenna said. “It’s a really positive group.”

She said that the group had found data that, while it was very positive for faculty and staff, it was not necessarily positive for the district administration.

Several senators noted that the Ulibarri-Mason group was open, wants input and responds quickly.

The Faculty Senate also discussed the district creating administrative positions and hiring administrators without following district procedures.

The focus of the conversation was the promotion of Nancy Cobb, the col-

lege’s first coordinator of the Gateway program, to the dean of P-16 initiatives for this college and the district, a new position that was not advertised.

Although no one denied her qualifications, the Faculty Senate was concerned that the position had been created and filled without many people knowing.

When Cobb’s new position was created, her old duties were rolled into it.

The next topic, the availability of opinionnaires, proved divisive. Librarian John Deosdade thinks the unofficial evaluations of administrators by faculty and staff should be private.

Library staff was concerned that if the opinionnaires were made public that people would use them inappropriately, Deosdade said. Others, like Jeff Hunt, chair of the theater and speech communication department, asserted that his department voted unanimously that not allowing people access to the opinion surveys was a violation of Freedom of Information laws.

The senate decided that people who wanted to see opinionnaires could file a Texas Public Information Act request and they would be allowed access.

In other business, some senators had heard that there was discussion of post-

poning the 2010 implementation date versation turned to budget cuts. of Blackboard Vista, but it was quickly On Feb. 12, President Robert Zeigler decided that this was only if the glitches told department chairs they had a choice weren’t worked out by fall 2009. between offering summer classes and The glitches make it Tyler Cleveland shaving 30 percent from function at 80 percent their remaining operatcapacity, math Professor ing budgets. By Feb. 16, Carlos Corona said. the funds had been swept It is being housed on from every department and the district’s Blackboard office account.

Vista server, not on this Chancellor Bruce Leslie college’s server. It won’t announced Monday it is be allowed on this campossible that another 2.5 pus’s server until all of the percent will be cut because glitches are worked out, of cuts from the state Corona said.

Legislature, but he would Dr. Bruce Norton, chair like to find other places of the senate’s Technology to save. Hopefully, departCommittee, said his comments will be given money Alex Bernal mittee would meet in the saved from somewhere fall and discuss whether else, McKenna said. the problems had been resolved. Along Next, the senate moved to parking. with the problems with Blackboard “Zeigler wants to know our specific Vista, the new web management system parking woes,” McKenna said. One woe was discussed. was that students without a parking pass At some campuses, it is mandatory are parking in lots that, while open to for faculty to switch over to the new Web students, require a permit. management system, but at this campus, Several members expressed concerns faculty members are going to be free to about rumors circulating that there isn’t decide whether or not they want to. going to be any parking reserved solely After discussing technology, the con- for the faculty.

Photos by Tyler Cleveland

Sebastian Gilbert, 6, hoists the tail of an 8-foot American alligator during Animal Planet host Jeff Corwin’s appearance Feb. 27 in the auditorium of McAllister.

Television host uses critters to stress conservation Volunteers from the audience get hands-on experience.

By Jeff Reese Members of the audience got a hands-on lesson on reptiles and amphibians at “Tales from the Field,” a lecture by Jeff Corwin, host of Animal Planet’s “The Jeff Corwin Experience,” Feb. 27 in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center.

The trip was a homecoming of sorts for Corwin, who became certified as an advanced field medical specialist at local Fort Sam Houston.

The event was sponsored by the fine arts and cultural environments series at this college.

Jasmine Brown received a shock when she opened her eyes to find a 2-foot-long cane toad in her hands, and the surprises continued when the toad urinated on her near the end of the discussion.

Corwin handed a 4-foot water monitor lizard to Andrew Esteves, and taught him how the lizard tastes and smells by having it lick Esteves on the head.

He also showed the crowd an alligator snapping turtle, and pointed out to a surprised crowd that while the large amphibian weighed roughly 100 pounds, he would likely grow to three times that weight.

The crowd also included a display of two venomous snakes: a Gaboon viper and a Burmese python.

Corwin, who emphatically claimed snakes to be his favorite animal, chilled education sophomore Celia Ramirez when he carefully wrapped part of the python around her.

The show also saw a team of volunteers lift a 6-foot-long American alligator, which he said

Elementary education sophomore Celia Ramirez braces herself as Jeff Corwin and herpetologist Michael Ralbovsky lower an albino Burmese python into her arms. continued to thrive in spite of his claim that one species becomes extinct every 20 minutes.

When Sandra Harold’s pet chimpanzee, Travis, attacked friend Charla Nash Feb. 16, he reinforced Corwin’s strong opposition to attempts to make pets of such animals.

“In most situations, it is very inappropriate to have large, powerful, potentially dangerous, exotic animals as pets,” Corwin said. “The idea that you can take such a complex, intelligent, powerful primate and will it into being a pet is an incredibly dangerous and unethical proposition.”

Corwin, who earned a master’s degree in science in wildlife and fisheries observation from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, recommended those who want to work in his field to get as much education and hands-on experience as possible.

“You need the field experience in that com-

Jeff Corwin shares his experiences from the field with a capacity audience in the auditorium of McAllister. munity; it is your greatest ally to get you where you want to go,” Corwin said. “The next is grad school.”

Corwin’s description of his scariest animal encounter sent the packed house into an uproar.

“Hour 21 of my wife’s 29-hour childbirth,” Corwin said. “My wife didn’t want any pain relievers; she wanted it to be all natural.”

To thank him for his appearance, the committee presented Corwin a SAC sweatshirt and made a donation in his name to the Wildlife Rescue and

Rehabilitation Center of Bexar County.

Corwin won an Emmy in 2004 for best performer in a children’s series and started his five-month journey called “Corwin’s Quest,” a mission over five continents to observe animal behaviors and survival instincts.

His NBC documentary and book “100 Heartbeats,” both of which will debut in November, will promote wildlife conservation, and the Food Network’s “Extreme Cuisine” will show how food defines various cultures and ethnic groups.

Premiere

8 • The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Esperanza plans Woman’s Day march

Photos by Melissa Toscano Lazcano

By Melissa Toscano Lazcano

Women’s rights supporters will march in unison to raise awareness of issues affecting the community at large during the 19th anniversary of International Woman’s Day at 10 a.m.

Saturday at Travis Park.

This year’s march, titled “Mujeres: Roots of Change, Voces de Conciencia,” will end with a rally at Milam Park’s Plaza del Zacate.

Amanda Haas, planning committee member and volunteer at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center for three years, said they do an all-year plan in advance for the march with co-sponsors who agree to their “vision statement” and begin committee meetings as early as January.

“We’re women working for justice,” Haas said. “Women against all forces of oppression.”

At their Feb. 24 meeting, planning committee members reviewed the speakers, themes, meetings and flier postings before officially announcing the march at a media conference the following day at City Hall.

Among the volunteers wearing “Mujeres Marcharán” pins were Michele Simpson, American Sign Languages freshman, who joined this semester, and fine arts freshman Melissa Rodriguez, who was assigned the poster distribution around the restaurants and local businesses near campus to let more students know about the march.

Max Salazar, radio-television-broadcasting sophomore, will march in support for the first time.

“Women don’t get a lot of opportunities to take control of the full situation,” he said. “It’s really cool that things are coming along.”

Speakers include Rosa Clemente, a hip-hop activist and journalist from South Bronx, N.Y., who was selected by Cynthia McKinney, former House of Representatives member, as her running mate for U.S. Green Party during last year’s presidential election.

Members discussed the city’s Parade Ordinance made Nov. 29, 2007, which charges community marchers the first $3,000 for traffic control devices and personnel as well as cleaning costs.

The ordinance states: “Because of its broad appeal, historic tradition, cultural significance, and other public benefits provided by the Deiz (Diez) Y Seis Parade, the city shall cover the costs of traffic control personnel.”

The ordinance also mentions Martin Luther King March and the Veterans Day Parade as exemptions.

The march’s sponsor, San Antonio Free Speech Coalition’s Web site, www.esperanzacenter.org/freecoalition, says it is discriminatory and against the First Amendment.

The coalition emerged to file a lawsuit together with members of the International Woman’s Day March and Rally Committee against the city and had their first hearing Dec. 20 the same year.

Genevieve Rodriguez, planning committee member and volunteer, said during the meeting the committee refuses the barricades ordained by the city for traffic control purposes, but they have no say in the ruling.

Graciela Sánchez, executive director for Esperanza Center, said each barricade costs $300.

“If at the end of the lawsuit, they (the city) win, we pay that (money) back,” Sánchez said.

Six days prior to the march, volunteers gathered for a poster- and banner-making day, which they will carry downtown.

One of the banners read part of the vision statement: “We, like women and girls all over the world, are the voices of conscience, the roots of change, and the leaders of local and global movements. Out of love for our communities, we

March 6. 2009 • 9

Coffee break with campus book club

By Theodore Knapinsky The office of student life and the Cheshyre Cheese Club will host coffee nights at 6:30 p.m. March 20 and April 17 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center.

During coffee nights, students will have the opportunity to read short stories and poetry, perform music or comedy.

The Coffee Night is free for students, but the general public pays $1.

“Since the coffee is free, students are encouraged to bring some-

thing light (to eat),” said Tyler Archer, student events coordinator for student life.

The cafeteria in Loftin closes at 2 p.m.

Fridays.

“Coffee night has been going on since the fall of 2007,” Archer said.

It formerly was held off campus at Justin’s Ice Cream on Main Avenue.

The average audience for coffee night is about 50 people, she said.

Piano recital features faculty Bach, Mozart and Texas composer featured as well as dual arrangements.

By Lea Thompson The department of music and humanities will present a faculty piano recital at 7:30 p.m. March 17 in the auditorium of McAllister Fine Arts Center.

The performance will feature dual piano arrangements, which require at least two people to play at the same time.

Faculty who teach piano and who will participate in the recital are interim Chair

Planning committee member Fabiola Torralba and Buena Gente volunteer Leslie Ochoa prepare banners Sunday for the International Woman’s Day March at Esperanza Center Peace and Justice Center. The march begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Travis Park. come together time and again to envision and create a world in which all people are free from exploitation, oppression and violence.”

Carla Gómez, graduate student at the University of Texas at San Antonio who has volunteered at Esperanza Center for 12 years, said people are more receptive and new discussions are happening in the country.

Gómez said domestic violence is one of the first issues addressed for change, not to forget child abuse, teen pregnancy, health care, living wage, drug abuse or immigrant rights.

The media does not show “the full scope,” she said. “All they show is accidents and Spurs.”

For Fabiola Torralba, five-year volunteer, the march is a moment to raise these issues and acknowledge the importance of women in society.

“It’s a form of action that requires you to speak and participate in a local movement,” Torralba said. “I think women have always been hard workers because we have different issues to deal with.”

Haas said the march is also significant to bring questions of sex education with Lobby Day approaching.

The Planned Parenthood Web site, www.plannedparenthood.org, says: “Some 750,000 teenagers in the United States will become pregnant this year, and at least one in four teen girls in America has a sexually transmitted infection.”

The Web site also says teenagers receive “confusing and

conflicting” sex messages and need to have access to “real, unbiased” information on abstinence, contraception and healthy relationships.

The estimated cost of the march is about $5,000.

Esperanza Center placed a T-shirt order of almost $200 with the artwork designed by local muralist Mary Agnes Rodriguez selling at $15.

There will be a $5 cover charge for an after-party fundraiser from 8 p.m. Saturday at The Cove, 606 W. Cypress St. The after-party will feature performances from Las Krudas Cubens, Rosa Clemente, Azul y Banda and Vocab.

IWD Planning Committee organizations include Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, Fuerza Unida, Girls Inc., PEACE. Initiative, Martinez Street Women’s Center, Mexican American Studies Student Organization of UTSA, Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social, Mujeres Unidas Contra el SIDA, PeaceCENTER, Planned Parenthood, Rape Crisis Center, San Antonio Free Speech Coalition, San Antonio Lesbians Improving Relations, Stonewall Democrats, the Bexar County Green Party of Texas and UTSA Women’s Studies Program.

The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is at 922 San Mary Agnes Rodriguez prepares posters for the International Pedro Ave. To volunteer, call 210-228-0201 or visit the Web site Woman’s Day march. www.esperanzacenter.org.

Free events keep SXSW within student budget Annual Austin multimedia festival offers free film and concert events.

By Henry Chavarria

With classes resuming from spring break, the economy being at a low and SXSW music wristbands for sale at a high of $165, many students may feel that going to Austin for the weeklong festival is out the window.

Even though the music portion of the festival falls during the same week students go back to the books, there are still plenty of events to enjoy as the weekend approaches.

Badge-less festival enthusiasts can turn to the free SXSW party scene for plenty of opportunities to check out free live music and free drinks for some post-spring break fun.

Beginning March 18, I HEART Austin kicks off the music festival with a benefit evening of live music and raffles featuring an autographed Willie Nelson Martin guitar, a free recording session at Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios and other prizes.

There will be live performances by Local Natives, The Union Line, Miranda Lee Richards, Arrica Rose, WAZ, Butterfly

Boucher, Murdocks and Vallejo.

The benefit will be held inside One 2 One Bar at 121 E. Fifth St. from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is a $10 suggested donation and all proceeds benefit the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.

There will be a day party on March 19 presented by the Artery Foundation featuring 14 performances, including the Devil Wears Prada, A Day to Remember, Dance Gavin Dance and others.

This party is free for all ages at Emo’s, 603 Red River St. Doors open at noon.

On Friday, Shirts for a Cure presents free performances by the Bouncing Souls, Dillinger Four, Darkest Hour, The A.K.A.s, and Ruiner.

The party will be at Red 7, 611 E. Seventh St. Doors open at noon.

On Saturday night, beg the boss for the night off, as Auditorium Shores will host an official SXSW showcase with a performance by Texas natives and international artists, Explosions in the Sky. The showcase is free for all ages and will be at Auditorium Shores on the south shore of Ladybird Lake. Music starts at 6 p.m.

For more information on free SXSW events, visit www.sxsw. com.

Mary Lou Russell and Lecturers Mark Alexander, Bobbie Teska and Cindy Ellis.

The faculty will open the recital with a four-piano piece by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Each pianist will use an electric keyboard with harpsichord sound. Two grand pianos will be onstage throughout the recital, and depending on the piece, the faculty will split into various pair combinations.

The recital will feature music compositions by Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Steven Saugey, an Austin-based composer and longtime friend of Russell.

Russell and Alexander will perform Saugey’s personal arrangement of music

from “The West Side Story.” The piece also features hidden arrangements and snippets of other music.

The complex pieces selected for the program require faculty to practice extensively during spring break, Russell said.

“It takes a lot of rehearsing for four people, especially with such complex arrangements,” Russell said Wednesday. “We hope to play all the right notes and hope to have a good audience.”

The event is free and open to the public.

Students in music classes are required to attend at least three concerts during the semester.

For more information, call 486-0255.

KSYM pledge drive March 23-29 The 16th annual pledge drive is scheduled March 23-29 to raise money for campus radio station KSYM 90.1 FM. The station plans to bring in local radio and television professionals to do guest shows throughout the week.

The station is part of the college’s radio-television-film department, but it relies on donations to buy equipment, Premiums are donated by local businesses then given to on-air listeners as rewards for donations. All proceeds go toward the radio station.

The pledge drive will run from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. throughout the week.

To donate premiums or make pledges or for more information, call 486KSYM or 486-5796.

Student rapper turns tragedy into tribute

Tyler Cleveland

By Trey Randolph

“Stuff like that is just not to be taken lightly,” he added. “San Antonio (has) gangs, too, and it’s The hip-hop world is not limited to Los Angeles actually pretty bad here, but it’s more of an option and New York anymore. (here).”

Underground artists of all walks of life are Flores has been rapping since the age of 8, when quickly coming up in many cities and towns around he found Nas’ acclaimed first album “Illmatic” on a the country, including San Antonio. bus in Los Angeles.

Jason Flores, 20, freshman sociology major “I didn’t know how to speak English until that and Gateway to College student, better known in point,” he said of his exposure to hip-hop. “I the hip-hop world as Intre, is one example of San learned everything else academically, like multipliAntonio’s contribution to the underground hip-hop cation, everything, off hip-hop. movement.

“That’s why it’s such a significant part of my life,” Flores was born in Los Angeles and lived in the he added. “Ever since 8, I just never stopped.” predominantly African-American neighborhood of In addition to Nas, Flores cites underground rapInglewood with his mother. pers Immortal Technique, Big L and Stack Bundles At the age of 14, Flores and his mother moved to as important influences, and says he’s been told San Antonio to escape the racial tensions that domi- his music sounds like “Joel Ortiz meets Stack nated Los Angeles at the time.

Bundles.”

“There were real major issues “My sound is just real different,” going on in Los Angeles, the whole he said. “It’s kind of like a little bit Rodney King stuff,” he said. “It was of the old hip-hop element, but it real racial.” has my life in it.”

He described third grade memoHe said his music reflects who ries of racial intolerance aimed at he is as a person and how his life himself and his mother. has evolved to this point.

“My mom would walk me to “I have so much passion for this, school and we’d just get racial comman,” he said. “The reason why I ments,” he added. “I (saw) a dude have cuss words is ’cause that’s hit my mother because we were how my life really is.

Hispanic.”

“It’s like my release,” he added.

He said he has lost six close “Without hip-hop, I’d probably be friends in Los Angeles to gangs Intre’s album “V is for Vice” in jail honestly. From a lot of levand violence and tries to relay his els, it literally saved my life.” experience through music.

Flores recorded the CD in about “You don’t forget that kind of stuff, and I’ve got to two weeks with production assistance by Nilo Stari live with that,” he said. “So in my music, I express and beats by DJ Doomzday. that. I let people know what it’s really like out there, He attributes his quick work in the studio to even if I have to give them a harsh reality.” having a “pretty serious” work ethic and said he A couple of his friends had moved to San has been recording since the age of 11, though he Antonio with Flores and his mother but ended up did not release his previous recordings. moving back to Los Angeles.

“This is my first major one (that is) actually in One of those friends, his cousin Vice Gutierrez, my hand,” he said. “I used to record my own projwas killed July 16, 2007, after returning to Los ects, but I never fully invested a lot of money into it Angeles. like I am on this one.”

Flores’ new CD, “V is for Vice,” is dedicated to Flores said he increased his skills and kept his cousin. himself relevant by participating in numerous rap “He’d always support me, so I dedicated this battles in Los Angeles and San Antonio. whole project to him,” he said.

“I was 13 battling dudes in their 20s,” he said. “I Flores said after Gutierrez beat up a gang mem- never lost a battle.” ber, his door was kicked in by other members of Despite his battle background, he says he does the gang, and he was murdered in front of their not intend to compete in battles any more. grandmother. “(I’m going to) start doing some serious shows,” He said their grandmother had a heart attack he said. because of the murder, but has since recovered.

He has previously done shows with such rap He said while some of his friends were involved heavyweights as Fat Joe and Angie Martinez, and in gangs, violence in Los Angeles was not reserved he opened for Lil Flip at Picasso’s Bar on Babcock strictly for gangs.

Road last year.

“Two of (my friends) were involved in gangs,” He said he is organizing a show for his 21st he said. “The other ones that weren’t involved in birthday May 2, with other local artists such as gangs died because of gangs, from gangs. Basically, Question?, Ty-One and Crowd Pleazas. everyone died because of gangs, even though they “It’s gonna be a pretty big event,” he said. weren’t in it.”

The location isn’t set, but he is looking at ven-

Sociology freshman Jason Flores goes by the rapper name “Intre.” ues such as The Loft, or even a ranch outside of town to “really do it and have real fun.”

Flores said he was briefly signed to Vandal Records, a San Antonio-based underground label.

“It didn’t work out, but I learned a lot from that experience,” he said.

Ulee Warner, a drama freshman here, appears as a guest vocalist on Track 5.

Flores said he was partially inspired by the political undertones of the movie “V for Vendetta” as well as his love for his fallen cousin.

Flores said he is working with Eugena Wright, a California-based publicist whose Web site lists such marquee artists as Marques Houston, Kilo aka Down and even Pat Boone as clients.

He said he hopes Wright promotes his next project, which he hopes to begin in May, to major record labels such as Shady, Aftermath and Interscope.

He also plans to soon work with the groups

Substance Abuse and Dilated Peoples and hopes to improve the current climate of hip-hop.

“I think (hip-hop) is in a real bad state, and I’m just trying to do something about it,” he said.

He added he feels he is in a good place as a Hispanic artist in San Antonio because of the amount of Hispanics in the city and the lack of established Hispanic rappers from the area.

“I’m really trying to be that one,” he said. “I’m trying to change the whole direction of hip-hop right now because a lot of people are just rapping for the money, and there’s really no substance.

“That’s why a lot of people who used to listen to hip-hop don’t like it (any) more,” he added. “I’m trying to bring that back the only way I know how.”

He said he sells CDs at Famous CDs & Tapes on Culebra as well as Image in Ingram Park Mall.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/ officialintre.

Upcoming

10 • March 6, 2009

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

Student plays lead in independent film “No Dogz or Mezkins Allowed” debuts during spring break at the Bijou Theater.

Peña met the inspiration for the story.

He agreed to help her write a screenplay about her life, but lost contact with her soon after.

The movie was originally funded by two backers, but they both backed out just before the movie, leaving the movie with no money.

Peña decided to film the movie guerilla style; guerrilla style filming involves incorporating the surroundings into the movie, while shooting scenes as quickly and cheaply as possible.

“Instead of taking 16 hours to shoot one or two scenes, you take four hours to shoot one or two scenes,” Peña said. Most of the film was shot in Seguin and the surrounding areas.

After they were finished filming, Peña sent the movie to the Sundance Film Festival, but was rejected.

“I read the kind of character she was, and she was really interesting,” Beltran said. “She’s completely opposite of me. It was a challenge.”

However, the movie contains several scenes where

By Brianna Roberts

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.

Thursday Event: Free admission to the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 357-1900.

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Event: 15th Annual Basura Bash City Wide River and Creek Clean up at Olmos Creek. Community service credit is available. 9 a.m.-noon. Lunch noon-1 p.m. Registration at 8 a.m. Call 858-8520 or go to volunteer@basurabash.org.

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Today

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Director: Zach Snyder Producer: Herb Gains Actors: Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Malin Ackerman, Billy Crudup, Jeffrey Dean Morgan Rated: R Plot: For the uninitiated, “Watchmen” is not for kids.

The movie has graphic violence and blatant sexuality.

With that said, “Watchmen” is perhaps one of the most interesting and entertaining superhero movies ever produced. The story follows a defunct band of vigilantes who reconnect after a former colleague is murdered.

Each hero has gone on with life after being rendered obsolete by Crudup, the all-powerful Dr. Manhattan who through a nuclear accident obtained God-like powers. The events unfold in 1985 in an alternate version of America in which Dr. Manhattan has won the Vietnam War, President Nixon has been elected to his fifth term and the threat of nuclear strikes from the Soviet Union is imminent.

The majority of the movie is background on each character as told through flashbacks. Each of the heroes is given human flaws ranging from emotional detachment, sociopathic behavior and even impotence that work to endear each of the characters to the audience.

The movie runs nearly three hours yet never drags as every scene is essential to the plot. The source material for “Watchmen” is the 1986 graphic novel by Allen Moore. Converting Moore’s masterpiece into a film seemed so impossible that Moore would not allow his name to be on the credits, yet a more faithful representation could not have been asked for by fans of the book.

James Bosquez Rating JJJJJ

Ed

“Watchmen”

Physical therapy sophomore Samantha Beltran plays Moonshiner, the lead role in “No Dogz or Mezkins Allowed,” an independent film that debuted in Seguin on Jan. 30 and will debut in San Antonio on March 14 at the Bijou Theater, 4522 Fredericksburg Road.

“No Dogz or Mezkins Allowed” is about a teenage girl who falls into drugs and sex.

After she becomes pregnant and has an abortion at age 15, Moonshiner is date-raped and becomes pregnant again; this time, she struggles with whether or not to have another abortion.

The story arose two years ago when director David

Event: International Woman’s Day March, sponsored by Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, from 10 a.m. at Travis Park, 300 E. Travis. Call 228-0201.

Exhibit: “San Antonio Collegiate Student Exhibition” with six visual arts students at San Antonio Art League Museum, 130 King William. Continues through March 22. Call 233-1140.

Exhibit: 60th Annual Texas Watercolor Society Exhibit at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Adults $7, seniors $6 and children $5. Continues through March 22. Call 357-1900.

SAC Call: Softball players needed. Applicants need a 2.0 GPA and need to be enrolled in two classes, but no experience is needed. Call 2606348.

Sunday Event: Time change. Set Ed clocks forward one hour at ga rP 2 a.m. ue nte Monday SAC Closing: Spring break.

Continues through March 15. Offices and library open through Wednesday.

Tuesday SAC Event: Neighborhood Job Fair free and open to students and residents of the 78212 ZIP code hosted

by Seguir Adelante Community Center, 703 Howard, at the center 9 a.m.-noon. Call 486-1590.

Event: Day care services for ages 2-4 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Castle Hills Church, 6209 West Ave. Continues Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 440-7471 or visit www. motherdayoutsa.com.

Wednesday Concert: Noche Azul de Esperanza “Canciones de Mujer,” sponsored by Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, at 8 p.m. in the Esperanza Center, 922 San Pedro. $5 suggested donation. Call 228-0201.

Event: Magic Lantern Show at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Call 3571900.

Exhibit: El Chavez Ravine by Vincent Valdez at the San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones. Continues through Aug. 2. $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $3 for children and free admission for SAC students with ID. Call 978-8100.

Exhibit: Zoe’s Room by John Hernandez at the San Antonio Museum of Art,200 W. Jones Ave. Continues through Aug. 2. $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $3 for children and free admission for SAC students with ID. Call 978-8100.

March 15 Event: Book discussion “The Last Knight Don Bernardo Gutierrez de Lara Uribe, A Texas Hero” with author Joe Lopez at 3 p.m. at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Adults $7, seniors $6 and children $5. Call 357-1900.

Beltran’s character is featured naked, and Beltran didn’t feel comfortable with that so, instead of auditioning for the lead, she tried out for another character who wasn’t featured naked.

After the first woman who had been asked to play the lead didn’t show up, Beltran was asked to switch roles.

Beltran went to Peña and discussed the nude scenes with him.

“The most I did was that my shirt was off and I had to put it on.” Beltran said. “There are a couple of scenes where I’m in my underwear.

“I knew that my family was going to see the movie.”

The movie contains several scenes dealing with drugs and one scene that contains rape.

Beltran said that she prepared for this scene by watching a lot of movies and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.”

“It was difficult and nerve-racking but it was still fun and I learned a lot,” Beltran said.

SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. in second floor lobby of McCreless and appointments from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 486-0864.

SAC Hot Potato: “Human Trafficking” at 12:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 W. Belknap. Call 733-1441.

NVC Event: “Psychology of Weight Loss” by Sonja B. Montgomery 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. in the Lago Vista Room of Cypress Campus. Continues Tuesdays and Fridays starting April 17 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Call 486-4834.

SAC Performance: Faculty Recital at 7:30 p.m. in auditorium of McAllister. Call 733-2731.

March 18 SAC Transfer: St. Mary’s University from 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m. in second floor lobby of McCreless and appointments from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 486-0864.

SAC Event: Lenten Mass at 12:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 W. Belknap. Call 733-1441.

SAC Transfer: Schreiner University from12:30 p.m.-3 p.m. in second floor lobby of McCreless. Call 4860864.

March 19 SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in second floor lobby of McCreless. Call 486-0864.

SAC Event: Bible study at 12:15 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 W. Belknap. Call 733-1441.

March 16 March 20 SAC Transfer: Texas A&M University from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in second floor lobby of McCreless. Call 4860864.

PAC Event: Census Job Recruiters 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in front of the center for academic transitions in student center. Continues March 19, 24 and 25. Call 4863880.

Event: Movie “Dying to Live” at 12:15 p.m. in Room 122 of visual arts presented by Methodist Student Center. Call 733-1441.

March 17 SAC Transfer: St. Mary’s University from 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m. in second floor lobby of McCreless and appointments from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 486-0864.

SAC Event: Jam session noon-1 p.m. at Methodist Student Center, 102 W. Belknap. Call 733-1441.

SAC Event: Movie and board games 1 p.m.-3 p.m. at Methodist Student Center 102 W. Belknap. Call 733-1441.

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

www.theranger.org • The Ranger

March 6, 2009 • 11

Immersion programs take language students abroad

By Brianna Roberts This summer students will get the chance to go on one of three foreign language trips outside of America.

The Spanish, Japanese and Chinese programs are all gathering groups of students to go to Mexico, Japan and China over the summer.

Each study abroad program will count for college credit equal to about two classes.

The Japanese program will spend two weeks going to several cities around Japan, starting in Osaka and working their way through Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Tokyo.

“There are so many temples in Kyoto,” said Japanese Professor Yuko Kawabe. “Two days aren’t enough.

And when you go to Japan, you have to go to Tokyo and Kyoto. And for education, we have Hiroshima.”

The students don’t need to know Japanese before they go on the trip. Two weeks before going to Japan will be spent learning the basics of the language.

After the students return from the trip they will meet again in the classroom to give presentations about their time in Japan.

Similar to the Japanese study abroad program, the Chinese study abroad program will also visit several cities.

However, unlike the Japanese program, Chinese Lecturer Len McClure has merged his study abroad with an economics class offered at Palo Alto College.

The economics instructor, Joan Osborn, is a past student of McClure’s.

The Chinese study abroad program will take students to see what life is really like in China. They will visit factories, the Shanghai Stock Exchange and China Central TV to learn not only about the culture of China but also about the economics.

McClure said that he plans to take the students off of the beaten track, to try new foods and see how people live on a day-today basis.

“While the tourists are paying $60 for a tour boat, we’ll be going on the farming

Melissa Toscano Lazcano

Tyler Cleveland

Spanish Instructor Tammy Perez speaks with counselor Lisa Menard about studying in Cuernavaca, Mexico. boat for a little over 60 cents,” McClure said. “I would never travel to China on a tour, but for safety reasons we have to.”

Every morning at breakfast, the students will have lessons with McClure before going out to explore China.

“They’ll be reading signs and comparing notes. Even sleeping in Chinese,” said McClure. “It’s not for the fainthearted.”

Unlike the other two, the Mexican immersion program will only be going to one place, Cuernauaca, Mexico, and they will be spending four weeks there.

The students will take three hours of grammar, two hours of conversation and a final hour that will be dedicated to learning something about the culture in classes like dance, cooking or archeology.

The students will be staying in a home with a family and they are encouraged to spend as much time as possible with them.

“It’s not just the bilingual that I’m looking for,” Spanish Instructor Tammy Perez said, “it’s the bicultural.”

The students will have to pay for their own ride to Mexico but once there, they will be able to go to different cultural and historical sites.

“You have to see it with your own eyes. You have to practice,” Kawabe said.

“You have to learn the language.”

The biology department faces limited space and uses classroom labs to store fetal pigs. For more photos, go online.

Biology department deals with budget cuts

By Alice Gonzalez The biology department — like everyone else — has been hit with a tight budget this year, which has affected the department in numerous ways.

Though the department was budgeted $20,000 this year for lab materials, it is not nearly enough to cover the daily items needed, lab tech Susan Garza said Feb. 25.

“Due to the short amount of money we have to work with, it’s impossible to perform new experiments, so we stick to what we already know works, plus we are unable to fix or replace our equipment due to the cost,” biology Chair Teanna Staggs said Feb. 23.

“For example, one lab set up for DNA testing cost the department $10,002.70,” Garza said.

To offset the cost of the lab, the biology department is having classes share the materials. They buy enough

material for one class and spread it among three, she said.

“The classes performing the same experiments are genetics, microbiology and general biology, and with the cost being so expensive, we try to limit the use in order to share with the other classes,” Garza said.

Preserved items are also an expense in the labs.

“For two semesters, it cost $2,453.76 for fetal pigs,” Garza said.

“We have to put three students per pig in order to perform the experiment.”

The students have to reuse scalpels and test tubes because the department is unable to provide new ones, she said.

If the department had not used all of the money allotted to it by the end of February, 30 percent was scheduled to be removed from the biology budget by the dean of arts and sciences and given to another department that needs it more, Garza said.

Because of the limited space used to store the lab materials, the biology lab was unable to use the full amount of money, and the department lost 30 percent, Garza said Wednesday.

“Teachers have complained that there is mold on the fetal pigs,” she said. “What the teachers don’t understand is that I have to order the pigs almost a year in advance, and they wind up sitting in storage.”

Despite the fact that new material is badly needed and the department needs to use the full amount of money provided, there is a problem.

“The problem with ordering new supplies is where to put it since storage space is very limited,” Garza said.

“As of now, classrooms are being used as storage, which is inconvenient when you have to set up, and there’s a delay because a class is going on.”

Dr. Conrad Krueger, dean of arts and sciences, was unavailable for comment.

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Clerc hopes to foster fundraising

By Brianna Roberts While facing the budget cuts, college employers need to put money where their mouths are, said the second executive vice president candidate to come to this campus for an open forum.

Jeanne Clerc, health sciences professor at Western Illinois University in Macomb and Moline, came to this campus on Feb. 27 to interview for the executive vice president position.

Clerc worked to raise money at her previous establishments by writing grants and seeking donations from the community.

“We need influential people who can open doors,” she said.

Clerc stresses she does not mean that people necessarily have to donate the money themselves, but that making contacts with influential people in the community would allow the college to find potential donors.

After graduating with an Ed.D. from the University of Houston, Clerc worked as a medical technologist for Texas Medical Center in Houston.

From there, she entered the academy, spending several years as a professor before beginning her tenure as a dean in 1991.

In 2008 she was asked to be the associate provost for extended studies.

This summer, she returned to her teaching position in the health sciences department.

“I’m learning the operational glitches of Blackboard Vista,” Clerc said.

Returning to teaching after years in administrative positions has given Clerc another perspective.

She is now able to see how the programs that she wrote on paper are carried out in everyday life.

Developmental education has become more of a priority at this campus. Over half of SAC students are in developmental classes.

“We have a responsibility to work with K-12,” Clerc said. “Developmental education needs to work very closely with disability support services and realize that individuals are having trouble.”

Along with trying to identify students

who are having particular problems, Clerc also said it is important to teach students skills such as how to study, take tests and take notes.

“Then, when they take college-level courses, they’re able to compete and show what they know,” Clerc said.

Clerc said she realizes this campus has a strong tradition of self-governance, and her approach is always to listen first.

“If I’ve actively listened to them, they’re more likely to listen to me,” Clerc said. “In order to be successful, everyone has to step up.”

Jeanne Clerc Clerc also listened to the problems concerning technology. Technology today is rapidly evolving and some of the higher technology departments like computer information are finding it hard to keep their professors and instructors up to date on the latest advances.

“I think that faculty in those departments know that nothing is ever set in stone,” Clerc said. “You can’t be an expert in everything.”

She admits she has never worked in an institution with a high number of Hispanic students, but said she has worked in institutions with high numbers of first-generation students and non-traditional students.

Clerc explained her position about older faculty eventually retiring, especially considering the district is moving toward hiring more adjunct faculty members.

“Do we want to save money or positions?” Clerc said, “For some programs, like the nursing program, you can’t do a 50/50 ratio (of full-time faculty to adjunct). You won’t be accredited.”

She said that it is important to be seen around campus.

“Although I might always be busy, I have to remind myself to get out and walk around,” Clerc said.

“It’s important to be seen in the cafeteria.”

March 6, 2009 • 12

Former counselor pursuing VP position

By Brianna Roberts The history of collaboration that this college has is attractive, said the third of four executive vice president candidates.

Dr. Debra Morgan, dean of community development at Northwest Vista College, came to this campus Wednesday to answer questions posed by faculty, staff and students.

“I’m a collaborator by nature,” Morgan said. “I believe in bringing people together.”

Morgan worked here as a counselor for five years before transferring to Northwest Vista College.

While there, she worked with $106 million in bond money, which included the construction of two academic buildings, a library, a fine and performing arts center, a physical plant facility and a student success center.

Debra Morgan

Because of this, Morgan said she has worked extensively with all of the departments at her college.

She said that while Northwest Vista’s student population is a lot younger than this campus’ student population, she thinks that the problems they face are similar.

She realizes that there is a problem with the number of students in developmental courses, but said that the onus for that falls primarily on

the teachers.

“When the faculty take that data and start talking about that data, they start trying to improve that data,” Morgan said. “My role would be to facilitate those conversations.”

Palo Alto vice president seeks diversity

Tyler Cleveland

By Brianna Roberts Dr. Michael Flores said his desire to work with an urban and diverse campus is an important reason for his interest in the position of executive vice president for this college.

Flores came to this campus Feb. 26 to interview for the position.

Over the course of the day, Flores met with the search committee, the deans of the college and President Robert Zeigler before walking into an open forum.

Anyone who wanted to come to the forum could come to ask questions of the candidate.

“I just wanted to learn a little about the candidates for this very important position,” said Sylvia Ybarra, a reading and education professor.

“I’m really bound and

rooted in San Antonio,” Flores said.

Flores currently works at Palo Alto as the vice president of college services. In that position he has raised more than $16 million for the school.

Along with his administrative duties, Flores works in the government department as a member of the adjunct faculty.

One topic heavily discussed was online courses versus in-classroom courses.

Recently, there has been some debate at this campus whether faculty should be allowed to teach a full load of online courses.

“I think that there’s a value in face-to-face class time,” Flores said.

“But there’s also a value in online classes and the wealth of resources available there.”

Flores also referenced budget cuts and what to do about raising external money.

“Sometimes, we have to chance our own destiny,” he said.

He went on to explain that while the state wasn’t giving as much money, there is going to be a windfall of money from President Obama’s stimulus package.

Another major part of the discussion was about expectations for students.

Psychology Professor Pam Hill spoke about how her department may be expected to lower standards to conform to the other colleges.

“Previously, we were a loose confederation and now we’re moving toward a federal system. It presents advantages, but it also presents challenges,” Flores said.

Michael Flores speaks with faculty and staff.

Pulse

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

Lady Rangers fall to 6-10 after close match against PAC

March 6, 2009 • 13 Josh Macias

By Jeff Reese Lady Ranger volleyball took it on the chin Feb. 26 at home against the Palo Alto College Palominos, as the team went down 3-1.

While the Rangers suffered several tough blows, they also gave the Palominos a run for their money.

During a 25-11 Palominos win in Game 1, the home team kept things close and trailed only 10-9 at one point.

But things turned sour down the stretch, as the Palominos scored 15 of game one’s final 17 points.

The Rangers turned up the intensity in Game 2 and treated the crowd, much of which cheered for the visitor, to a thriller, as it featured 11 ties and for most of the game, neither team scored more than 3 consecutive points.

But while things mostly went back and forth, the Rangers allowed the game’s last 5 points and lost 25-20.

The Palominos came into Game 3 looking for the sweep; however, their down-but-not-out opposition had other ideas.

In Game 3 — another action-packed dandy — the score knotted up or changed hands 12 times, leaving both teams fighting for an advantage neither clearly had for most of the night.

With a 19-17 lead, the Rangers scored 4 straight points and seemingly had the game in hand until Palominos came back with 4 straight points of their own.

Casey Davidson of the Lady Rangers volleyball team rushes to save a missed block during a seasonal game against Palo Alto College.

After surviving the flurry, the Rangers finally came away with a 25-21 win.

Education sophomore Valerie Morales said the team was able to communicate well to close out Game 3 down the stretch which they didn’t do in Game 2.

“We hit it, we talked, we pumped each other up, we told each other to shake everything off the first two games to bring up the third game and we did,” Morales said. “A lot of communication helped us a lot.”

The Palominos finally pulled away in Game 4 with a 25-11 win, but psychology freshman Monique Martin believes her team played well against a formidable opponent.

“This is one of the hardest teams for us to play, so just the fact that we know we can beat them like that one match, I know we can beat them, so every other team should be like nothing,” Martin said.

“As long as we come out with the same teamwork, we should beat every team.”

The defeat gave the Rangers their sixth straight loss.

Palo Alto received the benefit of the doubt on several line calls, but nursing freshman Heather Flores said she could have hit better to avoid questionable referee decisions.

“As a center myself, I carried a few balls, but the other centers on the other side also did carry a few balls,” Flores said. “Not all calls were made, but you just have to shake it off and do your best.”

Flores said the players want to take what they did well into their March 19 home date against Victoria College.

“We communicated really well, and that’s what keeps the game going and gets everyone else motivated,” Flores said. “Just tell everyone to hustle. We did that a lot today, and that’s also what keeps the game going.”

Regular season ends on 13-game winning streak, tournament up next

Melissa Toscano Lazcano

By James Bosquez The Rangers overcame the Palominos of Palo Alto College pre-game hype to secure their final win of the regular season, winning 92-80 and improving their record to 20-2.

The Palominos had the fanfare of an NCAA game, including pre-game starting line-up introductions, singing of the national anthem, close to 200 spectators and even a Palominos’ mascot on the sidelines.

“It’s just another game,” said head coach Aaron Tavitas to his team after they were introduced by a P.A. announcer and national anthem singer Robert Purkuy.

Leading scorer A. J. Govan was able to score at will despite playing with essentially one eye closed. Govan lost one of his contacts on the first play of the second half after being poked in the eye.

“During one of my steals, it just

popped out. I used to play without contacts, so I was OK after a while,” said Govan.

The lost contact didn’t faze Govan’s game as he scored 11 of his 24 points after the incident.

Starting guard Willie Whitley broke out of his recent struggles by pounding the offensive glass and getting extra possessions for his team.

Whitley stands at 5-11 but was out hustling the taller defenders of Palo Alto for the loose boards.

The extra possessions paid off as Palo Alto managed to put together a run in the second half to cut into the Rangers’ lead.

“The first half was probably flawless. In the second half, we got too complacent and wanted to shoot 3’s,” Tavitas said.

In the first half, the team managed to roll out a 51-31 halftime lead through crisp passing and a lack of turnovers.

Forward Johnny Taylor filled his

usual duties of inside scoring and aggressive rebounding but also intimidated defensively with five blocks, which were needed against the Palominos’ size.

The Rangers clinched the No. 1 spot for the upcoming South Texas Club Sports League tournament Saturday at Palo Alto College.

Their seed grants them a first-round bye in the single elimination tournament.

Palo Alto won the tournament championship last year, so the win over the Palominos was a good tune-up should the two teams face each other Saturday.

This tournament will be the culmination of the Rangers’ hard work over the past year, and Tavitas hopes his team understands that all the gym time they have put in comes down to their execution Saturday.

“This was a good win for them, but we haven’t done anything yet,” Tavitas said.

Center Johnny Taylor loses control of the ball during a game against Palo Alto Feb. 25 at Palo Alto’s gymnasium. The Rangers won 92-80.

Opinion

14 • March 6, 2009

www.theranger.org • The Ranger Edgar Puente

Editorials Women around the globe still struggle today ity, but it was only in 1920 that they were granted the right to vote.

Now, women can choose to be whatever they want to be, be it an astronaut or a stay-at-home mother. Women have come a long way.

America is doing better about female equality, but take a moment this week and consider the women who are outside of our borders.

Women around the world are still being discriminated against. Female genital mutilation is common in parts of Africa, some countries in Asia and the Middle East.

Honor killings still occur despite women having not actually committed any crime, only being accused of it.

Rape is used as a weapon of genocide, and even if the men are prosecuted, the women suffer more when their families and communities do not take them back.

Women’s History Week is a time to look around and celebrate how far women have come. It is a time to thank the women trailblazers who came before.

But more important, it is a time to look around and realize women around the world still need help.

Food pantry stretches pocketbook, mind Hunger can be a severe detriment to learning, but luckily this college has a new food pantry available at the Catholic Student Center to anyone with a student ID. The idea for the pantry is modeled after programs in other colleges around the district and the nation in an effort to make sure students and staff have access to food if they are running short of money.

Anyone with a college ID may walk into the pantry, present it, then walk out with a bag of food. No questions asked.

The food pantry is an admirable undertaking, and one that should be embraced by those not only needing as-

sistance, but also those in the fortunate position to be able to donate and help their fellow students and staff, and keep the pantry open.

Steps should be taken, however, to ensure an individual is not abusing the pantry, using it as his or her personal free grocery store The goal is to get food to people who might not be able to make their income stretch all monthlong, not to enable freeloaders.

The food pantry will only work if it is used for its proper intent and recognized by all as a valiant effort to assist the college population by getting a student’s mind off hunger and back on schoolwork.

Spring break dangers not always physical Spring break is finally here and not a moment too soon for students throughout the country.

Undoubtedly, they will seek ways to relieve the stress accumulated throughout the first half of the spring semester.

Although it has been said a thousand times before to play safe during the break, it is worth mentioning once more: Travel slow and in numbers, moderate intake, and watch each other’s back.

Aside from the better-known dangers associated with recreation gone amok — property damage, sickness or even

death — one should also consider the legal consequences that are not as fleeting as the tomfoolery leading up to it.

Fines and time aside, the lingering effects of even misdemeanor charges could be barriers to financial aid and employment.

During times that are already tough economically, one certainly does not need another hurdle to overcome.

Having said that, don’t forget recreation is the perfect balance to our stressful lives and essential to our psychological health so be sure to take advantage of it.

Traveling to Mexico? Read before you go Every year for spring break, thousands of college students travel to Mexico.

Although the vast majority of them return safely, it is important to know the facts about traveling there.

The U.S. State Department provides helpful information on its Web site for anyone planning a trip south of the border.

If you are planning to spend spring break in Mexico, take a moment to check out the site: http://travel.state. gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/spring_break_ mexico/spring_break_mexico_2812. html.

If you don’t have time to read it before you go, print it out, take it with you and read it on the way there.

RANGER THE

March is Women’s History Month, although this campus only celebrates the first week.

It is a time to look back and celebrate how far women have come and analyze how far they still have to go.

The United States prides itself on equality in the workplace, but a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office in 2001 once again demonstrated women are still paid less than men.

Employers assume women will leave jobs to take care of children and decide not to give women promotions.

Now, despite the fact women are not always treated equally, the country has come a long way in terms of women’s rights.

In the early days of U.S. history, women were not allowed to own property, have access to higher education or even seek a divorce.

Up until World War II, women primarily stayed in the home. They were expected to look after children, and their worth as human beings was directly related to their abilities in the home.

From as far back as Abigail Adams, women have been crying out for equal-

Staff

Editor Martin Herrera Managing Editor Trey Randolph Opinion Editor Brianna Roberts Photographers Tyler Cleveland Melissa Toscano Lazcano Photo Team Lexie Burton, Carlos Garcia, Leda Garcia, Destiny Mata Illustrators Juan Carlos Campos, Fred Nockroes, Edgar Puente Production Manager James Bosquez Production Assistant Laura Garcia Staff Writers Henry A. Chavarria, Alice Gonzalez, Giselle Guadron, Theodore Knapinsky, Rennie Murrell, Jeff Reese, Vanessa M. Sanchez, Joshua Sanchez Guerrero, Lea Thompson, Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle, Jade Villarreal, 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).

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Op-Ed

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

March 6, 2009 • 15

Daughter’s observation provides reason to quit

eyes, and I smiled.

I made a decision that morning, the most important decision of my life.

There was no long drawn-out process of decision-making, or a major battle under way in my mind between my good and bad conscience, arguing the pros and cons of “to smoke or not to smoke.”

I had felt trapped, sequestered away since May 2000, the key to unlock the door to freedom lost for all eternity.

However, this day, Feb. 18, was my first day of freedom.

Free from the “chains” that bound me, free from confinement to the back of the room in restaurants and at public venues.

I am proud to say, “I am free; I am free, because I am a quitter.”

I quit smoking cigarettes — just like that.

Sixteen days have come and gone since I took that last puff of tobacco, and I recalled the words of my late Uncle Lou when he said, “A cigarette is just another nail in your coffin.”

At any given moment, my uncle would try to lecture me about the ills of smoking cigarettes, and, of course, his words fell upon deaf ears.

Why would I listen to a man criticizing me about my smoking habit while

he vigorously puffed away at a nonfiltered Lucky Strike?

“Three strikes and you are out.”

How can a strike be lucky?

He would always try to lecture me about the dangers associated with tobacco, but every year, my Aunt Vivian and Uncle Lou would give me the exact same presents on my birthday and at Christmas: A carton of cigarettes.

Now that is what I call “tough love.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that cigarette smoking causes an 438,000 deaths, or about one of every five deaths, each year, and this includes about 38,000 deaths from secondhand smoke exposure.

Cigarette smoking kills an estimated 259,500 men and 178,000 women in the United States each year.

More deaths from tobacco use, each year, have surpassed the deaths of human immunodeficiency virus, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides and murders combined.

On average, adults who smoke cigarettes die 14 years earlier than nonsmokers do.

Based on current cigarette smoking patterns, an estimated 25 million Americans who are alive today will die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses, including 5 million people younger than 18.

All this information is available for the public to consume, learn and gain the knowledge needed to quit smoking and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Knowing and acting upon that knowledge are two completely different ideas.

Like any drug on the market, whether legal or illegal, drugs have a propensity to cause serious addictions, and

“

I am free; I am free, because I am a quitter.”

tobacco is no exception to that rule.

People struggle every day, in every community, with an addiction to nicotine. I did.

Smoking tobacco is the biggest contributor to lung cancer, emphysema, heart attacks and strokes.

Tobacco is a killer.

The consequences resulting from the continual addiction to the drug nicotine and the health risks associated with its intake via tobacco products present a critical and ominous prediction of the future — heart and lung disease — death.

The CDC Web site says, “Nicotine is the psychoactive drug in tobacco products that produces dependence, and most smokers are dependent on nicotine.”

Nicotine dependence is the most common form of chemical dependence in the United States, and research suggests that nicotine is as addictive as heroin, cocaine or alcohol, and tobacco dependence is a chronic condition.

With all this information and knowledge retained for further use, a prescription for the transdermal patch, Nicoderm CQ, and under the strict medical orders from my doctor (I am Type 2 diabetic), I had all the tools necessary to quit smoking cigarettes.

However, despite all the cards falling in my favor, I continued to smoke.

Do you see something wrong with this picture?

“Where’s my motivation?”

The only time I had ever had any real success with my addiction to nicotine and smoking cigarettes seemed to be during

Teaching values starts with a word

AccuNet/AP Multimedia Archive

“She’s the kinda chick you’d do,” I overheard a male student say.

The concern is not about keeping such vulgar comments at a low voice, but to consider the immature mentality some men still have toward women.

Statistics from the Rape, Viewpoint by Abuse and Incest National Melissa Toscano Lazcano Network’s Web site, www. rainn.org, say college women are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted.

In 2007, the network’s Web site reports there were 248,300 victims, ages 12 and younger excluded, of sexual assault in the U.S. occurring as frequently as one every two minutes.

Although cases of rape have decreased 60 percent since 1993, the same percentage is not reported to the police, the network says.

In 2005, the San Antonio Police Department recorded 3,125 sexual assault offenses, but not all the victims reported the crime.

From the people I know, six are already part of the victim statistics of rape and sexual assault who didn’t file a police report. I am one of them.

Five years ago, while traveling in Europe, a friend and I encountered another tourist our age who seemed friendly. After drinking too much, he raped me.

It was naive to think all travelers are happy-golucky fellows, and I didn’t realize his true intentions. I was 19.

The most common reason not to press charges is fear, and I feared people would not believe me in a foreign country.

For a year, I tried to forget. I pretended the assault did not happen. The repression led to changes in my behavior toward my family.

I finally confided in my sister, who insisted I get tested for HIV. I’d never received such good news in the mail.

Three years later, an employee of a local university touched me inappropriately, and this time, I reported it to my teachers.

I declined to proceed with a full investigation because of an illness in my family that needed my attention.

But I was proud of myself that I didn’t deny what happened.

Victims usually have feelings of guilt, but people react and cope differently.

Some symptoms listed at the Rape Crisis Center’s Web site include “racing thoughts,” when the person loses concentration thinking continuously on the assault, and “flashbacks,”

“Rosie the Riveter,” dressed in coveralls and bandanna, was introduced as a symbol of patriotic womanhood in the 1940s. or body memories, where the body has actual responses to the assault making the person feel as though they are “re-living” the assault.

The center says talking is the first step.

The center’s Web site is www.rapecrisis.com.

The United Nations Development Fund for Women Web site says one in three women worldwide will experience a form of violence during their lifetime, whether they are raped, beaten, coerced into sex, trafficked or harassed. The site is www.unifem.org.

However, men are vulnerable as well.

About 3 percent of American men, or one in 33, RAINN says, have experienced, attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.

The weight of each gender’s importance is debatable, but the root cause goes back to people’s disrespect.

They think speaking in such a way is normal, when it isn’t.

It only leads them to act in similar ways and what is said or done always carries consequences.

People seem to forget that passing down good values in our daily conversations is part of the common responsibility we globally share.

“

Viewpoint by Rennie Murrell

It was early in the morning; the air felt crisp and cold as I inhaled deeply, the sky was colored turquoise blue as the sun began its rise low on the horizon.

I exhaled, my breath forming clouds before my

some brief moments of incarceration I had the benefit of witnessing firsthand.

Flashing through a lifetime of my thoughts and archived memories, I recalled March 23, 1997.

As the cell door slammed shut, I was no longer a member of a free and democratic society, my identity reduced to just a name and a number for the next two years.

As the cacophony of hundreds of men trying to out shout each other rained down upon my ears, I knew at that very moment, I had just quit smoking cigarettes.

I quit smoking cigarettes, “just like that,” “in the blink of an eye,” “didn’t even give it a second thought,” I just did it.

I did not suffer from any of the types of nicotine withdrawal symptoms most commonly defined — cravings to smoke, insomnia, constipation, gas and stomach pain, fatigue or the inability to concentrate.

I felt as if I had never smoked a cigarette or been addicted to nicotine and all its by-products; in fact, under those circumstances, I felt good.

Recalling those moments of incarceration, a most amazing and insightful thought began to take form.

I believe that each of us, all human beings, have the tools and the skills to “just do it.”

I did not prepare myself to quit smoking with the five steps recommended by the U.S. Public Health Services.

I did not get any support and encouragement, or learn new skills and behaviors. I did not take my prescribed

medication; I never had the prescription filled. In addition, I never prepared myself for relapse or difficult situations.

I quit smoking cigarettes in 1997 for two years — I can do it again — this time without the incarceration.

“There are many types of public and private assistance out there for any person trying to quit smoking, to grasp and take hold of their life.”

In addition, “all people are not the same; what works for one or many, may not work for others, but keep looking, keep trying.”

What worked for me was to say, “I had enough, I’m done.”

“Break the tobacco addiction.”

I made the decision to finally terminate my relationship with nicotine and all the unnecessary risks, complications and hazards associated with tobacco, nicotine and cigarette smoking when my 10-year-old daughter said, “You know smoking kills.”

With a lit cigarette dangling from the corner of my mouth, I replied to her (as a cancerous amount of tobacco smoke exited my lungs): “Yeah, I know.”

My daughter looked me straight in my eyes.

“Then why do you smoke?”

Right there, right then, I found my motivation.

For more information, contact the CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Office at tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov 1-800-CDC-INFO or visit http://www.cdc.gov/ tobacco

Letters

Up in flavored smoke

Editor: In the U.S., the hookah has become popular in recent years, especially among high school and college-age young adults.

Hookah smoking is promoted as a visually inviting social activity, touting the sweet smell of the tobacco and the bubbling sound of the water as pleasant, relaxing influences. It is believed it’s healthier than cigarettes. A typical hookah session can last two or three hours and involves several friends smoking from the same pipe.

Typically, the mixture in shisha (hookah tobacco) is one-third tobacco and two-thirds flavorings. The flavorings may include molasses, dried fruit, honey and other ingredients. The resulting aroma was likened to a baking apple pie by one hookah-selling Web site.

Sounds pretty benign, doesn’t it? It isn’t.

Like many fads, it has been hyped with false claims to increase its popularity and profits.

Tobacco is tobacco, no matter how you cut it. In fact, hookah smokers get more smoke than cigarette smokers.

Cigarette smoke is uncomfortably hot if you inhale it deeply. Hookah smoke is cooled as it passes through the water. In addition, you have to inhale hard to pull the smoke through the hookah. The result is cooler smoke going farther into your lungs.

Research has shown that one hour of smoking a hookah is equal to 100-200 times the volume of smoke of a single cigarette. This is according to a report available at the Bacchus Network’s Web site, www.bacchusnetwork.org.

In addition, a study done by the World Health Organization showed that one hookah session of a mere few hours can deliver as much smoke into your lungs as 100 cigarettes — that’s five packs.

Contrary to popular belief, the water in the hookah has no ability to cleanse or purify the smoke of any of its harmful components. In addition to nicotine, you are pulling other dangerous substances through that hose.

Tar is not water-soluble, so it comes on through the pipe, the same amount in one session as in a whole pack of cigarettes. Tar causes cancer.

Other cancer-causing agents also make it through, like heavy metals and carbon monoxide.

In fact, because of the charcoal that is burned on top of the tobacco mixture, hookah smoke has a higher level of heavy metals and carbon monoxide than cigarette smoke.

AccuNet/AP Multimedia Archive

Sarah Schwarz prepares a hookah for customers in her business, Fire and Earth in Olympia, Wash., Dec. 6, 2005.

Hookah smokers risk cancer of the lung, lip, tongue and bladder.

Tobacco smoke affects the cardiovascular system, increasing blood pressure, heart rate and the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Smoke of any kind is also a lung irritant, which can trigger asthma and allergies. And, of course, there are all the secondhand smoke issues to consider.

There are the smoked flavorings to consider. Unfortunately, nobody has yet studied the effects of inhaling burning dried apricots, but I would bet they aren’t all good.

Finally, think about sharing the mouthpiece.

It’s like kissing everyone in the group. Hookah pipes can spread herpes, flu, strep throat, a cold and even tuberculosis.

I’m a big believer in social gatherings and relaxation time. But if you are concerned with the health of your lungs, think about gathering around a cup of tea or relaxing with exercise and a hot tub instead of a water pipe.

Reuben Estrada Research Coordinator University of New Mexico Office of Substance Abuse Prevention

16 • March 6, 2009

The Ranger • www.theranger.org

‘Did I miss anything?’

EXCUSES English Professor Liz Ann Báez Aguilar encountered a student who did not have the heart to take his midterm.

“I was about to give them the midterm exam,” Aguilar said.

A student approached and said, “Ms. Aguilar, I am experiencing chest pains.”

Aguilar tried to get help for the student, but he insisted on walking himself to the nurse’s office. Worried about her student’s status, Aguilar called the nurse. She was relieved to learn he was fine.

When the student arrived at Aguilar’s office about 30 minutes after the test ended, she asked how he was feeling.

“Well, I just had a mild heart attack. They checked me out, and I was OK, but I’ll have to make up the midterm,” he said.

Aguilar played along, until the following week. The student said he had been examined by his uncle, who was a heart surgeon, and was not well enough to take the test.

“I informed him of my conversation with the nurse. He did not show up for the rest of the semester,” Aguilar said.

John McCarter, writing center assistant director, said one of his students said he was “locked out of his place, but came to class in his pajamas.”

English Professor Carol Reposa said many times, students come down with some mysterious, unnamed illness; one even came in with a “goofy-looking bandage.”

Reposa also offered this anecdote: “One student didn’t show up to the midterm because she found out her boyfriend was having an affair. What does that have to do with the test?

It was way off the wall.”

She noted the frequency of family illness creating student obstacles to getting to class or finishing assignments.

“It amazes me the rate at which grandmothers die these days. One boy lost the same grandmother twice in one semester.”

Sociology Instructor Joe Gonzales said one of his former students explained he missed class so much because his grandmother kept getting sick. When asked for more information, the student assured Gonzales he did not live with his grandmother; she lived in Chicago.

RTF Professor John Onderdonk said, “A lot of grandparents that die, or some distant family members passing is what I hear most often.”

Fine arts Professor Marlene Hoover said, “You’d be surprised how many grandmothers die on the day of a test.”

Linda H. Lowman, early childhood studies professor, remembers another student who made her excuse a family matter.

“We had a student tell us her mother died. Her professor sent flowers and the mother contacted her to say she was very much alive,” Lowman said.

There are two questions Lowman

“

because they didn’t know how to work a computer.”

Sometimes, student comprehension is obscured as with the excuse sociology Lecturer Sophia Ortiz got: “I didn’t know we had class today!”

English Professor Mary Anne Bernal’s experience is similar. “Someone signed up for a Tuesday-Thursday class and missed every Tuesday class meeting. He only realized halfway through the semester that there was class on Tuesday. He said that he had been confused by the “TR” and thought that it meant that there were only Thursday classes. I don’t know whether it was sincere or not.”

Who can argue with the logic inherent in an excuse Spanish Professor Marino DeLeon received: “I can’t take the exam today because I wasn’t in class the other day, and I didn’t know we had an exam.”

Of course, the classic excuse at this college since its move to this campus has been “I couldn’t find a parking space.”

There are plenty of other location excuses, such as one given to photography Professor Fred Whitecotton.

“In the ’70s, I had a group of students whose vehicle got stuck on the beach, leaving them stranded. This was their excuse.”

A little closer to home, kinesiology Chair Bill Richardson recalled a student telling him “I didn’t know the parking garage was that far.”

Kinesiology Instructor Stephen Reyna can top that with the time a “student called in lost.”

Political science Professor Christy Woodward-Kaupert said, “I can only think of weird ones, ‘Oh, I was in jail,’ ‘I got arrested.’ That’s the one that throws me. What do you say to that?

Can I see your bond papers?”

Journalism Chair Marianne Odom even had a student call her from jail to explain why he would be missing class that day.

“I don’t know if that was his only call, but this was one time I believed the ‘I was in jail’ excuse,” she said.

Dr. Paul

McQuien, English professor, said, “I believe a student once gave me the excuse of her baby throwing up on her assignment.”

A slightly different concern is when students turn in assignments with the bonus of an attached science experiment.

“A student turned in his assignment with tobacco juice on it,” McQuien said. “At least he turned it in.”

Dr. Irma Ned Bailey, English professor, remembered “a student in my 1301 English class. He said, ‘I can’t turn my paper in because I sent it to India,’ and it’s true. He was proud of it; he sent it to his grandfather in India.”

English Professor Mekonnen Haile said, “I accept excuses. I try not to discourage them, because at least they care enough to make an excuse.”

QUESTIONS Frank Marcie, engineering computer tech and a substitute teacher for computer-aided drafting, recalled a student asking, “Can you give me a copy of the software?”

Less criminal but still boorish, a student after consulting the course schedule asked economics Professor Wesley F. Booth if his name was “staff. They did not know my name or referred to me as Mr. Tibia or to be announced.”

Fire science Professor James D. Richardson has had to deal with otherworldly concerns. One student wanted to know “Has a ghost ever pulled the fire alarm?”

Impatience — or cluelessness — isn’t likely to win a student points.

English Chair Alex Bernal said, “A student turned in a paper late at the beginning of class. We then went on to have a full class and discussion. The student then asked at the end of class “Have you graded my paper yet?”

At the other end of the spectrum are those students so relaxed they have trouble getting started.

Criminal justice Professor Marshall Lloyd recalled a student who asked “how to get into PALS where all the assignments are, especially after Thanksgiving.”

Spanish Lecturer Alberto Mendez remembers a student who said, “‘I’ve been wondering. You mention it all the time. What does ‘Ud.’ mean?’ I had a student that waited until the last week of the semester to ask me. It’s an abbreviation for ‘usted’(formal Spanish for ‘you’).”

I had an individual who said his car had been stolen. They (the police) found it in Houston, and the only thing missing was the paper. I told him I felt very disadvantaged that I didn’t get to read it since it was obviously such an important paper.

Larry G. Bailey

business management

“

“The most annoying excuse is ‘I had to work.’ And the most annoying question is ‘How am I ever going to learn all that?’.

Terri Sweet nursing instructor

“

Every teacher has one.

The story of a student who surpasses all expectation.

Tardies, absences and missed deadlines are all too common occurrences, but the excuses that accompany them can stretch the bounds of credulity.

The raised hand in a classroom is a welcome sight, but the questions that follow occasionally stun. If only it was with their brilliance.

Unfortunately, these aren’t the kind of expectations educators hope will be surpassed.

Excuses come in all shapes and sizes, but the majority fall into four categories: illness, family illness, transportation and technology.

would prefer students not ask. “The most annoying is when they ask if they have missed anything important when they are absent. It’s all important.

“The other annoying one is when they call and ask me if it’s OK to be absent. It’s never OK to be absent.

There are some reasons to be absent, but it’s never OK,” Lowman said.

Then there is the student who comes to class but fails to complete the assignment due.

Medical assisting Instructor Hal Buntley said, “I think the most annoying excuse I’ve heard is ‘I just didn’t get to it.’”

Kinesiology Instructor Gregory Steel of St. Philip’s College said one “student was too broken up to do homework because their team lost at a football game.”

Writing center tutor Kathryn Cervera won’t forget the excuse a tardy student gave her: “I had to stop at Chacho’s to get breakfast.”

Fresh Taste cafeteria cashier Vickie Campos encountered a customer “trying to deal a lower price, excusing herself as a regular.”

J.C. Horton, political science professor, said, “During the summer, I had a young man who would regularly come late to class. He was a very smart young man, but he had failed the first test. When I gave it back to him, he let out a shout of surprise and said, ‘Oh my God, it’s a real course,’ and I said, ‘Yes, do you want real credit?’ After that, both his grades and his attendance improved.”

English Instructor Jane FochtHansen recalled simpler times. “Now it’s not only the dog ate it; something happened to the computer.”

English Lecturer Ken Mullins said he often hears, “My printer is broken.”

English Professor Carol Ann Britt added, “’I don’t have a printer’ when I’ve told them how many printers there are on campus.”

Biology Professor Jerry Purcell said a student gave the excuse, “My cat ate my flash drive.”

Kinesiology Professor Andreia Brown said, “One of my online students claimed that they didn’t do the assignment

“

By Ranger Staff

Juan Carlos Campos

Reposa expressed all faculty’s frustration with “‘Did I miss anything?’

No, because we never do anything of value in here.”

She said sometimes it is: “‘Did we do anything?’ No, we meditated.”

Chemistry Professor Usha Krishnan has a different approach. “My answer is everything in this class is important,” she said.

Sociology Chair Gloria Pimentel recalled a student “asking me to give him a whole lecture on what he missed.”

Woodward-Kaupert remembered that a student who missed a class sent an e-mail saying, “Will you send me my notes?”

Counselor Steve Samet said a student in the six-week Strategies for Success course walked into the class on the fourth week of school and asked, “I didn’t know class had already started; can I make up the work?”

Math Lecturer Dick Lay said, “The worst question I’ve heard is ‘Why do I need this?’ and the answer: Why are you here?”

Some students know why and are looking for all the advantages.

McQuien said students ask him “Will this help me get a better job?”

Music Instructor Madalyn Blanchett is not alone in regularly hearing: “Is this going to be on the test?”

Dr. Jonathan Lee, history professor, doesn’t want to hear “‘is it OK if I miss class?’ or anything that starts with ‘Do I have to … ?’”

Focht-Hansen too often hears “Is that book required?”

She said students ask “‘What do you mean the books are at the reserve desk?’ after saying it for six weeks.”

Fine arts Professor Debra Schafter has been asked “You know those books in the library? Can we check them out?”

A couple of beer companies may be to blame for confusing students with their slogans.

Political science Professor Asslan Khaligh said a student once asked, “Is Texas independent from the U.S. government?”

Then there are those geographically challenged students.

History Professor Thomas Flaherty said, “I’ve been asked where I’m from, and when I say Connecticut, they’ve asked me how long I’ve been in the country. Sometimes, if we’re doing geography, they will ask if New England is a state or a country. They have also asked if England and Europe are the same thing.”

Geography Professor Dean Lambert added this recollection: “I have students who were told by parents or other teachers, that all rivers flow south … they don’t; they usually flow downhill, wherever that might be.”

Biology Chair Teanna Staggs had a student ask, “If bleach can kill microorganisms, why can’t it kill AIDS?” To be fair, most instructors would agree with English Professor Ernest Tsacalis when he says, “There’s no such thing as a stupid question. I’m concerned about students who don’t ask questions that need answering.”

Reposa has another point of view.

“What is annoying for me is when nobody says anything in class, but later, on the day of the test, they have a lot of questions.”

AND ON IT GOES ...

Biology Professor Rafael Torres recalled a student who was failing exams, went to his office and charged, “You’re using a different key to grade my exams; that’s why I’m failing.”

English Professor William Shute said, “This was when I was at Oklahoma State University, and it was actually a colleague of mine. One day, after an hour-long, in-class essay, a student put a typed paper on his desk, hoping to slip it by.”

A student once told Focht-Hansen: “If you’re not gonna give me A’s now, I’m gonna drop and take it with someone else.”

Dr. Paul Wilson, political science chair, said, “I’ve had students say in papers that all adults were teenagers at one point.” Yes, and teachers were once students with their own excuses, though surely no silly questions.