THE RANGER
A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926
Vol. 84, Issue 1
Single copies free
Sept. 11, 2009
PARKING DILEMMA 14, 30 NEW CELL PHONE, SEATBELT LAWS 5 STUDENTS FOOT BUDGET INCREASE 22
9/11 Changes since then to first responder training
7
Juan Carlos Campos
The Ranger
2 • Sept. 11, 2009 File Photo
The site of the possible new headquarters for the Alamo Community College District, 2222 N. Alamo, will be cleared.
Remnants of Playland Park slated for demolition By Jason B. Hogan
the site, although the district has received no such directive. Playland Park, the proposed 12.6-acre site “It’s a public hazard, and we have to do that for a new district headquarters, met approval in order to protect the public,” he said. “We for funding of its demolition stage Tuesday don’t want to get that directive from the city that — awarded to Circle Bar A Inc. — during the says we are not in compliance.” Alamo Community College District’s Buildings, Once the district receives a written order Grounds and Site Selection Committee meet- from the city, then it will be plastered on the ing. front page of newspapers as negative exposure, John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of he said. facilities, said Circle Bar A met the lowestStrybos said it is a must that the district stays fund criteria for contract approval with a bid proactive and stay “on the front end of things.” of $86,934.82, and, therefore, In the spring, the Officials are trying should be awarded the consite was tested for asbesto minimize tract, along with a 10 percent tos, and lead-based paint liability to the district. contingency. was discovered in May. A total of 21 vendors Facility Programming and requested specifications for the project from the Consulting Inc. performed a space assessment district, Strybos said, but only eight responses to determine how much land would be needed, were received. which would provide some perspective for an Playland Park has been a heated debate estimated cost to further advance the project. across the district since its original proposal last After the asbestos and lead-based paint were fall. Faculty vehemently protested any concepts removed from the site, it left the area in worse of the project, and the agenda item was pulled shape, Strybos said, so that made the need for from the December 2008 board meeting. demolition and site clearance more immediate. The park existed from 1947-1980, and some At a previous committee meeting June 9, of the attractions changed properties and own- Strybos estimated that the preliminary cost ership, but the overall site has remained intact. projection was $131 million. Strybos said the site clearance is to avoid a In that same meeting, James McLaughlin, directive from the city of San Antonio to clear vice chancellor for finance and administration,
left the board with six options for developing the site during that June session: general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, maintenance tax notes, public facility corporation, a developer and partner relationship, or a strict developer option. On June 8, the board unanimously transferred responsibility for planning and in-depth information gathering to Dr. Gene Sprague, chair of the Buildings, Grounds and Site Selection Committee. So far, Strybos said there are no further developments in line for Playland Park past the demolition and site clearance stage. But even this stage of the project cannot advance without deliberation and approval from the trustees at the regular board meeting Tuesday. Strybos said vendors must produce required insurance and bonds documentation if the board awards the contract Tuesday. Demolition could begin as early as Oct. 1, Strybos said. As reported in The Ranger June 22, following the demolition stage, the next steps would be community forums and design solicitation. The board’s regular September meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Killen Center, 201 W. Sheridan. The public can sign up from 5 p.m.-6 p.m. to speak at the citizens-to-be-heard session.
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 3
The Ranger
A forum of free voices serving San Antonio College since 1926 Sept. 11, 2009 Vol. 84 • Issue 1
4 Blotter
5 Drivers beware By Henry A. Chavarria
2 News
6 Staff Council complains about employee services By Vanessa M. Sanchez Photo by Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
7 9/11 changes protective services By Laura Garcia Cover illustration by Juan Carlos Campos
7 Obama draws emotional responses By Zahra Farah Photo by Destiny Mata
8 Chancellor’s $30,000 bonus By Jason B. Hogan
20 Early retirement plan goes to board By Jason B. Hogan Photos by Destiny Mata
21 Students join accreditation committee By Regis L. Roberts
22 Students foot the bill for budget increase By Jason B. Hogan Photos by Destiny Mata
26 Town hall renews nuclear questions By Trey Randolph
15 People 16 Premiere
8 Blockbuster movie nights begin this month By Emilio Davila
9 District redirects vending revenue from student life By Vanessa Sanchez Photo by Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
11 Early college high school opens on NLC By Laura Garcia Photos by Destiny Mata
16 Tejano Heritage Month celebration
Story and photos by Leda Garcia
Editorial Cartoon Parking Accreditation Full-time vs. adjunct ratio
By Vanessa M. Sanchez Photos by Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Photo slideshow sports and cheer tryouts Photo slideshow St. Philip’s dancer in Alamo Plaza Hispanic Heritage Month’s campus calendar Government and economic departments merge Editorial Loss of vending machine revenue
19 Calendar 24 Editorials
14 Academic Council reviews parking, printers
Photo slideshow of Judson Early College Academy
By Emilio Davila
By Steven L. Moya
By Zahra Farah
Triple-digit heat closes child development center
18 Planetarium reopens
12 GoGreen expands 13 Departments merge as cost saver
Only online @ theranger.org
29 Pulse
Health Center provides free services By Tyler L. Cleveland Photo by Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
When you see this symbol, go to www.theranger.org for more info.
4 • Sept. 11, 2009
Blotter
Officials
SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE
Chancellor: Dr. Bruce H. Leslie 201 W. Sheridan, Bldg. B, San Antonio, TX 78204-1429 Work: 485-0020 Fax: 208-8149 E-mail: bleslie@alamo.edu
Aug 17 - An individual reported damage/vandalism to vending machine in Moody.
District 1: Dr. Bernard Weiner 929 Manor Drive, Ste. 7, San Antonio, TX 78228 Work: 735-9151 E-mail: bweinermd@satx.rr.com
An individual reported suspicious person near McAllister. Report taken.
District 2: Denver McClendon 3811 Willowwood Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78219 Work: 281-9141 E-mail: denvermcclendon@satx.rr.com
An individual reported damage to personal vehicle.
District 3: Anna Bustamante 511 Ware Blvd., San Antonio TX 78221 Work: 882-1603 Fax: 927-4557 E-mail: abustamante20@alamo.edu District 4: Marcelo S. Casillas 115 Wainwright, San Antonio, TX 78211 Home: 922-6815 Fax: 923-3167 E-mail: mcasillas19@alamo.edu District 5: Roberto Zárate 4103 Buffalo Bayou, San Antonio, TX 78251 E-mail: rzarate11@alamo.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@alamo.edu District 8: Gary Beitzel 15403 Forest Mist, San Antonio, TX 78232 Home: 496-5857 E-mail: gbeitzel@alamo.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: jrindfuss@alamo.edu
Presidents San Antonio College, Dr. Robert E. Zeigler 486-0959, rzeigler@alamo.edu Northeast Lakeview College, Dr. Eric Reno 486-5484, ereno@alamo.edu Northwest Vista College, Dr. Jacqueline Claunch 486-4900, jclaunch@alamo.edu Palo Alto College, Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzman 486-3960, aguzman@alamo.edu St. Philip’s College, Dr. Adena W. Loston 486-2900, aloston@alamo.edu
An individual reported injury in McCreless. EMS arrived; transport not needed. Aug. 18 - An individual reported graffiti between McCreless and McAllister. An individual reported damage/vandalism to personal vehicle. An individual reported missing female. Female located. Aug. 19 -An individual reported injury. EMS refused. Aug. 20 - An individual reported suspicious person. Aug. 21 - An individual reported unable to locate small child in Loftin. Child located on the second floor. An individual reported suspicious person. Subject located. Everything found to be OK. Aug. 23 - An individual reported burglary of vehicle. Suspect found and processed at SAC DPS office.
The Ranger An individual reported a stray dog. All found to be OK. Aug. 27 - An individual reported injury at the Methodist Student Center.
Aug. 26 - An individual reported theft of personal property.
Aug. 28 - An individual reported injury in Moody.
Aug. 28 - An individual reported illness in executive offices.
An individual reported theft of personal property. No suspects.
Aug. 31 - An individual reported injury in learning lab.
Aug. 31 - An individual reported suspicious person in Moody. Suspect found.
ST. PHILIP’S COLLEGE
An individual reported theft in Candler. No suspects. PALO ALTO COLLEGE Aug. 19 - An individual reported injury at the GE building stairs. An individual reported suspicious person in Ozuna library building. Suspicious person located. No further incident. Aug. 20 - An individual reported damage to district vehicle. Aug. 21 - An officer assisted with cutting of locks in the performing arts building. Locker emptied. Aug. 23 - An individual reported suspicious behavior in First Responders Academy. An individual reported vehicle parked more than 48 hours in Lot 8.
Aug. 24 - An individual reported suspicious person. Contact made with suspect; transported off campus.
Aug. 24 - An individual reported suspicious person at Ozuna.
Aug. 25 - An officer assisted SAPD with motor vehicle accident. No visible injuries.
An individual reported a camera stolen/missing from applied technology building.
Aug. 17 - An individual reported suspicious person in Watson. Aug. 18 - An individual reported active fire alarm. ATM machine found to be problem. An individual reported male subject causing a disturbance in the Welcome Center. An individual staff member reported missing district property. Aug. 22 - An individual reported injury. EMS treatment refused. Individual transported to her vehicle. SOUTHWEST CAMPUS Aug. 27 - An individual reported a fire alarm activation. Alarm was only being tested. NORTHEAST LAKEVIEW COLLEGE Aug. 18 - An individual reported illness at Pat Booker Road. EMS arrived and transported individual . Aug. 19 - An individual reported illness by Judson Early College Academy. EMS arrived. Individual reported
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 5 Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Drivers beware By Henry A. Chavarria
Violations: Officer Jerry Alonzo writes out a ticket Aug. 31 on the fifth level of the campus parking garage. Alonzo wrote out 10 tickets to cars illegally parking on the thorougfare of the lot. Parking tickets are a $12 fine and $18 if not paid within 10 working days.
Aug. 20 - An individual reported found property. An individual reported suspicious person. Individuals located. Aug. 21 - An individual reported found property. Item placed in property locker. Aug. 24 - An individual reported falling and being injured. Campus nurse treated individual. An individual reported losing or missing add/drop slip. Aug. 25 - An individual reported damage to district vehicle.
Contact Info Emergency 222-0911 General DPS 485-0099 Weather Line 485-0189
An officer assisted Universal City Police with minor traffic accident. NORTHWEST VISTA COLLEGE Aug. 12 - An individual reported damage/vandalism to personal vehicle. Suspect indentified. An individual reported suspicious activity on campus. Aug. 14 - An individual reported a suspicious person on west lakeside area of campus. Report taken. No further incident. Aug. 20 - An individual reported lost personal property. Aug. 22 - An individual reported suspicious person. No one located. Aug. 24 - An individual reported vehicle blocking his
vehicle. Aug. 25 - An individual reported suspicious person. Report taken. An individual reported lost/ missing personal property.
The Texas Legislature passed two laws that will significantly alter the way drivers and passengers behave behind the wheel after Sept. 1. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety Web site, under current law, drivers and front-seat passengers require seatbelts. Existing laws only require that backseat passengers aged 14 years and younger wear seatbelts. The new law extends the seatbelt requirement to all backseat passengers, regardless of age. It also requires that children 8 years and younger be seated in safety or booster seats. The second law prohibits talking on a handheld cell phone while driving in an active school zone. School zones will now have an additional traffic sign that reads “Hand held mobile phones prohibited.” “The early childhood center does not have new traffic signs but already has flashing yellow traffic lights to alert drivers of the school zone,” Assistant Director Alfonso Ortiz said. Also new are HB 2730 and HB 339, which restrict drivers younger than 18 from using a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle. The use of a device cannot be used to make a routine traffic stop.
Moody evacuation By Jason B. Hogan
Aug. 27 - An individual reported a person pointed a gun at him following a minor vehicle accident. Suspect identifed. An officer issued a criminal trespass warning. An individual reported injury in front of the Cypress Campus Center. EMS transported individual for further treatment. Aug. 31 - An individual reported a vehicle parked in a manner obstructing the flow of traffic. Attempt to locate owner unsuccessful.
Moody Learning Center was evacuated prior to 9 a.m. Sept. 3 after a fire alarm sounded, facilities superintendent David Ortega said. As of now, Ortega said the alarm was ruled accidental. An electrician tripped the alarm on the third floor while working with wiring in the building during a renovation project, Ortega said. “The contractor working on the third floor shorted out a device causing the alarm to go off,” he said. He said he would not know the actual origination of the alarm until after lunch when the contractors make their daily report to his office. Students, faculty, library personnel and other employees exited the seven-story building and waited outside for permission to return to classes and work. Efforts to reach the district department of public safety were unsuccessful.
The Ranger
6 • Sept. 11, 2009
Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Judith Clark, Henry Castillo and Cindy Morton discuss pay adjustments at this college’s Staff Council meeting Sept. 1 in visual arts.
Staff Council complains about employee services Concerns focus on poor communication and pay inequities. By Vanessa M. Sanchez Of the 171 district employees who applied, 35 received pay adjustments ranging from $1 to $5,000, the Staff Council president announced at the Sept. 1 meeting. The Alamo Community College District board of trustees announced Aug. 18 that $1 million would be allotted to adjust pay of fulltime employees for fiscal year 2009-10. Nick Benedetto, the council’s reporter/historian, suggested members of the Staff Council submit a list of questions to employee services concerning qualifications for the adjustment, decision makers and the colleges that applied for the adjustment. Staff Council President Geraldo Guerra suggested all council members e-mail the questions to him by Sept. 4. The employees appealed salary and classifications made by an employee compensation and compression study done by Fox Lawson & Associates. Henry Castillo, optical scanner and residency technician, said he is not upset that some employees in the admissions and records office received a pay adjustment. He said he continues to work two jobs because of a “lack of manpower” while receiv-
“Can’t someone just put it in plain English? Don’t give us a four-page letter.” Joan Fabian visual resource specialist
ing the same pay. Castillo said his concerns are not on the monies earned but on the time spent with the district trying to get organized. “I don’t mind really, it’s no big deal, I’m just waiting for things to get back to the way they were,” he said. He said he is not too happy about working both jobs while being one of the lowest paid. “You can’t complain; at least you have a job,” Castillo continued. President-elect Anthony Perez, financial aid adviser, countered saying this kind of situation goes with working at a college. Velia Tovar, parliamentarian for Staff Council, said any problems employees have should first go through that person’s department channels. The council also discussed the complications of communicating with the district’s employee services department. Still, Benedetto questioned, “As a council,
what can we do to help?” Joan Fabian, visual resource specialist, said she does the same work as another person in her department, but she said she receives less pay. She requested the adjustment and title change, but employee services officials denied her request. Fabian said she later received a four-page letter that made no sense to her or her chairperson. “Can’t someone just put it in plain English?” Fabian said. “Don’t give us a four-page letter.” Tovar said she is in the same position and discussed her frustration with an experience she had with a co-worker who was denied the adjustment. The co-worker received a rejection letter addressed with an incorrect title. “How much attention was put into this if they couldn’t get the title correct on the letter?” Tovar asked. She also said some people received a pay adjustment but no letter. Guerra said he will e-mail all questions to the employee services department for further information. He can be reached at gguerra@alamo.edu. Linda Boyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor for employees services, could not be reached for comment.
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 7
9/11 changes protective services Associate degree added to meet needs of new climate. By Laura Garcia The protective services department has undergone changes in the eight years since Sept. 11, 2001, as the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon made the nation more aware of the need for emergency services. An Emergency Management and Homeland Security associate of applied science degree was added two years after the national disaster. The department has since seen about a 20 percent to 30 percent increase in enrollment of its programs. The department also includes fire science and emergency medical services. “We’ve certainly focused more on emergency management,” said Gary Fox, protective services chair and fire science coordinator. Fox said the curriculum was expanded to give students a better grasp of how to react in terrorist and natural disaster situations. As reported in the Feb. 8, 2008, issue of The
Ranger, the Alamo Community College District approved the building of a $600,000 fire science and emergency medical services training facility. The facility opened this summer on 60 acres of land off Interstate 35 South just south of Von Ormy. Students go to classes 40 hours a week and can finish in one semester or opt to take night courses 28 hours a week for about a semester and a half. The Emergency Management and Homeland Security certificate program was created by emergency medical services Coordinator J.D. Richardson in 2003. The syllabus for EMAP 1176, Internship, states that upon completion of the course, the students will be able to develop a disaster plan, identify the functions of the plan, communicate orally with various departments and municipal directors, explain the process for declaring a disaster, perform risk assessments, and develop a tabletop function and field exercise based on the entity’s emergency plan. In the Introduction to Homeland Security, HMSY 1337, students study the evolution of
the Department of Homeland Security, hazards associated with terrorist acts and response and recovery actions. Richardson said it is just another route to prepare students for jobs dealing with disaster in both the public sector and private. “The degrees are becoming more necessary in the field,” Richardson said in a telephone interview. The San Antonio International Airport offered 48 officers free enrollment last semester in the course and many will return in the spring, Richardson said. The Transportation Security Administration is trying to get a program set up here to train its officers. TSA only set up two other pilot programs in Anne Arundel (Arnold, Maryland) and Northern Virginia community colleges, Richardson said. The college’s Curriculum Review and Evaluation Committee recently approved modifications to the Homeland Security syllabus offering a transportation option for TSA. “It’s for people interested in Homeland Security,” he said. “Basically it’s a career enhancement.”
Obama speech draws emotional responses Destiny Mata
By Zahra Farah Silence swept the craft room of Loftin Student Center when President Barack Obama gave his back-to-school speech Tuesday to students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va. About 60 students from several classes and some on their lunch break were all eyes on the television screen as Obama encouraged American youth to concentrate on studies, “because if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country,” he said. The speech generated controversy before it aired, with critics claiming Obama might use it to advance his political agenda. Officials at two of San Antonio’s largest public school districts,
Students watch President Barack Obama’s speech about the importance of finishing one’s education in Loftin Tuesday. North East and Northside, refused to allow teachers to air the address during school hours. Faculty at this college were invited to tune in or bring students to Loftin to watch Obama’s speech. Some of the students in Loftin were from Asslan Khaligh’s government
class, Isabel Garcia’s class on architecture, society and culture, and Amy White’s and Casey Lechuga’s student development classes. Students interviewed said they were grabbed by Obama’s notion of not “letting failure define you; rather to let your failures teach
you.” “So if you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right,” he said. “If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.” Lechuga said a historic moment like this was too big to pass up, so he decided to bring his student development class. Liberal arts sophomore Kevin Williams said, “It inspires dropouts to go back to school and maybe focus.” Some said the speech was more appropriate for elementary and high school students than college students. CONTINUED ON PAGE 27
The Ranger
8 • Sept. 11, 2009
Chancellor to collect $30,000 bonus Chairman says all district administrators get accrued vacation pay.
The 2007-08 budget listed Leslie’s salary at $289,999.92 in the personnel register. Leslie received a 4 percent increase in his base salary from the board, coinciding with By Jason B. Hogan staff raises of the same percentage, after the fiscal year 2009 budget was approved by trustees Chancellor Bruce Leslie stands to receive a Aug. 5, 2008. deferred compensation payment of a $30,000 The contract offered then to Leslie — effecannuity Oct. 31 from the Alamo Community tive Aug. 28, 2008, through Aug. 31, 2011 — proCollege District upon completion of his initial vided a base annual salary of $313,633.84, and three-year term under provisions in his original any annual increases considered by the board employment contract. subject to the chancellor’s performance and The contract covered his employment evaluation. with the district from Sept. 1, 2006, This contract also allowed for through Monday. The chancellor fringe benefits afforded to the chanbegan work Nov. 1, 2006. cellor, including a $1,000 per month Chairman Denver McClendon vehicle allowance, along with a gas said the $30,000 annuity is meant to card, authorized use of the Plaza be a retention bonus. Club through a district membership, “If you have to search for a new payment of a term life insurance polchancellor, it can cost $100,000,” icy twice the amount of Leslie’s base Bruce Leslie McClendon said. salary, and an unlimited amount of It has been three years since the vacation-day accrual, which will be board of trustees chose Leslie as the succeeding payable to the chancellor in cash at the concluchancellor of the district, following the three- sion of his employment with the district. year tenure of Dr. J. Terence Kelly. All district administrators are able to receive During an Aug. 25 special board meeting, cash from accrued vacation days following the trustees approved a review of Leslie’s contract, end of their employment through the district, while in a phone interview Aug. 27, McClendon McClendon said. said he believes they will unanimously approve According to district policy, however, a new contract for Leslie. employees lose any unused vacation days at the The Ranger reported Leslie’s original con- end of each fiscal year. tract extension Sept. 11, 2008, after the board He said because of the chancellor’s leaderrenegotiated it to include two additional years ship “all the colleges are working more in harending Aug. 31, 2011. mony to bring about needed efficiency.”
Trustees are likely to approve the chancellor’s new contract at the regular board meeting Tuesday, and the board chairman said trustees will offer a vote of confidence for Leslie. But the district is currently in the red, and recently, it was announced that it experienced a $7 million shortfall. McClendon said there are only three sources of revenue the district relies on: state funding, property taxes, and tuition and fees. “We’re trying to keep tuition as low as possible,” he said. “And we’re trying to hold our tax rate. We have no control over the state.” McClendon also said Leslie and his staff have implemented various programs directly in line with the charges he was given over the last six to eight months: increase student success, examine the possibility of single joint-level accreditation for the district, and review the costs of textbooks to execute a reduction in those costs. The new contract remains in negotiation and, presently, resides with the district legal services department. Evaluation of the contract was supposed to conclude the week of Aug. 31, and McClendon said the board expected to have a tangible contract in hand for Leslie by the end of August. Leslie was unavailable for comment, although he directed Leo Zuniga, associate vice chancellor of communications, to speak on his behalf. Zuniga took the questions meant for Leslie but was unable to provide any new information.
Movie nights on mall begin Sept. 25 with ‘Star Trek’ Courtesy
By Emilio Davila “Star Trek” kicks off the fall series of free outdoor movies sponsored by the office of student life. The first Friday Night Movie, a monthly event that seeks to bring about a relaxed atmosphere where students and the community can share some movie magic, is set for 7:20 p.m. Sept. 25 in the mall. The movie screening is free for students with district ID; others may attend for $1 or a donation of one can of food for this college’s Food Pantry. Viewers may bring their own chairs. Previous turnout for the outdoor movies has been estimated at 300 to 600 people at each movie, said Aaron Tavitas, assistant coordinator of student activities. The event is “a way to bring the student body and community together” to enjoy themselves, he said. Food provided by various student clubs, such as Teaching Academy
Program Peers, American Institute of Architecture Students and the Psychology Club, will be sold during the movie. “Star Trek,” which is the most recent of the official Star Trek canon of movies, is rated PG-13 and runs approximately 127 minutes. Friday Night Movies scheduled for October and November are “Up” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” For more information, call 486-1300.
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 9
District redirects college revenue Vending and video game income no longer funds student life events.
Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
By Vanessa M. Sanchez District colleges will no longer get to keep revenue from vending machines and game tables and a percentage of profits from the bookstore and cafeteria. Money from these auxiliary accounts is now collected by the Alamo Community College District and redistributed in the budgets allotted to each of the colleges, James McLaughlin, vice chancellor for finance and administration, said in a phone interview Wednesday. These funds totaling $1.6 million to $2 million across the district can be used for employee development and hospitality expenses, he said. McLaughlin said all the money “was put into a pot” and will be redistributed based on size of the colleges. He said every college will receive money from that “pot” included in their budget, and the colleges will now have to decide how much to spend and where to spend it. McLaughlin said last year the board of trustees agreed on legal options to save money. He said the 1 percent this college received from the San Antonio College Bookstore would not necJames McLaughlin essarily be returned to this college because it would not be fair as not all the colleges have a book store. McLaughlin said the college’s bookstores are no longer the primary place for students to shop so revenues may decline. The office of student life at this college previously was allowed to use revenue from the vending machines and game tables to purchase and maintain pool tables and the gaming area, bring in entertainment and award scholarships. Student life Director Jorge Posadas wrote in an e-mail Tuesday: “A board member informed me that there were district needs that could not be funded with taxpayer or tuition funds.” According to that e-mail, student life made about $60,000 in auxiliary funds last year that the office used for student orientation and the “chill lounge,” an area designed by this college’s
Students buy from vending machines Sept. 9 in Chance. Money from the machines on this campus, 1 percent of the bookstore’s revenues and a portion of the cafeteria’s profits will go to the district, then be distributed to each college. architecture students. That area will no longer others to influence the students, she said. exist, he wrote. This will put students one step ahead, she Posadas wrote that he does not know “how said. “It’s an environmental change that chalthis will affect the office of student life programlenges students, and I think we’re responsible ming, at this time since I do not have this year’s for it.” budget.” A large number of He wrote that he has “no people grow up “cultur“You’re limited only opinion on the change.” ally illiterate,” she said. by your lack of In an interview Tuesday, “You’re limited only by Kathy Armstrong, former your lack of vision.” vision.” student life director and She said when she Kathy Armstrong now working with the dean was student life director, former student life director of learning resources, said she had Chinese acroa community college’s stubatic performances and dent’s lifestyle should not be shows by the National different from that of a university student. Shakespeare Company, and nationally known She said she learned a lot from events her speakers such as consumer watchdog Ralph first years in college, including seeing Neil Nader and poet Maya Angelou. Diamond and the Mamas and the Papas per“For me, it’s always about the student and form in events sponsored by the college’s stuwhat we can expose them to,” Armstrong said. dent life funds. “Money should stay here,” Armstrong said. “That was a part of my growing up,” “I rest my case.” Armstrong said. McLaughlin said it is possible that this Armstrong said she believes money earned change will take a while for everyone to get from students should return to those students used to, but student life will continue receiving and what is earned from a certain college money from the student activity fee students should stay at that college. pay with tuition. That money should be spent on extracurMcLaughlin said student life also has the ricular activities that support academics and to choice to raise money from additional programbring in artists, speakers, writers, scientists and ming.
10 • Sept. 11, 2009
The Ranger
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 11
HS freshmen on track for diploma, degree in 4 years Photos by Destiny Mata
By Laura Garcia Northeast Lakeview College donated part of its land and teamed up with Judson Independent School District to create a different kind of high school. The Judson Early College Academy opened its doors Aug. 24 to 123 freshmen. The program offers students a chance to earn an associate degree along with their high school diploma at no cost to them. “I think it’s a great experience for us because we have to work very hard to get here,” freshman Nico Esparza, 14, said. These students traded a traditional high school experience for JECA. The school was offered to eighth graders living in the Judson district with strict criteria including 97 percent or higher attendance, passing all classes with a 75 percent minimum, and no major disciplinary problems. But that wasn’t it. They had to commit to a true focus on academics. The academy didn’t want students to feel pressured Yvonne Anglada into the program by their parents. Unlike the other high schools in the district, this school has no organized sports. The freshmen will compete in Destination Imagination and University of Interscholastic League academic competitions, and the school plans to offer the Academic Decathlon next year. “They have to really want to be here,” Principal Yvonne Anglada said during an interview Sept. 8. Initially, 489 students applied for the high school. Anglada stressed at the end of a November 2008 meeting with parents that it would be “very challenging.” At that time it was to be a five-year plan. The students have a longer school day, starting at 8:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. and have shorter school breaks just like many college students. In 2006, a $12 million bond was approved by Judson Independent School District. Then research was started to decide what worked and did not work at other early college schools. There were nearly 15 different committees working on the school. It was finally decided the program should be only four years in which students take summer courses after their sophomore and junior year. The students’ courses are dual-credit with extra hours for tutoring and a leadership class. They take three college courses in the sophomore year, then four during junior year and work up to seven the senior year. College physics and sociology are taken during the summer. Anglada said it was important that the students graduate together at the end of their fourth year. The freshmen are already busy thinking about taking a senior cruise and discussing plans for prom. The students are marketing their own clubs to the student body including an animal care club, Make A Wish, Students Against Drunk Driving, skating and JAM (JECA’s artists and musicians). They will also be able to join the National Honor Society, student council and any clubs offered at the college. They are just a short walk from the college where they take a kinesiology course this year. Students were able to choose from any non contact
Shevonna Ravenel, 14, freshman at Judson Early College Academy, helps classmates conduct an experiment with sodium bicarbonate and calcium chloride to test chemicals for reactions during a chemistry lab Tuesday.
Freshman Carrianna White, 14, and fellow students from her leadership class drop eggs, which were tightly wrapped with straws and tape, from the overpass of JECA. course ranging from yoga to kickboxing. Anglada said that in a traditional high school with a student body of 3,000, some students might get lost. At JECA, every student has a star on the wall of the student center. They earn star stickers to add on theirs whenever they show an example of leadership. The large room is filled with round tables instead of the traditional long cafeteria tables. On the opposite wall, banners hang from colleges across the country. When they graduate from JECA, they will have earned an associate degree offered by Northeast Lakeview College and will transfer as a college junior. “Too often kids have to take developmental classes in college,” Anglada said. “We want to avoid that. I want them to leave here and know exactly what they are doing.” Anglada said they wanted to mirror the demographics at the other Judson high schools; for example they have about a 49 percent Hispanic student body. They are targeting first-time college students and strive to keep class sizes small along with heavy student support by faculty. “I just thought maybe coming here would help me get a jump start on my life because I see my parents living paycheck to paycheck,” Carrianna White, 14, said. “Maybe coming here I can get into a good college and get a good job.”
The Ranger
12 • Sept. 11, 2009
GoGreen recycling expands
Hot Potato By Christina Rangel
By Steven L. Moya “GoGreen,” this college’s campus wide recycling program, is expanding to encourage more student organizations to get involved. Public relations director Deborah Martin will be providing all participating buildings with recycling toters that will be able to handle paper, plastic, glass and aluminum. There will be at least 150 toters that are smaller and more manageable than the bins provided to San Antonio residents for recycling. The campus toters are wheeled for easy transport to designated pick-up destinations. In conjunction with the toters, this college will be provided with a compactor and recycling truck that will pick up recycled contents twice a week at participating buildings. Work-study “supervisors” will coordinate with participating GoGreen club officers once the locations of the drop-off toters are known. Sept. 28 is the tentative start-up date for the program.
The goal is to have 30 clubs sponsor 30 buildings on campus, with clubs taking responsibility for the buildings where their members typically meet. The American Institute of Architects Students has agreed to sponsor the program in the Chance Academic Center. Dwayne Bohuslav, faculty adviser for the AIAS, also is a campus GoGreen coordinator. The clubs’ duties will entail bi-weekly transporting of the toters to the curb for pickup, and wheeling them back after pickup. Interested clubs should elect a GoGreen officer who will supervise and coordinate the program in their buildings. For their participation, GoGreen officers will receive a GoGreen Recycling T-shirt and be invited for a tour of the recycling process to share with fellow students. The clubs also will be given special consideration for their participation in their student activity fee committee funding requests. Interested clubs, as well as faculty and staff volunteers, may provide the names of their GoGreen officers by Sept. 15, to Carrie Hernandez, student activities specialist in the student life office, at 486-0128.
“Did Tabloid Media Undermine Freedom in Iran?” is the topic of the Sept. 15 Hot Potato forum sponsored by the Methodist Student Center. The free event will begin at noon at the center, 102 Belknap Place. Potatoes with the works will be served afterward. Asslan Khaligh, professor of political science, and Abe Levy, religion reporter at the San Antonio Express-News, will be the speakers. The lectures will continue every Tuesday during the fall semester. The Methodist Student Center also offers worship services, Bible study and other events. For information, call 733-1441.
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 13
Humanities joins history department By Zahra Farah
departments received official word, but administration has kept in contact. Dr. Jessica Howard, Humanities is leaving the building — litervice president of academic affairs, and Krueger ally. have been talking with the departments. The humanities department has moved from Howard said she feels the changes are good music and merged with the history department. for the departments. The reason for merging the two departments “I will say this, the decisions were done in a was that humanities has more in common with collaborative way,” Howard said. history, said Dr. Conrad Krueger Sr., dean of arts Krueger said talks started with the adminisand sciences. trative team and then discussion When the state redid its budget went to the departments, so that formula for the school term, it everyone was able to communigave fewer resources to the colcate. lege, Krueger said. In some cases, Administration wanted mergers were done to save money, merged departments to form but for others it was just a good fit. more opportunity for collabora“With music, it becomes techtion. nical, but with history, a lot of “These departments would courses match up,” said Ronni Read online coverage of the be greater then the sum of their Pue, humanities instructor. merger of the government parts,” Howard said. Communications with the and economics depart“You now have them creating departments were easy for hisments. new and exciting ideas by worktory and humanities faculty, espeing together, in this case for the cially since there is only one full-time tenurecurriculum.” track faculty member, and that’s Pue, said Dr. Humanities and history were not unknown Jonathan A. Lee, department chair. to each another. It was not a drastic move but “It’s easy to communicate with her,” Lee rather an easy transition, Pue said. The history said. “We’ve had a lot of discussions.” department put humanities faculty on their listThe idea was first proposed in the summer serv, a source of communication between coland became final in early August. Humanities leagues, as soon as possible. will move into the history building for the “It’s important to include people so they spring semester. don’t feel left out,” said Dr. Horace Nash, departLee said that in some respects not enough ment Web master. time was given to handle the changes after the Lee said he has been busy, but he’s looking
forward to learning more about humanities. “I have a strong appreciation for the visual arts,” he said. “Particularly pertaining to ancient cultures, I share that with Professor Pue.” “It’s going to be interesting expanding the course and offering more to students,” Pue said. The biggest challenge for most people is how to merge two different department cultures, Lee said. “I’m trying to do so by communicating and learning each other’s cultures,” he said. Some other concerns are how enough supplies will be given to both areas, but this has not been a challenge just yet. “We haven’t physically merged,” Lee said. “I anticipate problems, but instead of caring about the problems, we can also look at the potentials now that we are bigger and more diverse.” Still, it can be frustrating for Lee to be unable to answer questions such as, “Will I have a computer in my class?” “If they need supplies and additional staff, it will be addressed,” Krueger said. “We are eager to help,” Howard said. “We want to make the transition as easy as possible.” Humanities has been represented well by music, and history will do the same, Pue said. The outlook is positive and both administration and departments have said services for students would not decrease. Krueger said he would do everything possible. “I believe they will stay strong and continue to grow,” he said.
Media communications combines 5 programs Journalism-photography, radio-television-film and digital design merged By Catherine L. Boully Among the academic department mergers effective with the fall semester was the merger of the journalism-photography department, the radio-television-film department, and the digital design program in the visual arts department. The new department is called media communications. “We’ve had a budget crunch, and this merge seemed necessary,” said Dr. Conrad Krueger,
dean of arts and sciences. “Journalism and radio-television-film are both composed of media communications, so they’re a good fit for each other,” Krueger said. “The two departments have the same goals and opportunities,” said Marianne Odom, media communications chair. “With this combination, it is quite possible to add degree programs.” Even though the departments merged, they are still spread out physically among three buildings: Loftin Student Center, Longwith Radio, Television and Film, and the visual arts center. “It still needs a bit of organizing. It’s quite a
challenge because there are 15 part-time and 15 full-time faculty members,” Odom said. The offices for the digital design faculty were moved to Longwith from visual arts. For students, the merger has opened up more opportunities and chances to fulfill goals and ideals, faculty said. “If students enter the department not knowing what they want to do yet, we have training for all aspects of media here,” Odom said. The Ranger, The Ranger Online, The Fourth Write magazine, and radio station KSYM 90.1 FM are student-produced media operating within the new media communications department.
The Ranger
14 • Sept. 11, 2009
Academic Council reviews parking, printers Photos by Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Plans are in place to allow students to meet with President Zeigler and department chairs. By Vanessa M. Sanchez Parking problems have subsided somewhat after the “nightmare” of the first week, President Robert Zeigler said Tuesday at a meeting of the College Academic Council; however, he fielded suggestions from council members on ways to avoid similar problems in the future. One suggestion was to section off an area in the garage for motorcycles because of complaints that they were taking up too much room by using spaces designed for cars. Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student services, agreed that more than one motorcycle can fit into one parking space but as there is no specific area in the garage for motorcycles, they can park on a first-come-first-served basis. Jeff Hunt, theater and speech communication chair, speaks at the Academic Council meeting Tuesday on behalf of the Zeigler said designating an area for motorcyAccreditation Committee, which he co-chairs. The next committee meeting is scheduled for Oct. 1. cles in the parking garage was a good idea if it is determined this would be a long-term solution. tion chair, said the district will allow employees Zeigler said he and Tim Rockey, dean of conto have their own printers, but they would have tinuing education training network, saw open to be serviced by the owner. spaces around 10 a.m. one day last week in The district will no longer support printers the new student lot at Dewey Place and Ogden serving individuals. Street and there were still available spaces at the Also during the meeting, Hunt, who also coAtomix at Dewey and chairs the Accreditation McCullough Avenue Committee, said the east of campus. committee met Sept. 4 He also said Rockey with its newest student Writing center Director Frances communicated with members, though only Crawford announced that the center is VIA Metropolitan student representaPresident Robert Zeigler leads the Academic Council sponsoring an Excellence in Writing ceremony Oct. 23. Transit about the postives from St. Philip’s meeting Tuesday in the visual arts center. Zeigler said the This will be an event open to all sibility of using buses College and this college parking problem is getting better although college officials college departments to acknowledge and as shuttles from disattended.Nor theast are seeking additional ways to improve the situation. invite any current or former student to tant parking lots, but Lakeview, Palo Alto and congratulate them on their writing skills. Zeigler warned the cost Northwest Vista colleg- duce Zeigler to students, and a tentative date of Crawford said there is a Sept. 23 deadline to submit recognitions; there may be prohibitive. es did not send student Nov. 30 is Chilli with the Chairpersons to introare no nominations because every On capital improverepresentatives. duce students to department chairs. student’s name submitted will be ments, David Mrizek, Hunt said the next She said details would be confirmed later. recognized. Call 486-1433. vice president of colmeeting is Oct. 1. Julianne Cantu, SGA’s president, said she will lege services, reported (See related story arrange a date that is best for chairpersons. work in Moody Learning Center is limited to the on Page 21.) Other announcements included a Nov. 19 third floor. Other announcements included a new camSAC Has Talent show in which faculty and staff In response to a question from history and pus map that includes new building numbers will perform to raise money for technology. humanities Chair Jonathan Lee, he said the seen around the college and the acronyms of Nov. 2 is the deadline for department to subreserve desk in the library has been located to each building to help direct first responders in mit acts to Rose Gonzales, executive assistant the fourth floor during construction. case of an emergency. in the office of the vice president of academics. As a cost-cutting measure, there will soon be Dr. Dawn Elmore-McCrary, adviser to the Sept. 29 is Employee Development Day, fewer printers in each department. Student Government Association, announced which will be on campus for employees of this Jeff Hunt, theater and speech communicathat Oct. 29 is Pizza with the President to intro- college.
Nominate a writer
People
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 15 Destiny Mata
Ball of fury:
Physics freshman Chris Chiu plays in a pingpong tournament in Loftin Tuesday and wins by 3-0 to secure the championship against nursing sophomore John Salas, last year’s winner. Chiu, who is from Hong Kong, won a SAC Intramural pingpong T-shirt along with an i-Pod shuffle. Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Lab time: Computer lab technician Michael Raso instructs Roberto Martinez, international relations sophomore, Aug. 28 in the multimedia lab on fourth floor of Moody. The lab lends laptops to students, and offers black-and-white and color printing. Lab hours are from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 486-1352.
Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Choir audition:
Vocal performance freshman Fernando Palacios auditions for Lecturer Madeline Elizondo. Sept. 3 in McAllister Center. Auditions were held for students to join the Jazz Choir.
16 • The Ranger
Premiere
Sept. 11, 2009 • 17
¡Recuerdo El Alamo! Center: Nancy Salame, nursing sophomore at St. Philip’s College, performs a folklorico dance during the Texas Tejano Breakfast Sept. 5 in Alamo Plaza. Left: Members of the Alamo Legacy and Missions Association stand together as they say the Pledge of Allegiance. Below: Members of the association prepare flags for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Top: Rudi R. Rodriguez, president of Texas Tejano.com, calls out numbers of raffle tickets to the audience at the Texas Tejano Breakfast Sept. 5. Above: Rudi R. Rodriguez, president of Texas Tejano.com, introduces the members of the Alamo Legacy Missions Association for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Story and Photos by Leda Garcia
T
ejano Heritage Month opened Saturday with the Texas Tejano Breakfast in the plaza of San Antonio’s historic landmark, the Alamo. Crowds of tourists and proud Texans swarmed the plaza to take part in the free festivities. Participants were treated to a variety of free tacos and other refreshments while entertained by folkloric performances. The president of Texas Tejano.com, Rudi R. Rodriguez, hosted exhibits paying tribute to Alamo defenders Toribio Losoya, Gregorio Esparza and Juan Seguin. Seguin also served as a territorial governor and state senator. The event included historic re-enactments to help tell the stories of the Tejanos who fought and died alongside other heroes of the Battle of the Alamo, such as Davy Crockett and James Bowie. The breakfast kicked off the celebration of Tejano Heritage Month. The event was sponsored by Texas Tejano.com in conjunction with the Alamo Legacy and Missions Association, also known as ALMA, which is Spanish for soul, and the city of San Antonio. For more information on Tejano heritage and upcoming events, call 673-3584 or visit www.texastejano.com.
Rick Kidder, member of the Alamo Legacy and Missions Association, stands decked out in boots with spurs.
Get a calendar for this college’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and view a slideshow of more Texas Tejano Breakfast photos.
The Ranger
18 • Sept. 11, 2009
Every Friday the planets align at this college Courtesy Photo
By Emilio Davila Scobee Planetarium will reopen tonight, ready to amaze the public with astronomical wonders. Digistar 3 technology will be part of the lineup for the 48th season of Scobee Planetarium. “This time, it will feel like you’re actually there,” said reservation secretary Gina Gutierrez. Besides the 3-D projector, the planetarium also will resume use of the observatory telescope designed to pinpoint more than 17,000 objects in the night sky. Over 10 feet tall and sporting a 10-inch refractor, the telescope is opened at 9:45 p.m., weather permitting. Many of the classic shows will be available during the day, but the school programs are now age specific. Programs like “The Secret of the Cardboard Box” will be well-suited for children in second grade or higher, while more mature shows such as “Ibex: Search for the Edge of the Solar System” and “Black Holes” are better suited for students who can grasp the more advanced information, officials said.
The classic Scobee favorite “The Sky Tonight” has been brought back by popular demand. “Everybody wants to know what’s happening in their back yard,” says interim planetarium coordinator Bob Kelley. An examination of the San Antonio night sky, “The Sky Tonight” is a continually updated show. “As the sky changes, the show changes,” he said. Many teachers also incorporate the planetarium into their class lectures. G. Roger Stanley, chair of chemistry, Earth sciences and astronomy, said he considers it “just a big lab room” where students and teachers can take advantage of the high-tech equipment available. The Friday night shows are free for Alamo Colleges students and employees with ID. School shows are offered at 9:30 a.m., 11
a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and must be reserved in advance. Admission after programming has begun is not permitted. For the latest information concerning celestial happenings, the planetarium offers the public two features on their Web site. The star chart is an actual map of star positions for each month. Sky Line identifies major events for the month. Both of these features can be accessed at www.alamo.edu/sac/ce/scobee/. Scobee Planetarium, which may be found near the center of campus, receives between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors each year. Planetarium guests should park in Lot 21 on West Park Avenue. For more information, call 486-0100.
Calendar
The Ranger Today SAC Event: Coffee and Open Mic Night 6:30 p.m.–10 p.m. in the Round in Loftin. Call 486-0125. SAC Transfer: Texas A&M San Antonio 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m in the transfer center. Call 486-0864. SAC Event: Danglewood live reggae from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. in Loftin. Call 4860125. Fotoseptiembre: Rebecca Dietz exhibit “Closer” at High Wire Arts Gallery, 326 W. Josephine, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Continues through Sept 30. Call 320-5702.
a.m.–8 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Continues through Sept. 18. Call 4860125. SAC Transfer: Texas A&M San Antonio 9 p.m.-5 p.m on the first floor of Chance. Appointments 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m in the transfer center. Call 486-0864. SAC Transfer: University of Texas at San Antonio 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on the first floor of Chance. Appointments from 11:30 a.m-3:30 p.m in the transfer center. Call 486-0864. SAC Transfer: Texas State UniversitySan Marcos appointments 10:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 486-0864.
Saturday NVC Seminar: “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful College Students” 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in Room 122 of Cypress. Continues 5:15 p.m.-9:15 p.m. Thursday. Call 486-4005. SAC Tryouts: Softball open tryouts from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. at Olmos Basin Field. Call 486-0125. SAC Tryouts: Men’s baseball tryouts from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. at Olmos Basin Field. Call 260-6348. Event: “Yo Soy/I am” debut movie screening from 6 p.m.–9 p.m. at Gallista Gallery, 1913 Flores. Call 212-8606. Fotoseptiembre: George Brainard’s “Race Fans” art gallery at River City Silver, 5103 McCullough, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Continues through Oct. 31. Call 734-2020.
SAC Shots: Flu Shots for $18 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. in Loftin. Continues Tuesday. Call 486-0125. SAC Tourney: Monday Night Football online tournament 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in Loftin Cyber Café. Continues Sept. 21. Call 486-0125. SAC Event: Karaoke 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in Loftin. Call 486-0125. SAC Tourney: 8-ball pool 1 p.m.-4 p.m. in Loftin. Call 486-0125. SAC Meeting: Society of MexicanAmerican Engineers and Scientists 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. in Room 144 of Chance. Call 733-2767.
Sept. 11, 2009 •19
486-0864. SAC Transfer: Texas A&M San Antonio 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 486-0864.
Sept. 18 SAC Event: Andrew Gignac trumpet recital at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister. Call 486-0269.
Sept. 20 SAC Event: Hispanic Heritage opening ceremony from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 486-0125. SAC Transfer: St. Mary’s University 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Call 486-0864. SAC Meeting: Teaching Academy Program Peers 1 p.m.–2 p.m. in Room 128 of Gonzales. Call 785-6237.
Event: McNay new members open house 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. 6000 N. New Braunfels. Call 824-5368. Monday SAC Event: Diez y Seis art exhibit 8 For coverage in Calendar, call 486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.
SAC Event: KSYM 43rd aniversary bash 8 a.m.-3 p.m. in the mall. Call 486-1371. Lecture: “Sounds and Silence: On the Nature of Music” at 7:30 p.m. in Ruth Taylor Recital Hall at Trinity University. Call 999-8406. SAC Transfer: University of Phoenix 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on first floor of Chance. Call
Deadline: Win $5,000 toward college expenses by submittting video. Visit drivesmarterchallenge.org/contest. Fotoseptiembre: Ansen Seale’s “The Corn Crib” Site-Specific Photographic Installation 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at Land Heritage Institute. 413 Neal. Call 224-2518. Sept. 21
SAC Meeting: Psychology Club 2 p.m.– 3 p.m. in Room 606 of Moody. Call 486-1264.
SAC Event: Salsa lessons by Lee Rios of Semeneya Ballroom 11 a.m- 1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 486-0125.
SAC Meeting: Gay and Lesbian Association 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. in Room 612 of Moody. Call 486-0902.
SAC Transfer: Schreiner University 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Call 486-0864.
SAC Meeting: American Institute of Architecture Students 4 p.m.–5 p.m. in Room 251 of Chance. Call 486-1307.
SAC Transfer: Texas A&M San Antonio 8:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. in the transfer center. Call 486-0864.
Recital: Pianist Yeol-Eum Son, at 7:30 p.m. in Ruth Taylor Recital Hall at Trinity University. Call 999-8406.
SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake University 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Call 486-0864.
SAC Deadline: Student activity fee application deadline due in student life office by 5 p.m. Call 486-0125.
Sunday Tuesday
SAC Event: Azul Barrientos 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 486-0125.
Wednesday
Thursday Fotoseptiembre: Barbara Jackson “Luminarias Del Rio” at AnArte Gallery, 203 S. St. Mary’s. Continues through Sept. 30. Call 271-7603.
by Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union at 2 p.m. in Seguir Adelante. Call 4861590.
SAC Transfer: St. Mary’s University 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Call 486-0864. SAC Transfer: University of the Incarnate Word 9 a.m. -1 p.m. on the first floor of Chance. Call 486-0864. NVC Event: Thirsty Third Thursday at 11 a.m. in Lounge of Cypress. Call 486-4004. SAC Event: Financial literacy workshop
SAC Event: Tennis 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the tennis courts. Call 486-0125. Sept. 23 NVC Event: Popcorn Movie Day, “The Proposal” at 10 a.m, noon and 3 p.m. in Room 121 of Cypress. Call 486-4004.
Calendar Legend SAC: San Antonio College NVC: Northwest Vista College SPC: St. Philip’s College SWC: Southwest Campus PAC: Palo Alto College NLC: Northeast Lakeview College
The Ranger
20 • Sept. 11, 2009
Committee approves early retirement plan Destiny Mata
By Jason B. Hogan Linda Bowyer-Owens, associate vice chancellor of employee services, unveiled a new Phased Retirement Program as a new formula for retirement for employees of the Alamo Community College District during the Audit, Budget and Finance Committee meeting Tuesday. This was one of four committee meetings Tuesday. Committee recommendations will be made to the full board Tuesday. Bowyer-Owens said the program is set up to slowly reduce staff through attrition — full-time faculty, staff and administrators — instead of the traditional means of a cash bonus, which adds an additional cost to the bottom line. The district needs an attractive option for retirement, she said. Under this newly devised plan, employees after they retire are offered either one- or threeyear nonrenewable work assignments comparable to 49 percent of their final workload and base pay rate. Faculty receive three-year terms, and staff and administrators one-year terms. Employees must remain separate from the district for at least one year, Bowyer-Owens said. Terms of eligibility are dependent on two factors — employee reaches retirement age of 65 or meets the rule of 80. The rule of 80 applies to those who have attained a combination of age plus years of experience totaling 80 years. The plan affords employees the opportunity to file for retirement and begin to collect Teacher Retirement System or Optional Retirement Program funds, the two retirement programs for higher education employees. Bowyer-Owens said the program is intended to aid employees in transitioning into retirement. Once these employees enroll within the program and begin the retirement procedure, the district initializes cost-saving efforts because the district plans to eliminate their previously held positions, Bowyer-Owens said. Some of the outlining concepts of the program mirror the efforts of Dallas Community College District, which established its original model in 2002. A total of 355 employees from this district and the five colleges will qualify for the program
Building, Grounds and Site Selection Committee and Chancellor Bruce Leslie, second from right, discusss construction Sept. 8 and vote on recommendations for the board of trustees at Tuesday’s meeting. this year. Bowyer-Owens presented a graph to the committee that displayed the potential impact of cost savings over the first four years if 10 faculty and 10 non-faculty employees retired. After the first year, her department estimates a 50 percent salary cost reduction yielding a cumulative and total savings of $521,815. Those who are eligible for retirement and willing to participate in the coming year can declare their intention by Oct. 1 but no later than April 30 and are eligible to retire between Oct. 1 and Aug. 31. Faculty Senate Chair Jeff Hunt said at Tuesday’s meeting that an informal survey showed faculty saw the proposal as “laughable.” Diane Snyder, associate vice chancellor for finance and fiscal services, also outlined a new investment strategy with the assistance of district comptroller Pamela Ansboury and assistant treasurer Tracey Bedwell, which will focus more on operational funds and provide a more reasonable and steady rate of return. Snyder said the district is subject to the Public Funds Investment Act that stipulates an institution’s investment committee must generate a qualified list of investment brokers annually, which the investment officer is required to purchase or sell securities for the institution. The committee approved a recommendation to the board to adopt the brokers listed on First Southwest Asset Management’s approved
list, which will extend the district’s list of brokers to 32. An amendment for authorized signatures for the Alamo Colleges’ bank accounts and authorized representatives of TexPool, a local government investment pool, met the recommendation of the committee as well, where the TexPool list saw the addition of Bedwell and bank account authorizations include the chancellor, vice chancellor for finance and administration, associate vice chancellor for finance and fiscal affairs and the comptroller. In the Buildings, Grounds and Site Selection Committee meeting, trustees recommended the approval of Northeast Lakeview College’s roadway naming plan, which will emphasize a naming process that is consistent with the history of the area. Also, the Silverado Brothers Construction Co. Inc. met the approval of the committee for the construction of Parking Lot 6 on the NLC campus at the cost of $220,628, with a contingency of 15 percent. The relocation of modular buildings from Palo Alto and Northwest Vista colleges to San Antonio College was tabled for further debate at the regular board meeting Tuesday. Trustee Jim Rindfuss, District 9, said he could not understand the justification of spending an estimated $130,000 to relocate the moduCONTINUED ON PAGE 21
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 21
Students join Accreditation Committee By Regis L. Roberts Students have been added to the district’s Accreditation Committee, which is charged with studying the possibility of a single accreditation for the five district colleges. “The role they gave us is as important as the role of the people the chancellor picked,” Julianne Cantu, political science sophomore and president of this college’s Student Government Association, said Tuesday. “They’re not cutting us any slack.” Chancellor Bruce Leslie previously dismissed the idea of including students in the committee, which will report its findings to the Alamo Community College District board by Dec. 1. Cantu said she thinks the address she made during the citizens-to-be-heard portion of the Aug. 18 board meeting likely changed Leslie’s mind in allowing students to participate in the committee set up to weigh the pros and cons of making the colleges a single accredited institution. Leslie, however, told The Ranger Wednesday that the letter this college’s student government presented him, an editorial in the San Antonio Express-News and recommendations by committee members ultimately swayed him to allow the committee to decide on including student members.
He added that plans were under way to include students in the committee by the time Cantu addressed the board. He said he was still concerned about the idea, adding that the committee becoming too large worries him. Jeff Hunt, theater and speech communication chair and co-chair of the committee, said the committee voted unanimously to include students. Hunt said he initially wanted a student from this college and Palo Alto College because both schools have student governments, but committee members were insistent on having students from all five colleges. Leslie said he notified the colleges to choose student representatives, but only this college and St. Philip’s College have sent students. He said the other colleges are still welcome to send students to join the committee, but added that they have to react quickly because the students need to go through orientation. “There’s got to be a point of no return,” Leslie said. After an initial orientation, a briefing on the committee’s charge and general catch-up for the new student members, Cantu said they were thrown into action in their first meeting Sept. 4. Cantu and the student from St. Philip’s College were allowed to
Trustees: retirement plan Continued from Page 20 lar buildings from PAC and NVC to SAC when to construct a building costs $150,000. Dr. Robert Zeigler, SAC president, said the need for new modular buildings were based on enrollment projections. Enrollment is up 2,000 students this semester, and he anticipates
choose the subcommittee to participate in. Subcommittees included one on exploring what the accreditation process entails, one on the costs associated with pursuing a single accreditation and one, which Cantu chose, exploring how grants might possibly be affected. The five district colleges qualify for grants for various reasons, she said. For example, this college has received grants because it serves a large Hispanic student body, and St. Philip’s College receives grants as a historically black college. Cantu said the grant subcommittee has not determined what would happen to grants the individual colleges have received. Hunt said the U.S. Department of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools have given a strong impression that St. Philip’s College’s black student body would be diluted by the inclusion of the other colleges’ populations. He also said this college likely would not receive an individual grant as a Hispanicserving college if the five colleges became one college. Hunt said the committee has yet to get anything in writing confirming this. While the meetings are closed to the public and members are not allowed to divulge details of committee findings at this time, Cantu said all the questions her sub-
another 500- to 600-student climb in Flex 2. Zeigler said most of the growth originates with the Gateway program, and the campus is on the verge of outgrowing the rented Travis Elementary building. Rindfuss said that he couldn’t accept that there is not enough floor space to support an additional 2,000 students. But a bid for McAllister Fine Arts Center’s roof replacement was approved and assigned to Advantage USAA Inc., for $89,900. The Academic Accountability and Student Success Committee had one agenda item up
committee has explored so far are made difficult to answer because of complications communicating with the appropriate agencies. For example, Hunt said the Department of Education wants to know what the leadership would be of a single institution, something the committee cannot answer. “It’s still kind of vague,” Cantu said. As a student on the committee, she said there is a built-in bond and understanding with faculty committee members. “When faculty are upset about something, students are upset,” she said. She pointed to Hunt specifically as a strong advocate for students. Administration, she said, often has a hard time relating to on-theground issues that students and faculty see. And while she came into the single accreditation debate opposing such a plan, Cantu said she likes to think she can set aside any biases and instead look at the facts and make judgments based on what she and the other committee members find. Hunt made a similar point, saying, “It’s our job to be objective and come in with an open mind.” However, Cantu said she has not seen anything yet that has affected her opposition to single accreditation. Hunt said the next meeting of the full committee is set for Oct. 1.
for approval, the adoption of the American Graduation Initiative Resolution, endorsed by President Barack Obama. The Policy and Long-Range Planning Committee approved C.1.7 and D.2.4 for recommendation of board approval with the only alteration coming to Policy D.2.4. It stipulates no district employee, immediate family member or person living in the same household can own 10 percent or more of a business or $15,000 or more of fair market value of a business that serves as a vendor to the district.
The Ranger
22 • Sept. 11, 2009
Students foot bill for budget increase By Jason B. Hogan Students will bear the brunt of a $24 million increase in general operating budget revenues for fiscal year 2010 of the Alamo Community College District. The actual revenue for FY 2008-09 was $244.5 million; the requested FY 2009-10 revenues are $268.5 million. The operating budget will increase $18.9 million between approved fiscal year 2009 and requested fiscal year 2010: Students are responsible through tuition, pledged tuition and fees, for drumming up $11.7 million, or 61.7 percent, of that total. The colleges of the district rely on three principal revenue streams, tuition and fees, state appropriations and tax assessed on Bexar County property owners. State appropriations of $4.3 million and Bexar County property tax revenue of $5.2 million combined for $9.5 million of the increase, but that is barely 50.1 percent. The total of the three streams is affected by several additional revenue items, including tuition exemptions, endowment income and investment interest income, listed on the operating budgets as negative income. The disparity in growth between student tuition and fees versus state funding and property taxes, nationally, has increased considerably since 1980 in community college service areas. Increases in student tuition and fees are reflective of growing enrollment and tuition rate increases. From fall 2006 to fall 2008, enrollment in the district’s colleges has increased by 5.69 percent — 49,488 to 52,306 — and
this semester enrollment was expected to surpass 55,000 students, district officials reported to the board of trustees in a regular meeting Aug. 18, the week before classes started for the fall semester. In comparison, a study produced by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board showed other Texas community colleges grew 3.5 percent in the Houston Community College System, and range upward to 17.9 percent in Tarrant County. According to an annual financial report for fiscal year 2008, the district ranks the highest in the state for percent of revenue from tuition, 35.67 percent, versus other community college districts in the state and receives 27.58 percent of revenue from state appropriations. Taxes account for 32.23 percent with 4.52 percent attributed to other. Only 10 percent of total revenue was spent on student services in this district, but 47 percent was used for instruction. An additional 9 percent was for academic services. The balance went to institution support, operation and maintenance, and other. Meanwhile, increases as a percent of tuition have been relatively low compared to four-year universities. Trustees increased tuition and fees by 4.83 percent for a standard 12-credit hour, fulltime student this semester, bringing the total to $781 for tuition, pledged tuition and student activity fee. The University of Texas at San Antonio increased 5.98 percent to $3,209; Texas State University-San Marcos increased 6.79 percent to CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 23 Destiny Mata
Budget: Students pay up Continued from Page 22 $3,084. Area private universities planned smaller increases but netted tuition in the $10,000 zone. Texas A&M University-San Antonio, now on its own campus, experienced the highest increase at 16.93 percent for full-time tuition of $2,658. A study, completed by the Graduate School of Education & Information Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles and published in December 2003, produced results from national case studies of tuition increases and access to higher education. Researchers stated that students —primarily students with very little income— were less likely to attend college because of tuition increases. One researcher studied the relationship between tuition increases and enrollment rates. The analysis showed that every $100 increase in tuition results in a 0.5 percent to 1 percent decrease in enrollment. The study predicted the national decrease in state funding would be likely to cause a tuition increase of 11.5 percent by the 2003-04 academic year. For 2003-04, the fall tuition here was $505; it rose to $529 in spring 2004. By spring 2005, tuition had risen to $585. Many students around campus were livid about tuition and fees increases, but one student, education freshman Chelsea Woodcock, said it still remains affordable. “In a way, it’s not cheap, but it’s better than where my friends go to school,” she said. “I didn’t want to go here, but when I got my bill, I freaked out because my friends spent thousands of dollars just to
Students wait in line Aug. 25 outside the financial aid office located on the first floor of Fletcher. go to UTSA. “It’s not just tuition; it’s the parking passes, as well. It costs $80 for UTSA and I paid $21 here at SAC.” But education freshman Anthony Kittchner said soon the district will be known as the Alamo “Taco Bell” Colleges, funded by Pizza Hut. “They are going to be whoring us out to businesses just to keep the costs away from four-year universities,” he said. “How long until it costs to go here just as much as it costs to go to A&M?” Kittchner was awarded $1,300 of financial aid for the fall and spring semesters. He could only afford to take three classes this semester because they amounted to $560 not including books. He had to purchase the fourth edition of his college algebra book for $170 because the instructor told him the third edition was obsolete. In addition, the fourth edition will be outdated by this coming spring, so Kittchner and others may not be able to sell their books back once the semester ends or they may get a much smaller offer. Trustee Charles Conner, District 7, said he understands the pain of students who find themselves in
financial constraints, but unfortunately, the district receives its revenue from only three sources; state funding, tuition and Bexar County taxes. “We’ll never catch up,” Conner said. “The gap widens every day. They’ve (four-year institutions) gone up so much the last several years, the state has stepped in on them. “When you think about it, we cover the same course load for 20 to 25 percent less than they do.” Some students said they understand that district colleges are funded in large part by state appropriations, but they thought the district and board of trustees would be more empathetic, especially with the recession still at hand. Biology freshman Caroline Williams said she feels for people who lose employment in today’s economy. It sets them in a state of poverty, forever, she said, because they cannot continue to pay for school. It especially hurts single parents, she said, who can barely afford to pay for school, and yet students have to pay high rates for child care which only makes them struggle more. Education freshman Robert “Biscuit” Hall said tuition costs
were raised but the admission numbers decreased. As the board of trustees continue to increase space at all the district colleges, Hall said he wonders how that applies to most of the students who attend any of the colleges. Raising new buildings on campus like the nursing and allied health complex accommodate only those students they were meant for, Hall said. To others, they are hindrances that create parking issues. “If you’re charging so much that student numbers go down, why increase capacity?” he asked. Conner attributed the need for more space to increased enrollment over the last 20 years. He said the board’s objective is to keep class sizes smaller than 25 students. Enrollment has almost doubled over those 20 years, so expansion is a necessity. He said students have a misconception that their tuition and fees go toward construction projects, but all the revenue for the capital improvement projects was collected from taxpayers. “Students don’t pay any of that, unless they own property,” Conner said. “All the buildings were built by bonds based on revenue from taxes of real estate property.”
The Ranger
Editorial
Sept. 11, 2009 • 24
Melissa Ann Rodriquez
The Ranger
Editor Jason B. Hogan Managing Editor Vanessa M. Sanchez Calendar Editor Henry A. Chavarria Photo Editor Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle Photographers Leda Garcia Destiny Mata Production Manager Laura Garcia Newsroom Assistant Zahra Farah Illustrators Juan Carlos Campos Melissa Ann Rodriquez Staff Writers Mario Anguiano, Catherine L. Boully, Tyler L. Cleveland, Emilio Davila, Sharon Hensley, Steven L. Moya, Trey Randolph, Christina Rangel, Erika Torres Web Administrator/Circulation Regis L. Roberts ©2009 by The Ranger staff, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212-4299. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.
The Ranger, the student newspaper at San Antonio College, is a laboratory project of the journalism classes in the Department of Media Communications, published Fridays except during summer, holidays and examinations. News contributions accepted by telephone (486-1773), by fax (486-1789), by e-mail (sac-ranger@alamo.edu) or at the editorial office (Room 212 Loftin Student Center). Advertising rates available upon request (486-1765). The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press, the Texas Community College Journalism Association and the Associated Press. Guest Viewpoints: Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to contribute guest viewpoints of up to 450 words. Writers should focus on campus or current events in a critical, persuasive or interpretative style. All viewpoints must be published with a photo portrait of the writer. Letters Policy: The Ranger invites readers to share views by writing letters
to the editor. Space limitations force the paper to limit letters to two doublespaced, typewritten pages. Letters will be edited for spelling, style, grammar, libel and length. Editors reserve the right to deny publication of any letter. Letters should be mailed to The Ranger, Department of Media Communications, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299. Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, e-mailed to sac-ranger@alamo.edu or faxed to 486-1789. Letters must be signed and must include the writer’s printed name, classification, major, Social Security number and telephone number. For more information, call 486-1773. Single Copy Policy: Because of high production costs, members of the Alamo Community College District community are permitted one free copy per issue. Where available, additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting The Ranger business office. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and subject to college discipline.
The Ranger
Opinion
District will get what it pays for In the midst of budget cuts in every department and the rise of tuition for students, the district is imploring colleges to achieve a 50-50 ratio of fulltime to part-time teachers. The ratio of full-time to part-time faculty has dropped from 70-30 percent to a 60-40 percent ratio at this college, but even that’s not acceptable to district administrators. As seen in the foreign language department at this college, it is difficult to find qualified adjunct faculty to teach various languages at the times the courses need to be offered to fit in students’ schedules. The reduction in full-time temporary faculty also has affected this department and others on campus. This rush to lower the number of full-time faculty is nothing but the district’s launch pad for a spaceship leading nowhere. The district is proposing an early
Parking shows lack of initiative
retirement package, which the board Structure is a term tossed about will consider Tuesday, to encourage randomly from the hilltops high full-time employees to retire. above the Alamo Community The real cost-savings for the district College District headquarters at the will be in the clearly stated intention Killen Center and down to to not replace them. Instead, the valleys and crevasses adjunct faculty will assume of our esteemed college those teaching responsibilities administrators across the or classes will be canceled. five district colleges, and How much are we really yet, no one is willing to paying to add more partaccept blame for pure time faculty, and how much lack of organization when are we losing when we put it comes to the headache an instructor in front of stuEditorial: Auxiliary funds that is parking. dents who isn’t required to should stay on campus The word “structure” in put in the time as full-time the district operating system does faculty to be available for students not have the same defensible meanoutside of class? ing that common folk have become Additionally, adjuncts don’t have accustomed to; it should be taboo. time to sponsor student groups or Promises were made by college serve on committees that contribute administration that handicap parkto the college experience for all of us. ing spots would not be tampered The district may save, but in the with in the midst of construction. long run, the students will pay. But just last week, Lot 21 lost three handicap spots out of 16. For all the planning, time and money invested, a better answer than “everyone needs to be patient” future of their education. The presiprobably would fit the situation to a dent, Julianne Cantu, made an impasmore suitable degree. sioned plea for student representaAnd then, David Mrizek, vice tion at the Aug. 18 board meeting. president of college services, said Faculty members also embraced his office never notified the college the idea of students on the commitcommunity, which includes faculty, tee, primarily because students have staff and the student body, since Lot the freedom to express their views 21 is a communal lot. without fear of reprisal. One of the bigger slaps in the face, Cantu quoted the chancellor’s besides the removal of the handiexplanation of why students didn’t cap spots, was the surrendering of belong on the committee: they were facilities scheduling assistant Tara “incapable of thoughtful and deliberDaugherty’s parking spot she won ate analysis.” as District Employee of the Month. He may as well have called stuHer spot was fenced in along with 36 dents a bunch of brainless monkeys other spaces. who could not define the color yellow Mrizek said it was the responor differentiate between the shape of sibility of Staff Council to assign a banana and an apple. Daugherty another permanent That line of thinking is misguided space, but that’s just passing the and degrading to the district’s more buck. than 52,000 students. The district implores its members We’re pleased he changed his mind to take some initiative, but maybe and added students to this important it’s just lost its meaning — another discussion. word neutered by bureaucrats. Let’s hope he keeps listening.
Students on committees is wise move Accreditation is starting to sound like a dirty word to some, redundant to others and just a frivolous discussion topic for the rest. Regardless, the matter of single versus multiaccreditation will not be decided any time soon — maybe not even in your lifetime. But, it is that elephant in the room that you just can’t ignore because of its sheer mammoth size and girth. The board of trustees and district officials have been flirting with the idea of single accreditation since last year, but it is meeting adversity headon from faculty and staff. Students have gained a foothold in the discussion with the assignment of a student from each of the five district colleges to the Accreditation Committee. This college’s Student Government Association endorsed its own resolution to Chancellor Bruce Leslie stating that he must realize the necessity of a student representative on a committee that would define the
Sept. 11, 2009 • 25
The Ranger
26 • Sept. 11, 2009
Town hall renews nuclear questions Concerns center on water usage, cost and spent fuel disposal. By Trey Randolph The future of San Antonio’s ever-growing power needs was addressed Aug. 26 in McAllister Fine Arts Center during KSTX’s Town Hall forum on energy. While the topic of the forum was all things energy, most of the evening’s questions centered on CPS’ proposed $10 billion-$13 billion expansion of the South Texas Project nuclear power plant in Bay City, which intends to add two additional nuclear reactors, as well as conversation on use of alternative and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. Construction for the new reactors, dubbed STP 3 & 4, is slated to begin in 2012. CPS’ use of renewable resources, including solar, wind and natural gas, equals over 11 percent of the city’s peak energy demand, according to the company’s Web site. The Web site also lists a goal to increase that percentage to 20 percent by 2020. The company ranks first in wind power usage among community-owned utility companies in the U.S. When the forum began at 7 p.m. about 100 citizens were in attendance, and many quickly lined up to address questions to the panel. Partially due to the late start and extensive answers by panel members, only six questions were heard from audience members, as well as one question submitted via e-mail. Panel members for the forum were Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio; Lanny Sinkin, executive director for Solar San Antonio; Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of Public Citizen’s Texas office; and Michael Kotara, executive vice president for energy development for CPS Energy. Castro was the least vocal of the panel members, only addressing a few questions and leaving his answers purposefully open-ended because the City Council has not yet decided whether to fund the project or look at other energy options. “As far as I see the conversation,” Castro said, “it’s a conversation not about whether we need to invest, but when we need to invest and what the smartest investment is that we can make.” “We have a growing community here in San Antonio with growing energy needs,” Castro continued, “so we need to make an investment
– that investment has to be the smartest one possible.” Kotara often referred to CPS’ 50-year plan, which is focused on providing long-term energy security that is reliable and affordable. He said CPS’ plan of reducing dependence on fossil fuel resources and the resulting air emissions, continuing to grow sustainable energy resources and promoting energy efficiency and conservation is best met through a combination of power sources, including nuclear. “Our position is that there is no silver bullet,” Kotara said of a solution to the city’s energy needs. “It’s not a matter of either or, one or
“If you look at the real potential of solar, we have a real opportunity to meet our energy needs without large central generators.” Lanny Sinkin executive director Solar San Antonio
the other, our plan includes all of those. It’s a matter of ‘what balance should we have going forward?’” Smith and Sinkin agreed CPS has done positive things for renewable energy in the past and should focus on continuing to increase the percentage of renewable energy instead of relying more on centralized nuclear power. “We view the situation facing the city of San Antonio as a huge opportunity where the people of San Antonio should have all of the information about all of the options,” Sinkin said. “If you look at the real potential of solar, we have a real opportunity to meet our energy needs without large central generators. That potential is where we should focus our attention.” According to CPS, average annual household energy use is 14,000 kWh. Smith suggested CPS research costs to expand renewable resources to the point of generating the power they would obtain from the proposed nuclear expansion. One additional nuclear facility, according to CPS’ Generation Technology Comparison, has a typical project size of 2,700 MW, while wind is 50-150 MW and solar 25-100 MW.
The CPS Web site lists the nuclear expansion capable of generating 1,350 MW each, or 2,700 total. “Why aren’t we going out and asking ‘how much would 1,000 megawatts of solar with thermal backup and natural gas hybrid systems cost?’” Smith said. “Those are where the numbers are, where this stuff is cheap, not in little tiny increments like CPS is buying.” The increased use of nuclear will not diminish CPS’ “firm commitment” to using more renewable resources in the future, Kotara said. He added solar and wind technologies are still improving and evolving, and thus don’t have the proven longevity of nuclear. Kotara said transmission of wind energy is not adequate due to a lack of enough transmission lines from the Desert Sky wind farm in Iraan. He added the state will invest $5 billion in a transmission system to “make it more robust” and eliminate bottlenecks to receiving wind power. Smith brought up a concern that additional nuclear reactors would cram transmission lines from the coast, creating more bottlenecks to delivering power. Castro said the city council is “mindful of achieving the right balance and being able to invest as opportunity arises in these renewable technologies,” but thinks that sole investment in solar may not be a viable option compared to efficient use of alternatives. “Right now it is not as affordable as these other options. Affordability is an important factor because we live in a community of relatively modest means still,” Castro said. “This is not the Bay Area of California, or even Austin. If it were up to me we would invest, if we could, solely in solar energy or one of these renewables. Right now, I don’t think that is realistic.” Costs and potential delays are another cause of concern in nuclear, Smith said. The energy source was once touted as too cheap to meter. CPS estimates the expansion cost at $10 billion, or $13 billion including financing, a cost that Public Texas believes is vastly underestimated and is more likely to reach $22 billion. CPS owns 40 percent of STP 1 & 2, partner NRG Energy of New Jersey owns 44 percent, and Austin Energy owns 16 percent. CPS and NRG are currently looking for a third partner to own 20 percent of STP 3 & 4. CONTINUED ON PAGE 27
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 27
Obama Continued from Page 7
Service awards Sept. 17
“I don’t think it was for college kids; it made me feel like he was trying to do the job,” said Maurice Savage, kinesiology freshmen. When Obama brought up his difficulties and how he understood what it was like to not always do well in school, students interviewed said they could connect with him. Nursing freshman Bernice Diaz said, “When he was talking about his life, I felt like if he could make it, I could make it.” Joy Curtis, business management freshman, said the speech hit home because it was broadcast from her hometown in Virginia. “The speech hit me emotionally since it was my hometown, and my daughter is starting high school this fall.” Obama spoke at her daughter’s rival school, but the message to make schools better showed Curtis that he cared. “Who else can say
By Regis L. Roberts
how important education is than our president.” When Curtis was young, she was expected only to finish high school, but now she feels the expectations have grown higher, she said. “Let’s step it up and get our bachelor’s or even master’s; step it up and make something of yourself,” she said. What mattered to her was not being judged by your failures, but rather by your accomplishments, something she wants to teach her daughter. Jackie Foster, criminal justice freshman, said she appreciated the part of the speech in which Obama said that although he failed at times, there was always a way to get out. “Whether he was speaking to high school students or not, everyone needs to know to keep on pushing for what they want,” Foster said.
A summer push for volunteerism combined with a president popular among young people is making this year’s President’s Volunteer Service Award a big deal. Audrey Grams, service learning coordinator, said many students want their award — a program started by President George W. Bush to recognize volunteerism in students — signed by President Barack Obama. The awards will be presented at 2 p.m. Sept. 17 in Room 120 of the visual arts center. This is the first year Obama will give the awards, and Grams said students who could have received their awards in April wanted to wait to receive their
award with Obama’s signature. Obama changed the time of year when awards would be issued to coincide with the Sept. 11, 2001, anniversary, which Obama has designated a national day of service, but Grams said she did not want the ceremony, which will feature state Rep. Mike Villarreal, to become lost among other commemorations of Sept. 11. The push for increased volunteerism on Sept. 11 would culminate a national push this summer by Obama and his wife, Michelle. The Web site www.service. gov provides information on volunteering in remembrance of Sept. 11. Service Learning has a Facebook page at http://www. facebook.com/sacservice.
Nuclear: CPS explains expansion Continued from Page 26 Smith estimates $40 - $68 a month additional cost per residential customer if CPS and NRG can find a suitable investor, according to their $13 billion estimate. Smith says his organization’s $22 billion estimate could put the additional cost as high as $68-$101 per month per household. While Kotara estimated the time to build at 48 months, Smith said the national average last time “we went on a plant building spree” was about 100 months. The Generation Technology Comparison chart provided by CPS, dated Aug. 13 lists the length of nuclear construction as nine years. Smith pointed to over a dozen independent studies suggesting the cost will be from 1.5 to 2.1 times higher than projected, and also pointed out that construction of the original project, STP 1 & 2, ran eight years late and six times over budget. Kotara said CPS stands by their cost and time estimates because the company contracted to build the new reactors, Toshiba, has experience building these types of facilities on time and on budget, will leave many costs fixed and will be working from plant designs already approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
CPS’ Web site also states that customers’ bills were already expected to rise in the coming years, and the cost for nuclear expansion is the best long-term solution. Samuel Taylor, a spokesman at CPS, said via e-mail, “even without the addition or expansion of a power plant, CPS Energy will need a 3 percent increase in customer bills in 2010, and an additional bill increase will be needed in the next several years. “The bill increases will be necessary to pay for upgrades for facilities to strengthen system reliability, environmental controls and smart meters, among other projects,” Taylor continued. “If City Council approves the nuclear expansion, the average residential monthly bill is expected to increase by 4.8 percent or 47 cents per monthly bill in 2010.” A bill impact chart provided by CPS shows a 3.1 percent increase on the average residential monthly bill without nuclear expansion, and 4.8 percent with expansion, a difference of roughly 47 cents, but shows better costs in the long term with nuclear use. The chart estimates an increase in that difference until 2016, with the monthly difference
for that year being $6.54. The chart shows the difference shrinking from there and skips to 2025, when the difference is almost $11 less with nuclear. Smith also pointed to potential downfalls, such as the lack of adequate nuclear waste disposal, safety risks (meltdown could cause 18,000 early deaths), fluctuating uranium-cost increases and NRG’s past money problems including a poor credit rating and almost filing bankruptcy. “The risk will be borne by the citizens of San Antonio, who are the captive rate-payers,” Smith added. The forum was moderated by KSTX reporter Terry Gildea, and was streamed live on the Texas Public Radio Web site. The KSTX Town Hall is a series of forums designed to engage the community on a wide range of issues impacting San Antonio, according to the KSTX Web site. The inaugural Town Hall meeting addressed air quality on June 25 at the Buena Vista Theater on the UTSA Downtown Campus. The next KSTX Town Hall will address transportation, with date and panel members to be announced.
28 • Sept. 11, 2009
The Ranger
‘Unwelcome’ center Enrollment growth leads to long lines at new facility Consolidation of services ties up center first week of classes.
financial aid issue the first week of classes. McCathron said the business office should Radiography technology freshman Oscar have a window dedicated to transactions other Holguin said he waited in line for one hour to than tuition payments. By Sharon Hensley register through the system, then decided to “I am realistic,” she said. “I know it will take leave in the first week of school. time.” St. Philip’s College has grown about 5 percent After leaving the center on Sept. 4, Holguin “It’s a new building, and they have some with 10,710 students enrolled this semester. said the wait time was not kinks to work out,” The new Welcome Center, which opened in as long. McCathron said. “Primarily those long late July, is one of three new buildings on the A radiography techMatari Jones-Gunter, lines were because of campus. nology freshman who did director of community financial aid. Keep in The Center for Health Professions and the not want to be identified and public relations, said, mind a large percentage Center for Learning Resources are connected said the longest wait times “Primarily those long of our students are on to the Welcome Center to form a multipurpose in the first two weeks of lines were because of academic complex. school were probably for financial aid.” financial aid.” The $49 million buildings were funded as financial aid. “Keep in mind a large Matari Jones-Gunter part of a $450 million bond package voters “You can’t just go to percentage of our studirector of community approved in November 2005. financial aid,” he said. dents are on financial and public relations, St. Philip’s The center houses student services such as The student said the aid,” she said. counseling and financial aid. These services center should have an Jones said more stuwere located in different departments prior to area where forms could be picked up without dents are using financial aid because of the the center’s opening. registering for services. economy, and about 30 percent are selected to As of Monday, 9,800 students had registered “I needed a Stafford Loan application,” he go through the verification process, which can for services in the new center using the Who’s said. “I waited two hours for that thing.” contribute to long wait times at the start of a Next paging system. The student said he semester. When students enter cannot apply for the loan the center, they must online and will have to get “The way they have it check in at the front desk back in line to turn in the set up is not efficient. by entering their Social paperwork. It takes too long to get Security number and getIn early August, Dr. nothing done.” ting a pager. Burton Crow, dean of The students are enrollment management, Admissions Elizabeth McCathron business administration sophomore paged when it is their turn invited officers and mem486-2830 and Phi Theta Kappa member to be processed based on bers of the St. Philip’s individual needs. chapter of Phi Theta Records and Registration Processing in the first Kappa Honor Society to 486-2700 two weeks of classes has often involved being try out the new system and discuss their obserMonday-Thursday 8 a.m.-7 p.m. placed in line for the appropriate service. vations with the administration. Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Some students have complained about waitElizabeth McCathron, business administraing in one line to check in and then having to tion sophomore and Phi Theta Kappa member, Business Office wait in another line for services at the center. said, “We voiced our opinions and concerns.” 486-2200 Nursing freshman Elizabeth Cedillo said, “I McCathron said the administrators present, Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-7 p.m. thought that was pretty dumb.” including Crow, explained the reasoning behind Cedillo said she came to the center to reg- the new system and vowed to do what they Student Financial Services ister for classes before the first week of school. could to make the process easy for students. 486-2600 She said she waited in line about 30 minutes McCathron said she experienced long wait Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. to check in, and then it was about 15 minutes times at the center in the first two weeks of Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. before she was able to use a computer. school. Cedillo said she experienced a much longer “The way they have it set up is not efficient,” wait time when she returned to the center for a she said. “It takes too long to get nothing done.”
For more information at St. Philip’s College
The Ranger
Pulse
Sept. 11, 2009 • 29
Health center provides free, low-cost services Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
By Tyler L. Cleveland The college health center offers remedies for ailing students’ headaches, tiring illnesses and nasty falls, among other problems, as at least one student learned firsthand recently. Basic first-aid and emergency care, nonprescription medications for headaches and minor ailments, cholesterol and blood pressure monitoring, health counseling, and relaxation rooms where students can rest for up to one hour are among the free services available. The student health center is in Room 119 of Chance Academic Center. A physician-referral system also is available, giving students the advantage of choosing a physician in Bexar County for a minimum price according to their level of income. Enrolled students are automatically eligible for 24/7 injury insurance up to $25,000. Sickness insurance with identical injury coverage for students can be purchased for $142 per semester and an additional $253 per semester for a dependent, according to the Academic HealthPlans Web site, www.ahpcare.com/alamo. For elementary education sophomore Thomas Padgett, injury insurance and care provided by the center came unexpectedly. While rushing to get to class Aug. 27, Padgett jumped over the rock embankment near the smokers’ area on West Dewey and Belknap places and tripped on the landing, fracturing facial bones and his left collarbone. A gash on his left eye needed five stitches, he said. After being taken to the center by another student, Padgett requested the center call EMS, which can sometimes refuse service if injuries aren’t severe enough, said Paula Daggett, college health center coordinator. Padgett returned to the center that afternoon to fill out paperwork for his student insurance to cover the charges for his EMS bill. “I owe my deepest gratitude to the ladies at the (center),” he said in an
Sociology Professor Sophia Ortiz takes an ibuprofen from LVN Josie Noriega Sept. 9 at the health center in Chance. The health center hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m Saturday. e-mail. “They were sympathetic and hospitable the whole time.” “The health center doesn’t have to be called first,” said Daggett, adding students should trust their instincts during an emergency situation, “but if it can, it can more often than not save an EMS bill.” The center is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information and health-related resource links, visit the center’s Web site at http://www.alamo.edu/sac/health.
Peer Educators offer advice, a friendly hearing By Mario Anguiano Wondering if you may have herpes? Thinking a cold brew before class isn’t a good idea after all? Is your significant other abusive? Students seeking guidance may visit Room 120 of Chance Academic Center. There, they can find at least one other student who personally has experienced addictions, relationship abuse or depression. These are Peer Educators — students helping students. Visitors can vent all they want, and the unlicensed but trained counselors will be there with open ears and plenty of advice. Students have the comfort of knowing the room is private and audio-recording free. Anything and everything a troubled student says is heard only by the counselor and care is taken to make visitors comfortable by finding
a same-sex Peer Educator if they want one. If a female student shows up wanting to talk about her fear of breast cancer, for example, a male Peer Educator present will find a female counselor as a substitute. “I remember one time last year, a group of girls came in,” said Peer Educator Elijah Breault. “They asked if I could leave for just a second.” “Whatever is said stays in the room,” Breault said. All Peer Educators have been instructed on how to speak to students, and some have even lived the life of an addict. “My addiction has taken me to the scum of the earth,“ said counseling major and Peer Educator Yolanda King. She has been with the program since spring 2008 and has spoken with and given advice to other students now struggling with various addictions.
King admits that although the Peer Educators’ main focus surrounds HIV/AIDS awareness, they also have received training for advising on domestic violence, depression/ anxiety and overall health issues for students. Belinda Garcia says that once a student receives help, they must change their lifestyle completely, and that nothing will be given to them; they must work for change. Garcia, a new hire to the Peer Educator program, insists there is no problem too big to talk about. “I’m excited about it,“ Garcia said. “I reach out to people who just need someone to talk to.” King, who is on her way to becoming a licensed chemical dependency counselor, said she has a totally different life now compared to her former period of alcohol addiction because she made the decision to help herself. “I have to continue to change,” she said.
The Ranger
30 • Sept. 11, 2009 Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
Construction fences close some handicap parking CIP work blocks Employee of the Month designated parking spot. By Vanessa M. Sanchez
Psychology freshman Axel Cox, blind since age 3, listens to Dr. Joe Sullivan’s psychology lecture Sept. 4 in Moody while mathematics sophomore Matt Schurmann takes notes for Cox.
DSS aims for goal of 100 note-takers By Tyler L. Cleveland
from classroom instruction. “I have a lot of respect for who Every semester, disabled student comes in through DSS and takes the services assistant Delia A. De Luna has time to learn and go to school,” said a goal of hiring 100 note-takers, a goal mathematics sophomore and thirdshe and the disability support services semester note-taker Matt Schurmann. has never reached. “It is only fair that these students are “If I had 100, I’d be the happi- going to get the same opportunity that est person in the world,” she said, everyone else has.” asserting that with Schurmann is more than 100 taking notes for “It’s amazing what students in need psychology freshthese students can of assistance, man Axel Cox, a do. All they need is a there are twice blind student who little assistance.” as many or more benefits from the classes which DSS notes translated Delia A. DeLuna struggles to fill, into Braille. “I disabled student services particularly durthink I could do assistant ing evening hours it,” Cox said about from 7 p.m.-10 taking his own p.m. Most subject areas are in need of notes, “but I think a lot of myself.” note-takers. “It’s amazing what these students Students can work up to 19 hours can do,” De Luna said. “All they need a week for an hourly rate of $7.25. is a little assistance.” Volunteers may apply the work to comTo apply, log onto http://accdpeomunity service or service learning hours. plelink.accd.edu, fill out an applicaApplicants should be enrolled in tion, search job openings and select the same course as the assisted stu- “note-taker.” For more information, dent or knowledgeable of course con- call De Luna at 486-0022 or visit distent, have a dependable work ethic, ability support services in Room 124 and write legible and concise notes of Chance Academic Center.
Three handicap parking spaces in Lot 21 have been fenced off despite a statement Sept. 4 by David Mrizek, vice president for college services, that during construction no handicap spaces would be inaccessible. One, however, has already been moved. Lot 21 had 16 handicap spaces before an area on the north side of the lot was blocked to allow access for construction crews. Thirty-seven spaces in the lot, located at the corner of West Park Avenue and Maverick Street east of the tennis courts, have been fenced. The area is acting as a staging site for the renovation of the chemistry and geology building, which is expected to be complete by next summer. The lot is open to students, faculty and staff. When questioned about fencing handicap parking spaces this morning, Mrizek said, “That is incorrect.” He said no handicap spaces had been fenced off. When informed that handicap spots were inaccessible because of a construction fence, he said officials did not plan well enough. However, he said moving those handicap spaces earlier in the week would have meant fewer regular spaces were available. One regular parking space has been designated as handicap, but no other spaces will change, Mrizek said. Mrizek was present “a couple of weeks ago” when contractors and college represenatitves agreed on the number of parking spaces needed for the staging site. He said about 36 spaces were enclosed between the fencing. “We’re doing the best we can, and everyone needs to be patient,” he said. After working at this college for 39 years, Mrizek said parking is always a problem everywhere especially during the first week when campus lots are filled with enrolled students coming to class, those trying to register, those trying to pay and many more waiting to speak with counselors and financial aid. “Things will settle and get better,” he said. He said his office did not notify the college community of the loss of spaces. Lot 21 was also the parking home for facilities scheduling assistant Tara Daugherty, Employee of the Month for August for the entire district, but she was unavailable for comment. Her space now rests behind a chainlink fence. Mrizek said he thought the designated parking space for Employee of the Month had been relocated, but it had not by Sept. 5. Maria Gomez, disabilities support services chair, did not return calls for comment.
The Ranger
Sept. 11, 2009 • 31 Leda Garcia
Dance sophomore Pamela Herrera, president of the Catholic Student Association, reads the Bible Sept. 4 to students during Mass at the Catholic Student Center. The center closed in June but continues having Mass and Meal every Friday and rosary on Wednesdays.
Catholic center continues with light schedule Food pantry opens Tuesday and Wednesday.
Priscilla Reyna-Ovalle
By Erika Torres Although the Catholic Student Center has been closed since early June, the Phi Theta Kappa Food Pantry housed there remains open two days a week, and limited religious services resumed Sept. 4. After the Catholic Student Center closed its doors for the summer, Joseph Liedecke, who had been the center’s director for seven years, moved to UTSA’s main campus on Loop 1604 to become the campus minister. Liedecke said the director’s position at this college is open and will be filled. The program coordinator of the digital design program, Richard Arredondo, said Liedecke is working to keep the center open at this college. “Hopefully, it will get back on track,” Arredondo said. ”It has been a very lively organization.” Liedecke, while continuing to work at UTSA, will open the center at this college from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday. The Catholic Student Center is at 312 W. Courtland Place. “I wanted to offer (students) some kind of service,” Liedecke said. “Fridays are my day off at UTSA.” Liedecke also said he is trying to get
Susan Spencer, coordinator of the food pantry, distributes a bag of food to social work freshman Maria D. Hernandez Wednesday. The pantry is in the Catholic Student Center. For more information, call 486-0431. more students to attend Friday Mass and Meal. The first Mass and Meal was held at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 4. The program is to continue weekly. “I am going to take charge to open for Wednesday rosaries (also),” Arredondo said. This decision was made after he received protests from mothers of students wanting to
keep the center open, Arredondo said. Some said they would come to the rosaries, which will be said weekly at 12:15 p.m. Wednesdays. Arredondo said the San Antonio Archdiocese is looking for someone to be a youth leader at the center and at other campuses. “Aside from the archdiocese owning the property, it maintains an official education office with a director who oversees the Catholic campus ministries at the colleges and universities,” Arredondo said. Although the Catholic Student Center had been inactive until last week, the Phi Theta Kappa Food Pantry, which is housed there, has remained open. “I believe that beautiful building will come alive again,” said economics Professor Susan Spencer, who runs the food pantry. The food pantry on the south side of the center is designed to help college students by providing free, healthful food. Spencer said she uses the concept “feed a body, feed a mind,” hoping that the food pantry’s efforts will help students stay in college and finish their academic careers here. The food pantry is open from noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Food may be dropped off with Edie Huff at the reception desk in the lobby of Fletcher Administration Center any time, at 317C in Chance Academic Center or at L&M Bookstore, 1716 N. Main Ave.
32 • Sept. 11, 2009
The Ranger