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Safety first at college’s firing range
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Volume 89 Issue 11 • Feb. 23, 2015
210-486-1773 • Single copies free
Cadets practice shooting positions and techniques. Page 3
Trick team a slam dunk Page 5
Enactus Club creates aquaponics production system Group will compete in St. Louis in April. By Travis Doyle
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The campus chapter of Enactus is partnering with the company Unilever to create an aquaponics production system in the greenhouse west of Koehler Cultural Center. Members also will make a garden to the north of the aquaponics system, so they can use the two in conjunction as a small working system. An aquaponics production
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system combines conventional aquaculture with hydroponics or cultivating plants in water to recreate a symbiotic environment using fish and plants to recycle the water and create energy. The Enactus chapter plans to establish a farmer’s market on campus by the garden to sell the extra fruits and vegetables grown out of the aquaponics system. Enactus — for entreprenuerial, act, us — is part of a business management course, BMGT 2309, Leadership. The
club meets during the class period, but membership is not limited to those enrolled. The group meets 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m. Monday and Wednesday in Room 318 of Oppenheimer Learning Center. Business management Professor Charles Hunt is the instructor and adviser to Enactus along with business management Instructor Mahmud Yusuf. “I believe students gain the opportunity to network with classmates and to look at pre-
vious colleges for inspiration,” Hunt said. “The aquaponics system is based off of one that was created at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla.” Each semester new students enroll in the class and take on projects from the last semester or start new ones to be entered into a competition. Members from the previous semester work with the current class on projects. The 22 students who make up Enactus this semester are divided among three projects.
See AQUAPONICS, Page 3
Bradlee LaBrutta, business management sophomore and president of Enactus, poses with grow beds in a hydroponic garden in the greenhouse Thursday at Koehler. Filtered water flows from fish tanks into plant beds, then to bio-filters, a subtank, then back again. E. David Guel
‘You’re failing us.’ Allied health students pilot iPad Air tryout By Edith Moctezuma sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The allied health department will receive 40 iPad Airs this week as part of a pilot program to determine whether students perform better using the tablets. The district provided a grant to study the interaction between iPad usage and students. The amount of the grant was unavailable. The district chose this department because it is small, skill-focused, has good ideas on how to incorporate the iPads in their classes and because the department has
Debra Garner, Palo Alto psychology sophomore, passes her student loan and financial aid statement to District 1 trustee Joe Alderete Tuesday during the citizens-to-be-heard session of the board meeting in Killen. Garner is showing the trustees proof she had trouble signing up for classes three years ago because the financial aid was not disbursed properly. Jon Hernandez
PAC students: Resign, chancellor By Katherine Garcia
kgarcia203@student.alamo.edu
Several students from Palo Alto College’s chapter of the Student Leadership Coalition expressed discontent with Chancellor Bruce Leslie and his stance on transfer degrees listing no specific major during the citizens-to-be-heard portion of the regular board meeting Tuesday in Killen Center. Gilbert Perez, business management graduate of Palo Alto, began by ripping his degree in half. “That’s how I feel. You want to take them away? There you go,” he said Perez said faculty at Palo Alto are “working together to take other options to possibly replace the chancellor.” He said more Palo Alto students would attend the next board meeting to express their discontent with Leslie, and “we should have this room packed and outside.” “You’ve failed at three other colleges. … You’re failing us,” he said, referring to Leslie’s employment before joining the district in 2006. Leslie was chancellor of
Connecticut Community-Technical College System 1996-99, overseeing a $200 million budget, 12 colleges and 2,000 employees. He resigned in 1999 after college presidents didn’t support his attempts to standardize academics, according to an article in the San Antonio Express-News. He was chancellor of the Houston Community College System from October 2000 to June 2006, and oversaw a $200 million budget for six colleges, 5,000 employees and 55,000 students per semester. The article said Leslie resigned from in 2006 after disagreements with trustees. Leslie has a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor of arts from BaldwinWallace College in Berea, Ohio. “You’re playing games, and we are tired of this,” Perez said of the chancellor’s current performance. “We want lawyers, doctors, nurses, teachers to come out of Palo Alto. So cosmetology, agricultural, gas and oil, and apparently
online now See RESIGN, Page 3
STEM careers offer opportunities for women, minorities
American Sign Language’s got talent
completed other projects, Hal G. Buntley, medical assisting program coordinator, said. Usha Venkat, director of information technology, said if the pilot is successful, the allied health department will continue to use the iPad Airs. Venkat said these Wi-Fi, lightweight devices can easily access the Internet and can take students’ learning beyond the classroom. She said the iPads will have preloaded programs, which will help students capture pictures and videos,
See IPAD, Page 7
Senate approves major proposal Presidents prefer district-level committee. By Cynthia M. Herrera
cherrera151@student.alamo.edu
The Faculty Senate agreed Feb. 18 to present a proposal to Chancellor Bruce Leslie to create a college-based committee on majors. Lisa Black, vice president of Faculty Senate and sociology and social work professor, discussed where plans and proposals stand. “I think the big burden of this process, to be honest with you, are not the decisions that have been made, but our fear that you are not aware of decisions that are being made that are going to affect you and that are going to affect our community,” she said. The need for a new proposal came from the chancellor Feb. 2 when he emailed a timeline along with a description of his proposal for a district process to come together to evaluate majors. He gave faculty 48 hours to respond to his proposal. Faculty Senate requested more time and responded Feb. 6 that the plan was complete and will be reviewed by the college presidents. On Feb. 11, the college presidents decided that a district-level committee would work better to define the problems with transfers, majors and degree completion and could conduct research. According to an email sent out by English Professor Dawn Elmore, president of Faculty Senate, the reason for a new proposal was presidents were hesitant to support the original proposal in concern that Leslie would not want to look at a “solutions-based” proposal.
Prospective student Joe Guilbeau discusses a lack of communication to students on the status of majors and transfers at the Faculty Senate meeting Wednesday. Pam Paz The plan consisted of creating four college committees to investigate obstacles unique to each of the Alamo Colleges relative to degree completion and transfers. Although the Alamo Colleges’ has five colleges, Northeast Lakeview College is not an accredited college and so has separate circumstances. The college will submit its next accreditation application March 6. The committees also will look at whether majors impact completion and transfers. Once this is completed, a cross-college committee made up of selected members of the college committees will work with the vice presidents of academic success. This stage in the proposal will consist of sharing findings and recommendations, and offer a chance for collaboration among the colleges. After meeting with the vice presidents, curriculum changes will follow procedures for each college. District administration will be able to provide solutions to problems, such as academic support services, information technology and student support services. Joe Guilbeau, a prospective student, said he would like to have an associate of arts with a concentration
in professional writing but there is no concrete plan to confirm that courses followed will earn him such a degree. “I’m getting inconstancies across the various campuses,” Guilbeau said. “You’re going to lose and the reason you’re going to lose is because a bureaucracy will manage to the lowest common denominator … I wish you luck, that’s all I’ve got to say.” Elmore stressed that although the senate had agreed on a proposal, it doesn’t necessarily mean Leslie will accept the proposal. At the board meeting the night before, a Palo Alto student tore up his diploma to protest the removal of majors from diplomas. Reference Librarian Celita Avila said the board did not want to have those issues be discussed at the citizens-to-be-heard segment. “It should make you uncomfortable … it should make all us feel uncomfortable and angry,” Avila said. “The house is on fire, people, now what are we going to do about it? “When the students and community members show up for a board meeting like after November and December it’s a big embarrassment. It’s a public PR nightmare for the board of trustees.”
SAConnected
2 • Feb. 23, 2015
www.theranger.org/calendar
Flower power Mackenzie Boeckmann, early childhood studies sophomore and Always Building Children’s Development member, oversees 4-yearolds Emilia Chapa and Abigail Esparza watering marigolds and pansies in a garden Feb. 13 between the early childhood studies building and playground. Boeckmann wants to reach 14 volunteer hours in TECA 1311, Educating Young Children. E. David Guel
Snaking around Education sophomores Christa Cuevas and Chloe Cuevas hold a gray-banded kingsnake named “Romeo” during the STEMulate science showcase Wednesday in the mall. The snakes are displayed in labs for the biology department at Sul Ross State University. E. David Guel
Fat Tuesday Barbara Knotts, chair of creative media and the Black History Month Committee, serves hot wings and dirty rice to music sophomore Knet Nabarrete during the Fat Tuesday celebration in Loftin. Jack Jackson
Singing his praise Left: History sophomore Matthew Benavides, emergency medical technician Coy Baker, music freshman Francisco Avila and music sophomore Victor Daniel Carreon Ramirez sing a cover of contemporary Christian singer Kari Jobe’s “How He Loves Us” after a Bible study Wednesday in the mall. Ramirez is a member of Club 17 Bible study group. Benavides, Baker and Avila are members of the San Antonio chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. E. David Guel
today tues wed thur NLC Event: Dodgeball tournament sign-up in Room 131 of student commons. Continues through March 16. Call 210-486-5404.
PAC Event: Time capsule opening 9-10 a.m. on lawn of Concho. Call 210-486-3125.
SAC Event: No Glove, No Love information session 11 a.m.noon. Call 210-486-0157.
SAC Event: Blood drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in mall. Continues Tuesday. Call 361-557-7126.
SAC Event: Black History Month reading by Fred Williams 10:50 a.m.-12:05 p.m. in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-4860593.
PAC Event: Carnival 11 a.m.2 p.m. in courtyard sponsored by SGA and student activity fee. Call 210-486-3125.
PAC Lecture: Banking services financial literacy session 11 a.m.-noon in Room 130 of student center. Call 210486-3125.
SAC Event: Video Speaker Broadcast featuring cook Debbi Fields 5:45-7:45 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.
SAC Event: Karaoke 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.
Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Book of Ruth” 7 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151.
Trinity Lecture: “‘The Reliable Reapress’ Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint” by R. Andrew Chesnut from Virginia Commonwealth University 5:30 p.m. in Room 040 of Northrup Hall. Reception at 5 p.m. Visit ne w.trinity.edu/ events.
Estefania B. Alonso
SAC Meeting: Students for Environmental Awareness 2-3 p.m. in EcoCentro. Continues Wednesdays. Call 210-8789590.
SAC Event: Black History Month African Fest 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0593. NLC Event: Karaoke 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in cafeteria of student commons. Call 210486-5404. Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Imperial Dreams” 6 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151.
McNay Event: Food from the Silk Road tasting 2-3 p.m. in Valero Learning Center. Call 210-824-5368.
McNay Film: “The Better Angels” 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call 210-824-5368.
SAC Event: Checkers tournament 2:30 p.m. in game room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.
NLC Volleyball: NLC women vs. NVC, 7 p.m. Thursday in Huisache. Call 210-486-5404.
NLC Basketball: NLC men vs. NVC 7 p.m. in wellness gym. Call 210-486-5404.
Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Fugly” 8 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151.
Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Squeezebox” 7 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass, $10. Call 210-271-3151. Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Recommended By Enrique” movie 8 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151.
fri
PAC Event: Black History Month celebration 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in performing. Call 210486-3125 or visit www.alamo. edu/pac/blackhistorymonth/. PAC Event: Black History Month film series “Glory” sponsored by office of student activities 9-11:40 a.m. and noon-2:40 p.m. in student center of annex. Call 210-4863125 or visit www.alamo.edu/ pac/blackhistorymonth/. SAMA Lecture: Tapestries from Kykuit 6-7 p.m. in auditorium. $10 adults. $5 with student ID. Call 210-824-5368. Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “A Place To Stand” 7 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151. SAC Event: Movie night “The Hunger Games: MockingjayPart 1” hosted by Campus Activities Board 7:30 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0126.
sat mon
SAMA Event: Meditation 10:15-11 a.m. in Japanese Gallery. $10 adults. $5 with student ID. Call 210-824-5368. Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Shorts Program” 1 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151. Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “La Guapa” 4 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151. Guadalupe Film: 37th annual Cinefestival “Gueros” 7 p.m. at Guadalupe Theater, 723 S. Brazos. Day pass $10. Call 210-271-3151.
SAC Graduation: Be SAC Proud photo booth 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in mall. Call 210-4860220 or email sac-grad@ alamo.edu. SAC Event: Women’s History Month ceremony with mayoral candidate Leticia Van de Putte 9:25 a.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Visit www.alamo.edu/ SAC/WHM15. PAC Lecture: Understanding credit financial literacy session 11 a.m.-noon in Room 130 of student center. Visit www.alamo.edu/eventdetail. aspx?id=44506.
sun
SAMA Event: First Sunday Contemporary Art Month noon-4 p.m. $10 adults. $5 with student ID. Call 210-824-5368. McNay Film: “Footloose” 2-4 p.m. Call 210-824-5368.
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For coverage in SAConnected, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance. Visit theranger.org for more upcoming events.
News
www.theranger.org/news
Feb. 23, 2015 • 3
Safety first at college’s firing range Cadets practice shooting positions and techniques at the First Responder’s Academy. By Daniel Carde
Each cadet will shoot 750800 rounds over the 10-week Twenty-two cadets stand in period, chief tactical Instructor silence as they toe the red firing M.C. Joseph said. line, waiting for an instructor to Cadets practice firing a issue a command. Glock 9 mm semi-automatic Over the loudspeaker, an pistol from five distances. instructor says “fire” and the “They shoot from different cadets reach for their holstered positions here,” Joseph said. sidearms, shouting “Police! On Feb. 12, the cadets pracStop!” before firing their weap- ticed shooting targets from the ons at a humanhip at a 3-yard firshaped target. ing line, he said. View Like explodThe cadets the video at ing firecrackers, shot the position theranger.org. the sound of gunpoint shoulder at shots permeates the 5-yard line, the chilly morning Christelles said, air at the Alamo Colleges’ firing which allows them to aim and range. shoot faster than with two hands. The range is at the First At 7 yards, cadets practiced Responder’s Academy in Von left-hand, right-hand and twoOrmy. hand shooting. The cadets shot The range is co-owned by from the kneeling position at this college and the FBI, and was the 15-yard line. Kneeling makes completed in January 2012, said the cadet a smaller target and is Tim Rockey, dean of continuing a steadier position for aiming, education. It is under the direc- Christelles said. tion of this college’s continuing At the 25-yard line, the education division. cadets shot with the aid of a The cadets from this college’s barricade, Joseph said. Law Enforcement Academy A cadet is usually being shot train at the range once a week at if they are taking cover behind for the 10 weeks of Phase 3 of a barricade, Christelles said. four training phases, Instructor Aside from a few pinches Ernest Christelles said. and scrapes, there have been dcarde@student.alamo.edu
“The Art of Digital Landscape Painting” by Nancy Wood is on display on the fourth floor of Moody as part of cultural events through Friday. Courtesy
Library boasts display space The fourth floor is open for students to schedule performances. By Alyssa Zapata
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Librarians have dedicated a section on the fourth floor of the library in Moody Learning Center for cultural events such as art and photography exhibits, poetry readings and musical performances. Dr. Alice Johnson, library director, said this area is to help students showcase their work and for the community to visit to see what students are accomplishing. Librarians are seeking cultural events by inviting organizations from this college. The third Saturday of the month, the American Sign Language and interpreter training department sponsors a storytelling session. The department will have a voice interpreter and a signer who will pick a story. Johnson is in charge of the video “Quilt Makers of Gee’s Bend” that will be shown 10 a.m.-2 p.m. today as part of this college’s observation of Black History Month. About a dozen quilts will be displayed 8 a.m.4 p.m. weekdays through Friday. “Quilt Makers of Gee’s Bend” is about a small African-American community in Alabama that has carried on the tradition of quilt making that has become a chapter in African-American art. Currently, the performance area is showcasing digital “paintings” by local artist Nancy Wood. The “River” series is based a photo she took at Guadalupe River State Park. “I am inspired by the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country,” Wood wrote in an email. She digitally adjusted each version of the print. “In my series, each version is slightly different. In addition to changes in color, I made subtle detailing adjustments to lines and shapes so that each version is a unique image,” she explained. She is trained in oil painting, sculpture, printmaking and photography. Wood is a graduate of University of California, Los Angeles with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts and a doctorate in educational psychology from Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station. The display will be up until the end of the semester and artists who would like to exhibit work for the fall must submit an application and work by September. The performance area is an “enriching process,” Johnson said, noting students now have a section designed to showcase their work. Events are limited to two hours and one event per day. Students wanting to schedule an event or showcase, they may fill out the online application. To find events, students can go to the library tab located at the top right of the college website and click on Performance Area. For more information, call 210-486-0554.
AQUAPONICS from Page 1 The other two projects are a venture with Wal-Mart to empower women in the workplace and a project with Sam’s Club that uses a distillation of pulp from fruit and vegetables to make alcohol fuel. Business management sophomore Bradlee LaBrutta, who is the group leader for the Unilever project, and
RESIGN from Page 1 brewery is coming next.” Palo Alto offers degrees in cosmetology and oil and gas process technology. Simon Sanchez, computer science sophomore at Palo Alto, referenced Dec. 25 commentary Leslie wrote for the ExpressNews, in which the chancellor said transfer majors were still the best practice. The newspaper published the commentary after the chancellor emailed all Alamo Colleges faculty and staff Dec. 22 to say the district would rescind transfer degrees for now but continue the conversation with faculty and employees. The chancellor came to this agreement in a meeting with the Super Senate, the Faculty Senate presidents of all five Alamo Colleges, Dec. 19. He said the purpose of replacing majors with transfer majors was allowing students to “customize” the courses needed to transfer to the desired university or college while saving money. He wrote, “The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s recent report that the average student requires six years to
President of the campus Enactus chapter, is one example of a previous student who came back to work with the new Enactus members. “We started last semester getting approval from the president’s executive committee of San Antonio College to use the greenhouse, and then in October we began designing and in December we start-
Chief tactical Instructor M.C. Joseph supervises cadets from this college’s Law Enforcement Training Academy shooting at the First Responder’s Academy in Von Ormy. The 22 cadets shot targets in the shape of human silhouettes from the 15-yard line. They also shot targets at 3 yards, 5 yards, 7 yards and 25 yards. Daniel Carde no major injuries at the range, Christelles said. “We are dealing with deadly weapons,” Christelles said. “Safety is No. 1 priority.” Only two cadets failed the practice qualifier, Joseph said. One for bending over to retrieve a loaded magazine he dropped while reloading — a safety violation, Joseph said. The cadet was sent home. Christelles said the other cadet failed to follow instructions and shot out of sequence. If cadets commit a safety violation, they may be sent home and marked as absent from that day’s training, Joseph said. Depending on the severity of the violation, cadets may be
dropped from the course. If cadets are sent home, they will have to make up the missed training with another class, he said. A second safety violation will result in being dropped from the course, Christelles said. “A lot of these folks have never fired a weapon before in their life,” Joseph said. “From day one to the end, we see a lot of development in their stance, their trigger control, their sight alignment and just their overall bearing when handling a weapon.” Cadets learn how to operate under stress, and they will be able to shoot the target they aim at, he said. Joseph said cadets will leave more confident.
attain a baccalaureate degree – According to the email, the taking 147 hours for the 120-hour chancellor then sent out his own degree – costs the student over timeline for a district process of $68,000 in expenses and deferred evaluating majors, but the Super compensation. Our intent Senate came up with its own has been to cross-college change this plan to evalutrend.” ate majors, Dr. Leslie chooses Sanchez transfer issues to bypass said the comand degree any collective mittee re-evalcompletion. decision-making uating majors “Dr. Leslie to promote his should be at a chooses to thoughts of what college-level bypass any he believes is instead of collective best for student Leslie leading decision-maksuccess. the process. ing in order Simon Sanchez He refto promote PAC computer erenced a his thoughts science sophomore Jan. 29 meetof what he ing with the believes is Super Senate. best for stuAccording to a timeline emailed dent success,” Sanchez said. to all faculty at this college by “Our response to his perEnglish Professor Dawn Elmore, sistent disregard to having a president of this college’s Faculty collective process to promote Senate and the Super Senate, problem-solving — I believe Dr. there were discussions at four of Leslie should be removed,” he the five colleges. said, asking trustees to lead the But the chancellor did not discussion for removing Leslie. accept ideas “because they are Debra Garner, psycholsolution-oriented rather than ogy sophomore at Palo Alto, open-ended and are college- expressed complaints about based rather than district-oriNortheast Lakeview and PAC. ented.” She had to re-enroll for classes
two years ago after repeatedly being dropped because of financial aid issues. She also said the district discriminates against Palo Alto because it is on the South Side, and she wants opportunities and funding for a building like this college’s renovated Challenger Education Center and Scobee Planetarium. The classrooms are bursting at the seams, there aren’t enough advisers and she is “fighting for what is right, and what is right is equal education opportunities across the board.” Kristen Tarin, psychology sophomore at PAC, told Leslie, “In this contract (the people you serve) agreed to let you lead; they agreed to let you be leader.” After the meeting, Leslie said the back-and-forth helps the decision-making process. Before criticizing, people should understand the facts around the whole transfer process to “figure out the best solutions,” he said. The next committee meetings start at 6 p.m. March 17, and the regular board meeting is 6 p.m. March 24. Citizens-to-beheard speakers can sign up from 5-5:55 p.m. outside Room 101.
ed building,” LaBrutta said. The garden will be ready in three weeks, he said. The garden and the aquaponics system will be used by Travis Early College High School, Beacon Hill Elementary School, Great Hearts Charter School, members of Enactus, and the senior citizens of Tobin Hill and the surrounding area. Each of these groups will
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learn how to create an aquaponics system for home use. The campus chapter received a $1,500 grant called the Unilever Bright Future Project to create the community aquaponics and garden system. This college is one of more than 1,600 colleges working with Enactus and competes with other colleges in an annual contest, accord-
ing to enactus.org. The Enactus group is part of an international organization that connects students through projects that empower people to transform opportunities and give back to the community. The campus chapter will compete with 350-400 other colleges April 3-16 in St. Louis. One team will be named
the Enactus United States National Champion and be invited to represent the U.S. at the Enactus World Cup. Enactus offers the opportunity to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise, in hopes of improving the livelihoods of others in the process.
66th San Antonio Sto
4 • www.theranger.org/premiere
Hannah Hagan, 14, screams with excitement and stepsister Courtney Rhoden, 13, holds on while riding the Super Slide Saturday. Heather attends Dobie Junior High and Courtney attends Driscoll Middle School. Pam Paz
Gavin Swihart, 6, wraps his arms in protection around his sister Avert Swihart, 3, while riding the Crazy Daisy Cup. Avert said she just wanted to get off the ride while Gavin got back on without her. Gwendolyn Garcia
Carnival workers share stories, experiences Don’t judge a carnival worker by common misconceptions. By Pam Paz
ppaz2@student.alamo.edu
Carnival workers, or “carnys,” as they are commonly referred to, often get a bad rap. The stereotype is dirty, tattooed outcasts whose sole purpose is to rig games to cheat people out of their money. The media is a huge contributor to the stereotypes associated with carnival workers. An article published through Warren Wilson College titled “Examining Stereotypes, Discrimination and Self-Identity of Carnival Workers” states the media represents such workers as “cigarette smoking, illiterate, mean, cat-calling, crazy, nomadic outsiders who have no place in our real society.” The song “Carney Man” by Cross Canadian Ragweed plays up this stereotype well with lyrics describing the job as low-paying with no future prospects. It also describes drug use. Every year, the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo brings in carnival workers from all over the country. Wade Shows Inc. is the contractor for the carnival. According to wadeshows.com, the company has been around since 1912 and owns more than 100 amusement rides and attractions. The company reports it provides entertainment to more than 15 million people each year and attributes
its success to employees, who are screened through background checks and pre-employment drug tests. Unlike the “carnys” portrayed in films and shows, the carnival workers at the rodeo debunk many common misconceptions. Mike Hoover’s primary job for five years has been the carnival. Hoover said he loves meeting new people. He operates the game Spill the Milk, where patrons try to knock over bottles with baseballs. Hoover said working for the carnivals has given him the chance to travel. This was his first time working in San Antonio. The hardest part of his job is being away from his family in Indiana for months at a time, but he talks to them every day. Hoover said he is often stereotyped because of what he does. He said many carnival workers these days are judged based on how the general public has perceived them. “It’s all crap; we’re not here to harm anybody,” he said. “We’re clean, we have a strict drug and alcohol policy, and if you’re found positive for either, you’re out the door.” Operating the Vertigo ride was Davis “Shorty Shorty” Lowery from southern Louisiana. Lowery has worked in carnivals for two years. Prior to this, he worked in the cement business, he said.
Lowery said he has family in Louisiana and is usually gone eight to nine months out of the year. “I miss being home, but this is like another home to me ... family,” he said. Making people smile is the best part of his job, he said. Samuel Griffin of Antlers, Ok., stood in an open area attracting customers to the basketball booth. Griffin and his wife got into the business after their house burned down. Down on their luck and with few job prospects, they decided to join their friends working in the carnival. “People are out to have fun, so I make sure they have a good time,” he said. Griffin said making people happy is the best part of his job, but he doesn’t like seeing adults drinking alcohol around children. “It’s not right; people should not be drinking around their kids, especially at a carnival,” he said. Abel Hernandez of Mexico City has been to 45 U.S. states with the carnival. “The only states I haven’t been to are Massachusetts, Hawaii, Alabama, Alaska and Maine,” he said. Hernandez has been in the carnival business for about 10 years and has come to the San Antonio rodeo every year since 2005. He said he enjoys making people happy. He usually stays in Mexico City from November through January to tend to his holiday toy business.
Bleat Above: Avery Rodriguez, 2, of Carrizo Springs pets the goats in the petting zoo. Jack Jackson Seesaw
Right: Michael Sandlofer instructs Leanna, 5, and Jesse Smith, 9, of Stockdale the art of crosscut sawing. Sandlofer ran the Heritage Village exhibit from Lynchburg, S.C. Jack Jackson
Anthony Willis of Kingsville helps sisters Sage Donahue, 6, and Emma Donahue, 5, out of the Tea Cup ride. Willis is a former truck driver and helps with a drug and alcohol outreach ministry. Pam Paz San Antonian Lawrence Alexander sat in the shade near the Original Fun House. Alexander has worked the rodeo for 38 years. Alexander makes his living with the carnivals; he likes the nice people and the different cultures, he said. “I’ve been in the carnivals since Fiesta was in the streets,” he said. Another native Texan working the carnival was Anthony Willis of Kingsville. He operated the Tea Cups and has worked in the carnival business off and on for 20 years. Prior to this, he
worked as a truck driver and some years as a NASCAR mechanic. Willis also is involved in the Restoration House Ministry. Willis said the ministry helps individuals who suffer from drug and alcohol dependency and operates throughout Texas and Louisiana. The people working at the rodeo’s carnival are not mirror images of the stereotypes presented in television and on the radio. Like most people, they are hardworking family folks. Beyond that, they share a joy in travel and adventure.
ock Show and Rodeo
Feb. 23, 2015 • 5
online now SPC student gallops into rodeo with 4H
Nap time Left: “He just gave out, as I guess you can
see,” said the father of fifth-grader Eric Reynolds, 10, with the Aubrey, Texas, FFA, who takes a nap with Skyler White, his chester white breeding gilt pig who had just placed 10th in show in the swine barn Saturday. Anthony B. Botello
Future artist
Below: Richard Joseph Glover, 3, paints a toy horse outside the horse arena. Tables were set up outside the horse arena for children to paint and take home a plastic horse of their own. Vanessa Frausto
Trick team a slam dunk A professional athlete’s dream comes true by joining a basketball performance squad. By Richard Montemayor
rmontemayor15@student.alamo.edu
Stunt dunker Hunter Minahan cheers on his teammate, Guy Jackson, as he flips to a soaring dunk Saturday. The Acrodunkers, a group of professional acrobats, performed for a crowd of about 80. Tyrin Bradley
Making its debut at the 66th annual San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is a world-renowned, high-energy and high-flying basketball performance squad known as Acrodunk. The Houston squad was founded in 1994 by Jerry L. Burrell, who was a mascot for the Houston Rockets and has a passion for entertaining. Since then, Acrodunk has traveled around the globe putting on shows and performing on television shows like “America’s Got Talent.” Since its founding, the team has grown to 30 members with multiple teams on tour. Richard Smith, a Houston
native, said his goal was to be a professional athlete. “Unfortunately, football never really panned out for me in college, but I had the opportunity to start with a cheer squad with a scholarship,” Smith said. A love of performing and experience being in a cheer squad landed Smith a job cheering with the Houston Rockets. “I was able to become a member of the Launch Crew spirit squad to later elevate my career by joining Acrodunk to reach my goal of becoming a professional athlete,” Smith said. Burrell is always looking for new talent. Smith said, “We have a number of guys that join from a number of different backgrounds who are for-
mer basketball, football and gymnastics athletes who have a passion for entertaining.” “If you want to see highly entertaining acrobats doing amazing dunks while witnessing amazing, high-flying feats, then you need to check out Acrodunk.” Acrodunk will be in town for the remainder of the rodeo with show times at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The demonstrations are next to the Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum across from the Texas Wildlife Expo tent and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Hall of Fame tent. For more information, log on to acrodunk.com, call Impact Entertainment Inc. at 281-4672288 or email jb@acrodunk.com.
Baby on board
Above: Buffaloe Cattle Co.’s Tracee Price, with Page Price, 4 months, blow-dries Ms. Highlands, a Red Brangus heifer, in preparation for show. Anthony B. Botello
See ya later Left: Kachunga show announcer Gil Castillo hands Nicole Angulo, 11, and Catherine Gardner, 11, a young albino alligator at the Kachunga Alligator Show. The Kachunga show was about alligator safety and ways to handle an alligator encounter. The show originated in Florida. Vanessa Frausto
Editorial
6 • Feb. 23, 2015
.org
the
ranger
www.theranger.org/editorial
Editor Katherine Garcia
Managing Editor Mandy Derfler Assistant Managing Editor – News Cynthia M. Herrera Assistant Managing Editor – Features Richard Montemayor Calendar Editor Aaron Martinez Staff Writers Jose Arredondo, Tyrin Bradley, Christina M. Briseno, Eddie Chozet, Kyle R. Cotton, Travis Doyle, Marina Garcia, Priscilla M. Galarza, Sabrina Griffith, Tim Hernandez, M.A. Horta, Te Keyshia Johnson, Derek Landis, Melissa Luna, Danny Geraldo Martinez, Edith Moctezuma, Nathalie Mora, Janelle Polcyn, Karenna J. Reyna, Matthew Reyna, V.L. Roberson, Johann Spiess, Alyssa Zapata Photo Editor E. David Guel Photographer Gwen Garcia Alexandra Nelipa
Photo Team Cassi Armstrong, Anthony B. Botello, Vanessa Frausto, Jon Hernandez, Jack Jackson, Tress-Marie Landa Multimedia Editor Daniel Carde Video Team Neven Jones, Rey Ruiz, Taylor Tribbey Illustrators Estefania B. Alonso, Melina Dina, Alexandra Nelipa Production Assistant Pam Paz Promotions Manager R. Eguia Distribution Manager Shelly Delgado
@therangerSAC /readtheranger /therangervideo
©2015 by The Ranger staff, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX 782124299. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. The Ranger news outlets, which serve the Alamo Community College District, are laboratory projects of journalism classes in the Department of Media Communications at San Antonio College. The Ranger is published Mondays except during summer, holidays and examinations. The Ranger Online is available at www.theranger. org. News contributions accepted by telephone (210-486-1773), by fax (210-486-9292), by email (sac-ranger@alamo.edu) or at the editorial office (Room 212 of Loftin Student Center). Advertising rates available by phone (210) 4861765 or as a download at www.theranger.org. The Ranger is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and the Texas Community College Journalism Association. Guest Viewpoints: Faculty, staff, students and community members are welcome to contribute guest viewpoints of up to 450 words. Writers should focus on campus or current events in a critical, persuasive or interpretative style. All viewpoints must be published with a photo portrait of the writer. Letters Policy: The Ranger invites readers to share views by writing letters to the editor. Space limitations force the paper to limit letters to two double-spaced, typewritten pages. Letters will be edited for spelling, style, grammar, libel and length. Editors reserve the right to deny publication of any letter. Letters should be emailed to sac-ranger@alamo. edu. Letters also may be brought to the newspaper office in Room 212 of Loftin Student Center, mailed to The Ranger, Department of Media Communications, San Antonio College, 1300 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-4299 or faxed to (210) 486-9292. Letters must be signed and must include the printed name and telephone number. Students should include classification, major, campus and Banner ID. Employees should include title and telephone number. For more information, call 210-486-1773. Single Copy Policy: Members of the Alamo Community College District community are permitted one free copy per issue because of high production costs. Where available, additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting The Ranger business office. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single-copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and subject to college discipline.
Let’s follow club’s clean-up lead Kudos to the Human Services Club for taking initiative in coming up with a temporary solution to the controversial “smokers’ corner.” Not only has the club started doing weekly cleanups, they have also installed a cigarette butt receptacle. Since this campus became smokefree in the fall of 2005, the corner of Belknap and Dewey has become a haven for smokers and a nuisance for the staff of the United Methodist Student Center. It’s not just students who use this corner; campus employees — notably police officers and members of the office of student life — have been seen lighting up at the corner. At the Nov. 17 Student Government Association meeting, Alex Ruiz, anthropology sophomore and United
Methodist Student Organization president, suggested working with this college to come up with a solution to this ongoing problem, but SGA told him nothing could be done because the corner is not college property. At the same meeting, President Robert Vela backed SGA citing the nonsmoking campus policy, but he later said he would look into it because of safety risks. At the Feb. 10 College Council meeting, Vela said he wants all students to feel safe and included at this college. (Be careful, Dr. Vela, next the vapers will want a space and then the skaters, etc. How far do we have to go to make people feel included?) A Ranger video titled “Should our campus create a designated smoking area on campus?” received mixed opin-
ions from students. A survey by SGA showed almost 60 percent thought a smokers’ section should be part of this college. The United Methodist Student Organization also conducted a survey. While everyone else sits in meetings debating the issue, the members of the Human Services Club, who are training to become licensed chemical dependency counselors, did something about it. They didn’t need to conduct a survey. They didn’t need to appoint a committee to study the issue. They saw the problem and said we can help. In support of their studies, they met the immediate problem of a trashedout corner head-on. Way to go, Human Services Club.
Don’t fear success Refrain from arbitrary social expectations and achieve your goals at your own pace. Obtaining a degree, finding a well-paying job and starting a family are just a few social expectations everyone faces. Though well-intentioned, those expectations can ultimately limit a person’s full potential. The normal, safe route perpetuated by parents and authority figures is: Go to high school, go to college and get a job. But what if you want to start your career now? While many people disregard their own interests to fit into a socially accepted mold, anthropology sophomore Alexis ‘Lexi’ Roberts demonstrates how people can transcend the mold. She pursued a discipline she was interested in and engaged professionals within the field to gain experience. Instead of pursuing a
planned path of teaching, one psychology course made her change her mind. Real world experience in a discipline is invaluable compared to a simple degree. To obtain a dream job within America’s competitive job market, a person must expect to have some kind of experience to show for it. Roberts did just that; she has already traveled to Iceland to study the Icelandic language, interned as an educator at the San Antonio Museum of Art and volunteered at the Gault School of Archaeological Research at Texas State University documenting and sorting Paleo-Indian lithic artifacts more than 10,000 years old. That’s an enviable résumé for a 19-year-old. Students should pursue
every internship opportunity available to acclimate to the professional environment of their interests. If an internship is not applicable, students should widen their searches and consider unpaid volunteer opportunities if they can afford it and it provides substantial experience. Mentors can help students orient themselves within a field of study and figure out what the best route to take is, in addition to offering a wealth of contacts and connections. There are no limits to what a person who stays focused can accomplish. Established professionals are typically willing to help out potential employees. Ask questions and seek out people with similar interests to realize your potential. Start working toward your career today.
corrections In the photograph “Feeding Time” on Page 2 of the Feb. 16 issue, the subject’s name is Paul Sanchez. In the Feb. 16 article “Rangers crush Palominos,” the final score of 86-79 was missing. In the photograph for Feb. 16 article “Catholic students to host Ash Wednesday,” the woman’s name is Maria Reyes Hernandez.
viewpoint Viewpoint by Pam Paz
Take it from me: Advice from a 31-year-old student
Pulse
www.theranger.org/pulse
Feb. 23, 2015 • 7
Undefeated wildcats slash Tigers, 71-69 By Sabrina Griffith sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The Northwest Vista Wildcats and the St. Philip’s Tigers played a tough game; the Tigers knew they faced an undefeated team and put up a good fight but lost 71-69. The Tigers took a brief lead at the end of the game, but the Wildcats were not going to stop pushing until they won in the last two minutes. Civil engineering sophomore Joe Uribe led the Wildcats with 19 points. Respiratory care sophomore Ed Rodriguez led the Tigers with 22. The Wildcats made the first shot, keeping the lead for most of the game. The Tigers pushed the ball down the court well. Civil engineering sophomore Joe Uribe tried to pass, but kinesiology sophomore Tefton Tate stole the ball for the Tigers and passed it to liberal arts freshman Marcellus Garrick, who made a layup. The Tigers caught up, but the Wildcats had the lead at the end of the first half, 25-22. The undefeated Wildcats Coach Curtis McGlown said, “We work
101
hard, we need games like this and we need to prepare ourselves for games like this. They played with a lot of heart and desire, and I commend that.” In the second half, Marcellus Garrick drove the ball down the court with no one to stop him and made a layup for the Tigers. The Wildcats started making better shots and played defense well. Engineering sophomore Jarod Booth scored a layup for the Tigers off a bounce pass from accounting sophomore Daryl Threat, who bounce passed the ball between all the players from the 3-point line. Rodriquez became hot, continually making his 3-point shots. The Tigers stepped up and with seven minutes left in the game tied 46-46. The Tigers took the lead, but the Wildcats hung in there, tying the game for every point the Tigers got ahead until with less than two minutes left in the game, the Tigers led 68-67. Kinesiology freshman Aaron Williamson stole the ball and made a layup to take a Wildcats’ lead and win.
Lady Ranger communications sophomore Shannon Villanueva struggles for the ball from Lady Pirates Sonya Acuna, physical therapy assistant sophomore, and physician assistant freshman Ally Dlouhy Wednesday in Candler. Cassi Armstrong
Pirates sink Rangers Guard’s second-half plays lift Lady Pirates past Lady Rangers. By Jose Arredondo sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The Lady Rangers hosted the Victoria College Pirates Wednesday in Gym 1 of Candler in a bout that included 60 rebounds, 52 turnovers and a lopsided second half. The Pirates won 67-49. Kinesiology freshman Brittany Wallace led the Pirates with 27 points, six steals and six rebounds. Communications sophomore Shannon Villanueva led the Rangers with 12 points and five rebounds. “I wasn’t too pleased with my performance,” Villanueva said. “This is a tough pill to swallow.” The Pirates led for a majority of the first half. However, the Rangers
ended it on a 7-0 run, tied at 27. “We were not executing on offense,” Pirates head coach Allison Peters said. “Not shutting them down on defense like we can.” Wallace was the catalyst behind the Pirates’ second-half massacre. She produced zero points in the first half, but that didn’t derail her. She sought some “spiritual” coaching, which she said earned her 27 points. “I prayed,” Wallace said. With 7:10 remaining in play, the Pirates had the largest lead of the night, 60-40. The Rangers made a last push, cutting the lead to 15. Wallace put the game away by forcing four Ranger turnovers. The Rangers seek to end their slump next week as they host St. Philip’s at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Gym 1 of Candler. Call 210-486-0125.
IPAD from Page 1 make reports and do presentations. Venkat said students will benefit from the camera and touch screen interface. She also said it will help students become more comfortable with this type of technology and see how easy they can use it. Venkat said faculty will benefit as well by receiving more feedback from students. Students will be surveyed about how they embrace this new technology and how comfortable they are with it. Buntley said students will be able to record and critique their performance in class, helping
Ka-Pow! Oneill Fuentes from Randazzo Brothers Boxing Gym leans for a punch on drama freshman Dennis Salazar during the seventh bout in Golden Gloves preliminaries Wednesday at Woodlawn Gym, 1103 Cincinnati. Fuentes won the oneminute match in the third round. The tournament continues there through Friday. Saturday finals will be at the Scottish Rite Temple auditorium. E. David Guel
them with their psychomotive assignments. Psychomotive assignments require combining physical and cognitive skills. For example, students can use the iPad to record drawing blood and review their procedures. Buntley also said teachers will be able to demonstrate procedures and upload the videos to Canvas and ACES. He said students will be able to access Office 365 with a subscription in the iPad Airs and use programs such as Microsoft Word or Excel. Buntley said the iPads will have grading rubrics with assignments, which will save instructors time, space and paper.
student
Venkat also said the office of technology services will be in charge of the technical support, refreshing the iPads before another group of students will use them. The office staff also will teach students how to use tools such as cloud storage. Students who are not comfortable with the iPads can get help at OTS in Room 706 of Moody Learning Center or in the megalab on the fifth floor. If the pilot is successful, Buntley said after doing more pilots, the college will get more iPads for other departments as well, and students might be able to check out an iPad for the semester and turn it back at the end of it.
Energy drinks can be dangerous Alcohol, caffeine have opposite effects. By V. L. Roberson
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Is the danger of caffeine and energy drinks real? Natural sciences Instructor Shelly Sheppard, a registered dietician, said for the average healthy college student, there is no immediate danger from caffeine or energy drinks when consumed in moderation. “Three hundred milligrams (three 8-ounce cups) is considered moderation.” With coffee it’s fairly easy to measure, but with energy drinks it can be dif- ficult to tell because of ingredients such as the amino acids tuarine and L-arginine that enhance the effect of caffeine, according to a Alexan dra Ne study done on lipa mice at Fukuoka University in Japan published by the U.S. National Library of Health at pubmed.gov. Herbs such as guarana, a natural source of caffeine, can add 40 to 47 milligrams of caffeine for every gram of guarana added, according to the Caffeine Informer website at www.caffeineinformer.com and “Nutrition: From Science to You” by Joan Salge Blake, Kathy D. Munoz, and Stella Volpe, a textbook used in BIOL 1323, Consumer Nutrition for Non-Science Majors. Naturally this would make a difference if one has an underlying condition. “So the key is to understand what sources contain so the consumer knows what they are ingesting,” Sheppard said. Caffeine is classified as a drug, a psychological stimulant. Although energy drinks are not regulated by the federal government, many people believe they should be. Kinesiology Professor Andreia G. Breaux said, “Due to deaths related to energy drinks, there is a call to regulate them.” For many students, partying is part of life, and alcohol is part of party life. Mixing alcohol and energy drinks is worrisome because caffeine and alcohol affect the central nervous system in opposite ways, according to the text “Nutrition: From Science to You.” Studies show alcohol with an energy drink causes the same level of intoxication as alcohol alone, though the consumer may feel less intoxicated.
News
8 • Feb. 23, 2015
www.theranger.org/news
Restroom review encourages
‘holding it’
12:44 p.m. Feb. 16 Students say college restrooms could use a little attention. By Matthew Reyna sac-ranger@alamo.edu
A two-week review of the restrooms at this college showed that not all restrooms are cleaned equally. The sight and smell of stale urine is prevalent in most men’s and women’s restrooms, according to this reporter’s observations, conducted in January and February with the help of a female photographer. Hands-intensive sinks that require students to hold down a push button while washing their hands are the norm, not the exception. Graffiti covers a lot of the restroom walls and mirrors, and is especially pervasive in Gonzales Hall. “Most of the time, they are dirty and are hardly ever stocked with paper towels,” psychology freshman Aurelio Alcoser said. In a Feb. 17 interview, Dr. Robert Vela, president of the college, said, “Keeping restrooms clean is everybody’s responsibility. If you see something, report it.” He also prompted students to email David Mrizek, vice president of college services, if they notice something wrong. “We encourage all people to contact Mr. Mrizek if they have issues with the restrooms on campus,” Vela said. Mrizek said the cleaning in most buildings is by contractors. The school retains a handful of its own housekeeping employees. Custodial sign-in sheets checked in late January showed restrooms in Chance Academic Center, the Student Success Center and Gonzales Hall had not been cleaned in months. Or the sign-in sheets had not been updated in months. A February follow-up check on the sign-in sheets showed they have largely been removed from their plastic holders. The only active sheet that had been updated in 2015 was in the men’s restroom on the second floor of McCreless Hall. The cleanliness and modern amenities of restrooms in newer buildings, such as the nursing complex and Oppenheimer Academic Center is contrasted by filth, outdated equipment, or
a combination of the two in Moody Learning Center, the second floor of Longwith Radio, Television and Broadcasting, and the bottom two floors of Fletcher Administration Center. These three buildings stand out as the dirtiest restrooms on campus. The nursing complex restrooms rank as the best places to take care of business on campus for men or women. Automated lighting lets students know if the restrooms are currently vacant or occupied. There are three restrooms on every floor of the building, which minimizes traffic. The men’s and women’s restrooms on both floors of McAllister Fine Arts Center provide a hands-off restroom experience. Open windows and wide walkways keep the restrooms smelling fresh. Automatic doors allow a student to walk in and out of the restroom without having to touch anything. On the other hand, Moody restrooms, which handle droves of students daily, get a very low score by the same criteria. This goes for the men’s and women’s restrooms. Conversely, restrooms on the first two floors of Fletcher and on the second floor of Longwith have less student traffic, but are still just as bad, if not worse. The main men’s restroom on Longwith’s second floor fails occupants of that building — including this reporter, who works as a DJ at KSYM — in many ways. Since summer 2013, the restroom had maintained a urine smell stronger than anything from Moody. The culprit was a layer of coated urine on the urinals that seems to have been building for months. Upon a return visit in February, the restroom seemed to have been deodorized. The smell was largely gone, but paper towels still littered the floor, and the dried urine had not been removed from the urinals. And now there were little pieces of hair stuck to the dried urine. Fletcher Administration Center is the first campus experience for many prospective students. What they will see upon visiting the first-floor restroom, which serves the financial aid and testing center, is severely aged equipment mixed with a filthy exterior. The toilet bowl-style urinals are caked with layers of urine. The flush handles are wet from water, urine or another liquid.
12:48 p.m. Feb. 13
1:03 p.m. Feb. 16 Except for an unflushed toilet, a unisex restroom in Room 404 of Moody is clean.
Litter in the women’s room in Room 252 of Loftin Photos by Pam Paz
1:06 p.m. Feb. 13 A urinal in the men’s room in the cafeteria of Loftin A “Wet Floor” sign, which seems to be permanently stationed in the restroom, blocks a trashcan covered in a thick, dripping gunk. The sign remains dutifully in place days later. On the second floor of Fletcher, which includes the admissions and business offices and is the most student-intensive area in the building, the two restrooms are unisex and only fit one student at a time. On the third floor, an administrative floor with little student traffic, the restrooms were closed for construction for most of the two-week review. When the restrooms re-opened in the beginning of February, they were the most modern in the building. The new restroom now has a wide entrance and, thanks to surplus material from Moody, a hands-free dryer and new tile. “There are plans to renovate the other restrooms in Fletcher,” Vela said. “It’s going to have to be one step, one facility at a time.” Vela said he uses restrooms all over the campus. He indicated that there is obvious usage in some of the high-traffic areas, but said, “There hasn’t been [anything] that shocked me. Nothing that made me say wow!” To file a work request, go to the SAC Facilities homepage.
1:25 p.m. Feb. 16 Recently renovated, the women’s room in Room 312 of Fletcher is spotless.