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ranger Serving San Antonio College and the Alamo Colleges
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Volume 91 Issue 15 • April 10, 2017
210-486-1773 • Single copies free
Reconstructing parking lots
Professor sculpts history Professor makes issues in Mexican-American women’s history a new conversation. By Emily Garcia
egarcia1009@student.alamo.edu
English Professor Juanita Luna Lawhn is the creator of the sculpture “Eye of a Needle,” which is on display at the “Aqui Estamos y
No Nos Vamos” exhibit at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. “Aqui Estamos y No Nos Vamos” means “We are Here and We are Not Going.” The exhibit features art made by women of color. With the help of her sisters, the sculpture took Lawhn about a month to finish and features a vintage dress form wearing a pink ribbon and a white apron sitting on top of an
Students see officials in action in traveling government class Page 8
Page 3
online now
embroidery hoop. The apron and embroidery hoop contain images of historical protests by MexicanAmerican women in San Antonio. The Mexican flag hugs the base of the sculpture with an Our Lady of Guadalupe figure sitting on the flag. This is the first sculpture Lawhn has made.
See SCULPT, Page 4
Female student in civil engineering focuses on water
Dual credit bills passed by Senate Eco Centro’s workshop shows bats’ significance in ecosystem Chairs discuss elections and Executive Faculty Council Theft and burglary incidents spike
Transgender students safeguard civil rights College administration and SAC Cares commit to providing a safe environment for all students. By Maria Gardner
sacranger@alamo.edu
If Texas Senate Bill 6, the “bathroom bill,” passes, this college would comply but will not roll back the protections afforded to transgender individuals, Richard Farias, interim dean of student success, said March 24 during an interview. The transgender community and some businesses have declared the bill discriminatory and oppose it because it would require individuals to use the restroom designated by the sex on their birth certificate instead of the gender they prefer, according to an article published March 7 by the Associated Press. “We don’t monitor the bathrooms,” said Jacob-Aidan Martinez, director of student conduct and Title IX, March 23 during an interview. He said the SAC Cares office has not received a complaint about individuals’ access to restrooms. How SB6, if it becomes law, would be enforced and affect the college is uncertain, Martinez said. “Whatever the law is, no matter what happens, we want our students to feel safe to express themselves as they see fit,” Farias said. The college executive team — the president, vice president and deans who lead the governing structure of the college
Cast Art sophomore Caitlyn Moran balances for art sophomore Alec Rodriguez April 5 as he wraps her figure with plastic wrap and duct tape for an abstract project for a 3-D design class in visual arts. Rodriguez will have four casts to stuff to make a cube of human forms. The Design 2 (3-Dimensional) class is taught by Instructor Alfonso Cantu. Go to www.theranger.org for more photos. Deandra Gonzalez
Poor grade rates can hurt teachers English professor questions role in student success. By Emily Garcia
egarcia1009@student.alamo.edu
Productive grade rates and retention rates are used by Alamo Colleges to measure how well students are performing in courses and how many students are staying enrolled in courses, Richard Moore, executive director of the Texas Community College Association, said. Each Texas community college has specific rates with which grades and retention
must be retained, Moore said. At this college, productive grade rates must be at least 70 percent for a teacher not to be penalized, said Mike Burton, chair of English, humanities, education and journalism/ photography. Productive grade rates are the percentage of students in a course who earn an A, B or C. Course retention rates cannot drop below 70 percent, Burton said. For example, if there are 10 students enrolled in a course, three would be able to drop the course without the teacher being penalized because the
course would have retained 70 percent of its students. If a course cannot retain more than 70 percent of both students and productive grade rates, the teacher must complete a win-win agreement and submit it to the chair of the department, Burton said. A win-win agreement was adopted from “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” by Stephen Covey, Burton said. Teachers who complete a win-win agreement in the English program are required to give a survey at the beginning of the semester asking
See RATES, Page 7
Estefania B. Alonso — are committed to provide a learning environment free of bullying and discrimination so all students, including transgender students, feel safe, Farias said. “I feel very strongly about this, and I know that the whole executive team feels strongly about this, too,” Farias said. SB6 passed the Senate 21-10 March 15 and moved on to the House of Representatives, the Associated Press reported March 15. Speaker of the House Joe Strauss, R-San Antonio, who opposes the bill, has averted a vote on the House floor by ruling against three amendments similar to the “bathroom bill” from being attached to currently debated measures, the Texas Tribune reported March 28. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, proponent of the bill, said the focus is to protect women from assault, according to an article pub-
See TRANSGENDER, Page 7
Administration raking in salaries, raises Top earners at this college and district outpace rates for most employees.
Top-paid district employee salaries
$399,321
By Zachary-Taylor Wright zwright9@student.alamo.edu
According to the Alamo Community College District’s 2017 fiscal year staffing budget, the few administrators at this college and the district support offices receive large percentages of the overall staffing budgets. This college was allocated $33,319,036 in budgeting to employ approximately 550 faculty and staff. Of the 550 employees, there are 10 employees who receive a salary of $100,000 or more, earning a combined salary of $1,203,587. In all, these 10 employees represent approximately 1.8 percent of the faculty
$215,675 $176,919
Chancellor
Vice chancellors
Associate vice chancellor
James Dusek and staff population and earn 3.6 percent of the entire staffing budget for this college. Two of these salaries are allocated to faculty members who solely teach, while the rest are department chairs, directors and administrators. President Robert Vela earns a salary of
See SALARIES, Page 7
People
2 • April 10, 2017
www.theranger.org/multimedia
Mariachi time Vocal performance sophomore Ashley Criado practices the song “La Derrota” April 3 in Adjunct Alicia Covarrubias’ class. Criado and classmates were practicing three songs preparing for their concert at 7:30 p.m. April 19 in the auditorium of McAllister. This is the first semester this college has had a mariachi class. Brianna Rodrigue
Bat attraction Fran Hutchins, director of Bracken Cave Preserve, explains the pieces needed to create a bat house April 1 at Sinkin Eco Centro during the bat house workshop. Dark stained wood attracts bats in cooler climates, and in Texas lighter stained wood works because of the heat. Rachel Cooper
Shot down Kinesiology freshman Christopher Ferguson goes up for 2 points against two Palo Alto College Palominos defenders April 3 at Palo Alto with 6 minutes left in the first quarter during the first round of playoffs. Ferguson added 34 points to the board. The Rangers lost to the Palominos 109-90. Brianna Rodrigue
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SAC Event: Live in Loftin 9-11 a.m. in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.
SAC Event: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes 11 a.m.-noon in the mall. Call 210-486-0334.
NVC Event: Hunt for the Golden Egg scavenger hunt 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Room 113 of Huisache. Call 210-486-4009.
Event: Art Crawl: Feather, Fur and Scales 10-10:45 a.m. at San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones. Call 210-978-8100.
District: ACCD campuses will be closed for Easter holiday.
Event: Meditation in the Japanese Gallery 10:15-11 a.m. at San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones. Call 210-978-8100.
NLC Workshop: Effective Time Management 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Room 218 of student commons. Call 210-486-5401, option 9.
PAC Event: Staff Council Scholarship fundraiser 11 a.m.2 p.m. in central courtyard with Chick-Fil-A. Call 210-486-3125.
SPC Event: Sixth annual Wellness Fair 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in Gym 1 of health and fitness center. Call 210-486-2000.
SAC Event: Pingpong tournament 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in game room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0129.
SAC Meeting: Campus Activities Board 1-2 p.m. in Room 150 of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.
SAC Event: A History of AntiMexican Immigrant Backlash at 12:15 p.m. in the Methodist Student Center. Call 210-7331441.
NVC Event: Instrumental Chamber Ensemble 7:30-9 p.m. in Palmetto theater. General admission $8, military and seniors $5 and students $3. Call 210-4864827. SAC Event: Student music performance at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of McAllister. Call 210486-0269.
File
NLC Event: Blood drive 10 a.m.3 p.m. in parking lot of career technology. Call 210-486-5404.
NVC Workshop: Effective Communication 5:30-7 p.m. in Room 113 of Huisache Hall. Call 210-486-4009.
PAC Workshop: “To Your Credit.” 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Room 102 of Ozuna. Sign up for a $250 financial literacy award. Call 210-4863125.
Event: Art Fit: Art + Exercise 6-7 p.m. at San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones. Free. Call 210978-8100.
SAC Meeting: Explore the Mind Psychology Club at 2 p.m. in Room 652 of Moody. Call 210-5291639.
NVC Concert: Faculty Recital with Minkyung Lee and Amici Cantanti 7:30-9 p.m. in Palmetto Theater. General admission $8, militar y a n d seniors $5 and students $3. Call 210486-4827.
PAC Event: Pen to Paper. Poetry and refreshments 6-9 p.m. in Ozuna library. Call 210-486-3555.
Event: Fresh Ink: Composition Student Recital 7:30-9 p.m. in Room 114 of Dicke/Smith Building of Trinity University. Call 210-999-8212.
SAC Concert: Chamber Ensemble 7:30 p.m. auditorium of McAllister. Call 210-486-0269.
SAC Meeting: Gay Allied Lesbian Alliance 3-4 p.m. in faculty lounge of Loftin. Call 956893-4175. NVC Event: Jazz ensemble and student combos 7:30-9 p.m. in Palmetto theater. General admission $8, military and seniors $5 and students $3. Call 210-4864827.
PAC Event: Plant sale hosted by Horticulture Club 8 a.m.-noon in the greenhouse. Continues Saturday. Call 210-486-3073 or 210-486-3080. Event: Art Party: Deep in the Art of Texas 6-8 p.m. at San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones. Call 210-978-8100.
Event: Welcome Tour: It’s Art in Any Language 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones. Call 210-9788100.
Event: The Bald Soprano Performance 7-9:30 p.m. in Stieren Theater of Ruth Taylor at Trinity University. General admission $12, faculty, staff, alumni and seniors $8 and students $6. Call 210-999-8515.
Estefania B. Alonzo
NVC Event: Concert choir and soloists 7:30-9 p.m. in Palmetto theater. General admission $8, military and seniors $5 and students $3. Call 210-486-4827.
For coverage in People, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance.
www.theranger.org/news
News
April 10, 2017 • 3
Minority clubs on the rise Students build organizations founded around common interests. Grace Reyes
American Yo u t h Organization was estabAlamo Colleges stu- lished by students, but it dents are diverse and want was not easy for them to express themselves by at the time. sharing their cultures. “The increase in the minority organizations may correlate with the student’s interest,” John Martin, director of student conduct at St. Philip’s College, said. Students at the Alamo Colleges want to express their cultures by sharing Estefania B. Alonso them with the campus comA n munity. article, “Mexican American “What I have noticed Youth Organization” by with my campus is that the Texas State Historical the students are trying to Association, states MAYO express their cultural iden- was a major political orgatity and secure that with the nization that addressed campus,” Martin said. three main issues: economOrganizations have ic independence, education formed from all types of promotion and political cultures at St. Philip’s: the strength through the formaMuslim Student Association, tion of a third party. Men of St. Philip’s and With MAYO’s assistance, Future United Leadership students protested this for Change. college’s authorities’ treatThe Asian Languages and ment of Mexican Americans Culture Club was established and presented them with in fall 2016 at this college. a list of demands, such as The club was created to help the employment of more educate students on Asian Mexican-American teachers culture by watching Asian and staff and the addition of films, discussing the differ- Mexican-American history ent cultures and enjoying the to the curriculum. variety of cuisine. “They submitted their “I believe that stu- charter to the student life dents are interested in the at the time and they didn’t Japanese culture because accept it,” Dixon said. “The they can have access to students ended up joining anime, games, A-pop music the Black Student Union through the internet, social and they would have their media and more,” Yuko joint causes that they would Kawabe, language philoso- fight for at the time.” phy and culture professor at Dixon said the 1960s this college, said. were a struggle for students Meanwhile, this college of all minority groups, but has an anime club, Asian since then, creating minorPop Society, Black Student ity groups is a lot easier. Alliance, Japanese Club, “It’s easier now than it Somos Chicanx and many was back then particularly other organizations. based on how these two Dee Dixon, coordinator groups started,” she said. of the MESA center, brings Northwest Vista has an interesting view of this mostly academic, leadercollege’s minority clubs. ship and religious organi“San Antonio College zations, but also a Filipino had minority clubs dating Student Association and a back to the ’60s,” Dixon said. Somos Mexican-American In 1967, the Mexican Studies club. However, the sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Advising help
Business sophomore Jake Serda speaks with administrative assistant Ericka Mercado about advising March 28 on the first floor of Moody. Serda enjoys the advising center and has found it helpful in finding classes that transfer to universities. Students can visit the advising center to find out what courses they should take in their degree plan and what courses will transfer to other colleges. Visit theranger.org for the story. Emily Garcia
Government in action Professor takes a hands-on approach to learning. Alison Graef
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Government Professor Wanda-Lee Smith and seven students met for class March 9 in the Bill Miller Bar-B-Q restaurant at 1004 San Pedro Ave. In pairs, the students polled restaurant patrons on their knowledge of democracy and their recent political participation. This unusual location was “class as usual” for Smith’s pilot section of GOVT 2306-097, Texas Government, which often meets offcampus. Smith’s classes are set in a “flipped classroom” model, in which students watch prerecorded lectures online before coming to class. In-class time is reserved for solidifying students’ grasp on the information through short lecture and practice activities. The Lectures on Location format maintains the flipped classroom model, but adds in a more hands-on approach to learning. Throughout the semester, classes are at locations around the city, including the Bexar County Commissioners Court. While on location, students get to meet local political officials, tour the location and sit in on sessions to see the government in action. During the visit to the Commissioners Court, the students conducted a mock-court session, in which they acted as the county judge and commissioners. They visited Bexar County Criminal District Court April 6 to observe a murder case, and they are scheduled to visit the Bexar County Elections Office April 20. Smith said she is excited about her Lectures on Location class and hopes the pilot will be successful enough that all of her classes will transition to its model. She sets up all of her classes so pre-recorded lectures are used as preparation material for hands-on learning during class time. “When we get to the location, now it’s time to play, to utilize what we learned in the lecture,” Smith said. “Memorization is the lowest level of learning. I have to take you to comprehension.” International relations sophomore Julisa Alamilla said visiting locations has made the concepts of government more understandable. She said the location visits have motivated her to study harder before class. “It pushes you, because you definitely want to know what you’re talking about when you get to the location,” Alamilla said. Liberal arts sophomore Frances Araugoli said Smith encourages her students to com-
Julisa Alamilla, international relations sophomore, and engineering freshman Francisco Balderas survey Jose Alicea, graduate of Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico, March 9 at Bill Miller Bar-B-Q. Deandra Gonzalez municate and participate without fear of giving a wrong answer or sounding ignorant. “One of her things is she wants you to be vocal,” Araugoli said. “And it doesn’t matter whether your answer is right or not. She just wants you to be vocal.” “It definitely made me more comfortable in getting involved and to go out and ask things because there are people who will help you,” Alamilla said. “So it’s definitely given me more confidence. ... Most people are not involved, because they are afraid of being rejected or not knowing.” Communication design sophomore Juan Ramos said Smith makes her expectations clear from the first day of class. Though the expectations are high, Smith lays out each week’s assignments so he is never confused about what he needs to get done. “With her, you know that the bar is set high from Day 1,” Ramos said. “She has a lot of high expectations, but you can see the level of organization and dedication she puts into it.” Smith wants students to know that while she expects hard work, she genuinely cares about their success in college. She believes students who struggle are not dumb or lazy but lack the techniques to learn effectively. She said the learning skills she teaches in her classes will help students to succeed in any other learning environment. “I want students to know that they matter, that I am here to help them to meet their ambitions,” Smith said. “Many people don’t feel confident. They feel insecure and doubt. So I want them to know that I care, and I don’t mean touchy-feely. What I want to do is give students a treasure chest of tools to help them learn.”
Filipino group is not active this semester. “The vice president has a very busy schedule and cannot handle the responsibilities for the club,” Ranel Bautista, computer science sophomore, said. The group accomplished educating and promoting Filipino culture to students. “I’d say it was a success,” Bautista said. “There were other non-Filipino members in the club who actively participated in the club and who were able to see the culture, the dances from our country, and eat Filipino food, too.” Palo Alto College also has mostly academic and leadership organizations, but does have Somos MAS. Northeast Lakeview has mainly academic and leadership organizations, but no minority-centered clubs. According to the January 2016 Feedback Report prepared for the Alamo Colleges, the populations in four out of the five colleges result in 66 percent underrepresented minorities compared to the national average of 31 percent. Northeast Lakeview did not provide data for this report. According to an Online Resume for Prospective Students, Parents and the Public for the Alamo Community College District, 62 percent of the students were Hispanic, 24 percent were white, 7.5 percent were African American and the rest were other for the fall enrollment of 2016. “The majority of our students are minority so most of our organizations will have the majority of the student members be minority based on the nature of our environment,” Martin said. “All of our organizations are open to any student, but they have their focus and direction on what they want,” he said. For more information about clubs, visit orgsync.com for the Alamo Colleges.
People who THINK like you do – and people who don’t – make the best learning partners.
Alamo Colleges District
Student Leadership Institute Developing students into proactive, productive, and engaging leaders Accepting applications for the 2017-2018 Leadership Program through May 31st For more information, call 210-485-0790 or visit alamo.edu/district/sli
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A mom, rock star, business owner and teacher encourages students to reach for the stars. By Solomon A. Wilson sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Julie Good, a Jill of all trades, juggles two other gigs outside of teaching. Most may know Good as a full-time adjunct in this college’s radio-televisionbroadcast program. Others may know her as a popular singer-songwriter who has performed all over San Antonio, and some may call her boss as she runs her own digital marketing company. Good, who is an alumna of this college, has been running all three branches of her life simultaneously for longer than seven years. Coming from a military household in San Antonio, she was raised with a driven mindset to get her education and do what she loves. Good, 45, is no newbie to the music industry, having played with Grammy Awardwinning Joe Reyes on her album “Coffee Conversations” that gets more than 5,000 plays on streaming services such as iTunes and Pandora per quarter year. Starting piano when she was 4 years old, she quickly grew fond of music and participated in choir from kindergarten through college. “I picked up my first guitar at 21,” Good said of how she used her roommate’s guitar to prac-
Juanita Luna Lawhn with her installation piece titled “Eye of the Needle,” on exhibition 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday through May 26 at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro. Lawhn’s first installation piece is inspired by her 30-year research project studying literature and history of San Antonio women and their fight for justice. The work is layered with different fabrics and photos stitched together to represent the healing process while being a direct reference to the traditional roles of Mexican-American women. Her personal objects displayed represent the San Antonio Laundry Strike, the Pecan Strike, the Finck Cigar Strike and other women protesting unfair labor conditions. The show is free to the public. Kristel Orta Puente
tice only three chords she knew from her uncle. During her time as a student here, Good After only six months, she put together was a frequent user of this college’s early her first band, Denali, which performed all childhood center, which her son attended as of her original songs in venues on the St. a child. Today, he is in law school at St. Mary’s Mary’s strip, such as Paper Tiger and Sam’s University, while his mom has three degrees Burger Joint. in mahogany frames on her desk. Good cites the Beatles’ “White Album” “It is possible to go to school with a child,” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” as musical Good said of being a single mother reaching inspirations. for her dreams. She is currently working with her band Graduating from this college with an assoJulie and A Dog Named Mike on a new album ciate degree in RTVB, she then went to UTSA that will be released in the summer. for a bachelor of arts in communications. With her target audience being songwritShe didn’t want to stop there, and hungry ers and alternative folk rock fans alike, her for more she earned a master’s in technical music has an acoustic coffeecommunication from Texas house vibe that is easy to listen State University. to on repeat. Good finished her eduHear Good’s Good’s love for poetry cation and started her own music at www. meshed perfectly with her love marketing company, Good juliegood.com for songwriting and prompted Creative Media, in 2010. her to pursue a music career They do everything from while balancing school. full music videos to setting up “Every day I went without a degree, I WordPress sites for businesses. knew there was something I haven’t done,” “There are so many people that have Good said. great things the world needs to know about, After having her first child, she enrolled but they don’t know where to start,” Good at this college after briefly attending Texas said of her diverse clientele. State University. Good Creative Media uses professional “There was always this pressure, under- tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign standing and encouragement to finish and WordPress to create logos, shirt designs school,” Good said, describing how higher and even album covers including her own. education plays a huge role in her family. After running her business and staying
SCULPT from Page 1 The protests Lawhn chose to represent in her sculpture include the Finck Cigar Strike of 1933, the San Antonio Laundry Strike of 1937, the Dorothy Frock Manufacturing Strike of 1936 and the Pecan Shellers’ Strike of 1938. The sculpture is a result of research Lawhn started in the 1970s when she first started teaching at this college. “One of the first questions I asked was, ‘Where is the literature by us, by Mexican-Americans?” Lawhn said. “The answer was there was none.” That question led to another: “Where was literature by women?” Lawhn began searching for Mexican-American literature, and in 1976 she started the first MexicanAmerican literature course at this college. Lawhn recently began studying Mexican-American protests in San
deeply involved with her music, she was approached by music business program Coordinator Donnie Meals, who was not only a friend but a supporter of her band, about a teaching position here. When she’s not reading Marshall McLuhan’s philosophical media writings or studying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, one might find her teaching music marketing, doing concert promotions or website building in one of her six classes. “I teach my students how to build WordPress websites and social media profiles for music business clients,” Good said of her music marketing classes. She is also the website manager for fredstockSATX.com, an annual festival in the parking lot of Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building scheduled for April 23. Good is an advocate for students. “It is an honor and a treat for people to be able to go to school,” she said. Balancing this busy lifestyle seems hectic to most, but this is the norm for her. “I can’t imagine living without any of them,” Good said of her irons in the fire. A full-time adjunct with six classes, a rock star, a business owner and mom, Good gives this advice to students: “Time passes no matter what. It’s up to you how you invest it.” In other words, she encourages those who may be where she was to keep going.
Antonio and wanted to bring her love of Mexican-American literature and Mexican-American women protests together in her sculpture. “Everyone knows about the Pecan Shellers’ Strike,” Lawhn said. “But I wanted to bring these women to life, tell who they are, give them names and identities.” The “Aqui Estamos y No Nos Vamos” exhibit is a response to the rhetoric of President Donald J. Trump’s campaign, Lawhn said. “Not that I don’t know that this type of rhetoric is there, but this dialogue kind of gave permission to shout out abusive rhetoric that is so against diversity and people of color,” Lawhn said. “So I decided to say something with my art, and I think that the intent of my exhibit is to show that the base of most of us is Mexico because so many of us are from Mexico and have family from Mexico, and this whole idea of
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miere Professor finds peace of mind on the court
olleyball has profound impact on overnment professor.
y Austin P. Taylor
c-ranger@alamo.edu
Government Professor Asslan Khaligh has een playing volleyball for most of his life. Ever nce he was a child, Khaligh found himself tracted to the sport. “One of the things that attracted me to volyball was how cheap it is to set up,” Khaligh id. “You don’t need fancy shoes, a special net even a great ball. We certainly didn’t have ose.” Khaligh grew up in Isfahan, Iran. The area Isfahan that Khaligh grew up in allowed m and his friends to easily set up makeshift ourts. For those unfamiliar with the sport of volyball, the setup is relatively simple. A flat area is separated into two halves by a et; the net is held between two posts. The plays, whether playing in teams or individually, ust hit the ball over the net and attempt to t the ground within bounds on the side of the pposing team. So the real key to the game is the net, the nly component that might be hard to come y. Luckily for Khaligh, he and his friends had solution. “Where I grew up, there were a lot of small leyways,” Khaligh said. “So we’d take thread or a string and we’d tie from one side of the alley to e other.” That simple fix was all haligh and company eeded. While volleyball was e hobby that Khaligh ould fall in love with, wasn’t the first one that qued his interest. Khaligh also had an ppreciation for martial arts. “When I was a kid, Bruce ee’s kung-fu was the coolest thing,” File haligh said. “I must have seen ‘Enter e Dragon,’ and I’m not exaggerating, about 00 times.” Khaligh’s love for martial arts rested in the editative focus of the exercise. He found the actice helpful when he needed to center himlf. Unfortunately, his father didn’t see it the me way. “He was very much against my interest in e martial arts,” Khaligh said. “He thought that artial arts was an inherently violent practice.” Khaligh’s father needed a way to get his son ut of martial arts, fast. “It was as if he was afraid that I would o around chopping at people in the streets!”
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Khaligh said. So Khaligh’s father asked his son to join a sport, something that he felt would build character in a more meaningful way. Eventually, this led him to volleyball, a sport that would envelop his life for decades to come. Khaligh played volleyball throughout his schooling years; he even went on to play for the National University of Iran (now Shahid Beheshti University). He would often play as a setter. In volleyball, a setter is a supporting role. Khaligh would set up shots and spikes for other players to exploit. Khaligh never played as a spiker; he thought he was not tall enough for the role. So while attending the university, Khaligh focused on his studies. There wasn’t much of a future in volleyball during the 1970s, at least not in Iran. So Khaligh focused on his grades. He received a bachelor of arts from the university and eventually finished his education at St. Mary’s University with a master’s in political science and government. However, Khaligh never stopped finding pleasure in volleyball. “When I first moved here, I would often use one of the tennis courts near my apartment,” Khaligh said. He began meeting people who shared his passion for the sport. Eventually, he and a group of other like-minded individuals were able to start a group at Colonial Hills Methodist Church. They weren’t technically involved with the church, which ultimately led to their program being cut after several years. They later established another volleyball group at St. Matthew Catholic Church. This group went on for about a decade until, much like before, they were shut down. Khaligh doesn’t hold anything against the churches. He understands their reasoning. “We weren’t contributing enough to the church, so they’d cut us,” Khaligh said. “Often we’d be replaced by a youth sports program.” Khaligh’s love for volleyball comes as a bit of a surprise to collaborators on this campus. “I didn’t know that he played volleyball,” said Brenda Meneses, the office administrator at the Methodist Student Center, where Khaligh has helped organize Hot Potato lectures for about 30 years. “It’s funny, though — he used to be my instructor.” Meneses has worked with Khaligh since she
former coordinator of this college’s multicultural conference, English Professor Laurie Lopez Coleman said. “She did the conference for years without any kind of official college support,” Coleman said. Lawhn did the conferences out of her own desire to give voices to important multicultural people in history, Coleman said. The multicultural conference has since become an official Fiesta event. Coleman said Lawhn likes to share the issues of the past, such as racism, with people because she knows these issues are still not resolved. “She really likes to get people to think about the images of the past. She loves images,” Coleman said. Lawhn has taken several trips to the University of Texas at Austin library to look through archives to find lesser-known issues of the past and bring light to them so there
can be a conversation about them, Coleman said. Lawhn integrated art into her curriculum by asking students to write an essay based on the art at the “Aqui Estamos y No Nos Vamos” exhibit, social work freshman Kayla Green said. Green enjoyed the multimedia elements Lawhn used to make the sculpture, such as the needles connecting the pictures of the strikes to the apron. “I think her piece brings out a lot of Mexican culture because a lot of women sew and do things shown in her piece,” Green said. The “Aqui Estamos y No Nos Vamos” exhibit opened March 27 and continues through May 26 at Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave. The exhibit is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Call 210-2280201 or visit esperanzacenter.org.
April 10, 2017 • 5
Government Professor Asslan Khaligh teaches his class in Chance April 4. Khaligh has worked at this college for more than 35 years and has been an avid volleyball player for 40 years. Khaligh used to play on teams at local churches, but now enjoys the sport as a spectator. Emily Garcia joined the center in 2004. volleyball. When he looked back on these years, Khaligh often serves as a Hot Potato speaker it’s clear Khaligh is fond of those times. discussing politics in the Middle East, ISIS, the “I’ve met some wonderful people while playIran nuclear deal and other ing volleyball,” Khaligh topics. said. “I keep in touch with I found that the sport Another collaboraa few of them; they’re wonhelped me channel my tor expressed surprise that derful people.” negative feelings... Khaligh has an interest in It was around this time spiking as well as speaking. that Khaligh began seeing Asslan Khaligh, volleyball as a meditative “I thought it a little odd,” Government Professor said the Rev. Johnny Silva, exercise, in a way that was the director of the student similar to his early views center. “It wasn’t the first thing that came to on martial arts. mind.” “I found that the sport helped me channel While Khaligh hasn’t played volleyball for my negative feelings toward whatever had been a while, he still holds the sport close to his going on in my life into something construcheart. tive,” Khaligh said. He enjoys religiously watching high-level “It really calmed me.”
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Editorial
6 • April 10, 2017
.org
the
ranger
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Editor Zachary-Taylor Wright
Managing Editor Michelle Delgado News Editor Emily Garcia Features Editor James Dusek Calendar Editor Grayce Trevino Staff Writers Samantha L. Alonso, Bismarck D. Andino, Ashley Bailey, Nicole M. Bautista, Kimberly Brown, J. Carbajal, Rachel Cooper, J. Del Valle, S.R. Garcia, Maria Gardner, Elena Longoria, Mario Parker Menchaca III, Maritza Ramirez, Grace Reyes, Sasha D. Robinson, Austin P. Taylor, Jakoby West, Solomon A. Wilson Photo Editor Brianna Rodrigue Photographers Noah Acevedo, Deandra Gonzalez, Alison Graef, Aly Miranda Photo Team Zaeva Mercado, Kristel Orta, Christy Romero Renee Talamantes Multimedia Editor Brandon A. Edwards Video Team Christian Erevia Illustrators Estefania B. Alonso Wally Perez Social Media Promoter Miranda Holden ©2017 by The Ranger staff, San Antonio College, 1819 N. Main Ave., San Antonio, TX 78212-3941. 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 classes in the Journalism Program 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, Journalism Program, San Antonio College, 1819 N. Main Ave., San Antonio TX 78212-3941 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.
Wally Perez
Fill the college, not your coffer Trustees’ justification for a proposed bond issue is shaky at best. At a March 7 meeting, the board of trustees had a conversation full of their typical half-facts and fueled by dreams. When District 2 trustee Denver McClendon asked about the capacity of the colleges in the district, his fellow board members were incapable of answering the seemingly simple question. McClendon said the public thinks the district doesn’t have enough enrollment to justify giving them $450 million to construct several new buildings. He’s right. Enrollment in the district is down yet the board still claims our current
facilities are so packed full of students that we need to spend money on new ones. Trustees proceeded to claim that even though they aren’t entirely sure what maximum capacities for the buildings are, they’re sure they must be getting pretty close. District 9 trustee Jim Rindfuss claimed Northeast Lakeview College soon will reach maximum capacity. Really, Mr. Rindfuss? We aren’t aware of an apparently massive increase in Lakeview’s enrollment. When we walk the barren courtyard with that creepy clock staring down at us, we think of how shockingly empty the campus is. Of course, there’s no way of knowing exactly how close we are to capacity.
The board is apparently unable to produce clear and accurate numbers for either the colleges’ current enrollments or their maximum capacities. Maybe the board would have a more realistic grasp of the colleges’ enrollments if they were allowed to step foot on one of their campuses without having to clear it with the college first. Here’s an idea: What if we based our $450 million decisions in facts, rather than whatever the board decides sounds good on any particular day? Board: Provide accurate and honest numbers for enrollment and capacity before you ask us to give you money. Without facts to justify your bond, your promises are as empty as Lakeview’s parking lots.
letters More fun, less rush
Sympathy for former coach
Encourage experience over fast degrees. There is a whole facility dedicated to transferring students out of here, and that sparks concern. This college’s transfer and career center is great when it comes to students who wish to rush through college. However, most people who enter college are straight out of high school and more than likely do not have their whole life planned in regard to their career choices. Whatever happened to college being one vast experience where you are encouraged to take as many classes as you can in your interests, such as painting or kinesiology? Now it seems the college just wants students to come in and out of college with a degree in hand. The second you start enrollment is the minute a student is
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encouraged to think about where to transfer. It seems the most common question asked by a professor or adviser is “when are you graduating,” then “where are you transferring?” This could be a tough question for some students to answer if they are not sure what they want as a career. Why not ask students what their dreams in life are or what they’re passionate about? Not only does the college want students to run out with a degree, but also it’s recommended that they transfer, hence the TRAC Center on the first floor of Moody Learning Center. Whatever can be done to bring those graduation and transfer numbers up is what will be done. We should focus on encouraging students to be self-expressive and to take as many “fun” classes as their hearts desire, not for credit hours or a degree, but for the experience.
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Editor: Regarding “Men’s basketball coach ejected from job” from Feb. 20 and the editorial from Feb. 28: Nowadays, in the world of sports, it does seem that we as a society have been slowly rising above the standard of accepting subpar success within our programs. As a sports fan, it’s very nice to see that change occurring. Sometimes problems with sports programs can range from the players or standards in the locker room to management. After reading this article, I am fairly appalled at how this matter has taken course. To have such progress within a couple of years when many other schools and programs with worse problems can take almost a decade to get going, is a success story within itself. When Coach Martinez took over the team in 2014, the Rangers were 4-15. Then in two years to rise to 8-8 and 9-7 with an appearance in the playoffs is, in a word, incredible. Many said Martinez was a great coach who made an impact on the court and in the classroom. Coaches and players considered him a very close friend; Steve Ochoa, the assistant coach under Martinez who has coached basketball for almost 30 years, acknowledged that the school was losing a very good coach indeed. Dontae Hargrave Liberal Arts Sophomore
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News
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April 10, 2017 • 7
SALARIES from Page 1
Risk management Coordinator Janae Johnson announces there will no longer be zone-based drills at the March 24 Faculty Senate meet-
ing. Drills will be addressed by building name. Johnson encouraged faculty to report all safety issues to her. Noah Acevedo
Faculty Senate welcomes risk management coordinator Coordinator announces there will no longer be zone-based drills.
$215,657, which is $83,173 more than the secondhighest salary at $132,484. This staff budgeting trend at this college is mirrored in district staffing numbers. For district staffing, the budget allocates $41,745,950. The district offers approximately 750 positions, according to the 2017 fiscal year staffing budget. Of the 750 available, 52 positions are accompanied by salaries of more than $100,000, which accounts for approximately 6.8 percent of district employees. That 6.8 percent of district employees make a combined salary of $7,032,017. In all, 6.8 percent of district employees earn 16.8 percent of the district offices’ staffing budget. Chancellor Bruce Leslie earns a salary of $399,321, which accounts for 0.98 percent of the district offices’ staffing budget. That doesn’t include perks. Leslie earns $183,646 more than the vice chancellors, who are the second highest-paid employees at the district offices and earn a salary of $215,657, the same as the five college presidents. The highest-paid associate vice chancellor earns a salary of $176,919, which is $38,756 less than the vice chancellors. The vice chancellors received a $5,982 raise from fiscal year 2015 to fiscal year 2016, and they received a $10,270 raise from fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2017. Chancellor, vice chancellor and associate vice chancellors compose the 10 highest-paid positions at the district offices. For a list of college and district employees who make six figures or more, see this story at www. theranger.org.
By Michelle Delgado
mdelgado200@student.alamo.edu
The coordinator for college risk management appeared as a guest at the March 24 Faculty Senate meeting to announce new drill guidelines and listen to faculty concerns. Janae Johnson is the first risk management coordinator at this college. Her position was introduced this semester to prioritize safety and emergencies. Northwest Vista College followed with the new position, and Northeast Lakeview is looking into hiring someone to fill the new college position, Johnson said. “My responsibilities are basically the safety officer for campus,” Johnson said. “I take a look at our emergency management procedures, drills, environmental health and safety issues.” Johnson encouraged the senate to let her know of any situation regarding safety at this college. “I always say, ‘when in doubt, seek me out.’” Johnson announced there would no longer be emergency drills based on zones. “We are doing away with the zonebased drills,” she said. “They are not really accomplishing what we want, and it’s not a realistic model for the types of hazards that we will face or how we will respond to it.” Instead of labeling zone areas, the new areas will be called by their building name. “We need to do it in a way that prepares people better, so we will be doing drills by individual building,” she said. Johnson said performing drills by individual building will ensure there is no confusion, and she will now be able
TRANSGENDER from Page 1
Mariano Aguilar Jr., English and Mexican-American studies professor, speaks to risk management Coordinator Janae Johnson about his concerns regarding campus safety at the March 24 Faculty Senate meeting in Moody. Noah Acevedo to personally work with the action teams. Each building has an action team that consists of faculty and staff who take charge during an emergency. “The team will tell me when a good time and date are for the building to do drills, so hopefully, it’s not as disruptive to the normal operations and still get in this very much needed training,” Johnson said. Fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt asked if there would be anymore traditional drills for the rest of the semester. “As far as this schedule, we are done for the spring,” Johnson said. Johnson also announced that the emergency emails and text messages traditionally sent to students and employees to make them aware of zones in a drill would no longer be sent. Most people don’t know what zone they are in or what a zone is, she said. It will now appear like, “Moody Learning Center is being evacuated,” Johnson said.
RATES from Page 1 students about issues they thought might hinder their success, Burton said. “By giving the surveys, we can see what factors students think keep them from succeeding,” Burton said. “So instead of just throwing everything at the wall to find a solution … let’s see what students say so we can identify what their biggest obstacles are and address them.” By identifying and addressing these obstacles, productive grade rates and retention rates may rise. Many issues identified by students through the surveys at the beginning of the semester were lack of study spaces, money problems, procrastination, time management and poor study habits, English Professor Liz Ann Aguilar said. “Students are aware of these issues, but it was interesting to
Johnson said these new drill guidelines would help students handle an emergency instead of being confused. Mariano Aguilar Jr., English and Mexican-American studies professor, brought a concern to Johnson’s attention. Aguilar told Johnson one of his students had tripped on loose cobblestone in the mall recently and was injured. “A bunch of the automatic doors don’t open the way they should, elevators don’t work the way they should, so all of those three things are what I’m worried about,” Aguilar said. Johnson said one thing she wants to get away from is hearing about incidents after the fact and encourages faculty to report all emergency and safety situations to her. “When there are falls, let me know,” Johnson said. “It helps us prioritize because budget and time restraints are always a reality.” For more information, contact Johnson at 486-0902 or jjohnson650@ alamo.edu.
see if they addressed them by the end of the semester or not,” Aguilar said. Teachers can only help students maintain good grades and stay enrolled as much as the students will let them, Aguilar said. She has found that even though students are aware of their issues, many do not seek advising or come to her for help. “I can try to reach out to students as much as I possibly can, but it is up to the student to decide if they want the help,” Aguilar said. “If a student does not want the help to pass a class or stay in a class, what else can I possibly do?” Aguilar believes some students lack motivation. “What concerns me is if a student does not want to turn in their work or come to class, how are you going to work in your job once you finish college, where they will not tolerate missing work?” Aguilar said.
lished March 24 by Reuters. “This is a manufactured controversy,” Farias said. He said on campus there has not been a case where a man dressed up as a woman to enter a women’s restroom for the intention of harm. Entering a restroom for transgender individuals can be stressful for fear of facing negative comments and treatment, Farias said. “As a member of the LGBTQ community, it breaks my heart,” Farias said. “They are a group that needs the most compassion.” In 2010, the Alamo Colleges board of trustees adapted language protecting the rights of all students, faculty, and staff based on sexual orientation, he said. Under the Obama administration, Title IX was expanded to include gender as a protected category in the definition of sex discrimination. Title IX bans sex discrimination in any educational institutional receiving federal funding and creates guidelines institutions must follow. The expansion made by the Department of Education in May 2016 drove the Alamo Colleges board to include gender identity and gender expression in the policy on civil rights protections, Farias said. Farias, an English instructor prior to being interim dean, said gender identity refers to how a person identifies, which may or may not correspond to the sex at birth. Gender expression refers to how individuals dress or behave that demonstrates their chosen gender, he said. The Department of Education in the Trump administration withdrew the guidelines for transgender students in Title IX and left it to the states to determine, according to an article published Feb. 22 by the Associated Press. “Even with the change, under Title IX, transgender students still have a right to come to school and be free from harassment and be treated as equals,” Martinez said. In the two years that Martinez has served in the role of Title IX director, he has not received complaints of harassment or bullying of transgender students, Martinez said. He attributes this to a welcoming and accepting community on campus. GALA, a group here for LGBTQ students and allies, educates and brings awareness to the campus about the LGBTQ issues especially with Coming Out Week in the fall, he said. If issues do arise, the SAC Cares office has advocates to support transgender students, Martinez said. SAC Cares can be reached at 210-486-0920 and is located in Room 101 of the nursing complex.
News
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April 10, 2017 • 8
Lost and found: A student’s story of redemption Kinesiology freshman spent 15 years in prison. By Alison Graef
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Patrick Elizondo, 37, kinesiology freshman and president of the K-Club, was incarcerated at age 19 for multiple counts of robbery and illegal possession of guns. He is now a full-time student and work-study in the kinesiology program. Elizondo grew up in Northside ISD with his mother, stepfather and siblings. “I was still involved with the negative, and before you know it the negative took over,” he said. Elizondo’s father, formerly enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, worked as a painter at Kelly Air Force Base until he was fired in the late 1980s. After that, Elizondo’s mother, a licensed vocational nurse, became the only consistent source of income for the family. Elizondo’s father was an alcoholic who would become physically and verbally abusive to his mother when drunk. Elizondo’s mother and father divorced when he was 6 years old. “Having him taken away really affected me, ” Elizondo said. “Just as kids wondering if it was our fault. Then, missing my father, I started acting up in school.” At age 13, Elizondo joined a local gang, the Klan. Most of the other members were teenagers, including friends, cousins and other neighborhood youth, he said. With the Klan, he participated in gang parties and driveby shootings. After high school, he became involved with a different gang, the Klicksters. One year after graduating from Marshall
Patrick Elizondo, kinesiology freshman and a kinesiology work-study student, cheers on students running in kinesiology Instructor Dawn Brooks’ physical conditioning class March 8. Elizondo was helping Brooks make sure High School, Elizondo’s police record started. He was found in possession of an unlicensed gun. Two months later, while still on probation, he was found in possession of two more unlicensed guns. Four hours before the end of his probation for the second offense, July 16, 1999,
the students were completing their runs up and down the stairs of Chance Academic Center and the parking garage. Elizondo is studying to be able to give back to young people. Brianna Rodrigue
Elizondo was apprehended and arrested for participating in aggravated robbery of three convenience stores. Elizondo was charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and incarcerated in Bexar County Jail with a bail of $100,000. After one month, he was also charged with
a third count of aggravated robbery and the possession of two more unlicensed guns. His bail was increased to $166,000. “My mother wanted to get me out, but I said no because I knew at that point, I was going to be sent to prison,” Elizondo said. Read the full story online.
Reconstructing parking lots By Grace Reyes sac-ranger@alamo.edu
On March 9, an email was sent to all faculty and students that the parking lots adjacent to Tobin Lofts will be closed beginning March 20 for reconstruction and renovation. However, many students appeared to ignore the situation so construction was delayed until March 23. “It took three more days to get the cars out of the parking lot because the students did not follow instructions,” John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities operation and construction management, said in a phone interview March 23. Strybos explained some of the changes that will be made to the parking lot at West Evergreen and Howard Street. “They will be putting in safety lighting and emergency telephones so that means that the parking lot would have to be restriped and the parking lot be repaved,” Strybos said. “We will be doing some curbs, sidewalks and entrances.” Strybos said there will be two emergency phones and three light poles with cameras added to the parking lot. Some of the construction activities will include erosion
protection, proper drainage, reconstruction of the curbs and sidewalks and seal coating and restriping to provide better traffic flow. Most of the crime reports sent to students are vehicle burglary in the Evergreen parking lot so adding lighting should make it safer, Strybos said. “It’ll be safer for students. There are fair amounts of vehicle theft at night due to insufficient safety lighting,” he said. Strybos said the new construction of the parking lot will reduce its original number of parking spots by 26 spaces. The parking lot started off with 97 spaces and is estimated to have 71 spots after the construction is done, and the lot will have no handicapped parking spots. “We are going to lose some spots so we can add in the lighting,” he said. Strybos estimates that this project should be done when classes starts in the fall, depending on weather conditions affecting the project. “Ideally, it should be done sooner, but I can’t control the weather,” he said.
Lot 23 at Evergreen and Howard will be closed for renovation until August. The changes include adding light poles and emergency phones and fixing sidewalks. Christy Romero For more information, call Strybos at 210-486-0700.
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