The Ranger, Oct. 5, 2015

ranger .org

the

Getting interview ready: as easy as magic

Serving San Antonio College since 1926

Page 3

An independent forum of free voices

/readtheranger @therangerSAC /therangervideo

210-486-1773 • Single copies free

Volume 90 Issue 4 • Oct. 5, 2015

Consultant hired for decision-making Special board meeting and retreat was Oct. 2. By Cynthia M. Herrera

cherrera151@student.alamo.edu

The Sanaghan Group, an organizational consulting firm, has partnered with the Alamo Colleges to make a plan for faculty input on institutional decisions. Over the years, faculty, trustees, administrators and the chancellor have not seen eye to eye and trust has been an issue. Pat Sanaghan, president of Sanaghan Group, was hired to mend trust and help create a design-making model to include faculty voices for decisions made in the Alamo Colleges.

At press time, a special board meeting to discuss a decision-making model was scheduled for Oct. 2 at the Norris Conference Center, Park North Shopping Center. Leo Zuniga, associate vice chancellor of communications, said the meeting was for college stakeholders, faculty, administration, staff and board members. The meeting was to introduce the Alamo Colleges participatory leadership of the faculty decision-making model design team. The meeting was to be open to the public and live-streamed at www.alamo.edu/district/board/videos/. Sanaghan met with trustees during a special board meeting Sept. 14 in Killen Center. Sanaghan and the trustees agreed on reasons for Sanaghan to help the Alamo Colleges: Faculty

and trustees do not agree on decisions made by the board and a process will be made to help both parties. District 5 trustee Roberto Zarate said the only faculty members trustees interact with are from Super Senate, and trustees would like to reach more faculty members and receive their input. “I find that when I approach faculty about some issues, they have no idea what happens at those board meetings. They don’t care. They’re busy with their students. They’re busy with their curriculum. They’re very receptive to a lot of the changes that have happened,” Zarate said. “I want to be sure that we expand the trust that we’re building with the community to the faculty that are credible, that are productive, that

are engineers to the future,” he said. Sanaghan said there is a breakdown of relationships between trustees and faculty. “Shared expectations need to be negotiated. A lot of trust has to be built. When you have trust in the system, things move very fast, and when trust is low, you move slow,” Sanaghan said. District 9 trustee James Rindfuss said the design team needs to include community leaders who know the current work field. “The only thing that bothers me is that it doesn’t seem to include community leaders who are out in the industry and the business, yet that is where we have our biggest break down,” Rindfuss said. “We’re hearing from our

See CONSULTANT, Page 8

Student claims lofts ignored drug reports By Kyle Cotton

kcotton11@student.alamo.edu

Jab Communication sophomore Emilio Aguilar throws a right jab at kinesiology freshman Joseph Silva Sept. 29 during boxing practice in the dance room of Candler. Practice consisted of punching drills and physical conditioning. The Olympicstyle boxing event will be 6-8 p.m. Oct. 23 during SACtacular in the mall. E. David Guel

With the recent report of the increase in the reported crime rate at Tobin Lofts and garage compared to the 2014 Uniform Crime Report statistics, students have expressed concerns about the safety of those areas. A former student who lived at Tobin Lofts when it first opened in November 2013 said he was forced to drop out of the Alamo Colleges after Campus Advantage, the contracted third party management, failed to act. The student, who asked his name be withheld because he still fears retaliation, alleged that in his four months as a resident, he witnessed underage students drinking and drug use, such as cocaine and marijuana. The student said he went to Tobin Lofts management and nothing was

done. He later informed two student conduct officers of the issues. He said one officer said they would look into the issue and the other said, “This is just part of college life.” “I don’t know what the officer meant by that, but I don’t know of any institution that has drinking as part of college life,” Manuel Flores, a student conduct officer, said. “Drinking is part of an individual’s life, not college life; you come to college to learn” The student also witnessed one individual selling drugs out of Tobin Lofts, and informed the management of Tobin Lofts. He then went to the Alamo Colleges police with these accusations. In the police report obtained by The Ranger, the student told Alamo Colleges police the individual was selling cocaine and

See TOBIN, Page 3

Employers struggling to find workers with needed skills Executive director explained solution to workforce crises. By Ty-Eshia Johnson sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Employers are struggling to find skilled workers, the head of Bexar County Economic Development said while giving an in-depth analysis of the 10 Metrocom cities and what the future will bring to Northeast Bexar County. Executive Director David Marquez delivered the forecast Sept. 18 at Northeast Lakeview College. Metrocom cities are suburban municipalities surrounding Northeast Lakeview College. Each contributed representatives to an oversight committee during planning for the college. “We’ve got some challenges in our community on the horizon for workforce, and we’re feeling already the early stages of it,” Marquez said. “It’s not too late to fix it. “I went in as a Department of Labor apprentice for the exact same reason that we have today,” he said. As a young adult, Marquez worked at Kelly Air Force Base as an apprentice in a maintenance repair shop. The base could not find machinists with the skills to work in the

maintenance repair shop, so it had to retrain existing employees. The challenge is a shortage and mismatch in job skills that employers are looking for, Marquez said. Applicants and employees lack basic skills essential for future training in higher paying jobs. “These topics are timely and important,” he said. “If we don’t resolve these issues, our goal to recruit high-paying jobs here is severely unreasonable.” The jobs are available, but people are having difficulty finding work, he said. “We need to work with those of you who provide those skills to make sure that we’re meeting the needs of the employers, not only the ones that are here, but those we hope to attract,” Marquez said. The unemployment rate in the metropolitan area is 3 to 5 percent and 3.8 percent in this city, he said. According to the National Right to Read Foundation, 42 million U.S. adults can’t read, and over 50 million adults can’t read past a fifth-grade level. Only 13 percent of Americans are proficient in mathematics, and the U.S. ranks 25th among 30 industrialized nations in math scores. In this city, 21 percent of Bexar County high school students failed the STAAR test, 78 percent are not

college-ready and 27 percent of San Antonio residents read at the most limited literacy levels. According to the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy, U.S. adults are unable to solve math problems, such as calculating tips or comparing prices in food markets. A child not reading at a thirdgrade level by the end of third grade will most likely never reach adequate literacy levels. Without an adequate literacy and numeracy foundation, it becomes much more difficult for higher education institutions to provide a prepared workforce necessary for economic growth, Marquez said. There has been an over-emphasis on four-year degree career counseling for years, but basic skill training for those entering into the workforce has yet to be provided. Marquez said the community depends on a high-skilled and highquality workforce. Middle skilled workers, for jobs requiring an education beyond high school, but less than a bachelor’s, are in high demand. Professional and technical certifications are also acceptable. However, employers are becoming frustrated with the shortage of skilled workers, which is their primary complaint.

David Marquez, executive director of the Bexar County Economic Development, speaks with the 10 representatives of local communities about the current workforce and economy Sept. 18 in the performing arts center at Northeast Lakeview College. Hillary E. Ratcliff By 2016, 44.8 percent of low-wage jobs will require on-the-job training, while 26.5 percent of high-wage jobs will require a bachelor’s degree. According to the MacArthur Foundation, 65 percent of grade school children will work in jobs that do not exist yet, however, they will work in fields that do, such as health care, law enforcement, technology, business, manufacturing and product design, Marquez said. After the presentation, Selma

Mayor Tom Daly was the first to comment. “I come to a lot of these things listening to the same things all of the time,” he said. “I have two young teenagers 17 and 15, and I’m frustrated. I’m point-blank tired and frustrated.” “The Texas curriculum is archaic. My kids can’t even tell me the five Great Lakes. My kids can’t tell me the 50 states of America. They’re 17 and 15 and they go to a great school up here, and they can’t tell me basic things ... basic things that we learned when we were young,” Daly said. “I can’t change it myself, but we can all change it, and that’s why I’m giving this message of this dark situation,” Marquez said. The community must change the way the system is set up to get better results, he said. Jacqueline Jackson, business development specialist at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said, “There are a lot of support systems that can help prepare, so that by the third grade, youngsters are reading on the level they’re supposed to.” There must be opportunities for illiterate families to catch up, and there must be positive reinforcements, she said. “I guess I’m talking about it takes a village to raise a child,” she said.

SAConnected

2 • Oct. 5, 2015

www.theranger.org/calendar

Book donation Retired English Professor John Igo reads over “Easy Reference Guide for Symptoms” at the unveiling of the John Igo Health and Wellness Resource Center. Igo gave the book to Katie Dale (center right), resident programs director at Brookdale Hamilton Wolfe Senior Living, as a symbol of his donation of more than 250 medical books Sept. 23 in the Sun Room at Brookdale, 5331 Hamilton Wolfe Road. Kyle R. Cotton

Street workout

Candy time Communication design sophomore Solomon Johnson Jr. turns a cotton candy cone during Gay, Ally, Lesbian Alliance’s weekly meeting Wednesday at the employee lounge’s patio outside Loftin. GALA members practiced making cotton candy cones they will sell for $1 at the alcohol awareness event from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 6 in the mall. GALA meets from 3-4:30 p.m. every Wednesday in the lounge. Daniel Carde

Residents participate in a Body Combat cardiovascular class demonstration at Síclovía Sunday downtown. Síclovía is a free event that allows participants to be active in the streets without worrying about car traffic. Roads were closed off from Alamo Plaza to Broadway and East Mulberry. Melissa Luna

today tues

NVC Film: “The Head of Joaquin Murrieta” and filmmaker John J. Valadez 9:30 a.m. Manzanillo Hall. Call 210486-4682. SAC Event: Chalk Day by The Ranger 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in mall. Call 210-486-1776. SAC Event: Karaoke by Masquerade DJ and free popcorn 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860125.

SAC Event: Alcohol awareness 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the mall. Call 210-486-0127. SPC Event: National Depression Screening 10 a.m.1 p.m. Building 1 Southwest Campus. Call 210-486-2100. SAC Meeting: NonTraditional Student Club 12:30-1:30 p.m. empowerment center. Call 210-8154014.

PAC Event: Generations FCU: “Saving and Investing” 11 a.m.-noon Room 130 student center. Call 210-486-3882.

NVC Event: Pre-Health Delegation for breast cancer awareness 1-3 p.m. Cypress patio and lawn. Call 210-4864007.

SAC Meeting: Student Government Association noon in craft room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125.

SAC Meeting: Cheshyre Cheese Club 1:30 p.m. Room 203 of Gonzales. Call 210486-1436.

SAC Meeting: Hammock Club 12:15-1 p.m. and 9:3010:30 a.m. Thursday at picnic tables by Candler. 210-3106859.

SAC Meeting: Campus Crusade for Christ 1:45-2:45 p.m. Room 002 of Chance. Call 210-486-1233.

PAC Event: “Prejudice and Pride” documentary 2-3:30 p.m. Room 117 of Ozuna. Call 210-486-3882. SAC Meeting: Campus Activities Board 2 p.m. employee lounge in Loftin. Call 210589-3845. Event: Poet Anne Waldman 7-9 p.m. Room 142 of Chapman Center, Trinity University. Call 210-999-8406.

SAC Event: National Society of Leadership and Success live speaker broadcast with Al Roker 5:45-7:45 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860134. SAC Event: National Night Out by Alamo Colleges police department 6-8 p.m. Evergreen between Main and Howard. Free. Call 210-485-0099.

Lowrider memories

Education freshman Stephanie Enriquez poses with Bomb Squad’s lowrider as EMT sophomore John Torres snaps a photo at the Antojitos festival Sept. 29 in the mall. Katelynn Alexa Garcia

sun

wed

thur

fri

SAC Event: Tony Rodriguez Band 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860125.

SAC Meeting: Social Work Student Association 1-2 p.m. employee lounge of Loftin. Call 210-309-1545.

SAC Event: 3-on-3 mini volleyball tournaments noon-2 p.m. in Candler gym. $5 per person per tournament. Call 210-486-0129.

SAC Meeting: Student Government Association noon in Craft Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860125.

Event: “Resumania” 11 a.m.2 p.m. Dubuis Law, UIW. Call 210-829-3931.

Event: “Mixteco Ballet Folklorico” dance performance. 1:15-2 p.m. Mabee auditorium, UIW. Call 210-841-7360.

SAC Meeting: Asian Pop Society meeting 2-5 p.m. Craft Room of Loftin. Call 210-4526185.

PAC Event: Heritage Month opening ceremony and indigenous blessing noon-1:30 p.m. courtyard. Call 210-486-3125.

SAC Meeting: Future Teachers Organization 12:30 p.m. Room 108 of Gonzales. Call 210-627-1491. SAC Meeting: Club Amar 1:45 p.m. craft room of Loftin. Call 210-290-0865 SAC Meeting: Psychology Club 2 p.m. Room 623 of Moody. Call 210-773-8306. SAC Meeting: Students for Environmental Awareness 2 p.m. EcoCentro. Call 210-5630447. SAC Event: Pingpong 2:30-4 p.m. in game room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. SAC Meeting: Gay, Ally Lesbian Alliance 3-4:30 p.m. in employee lounge in Loftin. Call 210-326-7274.

SAC Event: Fashion show practice 2-4 p.m. in Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-4860125. SAC Event: Flag Football 3:30-7 p.m. at Olmos Park, 651 Devine Rd. Call 210-4860129. SAC Meeting: Black Student Alliance 3:30 p.m. Room 643 in Moody. Call 210-486-0598. SAC Meeting: Taku Hangout 4-6 p.m. Room 112 of Oppenheimer. Call 210-4547724. Event: Red Mass 6-7:30 p.m. San Fernando Cathedral, 115 Main Plaza. Call 210-4363063.

SPC Event: 7th annual Best Tasting Salsa Competition 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Heritage Room. Free. Call 210-486-2100.

SAC Event: Canto Mundo poetry reading with Texas State Poet Laureate Carmen Tafolla, Laurie Ann Guerrero, Octavio Quintanilla, Irene Lara Silva and Lupe Mendez 6:30-8 p.m. Call 210-486-0125.

SAC Basketball: Rangers men 8 p.m. at Southwest Texas Junior College. Call 210-4860125.

NLC Film: “American Sniper” 6:30-9 p.m. campus green. Free popcorn and door prizes. Call 210-486-0200.

Event: 5 Points Market 6-10 p.m. The Cove 606 W. Cypress. Call 210-227-2683.

sat Event: Fifth annual Bilingual Conference – My Story: Culture, Art and Bilingual Education by Michael Young, chief public defender for Bexar County; Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos; and Alejandro Macías, gallery director of UT-Rio Grande Valley 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Suite 202 of central academic building Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Call 210-784-1500.

Event: Basics of APA Style 1-2:30 p.m. Room 424 central academic building, Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Students must RSVP at www. tamusa.libcal.com. Call 210784-1500. Event: “Avoiding Plagiarism: Giving Credit Where Credit is Due” 2:30-4 p.m. Room 424 of central academic building, Texas A&M University-San Antonio. Students must RSVP at www.tamusa.libcal.com. Call 210-784-1500.

mon

PAC Event: Texas A&M University-San Antonio recruiters on campus noon-4 p.m. Room 101 student center. Call 210-486-3131. SAC Event: Coming Out Day with guest speaker Dr. Jothany Blackwood 10 a.m. in the mall. Call 210-486-0125. PAC Event: Intramural soccer officials training 4-6 p.m. continues through Oct. 14 soccer field. Call 210-486-3880. Event: Stephen J. Patterson lecture on “The Lost Way: How Two Forgotten Gospels are Rewriting the Story of Christian Origins” 7-8:30 p.m. Chapman auditorium, Trinity University. Call 210-999-8426.

Event: St. Mary’s University campus visit 9 a.m.-noon office of admission, One Camino Santa Maria. Call 210436-3126. Event: “Queer Brown Voices” reading narratives of Latinos LGBT activism in San Antonio and beyond 7 p.m. Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro. Call 210-2280201.

Illustrations by Alexandra Nelipa

!

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

Oct. 5, 2015 • 3

Getting interview ready: as easy as magic By Eveleyn Reyes

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

The Magic Closet Boutique, a program at this college that helps students prepare — mentally and physically — for a job interview, hosted its grand re-opening Tuesday. Students and Magic Closet board members gathered at the boutique in Portable 301 to celebrate its new location. “It provides the student a professional outfit from head to toe for their interview and it’s complimentary,” Mami Benitez Campbell, founder of the Magic Closet Boutique, said. The boutique works closely with the women’s center at this campus and the San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce. It also participates in the annual Women’s Empowerment Conference at this college. Network Power/Texas helped establish other programs such as the women’s chamber and the Magic Closet Boutique. “We just want to help women succeed,” said Ginger Purdy, founder of Network Power/Texas.

“It’s more than just clothes,” Bonnie Ayer, board member for the Magic Closet Boutique, said. “It’s networking tips and common sense things we’ve learned from working that students haven’t been exposed to yet. “Students don’t realize the skills they are called to do,” Ayer said. “Our slogan is women helping women succeed,” Purdy said. The Magic Closet started 18 years ago, Campbell said, and has been working to guide students through the interview process. “I am shopping for my induction ceremonies and looking for work,” said liberal arts sophomore Cristela Moreno, who is joining Phi Theta Kappa. “Why spend money on clothes when you need it for other things?” Moreno said. “This is awesome. I’m excited.” The closet also offers a scholarship for women looking for an opportunity to continue their education. The scholarship is open and accepting applications at this time. This college’s financial aid office will

Katie Pickelheimer, nursing freshman at St. Philip’s, signs in at the Magic Closet Tuesday in Portable 301. Pickelheimer purchased a pair of flats and a suit for her new job at a call center. The Magic Closet is open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Katherine Garcia forward all applications to Network Power/Texas after Nov. 1, according to financial aid’s web page. Recipients are chosen based on educational goals, career goals and personal and financial needs. Seven scholarships will be presented to women pursuing their education with Alamo Colleges. More information about the

TOBIN from Page 1

Ann Marie Hessbrook, president of the Autism Awareness Club and vice president of Phi Theta Kappa, discusses SACtacular and Antojitos with Catherine Dominguez, PTK scholarship vice president, and PTK secretary Veronica Jones during a Club Council meeting Sept. 24 in Loftin. Katelynn Alexa Garcia

Inter-Club Council discusses events Dance Club plans a singalong to ‘Grease’ and quote-a-long to ‘Mean Girls.’ By Alyssa Zapata

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Representatives from 21 student organizations discussed fall plans at the Inter-Club Council meeting Sept. 24. The Gay, Ally, Lesbian Alliance meets 3-4:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the employee lounge of Loftin Student Center. They are planning events for Coming Out week Oct. 12-15. The Psychology Club conducts meetings 2-3 p.m. Wednesdays in Room 623 of Moody Learning Center. The club is looking for volunteers for the Oct. 10 Walk To Remember in remembrance of prenatal and infantile loss. For more information, email psychclubatsac@gmail.com. Asian Pop Society meets 2-5 p.m. Fridays in the craft room of Loftin. SAC Parkour Club meets at noon Mondays and Wednesdays and 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the craft room. The Mexican-American Engineering and Science club will meet at 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the MESA center in Room 204 of Chance Academic Center. The Dance Club meets at 3 p.m. every first and third Thursday of the month in Room 146 of Candler Physical Education Center. The club is planning a singalong to “Grease” and a quote-a-long to “Mean Girls.” The Non-Traditional Student Club meets 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the Empowerment Center, 703 Howard St., and will host a Clothesline Project Oct.19-21. Students can decorate white T-shirts to raise awareness of domestic violence from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20 in the mall, paralegal sophomore Katherine Alexander said. Students will meet at noon Oct. 21 at the Empowerment Center to march to Loftin to hang the shirts, she said. The Campus Activities Board meets at 2 p.m. Wednesdays in the employee lounge of Loftin. The club will screen “McFarland, USA” at 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. For more information on clubs, call 210-486-0125.

marijuana from the lofts and he had seen the drugs in his possession. According to the report, the officer passed this information to criminal investigation division officers. The student said he didn’t see anything ever being done with the information he gave to the district police. Then he started receiving threats after speaking out against the drug and party culture at Tobin Lofts. First, he received a note on his door that read, “Shut the f--up or you’re dead.” A couple weeks later, his apartment was broken into while he was inside, he said. “I woke up, heard some noise and I saw them taking my stuff,” the student said. “They pointed a gun in my face and said ‘get the f--- out, and take it seriously.’” “I was terrified,” the student said. Soon after, the student said he moved back to his mother’s residence and started taking courses at Northwest Vista College. Despite moving, the student said he still received threats via text messages saying they knew where he lived and they were stalking him. He didn’t feel safe anymore and left the Alamo Colleges. Along with changing his Facebook profile identity and phone number, the student said he has moved multiple times because he is afraid. “I’m still scared to step onto an Alamo Colleges campus,” the student said. He wanted to go into nursing because he said he had a strong desire to help people, particularly the disabled and elderly. Since leaving the Alamo Colleges, he said he has driven himself into student loan debt trying to complete his education through for-profit online institutions, such as the University of Phoenix. Psychology sophomore Asia Thompson, who lives at Tobin Lofts, said since Luther’s Café has opened in the Tobin complex, she has seen incidents happen more frequently. “I’ve seen more college students or young adults that are getting more drunk and you see the police officers have to pull them away from Luther’s or the other bars,” Thompson said. “They (police) are usually successful; you have some people who just yell at them, but nothing to where they would tackle them down.” David Mendelson, one of the managers of Luther’s Café, said Luther’s has

scholarship can be found in the financial aid office as well as the Network/Power Texas website, www. networkpowertexas.com. A $5 give for garb event, where students and staff can donate $5 for a bag of gently used casual clothes, will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 14 in the Magic Closet Boutique. The event raises money for scholarships.

Though the closet typically provides career clothes for students, the fundraiser cleans out the closet of the more casual donations it has received, Rebecca Boles, volunteer wardrobe coordinator, said. “We hand them a bag,” Boles said, “and they can fill the bag with items selected from our group. … A lot of them are still wearable for the girls to go to school and other activities. But job interviews, no. It’s a way to liquidate our inventory and it’s a fundraiser.” And it’s all about the clothes. Young women who find an appropriate interview outfit seem stunned when they look in the mirror, Boles said. “It’s like Cinderella slipping on the glass slipper,” she said. “It’s a transformation that they’re seeing. They have never seen themselves in an outfit like that. In today’s society, people are downgrading what they’re wearing. They’re in blue jeans with holes, way down below their natural waist.” The Magic Closet is available by appointment only. Call 210-201-6789.

been on North Main Avenue since 1976. ing lot, and the one thing the neighbor“Us moving back over wouldn’t cause hood did not want was more parking,” an increase in crime,” he said. Luther’s Mrizek said. “They were very wise about owner Randy Cunndiff has done a lot to that and it causes us to think differently make sure the area is safe, Mendelson (about space).” said, including hiring private security to Mrizek said the goal of creating the patrol the area and the parking lots. lofts was to change this college’s culture Mendelson said the restaurant’s profits from a transient student body to somehave doubled since moving across North thing more in line with the traditional Main this summer. He added he heard college experience. from the administration at Tobin Lofts “We knew when we built that, we were the vehicle break-ins were more from studisrupting the natural laws,” Mrizek said. dents leaving their vehicles unlocked. “This whole area from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Thompson said she had no knowlat night is packed,” Mrizek said. “What has edge of any drug issues at Tobin Lofts, occurred is we’ve created a critical mass of although she did note an “out-ofpeople who interact with each other.” nowhere” incident where a man started As a result of this critical mass, assaulting his girlfriend on the first floor. Cunndiff, owner of Luther’s Café, and Nick Leto, general manager of Tobin many of the other establishments on Lofts, said the incidents involving the Main Avenue, Mrizek said, has hired a student who reported drug use happened security firm to control parking and deal before he came to Tobin Lofts in June with any other related issues. 2014 and could not comment on it. Mrizek said this college has actually However, he said on the been able to clean up some recent assault, manageof the drugs and prostituRead ment advised the victim to tion in the area with the “Developer file a police report and get help of Cunndiff, the NRP sees area a restraining order. group who financed the improvement” “Whenever there is construction of Tobin Lofts at theranger.org. an incident like that, we and Campus Advantage. encourage the resident to “You’ve got this critical press charges,” Leto said. mass that has been created, and this place When there is a crime, such as an is hopping at 12 midnight, and that’s going assault, Leto said Tobin Lofts manageto cause some issues,” Mrizek said. “It’s a ment looks at the police report and conbig city, so you’ve got big city issues.” ducts its own investigation. Mrizek said the property, in all likeliIf they discover the resident did perhood, will revert to the Alamo Colleges petrate the alleged assault, they would in 25 years, and at that time, the district file for eviction of the resident. would have no interest in actually runLeto said if there were an issue with ning the property and would probably drugs, they would check the lease agreeretain Campus Advantage to manage it ment before going into the accused stuwhen the time comes. dent’s apartment and document whatDan Markson, senior vice president of ever they find and report it to authorities. development for the NRP group who also “If students see a crime, they are lives a few minutes north of Tobin Lofts, instructed to call 911,” Leto said. said when he first read the report, he was Two courtesy officers work part time concerned. at the lofts as security, one from Balcones “This is probably the best developHeights Police Department and another ment I’ve ever done in the city, and we from the Alamo Colleges, Leto said. want it to be great,” Markson said. “If He said the lofts previously contracted there are any issues, we want to solve Signal 88 Security, but he would not specthem.” ify why they are no longer with that firm. For Campus Advantage, call 512-472David Mrizek, vice president of col6222. For Markson, call 210-487-7878. For lege services, said the idea for Tobin Lofts Tobin Management, call 888-696-3145. was a push from the neighborhood. For the Alamo Colleges Police depart“What we wanted to do was just to ment, call 210-485-0099 for non-emerpave over the area and make a big parkgencies or 210-485-0911 for emergencies.

Pulse

4 • www.theranger.org/pulse

Oct. 5, 2015 • 5

I

Kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez carries a 25-pound bar on an inclined treadmill and wears an elevation training mask set to 5,000 feet above sea level Sept. 22 in the gym in Candler. Running is his coping mechanism for dealing with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Running

t’s humid, dark and partly cloudy outside when kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez wakes up and turns off his phone’s alarm at 4 a.m. Aug. 31, not yet knowing he is going to run nearly 11 miles at a pace of 8 minutes 40 seconds per mile before his 8 a.m. economics class at this college. The Army veteran, 31, is training for a new mission. Gonzalez, who served more than 12 years in the U.S. Army as an infantryman, will raise awareness for veteran suicide by running the Oct.16-17 sixth annual Capital to Coast Relay race, a 223-mile race from Austin to Corpus Christi, while carrying the U.S. flag. He will run the relay solo, which allows him to start a day early. Motivated by the friends he has lost and the veterans who commit suicide, his mission is to bring veteran suicide, the unseen conflict, to the public eye, he said. Running has eliminated Gonzalez’s own suicidal thoughts, he said. “Yesterday when I went out running, I was at war and nobody really noticed,” he said. “While I am preparing for this run, nobody really sees what’s going on. I filled the void with running, instead of sorrow and resentment.” Running the race solo started off as a personal goal but became an opportunity for something bigger, Gonzalez said. “I realized that there is a bigger purpose in here,” he said. During discharge from the Army in August 2013, Gonzalez was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. A psychiatrist, whom he met for cognitive therapy, encouraged him to do things he enjoys but he was no longer doing, he said. He suggested a running group to Gonzalez. When Gonzalez began running every weekend with the group, he recognized running was more than an activity he enjoyed, it was a coping mechanism. “He was trying to get me back on the right track,” Gonzalez said. “He noticed a change in me in three or four weeks.” Though he ran cross-country in high school, it wasn’t until 2007, during his seventh year in the Army, that he started long-distance running, Gonzalez said. “One of my commanders pushed if we wanted an extra day off, we would have to participate in a half-marathon, which is 13.1 miles,” Gonzalez said. “I never ran that far before. … I was pretty good at it so I stuck with it.” Running eventually eliminated his need for medications to help with the effects of PTSD. “They had me on two medications, one (mirtazapine) was to help me sleep, and the other, (prazosin), was for anxiety,” he said. His medications made him feel lethargic the next morning, he said. He wanted to quit taking them. “I felt like a zombie the next day,” he said. “I

Gonzalez views hyaline cartilage Sept. 24 during Anatomy and Physiology 1 in Chance. Gonzalez was medically retired from the U.S. Army Aug. 28, 2014, after being diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder in May 2013. decided to get off of it.” He said after nine months of running, he no longer needed the medications. “When I need that escape, the pressure is too much or I just want to release some stress, I do it by running,” Gonzalez said. Before his running regimen gave him a new outlook, he said he spent most Sept. 6’s disconnecting from society by hiking and camping alone. Mourning the loss of one of his closest friends, finding solace as he did during his four deployments, watching the sun rise and set. Spc. Tomas Garces of Weslaco, was killed in action Sept. 6, 2004, as their convoy drove from Camp Cedar to Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. “I go out now,” Gonzalez said. “I went from sobbing in a corner to doing (running) it in remembrance of them.” Gonzalez started training for ultra marathons, any race longer than the traditional marathon of 26.2 miles, in March, he said. He won the first 50-kilometer (31-mile) race he entered. At the beginning of summer, he began training for the relay race. “I put my foot down and started training in June,” he said. He trains at Valero Trailhead along the Leon Creek Greenway, San Pedro Springs Park, downtown and along Broadway. “I don’t always know where I am going to run. Sometimes I drive by a place and think it looks like a good place to run so I run there,” he said. Gonzalez uses an elevation training mask he refers to as “the hurt.” The mask allows him to control the amount of air he can breathe while running. He sets the elevation level to 5,000 feet above

Gonzalez douses his head with water after running more than 21 miles Sept. 14 along the Leon Creek Greenway. He said he felt dehydrated after the run.

sea level to build his cardio-respiratory endurance. “I was getting one of those stabbing pains,” When race day comes, timing is important, he said, while pointing about halfway down his he said. He wants to run as much as he can right ribs. “I started to focus on my breathing. before the sun comes up, but he doesn’t know “Sometimes, when I thought I prepped and when in the morning he will start. trained right … I didn’t perform the way I thought “I might leave at midnight so I can have more I would,” he said. “Other times, I thought I didn’t time to run it before the sun comes up.” train right and I blew the doors off.” “Once 7 a.m. comes and the suns starts Gonzalez will be running the race alone, but coming up, then I’ll get concerned about when he won’t be completing the race alone. I should rest and for how On the first day of the long.” race, his parents, Imelda Sleep is another concern. and Salvador Villegas, and “I am not going to worry brother Rolando Gonzalez about getting three to four will be driving the route and hours, then struggle to get providing support. back going,” he said. His sister LeeAnn The hardest part of the Gonzalez and best friend, race will be mentally “wantKate Ward, 31, of Florida, ing to quit,” he said. “The will join to support him closer I am getting (to the during the final two days. race), I am getting more and The group will drive Gonzalez’s Garmin monitors his heart more scared I am not going rate, distance, pace and total time of run. the route, stopping every 5 to finish.” miles to help him, he said. Gonzalez said the fear of letting people down “They’ll be massaging me, checking me for is worse than not finishing. blisters and keeping me hydrated,” he said. “To me, that’s scarier than not finishing,” he They also will have a trailer set up for said. Gonzalez to sleep every 75 miles. When Gonzalez runs, his mind wanders from Just as his family is helping him complete the fallen comrades to his technique and, at other race, anybody can reach out to a veteran and times, nothing at all. help fight against suicide by talking about it, “I don’t even know if I am thinking,” he said. Gonzalez said. He wants people to start talking “I am in a lost state of mind sometimes.” about the issue. When Gonzalez feels like he is “sucking and “Not every scar, not every wound is visible,” starting to slow down,” he starts thinking about he said. “Even though veterans come home, solthe military brothers he lost. diers come home, they are at a quiet war now.” Other times he is thinking about his form, “If they (anyone) talk about it, that’s help,” he he said. said. “That’s helping in some way.”

Cause

One good deed gives rise to another

for a

By Daniel Carde

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Veteran running 223 miles for suicide awareness Photos and story by Daniel Carde Gonzalez shows his cousins George and Veronica McClure Leg 1 of the Capital to Coast Relay during brunch Sept. 27 at Checo’s Mexican & American Grill. Gonzalez’s family planned the logistics for the race he is running and planned the T-shirt design they will wear during the race.

Kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez is not only running 223 miles to raise awareness of veteran suicide, he also is helping veterans by donating money to the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation Oct. 14. This is the day before he runs the 223-mile, Capital to Coast Relay from Austin to Corpus Christi. Even though the race costs $1,200 per team, Gonzalez set up a GoFundMe page with a goal to reach $1,500 to cover the cost of the race, sports drinks, protein and nutritional bars, and the food he’ll need while competing. Race organizers are allow-

ing solo runners to run for free this year. “Anybody that is that wild and crazy to be able to run 223 miles nonstop, we’ll throw you a bone,” Clint Henderson, Capital to Coast Relay’s co-director of the race, said during a phone interview Sept. 4. When Gonzalez learned he didn’t need to pay an entry fee, he decided to give donations from his GoFundMe page, to the foundation. “I think it’s only fair,” he said. “Everybody else has to pay. At least I can pay something.” Proceeds from the relay race will go to the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, an organization that helps veterans.

See FUND ME, Page 6

Pulse

4 • www.theranger.org/pulse

Oct. 5, 2015 • 5

I

Kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez carries a 25-pound bar on an inclined treadmill and wears an elevation training mask set to 5,000 feet above sea level Sept. 22 in the gym in Candler. Running is his coping mechanism for dealing with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Running

t’s humid, dark and partly cloudy outside when kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez wakes up and turns off his phone’s alarm at 4 a.m. Aug. 31, not yet knowing he is going to run nearly 11 miles at a pace of 8 minutes 40 seconds per mile before his 8 a.m. economics class at this college. The Army veteran, 31, is training for a new mission. Gonzalez, who served more than 12 years in the U.S. Army as an infantryman, will raise awareness for veteran suicide by running the Oct.16-17 sixth annual Capital to Coast Relay race, a 223-mile race from Austin to Corpus Christi, while carrying the U.S. flag. He will run the relay solo, which allows him to start a day early. Motivated by the friends he has lost and the veterans who commit suicide, his mission is to bring veteran suicide, the unseen conflict, to the public eye, he said. Running has eliminated Gonzalez’s own suicidal thoughts, he said. “Yesterday when I went out running, I was at war and nobody really noticed,” he said. “While I am preparing for this run, nobody really sees what’s going on. I filled the void with running, instead of sorrow and resentment.” Running the race solo started off as a personal goal but became an opportunity for something bigger, Gonzalez said. “I realized that there is a bigger purpose in here,” he said. During discharge from the Army in August 2013, Gonzalez was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. A psychiatrist, whom he met for cognitive therapy, encouraged him to do things he enjoys but he was no longer doing, he said. He suggested a running group to Gonzalez. When Gonzalez began running every weekend with the group, he recognized running was more than an activity he enjoyed, it was a coping mechanism. “He was trying to get me back on the right track,” Gonzalez said. “He noticed a change in me in three or four weeks.” Though he ran cross-country in high school, it wasn’t until 2007, during his seventh year in the Army, that he started long-distance running, Gonzalez said. “One of my commanders pushed if we wanted an extra day off, we would have to participate in a half-marathon, which is 13.1 miles,” Gonzalez said. “I never ran that far before. … I was pretty good at it so I stuck with it.” Running eventually eliminated his need for medications to help with the effects of PTSD. “They had me on two medications, one (mirtazapine) was to help me sleep, and the other, (prazosin), was for anxiety,” he said. His medications made him feel lethargic the next morning, he said. He wanted to quit taking them. “I felt like a zombie the next day,” he said. “I

Gonzalez views hyaline cartilage Sept. 24 during Anatomy and Physiology 1 in Chance. Gonzalez was medically retired from the U.S. Army Aug. 28, 2014, after being diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder in May 2013. decided to get off of it.” He said after nine months of running, he no longer needed the medications. “When I need that escape, the pressure is too much or I just want to release some stress, I do it by running,” Gonzalez said. Before his running regimen gave him a new outlook, he said he spent most Sept. 6’s disconnecting from society by hiking and camping alone. Mourning the loss of one of his closest friends, finding solace as he did during his four deployments, watching the sun rise and set. Spc. Tomas Garces of Weslaco, was killed in action Sept. 6, 2004, as their convoy drove from Camp Cedar to Baghdad International Airport in Iraq. “I go out now,” Gonzalez said. “I went from sobbing in a corner to doing (running) it in remembrance of them.” Gonzalez started training for ultra marathons, any race longer than the traditional marathon of 26.2 miles, in March, he said. He won the first 50-kilometer (31-mile) race he entered. At the beginning of summer, he began training for the relay race. “I put my foot down and started training in June,” he said. He trains at Valero Trailhead along the Leon Creek Greenway, San Pedro Springs Park, downtown and along Broadway. “I don’t always know where I am going to run. Sometimes I drive by a place and think it looks like a good place to run so I run there,” he said. Gonzalez uses an elevation training mask he refers to as “the hurt.” The mask allows him to control the amount of air he can breathe while running. He sets the elevation level to 5,000 feet above

Gonzalez douses his head with water after running more than 21 miles Sept. 14 along the Leon Creek Greenway. He said he felt dehydrated after the run.

sea level to build his cardio-respiratory endurance. “I was getting one of those stabbing pains,” When race day comes, timing is important, he said, while pointing about halfway down his he said. He wants to run as much as he can right ribs. “I started to focus on my breathing. before the sun comes up, but he doesn’t know “Sometimes, when I thought I prepped and when in the morning he will start. trained right … I didn’t perform the way I thought “I might leave at midnight so I can have more I would,” he said. “Other times, I thought I didn’t time to run it before the sun comes up.” train right and I blew the doors off.” “Once 7 a.m. comes and the suns starts Gonzalez will be running the race alone, but coming up, then I’ll get concerned about when he won’t be completing the race alone. I should rest and for how On the first day of the long.” race, his parents, Imelda Sleep is another concern. and Salvador Villegas, and “I am not going to worry brother Rolando Gonzalez about getting three to four will be driving the route and hours, then struggle to get providing support. back going,” he said. His sister LeeAnn The hardest part of the Gonzalez and best friend, race will be mentally “wantKate Ward, 31, of Florida, ing to quit,” he said. “The will join to support him closer I am getting (to the during the final two days. race), I am getting more and The group will drive Gonzalez’s Garmin monitors his heart more scared I am not going rate, distance, pace and total time of run. the route, stopping every 5 to finish.” miles to help him, he said. Gonzalez said the fear of letting people down “They’ll be massaging me, checking me for is worse than not finishing. blisters and keeping me hydrated,” he said. “To me, that’s scarier than not finishing,” he They also will have a trailer set up for said. Gonzalez to sleep every 75 miles. When Gonzalez runs, his mind wanders from Just as his family is helping him complete the fallen comrades to his technique and, at other race, anybody can reach out to a veteran and times, nothing at all. help fight against suicide by talking about it, “I don’t even know if I am thinking,” he said. Gonzalez said. He wants people to start talking “I am in a lost state of mind sometimes.” about the issue. When Gonzalez feels like he is “sucking and “Not every scar, not every wound is visible,” starting to slow down,” he starts thinking about he said. “Even though veterans come home, solthe military brothers he lost. diers come home, they are at a quiet war now.” Other times he is thinking about his form, “If they (anyone) talk about it, that’s help,” he he said. said. “That’s helping in some way.”

Cause

One good deed gives rise to another

for a

By Daniel Carde

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Veteran running 223 miles for suicide awareness Photos and story by Daniel Carde Gonzalez shows his cousins George and Veronica McClure Leg 1 of the Capital to Coast Relay during brunch Sept. 27 at Checo’s Mexican & American Grill. Gonzalez’s family planned the logistics for the race he is running and planned the T-shirt design they will wear during the race.

Kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez is not only running 223 miles to raise awareness of veteran suicide, he also is helping veterans by donating money to the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation Oct. 14. This is the day before he runs the 223-mile, Capital to Coast Relay from Austin to Corpus Christi. Even though the race costs $1,200 per team, Gonzalez set up a GoFundMe page with a goal to reach $1,500 to cover the cost of the race, sports drinks, protein and nutritional bars, and the food he’ll need while competing. Race organizers are allow-

ing solo runners to run for free this year. “Anybody that is that wild and crazy to be able to run 223 miles nonstop, we’ll throw you a bone,” Clint Henderson, Capital to Coast Relay’s co-director of the race, said during a phone interview Sept. 4. When Gonzalez learned he didn’t need to pay an entry fee, he decided to give donations from his GoFundMe page, to the foundation. “I think it’s only fair,” he said. “Everybody else has to pay. At least I can pay something.” Proceeds from the relay race will go to the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, an organization that helps veterans.

See FUND ME, Page 6

6 • Oct. 5, 2015

Pulse

www.theranger.org/pulse

Proper hydration is key By Daniel Carde

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

Kinesiology sophomore Roel Gonzalez runs Sept. 16 along Vance Jackson near Shenandale from his apartment near Wurzbach to Huebner. Gonzalez is training for the 223-mile Capital to Coast Relay race. He is competing as a solo runner to raise awareness for veteran suicide. Daniel Carde

FUND ME from Page 5 “We found, as we started doing the race, we had more and more military teams,” he said. “It just seemed more appropriate to make it to where it was benefitting the actual people who are running in the race.” Chris Kyle, former Navy SEAL and author of “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History,” left the Navy in 2009 and worked with various organizations helping veterans transition home from war. “The aim of the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation is to provide meaningful, interactive experiences to service members, first responders, and their families, aimed at enriching their family relationships,” according to the foundation’s website at www.chriskylefrogfoundation.org.

Kyle was killed by Marine Corps veteran Eddie Ray Routh Feb. 2, 2013, at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, southwest of Dallas. Routh, who is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, killed Kyle and another veteran at the range. Routh’s legal team said he was not guilty of the murders because he is a paranoid schizophrenic, having a psychotic episode when he killed the two men, as reported by www.dallasnews.com. As of Sept. 21, $450 has been donated by 14 people on Gonzalez’s GoFundMe page. For more information on helping or supporting Gonzalez, contact him at 253-226-6471 or his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/roel.gonzalez.967. Visit www.gofundme.com/runningcures.

Running has multiple benefits, from building up the cardiovascular and respiratory systems’ endurance, to promoting bone density in the legs and releasing stress. As the heart rate increases, it “builds up your lungs as well, and helps the whole respiratory system,” kinesiology Chair Brad Dudney said during an interview Sept. 10. It relieves stress by releasing chemicals that help the body feel good, he said. “It increases endorphins in the brain,” Dudney said. According to www.medicinenet. com, endorphins are neurotransmitters that relieve stress and pain, and create feelings of euphoria. Those benefits don’t come without risks, Dudney said. Running long distances can be dangerous if not done properly. Patella tendonitis, commonly known as runner’s knee, is a common problem that can develop from running long distances, he said. “It’s where the patella and the tibia meet, and it gets inflamed,” he said. Rest and anti-inflammatories usually makes the inflammation go away, but occasionally, ceasing to run is required to allow the tendon to heal accurately. Tendonitis isn’t the only issue to protect against, Dudney said. “When you start pushing out

into that ultra distance, there are just safeguards that you have to take with your diet, your hydration and rest,” he said. Staying hydrated is important, he said. A body cannot function well if it isn’t properly hydrated. Running long distances shouldn’t be done strictly with water, he said. “If they are just hydrating strictly with water, they can get what is called hyponatremia. Basically, it’s an imbalance in the blood, where you are drinking too much water and your electrolytes and your salt are out of balance,” Dudney said. “It can create severe issues with your liver and kidneys, and they can shut down. “You’re going to want sports drinks with electrolytes and salt,” Dudney said. “There should be a fuel plan.” Dudney advised doing two runs in a day to cover further distances. “That’s one way to get a longer distance in a day is to do a split run, one in the morning and one in the evening,” he said. Every person should know their own body’s capabilities, he said. Beginning runners should start slow and not overexert themselves to avoid hurting their body. “A general rule is you increase your mileage about 10 percent per week,” Dudney said. For more information about running, call Dudney at 210-486-1017.

www.theranger.org/editorial

Oct. 5, 2015 • 7

.org

the

ranger

Editorial

Editor Cynthia M. Herrera

Managing Editor Melissa Luna Assistant Managing Editor – News Kyle R. Cotton Assistant Managing Editor – Features Richard Montemayor Calendar Editor Alyssa Zapata Staff Writers Cassi Armstrong, Matthew Cuevas, Alejandro Diaz, Ryan A. Flournoy, V.G. Garlisi, Giselle Guadron, Ty-Eshia Johnson, Robert Limon, Tress-Marie Landa, Roberto Martinez, Hannah Norman, Courtney R. Kaiser, Wally Perez, Maritza Ramirez, Evelyn Reyes, Gabriela Rodriguez, Kyle Sanders, Photographers Daniel Carde, E. David Guel, Danielle Kelly Photo Team Tiffany Anne Bermea, April Dawn Genao, Katelynn Alexa Garcia, Derrick Patron, Hillary E. Ratcliff Illustrators Juan Carlos Campos, Alexandra Nelipa Production Manager Katherine Garcia Copy Editor Carlos Ferrand Distribution Manager Shelly Delgado ©2015 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 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, 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.

Juan Carlos Campos

Crime happens: Be proactive Tobin Lofts and parking garage see spike in crime. Forty-six crimes have been reported at Tobin Lofts and the Tobin parking garage between Jan. 1 and Sept. 21. This exceeded the 44 reported crimes in all of 2014. During that same period, all other campuses in Alamo Colleges have seen a decline in reported crimes. Deputy Chief Joe Curiel and Police Chief Don Adams have credited the decline to police involvement with students and the community. That’s great news for students at Alamo Colleges

unless you live, work or spend time around Main Avenue and Evergreen Street where Tobin Lofts is located. This college, which has an open campus and lowincome areas nearby, is on a bus route and faces popular bars and clubs on its east side. With a student resident apartment building and a five-story garage used by the public on weekends on Alamo Colleges property, an increase in crimes isn’t that surprising. Students and other resi-

dents need to push for increased security in and around the lofts and garage. They can report incidents to management and campus police and also complain to the interim vice president of student success, Dr. Lisa Alcorta. They might want to take their concerns to the Student Government Association, which represents students to the administration. Students also need to exercise caution. Students should be aware of their surroundings and consider a self-defense class

to increase confidence. Walk with a buddy. Students, staff and professors can request a police escort to cars at night. Don’t leave your backpack unattended or bicycle chained with a flimsy lock. If you drive, make sure your valuables aren’t visible and your doors are locked before you leave your vehicle. As students, we shouldn’t solely rely on district police or college officials to keep us safe. We must face reality and do all we can to keep from becoming victims of crime.

Keep track of personal items If you’ve ever left a textbook, phone or laptop unattended and thought it was lost forever, fear not. The Alamo Colleges police force is here to help. One of the department’s recent WIGS, or Wildly Important Goals, is to reunite students with their lost belongings and prevent them from being lost in the first place. Their goal is to increase the rate of found property returned to owners from 31 to 33 percent by the end of the year. Be sure to check out their lostand-found website at www.alamo.

edu/main.aspx?id=49949 or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ alamocollegespd?fref=ts. While some students may be lucky and find lost items on the website, prevention is the best answer. The Facebook page offers several helpful tips. For example, there has been an increase of bicycle thefts on this campus. The Alamo Colleges Police Department suggests using a reliable lock and registering bikes at any campus police office or going online to www. alamo.edu/district/police/forms/ and