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Serving San Antonio College since 1926 Volume 90 Issue 6 • Oct. 19, 2015
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President says accrediting team visit was positive College knocked QEP “out of the park” with “Fearless Learning” plan. By Melissa Luna
mluna132@alamo.edu
President Robert Vela at College Council Tuesday praised faculty, staff and students for a smooth onsite visit from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The visit Sept. 28-Oct. 2 led to approval of this college’s quality enhancement plan and only nine recommendations out of a possible 130 for the college to respond to by March 1 before reaffirmation of accreditation is granted in June, Vela said.
People the accrediting team talked to were familiar with the QEP, “Fearless Learning,” which stresses information literacy, Vela said. “We were complimented on everything they saw from folks they interviewed,” Vela said. “They were telling our story; there was nothing there that was staged.” He said the college “knocked it out of the park.” Four recommendations regarded institutional effectiveness. They include closing the loop on the new assessment of administrative units and community service units and completing student support services assessment cycles using Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education.
Other recommendations include implementing changes in the academic assessment of student learning outcomes using Elumen software and clarifying the agreement with this college for the transfer of credits from Northeast Lakeview College until it is accredited. “There is a possibility we might be able to remove some of those by March before we submit our report to SACSCOC,” Vela said. The college also must reconfigure the agreement with which this college offers courses at Northeast Lakeview. The newer college, opened in 2007, is not accredited. Chairs at this college oversee faculty teaching SAC sections there.
Vela told the council a more detailed report will follow in the next few weeks and will include the remaining recommendations. In other news, Dr. Kristine Clark, chief of integrated planning and performance excellence, presented College Council with a proposed change to the composition of this college’s Unit Review Committee. The council voted for an amended plan for the committee to consist of three faculty members from Arts and Sciences; three from Professional and Technical Education; three from Student Success; one from Student Development; and one adjunct faculty member. Faculty Senate will oversee the
appointment of faculty. Staff Council will also appoint two staff representatives, one each from administrative and community service units. Responsibilities of the college Unit Review Committee include evaluating five-year unit reviews. In other news, Joan Tsacalis, director of advising, reported the transfer and career center saw a 289 percent increase in visitors from Dec. 14 to Oct. 12. As of Monday, 544 students visited the center compared to 140 students from the same time in 2014. The center on the first floor of Moody Learning Center has developed a marketing plan including using Facebook and a website.
Illinois senator pushes to end college textbook costs Some students at this college hope the bill passes.
Drag Bingo Drag queen Alayna Marquez of Rey Lopez Entertainment congratulates visual arts sophomore Lee Cantu on winning bingo Oct. 14 in Loftin. The Gay, Ally and Lesbian Alliance hosted drag bingo in celebration of Coming Out Week. Read the story on www.theranger.org. Danielle Kelly
Student videos give campus how-tos EClips help drive students, staff and faculty toward success. By V.G. Garlisi
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
EClips, an online repository of student-created tutorials, now has 172 videos in its arsenal after four years of production. The short videos describe how to effectively use systems and procedures at this college such as accessing financial aid or the new GoPrint program. “It’s information at your fingertips,” said Usha Venkat, director of information and communication technologies, who got the idea for the online tutorial videos after visiting Indiana University’s website and discovering their “Hot Topics” webpage. “I constantly look at colleges and universities out there to see the best practices for our campus,” she said. One can access these online tutorials by visiting www.alamo.edu/sac/OTS/eClipsOld/ and clicking either the student, employee or faculty sections. EClips had its genesis in July 2011 when Venkat came up with the name and proposed the idea of online tutorials to one of her student workers, Nickolaus “Nicki” Lucio. Having little experience with multimedia, Lucio took the idea of online tutorial videos and ran with it. Lucio said he was one of the last students to graduate with an animation degree from this college. The following year, 2012-13, the college combined its animation track with other specializations into a general communication associate of applied science degree. At the time, Lucio was also taking an illustration class and heard that Moody Learning Center was hiring. Several days and an interview later, he scored the
position as student employee. Lucio is still employed with technology services and is Venkat’s right-hand associate for the eClips. Lucio says he got his chops working for news stations such as KENS 5 and News 9 San Antonio. “I have a strong technical background,” Lucio said. “Working for a newsroom helped me to learn the software and constantly keep researching the best alternatives for media platforms.” The ideas for the eClips come from a multitude of sources, Venkat said. For example, the office of technology services hosts regular focus groups with students and faculty on daily problems they face or technological needs that are not being met. “We also have a technology advisory department that provides us feedback as well as user input about recurring problems,” Venkat said. “If we have hundreds of calls to our help desk about the same issue, then it’s time to make an eClip.” Lucio recently experienced the usefulness of his videos when his younger brother was applying to this college. “He didn’t know how to set up a payment plan and he didn’t know how to get his ACES login password,” Lucio said. “Well, good thing I created those eClips videos.” Each year Lucio and Venkat try to come up with at least 10-20 eClips on their own and outsource talent by acquiring student volunteers, such as the speech team and the radio-television-broadcasting program. “The speech team’s diction increases the videos by tenfold just by utilizing their voice,” Venkat said. “Yeah, student volunteers make the videos that much more special,” Lucio added. “We are always looking for volunteers and open to all suggestions.”
to address college affordability. At this college, some students and faculty are hoping the bill passes. By Richard Montemayor Business management freshman rmontemayor15@student.alamo.edu Alejandro Balderas, is enrolled in five An Illinois senator last week classes and spent $300 on textbooks. announced proposed legislation for “I could save money and spend it on free college textbooks. gas to get to school or food or tutoring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin hosted a sessions after school,” Balderas said. phone press conference Oct. 7 with Architecture freshman Ilmar 20 college journalists to announce the Gonzales bought his books on amaAffordable College Textbook Act. zon.com to save money. By introducing this bill, Durbin’s “I think it would be better than goal is to establish a grant program trying to find the money to buy textfor the creation and use of free high- books,” Gonzales said. quality textbooks. Radiation therapy sophomore Rick “Freer access to these open textMata thinks open-source textbooks books will save students hundreds of are an good idea. dollars and put pressure on traditional “It’s a major expense,” Mata said. college textbook markets to open up “Like these science classes, they could and be affordable,” Durbin said. be over $300 for just the book.” The University of Illinois used Melvin Johnson, manager of this a $150,000 federal grant to try an college’s bookstore, operated by Follett open textbook project, he said. The Higher Education Group, is skeptical school created a textbook titled the bill will pass. “Sustainability: A Comprehensive Johnson said he would not comFoundation,” and the textbook was ment on how the bill would affect published electronically for free and business at the bookstore because the open use, he said. bill has not passed yet. “Instead of students shelling about President Robert Vela said one of $150 for this introductory environmenthe board’s goals is to find ways to tally sustainable class textbook, they reduce textbook costs. get the textbook free online,” he said. “A lot of complaints and struggles Durbin said the textbook has been that we are getting from students is wildly popular and has been picked that at some times the textbooks are up by other colmore expensive leges. than the actual I could save money and Some 60,000 tuition and spend it on gas to get to students have fees,” Vela said. school or food or tutoring access to this Vela said sessions after school. open textbook. the board and Alejandro Balderas, chancellor want Sen. Al business management freshman Franken also them to look at sponsors the ways to incorproposed legislation. porate open education resources. “Since I’ve come into the Senate, “We did an internal study and right college affordability has been a big now we have about 140 sections at focus of mine,” Franken said. “I’ve SAC using OER, which means there is gone around the state of Minnesota, no cost to students,” Vela said. (and) we are fifth in the nation in That saved students about $12,300 terms of level of debt that we graduthis semester, he said. ate with.” Durbin said that he wants students In Minnesota each student comto speak up on this issue and ask their monly pays over $1,000 for textbooks congressional representatives to supeach semester, Franken said. port the bill. Creating a course that uses free The Ranger also contacted Durbin’s online materials offers more flexibility press office for more information on to students and professors, he said. funding the bill, but his office has not Franken said this is one of the ways returned phone calls in time for print.
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SAConnected
2 • Oct. 19, 2015
www.theranger.org/calendar
Take ’em away Students in the Law Enforcement Training Academy practice arresting each other Oct. 13 outside the Law Enforcement Annex. The students are in their third phase of the program and are working toward getting peace officer licenses. Danielle Kelly
Spa Day
Criminal justice sophomore Selina Aguilar takes Mary Kay consultant Tracee Wilkerson’s advice on trying a red lip gloss Oct. 14 in Loftin. The office of student life hosts Spa Day once a semester where professional masseuses and cosmetic consultants are available to provide free services for students. Danielle Kelly
All in a day’s lab Pre-nursing sophomore Esenia Silva sterilizes an inoculation loop before she
today tues PAC Event: Troy University and Our Lady of the Lake University recruiters 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Room 101 in student center. Call 210-486-3131. PAC Event: Blood drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. student center. Call 210-486-3880. SAC Event: Clothesline Project T-shirt design 11 a.m.1 p.m. in mall. Continues Tuesday. March noon Wednesday at Empowerment Center. Call 210-486-0455. PAC Event: Generations FCU: Buying a Vehicle 11 a.m.noon Room 130 of student center. Call 210-486-3882. SAC Event: “SAC’s Got Talent” tryouts 2-4 p.m. Fiesta Room of Loftin. Call 210-486-0125. PAC Event: “Peril and Promise” documentary 2-3:30 p.m. Room 217 of Ozuna Library. Call 210486-3557.
SAC Transfer: UT Health Science Center-San Antonio 9 a.m.-noon first floor of Moody, Wayland Baptist University and DeVry University 10 a.m.-1 p.m. first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-1500. SAC Event: Career and Internship Job Fair 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Fiesta Room in Loftin. Students bring copies of résumé. Call 210-486-1500. SAC Meeting: Cheshyre Cheese Club 1:30 p.m. Room 203 of Gonzales. Call 210486-1436. SAC Meeting: Campus Crusade for Christ 1:45-2:45 p.m. Room 002 of Chance. Call 210-486-1233. NLC Event: John C. Maxwell, American author, speaker and pastor, 6 p.m. Room 201 of student commons. Call 210485-0200. ACCD Meeting: Committees 6 p.m. and every hour after that until the last scheduled meeting in Room 101 of Killen Center, 201 W. Sheridan. Call 210-485-0030 or visit www. alamo.edu/district/ board/agenda.
isolates an unknown bacteria on a streak plate Wednesday in the microbiology lab in Room 356 of Chance. The lab is open for microbiology students 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday. Daniel Carde
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SAC Event: Free online tutoring with writing center 8 a.m.4 p.m. Continues 6-10 p.m. Friday. Call 210-486-1433.
SAC Event: Canto Mundo Poetry Reading and Reception with Texas Poet Laureate Carmen Tafolla 6:30-8 p.m. Koehler Cultural Center, 310 W. Ashby. Call 210-486-0876.
Event: Walk and play with pets up for adoption with San Antonio Pets Alive 9:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. Paul Jolly Adoption Center, 210 Tuleta. Call 210486-0125 or 210-486-0884.
NVC Event: HalloVista Halloween party 4 p.m. Live Oak. Two haunted houses, “Ghostbusters” movie and fireworks. Call 210-486-4689.
SAC Event: Get Your Flu Shot 10 a.m-2 p.m. in mall. $30. Pre-register at www.healthyUexpress.com. Call 210-4860127.
SAC Transfer: St. Mary’s University 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Troy University 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and University of the Incarnate Word 1-3 p.m. first floor of Chance. Call 210-486-1500.
PAC Event: Peru Mestizo exhibit 8 a.m. in Ozuna Library. Call 210-486-3901.
Event: Halloween dance 8-10 p.m. Fiesta Room of Coates University Center at Trinity. Live performance by Trinity Jazz Band. Call 210-999-7547.
PAC Event: Generations FCU: Managing Your Money 11 a.m.-noon Room 130 of student center. Call 210-4863880.
SAC Transfer: Our Lady of the Lake by appointment 9 a.m.noon third floor of Oppenheimer, Texas A&M University-San Antonio 9 a.m.-noon first floor of Moody, and UT Health Science Center-San Antonio 11 a.m.-3 p.m. first floor of nursing. Call 210-486-1500. SPC Event: Chancellor’s student dialogue and listening forum series 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Heritage Room of student center. Call 210-486-2135 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.
PAC Event: Poetry and Rap slam with National Grand Slam Poetry champions Anthony the Poet and Amanda Flores noon1:15 p.m. student center. Call 210-486-3125. SPC Event: STEM lecture series with Dr. Bharathi Subramaniasiva 1-2 p.m. Heritage Room of student center. Call 210-486-2530.
NLC Event: Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Holiday Lecture Series noon-1:45 p.m. Room 109 of library. Call 210486-5346. SAC Meeting: Asian Pop Society 2-5 p.m. craft room of Loftin. Call 210-452-6185.
NLC Basketball: Men vs. Palo Alto 8 p.m. wellness gym. Call 210-486-5404.
Event: Rosalind Philips vocal competition 3-5 p.m. Ruth Taylor Recital Hall at Trinity University. Call 210-9998406.
PAC Event: Nursing program advising session 2-4 p.m. Room 114 of Palomino. Call 210-486-3664.
SAC Meeting: Psychology Club 2 p.m. Room 623 of Moody. Call 210773-8306.
Event: Clinical Laboratory Sciences Open House Workshop 3-5 p.m. Room 311C of medical school building of UT Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl. RSVP at www. sur veymonkey.com/r/ CLS_Workshop_10-23-15.
SAC Meeting: Students for Environmental Awareness 2 p.m. EcoCentro. Call 210-563-0447.
SAC Event: SACtacular with Olympic-style boxing, “Ant Man” movie, animal show and sumo wrestling 5-9 p.m. in mall. Call 210-486-0880.
Illustrations by Alexandra Nelipa SAC Meeting: Gay, Ally and Lesbian Alliance 3-4:30 p.m. in employee lounge of Loftin. Call 210-326-7274.
Event: Luminaria contemporary arts festival 7-midnight 1001 Broadway. Continues Saturday. Call 210-721-1670.
PAC Volleyball: Palo Alto vs. Trinity University 7 p.m. gymnasium. Call 210-486-3805.
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For coverage in SAConnected, call 210-486-1773 or e-mail sac-ranger@alamo.edu two weeks in advance. Visit theranger.org for more upcoming events.
News
www.theranger.org/news
Oct. 19, 2015 • 3
Faculty Senate wants more communication, district voice Senators request more discussion about new campus carry law. By Melissa Luna
mluna132@student.alamo.edu
Lisa Black, president of this college’s Faculty Senate, led a discussion about communication and feedback regarding a decision-making retreat Oct. 2 at the Faculty Senate meeting Oct. 7. “At the end of the day, what I think was good is that everyone’s voice was recognized and heard,” Black said. Pat Sanaghan, president of Sanaghan Group, headed the retreat. Black said participants were put into groups and given focus questions such as, “What would it take for you
to have trust in this decisionmaking model?” and “What types of decisions should/ should not be utilized in this decision-making model?” Most discussion centered on open communication and transparency between the college faculty and the district. A lot of participants said communication is more than just sending emails and links to 65-page documents, Black said. The answers and discussions would be taken into consideration in the structure of a decision-making model for the Alamo Colleges. “We want to try to see this through and see it to a point where we have an established process, by which faculty can engage in this college district,”
Black said. “That is our goal.” Black explained how she wishes the district could invest more into the faculty senates of all the Alamo Colleges to ensure that communication and trust could improve. “Friday was a good first step, but the real work starts now,” Black said. Criminal justice coordinator Tiffany Cox then described an idea about a pathways process that relies on faculty participation. “We’re going to push very hard to include this pathways development in a decisionmaking model type process now, instead of waiting for the decision-making model to be made because it’s imperative for faculty to be involved in the development of pathways,
Fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt expresses the need for usable advising guides during Faculty Senate Oct. 7 in of visual arts. Hillary E. Ratcliff yesterday,” Cox said. The process would include forming discipline teams with discipline leads and be greatly involved with the curriculum process as well as the transfer process, she said. Cox also described how faculty can personally interact with their university counterparts to ensure students from Alamo Colleges are transferring successfully.
“If we advocate for us having this opportunity at the table to create this process and engage, then that’s what we have to do,” Black said. “We’re going to have to be really creative about how we support each other to make sure if we ask for it, then we have to hit the deadline.” Black wants to show college leadership that Faculty Senate can get the work done.
Cox is going to present the idea to college leadership and report back to the senate. Counselor Steve Samet and English Professor Mariano Aguilar expressed concern about the campus carry law that will take effect August 2017. “It would make sense for us to have some rationale behind gun-free zones because I sure as heck am not comfortable in the counseling center with the people I’m dealing with to walk in with guns,” Samet said. Since the campus carry law wasn’t on the agenda, Black assured the senate she would inform President Robert Vela and the presidents and vice chancellors committee that the senate is interested in having a discussion on the issue.
Terrorism debate goes local United Nations even finds it difficult to define terrorism, speaker says.
Dr. Vicky Elias, sociology professor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, talks about the dramatic changes in modern marriage Tuesday in Chance as part of Coming Out Week at this college. Cassi Armstrong
By Evelyn Reyes
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
From necessity to love Professor says marriage has gone through drastic changes over a short period of time. By Cassi Armstrong sac-ranger@alamo.edu
World War II changed the stereotypical roles for U.S. men and women, which caused relationships and marriage to evolve, a sociology professor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio said Tuesday at this college. Dr. Vicky Elias, who spoke as part of Coming Out Week, said American women worked outside the home while men fought overseas in the 1940s. The divorce rate rose in post-war America, and gender roles continued to transform, she said. That climate ultimately led to the acceptance of same-sex marriage. “When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, people fell into two categories. It was either, ‘Wow, we finally did this,’” or ‘Oh my God, the world is going to end. How did this happen?’ But ‘How did this happen?’ was really the question we all wanted to know.” Elias discussed the major changes in the nation’s social and marital panorama. Sociology is the study of human interactions; Elias said she focuses on sexuality, gender, marriage, family and equality. “I try and link all of those things together,” Elias said. Her speech began with the newest change, the legalization of same-sex marriage. In general, people tend to think of the gay rights movement as a new concept, she said. Elias assured students that it isn’t. Elias explained the movement began with a 1700s effort to stop the criminalization of homosexuality. It wasn’t until 1963 that the topic of gay marriage was broached, she said “That means that in 50 years we gained marriage rights,” Elias said. “After more than 200 years of just wanting decriminalization, we move from decriminalization to mar-
riage. That is amazing; that is a rapid pace of social change that is unheard of.” Gay marriage isn’t the only union that has changed in this country. Heterosexual marriages are beginning to slow down, she said. Elias asked students, “How many of you think that there is a rise in divorce rates here in the country?” Most students agreed there is an increase in divorce. Elias said it’s a myth and wondered why people believe divorce is rising today. In fact, there is a major decrease in divorce because there is a large decrease in marriages, she said. “We have to understand why people get married in the first place,” Elias said of understanding the statistics. “There is an accelerated race in social pace, and there is a reaction to the change.” Historically, she said, people wed because of things like children, sexual access, property, duty and beneficial alignment with another family. Marriage in the past wasn’t for love, but a union of teenagers to maintain or increase wealth between the two families. “Love had barely been the basis of marriage; instead, love between married partners was seen as a serious threat to social order,” Elias said. Elias says, now as a whole, people tend to tie the knot to either start a family or because they are in love. The average age for marriage among U.S. women is now around 30, she said. Women in modern times have changed their perspective from the older ways, such as getting married and having babies at a young age. Young women are choosing to go to school to get an education or learn a trade, she said. They gain independence and then later consider marriage. “What did it mean when you got married? You had fulfilled your role as an adult,” Elias said. “Marriage now is the last thing you do now. It means that I am ready, I have arrived.”
Violent activities by radical groups worldwide have led to a growing debate over what constitutes terrorism and an international backlash against one of the world’s most powerful Criminal justice Professor Marshall Lloyd discusses the globalization of countries — the U.S., criminal terrorism Oct. 13 during a Hot Potato lecture in the Methodist Student justice Professor Marshall Lloyd Center. E. David Guel said Tuesday at the Methodist Student Center’s Hot Potato the U.S., Great Britain, Russia, already see resistance forming lecture. France and China. within the U.N. against the U.S.” “For what some people call The other 10 members of The U.N. consists of 192 freedom fighters, others call the committee vary from other countries, so trying to get them terrorists,” Lloyd said to countries rotating out of the everyone to go along with the about 25 students and faculty. CTC. same idea is difficult, he said. The U.N. Security Council “They give commands to “You’ve got to be able to came up with a definition of other countries … ‘must,’ ‘shall,’ convey and persuade people to terrorism in 2004, Lloyd said. ‘will,’ ordering, directing other get along and go along. If not, Resolution 1566 says terrorism countries to do whatever,” Lloyd you begin to have to form these includes committing criminal said. He also said the Security institutions among yourselves acts to hurt or kill civilians; takCouncil wasn’t interested in and then try to somehow have ing hostages to incite terror; and pushing other countries to do sanctions and force people to intimidating a population, govthings until 9/11. go along with what you want,” ernment or international group. To execute orders, the P5 Lloyd said. A “soft law,” the definition must unanimously agree on the The U.S. is able to get other is not legally binding. “They topic and then carry out the countries to comply simply try to use resolutions there at orders. because of money, he said, times to get One of noting this country provides people to go the CTC’s millions of dollars to other It’s important for along and it first actions countries for weapons and aid. young people to takes awhile,” — spurred Electrical engineering freshknow about what’s Lloyd said. He largely by man Darryell Bass said stugoing on in their also explained the U.S. — dents should have access to country. why this defiwas dictatmore lectures like Lloyd’s. Asslan Khaligh, nition became ing how and “These discussions are government professor an important where counalways good,” Bass said. “It topic after tries spent brings the discussions out. Not the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, money, Lloyd said. everyone is going to agree … I 2001. “We’re the banking capithink these things need to be When people remember the tal of the world. We’re what discussed.” tragedy of 9/11, they remember makes things move, so we can Government Professor the burning World Trade Center impose, right quickly, monAsslan Khaligh said these contowers, Osama bin Laden and etary sanctions and get othversations are “excellent.” “It’s al-Qaida, he said. What people ers to go along because of the important for young people to don’t know is what happened things we can impose on othknow about what’s going on in within the United Nations and ers as well that don’t coopertheir country,” he said. what they were doing to try to ate,” Lloyd said. Khaligh has worked with the combat terrorism. Some feel like the U.S. is Methodist Student Center for After the attack, the U.N. forcing other countries to the past 30 years to organize formed the Counter-Terrorism change policies, he said. and often speak at Hot Potato Committee, or CTC, overseen “Within 18 months (of 9/11) lectures. He discussed the Iran by the U.N.’s Security Council. it appears that the U.S. is trying nuclear deal Oct. 6. Lloyd explained the CTC to roll over people there in the The next Hot Potato, is made up of 15 members U.N., getting them to go along “Religion and/in Politics,” is at including what he called the during the Bush II adminis12:15 p.m. Tuesday at the center. P5, the powerhouse nations of tration,” Lloyd said. “You can Call 210-733-1441.
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Feat
4 • www.theranger.org/news
Forged Passion Student forms works of art out of simple scrap. Photos and story by Kyle R. Cotton
Homemade tongs turn a steel clover to soften the metal for molding. The forge can get up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, about the melting point for steel. The ideal temperature to heat the metal for molding is between 500-1,500 degrees.
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ust east of San Antonio in Adkins, the loud ring of a hammer meeting an anvil rolls across the countryside as if Hephaestus himself was striking one of his many creations. But it is not the Greek god of blacksmithing. It is anthropology sophomore Alex Ruiz pounding away at his anvil and forging in intense heat at Volundr Forge, his home-based blacksmith business. His strong desire to work with his hands led him to the craft after seeing a few detailed bottle openers he wanted to make. “I got into it as a hobby, saw a couple of things I wanted to make and thought, ‘You know what? Maybe I can just do it myself,’” Ruiz said. “Originally, I wanted to buy them, but they were really expensive,” he said. “I looked up designs for a forge, welded it together myself, bought an anvil and started
making most of the tools here.” He made his own tongs to turn the hot metal in his forge and several chisels used for varying degrees of detail work based on size and shape of the metal. To heat the metal for molding, Ruiz built a small forge from fireplace bricks and placed a blower beneath the coals to fuel the fire to increase its heat. The metal needs to reach 5001,500 degrees Fahrenheit to be shaped, but the forge can produce temperatures up to 3,000 degrees, which is about the melting point for steel. Ruiz is old school in his approach to the craft. While other blacksmiths use tools such as plasma cutters, welding torches and gloves to create their pieces, he uses a steady hand to detail and form his creations. Brokkr, the Dwarvish blacksmith who created Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer from Norse mythology, would be proud. “Gloves get in the way and that’s the last thing I need,” Ruiz said. “Slip of the glove, slip of the ham-
mer and it wrecks my piece. “After a while, you get really tough hands,” Ruiz said, exposing burns and scars caused by slag bits, excess pieces of hot metal that fly off with each strike of the hammer. “It’s just an occupational hazard. “These slag bits flying off are probably 1,800 degrees or so. They hit your hand or whatever skin and just incinerate,” he said. “Sometimes a big enough piece will get stuck to your skin, and you have to wait half a second before you try to peel it off, or you might rip off a bit of skin, too.” Ruiz gets his metal from Ashley Salvage Co. at 4918 Roosevelt Ave. where he can buy about 50 pounds of steel for $20, compared with 10 pounds for the same price at Home Depot. “It’s all a matter of chance when I go there,” Ruiz said of Ashley Salvage. “I don’t always end up with the metal I’m looking for and just work with what I get.” Ruiz said teaching himself the ways of the blacksmith involved a lot of trial and error.
His first setup was basic: His forge was a hole in the ground with wood instead of the standard coal for a fuel source. He used a hair dryer to keep the flames going. His anvil was constructed from half a railroad beam and an I-beam fused together, and it had almost no “life” in it. He would hammer on the anvil and instead of reverberating, all the force from the strike would go through the anvil and die. For the past year, Ruiz has had a properly equipped forge in the workshop behind his garage. He now feels comfortable with his work. “I pick up on stuff really quickly,” Ruiz said. “I’m at a point where I’m confident in my work and the level of detail I’ll put into it.” Ruiz’s work is heavily influenced by nature with the image of plant vines showing up in many of the items he crafts, but it’s time consuming. “The mark of a good blacksmith is the ability to replicate nature in your work,” he said.
His steel rose takes three hours to heat, form and detail each of the individual pieces to form the final product. Ruiz makes a variety of pieces, from bottle openers, flint strikers and pendants to knives, axes, rings and machetes. Most are small pieces that range between $10-15 and weigh less than a cell phone, but the weapons and the more demanding projects cost between $20-$50. Ruiz said prices could go higher if he used more steel than usual for a project. Anyone interested in picking up the trade should know that “starting out is a huge investment of time and sometimes money,” Ruiz said. “Coal and metal can get expensive if you’re only doing it as a hobby. For me, it was well worth it.” So while the countryside may not thunder with the echoes of blacksmiths of legend, their spirit does reside in Ruiz’s heart. Ruiz accepts commissions on his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/volundirsforge?fref=ts.
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Oct. 19, 2015 • 5
Anthropology sophomore Alex Ruiz uses a hammer to shape the petals for a steel rose. He uses a tree stump for his detail work to prevent damage to his anvil, which could potentially go through the steel.
Ruiz strikes the hot steel clover to create a natural floral pattern for a steel rose at his Volundr Forge in Adkins.
Anthropology sophomore Alex Ruiz carefully brushes and looks over his steel rose for slag caused by the heating process in the forge. This is the final step of Ruiz’s process as his vision comes to life.
A steel rose takes three hours to heat, detail, form and assemble at Ruiz’s Volundr Forge in Adkins.
6 • Oct. 19, 2015
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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 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
Guns don’t benefit education The new concealed-carry law for colleges promotes fear. The new campus-carry law will go into effect on all community college campuses in August 2017. Chancellor Bruce Leslie is preparing a task force to determine where guns can be carried on Alamo Colleges campuses. Limiting those locations is a good idea. People wih concealed handgun licenses carrying guns on campus serve as a distraction to education in several ways. Teachers might be afraid to give students hard or challenging curriculum for fear students will retaliate by bringing a gun to class if they get a bad grade. Students might be afraid to come to school or transfer to another institution if they do not know which of their classmates is armed. Students come to college to learn
VIEWPOINT As I grew up, Western movies were my favorite. I idolized the man with the gun who proViewpoint tected the weak by Alyssa and fought for Zapata justice. Men like John Wayne, azapata84@student.alamo.edu Clint Eastwood and Alan Ladd. As the years went by, reality began to hit me about the dangers of guns. Not all people with a gun were like the good guys in the Westerns I had known. In junior high, the school sent a selected number of students to attend a leadership program. One of the seminars included actual footage from the shooting at Columbine High School on April
and prepare for a career, not to fear the actions of fellow students. Students with children who leave them at the early childhood center to attend class might think twice with a concealed carry campus. Those children also play in the playground south of the early childhood center at Howard Street and West Courtland Place. On the west side across the street from the center, the south yard of Koehler Cultural Center is also used as a playground for students of Great Hearts Monte Vista Elementary. Scobee Education Center conducts tours throughout the year for local school children from elementary to high school. Besides the presence of children at this college, Travis Early College High School is right next door at North Main
Avenue and West Dewey Place. Students from the high school also attend classes at this college. This campus is open to the public during events like SACtacular. Not only should our students and employees be concerned about who is armed, but strangers visiting our campus should also. With all these considerations, guns should be allowed in as few areas as possible. If not, at least keep concealed carry to the Alamo Colleges police department building or the law enforcement annex. That is where they belong — in buildings where trained police officers know how to use them. Having guns anywhere else doesn’t help students learn and feel safe. It only gives them many different scenarios to worry about.
Campus gun law raises questions 20, 1999, in Littleton, Colo., that killed 13 people. I saw students shooting and killing other students and I couldn’t comprehend why someone would choose to hurt their classmates. I grew up with my classmates, and we had a close bond. It had never occurred to me that someone could hurt my friends. Since I lived in the country, some of my family members and people who lived around our ranch enjoyed hunting. Around hunting season, it was normal to hear gunshots. It wasn’t until a few years ago in junior high when a little girl from my town lost her life to a gun accident, when I began to see the harm guns could cause in real life. The innocent thought of guns being used solely for protection by the right people began to fade.
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In June of this year, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 910. This will allow students with concealed handgun licenses to carry guns on campus starting in August 2017 for the Alamo Colleges. I don’t know how to feel about other students having a gun at a place that is for education. My mom always stressed to me growing up that school was for education only. Why would people feel the need to bring a gun to school? I understand there is bad in this world, but what good will a gun do? If another student brings a gun for protection, should I bring one to protect myself against them? There are many questions that linger in my head about students carrying a concealed weapon on campus. If I did carry then I feel I would
be protected when I get here early in the morning or when I leave late in the evening. I also think about the shootings that have occurred at colleges or universities. I wonder if there were a number of students with a gun. Could they have stopped the one person that decided to go on a shooting rampage? However, I think about those who are going to carry guns on campus and I question their intentions. I don’t know which side I stand on with this issue. I don’t know if I am for carrying on campus or against it because there is so much to consider, such as accidents that could occur or the chances of someone shooting out of anger. I don’t fear a gun — I fear a person’s intentions.
District hires new emergency management coordinator Campus to donate blood, marrow Oct. 26-27 Salsa competition heats up taste buds at SPC
Clarifications for board policies underway
correction
Photo Team Tiffany Anne Bermea,
Blood, sweat and cheers to fill boxing ring during SACtacular
In the Oct. 12 issue, “New Texas gun laws allow open carry on campus” should read concealed carry. Correction:
Pulse
www.theranger.org/pulse
Oct. 19, 2015 • 7
Rangers lose season opener to Victoria Pirates 62-53 The next home game will be against Palo Alto College Oct. 28.
This didn’t last long as Pirates point guard Brittany Wallace answered with a baseline drive and a layup that put them up by 9 points. By Alejandro Diaz The Rangers never got closer again. sac-ranger@alamo.edu Baxa led the Rangers in scoring with 14 It was a disappointing start of the season points, but it was point guard Destiny Solis for this college’s women’s basketball team who stood out for her ball-handling skills and as the Rangers lost their season opener to constant efforts to create opportunities for Victoria College 62-53 Wednesday in Candler her teammates. Physical Education Center. “I think we played hard; we didn’t just play After trading baskets early in the first quaragainst a team. I feel like we played against ter, the Pirates’ pressure defense proved to be the refs, too,” Solis said. too much for the Rangers to handle, creating “We shouldn’t have let that distract us turnovers that helped Victoria because we could’ve played take control of the game and a better game, but other than I think we played never look back. that, we did really good.” hard; we didn’t Rangers center Cheyenne The Rangers committed 23 just play against Baxa scored the first 4 points, fouls; the Pirates, 19. a team. I feel like providing an early lead that It was a tough way to start we played against wouldn’t hold. the season for the Rangers, the refs, too. The score at the end of but coach Haley Capestany Destiny Solis, sees room for improvement. the first quarter was 18-14 in point guard favor of the visitors, thanks “They did a lot better than to Pirates guard Jaycie Orsak, last year. I would say the team who provided an energy spark that yielded has improved,” Capestany said. two steals she turned into points. “We didn’t get the win like I wanted, but The second quarter showed more of the it’s just a matter of working on the little things, same as the Rangers tried to stay in the game, and, hopefully, if we do that, we’ll go back and but at the half they were down 31-26. beat them.” Victoria College continued to create turnThis season the team has four returning overs with its pressure defense at the start of players in its 10-player roster, which gives the second half. them better team chemistry, Capestany said. The game was high in intensity, which Returning players are Baxa, Heather encouraged the crowd to cheer on the Rangers Padilla, Alexa Mallen and Aydrie Aguinaga. to reduce the gap in the score. The Rangers sported pink T-shirts in supA stingy Victoria defense and missed port of Breast Cancer Awareness Month duropportunities left the Rangers trailing by 8 ing warmups before the game. points by the end of the third quarter. The next game for the women’s team will be The Rangers didn’t back down, and a fast Oct. 21 at the University of the Incarnate Word. break basket from Baxa pulled them within 7 The next home game will be against Palo points with four minutes remaining. Alto College Oct. 28 in Gym 1 of Candler.
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Above: Kinesiology freshman Destiny Solis tears down a rebound among players from both teams in the third quarter of the Oct. 14 game against the Pirates in Gym 1 of Candler. Solis scored 6 points in the Rangers’ 62-53 defeat. The team wore pink headbands and warmup shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. E. David Guel
Guarding the basket Left: Business sophomore Chady Joukeh gives up his body as he tries to draw a foul on Fort Sam Houston forward Rob Hartfield. The Rangers were overwhelmed by Fort Sam Houston 89-72. Read the story online at www.theranger.org. Kyle R. Cotton
2015
vie or Mo Outdo t 8:45 pm a Starts
ACTIVITIES INCLUDE Departmental Showcase De Olympic-Style Boxing Outdoor Movie “Marvel’s ANT-MAN” Live Music by Pinata Protest Michael Jackson Impersonator Food Booths/Trucks Planetarium Shows Animal Show Game Zone Bungee Run Gladiator Joust Sumo Wrestling
8 • Oct. 19, 2015
News Nonprofit agencies hire work-studies
www.theranger.org/news
Externships and internships are available for spring and summer. By Cynthia M. Herrera
cherrera151@student.alamo.edu
For the first time, Alamo Colleges students will have the opportunity to work with nonprofits. Martha Treviño, program coordinator for experiential learning, said the program is no longer accepting applications because more than 100 students applied for 40 off-campus positions. The work-study program allows students to work for local nonprofits for real-world experience in areas of career interest, she said. Financial aid specialist Ashley Brooks said the program is made possible by the community services regulation, enacted in 1992. For 2012-13, the Alamo Colleges employed 545 work-studies, 340 in 2013-14, and 695 in 2014-15. There are 300 work-study students this fall. According to federal guidelines, work-studies can work off-campus with federal, state and local agencies in positions that reflect the recipient’s education or career goals and for nonprofits, such as Communities in Schools: Big Brother, Big Sister; Operation Homefront; and Christian Senior Services. Students are paid $9 per hour for up to 15 hours a week for on- and off-campus positions. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Education. Although federal guidelines require that wages paid for work-studies should be 75 percent from colleges and 25 percent from non-federal funds, the Alamo Colleges pay 100 percent of the work-study wages from
federal funding, and the portion from nonprofit organizations is waived because all of the Alamo Colleges are designated Hispanicserving institutions. Next year, nonprofit organizations will pay 10 percent of wages and Alamo Colleges will pay 90 percent, Brooks said. Diego Gonzalez, teaching sophomore at this college, is a work-study student in an after school program for Good Samaritan Community Services. “It’s provided me an opportunity to gain experience in a field that I want to get into after I graduate,” Gonzalez said. Nonprofit organizations have given the Alamo Colleges job descriptions to match students to the organizations. “We love it. We appreciate it,” said Sarah Miller, volunteer services manager at Family Services Association. “As a nonprofit we can’t always afford to pay for additional staff, so having college students who are passionate and really looking at furthering their own career really helps us further impact the community and our role in serving those who are truly in need,” she said. Students may re-apply in December or in January for the spring semester. Externships, internships and research experience opportunities also will be available. Externships are one- to two-day student experiences with area employers allowing students to tour facilities and interview or shadow employers. Applications will be available at www. alamo.edu/cbfws/. Externships begin in January 2016, and internships are for summer 2016.