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Volume 90 Issue 8 • Nov. 9, 2015
Diane Snyder, associate vice chancellor for finance and administration, presents the amended 2016-17 budget to the board Oct. 27 which consists of a 5 percent increase in tuition. Cynthia M. Herrera
Trustees pass tuition hike three weeks before spring registration Serving up rhythm, tea Federico Gonzalez-Vidal, fine arts sophomore and president of the Asian Pop Society, performs a dance routine with English sophomore Rosalva González Nov. 3 in the mall. The club will host a maid and butler cafe 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Fiesta Room of Loftin. Cupcakes, curry, tea by Teavana and dance entertainment will be provided. Pre-sale tickets were $5 and regular priced tickets are $7 at the door. E. David Guel
Speech policy reviewed The citizens-to-be-heard policy is sent back to the Policy and Long-Range Planning Committee. By Cynthia M. Herrera
cherrera151@student.alamo.edu
A proposal that would restrict students, faculty and staff from speaking during citizens-to-be-heard at meetings of the Alamo Colleges trustees unless speakers have exhausted administrative channels was sent back to the Policy and Long-Range Committee for further discussion. No agreement could be made on proposed amendments to board policy during the regular board meeting Oct. 27. Administrative channels for students require going through student government associations at district colleges or the college president before resorting to citizens-to-beheard. This is specified in Procedure B.8.1.1 Administrative Remedies Before Resorting to Citizens-to-beheard, which is referred to in the proposed amendments. Faculty and staff must go through proper channels seeking administrative solutions before bringing
up issues to the board as stated in Policy B. 8.1. under Procedure B.8.1.1 and Procedure D. 3.3, Employee Complaints. For faculty, the channel would be Faculty Senate and for staff it would be Staff Council. Both groups also would need to seek a solution from the college administration, President Robert Vela said. The proposal was forwarded to the full board Oct. 20 after committee members were unable to agree on the amendments. Gerald Busald, president of the Alamo Colleges Faculty Legal Action Association and math professor at this college, represented the group and spoke during citizens-to-beheard. “I think it’s a horrible, horrible thing. It’s like we want no negative thoughts ever to come out at the board meetings. Sometimes negative thoughts lead to positive results,” he said. Busald said the association has
Math Professor Gerald Busald expresses his discontent with the proposed and then amended citizens-to-be-heard policy change during the Oct. 27 regular board meeting in Killen. Cynthia M. Herrera not contacted its attorney. Board Chair Ana Bustamante, District 3 trustee, said she would like citizens-to-be-heard not to have a time limit, which is stated in the policy but rather a “reasonable” amount of time. Citizens-to-be-heard is currently
See POLICY, Page 5
One to 350 adviserstudent ratio should be reached by 2017. By Cynthia M. Herrera
cherrera151@student.alamo.edu
Students will pay a 5 percent increase for classes starting in the spring semester after the Alamo Colleges board of trustees approved an amended annual budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year. The budget was approved in July and the amendment added during the regular board meeting Oct. 27. The new tuition rate for up to six hours in the spring is $504 compared to $480 this semester for indistrict students. The district charges a flat rate for students taking one to six semester hours. Tuition goes up incrementally for each semester hour above six. Tuition rates will be an additional $3.50 per hour. A student taking 12 hours will pay $873, $42 more than the $831 charged this semester. All students, whether in-district, out-of-district or out-ofcountry will be affected. The vote was 5-3. District 2 trustee Denver McClendon left before the vote. District 1 trustee Joe Alderete, District 4 trustee Marcelo Casillas and Chair Ana Bustamante, District 3 trustee, voted against the increase.
The tuition increase was approved to raise revenue to cover the cost of hiring advisers to ensure there is one adviser for every 350 students by 2017. The current ratio is one to 400. There are 45 advisers within the Alamo Colleges, and an additional 20 advisers will be hired by 2017. The district also will spend $1 million for software. A total of $3.7 million has been spent on advisers, and an additional $1.7 million will be used to provide office space for the additional advisers as well as their certification and training. English sophomore Michael Santos said he didn’t think the increase was too bad and might be beneficial. “I don’t think it’s that bad, considering. I didn’t find the increase to be substantial or shocking,” Santos said. “I think that’s fair. I started school eight years back, and then I left for five years, so this is my second semester back. The whole advising aspect helped me get back into school.” Donna Goodloe, funeral director sophomore, said it was unfortunate for those not having access to financial aid or grants. “Honestly, I think school is just expensive anyway. For kids, especially, if they don’t have family to help them pay for tuition or those
See TUITION, Page 5
St. Philip’s College founder elevated from savior to saint SPC will host a reception in celebration of Artemisia Bowden. By Alyssa Zapata
azapata84@student.alamo.edu
Artemisia Bowden rose against all odds to fight for education and raised St. Philip’s College above expectations to answer the call of God. This year the Episcopal Church has added Artemisia Bowden into “Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints.” “She was a young lady who was requested by Bishop James Johnson to help a Saturday evening sewing class,” said Dr. Adena Williams Loston, president of St. Philip’s College. “When God calls, we must answer and that is what Artemisia Bowden displayed,” the Rev.
Patricia Riggins of St. Philip’s Bowden argued with the Episcopal Church said. city to allow St. Philip’s to be a With the weight of the Great public junior college for African Depression, Bowden did not Americans. give up and thought of differIn 1942, the city added St. ent ways to keep the school Philip’s to the junior college afloat, Loston said. system alongside this college, Bowden galvanized stuLoston said. dents to sing, family members “Once she took the helm, to work alongside her and barwe grew from a Saturday night ter chickens, eggs, pigs and sewing class to an accredited produce to generate income junior college,” Loston said. during the Great Depression, Artemisia Bowden “She wasn’t married to anyone because the church could no because she was married to longer provide financial support. the school.” St. Philip’s then fell under San Antonio Bowden’s goal was to continuously provide Independent School District for the financial opportunities for African Americans in San responsibility. Antonio.
Her personal motto was, “Learn to do something and do it well.” Becoming founder and principal of St. Philip’s was not enough for Bowden. She went on to become president of the San Antonio Metropolitan Council of Negro Women and founder and president of the city’s Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club. “Her mission was greater than her title,” Loston said. For the Episcopal Church, Bowden displayed great service to her community and faced many obstacles, but never lost her faith, Riggins said. “She was a role model, iconic figure and a person who never strayed from their values … I don’t have to look far for a role model,” Loston said.
See SAINT, Page 5