The Torch — Edition 26 // Volume 49

LCC TORCH.COM

LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S S T U D E N T- R U N N E W S PA P E R

M AY 2 9 , 2 0 1 4

The Torch volume 50, edition 26

INSIDE

Students write, direct athletes BOUND TO NEXt LEVEL faculty PERFORM IN RAGOZZINO EU G ENE , O R E .

SPRING FAIR

SPRINGFEVER PAGE 6

LAURA NEWMAN / THE TORCH

Students government treasurer Zach Wais, serves free cotton candy to Helena Richardson of Lane’s Anime and Manga Club during the May 21 Spring Fair.

Default rate dips below cutoff

BASEBALL

Revised figures put Lane at 29.7 percent

Sean Hanson Managing Editor The U.S. Department of Education has approved challenges to the data it uses to calculate Lane students’ default rate, inching the college away from a threshold beyond which Lane stands to lose all federal financial aid.

The 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act prescribes that penalty when, for three consecutive years, 30 percent of a school’s graduates default on their loans within the first three years of repayment.

According to preliminary

numbers published in February, approximately 30.7 percent of Lane borrowers who began repayment in the 2010 fiscal year defaulted before September 2013.

This would have been the second year Lane passed the 30-percent mark, but the college filed an appeal to reduce the pool of borrowers by 11 and the number of students who defaulted by 17, which pushed Lane’s rate out of the danger zone to approximately 29.7 percent, Lane Director of Financial Aid Helen Faith said.

In the borrower pool, eight had died before they defaulted, she said. “How

can you go into default if you were dead at that time?”

As for the other 17, Lane challenged erroneous repayment dates and abbreviated grace periods, the six-month periods between when students stop going half-time and start repaying their loans.

In addition to the yearly figures, which won’t be finalized until September, Lane receives a monthly update from the National Student Loan Data System. According to the most recent update, approximately 28.5 percent of Lane students who began repayment DEFAULT ON PAGE 3

Drag show dedicated to divas in history Proceeds to go to new LGBT center

Penny Scott A&C Editor Wearing high heels, wigs, loads of make-up, long flowing sequined gowns, miniskirts, leather gear, vibrant colors or simply sexy black, a cast of 11 took to the Main Stage in Building 6 for the annual drag show.

The Gender Sexuality Alliance hosted the May

27 event to honor “Divas through the Ages.” A wildly enthusiastic crowd of about 250 applauded, cheered, clapped, laughed and tipped the performers.

Throughout the show, attendees came down to the stage to give the performers money. Some were rewarded with hugs, others with kisses, and the crowd loved it.

“He’s my son, and I’m so

proud of him,” Marci Parker, Women’s Center assessment and testing specialist, said.

She was standing next to Du Bonnet Jackson, a.k.a. former Lane student Mario Parker-Milligan, who opened the show wearing a long blonde wig and black hat while singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

The drag show had several DRAG ON PAGE 7

FILE / THE TORCH

Lane sophomore pitcher Jeff Hardy throws during an April 6 game.

Hardy was named to the NWAACC All-Southern Region First Team and earned a win for the Titans at the NWAACC tournament May 23.

Titans take third in conference Edmonds ends Lane’s tournament run Jarrid Denney Sports Editor The Titans were underdogs in this year’s NWAACC Championship before the tournament even started.

They scraped their way into the playoffs on the last day of the season, and as a reward, faced the conference’s top team, the Edmonds Community College Tritons, in the first round.

The Tritons’ explosive offense overpowered Lane in a Day 1 blowout, meaning the Titans were just one loss away from elimination.

However, Lane’s sophomore-heavy squad bounced back to win its next three games. They made just one er-

ror and allowed three runs against three of the top offenses in the conference to earn a spot in the NWAACC Final Four where they once again faced the Tritons.

But the Tritons prevailed 9-2 and went on to defeat the Bellevue Community College Bulldogs to claim the NWAACC title later that day. The Titans claimed third place in the tournament.

“I thought we were the second best team there.” Lane head coach Josh Blunt said.

“Edmonds, top to bottom, was probably better than everybody at almost every position. Offensively, guys that they have in the seventh and eighth spots of their lineup would probably hit BASEBALL ON PAGE 4

2

OPINION&COMMENTARY

The Torch

EDITORIAL

High default rates affect future borrowers’ loan debt

LCC TORCH.COM

LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S S T U D E N T- R U N N E W S P A P E R

STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alyssa Sutton MANAGING EDITOR Sean Hanson SPORTS EDITOR Jarrid Denney A&C EDITOR Penny Scott REPORTERS Jackson Dietel Eddie Leach Laura Newman Chris Piepgrass Courtney Springer Chayne Thomas PHOTOGRAPHERS August Frank Alex Quadrini CARTOONIST Riley Webber PRODUCTION MANAGER Byron Hughey GRAPHIC ARTISTS Wes Fry James Capps WEB EDITOR Tenaya Smith AD MANAGER Randy Maxwell NEWS ADVISER Paige Parker

As Lane’s 2014 graduating class approaches its final weeks on campus, a looming burden awaits them.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, student loan debt is currently the second largest form of consumer debt in the United States, behind only home mortgages. This burden is so large for some that they may not be able to repay their debts and default, or fail to make scheduled payments, on them.

Default cripples both students and institutions in many ways. Grads and non-grads, past and present, need to take responsibility for their student loans and avoid default after graduation.

Future borrowers could ultimately pay the price of debt avoidance, especially at Lane.

Since 2008, colleges have been required by the federal government to keep default rates below 30 percent.

These rates are based on three-year measurements of post-graduates and are used to determine the ability of colleges to lend and create economically viable degree programs.

When colleges are unable to keep these rates below the threshold, they face penalties from the federal government.

Prior to the 2008 recession, Lane had default rates in the mid-teens. These rates began to increase substantially in 2008 for many reasons.

• Enrollment spikes of 16 percent occurred in 2008–09 and 2009–10.

Increased lending during this period led to an increased default rate in the following years, which is currently

PRODUCTION ADVISER Dorothy Wearne

CONTACT The Torch Lane Community College 4000 E. 30th Ave. Eugene, OR 97405 torch@lanecc.edu (541) 463-5654

reason, 9 percent of community college students nationwide do not have access to student loans, as their schools have opted out of federal loan programs to avoid losing Pell grant eligibility.

As the college has little control over who it lends to, it is key that students take responsibility for their loans before major damage is done to Lane’s ability to disburse financial aid to the community.

It is key that every student addresses his or her debt. Many avenues are available to students to repay financial aid loans.

Loan servicers may offer payment plans based on income, deferments/forbearance, changes to payment due dates and/or loan consolidation.

This could result in a student’s payments amounting to zero while searching for gainful employment.

Exploring these options not only increases a student’s ability to maintain good credit and navigate difficult financial times, but also decreases default rates and helps the college maintain its ability to provide financial aid to the community.

Students who have defaulted are ineligible for federal student aid and, should they return to school, must rely on private loans, which can come at higher interest rates from less forgiving lenders.

If you’re worried about repaying your student loans, seek help early. Take responsibility for the money you borrow so that future students will have the same opportunities you had to pay for school.

COMMENTARY

POLICY • Letters to the editor should be limited to 300 words.

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• Please include the author’s name, phone number and address (for verification purposes only).

• The Torch reserves the right to edit letters and commentary for length, grammar, spelling, libel, invasion of privacy and appropriate language.

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being used to determine the college’s ability to lend.

• The college’s budget structure has changed substantially. Tuition has increased in all but one of the past five years and funds 42 percent of the college’s budget. Additionally, the Oregon Legislature has decreased Lane’s funding to the same level as in 2008.

These factors have led to 73 percent of Lane students borrowing money, according to the National Center of Education Statistics.

• The 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act changed the period in which default is measured from two years to three. This change increases the default rates of community colleges substantially. While the two-year default rate averages 15 percent, the comparable three-year rate is 21 percent.

Lane’s three-year default rate from 2013 is set at 29.7 percent by the U.S. Department of Education, although this number won’t be finalized until September.

If not for a set of data challenges sent to the Department of Education by the college, Lane’s default rate would have remained above 30 percent for a second consecutive year.

According to the college’s most recent numbers from April 2011, the default rate is at 28.5 percent, a two-year low.

Any college with a default rate higher than 30 percent for three consecutive years, or higher than 40 percent for one year, automatically loses all financial aid eligibility, including Pell grants. For this

Penny Scott A&C Editor

Silenced by fear

Sexual assault is a crime that, to a large extent, has been kept quiet. Perpetrators, victims and members of society at large all have reasons for not bringing this matter into the open.

This needs to change. Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away; rather, it keeps it in place.

In our previous editorials on sexual assault, The Torch called for colleges and universities to adhere to the requirements of the Clery Act. Our purpose, of course, was to assist in making college and university campuses safe places for students.

Safety is not the only issue at hand, however. This is also about women reaching their fullest potential and this goal, indeed their birthright, is unattainable when women’s lives are governed by fear. The danger of being sexually assaulted exists beyond the boundaries of institutions of higher learning — it exists for women everywhere.

Everyone in society loses when 51 percent of its population fails to reach its highest potential.

What heights might women reach if

THE TORCH / Thursday, May 29, 2014

they lived without fear of men? Perhaps the answer to this question begins to uncover the real reason why women and girls are terrorized. Rape and sexual abuse is not about sex; it is about power.

Women live every day of their lives with the knowledge that they are prey.

Most know this from what they hear and see around them, usually in the media.

An alarming number know from personal experience, some from childhood.

The girls of yesterday are the women of today, and many bear the scars of sexual abuse.

Rarely is sexual abuse of young girls an isolated incident. It is not uncommon for them to be raped or even beaten for years by men in their families or by friends of the family. Shame and threats prevent them from speaking up.

Consequently, young girls are made prisoners of their own bodies and psyches.

Historically and into the present, a taboo has existed against speaking about this unpleasant subject. This societal prohibition, sadly, reinforces the fear planted in women’s psyches by their abusers.

Yes, this subject is unpleasant to speak about; however, it is far more unpleasant to endure.

It takes courage for women, let alone little girls, to tell the truth about what happened to them. Scars run deep and the original pain, whether old or recent, remains. Added to that, many women carry the burden of shame which belongs, not with them, but squarely on the shoulders of their abusers.

When women do speak up, tears often accompany their voices. Fear of being labeled as stereotypical, overly-emotional females is another reason why they remain in silence. This is a deeply emotional matter; only a person blind to the seriousness of this crime and the damage it causes would judge a woman for telling the truth and crying when she does.

The only sane response is compassion and respect.

Interestingly, both men and women are caught in this web of silence about rape and sexual abuse. Both sexes fear exposure and possible consequences.

Silence keeps this crime in the dark and, therefore, keeps it going.

All voices for truth deserve to be heard and respected.

This problem is not an abnormality; it is endemic to cultures the world over.

The responsibility of bringing it into the open rests with everyone.

3

NEWS&FEATURES STUDENT LOAN DEFAULT FACTS AND FIGURES

73%

Portion of Lane’s students using loans

$95M

Amount of financial aid disbursed in 2012-13

$136

Average monthly loan payment for Lane graduates

TUITION

has increased in all but one of the last five years

OREGON

currently funds the college at the same levels as 2008

42%

Portion of Lane’s budget from tuition

LANE STUDENTS WHO DEFAULT ON LOANS IN A THREE-YEAR WINDOW PEAK: 33.3%

33% 32% 31%

Penalty zone

30% 29% 28% September 2012

March 2013

September 2013

March 2014

SOURCE: National Student Loan Data System

DEFAULT: Lane leaves danger zone CONTINUED FROM P. 1 between April 2011 and March 2012 have defaulted, a figure that Faith said leaves her “cautiously optimistic.”

“The signs are pointing to improvement, which makes sense, because the economy has been improving,” she said, although Faith worries that recent news coverage “suggests that Lane is on the brink of collapse.”

“I realize that sells newspapers, but … it’s important to remember that we’re only in the draft phase of the second year,” she added.

In an opinion piece published in The Register-Guard, Lane President Mary Spilde explored the myriad reasons for Lane’s high default rate: a recession that hit Oregon “faster and deeper,” low income, reduced state funding and rising tuition.

Lane is one of three Oregon community colleges in the danger zone, according to the National Student Loan Data System. Klamath Community College’s draft default rate is 33 percent. Umpqua Community College’s 38.5 percent draft default rate puts the college perilously close to the Department of Education’s penalties for any school whose default rate exceeds 40 percent in a single year.

The Department of Education has yet to levy sanctions on any U.S. colleges or universities.

“Community colleges are not banks,” Spilde wrote. “Federal regulations do not allow colleges to assess creditworthiness … . Instead, we are required to disburse financial aid to almost anyone who applies and yet, if a student defaults, colleges are held accountable for something over

which we have little to no control.”

Student government Presidentelect Michael Weed agreed.

“It’s unfair for the federal government to hold the school responsible for what students (do),” he said.

“It’s not quite fair to community colleges.”

A year at Lane will cost students between $10,000 and $15,000, according to Lane’s website. According to the White House College Scorecard, Lane students borrow, on average, nearly $12,000, leaving them with an estimated $136 monthly loan payment once they graduate.

Lane disbursed $95 million in grants and loans to more than 11,000 students in the 2012-2013 school year, Faith said. Approximately 77 percent of eligible Lane students receive some form of aid.

Should the college lose its federal financial aid, students would have to rely on private loans and scholarships.

“It’s really important that students — particularly if they’re borrowing a lot — are aware of what their options are so they don’t just give up out of hopelessness,” Faith said.

Those options include alternate repayment plans, forbearances and deferments, Faith said, as long as students do their due diligence in keeping contact with lenders after college.

To achieve that end, Faith and Weed want `to implement a studentrun call center to improve students’ understanding of their financial aid and their responsibilities upon leaving Lane.

“It might be a little easier for stu-

dents to deal with another student that’s in a similar boat than somebody who’s sitting on the other side of the fence,” Weed said.

As a second-year environmental sciences student looking to transfer to Oregon State University, Weed has already accrued approximately $16,000 in loan debt while at Lane.

He doesn’t plan to accept any further loans — instead, he’s trying to finish his two-year degree on a small grant and conserve the remainder of his financial aid for his time at OSU. Nonetheless, learning about Lane students’ high default rate, their reliance on financial aid and the consequences the college could face for yielding a high rate of delinquent borrowers was a wake-up call.

“The whole reason behind community colleges in the first place is to help nontraditional students achieve the same thing as traditional students,” Weed said. “Not everybody can just go out and get a full-time job and then still survive out there and have enough left over to pay for school.”

Graphic design student Ryan Ritchey, who earned a transfer degree without taking out any loans, said he is considering borrowing for the first time because “it’s hard to pick up on ladies when you’re like, ‘hey, I live at my mom’s house,’ but at least she has a hot tub.”

Ritchey sees a loan as a path to financial independence, but he plans on limiting his borrowing to $10,000.

“Anything more than that, I’d feel like I’m just digging myself deeper into the pit,” Ritchey said.

The Torch / Thursday, MAY 29, 2014

4

SPORTS&RECREATION BASEBALL

FILE / THE TORCH

Lane sophomore third baseman Eric Long fields the ball in an April 11 game in Eugene. Long went 8-for-20 and scored seven runs at the NWAACC tournament in Longview, Wash., from May 22 to May 26.

FILE / THE TORCH

Titan sophomore first baseman Jarren Goddard batting in an April 11 game in Eugene. Goddard drove in seven runs and was named to the All-Tournament team at the NWAACC tournament.

BASEBALL: Titans hold opponents scoreless for 25 innings CONTINUED FROM P. 1

third for us everyday.”

Lane finished its season with a 30-18 overall record and its best tournament since 2010, when the Titans finished second.

Made up mostly of sophomores and players who had transferred from other schools, Lane’s veteran team clicked quickly this season and found success with a small-ball style of play that depended on timely hitting, aggressive baserunning and sacrifice bunts.

“I said from Day 1 that this is my favorite group that I’ve ever been around,” Blunt said.

“They earned everything they got … and put themselves in a really good position to play on the last day of the year.”

Sophomore first baseman Jarren Goddard led the Titans’ offense early in the year; he hit over .400 until mid-April and drove in 18 runs in his first 11 games. Although he suffered through a late season slump, he regained form in the playoffs and drove home seven runs in Lane’s final five games.

Goddard led the Titans with five home runs and 39 RBIs and finished the season with a .315 average. The Titans were sparked late in the season by hitting streaks from sophomore utility player Konner Reddick and freshman outfielder Forest Garcia. Garcia was 16-for-33 in his last 14 games and Reddick

led the team with a .348 average and carried a 16-game hitting streak from April 12 to May 12.

Sophomore third baseman Eric Long led the Titans with 152 hits and he and sophomore shortstop Tucker Campbell were two of the top defensive infielders in the conference.

Sophomore center fielder Spencer Smith was second among Titans in runs and RBIs with 31 and 25 respectively. Smith was third in hits with 45 and led Lane in stolen bases with 13.

On the mound, the Titans were led by sophomore Jeff Hardy, a right-handed transfer from University of Nevada.

Hardy finished the season with six wins, 62 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA in 12 appearances.

The Titans were the only team in the NWAACC to feature 12 pitchers who tossed 15 or more innings, and their pitching depth was one of their strongest assets.

A dominant Titan relief unit was carried by freshman Travis Boggs (5-1, 0.40 ERA), Shane Quarterly (3-0, 0.57 ERA) and sophomore Travis Kelley (41, 1.64 ERA). Boggs, Quarterly and Kelly struck out a combined 67 batters and walked only 16.

Game 1, May 22 8-0 loss versus Edmonds Community College Tritons Lane’s tournament got off to a rocky start as the topseeded Tritons scored six runs in the first two innings and put the Titans in a win-orgo-home situation for the remainder of the tournament.

Lane sophomore pitcher Travis Kelly, who normally pitches in a relief role, was rocked for nine hits and four earned runs in 1.2 innings in his second start of the season. Tritons catcher Kyle Olson went 3-for-4 and scored three times, and Edmonds ace Zach Johnson held the Titans to just two hits while striking out six in eight innings of work.

Game 2, May 23 6-0 win versus Columbia Basin Community College Hawks With the tournament on the line, the Titans responded with a lights-out performance and began a streak of 25 innings in which they didn’t allow a run.

Lane starter Jeff Hardy added to an outstanding 2014 campaign with a seven-inning, sixstrikeout performance to earn his sixth win of the season. The Titans racked up four runs in

the first two innings, despite going the entire game without an extra base hit. Sophomore third baseman Eric Long went 4-for-4 and scored three times, and sophomore center fielder Spencer Smith was 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Game 3, May 24 7-0 win versus Treasure Valley Community College Chukars The Titans showed their superior pitching depth in their second win of the season over the Chukars. Sophomore pitcher Parker Sherrell earned the win in his first start since April 12, in what was one of Lane’s strongest performances of the tournament. Sherrell struck out eight batters in eight innings and allowed just six base runners to earn his first win of the year. Sophomores Blake Montague and Jarren Goddard each went 2-for-3 and drove home two runs, and Smith scored once and stole two bases.

Game 4, May 25 6-3 win versus Bellevue Community College Bulldogs With a chance to knock off the tournament’s last undefeated team, Blunt handed the ball to Jackson Bertsche, a

“I said from Day 1 that this is my favorite group I’ve been around.”

THE TORCH / Thursday, May 29, 2014

Josh Blunt Lane head baseball coach

flame-throwing freshman who had struggled with consistency all season. Bertsche delivered a five strikeout performance and stymied one of the top offenses in the NWAACC for 7.2 innings, and freshman reliever Shane Quarterly was able to earn the last four outs to send the Titans to a tiebreaker. Goddard led the way for the Titans with two singles and three RBIs and freshman outfielder Forest Garcia was 3for-4 with two RBIs. Game 5, May 26 9-2 loss versus Edmonds Community College Tritons Lane’s tournament run came to an end after their second loss of the weekend to the Tritons, who went on to win the championship game later that day. The Titans held even with Edmonds for two innings, but crumbled in the third inning when they surrendered two runs and then seven more over the next three innings. Sophomore starter Jared Priestly was one of four Titan pitchers who allowed at least one run, and Edmonds’ starter Zach Johnson shut down the Titans for the second time in four days. Johnson struck out nine Titans and allowed just five hits over seven innings.

Sophomore outfielder Spencer Smith led the Titans with a 2for-4 performance.

5

SPORTS&RECREATION TRACK & FIELD

Titans stars jump to next level 5

37 10

4

8

19

6

Ten Lane track standouts have signed National Letters of Intent with four-year schools

2

Jarrid Denney Sports Editor

1

Erik Jorgensen University of South Dakota

• 2012 NWAACC Champion pole vault • 2012 All-American Personal Best: 16'4.75" (forthbest in school history)

4

Leah Wilson Boise State University

• 2013 NWAACC Champion shot put • 3x All-American • Personal Best - Hammer throw: 151'05" (fifth in school history) • Shot Put: 44'6" (third in school history)

7

Macaulay Wilson Oregon State University

• 2014 NWAACC Champion: 800-meter • 2013 and 2014 All-American: 800-meter • Personal Bests - 800-meter: 2:16.61 (fifth in school history) • Part of 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams that hold school records

2

Zach Olivera University of Tennessee

• 2013 and 2014 NWAACC Champion - pole vault • 2013 and 2014 All-American Personal best - pole vault: 16'4.75" (fourth-best in school history)

5

Jahzelle Ambus Seattle Pacific University

• 2013 NWAACC Champion 100, 200-meter dash • Personal best - 200-meter dash: 25.03 seconds (fifth in school history) • Part of 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams that hold school records

8

Anna Jensen Sacramento State University

• 2013 NWAACC Champion pole vault • 2013 and 2014 All-American • Personal best - pole vault: 11'9.25" (fourth in school history)

3

In one of the greatest seasons in school history, the Lane track and field program repeated as Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges champions on both the men’s and women’s sides. Sparked by 11 individual champions, and 25 All-Americans, the 2014 Titans sophomores were the first group since 1997 to contribute to back-to-back championships. Leading Lane’s championship run were ten athletes who are transferring to four-year schools, all of which are Division II or higher. “Without a doubt, in my 16 years, we have never had this many athletes move on to the next level,” Lane head coach Grady O’Connor said. “It speaks volumes to our assistant coaches and their hard work, and it speaks to our institution and our support staff.

I’m obviously biased, but it goes down in my book as the best sophomore class in Lane history.” The Titans featured seven sophomore pole vaulters who earned All-American honors a combined ten times in their respective careers. Four of those vaulters, Zach Olivera, Erik Jorgensen, Anna Jensen and Janelle Noga have signed National Letters of Intent at NCAA Division I schools.

Sophomore throwers Madison Seamen and Leah Wilson have also committed to NCAA Division I schools.

Two members of Lane’s record-breaking relay team, Jahzelle Ambus (Seattle Pacific University) and Macaulay Wilson (Oregon State University), have chosen to remain in the Northwest, and heptathlete Kara Hallock will join Wilson at OSU. Hallock and Wilson will accompany former Lane sprinter Allie Church as Titans who have committed to the Beavers’ upstart track program, which was reinstated in 2012. Wilson will attend as a walk-on, and pole-vaulter Kayla Vasquez will attend at California State University Chico as a walk-on.

Kara Hallock Oregon State University

• Lane record holder heptathlon: 4,785 points • 100-meter hurdles: 14.16 seconds • 2014 NWAACC Champion 100-meter hurdles • 7x All-American

6

Madison Seamen University of Wyoming

• 2013 NWAACC Champion discus • 4x All-American • Personal bests - discus: 151'11" (third in school history) • Shot put: 42'8" (seventh in school history)

9

Janelle Noga University of South Dakota

• 2014 NWAACC champion pole vault • 2012 and 2014 All-American • Personal best - pole vault: 11'9.25" (fourth in school history)

10

Kayla Vasquez California State University Chico

• 2013 All-American • Personal Best - pole vault: 11'5.75" (ninth in school history)

“Without a doubt, in my 16 years, we have never had this many athletes move on to the next level,”

Grady O’Connor

Lane track and field head coach

The Torch / Thursday, MAY 29, 2014

6

ARTS&CULTURE

Faculty jazz fill Blue Door Theatre Experienced musicians display their skills to an enthusiastic audience

Eddie Leach Reporter On a wet, chilly night, the intimate surroundings of the Blue Door Theatre offered the perfect setting for the warm tones and lively rhythms generated by the Lane Faculty Jazz Band on May 27.

The musicianship of these teachers is clearly on par with any professional jazz group.

The fine acoustics of The Blue Door contributed to the intimate, club-like atmosphere.

When I closed my eyes, I could have been back in any of the jazz clubs I used to frequent in New York or London.

The only things missing were the smoky blue haze and the sound of clinking glasses from the bar.

Besides being fine players individually, the band members were thoroughly in tune with each other’s playing. Listening closely to each other enabled them to merge into a fully complementary and unified group. Bass and drums coalesced to form the rhythmic foundation which supported the rest of the band.

Their choice of material would satisfy any true jazzlover. The band led off with “Hum” and “Haig and Haig,” up-tempo swingers with a big band feel, which allowed the band to warm up nicely. Dave Bender played flugelhorn on both tunes. The audience re-

sponded positively, enthusiastically applauding solos.

These were followed by a more laid-back and mellow interpretation of a Swedish folk song called “Dear Old Stockholm.” Nate Waddell gave a deeply melodic and swinging bass solo in this tune.

Next came “Bye Bye Blackbird,” featuring an exceptionally nimble guitar solo from Olem Alves, with the horns adding a slight Dixieland feel during their shared improvisation.

“Simone” followed in threequarter waltz time, giving the audience a change of pace.

The mood then changed completely with the classic 1950s ballad “My Foolish Heart.”

The rich, round tone of Ron Bertucci’s trombone carried the melody, followed by sensitive solos on piano and flugelhorn from Matt Svoboda and Bender. Randy Rollofson showed his subtlety and good taste by using brushes on his drum kit.

After the bright and airy “Summer Running,” which had a more contemporary feel, the performers really hit their stride with the last two tunes of the evening.

First came “Mamacita,” which was a classic example of mid-1960s hard bop with a Latin flavor. This took the energy level up quite a few notches. Rollofson’s drum solo knocked the audience side-

August Frank / THE TORCH

Nate Waddell, Ron Bertucci, Dave Bender, Olem Alves, and Matt Svoboda rehearse for their performance before the May 27 Lane Faculty Jazz Concert.

ways and brought forth large smiles from his bandmates.

During this tune, Waddell was virtually dancing with his upright bass.

Paul Krugman, director of the Lane Symphonic Band, was guest trumpeter on the powerful “Black Nile,” to close the show. Alves’s guitar solo sparked truly superb interplay with Rollofson. Then each band member traded fours with Rollofson to end the tune.

The musicians displayed an impressive range of musical emotions and technical skills.

With teachers like these, Lane music students are obviously in good hands.

August Frank / THE TORCH

Dave Bender rehearses in preparation for the Lane Faculty Jazz Concert that was held on May 27.

Spring Fair

Council of Clubs hosts a hit Bouncy castle, dunk tank draw crowds at club recruiting event

Penny Scott A&C Editor Council of Clubs hosted the Spring Fair at Lane’s Bristow Square May 21.

More than 250 people had attended the event before it was half over, according to student government senate president pro tempore Emily Aguilera.

“It’s wonderful. I am really excited that everything has turned out exactly how I hoped it would,” Aguilera said. “We didn’t run into complications or anything. Everything is going surprisingly smooth.”

The purpose of the event was to inform Lane students about campus clubs. Even though not all clubs could send representatives to the event due to their hectic endof-year schedules, tables were still set up for all clubs and were manned by other volunteers, Aguilera said.

A bouncy castle and a dunk tank were popular attractions at the event. Also, free cotton candy and savory dishes from Cafe Yumm were served.

Throughout the day, different volunteers agreed to be dunked in the tank. People paid $1 to purchase three balls, and if they hit the target, the person on the seat

THE TORCH / Thursday, May 29, 2014

in the cage would suddenly drop in the water.

Lane student Andrew Gonzalez, cold, wet and wildly enthusiastic, provoked passersby to purchase balls.

“I’m cold, but that’s okay.

I like trash-talking people so they buy more,” Gonzalez said. “You got to provoke them, man.”

Lane student Erin Debailo, an assistant at the dunk tank, eagerly waited her turn to be dunked.

“It’s good fundraising, and you get to know what clubs are here at Lane. I get to hang out with friends and meet new people,” Debailo said.

“I’m waiting to be dunked.

Laura Newman / THE TORCH

Students volunteer to supervise as children race through a moonbounce obstacle course during the Spring Fair on May 21.

I’m going to have a go!”

Student government treasurer Zach Wais drew a crowd at the cotton candy machine.

“Everybody is very happy and they have forgiven us for bugging them about voting all year,” Wais said.

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ARTS&CULTURE

Penny scott / THE TORCH

august frank / THE TORCH

Du Bonnet Jackson, a.k.a. Mario Parker-Milligan, performed along with 10 others in the Drag Show, held in Ragozzino Performance Hall on May 27. Jackson rehearsed (right) “Drunk in Love” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for the show May 26.

DRAG: Nearly 250 attend performance in Ragozzino CONTINUED FROM P. 1

purposes, including bringing people together for fun. The organizers also wanted to raise awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community at Lane and in Eugene, Lane student Emmett Ellingson-Ford said.

Money raised from the show went to the Queer Community Center Project, which plans to create a center and services for LGBT people in Eugene.

“We have reclaimed the word ‘queer’ for positive purposes,” Ellingson-Ford said.

“The center would be a place for LGBT (people) to get together and interact with other

community members.”

The show also honored men and women from history who have made life more comfortable for gay men and women.

They aren’t talked about, but they impacted history, GSA advocate Max Jensen said.

“They include everyone from indigenous people to computer scientists who have made it possible for people to live the life they have today,” Lane student Christian Mello said. The show honored people such as British mathematician and wartime code-breaker Alan Turing.

According to Jensen, Tur-

ing played an important role in fighting the Nazis and so helped change the way the world works. However, due to his sexual orientation, he was convicted of gross indecency and chemically castrated by the British government. Turing later committed suicide.

The show also honored Bayard Rustin, who went to India to learn from Ghandi before he returned to the U.S. and advised Martin Luther King Jr. He was very instrumental in the march on Washington, Jensen said.

“These are people who changed the world,” Jen-

sen said. “If they hadn’t been there things would be drastically different.”

Others included Victorian playwright Oscar Wilde, as well as Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person elected to a U.S. government office, and the poet Sappho, who lived on the island of Lesbos between 630 B.C. and 570 B.C. “There were riots in the ‘60s, and there was the work that was done during the AIDS crisis up until today,” Mello said. “It’s really important that young people have access to heroes that they can identify with.”

It wasn’t just young people who gathered for the show. Three generations of one family — including Darlene Booth; her daughter, Lara Landis; and her grandson, James Seals — smiled and clapped throughout the show.

“It’s great. I just love it,” Landis said. “Daphne and Karess are great together. They are so funny.”

Landis was referring to the hosts of the show, Karess Ann Laughter and Daphne Storm, whose good-natured humor, stunning outfits, dancing and singing held the show together and helped make it a hit.

COMPLETE FRENCH 101, 102, AND 103 THIS SUMMER!

COURTNEY SPRINGER / THE TORCH

Awards lined up at the Employee Recognition Gala on May 28.

Faculty members acknowledged Over 100 members honored at event

Courtney Springer Reporter Friends and family of Lane faculty gathered with their loved ones in the Center for Meeting and Learning, Building 19, for the annual Employee Recognition Gala on May 28.

The event kicked off with a retiree video, contributed by John and Roxanne Watson and Anxious Dog Productions.

Over 100 faculty members were acknowledged at the event. First, awards were given to faculty members with

10 years of service. Nearly 40 people were recognized.

Lane recognized approximately 20 faculty members for 20 years of service, eight members for 30 years and 37 other retirees.

Jeanne Harcleroad was the only faculty member recognized for 40 years of service.

During intermission, cake, fruit and refreshments were served. Dalton Lott, a performing arts student, played his guitar.

The awards were all made by Eugene business Aurora Glass.

Lane Community College is pleased to offer a full year of beginning French in one 11-week summer session.

This course is offered as a hybrid course: it meets Monday-Thursday in a traditional classroom on the Lane campus, and students also engage 20% of the course online, from home or another remote setting.

UÊ French 101 and 102 meet for four weeks each, June 23-August 14 UÊ French 103 meets for three weeks, August 18-September 4 UÊ Each course is 5 credits, so students can earn up to 15 credits of first-year French UÊ French 101 and French 102 fulfill the language requirement for admission to 4 yr colleges and universities UÊ Successful completion of FR 103 allows students to enroll in the 200 level sequence next academic year and to fulfill the language For more information: requirement for a BA degree 5 credit class =$475 (3 x) Summer fees =$154 Textbook =$206

Karin Almquist almquistk@lanecc.edu

541.463.5140 Division of Language, Literature and Communication

541.463.5419

The Torch / Thursday, MAY 29, 2014

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ARTS&CULTURE EVENTS CALENDAR: May 29 to June 3 Thursday 29 Annual Graphic Design Student Exhibition May 29 to June 11 From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Building 11, Adjacent Gallery Media Arts Student Exhibition May 29 to June 12 From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Building 11, Main Gallery

Kory Phillips and Aaron Frederickson perform An Unnamed Chess Play at Spring Inspirations on May 22.

AUGUST FRANK / THE TORCH

Fall classes lead to Spring Inspirations Students write, direct plays in 2013-14 Lane theater finale

Courtney Springer Reporter Lane students took over the stage at the Blue Door Theatre May 22 to May 24 to present plays written and directed by students in the annual Spring Inspirations.

Once per year, student-writers submit their work for the opportunity to have their creations acted out on stage. The show is completely student-designed down to lighting, costumes, props and stage direction.

This year four shows were chosen: Dating Outside Your Light Cone, written by Tim O’Donnell; How Does it Feel?, written by Stefanie Anderson; Who’s Looking, written by Sylvie Paterson; and An Unnamed Chess Play, written by Gabe Dresser.

O’Donnell attended Lane in the fall and transferred to the University of Oregon, but came back to direct his show, as well as How Does it Feel? The two pieces vary in content, but both stories explore character relationships.

“It begins with a grain of something I like,” O’Donnell said. “It could be something paranormal, UFOs or fringe science … . Then it’s the relationships.”

Emerald Henderson was stage director for Dating Outside Your Light Cone, which was read from scripts on blue stands instead of being acted out. Actors Heather Bohn, as Annette, and Jacob Johnson, as

James, successfully brought the audience into their relationship.

The two characters discuss the realities of dating while also dealing with the complexities of time travelling. Imagine bickering with a loved one through time and space.

In How Does it Feel?, with stage direction by Emerald Henderson, a family deals with an absent father who finally returned 10 years after walking out. Omar Alaniz played John, the absent father; Ashley Clark played the daughter Rosie, and Caitlin King captured the distraught state of the mother, Susan. Upon arrival, John finds an outraged grown daughter and the shell of a mother who was severely injured in a drunken driving incident. The piece is heavy and real.

With no previous acting experience, Alaniz decided to go in for a cold reading after receiving an email about auditions. He was cast as John.

“I’ve been told I have a good stage presence,” Alaniz said. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to grow.”

Who’s Looking was an Orwellian take on what dating looks like in a future when every moment goes viral. Stefanie Anderson plays Zoe, a selfieobsessed woman hooked on a culture based on posting every aspect of life, including sex.

Cash McAllister plays Matt, Zoe’s boyfriend, who is not enthused by the drone outside the apartment window or the need to post his intimate relations online for all to see. The play

THE TORCH / Thursday, May 29, 2014

Lane Symphonic Band Concert From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Building 6, Performing Arts Stage 107 Building 6, Ragozzino Performance Hall

Friday 30 Music Showcase From noon to 1 p.m.

Building 6, Performing Arts Stage 107 Building 6, Ragozzino Performance Hall Oregon Mozart Players Banquet From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Center for Meeting and Learning, rooms 100, 102 and 104

Saturday 31 The Dance Factory From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Building 6, Blue Door Theatre Building 6, Performing Arts Stage 107 Building 6, Ragozzino Performance Hall

Tuesday 3 Dance Open Show From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Building 6, Performing Arts Stage 107 Building 6, Ragozzino Performance Hall Jazz Combos From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Building 6, Blue Door Theatre

Eugene Tech AUGUST FRANK / THE TORCH

Stephanie Anderson performs in the play Who’s Looking at Spring Inspirations on May 22.

hits too close to the truth as the couple spat about what should and shouldn’t be posted for all to scrutinize.

An Unnamed Chess Play, directed by Anna Parks, centers around two male characters, Kory Phillips as Blake and Aaron Frederickson as Jonathan, playing a game of chess. Conversation turns serious when a character drops that he has cancer and may not make it.

Next year Spring Inspira-

tions will try something new with more community outreach and by enticing younger writers to participate. David Trussell, president of the Student Productions Association, said this year was a bit hectic, and next year will be more inclusive. Writers from the Eugene community, including Lane high school students, will be invited to participate.

The event is tentatively planned for Winter 2015.

EugeneTech@outlook.com 541-337-9142

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