THE
TORCH -JUNE 5, 2019 - VOLUME 54, EDITION 14 - EUGENE, OR-
Services / pg 4
Faculty / pg 6
ASLCC / pg 9
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Wednesday, June 05, 2019
CHANGES THE
TORCH THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THE STAFF Editor-in-Chief Marek Belka
Production Manager/Art Director Anna CK Smith
News Director David Galbreath
Copy Editor Janelle Dutton
Reporters
James Croxton Evelyn Vannezza positions open
Graphics Prenapa Techakumthon
Illustrators Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence Ashaundra Talbot positions open
Cartoonist position open
Photojournalists Selina Scott, Trent Toyama position open
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Multimedia positions open
Web Designer Ian Kersey
News Advisor Charlie Deitz
Printer
Meet the new boss: The first interview with president-elect Bryant Everett What are your plans, or what does your administration hope to accomplish this academic year?
After the commencement ceremony, on the 11th of June, there is a conference planned out to iron out the details and plans for student government this year. More specifically, radical changes need to come, on various levels, institutional, faculty and staff, etc.
What needs to change? Student engagement is the biggest issue here; there is not enough student participation. The fact of the matter is that I was elected by only 4% of students, and that is double of what we have seen in recent years. In numbers, 78% of those that voted, voted for me, 242 votes. We are seeing a huge lack of “community” for a community college. The lack of enrollment means less involvement in student activities, clubs, organizations, events, etc. The return on investment is to make sure students are engaged. We’ve heard the comparison to silos, where everyone is just in their own little section. What we need is more intersectionality. The pillar of their campaign was based on building a community. We see the potential in the center building for example, where the long term plans have outlived the student boom seen in 2013 and 2014, the highest seen in a long time. They expected it to continue, but instead, there was a sharp decline. The college needs to look at what is actually really important because it is starting to price students out. A good economy like what we are seeing now should be booming for student enrollment and it ought to be helping build a community college. But obviously, LCC has been missing the mark and the votes (or lack thereof) reflect that. So we need to look at the needs of the current constituents. Everyone has different goals or projects in mind, but what really needs to be looked at are the current needs of students.
Oregon Web Press Albany, Oregon
How do you plan to accomplish that?
LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMNS
Breaking down these silos, or barriers. If we were to have more departmental crossover, students would get more interactions with people outside of their program who are facing a different set of obstacles from their own. Right now, there isn’t much opportunity for people to meet one another, unless they are studying in the same department. That needs to change. We need to find a way to serve each individual program, fulfilling their needs while simultaneously fulfilling the needs of all. When there is more understanding and compassion, there is more unity among everyone here on campus–workers and students alike.
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So you're saying is we should unify clubs and organizations? Crossover between student leadership? Yes, please! Working to unify resources and work together instead of wasting time and valuable resources (including elbow grease) when things could just be combined. Less overhead means less expenses. It’s going to be a slight culture shift from what I’ve been seeing. I don’t know what got us to where we are, but that doesn’t mean we can’t come together.
How do you think you can get students more involved? Engaging students through events, class raps, tableing, etc. We mostly need to get student leaders working together. Being student president without their support and that of others, doesn’t mean anything. We are all going to have to work together, sink or swim. I am only here for a year, we build on where the previous person left off. This is something bigger than ourselves.
Can you give an idea of what your plans or aspirations are?
Things we want to do this year include training as student leaders. There will be institutional changes coming. All I can say is that there are definitely things in the works. Things will be put in place to reach marginalized students and address the problems no one is talking about such as the housing crisis and food insecurity. In just a few weeks we had over 500 students visit the rainy day food pantry! That is more people that voted in the elections! No one is talking about the fact that when some teachers leave late at night, there are cars that just move from one spot to another, probably from students who sleep in their cars here on campus due to the fact that housing is becoming cost prohibitive.
What can students do? Most of these issues are not on students! We are putting a lot of the burden on them already. What I would like to tell students is to keep working, keep striving, keep moving forward. Despite school, work, family, etc. keep doing what you are doing! Involve yourselves whenever possible, use the resources that are available and here for you. Most importantly, be mindful and kind to each other, we already have enough forces against us. Use the resources at your disposal here on campus; go for clothes if you need them at the No cash Clothing stash and please go to the rainy day food pantry. Funding for the pantry IS dependent on usage. The more we can show the need students have, the more funding we can get and bring you what you need. The best way students can show support is by voting. The more students we can show who are informed of what is going on in our school, the more numbers of students we can show through votes, signatures on petitions, etc, the bigger our voice is towards the educational board and the committees where we represent you all. The more students we can get involved in voting and on showing that they care about what is going on and show the power that we have in unity; student voices are what is needed to drive the changes that are necessary. Get involved in student clubs and organizations to show how important and needed they are on this campus and to show solidarity with fellow students. We all have all sorts of issues that come up every single day. We see each other week in and week out; we should be able to be there for each other. Respect, unity and advocacy are major keys. “Let’s not beat around the bush and hide the issues that we have. Let’s make waves and have these courageous conversations. It is going to be uncomfortable, but we cannot shy away from them any longer.”
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CHANGES In the Nick of time: A final interview with the ASLCC President Looking back at that time now, what advice would you have had for yourself? Is there anything that you can share that would add some more context to what happened in public? My rise to power certainly wasn’t conventional. My best advice for myself then would be to be more patient and to remember that everything always works out in the end. I’m so proud of how far we have come this year. We worked so hard on our efforts around tuition advocacy, statewide budget advocacy, running the ASLCCSG resources, and brining a plethora of multicultural and empowering events to campus for students. Many things happened behind-the-scenes, which is where they deserve to say. I think the biggest thing that people didn’t see during that time was how much we were all struggling with it. At the end of the day, we are all here to be students. That situation was never easy and took a lot out of most of us. Some of us failed classes, some of us had breakdowns, some of us where publicly mischaracterized in this newspaper, and some of us just backed away from the organization completely. It was a difficult time and I’m impressed with how much we have grown as people and an organization since then. Some positives did come out of the experience, like Amadeo Rehbein-Verhoeven’s rise to the Vice Presidency. No one deserved that position more than him. He is one of the most hardworking, caring, and dedicated individuals I have ever met. Amadeo has done so many impactful things for this school often with little to no recognition. His work around supporting myself and our team was foundational to our success, and I’m happy to say he became my best friend in the process. In the areas I was lacking, he was strong. That’s exactly what a Vice President should be. Amadeo’s service to LCC students should never been forgotten and I look forward to seeing all the amazing work he will continue to do!
With the newly elected ASLCCSG and SAFC, are there any concerns you have? In regards to ASLCCSG, I have no concerns. Being a student leader is a huge learning experience, and I wish nothing but the best for all of them. I have worked very hard to ensure there are systems in place for success, that we have new clear and concise governing documents, that thorough transition happens in between administrations, and that there is some continuity to all the hard work we did this year. In regards to SAFC, I have no major concerns about the leadership elected. I do have major concerns about the process itself. The SAFC process this year was a train wreck which is problematic when student money is the subject matter. Essentially, every step in the process this year was either delayed or just never happened. I hope this is something that can be turned around next year and can be more transparent and accessible to student groups and student-at-large. After all, your money is on the line.
Speaking in regards to the Board, what could they have done to help support ASLCCSG? Our administration has been a lot more involved with the Board of Education this year compared to previous years. The Board of Education has a lot of power on campus and most were democratically elected by the people of Lane County to serve. It’s been valuable to come to the table with them this year to further our student causes. During our Tuition Freeze campaign, I met frequently with the Board members to lobby them in to supporting a zero-dollar increase in tuition. I believe these meetings and our student advocacy was instrumental in us eventually seeing a $6.00 increase go down to a $4.50 increase. They still passed an increase, which I believe to be inherently anti-student, but I think they heard our message. I also appreciated their support around the Fund Our Future Rally and the Official Ballot Drop-Box Resolution. An area the Board could do better in to support the students of LCC and the ASLCCSG is being more involved in campus. I think it
would be encouraging and insightful to Board members to come to some student events some time to meet us, hear our stories, and see all the amazing work we all do.
What has been the outcome in regards to having a ballot box on campus? The process for acquiring an official election ballot drop box on campus is long, costly, still in the process, and will probably be something I work on for a while. I have a passion for empowering people to be civically engaged and I think this will be a helpful tool to help LCC students and Lane County residents have easier access to being involved. I wrote a resolution calling for the installation of the box in early January which was later passed by the ASLCCSG Senate. The Board of Education expressed a lot of interest in this resolution and there seems to be a lot of excitement in the community around the potential ballot drop box. I’ve also been in conversations with the folks who have the power to make this happen and they have also expressed interest. I look forward to my continued advocacy around this project even after I graduate from Lane.
In regards to the recent ASLCCSG Election, what happened to make the recount necessary? There was some confusion with voters around two candidates who were running for Senate with the same name. One candidate was on the ballot and one candidate was running as a write-in. When the write-in candidate would tell people to vote for them, voters accidently voted for the candidate on the ballot with the same name. The write-in candidate expressed some frustrations to the elections committee with this and asked for a recount. We ended up respecting that recount which delayed the release of election results a little bit. The candidate ended up not having the votes to be elected of office but I have since had a conversation with them about the many other potential ways to get involved as a student leader next year.
There’s absolutely no question that during your time as President that you had to be confronted with something so troubling and heavy as the death of a classmate: Alex Oyombe Gradin. Could you comment a little on what your headspace was during this time. Alex’s passing was a tremendous loss to the LCC community, his family, and everyone that knew him. I never got to personally know Alex, but learned so much about him from the amazing stories his family and friends shared with me. There is no doubting he was a thoughtful and compassionate person with a smile that was infectious. I have been deeply angered to see what seems to be a total lack of response from Eugene Police Department around finding the person that murdered Alex. Someone’s life was taken and there has been no justice. It’s unacceptable and Alex and his family deserve better. To support his family in the meantime, his family has asked people to make a donation in his name to the orphanage he was adopted from in Kenya, Africa. To donate visit: https://www.newlifehometrust.org/
From a former ASLCCSG President to a recently elected one, what advice have you given Bryant Everett?
I’m super excited for Bryant and the opportunities she will have to make a difference on campus next year. I’ve given Bryant a lot of advice about how she can be successful and steps she can take to make the job more sustainable for her. This job is exhausting and avoiding burnout is probably the biggest challenge. I’ve given her a lot of tips on delegation of work, accessing your capacity, and picking and choosing your battles. These were all things I learned the hard way. Additionally, I’ve worked with a lot with Bryant around what student autonomy is and how she can tap into that inherent power she has as a student leader. Lastly, I’ve made in-depth transition documents and a succession plan for Bryant to use for reference as she navigates her presidency. I have no doubts these documents will be helpful to Bryant and she will be an effective and successful student leader on the LCC Campus!
As a student, what positive outlooks will you be leaving LCC with that wouldn’t have existed had you attended another college? In contrast, what about the negatives? I was just lost about what the future held for me. Getting involved was the key to my success as a student here. The student body here is so diverse which helped broaden my perspective and enriched my life in a lot of ways. Most of us are first-generation students, low-income students, student parents, students from marginalized communities, students with multiple jobs, and more. Many of us have very limited capacities and our education can’t always be our top priority when we have bills to pay. Community college students work hard and I have a lot of respect for us. I wouldn’t trade my experience here for the world and will fight my whole life to expand access to higher education to ensure students across the state had the opportunities that I had while attending Lane. Lastly, it hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies. This institution still has a lot of work to do around affordability, inclusivity, and transparency. There are a lot of things that I never got to address, like the total inefficiency of our harassment policies. I have a lot of confidence that the next team is just as concerned about this issue and will continue work around it.
Any final thoughts? I’m feeling a lot of things about this coming to an end. I feel very relieved to be done but sorrowful that I won’t be able to see my team daily. In all honesty, this has been the most exhausting and unsustainable job I’ve ever had. During my presidency, I’ve lost a significant amount of weight, haven’t had as much time as I would like for my personal life, and struggled paycheck to paycheck the entire time because I received relativity low compensation for the work I completed. My situation was unique in the sense that I started hallway through the year, had no prep time, and inherited an organization that was in total disarray. This required much more work than that is typical of the Student Body President. Nevertheless, I persisted with my service because of how much the students of Lane Community College mean to me. I am so endlessly proud of the work myself and my team did this year and I hope the students can be too. I’m glad that I can say with full confidence that this has been one of the most effective and active student governments in years. We made waves around tuition advocacy, statewide budget advocacy, community advocacy, LCC institutional change, our organizational restructuring, the operation and expansion of our resources like the Food Pantry and The Clothing Stash, and bringing a plethora of empowering and multicultural events to campus. For the first time in over four years we had a full staff and for the first time since 2014 we have a new Constitution and By-Laws. None of this could have been possible without our Staff and Senate. They all worked just as hard as I did and the work shows for it. I find solace in the fact that many of them will continue to be my friends for life and that the work we’ve done here will continue with the student leaders to come. Thank you all for your support and I wish you all nothing but the best ahead!
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Wednesday, June 05, 2019
CHANGES
BLENDERS Also being shut down is the coffee shop, Blenders. Whether someone will come in and replace them is unknown, but longtime employee Taya Bream—the face of Blenders since 1998—has said that she would like to see it replaced by someone local. “To the best of my knowledge, they will replace us with a local coffee business.” She added that “in my opinion, it would be nice to see Global Delights, who we already serve, come in and make great drinks for our Blenders customers.” Dutch Bros. is also rumored to be a possible replacement.
CML & ECCO
CENTER FOR MEETING & LEARNING
EARLY COLLEGE AND CAREER OPTIONS For years, about half of Building 10 has been contracted with Eugene School Districts alternative high school, Early College and Career Options, or ECCO as it is commonly referred as. Both the 30th. Ave. location and the Downtown LCC location, where its GED program is located, will move to a district owned property in southwest Eugene. What will become of their space in Building 10 hasn’t been reported.
2018
The uncertainty about the Center for Meeting and Learning remains. The only thing that is clear at this moment is that they will be here for the 2019-20 academic year, mostly due to the board supporting their role here at the college. "Good things can come out of chaos, so I am looking forward to it,” Paula Westgate, the CML’s conference services coordinator, said. She sees this as an opportunity for the department to reinvent itself and take a good look at strategies that are working and what needs to change. For now, they are continuing to operate as they always have chaotic and flummoxed in the background, but poised and with a smile. It seems the decision for them to stay came from the board as they see the value in what the CML does for the community and students rather than its monetarial value. “There is an investment, in this case it is a monetary investment and the return we see on it is the benefit it provides the community and our students.” Westgate indicated that a decision needs to be made on what is more important because holding on to the values that the CML prides itself on is not a profitable model and won’t be making money. "We need a different model; maybe there is something different we can do.” Westgate made a reference that seems to be making the rounds around campus these days, of the different programs being silos; all of the programs are like silos standing alone, maybe we need to be more like cogs to ride this out.
Oct. 12: Center Building renamed for Dr. Dale Parnell, founding president of LCC
Sep. 26: LCC students begin protesting Daniel Mackay’s return to teaching following an article in the Eugene Weekly.
Jan. 6: ASLCC President Keely Blyleven resigns; Nick Keough becomes President and appoints Amadeo Rehbein as Vice President.
Oct. 25: ASLCC Vice President Dan Good resigns abruptly during a Senate meeting. Senate President Pro-Tempore Nick Keough becomes vice president.
Jan. 28: The Torch reports that Barnes and Noble is in talks to take over operation of the Titan Bookstore.
Jan. 14: LCC announces partnership with Otago Polytechnic Institute in New Zealand for new 2+1 degree program.
Jan. 30: ASLCC publishes a “Unity Letter,” addressing the tumultuous start to their academic year.
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CHANGES
FOOD SERVICES At the beginning of the school year, there were only three food options, other than the Titan Store, remaining in a once thriving food court. It ended with the announcement that Food Services will close altogether on June 14 according to Brian Kelly. There was no direct mention of a replacement. Instead, the Titan Store will be LCC’s sole source of food and drink. However, it too will close temporarily as it goes through its own transition with the Bookstore.
As the school year progressed, what at first just seemed like rumors quickly turned into much more of a reality. The Titan Store and Bookstore are being leased to Barnes & Noble College—a move heavily criticized by the Director of Retail Services Tony Sanjume and by countless students and faculty during Board of Education meetings. In January, it was reported that the Board was considering these measures. Escalating quickly, at the Board of Education meeting on February 14, Barnes & Noble College representatives presented the Board with their proposal for a lease.
Feb. 18: Students, teachers and administrators march on the Oregon Capitol in Salem to demand increased funding for public education. March 14: LCC students and staff pack a Board of Education meeting to protest proposed increases to tuition and outsourcing.
April 5: The Institute for Sustainable Practices holds a planting event to help LCC earn a “Bee-Friendly Campus” certification.
April 25: The Board of Education votes to increase tuition by $4.50 and outsource Food Services and the Titan Bookstore.
May 8: Students, faculty and staff walkout of class to protest Gov. Brown’s proposed education funding bill.
June 15: Commencement
May 13-15: Students vote for new ASLCC Student Government. Bryant Everett and Leila Jebara win the presidency and vice presidency.
2019
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Wednesday, June 05, 2019
CHANGES DAN WELTON Part-time photography instructor I rated my time at LCC as a 5–although I would do so differently if given two choices. I loved teaching and my interactions with students. I always learned from them as well as helping them learn. But as a part time instructor, I faced many obstacles: lower pay, lack of job security, and even some disrespect. I kept teaching–and wanted to do so– because of the students. However, I do not think their interests and needs are prioritized as they should be.
MARK HARRIS ANONYMOUS LIZ COLEMAN Turtoring Service Coordinator “Every person you meet knows something you don't; Learn from them.’ - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.” Being a witness to our students’ transformation and development has been an honor and a privilege. Over the decades, I have heard thousands of stories from fragile students coming to college with little confidence in their capacity to learn. In my office, I have been able to share motivation, cheerleading, chocolate, tissues, and some very specific tools: Enough for them to return the next day, the next week, the next term. I watch them become more confident and remind them of their measured, consistent growth. I smile at their shock when I invite them to apply to become tutors knowing they will share their progress with the next round of fearful, tentative students, developing themselves even more in the process. Knowing that trained tutors in all our centers are doing this for the 1,000 students who use the tutor centers each term feels like a spiral, a growing circle of competent, blossoming, successful members of our extended community. One of our tutors who graduated several years ago called me with her news – “UO graduation followed by a full time position at Shelter Care.” What a thrill! In the last 23 years, we have created a tutoring system that is now part of the fabric of the student experience. My ultimate goal has always been to de-stigmatize tutoring so everyone knows tutoring and group learning is beneficial for all. Students report that using tutoring has increased their understanding and bumped their grades [as much as] two letters. If you are a student who has not yet used a tutor center for any reason, try adding regular study time in any of the centers. Test out the online platform. Many students tell me they wished they had started doing this earlier – so don’t wait!
"When you are finished with your program at Lane, don’t let the fear of what’s next prevent you from moving into the unknown next step." Take a risk! Use all the resources and meet as many staff as you can. You will undoubtedly find one who can help guide and mentor you when you need it and applaud your success when you are too busy to notice it. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your instructors, tutors, counselors, Student Engagement staff, peer mentors and more–including your fellow students. Join clubs–make Lane your home while you are at school. We all struggle with something– including those who look like they have it all together–and it is these challenges that make us stronger, more resilient, and better able to work the puzzles that life delivers. When you are finished with your program at Lane, don’t let the fear of what’s next prevent you from moving into the unknown next step. It may look ominous because it’s cloudy and uncertain, but you are ready and–because you handled the tough stuff here–you will have the skill to do it wherever you choose to go. Same for me. I have loved my life work here serving our students and collaborating with staff, but it’s time for me to leave my comfort zone and let the next generation build on the foundation of the Tutoring Services Program, which will best meet the needs of our future students. Thank you for being such a valuable part of my life.
Shipping/Receiving CCS employee I really enjoy my current position here at Lane and have enjoyed working with all the many different people in the division. The staff here at Lane are a dedicated group and really do have the students best interest at heart. However I am most troubled by the current state of the college. I'm not sure that it can continue to serve this community. Raising tuition, cutting students services, eliminating programs and classes and reducing classified staff is having a serious negative impact on the life of Lane.
"I have come to the conclusion that many of the board members really do not have a comprehensive picture of how the college has gotten to this point and no idea [how] to move forward to correct the financial situation." When I first arrived at the college there was a Vice President sounding the alarm about the financial difficulties the college was heading for, and here we are today. I have yet to see the college put forth a comprehensive, sustainable financial plan that actually works–at least, I haven't seen anything that the general public is being made aware of. The LCC Board [of Education] has made far too many decisions without doing the research on what the true impact is to students, staff and what the college will actually gain or lose. Is there a five year plan? A ten year plan? As a taxpayer, I am angry that my tax dollars are not being wisely spent. After sitting in on many LCC board meetings in the past couple of years, I have come to the conclusion that many of the board members really do not have a comprehensive picture of how the college has gotten to this point and no idea [how] to move forward to correct the financial situation. They have spent far too much time squabbling among themselves and blaming others for not providing all the information they want. So I retire with a somewhat heavy heart, worried that LCC is becoming a less than a stellar community college.
Senior African-American Employee, Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator of The Recovery Center Sawubona. I See You. While Lane Community College is a great place to work, it is an Oregon institution. Oregon is a perfect learning laboratory to study institutional racism and other forms of systemic discrimination, institutional betrayal and betrayal blindness from the inside.
"LCC has had high-risk, high-need and highly successful populations coming to it for the entire time I’ve been here." I have had the unique opportunity to create, deliver, develop and evolve programming to help individuals and institutions cope with difficult realities. I have also watched those programs get systematically destroyed–despite them being economically viable–rather than being sustained. I have watched productive, innovative employees harassed by non-productive employees. The innovators left, the non-innovators were retained. This is not limited to LCC. I stayed because I can make a difference in people’s critical life or death issues, for the better. I'm leaving now because that capability is being limited by forces beyond my department. I can still make a difference elsewhere, and I'm going there. I first came to LCC 27 years ago, out of the National and State Addictions / Mental Health workforce training systems. My hiring committee wondered why I was taking an eight thousand a year cut in pay, when I was overqualified for the job. I was willing to take a pay cut to help raise children to be successful adults. I told them I would either be the best drug counselor they had or I would leave in two years. LCC has had high-risk, high-need and highly successful populations coming to it for the entire time I’ve been here. I was in a meeting yesterday, where I learned that at least 60 percent or more students who present serious mental health issues use [LCC] as their primary service provider. We have not adjusted to that reality as an institution yet. The previous person in my position had relapsed by stealing a prescription pad from a nurse in the student health clinic and running “scripts” in the community. This was a predictable and preventable: Predictable because lots of people were using substances in this particular workplace; preventable because we’ve known what to do about this in the medical, mental health, treatment world for decades. Employees with habitual substance abuse issues were illegally being hired–and retained–over skilled clean and sober people of color. This is not a matter of opinion: it’s proven by successful lawsuits against the college. So, if there is a mainstream scientific solution [to a crisis], I’ll apply that first. Where mainstream solutions predictably fail, I go outside that mainstream box, into deep cultural scientific tesseracts, even dodekeracts. As with any science-based solution, it has to work more or less immediately. That’s been my basic working praxis for 27 years. Now, in the middle of a [statewide] substance abuse and mental health crisis, they are closing my office at the end of June and replacing it with a program that is neither addictions, mental health, culturally competent, or responsive to the emergent needs of our students or community. Shtaa Yoo. Stay Strong.
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CHANGES List of Retirees Daniel Welton Liz Coleman Mark Harris John Arle Barbara Bailey Judy Boozer Wendell Butler Dennis Carr Merry Caston Gayle Chisholm Julie Copley Cara DiMarco Tasha Drake Chuck Fike Susan Reddoor Mary Gilroy Beverly Glass Dale Green Brian Kau Leah Knelly Allen Laskey Jane Marshall Patty Martinez Pam McClelland Brian McMurray Doug Monroe Fran Nearing Man Ngyen Sue Norton Patrick O'Connor John Oglesby Tina Reyes Sara-Etha Schneider Nancy Schwoerer John Stark John Steele Alyse Stone Bren Tiel Carol Waterhouse
Employees from various departments of Lane Community College are commemorated for their 10 years of service. The 2019 Employee Recognition Gala was held in the Center for Meeting and Learning and was officiated by Dennis Carr retiring Chief Human Resource Officer.
Staff members that have been at LCC for 20 years receive accolades. Approximately 200 fellow employees, family, friends and retirees attended the event on Wednesday, May 29.
Above: Nine employees are recognized for their 30year contribution to Lane. As recipients cross the stage and receive their certificate they are greeted by President Margaret Hamilton, Chief Human Resource Officer Dennis Carr, and VP of College Services Brian Kelly. Right: A small group of 40-year employees started work the same year that the Sony Walkman was introduced, Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister of the UK, and the Sahara Desert experienced snow for thirty minutes.
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Wednesday, June 05, 2019
CHANGES In the footsteps of Titans New and promoted coaches to lead basketball, volleyball, soccer programs
Volleyball Stephanie Willett was the Volleyball team’s head coach from 2016-2018. Prior to Willett’s arrival, Lane did not have a volleyball team for 13 years. After two rebuilding years, she coached her team to third place in the southern region and earned a place in the NWAC tournament in 2018. Willett has accepted a coaching position at her alma mater at Southwestern Community College. Lane is filling the coaching role with one of University of Oregon’s winningest coaches. Jim Moore will be taking over the team starting in the 2019 season. In his 12 years at Oregon Moore took his team to 10 NCAA championships. Prior to his arrival, Oregon went 14 years without a winning record. Moore is bringing valuable experience having coached 886 collegiate games. Moore is excited for the opportunity to stay in Eugene and share his experience with his new team.
Matt Zosel Bryn Dennehy
Basketball Lane promoted Matt Zosel to head coach. Zosel will be taking over after Joe White’s departure to Idaho State. White achieved everything he sought out to do at Lane. He made a deep playoff run and created a winning culture as head coach. When a Division I Coach reached out to him, it was an easy answer for White. He will be taking Lane’s MVP Guard Tarik Cool with him to play for the Idaho State Bengals. “That’s my family,” White said. “No matter where I go in life Eugene will always be home.” White will be staying in touch with LCC for potential recruiting partnerships. “He [White} obviously did a phenomenal job, laid the foundation for the culture we want to have,” Zosel said. His first year as assistant coach the Titans finished in the Final Four, the first time since 1999 when Zosel played for the Titan’s. With a resume a mile long, Zosel brings a lot of experience and knowledge to the court. Outside the world of sports, he is a two-time recipient of the Bronze Star he earned as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He also spent time as a graduate assistant under Coach Dana Altman, the current Oregon Ducks men’s basketball coach. The Oregon Ducks experienced their two winningest seasons with Zosel’s assistance. Now in the offseason the basketball coaching staff is focused on recruiting. “We have a team that can compete for a championship next year, but there’s still getting out and getting the 2020 class assessed,” said Zosel. With eyes looking at a championship next year the new head coach is looking to get a head start on recruiting.
Soccer Another coaching change is Bryn Dennehy, now head coach of the women’s soccer team. When he was younger Dennehy played on LCC’s soccer field and now he trains with the Eugene Timbers there at night. Dennehy has a strong legacy to follow after former Head Coach Erica Mertz’s resignation shortly after the season. Mertz will still be on the athletic department’s staff as an academic advisor. The 2018 season Lane finished with a conference record of 10-1-1, earning them second place in the southern conference. Dennehy has been a staff coach for the Eugene Timbers FC since 2006. He also spent 2012-2016 as the Portland Timbers/Thorns Regional Training Center Coach. This will be his first head coaching position since working with The Churchill Women’s Varsity team from 2010-2012. Since graduating high school he has never had a job outside of coaching. “I draw from a lot of coaching experiences over the last 13 years. My first head coaching job was the boys JV team at Marist high school when I was eighteen years old in 2006,” Dennehy said. Dennehy has already recruited a few players from the connections he has made coaching for the Eugene Timbers Football Club. “The main priorities for the off-season are recruiting and conditioning. When I took over the team there were only three returning players, so building a squad for the fall has been priority number one,” Dennehy said. The Women’s Soccer season will start in late August, no official schedule has been posted at this time.
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
THURSDAU
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Eugene LIVE! Final
John
JUNE 5
8TH & LINCOLN • 541.687.2746 ALL AGES ALL THE TIME WWW.WOWHALL.ORG
Amasa Hines
JUNE 6
8:30 PM
JUNE 13
Bill Steyer Track and Field & Cross Country Bill Steyer was men’s track and field assistant coach in 2018 and has coached the cross country team since 2017. Now, Steyer is the head coach for both cross country and track and field. His first season as head coach for both teams ended with two Coach of the Year awards. With Steyer at the helm, Lane continued their decadelong running dynasty. Men’s Cross Country and both men’s and women’s Track and Field won NWAC titles, while women’s Cross Country finished second. That makes three consecutive titles for men’s Cross Country and seven for men’s Track and Field. The women’s track title was their first since 2014–though they’ve finished as runners-up every year since–and cross country finished with their best results since 2015. Though many of the Titans’ top athletes are moving on, next year’s roster is already bolstered by a strong, Oregon-grown recruiting class–including third-ranked sprinter Lucy Jolivette. Lane is bringing in a highly experienced athletic staff to replace coaches that have left. For the upcoming season, Lane is bringing together knowledgeable staff to elevate their athletes’ performance.
FRIDAY JUNE 14
FRIDAY JUNE 28
Cherry Poppin’ Soul Vibrator Adebisi Kadlecik’s Daddies Fellowship of Release Party the Wing
Wednesday, June 05, 2019
theTorch // www.lcctorch.com
stories that matter
9
CHANGES LCC BOARD and FACULTY
ASLCCSG
Right before the beginning of the school year, Dr. Paul Jarrell–formerly of Santa Barbara City College–was hired as the vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, rising above the other six candidates after a nationwide search. Over the course of the year, though, members of LCC’s faculty, even as high up as the Board of Education, have pursued unfavorable extracurricular activities and have found themselves in trouble with the law. On May 5, Board of Education member, Phil Carrasco, who represents Zone 5, was arrested on two charges of third-degree sex abuse with a minor. While the LCC administration called this a “personal matter,” he continued to serve on the Board throughout the 2018-19 school year until his subsequent conviction and sentencing on May 14. He was sentenced on one count of sexual abuse in the third degree. Despite this, Carrasco was present at the March 13 Board meeting, where dozens of students, faculty and staff members spoke in opposition to the proposed tuition increase and outsourcing of food services and the Titan Store. On April 1, the Board of Education voted for a $4.50 increase per credit. But not even the Board is immune to change. Angela VanKrause, a financial analyst with Trillium Community Health Plan according to her LinkedIn profile, and former LCC student, is the newest member of the Board of Education after winning the Zone 2 race unopposed. Although winning his reelection with 94 percent of the vote, Carrasco resigned a second time following his sentence of twenty-days in jail and three-years probation. He also has to register as a sex offender. Lisa Fragala was the only Board member to face opposition, handily defeating Stefan Strek by 54 points. On May 29, 2019, the Board officially began its search for applicants to fill the vacant spot. In regards to faculty, fall term of 2018 started with chalk graffiti on campus that read “Students are watching, Pres. Hamilton.” The reason for this was that Daniel Mackay, convicted on three counts of sex solicitation in 2016 returned to his job at LCC teaching literature following his ninety-days in jail and three-year probation sentence.
At the beginning of the school year, the ASLCCSG was embroiled in controversy. Through unexpected resignations to threats of impeachment, the student government persevered, though, and, by the end of the school year, is the healthiest it has been in years. On October 5, Vice President Dan Good abruptly resigned in the middle of an open Senate meeting. That same day, Senator Diego Wilson was nearly impeached for a number of still-unproven offenses. With Good’s resignation, Pro Tempore of the Senate Nick Keough became the Vice President—something he never expected. Then, on November 8, then-President Keely Blyleven was hit with her own impeachment articles, this time on the basis of anonymity. They did not pass. However, one day before winter term of 2019 started, on January 6, Blyleven officially resigned as ASLCCSG President, thrusting Keough into the presidency. It was reported that Blyleven began discussing her resignation with Keough soon after Wilson’s failed impeachment a few months prior. January 30, a Unity Letter was published. In it, the ASLCCSG acknowledged their shortcomings and agreed to move forward and rebuild. Nick Keough, before the Pro Tempore of the Senate, was now the President; Amadeo Rehbein-Verhoeven now the Vice President. After their rocky start, the new ASLCC administration quickly got down to business. Eventually it came time for ASLCC elections. Seven incumbents—Senators Laney Baehler, Michael Gillette, Valerie Hoffman, Ama Wayne, Aime Nacoulma, Diego Wilson and Chief of Staff Bryant Everett— ran in the election. Also on the ballot was an amended ASLCC Constitution, which included an amendment that would shrink the Senate from ten representatives to eight. On May 16, after a recount caused by confusion about two very similar names on the ballot, the results were in. There were 310 votes cast, or a four percent turnout rate, which the ASLCC says is double that of last year. The constitutional amendments passed, 252-58, shrinking the Senate and turning the election into a race to the top 8. Aime Nacoulma placed first with 196 votes. He, along with Ahmad Alkadi, Amber Coleman, Alexandria Jackson, Valerie Hoffman, Michael Gillette, Ama Wayne, and Samantha Mosley will make up the 2019-20 Senate. The four Student Activity Fee Committee representatives elected were Laura Leader. CyRil Fagar, and Sebastian May and former Senator Laney Baehler. Diego Wilson was elected chairperson of the SAFC. Voted in as President and Vice President were Bryant Everett and Leila Jebara with 242 votes. Though they were the only candidates for executive office on the ballot, they faced a last-minute write-in campaign by Diego Wilson and Kenzie Scout.
2018-2019 (JUNE 25, 2018 - JUNE 15, 2019)
10
stories that matter
theTorch // www.lcctorch.com
Wednesday, June 05, 2019
CHANGES As one door closes... Marek Belka Editor-in-Chief, 2018-2019 Tacked up on the wall of my newsroom office is a printed copy of the first edition of The Liberator, the anti-slavery newspaper written and published by the famed abolitionist and my personal hero William Lloyd Garrison. In his so-called “Inaugural Editorial,” Garrison wrote: “I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire, to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen–but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest; I will not equivocate; I will not excuse; I will not retreat a single inch– and I will be heard.” It’s easy to look back now, as diligent students of history, and recognize the righteousness of The Liberator’s editorial crusade. After all, Garrison and
his compatriots were on the right side of history; their cause triumphed over the forces of oppression and evil. The North won the war, the slaves were freed, and the Union was preserved forever. But, in its time, The Liberator was not a well-regarded newspaper. The state of Georgia offered a $5,000 bounty–roughly $146,000 in today’s currency–for Garrison’s capture. Imagine that: a U.S. state putting a bounty on a journalist’s head! His newspaper was regularly criticized by other media outlets for his support and encouragement of direct action against slave owners and their institutions. If Garrison and company were alive today, they would likely be banned from Twitter for their glorification of John Brown’s famous, but ultimately futile, raid on Harpers Ferry. And still, he never quit. He published The Liberator every week for 34 years, writing fiery columns in every edition until the Civil War ended and slavery was finally abolished. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical–and The Liberator was not an objective newspaper–but the times Garrison lived in did not call for centrism or objectivity. Our times do not call for objectivity. They do not call for moderation, nor do they call for dubious interpretations of the truth. Now is
not the time to be timid or fearful, despite our obvious inclination to feel that way. Today, there is cause for severity; if there was ever a time to be a radical, now is that time. I hate to be the one to tell you this, loyal reader, but no one is going to make the changes you want to see–until you demand it. No one is going to mete out the justice that you so desperately seek– until you demand it. The people you ostensibly choose to represent you–from your student representatives and Board of Education members all the way up to your president–will not work in your interest unless you make them work in your interest. If you want change–and I know you all hunger for real, positive change–you and you alone have to fight for it. I hope that you heard this truth during my time as editor of this scrappy little newspaper. When I accepted this job last year, I vowed to bring transparency and accountability to this campus through diligent, thoughtful reporting on the stories that really matter to you, our readers. But more than that, I wanted to capture the realities of life at a community college in the 21st century, the triumphs as well as the struggles. Though we weren’t always perfect–and I really am sorry that The Torch couldn’t be everything to everyone–I believe
that we fulfilled that mission during my editorship. This edition, my staff and me’s final attempt to leave a lasting impression on this campus, is centered around that idea of change: how it happens, how we respond to it and how it affects us all–both good and bad. As you flip through these pages, I hope you grasp just how quickly things are changing: on campus, in our state, in our country and throughout the world. I also hope it makes you think about how you yourself have changed over the last year, for better or for worse. I can still hardly grasp how much I’ve changed during my time at Lane Community College. Before I arrived here two long years ago, I was lost, hopeless and struggling to find my purpose in a world going mad. Now, after surrounding myself with some of the most brilliant, hopeful and genuinely kind people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, I have set myself up to become the person I always knew I could and should become. I am critical of this college because I love this college. This institution, as misguided as its administrators may sometimes be, is the setting of the most incredible, transformative years of my life. No matter where the future takes me, I will always remember LCC as the place that gave me a chance when no one else would.
If there is one thing I hope you take away from The Torch during my tenure as editor, it’s that things are not normal. It is not normal that a registered sex offender won a board seat with 97 percent of the vote. It is not normal that white nationalists roam among us with nearimpunity, cloaking their hatred with tepid “free speech” arguments and bitter online irony. It is not normal that any one of us could be the next victim of mass shooting for no reason other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is not normal that our classmates live in fear of being kidnapped by masked men bearing guns and badges. None of this is normal, and it’s up to us to make sure it never becomes normal. Now, after one hell of a year, it’s time for me to say goodbye to The Torch and to this college. I wish I could tell you that I know exactly what my future holds, but a five-year plan has never exactly been my style. What I can tell you is this: I am in earnest, I will not equivocate, I will not excuse, and I will not retreat one single inch. And I will be heard. Thank you for reading. Thank you for listening. Thank you for fighting. I’ll see you soon.
A Reflection
A Reflection
Anna CK Smith Production Manager & Art Director I first joined The Torch as an intern wanting to work on my photography skills and explore the realm of journalism. Since the fall of 2017, I’ve worked on the editorial team and this year served as art director and production manager; anything visual–from photography to layout–I oversaw this year. I can be a sentimental person and looking back over my time at The Torch and Lane over the last week has made me realize how much I have valued my time and experience here. I moved here in the summer of 2016 and have been attending Lane since then. As exhausted as I am, I’m ready to move on and largely have The Torch to thank for that. Since joining The Torch, I’ve slowly found pride in the work I do and a profound sense of belonging in the basement offices I’ve spent many nights in. I want to say a special thanks to the current Editor-in-Chief, Marek Belka, for being one of my closest friends and for always trusting and believing in the capabilities of me and my team in the last year. Thanks to the partnership we formed while still reporter and photojournalist, this last year we have been able to pull off 14 mostly wonderful editions, receiving accolades from around not only the state, but the country as well. I have found a passion for visual journalism through The Torch and hope to continue to nurture it into a career. Looking forward, Marek and I have toyed with the possibility of extending our partnership into a full-fledged production of our own. Even if that doesn’t work out, I look forward to the future working in this industry.
Evelyn Vannezza Reporter I started school here in January 2014, months before they even started construction on the remodel of the Center Building. It’s almost surreal for me to think that this will be the last time I’m swamped with school work, final projects and exams. It had never come to my attention that I was a woman of color until I found myself here. Time and time again I would show up to a meeting or an event and found myself hearing “we are diverse because you are here” or something along those lines. I don’t know if anyone rather than included. Those words were what made me not want to show up again, in fear of sticking out like a sore thumb. To accept someone, you don’t need to make a big fuss about what makes them different. On the contrary, to make someone feel included and accepted, you should look for what makes you similar. It’s our stories and our experiences that should make us unique, not what we look like, not where we come from, and not our ages or anything else that can be defined in a some legal document. Try looking up and talking to someone you see often in the hallways or the bus stop, or even the food court. A smile can go a long way. We are all carrying baggage and problems. Add friendships and subtract negativity. Us versus them needs to come to an end; we need to stand up for ourselves and each other.
Prenapa Techakumthon / volume 54 edition 4
Anna CK Smith / volume 53
Quentin J. Piccolo / volume 54 edition 2
Wednesday, June 05, 2019
stories that matter
theTorch // www.lcctorch.com
11
CHANGES ...another door opens David Galbreath Editor-in-Chief, 2019-2020 As a reporter, a full-time worker and full-time student I had to push myself this year to handle more responsibilities than I have ever had before. I spent my first 24 years of life essentially coasting. I was never one to blaze my own path or pioneer innovative ideas. I always took the backseat in my own life. Finding the initiative has beenis the greatest challenge for me; staying motivated and headstrong are my personal goals for this upcoming year. I know I can do better and I will do better, or at least that’s what I tell myself. Joining this team of spunky journalists and artists was the beginning of my career. Not only do I enjoy what I do now, but I think I can be damn good at it. For the first time in life I can see a future for myself. When I joined The Torch in September 2018, I wasn’t sure if it would be the right fit for me.
I’ve been calling myself a journalism student, but in reality, Lane Community College doesn’t offer a degree in journalism, only transfer options. After a few weeks as a reporter at The Torch, I was doing more than assimilating information. I could feel myself changing for the better. At the start of my time working for the newspaper I had my goals set on being a sports reporter. I grew up in a family that always came together fo`r the big sporting events and I played a number of sports for city youth teams that cultivated a love for competition. I came to realize I love to compete. As long as I try and put myself through the process I can feel accomplished. Maybe it is basic of me to put this much value in sports, but they inspire me to try harder. One quote from Vince Lombardi, one of the all-time football greats has always stuck with me. “Gentleman, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch
it because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good.” I know I won't be perfect at this position. I’m hardly a perfect reporter, but I can promise I will give my best effort as editor. I’m a novice, a rough-aroundthe-edges journalist and have an overwhelming amount to learn. I’m not scared. There will be highs and lows with this job, but I am surrounded by great people that offer better guidance than I can ask for. When I applied to this position, my advisors made me break down my journalistic philosophy. At first, I was stumped. I mean, this is just a community college, right? Why would the editor of a dying print media paper for a local community college really need to answer a serious question like that? Well, this is a serious position and–after reviewing all the stories we covered this past year–Marek did a great job at keeping administration and student government
in check. That’s the power of a position like this. I see this as an opportunity to learn the system and highlight flaws for a betterinformed student body. I want to find the objective truth. I know there are arguments to be made that the objective truth doesn't exist, but I will chase it relentlessly. In that process, I hope to attain the most accurate information possible. At the end of the day, I want to inform you, the reader. There are always different issues to cover and I’ll do my best to cover them all. I want to listen, learn and grow in this job. My goal will always be to educate readers on the processes and programs they have paid into as students. I plan to keep the administration in check. Money is tight in all of our pockets. as well as the school’s budget, I’ll make sure the people in charge of handling and transferring funds are doing so with integrity.
A Reflection
A Reflection
James Croxton Reporter I joined The Torch for one reason—a writing outlet that would get more of my writing published. Before then, I had contributed to KISS-related books. What I didn’t expect when becoming a “Torchie” were the invaluable friendships made and the experiences I’ve had as a result. It has been a real adventure reporting for The Torch over the last few months. Whether it’s regarding controversy surrounding the Board of Education or the Titan Store or Food Services, it’s never been my intent to “stir the pot,” or “rustle feathers,” but, instead, to report on the facts available, in whatever direction they lead. That’s journalism. Before most of them, I’d like to say “thank you” to the editorial team of 2018-19—Editor-in-Chief Marek Belka, Production Manager and Art Director Anna CK Smith, and News Directors Sabrina Piccolo and David Galbreath, and faculty advisor Charlie Deitz—for giving me a platform. I’ll cherish this opportunity and the memories it gave me for the rest of my career and life. Looking forward into 2019-20, I’m excited to say that I plan to continue my reporting for The Torch and its incoming Editor-in-Chief David Galbreath.
Selina Scott Photojournalist With very little experience in taking photos, I was hesitant to join the newspaper but three terms later I have improved my skills immensely with a great deal of help from everyone at the Torch. Jason Petorak, one of the first people I met from the Torch, whose reassuring words and photos drew me in, mentored me at my very first basketball game. Everything I know about a camera I know because of Annie Smith, one of the most talented, hard-working, intimidating people I have ever had the pleasure to work, hang, and travel with. Charlie is our resident advisor, writing critic, pizza orderer, Charlie is always there to welcome you in and make you feel like you've always been part of the team. Joining the Torch is one of the best things I could've done to make my time at LCC exceedingly more enjoyable. It got me out of my comfort zone and into the community, I attended events I wouldn't otherwise and can't wait for the next chapter in my photojournalist journey.
Selina Scott / volume 54 edition 2
Trent Toyama / volume 54 edition 7
Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence / volume 54 edition 13