Viewpoints Issue #13: May 12, 2016

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yNEWS

Insect Fair infests Riverside

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ySPORTS

Tiarah McDaniel brings talent

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yA&E

RCC hosts annual performance

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VIEWPOINTSONLINE.ORG

VOL. XCVI, NO. 13

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MAY 12, 2016

Student organizers take a stand

RCC faculty association shows support for student protesters at Board of Trustees meeting DIEGO D. GARCIA & CRYSTAL OLMEDO @RCCviewpoints

A group protesting the recent hire of District Compliance Officer Lorraine Jones marched from one of Riverside City College’s free speech areas - the steps of the Martin Luther King Jr. building - to the Riverside Community College District’s Centennial Plaza on Market Street on May 3. Students from RCC, Norco College, UC Riverside, former Mt. SAC student Aarefah Mosavi and the By Any Means Necessary organization led the march into downtown shouting, “break the silence, say no to violence.” “We need a provider, Jones is a divider.” Centennial Plaza’s doors were temporarily locked, but the activists were later allowed access to the District’s bi-monthly Board meeting. Some of the members from the march have attended District board and committee meetings since April 5. The protesters’ concerns arose due to a lack of inclusion regarding Jones’ recent hire as District compliance officer. At those protests students voiced their concerns, and said it could potentially affect other students within the District. “We are still in fear … Even at school when I should feel

CRYSTAL OLMEDO | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside City College students and activists from other colleges march with signs from campus to the Riverside Community College District offices for the Board of Trustee Meeting on May 3. protected because there are people in higher-ups that could protect me. It’s not happening, according to RCC student Nikki Abello. “I want you guys (the Board) to care. I feel like it is your responsibility … so I just ask of you, fire Lorraine Jones. It’s that simple.” Board members cannot respond to public comments that are not agendized, due to the Ralph M. Brown Act 1953 (not to be confused with CA

Government Code 54950). Another RCC student expressed her concerns about the District’s recent hire and elaborated on the roles women play in society - during an agenda section labeled “Comments from the Public,” on April 19. “They are our mothers, our sisters, our aunts, our grandmothers,” said Sarah Amro, RCC student. “They are the givers of life.” Amro also shared her

concerns about the hire and how this action may affect the District’s reputation. “RCCD is one of the most valued institutions in California,” she said. “So why has this institution’s chancellor and trustees… continue to violate the trust of its students by deciding to bring on board an extremely controversial individual, Ms. Lorraine Jones, as its new director of compliance, an extremely sensitive position.”

RCCD Board of Trustees vice president, Nathan A. Miller was ill and not present at the April 19 Board meeting, but offered his views in regard to the April 5 protests in a interview with Viewpoints. “It’s freedom of speech,” he said. “We afford anybody the opportunity to stand in front of the Board, and tell us they are happy with what the college is doing, or unhappy with what the college is doing.” RCCD Board of Trustees president, Virginia Blumenthal spoke with Viewpoints on April 26 in regards to the position of District compliance officer, and how that position has evolved overtime. “That has now become a position that can affect other people than what it used to be,” she said. “We should take a look on who should be at the interviewing table. Now that does not mean that the people at the interviewing table have power of veto, or what is said dictates who is hired. That is up to the chancellor and then up to the Board, but I think the more input we have, the better it is.” Dariush Haghighat gave an apology on behalf of the Faculty Association to the students and members involved in the protests, for not coming to their aid when the board initially denied extending time for Mosavi to complete her statement on

See PROTEST on page 2

Honors exhibition recognizes art achievements HECTOR M. ZERMENO @RCCviewpoints

Art and photography students received recognition among fellow students, faculty and family members. The Art Department hosted a reception and award ceremony in the Art Gallery inside the Quad on May 5. Attendees surrounded artworks that clustered the walls and rested atop white pedestals.

Roughly 100 people attended the event. “I love when I see someone’s work progress,” said Leslie A. Brown, gallery coordinator. “ We ’ r e f u n d a m e n t a l i s t instructors, primarily, but we are also sophisticated enough in our own work that we know how to get them where they are going.” The reception and award ceremony are part of the Student Honors 2016 exhibition. Sixteen recognitions were awarded during the ceremony.

Riverside City College President Wolde-Ab Isaac presented the first award of the night. “We have reasons to be proud and the source of our pride is the utter excellence of our students,” Isaac said to the audience. “In my eyes you’re all great artists, you’ve all won the prize.” Isaac presented the President’s Aw a r d , w h i c h i n c l u d e s a monetary prize, to Jay Emstrom for his pen sketch titled “Birds and Hands.”

Isaac said the sketch reminded him of his childhood struggle to find “solutions and keys” because it features tools. “It gave me a piece of my past,” Isaac said. Two Centennial Awards were presented to celebrate the college’s anniversary. The student recipients were Gonzalo Contreras and Jay Emstrom. “You look at his work… and it’s just disgustingly beautiful,” said Nicole Green-Hodges, professor of art, while presenting

the Centennial Award to Jay Emstrom. “I just really admire him and appreciate him.” Two students received a $100 Student of Distinction Scholarship. The award consist of two categories: studio art and art history. It was presented by Art Department faculty and the Art Club. Vicki Mercado received the studio art scholarship and Alec Sandoval received the art history

See HONORS on page 2


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