Viewpoints - March 22, 2012

March 22, 2012

Vol. xxxVIVI, No. 10

An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.

Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org

Riverside City College

Life through a lens Features story see Pages 10-11 For a

Allison Perez / photo editor

Snapshot: Katie Fritz, a Photo-8 student, takes a break from her film photography studies to frame a portrait of a classmate on campus.

Students learn how to work on vehicles page 20

A coach who does more than coach page 13

New policy at the Writing and Reading Center page 2

2 | March 22, 2012

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Helping you live better

Riverside YMCA will be starting an adult basketball league on April 1.

This league is for adults 18 years and older. Games will be held on Sunday afternoons and evenings. The cost is $425 per team, with no referee fees.

See the Riverside YMCA for details.

‘The sun will come out’ at ‘Annie’ The Landis Performing Arts Center presents “Annie” beginning April 13. It will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until April 22.

The Broadway favorite about a plucky orphan features classics like “Tomorrow” and “Hard Knock Life.”

Tickets are on sale starting at $34.

Entertainment for a good cause Riverside City College Digital Library Auditorium will present Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” March 23, 24, 30 and 31 in room 121.

Tickets will be $15 for general admission and $10 with student ID. The proceeds for this performance will go directly to the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center. For more information contact Jami Brown in room Quad 23E.

Guitar ensemble rocks Library The Digital Library Auditorium will be hosting the Riverside City College Guitar Ensemble concert April 4. Peter Curtis will be directing this performance starting at 7:00 p.m.

This ensemble, featuring 20 guitars, has performed music from the renaissance to the present throughout California. Admission is free.

Riverside salutes its veterans The 7th Annual Salute to Veterans Parade will march through downtown Riverside April 21 at 10 a.m. There will be marching bands, military vehicles, mounted horse units, veterans and flyovers. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Stan Brown is the grand marshal.

The route will be Magnolia and Ramona to Market and 10th to the Riverside County Courthouse. For more information go to asalutetoveterans.com.

Honoring Cesar Chavez Riverside City College Diversity Committee will be advocating a Cesar Chavez celebration on March 27, 28, and 29.

Event will be held during college hour 12:50-1:50 p.m. At the Martin Luther King, Jr. Teaching & Learning Center. Event will include United Farm Workers student skits, entertainment by the SAFE club, civic rights music, food, a migrant worker panel and information on Chavez.

United Farm Workers president Arturo Rodriguez will be hosting a special evening reception and presentation on the path that Chavez started.

Documentary and discussion to be announced.

Spend the summer in central Europe Travel to central Europe with Riverside Community College District’s summer tour.

From June 28 through July 14 participants will tour Prague, Czech Republic; Krakow, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna and other places.

For fliers, reservation forms and information visit the study abroad office in Quadrangle 100 or e-mail jan.schall@rcc.edu.

Support Inland Empire animals The Inland Empire Classic Mustang Club is presenting the third Annual Park n’ Bark Car Show. The event is on March 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Riverside County animal shelter at 6851 Van Buren Blvd.

The show will feature classic car displays, raffles, food, vendors and free pet adoptions with the ASPCA mega match-a-thon.

For more information, go to ieclassicmustangclub.com.

RCCD Student Trustee election time

Student trustee candidate forums will be held from 12:50-1:50 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Teaching and Learning Center steps on March 26, 27 and 28.

Trustee elections are on April 3 and 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-6:30 p.m.

Allison Perez / Photo Editor

Not on your time: Janet Garcia, a student employee at the Writing and Reading Center, signs in students, who have to sign in at specific times.

Writing lab is new campus hangout Veronica Widman STAff writer

As California continues to demand more budget cuts from its higher education system, college staff and administrators are struggling to keep up with the lack of funding.

Most of the programs at Riverside City College have been affected in one way or another by budget cuts and students have begun to realize the implications these cuts are having on campus, especially in the Writing and Reading Center.

Students who enroll in certain English courses, English as a Second Language courses or Reading courses at RCC are required to complete 18 hours of lab work for the semester, which is to be done in the center.

Before California got its hands on the program, students were allowed to complete their required hours on their own time throughout the semester.

The biggest change that has taken place in the center is the way the students are required to complete their hours.

The new policy changes require that students come in every week and complete a minimum of 72 minutes rather than completing the full 18 hours any time before the cessation of the semester, according to James Seals, the center’s instructional support specialist.

This new change, although seemingly minor, has caused more than just minor problems.

Because students are now required to attend weekly, the center has gotten tremendously busier.

“It is a state mandate and there is no leeway,” Seals said.

What does this mean for the students of RCC who attend the center?

Expect very long lines, especially during college hour.

“It has been pretty crowded in here,” said Jazmine Crane, an RCC student. “I did not have time to wait for my appointment with the instructor the last time I was in here, because I was going to be late for class.”

Crane said she has to make time to go to the Writing and Reading Center.

“Now I only come in when I am sure I have enough time to wait for however long it will take,” she said.

With only three instructors per hour and hundreds of students, there is only so much that can be done.

The previous budget cuts have already caused the center to make changes to its hours of operation.

The center used to be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. but is now only open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m.

With fewer hours available for students to attend, overcrowding is becoming the main issue.

Log in sheets have been introduced as a way for students to continue their work while they wait for an instructor, as opposed to standing in a long line of students.

Seals said students are still waiting almost 40 minutes to spend the five minutes it takes with the instructor in order to get the signature they need.

There is an alternative that students should consider when faced with an extremely long wait time.

In addition to the instructors in the center, tutors are also available Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., with walk-ins welcome, and are also considered an acceptable way for students to get the sign off they need for their workshops.

The wait to see a tutor is generally much shorter than the wait to see one of the three available instructors.

Tutors are a valued part of the center and Seals encourages students to take advantage of this resource while the center continues to adapt to these new changes.

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March 22, 2012 | 3

Remedial classes are considered to be cut

RCC has cut 20 percent of classes in the past two years and remedial classes are the next set javier cabrera Editor in chief The community of students and faculty at Riverside City College is taking notice of talks going around campus of remedial classes being cut to absorb RCC’s budget deficit.

Like many other community colleges around California, RCC has to cut from its budget to meet the demands of California’s reduction in higher education funding.

As previously reported by Viewpoints, Riverside Community College District has to cut $14.31 million in the 2012-2013 academic year, while $2.68 million will be cut at RCC by Cynthia Azari, president of the college.

In the past two years, RCC has cut 20 percent of its classes from every discipline.

“We are trimming back in some of the lower basic skills—it is still under review, but that is where we are leaning for the summer and the fall has not been determined,” Azari said. “But as a District we are moving in that direction.”

Azari said the District has data that shows students are not completing their courses when they start from a lower basic skill class like English 60A or 60B into the college level like English 1A and 1B. “The data we have shows that very few students actually progress from (lower basic skills) into college level,” she said.

Azari said since the college has cut 20 percent of its offerings, the college’s student headcount is also down 20 percent, and RCC is not the only college doing the same action.

“Every higher education institution in the state has cut the number of enrollments—and that is a reality,” she said. “’So where do you cut?’ You have to look at how we can help students be successful.”

Despite what community colleges’ mission is, Azari said it is not the same today.

“Traditionally community colleges have been all things to all

Paul Ledesma / Editor’s assistant

Standing up: A student open forum was held March 15 at the Riverside City College where students spoke about their frustrations and concerns about the budget cuts to faculty and Riverside Community College District administration. people,” she said. “And in this day summer that will be low cost or not of age we can’t be. cost where we can help students Azari said the reason RCC has prepare themselves so when they decided to cut remedial classes is take that assessment test they will because RCC is a college. do better,” he said.

“As a District, we are trimming Nick Bygon, student trustee of back on the basic skills on the RCCD, said a program called Jump courses where students haven’t Start at RCC is very beneficial to been able to move into college students, who need to catch up to level classes,” she said. the college level courses.

Ajené Wilcoxson, “What every administrator has associate professor of Business offered as a solution to the problem Administration, said the situation is to increase programs like Jump is not getting better because more Start at all of three colleges,” RCC students need the lower basic Bygon said. “These programs skills classes. help refresh students on the core “It is a fact—a large percentage classes needed to place higher on of our students are in need of the placement test; the results of those courses,” he said. “The such programs are extraordinary, last research I saw—it said it is with students jumping around a continued to go up in the last seven year’s worth of coursework.” years; more and more students are Bygon said Azari has been in in need of those classes to prepare conversations with members of for those transferable classes, so local school districts to offer more cutting those will be detrimental adult education to teach those to a lot of students.” basic skills.

During an open student forum “RCC is not simply going to at the cafeteria of RCC on March categorically cut any classes, like 15, Wilcoxson had the idea to let basic skills, they are however, students stress their frustrations trying to develop programs and about the cuts around campus. partnerships that will make student “We may have to implement need for them diminish,” Bygon something that happens during the said.

RCC loses dean of Academic Support Ashley Anderson News editor Riverside City College loses Marilyn Martinez-Flores, dean of Academic Support, at the end of the spring semester.

Administrators and resources for Academic Support at RCC faces an estimate of over $600,000 in reductions, as Cynthia Azari, president of RCC, trims the $2.68 million from the RCC budget.

Martinez-Flores oversees the English, film department and as world languages department at the college, she also helped bring programs such as Community for Academic Progress and Jump Start to RCC. CAP is a program that utilizes learning communities designed to allow students to enroll in grouped or paired courses that share common themes, activities,

and assignments.

The program creates an environment for staff and students to work and learn together and allows students to learn tools to successfully complete courses in a cohesive environment.

“The program when (MartinezFlores) got it—is not how it is today it,” said Tara Mccarthy, educational advisor at RCC. “The program completely has been reinvented and once we got good faculty on board who were supportive took it to a whole new level.”

Jump Start with a slogan of “remembering what you already know,” is a program that involves an intense skill strengthening summer workshop for students placed remedially by the accuplacer at RCC who then get the chance to retake the accuplacer test in hopes

of changing there score for a better score.

“She’s a great example to women on campus” said Angela Calitri, RCC student. “An absolute mentor as an administrator she’s helpful; students like me wouldn’t be where I am without her.”

CAP a program that has helped over 1,200 students since it began under Martinez-Flores direction in 2006, and the Jump Start program helping over 80 students will now have to be absorbed by another administrator.

“What’s disheartening about the situation is were losing the diversity on campus, even her in general, she’s a Latina women in a high position on campus who does truly want to represent the students, I can’t help but think it’s our loss and someone else’s gain,” said Mccarthy.

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Santa Monica College offers an alternative Santa Monica College students are being offered $200 per unit classes starting in the summer Javier Cabrera Editor in chief The administration at Santa Monica College has developed a method to tackle its budget cuts by announcing it will charge $200 per unit for in-demand classes such as English and math.

Students, who cannot get into the state-fund English and math classes, will have the option to enroll into designated English and math classes.

The state funded classes will cost students $46 per unit while the designated classes will cost $200 per unit starting in the summer session.

Officials at Santa Monica College said the college will keep the classes if the idea is successful, according to the Los Angeles Times, and students at other community colleges are wondering if their college might go the route Santa Monica has gone.

“Santa Monica College is doing its best to remedy a growing problem, that is, a combination of diminishing class offerings and a growing student population,” said Nick Bygon, student trustee of Riverside Community College District. “The result of the problem is: students don’t get the classes they need.”

Bygon said he appreciates the college’s effort to be innovative and accommodate all of its students, but he thinks the college is setting a bad precedent.

Bygon said Santa Monica College is changing the fabric of what a community college should be, which is: an all-access institution into a two-tier system.

“The effect of such a radical reform of a public institution is that, while it might relieve some of the budget shortfall, it corners the problem on top of those individuals already standing on the margins, while giving a way out for those who can afford to pay,” he said.

“Is that really what we want our college to offer, or our country?” Bygon said. “Having such a precedent leaves the door open for other public institutions to start charging a pro-rated fee to

those who can pay to also make up for their budget shortfalls.”

While many students side with Bygon, there are some other students that do not think Santa Monica College’s idea is bad.

“If it is something that is legal and is something available that doesn’t go against (education) code, it might be an option,” said Rikki Hix, vice president of Associated Students of RCC. “It is saying that on top of the classes already, if you want a class, you have to pay for it.”

Hix said although students might not able to afford the $200 per unit classes, the idea can help get RCC out of the hole.

“There is a lot of people who cannot afford (the classes), however, if we did that than it will help us get out, and it still a whole lot cheaper than paying $15,000 or $25,000 to go to a UC or Cal State,” she said. “It might be something that we will have to look at if it is considered legal and if it is not breaking any laws.”

Ajené Wilcoxson, an associate of Business Administration, said he hopes Santa Monica College’s idea of the $200 per unit classes, is the last thing RCC attempts to do.

“That is a hard, hard situation— it really is—$200 a unit—most students cannot afford to buy their textbook until two weeks after the class starts; most even struggle to even get on campus every single day; most students are not working, they are relying on financial aid,” he said.

Wilcoxson said if RCC had to do something like what Santa Monica did than he will understand what has to be done.

“The institution has to continue to offer classes and has to continue to sustain itself,” he said. “But I hope it is on the backside of a last alternative.”

Cynthia Azari, president of RCC, said she had mixed feelings about Santa Monica College’s decision.

“While I understand that it will provide additional classes, I am very concerned because that has not been approved by the state,” she said.

Although the plan provides

Paul Ledesma / Editor’s Assistant

Fishing for money: Santa Monica College students are being pinched by their college to take high demand classes such as English and math for $200 per unit. classes and has not been approved by the state, Azari said she does not think the classes will be covered by any financial aid.

“I am not sure students will get financial aid for that, because it is coming under their contract umbrella,” she said.

Azari said those classes won’t count by the state and wont help students.

“It is not counted in the full-

time equivalent students funded forms,” she said. “It is not funded by the state, but on the other hand the BOG waivers won’t apply, financial aid won’t apply and Cal grants.”

Azari said the plan will also cause a rip between students.

“What happens is you have a two tier system: you have the people who are wealthy and could afford anything and they take those

classes,” she said. “And you got the students who are the regular students, who are having to pay on their own or get financial aid, BOG waiver or Cal grant and then they are the ones in the other classes fighting for them.”

Azari said many may disagree with her because the idea makes classes but causes a split.

“I am not sure that it is the best approach,” she said.

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March 22, 2012 | 5

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A look into Associated Students of RCC

As the spring semester continues, Associated Students of RCC prepares for its elections itzel farias Asst. news editor With the Associated Students of Riverside City College elections coming up this spring, students can anticipate the upcoming campaign period.

The first election that takes place is for student trustees.

Eligible candidates, who have the required GPA of 2.0 and are enrolled in at least six units per semester, can fill out the student trustee packet, that is then reviewed

by Student Services.

Once it is approved, a mandatory meeting is held, where all information pertaining to running for election is given.

After a campaign period of two weeks, three open forums are held for each campus: RCC, Norco College and Moreno Valley College, where students can inform themselves on the views of the candidates.

Students can then vote on all three campuses and tally the votes, where the majority would win.

President, vice president and senate elections are held in the same way only that each campus holds its own private forum instead of three forums (one for each college).

“Our student government is like an actual government,” said Richard Gallon, senate protempore.

The Associated Students of RCC consist of three main branches of government: the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.

The executive branch is composed of the presidents, vice presidents, the district senate chair, treasurer and secretary; along with the Inter-Club Council, Board of Commissioners, the Multicultural Advisory Council, and Multicultural Advisory Council.

The Inter-Club Council supports and promotes communication and participation between clubs on campus.

Board of Commissioners provides events and activities for the student body.

The Multicultural Advisory Council promotes the communication and educational awareness of cultural differences at RCC. Multicultural Advisory Council deals with marketing, graphic design and advertising.

“They (Inter-Club Council,

Diego Alvarez / Staff Photographer

A student leader: Joey Reynoso, interim president of Associated Students of Riverside City College, discusses the agenda with the Senate, as Associated Students of RCC continues to serve the students at RCC. Board of Commissioners, and Multicultural Advisory Council) are the ones that brain storm where they want the whole student government to go toward and that’s where most of our events come from . . . from the ICC, BOC and MCAC,” Gallon said.

“They’re the big planners.”

The legislative branch is made up of members of the senate, with a maximum of 45 seats.

They vote on college legislation and approve budgets. The judicial branch consists of the associate justices.

The Supreme Court conducts student elections, holds student forums, and interprets the constitution.

“They deal with grievances that students may have, grievances that members of ASRCC have against other members that aren’t doing what they are supposed to do, along with open forums and informing the students,” Gallon said.

However, for the planning of events to happen (and just like an actual government), the Associated Students of RCC must manage its budget.

The Associated Students of RCC acquires its budget from the students who pay $10 student services fee for fall and spring semesters and the $2 fee for summer and winter terms.

The outcome always varies because students have the option to waiver their fee.

Once the budget is established,

the money is then distributed to specific areas, such as clubs and athletics.

The 2011-2012 RCC budget came out to be $415,000, where $205,825 was distributed to athletics, $ 93,320 was distributed to organizations (such as dance and music), $30,375 was distributed to clubs (such as the International Club), and $85,480 was distributed to the Associated Students of RCC’s councils, etc.

Money that is left over is saved in the Associated Students of RCC’s reserve fund.

Money is then distributed further among each section.

For example, the amount of funding an individual club or organization gets will vary depending on whether it’s active.

Active clubs may receive more funding than those who are not as involved.

Not adding to the fact that more budget cuts mean less funding.

“Budget cuts affect everyone, so it’s very important that if they (the students) don’t want to do something (i.e. an event), they tell us because it’s their money,” Gallon said. “That’s why we need more students to advocate; to get involved and get informed on what’s going on.”

Trustee elections are scheduled for April 3 and 4 at the Martin Luther King Teaching / Learning Center steps.

More information on elections, times and dates can be found in the Student Activities Office.

ASRCC election deadlines: - Election forum for student trustee is on March 29 - Election is April 3 and 4 - President, vice president and senate election packets are available on April 16 and are due on April 23 - Elections are May 1 and 2

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6 | March 22, 2012

Students are taking a step back Students are transferring from universities and other community colleges to take the classes they need Jeremy Fuerte Staff Writer The average community college course is filled with students wishing to transfer, but take a second, look around and a number of students may have transferred here to Riverside City College.

RCC has a history of being a stepping stone for students wishing to transfer, who either have poor grades or can’t afford to attend a four-year university.

However, many students are now being forced to transfer to RCC for various reasons.

Many community college students, outside of RCC, are learning that their college may not offer the courses needed to transfer to a four-year university for specific majors.

After learning that San Bernardino Valley College was not offering the classes Jaylon Bennet needed to transfer, he found that RCC was his only viable option.

“My previous college did not offer the courses required for me to graduate or transfer to my university, so I was forced to take classes at RCC,” Bennet said.

Colleges are finding it harder and harder to guarantee that certain classes needed to transfer will be available.

“I talked to counselors about this and while they had prior told me the classes would be offered, once I checked the catalog they weren’t there,” Bennet said. “I talked to another counselor and they told me I should transfer to either RCC or Chaffey (College), so that way I could finish.”

Students from other community colleges aren’t the only ones who are having a difficult time acquiring classes needed to graduate.

Genecca Galope was a graphic design and marketing major at Cal State San Bernardino, but after her Free Application for Federal Student Aid came in late, she was forced to transfer to RCC. “I already had my classes but

Luis Solis / Staff Photographer

Looking to transfer: Raul Ramos, an Riverside City College student, looks to transfer to Cal State San Bernardino

as Monica Delgadillo-Flores, a counselor at RCC, helps him figure out which classes he needs. because financial aid was coming community college. offer, Bennet received conflicting Whatever the reason, students in late, my classes got dropped,” Mike Barnes, professor of advice from RCC counselors. are consistently disappointed she said.

Counseling and department chair, “They said apparently the with the failure of their college or Because this problem had is well aware of this issue. university doesn’t care about those university to meet the educational occurred before for her, the “The biggest hindrance for classes in particular, just the units,” needs of the students. counselors suggested she attend those students who come here, he said. “So I was a little peeved “I thought it was crap,” Galope a community college and transfer let’s say they’ve been at Chaffey when I transferred here and got said in response to being told to back. and they have 40 or 50 units—they stuck with the last priority.” attend a community college. “I “In order to come back it was don’t get credit for those units here Barnes suggests that if students thought because I was already a just best to transfer to a different in terms of registration so they start become confused between the student there for two years they school,” she said. “They gave me as a brand new student,” Barnes different matriculations, go to would help me out, but no.” two specific classes to take just so said. “In some circumstances I try www.assist.org and if they become While it isn’t new that students I have credit to transfer back.” to encourage them to stay there confused by counselors from transfer to community college, it is Even though counselors because they have a better chance different colleges and universities becoming increasingly common s u g g e s t e d t h a t s h e a t t e n d of getting in their classes there.” offer different advice, go back. and will continue to occur as community college to earn units A constant obstacle for students “The quickest way to know long as California’s fiscal crisis and transfer back, they failed to transferring to RCC and students that stuff is to use the assist.org persists. inform her that her units wouldn’t in general is the failure of students website for college majors based “There’s going to be more carry over. and counselors to communicate. on that specific college,” he said. because the state’s broke,” Barnes This is a continuing problem After being told by San “If they’re talking to them and they said. “I don’t think these new for students who are being told to Bernardino Valley College confuse you come back because a taxes are going to be passed in attend a community college after counselors that he would need lot of times I’m using a different November so there’s going to be even more cuts.” attending a university or another courses that his college did not vocabulary.”

Wolde-Ab Issac, vice president of Academic Affairs, offers suggestions tim kimbirk Staff writer With major decisions awaiting Riverside City College, WoldeAb Issac, the vice president of Academic Affairs, has a part in trying to find solutions to meet the college’s budget crisis.

Issac plans to continue moving programs to different buildings so that the unused building can

be shut down, saving energy and cost.

He also hopes to rent those unused buildings, as well as some of our current ones.

“We can make some money for the (college) if we offer our services to outside sources,” he said. “For example, we have a state of the art nursing building that we could rent to hospitals and other medical training facilities when

they are not in use by students.”

Issac said if the college can rent it’s facilities than it can open up relationships with outside companies.

“Nursing Students Association could help create programs between RCC and hospitals, and other health facilities.” Issac said.

In relation to students, there is quite a bit of activity planned for the near future.

To help students, who are currently at an inadequate reading level, Isaac mentioned a potential bridging program between the Riverside Unified School District and RCC. “This way students can improve their basic English and math skills and avoid being disadvantaged when they reach the college level,” Isaac said.

Isaac also talked about student

involvement on campus.

Issac said students should want to be more involved with the college and should feel they play a role in their education.

“We all have to work together to improve RCC as a whole; there is a vast amount of untapped potential here at RCC,” Issac said. “We have a large pool of intellect; we have to provide the environment to refine and empower that intellect.”

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Viewpoints Staff

March 22, 2012 | 7

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Javier Cabrera (951) 222-8495 viewpoints@rcc.edu eic@viewpointsonline.org MANAGING EDITOR Destiny Rivera 951-222-8488 managingeditor@viewpointsonline.org ADVERTISING MANAGER Leah Frost 951-222-8488 ads@viewpointsonline.org FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Dan Evans NEWS EDITOR Ashley Anderson news@viewpointsonline.org

SPORTS EDITOR James Williams sports@viewpointsonline.org

FEATURES EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR Sam Finch Amanda Rougeaux opinions@viewpointsonline.org features@viewpointsonline.org INSCAPE EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR Lizbeth Landeros Allison Perez photo@viewpointsonline.org inscape@viewpointsonline.org

Jarred Jackson / multimedia Editor

More money needed: Santa Monica College is offering classes to its students for $200 per unit.

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jarred Jackson

Deep pockets serve to pay for classes

STAFF Gabriel Alvarado Christin Alvarez Diego Alvarez Brian Bash Kayleign Brown Monique Carrasco Amanda Charter Edwin Chavez Iliana Chavez Courtney Coleman Katan Collins Edward Diaz Phi Douong Sean Egle Itzel Farias Jeremy Fuerte Roberto Gonzalez Oscar Grover Daniel Haskins Jasmine Hoof Norihito Ikeda Amber Jackson Tim Kimbirk Shawanda Kinsey Paul Ledesma Jasmine Lopez

Samantha Lopez Sean Maulding Fred McCarthy Killian McDonald Ramdy Mendez Chanel Mershon Audrey Mosley Susan Parker Felicia Perez Alejandra Rodriguez Rafael Rodriguez Laith Salama Selenne Sevilla Luis Solis Heather Terry Na’Ilah Thomas Vu Tran Jonathan Vela Franco Villalobos Daulton Villavicencio Charles Wagner Veronica Widman Alexis Wiest Justin Wilson Johnathon Ysais

Without the help of the state, community colleges are scrambling to figure out how they will absorb the massive budget cuts of California.

Many decisions are being made with little time to discuss and the students are the ones being struck by the effects head on.

Students are finding out that they are not getting into the classes they need, and they are not finishing community college in two years, like past students were able to do.

Santa Monica College has decided on a plan that has every community college in the state talking.

The administration at Santa Monica College has made a plan to offer the high demand English and math classes to its students for $200 per unit.

The plan is that the college will offer the classes in the summer and winter sessions after the state-fund English and math classes fill up. The college said it will offer these classes if the plan is a success.

The problem with the idea is that aside from the limited English and math classes that are available, not every student is able to get into the class and if a student with a low priority registration date is not able to get into the class—that student is cheated out because now that student has to pay for a class that is $200 per unit to stay on track with his or her graduation class.

Why should students, who are in the back-of-the-pack, have to pay extra to take a class, which the college cannot provide?

The cost per unit for classes was $36 entering the spring semester and the cost per unit for classes will be $46 in the

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summer.

In 2008 the cost per unit for classes was $16!

There is no need to add insult to injury to community college students, after the administration at the community colleges have limited classes and the state has increased the cost per unit, practically each semester.

Community college is not honoring its mission of serving the community and its students, when it says it is affordable for students.

Community college is the only place of high education, where students, of all kind and all classes, can come to and give themselves a chance to receive an education for an affordable cost.

With insane plans and ideas like the one of Santa Monica College, the community colleges will deliver a negative thought in their students and students will feel discouraged to continue their education.

Community college administrators have to show they are protecting the students in some way by sacrificing on their end.

Students might not feel they are capable of demanding a fair result or might think things will get better if they ignore the problems, but nothing can be done if they do not stand up for themselves.

Students at community colleges need to understand that they are in a period of time, where they have to become activists and do something about the problem, because administrations at community colleges will continue making unfair decisions, even though they do not know how much the decisions affect students in a negative way.

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Reach us: PHONE: (951) 222-8488 E-mail: viewpoints@rcc.edu Editor in Chief PHONE: (951) 222-8495

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Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. © 2012 by the Viewpoints staff, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA. 92506-0528. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the Viewpoints Editor-in-Chief.

Viewpoints

8 | March 22, 2012

Serving students since 1922

Opinions

Every seat needs to be filled all semester Despite the situation, RCC students need to avoid dropping their classes all the time

Veronica wilman Staff Writer O n e s t u d e n t ’s e m p t y desk is another ’s student’s disappointment.

It is no secret that California is undergoing drastic fiscal changes and higher education is being hit where it hurts.

Administrators are exhausting all options in order to salvage what funds are left, but there is only so much that can be done at the administrative level.

It is time that the students step up and do what they can to keep higher education from completely going under.

According to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, enrollment demand is so high that in 2011-12, it is estimated that as many as 670,000 students seeking a community college education will not be served.

Every student at Riverside City College should realize how fortunate they are to be receiving an education while so many prospective students are turned away.

It goes without saying that every seat each student occupies in each of their classes at RCC should be valued in the highest respect, and if a student does not realize the value of his seat, he

should allow another student the opportunity to learn what he does not care to learn.

Community colleges are not able to offer as many courses and sections as is needed for the high demand of students and the entirety of the student body must, therefore, do what it can to make sure that every seat counts.

The easiest way students can achieve this is by dropping a class they do not want as soon as possible so that another student who will truly take something good away from that class can occupy their seat.

Indecisive students are disabling other students from getting an education and are wasting both the instructor’s time as well as their own.

Students who choose to stay in their classes should make sure they are dedicated to succeeding in the course; a grade of “F” is just as useless as a “W,” especially when another student, if given the chance, would have worked hard for a grade of “A.” The failed or withdrawn grade also reflects negatively on the college and allows the government to feel justly about cutting the funding.

It is the students’ responsibility to show the government that they are making a mistake and that they deserve to receive a quality education.

However, low pass and transfer rates do not provide a convincing argument when arguing over the budget cuts.

Why should the government waste money on higher education if the students do not even attend

Edward Diaz / Assistant to the Editor

Keep the seat warm: Riverside City College students are rushing to fill up classes at the

beginning of semesters but they are also dropping classes midway through semesters. or pass their classes?

California students no longer So now is the time for students Some students simply stop have the luxury of abundant class to take advantage of education going to class without ever selections so students should no while it is still being provided at a officially dropping it and some longer have the luxury of taking up fairly low cost. even get stuck with a “W” because space for any other reason than the Everybody needs to do their they did not drop before the desire to learn and do well. part to ensure the preservation of deadline.

The price per credit unit is now higher education.

That seat is now wasted and at $36, but it is expected to rise The idea to hold off of a class is doing nothing more in the class to $46 per unit, effective summer another semester is a thought from room than taking up space.

2012. the past.

Viewpoints

March 22, 2012 | 9

A monster or a broken soldier?

Serving students since 1922

Opinions

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales allegedly kills 16 Afghan citizens leading to complex consequences

Leah Frost Advertising Manager Sixteen massacred in the dead of night March 11 in Afghanistan, by an American Army staff sergeant.

As the story goes, the suspect went to two neighboring villages near the U.S. Military base, went to three different homes within the villages and shot 16 people, including children, and set some of the bodies on fire, according to BBC News.

Multiple reports say that there may have been accomplices.

Other reports say that alcoholic haze was a pre-curser to the events that played out this dreadful night.

A horrendous slap in the face of human rights, innocent people attacked, children lying dead but the main focus of mass media is the stress the perpetrator was under and when his lawyer will be visiting him in prison.

To b e j u s t i f i e d i n t h i s observance, Google “massacre in Afghanistan,” the top 10 results are journalism pieces focusing on who is to blame for this event that has placed a tarnished outlook on U.S. troop’s efforts in Afghanistan.

Is it the multiple tours of duty the suspect already participated in, the lack of stability at home before his last deployments, his possible drunken state that night resulting in diminished capacity, what is the possible justification that will

US Army / wikimedia commons

Tragedies of War: Staff Sgt. Robert Bales is accused of killing 16 civilians, including nine children, in an Afghanistan village on March 11. not only be dragged through the media but undoubtedly through the courts.

Robert Bales, the man of the hour, who has been implicated as the responsible party for the massacre, has been removed from Afghanistan and placed at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, a maximum security prison.

Formal charges have not yet been placed on Bales but are expected to be placed on record within the week, according to the Huffington Post.

The truth behind the events that took place are still under investigation, meanwhile the media is digging diligently into the background of Bales trying to piece together the reasoning

behind the suspects actions.

On the flip side of the situation, the relations that the United States now holds with Afghanistan are on slippery ice.

“This incident is tragic and shocking, and does not represent the exceptional character of our military and the respect that the United States has for the people of Afghanistan,” President Barack Obama said in a statement.

Despite the apologetic moments President Obama has voiced to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Afghanistan people, they are demanding justice.

“The Afghan investigation team did not receive the cooperation that they expected from the United States,” said President Karzai on

a video released by CNN. The Afghanistan government did not agree with the United States decision to remove Bales to be held for trial in America, there also seems to be discension on whether the United States is thoroughly investigating this massacre as the Afghanistan government sees fit, according to CNN and the Washington Post.

So it seems that there is enough to trigger digression of relations between not only the United States and Afghanistan but also NATO. The hot seat of political correctness in a situation this appalling is heavy handed. Each country is trying to maintain their own standards of investigation and procedures while trying to

maintain composure so that further destruction and lives are not taken as an outcry for revenge.

What is the answer? There doesn’t seem to be a cut and dry outlook as a citizen looking in.

Despite what most media would have citizens believe, civilians that are not directly involved in the political decisions or the military during an event such as this massacre do not know and will never know all the outlaying details that make or break relations, that will make or break the case against Bales, or even what the truth is behind the events that took place March 11.

The truth is civilians are only told a portion of the story, the rest is like a mad lib, fill in the blank and piece it together as best as possible.

This was a terrible tragedy, which may or may not have been avoided. It is possible, something triggered the massacre. It is possible Bales suffered from PTSD or another medical problem. It is possible he is just a cold blooded murderer that finally found his victims.

The truth remains to be unseen, and when and if it is revealed on why this night became the last night for 16 Afghani citizens to live, this is when it will become evident on whether or not the fences can be mended with the political relations and bounce back from “the end of the rope,” where Karzai says things now stand with the United States according to his video statement on CNN. Karzai and the people of Afghanistan are merely seeking justice.

It is a small thing to ask for so many souls taken.

Prop 8 ends its ride on the carousel of appeals court

Monique Carrasco Staff Writer Despite several failed attempts to eradicate it, California’s Proposition 8 has done nothing but sit heavily and uncomfortably in the hearts of all those opposing it, until finally on Feb. 7, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared the law unconstitutional, and it was overturned.

Supporters of the appeal believe this to be a great victory not only for the gay community, but for all minorities and victims of discrimination. They now intend to appeal directly to the Supreme Court, and rid our state of Prop 8 once and for all.

More conservative critics, however, consider the affair “absurd,” yet not surprising, according to the Catholic News Agency.

Brian Raum, senior counsel for

the Religious Liberties group which founded ProtectMarriage.com, deems the event a “Hollywoodorchestrated attack,” but he is confident that America’s desire to preserve the sanctity of marriage (“a timeless, universal, unique union between husband and wife”) will make things right, and continue on to be upheld at the Supreme Court.

Unfortunately, it is likely that Raum’s confidence is not exactly misplaced, being that the proposition was in fact passed by voters once before, and not too long ago at that.

Prop 8 was first passed in 2008 with a 52 percent winning vote, and we can only hope that at least 3 percent of those voters have somehow rapidly revolutionized, and that most of the judges on the Supreme Court panel are included in that 3 percent.

It is also possible that the Supreme Court will opt not to hear the case at all, because it is so narrowly California based.

But if there is one thing that creates a sense of optimism, it is the positive reception of the appeal by the Court of Appeals.

It may not have the final say, but

it is a federal court nonetheless.

A federal court which made a 21 decision stating the voters, in approving Proposition 8, “unfairly took away a right from a minority group,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

This alone implies that the court sees marriage as a right rather than a privilege, and the fact that Judge Vaughn Walker called the proposition “unconstitutional,” further confirms the panel’s empathy with the gay and lesbian community.

In addition to this, there are of course the statements released by the court, which probably invoke the greatest sense of hope.

When asked to speak about their decision, members of the panel said, “Proposition 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California.”

They even went on to say, “We are excited to see someone ask, ‘Will you marry me?’ whether on bended knee in a restaurant or in text splashed across a stadium jumbotron. Certainly it would not have the same effect to see ‘Will you enter into a registered

khai le / viewpoints archives

call to action: Riverside City College students protested against Proposition 8 during the fall 2008. domestic partnership with me?’”

The court seemed to portray a general understanding of both the weight of their decision, and just how important the right to marry is to these couples, which in itself is an achievement worth celebrating.

One would think that in a state such as California, one which prides itself on being exceptionally modern and open minded, a voter based law such as this would have

been passed in the first place, but somehow it was. It’s strange really, that a law as discriminatory as this could be accepted not just in California, but in any state.

However, that is in the past, and the important thing is that California has stepped onto a better, brighter path.

Proposition 8 may not be entirely off our hands, but now we are, at the least, one step closer to peace and equality.

Viewpoints

10 | March 22, 2012

March 22, 2012 | 11

Serving students since 1922

Capturing slices of time Samuel Finch Features Editor

Allison Perez / Photo Editor

planning: Blanca Rivera (left) and Nancy Gall (right) discuss an upcoming trip to photograph Venice Beach.

Allison Perez / Photo Editor

Negatives: A Photo-8 student looks closely at his negatives using a magnification loop.

Allison Perez / Photo Editor

chemistry: Students develop their film in RCC’s traditional dark room during their lab hours.

Decades after its inception in the early 1970s, the Riverside City College Photography Program continues to train students interested in the medium for both artistic and professional pursuits.

“Isn’t photography the most wonderful thing in the world?” asked Nancy Gall, associate professor of Photography. “Whether we’re using a cellphone or we’re using a $25,000 camera, we have the opportunity to capture a slice of time. And that’s irreplaceable.”

Now the full-time head of the program, Gall applied for the position at the suggestion of her predecessor upon his retirement. Gall’s roots in photography run deep.

“I paid 25 cents and three Sugar Daddy wrappers for my first camera,” she said with a laugh. “They sent me this tiny little camera in the mail and I loaded film into it and I started taking photographs when I was about eight years old.”

From there she pursued the medium alongside her passions of writing and editing, eventually discovering her love of teaching.

“Watching my students succeed,” Gall said of her favorite aspect of the job. “Watching my students learn and grow. Many people think that taking photography will be an easy A, but then they get into the first class and realize how serious we are about it and how if you want to take control of your camera, rather than have your camera take control of you, there are so many things to learn. And it’s terribly exciting.”

“For instance,” Gall continued, “I showed my students all sorts of ways to control sense of motion in a photograph using shutter speed and you can look around and see people going, ‘Oh yeah, I want to do that.’”

In the time that she has been involved with the program, Gall has witnessed a great deal of change.

“When I became a full-time faculty member in photography, we had one digital class,” she said. “Now, all but one of our classes incorporate digital photography. We still teach film photography, and we teach digital photography because we consider them both to be photographic tools, and many times we use them in concert with each other.”

In addition to expanding the courses offered, now a total of eight that yield a certificate when completed and an Associate’s degree when completed in conjunction with general education, the program has grown in other ways.

“We’ve added a dedicated digital classroom,” Gall said. “We’ve added loan cameras, both digital and film, as well as tripods and accessories. We’ve also been able to acquire some very high-end professional cameras and a lot of really great studio equipment so that we can teach our students how to do professional level studio photography, both indoors and outdoors.”

Still, she has hopes of improving the program in the future.

“We’d love to have a professional studio,” Gall said. “We would like to know that the money is there so that we can always have current computers and current software so that our students can have the finest possible digital experience. And we’d also like to make sure that we keep this wonderful, traditional wet lab that we have. Other than that, I couldn’t ask for better students. We have dedicated, wonderful students, many of whom will go on to work professionally as photographers.”

Students such as Blanca Rivera, recent graduate of the program and current president of the RCC Photo Club.

“I call her my photo mama,” Rivera said of Gall, smiling. “She has given me some of the best advice when it comes to photography.”

Rivera, who first picked up a camera at the age of six and received her first digital camera ten years later, plans to earns a Ph.D in zoology and integrate her passion for photography into her work. In high school Rivera participated in her school’s photography club.

“Then I got to RCC and my cousin who had taken a photography program prior told me that I had to do it, that it was one of the best in California,” she said. “So I took Photo-8 and I fell in love with it. I love that they start you off with black and white photography. You’re not going to understand much when it comes to taking color photographs if you don’t understand how to take a good black and white image because you learn how to communicate with light.”

But it was not only the classes that had Rivera coming back for more.

“I like the people,” she said. “When you become involved in a program like the RCC Photo Program, you create a little family. When I finished the program last spring, it was a very sad time for me because I felt like I was losing my little family. You develop relationships with the instructors, they become your friends, they’re helpful and any question you have, they’re willing to answer. And when you don’t have them, you have your peers to turn to. You have a little close-knit family, you’re all brothers and sisters and you all help each other out.”

As she moves forward, Rivera also has hopes for the future of the program.

“I would like to see it grow,” Rivera said. “I would like to see them introduce some newer classes. I’d like to see them keep things film as well. I’d like to see them keep educating people in film because as the years go on, people are going to forget what that looks like.”

“I’d like to see them expand even a little bit more into event photography, especially weddings,” she added.

With the future of constantly changing technology unknown, RCC stands ready to continue its instruction of the interested with unchanging passion and dedication.

12 | March 22, 2012

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

Opinions

Viewpoints

March 22, 2012 | 13

Serving students since 1922

It’s about more than just a game

Coach Michelle Daddona uses coaching as a way to reach out to the RCC fastpitch team James Williams Sports editor On a journey striving for success with her team on and off the field over the past decade, Michelle Daddona is currently in her 13th season as the Riverside City College fastpitch coach, Daddona has taken the team to the Southern California Regionals eight times in the previous 12 seasons.

In the 2011 season, Daddona coached the Tigers fastpitch team to the program’s second conference title.

Daddona has already made her mark on the college’s program, entering the 2012 season ranking as the Tigers’ all-time winning fastpitch coach.

Despite the success Daddona has had as a coach, she continues to face new challenges and meet new goals with each new season.

“This game is about the girls, it is about the players,” she said.

“A big responsibility I have is not just winning titles or winning championships but getting these girls to move on to the next level, to places they really want to play at, not just say I got them scholarships somewhere, anyone can do that but getting them to actual schools and colleges they really want to go to and envision themselves playing and succeeding at and living.”

“There is a big difference to me in that aspect than just moving them on, so off the field that is probably my biggest goal,” she said.

Daddona can relate to her athletes and the daily experiences they are facing having been a multi-sport student athlete at Walnut High School in Walnut, California.

She had nine varsity letters in high school, which includes four years of varsity softball, three years of basketball, and two years of volleyball.

Allison Perez / photo editor

Long journey: Coach Michelle Daddona has been coaching with the Tigers for 13 seasons but knows that every season is different because of the two years players can spend at the community college level.

Daddona earned four all-league honors, three for softball and one for volleyball. She also earned three All California Interscholastic Federation honors in softball.

Daddona continued her softball career after graduating high school.

She went onto Mt. San Antonio College, Where she earned AllSouth Coast Conference honors.

She then continued her playing career at California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo.

After ending her career on the field at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, she spent the next three seasons as an assistant softball coach for the program.

“I was very fortunate, that when I was done playing at Cal Poly, that coach asked me if I would continue on and be one of their assistant coaches, and it kind of shocked me,” Daddona said. “I think coach saw that about me, that I had a good ability to analyze skills and help people with their fundamentals.”

Daddona spent the next three seasons learning and gaining experience as a coach while being in charge of the team’s development, the recruiting and the team’s traveling plans among other things.

“I was able to get my master’s degree while I was helping the

Allison perez / Photo Editor

All for them: Daddona enjoys the game and could relate to the players, having been a former student-athlete. “This game is about the girls, it is about the players,” she said.

program there,” she said.

After completing her master’s degree she wondered what the next step in her life and career was going to be and where it would lead.

“My master’s is done, there was really no need to stay at Cal Poly, I need to move on and get out there on my own, I am ready, so I began applying for all kinds of jobs and the response I got was you did not have enough experience’’ she said.

After gaining some coaching experience, she went back to the city of Walnut and volunteered as a coach at Pasadena City College, which helped open the door for her next opportunity, to join the coaching staff at RCC. “The coach at Pasadena actually told the coach that was here prior to me, ‘Hey, I have this girl that wants to volunteer with me but you may want to think about her for your situation,’” she said. “Coach Bev Wimer called, we met and I thought it went okay but I think she really thought I looked too young.”

Daddona was then faced with the choice of taking a job she had applied for at the high school level or continue volunteering to stay at the community college level.

“I interviewed at a high school and I actually got the job but I knew I did not want to coach high school, I knew community college was always the level I wanted to be at for a lot of reasons,” Daddona said.

Daddona spoke with Wimer about the opportunity and what it really would mean to her to coach at the community college level.

“If you give me an opportunity, I will turn down this head coaching job at this high school for $40,000 a year, for the $2,500 coach’s stipends that you have to offer me, you can call me crazy, you can call me naïve, whatever you want to call me but I really know the junior college level is where I need to be at and where I want to be at,” she said.

After hearing back from Wimer, Daddona called the high school back to turn down the offer.

“It just fell into place and then once I just started to just kind of take over and do well, she felt the program was in good hands and it was time for her to move on,” She said.

Daddona continues to keep the program in good hands and continue striving for success.

“I’ve been coaching for 13 years now and I always had a number in my mind, that 15 years would be the most I can put in because I am one of those people that are all in or I cannot be in,” she said.

“I do not know, I did not think I could do more than 15 years because of all the energy, and the time and all the stuff it takes to run a good program,” she said. “At least, I think for now at this point, I just feel I will take it year by year and see, maybe 15 is still my number or maybe it is 20 or 30.”

Viewpoints

14 | March 22, 2012

Serving students since 1922

Sports

Tigers swim to the finish line

Both Men and Women’s swimming and diving teams host their next two meets at home Fred McCarthy Staff Writer The Riverside City College men’s swim and dive team defeated the defending state champion Orange Coast College, 111-106 on March 2.

Luke Obert won two events against the Pirates, the 200-yard individual medley and the 200yard backstroke.

Obert became the first RCC Tigers’ swimmer this year to post a time of less than two minutes in the 200-yard medley with a time of 1:59.55.

The Tigers also got a win from both James Inglett in the 200-yard freestyle and Jeffrey Morelos in the 50-yard freestyle.

The women’s team did not fare as well at the event losing 10 of 15 events to their conference rival, falling to the Pirates 176-99.

However, there were still bright spots to the event.

Andrea Antonissen and Kamaehu Alboro each won two events.

Antonissen won both the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle, and Alboro won the 50 and 100-yard backstroke events.

The only other event that was won was by Haley McVay. She won the 1-meter diving competition with a score of 162.60.

Both teams also competed in the Riverside/Chaffey Invitational on March 9 and March 10.

The women’s team won the Riverside/Chaffey Invitational with a score of 835.5.

Strong performances from Antonissen and Alboro led the way for the team to dominate the event.

Antonissen won the 50-yard, 100-yard, and 200-yard freestyle events, and was a part of three

Diego alvarez / Staff Photographer

Treading water: Swimmer Alan Madrid training at RCC’s aquatic sports complex for an upcoming swim meet. The Tigers will be competing against Saddleback and Fullerton at RCC on March 23. relay winning teams. Alboro won both the 50-yard and 100-yard backstroke events, and was a part of two of the teams that won the relay events.

The men’s swimming and diving coach Doug Finfrock was very excited with what he saw at the Riverside/Chaffey Invitational.

“I was very pleased with the way the team swam at the invitational over the weekend,” he said. “Right now they are extremely broken down and still most of them swam season best

times.”

Coach Finfrock has been working the team really hard in practice in preparation for the rest of the season.

He has the team lifting weights and swimming about 10,000 yards per day to strengthen them for the rest of the year.

The men’s team finished third in the Riverside/Chaffey invitational with an overall score of 685.5, finishing behind Grossmont College and Palomar College respectively.

Obert competed in four

individual events as well as four relays putting up solid performances and winning the 200-yard individual medley.

James Mauldin totaled 210.85 points in the 3-meter diving competition and 192.05 points in the 1-meter diving competition, taking first place in both.

Finfrock feels that all the preparation to this point is preparing the team for the rest of the season.

“We took this meet over the weekend as an opportunity to start to gauge where we will enter

swimmers for our conference championships next month. I think that when this group tapers at the end of the season we are going to see some really great swims,” Finfrock said.

The Tigers had the past week off to rest up before a conference match against Saddleback College on March 23.

The Tigers’ swim and dive team will be competing in the conference dive championship in El Camino on April 13 and April 14; followed by the conference Championships on April 21.

The Tigers will look to improve their doubles play to win the rest of the conference games.

In the match against Saddleback, the Tigers finished 4-2 in singles and finished 0-3 in doubles.

In the match against Irvine Valley, they finished 4-2 in singles but finished 1-2 in doubles.

Jim Elton, head coach of the men’s team, said that doubles are totally different from singles.

“At this point, we are still playing as two singles players on the same half of the court,” he said.

“It’s a totally different game, some singles players are not really good at doubles.”

He said that the doubles players should develop the knowledge of their partner.

They should be familiar with what their partner is good at and what their partner covers for them.

“Most of the good players come up in their youth tennis playing singles. They don’t usually play doubles,” he said. “They do not recognize that every point in doubles is just as important as the

points they won in singles.”

Doubles players should be more aggressive than singles players.

Elton said that the singles players are trying to stand at a point as long as they can and wait for the other player’s mistake.

On the other hand, the doubles players have to put pressure on their competitors and win the points.

John Melendez, the Tigers’ assistant coach, mentioned that the doubles players in the Tigers get too conservative a lot of times, so they should be more aggressive.

The top four singles players make up the top two doubles on the Tigers: Jordan Gobatie, Ramazan Nureev, Theo Arruda and Aliaksandr Pesniak.

Elton said that Gobatie is the team’s No. 1 player right now.

“To start the fall I did not think of him as our No. 1 player, but he probably worked the hardest, and been our most consistent,” he said.

“When the matches have been tough, he has battled the longest.

He has the biggest victory for us, so he is a key.”

He also mentioned that Nureev, started the season at the No. 1 spot, but is currently the No. 2 player for the Tigers because he had troubles at his earlier games.

“They both have the potential to play No. 1, but he struggled early in his matches and he has not always come through with the victory,” he said.

Elton said that teamwork is important in tennis.

“A lot of young kids need to learn what it means to compete on a team,” he said. “They are all used to competing as individuals.”

In conference games, the players win a point for their team, not for themselves.

“They need to start recognizing that their victory gives the team a point, and if they do not win, the team does not get a point and it is not just about them,” he said.

Men’s Tennis doubling up on their performances

Norihito Ikeda Staff Writer

The Riverside City College men’s tennis team had a match against Orange Empire Conference rival Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa on March 13.

The Tigers won all nine matches against the Pirates to wrap up the first half of conference play, with a record of 4-1 in conference, to currently hold down second place in the conference.

The Tigers currently hold a 7-5 record overall this season.

Before their first match against the Pirates this season, the Tigers had competed against the other four conference rivals.

The Tigers shut out Cypress 90 to open up conference play.

The Tigers defended home court with a victory over Irvine Valley, 5-4 to start a win streak with two straight conference wins.

The streak continued on for the Tigers with another shutout against Fullerton, 9-0, before having the streak end against the conference leading Saddleback, 5-4.

Luis solis Staff Photographer

Strikes back: Tigers’ tennis player Aliaksandr Pesniak practicing in preparation for his next match at Irvine Valley.

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

Sports

March 22, 2012 | 15

Fastpitch rolls on

Sean Egle Staff writer

Baseball

Fastpitch

Men’s Basketball

Season Record Season Record 14-7 11-10 Conference: Conference: 7-3 6-2 Next Game: Next Game: Mar. 22 vs. Santa Ana Mar. 23 vs. Golden West 2 p.m.

2 p,m.

Swimming/Diving Feb. 4

Waterman Relays at Palomar 9 a.m.

Feb. 10

vs. Cypress, Santa Ana and Golden West 12 p.m.

Feb. 24

Golden West Invitational 9 p.m.

March 2

vs. Orange Coast 1 p.m.

March 9

vs. Chaffey 9 a.m.

March 10 vs. Chaffey 10 a.m.

March 23 vs. Saddleback and Fullerton 2 p.m.

April 6

vs. Palomar 1 p.m.

April 13

OEC Dive Championships at El Camino 10 a.m.

April 14

OEC Dive Championships at El Camino 11 a.m.

April 21

Orange Empire Championships at Riverside 9 a.m.

April 28

State Championship at East Los Angeles 9 a.m.

Jan. 31

Men’s Tennis

Season Record 17-11 Conference: 8-4

Women’s Basketball Season Record 10-18 Conference: 4-8

Feb. 24

RCC 7 Sacramento City 0

Feb. 25

RCC 5 Sacramento City 8

Feb. 28

RCC 4 Mt. SAC 9

March 1

RCC 4 Santa Ana 3

March 3

RCC 4 Cypress 5

March 6

RCC 8 Fullerton 2

March 8

RCC 6 Golden West 5

March 10 RCC 6 Irvine Valley 0 March 13 RCC 4 Orange Coast 10 March 15 RCC 7 Saddleback 6 March 20 RCC 6 Santa Ana 2 March 22 at Santa Ana 2 p.m.

March 24 vs. Cypress 12 p.m.

March 27 at Cypress 2 p.m.

March 29 at Fullerton 2 p.m.

March 30 vs. Fullerton 2 p.m.

April 4

vs. Santa Barbara 5 p.m.

April 5

vs. Cerro Coso 6 p.m.

April 10

at Golden West 2 p.m.

April 12

vs. Golden West 2 p.m.

April 14

at Irvine Valley 12 p.m.

Fastpitch

RCC 3 Los Angeles Pierce 6

Feb. 2

RCC 2 Desert 7

Feb. 1

RCC 9 Southwestern 1

Feb. 9

RCC 9 Victor Valley 0

Feb. 3

RCC 7 Long Beach City 2

Feb. 10

RCC 8 Palomar 1

Feb. 8

RCC 1 Cerritos 2

Feb. 11

RCC 0 UC Riverside 9

Feb. 9

RCC 1 Canyons 7

Feb. 14

RCC 7 San Diego City 2

Feb. 10

RCC 11 Citrus 4

Feb. 23

RCC 1 Mt. San Jacinto 8

Feb. 16

RCC 1 Cypress 5

Feb. 28

RCC 9 Cypress 0

Feb. 21

RCC 4 Saddleback 2

March 1

RCC 5 Irvine Valley 4

Feb. 22

RCC 9 Santa Ana 5

March 6

RCC 9 Fullerton 0

Feb. 24

RCC 11 Orange Coast 0

March 8

RCC 4 Saddleback 5

Feb. 27

RCC 9 East Los Angeles 5

March 13 RCC 9 Orange Coast 0

Feb. 29

RCC 3 Golden West 0

March 15 RCC 8 Mt. San Antonio 1

March 1

RCC 4 Fullerton 0

March 20 RCC 8 Cypress 1

March 3-4 Fresno Tournament

March 22 at Irvine Valley 2 p.m.

March 7

RCC 1 Santiago Canyon 0

March 27 vs. Fullerton 2 p.m.

March 9

RCC 6 Saddleback 12

March 14

RCC 2 Cypress 1

Baseball

Feb. 3

RCC 3 East Los Angeles 4

March 16

RCC 4 Santa Ana 5

Feb. 4

RCC 10 Compton 1

March 17

vs. Ventura at Walnut 5 p.m.

Feb. 8

RCC 0 Cuesta 9

March 17

at Mt. San Antonio 7 p.m.

Feb. 10 RCC 3 Fresno 7

March 20

RCC 6 Antelope Valley 2

March 21

vs. Orange Coast 3 p.m.

March 23

vs. Golden West 2 p.m.

Feb. 11 RCC 7 Fresno 5 Feb. 16 RCC 4 Western Nevada 12 Feb. 17 RCC 1 Western Nevada 3 Feb. 18 RCC 3 Western Nevada 4 Feb. 21 RCC 3 Mt. SAC 2 Feb. 23 RCC 18 Sacramento City 13

Men’s Tennis

Season Record Season Record 12-1 9-5 Conference: Conference: 6-0 5-1 Next Game: Next Game: Mar. 22 at Irvine Valley Mar. 22 vs. Irvine Valley 2 p.m.

2 p.m.

Women’s Tennis

Feb. 2

RCC 9 Victor Valley 0

Feb. 3

RCC 9 Imperial Valley 0

Feb. 6

RCC 9 Fresno 0

Feb. 10

RCC 4 Palomar 5

Feb. 14

RCC 9 Antelope Valley 0

Feb. 16

RCC 6 Glendale 3

Feb. 23

RCC 9 Mt. San Jacinto 0

Feb. 28

RCC 8 Cypress 1

March 1

RCC 8 Irvine Valley 1

March 6

RCC 7 Fullerton 2

March 8

RCC 8 Saddleback 1

March 13

RCC 7 Orange Coast 2

March 20

RCC 7 Cypress 2

March 22

vs. Irvine Valley 2 p.m.

March 27

at Fullerton 2 p.m.

March 29

at Saddleback 2 p.m.

April 3

at Orange Coast 2 p.m.

Track and Field

Feb. 10

vs. Fullerton 3 p.m.

March 30

at Santiago Canyon 2 p.m.

April 3

vs. Cypress 6 p.m.

vs. Golden West and Santa Ana at Cal State Fullerton 2 p.m.

Feb. 10

at Azusa Pacific 8 a.m.

Feb. 11

at Azusa Pacific 8 a.m.

Feb. 18

at Azusa Pacific 8 a.m.

Feb. 22

vs. Cal State Long Beach 2 p.m.

Feb. 24

vs. Saddleback 2 p.m.

March 2

at Cerritos 8 a.m.

March 3

at Cerritos 8 a.m.

March 9-10

Ben Brown Invitational at Cal State Fullerton

March 14-15 Conference Multi-Championships at Saddleback March 16-17 Aztec Invite at San Diego State March 22-23 Riverside Open March 30

at Orange Coast and Santiago Canyon at Orange Coast 2 p.m.

April 10

Regional Heptathlon and Decathlon Championships at Orange Coast 2 p.m.

April 10-11

Regional Heptathlon and Decathlon Championships at Cerritos 8 a.m.

Regional Heptathlon and Decathlon Championships at

March 24-25Bakersfield Tournament March 28

Women’s Tennis

The Riverside City College fastpitch team answered the call following a loss to Saddleback College, by beating undefeated Cypress College, 2-1, in extra innings of an Orange Empire Conference game at Evans Sports Complex on March 14.

Tigers’ infielder Courtney Brown sealed the victory with a walk-off single into right field to bring in outfielder Tylar Hyatt for the winning run.

“The team has been wanting to beat Cypress, we have this rivalry, so were just confident and ready to win the whole conference,” Brown said.

The game was important for both teams after they each took a share of the conference title last season.

“Coming into this game we knew it was going to be a battle, they are definitely a very competitive team and we feel we are right there with them,” said Michelle Daddona, Tigers’ fastpitch coach.

“Anytime you can pick up a win against Cypress, you are going to feel that you are moving in the right direction,” Daddona said. “We had a good look at them so we feel like we know what adjustments we need to make.”

RCC got revenge with the victory after the Chargers claimed a win over the Tigers, 5-1, in the conference opener back on the Feb. 16. Both teams are familiar with each other after both.

“We had a good look at them so we feel like we know what adjustments we need to make,” Daddona said.

After a strong three game winning streak going into the Saddleback game, the Tigers fell to the Gauchos, 12-6, on March 9. The Tigers conceded 12 runs and allowed 13 hits in a record high this season. Daddona said the team put out a great effort to try and rally back in later innings of the game.

“We had two competitive teams playing today,” she said.

“We weren’t doing so well and then suddenly the quality at bats just started to add up.”

During the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers used 10 batters to score five runs, two were conceded by Gauchos’ errors and three from the Tigers’ hits.

Three walks by Gauchos pitcher Danielle Santos assisted the Tigers in their high scoring inning. The five runs put the Tigers ahead of Gauchos by a single run. Chelsea Rosario provided the Tigers with two hits.

Although Tigers’ relief pitcher Kendall Apodaca was not capable of stopping the Gauchos from answering back in the sixth inning. The Gauchos loaded the bases and went on to score four runs before adding another three in the seventh inning.

After keeping a close score, Saddleback broke ahead to a 9-6 lead in the sixth inning and coach Daddona said the Tigers lost their hold on the game.

“We went flat after that,” she said. “Almost as if we didn’t think we could win at that point.”

The Gauchos scored all of their runs in just three of the innings. After getting to an early 5-1 lead by the fourth inning, the Gauchos conceded another five runs before scoring another seven of their own.

With the Orange Empire Conference’s leading hitter, Christina Bolin on the Gauchos, she added to her hits total with a two-run home run in the third inning.

The Gauchos had lost the previous meeting early in the season in another conference matchup against the Tigers.

While the Tigers’ win over the Gauchos back in late February broke Gauchos’ win streak, the Gauchos did likewise to the Tigers’ in disrupting their winning momentum with the victory in this recent matchup.

Cerritos 8 a.m.

April 14

Mt. SAC Relays at Mt. San Antonio 8 a.m.

Allison Perez / Photo editor

Revenge: The Tigers celebrate after the 2-1 win over the defending state champion, Cypress.

16| March 22, 2012

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

March 22, 2012 | 17

On campus and overseas Jan Schall’s 40-year career at RCC has included extensive work with students abroad shawanda kinsey Staff Writer Taking the every day general courses at Riverside City College can be a little mundane, but taking those same courses while exploring the captivating sights of Florence, Italy or Beijing, China can be an experience of a lifetime.

This has been made possible thanks to Jan Schall, an associate of Sociology and the Study Abroad program director, who has been with RCC for 40 years and involved in many activities and clubs on this campus, earning her the countless awards that decorate the walls of her office.

Schall has been taking education overseas since the start of the Study Abroad program 22 years ago.

Schall highly recommends that students take part in this life enriching experience for one main reason.

“It changes the lives of every single student who attends,” she said. “They even become more mature, sophisticated, and responsible, something their parents like and it changes their world view.”

Since the program’s start, it has changed the lives of many of the students and faculty who take part in it.

Students, who were apart of the program, have decided to stay in Europe to continue their education.

“We have students who are now at the University of Rome, University of Florence, the London School of Economics, and those working all throughout Europe because they participated in the study abroad program and decided to move back to that country and obtain a full degree,” Schall said.

In addition to their school work, students are encouraged to explore the country.

“Students are in class Monday through Thursday, so that gives them Thursday afternoon, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for travel if they would like because we really want them to experience the culture,” Schall said. “In addition they have a full week fall break so they can travel throughout Europe.”

Schall works on making sure that the classes offered by the Study Abroad program meet the Inter-segmental General Education Transfer Curriculum so students can still receive financial aid and get financial assistance for the trip.

The Study Abroad program is offered during the spring and fall semesters to students from Riverside City College, Norco College and Moreno Valley College.

Until six years ago there were also six week summer programs but due to the downturn of the economy the summer programs became too expensive.

“Our summer programs became almost as expensive as our full semester programs and we decided that it was too expensive to offer the Study Abroad program during the summer,” Schall said.

This economic setback did not stop them from offering an inexpensive oversees tour during the summer.

“An idea was conceived to do short term tours and do an outreach to the community so that the community is more involved,” Schall said.

For the last six years Schall has been directing these short term tours under the summer study tour program.

This is a two week tour that

Diego Alvarez / Staff Photographer

Been around the world: Jan Schall, director of the Study Abroad program at Riverside

City College, has been sending students to study in different countries for 40 years. carries a one unit credit course enjoy it because it is more of an faculty who would not necessarily from the Sociology department educational tour than just a straight strike out and say, ‘gee I want and is open to everyone. tour that they get from a travel to go to Turkey; wait a minute the college is going I’ll go with “This outreach to the community agent,” Schall said.

These programs give everyone them,’” Schall said. “They feel has been very successful, they’re exactly what we wanted them to the opportunity to travel, even secure going with us, they have be,” Schall said. “Students, faculty, those who may not have traveled a wonderful time, they’re going with people they already know, staff members, administrators, otherwise. community and even families Schall is one of these people; and then we have people from have taken part in these summer prior to starting this program she the community from teachers to attorneys to medical doctors study tours.” had not done much traveling.

Anyone who signs up for the “Before traveling to England to joining us as well.”

For those interested in tour signs up for the one unit start up this program, I had been course special studies and culture on a plane one time for one hour participating in this summer’s written by Schall. Along with the to Sacramento,” Schall said. “‘Has study program, applications are tour there are six lectures that this program changed my life?’ now being accepted for the few remaining spaces and may be cover the course and relate to the Oh yeah.” tour itself.

“Many of our staff who would turned in to Schall’s office in “People in the community not travel on their own and even Quadrangle 100.

Viewpoints

Serving students since 1922

18 | March 22, 2012

Sequel falls short of expectations Laith Salama Staff Writer “Silent Hill” is one of the more popular and possibly the only real horror video game.

The franchise has provided a variety of creep-fests and scares to last a lifetime.

Most of the scares come from a lack of power over a situation; guns don’t shoot straight and when they do bullets don’t hurt anyone, and the player can’t run very fast or hit very hard.

Essentially “Silent Hill” likes its heroes to feel a little less than adequate.

The reason it’s arguably the only real horror game is that most games put action or plot before the scares.

However, “Silent Hill” has been going through rough times lately.

The series hasn’t had any real success since its early years and it hasn’t yet made its name out for a new generation.

“Silent Hill” needs a revival, a reinvention, and a step forward.

Unfortunately “Silent Hill Downpour” is not that step forward.

This one has gamers leading Murphy, a prisoner who is escorting a bus that takes a turn for the worst, through the dreary town of “Silent Hill.”

Like all the “Silent Hill’s,” Murphy is searching for something physical, and finds something supernatural and discovers his origins.

Games Press

No escape: Protagonist Murphy Pendleton finds himself stranded in Silent Hill after a terrible bus accident.

One has to wonder after so many sequels why the place still exists, or at least gets any attention from the living.

Half the weird stuff that went down there had to make it out to the public somehow, why would anyone go back?

Not that that’s important, but a question worth asking.

This one makes no effort to convince us that any of it has to take place.

The game emphasized an

action aspect of the game play that doesn’t really work and most of the time feels misplaced.

It’s clunky, pointless, and makes no sense.

There are parts of the story that ask players to make moral choices for no reason. Their choice doesn’t really affect the outcome of the game or even the dilemma that created the choice in the first place.

The game itself doesn’t really work as well as it should.

There are glitches and errors in the movement, graphics, and transitions, and the game is prone to freezing.

“Silent Hill,” whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, has never tried to broaden its audience.

It’s stayed relatively true to fans of the genre but has never taken any steps at refreshing the franchise.

“Silent Hill” fans will hate this comparison, but if you take “Resident Evil” for instance,

pushed their games forward with the fourth installment that revamped the entire series.

“Silent Hill” could use a “Resident Evil 4,” so to speak.

Of course “Resident Evil” has it’s own problems too, but that’s beside the point.

The point is that “Silent Hill Downpour” did not help “Silent Hill” do anything.

It’s not a step forward nor does it mark the downfall of the series, it’s just another “Silent Hill.”

Vi ew p o i n t s E n t e r t a i n m e n t C a l e n d a r

March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26 March 27

MOVIES EVENTS EVENTS “The Hunger Games” NASCAR Nationwide RoyNASCAR Sprint Cup EVENTS al Purple 300 at Auto Club Auto Club 400 at The Jezebelles Speedway at 2 p.m.

Auto Club Speedway at Mission Tobacco Lounge John Waite at Marquee 15 at 12 p.m. at 8 p.m. in Corona at 6 p.m.

The Yum Festival at “Nickelodeon’s Rugrats: A Susan G. Komen LA Ontario Mills Mall Live Adventure” at County Race for the Cure at 11 a.m.

California Theatre of at Dodger Stadium “Queen Milli of Galt” at Performing Arts in at 8 a.m.

MOVIES Redlands Footlighter San Bernardino at 4MOVIES p.m.

Theater at 2 p.m.

“Fame” “Fame” “Surrogates” “Surrogates” “Pandorum” “Pandorum” “All Shook Up” at “All Shook Up” at EVENTS EVENTS MOVIES Landis PAC Landis PAC David Spade at Ontario “Cliffhanger” at Riverside “Wrath Alejandra Guzman at Alejandra Guzman atof the Titans” Improv at Community Players at 8 p.m.

“Mirror, Mirror” Pechanga Pechanga 8 p.m. (also March 27) (through April 8) “Bully” at Post Pacific StandardNorm Time:McDonald Mariachi VargasNorm McDonald atEVENTS Improv De Tecalitan at San Irvine Improv Dana Carvey at Irvine Improv Three Artists in Irvine Los Angeles Manuel

EVENTS “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at AMC Tyler Galleria at 8 p.m.

Palm Springs WestFest at Palm Springs Convention Center at 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

March 28 March 29 March 30 March 31

in the 1980s at Sweeney Art Gallery at 12-5 p.m.

Open Mic Night at Romano’s Concert Lounge at 9 p.m.

Indian Bingo and Casino at 7:30 p.m.

The Wonder Years at Glass House in Pomona at 6 p.m.

at 8 p.m. (also March 31) Kurupt & Roscoe at The Vibe in Riverside at 8 p.m.

EVENTS Legends of Riverside IV at Riverside International Automotive Museum from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

2nd Annual Easter Eggstravaganza at Main Street Pedestrian Mall at 12-4 p.m.

Food Truck Festival at Santa Anita Park at 10:30 a.m.

DVD “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” “The Bodyguard” (Blu-Ray) “Eureka: Season 4.5” MUSIC “Amaryllis” Shinedown “Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection” Katy Perry

April 1

EVENTS Legends of Riverside IV at Riverside International Automotive Museum from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Walk for Kids for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California at Honda Center from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Viewpoints

March 22, 2012 | 19

Serving students since 1922

Inscape

Ensemble blows crowd away Jonathan Vela Staff Writer L a rg e m i c r o p h o n e s a n d music stands littered the stage in preparation of the Wind Ensemble.

In the Landis auditorium on March 11, half an hour away from performance time, performers in formal dress set up the stage.

Audience members started to trickle in and chatter took over the auditorium.

Minutes before the event, the audience had grown rapidly and they took their seats.

The anticipation could be felt in the air.

At four o’ clock the performers entered from both sides of the stage with their instruments.

In cadence they each played their instruments as the lights dimmed and the doors closed to block out the light from the sun.

The conductor took to the stage and they immediately started the performance with “Incantation and Dance” by John Barnes Chance.

The music started with an ominous tone that built suspense and volume.

As the piece progressed, it turned into a story that was both lively and powerful.

The next piece, “Lincolnshire Posy” by Percy Grainger, was split into six beautiful segments each played with the same vibrancy of the last song.

The first movement, “Lisbon,” started off cheery, similar to a stroll through the woods on a bright sunny day.

The calming melody sends a feeling of peace and serenity that can be likened to watching a sunset.

Toward the end of the movement it became more powerful yet kept its aura of serenity.

The second movement, “Horkstow Grange,” started with a classical feel that can only be described as a blast from the past.

Each moment carried with it a feeling of floating in the clouds, rising higher and higher until it slowed down toward its finish, bringing back the feeling of traveling back in time.

The third movement, “Rufford Park Poachers” carried the feeling of movement, the sort of feeling you get when you march in mass toward a goal.

The forth movement, “Brisk Young Sailor,” felt emotionally enthusiastic.

The fifth movement, “Lord Melbourne,” carried the feeling

of struggle and hardship that eventually led to the top of the world.

The sixth and final movement, “The Lost Lady Found,” was reminiscent of the construction of a great empire where anything is possible and the scale is unbelievable.

The third piece held a different feel that separated itself from the others. Like its name, “October,” started out like a beautiful snowy October morning.

As the piece progressed it generated the feeling of soaring over the mountains like an eagle.

The powerful bass could be felt rippling through the seats as the piece increased in volume.

Toward its end, the piece slowed down and became smooth and peaceful.

The fourth piece, “Bushdance”

by Ralph Hultgren, had a western cowboy feel which was distinctly festive, strong, and contained a powerful flow.

The fifth and final piece, “National Emblem March” by E. E. Bagley, sounded as its name suggests, patriotic and similar to the national anthem.

The whole performance was outstanding from beginning to end.

The audience was riveted, some even swaying with the rhythm of

Upcoming music events Wind Ensemble April 26: RCC Performing Arts Showcase at Riverside Convention Center Marching Tigers March 24-25: WGI Percussion championship at Cal State San Bernardino March 24-25: WGI Western Color Guard championship at University of San Diego Jazz Ensemble May 6: Tribute to Ellington and Basie the music.

At the end the performers all stood and gave a bow.

Solo Piccolo player, Patricia Folger said that she felt prepared before the show even though they only had two weeks to practice and prepare, which shows their dedication and hard work.

During the performance she felt slightly nervous, but was grateful for the loving crowd and their applause and after the show she said she felt happy it was over and that it went well.

Her favorite part, and certainly the crowds as well, was the second piece the Lincoln Tripoli.

The artists history of Riverside ‘Your Poem Here:’ this week’s winner

Courtney Coleman Staff Writer

There’s plenty to do in the City of Riverside.

Most things just have to be sought after.

Downtown Riverside, for example, is a treasure trove of activity for whoever is willing to look for what it has to offer.

Downtown Riverside is already known for its romantic atmosphere and old town charm.

What Riverside is less known for is its artistic background and hidden culture.

The city of Riverside created a monthly event named the Riverside Arts Walk to keep the appreciation of art alive amongst Riverside residents.

The arts walk, held on the first Thursday of every month from 6-9 p.m., offers artists the opportunity to set up booths downtown where many of them sell or show their creations.

Multiple vendors line the streets eager to show passersby their work.

Many of the observers are artists themselves and when they aren’t chatting with vendors, they are free to check out the handful of local art galleries and museums.

The Riverside Art Museum has new things planned each month specifically for the arts walk.

For March artists Pat Corbin Chao and Sharon Suhovy Vandermeiden painted the same subject live in the museum’s atrium.

Other downtown locations celebrate diverse forms of art such as dance, music and photography.

Some of the participants include the California Riverside Ballet, The People’s Gallery, and The Life Arts Center.

Bars and coffee houses also participate in the arts walk by allowing local artists to perform live.

Musicians unable to get a gig still express themselves by playing in various areas around the Mission Inn. If observers wish to take a break from viewing art, they can grab a bite to eat at numerous restaurants and cafes.

There’s also the Metropolitan Museum, a library and plenty of shops.

The Metropolitan Museum is a favorite for families with young kids.

The museum displays a variety of local animal specimens; the most exciting being a collection of insects, a stuffed black bear and an intimidating stuffed mountain lion.

The museum also offers a look into history with a small exhibit dedicated to America’s Civil War. The museum’s newest exhibit is dedicated to the United States’ military.

The shops close earlier than most of the venues, but if attendees

arrive early enough they can check out what each store has to offer.

Downtown Riverside is also known for its antique shops.

One antique shop in particular is also home to a unique café called Hideaway.

Hideaway café is literally hidden. After going down a flight of stairs that takes guests underneath the antique store, they’ll wind through a maze of antiques that leads to the eclectic style café and bar.

The café participates in the arts walk by allowing musicians to play on their make-shift stage.

Customers often sing karaoke or clap along to the live performers.

Other restaurants keep their doors open during the arts walk and though they may not have a whole lot of art appreciation going on, the food is almost always tasty.

The arts walk succeeds in doing more than bringing together artists.

The Riverside arts walk is a fun and cheap way to spend a Thursday night.

It’s a great excuse to learn more about the city’s history, art and culture.

Artists can gather inspiration and, if they are a vendor, share their work with others.

Upcoming Arts Walk dates: April 5 - Riverside Arts and Reuse Exchange May 3 - Musical performance by Lucky Cricket

The Stay Classy Creative Writing Club is holding a contest throughout the spring semester called “Your Poem Here.” Writers can submit poetry (1-25 lines) to heyjazzybird@hotmail.com,

and possibly get published in the next issue of Viewpoints.

Upcoming deadlines are March 27 and April 17. Email for info regarding the club or the contest.

Happy writing!

“Drawing” by Raymond Rojas III

I want you to know that if my eyes could draw, The next time you walked into my room, You’d see yourself all over my walls, And start being silly asking me why I have mirrors all over the place, If my eyes could draw what was going on inside my eyelid walls, Dang, I’d use up a lot of color, Something similar to rainbows innocence, Comparing your exhales to an oceans cool breeze, Your ex-boyfriend must feel like such a blank canvas right about now, Knowing he had the Mona Lisa, And threw it away, My dreams must come directly from Gods heart when they enter my mind, I can’t even attempt to explain the euphoria that I would experience if you, One day were mine, I think my arms were made solely to wrap around your body, Would loving you forever be qualified as a hobby?

I want you to know that if my eyes could draw, They’d depict the most beautiful image of them all.

Viewpoints

20 | March 22, 2012

Features

Serving students since 1922

Automotive branches out Heather terry Staff Writer Riverside City College offers many opportunities for students to succeed, including applied technology programs such as the Automotive Program.

When people think of automotive, they might think of ill-tempered grease monkeys in navy jump suits trying to overcharge for changing brake pads, but the atmosphere at RCC is quite different: a small, yet noisy auto body shop with an array of students working on different projects, smiling and having a blast.

But why should anyone consider taking this kind of course at RCC? One student, Cody Anderson, said he researched programs at other colleges but chose RCC where he can earn an associate degree upon completion of the program.

“The instructors have the experience as well as the schooling,” he said. “They really know their stuff. I love what I do here.”

The enthusiasm spreads beyond the students.

“I enjoy what I do,” said Paul O’Connell, one of the program’s instructors. “I really enjoy teaching.

I like to pass the information on.

I like the look on a student’s face when they finally get something.

It’s nuts.”

As for the average type of students studying the course, O’Connell said that the program is geared toward all different walks of life.

“It’s crazy,” O’Connell said, “I have students who have owned shops, I have students come in who have been technicians for years and then I have students come in who have never done anything more than drive a car.

We promote anyone who comes into this class.”

Another student, Angelina Alcantar, was one of the few female students working in the room.

“I’ve always liked cars since I was younger,” she said.

Alcantar now works for Honda, but one day wants to be a full-time technician.

“Hopefully become a master tech and then go towards the racing scene,” she said. “My long-term goal is racing and being on a pit crew. I would really love to be a crew chief one day because there are no women crew chiefs.”

“They’ve never treated me any different,” Alcantar said of being a woman in the program, “which I loved.”

The instructors have noted an increase in women enrolling in the

Alejandra Rodriguez / staff Photographer

In the shop: Cesar Sanchez, an RCC student, gains hands-on experience in automotive repair as he runs a compression check on a car. program.

“We’ve seen a huge increase of females in the automotive program,” O’Connell said. “In my Auto-50 class there’s 40 students and 13 are female, which is pretty high. We’re looking around the 30 percent range of females being in the class. Five years

ago that number was probably 10 percent.”

So why the spike of women in the automotive industry?

“Now it’s more acceptable,” O’Connell said. “The stigma with women working on cars has gone away.”

Alcantar offered her thoughts

on the matter.

“In the majority of the classes I took here I was the only girl in most of them but now I see a lot more girls coming in, so it’s awesome to see that,” she said.

“As time goes by it’s becoming more like, ‘oh, we can do that?’ type thing.”