Vol. 101 Issue 13

Students still unsure

Lack of prompt notification causes concern on campus following emergency

ANNABEL SILVA STAFF REPORTER

Riverside City College students have vocalized concerns for their safety following new information regarding a campus emergency that took place April 18.

Riverside Community College

District Chief of Police Christopher Cano presented a timeline of the incident to the District Board of Trustees on May 2. The timeline revealed that authorities received reports of a man walking near the campus with a knife in hand at 7:19 a.m., just over two hours before the campus received an emergency alert to “shelter-in-place.”

“It makes me feel unsafe, it makes me feel like the school doesn’t care about the students safety,” RCC student Diana Rosales said. “I think they handled this in the worst way possible for a college campus.”

She questioned if students were a top priority or if the school’s reputation was.

“If it was to protect their image of handling the situation, and that’s why they didn’t tell us, then it shows who they are,” Rosales said.

“I’d understand if they’d want to not panic students but at the same time they need to be more honest and direct with us,” RCC student Gabriel Zaragoza said. “Anything could have happened, no matter the severity of the incident.”

Students were left to feel uncertain if the campus is safe to come inperson. Many looked through social media to find any more information about what was happening.

“I hopped on Instagram, and went to the City of Riverside’s Instagram page, and it was through the comments that I was getting more information,” Zaragoza said.

“I noticed (something wrong) around the bottom floor of the Parking Structure, there never is any security,” RCC student Ruby Gonzales said.

They said that there should be more security on a daily basis.

“I felt like no one knew what was going on,” Gonzalez said. “There is something we could all learn from (this) to prevent anything from happening.”

Defending champs swept

Tigers upset at home by underdog Griffins

JAIR RAMIREZ ASSISTANT SPORTS

It’s all over for the reigning state champions.

The season ended for the Riverside City College baseball team after being swept at home in a best-of-three series by the Grossmont College Griffins in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association Southern Regional Championships.

“We just didn’t pick up on the message,” RCC sophomore pitcher Chris Fields said. “It hurts obviously, there’s expectations everyone has on us, but also the expectations we had on ourselves.”

The No. 3 seeded Tigers were blown out in game one and were unable to bounce back when they were the road team in the second game, resulting in a swift defeat to the No. 22 Griffins.

Riverside finished the season 28-13.

“If you find a way to get to the playoffs and if you’re playing quality, competitive baseball in the end, the game allows you to make a deep run and we failed at that,” RCC head coach Rudy Arguelles said.

Grossmont freshman pitcher Ethan Heider set the tempo early, allowing no hits through the first four innings of game two.

The Griffins then opened up the scoring with three runs in the

bottom of the inning with some help from the Tigers’ defense. The middle infielders both suffered errors which allowed two unearned runs to score.

The Tigers lost 4-2.

RCC did get back into the game by scoring two runs in the top of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore infielder Adrian Arechiga and a single by freshman catcher Dominic Dominguez.

Dominguez went 2-for-2 with an RBI and three walks.

Unfortunately for the Tigers those would be the only runs they would score the rest of the game.

“At the plate from an offensive standpoint we didn’t stick to or understand the scouting report,” Arguelles said.

Grossmont sophomore infielder Skyler Agnew got hot in the series and capped it off with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth.

Agnew finished the first round batting 4-for-8 with a home run, a double and five RBI’s.

The Griffins offense was too much to handle for RCC. It outscored The Tigers 18-5 in the two games against Grossmont.

“We could have obviously executed with runners in scoring position but at the end of the day we gave it our all,” Riverside sophomore first baseman Jordan Ruiz said.

The Tigers finished with a 20-win season for the seventh consecutive season excluding the shortened 2020 COVID season.

EDITOR

After a hard fought game, the Riverside City College’s baseball team suffered defeat against the Grossmont College Griffins. Sophomore Sebastian Flores lined out to center fielder Ethan Caschetta to end the game and bring the Tigers’ season to a close. RCC was swept in a best-of-three series.

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS

Norco College library gets repairs

Rainy weather has caused the Wilfred J. Airey Library at Norco College to leak water through the windows and the roof.

Construction to repair those leaks started in April with cranes around the library and road closures near the workplace.

“There was mold and mildew created from the moisture of the rainy days and into the building,” Associated Students of Norco College President Makenna Ashcraft said.

Rainstorms damage Quad

Water damage causes professors, students to relocate

IZAIAH CERRATOS STAFF REPORTER

Riverside City College was forced to close a classroom and the quad’s lower floor due to water damage.

The storm that passed over RCC caused severe water damage to the flooring in Room #16 and the hallway to the lower floor of the quad.

Both areas are contained by a tent to protect staff, students and classified professionals against any harmful chemicals being released by the mastic beneath the tile flooring.

The college contacted American Technology Inc. (ATI) Restoration, a family-owned company that works across the country.

ATI has been contracted to remove and replace all the damaged floor tiles.

“Everything is on schedule so far, we’ve cleared the water out and started the reflooring process,” ATI representative Sean Wright said. “Now it’s about the workers taking the right

precautions and getting the job done right instead of fast.”

With the job projected to last a couple of weeks, RCC has made it known that ATI will be taking the right steps to ensure that every person on campus is safe.

“ATI is following all required steps during remediation and this project has been registered with the California Air Quality Management District (AQMD),” Director of Facilities, Maintenance and Operations Robert Beebe said.

Some students may be confused by having to go to a new classroom this late in the school year.

“The move to a different classroom hasn’t been that big of an issue for me,” student Leslie Romero said. “I got used to walking down those stairs to get to my class. I have to remind myself at times the class has been moved.”

The door entrances to the lower floor of the quad have been closed off to the public with signs of “danger and caution” across

multiple doorways.

The floor tiles in the hallway of the lower floor in the Quad basement contained asbestos. RCC has confirmed that no student, faculty, or classified professional has been exposed to any harmful chemicals.

“It’s not just laying down some tiles and calling it a day,”

ATI employee Dario Gomez said. “This job is kinda like putting a puzzle together, we have to take our time. One mistake and you can mess up the whole project.”

Early remediation work has been completed. However, reconstruction of the whole project is expected to continue for several weeks moving forward.

As the recent rainfall came to the area, it made parts of the building leak water, causing some disturbances to faculty members.

“It’s a project that’s been put off for a few months,” Instructional Design Librarian Miguel Castro said. “The workers have been working on the windows, specifically the lining of the windows because we were having some leaks from the rain.”

The weather interfered with the window repairs, making the project take longer than it normally would.

“It should have been something that was done by now but the weather has forced work days to be postponed,” Castro said.

“The main purpose of this project was to do all the windows and to stop the leaks,” he said. “Otherwise, everything is coming along very well.”

Construction has completed, and library activity is still continuing as normal.

Christopher Poole, library technical assistant II, said the repairs, “took two to three months,” since the library was closed due to COVID. Repairs were required after the drains on the windows failed and leaked water into the walls. He said, “They replaced a bunch of the drywall on the south and west sides of the building,” which were mainly infected by mold and mildew.

Norco Facilities, Maintenance and Operations could not be reached for comment.

Editor: Alondra Montes-Martinez & Elaina Kleven

Harmful chemicals from recent storms have seeped into the Quad basement.

JESUS CORONEL STAFF REPORTER

Classroom 16 in the basement of the Quad has been stripped of it’s flooring and walls while ATI Restoration begins repairing what was damaged.

PHOTOS BY MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS

Commemoration sponsored by TMR

Wheelock Stadium renovations continue

The Board of Trustees of the Riverside Community College District discussed the football field and track renovation project May 2.

Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Planning and Development Hussain Agah and Interim Vice President of Business Services Danny Villanueva provided information on the current status of the renovation via presentation and what is still needed to be completed.

“The field had many structural and draining issues, so the field became unusable,” Villanueva said. “The renovation of the field itself is a result of modernization updates and safety that needed to be done.”

The turf material, water drainages and bleacher seating started to deteriorate and become

hazardous for students and staff to practice on.

The Trustees funded the project with $7,700,000 and planned for construction to begin in early May and expected to finish in time for the fall semester.

“One of the challenges that we have is a time crunch between now and the next school year,” Agah said. “Our goal is to finish the project by the first or second week of August, in time for the football season at RCC.”

The general contractor, Los Angeles Engineering Inc. superintendent, Jario Rodriguez also attended the Board meeting. He said that the project will take about 104 calendar days from May 1.

“The idea was presented to us around April of last year and when we got onboard with the renovation, we started working at the beginning of this month,”

Rodriguez said.

The renovation consists of two separate projects. Rodriguez explained they would finish the repair of the football field and running track first.

The second project would be the “Wheelock Grandstand Seating Repair Project.” The college reported the grandstands being a safety hazard in February of this year and closed off the stands in early March. The rooms below the grandstand experienced severe water intrusions during heavy rainstorms.

Rodriguez stated that the project for the Wheelock seating repair is expected to finish by November of 2023.

Within three months of completing the first project, there will be temporary bleacher seating placed on each sideline of the field during football season.

Community questions administration’s urgency

Lack of information during crisis creates distrust with police

Many weren’t happy with how Riverside City College handled the April 18 college lockdown.

Public commenters, faculty and staff highlighted tactics they deemed questionable during the Riverside Community College Distict Board of Trustees meeting May 2.

RCCD Chief of Police

Christopher Cano and Director of Risk Management Beiwei Tu presented a timeline of the incident prior to answering questions from the Board.

The Board, and some faculty who spoke during the public commentary, raised concerns about the immediacy, or lack thereof, of informing people that there was not an active shooter on campus that Tuesday.

Cano said officers received reports of a suspect with at knife at 7:19 a.m.

An alert to the campus was sent at 9:36 a.m. to shelter-in-place. A second alert at 10:46 a.m. said that it was not an active shooter situation.

The “ALL CLEAR” message from the District was sent at 12:37 p.m.

“If anything was clear is that nothing was clear to us that day,” said Carolyn Rosales, an English instructor at RCC who said she barricaded her office door with a chair after receiving the phone call alerting the campus to shelter in place.

Rosales said she could hear the helicopter that was searching for the suspect flying above the campus while she hid in her office. Still, she wasn’t clear what the emergency was exactly.

“Any information we were getting was coming to us via Twitter, Instagram and (colleagues) just searching the web for any updates,” she said. “This isn’t something we should have to do, our college should be the ones updating us specifically.”

Faculty from the Early Childhood Development Center said they hid in the dark with children in the center for more than two hours.

“This is still traumatizing for us that lived it,” Emily Philippsen, an instructor at the center said.

“As a mother of a toddler in our children’s program and as faculty member I watched with horror from our office windows

as about 40 police officers with guns and rifles drawn, in plain view, were racing back and forth for over two hours and we were told nothing specific about what was going on.”

She said that Dean of Instruction of Career and Technical Education Shari Yates informed faculty in the center that a man with a knife was on campus before they were officially told by administration that it was not an active shooter situation.

“She found out the same way we did, through random text messaging threads,” Philippsen said. “Once she did find out that it was just a suspect with a knife she immediately relayed that information to us, but that was a personal courtesy to us. That was not acting on behalf of the college.”

Trustee Keri Then asked Cano why it took over two hours to send the first campuswide alert.

Cano responded by saying that there was no reason to alert the college when they received the initial report around 7 a.m. of a man walking near campus with a knife. They were unable to locate the suspect at the time during a search of the area.

“It wasn’t until we knew that

he was actually on our premises, where we knew now he posed a threat to the actual college population,” the chief said. “At that point in time that’s when we had to lockdown the college and send out the RAVE alert.”

Then said she is concerned about the decision to wait on informing the college until the suspect was on campus. She said that students had already identified the suspect and other people on campus knew of the incident by 9:30 a.m., prior to the first alert.

“I think our communication to our community needs to be intentional, it needs to be as fast as possible, as fast as we can communicate and with specifics,” she said.

“I think two hours is a very long time to make a decision to inform the campus of what was a very real incident.”

Trustee Mary Figueroa asked Cano why District police chose to request a Riverside Sheriff’s Department aviation unit instead of the Riverside Police Department.

“They’re (RPD) a lot closer strategically,” Figueroa said.

“They’re minutes away instead of further out than RSO’s (helicopter).”

Cano said he would need to check the memorandum of understanding between the District, District police and the RSO. However, he said that both RSO and RPD airships fly out from the same heliport.

“It sounded like nobody was available due to the fact that RSO was actually on another operation or possibly down,” Cano said. “So, there was no airship that was requested by their dispatch for a secondary, but we will look into that.”

Figueroa said the helicopter alerted people to shelter in place. She also pointed out how the helicopter’s response time affected communication.

“It made the announcement before even our staff or faculty had any clue as to what was going on,” Figueroa said.

“That is where we dropped the ball, and I’m going to say that that was our fault because the communication was not happening with the administration … the administration was clueless as to what was going on.”

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

JENNIPHER VASQUEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ALYSSA VELASQUEZ STAFF REPORTER

Construction crew moves tubing into loader on May 10 for ongoing renovations to Wheelock Stadium.

Workers continue the refurbishment of Wheelock Stadium track and field on May 10 at Riverside City College.

Chicana combines culture, crepes

Former server turns sweet hobby into hot new spot

ALONDRA MONTES-MARTINEZ NEWS EDITOR

While there are plenty of locations that serve crepes, P.S. I Crepe You located on Magnolia Ave. has now become a designated crepe spot.

The owner Patricia Rodallegas was born and raised in Orange County before moving to the Inland Empire with her brother shortly after the passing of her mother at the age of 14.

Rodallegas is a Riverside City College alumni who ultimately stepped out to become a realtor.

Rodallegas isn’t new to the food industry. Before getting her real estate license in 2017, she served in many different restaurants.

Her restaurant experience is what ultimately led her to pursue her own business.

“Most of my family is in the food service industry. So it’s always kind of been there” she said.

Once she married she moved to High Desert for about seven years when her husband’s job relocated him.

During the pandemic, she and her husband became very concerned over what this might mean for her family. They had to take immediate action to secure their families future during these trying times.

“During Covid when everything happened, you know, it was very scary,” Rodallegas said.

“Jobs were willing to lay people off for different reasons”

Together they made the tough decision to sell their house in the High Desert and move back to Riverside.

After a trip to Las Vegas, the couple stopped by Lola’s, a well known cafe in the area. Rodallega fell in love with the ambiance and design.

“I told my husband I want to bring something like that back home. It was just an idea that stuck with us,” she said.

When they returned home they began making some for fun with

their kids.

It was then that Rodallegas had the idea to take the money that they made from selling their home and invest their sweet hobby into a business.The couple was now faced with a choice; buy a new home and work to pay off the payments or build something for themselves.

Rodallegas and her husband moved back to Riverside and began their journey in opening P.S. I Crepe You. As of now they are currently living with their inlaws while their business picks up.

The road to their business wasn’t always sweet. As first generation business owners, they didn’t have many people to rely on when it came to handling the technical business side of the process, but they made due with what they had.

“We’ve had to figure it out ourselves. We made a lot of mistakes, but that’s just what it is, you know. We kind of figured it out ourselves and we’ve learned from those mistakes,” Rodallegas said.

In the beginning of their constructions they were faced with several obstacles that slowed

down the grand opening.

The team of workers that were initially hired unfortunately didn’t meet the couple’s standards and they ended up terminating their original plans and starting anew.

“We just thought ‘Oh my god we’re never gonna be able to open,’” Rodallegas said. “It was actually a year of trying to open (the restaurant).”

Despite the struggle and major unforeseen changes, they kept going despite long days. Rodallegas and her team were able to push through because of hard work, dedication and the assistance from the City of Riverside.

Deciding on the theme wasn’t a challenge for Rodallegas. She knew that she wanted to have a cute vibrant place that people could walk into.

“Pink is considered a happy color so I want people to feel happiness and warmth when they come in,” she said.

The menu has a large variety of crepes that also incorporates a touch of traditional Mexican recipes.

Despite the struggles that they went through, their kids were the main source of inspiration.

“We have our kids that are looking at us, we have to keep pushing to show them through it all we have to keep pushing.”

Rodallegas and her team wish to expand more in the future. Rodallegas hopes P.S. I Crepe You can run itself so she can sit back and relax with her family.

Patricia Rodallegas, owner of P.S. I Crepe You, hopes to bring a little of her Hispanic heritage into this new adventure. P.S. I Crepe You opened up recently in the Magnolia Town Center Shopping Center in Riverside.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

A decorative pink telephone booth, with an old style pink pay phone, adorn the interior of the P.S. I Crepe You on May 4.

“Let’s Connect” the sign on the crepe display case says while pointing the reader to several social media outlets where you can find P.S. I Crepe You on May 4.

Recently opened in the Magnolia Town Center shopping center, in what used to be a Subway, P.S. I Crepe You brings crepes, coffee and desserts with a Hispanic flair to the neighborhood.

Ditching the glam for authenticity Jack Harlow returns to his roots for ‘Jackman.’

CHRIS DIOSOMITO STAFF REPORTER

Jack Harlow released his third studio album “Jackman.” on April 28. This album is following the mixed reactions fans had to his “Come Home the Kids Miss You” album that was released last year. Harlow puts away any doubt that fans may have had in his most recent album.

“Jackman.” feels very fresh compared to his previous studio albums.

Though being a drastically shorter album with five less tracks than his album in 2022, it doesn’t affect Harlow’s newest release at all. The shorter duration of the album highlights the quality of each song.

Harlow has been moving into a pop genre and straying away from his rap, mixtape era. But in this new album, the 25-year-old returns to his roots.

The second track, “They Don’t Love It”, depicts Harlow returning to his former self. He no longer wants to be perceived as the “pretty boy” in the industry. The rapper mentions wanting to get buff rather than getting his nails done and not grooming his beard. The song title suggests that the industry does not love this side of him. He talks about how much more enjoyable it is not being that person.

The artist reflects on his ambition as a teenager and the life he foresaw for himself. Harlow no longer feels a need for his songs to be a number one hit on the radio, instead focusing more on storytelling that relates to his upbringing.

The track “Ambition” goes through the mindset he had

throughout each stage. It shows how far back his confidence stretched and how he responds to achieving his goals in his current age.

Harlow doesn’t rap about his flashy life like he did in his previous album. This album feels more authentic and grounded. He unveils the not so glamorous side of his rise to stardom that he’s recognized for. He speaks about those around him, including his family and friends.

“Gang Gang Gang” goes on to show that those around us are not always who we think they are. The song details how the artist never considered any of the friends he had would receive sexual assault

charges.

Harlow shows that in a blink of an eye those you once thought of as family can no longer be considered that. The “gang” he grew up with began to be erased from his life and memories, especially coming from someone in a position that can lose it all for even being associated.

“Blame on Me” is another deep track diving into his life. Harlow goes through the perspectives of the three men in his household: his younger brother, his own and their father’s. The dynamic of the three was toxic and it has to do with how each of them were raised.

The song talks about how Harlow treated his brother growing up, how he felt during this time due to his father, how his brother perceived him and his father’s perspective of it all. He goes deep into the relationships between each of them.

The album finishes up with “Questions”. The rapper continuously asks questions about his life now due to his fame. The worries of falling off the scene and being forgotten in the industry. The fear that those around him would leave if he were to rap honestly. Harlow vents about his genuine concerns on whether his following

is there for him or for how he is perceived in the media.

It was enjoyable to hear a more relatable side to Harlow compared to previous albums. Many of us don’t live in luxury like our favorite celebrities. It’s always comforting knowing that the artists we admire share similar experiences. Being where they are now doesn’t exclude them from life’s hardships.

I like the direction Harlow took with this album, tearing down the glittery curtain to show his truth. “Jackman.” will definitely be in my music rotation and I look forward to seeing where Harlow goes from here.

RCC’s Plant Club provides space to grow

JOHN MICHAEL GUERRERO ONLINE MANAGER

The sun beams down on you as the smell of plants and vegetation fills the air. Hands-on gardening opens up various opportunities to learn more about the world of botany from experienced people in the field.

A community that is close knit and there to help you grow is what perfectly defines Riverside City Colleges’s Plant Club.

“I have been asked repeatedly about starting a club associated with plants,” Virginia White, advisor for Plant Club, professor of biology and Director of the Greenhouse and Outdoor Plant Lab, said. “(The student employees) like to learn a lot of new things so they thought other people might be interested to have the opportunity to learn about it too.”

Starting this semester, it is not recognized by the Associated Students of Riverside City College (ASRCC), but they hope to be considered an official club by the fall.

White said many people can feel discouraged from exploring plants because they can be expensive to buy and maintain. The Plant Swap helps introduce people interested in plants to a more accessible way.

“It’s nice to get one-onone talks with someone who is knowledgeable in the field (of botany) to help me with my own plants at home,” Ilala Ynostroz, a student volunteer and member of Plant Club on campus, said.

By spending time in the club

they have been able to establish better work ethics in their personal and academic lives.

“It has helped me with patience. Plants take some time to grow, and I relate to that,” Plant Club Vice President Matthew Garcia said. “I may not see a sudden change in my life or in my routine, but it will happen.”

Before becoming a board member for the club he originally contacted White to, “do a little more hands-on experiments here

at RCC,” within the biology department.

Since the Greenhouse can house plants from across the globe and a wide collection of plants are grown outside, this proved to be the perfect place for Garcia to volunteer at the college.

“When we started Plant Club, we wanted to create a space for students to explore the world of botany,” he said. “There are wonderful volunteers who help maintain the greenhouse, our outdoor space and conduct research.”

They dedicate almost all their time to experience rather than holding a traditional club meeting like any other club at RCC.

“An important takeaway of the club is allowing students to get the hands-on experience that most clubs don’t provide,” Garcia said.

Members help to maintain the various plots by removing weeds, preparing for food giveaways and planting new crops.

“Where we can make that a tangible experience for students is a benefit,” White said.

This place is not only a garden,

but also a place people can explore the world of botany and biology through community.

The advisor said many people who participate in the Plant Swap are quite knowledgeable in different types of plants and are always eager to share their knowledge with other participants and students.

“It’s wonderful seeing students come together and make something out (of the club),” the vice president said.

Members are highly dedicated to volunteering at every opportunity possible and continue to work tirelessly to upkeep everything. It is a community that welcomes every and all people, whether experienced or just starting.

The Director of the Greenhouse and Outdoor Plant Lab is always excited to see volunteers and students alike ready to learn and expose themselves to plants.

“The bottom line is plant people are great people,” White said. “My hope is that we introduce them to something they didn’t know and would be interested in or something they didn’t suspect they would have an interest in.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ANGIE ESCALANTE | VIEWPOINTS

White, right, helps a volunteer for the club separate harvested vegetation for cleaning April 17.

JOHN MICHAEL GUERRERO | VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Maria Odenbaugh opinions.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

Safety concerns impede ability to learn

MARIA ODENBAUGH OPINIONS EDITOR

Riverside City College’s administration needs to wake up.

RCC has been my home campus for the last two years. During my time here, I have never received any information on how to properly handle a lockdown situation.

In high school I had multiple drills, infographics and resources available to me about threats we could face. Especially a school shooting. I was prepared, but that was two years ago. The April 18 lockdown made me aware of how badly our school has safety protocols in order.

I am a college student in America. I know the threats I could face by just going to class. Sometimes I am not sure if I should be afraid or not when entering campus.

We are at a time in our history where we are expecting the most gun violence, especially at schools. Young students are starting to get loud, get involved to stop this threat. Students just like me who are tired of being afraid are starting to take the initiative to get our government to make the right decision on firearms.

Although I can’t speak for every college student, I can share what I think is necessary for students to feel safe.

The fear many Americans face with school shootings is one that felt by many. Yet, it doesn’t seem like that fear is registering correctly to college administration and officials.

I do not feel safe at RCC if a shooting would occur and here’s why: In my time enrolled and attending classes at RCC, I have never received any information from the school about proper

safety protocols. I don’t recall any safety measures like a drill, in class presentations or any clarification about RCC’s safety or emergency procedures.

They are there, located on the Riverside Community College District website, however that is not enough. I had to take the initiative to look them up and educate myself.

RCC also does not make training for an active shooting situation mandatory for faculty. It is offered voluntarily.

The scariest part about this whole situation is that I never know what professor is trained

or knows what to do in a life threatening situation.

A majority of our professors are not full-time employees for the college. They are not required to complete any training in general. The people educating and mentoring us are not prepared to help or protect us during an active shooting.

Only one professor has taken the time to discuss this important matter in my time here.

That’s a sad truth to realize. The District should not have to rely on the professors who realize the threat we face by just attending class.

The way my District and campus security handled the situation on April 18, should act as a wake up call to students and staff. It is time to take the initiative and educate peers and ourselves. The school and District does not have sufficient safety protocols or information available to students.

We need drills, information provided directly from RCC on what to do during a lockdown, not an alert messaging app that alerts us too late.

It seems simple to be in a lockdown, when they tell us shelter-in-place. I was fortunate

to have a professor who after the lockdown did explain how to properly lock the doors and what actions are needed. Shelter-inplace means more than locking the door and closing the blinds. I would feel safer if drills and information were provided to students directly from the school and properly trained faculty. I leave you with this, the people in charge need to be aware of the fear students, especially in the United States, face everyday by simply wanting to learn. Students feeling like campus is a safe place should be top priority for RCCD.

Unattainable expectations lead to lack of self- worth

ALONDRA MONTESMARTINEZ NEWS EDITOR

Sometimes we as women have forgotten that our inner voice serves a greater purpose to us then the ones outside.

My appearance and worth have been questioned by male family figures. I forgot who I was because I sought their validation, I cared too much about my family’s opinion of me.

My siblings and I were taught the importance and value of going to church. However, I was especially taught that my appearance was important, to “impress god.”

The church and my faith put pressure on us, it turned into something to dread. I knew that I would have to endure some form of pressure to ensure I looked put together when attending church.

Aside from that, I always felt the pressure placed on me by older male family figures about my appearance. The interactions were belittling and cruel. I would listen when they spoke about women and listening to these conversations set up unrealistic standards to live up to.

I was young and not allowed to stand up for myself against these older male family figures, so I endured it.

Enduring ultimately led to an over fixation on my appearance.

Hearing such cruel words about

my appearance from older men, my father included — who was the man I looked up to — was confusing.

My growth as a woman was hindered. It made me question my self worth. Confidence is one of the most important factors to have as a woman.

The standards of what a woman should be is always determined by men.

This leads to young girls, including myself, to struggle with accepting who we are.

I was so infatuated with making myself perfect in the eyes of these men. Being tall, skinny and wearing just enough makeup to look flawless consumed my every thought.

It seemed like no matter how

hard I tried, they saw the opposite. Trying to prove myself to everyone aside from myself made me feel worthless.

I felt unhappy, hideous and self conscious.

Feeling and seeking validation from men made me also resent other women for having traits that I lacked. This ultimately led to negative thoughts and relationships with women. It blocked necessary bonds that I needed to make with other women to grow my confidence.

These are the reasons I never allowed myself to step out of the house without an ounce of makeup on.

Even though I had people in my life that praised me and tried to uplift my self esteem, it did nothing

for me unless it came from men. It took me a long time to get over that. But once I did, I realized the importance of seeking my own validations.

Seeking validation from men does not matter. Fixating on my appearance and behavior barred me from enjoying life.

I’m done sacrificing my happiness for a man’s approval. The only opinion that I am now starting to value is my own. I am now in pursuit of validation for myself rather than for others.

I wake up in the mornings and do my hair and makeup based on what I want to look like and take only my approval into consideration.

This is how it should have been from the beginning.

A Riverside City College student reviews the sparse and inconsistent information regarding policies and procedures to follow in case of an active shooter incident on campus that Riverside Community College District provides on its website.

STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

E ditorial

Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.

STAFF LIST

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jennipher Vasquez viewpointseic@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Hayden Kulick viewpoints.managing@gmail.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR

Elaina Kleven

ADVERTISING MANAGER

John Michael Guerrero advertising.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

NEWS EDITORS

Alondra Montes-Martinez

Elaina Kleven news.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

LIFE EDITOR

Angie Escalante life.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

Jazmyn De Jesus

OPINIONS EDITOR

Maria Odenbaugh opinions.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

Julia Goldman

Growing up, students are told to go to college in order to be successful. Attending

College not for everyone

In grade school college is presented as the only successful option for students after graduation. College, as in, a four-year university.

Educating young students in college is important but the grade school approach is too extreme. From kindergarten to senior year, we were raised to think attending a prestigious school was the only option to be successful. It’s not.

The idea of furthering our education and attending a four-year university was wired into our brains from a young age. This only causes distress. Multiple kids after graduating high school either can’t afford secondary education, nor have the passion to continue school. Being in school for four more years is not for everyone. It shouldn’t be.

College spirit days, recruitments, career and college fairs are some tactics that schools used to show the importance of higher education. Many in our editorial staff recall their peers being praised for planning on attending a university straight out of high school. This praise left us out as students who planned on attending community college, those considering trade school and those who worked full-time.

It has pressured students to unconsciously enter a life full of debt.

Let’s say these tactics did work. Everyone attended universities, graduated and got high

paying jobs. Where would society be without the jobs gained through experience and not necessarily because of a degree?

Rather than pressuring students by presenting college as a complete positive time, schools should focus on presenting the truth about college.

College is stressful and takes up a big part of a young adult’s life. It is just as demanding as a full-time job, committing yourself to learning. So, instead of pressuring students to apply for college, educators should prepare them for what to expect.

Students, especially high schoolers approaching graduation, should be made aware of the challenges college presents. We will never be prepared for the sleepless, stressful nights and financial burdens. Along with that comes the struggle of finding who you are as a young adult.

High school preparation classes for college like Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) also lacked the guidance that they invariably preach about.

While their ideas were meant to inspire and encourage us to dream big and take a leap, it sadly was misguided and unrealistic.

There wasn’t much consideration over whether or not this might be beneficial to most students, especially those coming from a low-income public school.

There wasn’t much preparation on how we were going to be able to pay for our

schooling.

Efforts made by high school educators only taught students how to make it into college but not what to do once they got there.

It’s important for students to understand what they are jumping into after the comfort of high school. Being community college students, either by choice or necessity, we will be more prepared to attend a four-year university.

Grade schools need to shift the focus onto more options besides a university. Trade schools are also a viable option for high school graduates, not just college.

It allows students to focus on a career they are passionate about.

We are not saying attending a university forces students to go into a profession they are not excited about.

However, there is less room for students to figure that out.

Jumping right into a university is scary. It’s a whole educational change.

Preaching to students that there are other options out there can prevent students from dropping out after paying large sums to institutions.

Instead of making students believe that attending a prestigious university is the only path to a happy, successful life, let’s educate them on other options and the reality of college.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less and include contact information. Email letters to viewpointseic@gmail.com. Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student faculty, administration or the Board of Trustees.

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Copy deadline: May 17

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Next issue: May 25

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© 2023 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.

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REPORTERS:

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lectures in large classrooms can be a big adjustment.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKOLAYHG | PIXABAY

Swimming for Southern Section

IZAIAH CERRATOS STAFF REPORTER

The Riverside Aquatics Complex hosted the 2023 CIFSouthern Section Swimming and Diving from May 2 to May 6.

With a division title on the line and a chance to qualify for a state title, every swimmer and diver had their game face on from the first warmup session.

RCC hosted all championship events for divisions 1-4 in CIFSS. The events included short and long distance swimming and springboard diving.

The playoff feeling ran through the stands and outside the complex all week with fans and teams crowded around to watch high level swimming and diving.

However, Division 1 and Division 2 championship races were in danger of being delayed past the original start time at 3 pm. When the start time loomed closer, an announcement was made over the aquatics complex’s speaker system asking for fan’s help in helping timing the races.

Fortunately, fans volunteered willingly to see the show go on.

“It has been an amazing

experience as a fan, you can feel the excitement and passion everyone has to win a championship today,”

Maria Santos, a supporter from the crowd, said.

Spectators battled for parking throughout the week and for seats in the stands. People were shoulder to shoulder standing on their feet for hours on end in the complex cheering for their school.

The talent level was well noticed throughout the competition. Scouts from some of the most well respected collegiate athletic programs such as Texas Tech University, The University of Arizona and UC Berkeley filled the stands to spectate the talent that was on display.

“The competition was amazing these past couple of days,” Jack Painton, a junior from Roosevelt High School, said. “It was a great experience to compete against many great swimmers and divers from so many different schools.”

Division 1 and Division 2 championships had the crowd on the edge of their seats with every race or relay. Esperanza High School claimed the first win of the day, winning the D2- consolation bracket final in the Women’s 200

yard medley relay with a time of 1:45.06 seconds.

Aj Sorensen, a senior of Woodbridge High School, placed first in the mixed 500 yard freestyle with a time of 1:00.03 seconds. Rex Mauer, a senior from Loyola, finished first in the boys 500 yard freestyle at 4:24.48 seconds.

The competition brought out the best in the athletes and coaches. The desire to win showed in every stroke.

“All you can ask for is for these boys and girls to compete at the best of their ability,” Mater Dei High School head coach Kelly Dullard said. “Everyone here has put in the work and deserved a chance to showcase themselves and school.”

Many coaches reminded their players to continue to have fun no matter the outcome of the races.

“Enjoy this, enjoy being with your teammates and having your family and friends cheering, this could be it,” Redondo Union assistant coach Rick Crump said.

Although the name of the game is competition, every player, coach and fan understood they were in the presence of a highly intense swimming and diving showcase.

Former Tiger football player picked by Tampa Bay

JESUS CORONEL STAFF REPORTER

One’s journey to the NFL is never easy. Whether it would be success from the high school level, college level, or just having fundamental success. Finding your role as a player is important to develop the skills to be at the top of your game.

That’s the case for linebacker Jose Ramirez, who played at Riverside City College back in 2018, spent four seasons at Eastern Michigan University and was drafted in this year’s NFL Draft by

the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 196th pick.

“I think he’s a great story,” RCC head coach Tom Craft said. “We’re really excited that he’s getting that opportunity.”

In his one year with the Tigers, Ramirez totaled 30 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble with a recovery.

“I was the one that recruited Jose to play in our program,” defensive coordinator James Kuk said. “He was a talented player, had the intensity and did a lot of good things for us in his freshman year.”

Although the team would lose

in the CCCAA Finals that year, his performances were enough to land him a spot at Eastern Michigan University, where he would spend four years continuing his path to the NFL.

Ramirez had a humble start to his time at EMU, not playing in 2019 and barely getting any reps in 2020.

He would go on to improve drastically in the following year, with his defensive presence being felt. Ramirez played all 13 games for the Eagles, totalling 63 total tackles, 12 for a loss, six and a half sacks and three forced fumbles.

“He developed into a really good pass rusher, he got better against the run and as he went into the next level, he also got good training,” Craft said. “He’s one of those guys that bloomed late.”

This most recent season for Eastern Michigan, Ramirez recorded 66 total tackles, 19.5 of them being for a loss, two forced fumbles and one recovery. His 12 sacks, a school record for a single season helped the team go 9-4 on the year.

It also earned him the MidAmerican Conference Defensive

Player of the Year honors.

“We are always happy and we always follow our players to the next level,” Craft said.

Coach Craft has always had an emphasis on giving his players the best opportunities to advance their career at RCC and Ramirez is the latest name to come from the program into the NFL.

“Seeing the guys develop and grow, a lot of them don’t get any offers out of high school, they get opportunities here,” he said. “Kids develop in the right program and they go on to do great things.”

A high school swimmer competes in the butterfly stroke event at the CIF-SS Swim and Dive Championships. The RCC Aquatics Complex hosted the championships from April 26 through May 6.

PHOTOS BY MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS

A high school swimmer launches from the springboard in the pike position at the CIF Southern Section Swim and Diving Championships on April 26.