Vol. 101, Issue 7 Dec. 8, 2022

Native land statement approved

Riverside City College is the first community college in its district to draft a statement recognizing Native territories.

Enrollment discussion continues

Admission rates affect college funding

MARIA ODENBAUGH OPINIONS EDITOR

While recent enrollment projections look promising, officials are still concerned by future enrollment affecting college funding.

Carter additionally shared Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac’s concern for RCC’s enrollment numbers not meeting the 2019 numbers.

“By 2023-2024 we need to be back or above our 2019 numbers so that we will not jeopardize our funding base,” she said.

numbers.

“I’m not sure if the cut off was 2023, ’24 or ’25 to be honest with you but as soon as we get to those 2019 numbers the better for us,” Carter said.

president make the determination about offerings (and) about modalities (because) they’re the people best positioned to make those decisions,” Sellick said.

JENNIPHER VASQUEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Riverside City College instructor Bryan Keene proposed a 10-page Land Acknowledgement Statement on Dec. 6 to the Riverside City College Academic Senate.

The proposal recommends increased training to educate students and everyone employed by the Riverside Community College District about Indigenous history and culture.

The statement details the college’s commitment to acknowledging the native land it sits on. Riverside occupies Tongva (Gabrieleno), Cahuilla and Payómkawichum (Luiseño) territories.

Keene explained that the proposal was inspired by colleges and universities across California that have developed their own statements.

Keene pointed out that an agreement signed this week between UCLA and members of the Tongva. The agreement allows the Tongva to plant, cultivate and harvest plants on the campus and lands governed by the university.

Keene said that he and RCC anthropology instructor Laura Greathouse would like to match the effort UCLA has made toward Land Acknowledgement.

“This is just one of many statewide initiatives across the University of California system that will begin to create another form of decolonization of the lands of our campuses,” he said. “We’ve sort of taken the lead at RCC to move forward more quickly just because we have the bandwidth

At the Dec. 5 Academic Senate meeting, Riverside City College interim President FeRita Carter said that enrollment data suggests that RCC has almost met the target rate for winter registrations, but has only reached 53.3% of the target goal for spring enrollment.

Past presentations to the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees have demonstrated a significant drop in enrollment since the start of the pandemic.

Chancellor Isaac couldn’t be reached at press time.

After President Carter’s presentation, Academic Senate members asked for clarification on the cut off year for state funding and reaching enrollment numbers matching 2019 enrollment rates.

Since education funding is determined by the number of students enrolled and attendance, the amount the school receives for necessary resources could be affected by the recent decline in

She also shared the Chancellor’s hope for more focus on the faculty’s efficient enrollment management and his goal for adjusting guided pathways by 2023. The goal of narrowing the options of required classes will aim to make a clear and precise plan for students to follow.

Academic Senate President Mark Sellick said he has made suggestions to Chancellor Isaac on numerous occasions regarding enrollment.

“Let the college and the specialists and our departments, our chairs, our vice president of academic affairs, our college

He also said that the past interventions from the district in improving enrollment rates are not needed and “arguably had a very deleterious effect on the ability to serve our students and meet targets.”

“If we really want enrollment to go up I think we have to be more flexible, ” French instructor Rosemarie Sarkis added.

Sarkis said enrollment would increase if more asynchronous classes were offered. She said she’s noticed that more students want asynchronous options. As of now some are only offered in person. This story is developing.

Local shop honors Mexican culture

heads north for championship game

News Briefs

E-textbook accessibility

concerns raised at Academic Senate meeting Dec. 6

Riverside City College instructors and Academic Senate members discussed textbook availability, stating that students should have access to more than one online and hard copy of required textbooks in the campus library. Librarian Sally Ellis said in the meeting that the library can only obtain one digital copy per physical copy but, if funds allow, the librarians can look into acquiring more copies. The library is in the process of digitizing hard copies of books available for checkout that are not yet available online.

California State University & University of California application deadline extensions

Various CSUs and UCs have extended their deadlines.

For CSUs, check the major you are interested in and check the application date. Each CSU will have varying due dates for a major. Use the link to check your application extension date: https://bit.ly/32Uc9Re

The following UCs have extended their Fall 2023 application due dates: UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara and UC Santa Cruz. Refer to the link for applications: https://apply. universityofcalifornia.edu/myapplication/login.

For information about RCC fall virtual drop-in hours, and fall virtual workshops, please visit the transfer center website: https://www.rcc.edu/studentsupport/transfer-center.html

New Real ID deadline update

Everyone 18 years of age and older must have a Real ID, updated driver’s license or state identification card by May 5, 2025 for domestic flights in the U.S. Passports are still needed for international flights. The Department of Homeland Security decided the two year extension was needed because so many Americans have not yet applied for the federally-mandated Real ID at the Department of Motor Vehicles. The announcement was made only five months before the current enforcement deadline was to occur on May 5, 2023.

If you feel you or others’ safety is at risk, please contact the RCCD Police Department at 951-2228171 for non-emergency calls, and in case of emergency, call 9-1-1.

To stay up to date on upcoming campus events, visit the Viewpoints calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org

If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to viewpoints. news@gmail.com

Student workers strike at UC Riverside

STEPHEN DAY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Student employees across the University of California system continue to fight for better working conditions.

Students from the United Auto Workers (UAW) at the University of California, Riverside first joined 48,000 of their fellow academic workers across all UCs on the picket lines Nov. 14.

The UAW is the union that represents graduate student workers which include teaching assistants, postdocs, graduate student researchers and undergraduate academic employees.

After months of negotiating with the University of California Office of the President, the union voted to go on strike across all UC campuses.

They are urging the office to oblige to their demands of higher wages, transportation subsidies and childcare subsidies.

“We are bargaining for things that would make our lives more survivable as grad students so that we can provide a better environment for our students and our colleagues,” Hannah Freund, Ph.D. student at UCR in the genetic, genomic and bioinformatics program, said.

The UAW and UCOP have been negotiating a new contract for months, but the union claims that the UCOP is not bargaining in good faith.

Ryan King, associate director of Media Relations for the UCOP, said their offers regarding pay, health benefits and other proposals are fair and reasonable in accordance with the union’s concerns.

Concerns have been raised about UC campuses increasing enrollments but not resources, making it difficult to properly

address student needs.

Freund said they want the UC President’s Office to bargain fairly with them and provide liveable wages.

“We live paycheck to paycheck and we can’t do our research, we can’t teach,” they said. “We can’t help our community if we’re barely surviving.”

The strike has lingered while the end of quarter is quickly approaching. Concerns have risen about what kind of impact the strike will have on grades and finals.

King said that disruptions to students have been minimal and that they have contingencies in place to mitigate any impact.

However, according to the UC San Diego website, blank grades not updated by the end of winter 2023 will change to an ‘F’ for the student. This will impact their financial aid, athletics, Veterans Affairs benefits, visas for international students, prerequisite

enforcement and graduation.

Meanwhile, other students are receiving “A” final grades or did not need to take their final exams.

UCR student, Madeline Mendoza said that the strike affected finals and scheduling immensely.

“Two of my finals were completely canceled in sight of the strike,” Mendoza said.

“Teachers were in solidarity with the TAs so they were deciding to not continue with finals because they didn’t want any of the TAs work.”

Mia Do, Ph.D. student in the department of political science agrees.

“Our campus community has really come out in support of our demands and of our efforts to get the UC to bargain in good faith,” Do said when the strike began.

However, some undergrads have expressed concerns in online forums about the impact the strike is having on their schooling. This prompted some professors to work

CAHUILLA from page 1

to do so.”

Keene and Greathouse prepared the presentation and jointly produced the Land Acknowledgement Statement.

The statement reads as follows: “We at Riverside City College offer gratitude and respect to the original and current caretakers of this land, water, and air: the Tongva (Gabrieleno), Cahuilla, Payómkawichum (Luiseño), and Serrano peoples and all their ancestors, elders and descendants of the past, present, and future.

We recognize that this meeting place is home to many Indigenous peoples from all over the world, including RCC students, classified professionals, faculty, and administrators. We show gratitude

as their own TAs.

“We hear the concerns of the undergrads, and do not want them to feel abandoned,” Freund said. “Picking up struck labor, holding classes, grading, submitting grades… these acts are crossing the picket line.”

The UCOP claims that its latest proposals put the striking workers at the top of the pay scale across other universities, but Freund feels differently.

“The most recent proposal that we have received from the UC is an insult,” Freund said. “Nothing about their latest proposal is fair or equitable.”

The strike moved to Hinderaker Hall and the Chancellor’s office to try and force the UC’s hand.

The strike will continue until the two groups reach an acceptable agreement.

Maria Odenbaugh contributed to this story.

for the opportunity to live and work on these homelands and take responsibility to be good stewards of this place.”

Academic Senate President Mark Sellick said in the meeting that a member of the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees had previously made a comment about the district not yet producing a Land Acknowledgement Statement.

“I think it’s timely that we have this on our agenda to approve,” Sellick said. “Perhaps I can bring to the Trustees an approval or at least the discussion that we had regarding the approval so that they are aware of what’s happening at the college.”

The statement proposal was unanimously approved by the Academic Senate.

UCR students from the Union of Academic Workers (UAW) began a strike across all UC campuses on Nov. 14.

STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

Who has the freshest brew in town?

Viewpoints’ search for a practical coffee shop study spot

HAYDEN KULICK SPORTS & MANAGING EDITOR

MARIA ODENBAUGH OPINIONS EDITOR

Coffee keeps students going.

Riverside isn’t the most populated place in California but when it comes to coffee, there is a lot to choose from. We went on a mission to find ideal coffee shops in the city for students.

We visited four local places: Arcade Coffee, Lift Coffee Roasters, Condron Coffee and Coffee Court Bistro. Our search focused on finding a practical study environment while grinding some good beans.

A perfect balance of ambiance, quality coffee and livelihood is what creates a good shop.

At each shop we ordered and tested our taste buds with a cold brew with oat milk and the most interesting, unique beverage. We rated every shop with a score out of 10.

First stop on the mission is Arcade Coffee Roasters located on Canyon Crest drive. When walking in you’re immediately met with a trendy, Instagram worthy atmosphere. The coffee shop is bright, multiple tables are available and a latte can even be delivered to your table. This cafe has lots of space to welcome students while they study or enjoy lunch.

Although the feeling of the environment is right for the perfect study session, the coffee did not match. The cold brew lacked an intense flavor, that of course depending on the consumer, is essential. The oat milk also failed to cut the cold brew to an enjoyable flavor, so it tasted watered down.

The latte with their

butterscotch syrup also suffered the same faults as the cold brew. The coffee itself had a powerful taste but the butterscotch flavor was lacking.

Arcade gets an overall score of 6 out of 10, but definitely a place to visit to upgrade our Instagram stories.

Located a little closer to downtown Riverside, Lift Coffee Roasters is a garage style, back house building which makes the environment a quiet and excluded one. Lift is also a smaller shop compared to the rest, however, it still has plenty of seating. The dim lighting, the low jazz music in the background and its overall quiet personality make it an almost ideal place to study. The quiet nature of the establishment does make it a bit awkward to talk.

The coffee was pretty close to perfect. The Spicy Spanish is a drink that is definitely worth trying. Most coffee shops don’t offer any drink with a spice that’s not cinnamon, but this drink was different. The drink tastes like coffee mixed with the flavor of Abuelita hot chocolate. The cold brew had an overwhelming intensity that could have used more oatmilk. It failed to live up to its name. The ice melted quickly, killing the cold brew experience completely. Other than that, Lift Coffee Roasters cold brew was perfectly tasty.

Lift is an authentic coffee shop that doubles as a great place to study. Overall it gets an 8 out of 10.

Condron Coffee is located next to the Riverside Plaza which makes it a more popular location, as opposed to the last two. The prime location mixed with an overall fun atmosphere make for a great experience when you walk through the front door. Aside from a great location, the staff was stellar. They were each friendly and eager to talk

about coffee. The environment of the place does not interfere with the ability to study there, upon walking in you will notice that the tables are filled with students.

The butter pecan latte is as good as it sounds. After a nice layer of froth, the buttery sweetness breaks through and is delicious. While the sweetness is the focal point of the drink, it is not overly sweet. On top of the flavor of the drink itself, this shop did an excellent job of executing what a latte should look like.

Condron Coffee cold brew was ordinary, but still tasty. It was ordinary due to no reachable flavor to pinpoint. The drink was still enjoyable and easy to finish.

Overall, Condron Coffee gets a 10 out of 10.

The last stop on our coffee shop expedition was Coffee Court Bistro. Coffee Court Bistro is the closest shop to RCC and located right next to the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. This cafe has a distinct, old style atmosphere. The seating area was a favorite because it wasn’t uniform and full of colorful oak seats. Yet there weren’t any students diving into their textbooks. The body of

the cafe doesn’t support a good study session.

Unfortunately, when we decided to visit this coffee shop, they were closing and couldn’t order the usual cold brew. An iced americano did the job, a great job. The iced beverage had an intense strong flavor and the oat milk had the smoothest effect that no other location we tried could compare to. The bistro is also under new ownership and has new opportunities for the community to come together.

The Coffee Court Bistro is a community cafe with awesome style, flavorful coffee and earns a score of 7 out of 10.

After trying four independent coffee shops in Riverside, this is our overall ranking from unfavorable, to the best experience for students: Arcade Coffee, Coffee Court Bistro, Lift Coffee Roasters and Condron Coffee.

Our advice to other students, go to Condron Coffee for the best coffee, atmosphere and space to study. The welcoming and easily approachable staff makes it hard not to give this shop first choice on our list.

Life Briefs

Relieve Stress

Yoga instructor GenesisAlvarez will be hosting Yoga for Stress Reduction Dec. 8 and 15 from 12:45-1:50 p.m. in Quad 111. Students are expected to bring their own yoga mat and are encouraged to bring an eye pillow, small hand towel and small blanket. Register via the form: https://forms. office.com/r/Cb8peaM11F

Paws-to-Share will be back oncampus Dec. 14 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the Quad lawn. Engage in therapeutic activities and relieve some stress from finals. No appointments necessary.

Festival of Lights returns to Riverside

It’s the 30th anniversary of the Festival of Lights in downtown Riverside. The Festival of Lights features entertainment, food and vendors. Lights and decorations will remain up until Jan. 6 but the festival will conclude Dec. 31.

Peter and the Star Catcher: Opening Performance

RCC’s Theater Department presents “Peter and the Star Catcher.” Opening night is Dec. 8 from 7-9 p.m. Performances will be held Dec. 8-11 at the Gary Schultz Black Box Theater.

Holiday Extravaganza

Come celebrate the holiday season with instrumentalists and vocalist RCC students, listen to great music and participate in a silent auction from 7-9 p.m Dec. 9 at the Coil School for Arts.

RCC Holiday Angel Tree Donation

Presented by Extended Opportunity Program Service (EOPS), CARE and CalWORKs.

Pick an angel off the tree, check what number is assigned to your angel, and sign the angel out in the registry under that number. Purchase and wrap gift(s), then attach the angel to your package and return to the EOPS, CARE and CalWORKs on the 2nd floor of the Kane Building. Turn in gifts by Dec. 16.

To stay up to date on upcoming campus events, visit the Viewpoints calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org.

If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to viewpoints. artsandentertainment@gmail. com

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

A barista at Condron Coffe, located on Sunnyside Drive, pulls shots for an Americano on Dec. 5.

Condron Coffee, located on Sunnyside Drive, offers customers an outdoor space as well as a bustling, green filled space to enjoy tasty coffee.

Downtown mercadito brings

It’s difficult living in the United States when your culture is rooted somewhere else. Sure there are reminders here and there with how diverse America is but authenticity sometimes lacks.

Mi Cultura is a Mexican art and gift shop located in Downtown Riverside that stemmed from the need to connect to Mexico while living in the Inland Empire.

The shop is co-owned by mother-daughter Elizabeth and Kassandra Becerra. Father and son, Raul Sr. and Raul Jr., help operate the business when they can.

High school sweethearts Raul Sr. and Elizabeth grew up in San Diego. They eventually moved to the IE with their kids, started a plumbing business and overtime noticed a lack of connection to their roots.

When they lived close to the border in San Ysidro it was easy experiencing Mexican culture but that experience was harder to grasp the more time they spent away.

Elizabeth was inspired to get serious about the shop in 2021 while visiting family in Mexico.

“I felt so connected (to the culture) that I got overwhelmed and I said ‘How nice would it be to have this (piece of Mexico) and show it to the youth in the Inland Empire,’” she said, “so that they can feel the same way that I did.”

Upon entry, you’re greeted by an explosion of color. Hundreds of trinkets, accessories and clothing that resemble many of the mercaditos in Mexico are spread throughout the store.

The Becerra family expressed their empathy for families of Mexican descent that don’t have time, means, or possibility to visit and connect to the country of Mexico.

“It makes me happy knowing that (for any reason) if you can’t travel to Mexico, there’s a store that you could feel connected with,” Kassandra said.

Kassandra grew up with a speech impediment that hindered her ability to connect with her culture.

“I was unable to speak Spanish so I always felt disconnected with my roots,” she said, “I can’t grasp the language well but (working) here I feel deeply connected.”

Raul Jr. works as a plumber during the week but helps out his family in the shop when possible on the weekends.

“It makes me feel proud to be a part of this culture, representing how beautiful it is and what it has to offer,”

ANGIE ESCALANTE LIFE EDITOR

brings Mexico to Riverside

ESCALANTE EDITOR

he said.

The Becerra family shared a sentiment of gratitude for customers who thank them for bringing a little bit of Mexico to Riverside.

They shared many meaningful stories of children, young adults and old couples that have shed tears upon entering the store. Customers have shared with the Becerras that many items are things they’ve either only ever heard about or haven’t seen in many years.

“We’re people’s people,” Raul Sr. said. “We are always asking what (customers) would like to see, what we can bring to improve (the business) and make them happy.” The Becerras travel to different states in Mexico to get a mix of items with the intent of representing all of Mexico.

The shop sells items specifically from family-operated talleres (factories) in Mexico where everything is handcrafted.

They said they emphasize being family-oriented, a key factor in managing their business.

“It’s about always being there for each other and supporting each other,” Raul Jr. said.

Kassandra thinks it’s important to have a place like Mi Cultura to connect to, especially for younger generations.

“There was a little girl that came in (who) was learning Spanish,” she said. “It made me happy knowing that there’s kids and people my age that love (the store).”

Her brother agrees.

“Even if you don’t speak Spanish it’s OK because you will always be connected by blood,” Raul Jr. said. “Don’t stray away from your culture, no matter what it is you should be proud of it.”

The store is not just for Mexicans, the Becerra family welcomes all to Mi Cultura with open arms.

“It’s for everybody, our culture and every other culture,” Raul Sr. said. “It’s nice to see people come together and connect.”

Elizabeth said she can’t wait to see where Mi Cultura goes and thanked her entire family for their support.

“To me, Mi Cultura means carrying the strength of my parents, grandparents and ancestors who faced obstacles and barriers with courage so they (could) give us more opportunities than they ever had.”

OPINIONS

Editor: Maria Odenbaugh viewpoints.opinions@gmail.com

Capitalism corrupts democracy

Anti-democratic policies threaten humanity, planet

STEPHEN DAY PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Capitalism is as American as apple pie. In fact, capitalism seems to be a part of America’s DNA.

The United States has a perplexing pride about its economic structure and a dangerous determination to bring those ideals to other nations.

That pride is not well-founded. Capitalism at its core is racist, anti-democratic and dangerous to the Earth and its climate.

As a society we must replace it with a responsible and sustainable economy that allows us the ability to not just struggle to survive, but to thrive.

Under a capitalistic economy means of production and distribution are privately owned. State and the operations are funded by profits.

Proponents would argue that it provides efficiency, freedom and economic growth to the nation. But is that how capitalism really works?

Capitalism’s first and most profitable commodity was black bodies founded on the backs of

slaves and built with their blood, sweat and tears.

The expansion of slavery in postRevolutionary War America drove the economy and modernization of industry.

Pre-Civil War, the economic innovations that were most important at the time were all ways to make slavery more profitable.

It wasn’t long before the South had transformed themselves from a dying tobacco industry into a global leader in the production and distribution of cotton.

It wasn’t just the South that benefited from this exploitation of labor, bankers in the North, shipping merchants and the entire textile industry of England, all turned a blind eye in order to reap the profits of this cash cow.

This economic boom, which created the foundation of American capitalism, came at the cost of millions of African lives and the utter destruction of their culture.

From those horrific beginnings, capitalism has always relied on racism to maintain itself and the status quo.

After slavery was abolished, Indigenous, Mexican, Asian and Black labor continued to be considered cheap and exploitable.

Today, migrant workers are often exploited for cheap labor, forced to work in deplorable conditions and many times without voice. Undocumented workers have nowhere to turn for help either.

Capitalism takes away the democratic voice, and leaves the true power in the hands of corporations.

Wealth and influence has also been used to ensure that politicians favorable to corporate interests end up being elected.

That influence carries far more

weight than the voice of the people. Paid off politicians regularly deny climate change; despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of the dangers of climate change. Those politicians go so far as to strip out common sense regulations meant to minimize the impact of businesses on the environment.

Capitalism is destroying the Earth and not slowly. We are often told to limit our shower time, buy fewer plastic water bottles and recycle. The burden of responsible consumerism is placed on the consumer.

While those practices are beneficial to engage in, changing how we consume is less important than changing the way we produce.

Large corporations have made a science out of denying science and have found new and more creative ways to exploit the Earth and its natural resources.

When governments do try to establish legislation to improve environmental concerns, corporations engage in misleading and even illegal methods to bypass those regulatory standards.

The discussion of climate change is no longer an accepted scientific statement of fact; now it’s a political debate where the reality of the damages being inflicted are ignored.

The tickled ears of the masses are led to believe whatever politically convenient talking point is delivered by cable news pundits.

The effect we are seeing is “hundred year storms” happening every year bringing droughts and wildfires.

With the world crumbling from the weight of capitalism, and the most vulnerable among us dying in the streets, it poses the question: How long will we continue to sacrifice our humanity and our planet for capitalism?

Monetary gains blind airline companies

JOHN MICHAEL GUERRERO MANAGING & MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Airline companies continue to fail their staff, crew and customers.

My mother and I were one of many passengers left stranded at LAX and YYC. A simple trip to Toronto, Ontario turned into a 27 hour layover.

Very little information was given to us and alternative options were minimal due to the lack of communication between check-in officers and airline agents.

In addition to the chaos, the “accommodations” the company offered were miniscule in comparison to the amount of stress we endured.

The most stressful part of anyone’s vacation should be booking your flights and getting to the airport in time to check in for boarding, not waiting to find out when you’ll finally arrive at your destination.

Major companies like Delta, United and Southwest Airlines continuously claim to work toward a simpler boarding and check-in process, yet it has only become more tedious and complicated.

Westjet Airlines’s checking

systems crashed Nov. 5 leaving hundreds of passengers stranded across the United States and Canada. My family and I included.

Check-in officers in high traffic airports such as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California and YYC Calgary International Airport in Alberta, Canada did not seem to be prepared for the influx of people.

I watched as officers scrambled between phone lines trying to reach airline agents.

Many of them were visibly on the verge of leaving their desk to take a break from the stress.

Various passengers began shouting obscenities and disregarding the effort put forth by officers after eight hours of waiting in LAX.

Companies like these focus more on monetary gain rather than hospitality and transportation.

They couldn’t offer much with the evident limited training given to these workers.

A huge factor in these conditions was the shortage of airline workers that hit every airline worldwide in June of 2022.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, at least 3.1% of all flights in the U.S. were canceled due to staff shortages.

If airlines are committed to offering quality services they should build a stable ground for those working for the airline first.

Westjet offered passengers going to YYC a hotel room (an

hour away from the airport) to stay in until the next departure from Calgary to Toronto at 7 p.m.

This sounded like a good deal, switching flights without purchasing new tickets and a free room, but in actuality it was a poor freebie.

Upon landing we immediately found our way to the terminal for check-ins and waited for them to open. We landed at 1:30 a.m., terminals weren’t open until 4 p.m.

Implementations made by Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, helped to define rules airlines must abide by in order to properly serve customers refunds for canceled or significantly changed flights and ensure the consumer has more

access to resources regarding air travel refunds and protections.

Many other “rewards” like this were given out like food vouchers which conveniently could only all be spent at one place and could not be refunded for cash. This only adds salt to the wound of those stranded across the two countries.

Check-in officers should be given more training and be well prepared in case of an outage of check-in systems.

They should also be more knowledgeable on the airline policies and procedures to better accommodate passengers and their needs on the spot.

Airlines should also set aside more money to accommodate passengers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation concluded, “of the 5,862 complaints received in June 2022, 1,435 (24.5%) concerned refunds.”

Despite this enforcement, airlines continue to find ways around complete refunds by offering “rewards” and “offers” in exchange, which all tend to come with agreements that don’t always work in favor of the passengers.

Through better training and preparation, airlines can properly tackle issues like these without a hitch. Unfortunately the sad truth is monopolies are more important to airlines than their staff and customers.

JOHN MICHAEL GUERRERO | VIEWPOINTS

Passengers from Westjet gather at check-in terminals in YYC International Aéroport in Calgary, Canada after disembarking a flight from LAX on Nov. 6.

Wall St. sign in New York City on Sept. 22, 2007, set on the backdrop of the American flag. Wall Street is widely referred to as the heart of American capitalism.

PHOTO BY SJOERD VAN OOSTEN, INSTAGRAM: @SJOERDVANOOSTEN

E ditorial

STAFF LIST

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jennipher Vasquez viewpointseic@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITORS

Hayden Kulick John Michael Guerrero viewpoints.managing@gmail.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER viewpoints.advertising@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR

Alondra Montes-Martinez viewpoints.news@gmail.com

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS

Laura Bautista, Jair Ramirez

LIFE EDITOR Angie Escalante viewpoints.artsentertainment@gmail.com

OPINIONS EDITOR

Maria Odenbaugh viewpoints.opinions@gmail.com

ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR Darlene Dukelow-Burton

SPORTS EDITOR Hayden Kulick viewpoints.sports@gmail.com

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Peter Gibbs

Campus mental health services inept

Riverside City College’s Mental Health Services needs to improve their responsiveness and availability to students.

Mental health is an important factor of student success in college. Despite this, RCC neglects this aspect of student services.

Of the 2,800 students enrolled at RCC, students that may be suffering from depressive episodes, anxiety or even suicidal ideation are not able to recieve proper help on campus.

“A lot of their issues stem from (limited staff), nobody wants to wait to see somebody when they need help at that very moment,” Josue Acevedo, Inter-Council Club Representative for Active Minds, said.

He said that many students face roughly a two week long wait to meet with a psychiatrist from RCC. Acevedo also said many services are not portrayed clearly to students which can undermine how the service is for everyone.

“I was completely unaware that (Student Psychological & Mental Health Services) has the ability to provide services off campus via referrals. I had to find out through one of the psychiatrists,” Acevedo said.

They should be transparent with their resources and try improving communication with students.

Despite multiple attempts to contact student health services, they were unable to comment. Viewpoints editorial staff were bounced from person to person.

We first called the student service through their office phone and we were bounced around until a specialist advised us to email Renee Martin-Thornton, director of Student Psychological & Mental Health Services. Martin-Thornton did not respond. Instead, Mary Rankin, supervisor of Student Mental Health Services, emailed Viewpoints in response to our inquiry to Martin-Thorton.

Both were unable to be reached for an interview and we were redirected to the cell for the Mental Health Services office. Further inquiries were not acknowledged or responded to by either party. Ironically, they are quite active in student-oriented health and mental health events on campus.

According to Reese Druckenmiller, a clinical social worker in psychiatry and psychology, depression and anxiety are two of the leading mental health issues plaguing college students.

Academics will experience a sharp decline, motivation will decrease and drive for social interaction will stifle without adequate support.

At an RCC Active Minds club meeting, a representative for the campus health services explained one of their biggest issues is the location of the office. They advocated for students to voice their concerns to the college to have it relocated.

Location is indeed a significant issue.

Many of the other student resources like Student Financial Services, Counseling

Department and Disability Resource Center can easily be found. However, the location of Student Psychological and Mental Health Services is obscure and can only be seen by peering down a flight of stairs.

Despite location, the automatic doors at the entrance only open if someone inside lets you in. Viewpoints editors have attempted to access the office on several occasions without any luck.

The awkward location of this department in the Bradshaw Building has led many students to question where it is or if it is even open at times.

Students are owed in depth explanations upon asking what the department has to offer on and off site. This was the goal of our failed attempts to obtain more information.

We should be able to easily access these resources rather than being turned down or ignored by those in charge of providing answers.

Student health services should also do a better job at advertising themselves here at RCC. As a student service, it is one of many essential supports students should have. Despite this, the department undermines its importance. They do the bare minimum to help people out, it appears.

College can be stressful, but students should not have to go out of their way to mentally and emotionally support themselves because the designated department for campus mental health lacks transparency and communication.

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.

PRINTING SCHEDULE

Copy deadline: February 1

Photo deadline: February 1 Ad deadline: February 1 Next issue: February 9

Viewpoints is a public forum, First Amendment newspaper. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

© 2022 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.

PHOTO EDITOR Stephen Day viewpoints.photo@gmail.com

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR John Michael Guerrero multimedia.viewpoints@gmail.com

ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Peter Gibbs

SOCIAL MEDIA & ONLINE MANAGER John Michael Guerrero viewpoints.socialmedia@gmail.com

REPORTERS:

Carlos Ayala Santa Ana Arianna Cervantes

Jesus Coronel

Jazmyn De Jesus Julia Goldman

Vianney Morales

Leroy Orozco Hannah Padilla-Estrella Liv Pearson

Zach Reynosa Dalila Romero

William L.G. Stephens Lindsey Tovar

Luis Trejo

Alyssa Velasquez

JOURNALISM

matthew.schoenmann@rcc.edu

REACH US: NEWSROOM PHONE: (951)-222-8488 EMAIL: viewpointseic@gmail.com

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

A student waits outside of Riverside City College Student Psychological & Mental Health Services office. This office is not accessible to students on a walk-in basis and often requires weeks of waiting to get an appointment.

STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

RCC advances to State Championship

DALILA ROMERO STAFF REPORTER

A 74-yard touchdown flipped the momentum and helped secure the Tigers’ spot in the state championship game.

The Riverside City College football team outplayed Fullerton College 31-17 on Dec. 3.

RCC went into the game firing, putting the first touchdown on the board in the first five

minutes of play.

That first drive was led by sophomore quarterback Jake Retzlaff who threw for 372 passing yards and two touchdowns on the day.

“We knew it was going to be a tough, physical game going into this week so we made sure to practice that way,” Retzlaff said.

Fullerton scored early in the second and was one play from another defensive stop.

Then came the play.

Retzlaff found Alfred Jordan for a 74-yard touchdown to give RCC all the momentum.

“I saw the defense spread out and I didn’t know that I was going to get the ball, but I was expecting it,” Jordan said. “As soon as I saw

green, I just took off and ran.”

The Tigers defense had a strong showing early on, holding the Hornets to three points in the first quarter and only allowing one touchdown in the first half.

“We knew we were dealing with a good Fullerton team that ran the ball well all season,” sophomore defensive back Demarco Moorer said. “So we knew we had to be great tacklers and that’s what we worked on all week.”

The Tigers defense was prepared for Fullerton’s passing attack, holding the Hornets to 134 passing yards throughout the whole game.

“When we go against a team that feels they’re ready for us

we come out hard,” sophomore defensive tackle Alonzo GrayHall said.

Despite the defensive effort from RCC, the Hornets were able to rush for 172 total yards.

The Tigers would redeem themselves by the goal line, forcing field goal attempts. “Our defense did a good job in the red (zone),” head coach Tom Craft said.

With RCC closing out the game with a multiple score lead over Fullerton, the Tigers were able to establish a form of confidence going into their next game.

“When we are confident as a team,” Moorer said. “We can and will close games out like these.”

Football handles business Golden Boy shines bright

PETER GIBBS ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Golden

age. It’s what you hear in the World Cup. Fútbol. Community college football?

Riverside City College.

This is the most complete team the Tigers have had from their golden age.

The RCC football team will be going to its third straight state championship appearance. And this year’s squad could be the best yet as they’re led by the Golden Boy transfer from Golden West.

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff can throw from any arm angle to complete any pass across the field. If he can’t find an open receiver, the run game takes over.

Meanwhile, the defense is talented at every position and can make a crucial stop when needed.

RCC dominated both sides of the ball against the Fullerton College Hornets that came into the second round playoff game with a record of 10-1.

In the first half RCC used a mix of screens and draw plays to tire the Hornets’ defense.

“I thought our offense got off to a great start,” head coach Tom Craft said. “Jake did a great job of managing the game.”

Every aspect of the offense is in sync.

The Golden Boy has great chemistry with his receivers,

which leads to multiple big plays; while the offensive line is able to overpower the opposition and create space for the running backs.

“It starts with the offensive line up front,” Retzlaff said. “It was also about the defense not allowing Fullerton much, down in the red zone. Those guys played great today.”

The defense took over in the second half.

The d-line came together and had its best performance of the season.

All season long the group has been able to make the crucial stop when it needs to and that happened again when the front seven blew up multiple fourth down attempts from Fullerton.

“We watched a lot of film this week and had an idea of which plays they would run in certain formations,” sophomore defensive lineman Alonzo Gray-

Hall said. “Ultimately it came down to the mindset of us saying ‘no more.’”

The Tigers are not lacking for momentum.

Only the special teams can stop them now.

“We have got to play smarter and (figure out) our special teams,” Craft said. “Can’t have success unless we sort that out.”

The Golden Boy himself had the best punt of the game, and he’s not supposed to do that.

Retzlaff had to drop kick the ball like a goalkeeper to catch Fullerton off guard.

The Tigers want to finish undefeated, but they have to continue being creative on special teams or else all the hard work will be lost.

The coverage teams were the only flaw for what was otherwise a solid game from the special teams, as sophomore kicker Jacob Marroquin was perfect on

all of his attempts.

“We have a target on our back,” Craft said. “We played the best defense in Southern California today.”

The Tigers will travel and play San Mateo on Dec. 10 with the goal of coming home with a championship.

The Tigers look to change gears and prepare for the California Community College Athletic Association State Championship game.

“We are going to let our bodies rest going into today and tomorrow,” sophomore wide receiver Reggie Retzlaff said. “Monday we’ll break down today’s game. Tuesday, we will start working on what we will do against our next opponent.”

“We just have to get ready for a hard fought game every time,” Retzlaff said.

The Riverside City College football team now prepares to take on San Mateo College in the CCCAA State Championship game Dec. 10.

Sports Briefs

Football Riverside City College defeated Fullerton College 31-17 in the Southern California Football Association Championship game Dec. 3. RCC has reached its third consecutive State Championship game.

Men’s Basketball

The Tigers will host the Riverside Tournament through Dec. 10.

Women’s Basketball

Riverside City College’s women’s basketball team defeated San Diego Mesa College with a final score of 80-54 at the Santa Ana College Tournament on Dec. 2.

RCC defeated MiraCoasta College with a final score of 61-45 in the Santa Ana College Tournament, winning all three games and going home with a tournament title. on Dec 3.

Follow our social media! Scan the QR code below:

To stay up to date on upcoming campus events, visit the Viewpoints calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org.

If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to viewpoints. sports@gmail.com.

Tigers’ Alfred Jordan easily avoids the Fullerton College Hornet’s defensive line and runs the completed pass for a 74-yard touchdown during the SCFA Championship game at San Bernardino Valley College on Dec. 3.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

Tigers’ Devvin Gitchuway sees Fullerton College Hornet Branson Tita-Nwa coming in strong for the tackle during the SCFA Championship game at San Bernardino Valley College on Dec. 3.

The Tigers defeated the Hornets 31-17 and will move on to the Championship game against San Mateo College.