MAY 5,
2022
VOL. 100, NO. 12
VIEWPOINTSONLINE.ORG
in this issue NEWS
District outlines ‘Pathways’ changes JENNIPHER VASQUEZ NEWS EDITOR
2 April RCC campus crime report LIFE
Riverside Community College District’s Guided Pathways plans have undergone changes to cohere with the district’s Student Equity Plan and improve communication with students. The three district campuses are part of the California Guided Pathways project which aims to facilitate student success.
A presentation was given by guided pathways representatives at the RCCD Board of Trustees meeting May 3 to provide an update on where each campus stands with the project. RCC’s dean of institutional effectiveness, Wendy McKeen, said the project is centered around their engagement centers and student success teams that are made up of peer mentors, counselors, educational advisers, and academic support. “We have continued professional
development on how to effectively utilize guided pathways data,” McKeen said. “(We) have developed communities of practice for creating a stronger sense of belonging for students.” The implementations are said to align with the ten-point plan drafted by San Diego State University to combat anti-Black and racist practices following the killing of George Floyd and was originally introduced to RCC by Guided Pathways coordinator Monique Green.
McKeen said student ambassadors have been hired as part of the Student Voice Project to improve engagement with students. The Student Voice Project was funded by the Student Engagement Innovation grant and institutional funds. The Guided Pathways Student (GPS) Ambassadors interactively partake in community and leadership meetings. They also developed a project called, “Start
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RCC instructor pays it forward
3 Best of 2022 Coachella celebrity and influencer fashion OPINIONS
ELAINA KLEVEN ASST. LIFE EDITOR
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“Right now, we have 65 students for spring,” Anne Lenox, RCC’s CalWORKs counselor and coordinator, said. “Prior to COVID, we would have 200 students in our spring term.” But using CalWORKs as a barometer to gauge student parent enrollment cannot reflect the total population of student parents at the college because the program is only offered to those who qualify for and receive welfare. According to a March 2021 UC Davis study titled “A Portrait of Student Parents in the California Community Colleges,” one in 10 students who enroll for financial aid within California are student parents and about 13.4% of total students within the college and university system have children. That study also showed that 72% decided to enroll within a California
Jeff Soto found his inspirations in his early life through many niche interests. His earliest inspirations started with being fascinated by the covers of ’80s science fiction novels his parents religiously read, the alternative music curated from the MTV era but especially in politics of that time. The alternative culture of the time was centered around anarchy and the anti-government criticisms were spread across multiple genres. This movement also inspired Soto to start creating art. “I was painting and drawing what made me angry and what I felt wasn’t fair,” Soto said. After graduating high school, he attended Riverside City College, and then transferred to CSU Fullerton. Soto then spent years traveling the world selling his artwork in galleries and doing plenty of commission work. Not drifting too far from his original muses, he continued making politically charged pieces during this time. His daughter had just been born while there were devastating events happening in America such as living in a post 9/11 world, the Iranian war and the recession. Soto played with childlike symbols and made them into a dystopian art piece. Toys, stuffed animals, smiley faces and other innocent objects were often reconstructed to have a grungy meaning. With age and time, Soto’s art still carries the same emotionally charged meanings he started his career with.
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Editorial: Food industry workers are treated poorly SPORTS
8 Riverside City College’s softball season ends in a brutal loss
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PHOTO COURTESY OF RCC PHOTO CLUB Tables full of Easter eggs and treats, and face-painting were all fun activities that students and their families partook in during the “Hanging with Your Peeps” event held at Riverside City College on April 7.
Student parents feel unseen
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INDEX NEWS LIFE OPINIONS EDITORIAL SPORTS
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DANIEL HERNANDEZ MANAGING EDITOR
There is one word that clearly resonates through the student parents at Riverside City College. Invisible. The student parent demographic, like every student group within RCC, has experienced a decrease in enrollment due to the pandemic. However, unlike other demographics that have approximate percentage points or bar graphs to illustrate the decrease, the college does not have data for student parents. Without official numbers, one has to look at the numbers provided by a college counselor. The CalWORKs program — which provides assistance to individuals who have a child under the age of 18 — has seen a significant decline in its enrollment.