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Airmen from the Australian air force unload pallets of relief goods for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in Guiuan, Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan made landfall Nov. 8, killing more than 6,000 people and injuring more than 28,000, according to the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. (Photo courtesy Rico Selga)
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INDY LENS
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Indy Sta f f Editor-in-Chief: Aleksi Lepisto e ditorinchief@ students.clark.e du Managing Editor: Caitlin Calsbeek managinge ditor@ students.clark.e du D e s i g n M a n a ge r : E va n Jo n e s designmanager@ students.clark.e du Copy Editor: Esther Manea c opye dit o r @ st ude nt s . c l a rk . e du V i s u a l s E d i t o r : B r a d l e y Yo r k visualse ditor@ students.clark.e du N ews E d it o r : R ya n R ut l e d ge newse ditor@ students.clark.e du @IndyCCnews C a mp u s E d i t o r : Tra Fr i e s e n campuse ditor@ students.clark.e du @IndyCCcampus Sp o r t s E dit o r : Tyle r Urke sp ortse ditor@ students.clark.e du @IndyCCsports Arts & Life Editor: Daniel Hampton life e ditor@ students.clark.e du @IndyCCarts Opinion Editor: Robert Berman opinione ditor@ students.clark.e du @IndyCCopinion Adve r t i s i n g M a na ge r : K yle S ouve n i r adve r t i s i n g ma na ge r @ st ude nt s . c l a rk . e du Business Manager: Debbie Peters businessmanager@ students.clark.e du The I ndep e nde nt i s the officia l student public atio n of C l ark C ol lege. I t is publis he d durin g Fa ll, W inte r a nd Sp ri n g q u ar t e rs fo r Cla rk’s app roximately 23,0 0 0 stude nt s i n addit io n to sta ff, faculty a nd the lo ca l c o m mu n it y. Re sp ons ibilitie s fo r establis h in g news and de c idi n g i s sue s rel ate d to c o nte nt rest solely with t he stude nt st af f. Cl a rk C ol lege do e s not disc rim inate o n the b a sis of rac e, c olor, nat iona l o rig in , s ex, disability, a ge, religion, s ex u al orie nt at ion , gende r ide ntity, gende r exp re s sion, p ol it ic al af f i l i at ion , c re e d, dis c ha rge d vete ra n status, ma rit al st at u s , hono rably dis c ha rge d vete ra n o r Vient am - e ra vet e ra n status in its p rog ra m s a nd ac t ivit ie s .
LETTER TO THE EDITOR With the flu and cold season in full force, students and staff should be aware of the most dangerous place on campus. That would be that cute little red dial on towel dispensers in all the restrooms. Any infectious disease professional would point out right away that the red dial used to advance towels when the dispenser doesn’t work as designed is a perfect place for E. coli bacteria and other pathogens to thrive. In the warm, moist room these bad bugs are never eliminated during regular cleaning. Just look at them and ask yourself if they really are disinfected. Beware when you put your fingers in there, you are better off drying your hands on your jeans. When Clark College contracted with their supplier, the contract specifically stated that the dispensers were to be hands-free. Sometimes they are, but you have all seen the failure. Why then, when Clark College has a written contract that requires hands-free dispensers, are we continuing to accept it? The supplier is in material breach of that contract and nobody at Clark is doing anything about it. What other areas of financial malfeasance are going on around here? Signed, Richard Thomas Editor’s note: The Independent contacted the college regarding the accusation that the dispensers are contracted to be hands-free. According to Director of Facilities Services Tim Petta, there is no requirement for the units to be handsfree. The units are on a regular schedule for cleaning and maintenance.
LET T ERS T O T H E E DI TOR
Let t e rs s hou ld b e no lo n ger tha n 25 0 wo rds , s ig ne d, a nd i nc lude a c ont act pho ne numb e r a nd e ma il addre s s . L et t e rs s hould b e s ent to theindep e nde nt@ stude nt s .c l ark .e du . L ette rs a nd e dito ria ls re c eive d b e come t he prop e rty of The Indep e nde nt a nd a re sub j e c t t o e dit i n g.
EDIT ORIA L POLIC Y
T he I ndep e nde nt serve s the public by p res entin g ti mely and fac t u al in fo rmatio n to reade rs; it p rovides a for u m for pu bl ic exp re s s io n ; a nd it is a le a rn in g lab. 1 9 3 3 F o r t V a n c o u v e r W a y - V a n c o u v e r , WA 9 8 6 6 3 PHONE: WEB:
360-992-2412
CORRECTIONS In our Dec. 4 story “Clark Revamping Culinary Arts Program,” we incorrectly attributed Vice President of Administrative Services Bob Williamson regarding a statement about accreditation from the American Culinary Federation. Vice President of Instruction Tim Cook made the statement.
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TECH HELP AVAILABLE IN LIBRARY TechHub of fers free troubleshooting for students K i l l i a n B ai ley Sta f f Rep or t e r @ I ndyC C c ampu s
Co ntac t Ki l l i an B ai ley at k. b a i ley5 @ st ude nt s .c l ark.e du
The TechHub opened Sept. 23 and helps students daily with technology problems ranging from logging into Canvas to connecting mobile devices to Wi-Fi. (Photo courtesy Dennis Davis)
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Feeling overwhelmed by technology? Clark’s TechHub can help. The TechHub, located on the first level of Cannell Library, offers technical assistance with things like student email, Canvas and eTutoring. Brendan Pust, information technology specialist and co-leader of the TechHub help desk, said he saw a need for a dedicated tech help center while working as a lab assistant last year. “I thought I saw a big gap between some of the questions that were being asked by students, and where they’d go to get help,” Pust said. “I really wanted to have a venture that was actually doing tech support for the students.” Hub employees keep a tally sheet of questions resolved each day. One day it reached 167. “I’ve just seen the numbers grow exponentially,” said Dennis Davis, information technology technician and co-leader of the TechHub. “This was almost three times, four times what we’ve done last quarter.” Davis said the inflated numbers could be attributed to Clark’s transition to Canvas, a new eLearning platform replacing Moodle this winter. Pust and Davis said many students have trouble with their Gmail logins and utilizing Clark’s website. Davis said that the hub doesn’t want to solve people’s problems, but rather teach students how to solve their own problems for future troubleshooting. During most operations, the student does all the clicking, with only guidance from the hub. The TechHub employs seven student “agents” who work in shifts. Kristina Manzhura, previously a lab assistant, jumped at the opportunity to work at the hub because she wanted a challenge. She uses her fluency in Russian to help students understand technical terms in their native language. Pust and Davis help their employees by preparing quarterly reviews assessing their job performance. Davis said it will help them when they get a corporate job. For more information about the TechHub and their operating hours, visit the library’s website or call the TechHub at 360-992-2010.
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FRESH GREENS FOR LESS MEANS New restaurant strives for healthy alternative to fast food
Emma F let c he r Sta f f Rep or t e r @ I ndy C C l i fe
Cont act Emma Flet cher at e.f let cher @ st udent s.clark.e du
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Fresh and healthy food at an affordable price is the main focus of Freshii, a new restaurant in Grand Central near the Clark campus. The buzzing eatery is a perfect healthy alternative to fast food. Freshii offers salads, rice noodle bowls, grilled burritos, soups and freshly pressed juices. “Everything we put on the menu is good, healthy, nutritious food,” said owner Doug Gillespie. Freshii’s menu is also customizable to suit a variety of diets. Menu items cost between $5 and $10, which works well with college budgets. Each customer can fill out a ticket with their desired ingredients, which are compiled into a custom made dish. Gillespie said he is excited to provide high-energy, healthconscious people with a nutritious and energizing fast meal. “We believe in contributing to a healthy lifestyle, being able to eat well and living well; not just working out, but providing your body energy,” Gillespie said. “We also believe in
contributing to the environment and to the community.” Freshii serves meals in biodegradable containers and encourages customers to recycle. Freshii rang in the new year by officially opening its doors Jan. 13. This is the first franchise in Clark County. It’s bright and fresh, as the name suggests. The color green spread through the layout of the restaurant. Gillespie circulated a tray of banana-strawberry smoothie samples as his father, Rich, greeted guests attending the launch. TVs and free Wi-Fi are available inside the restaurant in addition to booths and comfortable chairs. The restaurant operates between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. on Sundays. Employee Tia Ouellette said she looks forward to serving the variety of delicious, fresh foods, especially the sauces made in-house and the fresh-pressed juices. For a list of Freshii locations, interactive menu and nutrition guide, visit freshii.com.
T H E L A N D O F M Y B ONES Students who hang out around the Coffee Lounge in Hanna Hall would likely recognize owners Rico and Jennifer Selga, but few know of their humanitarian efforts across the globe. For the past month, I met with Rico to hear about his experiences in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. Rather than simply report his story as I heard him tell it, Rico was kind enough to offer a written first-hand account of his journey to Guiuan last November as a volunteer with Medical Teams International. He also provided photographs taken during his service which are featured throughout this issue, including the cover and Indy Lens. Tra Friesen Campus Editor
Rico Selga volunteered in disaster zones for more than a decade, but it hit closer to home when Typhoon Haiyan struck his native Philippines. Selga and his wife Jennifer, owners of the Hanna Hall Coffee Lounge, recently volunteered to travel to the Philippines. Rico enlisted as a nurse with a Christian global health organization Medical Teams International. Typhoon Haiyan reached the Philippines Nov. 2, 2013. It killed more than 6,000 people and injured more than 28,000, according to the the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Almost 18,000 people are still unaccounted for. Selga and his partner Jason Morgan arrived in the province of Cebu on Nov. 13. They quickly identified the city of Guiuan, which Selga said was in desperate need of help. Unlike Tacloban which was heavily covered by the news, Guiuan was not the focus of major relief efforts. “Twenty-three years after evacuating my home in a U.S. Air Force C-130 plane due to an earthquake, and 13 years of volunteering in disaster-stricken and war-torn areas like Kosovo, Liberia, Uganda, and Haiti, I am needed now in the land of my bones, Philippines.” — Rico Selga
7 // I NDY / / 0 1.2 2 .14 Victims of Typhoon Haiyan hitch a ride on a cargo plane leaving Guiuan with all their belongings in the collection of bags at their feet. According to Selga, victims boarded the plane without knowing the final destination simply to escape the disaster.
“The motorcycle that transported Doctor Alan every morning to our mobile clinics was always in danger of running out of gas. At one point we siphoned all the gas from a boat and then from the house’s generator in order to keep it running. Our big breakthrough was on November 20, when we scored 200 liters of gas and 160 liters of diesel.” — Rico Selga
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“Under normal conditions, Guiuan, is a tropical paradise filled with picturesque white sand beaches perfect for surfing and diving, Haiyan left nothing standing. Houses were demolished beyond repair. Wells that normally provide safe drinking water were contaminated. Fallen trees and power lines made the streets impassable by car.” — Rico Selga “[People there are] probably good to go until March or April of this year because of all the help. But no one is really helping the animals, so that was hard for me.” — Jennifer Selga
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KLAUS By Rico Selga
On my first day in Guiuan, I met Klaus Engesvoll, the man who became my savior and best friend. Klaus came to the Philippines from Norway on a vacation many years ago. He never left. Eventually he married Amy with whom he has two children who speak four languages fluently. Klaus told me how his family and 60 other people were saved by hiding in the laundry room and garage of his house. He said that if the wind had blown for another hour they too might not have survived—and that when they came out after the storm had passed, they did not know if anyone else had. After knowing me for only a day, Klaus invited me to stay in his house where he and his family shared their scant amount of relief goods, water and food with me. This was uncomfortable for me because I was supposed to be there providing help to them. In the end, our team would not have been able to function without his hospitality and willingness to share everything with us. Klaus and I spent 24 hours a day together brainstorming and helping the people of Guiuan. We would go to bed at midnight and stare at the ceiling waiting for daylight so we could start working again. I would get up from my cot at 5:30 a.m. to go to his room, where I would see him crammed in his bed with Amy and their children—his eyes open. He would turn to me, nod, and get up without waking his family. Before departing I asked Klaus, “What are you going to do after all of this is done?” “I do not know, Rico,” he told me. “For the first time in my life, I care only about others. I do not care what happens to me. I have never felt this way before.”
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ASCC STUDENT FEE BREAKDOWN W h i c h P r og ra m s Yo u r M o n e y S u p p o r t s Ke n net h Z u m mac h Sta f f Rep or t e r @ I ndy C C news
The ASCC is conducting a Student Relations survey to ask for input from the study body regarding the allocation of the $1.6 million programs budget. Participants could win college merchandise, according to the ASCC PR Director Matt Brown in the January events calendar. The Associated Students of Clark College’s Services and Activities Fee Committee began hearing program proposals Jan.16, with hearings scheduled until Feb. 20. Student programs are funded through the S&A Fee Committee, which determines the annual budgets of over 30 programs. The committee is composed of six students, one faculty member, the ASCC Finance Director and the Director of Business Services who helps develop the annual budget for all ASCC services and activities. Non-voting advisors also sit on the committee. These eight people distributed a budget of over $1.6 million to programs this year, according to the S&A Fee committee handbook. In addition to tuition, students are charged facilities, matriculation, technology and student union building fees. The fees total $7.45 per credit for the first ten credits and $2.40 for 11 to 18 credits, according to Sarah Gruhler, Director of Student Life. An additional 10 percent is included for student activity fees, according to the Clark College tuition and fees webpage. Tuition is based on residency and veteran status. Co nt ac t Ke n net h Z u m mach at k. zu m mac h @ st ude nts .c la rk.e du (Graph ic by B radley Yo rk)
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P E N G U I N S ’ P L AY B O O S T S C O N F I D E N C E Basketball on pace for NWAACC tournament showing Tyle r Urke Sp o rts E dit or @ I ndyCC sp or t s
Player of the Week award Dec. 23. Collin Spickerman also made the All-Tournament Team, and is ranked 10th in scoring, fourth in rebounds and first in blocked shots per game this season. Both teams sit atop the West Region, playing confidently. “Our guys are feeling the pressure,” Kirk said. “We’ve got a group of sophomores who know what to expect but our confidence is a result of the work they’ve done.” Clark has proven it’s a force to be reckoned with this year and are bound to cause some trouble for teams in the NWAACC Tournament starting March 1.
Cont act Tyler Urke at sp or t se dit or @ st udent s.clark.e du
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Basketball is the only sport played at Clark from the end of November until the beginning of March. As the sole sporting entertainment on campus, the Penguins draw a crowd. Men’s head coach Alex Kirk knows that a crowd makes a huge impact on their games. “I really want to thank Penguin Nation and the fans,” Kirk said after both teams fended off Lower Columbia College on Jan. 8. “Tonight was a great atmosphere and it gave us a huge lift.” The men handled the Red Devils 75-65. The women also took care of business in a 95-81 win over LCC. Head coach Al Aldridge called it a “good team effort” and said they had good preparation. Fans were encouraged to wear black on “Blackout” night. The first 50 through the doors got free T-shirts. ASCC also served free pizza. This season, both teams are doing everything they can to keep fans in the bleachers. Both have a 5-0 league record and are in first place in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges West Region. They also had excellent pre-seasons, winning nine games which is superb, considering the teams they played are some of the best. The men are currently ranked first in the Alaska Airlines Coaches Poll and beat three of the top six in that poll. The women are ranked sixth and beat one in the top four, but that win crowned them the champion of the Clark Crossover Tournament Dec. 22. The Lady Penguins gave Blue Mountain Community College their first loss, 77-72, in the final game. Sophomore Brooke Bowen, who was the tournament MVP, averages 17.69 points per game, which puts her ninth in the NWAACC. Haley Grossman also made the All-Tournament Team, scoring nine of 17 points in the last five minutes of the championship to seal the win. The men were victorious at the Everett Crossover Tournament Dec. 22. They faced tough competition beating top-ranked Big Bend Community College and second-ranked Whatcom Community College before knocking off Lane Community College in the final. Clark’s Sean Price claimed MVP honors with an excellent performance on both sides of the ball. He is averaging 20.07 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.21 assists per game this year. Because of his outstanding play, Price earned the NWAACC
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