thecollegian Issue 2 • Friday, Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
INSIDE
One free copy JH
Battle over flea market continues by matthew wilson
matthew.dl.wilson@gmail.com
Generation4Change hosts a screening of documentary Page 5
Club FEED makes a difference with food Page 4
RTV gears up for expanded market representation Page 6
UPCOMING Mustangs Football vs San Jose at Delta, 1 p.m. Oct. 1 2nd Annual Veterans Muddy Maul & Crawl, 8:30 a.m. Oct. 8
FIND US
NEW BATTLEFIELD: ASBG Vice President of Student Affairs Bronche Taylor voices his concerns to the board of trustees, top. ASBG President Nicholas Aguirre looks over documents before public comment, left. PHOTOS BY JESSICA BLANKE
The continuing discussion over the flea market takeover dominated public comment of the Tuesday, Sept. 13 board of trustees meeting. At the meeting, several members of the campus community, including some Associated Student Body Government (ASBG) members, questioned the takeover, continuing the argument over the $500,000 operation that has gripped the campus in recent weeks. ASBG President Nicholas Aguirre and ASBG Vice President of Student Affairs Bronche Taylor questioned the legality of the takeover. “If this is something that wasn’t approved [by the board], how is it legal?” asked Bronche at the meeting. Near the end of the meeting, Aguirre stated his intention to meet with lawyers to fight the takeover. “We [the ASBG] are pursuing every recourse available to have the ASBG Flea Market returned to the ASBG, including litigation,” Aguirre later stated in an email interview, also adding that he was meeting with attorneys to discuss options. “We believe wholeheartedly that we are in the right, both morally and legally when it comes to the ASBG Flea Market,” he continued. In his closing comments at the meeting, President/Superintendent Dr. Jeff Marsee confirmed that the district had indeed taken over the management of the flea market. “Board action was not required for us to do this, period,” Marsee later said in an interview. Marsee also confirmed the administration is open to discussing revenue issues with the ASBG, inviting them to meet with Vice President of Student Services Michael Kerns when he returns from medical leave to address financial concerns. “We remain open for discussion and consulta-
continued on PAGE 8
Where’s the money?
Questions arise over financial aid disbursements, administrators ask for report by haley pitto
hpitto493@students.deltacollege.edu
Money. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when paying for college, especially in the current economy. Many students are still wondering where their money, or more specifically their financial aid is. Financial aid is usually distributed during the first week of the semester. According to Tina Lent, Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Services, “the first Financial Aid Disbursements are made on the 3rd and 5th day of the semester.” “Financial Aid Disbursements are (then) made weekly for the remainder of the semester,” Lent wrote in an email interview. According to Lent “the financial aid office received 23,121 financial aid applications for the 2011/2012 semester. As of September 2nd all of the applications were accepted.” Some students tell the Collegian staff, though, they have yet
to see any money so far. “It’s very frustrating to have such a long wait and not knowing when the money will get here,” said Sidus Choup. Choup said he’s heard students have even gone so far as to set up a Facebook group to exchange or sell books at discounted prices because of now strained finances. Other students are choosing to contact the financial aid office themselves. “We assisted over 2,800 students during the first two weeks of school,” Lent said. When asked if she knew when the rest of the students would be receiving their checks and if this has ever been a problem before, Lent said “financial aid disbursements are made on a weekly basis throughout the entire academic year.” The mixed messages here from school officials and students, reflect that financial aid is not really late; it is just not here for some. President/Superintendent Dr. Jeff Marsee said in an interview that he had requested a report on the issue from the financial aid office, but had yet to receive any information.
2
opinion
Issue 2 • Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
Jobs bill causes controversy
EDITORIAL
Fed up with a system that’s not working
Classes are impacted, more are being cut every semester and students are adding courses at random hoping to get their hands on anything they can. But an issue lies with students adding classes for the purpose of financial aid, then dropping them the second they see the money. This is not new, and therein lies the problem. With classes becoming fewer and more students competing for spots than in previous semesters, it’s a lose-lose situation. Students across campus are infuriated with not being able to get the classes they need because fellow students are bombarding the classes simply to receive financial aid packages. We know people are just here for their financial aid checks. Collegian staff members have heard fellow students talking about using money for frivolous expenses – not school. This sort of deception is causing problems for those of us who are here to learn and need the money to do so. Did anyone notice how the class they were on a wait list for at the beginning of the semester had about twenty open seats two to three weeks in? We have. This usually happens around the time financial aid kicks in. Is this a coincidence? We don’t think so. However, this select group of students is not the only problem that one encounters when trying to get the classes we need. Priority registration has also become questionable. Students involved in sports, veterans, and EOPS members are just a few of the groups that get priority registration. After they have signed up for classes, other students get the leftovers.
With a lack of classes due to budget cuts, after priority registration it seems like there’s nothing left to worry about other than signing up for the remaining classes right? Wrong. Core classes students need such as math, science and speech are among the first to fill up. When this happens, the only option left is showing up and hoping to get in. But what happens if this class was one needed for an AA or to transfer the following semester? Two-year colleges are supposed to be alternatives to four-year schools for students who cannot afford tuition right away. But when it takes three or four years just to get all the classes needed to transfer, or obtain a degree, this method seems more like an extension of high school rather than a helpful way to jump-start a college education. Because of the lack of classes, some students have to sign up for multiple schools such as Sacramento City College and Consumnes River College, to accompany their courses at San Joaquin Delta College. When students have to drive 30 miles out of the way just to get classes, it is definitely more of a hinder than help. With all of these problems students are more likely to get easily frustrated and drop out. With the system as it is now, that’s exactly what is happening. Grade-point average, units needed for an AA, semesters until transfer and the amount of times a student has dropped a class should be taken into consideration for registration. It should not be a free for all after the priority students have their pick. How can we encourage students to move on from Delta and open space in classrooms when the system is not set up that way?
by evelyn palacio jpgr1964@comcast.net
On Sept. 8 President Barack Obama gave a speech about a plan called the American Jobs Act. The American Jobs Act is a bill that promises to get the United States out of its economic crisis. What exactly did the president propose this time? And is it what the public wants to hear? The purpose of the Jobs Act seems simple: “To put more people back to work and more money in the pockets of those who are working. It will create more jobs for construction workers, more jobs for teachers, more jobs for veterans, and more jobs for the long-term unemployed. It will provide a tax break for companies who hire new workers, and it will cut payroll taxes in half for every working American and every small business. It will provide a jolt to an economy that has stalled, and give companies confidence that if they invest and hire, there will be customers for their products and services,” stated the president in his speech. The bill costs $477 billion dollars. According to Obama, everything in the bill will be paid for. How and with what money? About a week after announcing the new bill, Obama released a deficit plan stating the money will come from increased taxes and reduced spending in mandatory benefit programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. The president is asking for $1.5 billion in new taxes and $580 billion in regulating health and entitlement programs. He’s also asking for $1 trillion from the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. All in all, the deficit reduction plan will total more than $3 trillion and span the next 10 years. No one likes to hear the words “tax increase.” Especially not the rich who will have to pay those taxes. Republican lawmakers say that this is class warfare. What is wrong with taxing the rich? They have money, and will continue to make money, even if they have to pay higher taxes. It’s understandable how people would see this as unfair; taking from successful to give to the unsuccessful. But people should know that to make a profit, they also have to accept a loss. Lets not forget the state the country was in when Obama took office. New bills like the American Jobs Act take time to work. It might be years before the US actually sees the results. Particularly if people are only looking after their own interests and no one agrees on what is best for the country.
THE COLLEGIAN — FALL 2011 Editors Jessica Blanke Matthew Wilson News editor Matthew Wilson Feature editor Brian Ratto Opinion editor Evelyn Palacio Entertainment editor James Striplin
Club Corner editor Jessica Blanke
Adviser Tara Cuslidge-Staiano
Online editor Matthew Wilson
Advertising The Collegian offers display advertising at competitive rates. Call (209) 954-5156 or email deltacollegian@gmail. com for more information.
Staff writers Mary David Victoria Davila Heidi Haack Jung Min Hong Christopher Howze Michael Johnson Uri Piterberg Haley Pitto Mauro Ruiz
Letters to the editor Letters raising issues and opinions not represented by the newspaper are encouraged. We reserve the right to edit letters to 250 words.
Editorial Unsigned editorials reflect the position of the entire Collegian staff. Comments, letters and editorials with a byline represent the opinion of the writer, solely. This paper does not endorse or represent the opinions of the adviser, the mass communication department, the Fine Arts Division, the printer or San Joaquin Delta College administration.
Mission statement The Collegian is a student run First Amendment newspaper that prides itself on its commitment to the students of San Joaquin Delta College while maintaining its independence of any outside influence. The Collegian will reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.
feature The YUM is back 3
Issue 2 • Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
THE
10 Percent
Tackling a taboo subject in sports
by brian ratto
bratto2002@gmail.com
The smell of fresh baked goods filled Danner hall on Thursday, Sept. 22. Artisan Bakers, the Delta College baking and pastry program, opened the program’s bake sale series. Students woke up bright and early to finish the baking, from the night before. Patrons purchased the goodies for low prices. Students, faculty and staff lined up at 7 a.m. and had until 1 p.m. to purchase baked goods. The next bake sale is Oct. 6 is from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m., also in Danner.
PHOTOS BY BRIAN RATTO
BRIEFS
Brain surgeon to do campus talk
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN JOAQUIN DELTA COLLEGE
Delta College will host internationally known brain surgeon Dr. Alfred Quinones-Hinojosa on Saturday, Oct. 8 at Atherton Auditorium. Quinones-Hinojosa will speak about his story from being a simple migrant worker to his journey through Delta College and beyond. “Dr. Q.,” as he is known today, has won many awards and performs approximately
250 brain surgeries a year at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. His presentation will be from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. After the presentation Quinones-Hinojosa will be signing copies of his book, which are available for purchase at the event. For more information contact Director of Special Programs Diana Slawson at (209) 954-5027.
People interested in the fashion industry are encouraged to attend. This is the third year the Fashion Program has hosted the event. Attendees will have an opportunity to gain insider knowl-
edge of the fashion business, as well as meet the diverse panel of insiders. For more information, contact Fashion Program Director Leslie Asfour, at (209) 9545573.
Fashion program invites ‘industry insiders’ for presentation On Thursday, Sept. 29, Delta College’s Fashion Program will be presenting “Meet the Fashion Industry Insiders.” The event will be held at the Tillie Lewis Theater from 5 to 7 p.m. It’s free and open to the public.
Cultural Awareness Program Committee to host ‘Selling Desire’ San Joaquin Delta College’s Cultural Awareness Programs (CAPs) Committee, is hosting “Selling Desire”on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in the Atherton Auditorium.
with Brian Ratto
Dr. Kathleen A. Taylor will showcase the sexist, racist, and classist world of advertising through a multimedia presentation. Admission is free.
Editor’s note: Brian Ratto, 27, is a Manteca native living in Stockton. He’s also a gay man. Ratto came out more than a decade ago. In doing so, he joined an estimated 10 percent of the country’s population as a homosexual. This column is written from his perspective and does not reflect the opinion of The Collegian staff. Mixing homosexual individuals and organized sports is something of a taboo. It’s such an issue that on the Public Television Network show “In the Life” a show that showcases the life of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) people recently had an episode discussing homophobia and sports. I’m not saying homosexual individuals don’t play sports. As a child, I played T-ball, and my brother played Little League baseball. I enjoyed playing and watching baseball. My T-ball team never had to deal with homophobia My brother’s team did. A member of an opposing team was called a derogatory term every time he came to bat. The coaches stood by and let the child get teased, only once did I recall them telling the bully to stop. This irritated me. Should a child be made to deal with this? No, they should not. LGBT athletes have shown they are good at sports. Two female players are notable in this regard. Tennis-player Billie Jean King is an example of this. Former WNBA basketball player Sheryl Swoopes announced she was gay in 2005, though news reports now say she is engaged to a man. Swoopes’ career is defined my wins, Olympic medals and accolades. Yet, the LGBT community doesn’t have a male voice in major league sports. Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the National Basketball Association have no openly gay athletes. That could explain some of the homophobic outbursts in recent years from athletes and coaches involved in these organizations. Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant called a referee a “f&*$g F&*%got” once when he was ejected from a game. His punishment? He paid a fine. Atlanta Braves Coach Roger McDowell was caught calling San Francisco Giants fans homophobic slurs. He was placed on administrative leave, but stayed on as a coach. That is not enough. If these terms are being thrown out so flippantly by straight coaches and athletes, it begs the question: Do LGBT individuals stay away from professional or even organized sports because of the risk of homophobic criticisms? A 2009 National School Climate Survey done by Gay and Lesbian Education Network (GLSEN) showed that the locker room and gym class were the most feared places for LGBT Youth. My experience with teachers and homophobic bullying in gym class aligned with these fears. My locker was three feet from the homophobic bully in gym class. He would taunt me, by calling me names and pushing past me, there was nothing I could do to get him to stop. Despite being taboo, change is being made. Los Angeles-based photographer Jeff Sheng has developed the “Fearless” project, which showcases out high school and college LGBT athletes. The San Francisco Giants and other national baseball teams are creating “itgetsbetter” videos, in support. Itgetsbetter is a project born in 2010 after a string of LGBT youth committed suicide due to homophobic bullying. Have we been heading in the right direction? Is there anything more that can be done to solve this problem? There needs to be more openly gay athletes in professional sports. Homophobic remarks must be more harshly punished. If not we are telling the world it is ok to attack LGBT people.
4
feature
Issue 2 • Feb. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
Club making a world of difference with food by brian ratto
bratto2002@gmail.com
One-hundred twenty pounds of bananas. Three-hundred granola bars. Forty-four students helped prepare the sack lunches. Fifty students came and served the lunches. All of this thanks to a few Middle College High School (MCHS) students, including MCHA junior Jasmine Ali. Ali’s desire to make a difference in the world comes through in only one conversation. It’s not surprising, then, she created a club on the Delta College campus to fuel that passion. “The club is a place to fight world hunger and make a difference in the community,” said Ali. Club FEED is a new organization on campus this semester. The goal of the growing group is to feed the hungry. Ali was prompted to start Club FEED after completing an assignment in the Advancement Via Individual Determination program at the on-campus high school. Her new knowledge of hunger prompted her to found Club FEED with the hope of eliminating world hunger and raising money and awareness for the cause. If the club’s first unofficial meeting is any indication, the concept is a popular one. Ali and other club founders welcomed 40 people, which included students from
Delta’s general population and MCHS students. A Facebook for the club has more than 100 members, including students from Lodi Unified Lincoln Unified, Stockton Unified schools and community members at large. Club Feed has a general membership of 160 students across multiple school districts, and approximately 50 members active on Delta College campus. “The club has a lot of very active members, on and off Delta College campus,” said Ali. An event to feed the homeless on Saturday, Sept. 10 welcomed more than 300 people, said Ali. As one of the first things to do, the club is hoping to be chartered by the Delta College Inter-Club Council. Another item Ali is working on is having her father help look into getting Club FEED a nonprofit status. Each month the club will host a feed the homeless event. To participate in the monthly feed the homeless events email Ali at deltaclubfeed@gmail.com Club FEED is also planning to hold multiple fundraising events and will be working both on and off campus to raise awareness of world hunger. Currently the club is selling T-shirts for $15 each, to help raise funds for future feeds. Meetings for Club FEED are held every Friday at 11 a.m. in the Shima Lounge. All students are welcome. For more information about Club FEED visit clubfeed.webs.com.
THE COLLEGE COMPLEX by victoria davila
FEEDING THE HOMELESS: Club FEED members at St. Mary’s Dining Hall hand out food the homeless, above. Club FEED members out at the Delta College Clubs’ Rush event, right. A Club FEED logo, below.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLUB FEED FACEBOOK
5
entertainment
Issue 2 • Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
If you like pina coladas...and zombies eating your brains by James Striplin jstriplin1992@gmail.com
It’s a paradise resort infested with the reanimated corpses of tourists; the beach is warm and the public is running in fear — it’s a great day to hunt zombies. “Dead Island” is a first person slasher/shooter game that takes players through a relaxing getaway, the city slums and a prison isle with the option of being one of four heroes. Sam B, Xian Mei, Logan Carter and Purna are all selectable characters and each has a special set of skills and history that makes them unique. The first things players will notice about “Dead Island” is that zombies are exactly what they were meant to be: overwhelming. Anything more than a few walking corpses becomes an intense struggle for survival. This shifts the gameplay from eliminating every threat you see to making a mad dash towards the nearest door.
This type of play may be created by the clunky mechanics that makes navigating around obstacles and swinging a makeshift weapon difficult. Its fun to use guerrilla tactics on your slow and misguided enemy, but its not as entertaining when getting mauled to death because you couldn’t cut a corner sharp enough. Aside from the awkward movement, the game play is very addicting. The open world lures you away from safety and promises reward for your courageous pursuit through hordes of undead. You’ll constantly come across things to use, need it be weapons, food or other random junk. The nails and duct tape you find now can possibly be used to modify your artillery later. Feel free to experiment, as there isn’t a lack of test subjects on this island. Just like weapons, player stats can be customized using the skill tree. Gamers earn experience
doing missions and fending is extremely misleading, this is off the undead. Players can not a game about creating huthan use that experience to buy man ties or watching things in points on any reverse. of the skill This is a DEAD ISLAND tree’s. game about This makes fighting off each character a the “Army of little more dyDarkness” and namic to what doing tedious the individual task for experiplayer wants. ence. The characAnd on ters in “Dead your journey Island” are accross the DEVELOPER: Techland stale, ruining sand and the emotional waves you may PUBLISHER: Deep Silver appeal that observe your was showcased characters odd COST: $49.99-$59.99 during the habbits. announcement PARENTAL RATING: M 17+ All chartrailer. acters openly Before this talk to themRATING (OUT OF 5): preview, no selves but for one had a clue some reason what “Dead have a probIsland” was lem interacting and the results with the other of showing survivors. this trailer is what skyrocketed This makes conversations game sales this year. between the heroes and quest The announcement trailer givers seem more like a mono-
logue, in which they order you around to do odd jobs, much like a parent orders their child to do chores. The voice acting can be great, but the cardboard cutout animation makes it hard to feel connected on an emotional level. Speaking of terrible graphics, why is it that players can mow down thousands of zombies, but can’t plow over a sandcastle? On release date “Dead Island” was buggy, but even as Techland pushes out updates there are just few mechanics that keep this game from being great. The tale of “Dead Island”is part of that. But it’s a good game with little things holding it back. For what its worth, “Dead Island” is a solid play that any zombie fanatic should love, but for everyone else it would be highly recommended as a rental or bought on sale. “Dead Island” gets three pina coladas out of five.
Invisible Children presents ‘Tony’ the documentary by James Striplin jstriplin1992@gmail.com
PHOTOS BY JAMES STRIPLIN
UGANDA EDUCATION: Roy Arnold Komakech speaks about his life in Uganda, bottom left. A clip from the film ‘Tony’, top left. Kimberly Dotts greets visitors, top middle. Group gathers around vendor to buy various things to support Invisible Children, top right.
On Tuesday, Sept. 20, Generation4Change hosted a viewing of the documentary "Tony" with Invisible Children, the Uganda-aid organization. In the West Forum, where the documentary was being shown, the room filled in slowly with a diverse group of individuals; ranging in everything from race to gender to traditions. Soon Kimberly Dotts, an Invisible Children volunteer, started the film by rolling down a large white canvas and clicking play on the computer. The entire film is narrated by Laren Poole, co-founder of Invisible Children and a strong supporter for peace in Uganda.
It begins with his journey to the African country of Uganda with a group of friends, and their fateful meeting with a boy named Tony. Unlike the other children who ran away from their village homes to find safety in the city streets of Uganda, Tony was very charismatic and witty. He was a real character who enjoyed rap, rap artists and the ladies. The documentary concentrates around Tony, through the death of his mother, his life during school, his travel to the United States and the loss of his close friend, Nate Henn. What this movie and Invisible Children hope to convey is that we are turning a blind eye to the problems in other countries.
The reason children are sent from their homes is because the fear they will be kidnapped and forced to serve as soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army. The Invisible Children organization’s goal is remove Joseph Kony, leader of the LRA, so that Uganda no longer has to live in the devastating Civil War and wayward children can become dependent by receiving an education. At the end of the film, a man named Roy Arnold Komakech from Uganda spoke in front of the sorrowful audience and told his tale of survival in Uganda. For more information on the video or the Invisible Children organization, visit http:// invisiblechildren.com/. Donations can also be made through the site.
6 club corner COMING SOON
Issue 2 • Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
to television near you by chris howze
khowze310@students.deltacollege.edu
Delta College’s Radio/Television (RTV) lab will soon be expanding its scope with the chance to air student produced programs on local access television. RTV has slowly expanded its horizons with its director and program instructor William Story assimilating new types of media into the curriculum. It started with the campus radio station, then was followed by the introduction of Internet broadcasting and podcasting in the coursework, according to Story. Those steps were proceeded by personal websites and YouTube accounts so individuals without the luxury of expensive equipment and a crew can still show their work to the masses. The problem with each of these media outlets, though, is the reliability of exposure. Television provides a more tangible means to reaching a broader audience. The addition of adjunct instructors Adriana Brogger and Rod Villagomez means more expansion, particularly in producing broadcast programs for a wider audience.
“One way to prepare for a professional media career is to generate and present professional level broadcast programs. Instructors Brogger, Villagomez, and I are currently offering our RTV students such opportunities (with the broadcast),” said Story. Brogger and Villagomez are former RTV students turned adjunct. “It’s weird but even when me and her (Adriana) were still technically students, we helped Mr. Story with the other students but before if I didn’t know the answer to a question I could always ask Story for the answer, now that I’m here and in this position there’s no bail outs you have to know your stuff,” Villagomez said when asked how it felt to now be in a mentor role. Villagomez said that most likely the first two shows that will be ready will be a newscast and one focusing on sports. “We’ve had access to Comcast for some time now, the problem is getting a strong reliable crew to keep at it,” said Villagomez. RTV programming will begin airing next week on Comcast Channel 26. The shows by Delta College students are expected to run every Thursday at 5 p.m.
MOVING TO THE AIR: Orlando Jose is busy on one of his various projects, top left. RTV Students grinding away at their work, top right. Instructor William Story during one of his many courses, bottom.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS HOWZE
Pride links Delta College organization to greater community by mary david
mdavid023@yahoo.com
The San Joaquin County Pride center (SJPC) is a nonprofit organization that was established this year in June 2011 to show support to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Questioning and Straight population. A campus organization in the same vein, Delta Pride, has been around since 2005. Brian Wick, the current president of Delta Pride and volunteer coordinator of SJPC discusses his involvement with both the county center and college club. QUESTION: What is the Delta Pride and SJPC all about? ANSWER: “We are basically the Gay-Straight Alliance. We hold hate-free meetings for those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Questioning
PHOTO BY BRIAN RATTO
LEADING WITH PRIDE: President Brian Wick charing a recent meeting of Delta Pride.
and Straight Allies. We are here to promote tolerance of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered (LGBT) community and to provide a place for people like us and our allies to go. My job is basically to keep things running and make
sure everyone else in the club is doing their jobs. As for my job at SJPC, I am in charge of making sure that we have people to help run the center, and also to make sure that we have people for the events.” Q: What are your goals and future plans for Delta Pride and SJPC? A: “National Coming Out Day is coming up Oct. 11, which should be a lot of fun. We are planning to have City Councilwoman Susan Eggman to speak in the Tillie Lewis Theater that day. She is an out and proud lesbian so it is pretty exciting. We also are planning movie nights through the semester and hopefully the year. Delta Pride may be doing activities with SJPC once the center opens its doors. ” Q: Are there any changes that you would like to make? A: “You know I think we are doing a good job with making changes on this campus. We are
opening up a Pride Center on campus (Cunningham 428) and we are implementing a SafeZone project on campus which allows LGBT and Questioning students to come to teachers if they are having any serious issues. It is also really nice to see new members join the club who are just as passionate about LGBT issues as
I am; who I am hoping will continue to further the growth of this club.” For more information on the Delta Pride Club, go to sjdc-deltapride.jigsy.com. SJPC will be opening its doors sometime in October 2011. For more information, go to sanjoaquinpridecenter.weebly.com
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7
sports
Issue 2 • Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
Soccer team poised for another strong season by uri piterberg
upiterberg465@students.deltacollege.edu
The Mustangs have come stampeding out of the gate this season, recording four wins in their first seven games and losing only twice, while averaging three goals a game. With the first conference game set to kickoff today against defending champs Santa Rosa, Head Coach David Bond has plenty of reasons for optimism based on some preconference showings by his team. What makes the Mustangs’ results impressive are the strength of the opposing schools they’ve taken on. The Mustangs have brushed aside perennial powerhouses Yuba, Skyline and Merritt College. In fact, six of the seven teams the Mustangs faced were among the top 16 in the state. Off to an incredible start is freshman striker Josue Araiza, netting 14 goals in six games. The Mustangs have worked to put together a stout defense, predicated on not only a strong back line, but
on the entire side pressuring the ball and not allowing the opposition out of their half. “This year there’s a real commitment to every time we go out, let’s be the best defensive team. You’ll hear us say this all the time: let’s play soccer on the other team’s half of the field” The work seemed to pay dividends during the Sept. 15 game against Lassen, in which the Mustangs dominated a very strong team, particularly in the first half, as the Lassen team could not find any breathing room and failed to test the Delta goalkeeper. Although the game ended in a scoreless tie, Bond’s team created a number of opportunities and the Lassen defense were made to look like they were moving in slow motion. The imagination and creativity of play maker Alexis Leon was something Lassen simply could not solve for the duration of the game. The intensity of the Mustangs’ attack is a result of a high octane,
Mustangs to host youth basketball camp in October
PHOTOS COURTESY SAN JOAQUIN DELTA COLLEGE
PLAY BALL: Participants take the court at a previous basketball camp hosted by the Mustangs.
The Delta College Mustangs will hold a Fall Youth Basketball Camp for high school girls 14-18 and youth basketball for boys and girls ages 5-13. The high school camp runs Oct. 22-23. The youth camp runs Oct. 29-30. Camp hours run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Both camps will be hosted at the Blanchard and Marcopulos gyms. The cost is $85 per camper. The cost includes a Delta
College basketball and basketball T-shirt for each camper. Those who bring a friend or sibling has their fee lowered to $60. Employees get in for $65 or $55 if they bring an extra family member. This fall semester camps will be lead by Lady Mustangs basketball Coach Gina Johnson and camp assistant Coach Amy Castillo. For more information or to register call (209)954-5726 or visit deltacollege.edu/athletics/index.html
unconventional system that employs three defenders, six midfielders and one striker. When executed properly, this is a system that vexes opposing defenders with its movement and fluidity. With six midfielders, the ball moves around very quickly and the players’ tireless movement without the ball makes it almost impossible to figure out which player to mark. “It’s a confusing system . . . we play a 3-6-1, nobody plays a 3-61. One of the things that happen if we get it right is if you watch our games, we’re never marked. There’s always an opportunity for someone to get a shot off,” said Bond. With the vast improvement shown by the program as a whole over the years, and now doing so with a style of play that is very easy on the eye, the soccer team is a must watch this year and looks to go very far. “If you want to see good soccer, if you want to see quality players then this is the place to come see it,” said Bond.
SCHEDULE Sept. 23 at home Santa Rosa Junior College, 4 p.m. Sept. 27 at Modesto Junior College, 4 p.m. Oct. 4 at home against American River College, 4 p.m. Oct. 7 at Cosumnes River College, 4 p.m. Oct. 11 at West Hills College, 4 p.m. Oct. 14 at home against Fresno City College, 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at home agianst College of the Sequoias, 4 p.m. Oct. 21 at Taft College, 3 p.m.
8 news
Issue 2 • Sept. 23, 2011 • deltacollegian.net
Cunningham demolition reprieve possible by heidi haack crazietrekki@aol.com
The Cunningham Center could be saved — for now. The destruction of the Cunningham building, which was to be demolished in spring 2013, is now tentative pending a decision on use of the space within it. The building’s demise stems from a $255 billion bond measure passed in 2004. Part of that money was allocated to build the new math and science building that is currently under construction. The district, however, had to promise the demolition of the old Cunningham building to continue with the new project. According to Dr. Matt Wetstein, Dean of Planning, Research, & In-
stitutional Effectiveness, Cunningham was set to be demolished for a couple of reasons. The ratio of space to students would be very high and there would be many classrooms going unused, as the college cannot afford to hire new teachers to fill the empty space, he said. Also, there is asbestos in the building, and the cost of safe renovation, which is needed for the labs, would be higher than the cost of simply tearing down the building. Asbestos is a building material commonly used in before it was banned in 1970. Asbestos is believed to be linked to cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Still, tearing down a building that can still be used for other pur-
poses didn’t seem logical. The district is now appealing to the state to defer demolition on the grounds of using the building for non-educational purposes. “It is still all hypothetical at this point,” said Wetstein. Dr. Jeff Marsee, President/Superintendent of San Joaquin Delta College, has proposed uses for each of the floors. The first floor would remain the student lounge The second would be for office. The third and fourth floors would be for the Middle College High School and potential leasing. “He’s looking for any way that he can to avoid tearing down Cunningham,” said Wetstein of Marsee’s plans.
PHOTO BY CHRIS HOWZE
IN PROGRESS: The Math & Science replacement project is currently under construction.
Several campus projects suspended in wake of budget concerns by matthew wilson
matthew.dl.wilson@gmail.com
A number of renovation projects in the district have been put on hold by the board of trustees on the advice of President/Superintendent Dr. Jeff Marsee. The hold affects most of the projects listed in Phase 1 of the facilities master plan, including improvements to the forums and Budd, as well as the Shima Project, an expansion of the area used by the Caterpillar and Heavy Diesel Mechanics programs. According to Marsee, the projects were
put on hold for review due to a concern about the use of Measure L bond funds. “When I looked at the committed funds...I began asking some questions. The first one was none of the projects that were listed to be completed had any state matching funds. All the projects were 100 percent bond or local funds,” said Marsee. The Shima Project, along with the Holt and Budd auto shop remodel is of special concern, due to the estimated $46 million price tag and what Dr. Matt Wetstein, Dean of Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness, refers to
BRIEFS
TAG program applications due on Sept. 30 by jung min hong
jhong799@students.deltacollege.edu
Applications for the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program are due Sept. 30. The TAG program offers guaranteed admission to Delta College students who meet certain requirements. There are seven UC campuses who have a TAG connection with Delta College: UC Davis, UC Merced, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara. Each UC campus has its own requirements, but most require 30 transferable units, a qualifying GPA, two transferable English courses and one transferable math course completed. Workshops to guide students through the online TAG application are available at http://uctag.universityofcalifornia.edu. An on-campus workshop will also be held 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in DeRicco 151 on Sept. 29. Students must bring their academic history, transcripts from other colleges and student education plan to the workshop. Availability is limited. For more information contact the Career Transfer Center at 209-954-5151 ext. 6218.
as the inter-dependencies inherent in the project. “Automotive is impacted in terms of space,” explained Wetstein. “It has good enrollments and insufficient space.” The automotive program is currently sharing space with the heavy diesel mechanics program, which was scheduled to move into Shima with the Caterpillar program after its space was expanded. This would free up space to expand automotive and update the shops. Due to the suspension of Measure L spending, this will not be able to happen.
Also on hold are a new barn for the Manteca campus, updated signs and landscaping for the Stockton campus, the demolition of both Cunningham and the Clever Planetarium, and plans for a potential Lodi campus. Unaffected by the suspension are plans for renovating the Stockton campus restrooms, a remodel of Danner’s second floor, and a remodeling of the Mountain House campus to add three labs. Construction will also continue on the new Math & Science Center.
Degree deadline approaching by jung min hong
jhong799@students.deltacollege.edu
Applications for evaluation of records for receipt of an associate degree or certificate to be awarded for this semester are due Nov. 14. Forms and checklists, including an evaluation form, are available online. Additional information and forms for degree and certificates can be found at http://www.deltacollege.edu/dept/ar/admissions/evaluations.html. Click the diploma image and log in to start the application. For more information visit DeRicco Student Services Building. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday. The office is closed Fridays.
CORRECTION In the Sept. 9 issue, we attributed information about revenue ideas to ASBG President Nicholas Aguirre. The information regarding ideas for revenue sources was actually provided by Student Representative Donna Armstrong. Armstrong said fee increases were a suggestion of the Delta College administration. We regret the error.
PHOTO BY JESSICA BLANKE
MEETING: From left, Trustees Steve Castellanos, C. Jennet Stebbins, President/Superintendent Jeff Marsee, and President of the Board Teresa Brown at the Tuesday, Sept. 13 meeting.
MARKET: Discussion remains possible continued from PAGE 1
tion with [the ASBG] to discuss both their financial needs to remain a viable student life oriented organization and our willingness to work with them...on concepts to generate either new revenue and/or, if necessary, allocate some proceeds from the flea market to help make sure they are able to continue functioning.” The ASBG is open to meeting with administration on this issue, according to Aguirre. “We are absolutely open to having a conversation with him [Kerns] and any other administrator. However, we will not allow President Marsee or VP Kerns to try and minimize or diminish the fact that they have taken the ASBG Flea Market (the largest source of income for students) away,” Aguirre wrote in an email.