August 27, 2019

DELTACOLLEGIATE

Volume 85 • Issue 1

August 27, 2019

How Delta keeps their students safe in an age of school shootings > Page 3 Learn how to save big money on a big college expense. > Page 4 Learn more about the Collegiate’s new podcast “Instructed” > Page 5 Photo by Michael Pieper • Collegiate Creative Director

Slick design work creates an appealing new look to Delta’s new Saginaw Center.

Downtown Saginaw campus surpasses expectations Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief @DCMichaelFP

As Delta College enters the 2019 fall semester, their newly opened Saginaw campus is offering classes for the first time.

The Saginaw Center, located at 319 East Genessee, held its grand opening June 22 and has largely been welcomed by the community. Enrollment has exceeded expectations, with still more prospective students walking in to register less than a week before Fall classes started.

“The community has been phenomenal,” says Kristy Nelson, director of centers. “Some of the feedback I’ve heard is [that] they love the slogan that went with the marketing campaign [‘Your City, Your College’]. That’s something that people have really latched on to.”

As of August 19, 628 students were enrolled to take classes at the campus, which surpassed the initial goal of 500.

“Within the last two months, we’ve really processed through a lot of people,” says Nelson. “And a lot of

people that wouldn’t have probably started, if they would have had to start out at the main campus.”

With the main campus being approximately 14 miles north, the new Saginaw Center aims to offer a complete college experience closer to home for students in the Saginaw community, with the possibility of completing certain programs entirely at the Saginaw campus.

The fire science program, for example, has been moved to the Saginaw Center entirely, and an Associate of Arts can be earned there too.

In addition, the Saginaw Center offers a tutoring center, admissions, financial aid and academic advising, with a full staff to serve students’ needs. Nelson recalls how the massive response to the new building overwhelmed the staff at first.

“We moved in [...] at the end of June, and right from the get-go, we didn’t have computers set up or anything yet,” says Nelson. “We had students coming in and we had to figure out how to service them. We were using laptops; we were taking pictures of things and emailing

it over to [the] main campus with our phone. We just knew that we needed to be down here serving the students, and so we did it. We made it happen.”

The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), a grant program which exists to help individuals with GED testing and taking college classes, has moved its office from the main campus to the Saginaw Center. Nelson cites the EOC as a form of community outreach.

“Basically, they go out to different social service agencies, different churches; just really being out in the community,” says Nelson.

The 37,000 square foot facility was funded through the State of Michigan’s capital outlay process and Delta College’s Plant Fund savings at a total cost of $12.739 million, as stated on Delta’s website.

In addition to offering classes closer to home for Saginaw residents, the new campus is also seen as an effective way to revitalize the downtown area.

“There’s a lot of new things that are happening in the downtown

Saginaw area; a lot of revitalization,” says Nelson. “I think just the massive amount of students and traffic that we will have down in this area will definitely help boost the economy.”

The Saginaw Center was designed with nearby businesses and institutions in mind, including the SVRC Marketplace, Hoyt Library and Castle Museum, to be used as resources for students.

“I think this will be wonderful for getting more [...] people to come downtown and to stay downtown, says Maria McCarville, director of Public Libraries of Saginaw. “[Hoyt Library is] very excited to be involved with [the Saginaw Center.]”

The Hoyt Library is available for students to come in and check out books for research or other class needs, as well as using computers and quiet study areas. McCarville also points out that reference librarians are on staff at Hoyt Library, available to help students find anything they need.

Although there are amenities like vending machines and a tutoring center at the facility, Delta encourages students to patronize nearby businesses that are within walking distance for dining, studying and other needs.

The Ricker Center, which Delta College has been leasing from Saginaw Public Schools, has been replaced by the new downtown campus. Saginaw Public Schools is already moving forward with plans to use the facility for adult education and professional development programs.

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NEWS

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

Delta students bring environmental message to Washington D.C. Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief @DCMichaelFP

For many Delta students, activities outside of the classroom prove to be a valuable experience that not only helps them learn, but also gives them an opportunity to campaign for change; to make a difference in their community.

This past summer, four Delta students in particular were able to bring their voice from the classroom all the way to Capitol Hill.

Delta alumni John Nosal, who earned his Associates of Science this year and is now transferred to Michigan State University, took the opportunity to join a trip to Washington D.C. when assistant professor in biology Kristopher Nitz informed him about it.

“I joined the trip to Washington, D.C. due to Photo courtesy John Nosal my passion for protecting The Delta team (from left to right): John Nosal, Janis Kendziorski, Jon Jayo, the environment and realizing Adrian Hernandez and Mary Ellen. that in order to grow our economy, the climate crisis needs to be solved through Dan Kildee. Kildee, in particular, is science and data,” says Nosal. listed as a co-sponsor of the Energy Janis Kendziorski, associate professor of Climage change is the Innovation and Carbon Divided Act. accounting, led the trip to D.C. The group number one threat facing current “Each meeting was very insightful attended a conference and training sessions and future generations and I am extremely optimistic that there sponsored by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, - John Nosal is a rapidly growing bipartisan push an international non-profit advocacy group on Capitol Hill for the environmental focusing on climate policy. The group “I was pleased to have seen a very legislation that our country so also lobbied for the Energy Innovation large conservative presence, because a desperately needs,” says Nosal. and Carbon Dividend Act, HR 763. changing climate should be one of those Two student-led proposals, of which The bill proposes a fee on carbon issues that unites everyone irregardless Nosal was the primary author, were also in order to drive down pollution and of political ideology,” says Nosal. presented to representatives in Washington: encourage cleaner, alternative energy One important lesson that the one advocating for a national recycling options. The Citizens’ Climate Lobby students learned from this trip, as Janis program, another one proposing a states on their website that the policy Kendziorski said, was that grassroots K-12 environmental and sustainability “will reduce America’s emissions by efforts on public policies can make a requirement for youth science education. at least 40% in the first 12 years.” big impact, even on a national level.

One significant part of the trip, as Nosal “Climate change is the number “The biggest takeaway for me from notes, was a strongly bipartisan presence, one threat facing current and future our trip to Washington D.C. was that with even conservative-leaning advocates generations,” says Nosal. “Curbing the the clean energy revolution has arrived lobbying for change in climate policy. effects of a changing climate is a critical on Capitol Hill and I am encouraged Katharine Hayoe, nationally known battle that must be acknowledged and that it is only a matter of time before the scientist from Texas Tech University, waged. This pressing issue is the number United States of America will enact the was among those who spoke at the one reason why I decided to join the sweeping bipartisan climate legislation conference. Nosal recalls a part of Hayoe’s Washington, D.C. delegation." that the world needs,” says Nosal. speech where she clarified that she isn’t In addition, the group had meetings a Democrat, driving home the point that with Michigan’s U.S. Senator Gary scientists are unbiased and do not allow Peters, Rep. John Moolenaar and Rep. their data to be influenced by politics.

Observatory coming to Delta College main campus Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief @DCMichaelFP

UNIVERSITY CENTER - The Delta College board of trustees passed a motion Tuesday, August 13th making changes to an ongoing update project on west campus.

The West Campus Project, which was originally presented to and approved by the board in November 2017, includes a baseball field, a soccer field, parking lot updates and a new observatory for use by Delta’s astronomy department. The original project totalled to $4,492,335.

Delta president Jean Goodnow brought forth a motion at this week’s meeting to make changes to the project, as its scope has increased over time.

The changes mainly consist of reprioritization of spending; the parking lot updates have been postponed in favor of building the observatory.

“To have an observatory in this area will be a landmark branding opportunity for us to attract people to continue to take our astronomy classes,” Goodnow stated during her remarks.

Goodnow said that administration decided it would be a good idea to hold back on updating the parking lot in the west campus area, as it is in adequate condition and should hold up for the next three or five years.

Andrea Ursuy, secretary to the board of trustees, says that the West Campus Project will remain within the overall approved budget. The observatory is being given more financial priority.

“The new observatory will be an asset for our students and community,” says Ursuy.

Additional parking areas closer to the baseball and soccer fields have already been completed as part of the project.

NEWS

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

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Delta College ensures safety for students Maddison Godi • Collegiate Life Editor @DCMaddison

Delta College ensures safety for students

By Maddison Godi, Collegiate Life editor.

With school shootings plaguing the United States for decades, why should Delta students feel safe to roam the halls of Delta College?

Robert Battinkoff, chief of public safety, has a lot to say on this topic. Delta College has been taking precautions this past summer to bring safety on campus up to date.

“The only sure way to avoid a negative outcome in an emergency is to avoid the emergency in the first place,” says Battinkoff.

Delta has added a comprehensive video surveillance system and an electronic door access control to both Delta’s main campus and the learning centers.

“Both of these systems allow remote access so that we can monitor and protect our main campus and all learning centers from anywhere,” says Battinkoff.

The video surveillance system allows public safety to have an extra set of eyes to help detect incidents that were reported.

The door access control helps to secure doors in a more efficient manner. If a threat is reported, this new technology will help detect it and keep it locked out.

“Safety is truly a process of continuous growth at Delta,” says Battinkoff.

Photo by Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief

Delta College installed new electronic signs at all three of its main campus entrances, including this one on Mackinac Rd, to present emergency alerts to anyone driving by. University Center, August 23, 2019.

Even with all these advancements, there are always improvements to be made. Battinkoff says one big project for the new year is upgrading the Nixle emergency alert system. Nixle uses text messaging to provide students and staff with information such as when the campus is closed, when there is a tornado/fire drill and other emergency notifications.

Although the current Nixle system has proven to be reliable, public safety is looking for better ways to provide immediate messaging to those further away from campus.

One way they have already worked toward this goal is the new electron-

ic signs installed at each entrance at Delta’s main campus. These signs feature displays that will allow students and staff to see any emergency message before entering the campus, aside from Delta’s advertising purposes.

Another way to assist with emergency messaging is Delta’s new phone system, which allows for public safety to share information instantly by voice to all phones, or by text to all connected devices such as computers.

Delta Public Safety has also partnered with local first responders in the Tri City area by giving them access to these systems. This means that

in the event of an emergency, Bay, Midland and Saginaw county dispatches will be alerted immediately.

“The most important thing that students can do to help make our campus safe is to be aware of their surroundings,” says Battinkoff.

Students are encouraged to always report any suspicious activity to Public Safety, and to know the location of first aid kits, AED boxes and the Public Safety office (Room N102).

Sign Up for Nixle Emergency Alerts and save gas miles.

Text DELTAEMG to 888777

NEWS IN BRIEF Q-TV celebrates 55 years on air WDCQ-TV 19, the public television station owned and operated by Delta College, is celebrating 55 years of service to the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Delta Broadcasting invites Q-TV viewers to send them feedback about how the station has impacted their lives.

From now until October 25, either a written testimonial or a video up to 30 seconds in length can be submitted to Q-TV. For details on how to make a submission, contact the station via email at wdcq@delta.edu.

Bob Ross painting workshop coming to Delta College If you want to learn how to paint like legendary artist Bob Ross and have $120 to spare, Delta Broadcasting has an event for you.

Stan SmeLa, a certified Bob Ross instructor, will lead the Bob Ross Painting Workshop Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Q-TV studio. Attendants will learn to paint a landscape scene using oil painting methods.

The $120 ticket price includes the workshop itself, as well as lunch from the Uptown Grill in Bay City and a tour of the Delta Broadcasting studios.

All paint supplies are included and no painting experience is necessary. Attendants are asked to wear proper attire and an apron if desired.

For more information, call Delta Broadcasting at 1-877-472-7677.

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FINANCE

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

Could the new Delta campus save downtown Saginaw?

Michael Piwowarski News Editor @DCMichaelFP

RETAIL ROUNDUP Downtown Saginaw has been making local headlines quite a few times over the summer! From the opening of Delta College’s new Saginaw campus to the unexpected closing of the Bancroft Wine & Martini Bar and the city council’s decision to ban recreational marijuana facilities for a year, there has been some excitement and uncertainty surrounding the downtown area.

Dean Emerson, CEO of SVRC Industries, is still confident that the new Delta College campus will attract more visitors to the downtown area and continue with revitalization and regrowth.

“We [at SVRC] definitely believe in higher education and training for individuals, and Delta coming in and bringing all those students to downtown will be really nice,” says Emerson.

SVRC Industries operates a mixed use facility called the SVRC Marketplace, which is located just two blocks away from the Saginaw center inside the former Saginaw News building. This places students within walking distance of all the shops and restaurants that the marketplace has to offer.

“We’ve really had a good partnership with [Delta] and supported them on the open house,” says Emerson. “[...] Our vendors are really excited to see the students from Delta College downtown campus

coming over and enjoying the market, definitely.”

Not only does it serve as a potential hotspot for students to come down and shop or have lunch in between classes, but the SVRC Marketplace also provides employment opportunities. As Emerson says, there is a job board at the west end of the building on the first floor, where vendors can post open positions.

The former Saginaw News building, located at 203 S Washington Ave, was purchased by SVRC Industries in 2015. After a lengthy renovation process, the building was reopened as the SVRC Marketplace in 2018. The building hosts multiple vendors - including Sushi Remix, Rebecca’s Gourmet Bakery and Hills’ Cheese - and also provides office space on the second and third floors.

The SVRC Marketplace and the Delta College Saginaw center can both be seen as signs of a resurgence in the downtown Saginaw area. Other new businesses have started to pop up, including Richie Rich’s Downtown Deli, and there are various redevelopments happening in the area.

On the other hand, the said resurgence faced a setback with the Bancroft Wine & Martini Bar closing abruptly August 13 for unknown reasons.

“Definitely disappointed to see that close down; I think that was a place that people enjoyed to go,” says Emerson. “Hopefully, we’ll get another owner/ operator in there and they’ll be able to turn it around and do something different and make a go of it.”

With more than 600 students enrolled for classes at the Saginaw center as of August 19, there is hope that increased traffic will indeed help bring forth the revitalization of downtown Saginaw.

Photo by Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief

Dean Emerson, CEO of SVRC Industries, is hopeful that the opening of Delta College’s new Saginaw campus will bring much needed foot traffic to businesses in downtown Saginaw, including the SVRC Marketplace.

Saginaw, August 23, 2019.

How to save big on textbooks Patrick Sochacki Reporter @SochackiPatrick

FINANCIAL FITNESS Welcome to Financial Fitness! This column is being written with a deep desire to try and make us all a bit more financially literate. My goal is to help you invest in yourself for a fiscally sound future.

This first article on textbooks will be a bit on the lighter side. In the future, I will be covering things like opening a 401k vs. a Roth IRA, what stocks, bonds, ETFs and other investment types are, how to choose a good route for your personal savings based on your goals, and loads of other information about how to make your money work better for you!

In his book “Summa Theologica,”

philosopher Thomas Aquinas wrote that “no man should sell a thing to another for more than it’s worth.” He was discussing how trade should be equal and “not more of a burden to one party than to another.”

The textbook companies clearly disregarded this when reading their economic texts. Back-to-school spending happens every semester and I have a solid tip on the best way to not get completely wrecked by textbook prices. Personally, I was able to save $71 on textbooks when doing it this semester, but you could possibly save even more!

I used Delta’s bookstore website (www.bookstore.delta.edu) to figure out what books I needed and what they would charge me for them. They provide an ISBN number on the page where you choose how many copies of each book you’d like to purchase.

I copied and pasted that number into the Amazon.com search bar.

Every ISBN I searched for (minus one for a book which was actually cheaper through Delta’s bookstore) had the book as the top result with an option to buy or rent. The “rent” option was at least 50 percent cheaper for all of my books, but I decided I wanted to keep a couple of the ones I was getting this semester so I bought them instead.

Overall, my original total through Delta’s bookstore for the 4 books I needed was $178.90, but I ended up spending $107.16 by using Amazon.

Had I rented all of the books instead of buying two of them, it would have only cost me $87.91! That’s a savings rate of 49 percent on one of the most expensive parts of back-to-school shopping.

Now you can save that money and use it for my next column topic: how to get started investing in the stock market.

Check for it in our next print issue!

NEED HELP GETTING A JOB? Learning to use LinkedIn can be very helpful.

Learn more with the latest Career Corner, available at www.deltacollegiate.com

COLLEGIATE LIFE

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

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Introducing the Collegiate’s new podcast about Delta faculty Patrick Sochacki Reporter @SochackiPatrick

One important part of the experience at Delta College is the teachers. Delta faculty can leave a lasting impact on the students that they teach. Whether the subject is math, english or science, professors at Delta are known to be a positive influence on their students’ experience throughout their courses.

Patrick Sochacki, one of the Collegiate’s new reporters this semester, has a brand new podcast that reflects on Delta’s best professors.

Instructed is a series of short podcasts being produced for the Delta Collegiate to celebrate and showcase some of the teachers here at Delta College, along with students that they’ve influenced and inspired.

Instructed will be covering professors from all different wings of the school, starting with the Arts department teacher Kimberly Wells. Kim is an associate professor here at Delta College along with being

the Electronic Media Broadcasting discipline coordinator.

She has also won two Emmy awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (Michigan Chapter) for her work in producing two documentaries titled “My 2 Brothers” and “Irene: Child of the Holocaust.”

You can hear more about those films during her interview for the show. The episode also features interviews from Cameron Dutcher, a current Delta student, and Mark Grzegorczyk, a Delta alumni, both of whom were in the Electronic Media program.

Instructed will be put out bi-weekly on Tuesdays, the same day the Delta Collegiate is put on the newsstands. If you’re reading this, then the first episode should be available now. Go check it out in the embedded player at www.deltacollegiate.com.

In addition, Patrick is looking for ideas for future episodes.

What teacher at Delta College has inspired you or left a positive impact on your life?

Patrick would love to hear from you! Hit him up on Twitter @ SochackiPatrick, or email us at deltacollegiate@gmail.com.

Photo by Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief

Cameron Dutcher, a student in Delta College’s Electronic Media program, talks to Patrick Sochacki about his experience with EM professor Kim Wells. University Center, August 20, 2019.

How I survived my first semester at Delta College Robert Tetley Collegiate Correspondent

There was a slight struggle with the idea of going back to school initially. I was 24 at the time, so I thought maybe I was a little too old to try and go back. But after working at a rigorous manual labor job, I figured that it really wouldn’t be so bad.

Once all the paperwork was accepted, I packed my things and moved from Grand Rapids to Tawas City, moving back in with my grandparents. They let me stay there for free while I was going to school.

I got lucky in how much they valued education.

I had a full load: 15 credits for my first semester back.

It was a trial by fire sort of thing. I spent most of my free time at the Delta library doing my homework, trying to keep up. After I felt satisfied with my progress, I had an hour-long drive ahead of me back home to Tawas.

Often, I had to leave at six in the morning to get to Delta on time for my first class. After about a week of

driving back and forth, I contacted a friend of mine who lived in Bay City. He allowed me to crash on his couch during my school week Monday through Thursday.

My first semester back was a weird experience.

Though I didn’t think college itself was difficult, it was trying to keep my head about me that I struggled with.

It was a challenge keeping track of my school schedule and all of my possessions as I travelled back and forth.

After so long, I brought my guitars down to my friend’s place so I’d have something of a stress reliever. Between all of the driving and classes, it was difficult to find an actual moment of relaxation. So the guitars came as a bit of a solace.

All in all, I enjoyed my first semester. The main struggle was getting back into the swing of things. But I found myself liking college the more it went on. And ultimately, I’m glad I made the decision to come back.

Photo courtesy Robert Tetley

Robert Tetley is a student in Delta College's nursing program and is from Tawas City, Michigan.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

Critics launch confused harassment campaign against Epic Games Colton Carrier A&E Editor

GAME GUY

Photo by Samuel Philpot • Reporter

Megan Barnard and Jaron Jock perform a live set of show tunes and jazz favorites at Brooklyn Boyz in Bay City. August 15, 2019.

Late Night Soundwave Samuel Philpot Reporter @Philpoteropolis

If pizza and great live music on Thursday nights is up your alley, Bay City pizzeria Brooklyn Boys should have you covered.

The duo consists of Megan Barnard, the vocalist, and Jaron Jock, the pianist.

The pair plays a variety of covers, mostly consisting of show tunes and jazz music.

The selection of songs features a good blend of popular songs that most people of all ages would know.

“We’d send each other ones we’d like to play, and there ended up being a couple that we both had already known,” said Barnard when asked about the specific songs chosen for their set.

When asked if they’d perform their own songs at some point, they stated that they hadn’t really thought about it, with Jock saying that “covers just work better for the venue.”

They each have had plenty of experience with music before coming together as a duo. Barnard has been actively singing for 10 years and has played trumpet for 20.

Jaron has 18 years of experience as a pianist.

In addition to their performances

Photo by Samuel Philpot • Reporter

Megan Barnard and Jaron Jock, a duo of local musicians, perform at the Brooklyn Boyz pizzeria in Bay City every Thursday night. August 15, 2019 at Brooklyn Boyz, Barnard is also a choir director at her church, while Jock plays in three other bands: Hedge Row, WinaSchinzel, and The Hellbound Drifters.

As of yet, the two are without a band name. For now, though, you can catch them Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at Brooklyn Boyz - located at 507 East Midland St in Bay City.

Launching early last year, the Epic Games Store began as an underdog rival to Steam, and since then has been painting one target sign after another on its back. From accusations of data mining due to Epic Game’s relationship with Tencent, a Chinese game company, to lacking basic features like gaming hubs and friend lists, Epic has dropped the ball left and right, losing whatever good will the company picked up in trying to compete with Steam. With business looking bleak, Epic made yet another controversial choice: paying off developers to release their games exclusively on the Epic Store.

Of course, for many indie developers, the offer is hard to pass up. With a paycheck of upwards of $100,000 on the line, it’s an easy call whether to take the money or languish on Steam’s growing library, where more than 20 games are released daily, clogging any potential chance of popularity.

However, what may look like an understandable, logical decision to some appears to be nothing more than Epic Games using their incomprehensible resources to make developers “sell out,” keeping me and more games off of Steam. What once was an honest business choice now becomeors a direct insult to a wide swath of gamers, who proceed to let loose a deluge of harassment, aggression and death threats.

Such is the current situation surrounding Glumberland, the husband-and-wife team behind “Ooblets,” the latest Epic Games Store exclusive. After selling their game, the duo became the face of Epic Game’s conquest

for exclusivity, becoming fair game for a constant, unending wave of harassment. For even a massive company such as Ubisoft, a harassment campaign is a horrid, tragic situation, tearing down all but the most dedicated and strong-willed individuals. Therefore, it’s nearly impossible to ascertain just how nightmarish this sort of situation can be for a microscopic studio like Glumberland. So why does such a minor decision cause an unending harassment campaign?

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the Epic Games Store is such a touchy subject for gamers.

While one could direct attention to the service’s blunders, it’s just as simple to rise issue with something trying to compete with Steam, a long-time mainstay in the gaming community.

Add a growing toxicity in the gaming community, alongside plenty of people who simply loathe change, and you have a powder keg of animosity ready to go up in flames. All these factors almost explain why such a small decision, essentially what store someone should shop at, could cause such a horrendous reaction.

At the end of the day, however, this is a wave of hateful, toxic harassment based entirely around what store a game is sold at. Frankly, it seems absurd that such cruelty is coming from such a pointless place, directed at such a senseless target. But with this in mind, it’s important to push back against this kind of toxicity in the gaming community. If every small developer is inundated with an unending wave of harassment, it completely halts the development of any project deemed problematic by those with a bone to pick. When every small studio is shot down due to the simplest of business choices, how can indie developers have any hope of building unique, special, small-scale projects?

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

Old Town Road redefines music Riley Murphy Reporter

NOTEWORTHY Montero Lamar Hill, a 19-year-old college dropout from Atlanta, uploaded the song “Old Town Road” to the internet under the name Lil Nas X as an independent release on December 3, 2018. Produced by Dutch producer Youngkio, the song has the flavor of a country tune, while having the hard-hitting sauce that can only be procured with a trap inspired rhythm section. The song also features a sample from the “34 Ghosts IV” by Nine Inch Nails, which gives it a lot of character.

Columbia Records took interest in Hill’s work and signed him to their label to distribute “Old Town Road” as a single. Columbia paired Hill with country superstar Billy Ray Cyrus to create the first original remix, verifying the song as a true representation of the country music genre. The label felt that it would be easier to find success on the country charts, rather than the saturated R&B and hip hop charts. Due to the “playful” nature of the internet, TikTok and the “Yeehaw Agenda” (a cowboy fashion and culture meme), the song quickly became a hit.

“Old Town Road” has numerous other remixes featuring popular artists such as Diplo, Young Thug, Mason Ramsey, RM of boy band BTC and an unreleased version with Lil Wayne.

Hill stated that he was influenced by Young Thug’s country influenced album “Beautiful Thugger Girls.” Other notable county/hip hop crossovers that may have left an impression on

Lil Nas X include the songs “Daddy Lessons”

by Beyonce, “Like a Farmer” by Lil Tracy Ft. Lil Uzi Vert, and “Yup (Like a Cowboy)” by FlyRich Double. It is also worth noting that “Old Town Road” was created shortly after the release of Rockstar Game’s “Red Dead Redemption 2”.

Hill states in an article with BET that his stage name didn’t have anything to do with any established rappers (such as Lil Wayne, Nas and DMX). He was already using “Nas” as an internet alias and thought adding “Lil” in front of it would be funny as there are so many new rappers adopting this honorific. The X at the end of his moniker represents the number 10, the amount of years in which Hill thought it would take to reach “legendary level.”

Hill likes to keep his songs short; less than three minutes.

It’s possible that this is part of a strategy to maximize stream count.

Since releasing “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X has also released an EP titled “7,” which featured the single. The album debuted at number 2

on the US Billboard 200 and remained there for a second week. Other popular songs by Lil Nas X include “Panini” and “Rodeo” featuring Cardi B. Hip hop and country music may be very different genres, almost on the opposite ends of the music spectrum, and yet “Old Town Road” managed to capture them in an alluring way. It is almost as if they were predestined to be infused with one another to become the sound of America.

At the Delta Collegiate, we are dedicated to providing new and improved news content in all mediums.

To that end, we are maintaining our presence across multiple social media platforms: Youtube

Between event coverage, bi-weekly newscasts and reviews of local establishments, there are new videos being uploaded to our YouTube channel every single week. Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with our videos! Hit us up on Twitter @DeltaCollegiate with any news you’d like us to cover, along with other video ideas. You can also tweet Michael Pieper, the manager of our YouTube channel, at @DCmichaelpieper.

Facebook

Is Facebook more up your alley? Good news; we have a presence on Facebook too! Like and follow our page to stay up to date with our online news stories, as well as cool photos and other surprises. You can message us on Facebook with story ideas or other inquiries. Our Facebook page is managed by RJ Murphy, who is a pretty cool guy.

Twitter

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For around-the-clock action, sneak peeks at upcoming stories, and #relevant tweets, follow @DeltaCollegiate on Twitter! Need a casual platform to share you voice? Have a story idea? Tweet us or send us a message - we want to hear from you! Crystal Gwizdala, science & health editor, will be managing the page. You can follow her @CrystalGwizdala.

Instagram

We want to give you a picture perfect social media experience, so be sure to check us out on Instagram. Stay up to date with our constantly updated feed of pictures and video clips. Whether it's a recent event on campus or an interesting moment caught by our photographers, we can't help but share it. Madison Godi is in charge of Instagram - follow her on Twitter @dcmaddison.

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SCIENCE & HEALTH

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

Teenage girls: the modern-day walking zombies Megan Anglebrandt Collegiate Correspondent

Teenagers need sleep to aid in their development.

Teenage years are imperative because the body is developing secondary sex characteristics and is coursing with hormones. Many adults think that teenagers losing sleep is due to them wanting to be up late doing inappropriate or illegal things and they blame the child.

However, the reason these teens may be staying up could be due to their social and parental influences. Teens, especially females, face influence from everyone around them. They are constantly being told to do more and more mature tasks which can take a toll on their mental and physical state. Lack of sleep in teenage females can result in negative changes in mood and behavior.

The amount of sleep teenagers need for success depends on the age and school grade of the student.

Students in grades seven and eight require an average of 8.5 hours of sleep per night. Whereas ninth graders require slightly less, at 8.3 hours per night.

Tenth and eleventh graders fall in between, needing 8.4 hours per night. That puts twelfth graders at the least, with only needing an average of eight hours.

The results of little or inconsistent sleep in female teenagers can include several things, one of which being decreasing scores in academic aptitude. Teenagers that got an average of 8.1 hours of sleep maintained an “A” average. On the contrary, students that got an average of 7.4 hours of sleep maintained a “C” average. Sleep increases the synaptic connections among neurons, thus increasing plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt to experiences. Sleep also aids in reducing the activity in neurons associated with forgetting.

Students who routinely get poor sleep are less likely to succeed in school. They acquire more tardy

slips, have poorer grades and are more likely to have an attitude problem than those who get more sleep.

For example, a participant in my study by the name of Alexandra has a bad sleep schedule. She typically goes to sleep between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. and wakes up between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. She typically gets between three and 13 hours of sleep. She is a “B-” average student and carries a 2.74 GPA. Kendra, another participant, has a more consistent sleep schedule. She goes to sleep between 10 and 11 p.m. every night and wakes up between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. She gets between 6.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep. Kendra carries a 4.0 GPA and has an “A” average. She is even ranked third in her class!

Both girls are 15 years old and grew up in middle class working families. Alexandra lives on a densely populated street inside city limits and has two siblings and a dog.

Kendra lives on a cow farm several miles outside of the city limits and has four siblings and runs a dog breeding kennel. These two girls are very similar in personality and are friends with the same people, but they do very differently in academics and sports. They also are very different in the amount of trouble they get into.

Teenage females are also very susceptible to substances. Their hormones are very fragile and can be easily unbalanced. Substances like caffeine and alcohol can disrupt their sleep cycle. Caffeine blocks the adenosine in your brain, which prevents you from becoming drowsy. Although certain amounts of caffeine affect people differently, it usually has stronger effects on younger people. Alcohol can also affect a teenager’s sleep. While it is illegal for teenagers to consume alcohol, most still find a way to get their hands on it. Although it can have more severe effects aside from sleep, alcohol blocks rapid eye movement (REM) sleep which is the most restorative form of sleep. Not having REM sleep can leave you feeling groggy and unfocused. Alcohol consumption before bed can relax the muscles in the throat and cause snoring and sleep apnea. Marijuana has a lot of similar effects to alcohol. Nicotine is highly addictive and when used in large amounts, is dangerous. When quitting nicotine, going through withdrawal is very common. The biggest symptom of nicotine withdrawal is sleep disturbances, including issues falling asleep, staying asleep and having nightmares.

Another big factor that affects sleep is blue light;

How students can sleep to success RJ Murphy • Reporter

What constitutes a good night’s sleep?

When we fall asleep, the body cycles through several different stages of sleep.

According to Medical News Today, the most important stage is REM sleep, or rapid eye movement. We enter REM sleep about 90 minutes after first falling asleep. It is during this stage that the body and mind repair themselves. This stage may last around 10 minutes, progressively becoming longer after each cycle through the stages. Please note that alcohol and other drugs may reduce the time our bodies spend in REM sleep.

What can we do to sleep better?

1. Establish a routine

Our bodies rely on internal biological mechanisms to regulate when we are awake and sleeping. The Circadian Rhythm fluctuates body temperature, metabolism and the release of hormones. These fluctuations can impact when we feel sleepy or awake. The Circadian Rhythm runs on a 24-hour schedule and synchronizes with external stimuli such as light, temperature and time. It is important to try and fall asleep and wake up around the same time each day to maintain this cycle.

2. Exercise during the day and relax before going to bed When we exercise during the day, our bodies produce hormones which

blue light comes from electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers. These lights can block chemicals in the brain that prevent rejuvenating sleep.

There are easy ways to improve sleep, like going to bed earlier or waking up at a reasonable time. Although those help, they may not work for everyone.

To help teenagers get better sleep, several things can be done, but most importantly, time spent at school or doing school activities can be reduced. I propose that school start later to allow students to gain more sleep and allow for more time in the morning to spend with family and better themselves. Most schools start between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. I am suggesting that school start times be pushed to no earlier than 9:30 a.m.

This allows students to gain an extra two hours in the morning for whatever they need. These changes need to be made to the school system before we permanently damage an entire new generation of sleep cycles.

Photo courtesy Megan Anglebrandt

Megan Anglebrandt is a freshman in high school and is dual-enrolled at Delta College.

can help regulate sleep. When we spend time relaxing, our bodies produce more hormones that aid us in falling asleep.

More information is available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s website: https://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3317043/

3. Don’t toss and turn in bed awake

The National Sleep Foundation writes about how our minds can race at night.

We may think about work, school or other stressors after we lie down. If you are having a hard time falling asleep, it is best to get up and engage in a relaxing activity for a little while. This can reset our bodies, making falling asleep easier.

4. Create a sleeping environment Avoid bright lights and loud sounds.

Utilize curtains, sleep masks and earplugs if you have to. Temperature is another important stimulus that can regulate sleep. Sleep.org suggests setting the temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleeping conditions. Watching TV may make us feel sleepy, but the light and noise they emit can make it harder to fall asleep.

College should be a place that prepares young adults for the real world.

Hopefully, all students will be able to pick up real-world skills while attending college. Learning to sleep well can be an immensely valuable skill that will grant those willing to master it success in all areas of their life.

SCIENCE & HEALTH

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

9

You’re not alone: welcome to Delta’s disability and counseling services Crystal Gwizdala • S&H Editor @CrystalGwizdala

You know where all your classes are. You’ve managed to get all your textbooks. You’ve even managed to get a head start on some homework. But are you mentally and emotionally prepared for the stress of a new school year?

Either way, Delta’s got you covered. Enter the home of counseling services and disability resources in Room D102.

Getting accommodations for a disability is easy.

You can make an appointment or walk-in and present documentation of your disability, if you have it. You’ll work together with the office to understand your needs and you’ll leave with individualized accommodations.

Melissa Wallace, director of disability resources, says most students feel relief when they first come in.

“I think for a lot of people it’s hard to make the step to get here,” says Wallace. “It’s not scary and it’s private, and nobody knows unless you want them to know, because you’re an adult and you’re in charge.”

Students get to choose when and if they will use their accommodations. You don’t have to use any if you don’t want to, but by getting them arranged you at least have the option.

“It’s amazing to see students who are not using accommodations and then come and use the accommodations, and then just take off,” says

Wallace. “It makes such a huge difference.”

It may feel like you’re the only one struggling, but you’re wrong. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 4 young adults have a diagnosable mental illness and 1 in 5 young adults live with an anxiety disorder. In 2017, 12.7% of adults reported having a disability, according to the American Community Survey.

“The majority of the disabilities that we support here are invisible,” says Wallace. “You would never know in a million years that there’s something going on.”

Wallace further elaborates that accepting accommodations does not mean that you’re unintelligent.

“It’s usually a neuro-uniqueness or a learning disability, which generally has nothing to do with intelligence,” says Wallace. “The cookie cutter classroom experience puts them at a disadvantage.”

If you’re feeling lost, hopeless or worried, there’s support available for you, too. Licensed professionals in counseling services will work with you to develop coping strategies. They’ve helped students with test anxiety - and even math anxiety - conquer their worries and ace that test.

“It’s not like you’re asking for help, you’re asking for the environment that you need to be successful,” says Wallace. “Because this is all design, [...] the design can be altered.”

If you can’t shake feelings of depression, stop in. Although counseling services will not pro-

Photo by Crystal Gwizdala • S&H Editor

Melissa Wallace, director of The Office of Disability Resources, has made accomodations for over 400 students at Delta. vide therapy for diagnosable mental disorders, they can make outside referrals. The most important thing to do is speak up and get help.

If you’re hesitant about making an appointment because you don’t feel your problems are serious enough, take Delta’s online, anonymous mental health screening at https://screening. mentalhealthscreening.org/DeltaCollege.

Demystifying your science befuddlements Crystal Gwizdala S&H Editor @CrystalGwizdala

CRYSTAL CLEAR Q: What causes us to get a headache?

A: Headaches are caused by mechanical traction, inflammation or irritation of innervated structures in the head - such as our blood vessels, scalp or skull. All of this stuff has nerves in it, according to “Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases,” which was authored by Hal Blumenfeld and published in 2010.

Q: What causes that to happen?

A: Inflammation, for instance, can be caused by a lot of things: stress, trauma, cocaine, tobacco, diet, diabetes or hypertension. All sorts of things can cause inflammation in your brain that can eventually cause headaches.

Q: So what’s happening when you’re literally feeling the pain of a headache?

A: It depends on the type of headache, but the side that you’re feeling the head-

ache on usually corresponds to where the pathology is happening in your head.

Q: Okay, so it has to do with internal stress.

A: Yes, and that would be that inflammation or irritation.

Q: Okay, so I guess how does Tylenol work to relieve that pain?

A: The exact mechanism is unknown, but it might be reducing these things called prostaglandins in the brain, which cause inflammation or irritation. Tylenol also raises your pain threshold temporarily.

Q: But if I take two Tylenol or ibuprofen within a half-hour, the headache is gone. So does that mean that I took the pills at the right time? And that I would have had a headache in the next hour or so anyway? Or do the pills suppress the pain of the headache long enough for the headache to go away on its own?

A: The pills suppress pain long enough for the headache to take care of itself. It doesn’t fix the problem because if you’re feeling pain from anything [more] severe, say, getting your wisdom teeth pulled or breaking your ribs in a car accident, that pain isn’t just going to go away [forever]

because you took a painkiller, right? It’s going to be suppressed for a little bit, but when the pills wear off the pain will come back because there’s damage to the body.

Q: Whether it’s from breathing in too harsh of chemicals or being dehydrated, or being stressed from a test or some life experience, it’s putting that strain on the body.

A: It’s important to pay attention to headaches too. [Sometimes] they can be a somewhat normal occurrence, but sometimes - less frequently - they can be a symptom of a much larger, more serious issue, like a stroke or any traumatic brain injury. [...] It’s important to know yourself and recognize what might be different.

Q: I’ve experienced sinus pressure headaches where you get it, but like behind the eyes.

A: Funny you should mention that.

That sounds a lot like a cluster headache.

It’s one-tenth as common as migraines and five times more prevalent in males than females. So with cluster headaches, you can get them one to several times a day. People usually describe it as a severe, steady, boring sensation behind the eyes. They can last for a few

weeks and then it just doesn’t happen for months. Does that sound about right for what [you’re] experiencing?

Q: Yeah, it’s not a common occurrence. But when it does, it gives you sensitivity to light and there’s a throbbing pain behind the eyes that does not go away.

A: There’s also other types of headaches, such as vascular headaches, migraines, and tension headaches. A tension headache is like a steady, dull ache that could be related to excessive contraction of your scalp and neck muscles.

Vascular headaches are more linked to innervation, like the blood vessels, and more related to inflammation.

There’s lots of different types with different symptoms and different causes. That’s why it’s important to know yourself and know your triggers - that way you can recognize when something is seriously wrong.

Is that crystal clear? Let us know! If you’d like to submit a question, send an email to deltacollegiate@gmail. com or tweet us @DeltaCollegiate with the hashtag, #CrystalClear.

10 OPINION

www.deltacollegiate.com

August 27, 2019

Over the summer, big changes were making their way through Michigan legislation. Signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Public Act 21 and Public Act 22 are a couple of the biggest reforms to auto insurance that Michigan has seen to date. Under the guise of lowered rates, many are on board with the new system. However, there is no shortage of critics. One of those critics, John Cornack, president of CPAN (Coalition Protecting Auto No-Fault) released a public statement earlier this year calling the legislation a “sell out of Michigan Citizens and a total gift to insurance companies.” To understand this outlook, we must outline the major changes.

The most impactful revision is the driver’s ability to choose their PIP (Personal Injury Protection) coverage.

What this means is that starting July 1, 2020, some motorists will be able to even opt out of PIP. This change alone could be detrimental to thousands of Michiganders who have been injured in automobile accidents, as well as those affected in the future. Currently, Michigan has a no fault system like no other in the nation; one that preserves protection when tragedy strikes. Let’s talk statistics.

Since the start of the year, more than 2,600 car accident victims have been traumatically injured in Michigan. These are added to the roughly estimated 16,000 to 18,000 who live with spinal cord or

Attention Students!

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The article must be in Microsoft Word format and should be 450600 words in length.

Example bio: “Jane Doe is a freshman student at Delta College studying accounting and is from Bay City.”

"People will die" thanks to Michigan's no fault reform — Our View —

brain damage from past auto accidents.

Up until now, these victims were covered

by Michigan’s no-fault system. With the reform, the care provided for these victims may be drastically dampened.

For many, attendant care has been the difference between life and death.

Thanks to 24-hour home care, therapy and medical supervision provided by the current system, many patients have exceeded their doctor’s quality of life predictions. According to Dallas Horton Associates, the average medical cost of a traumatic injury including the brain, neck, back or spinal cord is between $400,000 and $900,000. This enormous price tag is not something that many families could handle without Michigan’s no-fault system.

Take Michigander Shannon Zilska for example. In 2004, Zilska was in a terrible motor vehicle accident, leaving her paralized from the chest down.

Since the accident, her time has been

occupied with countless days of therapy and constant support from family and friends. For an injury like hers, the medical costs can be upwards of $500,000.

“This stupid wheelchair I sit in costs $8k alone,” says Zilska. If this accident had happened with a driver who “opted out” of PIP, Zilska would have had to pay a large chunk of these costs out of pocket. Luckily, she lived in Michigan and had paid for the state’s no-fault insurance. This means that her medical bills have been completely covered up to this point. However, under the reform approved by Governor Whitmer, Zilska’s medical care is in jeopardy.

This brings us to the second and most negative impact. Under the new reform, specialized care facilities are suffering budget cuts of 55 percent, which could possibly drive them to bankruptcy. Thousands of car accident victims just like Shannon Zilska who depend on specialized care facilities

that are covered by Michigan’s no fault system are vulnerable to coverage loss. After her accident, Zilska spent months in a rehabilitation hospital where she received daily care from doctors who specialized in spinal cord damage. She became independent through this care and has been able to live on her own since being released.

“With this new reform, people won’t have this option without going bankrupt,” adds Zilska. “This is scary!”

Bigger care facilities may be able to stay open with the new budget limitations, but these are not specialized centers.

They are general centers for general care. Speaking on brain injury victims, the aforementioned John Cornack states that “programs that service people with severe brain injuries have specialized staff, specialized training and certification” and that without the specialized programs, “people will die.”

Ultimately, this reform is not just about the price tag you see on your insurance bill. It’s about the quality of care that you or your loved ones will receive if tragedy strikes. The ultimate toll this new law will take isn’t known for sure yet. In the meantime, cross your fingers that you are not put in a position where your medical needs depend on Michigan’s new no-care insurance plan.

S -Wing goes from red to white Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief @DCMichaelFP

Notice anything different as you walked into the main campus? If you came in the entrance near the connecting hallway to Delta’s fine arts building, you’ll see that Delta made some renovations. The brick walls which used to be Delta’s iconic red color are now painted white - but only in that section of the building.

One might argue that sometimes, change is necessary.

However, the white paint does take away an iconic look that has been associated with Delta College since their start: the red bricks. You still see them up and down the main hallways, in the cafeteria, in most classroom wings, in the student lounges - but no longer the S-wing entrance.

The rest of S-wing still looks the same. There are no white walls anywhere once you walk down the connecting hallway to the fine arts building; you still see the brownish bricks which look slightly different from the other red bricks, but are still alright to look at. Personally, this just looks inconsistent to me and I would hope they at least have plans to address this down the road.

Overall, I am not a fan of the color they picked. I found it a lot harsher on my eyes than the darker red color of Delta’s bricks. Maybe it will just take some getting used to, but it looks pretty weird since this part of the building is right near the west main campus hallway, which still has the red bricks.

But enough of me talking about my opinion; what are your thoughts? Do you prefer the old red bricks or the new white walls? Hit us up on twitter @DeltaCollegiate and share your rant or rave in 150 characters or less, with the hashtag #DeltaBrix.

Photo by Michael Piwowarski • Editor-in-Chief

The walls of the main campus entrance near the fine arts building are now painted white, giving them a different look from the rest of the campus. University Center, August 23, 2019.

ACTIVITIES

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August 27, 2019

11

ratemyprofessor kills the semester

Written by Michael Piwowarski Illustration by Lindsay Lang

COLLEGIATE MISSION STATEMENT

The Delta Collegiate’s mission is to provide a voice to the Delta College campus and community through assertive, factual and transparent reporting.

A moral imperative to our mission is to ensure the prompt reporting of facts and events as they become available to our staff. Additionally, we pride ourselves on the passion, personality and professionalism our staff possess within their coverage. Our outlet aims to entertain and inform those who indulge themselves with our content while offering unique perspectives as a student-run news organization.

DISCLAIMER

COLLEGIATE STAFF

Since 1961, the Delta Collegiate has been written and produced by Delta students for students without any input or oversight by administration. The paper does not represent the views of Delta College, its faculty, staff or administration. Stories are selected by the student staff members to bring reliable information and entertainment to our readers.

Michael Piwowarski Michael Pieper Colton Carrier Crystal Gwizdala Rebecca Roberts Maddison Godi Patrick Sochacki Samuel Philpot Haeley Huggard RJ Murphy Cody Wiedenbein Sadie Shepherd Lindsay Lang

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