Drug use rampant
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Since 1949
Volume CXVII, edition 4
47 percent of FCC students surveyed admit to drug use
Marijuana 40%
by Bianca Betancourt & Ivette Lopez Rampage Reporters Edgar Salazar started using drugs at the young age of 15. “I just wanted to be a part of something,” Salazar said. “I wanted attention that I didn’t have at home.” Living in the United States since the age of five, Salazar grew up as a typical American teenager. Once in high school, however, Salazar lost track of his goals and didn’t know where he was headed. “I was living my life because I was told to live it like that,” Salazar said. “[Getting high] was the thing to do. It was the only way to have fun and laugh.” Feeling left out and abandoned by his family, Salazar sought refuge with the wrong crowd as his life began to spiral out of control. “I was messing up at school and running away from home,” Salazar said. Drug use is rampant Fresno City College students are not immune to Salazar’s problems. In fact, they are exposed to drugs on a regular basis. A recent survey conducted by the Rampage staff revealed that 47 percent of students have experimented with at least one type of drug. 23 percent said they use drugs one to three times per year; 4.7 percent use drugs four to six times per year; 5.9 percent said they use illegal substances once a month; 7.1 percent admitted to two or more times a month; 2.7 percent said they do drugs weekly, and only 1 percent use it twice or more per week. An estimated 8.6 percent use drugs daily, while the remaining 22 percent did not indicate the frequency of use. FCC President Cynthia Azari said, “There is a national drug problem in this country.” Who uses drugs? According to nida.nih.gov, substance abuse is significant among different populations in the U.S., primarily minorities. African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Alaskan Natives have higher death rates from drug and alcohol abuse relative to the total
Prescription 16%
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Meth 6% Mushrooms 4.9% Salvia & Crack 4% each Ecstasy & Huffing 3.5% each Peyote 1% Other 22%
The charts below show the results of a survey conducted by the Rampage Staff about drug use. 460 students participated in the survey.
See ‘Drugs’ page 3
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Graphics by John Guglielmino & Ivette Lopez
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Yes -47%
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No -52%
March 11, 2009
Luncheon honors CEO students, alumni by Ivette Lopez Editor-In-Chief Fresno City vCollege highlighted former as well as current students in the Entrepreneur Unplugged event hosted by the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization on Feb. 26 in the Faculty Dining Hall. High school students from around the county attended the event which strove to keep them motivated and interested in higher education. The students were welcomed by a short activity that served as an ice breaker, followed by three guest speakers and ending with a lunch which allowed students to network amongst one another. The first speaker, Stephanie Reilly is the designer and CEO of POParazzi, a jewelry line that Reilly began herself at the age of 18. Her business launched off in Aug. 2007 due to the funding she received a scholarship from the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Now looking to expand her business, Reilly hopes to add a line of handbags, luggage, makeup, perfume and shoes to her existing brand. Reilly’s pieces have been spotted in the hands of various celebrities and are currently becoming more popular amongst the younger generations. Mike Provonost, another FCC student, was featured in the CEO event. Provonost is the Founder and CEO of Powerband Internet, a service that accelerates See ‘CEOs’ page 5
Graffiti artists leave their mark around campus by Mayra Cervantes Rampage Reporter
fiti is being used to send messages that relate to racial, gang, sexism, or even sentimental. “The last message was a concern because it was the Maintenance staff and un- most offensive, compared to the dercover police at Fresno City Col- previous graffiti,” said Jothany lege have a special mission to ac- Blackwood, the Dean of Fine, Percomplish. They want to decrease forming and Communication Arts graffiti and catch these individuals Division Office. “It was a concern that insist on leaving unwanted art that the message could cause seriwork on the walls. ous problems among students. It In the last year, graffiti has could cause a negative response. been more present than other years, The graffiti had a racist, sexism, not only in the men’s rest rooms, homophobic, and gang related but outside the buildings. The graf- message,” said Blackwood.
Police are working hard to arrest those that are doing graffiti vandalism. Last year, two individuals were arrested for the crime, and they had to pay approximately $2,000.00 in fines, plus pain and labor. Some of the individuals arrested were Fresno City College students. “If the graffiti follows a pattern we recognized, then we know it’s coming from the same [people]” said Richard Gaines, a Lieutenant with the SCCCD police. Pictures of graffiti are taken and analyzed then sent to Fresno
police to be compared with other a year in jail, plus paying for the graffiti; police have had success cost of the restoration. and actually caught some of the “Individuals are expressresponsible individuals. ing their art work, but they are “We take it really serious,” not doing it in the right place, or Gaines said. In the past two weeks, sending a good message,” said their hard work paid off; a male Christopher Lopez, a student at whose identity police will not FCC. Lopez said he has seen the reveal was arrested. graffiti in the male’s restrooms; Consequences for graffiti and that the graffiti leaves a bad are really serious, in some cases, reputation of FCC the offense could also be treated While it has become a chalas a felony. A majority of the lenge to stop graffiti, the occurcharges have been misdemeanors rence has decreased after the with consequences such as paying a fine, community service or even See ‘Graffiti’ page 4