The Current Green River Community College
Oct. 14, 2011
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Teach-In The Panel discussing the Attack on Higher Education drew in crowds of students to the Glacier room and balcony where there was standing room only.
WWW.THECURRENTONLINE.NET
LIVING OFF THE GRID
News
page 10
VOLUME 46, ISSUE 1
CAMPUS
page 2
Homeless program ASGRCC, Women’s Programs, Faculty, and Students speak out on the topic and available resources.
A&E
page 10
Tyrone wells concert Green River’s first concert of the 2011-2012 school year has the audience singing doot-doot-doot-doodledoodle-doodoo.
NEWS
page 12
1.4 million this year... what’s next? Budget cuts so deep that Governor Gregoire has called a special session in November to discuss how to cope.
How to survive the the economic depression
OP-ED
page 14
Guaranteed parking
Pages 8 & 9
Your own spot for a hundred bucks doesn’t do enough for the parking problem on campus.
INDEX: CAMPUS pages 2-4 COMICS page 5 NEWS pages 6-7 A&E pages 10-11 OP-ED pages 12-13 SPORTS page 14-15
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Oct. 14, 2011
CAMPUS Campus Editor: Jean-Pierre Garcia campus.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
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Also on the Inside
“Without your Sim talking to another Sim, they’re destined to end up crying in a puddle of urine. ” Alexander Bevier, Page 7
Fall Quarter writing – they all amount to the same thing in his mind. They’re all art. “You can do things with a camera that you can’t do
Fall Fling Photo Collage
2011 How Green River handles ‘homeless’ Women’s Programs offers one-time emergency SAFE grant for desperate students while ASGRCC creates a new program
ASGRCC
SAFE
By: Kally Bieber Staff Writer
The only items you have are the ones in a small bag on your back. The wind whistles through your hair as you slowly drift to sleep on the hard ground. The word echoes through your mind, as you refuse to believe it: homeless. Some get kicked out of their parents’ houses; some wake up to find that rent is due, and there’s no way to pay. Whatever the situation may be, there’s no bed with your name on it tonight. Where to go from here? Marsha Medgal, head and sole member of Women’s Programs finds help for those in need of a place to
stay at night. Medgal says that five or six people per quarter come to her asking for help. Most students that lose their home try couch surfing, going from one friend’s house and then they live there for a while and then go to the next person. Women’s Programs has the Student Assistance for Emergencies Fund (SAFE Fund), a grant for students that are in danger of becoming homeless or find themselves in other desperate situations. The SAFE grant is a onetime grant of roughly $500 that is given when an emergency prevents the student from making payments on things that are vital to the students’ well being. There are guidelines to
the SAFE fund, like having a 2.0 GPA and in most cases employment. The service is entirely referral-based. A college staff member must endorse and nominate a student to ensure the student is in real need receive the grant. Beyond the SAFE fund, Women’s Programs has a difficult time connecting students to others willing to help, due to a confidentiality agreement. However, Women’s Programs offers links to resources that can help homeless individuals (men too) find a way out of their situation. Although there are no homeless shelters in SEE ‘Woman’ ON PAGE 4
By: Koen Volks Staff Writer
Rent, unemployment, tuition, books, bills; each adds up to a sum that students often cannot afford. Some even sacrifice a place to stay just to finish with their studies. More students around the United States are finding themselves homeless. This issue is hardly visible due to the sensitivity of the subject. Many students might find it embarrassing to admit they are in difficult situations and refrain from seeking help. In Green River Community College’s past, student government (ASGRCC) had little to offer for individuals in need.
This is about to change. Vasyl Sofilkanych, ASGRCC president, is in the process of developing a program to aid homeless stu-
dents hanging around the lobby of the Lindbloom Student Center. Curious, he would ask them what was wrong.
“W
e are a community college, we give back to the community.”
Vasyl Sofilkanych, ASGRCC President.
dents. ASGRCC’s executive trio, under Sofilkanych’s direction, recently got this programmed approved by the administration office, setting their plans into motion. The idea started when Sofilkanych noticed stu-
“’I didn’t eat anything today,’” Sofilkanych recalled an upset student telling him. The president found this SEE ‘Birth’ ON PAGE 4
Contact Campus Editor, Jean-Pierre Garcia, with story ideas, comments or questions: campus.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
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The Current Oct. 14, 2011
Teacher Spotlight: Thor Johansen Full name: Thor Johansen Position: Part-time Mathematics Instructor Date of birth: October 22, 1963 Year at Green River: 14
and whatever. Then find any job what so ever that would just get some money coming, and that’s a start, but it’s very hard. A lot of people don’t realize that they’re one check away from being in a homeless shelter.
Why did you become a teacher? My mother and father were teachers and I saw how much they enjoyed it. I find it fascinating when you see a student at the beginning of the hour confused about a topic that you’re talking about but by the end of the hour not only do they understand it but you can clearly see that they’ve got it. It’s not always a common moment, but when it happens, it’s pretty cool.
What is your funniest memory? At about 4 o’ clock we have to change over the shelter to those who are staying for the night and those who are not, we have to shut down the bathrooms and lock the doors so that people either go out of the shelter or stand in line to come in. This woman named Hope came in right about that time and had to use the bathroom. I told her the bathrooms were locked, so she just decided right there to go. She dropped her shorts and went to the bathroom in front of 200 men. The next day she came in and I said “No, no, no.” I caught her long before she came to the door.
Why Math? I chose mathematics is because of its precision, its exactitude. In others subjects there are many different answers to the same question but in mathematics there’s usually one. You know the answer is seven and they’re no arguments, it’s got a certain precision and beauty to it. What would you probably be doing right now if not for teaching? Peace Corps. How long were you a member of the Peace Corps? Five years. Two and a half in Africa and two and half in South Pacific. You do three to six months of training in the country, and then two years in the actual village. You go to a central training site within the country and you learn the language they speak, as well as the local language if there is one. You learn the cultural norms and traditional customs. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done? I would say the craziest thing is getting chased by a man with a machete, to me that’s pretty crazy; as well as almost getting eaten by some lions. Probably the most insane thing that happened to me
Jean-Pierre Garcia | The Current
Jean-Pierre Garcia | The Current
was when I almost died from malaria and dysentery. I had a three day bout of passing in and out of consciousness, constant sweats, and [I was] doubled over in pain. I couldn’t eat any food, I couldn’t keep anything down, and I was constantly monitored by three German doctors every minute for 72 hours straight. When I had malaria I had trouble knowing that I was sick. I felt dizzy when I stood up, and I felt that I had a fever. It turned out I had a 105 degree temperature, but the house I lived in had a metal corrugated roof and cooked the inside, and the inside of the house was also 105. They didn’t tell us in the medical training that if your house was 105 and your body is cooking at 105 that the thermometer’s not going to show it. You mentioned in class that through poverty you found purity, could you elaborate what you meant by that? Not only did I not have any money, I had as little as [the villagers in West Africa] did. That’s the nice thing about Peace Corps; you live at the level of the people your helping.
It was listed as one of the ten poorest countries at the time, and in fact I think it still is. It takes a while to get used to it, but every day I experienced something new. It was amazing. You worked at homeless shelter in Seattle. Which one? Downtown Emergency Service Center. What did working at a homeless shelter and the Peace Corps teach you about humanity? There are a lot of good people out there that are willing to help each other. Even the severely mentally ill will help other severely mentally ill people. Money isn’t what makes you happy. What advice would you give to a recently homeless person? I’d ask them to tap into their family, but usually by the time they’re in a shelter they’ve burned those bridges with their family. So if they can’t tap into their support structure then the first thing they have to do is get off the streets and into a shelter, away from the element of the snow and wind
The saddest? There was a couple, both of which did crack cocaine, and they were together for so long that the girl got pregnant. She had her baby, but the baby died within minutes of being born. The doctors took a picture of her with her baby, after the baby was dead, and she was showing it to all of us employees. She was proud for having had a baby. It was the most sad thing you could imagine that she was happy, you’re thinking “Lady, your babies probably dead because of all the crack cocaine you did while it was in utero”. What are you working on? I’m about to tackle the worlds largest puzzle for the third time. My family is buying it for me for my birthday. It weighs 42 pounds with 32,000 pieces.
Find the complete interview and many other Teacher Spotlights at our website: www.thecurrentonline.net/ campus
CAMPUS 3
Man on the Street Every other week, The Current’s editors crawl out of their cave to ask the campus random questions. Suggest a subject at: thecurrent@greenriver.edu Here is a selection of this issue’s answers. For more, plus an archive of old questions, visit our website: www.thecurrentonline.net
What would you do if you were homeless? The first thing I did when I was homeless, after I ran out of places to sleep, I found a nice park bench under a tree in Denny Park in Seattle. When you don’t care about yourself enough to care if you wake up in the bone chilling cold, and when you don’t think life is worth living , you think tomorrow is a curse and yesterday was the best you’re going to get.
I once had a student who was missing from my class for a week. When he returned, he told me about struggles with drugs and alcohol and that he had been kicked out of the house. He was back home by the time he shared this with me, and had a game plan in place for recovery. He was embarrassed to attend class when he was not at home, but he was trying to get it together and wanted badly to pass. I was then and am still in awe of this student’s dedication to completing school under such extreme circumstances. He was focused, driven, and an inspiration for all students to recognize that each has their own hurdles, but it’s how they chose to finish the race that counts. I would ask my friends if I could sleep there, if that’s not possible I would find some kind of shelter to sleep. If I have no options left, I would try and sleep on campus. To get food, I would help my friend with daily house tasks, in exchange for food. I heard somewhere that if you have low income you can get food stamps for food, that might be a solution. Allthough I’m not exactly sure about that.
Grant Seamster
Sarah Dillon
Clinton Cheang
4 CAMPUS
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The Current Oct. 14, 2011
Birth of a homeless program
Contact Campus Editor, Jean-Pierre Garcia, with story ideas, comments or questions: campus.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
Occupy this!
Let’s Talk Jean-Pierre Garcia
Asha Johnson | The Current Jean-Pierre GarciaSean | TheZhang Current The ASGRCC executive is creating a new program for students in need. ASGRCC President Vasyl Sofilkanych (center) Vice-President (right) and Chief Justice Nelička Voitešonoka are primarily behind this new project, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.
ASGRCC continued from 2
startling. Students were more concerned about how they were going to be able to eat, instead of passing their finals. After several encounters like this, Sofilkanych and his executive team listed a new program to help students in need as one of their top priorities for the year. “We are a community college, we give back to the community” Sofilkanych said. Though he began planning for this homeless project last spring quarter, Sofilkanych hosted brainstorm sessions during the summer with help from other members of the ASGRCC
executive team, including Vice President Sean Zhang and Chief Justice Nelička Voitešonoka. Sofilkanych also partnered with Chris Mayfield, a peer navigator in the Commencement Achievement Program (CAP). He wanted to incorporate different approaches for different students. Recently, the ASGRCC executive partnered with the Foundation office to help raise funds for the project. To progress the program further, the executive discussed and is establishing goals for their project. Some things they’d like the new program to cover includes serving basic needs like a free meal a couple times a week.
Another area of focus addresses how they plan on reaching out to students, getting help to those who need it. They’re considering anonymous sign-up sheets, which was partially inspired by booths at Volunteer Fair held on Oct. 6. The ASGRCC executive isn’t limiting their plan strictly to state or college financial support; they want to gather the money needed for the project from independent sources. The idea for donors was inspired somewhat by the booths with the Auburn Food Bank and Northwest Harvest at the Volunteer fair. “How we’re going to get the result is what is important” Sofilkanych said. He hopes to let everyone
know that homeless students can get help once his program hits the ground. There are programs at the college that aid homeless students but they are spread out and narrowly focused. Trio, a program that increases opportunities for academic success, can help with books for first generation students, for example. It’s Sofilkanych’s hope that there will be one place where all students can go for help. “No students are being forgotten; everyone who needs help will receive help” Sean Zhang, said.
For more resources: http://www.greenriver. edu/counselingandhealth/ resources/index.shtm
Woman’s Programs SAFE
continued from 2
the Auburn area, there are other places to spend the night. Auburn youth resources is one place, offering counseling and support services for low to moderate income families and youth.
It’s not only students that the program serves but people unaffiliated with the college can also take advantage if Women’s Programs resources. “They wouldn’t be able to utilize the resources, like the SAFE fund or any of the other resources I have for students, but I definitely
would connect them with resources from the community,” Medgal said. Medgal has helped many get back on their feet. One woman lost her job because of a seeing impairment, and could not pay her bills. The woman was living in her car before coming to GRCC’s Women’s programs for help.
After a few phone calls, the woman stayed at a hotel a few nights, while she got her life back on track. That’s one student who was able to get under a roof from a downpour. With more rain clouds coming, Medgal’s program is just one umbrella for students to huddle under..
In the sixteenth and seventeenth century it was a euphemism for “to have sexual intercourse with” derived from it’s origins in the English language just two hundred years prior focusing on the root of grasping, and seizing. That’s totally what she said, right? The word is occupy, let’s talk about it. As we know it, ‘occupy’ usually refers to taking up space or time. It’s like when you say “I’m sorry I was occupied last night with this new column in my college newspaper. I forgot that I had to study for my logic mid-term.” * The word also can go further by engaging the mind, attention or energy of a subject. This column is occupying you, similar to when students study. Occupy could also apply to jobs and employment. This context of the word is from the French verb ‘occuper’ and it works especially well for holding a position. “There aren’t enough of occupations for us occupants.” The preceding sentence refers to the ambiguity of the word, meaning both a synonym for residents and employment. If we want to add a bit of aggression we could use occupy in the form of control, possession, military occupations, and invasions. This form of the word occupation is derived from latin occupare, an intensive form of capare. The aggressive form coupled with the lack of jobs available, also names the trending protests everywhere since December of 2010, when a Tunisian vegetable seller sparked the entire Middle East into protest. This brought the world to think about occupation, bringing all meanings of the word to a head. Unrest has spread globally, in Spain, Libya, the U.K, Wall Street and now Seattle. Each
are aiming to take things back (each reclamation is tailored to individual movement). This reclamation also is a new ownership of the word. If you think about it, all past and present meanings of the word occupy hold relevance to today’s political and social landscape. It’s not just an idle buzzword (idle means unoccupied, the antonym of occupy). In this tense it’s active and certainly prominent here with the movement ‘Occupy Wall Street’ and ‘Occupy Westlake’. Our prior understandings are shifting to ideas bigger than what we usually expect. The movement illustrates a growing and adapting knowledge of the word. Disapproval has soared with rising occupants losing their homes and their jobs, seized in the moment by big banking, along with government seizures of taxes and
“
Basically society is being screwed, so protesters are going 16th century on banks and screwing back.”
Jean-Pierre Garcia
misapplication of those funds. All of this is coupled with pending cuts across the board to state services like education. It feels like the problems are only being compounded and there’s little help to be had with a vicious cycle of cuts, mandated by those who are entrusted to spend tax money wisely, to benefit the whole rather than individual interests. Basically, the society is being screwed, so protesters are going 16th century on banks and misused tax spenders and screwing back. One only has to look it up in the slang bible, urban dictionary, and the only result for ‘occupy’ is Occupy Wall Street, hinting at how a single movement in time, present events, contributes to our language, culture and history.
* Disclaimer, The Current encourages studying for Logic.
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“Two Of A Kind”
Also on the Inside
“Educators will never get the overhaul they need as long they are pitted against each other as adversaries.
COMICS 5 A&E Editor: Bailey Jo Josie ae.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
Andrew Jefferies Page 16
Oct. 14, 2011
By Alexander Bevier, Asha Johnson and Bailey Jo Josie
“Simple Solutions to Complex Problems” This is the end, Potter!
By Jacob Cassio You’ll never win Voldemort! There’s always a clever plot twist that saves my life!
Oh, really?
Potter’s clear. Take your shot.
Let Your Inner Warrior Run Wild...
DRAW FOR The Current Submit your comics and Drawings to ae.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
6
Oct. 14, 2011
NEWS News Editor: Asha Johnson news.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
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“This team has the capability to be the most successful team in the history of Green River.”
Teach- In: ‘Attack on Higher Education’
“I
The Undercurrent By: Alexander Bevier Senior Writer
Jean-Pierre Garcia | The Current
Students and teachers alike crowded out to a balcony rigged with speakers tuned into a panel of five representatives for the Teach-in discussion series ‘Attack on Higher Education’. Hosted in a packed glacier room, panelists talked about topics covering tuition rates, student loans and jobs .
Jobs According to Bahl, you can do well in classes and work hard, but that doesn’t gurantee a good job.And it doesn’t make student loan debt manageable. The current educational model was called a “ false social contract” based off of the premise that working hard in education will provide benefits to students in the long run. Dodson was more concerned with wages and how growth in productivity didn’t reflect effort. “People are working harder, smarter, more efficient, but wages have not increased,” Dodson said.
love seeing people get rallied behind this, but it’s hard to know what we can do.”
Charles Renwick, Green River student from audience
unfair circumstances such as increasing tuition rates, privatization, and budget cuts effect on educational quality. The five panelists leading this discussion were faculty; Vik Bahl, Frank Primiani, Paul Haeder, joined by Lynne Dodson, Secretary Treasurer of the Washington Labor union council and Renata Bryant, a student.
er;Bob Kickner, Page 15
The Current wins national collegiate press honors
By: Makena Cayce Staff writer A Teach-in series will be hosted at Green River Community College throughout the 2011-2012 academic year. These seminars are designed to pull students and teachers together to discuss the ongoing ‘Attacks on Higher Education’. Traditionally, the idea of a “Teach-in” comes from a ‘60’s style sit-in, during a time when people stood up and took charge of their society and government. In this case, certain teachers around the community were tired of being restricted to classroom curriculum, and are now reaching out to students about current issues affecting the educational community. October 5th hosted Green River’s premiere Teach-In at Lindbloom Student Center’s Glacier Room. Starting at 11 a.m., the room was filled beyond its capacity -- with teachers, students, and community members alike -- and seemed to maintain a steady flow of discussion until it’s close at 1 p.m.. “The idea of a teach-in is that teaching and learning have to go beyond the classroom.” Vik Bahl, pioneer behind the seminar. The panelists encouraged students to question
Also on the Inside
Voice “Who has a voice in making the decisions about how budgets will be balanced? Who has a voice in making decisions about how structures will be redefined?” asked Bahl. Bahl like other teachers, feel that students need to get involved and informed
to secure the value of their education. Where those steps start is up to the students. Student responses shared concerns about who decides the value of education. There was doubt about what qualifies decisions and actions to for the well being education as a whole. One student proposed several ideas that would spread the message, promoting discussion within other areas of the community. “[Let’s] protest and get our voice heard. Get this message out to more people,” said Mike Novotka, a student in the audience. “Let’s make our own media. Let’s become the media, let’s get our voice heard.” Various students had ideas whereas others were curious about what could be done. “I love seeing people get rallied behind this but it’s hard to know what we can do,” Charles Renwick said, “We’re told to all you can do is vote.” There are many components to higher education and the teachers recognize this. They’re hoping these teach-ins will shed some light on the issues at hand for others. “I don’t think any one person has a handle on how all the pieces fit together, but I assure you that the stakes are very high,” Bahl said.
Developing an analysis, behind strategies for action was key for Bahl. Haeder felt that statistics held less impact in comparison to personal experiences and testimonies. His stories were less the issue for students, but the heated delivery was not well received by everyone in the audience. Some students left turned off from attending any more events with the teach-in and cited feelings of demagogoury and disorganization as a few reasons. “This is all bullshit,” Joyce Lee said. Her skepticism echoed other student thoughts about the point behind the arguments presented.
Why For Sandy Johanson, a Green River philosophy professor, the students should know the issues so students are prepared for changes to education. “If anything were to happen in the next year or so, there would, hopefully be understanding and, even more so, support,” Johanson said. The next Teach-In will be October 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Glacier Room and upcoming 7:30 p.m. lecture from Dr. Cornel West on November 16th. For more Teach-in info: http://grccteachin.wordpress.com/.
The Current recently had two staff members honored by the Associated Collegiate Press for their excellence in journalism. Remco Zwetsloot, The Current’s previous Editor in Chief, was named a finalist for Reporter of the Year, and Eric Bell, a former staff writer, earned honorable mention for Best Story of the Year in the Sports category. Bell’s prized story, “A Broken Life, Fixed with a little Murder” was The Current’s cover story for the May 13 issue. The story details Bell’s recovery from a spinal cord injury, leaving him permanently wheelchair-ridden. Zwetsloot managed to earn The Current first place in general excellence at the Washington Community College Journalism Awards, naming the newspaper the best community college newspaper in the state for 2010/11. The staff took home an additional thirteen awards at the same ceremony. The ACP is an organization that works to honor students and schools pursuing excellence in journalism. Both Bell and Zwetsloot will receive name-inscribed plaques for their achievements.
Enumclaw hosts election forum By: Jean-Pierre Garcia Campus editor The Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Students of Green River Community College and Puget Sound Energy will be hosting a local candidate’s forum at the GRCC Enumclaw campus October 18 at 7:30 a.m. -9:30 a.m. The forum will feature candidates for the contested Enumclaw City Council seat like Darrel Dickson, Jim Hogan, Richard Elfers and Chance LaFleur. Running unopposed is Nancy Merrill for Enumclaw School Board of education and David Hannity for District 28 Number one fire commissioner position. The candidates expect a question and answer session with issues pertaining to Enumclaw residents and others affected by the city followed by a meet and greet. Each is allowed five minutes. One of the main topics will be how to handle the city budget. Raising the issues and awareness within the community is another likely topic.
Salish Hall’s first Fall quarter By: Asha Johnson Editor-in-Chief Salish Hall, the newest addition to Green River’s Auburn campus, was officially opened for classes this Fall quarter. The buidling, three stories tall, took the place of four old buildings worth of classes (HS-A, B, C and SMT), with plenty of space for more. This building, also conveniently located an the center of campus, appears to be exceeding its expectations so far.
Correction The Current is committed to delivering fair and accurate coverage, but no news organization is flawless. If you see a mistake in one of our articles, please notify us at thecurrent@greenriver.edu so that we can correct it. Thank you.
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The Current Oct. 14, 2011
One Year:
$4.5 Million this year... what’s next?
Green River’s OnGoing
By: Asha Johnson Editor-in-Chief
Budget battle
October, 2010 -Green River tries to balance the budget after 8 and 9% cuts.
November, 2010 -Green River decides not to declare financial ‘state of emergency’. -’No layoff to tenured faculty or closing down any educational programs’.
-Large number of Running Start and International students help with cutbacks.
January, 2011 -11% budget cut is made certain
February, 2011 -The Board of Trustees meeting held in attempt to come to agreement on the nine vacant, full-time positions.
-Possible 3% salary and $1.1 million cut
March, 2011 -Student government finalizes 522 budget that funds athletics and events at Green River.
April, 2011 -Roughly 15% budget cut to the Community and Technical College system. -Green River plans closing Enumclaw campus during the summer quarter to save money. -Education funding reduced from 45% in 2011 to approximately 35% next year.
-$1.4 million budget fund reviewed by ASGRCC for clubs, sports, music, and student employment.
MaY, 2011 -12% tuition rise decided. -22% budget cut causes job insecurity and disadvantage in academic help to students since there are less tenured faculty and more adjunct faculty.
NEWS 7
A $1.4 billion shortfall in state projections was announced September 15th by Governor Chris Gregoire, suggesting state agencies to prepare for an anticipated 23 percent cut from the budget in order to bounce back from this loss of revenue. Gov. Gregoire sent out an email to all state agencies two weeks after the deficit was announced, notifying them of a special session she’s called for November 28 to address this unexpected degree of shortcoming. “I’m asking legislators back in late November
with an increase in tuition. Only last May was it announced that tuition in Washington State would be raised by 12 percent for the following year, and it seems that – by following the pattern – the chances of another raise in tuition is likely after this most recent deficit announcement. Even if another tuition increase helps soften the blow of the proposed cuts, GRCC is still expecting at least a 10 percent cut this year. That being the bestcase scenario, added to the cuts from last fiscal year, will leave Green River’s general budget at about half of what it used to be merely two fiscal years ago.
“
We’ve nibbled around the edges about as much as we could nibble around the edges over the last four years, and there’s not a whole lot of nibbling around the edges left that we can do.”
John Ramsey, director of public information
to have the benefit of the November 17 forecast. That forecast, according the state economist, is four times more likely to be negative than positive,” the Governor said in her email. She’s requesting that each state agency comes to the session with a plan on how to execute cuts of both 5 percent and 10 percent for the current fiscal year, although the expected average is a 23 percent cut. For Green River Community College, a full 23 percent cut would mean $4.5 million stripped from our general budget, on top of the stacking 11 percent, 15 percent, and 22 percent cuts that were made during the previous school year alone. The revenue forecasts have been consistently down for the past few years. Each time they have been below projections, the legislator has backfilled the cut
“We’ve nibbled around the edges about as much as we could nibble around the edges over the last four years, and there’s not a whole lot of nibbling around the edges left that we can do. At some point you got to start making some big moves,’ said John Ramsey, director of public information at Green River. Eileen Ely, president of Green River Community College, also acknowledges the straining reality of our state’s lack of financial stability in an email sent around the college, and in return encourages our campus community to work together to find solutions. “Your work groups have been stretched thin, vacant positions have gone unfilled, and budgets have already been reduced or eliminated. You might be asking, “What’s next?” I challenge you to think of
what is best for the institution, what is core to our mission and goals, and what are we willing to do without or to do differently?” Ely asks. Although it is too early in the process to know – or even guess – the damage Green River will have to take, President Ely has already begun discussing with her Cabinet the best ways to assess this situation. Green River Community College has never had to anticipate for a cut this large. Everything is being looked at as thoroughly as possible, and some tough decisions will have to be made over the next couple months. “Everything is on the table and the public must know what’s at stake,” Gregoire said. Even with everything on the table, the real fear is not whether or not Green River will be able to bounce back from almost one fourth of its funds being cut. The real fear is that the number could be worse next year.
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LIVING OFF THE GRID Written by: Josh Davidson
Deisign by: Asha Johnson, Kally Bieber, Bailey Jo Josie, and Josh Davidson
Economy in the dump. Politicians on their rumps. B to these tidings of doom because there’s a stability in tremulous time The Grid is... the hierarchical infrastructure delivering our basic needs. Corporations make food, pump water, generate electricity, build housing, package it all, deliver and sell it to you for some cold hard cash. That’s the grid. solid than the most It’s a convenient system, but as the corporations and the government walk a tightrope of economic peril, clutching to one another for dear life, a bridge of personal stability can be constructed to survive even the wake of an economic plunge. Getprudish mutual fund ting off the grid is easy because we did the research for you. Off the grid resources, information, and data, organized into the following categories: Nourishment, Power, and Hygiene.
HYBRIDIZED ON AND OFF GRID The off-grid techniques illustrated here were chosen to be integrated with and supplement an on-grid lifestyle, easing dependence and softening the effect of economic downturns. Total transition to off-grid living is certainly possible with some extra research and expansion of the projects described here.
Get Off The GRID
YOU CAN USE OFF GRID SYSTEMS NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. You can be off grid anywhere, even living in a house or apartment that’s hooked up to the grid. The examples here are used in a car to ensure the simplicity and mobility of the systems, but would work equally well in any living environment.
Power
Below, a chart with three solar panel & battery combos are listed from low to high power. These systems were chosen because they all use 12 volt car receptacles, the type of connection a car cell phone charger uses. This makes it easy to connect low power devices. Check out the chart below which gives the details for three basic solar setups, from low to high power. For those who would like to calculate exactly how much battery power would be required to run their electronics, and what the best solar panel would be for that battery, read continue reading below. What to power: Decide what your electrical needs are. For example, “at a mini-
Basic Power
amps per hour. If only wattage and voltage is listed, simply divide the wattage by the voltage to determine the amp-hours. In this case 24W / 12V = 2A. If you can’t find this info anywhere, search online for a manual or contact the manufacturer of the device. Now that the amp usage per hour has been found, just multiply by the number of hours the device will be powered or charged. If a cell phone charger that uses 1Ah will be charging a phone for 3 hours it will need 3Ah to charge. Add up the requirements for all devices, for example, a cell phone at 1Ah charged for 3 hours, and a laptop at 2Ah charged for four hours is 14Ah. Now a battery can be
Solar Power
Will charge a cell phone and laptop.
The panel:
mum I would like to power a cell phone, a laptop, some lights, and an electric frying pan.” Battery size: Next, the amperage (amps), which is how much electricity each device will pull, needs to be determined. This comes in the form of how many amps per hour a device will use, also known as amp-hours (Ah). There’s a simple process for determining this. Electronic devices list their input amperage either on the device, on its charger, or in the manual. It will be near some other numbers, such as watts and volts. For example: “INPUT: DC 12V 2A 24W”. The amperage is the number next to “A” or “Ah”, in this case it’s 2A, so the device uses 2
Sunforce 50022 (or equivalent 5 watt solar panel*)
The Battery:
Medium Power
Will charge a cell phone, laptop, and run lights at night.
The panel:
Sunforce 50033 (or equivalent 15 watt solar panel*)
The Battery:
High Power
Will run a 12v freezer, charge a cell phone, laptop, and power lights.
The panel:
Sunforce 50042 (or equivalent 50 watt solar panel*)
The Battery:
Schumacher XP400
Schumacher IP-95C
Schumacher PP-2200
(or equivalent 5Ah backup battery**)
(or equivalent 9Ah backup battery**)
(or equivalent 22Ah backup battery**)
Total Cost:
$85
Total Cost:
$130
Total Cost:
$303
* Equivalent solar panel will require a car receptacle plug for easy connection to batteries and devices. ** Equivalent battery will need a charge regulator to protect the battery from overcharging, and car receptacle port for easy connection to a solar panel and devices. Charge regulators can be purchased seperate from the battery.
chosen. Choose a battery that stores enough Ah of electricity to power the devices. Lead-acid batteries are recommended because of their high efficiency compared to other battery types Solar panel power: The amount of solar power needed depends on the size of the battery. At a minimum it should be able to charge the battery fully in about 5 hours, which is generally how long the sun will be brightest in the sky. When using lead-acid batteries, charging efficiency ranges from 85-95%. This means 85-95% of electricity coming from the solar panel into the battery will actually get stored in the battery, the remaining percentage is lost as heat. The lower the incoming amperage, the more efficient the charge will be. A formula exists to find out how many amps per hour a solar panel would need to put out to charge your battery in 5 hours: (Amp hours of the panel, which is: watts / voltage) * hours charging * efficiency = total number of amp-hours. Using 17.5Ah as an example battery size and assuming 85% efficiency: Ah * 5 hours * .85 = 17.5Ah With some algebraic reduction the mystery required Ah output of the panel can be determined, dividing 17.5Ah by .85 (efficiency), then dividing that
HYBRIDIZED ON AND OFF GRID
K I N G OFF GRID
by 5 (hours). In the end, the required output of a solar panel to charge a 17.5Ah battery in 5 hours running at 85% efficiency would be about 4.12Ah. Since the power output of most solar panels is measured in watts, 4.12Ah can be converted to watts by amps * voltage, in this case 4.12A * 12V = 49.44, making a 49 watt solar panel the minimum best choice.
r . e t w n o Po C
Local Edible Plants
Budget cuts loom. Pay no heed a system for personal es more
d:
Nourishment
• Grow and harvest a micro-farm. No matter how much space one has it’s always possible to grow plants to some degree. Even without a yard, an indoor farm is possible with just a window, pots, and soil. Peppers, onions, small rooted carrots, short vine squash, and herbs (such as basil, chives, and parsley), are some examples of edible plants suited for indoor growing.
There are many edible plants in Washington, some common ones are listed below. Cautions about eating wild plants: make certain that you’re eating the right plant. Don’t eat plants growing near roads or buildings because they could be sprayed with chemicals or other contaminants. Always wash and preferably cook plants thoroughly before eating.
• Rain water is easily harvested and purified for drinking, or can be used without purification for watering an indoor garden. Rain water purification systems sell online for 40 dollars and up. • Refrigeration and freezing of perishables is very possible in an off-grid setup. There are many 12 volt cooling systems possible with a high powered solar panel and battery backup system. Cheap 12v Cooler devices start at around $40. Most will cool to 40 degrees below ambient temperature, usually with a low of 32 degrees Fahrenheit. High efficiency 12v fridges and freezers start at around $300 and can keep the temperature below freezing constantly no matter the outside temperature.
Dandelion
(Taraxacum officinale) This common plant is viewed as a weed by many, but is actually better suited as an abundant nutrient source. One cup of chopped dandelion greens provides about 100% daily value of vitamin A, 30% daily value of vitamin C, 2 grams of protein, and many other essential nutrients.
• Cooking food is a task with a lot of available off-grid options. There’s always the traditional campfire when wood is available. A more compact version of the campfire is a tin can wood stove, which is a tin can modified for ease of containing fire and cooking on. Instructions for endless variations of the tin can stove can be found online. When a 12 volt battery and solar panel setup is available, a 12 volt frying pan or stove can be used to heat and cook food. These devices are available online starting at around $25, some are even advertised as being able to cook food up to 300 degrees.
Hygiene
Salal
AP
SO
• Brushing teeth: baking soda is the traditional alternative to toothpaste, which is cheaply accessible in much greater quantities than toothpaste. Other simple toothpaste alternatives can be found online.
(Gaultheria shallon) A little known plant that blooms in mid-spring, was once a staple of local Native Americans. It anually produces berries which are edible but somewhat bitter. The leaves are high in fiber and contain some protein. The high fiber content makes them slow to digest, so don’t eat a lot of them.
• Most toothpaste includes fluoride, a chemical that helps fortify teeth’s natural enamel coating. Fluoride can be gained by chewing on plants in which it naturally occurs, such as parsley, a herb previously mentioned for easy indoor growing, which is also known for its high fluoride content. • Bathing isn’t too difficult with a camping shower, which at its simplest is just a bag or bucket filled with water, placed at a high location, and slowly drained from an attached faucet or shower-head. Nicer camping showers can be purchased or built, some with full privacy enclosures. Coupled with a rain-water collection system, a modern yet portable and off-grid shower can be constructed.
Powering Internet and Transportation Although the Internet is inherently an “on-grid” activity, there are decentralized methods of Internet access worth mentioning here. A WiFi antenna can be constructed for as little as
20 dollars. Numerous types of home-built WiFi antennae can be found online, such as the cantenna, which consists of a tin can, and USB WiFi stick. Utilize “wardriving” software on a smart phone
with GPS, which maps out local open WiFi hotspots. For example, WiGLE WiFi for Android allows local mapping and optional upload to the global WiGLE WiFi database which can be browsed online.
For off-grid transport, The bicycle is the most efficient method of human travel on the planet. If you have a bike, use it! Nothing required other than some stamina and a few extra calories.
Blackberry Bush
(Rubus fruticosus) Aside from the berries for which this plant is named, it’s also useful for its leaves, which can be used to brew blackberry tea all year long. The leaves are higher than the berries in anti-oxidant content, and have a mild antiinflammatory effect.
These are just a few examples. A little research will yield many more edible plants.
10 Oct. 14, 2011
A&E
A&E Editor: Bailey Jo Josie ae.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
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“Basically society is being screwed, so protesters are going 16th century on banks and screwing back” Jean-Pierre Garcia Page 4
The Sims Social
Game Prose Alexander Bevier
Tyrone Wells By: Bailey Jo Josie & Joyce Lee Tyrone Wells has a bone to pick with Disney and the damage they’ve done to the careers and talent of the youth they use for their global propaganda-krieg! Well, not really…..okay, not at all. But he does have something to say when it comes to the mechanisms of the music industry and the misconceptions people make about it. Namely, the mistaken belief that music is a young man’s game and a record deal equals instant success. So Wells, age 37, digresses: “I was about 28 when I started taking music seriously, [but] I didn’t sign a record deal until I was 31. And it’s funny because a lot of times when people break on the scene and people think they’re an overnight success, they’ve usually been doing it for 10 years, because it takes some time to build your craft and to,
you know, get good at what you do.” With almost 10 years and several television and film soundtracks under his belt, it’s little wonder that Wells has indeed gotten good at what he does. Just ask anyone in the audience this last September 30 when Tyrone performed a gig in Green River’s Performing Arts building, pulling in a crowd of almost 200 people. The overall atmosphere of the venue was one of enjoyment and tranquility; one couldn’t help but have a good time. As Wells took the stage, Taylor acoustic guitar strapped to his person, his backing band followed suit. With nothing but a bassist/guitarist and a drummer to aide him, he goes into his first song “Running Around In My Dreams”, which was featured in the recent Kate
Tyrone Wells and his guitarist/bassist playing with emotion during a concert at the Green River’s Performing Arts building on September 30th.
Hudson movie, Something Borrowed.The crowd ate it up, completely bewitched by the calm urgency of the lyrics, melody and Wells himself. As he barreled through the set list, Wells took brief moments between songs to recall life stories and funny anecdotes that pertained to each song, such as the time his preacher father passed on the tradition of yodeling to him during his tender teenage years. And with that, he went into “Ain’t No Sunshine”, where he showed off his aforementioned yodeling skills and gave the crowd a show none had probably experienced beforehand. For the finale, Wells and company gave an incredible performance of one of his more famous songs, “More” which has been featured
in the cancer drama “My Sister’s Keeper”; the message of the song is both spiritual and very humanit’s about the will to live and there is no doubt that his performance moved many in the crowd. With a beautiful performance such as that, one can guarantee that every show Wells plays for evermore will fulfill one of his musical goals, so he says: “I’ve been moved to the point of tears when I’ve watched someone or I’ve listened to something that’s amazing and so I attempt to do that myself; for the people that come and watch and listen [to be] inspired.” And in the confines of Green River Community College’s Performing Arts building, Tyrone Wells did just that.
The Sims is a game that barely needs explanation. After over 100 million copies sold, the game has become not only a benchmark PC game, but a precursor to new social games on Facebook. Coincidentally, the Sims is now on Mark Zuckerberg’s cherished social network and has managed to get quite a large player-base in a few short months. How large? Over 30 million people, 16 of which started playing in the game’s first week. The Sims, in a nutshell is about virtual dolls with virtual needs. Sims are playercreated characters, but they need food. You have to feed them. After your Sim is well fed, they get bored and you buy them a TV. Later on, they get lonely so you go over to a friend’s house. The Sims Social takes that later need and creates an entire game around going over to real life friend’s virtual houses. Now, I’ve always been an advocate of social games. These games let players interact alongside other players without making the core mechanic being competitive. This way, I can play games with my mother without being forced to play against her. The Sims Social doesn’t necessarily do anything new with the social game system created to the core of pure design by FarmVille, but it does bring players back to one of those games that taught many people to play games on computers. After all, these 100 million users (a large portion of which are young girls) weren’t avid gamers back in the year 2000. The Sims is also a fantastic social game because it was one long before social games existed, except it wasn’t played socially. The Sims is all about interacting with other
Sims. Without your Sim talking to another Sim, they’re destined to end up crying in a puddle of their own urine (true story). They need interaction. Human beings do too. They need to know that other people support their actions. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs claims that social acceptance is what people look for once they’ve had food, shelter and sex. The Sims Social helps create this truth on a smaller, virtual scale. And, back in 2000, this was true. However, now that things like Facebook and a strong virtual goods economy exists, game designers can take these fundamental human necessities and implement them into their games. I’m not saying that The
“
Without your Sim talking to another Sim, they’re destined to end up crying in a puddle of urine. Alexander Bevier
Sims Social helps create personal self-actualization in the long term, but there’s something really satisfying about being able to help a friend build a bigger house in a game while you’re doing the same. It’s also nice to go over to their Sim House and have a friendly Sim chat with them. And, considering that I spend little personal time with the some 500 people I have on my Facebook friend list, it’s nice to stay connected on any level. If you have a free moment during the hustle and bustle of the new school year, I’d give the Sims Social a look. It’s free on Facebook, and odds are you already have friends playing. I can almost guarantee you’ll be closer to them after lending them a virtual paintbrush to complete the quest. They can’t do it without you.
Contact A&E Editor, Bailey Jo Josie, with story ideas, comments or questions: ae.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
Other ways to contact us: Phone: (253) 833-9111 x. 2375 In person: OEB 17
The Current Oct. 14, 2011
MOVIE REVIEW
The Duality of Comedy & Tragedy By: Bailey Jo Josie A&E Editor
Dustin Hoffman once mused that he didn’t believe in comedic or dramatic acting; to him, there is only acting. That one should not limit themselves to one or the other, be they an actor or, in this context, someone dealing with a serious disease. In ‘50/50’, the words of Hoffman are echoed through in quite a way that doesn’t make it a “dramedy” (oh, how loathsome that word is) but instead, an art-imitating-life story, based loosely on the experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, his fight against cancer and the humor he (and his buddy Seth Rogen) employed to help him deal with the life changing event. Reiser is re-imagined as Adam Lerner, a 27 year old Seattle-ite who is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer that has a 50/50 survival rate. His first reaction is disbelief: “A tumor? Me? That
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doesn’t make sense though. I mean, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke... I recycle.” Because cancer cells don’t form for hipsters, of course. From there, the film follows Adam’s journey as he prepares for chemo and adjusting his life so suddenly. The beauty is that the viewer doesn’t necessarily notice his tragedy; the way the dialogue is both written and delivered makes one laugh, even when the jokes are a bit on the morbid side (“No one wants to fuck me, I look like Voldemort.”) This isn’t to say that there aren’t dramatic elements to the story, like when Adam tells his father and mother (played beautifully by Anjelica Houston) he has cancer, you feel a mother’s pain as she attempts to brew him some green tea because she heard it helps prevent cancer. In terms of acting, this movie is top notch; like Gordon-Levitt’s going from effortless control of his emotions as his character
A&E 11
Concert Calendar Oct.
14 15
Mason Jennings @ Neptune Theatre (Doors open at 9 p.m. all ages, $19+) Moonface @ The Crocodile (Doors open at 9 p.m. 21+, $15) Opeth @ Showbox SODO (Doors open at 7 p.m. all ages, $25+)
Courtesty Photo | moviecarpet.com
Kyle (Seth Rogan) cheers on cancer-stricken Adam (Joseph GordonLevitt) as he joyously destroys his cheating ex-girlfriend’s painting.
faces chemo to letting gravity have its way and breaking down briefly before a serious surgery procedure. Another great role is Bryce Dallas-Howard’s as Adam’s artist girlfriend who’s cheating on him. Her portrayal as a horrible human being is both intriguing and alarming; how can one cheat on someone with cancer? Even though she regrets what she’s done, Adam kicks her out, thanks in part to his best friend Kyle, played by Rogen, who, despite using
The Current Picks
Adam’s illness to hook up with chicks, comes out in the end as the best character in the movie. Rogen has a knack for being sympathetic and caring yet inappropriate and crude; he has the duality of comedy and tragedy that mirrors ‘50/5o’ which makes it great a great movie. Hoffman would be proud.
16 19 20 21
BOOK
MUSIC
A Fistful of Dollars
Corelli’s Mandolin
In the Grace of Your Love
Veil of Maya @ Studio Seven (Show starts at 6:30 p.m. all ages, $15+) Long Winters @ Showbox at the Market (Doors open at 8 p.m. all ages, $28.50+) Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman @ The Crocodile (Starts at 8 p.m. 21+, $20+) Fences @Neumos (Doors open at 6 p.m. all ages, $13)
Rated: R Director: Jonathan Levine Starring: Joseph GordanLevitt, Seth Rogen
MOVIE
Vince Gill @ Emerald Queen Casino (Doors open at 7 p.m. 21+, $49+)
The Boxer Rebellion @ The Crocodile (Doors open at 6 p.m. 21+, $16)
22
Death Cab For Cutie @ Key Arena (Show starts at 7 p.m. all ages, $40+) Blackalicious @ ShowBox at the Market (Doors open at 7 p.m. 21+, $20) Ozomatil @ ShowBox SODO (Doors open at 7 p.m. all ages, $23.50+)
By: Asha Johnson
By: Josh Davidson
By: Bailey Jo Josie
By: Jean-Pierre Garcia
Sleek, efficient, thorough - everything that the website isn’t. Craigslist is notorious for its basic and outdated web design, but its new mobile app seems to leave this stereotype behind. Users are now able to favorite posts they‘re interested in, view the post’s location on a map, and clearly indentify posts they’ve already looked at, saving time. It’s websites like Craig’s List that truly benefit by switching over to the mobile market. With a simple “tap”, instead of a tiresome web search, you can be searching for a better paying job – among other things – while you grocery shop. If this is the future, then change is good.
A stranger (played by Clint Eastwood) enters a town, kills some people for money, saves other people for nothing, witnesses a machine gun massacre and is beat nearly to death, somehow escaping in a coffin through the smoke of a massive gun powder explosion. By the end of the film we still don’t know his name. ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ revived the popularity of Western films throughout the world, the defining film of a new genre of Western known as the Spaghetti Western, named so because it’s directed and produced by Italians in Italian film style. A classic film that should not be overlooked.
Set during WWII, this novel follows the story of Pelagia, a young Greek woman who falls in love with Antonio Corelli, captain of the Italian troop that has seiged her small island home. Though Corelli is a part of the Axis, he is a good man who detests war. As would be expected, the two are torn apart by the war and at first glance, it seems like a boring love story but it’s more than that; it’s a hard-nosed tale of survival, politics and the trial and error of human decency. Many unique perspectives are introduced, each making you question all that you feel in terms of how actions effect everyone and everything.
The keyboards set a pace that ebbs and flows like the surf depicted on the cover. Hearing accordions is surprising but it works to a degree when they’re paired with a xylophone. Unlike The Rapture’s previous albums, ‘In the Grace of Your Love’ has a more subdued feel to their typical in-your-face style. The vocals take a backseat to the drums and bass. The final song, ‘It Takes Time to be a Man’ leaves the listener feeling a little grown up, tugging nostalgically instead of their usual mischievous angle. Ultimately, the album is eclectic, fun, and damn catchy.
23 24 25
Portishead @ WaMu Theater (Show starts at 7:30 p.m. all ages, $48+) Sweet Dominiques @ High Dive (Show starts at 8 p.m. 21+, $6) Roger Daltrey: The Who’sTommy @ Key Arena (Show starts at 7:30 p.m. all ages, $95+) Warren Haynes Band @ Showbox at the Market (Doors open at 6 p.m. 21+, $27.50+)
26 27
Hanzel und Gretyl @ El Corazón (Doors open at 7 p.m. all ages, $15+) The Damned @ The Showbox at the Market (Doors open at 7 p.m. all ages, $20+)
12 Oct. 14, 2011
OP-ED OpEd Editor: Josh Davidson oped.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
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Governer Chris Gregoire Page 11
Re: Apartheid
Editorial Board: Asha Johnson, Bailey Jo Josie, Jean-Pierre Garcia, Josh Davidson
The following letters are in response to Lacey Steward’s article “Part-time Apartheid”in issue 12 last Spring quarter
Raised taxes and increased subsidies are desirable, but a quick look around the globe and most education systems aren’t government supported and if they are, they’re on the decline. Here in Washington we’re facing more cuts and less help. The focus is on the student and institutions to bear the brunt of the burden, and each student and institution reacts to cuts. At Green River, the general attitude is that students will continue to pay, dissatisfied, but complacent about forking over the percentage increase in tuition and expect the status quo to persist. We know that the economy is tightening and we’re coping. Right? The college has shouldered
cuts reasonably well in the past four years with a strong international program (international students roughly pay three times more than residents), but even an innovative international program cannot withstand the growing deficits and fewer options to respond to them. Even though Green River is a strong model for the state, we wonder how long-term sustainability will be maintained. General education classes are revamped to serve the most students. Streamlining class options to general education classes may solve short term budget problems with a guaranteed influx of students every quarter, but leave a long term deficit in the quality of education and subsequent skill
sets within society. With fewer resources to support optional classes, the value of a job-mandated degree will decrease and skill sets will stagnate. Instead, classes should promote skills that will contribute and build new ideas and ways to implement them so that subsequent job growth will follow. Entrepreneurialism should increase but not at the cost of other students. It’s up to the student to apply the skills learned, but there should be more in a classroom that lets us question society and provide new solutions to the problems we face. Education needs to take charge of the job market instead of the job market dictating what education offers.
Live fast and die chillin’
Senior Writers: Alexander Bevier, Gentry Seipert Staff writers: Chris Beck, Kally Bieber, Makena Cayce, Bagas Yoga Danara, Joyce Lee, Olivia Mok, Sean Rockey, Koen Valks
The Current is a limited public forum for student expression, in which student editors make policy and content decisions. Green River Community College delegates editorial responsibility for the content of the publications. The college acknowledges the dual free purpose of student publications as instructional tools and as vehicles for free inquiry and free expression in the academic community. The views and opinions expressed in The Current do not necessarily reflect those of the college or student body.
“Everything is on the table and the public must know what’s at stake.
EDITORIAL
Can we make do with what we have?
Asha Johnson Editor in Chief, News Editor
Also on the Inside
The Chief Asha Johnson
Hello fellow student, teacher, creature, or whatever you may be. I am Asha, The Current’s new Editor-in-Chief (if you didn’t get the hint). Having become an EIC, my life has recently gone from a “Hmm, I think I’ll have to pencil you in next week,” to a, “Dude, if you even see my face at all this year, go buy a lotto ticket,” on the Busy Scale. I’m
lucky to have friends, seriously. Being this incredibly busy certainly has it’s benefits, like eventually forgetting what it feels like to be bored. But after a while even feelings of boredom seem to be a relief from the hectic schedule. Try and imagine telling your 10-year-old self that you should treasure those lazy summer when you did nothing but sit on your ass all day and watch Full House? Yeah, it might be difficult. When I was younger I had this earge to go out and do something, be someone, see people, and visit places I’d never been. I never wanted to be still, even during movies or
for photo shoots. The world was mine, and by God I was going to take it! Now, though I still am very active and throughly enjoy being a busy-body, I have such a better understanding for the home-body. After I’ve been running around all week, all I really want is to lie down and relax. Watch a good movie, take a bath, read a book: anything to help me whinde down from the intense week and begin mentally prepping for the next one. Moral of the column:even in our fast pace society, take some time to breath. You won’t regret it, trust me.
Insert ‘Golden Girls’ theme Hi there. I’m Bailey the Managing Editor, but you probably don’t know what the hell that even means. Don’t worry, I didn’t know either - until Wikipedia told me of course. To put it simply, I’m Asha’s secondin-command. I help get things done. But I’m not the only one; there are many people on staff who help us make this
newspaper possible, especially over this last summer when we moved from SMT to OEB and to say the least. It was a bloody battle. These are the people who made the process a bit less stressful and I’d like to thank them: Zach Lambert - for being so patient with us, Barton Dowd - for our keys and for being a Dylan fan, John Knowlton - for
TheBailey Manager Jo Josie being there, the IT department - for putting up with us, the movers, everyone... thank you!
To the editor of The Current and the Faculty of Green River: I am writing as an adjunct instructor at Green River. I read with some irritation Lacey Steward’s article, “They Call It ‘Part-Time Apartheid’” (The Current, May 31, 2011, pages 3-4). Yes, the situation of adjunct faculty at GRCC could be better. We could have annual contracts, or a “priority hire” status that curbs moonlighting and gives adjuncts more job security. Yes, we could be paid more! And yes, there are even some full-time faculty who think of (and treat) adjuncts as second-class academic citizens. I grant all that. But still, really, a News Editor has a responsibility to cross-check all her “facts”! “No job security. . . Few, if any, benefits. . . . These are conditions under which roughly 70 percent of Green River’s faculty work and live: the adjuncts.” At the very least, these particular statements stand in need of significant qualification. Thanks to the file system mandated by Green River’s union-negotiated faculty contract, long-time adjuncts at Green River such as Dana, Keith, and myself enjoy more job security than most adjuncts in Washington State; the process for dismissing an adjunct in the file is more strenuous than that section of the contract that details dismissal of a tenured faculty member--and this was negotiated and fought for by the full time faculty. Moreover, thanks in part to law-suits, adjuncts across the state who carry a significant course-load have, for years now, been eligible for, and received, substantial medical and dental benefits. If Ms. Steward is accurately quoting my esteemed colleague Keith Hoeller, he tells a rather one-sided narrative that demonizes faculty unions. his own full-time colleagues, and, for that matter, college administrators: “ . . . a deal was made between college administrators and tenure track faculty, according to Hoeller – as long as colleges did not reduce or lay off tenured faculty, the school could do whatever it wanted [emphasis mine] to the contingent faculty.” In context, “the school” in question must be GRCC. But then this surely comes close to outright slander against the full-time faculty of this college, who worked very hard to negotiate the adjunct file system in the contract that helps make Green River the very best institution and community that I, as a adjunct instructor, have ever had the pleasure to take part in. I have worked at over a dozen institutions in my career as an adjunct educator, and I can say without qualification that Green River isby far the best environment I have worked in. At no other place have I been treated more like a full member of the community. I know from direct experience that adjuncts at Green River can be treated as respected colleagues, that they can receive inservice stipends and development grants, that they can be nominated to, and serve on, committees, that they can participate and vote in division meetings—and that their votes count. Am I just lucky to be an adjunct in an especially enlightened division? Well, I can only point out that Keith Hoeller is an adjunct in the same diviAndrew V. Jeffery Adjunct Philosophy Instructor, Green River Community College This letter and more continue on page 16
Do you have questions, comments, story ideas? Contact Editor-in-Chief, Asha Johnson, at thecurrent.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
Other ways to contact us: Phone: (253) 833-9111 x. 2375 In person: OEB 17
The Current Oct. 14, 2011
OP-ED 13
International relationships Commentary by: Bagas Dunara Many people have different ideas about love. I’m impressed by the idea that love is blind and it has no boundaries. When two people are in love, there’s nothing stopping them from enjoying at least some amount of time together. Long distance relationships (LDR), though, pose a challenge as the couple can only share little or no time with each other and can only communicate in limited ways.
Despite the popular anecdote that long distance relationships almost never succeed, research by the The Center for the Study of Long Distance Relationships has shown that there’s about 45 million college students in long distance relationships in the U.S. Take Jeremy Siregar for example; an international student at Green River from Indonesia who just started this fall quarter. It had been one and a half months since he and his girlfriend Angela Natasha started their long distance relationship. They only started dating a year back but met each other 4 years ago at his churchsomething he was particularly bashful about. “A lot of my friends keep
telling me it’s a bad idea to have this relationship” he said. He admitted that he has to stay up late and ask her to wake up earlier just so they could talk; showing that time difference is another big hindrance for international relationships. The only good thing to him is that there is less distraction in LDR, and he added that he can focus more on his studies now. “The fact that she accepts me for who I am is the one [thing] that keeps me going” he said with a fervent chuckle. He knew that he would be away from her in the end but he believed that the distance would make their relationship stronger. To me this shows that Siregar has faith,
which is very important in any kind of relationship. Lacey Steward, a Green River Alumni, was in a LDR with Blazej Wisniewski. She was in the U.S when he was all the way in Poland. Lacey felt that long distance relationship was “excruciating”, especially in the holidays when love is in the air. She met him at a summer camp on Vashon Island. He was a camp counselor and she was a dishwasher at the camp. Blazej is 11 years older than her, a week after they met, they kissed on her birthday and have been together ever since. She said the best part of their relationship was the reunion. “I never took for granted how lucky I was to see him
for the limited time I did, which is something couples nowadays don’t exactly do”.. Lacey and Blazej had been dating for over two years and, believe it or not, she is very excited today because they’re now engaged. “If we can make it through two years of an LDR, there is nothing marriage can throw at us that we can’t handle” she said. She proves to me that an LDR is something achievable with enough determination and commitment. Love will always remain the same, no matter how far distance takes two hearts apart. It could be extremely hard but, in a way, the distance does make the relationship stronger because it gives more challenges that can test faith.
I have never been in a steady relationship, let alone a long distance relationship, but I believe that distance is not a boundary to all relationships. LDRs work as long as there is a bond between two people who love each other. There also should be a commitment to the relationship itself, not just to each other. LDR’s are difficult to keep up with, but another key to success lies in creative and nifty ways to communicate making all time spent together special, even if only through the Internet or phone. “What keeps me going too is that I know I’m going to marry her” said Jeremy with a proud smile. Isn’t love grand?
Guaranteed parking: Only a temporary �ix Commentary by: Gentry Seipert It’s the early morning and with the fall season coming into full effect, it’s a dark and dreary day – the kind of day that just makes you want to crawl back into bed. As you stare outside into the gray and misty oblivion, full of rain puddles and longcoated jackets, it stares back. You try to leave for campus at an acceptable time, so you head out fifteen earlier than you had planned. By leaving earlier it’s only reasonable to think you could find a place to park on campus, right? Try it and observe. Because when it comes to finding parking here on the Green River (GRCC) campus for morning classes, it’s both a rare and precious commodity. Everyday students are caught in this continuing struggle as they fight for parking spots.
After going to this school for two years now, I’ve noticed that this has been a problem which not only continues to persist, but it continues to grow. With an aggressively expanding student body, the need for either a new parking complex or a broadened amount of lots has become only more and more evident. While it’s nice to know that this problem has at least been acknowledged by Green River, through a recently proposed and implemented small scale solution from the institution and its students of “guaranteed parking” - it only diverts attention away from the need for a more definite fix. Opening a single lot (P5) to a few who have the funds to afford it – or better yet, are simply tired of continually searching for what isn’t there (i.e. a parking space), doesn’t seem to be viable option for the masses. Could this program generate revenue? Let’s crunch some quick numbers. At $100 a quarter per parking spot, and with P5 consisting of 361 spots, that comes to a grand total of $36,100. Not a bad number at
first - but consider the safety officers employed to verify the guaranteed parking passes throughout the day, and the time and money spent on organizing this venture. The number of $36,000 dwindles. For this reason, I can’t see much of the potential income going far toward the schools’ recent struggles with revenue, or better yet, its parking situation. In my opinion, the recently employed concept of guaran-
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parking spots located on campus. This supports about 30% of all GRCC’s full time students, and 13% of its total headcount. What can we do about this? When thinking about a theoretical expansion of parking, only two things come to mind; outward or upward. Green River has stood by its opposition to building additional parking on the preexisting campus in hopes to preserve the natural campus
While it is a more than reasonable response to deny a problem of inconvenience, this does not slow down our rapid swell in enrollments.”
Gentry Seipert
teed parking just takes away more spots from a pre-existing and an extremely limited area for general parking – and this is what’s frustrating. For instance, take the most recent data regarding the school’s current enrollment. GRCC currently has a headcount of 16,413 students, and around 7,500 are annual full-time students. There are exactly 2,217
environment, primarily when planning for any future parking expansion. Saying quote, “every effort will be made to protect this important college amenity.” While parking is greatly needed, I agree that the nature surrounding campus should be preserved. More and more I find that I’m a firm advocate of the latter position of building; upward.
In place of an existing parking lot, why not build a parking complex with multiple levels? At a community outreach meeting in 2009, Green River remarked that it had attempted to gain federal money to build exactly this. However, the college does not currently have funding for a garage, and parking garages are very expensive to construct. They cost millions, actually. On top of everything else, and given our recent economic climate, Washington state will not fund such a facility. Green River did go on to note though, that “the long-term master plan may reconsider this option.” While it is a more than reasonable response to deny a problem of inconvenience, this does not slow down our rapid swell in enrollments. Don’t get me wrong, when I say that even though parking isn’t great currently, it is clear that the money that Green River does spend is being invested wisely. Due to their great need, many other programs and recent constructions have taken a rightful pertinence to the
institution; such as providing a quality faculty, the construction of the beautiful and state of the art Salish Hall, and the even more recent renovations to the retro-dated SMT building. However, while more difficult decisions are need to be made, the parking situation cannot be something left on the back-burner if Green River hopes to enable a more successful transition towards housing the larger student body. In the meantime, students here need to realize that they’ll require an additional half hour to troll around the parking lot, to beat the rush by getting to campus at egregiously early times, or to ride the provided shuttle service through Pacific Raceways (which is by far the best program Green River has implemented to solve this ongoing quandary). One day, we can only hope that the majority of students will have an opportunity to park on campus. However, until that time, it’s going to be a long and bumpy road to find the seat of your morning’s first class.
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October 14, 2011
SPORTS Sports Editor: Bailey Jo Josie sports.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
100 wins for volleyball coach
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“I love seeing people get rallied behind this but it’s hard to know what we can do.” Charles Renwick Page 10
VOLLEYBALL
By: Bailey Jo Josie Sports Editor In a time where athletic coaching longevity is a fleeting matter, Green River Community College’s own volleyball coach, Kyle Densley, stands a head above the rest ever since he earned Courtesty Photo | GRCC Athletics his 100th career victory on Kyle Densley: “When a coach gets September 18th, when he a [victory], it’s really an award for lead the Lady Gators to a the whole team.” victory against Big Bend Community College. Densley gives his time With a comittment to towards developing a youth Green River Volleyball that volleyball club and is also expands six seasons, it’s safe to say that Densley is “a training to be a United States of America Volleyball rock for the coaching staff ”, (USAVB) level 2, certified so says Athletics Director coach. Despite his day job Bob Kickner. Densley has as a contractor, he has no led the volleyball team to plans to slow down as a two NWAACC Western coach at Green River: “I’m Region league titles and a fifth place finish at the 2006 looking forward to reaching my 200th victory.” NWAACC tournament.
5.19x6.75_SYK_TCk.indd 2
Jean-Pierre Garcia | THE CURRENT
Freshmen Alexis Richardson (#9), Erin Fischer (#7) and Michelle Dumag (to the right of Fischer) join their teammates for a huddle before the Lady Gators have one last go round against Tacoma’s Lady Titans on September 23rd in Green River’s gymnasium. After four games and both teams tied, the last game was destined to be a nail-biter. Ultimately, however, Green River lost 7-15.
10/3/11 8:58 AM
Do you have questions, comments, story ideas? Contact Editor-in-Chief Asha Johnson at thecurrent.editor@mail.greenriver.edu
Other ways to contact us: Phone: (253) 833-9111 x. 2375 In person: OEB 17
The Current October 14, 2011
Calendar
SOCCER
Go for Green and Gold By: Chris Beck Staff Writer “This is a year to remember for Green River’s [women’s] soccer; this team has the capability to be the most successful team in the history of Green River as a college” said Athletic Director, Bob Kickner. This year’s team is coming off of last year’s record of 5-10-2, and with many returning players, they have the potential to top themselves. Coming off strong with a new record of 2-2-1 in inner league play and overall with 4-2-2, the Lady Gators already have half as many wins as last season, and that’s just in inner league play. In past seasons, Green River’s soccer team had been in what one would call a “slump”, with their winsto-loses ratio being well off kilter, but with Stu Snow coming in as head coach three years ago, the team has turned around and has gotten better with each season, part of which having a high number of returning
Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 21 Oct 24 Oct 26 Nov 2
Courtesty Photo | GRCC Athletics
Oct 15
From left to right, top: Haylie Cannon, Emma Martin, Cheyenne Gautney, Alex Mueller, Karly Dedmon, Leslie Cannon. From left to right, bottom: Rayssa Lira, Grace Thompson, Madalyn Johnston, Dulce Barajas, Amber Delatorre, Lynze Utz. Front row, center: Cassy Duschel
Oct 28
sophomore players. Among the returning players are team captains, Rayssa Lira (# 2) and Cheyenne Gautney (#21), who are among the power houses that the team has in its arsenal. Gautney was the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) Allstar as a freshman here at Green River and Lira was last year’s MVP.
One of the key players alongside them on the field is Karly Dedmon (#4) who is leading the team in scores this season. Having Dedmon as a forward is a major improvement over the last few years, since the position had been weak in previous seasons. Backing up the offense are the twin duo defenders, Haylie and Leslie Cannon (#5 and #11); they lead the
Rayssa Lira
Cheyenne Gautney
Karly Dedmon
Mid-Forward - #2
Mid-Forward - #21
Forward - #4
I love this team! One of the best group of soccer girls I’ve played with!
How’s the chemistry on the field for the team? Chemistry is great on and off the field, we were fortunate to come back with more than half of our returners from last year.
Any plans on going pro? Not yet! That would be sick though!
Oct 15 Oct 19 Oct 22 Oct 26 Oct 29
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Green River vs Edmonds, 7 p.m. Green River vs Everett, 2 p.m. Whatcom vs Green River, noon Green River vs Skagit Valley, 2 p.m. Shoreline vs Green River, noon
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Soccer’s select: Q&A
How do you feel about the team this year?
SPORTS 15
Could this be a championship/play off team? I do feel like we will make it to playoffs this year! That’s one of our goals.
Do you feel this team has helped improv your leadership skills? I feel like this team can only do good things for me and everyone else. I have definitely focused more on being positive and helping everyone on and off the field.
How far do you feel the team will go this season? I feel this team can go all the way; we have the most talented group of girls we’ve ever had here at Green River.
What university are you planning on transfering to? I’d like to transfer to UW.
How is the chemistry of the team? We have great chemistry. There’s never a dull moment, we all get along great and have really connected as a team.
defense with blinding speed and leave their opponents in the dust by keeping the ball out of striking distance. But it is best summed up by Coach Snow himself: “I have had a state championship team, 3 undefeated seasons, and one perfect season. This team has potential to do as well as any of them. This is very special group of girls.”
The C ach
Stuart Snow How many years have you coached at Green River? Three years.
Where were you before you came to Green River? I coached at Chief Sealth High School for 25 years.
What have you learned from this team and how has it effected your coaching style? I can learn from everyone, every team teaches me something. I can’t expect my team to be a carbon copy of how I play.
Nov 12
Bellevue Crossover - Bellevue Treasure Valley, 1:30 p.m. Chemeketa, 4:30 p.m. Bellevue, 7:30 p.m. Bracket Play Round 1, 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. Bracket Play Round 2, 3 p.m. or 5 p.m. Tacoma Green River, 7 p.m. Centralia - Green River, 7 p.m. Green River - Lower Columbia, 7 p.m. Green River - Highline, 7 p.m.
MEN and WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
PLU Invite Spanaway WA, 8K & 5K North Regional Championship Mount Vernon WA @ 11 a.m. 8K & 5K NWAACC Championships Everett WA @ 11 a.m. 8K & 5K
Scoreboard
MEN & WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Sep 17 UW Sundodger Invite, Seattle WA Ashley Woods - 32:18, 6K Erin Collins - 32:47, 6K Ryan Pawloski - 28:02, 8K Fandy Cendrajaya - 28:51, 8K Sep 24 St Martins Invitational, Lacey WA Grace Libby - 26:32, 6K Whitney Janicki - 27:11, 6K Ryan Pawloski - 29:07, 8K Fandy Cendrajaya - 30:30, 8K
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Sep 18 Shoreline vs. Green River (L) 14-25, 14-25, 17-25 Everett vs. Green River (L) 25-11, 18-25, 17-25, 24-26 Sep 23 Tacoma vs. Green River (L) 14-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-21, 7-15 Sep 28 Green River vs. Centralia (W) 25-19, 25-21, 33-31 Sep 30 Green River vs. Lower Columbia (W) 9-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 15-13 Oct 5 Highline vs. Green River (L) 22-25, 22-25, 17-25 Oct 7 Pierce vs. Green River (L) 29-27, 22-25, 25-19, 24-26, 8-15
MEN & WOMEN’S GOLF
Sep 25-26 Women’s - 3rd, 6-2 Men’s - 5th, 4 - 4 Oct 9-10 Men’s - 1st Women’s - 2nd
WOMEN’S SOCCER Sep 24 Sep 28 Oct 1 Oct 5 Oct 8
Green River vs. Highline (1-0) Tacoma vs. Green River (3-4) Green River vs. Lower Columbia (4-1) Green River vs. Whatcom (0-0) Green River vs. Skaget Valley (8-0)
Find full league standings, stats and more at www.nwaacc.org
Re: Aparthied Continued
The following letters are in response to Lacey Steward’s article “Part-time Apartheid”in issue 12 last Spring quarter
(From Page 12)
you’d think we served at completely different institutions... I want to reiterate that I do agree with Dana and Keith that adjuncts are exploited. I agree we could do so much more if we were not forced, in order to survive, to take jobs at more than one college. I agree that adjuncts, particularly at GRCC, could be better compensated. I agree that the general system needs an overhaul; but educators will never get the overhaul they need as long they are pitted against each other as adversaries. What is needed instead is more adjunct initiative, mutual collegiality, and faculty solidarity. Andrew V. Jeffery, Adjunct Philosophy Instructor, Green River Community College
Dear Editor, The Current, In response to “They Call It ‘Part-Time Apartheid,’ GRCC adjunct professor Andrew, I was not misquoted anywhere in the article and have no issue with The Current and so have no need to take anything up with the writer. My concern was your impression which is clearly a subjective term unique to the reader. What I said was that the omission of any direct reference to Green River or the UF was intentional and clearly communicated to the writer during the interview precisely for the purpose of avoiding wounding feelings or creating disharmony by pitting adjunct faculty against tenured faculty on campus. Any subjective impression to the contrary is not supported by any of the quotes in the narrowly focused article. Dana Rush
Dear Editor, The Current, In response to “They Call It ‘Part-Time Apartheid,’ GRCC adjunct professor Andrew Jeffery observes, “I have worked at over a dozen institutions in my career as an adjunct educator, and I can say without qualification that Green River is by far the best environment I have worked in. At no other place have I been treated more like a full member of the community.” While there is no reason to doubt Mr. Jeffery’s personal experience, his praise for GRCC is as much an indictment of the state’s treatment of adjunct faculty-he makes clear that he agrees with fellow GRCC adjunct faculty Dana Rush and Keith Hoeller that “adjuncts are exploited.” The article points out that at GRCC, after classes are assigned to tenured faculty, department heads divide the remaining classes between adjuncts and those tenured faculty interested in moonlight, which makes those adjuncts who open their mouths to complain about full-time faculty or the union vulnerable as it chills criticism from adjuncts. Given this dynamic, Professors Rush and Hoeller should be recognized for their courage in daring to mention that the faculty union, dominated by tenured faculty, has a role in the exploitation of adjuncts. Professor Jeffery, while conceding the exploitation of adjuncts, defends the faculty union, which may be a way to curry favor from full-time faculty. Mr. Jeffery also agrees that “the general system needs an overhaul” and calls for “more adjunct initiative, mutual collegiality, and faculty solidarity.” He does not credit the remarkable initiative of GRCC’s Rush and Hoeller in their primary role in the two Mader v. State class action lawsuits whose settlements were instrumental in regularizing health care and retirement benefits for adjuncts statewide, in Hoeller’s role in the drafting of the 1999 Sen Kohl-Welles adjunct sick leave bill, or in their role in bringing about the 2006 budget amendment, proposed by Rep. Pat Lantz, that earmarked increment funds for adjuncts statewide and whoselanguage remains in the budget to this day. Also, Mr. Jeffery’s characterization of a statement attributed to Dr. Hoeller as “coming close to outright slander” would seem defamatory, as he intended to publish the characterization to the GRCC community, and would hardly seem reflective of seeking “mutual collegiality and faculty solidarity.”
Jack Longmate , Adjunct English Instructor, Olympic College, Bremerton