Clarion 8/28/13

89% THE BIG NUMBER

Fall Semester ENROLLMENT

page 8

page 6

page 3

scholarship Breakfast

Cosmo Students give back

CCSF LOSES Acreditation

CLARION CITRUS COLLEGE

A First Amendment Newspaper

ccclarion.com

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

vol lxviii issue1

C4 to be guiding hands on campus Jetske Wauran / Contributing Writer

F BY

or both a part-time and full-time students, the community college years tend to be about starting a new chapter in life.

Thankfully, the Citrus College Completion Corps, C4, is making the process less intimidating for students. C4 provides support to help students transfer and/or graduate successfully.

Inspired by this challenge, a cohort of Citrus College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society decided to respond and take action these students presented a proposal to the administration, faculty, staff and Board of Trustees.

Among these students was Alejandra Morales, a member of Phi Theta Kappa, now President of C4.

Morales, who is a double major in both biology and English believes that she has been fortunate to lead a very great group of people who inspire her.

“I see how hard they work, and it makes me want to work harder for them,” Morales says.

Their mission is to have students go beyond just taking classes and instead commit to completing their academic goals.

A list distributed to students includes tips on time management, participation and study groups, guidance with professors and counselors. Through its vital check list C4 instills movtivation and support for students.

Chase Goldsmith, C4 vice president of fellowship, works closely with students through the peer mentoring program helping new and/or continuing students make the right decisions in pursuit of their educational goals.

The C4 vice president for leadership Farihah Chowdhury said that she believes investing in students is the key to tapping into the potential of every student as it fulfills the vision and purpose by which Citrus College abides: to bring unity and education to individual from all walks of life.

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor Jody Barrass, (left from center) Secretary of Career and Transfer center, poses at convocation with Garrison Holder (Cowardly Lion), Brandon Jenkins (Scarecrow), and Garrett Smith (Tin Man). This years convocation theme was “The Wizard of Oz/ Road to Completion.”

following the yellow brick road to completion

BY

Jessica Soto /

D

Managing Editor

egrees, Certificates, and Transfer, Oh My! The theme of Citrus College’s Fall 2013 Convocation was ‘The Wizard of Oz/ Road to Completion.”

A long yellow brick road painted on cardboard leading to the Haugh Performing Arts Center where the characters of “The Wizard of Oz” awaited the faculty members.

Convocation Day is an annual assembly of staff, faculty and administrators who come together to discuss what lies ahead for the academic year.

The goals are to challenge the faculty and staff to become more involved with their students and create a nurturing environment for growth.

Music professor Bruce Langford was the master of ceremonies. Langford started things off by appearing on stage dressed in a Dorothy outfit complete with a “Toto” companion and falseto rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Langford would however be interrupted by Robert Slack, dean of fine and performing arts, and led off stage.

After the musical number, Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, Ph D. superintendent/ president of Citrus College delivered her opening remarks.

“We committed to be a college of

completion and this year again I am going to challenge you to take that vow again and reaffirm your commitment to our students’ success and continue us on the yellow brick road, ” Perri said.

Langford would return to the stage for introductions of promoted staff and new faculty with the assistance of the characters, played by Citrus College students, Garrison Holder (Cowardly Lion), Brandon Jenkins (Scarecrow), and Garrett Smith (Tin Man).

The events included the presentation of the college’s employee longevity awards, as well as the “Shining Stars,” which recognizes employee accomplishments in categories such as excellence, diversity and integrity.

Receiving the Shining Star award for collaboration based on his work with the California Math and Science Project, was math professor Jesus Gutierrez was an unsuspecting recipient.

“It came as a surprise, I was just sitting in the audience and realizing the high caliber of people being recognized, I’m very proud to be named among them,” Gutierrez said.

Following the Shining Star awards Perri delivered her State of the College address to the faculty.

She recognized that over the last few years less that half, 46 percent, of American students finish college, and that only one in four high school students graduate ready for college.

It is due to these statistics that a national call to action was made in 2011 and in response to this The California Community Colleges Board of Governors formed the Student Success Task Force.

Perri had help getting her point across with some brilliant videos. The videos were voiced-over scenes from “The Wizard of Oz” where Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and the Tin Man. Towards the end of her speech Langford interrupted Perri, to inform her that if she clicked her heels three times and said “college of completion” he would guarantee her a wonderful surprise.

And in fact after Perri clicked her heels the president of the Citrus College Foundation, Thomas Gerfen, and director of development and alumni relations, Christina Garcia, presented Perri with a check for Citrus College in the amount of $538,717 that was donated to and raised by the Citrus College Foundation in this last fiscal year.

More than $300,000 of this money can be used as seed money to establish the Citrus College Institute for College of Completion.

“We really want to be about completion so [Convocation Day] just helps everybody get on the same page,” Garcia said, “that’s what I like most about Convocation.”

2

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

QUOTE of the

ISSUE

NEWS BRIEFS

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Local

State

Double-homicide on Route 66

California youth offenders get a second chance

“I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand single thing of what I am saying” -Oscar Wilde

A bill created by Sen. Loni Hancock, DBerkeley, would allow for inmates that committed crimes before the age of 18 to recieve a second chance. About 5,700 of the 133,000 adult inmates in prison committed their crimes as juvenilles. The bill is in response to court rulings addressing non-homicide crimes committed by juvenilles who got tried as adults. Supporters of Hancock’s bill say that youth criminals have a higher chance of rehabilitation than adults. The projected cost of this bill is more than $3 million to consider parole for these offenders.

Announcements Student IDs

The Library Photo office, located on the first floor of the library, will be open from: Aug. 26-29 & Sept. 2-5 mon-Thu 8-10 a.m., 12-2 p.m., 4-6 p.m.

To receive a photo ID students must provide photo identification (driver’s license, passport, etc), be registered with all fees paid, and have paid their fees at least 48 hours prior to getting a photo ID card.

Library Hours Mon - Thu- 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Tue - Wed 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Fri 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Dec. 16 - 19 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Dec. 20 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Labor Day Holiday Aug. 31 - Sept. 2

Board of Trustees Meeting The Board of Trustees will meet Tue, Sept.

10 at 4:15 p.m. in CI 159.

Student Business Office The Student Business Office has been moved from the Campus Center to the Student Service Building, 1st floor, Cashier’s office.

Former Citrus College Cross Country runner dies Gabriel Chow, 20, died on a camping trip about two weeks ago. He transferred from Citrus last semester and was going to begin his first semester at Chico State University. His former teammates have their first meet on Fri, Sept 6 at the Palomar Invite in Oceanside. They plan to dedicate this meet to the memory of Gabriel.

Two homeless men were found stabbed to death on Route 66 and Vermont Avenue at a car wash on the early morning of Aug 15. This is the first reported murder in the city of Glendora since 2009. Glendora police Lt. Joe Ward was on patrol near the car wash on Route 66 when he was flagged down by a citizen who reported hearing yelling at the car wash. The lieutenant approached the scene and saw both men on the ground both suffering

from severe stab wounds. Paramedics arrived and pronouced both men dead at the scene. Only one of the two victims has been identified, Warren Blagrave, 52. The other name will not be released until the next of kin is notified. A suspect, Drew Alan Friis, 28, has been arrested on charges that include special circumstances of “multiple murders.” Friis is being held on $1 million bond according to court documents.

Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune

National Facebook is a mood killer

Source: San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Global North Korea attempts to aid Syria North Korea attempted to export gas masks to Syria for use in the chemical weapons program. The shipment was stopped in its tracks

by Turkish authorities on April 3 as it passed through the Dardanelles.

The Libya-flagged ship El Entisar (“Victory”) was also found carrying 1,400 rifles and pistols along with about 30,000 rounds of ammunition. The plan was for the shipment to be unloaded in Turkey and then transported to Syria to support the government of President Bashar Assad. Accusations that Syrian troops used chemical weapons

against civilians in Damascas are already creating international outrage.

Any connections made to North Korea could further isolate them at this point. This is not the first time that North Korea has been accused of supplying equipment related to chemical arms to Syria. There has been a long-term relationship between North Kroea and Syria and there are no signs that the relationship has weakend.

Source: Los Angeles Times

THE 1000 BLOCK: INCIDENT REPORTS

A study by the University of Michigan found that users of Facebook tend to have a drop in their mood that coincides with their usage. The study shows that looking a your own profile can enhance self-esteem, but looking at other profiles can evoke envy, thus leaving users with a diminished self-esteem. Researchers also found that loneliness and mood swings increased with the use of Facebook. Catalina Toma, a University of Wisconsin communications researcher said that just speaking about Facebook was “an oversimplification.” There are a multitude of activities that can take place on Facebook and other social media websites. It is these social media websites that allows for users to create a different persona through the internet that they would not otherwise display in person to person interaction. Other studies have indicated that people’s profiles do infact closely match their personalities and researchers found that they could make promising predictions based only on what a person “liked” on Facebook.

Source: Los Angeles Times

Reports are provided courtesy of the Citrus College Campus Safety Department. A

SUMMER UPDATE HIT AND RUN

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor

The Regional SWAT team held an excercise in the MA Building on Aug 21.

The Regional SWAT F-Set team is made up of officers from the Monrovia, Glendora, Irwindale, La Verne and San Marino police departments. The purpose of the excercise was to familiarize the team with the inside and the outside of the Citrus College campus so that in the event of an emergency the SWAT team can have a quicker response time.

ALLEGED MISCONDUCT

At 4:45 p.m. on March 12, a Campus Safety officer responded to a report of a hit and run to a vehicle in the S8 parking lot. He met with the victim who said that the white Ford Mustang had damage on the right side near the hood. The victim said that he arrived on campus at 7 a.m. and went to the Owl Cafe building to start his shift as a food preparation staff member. He returned to his vehicle at 4:30 p.m. and noticed that his vehicle was damaged.

The victim said that he didn’t want to file a report with the Glendora Police Department due to the limited amount of damage. He estimated the damage at $200 and said that he could probably buff it out at home.

At 11:10 a.m. on June 12, two Campus Safety officers were flagged down by a student who said he observed a male and a female in a dispute near the driving range. He reported that the male yelled at the female in the parking lot. When the female ignored him, the male followed and the student ran to the female’s location to find her in tears.

The student witness told the officers that the female said the male pushed her to the ground. When the officers interviewed the male, he said the female tripped and fell while walking away. Afterwards, he refused to provide identification and left the area without permission.

ATM TRANSACTION THEFT

At 2:20 p.m. June 14, a Campus Safety officer responded to a student report of an alleged theft at the Owl Bookstore by an employee. The student said they suspected the employee took a new Applied Calculus textbook from the shelves and sold it back to store at the textbook buyback booth after the employee laughed and ran from the booth once the sale was completed. A crime report was filed with the Glendora Police Department.

At 5:30 p.m. on July 3, a Campus Safety officer responded to a report of theft at the CI building. Upon arrival the victim stated that his black handbag was stolen from his desk and that he left it unattended for about four hours while he was teaching a class.

BOOK BURGLARY

news

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

3

State’s largest Community College Fighting to Stay Alive

T

BY

David Tate / Contributing Writer

his summer, a bombshell dropped amongst the college community.

However, it didn’t come in the form of a summer blockbuster or Pharrell Williams track.

On the day before Independence Day, education journalists across the state received notifications of an important press conference that would be held in mere hours. City College of San Francisco—the largest community college in the world’s largest college system—was set to lose its accreditation in July 2014.

Though the conference came as a surprise, the decision did not. Like the once independent Compton College (now an El Camino satellite campus), the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges had cited CCSF’s poor fiscal and administrative practices in several previous reports before the revocation.

AdvanceEd.com, a research-based accreditation website, describes accreditation as a process that “examines the whole institution—the programs, the cultural context, the community of stakeholders—to determine how well the parts work together to meet the needs of students.”

Basically, it’s a pass/fail exam for schools. Pass, you can teach. Fail, and you lose the right to receive and offer federal financial aid to students.

For a college of 80,000, it’s a death knell.

While Compton College students were offered on-campus courses for credit from neighboring schools prior to partnering with El Camino, CCSF has no such plan in place.

Students who have completed 75 percent of their studies will be entitled to receive a degree or certificate from the college, but the remainder “would have no other option except to transfer to another accredited institution,” according to CCSF’s closure report submitted to the commission. Contra Costa College is the easiest comparison in terms of size—but it’s a 30-minute drive away and serves 30,000 fewer students than City College.

The ACCJC is the professor giving CCSF a failing grade in this case. It’s one of three accrediting branches of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges—one of the six nationally recognized accrediting

2006 A 14-member ACCJC team grants City College of San Francisco its accreditation.

In doing so, they leave a list of eight recommendations for the college to consider.

bodies. Every six years, schools are required to go through the process of renewing accreditation.

In 2006—the same year Compton College lost its accreditation—the ACCJC approved CCSF. But a 14-member evaluation team left behind eight “recommendations” for the school in areas they believed could become troublesome if unaddressed.

Flash forward to 2012, when a 17-member evaluation team found the situation had further deteriorated. CCSF was placed on show-cause status, meaning the institution had one year to prove they were worthy of remaining accredited. This time, the team replaced the list of recommendations with 14 “deficiencies” that built off the former.

“The biggest obstacle [to regaining accreditation] is probably change.”

-Arvid Spor

Citrus College vice president of student services

The July press conference revealed only two of those recommendations were adequately met. As a result, CCSF’s accreditation was revoked, but the college would be allowed to remain open and accredited for a year while it appealed the decision.

California Community College Chancellor Brice Harris promised change would come to the much maligned administration of City College, and it started at the top.

Within a week, Harris effectively suspended the seven-member board of trustees and elevated Robert Agrella, the recently retired president of Santa Rosa Community College in their place as a “special trustee with extraordinary powers.”

“I’m convinced that the current City College Board of Trustees cannot do this on their own,” said San Francisco mayor Ed Lee. “That’s why I emphatically support state Chancellor Harris’ recommendation that we give a special trustee full authority to make the decisions on the behalf of City College.”

Agrella had already been handpicked

by Harris as the (ordinary) special trustee to CCSF in November 2012 to address the school’s myriad of fiscal problems identified by the ACCJC. Annual budgets are not approved on time, sometimes not until a third of the way into the fiscal year. And before the end of 2012, a loophole allowed

March April 2012 A 17-member ACCJC team finds “the situation at CCSF had deteriorated dramatically,” and puts the college on “show cause” status. The California Federation of Teachers files a complaint a month later.

students to register and attend classes without paying, costing the college an estimated $8.5 million over several years.

The former president of Santa Rosa Community College is now in charge of saving the nine-headed Hydra of campuses from closing and nearly 80,000 students from relocating. It’s a herculean task, even according to Agrella himself.

Currently, CCSF uses a database for payroll, financial and student records called Banner. It’s used at Citrus and many other education institutions for the same purpose.

The ninth generation of the software was released in 2011, but the Banner system at CCSF is in its first generation—so old, you can’t even Google it—and Agrella says it will take a year and a half before the database is fully upgraded.

“The biggest obstacle [to regaining accreditation] is probably change,” said Citrus College vice president of student services Arvid Spor, who was dean of enrollment services at El Camino when Compton College lost its accreditation in 2006. “People have to change the way they used to do their work to the way they need to work in order to comply with the standards set up by the accrediting commission.”

“I strongly believe that this decision is unwarranted.”

-Sara Bloomberg

The Guardsman editor-in-chief

But Agrella has to deal with a campus community that doesn’t exactly embrace change with open arms. During the board of trustees meeting at which his position was accepted, a bizarre protest took place where students briefly took over and summarily rejected the special trustee position. The campus community at large is pointing the finger at the accrediting commission for their alleged deficiencies, rather than the institution.

“I strongly believe that this decision is unwarranted,” said Sara Bloomberg, editorin-chief of CCSF student newspaper The Guardsman. “The decision is very political on behalf of the accrediting commission.

I believe the City College community did everything that it was told to do and made a lot of progress towards the goals that were set as far as addressing all of the recommen-

dations . . . and it wasn’t good enough as far as the commission was concerned. It doesn’t make any sense.”

However, the allegations of Bloomberg and the campus community were apparently not without merit. In April, the California Federation of Teachers lodged a complaint with the Department of Education against the ACCJC’s accrediting procedures.

The DOE sided with the teachers on Aug. 13, agreeing that the commission did not follow its own policies on including faculty on evaluation teams (the 2012 show-cause team had only one faculty member out of 17) and federal policies on creating conflicts of interest (Peter Crabtree, another member of the 2012 evaluation team, is the husband of Barbara Beno, the ACCJC president).

Additionally, the DOE found that the commission’s practice of morphing 2006 “recommendations” into 2012 “deficiencies” was not acceptable. In a letter to Beno which detailed the ACCJC’s shortcomings, the DOE wrote “in order to avoid initiation of an action to limit, suspend, or terminate ACCJC’s recognition, ACCJC must take immediate steps to correct the areas of noncompliance.”

However, the threat of an accrediting commission losing its own accreditation was not enough for the DOE to overturn the ACCJC’s decision to come down on CCSF. “CCSF was unsuccessful in showing cause why its accreditation should not be removed,” DOE spokesperson Jane Glickman wrote in an email to Bay Area radio station KQED. “The Department does not have the authority to reverse any decision made by an accrediting agency.

Since the DOE effectively washed its hands of the situation, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has filed suit against the ACCJC in an attempt to nullify the commission’s decision to revoke the college’s accreditation. On Aug. 21, the Joint Committee on Legislative Audit voted for a review of the commission as well.

In the meantime, City College faculty, staff and students are scrambling to do what they can. They remain hopeful—but the clock is ticking.

“We’re all taking this very seriously.

I’m hopeful that the situation—as grim as it seems right now—will turn around,” Bloomberg said. “The school has not lost its accreditation yet.”

Aug. 13, July 3, Nov. 2013 July 10 2013 Aug. 22 2012 The CCSF board of trustees votes 6-1 to hire a special trustee at the request of Chancellor Brice Harris.

Students hijack the meeting and declare themselves “the special trustee.”

At a surprise press conference, Chancellor Harris reveals that the ACCJC has decided to revoke CCSF’s accreditation.

The college has a year to appeal and will retain accreditation until July 2014.

Chancellor Harris promotes special trustee Robert Agrella to “special trustee with extraordinary powers,” effectively suspending the City College board of trustees.

The Department of Education responds to the CFT’s complaint, saying the ACCJC’s evaluation teams did not follow federal standards.

However, they do not overturn the commision.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera files suit against the ACCJC, citing an “improper evaluation process.”

He seeks an injunction to bar the evaluation team’s decision.

FEATURES

Letter from the student government president

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Hello, my fellow students!

As the summer session has come and gone along with more than half of 2013, we now take on the promises and opportunities that accompany the new semester. To those who have just begun their journey as college students, I say “Welcome to Citrus College, home of the Fighting Owls!”

With each new student we gain a new perspective of the world around us, adding to what has already become a large and incredibly diverse population.

To those who are returning to Citrus to continue their educational career, I commend you and encourage you to keep striving for a broader, enlightened perspective of the society we live in.

With thanks owed to the passage of legislation in the fall 2012 semester, which students and administrators at Citrus and across the state mobilized to Rock the Vote, the offerings of course sections at Citrus College increased phenomenally. This combined effort towards a common goal between the

College and the students it seeks to serve, truly embodies the meaning of Herbert Spencer’s quote, “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.”

On that note, I send this message to all students: engage Citrus in all it has to offer. As increasingly critical as education is to become successful in present times, there is no true substitute to experiencing the world as it is.

Clubs of all interests and missions have taken root in college campuses across the nation, including our own. Seek these organizations as a means to finding those with common interests or seek them as paths to something new, exciting, and fulfilling.

The Office of Student Life, the Inter-Club Council, and the Associated Students of Citrus College exist to serve students in their pursuit of extra-curricular activities and opportunities.

Simply seek out any of these organizations in the

Dear Students: On behalf of the entire Citrus College community, I am pleased to welcome you to Fall Semester 2013 at Citrus College!

Our dedicated faculty and staff look forward to helping you achieve success, whether your goal is to earn an associate degree, transfer to a four-year institution, prepare for a career, or achieve a combination of these opportunities.

For 98 years, Citrus College has consistently proven itself as an exemplary institution of higher learning. The college continues to provide the academic programs and student services that make it a College of Completion.

For example, at last June’s Commencement ceremony, 1,508 associate degrees and 258 associate degrees for transfer were conferred, a record number for Citrus College!

Citrus College is a state leader in providing associate degrees for transfer.

I am proud to say that, in July, the State Chancellor’s Office announced that the college was one of only five community colleges in the state to reach 100 percent of its target for the number of approved transfer degrees, which for Citrus is 13. And since then, we have even added another, bringing our number up to 14!

The benefit to students earning a new transfer degree is that they are guaranteed admission to a California State University as a junior.

If your educational goals include transfer, I encourage you to consider this excellent option.

At the national level, Citrus College was listed in Community College Week’s annual “Top 100 Producers” issue in six categories, includ-

Handy Campus Center.

I call on all students to become active in the student government on campus.

Attend its weekly business meetings on Tuesdays at 2:40 p.m. to voice your opinions. Become engaged in the shared governance system in which ASCC represents its students. Each of us has an opinion to be made and a voice to be heard; do not let such a beautiful gift go to idleness.

Though I’ve attended this school little over a year now, I’m still amazed by what Citrus has to offer to its students and the community at large.

My mission as president of the Associated Students of Citrus College is to empower you to become involved, seek new experiences, and create the future in the present we now live in. Thank you and welcome to the fall 2013 Semester!

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

5

Tyler Hernandez

Letter from the president/superintendent ing 60th for the number of associate degrees awarded to minority students and 38th in the nation for the number of Associate Degrees in Nursing. It is important to mention that approximately 1,200 community colleges in this country are ranked—and Citrus College is among the top!

These honors and accolades are a direct result of the hard work of Citrus College faculty and staff, as well as from outstanding student accomplishments. You are a part of a community of achievers of which you can be proud.

Thank you for choosing Citrus College!

Sincerely, Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D. Superintendent/President

Geraldine Perri, Ph.D.

6

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Cosmetology Cuts Arcadia, Calif. - The halls of the infamous Santa Anita racetrack bustled with a swarm of activity early August 9. Not a single bet was placed on the horses that day, but fortune was in everyone’s favor as low income families from around the San Gabriel Valley were welcomed to the Foothill Unity Center’s “Back 2 School” program.

C

WRITTEN and Photogrphed by

lose to 1800 elementary school children, parents and volunteers were in attendance for the event that provides families with school supplies, clothing and a fresh back-to-school hairdo. 150 members of the Citrus College cosmetology department, led by professor Albert Graciano, were on hand to send these young students to school in style.

Foothill Unity Center is an organization based in the Monrovia that provides food, temporary shelter and an array of health services for lowincome and homeless families in the surrounding communities.

By the time the first shift of cosmetology students were setting up their sheers and setting out nail polish, kids and parents were lined up around the corner.

“I understand there’s a waiting list because the department is so good,” said Adriana Balian, a mother from Arcadia who was enjoying a moment to sit and unwind as her daughter Bryanna relished her manicure with a huge grin.

Citrus College has been involved in the “Back 2 School” program for a number of years, but for many of the cosmetology students, this was their first time handling a large influx of young children in need of manicures and haircuts.

“It’s my first year, and it’s nice to see smiling faces, the kids are so grateful to get their haircut,” said Stephanie Bench, 20, a cosmetology major from Glendora.

As positive as the event was, it wasn’t without its fair share of difficulties.

One table in particular had a bit of electrical trouble, but quick thinking and resourcefulness on the part of the volunteer faculty helped deter any interruption.

Jim Lancaster, dean of Career Technical Education at Citrus, was one of the volunteers on hand. “ We had a little ‘power gremlin’ at one of tables where if you turned one hair dyer on, another one would turn off. But it hasn’t impacted the flow, we’re keeping up with the demand, and running smooth,” he said.

Evan Solano / Features Editor

The efficiency of the Citrus students was quite impressive as they took on client after client with few breaks in between.

“It’s been a little busy, but not as busy as I thought it’d be,” said Stephanie Hall, “I love working with kids, they’ve all been very good.”

Director of the Cosmetology Department, Albert Graciano, curated the event alongside Citrus Board of Trustee member Joanne Montgomery ,whose personal involvement with Foothill Unity Center inspired Citrus College’s involvement with the yearly event.

“The Unity Center started [our] with inviting hair salons in the area to come, and I thought to myself ‘Why not have Citrus come?’” Montgomery said.

Montgomery to this day is the linchpin keeping the cosmetology department involved with this outreach program.

The cosmetology students were all in great spirits throughout the rigorous event. Many of them were taking their own photos and interacting with the children.

“They can see how excited the kids are,” said Montgomery. “Some of them don’t even want to go to lunch, they’ll stay back and help.”

As the afternoon progressed, more and more sets of families started to arrive and the morning shift of students began to pack their items to make way for the afternoon shift of cosmetology student volunteers.

“This event has grown tremendously and we have tons of volunteer turn out,” said Montgomery, as she waved through two more children to have their hair trimmed.

“It means so much for a child to be able to start school and feel good about themselves, to have their hair trimmed and manicured with a new backpack and clothes,” she said.

Cosmetology instructor Daniel Holm observes and offers tips to cosmetology major Yamilet Lopez, 19 from Azusa.

Lo Rivera, 21, cosmetology major from Rialto, begins consultatio hair to trim off her young client.

Tiffany Carnes, 21, cosmetology major from Covina, and Anna B San Dimas work on the nails of young children.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

7

s for a Good Cause

on on how much

LEFT:

Cosmetology major Norma Flores, 41, Glendora gives a young girl a manicure, a luxury many parents of young female students cannot afford without the help of Foothill Unity Center and Citrus College Cosmetology department.

“Everybody can feel the impact that we have making life better for these children .”

-Joanne Montgomery

Citrus College Board of Trustee member

Tommy O’Hara, 20, cosmetology major from Rancho Cucamonga, prepares to cut a young boys hair.

Bratti, 24, cosmetology major from

Alyssa Guzman, 20, cosmetology major from San Dimas, separates and straightens a young girls hair.

Albert Graciano, director of cosmetology, shows the ropes to Stephanie Hall, 21, cosmetology major from Monrovia.

David Matin, 25, cosmetology major from Rancho Cucamonga, observes the work of Grace Lucido, a cosmetology instructor who after 20 years of instruction at Citrus will be retiring this year.

8

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

FEATURES

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor From left to right: Christina Garcia, director of development and alumni relations, Sabrina Rentschler, student speaker, Lillian Sass, scholarship donor, Dr. Geraldine M. Perri, superintendent/president, Kevin Belcher, student speaker, and Thomas Gerfen, President of Citrus College Foundation.

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor

Norma Saldana, 19, recieves ribbon from Carol Thomas for the Dr. Louis E. Zellers Scholarship.

Scholarship donors and recipients gather to recognize achievement BY

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor

R

ecipients, donors, friends and family members all gathered Aug. 15 at the fourth annual Scholarship Reception in the Campus Center to acknowledge 180 students and recognize the generosity of those who fund Citrus College scholarships. $115,000 in scholarship money was awarded this year, $30,000 of it coming from seven new scholarships that the Citrus College Foundation received funds for over the past year.

The event is not simply about handing out money to college students, it is about sending a message through generations.

Behind each scholarship created there is a story and a passion that drives it.

Thomas Gerfen, the president of the Citrus College Foundation, is not only an alumnus of Citrus College but also a retired faculty member, a Navy veteran and creator of a scholarship for veterans.

“My only sadness is that we can’t give more, but one of the things that is of shinning light is that a couple of scholarship recipients come back and start scholarships themselves,” Gerfen said.

The Citrus College Foundation encourages Alumni to return and continue to create scholarships of their own.

Funding a continuous flow of scholarships for students is an ideal that was repeated throughout the event.

“We are not alone in our passions.”

Lillian Sass

Scholarship Donor for Bob Sass Foster / Kinshipscholarship Lillian Sass, who sponsors the Bob Sass Foster/Kinship Scholarship, supports students that are in the foster care system. Sass was the first speaker at the event and gave an emotional message.

“We are not alone in our passions,” Sass said. She then added that “The best role model is someone who completes an education.”

Sabrina Rentschler, 24, was awarded the Institute for Training Leaders Mentorship Scholarship and shared her Citrus story. Her Citrus career had a rocky start, but Rentschler did a 180 and became a

member of the honors program which she says gave her an immense amount of motivation: “I would become worthy of this,” Rentschler remembers thinking.

The students who receive these scholarships are deemed to be hardworking and deserving.

The selection process is not simple, its competitive no matter how few students may enter. Therefore those awarded these scholarships are honored.

Some recipients reactions ranged from smiles to tears of joy.

McVey Family Scholarship and ASCC Service Beyond Self Scholarship recipient Andrea Brycsak, 30, has spent five years at Citrus and will be graduating in June from the RN Program.

“It’s incredible what you can do when you put your mind to it,” Brycsak said.

“It’s nice to come here and be recognized for the hard work.”

There was no shortage of emotion.

Proud parents sat in the audience and watched their children receive money that they earned by their own merit.

By 2014 the foundation hopes to add additional scholarships to benefit Citrus students.

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor Lillian Sass, scholarship donor, speaks about the meaning behind why she funds her scholarship.

Jessica Soto / Managing Editor

Scholarship recipients line up to recieve certificates.

A long term solution to beat textbook prices BY

Jordon Lowndes / A&E Editor

T

extbooks cause extensive damage to student budgets every semester.

Art Corral, 31, president of the honor society Alpha Gamma Sigma, believes that publishers have strong-armed the market into overpricing textbooks. “I have every bit of confidence that if the school could, they would sell us books at a much cheaper price,” Corral said.

Despite this, the price of textbooks does not have to result in an empty wallet. Students have a number of options available to help them to avoid paying full price for their course materials.

Corral may be able to avoid purchasing textbooks this semester altogether because of their high cost. Instead, he can check out his textbooks from Citrus College’s

Hayden Memorial Library. “I did it one semester for a couple books,” Corral said. “It just meant that I had to adjust my schedule to make it work.”

Citrus College students can borrow textbooks to use within the library for up to two hours at a time. This time is occasionally reduced if the book is in high demand.

Though the library does not issue late fees, students who turn in overdue textbooks twice may have their textbook borrowing privileges revoked for the remainder of the semester.

Raymond Espinoza, 18, a marine biology major, purchases most of his textbooks online with the intent of selling them to other students once the semester is through. “I usually buy only the math books from the bookstore,” Espinoza said. “I usually look online to get a cheaper price.”

New and used textbooks may be purchased or rented from the Owl Bookshop.

Additionally, students who are waiting for their financial aid checks can make purchases from the bookstore directly out of their Pell Grants using their Student IDs. Last semester, 30 percent of ASCC’s budget came from bookstore profits. This money is used to fund programs and events on campus.

Purchasing textbooks from the bookstore is not for everyone. Reuben Rodriguez, 19, sociology major, avoids buying books from the Owl Bookshop whenever possible. “I purchase them from Chegg. com or I go to a private seller,” Rodriguez said. “The books are very expensive and obviously you can’t bargain the price.”

Rodriguez also uses a Facebook group called “Citrus College—The Textbook Exchange” to sell and trade textbooks with the other 177 members of the group.

Ashley Mu, 22, a social behavioral science major, also purchases textbooks

online. “If I really need the book I will go to Amazon and order to most inexpensive copy,” Mu said.

To help with buying and renting books online, websites such as bigwords.com or slubgooks.com can automatically find and compare the cheapest textbook prices from groups of online stores.

There are also open posting areas all around Citrus College. Students can use these to freely advertize textbooks they are looking to buy or sell. These areas are cleared off once every two weeks.

Library hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 pm. Bookstore hours are from Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 pm.

FEATURES

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

9

Welcome new faculty - the fresh faces of Fall 2013 Photos by: Evan Solano Featuers Editor

Renee Liskey

Efren Rangel

Dance professor

Noemi Barajas

Guidance Counselor

Cal State Fullerton - BA in Dance Cal State Dominguez Hills - Masters in Humanites Adjunct Instructor at Citrus College in Fine Arts Dept.

USC - Major in Sociology / American Studies Minor in Social Work NYU - Guidance Counseling

Nursing Program

Mount St. Mary’s College, ADN , Nursing Cal State Dominguez Hills, BSN, Nursing Mount St. Mary’s College, MSN with Emphasis in Education Azusa Pacific University, Post-Graduate, Family Nurse Practitioner

What would you like your students to know about you as a person?

What would you like your students to know about you as a person?

What would you like your students to know about you as a person?

Liskey: I am very accessible and have a desire to help students find their way to the next educational level, be it their AA, tranfering to a four year institution or a certificate

Rangel: Relaxed, easy going but have high expectations of my students

Barajas:My ultimate goal is to successfully graduate a caring, well trained and prepared nurses for our society

What is the most important lesson students learn in your class?

Liskey: That they can push themselves and excel in areas that seem new or scary to them and how to incorporate the arts in their daily lives.

What are some hobbies or interests of yours?

Liskey: Singing! Maintain a weekly vocal residency at the Quiet Woman in Corona del Mar

Anything else you want to let us know?

Liskey: Very excitied to be a part of the Citrus

College family

What is the most important lesson students learn in your class?

Rangel: Active learning, getting students involved in the teaching/learning process of my class

What are some hobbies or interests of yours?

Rangel: Trailrunning

Anything else you want to let us know?

Rangel: Married for 5 years now. Have a Yorkie Terrier and an “active” 15-month old toddler. Everyday is exciting.

What is the most exiciting part of your career?

Barajas: As a Research Nurse I got the opputuinty to travel to serval universites around the world

What are some hobbies or interests of yours?

Barajas: Cooking, traveling, coaching and playing soccer.

Anything else you want to let us know?

Barajas: I co-authored some publiations for the research I worked on.

A new outlook for men’s soccer team

BY

Dillon Cooper /Sports Editor

I

n recent times, the men’s soccer team has formed a habit of losing, this season they are determined to break that habit.

Entering his 16th season as the head coach, Fred Bruce-Oliver believes a change in formation will produce positive results.

“We are going to change things up,” said Bruce-Oliver. With a record of 4-124 last season, change maybe just what the men’s soccer team needs to bounce back.

In previous seasons, Bruce-Oliver went with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

This season he plans to make it more of a 4-3-3 with the team trying to push up as much as possible.

A 4-3-3 formation will help by getting people forward when the Owls have the ball and also impact the midfield when the Owls play defense.

While the Owls are attacking, the front three will try to push up and get forward as much as possible.

This will allow more room for the midfield to work and create space to put the attackers through the opposing back line.

When on defense, the concept is to have the two attacking wide players, drop

back into midfield roles. This will cause an impacted midfield making it much harder for the opposing team to find and create space.

The 4-3-3 formation has most recently been made famous by FC Barcelona.

When executed perfectly, this formation can yield promising results.

“You always want to do better than the year before,” Bruce-Oliver said. “It’s going to be a lot harder, this year than last, but the goal is the same. As a group, they work very hard and I think that will help them a lot.”

As the vocal leader in the heart of the defense, Justin Dryer believes if the team works hard and communicates well, things will come easy.

“It’s [keeping clean sheets] going to be a challenge,” Dryer said. “If we work hard and communicate well it should come pretty easy.”

In 20 games last season, the Owls averaged only 1.7 goals per game while averaging 2 goals against per game.

Acting captain Silbestre Valencia, believes the success of the 2013 season will come from the teams unity and good chemistry.

“I want everybody to focus and play as a team, the team has to put us through,” said Valencia.

Photographed by Dillon Cooper Fall 2013 Men’s Soccer team runs laps during summer practice.

Valencia believes there is no added pressure on him for being a second year player. “They are [freshman] going to look for the sophomores for experience,” Valencia said.

As the team prepares for a long 2013 campaign, there is a feeling of confidence and togetherness throughout the squad.

“We are going to finish strong,” Valencia said.

The Owls first home game is against the Cuyamaca Coyotes on Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. Last season the Owls lost 1-0 to Cuyamaca while taking only 8 shots, but getting none on target.

A&E Album Review: Radio Clarion

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

BY

Evan Solano / Feature Writer

Washed Out – Paracosm (Subpop):

magnificently crafted ethereal track that really draws the listener into the world Greene has created.

Both “Entrance” and “It All Feels Right” compliment each other wonderfully. Many of the songs blend together and flow into each other organically. Although this does cause to the songs to lack dynamics on their own, Greene is able to build and crescendo within each track, so while there is less individuality in the songs, as a whole they work to create a relaxing and lush dreamscape.

There is a far more uplifting tone and the music is quite a bit more complex than in his previous albums. Greene has come a long ways from a songwriter who used a lot of samples in his early work to now crafting songs that are made completely from original instrumentation.

This record plays more like a 40-minute suite, which really helps sustain the atmosphere. Greene has constructed an aural scenery that is grandiose, yet subtle for us to immerse ourselves in.

“Paracosm,” is a dreamy, psychedelic, beautifully romantic summer get away put into music.

Twitching Tongues – In Love There Is No Law (Closed Casket Activities): The

serious lyrical content within the songs.

It’s also great that you can understand the lyrics as well, a refreshing change of pace in heavy rock.

The album features some great guitar work, thanks to the wonderful production of the bands guitarist/ producer Taylor Young. Songs like “Good Luck” and “World War V” have fantastic hooks, heavy riffs that are well balanced and do not overshadow the intensity of the music.

Twitching Tongues is still a relatively young band, having formed in 2009, but they have created a buzz by consistent touring and great songs that stand apart.

The new album is great introduction to new fans that would be into heavier acts such as Pantera, Crowbar, Type O Negative and Celtic Frost while still being accessible to fans of more mainstream alternative acts, like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Temple Of The Dog. “In Love There Is No Law” is a great collection of aggressive songs that refreshes the musical palate and brings soul to a genre of music that can be stifled by its own brutality and heaviness.

Ernest Greene, who performs under the name Washed Out, is widely known for penning the track “Feel It Out,” which is played during the opening credits of the hit IFC channel show “Portlandia.” But the Georgia-based one-man project has been making his presence known in the indie scene for quite some time.

2011’s “Within and Without” was an incredible debut album which garnered much praise from those within the chillwave and dreampop communities.

Greene has reemerged with the aptly titled “Paracosm,” named from a literary term for an imaginary world that an author creates for their reader. Like the title suggests, Greene has created a great landscape of sound within this album.

The compositions are much more alive than in his previous releases, while maintaining a relaxing and laid back listenability. The hazy, dreamlike ambiance that was prevalent in much of his early work is still here in spades, but Greene has found a way to make his music more colorful and vibrant as well.

There are beautifully constructed moments distributed throughout the nine-track album. “Weightless” is a

new album from the Los Angeles-based quintet is a beast that brings a style of metal and rock infused hardcore not often heard in the modern music scene.

On “In Love There Is No Law,” the band delivers nine doom-laden tracks drawn from their favorite bands growing up. The album hits hard and isn’t afraid to experiment when possible. “In Love…” expands on elements laid out on classic ’90s metal albums, like Pantera’s “Vulgar Display of Power,” Type O Negative’s “Bloody Kisses” and even alternative groups such as Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and The Melvins.

Although they are influenced by mid ’90s hard rock, they are very much a hardcore band. With “In Love…” the band pushes the boundaries of hardcore by producing songs that use heavy, well-constructed riffs and great vocal melodies from vocalist Colin Young.

The vocals are a unique addition to the music and set Twitching Tongues aside from their peers. The blending of the melodic vocals and aggressiveness of the music is a great dynamic that the band utilizes throughout the album.

Young’s vocals, which fall somewhere between Pantera’s Phil Anselmo and The Cure’s Robert Smith, help draw the listener in and focus on the heavy and

Letlive. – “The Blackest Beautiful” (Epitaph): Anyone who happens to catch this Los

Angeles post hardcore band live can tell you Letlive are a tremendous powerhouse of energy and bring such an unrivaled intensity to the stage.

With the band’s third album, “The Blackest Beautiful,” the band has captured their energetic stage presence and unleashes it in every note.

This album was meant to move you in every sense.

Obvious comparisons to bands like Glassjaw and Refused may come to mind, but Letlive have cultivated a trademark sound and executed it well.

There is a great amount of groove within the songs’ short time limits. Tracks like “The Dope Beat” and “Younger” infuse a lot of Latin jazz style backbeats into their heavy charged hardcore sound and breathe some

Listen to tracks from Twtiching Tongues and check out their upcoming tourdates: www.facebook.com/twitchingtongues

exciting and fresh life into the songs.

Frontman Justin Butler’s distinct vocals belt out every word with such crazed conviction. Butler expels his soul on this album and pours his heart into topics that range from corporate greed in America, racial issues and death.

Parts of this album take your breath away while at the same time giving you whiplash. It is not too much of one or too little of the other. “The Blackest Beautiful” is a wonderful hardcore album that has both soul and incredible pop sensibility.

For more exclusive playlists and tracks, follow the Clarion on Spotify.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

11

Citrus College Clarion ccclarion.com

Be a full time student and worker

OP-ED

Editorial

CLARION A First Amendment Newspaper

Art by Christian Rodriguez

Six in 10 students work while attending school full-time, which is consistent with studies that have shown that college students are in need of more than one source of income, whether it be from parents or financial aid, in addition to need at least a part-time job.

There are stigmas placed on low wage workers because those jobs do not require college degrees but they do require that workers develop certain skill sets. Luckily for college students these jobs do work around student schedules.

Although a working student’s social life may have to be curtailed, the outcome will likely result in a more responsible and independent student.

Learning independence is important by the time a student enters college but it is not

12

CITRUS COLLEGE

C

haffey College has published research based on the 2011-2012 student worker academic performance. That study showed that student workers had a cumulative GPA of 2.74 while non-student workers had a cumulative GPA of 2.39.

The biggest argument against working while going to college is the fear of a drop in academic performance and statistics have shown that this does not have to be the case.

Student workers who are successful both inside and outside of the classroom master time management and understand responsibility.

Not only do community college students often have to pay enrollment fees but for textbooks and transportation as well.

Many will have to borrow money during their college career and student loans do not get paid off over night.

Considering that the cost of living continues to rise, today’s students need to work so they can finance their academics in order to satisfy their long-term goals.

It is because of this that a strong percentage of college students have had to face the added challenge of working while also trying to maintain a solid performance academically.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

learned by having parents pay for all college expenses.

Taking all these factors into consideration, students should work while attending school, not necessarily full-time but part time at least.

In the long run, future employers can see the academic performance of these student workers and be impressed at the ability to balance work and school.

A strong work ethic demonstrated both in the classroom and at a job is an impressive trait to have.

Being a student worker is do-able. Students who are motivated and determined can make it work.

So challenge yourself and whatever you do, make sure you learn all you can. It may not be easy but it will be worth it.

Editor-in-Chief Christian Rodriguez Managing Editor Jessica Soto A&E Editor Jordon Lowndes Features Editor Evan Solano Sports Editor Dillon Cooper Contributing Writers David Tate Jetske Wauran Instructional Assisstants Stacy K. Long Advisor Margaret O’Neil The Clarion is produced by journalism students and is distributed every other Wednesday during the semester. Ads are not endorsed by the Clarion. Editorials are the opinion of at least 75 percent of the Editorial Board. All other opinion is that of the writer. Views expressed do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College and/or CCCBOT. Libel will not be published.

The Clarion welcomes feedback from our readers. If you have any gripes, questions, or comments ... we want to hear from you! Send your letters in at ccclarion.com/lettersAll correspondence must include your student ID#, major and signature. Letters may be edited for content.

Opinion

Man vs. Bus Written by Evan Solano / Features Editor

The distance from the front door of my house to the Citrus College campus is 4.2 miles, or 13 minutes drive time. Unfortunately, since I rely on public transportation, that 4.2 miles can vary anywhere from 40 minutes to a two-hour voyage home.

So, as I sit at the bus stop on the corner of Citrus Avenue and Arrow Highway where my connecting bus should have been almost 40 minutes ago, I wonder why more people don’t use the buses.

It’s because we actually need to get to where we intend to go—not in two hoursnow!

Time is money. Waiting almost 40 minutes for a connecting bus is very detrimental to workers who rely on public transportation. The entire experience is so inconvenient, most of us never even bother to think about taking the bus.

This is not an attack on the idea public transportation as a whole. It is a verbal chastisement of the inefficiency and lack of attention that public transportation receives in the greater LA area.

The concept of public transportation is a great idea, and has made commuting throughout the L.A. area much easier in many ways but has failed in capturing the attention of the public.

In San Francisco and New York, public transportation runs efficiently and effectively and is widely accepted by the community.

Good, reliable public transportation is an economical way for students to save on expenses that would come from owning a car.

Gas, insurance, monthly payments, daily wear and tear can all make car ownership quite a costly hassle.

The biggest difference between the Northern California-based Bay Area Rapid Transit system and our local Foothill Transit lines is the timetable.

According to the Foothill Transit website, the 492 bus, which is one of the most popular bus lines, runs down Arrow Highway, and makes stops every 30 minutes.

For a bus line running on one of the busiest streets in the San Gabriel Valley area, 30 minutes in unacceptable, even bus lines running through non-major streets in LA run in 15 minute intervals.

One of the most frustrating aspects of

Art by Christian Rodriguez

taking the bus is the lack of transparency when it comes to late running lines.

I can understand that there are circumstances that cause delays from time to time, but what patrons want most is a reason why.

We live in an age of information and social media. There is an endless supply of useless information at my fingertips. If I can find out when what my friends have for lunch on Instagram why I am left guessing as to why the 492 bus is running late?

Although Foothill Transit is active on both their Twitter and Facebook accounts and does their best to address their customer needs, I am convinced more can be done to meet and exceed customer’s standards.

What passengers want is convenience and reliability. In an age where I can order a pizza and track it through a mobile app, the fact that Southern Californian public transit companies have not been utilizing a similar service seems like such a disservice to the very customers they are trying to keep using their amenities.

It seems like the executives over at Foothill Transit need to take some time and reevaluate how to make service consistent and dependable for students and patrons.

I would encourage them to wait at the Arrow Highway/Citrus Avenue bus stop; that should give them plenty of time to reflect.