08 VOL. 076
4.23.14
DISCOVER US ONLINE
REC CENTER P. 4 STIPEND CUTS P. 7 CAFE REVIEWS P. 9
INDY LE N S Michael Gonzales (6) leads Clark's baseball team in steals with seven. The Penguins are in a battle for a playoff spot in the in the South Division of the NWAACC. (Nicole JaHaney / The Independent)
3 I NDY
I n d y S ta f f E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f : Ty l e r U r k e editorinchief@students.clark.edu Managing Editor: Caitlin Calsbeek managingeditor@students.clark.edu
G U I TA R C LU B ST R U N G T H I N
Design Manager: Evan Jones designmanager@students.clark.edu
A l ejan d r a M ag al l an es
Copy Editor: Steven Cooper copyeditor@students.clark.edu
@ I n d y CC l if e
News Editor: Emma Fletcher newseditor@students.clark.edu @IndyCCnews L i f e E d i t o r : Tr a F r i e s e n lifeeditor@students.clark.edu @IndyCClife Ar ts & Enter tainment Editor: Kenneth Zumma ch ar tseditor@students.clark.edu @IndyCCarts Sports Editor: Ryan Rutledge spor tseditor@students.clark.edu @IndyCCsports Opinion Editor: Esther Manea opinioneditor@students.clark.edu @IndyCCopinion Visuals Editor: Nicole Haney visualseditor@students.clark.edu Multimedia Editor: Aleksi Lepisto multimediaeditor@students.clark.edu Adver tising Manager: S elah Zichterman adver tisingmanager@students.clark.edu Business Manager: D ebbie Peters businessmanager@students.clark.edu Adviser: D ee Anne Finken dfinken@clark.edu Wr i t i n g C o a c h : J i m C a m i n jcamin@clark.edu
T he I nd e p e nd e nt i s th e official s tud e nt publ icati on o f C la r k C olle g e . I t is publ is h e d during F al l , Winte r a n d S p r i ng qua r t e rs for C l ark’s approx im ate l y 23 , 0 00 stud e nt s i n a ddi t i on to s taff, fa cul t y and th e l oc al c o mmuni t y . Re s p on s ibil itie s for e s tabl is h ing new s and d ec i d i ng i s s ue s r e late d to c onte nt re s t s ol e l y w ith the stud e nt s t a f f . C l a r k C olle g e d oe s not dis c rim inate on th e bas is of r a c e, c o l or , nat i ona l or i g in, s ex , dis abil it y, ag e , re l ig i on, s exu a l o r ie nt at i on, g e nd e r id e ntit y, g e nd e r ex pre s s i on, pol i t i ca l affi li at i on, c r e e d, d is ch arg e d vete ran s tatus , m arita l stat us , h onor ab l y d is c h arg e d vete ran or Vie ntam -e ra vet e r a n s t at us i n i t s prog ram s and a ctivitie s .
L E TTER S TO THE ED I TO R
Let t e r s s h ould b e no l ong e r th an 250 w ords , s ig ne d , an d i nc lud e a c ont a c t ph one num be r and em ail address. Let t e r s s h ould b e s e nt to th e ind e pe nd e nt@s tud e nts. c l a r k . e du. L et t e r s a nd e ditorial s re c e ive d be c om e the p r o p e r t y of T h e I nd e pe nd e nt and are s ubj e ct to e di t i n g.
ED I TORIA L POLIC Y
The I nd e p e nd e nt s er ve s th e publ ic by pre s e nting timel y an d f a c t ua l i nfor mati on to re ad e rs ; it provid e s a fo r u m fo r pub li c ex p r e s s i on; and it is a l e arning l ab. 1 9 3 3 F o r t Va n c o u v e r Wa y - Va n c o u v e r , W A 9 8 6 6 3 PHONE: 360-992-2412 WEB: clarkcollegeindependent.com TWITTER: @IndependentCC C OVER Nicole Haney
S t af f R epor t er
Clark students Kaytrina Woodward and her boyfriend, Nicholas Beatty, share a music stand as they practice cover songs and original music. They sit in a room full of empty chairs and music stands. Large instruments are pushed against the wall. They are the only people there. “This is disappointing,” Woodward says. “The last meeting was very active.” Last February, Woodward started a guitar club called Guitar+. Woodward said the goal is for students of any skill level to connect with others through music. This quarter, the club meets every Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. in PUB 257. Woodward’s guitar teacher, Kaytrina Woodward James Manuele, is the club’s adviser. (Alejandra Magallanes / The Independent) He said public outreach is the most important thing Woodward can do for the club. “Clubs are hard to get going,” Manuele said. “Be patient and persistent.” ASCC Club Coordinator Rachael Redjou said it’s rare for a club to fail. Chartered clubs, like Guitar+, receive $100 to start, according to Redjou. That money comes from the Service and Activities Fee students pay when paying tuition. Woodward said she created Guitar+ because she wants to meet other student musicians and share ideas and information. “I see a lot of people playing guitar around campus, and I was surprised there wasn’t a club already,” Woodward said. Woodward said she has “a lot of great ideas like improvisational jamming.” However the group still lacks people. She has played guitar for five years, but became more serious about practicing since her father died. Woodward, Beatty, and a friend have a band called Lupine Eclipse, which she described as having a symphonic metal sound. She said bands like Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius inspire the sound of their band. Woodward plans to earn a degree in music at Portland State University after receiving her associate degree at Clark. “I want to be a rockstar, but I know that’s kind of a big dream,” Woodward said. “I want to share my music with the world and connect with everyone through it.” C ont a c t A l ejan d r a M ag al l an es at a.mag al l an es@ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
I NDY 4
POLL: STUDENTS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT PROPOSED REC CENTER
E s t h e r M a ne a
O p i n i o n E d ito r @ I n d y CC o pini o n
Students overwhelmingly support the construction of a new recreation center, according to a poll of 130 Clark students conducted by The Independent last week. Three Clark students submitted a petition to ASCC leaders in February proposing a center to be paid for with student fees. More than 800 students signed the petition and at least 500 were verified, making the proposal eligible for a student-wide vote in the coming months, according to ASCC President Dena Brill. Seventy-seven percent of the students polled by Indy staff members said they would likely vote for the plan for multiple reasons, although only 20 percent knew about the proposal; 80 percent learned of the proposal as they were polled. Some students said a recreation center would be nice to use when it’s raining and a good place to relax during breaks. Others said they would like to use the facility when they have extra time to exercise or hang out with friends. Students currently pay a $2-per-credit levy each quarter to fund for construction of the Penguin Union Building. That fee is set to expire in December. Graphic by Nicole Haney According to Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie, student fees to pay for the recreation center would simply be levied after the PUB fees expire. Guthrie appeared before ASCC officers in February to promote the plan, saying a new center would make it easier for students to find a place to recreate because the new facility would not be used for classes. Director of Student Life Sarah Gruhler proposed that a vote on the measure, originally planned for May, be postponed until fall. A meeting to discuss that postponement was scheduled for April 18.
20% YES
80% NO
23% NO
77% YES
Brill said a student vote will determine whether a recreation center is built. She said the decision, regardless of the number of students who vote, will be determined by a simple majority. The poll asked students what kind of activities, facilities and equipment they would like to see in the new center, but did not specify the timeframe for construction of the center. One student said, “I would pee my pants in excitement if they put in a pool.” No specifics about the facility — from size, cost or location — have been made public. During spring break, ASCC officers, Guthrie and other Student Life representatives toured recreation centers at Everett Community College and Pierce College Fort Steilacoom to study design options. Everett’s facility cost Poll: Did you know approximately $19.4 million, while about the plan to Pierce’s cost about $10 million, build a new rec center? according to professor Larry Walker of Everett and Director of District Athletics Duncan Stevenson of Pierce. Apart from a pool, some of the most popular requests from students included a rock-climbing wall, weight-lifting room and indoor track. They would also like the center to host activities ranging from circuit-type workouts to archery. A good number of students said they would like to see more places to relax between classes instead of physical recreational activities. They sought more options for students to Poll: Would you vote for the plan to lounge or study, suggesting amenities like pingpong, pool tables, comfy build a new rec center? couches and Wi-Fi access. A few reasons students gave for voting against the plan included the priority of building more parking or using the money for programs being cut. Many opposing students said they couldn’t afford it, or they didn’t want to fund a building they wouldn’t use. Others said they would need more information before voting.
C ont a c t E s t her M an ea at opin i on ed it or @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
5 INDY
ASCC EXPLORES CLARK HIRES REC CENTER NEW VETERANS IDEAS COORDINATOR
R y a n Rutle d g e
S t ev en C ooper
S p o r ts E d ito r
C opy Ed it or
@I nd yC C news
@ I n d y CC n ew s
Members from ASCC and the athletics department toured recreational centers at Everett Community College and Pierce College Fort Steilacoom March 31. Administrators and students looked for design ideas for the proposed recreational center on Clark’s main campus. The Health and Education Center at Pierce College opened in 2007. Pierce’s Director of Districts Athletics Duncan Stevenson told the committee they should negotiate with administrators to keep instruction out of the facility. At Pierce, a large multipurpose room was used mostly for teaching. “This has violated me from day one,” Stevenson said. “You need to go through every possible scenario for a room.” ASCC President Dena Brill agreed that a new building shouldn’t be taken over by classes. “We’re trying to keep classes out,” she said. Stevenson revealed bleachers and volleyball nets tucked away under a staircase when they arrived at the back of the gym. “Hold onto storage,” he said, telling the committee to make plenty of space to stow equipment when it isn’t in use. The committee also toured Everett’s Fitness Center, a multipurpose instruction and student recreation building, with professor Larry Walker who answered questions as they walked. The facility is approximately 49,000 square feet, according to Walker. “It’s a lot bigger than what we’re thinking,” said Brill. ASCC officers and Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie offered several ideas for uses of a new recreation center: roller derby, movie nights and a gym were some suggestions. After a building like this is proposed by a group of students and gains enough signatures, it is voted on. Nearly 1,600 students voted in Everett's referendum several years ago, according to Walker. About 90 percent of those votes supported building the Fitness Center. “You really can’t be apathetic with this,” said Brill. Students at Everett pay a $50-per-quarter fee while those at Pierce can pay a $15 fee to use their facilities. Most of Everett’s fee funds the fitness center, while Pierce’s pays for the upkeep at the Health and Education Center. Faculty at Everett can pay $25 a quarter to use recreation center equipment. The ASCC officers in attendance were President Dena Brill, Vice President Gabrielle Roscher, Activities Director Hannah Swift and Finance Director Wilson Halimuddin. Student Life Program Support Supervisor Sami Lelo, Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie and Senior Secretary of Athletics Marla Derrick also attended.
Clark has a new Veterans Resource Center coordinator. Kurt Kolch, a 25-year Air Force veteran, was hired March 24. As coordinator, Kolch will supervise programs and services the center provides, according to Dean of Student Success and Retention Matthew Rygg. Some of these services include veterans advocacy, community partnerships and veterans success workshops. Kolch was an Aircraft Maintenance Officer and a ROTC detachment commander at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He applied for the position after he retired. “I was looking for a position that would help the community,” Kolch said. The Veterans Resource Center is located in GHL 216.
s p o r tse d ito r@ stud e nts .clark. edu
c opy ed it or @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
a dver t i sement
C o nt a ct R ya n Rutle d g e at
C ont a c t S t ev en C ooper at
Small class sizes, top-notch professors and hands-on learning. Experience all UW Bothell has to offer.
Meet with an advisor today! We have an outstanding team ready to help you choose from our exciting degree offerings. 425.352.5000 | www.uwb.edu
I NDY 6
HI G H S C H OOL ER S ON C A MPUS Officials, instructors have mixed feelings about Running Start G r a c e G ellatl y C o nt r i b u ting Re po r te r @ I n d y CC news
C ont a c t G r a c e G el l at l y at n ew s ed it or @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
ADVERTISE WITH THE
Contact Advertising Manager Selah Zichterman at advertisingmanager@students.clark.edu for more information.
Our milkshakes bring all the Penguins to the yard!
theCOLLEGE BURGER Now offering milkshakes & cajun tots @clarkburger
Hours: Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Fridays 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
a dver t i sement
“I really like having Running Start students in my class.” Fortunately for psychology professor John Governale, Clark has the largest Running Start program in Washington with 10 percent of the state’s Running Start students, significantly more than any other college. Running Start enrollment has nearly doubled in the past seven years from 993 enrolled in 2007 to 1,849 in winter 2014, according to Clark's Department of Planning and Effectiveness. High school juniors and seniors enrolled through the Running Start program constituted 15 percent of students enrolled at Clark last quarter. The Washington legislature approved Running Start in 1990. Other colleges experimented with it for a few years before Clark first offered it in 1992, according to Linda Calvert, associate director of Running Start. She said Clark expects growth to continue because it’s an affordable opportunity for students to get ahead. “It’s a great program,” she said. “I get to meet the most amazing students.” Second-year Running Start student Mason Lepisto said he chose Running Start because he didn’t enjoy his high school experience. He also said he likes that college students are more independent. Lauren Pfeiffer, a first-year Running Start student, said she also prefers Clark to high school. She said she really likes the people, having the option to make her own schedule and appreciates that education is taken more seriously at Clark because students choose to be there. Prairie High School counselor Steve Rhodes said high schools don’t favor the program. They feel like they are losing some of their best students, he said. Rhodes also said high schools are not as pleased with the program because they lose most of their state funding, significantly reducing their already tight budget. According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 93 percent of state funding for each Running Start student goes to Clark. High schools only receive up to 7 percent of the funding that used to go to them for each student. While this funding situation places local high schools at a disadvantage, Calvert said it’s very beneficial for Clark. The increased revenue allows the college to hire more part-time faculty and open new sections of classes. She also said it’s good for taxpayers, because it doesn’t cost more money to have students take classes at Clark than at a public high school. Shree Venkatachalam, a communications instructor at Clark, said most of her students in Running Start are overachievers and their hard work pushes other students to work harder. However, she said some Running Start students aren’t ready or mature enough, don’t take criticism well, don't take the class as seriously and are less attentive.
Calvert disagrees, saying instructors at Clark believe most Running Start students are some of their best students and, on average, have a higher GPA than other students. Governale said the mix of ages and backgrounds makes class a richer experience. Lepisto said he feels like a normal college student rather than someone in high school. He said his instructors treat him equal to older students, too. “I’m glad I did it,” Lepisto said. “If someone is on the fence about it, they should definitely at least try it.”
7 I NDY
PROGRAM CUTS SPARK BACKLASH Stipends reduced to offset S&A budget deficit A l ek si L e pisto M ul t im e d ia E d ito r @I nd yC C news
“It’s crap.” That was one director’s response to the 10 percent cut to program director stipends decided by an ASCC committee in the initial 2014-15 program budget allocations. The new budget would also increase the Services & Activities fee to the state maximum of $7.45 per credit, according to an email sent to program directors by ASCC finance director Wilson Halimuddin. The fee is paid by each student who attends Clark and is a percentage of the total fees paid each quarter. The proposed budget is set to appear before the college Board of Trustees for final approval. Program directors are given the chance to appeal the allocations by the committee starting April 24. Because the revenue generated by the fee depends on student enrollment, which has been declining, the S&A fee committee faced reconciling a $234,856 deficit by making cuts to some of the programs. This eventually included reducing all director stipends. The reduction has not gone over well with many directors, who run the more than 30 existing S&A-funded programs like Archer Gallery, Model United Nations and Pep Band. “It’s a bit insulting,” said former speech and debate program director Dave Kosloski, who stepped down last year in part because “it had become a different program than I had been hired to direct.” He cited specifics like budget cuts and changes to how students enroll in the program. During his time as director, Kosloski said his workload grew because the amount of paperwork required by the ASCC “honestly tripled.” “I mean, between having to do two and sometimes three separate budget reports — so eventually we’ve gotten to the point now where we have to turn in a pre-budget request, then our budget request, and then we have to turn in quarterly reports about how our program is doing — we didn’t have to do any of that when I first started 15 years ago,” Kosloski said. He also said that stipends were due for an increase because they had not been
adjusted for inflation or cost of living in nearly a decade. According to a recent survey conducted by a faculty union bargaining subcommittee, 10 program directors provided itemized summaries of hours worked to support their programs. The average wage equivalent was $8.17 per hour. Some programs surveyed reported rates as low as $2.89 per hour. Washington’s minimum wage is $9.32 per hour. According to an email from David Johnson, an Employment Standards Technical Specialist with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, minimum wage and overtime laws do not apply to the stipends program directors are given if they are salaried employees of the college and are taking on additional duties. The college pays faculty an alternative wage, sometimes called an “other” wage, of $31.30 per hour for work done outside of their normal contract duties, like serving on college committees, said Vice President of Instruction Tim Cook. That doesn’t include ASCC programs, which are funded separately. “I’m not sure the committee has a clear understanding of the work that’s being done by the program directors,” said Gene Biby, who runs the Theatre Program. “The perception is that our work is not valued enough,” he said. “I’m worth $4.22 an hour.” Voting members on the committee were forced to make hard choices, said committee chair Anthony Bittner. “I mean, the very first order of business was, ‘should we raise student fees?’ And that was a difficult decision right off the bat.” He said cutting stipends was a last resort to eliminate the final portion of the deficit. “What we tried to do is do it responsibly,” Bittner said. “We’ll increase fees — our revenue — and then at the very end, after we had already touched programs and we still weren’t there … that’s when we looked at stipends.” “Our position was not ‘let’s cut the stipends with glee,’” he said. “It was, ‘I
really wish there was another way besides cutting stipends.’” Opinions about stipend cuts were divided, with some sentiments pushing toward a higher 30 percent cut, and some opting for no cut. “Ten [percent] was kind of a compromise that was struck on the committee,” Bittner said. More than just the money “I don’t think it’s about the money, I think it’s about the message,” said faculty union president Kimberly Sullivan. “There is a point where someone’s love for their work begins feeling like exploitation.” Kathrena Halsinger, one of the directors of the Phoenix — the college’s art and literary magazine — said she took the position because of a vacancy, not because she was counting on making more money. “There has never been — since I started this program — any consideration to do this because it was additional income,” she said. The effect of the cut is demoralizing, said orchestra director Don Appert. “How would you feel after 24 years of building to improve something and then they’d say that well, they don’t think they should fund it to the full extent anymore?” Some directors claimed that the cuts to their programs will require more work of them, which they said makes a stipend reduction even more senseless. Appert isn’t as concerned with his stipend as he is with the survival of the program, which he said is already running on a “bare-bones budget.” The orchestra recently won third place in the American Prize for Orchestra Performance, but Appert worries that the program won’t withstand additional cuts. “They’re cutting my program 25 percent,” he said. This is two years after Appert said the orchestra budget was cut by close to 20 percent, which he appealed without success. Directors are allowed to appeal decisions made by the committee but appeals
“There is a point where someone’s love for their work begins feeling like exploitation.” — Kimberly Sullivan
I NDY 8 aren’t handled by a third party like court appeals. “There’s always this sort of asterisk at the bottom of your budget that says ‘if you want to appeal this you can;’ the problem with that is you’re appealing to the same people who denied your original request,” Kosloski said. He isn’t the only one who takes issue with appealing the allocations. “Honestly, my experience from appealing the last time is that you go and present your appeal and they look at you and say, ‘Well we’ve already made the decision,’” Appert said. He said he wished that there was more of a dialogue between directors and the committee so changes could be made more effectively. Bittner acknowledged there are issues with the way appeals are handled currently, but said changes to the bylaws would need to be made in order to allow another party to handle them. He also said there would need to be substantial time and training allowances to bring another committee up to speed on the intricacies of the budget. Bittner said some directors, although appealing their allocation decisions, didn’t show up to their allocation meetings with the committee. “A lot of times, if you don’t show up to be involved in the process, you don’t like the outcome,” he said, although he respects the right for directors to appeal. This year, there is $2,000-3,000 left in the budget after the stipend cuts that can be allocated to programs through the appeal process, which Bittner said he plans to do in order to soften the impact cuts may have had, but he can’t speak for the committee regarding the allocation of those funds. He also took personal responsibility for the apparent lack of communication between the committee and program directors during their allocation meetings, and said he appreciates their contributions and doesn’t want directors to feel slighted by a stipend reduction. Bittner said he understands the frustration that many directors have voiced. He also said the committee did not take the decisions lightly, especially regarding stipend reductions. The committee could have balanced the deficit by cutting entire programs, but
according to Bittner, that wasn’t a good solution. “What I was trying to do was to not kneecap any programs to where they couldn’t function,” he said. “If we had it our way, we would have increased funding to every program.” None of the budget increases requested by the programs were approved by the committee except for Child and Family Studies, which saw an increase in order to cover the jump in minimum wage, Bittner said. Some programs did not see a budget decrease. After appeals, the budget will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for final approval. Jack Burkman, a Vancouver City Council member who serves on the board said he looks for due diligence in the budget decision and “why they need to increase or what is the impact of a decrease in funds.”
services” like the C-Tran BackPASS, a discounted bus pass offered to Clark students. He also objects to the allegation of insulting program directors by reducing stipends and said it feels like a “push to make it adversarial [with the committee], which is not how [the committee feels] at all. We are on their team.” Bittner said he’s frustrated because his intentions were to be responsible with student money and fair with the allocations. He said he never intended for the decisions to be taken personally. “That’s the part that’s frustrating for me,” Bittner said. “They’re coming and saying that they feel insulted and that just breaks my heart.” “As far as morally, do I think that we should be contributing to help the directors? Yes I do,” he said. “As far as if it’s legal? I’m not convinced.”
“That’s the part that’s frustrating for me. They’re coming and saying that they feel insulted and that just breaks my heart.” — Anthony Bittner
A bigger debate There might be a larger issue to resolve, too. “Is it even legal for us to spend money on [paying directors with S&A money]?” Bittner said. To answer that question, he said the committee requested the college’s auditor look into the S&A fee to find out if the current use of funds is legal. A debate has sparked regarding the appropriate use of the S&A money and ties with instruction. “ASCC money cannot mingle with instruction money. But the question has come up, about whether or not instructors who work as ASCC directors ... isn’t that instructional?” Sullivan said. In Bittner’s opinion, although he thinks programs are important, there isn’t a strong case for funding some of the cocurricular programs, which closely relate to instruction, with S&A money. He said he thinks the intention of the S&A fee was to primarily fund “widespread
“That’s the part that’s frustrating for me. They’re coming and saying that they feel insulted and that just breaks my heart.” — Anthony Bittner
Editor’s Note: The Independent was unable to get the proposed budgets for the programs by the time of this printing. Instead, we’ve contacted program directors to ask them to provide their budget allocations for us to publish. We have filed paperwork with the college to request that we be provided the allocations before appeals begin April 24. Emma Fletcher, Robert Berman and Ryan Rutledge contributed to this story.
C ont a c t A l ek si Lepis t o at mu l t imed ia ed it or @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
9 INDY
PICKS FOR YOUR MORNING FIX Editor samples three local cups of joe R ev iew by E m m a Fletcher N ews E d ito r @I nd yC C a r ts
As Spring quarter begins, Mondays seem longer, classes seem harder and we all need a caffeine pick-me-up. There are several places to grab a quick cup of joe near campus. I’ve chosen to review these three gourmet Vancouver coffee shops: Thatcher’s Coffee, Grand Blvd. Thatcher’s Coffee is located on Grand Boulevard just off of Highway 14 in Vancouver. They have great music and a lovely atmosphere. It’s happy and cheery with big garage door windows that roll open in warmer months. Thatcher’s is constantly buzzing with customers. Most people come to study, catch up with friends or conduct business meetings. They offer free Wi-Fi and even a small play area with retro toys for children. The owners have great attention to detail. From a chalk-drawn menu to fresh flowers placed throughout the shop, the design is well thought out and simple. The staff at Thatcher’s are friendly and personal. Although drinks and pastries can be on the expensive side, most drinks range from $3 to $5. I had an 8-ounce Thatcher's coffee is strong and bold, which pairs latte, which well with their fresh, sweet pastries. comes with two (Emma Fletcher / The Indpendent) shots of espresso and is decorated with a milk leaf. Their latte is strong and bold. It has a bit of a woody flavor and ends with a smooth finish.
You can also buy Portland’s Ristretto Roasters coffee and pastries, some of which are made in-house and others are from Bakeshop in Portland. This is a real gem in Vancouver. Because of its proximity to Clark, Thatcher’s is a great place to study and enjoy coffee. Compass Coffee, Main St. Compass Coffee Roasters is a small coffee shop nestled in downtown Vancouver on the corner of Main Street between 13th and 14th Streets. The shop gives off a warm vibe with gray-colored walls and a feature wall made of brick. Customers have the option of sitting in couches, at a small two-seat table or at the bar. The shop felt nearly full with about 10 people inside. Unfortunately, there are only a few outlets available for customers who want to charge electronics. I stayed for about 30 minutes and never was able to log into the Wi-Fi, which was frustrating. The staff was very friendly and had an obvious relationship with returning customers, however. Sounds of rock music, like Weezer, filled the small shop. Compass roasts their own coffee in-house. (Emma Fletcher / The Indpendent) I love music in a setting like this, but it seemed too loud for such a small space. I really enjoyed the relaxed environment, in a shelf next to the couch were books including Dickens and Steinbeck. Compass has a full menu including espresso, brewed coffee and a variety of fresh pastries. Co-owner Bryan Wray said they roast their own coffee and bake pastries at their second location on St. Johns Boulevard. I ordered a cafe au lait, a half-coffee, half-steamed-milk drink; it’s not as strong as a latte. The coffee was smooth and creamy and not too expensive. Prices run from about $3 to $4.
INDY 10
Torque Coffee, Columbia St. As I walked into Torque Coffee, I was surprised by how big and open it is. The shop has a warehouse feel to it, but is bright with big windows and tall ceilings. I immediately fell into a good mood when I heard Mumford & Sons playing in the background, which is proper coffee shop music. There are mosaics hanging on the walls, and a painting of their logo with a local bridge on the back wall. It’s obvious that Torque cares about appearance. Their interior is beautiful with colorful antique-looking furniture and an easy layout. This is a great space for people to catch up on work. There are big tables and a bar where customers can sit and work. There are also plenty of outlets for electronics. They roast their own coffee in-house. I ordered a latte, it was smooth, sweet and had a clean finish. Torque Coffee is located on Columbia Street Torque’s pastries across from the Convention Center. come from (Emma Fletcher / The Indpendent) Deda’s Bakery in Vancouver as well as Bakeshop, and include gluten-free options. Service was quick and the barista was very pleasant. For most of the day you can find the Mighty Bowl parked in front. Torque owner Ryan Palmer said, “the energy that they brought with them was great, and they have been here ever since.” This is an ideal area for students looking for a quiet space to sip and work.
LAID-BACK BREWERY CRAFTS FRIENDLY VIBE
Rev iew by Ty l er Br ow n S t af f R epor t er @ I n d y CC ar t s
Silver and neon glowing signs and giant beer vats set a strong but welcoming tone at Mt. Tabor Brewing. It’s a typical show room environment with a heavy amount of concrete, brew equipment and an unorthodox silver bar. The Hives play from a small radio in the background on top of a refrigerator showcasing the selection of beer. Mt. Tabor is located on 9th Street between Washington and Main Street. Owner Eric Surface moved this small piece of Portland to downtown Vancouver in 2011 with a desire to bring delicious drinks to a burgeoning bar scene. At first he seemed intimidating, Mt. Tabor Brewing now offers the rye-based Red but after some Rider beer, which features a punch of hops and light banter he flavor. (Nicole Haney / The Indpendent) was open to discuss his favorite drinks. The Asylum Avenue India pale ale was my first choice, a drink with 6.3 percent alcohol by volume, a pungent scent and bitter flavor thanks to the amarillo, cascade and simcoe hops. It is also brewed with a two row malt, often favored by European brewers. This gives the drink a roasted but slight sweet-nutty flavor with a mellow aftertaste that leaves you wanting more. Don’t expect a bold drink like Bridgeport’s Hop Czar or any other Northwest IPAs — Asylum has a zesty first sip with a mellow wash down. The small cozy environment is often packed on Fridays and Saturdays but maintains a laid-back attitude. There is nothing too fancy or over-the-top that pulls attention away from the beer. Mt. Tabor has a wide selection of drinks with a comfortable setting that feels like hanging out at a friend’s place. Mt. Tabor brews can also be found in Vancouver at Kiggins Theatre, Low Bar, Vinnie’s Pizza, Tommy O’s, Lapellah, and McMenamins on the Columbia River.
C o nt a c t E m m a Fletche r at
C ont a c t Ty l er Br ow n at
new s e d i to r@ stud e nts.cla rk. edu
t . b r ow n 6 @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
Planning to transfer to PSU? This event is for you! 11 INDY
Meet with Portland State University staff during our Transfer Workshop for Clark College Students. AGENDA 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: Transfer Information Session with representatives from Admissions, Housing, and Advising and Career Services. 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Q & A: Come prepared with questions about PSU Admissions and Advising.
Apply online to PSU now and bring your official transcripts to the workshop for priority admission!
Transfer Workshop for Clark College Students Wednesday May 7, 2014 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Clark College PUB258b
pdx.edu/transferstudent
I NDY 1 2
FOR
FEARLESS
FAST TRACK
ER A SU M M
ND FA
4 LL 201
a dv er ti sem ent
W O N APPLY Ready to earn your four-year degree? Don’t wait! Apply by June 1 to ensure a seamless transfer. We make it easy. • Over 60% of PSU students enroll with credits from other colleges. • U.S. News & World Report ranks PSU a Top Ten Up and Coming University Take the next step to your fearless future. Visit our Virtual Transfer Center for more information and to apply online. PDX.EDU/TRANSFERSTUDENT
a dver t i sement
1 3 INDY
FAC U LT Y M A K E T H E G R A D E Get to know your newly tenured professors Tr a Frie se n L i f e E d ito r @I nd yC C life
The Board of Trustees approved the tenure of 10 professors in March. The tenure process typically takes three years and involves a committee of other faculty members and a student judging the instructor’s work. The instructor’s students give feedback on the teaching style and skill through in-class surveys, while the committee evaluates the instructor’s future lesson plans. Tenure provides job security for professors and can only be revoked in rare circumstances. To familiarize you with the newly tenured faculty, here is information about five of them: Steven Clark Biology Steven Clark started teaching at Clark in the math department in 2000 and moved into the biology department in 2004. Before teaching at Clark, he taught at the Washington School for the Deaf for 15 years. “I decided I wanted to teach people who, perhaps, were a little bit neglected,” Clark said. He graduated from Linfield College with a degree in psychology and religion in 1981, Lewis & Clark College with a master’s degree in education in 1986 and Portland State University with a master’s degree in Environmental Science in 2003. For his thesis at PSU, he worked on reintroducing the endangered Western Pond Turtle into the Columbia River Gorge. Elizabeth Donley English Elizabeth Donley has taught at Clark for the past 10 years in the English department. She teaches English 101, English 102, some pre-college English classes and some fiction classes. She is the literary adviser to Clark’s student art and literary magazine "The Phoenix." Donley graduated from DePaul University in
Chicago in 1993 and Chapman University in 2001. She has a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and a Master of Arts in English. The tri-annual literary magazine ZYZZYVA has published her work, and she was awarded an Oregon Literary Fellowship. Robert Schubert Anthropology Robert Schubert is the head of the anthropology department and came to Clark at the end of 2011. He double majored in anthropology and Spanish at the University of Illinois and continued to study anthropology and primatology at Ohio State University, where he graduated with a master’s and Ph.D. For his doctorate, he studied the Lowe’s guenon and ursine colobus primate species for almost a year in the West African nation of Ghana. He also studied in Costa Rica, Japan and a host of other countries. At one time he worked at Disney World though the Disney College Program, where he gave tours on Mike Fink Keel Boats with a “cheesy southern accent.” Adam Coleman Computer Technology Adam Coleman, 52, has taught at Clark for 10 years. He spent six years as an adjunct and four years as a full-time instructor. He teaches Computing Essentials, Introduction to Computing, Introduction to Windows, PC Customer Service and a long list of others. Before teaching at Clark, he spent 26 years working at SEH America, a silicon manufacturing plant. Coleman is a Clark graduate and completed his general transfer degree in 1999. He graduated from Eastern Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Sciences. “I love teaching. In fact, I’ve wanted to teach since I was 8 years old,” Coleman said.
INDY 1 4
Gene Biby moved from Wisconsin in 2011 to teach at Clark and has been head of the theatre department ever since. “I auditioned for my first play my sophomore year of high school, and I got cast in the lead, and that was the end of it,” Biby said. He graduated from Murray State University in Kentucky with a degree in theatre and a master’s in speech education. “When I started I wanted to be an actor, of course, and then about three years into the program I was like, ‘I like to eat, so I don’t know if acting is what I want to do,’” Biby said. He also performed as an extra in the movie "Public Enemies" starring Johnny Depp, where he played a senator.
a dv er ti sem ent
Gene Biby Theatre
C o nt a c t Tra Frie se n at l i f e e d i t o r @ stud e nts.cla rk. e du
a dver t i sement
The Smart Way to Finish Your Degree Now you can finish your bachelor’s degree online at the University of Washington and major in Integrated Social Sciences.
www.onlinedegreecompletion.uw.edu
1 5 I NDY
“IT’S GOING TO BE A BATTLE” Baseball: Playof f hunt comes down to the wire Tr a Frie se n L i f e E d ito r @I nd yC C spo r ts
After going 21-21 last season, Clark’s baseball team has its eye on making its first playoff berth since joining the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges. Three quarters of the way through the season, the team is sitting at seventh in the NWAACC and third in the South Region. The team is well on its way to another 20win season and is in the thick of a three-team playoff race. Last year Clark was in the Western Region of the NWAACC with Tacoma, Lower Columbia, Pierce, Centralia, Green River and Grays Harbor colleges. South Region rival Linn-Benton Community College dropped its baseball program because of funding, so Clark was moved into the South to balance the region, according to head coach Don Freeman. Now Clark is in the South Region for all outdoor sports including cross-country, baseball, soccer, softball and track, but is still in the West for the indoor sports volleyball and basketball, according to Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie. “Every league has two to three teams that are really good, and some that aren’t so good, and this is no different,” Freeman said. In order to make the playoffs in the South, Clark has to finish with one of the top two records. That differs from previous years; in the West, the second and third best teams competed in a three-game playoff series for the final playoff spot, according to Guthrie. Clark is battling Southwestern Oregon Community College and Lane Community College for one of two playoff spots. Guthrie said he expects the team to reach the postseason and compete for a championship. “If we keep having the success we’ve been having we should be in pretty good shape,” Freeman said. Sophomore shortstop Kyle Vanderkin leads the team in hitting, with a .435 batting average. Brayden Maney and David Mason are also having good hitting seasons, batting .351 and .320 respectively. Multiple colleges are interested in Vanderkin, including Gonzaga, Western Oregon and Bellevue, according to Freeman.
Head coach Don Freeman is in his fourth year of coaching the Penguins. He hopes to lead his team to its first NWAACC appearance. (Nicole Haney / The Independent)
“We’ve got a pretty good offense; our pitching is ahead of our offense and we hope our offense starts to blossom,” Freeman said. Clark leads the league in team earned run average. “Right now our top [pitcher] is [Colton] Eckert, yet [Travis] Krueger’s not far away,” Freeman said. Both Krueger and Eckert have each thrown three consecutive shutout games. Krueger is undefeated and Eckert has an ERA of .85. The NWAACC is one of four leagues in the country that use wood bats. Because of the dramatic difference in a wood bat’s “sweet spot,” NWAACC teams tend to play “small ball,” which includes a lot of bunting. “That’s how you score runs and put pressure on the defense,” Freeman said. Because of the extra pressure applied by the difference in play, Freeman said he stresses the importance of defense. “Our defense is really what’s been holding us in all of the games,” Freeman said. “If you play good, solid defense you got a chance in any game you’re playing in.”
Since becoming head coach four years ago, Freeman has made serious strides. Freeman said he was told in his first year that his team wouldn't win five games. It won 11. Freeman has yet to make a playoff appearance while at Clark but said he likes his team’s odds for entering the postseason. “It’s going to be a battle, which is good,” Freeman said. “That’s what we like.” C ont a c t Tr a Fr ies en at l if eed it or @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
Listen to an interview with head coach Don Freeman.
INDY 1 6
A SEASON OF “NO REGRETS”
Basketball: Coaches optimistic af ter fif th-place finish Ty l e r Ur ke E d i t o r - i n- C hie f @ I n d y CC spo r ts
Behind the blue curtain in the gym at O’Connell Sports Center are the offices of several Clark coaches. Here they keep some of their most prized possessions. Alex Kirk, head coach of the men’s basketball team, displays the team’s fifth-place trophy from this year’s Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Tournament at the front of his desk. This was the first year since 1997 that Clark placed at the tournament. The Penguins went 24-1 during the regular season and had a perfect 16-0 league record. They dominated opponents all year, outscoring them by an average of 12.72 points. Kirk said he sat with some of his players before the season began and told them it was “the summer of wow.” He meant he wanted other coaches around the league to be saying, “Wow, what’s going on at Clark?” Before heading into league play, Clark only dropped one game, losing to Peninsula College 77-76. According to Kirk, his team peaked too early. “About halfway through the season we backed off the thought of championship and just made it about attitude, effort, focus and fun,” Kirk said. During one game the team’s mentality shifted, and Kirk recalled seeing “a noticeable weight lifted off of their shoulders.” Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie described the season as “magical” and Kirk said the same about the postseason. Sean Price How can he say this after (Killian Bailey / The Independent) going into the tournament as the undisputed number one seed and finishing fifth? The locker room was a somber place after Skagit Valley College upset the Penguins 75-73 in the second round of the tournament, according to Kirk. “All of our guys were kicking themselves,” Kirk said. “One little play here or one little play there and we probably would have won the game.”
“At the end of the day, I think the majority of the program left it all out there this year.” — Alex Kirk
Kirk said the way his team responded the next two days was what made the playoffs magical. Clark went on to beat Bellevue College 80-70 and Edmonds Community College 74-65, which Kirk called his “proudest moment of the year.” Kirk said he measures a successful season with two words: “no regrets.” “At the end of the day, I think the majority of the program left it all out there this year,” Kirk said. Kirk calls this summer “the summer of oh no,” meaning he wants every coach to say, “Oh no, they’re for real and they’re for real again.” Kirk acknowledges replacing players like MVP of the Western Region Collin Spickerman, First Team All-Star Sean Price and Second Team All-Star Max Livingston is impossible, but he says the goal is for the collective whole to be better than they were this year. Deja Vu for Women Going into the season, head coach Al Aldridge knew he had a group of talented women. “It was kind of fun because I recruited kids to play specific positions,” Aldridge said. This was the first year in his career he was able to do that, according to him. Putting those pieces together helped propel the Penguins to a 23-3 regular season record and a 15-1 league record. Clark was second in the NWAACC in points per game with almost 81. Despite the team’s regular season success, Aldridge said the NWAACC Tournament was “close, but no cigar.” After beating Clackamas Community College in the first round 67-62, Clark lost to Blue Mountain Community College 74-72. Aldridge described the shot that beat the Penguins in the final seconds as a “15-foot prayer.” “They were crushed,” Aldridge said. “We really felt like we had a legitimate chance to win it all.” The night the Penguins were bounced out of first place contention, the team went to a Hawaiianstyle barbecue hosted by point guard Micaela Bitanga’s family, according to Aldridge. He described the night as being perfect and just what the team needed to refocus. The Penguins came out strong the next two days, taking care of Walla Walla and Lower Columbia to claim fifth place. “What you do in adversity defines who you are,” Aldridge said. Aldridge has been hard at work since the tournament ended. He has a simple plan for staying successful next season: “recruiting, recruiting, recruiting.” Aldridge believes the combination of returning players plus “impact recruits” is a great recipe for staying successful next season.
“What you do in adversity defines who you are.” — Al Aldridge
C ont a c t Ty l er Ur k e at ed it or in c hief @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
17 INDY
BE A COUG.
INDY 1 8
GOAL! CLARK SCORES NEW S O C C E R C O AC H
B r o d y Vo d e
S t a f f R epo r te r
@ I n d y CC spo r ts
Clark decided to stay in-house with its pick for the new women’s soccer coach. Sean Janson started his coaching career at Clark as the men’s assistant coach. That was in 2007, the same year the men went on to win the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges title. Langdon Roscoe, who captained the 2013-14 men’s team, describes Janson as passionate, fiery, loud and motivational. “I think every team needs a coach like Sean. I think Sean’s kind of the glue that brings teams together.” Roscoe recalled one specific example of Janson’s intensity: “It was two weeks before [the] NWAACC playoffs. Sean was leading so we knew it’d be intense. We were running suicides and he was yelling so hard his face was turning red, just screaming ‘NWAACC Champions!” The women made the playoffs for a second consecutive time last year. After winning in the first round, their season came to an end after losing in the next.
“Last season we were pretty strong but had some weak points,” said midfielder Tammy Hilgendorf. “When it came to the playoffs we kinda just broke down.” Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie invited returning players to participate in the interviewing process. Hilgendorf, who redshirted last season due to a major knee injury, was one of the players who interviewed Janson. “After Sean’s interview we were pretty confident that he was who we wanted,” she said. It’s Janson’s energy that made Hilgendorf believe he’s the perfect fit for the team. “He brings a lot of energy and already has faith in us. It’s gonna be good for us to get that push.” Janson described the interview process as “stressless.” “I knew everybody so it was pretty easy,” Janson said. “I’ve been coaching in the NWAACC for seven years. I had nothing to lose.” In his seven years as an assistant coach for the men, Janson has seen much
success. He comes into his first season on the women’s side expecting nothing less. “The immediate goal is to win the South Region title,” he said. “We’re gonna win the South next year.” While winning is important to Janson, he understands the athletes are college students as well. “They’re students first; academics are important to me,” Janson said. “I wanna make sure they know they’ve got a coach that cares.” Janson admits leaving the men’s program wasn’t easy. “That was the hardest part,” he said. “The players coming back that I won’t be able to coach […]. That was the hardest part.” Janson doesn’t forget who gave him his start. “I wanna thank [men’s coach] Biniam [Afenegus] for giving me the opportunity to be a part of his program,” He said. “I am truly grateful. I loved every minute of it. Working with [the men] and getting to know them. I’ll be their biggest fan.” C ont a c t Br od y Vog e at b .v og e@ s t u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
a dver t i sement