CLARKCOLLEGEINEDPENDENT.COM // @INDEPENDENTCC
09 VOL. 076
5.14.14
C L A R K C O L L E G E ’ S ST U D E N T N E W S P U B L I C AT I O N
DISCOVER US ONLINE
INDY LE N S Two Indy staffers attended Portland Fashion Week April 26 which featured 10 Portland designers who have created spring collections, such as Hello Eliza, Sunjin Lee and Lizz Basinger. The event benefited Doernbecher Children's Hospital and took place at the Memorial Coliseum. (Nicole Haney / The Independent)
3 I NDY
I n d y S ta f f E d i t o r- in- C hie f: Tyle r Urke e d i t orinchie f@ stud e nts.clark . edu M a n a g ing E d ito r: C a itlin C alsbeek ma n a g ing e d ito r@ stud ents.clark. edu D e s i g n M a na g e r: E va n Jon es d e s i g nm a na g e r@ stud e nts.clark. edu C o p y E d ito r: S teve n C ooper c o p y e d ito r@ stud e nts.clark. edu L i f e E d ito r: Tra Frie se n l i f e e d ito r@ stud e nts.clark . edu @I nd yC C life A r t s & E nte r ta inm e nt Edi tor: Emma Fletcher a r t s e d ito r@ stud e nts.clark. edu @I nd yC C a r ts S p o r ts E d ito r: R ya n Rutledge s p o r tse d ito r@ stud e nts .clark . edu @I nd yC C spo r ts O p i ni o n E d ito r: E sthe r M an ea o p i n i o ne d ito r@ stud e nts.clark . edu @I nd yC C o pini o n Vi s u a ls E d ito r: Nic o le Han ey v i s ua lse d ito r@ stud e nts.clark. edu M ul t im e d ia E d ito r: Aleksi Lepi sto mu l t im e d ia e d ito r@ stud ents.clark. edu Ad v er tising M a na g e r: S elah Z i chterman a d v e r tising m a na g e r@ stu d ents.clark. edu Bus i ne ss M a na g e r: D e bbi e Peters b us i ne ssm a na g e r@ stud ents.clark . edu Ad v i se r: D e e Anne Finken d fi nke n@ cla rk. e du Wr i t ing C o a ch: J im C a mi n j c a m in@ cla rk. e du
N E W S T IPS n ew s e d ito r@ stud e nts.c lark . edu
The I nd e p e nd e nt i s th e offic ial s tud e nt publ icati on o f C la r k C olle g e . I t i s publ is h e d during F al l , Winte r an d S p r i ng qua r t e r s for C l ark’s approx im ate l y 23 , 0 0 0 stu d e nt s i n a ddi t i on to s taff, fa c ul t y and th e l oc al c o m muni t y . Re s p onsibil itie s for e s tabl is h ing new s and d eci di ng i s s ue s r e lat e d to c onte nt re s t s ol e l y w ith the stu d e nt s t a f f . C l ar k C olle g e d oe s n ot dis c rim inate on th e bas is of ra c e, c o l or , nat i ona l or i g i n, s ex , dis abil it y, ag e , re l ig i on, s exu a l o r i e 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 it i ca l affi li at i on, c r e e d, d i sch arg e d vete ran s tatus , m arital stat us , h onor ab l y di s ch arg e d vete ran or Vie ntam -e ra vete 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
Lett 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 ct ph one num be r and em ail address. Lett e r s s h ould b e s ent 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 th e p r o p e r t y of T h e I nd epe nd e nt and are s ubj e ct to e diti n g.
None Caniglia makes espresso in the Hanna Hall Coffee Lounge as the day winds down. She commented on how many times she's been photographed for student projects. (Emma Fletcher / The Independent)
ADVERTISE WITH THE
ED I TOR IA 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 for 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 OVE R Photo illustration by Nicole Haney
Contact Advertising Manager Selah Zichterman at advertisingmanager@students.clark.edu for more information.
C o r r e c t i o ns In the April 23 issue, we incorrectly reported the S&A fee students will pay next year. The proposed fee will be $7.45 per credit for the first 10 credits and $3 per credit for credits above 10, a $.60 increase from this year.
I NDY 4 a dv er ti sem ent
MOVING ON UP WITH MANDY
Z a c h a r y L a ke
S t a f f R epo r te r @ I n d y CC spo r ts
“M
C o nt a c t Z a cha r y L a ke at z . l a k e @ s tud e nts.cla rk. e du
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
a dver t i sement
y expectation was to win one game. We’ve won seven!” said Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie after hiring softball coach Mandy Hill last fall. The team has shown improvements this season, earning five more wins than last year. The Penguins went 6-9 in non-conference play, giving them more wins than their 2-27 record last season. Clark also picked up their first conference win since the 2012 season with a 6-2 score against Chemeketa. “It was a huge win for us, but we didn’t react to it the way we wanted to,” Hill said. Clark is on an eight game losing streak since the win and are 7-24 going into the final games of the season. The south division is one of the most competitive leagues in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges, Hill said, but the competition only helps the team. “It’s a tough draw, but it’s only going to make us better,” Hill said. With eight freshmen on the team and only three sophomores, the experience “will really help us next season,” said infielder Jazmyn Boyd-Clark. Sophomore Jessica Shaw said that the team can relate to Hill better because of the experience Hill has in softball. “I’ve been in their exact shoes,” Hill said. “I’ve been through everything they are going to go through.” Guthrie said Hill always works with developing players to build a culture of winning. Shaw said the work ethic has improved as well. “We get more things done quicker. There’s energy with this team.” “A lot of the girls are just excited about practice,” Hill said. “I give them two days off and they complain about only wanting one!” “She inspires me in a whole different way,” said freshman Jackie Jones. “She knows the game better than anyone I know.” Other teams noticed Clark’s improvements, Hill said. “We’ve had some great teams say things like ‘you’ve got the same uniforms but it’s a whole different team!’ Things like that make the season for us.” According to Hill, her experience in softball and local ties will improve the recruiting for next season. “We can only go up from here on out,” Hill said. “The difference with Mandy is time commitment,” Guthrie said. “She views the position as full-time. My hope is that Mandy lands a full-time position at Clark so that she can build a softball dynasty.”
Gain knowledge to be successful in the workforce. Join our graduates and experience all UW Bothell has to offer.
5 INDY
SOME GAMES ARE WON FROM THE DUGOUT Ty l e r Urke
E d it or-i n-C hi ef @ I n dyC C S por ts
Ph oto by Ni c ol e H a ney
T
I NDY 6
he Penguin baseball team is heading to the playoffs for the first time since its rebirth four years ago. Sophomore outfielder Michael Gonzales is hitting .302, has scored 22 times, driven in 21 runs, and has 12 steals. With numbers like that, Gonzales’ name regularly tops the box score. But there’s another name you’ll probably never see in the box score. That’s Tavis Muller. Before the start of the season, assistant coach Rip Ramsey got a phone call from a friend who works as a life skills teacher at Columbia River High School, where Tavis, 18, is a junior. “He said, ‘This kid really wants to be involved in sports and he really loves baseball,’” Ramsey recalled. Tavis has a learning disability that makes it difficult for him to read and write. His mom, Katie Muller, graduated from Clark’s nursing program last year and admits that life wasn’t always easy for them, but being on the team has made a big impact on him. As Clark’s batboy, Tavis gets the batting practice equipment and baseballs out before games and helps retrieve bats and foul balls during games. “He enjoys it a lot, you can just tell,” Gonzales said. And Tavis has made an impact on the players too. “We love having him out here,” said sophomore infielder Jordan Swofford. “He gives us a little bit of life. He’s a funny kid. It’s hard not to smile with Tavis around.” During a game against Mt. Hood, Tavis caught freshman outfielder Justin Juarez off guard in the dugout by pretending to toss a ball towards Juarez, causing him to flinch. Tavis isn’t the only one dishing it out, but when it comes to playful confrontation, he might have the upper hand. “When he jabs you man, he gives you dead-arms for days,” Gonzales said with a laugh.
Tavis’ real value isn’t setting up equipment however. He said the players welcomed him and made him “feel wanted” right away. He believes that being positive increases the team’s chances of winning. “I would tell them if they made a mistake or a bad play ‘Don’t put yourself down, keep yourself up. Put that play behind your back and get ‘em the next play,’” Tavis said. “He brings a lot of enthusiasm and gets us pumped up even when we’re down,” Gonzales said. “The guys really like him,” Ramsey said. “He has like six or seven different nicknames the kids have given him, and they enjoy when he’s here because of the atmosphere.” Players say that having Tavis on the team is humbling. Sophomore infielder Bryce Beavers said, “It gave us all insight into what we have and he doesn’t.” “For anyone on the team, baseball is a big part of our lives,” said redshirt freshman Tait Hoodenpyl. “But there is so much more to life than baseball.” Steve Melonas is Tavis’ life skills teacher at Columbia River High School where he has worked for 13 years. Students in his class range from 14 to 21 years old, the maximum age life skills students are allowed to be in high school. Melonas said his favorite part of being a life skills teacher is the relationships he builds with the kids. As a life skills teacher, Melonas prepares students for life after high school. “I try to let them know that there are no boundaries and that they can definitely do whatever they want to do if they put their minds to it,” Melonas said. Melonas said when he called Ramsey, Ramsey didn’t even hesitate to introduce Tavis to the team. Muller said her son has always enjoyed watching and playing sports. He volunteered as an umpire for Hazel Dell Little League for the past three years. She said she hopes that he will be able to continue helping teams in the future. “Our
“We love having him out here. He gives us a little bit of life. He’s a funny kid. It’s hard not to smile with Tavis around.” — Jordan Swofford, infielder
goal for him is to hopefully find some sort of professional team that he can help.” Melonas just sped up the process. “Tavis is adamant that he wants to work with a professional ball team in some capacity,” Melonas said. “What I tried to do was find him something to do now that would get him going in that direction.” “It’s a struggle for him and this is the light at the end of the tunnel,” Muller said. According to Melonas and Muller, Tavis regularly talks about how much he enjoys his job. Melonas said Tavis texted him after Clark’s last home game saying how excited he was that the team had given him a signed baseball that he was going to bring to school to show the other kids.
Br od y Vog e c ont r ib u t ed t o t his st or y . C ont a c t Ty l er Ur k e at ed it or in c hief @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
Team Record as of May 8: 27-11 Batting average leaders: Kyle Vanderkin: .385 Brayden Maney: .376 David Mason: .324 Hits leaders: Kyle Vanderkin: 52 Brayden Maney: 44 Michael Gonzales: 35 RBI leaders: Brayden Maney: 29 Michael Gonzales: 21 Kyle Vanderkin: 16 Steals leaders: Michael Gonzales: 12 Kyle Vanderkin: 9 Justin Juarez: 7 Runs leaders: Kyle Vanderkin: 33 Michael Gonzales: 22 David Mason: 21 ERA leaders: Travis Eckert: .70 Colton Krueger: 1.77 Nick Gagner: 1.77 Innings pitched leaders: Travis Eckert: 77 Colton Krueger: 61 Kevin Hamman: 56.1 Strikeout leaders: Travis Eckert: 56 Kevin Hamann: 38 Colton Krueger: 23
7 I NDY
PENGUIN BATTING CAGES HIT A SNAG $30,000 raised but facility waits for state approval C l a n cie Mo ffett S t a f f Re po r te r @I nd yC C spo r ts
A
fter two years of fundraising, the Penguins' softball and baseball teams will get their own batting cages. The two teams have raised $30,000 together, according to Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie. Marla Derrick, the athletic program assistant, said the batting cages and pitching machines have already been purchased and are awaiting final approval on their placement. Although the cages are designed for the baseball and softball teams, students from PE and health & physical education classes can use them, said Guthrie. Even non-athlete students can use them if they get permission from the coaches and have proper protection.
Derrick said the cages are a great idea because the ASCC won’t have to rent a batting facility for the teams anymore. The cages will provide a place for athletes to practice efficiently in a safe environment, said Freeman. Freeman said the school has not let them set up the cages yet because the state has “many hoops and hurdles to go through.” He said he feels like batting cages for a community college are not high on the state priority list. Freeman said it is disappointing to have athletes and their families working on a project only to have it delayed so long most of them don’t get to enjoy it once it’s finished. It’s similar to the University of Washington’s new baseball stadium delay of over 12 years, he said.
“New recruits all ask, ‘Where are the batting cages?’” said Freeman. “We lose people due to facilities, and that will improve when they are installed.” “If you’re going to have baseball and softball teams, you have to have hitting cages,” said Guthrie. According to Guthrie, once the “hoops and hurdles” are dealt with, the baseball team’s cages will be along the third base line and the softball team’s cages will be by the visiting team dugout behind the first base line. The cages have not yet been assembled due to a higher estimate for concrete than had been planned, said Guthrie. They are still waiting on one more piece of funding. “My goal is to have the cages up before the season ends this year,” said Guthrie. C ont a c t C l an c ie Mof f et t at
a dver t i sement
c .mof f et t @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
I NDY 8
REAL SKILLS FOR TECH CAREERS Clark program trains a new brand of mechanics
Josh Wagner is a student in Clark's mechatronics program. "These are real skills that will put our folks to work in family-wage careers," said mechatronics technology department lead Christopher Lewis. (Nicole Haney / The Independent) A l e j a nd r a M a g a lla ne s S t a f f R epo r te r
S
@ I n d y CC life
tudents in basic hydraulics class work together in small groups with concentration etched on their faces as they learn how to wire machine parts. It’s easy at first. The wires are color coded — red, yellow, blue and green — to their respective plugins. It gets harder when parts of the mechanical training system purposefully malfunction and the students must diagnose the “problem.” Since it began in fall 2010, Clark’s twoyear mechatronics technology program has been growing. Students in the program learn to assemble, maintain, and control automated machinery. This quarter, 22 students are enrolled in the program with an additional 19 students who plan to join the program. That number is lower than the programs best in 2012, but it’s still better than when the program was first introduced. “Everything I’ve ever learned in my professional life and academic life I pour into this program,” mechatronics technology department head Christopher Lewis said.
“These are real skills that will put our folks to work in family-wage careers.” Lewis has an associate degree in engineering, a bachelor’s degree in automated engineering and a master’s in business administration with a focus in project management. Mechatronics student Matthew Gable is finishing his last quarter of the program and will earn his instrumentation/control automation degree in June. Before beginning the program in winter 2013, Gable didn't even know what Mechatronics meant. Gable entered the program because he wanted to change his career as a restaurant manager to an electrician. Gable learned of a job posting for an electrical engineering internship for Bonneville Power Administration. They contracted him to work at the Hydroelectric Design Center in Portland. “We’re very proud of him,” said Lewis. Gable said he most enjoys programming controllers that automate systems. "It's like solving a crossword puzzle because all the right symbols need to be in the right places for the machines to run properly," Gable said.
“Everyone is busy and interested,” instructor Roger Godsil, who teaches Gable, said. All second-year students have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills to potential employers in the spring when they present their Capstone project. The Capstone class is centered around a 10-part manufacturing station. After learning how the station works, students problem solve ways to improve the machine's functionality. An example of a previous class’ improvement is a cap around every emergency stop button on the station to prevent someone from bumping into the button. Student Nathan Pierce is the project manager for this spring’s Capstone project. He said it’s too soon to have any ideas for improvement, but things are going smoothly. Pierce started the program in 2012 and will graduate with an associate in mechanical automation and instrumentation/control automation this June. “It feels good to do something productive,” Pierce said. C ont a c t A l ejan d r a M ag al l an es at a.mag al l an es @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
9 INDY
CRIMEAN CONFLICT COMES TO CLARK Putin is Polarizing for Ukrainian expats and their families C a i t lin C a lsbe ek & S tev en C ooper M a n a g ing & C o py E d itors @I nd yC C life
T
he collapse of the Soviet Union came like “snow in summer” for Inna Melmychuk. A 34-year-old Clark student, Melmychuk, moved to the U.S. from Ukraine to escape the fear of religious persecution that she experienced growing up under Soviet rule. She recalled police searching her house and her family fined for having religious material. “It was technically illegal,” Melmychuk said. “A lot of the parents of my friends were in jail because of their [Christian] beliefs.” After the fall of the USSR, Ukrainians had more freedom, but uncertainty about how long their freedom would last ultimately caused her and her family to move three years ago. Protests in Ukraine began in late November when the pro-Russian government abandoned a trade agreement with the European Union in favor of strengthening ties with Russia. The world watched as the Russian government intervened and demonstrations turned violent. “They saw that the government wouldn’t make a move on their behalf,” Melmychuk said. “The government would only work for itself and only worries about itself and steals from [its] own people.” “The government was just one big lie,” she said. Melmychuk said she also has a sister who lives in Moscow, and she was careful to draw a distinction between the people of Russia and the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We have a lot of relatives in Russia,” she said, “They have a lot of 1991: Ukraine relatives in Ukraine, so declares we are not against each independence other. We are against Putin’s actions.” Many of the major 1997: Friendship protests happened treaty signed at the Maydan, or with Russia. Independence Square, in the Ukrainian capital
of Kiev. Melmychuk returned to Kiev in March to visit her brother and some friends. Melmychuk said that many of the friends she spoke with on her trip were involved in the protests and witnessed to the sniper fire used by the government to challenge protesters in February. The deaths of citizens did not deter the protesters, but according to her the people were worried that those lives would be lost for no reason. “They were standing for more than three months and nothing changed.” Melmychuk said. “After they started seizing buildings, the government started paying attention.” Melmychuk did not participate in the protests because her Christian beliefs compel her to not support the violent nature the protests have taken. “But I admire how people fight for their freedom,” she said. The Ukrainian government has a reputation for being historically corrupt, Clark political science professor Nick Forrest said. Two government officials were arrested in 2011 on corruption charges which were later found to be unlawful. That same year, a former President and Interior Minister were suspected to be tied to the murder of journalist reporting on government corruption. Protesters felt that widespread corruption in the Ukrainian government often catered to Russian interests. “They were hungering for that transformation — for that change in their country,” Melmychuk said. “They are organizing into a real nation since the revolution started happening. They
are experiencing a struggle for real independence.” According to Forrest, Putin may have helped to foster those attitudes with his push into Ukraine. “He has helped to solidify anti-Russian feelings in the other provinces of Ukraine,” Forrest said. “Where even a lot of Ukrainians might have had a favorable Russian view previously, now he’s actually helping to build a kind of Ukrainian consciousness.” “It’s kind of a win-andlose situation for Putin and Russia. He wins in that they get Crimea and possibly a few other provinces in the East, but he loses the Inna Melmychuk rest of Ukraine (Courtesy Inna Melmychuk) forever,” Forrest said. But for those on the outside who still have friends and family there it is especially difficult to watch from a removed perspective. Melmychuk said she and her friends have trouble with daily tasks due to worry. “We had anxiety and the grades from my last quarter were not really good because I could not study like normal,” Melmychuk said. Melmychuk believes, however, the revolution is working to solve many of the problems that caused her to move to the U.S.
Ukraine abandons trade agreement with the E. U. Protests begin.
Activists seize Kiev City Hall during protests.
First protest deaths.
88 protesters killed over two-day period.
Nov 2013
Dec 2013
Jan 2014
Feb 2014
INDY 10 She said her grandparents have the hardest time watching the events unfold, because they have the most ties. “It’s impacting them a huge amount. They have a daughter and son there with families,” Vasilyeva said. Melmychuk said she appreciates that Europe and America “didn’t start a real war” because it’s not worth losing lives to try to stop Putin’s advances. “I think a lot of students are worried so it’s time to support them to understand that we are going through a hard time,” Melmychuk said. “And it’s not like something somewhere going on — it’s our country. Even though we are not living there, we are thinking about that. We have relatives there.” “It’s like brother fighting against brother,” Vasilyeva said. Tr a Fr ies en & N at e N ien ab er c ont r ib ut e d t o The aftermath of clashes between protesters and authorities is evident on the buildings in the central square of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.
C ont a c t C ait l in C al s b eek at
(Courtesy Inna Melmychuk)
According to Forrest, The U.S. has little “If you look at pictures of Eastern to win or lose in this situation. Much of that is Ukraine, it looks very much like Nebraska because the two nations have very little trade with occasional statues of Lenin,” he said. interaction. “Ideally there’s still some Ukrainian “Russia is not even in the top 15 trading politicians saying what they’d like to see partners with the United States. is that Ukraine is kind of the “They are We actually have more trade Switzerland of Eastern Europe,” organizing into a Forrest said. with the Netherlands than with Russia,” Forrest said. Olga Vasilyeva has been real nation since the Europe has more to lose in the Vancouver area since she revolution started from cutting ties with Russia, moved here with her parents when happening. They she was four, but she still has Forrest said, because they are are experiencing relatives living in Ukraine. She more dependent on trade with Russia for oil and natural gas. a struggle for real said hearing about the conflict Ukraine must depend on independence.” brought a sense of panic to her trade with other, larger countries family. because it doesn’t have much in the way of “It’s hard for me to listen to what’s natural resources, Forrest said, except for going on,” Vasilyeva said. “It’s hard for me to farmland, which is valuable to Russia. focus on that. I just don’t even want to know because it’s just too much.”
Russia annexes Crimea.
Mar 2014
Crimean citizens vote to either join Russia, or for more freedom from Ukraine.
t his st or y .
Ukranian authorities authorize soldiers to shoot in self defense in wake of recent deaths
Ukraine reinstates conscription.
May 2014
man ag in g ed it or @ s t u d ent s .c l ar k . edu C ont a c t S t ev en C ooper at c opy ed it or @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
According to Clark Professor Dr. Nick Forrest, the United States might actually benefit from the situation between Ukraine and Russia. “We are increasing our oil production, like in the Dakotas and if not quite yet, very soon we’re expected to be a net exporter of oil again, which we haven’t been in several decades,” he said. If there is substantial disruption in the flow of oil exports from Russia, which supplies a large number of european countries, according to Forrest it “may well be the United States that steps in and becomes one of the major oil suppliers to Europe again.”
42 killed in Putin announces pull-back of clashes in Odessa. Two Russian troops from Ukranian Ukranian helicopters border. This has downed. yet to be verified.
Compiled from the BBC and USAToday Graphic by Nicole Haney
Listen to an interview with Dr. Nick Forrest:
11 INDY
“PRESSURE, PUSHING DOWN ON ME” Winter quarter cheating disappoints faculty R o b e r t B e rm a n S t a f f Re po r te r @I nd yC C life
“I
t’s pathetic.” Clark paralegal instructor Susan O’Toole never had any trouble with cheating in her two years of teaching. That is, until the end of Winter quarter of 2014, when she said a “good portion” of her 18 legal ethics students cheated on their final exam. “I’ve taught them all quarter about being ethical in situations that apply to them,” O’Toole said. “They lost sight of the bigger picture.” Cheating is one of eight forms of academic dishonesty prohibited by Clark’s code of student conduct. The code defines cheating as attempting to deceive an instructor by misrepresenting academic skill or knowledge. Cheating includes attempting to use unauthorized sources, collaborating with other students without permission and copying work, according to the handbook. More cases could be coming this year, administrative assistant Susan Muir said. According to Muir, Spring quarter is the busiest for cheating cases. At the end of the quarter, the referrals “just keep rolling in.”
Graphic by Tra Friesen
The college’s records only reflect cases when an instructor catches a student cheating and pursues disciplinary action. Many cases never make it to investigation. “I’m sure I don’t catch everything,” said professor Gothard Grey. Grey said he has students of every academic level cheat each year. “From time to time, students under pressure just cave,” Grey said. For smaller incidents, Grey said he simply gives the student a zero on that exam and asks that student to meet with him to discuss the problem. “I want them to be able to come back from it,” Grey said. Late in Winter quarter, Grey said he encountered a more egregious case. Last quarter Grey taught two physics for scientists and engineers classes. One class took a test March 15 while the other class took the same test the following Monday. The weekend after the first test, Grey said a couple students tipped him off that a student had photos of the test and was passing them to the Monday students. After talking to many students, Grey found the student who first distributed the photos. According to Grey, it was a case of a bright student making a not-so-bright decision. The student had received an email from an anonymous account with instructions to forward it to other students, Grey said. “It didn’t make a lot of sense,” Grey said. “I would have gone through 80 people before I would have thought of this person.” Grey said he doesn’t know which student took the pictures, but he and other faculty agree that whoever did it needs to be expelled. “I’m almost hoping I don’t find out who did this, to be honest,” Grey said, wringing his hands. “I’d be very irate.” Students have tried everything from hiding notes up their sleeves to writing answers in
the brims of their hats, Grey said. One of his proctors once caught a student taking a test with a notebook sitting open in her lap. “Most of the cheating you catch are people writing and doing this,” Grey said, acting out a student peering bug-eyed over their shoulder to sneak a glimpse of their neighbor’s answers. Grey combats cheating by giving two versions of every exam. He also said he uses complicated questions which force students to apply their knowledge to do well. “A couple of equations programmed into your calculator will only get you so far,” Grey said. Grey gives a take-home portion of his exams, where he says students are encouraged to work together. He then allows students to use the take-home test as notes for the in-class test. O’Toole also gave a take-home portion of her final exam last quarter, but she said that students in her class aren’t allowed to collaborate. O’Toole said she relies on the honor system a lot in her ethics class. According to her, that’s where things went wrong. On finals day, most students arrived early and compared exams, some changing their answers to questions on the test, O’Toole said. A student told her what had happened after the quarter finished. O’Toole said she never learned which students cheated on the ethics exam, but she won’t be giving any more take-home exams. “I always thought I had a good relationship with students. I guess I was naive,” she said.
Clark has not pursued more than 25 cases of cheating per year in the last six years. The college disciplined 16 students for cheating since Summer quarter 2013. There were 14 cases of cheating in 2012-13. There were 15 cases of cheating in 2011-12.
C ont a c t R ob er t Ber man at r . b er man @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
I NDY 1 2
CHEATING WILL ONLY GET YOU SO FAR C o m m e nta r y by E sthe r M a n ea O p i n i o n E d ito r @ I n d y CC o pini o n
S
usan O’Toole recently learned that a good portion of her 18-student legal ethics class cheated on a take home exam last quarter. That’s correct — an ethics class. After O’Toole spent all quarter teaching her students to be ethical, they cheat. That sounds like either O’Toole is teaching a whole new definition of ethics or students completely ignored her throughout the quarter. It’s obvious cheating is an issue that still needs to be addressed. According to a notice letter sent out by student conduct officer Tami Jacobs, students caught cheating are required to report to her office for further discussion about the penalties of violations ranging from “verbal disciplinary warning to suspension or expulsion.” Is that enough to get a student to stop cheating?
Talking about it helps students realize what they did wrong or why it was wrong. Getting called out in class for cheating is even worse because everyone knows. However, administrative assistant Susan Muir said faculty isn’t doing enough to crack down on each case. Many have slipped by because they don’t always refer cases. Clark teachers are doing the best they can to work with students. Some cases can be misunderstood, but others are unacceptable and require attention if students’ behavior is expected to be changed. The idea of an exam is to test the knowledge of the student, not the sleepdeprived cramming done the night before. If you’re willing to pay for college and know that there is an equally likely chance to get caught, why would you decide to cheat? Odds are, your classmate saw it all. Tests can be stressful. A fast heartbeat, sweaty palms, losing track of time easily, getting distracted by every little noise or
movement — these are natural reactions of test anxiety. So how can students diminish those reactions? Easy. Study. No, not the night before. Take at least a week to study. Even if it’s 20-30 minutes a day. Research has shown that the brain works more efficiently when the material is reviewed over a longer period of time. Don’t over do it, though. Students love to cram before tests when they are the most stressed and that never leads to a good outcome. The more someone is under pressure, the less they tend to remember. Maybe that means canceling that date tonight or rescheduling that appointment, but studying days before an exam helps build good habits and eliminates procrastination. Get into the habit because cheating will only get you so far in life.
C ont a c t E st her M an ea at opin i on ed it or @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
HEAD-BANGING AND RAW SOUND R ev i ew by Nicklaus B o o ks S t a f f R epo r te r
M
@ I n d y CC a r ts
usic is the beat of life no matter what genre you’re into. But it high-intensity rock, punk or metal is your thing, this sampler should get your fist pumping. OFF! — “Wasted Years” The album “Wasted Years” by OFF! took me back to the fundamentals of punk music where less is more, and legends of punk continue to rock. “The members of OFF! are still delivering high-octane punk rock with a vintage flair that couldn’t be more convincing,” according to music critic Anthony Fantano. The album is heavier than previous albums, however, at times repetitive. Overall the album remains true and is worth listening to. My favorite part of the album is that legends of punk survived the onslaught of the music industry. OFF! delivers an
unadulterated and raw version of a genre that has dramatically changed over the decades. Ask any purist of punk and they’ll tell you, “punk’s not dead.”
Emmure — “Eternal Enemies” Eternal Enemies is a culmination of piercing shrieks, booming gutturals and enraged, clean vocals which can be confusing at times. According to a review by punknews. org, “Congratulations, nothing has been accomplished!” Sonically, the album is unrelenting and reminds me of the John Martin painting of Sodom and Gomorrah manifested in audio. Within the album lies much emotional lyrical content, ranging from anger to intense angst fueled by self-destructive behavior. It’s about life’s struggles and the end result of an emotional breakdown. However, for those seeking a release with music, “Eternal Enemies” is your catharsis.
Sevendust — “Time Travelers and Bonfires” All I can say is that the entire album is fantastic. Amazing vocal harmonies and superb tracking of the instruments created a moving piece of artistry. The song "Come Down" evoked a rare emotion you don’t usually experience while listening to music. I find it hard to describe what it was exactly and it can only be explained by listening to it. Thomas Woroniak of Rock Revolt magazine said the album is “a thoughtful reflection on personal loss and the need to let go and say goodbye to loved ones who reached the end of life’s journey.” I concur. For fans of Sevendust I recommend listening to this track-by-track. Even though my preference of music may be death metal, I still appreciate the technical ability of Sevendust and their prowess of creating genuine and moving songs. C ont a c t N ic k l au s Book s at n . b ook s @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu
1 3 INDY
“THE APOCALYPSE IS UPON US” Clark artist creates original comic Tyl er Brow n
I l l u st r at i ons c ou r te sy Nat h a ni e l Rus s ell
S ta ff R epor ter
“A
@IndyC C l i fe
completely stupid character with stupid things happening, drawn as seriously as I can take it. That is the premise of Moldman.” Clark student Nathaniel Russell is the creator and artist behind the original comic Moldman, a story of a postapocalyptic mold infested world where the hero and his useless cigarette-smoking sidekick fights off cults of “Bleach Boys.” “The perfect level of corny,” said Russell.
A labor of love, Russell said he pays out of pocket for every expense to create his art. Russell said he prints and cuts the comic at Staples and FedEx. The inspiration for the concept came from an incident with his roommates after almost eating a moldy tomato. His roommate joked, “what if you just went around eating mold?” A spark of creativity overwhelmed him and he began his creation immediately, according to Russell.
INDY 1 4
Nathaniel Russell (Nicole Haney / The Independent)
What started as a joke sketch became four sketches, which became twenty, Russell said. Eventually a story was developing before Russell’s eyes, and it seemed more and more plausible that this concept should be a comic book. Russell said finding time between a fulltime job at Who-Song and Larry’s, full-time school and his work on Moldman, was challenging. Conflicts with printing and layout designs also left the project looming for three months. Russell said after he finished the first issue he gave a copy to Chris Simons, owner of I Like Comics on the corner of Fourth Plain Boulevard and Fort Vancouver Way. Simons liked it so much he offered to sell it in his store. “I wasn’t even proposing he sell it,” said Russell. “I was giving it to him as a present for being a nice guy.” Simons said he has limited shelf space for new work, and it’s not usual for him to sell local independent comics. He made an exception for Russell.
“There’s certainly some quality there and I wanted to give him the chance to have a little taste of what it’s like when his comic sells,” Simons said. “We sold out.” Simons said it was the quality of Russell’s work that interested him. “There’s definitely books out there right now that are published in the tens of thousands that, in my opinion, are not as good as his,” Simons said. Simons said he was surprised to see a young customer come and take an idea and make something of it. “He didn’t just submit something to Dark Horse Comics or Image Comics and call it good or wait for somebody to reject him,” Simons said. “He just went out and made his own comic book from scratch.” Aubrey Driver, publicist coordinator for the third-largest comics publisher in the United States, Dark Horse Comics, said writing a comic and publishing it independently is a difficult task. He said “you really need to hone your craft” in order to be taken seriously. Driver said there is much unsolicited material constantly coming through the door for Dark Horse Comics, and that Dark Horse is one of the “rare few” that openly accepts submissions from aspiring artists. “You have to be able to handle rejection,” said Driver. “Companies want sequential work, not just single pages but
several and how well you can tell a story with your work.” Driver said he recommends aspiring artists attend comic book conventions to get their foot in the door. “Get out and hit the pavement, talk to artists and writers, see if you jive well with others and if you do, you might have a career,” Driver said. Driver said it’s rare to see the writer-artist combo. Clark Professor Katherena Halsinger, taught Russell‘s InDesign course and helped with the development of Moldman. “I have to say he’s a really impressive guy,” Halsinger said. “He doesn’t need outside motivation or due dates, he just does it because he’s interested in it. It’s kind of a rare quality for someone to have that selfmotivation.” Russell is currently working on the second issue of Moldman and plans on distributing it by the beginning of the Summer quarter. He said he remains optimistic about his future work and that constant feedback from his readers is a strong reinforcer. “I just hope that I can keep people saying nice things about it,” said Russell. “This is for me, but it’s also to make something that people are gonna like. I hope to keep it in that perfect level of stupid without going too far one way or another.”
“A completely stupid character with stupid things happening, drawn as seriously as I can take it. That is the premise of Moldman.”
C ont a c t Ty l er Br ow n at t . b r ow n 6 @ st u d ent s .c l ar k . edu
1 5 I NDY
SPRING FA S H I O N S el ah Zic ht er man & Ty l er Br ow n Ad v er t isin g M an ag er & S t af f Re p o r t e r @ I n d y CC ar t s C ont a c t Ty l er Br ow n at t . b r ow n 6 @ s t u d ent s.c l ar k . edu C ont a c t S el ah Zic ht er man at ad v er t is in g man ag er @ s t u d ent s.c l a r k. e du
Bright, bold colors: Mimicking the fresh colors of spring, students are wearing bold, bright colors on campus. This is an easy way to freshen up winter neutrals. Three-quarter-length sleeves: This is a perfect solution to deal with temperate spring weather in the Pacific Northwest.
INDY 1 6
Hats: Blocking the spring sun, students add hats to their spring wardrobe this year.
17 INDY
INDY 1 8 a dv er ti sem ent
FOR S
FEARLESS
FAST TRACK
R AN UMME
D FALL
2014
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
W O N Y APPL
1 9 INDY
MARYLHURST STUDENT BODY:
90% TRANSFER STUDENTS.
Clark College
14 Columbia River
With determination and disregard for obstacles, each of them is finishing a four-year degree while transforming their lives in the process. If this sounds appealing, we have one thing to say: Welcome. 17600 Pacific Highway [Hwy. 43] marylhurst.edu/clark
205
Lake Oswego M.U.
West Linn You. Unlimited.
admissions@marylhurst.edu | 503.699.6268 | 800.634.9982
Take exit 8 off I-205 43
Oregon City