thecollegian
Issue 9 • Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 • deltacollegian.net
/deltacollegian
Alleged racism brings protests BY RICHARD REYES richiereyes9180@gmail.com
LODI COMIC CON Celebrities and local fans unite to celebrate classic comics.
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DELTA SOFTBALL Delta’s softball team is currently dominating. The rest of the season looks bright.
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SNAPCHAT Millennials now rely on outlets such as Snapchat for news intake.
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IN THE KNOW February is American Heart Month.
FEB. 20 National Love Your Pet Day FEB. 29 Leap Day MAR. 2 The deadline for spring graduation applications for Delta College.
SMOKERS NOT WELCOME
PHOTO BY RICHARD REYES
BUTT OF THE JOKE: Smoking is banned not only on Delta’s campus, but also at all RTD bus stops, leaving Delta’s smokers few options.
BY MIKAEL HONZELL deltacollegian@gmail.com
Delta College’s smokers may need to find a new spot to smoke because on Jan. 1, the San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) banned smoking from its bus stops. According to the RTD website, this smoke free policy applies to passengers and drivers. Smokers aren’t allowed to smoke anywhere within 20 feet of all transit facilities and bus stops. Smokers aren’t happy about this. Smoking was banned from the Delta campus in the summer 2014. Smokers migrated to the spot near the RTD bus stop facing Pacific Avenue, since it’s not Delta property. “I feel like they taking my freedom away,” said Roshon Blueford, a student at Delta College. “It’s a free country, and I’m happy to live here, but it’s upsetting. I feel like our freedoms and privileges are being taking away more and more.” The ban comes for similar reasons as Delta’s. “RTD is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for our employees, our customers, and our com-
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munity,” said Donna Demartino, General Manager/CEO of RTD in a RTD news release. “The smoke and tobaccofree policy supports this commitment by reducing exposure to second hand smoke and tobacco waste products.” With smoking banned on campus and at the bus stop, smokers will have to go farther off campus to smoke to avoid getting citations. According to the Delta website, the fine for the first citation is $33, second $66 dollars and a third is $100. If a student continues to smoke on campus, they could then be “subjected to academic discipline,” according to campus policy. Citations will also be issued to those who smoke at the bus stop. “I’m still gonna smoke here,” said Jack Tennyson, Delta student. “They already kicked us off campus. Where else am I gonna go?” On the Delta website, District Police Sgt. Mario Vazquez said why smoking was banned from Delta’s campus and its parking lots. “In addition to health concerns and secondhand smoke, we received numerous complaints from both smokers and nonsmokers regarding garbage, cigarette butts, harassment and illegal activities, including smoking and selling of marijuana.”
I’m still gonna smoke here.
”
Jack Tennyson
The Tuesday afternoon silence of Delta College was interrupted on Feb. 2 by a group of protestors in the quad, and later the Administration Building, rallying against alleged racism on campus. “Hey hey, ho ho, the new Jim Crow has got to go!” the group chanted while standing in front of the offices of campus administrators. Earlier in the day, a group of people handed out fliers from the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) urging student action at a “rally” in support of a student named Ashley Parker. The content in the flier alleges racism on the part of Adjunct Professor Elisa Barosso in the communication department. “Ashley Parker and other black students are demanding that the Delta College Administration stop covering-up racist incidents and stop trying railroad the students who are speaking out,” the flier reads. “They are also fighting to ensure that Professor Elissa Barosso (sic) stops her racist targeting of black students, or stops teaching at San Joaquin Delta College all together.”
See ALLEGED RACISM, Page 8
Delta College celebrates Black History Month BY ALIYAH STOECKL deltacollegian@gmail.com
Delta kicked off the Black history month celebrations on Thursday, Feb. 11 with a performance from Stockton’s First Poet Laureate Tama Brisbane . “Black History is soil of the soul, if you don’t understand the soil around you how can you continue to grow?” said Brisbane during her performance. The event was directed by the Delta College Cultural Awareness Program (CAP) and African American Employees Council (AAEC). Brisbane presented “Her Spoken
Words” in the West Forum with an audience of poets in training. “I enjoyed the presentation a lot, how can you not with Ms. Tama Brisbane! She helped me to appreciate that I can have a voice and write poetry. It’s not just about rhyming words together, its about what you feel and the emotions that live inside you transcribed into words,” said Secretary of CAP James Forte. The program started with her background and her significance to Stockton. “Mama Tee is a
See BRISBANE, Page 8
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