Celebrating modern black artists
Words go V
I
R A L
The Collegian ENTERTAINMENT, PAGE 7
Issue 6 • Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 •
ENTERTAINMENT, PAGE 6
/deltacollegian
deltacollegian.net
DELTA LAUNCHES PRESIDENT SEARCH BY JAHDAI SPIKES Editor-in-Chief
Delta College is seeking a new president for the second time in a threeyear period following the Sept. 28 leave of absence and June resignation of Dr. Omid Pourzanjani. Pourzanjani, who was hired in Summer 2019, ends his time as President/ Superintendent of campus on June 22.
Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson, who was hired by the college in August 2020 as Vice President of Instruction, has acted as Acting President since the board meeting. The hunt for the next top leader of Delta College — which commanded a salary of more than $235,000 for Pourzanjani — is now in the midst. While the people applying for the position are still unknown, Delta re-
leased the needed requirements, desired characteristics, and the timeline for the hiring process of the new acting President. “The San Joaquin Delta Community College District seeks an innovative and experienced Superintendent/President who will provide leadership and demonstrate the District’s commitment to providing high-quality services to its students, management, fac-
Shima floods open year with a splash More than $1 million in damage impact 11 offices, classrooms
ulty, and staff,” according to a special page on the college website dedicated to the search The website links to an online application form and documents about the district. The position was also posted to the Chronicle of Higher Education website on Jan. 12. Those interested in the position must
See SEARCH, page 8
Covid-19 continues to inform campus procedures, policies BY ANI GUTIERREZ
Entertainment Editor
BY JAHDAI SPIKES Editor-in-Chief
A broken hot water flex line flooded the Shima building at San Joaquin Delta College over the 2021 holiday break, affecting 11 different rooms and causing just over $1 million in damages. Delta College has insurance to cover the cost of the many repairs needed, which include removing all the wet material, replacing the damaged sheetrock and putting in new flooring. Despite the leak starting on the third floor of the Shima building, it was able to make its way down to the floors below and cause drastically more damage by going Top: Construction materials sit outside the Student Food Pantry in through the open mechanical shaft that is Shima 101D as restoration work continues after the building floodconnected to each floor of the building. ed over winter break. The food pantry was temporarily moved The bakery program, centered in Shima to Shima 117. PHOTO COURTESY ALEX BREITLER Above: 301, was affected the most by the flood- Faculty offices on the second floor of Shima were also affected. ing. The program was able to quickly move PHOTO BY JAHDAI SPIKES back to an online model used in previous semesters due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Humanities & Multimedia. “Recognizing the importance of being in the Many other programs and rooms were affected, classroom, Facilities has prioritized repairs and as well. we should be back in the classroom by mid-semester,” said Christopher Guptill, dean of Arts, See FLOODS, page 8
Delta’s students and staff have made their return to campus for the Spring 2022 semester. Students are once again offered the choice of taking classes online, in-person — or have the best of both worlds and participate in hybrid classes. For those who made the choice to come back to campus for learning, a new threat has also joined the class. Omicron, a new and easily spreadable Covid-19 variant, made its come-up over winter break. Delta College is aware the spread of this variant is at a peak and has taken protocols this semester to help prevent the spread among students and staff on campus. “If you compare the start of Spring Semester with the start of Fall Semester, I think it’s safe to say that we’re putting a number of new measures in place to keep everyone as safe as possible,” said Alex Breitler, Director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach at Delta. All students and staff that plan to return to campus this semester were required to have submitted proof of vaccination or apply for an exemption, whether medical or religious. The mandate was passed by the Board of Trustees in the Fall, but wasn’t applicable until Spring. “For the staff we’re at 86 percent that are compliant with the mandate and for the students we’re at 69 percent of them being vaccinated,” said Alese Campbell, Delta College’s Director of Covid-19 response during the Feb. 1 meeting of the Board of Trustees. Alongside the mandate, students are also required to request contact-tracing badges. The program began last semester, but original badges were recalled due to a manufacturing defect that shortened the battery life. The contact tracing badges allows students to get notified when anyone they have been around on campus for more than 15 minutes tested positive for the virus. It is important, though, that it stays on your person, for that is the only accurate way you will get notified of an exposure. “The contact tracing badges that are being distributed right now to in-person and hybrid students allow them to be notified within minutes when someone they have been in close contact with tests positive,” said Breitler. “This is much faster than the old method of manual
See COVID, page 8
NEXT ISSUE: March 4 • CONTACT US: deltacollegian@gmail.com or (209) 954-5156 • ONE FREE COPY
2 OPINION 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
No fees for parking are helpful to students BY JASON DIEZ
P
Opinion Editor
arking continues to be free for the spring semester, a policy since Covid-19 restrictions closed down a majority of campus-based operations in March 2020. The permits, which legally allow students, faculty, and staff to park on campus, may eventually present problems readjusting to school, if fees are re-instituted in coming semesters. As students at Delta College adapt to Spring in-person classes, one has to ask the question: will we be financially ready for the costs that come alongside parking permits? “Personally I like it, it allows me to be able to park without worrying about the monetary costs,” said Noah Moreno, Associated Student Delta College Vice President. Campus accessibility is important when it comes to in-person classes. While fees including “Books and Supplies, Tuition, and Transportation” from the MyDelta, estimated cost of attendance, are layered on top of our parking permits; it can cause a financial burden to students at low-income households. Free parking makes a difference for some students. “And more accessible with people who don’t have resources to buy the parking permit, campus is accessible” says Noah Moreno. As someone who’s pursuing their degree through Corona thee Stallion, I believe we shouldn’t pay for the parking permits at this time. However, with Covid-19, we shouldn’t pay for
our parking permits later on. With waived fees being a temporary solution, it should be a permanent solution that eases the transition of adjusting to coronavirus and omicron. While Delta College is partially in-person, the majority of the courses are online. This feels like we’ve been robbed of our experience here at Delta College, it’s where we’re paying for a Netflix subscription to only get ads in between episodes. Not only do we have to pay for e-books that have homework and lessons embedded into it, such as Pearson Revel or McGraw-Hill. We also have to pay and attend courses that are virtually similar to CrashCourse on YouTube. While many professors may improvise and adapt to this strange time, there are some courses that offer limited interaction between the professor and student. Parking permit meter located in Shima parking lot. PHOTO BY JASON DIEZ “If you attend school, you should get some parking here. We already pay our should continue this on. If we, in the lot people on campus.” dues for books and attending college. future, enforce parking permits we’d A “no permit” violation is $33. The Parking should at least be free,” says only screw with the routines of sturegular semester parking permit was Luka Vega, a student who’s attending dents adjusting back onto campus. $30 prior to Covid-19 running a rodeo in-person classes at Delta College. While it’s fortunate that Delta through our lives. Students navigating through College is back to in-person classes, it While it may not be a hefty fee, Covid-19 and Omicron deserve the doesn’t help that the college experience these costs pile on over the semesability to get accommodating parking will be a strange time. ter. Thankfully, these permits aren’t on campus. While Delta College may “It’s kind of an accommodation, give enforced for the spring, however as have resumed back to in-person classes, everybody a little bit of a break you we navigate through the years, fuour college experience has been taken know there’s a lot of stuff that’s kind of ture parking permits may possibly be away because of this strange time. going on,” says Robert Di Piero, Police enforced. In the Fall 2021, students had Chief of San Joaquin Delta College However, with Covid-19 and returned back to campus. For me, I District. “The fact that the college Omicron impacting our lives, parking attended an in-person course, called courses went hybrid or online, so the permits shouldn’t be enforced in the MCOM 1. While the parkings perdecision was to ease up on it regarding future. If Delta College can waive the mits may have been waived for the the permits, I know it’s irregular but it permits now, it can waive them in the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 terms, we gives a break in it, we just didn’t have a future as well.
EOPS program helps students navigate college BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN
D
Staff Writer
elta College’s Extended Opportunity Program Services (EOPS) connects students with the tools to succeed in college, including individualized counseling, priority registration, student success workshops and so much more. I’ve been with EOPS as a student since Fall 2019. I’m glad that I joined and haven’t looked back. The way I found out about EOPS was from my best friend. She gave me insight about it and told me to sign up right then. I’m so glad I signed up. It’s one of the best things I’ve done since being at Delta College. Why? It’s the helping hand I didn’t know I needed in my college journey. The program has helped me with my Student Education Plan, it has allowed me to have priority registration, and it gives me access to have one-on-one meetings three times a semester with my counselor
(which is the same person every time). In 2019 as a 34-year-old first-time college student, Delta College was was scary initially. The thought of starting over was overwhelming and intimidating. I cried when considering everything because I didn’t know how to navigate my way through Delta College. For the past three years, EOPS has been the backbone of my support system. It takes the heaviness of the college experience and the pressure attached to my academics off my back. EOPS doesn’t do my classwork for me, but it gives me confidence I can do it better. EOPS is a program funded by the state of California. It focuses on students who have troubles with social, economic or language challenges. Students taking 12 units or more can apply (applications open once a semester), have completed no more than 70-degree applicable units, and be eligible for California Promise Grant A,B, or C with $0 Expected Family
The Collegian The Collegian is the student newspaper of San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The paper is published six times a semester. As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence. We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.
The Collegian is a member of the California Newspaper Publisher’s Association and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges.
Contribution (EFC). You must also meet one of the following educational requirements: Assess basic skills math, English, or English as a Second Language course, taken remedial courses, graduated high school with less than a 2.5 grade-point average or not a high school graduate or have special admissions circumstances. You also have to meet income and educational criteria and submit unofficial transcripts. Students can apply through the EOPS page on the Delta College website. Ric Woo, a student program assistant said the program is serving 670 students and counting. The number, he said, went down to the Covid-19 pandemic. Students have access to on-campus support for EOPS in addition to virtual help. Woo said the program has a “pretty high percentage” for students in attaining their educational goals. EOPS has helped me get to the midpoint of all my work for my Communica-
EDITORS JAHDAI SPIKES Editor-in-Chief
ARIANA MALLERY News
JASON DIEZ
STAFF GAVIN CARDOZA GRACIELA GABRIEL CHRISTINA GOODMAN MELLY LEWIS ANNABEL LOCK
tion Studies degree. When the pandemic started and life events happened to me, it was the EOPS support staff that guided me through making difficult choices about my education, which helped me rebound to better days this school year. The EOPS program also offers tutoring, book vouchers, access to a textbook lending library, transfer services, college and university tours, grants, student success workshops, seminars, and, finally, special activities and events. EOPS is a gamechanger for many Delta College students who need support. It lightens the mental load. It brings relief from anxieties. More than those things, it’s helpful to know there’s people out there willing to sit and help get to where you need to go. It’s like a personal cheering corner during your time here. One that I highly recommend. EOPS is located in DeRicco 234 at the second counter. The office can reach them by calling (209) 54-5151 ext. 6294.
MULTIMEDIA TECH MATTHEW WILSON
ADVISER TARA CUSLIDGE-STAIANO
Opinion
ANI GUTIERREZ Entertainment
DAVID VICTOR Sports
CONTACT US:
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shima 203/204, (209) 954-5156 or deltacollegian@gmail.com For information about advertising, letters to the editor and editorial standards visit deltacollegian.net
3 PHOTOGRAPHY 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
CLUBS START SPRING RECRUITING BY JASON DIEZ Opinion Editor
On Feb. 8, Associated Students of Delta College held its Spring Club Fest in an effort for the clubs to promote themselves and upcoming events. While entering upon the scene, students were seen enrolling and signing up. Various student organizations were present offering more information about the available clubs on campus. Following members in each clubs gave introductions to potential members for the spring semester. The clubs present included the Writer’s Guild to Circle K, Ballet Folklorico, and EPIC. Also present were service organizations, including Cal Fresh. As students were engaging with one another, many of them were glad to be back on campus. From their joyous attitudes to their witty comments, this was a great opportunity for students to readjust back to campus activities. With Delta College resuming back to in-person and virtual classes, this promoted the student connection with their peers on campus. Spring Club Fest had an excellent turnout, allowing students to create an impactful connection back to campus.
ASDC President Steven Ziemann and Vice President ASDC Noah Moreno discussing about Circle K and ASDC. PHOTOS BY JASON DIEZ
California Mini-Corps and their booth with pamphlets and goodies.
Horticulture club selling their grown plants.
EPIC (Empowering Positive Initiatives for Change) flier at the club’s booth.
The Ballet Folklorico Club, with advisor Professor Ricardo Aguilar, discussing the club.
Alexandra Cruz hosting a booth about Cal Fresh.
4 FEATURE 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature
WORDLE TAKES WORLD BY STORM BY ARIANA MALLERY News Editor
Wordle. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of it. You may have seen someone on twitter boasting about their score, or heard an obnoxious co-worker spoiling the puzzle for everyone else in the office, or seen a late night comedian like Jimmy Fallon try to play Wordle on TV. “I heard about it from my brothers,” explained Middle College High School student Kiara Flores. “We decided to make it a competition between us. We play every day and send screenshots to each other to see who got it faster or in the least amount of tries.” So what exactly is a Wordle? That’s the game! Figuring out what the word is! The game is simple: players are given six chances to guess the secret five letter word, with the goal being to guess the word in the least amount of tries and time spent. After entering any valid five letter word, the letters change to give you hints to what the secret word is. A letter turns gray if it’s not in the word, yellow if the letter is in the word, but in the wrong spot, and green if the letter is in the word in the correct spot. These clues are used to figure out the answer before the player runs out of tries. It’s a kind of mashup between crosswords and hangman. Josh Wardle, a software engineer in Brooklyn created the aptly named game as a gift for his partner, who is a self proclaimed lover of word games. The game was made public in Oct. 2021, and didn’t start off with a huge bang. By Nov. 1,
S
T
R
A
W
D
R
E
A
D
F
R
A
M
E
G
R
A
Z
E
C
R
A
Z
E
only 90 people had played the game. As of the beginning of February, the game is played by millions every day. A new Wordle releases every day at 12 a.m. People rush to solve the Wordle before other people can spoil it for them — everyone has the same word. How to account for Wordle’s rise to stardom?
THE WORD ON WORDLE One of the most daunting tasks about Wordle is picking a starting word. Delta students offer their thoughts on opening gambits.
According to Wardle, one factor of this is the way Wordle is structured. There’s only one puzzle a day because the sense of scarcity leaves people wanting more. “It’s simple, but it has a good amount of challenge,” said student Andrew Lewis on what he likes about the game. “There’s only six tries. I actually love that it’s only once
per day. There have been times when you kinda get sucked in too much with games, and you lose the day. It’s nice to be able to wake up, play a quick game, then go on and do my thing.” On Jan. 31, it was announced that Wordle was purchased by the New York Times for a price in the low-seven figures. Wordle has also become
“Not always, but mostly cream. It has ‘ea’, good vowels.”
“Not necessarily. Just whatever five letter word pops into my head.”
- Andrew Lewis
a big hit with influencers. “A friend introduced me to it,” Middle College High School student Ashley Lo commented about how they found out about the game. “I didn’t play it until I saw a lot of content creators on social media posting their scores.” After the New York Times’ acquisition of Wordle, many have the question: will Wordle remain free? The New York Times says yes, but in an interview with CNN, General Manager of Games at the New York Times, Jonathan Knight, could not make a promise that it would always be free. “Great they bought it from this guy, but asking people to pay for it? That’s probably where they’ll lose people,” said Lewis. Would people still play Wordle if they had to pay for it? It seems unlikely. “There are knock off versions of it,” said Flores. It’s true. The app store has been flooded recently with slightly dubious Wordle knockoffs. The Apple app store specifically has been taking action against said copycats, because they go against what Wardle originally wanted for the game. Wordle was just transferred from Wardle’s website to the New York Times’s website. Only time will tell if Wordle will continue being an everyday staple for excitement seeking Americans, or fizzle away to become another remnant of Covid boredom. The Times’ stewardship of Wordle didn’t have the smoothest start. For approximately six hours on the morning of Feb. 15, there were two rival puzzles dividing the internet.
“I use ‘apple’. I don’t know why, it’s just my favorite fruit, and i’s the first word that comes to my - Kiara Flores mind.”
- Ashley Lo
Delta launches wine hospitality classes for spring Wine hospitality courses are usually offered in the evening from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. varying from which course the student is interested in. Currently, Delta It’s time for wine to shine at Delta College. This semester, the Culinary Arts department has College is offering three courses for Spring 2022. The courses are Introduction to Viticulture (CUL launched three new Wine Hospitality courses taught ART 31), Wine Service for the Hospitality Profesby Tracey Emery Berkner. sional (CUL ART 91), and Food and Wine Pairing These courses offer the opportunity to expand one’s (CUL ART 92). knowledge and understanding of wine. Delta College’s proximity to both the Lodi and “Delta College will offer wine hospitality courses Napa viticulture areas make it fertile ground for the for the first time this spring, an exciting opportunity rooting of such a program. Winegrape growing in for workers in the restaurant and tourism industries to increase their earnings, and for wine lovers in general the Lodi area accounts for “approximately 20.5% of to learn more about one of their favorite pastimes,” all the winegrapes in California,” according the the said a release from the San Joaquin Delta College’s Lodi Winegrape Commission, which represents the interest of winegrowers in the region. website. Moreover, the commission said “just over 12% of With the robust and interest in wine and viticulall wine sold in the U.S” including import products “is ture, these courses allow students to earn a degree or grown in Lodi.” certificate in wine hospitality. BY JASON DIEZ Opinion Editor
“The Lodi Wine group asked if we can help educate people that are at most interested in wine, and become more knowledgeable,” said Berkner, a Culinary Arts Associate Adjunct Professor. This is the first semester the Wine Hospitality courses are being introduced. For now the courses are easing into the history and background of viticulture and wine-making history. Some wine courses have a requirement where the student must be at the age of 21 years old in order to participate in the wine-tasting process. However, if an individual is interested in the process of wine-making or planning to expand their knowledge, “these wine hospitality courses were involved in several years of planning” according to San Joaquin Delta College. This allows the opportunity for tourists and wine connoisseurs to enroll into their favorite subject.
5 FEATURE 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature
Nonprofit farm takes root in Stockton BY ANNABEL LOCK Staff Writer
The Edible Schoolyard Project is a non-profit organization built upon a vision to educate communities through a variety of hands-on experiences. Whether it be out in the sun growing your own produce or in the kitchen taking a virtual family cooking class, ESY has something for everyone. The Edible Schoolyard Project announced in late September 2021 on its official Instagram that the non-profit secured the lease to a community farm in the South Stockton area. ESY and the community can now continue to set roots down in a secured space. “We knew we wanted to have a positive impact but still grow with the community to understand who they are and they know who we are,” said ESY Community Engagement Manager Patricia Miller. Being able to thrive on the volunteers from the community is a key factor for the project as the sole purpose is to connect and educate the community together as one. Cleaning up acres of land together and setting up plots for volunteers to grow their own crops is an amazing sight for those even just driving by. Garden Specialist Tonya Jowers is one piece of the puzzle anyone looking for guidance can go to and connect with. “My job is to find the projects and handle the projects and make sure everybody, all our plot holders, have what they need to be successful in their People work plots on Feb. 5 at The Edible Schoolyard gardens,” said Jowers as she looked over the area projects community farm. PHOTOS BY ANNABEL and volunteers nearby. LOCK. Jowers wasn’t the only one guiding others, but a whole team with a similar background is constantly and how it can affect our health. If we grow our own doing so as well. Striking up conversations with anyone and every- food here and we use the proper seeds that aren’t one can lead to a learning experience at the farm. The genetically modified we know we are eating healthy main piece to everything is the people and already food here.” Knowing where food is grown, and being inhaving such diversity in Stockton has opened a door volved in the process changes the relationship with full of knowledge for those who choose to go through it. The cultivators at ESY aren’t there to make monit. ey, but to be part of the process. “So it’s also a place to share education with others “We are not here for the mighty dollar, we are and help others out too. We learn from everyone out not here like farmers that have a thousand acres and here....it’s a big learning process, it’s like a big outdoor grow for the purpose of profit,” Ledesma said. learning center out here where you learn from everyAll the volunteers at the ESY are growing food body doesn’t matter what culture they’re from you tailored to their needs. learn. The idea is to learn something from every culThey’re starting a cycle focusing on being more ture, ya know, always keep an open mind about your aware of what goes into the body. Your everyday diet garden,” said Farm Specialist Ray Ledesma. is playing a big role in your lifestyle and you function Ledesma focused on the idea that everyone should on a daily basis. Volunteers are learning a variety of take this community farm as an opportunity to not things from the workshops and even just from the only develop the gardens but our own bodies as well. conversions held between one another. Since there He discussed why being able to grow your own healthy isn’t an age limit on who can volunteer, grade school food is important. It’s about healthy returns for the students and even children of some plot holders also rest of your life. come out to be in this learning environment. “Sometime in your life, you have to take care of “So... long-term. My end game since I started your body don’t wait till you’re seventy, eighty, ninefarming is I want my children’s children to have a ty years old to find out you’ve been eating the wrong piece of this... so that they thrive... that’s the legacy stuff. Start when you’re young,” said Ledesma. “The for me and a lot of other folks out here feel the same consumer will eat it not knowing any idea what’s in it way,” said Miller.
Dreamers Success Center hosts campus book club BY ANI GUTIERREZ
Entertainment Editor
The Dreamers Success Center has started a new book club in collaboration with the Chicanx and Latinx Faculty Force for this Spring semester that is open to all faculty, staff and students at Delta. Members of this book club will come together in Holt 201 every other Thursday at 2 p.m. to discuss their thoughts on the chosen readings. The first meeting will be held on Feb 24. The club was originally supposed to hold their first official meeting on Jan 27., which was advertised on the fliers the Dreamer’s Success Center posted around campus as well as online, but the event was postponed due to the Dreamers conference held during the following week. “The club hasn’t started yet because of the Dreamers con-
ference last weekend we had to postpone it,” said Fatima Lozano, club member and student worker at the Dreamer’s Success Center. “The date shown in the flyers is wrong.” Organizers hope to engage students and promote reading. “The main purpose of starting this club is to engage students in reading and hope that they develop a new hobby and habit of becoming avid readers,” said Ester Marquez Perez, Resource Specialist for the Dreamers Success Center. “Many times there is difficulty for the students to speak about their status out of fear and concern…We want all ethnicities and backgrounds to feel represented, to find, even if just a bit of haven at the Dreamers Success Center through this book club,” said Perez. This book club is currently only offered in person and on
campus. “We understand the accessibility of offering the book club in multiple modalities, however, for the time being, we will focus on in-person only,” said
Delta College’s Office of Student activities in a Facebook post promoting the club. “In the future, we look forward to exploring other modalities to serve our campus population.” The first book the group is reading is “Tienes Papeles?” It is written by Delta College’s Spanish Professor Manuel Camacho. It is a bilingual story and all of the club meetings are going to be in both Spanish and English as well. Some other books that the club will be reading this semester include, “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen,” by Jose Antonio Vargas, “My Underground American Dream” by Julissa Arce and “The Ungrateful Refugee” by Dina Nayeri. “We have a great long list of books that will allow our students to see themselves represented through the list of au-
thors,” said Perez. The Dreamers Success Center is dedicated to serving undocumented students at Delta, but also welcomes all students regardless of citizenship status. The center provides a number of resources including information sessions, workshops and other gatherings like coffee talks. “We hold coffee talks every other Thursday which is a space for students to talk about concerns or worries they may be experiencing as an undocumented students,” said Perez. The center also hosts an annual Dream Conference every February to share the various opportunities and resources that this center provides. This year’s virtual conference was held on Feb. 4 and 5. “We hope to create a community with Latinx/Dreamers through many different resources, not just our book club,” said Perez.
6 SPECIAL REPORT 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net
CELEBRATING BLACK ARTISTS BRANDON LEAKE
CHADWICK BOSEMAN
An inspiring poet, motivational speaker, and former Delta College academic advisor, Leake was also the winner of America’s Got Talent season 15 with his spoken word poetry. A Stockton local, Leake represents his community with inspirational words about life experiences such as growing up as a Black man in America and being a father. Since winning AGT, they continue to create moving poetry, performs live shows, has written a book and even created a short film. Leake is also the founder and CEO of Called to Move, an organization that strives to inspire people through art.
Chadwick Boseman was many things in his life, a playwright, director, actor, and a Black Icon. Having fought cancer in secret all while filming physically intense scenes for his role as the Black Panther in Marvel’s films, he showed his determination to stay a beacon of strength for people everywhere. Boseman donated to many different charities for cancer and donated money to help obtain medical equipment for hospitals that heavily served Black communities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
RHIANNA
MAHERSHALA ALI
One of the most successful artists and business women of our time, Rihanna is a perfect display of a strong female role model. During her music career she worked with names as big as Jay Z and had more than 10 songs in the Billboard’s top 100 songs, winning nine Grammys out of 33 nominations. She also became an extremely influential fashion icon, eventually launching her own lingerie and skin care brands.
Mahershala Ali is a Black Muslim icon, philanthropist, actor, and singer. He is also an activist for social justice, youth education, AIDS prevention and treatment, and many other causes and organizations. As an Oakland native, Ali has done much to help the city such as calling for better working conditions for Oakland teachers. Ali has been known to use his influence as a celebrity and a producer to give a voice to those that don’t have one.
CHILDISH GAMBINO
AMANDA GORMAN
Quickly becoming one of the most popular artists amongst this generation of celebrities, Donald Glover a.k.a Childish Gambino has used his music time and time again to instigate positive discussions about social issues. Among his popular music, Glover has also directed, produced, and acted in a number of films including Atlanta and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Amanda Gorman is a poet that spoke at president Joe Biden’s Inaugural Ceremony, becoming the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. Gorman focuses on issues such as oppression, feminism, race, as well as many other human rights issues. Awarded with the honorable title of National Youth Poet Laureate, Gorman becomes the first person to hold the title.
Honoring black history roots BY MELLY LEWIS Staff Writer
February holds importance to African Americans all over the country. The month commemorates Black History Month, honoring and remembering African American achievements from slavery to now. “The main idea of BHM is to understand why Blacks are important to this country and to further accept who we are as a race,” said Michael Tyson, the President of Edison High School’s Black Student Union (BSU). Some African American history in the country is watered down, as Destiny Farley from the San Jose State University BSU noted. “Malcolm X is not taught in schools due to his philosophies being the complete truth about Americans, black or white,” said Farley. Here are some notable Black History Month facts: • Black History Month is in February the state of Mississippi. to commemorate the birthdays of Af- • Madame C.J. Walker was the first rican-American abolitionist Fredrick black self-made millionaire in Douglass and President Abraham America, selling African hair care Lincoln. products. Her life story was turned • Before Rosa Parks, there was Clauinto a biographic movie in 2020 dette Colvin who did the same thing called “Self Made: Inspired by the as Parks in 1955. Colvin was arrested Life of Madam C.J. Walker.” nine times for repeatedly refusing her • In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was seat on a bus. the first black performer to win an • Black History Month was originally Academy Award, for portraying called “Negro History Week” and was a slave in the movie “Gone With started by historian Carter G. WoodThe Wind.” son in 1926. • John Langston became the first • In 1870, Hiram Revels became the black lawyer in the country in first Black man to be elected to the 1854 after passing his bar exam. United States Senate. He represented
BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS The Black Faculty Task Force, Ethnic Studies Department, Black Student Union, African American Employees Council, and AFFIRM learning community hosted several Black History Month events in February. With the month coming to an end, here’s what’s happening the week of Feb. 21 to Feb. 25. •
The final part of the Sankofa video series will be available on YouTube on Feb. 21, with three videos on science. The series is a compilation of informative videos on Black History Month, and can be found at bit.ly/ DeltaBHM
•
Delta’s Got Talent: The talent show will be held at noon on Feb. 23 in Danner Hall.
•
Zuzu Acrobats: A performance based on the cultural traditions of Tanzania will be held in the Warren Atherton Auditorium on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
•
Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caravan: The virtual event gives students a chance to meet with college representatives from HBCUs, with potential for on-thespot admission, waived application fees, and scholarship opportunities. The event will be held on Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register to participate at deltacollege.edu/event/ hbcu-caravan-online-tour
7 SPORTS 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports
Softball makes long-awaited return BY DAVID VICTOR Sports Editor
For the first time in nearly two years, Delta’s softball team springs back into action on the field for CCCAA competition. This spring the team expects to compete in its first full season since 2019 after there was no competition in 2021 and the 2020 came to an early end due to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of that same year. The softball team is excited for what’s to come as the 2022 season gets underway. “It’s nice just to compete,” Delta head coach Jim Fisher said. “It’s nice to go out and see how we do because we’ve been intersquadding and playing with each other for the last year and a half.” The Mustangs opened the season on Friday, Feb. 4 with wins against College of the Sequoias and Cabrillo respectively. Several players from the last two seasons are returning this year, including sophomores Mikaela Ferreira and Cheyenne Washington, whom together in 2020 accounted for 51 runs and 51 runs batted in. In total, the two sophomores were involved in 102 of the 163 times the Mustangs got on the scoreboard. They were also a part of the 2019 squad that reached the Final Four in the state championship tournament, with Ferreira finishing the season having the fourth highest batting average in the state (.539). Regardless of the results, the players are excited about taking the field once again. “It’s fantastic. Not being able to play last season and coming back, I think we’re all very excited and anxious to get back on the field,” said Ferreira. This year the Mustangs will take on the season with a predominately freshman roster. As one the few returning sophomores on the squad, Ferreira has been designated as co-captain of the team alongside Washington. While Ferreira does recognize this as a big responsibility to take on for the team, she enjoys the idea of being someone who sets examples for her younger teammates. “There is a little bit of pressure because you have to show girls how we play at Delta, but it’s fun having
Delta freshman Bianca Toledo celebrates after hitting a home run against Cabrillo on Feb. 4 at the Bucky Layland Softball Complex in Stockton. PHOTO BY DAVID VICTOR
others look up to you,” said Ferreira. Following suspension of the 2020 season, the Mustangs culminated with an overall 14-7 and were in the middle of battling for a spot in the postseason as they sat in fourth place with a 4-4 record in the Big 8. Now with many new faces the Mustangs seek to
Women’s basketball stays in run for Big 8 title BY DAVID VICTOR Sports Editor
Delta’s women’s basketball team continues to excel this season as it continues to fight for the Big 8 Conference title and earn a spot among the top teams in California. Obtaining results while putting on high performances in each game have ranked the Mustangs No. 1 in the state, according to the most recent women’s basketball state poll from the California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) on Feb. 8. Despite their current positioning, however, head coach Gina Johnson said her team still has things to work on if it wants to stay on top. “We’re trying to push the ball up the court better and just in general take care of the ball and flow better offensively, and we also know we have to get better at rebounding,” said Johnson. “For how many games we’ve won and how we’ve been able to get by this year, we’re going to need to rebound better if we’re going to beat the really good teams down the stretch.”
Even as the Mustangs are seen by many as the state’s top contenders, the team doesn’t want to look too far ahead and limits focus to one game after the next. “We’re taking it one step at a time. We did have our first loss [against Santa Rosa] a couple of weeks ago. We feel like it happened for a reason, we have to get better and hopefully we’ll learn from it,” said Johnson. The team also suffered its second loss after falling 72-61 in their visit to Modesto on Feb. 8. With the exception of the losses against Modesto and Santa Rosa, Delta has outperformed and outpaced its opponents throughout most of the season, accumulating a 19-game winning streak before falling to the Bear Cubs on Jan. 21. The success of the Mustangs is due mostly to its powerful offense. Delta is third in the state in total scoring (1856 points) and seventh in points per game (77.3 average).
return to the field to equalize, if not surpass what was accomplished before the pandemic forced all play on the community college level to cease. The Mustangs initiate Big 8 play on Feb. 26 when the team will host Santa Rosa College in a double header.
Delta Athletics eases Covid protocols for spectators BY DAVID VICTOR Sports Editor
Delta sophomore Sarah Ruiz dribbles the ball across the court against Diablo Valley on Feb. 1 in the Blanchard Gym. PHOTO BY DAVID VICTOR
READ THE FULL STORY AT DELTACOLLEGIAN.NET
While Delta College’s athletics department continues its efforts to keep everyone healthy at sporting events, it aims to gradually lift Covid protocols for fans. Things aren’t very different compared to the Fall 2021 semester, but there have been some slight changes, particularly for indoor sporting events. Last semester only two guests per participant were allowed to attend volleyball matches held in the Marcopulos Gymnasium. This isn’t the case for basketball games in the Blanchard Gymnasium, where Delta Athletics will allow a maximum 50 percent capacity for attendance. “The two guests per participant was only for Marcopulos Gym because of its smaller capacity. Because of the larger capacity we can hold in Blanchard Gym, we were able to waive that for basketball season,” Director of Athletics Tony Espinoza said. Delta College has lighter restrictions compared to other colleges in the Big 8 which continue to hold stricter health protocols. Some campuses like Modesto Junior College require fans to provide either
proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test within the last 72 hours to enter any facilities. Colleges such as Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Santa Rosa aren’t allowing spectators for any indoor events. Delta’s athletics department hasn’t thought about requiring proof of vaccination and plans to continue with current protocols in hopes of returning to pre-pandemic attendance levels. “There hasn’t been anything discussed in regards to vaccination documentation,” said Espinoza. “I hope that we can move forward to what would resemble normal times from two seasons ago.” The athletics department also hopes to keep free admission entries for fans offered during the pandemic Espinoza would like for free admission to stick around as a means to invite more people from the community to support Delta’s sports teams and possibly attract more student athletes to the college. “We’re a community college. We want to get the community in here to support our teams, and we want to showcase what we have to offer too. We want to create interest in the community for prospective student athletes who may currently be considering coming to Delta,” he said.
8 NEWS 021822
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/news
CHANGES COMING TO STRESSFUL SAT BY ARIANA MALLERY News Editor
The College Board announced there will be major changes to the Scholastic Aptitude Test, known as the SAT, in the coming years. It used to be students paid $68, woke up early and went to school on their day off to be spread in equally distanced rows, in a large space to engage in a ritualistic rite of passage consisting of scantrons, No. 2 pencils, group suffering, and anxiety. This is no more! The College Board plans to have the SAT be completely digital by the year 2024. Covid-19 has changed the way standardized testing is conducted. In addition, the SAT will be shorter — two hours instead of three hours, and adaptive testing. Adaptive testing means the questions given to the student next change based on previous answers. No one has the same question set. This also means more time per question. “I remember going to do it and it was one of the most stressful moments of my life,” recalls student Gavin Gremel. “This sets my college expectations. This sets the precedent of everything. Getting rid of it overall is better.” Adaptive testing means the questions given to the student next change based on previous answers. No one has the same question set. This also means more time per question. How would the transition to fully digital impact low income students or students of color who perhaps don’t have the equipment readily available to take the test from home or online? In October 2021, a study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies found that nationwide, 18 percent of all Americans and 22 percent of African Americans lack internet in homes. The College Board recently announced they would give out loaner computers to those who need them on the day of the test. In that same press release from Jan. 25, The College Board stated, “when viewed within the context of where a student lives and learns, test
scores can confirm a student’s grades or demonstrate their strengths beyond what their high school grades may show. In the class of 2020, nearly 1.7 million U.S. students had SAT scores that confirmed or exceeded their high school GPA.” Critics of the SATs believe wealthy students have an unfair advantage with access to special tutors, workshops, and preparatory classes. “If you take it away or not, the discrimination could still be there,” said student Andrew Lewis. “I do think it is a little better. SATs are a one time thing, and it’s hard for someone to come and judge you on that one test.” Many colleges are getting rid of SAT score requirements entirely. By 2025, the University of California schools will have permanently eliminated SAT/ACT testing requirements. However, the SAT is an optional test. Does it make a difference to get rid of it? “I would be more inclined to go to a school that got rid of the SAT,” said Gremel. “As someone on the spectrum and who doesn’t normally do well in school, I feel like I’d have to meet that expectation. Lowering it makes it feel more inclusive for people who may not be able to afford it or other special needs students. For a school to say, ‘We’re not focusing on that’, it’s nice. It feels more welcoming.” Some students reacted to the changes positively, but still have concerns that eliminating the SATs altogether is risky. “I could see a hierarchy appearing in colleges,” said Lewis. “Colleges that ask for SATS could be seen as more prestigious.” The potential feeling of being looked down upon by students who took the old version of the test is something current students are acutely aware of. “I feel like people who took the SATs in previous years are going to look at us and think ‘you guys had it so much easier’,” said Middle College High School student Kiara Flores.
COVID: Campus policies and procedures continued from PAGE 1 contact tracing.” Gone, too, are the paper and digital screeners students filled out upon entering classroom spaces. Delta also has provided a couple testing sites available on campus. PCR testing, along with rapid testing, is available for free in the Shima parking lot for the entire community. Students and staff can test in the Locke Lounge on campus Monday through Thursday. “We also have our own Covid-19 test center on campus now, at the Locke Lounge, which is a great asset when you consider how long the lines have been at other public testing centers in our community,” said Breitler. With all of these protocols in place, students said they feel less of a risk of contracting Covid from being back on campus. “They take into consideration how we can’t have a really full classroom so seats are limited and stuff… also the Guardian app and our badges, those are all very effective. I’d say for sure that the protocols are pretty good,” said Aritze Eguiluz, first-year student. Staying home when sick is one of the most important things to do and should be common sense at this point of the pandemic. For students that are unsure on whether
to come to class or not, advice from a medical professional is now offered. Students can call an advice nurse hotline at (209) 888-0480 to get a professional’s advice on whether it is safe for them to attend class if they are exposed to someone with Covid-19 or have any symptoms themselves. Among these new protocols, Delta has also added a new feature to the official website that shows all the updated potential exposures on campus. This chart lists the dates, times, and areas of exposure on campus so that students are able to see if they were in those same areas at the time and date of exposure. “The bottom line is that we are trying to create as safe an environment as possible for students to learn on campus,” said Breitler. “Hopefully students coming back for Spring Semester do feel a little safer and a little more comfortable knowing that there’s been quite a bit of effort put into addressing these issues.” On Feb.15, the California Health & Human Services Agency announced that the mask mandate will once again be lifted for all vaccinated people in public indoor spaces. The mask mandate remains in effect in several situations however, including in K-12 schools and health care facilities. The K-12 mandate will be re-evaluated on Feb. 28, according to the agency.
SEARCH: New president to start in July continued from PAGE 1 apply before Feb. 28, by 5 p.m. Initial interviews are to be held during the week of March 21, final interviews will be held the week of April 18, and the new superintendent will start at Delta on July 1. Applicants must have a master’s degree, five years of “senior-level administrative experience in a higher education environment,” and they must demonstrate sensitivity working with people of all different backgrounds. Applicants must provide the following materials: •Letter of intent •Resume explaining qualifications and expe-
rience •Unofficial copies of transcripts •At least eight professional references including two supervisors, two faculty members, two community members, one subordinate, and one support staff Applicants must also fill out a questionnaire that can be found on Delta’s website with the rest of the information for the application process. The search is being led by PPL, Inc. a consulting firm focused on California community colleges, according to the company website. PPL also led the search that resulted in the hiring of Pourzanjani in 2019.
Delta forgives $3.6 million in student debt BY GRACIELA GABRIEL Staff Writer
Delta is forgiving students debt a total of 3.6 million dollars. Delta College’s Board of Trustees voted to eliminate any current student debt — totaling roughly $3.65 million — during its meeting on Dec. 14, 2021. “The proposal on deck this evening is to utilize CARES Act/HEERF funding ... to discharge all outstanding student debt currently recorded in the financial system at San Joaquin Delta College,” said Dr. Amanda Preston Nelson, then the vice president of administrative services. Nelson came up with an estimate of $3.65 million in budget spending for the student relief program. Nelson said the proposal was encouraged by the Department of Education, which is urging schools to consider debt relief as use for CARES Act funds. “We would also release any financial-related holds on transcripts, on student accounts for enrollment purposes. ... This would essentially allow students to re-enroll or potentially transfer.” Teresa Brown, a member of the board of trustees, spoke favorably about the debt relief plan, comparing it to a similar program at Modesto Junior College. “I think this definitely benefits the students, it takes a lot of the worry out of how they’re going to pay for their debt, but it also puts us in the same position. Modesto Junior College has done this and they’re shouting it far and wide on the radio, billboards and ads. I don’t want our students to feel we’re not showing concern for them.” Charles Jennings was one of the board of trustee
members who also favored student relief. “That’s a great point and I saw a news story over the weekend that CSU Sacramento's adopted a similar resolution.” Not every board member agreed. “I just think it’s a shame to turn around each time and forget the students are responsible and then call it, it’s okay,” said Liz Blanchard, Vice President of the Board. The forgiveness program will be covering student debt that applies for Fall 2021, but will not cover any fees for Spring 2022. “It’s important to note that the debt forgiveness applies only to Fall 2021 and earlier. So, if students have news fees showing up related to Spring 2022, those are not covered by the debt forgiveness program,” said Alex Breitler, director of Marketing and Communication and Outreach at Delta. Breitler also encourages students to continue to pay other student loan debts to the federal government as the program only covers debt owed directly to Delta College in the form of unpaid tuition. “We’re excited to be able to do this for our current and past students; hopefully it will ease their financial burden a bit and allow them to continue pursuing their educational goals,” said Breitler. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Delta has been focusing on how to get students back on their feet with their education journey. For example, the temporary program on giving free books to those who can show proof of vaccination back in Fall 2021. RTD has also offered free rides for students since the Fall 2021 semester.
FLOODS: Student food pantry, culinary arts lab impacted by water damage continued from PAGE 1 The Student Food Pantry, located in Shima 101, was also flooded and had to move to Shima 117 while repairs were completed. The L.H. Horton Art Gallery was also damaged, but has since opened to the public with the Visions in Clay exhibit, running until March 19. The show is the first public opening for the gallery since 2019. Various other offices and classrooms were damaged. The classrooms affected are Shima 214, Shima 305, Shima 401 and Shima 402. The affected offices are Shima 208, 209, 212 and 213. The AV closet in Shima 403 was damaged, as well. Considering the age of the pipes in some of the older buildings on campus, a flood like this was just waiting to happen. “As a preventative maintenance measure the flex hoses will be replaced every five years,” said Stacy Pinola the director of facilities management and operations. The Shima Center was constructed in 1975. The Science and Math Building, opened in Spring 2015, is the newest classroom building on campus. It was constructed with funds from the $250 million Measure L bond, passed in 2004, and ran into several high-profile delays and budget overruns.