The Collegian - Published April 9, 2021

Athletes resume practice on campus

Group refurbishes skateboards for kids

The Collegian Th FEATURE, PAGE 4

SPORTS, PAGE 7

Issue 10 • Friday, April 9, 2021 •

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PHISHING SCAM HITS STUDENT EMAILS

BY HANNAH WORKMAN News Editor

Information Technology (IT) officials at Delta College reported that several student accounts have been compromised as the result of a phishing scam, causing personal information such as usernames and passwords to be released.

Delta College students are experiencing a high level of spam, according to IT officials.

Phishing scams are attempts to obtain sensitive information or data, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details. Scammers will typically email victims and impersonate trustworthy entities, like school officials.

Chelsy Pham, director of Information Technology and Data Center Services, said the phishing attempts came as a result of Microsoft Outlook’s global email address list feature.

“Once one student was caught by a phishing email, the spammers were able to get the addresses of all the other students,” Pham said. “We’ve since fixed this issue, by removing the global address list for the students.”

Student Ernestine Garcia said that within the past week, she has received three emails from scammers impersonating the

See PHISHING, page 8

Delta board tackles pandemic enrollment woes

BY ARIANNA JUAREZ Staff Writer

The DeRicco Student Services Building at Delta College, pictured on April 7, will soon be home to the Delta Connect Center. PHOTO BY ROBYN JONES

Student Services looks for new ways to ‘Connect’ in virtual, physical spaces President of Student Services said.

Cordova said the hope is The Student Services the Delta Connect Center Division at Delta College is will create a “one-stop shop” looking to improve student services with the launch of experience for students.

“In the past, programs and the Delta Connect Center. services have been scattered “The idea behind the across campus,” Cordova Delta Connect Center is to create a ‘welcome center’ said. “We hope [the Delta or centralized place where Connect Center] will save students can connect with [students] time and make programs and services,” Dr. it easier for them to get the Lonita Cordova, Assistant assistance they need.”

Prior to the pandemic, the Superintendent/Vice

BY HANNAH WORKMAN News Editor

Delta Connect Center was scheduled to be launched in April 2021, according to Cordova. However, the launch has been delayed. A new target launch date has not been announced.

“We are not quite there yet,” Cordova said. “In addition to COVID-related challenges, we are working to ensure there is adequate power in the areas where

See SERVICES, page 8

lost significantly more students than others. Physical Education, Dance, Radio/TV, and ESL have all seen their enrollment numbers drop.

Physical Education has seen a decrease from 856 students enrolled in spring 2020 to 363 this spring. This is a decrease of nearly 58 percent. Similarly, student enrollment in Dance courses has decreased from 169 students in spring 2020 to 81 in spring 2021.

Many introductory ESL or English as Second Language courses have seen drastic decreases in enrollment as well.

ESL students are in a unique position than other Delta College students. For many of these students, effectively communicating in English is a challenge in and of itself.

“Offering them a computer from the college and a hotspot isn’t enough,” Lawrenson said when addressing the 32 percent decrease in student enrollment the ESL program has seen in the last year.

Lawrenson said the college is hoping to utilize Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to provide face-

In a wide-ranging meeting on March 23, the Delta College Board of Trustees was presented with new information about how the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected enrollment numbers.

“I’m concerned about these numbers,” said Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction and Planning, as she presented the board with an update on student enrollment at Delta College.

Aguilera Lawrenson highlighted the fact that overall enrollment in the college has decreased by -8.7 percent since this time last year. Both student headcount and course enrollment have decreased significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enrollment in the spring 2021 semester is down -9.6 percent when compared to enrollment in the spring 2020 semester. Unit enrollment is also down significantly since last year, at -10.6 percent when compared year over year.

Some disciplines have See ENROLLMENT, page 8

NEXT ISSUE: April 23 • CONTACT US: deltacollegian@gmail.com or (209) 954-5156 • ONE FREE COPY

2 OPINION 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion

GUIDED JOURNEY DOESN’T ALIGN

Community colleges exist to serve the population, so why are we pushing finish?

BY DANTE CAMACHO

T

Staff Writer

he way that California community colleges are funded is deeply flawed, and the Guided Pathways (GP) project is a redundant effort that will only exacerbate these existing flaws.

The Collegian reported on GP and described the project as “a venture designed to substantially increase the number of students who earn a certificate or degree at California community colleges.”

Dr. Matt Wetstein, assistant superintendent/vice president of instruction and planning compared the project to pre-planned meals while speaking to The Collegian in 2017: “with the new model coming into place we give students a bundle deal. We give them only the food needed for their career and cut out the excess fat.”

This is precisely what is wrong with the Guided Pathways project, and the way GP will prioritize certificates and degrees while cutting out “the excess fat” is merely an extension of the flaws baked into the system of funding community colleges.

The mission statement for Community Colleges in the California Education Code states that, aside from its primary mission of preparing students for transfer to four-year schools school must provide “provision of remedial instruction for those in need of it , and in conjunction with the school districts, instruction in English as a second language, adult noncredit instruction…”

The mission statement places importance on adult noncredit instruction and community service courses, which is a good thing.

Community colleges are for the community at large.

But Guided Pathways does not place any importance at all on this part of the mission.

GP wants students to pick a career path the moment they enter college.

Dr. Kathy Hart, Delta superintendent at the time, told The Collegian in 2017 “Guided Pathways helps clarify a framework for colleges to help students who face barriers to completing a college education. We want students to select a program and stay on the path. The Guided Pathways model will support each student from the point of entry to the attainment of high-quality postsecond-

ary credentials and employment.”

But wait… wasn’t that always the goal? The “attainment of high-quality postsecondary credentials and employment”? If that is the goal now, what was it then? This is what I mean by redundant. What was the point of having counselors to guide students’ academic paths? Are their jobs less relevant now?

OK, let’s examine the “select a program and stay on the path,” part of things. Apparently, young students being indecisive about their futures is an issue that desperately needs solving. Dr. Matt Wetstein told The Collegian in 2017 “we have too many students coming into community college not knowing what they want to do. It’s good to look at your options for awhile, but at some point you have to settle down and decide what you want to do.”

How strange that 18 year-old kids don’t know that they want to do with the rest of their lives.

So Guided Pathways seems to put an emphasis on attaining paper trophies (degrees) and no emphasis on the adult learning or community service courses required by law in the mission statement. But this is an old problem, and one that is found baked into the way community colleges are funded in California.

How do community colleges get funded?

Well, according to the Chancellor’s office website, funding is decided by the “Student Cen-

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.

EDITORS

tered Funding Formula.”

This formula is supposed to ensure that colleges are funded “at least in part” based on “how well their students are faring.” The website goes on to explain that aside from base allocation and scholarship money, funding will also be based on a “student success allocation,” that rewards schools for completion rates of AAs, transfer to four year schools, and students who have achieved a “regional living wage,”and most upsettingly, the “student success allocation” rewards “the number of students who complete transfer-level math and English within their first year.”

Seriously? How out of touch is the top of the college’s hierarchy?

The problem with Guided Pathways and college funding is the same: it’s what is prioritized vs. what is not. The way our community colleges are funded reward schools will higher numbers of young, full time students who are preparing to transfer to a university. And bonus points if they are English and Math nerds. But get real! How many Delta College students do you know who fit that description?

What about the adult learning? The undecided freshman? The part-time student doing what they can?

Rural towns that economically and culturally don’t support the fantasy of the full time college student?

Another related issue is that the 20 school chosen for GP had to complete a competitive application process.

Why? Why should schools serving working class California have to compete to participate in something that is supposed to help students?

This rigid, career planning system is not in the best interests of Delta College’s diverse student body.

The way our schools are funded don’t reflect the diverse needs and interests that our community college’s are supposed to serve.

Schools should be funded based on student body size alone, like a public service. They should not be made to compete with one another like private companies in the same industry.

And while full time school is all well and good, community colleges should lean into what makes them different from university, and not try to be something they aren’t.

STAFF DANTE CAMACHO CHLOE GAMBLE MATTHEW JANG ARIANNA JUAREZ NOAH VANDYKE

DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS Editor in Chief/Feature

HANNAH WORKMAN News

ROBYN JONES

MULTIMEDIA TECH MATTHEW WILSON

ADVISER TARA CUSLIDGE-STAIANO

Opinion

ESPERANZA HERNANDEZ-MUNOZ Entertainment

DAVID VICTOR Sports

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3 OPINION 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion

Reproductive expenses add up for women in all phases of life

BY ROBYN JONES

U

Opinion Editor

se a condom,” is a common phrase that removes women from the discussion. What people fail to realize is that while there are contraceptives for women, they are not as readily or cheaply available as condoms, For women there are a variety of options when it comes to obtaining contraceptives to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Options include birth control pills, an IUD, a shot, and a vaginal ring.

The issue lies within the price range. Why is birth control so expensive?

According to Planned Parenthood the popular methods of birth control such as the pill, a patch, and the ring, “usually cost about $20-$50 per month,” while a shot ranges about“$30-$75 per shot,” for up to 12 weeks of protection.

The medical staff at Single Care, an online medical based website said that “around 1 of 7 women can’t afford birth control at any price,” Planned Parenthood has also stated that this does not come as a surprise, because, “co-pays for birth control pills typically range between $15 and $50 per month.

That adds up to over $600 per year.

Other methods, such as IUDs, can cost several hundred dollars, even with health insurance.”

Men on the other hand, financially unstable or not, have the option to receive free condoms from any local health centers and doctors offices, according to Planned Parenthood.

At your local drugstore, such as Walgreens or CVS, over the counter emergency birth control — popularly known as the morning after pill — is regularly priced at $50 and up for on-brand pills.

What doesn’t make sense is why men can have inexpensive and sometimes free condoms at the drop of a hat,which have a 98 percent effectiveness if used

correctly according to the U.K.’s National Health Service. but women have to pay an arm and a leg in some cases for contraceptives.

The benefit of having affordable birth control for women in all social classes will help decrease the amount of kids being put up for adoption.

According to the National Center for Youth Law, a non-profit law firm, there are nearly 60,000 children in foster care within California.

Christian Science Monitor, an independent international news organization said in an article that “less than 2 percent of babies are put up for adoption each year out of 1.1 million teenage girls.” If we had birth control readily available we would see a drastic decline in numbers.

In refute to free and inexpensive condoms, it’s not wrong to help promote safe sex within the age ranges.

Where it begins to feel wrong is when promoting safe sex feels like a one sided argument in favor of men.

In the events of continuing an unwanted pregnancy it becomes expensive month after month expenses tend to rack up.

Imagine not being able to afford a monthly birth control just to pay ten grand at the birth of your child WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS! The cost today to raise a child for middle class parents by the time their child is 18 will be $284,570, recommended by North Western Mutual, an American financial services mutual organization based in Milwaukee, “ plan to have at least $20,000 in the bank,” prior to your pregnancy.

About 27.5 million Americans do not have an insurance plan to help pay any medical bills according to the U.S Census Bureau, so what sense does it make to not help young women retrieve quality inexpensive and or free birth control.

Going rogue in a party state

BY ESPERANZA HERNANDEZ-MUNOZ Entertainment Editor

M

arch is the month of Spring Break for colleges and universities across the country.

That changed last year, as the CDC declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, which should have rendered spring break of 2020 non-existent.

In March 2020, many areas across the country were beginning to set stay at home orders, but even then many people were not taking the pandemic seriously. Some never took the pandemic seriously as they refused to wear masks or continued to have large gatherings.

In March 2020 people didn’t care enough and March 2021 people stopped caring too early.

Some people never treated the pandemic with the seriousness, but there are others under the misconception that because there are vaccines and more and more people are getting vaccinated that the pandemic is over.

Florida is a state that never set a statewide mask mandate, so what they did not do really set the precedent for the events that took place in late March.

One of the most popular spring break destinations is the state of Florida, which every year attracts college students with its beaches and outdoor life.

Multitudes of crowds took to the streets of Florida late March. This is a state that lifted its businesses restrictions back in September, and counties were not allowed to penalize people ignoring mask requirements because of an executive order by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber declared a state of emergency and set an 8 p.m. curfew that would be in place through April 12. This was after areas such as Miami Beach was flooded with maskless and non-social distanc-

ing crowds partying and creating chaos. Near the end of March there were many violent confrontations between law enforcement and crowds that ended with many arrests, while law enforcement attempted to enforce the curfew.

It doesn’t help that DeSantis declared the state of Florida an “oasis of freedom” from COVID-19 restrictions. These kinds of daring statements coming from those in authority validate people’s actions and these are just the consequences. These words encourage people in Florida or those going into Florida to party to do so as they don’t have to follow COVID-19 restrictions as opposed to other states.

This is not just the public’s fault — they aren’t the only ones to blame. Government officials in the state of Florida played a huge role in the actions of the public. By loosening restrictions they opened the flood gate. Their actions gave the public permission to do as they pleased, as if the pandemic was over.

The reality is that we are still in a pandemic. There are still many people waiting to get vaccinated and different variants popping up in different areas, each of which should be treated differently as each brings different risks.

The public needs to take a look at the massive death toll which as of April 6 sits at 555,109 in the U.S. alone to remind themselves that no money or party is worth more than lives. People should realize they can still have fun while wearing masks and socially distancing.

Don’t be fooled, it’s not quite hot girl summer

BY ARIANNA JUAREZ

O

Staff Writer

n March 25, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the expansion of eligibility guidelines for the COVID-19 vaccine. As of April 1, all Californians over the age of 50 will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. On April 15, any Californian over the age of 16 can get their shot too.

As the number of vaccines administered every day reaches 3 million, many people who are hoping for a normal summer are flocking to Twitter to express their excitement.

Seemingly everyone is planning to have summers filled with adventure in an attempt to make up for the lack of socializing that the pandemic has forced upon us over the last year.

In many ways, this wishful thinking is understandable. Staying inside and avoiding in-person interaction has been isolating for a lot of us.

Even people who would describe themselves as introverts have had a difficult time adjusting to this new normal.

Humans are social by nature, and being denied the pleasure of spending quality time with friends and family in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 has been difficult. It is only natural that

after a year of being stuck inside many of us are dreaming of better days.

All this optimism is understandable, but unfortunately, it is also misplaced. Just as vaccination rates are increasing drastically, so are new cases of COVID-19 across the country.

According to NPR, new daily COVID-19 cases have steadily increased over the last two weeks. They have reached a national average of 65,000 new cases a day, and many experts are fearing the onset of a fourth wave of infections.

On March 28, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, was nearly in tears during a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing.

“We have so much to look forward to, so much promise and potential of where we are and so much reason for hope,” Walen-

sky said. “But right now, I’m scared.”

Walensky talked about a sense of “impending doom” as she saw the nationwide increase in COVID-19 cases that we have witnessed in the month of April.

At the same time that these case numbers are rapidly rising, states like Alabama and Texas are abandoning statewide mask mandates. At the same time, after a year of following strict safety protocols, many American’s are experiencing pandemic fatigue.

If we are going to see an end to this pandemic, however, we must remain vigilant. Now is unfortunately not the time to start fantasizing about what life will look like post-pandemic.

Vaccine accessibility increases every day, but it still varies from state to state. Until a majority of the American public is fully vaccinated, many activities that we enjoyed in the time before the pandemic are simply not smart to engage in.

Though there is clearly light at the end of the tunnel, the pandemic cannot be thought of in the past tense. Lives are still being lost to this disease, and we must stay vigilant if we want to see life return to normal sooner rather than later.

Until we reach herd immunity, we must continue to wear a mask, remain socially distanced in public spaces, as well as continue smart hygiene habits like frequent hand washing.

4 FEATURE 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature

ABOVE LEFT: Save Souls Skate Bowls gave away skateboards and helmets at a March 19 memorial event in remembrance of 21-year-old skateboarder Cris Valenzuela, 9. ABOVE MIDDLE: Charles Insco tosses hats, shirts and stickers in the halfpipe to children. ABOVE RIGHT: Insco films raffle winners receiving prizes. PHOTO BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS

VALLEY CHARITY GROUP DONATES NEW, REFURBISHED SKATEBOARDS TO CHILDREN

BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS Editor in Chief

A Central Valley charity group teaches children to land on both feet in more ways than one.

Save Souls Skate Bowls repairs old skateboards and puts new ones together for children with the help of donations, as well as its own funding.

The group has donated 73 full skateboards so far, as well as parts, accessories and their time teaching children how to ride.

Carlos Carrasco, Erik Baus, Devin Dority and Charles Insco set out with their own ideas of giving back to the community and eventually banded together through their love for charity work and skateboarding.

“We were all just looking to give back and we all met each other and within months just got this thing going,” Baus said.

Carrasco’s 12-year-old daughter was feeling the effects of being in lockdown and told him she wanted to learn how to skateboard, not knowing her dad used to skateboard.

Neighborhood children saw Carrasco skateboarding with his daughter and were interested in what they were doing.

He put together a couple of skateboards for the children with some extra parts he had and started on his quest to find more and keep donating.

Baus and Dority were doing similar acts of charity, giving away helmets among other things at skateparks when the group found each other.

Carrasco said he found Baus and Dority on social media and thought they had to meet up.

“To hear all of Erik’s ideas and everything Devin had to say was amazing,” Carrasco said.

ABOVE: Erik Baus directs children where to pick up donated skateboards. BELOW: Joshua Weaver (bottom left) and Aaron Spears (bottom right) perform tricks in the halfpipe. PHOTO BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS

While Carrasco was DONATION LOCATIONS told of Baus and Dority For more information through a friend, Baus and Dority were told about Save Souls Skate Bowls, of Carrasco while they find them on Facebook: Save were distributing dona- Souls Skate Bowls. Donation drop off locations are: tions at a skatepark. “[Carlos] was do- Yours and Mine Sports ing it for such a longer 416 N. 9th St. amount of time and he Modesto already had connections of getting donations. I Wicked Ways thought it was a per- 920 S. Cherokee Lane fect way for us to part- Lodi ner up and really affect more than just my local Wildwood Skateshop 224 N. Ham Lane Suite #102 skatepark,” Baus said.

Insco said that skate- Lodi boarding is not in his background, personally, but charity work is. He met other mem- severance.

bers in the group through Dority.

“He kept trying to pull me in to meet these guys and I’m not a skater so I was like ‘man I’m not going to go fall on this ground,’ you know? Finally he got me to meet up with them so now I’m out there skateboarding too,” Insco said.

The importance of this charity work to these partners is not only giving children a good environment to be in, but teaching them the value of independence, being active, and learning per-

“They’re active, they’re out, they’re getting exercise. They’re playing like kids. They’re learning things like falling and getting back up again and keep going, doing scary things like conquering fears,” Carrasco said.

Insco said another reason skateboarding is beneficial to children is that it can be done with a group of friends or solo, adding that people can skateboard year-round.

“You can go skate in your backyard, on a little piece of plywood, down the street, at the skatepark, anytime you want. With friends or without them you can have fun on a skateboard,” Insco said.

The group posts on their Facebook page as well as city Facebook groups to let people know where they will be skating each Sunday.

Sometimes they’ll meet other skaters and all skate together, and sometimes parents will bring their children and the group will help teach the children how to ride.

The group thinks their work is just as beneficial for them as it is for the children.

“To give a kid a skateboard and let them drop into the bowl, it’s rewarding to us. It’s almost a greedy thing in a sense, if you think about it. We benefit just as much as they do,” Insco said.

The group works with all donated parts and boards: new, old, and seemingly broken to put things together to give out on the weekends, or when needed.

“Someone might have a skateboard that’s just lying in the garage collecting dust that no one will ever use and that can change a kid’s life,” Carrasco said, adding that “Even if it’s old and beat up we will bring it back to life and give it to a kid who needs it.”

5 FEATURE 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature

Local duo keeps social eye on police

BY DANTE CAMACHO Staff Writer

Bad apples beware — Stockton has it’s very own cop watching team.

Canda Press are a duo of self described “police accountability journalists” who operate an Instagram account called @209badapples, which currently has nearly 4,000 followers, along with a YouTube channel under the name “Canda Press,” which carries just over 5,000 subscribers. Cop watching has been practiced for several decades, most famously by the Black Panthers of Oakland in the 1970s, but the death of George Floyd in May 2020 and the demonstrations that followed have brought renewed interest to the activist tradition.

Cop watching today usually involves filming on-duty police officers as they conduct traffic stops, make arrests, or respond to police protests. Thanks to social media, footage of police misconduct can be easily shared and seen by mass audiences.

“I think it’s very important to put a camera on police officers to hold them accountable, to keep them transparent,” said a one of the Canda Press local cop watchers, who asked not to be identified for fear of harassment. “Their body cams are not reliable, and they don’t release full body cam [footage].”

Saving lives was the motivating factor for the Stockton-based cop watching to begin in 2020.

“We are tired of meeting mothers of dead sons or daughters that faced police brutality,” the watcher

said. “If we film them [the police] they probably will try to behave.”

Via social media, Canada Press’ work has received “a variety of responses, from good to really bad. We’ve gotten death threats.”

Police frustration with being watched is visible in videos posted to the @209badapples Instagram, with officers approaching the camera person. In an Aug. 24, 2020 video, it appears the officer is recording the watcher back as the person asks for the officer’s badge number.

“They’re [the police] are very childish, they like to dox people once they know their identities,” said the local watcher.

Why might watching upset cops? The watcher said they have noticed a racial bias in the behavior of local police, referring to the @209badapples Instagram account videos as documentation.

“From the traditional news media, to freelance journalists, or any individual, we understand they have the right to film law enforcement officers,” said the Stockton Police Department in a statement. “When people do film us, we want them to do so from a safe distance and never interfere with an officer who is engaged in their duties.

“As most agencies now have body worn cameras, and as department policy and state law allows, to help build transparency with the community, we have seen more law enforcement departments release ‘Critical Incident’ videos to the public,” the statement added.

Some other sources of local cop watching exist as well. The Instagram accounts @blmsacramento and @ sacsocialjusticeevents do occasional watching, the latter account documenting police behavior at many of the Sacramento protests this past year.

Similar work is done by Mr. Checkpoint, a social media personality active since 2011 who launched an app that warns southern Californians of traffic checkpoints.

The Instagram account @mrcheckpoint contains lots of cellphone footage of police during George Floyd demonstrations in Los Angeles and he has helped re-popularize the phrase “always film the police” with his mainstream television news appearances.

Most cop watching footage is cell phone footage recorded by bystanders who don’t typically engage in cop watching.

Canda Press is a bit more involved, using a police scanner bought off “Amazon, or something” to listen to police radio chatter and locate potential trouble, although usually they just “stumble across” traffic stops as they drive around.

Regardless of how it is obtained, the footage from cop watchers, other journalists, or bystanders can sometimes be the only evidence of police misconduct.

Filming police can either provide important evidence to a case or prevent a tragic incident in the first place.

“Always film the police, cop watching isn’t harassing cops,” said the watcher.

Nonprofit gifts garden back to community

BY ARIANNA JUAREZ Staff Writer

PUENTES is most widely known for helping Southside Stockton residents build better and healthier communities through educational workshops. Its biggest venture to date, however, has been the launch of the Boggs Tract Community Farm in the Port of Stockton area — and that venture will soon be given back to the community As of April 1, the Boggs Tract Community Farm will be operating independently from PUENTES. The nonprofit announced via Facebook post that they were passing ownership of the Boggs Tract Community Farm to members of the community.

“Our vision is to branch out into the community in greater measure and focus on multiple communities within Stockton and beyond. We plan to expand our outreach, centered on creating more community gar- Lettues for sale during Boggs Tract Community Farm’s dens and urban forestry projects,” read the post. weekly farmer’s market on March 27. PHOTO BY ARIANPromotores Unidas Para la Educación Nacional NA JUAREZ Tecnologías Sostenibles, or PUENTES, founded the Boggs Tract Community Farm in 2010. PUENTES ers began keeping chickens, and now sell eggs at the itself was founded in 2009 by Delta College graduate weekly farmer’s market as well.

Jeremy Terhune. According to the nonprofit’s website, At the Boggs Tract Community Farm, urban farmTerhune was introduced to sustainable agricultural ers can rent a 20 foot-by-20 foot plot to grow crops in. practices during his time in Panama with the Peace The farm provides plotholders with everything they Corp. When he came home to Stockton, he decid- need to get going, including seeds, tools, and training, ed to implement some of this newfound knowledge all for $125 a year. about sustainable agriculture in underserved parts of PUENTES never aimed to be a landlord, rather his own community. the organization wanted to be a resource for urban Boggs Tract Community Farm was initially made farmers so they can learn to grow their own food in a possible by the Port of Stockton, which gifted PU- low-risk and low-cost way.

ENTES the land.

Besides promoting agricultural literacy, PUENTES “It was essentially just a vacant lot,” said Kenda and the Boggs Tract Community Farm have also doTempleton, executive director at PUENTES. nated thousands of pounds of fresh produce to local The farm has been able to monetize its work by organizations and food banks. holding weekly markets where farmers can sell proPUENTES has also helped Stocktonians plant duce they have grown. Another source of revenue has fruit and vegetable gardens in their backyards. been from a plot holder who tends to beehives and Most recently, PUENTES has hosted tree planting sells the honey they produce. A group of plot hold- events all around town.

This past winter, the nonprofit managed to plant over 600 oak trees in different city parks, all with the aim to promote sustainable carbon sequestration.

“It is a community outreach opportunity,” said Templeton. “The community park plantings were really meant for public engagement.”

With this change in leadership comes questions about what the future will look like for the community farm and its gardeners.

“PUENTES was managing all the background stuff,” said Ernay Nino, volunteer coordinator at the Boggs Tract Community Farm, when asked about the leadership transfer. “All the stuff that’s not shed to light, like all the finances, all the materials, all the gatherings, and the tree plantings that we had.”

“I believe we are going to get new tenants to take over the farm, but we still don’t know what that’s going to look like,” said Nino regarding the uncertainty that has materialized ever since PUENTES announced it would no longer be managing the community garden.

For gardener Jacob Jollie, the change in leadership has taken a backseat to his spring and summer planting.

“I think everyone has a lot more questions than answers,” said Jollie as he tended to his plot, accompanied by his two young daughters.

“We are going to keep staying here as long as they allow us to,” Nino said, referring to the Port of Stockton, who has retained ownership of the land in this transition.

Nino stressed that regardless of the leadership change, volunteer opportunities were abundant at the farm. Volunteers can help with farm chores, like weeding, seeding new plants, as well as general yard and lawn maintenance. Volunteer hours are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.

“Volunteers are vital to our project here,” said Nino.

For more information on volunteer opportunities, Delta students can reach Ernay Nino, volunteer coordinator, at enino@puentesca.org.

K12s across county begin returning to campus as restrictions lift

BY MATTHEW JANG

said Silman.

One of these ways that the school has had to be flexible is inside the classroom. Students are now With the school year nearing its end, school expected to bring their school-provided devices to districts have still been trying to get their students class every day for work, something not done beback into classes after dismissing students more fore. than a year ago when the pandemic began.

Another change that came to the school is the Anthony Traina Elementary School in Tracy re- shortening of the school day and going for a hybrid introduced students to campus. “We have had a lot approach. The school is now having students start going on in recent weeks on campus, and the hus- at 8:15 a.m. as normal, but students leave school at tle and bustle around campus has been nice to see,” 10:45 a.m. to go home for break. said Principal Ken Silman.

Traina has also removed a traditional lunch peTraina Elementary went back to campus on riod in favor of a “Grab and Go” lunch style as the March 3. students leave.

“This is obviously an unusual school year, and Students then switch to online learning at 11:45 we appreciate the flexibility and the efforts of our a.m. and finally finish their day at 1:20 p.m. community and staff in creating the best learning Other districts such as Manteca Unified School experience possible during this challenging time,” Staff Writer

District, Lodi Unified School District and Stockton Unified School Districts are also returning to campus with similar modified scheduling and safety procedures.

The schools still require all safety standards such as masks, social distancing, sanitizing stations in every room, hourly sanitization of the classrooms and closing of public drinking fountains.

With all the uncertainty around students and if they should go back or not, preparation and stability are something that is needed to alleviate concerns. Traina School hopes to be able to have that level of preparation necessary.

“We are preparing ourselves for a stretch run to the school year,” said Silman. “We are excited to see our students in person again, and we are committed to their safety and their learning.”

6 ENTERTAINMENT 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/entertainment

COFFEE SHOPS ADJUST TO STAY OPEN

BY CHLOE GAMBLE Staff Writer

From chains like Starbucks to local mom and pop shops, many people go to coffee shops not only for coffee and other drinks, but to enjoy and relax before the daily struggles commence.

However, with COVID-19 requiring masks and limiting indoor eating, many shops had to rapidly change store structure and work with Centers for Disease Control guidelines to stay in business.

Stores that were drive-thru dominant haven’t been hit as hard during the pandemic.

At the location in Galt, Tyler Trunnell, a manager at the store, stated “they were semi-hit in sales when the pandemic first started.

We had to start wearing masks, had to adhere to the procedures to stay in operation and that most of the franchise had to close the grave shifts due to COVID as many people weren’t coming to the stores at night anymore.”

Stores like The Coffee Shop Bakery, located at 239 Fourth St. in Galt and Inspire Coffee 8 W. Pine Street in Lodi had to change approach as there is no drive-thru connected to either business.

Both of the stores owners had said that not having a drive-th-

ru had them look at how to navigate their business and sell their products differently.

Sawn Farmer, the owner and co-creator of The Coffee Shop Bakery said that “curbside and takeout aren’t as convenient as drive-thru options” as he experienced with trying new ways to sell his products to his consumers.

Nicholas Coffman, one of the owners and co-creators of Inspire Coffee, said the business experienced a similar pivot.

“We are selling our coffee and other items online at inspirelodi. com as well as having call in orders and grab and go,”said Coffman.

Each of the three stores saw a drop in sales, but a loyal consumer base has kept the businesses afloat and able to keep serving.

Avid coffee and tea lover Kate Martin said she preferred smaller coffee shops than larger chains. Martin’s rationale is one of the reasons why these shops see continued support.

“Smaller coffee shops are more intimate and allow for more/ better interactions with one or a couple individuals, especially employees and owners. Plus, they tend to be quieter, which is usually ideal for the reasons people go to sit down at coffee shops,” said Martin.

Couples at war keep it entertaining

BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS

C PHOTO COURTESY OF FREEPIK

Summer fun returns as theme parks prepare to reopen

lic Health stated on March 5 that, “Disneyland, Universal Studios other theme parks, and sports stadiums in California can reopen beginning A year ago, COVID-19 deprived the nation April 1,” with restrictions in place.

With the red tier being the second-highest of a fun summer. Theme parks were forced to risk category theme parks, “will be limited to atclose until further notice to protect the safety of tendance of 15 percent capacity. In the orange workers, cast members, and visitors. tier, the limit increases to 25 percent capacity Now this spring we are being graced with the and in the yellow tier, to 35 percent. Attendance opportunity to relive those magical moments will be restricted to in-state visitors. Disneyland we’ve been robbed of. We will soon be able to is in Orange County, which is currently in the view the well-loved and missed attractions, highest-risk ‘purple’ tier, but local news reports rides, food, and more. suggest it may soon move down to the red tier,” As of early January, Disneyland was not fulaccording to The Verge on March 6. ly abandoned, but instead was used as a site for According to NBC News LA Orange Count vaccination according to Today News. is in the orange tier, so in order to reopen, theme With the constant rollout of COVID-19 vacparks had to comply with a set of rules. The cines and a 29 percent decrease within the U.S amount of reported COVID-19 cases in the it has proven to be a good sign for theme park county will determine the amount of people visitors to conjugate together in bigger crowds. who may visit the parks, according to The Verge, “I’m really excited for the parks to reopen an online American technology news website. again because I miss taking trips with my family With theme parks being in high demand and having fun during the summer instead of there is a high chance that theme parks will just sitting at home wanting to do something,” be filled to the brim with people not following said Abigail Hardin, a frequent Disneyland atCOVID-19 restrictions. tendant.

SoCal resident Jasmine Enriquez expressed With Southern California holding a stable that she is, “not for [reopening parks] because ground in the red tier, Governor Gavin Newif they start doing it so soon then we’re just gosom adjusted the Blueprint for a Safer Econoing to keep moving backwards or just stay in the my. In result the California Department of Pubsame place.”

BY ROBYN JONES Opinion Editor

Editor in Chief

ouples prank wars have the potential to be a hilarious way to keep the fun and sanity in your relationship during this year-long and continuing lockdown.

With San Joaquin County still being in the purple tier, the end of being housebound is not yet in sight.

Couples have seen much more of each other in the last year than they were previously accustomed to, and perhaps more than they know how to handle.

How do you keep the spark alive and the arguments at bay when you’re stuck in the house with your partner?

Prank wars are a common trend amongst Youtube couples and a source of entertainment for their viewers.

A prank war is exactly what it sounds like: an ongoing battle between two or more people to out-trick each other.

Who better to engage in a war of wit and humor with than the person you have come to know better than ever?

Does your partner like orange juice? Replace the citrusy-goodness in the carton with water flavored with the cheese packet from a box of macaroni and cheese.

No history of heart disease?

Tape pop-its to the underside of the toilet seat to set them up for a good scare when they sit down on it.

Keeping with the theme of relatively safe poppers, tape one of the bottle-shaped varieties that shoot confetti to a door, and the string to the door frame so that when your partner opens it, they’ll get an instant pop followed by a burst of colorful bits.

If you need more inspiration, tons of videos can be found on Youtube of couples going back and forth finding creative ways to prank the other.

Be aware, though, that these videos may be rehearsed and the reactions of the pranked may be a lot more controlled than one you’ll receive from your partner at home.

If you didn’t know your partner before, the last year in lockdown with them should’ve equipped you with enough knowledge to know what will be laughed off and what might end in a situation that’s not so funny.

April Fool’s Day may be over, but the tricks don’t have to stop on the first day of the month.

READ MORE STORIES ONLINE AT

deltacollegian collegian.net

7 SPORTS 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports

MUSTANGS ARE BACK

Athletics resume practice on campus as San Joaquin County moves into red tier

BY DAVID VICTOR Sports Editor

More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person training, Delta’s sports teams returned to campus for practice on March 29 in preparation for the Spring II season of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA).

The long anticipated return has filled coaches and players with optimism as they reunite with each other after months of uncertainty.

“Athletes are excited and so are coaches, we all need this for physical and mental health,” said men’s track and field head coach Les Anthony.

Track and field sprinters Jaxen North and Savannah Shadrick are excited to return to practice.

North is glad that he’s once again able to practice alongside other members of the track and field team.

“It feels great. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to practice with my teammates again,” said North.

Shadrick claims returning to campus with her teammates helps her regain motivation.

“It feels refreshing and exciting,” said Shadrick. “It’s hard to stay motivated when you’re training separately from your fellow teammates.”

Even though she would’ve preferred returning to prepare for a longer season of competition, Shadrick still wants to make the most out of this spring.

“I think it’s kind of sad that we’ll have to compete in a short season, but at least it’s better than nothing,” said Shadrick.

Although some sports teams won’t have the opportunity to compete this year after the athletics department opted out of the CCCAA Spring I season, returning to campus will help them stay in shape and keep their emotional wellness intact as they prepare for competition next fall.

Women’s soccer assistant coach Dominic Figueroa said the return gives the players and coaches a sense of relief despite the fact they won’t participate in competition this spring.

“It’s exciting, I feel optimistic about coming back,” said Figueroa. “Fitness is our focus right now. We won’t be playing any games until August, but practicing together on campus will keep our players fit and help them with their mental health.”

Despite not having a season, women’s soccer player Haley Molinari is grateful for the fact practice is transitioning back to campus after having to train remotely during the lockdown.

“I’m happy to come back and practice with the team, very thankful for getting back to something I love doing,” said Molinari.

The athletics department attempted a return to campus in November of 2020, but a spike in COVID-19 cases forced it to suspend its return plan.

The return plan for this spring is similar to what was laid out at the end of last year, and is limited in scope.

Practice consists of athletes training in different groups and in split sessions during the day with COVID-19 safety guidelines in place at all times.

“Pods of 10 people [athletes] per coach at different practice times,” said Anthony.

“Six feet distancing whenever possible, no touching or sharing equipment and only one person in the bathroom at a time.”

To return to campus, athletes and coaches must be cleared through a process that involves COVID-19 preventive measures.

Once on campus, they must follow a check-in protocol.

“Before the athletes and coaches return, they’re tested ahead of time and must complete paperwork to be eligible to return to practice,” said Anthony. “The process requires us to park in a certain area, check in at a certain area and practice with the same group and coaches for the whole semester while limiting contact with others. Masks are highly recommended and mandatory for most of the practice.”

Sports medicine staff member Kevin Anderson is in charge of making sure the athletes have gotten tested and follow check-in procedures.

“When the student-athletes check in, we take their temperature and check for symptoms,” said Anderson.

“We’re following county public health protocols and we’re even separating something as minor as pens used to check in for practice. If the athletes check in early, they can’t leave the parking lot until their coaches arrive.”

Several student-athletes still need to be cleared and not all teams are practicing with a full squad.

“So far a fourth of our team has been cleared to practice on campus. We’ll have more

TOP: Men’s track and field head coach Les Anthony watches as athletes practice sprints. ABOVE: Women’s track and field head coach Lauyrn Seales looks on as sprinter Savannah Shadrick jumps up stairs.

PHOTOS BY DAVID VICTOR

of our athletes returning later on.” said Anthony.

While the athletics department has allowed all teams to return to campus for training, it’s still unknown when the Mustangs will engage in CCCAA competition.

The start date for the Spring II season is April 10, but Director of Athletics Tony Espinoza said Delta may have to hold out longer before its

athletics program can begin competing.

“At this point we haven’t discussed competition and travel. If things continue to run smoothly, we hope to increase the number of days and hours we are working out on campus. A lot depends on how our return progresses. We should know more in the next two to three weeks,” said Espinoza.

8 NEWS 040921

The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/news

Chancellor discusses grants, plans for fall

BY NOAH VANDYKE Staff Writer

California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley hosted a Zoom conference on March 23 to discuss the state and future of community colleges across the state.

Oakley said how important it is that the system starts preparing for the upcoming summer and fall semesters now.

“We want to get the word out to your fellow classmates to enroll now for summer and fall classes so that they have the best chance to secure their classes and reach their educational goals,” Oakley said.

Oakley noted the system has seen a significant decline in enrollment among students for future semesters, particularly due to “the economic fallout

from the pandemic.”

Congress passed the American Recovery Act which allocated about $2.3 billion to help students and colleges dealing with the fallout from the pandemic.

Half the funds will be used for emergency student grants, while the other half will be put forth to better service students during the remaining pandemic.

There will also be some much-needed assistance for the students and colleges at the state legislature level, with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget packet being approved late February. This provides $100 million to the local community colleges for emergency student financial assistance and grants.

Another $20 million was also awarded to the chancellor’s

office to students who may have left college due to the pandemic struggles, or to new students out of high school.

Oakley also discussed Assembly Bill 1456 during the hour-long call with student media representatives.

Assembly Bill 1456 aims to modernize Cal Grant-systems.

This will provide “a greater chance of eligibility for future students,” Oakley said.

Before diving into the future plans to reopen colleges, Oakley made it clear there would be no toleration for any anti-Asian Amercian behavior or violence within the 116-campus California Community College system.

“There is no connection between our brothers and sisters at the AAPI community and the causes of COVID-19,

or a connection to China.

We all need to come together and make sure we are doing everything we can to protect the Asian American community on our campus,” Oakley said.

As for the potential of schools across the state opening the campus up for classes in the fall, the top priority remains the health and safety of the faculty and students.

“As we begin to think about reopening, we’re going to do it in a way that maintains CDC guidelines,” said Oakley.

Social distancing and mask protocols will be enforced on campus.

Hands-on lab courses will be the first classes to start meeting in person, followed by hybrid approaches to other lecture classes to keep class size down and to continue to

maintain physical distancing guidelines.

“Each college in different regions is working with local county or city health officials for opening guidelines, all colleges across the state will not look the same,” he said.

Oakley said to expect to see talks start ramping up for a possible return to our campuses, followed by a return of inter-collegiate sports to our communities.

As of right now colleges aren’t going to require faculty and students to be vaccinated when they come back to campus, but Oakley would like to see everyone get vaccinated.

“We have volunteered all campuses to be vaccination sites for our students, it will all depend on local county health officials,“ he said.

PHISHING: IT officials educate students continued from PAGE 1

STOPPING AAPI HATE With hate crimes against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders on the rise, Delta College’s Active Minds club hosted a AAPI Town Hall meeting on April 7. Read the story in The Collegian’s April 23 issue. PHOTO BY ROBYN JONES

SERVICES: Division plans to expand offerings continued from PAGE 1 these services will be located.”

Cordova said the Delta Connect Center will have a physical location in the DeRicco building, along with a virtual component.

“We are also still working on the layout,” Cordova said. “While we wish we could open our doors now, we want to make sure this is done right and that students will have a great experience with the center once we are all on campus again.”

In the meantime, students are encouraged to utilize the virtual help counters launched in February. They can be found at deltacollege.edu/ virtual-help-counters.

The virtual help counters allow students to schedule an appointment to meet with an agent and get answers to their questions in a video conference setting.

Agents are available to answer questions regarding admissions and records, Free Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA) or Dream Act Application assistance and general financial aid questions, according to the Delta College website.

In addition, virtual help counters for the Veterans Resource Center, Student Activities and CalWorks are available.

Student Jayavarman Angkor said he set up an appointment with a counselor through the virtual help counters.

“I was able to choose Zoom or a phone call,” Angkor said. “I spoke with the counselor by phone. He helped me change my major to the correct one in a matter of minutes. It was quick and easy.”

However, not all students have had a positive experience when seeking remote services.

Student Brooke Villafana said it’s difficult to “get into contact with anyone.”

“There are no phone numbers to call for financial aid or records,

and the online counseling booking system doesn’t work at all,” Villafana said.

Villafana said she tried utilizing LiveChat, a separate online customer service software Delta College has promoted to extend support services to students.

“It worked, although I have waited up to an hour to actually get someone to help,” Villafana said. “Sometimes I have been dropped and they said the chat time expired while they tried to help me.”

Cordova said the institution is actively exploring ways it can better serve students, especially in a digital format.

“Many students may still be interested in distance education even after the pandemic is over,” Cordova said. “We are trying to push forward with improvements, such as the Delta Connect Center, at a pace that does not overwhelm anyone during these difficult times.”

department of Financial Aid, Scholarships and Veterans Services.

Garcia said the emails came from a user with an @mustangs.deltacollege.edu email address.

“I thought it was suspicious because the financial aid department never emailed me about any of my questions in the past 12 months,” Garcia said.

Garcia said she reported the emails as phishing after seeing they had links.

Student Kendall Christene said she also received emails from scammers impersonating the financial aid department.

“They said there’s a reward available for me,” Christene said.

Christene said she is aware of phishing scams and knows what signs to look for to spot one.

“I don’t ever get financial aid and the whole thing just looked like a random email anyone would send with weird phone numbers that had different area codes,” Christene said. “There was also weird capitalization throughout.”

Pham said a big reason for the increase in spam is “simply the sign of the times.”

“Everyone is still at home and relying more on email for communication,” Pham said. “All colleges across the U.S. are seeing increases in spam and phishing because of the pandemic.”

Pham said some of the subject matter of the spam and phishing points to this, with many emails referring to available work and COVID-19 relief funds.

According to Pham, the problem of phishing “can never be 100 percent solved.”

She encourages students to educate themselves about spam and phishing by reading the recent campus-wide email sent out by the IT department on April 2.

The email told students that all email from faculty and staff will end in @deltacollege.edu, not @mustangs.deltacollege.edu, and to mark emails they know are spam as junk so they can play an active role in training the junk email filters.

“Many people fail to understand that their knowledge and actions are just as important in protecting themselves against the spammers, as anything we do,” Pham said. “We can stop 99 percent of the bad email from coming through, but all it takes is one email and a user to click on something they shouldn’t have, and the spamming starts.”

ENROLLMENT: College to utilize grants for face-to-face instruction chronous courses this fall semester, Lawrenson reiterated a commitment to get more students back in the to-face instruction for some disciplines in Fall 2021. classroom.

The CARES Act is a $2 trillion dollar economic “We are examining many different possibilities,” stimulus bill that passed in March 2020. she said.

“It’s really not a stretch to say that we will be offerLawrenson said synchronous learning combined ing this face-to-face ESL,” said Lawrenson. “There are with socially distanced in-person learning is one way some students who just need face-to-face instruction.” the college is hoping to attract an increase in student When asked by trustee Dr. Catherine Mathis enrollment this fall semester. These courses would opabout the likelihood that Delta would provide syn- erate both online and in-person by splitting the roster

continued from PAGE 1

in half and allowing one half to attend in-person, while the other half watched the lesson online.

These two groups would then rotate, and everyone would get a chance to attend in-person lessons at least once a week.

The introduction of new technology in the classroom, like 360° cameras, could help instructors provide their online students with a fuller and more well-rounded classroom experience is also being considered.