Dec. 10, 2008

El Vaquero December 10, 10, 2008 2008 December

Glendale College College Glendale

and the nominees are...

Board of Trustees incumbent Armine Hacopian, left, with challengers Sergei Aftandelian and Ann Ransford meet on campus to debate the issues.

See story, page 4

Photo by Jane Pojawa

2

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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NEWS

Students Elect New Officers El Vaquero Glendale Community College

Jessica Bourse

Ross Coleman

PHOTO EDITOR

Jane Pojawa

STAFF WRITERS

Claudia Anaya Brandon Hensley Fabiola Prieto

Ani Khashadoorian Isiah Reyes Kenneth Malate Corinna Scott

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Graig Agop Allan Beglarian Richard Kontas Ismael Reyes Production Manager

Jane Pojawa

design adviser

Charles Eastman

faculty adviser

Michael Moreau

mmoreau@glendale.edu (818) 551-5214

advertising

Jeff Smith

jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 1427

El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at editor@elvaq.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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editor in chief

SPORTS EDITOR

of finance and the president serve for two semesters beginning in the fall session.

“Students have just as much of campus-wide election an equal voice as administrators, was conducted last week faculty and staff... [student in Plaza Vaquero to fill 19 representatives] know what positions of leadership within students need,” Tzoler Oukayan, the Associated Students of student activities coordinator and GCC. advisor to the ASGCC, said about The election was held from 9 the benefits of having a student a.m. last Wednesday until 9:30 government. p.m. Thursday.

The requirements to run for The student government is a seat on student government composed of six committees include: being registered in which, according to the ASGCC at least nine units, having a Web site, “foster a spirit of unity cumulative GPA of at least among students on campus and 2.0, and completion or current maintain a budget that benefits enrollment of a student leadership over 100 departments and course.

“The student Associated Students of Glendale Community leadership class is the College Spring 2009 Election Resultsoooo best class I have taken at GCC,” said Milton Vice President of Administration VOTES Alvarez, a candidate Ballot # 1 Joey Roszhart 227 for vice president of Ballot #2 Lauren Shenian 523* campus relations. “It not Vice President of Campus Activities only teaches you how to Ballot #4 Gilberto Murillo 203 become a better person, Ballot #5 Christine Shirvanian 417* but it actually teaches Vice President of Campus Relations you about you; you get Ballot #6 Milton Alvarez-Ramos 211 to know yourself.”

Ballot #7 Johana V. Pedro 95 In addition to the Ballot #8 Rochelle Shabanian 263* student leadership Vice President of Campus Organizations class,prospective Ballot #9 Nina Tshavrushyan 470* candidates must collect Senator of Administration 100 signatures, and once Ballot #10 Mari Hambarsumyan 235* nominated they attend Ballot #11 Ruzan Stepanyan 324* a series of meetings Ballot #12 Tigranuhi Stepanyan 311* to review the election Ballot #13 Antonio J. Zarate 215 code, campaign ethics Senator of Finance and rule violations.

Ballot #14 Lilit Garibyan 285* “[Being part of Ballot #15 Melisa Hanparsun 173 student government] Ballot #17 Sergio Hidalgo 146 gives me a lot of Ballot #18 Lara R. Kasian 260* leadership and time Ballot #19 Emanuel Khachaturov 299* management skills,” Ballot #20 Marian Mikhail 229 said Nina Tshavrushyan.

Ballot #21 Ngoc Pham 77 “I get to know a lot of Senator of Campus Activities great people and it gives Ballot #22 Chris Jin Chung 138 me a lot of experience Ballot #23 Gor Gabrielyan 161 in public relations.”

Ballot #24 Aren Khanbabaei 214* Tshavrushyan, 19, Ballot #25 Lilit melik-Bakhshyan 293* was an uncontested Ballot #26 Yazmin Moreno 144 candidate for vice Ballot #27 Ella Shahjahanian 144 president of campus Ballot #28 Araik Erik Sinanyan 231* organizations, and she Senator of Campus Relations founded the “Election Ballot #29 Eileen Amirian 230* 2008” club on campus.

Ballot #30 Tevin Chopurian 253* “Student government Ballot #31 Le G. Do 154 elections are as Ballot #32 Arda Imasdounian 211* important as the Ballot #33 Maria Lassalle 138 presidential elections Ballot #34 Arlen Zargarian 150 because we [leaders] Senator of Campus Organizations vote in a lot of things Ballot #35 Hermine Gevondyan 306* that directly impact the Ballot #36 Shake Ghazaryan 338* student life and do things Ballot #37 Hisae Konishi 255* that help the community Ballot #38 Suren Meliksetyan 248 as well,” she said.

By Fabiola Prieto

Nu

. 2-4 ........... . . . . . s w Ne . 5-12 ......... s e r u t a Fe 3-15 ment...1 in a t r e t n E 8 .....16-1 . . . . . . . . s t Spor . . 19 .......... r a d n le Ca

programs.”

The six committees are: the executive committee, administration, finance, campus activities, campus relations and campus organizations.

Except for the executive committee, which incorporates the president and all the vicepresidents from the rest of the committees, there were three senator positions available in each committee.

One vice president position was available in each of the following committees: administration, campus activities, campus relations, and campus organizations. The vice president

Total Number of Ballots

1168

[See Election, Page 9]

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3

EDITORIAL/NEWS

State Budget Crisis Could Spell Trouble for Campus

By Jessica Bourse

EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF

W

e are in trouble.

Budget cuts, fire and recession — it’s been one hell of a year, countrywide, including here in the Golden State, and the repercussions could be crippling to Glendale Community College.

On Dec. 1, the National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared that the U.S. has been in recession since December 2007. A few hours later, the Dow dropped 680 points, making it the fourth worst drop in its history.

Any one of my classmates from last semester’s macroeconomics class could have predicted this.

The signs were everywhere — unemployment was on the rise, the stock market was in bad shape, and the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) was decreasing.

Our economy has slowed down tremendously.

The national debt has risen to a staggering $10.6 trillion dollars — and California isn’t doing too great either.

California’s deficit is now at $11.2 billion for this fiscal year. Economists project that by February 2010, the deficit will swell up to $28 billion.

Mike Genest, director of the Department of Finance, warned California legislature on Monday about the impending “financial disaster” looming over the state if lawmakers don’t act now.

“Failure to act now would

create a financial disaster,” said Genest. “The numbers will get worse. I can tell you with certainty that they will get substantially worse.”

If we time travel back to the year 2005, when Genest was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, we’ll notice a much more relaxed and positive version of Genest.

“I look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to ensure California’s budget is balanced so we can rebuild our great state,” said Genest on a press release on the governor’s Web site.

What happened, Mike?

State Controller John Chiang and Treasurer Bill Lockyer were also present at the joint committee, which is made up of members from both the state assembly and senate.

And what does Schwarzenegger propose as part of the solution? A $332.2 million cut to community colleges.

The axe to Glendale Community College could amount to $4.5 million if the governor’s proposal is approved.

California community colleges serve more than 1.7 million students each semester, and with cuts to the infrastructure of education, campuses will be forced to make sacrifices.

According to the Community College League of California, if the budget cuts are executed, an estimated 262,845 current

Food Fair Features Persian Delights

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

T

he smell of kabob sandwiches hung thickly in the air as people gathered around the booth selling sandwiches on Dec. 2.

The Persian Association sold the sandwiches to raise funds for the upcoming Persian New Year festivities, celebrated by many students and faculty alike in March.

Evelina Shahvergian, president of the Persian Association, said that the Persian New Year Festival, also

known as the Nowruz Bazaar, is the biggest event of all the clubs on campus, with its variety of booths selling rugs, art, flowers, food, jewelry, and pastries, as well as playing music and dancing—inviting guests to participate.

In addition to beef kabob sandwiches and yogurt drinks, the Persian Association sold goods such as soup mixes, tea, lemon juice and roasted eggplant, which were donated

by Sadaf, a company that specializes in Kosher and Mediterranean foods.

[See Persian, Page 4]

students will be turned away from community colleges. Glendale could lose about 20 percent of its students.

And that number is expected to rise.

As of October, more than 2.3 million Californians are currently unemployed. What does this have to do with community colleges?

As the year has progressed, and the economy has worsened, community colleges have been noticing a pattern in enrollment — an increase of Californians returning to college to retrain and better prepare for job market.

The Department of Finance has estimated that by 2010, another 400,000 Californians will become jobless, thus causing the unemployment rate to increase from the current 7.7 percent to an even more shocking 9.7 percent.

If we connect the dots, the image is clear — enrollment rates at community colleges will soar, and schools won’t be able to support the heavy load.

Look around the campus; the budget crisis has already hit home.

By the end of this semester, Glendale will part with 43 much-loved retiring faculty, management and staff members.

While few were planning on retiring as soon as this month, a generous incentive retirement bonus sweetened the deal, and many couldn’t resist. Honestly, who could blame them?

In the long run, the college will save money. Eventually, the positions and empty offices will be filled by lower-paid replacements… but will GCC ever be GCC again?

Will we ever have an ethnic studies professor as passionate and inspiring as Carlos Ugalde?

Or how about an administrator like Larry Serot, who always put students and student programs first in budgetary decisions?

It’s not fair to have to lose so many who dedicated their lives to enriching the future of our state and country through education.

Doesn’t it sicken you that $10 billion are spent annually on incarcerating Californians instead of educating them? Or how about feeding school children?

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell reported that due to the economy, there are more and more children seeking meals at school. In fact, there might not be enough money to fund the Free and ReducedPriced Meals program this fiscal

year.

I hope this upsets you; I hope this makes you want to pick up your phone and call your representatives. Let them know that cutting from community colleges is not only unacceptable, but an insult to the institution of education.

How do we solve this problem?

The first step is simple. Our state legislature must put aside their bi-partisan differences and work together.

The Republicans in Sacramento are beyond stubborn. Schwarzenegger and the Democrats are looking into raising taxes to help solve the crisis, and the Republicans won’t hear another word about it.

If we raise taxes, we won’t have to cut money from education spending.

“As unpalatable as tax increases or further program cuts may appear,” said Chiang, “neither is as toxic to the state’s fiscal health as doing nothing.”

Personally, I’d rather spend a couple of more dollars in taxes if that meant balancing our budget and saving education.

Jessica Bourse can be reached at jessica_bourse@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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NEWS \ FEATURES

Board Candidates Forum Addresses Budget Cuts

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

lmost all seats were full at the Board Candidates Forum where three candidates for the GCC Board of Trustees answered questions which ranged to many different topics.

The forum began with a bio of each candidate presented by moderator Jean Perry, chairman of the Language Arts Division.

The three candidates include incumbent Armine Hacopian; Sergei Aftandelian, Secular Studies Principle of Chedar Menachem school; and Ann Ransford, the retired Executive Director of Communications Marketing and Foundation.

After the in-depth bio, Perry read a series of 12 questions which were prepared prior to the

event by faculty, classified staff and students.

Each candidate had one minute to answer questions, although most of the time the responses took a bit longer. The questions at the beginning ranged from why the candidates were running to what they plan on preserving at GCC. Ransford, who retired last year as director of the college foundation, described what changes she would like to make at GCC is she becomes a board member.

“I would like us to be able to work together to solve challenges and that means listening to each other and respecting each other’s opinions,” Ransford said. “We need to work as a team, and that includes all factions of this college.”

Then the candidates described how they would bring revenue to this campus and what resources they would have to cut in order to help out the college during these financial times.

Aftandelian explained how he plans to deal with saving resources on campus.

“It’s all about being fiscally responsible; we have to save electricity and we have to go green and think about conservation,” Aftandelian said.

Later on, the questions started to get harder as the candidates, most notably Aftandelian, took a little time to respond. Afterward, the questions shifted over to the transfer programs, the “unfair” workload that employees have to take on after layoffs and the unreasonable treatment of adjunct faculty.

Prior to the event, index cards were handed out to everyone so that they could write their own anonymous question if they chose to. This gave the candidates a way to answer direct concerns from the audience.

One of the questions submitted by the audience was about the U.S. Green Building Council LEED, which focuses on building environmentally safe buildings.

All candidates supported green buildings.

Another question submitted by the audience was about the 43 employees retiring at the end of this semester and what impact that would have on the campus.

Every candidate had a different view on the issue.

Ransford simply described how she will miss most of the retirees.

Hacopian was concerned with the idea of “double dipping,” the concept of retirees taking the incentive and continuing to work as emeritus professors.

Aftandelian said that the large number of retirees is a good sign because it shows that the employees have reached a great milestone in their lives.

As the forum came to a close, every candidate gave a brief summary about how they think they would best change GCC if they were elected. Overall, all three candidates presented a compelling reason to vote for them.

[See Front Cover]

Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

Campus Book Club Discusses Prize-Winning ‘Oscar Wao’

By Fabiola Prieto

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

I

t is a common mistake to judge people and things when one knows little about them. Such mentality is no problem when one opens up to learn and understand.

But this is not always the case, and as we’ve seen in history, hostility and even racism can grow from mere ignorance.

To fight against this problem, a campus book club, coordinated by English professor Rosemary Kwa, has meetings twice a semester to “increase awareness of minority experiences and possible ways to address discrimination of many kinds.”

Last Thursday, this

organization met at noon to discuss “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” a novel by Junot Diaz.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning book is about a young DominicanAmerican man who struggles with being an outsider, as well as his cultural identity as a Dominican.

The group discussed his motives to being the way he is, as well as all the other characters and events that influenced him throughout his life.

“I did know something about that period [that the book alludes to], but when you see it through these characters, that’s when you begin to really take interest in that is a whole different picture... I was terrified!” said Janet Langon about the Trujillo dictatorship in

PERSIAN [Persian, from Page 3] “Sadaf has been sponsoring us [the club] for years,” said Shahvergian, explaining the food that they sold was typical traditional Iranian cuisine.

Angine Vartoonian, like other members in the club, comes from Iran and was looking for a place on campus where she could “feel normal.” She joined the Persian Association for just that reason.

Vartoonian said that meetings

are held half in Farsi, for students who have just come from Iran, and half in English, for students who may not speak Farsi. Vartoonian also said that members do not have to be Persian in order to join.

Sandwiches and yogurt products were provided by Stop In of Glendale. Glenoaks Urgent Care also sponsored the sale.

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

the Dominican Republic, which is a prominent topic of the book.

They also discussed the language the author uses and his methods of writing. Kwa commented on how, though interesting, the amount of footnotes became tiresome to the point that she didn’t read all of them. As they all agreed, the discussion became on whether the author might have done it in purpose to make yet another point.

Members of the club include, Alice Adams, Emily Fernandez, Yoselyn Heaney, Dana Marterella and Francien Rohrbacher, from the English division; and Langon from the credit ESL division.

They where all present at this meeting.

According to Kwa, this meeting had low turnout due to its proximity to finals and the Christmas party happening during the same time it was conducted.

Although only faculty attended it, classified workers and students are encouraged to participate in the discussions.

The usual gathering is of about 30 people, Kwa said.

The number of attendees didn’t affect the impact of the meeting.

There were no silent moments and Fernandez even mentioned the possibility of using the book in her classes.

In this meeting, Kwa made two announcements. The first announcement was that this

book club attendance value was reduced from 12 to six FLEX hours (staff development time paid by the district). The second announcement regarded the creation of a film club that, just like the book club, will focus on the topic of minority experience.

Kwa will not be teaching during the spring semester due to her pregnancy, but the book club

will continue tentatively under Rohrbacher’s direction.

The book discussion for the spring will be on “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. For information on meetings contact Rosemary Kwa at rkwa@ glendale.edu.

Fabiola Prieto can be reached at fabiola_prieto@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

5

COLUMN

Graig’s ‘New Deal’ Solves Budget Crisis

By Graig Agop

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

Warning: sensitive individuals should not read this column. Graig Agop’s “New Deal” is a brutal system of reorganization designed to bring the campus into economic solvency, but at tremendous cost to our cherished historic institutions. Some departments will be dissolved, others reduced to a shadow of their former glory.

Privatization will transform some of our facilities into commercial enterprises, which was never before considered by the administration. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and this columnist is desperate!

F

or my next trick I will make the school’s budget crisis disappear! It’s not as easy as it sounds; it’s actually much easier.

I will use the method the United States Postal Service likes to call “priority.” It takes 2-3 days and it’s guaranteed to take us where we need to go; a place with financial stability.

Of course, this restructuring will start here at the El Vaquero newsroom. We will do our part by printing our papers on nori — Japanese seaweed paper.

Crazy? Expensive? NO! The key is recycling! The next link in the belt-tightening chain is the culinary arts department where they will be able to use all of our recycled papers it to wrap rice and fish on “Sushi Saturdays,” a hitherto untapped source of revenues. Sushi Saturdays! How green and festive! I know I’m in!

“Sushi Saturdays” will also help our top chefs get creative since I plan to pawn all their cooking appliances and replace them with 36 easy bake ovens.

Why? Simple - they take up less room, use less energy, and cost several dollars less! I say a great chef is like great photographer, it doesn’t matter what camera you’re using, or how big the lens is, it’s what you can do with your lens that separates you from the rest of the pornographers, er, I mean photographers.

Speaking of the photo department, the Graig Agop New Deal won’t affect them as much during school hours but, from 9:30 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. the darkroom will turn into ’90s goth-grunge pub and brewery for desperate and hopeless misfits. It is a mistake to assume that the Glendale campus’

productive hours should be limited to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and a few hours on Fridays and Saturdays; think of the “after hours” profits we’re missing out on. So if you have 7:15 a.m. photo class bring a broom and a plastic bag and hope that nobody had Indian food the night before!

Unfortunately, the art department won’t be as lucky.

It is with deep regret that I must inform you that we must get rid of the art department all together.

Ok, I’ll be honest. This is partially motivated by spite, not just economic expedience. Don’t look at me that way — I have my reasons.

Whoever said that “art is what you make it” is just plain wrong.

Check out the current display; between the 40-foot chain and can of Raid, it’s a freaking death trap! The tipi made of tin cans and sticks isn’t doing it for me either.

We could save dozens of dollars and alleviate some of the expense incurred by the maintenance department by simply modifying the arts curriculum. Here’s how it works — students will fulfill their art requirement by doing installments of “campus art.”

They will paint the out-of-date buildings a nice, solid eggshell white, and limit their “creativity” to brush stroke techniques.

The theater arts department did not have much to begin with, and it is immoral to take from the poor. I don’t have morals, but I have something with heart-like features. So I will give them all the leftover supplies from what used to be called the “art department.” Hopefully, they will make better use of them, and since I am so nice I will throw in a sewing machine and a roll of fabric. All I want in return is not to see any more of those illfitting Depression-era costumes.

We may be in the biggest economic downturn since 1930, but there’s no reason to wear the same jacket. I would take a cut from any box office proceeds, but you still haven’t finished making payments on the “Bat Boy” suit.

Next, we will transform the library into an airport security terminal extension of BUR, the Burbank International Airport.

Passengers will be frisked and fondled, then shuttled to the airport during the busy holiday season. To keep expenses low, we will hire prisoners on work-

release to staff our high-security Obviously, we will have to terminal. Frequent fliers save lay off everyone in the math time, and GCC makes money – it’s department because life is a win-win situation. As an added too short for parenthesis, then bonus, registration materials and exponents, then multiplication, college brochures will be thrust then division, then addition, then upon all holiday travelers. subtraction. Excuse me; I just Fact: the book store sells don’t have the time. Besides, the books. Fact: after answers are in the the first two weeks back of the book.

“We may be of the semester it The last in the biggest has performed its department on intended function my “short list” economic and becomes gives voices to downturn since completely everyone. That 1930, but there’s useless. So how isn’t so bad, but about this? We many of those no reason to remodel it into a folks are just plain wear the same CVS drugstore to insane and with satisfy all of our the skills to argue jacket.” prescription drug persuasively and alcohol needs. they can be Don’t look at me that way! I drink dangerous. Dangerous and vocal because I can’t cross-multiply! and convincing. So we will cut And if that campus smoking all expenses for “crazy pills” in ban goes through, we’ll make a the speech department. They use fortune in nicotine patches. them like athletes use steroids

and they cost a lot. Let’s see what they can do without these “uppers” and then we’ll decide if they can stay. Maybe we can work something out with the CVS/GCC bookstore.

Finally, I’m instituting an agricultural program. Vaquero plaza will be transformed into a verdant orchard where we will grow and harvest fruit - move over Sunkist! On “Fruity Fridays” you can grab a smoothie, then go get fondled at the BUR field station terminal, raise your voice in a speech class, paint the San Rafael building, and then head over to the photo lab for a night of gothicgrunge clubbing! And Saturday we’ll have some newspaper sushi. We have come so far that even UCLA has nothing on us!

Thanks for choosing “priority” and you’re so welcome!

Graig Agop can be reached at Graig_Agop@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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SPOTLIGHT ON RETIREES

Party for Retirees Honors Years of Service

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

R

affle tickets, hearty meals, and joyous gatherings were experienced at the Verdugo Gym holiday party on Thursday honoring all faculty, classified and management who are retiring at the end of the fall semester.

The event acknowledged all 43 retirees by giving each one of them a certificate and small gift when they were called up to the front of the stage. While some of them gave a speech, others chose not to. Overall, every retiring employee who showed up had their moment of recognition and applause.

Glendale College President Audre Levy described the purpose and theme of the event.

“This event is for the honor of the years of service that individuals have given to the campus,” Levy said. “Any of us want to be acknowledged for what we’ve done, and we wanted it to be in a joyful

and positive event.”

A retiree event is usually held on campus in the spring. The California School Employees Association President, Saodat Aziskhanova, explained the timing of this event.

“It’s a tradition for Glendale College to have a retiree event in the spring,” Aziskhanova said. “It’s usually a luncheon, but because we have 43 retirees this time, we decided to do it now instead of bringing them in spring when some of them will not be around.”

Robert Kibler, the chairman of visual and performing arts at GCC, explained the importance of having a retiree event.

“Well, I think that people just need to recognize that we’re losing a lot of talent on the campus and people want to be recognized for the time they’ve spent here,” Kibler said. “Because for most of us, it’s our whole lives, really.

Our whole working lives have been here at Glendale College.”

Aziskhanova then said that

although it is sad that the college will be losing a lot of employees, there is still a bright side to the departure of these employees.

“The good thing is that this is a good way to deal with the budget crisis,” Aziskhanova said.

“It might save the college some money just to survive. We need to get together because we’re short on staff, but we have to do all we can with this state budget.”

Although most of the retirees will eventually be replaced, some faculty members will come back and teach part-time, so they will not be gone permanently.

“Part of the agreement of the early retirement is that some employees will not be replaced for 12 to 18 months unless they serve essential functions to the college,” Levy said. “The [retiring faculty] can still come back and work part time. They can work up to six or nine units.”

Levy then continued on about the amount of experience that will be leaving at the end of fall.

“We have about 1,000 years of

John Kray — Welding and Metallurgy

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

H

aving taught at GCC for 32 years, welding and metallurgy instructor John Kray is satisfied with the idea of retiring given the current economic crisis.

“There is an incentive that the school district proposed last May,” Kray said. “It’s a pretty good one in this time of the economy.”

Kray started teaching parttime in 1975 and went fulltime a year later. He teaches introduction to welding, general welding, occupational welding, advanced welding procedures, welding certificate shop and introduction to metals.

Even though Kray plans on taking the financial bonus offered to retirees, he’ll still be teaching at GCC. “I’m still going to be here,” Kray said. “I’ll teach maybe a couple times a week and I’ll retire from the full-time part of it.

“I have a former student who has a pretty good welding background and she’s going

to be taking over most of my classes,” he said.

Kray’s favorite aspect about teaching at GCC is the students.

Kray says that he’s enjoyed meeting the diversity of students that have enrolled in his classes over the years. He recalls the number of students he’s had in his classes.

“I met a wide variety of students anywhere from 18year-olds up to 85-year-olds that have taken my classes, so I figure somewhere between 9,000 and 10,000 students have gone through this welding program since I’ve been teaching it in the mid-70s.”

Kray said that he enjoys teaching welding and metallurgy classes, but that there is one change he would like to see be made eventually.

“What I would like to see in the future, when the new welding instructor starts teaching, is if they could someday expand the area for the shop itself,” said Kray. “It’s just that we’re a little confined up here, and even though we have pretty good size classes, everything is too close together and it needs a little more space.”

Kray described what he plans

Photo by Anita K. Marto

Vice President Larry Serot commends fellow retirees for years of service.

service added up that is walking out of the door at the end of December in terms of wisdom and heart that they have nurtured over the years,” Levy said.

After the event was over, John Kray, welding and metallurgy instructor, voiced his opinion about the effectiveness of the event’s purpose.

“For the amount of people that showed up, I think it was done well,” Kray said. “It’s kind of a standard college event similar to other ones they’ve had. I was happy with it.”

With the older employees retiring from their full-time positions, this paves way for the newer teachers to start building their careers at GCC. Many people will remember the years of service and commitment of all the employees that will be retiring at the end of this semester.

“We have people who have been here 25 years, 30 years, and even longer,” Aziskhanova said.

“They will definitely be missed.”

Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

Cleotilde Razana — Custodial Services Photo by Anita K. Marto

John Kray

to do with his extra time.

“Family is real important to me,” Kray said. “Right now I have a daughter and two grandchildren living with me.

I have a wife who is kind of ill, so I’ll be taking care of the family more. I don’t have any big future plans, I’m just going to be with the family and do what I normally do.”

Overall, the incentive offered to Kray is helpful for his future plans, and since he’ll still be teaching part-time, he’ll still be doing what he loves most.

Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

S

ome people in this world are more appreciative of what they have or what they’ve been given than others, and Cleotilde Razana is a clear example of that.

Razana, 58, is retiring from Glendale Community College this year after 15 years of service as a custodian. “I love this college. It gave me a good opportunity and I have a good job here,” she said.

Razana is a single mom supporting her two daughters, one a 26-year-old police officer in Glendale, and the other a 19-year-old student at College of the Canyons. It can be hard rasing two kids alone, but “that’s why I’m so thankful

to this college. They’ve helped me a lot,” Razana said.

Razana worked in a Glendale retirement home before coming to GCC. She started out as a part time employee and become a full time worker two years later.

She admits leaving Glendale will be difficult. “It’s going to be hard for me because it’s not the same,” she said.

But given her situation, she’s ready to hang it up; Razana had knee surgery on her left knee recently, and she says both knees give her problems moving around campus.

“In the morning I’m OK, but in the afternoon I’m so tired and my knees bother me a lot, and my job is to walk around a lot. It’s hard for me.” But don’t [See Cleotilde, Page 7]

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

7

SPOTLIGHT ON RETIREES

Lynn Pomeroy — Math

Bonnie Shipston — Dance Costumer

By Claudia Anaya

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

P

ilates, hiking, a trip to Italy in two weeks, a motherdaughter Las Vegas trip, and other travels in the coming years. This is the future Lynn Pomeroy, 61, looks forward to after retiring as a full-time math professor this semester.

After beginning to teach in March of 1969 at a junior high school, Pomeroy continued graduate school at night and eventually taught at Riverside Community College before moving on to a full-time position at GCC. “Teaching is the best,” said Pomeroy. “The clock just goes crazy when you teach; you walk in and you talk a little bit and then you find yourself saying ‘where did the time go?’”

Over the 22 years that Pomeroy has worked at GCC, she has taught trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus and algebra.

The students, social parts of teaching, tutoring, and being involved in various faculty committees were some of the aspects that Pomeroy enjoyed over the years at the campus.

“Hang in there when you first start because it gets better and better,” is Pomeroy’s advice

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Lynn Pomeroy

to new teachers. “You enjoy it more and you find creative ways to teach your discipline.”

Pomeroy also had some words of wisdom for students: “Cut down on your work hours and learn to study. Follow the advice of your teachers, they really know what it takes.”

“Students need the luxury of open-ended study time,” Pomeroy added.

As an emeritus professor, Pomeroy will be teaching business calculus, trigonometry and will continue tutoring in the spring.

Pomeroy says she will enjoy working part-time, “I think it’s better than quitting cold turkey.”

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

CLEOTILDE RAZANA [Cleotilde, from Page 6] start feeling sorry for her. She won’t take your pity. “Some people started saying, ‘Oh poor you.’ I don’t like that,” she said proudly.

At 58, Razana’s not yet ready to relax after she leaves.

“Oh no no no,” she said, “because my daughter is still at college, and my older daughter is getting married next June. I need to help them.”

Not that she would necessarily sit around if she didn’t still have obligations.

She said she plans to open a sewing and tailoring business in Glendale once her older daughter marries next year.

Photo by Anita K. Marto

Cleotilde Razana

They both now live in Sunland.

No rest for the weary. But Razana’s not one to complain.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

El Vaquero regrets that we were unable to meet with every one of our 43 retirees, but more online exclusives may be found at

www.elvaq.com

s much as someone may love her job, some offers are just too good to turn down. Bonnie Shipston was in that position this year when Glendale Community College offered her “the golden handshake” retirement package.

“When they came out with the golden handshake, I just couldn’t resist,” said Shipston, who has worked at GCC since 1992.

It’s clear though that Shipston’s decision was a difficult one to make. “I have the very best job on campus... it’s very difficult for me to leave it.”

Shipston works in the dance and women’s physical education departments, including making costumes for dance productions. She says it’s a hectic schedule, as she and her coworkers deal with hundreds of students on a

daily basis.

“It is fun. It is so fun and it’s never, never dull,” she said. “It’s hard to leave something you enjoy getting up in the morning to do.” Shipston enjoys her work so much she sometimes stays longer than her assigned hours. “I only get paid for eight, but I stay until the work is done.”

Shipston carries a sunny disposition, her cheery voice an indication of how much she loves working here. She says her time here has made her young at heart.

She’s 65 years old, but describes herself as a “very young 65. The kids make me feel like I’m part of them.”

And really, the kids are what matter most to Shipston. “It’s hard when they leave after two, three years. Many of them come back and visit and I get so excited to see them and how they’ve changed and matured,” she said.

She said she gets “all teary eyed” when her students return to visit.

Shipston, a student at Glendale in the 1970s, said getting the job at Glendale was “the best thing I

Photo by Anita K. Marto

Bonnie Shipston

ever did. I was widowed at 44 years old.... It was time to get out and do something instead of sitting at home and feeling sorry for myself.”

Once retired, Shipston plans to travel the country with her fiancé in their motor home. “I want to see everything,” she said, but noted, “I hope I don’t get old real fast.”

Old? Bonnie Shipston?

Some words just don’t belong in the same sentence.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

Vera McGillivray — Telephone Operator

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

V

era McGillivray is nothing if not honest. “Thirty years of service, and old age, and I’m tired,” she said, when asked why she is retiring from Glendale College this year.

McGillivray has rested since April in her Pasadena home after suffering arm and leg injuries last year after slipping and falling while with her friends. But she was determined to at least enjoy her 62nd birthday, which was on Friday. “My retirement is my gift to myself,” she said.

Serving the school since 1978, McGillivray has seen her share of change as she has worked in admissions and as the telephone operator, where she was regularly called “the voice of Glendale College.” “[GCC] has changed tremendously since I started in 1978. It was a very small place,” she said, “but from day one there’s always been parking problems.”

She recalled what it was like working the phones back

then. “When I first started at the college, it was one of those old systems where you have a cord, cords boards. They’re old fashioned.

“I had to answer ‘Glendale Community College’ at every phone call...and when I first started I used to have to give everybody an outside line. You could not dial 9 [before dialing the number].”

McGillivray said the college was more service oriented toward students earlier in her career, and as technology improved, her work load lessened, thanks to voice mail. The new system in place has had her answering calls from a computer. Safe to say, things have been a tad easier in recent years.

What McGillivray is most proud of in her time at Glendale is the Vera McGillivray scholarship, set up by former Dean Walter J. Smith in honor of her dedicated service. GCC’s Web site says the scholarship is “awarded annually to a continuing student involved in community service and volunteerism.”

“Every year I ask a group of students to read their letters and

Photo by Anita K. Marto

Vera McGillivray

grades and everything. Mostly I want service-oriented students,” she said of the scholarship.

McGillivray made it a point to recognize the students. “I have made so many close personal relationships there...

I’ve met so many wonderful students because I have a lot of student workers working for me.”

Instead of riding off into the sunset, McGillivray will soon spend retirement in tropical paradise by moving to Hawaii in a little over a year. Not a bad way to reward yourself after 30 years of a job well done.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

www.elvaq.com

SPOTLIGHT ON RETIREES

Helen Merriman — ESL

Lynn McMurrey — Dance

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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fter a career at the college that included building the dance department and staging countless productions, greatly influencing the lives and careers of the many students that he guided through training and performance, Lynn McMurrey, 69, is retiring this month — his final act: one last show this weekend in the auditorium.

The Distinguished Faculty Award-winner began teaching part-time in 1979, going fulltime in 1982.

When he first came to GCC it was called “the great school without a campus,” said McMurrey, due to the temporary bungalows that were rapidly falling apart as well as the five buildings that made up the campus.

Over the years, McMurrey has seen the campus flourish and expand.

McMurrey explained that when the dance department was first established, the administration “did not know anything about dance” and gave the department a certain amount of money for the year that was to be used at their

Lynn McMurrey

own discretion.

Anytime the department had money left over, McMurrey would buy a light or anything that might improve the quality of staging in the north gym.

“I have really enjoyed what I have done here,” said McMurrey, “and I’m very proud of the dance department that we built and its practice here.

“I hope it’s carried on after I’m gone — that we never hire teachers who are not professional dancers in their field. Not only do they have to have a masters degree, that’s required to teach in a community college, but they’ve also had experience in dancing on stage, television, films,” he said.

“I don’t think you can teach an art form unless you’ve actually

practiced it.”

His most memorable moments always include students, and he is always delighted when students come back to visit him and inform him of their success.

“One particular student was from the inner city and was quite a troublemaker at first,” said McMurrey. “Until he learned that he could have control over his life and what he was doing. He had somehow gotten the message that he was dumb and he could not learn, so the only thing he could do successfully was gangbang.”

After a couple of years in dance classes he told McMurrey that he had gotten an A in math, and that he attributed his success to skills he learned in dance class — skills that enabled him to take control of his actions.

McMurrey’s last facultyalumni performance, which he described as “fantastic,” will start Friday at 8 p.m. in the auditorium, and continue Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m..

Admission is free.

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

Dinh Luu — Extended Opportunity Program and Services Counselor because in her country women don’t have such responsibilities.

Dec. 18 will be her last day on campus.

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

D

inh Luu, EOPS counselor, retiring after 27 years of working for Glendale College, encourages students to “make the most of the system.”

“I’ll miss the students (at the college) also the students at the high schools where I visit.”

As a counselor, Luu goes to high schools to recruit students for GCC. Luu says that there are opportunities for students who attend community colleges such as in Glendale and those who need them may not pay enough attention.

Luu came to America in 1975 from Vietnam with a bachelor’s degree and graduated from UCLA with a master’s degree in social welfare in 1982.

Luu has been working at GCC ever since as an EOPS counselor. She was once

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

“E

very one has a right to an education,” said Helen Merriman, 60, professor of English as a second language and soon to be retired as fulltime instructor.

Since 1981, as a part-time teacher and since 1986 as a full-time professor, Merriman has taught English to people of many different backgrounds.

“People who come to this country, who have a dream of succeeding, have a welcome place to come to where they can learn English,” said Merriman.

At the college, “they can learn writing, computer skills, job skills and they can do it all for free. Not every community college has that capability and not every place is like California where we have a big community college system,” said Merriman speaking of the non-credit program.

Merriman believes that the college has a lot of respect for its non-credit program, serving the community and getting people ready to succeed in life.

“People come for the American Dream and GCC actually provides for people to achieve that,” said Merriman.

Koreans, Armenians, Hispanics, Lebanese, and Syrians are some of the various ethnicities that Merriman has taught over the years.

“What you have to know is how the languages interfere with each other,”

Helen Merrriman

said Merriman, “So, when a student makes a mistake, you understand that it’s coming from a translation from their language.”

“Teaching is something that you have to do from your heart and it’s going to wear you out, but there is a lot of reward in teaching,” said Merriman.

“It’s not an easy job like most people think it is. You get tired, you get busy and frustrated. You teach 24 hours a day, and even when you go home, you still have a lot to do, but there is a lot of reward in teaching.”

“Don’t ever give up,” Merriman advises students.

“Stay focused on what you want and keep trying; even if you fail five times keep trying.

Know what your goals are and keep trying.”

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

Nick Papaioanu — Electronics

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

Dinh Luu

interviewed by a newspaper, but was listed incorrectly as a bilingual aide, she said that was not correct because she isn’t an aide, but a counselor, and listing her as an aide may cause others to look down on her.

There have been some tricky cultural issues to deal with during her career. Vietnamese men, she said, have difficulty accepting her as a counselor

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ransferring from full-time instructor to part-time college evening supervisor, Nick Papaioanu, 62, who has taught electronics, computer technology, PC repair and manufacturing, and networking for 23 years will begin his new official position on January 5.

An instructor who has kept in contact with past students, Papaioanu says that his most

memorable moment at the campus was the first day of the first class that he taught.

“The best thing about working at GCC was my students,” said Papaioanu.

“Follow your dreams and set goals,” are his guiding ideas.

“Pick a vocation that you really enjoy because you might be doing it for a long time.”

Papaioanu said he has enjoyed the ride, “it has been a good one.”

Photo by Jane Pojawa

Nick Papaioanu

Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

9

SPOTLIGHT ON RETIREES

Arthur Magallanes — Facilities the years.

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

A

rthur Magallanes, better known as “Art,” has worked on campus since 1989, starting as a custodian before becoming a utilities worker.

Magallanes operates the electrical set-up for the Baja program’s new field station.

He says he will miss staff and faculty when he leaves.

Magallanes plans to spend more time with his 10-yearold adopted daughter and his family. He said he will miss the friendships and people at the college, as he knows many faculty members and staff whom he has worked with over

Lew Lewis, director of business services, said that Magallanes was a great help as an interpreter and guide when they were in Mexico working on the Baja field station.

“Art is like a brother to me.

When I was sick in the hospital, in intensive care, he told the nurse he was my brother so they would let him in,” said Lewis.

Magallanes’ last day working on campus will be Dec. 30.

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

Louise Chamroonrat — Duplicating

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

L

ouise Chamroonrat, senior duplicating clerk, is retiring after serving the college for 16 1/2 years. Educated in Laos, Chamroonrat earned her bachelor’s degree in French and taught in France for seven years.

In 1989, Chamroonrat came to the U.S. and was hired at GCC as a clerk in duplicating.

She was promoted when her supervisor retired.

“I retired because of the incentive and because of my

By Corinna Scott

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

N

ellie Lopez, student services technician at EOPS, has been working at Glendale Community College for 27 years and is retiring because job stress, a long commute, and diabetes.

Lopez, among other jobs, handles EOPS grants and is the only one in the office with that knowledge. She says she plans to return after retirement for a short time to train the person who will take over for her.

“I love working here. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people through the office,” said Lopez.

Describing campus life as that of a family, with its ups and downs and discussions, Lopez says she’ll miss the camaraderie of her college family. “We’re all included in everything. We always discuss everything,” said Lopez.

“The main thing I’m going to miss is the students. I’ve gotten to learn about different people from different countries…It’s been an honor and a pleasure working with everyone,” said Lopez.

Dec. 22 will be Lopez’s last day.

Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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here’s an old saying about teachers that goes, “those that can’t do, teach.” But here at Glendale Community College, Jean Lecuyer has successfully been both a doer and a teacher.

Lecuyer, a French-Canadian, came to the U.S. in 1967. He’s been with Glendale for 30 years and will retire this semester.

Lecuyer has been about (or maybe “aboot”) as busy anyone in his tenure with the school.

Not only is he a physics teacher, he was president of the Academic Senate for three years and also managed the school’s

[Election, from Page 2]

By Jessica Bourse

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According to Steven Ferguson, AS president, the turnout of candidates was one of the largest in ASGCC history.

“Now we’re going to have, hopefully, a good fundraiser for AS. We need the student leaders now more than ever

with the state budget the way it is,” he said.

There were 1,168 ballots counted and the results where announced on Friday. To contact the representatives of ASGCC visit SC 112.

Fabiola Prieto can be reached at fabiola_prieto@elvaq.com

Have you seen our magazine?

www.gccinsider.com

in ITS on campus.

Chamroonat’s last day is Dec. 29 Corinna Scott can be reached at Corinna_Scott@elvaq.com

grants program.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities, a lot of interesting tasks…I’ve had a very nice career. I can’t complain at all. I’ve had a wonderful time here,” said Lecuyer.

Lecuyer is currently the director of the Science Center, and will retain that position in retirement.

He will also teach a small class next spring.

He is proud of Glendale College and regards it as a community college well respected by the UC and Cal State systems. “That’s because we have high standards and we provide a good program,” adding, “I hope it continues.”

Lecuyer, who lives in Los Angeles, says aside from teaching

Jean Lecuyer

part-time, he will try and fix up his house. Again, not just a teacher, but a doer.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

Debbie Wootton — Continuing Education EL VAQUERO EDITOR IN CHIEF

ELECTION

Photo by Anita K. Marto

Louise Chamroonrat

Jean Lecuyer — Science Center

By Brandon Hensley

Nellie Lopez — EOPS

mom,” said Chamroonrat. “I decided to retire and am very sad. This is a wonderful work environment and I’ll miss that.”

Ida Ferdman, an English professor, said “she is one of the nicest people on campus.”

Professor Forrest Fordyce, of ESL, said the faculty depends on the work that duplicating does, and he described the staff, including Chamroonrat, as warm, cheerful people who inspire him and others to be at work.

“She [Chamroonrat] is one of the sweetest, kindest, friendliest people on staff,” said Fordyce.

Her daughter, Patricia, works

fter 21 years of dedicated service to Glendale Community College, Deborah Wootton, administrator in continuing and community education, is retiring.

Wootton’s friendly voice is a reminder that people can, in fact, hear a smile over the phone.

“I am retiring because my work legacy is behind me and I want to devote time to build a personal legacy,” said Wootton.

“My faith in Jesus Christ propels me to give back to the community. There are many needs facing our society and I believe in service to those who are struggling.”

Wootton first started working at Glendale in July 1987 for the professional development center.

In 1992, she started working with the Garfield Campus.

Wootton expressed what she would miss most about working at Glendale.

“So many things....wonderful administration and coworkers,” said Wootton. “I believe in the training programs we offer our students and the chance they give our students to better their lives. It is satisfying to know that the skill upgrade and emotional support they received from us assisted them from unemployment to employment, often in better positions than what they had before training.”

Wootton has not only rededicated 21 years of her life

to the college, but has also left her mark. She takes pride in her role developing the marketing outreach that the Garfield Campus initiated in fall 2004.

“Our training programs really work,” said Wootton, “and the staff devotion to the success of the student (administrators, teachers, front desk staff and case managers) is a collaboration you don’t find in many places.

I have had five students hear about my retirement this last week and ask for my home email address.... just because we have ‘bonded.’ I am deeply touched by this since they all are happily working, some of them for years.”

Jessica Bourse can be reached at jessica_bourse@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

www.elvaq.com

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Celine Dion Is Amazing R

and especially thank you for staying,” surrounded by strobe lights and said Dion, halfway through the show screens, “taking chances,” the when crewmembers had no choice but to theme of her world tour, clearly paid off for dismantle a screen that directly blocked Celine Dion. one-forth of the arena’s view.

Shimmering and divine, she kicked off The always-humble and witty 40-yearthe night with “I Drove All Night” at the old diva proved that nothing could stand in Staples Center in Los Angeles on Dec. 2 her way. with twenty-thousand of her screaming Dion returned to take it to the next level fans. with “River Deep, Mountain High,” and The avid concertgoers waited almost a encored with a candle-lit “My Heart Will year for her 21-song set, which touched on Go On.” every point in her career.

The concert ticket prices ranged from However, the year of anticipation $200 to well beyond the thousand dollar encountered a major, near 45-minute mark. technical complication.

The Taking Chances world tour closes in “I feel extremely sorry for the July 2009 in Monaco. inconvenience. Thank you for waiting, aised

on

a

pedestal

and

Photography by Graig Agop

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12

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

www.elvaq.com

OPINION

‘Sharing is Caring’ on the Gym’s Stairmaster

By Ani Khashadoorian EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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’ve never been fond of sharing most things, whether it be the left lane on the 101 freeway or my dentist Barbie when I was 9; however, I will always extend my bag of Doritos and offer it to everyone around me.

Suffice to say, I consider myself a pretty giving person — especially when it comes to my thoughts about the lifestyle fitness center here on campus. I only need to raise my hand and count off five words when I am describing the little structure situated near the Sierra Nevada building.

Welcome to the jungle, baby.

As soon as the doors of the fitness center open, a stampede of students makes its way over to the sign-up sheets, where eager exercisers scrawl their names

in continuous succession, even though the rules state you aren’t allowed to.

People hoarding the machines isn’t the fitness center’s only problem. The problematic times are a major hassle and cause more grief then they should.

The physical education open lab classes work on a dropin basis — depending on how many hours in the center you complete, you will garner class credit. Students can only use the fitness center if they are enrolled in a physical education class (or if they are members of the GCC alumni club.)

Sounds great, right? Drop in when you can and work your little butt off for class credit. Here’s the catch; the center is closed for more than half the school day. Between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., the center is blocked off to students. This causes a major inconvenience.

Students students are forced to stay on or near campus until the gym opens up again, or they can try their luck the next day.

Recent budget cuts have limited the hours of the campus gym from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. What happens between 1 and 5 p.m.? Faculty does have a specific time period set apart for them from 3:30 p.m. till 5 p.m., but doesn’t that seem unfair for students who need the gym for credit? Sure, it would be pretty weird to find your English professor next to you on the cross trainer, but would it really matter?

The Learning Center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. four days a week, as well as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The math discovery center has similar hours; except they are open from 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays

and they are closed on Saturday.

The English lab (you guessed it) also has similar hours (closed on Saturdays).

The math lab, English lab, and learning center still have their full hours – yet the fitness center doesn’t. You can drop in for your self-paced math course virtually any time during the day, you can print out coupons for Quiznos from the English lab, and you can study Proust in the learning center – but you can’t work out when you have time.

Many GCC students simply do not have the freedom to drop by during the morning or in the evening.

The physical education classes do not extend this convenience onto students who are trying to improve their well-being by taking the class.

That’s a darn shame too, but who cares about the health of the future? Not like that’s a big deal or anything; Jimmy can drop dead from cardiac arrest in his early 30s, as long as he gets to watch his taped math lectures in the learning lab. Then, it’s completely

fine – no problemo. No need for a “well-rounded” education! The wonderfully delicious soup of the day at the cafeteria will do that to you already — well-rounded, get it?

Remember how I said I don’t like sharing?

On the wonderful day I do manage to loiter around campus for the gym to finally open, I run into a few problems.

I value the free time I have that isn’t spent writing research papers, movie reviews, or aimlessly looking at Wikipedia pages of famous serial killers. The free time I do spend at the fitness center, trying to get credit for my physical education class, is often interrupted by people who demand I get off the machine, even though my name was there.

Let us go back to the fundamentals of kindergarten – treat others like you want to be treated.

Most people don’t even bother checking to see if you signed up for a machine – even if you did, chances are someone will come up to you mid-workout and demand that you get off the machine.

I don’t like arguing (I prefer passive aggressive remarks), so I politely step off and go on the machine right next to the one I was just on. Would it kill people to go on the empty machines, or is there a conspiracy out there to bother me during the pinnacle of my workout?

The messy system just doesn’t work. Let’s get with the program and update the sign-in system.

I’m sure cavemen scrawled on tablets too. Perhaps they could digitalize it – I mean, we are only a few days from 2009. Prince isn’t singing about partying like its 1999 anymore.

I never thought my P.E. 166 class would become like an abusive relationship; as much as I want to leave, I just keep on going back. Well, at least until I have my bare minimum 16 hours

“Jimmy can drop dead from cardiac arrest in his early 30s, as long as he gets to watch his taped math lectures in the learning lab.”

Dianetics

The Evolution of a Science by L. Ron Hubbard Your first book on the applied philosophy which shows you the road to a better life with fewer problems.

Just get it. Read it and use it.

Contact: Dori Talevi

(818) 247-9822

Ani Khashadoorian can be reached at ani_khashadoorian@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

13

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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‘Transporter 3’ Promotes Shirtless 1-Man Army

By Isiah Reyes

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

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nyone familiar with the “Transporter” series knows all about the high-speed car chases, loud explosions and, of course, the shirtless one-man army that have become staples in this over-the-top action series. The third installment is no different.

“Transporter 3” does not disappoint in delivering the action.

Directed by French director Olivier Megaton (“Angie,” 2007), the film follows the same format as the previous two films: to make the impossible seem plausible.

The movie begins with Frank Martin (Jason Stratham, “Death Race,” 2008) sitting around his house all alone after a day of fishing. As he gets up for a drink, a car suddenly drives straight into his living room. Not even slightly disturbed by this sudden turn of events, he quickly gets knocked out cold behind the back of his head and is delivered to an unknown location.

As he regains consciousness, Frank finds himself shirtless in an empty room and notices that a metal bracelet has been attached to his wrist by the evil mastermind, Johnson (Robert Knepper, “Hitman,” 2007). This metal device prevents Frank from moving 75 feet from his car or else a bomb attached to him will explode. Now Frank has to make a difficult choice: accept to deliver the package for Johnson, or else he must… die.

It seems pretty straight forward, so Frank decides to deliver the package. Being electronically rigged by the metal bracelet, Frank must stay close to his Audi A8 W12 while accompanied by the Russian redhead, Valentina (Natalya Rudokova). Later in the film, it turns out that she is the package that Frank must deliver.

Let’s just say that he opens his package early, if you know what I mean.

During his delivery route, Frank maneuvers death-defying stunts to avoid danger. One particular stunt involves Frank in a fist-fight against a group of thugs while using articles of his clothing (leaving him shirtless).

Another time, Frank must tilt his car sideways (two wheels on

the same side grounded) while driving over 80 mph in between two big rigs that are driving closely together solely for the purpose of performing this stunt.

Most of the film is quite unrealistic, and anyone who watches a “Transporter” film should expect no less. But sometimes, it gets a little unbearable to watch.

For example, everyone knows that Frank is an expert driver who has a multitude of skills that have helped him maintain a 100 percent delivery rate ratio. But who knew that Frank was skilled as a BMX bike rider? That’s right, in this film, Frank shows off his bike skills by grinding down rails and bunny hopping into windows all whilst chasing and pinpointing the location of the thug who stole his car.

Not cheesy enough? What about the acting by that Valentina character? Her lines are so stale and tasteless that I actually recoiled from how bad it was.

Like remember that scene mentioned earlier where Frank beats everyone up while removing his clothing? After he destroys everyone in the room (about 10 physically stacked men including one 7-foot guy), she walks out the car and very blandly says, “You fight good.” That was just awful.

I’ll cut her some slack because this is her first film ever, but it wasn’t just that one scene. For the first half of the film she is really “annoying,” for lack of an insulting word. Luckily, during a car chase, she takes an ecstasy pill and suddenly becomes a delight.

All in all, her only redeeming factor is her physical appearance.

Her acting skills were not impressive.

The action scenes, although not believable, are done well in terms of cinematography.

The explosions, car crashes and exploding car crashes look and sound decent. The sound in the film fulfilled its intention, though it wasn’t that memorable.

Another thing I noticed was that Frank always finds a way to get himself into a shirtless situation. What is up with that?

Where’s the female transporter when you need one?

Speaking of transporters, the plot really doesn’t make any

Frank Martin (Jason Stratham) fights the powers of evil with the power of Armani suits in “Transporter 3.”

sense when you actually pay attention to it. Why does Johnson need to hire a transporter to deliver a package when he could very easily hire armored vehicles that will most likely not deceive him as Frank did? I think this whole “transporter” profession has become outdated.

Overall, the film is very outlandish, but in a good way because that’s what this series is all about. Stratham’s acting is great and the film was very enjoyable, but the whole love interest between Frank and Valentina is

ridiculous. No one will believe that the near-invincible Frank Martin would fall in love with the witlessly annoying Russian girl.

If the casting were done better to replace Rudokova, then the film would have definitely been better.

The bottom line is if you’re looking for a film with a deep storyline and lots of characterization, then search somewhere else. But if you’re looking for 100 minutes of mindless fun and crazy stunts, then that’s exactly what you’ll be

getting. Just enjoy it for what it is.

“Transporter 3” is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material. Distributed by Europa Corp., the full runtime is 100 minutes.

My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

 Isiah Reyes can be reached at isiah_reyes@elvaq.com

Ceramics Sale Offers Holiday Gifts

By Ken Juaner Malate EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER/ PHOTOGRAPHER

T

he ceramics department held its bi-annual ceramics sale on Saturday, showcasing fantastic items created by students from the department.

People who assembled in student center 212 included faculty members, students, and other ceramic enthusiasts looking for that great deal on a unique artwork. There were many choices from bowls, to tea cups, to plates colorfully designed and artistically glazed.

“Eighty percent of the

proceeds rightfully go back to the students whose creations were sold,” said Mark Poore, head of the ceramics department.

“The department then keeps 20 percent, which pays for supplies like postcards and postages.”

According to Poore, there are more than 1,300 people on the mailing list, not including those who hear from word of mouths and those who read from ads in the paper, so the ceramics department is confident about the turnout for this sale.

“The winter sale is always a little bigger because people are shopping for the holidays. With the way the economy is going

now, hopefully this is a good way [for the customers] to find inexpensive gifts,” said Poore.

Many faculty members attended the ceramics sale.

Trudi Abram, head of the art department, was among the shoppers.

“I look forward to coming to this sale every semester because it’s just wonderful. The quality is absolutely fantastic and you can’t find anything like this anywhere else. I’m very proud of this [ceramics] program,” said Abram.

[See Ceramics, Page 16]

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Director Baz Luhrmann is the Wizard of ‘Aus’

By Jane Pojawa

EL VAQUERO PRODUCTION MANAGER

S

omewhere, over the rainbow, is a land called Australia, a fact not lost on Baz Luhrmann’s fans. Luhrmann, a director best known for the fabled “red curtain trilogy” of “Simply Ballroom,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge,” has worked his trademark theatrical style on this latest movie set in Darwin at the onset of World War II. Lady Sarah Astor (Nicole Kidman), an English aristocrat with a fondness for horses and tight tailored suits, is determined to bring her wayward husband back to England and sell their cattle station, Faraway Downs.

Once in Australia, she finds that circumstances are much different than she expected. Her husband has been killed and the prime suspect is an Aboriginal known as King George (David Gulpilil).

The cattle station is in ruins, held together by a staff that remain only because they have no place else to go. And the buzzards are circling. “King” Carney (Bryan Brown) has a virtual lock on the cattle trade in the Northern Territories and needs only to acquire Faraway Downs to complete his empire. Neil Fletcher (David Wenham), the station manager, has acquisition plans of his own.

Thrown into the mix is Nullah (Brandon Walters), an adorable and precocious child of mixed Caucasian-Aboriginal ancestry, who wants nothing more than to avoid relocation to a government orphanage, and a drover (Hugh Jackman) who has been hired to drive the Faraway Downs herd to Darwin, where the war effort is gathering momentum. What’s an aristocratic equestrienne to do?

Suffice to say, she does not sell the farm and go home. Kidman’s feisty and determined heroine joins forces with the drover and off they go to drive 1,500 head of cattle to the docks in Darwin. And that’s where part one ends.

In a way, “Australia” is like watching two movies, woven together with some very engaging characters and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” the theme from the “Wizard of Oz.” There’s no place like home — and “home” is wherever one’s heart may be. “I’ll sing you to me, Mrs. Boss” is Nullah’s refrain, and we desperately hope that, against all odds, he will. Even when he has been taken to a mission school, his grandfather is in jail and the Japanese are bombing the hell out of Darwin.

Early in the film, Lady Sarah, insisting that she has no nurturing skills, attempts to comfort young Nullah with a spontaneous summarization of the Wizard of Oz. Her retelling and attempt at singing “Over the Rainbow” are humorous; a counterpoint to the smoothly polished medleys of “Moulin Rouge,” her 2001 collaboration with Luhrmann.

Sarah’s ineptitude is completely lost on Nullah, who sees some immediate similarities between his culture; the Land of Aus(tralia) with the Land of Oz. He is training to be a wizard like his grandfather, King George, and of course “the rainbow” could only be referring to the rainbow serpent of Aboriginal creation mythology. “Dreams that you dare to dream really do come true,” is a prophecy about the Dreamtime, and the Songlines that describe the interconnectedness of all aspects of the Australian landscape resonate with the imagination of this boy; a so-called half-caste, a

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child of both cultures.

Perhaps the most surprising performance in “Australia” is that of Hugh Jackman as “the Drover.” One can imagine that in other Jackman vehicles, he was simply told “Hey, Wolverine — just stand over there and look seductive.” There is a certain amount of standing around and looking seductive in “Australia” as well, a responsibility shared between Jackman and Kidman, but their acting transcends the usual “chick flick” melodrama / romantic comedy genre.

Kidman’s performance as Sarah is reminiscent of her role of Satine in “Moulin Rouge.” The character arch is similar as we discover that there is much more to the ice princess than meets the eye. No deep revelations in her performance, but competently acted throughout.

Another surprise performance comes from David Wenham as bad guy Neil Fletcher, the henchman for “King” Carney. Those who enjoyed Wenham as gentle, sensitive Faramir in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy are in for a rude shock — Fletcher is even meaner than Boromir, Faramir’s megalomaniacal brother.

“Australia” deals with some historical occurrences in a fictionalized manner.

Cattle stations were almost like feudal fiefdoms for Aboriginal groups; there really was a government policy of removing Aboriginal children from their families and raising them in state and church run institutions and the city of Darwin was bombed by the Japanese on Feb. 19, 1942 in two attacks, the first occurring at 9:58 a.m., the second about an hour later. At least 243 people were killed and a further 350 were wounded.

The city was literally destroyed.

But not our characters, of course. The wet season brings a fresh start to the parched desert and so too does this unlikely family come back from the brink of disaster, stronger than ever and ready to take on new adventures.

It is unlikely, though, that there will be a 50s-era sequel where Nullah tries to enroll in college, the Drover comes to terms with chronic back problems and out-of-date job skills and Lady Sarah is embroiled in the international beef market while battling boredom, alcoholism and body image issues. This is just a delicious slice-of-life, a few years that brought Australia into the modern era.

Luhrmann’s first actionadventure movie combines his over-the-top sense of theatricality with the enormous scope of the Australian landscape. Computer

graphics are added to great effect; these scenes look like a painting or a stage effect more than “reality,” but they work well in the context of the film. Perhaps the best use of computer graphics is the “cattle stampede” scene, which is a heart-stopper.

The acting is excellent overall and the plot lines and character motivations are plausible.

Follow the yellow brick road to “Australia,” and whether the wizard gives you a heart, a brain or even just the bravery to take on a 165-minute movie, you’ll be glad you saw it in a theater, where the scope of the effects can be seen to best advantage.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

 Jane Pojawa can be reached at Jane_Pojawa@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Applied Music Recital Showcases Talent

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

’T

is the season for showcasing musical talent.

In a special recital, students of the Applied Music Program at GCC wowed the audience Friday in the auditorium, giving them a form for strutting their musical skills. The Applied Music Program consists of the premiere vocalists and instrumentalists at the college.

Accompanied by Robert Gates on the piano, the students either sang or played many classical songs on the bassoon, flute, or clarinet individually.

The songs, while mostly somber in melody and lyrical content (which were translated from Italian to English in the program for the audience) provided a glimpse of the talent that occupies the GCC music department.

Rachel Robison sang soprano on Giovanni Pergolesi’s “Nina,” a somber yet beautiful song about someone’s lover becoming

bedridden. Another singer, Pamela Glazier, sang “Mon Coeur Souvre a ta Voix” by Camille Saint-Saens.

The song often switched from major and minor keys, giving it a tortured feel. Glazier’s voice was maybe the weakest of the group, but that’s like saying Elaine was the worst character on Seinfeld.

There really was no weak link on this evening.

One of the standout instrumental performances was Kyung Lim Chu playing clarinet on “Rhapsody for Clarinet” by Willson Osborne. Chu really shined, as her song contained many triplets and rhythm and tempo changes. It had an Eastern feel to it as well, and was one of the longer pieces, but certainly a job well done by Chu. The other notable instrumental was Knarik Petrosyan’s piano version of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No.5.” Petrosyan was absolutely brilliant, captivating the audience with her fingers flying up and down the keys.

One of the faster songs of the

night, “Prelude” was played with staccato notes, and had the feel of a mad genius at work. But really, that’s what Petrosyan looked and sounded like on stage. She did it without any sheet music as well. It was a performance that reminded the audience of how hard the music students have worked this year.

The night ended with the best vocalist performance, Joy Chen singing “Stizzoso, mio Stizzoso,”from the opera “La Serva Pedrona,” by Giovanni Pergolesi. The content of the song is about the character Serpino bossing around his annoying woman. Chen, one the younger applied students, gave a great performance, bellowing words from her small frame, with the composure and confidence of someone twice her age. As she left the stage as the final performer, the old showbiz saying rang true; always leave them wanting more.

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

Photo by Ismael Reyes

Joy Chen sings “Stizzoso, mio Stizzoso” to an enthusiastic audience.

Choral Concert Warms

By Claudia Anaya

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

S

miles, laughs, claps and attentive silence were all reactions from audience members who attended the Winter Choral Concert 2008 on Saturday. As they watched from within the darkened auditorium, the lights on stage seemed dim in comparison to the brilliant college talent.

The auditorium main stage housed the college choir, directed by Jayne Campbell and accompanied by Brian Hanke, as well as the vocal pops and commercial voice ensemble, directed by Charles Ion and accompanied by Robert Gates.

More than 200 audience members listened to various pieces including opera vignettes, sung by the most expressive singers.

Opera vignettes began with Derik Dermegerdichian, expressing through voice the desolation of “Core ’ngrato,” a song about an unappreciated and heartbroken man.

After claps subsided and the show continued, the melodically vibrant voice of Rachel Robinson-Staib captivated the audience as she sang “Vedrai Carino” from “Don Giovanni.”

The heartwarming words: “I adore you, eyes, darts of love; your sparks are welcome in my breast. My sad heart, which calls you its dearly beloved in every hour, longs for you to be compassionate,” sung by Joy Chen in Italian, could not

capture the beauty of her moving presentation that followed.

The three tenors, Dermegerdichain, Arman Manoukian and Greg Lewis, were an audience-favorite, causing laughter by their comical attempts to surpass each other vocally.

The performance brought the audience to a standing ovation, clapping as the song came to an end, expressing their desire to hear more.

“They stole the audience’s hearts,” said Terese Persson about the three-tenor performance.

Emotions fluctuated and filled the vibe of the auditorium throughout the night as different pieces were sung.

Faces were visibly saddened with “Nobody Knows (The Trouble I’ve Seen),” one of the most powerful pieces of the night, sung by Lewis and accompanied by the choir.

As the song came to an end, audience members could be seen wiping the tears from their eyes.

The mood was gradually lightened by the closing piece, “Turn the World Around,” which assembled the chorus together again to finish the show in a positive spirit.

[See additional photos on page 20] Claudia Anaya can be reached at claudia_anaya@elvaq.com

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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SPORTS

Cross Country Enjoys Another Successful Season

By Brandon Hensley EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

I

t was a year of accomplishments, and now a year of accolades for both the men’s and women’s cross country teams at Glendale College.

As expected, both teams finished their seasons in fine style Nov 24 at the state championship meet at Woodland Park in Fresno.

The Lady Vaqs, who won the state championship last year, captured second place, coming within three points of winner Orange Coast College 86 to 84.

The men’s team finished seventh in the meet, which was won by San Bernardino.

Head coach Eddie Lopez was named Women’s Coach of the Year for Western State Conference. Lopez was grateful for being recognized, “especially by your peers, your colleagues.

That was nice,” he said.

With the women’s team narrowly missing its second straight state title, Lopez understood and felt the athletes’ pain, but he made sure not say he was disappointed. “Not disappointed. It was just a tough loss. It’s hard to tell an athlete they took second and it’s ok....as a coach, I was pleased with their effort.”

The Lady Vaqs can take solace in the fact they did win their fourth

consecutive conference title and finished first at the Southern California championships meet for the third straight year earlier this season.

The Lady Vaqs ran over the competition in collecting awards.

In addition to Lopez’s coach of the year honors, freshman standout Katie Dunn was named Western State Conference Female Athlete of the Year. Justina Sadauskaite, Brigette Fernandez, Rosa Del Toro, Angelina Gonzalez and Kristine Kaneich also joined Dunn as part of the All-WSC first team. Dunn, Sadauskaite, Del Toro and Fernandez also nabbed All-American honors. Reyna Samiengo and Lidia Ferman were named to the second team.

“It’s a tribute to their success,” Lopez said of the women. “They really put the work in.”

Talking about Dunn, Lopez said, “She’s overcome injuries and illness. She’s just a very well rounded person. She’s very team oriented and that’s what we want at Glendale College.”

Lopez was pleased with the men’s effort all season. He said they pushed for a top-five finish in the finals, but seventh place will have to do. “All the work that they did in cross country is going to lead to a good track season,” he added.

Nathan Sellers was consistently the top finisher for the men this season, and he placed ninth in the state finals. “I was really

The Lady Vaqueros, from top row left, Katie Dunn, Rosa Del Toro, Justina Sadauskaite, Brigette Fernandez, Janette Morfin, Kristine Kaneich and bottom row, Reyna Samaniego, Isabel Basurto, Lidia Ferman, Angelica Gonzalez

disappointed with that,” he said.

Talking about his teammates’ efforts in the finals, Sellers said they weren’t exactly satisfied where they placed. “I don’t know if it was just the nerves that got to everybody or what.”

Sellers said he expected more from himself this season, citing a lack of conditioning this summer

as a reason for his performance.

Sellers, a sophomore, transferred from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo after his freshman year when he became disengaged with his cross country team there. He came to GCC this fall but had to work his way into condition.

Sellers may be too hard on himself. After all, he was named to the All-WSC first team, finished second in the WSC Male Athlete of the Year voting, and earned All-American honors. Francisco

Herrera was named to the second team, and Steven Carillo was given an honorable mention.

Sellers said for the most part the mens team performed well, and thinks their growth will carry into track and field, which is the next sports that is in season. “[The guys] are really starting to mature as runners. They’re gonna be able to do great things this track season.”

Brandon Hensley can be reached at brandon_hensley @elvaq.com

CERAMICS [Ceramics, from Page 13]

Vaqueros cross country, from top row left; Manuel Blanco, Francis Herrera, Jonathan Alpizar, Francisco Quijado, Adrian Anderson, Alain Perez,and Steven Carrillo, middle, and Jorge Lopez, Christian Nunez, Nathan Sellers in front row.

Along with the faculty members, many students also attended the sale, few of whom were ceramics students.

“I like this event because as a student, I can see a lot of them in its evolving phases,” said ceramics student Demi Drew. “I’m in awe every time I come to class because of the creativity and talent that I see from the people in the class.

Mark [Poore] always says, ‘everyone starts off with 25 pounds of clay’, and it amazes me what people can do with them.”

Generally, anyone who comes to shop to this sale never leaves disappointed, including a first time shopper like Alan Mulhall.

“I think it’s cool that the department encourages these artists to sell their work. It’s great how they can work on their skills in the class, and it shows in these pieces,” said Mulhall.

For more information on the ceramics department, contact Mark Poore at (818) 240-1000, ext. 5543.

Ken Juaner Malate can be reached at ken_malate@elvaq.com

www.elvaq.com

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

17

SPORTS

State of the Campus: Sports at Glendale College

By Ross Coleman

EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

C

an you tell me, without cheating and looking online, how many sport teams we have at Glendale?

What about our team colors?

Our division? Star players?

Win-loss records? Do we have a marching band?

I’m sure you can tell me the mascot but that’s about all and that is pretty sad.

After covering sports here for two years, it has been clear to me that GCC has a lot of potential to be a great sports school; it just needs a chance to become so.

Look, I know that sports aren’t everything and I know that most people aren’t at GCC because of its stellar sports programs. But I tell you that is a shame. Our sports teams don’t get enough exposure.

I know that budget would prevent lots of the changes that I would recommend, but I’m not going to school to be an accountant, so I am not too worried about that.

The first thing that really

doesn’t make sense to me is the fact that many people on campus don’t even realize what sports we have. For those of you who can’t name the number of teams we have, it’s 16. Football, baseball, women’s softball, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, cross country, track and field, tennis, golf.

That’s a lot of sporting events that the students of Glendale are missing out on. Sports offer the opportunity for students to be united in support of their fellow students.

The colors of our Vaqueros are maroon and gold. We compete in the Western State Conference or WSC for short. As far as star players go, there is a lot of talent that comes out of Glendale every year.

Just ask the Pittsburg Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez, or two-time gold medal Olympian Cathy Ferguson, or three-time gold medalist Frank Wykoff, or even head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles Andy Reid.

Sanchez is a GCC grad who played on the baseball team. He

went on to great success with the Pirates and even won a batting crown in 2006.

Ferguson won two her gold medals in the 1964 Olympics in swimming. Wykoff won his gold medals in three different Olympics, 1928 in Amsterdam, 1932 in Los Angeles, and 1936 in Berlin.

Reid was a former football player here and he donated the money to build the scoreboard for our football stadium.

While many of these people did great things to enhance athletics in general at GCC, there is more work needed to tap the potential on campus.

One thing that has been my biggest gripe is the lack of a marching band.

Now, I did formerly attend a four-year division one university.

Big name program. So I may be a little spoiled or biased, but the lack of a marching band at football games is glaring.

Where is the fight song after a touchdown? How imposing would it be for other schools to come into Sartoris Field and have

to face a loud marching band and a raucous student body singing a fight song?

GCC would be not only one of the biggest athletic draws in the area, but would have another program in the already popular music department, which attracts many students to the campus.

Then, you could have a pep band do the basketball games.

But the exposure of these programs is the thing that is greatly lacking.

During homecoming week, what were the activities that promoted homecoming? I can’t even name one. The football game, itself, was difficult to distinguish from any other football game this season, even though it was arguably the most important game. The only thing different was the halftime show, in which students tried to kick a field goal.

Look, I am sure there were a lot of people working for months on the logistics of that kick, but really? That’s the best you came up with?

I know that Glendale is a

commuter school where people rarely want to spend extra time. I know because that is how it has been for me, but I think the thing keeping people from spending time on campus is the fact that they are not knowledgeable about the great sports provided.

Another thing that could be provided to get more exposure are intramural sports. Intramurals provide the chance for people to build companionship and increase the moral on campus.

The only way for GCC to really get to where it could be with its activities is to provide them.

Don’t say no. It wouldn’t be difficult to give people a chance.

In fact, that is all that Glendale Community College needs — a chance. Community is in the name; give it a chance to become so by putting a little time and energy into making GCC a beacon for local athletes who would like to continue their careers.

Ross Coleman can be reached at Ross_Coleman@elvaq.com

Sports Teams End Fall Season With Ups and Downs

By Ken Juaner Malate EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER/ PHOTOGRAPHER

T

he Vaqueros cross country team ended with another successful season with the Lady Vaqueros coming in at second place, missing first spot by only three points at 86 to 84.

Both cross country teams brought their season to a close at the state championship meet at Woodward Park in Fresno with a pair of top-10 finishes.

The men’s team finished seventh overall behind meet winner San Bernardino.

Katie Dunn was the top finisher for the women over the 3.1 mile course in fifth place in 18:15 to help the Lady Vaqs secure their fourth straight top three finish in state. Justina Sadauskaite finished ninth with 18:34, Brigette Fernandez was 22nd with 18:57 and Rosa Del Toro was 28th with 19:03.

On the men’s side, Nathan Sellers finished ninth overall in the 4-mile course with a time of 20:31.

Dunn was named Western State Conference Female Athlete of the Year. Eddie Lopez was named Women’s Coach of the year at the conference meeting held at Ventura College. Dunn was joined by Sadauskaite, Fernandez, Del Toro, Angelina Gonzales, and Kristine Kaneich on the All-WSC first team for the women’s team.

Second team choices for the women were Reyna Samiengo and Lidia Ferman.

Nathan Sellers was named to the All-WSC first team for the men and was joined by Jonathan Alpizar, Francisco Quijado, Adrian Anderson and Manuel Blanco.

Second team choice for the men’s was Francisco Herrera while Steven Carillo as named honorable mention.

Sellers joined Dunn, Sadauskaite, Fernandez and Del Toro in earning All-American honors based on their finishes in the state meet.

The Vaquero football team finished the season with a disappointing at 3-7.

Offensive tackle Nick Sabatella led the list of six Vaqueros to earn All-Northern Conference honors. Sabatella was named to the All-Conference first team while offensive guard Marc Valdez was named to the second team with Nick Bryant as the allpurpose second team recipient.

Defensive end Michael Klintworth and cornerback James Antaplyan were named to the second team on defense. Josh Stangby was named to the second team as a return specialist.

The men’s soccer team finished the season 10-10-3 overall and 75-2 in Western State Conference play.

Six Vaqueros were named to the all-conference team. Named to the All-Western State Conference first team were Geoffrey Pogue and Juan Castro. Second-team choices were Nelson Bustillos and Aldo Gonzales.

Nelson Andrades and Hans Cabrera were named honorable mention.

The Lady Vaqs soccer team finished 8-9-5 overall and 5-63 in Western State Conference play.

Evelyn Herrarte and Monica Rosales were named All-WSC first team. Jazmine Aguirre and Jennifer O’Neil earned All-WSC second team honors.

Sonia Ibarra, Yasmeen Karom, Natalie Diaz and Elena Torres received honorable mentions.

The Lady Vaqs volleyball team ended its season at 9-13 overall and 408 in Western State Conference play.

Aya Nakano was named to the All-WSC first team. She has led every single game in kills this season, proving to be a true offensive machine. Nicole Diller and Carissa Mathijssen were named to the second team while Isabelle Carter and Ashleigh Diller were named honorable mention.

Ken Juaner Malate can be reached at ken_malate@elvaq.com

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SPORTS

The One Big Thing: Sports Recession

By Ross Coleman

EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

W

ho said sports are recession-proof?

Sadly, this is something that we are figuring out for the first time during this economic crisis.

And we are learning this in a very aggressive way.

The Houston Comets of the WNBA, one of the original eight WNBA teams and winner of the first four WNBA championships, announced this week that they would be ceasing operations.

I know the WNBA is not one of the more popular sports but this is a major franchise that doesn’t have the money to operate. Scary.

Men’s golf, women’s golf, NASCAR, and even the Olympics are all sports that are in quite a bit of trouble.

Has anyone noticed that we are seeing less and less PGA golf on TV? I know that Tiger Woods is out, which has hurt viewership, and in return, some sponsors have backed out.

However, if you have ever watched a golf tournament on TV, you may have noticed that the sponsors for most of the events are companies like AIG, UBS, and other financial companies that are in deep trouble.

Even General Motors, which that had one year remaining on a 10-year endorsement deal with Woods, ended their deal early with the World’s Best Golfer because it helped to free up a great deal of money that GM needs in a time like this. GM has also said that they will not spend advertising dollars on a Super Bowl ad.

Two of the most competitive teams in NASCAR have also decided to merge to save money.

Petty Enterprises is going to merge with Dale Earnhardt Racing to form what would be, in all likelihood, a super team — one that many experts believe will hurt the landscape of racing by forcing the little teams out.

British Olympic Minister Tessa Jowell has even said that, had they predicted the economic turmoil, they would not have bid on the 2012 Olympics in London.

Beijing Olympic organizers spent almost $4 million per athlete at the summer games this year.

Compare that to the $75 thousand spent in 1984 for the Olympics in Los Angeles.

Sponsors like Johnson and Johnson had to pay roughly $100 million for their sponsorship for this year’s games. Compare that with the $4 million in 1984.

We have also just entered into one of the biggest freeagency periods for Major League Baseball. This year, it is usually not a time to be frugal, especially if you are a team like the Yankees trying to get back into national prominence.

The Yankees just offered the season’s top free agent pitcher, CC Sabathia, a deal for $140 million for six seasons. If signed, it would be the most expensive contract for any pitcher in MLB history.

According to Wayne DeSarbo, director of the Center for Sports Business Research at Penn State, “Star players are going to get their money. It is going to be the middle-range guys who are going to get squeezed.”

I think it will be even more drastic than that. Back in 1997, the Florida Marlins were in their infancy as a baseball team, yet they won the World Series title on homegrown and inexpensive talent. Then during the offseason, they held a fire sale to unload any player who demanded a higher salary.

The result was another championship in 2003, after they were able to develop young talent yet again.

More and more teams will be relying on their younger talent to take the team to where they want to go. Then, when those younger players are approaching the time when they would be able to make more money, they will be sent elsewhere.

However, baseball commissioner Bid Selig has done a good job on making sure that teams don’t take out the struggling economy on the fans. For the first time in years, attendance dropped. But Selig has made it clear that, in order to encourage more attendance, teams are not allowed to raise ticket prices.

For teams like the Mets and the Yankees that are moving into new multi-million dollar stadiums, the financial crisis is going to be an ugly beast to have to deal with.

Then there is ESPN. With fewer and fewer fans being able to afford to go out and attend sporting events, they are forced to watch it on the television. ESPN receives higher

amounts of viewers and sponsors get the captive audience they are hoping for.

In fact, ESPN is doing so well the company just signed a $500 million contract with the NCAA to start broadcasting all college

football bowl games beginning in 2011. The price tag that ESPN paid is double the current contract.

Local teams like the Dodgers, Angels and Lakers have stated publicly that they are not feeling

the effects of the economic crisis.

However, if things keep going the way they are going, it’s not a matter of if, but when.

Ross Coleman can be reached at Ross_Coleman@elvaq.com

The folding of the Houston Comets may just be the tip of the iceberg.

Vaquero Sports Summaries Scores

Women’s Basketball:

Men’s Baketball:

Nov. 25: defeated Alan Hancock 55-37 Nov. 29: lost to Chaffey College 67-47

Nov. 26: defeated L.A. Pierce College 85-79 Nov. 28-30: competed in Rancho Vista

Shoot out

Upcoming Events Women’s Basketball:

Men’s Basketball:

Friday-Sunday Hartnell Classic at Hartnell

College Dec. 11-13 Rose City Classic at Pasadena

College Dec. 19-21 San Francisco Classic at San

Francisco College Dec. 30 v. L.A. Pierce College at GCC

5:30 p.m.

Friday-Sunday Antelope Vally Tournament at

Antelope Valley College Dec. 11-13 Rio Hondo Tournament at Rio

Hondo College Dec. 17-20 Vaquero Classic at GCC Dec. 23 v. East L.A. College at

GCC 5 p.m.

For more information visit:www.glendale.edu/athletics/

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

19

Calendar On Campus clubs Culinary Arts Club — Club meetings are every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in LR 101.

Art History Club — Club meetings are every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. in AD 243. Meetings will include field trips, movies, and guest speakers.

Club Yoga — Mondays from 3 to 4 p.m. in AT 232 and Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. in SN 102.

All are welcome to attend.

V.O.I.C.E.S. — Club meetings are every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. in LB 210.

Honors Biology Club — Club meetings are every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. in CR 137. Meetings will include information about future health careers as well as guest speakers. For more infor-

mation contact the club at Honorsbiologyclub@yahoo.com.

P.C.O — The Philippine Cultural Organization meetings are every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. in CS 177. All are welcome.

events Toy and Food Drive — The Glendale College Police presents its 14th Annual Toy and Food Drive. This program will help needy students and their families during the holiday season.

Donations may include new and unwrapped toys, canned and nonperishable foods, and monetary donations. Donations are tax deductible. On campus donations will be accepted through Dec. 22.

For more information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5202.

Faculty and Alumni Dance Concert — Auditorium. Dancers

are GCC students and guest artists with choreography by faculty, alumni, students and guests. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Swap Meet — Upper campus lot. Dec. 21 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission is free. For more information, call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805.

exhibitions An Evening with the Stars — This planetarium show will introduce the stars, constellations and planets visible in the night sky. Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m. General admission is $10 and $5 for children under 12 and under. Tickets may be reserved in advance. No late arrivals. For more information, visit www.glendale.edu/planetarium or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5275.

“Endless Summer” — Curator Alex Israel presents an exhibition featuring the works of more than 20 artists. The works are a display of art, fashion design, and ephemera that aims its focus at Southern California. Now through Jan. 24.

Art Gallery hours are Thursdays through Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.glendale. edu/artgallery or call (818) 2401000, ext. 5663.

information Finals Week — Finals start today and run through Dec. 17. The finals schedule is available online at www.glendale.edu.

Walk Through Registration — There will be a walk through registration for the Winter 2009 session on Dec. 19. For more information, call (818) 240-1000,

ext. 5901.

Winter Vacation — The campus will be closed from Dec. 23 through Jan 4. The winter 2009 session will begin Jan. 5.

meetings Board of Trustees — Meeting will be held Monday 5 p.m. in Kreider Hall. All are welcome to attend. “

wellness

Health Center — Flu shots are still available in the Health Center. $15 for students and $25 for staff. Only cash will be accepted. The Health Center hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, contact the Health Center at (818) 240-1000, ext. 5909.

Around Town events Reindeer Romp — Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. Santa’s reindeer are on display at the L.A. zoo now through Jan. 1. Kids of all ages can get up close to these creatures, talk to zookeepers, and make their own antlers and holiday crafts.

Free with paid admission of $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. For more information visit. www.lazoo.org or call (323) 644-4200.

Drive-Thru Nativity Scene — Community Christian Church of the Foothills, 10193 Tujunga Canyon Blvd., Tujunga. Experience a life-size nativity scene Friday and Saturday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www. churchofthefoothills.com or call (818) 353-8080.

The Moonlight Rollerway Jubilee — 5110 San Fernando Road, Glendale. Charles Phoenix puts his act on wheels bringing his Retro Holiday Slide Show to Glendale’s Moonlight Rollerway, one of SoCal’s last classic roller rinks. Friday at 8 p.m. and Satur-

day at 3 p.m. General admission is $35. For more information, visit www.charlesphoenix.com or call (818) 241-3630.

Historic Walking Tours — Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Tour guide Karie Bible leads weekly walking tours of Hollywood Forever, one of the most celebrated and historic cemeteries in all of America. Saturday at 12 p.m. Admission is $12. For more information, visit www. cemeterytour.com or call (818) 517-5988.

exhibitions The Arts and Crafts Movement — Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. This exhibition will highlight 18 representative examples of the American and European Arts and Crafts movement, including furniture, glass, ceramics, and metalwork from the collection of Max Palevsky and Jodie Evans. Friday through March 8..

Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for students with I.D. Children 17 and under are free. Museum hours vary. For more information,

visit www.lacma.org or call (323) 857-6000.

Tango with Cows: Book Art of Russian Avant-Garde — The Getty, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. This exhibition explores the way Russian avantgarde poets and artists responded to this crisis through their book art. Now through April 19. Admission is free and parking is $10 per car. Museum hours vary. For more information, visit www.getty.edu or call (310) 440-7300.

Under the Influence: Art-Inspired Art — Norton Simon Museum of Art, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. This exhibition features more than 45 objects from the Museum’s permanent collections, including rarely seen paintings, works on paper and sculpture from the late 15th century, raising provocative questions about artistic emulation and innovation. Now through March 2. Admission is $8 for adults and free for students with I.D. Museum hours vary. For more information, visit www.nortonsimon. org or call (626) 449-6840.

music Concert Singers Winter Performance— St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1020 N. Brand Blvd. Performances will include holiday favorites and other choral music by Gjeilo, Stroope, Johnson and Rheinberger led by director Dr. Peter Green. Sunday at 4 p.m. Admission is $10, and $7 for seniors and students. For more informaiton, call (818) 2401000, ext. 5622.

Los Angeles Children’s Chorus: Annual Winter Concert — Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.

This year’s concert features an eclectic range of classical, folk and contemporary works by Aaron Copland, Pablo Casals, and others. Sunday at 7 p.m. Ticket prices vary. For more information, visit www.lachildrenschorus.org or call (626) 793-4231.

“Los Angeles Master Chorale: Messiah Sing-Along ” — Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave. Grant Gershon conducts the singers and the audience in a sing-along of Handel’s Messiah. Monday at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket prices vary. For more information, visit www.lamc.org or call (800) 787-5262.

wellness Meditations for a Happy Life — Mission Street Yoga, 1017 Mission St., Pasadena. The Kadampa Meditation Center California presents meditation classes.

Tuesdays from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m. with instructor Keli Vaughn. Admission is $12 per class. For more information, visit www.meditateinla.org.

Free Health Clinic — Open Tuesdays 6 to 8:30 p.m. On a first come, first served basis. Located at 134 N. Kenwood St. Third floor, room 330. No job related physical exams will be offered.

For more information visit www. glendaleclinic.org or call (818) 243-2105, ext. 202.

Free Yoga in the Park— Runyon Canyon Park, 2000 Fuller Drive, Los Angeles. Free yoga lessons every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (323) 666-5046.

Compiled by Tina Hagopian

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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VAQUERO VIEWS

Winter Concert Choir Highlights

— Photos by Richard Kontas

The Glendale College Choir presented its Winter Concert last Saturday night in the auditorium. Pamela Glazier, above, performed “Bye, Bye Blackbird,” accompanied by Robert Gates on piano; “The Three Tenors,” center photo, from left, Derik Dermegerdichian, Greg Lewis and Arman Manoukian with Brian Hanke on piano; “If Momma Was Married,” bottom photo, performed

by Kysara Montoya, left, and Jamie Avancena with Gates on piano. Visit www.

Elvaq.com for an exclusive slideshow of this event.