@lariatnews /lariat.saddleback /LariatNews @lariatnews VOLUME 45, ISSUE 10
Lariat
Budgeting on Valentine’s Day
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Former Gaucho being drafted to the NFL
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SADDLEBACK AND IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGES’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2013
Accreditation process angers students
LARIATNEWS.COM
Saddleback Health Information Technology students may graduate without an accredited certification due to AHIMA requirement changes k yli e corbet t
Staff Writer
Students may be rethinking the value of their last two years of courses under Saddleback College’s Health Information Technology (HIT) associate degree program, as the program is not yet accredited. The accreditation process can take up to two years once the program acquires candidacy. Patricia Knuth has been taking courses under the HIT program for the past two years now, and is preparing to graduate. Most students feel that the college failed to uphold its promise to have the program’s accreditation process finished by the time the first group of students were ready to graduate, Knuth said. Until the program is accredited by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), students that are ready to graduate from the HIT program will not be able to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam. To take the exam, students must have an associate degree and come from an accredited program. “What started happening was we were in compliance when we started with the accrediting agency, but then some requirements changed,” said Safiah Mamoon, the current HIT program director. While Saddleback was trying to have the HIT program accredited during its first two years, AHIMA’s requirements changed, calling for a full-time instructor. This position however, did not exist at the college when AHIMA rolled out the new requirements, said Donna Rane-Szostak, dean of Health Sciences and Human Services. Rane-Szostak met with students on Jan. 23, allowing them to voice their concerns. “From my perspective, knowing that the position did not exist in the college, as a full-time position, that concerned me a great deal,” Rane-Szostak said. “It was my integrity that wouldn’t allow us to apply until I knew that this position existed on this campus.” Mamoon, was temporarily full time for a year and half, and is currently applying for the full-time position that now exists on the SOCCCD’s website. The opening for the position is scheduled to close Mar. 25. The accreditation process by AHIMA was discussed at this meeting. The college must first apply, and then must be accepted into candidacy.
Saving lives one campus at a time kristine martinez / lariat
donating: Daniel
Gann, 20, undecided, signs up to donate blood at Saddleback.
kri sti ne ma rti nez
Staff Writer va lery freg oso
IVC Editor
cody shoemake / lariat
student informational meeting: Donna
Rane-Szostak, dean of Health Sciences and Human Services discusses the requirements for candidacy to students in the Human Information Technology associate degree program on Jan. 23 at the student informational meeting. Currently, Saddleback does not have candidacy, but is ready to submit papers to AHIMA to begin the accreditation process. The candidacy process takes up to 30 days. The college has now realized what needs to be to be done, Mamoon said. “It’s moving forward. I’m committed to the program, the college is committed,” Mamoon said. “Everyone wants to move in that direction to apply very soon, and get it into candidacy.” The current students that are preparing to graduate the HIT program will receive all the credits for the courses they have enrolled and successfully completed over the last two years.
kcorbett.lariat@gmail.com
ASG plans future events
Veteran’s Club to annually fund Hope Scholarship
by stev en ju ng
Staff writer
Tragic event of student veteran apparently taking his own life leads to idea for new scholarship Eli zabet h Ort iz and J o hn Wil s o n
News Co-Editors
Creation of a new $500 scholarship for vets at Saddleback titled the “Hope Scholarship” is underway and will be awarded starting next school year. The scholarship program was initiated as a result of the tragic death of Adam Razani, a former student/veteran at Saddleback College. “Depression is a common side effect in the transitional stage of a vet and may have led Razani to self impose,” said Club President Jayson Vespia. “I want to promote the scholarship as a preventative measure for future vets and the first step is to walk into the center before registering.” What originally started out as a charity to fund Razani’s memorial wreath has grown into something much more. Surprised at how much was donated by students and faculty, the members of Saddleback’s Vet Club reacted by using the leftover money to kick-start this new scholarship. “I like being able to give back to my fellow militia,” Vespia said. “We will be raising money to try and make this an ongoing scholarship.” Just who does this award cater to and what does it offer? To qualify one must be a Saddleback College Student Veteran (No Dependents) - Must be a full time student (12+ Credits) - Minimum GPA of a 2.5 - Submit a three to five page essay regarding the applicant’s goals and how the scholarship will help him/ her reach them. Beginning fall of 2013, this $500 award will be granted to both one male and one female veteran each
However, until the program is accredited, they will have to wait to take the RHIT exam. “You don’t start programs that you don’t anticipate doing well or the students going on and having it as their career, you want something that will work,” RaneSzostak said. “If [any] of the [students] feel that [their time] has been wasted, I think [they] have gone through a really good program and that it will be accredited because now, we meet all the requirements,” she added. Check the Lariat’s website to see more information or possible updates on this story.
meeting: Veteran
memorial stands in remembrance of those who served our country.
school year. The club will continue to raise Hope Scholarship funds throughout the remainder of this school year. The next fundraiser is right around the corner: Valentine’s Day. Just what kind of romantically themed event do they have planned for students? Hallmark cards? Chocolates? Or maybe a kissing booth? The answer is D - none of the above. This Valentine’s Day, Vets will be spreading the scholarship love with a brilliantly simple and appealing venue: a hotdog stand. If you can make it through the quad without being barricaded by loving couples and oversized balloons, be sure to stop on by for a tasty snack between classes. For more information check out the Saddleback College Vet Center in the SSC building, located directly across from the cafeteria. jwilson.lariat@gmail.com elizabethortiznews.lariat@gmail.com
Associated Student Government held its first official meeting of the semester last Thursday. Topics discussed included upcoming events such as the blood drive, awareness week, the LRC open house, club rush, and ASG recruitment. Some ideas brought up for Awareness Week were a drag show, facts posted around school, and a guest speaker for Sexual Health Awareness Day. Shay Sharp even had some ideas for non-profit events, such as a talent show for example. Each group participating in the talent show would represent a non-profit organization and people would make donations to that particular cause. For the Domestic Abuse Awareness Day some club members suggested having men wear high-heeled shoes and running a race called “Walk in her shoes.” For the dedication of the new LRC building to the public, ASG will be helping set up an open house on Feb. 28th. There is another event coming up on Feb. 13th, club rush. “One idea is there will be ice cream and each club will have a different topping for the students. In order to get the toppings; students will have to go around to the table that has the topping they want, seeing just what that club is about while they get their toppings,” Nina Alavi said. The ASG Senate discussed further how they can recruit new members and their duties overall. Shireen Ebrahim said, “It’s the senate’s job to nominate who we think should be teacher of the year at our school.”Ucius autet arum dolupta turepta ex et magnis voluptas et ut alitat moluptatiure maion re, to tet.
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MORE ONLINE: Check lariatnews.com for video coverage of the Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots fashion show
Saddleback and IVC held their first blood drives of the semester through the Red Cross Blood Mobile and UC Irvine Healthcare on Jan. 29 and 30. The Red Cross Blood Mobile visits at least once every three months. “Someone needs blood all the time,” Red Cross Team Supervisor Carol Jones said. “We love this campus because the students are always willing to donate.” “I always like investing time to help others,” Student Donator Valeria Ibarra, 19, said. “Getting the free snacks is also nice.” The blood donated at the mobile center is transported to the Pomona manufacturer at Cal Poly’s University campus. Red Cross graciously received 41 healthy units of blood from the 50 Saddleback students who donated. Meanwhile at IVC, the UC Irvine Healthcare hosted their seasonal blood drive on Jan. 29 and 30. “College Students are really good at donating blood,” Teresa Bewley, Head of Donor Recruitment at the UC Irvine Healthcare said. “We started off doing blood drives at IVC once a year, but last year we had one for fall, winter, spring, and summer due to the amount of students willing to donate.” The blood donated is then transported and used for the patients at the UC Irvine Medical Center. “I donate blood most of the time at the UC Irvine Blood Mobile,” Demitri Gomez, 19, IVC theater major said. “ The people there are friendly and it makes it a more comfortable environment to donate blood.” Many students still come to the UC Irvine Donor center located on the UCI Campus after they transfer or leave IVC to donate blood during these drives. “We ended up having 93 donors show up to donate and collected 70 units of blood,” Bewley said, “That is excellent!” The Red Cross plans on returning to the Saddleback campus this month. The next blood drive hosted by the UC Irvine Healthcare will be held around April of this year. kmartinez.lariat@gmail.com vfregoso.lariat@gmail.com
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