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UC education more applicable than CSU

Making music out of computer code

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LA VOZ WEEKLY The Voice of De Anza College | May 26, 2009 | Vol. 42, Issue 26

ELECTION WRAP-UP:

Voters reject Props 2,404 votes cast, 7 grievances filed 1A, 1B Kelly Truong LA VOZ NEWS

Voters rejected five out of six propositions on May 19, including a measure that would have funded community colleges. Proposition 1B, rejected by 62.6 percent, proposed the allocation of $9.3 billion to K-12 schools and community colleges. The education community was split over the measure, mainly due to its relation to Proposition 1A. 1A, rejected by 65.8 percent, would have altered the state budget process, granting the governor and legislature authority to increase taxes with no checks and balances. Proposition 1F, which caps salaries of elected officials, was the only measure to pass. LV Kelly Truong is the editor-in-chief for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: lavoz@fhda.edu.

LEFT: Instructor Stephanie Dickson invites presidential candidate Marlo Custodio (Students United) into her classroom. RIGHT: Presidential candidate Jose Martin (Student Connection) talks to student Rafal Szymanski.

English instructor passes away Joel Seibert LA VOZ NEWS

Christine Mergozzi, De Anza College English instructor, passed away of lung cancer on May 2. She was 56 years old. “She not only was a dedicated teacher and healer, but a fantastic listener,” said friend Vreni Weber. “Not just to people, but to animals and plants as well — in fact, to the entire natural world.” Mergozzi was an active environmentalist, participating in Project Purr and Greenpeace. She taught English for more than seven years, beginning in fall 2001. CONTINUED PAGE 3, MERGOZZI

PHOTOS (4) BY KELLY TRUONG / LA VOZ

LEFT: Custodio and Martin encounter each other in the last hours of the election. RIGHT: Executive vice presidential candidate Josh Chou (Students United) hugs a supporter after being cleared of his rule violation on May 20. Kelly Truong LA VOZ NEWS

“He wanted to see a debate!” As the De Anza College Student Body Senate election wrapped up last week, presidential candidates Marlo Custodio (Students United) and Jose Martin (Student Connection) ran into

THE VOTES ARE IN: TUITION INCREASES IN 09-10 CSU:

10 % increase

UC:

9.3 % increase

one another while campaigning in the final hours of the election. Custodio told Martin of the instructor he encountered who wanted the two candidates to appear together and discuss their differences on the issues. “I’m so glad you’re a worthy opponent,” Martin said. “It’s been crazy, but it’s all love.”

Last week, students voted for the 2009-2010 Senate president, executive vice president, seven vice presidents, 21 senators and student trustee. The official campaign began on May 11 and ended last Thursday, when students cast their final votes through the new online system. CONTINUED PAGE 4, ELECTION

UCs, CSUs increase tuition fees by 9-10 percent Joyce Sim LA VOZ NEWS

The University of California and California State University systems have voted to increase student fees for upcoming school years. Tuition will increase 9.3 percent for UCs, while CSUs have increased tuition by 10 percent. The change in tuition costs means that undergraduates will face an average increase of $8,720 for in-state UC students and $3,354 for all CSU students. “I feel terrible about the increase,” said Alex Giardino, De Anza College Honors Program coordinator. “It is an unfair distribution of making up for the shortfall for the state.”

The UC Regents, the system’s governing body, voted 17-4 in favor of the increase. Out-of-state undergraduate fees will increase by $2,000 to $22,021, while non-resident graduate fees will remain unchanged for the UCs. Graduate students at CSUs will see a spike of $378. “This is one more barrier to higher education access,” said Martha Kanter, chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza College District and President Barack Obama’s intended nominee for Under Secretary of Education. “It prevents some students from getting the kind of education and training that California desperately needs for its workforce,” she said. Both university systems hope that in-

creasing tuition costs will help balance their budgets. The UC system currently faces a shortage of $450 million, while the CSU system faces a shortage of nearly $600 million. “It’s not fair,” said student Thomasina Russau. “We need to find another way, share things around.” Those who voted in favor of the CSU tuition increases argued that the financial aid provided by the stimulus package will help offset the increase. One-third of the expected revenue will be set aside for financial aid. However, opponents of the increase say that the aid will only be temporary. CONTINUED PAGE 4, TUITION

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CAMPUS EVENTS www.makingtheriver.com.

Wednesday, May 27 APALI YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY INFORMATIONAL MEETING WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M., DON BAUTISTA RM., CAMPUS CENTER Recruitment is beginning for this summer’s 11th APALI Youth Leadership Academy, which will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from July 7 to Aug. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Writing & Reading Center in ATC 109. This is a college-level leadership class exploring Asian American community and civic involvement. Students will benefit from a non-traditional, exciting, hands-on curriculum, including guest speakers, an all-day community tour, a city-hall presentation and assisting with APALI’s annual benefit banquet. For information contact changmichael@deanza.edu.

Thursday, May 28 AUTHOR ANTHONY BOURDAIN TO SPEAK THURSDAY, MAY 28, 7:30 P.M., FLINT CENTER

CAMPUS ABROAD - MADRID MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 12:30 - 1:30 P.M., ATC 309 Meet to find out about the Campus Abroad program to Madrid, Spain during fall 2009. Scholarships are available. For more information see http://www. foothill.edu/programs/campusabroad/spain.html or contact Kathy Fransham at 650-949-7614 or franshamkathy@fhda.edu.

Friday, June 5 AUTO TECH GOLF TOURNAMENT FRIDAY, JUNE 5, ALL DAY, SUNOL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB The Auto Tech Department is sponsoring the Caracci Memorial Scholarship fund raiser golf tournament and dinner. Raffle prizes raise money for student scholarships. For information contact Dave Capitolo at capitoldave@fhda.edu.

Saturday, June 6

Anthony Bourdain, best selling author of “Kitchen Confidential” and host of the Travel Channel’s hit show “No Reservations,” will speak. Tickets available at Ticketmaster for $50 and $125.

Friday, May 29 LAST DAY TO DROP WITH ‘W’ FRIDAY, MAY 29

This is the last day for students to drop classes with a “W.”

DE ANZA FLEA MARKET SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 8 A.M. - 4 P.M., PARKING LOTS A & B The De Anza Flea Market is held the first Saturday of every month. The Flea Market is a student enterprise and contains over 800 vendors. Merchandise includes antiques, jewelery, clothes, toys, baby items, plants, handcrafts and household items. Entry is free; parking is $5. For information go to fleamarket@deanza.edu.

Tuesday, June 9

DAY OF SERVICE FRIDAY, MAY 29, 8:30 A.M. - 4 P.M., SOBRATO FAMILY LIVING CENTER Students for Justice in partnership with ICCE and EHC Lifebuilders invite you to join De Anza’s Day of Service to bring the diverse student body and clubs of De Anza College together to clean, fix and beautify the Sobrato Family Living Center, a living environment for low-income and homeless families. The Center is at 1509 Agnew Road in Santa Clara. For information e-mail deanzaserviceday@gmail.com.

Saturday, May 30 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY SATURDAY, MAY 30, 8 P.M., FLINT CENTER The San Francisco Symphony will perform Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony No. 8 in B minor and Rosamunde Overture, juxtaposed with Berg’s Three Pieces for Orchestra and his Seven Early Songs. Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYong will perform; Michael Tilson Thomas is the conductor. Tickets range from $35 - 62 and are available from Ticketmaster.

Monday, June 1 FREE CHAIR MASSAGE MONDAY, JUNE 1, 4-5:15 P.M., MAIN QUAD Students from the chair massage class will give free 15-minute chair massages on a first-come first served basis. For information contact tuckdeborah@fhda. edu.

STUDENT ART SHOW RECEPTION TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 5:30 - 7:30 P.M., EUPHRAT MUSEUM The De Anza College Student Art Show invites the community to its reception. Awards will be presented.

STUDENT-ATHLETE RECOGNITION TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 1:30 - 3:00 P.M., CAMPUS CTR RMS A&B Join De Anza College athletics for the 4th annual De Anza College Student-Athlete recognition. Each coach will introduce their top sophomore studentathletes. Four sophomore scholar-athletes will receive a combined $3,500 in scholarships. Refreshments will be served.

Monday, June 10

The Speech and Debate Club will demonstrate their activities and participate in a debate for pubic viewing.

Tuesday, June 2 CHANCELLOR SEARCH PROFILE FORUM TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M., CAMPUS CTR. RM. A

Students from the chair massage class will give free 15 minute chair massages on a first-come first served basis. For information contact tuckdeborah@fhda.edu.

Students, faculty, staff and the larger community are invited to a forum to give recommendations on attributes desired in a new chancellor. You may also e-mail ideas to chancellorprofile@fhd.edu.

Wednesday, June 3 “Making the River” is the story of the difficulty of Native Americans obtaining justice in America, illustrated in Jimi Simmons’ acquittal of murder charges while incarcerated. Executive producers Karen Rudolph and Jimi Simmons will answer questions. Presentation will be hosted by Glen Lovell. Film details are at http://

Thursday, June 11

STUDENT DANCE DEMONSTRATION THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 7 - 9 P.M., VPAC THEATER De Anza students will give a dance performance. For information contact Warren Lucas at lucaswarren@deanza.edu. .

Happenings@LaVozDeAnza.com Send event notices to Happenings@LaVozDeAnza.com by noon Wednesday, preceding the publication week. Please type “Happenings” in the subject line. La Voz does not guarantee publication. All events take place on the De Anza College campus and are free, unless stated otherwise.

$20 general, $10 students includes lunch and gift. RSVP and send payment by Wednesday, June 10 to: Phong Lam in the Office of Diversity in Admin 105. Donations are welcome from those who are unable to attend. For information contact lamphong@deanza or 408-864-5559.

STUDENT FILM/VIDEO SHOW FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 7:30 - 11 P.M., VPAC THEATER The Creative Arts Department will feature a De Anza student film and video show. Admission is $7. For information contact Zaki Lisha at lishazaki@deanza.edu.

Sunday, June 14 LATIN JAZZ CONCERT SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 7 P.M., VPAC THEATER Admission for the De Anza students’ Latin Jazz concert is $7 for general, $5 for students/seniors. For information contact tylersteve@fhda.edu.

Tuesday, June 16 PRESIDENT’S OPEN OFFICE HOUR TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 12:30 - 1:30 P.M., PRESIDENT’S OFFICE De Anza College President Brian Murphy will hold an open office hour in the Administration Building.

Thursday, June 18 STUDENT PIANO RECITAL THURSDAY, JUNE 18, NOON - 2 P.M., VPAC THEATER Students will perform in a free piano recital. For information contact poklewskianna@deanza.edu.

DE ANZA DADDIOS IN CONCERT THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 7:30 P.M., VPAC THEATER The De Anza Daddios concert is $10 general and $7 for students/seniors. For information contact tylersteve@fhda.edu.

Friday, June 19 DE ANZA VOCAL FLIGHT IN CONCERT FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 7:30 - 10 P.M., VPAC THEATER De Anza Vocal Flight’s concert is $10 general, $5 students. For information contact hawkinsmichelle@fhda.edu.

Saturday, June 20 WIND ENSEMBLE IN CONCERT SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 7:30 P.M., VPAC THEATER John Russell and the Wind Ensemble will present a concert. Admission is $10 general, $5 students and seniors. For information contact russelljohn@fhda.edu.

FREE CHAIR MASSAGE MONDAY, JUNE 1, 4-5:15 P.M., MAIN QUAD

SPEECH & DEBATE SHOWCASE MONDAY, JUNE 1, 4:30 - 6 P.M. P.M., CAMPUS CTR, RMS A&B

FILM SCREENING: ‘MAKING THE RIVER’ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 5 P.M., ATC 120

Thursday, June 4

Friday, June 12

LAST DAY TO ADD CAOS SELF-PACED CLASSES FRIDAY, JUNE 12 The Computer and Office Systems Department offers self-paced classes which accept late spring quarter enrollments through June 12. Over 32 classes are offered including Intro to HTML, PowerPoint, Flash, PC Security Basics, Computer Forensics and Photoshop. For information, go to the computer lab in the ATC.

DR. MARION WINTERS RETIREMENT PARTY FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 11 A.M. - 2 P.M., MAIN PATIO & FIRESIDE RM Join the celebration for Dr. Marion Winters’ retirement. The featured entertainment will be Gemini Soul.

Sunday, June 21 DE ANZA CHORAL CONCERT SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 3 - 5 P.M., VPAC 115/117 The De Anza Choral concert is $10 general, $5 seniors and students. For information contact glasmanilan@deanza.edu.

JAZZ COMBOS CONCERT SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 7:30 - 10 P.M., VPAC 115/117 Students from Music 48 Jazz Improvisation class will present an evening of small group jazz. The concert is $5 general, $3 students. For information contact tylersteven@fhda.edu

Wednesday, June 24 STUDENT LITERARY JOURNAL LAUNCH PARTY WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 6:15 - 8:15 P.M., WRC, ATC 309 The Red Wheelbarrow Student Literary Journal will host a launch party and celebration. Over $300 in prizes will be awarded for best student poems, stories and art.

Thursday, June 25 2009 RECONOCIMIENTO THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 5:30 - 7:30 P.M., APPRECIATION HALL The De Anza community is invited to honor transferring and graduating Latina/Latino students at this event. .

Friday, June 26

LAST DAY TO FILE: SPRING DEGREE/CERTIFICATE FRIDAY, JUNE 26 This is the last day to file for a spring A.A. or A.S. degree or certificate. See the counseling office for

information.

Saturday, June 27

2009 GRADUATION SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 9 A.M., OUTDOOR EVENTS ARENA Student, parents and friends are invited to watch the 2009 De Anza graduation ceremony. Tamim Ansary, author of “Destiny Disrupted, A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes” and “West of Kabul, East of New York” will be the graduation speaker.

ANNOUNCEMENTS BOOKSTORE BUYBACK

The Campus Bookstore will buy back textbooks June 22-26 and June 29-July 2. For information go to http:// books.deanza.edu/home.aspx. The Bookstore also offers online buyback.

STUDENT ART SHOW

The Student Art Show at the Euphrat Museum of Art in the VPAC runs through June 17. It features paintings, drawings, mixed-media works, photography, graphic design, sculpture and ceramics. The artworks reflect expertise in diverse media and varied interests and points of view. The Museum is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

SUMMER SESSION REGISTRATION

The summer schedule of classes is available online at http://www.deanza.edu/. Continuing student registration will take place June 5-12; New and former student registration will take place June 15-28. The first day of summer session is June 29.

OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

De Anza’s trip this year to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland will consist of six plays in five days, departing on Aug. 13. The $775 cost incudes all transportation from De Anza, a room at Southern Oregon University, breakfast and dinner each day, six theater tickets with premium seats, a backstage tour, an actor’s talk, pre-trip lectures, morning-after-play discussions and the cheerful company of 30 other theater lovers. For information go to http://faculty.deanza. fhda.edu/pesanojulie.

CELL PHONE DRIVE

The student cell phone drive will be held through May 29. Look for donation baskets throughout the campus.

UC DAVIS TRANSFER ADMISSION GUARANTEE OPEN HOUSE

The UC Davis Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) Open House (for Fall 2010 transfers will be held Aug. 17-20, 2009 between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the De Anza College Counseling & Advising Center. The last day to write a TAG is Thursday, Aug. 20. For more information go to: http://www.deanza.edu/transfer/.

DISCOUNT ADOBE SOFTWARE LICENCES

The Campus Bookstore offers students discounts on Adobe software products. For information go to http:// books.deanza.edu/home.aspx.

TRANSFER CENTER EVENTS

Appointments to meet with university and college representatives can be scheduled in person at the Transfer Center on the 2nd floor of the Student and Community Services Bldg., or by calling 408-864-8841. Upcoming college and university representative visits include: University of California, Davis Transfer Center by appointment Every Monday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. University of California, Irvine Transfer Center by appointment Monday, June 1, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. University of California, Santa Cruz Transfer Center by appointment Wednesday, May 27, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. John F. Kennedy University Main Quad Information Table Tuesday, June 9, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Are you free June 2-5? Funny, JavaOne is too. The 2009 JavaOne Conference is free for students and educators. Register now. (SM)

Ready to give your career a java jolt? Students get a free full conference pass to the 2009 JavaOne Conference, and educators who bring 10 students get one too. (That’s an $895 value.) Get the lowdown on the latest Java™technology. Choose from 200+ technical sessions, keynotes and the Pavilion. Learn from the gurus of rich media applications and interactive content, mobility, services, core technology and more. Your free pass also gets you admission to the first day of CommunityOne (our open source conference) and CommunityOne Deep Dives (half- and full-day technology tutorials). Grab your student ID and register today at sun.com/DeAnzaStudentsgofree.

MAY 26, 2009

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

College yet to formulate policy for Visual & Performing Arts Center Stephanie Shin LA VOZ NEWS

The Inter-Club Council and Office of College Life are working on a policy to allow the use of the Visual Performing Arts Center, De Anza College’s newest building. Although no one except the creative arts division will be able to schedule the building this spring, administrations expect to open it to the rest of the community by fall, said LaDonna Yumori-Kaku, Office of College Life specialist. The center officially opened on March 6. Though members of the creative arts department, such as the De Anza Daddios Combo, have performed in the theatre, other organizations are unable to use it. Alex Kramer, faculty adviser for the Speech and Debate Club, requested use of the center for the club’s spring showcase. ICC and the Office

P1 | Friends mourn loss MERGOZZI | She leaves behind her mother, Lotti Mergozzi, her sister, Ursula Mergozzi and her brother Hans Mergozzi. Mergozzi earned certificates in Massage in 1996, Zero Balancing in 1997, Cranial Sacral work in 2001 and Reiki in 2004. She was passionate about nature and animals, two prime subjects of her art as a poet and photographer. “She could be both profound and playful, funny and passionate, all at the same time,” said English instructor Bob Dickerson. “What a sad loss. We need more people in the world like her.” “Christine was like diamond, all sorts of different facets,” said friend Ed Fontana. “Some sharp edges, some smooth, all different, but all beautiful.” “Christine brought out the best in everyone she was friends with,” said Marilyn Jean. “She was impossible not to love. The earth, the animals, those who loved her — and there were many — will all miss her and miss what she saw in us. She did indeed bring out the best in us, and we are all much richer for having known her.” LV Joel Seibert is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact him at: joelseibert@ lavozdeanza.com.

of College Life rejected his request, stating that Jones-Dulin said that the center will soon be no one may use the center until implementation open for use to both the campus and the outside of a formal policy. community. LV “Some groups can use it without policy, some can’t,” said Kramer. “You have to be consistent Stephanie Shin is a staff reporter for La Voz with it, otherwise it’s a double standard.” Weekly. Contact her at: stephanieshin@ Kramer said he feels it is irresponsible for the lavozdeanza.com. college to open a new building without a formal policy. “For a short duration but decent chunk of time, it’s violating the intent of the building,” he said. “The guidelines will probably be available by end of the month,” said Donna Jones-Dulin, director of college SOHEIL REZAEE / LA VOZ services. The VPA Center officially opened on March 6.

De Anza pioneer for disabled passes away Bella Yashayev LA VOZ NEWS

October 1995. Stewart loved De Anza, the staff and the students. She had to stop attending the college last September, when she moved to Santa Rosa to be closer to her sister and mother, Heloise Stewart. “It was killing her not to be at De Anza,” said Bonilla. For the next four months, Stewart lived with a care-giving family, until she was taken to the hospital on April 5. She passed away the next morning at 9:30 a.m. Stewart’s family thanks the family for all the love and caring. The family also wishes to thank the staff at Stanford Oncology Center and the Redwood Regional Medical Oncology Group for their dedication to Stewart during her chemotherapy treatments. Stewart’s memorial will be held in the Hinson Campus Center in Conference Room A and B, on Wednesday, May 27, from 2-5 p.m. It will commemorate Stewart with a presentation of her life and a Scottish bagpipe performance. In lieu of flowers, the family invites people to donate to a local cancer society or the Mimi Stewart Scholarship, care of the Foothill-De Anza Foundation. LV

Maribeth “Mimi” Stewart, one of the first students to participate in De Anza College’s adapted Physical Education program, passed away on April 5. Stewart was born three months premature in 1954. She died at age fifty-four after battling colon cancer for almost four years. “She was a pioneer of the disabled,” said friend, Kathy Bonilla. “She was always trying to improve things.” After graduating from Palo Alto High School in a special education program, Stewart enrolled at De Anza, where she was a student for 35 years. During these years, she earned a liberal arts degree and certificates in art history, recreation, painting and photography. “[Mimi] met everyone with a twinkle in her eye, a smile on her face and an outreached hand,” her sister, Sue Coleman, writes in an open invitation to the memorial service. She worked as a recreation counselor for the physically and mentally challenged at the Palo Alto and Cupertino recreation departments. Stewart was dedicated to De Anza College and the disabled community. Bonilla and Stewart were friends since childhood, but Bella Yashayev is the opinions editor for lost contact for 20 years, until they accidently La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: opinions@ found each other at a De Anza Club Day in lavozdeanza.com.

PAGE 3

Meeting Notes DASB Senate The De Anza College Associated Student Body Senate is the governing body for De Anza College students. It meets every Wednesday afternoon.

MAY 20 MEETING NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER: Levon Minassion is now a member of the Student Rights and Campus Relations Committee. MASCOT ELECTION FINALIST: The Senate and the De Anza College marketing department have selected five mascot concepts from student submissions. Students will be e-mailed with the choices in order to choose De Anza’s future mascot. SACRAMENTO SSCCC TRIP: The Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocates for community colleges at the state level. The decision to choose Senate members to represent the school at the general meeting in June was postponed. COMPILED BY JAMES CHEN

Inter Club Council The Inter Club Council is the governing body which allocates funds to De Anza College’s more than 50 clubs. The ICC meets Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. in the Student Council Chambers.

MAY 20 MEETING ORIENTATION: The ICC’s weekly meeting

was closed to the public in order to train new club officers.

Police Log TRAFFIC INJURY Traffic accident - ambulance Location: Stelling and Stevens Creek Thursday, May 14 at 10:20 a.m. SICK PERSON Location: Pool Friday, May 15 at 12:33 a.m. INVESTIGATION Pedestrian stop Location: Flint parking structure Monday, May 18 at 3:11 p.m.

Campus Snapshot

HIT & RUN Property damage only Location: De Anza College Tuesday, May 19 at 12:51 a.m. LOST PROPERTY Location: De Anza College Wednesday, May 20 at 10:44 a.m. BURGLARY Auto burglary Location: Lot C Wednesday, May 20 at 5:04 p.m.

Clarifications “Students United ticket may be disqualified from race,” 5/18: The article included quotes from two sources with the last name Lin. The Lin who brought libel charges against Marlo Custodio refers to ICC co-chair Peter Lin, not student senator Melody Lin.

PE instructor Mary Donahue offers a suggestion at a May 21 budget town hall meeting.

JAMES CHEN / LA VOZ

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LAVOZDEANZA.COM

MAY 26, 2009

P1 | Election results P1| Students may turn to community colleges posted tomorrow ELECTION | 2,404 students voted in the election, according to Dennis Shannakian, administrative assistant at the Office of College Life. According to Shannakian, seven grievances have been filed. Senatorial candidate Scarlett Yeiser Kim confirmed that Student Connection filed grievances at 3:57 p.m. last Friday. Vice president of diversity and events candidate Shane Mason confirmed that Students United filed grievances as well. However, the forms were submitted at 4:02 p.m. on Friday, two minutes past the deadline. Shannakian said that the Election Committee has the power to determine the validity of grievances filed after the deadline. “We didn’t want to file, [but] we found out they filed,” Mason said. “We’re going to pursue it.” Custodio and his executive vice presidential candidate, Josh Chou, were recently in danger of disqualification due to Chou’s alleged failure to meet the full meeting requirement. In a special meeting last Wednesday, the Senate voted to amend the notes of the meeting in question to officially record Chou as a guest.

“It’s not up to you guys to decide who wins or loses the election, but you’re going to,” student Jake Parent said to the Senate at the emergency meeting. “Let the people decide.” Senator Melody Lin, who voted against the amendment, said she made her decision based on precedent. “I wouldn’t want [Marlo] to be disqualified, but I was just trying to do my job,” she said. “The Senate has a duty to represent the students’ needs,” said senator Jonathan Mai, who voted for the amendment. “Our job is to vocalize opinions, regardless of where they came from.” Custodio and Martin remained on campus until Thursday night, delivering classroom presentations and talking to passing students. “I feel an avalanche of grievances may be filed against me,” Custodio said. “If I was in their position, seeing the support we’ve had, I would probably want to file grievances.” Student Connection candidates who filed grievances declined to comment. Election results will be posted tomorrow. LV

TUITION | Student Raymon Co, who is transferring to UC Berkeley this fall, said he hopes the universities are increasing scholarship aid in addition to student fees. “[UCs and CSUs] need to strike a balance when taking from the students and giving to needy students,” said Cindy Castillo, director of financial aid at De Anza. Castillo said that the rise in prices for CSUs and UCs may lead to increased enrollment at community colleges. “The increase in fees will scare students away and increase demand for community colleges,” she said. “Students should work through the student

senate to talk to the legislators,” said Letha Jeanpierre, interim vice-president of educational resources and college operations. “Keep this issue at the front line and don’t let them relax.” “California community colleges are doing everything we can to meet the educational needs of students who have been priced out or squeezed out of UC and CSU,” said Kanter. “This great educational demand is occurring just as California is contemplating a historic downsizing of community colleges to balance the state’s budget.” LV Joyce Sim is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: joycesim@lavozdeanza.com.

How do you feel about the tuition increase?

Kelly Truong is the editor-in-chief for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: lavoz@fhda.edu.

What are your thoughts on the Senate race?

“Devastated. I was supposed to transfer to UCLA.” Trung Tran 19 Communications

“It should be lower. People don’t have money.” Stace Ong 30 Massage therapy

“I foresee a lot of issues coming up at the grievance meetings.”

“I don’t care. I don’t believe in elections.”

“It’s unfair. The economy is going down.”

“I just hate it. I knew it was going to happen.”

Brandon Smith 18 Undecided

Majed Abdelhadi 19 Civil engineering

Ben Chen 22 Business

Sabrina Hambaba 19 Psychology

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LAVOZDEANZA.COM

Don’t call me Al stephenZILL

Economics for Everyone The news mixed whenacademic it comes Unlike Paulremains Krugman, another to the domestic economy. There economist who writes a column forare a fewer positive than but publication only signs slightly lessnegative, prestigious than this one, have I make a conscious effortthe negatives been consistently less for various Still, reasonsto keep get thisahead column negative. we mustn’t of as politics-free as possible. Krugman, ourselves. Though it seems the bottom the most reached, recent actual winner recovery of the will the has been Economics Nobel, wears hisinpolitics on take time. But one must keep mind that his sleeve and if you would like an idea besides the myriad of methods the federal of which way he leans, a few years ago government is currently applying, there I met him before a talk he was to give at exists in theand economy “self-correcting UC Berkeley discovered that simply mechanisms.” When things get cheaper, mentioning the term “Republicans” can people tend buypractically more, andfroth the natural caused him to at the tendency our animal spirits go from mouth in afor paroxysm of anger toward the bleak to bright. Grand Old Party. Luckily, being that the Inofa Professor recent New York Times top Krugman’s headcolumn, comes just to my I was Alan able to avoid reitthe former Fedchin, Vice-Chair Blinder ensuing spittle erated my mainshower. point in this column two But given thisimplored weeks topic, I’mtoafraid weeks ago. He the Fed — in I’m going to have to break my to Chairman Bernanke’s words —vow “stay certain extent. before the course” andAnd not fall preyweto proceed, inflation just let me make clear that I pledge no hawks crying out about the hundreds of allegiance to either of the two major billionspolitical in reserves currently languishing (U.S.) parties. inYou bank vaults, couldn’t and also help that but the Obama probably notice, Administration not decide that“tax it is day” time but a couple weeks back on to tighten theinpurse Andthe there are supposedly the strings. spirit of 1773 lessons from history afrom Boston Tea Party-tax which revolttobylearn. the Contrary of to accepted Great Colonists British legend, Americathewhich featured the was dumping of made three shiploads Depression actually up of two of (English) tea intoPhase the Boston Harbor severe recessions. I lasted from (have why that the 1929 toyou 1933.ever Thewondered robust recovery majority of toAmericans’ ran from 1934 1936 was shotbreakfast down in beverage is coffee and not flames as ofthechoice Roosevelt administration tea?)-over 750 Tax Day tea parties took changed course, yanking the economy place across the United States, ostensibly into Phase II. It is this history lesson of in response the “out of control spending” thethe damage inconsistent policy can wreak by Obama Administration. Granted, on the folks economy that Blinder from some attended with draws honorable in his column. intentions and have been consistently Fast forward to 1970s. An government ugly period against big spending/big for the USnoeconomy, suffered throughout, matter thewhich ring leader in through of thing what that is referred as DC, but bouts the first came totomy mind was, “Where all these growth, people stagflation — poorwere economic when GW Bush Administration was rising the unemployment and inflation. Ugly in the process of doubling the gross word, ugly economy. Attempts to fix national debt?” And I am also the thirdfederal will end up exacerbating the dubious of the claim that this was a first two, and vice versa. Hence, when nonpartisan“grassroots” movement the Fed put the screws on inflation, as (a spontaneous and natural uprising), growth slowed andthe unemployment particularly given organizations rose, and they would quickly change media outlets in support ofcourse. and at Then least as the economy began to recover, they partially behind the organizing of these would startsinensis the wholeleaf-beverage process over again. Camellia shin As a result of this me/pull apdigs-but more of push the Astro Turfme (fake proach, by the end of grassroots) kind. Alltheindecade, all, theit looked whole thing smacks partisan that as though we of were in for politics, years of and inflation these gatherings ended being, for the and flabby growth. Thisupdid not come to most part,due nottoanti-profligate government fruition, the rather Draconian monspending rallies, but instead, etary policy pursued by the anti-Obama Fed and its rallies. towering cigar-chomping Chairman Paul Let’s put a few things inbroke perspective. Volcker, which eventually the back No matter how you measure it, yes, the of inflation, restoring price stability and Federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2009 setting the for recovery. (ending in stage September) is indeed an all By now we all know how time high-- estimates nowtheputsaga it atof a eyeformer Fed AlanBut Greenspan popping $1.8Chair trillion! do note, went this from from rock star to third runner-up on astronomical figure isn’t only the result American — though was quick of spendingIdol by the currentPaula administration, to remind him thata “America but also partially product ofstill theloves last President’s budget, and keepflaws in mind, you!” — when he admitted in his itfree-market was under ideology Bush the before YoungerCongress. that the bailout boondoggle got under And Personally, even before his way. fall from do you really believe that if McCain grace, I was just a bit skeptical about the would havebeing been elected adulation heaped President, upon the given maethe state of the economy, no additional stro. I still feel that perhaps his greatest stimulus (read: increases in spending) achievement was restoring would have been proposed?the Itcredibilmight ity ofbeboth the economics profession also noted, that the hero of manyand of the party Fed itself, was so damaged by the goers,which Ronald Reagan, until this its erratic in the 1970s. Greenmost recentbehavior deficit, presided over the four span’s Fed wasdeficits for theasmost part consislargest budget a proportion of tent insince theirthe approach monetary GDP Secondto World War. policy, Again, participants which wentmost a long of way the in contributing to and the that eraproponents/defenders of consistent expansionofand low demonstrations emphasize that most of inflation. theI agree protest hasProfessor to do with government with Blinder (or does spending, but there is an obvious he agree with me?) that, as I have noted connection to taxes,that and the and likely before, it is imperative the Fed the possibility that eventually we will see Obama Administration “stay the course.” taxes rise to cover such spending, but ‘’Cause like old come sayingasgoes, “Those presently, it the might a surprise, who do not learn from an ‘F’ relative to most other history, major get countries LV in history.” something. and even ourOr own past we are a low-tax country. Hey, like pretty much everyone Stephen Zill is anpaying economics instructor at else, I don’t like taxes, but we all De Anza canthem call you know theCollege. old saw He about andBetty. death.

PAGE 5

Professor of the Week: Dan Mitchell

Lover of electronic music Stephaniue Shin LA VOZ NEWS

Dan Mitchell was the only electronic music student in his junior year at San Jose State University. Three students enrolled in the program but one never showed up and the other only came to class a few times, giving Mitchell total access to the studio and a one-onone time with his instructor and mentor Allen Strange – author of the first book on how to create electronic music. Mitchell decided to pursue electronic music after beginning a career in music as a trombone player. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Theory and Composition, specializing in electronic music. He remembers how excited he was when first heard “Switched on Bach” by Wendy Carlos and Benjamin Folkman. The album recreates Johann Sebastian Bach’s classical music using electric synthesizers. Mitchell recalls thinking how impossible it would be for him to create music like that. Years ago, electronic music was mostly composed of experimental avant-garde styles, not the kind of music played on the radio stations. “Now it’s engrained everywhere in almost every music you hear,” Mitchell said. “Back then you were teaching how to do really weird music.” The advent of computers has

changed the music indusrty. sNow software programs make using music and noises only a

Dan Mitchell click away. In the past, electronic instruments did not exist. Composers would have to literally spend three months to understand the technology of sound, and every sound had to be manually designed. Now acoustics is the last thing to be dealt with or worry about because with software. Mitchell enjoys all styles of music. One of his favorite Bay Area composers is John Adams, who incorporates Latin rhythms and contemporary popular styles into his classical experimental symphonies. Mitchell and his wife Patricia are both musicians, which, he says, helps them understand each other. Although he thinks it is unusual

that both he and his wife are in the same field of art, he thinks it is also strange to meet couples where only one of the spouse is in the arts. “There’s always music stuff going on one way or another. Either with her performing or us going to hear it,” Mitchell said. Mitchell enjoys taking photographs on the weekends and takes pictures of urban and natural landscapes, night photography, and street photography. Hiking, backpacking and overall maintaining an active life, Mitchell frequently visits Yosemite, spending about one month of the year, every year, in the Sierra Mountains. He once added up all the time he spends there and said the time he spent there can be measured in years. “Once you get it in your blood you can’t leave it behind. I’ve been out there so long I actually know individual rocks,” Mitchell said. “One of the things I liked about it is you can go for a whole weekend and there were no signs no product names, except maybe on your equipment. But you look around here and you see text everywhere, all trying to get your attention. There’s just nothing like that. It’s just what it is. Very different from the usual world that we think of as normal here.” LV

Classifying WISE 37 into a specific category is a difficult task, since the club is involved in such a wide range of activities. Their mission is to “create a more sustainable environment through education, outreach, and activism,” said co-president Shane Mason. According to Mason, their aim is to “develop members into better leaders and mobilize them toward helping to create a better future by supporting climate legislation and increasing student awareness of environmental issues.” WISE 37 stands for Working to Institute a Sustainable Environment on the 37th parallel, the latitude line that De Anza is closest to. Activism is a key component of WISE 37’s activities. Last quarter 15 of their members went to Washington D.C. for an environmental leadership conference called Powershift where they were trained in lobbying skills. Afterward, they joined 5,000 other students on Capitol Hill to lobby for a clean energy future. In another event, members attended the March in March, where students from UCs, CSUs, and community colleges statewide converged in Sacramento to protest steep budget cuts for postsecondary education. The group also built a tree made out of recyclable materials for Earth Day this year to promote recycling; it now resides in the Euphrat Art Museum in the new Visual and Performing Arts Center. According to Mason,

they are currently working with the student Senate’s Campus and Environmental Sustainability committee to host a recycling event during the second week of June. To combat the pollution created by the huge number of De Anza students who drive to

W.I.S.E. 37 campus every day, co-president Devin Cormia is working on including an Eco-pass sticker with every student’s DASB card. This would enable all students to take the light-rail or bus for free; a charge would be incorporated into student fees for that quarter. San Jose State University implemented the Eco pass several years ago in an effort to alleviate parking congestion. Accomplishments of WISE 37 include convincing Dining Services to serve organic food and supporting the Campus Environmental Advisory Group. According to Mason, the CEAG is the main force influencing the administration when it comes to environmentally friendly solutions. Successes have included solar panels in the parking lot garage roof, energy efficient classrooms and a sustainability management plan. Mason said student

As the World Burns

involvement has been a big factor in the success of these projects, as the administration tends to pay more attention to issues students actively support. The club’s biggest educational event is Global Warming Solutions. For the last two years, they have educated more than 2,000 students on how to be sustainable and make changes on their school campus. Mason said students leave the event with the confidence to make changes in their own lives and influence their friends to do the same. WISE 37 members and alumni have gone on to lead their own projects. Member Mercedes de La Riva is now an accomplished artist, and member Joey Certeza is leading a campaign to create a Pacific Islanders Studies class on campus. Mason says the group would like to think its political activism is at least influencing the political process, since not long after the Powershift conference and rally, the Obama administration passed the Waxman-Markley bill, one of its first major pieces of environmental legislation. WISE 37 meets on Thursdays at 4 p.m. in room KC 239 at the Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies. The club currently has about 10 members that are highly involved. The result is a tight-knit group of friends who strive to make a difference for everyone on campus. LV

Ed Periera is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at: edpereira@lavozdeanza.com

Soheil Rezaee is the associate editor for La Voz Weekly. Contact him at: associate@lavozdeanza.com.

Stephanie Shin is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at: stephanieshin@lavozdeanza.com

Environmental educators Ed Pereira

soheil REZAEE

A few students with too much free time voted in the De Anza College Student Body Senate election. The results will be posted after candidates end their little tantrum at the grievance meeting. Regardless of the results, it’s going to be another year of senators wasting time by arguing over trivial issues in an attempt to hold onto what little power they think they might have. It’s amazing, all this drama just for a student government. If anyone is familiar with the concept of student government, it’s basically a popularity contest where your most overachieving or unbearable classmates are elected to set dates where students have to dress up like clowns for a pizza party. But it does look good on your college transcripts for those with no athletic ability. The difference is that the Senate has a $1 million budget to determine what days we dress up like clowns. But because of bureaucracy and everyone crying over nothing, even this can’t really be accomplished. Why is it like this? Because the candidates give the same manufactured speeches about giving a damn about student needs. But really, they just want some so-called prestige. Sure, there are a few who really care. Maybe two. Now, some might argue that I should get involved in student government and run for office, since I’m complaining about its inefficiency. Personally, I’m the last person you want charge of a $1 million budget, and for good reason. But first, I feel you should know a little about my electoral history. Since my first year in middle school, I was nominated every year to be a class representative only to be elected vice-representative during my senior year in high school. I was called upon once to represent my class, but I chose to ditch that day to celebrate 4/20. I know it sounds unprofessional, but at least I’m being honest about my habits. I’m not a hard-working, cleancut, honors student with high morals, but a misanthrope who gets wasted every weekend. If I were ever to run for student office, my promise would be to bring the system to anarchy just to purge it of the bureaucracy, hence allowing opportunity to rebuild it from dust without the flaws that plagued it to begin with. Hypothetically, if elected, my first action would be removing my elected opposition out of office with some bogus sex scandal. Then, I will improve security by purchasing a tank for the campus police (since if Campbell Police has one, we should have one too). Next, I will authorize the construction of a pub on campus opposed to some useless house of worship that some have hoped for. Why? There are plenty of churches across the street, so students should not be lazy and ask for one here. The closest bar, on the other hand, is miles away. If there are any funds left over, it will all be directed toward a secret lobster fund. The fund will be used for a lobster dinner at every Wednesday Senate meeting. The only way the Senate will ever be reformed is by the actions of a coalition with students who actually care or by a sociopath like me introducing a little anarchy. If students are incapable of saving their own government, then the administration should just abolish the Senate and have a responsible administrator take over their duties. In the end, all we can do is watch as the world burns. LV

Club of the Week: W.I.S.E 37

LA VOZ NEWS

Don’t vote for me

PAGE 6

FEATURES

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

MAY 26, 2009

FEATURES Getting ready for Summer&Travel Summer’s almost here! Are you ready? Mayumi Kurotsu LA VOZ NEWS

With recent record-setting heat waves, we know the summer is just around the corner. Get ready to enjoy the upcoming hot, sunny season! Here are some tips that you can start today to get you ready for summer. 1. Start easy exercises at home. You don’t have to go to gym and spend your money on a monthly fee. You can do easy exercises at home without any special equipment. Don’t have time for exercises due to tons of schoolwork? Set aside just 5 to 10 minutes a day. Small continual efforts can make a big change. If you would like to learn several easy exercises to do at home, check out http:// essortment.com.

2. Find some time for walking. Do you really need to drive to the store to get eggs or milk when you live right down the street? Driving everywhere becomes an easy habit, but making simple changes like walking to the local market are an simple way of getting out and taking the opportunity to get some exercise. The habit of driving prevents you from burning fat and building energy, which you can do just by walking. Especially the day when you realize you eat too much, try to walk instead of driving. 3. Pay attention to what you eat every day. You don’t have to be a nutrition expert or on a strict diet to be a smart eater. It is important to realize what you are eating and know what your body really needs as opposed to what you just

want to munch on excessively. The following Web site will help you improve your healthy eating: http://helpguide.org. 4. Drink as much water as much possible. Water makes up about 60 to 70 percent of the human body and does many essential jobs inside our bodies, affecting body temperature regulation, blood pressure and volume, metabolism, and so on. It is important to have a smooth ﬂow of water in your body. Besides, inadequate water intake causes dehydration. 5. Stock up on sunscreen to protect your skin. Everyone enjoys sunny days and getting out in the sun, but don’t forget to put on some sunscreen. You might want to get a tan, going for a more cheerful and muscular and muscular

look but ultraviolet radiation is known to damage and age the structure of your skin. Ultimately, UV radiation might cause skin cancer so cover up and don’t burn! 6. Stock up on insect repellent. We human beings aren’t the only ones who are energetic during the summer. Bugs and ﬂies are not our enemies, but they are not friends either. Get some insect repellent to prepare for hiking and barbequing with your friends! Those are just general tips for your health and body. Find out what really works for you and enjoy the summer! LV Mayumi Kurotsu is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: mayumikurotsu@lavozdeanza.com

De Anza Voices: What are your plans for the summer? “I am going to take a summer course and visit my parents in Korea.”

“I am going to be looking for a new job and possibly take a class or two here.”

Yeram Han, 20

Chris Moniotes, 21

Faith Caspellan, 19

“I am planning to go visit my family.”

“I am going to go to Singapore and Indonesia and take summer classes.”

“I am going polish up on my poetry, complete my martial arts and go to Hawaii.”

Yeram Han, 20

Jennifer Lo, 19

“I am going to visit my family back in Morocco and then bike to Peru with my friends.”

“Parties, maybe Disneyland. Maybe take my Grandpa up on going to Europe.”

Salim Benchekroun, 20 “I’m staying in the area. I spent the last 5 years in the military. I enjoy being home.” Wayne R. Spalding, 25

Marlo Custodio, 20

COMPILED BY AMY FRANKLIN/LA VOZ

SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER Special travel deals for students

Dakarai Mills LA VOZ NEWS

If you thought traveling would be expensive this summer, think again. Airlines and hotels are slashing prices from left to right, and as a student, these deals only get better. Despite the current economic climate, this might be the best time to take that trip you have been waiting for. Two Web sites that give the best deals around are Travel Zoo and STA Travel. Some deals advertised have blackout dates, so ﬂexibility is key. Besides leisure, some students are ﬁnding working aboard or volunteering in other countries a rewarding experience that offers them a chance to give back while having a great time. Travel Zoo, established in 1998, has become

one of the best Web resources for travelers. The best part of Travel Zoo is that many airlines and hotels leak specials to them before broadcasting to other outlets. Travel Zoo is well-known for its Top 20 list: a free weekly e-mail listing the 20 deals of the week that Travel Zoo’s producers have deemed the best in terms of price and value. They send it out to subscribers by e-mail every Wednesday. Travel Zoo also has an e-mail alert called Newsflash, which notifies subscribers of amazing deals in each user’s local area. These include time-sensitive flight deals, cruises and vacation packages. The key component is time. If you missed out on a great deal, don’t feel bad. There’s sure to be another right around the corner. STA Travel is the world’s largest travel

organization for students and youth. Its core selling point is relevant advice and unique product ideas from experienced advisers who themselves are recent travelers. The result is a global brand of businesses supporting the aim of students and young people traveling the world to experience other cultures ﬁrst hand to better contribute in their future lives. They even offer work aboard: you can work as a surf instructor in Australia or at a café in France. The possibilities are endless. The only requirement with STA Travel is that you have a current student ID card, which increases the beneﬁts. STA Travel focuses on domestic travel as well. So if you’re thinking about a trip to New York to visit friends for a faction of the price, this might be the place for you.

So whether you choose to stay local or go international these to resource will ensure you have the best vacation ever with a faction of the price. Think of it as your reward for all the hard work you’ve done this past year. For Travel Zoo, check out http://travelzoo. com and be sure to sign up for e-mails! If you have more questions, you can easily reach them at their toll-free number, listed on their Web page, or visit the branch located in Palo Alto. For STA Travel, visit http://statravel.com. Remember the best summer you can have is only a click away. Happy adventures to all! LV Dakarai Mills is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact him at: dakaraimills@lavozdeanza.com

De Anza Voices: Where is the best place to travel in the summer? “College students love partying in Miami over the summer.”

“The best place to travel is any island, because they have great tropical weather.”

“Santa Cruz in the summer is fun because it is next to the beach.”

Enza Pham, 20

Samuel Haile, 19

Thien Le, 18

“Capitola has a great summer environment that is pretty.” Miliza Tadeo, 19 COMPILED BY DAKARAI MILLS/LA VOZ

MAY 26, 2009

FEATURES

Great steak for any occasion

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

REVIEWS

PAGE 7

Angels and Demons a bad nightmare Glendale Calmerin LA VOZ NEWS

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

Lashunda Leggett LA VOZ NEWS

Alexander’s Steakhouse in Cupertino is a little pricy but the quality of the food is excellent and the portions can feed a family. The bold flavor of the food is divinely overpowering and tastes fantastic. The Hamachi shot was served with fried ginger and scallions, a slice of red jalapeno, black sesame seeds, avocado, sprinkled with truffle oil and topped with micro wasabi greens but was a bit too salty. The ribeye was two pounds of amazingly tender and succulent steak. Toward the middle of the steak it was a bit chewy but still satisfying. The filet minion is savory, juicy and melts in your mouth. The sauce that accompanied the filet was a little too salty and compromised the quality of the steak. The truffle fries are the perfect side with your meal. Alexander’s also specially pairs champagne and red wine with your order to complement the flavors. Our server was attentive of our needs and made a point of asking us if we enjoyed our meals. I skipped dessert because of how large my plate was and left satisfied. Over all it was a great dinner and an awesome steakhouse for special occasions. I reccomend trying Alexander’s the next time your going to celebrate a birthday, holiday or just the company of someone special. LV

Local Japanese worth the stop

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

Lashunda Leggett LA VOZ NEWS

If you like Japanese cuisine, then you are going to love Miyake. There are two locations in the Bay Area, one on South De Anza Blvd. in Cupertino, and the other on University Ave. in Palo Alto. When I got there, the place was packed, and although the wait was a little long, it was worth every minute. As we waited, we got a chance to try some green tea, which was warm and refreshing. Since I heard salmon is a Miyake specialty, I had to try their Salmon Teriyaki and Tempura, both of which were good enough to die for. The salmon was juicy and teeming with flavor, although there may have been a few too many bones to pick (pun intended!). The tempura came out crispy, flavorful, and most importantly was not too greasy. It was also complemented nicely by some teriyaki dipping sauce. The next item I tried was the Sushi rolls. While I concede that they may have suffered from following the delicious precedent set by the salmon and tempura, the rolls were uninspired, and left something to be wanted. They did not seem fresh, and tasted generic. The same cannot be said for all of their rolls however. They did have notably good California rolls, which they call Bento. The Bento was well prepared, and like the salmon, was succulent and flavorful. They certainly qualify as some of the best California rolls I have ever had, and are definitely better than some of the other California rolls I have tried elsewhere. Lastly, their salad was nothing noteworthy, but was about as good as a generic salad possibly can be. Overall, Miyake offered a positive, enjoyable dining experience. The salmon and tempura more than made up for the sushi’s shortcomings, and the service was up to par. Our waitress was pleasant and attentive, and she periodically stopped by our table to make sure we were taken care of. LV Lashunda Leggett is a De Anza College student.

“Angels and Demons” revolves around an ancient about an Enlightenment-era secret society, the Illuminati and the Roman Catholic Church. Though the movie is about a mystery, it still has the typical chase scenes, exploding cars and excessive killing of an action flick. The two elements, mystery and action, bring the film to life but have little consideration for the audience. Dan Brown, who is known for his previous fictional thriller, “The Da Vinci Code,” also wrote “Angels and Demons.” Director Ron Howard whose resume includes such notable movies like “Frost/ Nixon,” “The Cinderella Man” and “A Beautiful Mind” brought both bestselling novels to the big screen. One of the aspects in the movie that I appreciated the most is the setting, Rome, Italy – the eternal city. The film brings amazing looking angels to life and precise details about ancient churches, vintage streets, and sculptures and paintings. However, Roman Catholic Church officials forbad production in the churches

causing the set producers to recreate most of the scenes in Los Angeles. Regardless of some filming obstacles, the overall production truly emphasizes the grand beauty of Rome. The plot may be the only annoying aspect to grasp about the movie, especially if you are not familiar with Roman Catholic history and beliefs. There is a little explanation about terms and events, but not enough to fully explain what is going on. Even paying full attention, you get lost in the film’s excessive information. The concept of religion versus science should have been explored and pronounced more in the movie. There was a short introduction about anti-matter that sparked a glimmer of hope on what might be the start of a good science thriller but failed to continue. The only scientiffic rhetoric in the movie was about the Illuminate and the development of anti-matter as a weapon. Thankfully, Tom Hanks’ character, Harvard Symbologist Robert Langdon, brings a logical view in the film by opposing the Church’s faith-based view. His wit and intelligence lightens up the mood of the movie. Camerlengo Patrick

McKenna, played by Ewan McGregor, bases his life on faith than Langdon bases his life on logic. McGregor’s usually sweet and likable personality shines through his character, making it impossible for anyone to dislike him. The end was somewhat horrendous and disappointing. The final plot twist that is becoming a modern characteristic of many mysteries was overwhelming. Similar to that of an M. Night Shyamalan movie, “Angels and Demons’” ending is likely to annoy more people than it entertain. The movie flowed, developed an idea and then totally destroyed it in the end, leaving the viewer in a whirl of confusion. Exactly how and why it ended the way it did is still a lingering question. But despite its pitfalls, “Angels and Demons” is worth wtaching again. The movie has a likeable cast and presents an enjoyable story line that may leave the audience with mixed feels of whether to love or hate the movie. LV Glendale Calmerin is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: glendalecalmerin@lavozdeanza.com

Oh No Not Stereo

“21st Century Breakdown”

Sandra Westdahl

James Chen

LA VOZ NEWS

With high-energy rock music and a poppy, up-beat sound, Oh No Not Stereo proves that their more than just another garage band with their latest album “003.” The album varies from rock songs to mellow ballads and on some tracks make you feel like you’re walking into Hollister or Abercrombie and Fitch. Another way of describing Oh No Not Stereo is to imagine a fusion between Greenday punk and Yellowcard’s catchy vocals. Band members Mykul Lee and Sky Nielsen make up the Los Angeles based duo established in 2003. Both of them play multiple instruments. Lee plays the piano, acoustic guitar and drums while Nielsen provides vocals, bass lines, keys and guitars. That’s what makes this band special. Lee and Nielsen belt-out a gutsy noises that sounds like there a five-man band. In 1993, Nielsen was in an all-terrain vehicle accident and lost the hearing in his right ear. However, “003” is a testament to how he has learned to master a life in mono. Many of the tracks on “003” are written by Nielsen except for a handful that are composed by Lee. PHOTO COURTESY GOOGLE IMAGES After listening to the lyrics, Oh No Not Stereo sings about the mundane hardships in life. In “Miss Hard Times” for example, Nielsen sings about the difficulty of being in a relationship and how hard communicating can be. Two songs especially stand out from the rest. “All You” has an energetic yet moderate beat that is easy to listen to and makes you want to play it over and over again. And the whistling track, “I Can’t Say,” has a distinctive and cheerful sound that’s fun to hear. Even though some songs outweigh the others, “003” is definitely worth the listen. Because the high quality music that Oh No Not Stereo delivers shows that they are a band to look out for in the future. “003” was released has 15 tracks and was released in January. LV

Green Day, the last of the modern punks, and the last to have been expected to put up even a symbolic fight, much less a full-on cultural war, apparently decided that it was time to stop being a slacker hanging out on their mother’s couch and do something. Incensed and outraged by the actions of the former president’s administration pushed them over the edge from nihilistic navelgazing, straight into the political roar that defined “American Idiot.” It seems as if that push over the edge was permanent, which is not at all a bad thing. While “American Idiot” was marked by unrestrained passion, “21st Century Breakdown,” their latest album released DATE, tempers that fire into a deliberate, steel monument to PHOTO COURTESY GOOGLE IMAGES the ideals of punk. Though both albums directly confront the political issues of their day, and both were originally conceived within George W. Bush’s presidential terms, “21st Century Breakdown” is more focused in its technical performance and more general in its message. Eighteen songs are tied into a loose narrative of teenage rebellion and social activism, divided into three acts and covering the life and evolution of lovers Christian and Gloria. The clash between Christian’s crisis of faith in God, nation and society (highlighted in the title track “21st Century Breakdown”) and Gloria’s desperate, restless activism (“Viva La Gloria”) against the poisons and despair of the political system (“Murder City”) is a multilevel rebuke against the shattered promises of this first decade of the twenty-first century, and an even stronger rebuke against the old-new adage that “punk is dead.” But the most surprising thing about Green Day’s newest foray into the frontlines of the ongoing cultural war is how good it sounds. “Know Your Enemy,” demands the album at the very start, amidst a militant percussion line and lunatic flag waving, a reckless and unfocused, but outspokenly passionate rally song. The chaotic drive of “Christian’s Inferno” opens up with a spoken-word rant of disillusion and malaise. The radio static intermingled into “East Jesus Nowhere,” opening the song with the line “and we shall see what a godless nation we have become,” is tinged with syncopated blues-rock, a gritty and overdriven avatar of that old punk spirit. This is not an album that lets you pick and choose amongst its songs. When iTunes and the RIAA has decreed this to be the age of singles, Green Day takes their rebellion further by making an album where any individual song would have been a smash-hit by any other band, but also one where you miss out on the sheer impact and sheer brilliant timing if you don’t hear it in context of the album’s entirety. Be you activist, punk, or a lover of good freaking music, this is not an album to miss. LV

Sandra Westdahl is a freelancer for La Voz Weekly.

James Chen is the technology editor for La Voz Weekly. Contact him at: technology@lavozdeanza.com

PAGE 8

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

MAY 26, 2009

CLASSIFIEDS

Couple Looking To Adopt View our website or contact our Adoption Agency at 800 877-OPEN or visit www.debbieandchrisjuco.com Complete Meal $6.50: Togo’s For DeAnza students, Staff Members. Complete Meal = Regular 6” Sandwich + Bag of Chips + 20 oz. Fountain Drink. Show your ID at Togo’s. 21267 Stevens Creek. Valid until June/30/09 (408) 517-0475 Sports writers/photographers needed for online sports magazine (www.sjsportsreport.com) San Jose Sports Report covers all SJ sports including the Sharks, Stealth, Sabercats, Giants, and many more. We are looking for writers/photographers to freelance for our staff. This is an unpaid position but will look great for your portfolio. We currently need beat reporters for SJSU Athletics throughout the year. Press passes are provided. If interested please e-mail us your clips and tell us why you want to write for our magazine. All inquiries should be sent to reza@sjsportsreport.com

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MAY 26, 2009

TECHNOLOGY

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

PAGE 9

TECHNOLOGY Issues & Reviews Techlifting the poor Technophilia

james CHEN Though our lifestyles in this twenty-first century is rife with massive social problems, one of the hardest things to discuss is that they are all problems of luxury. They are problems we can, literally, afford to have. But the absolute hardest thing to digest is that the daily struggles for so many are absolutely unnecessary. Not only do we easily produce more food than the entire human species needs at any one moment, but that there are even cheap and readily available solutions to the problems of fresh water and shelter. The side effect of the ongoing technological revolution isn’t just increasingly powerful computational devices and the rise of the iMedia revolution – what has been left in the massive wake of scientific progress has been the cheapening of the most fundamental necessities. From solar-powered ovens that cost just a handful of quarters to produce, and a single Benjamin Franklin to provide for an entire tribe, to the Australian development of powerfully efficient water filters that require just “terracotta clay, some used coffee grounds or tea leaves, a compliant cow and a match (Australia National University, 2005),” to the ongoing efforts to produce an easily raised and fully nutritional crop, capable of being grown in even the harshest environments. It is clear that the solution to humanity’s oldest and most intractable problems, short of death itself, seems to not only be within our grasp, but is sitting in our palms as we speak. It isn’t just a matter of what’s “right” or “just.” By letting people starve and suffer from preventable diseases, we are allowing a potential asset to our own survival to go to waste – our fellow human beings. Every individual dragged out of the mire of absolute poverty is another producer for our collective good, another mind to help tackle the problems of luxury, and another hand to help us when we, too, suffer environmental setbacks. At the very least, they will be yet another consumer – another one of the glowing-hot coals to stoke the accelerating engines of progress. It is imperative that we provide the fruits of our technological advances to all that need it, not just those that can afford it. It is imperative that we techlift the poor. LV James Chen is the technology editor for La Voz Weekly. Contact him at: technology@lavozdeanza. com

Students make music from code Bella Yashayev LA VOZ NEWS

De Anza College’s Electronic Music class is open to all students, even to those with no previous musical experience. The class teaches the students to edit musical pieces by using computer programs such as Garage Band and Logic. Students are introduced to basic studio techniques and use keyboard synthesizers to create music of various styles. Dan Mitchell has been teaching this class since 1980. Back then, the students would learn only the theo-

retical material in class, and would get to the music itself only much later. There was only one synthesizer and one recorder available at a separate lab. The students were shown how to use the tools, but were required to go to the lab, outside of their class hours, to work on their projects. “By the end of the term [the students] could barely start doing music,” said Mitchell. But the electronic music class looks very different today, as the software is becoming more powerful and more available to people.

Professor Dan Mitchell helps students realize musical aspirations via electronic music programs.

PHOTOS BY BELLA YASHAYEV [2] / LA VOZ

Digital programs help turn thoughts directly into music. Each student is working at his own workstation, and get to practice the techniques that are taught. Computers, said Mitchell, are a part of every musician’s training, and they are used by all music majors. Mitchell will soon add a comprehensive musicianship class to the lab. The electronic music class holds about 25 students, and will raise its cap limit to 30 next fall quarter. There is a big variety of students in the class, each coming from a different background, and some even with no previous musical experience. The students get to choose what kind of music they want to work on, and which sounds to add to it; the op-

tions seem endless. “It’s overwhelming, how many choices [there are],” said student William Martin. “There is a limited [amount] of things you can do but an infinite amount of sounds you can produces,” said Ashley Victoria Davis, another student in the class. Davis enjoys putting together the computer and the music as it “brings a new dimension to both.” The electronic music program is a three unit class, and it will be available again in the fall. LV Bella Yashayev is the opinions editor for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: opinions@lavozdeanza.com

De Anza Voices: What DJs do you listen to? “DJ Sammy,

“DJ Shadow,

Vicky Tran Liberal arts

Gabriel Lameli Undecided

DJS3RL, Khaled and Encore.”

“DJ Shadow and mostly anyone on KFJC.”

DJ Food, RJD2, Madlib.”

Evan Lloyd Undecided COMPILED BY LUCIE ASHLEY/LA VOZ

New game tough on novices Daniel Wakefield LA VOZ NEWS

SBK Superbike World Championship on Playstation 3 ( PS3) is a new game that sets the bar for technical racing games. It is aimed towards experienced gamers with knowledge of racing, but in some aspects it may be too complex. The graphics are definitely one of the game’s strong points. The flow of the track underneath the bike is exceptional, and the first person angles are very realistic and make you feel a part of the game. Staying on the bike, however, is extremely difficult and can become frustrating. Learning the intricacies

of riding a street bike in this game is almost as time consuming as riding a bike in real life. It takes getting used to, and if you are not prepared for a meticulous process, this game may not be for you. Once you have mastered staying on the bike, the game will then overwhelm you with options. There are twelve different teams to chose from among the plethora of customization choices. These options include 5 realism settings that begin with basic and move up to extreme. Then, if that wasn’t enough there are 15 individual settings that are exceedingly detailed and in depth. weight distribution, injuries and braking are just some of the options that allow for a

personalized feel to the game. SBK definitely uses physics and difficult maneuvering to make this a must for racing enthusiasts. The racing is difficult in any setting. Because of this it can become a daunting task to continue playing with enthusiasm. Players must be patient and learn every element of the game before taking their game play to the internet. Staying on the bike is one thing, maneuvering with precision in a race is another. Once you have mastered your individual options and staying upright hitting one of the 12 tracks shouldn’t be a problem. When playing SBK Superbike

World Championship, be prepared for many hours of failure. Only real motorcycle riders will pick up on the dynamics of SBK. SBK is not a user friendly game and if you are a newcomer to the world of street bike racing you should probably skip this one, unless you love losing money and becoming perpetually frustrated. For those who may have an understanding of street bikes this game will most definitely test your abilities and give you a greater appreciation of motorcycle racing. LV

Daniel Wakefield is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact him at: danielwakefield@lavozdeanza.com

MILESTONE

The official game of the Superbike World Championships will leave you feeling just as windblown as the real thing.

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LAVOZDEANZA.COM

OPINION & Editorial

La Voz Weekly

Editorial Board Kelly Truong Editor in Chief lavoz@fhda.edu

Dae Kim Multimedia Manager Amy Franklin A&E/Features Editor

Bella Yashayev Opinions Editor James Chen Technology Editor Lina Kwon Broadcast Editor Daniel Gamberg Web Editor Soheil Rezaee Associate Editor

Contributing Staff Lucie Ashley, Glendale Calmerin, Ernest Chavez, Isis Copeland, Adam Hanes, Mayumi Kurotsu, Joy Mann, Dakarai Mills, Takahiro Nei, Ed Pereira, Joel Seibert, Stephanie Shin, Joyce Sim, Daniel Wakefield, Shoko Yamagami

Business Staff Beth Grobman Faculty Adviser grobman@fhda.edu Walter Alvarado Lab Technician alvaradowalter@fhda.edu Reza Kazempour Business Manager

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About Us

La Voz Weekly is a First Amendment newspaper written and published by De Anza College students. La Voz Weekly is partially funded by the De Anza Associated Student Body and is printed with soy-based inks at Fricke-Parks Press. All rights reserved; no part of La Voz Weekly may be reproduced without permission. Phone: 408-864-5626 Fax: 408-864-5533 lavoz@fhda.edu www.lavozdeanza.com Room L-41 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd. Cupertino, CA 95014 Come to Room L-42 Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m. to attend the newspaper staff class.

Letters to the editor, submissions and press releases are welcome and can be submitted to: www.lavozdeanza.com/letters

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Staff editorials reflect the opinions of the majority of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author or the opinions of the La Voz staff. Opinions expressed by staff and contributors are the opinions of the individuals and not necessarily the opinion of La Voz Weekly.

De Anza needs emergency procedures

Not many would disagree that having a clear and concrete plan to deal with emergencies is a necessary thing. Rather, even if the usual litany of fires, earthquakes and political protests that occasionally sweep through a college isn’t enough to make the case, the human tragedies of Columbine High and Virginia Tech illustrate all too clearly the importance of having every student and teacher be on the same page when it comes to dealing with emergencies. Yet De Anza College’s students and faculty members seem to be not only clueless as to how to react to emergencies, but also quite indifferent to it. Nobody responded to the fire drill in the L quad two weeks ago, and the

AN OPINION BY THE LA VOZ WEEKLY EDITORIAL BOARD most alarming fact is that there were no repercussions for ignoring it. Although the administration has posted emergency information on the De Anza Web site, only few people at De Anza know how to behave in case of an emergency, and some of the guidelines are simply unhelpful. The instructions for dealing with a violent or criminal behavior state nothing but the obvious: call the police and help the police officers. This emergency information lacks answers as to what needs to be done in the interim to ensure safety. The doors at De Anza’s classrooms swing out, not in; it requires a faculty

member to expose him or herself to risk in order to lock it from external intruders. There are no emergency phone systems within the campus proper, and as the last fire drill clearly demonstrated, the college lacks even basic communication among its students and faculty as to what to do in the midst of such possible catastrophes. Although it is universally agreed that something should be done to prevent Virginia Tech’s recurrence, or Al DeGuzman’s infamous attempt to bomb De Anza in 2001, the ten years since Columbine’s tragedy has apparently led to only symbolic action by

our administrators to ensure the safety and welfare of De Anza students. It seems clear that more needs to be done. The distribution of thoroughly articulated emergency plans would be a good first step, but still insufficient. In order to prevent the chaos that catastrophe and violence will inevitably sow from overtaking De Anza in a moment of weakness, it is necessary for the college to implement and strictly enforce emergency drills so that all students and instructors will know what to do in the event of an emergency. It may disrupt classes and schedules for many students, but even one drill early into a new quarter can make the difference between a frightening ordeal and an outright tragedy. LV

UCs a better transfer solution than CSUs audreyBARKER

After two years of grinding through the basics of education at De Anza College, transferring to the University of California system offers more longterm bang for the buck. For most students, the choice between the UC and CSU systems is highly dependent upon achieving that happy balance between cost, prestige, campus environment and their chosen major. Although the 2008-2009 average fees for California State campuses is roughly $10,000 less than the average UC fees, the long-term advantages of a UC degree far outweigh the initial costs. These two higher education systems were designed with different academic missions, and their curriculum reflects their purpose. The UC undergraduate degrees are geared toward preparing students for graduate and professional programs, such as law, medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. The system’s more theoretical approach places a larger emphasis on research skills needed to get through a graduate program. The CSU system, on the other hand, was created as a network of “teaching colleges,” and is designed to prepare students for either graduate work or future employment in their chosen major. The programs are presented to students with a more hands-on

approach to a specific major. Although the theoretical and research based methods used by the University of California may seem too abstract and unfocused, in the long term, the approach of the UC system is more costeffective, because the methods learned can be applied to many different future life situations. For example, an English degree from a UC will teach the classic practical applications such as the work of famous authors, creative writing techniques and the history of literature written in English. Unlike the fiercely focused and career-oriented CSU system, UC courses will force the student to research and problem solve on a graduate course or pre-professional level. Even if the student decides not to pursue a graduate degree, these intensive research skills can enable a student to get a job within or outside their chosen undergraduate major. Another important factor to consider is the growing importance of a master’s degree. With the pool of four-year university graduates growing ever larger, the usefulness of an undergraduate degree is steadily shrinking. Since the mission of the University of California campuses

centers on preparing students for master’s and phD degrees, the overall education is more fruitful. Students are not only taught practical applications for their major, but also receive a post-undergraduate preparatory course curriculum. The UC campuses are not only recognized statewide, but also carry prestige throughout the rest of the country. This is an important factor to consider if the student wishes to seek employment outside of California. LV

Audrey Barker is a freelancer for La Voz Weekly.

ILLUSTRATION BY BRANDON SELPH /LA VOZ

Chronicles of a VTA veteran

Letters should be 300 words or less; letters more than 300 words may be edited for length. Letter content must not be libelous or intended to air personal grievances. La Voz does not guarantee that submissions and letters to the editor will be printed, nor does it guarantee coverage of events for which it receives press releases. La Voz reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for clarity in accordance with Associated Press writing style.

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MAY 26, 2009

near and dear to my heart but also the core of my existence. I’ve used public transportation in six states and seven countries, and I have mixed feelings about each.

lucieASHLEY

As someone who has been riding VTA buses for 10 years, I have a very strong opinion on public transportation. My mother put me on the bus for the first time with my sister when I was nine years old; before I knew it, I was Photo Reprints riding the bus home from school at Images published in least twice a week. La Voz Weekly or online at Once I went to high school, I http://www.lavozdeanza.com are available for purchase. Ten started riding the 70 bus line: a 30limited use digital images can be obtained for $20 or ten 8x10 or 45-minute ride to the east side of San Jose. These were the craziest bus prints for $25. Contact Business Manager Reza Kazempour to rides I’ve ever been on. In my four place an order. years of high school, VTA was the Additional Copies worst of all memories. The buses were The first copy of each issue poorly maintained and the drivers of La Voz Weekly is free to evwere poorly trained. I experienced bus eryone. Additional copies can be purchased through Business breakdowns, bus crashes, and even a Manager Reza Kazempour. bus evacuation. For my entire life, public transportation has been my only way to commute. It is therefore not just

Despite all the problems of the VTA system, compared to other states, California’s public transportation leads in cleanliness, timeliness, and good customer service. But California is falling behind in one thing: the accessibility of lines. The public transportation in the United States cannot compete with that of Canada, and definitely not that of Europe. In Germany, there is a national public transportation service, Der Deutsche Bahn. Its extensive bus, train and ferry lines make it possible to get almost anywhere in Germany with their service. This is exactly what our bus system needs. While VTA buses are mostly on time, they go incredibly slow and not always can they get you even close to where you need to be. There are areas in San Jose that completely lack any evidence of a wide transportation service. When I lived off Capital expressway in San Jose, I had to walk almost a mile to the light rail station, ride for 20 minutes to the Children’s Discovery Museum, then ride for an hour on the 23 just to get to De Anza. Now that I live in downtown San Jose, I ride for about ILLUSTRATION BY GALEN OBACK /LA VOZ an hour to get to school. When I tell

people how long my commute is, they cringe and don’t believe it. To me, this hour doesn’t seem so obscene. I’ve simply become so used to it that it longer affects me. There are so many things to do while on the bus for an hour: you can read, do homework, gossip with friends, meet new people, break into song with strangers and get lifelong advice from friendly bus drivers. I have been with the VTA long enough to have watched the ticket price rise from 80 cents to $1.75. I have seen the light rail expand all the way into the east side of San Jose. Public transportation is a factor in about 90 percent of the things I do. The VTA may have its faults, and though I complain about it endlessly, I could not get by without it. The VTA has always allowed me certain independence. The ability to get around to work, school, and friends is irreplaceable and taking three hours to get someplace is still getting someplace. LV Lucie Ashley is a reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at lucieashley@ lavozdeanza.com

MAY 26, 2009

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

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OPINION & Letters to the Editor What makes for the ideal professor?

miguelCASTANEDA

Have you ever hoped that the quarter would just end because you found the class and the professor too boring? I can tell you, I have had to endure unskilled professors many times, and I am sure I am not alone. So what makes a class more interesting and a professor more popular? From my experience attending De Anza College and various other colleges, I have learned some of the important attributes that should be in the ideal professor. To identify such professors, make sure to ask and answer the following question: Is the instructor responsive to students outside of class via e-mail, appointment or phone? This is important, because not everyone feels comfortable asking questions in class, but many do need further clarification. Does the professor have a professional demeanor with appropriate professional attire? This reflects credibility and shows that the class is important enough to command

professional attention. Does the professor have a good balance in combining traditional lecture as well as current technology? Visuals, like PowerPoint presentations, can be a great aid in lectures, but overusing these kinds of visuals can also limit active participation of students and put people to sleep. Does the instructor have an adequate experience in subject being taught? Professors with firsthand experience in their field are a great resource for students; it makes the instructor more knowledgeable in the topic he is teaching, which helps challenge his students. Is the instructor dynamic and passionate about his subject? The professor’s enthusiasm rubs off on students and makes class more enjoyable. Does the professor help students save money on course costs without compromising on the quality of the course materials? The use of eBooks, books on reserve or the use of

a course textbook, supplemented with lecture material can help students manage the high costs of education. Does the instructor offer resources outside of class to further students’ understanding and information retention? From my experience as a teaching assistant, students have different methods of learning. Incorporating different methods helps guarantee that the learning process is effective for all students. Can the professor actively get participation from most students in class? This helps gauge whether information taught is clearly understood. Does the professor challenge the students who wish to be challenged? The ability to provide honors credit or advanced learning opportunities can dramatically help students and prepare them for their future careers. Is the professor understanding of student emergencies, but fair and consistent to all other students on deadlines? Things happen in life, and it should not be a reason to dramatically

effect a student academic career. But the professor shouldn’t allow students to abuse flexibility, and he should remain consistent in the grading policies. Does the professor has a sense of humor but does not overdo it? Humor is always good to liven up a room. It makes a class more enjoyable, but it shouldn’t be exaggerated. Does the professor accept being wrong and encourage students to actively question information presented? Professors make mistakes, but they must be open to alternate opinions and interpretations from students. Students who are passionate enough about a subject to question the professor should be rewarded. Hopefully, professors will consider these attributes I have touched on, and this will make learning a more enjoyable and rewarding experience. LV Miguel Castaneda is a freelancer for La Voz Weekly.

In-class essays vs. take-home essays mayumiKUROTSU Although I enjoy writing, I find essays annoying. And in-class essays are the worst of all. Some professors allow students to take essays home, giving them a week or more to complete the assignment. Other professors prefer to give in-class essays instead of exams. The week of final exams is the time with most in class essays assigned than during any other time, and it makes me feel depressed. I prefer to do take-home essays, because inclass essays create a lot of stress and. The limited time makes me feel rush, and while other classmates finish the essay and leave the classroom earlier, I begin to feel left out. The feelings of frustration are not productive, and only make writing worse. I believe that students can write better essays when they take it home. This way, they can allocate some time to research the topic. They can stop at any stage of the writing process to find more information or brainstorm new ideas to support their thesis. The better the topic is researched, the deeper analysis will be. When writing essays at home, students can take a break if they become tired. A cup of coffee and some chocolate will make freshen up a tired brain and create new ideas. Taking a short nap can also be very helpful. Some researchers insist that short naps help people work more efficiently, but in an in-class

essay, time is running out, so napping isn’t an option. The most valuable advantage of take-home essays is that it gives enough time to edit the paper. It’s very likely that the first draft will have some mistakes, and editing is the most important part of the writing process. That’s why editors are always in charge in the publishing industry. If students are not confident with their writing they can always access the Writing and Reading Center, and ask for help from a tutor, who can correct the sentence structures, grammar, spelling, thesis statement and bring the essay to a higher level. But you can’t rush to the WRC while you are writing an in-class essay. And the final great advantage of in-class essays — you don’t have to go to the bookstore and stand in line to buy a blue book! LV Mayumi Kurotsu is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: mayumikurotsu@ lavozdeanza.com.

shokoYAMAGAMI Writing essays is what students can’t escape in college and universities. If you had the option of choosing between an in class essay or a take home essay, which would you choose? I choose to write essay in class. I don’t understand why do people hate in class essays; they have many advantages over the take home essays. First of all, when there are in class essay, we don’t have to carry the though about writing for a whole week or, maybe, even longer; it will be done in just two hours. When working on essays at home, we tend to write, rewrite, revise and edit our essays for a very long time, and put much into it. Sometimes

Shoko Yamagami is a staff reporter for La Voz Weekly. Contact her at: shokoyamagami@ lavozdeanza.com.

ILLUSTRATIONS [2] BY GALEN OBACK /LA VOZ

Letters to the Editor De Anza is a lively college

De Anza is a remarkable college, and has a good reputation among the other California Community Colleges. Recently an art installation representing those who lost their lives in the war in Iraq was placed in the main quad. The art was getting a lot of attention from the students. Everybody pauses to look at the art exhibit and sometimes take a picture of it. Even some flowers were placed there. This shows that De Anza students really appreciate art. I believe De Anza should

make exhibit like this more often. Students like having something new on their campus. Every time there is an activity on campus, students become excited and the campus seems livelier. I just want to say good job for those people who had work behind the screen because they successfully make De Anza College so lively. Harianto Herdman Business Management, 19

Internships should accept international students

De Anza-Foothill Colleges’ internship program is really beneficial to students. The program offers many internships

we may have to stay awake for the entire night just to rewrite the essay. That’s just painful. Also, teachers tend to grade in class essays a lot easier than take home essays, since it is expected that the quality produced in one or two class periods will not be near the quality that can be produced in an entire week. So the professor’s grading is based on how well can the student organize the information in the essay in just a couple of hours. No teacher will expect you to write ten pages research paper in class, since we don’t have the resources available. Take home essays, on the other hand, tend to be longer, and require works cited. When writing in class essays we are not required to do any peer editing, which often are counted as part of the grade in take home essays. In class essays are only to be read by professors, this way you also save the embarrassment of bad criticism. Some instructors tell students what is the topic the in class essay beforehand, giving them a chance to prepare for it. They can brain storm ideas at home and make a draft, which will give them an advantage when writing the essay in class. This will produce a much better paper, while the professor’s expectation remain low. Sometimes students are allowed to bring an outline to work with. That’s such a nice idea; if we practice writing the essay at home and bring the outline to class, there won’t be any easier essay in the world, right? I know that in-class essays make many students nervous and anxious. But essays are painful, whether you do them at home or in class. The only difference is the duration of your misery. LV

with various positions and at numerous companies. I personally have a few friends who joined summer internships through De Anza internships’ program and said that working as interns was a good learning experience. They learned to be more organized, responsible. They said that becoming interns was one of the best things they have ever done. When I heard that I could do an internship at NASA — which has been my dream since childhood — I researched the internship and was very sad to find out I was not eligible for an internship because I am not a United States citizen or resident.

I am an engineering major. It would have made me happy to work for NASA, but I couldn’t. De Anza College has a big population of international students who would really benefit from internships, if they were made available. It is to my regret that companies barely offer internships for non-U.S. residents. However, since De Anza is such a great community college, surrounded by many companies and corporations, I hope that those seeking new interns will decide to give an opportunity to some well- qualified students who are not U.S. residents or citizens. Valery Thang-Long Nguyen

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C A F E T E R I A

LAVOZDEANZA.COM

MAY 26, 2009

WHAT’S COOKING?

monday

tuesday Cream of Mushroom

NO SCHOOL

Margarita

MEMORIAL DAY

Spring Greens Salad Southwestern Fusili

wednesday Minestroni Hawaiian Ham & Pineapple & Green Peppers Szechwan Beef Salad California Fettucine

thursday

friday

Broccoli & Cheddar Mortadella Italian Sausage, Artichoke Hearts, Peppers, Pesto and Caesar Southwestern Chicken Brocolli Bow Tie Pasta

New England Clam Chowder Chef’s Choice

Grilled Tuna w/ Wasabi Butter, Grilled Vegetables and Garlic Bread

Every Thursday, we will be hosting a new grill special design for those who enjoy the simplicity of grilled fish. The emphasis is on a creation out of the norm.