3 11 2014 cayuga collegian ISSUE 16

Collegian Cayuga Community College Auburn & Fulton, New York

www.cayugacollegian.com

Vol. 60 Issue 16

Workers’ unions unite at Cayuga-CC

CAYUGABriefs CCC BB player named to NJCAA Region III Team

National Criminal Justice Month

PHOTO BY ROBERT FRAME

by James Granger, Staff Writer Spartan Forward Zaki Thomas has been named to the NJCAA Region III Team. Thomas was the top scorer for the Spartans this year averaging 19.1 points per game in 27 games this season.

Zaki Thomas While leading the Spartans in scoring this year, Thomas also lead the team by averaging 8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. He was also an allconference team selection for the MidState Athletic Conference this season.

Congratulations Zaki, the Spartans and CCC campus look forward to you having an even better 2014-2015.

Cayuga Community College students work together to create the scenery for Harlequin Productions of CCC’s spring play, “The Draper’s Eye” by Fengar Gael. The show premieres this week with performances in the College’s Irene A. Bisgrove Community Theater on the Auburn Campus, March 1315 and March 20-22. Curtain time is 8 p.m. Tickets are $1 for students and $5 for the public. The cast includes: Kate Jordan as Penelope, Becky White as Portia, Ashley Cornelius as Georgette, Megan Schwartzwalder as Rachel, Lexie Tucker as Katrina, Evander Hummer as Siegfried, Chris Dent as Nathan, Ed Gould as Julian.

March 12th:

Professional Day Fair PHOTO BY ROBERT FRAME

Place: Front lobby area on Auburn Campus

Time: 10 am – 2 pm held by the Criminal Justice Department and the CJ Club

Danielle Skowron Editor-in-chief

Mondays & Wednesdays: 11 - 11:50 am Tuesdays & Thursdays: 10 - 12:20 pm

Brittany Glassey Associate Editor

Mondays: 11 - 2 pm Wednesdays: 11 - 1:30 pm Fridays: 11 - noon

Mary G. Merritt Faculty Advisor

Most Tuesdays: 10 - 10:50 am Most Wednesdays: noon - 1:30 pm

EMAIL: cayugacollegian@gmail.com

PHOTO BY ROBERT FRAME

by Nick Harris, contributing writer

OFFICE HOURS:

March 11, 2014

A union for adjuncts?

by Christine Jackson, Staff Writer

What is an Adjunct?

An adjunct professor in one who instructs part-time or in a temporary capacity at a college or university. According to Adjunctnation. com, colleges in the United States employ hundreds of thousands of part-time instructors in an effort to control costs. Community colleges like CCC employ adjuncts in large numbers, in part because of tight state budgets. The goal of obtaining a full-time tenured teaching position is becoming increasingly elusive for educators.

Many are finding themselves picking up classes with multiple colleges in order to make ends meet at home or finding a balance between a full-time job in another sector of the work force with a part-time teaching position.

The Adjunct Conundrum Adjunct professors are considered the “working poor of academia.” They are rarely if ever paid a living wage and in many cases are never offered tenure with the institutions they work for. Tenure for an adjunct means being awarded a permanent position as a teacher or professor. Tenure to an educator means access to health benefits and better pay. The conflict that many adjuncts face is the lack of pay parity, the concept of equal pay for equal work.

Rather than pay parity existing between tenured and adjunct instructors, pay equity is the principle applied to instructors’ pay.

CONTINUED PAGE 3

The new group, United Cayuga Professionals, will present a unified message to the College’s administration and community.

by Kelsey Mclean, staff writer The collective unions of CCC have united to form “United Cayuga Professionals” this week, a plan long in the making. The group combines the four unions of the college, including the Faculty Association, the Administrative Professionals Group, the Educational Support Professionals, and the American Federation of State, into a united front to promote communication and teamwork between the groups.

The group came out of concern that the groups infighting with each other in the face of another financial fallout. Last year, during the school’s tenuous budget crisis, the college faced many frustrations as staff needed to be cut. The unions worked against in each other in hopes of defending their own members.

Now, with one group, the faculty of CCC can support each other and face challenges as one.

So far the group has been very positive and optimistic about their hopes to unite the unions. “Our intention is to get all the employees of the College working together as a larger unit to make a better place for our students and for our employees,” says Doug Brill, founding member and member of the Administrative Professionals Group. And it seems like the sentiment is shared.

Despite being so new, the group has already started to see success, as founding member E. Bruce Walter has relayed that the Board of Trustees has agree to put a representative of each group on the committee charged with searching for a new president.

Here’s to a new outlook on life for the United Cayuga Professionals, and here’s hoping they pave the way for unity and teamwork in the CCC.

O P I N I O N S Like Adventure? Take BIO 213

by Kelsey Mclean, staff writer

We’ll see you in April...

DANIELLE SKOWRON

Some of the member of The Collegian Staff are gearing up to head to New York City this week to attend the College Media association convention! This is an amazing opportunity for the staff attending.

They will spend 3 days

in workshops learning how to better their careers in journalism. The paper is saying “ta ta for now” seeing that we won’t have an issue until after spring break. But! I invite you to help us write our spring break stories! Please send us in your best spring break moment, and who knows, maybe you’ll see it in the paper! Until next time, readers.

—Danielle Skowron, editor-in-chief

To the editor...

Bye, Respect. Hello Pedophile....? Why our slightly professional college paper isn’t good enough.

I picked up an old copy of The Collegian last week out of boredom but after flipping through only a few pages, I noticed some unsettling images. On one panel was a cluster of several pictures, including two that showed off very little, if any, taste. The photos only appeared to be vulgar, these strangely timed snapshots were supposed to be harmless because they looked vulgar without being entirely inappropriate. I didn’t think they were funny at all; in fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say publications like that make us look like a joke of a college.

The first “eye trick” showed what looked like a naked woman posing for a photo while holding her crotch. (EDITOR’S NOTE: THE WOMAN WAS NOT NAKED OR TOUCHING ANY CROTCHES). Typical drunk college girl, right? As a feminist, that is not how I want to be represented. I try not to cry “SEXIST” every five seconds but this deserves it. Sexism, plain and simple. This is the twenty-first century, get a hold of yourselves.

The severe offender was the second photo, which pictured a man standing on a pier next to three small girls, exposing himself. (EDITOR’S NOTE: THE MAN IN THE PHOTO WAS NOT EXPOSING ANYTHING ON HIS PERSON--IT WAS ANOTHER CHILD’S ARM).

This was literally making a joke out of a grown man aroused at the sight of three pre-pubes-

Love the outdoors? Love nature in general?

Maybe just need some quick credits? Then the Biology and English wings have just the course for you! They’re promoting BIO 213, The Natural and Human History of the Adirondacks, and ENGL 239, Nature and the American Imagination, culminating in a week at the Adirondacks for three whole credits. The week will take place at the SUNY Cortland Raquette Lake Facility and will include canoeing, kayaking, and hiking in the gorgeous mountain range. It’s 650$ for room and board...but a $100 deposit is required by May 1st, so don’t twiddle your fingers until the last minute! The trip will take place from June 22nd to 27th, though there will also be an online component from May to June, so don’t think you can sign up and slack off.

If you’re interested, make sure to contact Shelia Myers at shelia.myers@cayuga-cc. edu. She’ll be more than happy to answer all your questions on the trip, the cost, and the course. And remember, have fun!

cent swimsuit-clad girls. So pedophiles are funny now? It would be disgusting even on the Internet; it has absolutely no place in a college newspaper “You’re overreacting” was what I expected my peers to say when I showed them the pictures and expressed my uneasiness to them.

I got quite the opposite reaction, with them agreeing with me, even encouraging me to complain about it to the editor. One student told me: “If it was a racist joke, there’s no way in hell that would have made it past the editor.

But people think it’s okay to be gross.” Another blatantly said “That’s F****** disgusting.” I couldn’t agree more.

As a tiny college, our newspaper doesn’t represent much, but would you hand that paper to say, The Governor? What about the president?

If we had any sense we would burn them all in a pile out back before welcoming any significant individual into our college. If we can’t take ourselves seriously, how can we expect anyone else too?

We are being misrepresented and are owed an apology. I highly doubt that the editor I sent this too will have the guts to publish me in his newspaper that I just spent the last two pages insulting; if this does by some miraculous chance make it to the printer I will accept that as an apology of the offensive content that was published and as a vow that future content will be published with a heightened sense of awareness.

-ANONYMOUS

Former student editor-in-chief defends The Collegian The Cayuga Collegian has been a staple of Cayuga Community College for 60 years. It is student-run and student-wrote and it serves humbly as the voice of the student body. I was honored to serve as its Editor-in-chief in pursuit of making it the best newspaper I possibly could, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the guidance of Mary Gelling Merritt and help from my writers.

One of those writers, Danielle Skowron, serves as the Collegian’s Editor-in-chief this year. She is more than capable and has done a great job so far. I have no doubt that the integrity of the newspaper remains intact.

However, it has come to my attention that the December 11th 2013 issue of the Collegian has been called into question by a member of the student body for photos that were obvious optical illusions. Could these photos have been mistaken for something much, much worse? Of course! That’s why they are called “eye tricks.” Most of us are shocked and then we laugh and turn the page. The collage is entitled “…something funny” for a reason.

Not this student. Oh no, this student thought it was her sacred duty to take that section of the Collegian and post it on the Tel-

com bulletin board, out of context mind you, without the college or Steve Keeler’s permission. That isn’t very “professional.”

This student called the Collegian “slightly professional.” Okay, I’ll give that to her, The Collegian isn’t the New York Times. If you want a copy of The Grey Lady, you can probably still pick one up at the newsstand outside the President’s Office. This is a college newspaper. A newspaper that has always taken itself and its readership seriously. It is hard work to put this paper together as I can attest to, and if you want a voice then I suggest that you write for The Collegian instead of this misguided attempt at critical analysis.

I couldn’t end my piece without mentioning this ironic bit.

“I highly doubt that the editor I sent this too will have the guts to publish me in his newspaper…” the student said.

As a self-described “feminist,” perhaps you could have a weekly column in The Collegian highlighting women’s issues in Cayuga County, New York State, or elsewhere. Your first column could be how wrong it is to jump to conclusions in stating that places of power are held by men.

-Alec Rider, CCC Class of ‘13 Former Collegian Editor-in-Chief

Have an idea for a news story? Just email your thoughts to cayugacollegian@gmail.com.

Dear Anonymous, I appreciate any feedback that The Collegian gets, good or bad. It shows that people are picking up our paper and reading it. But, this is in no way an apology. First off, I am editor-in-chief here at The Collegian, and I am a girl. Our Faculty advisor is a girl, as well.

So I’m not exactly sure where you got that it was “His paper.” I’m proud of The Collegian and all the work that I myself do and that the staff members do as well. What was unfair in your letter that you posted on the Telcom bulletin board, (without college posting approval, may I add), was that you did not put the

whole feature into your letter. At the very top of the feature we put “Photos that will make you look twice.” Photos like the ones that you are complaining about are all over the Internet. I promise you, you have seen worse. The Collegian did not put these photos into the paper with an ill intent. We work hard at The Collegian bringing you a paper every week.

We are very proud of the work that we do. The Collegian will continue to have the “Something Funny” feature.

Sincerely, -Danielle Skowron, Collegian Editor-in-Chief

STAFF SARAH DRISCOLL - AUBURN JIM GRANGER - AUBURN

Kudos to CCC’s Nursing Program New full tuition scholarship unveiled

by Kelsey Mclean, staff writer Everyone worries about taking a big test. They probably worry even more about doing it well. Now imagine trying doing it perfectly, then doing it three times in a row.

Well, CCC’s own nursing program has done just that, passing all of their students through the nursing exam 100% for the third year straight. All of are grade-A bonafide nurses now, thanks to their dedication, innovation, and devotion to their students. This is quite a feat, as the state average is 87% , and the national average is only 71%.

The head of the program, Linda Alfieri, owes their success and high acclaim to their rigorous coursework, hard-working staff, and their excellent internship

program. The program also prides itself on being on the cutting edge of educational technology, implementing online courses, smart boards, and always staying in touch with their students with whatever means necessary. They even have a starting prep course to teach their students good testtaking, studying, procedure, and how to handle the stressful nature of being a nurse... and a nursing student!

As you can see, CCC’s nursing program has certainly earned its pedigree as being one of the best in the state. And how does Alfieri feel about next year? “I eagerly await yet another perfect year.” Now that’s dedication!

Need help? Try www.cooplearn.com

by James Granger, staff writer Today’s college students are busy between work, classes, clubs and other obligations. These can become obstacles to completing socializing, homework and studying. Now there is a new website students can go to for collaborative learning, homework, study groups and social networking with friends. This new web site is www.cooplearn.com.

The website started in January by Bassil Eid and other partners. When asked what inspired him and his co-founders to start this website Eid remarked, “The website was made so students could have more study, social and learning opportunities to help relieve stress college students feel everyday.”

The website was designed and developed in just 18 months. When venturing into cooplearn.com the site will state its main feature, “Studyrooms,” where the

student is constantly in contact with his/her friends/classmates to complete assignments, review past exams, share notes, ask questions and much more.

“We believe school should be a social activity with your friends. It should not be stressful, difficult and especially not a waste of money,” Eid said. “The site also has a feature so students who use the site can leave suggestions to better improve it.”

The reception has been very good and Eid encouraged CCC students to try the website and leave feedback.

The website is free to sign up for and does not feature any pop up advertising.

So if you are having a tough time studying, keeping in touch with friends, or even trying to schedule the ever difficult study group, then go to www.cooplearn.com. to see what the site has to offer.

A union for adjuncts?...CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

Cayuga Community College has launched a new full-tuition scholarship. The Cayuga Presidential Scholarship program, funded by the Cayuga County Community College Foundation, Inc., was established to reward outstanding students in Cayuga and Oswego Counties. Students from Jordan-Elbridge and Skaneateles high schools are also eligible.

To be eligible for these full-tuition scholarships, students must graduate in the top 20 percent of their high school class based on academic performance. Students who meet the criteria and are full-time, first-time enrollees to college will be awarded the scholarship until all funds are exhausted. The Foundation has allocated $100,000 for the 2014-2015 academic year and $200,000 for 2015-2016.

The amount awarded to each recipient will vary in relation to any grants awarded to the student through the federal Pell grant program and/or New York’s Tuition Assistance Program and any other Foundation scholarships. To remain eligible for the scholarship for a maximum of four semesters, recipients must maintain full-time status each semester and attain a 3.0 GPA each year.

Initiatives such as this reflect one facet of the Foundation’s mission to enhance and provide assistance for educational and other related programs of the College by creating student scholarships, establishing new programs, purchasing current equipment, renovating classrooms to incorporate new learning tech-

nologies and complementing the College’s operating budget in ways that improve service to the community.

“Attracting high performing students to Cayuga has many advantages,” said Dr. Gregory DeCinque, Cayuga’s interim president. “While the scholarship recognizes and rewards students for consistently demonstrating strong academic performance, it also brings students to Cayuga who are often part of honors programs, student government and other leadership positions. These students serve to raise the academic bar for everyone and help improve persistence to graduation.”

“Cayuga Community College is consistently given high marks by its graduates. In fact, 90 percent of the most recent graduating class said Cayuga helped them to reach their educational goals,” said Jeffrey Hoffman, executive director of the Foundation. “The Foundation feels strongly about making a Cayuga degree financially attainable for as many students as possible. This scholarship program is a platform to attract and reward the brightest students in our neighboring communities and allow them to realize their academic objectives without the added worry of finances and debt.”

To apply for the scholarship, submit a completed application, a high school transcript, and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For more information, call 1 (866) 598-8883 or e-mail admissions@cayuga-cc.edu

A union for adjuncts?...CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE Pay equity calls for what is fair and as adjunctnation.com points out, what is fair is open to interpretation. An illustration of the difference in pay equity and pay parity exists in the state of California. As a result of negotiation between state leaders and teacher’s unions, $57 million dollars in equity pay was allocated to the 38,000 part-time instructors in California. When the money was distributed was distributed the specs for pay equity was negotiated by local leaders and rather than pay equity being calculated at 100 percent, it “was defined as 58 percent of what a full-time faculty member earned.”

The recently imposed regulations of the Affordable Care Act or as it is more commonly known, Obamacare, have caused many institutions to place limits on the number of classes that an adjunct can teach in an effort to avoid providing health care coverage for part-time instructors. The trends to do so has become common place amongst larger employers who are now required by the Act to provide coverage for employees who work 30 or more hours a week. As a result the federal government has set guidelines for determining the “reasonable” way that adjuncts hours are calculated. Unfortunately that hasn’t meant that adjuncts are being offered with health care coverage or a return to the number of hours that were available to them.

Will 2014 be the Year of the Adjunct?

One of the primary unions that is going to bat for adjunct instructors is the Service

Employees International Union. The union boasts approximately 2.1 million members and is still growing. The power of SEIU is growing everyday and colleges are beginning to feel the pressure. The reaction of some colleges and universities is to oppose the adoption of a union by its instructors. Some institutions have gone as far as sending out emails to part-time faculty that allude to the potential negative impacts that unionizing could have on their positions. The unions and the adjuncts who make the decision to join them aren’t backing down.

Testing the Waters at CCC The United Cayuga Professionals committee was formed this past fall on the CCC campus as a result of the state of financial emergency declared by the college’s Board of Trustees which resulted in a staff reduction. The committee is made up of members from the Faculty Association, Administrative Professionals Group, Educational Support Professionals and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

There was heated debate in regard to the announcement as $1.2 million in surplus funds had been announced by both the president and chief fiscal officer of CCC in 2013. The faculty at the time was willing to take a 4% reduction in pay as a result of the announcement. Now that the validity of that announcement is thought to be null, it is very likely that a misled and disgruntled faculty will be moving toward the adaptation of an adjunct union.

ATTENTION: TRANSFERRING GRADS The following commencement awards have an approaching application deadline. To be considered, students can obtain applications from the Financial Aid office in Auburn and Fulton, the Cayuga County Community College Foundation office in Auburn, or from the College website: ACC/CCC Alumni Association Award: $450 Awarded to a graduate who will be transferring to a four-year institution, having completed at least 62 credit hours while maintaining a 3.0 average at Cayuga.

Applicants must meet eligibility criteria as per the application form. Application deadline is March 31 of the year in which the student plans to graduate. http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/pdf/commencement_awards/graduate_ student.pdf Ruth Edwards Carpenter Memorial Award: $8,000 Awarded to a graduate who intends to continue his/her education at Syracuse University in the field of medicine or health related areas of study and who has demonstrated academic excellence in his/ her field. Application deadline is April 15 of

the year in which a student plans to graduate. http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/pdf/commencement_awards/carpenter.pdf Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Ganey Business Award: $466 Awarded to a graduating Cayuga County resident who has completed all requirements for a degree in Business Administration or Accounting, has been accepted at a four-year college or university, and has given evidence of participation in community service and/or work. Application deadline is May 1 of the year in which a student plans to graduate. http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/pdf/commencement_awards/ganey_ business_award.pdf Thomas F. Steenburgh Memorial Award: $1,425 Awarded to a graduate transferring to a four-year institution who demonstrates strong academic potential and who possesses and best exemplifies those special qualities that made Professor Steenburgh a charismatic teacher and individual, i.e., sense of humor, personal integrity, strong work ethic, and exuberance for life. Application deadline is April 15 of the year in which a student plans to graduate. http://www.cayuga-cc.edu/pdf/commencement_awards/steenburgh.pdf

Staff honored for years of service 35+ Years

Thomas J. Casella Robert M. Frame William P. Lovell Linda A. Rooker Gregory L. Szczepanski Susan C. Wolstenholme

30+ Years

Henry A Spang Susan C. Witmer

C3 Video releases new DVD

by Brittany Glassey, Staff Writer Cayuga Eats is the newest video from C3 video. “Cayuga Eats!-Great Places to Eat and Drink in Cayuga County” features eight local restaurants, shops, and wineries throughout Cayuga County.

Students and instructors paired with the Cayuga County Office of Tourism to put together this latest project.

C3 Video is a student-run video and film production company dedicated to teaching production and entrepreneurship skills to media and Telcom students here at CCC. “The class saw a need in Cayuga County for a video series of places to eat that could be used for tourists,” said Steve Keeler, Telcom Department Director.

They looked at unique places while

putting together the videos, places include Elderberry Pond in Auburn where it’s a organic farm to table experience. Also featured is Hunter’s Dinerant in Auburn for that classic American diner feel. Places spread all over Cayuga County from north to south. The videos are available to watch on Youtube, on the Office of Tourism website and also on a DVD, that they say will be given out to tour operators.

“The projects are very professionally done it’s a great example of how good a job students can do and how dedicated they are,” said Keeler.

Other projects from C3 Video include “The Sweet Treat Trail” and “When Chocolate Filled the Air.”

25+ Years

Linda L. Alfieri Margaret A. Devereaux Cheryl A. Foster Kathy A. Gross David L. Harbaugh Donald Lawler Steven R. Keeler Lyman A. Lucas Cynthia M. Maloney Stanley L. Swizdor Gerald R. Warner Christie G. Waters

20+ Years

David Aberant John B. Campbell Charles Cook Jacqueline DeBagio Maryanne Felter Jill T. Gage Joan Graceffo Kathy Gubbins Penelope S. Herrling Kelly M Jennings Michael H Jennings John Lamphere Michael G Marano Loraine Miller Ralph Murray Patricia A. Powers-Burdick William Prosser Karen A. Thomas-Lillie Diana E. Valdina Edward J. Wagner

15+ Years

Charle Augello Rosanne Bourke Brian Clancy Jacqueline M. Darquea Susan M. Dungey Christine M. Feeney Marilyn Fuller Patricia Gridley Carolyn L. Guariglia Patricia Hamberger JoAnn Harris Teresa R. Hoercher Terry R. Jones Wade Lambert Norman Lee Linda M. MacKay Mary G. Merritt Mark L. Montgomery Mary Pierce Dorothy K. Schlappi Eugenia B, Siracuse Carolyn Stevenson Vickie A. Swizdor Robert A. Szczepanski

Have an idea for a news story? Just email your thoughts to cayugacollegian@gmail.com.

Our Collegian advisor, Mary G. Merritt, received a pen for her 15+ years of service to Cayuga Community College.

The Academy Awards didn’t disappoint

by Brittany Glassey, Staff Writer The Oscars were a night of surprises, sparkles, and laughs. The usually boring and dragged on three and half hour show was livened up with host Ellen DeGeneres.

Before the show even started social media was blowing up with talk about the nights big event.

The red carpet was a sea of gorgeous dresses. The most gorgeous dress of the night was hands down the worn by best supporting actress winner Lupita Nyong’o. Jennifer Lawrence also was stunning in her red custom made Dior gown and her $2 million Neil Lane backwards necklace. Jennifer Lawrence was also the first star to have twitter buzzing as she fell moments after stepping onto the carpet and host DeGeneres was sure to mention the slip in her opening monologue also recalling Lawrence’s infamous trip at last years Oscar’s as she walked up to the stage to accept her award. At least both falls were graceful.

Ellen brought entertainment to what had the potential to be very boring night for

viewers from her opening monologue to the last minutes. She even fed the audience pizza and yes, they actually ate it. Ellen also broke the record for most re-tweets before the show even ended with what is now the most famous ‘selfie’.

Inspiring speeches were a common theme for the night. Most winners’ speeches included inspiring messages about never forgetting your dreams and never giving up on them.

Winners of the night included Jared Leto who went from rock star to movie star and now Oscar winner. Lupita Nyong’o and Matthew McConaughey.

The night also included performances of best original song. Pharrell had the audience dancing with his nominated song Happy however the Oscar ended up going to Let It Go from Frozen.

Social media was going crazy the whole night ad thanks to host Ellen the Oscars are no longer a bore so until next year.

GET INVOLVED! The Cayuga Collegian is always looking for more staff members.

Email us at cayugacollegian@gmail. com to join!

You can also earn credits while writing articles for Cayuga Community College’s student-run, award-winning newspaper by registering for Telcom 204 this spring!

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