VOLUME 48 ISSUE 5
AGORA
February 10, 2006
MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Smoking creates conflict at MCCC Ashley Braden Assistant Editor Smokers at Monroe County Community College (MCCC) can currently light up virtually anywhere on the outdoor campus, but this may be changing at both the main campus and Whitman Center in the near future. Last November, a campus climate survey was sent to faculty and staff asking whether or not they supported a smoke free campus. 38% said yes.
The Health & Safety Committee at MCCC, however, determined that a completely smoke-free campus would not be feasible at this time because it would be taking too big of a step too quickly. With that decision, a subcommittee was formed to brainstorm alternatives to a total banishment of smoking on college grounds. The subcommittee has met twice thus far and has outlined the concerns on smoking at MCCC. With all the information and opinions they have gathered
from smokers, non-smokers, students, employees, and groundskeepers, they have made a recommendation to designate certain “smoking areas” throughout the MCCC campus. Should this proposal be approved, smokers will be required to have their cigarettes in one of the committee’s selected areas. These areas would be strategically placed throughout the grounds to make it comfortable enough for nonsmokers but convenient enough for smokers who only have a
Foreign exchange students join regulars on campus Ines Rutz Reporter Maybe you have already recognized that there are some new faces at Monroe County Community College (MCCC). It could be that they are looking a little bit lonely or that they are searching for something. At the beginning of the semester, MCCC welcomed six foreign exchange students. Every semester, Youth For Understanding (YFU), an organization which is located all over the world, places students at American community colleges. YFU started with the community college program in 1991. The YFU was founded in 1951, but in the beginning they created exchange programs for high school students. At MCCC, the exchange students have a special YFU campus coordinator, Shirley Wyatt. Whenever the students have problems with their “new” life, Shirley helps them. She drops for example classes which are to difficult for the YFU students and she tries to make them a part of the school. Three of the exchange students come from Korea: · Ae- Ran is a 21 year old girl. Her hobbies and interests are volunteering, visiting museums, reading and painting.
Inside:
short break. “I think it’s a fabulous idea,” Kimberly Ruttenberg, MCCC student and smoker of 8 years, said. “I know people have allergies and asthma, and it’s rude to force cigarette smoke on them and others.” The subcommittee has also suggested providing a sheltered area for smokers, which would ultimately protect them from elements such as wind and rain. “That [designated smoking areas] would be great if it was somewhere where we could get out of the weather,” said smoker Peggy Faunt, administrative assistant to the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences. Several non-smokers agree that assigned smoking areas would be a positive attribute to MCCC.
“I don’t like to walk through clouds of smoke while walking into a building, but it’s unfair to tell someone that they can’t smoke at all. I think the areas would be a good thing,” said Melissa Lederman, MCCC student. Some, however, believe that designated smoking areas are not the best solution to the problem. “Smoking is for cars and bars. I don’t believe that MCCC needs to collude with the tobacco companies by condoning smoking on campus,” said Jack Woltmann, associate professor of Respiratory Therapy. Mythili Iyengar, Whitman Center Business Learning Lab Technician, agrees. “Smoking should be banned on campus with the intention of
see “smoke,” page 7
Free speech comes at cost Michelle Scherlitz Copy Editor
Agora photo courtesy of SHIRLEY WYATT
Three of the six YFU students are Ae-Ran, Joon-Sub, and Da-Young.
· Da- Young is a 21 year old girl. She likes singing, cooking and volunteering. · Joon- Sub is a 20 year old boy. He likes listening to music, watching movies, singing, church activities and volunteering. “I love the American food,” Joon said. They all have different reasons to come to the U.S., but they all said that they like the American dialect more than the British English dialect. But they didn’t have a choice with the college they wanted to attend.
Opinion 2
Valentine’s Day irritation Why is there just one day a year to show how much you care? (2)
It was YFU which made the decision. The three Koreans are staying here for two semesters. They have the opinion that here in America the people are more religious than in Korea. They all went to church here and they were fascinated because the Americans are so opened and warm. They all enjoy their stay in Monroe so far. They like meeting new people every day and learning new things in life or in class. When they return to
see “students,” page 7
Campus News 3
Feature 4-5
Culinary arts excel Students take part in projects that range from ice sculptures to dishes to cooking in the MCCC program. (5)
Ceramic strength Darlin Nothanagel, 53, returned to MCCC to take ceramics and has intentions to become a professional potter. (4)
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” This law applies only to the United States, but what happens if you travel out of this country? Unfortunately, Daniel Pearl, and Jill Carroll have found out the hard way. Daniel Pearl was the Wall Street Journal’s foreign correspondent who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002, and Jill Carroll, freelance writer for The Christian Science Monitor, and Ann Arbor native, is now the latest American journalist to be kidnapped while in Iraq. These types of dangerous situations are becoming more
What’s at Meyer? Check out the range of activities going on at the Meyer Theater this semester. (6)
common than not. In order to get a story out to the public journalists are risking their lives, and therefore becoming headline stories themselves. Detroit Free Press ran the story, “In Jill Carroll’s Own Words: Why she went to cover Iraq.” In her article Carroll states, “Her sense of journalistic duty overrides her safety, and that there are much more lucrative ways to work and faster ways to advance a career, but just as athletes do it for the love of the game, freelancers in Iraq seem to do it for the love of the story.” “My feelings are that journalists have throughout history dared to go where others don’t because they are in search of the truth, and in order to pursue truth, one often is making someone, somewhere uncomfortable,” said Ann Orwin, assistant professor of English, education and journalism at Monroe
see “news,” page 7
A&E 6
Spotlight 8
Did you know? Monroe County Community College has been named one of the nation’s Top 50 Fastest-Growing Public Two-Year Colleges for its size by Community College Week.