3-31-2011

­­­­ uthor A James McBride to speak at MCCC April 4

gora A

Career Expo to be held - Page 3

THE

Aug. Vol.55,55, Issue March26, 31,2010 2011 Vol. Issue 8 1

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MCCC nuclear tech plans not altered by Japan

Parking problems

MCCC plans to move forward with program despite quake and tsunami

Tyler Eagle

Agora Reporter

The recent tsunami and earthquake in Japan has the world questioning the safety of nuclear power, but these events won’t affect MCCC’s new nuclear tech program.

MCCC President Dr. David Nixon and Jack Davis, the senior vice president and chief nuclear officer of DTE Energy, signed an Agreement of Understanding on Monday, Feb. 28, to create a nuclear engineering technology (NUET) program.

While the announcement of the NUET program means an expansion of MCCC’s curriculum, it comes at a time where concern and fear are present in the nuclear energy market.

The recent tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan on Friday, March 11, has threatened the stability of several nuclear reactors in severely affected regions.

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Japan, located 170 miles north of Tokyo, has suffered extensive damage. Of six reactors, four have sustained damage, with radioactivity reaching abnormally high levels and seawater discharge testing positive for radioactive isotopes.

Nixon said he doesn’t think Japan’s problems will derail the MCCC program, although they could impact the curriculum.

Because of the dangers seen in Japan, there might be more emphasis on safety, he said.

“It’s definitely opening up a lot of

Photo by James Diuzen

Parking spots in Lot 7, located next to the C building, are hard to come by.

MCCC students frustrated by full parking lots James Dluzen Agora Reporter

With MCCC’s growth in the last decade, finding a parking spot has become a challenge.

For some students, this means waking up ten minutes earlier. But for others, it means non-traditional parking maneuvers, from using illegal handicap spaces to taking over the fire lane or no parking zones.

“They should really charge people for parking like an idiot. Who would want to pay $50 to park like a moron?” said Nick Basille, a student and frustrated driver.

During certain parts of the day, some of the parking lots are more crowded than others.

“It sucks at times,” Ryan Hatzung said. “Sometimes I have to park at the opposite side of campus.”

Other students feel the same way about the times when parking is crowd-

ed.

“I can never find a spot in the lot next to E building,” student Josh Pershing said.

Bill Myers, chief security officer at MCCC, said he is disappointed with the way students are treating the parking lots, which seem to have turned into a free-for-all, with no rules or consideration.

Students apparently are thinking of new and creative ways to get to class quicker. One student even noticed other students making their own spots.

“One time, some students just got some orange cones and set them up,” Lindsey Insco said. “They’ll just put some cones up and then use them.”

Myers indicated that MCCC security has begun to tow cars that are in major parking violations.

“I’ve noticed a lot of curb and not-inthe-line parking,” Pershing said.

Myers also said the college has or-

dered a shipment of signs that indicate where not to park. The signs will be in various spots around the parking lots in the spring. Any car that violates a parking law can be towed at the owner’s expense, Myers said.

“MCCC is still part of Monroe County. It isn’t out of the question for the sheriff to hand out some tickets,” he added.

According to Myers, the grounds maintenance crew had trouble clearing snow from the parking lots during the winter because of the odd parking.

The college is planning to add a Career Technology Center in the future, which has already worried some students about future parking. But along with the worry has come hope.

“Adding another lot would be a good idea. I just don’t know where,” Jake Zapor said.

“The college could just fill in the pond, put cement in it,” Insco suggested.

“Also, why can’t students use the faculty’s parking spots?”

Photo courtesy of DVIDSHUB

Wreckage as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan March 11.

“It’s definitely opening up a lot of new discussions regarding nuclear Dr. David Nixon power MCCC President plants.” new discussions regarding nuclear power plants,” Nixon said.

Safety training will be part of the curriculum, but Nixon suspects that the issues in Japan might cause that safety training to expand.

“The two-year associate degree program will be aligned with initial training programs offered by DTE Energy,” Nixon said.

“Students are going to have to learn

See NUCLEAR TECH, Page 2

Opinions differ on MCCC sports fees Jeff Papworth Agora Reporter

MCCC had a successful athletic program in the 1960s and 1970s.

It featured the likes of former NBA Player James McElroy, golf pro Frank McAuliffe and many other successful athletes.

However, MCCC decided to disband the athletic program after the spring of 1980 because of the financial burden and the lack of athletic facilities to host sporting events.

“We were borrowing and stealing facilities to have practices and to have competitions and that was very difficult with scheduling,” MCCC board member Linda Lauer said.

“I would be very angry if I was forced to pay a fee that I didn’t have to participate in.”

Ashley Kirkland

A recent survey of students conducted

by MCCC asked for thoughts on athletics, but the students gave contrasting answers to two questions.

One question asked how likely is it that students would support a student activity fee for the purpose of funding a sports program at MCCC. Of students who responded, 51.2 percent said either “Somewhat Unlikely” or “Very unlikely;” 22.5 percent said they were not sure.

The second question asked if a student activity fee were proposed, what amount would students be willing to pay per semester for a sports program. On this question, 53.7 percent responded with either $15, $20, or $30, while 46.3 percent said “None.”

Linda Lauer, who has been a supporter

“If they want to, go for it, but it shouldn’t be required.”

Mark Allen

From Page 1/Editorial............2 Campus News...............3,4,5,7 A&E........................................6 Sports...................................8

Page 8 of student athletics since she was elected to the board in 2008, helped write the questions. She said she was dissatisfied

“If the athletics don’t have enough money to pay for whatever they need to pay for, then they should add that into the tuition.”

Samantha Jentzen

Inside:

Famous sports stars who had their start at MCCC

with how they were worded, but thought the question asking what amount students would pay was clearer.

Randy Daniels, MCCC’s vice president of student and information affairs, looked at the first question more closely and came to the conclusion that the majority of MCCC students would not support an athletic fee.

He said the results of the survey were a small piece of the puzzle when deciding whether to reinstate athletics at MCCC. For the most part, MCCC board members appear to oppose returning athletics to MCCC. Board member Joe Bellino played on the MCCC baseball team in 1977-78.

Four of his teammates played Division I baseball and another played profession-

“I would be mad. I think if you want to play, you can pay, but if you don’t want to play or don’t have the time to play, you shouldn’t have to pay.”

Travis Roberts

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“It’s a half and half kind of thing. I would like to have it, but I wouldn’t like to pay it if I wasn’t playing sports.”

ally.

“I loved it, it was fantastic, but we dropped sports because we were broke,” Bellino said. “I don’t think it’s fair to charge all the students so 150 can play sports.”

MCCC Board member Mary Kay Thayer agreed.

“I know so many of the students are going to school with barely enough and between work and school, they’re not even able to participate, whether in sports or being there to support sports,” Thayer said.

Lauer said athletics affects more than just the athletes.

“There are a lot of people in the commu-

See OPINIONS, Page 8 “If it can help the athletic department, I don’t see where it would be an issue.”

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March 31, 2011

Nuclear tech program to be offered Fall 2011 Tyler Eagle

Agora Reporter

In partnership with DTE Energy, MCCC will begin offering a nuclear engineering technology program for the 2011 fall semester.

“This program is good for the college, good for DTE Energy and good for jobs,” Jack Davis, the senior vice president and chief nuclear officer of DTE Energy, said.

The development of the nuclear engineering technology program (also known as NUET) began in 2008 when the college was approached by DTE Energy. The company was concerned about an upcoming shortage of qualified workers.

Much of the nuclear energy workforce will be retiring within the next five years, and several job opportunities will be opening up due to a projected shortage of nuclear professionals, according to Dr. Grace Yackee, MCCC vice president of Instruction.

MCCC President David Nixon said he thinks the NUET program’s most beneficial aspect will be the employment possibilities it will offer students.

“I’m most excited about the program for the job opportunities it presents,” Nixon said.

Davis also said he thinks the job opportunities open to NUET graduates will be plentiful.

“The nuclear industry needs well-trained employees, not only to replace those currently in the field, but also in the future. That’s why this is such a forward-looking program.” Davis said.

MCCC students have been able to study nuclear engineering technology since 2008, but only through a partnership with Lakeland Community College of Kirkland, Ohio, and DTE Energy.

Previously, LCC granted the degree to students who completed the program, but now MCCC will grant degrees to its students.

Nuclear tech students needed to replace retirees Continued from Page 1

more because a thorough investigation of the Japan nuclear reactors may result in a whole new list of safety training and strategic planning of additional nuclear power plants.”

Nixon also feels that if nothing else, the NUET program will be beneficial in the process of filling slots that will become open when technicians retire with qualified replacements.

“Even though the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan may slow down growth of new nuclear power plants in America, there are still large numbers of nuclear technicians needed to replace those who are retiring,” Nixon said.

There are several ways to donate to relief funds for Japan, many of which are used in social media outlets and popular online music stores.

Most notably, Apple’s iTunes Store has now added a feature that allows users to directly donate money. Users can click on the icon on the homepage and be directed to donation options, which are processed the same way as a purchase would.

Also, donations can be made through the Red Cross’s Facebook page. Donations can be made through the cause feature, or done by using a text message option.

MCCC faculty, members of the MCCC curriculum committee and Industrial Tech Division Dean Peter Coomar wrapped up writing the curriculum in December 2010. Six courses were approved by the curriculum committee, according to Nixon.

With approval of the curriculum for the new nuclear courses, it becomes an MCCC program, accredited by the National Nuclear Accrediting Board.

The program will be able to take 20 students a year, according to Nixon. The new Career Technology Center, projected to be

This image shows waves crashing on the northern coast of Japan as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that occured on March 11.

As a result of the disaster, several nuclear reactors in Japan have had their stability threatened.

Photo courtesy of Summergirl123 via Flickr.com

completed and open for the 20122013 school year, will house the NUET program.

An associate of applied science degree in nuclear engineering technology will be the degree offered at MCCC. The college will create and maintain its own program, with the help of DTE Energy, which puts emphasis on written and oral communication, mathematics, science and technical skills.

“We will be among the 40 odd programs in the country at the AAS level, recognized as being prepared to offer a program by

the Nuclear Energy industry,” Coomar said.

“We have the support of DTE Energy and internally have qualified faculty to teach support courses in the program. This will be a feather in our cap as far as new programs go in our division.”

In addition to receiving a diploma, students who achieve a B average (80 percent) or higher in courses that contain core fundamentals and discipline-specific learning objectives will be awarded a certificate from the National Academy for Nuclear Training Branch.

MCCC will be responsible for the staffing and equipment required for the Nuclear Engineering Tech program. Classes will take place on MCCC’s campus, as well as DTE Energy.

DTE Energy will act as a contact for review of the curriculum, like it did with the program at LCC, and may also provide equipment essential to the program.

Enrollment through the partnership with LCC has totaled 80 students since January 2008, according to Mark Hall, director of Admissions.

“We have had two graduating

classes with 16 total graduating.

I expect another eight to 10 to graduate this spring,” Hall said.

Current students still will have the ability to finish the program through LCC, according to Hall.

“The partnership agreement has expired, however, LCC is committed to finish their current students by the language in the expired agreement,” Hall said.

With MCCC starting its own program, it will act as the degreegranting institution for first-time students, as well as current students in the LCC program who wish to transfer to MCCC.

Could Michigan be affected by an earthquake?

Nicole Bolster Agora Reporter

With the recent earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan on March 11, people in Michigan have wondered if these disasters could occur close to home.

A tsunami normally occurs because of an earthquake under the ocean. The quake has to be shallow and have a magnitude of 7 or higher, according to the Richter Scale.

The world is made up of different plates. Like a puzzle, these plates make up the surface. The plates can move and cause problems, which include volcanoes and earthquakes.

Each of these plates has a name. The plate we are located on is called the North American Plate. Earthquakes and volcanoes occur when these plates collide, slide, or move apart.

In Japan, the Pacific Plate, which consists of much of the Pacific Ocean, collided with the Eurasian Plate. Japan is located right where these two plates meet.

The earthquake that caused the tsunami happened because the Pacific Plate collided with the Eurasian plate, forcing

Photo courtesy of USGS

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan were caused by the Pacific Plate cutting under the Eurasian Plate. Across the Pacific Ocean from Japan, the Juan de Fuca Plate is sliding under the North American Plate in much the same way.

the Pacific Plate to subduct, or be pushed under the Eurasian Plate.

The Pacific Plate went about eight feet under the Eurasian Plate. Usually these

plates move about as fast as a fingernail grows.

The earthquake occurred about 17 miles into the crust. The crust is so deep

that scientists have yet to reach the bottom because the technology they have now cannot dig that deep.

“Deep earthquakes are usually around 300 miles in the crust,” MCCC professor and geologist Lisa Scarpelli said.

The epicenter of an earthquake is where the center of the quake is located, and the closer to the epicenter, the worse the shaking from the earthquake will be. The coast of Japan was near the epicenter.

The tsunami followed the earthquake, with little warning.

“A tsunami is movement of water due to displacement of the ocean floor,” Scarpelli said.

When the crust moved, the water on top of it moved as well, causing serious waves. These waves do not cause much problem in deep water, but when the water gets shallow the waves bounce off the bottom and cause extremely high waves, which is how a tsunami occurs.

The safest thing to do when there is a warning for a tsunami is to go out in deep water because the waves will not have much effect.

Since Michigan is not located on a

Westboro spreads message of hate Kayla Tubbs

Agora Reporter

I love a good religious debate, especially when it deals with a person on the extreme side of their religion, because most of the time these people are the most expressive with their facial expressions.

At the College Media National Convention in New York City, which took place the second weekend of March, I was in the middle of one of the most interesting and engaging interviews — with Westboro Baptist Church’s protest leader, Margie Phelps.

Phelps is the daughter of the church’s founder, Fred Phelps Sr. She carries out everything her father taught her as a girl, including protesting against gay rights at military funerals across the nation.

For those who don’t know, Westboro’s outlook on the Iraq war is that God is killing our American troops because, among other things, homosexuality is not outlawed. The protestors’ shirts and signs say, “God hates fags” and “You’re going to hell,” pretty much expressing what they are about.

Phelps was interviewed by Gene Policinski, vice president

and executive director of the First Amendment Center.

The discussion was to be about the recent case Phelps was in with the Supreme Court called Snyder v.

Phelps. This case determined whether or not the Westboro Church would be allowed to continue to protest at military funerals. Phelps won.

The interview began really well. Phelps was civil in her answers and comments to the questions. I was almost relieved that it was going so smoothly. Considering all the hype about it, I was expecting a little more fire.

Just as I was thinking this, someone lit a match and the room got hot. Really hot.

Two microphones were set up on either side of the large room for the audience to ask Phelps questions. The audience’s questions were supposed to be about the “protest vs. privacy” issue involved in the Supreme Court case.

The audience, including me, was more interested in the church’s philosophy as a whole than the distinct issue that was presented. Why is it that their signs display hate and not love?

Through the whole interview

Phelps continuously spat at the young journalists’ questions and cut off Mr. Policinski mid-sentence.

She tore down each individual who dared to challenge her “knowledge” of the Bible and maybe twice in the whole interview did she actually answer the person’s question.

What I found very interesting and shallow in her technique to “win” these small debates was that she was very knowledgeable with the Bible, but only with the parts that favor her beliefs.

For example, to defend her belief that we are all going to hell because of the horrible sin of samesex marriage, she pulled out a scripture from the Old Testament that says we will be punished in hell for the sins we have made.

Though the Bible does state this, we cannot neglect to examine the crucifixion of Christ, also.

Westboro also believes that the Jews are going to hell as well because they killed Jesus. Whether the Romans did the crime or the Jews, it does not matter; does Phelps even understand why Jesus died?

That is what Christianity is about. The fact that Jesus decided, yes, decided, to die for our sins.

Nowhere in the interview did Phelps even mention the outcome of Jesus’ crucifixion. She only used examples from the Old Testament and those that involved hate and death.

There is a reason for the New Testament. After Jesus died, not only were sinners able to go to heaven, but the rules about almost everything changed.

The Westboro Baptist Church protests generate nothing but hate, and are about everything but love.

All my life I have been taught over and over again that God is love.

Nowhere in the Westboro’s protests is there compassion. There’s a time in politics when our laws don’t bring the proper justice forward.

There’s a time when you simply have to ask, is this right or is this wrong? What happened to just doing the right thing? Apparently, Phelps believes that’s what she is doing.

“I’m not trying to stop a homosexual from being a homosexual,” Phelps said answering an interviewers question. “I’m just telling you that that sin…It’s taking you to hell. Now, I’m telling you that as a friend, your b.f.f. up in here, fo’rizzle!”

Phelps is not my friend. Her protesters are doing nothing but bringing more hate into the world.

plate boundary, we do not have to worry about a tsunami. But an earthquake is possible.

“An earthquake could happen in Michigan due to a fault line in Tennessee and Kentucky called the New Madrid Fault,” Scarpelli said.

“There was an 8 [magnitude] earthquake that happened here in the 1800s because of that fault line.”

A fault is a crack or separation in the earth’s crust that can move up, down or sideways, which can cause a big enough earthquake that people in Michigan could feel it and damage could occur.

Unfortunately, there is no way to accurately predict an earthquake. Tsunamis are usually caused from earthquakes, but can also happen from landslides or meteorite showers.

“We can estimate when an earthquake can occur by the past earthquakes that have happened in that area,” Scarpelli said.

For example, if history shows that an earthquake occurs in a specific area every 100 years and the last earthquake occurred 90 years ago, another one could be due within the next 10 years.

The Agora Editorial Policy The Agora is published by the students of Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd., Monroe, MI, 48161. The editorial office is located in Room 202 of the Life Sciences Bldg., (734) 384-4186, agora@monroeccc.edu.

Editorial policy: Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of The Agora staff. Signed columns represent the opinion of the writer. All letters to the editor must include a signature, address and phone number for verification purposes. The Agora reserves the right to edit for clarity, accuracy, length and libel.

The Agora is a student-managed newspaper that supports a free student press and is a member of the Michigan Community College Press Association, the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, the Michigan Press Association, College Media Advisers, Associated Collegiate Press and the Student Press Law Center.

Story suggestions are welcome. Let us know what you’d like to see in The Agora - it’s your newspaper.

Submissions of stories or photos also are welcome. E-mail them to agora@monroeccc.edu or bring them to our office.

Staff Members Editor Marissa Beste Assistant Editor Tyler Eagle News Editor Morgan Hofbauer Adviser Dan Shaw

Staff Nicole Bolster Mariah Bruce Christina Clark James Dluzen Matthew Mullins Jeff Papworth Joe Prestia Kayla Tubbs Whitney Patterson

March 31, 2011

Campus News

MCCC plans career expo to link students with jobs Tyler Eagle

Agora Reporter

A Career and Opportunity Expo will be held April 15 at MCCC. It is free and open to the community.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Health Education building. Professional dress will be required of attendees.

The Career and Opportunity Expo is a job fair that will have employers from Michigan and NW Ohio present. Attendees will be able to apply for various jobs, such as entry-level positions or tech positions or even positions that require a Bachelor Degrees.

“Anybody, no matter what their skill level is, can find an opportunity there,” said Barry Kinsey, director of Workforce Development and chairman of the Expo.

Kinsey, along with other members of the MCCC community, have been developing the Expo for several months.

“I’m very excited. I’ve been here 10 years.

This is the first time we’ve done a job fair of this scale on this campus,” Kinsey said.

Dr. David Nixon, president of MCCC, is also excited about the event.

“The Career Expo is what community colleges are all about: to help students choose careers for the future,” Nixon said.

Several of the prospective employers are based in Monroe and SE Michigan. Participants include Monroe Bank and Trust, Detroit Edison, and Mercy Memorial Hospital System, as well as several others.

Currently, 28 employers are participating, and employers are still able to register for the event, .

Kinsey is extremely happy with the number of prospective employers attending.

“I could not be more pleased with the response from the employers. When I started I would have been happy with 20, but now we might have upwards of 40,” Kinsey said.

Another notable company that will be accepting applications is Ventower, a company that is based in Monroe and will be producing wind turbines to generate alternative energy.

“It’s a start-up organization. They’ll be looking for all kinds of employees, like office positions and welders,” said Kinsey.

Veteran services will be at the Expo and Kinsey encourages vets to attend.

“With the war winding down, hopefully, vets are coming back,” Kinsey said.

Employers attending • Walden University • The Home Depot • University of Toledo College of Law • Jacob’s Engineering • WTOL TV • Spring Arbor University • DTE Energy • Monroe Bank & Trust • Plastipak Packaging • Trainco Truck Driving Schools • Advance Temporary Services • Mannik and Smith Group, Inc. • Manpower, Inc. • Fluid Equipment

Agora Reporter

People across America don’t think Motown when it comes to Michigan - they think football.

“When I think Michigan, I think the Wolverines,” Everten Carter, from Rhode Island, said.

People at the College Media Advisors convention in New York, March 13, 14 and 15, were thinking football when asked what comes to mind when they think of Michigan. More specifically, they thought college level football and even more specific, University of Michigan football.

Surprisingly, only one person said they think of Detroit: Trum Simmons from Pennsylvania.

“I think of Detroit, the U.P., U of M and MSU,” Simmons said.

Other responses ranged from “cold”

3

Highlighter Party held in The Cellar

Development Co. • Ort Tool and Die • Sienna Heights U • U.S. Border Patrol • University of Phoenix • Mercy Memorial Hospital System • Vets Inc. • Tenneco, Inc. • MI Works!

• Department of Human Services • Holy Cross Children’s Services • MI State Police • Thetford Corp • AARP Foundation Work Search • Sisters, Servants of the IHM

“A number of vets will be rejoining the workforce. We’d really like them to come out and see the opportunities we‘ll have for them.”

To be successful at the Expo, Kinsey emphasizes that those wishing to attend dress to impress.

“No jeans. Wear a dress shirt. I wouldn’t be afraid to wear a tie and a sports coat. Be clean shaven, no hats,” Kinsey said. “People will be asked to go home and dress accordingly.”

Kinsey also stresses that people should have a professional resume ready that day.

As director of Workforce Development, Kinsey helps students, alumni and community members polish their resumes.

He points out that a good resume is essential.

“It’s your one time to make an impression.

Why wouldn’t you want to make it the best version?” Kinsey said.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with Kinsey regarding a resume, contact the Workforce Development Office.

What do you think of MI? Matthew Mullins

THE AGORA

to our beautiful night skies. It’s no surprise people think cold when they think Michigan, but what about cars, the Great Lakes and Motown?

MCCC students have their own opinions.

“When I think Michigan, I think of the automobile industry,” said Robert Dickerhoff, MCCC student.

“I definitely think of Detroit,” Curtis Ledford said.

Not everyone’s opinion changed.

“I think football,” Naomi Norwood said.

The opposing views from Michiganders to the students and advisors from all around America are very interesting.

From the love of Michigan to the hate of Detroit, opinions have always differed and will continue to.

Photo by Ashley Locke

A crowd of 30 or so MCCC students met in the Cellar to decorate white t-shirts with highlighters and dance under a black light.

Ashley Locke For the Agora

MCCC held their first Highlighter Party in The Cellar from 8 p.m. until 12 a.m. on March 18.

Only MCCC students were allowed to attend, and they needed identification.

Everyone had to wear a white tshirt and were provided with highlighter markers to write on other students under a black light. It was a free event that included pizza, pop, highlighters and a live D.J., Joshua Zarza.

Travis Durkin was the mastermind behind the event.

“I came up with the idea of hosting this highlighter party, but I wasn’t sure if I could do it. Then I found Josh [Zarza] and he said he could

D.J. From there, we planned the rest of it, and here we are,” Durkin said.

There were glowsticks, dancers, and games all over The Cellar, which is located in the basement of the A building.

“I didn’t expect very many people

to show up, maybe 10 people at the most, but we’ve gotten a great turnout,” Durkin said, looking into the crowd of 30 or so people.

It is uncertain if another Highlighter Party will be held at another date, but it was certainly a night to remember for those who attended.

Left: Some students chose to draw on their skin rather than T-shirts.

Below: Glow in the dark bracelets were brought as well.

Photos by Ashley Locke

From riches to rags at poverty simulation Joe Prestia

Agora Reporter

Participants in the Monroe County Opportunity Program’s “Bridges Out of Poverty” simulation workshop on March 14 got a taste of the day-to-day hardships that low-income families face in the real world.

The event was hosted in MCCC’s Lay-Z-

Photos by Joe Prestia

Above: The mock families in the simulation needed to fight for survival or risk being sent to the homeless shelter.

Left: Nicole Daudelin and Melissa McLaughlin participated in the poverty simulation hosted

by MCOP. McLaughlin ended up with a child.

Boy Center.

The simulation consisted of four 15-minute “mini weeks,” which represented a month in poverty. Each participant was assigned to a mock family, each with their own unique set of hardships.

Every family received a packet containing their family’s social security cards, possessions (car, microwave, stereo, etc.), money, an EBT card, and transportation cards.

The goal for each family was to survive all four weeks by meeting all of their family’s requirements for each week and month without ending up in the homeless shelter.

Resources such as mock community action agencies, interfaith services, public schools, social services, general employers, a grocery store, utility companies, and a pawn shop were available to help each family survive.

“We ended up in the homeless shelter,” MCCC student Jason Arble said.

Arble was the only student in attendance at the workshop. He received a 100 percent on an exam in his Child Welfare class for attending.

Many volunteers running the mock resources are involved in the “Bridges out of Poverty” because of the affect it has had on their own lives.

“I went to Bridges out of Poverty and that one little class changed my life,” said Inga Johnson, 49.

“Where I grew up there was this mental barrier, like, you can’t, you won’t, and you’re not,” Johnson said.

Johnson could not read or write for the majority of her adult life.

“I’m almost 50 and I’m getting a GED. I’m really looking forward to starting something new,” Johnson said.

Kim Ruiz, the simulation coordinator, talked about the importance of programs that help people navigate their way through hardship.

“You break the cycle [of poverty] with tools and knowledge,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz, a single working mother of three, understands how difficult it can be to support a family unit when tough times strike.

Ruiz is the region eight director of Voices for Action, an organization that works with the MCOP that spread awareness and educates the public in an effort to reduce poverty.

For more information about the MCOP, Bridges out of Poverty, Voices for Action, or future simulations, please contact Kim Ruiz at kruiz@monroecountyop.org.

4

THE AGORA

Campus News

March 31, 2011

Solar project moves forward Acclaimed author to visit April 4

Grid battery system proposed for site Whittney Patterson Agora Reporter

The solar panels at MCCC are up and running, and now the school is looking to install a grid battery system.

The 500-kilowatt solar panel system started producing electricity in February.

“The solar panels started producing power at 1:31 p.m. on Feb. 22,” said Joe Verkennes, MCCC director of marketing.

Since the solar panels produce energy during the day but not at night, A123 Systems, an Ann Arbor energy company, wants to build a grid battery system to store the energy that is produced but not used.

“If it’s sunny and the cells are generating electricity and maybe the grid doesn’t need it, the battery stores the power and then puts it back to the grid when it needs it, when it’s not sunny,” said Jim Blumberg, the director of the physical plant., A grid battery system consists of three main components; a battery container, a chiller unit, and an inverter.

To house a system this size, a plot of 50 feet by 100 feet will be required, located about 25 feet east of the solar panels.

To meet the Michigan Public Service Commission and Department of Energy grant, the grid battery system will be required to be on campus for four years, until the end of 2015.

At the end of the four years, the battery system will be removed and the land will be restored to its original state.

MCCC is waiting on the request to amend the agreement with Detroit Edison to allow the A123 battery system to be built.

“If the request goes through, they are looking at starting in August 2011 and it Photos by Whittney Patterson will take about one month to complete,” The solar panels on the east side of MCCC’s campus started producing power on Feb. 22.

Verkennes said.

The One Book, One Community program kicked off earlier this month with a concert at Café Classics by Jesse Coleman and the Jamm.

More than 20 events for the community program are scheduled to occur through April 15, including an appearance by critically acclaimedauthor James McBride.

McBride’s memoir, “The Color of Water,” is the featured book for this year’s community-wide program. The memoir recounts his struggle in discovering his own identity as a black man raised by his white, Jewish mother.

The book is also a tribute to his mother, telling her story and the hardships she faced as a white woman choosing to marry a black man in the 1940’s.

McBride will speak at the MCCC La-Z-boy Center at 7 p.m. April 4.

“The Color of Water” is available for purchase in the MCCC Bookstore for $15 and will also be available at many events.

For more information, visit www.monroeccc.edu/onebook.

One Book, One Community events: • March 30: Memoir Writing Workshop from 7-8:30 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center, Room 258.

Also available April 6 and 13.

Registration required by calling (734) 384-4153.

• March 30: Bedford Branch Book Discussion at 7 p.m.

• March 31: Film Festival: “Imitation of Life (1934),” at 6 p.m. in the Bedford Branch Library.

• April 1: IHM Life Stories: Writing Your Memoirs II, IHM Mother House Room D-102, 34:30 p.m.

• April 4: Author James McBride at 7 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center, Meyer Theater.

• April 6: Blue Bush Branch Library Book Discussion at 6:30 p.m.

• April 6: MCCC Memoir Writing Workshop II at 7 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center, Room 258.

• April 7: Ida Branch Library Book Discussion at 4 p.m.

• April 8: IHM Life Stories:

Writing Your Memoirs III from 3-4:30 p.m. at the IHM Mother House, Room D-102 • April 8: Write with Images at 4 p.m. at the L.S. Navarre Branch Library. Recommended for children in grades 3-12. Registration required by calling (734) 2415577 ot visiting www.monroe.lib. mi.us.

• April 11: Film Festival: “Miracle at St. Anna,” at the Ellis Reference and Information Center at 6 p.m. If Ellis is still under construction, the event will be held at the Dorsch Memorial Branch.

• April 12: Education, Faith and Family: A Panel Discussion at 7 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center, Meyer Theater.

• April 13: MCCC Memoir Writing Workshop III at 7 p.m. in the La-Z-Boy Center, Room 258.

• April 15: IHM Life Stories: WritingYour Memoirs IV from 3-4:30 at the IHM Mother House, Room D-102.

Matthew Mullins

The debates were judged by the crowd; students were given a podium and their notes.

The crowd was a mix of speech students and students from other classes. They judged the debate based on how well the students argued their points, even though not every student supported their side.

“It was weird watching people debate topics that they don’t agree with,”said MCCC student, Joen Connor.

Students debate in Meyer Theater for speech class Agora Reporter

Arguments fired across the room as Mark Bergmooser’s public speaking class held three days of debates.

The students debated the most recent, hot topics on campus.

“Students will be debating such topics as social security reform, anti-bullying laws, universal health care, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ and guns on college campuses to name a few,” Bergmooser said.

photos by Matthew Mullins

Left: Rachel Walker and Hillary Degner debated on social security reform.Right: Kylie Parks debated the affirmative side of universal healthcare.

MCCC to host 10 Antiques in April Morgan Hofbauer Agora Reporter

Antiques in April will return to MCCC for the tenth time on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3.

The antique show and sale features collectibles from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Roughly 60 vendors from across the U.S. exhibit at the show, according to Tom Ryder, campus and community events coordinator for MCCC. The show will be available for viewing in the Health Education Building from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The $3 admission tickets can be purchased the day of the event, or in advance at the Cashier’s Office in the Admissions building. The Office can also be reached by calling (734) 384-4272.

Ryder, one of the coordinators of the show and sale, said it is fast becoming one of the best antique shows in the Midwest and features an unprecedented display of high quality antiques and collectibles.

Roughly 1,500 people attended last year’s weekend event, which hosted

th

fifty-six exhibitors from Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

Jewelry, photographs, books, dolls, coins, pins, and high fashion furniture from the eighteenth century were some of the collectables available for viewing or purchasing.

This year’s event will introduce John Meeker. In his 30 years as a conservator, antiques have become a specialty, in addition to furniture conservation.

He said his earliest memories contain the scent of shellac and alcohol, watching his parent use steel wool against farm-salvaged antiques. It was then that he learned the essential ingredients to wood refinishing – a solvent, a finish, patience, and elbow grease.

He said he has held many jobs and apprenticeships in the furniture conservation and restoration industry, from house rehabilitation to repairing expensive antique collections and apprenticing under skilled French polishers with exclusive clientele.

Meeker has taken many classes in his 30 years as a conservator to both advance his workmanship and gain specialized skills like wood carving and leather conservation.

Briefly: River Raisin Institute documentaries A series of documentaries featuring environmental issues will be shown at the Meyer Theater with free attendance, sponsored by the River Raisin Institute.

“The Water Front,” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 18 and “dirt! The Movie,” narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, will be shown at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 9.

For more info, contact Danielle Conroyd, executive director of the River Raisin Institute, at (734) 240-9750.

Blood Drive Results The MCCC blood drive held March 22 received 48 productive donors out of the 62 present. A total of 52 pints were collected, with the assistance of four Double Red Cell donations.

Another blood drive will be held at MCCC on May 24.

MB&T Financial Workshops A financial workshop on credit will be hosted by Monroe Bank & Trust on April 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Administration building. Topics to discuss include the benefits of credit, methods to establish and re-establish credit, ways to use credit wisely, the importance of keeping debt low, and how to protect credit history.

For more info or to make reservations, contact Jennifer Tucker at (734) 384-8269.

Family Fun Night Family Fun Night will return to MCCC on Friday, April 8 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Health Education Building. The event, sponsored by MCCC Student Government, is designed for children in kindergarten through fourth grade but all chil-

dren are welcome. Admission is $1 but donations are welcome.

For more info, contact Tom Ryder, campus and community events/student activities coordinator, at (734) 384-4201.

Welding Author to speak Steven Farnsworth, author of Welding for Dummies, will speak March 30 at 7 p.m in the La-Z-Boy Center following a free Welding Technology Trade Fair that will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Dean of Humanities/Social Sciences The dean of Humanities/Social Sciences Division position is vacant and will be filled by July 1, 2011. The position was formerly, though temporarily, held by Vinnie Maltese who is the dean of Mathematics/Science Division.

For more information, contact Grace Yackee, vice president of Instruction, at (734) 384-4221.

UT Transfer Day Students interested in University of Toledo can attend its Transfer Day, with transportation provided by MCCC. A bus will make two trips to UT at 8:15 a.m. and noon on Friday, April 8.

For more information or to RSVP, contact the MCCC Admissions and Guidance office at (734) 384-4303.

Whitman Training Session The Whitman Center will host a training session and displays in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The session will take place on Wednesday, April 6 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 8. The two displays will be available for viewing through April 15.

For more info, contact Sandy Kosmyna, director of Whitman Center at (734) 847-0559.

Campus News

March 31, 2011

THE AGORA

5

MCCC Writing Fellows host Poetry Night James Dluzen Agora Reporter

MCCC hosted poetry night on Monday night, March 28.

The poetry night was started by the LAL Writing Fellows as a chance for students to express themselves and for some teachers to give extra credit.

Tara Adrian, the writing fellow who hosted the poetry night, has put together the event for three years now.

“The writing fellows think that creativity is a necessary thing,” Adrian said.

Although it was not a recordbreaking turn-out, the few people

who attended had fun listening to and reading original and famous poems.

Kaylee Shultz, a Writing Fellow who was there to listen, thought it was a good thing for students.

“It was really interesting to hear my peer’s original work. Gave me some insight and maybe to do research on poets,” Shultz said.

From original haikus to pageslong famous poems, everything was read at the poetry night. And for those who did submit their original work, their poems will be reviewed by the Writing Fellows and voted on.

The winner will receive a prize to the MCCC bookstore.

Photo by James Dluzen

PhoLeft, Jillian Mozingo recided original poetry during the Poetry Night event. Right, Jon Platt and Suki Dasher performed poetry together.

Educational ISSE club studies socialism at MCCC Joe Prestia

Agora Reporter

The International Students for Social Equality (ISSE) club has officially come to MCCC this semester, offering a socialist perspective on local, national, and global issues.

“This is the first year that we’ve been organized as a branch of the club,” said Dr. Terry Telfer, advisor to the ISSE club and an English professor at MCCC. “What we usually try to do is bring down a speaker from either Ann Arbor or Detroit, from either the ISSE or the SEP (Socialist Equality Party),” Telfer said.

“Largely this is an educational program. That is the main purpose.”

“The revolutionary education is to show people that there is an alternative to the current system,” Telfer said.

Although Telfer says that the ISSE is mainly an educational organization, it is also a vehicle for pushing a thought process that would cause Americans to abandon their capitalist ideals for socialist ideals, ultimately resulting in a complete replacement of our current system.

“We’re not talking reform because we know that’s not going to work,” Telfer said. “We’re talking scientific socialism.”

Telfer argues that capitalism has had its place throughout the last 100 years or so, but that scientific socialism is the next step in a natural progression.

To better explain the ultimate goal of the socialist movement, Telfer quotes the father of socialism/communism, Karl Marx: “Each according to their ability, each according to their need.”

Telfer also attempts to separate scientific socialism from utopian socialism (which is arguably synonymous with communism), since utopian socialism has historically resulted in dire circumstances, as it did in Soviet Russia.

Although he and the SEP make an argument for the uniqueness of a scientific socialist state that is controlled by the people, protects individual property, and owns/distributes utilities and services equally, there has been no such example of this theory in successful practice.

“We can’t say what that would look like,” Telfer said.

Recently, Joseph Kishore, SEP National Secretary and contributing writer for the World Socialist Web Site, spoke at an ISSE meeting at MCCC on the subjects of the civil unrest in Egypt and its neighboring states, American social inequality, and the controversial unionbusting legislation in Wisconsin.

Simply put, Kishore believes all of these problems are mainly due to the expansion of capitalism and the privatization of utilities and social services.

For Kishore, the answer is socialism.

“If in Egypt there was a party which amassed a very clear perspective against not only Mubarak but against the whole regime, which was capable of amassing a general strike of all the workers for the overthrow of the military regime as a whole…even winning over sections of the military…one could have now a soviet socialist government in Egypt,” Kishore said.

“Of course that wouldn’t solve the problem because of the U.S. involvement and etcetera.”

MCCC student Mark Yappueying believes in the honesty of the socialist party.

“I like the straightforwardness of the party,” Yappueying said.

Six students attended this meeting.

Although there is no tentative schedule for ISSE club meetings, Telfer said that the club will schedule one meeting a month.

For more information about the ISSE club, visit the World Socialist Web Site Photo by Joe Prestia at wsws.org, or contact Terry Telfer at Mark Yappueying is a member of ISSE and plans to attend the 2011 Fight for Socialism ttelfer@monroeccc.edu.

Today Conference.

Whitman Center hosts women’s history event Christopher Stadtfeld For the Agora

Anyone who doesn’t think local history is worth attention clearly never heard of the women from northwest Ohio.

Linda Baker, James Marshall, and Joyce Lane, speakers at a recent Whitman Center women’s history program, are not of that group.

On March 22, the Whitman Center hosted the three members of the Women Alive! Coalition. Whitman Director and fellow Women Alive! member Sandy Kosmyna also attended.

The afternoon event largely centered on the eleventh volume of In Search of Our Past: Women of Northwest Ohio and the 25th anniversary of the Women Alive!

Coalition.

Early in the presentation, editor Susan Coburn rose from the audience and spoke.

According to Coburn, women to be covered in the In Search of Our Past volumes must be from northwest Ohio, and they must also be deceased. Coburn has helped with the volumes since 1998.

“We have a lot of unknown women,” Coburn said.

Of the around 200 women in the featured volumes, some are as locally famous as one nearby “Secor” road.

Some lesser-known personalities made history with such feats as becoming one of the first licensed bus drivers in the country, Coburn said.

The books themselves began at a mere $5 expense for readers when the Women Alive! Coalition first released them in the 1990s.

“We just wanted enough [money] to publish the next book,” Coburn said.

That demand should be simpler than some others, since the writers get paid nothing. Despite the lack of compensation, a quality of work remains, evi-

denced by years of success.

The entries begin with obituaries, Coburn explained. All sources are provided so readers can check the given information.

Coburn also noted that this 11th volume of In Search of Our Past: Women of Northwest Ohio, a project that she says began as a student assignment, is available for $10 and is “probably our last book in print.”

The Women’s History Month theme was accented by hallway decorations, educational billboards, and even a glass display. The exhibit stretches the length of the Whitman Center.

Upon entering the presentation itself, one could get an immediate sense of welcoming.

A room full of attendees – including both men and women of various ages, ethnicities, and professions – took notes and held smiles during the panel’s discussion.

Near the Room 9 entrance, a variety of refreshments had been made available by Whitman staff and included coffee and cookies, which added to the welcoming atmosphere.

Like admittance to the presentation, these refreshments were free and open to the public.

All the while, the room’s overhead projector displayed a useful slideshow with a tender layout and nice statues from around the local area.

James Marshall was the first of the three-person panel to speak.

Marshall spent most of his spotlight time reading some of his contributions to the eleventh volume. His topic was one Margaret “Rusty” Monroe.

As it turns out, Rusty was a huge figure in Toledo’s jazz scene, earning the title “Queen of Toledo Jazz.”

Rusty, whose jazz café received recog-

Photo by Miranda Ploeger

Linda Baker, James Marshall, and Joyce Lane spoke March 22 at a Whitman Center women’s history program

nition as one of the “50 best in America,” even has an official day of the year.

As the presenters spoke to the audience, their listeners reacted to what was said. At a joke, they would laugh.

“I swear [Millie Benson] can read upside down,” said speaker Linda Baker, whose comment the audience received in good humor.

Millie Benson, just one of the panel’s subjects, was the first woman to get a Master’s degree from the University of Iowa. She also authored the Nancy Drew series.

During the entire ordeal, it was evident that the speakers knew their stuff.

This became abundantly clear when the second speaker, Joyce Lane, carried on perfectly after issuing a disclaimer: she had no notes.

Along the way, each speaker praised the Internet for its role in obtaining information for their subjects.

“We take pride in our research,” said Coburn.

James Marshall was the first of the panel to comment on the superb Internet

aid that Women Alive! Coalition writing staff experienced while putting the work together: “Before the Internet, you had to go to Harding County; now Harding County comes to you!”

“Who is Joe Ann Cousino? The Internet is a godsend,” Joyce remarked while agreeing with her colleague.

Even if the Internet was useful, to what ends was it so?

“Our goal in writing these biographies is for [readers] to get to know the person,” Lane explained. “You don’t just want to list a bunch of dry facts.”

“I don’t think many young people realize that until 1971 there were diners that would not serve women during the lunch hour,” Marshall said.

Marshall was also the panel member to acknowledge a big “cultural change” between the Great Depression and World War II. “It was a different world 50 years ago for women.”

“It’s amazing how some of these women put up with all the bias that they had

to,” Lane added.

After the panel had finished speaking, Baker further explained the selection of women from northwest Ohio, instead of anywhere else.

“Why not? We tried a lot of cities before, but they did not work,” she said.

Order forms and several copies of the books had been made available in front of the crowd during the presentation. The Women Alive! Coalition’s literary product is but on in a line of works dating back to 1987.

Those interested in further details about In Search of Our Past: Women of Northwest Ohio can call Joyce Lane at (419) 841-3905.

The Women Alive! Coalition’s presentation for Women’s History Month was not the first presentation at the Whitman Center, which gets $600 each year from the MCCC Foundation to create exhibits and programs like this one.

“Avoid Being a Victim,” which will turn an eye on sexual assault awareness, is the next scheduled Whitman presentation, set for April 6.

6 THE AGORA

A&E

March 31, 2011

MCCC, MHS choirs deliver concert Kayla Tubbs Agora Reporter

The Agora Chorale delivered a concert to a large audience in Meyer Theatre Tuesday night, March 8.

The concert opened with Monroe High School’s Generations of Sound, their highest level choir.

With the theme of “Songs of faith, war, peace, and courage,” the songs included both patriotic

and spiritual genres.

The Generations of Sound began the concert with “Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal,” by Parker/Shaw, including three young soloists.

The choir also sang four other long pieces.

After their performance, the Generations of Sound took the Agora Chorale’s place in the audience and the Agora

Chorale took the stage.

Catherine Brodie conducted the the next performance with Andre Thomas’s “When the Trumpet Sounds.” The Chorale sang five other pieces. Both choirs were brought on stage to sing together the final song “River in Judea,”

by John Leavitt.

Relatives and

friends of the singers congratulated them as they came off stage. The audience seemed both pleased and touched by the performance.

photos by Kayla Tubbs

Above: MCCC’s Agora Chorale performs the concert’s closing song, “River in Judea,” with Monroe High School’s Generations of Sound.

Far left: Catherine Brodie leads The Agora Chorale, which performed a total of seven pieces during the March 8 concert.

Left: Generations of Sound opened the concert with its rendition of, “Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal.”

Night of Comedy attracts full audience Morgan Hofbauer Agora Reporter

Comedian Kevin McPeek will never say farewell to comedy, but he is bidding farewell to performing.

The Night of Comedy held in the LaZ-Boy Center on March 4 served as McPeek’s farewell performance. The event was filmed by Comedy Central.

McPeek invited magician Ken Dumm and ukulele-player Jen Shenberger to share the opportunity as well as the Meyer Theater stage.

“Beautiful room, beautiful crowd, lots of fun,” McPeek said of the event.

McPeek started his career in Michigan but moved to Los Angeles shortly after.

He gained public attention through performances on HBO and Comedy Central.

By mixing story-telling with animated facial expressions, he assures that audience members get pulled into his hysterical world and leave as fans. By avoiding foul language, his act is funny and appropriate for all audiences.

Despite the talent of turning a sip of water into hilarity, McPeek has now decided to take a hiatus from performing.

Kevin McPeek

Ken Dumm

“It won’t be my last performance ever, but I’m not going to focus on trying to make my living as a comedian anymore,” he said. “I need to simplify my life a little bit, try to get healthy.”

The comedian is has performed in three more shows in March and will perform again on Saturday, April 2 at the Turtle Lake Nudist Colony in Union City, Mich.

McPeek lamented about the frustrations that come along with his career.

“It’s just the road, and the bookings, and the agents and the managers, and it’s just gotten to be too much,” he said. “You can only order so many pizzas, then it’s time to go home and eat some real food.”

Jen Shenberger

However, McPeek admitted that he may eventually miss some of the craziness. He said he’s sure a time will come when he’ll wish to be winging down the highway on his way to a gig.

Besides, McPeek may be out of the business now, but that doesn’t mean he’s out for good he said.

“In 4 or 5 years if I feel like it I could come back into the business strong and still stay healthy, I’ll do it,” he said, “but otherwise, I just think it’s time for me to kind of simplify things a little bit.”

The idea to involve Comedy Central at the MCCC performance began with McPeek. After seeing a film the company shot in Detroit, he said he contacted

people at the station and pitched his idea.

“This show was sort of billed as my farewell show, so I thought it’d be really funny if the very first show they ever played of me on Comedy Central was my farewell show,” he said.

“They thought that was funny, so they were like, if you can film it that night there’s a chance we’ll use it.”

The last decision to be made for McPeek was what performers would join him. He said he’s known Dumm for 20 years and met Shenberger in Cleveland 4 years ago at one of her performances.

Both performers had the Monroe audience laughing.

Dumm combines the usual style of comedy with a blend of magic and audience participation. While remaining hilarious, his jokes stay clean and familyoriented.

“Nobody’s better than Ken,” McPeek said. “He’s just funny and great on stage.”

Shenberger’s act is hard to get off your mind – because you have to get her songs out of your head first.

At the Meyer Theater she performed songs about relationship troubles and being the only straight female softball play-

er in high school on her ukulele named “Duke the Yuke.”

“You know, if she doesn’t have her own show in a few years it’ll be a crime,” McPeek said. “She’s just a talent.”

While McPeek has performed on Comedy Central before it will be Shenberger’s and Dumm’s first time.

“I’m really excited about it,” Shenberger said. “I haven’t been doing this as long as good old Kevin here. It’s not my farewell show.”

“It’s her coming out party,” McPeak quipped, referencing her act.

“But I was really excited when Kevin called me and asked me to be a part of the show,” she continued after a laugh. “I think he’s an awesome comedian, so to be able to get this opportunity was just amazing.”

Dumm said he thought the performance went great.

“I mean you can’t get a better show then that as far as the variety that was out there, and the crowd seemed to love it,” Dumm said. “And what a wonderful place to do it all at.”

Comedian Paula Poundstone to perform at La-Z-Boy Center Morgan Hofbauer Agora Reporter

What do you get when you mix cat jokes, uproarious laughter, and Diet Pepsi? A night of Paula Poundstone standup, of course.

The award-winning comedian will perform at the La-Z-Boy Center, Meyer Theater on Saturday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for reserved seating and $32 for VIP seating, which includes balcony seating, munchies and cash bar.

Poundstone has starred in several comedy specials for HBO as well as appeared on Saturday Night Live when friend and mentor Robin Williams was hosting.

She was the first woman to ever perform at the White House Correspondents dinner and to ever receive the Cable ACE for best standup comedy special from her HBO show “Cats, Cops, and Stuff.”

When Poundstone released “Paula Poundstone Goes to Harvard,” an hour

special for HBO, it was the first time that the elite university allowed its name to be used in the title of a television show.

She has also showcased her comedy on “The Paula Poundstone Show” and NPR’s weekly news quiz program “Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me.” Poundstone has authored a memoirmonologue titled “There’s Nothing in this Book that I Meant to Say” and, with the help of her high school math teacher, wrote three math text books for children.

She has also published several magazine articles and a back-page column for five years.

In 2007, BRAVO premiered the newest Poundstone standup comedy special. “Paula Poundstone: Look What the Cat Dragged in” was filmed live before an audience in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theatre.

In 2009, Poundstone released 60 minutes of laughs on her comedy CD, “I HEART JOKES: Paula Tells Them in Maine.”

Poundstone is the National Spokesperson for the Association of Library Trustees Advocates Friends & Foundations, a national network of library supporters.

“It’s funny that we think of libraries as quiet demure places where we are shushed by dusty, bun-balancing, bespectacled women. The truth is libraries are raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy and community,” Poundstone said.

“Libraries can never be shushed. If you haven’t been to your library lately, you’re overdue.”

Besides advocacy activities and comedy, Poundstone lives as a mother to foster children in addition to her own three kids.

Tickets for the April 16 performance can be purchased on the Web at www. monroeccc.edu/theater, via phone at (734) 384-4272 or in person at the Cashier’s Office, located in the Student Services/Administration building.

There is a $3 online service charge.

Campus News

March 31, 2011

THE AGORA

7

Survey results find MCCC healthy College employees rated the MCCC climate 4 out of 5 on average

Tyler Eagle

Agora Reporter

MCCC was recently classified as a healthy campus environment by the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) survey.

The survey was taken in November 2010 and completed by 113 employees.

Of the four systems that results can fall into, MCCC landed in the third system, known as Consultative.

The Consultative system refers to a campus environment in which leaders show substantial confidence in employee work, employees are involved with decision-making, and some decisions are made at lower levels with leaders consulting followers regarding their decisions, according to the National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness (the group who produced the PACE survey).

The fourth system, known as Collaborative, is the goal that colleges should shoot for. It encompasses an environment of collaboration between all facets of a college.

The other two systems, system two, Competitive, and system one, Coercive, respectively deal with an environment that has competition affecting relations between groups and an environment where fear and punishment is used to accomplish goals.

The 113 employees who participated

in the survey fell into three groups: 23 administrators, 40 faculty and 48 support staff and maintenance.

MCCC President David Nixon said he is happy with the survey’s results.

“It’s pleasing because it’s not something we made up. We had no control of the results,” Nixon said.

Nixon also saidhe thinks the survey was accurate because of how it was taken and who administered it.

“I think it speaks for itself because it was a nationally normed survey that was administered by an experienced research group that was not controlled by any of the employee groups. In other words, it was done objectively and without bias,” Nixon said.

The PACE survey divides questions into four groups: Institutional structure, supervisory relationships, team work and student focus.

When participants were asked to answer the questions, they had to rate a statement from 1 to 5. MCCC employees placed institutional structure, supervisory relationships, and team work in the consultative range (median answer between 3 and 4) and student focus in the collaborative range (median answer between 4 and 5).

Several questions scored high marks in regards to student focus. Questions that asked whether students were prepared for further learning, if students received

“Overall, the PACE instrument indicates a healthy campus environment. It’s like a report card of the working environment.”

David Nixon MCCC President

MCCC climate rated by all employees

Graph courtesy of National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness

The 113 MCCC employees that participated in the survey rated various categories like “Teamwork” on a scale of 1-5. The median answers for most categories were between 3 and 4, placing the college in the consultative category.

an excellent education and if the college prepared students for careers all fell into the collaborative range.

Several MCCC faculty members said they agreed with the student focus findings. Speech professor and MCCC Faculty Association President Mark Bergmooser saidhe thinks everyone is on the same page when it comes to students.

“I firmly believe that all employee groups agree that our students receive a great education,” Bergmooser said.

Dr. Roger Spalding, a professor of physics and astronomy, shared sentiments along the same lines.

“We have an excellent staff here that cares about students while they attend

MCCC and we do the best we can to prepare them for their future after they have left MCCC,” Spalding said.

Dr. Joanna Sabo, a professor of political science, said she agrees with the rating of students being prepared for further learning.

“I know for certain that faculty at this institution are very dedicated to our students. Especially in the transfer area we recognize that our students will need to be able to perform well in their major areas when they get to the four-year schools,” Sabo said.

“Our feedback from our transfer schools such as EMU and UT is always exceptional. I once had a UT professor

tell me he could spot an MCCC transfer student by the end of the second week of classes because our students came very knowledgeable and very well-prepared.”

Nixon felt the collaborative rating was earned by all employees.

“Student focus pleased me the most.

All three groups in my view would get an A,” Nixon said.

Nixon was also impressed with the ratings of supervisory relationships.

“I’m pleased that all three groups fell into the highest level of consultative on supervisory relationships,” Nixon said.

On returned surveys, in the comments section, various people described their relationships with their supervisors.

“My supervisor is supportive, understanding, and pleasant to work with/for.

I am delighted to be a part of his team.

My input is sought and considered where appropriate,” one participant wrote.

“My supervisor provides appropriate structure and has priorities that align with the values of the institution as well as my values with regard to providing a learning environment,” another participant wrote.

The survey also honed in on areas in which the college needs to improve, especially in the institutional structure category, such as the sharing of information and the extent to which open and ethical communication exists at the college.

On most of the questions relating to institutional structure, faculty answered one to one-and-one-half points lower than the administration.

“Overall, the PACE instrument indicates a healthy campus environment. It’s like a report card of the working environment,” Nixon said.

“Next year when we do it our objective is to be in the collaborative range.

We are in an environment where there is potential for a great collaboration for all faculty and staff.”

Help available for depressed students Mariah Bruce Agora Reporter

Starting college is a major life change that can cause stress, depression, and anxiety.

Between having to make new friends, an increased workload, and, for most people, moving away from home for the first time, it’s no wonder that college students are feeling pressured — so much so that suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students.

The issue of suicide among teens and young adults was propelled into the spotlight last fall when several young adults committed suicide within a few days of each other, including Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi.

Clementi killed himself by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after a roommate posted intimate videos of him online.

Suicide rates among people aged 15-24 have increased by over 200% over the past 50 years, according to StateUniversity.com.

It is estimated that nearly 1,100 suicides will occur on college campuses by the end of the year.

That statistic is disturbing, to say the least, which may be why organizations are trying to change it.

Active Minds is one such organization, setting out to “utilize the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on college campuses.”

Founded in 2001 by Alison Marmon following the suicide of her older brother, Active Minds has since

Foster wins Jan./Feb. award

Photo by Morgan Hofbauer

Morgan Hofbauer Agora Reporter

Tammy Foster, MCCC Payroll clerk, won the Enriching Lives Performance Award for January/ February.

Foster has worked in payroll at MCCC for 22 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Sienna Heights University and an associate’s degree from MCCC. Denise Lindemann, who works in the same office as bookkeeper, said she has noticed her co-worker’s award-winning performance.

“Tammy goes out of her way to help people whenever she can,” she said. “If she doesn’t immediately know the answer to a question being asked, she will research it and get back with the person asking as soon as possible.”

Chris Bulin, administrative assistant to the dean of Health Sciences, said Foster once went above and beyond the call of duty to help deposit her check.

The e-mail announcing Foster as the January/ February recipient included a narrative from Bulin which described the paycheck mishap that took place when Bulin went on vacation.

After leaving for work on a Friday afternoon, Foster returned because she noticed there was a check cut for Bulin rather than her usual direct deposit. She called to ask Bulin if there had been a mix-up.

“Tammy went on to take the check to the bank and deposit it for me so I could have the funds available while on vacation,” Bulin wrote. “Her customer service is always excellent but this was really meaningful for me and I greatly appreciated it.”

Lindemann has also seen Foster offer above-andbeyond help to her co-workers.

“If she isn’t up against a deadline, she will usually set aside whatever she is working on to help anyone who calls or stops by her office,” she said.

Foster said the award was very nice.

When MCCC first announced it would be hosting a monthly performance award, Foster said she was unsure of the idea until she won it.

“Only because of the emails and support that I’ve gotten from people,” she said. “I don’t need strokes but it’s nice to get that affirmation that you’re doing a good job and doing what you set out to do.”

The Enriching Lives Performance Award is sponsored by the Institutional Staff Development Committee.

branched out to include over 300 chapters on college campuses all across the United States.

Another organization making strides to improve mental health awareness is To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit founded in 2006.

They began a college campus program in 2009 called Uchapters. There are currently over 40 chapters, with more being added each semester.

Founder Jamie Tworkowski also spends much of his time travelling to college campuses Both organizations aim to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental health.

Clearly, there are resources available, so why aren’t students getting help?

It may be because they fear the stigma that comes with seeking mental help. The goal of these organizations is to put these stereotypes to rest.

Still more students may not know where to go to find help.

There are counseling services here on MCCC’s campus, which many students may not be aware of.

Counselors are available in the Student Services and Administration (A) Building, but most cases involving depression, self-mutilation, and other mental health issues are referred to the Monroe County Health Department.

You can get contact with MCCC counselors by calling (734) 384-4104.

8

THE AGORA

Sports

March 31, 2011

Opinions differ on MCCC student activity fee Continued from Page 1

nity that want sports back at the college and they are willing to help,” Lauer said.

Lauer said she didn’t think a student fee would be the hurdle that some people make it out to be.

“You’re paying more (for tuition) but you are not getting anything more, here you pay more and get something more for it, that’s the big difference,” Lauer said.

With MCCC’s student enrollment at 4,624, a $10-$25 fee could raise $46,240 to $115,600 for athletics.

“The student activity fee would initially be used to support any students wanting to start a sports club with the goal of eventually developing into a varsity athletic program,” Lauer said.

Lauer said one of the main reasons she is interested in reinstating sports at MCCC is because “it strengthens the connection between the college and the community.”

“I’ve been either a coach or athlete all of my life myself, so I’m very very interested in sports and I know the wonderful benefits kids can get from participating in athletics, especially a sports team,” Lauer said.

MCCC Volleyball Club coach Scott Barbe said there are many ways his team could use the extra money.

He pointed to things as simple as getting new volleyballs and nets and as expensive as being able to participate in more tournaments.

Barbe said the money that has been given to the MCCC Volleyball Club is about $3,000, which is about half of what was received by the high school clubs he coached.

One way an athletic fee could

V-ball club season ends Jeff Papworth Agora Reporter

The MCCC volleyball club ended the season with 8 wins 26 losses and 4 ties.

Although the volleyball team finished 18 games below .500, head coach Scott Barbe was still happy about the results.

“As far as the girls, they progressed really well throughout the whole season,” Barbe said.

Barbe also said he enjoyed his first season as head coach.

“I thought the experience was good, I enjoyed the community and the girls and we’re looking forward to next year,” Barbe said.

be established is by the MCCC student government making a petition in an attempt to get the board members to adopt the policy.

Holly Self, the president of MCCC’s Student Government, said she would be in favor of an athletic fee if there were enough interest, but she has not seen any.

“They want hard evidence that adding this would, A, not make people mad, which it would and, B, actually get participants,” Self said.

Many of the high school principals in Monroe County disagree with the MCCC board.

Ida’s High School Principal Tom Dykstra and Jefferson High School Principal David Vensel both used the word “reasonable,” when describing their thoughts about a $10 student fee for students.

Vensel added that he would never want a student fee to take away opportunities for other students, but he didn’t think a $10 fee would do that.

Dundee principal Bryan Schroeder did not want to comment on a fee because he said he did not know enough about MCCC’s budget and students’ interest in sports, but he had nothing but positive things to say about his experiences in college athletics.

“The experiences and friendships and the leadership that I was able to attain there helped me a great deal to get into the position I’m in now,” Schroeder said.

The MCCC board members have taken action to show their support towards athletics.

They started an Executive Sports Committee, which has researched what other schools are doing, looked into interest among MCCC students, plus trying to find ways to finance the current athletic clubs.

Do athletic programs help or hurt college graduation rates?

Colleges with athletic programs

80%

70%

Graduation rate Retention rate

60%

Colleges without athletic programs

50%

Graduation rate

40%

Retention rate

30%

Graduation and retention rates among students who attend Michigan community colleges vary only a small amount based on whether the colleges have athletic programs. The average graduation rate for colleges with athletic programs in 2009 was 16.6 percent; it was 16.7 percent for colleges without athletics. The retention rate was 62.1 percent for colleges with athletics; 61.8 for colleges without athletics.

20%

10%

0

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

In 2009, all seven trustees pledged $500 towards the athletic clubs. Previously, MCCC gave each club $100.

Thayer said she put in the first $500 and the rest of the board members followed.

She said she made the contribution because she wanted to see how much interest there was.

“That was my way of checking to see how many groups would come forward to start an intramural,” Thayer said.

She came to the conclusion that not many students wanted athletics because she has heard from no MCCC students on this subject.

She said she still would like to look at more information regard-

ing MCCC athletics.

Bellino said he fears that in the next five years MCCC will face funding cuts by the state, forcing the college into raising tuition.

“I would love to have athletics at Monroe County Community College, but right now the school can’t afford it,” Bellino said. “but if some sugar daddy or some phi-

lanthropist wants to come give us a hundred grand a year for five years to start sports or some kind of seed money I would be all for it.”

Athletics at MCCC is something most people want, but it appears to be a matter of how much they think it is worth. Of the 28 community colleges in Michigan, 68 percent think it is worth the investment.

Sports stars had their start at MCCC Jeff Papworth Agora Reporter

MCCC alum James McElroy, who played professional basketball with the likes of Pistol Pete Maravich, learned a lot from his experiences at MCCC. McElroy was a standout high school basketball player who decided he needed to add an extra step before attending a larger University.

“It’s a slow pace, it’s a place where you can get your head together and still make the progress in the right direction,” McElroy said.

McElroy also said he learned from being in unfamiliar territory.

His high school (Detroit Murray-Wright) was predominantly African-American, while MCCC had fewer than 30 black students.

McElroy’s fondest memory in his MCCC basketball career was beating third-ranked

Lake Michigan Junior College in his first game at MCCC. McElroy scored 51 points in the blowout of LMJC. After McElroy’s retirement from the NBA, he owned a restaurant-chain for 17 years and said his history in athletics helped him prosper.

He also pointed out that he preferred to hire athletes because they understand that some days you get knocked down, and just have to get up and keep going.

“You got to be able to look into the future and say, okay, I lost that battle, but we got another one coming tomorrow,” McElroy said.

MCCC alum Frank McAuliffe said his greatest achievement as a golf pro was finishing second place in the 1988 Michigan Open.

McAuliffe was two shots away from placing first, but he showed little disap-

Photo courtesy of CMU

Professional basketball player James McElroy played basketball at MCCC.

pointment 22 years later.

“It was exciting, that’s kind of what you

play for, knowing you have a chance to win,” McAuliffe said.

His trek to MCCC was much shorter than McElroy’s. The main reason he enrolled at MCCC was because he grew up in Monroe.

His favorite moment on the MCCC golf team was going to the Nationals in a 3-day tournament in Galveston, Texas.

McAuliffe doesn’t remember Galveston, other than just being at the golf course.

“We were there to be at the tournament and we didn’t do much else,” McAuliffe said.

McAuliffe studied Business Administration at MCCC, which is now paying dividends because he has owned a golf shop for 30 years in Ann Arbor.

McAuliffe thinks it would be smart for MCCC to have more sports programs like golf.

“I wouldn’t have went there if it didn’t have a golf program.” McAuliffe said.

V-ball club members bond through sport Jeff Papworth Agora Reporter

The connection between best friends Amelia Contreras and Rachel Cousino was created before their birth.

Their mothers developed a friendship a little after they became pregnant.

“It was easy for them to become friends because we were,” Amelia’s mother, Chris Contreras said. “They’ve always been a part of each other’s lives.”

That was the reason they played volleyball together from the 4th grade on.

Rachel’s older sister played, than Rachel and Amelia followed suit.

“I’ve been best friends with her forever, so it was like whatever she did, I did, and whatever I did, she did,” Amelia said.

Rachel and Amelia spent their time this winter playing for the MCCC volleyball club.

Rachel and Amelia are the most animated when they talk about why they love volleyball.

Rachel said “I like how fastpaced it is and how you have to be able to anticipate where the ball is going to go. You can’t stand still; you always have to be watching and ready for anything to happen.”

Amelia said most of the same.

“You’re always moving, constantly moving, constantly thinking about where they’re going to place the ball, or thinking there’s an open spot there, there probably going to tip there,” Amelia said.

Photos by Jeff Papworth

Amelia Contreras, left, and Rachel Cousino, right, playing volleyball with the MCCC volleyball club.

“On offense you’re always thinking about the open spots, you’re not just concentrating on the ball,” Rachel said.

In the ten years they have played volleyball, Rachel and Amelia agree they have formed a great chemistry on the court.

“I can always tell when she is going to set me or where she is going to go,” Rachel said.

“I know I can trust putting the ball in her hands,” Amelia said.

Amelia and Rachel agreed one of their favorite moments in their volleyball career was in their sophomore year in high school, when playing for the Eastern Academy. They pulled off an upset over the M Juniors.

“It was one of the best feelings ever,” Amelia said. “Even the parents were talking crap about our team.”

While they had many reasons to celebrate throughout their career, they also had games they could learn from.

When they played for Borderline, they had a 24-7 lead and lost the match.

“Even our own parents were mad at us and couldn’t even look at us,” Amelia said.

For most of their volleyball careers, they played on a traveling team. It was expensive for their parents, but they did not flinch.

“She loved it, so it was worth everything,” Lori Cousino said.

“If you can afford to do it all, you should always support your kids in whatever they really like to do,” Chris Contreras said.

In the 11th grade Amelia and Rachel’s friendship could have been fractured. Rachel played on Bedford’s Junior Varsity, but Amelia did not make the team, but she showed little animosity.

“She got over it a heck of a lot sooner then we did as far as let-

ting things go,” Chris Contreras said. Adding that Amelia told her, “We’ll always be friends, it doesn’t matter.”

Amelia and Rachel’s friendship goes beyond the volleyball court.

They both enjoy listening to country music and went to a three-day concert last year that featured Keith Urban and Justin Moore among others.

From kindergarten through college, they’ve had a class together every year except second grade.

Rachel’s Mother, Lori Cousino, describes them as “silly and fun.”

And they don’t care what other people think of them.

“They have no problem wearing a spice girl t-shirt at 20 years old,” Lori Cousino said.

They both want to work in the medical field. Rachel wants to be a nurse and Amelia wants to be an ultrasound sonographer.

“I just like the idea of helping people even when I was young I wanted to work with little kids,” Rachel said.

“I like the idea of showing people baby pictures, being able to see it, the excitement of people when they get an ultrasound,” Amelia said.

The last two years of Rachel and Amelia’s volleyball careers have been interesting.

Last year they were attending Oakland University and struggled to find a club team to play on, but they still managed to play intramural volleyball.

They transferred to Monroe County Community College for

Courtesy photo

Rachel Cousino and Amelia Contreras in grade school.

financial reasons and because Oakland did not have programs that suited the careers they wanted to pursue.

MCCC hired Scott Barbe as the volleyball club coach about the same time Amelia and Rachel arrived at MCCC, giving them an avenue to continue playing volleyball.

They both said they like Barbe as a coach, but struggled being cohesive as a team. They said they were used to being with players in high school, who they had formed a bond with.

While Amelia and Rachel are unsure what college they will attend next year, Barbe said he would welcome them back.

“There both are very, very smart and understand the game,” Barbe said “They both have very positive personalities.”