Agora Oct 2017 issue

New Look

Architect unveils tentative plans for East-West Tech

Page 3

We are the . . .

Huskies Leah Thomas

Agora Web Editor

Huskies may make a comeback.

Student Ambassadors are working to reintroduce MCCC’s mascot, the Huskies.

Student Ambassadors are student leaders who commit to attend college events and reach out to prospective students.

Jessica Ryder, the former vice president of Student Ambassadors, began the challenge of reviving the mascot and Katie Vandenbrink, the current president, is continuing Ryder’s efforts.

“I thought it was a great idea to get more students involved and happy and peppy about something,” Vandenbrink said. “It would give us the opportunity to say, ‘I am a Husky of Monroe County Community College’ and not, ‘Oh, I’m just a community college student.’ ” Student Ambassador adviser

Mem-

To m Ryder agreed.

“I believe it gives our students an identity. ‘We are the Huskies,’ ” he said. “And I think it lends itself to some great marketing and advertising possibilities for MCCC.” The Ambassadors have incorporated the Husky into their club.

They have a Husky on their club shirts, Vandenbrink said.

Ryder said the Ambassadors hope the clubs, bookstore, and Marketing Department adopt

the Husky as well.

Joe Verkennes, the head of the Marketing Department, said they designed a Husky logo last year at the request of the Student Ambassadors.

“We thought it couldn’t hurt, so we had to kind of reintroduce it,” he said.

Currently, the Student Ambassadors are the only club using it, but Verkennes said it could be used for anything student related.

There is no timetable for using the Husky logo in any traditional 8marketing tools, Verkennes said.

“I gave her a kiss goodbye, said I love you, and that was the last time I saw her

Serving Monroe County since 1968

Page

Oct. 16, 2017

Inside Helping Puerto Rico

Page 4 Joel Spotts chosen president

Page 7 Study Abroad to expand

Page 8-9

H e said the Husky could be a recruitment tool. They could use the logo on shirts, pens, and any material they pass out at high schools.

“We are scheduled to revise our college viewbook this spring, so that might be a good piece in which to feature the logo,” he said.

Since the Marketing Department does not have a timeline, Vandenbrink is not sure how much they will do.

“That’s why we kind of dialed back on the outside of the campus Tips on success in college community aspect. We are focusing on here,” she said. Page 5

She wants theout, students on camBlackboard D2L in pus to know they are Huskies.

“A lot of us don’t even Page know12that we the Huskies,” she said.

“It”were is both scary, funny

Page 16 2 See Students, Page Vol. 65, Issue 2

2 • Campus News

October 16, 2017

Tech student dies in motorcycle crash Vanessa Ray Agora Editor

For the second time since starting classes this fall, MCCC is dealing with the tragic death of a student.

Devin Staelgraeve, a 25-year-old student from Newport, died Sept.

24 due to injuries sustained during a motorcycle accident.

He was born Sept. 11, 1992, and attended Monroe High School, graduating with the class of 2010.

He was attending Monroe County Community College and was scheduled to graduate in May of 2018.

Staelgraeve was in the Department of Labor Office Electrician Apprenticeship program, and employed by National Galvanizing in Monroe.

According to Cameron Albring, the administrate assistant for the Tech Division, he was a leader in the classroom.

“He always had his motorcycle helmet with him,” Albring said, a warm smile crossing her face. “He was a leader in the classroom and I know his classmates and professors relied on him.”

His sister, Destiny Staelgraeve, echoed Albring’s sentiment.

“He was a very hard-working man – always at work or in school,” Destiny said. “He was very reli-

able. Anytime he said he was going to do something, he would do it.”

Destiny described her brother’s interests, as well as a one of his most noticeable characteristics.

“Everyone looked up to him, both literally and figuratively, as he was 6 foot 8 inches tall,” Destiny said with a laugh. “He loved being outside and riding his four wheeler, dirt bike, or snowmobiles.”

Once of Staelgraeve’s great loves was riding his motorcycle, which he used take a trip around Michigan’s border recently.

According to his sister, he was a “country boy” who enjoyed all things outdoors. Whether it be hunting deer or raccoon, he loved spending time in the woods.

Though he is sorely missed by those who knew and loved him, the way Staelgraeve lived his life has brought comfort to his family.

“He was such an incredible man,” Destiny said. “He loved life and lived it to the fullest.”

It’s been a tragic last few months.

MCCC nursing students started fall semester with the news that student Mariya Heinzerling had died over the summer.

On the same day Staelgraeve died, former MCCC student Ethan J. Hawkins also was killed in a motorcycle accident.

The Agora Editor: Vanessa Ray

MCCC hosts forum for Monroe City Council candidates Leah Thomas

Agora Web Editor

The Agora is sponsoring a 2017 Monroe City Council Candidate Forum at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 1, in the LaZ-Boy Center.

The forum will give students and community members a chance to meet the candidates and learn some of their opinions on issues in the city.

Vanessa Ray, the Agora editor, will moderate and other Agora staff members will keep time during the forum.

All six council seats, the mayor, and the clerk-treasure are on the Nov. 7 ballot.

Three incumbents will face challengers to retain their seats, and two new candidates are runing against each other for the fourth contested seat.

In precinct 1, Paula Whitman will face off against Jeffery Hensley. Hensley previously sat on the council, but

`

POETRY NIGHT

Adviser: Dan Shaw Staff: McKinley Striggow Don Thomas Erin Thomas

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 Building, (734) 384-4186, agora@ monroeccc.edu.

Submissions: The Agora encourages submissions by anyone in the college community, including free-lance articles, opinion columns or letters to the editor. All submissions must include a name, 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. It is a member of the Michigan Community College Press Association, the Michigan Press Association, College Media Association, Associated Collegiate Press and the Student Press Law Center.

Story suggestions are welcome. Let us know what you would like to see in The Agora - it’s your newspaper. Email submissions to agora@monroeccc. edu.

Whitman took the seat from him two years ago.

Kellie Vining is seeking to retain her seat. She faces Pat McElligott.

Gloria Rafko is running against challenger Brian Lamour.

Andrew Felder and Jacob McLaughlin are competing for a seat in precinct 6, where William Sisk did not seek re-election.

Monroe mayor Robert Clark, clerk-treasurer Michelle LaVoy, councilman John Iacoaangeli, and councilwoman Michelle Germani are running unopposed.

Each candidate will give an introduction, answer questions, then end with a closing statement.

The questions will be chosen by the Agora staff.

The event is scheduled to end at 8:30 p.m.

MCCC WRITING CENTER’S ANNUAL

Web Editor: Leah Thomas

Cheyanne Abel Sawyer Jackson Taylor Dively Cassidy Maier Miranda Gardner James Quick

Agora/mcccagora.com

When? Thursday, October 26th, 8:00-9:30 Where? Little Theater (basement of C building, room C3) Costume Contest

Come in your best Halloween costume, and you automatically have the chance to win a gift card!

Original Poem Contest

Bring a copy of your original poem to enter; the winner’s poem will be featured in the Agora.

Literature Readings

Read your favorite poem, book excerpt, song lyric, or other literature, or just be part of the audience!

Candy Raffle

Purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win a pre-Halloween candy haul.

Free Refreshments

Because who doesn’t love free food and beverages?

Students pushing for return of Husky as MCCC mascot Continued from Page 1 “Frankly, I didn’t know until we brought it up.”

The Ambassadors plan to incorporate the Husky into future campus events.

Vandenbrink said she could see the Husky logo in emails and slogans that advertise the events.

She would love to have Ambassador members dress up in a Husky costume and attend campus events.

She hopes their marketing efforts will catch students’ eyes and raise awareness of the mascot around campus.

The Ambassadors are not the only ones who have had a hard time getting people to identify with a mascot.

Ron Campbell, the first president of MCCC, said the Agora was in charge of finding a mascot for the college.

“They did have a contest for getting the name for the mascot the Huskies,” Campbell said.

According to newspaper records, the Agora staff also had a hard time getting students to choose a mascot.

In the February 22, 1968, edition an article reminded readers that within the last year the Student Council had set up two committees to pick a mascot and both had failed.

“Do we want to be known as the ‘Soy Bean Patch’ or the ‘Farmhands’? Don’t get me wrong, farming is a vital part of this world, but I think we could be a little bit more glamorous,” Agora reporter Mark Wittenberg wrote.

“I think the problem is the lack of communication between the Student Council and the students,” he said. “If the Student Council would put a little more concentration towards the problem and if the students would cooperate a little more, I think we could lick the problem before the spring semester was over.”

In the April 1968 edition, the Agora reported that Student Council gave them the job of finding a mascot.

“Since we are sure that there will be no objections from the students of the Student Council, ‘Colts’ will be the official or unofficial mascot for MCCC,” the article said.

It appears that the Agora did not have a unanimous vote from Student Council or the mascot was unofficial, because the December edition published a voting tally for the school mascot and Huskies won by a landslide.

Thus, the Huskies were born.

Agora/mcccagora.com

Campus News • 3

October 16, 2017

Tentative floor plan for remodeled East-West Tech

testing center

testing lab

This one of the preliminary drawings of the remodeled East-West Tech building that was presented to MCCC employees at a meeting Friday, Oct. 13. The design phase, when the plans will be finalized, will occur over the winter. Architects from Stantec Inc., the firm overseeing the project, made the presentation.

Architects plan to fill every inch Taylor Dively Agora Staff

College employees got their first look at what the remodeled East and West Tech buildings will look like.

Architects from Stantec, Inc., presented the tentative plans to college employees on Friday, Oct. 13.

Stantec is an international construction design company that was chosen by MCCC to supervise the renovation projects.

Patrick Calhoun, senior associate and planner at Stantec’s Berkley, Mich., office, introduced MCCC employees to how the two technology buildings may look in the future.

He emphasized that the plans were tentative.

“This is not done,” Calhoun said. “When we put plans up, there’s sometimes a feeling of finality.”

The plans combine the East and West Tech buildings, using the space in between for a student commons area.

The Learning Assistance Lab (LAL) is projected to be moved into the building, to be closer to the Regional Computer Technology Center (RCTC). Both will be located near the center of the building.

“The plan is to make it seem more inviting and open,” Calhoun said. “Bring the RCTC to the forefront.”

Photo courtesy of Santec

This photo of a classroom was used by the architects as an example of what the multi-use classroom space might look like.

The architects divided the main components of the renovated building into five categories: Commons, Offices, Student Success, Cowork Support, and Academic.

The Commons is meant to be a meeting and study space for students to interact. It includes everything from space for group projects to a hangout spot with friends. It is mostly located in the area now between the

two buildings.

The Office component is exactly as it sounds — offices for faculty and staff members. The Business Division faculty offices will be relocated to the renovated building.

The Cowork Support area is space for adjunct faculty, as well as community members who might use it for entrepreneurial projects.

Student Success is focused entirely around helping students. Included are the LAL, RCTC, and study areas.

The last component, Academic, covers classrooms and learning tools for students.

Besides the current Graphic Design and Computer Security classrooms, the Art classroom will be moved from the A Building, joining the Art and Ceramics studios.

There also will be several multi-use classrooms.

The diagrams presented by the architects make the building seem cozy and more inviting, with the inclusion of arm chairs and study spaces.

Almost every available bit of space between the two buildings is being planned to be put to use.

“The goal is to make rooms have more than one use,” Calhoun said. “Use the whole building and maximize the use of it.”

The architects have until Oct. 31 to finalize the schematic plans and present them to the state.

Then the final design stage will be completed in January and February, and presented to the state again.

Changes and adjustments can still be made until the plan is finalized during Winter semester.

Construction work on the renovations is scheduled to start in the summer of 2018.

4 • Campus News

October 16, 2017

Agora/mcccagora.com

MCCC students look to help Puerto Rico Miranda Gardner Agora staff

MCCC is responding to the devastation in Puerto Rico, and for one professor, it hits home.

Maris Fonseca, associate professor of Biology, has family in Puerto Rico.

“The ongoing situation in Puerto Rico is something that touches me very personally,” she said via email.

Three weeks ago, the island was directly hit by the center of hurricane Maria, and experienced winds and rain that lasted over 30 hours.

Amanda Roelant, International Studies Club treasurer, said they are considering a humanitarian trip.

“Nothing is set in stone,” she said. “We toyed with the idea of going to help people who need it.”

According to Political Science professor Joanna Sabo, the trip has been put on the back burner for now “With limited air travel going in and power outages, getting there is too difficult right now,” she said.

Sabo said the nation’s response to the devastation has been slow.

“Whether it is a storm crisis, refugee crisis, health care, or a terror-

After being left with nothing, citizens of Puerto Rico line up for clean water

ist attack, I am always taken aback at how some Americans are reluctant to help others,” she said.

“We have to remember, as a U.S. territory, its citizens are U.S. citizens,” Sabo said. “We should always be willing to suspend judg-

ments and give to people in need.”

President Trump has been mixed in his support for Puerto Rico.

“We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in

P.R. forever!” he said via Twitter.

Puerto Rico faces a humanitarian crisis as clean water is scarce, most are without electricity, and resources are dwindling.

“We need to elect smart and compassionate leaders,” Sabo said.

Fonseca is appreciative of all the support she’s received since the disaster, and feels fortunate to work with such caring individuals, she said.

“I am grateful for the many expressions of concern and solidarity for Puerto Rico,” Fonseca said.

“I am also grateful for the desire of many individuals and groups to help those on the island affected by the hurricane.”

Organizations like the World Central Kitchen, American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army can designate donations to assist Puerto Ricans.

“The organization has an initiative called Chefs for Puerto Rico where Chef José Andrés (@ chefjoseandres) is leading a team of chefs and volunteers to prepare and serve meals to people affected by Hurricane Maria,” Fonseca said. .

Fonseca stressed donating as the best way to help.

“The most effective ways to help reach those individuals in Puerto Rico that need it most is to channel aid through organizations that have the resources to transport goods to the island, and the means to distribute them widely and immediately,” she said.

Quartey says better reciprocal plan needed Donald Thomas Agora Staff

Border walls of higher expenses are keeping some students from pursuing their education dreams.

Michigan and Ohio have reciprocal programs that allow students easy access to classes across the state border, without added cost.

The problem with these programs, according to MCCC President Kojo Quartey, is that they are too limiting – they only apply to programs not offered in the student’s county.

The institutions involved are Owens Community College, the University of Toledo, Eastern Michigan University, and MCCC. Another problem, Quartey said, is that dual-enrolled students have been excluded.

Without the reciprocal agreements, any student attending a college in a state where they weren’t a resident would face the higher out-of-state tuition.

Quartey said the reciprocal agreements are valuable to students and should be expanded to include all courses.

“We need to go above and beyond the reciprocity with special arrangements for

“We need to go above and beyond the reciprocity with special arrangements for students that come from across the border.”

Kojo Quartey MCCC President

students that come from across the border,” Quartey said.

Any counties in Michigan that border another state, such as Ohio, would have students who would benefit from this, he said.

A more lenient reciprocity policy would be a disadvantage to Michigan and MCCC if Ohio students were not allowed to do the same in Michigan, he added.

Because Bedford Township is closest to Ohio in Monroe County, it is where the issue is felt the most — especially since MCCC is working to revitalize the Whitman center.

Whitmer High School, one of the largest high schools in Toledo, is about four miles from the Whitman Center. That makes it a great prospect for students to take advantage of a reciprocal agreement.

Attracting more students has become an issue at MCCC over the last few years, when

enrollment has shrunk by a third, from about 4,800 to 3,200.

There are many challenges that can contribute to a shrinking student population at a community college, Quartey said.

Among the challenges are students who possess a four-year mentality, taking only a few courses at the 2-year school, and then transferring.

Better reciprocity agreements would allow the college to attact more of our neighbors across the border, at in-state rates.

To help welcome newcomers here, Quartey emphasizes a positive outlook.

“I have a rule where I will never pass a student in the hall without saying hello,” Quartey said. “Customer service is key and the little things mean a lot.”

He recently attended a conference in Las Vegas where the theme was Pathways to

Prosperity.

A recent national survey was presented at the conference, Quartey said. It found that only 21 percent of community college students felt that somebody there cared about them.

“The number one reason students stay at an institution is that someone cares about them,” Quartey said.

He said some Michigan taxpayers oppose a more flexibile reciprocity policy because it subsidizes individuals from out-of-state.

“For me, as an economist, when students come across the border from Ohio and they come here to spend their money, it is an injection of funds into the economy,” Quartey said.

Dual-enrolled students aren’t even able to take advantage of the current reciprocal agreements.

Legislation has been proposed that would amend the law to include dual-enrolled Michigan students in the reciprocal agreements with Ohio institutions, Quartey said.

The legislation would not be valuable unless Ohio passed a similar law, Quartey said.

“If it’s not a two-way street, then I don’t want to be on that street,” he said.

Agora/mcccagora.com

Campus News • 5

October 16, 2017

Attorney answers fake news questions Vanessa Ray Agora Editor

No, Pope Francis did not endorse Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton did not sell guns to Isis.

There was no shark swimming along the road in a Hurricane Harvey ravaged Houston.

Those are just a few examples of the types of “fake news” that have proliferated via social media since the 2016 election cycle.

In an era of fake news, what to look for and how to identify it (and what to say to family friends who share it) has become, for many, an essential skill.

On Wednesday Sept. 20, MCCC attempted to broach the subject by hosting “Fake News and the Constitution” in the Meyer Theater.

The event was organized by History professor Edmund La Clair and held in recognition of Constitution Day. Attorney and First Amendment expert Robin Luce-Herrmann, who entitled her address “The Freedom of the Press in the Current Political Environment,” spoke on the importance of the First Amendment and the media during the age of “fake news.”

Luce-Herrmann began by defining fake news.

Though President Trump routinely decries any negative press about him as “fake news,” that was not the topic Luce-Herrmann would be addressing – though the importance of a free press was highlighted throughout the entire evening.

“Fake news is a type of yellow journalism, or clickbait, which seeks to spread hoaxes and erroneous information,” Luce-Herrmann said. “It’s also been around for centuries.”

Though it is most often associated with political propaganda, fake news is not exclusive to politics, as seen by the popularity of the story of a lottery winner supposedly defecating on her boss’ desk.

As amusing as some stories may be, fake news can have real-life consequences.

Though it will always be debatable, there are many who believe it had a profound effect on the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

This is not to say it’s only conservatives who are writing fake news stories.

“Fake news is by no means partisan,” Luce-Herrmann said.

She then showcased a number of fake

Photo by Vanessa Ray

Student Matthew Beaubien asks Michigan Press Association attorney Robin Luce-Herrmann a question following her presentation.

news propaganda stories that spanned the political spectrum.

After speaking for about 45 minutes, Luce-Herrmann accepted questions from the audience of about 100, which included students, faculty, and members of the community.

MCCC student Nicole Wilson questioned why people fall for fake news.

“For starters, it’s because of confirmation bias. We want to read things that confirm what we already think is true,” Luce-Herrmann answered.

She said the combination of confirmation bias paired with a plausible story is why fake news has spread like wildfire.

Student asked about the protests at colleges like University of California Berkeley and whether we as a country have become too politically correct.

“We have a huge problem in this country

“Fake news is a type of yellow journalism, or clickbait, which seeks to spread hoaxes and erroneous information.”

Robin Luce-Herrmann Michigan Press Association attorney

where we’re just way too PC,” Luce-Herrmann said.

La Clair had a suggestion for students who do not feel comfortable with people who make racist attacks.

“Most young college students don’t necessarily have the context on how you confront that kind of speech,” La Clair said.

He gave the example of Nazis being invited to speak at universities after World War II. “They were put into a debate against the college professors, who ripped these people apart; exposed the faults in their arguments,

the lack of evidence for their ideas,” La Clair said. “And, ironically enough, the Nazi’s stopped coming to talk.”

La Clair said this same idea should be put into use today.

By banning certain kinds of speech, those who want to end hate speech are actually amplifying it.

“The thing about free speech is, we work on this marketplace of ideas, and good ideas rise to the top,” La Clair said. “But if you shout down bad ideas, you don’t get the opportunity to demonstrate the faults.”

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6 • Campus News

October 16, 2017

Agora/mcccagora.com

Light causes problems for sky watching MCCC observatory still used despite light pollution Donald Thomas Agora Staff

Light pollution is damaging our ability to study astronomical phenomenon with observatories.

“Light pollution is a major problem in America,” said Roger Spalding, professor of Physics and Astronomy.

The issue also is a concern here at MCCC, where our own observatory has been affected by light pollution.

Even the most famous observatories in America, such as the Palomar Mountain, the Wilson Observatory, and Hale Telescope (which Edwin Hubble used) have been affected by light pollution, Spalding said.

“The surrounding region of Southern California has adopted shielded lighting to reduce the light pollution that would potentially affect the observatory,” he said.

Most people don’t realize how the light from their homes affects the environment.

“Some of the major discoveries were done on telescopes that you now can’t even use from light pollution,” Spalding said.

Here at MCCC we no longer have aluminum coverings on the streetlamps, which

Photo by James P. Quick

MCCC’s observatory is located east of campus next to the DTE solar panels.

would cut down on their contribution to light pollution.

That and other small changes over the years have accumulated to cause issues with light pollution for the MCCC observatory.

The observatory was first constructed in the 1980s after Spalding attended a conference in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Renovations were made to the observatory in 2009 through the efforts of the MASS Club and adviser Lori Bean, associate professor of Biology & Chemistry. The deck surrounding the observatory was made safer and easier to use.

“We went out to the observatory, Math and Science Society, to use the telescope, and someone at the college heard about this,” Bean said.

Briefs

month-long public display by pastel artist Jill Stefani Wagner.

Wagner is a member of Pastel Society of America.

Samples of Wagner’s work can be found on her website at www. jillwagnerart.com.

Socks are the most needThe lecture will take place on ed but least donated items of Oct. 24 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in clothing in homeless shelters.

Room 173 in the A Building.

MCCC’s Student Government Wagner’s art will also be on is sponsoring a sock drive to help. public display from Oct. 23 to The socks will be donated to Nov. 21 in the library.

Oaks of Righteousness.

The lecture and display are free Sock donation boxes are being and open to the public. placed around campus in East Her display is part of the colTech, A, C, H, and L buildings. lege’s Visiting Artist Series.

Donations can also be dropped

off directly to the Student Government Room or to Tom Ryder.

All donations must be new socks.

Inexpensive places to purchase socks include stores like TJ Max MCCC is hosting a State of the and Walmart.

College Address on Oct. 30.

College President Kojo Quartey will present the address from 7:30 - 9 a.m. in the A Building in Room 173.

Quartey will update the comMCCC will host a lecture and munity on the college’s mile-

Students request sock donations

Quartey sets college address

Visiting artist will lecture, show art

“The next time the group visited, we found it had been all taped off with caution tape,” she said.

“They felt it was too dilapidated and unsafe to use. MASS still wanted to use it, however, so we ended up applying for a Foundation grant to have the deck built.”

Through their efforts, and regular maintenance that is performed by the MCCC maintenance staff, the observatory is still fully functional, despite being almost 40 years old.

The observatory, which stands behind the campus on the border of the solar panels, is mainly used as a supplement to in-class astronomy instruction, Spalding said.

The observatory is manually operated to change the viewing angle of the sky.

stones and future plans, according to a college news release.

He will discuss new academic endeavors, such as the credit programs in agriculture and automotive services.

He will mention the noncredit Emergency Medical Technician program and the region’s Cybersecurity Center.

Quartey will inform community members of the grants awarded to MCCC in agriculture, welding, Workforce Development Skills Bootcamp for Adult Learners, and an additional Upward Bound program.

He also plans to update the community on the status of the 5-year Maintenance and Improvement Millage projects.

Immigration forum planned

An immigration forum, “Growing Seeds of Hope,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in the IHM Motherhouse Avila Dining

Through the observatory, students can see the events that are going on with the natural rotation of the Earth.

Students can also safely view the sun inside the observatory when major celestial events are occurring.

Using the observatory for regular weekly classes isn’t practical, Spalding said.

It only accommodates about two people at a time, three if you include the professor.

“It’s like one microscope in a biology class, it’s way too little and with telescopes it’s prohibitively expensive,” Spalding said.

“It’s wonderful to have, but it doesn’t replace textbook or classroom instruction,” he said.

There are two types of astronomy, descriptive and observational. The astronomy courses that are offered on campus have traditionally been descriptive astronomy, Spalding said.

With the observatory, students can go out and observe what has been discussed in class.

“It would just be better (for classroom observing) to have a viewing field with telescopes to have them be adjustable to student’s own height, and handicap accessible,” Spalding said.

“You would need 15 telescopes and that’s not realistic for us at this time, as even those wouldn’t get used very often,” Spalding said.

Yet the observatory still fills a purpose as our eyes into the night sky.

Room.

Speaker Diego Bonesatti, director of Legal Services at Michigan United, will provide a comprehensive view of the immigration system in the U.S. MCCC is one of the forum sponsors.

MCCC wins three awards

The college won three awards for excellence in Community College Marketing and Communications at the joint District 3 and District 5 Conference of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations in Davenport, Iowa.

The MCCC Marketing Department won the gold medallion in the E-Category, Schedule, Viewbook, Annual Report category for “Adapting to Changing Needs: 2015-16 MCCC Annual Report to the Community.”

The college also won two bronze awards.

Club hosts trip, rummage sale

Members of MCCC’s International Studies Club are inviting students to join them on a trip to Detroit’s Eastern Market.

Adjunct professor Ben Tallerico will lead the tour on Oct. 21.

Students who wish to attend will meet in the H Building parking lot at 10 a.m. to carpool.

The club is collecting donations on Oct. 26 and 27 for a fundraising rummage sale.

Donations can be dropped off in Room A150. If nobody is there, just leave the items in the room.

Items must be boxed or bagged neatly.

The rummage sale is planned for 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31.

Everyone is welcome to check out the sale in the cafeteria.

There are no set prices. People can take what they want and leave a donation.

Agora/mcccagora.com

October 16, 2017

Campus News • 7

Student Government selects leaders Cassidy Maier Agora Staff

Joel Spotts was elected MCCC’s Student Government president for 2017-2018.

Elections were held on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

Katie Vandenbrink is the new vice president. Miranda Benardo is the secretary; Aidan Higgins is the campus liaison; Javed Peracha is the treasurer; Samantha Beaudrie is the historian.

Spotts, Higgins, and Peracha were elected last year. Spotts served as vice president, Higgins as liaison, and Peracha as treasurer.

Spotts replaces Grayson Bacarella as president.

“I think the officers this year are the best that they could be. We’ve got some of our best members, I think we’re going to have a fantastic year,” Spotts said.

The vote for vice president ended in a tie between Vandenbrink and Higgins.

The re-vote also ended in a tie, leaving advisor Tom Ryder looking to the constitution. The constitution gave no indication as to what should be done in this scenario, prompting Ryder to ask Spotts to fulfill his first presidential duties.

Spotts decided to open the floor to all Student Government members to give suggestions on what to do.

It was Higgins who ultimately made that decision, by withdrawing his name and giving the seat to Vandenbrink.

“I would’ve rather have been the liaison, Katie wanted, she’s wanted VP since last year,” Higgins said later.

The rest of the elections ran smoothly.

During the speech portion of the election of secretary, Miranda Benardo decided to bring some humor to the tension-filled room.

“I brought a secret weapon with me today, so prepare yourselves,” she said, eliciting laughs.

She produced a plaque naming her an out-

President Joel Spotts contemplates his vote for the students who will lead alongside him.

standing secretary for a community service group she participated in during high school.

Javed Peracha, the treasurer for this year and last, is an international student from Pakistan. He was the only one nominated for historian, with students pointing out how well he did in the position, last year.

Peracha took a moment to tell a little about himself to the new members of the group, explaining that he learned about student government from a friend whom he used to work with in the campus library.

He decided to give the group a try.

“I think that was the best decision I’ve ever made after, of course my first best decision would be coming to America,” said Peracha.

“You won’t find a better guy,” Ryder said.

After withdrawing from the vice president election, Higgins was nominated for the campus liaison position.

“I thoroughly enjoyed being the voice of this student organization to the student body out there and I would like to also do that again,” Higgins said.

Photos by Miranda Gardner

“And be a part of the team that Joel is getting together with Katie and it’s going to be a fun time.”

The vote for historian led to another tie, this time between three nominees. A second vote led to Samantha Beaudrie being elected.

Multiple ties throughout the elections are a rare occurrence.

“That just says a lot about the people,” Higgins said.

Aidan Higgins (left) and Katie Vandenbrink celebrate their new officer positions.

Members of Student Government vote on their new officers.

8 • Feature

October 16, 2017

Students set sights b While Nursing and Education students are gearing up for their first study abroad in 2018, the 2019 trip, which is open to all MCCC students, has announced a 15-day tour of the British Isles and Scotland Erin Thomas Agora Staff

Stepping outside of the classroom can help encourage learning. Stepping outside of the country can amplify that experience.

Over the next two years, three different study abroad trips have been planned for MCCC students.

In 2019, there will be a school-wide trip to Great Britain and Scotland that is open to all students and community members.

In 2018, for the first time, education and nursing students will get a chance to go on trips that focus on their respective fields.

Education students visit Sweden, Finland The education and early childhood education students are headed to Finland and Sweden with Felice Moorman, assistant professor of Early Childhood Education.

MCCC has decided to allow any faculty member to take a small group abroad in even years, according to Joanna Sabo, political science professor and coordinator if the Global Studies program.

Sabo said that Moorman chose Sweden and Finland for the educational value.

“Professor Moorman chose the location because of the uniqueness of the academic component offered by the tour company,” Sabo said. “Both of these places have uniquenesses, Finland and Sweden are considered to have the best education systems in the world.”

Education and Early Childhood Education students 18 years of age or older with a GPA of at least 2.0 are invited to accompany Moorman on the trip. Community members in the education field also are invited.

MCCC is partnering with State University of New York and needs six students to enroll.

The cheapest prices last until Oct. 30.

Students are encouraged to go as they have the chance to learn about different cultures, it counts for college credit, and it provides a hiring edge in a tough job market, Sabo said.

Moorman also is encouraging students to enroll on the trip.

“I think it is a chance of a lifetime. This is not a trip you’d probably plan on your own or would be able to afford on your own,” Moorman said.

From past experience working with tour companies, Sabo has gotten MCCC the best prices for the group.

“One of the things I do for the faculty is I negotiate prices with tour directors based on some experience in the Global Studies office,” she said.

The companies want to sell programs to colleges, and are willing to negotiate, Sabo said.

“I work as a go between for them to make sure they are not getting anything less than the best quality and best price.”

Education in Scandinavia is planned for the spring semester of 2018. The target dates are May 22-29.

The group will be visiting a mix of cultural and educational venues. Sabo said any sightseeing can be turned into an opportunity for learning.

“We don’t always just learn what we think we are going to learn when we travel,” Sabo said.

Moorman said she is excited to take students to see the Scandinavian education system.

“Many have never been outside of the county line, so taking them to see different cultures and for our purpose, to see how strong child advocacy rates in Swedish countries really play out in the lives of children’s overall well-being. That’s exciting,” Moorman said.

Student Kayla Corne has been on the 2015 and 2017 study abroad trips and plans to attend this next trip with MCCC. Corne said she is excited to see how the education system works in other parts of the world in comparison with the United States.

“Seeing how the education system in other countries work is intriguing and something the United States should take into consideration, especially considering their test score compared to ours and how they don’t compare,” Corne said.

2019 Study Abroad plans underway MCCC students and community members can head to England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland in the Spring of 2019.

Wendy Wysocki, professor of Business and Economics, is leading the trip. She said stu-

Former MCCC student Evan Kutz takes a photo of Windsor Castle during the 2015 Study Abroad

dents chose the location.

“The location was based on survey results of where students were interested in going,” Wysocki said. “Also, it fit in with what I think is valuable to do in London for Business students, art for Art Appreciation, and history for History students.”

Any MCCC students, as well as community members, are encouraged to join MCCC faculty for the 2019 trip, Wysocki said.

Other faculty members planning to teach on the trip include Art professor Therese O’Halloran and Business professor David Reiman.

MCCC is planning a 15-day trip to England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland during the Spring Semester.

O’Halloran will teach Art Appreciation, and Reiman and Wysocki will teach Principles of Marketing and Principles of Management.

MCCC is looking for a minimum of 30 students to go along with the three professors.

Students who are interested and want to lern more about the trip are encouraged to attend information meetings at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 12:30 p.m. Nov. 9, and 6 p.m. Nov. 14 in room Z258.

The sightseeing will be the same for all the trips, but MCCC is looking into having each class take a special side-trip relating to the course, Wysocki said.

“It’s great in general to expand your horizons to see what is going on out there, to get

Feature • 9

Agora/mcccagora.com

beyond the classroom

(Former MCCC student Leah Diederichs poses in London with a sign while London Bridge looms in the background. Diederichs was part of the 2015 Study Abroad group that went to Western Europe and England.

d to Western Europe.

interested in what’s going on. It is always good for a resume, to show you’ve had this global experience.

“It helps get a different perspective on a lot of things when you can see it from a perspective of going to another place. And practically you learn some basic things about travel,” Wysocki said.

Student Sara Scharf went on the 2017 Study Abroad and is excited to go again.

She said she thinks education and travel go hand in hand.

“I think students learn from experience. You learn stuff out of a textbook, but it is not the same as physically being apart of something,” Scharf said.

Photographs courtesy of Dan Shaw

Nursing students prepare for first trip Nursing and other health-care students can join the 2018 trip to England and Scotland.

Denise Robinson, assistant professor of Nursing, is leading the trip during the 2018 Spring Semester.

This will be the first time the nursing faculty will take a group abroad, Sabo said.

Like Moorman, Robinson chose her location because of its educational value.

“Professor Robinson chose the location because of the uniqueness of the academic com-

While students were taking photos of Windsor Castle, a parade went by.

ponent offered by the tour company. They are going to be doing nursing things in London, including the Florence Nightingale museum and meeting with health-care staff,” Sabo said.

Students will be taking a two-credit hour course, Transcultural Nursing and Global Health.

MCCC is traveling with Siena Heights University, and is looking for six to 12 students to enroll.

Upcoming information meetings are at 6:30 p.m Oct. 17 and 7 p.m Nov 14 in room Z258.

“Students can get a better in-depth understanding of the history, especially of nursing.

Florence Nightingale is from London, so we will be visiting her museum,” Robinson said.

Target dates for the Nursing trip are May 14-

22, during Spring Semester in 2018.

Robinson has not led a study abroad trip, but looks forward to discovering how other parts of the world work handle health care.

“Just learning the different culture and how medicine, nursing, and health care works is very valuable. Especially with the way healthcare is going and becoming global,” Robinson said.

Student Danielle Anderson is planning to attend the trip, making this her first experience traveling for school. Anderson looked into this trip because she wanted to see what advantages it would give her as a nurse.

“The number one thing I looked for at the information meeting was what will this do for me in the future as a nurse,” Anderson said.

10 • Feature

October 16, 2017

Agora/mcccagora.com

Minors on campus present challenges Leah Thomas

Agora Web Editor

Minors on college campuses may have a bad rap, but the young students at MCCC seem to be some of the best students.

There are 707 students under 18 enrolled in MCCC classes; that means about one out of every four students is a minor.

Minors attend college for a variety of reasons. Some find high school lacking advanced courses, some are home schooled, and others are in a middle college.

Community colleges in California found their campuses full of students under age, and they thought the rules for minors were a little blurry.

They adopted policies listed in the article, “Minors on Campus: Underage Students at Community Colleges,” which outlined concerns with minors and ways to handle them.

“Given that students under the age of 18 are legally considered minors, community college faculty and staff are often uncertain about their roles and responsibilities for these students,” the article stated.

Faculty in California said the presence of minors in the classroom sometimes changed the dynamic of class.

Faculty felt like they needed to censor lectures, and older students in the class felt uncomfortable discussing adult topics.

“At one point in the semester, what was typically a lively discourse about historical methods of dealing with child birth was hampered by the discomfort of the other students in candidly and graphically discussing labor and birth in front of a child.”

This issue is relevant in any community college.

Several MCCC professors declined to share any challenging experiences with minors in the classroom, saying that most reports are positive.

Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology Martin Dubois said the minors in his classroom are the best students.

“They show up religiously, submit assignments on time, and their work is typically above average,” he said.

Tom Ryder, Student Activities coordinator, said young students are ambitious and excited to learn.

“I think our Middle College students are a little more mature. I found a real common thread with them that they don’t like the drama. They are more about studying and moving ahead quicker than most normal high school students,” he said.

The principal of Monroe County Middle College, Robert Krueger, said professors should never feel pressured to tailor their lectures for a younger audience.

“We don’t expect them to change their instructional practice, their content that is discussed or anything because of the students that are in there,” he said. “We want our students to be in a traditional college class.”

Illustration by Cheyanne Abel

Each Middle College student is paired with an advisor. Advisors inform students of the content of each class.

Students then read the course description and decide whether or not they want to take the course.

Krueger said 15 or 16-year-olds focus on completing the general education courses, which do not usually contain mature content.

Ryder has advised many Middle College students in Student Government and Student Ambassadors.

“I don’t care if they are a Middle College student taking a college course or one of my college students. I look at them all the same,” he said.

“If you are joining Student Government or you’re joining Student Ambassadors, you are a college student to me, and I am going to treat you the same whether you are 16 or whether you are 20.”

Not only did California community colleges report immature students, they also

had problems with the parents of minors.

The article said some parents expected to be involved with their child’s coursework.

“Some parents want to accompany their child to class. Others want to be able to review course assignments and their child’s work for the course. Most want to be apprised of the child’s progress and the grades he/she receives for assignments and the course.”

Krueger said they have not had much trouble with parents in the Middle College.

He said he is transparent with parents.

They have an information night that outlines the guidelines for first-time parents, so they know they cannot accompany their child in class, contact professors, or look at grades.

If a problem arises, parents and students should come to him.

“We really, really really push it on the student that’s in that situation to resolve it the best they can,” he said.

If the student is not able to resolve the is-

sue, he is the middleman who speaks to the college for the student or parent.

Krueger said a few parents have tried to go directly to the professor, but they are always redirected back to him.

Krueger said he has not heard of any overtly bad behavior, but young students do some goofy things.

“They are still young and so there are still some of those immature behaviors that we have to address. I try to do it really quickly and be very consistent,” he said. “I tell them a lot of times jokingly, “Don’t be an idiot.”

When parents have to let their children go, some do it better than others.

“I think as a parent, you always watch over your kids,” Ryder said. “I am pretty strict with my kids. I stress education to them and how important it is. So, if they are not getting good grades, I kind of want to know about it.”

Both his children took classes at MCCC. “I certainly don’t want to make any waves with my colleagues, so I do resist the temptation to jump in if there is a problem,” Ryder said.

Ana Meyers, a mother of minors at MCCC, was not as fortunate.

Her daughter, Jackie, took a political science class her first semester, and it turned into a big life lesson.

At the beginning of the semester, Jackie had trouble accessing the online assignments.

She asked her professor to help her, but he said he was too busy and she needed to use her resources.

After trying a few more times, Jackie gave up and decided not to do the assignments because she thought they were optional.

Two weeks before the semester ended, Jackie found out she was failing the class.

Jackie tried emailing the professor to ask if she could get credit for late work. He did not respond.

After class, Jackie came home furious because the professor had blown her off.

Meyers told Jackie she was not giving up.

“Jackie, I know you. You weren’t bold enough. You have to get right in his face and say, ‘I need to talk to you,’” Meyers told her daughter.

Meyers said the professor gave Jackie the opportunity to do harder assignments for credit. She did all of them plus the ones missed.

“It was a long haul, but I didn’t contact him. I just made her do those things,” Meyers said.

“It was a really good life lesson, and I think I wouldn’t have traded it. I really was glad she went through that. It woke her up early.”

Meyers said she only gives guidance.

“I figure they are in college; they need to help themselves.”

Agora/mcccagora.com

Feature • 11

October, 2017

Green

beginnings

MCCC provides ecofriendly resources for students and staff but still has room to grow Miranda Gardner

Agora staff

The campus green initiative looks good on paper, and great on site, but tells a different tale in practice.

Biology laboratory assistant and student, Amanda Roelant said the college is doing a good job with the recycling centers, but there is room to improve.

“Some students don’t know how or what to recycle,” she said.

Blue recycling bins are placed around every corner and in all the classrooms, but plastic bottles are being thrown away in trash cans next to the bins.

“Seeing water bottles in the trash is so infuriating because it’s easy to put it in the blue container,” Roelant said. “It’s worth the extra steps.”

Director of campus planning and facilities, Jack Burns said there is an emphasis on green recycle and recyclable content on campus.

“We’re getting there, but there’s always room for growth,” he said.

Some receptacles are labeled to help students properly recycle cardboard, plastic, and paper, but recyclables still end up in the trash.

“It takes minimal effort to take them to the right containers,” Burns said. “Be more aware, it’s the right thing to do.”

The mileage has helped with energy efficient conversions that are underway and to come at MCCC. “With the mileage, we’re trying to introduce sustainable options, but progress takes time,

and change takes time,” Roelant said. “We have an old college, my dad went to this college, and we have to do our best to keep it up to date and to keep MCCC green.”

The lights will switch over to LED lighting, the carpet is being replaced, the roofs are being redone, and custodians are using green clean products, Burns said.

“We’re switching the carpet over to squares mostly made of pop bottles and are easily recycled,” he said.

“You wouldn’t know because they’re really soft.”

Recycled pop bottle carpet is already in the CTC building, and the sensor hand-dryers in T building are going to be integrated to all the bathrooms on campus.

“It was a good starting point,” Burns said. “We will do it as we renovate each building, which is gonna take us 8-10 years.”

Weatherization and preventative maintenance will bring new doors and windows, but also prevent pollution.

“Storm water pollution prevention plan deals mostly with salt water removal,” he said. “Salt washed off our vehicles won’t run-off to the ground water.”

Roelant said there is a lot we can still do to be a greener campus.

“Composting is a very simple thing to do,” she said.

“It’s easy to turn biomass back into biomass rather than

letting it rot in a plastic bag.”

In the greenhouse, there are plenty of leaves and cuttings that get thrown away that could be used to give back to the environment.

“We have to complete the cycle as energy and nutrients in the leaves go back to the circle of life to make more,” Roelant said. “We don’t allow it to give back.”

In the cafeteria, Styrofoam is used for take-away containers that cannot be recycled, and will never go away.

“You can’t industrialize nature and you can’t control the environment, but you can control how the population interacts with the environment,” she said.

Education is key to informing and improving the lives of our community.

“Maybe if we’re the ones giving the info, we can give them the awareness to figure out what to do.”

“You can’t industrialize nature and you can’t control the environment, but you can control how the population interacts with the environment.”

Amanda Roelant Biology laboratory assistant

12 • Feature

October 16, 2017

Agora/mcccagora.com

Someone’s cut the line!

In this age of communication, why is it so difficult to contact former college faculty?

James P. Quick Agora Staff

Some former employees feel the college should allow them to keep their e-mail addresses.

Most students probably don’t spend endless hours despairing over this issue. But it’s still here.

Thomas Harrill was a professor of computer science at MCCC. At the Sept. 18 Board of Trustees meeting, Harrill brought the topic up – and not for the first time.

“Most of us were, and are, here for the students,” he said. “If our email is cut off, then students lose the ability to contact us and confer with us on various topics. Giving out our personal email is not a viable option.

“Even though I am retired, that does not mean that I no longer care nor am involved in the educational process.”

As Harrill said at the board meeting, most institutions of higher learning allow their former staff – emeritus or otherwise – to keep their e-mails. Why doesn’t MCCC allow their faculty to keep theirs?

“It might be that a faculty member wants to retire and establish privacy – I feel that ought to be respected,” said David Waggoner, former professor of chemistry.

“That should be a question that

Pettit is no stranger to this topic.

“I employed somebody in Canada, for a job associated with Hawkwatch. The email she uses all the time is her former university address,” Pettit said. “She can use it for all her personal stuff, and the institution can get ahold of her when they need to. It’s just a matter of a courtesy.”

Harrill noted that the issue affects students who need letters of recommendation.

“Many – if not most – institu-

“Most of us were, and are, here for the students.

If our email is cut off, then students lose the ability to contact us and confer with us on various topics. Giving out our personal email is not a viable option.”

Thomas Harrill Former Professor of Computer Science

should be asked before the faculty retire: ‘Would you like us to make your contact information available?’”

That question isn’t being asked, however. As it currently stands, once a faculty member is gone, so is their email.

“They’ve got to pull their head out of the sand and get with the real world!” said former biology professor Robert Pettit. “That’s just the way it is. And if you don’t want to, then you’re losing your member base.”

tions of higher learning require that letters of recommendation for scholarships and admittance be submitted electronically and must come from an address that has an .edu extension, indicating that they are coming from a legitimate, educational institution,” he said.

Another factor is simply ease of access, as Tim Dillon explained.

“I have had several requests for letters of recommendation from students in the eight months since I’ve retired,” he said. “All of them

had to go through some sort of communication gymnastics to first find a faculty member who might know me, second get that faculty member to contact me, and third wait for me to respond, not knowing if I even will.”

To highlight his point, English professor Lori Jo Couch graciously played middleman to facilitate email contact with Dillon.

“While I was teaching at MCCC,” he said, “I had requests for letters from students going back a decade or more as these students returned to school for graduate degrees or career path changes.”

If someone from a decade previous attempted to contact Dillon now, they’d be greeted with an error message.

Should the administration try to go about resolving this issue, what would be the best way to do it?

“I don’t think the college has any responsibility to create any connections between newly-retired faculty and his or her students,” said William McCloskey.

Being a former English and Theatre professor and former Dean of the Humanities Division gives him a unique perspective.

“Having said that, I believe the faculty member’s email account should be kept open for a month or so after the professor has left,” he said, “so that any necessary communication between student and faculty is possible.

“There may be grade issues that

need to be clarified that become impossible if the email is immediately removed. A month or so should be ample time.”

However, not everyone agrees.

“This should be accomplished through continued use of the professor’s college email account,” Harrill said.

“I suppose a forwarding service would work,” Dillon said when the idea was brought up. “I think a better idea is to have a list of previous faculty under Emeritus status and/ or formerly employed status. The list might further identify previous full-time faculty and adjuncts.”

The thought of an alumni or emeritus server – that is, an address that would read @ alumni.monroeccc.edu or @emeritus.monroeccc.edu, for instance – also had some traction.

“I do believe that the Professor Emeritus status should allow former professors to have an email account so they might be contacted by former students and colleagues,” said former English professor Cheryl Johnston.

“I think it is also valuable to keep the retired faculty involved on

campus. They possess valuable institutional history and unique perspective on campus developments.”

“I belong to the alumni association of Central Michigan University – they’re always tapping me for money,” said Pettit. “And this is how you do it with your former staff and your former students.”

Pettit went on to highlight that this could be good for advertising things such as La-Z-Boy center concerts.

Waggoner mentioned millages may benefit from an alumni or emeritus server.

“It’s not just people who are currently associated with the college that could be supportive of something like that,” he said. “Former students and faculty could say, ‘That’s something I’d like to support. How can I help?’”

However, these are all just good ideas for now. E-mails are still being deleted upon a faculty member’s departure or retirement.

“I found it rather demeaning and highly irresponsible that my college email was erased as I was leaving the parking lot on my last day,” Dillon said. “I had students at that time who needed to contact me during the next few weeks about that Fall Semester regarding their work, grades, transfer applications, etc.”

A college administrator who declined to be identified simply stated that this is the college’s practice.

Randy Daniels, vice president of Student and Information Services, said he has never been involved in a discussion on the topic.

But the voices of those raising the issue have not fallen on deaf ears.

“There’s a meeting scheduled to discuss the topic,” said Brian Lay, director of Information Systems.

Daniels also confirmed that college president Kojo Quartey has scheduled a meeting on the topic for the week of Oct. 16.

“I found it rather demeaning and highly irresponsible that my college email was erased as I was leaving the parking lot on my last day,” Tim Dillon Former English Professor

Agora/mcccagora.com

Sports • 13

October 16, 2017

Will the Red Wings make the playoffs?

Taylor Dively Agora staff

The Red Wings ended their last season with no playoffs for the first time in 25 years.

Injuries and not enough offensive power left them standing at the back of the powerhouse teams who control the Eastern Conference.

A handful of problems could have been controlled, but because they were not taken care of during the off-season, the Wings are looking at another early exit this year.

The number one problem for the team is goal tending.

As of right now, Jimmy Howard is considered the team’s starting goalie. Howard's last three seasons were plagued by injuries.

Petr Mrazek, the backup net minder, began making a name for himself during the 201415 season.

In Howard's absence, Mrazek put up similiar numbers.

That season wasn’t the only one where the younger Mrazek kept the team steady while Howard battled with injuries.

Each season ended up being a close split between the two goalies.

General Manager Ken Holland declared Howard as the starter and franchise goaltender. Holland does this at the end of each season to make sure there is no goalie confusion.

Despite that fact, people are still questioning why the Red Wings kept the contract of an injury-prone-goalie?

The backup is taking half the season's worth of starts, and posting close to identical numbers as the original starter.

Every bit of money a general manager can preserve is extremely important in the salary cap era. That extra salary cap space could be used towards signing a different player.

As honorable as it is for the Wings to try and keep players until retirement, it has

Photo by Taylor Dively

The Red Wings move to the new Little Caesar's Arena for the 2017-2018 season

caused major problems.

Players Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall take up almost $11 million in salary cap space, and managed to put up only 81 points last season.

To put this into perspective, Pittsburgh Penguins players Nick Bonino and Kris Letang put up a combined 71 points, and had a cap total of $9.15 million.

Letang played only half the season and Bonino was a third line center where he received only a fraction of ice time that Zetterberg did.

Luckily for the Wings, Kronwalls’s contract ends after this season. Unfortunately, his horrendous numbers last year have caused his trade value to go down if they would wish to get some return on him.

The Wings may have no choice but to accept the dead weight for the remainder of the season.

Zetterberg›s numbers aren't horrible, but playoff teams generally have good depth at center, something the Wings don’t have behind an aging Zetterberg.

That center depth has been a problem since Pavel Datsyuk left — a problem that should have been addressed through a trade or free agency. The only big signing the Wings managed to make during the offseason brought in Trevor Daley.

Daley is an offensive-minded defenseman who was a key part of the Pittsburgh Penguins back-to-back Stanley Cup wins.

The Wings made a great move bringing him in, but the Wings play a different style of game then the Penguins. The Wings have al-

ways focused on shut-down defense. A good defense leads to a good offense, right? Not in today’s NHL. One person on the back end won’t make as big of an impact as they need.

The game is focused on high speed offense and skill now — neither of which the Wings have truly embraced. Two years ago, they looked poised to make the change with Dylan Larkin stepping in and other young stars like Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Andreas Athanasiou, and Anthony Mantha.

Larkin made the move to center last year, and the extra responsibility at that position had a negative impact on his ability to swing back in the zone and build speed on the offensive rush. As a result, his point production dropped.

Athanasiou was a restricted free agent at the end of this last season. The Wings and him have not been able to work out a contract. The speed that Athanasiou produces will be sorely missed until he returns — if he returns.

The fact of the matter is the Wings did not address the gaping holes that could be found in their team. The defense is still built around an underachieving Kronwall and an old-school style of stay-at-home defense.

The forward group is not deep at all.

Zetterberg, Larkin, Tatar, Nyquist, and Justin Abdelkader are the only standouts in the lineup.

Without good depth, the playoffs are well out of the reach of the Wings in the strong Eastern Conference.

My picks to make the playoffs out of the East are the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colombus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Rangers.

Out of the Western Conference we’ll see the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, and Las Vegas Golden Knights.

MCCC Golf Club recruiting new members

Taylor Dively Agora Staff

More club sports are slowly becoming available for students as the school year progresses.

A meeting was held Oct. 3 in an attempt to form a Golf Club.

Six students attended, and those unable to attend signed a petition to help form the club. Only five signatures are required to make a club official.

Josh Myers, executive director of The MCCC Foundation, called the meeting and had a constitution already drafted.

The meeting included jokes, as well as serious plans for the new club.

“I wanted to pull the team together for an

excuse to golf more,” Myers said.

Everyone who attended the meeting had some experience golfing, but the club is open to any interested students.

The club would like to include both beginners and experienced players, so they can better learn from each other.

“I’d like to open it up past just a club team,” Myers said. “You can become a stronger club by combining the two.”

With colder weather on the way, it is unlikely that the club will be able to enjoy much outdoor golfing until spring.

A few possibilities for a home course were discussed, including Carrington and Dundee Golf Club.

Indoor golfing and fundraising were also

discussed as a possibility for the winter season.

The next meeting is set for 12:30 p.m.

Nov. 7 p.m. and the location is still to be announced. The agenda for the meeting includes officer elections, further discussion of fund raising, and future plans.

Any students who are interested in being a part of the club or would like more information should contact Myers at jmyers@ monroeccc.edu.

Josh Myers, executive director of The MCCC Foundation, is the adviser of the new Golf Club. Myers is seen here carrying his clubs at the Back to School Barbecue.

Photo by Miranda Gardner

14 • Opinion

October 16, 2017

Agora/mcccagora.com

Japanese toilets: Ultimate tooshie comfort McKinley Striggow Agora Staff

Rolling out of bed after hitting the snooze button one too many times, the typical morning routine begins: bathroom, shower, breakfast.

A boring routine, but that can be changed when a “washlet” is introduced. A little known lavatory masterpiece, the Japanese toilet, will transform any restroom experience.

The Japanese toilet is the iron throne of toilets. Get one, and watch family members fight over it.

A wide variety of models and functions are available from manufactures like Toto and Brondell.

A few game changers include heated seats, motion sensors that open the lid when someone walks in the room, and luxury remote controls that provide easy-to-use buttons for washing, drying and temperature adjustment needs.

The modern “washlet” Japanese toilet has been around since 1917, trademarked by the Toto Co. Toto is the world’s largest manufacturer, based in Japan, and Brondell is the largest manufacturer based in North America.

President of Brondell, Steve Scheer hopes

Elongated form vs. Rounded form

that one day Americans will embrace the Japanese toilet, and realize the advantages of such a product.

“For Americans here in the US, the biggest issues are personal experience with these products and a major reluctance to discuss bathroom issues or change ingrained habits,” Scheer said.

“You wouldn’t imagine how many people giggle nervously or say ‘gross’ when we try to educate them about the advantages of the bidet seat, yet these are the same people that

Bio Bidet Aura A7 Toilet Seat Bidet

are still using paper – a much inferior way to cleanse oneself.”

Japanese toilets are the toilets of the future.

They render the use of toilet paper obsolete.

“The first time the gentle stream of warm water hits your derriere, it’s quite startling.

By the second time the water hits its mark, you’re a convert,” writer for Priceonomics, Rohin Dhar said.

We should all be using Japanese toilets because the benefits are numerous. They offer a hassle-free experience, a more hygienic

Toto Neorest 1.6 control panel

way of cleaning oneself, and an eco-friendly approach that saves trees.

A hassle free, no touch experience will provide anyone who is leery of the public toilet to feel at ease knowing that it has a self-washing bowl.

Personally, I wouldn’t want a public toilet to have a heated seat, but when it comes to the Japanese toilet, the options are almost unlimited.

Try one, and see why they are the biggest and best thing since sliced bread.

Free speech is not so free for everyone Vanessa Ray Agora Editor

I love the United States.

I’m proud to be an American and have nothing but gratitude for those who potentially put their lives on the line by serving in the military.

On both sides of my family, military service and American pride run deep.

My father was a Chief Warrant Officer who flew helicopters in Vietnam. His father, who retired from the Air Force, was a POW for four years during World War II. My other grandfather also fought in WWII as a captain in the Army.

I was brought up to respect those who serve and understand what those who died were fighting for.

Because I love this country so much, when I see it acting in a way which is antithetical to what it’s supposed to stand for, I feel a duty to critique it.

For anyone to say the United States is without flaws is to walk around with blinders on.

The fact we can have discussions about the flaws of this country is part of what makes it so great.

The First Amendment contains 45 words, which spell out five freedoms; the freedom of religion, speech, the press, to assemble, and to petition.

As Americans, we are so incredibly privileged to have the right to speak our minds.

That I can write about my grievances and not worry about facing jail time — ­ or worse — is so essential to freedom.

The idea of freedom of speech is seemingly one of the few things many American’s can agree on.

I say seemingly, because there seems to be some disconnect.

Read Twitter during a football game or listen to the boos echoing around the stadiums as the National Anthem begins.

By the reaction, you’d think the opposing team had murdered the home team’s mascot.

The boos and racist diatribes are the result of football players, empowered by Colin Kaepernick’s willingness to sacrifice his career in order to do what he believed to be right, exercising their First Amendment rights.

Kaepernick began kneeling in an effort to bring awareness to police

Eric Reid (left) and Colin Kaepernick kneel during the National Anthem.

brutality after two black men, Philando Castille and Alton Sterling, were shot and killed in July 2016.

Since then, players have been kneeling, which was originally chosen because it is still a respectful gesture, in an effort to highlight the discrimination that black people and people of color face.

Suddenly, the people who say they support free speech, have a problem.

For many who fetishize both the flag and the Constitution, the only

people who should have access to the rights they so ardently claim to support are white people.

Much of the current climate has been bolstered by President Donald Trump.

The president of the United States, a man who stood up for the free speech rights of Nazi’s, said, to howls of approval, anyone who “disrespects the flag by kneeling during the National Anthem should be fired.”

I can’t help but wonder how those supporting Trump’s reprimanding of the NFL felt when, candidate Trump repeatedly belittled and insulted a Gold Star Family.

Or when he said Sen. John McCain was not a war hero because he had been a POW. Trump, a man who received five deferments which exempted him from military service, only likes people “who weren’t captured.”

I was reminded by Derry Ray, my Vietnam Veteran father, both the flag and the anthem are supposed to represent all Americans.

My father also supports the player’s right to kneel.

“People say, ‘they should choose

another place to protest,” he said.

“I disagree.”

We also need to be reminded that the military contains people of all ethnicities, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religions.

Many of these people are often fighting a double war, one abroad, and the one they deal with every day here in the United States.

During the BET Hip Hop Awards on Oct. 10, Eminem performed a cypher titled “The Storm.”

The blistering freestyle was not just a takedown of Trump, but also a public service announcement aimed at those in society who contribute to a culture of racism.

“From his endorsement of Bannon Support for the Klansmen Tiki torches in hand for the soldier that’s black And comes home from Iraq And is still told to go back to Africa …

Now if you’re a black athlete, you’re a spoiled little brat for Tryin use your platform or your stature To try to give those a voice who don’t have one.”

Agora/mcccagora.com

ART

October 16, 2017

Arts & Entertainment • 15

Prize MCCC students wander the streets of Grand Rapids looking for art James P. Quick Agora Staff

The caliber of art at Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize never fails to amaze MCCC students and faculty.

ArtPrize is a citywide function held in over 160 venues – including museums, hotels, comic shops, even the police station – all displaying various varieties of art.

These run the gamut from paintings to sculpture and video, even short poems.

The event has been a fixture in the city since 2008 and was again attended by the students of MCCC’s Intro to Humanities course.

Two buses were filled, presided over by chaperones Kellie Lajiness, Michelle Toll, and Laura Menard.

“It was my first time visiting ArtPrize,” said Lajiness. “So it was very interesting. I had looked it up online a little bit and talked with some colleagues and they got me excited about going.”

“It was amazing,” said Toll. “So much unexpected art and things I never could have imagined.”

In previous years, the trip was run by William McCloskey and Cheryl Johnston, who both retired earlier this year.

The 2016 trip was especially notable, as students experienced a surprise encounter with then-candidate Donald Trump.

Many, including Toll, felt that the highlight of this year’s ArtPrize was artist Chris Vitiello’s “The Language is Asleep” exhibit.

Vitiello sat upon an overturned armchair atop piles and piles of torn dictionary pages covered in poems.

He encouraged visitors to rip out pages and write their own poems on them.

Photos by James P. Quick

MCCC student Desiray Min writes a poem on a page in a dictionary to contribute to “The Language is Asleep” exhibit.

“I really, really loved that,” said student Je Ann Sales.

“It was just so interesting to see what other people had to write,” Sales said. “I loved how it was written on other words and that we were allowed to add to it ourselves. I could have stayed in there the whole entire time just reading all of the work.”

Alternatively, they could ask Vitiello to construct a short poem for them based on a single word.

Another popular piece was an oil painting submerged in the Grand River. Depicting a classic Native American scene, it was a piece made in protest of the DAPL pipeline.

The core message was “oil and water don’t mix.”

“It was very cool to see because the water would just go over top of it,” Menard said. “The guy who did it, I think, spent some time at the Dakota Pipeline. It was his way of saying ‘oil and water don’t mix, we need to keep our water fresh.’ ” Student Evan Bonello identified the piece as his favorite from the trip.

Faculty and students expressed satisfaction with the trip, which left at 8 a.m. from the C Building parking lot.

“I would love to come back next year,” said Menard, echoing the sentiments of many others.

“It was just so interesting to see what other people had to write. I loved how it was written on other words and that we were allowed to add to it ourselves.

I could have stayed in there the whole entire time just reading all of the work.”

Je Ann Sales MCCC Student

Artist Chris Vitiello sits in the midst of his exhibit, “The Language is Asleep.” He rips pages out of dictionaries and writes original poems on them. He could write a poem prompted by any word his audience could come up with. MCCC students were encouraged to write their own poems on a page.

16 • Arts & Entertainment

October 16, 2017

Agora/mcccagora.com

“State of Decay” is as fresh as ever Vampires battle the Time Lords in haunting “Dr. Who” episode

James P. Quick Agora Staff

This story is not out to frighten, but instead use the characters’ reality to unsettle the audience.

“State of Decay” sits smack-dab in the middle of “Doctor Who’s” 18 Season. The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) was on his way out, and the whole season had a melancholy tone.

Despite this, “State of Decay” is a comforting echo of Baker’s glory days. This is the Fourth Doctor’s last salute to the Gothic horror ethos that helped catapult him to stardom.

At the beginning of the previous adventure, “Full Circle”, the Doctor’s time machine, the TARDIS, was marooned in a pocket universe: E-Space.

In their bid to escape, the Doctor and his companions Romana (Lalla Ward) and K-9 (voice of John Leeson) happen upon a primitive planet. Here, peasants toil in the fields around a tower inhabited by the Three Who Rule.

The lords take able-bodied youths during an occasional selection. Some become the Three’s guards. Others are never seen again…

The Doctor and Romana ask if they have any scientists around. Both Ivo (Clinton Greyn) and Habris (Iain Rattray) assure them such things are forbidden.

Habris flees to the tower. Unable to get anything out of Ivo, the two travelers exit, too.

As soon as they’re gone, Ivo grabs a walkie-talkie hidden in a nearby basket and informs someone of the travelers’ arrival.

Following this, during a walk in the woods, the Doctor and Romana are kidnapped by hooded figures and brought to the local rebels’ cave.

In the tower, Royal Councilor Aukon (Emrys James) assures the others, Lady Camilla and Lord Zargo (Rachel Davies and William Lindsay), that he shall have his servants bring the travelers to them.

After an enlightening discussion with the rebels, apparently identifying the Three as descendants of the lost Earth vessel Hydrax, the Doctor and Romana leave. On the way back to the TARDIS, they are descended upon by thousands of vampire bats.

The bloodsuckers flee as Habris arrives to escort the pair to the tower. Once there, they are granted an audience with Camilla and Zargo. The Doctor begins to question them about the Hydrax, and the two grow agitated.

Notably, when Romana’s wine glass breaks and slices her finger, Camilla looks ready to suck it dry. Then Habris arrives to tell them it is now the Time of Arising.

The Lord and Lady depart. Once they’re gone, the Doctor pulls back a curtain to reveal a large metal hatch. The tower itself is

The Three Who Rule: Camilla, Aukon, and Zargo.

the Hydrax’s scout ship.

Back in the cave, the rebels debate what to do, with former guard Tarak (Thane Bettany) deciding to take up the garb once more to sneak into the tower.

Having found an emergency exit in the throne, the Doctor and Romana find the top of the tower still kitted out. It is then that they hear a deep, throbbing heartbeat…

Descending, they find those taken during the selection in the cargo bay – now a larder. All of them are drained of blood, which is displayed in all its crimson glory, filling the Hydrax’s immense fuel tanks to the brim.

The Doctor notes to Romana that vampire legends exist on every inhabited planet, and it seems that rule holds true even in E-Space.

As they descend out of one of the engine nacelles into a cave, they see the ground pulsing like a heart. Tubes pump the harvested blood into what can only be a truly gargantuan creature buried underneath.

They turn to leave, only for Aukon to appear. He informs them this is the Resting Place, and that they are now in his domain.

The councilor attempts to sway the Doctor to his side. The Great One (the buried monster) will escape E-Space during the Arising and return to normal space, tearing it asunder.

When the Doctor refuses, Aukon attempts to overwhelm the Time Lord’s mind with his own. Romana breaks off a stalagmite and throws it at Aukon. He shatters it with the merest flick of his palm.

This is enough for the Doctor to reveal Aukon’s powers useless as he and Romana are Time Lords. Aukon decries them as the ancient enemies as they make to leave.

The Great One psychically informs Aukon to preserve them as sacrifices, and the two

are promptly locked up.

Tarak, meanwhile, has snuck into the tower and liberates them following a story from the Doctor’s childhood of a terrible war between the Time Lords and the Great Vampires.

When the bodies were counted at the end of the war, only the King Vampire was unaccounted for. The Time Lords hunted him for countless ages, but found nothing.

It is now apparent that the Three Who Rule are vampires and, moreover, aren’t just the descendants of the Hydrax’s crew.

They are the Hydrax’s crew, turned into vampires to serve the Great One. During all this, a stowaway has emerged from the Doctor’s TARDIS. Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) has, over the last couple episodes, been captured and primed to become a vampire by Aukon.

Anyway, Romana stays behind to retrieve him from the Inner Sanctum while the Doctor returns to the rebels.

Romana and Tarak enter the Sanctum and rouse Adric from his trance. However, as they do this, Camilla and Zargo wake up and attack. They kill Tarak, dismissing him as they will not drink the blood of the deceased.

This puts the bodies the Doctor and Romana found in the larder in a new light. Since the vampires cannot use blood from dead bodies, those people presumably died of a combination of shock and total blood loss, still conscious.

Anyway, on that cheery note, Aukon enters and stops Camilla and Zargo before they can harm the companions. The two are to be kept alive as sacrifices, he reminds the lord and lady.

The Doctor learns that the records decree that any Time Lord who finds the taint of the Vampires must extinguish it… even at the cost of their own life.

Now pondering where to get an enormous bolt of steel, the Doctor rallies the rebels and they storm the tower alongside K-9.

The Doctor has also realized where he’ll get the steel bolt: the Hydrax’s scout ship.

In the Resting Place, the Time of Arising is at hand. Romana has been hypnotized and laid out on an altar. A bat sucks blood from her neck as Adric tries and fails to save her.

The Doctor launches the scout ship. At this, K-9 evacuates the rebels, and the Three are distracted. Adric takes his chance and does manage to save Romana this time.

The Doctor arrives just to see the King Vampire’s hand burst from the ground. It roars in triumph… but then the scout ship plummets back down from space, piercing its heart and killing it instantly.

The Three advance on the Doctor, but their link with the Great One peters out and they age to dust. The Doctor and company hastily leave.

The real standout performance is Emrys James as Aukon.

Never once does he treat the material as anything less than excellent. It’s obvious he’s having a whale of a time with this, lending his lines a deep, Bela Lugosi-esque charm.

The story itself is never an out-and-out horrorshow. Things unfold at a steady pace, never being forced, and the nature of the vampires is well-handled. Signposted,but that’s part-andparcel of building up the antagonists.

Again, the real horror here is in the reality the characters are facing.

The story manages to pull off a Gothic horror story with a sci-fi twist, with panache.

There’s no decay here. This story is as fresh as the day it was made.

The full version of this story can be read on mcccagora.com.