March 24, 2014

Page 6

• South Park: Stick of Truth • Titanfall • Elvis enters the building

March 24, 2014 Vol. 59, Issue 3

Hedeen is MCCC’s Ukranian connection

By Jacob Adams

Agora Staff

While most at MCCC have been unaffected by the crisis in the Ukraine, some are more involved than most realize, including Paul Hedeen, dean of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“My wife, Maryna, is Ukrainian,” he said. “She is in Vinnytsia (a Ukrainian city) completing a two-year residency to fulfill the requirements of her degree. She’s a Fulbright scholar.”

While the majority of initial protests against Ukraine’s former president, Viktor Yanukovych, took place in Kiev, there were protests around the country, including Vinnytsia.

“There were some minor protests, and the opposition took over the city council building for a brief time,” Hedeen said. “But Vinnytsia as a whole didn’t really support Yanukovych, so there wasn’t much to fight about.”

Hedeen, who travelled to Ukraine in early March, said he and his wife are uncertain of her staying any longer.

Photo courtesy of Paul Hedeen “We’re thinking she’s going to come back early Hedeen with an ethnic Hutsol woman in an earlier visit to Ukraine because it’s becoming too ominous. We’re recon-

sidering her staying the full two years,” he said.

Hadeen’s trip took place after Yanukovych had been ousted. He said there’s been a surge in criminal activity.

“We saw a lot of pickpocketing. Corrupt police are a problem as well,” he said.

Hedeen is not the only one at MCCC affected by the situation. Olga Nichols, a student at MCCC who is a Ukrainian national, says she still has ties.

“I still have my family there,” she said. “When all of this started, I felt proud. Everything people have done coming from a former Soviet Republic is great. They became a democracy.”

“But over the last four years, things have been going in a reverse direction because of the new president,” she said. “The president and his team are basically criminals.”

This sentiment is shared by many, especially after the Orange Revolution in late 2004, in which several protests followed the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election.

The protests were started after several reports from election monitors, who stated the election was rigged in Yanukovych’s favor.

Nichols says Russian propaganda is another huge problem.

“The Russian people could have stopped this at any time. They prefer to believe the lies,” she said.

This is no surprise to Nichols, who said Russia is still stuck in old ways.

“They still have a Soviet Union mindset. To be imperialists,” she said. “They will stop at nothing. I don’t believe they will stop with Crimea.”

Nichols and Hedeen are sharing their experience with the MCCC community. They plan a presentation on the situation in Ukraine, titled “Between Empires: Ukraine in Crisis” at 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 26, in Room 173B in the A building. Nichols and Hedeen will discuss the crisis in Ukraine, as well as providing background on the culture and the people who live there.

The current crisis began last November, when Yanukovych, ignored citizen’s requests for closer ties with the European Union and moved toward a more intimate relationship with Russia. This sparked pro-European Union protests in Keiv’s Independence Square that lasted several months.

Continued on page 2

One Book kicks off, author to visit

By Julia Wells Agora Staff

One Book One Community kicked off last week, but the real highlight comes Wednesday when author Reyna Grande speaks on campus.

Book swaps, cultural food and a Latino-inspired performance helped One Book One Community launch this year.

The event, which was held in the LaZ-Boy center on March 19, had an array of activities.

The event drew about 100-115 people throughout the evening, according to Cheryl Johnston English professor and chairwoman of the committee.

Two tables were set up for a community book swap; participants were encouraged to bring books to donate and take ones that interested them.

Writing fellow Kevin Stewart volunteered to work the book swap table.

“It was a chance to get rid of books and get more,” he said “I finally picked up a China Melville.” he said, referring to an author.

The book chosen for the One Book project this year is “The Distance Between Us,” a memoir of Grande’s life as a child in Mexico and her immigration to the U.S. Members of the community, as well as students attended the free event. Student Angela Pressey hoped OBOC would get her reading again.

“The book sounded really interesting,” she said “The last college I went to didn’t do stuff like this, so I’m trying to get more involved.” she said.

“Coming to Monroe”, a video profil-

Upcoming Events:

The distance between us

•International Studies Club Cultural Night - Monday, March 24, 7:30 p.m., La Fiesta Restaurant/Dundee.

• Women Immigrants in History Fair, Tuesday, March 25, 11:30 a.m., C Building.

• Meet the Author: Reyna Grande, Wednesday, March 26, 7 p.m.

La-Z-Boy Center

ing immigrants’ journeys to Monroe was shown. The video was produced by former MCCC student Katie Mullin, who attends Siena Heights on the MCCC campus.

Other activities included making paper flowers and a raffle for a chance to win a Kindle Fire.

The buffet, inspired by Mexican culture, was a hit with chips and salsa, miniquesadillas, churros, and lime punch.

Some students who were encouraged to attend OBOC with extra credit from their professor, had fun while doing so.

“I’m glad I came, I think it’s really cool,” student Lindsay Livingston said.

Other students, like Austin Kitts, wished that extra credit was not their only reason for attending.

“I should want to come and be more cultured,” he said.

He said he has not yet read the book which inspired the event but wanted to get an idea about it.

Photo by Lauren Robinson “I’d rather come here and see what it has to offer.” he said.

The evening concluded with a performance in Meyer Theatre by Magical Rain Theatreworks, which put on a show of Latino stories.

Page 3:

- More photos - Agora panel discussion

President’s controversial plan moves ahead Officials work to bring college to high school amid faculty concerns

By Stephen Pipis Agora Staff

MCCC and Monroe High School officials are working to make sure college classes will be ready to be offered at the high school in September.

Grace Yackee, MCCC Vice President of Instruction, has put together a task force to help address faculty concerns over the program.

Monroe High announced the college offering classes at the high school in December, before the college was ready to discuss the new program. This caused a controversy among many of the MCCC faculty, who raised various concerns.

One of the biggest is maintaining the integrity of college courses.

Inside:

“Any activity that would in any way threaten the integrity of the credit hour or our compliance with the accreditation standards, we wouldn’t consider,” Yackee said.

Yackee says she takes the faculty and staff concerns seriously.

Kojo Quartey, MCCC President, said the community response to the program has been positive; the parents and media both like the idea. ​According to Quartey, the next high school they are thinking of expanding the program to will be either Airport or Jefferson.

Quartey also said that since the college cannot be at every high school, there is a possibility for online classes targeted at high school students.

Over 600 students from Monroe High School took the Compass test, and well over 50 percent of them passed, said Mark Hall, MCCC director of Admissions, in an email.

Yackee said that while she does not think all of the students who took the test will apply for the classes, she does think that a quarter of those who are eligible for the classes could apply.

She said she expects fewer than 100 students to sign up for MCCC courses at the high school.

Monroe High School Principal Valerie Orr said that students at Monroe High School are already registering for classes. This is because Monroe High School registers differently than MCCC. According to Orr, students at MHS put in requests for what classes they would like to take, and then the school puts together classes that fit with the requests.

Students have been putting in their requests for the college classes for the past several weeks.

According to Orr, there are already teachers at the high school who serve as adjunct professors at MCCC. She said she was unsure whether others are thinking of applying to teach the courses.

MCCC officials, aided by the task force, are still in the process of deciding which classes will be offered, who will teach them, and how they will be set up, Yackee said.

In January, The Agora reported that faculty members worried that high school instructors, teaching

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in high school classrooms, would not maintain the same academic standards expected on the college campus.

Orr declined to discuss the MCCC faculty concerns.

Yackee said that this is not the first time the college has offered classes at a high school.

“The difference has been, they have been in the morning. As a matter of fact, at Jefferson High School, we offered English Composition five or six years ago,” she said.

The class was offered in the morning before the high school classes started, she said. ​Yackee also said there are a lot of other colleges doing more controversial programs with high schools than MCCC offering a few classes at MHS. Quartey and Yackee both said that they were approached by other high schools in the area asking for similar programs.

According to Yackee, the program is still in its early stages of development. There is still a lot of planning left for both sides to do, she said..

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Russia bullies Eastern Europe, rest of world

U.S weighs whether to intervene in the Ukraine crisis Continued from page 1

Ukraine was facing a financial crisis, and was in talks with the International Monetary Fund. Russia, however, offered a bailout along the lines of $15 billion, including subsidies for oil.

The majority of Ukrainian people wanted to move toward a closer relationship with the European Union, and eventually join the economic and political body.

But the Ukrainian government, under pressure from the Kremlin with threats to cut off all access to oil, sided with Russia instead of working through to an eventual trade deal with the European Union.

Protests erupted in many Ukrainian cities, specifically the capital of Kiev. Protestors occupied Kiev’s Independence Square, and through the harsh winter months protestors stood their ground in hopes of swaying the government’s decision.

In January of 2014, the Parliament of Ukraine passed a group of ten laws, severely restricting freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in response to the ongoing protests.

The laws, however, had the opposite effect. After protests turned violent, it was only a matter of days before the laws were repealed and Yanukovych was successfully ousted. The protestors quickly organized and set up an interim government, but the situation in Ukraine was just beginning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in late February, began lining his troops up at the eastern border of Ukraine, saying that training and war-games were previously scheduled. Not long after, Russia began moving its troops into the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.

Under the guise of protecting the many Russian nationals who live there, Russia invaded the peninsula.

Last week, Crimeans voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. Western leaders have declared the referendum illegal, although the only punishment thus far has been more economic sanctions.

In the meantime, all the world can do is wait to see if the sanctions against Russia from the United States and the European Union have any effect. The eyes of the world are on Russia and its leader, Vladimir Putin, and what he will do next.

Photo courtesy of Paul Hedeen

Paul Hedeen on an earlier trip to the Ukraine, where he taught citizens how to speak English.

Monroe gets S.U.P.E.R; seeks to attract young tech students “We’re proud of this college and we want our students to know it’s something we MCCC has a new Career Technology Building, would like to see them pursue.” and not enough students to fill it.

By Mariah Tevepaugh Agora Staff

Meanwhile, there are hundreds of high school students throughout the county interested in careers in technology, but few classes offered at their schools.

Dr. Kojo Quartey, along with Don Spencer, Jim Lake and Steve McNew, fellow education and business leaders from the county, presented a possible solution to the MCCC Board of Trustees Feb. 24.

Quartey and Spencer compared the initiative – which they called “SUPER Monroe: Strategic Unified Partnership for Education Resilience” – to the current health-focused Middle College, which has existed at MCCC for five years.

Students enter the program as ninth graders and can complete their associate degrees after their freshman year in college.

SUPER Monroe would expand that concept – or something like it – to career technology fields.

“They know this campus is here, it’s centrally located, it’s definitely an option for them,” said McNew, who is an assistant superintendent at the county Intermediate School District (ISD).

“We’re proud of this college and we want our students to know it’s something we would like to see

Steve McNew Assistant ISD Superintendent them pursue.”

A couple ideas that were thrown around to get younger students involved at MCCC included having a robotics camp at the campus in the summer, or a career day for eighth grade students.

Quartey said the SUPER Monroe strategy involves creating a relationship for all the students between K-12-14-16.

Among the SUPER proposals were ideas like stacking credits for students.

Quartey said students would be able to stack credits that they have earned to gain the knowledge needed for a specific degree.

For example, students could first earn basic credits which equate to a certificate. Then, as they earned more credits, they would receive an advanced certificate. With more credits, they could eventually earn an associate’s degree, which could be used to transfer to universities.

According to Spencer, who is superintendent of the

ISD, another idea to get students involved is expand the middle college program to the STEM area – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

This idea encourages students to get their basic credits at their local school and spend their 11, 12, and 13 year at the MCCC middle college. The curriculum would be called “Project Lead the Way.” “We’ve done this before and we’ve all ended up in our own corners; Dundee wanted the Dundee kids, Monroe wanted the Monroe kids,” Spencer said.

“So we have to come at this, where they are all our kids, they’re the community college’s kids, the ISD’s kids and that’s where I think the beauty of the middle college is.”

Board members noted that there are some challenges to overcome, such as transportation, a communication plan, and funding.

Quartey said the project could use a grant from DTE. The Perkins fund could also be an option, Spencer said.

Quartey also said that once a year all boards should meet together to review the system to see what’s working and what isn’t – and to maintain communication between the schools.

However, some board members still had their doubts about the new proposals.

Board of Trustees member Mary Kay Thayer said

she was concerned about protecting the integrity of MCCC’s courses.

“The concern I see, sitting on the State Community College Association, is that especially on the west side of the state, there’s a lot of high schools that are actually negotiating credit costs, and that really needs a lot of discussion.”

Thayer went on to support the idea, as long as there would be further discussions to make sure all the details are worked out.

“I see the value of all of this and using our new building and collaborating,” she said. “I just want to make sure that all the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted.”

In other business at the February Board of Trustee meeting: Several faculty continuing contracts - the equivalent of tenure - were announced: Maris Fonseca, Associate Professor of Biology, Tracy Giacomini, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Melissa Grey, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Edmund La Clair, Assistant Professor of History, and Nicholas Prush, Instructor and Director of Clinical Education and Respiratory Therapy.

There were two resignations, from Penelope Dunn, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, and Victoria McIntyre, Executive Assistant to the President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees.

MCCC is a senior citizen, president celebrates

By Stephen Pipis Agora Staff

Agora Photo MCCC President Kojo Quartey spoke at a legislature hearing recently on the MCCC

This year marks MCCC’s 50th anniversary, and in honor of that achievement, President Kojo Quartey has embarked on what has become known as the 50-50-50...For The 50th Campaign. ​The campaign is a way for Quartey to visit community events, high schools, college classes, as well as meeting with people from the community. He plans to attend 50 separate events in each category before June 24, 2014.

This means he plans to attend 50 community events, 50 high schools, 50 college classes, as well as taking suggestions from students, faculty, and staff for more ideas on what to attend. ​Quartey is not worried about meeting with the community.

“I thrive on that,” he said, “I enjoy it. It’s a great community, and I enjoy being in this community. I enjoy interacting with my community.”

According to Quartey, he has already been to 15 college classes as diverse as history, accounting, earth science, biology, religious philosophy, and even a few Middle College classes.

Quartey hopes to attend 10-15 classes and events a week in order to meet his goals.

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.

E-mail submissions: agora@monroeccc.edu .

Editor: Julia Wells

Staff Jacob Adams Reggie Allen Ray Bell Jeffrey Brown Melanie Jacobs-Davis Stephen Pipis Lauren Robinson Shelby Spencer Mariah Tevepaugh Darryl White Jacob Woods

Adviser: Dan Shaw

Some campus events that he has visited are the Evlis Presley Jr. concert, a legislative hearing, and the state of the college address.

Quartey has not limited himself to visiting local high schools. He hopes to visit Milan, the down-river area, and schools close to the border in Toledo.

Another thing Quartey has been doing is donating $50 a day to the college. He also hopes to attend 50 volunteer outings in the community.

He will be updating the president’s blog on the college website, as well as have students and faculty on his television show, “Education Matters.”

Quartey also hopes to meet with donors and other champions of the college. Champions are people in the community who love the college and want to help promote the institution.

Randy Daniels, MCCC’s vice president of Student Services, became involved in the concept early on by brainstorming ideas with Quartey to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

Quartey came up with the idea for the campaign, and Daniels supported the idea and proposed some of the ideas.

He has been visiting high schools with Quartey. They both visited Whitmer High School in Toledo to promote the college, as

well as discuss the Whitman Center.

Daniels said the two most important things he hopes to accomplish through the campaign are to have fun celebrating the anniversary of the college, as well as expanding awareness of the college.

He said one of his main roles now is to help Quartey meet his goals.

“He set some pretty bodacious goals, and he’s going to need some help reaching them,” Daniels said.

Daniels also said that there is nothing wrong with setting ambitious goals, and Quartey is an ambitious person. ​“The word failure is not in my vocabulary,” Quartey said, “I have no idea what it means.”

Quartey has been visiting the Cellar to play students in games of pool and foosball when he has free time during the day.

He has made three appearances in the Cellar so far.

Quartey wants people to know that while he will spend a lot of time off campus, the majority of his time will be spent on campus, meeting with students and faculty.

He added that he hopes to launch a “51st Campaign” next year, and a “52nd” Campaign” the following year.

Out with tradition, in with a black-light party Mariah Tevepaugh Agora Staff

Instead of the traditional Sweetheart Ball, Student Government members are planning a black-light party for students at the end of the year.

“We just want to have a good time, have pizza, pop and relax at the end of the year,” said Nick Ridner, Chair of the Black-Light Committee for Student Government.

The black-light party is more laid-back compared to the more formal Sweetheart Ball that usually includes a meal and dancing.

According to Tom Ryder, Student Goverment advisor, the annual Sweetheart Ball was popular in the mid-to-late 90s and then was resumed two to three years ago.

With Ryder always encouraging his members to come up with new ideas to get students involved, a couple members decided it was time to bring the tradition back.

The Ball usually takes place around Valentine’s Day, is offcampus and available for any and all students. Last year it was held at the Toledo Zoo. The Alumni Association suggested that this year’s Sweetheart Ball be held on the Detroit Princess riverboat.

However, there were some complications while planning with the Detroit Princess’ schedule.

According to Ryder and other Student Government members, snow days made a huge impact on picking dates as well, along with the weighty schedule of events Student Government is working on.

Each date that Student Government would finally decide on wouldn’t coincide with the Detroit Princess schedule.

Mika Kotanova, Student Government Historian, explained that they noticed the Detroit Princess was available the day before Easter, however, members also knew that families might be out of town for the holiday.

The snow days also started to impact the planning by affecting how much time Student Government had to prepare for the Ball.

“I am very saddened that we’re not going to have a Sweetheart Ball this year,” Kotanovo said. “But I am very excited to see what we’ll put together for next year.”

Although there won’t be a Sweetheart Ball this year, there are still high-hopes for the black-light party.

“I think more students would come because it’s a black light party,” said Lena Quello, Student Government member.

“Who doesn’t want to go to that?”

Campus News

March 24, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|3

Agora to host discussion on Immigration Reform Agora staff

Families are torn apart, businesses lose workers and some of the best young minds in the world leave the U.S. for other countries.

Monroe County residents will get a glimpse into these and other issues surrounding immigration reform, one of the hottest topics facing Congress as midterm elections approach.

A panel discussion, “Immigration Reform, A Family Issue,” will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at Monroe County Community College.

The panel is part of the One Book, One Community project, which this year features “The Distance Between Us,” a memoir by Reyna Grande about the trauma that families suffer when they are split up by immigration to the U.S. Panel members range from a leading legal authority on the subject to an activist who works with immigrant families and the supervisor of Monroe County’s immigration detention facility.

“A community is composed of families the way a house is built from bricks,” says Diego Bonesatti, of Michigan United and a panel member. “You can’t keep a house standing if its bricks are broken, and our communities suffer the same way

David Koelsch

Diego Bonesatti

when families are separated.”

“The immigration system is separating families or keeping families separated and that, foremost among many reasons, is why we need immigration reform.”

In “The Distance Between Us,” Grande tells the story of her life, beginning as a 5-year-old growing up in a poor Mexican community not far from Acapulco.

Her father left the family to find a new life in the U.S., and didn’t return for eight years. Then she was split from her mother when she crossed the border with her father.

Her story gives personal testimony to how families are torn apart by our current immigration policies. Efforts to reform U.S. immigration laws are

Troy Goodnough

caught up in the stalemate between the Democrat-controlled Senate and the Republican-controlled House.

“Our current broken system separates parents from their children, employers from their hard workers, and costs America billions of dollars in lost wages, unpaid taxes, and the expense of detaining and deporting hundreds of thousands of people each year,” says David Koelsch, a lawyer on the panel.

Koelsch points out that most people, both liberal and conservative, agree that we need to stem the flow of bright young minds who study in our universities and then are sent away because our immigration policies don’t allow them to stay in the U.S.

“Immigration reform is needed to allow the U.S. to compete for the best and brightest global talent. Right now, we are getting beat by Canada and Europe in the race for that global talent,” he says.

One of the sticking points is what to do with the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. Legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship was approved by the Senate last June, but House leaders haven’t acted on the bill.

Meanwhile, record numbers of immigrants are being deported each year, often breaking up families. An estimated 400,000 people were deported in 2012 — a record high for the nation — and if deportation rates continue at the current pace, roughly 2 million people will have been deported by the end of 2014 under the Obama administration.

The panel discussion is sponsored by “The Agora,” the student newspaper at MCCC. It will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, in the La-Z-Boy Center. Julia Wells, editor of the Agora and a sophomore at MCCC, with moderate the panel.

Panel members include: David Koelsch is director of the Immigration Law Clinic and the Asylum Law Clinic at the University of Detroit Mercy

School of Law. The Immigration Law Clinic represents immigrants on a variety of legal issues, including abandoned immigrant children and abused immigrant women.

Diego Bonesatti is director of Legal Services for Michigan United, where his work includes running the legal services program and recruiting and training volunteers to provide immigration services, such as assistance with the naturalization process.

A graduate of Michigan State University, Bonesatti’s parents immigrated from Argentina.

Major Troy Goodnough is head of Jail Operations for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Goodnough directs the county jail, as well as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility, which houses roughly 1,200 detainees a year – many on their way to deportation.

Goodnough, a former MCCC student and Monroe High School graduate, has a bachelor’s degree from Spring Arbor University and a variety of certifications in law enforcement and corrections.

Members of the Monroe County Hispanic community also have been asked to participate on the panel.

‘Fiesta’, theatre performance starts One Book

Photos by Lauren Robinson

Clockwise from top left: Magical theatreworks was the group chosen to celebrate the Mexican culture that inspired the OBOC event; President Quartey helped himself to the buffet provided by Kosch catering; Lela Wadlin shows a child how to craft paper flowers; The theater performance included storytelling portrayed with music, costumes, and on-stage hijinks.

Journalism students enriched by NYC conference

By Jeffrey Brown Agora Staff

Journalism students got a chance to expand their horizons at the College Media Association Conference in New York City.

Nine students from MCCC attended the CMA conference, accompanied by Journalism professor and Agora adviser Dan Shaw.

“There is no democracy without jounalism,” said Scott Pelley of CBS News, one of the three keynote speakers at the conference.

Seminars spanned three days and topics ranged from interviewing and writing skills to newspaper design. Social media also was a popular subject for students.

“The coolest thing about the seminars was that they had something for everyone,” said Agora reporter Stephen Pipis.

“If you were interested in design they had design workshops, if you were interested in shooting video they had one for that,” he said.

The conference scheduled keynote speakers for each day. Pelley was the first, followed by Bonnie Fuller of hollywoodlife.com, and Michael Skolnik, political director to Russell Simmons and editor-in-chief of GlobalGrind. He closed out the conference with a powerful message concerning youth violence in the media.

Scott Pelley talked to the students about his career as a journalist and the importance of journalism in this ever-changing world.

Pelley emphasized the importance placed on this generation of up-and-coming journalists to accurately report the truth in this era of digital media.

“I cant’t think of anything more important than a free, open and honest press,” Pelley said.

The students attending Pelley’s presentation were inspired by his words.

“It really struck a chord for me when Scott talked about journalists risking their lives for the truth; it’s something I would do in a heartbeat,” said Agora reporter Mariah Tevepaugh.

Fuller talked about her career covering celebrities for her website and followed by giving helpful tips on how to jump-start a career in journalism by finding a job.

“I was dissapointed in Bonnie Fuller’s speech because her career has been so inspiring, but her speech didn’t really live up to it,” said Agora staff member Shelby Spencer.

“But overall I learned a lot from the conference,” she said.

Skolnik told students a moving story about his part in exposing violence done to inner-city youths. He also shared his beliefs on getting the news out quickly via social media in the digital age.

“Michael Skolnik’s speech was moving,” Pipis said. “At one point he had me crying and the next laughing out loud. His beliefs on new age reporting were interesting and inspiring, though some of

his views conflict with Scott Peley’s.”

Students found both Pelley and Skolnik to be the highlight of the conference.

“Scott Pelley’s talk was so refreshing. Young journalists often hear not-so-positive things about the fate of their careers, but both Pelley and Skolnik were so encouraging and made me feel important as a new reporter,” said Agora Editor Julia Wells.

Even Professor Dan Shaw was impressed.

“Scott Pelley gave an inspiring call to action to young journalists. He told them the world needs a new generation of journalists who will maintain the foundation of journalistic principles – truth, fairness, honesty,” Shaw said.

“On the opposite end of the scale, Michael Skolnik was just as inspiring. He challenged young journalists to use their new digital tools to find a cause and work passionately to improve the world.”

Though both were inspiring, Pelley and Skolnik had conflicting views on accuracy and styles of journalism.

“It was an incredible opportunity for journalism students – both from MCCC and from across the nation – to hear two powerful voices on opposites sides of the journalism spectrum,” Shaw said.

“Pelley and Skolnick disagree on the style – one is old-school, one at the cutting edge. But both focused on working hard, finding your passion and making a difference.”

Agora Photo

Several members of The Agora staff pose next to a George Washington statue in front of Federal Hall, where Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States.

Features

March 24 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|4

Working women make history Testing stress put to rest

MCCC hears encouraging words from encouraging women

By Julia Wells

Welcome back from Spring Break. Hope you all had a fun time off.

We are at the midway point of the semester, and students and faculty are already feeling the pressure of getting the work done.

Students hunkering down for their finals in late April/early May. Faculty pushing out their memos and priority projects to make sure things are ready for the next batch of students.

Regardless of the work, stress is everywhere.

I know what you may be thinking. “Ray, you have already written a piece about stress.” This is true, but sometimes things need to be repeated, just to make sure you don’t forget about what I have told you before.

First, do not panic.

All of the running around,

By Ray Bell sweating and freaking out is not Agora Staff necessary. You have a deadline and you should have had your projects done ahead of time. You should use any time you may have after projects to double check your work and to see if there is any way you can improve your initial research.

Second, while it may affect your grade, it is not the end of the world if you happen to get a bad grade on a paper or test.

A bad grade just means you didn’t study as well as you may think you did. Use this as a motivational tool to make you study or work harder for your next test, project, or exam.

Some students tend to say “Screw it, I’m not going to pass anyway,” and do not do anymore work in their class because of a bad grade on their midterm. This is a bad idea, considering you, the student, are paying for the class.

Having the quitting mentality makes other people, even your boss, think that you like to quit things halfway through.

The best way to change this way of thinking is to speak with your teacher or boss and explain what is going on with you and figure out a way to get your work done that fits your needs.

This may be hard to do, especially in the workplace, but if you and your boss have a good rapport going on, this may be the best thing to do.

Make sure you don’t do this for all of your projects, as your boss or teacher and their patience WILL wear thin over time.

Use it as a last resort.

The last thing is to take things one step at a time.

Scrambling around will only lead to sloppy work and will make your grade or job performance seem inadequate for the class/job.

Taking things step by step will help you relax and make your work up to the level your boss or teacher expects of you.

However you do things, please take these tips into consideration while you work on your papers, projects, or anything you do. And I hope this will help relieve your midterm stress.

Agora Staff

American women’s salaries were about 77.3 percent of what men’s salaries were in 2006, according to the U.S Census Bureau.

That fact alone may be the very reason that Women’s History month is celebrated in succession of Black History month.

In 2014, a year of many victories in the progression of equality, it is difficult not to notice the ever-present sexism that is so integrated into our culture.

MCCC has several events planned as part of its Women’s History Month celebration, but in our modern day, is there still a need to devote a month to the history of women?

Psychology professor Melissa Grey said that it may be beneficial to everyone “I think women’s history has a history of being made invisible,” she said “Efforts to uncover and acknowledge the diversity of women’s experience helps to honor those women who have shaped who we are today and to reflect on who we want to be, whatever our genders may be,” she said.

History professor Edmund La Clair said he believes that a month is not long enough.

“They are absolutely necessary because we will not spend a year actually looking at women’s issues,” he said.

“It is pathetic that we only have one month to focus on this, but the evidence is clear we need more attention and a month is not long enough.”

La Clair also brought his point much closer to home, citing discrimination of women on our own campus.

“This college shut down its day care center, citing costs and claiming it was not a core function of the college, effectively locking out many single mothers and directly saying providing access to single mothers is not a core function of a college,” he said.

La Clair gave a presentation as a part of Women’s History month on March 20, entitled “Women Behaving Badly in History.”

Another presenter in MCCC’s celebration of Women’s History was Penny Tullis, who discussed women’s issues and empowerment, on March 3.

Tullis cited political figures Condoleeza Rice and Hilary Clinton as public figures working toward the empowerment of Women.

She also presented the terrifying statistic that that 97 percent of rapists will not see a day in jail.

“Women in Criminal Justice” was also the topic of a presentation given by professor of Criminal Justice Penny Dunn.

Photo By Reggie Allen

Professor Penny Dunn spoke about women in the criminal justice.

“I think women’s history has a history of being made invisible.”

Melissa Grey Psychology Professor “Women in Criminal Justice are vastly underrepresented. Many of the professions are stereotypical male professions. It could be that women are not recruited into the profession, or it could be because women are not drawn to profession,” Dunn said in an interview.

“For women today who enter into a male dominated profession, there are going to be challenges and opportunities. It’s not easy and you have to understand that you are going to have some very difficult times and have to rely on your training, self-confidence, will power and support from many other people,” she said.

During the presentation, student Chris Graves

Briefly

Paul W. Smith visiting MCCC for 50th celebration WJR’s Paul W. Smith will broadcast his radio show live from the La-Z-Boy Center on May 23 from 5:30-9 a.m. in celebration of MCCC’s 50th Anniversary.

The event is co-sponsored by Monroe Bank & Trust, La-Z-Boy, Monroe County Intermediate School District and Mercy Memorial Hospital.

A 1973 MCCC graduate, Smith has been a loyal supporter of the college. His show has consistently been rated the top morning radio show in metro Detroit and is also heard throughout the Midwest.

Smith has also hosted morning shows on both radio and television in Toledo, Ohio, on radio stations WABC and WMCA in New York City, on WWDBFM in Philadelphia from 1990-1996 and then back home to WJR in Detroit.

He also has served as fill-in host for the The Rush Limbaugh Show, Paul Harvey News and Comment and The Sean Hannity Show.

JD Eicher performing in March 31 ‘Noon Concert’ Student Government is hosting a “Noon Concert” on Monday, March 31, in the Dining Room from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. featuring artist JD Eicher.

Eicher, of Youngstown, Ohio, stresses the honesty of his work.

“It’s so important to me that I believe in the words I’m singing and that I connect with the audience,” Eicher says.

Over the past five years, he’s been on the road making those connections. In 2009, Eicher released a full-length album, The Shape of Things.

He toured to promote the album, visiting colleges, universities, festivals, fairs, and countless other venues.

He also has opened for Grammy-winning artists Coldplay, Rod Stewart, and Bryan Adams. Though only in his early twenties, this seasoned performer has a knack for drawing in the listener.

Gradfest gives students one-stop place to prepare Students planning to graduate in May are encouraged to attend Gradfest 2014, scheduled for Tuesday, March 25.

gave his opinion on females in the justice system.

“I feel male officers are a lot tougher on inmates and try to be all macho man to people and female officers are their to talk and be compassionate about things,” he said.

Another student, Baily Windham, also voiced her opinion.

“I feel that women are downplayed in society, and with that they are proving that women are just as strong,” she said “It also teaches younger girls that look up to these older women to have confidence in themselves.

“After listening to the story, it really opened my eyes that one mistake doesn’t define you; it’s what you make of the situation that defines you.”

The next event will be the Women’s Immigrants in History Fair on Tuesday, March 25, in the C building lobby.

quired, they are encouraged.

The expo is still accepting employers and nonprofit and service organizations that wish to exhibit.

The registration fee for the Career and Opportunity Expo is $50 for employers and $30 for non-profit, service organizations, with breakfast and lunch included.

More information on the expo, as well as registration info for employers and service organizations, is available at www.monroeccc.edu/careerexpo.

The deadline for registration is March 22.

For additional information, contact Barry Kinsey, director of workforce development and chair of the expo, at bkinsey@monroeccc.edu or (734) 384-4124.

There will be two sessions, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and from 4-7 p.m., in the A building dining room.

Students can pick up their cap, gown and tickets, order announcements and class rings, pre-order a DVD, and join the alumni association.

They also can meet with four-year universities and the Employment Services office.

The event, co-sponsored by Student Government and the Registrar’s Office, will include music and refreshments.

Dean Maltese selected for commencement honor Vincent Maltese, dean of the Math/Science Division, has been named the Honorary Grand Marshall for the 2014 Commencement.

Each year the MCCC faculty nominate candidates for the honor. The Honorary Grand Marshall is then chosen in a vote of faculty members.

The 2014 Commencement ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 2.

MCCC All-Class Reunion will be held June 21 MCCC will celebrate its 50 years of existence with an All-Class Reunion on Saturday, June 21.

The day will include a slate of free activities, open to the public, intended to showcase the contributions and talent of MCCC’s alumni and staff.

More details will be announced soon, according to Joshua Meyers, MCCC coordinator of Development and External Affairs.

Volunteers, stuffed animals sought for Fun Night The 2014 version of Family Fun Night is scheduled for Friday, April 25 from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Health building.

The event features various carnival type games, clowns, magicians, face painting and giant inflatables, giving community members a place to bring the family. It has attracted more than 700 people in past years.

The event is sponsored by Student Government, and up to 80 volunteers are needed.

Student Government also is looking for good, clean stuffed animals and toys to give away at Family Fun Night.

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating staffed animals can contact Tom Ryder, Events & Student Activities coordinator, at 384-4201.

MCCC student Logan Jacobs speaks at a Michigan legislative hearing held on the MCCC campus.

MCCC student speaks to legislative committee An MCCC student was among the speakers with the Michigan Joint Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Community Colleges met March 7 at MCCC. Logan Jacobs, a sophomore Political Science student who is transferring next year to the University of Michigan, was selected by college officials to represent MCCC students at the hearing.

In addition to committee members, the hearing was attended by Monroe County’s two state representatives, Rep. Bill LaVoy, a Democrat, and Rep. Dale Zorn, a Republican.

MCCC President Kojo Quartey also spoke at the hearing.

Career & Opportunity Expo planned for April 11 MCCC is hosting the fourth-annual Career and Opportunity Expo on April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The expo is free and open to the public and will be held in the Health Building The Expo is designed to bring together students, colleges, employers, veterans and community members. In addition to highlighting employment opportunities for the community, the expo will specifically focus on available resources for returning service members.

Professional dress is required for job-seekers who plan to attend. While resumes are not re-

Financial Aid workshop planned for April 8 A workshop on students loans and debt repayment options sponsored by Monroe Bank &Trust will be held Tuesday, April 8.

The workshop, “Exploring Financial Aid,” will be from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Room 173a in the A building.

College students graduate with an average student loan debt of $26,600. The workshop is intended to help students understand how to manage their loan and repayment options.

Call 734-384-8269 to reserve a spot in the workshop.

Three Culinary buffets still left on schedule Three of MCCC’s gourmet buffets still remain on the winter semester calendar.

The buffets are prepared by the second-year culinary students under the direction of Chef Kevin Thomas and Chef Vicki LaValle. Tickets are $20.

The third of five buffets, “Down South BBQ” will be Friday, March 28.

The fourth, “Authentic Mexican,” is Friday, April 11.

The final buffet will be on Thursday, April 17 and is entitled “Global Friends.”

Each buffet begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Dining Room of the A building, with the exception of the Authentic Mexican buffett, which will begin at 5 p.m. and is the closing event for this year’s One Book, One Community project.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling the MCCC Ticket Hotline at (734) 3844272.

Feature Socialist party calls Detroit’s bankruptcy corrupt, criminal March 24, 2014

By Melanie Jacobs-Davis Agora staff

The Detroit bankruptcy is against the law and a clear violation of the Michigan Constitution, according to the Socialist Equality Party.

With priceless art and worker’s pensions on the chopping block, Detroit’s bankruptcy has been deemed by the Socialist party to have come at too great a cost and will open a floodgate for cities across the nation to follow suit.

MCCC professor and SEP member Terry Telfer strongly disagrees with the entire bankruptcy proceedings and what he calls the mega-rich padding their pockets because of it.

“This isn’t just wrong, it’s criminal,” he said. “People really need to know just how bad this really is.”

The SEP held a Worker’s Inquiry into the bankruptcy at Wayne State University on Feb. 15.

“This bankruptcy is a political conspiracy utilizing the courts, both major political parties, and supported by the media to implement all desired policies,” said Lawrence Porter, Chairman of the Worker’s Inquiry and SEP Assistant National Secretary, “including the ripping up of pensions, healthcare, privatizing the DIA, cutting wages and jobs and restructuring the city in the interests of the rich.”

Detroit’s bankruptcy has been thrust into the national spotlight and the precedentsetting ruling will eventually affect us on a global level, Porter said.

With Federal Court Judge Steven Rhodes’ ruling that the city is eligible for bankruptcy and with the backing of the Obama Administration, it is an open-door for every city in the nation to file Chapter 9 under the Emergency Manager Law and take it out on the working class, he said.

“It is action that has its intent to set a national precedence,” Porter said.

He noted that the Emergency Manager Law was overturned by the majority of Michigan voters in 2013. It survived when Judge Rhodes’ 11th-hour ruling trumped State Court Judge Rosemarie E. Aquillina, just four minutes before she ruled that the entire ordeal was unconstitutional.

The Michigan Constitution states the following about pensions, according to World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) legal correspon-

Agora photo by Melanie Jacobs-Davis

World Socialist Web Site legal correspondent Tom Carter speaks, while Lawrence Porter, Chairman of the Worker’s Inquiry and SEP Assistant National Secretary, sits at the head table.

dent Tom Carter: “The accrued financial benefits of each pension plan and retirement system of the state and its political subdivisions shall be a contractual obligation thereof which shall not be diminished or impaired thereby….Financial benefits arising on account of service rendered in each fiscal year shall be funded during that year and such funding shall not be used for financing unfunded accrued liabilities.”

Judge Rhodes’ ruling on Dec. 3, 2013, declared that under federal bankruptcy laws, pensions can be impaired, Carter said. He went on to explain that the Obama Administration was quick to support the city’s bankruptcy and a payout to city pensions of only 22-25 cents on the dollar.

“This is not hypothetical money, this is real, this is people’s lives,” Carter said.

While all of this was occurring, the SEP claims there are sweetheart deals and a multimillion dollar arena being erected in Detroit that will benefit only the super-rich, like Detroit Red Wings’ owner Mike Ilitch and Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert – and will end up costing taxpayers in the long run.

“Some $285 million in state funds, plus $12.8-$15 million per year in city funds, will be used to cover most of the construction funds (for the new Detroit Red Wings ice arena),” the Carter said. “Ilitch will pay no

rent and no property taxes on the stadium and pocket all revenues.”

The $285 million in direct subsidies is more than the cash shortfall of Detroit, he added.

Ilitch just purchased 39 parcels of prime real estate in Detroit for $1, while thousands of lives are being heavily affected by this bankruptcy, and Dan Gilbert bought the Garfield projects in Detroit that are comprised of low-income, elderly tenants – and he’s in the process of evicting them all, the SEP said.

The SEP claims that the entire bankruptcy proceedings were pre-planned through the hiring of Emergency Manager Kevin Orr – who happens to be a former attorney for the Jones Day Law Firm, which was brought in to oversee the city’s bankruptcy after Orr took over.

At the Worker’s Inquiry, the SEP disclosed emails between Orr and Jones Day that showed their intent to take the city into bankruptcy, long before the public was aware that it was even an option.

“I wouldn’t want it to seem like I got a special deal,” Orr said in the email.

He also thanked Jones Day for their thoughts on “alternative ways to skin the cat,” in reference to the bankruptcy proceedings.

“The entire bankruptcy is a criminal proceeding and the conspirators should be impeached, indicted, arrested and prosecuted,”

mcccagora.com • The Agora

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Career & Opportunity Expo coming April 11 In the past several editions we have discussed resume writing, interviewing skills, and job fairs.

Here we are almost to graduation — what’s next?

What’s next is the 4th Annual Career & Opportunity Expo on Friday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Welch Health Education Building.

The Career & Opportunity Expo is the premier hiring event in Monroe County and it is located on our campus.

It is a partnership between MCCC, Eastern Michigan University, Siena Heights University, Monroe County Michigan Works!, and South Central Michigan Works!

T h i s Barry Kinsey, Director of Workforce job fair is Development open to all students, alumni and community members.

All we require of you, the job seeker, is that you dress appropriately.

This year we have over 60 exhibitors/employers registered to date. These employers are from all industries and include the likes of: ● DTE Energy ● Quicken Loans ● Gerdau Steel ● La-Z-Boy ● 8 Healthcare Organizations including Mercy Memorial Hospital and Henry Ford Health System ● PNC Bank ● Michigan State Police ● Spartan Steel ● Toledo Zoo ● Monroe Bank & Trust ● Ventower ● Tenneco ● Midway Products Group For up-to-date information on

the Expo and its employers, visit the website two weeks prior to the event at http://www.monroeccc. edu/careerexpo/.

It does not matter if you are looking for a career or a summer position, the Career & Opportunity Expo is the place to start on Friday, April 11.

Treat a job fair as you would a job interview; that is what it is.

First and foremost, dress for success. Do not show up in jeans and a t-shirt/sweatshirt. You cannot overdress. Put your best foot forward. Make sure your hair, nails, facial hair, are presentable.

Look in a mirror and be honest with yourself: “Would you hire this person?” If there is any doubt — change that outfit, shave that beard, cut that hair, etc.

Bring plenty of resumes. Each attending company will be listed on the website (http://www.monroeccc.edu/careerexpo/) with the positions that they will be interviewing for. Use this to your advantage and tailor your resume to the company(ies) and positions that you are interested in.

Bring several generic resumes in case you come across a position that you were unaware of. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member. We have sample interview questions available in our office to assist you with this.

Get plenty of rest the night before. Most importantly, the day of the event try visiting several employers that you have little or no interest in working for, before you approach your top choices.

This will help you settle your nerves and let you get a feel for how the process works.

If you have not completed your resume or if you would like to tweak it, there is still time with one of our free, Resume & Interviewing sessions on Tuesday, March 25, 9:30 to 11 a.m. or Wednesday, March 26, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Call 384-4127 to reserve your spot.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Transfer your associate degree from Monroe County Community College to Siena Heights University and complete your bachelor degree in

CRIMINAL JUSTICE! Seating is limited for this executive cohort starting Fall of 2014.

CONTACT US TODAY! Phone: (734) 384-4133 Email: monroe@sienaheights.edu Web: www.sienaheights.edu/mccc Stop by our office located in the Life Science Building, Room 221

A&E

March 24, 2014

mcccagora.com • The Agora

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Elvis A. Presley Jr. rockin’ and a rollin’ Jake Woods Agora staff

The man who calls himself “the dirty little secret”, Elvis Aaron Presley Jr. came to MCCC for a performance of his father’s music, Elvis Presley.

The Meyer Theater was almost filled to capacity on a cold Saturday night. People piled into the La-Z Boy center to hear the classic tunes of the king of rock and roll. A full band set was awaiting the players on the brightly lit stage as the late arrivals made it to their seats.

Before the show began and after

the sponsors of the show from98.3 local radio stationthanked everyone for attending the event, President of Monroe Community College Kojo Quartey spoke before the crowd.

“We have been enriching minds in this county for 50 years and with the theater now being open for ten years, we have been entertain this county for ten years,” said Quartey.

Opening for the son of Elvis were members of his own band, Tommy and the Torpedos who played a selection of music spanning from the fifties all the way to the early seventies to get the

crowd warmed up for the main act.

After covering five to six songs, Tommy and his Torpedoes walked off the stage and promised to bring Elvis Jr. out shortly. Keeping their promise, about 15 minutes later the man that his father supposedly never knew about graced the Meyer theater stage and began to play the hits of one of the greatest musicians of all time.

Elvis Jr. had a full band behind him just like his father would including two guitar players, two saxophonists, a bass player, two background singers and of course a drummer.

Photo taken by Lauren Robinson

Jr. played two more songs after his opening cover and then finally took a break to speak to the crowd before him.

The ladies of the front row all reached to touch his hand as he walked around the edge of the stage. Elvis Jr. had scarves laid around his neck just like his father used to back in his hay day and also just like his father he handed the scarves to ladies in the audience who were almost fighting to get one.

Jr. then continued to speak about his father and the major impact he had on modern music and the world in general. Jr. himself did not just cover his father’s music but he also was a recording artist in his own right. He would record original pieces written for him by famous musicians like Willie Nelson and he would also rerecord his father’s greatest hits.

Towards the end of the show Elvis Jr. began to walk through the rows of the theater and even gave a scarf to a woman who had just turned 87 that day. He made his way through the lower section of the Meyer Theater as his band rocked on stage like he had never walked off. He made it all the way to the upper and VIP sections posing for selfies with members of the crowd as they danced around him while the band contin-

Photo taken by Lauren Robinson

Elvis Aaron Presley Jr. swoons crowd at the Meyer Theatre.

ued to play.

Elvis Jr. finished by playing his father’s most famous song “Jailhouse Rock” and two other ballads and then took his final bow with his band and walked off of

the stage.

The son of Elvis rocked the Meyer Theater and brought another great show to MCCC as the crowd left in great spirits.

Elvis A. Presley Jr. sings his father’s classics with the band.

Titanfall drops in on Xbox and PC Jeffrey Brown Agora staff

Titanfall is a new game that brings fresh and fun ideas to the first-person shooter genre.

Back in March 2010, two the founders of Infinity ward, Vince Zampella and Jason West, were dismissed from their positions by Activision due to “breaches of contract and insubordination”.

By the end of May 2010, 46 other staff members resigned, most following the cofounders to their brand new independent game company, Respawn Entertainment.

Titanfall is their first game and it seems Zampella and West know the perfect formula to make a game fun.

The game was released on Tuesday, March 11, and since then Xbox One sales have doubled in the U.K. Unlike the games Call of Duty and Battlefield where there are a bunch of guns and attachments that all feel the same, Titanfall only has a handful of weapons and attachments but, each feels unique in its own right.

Titanfall lets players play on 15 maps and five different game types.

The playlists are Team Death Match, Hardpoint, Capture the Flag, Last Titan Standing and Pilot Hunter. There is a Variety Pack playlist which contains a mix of all the game types.

The player plays as a pilot, the pilot runs fast, carries a deadly weapon and has a special ability which the player can pick to compliment his or her style of playing.

The best part about the pilot is the Jet-Pack on his/her back, which lets the player double jump, run on walls and climb buildings.

This adds a whole new vertical depth to gameplay that has barely, if ever, been seen in a FPS. A match usually starts with the pilot dropping out of an airship and landing on the streets below.

The first thing the player might notice is that there are a bunch of non-playable computer controlled soldiers running around on the map.

Though the AI for these soldiers doesn’t make them the smartest combatants, it makes

the standard 6v6 multiplayer seem like there’s always something happening, which there is.

After running around and slaying as many soldiers and player controlled pilots as you can and accomplishing any objectives depending on game type, you’ll receive the ability to call in a Titan.

The Titan is a giant Mech-Robot that the player can hop in and control. They are immensely powerful and are just plain fun to pilot.

This doesn’t necessarily put the other team at a disadvantage, because chances are they will have a Titan any second if they don’t already have one and pilots have powerful anti-Titan weapons that can help take out the enemy.

When the game ends, the losing team has to make it to an extraction point be picked up and taken away from the battle, this isn’t something required but it is a nice bonus to your points if you make it out alive.

If the player meets certain requirements at the end of the game, the game rewards them with Burn Cards.

Burn Cards are one time use items that will let the player’s pilot start a life with a bonus ability or buff, like a more powerful weapon or always be cloaked; these cards can give players the slight edge needed to dominate their match.

Though the game is online only, the game does sport a small campaign.

The campaign’s story is hard to follow because when the story is explained and plays out, the player is too busy actually playing the game to really pay attention, which isn’t a bad thing because the cliché story about a group of rebels trying to overthrow the government is stale and leaves much to be desired.

Playing through twice will unlock two extra Titan chassis, one that’s fast and durable and another one that’s slow but is much harder to kill, this only takes around four hours.

With the versatility and agility of the pilot, the immense strength and durability of the titans well balanced maps and the addition of AI controlled soldiers, Titanfall didn’t fail to impress even with a weak campaign.

No matter what platform you decide to purchase Titanfall for, it does require a broadband internet connection to play.

Titanfall is available now for the Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC for the suggested retail price of $59.99 plus tax. A season pass is also available for an extra $25.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox One.

“The Titan is a giant MechRobot that the player can hop in and control. They are immensely powerful and are just plain fun to pilot.”

photo courtesy of Flickr

Kid Cudi takes flight

Reggie Allen Agora Staff

Rapper/ actor Kid Cudi continues to showcase his creativity by releasing a surprise album called “Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon.” The 10 song album displays many instrumentals and spacy melodic tracks that exhibit the talent Cudi has putting his spin on any genre of music.

The psychedelic electronic sound is heavy yet relaxing and plays well with the title: Journey to Mother Moon. Each track has a cinematic buildup within the instrumental that makes you feel like you are being prepared for something bigger.

The sound of this album is truly a unique experience. You hear everything from trumpet sounds to acoustic guitar riffs mixed in with electronic synthesizers. Cudi has proved he can do hip-hop rock and sing but this electronic based album is something I’ve never heard from him or any artist in general.

Although mostly instrumentals, the lyrics are dense and give you a perspective of the emotion Cudi feels in this current stage of his life. Early in his career Cudi labeled himself as “the lonely

stoner” but he has recently given up drugs and alcohol. My favorite line from this album is “No drank no tree but I’m levitated”.

If you are a Cudi fan you know the rocky road he has traveled dealing with alcohol abuse and cocaine addiction. The commitment to being sober is incredibly inspirational and gives something to look forward to in his music.

This album fits perfectly within the theme of Cudi’s career. After releasing 2 hip hop influenced albums called Man on the Moon 1 and 2, he ventured out into other genres such as rock and jazz. Satellite flight: the journey to mother moon is bringing us back to that man on the moon.

The production on this album is incredible and although I would have liked to hear more, the lyrics hit heavy with me. This was Cudi’s first album on his own Wicked Awesome Records label and I think it was a success. It definitely has me wanting to hear more of his music. Over all I give it three and a half stars.

‘Stick of Truth’ brings nostalgia,hilarity, impresses fans Ray Bell

Agora staff

South Park fans can’t lie when it comes to The Stick of Truth.

Many fans of the fictitious mountain town of South Park have been waiting for the long overdue game “South Park: The Stick of Truth.” They don’t have long to wait anymore, as the game was released on March 4 by South Park Studios and Obsidian Entertainment, and published

by Ubisoft.

The Stick of Truth brings back nostalgic memories of early episodes and will let people play along with their favorite foul-mouthed kids in this role-playing adventure through town.

Players start off as The New Kid, moving into South Park to make a new start.

The main character is completely customizable. Once customized, players will meet up with the innocent Butters, who introduces you to the medieval battle between humans and elves.

Players join the fray and fight against countless enemies in a three day span.

While that may seem short, the quests and side quests alone,make up for the length of the game.

Players will note the turn-based system that most role-playing games have used in previous games. In “The Stick of Truth”, it is no different, as you use swords and axes, bows and magic, and varied abilities to defeat you enemies.

Once progress has been made you gain summon items that you can use against enemies.

Players will gain collectible items such as the infamous Chinpokomon and various other quest items.

Players will meet various other people that will be added to your friends list that will unlock different perks to help increase your abilities.

The game is great to play, especially for those who love flashbacks to well-loved South Park episodes.

The game is out now and is recommended for any South Park fan.