MCCC studies new system for advising
Music touches hearts, shapes minds
Page 4
More geothermal wells needed
Page 6
March 9, 2016 Vol. 63, Issue 2
Page 5
Politics crash through Michigan Democrats debate in Flint Evan Kutz Agora Staff
In Flint, Michigan, tension was high. Protestors chanted demands and threats of shut downs outside the Democratic presidential debate hosted by CNN Sunday in the poisoned city. Several protesters waved posters of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder with red eyes and devil horns. The city is still reeling from the revelation that government officials—both state and federal— knew Flint’s water supply contained alarmingly high levels of lead, yet did not tell the residents paying to consume the dangerous water. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton participated in the most intense debate between the two candidates this primary season.
Photo by Evan Kutz
Bernie Sanders speaks at an endorsement announcement from former Michigan Sen. Donald Riegle Jr. before the debate.
Politics inside
Sanders, Trump win - Page 2 Photos of Kasich visit - Page 3 Panel probes Flint crisis - Page 4 Open letter to old folks - Page 7 The Flint tragedy set the tone for the evening. During the debate, audience members—mostly citizens of Flint due to priority seating—asked the candidates what they would do as president to resolve the crisis. As the debate headed into other issues important to Michigan, both Sanders and Clinton became more irate. The Secretary and the Senator took jabs at one another on their records, such as Clinton’s support of the NAFTA trade agreement, which many Michigan voters blame for the heavy loss of jobs, and Sanders’ vote against the auto industry bailout. “American workers should not be forced to compete against people in Vietnam today making a minimum wage of $0.65 an hour,” Sanders said. “We’ve lost 60,000 factories since 2001. They’re going to start having to, if I’m president, invest in this country—not in China, not in Mexico.” Sanders noted that NAFTA, which was supported by Clinton, cost America 800,000 jobs nationwide and tens of thousands of jobs in the Midwest. And he said normalizing trade relations with China also cost millions of jobs. “Look, I was on a picket line in early 1990’s against NFATA because you didn’t need a PhD in economics to understand that American workers should not be forced to compete against people in Mexico making 25 cents an hour,” he said. Sanders said Clinton’s story was voting for “every disastrous trade agreement” and voting for “corporate America.”
See Debate, Page 2
Angry Flint residents react Adam Rayes Agora Staff
The city of Flint refused to remain silent in the hours leading up to the Democratic Presidential debate. Outside the debate hall, activists chanted demands to the beat of a drum, while others held up signs of a horned and red-eyed Gov. Rick Snyder. The Flint Rising coalition held a press conference hours before the debate featuring a parade of national heavy hitters. NAACP President Cornell William Brooks pointed out the most important thing to focus on ahead of the debate.
“It is important for us to understand that the two central characters in this debate are not Secretary Clinton and Sen. Sanders, but rather Gov. Snyder and the citizens of Flint,” he said. “The most important dates on the calendar are the birthdays of a generation of children who have been poisoned.” “We are calling on the candidates to call on the governor to do three things,” he said. “That is a timeline for the complete replacement of the water infrastructure in Flint, a deadline for completion, and a price tag. A timeline, a deadline, and a price tag.”
Brooks said the NAACP asked the governor three weeks earlier to meet their demands for a timeline, deadline, and price tag, and gave him 30 days. “The 30th day is March 22nd,” he said. “The United Nations International Water Day. On or about that time, the NAACP will call upon citizens from across this country to engage in a campaign of direct action and civil disobedience unless the governor offers a timeline, a deadline, and a price tag.” Michigan Faith in Action Executive Director Rick Carter
See Protests, Page 2
Kasich brings campaign to Monroe campus Mika Kotanova Agora Staff
Presidential candidate John Kasich made a pit stop at MCCC during his political campaign Monday, March 7. The town hall-style meeting was held in the atrium of the La-Z-Boy Center the day before Michigan’s primary election. The Ohio governor touched on topics such as immigration, small businesses, repairing Michigan roads, and education. “Higher education is critical,” Kasich said. Before the town hall meeting, Kasich talked with MCCC President Kojo Quartey about the affordability of attending a community college instead of a four-year school. A student can attend MCCC for just $3,000 a year. “His second question to me was how much it costs to go here,” Quartey said. “He was incredulous that you could get a quality education for that price.” In response to a question, Kasich said four-year universities need to change to survive. “If four-year universities do not get their act together, they’re going to wither away. Go to a community college for a few years,” he said.
MCCC revamps scholarships Julia Toniolo Agora Staff
Prospective MCCC students will have new scholarship opportunities available for the Fall 2016 semester. MCCC has simplified the scholarship application process with the Trustee Merit Scholarship, awarded based on ACT/SAT scores. The scholarship is for prospective students who are enrolling in their first semester at MCCC. Students must be Monroe County residents and their ACT/SAT scores can be no more than five years old. Students must turn in their application and send their ACT/SAT scores by April 15, 2016, and they must register for at least 12 credit hours for the fall semester by June 30, 2016. Registration for the scholarships is open now. An ACT/SAT score of 20-21 or 940-1010 will be awarded $1,000. A score of 22-23 or 1020-1080 will receive a $1,250 award. A score of 24 and higher or 1090 and higher
Inside:
will result in a $1,500 scholarship, which is approximately 50 percent of tuition. The scholarships are renewable for a second year if students maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and a minimum of 24 credit hours by the end of their spring semester. The scholarship will not be extended beyond two academic years unless a student is approved for accommodation through the Disability Services Office. MCCC will still offer the Presidential and Performing Music Scholarship Programs for students that cover all tuition and fees, with a separate application available in the scholarship area of the MCCC website. The Instructional Scholarships program was reinvented into the new scholarship program to expand scholarship opportunities for Monroe County residents. Valerie Culler, the director of financial aid, explained the changes. “They have discontinued the Board of Trustees scholarships and they have discontinued
Politics...............................2-3 Campus News.................. 4-6 Opinion.................................7 Arts&Entertainment...........8
www.mcccagora.com Follow us on
Kasich said he wants to bring federal dollars back to the states for education, job training, and welfare. One of Kasich’s main concerns for the future of the United States is the nation’s budget. “Why do you think we are nineteen trillion dollars in debt?” he asked. “Because what happens is everybody yells at their congressmen and then goes home.” The governor said Congress is letting the nation’s debt deteriorate because members don’t want to make people upset by cutting programs. “When you have to balance the budget, you have to think big,” he said. While Kasich is currently in a distant fourth place in the Republican race, he discouraged name calling to earn him the Republican nomination. “Personal attacks against Donald Trump will not win voters,” he said. Kasich finished a close third in Michigan’s primary, in a virtual tie with Ted Cruz. Both had about 24 percent of the vote, well behind Donald Trump’s 37 percent. Quartey said he thinks Kasich being here encouraged students to vote. “It’s important to educate before voting. And what we do here is educate,” Quartey said. He also said the college would be hosting a voter’s registration forum in the near future. The Kasich vote also is good marketing for MCCC, Quartey said. “Positive press always helps put us in the limelight,” he said. “I hope people will hear about us and it will boost enrollment.” (Agora reporter Emily Lorton contributed to this story)
Agora needs staff members
the instructional scholarships,” Culler said, “in order for us to implement the Trustee Merit Scholarship.” The two discontinued scholarships, however, are still renewable. “Anybody who had received the Board of Trustees or the instructional scholarship for the first time in the 2015-2016 year, because it’s a renewable scholarship, their renewal will be honored.” The Foundation at MCCC awards more than 80 scholarships to new and continuing students. The application process for these have been simplified, now taking only around 20 minutes to apply. “There are a number of scholarships that we have through the MCCC foundation which are all donor funded,” Culler said. “Those are the scholarships students apply for through the academic works system and that scholarship application is open right now,” she said.
Check out The Agora online at “Like” us on
Photo by Evan Kutz
John Kasich speaks Monday in the atrium of the La-Z-Boy Center.
The Agora is looking for a new editor, as well as reporters, photographers, and page designers for the 2016-2017 academic year. Each year, a student from the previous year’s staff is chosen to lead The Agora, MCCC’s student newspaper and its website, mcccagora.com. However, this year all of The Agora’s staff members are transferring at the end of this semester. Dan Shaw, journalism professor and Agora adviser, announced that applications will be accepted for the editor position from any MCCC students interested. “I’m also encouraging any student interested in writing, taking pictures, or designing pages to register for The Agora,”
Bookstore Hours:
Mon - 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Tue - Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
LAL/Writing Center: Mon - Thurs: 8 a.m. 7:30 p.m. Fri: 8 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m- 1:00 p.m.
Serving Monroe County Community College since 1968
Shaw said. “We’ll be building a new staff from scratch. This is a great opportunity for students to step in and contribute from the beginning,” he said. The Agora is a three-credit course that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3:20 p.m. It transfers to most universities as a Humanities elective, Shaw said. Ordinarily, Intro to Journalism, JOURN-161, is a prerequisite for joining The Agora staff. But Shaw said he will waive the prerequisite this fall for students with an interest in writing, photography, or design. Anyone interested in the editor position, or in registering for The Agora, should contact Shaw, at 734-384-4296 or deshaw@monroeccc.edu.
Library Hours:
Mon - Thur: 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Fri: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sat: 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Fitness Center Hours:
Mon - Thurs: 10 a.m. - 7:30 Fri - Sat: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.