10-25-2012

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Pumpkin Run Photos - Pg. 3

Aug. 26,25,2010 55,Issue Issue October 2012 Vol. Vol. 56, 131

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Spirit rock comes to campus Nicki Kostrzewa

Whitman Center Luncheon - Page 4

Agora Staff

This year’s Student Government has provided MCCC with a 8,500-pound “Spirit Rock.”

Clubs and other organizations can paint signs on the rock to promote their events and activities.

“The spirit rock is going to do great things for the college,” said Michaela Kotanova, the new Student Government Historian.

“Clubs can spray paint it and make others aware of events going on around campus. A big thank you to Stoneco for the rock,” she said.

This year’s Student Government officers are: President, Chris Holmes; Vice President, Joshua Zarza; Secretary, Charlotte James; Treasurer, Paul Anders; Historian, Michaela Kotanova; and Liaison, Lezlee Downing.

“I feel we have a wonderful and diverse group of students and leaders who are committed to making life better for the students and staff at MCCC and the local community,” said Tom Ryder, the advisor for Student Government.

“Working with the students is the favorite part of my job. They keep me energized and I look forward to a wonderful year.”

Student Government already has presented a Welcome Back Luncheon at the Whitman Center, co-sponsored a blood drive with the American Red Cross, and launched a Breast Cancer Awareness program.

“I believe that Student Government is a vital asset to our campus

Courtesy of Mark Spenoso

Student Government members gather as a crane places the new Spirit Rock near the south entrance off Raisinville Road.

and to the college experience. It provides physical manifestations to the thoughts and personality of the student body,” said new Presi-

dent Chris Holmes.

“It also provides a firm foundation and framework for future social and academic success.

Kony 2012 returns Hannah Boulton Agora Staff

Joseph Kony is one of the most notorious and vilified rebel leaders on the planet.

He stands accused of kidnapping countless children in northern Uganda and neighboring countries, turning the girls into sex slaves and the boys into killers.

Kony’s accusations have resulted in being named the world’s worst criminal by leaders all across the globe.

His actions have even led to a world-wide campaign sponsored by an activist group called Invisible Children.

The co-founder of the group, Jason Russell, directed and narrated three videos urging viewers to do something about Kony.

The first video, “KONY 2012,” was released in March 2012 and soon became wildly popular, setting YouTube records with tens of millions of views within a matter of days.

In a testament to the explosive power of social media, Russell managed to make Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army household names in a matter of days, baffling diplomats, academics and Ugandans who have worked assiduously on the issue for decades without anything close to the blitz of attention that Russell and his group generated.

According to Invisible Children, its only purpose is to stop the rebel group and its leader. Their plan is to blast his name across the internet and make him infamous.

The question is: Can mass media capture a mass murderer?

Invisible Children encourages viewers to spread the word about Kony in an effort to make him infamous, while encouraging legislators and people who have the power to do something about the issue.

Looking back into history, issues of social justice are often lead by the population.

At times I think the accomplishments of Student Government go unnoticed by some but never unappreciated. The work Student

Once again the world is faced with an issue that demands attention.

As with most things that attract media attention, there are always critics.

Watching the Kony 2012 videos can grab at a viewer’s heart, but some viewers took a deeper look into Invisible Children.

There were two main issues that viewers had with the campaign and the activist group: how the video presents the struggle against Kony and his group, and how Invisible Children spends its money behind the scenes.

Not until halfway through the film does Russell mention that “the war” he describes against Kony is no longer taking place in Uganda, where the documentary is set.

In fact, The Lord’s Resistance Army left the country years ago, migrating to more fragile nations like Congo.

See Video Answers Concerns, Page 2

Government does on campus and in society is important when attempting to maintain a healthy and caring community.”

The Welcome Back Luncheon at the Whitman Center was Oct. 22. Student Government members provided sub sandwiches, chips, and cookies.

The blood drive took place Oct. 23 in the dining room.

Student Government is also working with GSA and MASS to put on yet another Halloween dance this year. The dance will take place in the cellar from 7 - 11 p.m.

“Student Government gives the students a voice,” Ryder said.

“We will take on any major issue of concern to the administration. They also do community service activities and provide the students with entertainment and activities,” he said.

“Although we have many community based events such as Red Cross blood drives, Toys for Tots, and the ever-popular Family Fun Night, this year we want to focus more on the students with events like National Student Day, the use of our New Spirit Rock and the upcoming Halloween Bash on Oct. 26,” Holmes added.

“Two of our main goals this year are to place emphasis on the middle college student and encourage their participation in activities and organizations. Also, we will strive to create a more interconnected relationship between the different clubs on campus for the common good of the student body as a whole.”

Joseph Kony received national attention after a video by Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell received millions of views within a matter of days.

Typical student is white, female, 25

By Julia Wells For the Agora

A typical MCCC student is a white female about 25 years old.

Steve Mapes, associate professor of Counseling, presented MCCC’s 2012 Student Profile Report at the MCCC Board of Trustees meeting Monday.

The average student is attending college part-time and is looking for a transfer degree, Mapes said.

That is a change from 2011, when the number of transfer students was even with the number of students seeking occupational degrees.

This year, the percent of transfer students rose to 53 percent.

Mapes noted that enrollment is up among out-of-county residents. There was an increase in students over last year from all of the surrounding counties, including 26 more students from Trenton and 12 more from the Belleville/Ypsilanti

“I just don’t think they’re going to college. They are community residents; we need to help them.”

Mark Hall

Director of Admissions and Guidance Services area.

Mapes explained that while the college gained male students going part-time, it is losing working adult students, ages 21 to 30.

“Hopefully, that means they’re going back to work,” Mapes said.

Females outnumber males 2,408 to 1,663, and 74.9 percent of the student body is white. The largest minority is African American, at 3.4 percent, and 2.7 percent are Hispanic. Of the total, 17.9 percent did not report an ethnic background.

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Of the career programs, Health is the largest with 710 students, followed by Business, 601; Industrial, 362; Humanities/Social Sciences (mostly Criminal Justice), 160; and Science/Math (mostly Early Childhood), 95.

Monroe High School’s 2012 graduating class sent the most students to MCCC – 119, followed by Bedford, 67, Jefferson, 63, Airport, 58 and Ida, 50.

Ida had the highest percentage - 38 percent of its graduating class came to MCCC, compared to 36 percent for Jefferson, 30 percent for Monroe and Airport, and only 19 percent from Bedford.

The average for all county schools was 26 percent.

The board also heard a report on enrollment for Fall semester, which is down 8 percent from the previous year.

Enrollment is down in almost all areas and a number of factors could be contributing to the decline, according to Mark Hall, director of Admissions and Guidance Services.

“I just don’t think they’re going to college,” Hall said. “They are community residents; we need to help them.”

MCCC will continue its recruiting efforts by getting into more high schools in more areas, including Northwest Ohio, he said.

The economy also is a factor in the enrollment decline, and MCCC isn’t the only college feeling the sting.

Community college enrollment is down nationally by 2.2 percent, according to John Joy, dean of Corporate and

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“Generally speaking, overall enrollments are the same,” Joy said. “It could be better.”

He told the board that when the economy improves and employment rises, enrollment numbers go down.

In other business, the board recognized the retirement of Sharon Gray, Practical Nursing Program coordinator. Vice Chairman Bill Braunlich presented her with a plaque.

“She has inspired countless nursing students across the state,” he said.

Gray was all smiles as she accepted the frame.

“The greatest reward is seeing students become very successful,” Gray said.

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Grant coordinator seeks money for CTC Melanie Jacobs Agora Staff

Facing an $8 million bill for a new Career Technology Center, along with several years of budget cuts, has put MCCC in desperate need of money.

The college’s new coordinator of grants and major gifts, Eric Slough, plans to do as much as he can about that.

Slough has a background in major gifts and fundraising. Before joining the staff at MCCC last spring, he was a fund-raiser at the University of Toledo. He also has worked as the Executive Director of the Make a Wish Foundation in Northwest Ohio.

Slough’s principal roles as coordinator of grants and major gifts are seeking federal, state and foundation grants, and working with donors. He works in the Institutional Advancement Department.

“We’re the financial arm, from a scholarship/endowment standpoint,” Slough said.

In 2009, the department received a $1.6

million Title III federal grant, a five-year grant that supports institutions that are building fund-raising capacity.

The Institutional Advancement Department used some of that money to increase the size of its staff, hoping to build the department so that it can be self-sustaining, Slough said.

“The people are able to be here to raise the dollars to go back into this institution,” he said. “We’re really ramping up our campaign.”

There is a lot of work that goes into fund-raising besides just asking for money, he said, including a lot of “homework.”

“It’s the relationship building, the engagement, the connections,” Slough said.

“It’s those things that take time.”

Many faculty and students are confused about why budget cuts are being made while a new Career Technology building is under construction, Slough said.

The college’s portion of the cost, after the state pays for half, is roughly $8 mil-

“Our campaign is paying the college back, rebuilding the college’s rainy day fund, and looking toward the future... It’s an opportunity to build up our infrastructure and engage a lot more people that we might not have been able to engage.”

Eric Slough Coordinator of grants and major gifts lion.

“People get confused because it’s two completely different pots of money,” Slough said.

The money from the state is for a specific, one-time project.

“It’s a unique opportunity because those are dollars, if you pass them up, you aren’t going to get them back,” he said.

To pay for the college’s portion of the building, Slough said the money was taken out of the college’s reserve fund.

“Our campaign is paying the college back, rebuilding the college’s rainy day fund, and looking toward the future,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to build up our infrastructure and engage a lot more people that we might not have been able to engage.”

Slough said the college also is working on new grant opportunities for the Technology building, as well.

The college is looking to advance its programs and curriculum, he said. The Career Technology Center will offer a wider array of courses that will be more flexible with tomorrow’s job market.

“There is some talk about doing a middle-college for advanced manufacturing,” he said.

The college already provides a middle college for students seeking a degree in a medical profession. A middle college offers high school students the opportunity to blend their high school and college studies, giving them a college degree more quickly.

Slough emphasized that he isn’t limiting himself to raising money for the Career Technology Center. He wants to take MCCC to a new level.

“My goal is obviously a lot higher than that; I’m setting the target really high,” he said.

‘The Gathering’ food local and sustainable Melanie Jacobs Agora Staff

Pesticides and dangerous chemicals blanket our fruits and vegetables in crops all over the world.

These chemicals enter our body and lie dormant as they gradually build in our system.

The cancer-causing agents are threatening our health and tainting our soil.

“It’s a huge problem,” said the executive director of the River Raisin Institute, Danielle Conroyd.

The River Raisin Institute, RRI, is a non-profit organization founded by the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 2003. RRI sponsors educational works with the goal of respecting, nurturing, and promoting the well-being of all creation.

MCCC’s Culinary Arts Instructor, Kevin Thomas, and Danielle Conroyd came together for their third annual event called The Gathering, held on Sept. 22 in the dining hall.

“The event included samplings of local beverages and small plates of epicurean delight,” Chef Thomas said.

Attendants could browse exhibits, take a tour

of the V1300 vineyard, and participate in a silent auction and a raffle for a handmade quilt.

Entertainment was provided by The Hippie Chick Band and presentations were done about macro-invertebrates and water monitoring activities.

The food was prepared by Chef Kevin’s second year culinary students, with fresh, organic ingredients grown by local farmers.

“I enjoyed watching everyone just gobble down the food we prepared,” said second year culinary student Linda Paetz.

The number of people who attend the event has more than doubled each year The Gathering has been held.

“We are grateful to MCCC and Chef Kevin for hosting this event,” Conroyd said.

“Our first year we only had about 20-30 people; this year there were approximately 130 people.”

The Gathering is a fun and educational event that draws awareness to the importance of eating organic foods, sustaining our planet, and supporting local farmers, Conroyd said.

Top: Mike Britton prepares platters of lettuce and hardboiled eggs.

Far left: Tom Dixon arranges trays to be sent out to the serving tables.

Left: Derrick McDowell places strawberries on the rim of a desert platter.

Video answers unease CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Also, Russell’s narration could imply that there are as many as 30,000 child soldiers in Kony’s army.

After years on the run, the group is believed to be down to hundreds of fighters, though they still prey mercilessly on civilians.

Critics also point out that the film paints the Ugandan military in an excessively favorable light, failing to mention a record of human rights abuses.

Others take issue with the amount of money that Invisible Children — which brings in and spends millions of dollars a year — dedicates to officer salaries, filmmaking costs and travel, as opposed to on-the-ground programs to help rebuild the lives of people traumatized by decades of conflict.

Nevertheless, after the release of the first Kony 2012 video in March, Invisible Children accomplished the very thing it set out to do: making Kony infamous.

People all across the world

know about Kony and the terrible acts he and the LRA have committed.

The criticism rose almost as fast as the views on YouTube. By the end of March, Russell suffered a very public and very naked breakdown.

Russell spent some time in a mental hospital to recover, while Invisible Children tried to keep the trust of its supporters.

“Though new to us, the doctors say this is a common experience given the great mental, emotional and physical shock his body has gone through in these last two weeks. Jason has dedicated his adult life to this cause, leading to the ‘Kony 2012’ video. Because of how personal the film is, many of the attacks against it were also very personal and Jason took them very hard,” Russell’s family said.

Shortly after, Invisible Children released a sequel in response to the original video’s backlash, but made no mention of the meltdown.

On Oct. 7, a third video, named “Move: DC,” was released. It in-

troduced a new event on Nov. 17 in Washington, D.C. The video begins with a slow motion shot of someone dropping a large slinky from a balcony.

As the slinky stretches out, the bottom of the slinky hovers in mid-air until the impact from above forces it to move.

Throughout the video, Russell explains how everyone has to move, whether they are moving at the top or waiting for the impact from above to force them to move.

Russell’s public meltdown in March resulted in many people losing trust in Invisible Children’s cause.

After the incident, Russell had a personal interview with Oprah where no questions were off limits.

Russell explained himself and his true intentions. His honesty won many skeptics back.

“Move: DC” seemed to address all of the public’s doubts and negative opinions about Russell and the Kony 2012 experiment.

The purpose of the first viral Kony 2012 video was to make Kony infamous while the latest video’s purpose is to get the attention of those in power who can do something to stop the evil man and the LRA. Invisible Children’s plan is to surround the White House on Nov. 17.

In hopes of grabbing the attention of the newly elected president to do something to stop Kony, the plan is for each state to have a certain number of people show up to represent their state.

The goal is 283 people from Michigan attending the event in Washington DC. Invisible Children representative for the Monroe region, Shannon Brinks, is available to inform anyone on any questions they have regarding the activist group and the events in November.

For more information on how to make a difference and stop Kony, go to the Invisible Children website: invisiblechildren.com.

The Agora Editorial 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 Nicki Kostrzewa Asst. Editor Hannah Boulton Adviser Dan Shaw

Staff Members Ray Bell Carla Crockett Craig Evans Autumn Jackson Melanie Jacobs Tyler Rogoff Chris Stadtfeld

campus news

October 25, 2012

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Pumpkin Pursuit

More than 100 runners started the Pumpkin Run 5K race Oct. 20 on the MCCC campus.

T

he Great Pumpkin Pursuit, a 5K run and walk in the memory of Marilyn Schroeder, was held Saturday, Oct. 20.

The cross-country race was over MCCC’s main campus.

All the proceeds from the race went toward an MCCC scholarship in Schroeder’s name.

Schroeder was a physical therapist for more than 20 years and provided constant care to those in Monroe County. She also was a wedding photographer and Special Olympics ski coach.

The fastest time was by Justin Heck, 22, who won in 15:46.

In the mile run, 10 year old Billy from Bloomington Indiana took first place, clocking in at 8:16.

Runners jog along the path marked out for the course, with leaves changing from green to golden yellows and reds in the background.

Justin Heck, 22, stops the clock at the winning time of 15:46. A Columbia University student, he topped the field of more than 100 runners.

Winning the best dressed award, Linda Shaw from Sylvania, Ohio, finishes with a time of 35:32. She’s run quite a few 5k’s dressed as different things (Christmas tree, Turkey, Snowflake, Pizza, etc), but this is the first year as a pumpkin.

A 10-year-old from Bloomington, Ind., wins first place in the mile run, finishing at 8:16.

Photos by Noel Malcomson

Grey speaks of LGBT struggles William Miko For the Agora

A presentation was held Tuesday at Monroe County Community College on what it means to be an LGBTQ ally.

The speaker was Melissa Grey, associate professor of psychology at the college.

LGBTQ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered, Bisexual, and Questions. The presentation was designed to bring awareness to college students about the problems that these groups face in everyday life.

“It’s not a coincidence that LGBT people experience more harassment,” Grey said.

Melissa Grey showed a poll of LGBT students who have been part of some sort of sexual harassment while going to college.

The survey showed that 72 percent of LGBT students have experienced non-contact sexual harassment, such as being called names and having sexual jokes or comments directed at them, and 44 percent have experienced

Briefly:

International Studies Club hosts film event The film “Crossing Borders” will be hosted in the Meyer Theater by the International Studies Club.

The viewing and discussion will take place Thursday, Nov. 15, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The film is also being presented by the Midwest Institute for International and Intercultural Education, Michigan State University and the United Kingdom based organization Crossing Borders Education.

One Book, One Community book chosen for 2013 “One Amazing Thing” has been chosen as this year’s One Book, One Community title.

The novel, written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, tells the tale of nine people who become trapped in a passport office due to an earthquake.

As the characters of the story try to distract themselves from their current situation, each person tells a story about one amazing thing that has happened in their lives.

One Book, One Community will run from March 18 to April 12.

Melissa Grey

physical sexual harassment.

Grey pointed out that students who suffer from this type of harassment face increased risk of depression, anxiety, and even suicide. She also noted that being harassed like this can cause students to concentrate less, and not do well at school.

So what is an ally? An ally is a heterosexual or straight person who is interested in understanding diversity and actively works to dismantle the divide between straight and gay people. Also, an ally spends energy to reduce dis-

advantages and to level the playing field.

Grey said that being heterosexual is a privilege – people do not have to go through the experiences that LGBT people face.

“When you help as an ally, you’re spending that privilege,” Grey said.

Grey pointed out some things you can do by being an ally that are simple and do not involve joining any group. You can be active in your own thoughts and words, and confront prejudice and

Bookstore sponsors National Student Day Ray Bell

Agora Staff

MCCC’s Bookstore honored students Oct. 4 by sponsoring National Student Day. According to Jean Ford, director of the Bookstore, the event was a way for the college and the bookstore to show their thanks and appreciation to the students.

“I think it’s always good to do something for the students,” Ford said.

“It tells them we appreciate their being on campus. If they’re not here, we’re not here.”

The event featured a variety of tables set up by student groups and sponsors. Some of the student groups were the International Studies Club, the Drama Club, the Gay Straight Alliance and Student Government. KeyBank was a sponsor that Divakaruni will be visiting MCCC on March 27 to discuss her book during that week’s festivities.

Study Abroad deadline approaches for Spain The deadline is approaching for students interested in the May 2013 Study Abroad trip to Spain and Portugal.

Local artists played during National Student Day.

set up a table.

Students won prizes, such as Skittles and gift cards to places like Tim Horton’s, McDonalds, and Subway. There also was a free raffle for a $125 gift card to the MCCC Bookstore.

Students need to contact one of the three professors who are teaching courses during the trip before Oct. 31.

The professors are: • Dr. Joanna Sabo, who is teaching Comparative Politics. Her office is Room C208, phone 3844297; e-mail jsabo@monroeccc.edu.

• Gary Wilson, who is teaching Art Appreciation.

His office is Room A167, phone 384-4158; e-mail

discrimination. Also, don’t make assumptions about people’s sexual orientations, and help people realize their own biases.

There was a lot of passion in the room from the students who were attending.

“It sickens me how people can treat other people in such a derogatory way,” one student said.

Students who are interested in learning more about becoming an ally can visit the Gay Straight Alliance, which meets every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in room A173.

gwilson@monroeccc.edu.

• Dan Shaw, who is teaching Photojournalism.

His office is Room L121, phone 384-4296; e-mail deshaw@monroeccc.edu.

The trip will include two days in Lisbon and Evora, Portugal, followed by eight days swinging through Cordoba, Granada, Seville, Toledo and Madrid, Spain.

The last eight days will be spent in Barcelona.

Students can earn up to nine college credits during the spring semester.

The trip is 18 days, from May 16 to June 3, with the courses continuing to the end of the semester.

The trip includes a variety of tours of historic and cultural sites, as well as plenty of free time for sight-seeing and other activities – from soccer matches to flamenco dancing.

The final eight days in Barcelona are intended to give students enough time to immerse themselves in the culture.

MCCC holds college night MCCC, along with the Monroe County Councelors, hosted College Night 2012 on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

Admission representatives from more than 70 colleges and universities attended the event, which was the largest in MCCC history.

For more information, students can contact the Admissions and Guidance Office at (734) 3844105 or 1-877-YES-MCCC.

campus news

October 25, 2012

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Meeting aired Whitman concerns Chris Stadtfeld Agora Staff

Whitman Center business dominated the Sept. 24 MCCC Board of Trustees meeting.

Of the three-hour affair, more than two-thirds went to address Whitman rumors, set the record straight, and hear reaction from the community.

Members of the college board began the discussion by explaining the college’s rationale for canceling spring-summer semester classes at the Whitman Center next year.

Although some members of the public accepted the board members’ explanation, not everyone was pleased with that they heard.

“Major decisions were made that negatively impact the Whitman Center,” said Sandy Kosmyna, who served as Director of the Whitman Center for over seven years until stepping down this summer.

“I felt overridden,” she said, talking about getting an e-mail one day without being involved in the decision.

“Please don’t take it out on us,” said Judith Hamburg, a leader in the Citizens for Whitman Center group.

Hamburg also played offense, referring to the new Career Technology Center, which is now under construction, as a white elephant that shouldn’t have been built during a time of declining tech enrollment.

“I drove by,” she added. “Whitman’s parking lot is full tonight.”

Vice Chair William Braunlich heatedly defended the CTC building as an “800-pound gorilla” instead of a white elephant.

He said the CTC building will provide an influx of jobs for the community, going so far as to call it a godsend.

Before she was done, Hamburg added to her comments a list of organizations and names that insisted they care about the continuation of the Whitman Center.

With Board Chair William Bacarella out of town, Braunlich led the meeting.

“There is no plan to close the Whitman Center,” he said. “I can’t emphasize that enough.”

Once the Board opened the floor to the public, reactions were varied.

Pearl Albert-Green was one of

Welcome Back event held at Whitman Center Autumn Jackson Agora Staff

MCCC’s student government held a Welcome Back event Oct. 22 for all students in the lobby of the Whitman Center.

The event, catered by Kosch catering, offered students subs, sodas, chips, and cookies.

“A welcome back event was already held at the main campus. We would have been at the Whitman campus sooner, but student government was in the process of electing new officers,” explained Tom RyderMCCC’s Student Activities Coordinator.

The representatives from the student government on campus several members of the public who lauded college efforts to advertise the Whitman Center, expressing a change of heart after hearing trustees defend their decision.

Others, including Hamburg and Greg Stewart, weren’t satisfied.

“I am disappointed you’re taking no for an answer,” Greg Stewart told the board.

He admitted he heard good things from them as well, but urged that the community must know what efforts they are taking to keep the Whitman Center alive.

“Let Bedford know what is and is not going on at Whitman,” Hamburg said.

To that end, Vice President of Student and Information Services Randy Daniels and Director of Marketing Joe Verkennes presented some of the information the board used.

Verkennes highlighted the advertising efforts made by MCCC on behalf of the Whitman Center.

He pointed out that Monroe’s ads exceed the limits of Monroe County, spilling over into Toledo, Lenawee County, and Downriver area by 25 miles.

An overall decline in enrollment played a part in the Whitman cancellations, board members said.

Although 2012 enrollment is

included Corey Welsch, Marissa Sancrainte, and Amber Virley, the Whitman Center Representative.

The event included more than just free food for students.

“We’re accepting donations for breast cancer today also,” stated Sancrainte.

Students had a very positive feedback to the Welcome Back event.

“I like this. It feels like I’m becoming more a part of the overall ‘college experience,’” said freshman Sam Danko.

The question of the day seemed to be, “Why aren’t there more events from student government at the Whitman Cennear MCCC’s average ten-year levels, Daniels said Spring enrollment was down 13 percent between 2011 and 2012.

He also noted that only 9 percent of MCCC enrollment over the last five years consisted of students who studied exclusively at Whitman.

Additionally, a 2007 survey found that about half of students attending Whitman took classes at main campus, too. This led the Board to conclude that while cutting spring-summer semester at Whitman might inconvenience some students, they may not necessarily miss out on courses altogether.

Board members said that, bottom line, the decision to cut classes for June and July at the Whitman Center is a cost-containment

ter?”

“The budget really dictates what we can and can’t do,” Ryder replied.

“Limited space also plays a factor when trying to plan events at the Whitman Center.

When the weather is nice, I’d like to see events set up outside the Whitman Center next year.”

Students attending the Whitman Center seemed to favor this idea.

“I’d love to see more events on this campus. It would give students more time to socialize with each other and branch out,” freshman Zacharis Hardison said.

measure.

They emphasized that any reductions in Whitman operations are rooted in budget requirements.

On top of declines in enrollment, falls in tuition revenue and property taxes have created a budget shortfall.

The Board also cited seat-filling efficiency as a reason to cut Whitman classes.

The Whitman Center typically fills about 75 percent of the spots in the classes it offers – already 5 points below main campus’s efficiency.

That figure was below half for the Spring and Summer 2011 semesters.

David Nixon, MCCC president, added the economic upturn to the list of factors contributing to

“Major decisions were made that negatively impact the Whitman Center.”

Sandy Kosmyna

Former Whitman Center directior

Giving blood, saving lives

Above: Monroe County Middle College student Nicholas Ridner (lying down) and Kevin Racklyeft are tended to after having blood drawn.

Far Right: Robert Balk gets his blood type checked and is tested to make sure his blood has no deficiencies.

Right: Blaine Hubart fills out paperwork while Samantha Brooks watches over with a careful eye.

Photos by Tyler Rogoff

“This board is committed to continuing the Whitman Center.”

William Braunlich

Vice Chair to the Board of Trustees

enrollment figures. Community colleges tend to fare better during recessions, he said.

“In 2007, the Whitman Center was rocking,” Nixon said.

This was so much the case, he added, that the college considered expansion at Whitman.

Those days are in the past, though. Nixon called the May decision not to offer Spring and Summer classes at the Whitman Center a difficult but fiscally responsible decision.

“Fall and Winter classes are not affected,” he said.

Not everybody was satisfied with the board’s reasons. Some were downright skeptical.

“Fifty-thousand dollars in this doesn’t seem like a whole lot of money,” said Jim DeVries, a 40year veteran of MCCC’s teaching faculty and a candidate for the board this November.

DeVries argued that, considering the $780,000 shortfall in a multi-million dollar budget, the Whitman cuts aren’t justified when the project savings are less than $60,000.

A few solutions surfaced.

Some students want to go into a trade, not a field of study, said Larry O’Dell, a 35-year veteran of the Bedford school system.

“We know what your mission is,” he told the Board, “but what is your vision for the Whitman Center? If we don’t meet the needs, someone else will.”

The key to making the Whitman Center thrive, former Director Kosmyna said, was to keep it open.

She also made the point that because significant events take place there, such as COMPASS testing, choosing to exclude Whitman classes from the Spring and Summer plans would still affect Fall.

“I fear this is one step closer

to permanent closure,” Kosmyna said, and stepped away from the microphone.

It was noted that in the wake of Kosmyna’s resignation as Director of the Whitman Center, the position has not been filled.

Braunlich explained that the Board left the full-time director position open to see the effect. Because the position is in the budget, he said, the college could potentially save money by leaving the position empty.

Board members and administrators reported taking turns as acting directors of the Whitman Center.

Although the Board announced no reduction in Whitman staffing for the Fall 2013 semester, Trustee Thayer wondered whether Whitman students might feel forgotten or considered unimportant without a facility director.

“This board is committed to continuing the Whitman Center,” Braunlich said.

“We need the private sector.

We need resource infusion,” he added.

He noted that the community has to get behind MCCC if it’s to be successful.

In addition to placing a new emphasis on Bedford as a source of enrollment, Braunlich asked that someone beyond the Board of Trustees help to create a Whitman Center Volunteer Bank.

Dr. Sally Dunn volunteered for an active role in that solution when she spoke.

“I am very optimistic about the establishment of a joint Whitman Center committee,” Braunlich later said in a statement.

“The MCCC Board of Trustees greatly values the Whitman Center as a vibrant and important part of the MCCC educational enterprise,” he said, “and has no plans whatsoever for wholesale closure.”

The American Red Cross hosted a blood drive on MCCC’s campus on Oct. 23. The blood drive was sponsored by the MCCC Student Government. The drive exceeded the goal of 70 units of blood.

feature

October 25, 2012

By Melanie Jacobs Agora staff

T

r T a f n f i a c ki m

First, the fateful “date”...

It wasn’t “technically” a date, so she accepted his offer, she said.

“He had a hot car, it was a shiny new, black Trans Am,” she said. “So, I thought I was all that and a bag of chips.”

The boy told Theresa that he needed to stop by his house to pick up something that he had forgotten before he drove her home.

“I know him, we even go to the same church; I’ll be okay,” she said.

The pair pulled up to an enormous house, and Theresa was impressed. He asked her if she wanted to come in “really quick,” while he grabbed what he had forgotten.

Theresa was hesitant, but it only took three words to change her mind after months of having a crush on him.

“I like you,” he told Theresa.

Her hesitation melted away and she decided to accompany him into his house.

“I was curious,” she said.

He showed her around the house and offered her a pop to drink.

“Unbeknownst to me, the drink he gave me was laced with drugs, and I was raped,” she said.

When Theresa finally made it home that afternoon, she felt as though she could not tell her parents what had happened. She was embarrassed and ashamed.

“I disobeyed them,” she said. “I felt so dirty and I didn’t want my parents to see me any differently.”

Rather than shaming my parents, I decided to just handle this on my own, and everything would turn out okay, she said.

A few days later, things got much worse, beyond anything she could’ve imagined.

The boy again approached her after school; she noticed that he was carrying an envelope in his hand.

He told her that his cousins were there on the afternoon she was raped and that they had concocted a plan. As he handed her the envelope, he explained that she would have to earn the contents back by doing whatever they told her.

“I was in complete shock as I looked at the photographs,” she said.

Next, the graphic photos ...

They were graphic photos of Theresa explicitly “posed” with the three men who raped her while she was in a drug-induced haze. The photos seared images of what had happened to her into her mind as if her attackers had branded her with them, she said.

“It was amazing that those pictures portrayed something completely different from what had actually happened,” she said.

The boy explained to her that they knew where her father worked, the names of his bosses, and the hours he worked.

He told her that if she didn’t do as she was told, they would show the photos to her father’s bosses, as well as her priest, and all over her school. If she reported

|5

“I would go out to get the mail and find dead animals in the mailbox,” she said.

Two men would come to Theresa’s part-time job at Burger King and stand in the doorway, watching her while she worked.

“They would just stare at me,” she said.

They would park outside of her house to watch her and call her while she babysat at someone else’s house.

“They would call me to let me know that they were watching me,” she said. “I was definitely convinced that they would follow through with their threats of killing my family if I got out of line.”

Theresa had become these men’s modern-day slave. She was indebted to her traffickers for the pictures they had of her; she’d try to convince herself that they would return them to her the “next time” and that everything would be okay.

“I never gave up hope,” Theresa said. “I never gave up my faith.”

ng

Hu

heresa Flores grew up in a closely knit Irish Catholic home.

She had a stay-at-home mom and her father, an executive at General Electric, was often transferred, so her family had to move a lot.

“I always had to be the new kid,” Theresa said.

“But, I had no worries…no wants.”

The Flores’ were devoted to their religion and attended church services regularly.

“I loved being Catholic, I was proud of it,” she said. “I didn’t do drugs, I wasn’t promiscuous, and I was a good kid.”

When she was 15, Theresa’s life was changed forever when she became one of the 300,000 child and teen victims of human trafficking in the United States.

Theresa told her story at MCCC in early October, starting with her capture into a life of sexual bondage and ending with her crusade to make sure other girls don’t suffer as she did.

Just before her freshman year in high school, Theresa’s father was promoted to a position in Birmingham, Mich., an upper-class community in the Detroit suburbs.

Her parents were very strict and had a lot of conversations with Theresa about saving herself for her wedding night.

“This was very important to them, and to me,” she said.

A few months into her freshman year, a boy started to pay a lot of attention to her. Dating a boy before the age of 16 wasn’t an option for her, though.

“He was different,” Theresa said. “Nothing like the boys I was ever used to going to school with.”

Once her friends started noticing the boy paying attention to her, they confronted Theresa. They told her she couldn’t continue to associate with the boy if she wanted to be friends with them, Theresa said.

“I didn’t understand it,” she said. “I still had a crush on him.”

On her way to track practice one day, Theresa had forgotten something in her locker. She went back to gather up what she had forgotten when she was met by her crush, waiting for her by her locker. He asked if she would like a ride home from practice.

mcccagora.com • The Agora

Fighting the hidden horrors them, he said t h e y would kill her entire family as well.

“I told myself that I could never allow that to happen; I’ll do whatever it takes,” Theresa said. “But, I didn’t even know what it was that they wanted me to do.”

The boy told her that she would receive a call on her private line around midnight each night to meet them on the next street over from her house.

Her ride would be waiting to pick her up.

“It was always the same boy, in the same black Trans Am that would pick me up,” she said. “Most of the time I would be in my pajamas and barefoot.”

Theresa was taken to beautiful homes in upscale neighborhoods where she would be ushered in through a side door, down into the basement, where they locked her away in a bedroom.

“They would always lead me downstairs to these finished basements where only men were permitted,” she said. “I was taken to so many uniquely beautiful homes, but all of those basements were so eerily similar.”

She was forced into servicing man after man,

throughout each night, until they were all satisfied enough to let her go home.

Once dropped off, she would have to sneak back into her house at three and four in the morning, Theresa said.

Then, sex with ‘man after man’...

“I would take a cold bath, cry a lot, and pray,” she said.

Sometimes, Theresa would be able to calm herself enough to fall asleep for an hour or two before she had to get up for school and start the whole nightmarish process over again.

The men that were trafficking Theresa would stalk her every move during the day, and prostitute her out to multiple men every night. The message that they instilled in her was fear and total domination.

Theresa Flores — from victim to human trafficking activist

Theresa Flores was appointed to the Ohio Attorney General’s Commission on the study of human trafficking in 2009, and has testified before Ohio’s House and Senate in support of human trafficking legislation.

Her efforts played a major role in the success of Senate Bill 235-B, which passed into law in December 2010.

She received a Courage Award from Ohio Gov. John Kasich for her work in human trafficking.

Theresa has been a licensed social worker for more than 20 years.

She has a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling and education.

During the time that Theresa was being trafficked, she recalled how important soap was to her — to be able to clean up.

With this in mind, she created an outreach program called S.O.A.P. It stands for Saving Our Adolescents from Prostitution, and it consists of free bars of soap with key identifying questions and the number for the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

The soap is distributed to motels that are at a higher risk for human trafficking.

The project goals are: To educate motel owners and staff on human trafficking.

To offer a way for motel owners, clientele and victims to reach out for help.

One of the bars of soap that To locate missS.O.A.P. distributes in motels. ing children.

A night like no other ...

For two long years, Theresa was enslaved by her traffickers. Then one night everything changed.

She went out to meet the car, like every other night. It was the same black Trans Am that night, only this time the car was filled with men from the mafia group that had been trafficking her.

“They kidnapped me,” she said.

“They beat me, they drugged me, and drove me really far away from home.”

The men took her to a sleazy motel located in the inner-city of Detroit, where they dragged her into a room by her hair.

“There isn’t a word in the English dictionary to describe how I felt at that very moment,” she said. “There were so many men in that room that you couldn’t see the furniture.”

Theresa was auctioned off to the highest bidder, over and over again, to nearly two dozen men before she finally passed out, she said.

“I woke up at about 5 a.m., naked and bleeding, and I remember I started running to the bathroom to throw up from the drugs, and I fell,” she said.

“My legs couldn’t carry me because of what they had done to me.”

She crawled to the bathroom and laid her head on the cold toilet seat.

“I remember thinking, what am I going to do now,” she said.

Theresa couldn’t find her clothes at first; she had no shoes, no identification, no money, and absolutely no idea where she was.

“Talk about total despair,” she said. “I was at my darkest hour.”

Theresa’s pajamas were soaking in a bathtub full of cold water. She put them on and stumbled through the parking lot of the motel and into a diner next door.

“God always sends you an angel at a moment like that,” she said. “Mine came in the form of a waitress working third shift serving coffee to homeless men.”

The waitress took one look at me; she had to know that something was very wrong, and she said something to me that no one had ever said to me before, Theresa said.

“Let me help you,” the waitress said.

Still fearing for the safety of her family, Theresa told the waitress that everything was fine. The waitress called the police anyway.

“What she did for me was life-saving,” Theresa said.

Finally, God sends you an angel ...

Theresa Flores, founder of S.O.A.P.

To mobilize volunteers who are burdened with this issue and don’t know how to help.

To address the demand side of trafficking through awareness.

Theresa has appeared as a guest on The Today Show, MSNBC, and appears in a TV series called Kidnap and Rescue, which airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. on the Discovery Channel.

She also appeared on a two-hour special about sex trafficking on America’s Most Wanted last February, and her story of survival was made into a book called The Slave Across the Street.

You can visit Theresa’s website at www.traffickfree.com to learn more about her cause and become educated about our nation’s human trafficking epidemic.

The police came, wrapped a blanket around Theresa, and took her home to her family. A sense of relief blanketed Theresa, for the first time in two years her secret was out, she was safe, and she was finally free from slavery.

“I knew that this wasn’t the end of my story,” she said. “But it was the beginning of the end of it.”

After that fateful day, Theresa was never a victim of human trafficking again.

As a young girl, just 14 years old, Theresa Flores should have been so full of life. Instead, she was robbed of her dignity, and violently and forcibly raped of her innocence and her purity.

Over the years, Theresa came to discover that what had happened to her was happening to other young women and children all over the country.

“At that point, I just got mad,” she said.

Theresa found her purpose; her mission to help the victims of human trafficking and bring an end to this modern day version of slavery.

She began educating our nation and our nation’s youth, drawing awareness to her cause.

She worked with legislators to have laws put in place that would protect the victims and prosecute the traffickers.

She became involved with non-profit organizations, like the Monroe Soroptimists, who collaborated with MCCC to host her seminar here, supporting Theresa in educating people about our nation’s second highest trafficking problem, human beings.

Rocky Horror Show involves crowd at River Raisin Center

By Carla Crockett Agora staff

The Rocky Horror Show brought a slightly different crowd to the River Raisin Center for the Arts in downtown Monroe Oct. 6.

Before the show began, the music director encouraged everyone to sing along to Lady Gaga’s “You and I” and Cee Lo Green’s “F*** you.”

The cast, ranging from women in fishnets to men in tight leather and boas, danced and sang along, while walking through the crowd of eager

people.

The “Time warp,” the show’s most famous song, began with people singing along and clapping. The cast did a hearty “jump to the left and a step to the right.”

At this point in the production, the audience was introduced to Christopher Capaul, who plays Dr. Frank N Furter. Capaul came out singing, “Sweet transvestite,” which started off a little smokey, featuring a smoke machine, a new addition to the show.

“Hot Patootie” went well until a

chain saw malfunction, but Capaul quickly recovered.

“It happens every year; it was frustrating because it’s supposed to work, and every year there’s a problem,” he said.

The show slowed down a bit with Brad Majors, played by Tim Middleton, singing a touching melody, “Once in a while.”

“Eddie’s Teddy” received the most applause during the performance, and had more people singing along. The entire cast was involved in the song,

which showed a touching side to the character Eddie, played by Joey Chase.

The floor show, the most revealing part of the show, included the cast in various promiscuous outfits.

Capaul sang a hearty, ‘’I’m going home,’’ and the show ended with applause and cheers.

First timers for the show are marked with a ‘’V’’ for virgin.

“I like how everyone gets so into it, there’s not anyone who’s not in character,” Hannah Scalay said, with a grin The Rocky Horror Show played at the River Raisin on her face and a ‘’V’’ on her forehead. Center for the Arts on Oct. 6.

Features

October 25, 2012

mcccagora.com • The Agora |

The owners of the Ambassador Bridge, Detroit’s only bridge to Canada, are supporting Proposition 6, which would require a statewide vote before any new bridges are built. If the proposition passes, it will kill or delay plans by the state of Michigan to build a publicly owned bridge to Canada, financed by the Canadian government.

Voters face six ballot measures Proposition 6 attempts to stall new bridge to Canada from Detroit

By Chris Stadtfeld Agora staff

Everybody has seen them. Election Day comes around, and yard after yard springs political signs like dandelions.

Plenty of voters know about the big candidates.

President Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney’s ongoing race for the White House is a fine example.

When it comes to ballot proposals, however, many feel left in the dark.

The Citizen’s Research Center of Michigan, a privately funded, non-profit organization, has made available explanations for each issue.

In Michigan, there are six ballot proposals for the 2012 voting cycle.

Proposal 1 Passing this referendum for the emergency manager law authorizes the state to evaluate the finances of local governments.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder would, upon designation of a financial emergency, be permitted to appoint an emergency manager to act in place of elected officials.

Emergency managers would have authority, both financially and non-financially, over elected officials.

Those in favor believe letting the governor appoint emergency managers is an easy way to balance budgets.

Because Governor Snyder in particular was a businessman before being elected to gubernatorial office, some argue his appointments would provide a viable bridge toward fiscal stability throughout Michigan.

Some opponents of the proposal view it as an undermining of democracy, where Michigan’s governor could arbitrarily replace elected officials with whomever he chooses.

Proposal 2 A successful Yes on 2 would amend the State constitution, giving both public and private employees the right to collective bargaining.

Passing this proposal would override laws throughout Michigan which limit the ability to unionize, although laws could still be enacted to keep public employees from the picket line.

Those in favor of Proposal 2 see it as a step toward better pay and benefits for employees, such as safer working conditions and the ability to earn vacation time.

6

The right to collective bargaining, they believe, would encourage bottom-up economics and help Michigan’s middle class thrive.

Opponents say passing such an amendment would isolate Michigan as the only state with collective bargaining rights mandated in its constitution.

Additionally, they may reject the measure for lack of belief in unionization. To them, collective bargaining is a negative because it can be disabling to job creators.

Proposal 3 Under this constitutional amendment, electric utilities would have to generate at least one quarter of their energy using renewable energy sources like wind and solar by 2025.

The same companies would only be allowed to increase the rates they charge to customers by 1 percent or less per year.

Michigan legislature would hold the power to pass laws encouraging Michigan-made equipment and labor.

This measure appeals to those in favor of the move to renewable energies.

In addition to participating in the green initiative,

the proposal could add as many as 94,000 jobs to the Michigan economy.

Michigan is already supposed to have 10 percent of its energy coming from clean sources by 2015 as a result of the Clean Act in 2008.

This reason drives opponents to see Proposal 3 as the wrong path toward cleaner energy.

For them, the mandate would be a superfluous addition to what’s already in the works, and could force energy companies to charge more on consumers’ energy bills.

Proposal 4 Like Proposals 2 and 3, Proposal 4 involved an amendment to the State constitution.

If passed, in-home care workers could use collective bargaining with a newly established Michigan Quality Home Care Council.

The MQHCC would be required to provide training, implement background checks and a registry, as well as provide financial services to patients to manage costs of the care. It would also be authorized to set standards for wages and working conditions.

Patients’ rights to hire in-home care workers not from the new registry would be preserved.

Those in favor of the amendment cite the preservation of patient rights while including the capacity to improve working conditions.

Voices against the amendment say they don’t trust the language.

Home-based care workers would be forced to join a government-based union, some argue, leaving them locked in to pay union dues without voters also locking in any new services or cost savings.

Proposal 5 Proposal 5 involves taxes.

If passed, it would require one of two conditions to be met before taxes can be raised.

Either a two-thirds majority of both State legislatures or a statewide vote by the people would be required for the state to impose new taxes, increase taxes, or expand the tax base.

Opponents, including Gov. Snyder, say that changing Michigan’s constitution with this so-called twothirds amendment would allow as few as 13 senators to block tax legislation.

Proposal 5 supporters argue that it forces leaders to achieve true bipartisan consensus before raising taxes.

Proposal 6 Proposal 6 would require a majority of local voters to give the go-ahead before the State of Michigan moves to spend money or resources on new international bridges or tunnels.

The proposal is backed by the owner of the Ambassador Bridge, currently the only bridge to Canada from Detroit. He financed the effort to put the proposal on the ballot, and is spending millions of his own dollars to publicize the proposal.

Opponents of Proposal 6 want a new DetroitWindsor bridge constructed, to help relieve traffic and improve trade with Canada.

Earlier this year, Gov. Snyder made a deal with Canada to finance a new bridge, with Canada paying for the project and being repaid over 20 years from tolls.

If Proposal 6 passes, it could stop or at least delay the new bridge for several years as the issue is fought in the courts.

Supporters of the proposal have spent millions on ads claiming that the bridge will eventually cost Michigan taxpayers. The Michigan Truth Squad, an independent fact-checking group, has called the ads flagrantly false.

Voters looking for further information from the Citizen’s Research Center of Michigan can find it at election.crcmich.org.

Rossio, LaVoy battling for state House Former MCCC student wants to keep tuition down

MPACT director stresses ending gridlock in Lansing

David Topolewski

David Topolewski

A former MCCC student is running for the Michigan House of Representatives.

Anne Rossio of Carleton is on the ballot for the newly drawn 17th District, running against Bill Lavoy of Monroe.

Rossio stresses her commitment to working across the aisle so strongly that it may make both House Speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama sick, but she hopes it will punch her ticket to Lansing.

She is running as a Republican.

“I was raised a Republican, and have been a Republican my whole life,” adding, “I believe in low taxes, smaller government, and strong family values.”

However, party will come second, she said, to her aspiration to work with Republicans or Democrats to get things done.

“I think people are tired of partisan politics,” she said.

Her campaign T-shirt doubles down on bi-partisanship. The T-shirt features two shaking hands – on one forearm is the Democrat donkey, on the other is the Republican elephant, and at the top is her campaign slogan, “We can all agree.”

She recalls comments from her door-to-door campaign, when people told her, “You’re different; you’re actually real.”

“This is me,” she said, showing off her Adidas sandals. “They have the cushion, but I’m professional, too; see, I have the polo on.”

Rossio is a product of MCCC and though she had trouble remembering the year she graduated, she does not forget the impact the school had on her.

“2004?” she asked. “I loved the community college, the facilities and staff were great. I was not ready to leave and it really helped to get me ready,” she said.

Rossio credits MCCC and the community college setting in general with helping her get ready for higher education, noting that smaller classes allow

If you saw a Chevrolet Volt plugged in on campus the other day, it was probably state representative candidate Bill Lavoy’s.

Furthermore, if you want to test drive a Volt, LaVoy will probably let you.

“You want to take it for a spin?” he asked.

“Come on, get on in, I’ll drive.”

The Democratic nominee for the 17th District is debating, pending on a victory in November, whether or not to drive it to Lansing.

He also expressed his support in companies who are willing to build products like the Volt and feels they should be rewarded .

LaVoy graduated high school from Monroe Catholic Central and went on to college at the University of Michigan. He has also attended a few classes at MCCC. LaVoy is running as a Democrat because he believes they represent the middle class the most, noting that he was not born into wealth and if he wins, the $72,000 salary he would recieve would be a pay raise from what he makes now.

However, he pushes that he is a moderate who believes in civil liberities, such as supporting the new motorcycle helmet law.

“I have a motorcycle and when I ride I wear a helmet, but individual right is wonderful,” he said.

LaVoy understands political gridlock is not only a problem at the federal level but is a real issue at the state and local levels too.

“You have to work with both sides and make compromises to come to a solution; half of what you want is better than nothing,” he said.

He recognizes that social media is becoming “more and more of a tool,” and though his Twitter account is currently unactive, he has some plans for it.

“If I win, I want to use it as a tool to help explain

Agora staff

Agora staff

Anne Rossio, the Republican candidate for the state House from the 17th District, meets with Gov. Rick Snyder.

students to “harass the professors, in an educational way of course.”

At MCCC, Rossio worked as a tutor and was vice president of the Math and Science Society.

After MCCC, Rossio completed her bachelor’s degree at Northern Michigan University and is currently in her third year of law school at Wayne State University.

Rossio said she would like to have an impact on education. Most important, she would like to impede the pace of tuition increases. She warns that if something is not done, higher education will become a privilege for only the wealthy.

“People who have the desire to pursue higher education, should be able to do it,” she said. “Universities are building these spas and serving lobster; we don’t need spas and lobster, we need small classes and good professors.”

Rossio is also a fan of Gov. Rick Snyder. She said she thought he handledthe questions he was asked well during a summer visit to MCCC. She gives Snyder high grades for the job he has done during his first two years in office.

“I think an A means perfect, but nobody’s perfect, so probably an A-,” she said.

Bill LaVoy, the Democratic candidate for the state House from the 17th District, stands in front of his Chevrolet Volt.

my votes to the people,” he said.

He also mentioned Facebook and briefly spoke about some controversial comments made on the website, but quickly turned his focus.

“That’s negative, but that’s not what is important, what is, are the issues,” he said.

LaVoy is the executive director of MPACT — Monroe Public Access Television — and he believes that his position is a key credential for the office he is seeking.

“I have been involved with a partnership and government for 16 years,” he said.

He said he believes “the current climate in Lansing,” is not placing education first.

“They’re cutting education across the board,” he said. “Raiding from K through 12 is wrong.”

Due to gerrymandering, the 17th district leans Democratic, but LaVoy does not believe he deserves to go to Lansing just because he is a Democrat.

“I believe my record of work with education institutions and local government to provide higher educational oppurtunities to enrich the lives of residents of Monroe County makes me the clear choice to represent you in Lansing,” he said.

editorial

October 25, 2012

mcccagora.com • The Agora

|7

Fate of journalism in our hands

Oct. 3 marks the 19 anniversary of my grandfather’s death.

His contributions to journalism at Eastern Michigan University led to my passion for the written word.

He saw this coming – the degradation of journalism in America and the world.

In fact, he blamed the Cold War on bad journalism.

“There is no doubt it happened,” he wrote in a book he didn’t finish.

It hasn’t gotten any better.

When it comes to kinds of bad journalism, he wrote, “One is simple incompetence. Sometimes, it’s not anybody’s fault.”

Alas, journalism is anchored in a loathsome marsh, mired in simple incompetence.

Yet it’s also closing in on becoming nobody’s real fault.

I’ve watched Fox News. I’ve watched MSNBC. I’ve seen Glenn Beck. I’ve seen Rachel Maddow.

Watch Fox, and the liberals accuse you of getting all your information from a hard-right, skewed version of reality.

Watch MSNBC, and the conservatives accuse you of being a

Chris Stadtfeld Agora Staff

slave to the liberal media, where America goes to die.

Listen to Rush Limbaugh, and you’re sure to hear something conservative.

Listening to Ed Schultz, all the way on the other hand...

The problem, however, isn’t exclusively in the overtly biased nature of news.

This outbreak of poor media isn’t contained to news; both National Geographic and, more intensely, the History Channel have succumbed to sub-par programming.

Between pawn stores, antique hunters, swamp rednecks, Alaskan truckers, rogue Amish, prison sociology, motorcycle customizers, pseudohistorian “investiga-

tors,” and Einstein-haired alien fanatics, I’m not sure I can take much more.

It doesn’t help that there are entire companies devoted to the pointless shadowing of celebrities, who sometimes are only famous for being famous!

The paparazzi hound them, write about them, spread rumors about them, and do everything in their power to make their lives sound relevant to laymen. Because, don’t you know, the rich and famous are just like us.

And the sad part is, people buy it. People eat that stuff up, and readily.

Anywhere you go – to magazines, to newspaper, to television, to radio, to the Internet – there is a big resource with a dominant bias.

The biased, the abject, and the pointless are nearly impossible to drown out without actively searching for alternatives. Often, this must be done without a starting point and without a guiding light.

But isn’t much of this media exposure supposed to constitute our down time?

Isn’t this supposed to be part of our refuge from effort, when we

“Somewhere in the cacophony of it all, people are supposed to get an educated, straightforward presentation of the facts, so they can shape their own worldview.”

Chris Stadtfeld simply relax and see what’s happening in the world?

Somewhere in the cacophony of it all, people are supposed to get an educated, straightforward presentation of the facts, so they can shape their own worldview.

But where is the accountability?

Where is the shame?

For God’s sake, where are the standards?

Perhaps it’s the invention of the 24-hour news channel that brought journalism and educational television to their knees.

24-hour news networks always need something to talk about, even if they repeat the same three shreds of information for the same number of hours.

On a slow news day, they may, and often do, feel the need to either milk something small for a story, or make something happen.

That’s not journalism. That’s not reporting. At best, that’s busy work that often results in muckraking. Muckrakers aren’t objective.

At best, a 24-hour news channel will send a correspondent off to participate in some pointless local event that nobody cares about.

Maybe there should be more of that.

It would probably be a good start. At this point, the bar has gotten so low, baby steps look necessary.

But I’m not holding my breath.

“Good journalists,” my grandpa Curt wrote later in the same piece, “like anyone pursuing intellectual truth, must question all that comes to them.”

For biased news channels and rumor-starting magazines, this should become a common practice.

To do that, the nearest hope sits with the developing generation, the next several waves of journalists. If we don’t even attempt to stay objective, even though we’re prone to opinion, and we do things for the ratings, for the money, we sell our soul as a generation.

That degrades our potential as a people and as a species, because it’s not good journalism. I’m more convinced that good journalism exists as a support for society, not as a means of prostitution or propaganda.

“Good journalism provides objective information,” my grandpa said. “Bad journalism taints the discussion and information process.”

I agree.

The difference is important, but we’re not acting like it. As a society, I vote we fix that.

Medical cards hurt credibility Medical marijuana is marijuana used for medicinal purposes to help individuals have an easier time with their illness.

I can probably name at least five people who have a Medical Marijuana Card, allowing them to grow, smoke, and carry marijuana.

According to MichiganMedicalMarijuana.org, some of the main illnesses include: Alzehimer’s, ALS, anxiety, Cachexia C, and Crohn’s disease.

Of the people I know, only one has an actual illness.

I think that people are finding a way around the system to obtain a Medical Marijuana Card so that they may legally smoke.

This may sound wrong to some people, but I also feel that the use of the Medical Marijuana Card is also beneficial.

Marijuana’s active ingredient, THC, has been proven to help patients with certain cancers and anxiety.

If it can benefit those who need it, then I feel that’s a chance that Michigan should take.

I’m not saying that I feel 17-year-olds should be walking around with a Medical Marijuana Card for arthritis.

I think that if you have a legitimate illness, you should be

Carla Crockett Agora Staff

able to have a Medical Marijuana Card.

There are currently 17 states that have a Medical Marijuana policy, and each state differs on what they will allow to happen.

Students should beware of bringing any illegal drugs on campus.

MCCC has a strict policy on drug use: “Students are prohibited from the following when attending classes, on campus, or in any vehicle used for College business: ‘the unlawful use, possession, transportation, manufacture, sale or other distribution of an illegal or controlled substance or drug paraphernalia.’ ” If caught, students can be suspended or dismissed from the college, according to the policy.

I feel that the law should continue to be in place, but people shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunities given.

Inexperienced teen voters Limit spanking change election results kids, teens Nicki Kostrzewa

I am a firm believer that most kids between the ages of 16 to 18 really have no idea what it means to vote.

Most of the time when kids think about voting, they think about voting for the homecoming king and queen or what their favorite color is.

But what about when it comes to elections? To the real world?

Do they really know what it means to make that kind of life altering choice? I don’t see it.

I would just like to point out that I don’t see this as a fault of our teens. I see it as a fault of our educational system.

Teachers do an excellent job of making students understand what a government is, what the differences are, and what all those definitions mean.

But no one really gets into what it means to be a Democrat or a Republican, or a Liberal or a Conservative.

Most of those things are not covered until a youth’s college years.

And what if they decide not to take this until they graduate?

How many important things would they have voted for, for their county or their nation?

Nicki Kostrzewa Agora editor

Not to mention, how do they know whether to label themselves a Democrat or a Republican?

The more depressing part of this is some kids feel pressured to take on their family’s political views.

Most of the time that isn’t a problem when the parents and the kids see eye-to-eye on the an issue.

However, some students jump to the conclusion that they are a Liberal Democrat or a Conservative Republican before even knowing what that really means.

I feel that all teens should really know what they are getting

into before they decide if they are ready to vote.

Youths should know all of the details before making their party choice.

Does that mean they have to stick with it forever?

No, this is America, where we have the freedom to change and vote for those whom we think are going to do the best job for us.

On that note, I would like to get into a conversation about how kids need to look past the commercials where the nominees take jabs at each other and look at the real data.

Does this candidate’s history show them as a good candidate?

Why or why not?

Does this person know what they are taking about?

Better yet, do you agree with that person?

All of these questions and thoughts need to be voiced when thinking about walking into that room and filling out a ballot.

How can someone who knows nothing about the parties, the candidates and personas really know what to look for when picking a leader?

We must be willing to educate and talk openly about what it means to be a Democrat, Republican, Liberal, and Conservative.

Making sure everyone is on the same page is important when someone is thinking about going to vote.

Educating our youths on how to make choices is important not only for them, but for us as well.

What kind of society would we be if we didn’t know what we were voting for?

It would be the waste that our forefathers didn’t see coming.

“Youths should know all of the details before making their party choice.”

Nicki Kostrzewa

Agora editor

The last time that any child has been brought down in front of their peers to receive Corporal Punishment (aka spanked with a paddle) in Michigan was back in 1989.

Some of you may know that recently in Texas a teenage girl thought it would be better to take the paddle than the two days of inschool suspension for letting another student copy her classwork.

All was well, in accordance with the law, as her mother gave both written and verbal consent.

However, the school did not abide with the male on male and female on female swatting policy that was set in place.

This teenager was spanked by her male vice principal while a female watched.

The mother was not only upset that a man had spanked her daughter, but that it had left red marks and a bruise.

For starters, no one, and I mean no one, but my future husband or myself will be spanking my children. I want my kids to go through the rest of their day and that long bus ride home knowing when I see them, they will be in so much trouble.

Another thing is, why are people paddling high school students?

Children who are still young enough to understand that if you’re bad you get a swat on the butt is one thing. But when it comes to teens, that is where I would draw the line.

This is the point in a young person’s life when you are messing with an adult instead of a child.

When I was growing up, there were kids in my class that were between the ages of 16 to 20.

During these ages is when teens transform into their adult selves.

There will be no spanking of adults.

Even spanking younger kids really doesn’t do anything after the age of eight. At that point, taking away their playtime, toys, and video games is the best thing.

Reward systems have always proved better results rather than laying a hand on a child.

There is also this thing called Child Protective Services. Most parents nowadays just have to lay a hand on a child and their kids are gone.

So, I have an idea. Are we going to have an adult in some small town school lay their hands on our kids?

I think not.

Moral of the story: spanking kids is only okay if you do it within reason.

Sports

October 25, 2012 At MCCC’s annual Welcome Back Barbeque, students Chelsea Bateson (left) and Tia Keeler (right), represent the Volleyball Club.

•

MCCC running, bowling, volleyball clubs begin Agora Staff

The MCCC Huskies club sports teams are preparing for their upcoming seasons.

The MCCC volleyball club team has found a head coach in Elizabeth Terrasi, a former MCCC graduate who started the club team four years ago.

The volleyball team is being advised by Mary Lyons again this year.

This season, the team will be playing in the ALCC recreational league in November, along with playing in occasional weekend tournaments.

The team will also be practicing on Mondays and Wednesdays.

“I think it’s great that we still have the team,” freshman Kayla Katanski said.

“I’d like to see MCCC offer different sports to get the students more involved, though.”

They will also host two to three fundraising tournaments, held at MCCC. MCCC’s bowling club is changing conferences this year, and is expected to start competing in tournaments in January.

The adviser of the club, Tom Ryder, is expecting Don Jones to coach the team in the upcoming season.

“We’re still looking for more bowlers,”

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Photo by Michaela Walker

Tyler Rogoff

mcccagora.com • The Agora

Don Jones Jr., a member of last year’s team, said.

“We’re going to wreck it this year.”

If interested in joining the club, email Tom Ryder for more information.

“We are hoping to have more students,” Ryder said.

“Even those with lower averages that we can bring along and help improve.”

Professor Josh Scully is once again advising the running club.

Scully, who also does online coaching and has written an e-book on smart running, will also be the coach of the club.

The club won’t compete in any sort of tournaments, but will run together as a group.

They will mostly run through campus and along many of Monroe’s bike trails.

The club also utilizes a Facebook page to discuss their solo running and workouts.

With the bowling club joining a new conference and the volleyball team returning to its roots by bringing in Terrasi as a head coach, MCCC is expanding its reach through club sports.

“It’ll give people the opportunity to continue doing what they love and most likely draw in more students,” said student Kierstyn Coleman.

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