THE RAMPAGE The Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College
Spring 2020 | ISSUE 4 | March 11, 2020
Madec benched? Basketball coach placed on administrative leave for alleged misconduct
Page 10
Men’s basketball head coach Ed Madec was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into potential California Community College Athletic Association rules violations, effective on Friday, Feb. 21. He has lead the men's basketball team to 14 consecutive titles and two state championships since 2006. Photo Illustration/Moises Buitrago
News
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District cancels events over coronavirus. Classes still in session
Entertainment
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Two-Time emmy winner wants to impart industry knowledge to fcc students
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Opinion
09
do we stand stan culture?
Sports
12
Rams advance in playoffs, knocking out mendocino
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THE RAMPAGE
The student-run newspaper of Fresno City College
STAFF
Editor-in-Chief Ben Hensley
News Editor Hannah Lanier
Sports Editor Patrick Henslee
Entertainment Editor John Bruce
Opinion Editor Kris Hall
Social Media Editor Moises Buitrago
Multimedia Editor Kiara Alcaraz
Art Director Tommy Tribble
Reporters Adam Peters Alexis Garcia Aundriauna Del Toro Brianna Beltran Floritzel Garcia Hernandez Hannah Medrano James Mora Janine Tate Julia Espinoza Julie Chavez Kiran Kaur Luis Barreto Mayra Martinez Monica Flores Garcia Natalie Gallegos Ricardo A. Reyna Ruby Roque Sean Bowen Vicente Vasquez
Advisers/Instructors Kathleen Schock Dympna Ugwu-Oju
Contact Us
Tip Line 559-422-8262 Letters to the Editor editorial@therampageonline.com Corrections media@therampageonline.com Any correction needed for an article should be brought to the attention of the staff of the Rampage. The Rampage is committed to accuracy and should be made aware of any mistake in an article that appears in this paper. Views expressed in the opinion pages are those of the individual writer and not of the newspaper. The Rampage is produced by students of the Journalism 11 A, B, C, D class.
A Bernie Sanders supporter holds a rainbow “Bernie for President 2020” sign while attending the “March to the Polls” event held at Fresno City College on Monday, March 2. Photo/Kiran Kaur
Marching for Bernie
Local Organizers Advocate for Bernie and Socio-Economic Justice Kiran Kaur | Reporter kkaur@therampageonline.com
A voice boomed over the megaphone to supporters holding their colorful “Bernie 2020” signs during a March 2 campaign event at Fresno City College. “[This is a] movement that will not end, no matter what happens tomorrow,” said Alexandria Ramos-O’Casey, regional field director for the Bernie campaign in the Central Valley and Central Coast, as she stood in front of the FCC library during the rally for Super Tuesday. The message of socio-economic and environmental justice emphasized by Sanders was well received by the crowd of his supporters and many voters. He went on to win the state’s Democratic presidential primary. Ramos-O’Casey highlighted Sanders’ goal to make college
debt-free and spoke about the Ram Pantry services available to students at FCC. “It is a wake-up call. [Fresno City college is] supposed to be the cheapest option for higher education, why is it that my students are constantly looking to the Ram Pantry for help?” she said. Fresno City College’s cost of tuition is 72% cheaper than the national average public two year tuition, according to collegecalc. org. Kingsburg City Councilwoman Jewel Hurtado joined the march alongside supporters and delivered a speech with RamosO’Casey, speaking about her 2-year-old son who has a rare brain disease called TSC for which he needs medication to survive. “If we miss this opportunity for
Medicare for All, I don’t know what the future will look like for my son,” Hurtado said. FCC student Isaiah Williams, also spoke on the megaphone directly to the crowd. “He [Bernie Sanders] really made an effort to include us.” Elizabeth Lira, field organizer for the Sanders Fresno campaign office, said she was touched by Sanders’s campaign prioritizing the “deeply personal” issue of immigration; pointing to her immigrant parents as an example. “It is my moral obligation to help my communities that are hurting, day in and day out,” said Lira. As the speeches came to a close, Ramos-O’Casey gathered the supporters and led them on the march towards the newly opened voting center in the Old Administration Building. Voters
walked arm in arm towards the polling station to drop off their ballots, chanting along the way. Many Fresno City College students are no strangers to Bernie Sanders as he visited the campus while campaigning in Nov. of 2019. He touched on a number of issues that have been prevalent throughout his campaign such as universal healthcare, education reform, and climate change—all issues that affect the futures of college students. Sanders campaign has focused on youth voting and turnout in order to [what he believes will] enact real change. According to the California Secretary of State, 78% of Fresno’s population has registered to vote as of March 3rd, 2020 and 14.4% of those were part of the 17.5-25 age range.
District Saves Free Bus Pass Program, FAX to Extend Routes Ricardo Reyna | Reporter
Hannah Lanier | News Editor
State Center Community College District Board of Trustees approved an extension of the free FAX bus pass program through the fall 2020 semester. The decision was made at the March 10 board meeting in Reedley. The Fresno City College student body and community has been under stress amidst the announcement of the bus pass suspension in January. Following the announcement of the suspension, the district clarified that the bus pass was never meant to be a permanent option, rather a temporary solution to the problem with parking that the solar panel construction in summer 2017 caused. After evaluating funding for this semester, the district no longer found it viable to continue to pull funding from the parking revenue. “[The parking revenue] is supposed to be paying for our parking maintenance. We can’t sustain [the bus pass] through that fund if we are going to maintain our parking lots through that same funding as well,” said Vice Chancellor of Operations Christine Miktarian. “So that is why.
It was supposed to be a year. Then we did two years. This is supposed to be our last year of the program.” After the district heard the displeased response to the suspension and stated that they were doing everything they could to find funding elsewhere. “Hearing students and the need to continue it is helping to try to find a way to fund it,” said Miktarian.
rreyna@therampageonline.com
hlanier@therampageonline.com
FAX holds public workshops throughout Fresno Fresno Area Express (FAX) recently held several public workshops in Fresno where community members were able to learn about proposed changes and innovations happening at FAX over the next two years. The public workshops, rider surveys and pop-up events took place over a one-month period and allowed community members and FAX riders to voice their opinions and ask questions about proposed changes to the public transportation system. Some of the changes FAX has proposed include implementing a grid-based transit network in Fresno based on connecting routes
throughout town, providing more transfer opportunities between routes, operating at greater service frequencies and helping passengers to connect to multiple destinations across town. The proposed would start in August 2020, with changes to Routes 45 and 28 as well as a new Route 3 that would run from Marketplace at El Paseo shopping center on Herndon and Golden State to Willow and Herndon at 40 minute frequencies. Other changes proposed to start in January 2021 include updates to Route 20 that would run from the Fig Garden Loop to Fresno Yosemite International Airport at 40 minute frequencies, as well as connecting Routes 12 and 35 at 30 minute frequencies. Another major change that is proposed to take place in the Spring/ Summer of 2021 would be the introduction of Route 29. Pending grant funds, the new route would convert a southern portion of the existing Route 32 to the new Route 29 from Courthouse Park to Amazon and Ulta warehouses. Sher Moua, program manager of the Fresno Boys and Men of Color
(BMOC) attended some of these public workshops. Moua believes that events like this are a great opportunity for community members to be able to share their opinions with the city. “I think it's really important because these events give the community an opportunity to give input around systems that affect their day-to-day lives,” said Moua. “I know from a FAX campaign that BMOC and Women Empowered (WE) worked on a few years ago, a lot of the riders that ride the bus, ride it to get to work, to go grocery shopping, to go to appointments and to go to school. So having events like this and putting input in is really important.” Members of the community who attended the FAX public workshops and pop-up events were encouraged to fill out rider surveys and ask any questions about the proposed changes. After completing the survey, riders had the chance to be entered into a raffle to win $100 gift cards to either Wal-Mart or Target. The three final winners of the gift cards will also be featured in this month's FAX newsletter.
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The Academic Senate What they do and why You Should Care Ricardo Reyna | Reporter rreyna@therampageonline.com
Formed in 1970, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization created for the promotion and advancement of public community college education in California. Fresno City College also has its own Academic Senate, currently made up of 65 faculty members with a representative, or senator, from each department on campus that meet twice a month.
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What we want to focus on in some of our committees are academic standards.”
-Karla Kirk Academic Senate President
President of the Academic Senate, Karla Kirk, said that the purpose of the senate is for faculty participation in the governance of FCC in decisions that impact specific areas of the campus. “We have an Associated Student Government that represents the voice of our students,” said Kirk. “So the same way that ASG works where you have senators who represent all of the students,
that's how the Academic Senate works, we represent all of the faculty.” The Academic Senate provides guidance to the college on areas including degree and certificate requirements, educational program development, policies for faculty professional development activities and processes for institutional planning and budget development. “What we want to focus on in some of our committees are academic standards,” said Kirk. “Academic standards is the committee that reviews grade petitions, grade changes, withdrawal from classes in extenuating circumstances and academic disqualification petitions.” Kirk also expresses the importance that each faculty representative plays in the Academic Senate. “We understand what our grading system is,” said Kirk. “We are each representing our divisional areas. So the decisions we make represent [all] of the faculty. One thing that I have tried to do is to make sure that the committees that are reporting to the senate are bringing actionable items forward that are to the benefit of our students.” Academic Senate meetings are open to the public and held every second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 3 to 5 p.m. in the staff lounge of the cafeteria.
The Cadets preparing and serving food for their Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 29. Funds from the breakfast will benefit the Fire Academy and the Career Technology Center for FCC. Photo/James Mora
Fire Cadets Flip Flapjacks for Funds James Mora | Reporter jmora@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College Fire Academy held a Pancake Breakfast fundraiser on Feb. 29 at the Career Technology Center. The money raised from the fundraiser will go into funding for more equipment, demonstrations, future fundraisers and charity. “Our goal was to raise a minimum of $3,000 for various fundraisers and we were able to raise $4,248,” said Nagamine. The fundraiser was also made possible by donations from Starbucks, American Quick Foods, Sunnyside Country Club, The Meat Market and other community members. The cadets made 1,400 pancakes and 800 sausages for the 200 plus guests according to Todd Nagamine, a Fire Academy cadet. Fire engine rides were available
to attendees and the cadets performed demonstrations of door breaching, ladder climbing, rescuing and a relay race. “I just think it's just a great event. It’s nice to see the community come out and support it, and support their next event coming forward,” said attendee Larry Kipp. All necessary precautions were accounted for to make sure no one would get injured by setting a perimeter and providing earplugs to stop any ringing from the door breach demonstration. Five guests at once were able to get inside one of the fire engines and be driven around by one of the cadets and ask questions about the fire engine itself. There were also two fire engines on display for guests to pose and take pictures in front of. Attendees were also able to
participate in a silent auction, a lottery, or donate money to the Alisa Ann Rush Burn Foundation. One of the attendee’s was Socorro Deaver who founded the Jim Deaver Fire Academy Scholarship in honor of her husband Captain Jim Deaver who is retired from Sanger Fire. Fire Academy also has a fire engine with Captain Jim Deavers name on in it in honor of his services. “It’s beautiful cause that’s just a little part of what my husband was all about. He is here, maybe not in person. Maybe not able to be here physically but in spirit and in heart and soul are out here with them every day,” said Deaver. Fire Academy also plans to hold a car wash later in the year: A firefighter tradition known as “Fill the Boot”, according to Nagamine.
Campus Sees Waves of cancellations amid corona virus concerns Hannah Lanier | News Editor hlanier@therampageonline.com
Study abroad programs, championships games and events at Fresno City College have either been canceled or postponed amid concerns about the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), a rapidly spreading respiratory illness. The State Center Community College District (SCCCD) International Educational Program has canceled the Italy Study Abroad Program for summer 2020. As of March 10, Italy is the second country most affected by COVID-19 with 9,172 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization. China, where the virus originated, has 80,924 confirmed cases. “We are monitoring the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. We’re looking very carefully at what the authorities are
recommending but we make the decision with the Board of Trustees and the chancellor’s office on which programs go and don’t go,” said Margaret Hiebert, coordinator of international education for SCCCD. While the cancellation of the program was not ideal, it was necessary. Still, Hiebert encourages students to participate in global education through study abroad programs. “International education is a very important part of their development as global citizens and as part of the global workforce,” said Hiebert. “We fully intend to continue our programs as soon as it is safe to do so.” The California Community College Forensics Association State Championship set for March 13 through March 15, was also canceled. The California Community College Athletic Association
(CCCAA) announced on March 10 that the upcoming women’s and men’s basketball championship tournament at West Hills College Lemoore would be limited to athletes and authorized staff only—no media or spectators will be permitted attendance. The FCC men’s basketball team is still scheduled to compete. “The decision was made after collaboration between West Hills College Lemoore, West Hills Community College District leadership, the CCCAA, the men’s and women’s basketball coaches’ associations and upon information and recommendations from the Kings County Department of Public Health,” said CCCAA in a press release. The campus health services are not sure if FCC will close the campus out of precaution. Students have begun to speculate about canceled classes or a closed
campus, but there has been no confirmation of classes being canceled. Health Services is working on a day-to-day basis to “wait to see what the CDC, WHO, and other health organizations advise,” explained Lilli Goishi-Bessy, health services coordinator at FCC. So far, the coronavirus has been reported in 110 countries and territories, with over 113,000 confirmed cases as of March 10 from the World Health Organization. On March 8, Fresno County had its first confirmed travelrelated case: no relation to Fresno City College. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shared ways to “help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases like COIVID-19,” in the hope of using education to diminish a widespread panic. Most importantly, the CDC advises
COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus, presents flu-like symptoms. Illustration courtesy of JunGSa from Noun Project
that anyone who is sick to stay home. FCC’s administration is paying close attention to the development of the disease and is sending out information to faculty and students as quickly as possible. Students are encouraged to constantly check their college provided email for updates.
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THE RESULTS Hannah Lanier | News Editor hlanier@therampageonline.com
Super-Tuesday came and went and so did a lot of candidates. The California Primary Election determines which presidential candidate receieves California's sizeable delegate count. The General Election is held on Nov. 6. On a local level, Republican Kevin Cookingham will challenge incumbent Jim Costa for his 16th District seat in November. Incumbent Republican Devin Nunes will face Democratic challenger Phil Arballo for the 22nd District seat. The congressional challengers will have an opportunity to beat out the incumbent in the General Election. Jerry Deyer won his bid for the mayoral seat by such a high margin that there will be no run-off election in November. Votes are still being counted.
The california primary is decided and matches are set for the november election
Projected winners Heading to a Run-Off in November Presidential Nominees • •
Republican: Donald Trump (92.6%) Democrat: Bernie Sanders (33.6%)
16th Congressional District •
• •
Republican: Kevin Cookinghan (38.5%) Democrat: Jim Costa (37.5%) Democrat: Esmerelda Soria (18.4%)
22nd Congressional District • • •
Republican: Devin Nunes (59.4%) Democrat: Phil Arballo (23.5%) Democrat: Bobby Bliatout (11.5%)
victorious because of high margin
Fresno Office of Mayor: • •
Jerry Dyer (54.48%) Andrew Janz (36.15%)
Kevin Cookingham will face Jim Costa, Devin Nunes will face Phil Arballo and Jerry Dyer will be Fresno's next mayor. Photos Courtesy of the Campaign
DACA Fee Will Increase
55% increase this year, with 83% a looming possibility
Floritzel Garcia Hernandez | Reporter fhernadez@therampageonline.com
President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, has proposed an increase in fees by 55%. According to Calmatters, the Trump administration is planning to raise the renewal fees every two years. The current cost for the renewals is $495 but the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed increasing it to $765, a 55% leap. “That’s not okay,” said Fresno City College student Sumith Goyal. “There’s no reason for it to be that expensive. The immigrants that need this aren’t working high paying jobs and most are labor intensive so gaining more income is a struggle. The cost to apply was
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That's not okay. There's no reason for it to be that expensive.” -Sumith Goyal FCC Student
already high.” “I heard it was still pending, I haven’t heard that it’s official, but it's going to raise everything, including authorization, residency petitions and all the work permits,” said Adjunct Counselor Wilfredo Felix Games. “A lot of our students are low income and right now with public charge they’re scared to ask for help,” Games said. “They’re even scared to apply for FAFSA, the Dream Act or anything like that because they feel that in the future it will affect them if they try to legalize themselves.” USCIS is accepting DACA renewals. Only people who have had DACA at some point in the past may submit a renewal application. The three U.S. district court orders are allowing DACA recipients to submit renewal applications. People who have not had DACA before may not submit an application at the moment. In September 2017 the Justice Department rescinded and an estimate of 800,000 Dreamers faced the risk of deportation. On June 28, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would grant the Trump administration’s request that it review the federal court cases challenging Trump’s termination of DACA. The Supreme Court is expected to have made a decision by June 2020. For more information you can call the Dream center at (559) 442-8231 or visit DACA renewal information or FAQ about DACA.
District 16 Matchup
District 22 Matchup
Jerry Dyer's margin of victory was so large that he will not have to compete in a mayoral race with rival Andrew Janz in November. Dyer will assume Fresno Office of Mayor the office of mayor.
New Grad Fair Prepared Students for their Swan Song Julie Chavez | Reporter jchavez@therampageonline.com
Fresno City College held its first-ever Grad Fair on March 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Free Speech Area in front of the bookstore. The fair was put together in order to give students graduating this spring the opportunity to check out prices on caps, gowns, class rings and apply for graduation celebrations held on campus. The concept of a Grad Fair was widely supported by representatives at each booth because it creates one place for students to get information about graduation. The most popular booth at the fair was Jostens; the company is known for selling caps and gowns as well as custom class rings and sashes. At this booth, students were able to try on the cap and gown and then go purchase them in FCC’s bookstore. Almost all of the representatives at the booths felt it was unfortunate Grad Fair was held on a Friday, when only a few students were on campus resulting
in low attendance. Representatives of the booths are very hopeful that FCC will continue hosting the event in the future. Tchay Her, a counselor at FCC, said she is “sure they will do it again next year but they will probably select a different day and time. Maybe on a Wednesday or Thursday, when there are actually more students.” Also at the Grad Fair were some FCC faculty and staff members who were signing students up for the African American Graduates Celebration, Latino Graduation Celebration and Asian Pacific Islanders Celebration Of Success. Monique Kelley, a member of the African American Faculty and Staff Association, said she came out to Grad Fair not to only promote the African American Graduates Celebration but also because she “loves to hear the students' excitement about completing their degree and knowing what they are majoring in and what their next step is.”
Students approach the Jostens cap and gown booth. The grad fair was an opportunity to check out the prices of caps and gowns. Photo/Julie Chavez
3.11.20 NEWS 5
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This Women's History Month We're Highlighting the Women Women's of our Community
Work
Elizabeth Adams Hopes to Engineer a Better Environment
feeling of making a difference. So, making a difference in environmental cleanup or just seeing a project come to completion,” Adams said. Making a difference is Adams’ favorite part of the process. She says seeing change is what satisfies her the most.
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That's why it's frustrating and surprising in those instances where I’m not being heard and I can’t understand why and the only reason that I can think of is that I’m a woman. -Elizabeth Adams
Civil Engineering Professor
Elizabeth Adams is an Civil Engineering Professor who is motivated by threats to the environment. Courtesy of the Public Information Office Natalie Gallegos | Reporter ngallegos@therampageonline.com
Old bicycles, trash and mattresses float along the polluted Portneuf River on the west side of railroad town Pocatello, Idaho. There are no fish in sight. Every natural element of this environmental necessity, gone. This was the motivation that Elizabeth Adams, a civil engineering professor at Fresno City College, needed to invoke change. Growing up, Adams was particularly skilled in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects. Math and science were subjects that she accelerated in; shortly transitioning from a skill to a desire to help the environment. Her senior year of high school she began to explore her interest in environmental engineering. She had the opportunity to shadow a fellow female
engineer, discovering first hand what it was like to be a part of the minority in STEM. She went on to earn her bachelor’s in civil engineering from Boise State University, master’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Ph.D. from Arizona State University. Throughout her career, Adams was presented opportunities that she never imagined as a high school student who wanted to fix her polluted hometown river. Her experience includes conducting backflow prevention surveys on military bases in Japan and Korea, working as a project manager and teaching at community colleges in Phoenix. Now, Adams' focus is to help the next generation of engineers to become successful by developing on-the-job skill sets. “My favorite thing about both [engineering and teaching] is the
“So, feeling like there was nothing there and now there’s a bridge or now there’s a totally remodeled facility or now there is a drinking water and now people have access to clean water.” It has been important for her as an educator to bring opportunities for more diversity into the STEM field, for women and for other under-represented minorities. As of fall 2019 there is 13% female representation in the engineering program at FCC, according to a study by the FCC Office of Institutional Research. Adams said there are a lot of challenges to being a woman in engineering, or just being a woman in STEM. Women are often the minority in STEM and Adams explained that it is difficult to work in a field that is exclusive in the sense of there being minimal representation of people who look, think, and act like her. “I think there definitely have been times where I felt that I wasn’t heard and I did believe that it was because of my gender and I just made it a point throughout my career to not settle for not being listened to,” Adams said. Adams said she also made it a point
throughout her career to speak up for herself, t come back to the table, not give up or be discouraged. “I think also that we have come a long way and I think that's why it's frustrating and surprising in those instances where I’m not being heard and I can’t understand why and the only reason that I can think of is that I’m a woman,” Adams said. In situations like these, Adams says it is important to find allies who help her persist and succeed. She believes that if a situation isn’t going to get any better, sometimes it is best to leave and find a new job or go somewhere else. “So for some reason I’m not being believed or being taken seriously, or you’re being spoken over. So some of these things that you think really shouldn’t happen anymore or are shocking, or you think wouldn’t happen still, when they occur are kind of shocking,” she said. Adams has a lot of women that have contributed to who she is today. In her personal life, she sees both her grandmothers and her mother as influential, hardworking and dedicated women. In her professional life, Adams felt fortunate to have role models such as project managers and bosses who illustrated what women in engineering look like. Adams said women do have lots of opportunities where they can pursue what they would like, but the environments aren’t always welcoming. “It is kind of hostile and we still need to work to make those environments more inclusive and make people more aware of how their behavior is unwelcoming,” Adams said. As an influential woman in STEM, Adams’ career has led her to greater opportunities. Her focus remains on things that work, rather than focusing on the challenges. Above everything, Adams wants to encourage young girls who dream of being astronauts and engineers. That despite the conflict of being a minority, women in STEM is essential. “Diversity brings fresh perspectives and new ideas and leads to more innovative solutions,” said Adams. “And, it is important for young women and girls to see that they have a place in STEM fields, that they belong here too.”
Chaffetz Speaker's Forum Luis Barreto | Reporter lbarreto@therampageonline.com
Fresno City College’s Speakers Forum opened its doors to FOX News Channel contributor and former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz on March 2 in the FCC Theater. The former congressman explained the journey that resulted in his election to the House of Representatives, touching on his real-life experience and how that transitioned into his role in Congress. His story included that his parents were divorced and that his mother was an alcoholic who died at a young age as a result of breast cancer. Chaffetz supported his father while living on a blowup mattress with his brother, still working after having to file bankruptcy. “My dad also passed away soon after,” said Chaffetz. Still, “I grew up in a nice household. Without belaboring it, my parents told me to get a job and taught me how to get along without things. It was nice to go through that process,” said Chaffetz.
“You're all going to have your own story. Whether it's a car accident or medical issue, everybody has a situation either better or worse than you.” Chaffetz shared intimate experiences regarding his time in congressional committees, as well his thoughts on the United States and how it’s governed. “I don't believe that the government should be entangled in every aspect of our lives. They should help us towards the pursuit of happiness, not lead us to the guarantee of happiness,” said Chaffetz. During his time in the House, Chaffetz started to “realize that the government was taking money out of my wallet and giving it to other people and I thought ‘Why?’” He explained that he made hospital visits in his campaigns that transformed his life. He met people that were in serious need and that had very little help in their lives. “That is the back-end of the nation the government should be funding.” Chaffetz moved on to challenge the
FOX News Channel contributor and former congressman Jason Chaffetz speaks in the FCC Theater on Monday, March 2. Chaffetz advocated for a small government that stays out of people's lives. Photo/Luis Barreto
audience, “Why is it that you believe what you believe?” “I think it’s a good idea to challenge yourself. I am very conservative, but I sometimes find myself asking why I believe what I believe,” said Chaffetz. “I wasn’t always Republican.” Chaffetz said that his time in Congress
was a “cross-section of America” in that he came across so many different kinds of people he normally wouldn’t have come across. “You gotta have good people on both sides earnestly trying to be on the right side of issues in America,” he said.
6 ENTERTAINMENT
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Meet the TWO-TIME Emmy Award Winning Music Instructor Janine Tate | Reporter jtate@therampageonline.com
Darkness fills the hills of the Grapevine leaving only a dark silhouette for its drivers to see. Car headlights shine down on a small portion of the road and stars twinkle in the 2 a.m. dark sky. For professional composer, musician and producer Christopher Brady, travelling to his destination in the early mornings were calm and meditative while the afternoons on the way home were exhausting. He remembers the long nights driving from Los Angeles to Fresno on Mondays at 2 a.m. and staying until Thursday afternoon. Brady was originally hired at FCC on a temporary basis and he said the drive was hard on him. He doesn’t recommend the commute. “A few times, when I pulled over to catch a few winks on the way back to LA, I forgot where I was for a moment after I woke up,” Brady said. “I would also occasionally take a short walk in the desert to wake up or make many, many phone calls.” Brady said he could only do it for one semester, but it was kind of a trial run to see if he really enjoyed teaching. He did. Brady applied for a full time position and has been an instructor for a year and a half at FCC. Now, the two-time Emmy award winner teaches five music classes. The move from LA to Fresno was a nice change for Brady, who enjoys Fresno, the culture and the students. Brady said teaching at FCC has also been an incredible experience and he feels gratification from his job. “When I see the students succeed, to me that’s a better feeling than even my own successes,” he said.
The students energize Brady and he’s inspired by them everyday. In LA he had constant deadlines, traffic was bad and he was stressed, but in Fresno he feels inspired. “It’s easy for me to get up early in the morning and create because I feel inspired everyday as opposed to feeling a crushing weight,” said Brady. Watching how his students' skills progress through the semester makes him excited to see what they will do in the future. Every Thursday in his music production class, students have a micro project day where they create a little project in class and at the end all projects are combined and it’s played as one big piece. “Everybody can hear what everybody else has been doing, as well as their own thing, and oh my gosh it is amazing what they do within two hours and then present to the class,” said Brady. “It gets better every week and I can’t wait to see what they do after they leave the college because I have no doubt that there is going to be a lot of amazing artists that are going to do amazing things.” According to Brady, listening to the students work makes him feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Since music and audio has changed over the years, Brady is able to teach students through computers. Brady said students just need the software and everything is much more inexpensive. “When I started out, most music you listened to on the radio was recorded on 24 Track Multitrack and the tape recorder cost between $1,000 - $2,000, the tape you used had about 15 minutes and costs about $300,” said Brady. “Today, you can do it all on a computer and you don’t need to buy tape.” Aside from being an instructor Brady
Two-time Emmy award winner, Christopher Brady is humbled and grateful for his successes, Friday, March 6. He wants to pass on his experience and expertise to his students. Photo/Janine Tate
has two businesses in LA, Alien Music Labs and Camera Obscura Music. The first is a music production company for film, television and commercials, while the other is a music publishing company that administers copyrights to record labels and TV shows. Brady created the music for one of Activision’s “Call of Duty” video games, Walt Disney World’s Tree of Life attraction, Universal Studios’ Dr. Seuss Land, many movies and TV shows on Disney Channel and the NBA theme song for Fox. When Brady visits Universal Studios and Disney World with his family, he still hears the music playing at the attractions. He said it feels amazing and a little surreal when he hears his music playing throughout the day. Brady has been musically talented since he was young. Brady said he was always interested in composition, but
in high school he started working as a professional musician. “I played keyboards and programmed synthesizers for recording studios and I played in some bands,” he said. Brady said he started composing because the people he worked with wrote songs and he decided to write his own. Brady laughed as he remembered that his songs were horrible in the beginning. “It’s funny, my brother will tease me because he’ll sing the first song I ever wrote which I can’t stand hearing, it just totally gets on my nerves,” added Brady. In college, Brady got an opportunity to write music for a documentary that aired on PBS. It was a referral from one of his teachers and it was his first composition project that he worked full time on. He wrote music for another Continued on Page 7, EMMY WINNER
Chuchería Presented by Caleb Duarte Ruby Roque | Reporter
rroque@therampageonline.com
Caleb Duarte's sculpture and drawing derived from the scene in his video "Walking the Beast," Thursday, March 5. Photo/James Mora
Art Space Gallery at Fresno City College opened its doors to “Chuchería,” a new sculptural installation by Caleb Duarte on Thursday March 5. Caleb Duarte is a full-time sculpture instructor and alumnus of FCC who presented his work in “Walking the Beast,” an ongoing project with children at a refugee camp in Chiapas, Mexico at the Mexican-Guatemala border through the sculpture. Duarte wanted to highlight how they are interacting with the people using the river and the raft to move consumer goods. In the midst of all this activity, his photographs show these kids covering themselves with paint, bright orange and pink paint. “The idea is about visibility. About making themselves clearly visible, more brightly colored and also creating a link between human beings, human bodies with the consumer goods that are being moved on the rafts and how eye-
catching they are,” Art Space Gallery curator Elena Harvey Collins said. She spoke about the art Duarte creates and the connections he makes throughout his installations. “Caleb is known for creating large structures that are temporary and they reference vernacular architecture,” Collins said. The space of the gallery was used to convey his meaning behind it, Collins said. “In this case it also became about home and sanctuary and almost about this idea of spirituality and how powerful the symbolism of home is and for migrant communities who are trying to make the dangerous journey north,” she said. To her, that message resonates with Central Valley residents because of the opportunities affordable housing and culture provides to migrants. Collins believes denizens of the Valley also have mobility issues and are surrounded by constant building and construction.
Duarte engages multiple art histories and legacies into his work and uses other artists’ work as a reference in his presentation. He tries to explore the question of how to display that type of work in an art gallery. He showed how the light throws shadows throughout the room and how plaster, drywall and white paint exposes the fragility of materials that are used to construct homes in suburbia and the symbolism hidden in the sculpture. “Galleries come with their own history and their own problems because galleries usually have been exclusive to working people. So I'm trying to figure out how to use the history of the gallery to present this type of work that is not meant for a gallery,” Duarte said. The exhibition is showing in the FCC Art Space Gallery open Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until April 9.
3.11.20 ENTERTAINMENT 7
therampageonline.com
Fresno Celebrates 20th Annual Chinese New Year Festival with Color and Dance John Bruce | Entertainment Editor jbruce@therampageonline.com
Vicente Vasquez | Reporter vvasquez@therampageonline.com
Fresno celebrated its 20th annual Chinese New Year festival on March 7, 2020 in downtown's Chinatown district. Colorful banners and vibrant colors were strewn about the streets as residents came from around the city to take part in the parade and patronize the merchandise fair and food vendors. ”We started planning different activities, to be able to draw people back to the area to show that it is safe, it is culturally relevant, it's interesting and fun,” said Kathy Omachi, president and organizer of the festival. Other organizers of the festival said having the parade in this area helps bring more customers to local businesses. “[There] seems to be more foot traffic down here, as I know the restaurants seem to be doing a brisk business," said Phil Howard with CNH Productions who was hosting the event. Students from FCC's Asian American Club marched in the parade with their yellow dragon. Club members say they are looking forward to AsianFest in April. Photos/John Bruce and Vicente Vasquez EMMY WINNER, FROM PAGE 6
documentary that aired on PBS. Both films were successful by Brady’s standards. When he was in graduate school at University of California, Los Angeles, Brady was mentored by three professors who were also working musicians. Brady said Paul Chihara, one of his mentors at UCLA, hired him because Disney hired Chihara to write music for Hayao Miyazaki’s films like “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and he wasn’t savvy with the technological side. He was humbled and felt lucky to be able to work alongside his mentors, but also that his skills and expertise opened doors for him. He attended and received his bachelor’s degree in recording technology from Brigham Young University in Utah, studied composition and got his master’s at UCLA and plans to receive his doctorate from UCLA in summer 2020. Brady said he also went to graduate school with the intention of teaching at college level. Throughout Brady’s career in the music industry, he has enjoyed working on music in the recording studio. He said working on films is his favorite. TV has tighter deadlines and commercials are nice to work on because you can be done in 2-3 days, Brady added.He laughed while recalling an experience he had while working on a commercial for Boston Market’s casserole campaign.
“The advertising agency said, ‘I want you to make it sound really warm and family friendly and everybody’s gathered around the fire,’” said Brady as he began to laugh. “‘But one thing make sure you keep it sexy,’ and I was like, ‘what?’ Somebody else said, ‘make it sound like snow falling on the roof,’ and I’m like, ‘that’s silence, that doesn’t sound like anything.’” Brady has had many accomplishments, including the two Emmy awards he won for music on TV. He’s won a Clio award for advertising and marketing, international prizes for his music in an Australian film, and around 20 other awards. He worked on a Super Bowl commercial alongside a 90 piece orchestra—the biggest ensemble he ever got to write for and conduct. Brady says he has been grateful for the limitations that were put on him throughout his career. “I think lots of times that forces you to think outside of the box a little bit,” he said. “Sometimes having more resources is actually limiting in a weird way and having less can open doors that wouldn’t be opened otherwise.” For all of his accomplishments, Brady has met as many failures. “The music industry is all about failure,” said Brady. “For everything that I’ve accomplished, I’ve failed 10 times more. There’s a lot of rejection and there're a lot of times when things don’t go your way so you have to build up a lot of scar tissue, but everybody that’s successful has failed many times.”
His experiences from his adolescence to adulthood helped make him successful, but Brady said his family was the key behind influencing his interest in music. He was born in San Francisco and lived there until he moved to Martinez, California in the Bay Area suburbs.Brady’s father was in the U.S. Army before working as a finance executive with Chevron Oil. His mother worked for a preschool and managed paper distribution employees at the Contra Costa Times newspaper. His parents loved music so their home was always filled with it and they had a big record collection. His siblings were also musically talented. “They were really incredibly supportive of me and my siblings as far as what we wanted to do in music, so I never would have accomplished anything without their support,” said Brady. His parents taught him to be dependable and to work hard, Brady said. “I think one of the things that made me really a great musician was when I was growing up I couldn’t play sports until I practiced the piano first and if I ever had to do the dishes I could get out of doing them by practicing the piano,” said Brady. “Those two things made me play the piano a lot.” When Brady attended BYU, he met his wife Alison who works as a part time political science instructor at FCC and teaches at California State University, Fresno. They have been together for 26 years, said Brady.
They have five children together who Brady says are all musically talented. “When we lived in LA, lots of times when you get involved in some of these projects it can just be life engulfing so I actually get to see my family a lot more,” said Brady. “That was a big reason why I tried to have a career pivot and go in this direction.” At home Brady is able to balance work and family time. “I get pretty focused on what I’m doing but at least I’m five feet away and they only have to call my name like five times,” said Brady with a laugh. “I wouldn’t say I’m the greatest multitasker but at least I’m there if they need me right? I think that means something and I absolutely value that.” One of the reasons Brady wanted to teach at FCC was because he had lots of advice to share with students. He encourages collaboration because it's important to have friends and networks. Brady enjoyed the process of mentoring interns at his company which is also why he decided to teach. Brady’s mentors inspired him as teachers and gave him encouragement and the confidence that he could succeed. “I don’t think I could’ve done it without their mentorship and I want to give the same thing, the same feeling of confidence and knowledge in—because like I said the talent here at city college is more than I even anticipated, it’s pretty spectacular,” said Brady.
8 OPINION 3.11.20
therampageonline.com
Knock Talk: Bathroom Edition Kris Hall | Opinion Editor khall@therampageonline.com
There are nine business majors at Fresno City College — but every student has major business. There seem to be a billion different techniques to the agendum of approaching the door to the bathroom. There are a few similar branches of thought, but most of them don’t consider privacy a factor. Do you knock before you enter a restroom? “I don’t,” says first year FCC student Angel Morillo. “I mean if it’s public,” he clarifies, “why would I knock?” I always knock before I enter a restroom. It also seems this is a rare philosophy to have. Kasey Duttle, an elementary education major, initially stated that she does not knock before entering a public multi-stall restroom. She said, “what if someone isn’t there and I’m just knocking away?” In the event that you can’t discern whether or not someone is inside the stall, the courtesy knock becomes utilitarian. The bathroom knock’s utilitarian purpose is to determine the vacancy of the stall. If the stall is occupied, a rattled ‘don’t come in’ or ‘busy’ or my, personal favorite, ‘you’re next’ followed by subsequent yodeling will come from the other side of the door. If you knock and are met with silence then it’s likely the stall is empty, unless there is a socially anxious occupant too figuratively tongue-tied to respond. Duttle replied “I never thought about this until you brought it up.” Precisely why I seek to educate on this issue. I don’t believe enough people give the bathroom knock the recognition it deserves. I contend that with more deliberation, many students will agree that the bathroom knock will improve their experiences in the restroom. It will offer a more respectful view of a designated place of privacy that does not get enough credit in a world where privacy is in increasingly limited supply.
I knock in consideration of the privacy that the bathroom should give to its denizen while opening a line of universal communication between strangers. Approaching the bathroom door, regardless of evidence of an occupant, I knock. In the case that the stall is occupied, knocking gives polite notice that someone is waiting for them to relinquish the space. Knocking gives an occupant of the restroom an opportunity to respond and make their presence known to ward off unaware invaders.
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Knock in consideration of the person inside, they came to the bathroom in search of privacy.” If there is no one inside, I still enter with caution. Hannah Lieder is an FCC student who understands the plight of approaching the bathroom. “I knock. And then I reach for the handle, and then if it’s unlocked I’ll still not fully commit to opening it and I’ll check.” My technique is to scan the stall, whether private, public or personal, to see if there is anyone with malicious intent waiting to jump me at my most vulnerable. I would much prefer a polite knock to the anxiety that strikes me when someone jiggles the doorknob. A jiggled doorknob has always been the precursor in my life to a malfunctioning lock that grants a door permission to open when it
least benefits me. Knock in consideration of the person inside, they came to the bathroom in search of privacy. Whatever your plan on the can, you should be able to strategize peacefully. Anyone with a healthy mind would not wish themselves an audience while they use the bathroom. When someone throws themself against a bathroom door in the hopes it may be open, my eyes widen in shock, my body tenses up, and my heart rate doubles in fear my private comfort is an instant away from being shattered. Like many of us, Lieder has suffered the terrifying scenario of being walked in on. “It’s embarrassing and it sucks but it’s my fault for not locking the door,” says Lieder. Aleks Alikhanov is a journalism major at FCC. Like Lieder, he has also experienced being walked in on while changing and going to the bathroom. “It’s embarrassing for both parties,” he says, “I knock to make sure no one’s in it because it’s possible that they didn’t lock the door.” Lieder says, “some doors don’t have locks.” What can you do then? So I, as a citizen who wants to live in a world outside of this terrifying everyday occurrence, do my part to pay it forward to any individual with the same fears as myself. In the alternative to knocking, you either smack yourself against a locked door, you barge in on someone through a mistakenly unlocked door, or an unlocked seemingly empty room hides a ninja there to collect a bounty on your head. Only in one last scenario, where there is an unlocked door and an empty room with no ninjas, are you able to use the bathroom in peace. Knocking before entering the restroom is the most considerate approach to a person’s privacy. Using the bathroom is no business but the individual’s. Knocking helps prevent bathroom use from becoming a group activity.
FCC Students Are Not Fans of St. Patrick's Day Julie Chavez | Reporter jchavez@therampageonline.com
For students at Fresno City College, St. Patrick’s day is just another day and frankly is not as important as other holidays such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. This year St. Patrick’s day falls on Tuesday March 17. When asked about St. Patty’s day most people only associate it with drinking or pinching others for not wearing green or leprechauns. ery few people know why it's actually a holiday. Culinary arts major, Edward Sartuche, believes the real meaning of St. Patrick’s day is “all clouded by the drinking and green,” because to him the holiday is not important but he knows it is important to other cultures. For those who do not know, St. Patrick’s day is the anniversary of St Patrick’s death. He was one of Ireland’s patron saints who brought Christianity to the people of Ireland.
At first, St. Patrick’s day was mostly celebrated in Ireland but Irish immigrants who moved to the United States around the 19th and 20th centuries brought the holiday and its traditions with them. Today, St. Patrick’s day is celebrated all over the United States with cities like Chicago and New York holding some of the biggest parades. here at FCC, there is little St. Patrick’s day spirit amongst students. Some students began to question why the schools they attended did not teach them what St. Patrick’s day is about. When asked about the holiday, most students only know “that people pinch each other on that day if you don't wear green,” says Sebastian Gomez. Esmeralda Cortez theorizes schools avoid teaching what it's about because “there might be bad connotations behind it,” but
she truly does not know why St. Patrick’s day is not taught in school or history books. Other students feel it's just not important enough to be taught and have never been interested enough to research it on their own. “It's not worth knowing why we need to wear green on a certain day,” said Ariana Rodriguez, who only wears green on St. Patrick’s day to avoid being pinched. When asked about any St. Patrick's day events, Holly Curtis who works in Student Activities said “I don't think we brought up St. Patrick’s day events itself, I mean we decorate for the holidays in our little lounge but no events in particular. It's a good question. We can always bring it up to our supervisor". So far the only event FCC is holding to celebrate the holiday is the St. Patrick’s Irish Music Celebration on March 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall.
Kris Hall knocks on the door to the men’s bathroom located next to the ASG office above the bookstore on Friday, Feb. 28 as a courtesy to the people inside. Photo/Ben Hensley
3.11.20
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Is Stan Culture Toxic? Natalie Gallegos | Reporter ngallegos@therampageonline.com
I don’t hate stans nor do I believe stan culture is toxic, but I truly think it becomes unhealthy when people go out of their way to harass celebrities. As you scroll through Twitter and other social media platforms, you might find yourself looking at ‘Stan Twitter’, ‘Stan Culture’ or you might actually be a stan yourself. This term came from an Eminem song in 2002 called “Stan”, which tells the story of an Eminem obsessed fan who writes letters to his idol and admits to doing continuous illegal acts. As the song continues, Stan feels ignored when he does not hear back from Eminem. His obsession leads to murderous acts and even his own death. Today, stan is a term used as another word for “fan”, but it is not as wild as Eminem's character portrays it to be. In simple terms, stan is just an exaggerated term for a really big fan. An example would be K-pop group BTS, who have 24.2 million followers on Twitter. They are known to have a big fan base full of stans who keep up with the latest news about them. Being around groups of people who consider themselves
stans of different celebrities or influencers, I’ve learned that stan culture can be a really good place. Friendships are made, people bond over their favorite celebrities and it gives people the opportunity to meet new people. “I have made many friends because of stan culture and the fandoms that come with it,” said sophomore Adilenne Torres, Biology major, and stan of Harry Styles. “Many of my closest friendships are a result of these fandoms and having that one thing in common, that generates happiness in all of us,” Torres said. According to Torres, stan culture can make people feel accepted for who they are. Torres has attended multiple Harry Styles concerts. She describes that as the crowd lights up in rainbow colors, the arena creates a sense of unity and acceptance. “Anyone of any race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, every single person there is accepted and can feel loved, and we all unite together for the reason that we all love Harry and his music,” Torres said. Generally, stans are extremely nice, respectful, and they know not to cross boundaries when it comes to their idols. But not everyone plays by
those rules. A scroll through Twitter and you will find not so respectful stans who will even show up to their favorite celebrities houses, invading their privacy. Last year, YouTubers Ethan and Grayson Dolan lost their father to cancer. The twins had tweeted fans not to show up to the funeral and to simply show their support through social media. But some stans saw the funeral as an opportunity to meet the influencers and even decided to create a list of ways they would approach the twins. They went as far to create the hashtag #SeanDolanFuneralMeetup2019 for people to organize their plans. In response Ethan Dolan tweeted, “If you are a fan of Grayson and I we love you and appreciate you so much. The best way you could support us during this tough time is to NOT show up at our father’s wake or funeral. Thank you guys and please please please respect my wish.” I found many things wrong with this and was extremely shocked to see how far a person would go just to meet their idols. Of course, this behavior does not apply to all stans, but it makes me wonder how someone can think these disturbing acts are OK.
lbarreto@therampageonline.com
St. Patrick's Day falls on Tuesday, March 17 this year and students at Fresno City College aren’t sure how to celebrate. St. Patrick’s Day is three things. It is a day to drink, to wear green, and to celebrate the passing of Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick is credited with driving the snakes (or pagans) out of Ireland and establishing Christianity there. Saint Patrick passed away in the middle of the Catholic observance of lent. According to RTE.ie, the national public service media of Ireland, the fun drinking portion of St. Patrick’s Day comes from an observed break from the Catholic lenten season. The other two ways to celebrate, the green and pinching, comes from the theme of leprechauns. The story goes that leprechauns are said to pinch anyone who does not wear green. So what is there to do on St. Patty’s Day? “Drink,” or at least that’s what Laura Barraza thinks the holiday is all about. That response was expected, but now it just begs two questions of why exactly do we
celebrate St. Patty’s Day? And what is there to do —besides— drink on St. Patty’s Day? “Nothing,” said Barraza, “I never do anything, not even wear green.” “Or drink?” “No, it’s not my thing.” Barraza decided not to celebrate, bordering protest of the holiday. Maybe there isn’t anything to do besides drink, pinch and wear green. There is someone on campus going to celebrate the holiday.
“On St. Patty's Day I wear green and hang out with friends and family.” -Lydia Molina FCC Student Catalina Alvarez Hernandez is a criminology major at FCC. She says, “I’m planning on decorating clover [shaped] cookies.” Cookies! No alcohol involved. She went on to say that she
CAMPUS VOICES Kris Hall | Opinion Editor khall@therampageonline.com
Are you worried STANNING Stan Culture about the Stans Faves Def. Obsessive Def. The object coronavirus? of a stan's fans. Etym. The Eminem song of the same name, about an obsessed Eminem fan.
obsession. Etym. Derived from the word "favorite," i.e. "favorite artist."
The object of Flops Def. disdain for stans: simply put, others' irrelevant faves. Etym. Derived from the word "flop," typically refers to low album sales and underperforming singles.
Alfonso Vega
Criminology Major
Stan culture refers to the online activity of rabid fanbases. Stan culture is most active on social media platforms like Twitter. Image courtesy of freevector
What is There to do for Saint Patrick's Day? Luis Barreto | Reporter
OPINION 9
“Not worried. Unless something major happens, then I would be worried.”
Hugo Zavala
Business Administration Major
“It doesn’t really trouble me. Basically just do what your mother taught you."
Illustration Created by Alex Muravev from Noun Project
remembers a scavenger hunt for four-leafed clovers in years passed. She says she wants to recreate that one day. “On St. Patty’s Day I wear green and hang out with friends and family.” said psychology major Elijah Ramos. “I don’t really drink, but I do eat snacks and listen to music.” “I don’t do anything for Saint Patrick’s but wear green but I don’t even know why I wear green or why people pinch me” said Rachelle Areyan, an anthropology major at FCC. “All I do on St. Patty’s Day is wear green.” said Lydia Molina, a business administration major. According to folklore, you get
pinched on St. Patrick's Day for not wearing green because green makes you invisible to leprechauns whom of which enjoy pinching. Thus, pinching is all in the spirit of acting like a leprechaun. The answers received were mundane activities that can be accomplished on the day-today, including drinking. Aside from the baking and clover hunting, it seems that St. Patty’s Day isn’t so much a day to be celebrated, but rather just an excuse to drink for those who choose to take advantage of it. We may just have to embrace a future that does not include Saint Patrick's Day, at least as we know it.
Damian Ocho-Vinto Graphic Design Major
"It's stressful." “I hear people are already freaking out and preparing for the worst.”
Jesse Ledesma
Mechanical Engineering Major “I’m not worried about getting sick”
10 SPORTS 3.11.20
therampageonline.com
Ed Madec Faces Administrative Leave, Fights Back in Court
Ben Hensley | Editor-in-Chief bhensley@therampageonline.com
Patrick Henslee | Sports Editor phenslee@therampageonline.com
Ed Madec, men’s basketball head coach at Fresno City College and his attorney, Ryan Griffith, appeared in a courtroom filled with supporters, including much of the 2019-2020 men’s basketball team, in an attempt to overturn the temporary restraining order filed against Madec the previous week, on Thursday, Feb. 27. The presiding Judicial Officer Kimberly Gaab rejected the appeal after hearing arguments from both sides — Madec’s attorney, Griffith as well as Matthew Besmer, legal counsel for the State Center Community College District. On Feb. 19, Fresno City College administrators notified Madec that he would go on paid administrative leave on Feb. 21, pending an investigation into potential California Community College
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FCC and Goldsmith decided to place Madec on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.”
Athletic Association rules violations. In accordance with the California Education Code, employees must be given a two-day notice prior to being placed on administrative leave. On Feb. 24, Madec filed an appeal to retain his position as head coach of the men’s basketball team - a position he has held since 2006, during which time he led the Rams to 14 consecutive titles, two state championships — not counting the numerous student transfers to four-year colleges around the country.
The Complaint According to court documents, Madec was brought up for investigation by the SCCCD into potential CCCAA rules violations in early 2019. The investigation stemmed from alleged rules violations regarding the providing of special privileges to his players — a violation of the CCCAA decorum policy. Court documents indicate that Madec owned three properties from 2013 to 2019, allegedly housing numerous students in that timeframe. In the documents, “I understand since June 2013, Mr. Madec has owned three different
Moises Buitrago | Social Media Editor mbuitrago@therampageonline.com
properties for various periods of time in which his basketball players may have resided,” Carole Goldsmith, president of Fresno City College, said. Goldsmith also said she only knew the extent of the violations around Feb. 4, 2020. The court documents detail the numerous attempts by district investigators to acquire information from Madec regarding proof of legal tenant occupation status as well as tax return information failed. Madec handed over only rental receipts to investigators, according to statements from both Goldsmith and Besmer. The FCC administration made the decision to place Madec on leave because of alleged misdirection and noncompliance in the investigation process by both Madec and members of his basketball team. On Feb. 17, just two days before being notified of his leave, Madec refused to turn over his and his mother’s personal tax returns which were requested by investigators. They wanted these documents to ascertain whether or not Madec had provided special privileges to his players in the form of housing. Court statements indicate that Madec was absent from an investigative interview on Jan. 21. He also refused to cooperate with investigators during a rescheduled investigative interview on Jan. 24, leading investigators to conclude that his responses lacked credibility. Additionally, many of the members of the 2019-2020 basketball team who were contacted during the investigation refused to cooperate, leading investigators to believe that Madec was influencing potential witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation. FCC administration placed Madec on paid administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation. Resulting punishment for violation of CCCAA rules can extend beyond the college’s basketball team; it could potentially punish the entire athletic department. Madec, who has been on paid administrative leave since Feb. 21, will remain on leave for up to 90 days, at which time the SCCCD must justify the continued suspension no later than May 21.
Madec’s Defense In January 2019, SCCCD opened an investigation on Madec to determine whether or not he provided special privileges to players. According to court documents produced by Ryan Griffith, Madec’s attorney, the investigators conducted three separate interviews — two in 2019, and one in January 2020. Madec, according to his attorney, did not know why he was being investigated at the time. Griffith also stated that although the CCCAA Constitution requires that the dates, times, locations and names of
On Wednesday, Feb. 19 Ed Madec coached what could be his final game as the Ram's head coach against the Reedley Tigers. Madec is currently under investagation for possible violations of CCCAA regulations. Photo/Moises Buitrago
those involved must be disclosed to the individual under investigation, this information — referred to in court documents as “Form A” — was not submitted at the time of Madec’s leave. Madec was placed on administrative
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Based on my review of the investigation to date, it seemed that Defendants were engaged in a fishing expedition against Plaintiff.” -Ryan Griffith Attorney for Plaintiff Edward George Madec leave on Feb. 19. Madec’s attorney claims that the timing of the ensuing administrative leave was not coincidental, but a clear attempt by SCCCD to target the men’s basketball coach. “Based on my review of the investigation to date, it seemed that defendants [FCC/SCCCD] were engaged
in a fishing expedition against Plaintiff [Madec],” Griffith stated in motion filed on Feb. 27 to lift the temporary restraining order.
The Fallout and the Students “I’m devastated for Coach Madec. I’m absolutely devastated,” said Interim CoAthletic Director Paul Keysaw. The outcry for Madec to be reinstated has grown steadily in the weeks since the news broke. His supporters packed the courtroom during his appearance; several former players and others voiced their support of the embattled coach before the final regular season game on Feb 22. T-shirts embossed with the words, “Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius,” were worn by dozens in attendance during that game against Merced College on Feb. 22. Segments, most notably on 940 ESPN Radio, have been dedicated solely in the interest of raising awareness to the general public. But the thing that resonates among nearly all of the people voicing either support or condemnation of Madec was the impact of his suspension on the legacy of the athletics department, the students and athletes that make the program what it is. “I feel so bad for his players,” Keysaw said. “They didn’t sign up for this; they’re not part of this,” he said. “Unfortunately they’re pawns caught into this.” This is a developing story.
3.11.20
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SPORTS 11
Jordyn Brown’s Motivation On and Off the Court Aundrianna Del Toro | Reporter adeltoro@therampageonline.com
The love for the game of basketball ran through Jordyn Brown’s blood at an early age. “My whole family is into basketball. I grew up with parents who both played in college,” said the Fresno City College sophomore guard. Brown’s parents both played for Fresno Pacific University, where her mother, Karen Brown once held the record for most career points at FPU. Her mother went on to have a brief professional career playing basketball overseas in New Amsterdam. Coming from a family of basketball players, Brown seemed destined to play the game of basketball. “I started playing basketball when I was six years old,” said Brown. In elementary school, Brown participated in many basketball camps throughout her youth and was on her school's team. But unlike her peers, Brown never lost interest in the game. Brown went on to play for her local AAU basketball team in middle school. She then
continued her basketball career at Clovis North High School. Brown played all four years of high school basketball under varsity coach Heather Long. During her time at Clovis North, Brown’s team was ranked No. 26 in the state. Her team made it to the Division 1 Valley Championship game but lost to Clovis West High School. “It was an awesome atmosphere to be a part of. That's where I started to really enjoy playing more than just for fun,” said Brown. Coming out of high school, Brown didn’t have any offers from colleges. She met with coaches, but was never offered a scholarship. Brown didn’t apply to other colleges for just academics because she knew she wanted to continue to play basketball beyond high school. “I knew I was going to come here [FCC]. That's what I wanted more than anything, to keep playing ball,” said Brown. Brown gained more confidence in her game when she came to FCC. She began to realize she could go somewhere with her talent.
“It took me a little while to build some confidence, I didn’t really realize my talent until I came here. I feel like this was a second opportunity to get a scholarship out of here,” said Brown Coming into FCC’s basketball program as a freshman, Brown was able to start for 11 games and became one of her team’s top scorers. Brown carried that momentum into her sophomore season at FCC. She became a team leader on the court, averaging 16.8 points per game while hitting 80% from the free throw line. Like last season, Brown was the top scorer her sophomore season, leading her team into the playoffs. Although the Rams lost in playoffs this season, Brown’s season showed just what kind of player universities are looking for. Brown’s success off the court is just as important to her as her success on the court. She made academic All-State her sophomore season with a 3.8 GPA. Brown holds her academics at the same level as her athletics, being able to be successful at both is a standard she holds herself accountable for. “If I want to go somewhere after this,
I gotta have good grades,” said Brown. “Basketball is only going to take me so far, so school is really important to me. Becoming a physical therapist is my main goal.” Brown attributes a lot of her success to her family. Coming from a family of athletes, she wants to follow in their footsteps in every way possible. “My parents and family are a big part of that. They are very successful and very driven,” said Brown. “My mom played pro overseas, so I want to follow in her footsteps and be as good as she was or better. My parents and brothers are my number one fans, they help me stay motivated.” With her sophomore season over, it’s time to figure out what’s next for Jordyn Brown. Brown has offers from Humboldt State University and the University of British Columbia and Bellevue University, where her older brother, Jonah Brown, is currently playing. Wherever Brown ends up playing, she’s determined to succeed.
Rams Start Building Momentum with Victories Over Porterville
Patrick Henslee | Sports Editor phenslee@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College softball team started their climb back into contention by downing Porterville College by scores of 9-8 in game one and 9-1 in game two during their doubleheader on Tuesday, March 10. The wins evened the team's record at 1010, but they hope to start picking up speed halfway through the season. The Rams entered the game with a record below .500, winning only two of their last seven games. “I think where we get beat is when we don’t take care of the little things. Talent-wise they’re fantastic- it’s the controllables,” said head coach Haley Janzer. “Are you engaged whether you're in the game or not? Are you pre-pitch talking? Putting down the bunts, taking the extra bases? When we don’t win, it’s when we don’t take advantage of those little things.” Sophomore Kaitlyn Delgadillo started
game one for the Rams but unlucky hits got her into trouble, and she allowed four hits and three runs in just three innings. In the third inning with the Pirates up 3-0, the Rams put together a 3-run inning, capped off by a 2-run blast by sophomore Emily Puente. Puente would take the ball from sophomore Brianah Stafford in the fourth inning, after she struggled to find the zone and couldn’t record an out. However, Puente would inherit the baserunners, with the heart of the lineup coming up. Porterville put down a beating, with sophomore first baseman Kuea Angilau smashing a 3-run homer that left the players and attendees standing in awe. The home run was her conference-leading tenth of the season. “We were trying to pitch around her and she hit a homerun. She’s a fantastic hitter,” said Janzer. “If you walk her or get her to ground out, it’s a huge win. If you get her to single it’s a win.” In the fifth inning, the Rams handed the ball to sophomore Taylor Dubois,
who shutout the Pirates’ lineup for the remainder of the game. This proved to be more than enough time for FCC to get back into the ball game. They started the fifth inning rally off with a single, and would keep clawing away until sophomore utility player Kassandra Expose lifted a 2-run home run over the left field fence to take the lead for good at 9-8. The Rams trusted Dubois to keep rolling, letting her start in the circle for game two. Dubois would reassure them with three more solid innings, totalling six innings, three strikeouts, three hits and one run, another home run from Angilau. “Taylor is a great drop ball and down ball pitcher, so her against big-swinging teams and teams that’ve got a lot of power, she’s funky enough to throw them off,” said Janzer. “The thing with Taylor is just getting her to believe ‘I don’t need strikeouts; I just need ground balls.’” Fresno’s offense would have an entirely different plan in their second matchup, capitalizing on Porterville’s mistakes
by consistently applying pressure with aggressive baserunning, keeping patient approaches at the plate and snowballing momentum in their favor. Before they knew it, the Rams were aiming to end the game in five innings via the 8-run mercy rule. They’d finally do so with an extra base hit by freshman infielder Mary Mets that scored the winning run from first. FCC has now won four straight games after losing five in a row, and Janzer says the turnaround is driven by the team’s energy and change in attitude. “The dugout, I think plays a huge role in how you’re able to come back from a big inning from somebody else,” she said. “We’ve kind of realized ‘Okay, people are going to swing hard at us. Let’s swing back.’” The Rams will start another road trip before returning home to play the Reedley College Tigers in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 24 at 1 p.m.
Freshman third baseman Mary Mets during an at-bat in the first game of a doubleheader against Porterville College on Tuesday, March 10. Mets has been an influential player at the top of the Rams' lineup. Photo/Patrick Henslee
12 SPORTS 3.11.20
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Rams Down Eagles to Advance in CCCAA Basketball Playoffs Ben Hensley| Editor-in-Chief bhensley@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College men’s basketball team solidified a perfect 12-0 home record on Saturday, March 7, defeating the Mendocino College Eagles 97-61 in the third round of the CCCAA Northern California Regional Playoffs. The game was the second meeting between the two teams, with the first contest also going to the Rams in the form of a 109-106 double-overtime win on Dec. 14 of last year. This game would prove to be a different story. After coming out of the gate with acrobatic and sometimes violent energy, Mendocino kept it close throughout the first ten minutes of the game, matching the pace of FCC and, at times, displaying athleticism rivaling an all-star game exhibition. Ten minutes into the game, however, two technical fouls saw an already rowdy crowd get even rowdier, when they went in favor of the Eagles. A flagrant foul was initially called when a Rams’ player initiated contact said interim head coach Nick Podesta. The contact was followed by a second technical foul for contact after the whistle. The fouls had the potential to change the entire pace of the game, but following three of four missed free throws,
the Rams’ came out seemingly energized and reinvigorated. “We had two players in that same possession that picked up their second foul, so I think it thrust other guys into a little bit of a different situation having to play some extended minutes,” said Podesta. “But again, our guys stepped up like they always have all year.”One of the players who stepped up was sophomore guard Keshawn Bruner, who tallied 28 points. Bruner, who leads the team in PPG and minutes, came off the bench against the Eagles. Alongside Bruner, freshmen guards Marcus McCutchen and McKay Bundy were also in double figures, with McCutchen tallying 12 and Bundy tallying 10 points in the contest. Contrary to the Rams who had 69 points from players not named Bruner, the Eagles scoring relied on the offense of freshman guard Lesown Hallums Jr., who recorded 16 points on the night, and sophomore guard Landon Garcia-Floyd with 21. “They [Mendocino] can really, really shoot the ball,” Podesta said. “One of the things that we wanted to do was make them bounce it a little bit more than they’re comfortable with.” Podesta also emphasized the importance of keeping them out of rhythm, forcing the Eagles to work deep into the shot clock to
Sophomore guard Keshawn Bruner powers through freshman wing Alex Rojas during the Rams' win over Mendocino on Saturday, March 7. Photo/Ben Hensley
get off attempts. A point of emphasis was also the Eagles struggles from the free throw line against an aggressive defensive effort from the Rams who played a very physical game defensively. Mendocino saw only nine free throws fall on 27 attempts. “Just from playing fatigue you start to see that kind of stuff at the foul line,” Podesta said.
“Overall, I think the pace of the game maybe accounted for some of that.” The Rams look healthy heading into their fourth round and potential final four berth, as sophomore guard Ronald Agebsar returned from several weeks being sidelined. Agebsar displayed electrifying energy in the final minutes, capitalizing on an exhausted Eagles team with
two electrifying dunks, padding the lead and sending the crowd into a frenzy. The Rams move on in the playoffs to face the LA Valley College Monarchs on Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m. in Lemoore. Western State Conference Champions LA Valley comes off an 83-81 overtime win, boasting a 23-5 overall record.