April 28, 2015

CHRONICLE Richland

Vol. XL Issue 13 April 28, 2015

Alfredo Corchado

Journalist and author visits Richland: Pg.

Bill J. Priest Colleagues remember ‘good man’: Pg. 7 Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com

Immigration information

for children and parents: Pg. 3 Official Chronicle Outlets

@ChronicleDCCCD

CAMPUS

Staff photo illustration Blanca Reyes

Staff photo illustration Isai Diaz

Alfredo Corchado shared his experiences as an immigrant and as a bureau chief in Mexico.

Corchado’s book chronicles his childhood and career as a journalist.

Mexico illuminated:

Reporter Alfredo Corchado’s tale of two countries MARTA PLANELLS

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015

Managing Editor

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“The work of journalists is not to step on cockroaches, but to turn on the light, so that people see how the cockroaches run for cover.” — War correspondent and historian Ryszard Kapuscinski.

Alfredo Corchado has been illuminating Mexico’s darkness for many years, telling the stories that nobody else dares to tell, those of drug cartels that “infect” Mexico.

The Richland community listened carefully to the Dallas Morning News Mexico City bureau chief during the presentation of his book, “Midnight in Mexico,” at Sabine Hall Thursday.

Corchado is not a traditional war correspon-

dent, as Kapuscinski was, nor like the World War I reporters who relayed their stories from the battlefied via telegraph however, he is reporting about a fight. Wars are different now.

There are other conflicts in other settings. His is on the border of Mexico and the United States, where, as he explained in his talk, one feels lost just wondering if it is more Mexican than American.

Corchado said he feels he is a son of Mexico, and that feeling is the glue that keeps him clinging to the country where he was born, even though as a child he grew up in California. He always wanted to return, but listening to him, one realizes that he never actually left.

“Never fully Mexican, never fully American,” he said.

Corchado read parts of his story and shared

some of the highlights of his career with attendees. During the noon hour he shared his thoughts during a brown bag lunch with journalism students. They discussed challenges facing the profession.

In his opinion, the future will belong to those trained in all journalistic fields. It does not work anymore just to specialize in print or broadcast media. Now the journalist has to know how to write, take pictures, shoot video and be able to move the information on social media.

Newsrooms are already seeing these changes, he said.

The Dallas Morning News has implemented a morning meeting to discuss the topics to be addressed online in the afternoon, not just the ones to appear in the paper the next day.

“My mother always asks me why I’m still in Mexico and I always say it’s because I have hope. It’s in the worst moments when I’ve seen the best of Mexicans,” he said.

Journalism has always been a risky profession. Corchado has received numerous death threats because of his articles about the cartels in Mexico. In 2007, he decided to leave Mexico because he received a tip that he was a target.

“For me it is much easier than for my [Mex-

ican] colleagues because I have an American passport. When I do not feel safe, I can always call my boss and I always find support. I would take the first plane and come to Dallas.

My colleagues in Mexico cannot do the same.

That is brave,” he said.

Instead, others had left the profession without hesitation. The real journalist, however, the one who has the passion of journalism in the blood, feels a responsibility within that makes him keep working. Corchado is one of them.

“I always come back because I feel I have a responsibility to tell what’s going on. I think that stories can make a difference,” he said.

Journalism is not an 8 a.m to 5 p.m. office job.

It is a profession that requires not only dedication, but also a love and a passion; it is a way of living.

One of the most exciting stories was when Corchado told how he reported the capture of one of the most pursued cartel leaders in Mexico, Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales. Corchado was the first to break the news, thanks to a tip from one of his sources. He knew he was putting his career on the line, but he was sure that the information was correct and he took the risk.

He turned out to be right, and that night he got one of the messages that excited him most in his career. Someone said, “Tonight you moved Mexico.”

“It’s in the worst moments when I’ve seen the best of Mexicans.”

— Alfredo Corchado

CAMPUS

Immigration information at Richland Photography Editor

Representatives of several non-profit organizations were present on the Richland campus to inform the community about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) programs Wednesday.

The object was to inform students, faculty, staff members and anyone who wanted or needed information about the changes in DACA and how to be prepared to apply for DAPA, if this program is activated.

Organizations present were Projecto Immigrante, Catholic Charities of Dallas, New Hope Immigration Services and Baptist Immigration Services.

Attendees asked if they could apply for DAPA now since there are reports of people offering fraudulent services in the guise of helping people to apply for the program.

Douglas Interino, founder of Projecto Immigrant, said that currently there is nothing to do but be prepared because the action is on standby due to the collective lawsuit presented by 26 states, including Texas.

Even though there is not a final decision yet and nobody can predict any result, representatives of all the organizations said they are expecting a positive decision from the court.

Luis Arango, Catholic Charities’ representative and lawyer, said that one of the most important things they are doing is to determine eligibility, which is still confusing for many people.

Interino said that’s why it is critically important to make contact with people who really know about immigration such as immigration lawyers or people working for a non-profit organization accredited in immigration and nationality law.

“There is a lot of fraud going on, but let me be clear that the programs have been suspended,” Interino said. “Temporarily, suspension is there, but then the circuit court of appeals is about to give its decision whether the legal injunction will proceed or whether they will terminate the legal injunction.”

Interino was explicit warning the immigrant community, which sometime is unaware of U.S. laws, to avoid getting help from notaries, who lack proper knowledge.

“They [immigrants] can’t apply yet because there is no application ready for it,” Interino said.

“Basically, the only thing that we can do is to get prepared,” Arango said.

Edward Sanchez, head of North Texas Dream Team, said there are many ways to be active in immigration issues, and voting is a strong and helpful way.

Sanchez said although the part of the community that will benefit from these programs can’t vote, he encourages people to share information with their friends, neighbors and anyone who may not be aware of the issue.

Sanchez also said there is a lot of support out

there; the barrier is the lack of knowledge.

Sanchez added that part of the problem is people who are documented are not aware of the situation, so they can’t help.

In the forum, representatives stressed they are trying to use this time to inform the community about the requirements and who will be able to apply. Some of the recommendations were to save money, not to travel aboard and to be on guard against fraud.

Although right now there is not an exact cost for the process, the fee that has been discussed is $465 per person.

Another concern addressed was whether the Immigration Department will share applicants’ information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Absolutely, it is a credible fear when you are willingly giving your information up to a government agency … but there is a certain part of the immigration code that criminalize revealing this information for purposes others than it was intended,” Sanchez said.

“Their information will not be used against them in the future.”

— Edward Sanchez “Their information will not be used against them in the future.”

Sanchez said the only time the information would be used against applicants will be if they lie or if the person applies with criminal disqualifications.

“Those are the only two scenarios, lying or applying when you know you have a criminal conviction that disqualifies you,” Sanchez said.

“Other than that, your information is safe.”

In fact, there will be the possibility to reapply if the applicant is denied for lack of information.

Arango said that people who qualify for DACA and DAPA, based in the enforcement criteria established, are a low enforcement priority for deportation.

“I would encourage people who are eligible for one of these programs to apply,” Arango said.

All the organizations whose representatives attended the forum offer their services for low cost or even free to anyone who may need it.

People can receive help with all the immigration matters.

North Texas Dream Team even offers help when somebody is facing deportation. Sanchez also said if people are afraid of ICE raids in work places or elsewhere also, they can call 1-800-END-1ICE or text ENDOURPAIN to 877877.

For more information, visit the webpages of any of the organizations mentioned in this article or to any accredited non-profit organization.

Staff photo Blanca Reyes

Douglas Sanchez answers questions from the public at an immigration forum at Richland.

Requirements to qualify for DAPA: • Be the parent of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (residency cardholder) born before Nov. 20, 2014.

• Have lived in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2010 • Been in the U.S. on Nov. 20, 2014 and the date applying for the Deferred Action.

• Have no lawful immigration status in the U.S. on Nov. 20, 2014.

• Submit to, and pass, security and criminal background check.

Those facing imminent deportation can call 1-800-END-1ICE or text ENDOURPAIN to 877877

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015

BLANCA REYES

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ENTERTAINMENT

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HUMAN? RICKY MILLER Entertainment Editor

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015

Talk about imaginative. Writer-director Alex Garland makes “Ex Machina” as nifty as possible. Unique comes to mind, but as writing coaches often note, that word is usually overused.

Garland previously spent time with writerdirector Danny Boyle as co-screenwriter of “28 Days Later,” “The Beach” and his enthralling “Sunshine” and with actor Karl Urban on the little seen “Dredd.”

The premise to “Ex Machina” finds our hero Caleb (Domhall Gleeson, “Unbroken”) interacting with an A.I. robot named Ava (Ali-

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cia Vikander, “Seventh Son”) at the request of her creator, Nathan (Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”).

Nathan wants Caleb to perform a series of tests on Ava to get to know her problems and predicaments. Nathan actually wants to know how he feels for her, not just the watered down mumbo jumbo.

The plot twists are abundant in Garland’s pretzel-twisting tale of human existence.

The circumstances of Caleb’s invite are never fully explained, leading to intrigue and questions galore.

Part of the storyline credits him with the way he answered basic everyday questions, but Caleb soon learns that it’s just an outright lie.

Caleb finds out that Nathan is a heavy

drinker and adores his illicit beverage of choice as well as a female companion named Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno), who does not speak a word of English.

All of these elements and so much more contribute to Nathan’s downfall, coupled with an unexpected conclusion that everyone will be debating on the drive home.

Garland makes the pacing as smooth as can be with very few dry spots or unnecessary camera shifts. He knows where and when his story and the denouement should occur.

I admired the solid structure that Garland presented throughout this thought-provoking flick.

Image courtesy filmfixx.com

Ava ( Alicia Vikander) is the robot whose A.I. system is being tested.

Ricky’s Take

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Grade: B

Image courtesy aceshowbiz.com, filmfixx.com and circlecinema.com

Caleb (Domhall Gleeson), left, runs Ava through her tests as creator Nathan (Oscar Isaac) looks on.

“Clouds of Sils Maria” — Confusing, meandering and unfulfilling tale of an acclaimed actress (Juliette Binoche, Oscar winner for “The English Patient”) and her predicament when a beloved director she knows dies. Kristen Stewart from the “Twilight” franchise is actually good. Grade: C “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” — Kevin James is a security guard who gets narcoleptic attacks at the wrong times and heads to Las Vegas with his daughter, Maya (Raini Rodriguez) to attend a convention honoring security personnel from across the country. C“The Water Diviner” — Russell Crowe pulls double duty as

director and star in this tale in which his persona of Connor goes searching for his three sons who fought in the Battle of Gallipoli. B“Little Boy” — This is a fact-based fantasy-drama centering on a boy (Jakob Salvati) and the bond with his father (Michael Rapaport, “True Romance”) B“Dead Rising: Watchtower” – This is a modern-day stupid zombie comedy with Jesse Metcalfe (TV’s “Dallas”) facing a zombie apocalypse. Also stars Virginia Madsen (“Sideways”) and Rob Riggle (“The Other Guys”). C-

OPINION

Latest ‘Star Wars’ trailer:

Staff illustrations Isai Diaz

JOE STUMPO Online Editor

The moment I saw the second trailer of “Star Wars – Episode VII: The Force Awakens” a couple weeks ago I could not help but recall the fond memories I had seeing “Star Wars” (1977), “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) and “Return of the Jedi” (1983) for the first time at theaters over 30 years ago.

Everyone my age who remembers seeing episodes IV-VI has a story of when they saw the original trilogy the first time. I am sure most recall the long lines outside movie theaters, as back then blockbuster movies were not released on 4,000-plus screens nationwide.

They were released on only 500 screens, if that many, which made seeing them on the big screen more special, as chances are most of the showings were sold out for the first few weeks.

I still remember the packed theaters and cheers from the audience as the Death Star blew up at the end of “Star Wars” and the laughs from the kids who embraced those little teddy bears called Ewoks. My sister couldn’t look at the screen when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) removed Darth Vader’s mask near the end of “Return of the Jedi” so his father can look at his son with his own eyes before dying.

I remember the scene in “The Empire Strikes Back” when one of the Imperial officers tells Capt. Needa that Lord Vader wants an update on the pursuit of the Millennium Falcon. I heard someone in front of me knowing full well that that officer was about to meet an early demise getting an invisible choke-hold from Darth Vader in an upcoming scene, yell,

“He’s dead now!”

My parents did not take me to see “Star Wars” until August 1977, a few days before I was to begin second grade. We arrived about 10-15 minutes late so it wasn’t until we stayed for the next showing to see what we missed that I was able to figure what the story was about. Up until that time, I was more in awe of all the visual effects and Han Solo’s sarcastic self-assuredness.

When I saw “The Empire Strikes Back” in summer 1980, I was disappointed that the film ended on a cliffhanger. I got a little emotional seeing Han Solo (Harrison Ford) being put into carbon freeze and taken away by bounty hunter Boba Fett. I’d have to wait until summer 1983 for him to be rescued and for the Empire to be defeated.

While I admit “Return of the Jedi” could have gone out with a bigger bang, I still look back on that film today with a sense of nostalgia. I was going into second grade when I saw “Star Wars” and for the next three to four years my interest would be in Star Wars toys.

I was going into eighth grade when I saw “Return of the Jedi.” The following year I would be a freshman in high school. With the original trilogy ending in 1983, I saw it as a closing chapter of my grade school years, especially since by the time I was in eighth grade my interest in Star Wars toys was already fading.

Seeing Imperial stormtroopers, whose helmets in “The Force Awakens” trailers look like they are smiling as they wait for who I assume is another Emperor/Dark Lord to address them, a menacing bounty hunter, that warm feeling of nostalgia came over me again. Or maybe he/she is a hotshot Tie Fighter pilot

in black armor who actually knows how to aim for the target, redesigned X-Wing fighters soaring above a lake and hearing the voice of Hamill’s Luke Skywalker utter the familiar line off screen from ‘83’s “Jedi,” “The Force is strong in my family.” It’s as though this time, The Force is officially back for all those “stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerfherders” who were left with a bad taste in their mouths from the bad dialogue, and in some cases, bad acting and Jar Jar Binks director/screenwriter George Lucas gave them from Episodes I-III (1999-2005).

Perhaps this will be the year fans like myself will get the chance, if for only a brief moment, to be able to go back and relive their childhoods. The question remains, though, will I get back into collecting Star Wars toys as a result? Will I head over to Toys “R” Us the morning after everyone else rushes out to the midnight madness sales in early December to get the newest toys based on “The Force Awakens” to see what’s left? Will “Episode VII” actually live up to the hype?

To quote Yoda, “Difficult to see. Always in motion the future is.”

I’ll find out the morning of Dec. 18 (my birthday) when I am in line for the first showing (yes, I have already put in a request to be off that day as I refuse to work on my birthday, even if I’m spending the day alone).

For now, I’ll settle for that one scene at the end of “The Force Awakens” trailer that left most everyone with goosebumps showing 200-year-old Wookie, Chewbacca, who apparently doesn’t get gray hair, and a much older Han Solo inside the halls of the Millennium Falcon utter the words with that sarcastic, half-grin on his face, “Chewie, we’re home.”

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015

Memories of the Force, I have

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CAMPUS

Changes for emeritus students Additional steps for waivers begin this summer JOYCE JACKSON Copy Editor

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015

Among the long list of waivers in the State of Texas Exemption and Waiver Programs, one of them has been causing problems this semester for emeritus students.

Those 65 or over who are taking or auditing up to six credit hours of classes receive free tuition.

Recently though, students have received emails saying they owe additional fees for the spring semester. However, in the end they didn’t have to pay them.

Kathleen Cummings, associate registrar II in Admissions and Student Records, said she has received notice that a total of 91 emeritus students so far have been impacted by this waiver. The problem involves waivers from students in other divisions as well.

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1210 in May, 2013, sponsored by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo); Royce West (D-Dallas) and Daniel Branch (R-Dallas). It was put into place by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board last fall.

“They [the board] are the ones who take any laws that are passed in the legislature and say how it’s going to be put into practice,” Cummings said. “They give the guidelines. They do all the audits of the institutions to make sure

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we are complying with all the laws. They are the ones that hold us accountable.”

Cummings said that even though the Texas Legislature is in session, there is nothing else going on with this specific law at this time.

“If they don’t do anything through June, then it will stay like it is until the next legislative session,” Cummings said.

To receive the waivers, one of the requirements is that an emeritus student must have a GPA of at least 2.0 and not exceed the number of hours allowed for a specific program.

“For us here at Richland, it would be a maximum of 90 hours taken anywhere [at any college],” Cummings said.

“A lot of the emeritus students have a lot of hours because they have previous degrees.

Those are the ones that are impacting these waivers the most.”

Cummings said starting with the summer 2015 session, all emeritus students who want the waiver for up to six free credit hours will have to go through an appeals process to register for a class or classes.

They can register with Becky Jones, associate dean, School of Engineering, Business and Technology in Bonham Hall, Room B-001; Teresa Lott, administrative assistant, LEAD Division, in Guadalupe Hall, Room G-110, or Susan Holloway-Snider, emeritus director in Crockett Hall, Room C-120.

“Don’t wait until you get an email message,”

Cummings said. “Every semester students go through the appeals process. Appeals from now on have to be accompanied by an individually written explanation [for the course].”

Cummings said this semester the admissions office had a form explanation that students could just pick up, but that won’t happen from the first summer session on or this fall.

The waiver will not be listed on receipts until the waiver appeal process is complete. Then it will apply to a student’s account.

“For an auditor in the Coordinating Board coming in and reviewing our process, we need to have individually written appeals,” Cummings said.

That will be a new thing for summer. The deans in each of the division offices will forward appeals to Cummings, and she will apply it to the students’ accounts. She will have a list of all emeritus students.

Cummings said she thinks the emeritus program is important for older adults because they can continue learning.

“That’s the only way that you continue to grow and develop. It’s important that you are out there gathering more knowledge, she said.

“It’s a way to connect, you know. We have this great community here and it allows you to come, to meet other students, to connect with them and build that knowledge at the same time with other people who are interested in the same things.”

Richland briefs So You Think You Can Dance . . .

Got some cool moves that you’d like to show off ?

The Richland Dance Competition is on. It includes any style for just one minute.

The Office of Student Life is looking for dancers to compete.

Sign up in El Paso Hall, Room E-040 When: Thursday, noon to 1 p.m.

Where: Cafeteria pit in El Paso Hall For more information: 972-238-6130

‘Sylvia’ – a play devoted to dog lovers Dogs are man’s best friend, aren’t they? The Drama Department presents its last production this semester with A. R. Gurney’s “Sylvia.” The plot concerns a middle-aged couple and how a mutt named Sylvia disrupts their household. You’ll be surprised at how this couple resolves the problem.

The play runs at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday in the Arena Theater in Fannin Hall. It’s not recommended for anyone under 16 because of profanity.

Yoga classes Come and enjoy some gentle yoga classes for relaxation. They’re free and open to students, staff and faculty. Be sure to wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat or towel. The classes continue through May 14.

When: Thursday, from 2 to 2:50 p.m.

Where: Crockett Hall, Room 110 For more information: 972-238-3771

Time to Vote – May 9 The deadline for Texas residents to register to vote in the May 9 elections is over, but if you are a registered voter, go to www.dallasvoteinfo.com and it will help you evaluate the candidates in your city.

The municipal races are in alphabetical order. For the Richardson City Council, for example, in Place 1 is Bob Townsend, 82, vs.

Rick Wilder, 66. Townsend is retired from Texas Instruments and Wilder is a retired R & D technician.

Richland

CHRONICLE STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Layout Editor Online Editor Photography Editor Entertainment Editor Copy Editor

Melanie Brandow Marta Planells Kisten S. Chetty Joe Stumpo Blanca Reyes Ricky Miller Joyce Jackson

ON THE COVER Left: Dr. Bill J. Priest. Top right: Alfredo Corchado.

Bottom: Immigration information.

COVER AND FONTS Left: Staff photo ilustration Isai Diaz. Top right: Staff photo Blanca Reyes. Bottom: Image courtesy nwherald.com Certain cover fonts are provided by the following: http://www.nymfont.com - http://www.bvfonts.com

STUDENT MEDIA STAFF

Crissy Ashley Isai Diaz Ryan Bingham Duff Ashling Han Abraham Igene Truman Kohler-Katz

Anthony Nguyen Lydia Nigussie Jerome Robinson II James Shrader Fatma Mohamed Swaleh Quan Tran

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards Jack Fletcher David Goodloe Tim Jones

Steve Noviello Larry Ratliff Marshall Siegel

ISSUE DATES April 28 May 5 May 12

AWARDS

ACP Pacemaker Winner, 2000, 2001, 2007 ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007 ACP Online Pacemaker Finalist, 2007, 2008 1st Place - TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place - TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 Over 170 Texas college journalism awards since 2000

CONTACT INFORMATION

El Paso Hall, Room E-020, 12800 Abrams Rd. Dallas, 75243 Newsroom: 972-238-6079 E-mail: richanchronicle@gmail.com Advertising: 972-238-6068 E-mail: advertise@dcccd.edu Fax: 972-238-6037 Staff meetings: Monday and Wednesday 2 p.m. in E-020 Letter Policy Letters to the editor may be edited for space. They will be edited for spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements.

Letters must be the work of the writer and must be signed. For identification and verification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s classification (grade level), full name, address and telephone number, although address and telephone number will not be published.

Editorial Policy The Chronicle is the official student-produced newspaper of Richland College. Editorials, cartoons, columns and letters are the opinions of individual students and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other individual student writers, editors, advisers or the college administration. © Richland Chronicle 2015

Upcoming Events

Tribute to man with a ‘vision’ and a ‘plan’ MELANIE BRANDOW Editor-in-Chief

A tribute to the founding chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District, Dr. Bill J. Priest, was held Wednesday at Eastfield College. Contemporary tunes played in the background as family, friends and colleagues filled the hall with hugs and warm greetings of “Long time, no see,” “How have you been?” and “Nice to see you again.”

Robert J. Young, former DCCCD legal counsel, opened the celebration with a brief review of Priest’s accomplishments. Priest dedicated a vast part of his life to making higher education accessible to all, Young said.

Speakers honored Priest, who died Dec. 31, 2014, as a man of goals, strong, an expert, confidant, smart and protective. Priest was a California native and received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate from the University of California, Berkley, he recieved a baseball scholarship later and played professional baseball. He was also a Navy veteran of World War II. DCCCD Chancellor Joe May said he was fortunate enough to have a conversation with Priest about a year ago. As Dr. May recalled their conversation, he said that it dawned on him, “It’s not just about creating a vision. It’s just about grasping the mission.” May called Priest and his founding leadership team, “the greatest collection of people to create a vision of community and technical colleges ever brought together.

“He had a vision and he had a plan,” May said.

May added that since 1965, DCCCD has

Staff photo Isai Diaz

Dr. H. Deon Holt, former vice chancellor and founding president of Richland and Brookhaven Colleges, remembers Priest.

had almost 3 million people come through its doors. According to May, Priest wasn’t only creating something big and important, but essential for the county and the quality of life for Dallas. “When you set something on the right course, when you bring in the right people, when you have the right vision, good things happen and continue to happen,” May said.

Dr. H. Deon Holt, former vice chancellor and founding president of Richland and Brookhaven Colleges, said that Priest was a mentor for him.

“Thanks to Bill, I learned to take a risk in trying new things,” he said. Holt first met with Priest in the summer of 1957 at the University of Utah, where he finished two degrees

in journalism while working full time in the field. There were openings for several faculty positions and Holt said he wanted to see if he would be of some use to Priest, specifically in journalism. He remembered, with appreciation, what he called “Bill Priest’s ism’s,” such as “You never make enough mistakes, you’re not trying enough new things,” and “The only dumb question is when you ask twice.”

Dr. Stephen Mittelstet, former president of Richland College, said he was grateful for Priest, along with Holt and Janet Lecroy, who taught him early in his career the importance of the value, art and skill in being an entrepreneur for the DCCCD’s institutional mission and vision. Mittelstet called Priest one of the leading pioneers in advancing a mission of an entrepreneurial effort for higher education and distance learning.

Mittelstet said Priest achieved great success, “not only as a founding chancellor of the DCCCD, but it has been said that, also throughout this uniquely U.S. American national movement that transformed the junior college into the community college, a comprehensive community college that it has become in the United States and today, more and more broadly, in the international circles, as well.”

He said he was greatful for Priest’s inspiration to seek out measures in contributing to the community and achieving the district’s comprehensive mission.

Mittelstet said that he learned a lot about leadership by observing and working directly with Priest. He also learned the value of good humor and performing serious and important work and, in addition, the importance of investing in mind, body and spirit for living a good life.

More colleague testimonials “[He] shaped the caring culture that is still prevalent to this day.

A sterling leader and a community college icon. But most importantly, Bill, we will remember you as a really good man.”

“Dr. Priest always put the well-being of the district above all. He truly was the right man, in the right place, at the right time to coordinate the developement years of [DCCCD].”

Dr. Bettie Tully Professor emeritus, El Centro College

Dr. Vivian Dennis-Monzingo Retired faculty, Eastfield College

“[He was] an extraordinary leader who built the DCCCD into one of the top community college systems in the country. His motto was, ‘Build it, grow it, make it high quality.’”

Today 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Richland String Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles

Fannin Performance Hall 7:30 p.m.

Spring Symphonic Instrumental Music Concert 2: “Music in Emotion”

Wind Symphony, String Orchestra, Chamber Ensembles

Fannin Performance Hall

Wednesday Noon to 1 p.m.

Richland Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Singers Cafeteria stage El Paso Hall

Wednesday - Saturday 7:30 p.m.

The Drama Department presents “Sylvia,” a comedy-drama by A.R. Gurney.

Arena Theater in Fannin Hall

May 4 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

El Paso Hall

Anthropology Club bake sale

May 4 - 5 SGA elections

May 5 9:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.

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“The Color of Fear” Film and workshops Limited seating available, RSVP at kcoder@dcccd.edu

Robert L. Thorton II DCCCD Foundation board

Cinco de Mayo celebration 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Outdoors in the breezeway

Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015

Bill J. Priest:

REMEMBRANCE

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Richlandchronicle.wordpress.com April 28, 2015