NEW RENOVATIONS FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES HUB CAUSES CLOSURE

PHOTO | CORBIN WILLMORTH Renovations take place in the S.U. Building. Construction material lies all around the area.

S.U. BUILDING

NEW RENOVATIONS FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES HUB CAUSES CLOSURE

SHYLA JENSEN

COMMUNICATOR

The Student Union building is a central point for students at SFCC.

“The hub of SFCC’s student activities is the Student Union Building centrally located on the SFCC campus,” according to SFCC’s website. The Student Union Building, or SUB, offers a number of different facilities, such as a lounge area, the Falls Café featuring a dining area with TVs, a recreation center, conference rooms that are available to rent by the community, our college store and the student services area.

The student services area is where you can find reception, admissions office, student records, multicultural student services, the career center, job referral, the cashier’s office, financial aid, the Veteran Affairs office and the Associate Dean of student transitions.

The SUB, found on the map as building seventeen, is just east of the Student Athletic Center.

The SUB has been under renovation officially since last August, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it has taken longer than what was originally planned to execute the remodel. Many students and staff have been wondering what changes are being made.

“The project brought in natural light from the café by adding glass doors between the lobby and the café dining area,” Heather Mckenzie, Director of Student Funded Programs said. “They added new lighting, paint, furniture, carpet and fireplace. Oh, and a new ceiling. The building has also had the fire suppression system updated as well.”

The student leadership team was heavily involved in the design of the remodel, making furniture decisions as well as the technology needed.

FEATURES CAMPUS CHANGES

RESTRICTIONS MAKE CAMPUS LESS WELCOMING

MARISA WEST COMMUNICATOR

COVID-19 has affected so many lives. However, that isn’t the only thing that changed. Life expectations have changed as well.

Spokane Fall Community College campus used to be filled with students moving about. Groups of students moving from class to class, as well as events and clubs. The Student Union building was a place to gather yourself and study, grab something to eat, purchase apparel and accessories. Representatives from four year colleges would visit and provide information for transfer degrees. Many students returning this year have seen a difference in the way campus feels compared to last year. Amber Weatherbee, a returning student agrees.

“We had many different clubs that people [used to be] into,” Weatherbee said. “I wish I had gotten into all of that too. I felt like we were supposed to be a community for everybody.”

“It was a ghost town [last quarter],” Erik Nelson said. “There are a lot more people, with health attestation, and masks.”

Having the campus partially shut down is affecting some students’ education, and the way they expected college to be.

“You can’t go into the Library and study,” said Nelson. “The cafeteria is closed. If you want to come [to campus] to study you have to find a little cubby in a hallway. I go to the science building and find a corner.”

Personal relationships were formed because of the activities that everyone was a part of. The Spokane Falls campus was filled with activities throughout the week. From the food bank to theater productions to movie nights, there was always something going on that included and invited everyone together.

Even when there wasn’t an event, the library was always a place to go and feel part of the campus. Greg Cain, the supervisor in the library computer lab, has seen 7 years worth of students go through those doors.

“Normally we’d have 100 students a day,“ Cain said. “Now it is 50 students max. We are still very steady, and have few times where there is nobody here, but on average there I would say about 30 people [now].”

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions the school is under, clubs are attended over zoom, the theater is closed, and even class sizes have shrunk.

“We are open,” Cain said. “ We have 14 computers available, scanners, and two special needs stations available. We even moved computers in front of the windows, which have become popular to watch the squirrels in the trees as you do your work.”

While some students take advantage of the open library many others stay disconnected. Students that would have normally joined clubs or activities don’t now, from fear of spreading the virus. Zooms are attended but many feel it’s disconnected.

Campus has shut down in person activities, but students agree that this changes the way campus feels at its core.

PHOTO | MARISA WEST Life on campus has changed drastically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The library is one example, leaving students with no access to books or services.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Corbin Willmorth | COMMUNICATOR For drama students and staff, this theatre season has looked much different than most. SFCC PLAY SEASON

PANDEMIC CAUSES COMPLICATIONS FOR DRAMA MAJORS

KALYN SANDE

COMMUNICATOR

For drama students and staff, play season has looked a little different, taking into consideration being in the middle of a pandemic. It has been difficult for them to perform from home without being together as a group or the thrill of an audience.

Despite these challenges, they’ve found ways to make it work even if it’s not the same as a live production.

“As for myself, I can say that the impact from the challenge of COVID-19 has been met with great tenacity and compassion from all our faculty and staff,” said drama instructor, Chris Hansen. “We have been working diligently through the entire quarantine timeline, providing a production each quarter so far. We have adapted curriculum, rapidly learned new technology, and championed this difficult atmosphere alongside our amazing students. I of course miss being in person and will welcome the opportunity once all is safe and sound. When that day comes, look to SFCC Drama students for even greater entertainment and inspiration! We’ll see you at the theatre!”

Drama instructors are doing their best to make it a fun experience for their students. Productions are recorded each quarter for people to watch and enjoy from the comfort of their homes. Even though it may be strange for these students to have to record themselves acting from their own homes, it gives them a chance to perfect their character and learn to become better actors. It’s better than not being able to have drama at all.

“Covid-19 has certainly affected how we do theatre, the biggest difference being the lack of a live audience,” Meg Jones, President of Bigfoot drama said.

Having a live audience watching is a big part of acting. Without it, it just doesn’t feel the same. The adrenaline that was there before is now gone.

“I enjoy performing in front of an audience, as the energy from the audience influences the performance, which makes every show unique,” Jones said. “Now we do not have an audience and are acting in front of our webcams at home. Although I do not enjoy this pre-recorded medium, I am happy that the instructors are doing their best to ensure we still receive the full experience and have fun. Despite drama class not being in person, I have made many friends through the program. However, trying to speak to the other characters when they are not in the same room as me is next-level weird… Despite everything, we are still acting, bringing new experiences to our audiences (watching from the comfort of their homes), and I cannot wait for our next show.”

Although all of this isn’t ideal, the show must go on! The Drama department is continuing to stay positive and work on great performances. Once they can return to in person, count on even greater performances.

“The main goals of Bigfoot Drama are to support productions put on by the Drama Program and to foster an appreciation for theatre among the students, faculty, and staff at Spokane Falls Community College,” said the drama club.

Through these tough circumstances, drama students are continuing to pursue

sfcc.derek.tresner@gmail.com LOCAL THEATERS STRUGGLE

MANY SHUT DOWN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

ELIZA MATELICH COMMUNICATOR

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is how to think outside the box in a variety of situations, adjusting and re-adjusting. Local theaters have been no exception.

From access to online recordings and live streaming shows, Spokane stages have had to come up with new ways of performing their productions. In an interview with local theatre Stage Left’s managing and artistic director Jeremy Whittington, he discussed how Stage Left specifically has been affected and what they are doing to stay afloat.

“We shut down the theatre on March 14 of last year,” Whittington said. “When we realized that [we wouldn’t be opening soon]. Our front of house manager, Joy Wood, and I started writing grants for the theater, we didn’t get the first two grants that we wrote. But luckily [with using feedback from the grant awards] we got that grant. Over the course of...four months, we got 36,000 dollars in grant money.”

After that victory, Stage Left began thinking of creative ways to share the arts with the world. They started with short little videos of plays written by local 1st graders. And moved on to creating small one man shows. Their most recent one-man show is An Iliad, a version adapted from Homer’s Iliad. Stage left has been through ups and downs but ultimately, they have succeeded in staying creative while thinking of ways to thrive during the pandemic.

Though not all theatres have been as successful as Stage Left. Interplayers, another local theatre, had to shut down due to COVID.

FLAVORS

Corbin Willmorth | COMMUNICATOR Melissa Pilant, smiles through clear face mask made by staff,

EATING OUT

PANDEMIC AFFECTS LOCAL RESTAURANTS

SHYLA JENSEN COMMUNICATOR

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit most restaurants hard since it began to spread last year causing shutdowns and new regulations for reopening.

Small businesses and local restaurants arguably have been taking the most loss, many restaurants being put out of business and a large number of people becoming unemployed.

“Our hours used to be five a.m. to eight p.m., then we switched to five a.m. to four p.m., and we are now open eight a.m. to two p.m,” Linda Peterson, manager of Frankie Doodles said. “Everyday we get calls from people asking if they can come in to eat.”

Following all guidelines such as social distancing, requiring masks and frequent sanitation, they still are unable to open for dine-in just yet. . Some restaurants that rely on sit down customers have made changes in the way they run their take-out systems in order to stay afloat during these trying times.

“We have kind of the whole restaurant to utilize to be able to do take-out orders, so that makes it easier,” Carmen Sowler, an employee of South Hill Grill said.

Due to the loss of business, restaurants have also had to significantly decrease the amount of food they order to prevent large amounts of waste.

“We have to change our orders to the same level that we are selling,” Fiesta Mexicana’s manager Mike Amador said. “We are doing OK, but we had to push back on everything,” Amador said. “Thankfully the government has been giving assistance otherwise we’d be closed by now. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Just in the first 6 months of the pandemic, the Washington Hospitality Association reported over 2,500 permanent closures. In Spokane alone, well over ten restaurants have permanently shut down due to the impact, some being open for over three decades.

With that being said, it is evident that the effects of COVID-19 are devastating to local businesses that do not have the money to fall back on like bigger corporations do. While the government has been offering assistance to these restaurants, the restrictions are heavily affecting their business. Supporting small and local businesses is vital as it is allowing them to keep their doors open.

INSTANT POT

EASY RECIPES WITH SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

CORBIN WILLMORTH COMMUNICATOR

A free recipe for a dish made with an instant-pot, just for you. Recently, my dad gifted me an instant pot. For those who don’t know, an instant-pot is this kind of new/kind of not new cooking device that is essentially a mix between a pressure cooker and a crockpot. For this issue’s cooking article, I thought that I would put this bad boy to use. I thought that I would make deconstructed Omurice, which is like an omelet stuffed with rice and chicken. Growing up with Asian heritage on my mother’s side, I thought I would use this as an opportunity to compare how rice is made in the instant-pot compared to how rice is traditionally made. The ingredients for this recipe were sourced from my local food bank and the spices were sourced from the back of my spice cabinet. For the ingredients, all you’ll need is chicken, rice, eggs, some sort of cooking oil, ketchup, and sesame seeds, the last two being optional. For cookware, you’ll need the instant pot, a kitchen spoon, a spatula, a chef’s knife, a cup, and a pan or skillet.

When my family taught me how to cook rice, I was told that you must place your rice in the pot and hold the tip of your finger on top of the layer of rice and fill the water up to your first knuckle, or the point where the tip of your bends. The booklet recommends that you rinse the rice prior to cooking and that the rice-to-water ratio be 1:1. While on a traditional stove, rice must soak for 15 minutes before cooking for another 15 and let cool for yet another 15, the instant-pot just requires you to close the lid and set it for 30 minutes. Place your chicken into the oiled skillet and set the stove burner to seven. Stir occasionally with spatula for seven-to-nine minutes or until the chicken is golden brown. Reduce heat to medium. In a cup, two eggs. With a utensil, stir the eggs until the yolks and the whites have mixed into a single-colored liquid. Pour this liquid into the skillet with the chicken and stir while repeatedly taking the skillet on and off of the burner so that the eggs come out nice and fluffy, turning off the burner once this is done. When the rice is finally done, open the vent and let the instant pot leak out all of the built-up air before opening the lid. Scoop the rice and chicken/egg mix into a bowl. You can eat it as is or you can add ketchup and sesame seeds for a savory flavor. If bland for your tastes, salt and pepper is always an option.

Corbin Willmorth | COMMUNICATOR Chicken and rice made by Corbin Willmorth.

PARENTS JUGGLE SCHOOL, LIFE

STUDENT PARENTS BALANCE SCHOOL AND THEIR CHILDREN

Eliza Matelich COMMUNICATOR

The much-awaited New Year is here, the world is starting to slowly re-open and now that college students are being allowed back to school.

That begs the question, what are these students with children doing? What are they doing to balance school and the care of their children? And what are daycares doing to adjust to the new restrictions?

In an interview with Lisa Hollen, the center manager of SFCC’s Early Learning Center, she identified all of the changes the daycare has had to make.

“Our preschool classrooms that typically run with 19 children in each room werev reduced to a maximum of 10 children per classroom due to covid,” Hollen said. “Preschool rooms have individual sets of supplies so we limit cross contamination. Staff wear [masks all] the time, and do their best to maintain 6 feet apart from other staff members.Parents no longer enter the building, they drop their children off at the outside entrance of the classroom. This helps limit the amount of potential covid exposure inside the building. We have shortened hours at the beginning and end of each day for extra cleaning and sanitizing. Our hours were reduced from 7-4:30 to 7:30-4pm.”

The early learning center is located on SFCC’s campus and they describe the daycare as such.

“Your children benefit from our early learning center also serving as an SFCC learning laboratory site for our students studying early childhood education,” their website said. “Early Head Start for children from one year to three years of age. Head Start pre-school for children three to five years of age.”

Most everyone has had struggles with online school, but for mother and SFCC student, Rachel Gordon has had to juggle her schoolwork, her son’s school schedule and working, which is

Corbin Willmorth | COMMUNICATOR A playground at the SFCC Early Learning Center, a small sign reads kids only.

quite a handful.

“The most difficult part was keeping him interested in his school work, but still keeping up with my own work,“ Gordon said. “I also work, and that made it even more challenging. A benefit was that since my platform is online, I was able to be an example to him of how to do it [online classes]. I fit school in when I can...I was often up late as it was the only time I had available for my school.”

Gordon is a perfect example of many parents currently enrolled who manage their time to focus on her child, but also manage to balance their own school and jobs.

BUSY SCHEDULE? WE GET IT.

Flexible learning options allow you to attend class virtually or in person.

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