Nov 7, 2019 (51.2)

C

The

Volume 51 Issue 2 Nov. 7, 2019 - Dec. 4, 2019

ommunicator Spokane Falls Community College

FUND SUPPORTS FAIRCHILD FAMILIES, CCS STUDENTS FEATURES, PAGE 10

CONTENTS

11.07.2019

Cover photo by Winnie Killingsworth

Dark themes come to Spartan Theater

NEWS

On Nov. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24, SFCC's Spartan Theater and Bigfoot Drama Club will be showing "Six Rounds of Vengeance."

Las Vegas becomes Lost Vegas in the post-apocalyptic world.

Blood-thirsty monsters are faced by a young gunslinger and a samurai cowboy both out for vengeance. While seeking their revenge, these two heroes must become as blood-thirsty as what they are fighting.

Winnie Killingsworth | The Communicator

Parents strongly cautioned: Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Visit us online at: communicatoronline.org

Showings are at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Admission is $10 unless you're a student at CCS. For you, it's free.

Follow us on Instagram at: @TheFalls_Communicator

Follow us on Twitter at: @SFCCcomm

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MISSING SCC STUDENT UPDATE MEDITATION ON CAMPUS COLD FOR COATS PREVIEW

ART

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ART MURAL

FEATURES

6 DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH 8 FIRST GEN COLLEGE STUDENTS 9 CCS FAIRCHILD FUND DONATION 10 ASG LEADERSHIP PROFILE

OPINION

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VOX POPULI

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OPINION: CROSSWALK NEEDED?

PERSPECTIVE

The first issue of The Communicator is free. Additional copies are 50 cents. Newspaper theft is a form of censorship and removal of copies may result in criminal charges.

Staff can be contacted at: sfcc.firstname.lastname@gmail.com

OUR STAFF Winnie Killingsworth EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nicholas Jackson MANAGING EDITOR

Allison Manion REPORTER

Lindsey Treffry ADVISER

Maggie Barnett REPORTER

Jillian Rockford PHOTO EDITOR

Katelynn Cooke REPORTER

Patrisha Piapot WEB EDITOR

This could be you!

Photo courtesy of ASG

WANT TO JOIN THE COMMUNICATOR STAFF? Any SFCC student is welcome to join our staff by enrolling in College Newspaper Production I (JOURN 101).

No previous experience is required.

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News

11.07.2019

3

Security supervisors talk student safety

A parking lot on SCC campus is seen on a recent fall day.

Security on SCC campus has been working with the president to help plan the placement of security cameras in parking lots, such as this one.

CCS officials react to recent incident of missing student Patrisha Piapot

The Communicator The 17-year-old Spokane Community College student who went missing for two weeks after disappearing from campus was found safe Oct. 21 in California, according to Spokane police.

During the time Sara McNease was missing, there was a concern from students on both SCC and SFCC campuses. There was also a concerned parent who planned to start a petition for SCC to add more cameras to its parking lots.

Social media was buzzing about what had actually happened to her and it was unclear whether it was a kidnapping or McNease McNease had run away from home.

Charles Hollen, the SCC campus safety and security supervisor, discussed his involvement in the case as well as safety improvements that may or may not be implemented after McNease went missing.

“In the particular parking lot where the incident happened, there is not any surveillance but there is a few parking lots that do have cameras,” Hollen said.

Hollen worked closely with Spokane police after McNease went missing.

“Initially when the very first report came in, we were more drastically involved in what was happening with the police on the disappearance …” he said. “The involvement after the initial report was more just passing along information to the detective working the case …”

Last spring, SCC started a design project to implement the use of more cameras through campus, Hollen said.

“The new plan has been presented to the SCC president who will make a decision on how to implement this and how to fund it.”

In the time that Hollen has worked at SCC as a security officer, he has “never seen anything relative

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Patrisha Piapot| The Communicator

Q&A: Title IX director discusses security improvements, campus concerns There was said to be concern from students, parents of students and also faculty members on campus surrounding 17-year-old missing student Sara McNease.

Glen Cosby is the vice president of student services at Spokane Community College and is also the Title IX director for the SCC campus.

Cosby sat down with The Communicator and answered questions on plans for security improvements, history of crime incidences, and what he knows about the safety concerns of those attending SCC. Are there any plans of adding more security improvements on campus?

“We’re hopeful that once the construction is over, we can make a new plan to implement different things, and also that the security improvements will also be in place at that point.”

Has anything like this ever happened before on campus?

“There have been students that have disappeared.

We had an incident where a former student’s car was found on campus, and then unfortunately the student did turn up dead, and I think that is still under investigation. Not anything similar to the Sara McNease incident since the time that I’ve been working here at SCC though. ... The bulk of the security incidents that we have on campus tend to be disorderly conduct and we have all different people at our STA bus stop here and we’re in the middle of town, near a freeway. ... The lion share of the security issues we have on campus have to do with either property damage, occasionally we will have an assault issue or something like that to this incident.”

“We’ve never had anyone missing for more than a few hours, but as far as this know, this is the first time that this has happened,” he said.

but since I’ve been at SCC no issues regarding guns, or even knives I can recall.”

How do you directly work with the students that come to you?

“It depends on what the issue is. Often times, if the students are having problems, they will go to a staff member that they trust, but our faculty and staff are good about reporting issues we have a BIT team that stands for behavioral issues team and our early alert system. We are pretty good about letting people know that if something doesn’t seem quite right, they can always pick up the phone and let someone know, myself or a counselor. We all work together, as long as something is reported we can work on resolving the issues.”

Are any SCC students concerned about campus safety after the incident with the 17 year old, running start student Sara McNease?

“The students, for the most part, have been pretty low key about this whole incident. There was a lot of buzz about this on social media, (but) by and large the students still seem to feel pretty comfortable with safety. Our student guv leaders want to ensure safety still remains a priority and they have a few ideas that they’ve shared with us, mostly having to do with adding more lighting and reducing the amount of areas someone would be able to hide behind, or lurk. ...

Students also know that if they ever feel unsafe walking to their car they can contact security for someone to walk with them.“ For questions regarding student services, contact Cosby at (509) 533-7015.

The same could be said for SFCC, said Kenneth Demello, SFCC campus and security supervisor.

“We have had students reported missing but there is usually a lack of communication between students

and parents,” Demello said. “We have had people that’ve contacted us and said that they are parents who are concerned about safety, but there are no actual complaints for either campus at the moment.”

sfcc.patrisha.piapot@gmail.com

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News

11.07.2019

The Communicator

Wellness club, mental health and meditation How can mediation help improve your stress levels and anxiety?

Allison Manion The Communicator If you are a student here at SFCC that feels anxiety for that upcoming quiz, or depression from feeling out of control with your life, meditation may be a solution for you. We all have a fear of the future and troubles in our past, that can make tackling the everyday life of being a college students incredibly hard for us. This is why the Wellness Center here on campus recently provided a workshop about mental health and meditation. They brought in two experts to help teach students how to bring their mind and body to rest. Dr. Dexter Amend and Lama Lakshey Sangpo Rinpoche held an event to teach participants about the value of simple meditation and the health benefits it brings you.

“Meditation directly affects every aspect of our experience and is going to help everything,” Amend said.

As human beings, to perform at an optimal level and be the best we can, our body needs rest or sleep.

This is what meditation does for us, it brings our body and mind to rest. Amend said that a practiced mediator can get four hours of stage 4 sleep in just 20 minutes of meditating.

“This is how meditation affects everything, because it gives the body the rest it needs,” Amend said.

The two major mental health issues today, especially during this time of year, are depression and anxiety. When your mind starts running off into a state of constant worry or sadness about life, you can’t be the best you can be. Amend’s advice was very simple.

“Just don’t go there”, he said.

How do we accomplish this?

A few minutes of meditation a day.

Here’s how it works. Rinpoche said there are three stages of meditation to help keep your mind focused.

The first is placement, focusing in on an object and nothing else; in this case, that “object” is your own breathing. Next is continued place-

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Allison Manion | The Communicator Speakers at a recent meditation workshop, Dr. Dexter Amend, left, and his colleague Lama Lakshey Sangpo Rinpoche, pose after teaching participants about the value of meditation for mental wellness.

ment which involves mindfulness, or not forgetting your chosen focus, and alertness; keeping your mind from thinking about any outside noise or distraction. Finally replacement: by focusing only on your breathing, you are no longer letting your mind wander off into panic or past troubles or future worries, you are simply breathing and being in the present time.

“Everything happens in the present,” Rinpoche said. ”Meditation brings peace and joy to this moment and that brings a freedom.”

Amend and Rinpoche said that It’s very powerful to do this for even just two minutes, to bring you that freedom. Meditation is about getting to know your own mind, we for the most part are under the mercy of our own mind. With meditation, you are freed from your own mind and brought the joy of simply breathing in the present time. In some cultures, meditation is taught in the education system to bring

peace and freedom from the mind to students to help them perform at optimal levels.

“Rest provides energy for optimal activity,” Amend said.

Meditation can’t be done with distraction, therefore your focus of your breathing must be complete. If your mind begins to wander off you must bring it back in.

“We live in a world where people are so confused and full of anxiety and depression. This is not normal for humans, this is a tragedy,” Amend said. Rinpoche agreed stating that “Everything happens in the present but our mind distracts us with the past and future, with distraction comes errors,”.

Meditation helps you better handle being human. The best advice from this seminar was Amend’s thought on the mind “the mind is an idiot, let it go.” He said when you can find a way to separate yourself from your minds traumas you will

have freedom.

The wellness club has upcoming events to help ease the minds of our students on campus and relieve stress.

For more information ACUPUNCTURE 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Nov. 15 SUB lounge C OPEN YOGA 6:30 a.m.

Nov. 13, 15 and 22, Bldg. 7 Rm 121 TAI CHI 11:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. Nov. 14 and 21, SUB Lounge C WELLNESS CLUB EVENT YOGA/TAI CHI WORKSHOP 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Nov. 22 SUB Lounge C

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11.07.2019

News

5

Coming up soon Cold for Coats drive

Annual ASG event helps more than just students to stay warm this winter Maggie Barnett The Communicator

Every winter, hundreds of people in Spokane go without a coat and are cold because of it.

This includes young children whose parents can’t provide a thick warm jacket, students who have to pay rent and tuition, and adults who can’t purchase or afford them and are left behind and shivering.

Our wet and windy winters deal out harsh, low temperatures that make walking to school or work tough. The transient problem here in Spokane is more visible than ever and it’s far worse for those who don’t have a proper place to go home and stay warm to get through the coldest season of the year. Any person who doesn’t have a winter coat or heating will be left helpless in the soon to come cruel winter days. That’s why annually for the last couple years, SFCC’s Associated Student Government has been putting on an event called Cold for Coats.

“I believe that this clothing drive will have a big positive impact on our community,” said Lydia Calderon-Aceituno, the outreach programmer for ASG. “The homeless and low income communities of downtown Spokane (where we plan to distribute the supplies) have great need for warm winter clothing, and many cannot afford to purchase these items on their own.”

This year the event will be held from Nov. 19 to 21 on the lawn outside of the library. The drop sites will be next to the camp area, or you can head inside the Student Union Building to the ASG rooms 137 and 138 as well. Make sure to gather what you no longer use or need and stop by the drive to donate what you can. Cold for Coats is a coat drive where ASG encourages anyone and everyone to donate gently used coats. Other warm clothing, besides jackets and coats are also greatly appreciated.

Hats, scarves, mittens or ear muffs are exceedingly helpful. ASG is also enthusiastically encouraging the do-

www.communicatoronline.org

Courtesy photos In prior years, Cold for Coats has had great success with student participation. Pictured here, in 2016, a photo published on the SFCC facebook page shows the ASG camped out in tents and a dropsite for students to donate canned foods or warm coats.

nation of nonperishable food items or canned foods as well.

“We will be collecting donations from students and community members of warm winter clothing such as coats, socks and hats,” said Calderon-Aceituno. “We will also have cookies and hot cocoa for anybody who wants to stop by and talk with our team members.

This year, the team is also planning on teaming up with a club from Whitworth University to distribute the supplies downtown.”Alongside the good work Cold for Coats does for the community, they also send a message. Some members stick it out in the harsh weather in tents for the duration of the drive.

“Several members of the ASG team will be camping out in tents for three days and two nights,” Calderon-Aceituno said. “Students are welcome to volunteer to join us for any amount of time that they wish.”

They do this in hopes to paint a picture of what it’s like for those who suffer every day. Often the

Past 2016 ASG Students set up tents next to drop sites for the Cold for Coats drive.

reality of what it’s like for those who don’t have coats or a house is shielded from the public eye.

Cold for Coats works hard to bring awareness.

“I expect for us to receive many donations from students and community members,” Calderon-Aceituno said. “We have in fact already received some dona-

tions from community members who heard about the event!”

The best way to feel the holiday spirit is to give the gift of giving to others.

“Through Cold for Coats, the students of Spokane Falls can help give back to their community and help those in need,” Calderon-Aceituno said.

sfcc.maggie.barnett@gmail.com

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Features

11.07.2019

The Communicator

Disability Awareness Month on campus DSS offices had intergral part in planning Disability Awareness Month celebrations Katelynn Cooke The Communicator For Kathy Shearer, working with students is a definite perk of her job.

The director of disability support services works closely with disabled students to help them succeed no matter where they start.

Much like Shearer, Lea Layman, the disability support services director’s assistant generally helps students get connected to others working in the Disability Support Services office, and allows them to feel at ease from first inquiry about resources to recieving their accommodations. Shearer and Layman act as the friendly faces to greet students upon entering the disability support services office, and also act as a consequential part of SFCC’s most recent Disability Awareness Month’s celebrations.

“I would say that I like the energy, working at college.I like making people feel comfortable in a place that they can come and, and there’s no judgments, it’s just a kind of leveling of the playing field for everybody,” Layman said.

When asked what the best part of working in her position as director of the DSS offices,Shearer said, “I am always learning something new because disability presents in a different way with people. So I love that combination of sort of legal medical and student narratives that influences our work.”

Volunteering is a way for our campus to support our DSS office.

“The one area that we could really use volunteers would be volunteer note taking in the classrooms,” Layman said. “We will provide carbon lined paper, so it’s carbon on one sheet and not carbon, on the other, but it transfers to the second page. So if we have a student who does better with handwritten notes than recording, we’ll pair them with a student already in the classroom who’s already taking notes, then at the end of class they just separate the pages apart, and both students have neat clear handwritten notes, current with the class.”

If there are students interested but held up by how this could be

sfcc.Katelynn.Cooke@gmail.com

Paralympic sports in one of many of SFCC’s Disability Awareness month’s celebrations.

Courtesy photos Kathy Shearer Director of DSS pictured in her office, always with a smile.

a symbiotic relationship instead of one-sided, Layman also wants students to know, “The benefit to the student who does the volunteering beyond just volunteering is good, is that it really becomes something that you could include on a resume as a service, you know, certainly, a service learning activity, while you’re in college.”

Shearer agreed.

“If, for example, if they want to include it on their resume, say they want to have documentation we’d be happy to print something up that states that they volunteered for that quarter,” she said.Now, each of these women’s everyday tasks tell a unique story about the kind of work they do to benefit disabled students on our campus. “My number one goal every day is to – when people come in – make them feel welcome. As far as my actual day-to-day work, I proctor exams. I manage the front desk. I coordinate, especially for the Disability Awareness Month’s Celebrations. The testing and ergonomic furniture and (Shearer’s) calendar, we can work in tandem with that …”

It takes a village, so to speak, and the DSS office becomes that village for disabled students.

“So as a director my main goal is to normalize disability in our community ... If the disability is new to them (students), we try to provide a little bit of education about what that disability looks like, what kind of accommodations may have helped other people to get some kind of sense of how to best help the student, it’s, it’s an ongoing process.”

Students can come into the disability office anytime during the

ing about different things.”

Which goes back to Shearer’s thought of the disability community and those who are allies within it, always acknowledging new parts of what it means to have a disability. “(Layman) and I planned a lot of the Disability Awareness Month sort of flow. And our goal was that it becomes a community event,” but Shearer and Layman don’t deserve all the credit for how well the events manifested.

“The student groups, the Occutational Therapy Assistant students and the Flying Hands Club have each taken half of the month,” Shearer said, as part of their service to the community.

Both Shearer and Layman were very positive about the work they do: “I mean that’s what we do, we meet the student with a disability where they’re at. And we try to figure out a solution to whatever the educational barrier is,” Shearer said.

The support they receive from faculty and our campus’ community at large to be able to better complete their work was also a positive subject.

“If a faculty member receives an accommodation letter and they’re not sure what it means or exactly, you know, how they can help the student, they will reach out to us but then there’s usually a positive outcome or they’ll be like, ‘Oh, thank you so much for supporting the students, i have developed an understanding because of this.’ I find that the faculty are really open and timely they get back to us quickly. When, we need to engage and problem-solve together,” Shearer said.

quarter, Shearer said.

As this duo was asked how they felt about our campus’ progress with accessibility, and whether or not they think that there are areas SFCC as a campus can improve upon its performance for disabled students, Shearer said, “What I love about SFCC, is that there’s a real sense of continuing ongoing improvement here, and this has been a work in progress here for over 40 years.”

Disability Awareness Month means a time of celebration, for students and staff with disabilities, and the community that this campus has formed around them.

“This is a silly thing to say but I guess, I look at disability awareness and really in both legal description of the celebration that’s in Washington state law. I think it’s called Disability History Month. But my sense of it is it’s a moment to meet the community and introduce ourselves.”

An introduction, this month’s celebrations have been indeed, with Adaptive Sports on Nov. 7 through Nov. 10, Paralympic and Veteran’s games the Nov. 14 through the 18, Deaf Olympics the Nov. 21 through 25, and Special Olympics on Nov. 27 through the 31.

Layman said she wanted the whole month to be a party. It was a time to “celebrate who we are, as people with disabilities.”

Shearer said the best way for students without disabilities to gather around disabled students and celebrate with them is just by showing up and showing an interest.

“I was actually thinking the same thing,” Layman said. “Participating. Being nonjudgmental, learn-

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The Communicator

11.07.2019

Arts

7

Art Club creates an inspiring mural

Talented students paint eye-catching outdoor art Jillian Rockford The Communicator

Created spring quarter, the mural lies on the exterior wall north of Spokane Community College’s Building No. 6. Artists who inspire members of the Art club are painted on three separate wooden boards. Claude Monet and Jaune Quick-to-see Smith among others are displayed on top of a geometric background designed and created by Seth Collier.

“I tried to take the background and essentially that idea by created references to space around here,” Collier said. “In the mural, you have inspiring figures in the same environmental context that we are as students.

I took images from some of the art pieces on campus like the big three stones and the prayer wheel that some people call the donut.

Jillian Rockford | The Communicator So, I took silhouettes of those and From left, Seth Collier, Rachel McCoy, Brandon Johnson and Jessica Pearson. incorporated them to kind of a geometric background that was my contribution.”

McKirdie also made sure The former acting president of that everything was going to plan, the Art Club during the 2018-2019 “He’d find places that we needed school year, Brandon Johnson into go such as Home Depot for troduced the concept of the mural. wood, and then also Miller Paint “I think Brandon originally downtown for the paint and you pitched the mural,” Collier said. know, made sure that everyone “The idea was to have artists that was where they were supposed to inspire us. So, everybody was subbe as well, “Johnson said. mitting portraits of the artists that Other members of the Art they wanted to try and put onto Club had a lot to contribute as the mural.” well. Alan Rodgers painted the Johnson also helped organize portrait of the famous German the eight to 10 hour paint sespainter Otto Dix. sions, “but with everyone helping “Alan Rodgers, he actually out it went by really fast.” helped put all the images together Not only was this an efon Photoshop and really he came fort from students, but staff also up with the color scheme.” Johnhelped out. Rob McKirdie, the adson said. viser of the Art Club helped gather The current acting Vice Nicholas Jackson | The Communicator supplies and manage the budget.

President of the Art Club Jessica Mariah Boyel, an SFCC instructor, The art mural painted by students and staff is located outside Building No. 6 Pearson helped paint portraits of along with her finance, helped the famous artists shown on the with the painting and planning of mural. the mural. than a couple days to complete “So, my contribution was I “I painted Jaune Quick-to-see The mural took a lengthy with over a dozen people helping drew out Monet on the mural, Smith,” Pearson said. “I painted amount of hours to complete to plan and paint. submitted it and painted it and her portrait from a sketch that I rewith multiple students and staff “I think there was maybe 15(Art Club President Jessica Pearceived, and I helped paint Monet’s contribution their time towards 16 people had their hands in it, son) helped me with the beard beard.” collecting supplies and painting. but we were able to knock it out because he took a lot of time,” The current President of the McKirdie helped with managing in a short period of time,” Johnsaid McCoy. Art Club, Rachel McCoy drew out the budget and gathering needed son said.

The mural took way longer Monet. supplies. www.communicatoronline.org

sfcc.jillian.rockford1@gmail.com

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Features

11.07.2019

The Communicator

What does SFCC’s president stand for?

Q&A with new face on campus, reveals how college stacks up with past experiences

Do you have a favorite place in Spokane?

“Well, I love this campus. I have to tell you, and I don’t just say it because I work here, I think it is so beautiful, all of our trees. The fall here was so short, but it was beautiful. I think this campus in the fall has to be one of my favorite places.

And then I do love ... being along the river, the river is really beautiful.”

Katelynn Cooke The Communicator Kimberlee Messina made her way to SFCC in June through a nationwide search for a new SFCC president.

“I mean this is my sixth month in Washington... And at school,” she said. Messina has always had roots in Washington State.

“My mom was born and raised in Washington. And she’s retired in Wenatchee.”

Messina spent the summer getting to know the campus. ”Well this summer I really was spending time getting to know everyone, getting to know everyone that works at the district office, getting to know people in the community, different superintendents of schools, different you know, business leaders, it was like an introduction.”

The Communicator sat down with Messina to learn more about her recent experiences.

How would you say fall quarter has gone so far?

What do you think about our Board of Trustees?

Madison Pearson | The Communicator SFCC President Kimberlee Messina poses with a bigfoot pendant.

“It has acted as an introduction period on campus. … Fall quarter has been a little crazy so far, but it’s been wonderful, I have got the chance to really get engaged with faculty and students, and really more of a sense of the place and start to, you know, figure out where I belong and it’s been really a real positive experience.”

side), I’ve had to deal with budget issues which was not necessarily something that was on my radar.

We always have to deal with budget issues, but I just didn’t know that we had as many challenges as we had, but things are going well we’re figuring ways to resolve issues.”

Is there anything that has surprised you about this campus?

How does CCS compared to your previous colleges where you’ve previously worked?

“I think one of the things that’s been a really positive surprise is how engaged the student government is. They’re very proactive for their events and that’s just been a real, you know, like I said, a real pleasant surprise … (But on the flip-

sfcc.Katelynn.Cooke@gmail.com

“So, (CCS is) a multiple college district. There are two colleges and I’ve worked the last last eight years up in Hamilton College District, so that’s similar. I started out my career, my first 17 years when I was teach-

ing and when I was a dean at a single college. So, I’ve had experience with both. So CCS is very familiar and very similar to the multiple college experience that I’ve had in other districts.”

How is SFCC different than what you might be more used to?

“I think one of the things that is positive, and maybe a little bit different, is, since there are only two colleges and since they were sort of, it appears to me, proactively founded for different purposes. We aren’t necessarily competitive we’re more complementary than we are competitive, by design. “

“We have a really good board, a dedicated board, we have the Chancellor, and we have a district office, and because we have a district office, and there’s things that we would all need that we can sort of centralize to the district. Our facilities are centralized so we have our facilities and maintenance and security and human resources and payroll and purchasing and sort of all those kinds of things. Those are all centralized to support both colleges. And then we also have some functions on the campuses, which have some districts sort of cooperation and integration, for example institutional research. We have a district person who does that and then each campus has someone and that’s what we try to focus on with data needs that the district has.

That’s just reporting things back to the state or kind of more systemic things. And then the college. We focus more on our own students access data student learning outcomes assessment, you know, accreditation, things like that. We have a grants office actually at the district. So things that are more sort of support, They handle a lot of.”

What’s your favorite part about your position here?

“I like the diversity. So, what I love the most about being in public education and community college

PRESIDENT Continued on page 9

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Features

11.07.2019

9

Sitdown with president, continued ...

PRESIDENT

Continued from page 8 in particular is the ability to make a difference and the ability to particularly support education, and for, as is often the case, in the community college area, for first generation students or students who maybe didn’t feel like high school went all that great but they’re going to try college and community college or students who just, you know, need that extra support before they move on, they may be academically ready, they may have everything but they just you know aren’t ready to make the leap, to leave and go away and so I really love being a part of that. And as president, I get to have involvement in so many different pieces of that. So when I was teaching, I loved to teach, and I felt like I was doing a good job in the classroom and I was able to help students in my classroom, be successful. And then as a dean, I was able to help faculty to make things work better so that they could really help their students and so I felt like I was able to, I didn’t get as much of a direct connection with the students, but I was able to pin down directly what support was necessary, and make a difference in a larger way, and so as president I get to do the fun stuff, so I get to be with student government, I get to do the events and activities and all of that.

“...As president I get to do the fun stuff. So I get to be with student government, I get to do the events and activities and all of that. But I also get to provide the strategic vision of where we’re going and that has multiple layers and levels.”

-Kimberlee Messina SFCC president

But I also get to provide the strategic vision of where we’re going and that has multiple layers and levels.”

Messina values SFCC and the impact she has on our community through her position as president.

This is most present in her frequently advertised open door policy.

Students are strongly supported in meeting with Messina for one-on-one conversations.

Courtesy photo Kimberlee Messina poses with her husband in a photo from her travel blog before coming to her new job at SFCC.

Scholarship for Fairchild CCS students $25K donated from Our Town Gala to help military members, their spouses attend community college Winnie Killingsworth The Communicator A new program is coming to CCS that will assist Fairchild Air Force families with the cost of going to community college.

Fairchild Families Forward is an education fund designated to help local military members at the local air force base continue their education.

A $25,000 donation from the Our Town Gala

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will help create the program which will financial support those military members who are in the classroom, according to a CCS news release.

About 500 Fairchild service members and their family members are currently students of CCS. The support can take the form of tuition, books and supplies as well as transportation and childcare.

Fairchild Families Forward came to be after it was discovered that while

there are many resources available for military families, the financial requirement associated with college can be difficult for them to meet.

The annual Our Town Gala is hosted by Mayor David Condon and his wife, Kristin Condon. The gala gave contributions to three community projects this year, with Fairchild Families Forward being one of them.

“We are so grateful to the Condons for their con-

tinuous generosity and to our local, state, and national leader who are working with us to help support education for our Fairchild families,” CCS Chancellor Christine Johnson said in a news release.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, State Commerce Director Lisa Brown and Kristin Condon all serve as honorary chairwomen of Fairchild Families Forward.

All are known for their support of military families.

Look for more information about Fairchild Families Forward in a future issue of The Communicator

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10

Features

11.07.2019

The Communicator

Meet the new ASG executive officers

New year also brings change to ASG, with new elected members, representatives taking up positions

Nicholas Jackson | The Communicator

The members of the executive committee Julia Chen (Left), Sarah Torres (Center), and Natasha Monroe (Right) have their picture taken right outside their offices in the SUB lounge.

Nicholas Jackson The Communicator Despite the prevailing image of men in positions of power, SFCC stands in contrast to that stereotype. At SFCC, it is not hard to see women within administration or the student body filling leadership positions. In the 2019 fall quarter it is no different with the entirety of the ASG executive body being comprised entirely of women.

The ASG elections took place during Spring quarter of 2019, occurring before the hiring of Dr. Kimberlee Messina on June 1 2019 as Spokane Falls new President.

Sarah Torres is the current

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ASG president. She spent a year attending Eastern Washington University before transferring to SFCC. Before her time in Washington she spent a significant amount of time in Great Falls, Montana. Being part of a military family meant she moved around to different areas frequently.

When asked what led her to run for the ASG presidency she said,” My experience in college has really stimulated my curiosity and inspiration to get involved with student government. Being exposed to the ideas in classes makes it easier to be driven. Issues need to be attended to. Climate change and social justice are very important to me.”

Julia Chen is the second in command at ASG with her posi-

tion as Academic Vice President.

Chen is one of the many international students serving within ASG. When asked why she ran for a leadership position in ASG, Chen said,” The people, I love everyone on campus. To prepare for my future. I don’t get this experience back in my country (China).”

Activities vice president Natasha Monroe acquired her position in a more non-traditional way. “I fell into my position. I was moved from my elected position, and asked to be activities VP. I do a lot of stuff that I like to do,” Monroe said. She also stated that despite or because of its dysfunctional, ASG feels like a family.

“Tight and dysfunctional, but it teaches you who you can lean on.”

Monroe went on to elaborate how she felt as a woman in power, and how she’s seen,” I see it as more of a role model in general, but not specifically just for women.” However it is important to note that Monroe supports whoever does the job well, regardless of gender.

“I think we must be role models to people who [identify] as women,” said Torres. “Traditionally men hold leadership roles. I mean we must be role models to the students coming through.”

“I think it brings up female students confidence, it gives students the opportunity to express themselves,” said Chen.

“The small changes that people make will lead to a larger societal change.”

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The Communicator

Opinion

11.07.2019

11

Student opinions on coffee, instructors and more Vox Populi: Students give hard cold truth on innermost thoughts in the wake of the first snow this season Katelynn Cooke The Communicator

Amanda B.

What’s your favorite part of SFCC? I think the atmosphere, it’s warm, and inviting.

When you drink coffee, where do you get it?

I usually go off campus, I try to find new coffee shops.

Do you have a favorite instructor or class?

The focus is always on real learning, it’s not just teaching to a test, the instructors want to make sure you understand the material before moving on.

If you’re studying, are you on or off campus?

On campus, upstairs in the library, working away. It’s really nice and quiet.

Spencer A. Love all of my instructors so far.

Annserlyn E. What is your favorite part about SFCC?

What’s your favorite part about SFCC’s instructors?

My favorite part is the environment. I didn’t think I would be so comfortable here, and there was definitely an adjusting period but I really feel like I belong here.

What characteristic do you think goes into f inding the perfect study spot?

While for me, I’m very introverted so some people could study in sub lounges but that’s just way too loud for me.

Where are you on campus, when you study?

In the library, downstairs, the lounge area, it’s comfortable and just the right amount of quiet.

What do you think about the cafe’s prices?

Too much, I am broke like everyone else on

Students can get really burnt out this campus and they charge so much for so on reading, do you have any books, little. you’re planning to read, have Andrew H. already read and loved, simply just for pleasure, and not a class?

What’s your favorite part about Actually yes, I was recently recommended and SFCC? am planning to buy “The Secret Strengths of Introverts.”

Micah B. What’s your favorite part about SFCC? www.communicatoronline.org

What’s your morning drink, as we come into colder months?

Coffee from home, hazelnut creamer.

Do you have a favorite instructor?

Vance Youmans, Hist&136.

Do you have a favorite instructor?

I had this great human sexuality class, that worked as an introduction to psychology, It was with Katella DeBolt.

They’re all encouraging.

At the library, we have tons of computers and they make all my work just fly by.

We have quite the robust library system. Our library on campus is bigger than several public libraries. We can also check out 30 books!

Where are you on campus, when you study?

Timothy H. What’s your favorite part of SFCC? Our website is great, easy to find everything I need.

When you study are you on or off campus?

On, in the library.

Federick Michael William Van-Pallandt Now a name like that needs addressed, where is it from?

It’s Dutch.

Do you have a favorite instructor?

Yes, Britney Weaver, she teaches music.

Could SFCC be improved?

Yes, I’ve actually been trying to start a debate club but ASG has been less than cooperative.

Do you have any extra hobbies?

Yes, Jogging, and reading.

Is there any books you would recommend to your peers?

Yes, “Crime and Punishment,” by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

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The Communicator

11.07.19

Perspectives

12

How crosswalks would benefit students OPINION Maggie Barnett

The Communicator Walking everyday across the busy main road, Fort George Wright Drive, is a scary trek to make on the way to school. Understandably, there is not many that this affects.

But as one of the students who have to cross the road twice per day, it’s a big deal.

Crossing in the morning at the same time many people are driving to work is a trepidations act all by itself. Then again in the afternoon, when the buses run and many young drivers are exiting the school campus to drive home is just as difficult.

The road has two lanes going each way and a downhill curve so you can’t see very far for upcoming cars. There’s a bus route that goes every 15 minutes which makes the road a hard thing to deal with in the early morning and mid-afternoon.

As winter approaches and the roads

get slicker and slicker, this only makes the jog across the busy road worse but also plays into the fact that more cars will have a harder time breaking quickly or driving safely on an icy road.

An added crosswalk to the road where campus traffic can turn onto Fort George Wright Drive at the stoplight would be an added benefit for students who don’t have cars or are in walking distance to campus.

“Pedestrian crossings are areas designated for foot traffic, that are intended to increase pedestrian safety and facilitate the flow of vehicular traffic. They are absolutely vital in maintaining order in the streets and protecting both drivers and pedestrians on the road,” as reported online

by RoadTrafficSigns, a safety sign manufacturer.

For those who don’t have to cross, this doesn’t seem like such an issue.

“I don’t think that’s necessary, and I heard that the crosswalk by the bus stop would be removed once the station in the parking lot is done,” said Tucker Boniface, an

SFCC student who drives to school.

“There really isn’t anything on the other side that need to get to, aside from the bus stop and the bus stop is moving soon.” But here are some facts: The speed limit on the road is 35 mph and “a car going 35 miles per hour needs between 85 feet and 136 feet of stopping distance,” according to the National Association of City Transportation. “This is only on dry perfect condition roads.”

“The overall stopping distances are doubled for wet roads and multiplied by ten for snow and icy conditions,” said the West Schools of Motoring.

That means cars that are going the speed limit need roughly 850 to 1,360 feet of stopping distance to not hit a student that they might not see on foggy winter mornings. This is far too great a distance for it to be considered safe.

“I am aware of several traffic collision in the area of the crosswalk in my time here at SFCC (the last eight years),” said Ken DeMello, the director of the office of campus safety. Some of these collisions have

involved pedestrians crossing the street.

Making it across the road is dangerous in more ways than one, not just watching for cars and having to cross at perfectly timed pauses, but also having to illegally jaywalk across to get to school on time. Spokane has a law that “makes jaywalking a punishable offense...”

The Spokesman Review reported in June 2018.

The few who are unlucky to have to cross the road, are either stuck walking up or down the road quite a ways to the nearest crosswalk, or jaywalking across. That could add an extra 15 minutes either way to their walking commute.

Making mornings more stressful and unsafe than it needs to be is an unhealthy habit for any student.

This is an unsafe practice that should be looked at with new eyes and perhaps fixed in the near future.

The city of Spokane should care for and protect their citizens and students who work hard day in and day out to better themselves and their community.

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