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Talented Native Americans PG. 4
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 – Volume 34 • Issue 7 Entertainment
Opinion
Opinion
Editorial
SKODEN “Reservation Dogs” knows to represent a culture. PG. 2
BYE BYE BIRDIE List of extinct animals gets bigger and bigger. PG. 3
DON’T BUY THAT The difficulty of being an ethical consumer. PG. 3
OPEN LETTER TO YOU There is a divide between the public and journalists . PG. 3
NORTHEAST
TRINITY RIVER
Faculty share thoughts on COVID
Nurse aide program to return LOGAN EVANS
managing editor
Ian McIntosh/The Collegian
COVID-19 caused all TCC campuses to shut down for 18 months, and the return has been met with mixed reception by faculty. AUSTIN AUST IN FOLKERTSMA campus ed editor itor
Since classes returned in August, faculty have had some concerns about returning to in-person instructions. “I think it was important for the college that we get back in person as so many of our students have apparently made it a priority that we come back in person,” NE speech communications instructor Amber Meyers said. “I think we lost a bunch of students to the online format because that’s such an unusual way of learning and most people are not accustomed to that.” On the first day of class, she observed that about 33% of her stu-
dents were wearing masks in the classroom. She said if wearing a mask in the classroom would make students more comfortable, then it is a small price to pay. “I think those who were taking classes online are really comfortable with that form of learning and that’s just one of our six campuses,” Meyers said. “The other five campuses may not be as comfortable because of the simple fact that they aren't as accustomed to it.” Meyers said she isn’t personally worried about COVID-19 because she was part of the Pfizer trials and she already has her booster shot. NE assistant biology professor Kari Eamma said she’s vaccinated, so she’s not particularly concerned
about getting sick, but she wears a mask to all her classes. “I know the vaccine is very efficacious and so I’m not worried so much about myself, although vaccine efficiency wanes after six to eight months so when it comes my turn, I plan to get the booster,” she said. NE assistant English professor Toni Whalen thinks the return to campus is for the best but has some reservations. “I do think that we need to have more safety measures in place,” she said. TCC’s lack of policies on COVID can potentially be problematic because it tends to rely on selfreports and can lead some students
to lie about having it, she said. NE professor of kinesiology Elizabeth Koenn said she’s happy about the return but was a little concerned at first because as the fall semester started, the number of COVID-19 cases started spiking. “I like being back on campus because I’m back on my regular routine,” she said. “Part of the pride that I have in my occupation is that I love what I do. Koenn said she remains cognizant of social distancing and does everything she can to keep herself safe since she has reservations about others. “You go to the store, you don't know what the people there are exposed to.”
DISTRICT
Employment policy sparks debate JUAN SALINAS II campus editor
During a board of trustees work session Sept. 16., Provost Elva Concha LeBlanc presented TCC’s new proposal for hiring practices. At the full board meeting a week later, several members of the public expressed their concerns about it. In her presentation, LeBlanc offered data showing TCC’s demographics this semester. 35.5% of students are Hispanic, 30.8 % are white, 17.6% are black and 6.7% are Asian. However, she said 64.1% of the faculty are white compared to 35.9% being people of color. “It is imperative for institutions to foster a more culturally diverse faculty reflective of today’s student body,” LeBlanc said. Executive director of human resources Gloria Maddox-Powell said the college would review its recruitment and retention plan with an initial focus on how to attract more Hispanic faculty members. “From an HR perspective, our role in this is to apply those research findings to our hiring strategies,” Maddox-Powell said. “We are going to use the data that Dr. LeBlanc already shared and to really focus on hiring more of the underrepresented demographic faculty.” After the presentation, board
Screenshot of TCC board meeting video
The public voiced its concerns on a new proposal during TCC’s Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 23. member Shannon Wood asked LeBlanc if they were focused on diversity over qualifications. “This isn’t about numbers. It really truly isn’t,” LeBlanc said. “It is about hiring the best.” LeBlanc said the policy is about widening the “net” and not watering down the qualifications for positions. When the board returned for its regular monthly meeting Sept. 23, several citizens voiced their concerns about the policy change. “Equality is what this country and our Constitution call for, and equality should be what you focus on,” Tarrant County resident Diana
Voguer told the board. “You are all teaching all of our children and our future leaders.” Erica Porter is a board member for a group called “Moms For Liberty” and she said the change was troubling her and believed race shouldn’t be a factor when hiring instructors. “We live in a community that is very divided right now across the nation,” Lowe said. “As a taxpayer, I don’t want to have to be faced with an institution being sued or having to keep someone on staff who is not capable of being qualified to do that job.”
This point was brought up numerous times during the public comments section of the meeting. Several said this policy would open TCC to lawsuits for discrimination. Brenda White said she thought the proposed plan was already in place and that Hispanic candidates were the only ones that would be looked at for positions at TCC. “Do we want Tarrant County College District known for discriminating hiring practices and division in the community?” White asked. “It is discriminatory. That’s not the real world.”
After lying stagnant for years, the Certified Nurse Aide program on TR Campus is returning this fall in full swing. Students can register for the 100-hour program that will train them to enter the healthcare profession as a certified nurse assistant starting Oct. 4. This comes during a nursing shortage exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. “In times like these, there’s a critical need for CNAs,” program director Varnessa Dorsey said. CNAs are responsible for performing much of the hands-on care required in healthcare facilities. Because of their close proximity to patients, they’re instrumental in providing nurses with information that might otherwise go unnoticed. “We need people who have a genuine interest in caring for people,” Dorsey said. Students enrolled in the program will learn the ins and outs of the job complete with clinical rotations at local facilities including Discovery Village, a senior living home in Southlake, and Westpark, a rehabilitation center in Hurst. While technical training is a major part of the program, just as big a focus lies on learning to foster an emotional connection with patients. “One of the biggest components of the CNA program is teaching mindfulness,” Dorsey said. “You need to block things out and be fully there with that person.” Dorsey said she strives to teach her students how to learn and understand a patient’s background. “You can’t take care of me unless you know my story,” she often repeats to students. TR nursing instructor Tamesha Sneed said the treatment of mental health is something that often goes overlooked in the medical field. “When you have a program that speaks to the emotions of a person, that will help them to have a holistic care approach to the patients,” she said. Sneed said students hoping to become nurses have a lot to gain by training as CNAs. Hospitals like to hire from within, she said, so becoming a working CNA is a foot in the door. “Hospitals are looking for nurses and are offering a lot of sign-on bonuses because of COVID,” she said. While COVID-19 has put a spotlight on healthcare workers, Varnessa Dorsey doesn’t believe this impacts the approach she takes to teaching. “You’re always using standard precautions,” she said. “But I think now, it just makes you more aware and more conscientious.” At one time, the CNA program was a hallmark of TR Campus, but when the previous program directory retired, TCC struggled to find someone to fill the role. Dorsey, who had previously applied as a nurse, was deemed to be a fitting replacement, given her diverse background in teaching, rehab and pediatrics. “We’re very excited about the relaunch of this program,” TR Assistant Dean of Nursing Virginia Covington said. The application window for the CNA program runs through Oct. 22. Classes will start Nov. 1 and run for 10 weeks.