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the telescope Palomar College’s Independent Newspaper Vol. 66, No. 10 • Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 1140 W. Mission Rd, San Marcos, Calif.

Palomar students disregard the yellow light while utilizing the pedestrian crossing on Jan. 30 at the Palomar Sprinter station. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

WHAT’S INSIDE

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DEBATE OVER GUN CONTROL

OPINION / With so many recent shootings, the debate on gun control is raging. Read two different viewpoints on the issue here.

STYLISH STUDENT PROFILE LIFE / Student Rachel Chambers talks about her sense of fashion and her favorite places to shop.

BOOK REVIEW

LIFE / A review on J.K. Rowling’s latest book (and no, it’s not Harry Potter), “The Casual Vacancy.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SPORTS / Palomar women’s basketball team is excelling in conference and looking at playoffs.

Marissa Milloy THE TELESCOPE

In the next two years, the City of San Marcos plans to build a pedestrian bridge that will connect the Sprinter station and the main entrance to Palomar College on West Mission Road.

A proposed 200-foot pedestrian bridge is officially in motion. The bridge would span above and across the intersection of West Mission Road and the college entrance, connecting the Sprinter station and the school.

The San Marcos City Council has awarded a $300,000 bridge design contract to Simon Wong Engineering, a San Diego-based company, for its construction.

The bridge is only in the design phase at this point. After the design phase is complete, it will have to be ap-

proved by the San Marcos City Council for construction.

Design plans would take about a year. According to San Marcos City Engineer Mike Edwards, the design plans will include lighting, security, landscaping and aesthetic features.

If approved by the City Council and the North County Transit District, construction would begin four months after all design work is complete, and take a little less than a year overall to finish. The bridge could serve as “an iconic piece of city infrastructure,” Edwards said.

The project is completely separate from Palomar’s Prop M initiative, which funds current and future construction and renovations on campus.

There is a budget of $1.5 million sitting for the bridge. City Manager Jack Griffin said he hopes the cost of the

bridge stays within those means saying, “We’re certainly hopeful we are in that ballpark,” for covering the complete cost of the bridge.

Solely a city project, Palomar College has no part in the design, construction or funding for the bridge.

Any street or bridge infrastructure construction is the jurisdiction and responsibility of the city of San Marcos.

Funding for the bridge is being allocated by the city of San Marcos and the developer.

Palomar student Jake Coleman, said he believes the bridge would be a great addition, saying, “It sounds like a good idea. I don’t know how many times I’ve been late for the train waiting for the crosswalk.”

TURN TO bridge, PAGe 10

FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL PLAYER ALLEGES HE WAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE HE IS GAY matthew slagle THE TELESCOPE

Palomar officials maintain their stance that they did nothing wrong when they talked to a potential football player who was openly gay, despite his claims that the coaches discriminated against him.

Head Football Coach Joe Early said that after receiving an email from linebacker Jamie Kuntz inquiring about playing at Palomar, he was interested in him coming to play. Then, after learning Kuntz had already played a season at a community college they changed their minds on recruiting him, since he has less eligibility.

Early added that Kuntz can still try out, but they won’t pursue him.

The player told the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News (SDGLN), that Palomar offered him a spot on the team, but then reneged after the coaches found out he was gay.

Early was adamant that their decision wasn’t swayed by Kuntz’s sexual orientation and that he wouldn’t make decisions that would tarnish Palomar’s reputation.

We don’t discriminate against anybody. The school doesn’t and we don’t. And I wouldn’t want anybody on my staff that feels that way.

JOE EARLY • FOOTBALL COACH

“We don’t discriminate against anybody,” Early said.

“The school doesn’t and we don’t.

And I wouldn’t want anybody on my staff that feels that way.”

The 19-year-old Kuntz received national attention when he said he was dismissed from his first community college team for being gay. He told a local newspaper that he has been looking for another place to play and felt that Southern California might be a better place considering the size of the gay community.

According to Early, he received an email from Kuntz saying he was interested in playing

at Palomar. Early looked at his highlights tape and passed it on to the defensive coach who then passed it to the linebackers coach for a possible recruitment.

Early confirmed that they were interested in Kuntz when they thought he was fresh out of high school and hadn’t played in college, which wasn’t true.

Kuntz declined to comment for this story saying that everything he wanted to say had already been said.

According to SDGLN, Kuntz told them he had been offered a tryout and he was verbally accepted. SDGLN cited a text message with the linebacker coach Robert Bala who said, “I’m really excited for you and to have you. I will let the rest of the staff know.

I’ll give you a call tomorrow to move forward with everything.”

Palomar officials can’t offer more than a spot on the team.

Palomar, like all California community colleges, cannot offer athletic scholarships. To try out for the football team a student has to enroll in a class, which is open to everyone. Anyone can try out for the team. There is no contract that says the player has to be on the team.

Palomar officials point to this

Football player Jamie Kuntz in this screenshot from an interview on SBNation.com. • Photo courtesy SBNation.com

as evidence that Kuntz was not given an offer to try out, as he told SDGLN. Early denied that they rescinded any offer, because there was only an “opportunity” to play, an opportunity everybody has by enrolling in the class.

“We tell the kids, this is just an opportunity,” Early said. “Just because you are out here doesn’t make you on the team.”

Despite the staff not having interest in recruiting Kuntz, he can still enroll at Palomar and try out for the team.

Early said there have been many cases of an out-of-state player showing up to tryouts

without talking to the staff beforehand and they still made the team.

In the off-season, the coaches have recruiting meetings on Thursday where they talk about out-of-state players who have contacted them and the in-state players they have been watching all year.

According to Early, they hadn’t even talked about Kuntz in the group setting.

“We didn’t even have his name on the board yet,” Early said.

TURN TO FOOTBALL, PAGE 10

2 • NEWS This Week in Student GOv’t

Monday, February 11, 2013 FLU Season

ITC

ITC BUILDING REACHES ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

A report on the Associated Student Government’s Jan. 30 meeting from News Editor April Testerman.

The ITC building has been open for two full semesters now. Classes held in the building include trade and industry courses.

Coalition sues ASG A lawsuit is pending against Palomar’s ASG and the Palomar College District for allegedly not allowing students to vote on a proposition requested by the Coalition, a student group focused on restoring a voice back to the students.

The ASG voted on the issue and found the proposition to be unconstitutional.

ASG President Johnathan Farmer says the proposition is also against Palomar College policy, and that is why it was not put up for a vote by the students at Palomar College A court date is set for 1:30 on Feb. 15.

Plans for ‘Safety Survey’ Sen. Jennifer Gonzalez is working with Palomar Police Chief Anthony Cruz on a survey to gague how safe students feel on campus.

Nothing is drafted as of yet, but this survey is hoped to be conducted at one of the ASG’s events in the quad.

Election packets available soon In a few weeks, the ASG will be making election packets available to students who are interested in running for senator, vice president and president positions for the 2013-2014 school year. More information to come.

STAY UP TO DATE WITH YOUR ASG. ASG MEMBERS SPEND YOUR MONEY AND REPRESENT YOU ON CAMPUS. IT’S YOUR JOB TO KEEP THEM HONEST AND TELL THEM YOUR NEEDS.

PRESIDENT Johnathan Farmer jfarmer@palomar.edu 760-744-1150 x3766

Visit the student government executives in their offices on the ground floor of the Student Union.

Attend their weekly board meetings every Wednesday at 1 p.m. in SU-204.

File photo/Telescope

EXTENDED FLU SEASON CONTINUES Cliff Ireland

way that students can help avoid catching and passing on the flu, is simply to wash their hands.

Fever, sore throat, runny “[People] cough on their nose, tiredness, body aches and hands, and then you don’t hear lots of coughing. If any of those them cough, but they touch the symptoms describe how you are doorknob and then you do,” he feeling, you could become one of said. “Use a hand sanitizer; wash the thousands across the coun- your hands with soap and water try hospitalized each year with frequently.” seasonal flu-related symptoms, However, if a student does according to the Center for Dis- think they have come down with ease Control (CDC). the flu, Dr. Mast recommended Palomar College officials said that the first thing they do is let this week that they have ways to his or her instructor know, and avoid the flu or get over it faster. then stay home.

Seasonal influenza, more As far as taking over the councommonly referred to as the flu, ter drugs such as Robitussin, Dr. is a viral infection that normally Mast said, “Drugs don’t have that much of an efcontaminates fect on the flu. the nose, throat ways to avoid the flu bug Tylenol and and lungs.

Advil are good The flu usually has a peak to help make • GET A FLU VACCINE time from Janyou feel better. uary to FebruNot all of this • WASH YOUR HANDS ary, however, stuff fixes the according to flu.

Instead, • USE HAND SANITZER the CDC, it is your body has not uncommon to mount an • STAY HOME WHEN FEELING ILL for the flu seaimmune reson to begin as sponse.”

Get your free flu shot at Heath early as OctoGetting a flu Services here on campus. Walk ber and last unvaccine every in during business hours or get til May. year is another This hap- an appointment. Contact health way, and the services at (760) 744-1150, ext. pens to be one most recom2380. mended by the of those years.

CDC, to help During a telebriefing for combat against the CDC in Dethe flu. These cember, Dr. Thomas Friedman vaccines will cause the developsaid, “This is the earliest regular ment of antibodies within the flu season we’ve had in nearly a body to help fight viruses spedecade, since the 2003-2004 flu cific to that vaccine.

Although getting a vaccine season.”

The CDC also states that shot is not going to completely the majority of experts believe protect against catching the flu, the most common way the flu the CDC’s data suggests that havspreads is when infected peo- ing the shot decreases the risk of ple unintentionally release tiny influenza by 60 percent. droplets into the air by sneezing, At this time, there are a limited number of flu shots availcoughing or talking.

Then, by chance, these drop- able at both the San Marcos and lets enter the people that sur- Escondido campuses. round them either through their These shots are free to all stunose or mouth, infecting them, dents who have paid their health thus continually passing the vi- fees. You may walk-in anytime rus on. during business hours for the Amazingly, before one day of shot; however, that does not guardeveloping symptoms, a person antee an opening and an appointcan then start infecting others ment is recommended.

Health Services can be reached and can continue contaminating others for five to seven days after at (760) 744-1150 ext. 2380 for the San Marcos campus and ext. 8105 becoming sick.

According to Dr. Hubert Mast for the Escondido campus. of Palomar College Health Services, one effective and easy Cireland@the-telescope.com The telescope

The Industrial Technology Center (ITC) on Jan. 28. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

Jehu Morales (left) and Carlos Villegas (right) work together on an engine tear down on Jan. 28 at the Industrial Technology Center. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

Jeff Smith removes a crank sprocket during an engine tear down on Jan. 28 at the Industrial Technology Center. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

award

Students can nominate teachers for annual award April testerman THE TELESCOPE

Every spring, Palomar students are encouraged by Palomar’s Distinguished Faculty Award Committee to nominate a faculty member WHO stands out to them.

Nominations are being accepted now through March 1, and the winner will be announced by April 15 to ensure the member’s name will appear in next semester’s catalogue.

Teachers, counselors and librarians are eligible for nomination; there will be categories for full-time and part-time faculty.

The full-time faculty member becomes the chair of the committee, receives a monetary award of $1,000 and also will speak at Palomar’s spring commencement ceremony.

All students and members within the Palomar College community are encouraged to nominate anyone whom they feel deserves recognition.

In order to nominate a faculty member go to: www.palomar. edu/dfa/nominations where it will ask for the faculty member’s name and why this person deserves the award.

ATESTERMAN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

OPINION • 3

the telescope

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GUN CONTROL

the telescope Focused On Palomar Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 Vol. 66, No. 10 Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.

KAITY BERGQUIST editor in chief COLLEEN PETERS MANAGING EDITOR & COPY EDITOR APRIL TESTERMAN NEWS EDITOR MARISSA MILLOY OPINION EDITOR EMMA MALISZEWSKI LIFE EDITOR SYDNEY DAVISON assistant LIFE EDITOR SCOTT ROBERSON SPORTS EDITOR JORDAN GREENE PHOTO EDITOR SCOTT MORTON ONLINE EDITOR MATTHEW SLAGLE MULTIMEDIA EDITOR ERIN HIRO ADVISER DEB HELLMAN BUSINESS MANAGER STAFF WRITERS Rose Miriam Babiarz, Lloyd Bravo, Carolyne Corelis, David krueger, Cliff Ireland, Gary Nelson, Heather Randall, zach phelps, Nada Sewidan, Christine Foronda, Nicole Gibbs, Jacqueline Haudek, Conner Jones, Daniel Swalm, Diana Valdez PHOTOGRAPHERS PETER ASHUE, Phyllis Celmer, Brian Korec, Andrea Gruber Matthies, Gary West

ADDRESS THE TELESCOPE PALOMAR COLLEGE 1140 W. MISSION ROAD, SAN MARCOS, CA 92069 PHONE / 760-891-7865 NEWSROOM / MD-228 website/ www.the-telescope.com facebook/ search “the telescope” twitter/ @telescopenews EMAIL/ editor@THE-TELESCOPE.COM AD EMAIL/ ADS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM THE TELESCOPE WELCOMES ALL LETTERS TO THE Editor.

Letters must be typewritten, under 300 words and include the author’s first and last names, major and phone number. Phone numbers will not be published. Letters should be emailed to editor@the-telescope.com.

The Telescope reserves the right to edit letters for space and grammatical errors and not to print lewd or libelous letters. Letters must be received one week prior to the newspaper’s publication to be considered for inclusion.

The Telescope is published 8 times per semester.

Opinions expressed in the newspaper are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent those of the entire newspaper staff, Palomar faculty and staff members or the governing board trustees.

ASSOCIATED COLLEGE PRESS

california newspaper publisher’s association

Illustration by Sheneman/MCTCampus

PRO

CON

Obama’s proposals on gun control are fair and logical

Gun reform proposals aren’t all they’re cracked up to be

carolyne corelis

JORDAN GREENE

the telescope

The newly proposed gun control policies would align the rest of the United States with California gun laws. Gun owners, quit complaining.

President Obama is not going to take your guns away -- unless they are assault rifles. In that case, as a California resident you shouldn’t have them anyway.

The proposals concerning gun control that President Obama is presenting to Congress mirrors California, and contains legislative support and allocation of federal grants that would help create safer schools in the event of a shooting and increase funding for mental health programs.

California citizens are not affected by the proposed gun laws, because California has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States. Any California gun owner must pass the Handgun Safety Certificate, register any guns they own and are subject to a background check, according to the California Bureau of Firearms website.

President Obama’s proposals, according to the Huffington Post, that directly affect gun owners themselves are: a national ban on all assault rifles and no more than 10 live rounds per magazine (all mass shooters this year had magazines larger than this). The Department of Justice has to publish an annual report of all the lost and stolen hand guns, as well as improvements on tracing the life of all guns, from manufacturer to dealer to purchaser. Even if those proposals are passed, California still is the national model for gun safety.

The majority of President Obama’s proposal to Congress on gun control largely consisted of allocation of a series of federal grants and budgets for increased safety training within schools, and training school and support

staff to recognize mental illness.

The Huffington Post reports that President Obama also included in the budgets for an increase of 15,000 more police on the streets around the United States.

While school shootings are preventable, the monetary support to prevent mass shootings is imperative--money could be used to have grief counselors or to fund training of teachers in how to react to a gunman on school grounds.

A major theme of the proposals was increased funding for care, awareness, education and diagnosis of mental illnesses.

Mental illness-related costs and treatment would be covered by medicaid and all health insurance plans cover mental health treatment as well as drug abuse recovery.

This part of the bill is very important as many of the recent mass shooters are considered mentally unstable. Increased awareness of mental illness can help prevent mass shootings if people are able to recognize and report to the proper authorities those who might be potentially dangerous.

I do realize that there are many out there who have a sincere interest in guns, those who use them for hunting or sport.

These law-abiding citizens are usually the responsible gun owners. What scares me is not the average gun owner, but the extreme cases--such as the Sandy Hook and Aurora shooters.

The proposals President Obama has submitted to Congress are reasonable, one that many California citizens will have no problem abiding to. The hullaballo about “Obama taking away our guns,” is a theory that is based on rhetoric and just a rumor. Unless you have a stash of assault rifles, clearly, Obama is not coming after your guns.

CCorelis@the-telescope.com

THE TELESCOPE

As a result of a recent shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., President Obama said he believes it is necessary to implement new executive orders focusing on gun control. These orders are an over-dramatic attempt by our president to tighten the government’s leash on the public.

Even if gun possession was illegal, someone, somewhere would find a way to gain access to and use one, making his proposals, which, according to the LA Times, “include a call for banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” unnecessary. He originally wanted to instill this through executive orders, meaning he wouldn’t need Congress’ approval, which is a cop-out because he knew he would not get enough support from Congress to make it a legitimate law.

A major problem with the initiative to ban the purchase of assault weapons is that statistically, approximately 54 percent of Americans already own at least one gun for defense in case of robbery or other threats to their lives, according to a survey taken in 2010 by the Oye! Times.

The regulations would not get rid of guns people already possess, meaning there would still be access to weapons.

Drugs are illegal, but still fairly easy to obtain. So in essence, a gun war would be created by these new orders, becoming a mirror of the drug war currently taking place. Laws do not stop criminals as it is, so why would another law to break make things any different?

According to an article posted by the Daily Caller regarding statistics released by the FBI, murders in the United States have actually gone down from 15,087 in 2006 to 12,996 in 2010. Murders

with firearms make up 67 percent of that statistic, and have encountered a decrease of 14 percent.

The article states firearm sales have increased, but the number of murders related to firearms have continued to drop. This decrease is not problematic, and although some crimes have been more violent recently, the overall statistics do not seem to call for a change of protocol regarding guns.

Even the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States grants citizens the right to bear arms. This is not a jab at advocates who support reform, but a justifiable reason why gun reform proposals should not be enforced. Americans have the right to protect and defend themselves if necessary, and to have the government try and dismantle a right given to the people by the founders of this country should be frowned upon from every direction.

There are other, more subtle ways to go about protecting ourselves and those around us from potential harm caused by guns.

Instead of spending countless tax dollars on a gun control law that would not even come close to halting crime or weapon possession, the government could put the money into making sure each school and workplace has a security system, whether electronic screenings or personal pat-downs, as well as at least one armed guard standing by in case of emergency. We could better ensure student safety by requiring security guards to carry a concealed weapon of some kind in case of armed and/or dangerous trespassers.

Taking executive action to regulate what kind of force we are allowed to use to defend ourselves in a potential life-ordeath situation would be a waste of time and money, and would demolish a stepping stone this country was founded upon.

JGreene@the-telescope.com

4 • OPINION

Monday, February 11, 2013

Women in Combat for

against

Women allowed in combat is a big step

Women should not serve in combat

Kaity Bergquist The Telescope

The debate over women in combat has a very clear answer: let them in and leave them alone.

Women should be allowed on the front lines mainly because it’s about time. Gender inequality has been around for a long time, and women need to be given the same rights as men.

Last month, the Pentagon ordered a lift on the ground combat exclusion and opened up the opportunity for women to join any field. And yet, the debate still rages on.

There are women who are passionate about serving their Illustration by Adam Zyglis country and are working hard to make themselves physically able. If they are willing to submit to the physical demands and risk their lives for the sake of their country, why should the fact that they are of the female gender make them any less qualified? Opponents of women in the military say that women aren’t as strong as men.

True, women are structurally weaker then men - but women who are willing to work twice as hard as men should be welcome.

Women have always dealt with the issue of being inferior to men. It’s a tradition that started at the very beginning of time and got progressively worse before it got any better. Even today, in the age of being your own person and being free to find your own destiny, women are still sorely represented.

Illustration by Sheneman/MCTCampus

Yes, we can vote. Yes, we are allowed to go to college and wear what we want.

But still, women have a lower hourly wage than men. Women are being pressured into stereotypical roles like a sex toy or a stay-at-home mother and wife. They should not be forced to stay in those roles, or ridiculed if they don’t. It’s high time for women to be given every right men have. Despite the progress that has been made, there is still a long way to go.

H owe ve r, being fully allowed into the military is a big step. Currently, the Marine Corps is seven percent female, according to USA Today. The Army is 13 percent female.

The military has also said that there will be no gender differences in the requirements, which is just as it should be.

The worst insult they would have given to women who want to join would be to let them in and then give them an easier time. Women don’t want an easier time.

They want to prove that they can earn the same places as men without special treatment.

Sexual assault and harassment has been a concern for women in the military.

But with more and more women joining the ranks, women will be able to look out for other women and the frequency of these events should decrease.

KBergquist@the-telescope.com

Scott Roberson The Telescope

It is pitch black in a small rural town in Afghanistan. Lance Cpl. Jane Smith and her fire team are taking fire, and need to find cover quickly. They run to an abandoned house, but one of her fellow Marines is shot and seems to be unconscious. She courageously runs through heavy fire and against all odds reaches him. This is where this valiant story ends.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is removing the military’s ban on women in combat. This would remove the Pentagon’s 1994 ruling restricting women from serving in combat roles. I believe this to be a terrible idea.

Picking up on the story above, most women would not be able to lift and carry a 200-pound man with an additional 30 or more pounds of gear.

As a Marine Corps veteran I have served with men and women alike. I respect the honorable roles that women play in the military; however, working on the front lines is in an entirely different realm.

I believe there are many reasons why women should not be placed on the front line; just the sheer physicality, risks of becoming pregnant before a deployment and the ability to adapt to the lack of privacy between sexes.

Women should not serve not due to a lack of desire. Not due to lack of courage, but because on average the male sex is simply bigger, faster and stronger. To strengthen my point, the physical fitness tests in the military adjusts the requirements between the two sexes.

In addition, the men serving in the infantry spend many training events, deployments and years developing cohesion and confidence in one another.

Am I saying women could not form the same confidence with her fellow brothers and sisters? No. Yet, for example, an ill-timed and unexpected pregnancy right

Illustration by Clay Bennett/Chattanooga Times Free Press

before a deployment causing her to miss mobilization would put many lives at risk.

I know of more than one occasion in which a female Marine became pregnant before leaving for deployment and was not able to go, straining the unit as a whole.

Another instance, she was not aware of her pregnancy for a few weeks into her deployment. The outcome: she was shipped back immediately.

Privacy is another issue, our men on the front lines spend weeks with each other in secluded areas, in which they take care of their “business” in front of one another.

Whether that be personal hygiene or attending to matters generally taken care of in the bathroom. Would some women be able to adjust? Sure. Would most? I don’t believe so.

The society we live in instills the belief that the life of women and children are of greater value than men. Reference nearly every war movie.

Veterans come home every day, but continue to struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. It would not be a smart move to inflict further strain on our brave men by placing them in a situation to witness the death of a woman.

A topic that is heavily criticized, and rightfully so, by the media and military alike is sexual harassment and assault. This is a problem on every base and in every branch of the military. This issue will only escalate with more exposure, and less supervision in the rural areas of Afghanistan.

In my experience, men generally have a different form of humor amongst each other. Something as simple as a joke taken out of context, or not considered a joke at all, could create tension. Again, this would jeopardize the cohesion of a unit.

Male chauvinism aside, we must not add more potential dangers to an already very dangerous job. If something isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

SRoberson@the-telescope.com

OPINION • 5

the telescope legal

ROE V. WADE

PERSPECTIVE

January marked the 40th anniversary of the notorious Supreme Court Roe v. Wade case ruling that granted women the right to legally have an abortion.

Illustration from NowPublic

ROE v. WADE is OUTDATED april testerman the telescope

Roe v. Wade, the case that set the precedent for legal abortions all over the country, celebrated its 40th anniversary last month. While I am all for women’s rights, I don’t believe the courts nor the government have gone about the issue in an effective way.

As a Christian, it has been hard for me to fathom this particular issue. Personally, I don’t believe in the act of abortion as moral, but as I’ve gotten older I am now able to see the other side’s view more clearly. Thus, I consider myself pro-choice, but believe there are serious flaws with legislation that stands today.

The decision on this iconic case was made on Jan. 22, 1973. “Jane Roe,” was challenging the constitutionality of the then-current Texas laws regarding abortion. The act of abortion was allowed only if the mother’s life was endangered.

The case ultimately held that the Texas laws were vague and violated a woman’s right to privacy, under the 14th amendment.

I definitely see Roe v. Wade as a landmark when it comes to women’s rights and that it serves as a door opener for women, but I think over the years, it has actually closed many doors as well.

By not requiring education on the procedure, women are held in the dark.

The decision doesn’t need to be overturned, I just think it needs to be amended.

The intentions behind Roe v. Wade case (on both sides back then, and even today) are pretentious, and it seems as though the arguments between conservatives and liberals regarding abortion are never productive.

Conservatives focus on banning abortion as whole, while liberals want abortion under any circumstance to be legal; they aren’t necessarily in favor of educating in the process.

I’m not here to argue against the act of abortion, but I’m not here to condone it either. I recognize that the legalization

of abortion has protected women in the way that it has prevented illegal abortions and the perils that come with these dangerous procedures, but women need to be educated that these dangers are very relevant and very real. Something legislation these days doesn’t promote.

Abortion revolves around the issue of “personhood,” or the question of when a fetus become a person. Some believe that personhood starts at conception, others believe that it starts when a fetus becomes viable outside of the womb, and some believe personhood is relevant when the baby is actually born at full gestation.

It all boils down to what the individual considers as life. Government officials can’t legalize or ban something based on the opinions and beliefs of one person or even just one group of people.

There is also way too much gray area when it comes to when a women should no longer be able to receive an abortion. Since abortion is not mentioned in the Constitution of the United States, individual states are held responsible for laws regarding the issue.

Another type of gray area is that which promotes a discussion on “legitimate rape,” a topic introduced by former Rep. Todd Akin R-Mo. To waste time discussing legitimate rape is disgusting and offensive.

A solution to this situation is simple: work together. This is a serious issue, and as a country, we really don’t have the time or money to endlessly argue. It baffles me that such a pressing issue has lost its importance in our country.

Ultimately, conservatives need to realize that women have the rights to their bodies, and a woman should be able to do whatever she wants with it; and liberals need to realize that women have the right to be educated on the procedure of abortion and what it entails. Full disclosure of the possible complications and lifelong ailments should be made part of abortion legislation.

Atesterman@the-telescope.com

ROE V. WADE KEEPS WOMEN SAFE Diana Valdez The Telescope

Roe v. Wade isn’t just about the legalization of abortion, but it is the protection of women’s rights and having control over their own bodies.

The case of Roe v. Wade involved Jane Roe, a 21-year-old pregnant woman, who was seeking an abortion but could not receive one safely and legally.

Sarah Weddigton, Roe’s lawyer, won the case by arguing that the Texas law making abortion a crime violated a woman’s right to privacy. That “right to privacy” is protected by the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment, in all states.

Prior to the Roe v. Wade case, there was an estimated 1.2 million illegal abortions per year, according to the National Abortion Federation.

The passing of Roe v. Wade made it possible for women to have access to legal and safe abortions from qualified medical practitioners. This led to dramatic decreases in abortion-related injuries and deaths.

For me, I don’t see Roe v. Wade as the killing of unborn life. I simply believe one should have the right to choose what to do with her body. I don’t believe the government should have any say in what I do with my body.

Attempting to eliminate programs like Planned Parenthood would not stop women from finding a way to have an abortion either.

Planned Parenthood provides many free services to women by providing access to contraception for pregnancy prevention and tests to detect early pregnancy. I think we would increase the problem if the government tried taking away those services.

Also, before the Supreme Court ruling, women would go to extreme lengths to have abortions. In desperation, many would poison themselves, have “back- alley” abortions, or even self-induce labor to abort the fetus. Some doctors would perform surgery at a woman’s home,

lacking the proper tools and equipment.

This resulted in many women dying or having permanent damage from infections or complications after having an unsafe abortion.

There are many reasons why women choose abortion, and it differs from case to case; sometimes it is due to rape and incest, to not being ready, or to not being in a stable enough relationship to bring a child into the world.

Whatever the reason may be, a woman has the right to do what she wants with her body and should not have to risk her life to do it.

“I remember the 30-year-old mother of four with severe burns on her legs and torso who had thought that hot baths would produce a miscarriage,” said Kathleen McIntosh, director of patient services at Planned Parenthood of Westchester.

She saw many unnecessary injuries and deaths in her 19 years of nursing because of the desperation of an abortion.

In fact, the rate of abortions has declined throughout the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Due in part to a drop in teen pregnancies and increased use of birth control.

Also, new technology which detects early pregnancy has provided help with the dispute of abortions, mainly because more people are accepting of abortions legally if it’s done in the early trimesters of pregnancy.

We don’t need to go back to those dark ages and Roe v. Wade will prevent that problem from occurring.

As someone who is pro-choice, I believe everyone, male or female, should have the right to choose what to do with their body.

The choice to have an abortion is the choice of the woman, and she has all the right to do so. I think, in the end, people should see it as a choice and everyone has the right to choose.

DVALDEZ@the-telescope.com

6 • LIFE

Monday, February 11, 2013

Music

Concert Hour makes for an alternative Valentine’s date Heather Randall The Telescope

Plans for Valentine’s Day yet? Are you pulling your typical stalemate contemplation of the same, predictable options as last year? Will it be candy or flowers?

A fancy, overpriced dinner or candle-lit microwave delight at home? Oh, the agony!

This Valentine’s Day, plan to do something different. Palomar’s Concert Hour will host Bob Bass in concert in the O2 performance lab, located across from the tennis courts on the San Marcos campus.

Jazz guitarist and applied music instructor, Bob Bass, along with his trio, will be performing for the Palomar community on Feb. 14, hosted by Palomar’s Performing Arts group.

Bass has made several appearances over the years at Palomar College. In this upcoming performance, he will be accompanied by bassist Marshall Hawkins and violinist, Nora Germain.

The trio will be playing a Valentine’s Day-inspired selection of pieces by Gershwin, Cole Porter and Jerome Kern.

Each of the individual artist’s unique sounds will meld together to produce an intoxicating and passionate result. Tickets are free, and the show is on campus. Your sweetheart will thank you for it. hrandall@the-telescope.com

Photos courtesy of Bob Boss

2013 Concert Hour Schedule Enfin La Beaute Feb. 21 in O-2

MandoBasso Feb. 28 in O-2

Michael Nigro March 7 in D-10

White and Weller March 14 in D-10

Solon Pierce March 21 in D-10

Palomar Chamber Singers April 4 in D-10

Michael Munson April 11 in D-5

Michael Viakovich April 18 in O-2

Jorge Choquehuilca April 25 in O-2

Palomar Electric Music Ensemble May 9 in D-10 Music Student Honors Recital May 16 in D-10

LIFE • 7

the telescope Movie Review

Zombie romance ‘Warm Bodies’ survives with warm heart Lloyd Bravo

But the film misses more often than it hits. With a cast including Rob Corrdy and John Malkovich, the film had the potential Audience members no longer have to of becoming a much funnier and more prochoose between a zombie movie or a chick vocative film, but like the lackluster amount flick. Jonathan Levine’s film, “Warm Bod- of gore and violence, the film grossly misusies” not only has heart, but rips it out and es both actors and uses only the bare bones eats it right in front of you. of their talents.

“Warm Bodies” follows a living-impaired Corrdy could have added a little more character named R, played zest to the film’s mostly “Warm Bodies”

by Nicholas Hoult who wanbland comedic timing with Rating: PG-13 ders an empty airport trying his improvisational work Runtime: 1 hr. 37 minutes better seen in his most noto stave off his feelings of table film, “Hot Tub Time loneliness in a post-apocalyptic world.

Machine.”

During a flesh feast in Instead, Corrdy is reduced to mostly grunts and the city, R meets (or doesn’t compulsively eat) Julie, played by Teresa groans.

Same goes for Malkovich, who could Palmer, and feels a rush of blood in his most have been seen as a more complex, aggresunused organ, his heart.

The film plays on the troupes of any sive and cut-throat dictator, rather than a standard zombie movie, but glosses over simple, two-dimensional father character.

The movie also falls flat when it comes any real gore, violence and suspense seen in most modern horror films and cult clas- to action, especially the final set piece of sics like “Shawn of the Dead.” This is pos- the film, which feels rushed and uninterestsibly due to the audience Summit Studios is ing. Levine captures the emotional center going for after the end of its most successful of the story, however, misses the key structural beams that completely hold this film franchise, “The Twilight Saga.”

However, unlike the Twilight films “Warm together.

The film is adequate and forgettable, Bodies,” is more than pout, stoic faces and long, ominous stares with random shirt however, among the cinematic drought tearing and abs. The film focuses on the idea during January and February and the hype that fear, pain and love can be infectious and that surrounds the films nominated for Academy Awards, “Warm Bodies” is a pleasstrengthen any cold-hearted being.

The audience can sympathize with R, ant surprise that you can take any sweetsince many of us have felt left out by a large heart to during the upcoming Valentine’s group of people because of the way we look Day weekend. Don’t forget protection, just on the outside or our strange habits within. in case your date gets a little bitey.

The movie is the perfect example of loving someon regardless of their vicious exterior. lbravo@the-telescope.com The Telescope

«««««

Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer star in “Warm Bodies” (Courtesy of Jan Thijs/ Summit Entertainment/ MCT)

Fashion

Stylish student stands out on campus Many students feel that everyday is a day to express themselves and do that through their own personal style. With the beginning of the semester, students have pulled out their favorite looks to make a good impression on fellow classmates, friends and even faculty.

ENJOYING THIS ISSUE OF THE TELESCOPE? TELL US WHAT YOU LIKE BEST!

Name: Rachel Chambers Age: 18 Major: Art Where do you shop?

“H&M, I like that it’s European and real basic. Nastygal, Forever 21, Karmaloop, and lots of thrift stores.”

What influences your style?

“Usually 50s and 20s pinup girls, and just random style articles.”

What would you say is the key to looking stylish?

“I think everything needs a signature piece for their outfit.”

What is your signature piece?

“Mine is shoes. Sometimes I start my outfit from the shoes.”

Who is your favorite designer right now?

“I’m obsessed with Jeffrey Campbell. His shoes are my favorite; I have 11 pairs.”

So it's safe to say you love shoes?

“Yes, shoes make an outfit. I wear heels everyday. People don’t understand me.”

Student Rachel Chambers. • Carolyne Corelis/Telescope

- Sydney Davison

TWITTER: @TELESCOPENEWS FACEBOOK: SEARCH “THE TELESCOPE” WEBSITE: THE-TELESCOPE.COM

8 • LIFE

Monday, February 11, 2013

book review

Rowling’s novel dominated by conflict Sydney Davison The Telescope

While J.K Rowling’s new novel doesn’t have the magic her last seven bestsellers did, “The Casual Vacancy” is enchanting and will keep any reader under its spell. The subdued magic of the novel isn’t found in spells or potions, but in Rowling’s true gift of writing.

You wont be able to escape from “The Casual Vacancy.” This captivating novel pulls readers into the story and slowly unfolds a tumultuous journey through the town of Pagford. The story is long with many characters and plot lines, but Rowling expertly weaves each character’s story into another’s and clearly articulates their struggles and the effects on society.

Rowling’s story is ruled by conflict as the town of Pagford searches for a candidate to fill the newly opened seat on the Parish Council, after the death of one of their own. As the competition for the coveted seat begins, you start to see an overall bias ruling over the town. The citizens of Pagford are divided on the issue of “The Fields” a part of the town that half would choose to ignore and the other half support.

The division on this issue is the underlying conflict and guides the reader through the town as its

citizens fight in a war for the open council seat. It is the catalyst that results in the rest of the conflicts, it pits families against each other, the rich at odds with the poor, the young fighting the old, and right versus wrong.

As in her previous books, Rowling is known for her complex characterizations. She creates relatable characters that are multi-faceted with struggles, dreams and desires that are believable to the reader.

This book isn’t for the faint-hearted; it gives an accurate view of a typical socio-economic town, with the three tiers of classes, each struggling in its own way.

Rowling presents the struggles of drug addiction, infidelity, temptation, greed and abuse. But Rowing presents it in a way that readers will find themselves involved in the conflict, taking sides, feeling their pain and becoming emotionally attached to each character.

“The Casual Vacancy” is a compelling novel that readers won’t be able to put down once they crack the spine; its story is intense and complex. Overall, it is a cautionary tale of what will happen when people begin to put themselves before their community. sdavison@the-telescope.com

Telescope staff predicts outcome of the Oscars Be sure to cactch the Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 24.

Best film of the year:

Amour Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild Django Unchained Les Misérables Life of Pi Lincoln Silver Linings Playbook Zero Dark Thirty

Performance by an actor in a leading role:

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables Joaquin Phoenix, The Master Denzel Washington, Flight

Performance by an actress in a leading role:

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook Emmanuelle Riva, Amour Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Performance by an actress in a supporting role: Amy Adams, The Master Sally Field, Lincoln Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables Helen Hunt, The Sessions Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook

Performance by an actor in a supporting role: Best animated feature Alan Arkin, Argo film of the year: Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, Brave Tim Burton, Frankenweenie Sam Fell and Chris Butler, ParaNorman Peter Lord, The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Rich Moore, Wreck-It Ralph

Achievement in cinematography:

Seamus McGarvey, Anna Karenina Robert Richardson, Django Unchained Claudio Miranda, Life of Pi Janusz Kaminski, Lincoln Roger Deakins, Skyfall

Achievement in costume design:

Jacqueline Durran, Anna Karenina Paco Delgado, Les Misérables Joanna Johnston, Lincoln Eiko Ishioka, Mirror Mirror Colleen Atwood, Snow White and the Huntsman

Achievement in directing:

Michael Haneke, Amour Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild Ang Lee, Life of Pi Steven Spielberg, Lincoln David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

NEWS • 9

the telescope MEChA

students

MEChA elects new president

College applications take a more subjective look at prospective students

Heather Randall & April Testerman

Larry Gordon

the telescope

Where there is adversity, often times out of the chaos, a strong leader emerges to help resolve conflict and educate members of the community.

As the newly elected president of Palomar College’s Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán club (MEChA), returning student Juan Lopez is getting an opportunity to do just that.

Lopez’s first focus as president was to mend the relationship between MEChA and the Associated Student Government (ASG) on Palomar’s campus.

Over time, a lack of communication and gossip between the two groups caused unnecessary strain to members of both organizations.

Lopez and ASG President Johnathan Farmer worked together to put an end to the confusion that had plagued the groups’ relationship.

“The main goal was to be able to establish a bridge there, and now that it is established, I can say that the ASG is 100 percent behind MEChA,” Lopez said.

“When I heard Juan Lopez was going to be president, I was very happy because number one, I think he’d make a good president, but also he has a very all-inclusive view of working together,” Farmer said.

Lopez attended the first ASG meeting of the semester and outlined the problems MECha had previously with the ASG. He promised that that wouldn’t happen now that he was president.

The relationship between ME-

ChA and the ASG is extremely important since one of MEChA’s goals for its members is to encourage them to become involved in their campus’ ASG to strengthen leadership skills, and to build selfconfidence.

As a first generation LatinoAmerican who grew up speaking strictly Spanish in his home, and English the second he stepped outside, Lopez said he learned how to adapt to a multitude of situations as a young child.

When Lopez and his older brother graduated high school, in lieu of college, both got jobs to help support the family so their four younger siblings could pursue higher education directly out of high school.

No stranger to hard work or long days, Lopez beams when asked him how he manages work, school, being a parent and now all of the responsibilities of his new position with MEChA. “As a U.S. citizen, I believe that it’s very important to collaborate, to help, to be able to just give back to the community, some way, somehow,” Lopez said.

MEChA began as a student movement of Chicano men and women, but has now gradually evolved to include all minorities.

Each chapter of MEChA, on any campus, works to strengthen and support each member as they pursue a higher education.

Lopez acknowledged how difficult this process can be, but as he continues to pursue his own goals.

He is inspired and believes strongly in the support system MEChA offers its members.

He is particularly excited that the majority of the members this semester are new to the group.

Los angeles times/MCT campus

Club President Juan Lopez.•Staff/Telescope

Even better, many of them are happily vying for leadership roles right out of the gate.

“We see it as, even if there are few, but quality people, that is the key, I think, to having a very hard working club, and to working as a team,” he said.

On Feb. 2 and 3, MEChA hosted a regional retreat and meeting on Palomar College, a historical movement for the club which had never hosted an event like this before on Palomar’s campus.

“It was a great turnout. I was amazed at the schools that showed up,” Lopez said.

The schools included are University of California Los Angeles, Cal State University Northridge, Los Angeles Mission College, Pasadena City College, Cal State San Marcos, University of California San Diego, San Diego State University, University of San Diego and University of California Irvine, all are the members of the Southern California chapter of MEChA. Not only does MEChA reach out to individuals, but it also reaches out to their families.

At least a few times per semester, the club holds events that encourage parents, friends and other family members to attend.

Those interested in learning more can visit the club’s website at www2.palomar.edu/pages/studentaffairs/clubs/ mecha/.

Hrandall@the-telescope.com atesterman@the-teleMembers of MEChA club pose for a photo at the retreat on Feb.2 hosted at Palomar College.•Courtesy Photo scope.om

TELESCOPE TV RETURNS LOOK FOR THE FIRST EPISODE OF THE SEMESTER THE WEEK OF FEB. 14

“So where is Waldo, really?”

That’s not the kind of question most high school seniors expect to find on their college admission applications. But it is one of the essay options that applicants to the University of Chicago face this year in their quest for a coveted freshman berth.

It is the kind of mind-stretching, offbeat or downright freaky essay question that is becoming more common these days as colleges and universities seek to pierce the fog of students’ traditional self-aggrandizing essays detailing their accomplishments and hardships.

From Caltech in the West to Wake Forest University in the East, more schools are serving up unusual essay prompts to gain better insights into young people’s minds and personalities.

Colleges also hope for more authenticity in a process skewed by parental intrusion, paid coaching and plagiarism.

“It’s a way to see students who can think differently and go beyond their academic, intellectual and extracurricular comfort zones,” said Garrett Brinker, an admissions official at University of Chicago. Those essays also “break up the monotony of the application process,” for students and colleges.

The Common Application, the online site used by 488 colleges, offers such generic prompts as: “Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you.” The site makes it easier for would-be students to apply, even if some are half-hearted about enrolling.

But an increasing number of schools prefer to hear only from serious applicants.

For some students, the questions may lighten an otherwise burdensome task. But others are intimidated, said Murphy, who is college counseling director at Bellarmine College Preparatory, a high school in San Jose, Calif.

“The colleges talk about the creativity of play and the philosophy of Plato. What the students are trying to figure out is: ‘What do

the colleges want me to say?’ “ Judy Rothman, author of “The Neurotic Parent’s Guide to College Admissions,” said schools like curveball essay questions because “they are sick and tired of reading the same thing over and over again” and because the topics encourage teen authorship without adult coaching.

High school seniors have mixed reactions, she said: “For a kid who is natural writer, it is relief and a great break from the tedious process of the applications.

For the kids who just want to get through all their applications, it’s a nightmare because you can’t recycle material.”

Hannah Kohanzadeh, a Santa Monica High School senior, has embraced the trend. “So many schools don’t pay attention to the little quirks students have. Those personal things can tell whether a student belongs there or not,” she said. With deadlines days away, she is finishing applications to Brandeis, Occidental and others.

For Occidental, an essay asked: “Identify and describe a personal habit or idiosyncrasy _ of any nature _ that helps define you.” She wrote about how she flaps her arms when she gets excited about hearing good music or reading a great book, and tied it to her love of new ideas. “I start flying,” she said.

For idiosyncrasies, other students described being so rushed that they brush their teeth in the shower, wearing certain underwear as a good luck charm for exams and falling in love too fast, according to Occidental’s Dean of Admission Sally Stone Richmond.

Now and then, an applicant reveals something “probably borderline unethical or demeaning to others,” Whitney said. For example a few years ago, someone wrote about spiking a teacher’s coffee with a potentially dangerous chemical. The teacher was warned in time, and the student did not meet academic standards for Caltech anyway. But if he had, that essay probably would have convinced officials he was “not a great fit in our community,” Whitney said.

10 • NEWS football Continued from Page 1

Early also points to the fact that the staff hadn’t sent out the recruiting packet they send all potential out-of-state athletes that gives them an idea of what is expected of them and the work they will have to do to make the move to California work.

The packet includes a financial preparedness magazine, two pamphlets, and an additional eight pages of information about the program and steps that the player needs to take to attend the school.

“It didn’t even get to us sending him a packet,” Early said. “It was Robert talking to him trying to get some background information, which we do (for many inquiring players).”

Early said it is a three-to-four month process for an out-of-state student to come to Palomar and a conversation with a player for a few days isn’t anything serious.

Getting 15-20 emails a day from out-of-state players is normal for Early, he said most of them get deleted right away, with the ones making it past his inspection going to various other coaches.

“Just because they send us film and we like their film initially, doesn’t guarantee them anything,” Early said.

bridge Continued from Page 1

Palomar student Jake Coleman believes the bridge would be a great addition, saying, “It sounds like a good idea. I don’t know how many times I’ve been late for the train waiting for the crosswalk.”

However, others like student Adam Sillers aren’t too thrilled, saying, “It does sound like a bad idea; a waste of money.”

The proposed bridge would be the first of its kind in San Marcos if built.

Edwards called it a “gateway,” to reviving the neighborhood and the college. The ultimate goal is to transform San Marcos into a bright, vibrant, developed neighborhood starting with the construction and completion of the pedestrian bridge.

Monday, February 11, 2013 COLLEGE COSTS

COLLEGES NEED TO CONTROL EXPENSES, HELP STUDENTS peter morici Baltimore Sun/MCT campus

Colleges and universities charge too much, deliver too little and channel too many students into a lifetime of debt. Genuine reform must be brought to bear to curb those abuses.

College graduates still earn more and are unemployed less often. However, with so many recent graduates serving cappuccino and treading water in unpaid internships, a four-year diploma is not quite the solid investment it once was, and it should not be so often viewed as such a necessity by society.

Since 2007-2008, the average pay for recent four-year graduates has fallen nearly 5 percent, while the average earnings of a typical American worker, as tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is up 10 percent.

Graduates in high-demand disciplines can still earn good starting salaries and expect rising earnings as experience grows, but in many majors they increasingly face market conditions that have bedeviled skilled manufacturing workers for decades: too many folks chasing too few jobs.

Academics tend to see a university education idealistically _ cultivating critical thinking and facilitating a satisfying life _ but most middle-class families view the situation in more practical terms. For them, a diploma is a capital investment often purchased at extortive prices.

Over several decades, Americans have become convinced that many jobs require a college education which, when evaluated in terms of their objective skill requirements, shouldn’t.

Convenience restaurant manag-

ers and cellphone salespeople don’t need an education in literature, math and politics beyond what a decent high school education imparts. Yet, employers often press for several years of college or a degree _ because college graduates are cheap and plentiful _ but still end up training new hires in rudiments of hospitality management, operating systems and the like.

The result is that too many young people are pressured into a costly education they don’t need and for which they may be ill-prepared. And universities, enjoying such a captive market, have over-expanded, acceded to faculty demands for light teaching loads, layered on costly bureaucracies, and unconscionably raised the cost of college to beyond what it frequently is worth to students and society as a whole.

Outstanding student loans now exceed $1 trillion, with 1 in 6 in default _ a ratio that will likely grow.

Unlike loans taken to capitalize a small business or buy a house, student loans are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, and stories abound of folks in their 40s and 50s still saddled with onerous debt and the elderly with garnisheed Social Security benefits.

Colleges and universities often fail to furnish families with all the information necessary to make sound choices _ including the probability a student will complete a degree in four years; the full cost of completing a degree; and likely salaries and prospects for repaying loans, especially according to major and for students who only attend a few years and do not complete a degree.

Too often, university presi-

dents are like the bankers who wrote bad mortgages during the housing boom: They admit students, facilitate lots of borrowing, and pay themselves well but don’t have much skin in the game.

For their students to qualify for both government-sponsored and private bank loans, universities should be compelled to provide audited information about the likely time required and cost of obtaining degrees in various majors; salaries graduates earn the first years after graduation, and the resulting repayment burdens; and similar data for those who attend less than four years. Like CEOs of corporations who must now attest to the accuracy of financial statements, university presidents should be required to do the same, and be subject to similar legal penalties for failure.

Student loans should be dischargeable in bankruptcy when these investments don’t work out; otherwise, we will continue to create debtors for life.

And universities should be on the hook for a significant share of defaulted loans _ perhaps, 25 percent to 50 percent.

Well-run institutions would get their costs and tuition under control, seriously evaluate and become transparent about the prospects for a decent-paying job after majoring in art history as opposed to mechanical engineering, and have little problem lining up private investors to insure their share of prospective default liabilities.

Schools that take students’ money and deliver too little for it would go the way of Circuit City or the St. Louis Browns, and stop blighting the futures of young people.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT PALOMAR February is Healthy Heart Month and the Health Services Center is offering free blood pressure screenings and cholesterol testing for only $10 to students and $15 to faculty and staff now through Feb. 28.

Those who want these services must make appointments for either the San Marcos or Escondido campuses in the morning.

Call (760) 744-1150 ext. 2305 for the San Marcos Campus and ext. 8105 for the Escondido Campus. The Health Center building is located just West of the Natural Sciences building.

On Feb. 13 and 20, Palomar’s Health Services Center and The Vista Community Clinic will be proving free and confidential HIV testing from 1p.m. to 4p.m. Students are urged to make appointments but walk ins are allowed. Call (760) 744-1150 ext.

2380 to make an appointment. The Health Center building is located just West of the Natural Sciences building.

On Feb. 14, students that hold Student Activities Cards for Spring 2013 can pick up a flower for free. Students who are interested can stop by the Student Activities booth located in the quad area from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.

On Feb. 12, there will be an African American History Month event in the quad. For more information contact Lindsay Kretchman at lkretchman@palomar.edu Feb. 20 is Club Rush Day on Palomar’s San Marcos Campus. Students are encouraged to attend in order to meet Palomar’s Associated Student Government (ASG) representatives, various club officers and also current club members. This event, in the quad, will provide students with the opportunity to join a club or ASG and even get information on starting a new club. Homemade goods will be available for purchase as a fundraiser. The event will begin at 10 a.m. and go until 1 p.m. Contact Marilyn Lunde for more information at mlunde@ palomar.edu.

Minor arrest records can keep college students out of job market desiree stennett orlando sentinel/mctcampus

ORLANDO, Fla. _ Every year, thousands of college students across the nation leave home for the first time and make decisions with potential to affect their lives for years.

Along with choosing career paths, taking classes and asserting their newfound freedom, some also end up with criminal charges on their records.

A U.S. Department of Justice report released in June showed that students who have been arrested, even for minor crimes, face extra obstacles in an already shaky job market.

A criminal record “will keep many people from obtaining employment, even if they have paid

their dues, are qualified for the job and are unlikely to re-offend,” according to Amy L. Solomon, a senior adviser to the assistant attorney general in the Office of Justice Programs, and author of the report.

Her report pointed out that “the majority of employers indicate that they would ‘probably’ or ‘definitely’ not be willing to hire an applicant with a criminal record.”

In October, one 20-year-old woman from Broward County, Fla., was visiting the University of Central Florida campus when she was caught holding an open can of beer and charged with misdemeanor underage drinking.

Like her, many students have their first run-in with law enforcement over relatively minor crimes.

But even minor infractions could

have implications later on.

“You don’t want to have that mark on your record,” said University of Central Florida police Chief Richard Beary. “With the job market as competitive as it is, even that misdemeanor arrest could have an impact on you depending on what position you’re trying to get.”

Though it is unclear what proportion of the arrests made by university police involve students rather than members of the general public, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report shows that thousands of arrests are made on Florida college campuses each year.

In 2011, police departments at the University of Florida, Florida International University, Florida State University and UCF arrested a combined 2,194 people.

There were 513 arrests on the UCF campus that year. Those included many of the 398 UCF students arrested on and off campus. Those students make up just a tiny fraction of UCF’s roughly 58,000 students, noted a university spokeswoman.

People who aren’t enrolled in schools are on campus for various sporting and social events, and those arrested who are not students are often charged with theft and other property crimes.

Cary Carlisle, a Pensacola, Fla., bail bondsman, has seen plenty of first-time-offender students come through his doors and said that, although the numbers are low, the experience usually forces those students to grow up fast.

“It’s usually a pretty eye-open-

ing experience for them,” Carlisle said. “After a while the reality hits them, and all of them are usually scared because this is the first time they have had a brush with the law.”

In addition to the long-term pitfalls, students also face shortterm consequences, university spokeswoman Zenaida Kotala said.

After an arrest has been reported to the university, the student suspect must go before the Office of Student Conduct, which evaluates each case.

The office’s student-conduct board made up of faculty, staff and students holds hearings for suspected violators and levies sanctions ranging from formal warnings to expulsion.

SPORTS • 11

the telescope swimming

Men’s swim team sets tough goals DAVID KRUEGER THE TELESCOPE

After finishing second to Santa Rosa in last year’s CCCAA State Championships, the men’s swim team at Palomar has set tough goals for this upcoming season.

As expectations begin to rise, there will be no down time for anyone suiting up.

The team has lost seven of its top contributors, who all placed at state last year. Palomar swimmers have four returning sophomores this year, including David Smithers, Wyatt Woodward, Misaki Onoue and Neil Fogel, all of whom scored in the state championships last year.

“They all show great leadership and ability,” Head Coach Jem McAdams said.

McAdams decided to incorporate different conditioning into the team’s routine training.

The so-called “dry-land” regiment involves strengthening key areas like the core, shoulders and chest muscles to give the team the edge it needs to make it to state this upcoming April.

In spite of the fact that a majority of this year’s line-up consists of incoming freshman, McAdams expressed confidence in his team.

“Show up, pay attention, have a positive attitude and the performance will take care of itself,” McAdams said.

The team is looking to improve on its second place finish in last year’s championships.

They’ve steadily been building

Palomar swimmer Wyatt Woodward does laps during team practice Jan. 29 at Wallace Memorial Pool. Woodward was a member of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay team at the 2012 CCCAA State Swimming Championships. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope

momentum as most of the players have been staying in shape by either playing water polo or swimming club during the offseason.

Fogel is looking forward to the possibilities of what may lie ahead

for this season.

“I really wanna win this year; I’ve been training non-stop since the season ended,” he said.

When asked about the team’s projections, Fogel said, “We won

the 800-free relay last year and three of those four guys on that relay are returning, so we should be able to do pretty well.”

Palomar is ranked No. 1 in Southern California so they’re

definitely going to have a target on their backs, he added.

As for the women’s swim team, members may have a challenging season.

McAdams said they lost four of their peak contenders from last year.

Their focus now is to train all of the incoming freshman.

“We’re teaching them how to swim more effectively and efficiently in the water,” McAdams said.

The majority of this year’s freshman class played water polo in the fall, so McAdams plans to help them transition from swimming as a group to focusing more on their individual techniques.

One of the top returning sophomores this season is Kylie Brown, who was awarded “Swimmer of the Year” at State in 2012.

Brown, who’s been a dedicated swimmer for the last 14 years, said, “I’m hoping we’ll get as many people up to state this year because we only had three girls, including myself, who were able to swim individual events last year.”

Additionally, there’s Yuki Hata, a sophomore who also placed at state in 2012.

According to McAdams, “Hata is a really hard worker, and she has really improved from last year.”

The team opened the season with the Waterman Festival on Feb. 8 at Palomar. dkrueger@the-telescope.com @davidmkruger

TRACK AND FIELD

Track and Field team looks to improve on last season SCOTT ROBERSON THE TELESCOPE

Talent. Potential. Depth.

These are the attributes that can be used to elucidate the 2013 Comets’ track and field team.

The women’s season is set to get underway at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 in Norwalk.

Head Coach Jennifer Williams looks to improve on a second place finish in conference last year.

Williams has a very optimistic look on this year’s squad leading to the beginning of this season.

She said although they lose a few people every year, there weren’t many major losses from last year.

“Our coaching staff is great.

They have been able to fill in the gaps really well, and we are a lot deeper (more athletes) this year,” Williams said.

She has been able to coerce a few athletes from the cross country team to help with distance running.

She also has freshman

Reagan Mathis to anchor the sprinting team, with freshman Cydnee Psalms heading up the jumpers.

Williams mentioned last year was a success because they were able to send three girls to state, where they all finished sixth in their events, but she wants this team to be even better.

“Winning conference is always the goal.

“We want to take as many athletes to the SoCal regionals and the state meet as possible,” Williams said.

Mathis has the same goal.

“We want conference. We just want to win,” she said. “I just got to perform well in whatever they (coaches) put me in.”

Although this year’s team has very high potential and talent, the lack of an offseason program does leave one for concern.

“It’s tough because we don’t have a class so it is not allowed to meet,” Williams said.

The coaches were able to give their athletes a workout schedule, but it is up to them to complete it.

“They had workouts pre-

pared for us. It had different exercises like running and lifting weights,” Psalms said.

She added that she believes her coaches have put the them in a position to reach the team’s goal of a conference title.

She also believes they will get her to her individual goal of jumping at least 5 feet 10 inches in the high jump this season.

Mathis showed the same amount of faith in her coaches as Psalms.

“They are motivational coaches. They are hard on us when they need to be, but it makes us better,” Mathis said.

Along with great coaching, a team needs to be able to mesh to be successful - a trait that this team has adopted.

“We have really good energy. We are all about the same age, so we all get along real well,” Mathis said. sroberson@the-telescope.com @scottroberson55

Palomar jumper Cydnee Psalms lifts weights as part of the team’s training routine during a team practice on Feb. 5 in the athletic gym. • Gary West/Telescope

SPORTS • 12

the telescope WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Palomar Comets women’s basketball team huddles up around team captain Alyssa Pinckney on Feb. 1, in the dome before taking on the Mesa Olympians. • Gary West/Telescope

Women continue to excel in conference Gary nelson & Scott morton the telescope

The Palomar women’s basketball team dominated Mesa College 60-36 on Feb. 1, a score the team members said shows they have what it takes to make it to the top.

With an assist from freshman forward Bianca Littleton to sophomore guard Alyssa Pinckney, Palomar took a strong lead from the get-go.

“We hit the ground running,” sophomore forward Ashley Witherspoon said.

“We have a great defense, and our intensity didn’t go down.

We’re like a family; we have our ups and downs, but in the end

we come back together.”

This game marks another step toward advancing in the conference.

“We plan on taking this intensity into our coming games,” Witherspoon said.

Head Coach Leigh Marshall agreed and said she wanted the team to go into the game with a fresh perspective, and to play as though it was round one.

“We’ve done pretty good,” she said. “We’re learning; we have young players. If we can continue to come together, we will be successful.”

She said she felt that the highlight of this game was the energy exuded by the team.

“I told them it is about defensive intensity. Play 40 minutes of hell,” Marshall said.

Marshall added that the women have proven their dedication to each other.

“It is a team of hardworking girls, a very blue collar group that isn’t afraid to get dirty,” she said.

The team has eight reliable players who Marshall said she rotates in and out.

It includes three team captains - Pinckney, Littleton and Melanie Lombardi.

The team has moved back into a tie for first place with Southwestern, who was bumped out by Imperial Valley. Both teams have a playoff record of 4-2.

The team’s next game is set for 5 p.m. Feb 13 at Imperial Valley. gnelson@the-telescope.com smorton@the-telescope.com

Alyssa Pinckney contributes 16 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist against Mesa College on Feb. 1 in the dome. •Gary West/Telescope

Men’s basketball

Men’s basketball competes in tight race for 1st place scott morton the telescope

This season, the Comets men’s basketball team shares first place with Grossmont College after Grossmont bumped out Palomar’s rival, MiraCosta, earlier this month.

Palomar is currently ranked 20th in the state and 10th in conference, where they also have the best record this season 16-8.

After an average season, the Comets pulled together to go 6-1 in the postseason.

They scored over 95 points in each of the past four games, winning by more than 20 points each time.

Scoring high has been a recurring theme this season. Even

ing the team in scoring with two highthis season, often scorscoring stars, ing more than 30 points it a team built a game. Averaging 18 around working together, points a game, he was according to recognized as Pacific members.

Coast Athletic Conference athlete of the week “Our bench after he scored 60 points is crazy,” said in two games during the center Joe Vaz. third week of the confer“They are loud ence finals. and get us motivated.”

Ervin is a 6-foot-1Head Coach inch point guard from John O’Neill Hug High School in also credited Reno, Nev. He is a sophomore who transferred the team’s talent with its suc- Palomar point guard Dejuan Ervin (4) moves the ball forward on Nov. 25, dur- from Lassen Community cess. ing the Palomar Thanksgiving Classic in The Dome. • Peter Ahsue/Telescope College.

“We have “He is a really good the deepest bench in the league,” well. Guys have really accepted leader, the best leader we have he said. “We have 12 guys that what we’re trying to do.” had in the last couple years,” said can shoot, pass the ball and finish Dejuan Ervin has been lead- Assistant Coach John Hotaling.

When paired with 7-foot-1-inch center Vaz, the team is able to put up big numbers on the scoreboard.

Vaz has been averaging 16.2 points a game with 82 percent field goal accuracy.

O’Neill and Hotaling knew Vaz was going to be a special player; however, they didn’t expect him to play the amount of minutes he has been able to contribute each game.

Vaz is now among the top three rebounders in the state, a statistic that has been a pleasant surprise to his coaches.

“It is a really fun team to watch, they want to go up and down the court, and they want to score points. We have been really efficient,” O’Neill said. smorton@the-telescope.com