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SPORIS WRAP A look back at the fall season Ill PAGE 18
Issues remain in contract • • netOtlatlons
Top dentistry program brings students smiles By Miko Kudo
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By Jessica Musica1·
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Every year, 28 students get the opportunity to clean teeth, examine gums and fill cavities through Palomar's Dental Assisting program. "We can spend more time with the students one on one," said Adelina Acevedo, a professor of the program, "That helps tremendously." The program has been placed in the top 25 percent of programs statewide, because 81 percent of Palomar students passed the Registered Dental Assisting exam in July. This exceeds the statewide pass rate of 68.9 percent. "I'm very proud of that," Acevedo said. Melinda Snapp and her mother Kathy Snapp are both dental assisting students enrolled in the same classes. "I like the program," Kathy said. "It is important to have something that prepares you for an occupation or vocation." The students not only spend time in the classroom, but also at least 320 hours in three different kinds of dental offices through internships. "That has to be a part of success," said Denise Rudy, director of the program. "That gives (the students) a very broad experience base, and they get a lot of practical experience in dental offices." The program is accredited by the American Dental Association, so the curriculum has to follow very strict standards, Rudy said. Melinda said the classes are challenging. "The students are very immersed. They spend a lot of time. The courses are in-depth," Rudy said. All professors have years of experience in the dental field. The experience gives • SEE SMILES, PAGE 8
As the end of fall session approaches, the teachers union and Palomar district face yet another semester of negotiations to complete the union's first contract. The Palomar Faculty ~ Federation and the disa trict have spent nearly a semester looking for a way to compromise on the contract's four remaining sections. Also, the two parties will soon attend a formal hearing held by the Public Employment Relations Board, which will address several complaints of bad faith bargaining made against the district. The hearing will be held Jan. 14, 2004.
Contract Dispute
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• SEE CONTRACT, PAGE 5
Fire victi~s get $19k fro~ college By Chanel Hachez
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Palomar College has matched $9,343 of donations made by faculty, staff and students, aiding 20 victims with nearly $19,000. The Palomar College Foundation's fire victims assistance fund raised money for the Palomar community after the late October wild fires. ''The intention of the fund was to collect money as soon as possible and distribute it as soon as possible," said Dale Wallenius, vice president of the foundation.
fire storm
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Dental assisting student Kianna Kelsay examines a model of the human mouth Dec. 1. The program provides professional instruction to a group of 28 students each year.
• SEE FIRE, PAGE 13
Proh protest Web-only retistration By Andrew Phelps
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Faculty members are criticizing Palomar administrators about a decision to phase out the Phone-and-Register system as an enrollment option for students . The removal of PAR leaves only eServices, an Internet-based system - which they say is unfair for students without easy access to computers. "If we're truly going to be the open institution that we claim to be, you can't allow technology to be a barrier," said life sciences professor Candice Francis.
Faculty members said the removal of PAR, as well as other steps to make Palomar a "paperless" college, are premature. PAR will be dropped when the college upgrades to PeopleSoft 8 - the software that handles student registration, fee payment and other services. Students will continue to have access to PAR until the planned software upgrades in spring 2004. However, the college has dropped all references to PAR from the spring 2004 class schedule.
STAY ON PAR P11/omllt must kesp 11nDJ"' r~gistr11tion.
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a SEE REGISTRATION, PAGE 9
HOLIDAY HOOPLA le11rn where to find winter fun in S11n Diego.
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Palomar student Tm Senkowski helps future Palomar student Juan Ortega enroU on a computer in Student Services Dec. 3. Faculty members complain online-only registration is unfair for students.
DATE RAPE A Ptllomllr student shiiiiS 11 ehilling story.
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