The Telescope 65.13

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ROAD OR RUIN? FALLBROOK CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION

the telescope Palomar College’s Independent Newspaper Vol. 65, No. 13 • Monday, March 5, 2012 1140 W. Mission Rd, San Marcos, Calif. www.the-telescope.com/@telescopenews

BY THE NUMBERS

HUGE

Construction on the road to Palomar College’s new Fallbrook campus is continuing despite a lawsuit against the college. • Deb Hellman/The Telescope

NATIVE AMERICAN GROUPS FILE SUIT TO CHALLENGE ALLEGED DESECRATION OF TRIBAL ARTIFACTS NEAR NEW CAMPUS APRIL TESTERMAN THE TELESCOPE

State community colleges will face another huge cut next year.

It’s time to get ready for the pain.

Construction on Horse Ranch Creek Road in Fallbrook is advancing despite the discovery of a Native American burial ground and an ensuing lawsuit.

Palomar College is building an education center near that location.

Palomar has been working on the construction of Horse Ranch Creek Road since July 2011. Officials have been aware of the human remains and artifacts that were found at the southern portion of the road. Construction plans were approved by the County of San Diego, prompting Palomar to continue working.

Palomar spokeswoman Laura Gropen declined to comment on the legal matter due to district policy regarding ongoing lawsuits. However, a news release was posted on Palomar’s website Feb. 24 about the project.

Though Palomar does not own any part of Horse Ranch Creek Road, the construction of the road was part of the purchase agreement for the land.

The road will lead to the future North Education Center located in Fallbrook.

Ground has not yet been broken at the NEC, a project funded by Proposition M funds, Gropen said.

ANOTHER

ADMINISTRATION

MASSIVE SICKENING

CUT NEW CUTS TO BUDGET FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES ACROSS CALIF.

$147

MILLION

EFFECTIVE NEW CUT AS % OF EACH COLLEGE’S BUDGET 5.5% CUT

$36

2000

2004

$20 SOURCE:CCCCO.EDU

CC FEES PER-UNIT

$46

$11

2005

TURN TO FALLBROOK ON PAGE 9

Ex-union president takes on new challenge as dean

WHAT’S INSIDE

SHAUN KAHMANN

BE CREATIVE, MAKE MONEY

THE TELESCOPE

TOTAL BUDGET 95%

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FEES BY YEAR (INCREASING W/ CUTS)

$26

JAMES TRUJILLO• TRIBE’S SPOKESMAN

SOURCE: CCC CHANCELLOR OFFICE

SOURCE: CCC CHANCELLOR OFFICE

$18

This isn’t the only site being threatened.

(They are) all a part of our creation story.

2007

2011

2012

The potential road, owned by Pardee Homes, is slated to run over the remains of the Tom-Kav Village. The first remains and artifacts were found in January 2011, when grading of the road first began. It was then that tribes from all over San Diego County stepped in and suggested exploring other options.

“We asked the road to be moved over,” said James Trujillo, the vice chair of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians.

According to Cami Mojado, Caltrans also gave alternatives to the road. Mojado is of the San Luis Band of Luiseño Indians.

“This isn’t the only site being threatened,” Trujillo said. “[They are] all a part of our creation story.”

Once remains or artifacts are found, a whole new process needs to take place and according to Mojado, these laws have not been followed and recent plans have not been approved by any of the tribes.

What was approved by the Army Corps of Engineers had only been a draft, he said.

Members of the Luiseño tribe began camping out on Pardee property on Feb. 22. Mojado made it clear that everybody has signed in per directions from Balfour Beatty Construction.

Former ESL professor Shayla Sivert hopes to nourish Palomar’s sense of community spirit in her new role as Interim Dean of Languages and Literature.

As a veteran teacher with a career spanning three decades, Sivert is in her element. After making the decision to pick up the gauntlet where it was left by the former Dean of Languages and Literature Steve McDonald, Sivert said she hopes her breadth of experience will lend a guiding hand to Palomar’s administrative inner-workings.

Sivert said she approached applying for the position with a bit of apprehension, but ultimately decided to take the

leap to glimpse Palomar in a new way.

“I applied because I thought it would give me a broader view on the college,” Sivert said. “I thought this was an experience worth going for.”

As a former co-president of the Palomar Faculty Federation, Sivert said she feels her experience working on planning councils has given her administrative insight and dexterity for conflict resolution. She said she hopes to put them both to good use, especially where the faculty-district contract is concerned.

“I’ve been able to carry a lot of knowledge into this job,” Sivert said.

“It could save some headaches in the long run.”

TURN TO SIVERT ON PAGE 9

LIFE / 8 A student-run magazine seeks art and writing submissions, offers $100 prize to top piece.

WHAT’S ONLINE DAILY SPORTS UPDATES Telescope sports writers give you the scoop, videos and more at www.the-telescope.com

2 • NEWS

Monday, March 5, 2012

THIS WEEK IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT

BY JOEL RAMOS

FIRST DRAFT OF THE PROPOSED 2012-2013 ASG BUDGET REVIEWED Associated Student Government Financial Liaison Rocky Brady presented a proposed budget at the Feb. 15 ASG meeting for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. The proposed budget exceeded the regular operating amount.

The regular operating budget ASG receives from Palomar College District is $30,000 to $34,000 every fiscal year. ASG will bring forward $90,000 from the reserves and other various funds left unspent by past ASGs, bringing the total amount in the ASG account to $129,000.

The largest budget expenses were monetary requests and ASG special projects. ASG has granted money to various clubs and sponsored many events that benefit the student body.

“We can only allocate 220 percent of the operative budget because we have that large reserve... so far we’ve only spent the 63 percent... We really need to look and do some kind of a balancing act. I don’t think it’s wrong to spend some of the reserves, but we do need to be more prudent with it,” Brady said.

“I fear if we were to drastically alter the bylaws or drastically alter the budget it would cause a pretty heavy backlash from the student population. We are still contending with the Coalition for Democratic Education… I think we’re really going to have to deal with that if we start hacking... at the budget,” Sen. Greg Torres said.

ASG Advisor Sherry Titus said, “You have a responsibility to all students. Not just the clubs, not just your special interest groups, not just the student initiative people... They may be less vocal, but you are responsible to that entire group.”

At the end of the meeting, Lucero urged the board to study the proposed budget and be ready with suggestions.

ASG CONSIDERS SECOND DRAFT At a Feb. 22 meeting, the ASG was presented with a new budget proposal for the 2012-2013 fiscal year in which the allocated expenses are covered by the funds appropriated by the district.

ASG Sen. Rocky Brady stated that the changes would require amendments to ASG bylaws.

The changes refer to the section in which the amendment limits monetary requests from clubs to a matching fund of $600; any amount over that must be approved by a unanimous vote. The amount of monetary requests will be limited to $6,000 per semester, according to the proposed budget.

The other proposal refers to ASG special projects and puts the same limitations on the amount allocated; those funds may be approved with only a two-thirds majority vote. Neither will not be granted funds if ASG reserve funds falls below $60,000.

The proposed budget reduces allocations to office expenses, social events, veteran appreciation and the ASG-sponsored Comet Celebration.

A major change to the proposed budget is the deletion of the line items monetary requests, ASG special projects and leadership travel. Under the proposed budget, funds that go toward monetary requests, special projects or leadership travel will come out of the ASG reserve funds if the reserves have an excess of $60,000.

“Monetary requests and ASG special projects were put in as line items because we had extra funds. We still have them, but it’s set up now to decrease over time,” Sen. Brady explained. “This recommended budget prevents the ASG from spending all their money for monetary requests or ASG special projects, but still allows the ASG to provide funds as long as there (are) extra funds.

The board discussed for over 50 minutes until President Evelyn Lucero was forced to adjourn the meeting. She urged the members of the board to review the proposed budget and come back to the next meeting prepared with suggestions and comments.

visit us online @

www.the-telescope.com BREAKING NEWS • SPORTS • LIFE • OPINION

Construction continues on the Humanities building at the end of the day on Feb. 28. It is being funded by Prop M. • Deb Hellman/Telescope

Occupy at Palomar IAN HANNER THE TELESCOPE

More than 80 students turned out to a seminar on the tenants of the Occupy movement held Feb. 28 at Palomar.

“I was frustrated by the way the media was avoiding meaningful discussion about the movement,” said Philip De Barros, Palomar Professor and event organizer. “This event is supposed to get people to think openly about the movement.”

Among the key note speakers were De Barros, part-time philosophy professor William Leslie, and Occupy San Diego organizer Eva David, who all talked about the ways the movement has developed since its inception and how they were able to develop consensus among members.

IHANNER@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Four-year college tours coming up LEXY PEREZ THE TELESCOPE

The Palomar Transfer Center has announced the arrival of CSU San Marcos representatives visiting the Palomar campus on March 13, April 19, and May 9.

For the March and May visits, representatives will be available from noon to 4 p.m. On April 19, they will be on campus from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students can make an appointment to speak with California State University, San Marcos representatives.

There are upcoming university tours, for any students interested in visiting the listed campuses.

On Friday March 9, students can visit the University of California, Riverside from 8:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. A bus will leave Palomar at 7:30 a.m. and return to Palomar at approximately 4 p.m.

On March 22, students can tour California State University, Dominguez Hills from 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

A bus will leave Palomar at 11 a.m. and return to campus at 4:30 p.m. Students interested in visiting California State University, Long Beach can leave campus at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 13. The tour will last between 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The bus will return to Palomar at 3:30 p.m. Lastly, a University of California, Irvine tour will take place on Friday, April 20 from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The bus will leave at 8:30 a.m. and will return to campus at 3 p.m.

Aside from free transportation, students will also receive a free lunch. Students interested in participating in the tours must pre-register by paying a $5 refundable registration fee. Money will be returned once you have attended the tour. To reserve a spot for any of these tours, stop by the Transfer Center located at SSC-24.

LPEREZ@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Student radio station wins award IAN HANNER THE TELESCOPE

Palomar’s KKSM radio students recently won first place in audio documentary for their submission to the National Broadcasting Education Association media competition.

“We submitted the audio documentary for consideration, and lo-and-behold, we won first place and beat out San Francisco University,” said Zeb Navarro, the radio station’s general manager.

“We’re the only two-year college that won over four-year universities.”

The project, titled “9/11: 10 Years Forward” was spearheaded by student Serena Reid, along with the help of some of her classmates in KKSM. The Broadcasting Education Association holds the competition in partnership with the National Association of Broadcaster, a representative organization of all media organizations in the country.

The documentary gained recognition from judges for offering perspectives uncharacteristic of student work, such as an Iraqi civilian and a prominent military reporter.

“I’m very, very proud of our students for coming together and producing this,” Navarro said.

IHANNER@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

HIV screening to be offered free of cost DANIELLE TAYLOR THE TELESCOPE

Palomar’s Health Services plans to offer free HIV testing to students in March.

Testing will be offered from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on March 14 in room NS-145 by the Palomar College Health Services center in collaboration with the Vista Community Clinic.

The procedure is a cheek swab and all students who complete the HIV test and the questionnaire will receive a $10 gift card.

“We know that often students who are partaking in substance abuse, may have indiscriminate or unprotected sex,” said Jayne Conway, director of Health Services. “Which is why we are offering incentives. Not only is it free, but we are paying you.”

During the screening, students fill out a questionnaire about substance abuse. Those who are considered to be showing signs of high-risk behavior can enroll in a six-week counseling program.

Those interested are encouraged to make an appointment by calling (760) 744-1150 ext. 2380.

DTAYLOR@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

NEWS • 3

the telescope

SHAUN KAHMANN THE TELESCOPE

A Palomar professor of sociology is helping women living with HIV tell their own stories.

K a t h leen Grove plans to share some of her research during Women’s History Month, a campus wide event that will kick-off on March 6.

Using a research technique called photo-elicitation, Associate Professor of Sociology Grove gave 19 women with HIV disposable cameras and asked them to photograph people, places and objects that defined HIV for them.

After developing the film, Grove said she sat down with each woman and discussed how HIV influenced the photos they took. Grove said because treatments have improved so substantially in the last 20 years, the women are living longer with the virus and are fighting back harder than ever.

“They had very creative ways of fighting back against having a stigmatized identity,” Grove said. “One of the women told me ‘HIV lives with me, I don’t live with it.’”

Grove culled her pool of interviewees from community agencies and meetings and encountered women of all ages, ranging from 24 to 67.

“I interviewed people who’d been living with HIV for over 20 years,” Grove said.

Grove said one of the women she interviewed showed her a picture of the “Victory Kiss” statue in downtown San Diego based on the WWII era picture of a sailor kissing a nurse. When Grove asked the woman what the photo meant to her, she said she took it because she didn’t think anyone would ever kiss her that way again.

“She had only been diagnosed for a year and she was still coming to grips with what it would mean for her, as a young person who wants to have a love life,” Grove said.

Grove said that a big issue for young women with HIV is the fear that it will hinder their ability to have a sex life, get married or eventually have kids.

Grove said she was inspired by the way women have been able to overcome their fears, especially in the years since she first researched the topic in 1991.

“In 1991 women were invisible, hardly anyone thought women got HIV,” Grove said.

According to Grove, many of the women she interviewed told her that after hiding it for so long they eventually resolved to tell anyone who showed any interest in their condition that they have HIV. Grove said that even after the initial shock a romantic partner may experience after being first told, it is not insurmountable to continue to have a relationship.

SKAHMANN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Union President vows to regain power SHAUN KAHMANN THE TELESCOPE

Math Professor Shannon Lienhart vows to bring power back to the faculty as interim president of the Palomar Faculty Federation.

When the previous Faculty Federation President Shayla Sivert resigned to take the role of divisional dean, the executive board of the union selected a past president to take the reins during the interim.

Enter Lienhart, a former president who plans to take full advantage of her position until she can launch into her own campaign for full-time president come election time in May. “There’s a pretty steep learning curve in terms of what you have to know to be in this position,” Lienhart said.

Lienhart said that there is a lot she would do differently if she’s elected.

“I feel like I allowed the administration to control too much of our agenda,” Lienhart said. “I would stay more focused on the big picture.”

Lienhart said that she felt the administration wields too much power, and has been unwilling to compromise with unions. Lienhart said one ongoing dispute involves the foundation’s desire to gain a seat on the

Instructional Planning Council. According to Lienhart, of the five major planning councils at Palomar the planning council is the only one that the foundation doesn’t have a seat on, and the administration has spent tens-of-thousands of dollars fighting to prevent it from happening.

“That to me is petty and ridiculous,” Lienhart said. “It shouldn’t be that way, I wish we could be more collegial.”

According to Teresa Laughlin, lead negotiator for the union, she’s happy Lienhart was selected for the position of interim president.

“She’s great, she knows the job and she’s always prepared when we go into negotiations,” Laughlin said. “She’s wonderful.”

Lienhart stressed the importance of bringing balance back to the distribution of power between the district and teachers unions and said that would be her first priority if she’s reelected.

“If we were able to get governing board members elected that would put a check on the administration, we would have some power,” Lienhart said. “When I say I’m focused, that’s what I’m focused on.”

SKAHMANN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

Leaving college with a degree, thousands in debt ALAN J. HEAVENS MCT CAMPUS

graduated from college debt-free.

Dunne, a 1999 Pennsylvania State University graduate who got his law degree from New England University School of Law in 2005, started his firm, Dunne Law Offices P.C., in 2009, “believing that I could help others even though I couldn’t help myself.”

Of the legions in precarious financial straits because of high debt levels, many in this area find themselves sitting across from Dunne after defaulting on student loans.

William E. Brewer Jr., president of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, said that the amount of student borrowing crossed the $100 billion threshold for the first time in 2010, and that total outstanding loans exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in 2011.

What’s more, Dunne said, those who default on student-loan payments see their principal automatically increase 33 percent, so if you owed $100,000 and stopped paying, the balance goes to $133,000.

Part of the problem is that most students do not know what they are getting into.

The new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is working on a one-page financial-aid shopping sheet (see it at http://consumerfinancial. gov) to help students figure out how much in federal loans and private loans they should consider taking on, and what kind of loan repayments will follow after graduation.

What Dunne can do for his clients is limited.

The national bankruptcy attorneys’ group said 82 percent of its members see little chance of discharging student-loan debt this way.

“Clients also read online that loans can be discharged under a hardship standard, but that’s legal fiction,” Dunne said.

“The banks got the laws changed in 2005, so that unless you are paralyzed or otherwise impaired, there’s no chance,” he said.

Americans are graduating from college today with mountains of debt that will take years to dig out from under.

Two-thirds of 2011 graduates of four-year colleges accumulated an average of $34,000 in debt each, according to FinAid.org — more than triple the amount of a 1992 graduate. For those who went on to medical or law school, the final cost could be 10 times that amount.

Until they get rid of the debt, “it is inconceivable that they’ll ever be able to buy a home,” said Steven M. Dunne, a Philadelphia consumer-bankruptcy lawyer who last year paid $36,000 to chip away at his student loans, $5,000 of that interest.

“When I graduated from law school, I knew I couldn’t make the payments with one job,” said Dunne, “so I’ve had two for the last three years.

“The impact is that I can’t afford to buy a house or a car,” he said. Essentially, “I have two mortgages to pay every month, but I don’t have any real estate to show for it.”

His friends and a huge number of his clients are in a similar position, thanks to skyrocketing educational costs — some attributed to workers seeking retraining as high-paying jobs are outsourced.

“In the last 20 years, tuition has risen 130 percent, four times the rate of inflation,” Dunne said. “Private colleges typically cost $38,000 a year with room and board.

“It is putting the economy in a dangerous position, delaying life-cycle events like homeownership, marriage, and having children,” he said.

The result has been fewer household formations, on which the demand for housing — both existing homes and new construction — depends.

With fewer first-time buyers in the pool, current owners who want to move cannot sell. With so many heavily indebted graduates moving back with their parents, people who thought they had empFURNISHED ROOM FOR RENT tied the nests cannot buy smaller houses. $500 monthly / 2 miles from Palomar College “It boggles the mind how Waling distance to Buena Creek Sprinter Station anyone can allow someone without a job to accumulate NON-SMOKING / SHARED BATH $200,000 in debt,” said MayKITCHEN PRIVELEGES / WASHER & DRYER AVAILABLE fair real estate broker ChrisWI-FI AVAILABLE / CREDIT CHECK NEEDED ($20) topher J. Artur, who spent FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENTS WELCOME much effort over the years ensuring that his children 760-518-8012

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4 • OPINION

Monday, March 5, 2012

OUR VIEWPOINT

TIME TO PAY YOUR OWN WAY WHAT WE THINK Too many students are freeloading at Palomar and not paying their fair share.

Everyone should chip in and pay for classes, whether now or in the future.

COUNTING THE FREENANIGANS 7 in 10

STUDENTS NOT PAYING FOR CLASSES UNDER BOG WAIVER

$103m

AMOUNT NONPAYING STUDENTS WILL SUCK FROM THE SYSTEM YEARLY

$10

WHAT EACH STUDENT EFFECTIVELY PAYS PER-UNIT TO SUPPORT FREELOADERS

$36

PER-UNIT PRICE PAID BY SOME STUDENTS SOURCE: SALLIE MAE & CALIF. LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE

Community college used to be the affordable alternative to the pricier UC and CSUs. But, as more and more students are attending community colleges at a reduced cost, or even for free, other students are forced to pay higher fees to combat a huge budget deficit.

Recently tuition at California Community Colleges was raised from $26 to $36 per unit, which would have created a $110 million increase in total revenue, according to a report by the Legislative Analyst’s Office. However, due to the large amount of students receiving funding from the state of California, specifically the Board of Governors Fee Waiver, the revenue increase may fall short by nearly $103 million.

The same report suggests that 70 percent of students will be receiving the BoG waiver in the 2012-2013 school year.

This means that in the English class of 30 students that is so desperately hard to get into, 21 students are there without paying a single cent to the school for that seat. The other nine students each paid an additional $10 for their seat, and by extension, seats for those 21 students.

It is of no assistance to Palomar nor the state of California to allow so many students to attend college free of charge when we are already in such a dire budget crisis as a state. The state needs to come up with a solution to this problem before fees, which are slated to rise another $10 this summer to $46, become so unreachably high that the middle class cannot afford to attend the “cheaper” alternative of community college any longer.

We at The Telescope think it is prudent to offer a payment plan for low-income students. At Palomar, there is currently no option for a student to be on a payment plan. Students were informed, via eServices, that enrollment fees must be paid within 10 days of enrolling for classes, or no later than Jan. 5, 2012 or the class would be lost. For some, that tuition was upwards of $500, an amount that probably isn’t readily available to spend while still surviving the month.

Cal State San Marcos and many other universities offer this payment plan approach for families who are incapable of paying in full by an assigned date.

While CSU tuition is still rising, students are offered an affordable alternative.

If California community colleges offered a payment plan, the state would be able to adjust the eligibility requirements for the BoG waiver. This, in turn, would increase the number of students paying enrollment fees and the overall state revenue while decreasing the deficit created by the BoG waiver.

The fact is, with constantly increasing enrollment fees, the 30 percent of students still paying for their classes are going to be forced into poverty. We cannot let that happen. The state and non-paying students need to take responsibility for generating more income. editor@the-telescope.com

STUDENT SUCCESS TASKFORCE

DARK TIMES AHEAD FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS Taskforce plans will gut the true purpose of the state’s visionary junior college system CyNDI LUNDEBeRG THE TELESCOPE

Community college leaders met last December to discuss students’ success in California. The so-called Student Success Task Force has drafted 22 recommendations to make community college students more successful.

This won’t make students more successful. It will put up more roadblocks for students while causing Palomar to spend time and money on implementing new rules instead of teaching students.

The taskforce says its main goal is to have community colleges improve transfer rates and have more students receive associate degrees and certificates at community colleges.

Of course, the goal of transferring is admirable and necessary for some, but doesn’t take into account the different needs of students. The emphasis on student transfer rates completely discredits why a lot of students come to community college. Some enroll to explore new topics and others come after receiving a bachelor’s degree to gain certification and specialization.

The point of community college is for people to figure out what they want to study, and have the flexibility to change it.

This bill won’t allow that. Students will be forced to come up with an education plan at the beginning, and will be discouraged from veering off of it The initiative also fails to address the biggest obstacle for any kind of student success: availability of classes. The biggest detriment to student success that the taskforce failed to look over is a lack of classes within career courses.

A study done on community colleges by the University of Michigan found that nearly 140,000 first-time community college students were not able to enroll in a single course in 2010 because of overcrowding.

Further adding to the problem is the $400 million in budget cuts community colleges will be facing this year. The state of California therefore has to figure out

what courses college should continue to offer. Colleges have started eliminating classes, this alone prevents the students from succeeding in California, therefore pushing students to seek enrollment outside of the state.

The state should stop eliminating classes, and they should start requiring students to be more active with the school they attend. The taskforce’s desire to assess all California students will increase the demand for counselors. This not beneficial because to pay for more counselors, schools will have to cut more classes.

More counselors are not needed. Students can sign onto their online account and see exactly what classes they need, and what classes they’ve already taken.

There are various websites that can help with class scheduling. Schools should stop wasting money with new rules and instead get community colleges what they need in order to have successful students graduate. Like cheaper books.

A study done by the U. S. Government Accountability Office found that students are spending nearly $100 per textbook.

The taskforce should figure out a way to help students pay for books and other materials students need. Extra costs are hurdles that keep students from being successful. The more college cost, the more students are forced to work to pay those costs instead of taking the classes to transfer.

Here is an idea: The taskforce should ask students what they need to succeed.

Find out what is keeping them in community colleges and address those problems instead of issuing edicts from Sacramento.

We need more parking lots, we need more financial aid, we need cheaper books, we need more professors to teach classes that students actually need to transfer. Arriving to class on time is always the student priority, and yet there are days when students spend over half an hour looking for a spot to park. Getting us into the classroom is the first step to a student’s success. clundeberg@the-telescope.com

OPINION • 5

the telescope

t

the telescope Focused On Palomar Monday, March 5, 2012 Vol. 65, No. 13 Palomar College, San Marcos, CA

MATTHEW SLAGLE EDITOR IN CHIEF & PAGE DESIGNER KAITY BERGQUIST MANAGING EDITOR & PAGE DESIGNER IAN HANNER NEWS EDITOR

ONE MAN LEAKED DOCUMENTS. HE FACES LIFE IN THE BRIG.

WHISTLE BLOWER

ANOTHER ORDERED THE DEATHS OF 24.

HE WAS DEMOTED.

JOEL RAMOS NEWS EDITOR GIO NIETO OPINION EDITOR KELLI MILLER LIFE EDITOR

IAN HANNER

COLLEEN PETERS SPORTS EDITOR & COPY EDITOR DAVID LEONARD DESIGN EDITOR & INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT NATALIE SOLDOFF PAGE DESIGNER DEB HELLMAN PHOTO EDITOR BRIAN KOREC ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR ERIN HIRO ADVISER KIIGAN SNAER BUSINESS MANAGER STAFF WRITERS APRIL TESTERMAN, CYNDI LUNDEBERG, DANIELLE TAYLOR, EMMA MALISZEWSKI, JESSICA BROOKS, JACQUELINE COBLE, LEXY PEREZ, MICHAEL ASTORINO, MIKE PETERSON, PETER BEHR, SHAUN KAHMANN & STEPHEN KECK PHOTOGRAPHERS CHARLES LUGTU, ALLYSON WATSON, ADEN WEBSTER, DAN CHAMBERS, EBONY AVERY, KRISTEN CAMPBELL,PHYLLIS CELMER, RUSSELL WHITE, SERGIO SOARES ADDRESS THE TELESCOPE PALOMAR COLLEGE 1140 W. MISSION ROAD, SAN MARCOS, CA 92069 PHONE / 760-891-7865 NEWSROOM / MD-228 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 RECEIEVED ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE NEWSPAPER’S PUBLICATION TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION. THE TELESCOPE IS PUBLISHED 11 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

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CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER’S ASSOCIATION

THE TELESCOPE

There is a serious double-standard in the way the military handles disciplinary actions.

On Jan. 23, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich plead guilty to one count of “negligent dereliction of duty,” a euphemism for murder. Pfc. Bradley Manning of the U.S. Army awaits a trial with the potential for life in prison for leaking documents exposing military lies.

We can mince no words: Soldiers are killers. Someone who denies that this is their purpose is self-deceptive. They are highly trained, usually well-funded and have been set in a sort-of hero class throughout much of American history.

However, in the United States, we expect a certain level of discretion between the “good and bad guys.” When this boundary is not understood, innocent people can be hurt.

In 2005, a convoy in Haditha, Iraq was struck by an improvised explosive device that led to the death and injury of several Marines. Under the direction of Sgt. Wuterich, and with no immediately apparent enemy, the surviving Marines raided the homes of nearby Iraqi civilians and killed over two dozen people with no proven relationship to the attack, including women and children and an elderly man in a wheelchair.

On the other hand, in 2010 a file dump of classified military documents showed up on the website Wikileaks. Among the files was a video that showed the unprovoked killing of two Reuters journalists by gunship pilots. The video garnered a huge public criticism and sent the Department of Defense on a hunt to find the person with access to the files that were leaked.

The hunt led them back to Manning, an Army analyst who was allegedly caught in a chat log talking about making the file dump. He was detained and has been held in an Army brig since.

According to his lawyers, Manning has been repeatedly abused by his “overseers” in prison.

The men in both of the cases were charged with crimes under the Department of Defense (DOD).

Where the inequalities arise is the sentencing of Wuterich. He wasn’t charged with murder. He wasn’t charged with manslaughter. He was charged with neg-

ligent dereliction of duty and expected three months in prison. But when he plead guilty, he sustained only a demotion and was a few weeks later allowed to leave the Marine Corps without a dishonorable discharge.

Manning, who according to his legal counsel is still being abused, is facing life in prison for the charge of leaking classified documents.

Where the question arises is how our military, and by association, us as a people, value the crimes against one another.

If Manning gets a life sentence, it will in effect say we believe murder under the guise of duty is more acceptable than sharing information that proves crimes.

Most other civilian industries have some sort of protection in place for “whistleblowers.” There is no good reason why the military shouldn’t have similar protections. If Manning shared documents that could be proven without a doubt to have endangered lives and been false, a charge may have been in order, but certainly not something so draconian as a life sentence.

This is a country that at one time prided itself on civil disobedience. The Boston Tea Party and labor unions striking for fair treatment of workers in the early 1900’s were textbook examples of people rejecting what was expected of them so that they could stand up for what they believed.

Manning did the same thing. If people have a problem with what he leaked, they should instead ask themselves what about the documents upset them.

The massively reduced criminal penalty visited upon Wuterich says more than one thing. Being that the DOD’s biggest argument against Manning’s actions is that he endangered servicemen, the argument in effect says we value Americans higher than we do Iraqi civilians, the country we were fighting so hard to “democratize.”

It also says that we are no longer a nation of protecting the minority who seek to wrong an injustice. We have become a nation that steps in line to stick up for our own, even when they commit atrocious acts.

Only the men who were in Haditha can say what exactly happened that day.

All that we know for certain is that Wuterich’s crimes left a body count. Manning’s did not.

IHANNER@THE-TELESCOPE.COM @IAN_HANNER

VOICES OF REASON

BY KAITY BERGQUIST & COLLEEN PETERS

WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN SPORTS; GET USED TO IT No matter who you are or to whom you are saying it, derogatory comments toward women in the media (or anywhere else) are never acceptable - especially on a public stage.

A few weeks ago, XX 1090 Sports Radio’s morning co-host Scott Kaplan was fired for a rant he made about Mountain West TV Network’s Andrea Lloyd, a women’s basketball Hall of Famer. During his tirade, Kaplan called her “a beast,” an “animal,” a “monster” and “a Sasquatch of a woman” while talking about the quality of the network that broadcasts the San Diego State games.

While offensive, those comments were not the worst of his insults. Kaplan went on to say, “I think that she is currently a woman. I cannot confirm for you that she has been a woman her entire life.” While some women may have grown accustomed to being called an animal (in the sports world it is sometimes considered a compliment), it is never appropriate to question her gender- ever.

“I don’t apologize for the fact that we’re a guy show, a locker-room kind of show. There’s no apology for that.

This is what we do,” Kaplan said in an interview with NBC San Diego.

Women have been fighting for equality with men for centuries.

We’re finally getting to the point where we are accepted in most situations that used to be exclusively male, especially sports. There are plenty of female sports writers and broadcasters, and tons of female sports fans. Though we understand that men consider sports to be one of the few places left where boys can be boys, they need to grow up and learn to share with the women who love sports just as much as (and sometimes more than) they do.

As San Diego’s major sports radio station, you would think that they would be more conscious of the huge audience of female fans that they have. The sports niche is not just for men anymore. Like it or not, sports media organizations need to realize that women are listening, watching and reading and they have no choice but to appeal to that audience as well as the stereotypical audience of men.

Overall he’s degrading female sports broadcasters and writers in general. No one judges male sports broadcasters and writers this way. An ugly man can be a journalist, just as a fat man can, and no one openly criticizes him for either characteristic.

It deems our work as less important when we have the added standard of how we look. Women can be the most competent sports writers in the world, but if some jerk doesn’t like the way our faces look then we’re that much less credible to them.

KBERGQUIST@THE-TELESCOPE.COM CPETERS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM @KAITYBERGQUIST @COLLEEN_TERESA

6 • LIFE

Monday, March 5, 2012

PALOMAR PUTS ON FIRST SHOW OF SEASON

WHODUNIT? AMERICAN IDOL UPDATE

Sergio Soares/Telescope

DESPITE ‘IDOL’ EXIT, SINGER KEEPS COOL KELLI MILLER THE TELESCOPE

PALOMAR ACTORS PERFORM MURDER MYSTERY Palomar’s first play of the season, “The Real Inspector Hound,” ran from Feb. 24 to March 4. It was a murder mystery spoof of old British murder mysteries.

TOP from left to right: Moon the critic (played

by Beau Allen), Birdbood the critic (played by Robert “Bobby” Garza), Mrs. Drudge the maid, (played by Catlin Castaneda), Magnus (played by Jared Spears), Felicity (played by Taylor Cohen) and Cynthia (played by Abby Fields), at a dress rehearsal in the Performance Lab on Feb. 23.

In this scene, fingers are being pointed all over the manor as to who committed these murders. Here, Moon is blaming Magnus for shooting Birdbood and an unknown other victim, while the other members of the manor watch in shock.

RIGHT: Simon (played by Jake Brown) and Cynthia (played by Abby Fields) act out a scene in which Simon and Cynthia are sharing a passionate embrace after a long separation.

(Photo credit: Allyson Watson/Telescope)

SIP OF THE WEEK

The Effie Trinket Cocktail COLLEEN PETERS THE TELESCOPE

In each district of the fictional country of Panem, center of the “Hunger Games” book trilogy, an escort is assigned to follow the tributes to the Capitol for the Hunger Games. For the 74th games, District 12 has an escort with pink hair, pink lips and a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to schedules.

It’s no surprise that the drink named for District 12’s tribute escort is pink. Effie Trinket is tart, always has a schedule to keep and wants to get down to business immediately, and that is exactly what her namesake cocktail does.

At first glance, the drink seems fun and harmless. However, like when Effie’s co-escort Haymitch nearly rips Effie offstage at the reaping ceremony, the drink turns serious quickly.

The drink starts off with a sweet kick of pink lemonade, and ends with the tart taste of pink champagne. Somewhere in the transition is the vodka; it’s nearly undetectable. That’s impressive considering the drink is half vodka.

The drink takes a slight amount of time to warm up to, but it truly embodies the Effie flavor. She may be bubbly and think that the Capitol is the center of the world, but she can be rough and a bit sour when things don’t go her way.

Even though she found Haymitch and his alcohol problem annoying, Effie would condone this beverage. Aside from the fact that the self-absorbed Trinket would “just die” if she knew there were a drink named after her, this drink is Effie from first taste to the bitter, tart aftertaste.

CPETERS@THE-TELESCOPE.COM @COLLEEN_TERESA

Ebony Avery/Telescope w

INGREDIENTS:

- Pink Champagne - 1 part Pink Lemonade - 2 parts Vodka

Directions: 1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Then pour in the lemonade and vodka.

2. Shake it like your momma taught ya.

3. Strain into a martini glass – aim to fill the glass about 3/4 full.

4. Top it off with a pour of pink champagne.

Palomar student Kristi Krause’s American Idol debut may have been cut short, but her dreams of making it big as a singer and song writer are still intact.

Krause, who recently appeared on season 11 of Fox’s hit show “American Idol,” was kicked off the show during the group audition rounds of Hollywood week.

“I didn’t think it was fair how it all went down, but I couldn’t do anything about it,” Krause said. “I wish the judges would have given me another shot because of what happened on stage.”

Krause’s group audition was abruptly cut short because a member of her group passed out on stage while singing her solo part of the song.

“I wasn’t shocked she passed out, she did it before the audition too because she wasn’t feeling good,” Krause said. “I feel for her though; you want to follow your dreams, but sickness gets in the way and you have to stop.”

Krause’s group member wasn’t the only one to faint. According to Krause, a lot of people got sick and passed out because of the grueling, all-day-and-night practices and lack of sleep during the Hollywood auditions.

“Group [auditions] was so stressful; we were up until like four in the morning. And I had just learned that song that night, so I had to memorize all the words on top of choreography and harmonies,” Krause said. “Everyone was so tired, and it was a mixture of every single emotion.”

Krause added if she could have done anything differently it would have been to pick a different group and a song that she was more confident about.

But even with all the stressful moments, emotional highs and lows, and physical demands of the show, Krause said she is still positive about her overall experience with “American Idol.” “‘Idol’ was a great experience, it gave me an opportunity to expand my music and singing and see how far I could get,” Krause said.

Although Krause remains a huge “American Idol” fan, she is

taking a break from auditioning for now.

“Maybe I’ll try out for ‘Idol’ again in the future, but not next year. I really want to work on my own music career,” Krause said. “I don’t want to rely on a TV show.”

Krause recently launched a Kickstarter account. Kickstarter is a virtual fundraising website that allows people to raise money by accepting donations for creative projects they are working on, whether it be music, documentaries, publishing, or art.

“I’m trying to raise money to make my EP (extended play) CD, my goal is to get $25,000,” Krause said. “It’s actually really cool because people get incentives to donate money, like you’ll get music and freebies for donating a certain amount of money.”

According to Krause, she plans to use the money to record some of her newer songs as well as songs that she has written over the past couple of years that have been put on hold until funding is available.

Krause’s passion is song writing, and she makes a point to write songs that have a purpose.

“Of course there’s always going to be songs about boys and relationships, but I want to make music that will inspire people,” Krause said. “That’s what I want to do with my music, I want to inspire people and help them.”

Between writing songs, planning to record her first CD and being a full-time student, Krause still finds time to perform live in the San Diego area. She can be found with her guitar at La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla or The Rancho Bernardo Inn, as well as local restaurants and coffee shops.

“I definitely want music to be a part of my life forever; I think it would be cool 10 years from now if I had a CD, a record deal and was touring,” Krause said. “That’s what I want to do, but I know in order to get there I have to work super hard.”

To find out more information about Krause’s Kickstarter project visit www.kickstarter.com/profile/ kristikrause or visit her website at www.kristikrause.net KMILLER@THE-TELESCOPE.COM @TELESCOPENEWS

LIFE • 7

the telescope LIFE, LOVE & LIP GLOSS

FASHION

BY KELLI MILLER

Spring into bold, bright fashion trends

Above: Alyanna Cabrales poses with red lips, a popular spring look. • Kiigan Snaer/Telescope.

Bright accessories courtesy of polyvore.com.

There’s no need to go through hair hell We’ve all had them, we all hate them, and it’s something we never want to go through again.

I’m talking about bad haircuts. Now, I know I talk a lot about hair, but our manes are very important and a bad haircut can be pretty traumatic.

I of all people should know, because I just had one.

I drive 90 miles one way, every six weeks to get my strands highlighted and trimmed because I found who I thought was a keeper. I’m not sure what was going on with her this day, maybe she was just in a bad mood because she came in on her day off just for me (which if I would have known beforehand, I would have never made the appointment) but she definitely took it out on my hair.

Now, I am the not-so-proud owner of these weird, non-blended, thick side layer/bang things (Confused? Just imagine how I feel).

I am pretty sure everyone has been there. Whether it’s chopped bangs, streaky highlights or chunky layers, bad haircuts are understandable if your 6-year-old niece gets ahold of your hair and a pair of scissors. But we should hold professionals to a little higher level. After all, we are paying them.

So in honor of my recent hair nightmare, I want to make sure that each and every one of you doesn’t have to go through what I just did.

Golden Rule First off, don’t ever say “oh, I don’t know, you can just do whatever you want.” You see, hair stylists tend to be creative people and unless you want to channel your inner Katy Perry, you could end up with something you’ll be regretting for a long time.

Be Specific To get your desired look, it’s absolutely imperative to be specific about what you want.

Salons tend to have their own little language. When have you ever heard the words “toner” or “ombre” outside of one? Every detail counts, so make sure you use descriptive words like: long layers, blend, volume, trim, thin out, side bangs, and the list goes on, but you get the idea. Your goal is to make sure the stylist knows exactly what you’re picturing in your head.

Jessica Brooks

Bring a Photo

the telescope

Spring 2012 brings an eclectic mix of fashion for both sexes, according to Palomar professors and students.

Trends seem to be reverting back in history with a collaboration of the decades of fashion with bold prints and neon colors. This season’s trends range from very simplistic to extremely bizarre.

Inspiration for last year’s fashion was based off the 1970s with highwaisted pants for women, prints such as cheetah and zebra and bold colors.

This season, trends are combining geometric shapes with fashion trends stemming from the ‘40s.

Women can look forward to a new bold twist in fashion.

“The peplum, as we see it in fashion today, became popular as a design in women’s suiting in the 1940s,” said Palomar fashion instructor Rita Campo Griggs. “It is a short overskirt flounce that is usually attached to a fitted jacket or dress and dropping from the waist. It is a very flattering style for most women and very tasteful.”

According to Palomar student Jamie Canright, peplum accents are too bizarre for her own personal style.

Leaving the fashion world are the extreme skinny jeans on boys and men, being replaced with loose fitting, athletic jeans, according to Esquire Magazine.

Magazine, accessories are bigger than ever. Bulky bracelets, necklaces and earrings will be a popular trend in the spring.

Most accessories for women are a combination of the 1960s era and modern fashion styles by being slightly futuristic with silvers, metal accents and spikes.

“Such futurism in fashion adds a great edge to our fashion choices,” Canright said.

Glamour Magazine suggests pairing such futurism with something simple for this season, to stay slightly more modern than the fictional cartoon family, The Jetson’s.

Men will be surprised to see the trend of man-purses become popular.

Announced into fashion by Esquire magazine, the spring 2012 man-purse is considered more rigid and solid than traditional wallets. It is made of leather and looks similar to an iPad case.

“The man-purse doesn’t look too bad,” said Renn Lauderdale a Palomar student. “Men really only need the basics: phone, keys, wallet and possibly sunglasses that can be worn on your head. Your pants pocket can do that job just fine. Otherwise, carry a briefcase or something suiting to your profession.”

Bold Colors

Beauty

The Ins and Outs of Fashion

Color blocking, geometric shapes and neon colors are a big part of the fashion fads for 2012, according to Griggs. The tangerine and lime green are the two most popular colors, followed by pinks and blues.

“Vivid blue will be a lasting trend, yet orange is a harder color to incorporate into an outfit,” Canright said.

Accessories

This year, according to Glamour

Glamour Magazine describes the beauty trend of the natural look with thick and powerful eyebrows that are replacing the too-thin brows. Simple red or rosebud lips have replaced lip liners and simple pops of color especially in eye shadows and on cheeks.

Canright said she believes that the natural look is simple, classy and won’t ever be out of fashion.

jbrooks@the-telescope.com

If you haven’t exactly caught on to the “salon speak” and can’t quite relay the picture in your head to your stylist, just bring in a photo with your desired look. There are tons of pictures online of stars and celebrities, or just Google the type of hairstyle you want. Something is bound to come up that you’ll love.

Speak up When all is said and done and you’re not happy with your hair, say something (I wish I would have). But be sweet while doing so, you don’t want the stylist to get defensive about it. The wonderful ladies over at Glamour agree “ it’s better than going home and getting even more upset. The stylist will probably feel terrible that you don’t love your cut and do everything she can to fix it.”

Hopefully some of these tips help you get your perfect do, but if all else fails, there’s always bobby pins and baseball caps.

Have a hair hell story or tips for the rest of us? Share them, email me at kmiller@the-telescope.com

YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO DO IT. COME ON, IT’LL BE FUN* * NOT A GUARANTEE

follow us on twitter @telescopenews BREAKING NEWS • PICS • DEALS

8 • LIFE

Monday, March 5, 2012

A Place To Create Bravura literary magazine is ‘a unique thing, a real thinking and creative environment,’ its adviser says SUBMIT YOUR WORK What?

Bravura wants students’ poetry, paintings, fiction, screenplays, photography, illustrations and graphic novels.

Where?

Submit work to adviser Rocco Versaci at rversaci@ palomar.edu

When?

Submissions are due by March 9

Formats?

Text should be in Microsoft Word or plain text format.

Art should be in JPEG or TIFF

Profit?

You could win a prize up to $100

NATALIE SOLDOFF THE TELESCOPE

Bravura is more than just a literary journal; it’s a creative experience.

Palomar’s Bravura is composed by students, for students; starting with nothing but blank pages and filling them with original works ranging from short fiction to poetry, nonfiction to photography and visual art by students who want to put their work out in the open.

All a student needs to do is submit a creative piece of work by March 9 and it may end up within Bravura’s pages.

“It’s a unique thing- a real thinking and creative environment,” Bravura adviser Rocco Versaci said.

“Bravura represents a moment of authenticity in a world that denies the power of student art and creativity,” Carlton Smith, Bravura’s other adviser said.

The journal publishes every spring semester and includes student work from a variety of genres.

Pieces in Bravura are contributed through a combination of open submissions and works from students in the creative writing class, English 137, which puts together the publication from conception to print.

“Bravura is great. If you’re in the class, it’s a chance for someone to see how the editorial process works. You get

FOR ALL KINDS

Bravura’s 2011 issue featured art, photography and writing from a variety of Palomar students.

The magazine is edited and produced by a team of English 137 class students.

Courtesy Photo

to see your work go through the steps, see it change and improve,” student Sean Frede said.

If you’re not interested in being part of putting together Bravura, you can still contribute to it. It’s easy to submit work for consideration, the only requirement is meeting the submission deadline of March 9.

Submitting is easy; all you nee to do is send your creative piece as an email attachment to Bravura adviser Rocco Versaci at rversaci@palomar.edu.

Work must be sent in Microsoft Word or plain text format. If you are sending in artwork it must be in a JPEG or TIFF file format and be high quality. Any work submitted has to include your name, phone number and email address.

Anyone attending Palomar is encouraged to send in a creative work, but everyone who makes a submission is not guaranteed to appear in the journal, whether you are part of the class or not.

According to Versaci, Bravura has received approximately 500 submissions over the last few editions, though only a fraction is able to make it into the publication.

“When you submit your work, whether you’re in the class or not, people are going to judge it and may be harsh,” student Daniel Sichmeller said. “You have to go into this experience thinking that

whether I get in or not, these people are going to help my writing or art, not tell me how bad a writer or artist I am.”

English 137 students are the drivers behind the wheel of Bravura, both contributing to content and acting as editors, choosing which pieces are strong enough to get published and how the pieces will be presented in print.

“Between all the submissions and our work, we get split into teams…. we read the stories, look at the art and rate them.

The pieces with the highest scores get published,” Frede said. “Unfortunately we have limited space so we have to turn some work down; it’s a hard thing to do.”

For students lucky enough to get a spot in the journal, there’s even more to look forward to achieving.

Every May, after Bravura prints, the publication hosts a gala where prizes are handed out for poetry, prose and visual arts. The prizes rank from first place to third, with first place winning $100.

“If you have any creative work lying around, send it in; it can’t hurt,” Smith said. “The opportunity to be published in such a fine literary journal is extraordinary. It’s an incredible opportunity for your work, the worst that can happen is it doesn’t make it in.” nsoldoff@the-telescope.com

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NEWS • 9

the telescope

Studies: Junior colleges failing minority students CARLA RIVERA LOS ANGELES TIMES

Foster Washington knows the odds are against him. The Los Angeles Southwest College student is a 20-year-old from a tough neighborhood in Watts where, he says, there was little encouragement or preparation for college.

Recent studies suggest that students like Washington are the least likely to stay in school, get a degree or transfer to a four-year university, hampering their future job prospects.

But Washington is determined to be the first college graduate in his family of 12 siblings. Southwest, part of the nine-campus Los Angeles Community College District, is trying to fulfill his goal through new programs focused on intensive tutoring, faculty training and helping students adjust to college life.

“I have no time to hang out on the street with my homies; I want to be at school every day,” Washington said after a recent English class that he said is his favorite. “Coming here gives me a sense of worth.”

He is eager and engaged, particularly when discussing the writings of Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass in the all-male class. It is a remedial class aimed at students who need additional preparation before enrolling in collegelevel English; two tutors are on hand to supplement the instruction of the professor.

The class is part of a program geared to young men of color, but nearly all of the 8,000 students at Southwest have unmet social and academic needs, said Patrick Jefferson, dean of student services. About 96 percent need remedial math and English, and many are the first in their family to attend college. They grew up amid crime and poverty and graduated from local high schools that are among the lowest-performing in the state, he added.

“Our students don’t leave those issues at the front door,” Jefferson said. “But we’re getting there.”

The challenges facing Southwest and community colleges nationwide are borne out by a trio of studies released last week by the Civil Rights Project, a social science research group at UCLA. The studies found that black and Latino community college students in Southern California are failing to advance because many have

Foster Washington works at LA Southwestern College. Kirk McKoy/MCT

graduated from low-performing high schools that ill-prepare them for college work.

These students then end up at similar two-year institutions with poor transfer records.

One of the studies analyzed high school graduates and the transfer rates of students after six years at 51 community colleges in Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and San Diego counties. It found that students who graduated from high schools with large minority populations, low test scores and low numbers of parents with college degrees were far less likely to transfer to a fouryear institution.

The likelihood of attending a low- or high-performing high school was strongly related to race and ethnicity, the studies found. Patterns of high school segregation _ by race, ethnicity and poverty _ continued in the community college system because students typically attend the college closest to home.

The patterns have broad implications for long-term economic and social stability, the studies conclude, because nearly 80 percent of black and Latino students in the postsecondary system attend a community college and only about three in 10 transfer within six years.

“If we can’t figure out how to revise the system in a dramatic way, we’re going to be on a path downward,” said Gary Orfield, who co-directs the Civil Rights Project.

“We have to face up to it if we don’t want to have horrible economic and social consequences.”

Southwest is nearly 70 percent black, and about 29 percent of its students transfer after six years, compared with 37 percent of students countywide, according to the Civil Rights Project study. Southwest and other campuses in the district have embarked on a three-year effort to smooth a path for students before they stumble, said Yasmin Delahoussaye, the colleges’ vice chancellor for institutional effectiveness and educational programs.

The nonprofit Achieving the Dream initiative, based in Maryland, provides coaches and advisors to more than 150 community colleges around the nation who help develop strategies to boost student outcomes. Early results from the Southwest program are expected in the spring.

(C) 2012 THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

SIVERT

FALLBROOK

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

New literature and languages dean says she wants to build a sense of community among staff and students As Dean, Sivert will oversee six departments including English, American Sign Language, ESL and Speech. In her former ESL position, Sivert said she’s had the privilege of witnessing many students triumph over the language barrier where they went on to lead productive lives in America. Sivert said that the memories she’s had with foreign students are among her most cherished.

“I think sometimes, with teaching, you don’t always see the experience in that moment,” she said. “(It’s rewarding) having people come back years later and say that something you did actually made a difference.”

While her new responsibilities leave her with no time to instruct classes, Sivert said her old students still pay the occasional visit, and that these stopovers are a big part of what keeps her going. Sivert said that building relationships with students was her favorite part of teaching. She hopes to keep that passion in her new position.

“As an interim dean, it’s about getting to know the job and keeping a sense of building a community,” Sivert said. “And I think that’s probably the most important piece.”

SKAHMANN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM

GET THE WORD OUT TO THOUSANDS OF LOYAL COLLEGE READERS. PUT YOUR AD IN THE TELESCOPE. ads@the-telescope.com

THIS BANNER, DISPLAYED IN PROTEST AT THE SITE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, HAS BEEN SIGNED BY HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS. TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE MESSAGES, GO TO THE-TELESCOPE.COM Just west of the future road, tents are pitched along a grassy patch from where one can overlook the construction.

The lawsuit against Palomar College, San Diego County and Pardee Homes was filed on Feb. 5, and a request for a temporary restraining order was filed on Feb. 17. The request was not heard until Feb. 28.

Another issue at play is the violation of the county noise ordinance. As reported by Trujillo, workers allegedly began pushing dirt over the site shortly after 6:20 a.m. on Feb. 22. The ordinance bans construction work before 7 a.m. A member of the tribe heard the bulldozers and called other members of the tribe.

Mel Vernon, chairman of the San Luis Rey Band of Luiseño Indians, characterized the events as “disrespectful, immoral, unethical

and against the law.”

As reported by Palomar’s news release regarding recent events, the district gained approval from the County of San Diego and the Army Corps of Engineers to continue work “upon the completion of the archaeological recovery.”

“Palomar College appreciates the sensitive nature of the Horse Ranch Creek Road project, the District recognizes its contractual obligation to complete the construction project in the approved alignment. We honor and respect the Native American community and will continue to work with them as we move forward with this project,” Palomar President Robert Deegan said in the news release.

ATESTERMAN@THE-TELESCOPE.COM @APRILTESTERMAN

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10 • SPORTS

Monday, March 5, 2012

BASKETBALL SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON REVIEW MICHAEL ASTORINO the telescope

Palomar men’s basketball season wrapped up recently, leaving the Comets with a final record of 10-16, and 8-8 in conference play.

Consistency was an early problem for the team this season, but as the team played more together, the chemistry vastly increased. The team won eight out of its last 10 games of the season. Head Coach John O’Neill said that it was part of everyone buying into the system that worked for the team.

“In 38 years of coaching, this was the best team I have ever coached,” O’Neill said. “These kids were fun to be around and they worked hard. I had never experienced anything like that.”

Palomar fans should know that they have seven players returning for next season, so the chemistry will be there from the start. Recruiting for next season is well underway with six players who redshirted this year. mastorino@the-telescope.com @mikeastorino

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON REVIEW COLLEEN PETERS THE TELESCOPE

Finishing the season at 5-21 (3-9), Palomar women’s basketball team had a successful season, considering that last season the team finished 0-21.

In only her second season with the Comets, Head Coach Leigh Marshall managed a roster of 15 women. Last winter, Marshall was hired two weeks into the season with no recruits and only three players to work with.

The team’s first conference win since Feb. 19, 2010 came on Jan. 6 against Cuyamaca College. The women’s basketball team outscored the Coyotes 57-41.

One of Marshall’s recruits this season, freshman Katelyn Bonner, ended her season by being selected for the All- Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC) first team. Only 15 players are chosen for the team from the nine schools in the conference.

Only two of this season’s 15 women were sophomores, so basketball fans can expect a roster heavy with returners next season. cpeters@the-telescope.com @colleen_teresa

ABOVE: Palomar’s Joe Vaz scores two of his 11 points in the last game of the season at the Dome on Feb. 17. BELOW LEFT: Palomar’s Katelyn Bonner passes the ball while being defended by Angela Shelton at the Dome on Feb. 17.

BELOW RIGHT: Palomar’s Kathia Cordero shoots the ball over a Mesa College defender at the Dome on Feb. 17. • Russell White/The Telescope

SPORTS • 11

the telescope WOMEN’S TENNIS

All-American returnee hits the court Mardee Littrell plays out her passion on the court, hoping to bring Palomar heavy-hitting victories, more honors EMMA MALISZEWSKI the telescope

Mardee Littrell stands out as an outstanding tennis player with an infectiously positive attitude and upbeat disposition that fellow coaches and teammates said they appreciate.

Sophomore Littrell ended last season in the top 15 for singles and in the top 8 for doubles, making her an All-American with her former doubles partner Karleyne Ishima-Oien.

Littrell’s 2011 All-American title was awarded when her doubles team qualified for the state tournament, where the pair won their first match and were ranked the No. 8 doubles team in the country.

“She’s very friendly and open,” Head Coach Ronnie Mancao said.

“When she plays other schools the other coach always comments that she is one of the nicest players. Even at the state tournament I heard comments from other coaches saying that she was one of the most well-mannered players they’ve ever seen, and she always has a big smile.”

Littrell said she is looking forward to being a veteran this season and knowing what to expect.

She added that she thinks knowing is going to make this season go even better.

“It’s overwhelming at first,” Littrell said. “The fast-paced practices and the matches after matches are difficult to get used to.”

Littrell admitted that her doubles game has been her - and the team’s- weakest area so far this season. Like the rest of the

team, Littrell is still getting accustomed to playing with her new doubles partner, freshman Hillary Ramage.

Mancao admitted that in any season learning a new doubles partner can be difficult. This season he attempted to make that struggle smoother by pairing three freshman with the three returning sophomores.

Littrell is not only looking at the season ahead for herself, she said that she sees great potential for the team and is most excited for the strength in camaraderie this season.

“I’m happy that all the girls get along really well,” Littrell said.

“We even have team sleepovers, so I’m most excited about spending more time with them.”

Bonds between the girls are strong, but another important aspect to Palomar’s success has been the girls close relationship with Mancao.

“Coach used to play tennis with my dad, so I’ve known him for years,” Littrell said. “We have a great relationship; we can joke around and he coaches me on and off the courts.”

Mancao agreed with Littrell, and said that it helps relieve the tension and stress of the player/ coach relationship.

“Since I know her and her family personally, there is already a relationship there,” Mancao said.

“It’s easier for her to understand what I’m trying to tell her, and she accepts the information.”

Littrell said that she enjoys playing singles and doubles equally, but feels less pressure when she

plays doubles.

“Doubles is less stressful because you have the support of another player to talk your way through it and you’re not all alone on the court,” Littrell said.

Mancao said that this season Littrell is more mature than last season, and that she is “more match-oriented.”

“Last year some of her shots were loose, and this year she it putting better shot combinations together,” Mancao said.

The 20-year-old Littrell comes from an entire family of tennis players, and began playing at the age of 5. Her father, professional tennis player Mark Littrell, once held the record for the fastest serve.

“Coming from a tennis-pro family it’s easier for her to understand what I’m trying to convey to her,” Mancao said.

In the upcoming season, Littrell said that she is looking forward to beating Grossmont College, who for the past couple of years has been Palomar’s tennis rival.

Littrell said she hopes to transfer to a four-year college, depending on her scholarship opportunities. She also plans to major in communications or marketing.

Mancao said he sees Littrell as a valuable aspect for the upcoming season.

“Not to take away from what she accomplished last year in doubles (by) getting the All American title, but this season… she stands out as a No. 1 singles player.” emaliszewski@the-telescope.com @telescopenews

Palomar sophomore women’s tennis player, Mardee Littrell, bounces a tennis ball mid court during practices on Feb. 21. All-American Littrell has been playing tennis since she was 5 years old. • Sergio Soares/Telescope

MEN’S GOLF

Palomar picks up some fresh talent on the green The Comets main goal is to take a conference title this season APRIL TESTERMAN the telescope

The Palomar men’s golf team has a lot going for it this season: good chemistry, talent and new players, according to its coach and members.

The men’s golf team has high hopes of winning conference this year, with talented freshmen, it should be a breeze.

“Newcomers Eugene Wang, Cody Ek, Jordan Brown and Andy Sonora all have the ability to make an impact with their steady play,” Head Coach Mark Halda said in an email.

Chris Pearce and Richard Kearns are also new to the team this year, and are fitting right in with the team; both anticipate winning conference this season.

“I think we have the most talented team in conference,” said

Pearce while practicing on the golf course.

Many players also work in outside jobs in addition to attending school, practicing, and competing.

Like many of the other players, Kearns takes Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday classes due to matches falling on Mondays and Wednesdays.

“It’s a fun game, it takes a lot of dedication,” said Kearns, who is a recent high school graduate.

Kearns tests equipment for TaylorMade and works at a golf course near his hometown.

Pearce has taken on a heavy workload as well, saying he doesn’t get any days off and won’t get one until summer.

The team is rounded out with sophomore Trevor Robertson, last year’s strongest player.

Halda said that this is going to be one of the strongest teams Palomar has seen in the last few years.

“It’s all about the way you play the day you play,” Halda said.

“But with focus and effort, we can achieve great things this year.” atesterman@the-telescope.com @apRiltesterman

Palomar men’s golfer Chris Pearce on the fairway at Twin Oaks Golf Course during team practice Feb. 16. • Deb Hellman/Telescope

12 • SPORTS

Monday, March 5, 2012

SWIM

Honors student juggles swimming, parenthood JACQUELINE COBLE The Telescope

When Palomar student Kristen Maples is not hard at work in the books or freestyle swimming her way to the finish line, she is at home playing mommy to her two small children.

For 30-year-old Maples, her decision to come back to school after 10 years to swim and get a degree in nursing has been challenging but promising.

“It can be tough being a mother and a student athlete, but I have my family, coaches and teammates behind me,” Maples said.

“So it helps make things easier.”

Maples was first introduced to the sport of swimming at the age of 12, after her mother signed her up for the swim team in her hometown of Sherwood, Ore. “My mom just thought it was important for us kids to be strong swimmers, so the easiest way to do that was to put us on the team,” Maples said. “And I loved every bit of it.”

She later swam her way to a spot on the Sherwood High School varsity swim team, receiving an MVP award as a freshman. Only after completing her sophomore year with the team and due to a conflict with the coaches, Maples hung up her swimsuit and goggles for good.

“After I graduated high school, I worked and then got married. In 2003, after I had Grady, my first born, I became a stay-at-home mom. And in 2008, I had my little girl Abigail,” Maples said. “I had my family, but my only regret was not going back to college to swim.”

In 2009, a year before enrolling in college, Maples got back into the water to train and get in shape again. She chose Palomar because she could go to school while still being able to volunteer at her kids’ schools and attend their events.

“Coming back to school was really nerve-wracking for me at first, especially after being out of school for 10 years,” Maples said.

“I wasn’t sure if I would be able to remember anything, or if I would be able to keep good grades and

a three-time All-American for the 2011 swim season at state championships. In one of her relays for the 400-freestyle, she was ranked 6th in the state. In the past year she has placed 1st in the 200 free contest, 2nd in the 100-free and 3rd in the 100 Individual Medley (IM) for Palomar.

According to Coach Jem McAdams, last year was the first time in 15 years that the women’s swim team was swimming conference champions.

“For her to come back to school after all those years unsure of how things were going to go, and to end up being the conference champion in the 200-free, that just awesome to see and a She is extremely hardwork- was culmination of everything she had into it,” McAdams said. “I’m ing, highly competitive and put happy for her.”

Maples’ ability to handle busifocused. ness in the classroom and in the Jem McAdams • SWIM COACH pool has provided an example for her fellow athletes.

“She’s a captain, a leader and She aspires to one day be a our team definitely looks to her nurse or a midwife, she was in- for her leadership,” McAdams spired to do so because of her fa- said. “She sets an example and knows what is expected of herther-in-law.

“My father-in-law was diag- self, the team and has a really nosed with cancer two years ago. good grasp of what she is doing I took care of him when he was in the program as a student and dying; handling all his medical an athlete.”

McAdams mentioned that he treatments and taking him to all his appointments,” Maples said. couldn’t remember the last time “I really liked that the nurses who the swim team had a captain, and took care of him were all nice and that he rarely names one because helpful. I could see myself doing he always believed that to be a captain it takes a special person something like that.”

Her caring nature also shines and quality.

“And Kristen has demonstrated through in the way she treats her that everyday,” McAdams said. teammates.

“She is the mom of the team. “She is extremely hardworking, She takes care of us and always highly competitive and focused. In has everything for the team,” that sense, she represents what a teammate Melanie Consiglio said. coach would love every swimmer Her teammates agreed, and to possess.”

When it comes to balancing said that they appreciate her school, swim and her family thoughtfulness.

“It’s true; her bag is always full Maples said it is rare that she of snacks or just anything that you has to miss class because her would need, like tweezers or a kids are at school during the hair tie,” teammate Laura Bryant day and practice doesn’t start chimed in. “She is very hands on until 1 p.m. and meets are only on Friday or Saturday afterand a care taker for sure.”

But her kindness is not to be noons. If she does miss class, mistaken for weakness. As an Maples explained, it is mainathlete, Maples has been named ly for important things such manage my time.”

Maples has excelled in both the classroom and in the pool despite her concerns. She has maintained a 3.6 grade point average, and was one of the 23 out of 40 studentathletes on the swim team placed on the honor roll for keeping above a 3.0 grade point average.

“That was a huge accomplishment for me,” Maples said. “I was so worried about not being able to hold my own in school since I was gone for so long, but this proved that I could and that was encouraging.”

Top: Kristen Maples of Palomar women’s swim team poses in the pool on Feb. 27.

Above: Kristen Maples does the breast stroke at the Waterman Festival on Feb. 3. • Kristen Campbell/Telescope

as attending Grady’s school award ceremony.

“I don’t want her to sacrifice things that need to be done with her husband and children,” coach McAdams said. “It is important for her to talk and get support from her husband and children, especially when she has to make different decisions based on her being in school and an athlete.”

Maples also credited her mom for her support and helping relieve her of some stress.

“I am lucky my mom is here to help me with the kids,” Maples said. “She is kind of like their personal nanny, but better than a nanny because she is grandma.”

Maples also emphasized that she does most of her homework after her kids go to bed, so it doesn’t take away her time with them. Her kids are her biggest fans and in return Maples is theirs, supporting 7-year-old Grady in football and baseball, and 4-year-old Abigail in gymnastics and dance.

Maples has taken transferring to a four-year school into consideration. She would like to stay in the nursing program, but is willing to delay if it is going to interfere with swimming.

“Swimming Masters, is a second option for Kristen if swim and school can’t go hand-in-hand,” McAdams said. The Masters is a competitive league for swimmers that are 25 years old and older.

“Swimming is what really brought me back to school,” Maples said. “I think it is good for my children to see the dedication and the achievement. They are at the age of learning to stick with sports, and they think it is exciting especially being able to see mom win.”

But more so, Maples emphasizes that through her story she hopes to show people that you can do anything if you truly want to, no matter how old you are. jcoble@the-telescope.com