INSIDE...
Club fosters tolerance
‘Birds’ blossom in community college page
page
4
5
page
Runner flies by the competition
3
page
8
Smokin’ Proposition Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.
monday sept. 27, 2010 Vol. 64, No. 4
the-telescope.com
White House to host summit on community college goals margaret talev mct campus
A first-ever White House Summit on community colleges will take place next month as President Barack Obama tries to get more Americans motivated to learn new job skills. The Oct. 5 summit, announced Sept. 15, will pull together business leaders, philanthropists, government leaders, policy-makers, college officials and students from around the country. Obama will use it in part to rally political support behind his proposal to increase federal spending for community colleges by $12 billion over 10 years. Jill Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden and a longtime community college instructor, will lead the summit. Biden holds a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware and teaches English at Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria. Biden said in a news release that community colleges “are a key part of our economic vision for the future,” and that she’s seen the value of such education firsthand. The aims of the summit include reducing status stigmas about community colleges as opposed to fouryear universities, portraying community colleges as tools to keep the U.S. competitive globally and highlighting the stories of high-profile alumni with community college turn to college page
7
Cutting the habit Student gov’t proposes a smoke-free campus priority. Smokers at Palomar have different views. “Ihonestlythinktheyshouldn’t Every year, 3,400 non-smoking adults die of lung cancer due ban smoking,” student Chelsea to second-hand smoke, accord- George said. “If I’m stressed out ing to the American Cancer with classes and need to calm Society. Palomar’s student gov- down, I want to smoke.” Some students said they beernment is currently working toward curbing that number lo- lieve that less drastic measures cally with a smoke-free campus. than banning smoking all togethThe Associated Student Gov- er need to be taken. There are designated smoking arernment has begun eas at Palomar, which gathering informaWould you ban students say need to be tion from Palomar’s Health Services as smoking on campus? more strictly enforced. “It’s good to have well as from outside 20% designated areas beconferences about cause they aren’t pollutbanning smoking ing any other areas, but 80% on campus. I see students smoking “There is a list of everywhere,” student positive outcomes Josh Kessmer said. “It’s that would occur if Yes No not enforced.” such a policy was Shattuck said that approved,” ASG Data based on a random the ASG believes President Channing survey of 75 students that the designated Shattuck said. smoking areas are He explained that these outcomes include bet- a positive compromise when ter student health because of im- they are followed correctly. He proved air quality, and a campus added that enforcement needs that is cleaner, safer and more to be increased, but the most welcoming. Also, Shattuck said beneficial improvement would that helping smokers quit would be to ban smoking all together. Shattuck said that the ASG not be overlooked, but become a sydnie taylor the telescope
GRAPHIC BY ron coddington | mct campus
realizes there are pros and cons to banning smoking on campus. While in favor of banning smoking, he said that by doing so, the school would be creating a minority, and taking away a privilege from students. According to the Shattuck, past surveys have shown that a majority of students will approve of banning smoking, some won’t care at all and the minority will
disapprove. If smoking on campus is banned, that minority will be forced to change. California has the third lowest smoking rate in the United States, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation website. Approximately 18.7 percent of the population smokes. There are 420 schools nationturn to smoking page
7
Palomar revamps sidewalks, complicates traffic mark saunders The Telescope
melina fickas | THE TELESCOPE
A construction worker directs a student around the detours.
The video game Frogger will no longer be synonymous with Parking Lot 9. Construction that began in mid-September is aimed at making the onceawkward intersection leading into Lot 9 --- which made pedestrians have to dodge cars much like the classic video game --- a safer crossing, according to John Phillips, a project manager. The construction is also part of an Americans with Disabilities Act requirement for Palomar’s future expansion plans. The dirt field located behind Lot 9 is the site of the future baseball stadium relocation. However, an ADA Path of Travel (a handicapped accessible sidewalk) must be in place before the construction of the field can occur. “Everything you’ve been seeing is part of the ADA requirements,” Philipps said. “It also makes things safer.” Students have quickly felt the effects of the temporary barriers.
“It’s been really frustrating with the Natural Sciences building and Lot 9. The construction. It seems like it will flow a lot corner exit for Staff Lot 7 will also be rebetter though,” said student Rachel Law- moved. rence, who explained that she frequently Some students wondered why this conuses Lot 9. struction was not completed ove summer. “I don’t know if it will work,” said stuturn to intersection page 7 dent Lisa Vorenkamp. “It could help, but only if people follow the set-up. Who knows?” Philipps said he expresses his sympathies to the students frustrated by the construction. Philipps was quick to assure those students that the work will be finished soon. “We’re making good headway. Our six-week schedule may be cut in half,” Philipps said. “That puts us finished around the first week of October.” Phase one of the construction includes work on three of Comet Circle’s four corners. This will eliminate the “safe halaura davis | THE TELESCOPE ven” triangle that often strands students walking between the Since mid-September, college sidewalks have been blocked off.