WEDNESDAY l 4.25.18 OUR 68TH YEAR CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
P H O T O I L L U S T R A T I O N D E N I S P E R E Z / T H E A D V O C A T E
From accusation to resignation: Feb. 2 — The district received an anonymous letter accusing Farley of sexual harassment. n Feb. 20 — A district investigation released its preliminary results. n Feb. 26 — Farley resigns citing family issues as the reason for his abrupt departure. n
opinion
Tim Farley
Silent bystanders
Former Contra Costa Community College board president
With trustees from around the state present at the time of the harassment, why no one came forward over the past three years is more than troubling — it’s scary. PAGE 2
District ends investigation Trustee did engage in unlawful sexual behavior; resigns without consequence By Robert Clinton opinion editor
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
Following the unexpected resignation of Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board President Timothy Farley and an anonymous accusation of sexual
misconduct made against him, a preliminary investigation into the allegation found Farley’s accuser’s claim to be credible. According to Governing Board President John Marquez, investigations into the incident ended upon Farley’s resignation. In a preliminary summary of the
Statement of inclusivity in question Lack of diversity in hiring raises concerns By Robert Clinton opinion editor
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
Concerns that the Contra Costa College community has become comfortable neglecting its students and staff of African descent by failing to support their programs, or hiring black faculty and staff, has reached a boiling point. The African-American Staff Association (AASA) at Contra Costa
investigation, released Feb. 20 by district Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer Dio Shipp, findings show Farley “did engage in unlawful sexual harassment” three years ago at a vendor-sponsored dinner in Monterey, California. According to witnesses, a con-
versation of a sexual nature between Farley and other attendees at the conference led to Farley leaning over to the anonymous complainant, wrapping his arms around her and attempting to kiss her on the mouth. Upon rejection, he then attemptSEE FARLEY, PAGE 3
Six areas of concern for AfricanAmerican staff at Contra Costa College
3)Enrollment
2) Hiring 1)Campus environment
Inclusion at CCC omits black staff, students.
4)
Class cancellations
The black community has been negatively impacted by early cancellations.
SEE AFRICAN AMERICAN STAFF , PAGE 3
At CCC there continues to be a lack of African-American hires.
5)
Shared governance
Decisions are often made without faculty or student input.
There is no clear or consistent course scheduling and enrollment policy.
6) Students What are African-American students being told about course options and offerings?
SOURCE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN STAFF ASSOCIATION (AASA) PRESENTATION TO CCC PRESIDENT MOJDEH MEHDIZADEH JAN 30, 2018
INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Food, wine gather money
Athletic prospects withering
Treats attract patrons to CCC
Female activity encouraged
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MUSIC PROFESSOR RETIRES After 22 years of teaching
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SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate
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How to reach us Phone: 510.215.3852 Fax: 510.235.NEWS Email: accentadvocate@ gmail.com Editorial policy Columns and editorial cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.
opinion
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018 VOL. 106, NO. 20
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM
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EDITORIAL FUNDRAISER DISPARITY Undocumented students cannot share in Food & Wine’s success
E
very year local celebrities, vendors and residents come together in the name of food, wine and the opportunity to offer culinary arts students a chance to travel the world at the annual Food and Wine Event, held on Sunday. But what serves as an opportunity for many, is just another mandatory classroom assignment for others. Undocumented students, enrolled in culinary arts, aren’t afforded the luxury of traveling the world with the prospect of returning home no matter how hard they work. Sure, immigrants can be granted a passport in the name of their country of origin, but when they try to travel back to the U.S., they are no longer granted access home. America totally rejects these people, simply for working hard, or in this case, learning to work hard. To be a culinary arts student, documented or not, the cost of traversing a semester through the program can be daunting. According to participants in the program, the cost of basic necessities, which the students provide themselves, can reach upward of $500. A professional knife set is $150, coupled with the two basic books students use, “Serve Safe” and “Professional Cooking,” which cost about $120 each, the stress of working while undocumented to pay for school can seem relentless. Students even have to purchase their own $30 chef coat. Also, seven classes in the culinary arts program are eight units or more. At $46 per unit that’s $368 for one class. If the undocumented students in the program can’t access funding specifically earmarked for students in the study abroad trip, money should be set aside for them to put toward their overall culinary education. With the hard work and hands-on experience students gain in the program, it’s only right that students find ways to monetize their productivity. However, it’s unfair and demoralizing to have undocumented students work toward a goal that everyone cannot equally achieve, and without an equitable substitute, the trip seems less impressive. If this trend continues, events on campus will have the same feel as other American endeavors. They will appear as large-scale projects, silently supported by undocumented workers who have no way to benefit from the fruits of their labor. Is that what this campus is supposed to represent? Who is supposed to step up and create the change these students need? The students themselves shouldn’t be expected to shoulder this burden and most of the people who frequent Pronto, or the Aqua Terra Grill, don’t realize the situation that some of the students endure. At every culinary department register, a small donation box is displayed so patrons can leave contributions to students attending the trip abroad. Instead of leaving tips, people should deposit a note in the box telling culinary arts department Chairperson Nader Sharks to find innovative ways to support his undocumented students. Given how large the funding generated by the Food and Wine Event has grown over the past few years, now totaling roughly $90,000 a year, it seems an intervention is long overdue.
ISAAC BELIVARDES / THE ADVOCATE
■ HYPOCRISY
District board trustees ignore sexual harassment
W
hen a person commits a horrible offense, those close to that person have to decide whether to be on the right side of justice or on the side of protecting a friendship. For the Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board trustees, picking the latter was easier than the former. Being on the right side of justice would mean they would have to deal with the consequences that come with starting and completing a full investigation into a 2015 sexual harassment incident involving former Governing Board president Tim Farley. On Feb. 20, Governing Board Trustee John Marquez and Chancellor Fred Wood received a preliminary report, written by district Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer Dio Shipp, detailing a sexual harassment complaint against Farley. The report tells of an event where Farley sexually harassed a female trustee from another California community college district while representing our district at a convention in Monterey in 2015. The report states Farley attended a dinner away from the convention hotel. It states he was drunk before he got to the restaurant for dinner, and once there he began drinking again. Many people witnessed Farley harassing the woman, but for three years it was a dirty little secret, kept hid-
But Farley yelled, loud enough for everyone around to hear, “I love my wife, but she is not here!” The report states that Farley then turned around and attempted to hug the victim, who has decided not to press charges, again. On Feb. 26, Farley den from the public. resigned from the district The incident became a board. In a letter sent to the rumor rather than a remindboard he said he was steper that sexual harassment, ping down because of family and its culture, is still alive issues. The board accepted in our district. his resignation at its regular Do our district board meeting on Feb. 28, without trustees telling the public the truth. think if Many Once Farley resigned, the the public board and district dropped had known people its investigation allowing what Farley Farley to avoid further scruwitnessed did they tiny. He decided to leave would have Farley without being accountable wanted him to his constituents, and his continuing harassing fellow board members and for almost district officials seem OK three years the woman, with that. as a board but for three Shame on him and his trustee? privileged mentality. Why And what years it was should ranking officials get about the to walk over rules and laws? a dirty women he And how hypocritical of would come little secret, the district to hold sexual in contact trainings and kept hidden harassment with in then when an actual event his offioccurs, ignore it. from the cial role? Incidents like this one Everyone public. can and should be solved by knows the a universal doctrine: “If you answer to see something, say somethose questions. thing.” The report also states But sadly, the Governing that during the dinner at Board and district officials the restaurant, Farley leaned have shown themselves as over to the victim with his hypocrites who don’t suparms wrapped around her port the ideals they set for and tried to kiss her on the the CCCCD community. mouth. Denis Perez is the editorGoverning Board Trustee Vicki Gordon tried to disin-chief for The Advocate. tract Farley by talking to Contact him at dperez.theadhim about his wife and kids. vocate@gmail.com.
denisperez
CAMPUS COMMENT What anthem motivated you to get through this semester, and why?
“The Kendrick Lamar song, ‘All The Stars,’ because the meaning behind the lyrics pushes me forward.”
“I really like Megan Thee Stallion. She gets me hyped up, especially at the gym. Her music helped this semester.”
“‘Revolution,’ by Kirk Franklin. Listen to the lyrics. It’s deep. It’s beautiful.”
“‘Believe,’ by Justin Bieber, really helped me through the semester. When I was stressed it pushed me through”
“‘Paranoid,’ by Black Sabbath. It’s a dark song that makes you rage through the semester.”
“‘Worthy,’ by Beautiful Eulogy. It has really helped me get through my last semester here.”
Emerson Scheffer
Hazel Narvaez
Frank Cisneros
Kira Harrison
Jorge Poblano
Nicole Rivera
science
JESSICA SUICO / THE ADVOCATE
sociology
communication
psychology
kinesiology
business office technology
campusbeat
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.25.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
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NEWSLINE FARLEY | Effort to educate trustees underway
n WORKSHOP
CLIMATE CHANGE & FILM DISCUSSION The Outdoor Adventure Club is hosting the Climate Change Awareness Film and Discussion today from 2 to 4 p.m. at Fireside Hall. The event will screen the film “Before the Flood.” There will be a discussion after the screening. Special guests and Contra Costa College faculty will speak on the subject. Food will be provided at the end of the event. All those who attend can participate in a raffle for a $25 gift card from Recreational Equipment Inc. Event organizers hope to raise awareness about protecting the environment and ask students to share their thoughts at the event. To register for this event, go to https:// cca425.eventbrite.com
n ENTERTAINMENT
BATTLE OF TALENTS SEEKS PERFORMERS Auditions for the Battle of Talents event will take place Thursday and Friday in the Amphitheater behind the Student and Administration Building from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The Battle of Talents is hosted by the Outdoor Adventure Club and the Associated Student Union and will take place on May 10 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The event will be in the Campus Center Plaza and first, second and third place winners will receive scholarship prizes. To sign up for the auditions for Battle of the Talents, visit the Student Life Office in the SA-109. If you have further questions, contact astridmfw@gmail.com and chrise94110@gmail.com.
n EVENT
MUSLIM STUDENTS SHARING TRADITIONS The Muslim Student Association is hosting the annual Fast-a-Thon event Thursday at Fireside Hall from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Participants that purchase a ticket throughout the week will pledge to fast on the day of the event. Participants then gather for a dinner. Tickets are sold for $3 until today. For more information, email msa17@gmail.com.
n DIVERSITY
MCHS TO CELEBRATE CULTURE NIGHT The Middle College High School sophomore class is hosting a Culture Night event Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. for cultural performances to celebrate diversity. Contact MCHS Principal Finy Prak at fprak@gmail.com for more information.
n SCHEDULE
DEADLINE TO DROP APPROACHES Friday is the last day to drop a full term course. For more information meet with a counselor in SSC-108.
CRIMEWATCH Tuesday, May 15: During a vandalism call, graffiti was located on campus near the Library. Friday, March 19: Vandalism was reported in a parking lot on Mission Bell Drive at 3:45. — Denis Perez — The Contra Costa Community College District is committed to equal opportunity in educational programs, employment, and campus life. The District does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, parental status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in any access to and treatment in College programs, activities, and application for employment.
Continued from Page 1 ed to put his head in her lap and leered at her breasts. As his victim laughed nervously, others attempted to lure the seemingly-inebriated Farley away by speaking loudly to him about his wife and kids. “I love my wife, but she’s not here,” Farley is reported to have said. After receiving numerous complaints, the report continues, then-Chancellor Helen Benjamin sought out the recipient of Farley’s unwanted advances to offer an apology for his actions. The summary states the victim didn’t complain about the incident, or wish to press charges, but said she’s a strong woman. The district received the anonymous accusatory letter Feb. 2, released its summary findings Feb. 20 and ended its investigation upon Farley’s resignation Feb. 26. Aside from Farley’s actions, the report calls into question the role witnesses share in reporting clear incidents of sexual improprieties. “As the district’s chief human resources officer and Title IX officer, one of my goals is to ensure that all members of our campus communities understand how to report incidents of sexual harassment which they may experience or witness in the course of their duties and to bring them to my attention,” Shipp said. The report states approximately 30 trustees from around the state attended the vendor-sponsored dinner and, although no district staff were present, all of the CCCCD trustees who attended the conference were present. “The anonymous complaint against former trustee Farley raised our awareness of the need to include our elected trustees in the sexual harassment training program along with our senior administrative leaders,” Shipp said. “We want to emphasize in that training our policies apply whenever individuals are representing the district at any off-campus events.” Plans are underway to bring more sexual harassment awareness information to adminis-
District Governing Board 2018 Farley was accused of sexually harassing a woman at a convention in 2015. He resigned in February after the district conducted an investigation into the matter.
Greg Enholm was elected in November 2012. Enholm represents Ward 5 of the district.
Gary Walker Roberts Jr. is now assuming the role of vice president of the board.
Vicki Gordon is now assuming the role of Governing Board secretary.
John E. Marquez is now interim president until elections in November.
INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
trators and senior staff. According to Assembly Bill 1825, all California employers with 50 or more employees must provide two hours of sexual harassment training every two years for managers and supervisors on the prevention and correction of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation and remedies available. Dates for administrative training have already been made available. “I would strongly encourage each of us to attend one of the in-person meetings,” Chancellor Fred Wood said. “It is my intention to require that all (administrators) also attend one of the live sessions.” Trustees John E. Marquez, Gary WalkerRoberts, Vicki Gordon and Greg Enholm have all completed a sexual harassment training course within the last two years, according
to Pat Kaya, the chancellor’s executive coordinator. A U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission study of harassment in the workplace found unwanted physical touching was formally reported only 8 percent of the time and sexually coercive behavior was reported by 30 percent of the women who experienced it. It also found that 6 to 13 percent of individuals who experience harassment file a formal complaint. “District human resources will be providing Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for all employees at each college and the District Office. The training will be presented by Ms. Stephanie White, attorney at Lozano Smith,” Human Resources Support Services Manager Andrea Medina said.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN STAFF | A plea for change Continued from Page 1 College gave a presentation on Jan. 30 to then-college president Mojdeh Mehdizadeh outlining six areas of concern in relation to African-American students and employees. The meeting of current and former AASA members addressed the hiring of AfricanAmericans on campus, class cancellations, shared governance, campus environment, student concerns and enrollment. “Since last year, there is a growing and well-founded concern that ‘Black Lives Matter’ increasingly less so at CCC and this disturbing trend cannot continue,” history, anthropology and geogra- Ampim phy department Chairperson Manu Ampim said. “To Ampim address this new trend, there presented have been campuswide efforts facts to over the past two months to Chancellor highlight the unique experi- Fred Wood ences, contributions and con- about the cerns of people of African concerns descent.” of staff and Shortly after the pre- students sentation, a Contra Costa of African Community College press descent. release on Feb. 8 announced Mehdizadeh’s reassignment to the District Office in Martinez. Although concerns were raised to Mehdizadeh, who briefed Chancellor Fred Wood about the meeting, the trend of omitting students of African descent continued. In an April 2 campuswide email sent by Director of Marketing and Media Design Brandy Howard on behalf of Interim President Chui L. Tsang and Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Equity Mayra Padilla with the subject line “A note on our inclusive community,” a call to action was given urging the campus community to rally behind Muslim students, DREAMers, LGBTQ individuals and women “during these especially trying moments” over the past year. Conspicuously absent was support for campus community members of African lineage who also face discrimination and challenges. Ampim said, “There’s no justification. If you’re making a list of students that have had challenges over the past year, with no mention of students of African descent, there is no way to justify it. There could not be a better example of the concerns we’ve raised.” In an attempt to thwart this continuing trend, the AASA invited Chancellor Wood to CCC to hear the complaints first-hand on April 11. Current faculty and staff, retired members of the AASA, the ASU president and a representative from the El Cerrito chapter of the NAACP attended the meeting. “We need Wood to step up and bring leadership from the top down because if it comes from the bottom up, it might not be pretty,” CCC counselor Andrea Phillips said. Who’s getting hired? The AASA presented information stating there have been no African-American male counselors hired at CCC in the past 12 years. Furthermore, the association claims minimal hiring of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructors of African
descent have been made, despite nationwide efforts to diversify the field. “In 12 years, there has not been a single person of African descent hired to teach chemistry, biology, physics or engineering,” Ampim said. “In any kind of statistical probability how is it that no one of African descent has been hired?” According to the district information management system Datamart, the number of African-Americans who hold positions at the various instructional levels at CCC has fallen in the past 10 years. Administrators have dropped from seven in 2008 to four in the fall of 2017. Tenured or tenure track African-American faculty have also fallen from 18 to 13 over the same time period. Three of the four previous CCC presidents were African-American and the upper-administrative positions of dean of students and dean of instruction have also shifted away from African-American leadership. During the presentation, attendees passed around the most recent 28-person new-hire list, including deans and upper-management, to show who filled the open positions. Retired AASA staff member Michele Jackson said, “I think the AASA needs a listing as to how we advertise positions, who are we advertising to? We need that official listing so we can come up with some suggestions of how to include the more diverse organizations. When a job comes up, who do we advertise to, where does it go and who sees it?” AASU President John Wade said some people on campus are part-timers who eventually want to become full time and have been passed over when applying for positions here. Wade, who is the college athletic director, said, “I don’t have a problem with hiring other people. My only problem is when we don’t hire anyone that looks like us.” Enrollment and class cancellations The association also used examples to demonstrate how faculty and students of African descent have been adversely impacted by early class cancellations. The use of early fill rates to determine what classes should be canceled was also brought into question. At CCC, African-American students make up the second largest student demographic at over 16 percent, or 1,161 students, according to the California community colleges Chancellor’s Office information management system, Datamart. Hispanic students make up 44 percent of the student body, with white/non-Hispanic rounding out the three largest demographics at 11 percent. Ampim said departments chaired by faculty of African descent have a higher standard to meet. His classes are set at a 40-student cap, while some STEM classes have a lower standard to meet. The association agrees, the fill rate process is flawed because a STEM class with a cap of 30 students and 24 students enrolled places the fill rate at 80 percent. However, an AfricanAmerican studies class with those same 24 students and a cap of 40 may be canceled because its 60 percent fill rate is labeled poor. The association contends the flawed procedure led to a number of AFRAM class cancellations before the semester began, while other classes were allowed to continue. “We’re fine with cutting classes if it’s equitable, but that has not been the case,” Ampim
“We need Wood to step up and bring leadership from the top down because if it comes from the bottom up, it might not be pretty” Andrea Phillips,
CCC transfer counselor
said. “This is a late enrollment college and our classes were cut nine days before school began. Students didn’t have a chance.” Following early class cancellations, more than 1,000 students enrolled during the final week of summer before fall classes began. Even while working to address an improper enrollment strategy, getting the college website to properly list the classes has also been an uphill battle. “You almost have to be a diligent researcher to find the AFRAM classes,” Ampim said. Prospective students looking for AfricanAmerican studies classes must search under the special programs tab when enrolling. METAS and Puente classes can be cross-listed in different sections, but for African-American studies, administrators say software constraints limit the ability to promote those classes. “When I was here I served on the scheduling committee and the website committee and things were added and eliminated all of the time,” Jackson said. “I know that the revisions can be made and we don’t need a whole lot of software. Maybe we just need to bring in the experts.” Shared governance The AASA also contends that decisions across the campus are made without faculty or student input. “Shared governance is a wonderful idea, but it’s not here now,” Ampim said. In the past there was shared governance because even though management could make autonomous decisions, why would they make decisions that would alienate their faculty? Now, he said, it doesn’t seem to matter very much. According to CCC Vice President Ken Sherwood, the shared governance process by which decisions are made through committee rather than by the college president is enacted vastly different here than at other campuses. “Every college in California has at least a public commitment to shared governance. It’s required by law,” Sherwood said. “I think people here misunderstand what shared governance means. Even the terminology is inaccurate.” Sherwood said the definition under the law is participatory governance, meaning everybody gets a say, but it doesn’t mean that everybody has the ultimate decision. The way it works under the law is, everything is a recommendation to the president and then the president decides. “It’s really different to have a president say ‘I’m not going to impose my will on this college,’” he said. Chancellor Wood said to the AASA group on April 11, “Because we’re in the midst of a search for a president of this campus these issues are very important. To be able to hear them now while we’re in the process of looking at candidates and what would be a good match for this campus to be able to address these issues, would be critically important.”
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campusbeat
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.25.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
Café refines teaching skills Campus resources on display for staff By Denis Perez editor-in-chief
dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com
Faculty, staff and managers as a function of their occupation take care of students. But it is important as a college community to take a supportive role in cultivating the well-being of students. Speech professor Sherry Diestler said taking care of community college students means the campus needs to collectively understand all the resources available to students at Contra Costa College. In hopes of creating a greater awareness of the resource pool on campus, the third Teaching Café, organized by Diestler, hosted tables for Student Life, STEM Center, Per Ankh Academy, La Raza, CCC international students and Veterans’ Resource Center in the Library and Learning Resources Center on Friday. She said the café is like a flea market of ideas for the entire CCC family. “Many times, we seek outside speakers to come to CCC and talk to our people. But our people get paid to go out to speak, so it only makes sense that they should speak here to each other too,” Diestler said. The teaching cafe featured speakers like history professor Manu Ampim, who spoke on effective teaching and the craft of professorship. Workshops like Chef Nader Sharkes’ cooking demonstration, or John Diestler’s cell phone photography practice, were also presented. In total, there were 21 tables with different representatives of programs and resources. Ampim said the café allows teachers on campus to go above and beyond and learn how to better prepare their students inside and outside of the classroom. Ampim emphasized the need as an instructor to keep an open mind about getting better and listening to what other professors are doing that works.
“More times than not, instructors believe that having a degree means the same thing as being a professor,” Ampim said. “Professors master the craft and meet students where students are.” He said that part of being an efficient professor means taking an initiative to do original things in their respective field. Ampim said in his field of Africana studies, he’s experienced 30 years of first-hand research. Throughout his travels, Ampim gained better insight to share with his students and teach them on a deeper level, more than someone who hasn’t done their own research. Ampim said although that has gotten him recognition in the intellectual community, students are different. Ampim’s transition from having an instructor’s mindset to a professor’s mentality happened in 1991 when he came back from researching African artifacts in Europe. He presented his findings at seminars in the Bay Area and, although it was an interesting subject, his cousin respectfully called Ampim’s seminars boring. At first Ampim said he dismissed the claim as absurd and moved on. However, after watching the video of his seminar, he admitted to himself that he wasn’t teaching in effective way because his audience had changed but he hadn’t. “I taught in universities where they are note takers and auditory (learners)” he said. “The community college level has visual and auditory learners.” Ampim said he adapted and incorporated PowerPoint and a more class-engagement model in his classroom lectures. Diestler said that professors are able to learn from other professors at the café, but the event also allows students to communicate with teachers about how to most effectively teach them. She said student feedback is very important, yet it is not usually received or looked for by the normal teacher. Students Janiece Bussey and Jordan Ingalls-Holloway presented student perspectives on best teaching practices to
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Debeshi Pantel (left) receives a balloon during the Teaching Café in the Library on Friday. Bantana Pantel (right) brought her daughter to the café to expose her to Contra Costa College and its community.
instructors who came to their table during the event. Bussey said the presentation emphasized active student participation. Bussey said students should socialize during courses in different ways and that online platforms allow students to engage each other and the teacher from anywhere. In the classroom there should be online groups for students to communicate with each other about the work and give each
other feedback. Ingalls-Holloway said that his success as a student has been greatly affected by social skills he learned in class. He said the networking skills he learned in the classes where his professors would promote discussions to help him get an internship. He said he hopes his presentation will influence professors in a positive way and hopefully help other students succeed.
Speech department seeks renewed growth Courses help students learn vital speaking skills
By Xavier Johnson scene editor
xjohnson.theadvocate@gmail.com
The 2018 spring semester was a time of incremental growth and long-term planning for the speech department and a speech team that is seeing continued success. At the start of the semester, the department moved its speech lab with the classroom located right next to it to AA-219. Speech department Chairperson Sherry Diestler said the lab’s new location improves the department’s ability to help students, whether they’re deeply involved with speech or not. Students can prepare for in-class speeches and get help from tutors, and the room will be used for speech and debate team practices. “The lab can be a space available for anyone on campus to come and get extra help for any public speaking they have to prepare for,” she said. Speech professor Randy Carver said he would like to have a shelf of texts and
sample outlines available for students to take. “The lab could be one-stop shop for all your communication needs.” The speech team placed 15 times throughout the three tournaments they’ve competed in this semester. During the Northern California Forensics Championships, the team took second place. Carver said the team’s current focus is the Northern California Forensics Association Spring Fling competition on Saturday at Solano Community College in Fairfield. Next year the team will have a heavier competition schedule, he said. The team will participate in 10 tournaments split evenly between fall 2018 and spring 2019 semesters. Every student on the team this semester competed as a novice. For the first half of the fall semester, five students competed as novices and later were entered in the open division. Three of the five will be returning, adding an experienced edge to next year’s team.
Business major Chepheren Goree competed this semester in the Persuasive Speech category. Goree said even though he doesn’t intend on pursuing communication as a major, the skills he learned while on the team are going to apply to his business career. He said speech preparation experience helps when having to make business presentations. Carver said that the team’s small numbers are an example of the difficulCarver ty speech teams have with recruitment. “You can expect to hang onto 20 percent of the people who show interest,” he said. The intramural speech tournament, hosting tables and having speech team members participate in campus events
are some of the ways the department is driving recruitment. Carver said one big obstacle for growth of the speech department is a lack of clarity. He said the first step in making the department more accessible is changing the name of the department to communication studies. He said some courses that would be great additions are basic communication theory, special topics in communication and a full-fledged business communication course. Also, he said he would like to have short-term exploration in communication courses to give students an idea of what they can do. “We say you can do anything and it gives you all these skills. The students look and think ‘great, but what can I actually do with this.’” Participating on a collegiate speech team presents students with the challenge of preparing a speech and presenting it in a competition at the college level.
GAME DAY BRINGS TOGETHER DIVERSE STUDENT BODY A plethora of fun and games brings merriment, joy By Dan Hardin advocate staff
dhardin.theadvocate@gmail.com
Fireside Hall was filled with players making moves for CCC’s new Game Day event that was graciously hosted by student Djelanie James on April 16. Some of the games in play were Bingo, Battleship, Dominoes, Connect 4, Sorry, Checkers, Chess, Monopoly, Jenga, Family Feud and Uno. Some participants were questioning whether or not referees would be needed. The event began at 10 a.m. and concluded at 1:30 p.m. James said that he was pleased with the festivities and attendee participation. “I spoke to Student Life Coordinator Joel Nickelson-Shanks about having a Game Day event and if he would support me,” James said. “Joel said that Student Life staff would assist me with manpower, setting up, supplying games, security and clean up,” he said. “We began planning
the event before the spring break.” Staying true to his word, Nickelson-Shanks’ staff was vigilant, before, during and after the event. Second-year social and behavior science major Sam Allen was there to support James as well. Allen, who also works in the Welcome Center, said he attended to keep people from cheating and help explain the rules of the games to inexperienced players. “I appreciate being asked to participate in this event,” he said. “It helps me to become more acquainted with students on campus.” Checkers, in all its simplicity, can cause the best of friends to become unglued because many people play by different rules. Fortunately, official rule books were on hand to James resolve disputes. Second-year humanities student William Barkley Sr. and first-year business student Malaika Webb enjoyed a game of Monopoly while joking that they were learning the game from each other. They were taking immediate pleasure in the respite from classes.
n “I appreciate being
invited to the event. It helps me to become more acquainted with students on campus.” — Sam Allen, social and behavior science major
Nursing major Marianna Villanuva said she came to enjoy the event with her friend, Jerico Guzmen. Gateway student Guzmen said he enjoys playing chess and likes utilizing his knights in his opening move sequence. Guzmen astonished, razzled and dazzled a few onlookers with a demonstration of his Kendama (a Japanese skill toy which helps enhance hand-eye coordination). Engineering major Joey Conway said he was glad to play a part in the event. Student Life worker and computer science major Gabriel Sanchez said he was part of the event’s support team and enjoyed the harmonious congenial ambiance of the affair. “James did a wonderful job and we are looking forward to the next Game Day,” he said.
LEON WATKINS / THE ADVOCATE
Two Middle College High School students play with a jumbo-sized set of Jenga during the Game Day event in Fireside Hall on April 16.
campusbeat
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.25.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
5
ASU campaign season begins By Efrain Valdez social media editor
evaldez.theadvocate@gmail.com
As the Associated Student Union’s election commenced on Monday with the candidates focused on making the best of running unopposed by reaching the minimum threshold of 100 votes for appointment. Students can vote in the Student Lounge over the next two weeks. ASU President Alex Walker-Griffin is running for re-election; ASU Senator Christopher Miller for vice president and ASU Senator Camilo Alberto-Cisneros for vice president of club affairs. “We are trying to hit the threshold of 100 votes, but in a situation where 100 votes don’t occur we’re just going to move on,” Walker-Griffin said. “We are still going to fill into our positions. We use the 100-vote threshold just to show that there are students that are active and participating in the election.” Per the ASU Bylaws, a candidate must
be an ASU senator in good standing for at least one semester, have a GPA of 2.0 and not be on social or academic probation to be eligible to run for an executive position on the board. The three candidates campaigned on campus bulletin boards, by word of mouth and on social media. The campaign period ended last Friday. ASU Parliamentary Officer Jackie Ortiz, who also ran unopposed last year, said Student Life Coordinator Joel NickelsonShanks pushes them to meet the minimum number of votes and let students know what the ASU does. The focus of the ASU has turned to using the election as a tool to recruit people to it and to better educate students on what the ASU does, Walker-Griffin said. “I try to make it clear that the ASU isn’t a club,” he said. “It’s our student government. We want them to have an idea what we do and have them understand what we oversee.” Voters will be required to input their
student ID number into a laptop at the ASU table in the Student Lounge. But because no one is running against anyone, the rules are less stringent and the election serves a larger purpose of bolstering the ASU’s diversity and its Walkerpresence on campus. Griffin “Yes, there is a lack of student participation here Associated on campus,” Miller said. Student “We want to get them Union involved, but we also president, understand that it’s school he is running and it’s stressful.” Miller said he under- unopposed stands that ASU has “eyes for second on them” right now so they year in a must make their presence row. felt on campus. Even though WalkerGriffin will be returning to his post as ASU
“
FILM CLUB TO INSPIRE AMBITIOUS ARTISTS
president, Alberto-Cisneros and Miller will be fresh faces in the executive positions. “I think Alex has done a good job. He’s concerned about the bigger picture here because all the things he does in the state affect CCC and other colleges,” Ortiz said. Ortiz said she sees Miller as a good addition to the executive branch even though he is a newer ASU senator. She also said that Alberto-Cisneros is ready to become treasurer of ASU but will need the right guidance to fulfill his role. “Camilo definitely needs to be briefed on the duties of the treasurer seeing as how that’s one of the more technical positions because it deals with money,” Ortiz said. Miller said he and the rest of the ASU will be using Senior Comet Day, on Thursday, to tap in to the newer generation of students. “I’m going to use that day to show ASU’s presence on campus even though it will be mostly incoming high school students,” he said.
“Before Boston I was thinking that I wanted to be a really great teacher and help students. But now, I am thinking that maybe I can have more impact as an organizer by changing policy.” — Lizbeth Gonzalez, La Raza studies major
Student in process of forming group By Jessica Suico assistant news editor
jsuico.theadvocate@gmail.com
In hopes of inspiring future animated filmmakers, a student-run Film Club is being formed on campus by liberal arts major JoJuan Johnson. Still in the early stages, the club is looking to expand the opportunities of students who are interested making and watching film. “I want to have this club formed and planned by the end of this semester,” Johnson said. Johnson has been making his own animated films and music videos on his YouTube channel, “JoJuan4444.” He has been doing animated films for a few years on his free time. Johnson graduated from Making Waves Academy and was president of the Cinema Club there. He has been gathering knowledge on how to run a campus club and what running a film club truly entails. Johnson’s vision for the club is to get students who are interested in learning graphic design, or anyone who has a passion for the medium. He hopes members will want to pick each others’ minds, brainstorm and make their own films. “I was motivated to start the club because I wanted to grasp more Johnson skills of film making. Also, I thought it would be fun to include friends and other people,” Johnson said. Early childhood education major Quamisha Hardy said, “My high school had a film class on campus and it had dance, singing and acting incorporated into the performances.” Johnson said, “The main purpose of this club is to help students gain skills and knowledge of film production and communication. I want members to have skills that can be applied to student’s majors.” Undecided major Ashley Portillo said, “I wasn’t aware there was a Film Club on campus, but I think it’s a good idea to have one and to get more students involved.” Portillo is, self-admittedly, shy, and doesn’t like being in the spotlight. She knows that such a club wouldn’t be something she could get into, but she does have friends that she thinks would be interested. Hardy said she would be interested in joining the club, but because she is a busy woman, her joining depends on what days the club meets and practices. “Film interests me because I am able to be on camera, acting. It allows someone to come out of their shell at the same time. You can shine like a star.” She thinks Contra Costa College is a great place to start a club like this because here students can express themselves without feeling judged. “I feel more clubs need to be offered on campus. A Film Club would make a difference on campus for students interested in film and related topics,” Hardy said. Portillo also thinks there should be more clubs on campus. She also believes CCC should offer courses that specialize in film production.
SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE
La Raza studies major Lizbeth Gonzalez holds a sign during the “March for Our Lives” action in Boston, Massachusetts on March 24.
Students for educational reform group attends national march SFER Contra Costa College chapter members participate in March for Our Lives
By Ryan Geller news editor
rgeller.theadvocate@gmail.com
Students from Contra Costa College have brought back organizing skills from “The March for Our Lives” that they plan to apply to their reform work with the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The CCC chapter of Students for Educational Reform (SFER) was attending the organization’s national summit in Boston and the March for Our Lives, organized by survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland Florida, was also taking place that weekend. The CCC SFER chapter met with some of the organizers of The March for our Lives. “The two students who spoke to us were Latinas. They saw that white students were getting a lot of attention, but the students of color were not getting the same response — even though they often come from more severely impacted communities,” SFER member and CCC La Raza major Lisbeth Gonzalez said. At the march, the CCC SFER members said that it was important to raise the issue of the disproportionate effects of gun violence on communities of color. “It does not matter whether the violence happens in schools, tourist destinations, movie theaters or through interactions with police,” SFER member and CCC STEM major Alfredo Mendoza said. “We need to take effective measures to prevent this violence and not just put another Band-Aid on it.” Ledesma Gonzalez said, “It was important to hear what the students went through at Parkland and it was
important to hear about what they are doing to prevent these tragedies in the future.” “I found it valuable to see how marches play a role in politics,” Luis Ledesma, SFER member and CCC pre-law major, said. There were politicians and public officials attending the march and speakers were calling them out and pointing to policy that needs to be changed, Ledesma said. SFER runs campaigns in states across the country and is headquartered in New York. Each year SFER holds a national summit so members from different states can come together and talk about what we are working on, Gonzalez said. Seven students from the CCC chapter attended the SFER National summit with the hotel and airfare paid for by the organization. The theme of the summit was “I am Powerful,” with 100 students taking part. The SFER mission statement is to train college students to be grassroots organizers who fight against educational injustice in low income communities, Gonzalez said. SFER members attend city council meetings, school board meetings, community meetings and coordinate with local non-profit groups. “Every chapter comes up with its own goals and every semester we choose a campaign. We host community events where parents and students can speak about different issues, then we use that input to decide on a campaign,” Gonzalez said. The CCC SFER chapter has two campaigns to improve K-12 schools in the West Contra Costa district. The first addresses “teacher retention.” This involves finding ways to slow the high rate of turnover in the district. SFER hosted a community panel and talked to different teachers in the district to find out why teachers
are leaving. Teachers said that they cannot afford to live in the area with the low salaries, so they are forced to seek higher paying work in other districts, Gonzalez said. SFER members, along with others, have been advocating for higher teacher pay and the district is now moving to increase teacher salaries by 15 percent. The district is also working on providing housing support to encourage teacher retention and also to attract new teachers. Creating a “positive school climate” is the second campaign that SFER is currently working on. This campaign is about holding school administrators accountable for “willful defiance suspensions.” A high percentage of AfricanAmericans and Latinos are suspended for minor behavioral issues, Gonzalez said. SFER members believe that this is the beginning of the school to prison pipeline. A positive school climate is about providing more counselors for students who come to school with unresolved trauma, Gonzalez said. The school board recently passed a resolution that will address this issue and offer more support for students with disabilities and ESL students. The trip to Boston was important to Gonzalez because she saw she is part of a larger movement. “Before Boston, I was thinking that I wanted to be a really great teacher and help students. But now, I’m thinking that maybe I can have more impact as an organizer by changing policy.” SFER offers paid fellowships for high school and college students in the summer before school board elections take place. SFER fellows choose issues that are important to them and then they go door knocking to discuss these issues in the community, Gonzalez said.
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WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.25.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
Food, beer, wine, treats attract crowd
focus LEFT: People wait in line between Aqua Terra Grill and the Student Lounge during the Food and Wine Event on Sunday.
Photos by: Denis Perez For
more photos visit our website: www.cccadvocate.com/multimedia
RIGHT: Female attendees raise their glasses of wine as they cheer in the Campus Center Plaza during the Food and Wine Event on Sunday.
LEFT: A group of attendees line up for a slider prepared by a vendor in the Campus Center Plaza during the Food and Wine Event on Sunday.
RIGHT: Benicia resident Rebecca Vinatieri smiles and poses for a group of her friends after unlocking the liquor cabinet and winning all the bottles inside during the Food and Wine Event on Sunday.
sports
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 4.25.2018 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
7
Comets easily grounded Program
By Anthony Kinney
has work
akinney.theadvocate@gmail.com
to do in quest for BVC success
a1`ssociate editor
The baseball team (7-26 overall and 3-15 in the Bay Valley Conference) failed to continue its light wave of momentum, resulting from recent back-to-back wins, by losing to Mendocino College 10-3 in the second match-up of the teams’ three-game series Thursday at the Baseball Field. Sloppy fielding, bad pitching and missed opportunities on defense rendered the game impossible to end in a Comet victory and allowed Mendocino (19-16 overall and 10-8 in the BVC) to exact revenge from the Comets’ 5-1 win in their first match up of the season on April 17. Comet pitcher Kyle Brown said early errors created a snowball effect that diminished the team’s confidence for the remaining innings. “Anytime we make errors, we suffer a mental breakdown as a team and it affects everybody,” Brown said. “We’ve got to fix our mental mistakes and not make errors. When we don’t make mistakes, we usually win.” The Eagles came out strong on both offense and defense. They matched the Comet effort in the early innings of the game, but by the fifth inning, it was evident CCC was going to be outpaced. Despite losing by a wide margin, Comet pitchers Jake Dent (4 strikeouts, 7 hits, in 7.0 innings) and Jayson Summers (2 strikeouts, 1 hit, in 2.0 innings) still gave up just 8 hits and struck out 6. The Eagles capitalized from both Comet mistakes and by getting runners onto the basepaths, which seemed to become more frequent as the game progressed. The pitchers’ duel turned blowout was a defensive bout until the fifth inning as both teams struggled to focus at bat. In the top of the fifth inning, Eagle right fielder Sam Penning’s two RBI double to center sent shortstop Karter Koch and first baseman Jay Guerrero home with no outs. After a spark of good fielding produced two outs, a series COMETS of passed balls by catcher Brayden Huckaby led to one more Eagle score before closing out the inning. Comet coach Brian Guinn said although his team has been playing EAGLES well lately, the team’s bad pitches, lack of capitalizing on defensive gaps and missed scoring opportunities showed room for improvement. The Comets answered in the bottom of the fifth inning with a run of their own after Comet first baseman Robert Swanson’s single led to Huckaby rushing home from third base after singling to start the rally. However, the Comets’ offense still struggled to produce scoring innings as they were only able to score two more times in the contest. After the inning, the Eagles led 3-1. The Comets were able to score twice more in the 7th inning before squandering the opportunity to potentially score more runs. CCC center fielder Mychael Jamison left shortstop London Penland and
3 10
Participation woes persist despite effort Comet softball program can’t meet required minimum number of players By Robert Clinton opinion editor
rclinton.theadvocate@gmail.com
After the Comet softball team failed to field a team for the second year in a row due to a sustained lack of participation, the trend of dwindling involvement of area women in post-high school athletics leaves administrators and coaches searching for answers. This season, the Bay Valley Conference softball schedule supports only three softball teams — Yuba, Los Medanos and Solano colleges are the only colleges in the nine-team BVC to meet minimum player requirements. Surprisingly, Richmond, De Anza and Kennedy high schools, all within the target area of CCC, carried an average of 15 players on their 2017 softball rosters. So why do so many women end their playing careers after high school? “Some want to only focus on school and others don’t want to go to school at all, but want to work full time first,” Comet volleyball coach Christy Tianero said. “Others believe their skill set is not at a college level.” Along with coaching at CCC,
Tianero coaches with the volleyball team at Richmond High School. The decrease in participation is not isolated to softball. The Comet women’s basketball team ended its 2016 and 2017 campaigns with only six players, nearly half of its season opening roster. From the player’s perspective, former CCC women’s basketball player Daizah Pounds thinks players know if they plan to continue playing or not as high school ends. “If a woman is not committed to playing by the time her high school career is over she will just stop. After (high school) graduation, it’s a step into the ‘real world,’ so if she doesn’t truly see herself moving forward with sports, it’s a wrap,” Pounds said. After attending CCC, Pounds transferred to the University of Antelope Valley in Lancaster, California where she continued to play basketball and ran cross-country to remain in shape. “In terms of what can be done to make women continue playing after high school, I would say just instilling it in their hearts and minds before high school is over,” she said. “Coaches and administrators
LEON WATKINS / THE ADVOCATE
Comet pitcher Jake Dent throws a pitch in the third inning of Thursday’s 10-3 loss to Mendocino College on the Baseball Field.
“Anytime we make errors, we suffer a mental breakdown as a team and it affects everybody.” Kyle Brown, Comet pitcher
third baseman Jared Jackson stranded on second and third base after grounding out to end the 7th. “I think we just got mentally tired,” Jamison said. “We just came off two wins and should have shut them out last time (Tuesday’s game), so I think we thought it was going be an easier game.” Mendocino College continued its offensive onslaught through the 6th, 7th and 8th innings by scoring two runs in each — most resulting from errors by a seemingly intimidated Comet infield The last run came from an Eagle sacrifice fly to left that led to an unearned run after a dropped ball by catcher CCC Tyler Carrasco, making the score 10-3. The Comets were able to hold off another Eagle score in the 9th when Summers struck out Eagle DH Morgan Edwards before forcing two fly ball outs. Coach Guinn said the team plans to stick to their game plan moving forward. “I think they just had a bad game today. They’ve been playing good lately,” he said. “We’ve got to keep playing strong. The ball bounces different every game.” Jamison said his team needs to improve on maintaining its composure when errors occur and its performance during clutch moments.
LEON WATKINS / THE ADVOCATE
Comet Justin Summers drops the bat before running to first base after hitting a single during Thursday’s contest.
Leaving women’s athletics in three actions In high school, athletes are able to focus on sports.
Limited support hurts desire to pursue college athletics.
As responsibilities mount, it becomes hard to return to competition. INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
should also push female athletes harder toward junior colleges so they understand there is an opportunity of further education and a potential athletic scholarship if they do well.” Comet softball coach Karolyn Gubbine, who played catcher for San Francisco State University in 2010, thinks once women make the decision to stop playing it’s harder for them to come back. “I think for Gubbine girls, once they make up their Contra minds about not Costa playing it is emoCollege tional for them softball to come back and coach play, because even though a part of them wants to, they think that it’s not OK for them to have fun. They have to be an ‘adult’ and do more productive things,” she said. The coach also believes ego plays a large part in participation. She says players want to “go big or go home” and do not play as much for the enjoyment of learning. “They want to play Division I or II or they feel there is no point due to a huge lack of professional opportunities after college,” she
n “I constantly have to
convince girls that it is OK to have fun and be young. And that its possible to play, work and go to school.” — Karolyn Gubbine, softball coach
said. “Most of those girls probably think what’s the point in playing if I’m not that good and I’m not going anywhere with it. I’d be better off getting a job or focusing on academics.” As BVC participation rates dwindle, California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) reports the state’s high school sports involvement rates continue to climb. High school sports participation continues to increase in California and is at an all-time high for the fifth consecutive year, according to the 2017 CIF Sports Participation Survey. Rates are up by 0.78 percent and since the previous survey in 2016, 785,357 student-athletes are competing in education-based athletic programs in California. In total, 331,352 girls participated in high school sports in 2017. CCC sophomore pitcher Nancy Bernal attended Richmond High School and was a member of both
doomed Comet softball seasons. She said most of the female players she knows stopped playing so they can support themselves financially in school and in life. “Some of the girls on the softball team stopped playing because of work. I played because I liked the excitement and because I only volunteer and don’t have a job that demands all of my time,” Bernal said. “At least I can say I played and enjoyed it. I wish more people would play sports after high school. But I understand why they couldn’t.” The sentiment of playing for only health and enjoyment while sacrificing personal time is a hard deal for coaches to broker. California’s high school sports participation remains on a steady incline, but women’s sports in the BVC continue to languish. “I constantly have to convince girls that it is OK to have fun and be young and that it is possible to play, work and go to school,” Gubbine said. “I have to remind them that it’s OK if they don’t play outside of their two years at the junior college level. The ones who buy in are the ones that enjoy playing and enjoy the experience — for the most part.”
8
spotlight
WWW.CCCADVOCATE.COM 8.30.2017 l WEDNESDAY l THE ADVOCATE
Music professor Wayne Organ teaches a piano class in the Music Building Friday. Organ will be retiring at the end of the 2018 spring semester. He said he is excited to have more time to play in a band. DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Campus loses Organ Career fuels passions through musical education, campus leadership By Michael Santone associate editor
msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com
For many, the foundation of a successful life consists of a quality education, lucrative income and the will to navigate a world that holds a high priority on making a living, even if the job isn’t a person’s true calling. It’s rare in life’s social and economic constructs to be able to combine your passions with a career that has the potential to change the lives of those you encounter. For Contra Costa College music department Chairperson Wayne Organ, taking his passion of music and turning it into a 9 to 5 career may have been pure luck. But to flourish in it was no accident. “My dad once told me, if everything was paid for and you didn’t have to do anything for anything, what would you do? And if you can make that your job, you will never work,” Organ said. “I’m a successful example of that. I’m in a unique position where my hobby and job are the same thing.” After 22 years of playing a fundamental role in shaping the dynamics of CCC, Organ will be retiring at the end of the spring semester. “When I got hired I thought I was getting a job, and what I got was a family,” Organ said. “The relationships I built over the years are as close in a lot of ways to any family members I have.
“That’s the thing I think I’m going to miss the most — being a part of something bigger than yourself. That’s nice to be a part of.” Teaching for two years at Solano Community College before finding a home at CCC in 1996, Organ manifested his pioneering personality and talents into leadership roles felt by faculty, staff and students on campus. “One of the nice things about being a teacher at a community college is there’s never any doubt that what we do is really important in the bigger scheme of things,” he said. “Watching students start from nothing and realize their incredible musical abilities and watch that grow — that’s what I live for. “And for those of us who are infected with music, this is the most joyful thing you can do.” In 1972, after two years studying conducting at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California, Organ transferred to Sonoma State University where he would spend eight years in a transitional period. Although not much of a musical player at the time, Organ absorbed the theory and culture of music by immersing himself in courses that revolved around music. “Then something remarkable happened, which I still owe everything to,” Organ said. In 1979, Tom Hemphill, who was the principal percussionist for the San Francisco Symphony, came to Sonoma State to teach a
“Watching students start from nothing and realize their incredible musical abilities and watch that grow — that’s what I live for.” Wayne Organ, music professor
master class, which Organ attended. After having all of the students play, Hemphill, who was one of the best percussionists in the Bay Area, came over to a financially-strapped Organ to ask who he was studying with. “He said, ‘Here’s the deal, if you can make it down to my house in Noe Valley in San Francisco and you’re never late and always prepared, I’ll teach you for free,’” Organ said. “Pretty much, I owe everything to Tom. That created a debt — a psychological debt — that was never going away and I recognized I had to pay it (back).” From building the music department back up from its diminished state upon his arrival on the San Pablo campus, to making decisions about the college’s accreditation in his role as Academic Senate president, Organ has been an instrumental person on campus. “When I came here, it was just me (as a full-time professor) and a department that hadn’t done much in years,” he said. “This
became a unique department in that we are very cooperative and we kind of all take a little bit of a role in the development of students. It’s a very student-oriented program.” Organ started the music theory program, which wasn’t available before his arrival. Now students can take up to four semesters of music theory with the possibility of achieving an associate degree. CCC music performance director Stephanie Austin said, “He (Organ) has been involved in every departmental development plan for over 20 years, including lobbying to gain a second full-time faculty position, creating the recording program, overseeing the Music Building remodel and speaking on behalf of the arts on the department, division, college and district levels. “He is very good at communicating ideas with and to people. He inspires colleagues to dream and pursue ideas.” As Academic Senate president from 201014, Organ helped the college earn an excellent 2014 Accreditation Report. He worked on the Strategic Plan for the college, worked on the affirmation and development of the college’s Mission Statement and started the reform of Program Review on campus. “(Organ) brought a creative and artistic approach, not only to his students, but to shared governance,” current Academic Senate President Beth Goehring said. “He’s always willing to step in and step up no matter what you ask of him.”
Alumnus shares journey to Harvard By Denis Perez editor-in-chief
dperez.theadvocate@gmail.com
A village raises a child the same way a college community develops a student. That community consists of faculty, classified staff, administrators and successful alumni who take time to nurture student interests and make those interests relevant to their educational paths. Harvard Medical School postdoctoral researcher Edwin Reyes, a Contra Costa College alumnus, said the support he received at CCC made him believe in himself. And that is the reason he came back to speak to students in a two-day event at Fireside Hall on Thursday, and Friday in GE-225. Dr. Reyes found his passion for baseball at El Cerrito High School, which lasted through his graduation. “My priorities were to pitch, play baseball and work out. Then I took a chemistry course at CCC and I liked it,” Dr. Reyes said. “It wasn’t because I was good in it, but because the professor (chemistry professor Joe Ledbetter) became a mentor rather than an instructor.” Ledbetter said, “His (Reyes’) self-esteem toward education was not high and his heart was in baseball.” Reyes was unique in the way he quickly learned things and was very “street smart,” Ledbetter said. He said, “He exhibited qualities of someone very intelligent and educationally capable, but he just needed those qualities mined out of him.” Reyes said Ledbetter suggested he join the Center for Science Excellence program at CCC. Reyes did and it changed his perspective on what hard work could do in college and what college could do for him in return. He said he started to sacrifice his time
n “My priorities were to pitch,
play baseball and work out. Then I took a chemistry course at CCC and I liked it.” — Edwin Reyes, CCC Alumnus
outside of school and the sacrifices accumulated. Through scholarships, stipends and grants, he said he gained half a million dollars worth of education he didn’t pay for out of his own wallet. STEM Café organizer Sedi Sidharta said Reyes is a prime example of what students who do their best by applying for financial aid, scholarships and internships can achieve. Sidharta said the way Reyes began to network at CCC was by working in a paid position in the CSE. She said at the colleges he attended after CCC he found ways they would pay him to work in a relevant field to his educational field. She said that Reyes, and others like him, have dedication, motivation, work ethic and a desire to give back. Reyes, a first generation college student and son of El Salvadorian asylum-seeking immigrants, began his higher educational development at CCC in 2001. Graduating in 2003, he then transferred to Cal State-East Bay in 2003 where earned his bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology in 2006. Soon after, Reyes taught at De Anza High School in Richmond, where he also coached the varsity baseball team from 2006-08. Reyes said he saved money for graduate school during his time teaching at De Anza. In 2008, Reyes enrolled in Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic grad school transition program and was there until 2009. He earned a post-baccalaureate in cancer immunology in
DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
Contra Costa College alumnus Edwin Reyes (left) talks to physics major Ruth Elizabeth Whet (right) in the Physical Sciences Building after his Friday seminar.
the Research Education Program. He then left to study at the University of Chicago until 2015, when he graduated. There he earned his Ph.D. in immunology and cancer biology. Reyes has been a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School since 2015. At Harvard, Reyes said he is one of the only brown people in his program. He said he was used to being a minority in his educational environment from previous programs like Mayo Clinic and Chicago. For CCC biology major Carlos Arevalo, the inspiration that comes from Reyes’ words goes a long way for him and his educational path. Arevalo, who attended Reyes’ seminar on Friday, said he relates to Reyes on a personal level.
Arevalo emigrated legally from El Salvador in 2016. He said the language transition from Spanish to English and the different lifestyle has made it difficult to succeed in a community college setting. However, he said his biggest support comes from CSE because there is already a path for people like him to reach the top universities. “One of us (CCC students) has gone for it and he is coming back to tell us how he did it. I know I can too,” Arevalo said. Arevalo said because many students have walked that particular path before, he has high hopes that the community support and his own hard work and sacrifice will get him to where he wants to go.