The Advocate Vol. 49 Issue 3 – Oct 4, 2013

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The Independent Student Voice of Mt. Hood Community College

October 4, 2013

Volume 49 Issue 3

blood, meth & tears For a review of the final episode, turn to page 5

Tune in, sell out?

Students soar with AVID AVID Advancement Via Individual Determination The AVID Center offers three-pack courses called Learning Communities.

Student Resources: Free tutoring on homework Proofreading Computer access and help Study techniques

The center also has tools for instructors and does outreach programs

Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday in room AC3315 above the library

by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate

For students who want to be successful, but worry they lack the right skills or might have been out of school too long, the AVID Center provides a place to learn, study and thrive at Mt. Hood.

AVID, or Advancement via Individual Determination, offers a three-pack of courses, called “Learning Communities.”

Reading and Writing 90 are packaged together with a college success course during Fall Term. The instructors plan together and their courses revolve a round a central theme.

“It’s sort of a school within a school,” said Lauren Smith, AVID program coordinator. “It makes college a little less frightening or overwhelming.”

The AVID Center opened in October 2012 and provides free tutoring in addition to its classes.

There already were AVID teachers at Mt. Hood, but “they really just needed a center on campus to support students,” Smith said.

She said the center is “supporting students who may not be ready for college, or need that extra support when they’re here.”

Bennie Moore, 51, a second-year MHCC stu-

Guest column by

Wayne Machuca Computer Information Systems instructor

I

dent, has completed all three terms of the Learning Communities.

“My greatest fear was I had been out of school for so long... and how I would test coming into college,” Moore said.

Instead of struggling, Moore made the President’s list (earning straight A’s) last fall and winter term after being a “C” student in high school. He credits AVID for helping him.

“I recommend the Learning Communities for anybody who’s coming back after being out of school,” he said.

Moore plans to transfer to Portland State University to acquire a bachelor’s degree in urban studies, but right now, “I’m having a blast feeling like a kid,” he said.

The AVID Center offers help with papers and assignments, but, Moore said, “They don’t do it for you. They make you think.”

Students can register for the Learning Communities by selecting that category on the my.mhcc.edu (website) portal. Students sign up for all three courses at one time, rather than select each individual course.

“It’s really important that they take the whole experience,” said Smith, the program coordinator.

Lauren Smith

AVID

Continued on page 6

remember the year 1968. I was living near Chicago at the time and watched the Democratic National Convention on our new Zenith black-andwhite TV. If you are old enough to remember that time, you might still have images in your minds about the hippies and the hardhats, the war, the protesters, and the police.

Imagine you are there right now, in the midst of it all. Then imagine that up in front, Richard Nixon stands to address the crowd and says: “You will all be given a device that you are required to wear at all times. This device will track your every movement to within 32 feet of your actual location. It will record every communication, message, and purchase. And if you look up any information, computers will track your every search, and government analysts and marketing professionals will track your every move and make decisions about what you can see and what you should buy.

“And, best of all, you will stand in line for hours – even overnight – just for the privilege of being one of the first to purchase this device.”

What do you think would happen next? Pandemonium? Riots? Or mere obedience?

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Opinion

Oct. 4, 2013

Editorial: Wi-Fi is awesome, but...

Let’s talk about Mt. Hood’s Wi-Fi. It’s something that a lot of us use, and it’s time both to recognize how awesome it is to have a service like this, and how we can fix a few nagging issues.

First, let’s be thankful we even have Wi-Fi. The fact that we have Internet that can be magically accessed by our mobile devices at our school is amazing. That there is enough bandwidth to let everyone be able to get moderate speeds is equally awesome. At The Advocate, we hear a lot of complaining about the Wi-Fi around here – even a few of us do, too – but complaining about free Wi-Fi is the definition of a First World problem.

Sure, it’s not the fastest, but it gets the job done. You are not going to be running any videos at 1080p or downloading a movie within minutes, and pages with a lot of Flash content may take a while to load. But, you should be able to Google the answers to your research paper 15 minutes before class, no problem.

As for that speed, we have been told 30 access points should be added to the campus Wi-Fi infrastructure year, by Don Adams, manager of IT systems and programming. More access points on campus means others won’t be as crowded, meaning the speed will go up during busy days. Adams said the dream is to have 100 percent coverage in every building at Mt. Hood, a rather lofty dream because the

Wi-Fi is incredibly needy: You ignore it for five minutes and it throws a tantrum, kicking you off so you can politely sign in again.

It seems trivial to complain about the 10 seconds it takes re-entering a username and password, but those are 10 seconds that could have been spent on YouTube or staring at the page because it’s taking forever to load on a weekday when everyone is online.

We’re not saying it should be removed; we understand it’s for security purposes. But maybe extend the length by a few hours so we don’t attempt to reload pages in vain, not knowing we’re disconnected and then having to wait for the prompt to reconnect.

Anyway, aside from some minor complaints, Wi-Fi here looks awesome to us. But, what do you think is great or needs to be looked at regarding Wi-Fi at Mt. Hood? Let us know!

overall cost to fully cover the school would reach $1 million, he said.

However, since we are Americans and we complain about amazing things, anyways, let’s talk about one chronic gripe we at The Advocate have with the Wi-Fi. The one thing I think we can all agree on is, the constant need to verify our username and password gets very annoying. Mt. Hood’s

To see what students had to say about Mt. Hood’s WI-FI, go to our website: www.advocate-online.net

Miley has a master plan

by Danny Perez-Crouse The Advocate

Hey, have you heard about Miley Cyrus lately? Of course you have, because everybody and their dog can’t seem to shut up about her. Heck, I’m about to write an entire article about her. People are saying she is turning into a stupid slut, and don’t get me wrong, she is a slut, but she’s a smart slut.

There was a dry period for Miley where she wasn’t doing much and she wasn’t in the public eye as often as before. Since she had a new album coming, I assume she needed some attention in order to get more sales. And there is no publicity like bad publicity.

She had to start small in order to gain buzz. First, she got that awful haircut which was a big deal for a while.

She also started doing guest spots with rappers like Snoop Lion and Will.i.am.

With all the new attention surrounding her, she had more people who knew she was making an album, and to get even more buzz, she dropped a controversy-

seeking bomb of a single.

When Miley said she made “We Can’t Stop” for her fans, it made sense. A lot of people forget that Hannah Montana started in 2006, and most kids who were fans of the show are now 14 at the youngest. Her fan base is at the age where they don’t really care about songs with silly things like musicianship, coherence or depth. All teens and tweens want to listen to now are songs with a catchy beat that talk about sex, partying, relationships or some combination of the three.

In order to stay current, Miley released a generic party-sex song that was originally written for Rihanna. And to really stir the masses, she made a music video alongside her single that was loaded with weird sexual imagery and started dressing like a post-apocalyptic drag queen.

It all came to a head when she delivered a massive knockout blow in the form of her infamous VMA performance. Twerking on Robin Thicke, suggestive motions with a foam finger, the terrible hair, the weird bear fixation and unsexy dance moves were all tailored to generate maximum exposure, and boy, did it work.

Miley has just been working the trends of pop-culture to her advantage, and I’ll be damned if it hasn’t been profitable for her. Her first single stayed in the top charts for months, and

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Monitoring our activity keeps us safe

her second is still in the top ten. She has more eyes on her than ever, which means more people know about her album, which means more sales.

Let’s compare her with another former Disney star, Raven-Symoné. When I was a kid, Raven was one of the queens of Disney Channel. Her Cheetah Girl movies and (totally awesome) sitcom, “That’s So Raven,” were huge with the kiddos at that time. And, she was still big when Hannah Montana was gaining traction. I remember the Hannah Montana/That’s So Raven/Suite Life of Zack and Cody crossover event, because I recorded it on VHS. (Yeah, it was serious).

When Raven left the Disney Channel, nobody was talking about her because she wasn’t putting out much content or doing anything crazy. And when she did start making shows again, nobody really cared because she didn’t have any media attention.

Sometimes I wonder if it’s our fault that Miley is licking hammers in the buff. This is the kind of crap we eat up.

Lately, America has been fixated on train wreck-style media. Reality shows with morons doing moronic things are on every channel, and celebrities are getting more and more popular whenever they do something terrible. Miley is just a product of what we deem popular now. You can’t blame her for playing the system.

Forty-five years later, the Smart Phone is all the rage and tracking your every move – exactly what it is designed to do. Yet, this should not come as a great surprise. We have known for years that devices on the Internet have been tracking searches, purchases, and such; and the massive amounts of data gathered is used to customize marketing, guide political campaigns, and determine what kinds of foods you like. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors Google searches to determine where viral outbreaks are occurring – seriously (the real human viruses, that is). And amazingly, people seem to be willing to share their most intimate thoughts on a

variety of social media. In Web Design, we call this “folksonomy” where the actions of the “folks” are monitored to make predictions (using analytics) about what the “folks” are likely to do next.

So, it should be no surprise that the federal agencies assigned to provide our protection would use the very same tool for capturing terrorists that marketing people have been using to capture sales.

In fact, it is surprising that people are surprised.

And, if you are concerned about the loss of your civil liberties, forget about it. Take one look at your cell phone and realize our civil liberties were not taken from us – we purchased the product that gave them away.

Thus, when one considers the impact of agencies like the National Security Administration (NSA) purchasing hacker tools on the black market, one has to wonder, “Do the ends really justify the means?”

After all, the same tools were used to catch child pornographers. Today, young girls are safe because of this. Think like this: if the NSA is mandated to provide national security, and in a time of limited budget and staff, if a tool is needed, you basically have two choices: build it, or buy it. Building it would be expensive and maybe outside of the skill sets of your team. And, if you buy it, well, you won’t find many good hacking tools at Office Depot.

What would you do?

“.......I was somewhat offended by some of the remarks that the author of this opinion article made about how, if someone takes a low-paying job that makes it difficult to survive, he is an idiot for doing so. My stepson and millions of others struggling to make a living in these times of economic uncertainty are far from being idiots. They are doing what they can to survive. Tipping is one way to help these people in service industries to help maintain financial stability a sense of pride and dignity.” - Portion of a comment from Jim Wise in response to Tipping Pro/Con.

the Advocate Editor-in-Chief Katelyn Hilsenbeck

Living Arts Editor Rebecca Gaulke

Opinion Editor Danny Perez-Crouse

News Editor Katelyn Hilsenbeck

“It never ceases to amaze me how people can not only overcome the most dire of circumstances, but also thrive. Good for Julie!

-Comment from Janet Singer in response to Julie Donaldson profile.

Submissions Sports Editor Aaron Marshall

Copy Editor Rebecca Gaulke

Photo Editor Carole Riggs

Reporters

Advisers

Missy Burchell

Howard Buck

Greg Leonov

Dan Ernst

Q Quarterman

Bob Watkins

Edgard Velencia

Video Team Melissa Casey

Ad Manager

Jared Lichtenberg

Cameron Miller

Lobsang Tenzin

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu 503-491-7250

www.advocate-online.net #mhccadvocate

Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission.

Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board.

The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length.

Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print.

Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

News

Oct. 4, 2013

Teddy Bear Parade

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Center offers students technology resources

Photo courtesy of Maggie Huffman

MHCC was a sponsor for the Annual Teddy Bear Parade in downtown Gresham Saturday. ASG Vice President Eduardo Ortiz and President Laura Aguon are shown riding in a vehicle as part of the parade.

US Bank ribbon cutting Photos by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

The new Orientation Center opened its doors Monday and is complete with over 20 computers. Its coordinator, Christy Weigel, has been a MHCC employee for five years.

Drop-in center aims to help Student Services problems

by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

The new US Bank in the MHCC Bookstore held a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday complete with prizes and refreshments.

Need help registering for classes, using the MyMHCC portal or applying for graduation?

The new Orientation Center opened its doors Monday and can help you with the above and more.

Center Coordinator Christy Weigel described it as “drop-in center where students could get help with any of the technologies students have to use that isn’t for homework.”

Other services the center offers are help with the FAFSA website, filing a DARS report and more.

However, “This isn’t a homework lab or a Microsoft Office tutorial center,” Weigel said.

Instead of advisors showing students how to register for their classes, they can refer students to the Orienta-

tion Center and speed up the advising process.

Weigel said as the year progresses, “We’ll figure out what students really need from this center.”

The original intent was to be a solution to some of the common problems in Student Services.

It has been in the works for two years, but Weigel and the Orientation Center are now ready to serve students.

“We want to be available to answer any questions,” she said. “There’s no stupid questions, but you might get a

silly answer from me!”

Weigel has been an employee at MHCC for five years and held positions in the career and advising center. She has a master’s degree in business administration and marketing.

She is familiar with community colleges after attending Linn-Benton for her associate’s degree. “I always tell students, ‘if you think your degree is taking too long, come see me, because it took me like six years!’”

Every Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to noon and again 2 to 4 p.m., New Student Advising Workshops will be held inside the Center.

Each Friday, the same workshop will run 10 a.m. to noon.

The Orientation Center is located at the far south end of the main mall in AC1002.

Fall hours will be: Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Staff contracts up in air

by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate While results from the part-time faculty’s contract ratification vote will be made public on Tuesday, negotiations for MHCC classified employees and full-time faculty members are lagging.

“I don’t feel like we’re getting anywhere,” said Sara Williams, fulltime faculty association president, on Wednesday.

She said the college administration has requested mediation, which means a third party would come in to assist the contract talks, scheduled for Oct. 29.

“I have some hopes for mediation… that maybe with a change in the dynamic, (the) process will move more effectively,” she said.

The full-time faculty negotiations team was asked to bargain four times since the spring, but little was accomplished, Williams said.

“The college pushed really hard to get us to bargain over the sum-

mer,” she said. “Almost nothing happened... that was a little rough.”

Williams said four articles (within the lengthy contract document) have been resolved so far, with about 15 remaining. That leaves much still to resolve.

“In comparison to the list of things of things that need to be done, if you were doing a big, big (home) remodel job, you’ve picked cabinets,” she said.

In fact, the four settled contract articles were discussed and settled early on, further underscoring the slow progress since, Williams said.

The drawn-out conversation continues for nonteaching classified workers, as well.

Classified employees association President Cathy Nichols said, “We have made great progress, but we have seem to hit a road block on a couple of (contract) articles.”

A key stumbling block is provisions regarding job security, Nichols said. She said most employees she represents have been at Mt. Hood an

average 15-20 years.

“I need to bring my members back something that makes them feel they are valued. That’s important to me,” she said. “I need to be able to offer these people job security.”

The classified group took a negotiating break for the start of the fall term, but held a session on Thursday.

Even that brought stress for classified employees, who do important work with students, Nichols said.

“It’s kind of pushing it to pull people away from their desk during the second week” of classes, she said.

From about 26 articles on the table when the contract talks began, 10 articles remain, Nichols said.

She couldn’t say whether a parttime faculty contract agreement, pending the ratification vote, would help speed the process.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” said Nichols. “I’m happy that part-time has something that works for them.”

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Living Arts

Oct. 4, 2013

Photos by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Above left: Ceramic sculptures by Chris Pate. Above right: Allie Bentley’s piece, “Know That Your Space Leaves Impact,” is a big and attention-grabbing piece that encourages visitors to walk through.

“Diffused Connections”

Visual Arts Gallery features variety of art with deeper meaning

by Rebecca Gaulke

Bentley’s piece is unique in that it allows anyone to walk through its pathway, touching the metal “flower bells,” as she likes to call them.

It took her six weeks to make, working on it all day, every day, she said. She has been spinning metal since college, the technique that is used to create the flowers. “It was just about an idea, a practice: Can I push my skills to do it on this scale?” she said.

The rods that make up the flower stems are steel, and the petals, bronze. As as visitor walks through, the flowers sway and clink together, unusual for most art pieces. “It’s a little bit scary making something where you let go and say, ‘Okay, you can interact with it...’ It’s metal. The worst thing that could happen is, a stem comes out of a holder. I mean, Hey, if that’s the case, a flower wilted.”

Bentley’s art is more than simply fun to walk through: It holds a deeper meaning. “The concept really comes from understanding your personal space and being aware that your space has a ripple effect,” she said. “The more self aware we are, the easier a time we will have of communicating with each other,” she added.

Most of Bentley’s time is spent on her own jewelry business. Her line is called “Allie B Studios,” produced from two different jewelry pro-

The Advocate The work of three current or former MHCC visual arts department technicians—Allie Bentley, Todd Beaty and Chris Pate—is on display in the Visual Arts Gallery.

Labeled “Diffused Connections,” the exhibit runs through Oct. 17 and features a variety of ceramics, glass and sculptures.

Pate said the title comes from the idea the three MHCC workers are able to “gather knowledge from other instructors and the use of facilities here, and diffuse the knowledge back to the students.”

Bentley, until recently a technician for Mt. Hood’s jewelry metals department, makes interactive sculptures “that really (pull) the theory of subtle beauty and simple elegance,” she said. Her sculpture is called “Know That Your Space Leaves Impact.”

With 130 metal flowers, her piece takes up a big chunk of the gallery space and draws visitors in to take a closer look. The piece is the biggest she has ever created.

“I call it sculpture, but other people call it an installation, because it does kind of transform space,” she said.

duction lines, one made of bronze, the other copper-and-silver. She also has created engagement and wedding rings. Her jewelry may be viewed at alliebstudios.com.

Although she enjoyed her MHCC work, Bentley said she now needs to give her art and jewelry business her full attention. “I learned a lot as an artist and as a teacher. It was a cool community,” she said of Mt. Hood.

Beaty, an MHCC sculpture technician, is featured at the gallery with his colorful and vibrant glass pieces on display. “Todd’s work is totally conceptual. It’s about getting ideas across,” said Bentley.

According to his artist statement, Beaty’s plaster work is meant to illustrate the “limitations of flesh and the associated mental turmoil,” while his glass work combines nature, heat and pressure to create a flow like a volcanic eruption.

Pate is a technician in the ceramics department, where he fires the kilns, makes the clay and does maintenance around the studio. Being a tech is just one of his three jobs: He also works at a Northeast Portland ceramic production studio and with at-risk youth as a skills trainer in the mental health field.

Pate grew up in Louisiana and said his grandmother was an artist and a significant influence.

Looking for something fun to do? Check out our revamped weekly calendar for-

TO BE DETERMINED

Welsh writers on campus Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday Visual Arts Theater

Welsh writers Chris Keil, Mike Jenkins and Philip Rowland will be in the area for the Wordstock literary festival this weekend.

For more of The Advocate’s interview with the artists, go to our website: www.advocate-online.net

Viral Vid of the Week

some fun ideas!

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His work in the VA gallery represents one year of wood firing. While firing his pieces, temperatures can reach up to 2,400 degrees, and must stay fired for days on end, sometimes for more than a week straight.

The amount of work that goes into each piece is greater than meets the eye.

“It’s days of splitting wood prior to the firing, making the pieces, unloading, cleaning,” Pate said. “Cleaning is a chore, too, because you have to actually grind the melted ash – which turns to glass – off of the posts and shelves inside the kiln.”

The real drama takes place in the kiln, he said.

“In wood firing ceramics, the meat of the art is in the actual firing. There are so many variables that come into play,” Pate said.

The trio’s artwork is shown at the Visual Arts Gallery, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Wordstock Festival Friday through Sunday

Weekend Movie Pick: Gravity Starring Sandra Bullock/ George Clooney In Theaters today

Convention Center Portland

Hundreds of writers gather together to enjoy readings, workshops, a bookfair, and meet publishers.

For more info, visit wordstockfestival.com

If you’re looking for a movie to see this weekend, you should definitely check out Gravity.

The film looks action/suspensepacked with two blockbuster actors, so what could go wrong? When Bullock and Clooney find themselves stranded in space, things are bound to get interesting.

THE FOX In the mood for a laugh? As part of our new weekly feature, we will show you one awesome video and tell you why you should watch it.

This week, it’s “What Does The Fox Say?” While this video has been around long enough to generate over 80 million views on YouTube, it’s still current, and still funny, since it was performed on the iHeartRadio festival with fox suits and was aired on the CW Monday. But, be forewarned: once you listen to the song, it will be stuck in your head for days. And I’m not so sure that’s a good thing....

Living Arts

Oct. 4, 2013

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Goodbye to hits all the right notes

by Danny PerezCrouse The Advocate

WARNING:

Contains spoilers on final episode

And so the journey of Walter White has come to a close. Many tears were shed last Sunday (mostly by me) over the end of “Breaking Bad.” C’mon guys, let’s hug it out; we’ve been through quite a journey these past five seasons. But the real question is: How did it end?

Perfect – that was the word that kept running through my mind during this spectacular episode.

Perfectly executed, perfectly acted and perfectly tying up all loose ends. We got a definitive end with no cut to black, no purgatory and no teaser for a new series.

There was no way Walt could fully redeem himself, but he did everything he could. He freed Jesse, supplied for his family and killed those scumbag neo-Nazis. It was both cathartic and satisfying for us to see Walt attain victory in his final moments, but ultimately getting what he deserved. But man, did he go out with a bang.

This was the most badass we have ever seen Walt. He used his Heisenberg abilities to the full extent, turning him into an omnipotent force that could not be stopped. He was in every scene, sometimes hiding in plain sight. He also predicted that everyone would underestimate him and exploited that using his intellect, cunning and MacGyveresque crafting abilities.

There were so many amazing scenes; I could dedicate an entire article to each one. When Jes-

se strangled that piece of crap, Todd, I cheered.

When Walter put the fear of God in Elliot and Gretchen, I got shivers. When Walt massacred Jack and his thugs with a makeshift gun turret, I cheered again. When Jesse made it out alive not having to kill Walt, I thanked God. When Lydia found out she was poisoned, I laughed out loud.

And when Walt said goodbye to Jesse, his family, his passion, and life in the only way he could, I cried shamelessly.

One very key scene I have to note was Walter’s admission to Skyler. For years, he has used his family as a scapegoat for his actions, and it was so refreshing to hear him say that that he did what he did because he liked it. It was the first time in years he told the truth.

There were a lot of great little touches: The shadow forming across half of Walt’s face in the beginning to reveal the duality between him and Heisenberg; Badger and Skinny Pete posing as snipers; the flashback to Jesse making a wooden box, showing how he could have pursued a much nobler craft.

I was initially disappointed that we didn’t get to see where Jesse would end up, but I realized this show has always been about Walter, and that it should end with his death.

And it was truly poetic to see Walt spend the last moments of his life in the presence of his one true love and passion that he alone would be remembered for crafting: his baby blue.

Breaking Bad was already one of the best shows on television, but this episode has solidified it as one of the greatest tales in American fiction. It will be remembered as the story of a man who was knocking at death’s door, and would do anything to create a legacy for himself, no matter the cost.

Well the legacy is complete, and the writing is on the walls: All hale the great Heisenberg.

New staff profile: 2 of 4

Jones joins integrated media Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Nancy Jones is the new co-director of the photography program.

By Greg Leonov The Advocate Nancy Jones, MHCC’s new co-director of the Integrated Media photography program, aspires to push students to pursue their goals, follow their dreams and continue to learn each day, even after they leave the classroom.

The Northwest newcomer notes that life and art and education are essentially linked, something she has discovered during her own journey.

She plans to share that passion with her Mt. Hood students.

“I don’t like people who think that the classroom is just a vacuum and is not connected to the rest of the world, because your brain is with you always,” Jones said.

As a high school student, she faced the challenge of dyslexia and negative attitudes. “My guidance counselor told me that I was not smart enough to take photography, and I believed him.

But, I still had my little camera,” she said.

Jones always felt that art was her calling, but did not realize it also could be a career, she said. “I didn’t know that it was an option. I knew that artists and photographers existed, and I knew that their stuff was out there, but it was like, magical.

Mythical.

“After a few years of bouncing around, I wanted to do something creative. I wanted to be in charge of that creativity,” she said. She returned to school to study motion pictures and television.

Jones is originally from Ohio, and has lived in

several states, including New Hampshire, Vermont, Colorado and California. Before coming to MHCC, she taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

She said she enjoyed taking jobs that involved travel.

“My camera sort of has been my tool to get me places where I want to go. I’ve had items crossed off my list in life. I’ve been paid to travel and take pictures,” she said. “I got to photograph Neil Young, that was one of my big leads.”

Jones tells her students that “photography and art are very much like science. There’s such tremendous amount of failure built into it, you try and you fail and you try and you fail-- until you succeed, and then you start something new and you try and you fail and you try and you fail, until you get there,” she said.

“I think you have to advocate for your own ability so that people will see your work. A lot of photographers, like myself, are introverts, so there’s the element of teaching introverts how not to be shy,” she added.

Jones relishes the chance to personally connect at MHCC. “I have these students for two years and I get to watch them grow,” she said.

That’s very unlike the Boston art school, where students came and went without close ties. “I didn’t really know anyone, or their whole journey,” she said.

Jones chose to take on a new teaching job largely for personal reasons. “My life situation

changed radically, and being the only parent to a 2-year-old daughter, I couldn’t take the jobs that I had if I had gone back into the creative field because I couldn’t be on the road for a week in Mexico, flying back and forth to New York,” she said. “So, it was a perfect idea to move forward and keep teaching.”

She is confident she brings valuable skills to MHCC and her students. “I picked Mt. Hood because I believe in the future of community college and I can offer the student body a background of a master’s degree in fine art and a heady education, as well as a technical background working in creative services,” she said.

“I know both sides of the fence. I like being here. I had an ideal opportunity to stay at a prestigious institution, but offering my services to a community college setting, I’m giving someone the tools to go work and elevate them in the direction where they want to go,” she said.

Jones urges others to keep an open mind – and open eye – while they explore and plug away.

“The cool part about life is that you could be following your dream and get someplace and you’re like ‘Whoa, my other dream was right over here and I didn’t even know it was there,’ ” she said.

“I feel like you get little rewards along the way for your perseverance, and everything sort of happens for a reason.”

Nancy Jones is online at: www.nancyellenjones.com.

Tuesday’s show featured the “Summer Triangle”, which is actually more visible in the autumn

Planetarium

show expands to 3 showings The first MHCC Planetarium program of the year, “Wonders of the Fall Sky,” was presented on Tuesday and was the first show in recent times to have not two, but three separate showings. The program covered the current autumn sky and included topics like the Summer Triangle, planets, nova, the Comet ISON, and more.

An additional third showing was added because a new digital system is being installed and the shows are expected to grow in popularity.

Still a work in progress, the new system includes six projectors and six computers. Each projector “talks” with one of the computers and will project one-sixth of the sky.

The digital system was intended for use during Tuesday’s show, but wasn’t quite ready, due to hardware issues. The new computer software, which was free for MHCC, is able to project actual pictures of the night sky, making the visitor experience much more realistic.

The planetarium show on Dec. 3 is now scheduled to be the first to make use of the new digital system.

- Rebecca Gaulke

Chamber Music Festival Tomorrow MHCC will host a Chamber Music Festival on Saturday, a free afternoon event staged at several sites on campus.

It features participants who range from local students to professionals and come from across the Pacific Northwest.

The festival is sponsored by the Collegium Musicum, a classical music club, in collaboration with an international organization, ACMP, that is focused on promoting chamber music all over the world.

Starting at noon, performances are scheduled in the College and Studio theaters, the Town and Gown room and Jazz Café, and in the Student Union.

During the event, the musicians break up into different groups and play together.

- Rebecca Gaulke

6

News

Oct. 4, 2013

Confused? Health care answers available

by Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate Major changes in U.S. health care policy are moving forward, in spite of the federal government shutdown this week.

Publicly run insurance “marketplaces” – newly established state and federal health care insurance exchanges – are open for shopping through Mar. 31, even though most Americans are required to be insured by Jan. 1, or face penalties.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Mt. Hood political science instructor Janet Campbell will host two informative forums on the sweeping healthcare reforms. All are welcome to attend.

Campbell supplied The Advocate relevant Q&A material regarding the

changes: Who will be required to purchase individual insurance?

“Minimal essential coverage” must be purchased by most legal residents and U.S. citizens, and their dependents. Excluded groups include certain religious groups, illegal immigrants, people in prison and American Indians.

How to get insurance: Insurance can be purchased through employers or through the state or federal marketplaces.

Oregon’s health care website is coveroregon.com and the federal website is HealthCare.gov. In Washington state, go to wahealthplanfinder.org.

“I’d wait a couple weeks before going on there and figuring out what to

First Thursday music series

do, because it’s going to be packed for a while,” Campbell said of the websites.

What happens if insurance is not purchased?

Federal tax penalties will start being issued in 2014. This fee starts at $95 but is scheduled to grow to $695 per uninsured family member, up to a maximum $2,085 per family, within two years. The 2014 fee for uninsured children will be $47.50.

Paying for insurance: Individuals who earn less than four times the federal poverty level (or, about $44,000 per year), are self-employed, or are employed by businesses that do not offer health care would be eligible for financial aid. The size of the

Forum dates Oct. 9 12:10 to 1 p.m. AC 1502 Oct. 10 4:15 to 5 p.m. Bob Scott Room (library)

Dates to know

Oct. 1 Exchanges/ Marketplaces open Jan. 1 Most Americans must obtain insurance March 31 Marketplace closes

subsidies would depend on income levels.

Also known as “exchanges,” these are marketplaces where individuals can purchase insurance. Each state will be given start-up money to open its own exchange by 2014 (most have opened this week). The exchanges will offer individuals insurance plans. These marketplaces are supposed to create a more competitive environment and therefore lower rates.

Insurance would still be available outside of the marketplace.

What is the cost of a health care reform?

Over the first ten years, the Congressional Budget Office expects the reform to cost around $940 billion. *Source: The Christian Science Monitor,

What is a marketplace?

abridged/supplied by Janet Campbell.

Slice of Life

Beka Nichele Haugen (with hat) and other students studying in the Student Union.

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

The Quadrophones and Trio Subtonic performed at the First Thursday event, kicking off the series.

Nov. 7 Rebecca Kilgore with Dave Frishberg

www.rebeccakilgore.com www.davefrishberg.net Dec. 4 & 5 Scrooge Lives and Music Lives by Sam Kaweesi annual holiday sale

AVID

Continued from page 1

Support for students The students take all three classes together, building relationships and trust, she said. “We want them to make themselves a community here in the AVID Center and Mt. Hood,” she said.

Smith began teaching AVID courses while at nearby Reynolds High School.

“I didn’t want to teach the top-ofthe rung students,” she said. “I wanted to work with students that were like I was in high school and in college, that had potential but really needed a teacher to push them to do different things.”

AVID is not a “magic bullet,” Smith noted: “That’s the biggest myth about AVID that I’d like to demystify.” She described it as a support center for students, using methods that are mostly intuitive.

She could have benefitted from such a program during her own college studies, she said. “I sort of made my own methods, which was more time consuming, and I didn’t do as well as I could’ve done had I taken an academic skills class,” she said.

Beyond AVID, Smith also leads out-

reach programs. She’s working with Sandy High School students who have not passed standardized state tests in reading and writing and are in danger of not graduating and that school’s early childhood development center to redevelop its curriculum.

She said her approach in helping other organizations is, “What you’re doing is great, ’cause it is, but have you thought about doing this?”

The AVID Center is working on a way to stay in contact with MHCC students who have completed the threeterm program. Often, those students are accepted to the academic program they wish to pursue and then, “They come in and they thank you and it’s like ‘Wow, this is why I do this,’ ” Smith said. “It’s because students are so thankful for the support that you gave them.”

AVID also offers support to MHCC instructors who invite Smith or another AVID instructor into their classroom, typically focused on “teaching students how to be students,” she said.

News Briefs Signed up for FlashAlert?

As the seasons change and the weather grows more treacherous, MHCC officials are reminding students of the free alert service offered through FlashAlert.

MHCC uses FlashAlert to quickly notify students, staff and faculty members of weather delays, late starts, any type of emergencies and closures on campus.

Subscribers to FlashAlert receive alerts and emergency notices at no cost, but must register (and re-reg-

ister) each year.

Registered users can receive alerts via email, text messages, and even with tweets.

To register, go to www.

FlashAlert.net.

Besides FlashAlert, campus updates also may be found on the MHCC website and on The Advocate’s social media sites.

- Cameron Miller

Blood drive on campus There will be a blood drive at the main Mt. Hood campus on Monday, sponsored by the American Red Cross.

The blood drive will be held in the Jazz Café from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Please note, all reserved time slots for this drive have been filled, but a few walk-ins might be accepted.

For more information, contact 1-800-RED CROSS, or go to redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code MHCC.

- Danny Perez-Crouse

Fall Club Fair Come rain or shine, Mt. Hood student clubs will blanket the Main Mall next week for the Fall Term Club Fair.

Various clubs, such as the Gay Straight Alliance, Black Student Union, the M.E.Ch.A. club aimed at advancing Latinos and R.I.C.E., which

helps to connect Pacific Islanders, will set up shop for all students to check out.

Various refreshments available include free pizza and cookies.

The Fair runs 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Any club may attend, but each is responsible for its own setup. Contact Emma Bird, director of student organizations council for Mt. Hood’s Associated Student Government, at asg. studentorgs@mhcc.edu.

- Q Quarterman

Advice on finding parking spots The following was supplied to The Advocate on Thursday from Wayne Feagle, manager of the MHCC Public Safety department: Parking can be a frustrating issue that many Mt. Hood students and employees face on a daily basis. However, with effective planning and strategy, your day will go a lot smoother.

The Public Safety department did an occupancy count of the 2,820 parking spaces at the Gresham Cam-

pus during the first four days of Fall Term last week. On average, 85 percent of the spaces were occupied in the morning and 75 percent were occupied in the afternoon.

The front parking lots (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, W, X and Y) were normally filled by 9 a.m. The back (or, lower) lots (J, K, L, M, N and P) were normally filled by 10 a.m.

The Health and Physical Education (HPE) parking lots (Q, R, S, T, U

and V) were never filled. During the first four days of the term, 400 or more parking spaces were available on the south campus (HPE).

A timed walk from the HPE parking lots to a midpoint of the Academic Center takes about five minutes.

So, the easiest way to find a parking space is to park on the south campus at the HPE facilities, and take the few minutes to walk to your classes or work areas.

Sports

Oct. 4, 2013

7

Volleyball team rides confidence, leadership Saints head to Albany today on four -game win streak

By Cameron Miller The Advocate On Wednesday, the Saints volleyball team continued its torrid play by sweeping the Chemeketa Storm in three games (25-20, 25-17, 25-22).

The victory in Salem was Mt. Hood’s fourth straight victory, matching its season-best win streak.

Over the previous weekend, the Saints defeated the Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) Lakers 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-12) and likewise swept the Riverhawks of Umpqua Community College (25-9, 25-15, 2520).

The Saints have played a long stretch of excellent volleyball, going [9-2 or 8-3] in their last 11 matches.

Head Coach Chelsie Speer praised her team’s effort and focus. “They all have set the tone, they’ve all bought in.

It’s like this is what we’ve been practicing for since mid-August,” she said.

“One thing I tell them is they should be confident because they’re prepared.

I wrote that on the board – ‘Preparation = Confidence,’ ” said Speer. She praised the confidence and success her team, especially the outside hitters, has shown over the last week. “When we pass well, we play well.”

The team has only three returning players from last year’s roster and only five active sophomores. Speer emphasized how big of a role those leaders on the team play. “There’s a lot of stuff they do so I don’t have to,” she said.

The weekend games were a true demonstration of leadership by example. The MHCC sophomores dominated play for large portions of the two games. Speer continued to praise their performance and leadership, saying, “They’ve stepped it up.”

Sophomores Lihau Perreira and Shawna Smith combined for 33 kills and

24 digs over the two home games. Keely Siegel led the team in kills (10) and blocks (4) in the Saints’ game against Umpqua.

Freshman setter Rachel Woodcock also played well, registering 39 combined assists in the two games.

Tonight, the Saints face their second straight road opponent, LinnBenton, in Albany. “They’re a big team, they have big hitters. We need to block well… one thing is that blocking well helps a team so much, and breaks down the offensive team,” Speer said.

The match is one of three straight away from home, concluding with another showdown against Clackamas Community College (CCC) in Oregon City.

Clackamas sits atop the South Region standings, having split the only two matches with MHCC this season.

The Cougars have shown evidence they may be the team to beat in the South Region, with a 19-6 record through Sept. 28.

The Saints are hoping to leapfrog Clackamas into first place over the next few weeks, prior to the NWAACC Championships in November, however.

First things first: The Saints need to keep rolling up league victories, regardless of whom they face.

“That’s one thing we try to emphasize, is ‘faceless opponents,’ ” Speer said. “We don’t focus on who’s across the net, (just) play the best you can.”

Photo by Cameron Miller - The Advocate

For more of The Advocate’s interview with the team, go to our website:

www.advocate-online.net

Above: The Saints celebrate after defeating Southwestern Oregon Community College in three straight sets on Sept. 27.

Right: Sophomore Outside Hitter Lihau Perreira spikes the ball down against Southwestern.

Photo by Carole Riggs - The Advocate

Upcoming

Games

Tonight @ 6 p.m. vs. Linn-Benton in Albany

Next Fri., Oct. 11 @ 6 p.m. vs. Clackamas

in Oregon City

Fri-Sat, Oct. 18-19- all day

Green River Crossover in Auburn, WA.

Are there enough sports at MHCC?

by Cameron Miller The Advocate

In my five years of studies here at MHCC, I’ve witnessed the college’s attempt to ‘stay with the times’ and improve on the student experience on campus. While we have been able to enjoy numerous changes across the school, there is one area in which the student experience is lacking: sports.

As a sports enthusiast, I am surprised at the lack of athletic programs at this college. We have a football field used by high schools! Why are high school football games one of the most significant uses we get out of this

field? Why can’t we put it to better use through other sports or recreational activities?

Please understand, I do not wish to steer anybody in the wrong direction. The achievements by the teams that play organized sports for this college are beyond great. The continued success of our softball and volleyball teams is extremely impressive, and more than appreciated. This is because of the family-like system that exists within the athletics department. The will to strive for excellence is passed on through generations of directors, teams, and their coaches.

However, there is still improvement to be made, overall.

First of all, intramural sports here are an untapped resource. The college already offers ‘free play’ courses for sports such as basketball and soccer – where students can receive one credit for taking a class where they get to play sports for a few hours each week.

This is an area I believe the college could take advantage of.

Intramural sports would be more of a benefit than a burden for the school. Why can’t we hold non-competitive, recreational sporting events for a slightly lower cost than a onecredit course (which runs around $170), where students can compete recreationally?

Sports offered as intramurals could include soccer, flag football, ultimate Frisbee and basketball, to mention a few. These games could be held weekly and the revenue gained from them would not only support the intramural program itself but also buffer the athletic department and other team sports. There is no need for official refereeing or coaching in intramurals. These sports could be conducted under the ‘spirit of the game’ – a term known well by ultimate players that supports fairness and respect for your opponent.

The last sport I wish to promote both as an intramural and as a collegiate level team sport is soccer. This follows tennis, in the idea that costs for the program would be lower than that of a football program, for example, with players supplying their own shoes and personal gear and the school paying for little more.

Soccer itself is one of, if not the largest, multicultural games all over the world, where people play ‘the beautiful game.’ On the local front, the Portland Timbers have found success under their new head coach Caleb Porter, rekindling Portland’s passion that has earned the label “Soccer City, USA.” There could be both men and women’s soccer teams, and there are more than enough local athletes who ‘fall through the cracks’ after high school or choose other colleges because of the lack of a program at MHCC. This would not only support

the overall growth that the soccer community in America is experiencing but also the diversity of programs offered at MHCC. Already, there is a support system in place for “small colleges” to compete in a regional association or conference. Many Northwest schools already compete in one of two – either the CCC (Cascade Collegiate Conference) or the NWAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges). Schools such as Clark College, Eastern Oregon University, and Warner Pacific all compete on these levels.

To me, there is not a good enough excuse for why we haven’t begun to establish or support a more diverse selection of sports programs or activities.

MHCC dares us to be our dream; it’s my dream to bring more sports to MHCC.

8

Sports

Oct. 4, 2013

Saints prepare for Charles Bowles Invitational The Saints head to Salem as the’dark horse’ team this weekend

By Edgard Valencia The Advocate The MHCC cross country team have new goals for this coming season and they include having a better season then last year’s and look good while doing it.

A new season is upon us and the boys and girls are working harder each day to improve. “We seem to be continuing to gain fitness and working on precision running,” Head coach Matt Hart said.

This year’s team has a lot of new faces as seven out of nine men in the team are freshman, while all of the woman’s team consists of first year athletes In their most recent meet, the 2013 Oak Knoll Loop run, the boys came in 5th place with a team score of 145 points

while the girls finished in last place with a score 160 points.

After the meet coach Hart said, “Our teams did did well in terms of effort, we are noticing that the level of competition is quite high all across the board.”

Freshman Brandon Raleigh has been turning heads from everybody as he has completed all three meetings so far first for the boys and his best placing was 7th at the Clark XC Classic back on early September.

Raleigh has also been named

NWAACC athlete of the week after his performance in the Ash Creek XC Invitational back, where he placed 10th place

overall and helped the team finish in third place. One of the nominators attributed his efforts by saying, “he has been looking solid so far this season and backed it up two weeks in a row.”

Coach Hart knows competing for a championship is already hard enough this year, “I am always committed to helping our student athletes improve to levels they have never been before.

I believe that if we help guide the individuals to success then the team concept will take care of itself . This is not to say we don’t practice team strategies but I am a process driven coach/teacher and believe that if we focus on the process of improving and attaching success, the results will come.”

He puts his team in the “dark horse” position as he says that by adding fitness and improving the biomechanics of running, the result will be that his teams will surprise a lot of people this season.

Next up for Saints is the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational, one of the largest college only cross country invitational on the west coast to be at Salem, where they will go against seven different schools.

Sport

SC

Photos contributed by Matt Hart

Left: Freshman Haley McDonald leads the pack during the Oak Knoll Loop run on September 28. Above: Sophomore Nathan Geiter stays on pace while running at the front during the Oak Knoll Loop run on September 28.

entral

Who’s really the best QB in the nation?

by Aaron Marshall The Advocate

Heading into Week Six of the season, there can be discussion on who is the best quarterback in college right now. Before the season started, the two frontrunners were reigning Heisman Award winner Johnny “Football” Manziel, from Texas A&M, and Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater.

But now, they have plenty of competition. Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Florida State’s Jameis Winston have both played exceptionally so far.

Winston has been the most surprising, of them all. The 19-year-old redshirt freshman has put himself in the spotlight with his play. In four games, he has 1,048 passing yards,

12 touchdown passes and only two interceptions. Last weekend against Boston College, in a game FSU won, 38-24, he threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns. His 60-yard Hail Mary touchdown as time expired before halftime showed how athletic and lethal he can really be.

Winston and Florida State still must play Florida, Clemson, and Miami later this season. We will see if he remains as good as he’s looked.

Bridgewater, who is expected to be the most NFL-ready QB in this year’s draft class, has been successful this season with Louisville. But, it’s the Cardinals’ lack of strong opponents that fails to push Bridgewater ahead of other top quarterbacks.

He has thrown for 1,214 yards and 14 touchdowns in four games, all Louisville wins. Playing such teams as Ohio University, Eastern Kentucky, Kentucky, and Florida International doesn’t really say much, however.

Still, come May, Bridgewater probably will be the first QB taken in the NFL draft.

That leaves us with the question of what really makes a player the best quarterback in the nation.

Oregon State’s Sean Mannion leads the nation in passing yards with 2,018 and leads the nation in touchdown passes with 21. But is he really the best QB in college football?

Probably not – he has impressive stats, but having to throw the ball that much in games because your team has no rushing offense can do that. Still, he has been playing very well ever since the Beavers’ shocking opening game loss to Eastern Washington University.

So, statistics tell only some of the story, but not the rest.

Which is why I consider Mariota the best quarterback in the country.

I admit I am a Ducks fan, but Mariota’s performance, style and stats show that he is the best right now.

Mariota doesn’t have the yards and touchdown passes that others do, but he has ample composure and consistency and all the intangibles that a top QB should.

Web photo

Oregon Ducks QB Marcus Mariota is currently the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.

At 6 foot, 4 inches and 211 lbs, Mariota is always a threat when he is on the field. He can run and pass extremely well. His explosiveness showed back on Sept. 7 against Virginia, when he sprinted untouched for a 71-yard touchdown, running right down the middle on the Ducks’ sixth play from scrimmage.

With the No. 2-ranked Ducks winning all their games so far with ease, they have had little reason to

keep Mariota in for the second half.

That lack of action leaves him tied for 73rd in the nation in passing attempts with only 107, compared with Mannion, who leads the nation in attempts at 238.

Meantime, Mariota holds the best quarterback efficiency rating in the nation, based on total productivity vs. turnovers, at 98.0. With tougher Pac-12 conference games ahead, he should see more snaps than in past games. After this week’s matchup against Colorado, very possibly a 60-point blowout win, the Ducks head north to Seattle to face the (currently) undefeated Washington Huskies on Oct. 12 for a headline showdown.

Across America, football fans and experts are taking note. As of Oct. 1, ESPN.com rated Mariota in first place for the Heisman this year.

And when Ducks fans tune in each week, they, too, can watch for the best quarterback – and maybe overall player – in college football.

Blazers host annual fan fest sunday This Sunday will be fans’ first chance to watch the new 2013-2014 Portland Trail Blazers at the newly renamed Moda Center (formerly the Rose Garden arena).

The annual Wells Fargo Fan Fest is back, and for all basketball junkies, here’s a chance to catch some hoops.

Free tickets are available at any Wells Fargo bank branch in Oregon or Southwest Washington. Fans also can be admitted free by showing a Wells Fargo debit or credit card at any Moda Center entrance.

Doors open at 5 p.m., with the intra-squad game due to start at 6.

All the Blazers players are expected to play, including newly drafted rookies C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe.

Off-season additions Thomas Robinson, Robin Lopez, Mo Williams, Dorell Wright, and Earl Watson will also be on the court.

Moda Center parking will be free and seating is general admission, and so is first-come, first-serve.

For more information: www. nba.com/blazers/

The Blazers’ newest rookies will come off the bench looking to shoot beyond the arc.

Left: Allen Crabbe (University of California) Right: C.J. McCollum (Lehigh University) Web Photo