September 13, 2018 • Volume 92 • Issue 1• Published since 1927
Profs to peppers:
Photo By Alyssa Vega
BED BUG DISCOVERED AT PCC Building EE closed down for extermination News page 2
Photo courtesy
of the
YOU’RE FIRED!
British Pest Control Association / Creative Commons
Rate My Proffesors website ditches chili icon in wake of #MeToo movement Citystyle Page 7
Financial aid delays leave students confused and upset News page 2
NEWS
2
September 13, 2018
Students setback by finacial aid
Story and photo By Anna Karkalik Viking Staff
The financial aid delays have left students waiting outside in front of the financial aid office uninformed of when they will receive their money in the first couple weeks of the fall semester. Dr. Mike Munoz, LBCC Vice President Support Services said in a statement, “Our staff is working extremely hard during our first few weeks of the fall semester. We dispersed our first round of financial aid to students on August 31 and the second round of September 7. We expect our next distribution this week.” Some students waiting in the financial line say that they never received anything on either of the days the distribution occurred even though they received emails confirming their financial aid status. The Vice President of Business Services, Marlene Dunn said, “Students that have been approved their classes have been paid for. 80% of the funding have been released to students and the next 20% will be distributed by next week.” Dunn also explains that the delays also depend on the time of the year and the volume of applications they are receiving and shared that they recently had a system change. “There is way more paperwork this semester than last time. It was never this difficult to get my financial aid it’s more work
Leah Nocifore waits in the front of the line at the financial aid office to find out when she will receive her money on Wednesday.
this time.” Jocelyn Gonzales a nursing major said while waiting in the financial line at LAC. Michelle Lam said, “They really need to reorganize their system and how they deal with students because no one is really getting help waiting here.” Lam shares the same frustration as other students of not being informed about what further information they need to provide. To accommodate the financial aid delays LBCC issued emails out to all employees addressing the situation directly and in-
forming professors to allow grace periods in assignment deadlines. “I typically ask students the first couple days if they have gotten their correct textbooks yet and 3 weeks in half still don’t have it. We’ve asked the publications we use to extend the free trial period for our students and some have extended it to 3 or 4 weeks instead of 2, ” math professor Jorge Ramirez said. Ramirez shared that the math department received an abundant amount of concern from students that couldn’t get the required textbooks. To accommodated this issue the department had reached out to
the publications they use so students could get the right resources and not drop their courses. “They need to have more transparency with what they’re doing and update the students on it,” Ramirez said. The financial aid department continues to try and get the correct distributions out to those students approved for their financial aid and is aiming for this issue to resolved by next week, almost a month after the fall semester has started.
Bed bug found at PCC story By Sydney Fredericks-Selby Viking Staff
Photo by Sydney Fredericks-Selby Former Presdient Barack Obama is smiling to the invite-only rally in Anaheim, CA.
MORE ONLINE
Former President Barack Obama rallies for Californians False fire alarm causes disturbance at PCC LBCC pays tribute to American war hero, John McCain
Check out these News stories at lbccviking.com/news
One of the biggest challenges to running a school the size of LBCC is pest control. There have been two instances of exterminators coming onto LBCC already this semester. They responded to take care of a single bed bug in one room in EE Building at PCC and mice in the vents in the N Building at LAC. The Vice President of Business Services, Marlene Dunn said, “My responsibilities include making sure we have an environment that is conducive for the students in which means is also comfortable for the faculty to instruct in.” Dunn was made aware about the EE building being shut down for the night at the PCC because of bed bugs. Dunn said, “When we get any report like that we want to take it very seriously and with abundance of caution. What we do is close off access to the area in question. We didn’t initial an assessment and found no visual evidence of the presence but we still close off access because we want to make sure that faculty and staff and students are all
protected.” Dunn made sure to bring the aforementioned pest control company to come out on Monday Sept. 3 and did a full assessment of several areas at PCC. Dunn stated, “Out of the 5 or 6 areas that they assess all, but one were completely clear of any sign. The one room that had a sign, had a sign of a single bug in a single corner which is not a infestation. “ According to Dunn, the Public Health department have a very clear definition of what an infestation is, and the presence of the single bug is not an infestation. Dunn had the room completely treated and it was open the next day. Dunn quotes, “The other rooms were open immediately upon clear.” Considering the experience of the pest control representatives, they weighed in once they heard it was one single bed bug in the building. According to a field rep with a pest control company, G. Barrett, believes that it is very hard to get rid of bed bugs. Barrett quotes, “There is usually not one.” He believes that you can visibly see one but there are most likely more.
September 13, 2018
NEWSPAPERS2
2018 NEWSPAPERS2
3
About 100 high school students from as far away as Fresno and Escondido spent four days at LBCC in early August to learn journalism in the Newspapers2 program directed by Konnie Krislock and Zak Krislock. The students found and reported on stories at the Liberal Arts Campus and their work is published here on pages 3, 4, 5 and 6. The students interviewed and photographed many people at the LAC as part of the workshop and designed several pages for this Viking News print issue. The program offered training from professionals in the First Amendment, reporting, photography, video reporting, design and editing. This is the third year the program has been held at LBCC. More stories and videos by the students are on www.newspapers2online.com .
An art piece made of plastic legs, which is hanging down from a tree. Dr. Carol Roemer, an alumni of Calremont McKenna University and professor at LBCC, showed a project her class is working on a book to share their message.
Emphasizing forms of expression story by Caroline Herling and Yuna Baek Newspapers 2 Staff Walking around the liberal arts campus of Long Beach City College (LBCC), students can observe various activities all around them, one being the visual and media arts department. This department allows many individuals to express themselves in different forms of arts, but is seen to be often underappreciated and goes unnoticed by many students. To Jade Adams, the Administrative Assistant of the Visual and Media Department, LBCC is unique because student artwork is showcased in many student events and offers a diverse curriculum letting others find a freedom to find their career. Adams explained that exposure helps students not only to earn money, because work can be sold, but also can aid in gaining exposure. Adams also noted that the artists can express themselves freely which contrib-
utes to overall campus diversity. that involved students repurposing older “I like seeing student interactions and books, to give them new life. (being) able to talk to all different types of Steve Navarro, who is the Student Asstudents,” Adams said. sistant for the Extended Opportunity for Dr. Carol Roemer, an alumni of Clare- Program and Services (EOPS) at LBCC, mont McKenna University and a professor shares his perspective on the arts departof Art History at LBCC, described her Art ment here on campus. 9 class as “non-threatening,” meaning that “(The department) has a really nice the class is exclusively taken by non-art ma- building and complexes, (being) a room jors. One dedicated to particular “I like seeing student interactions the students’ project r t w o r k s ,” and able to talk to all different types aNavarro her class said. is work- of students” Last seJade Adams mester, the ing on is Administrative Assisant of Visual and Media Department arts departa book project to ment showenable students to share their own message cased the different types of arts created by with two themes: emotionalistic and in- students from the city college. “It was cool strument for change. to see the promotion they had. Seeing the “I hope others can see the difference in faculty really involved (in the art show), family values, (and) become united (to) get encouraged me to look forward to seeing a better sense of life,” Roemer said while more pieces of art,” Navarro said. showing examples of an assigned project The statements mentioned by the inter-
viewees, regarding the department’s overall lack of recognition, were all along the same lines. Navarro probably stated the idea most clearly when he said that the department was, “totally slept on,” meaning that this department does not receive the validation that it deserves.
Jade Adams, Administrative Assistant of the Visual and Media Department
NEWSPAPERS2
4
September 13, 2018
Summer Students praise school
“I was like ‘oh no I don’t want to come to a community college’ because of all the things I’d heard.” -Enid Garcia
Sophomore LBCC Student
Photo by Kasandra Tapia Long Beach City College educates over 25,000 students over its two campuses, Liberal Arts and Pacific Coast. Established in 1927, the institution provides 29 fields for its students.
Stoy by Hope Li, Kayvon Sadeghi, & Kasandra Tapia Newspaper2 Staff
“(students) Will be completing the first two years of the degree they are planning on taking at the CSU level.” - Judith Quilaton
LBCC Transfer Specialist
“(city college is) A stage where students can discover themselves in that field and get a lot of resources in it and carry them on to the next stage.” -Steve Navarro
LBCC Student
states that about 1,000 students transfer every year to a university. She explained that the college’s transfer center helps students with their college applications, takes students on college tours, and asks Long Beach City College, is not immune to community college college representatives to speak to students. These programs are stereotypes, and its students and staff clear the misconceptions to available to all students and are free of cost. student journalists participating in Newspapers2 summer journalWhen Quilaton was asked about her opinion on the community ism camp. college myth that students have a harder time transferring to a uniAs a single mother studying versity, and she shared that transfer for two degrees in Psychology and degrees make the pathway to a uniCommunications, sophomore Enid versity easier. Quilaton states that it Garcia is participating in the finanis easier because “(students) will be cial aid program available to all completing the first two years of the LBCC students. degree they are planning on taking “What I get from financial aid at the CSU level.” helped me get a computer,” Garcia Students have many opportusaid. “Just to get stuff that I need for nities at community colleges, and school and my books and everySteve Navarro, a student at Long thing.” Beach City College and a member Responding to the stereotype of EOPS, Extended Opportunity that the low cost of the community Programs and Services, is currentcollege leads to low quality educaly acquiring his degree in nursing tion Garcia said, “Before I came to and will eventually transfer to a a community college I was like ‘oh nursing program at a university. no I don’t want to come to a comNavarro states the main reason why munity college’ because of all the many students look to community things I’d heard.” colleges as a source of their eduHowever, now that she attends cation is that it is inexpensive. NaLBCC, she said, “I’ve had really varro also states that many students good professors that I’m like why choose community colleges because are you even here like you should they are not yet prepared to move be at a university. They know their on stating that community college Photo by Julissa Ventureno acts like “a stage where students can stuff.” Garcia’s goal is to transfer to Cal State Long Beach after two Enid Garcia, a sophomore student at LBCC and sin- discover themselves in that field gle mother, describes her experiences at the commore years at LBCC. and get a lot of resources in it and Judith Quilaton, transfer spe- munity college level. carry them on to the next stage.” cialist at Long Beach City College,
September 13, 2018
NEWSPAPERS2
5
• Exphoto by Natalie Olivares Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Peer Advisor Steven Navarro (center) explains benefits of the EOPS program to Long Beach City College students.
EOPS provides life changing opportunities Story by Louden Nidy, Adriana Flores, and Conner Keep Newspapers2 Staff Growing up on the east side of Los Angeles, sophomore Steven Navarro had a rougher upbringing than most. He had to fend for himself from a young age, without the support of a family. He did not think that schooling would be an option for him, until one of his friends suggested he visit the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at Long Beach City College. “I had been on my own since I was 16 years old,” Navarro said. “However, not until I was 24 was I able to be independent. [Nevertheless] I didn’t have anything, until I came into this office.” From the beginning, Navarro felt welcomed by the program. He not only received funding for his books, but a job offer. From almost nothing, he was able to overcome his financial situation. Now, Navarro wishes to help other students in similar situations like him through EOPS. EOPS does more for students than just providing financial benefits. It aims to help students who are not only pressed for money, but unable to go back to school. D eWayne Sheaffer,
Long Beach City College counselor, help semester to ensure they are progressing students who come to his office for advice along their plan.” on financial situations to career paths they The process of being accepted into wish to pursue. EOPS entails filling out the application and “It’s a limited program, especially with meeting the necessary requirements. After 27,000 students this occurs, students on our campus,” “You are who you asso- are selected on a first Sheaffer said. come first serve basis E O P S ciate yourself with. If you due to the maximum however is not associate yourself with the amount of money financial aid in can provide. right people and have the EOPS any way, shape Navarro is a right mindset, that will car- student financial aid or form. The program ry you a long way.” worker with EOPS. encourages The employees try students to be -Steven Navarro to teach students serious about EOPS student worker valuable life skills to their futures help them become and set goals for independent. themselves. EOPS aims to help students “It has taught me a lot [as] a person in who cannot support themselves and attend general [such as] how to handle yourself, school at the same time. EOPS ensures be a proper student, be organized, manage students to stick with their plans and time, prepare and even use a planner,” receive support when necessary, whether Navarro said. it is for financial or career guidance. Navarro is now entering his final “The main service we provide are semester in college and hopes to transfer book grants,” Jason Avillan, interim into University of California, San Diego to manager of EOPS, said. “We also pursue a degree in nursing. provide one on one counseling. EOPS has given him a chance at We require each student to leading a successful life, when before, he meet with a counselor thought there was no possibility. He is one three or more of approximately 2000 students each year times a that receives a chance. The main message EOPS has taught him is, “You are who you associate yourself with,” Navarro said. “If you associate yourself with the right people and have the right mindset, that will carry you a long way.”
FACT BOX Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) is a state funded retention and support program. The mission of EOPS is to identify and assist students who are affected by social, economic, educational, or language disadvantages. Programs and Services: •
academic and personal counseling
•
priority registration
•
supplemental tutoring
•
supplemental book assistance
Application Procedure: •
complete the LBCC application -www.lbcc.edu
•
application for admission
•
apply for financial aid
•
take the assessment test
•
complete the EOPS application
Contact Info: •
(562) 938-4273
•
(562) 938-3097 Information gathered from LBCC.edu
NEWSPAPERS2
6
September13, 2018
Photo by Jessica Garcia Elder Chan (left), a student liaison, helps another student with his computer at the Nordic Lounge help desk.
Future teacher to preach positivity Story by Tyler Pak and Franco Chavez Newspapers2 Staff
by God for the purpose of teaching others. “(My purpose) is to teach (about) Jesus Christ and the gospel to everyone throughout this world,” Chan said. “It’s (my job) to He was born premature and had al- bring them (closer) to their family because coholic parents, yet he continues to work we’re all God’s children.” hard because he is passionate about teachThough it seems Chan has his life figing and helping the disabled. ured out, it wasn’t always been this way. He “I want to teach (people with) disabili- had to overcome numerous obstacles to beties and special education kids because my come who he is today. family is all disabled in certain ways,” Elder “I had to deal with my abusive parChan said. “I want ents who were alcoto help (my stu(and) who (were “He’s real passionate holic dents) improve to drug addicts),” Chan be a better person.” about what he does … said. “It’s very difficult Sitting at a he helps out wherever he to have a relationship desk with his white with my parents because dress shirt and can” they were alcoholic and -Joe Smith (drug addicts).” black-spotted tie, Student Chan may seem Chan was also born like any other stupremature. As a baby, dent, but it’s his drive for helping people he weighed only 1 pound. According to that sets him apart from others. The World Health Organization, the aver“My (current) role is actually to pro- age newborn boy weighs around 5 to 10 vide students information about incoming pounds. classes,” Chan said. “I feel like my job is a “I was underweight,” Chan said. “The key role because it helps (new students) to doctor was afraid that I might not live up be well aware of what’s going on campus.” to the age of five.” Chan, 18, an incoming freshman, plans Chan was able to overcome these seton attending Long Beach City College backs and has become a man that is highly (LBCC) with the hopes of one day becom- respected by his colleagues. Joe Smith, a 5 ing a teacher specializing in education for year student at LBCC, has had nothing but the disabled. He believes that he was sent good things to say about Chan.
“I’ve known Chan since 2012,” Smith said. “He’s real passionate about what he does … he helps out wherever he can.” At the end of the day, Chan believes that his teachings will be brought back to not only improve his students’ homes, but their beloved community as well. “I have a confidence about teaching others,” Chan said. “They give me hope (that they) can understand what I’m teaching so that they can apply it to their personal lives.”
439,300
Number of special education teachers in the United States (2016)
3,214,300
Number of teachers in the United States (2016)
Photo by Jessica Garcia Elder Chan, works at the help desk aiding students.
Statistics courtesy of the United States Department of Labor.
Inforgraphic by Helena Hu
CITYSTYLE
September 13, 2018
7
Rate My Professors loses hot streak Some faculty members felt objectified by the iconic chili pepper ratings
Story by Alyssa Vega Photos by Sydney Fredericks-Selby Viking Staff RateMyProfessors.com had confirmed via their Twitter account that the chili pepper icon, which indicates the “hotness” of a professor, was removed from their site after dealing with serious criticism from female professors on Thursday, June 28. RateMyProfessors.com is a site that allows college students to rate or comment their professors based on homework assignments, exams, and level of difficulty. Before it was dropped, the chili pepper icon has never been specified to mean physical attractiveness or quality of the course. Many believed the chili pepper was an option to rate a professor based on their physical attractiveness. Long Beach City College fashion merchandising major, Aaliyah Abdulrahmaan, is an active user of the review site and is in favor of ditching the “hotness” icon. Abdulrahmaan finds it strange that students were able to rate how “hot” their professor is instead of focusing on their diligence. “We shouldn’t worry about how they [professors] look, instead we should focus on how they teach the class,” Abdulrahmaan said. Majority of the faculty find the indication of professor’s hotness is irrelevant to their teaching, but not for horticulture professor Jorge Ochoa. After admitting that he earned the chili pepper icon on the review site, Ochoa shares his thoughts about it. “I thought it was good thing and there is a reason why it was placed there. The better rating you have, whether they [professors] have a chili pepper or not, it allows students to want to take the class,” Ochoa said. “On the personal side it became more of a over bragging thing for me.” Other professors, specifically female professors, are not as proud of earning the chili pepper icon on RateMyProfessors. com. English professor, Karen Rose, has been teaching at LBCC for about sixteen years and is against rating a professor on how attractive he or she is. “I have to say it kind of bothered me because I feel as though when you’re thinking about your professor you shouldn’t be thinking about their physical appearance, so I did not really understand the relevance of ‘hotness’ in terms of the teaching of the professor,” Rose said. Professor Rose had an incident where the ratings affected her. One of her students stopped by during her office hours and rec-
“It became more of a over bragging thing for me.”
“I logged on and looked at the comments and it was really cruel. I lost sleep over it.”
“The chili pepper was kind of weaponized towards the female professros.”
— Jorge Ochoa
— Karen Rose
— Brian Garcia
ommended her to look at the comments on RateMyProfessor.com because a student had posted something critical of her physical appearance. “I logged on and looked at the comments and it was really cruel. I lost sleep over it. I remember I was kind of shocked and horrified by it, but what ended up happening was that the comment disappeared. They [RateMyProfessor.com] must monitor the site,” Rose said. Some faculty check the review site regularly, but for English professor, Nicole
Glick, prefers to ignore her ratings and comments. “I’m very happy that they took it down,” Glick said. “Why are we judging faculty on the way they look? It seems a little superficial, objectifying, and I think particularly for women it’s pretty offensive.” The icon did not have a serious impact on male professors as it did with the female professors. English professor, Brian Garcia, believes that the chili pepper icon was irrelievant to the evaluation of professors, particularly with the female professors. “The chili pepper was kind of weaponized to-
wards the female instructors,” Garcia said. “ I don’t think with male professors it was as big of a deal, but with my female colleagues I think it became a way of harassment.” The chili pepper icon seems to have effected one gender more than the other. The consensus among female faculty members has been praised for the removal of the metric. For many of the male faculty members, they did not know it was an issue and were mostly unaffected, and those who voice an opinion were relaying the complaints of their female colleagues.
Horticulture Professor
English Professor
English Professor
“We shouldn’t worry about how they [professors] look, instead we should focus on how they teach the class.” — Aaliyah Abdulrahmaan, student
8
EDITORIAL / SPORTS
LBCC keeps students in the dark about problems The defining characteristic of any academic institution is its students. How important is it to keep the students in the loop? Should the students be informed of any incidents on the campus that may affect their learning experience on campus, or their lives off campus? First, we have the financial aid situation. If you were on campus at the LAC during the day, anytime last week you may have noticed the line of students leading into the main administration building. Those students had been left without answers regarding their financial aid status. Even though statements from administration indicated that the portion of financial aid that covered enrollment and class fees had been covered, the students had still been left in the dark regarding the rest of their financial aid money. It had not come in and the students that depend on that money for external expenses had little recourse when it came to getting the information they needed. The only option they had was to stand in line. So the question is, if financial aid is so detrimental to such a large portion of the student body, why are so many students left
EDITORIAL in the dark? That leads us to our next issue of concern. The Viking staff recently found out that there was evidence of a bed bug in the EE building of the PCC. The school was very quick to isolate the problem, and took steps to deal with it, the question remains. Why wasn’t the student body informed that the bed bugs had been discovered? Of course the administration didn’t want to cause a panic. The problem is, with a potential infestation, what is the possibility that the student brings a problem home with them that affects their entire family, or tenants in an apartment building? The reality of bed bugs is that only a couple can start in infestation to affect the quality of living for everyone involved. The students should have been informed about both situations as they materialized. When the financial aid department found out that there would be delays in financial aid disbursements, they should have emailed the student body and told us that there would be a delay in disburse-
ments, and the reason for the delay. And at the very least, it should have told students, that they would need to take special precautions to pay for their books and other expenses and given them an idea when the problem would be solved. Without that email, it resulted in two weeks of long lines, unanswered questions, and a large group of angry and nervous students. The same could be said for the bed bug situation, but lucky for administration, the student body was not informed about that. Admittedly, that notification might have caused students to become angry but at the very least they would have been informed. Those students would still have the ability to take steps to make sure they didn’t transfer a potential infestation elsewhere. Instead, without that notice, that potential infestation has had longer to manifest. The administration has to consider its responsibility to the students. There is no LBCC without the students. We would ask that the administration gives the student body a little more credit.
Women’s volleyball wins first two matches Story and photo by Malik Reeves Viking Staff
Women’s volleyball hosted its first home game on Aug. 31 in the Viking Quad Tournament. The first game being a 3-0 sweep against Palomar College (25-9, 2518, 25-21). The Vikings would again have another sweep against San Diego Mesa (25-13, 2517, 25-14) in which in one of sets the Vikings were down 0-5 to the Olympians, but would eventually group and end the third set with a 25-14 win. Freshmen outside hitter Tylie Johnson came out aggressive in both games with a total of 22 kills, with this being her first season she hopes to contribute right away. “I joined this team with the goal in mind to get better and to make the team better in whatever way I could, so that’s going to remain my priority throughout the season,” Johnson said. Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Blakeman was one of the returners from last years team and talked about her approach as a leader on this team. “I’m just trying to be everything I looked up to last year, I had a lot of great players encouraging me on and off the court encouraging me and I want to be that for the younger players and give them confidence when playing,” Blakeman said.
September 13, 2018
VIKING NEWS Editor-in-chief: Anna Karkalik @Akarkalik
Managing editor: Steven Matthews @SMatthewsTFI News editor: Sydney Fredericks-Selby @SydneySelby_ Opinion editor: Sabrina Picou @Sabrina_PQ Sports editor: Victoria Rowe Citystyle editor: Alyssa Vega @alyssalvega Rosy Noriega @iamrosyy Staff: Malik Reeves Brandon Silva Luis Ramirez Steven Ball Donavin Morris Abel Reyes Andrea Estrada Skyler Smith
Nehemiah Balaoro Dylan Keith Jane Ahern Iman Palm Angela Bremer Michael Nueva Arlene Guerrero
Adviser: Walter Hammerwold Photo and online adviser: Chris Viola
The deadline for news, advertisements and letters to the editor is the Thursday before publication. The Viking will be published Oct. 11, Nov. 8, and Dec. 6. The Viking is published by Journalism 80, 81, 82, 83, 86, 87 and 88 students of the LBCC English Department, with funding from the Associated Student Body. The Viking newsroom is located at LBCC, LAC 4901 E. Carson St., Long Beach, Calif., 90808, Room N108, mail code Y-16, Telephone (562) 938-4285 or contact the staff by email to vikingnews@lbcc.edu or on social media. The views expressed in the Viking do not reflect the views of the advisers, administration or the ASB. First copy free, each additional $1.
Have an opinion?
The Viking welcomes letters to the editor. Writers must identify themselves by showing their ASB card, driver’s license or ID card and email. Only names and major will be published with the letter.
Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Blakeman spikes the ball down for a point during their first home game on Aug. 31.
The Vikings have now a 1-1 overall record so far in their season and with a very young roster coach Misty-May Treanor expects some growing pains but also likes what she sees from her young volleyball group. “We’re actually trying to find our
rhythm, we have about 14 freshmen on the team so we’re just trying to find what combination that would give us some sort of calm out there and I thought our team did a good job adjusting to our competition today,” Treanor said.