Craig Sands, adjunct professor, Photography, leads students to League success

May 15, 2012

timothy_walk_by_craig_sands — Photo by Craig Sands, adjunct professor, Photography

By Mackenzie Clark

Photos by Advanced Digital Photography students

After years of cutting through red tape, Advanced Digital Photography was offered for the first time and three students from the class won League for Innovation awards. Students say this is partially due to the leadership of Craig Sands, adjunct professor, Photography.

Sands didn’t get his start in photography until his second year of college.

“I kind of found it, or it found me,” he said, “and I just had a natural penchant for it, and I’ve just run with it my entire life.”
Sands started in the Art department at Washburn where he was also playing basketball. After an ankle injury ended his athletic career, he studied abroad in Denmark where he said he discovered photography was his calling. Upon his return, he attended the Journalism school at the University of Kansas.

“At KU things just kind of came to fruition,” he said. “I had a wonderful instructor named Gary Mason who I think I can truthfully say didn’t really teach me anything about photography, but he taught me a whole lot about compassion, and taught me about the type of photographer or storyteller I wanted to be.”

Sands did freelance work and internships for many publications including the Kansas City Star, Topeka Capital-Journal and The Baltimore Sun. On a whim, he applied for an internship at National Geographic.

One of the League for Innovation winners from Sands’ class. Photo by Gary Hunsicker

“I really loved Geographic,” he said. “But their lag time between shooting and publication could be months and years, and I was into the immediate gratification of having a front page. I’d experienced that enough that I kept wanting it.”

Eventually he returned to Kansas City to work for the Star again, and later started his own business. The college contacted him twice to see if he was willing to teach here, and he has now been here for over nine years. He said he is very glad the college now offers this new class.

“This Advanced Digital class has been perfect,” he said. “It’s what a lot of students needed to take another step forward.”Sands explained the difference between his Basic class and the Advanced level course.

“In the Intro class I teach [students] how to do all the things the way I do them, which is pretty unconventional compared to the way studios and other photographers might do it,” he said. “I work as a journalist still. I teach them journalism, basically, without making them live by the credo of ‘effect nothing, just record.’”

Sands said that the class has gone well, although completely differently from how he had planned his curriculum.

“I’ve kind of figured out what I want to do with this class just by trial and error, and by throwing out things that I want them to do, and the matter I want them to do, and the professionalism I want them to display,” he said. “And this class has just run with it.”

Sands told his students he is not sure how much he’s taught them, but he has given them opportunities to succeed or fail, and “everybody’s been succeeding fabulously.”

“I’ve been so pleased with this class,” Sands said. “I’ve had everybody embrace what I’ve asked them to do and they, at different levels, have really focused hard on a few things and I’ve had to force them to do a few things. […] It really was gratifying, the League for Innovation.”

Gary Hunsicker, student winner of the League for Innovation award, described learning from Sands as “learning to see.”

“I started taking [Sands’] class off and on a couple years ago,” Hunsicker said. “So I started with the beginning stuff, and he does a very good job of, I think, the big picture. He concentrates on things you should be looking for when you’re trying to compose a shot or you’re trying to figure out what you want to take a picture of, like reflections and shapes.”

Hunsicker partially credits Sands with his victory in the League for Innovation.

“When I printed [the winning photo] he walked in […] and when he saw them on the table out there he immediately picked it up,” Hunsicker said. “Part of it is his eye, because I probably wouldn’t have picked that one.”

Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.

Students learn to spin fire on campus

May 15, 2012

By Christopher Khan

They would practice with fire on campus, if only the college would let them.

Student Rachel Berry, 20, and University of Kansas student Shawn Nelson, 19, formed a fire and glow dance duo called Luminescence in 2010, when they were seniors at Blue Valley North High School. They fire dance at events like birthday parties, Halloween parties, and in parks, as well as teaching others to fire dance.

“Fire dancing is a broad term to describe any kind of fire art that you can do,” Nelson said. “It is dancing in the way that you are choreographing it and moving to the music.”

In Berry’s case, she twirls a flaming hula-hoop around her torso.

“It has these metal prongs that are wrapped in Kevlar,” Berry said, “and I light those pieces on fire.”

Both Berry and Nelson began fire dancing in high school. For each of them, it took one exposure to a fire dancing performance to make them decide that it was for them. Fire dancing is a primary element for Luminescence.

“[Fire dancing] is exhilarating,” Nelson said. “It’s that knowledge that you are entertaining the crowd and making people happy. There’s always a thrill about doing things with fire and fire dancing, like a kind of added element of danger.”

Luminescence performances also feature other forms of dance, such as glow stick dancing, but fire dancing still has a draw unique to it.

“You can’t really see anything outside of the fire itself,” Berry said. “So it’s like being in the middle of a fire and light show that takes up all of your vision. It’s not about what you can see and what you can hear. The fire dancing is really purely physical. It’s all in the control that your body has.”

Both Berry and Nelson are mostly self-taught through YouTube, but they have attended fire safety classes taught by professional fire dancers. They are both involved in teaching others to perform. Nelson is in charge of the KU Performance Club.

“The fire dancing community is very inclusive,” Nelson said. “They’re really, really good people over all. They’ll invite you to things, and give you tips and tricks.”

Earlier this semester, Berry and her friend Steven Brown began meeting up on Tuesdays on campus as a way to hang out and practice. Now, 10 people or more can regularly be seen in the courtyard between the SCI and GEB buildings practicing with fire staffs and hula-hoops.

“We ran into some of the people you see here today,” Brown said. “And it just blossomed from there. As it got warmer, we just decided to form an unofficial club, and we just keep getting more people.”

Berry said that she is planning on talking with college administrators to make an official Performance Club, like Nelson’s club at KU. People are welcome to stop by and join their regular meetings Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. They cannot practice with lit tools, but it is a way to start fire dancing.

“[Fire dancing] does have a very meditative aspect to it,” Berry added. “It’s one of those things where you can completely focus, and at the same time you get a huge adrenaline rush. Being sort of dangerous, it’s also very peaceful.”

Contact Christopher Khan, special to the Ledger, at ckhan3@stumail.jccc.edu.

BREAKING: Board of Trustees approves changing location of new Culinary building

May 10, 2012

By Mackenzie Clark

The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to change the planned location of the new Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center to the east side of campus at the monthly meeting this evening. This decision will add $1 million to the cost, bringing the total projected expense to $13 million.

The original location toward the west side of campus would not allow for clear visibility of the building, according to several trustees’ statements during discussion of the matter. The additional $1 million in cost is due to “rock problems,” said Trustee and Board Treasurer Bob Drummond, which is why the land had yet to be utilized.

“This program should be front of the house rather than back of the house,” said Trustee and Board Secretary Jerry Cook at the meeting.

Trustee Stephanie Sharp agreed.

“What I love about this particular location is how it accents our community outreach functions,” she said. “If you’re taking College [Boulevard] east toward Quivira [Road], what do you see? You see the farm, and you see the baseball fields, and you see the Carlsen Center, and as you come around the corner you see the Nerman and then you’ll see this building. Sustainability, music, modern art, culinary; I think those aren’t traditional things that people think of a community college for […] but I like the outreach that it shows, and how involved in this community we are, and how involved they are in us.”

The official groundbreaking ceremony for the building is set for 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 22. In regards to parking concerns, updates will come as they are made available.

Contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.

Cooking up new place

Understanding your rights when arrested

May 8, 2012

By Jessica Mitchell

Policy and procedure vary from institution to outside world. Pulling out a cigarette and smoking warrants a ticket until the individual has moved out of campus grounds. A person’s rights and freedoms, however, never vary and are strictly declared in the Constitution.

When arrested, it is an individual’s right to be informed of the charges. The arresting officer also needs to inform the individual of his/her rights before any questioning beyond routine inquiries takes place. Randy Garcia, sergeant, campus Police Department, said these are called the Miranda Rights. These specific rights protect an individual from self-incrimination when arrested:

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”

It is the arresting officer’s duty to make sure the individual understands the language being spoken and more importantly, understands his/her own personal rights.

Many people are under the impression that officers cannot search a vehicle until a court issued warrant is presented. Garcia said that is not always the case.

“A warrant is not required to search vehicles if police have probable cause to believe the vehicle contains evidence of a crime, the instrumentalities of crime, contraband or the fruits of a crime,” said Gary Mason, public information officer, Overland Park Police Department. “A search can also be done on several other factors. These include: exigent circumstances, inventory searches and officer safety. An officer may also search if he views contraband or evidence of a crime that is visible from the windows (plain view).”

Regarding the search of a person, it seems that an individual’s rights don’t extend further than the officer explaining his need for a search. If there is a possibility that a person is armed, their personal rights do not overshadow an officer or society’s safety.

“In Terry v. Ohio the courts have found that an officer may stop and frisk (patting down of outer clothing) a subject if they have reasonable suspicion to believe that person is armed,” Mason said. “The court decided that officer safety outweighed the intrusion on a person’s freedom when frisked for weapons.”

If a search does not fall under any of the above categories, a warrant is needed. A judge will issue a warrant only after officers prove that they have probable cause to believe criminal activity is occurring or that evidence of a specific crime may be found.

When a search takes place, any illegal or concerning evidence may be taken.

“The police can search only the place described in a warrant and usually can seize only the property that the warrant describes,” said Mason. “However, if they come across contraband or evidence of a crime while searching for items in the warrant, they can lawfully seize those items as well.”

After an arrest takes place, a lot of factors go into the decision of holding an individual. The officers have a 72-hour window to charge someone or they must be released. Mason said the holding time depends on if the charges are federal, state or local.

There is a distinct difference between policy and law. The policy of the college, even though strictly enforced, is not an established law. One must abide by the policy of the institution they are in. When it comes to individual rights, however, the Constitution is a strict protector. Amendment after amendment is instituted to stop any intrusion of personal freedoms.

Contact Jessica Mitchell, features editor, at jmitch54@jccc.edu.

Poverty on trial: Does poverty cause crime?

May 8, 2012

By Ben Markley

In 2008, the Salvation Army said there were as many as 40,000-50,000 homeless people living in Johnson County. With the economy still struggling to get back on its feet and the national incarceration rate increasing, many wonder how economic struggle can affect crime.

Andrew Ward, adjunct professor, Psychology, said unemployment alone cannot be blamed for criminal activity.

“Poverty doesn’t seem to be a predictor of crime,” he said. “Unemployed people aren’t more likely to commit crimes than people with jobs.”

From a psychological perspective, Ward said there was very little connection between poverty and crime. Rather, it is the environment of poverty that can lead people to commit crimes.

“It’s not just being poor, but it’s being around lots of poor people,” Ward said. “The relationship between poverty and crime is in areas of concentrated poverty, like these inner city areas.”

Ward said living in an area of concentrated poverty can be a catalyst for futility.

“It can be a contributing factor of hopelessness and despair,” he said. “‘What do I have to lose? I might as well commit a crime.’ But really, anyone can go into despair.”

Another factor is what Ward called the “escalation of violence.”

“There is phenomenon among people who live in concentrated poverty,” Ward said. “I call it pre-emptive aggression. If you’re someone who lives in an area that’s kind of dangerous, you commit an act of crime so people know not to mess with you. You need to show you’re tough, but now I have to be tougher than you, so I need to go commit a worse crime.”

Frank Galbrecht, associate professor, Administration of Justice, said that poverty does not statistically show itself to be a direct cause of criminal activity.

“Poverty alone doesn’t determine crime,” Galbrecht said. “There is no one factor that you point at and say, ‘This causes crime.’”

In the midst of America’s economic struggle, with more and more people losing jobs and facing financial difficulty, it seems as though the statistics should be predictable.

“2008 rolls around, we’re on the verge of economic meltdown, and logic would tell you that there’d be an increase in crime,” he said. “However, while incarceration has gone up, crime is actually declining.”

Ward said the current decrease in crime rates had several factors, one of which involved the age of the population.

“Young people commit most of the crimes,” he said. “We have an aging population.”

Galbrecht said that perhaps part of social perceptions about the link between crime and poverty has to do with how well crime can be concealed.

“Drug possession and abuse happens across all classes,” he said. “It’s just more visible sometimes in areas that are more deprived.”

This visibility of crime in areas of concentrated poverty comes partly from the deprivation of the community.

“If an area is a vibrant area with lots of social institutions – schools, community buildings and so on – they can absorb the effects of crime,” Ward said. “The effects just aren’t as large. But if you live in an economically deprived area, there’s just not a lot of stuff there. You’re more likely to feel the effects due to a lack of these institutions.”

Galbrecht said that addressing crime would involve addressing poverty, along with a number of other factors within the community.

“You cannot arrest your way out of crime,” he said. “You’ve got to have a focused multi-strategy plan, with partnership between the police, the community and the local government.”

T.J. Tesdahl, student, said he thought the solution started in the classroom.

“For me, it’s all about education,” he said. “You’ve got to get kids in classrooms so that they’re learning how to get jobs and be good people instead of running around with gangs.”

Galbrecht said the best way to address crime was through what he called “collective efficacy.”

“The more people trust each other in a town, the more they have good schools, good tax base, the more they care about each other,” he said. “People in the community have got to be involved with each other if we’re going to fix these problems.”

Contact Ben Markley, sports editor, at bmarkle2@jccc.edu.

Understanding your rights when arrested

Baseball manager leaves after four years of service

May 8, 2012

Baseball Manager - Cook - Color — Baseball manager Kristen Glover watches the baseball team practice from the dugout April 26. Glover is regarded almost like family by the baseball team after four years of involvement. Photo by Tasha Cook

By Jessica Mitchell

Kristen Glover has become more than a manager for the college baseball team: she has become like family.

Glover turned her love for baseball into a job by becoming the manager for the college’s team. She has held the position for four years, but will be leaving at the end of this season to further her academic career.

“I just love the game of baseball,” she said. “I grew up with it all my life. All through high school I was the manager for different sports.”

Glover assumed her managing duties would cease after high school, but was surprised to meet one of the college’s baseball players in the bookstore. After briefly talking with the player, Glover hurried to the coach’s office to enquire about a job. A phone call the following day assured her of the position.

Like most team managers, Glover is expected to be present for games and practices.

“I get everyone everything they need – like water,” she said. “[…] I’m just there in case someone gets hurt. I just get them whatever they need. I make them lunches; bring them sunflower seeds and gum. I go beyond my duty of manager.”

Having been the manager for four years, Glover has become close with the players and the coach alike. The men have become like her big brothers, she said.

“It started with Ryan – he started the big brother,” Glover said. “After that year, ever since, the big brother would have to nominate someone else […] now it’s Cam. Cam is the lucky one to be last. That’s what I am going to miss the most, my big brother Cam. He keeps me going.”

One of the most memorable moments during her four years with the team is the passing of her father in 2010, Glover said.

“Individually [the team] lined up and said, ‘We will be here for you no matter what,’ and they hugged me and made me feel comfortable,” she said. “That year we won our division. My dad was proud and wanted us to win.”

The impact of Glover’s father’s death became somewhat of a motto for the team and a reason to push forward.

“If you look really closely, some of [the players] have bracelets that say my dad’s birthday and when he passed away,” Glover said. “There is also a little saying on it, ‘New day new opportunity.’ We go with that saying a lot. We will do better.”

Having spent so many years as the manager, the admiration goes both ways with the team and Glover.

“Kristen has been a big part of our program the past several years,” said Kent Shelley, head baseball coach. “She has been a great friend of the baseball program. She’s been our manager and has done a great job assisting us whenever needed. I’ve watched her develop as a team manager but more importantly, I’ve watched her develop as a person. She’s just meant a great deal to me and our baseball family.”

Glover is leaving the college at the end of this semester to continue her studies at MidAmerica Nazarene University. Having battled with ADHD, she aspires to become a first grade special education teacher.

“I’m going to take a semester off and get my feet planted at MidAmerica,” Glover said. “If it works out in my schedule then I [will manage baseball], but I really want to concentrate on my degree. I’ve been here for four years and I want to get my teaching degree before I’m 30.”

Glover said she will continue to follow the college’s baseball team and root them on whenever her free time allows.

“On behalf of our baseball program, we would like to thank Kristen for her support, her loyalty and dedication,” Shelley said. “We wish her the very best in her new endeavors at MidAmerica Nazarene University and she will always be an important part of our baseball family.”

Contact Jessica Mitchell, features editor, at jmitch54@jccc.edu.

‘The Spitfire Grill’ attempts to offer emotion, redemption

May 8, 2012

Cast members of “The Spitfire Grill” perform April 26 at The Polsky Theater. Photo by Jordan Wegele

By Adam Lignell

Although past productions of the college’s Theatre department could be considered controversial, their latest family-friendly musical tells a story of hope, second chances and trusting others.

The Theatre department’s most recent musical, “The Spitfire Grill,” tells the story of an ex-con who luckily finds work at the only grill in a small Wisconsin town, although there’s rarely any business.

Artistic coordinator Beate Pettigrew said that this musical was one of two presentations targeted toward a family friendly audience, with no controversial topics in mind.

“If there’s controversy it’s from students who don’t have a lot of cultural experience,” Pettigrew said. “It’s their right to be offended; it’s our right to put on these plays.”

The play focuses on the main character, Percy, as she finds a home after her travels, as opposed to her past in jail.

“We’re always looking at the grass is greener somewhere else,” Pettigrew said. “Ultimately, it’s about being welcomed and feeling like you belong in whatever place you call home.”

The college adaptation is originally based on a musical written by James Valcq and Fred Alley, and aside from the musical’s themes, there might be more reason for students to attend.

“Whether you are getting extra credit for a class or you’ve never been to a play before, why not go to one that’s free?” Pettigrew said.

Working in the Theatre department himself on La Culebra, the department’s last play, Armando Herrera arrived to support his fellow students and friends.

“I’m a student of an acting class, so we decided to come because a lot of the people here are my friends and I know them,” Herrera said.

Although Herrera wasn’t directly involved with this play, he still thought the musical could teach important lessons to audience members.

“What most impacted me about the story was how we have to learn to forgive, even though it’s hard,” Herrera said.

Jessica Robins played the role of Effy, an overly gossipy mail carrier who keeps most of the musical’s cast up to date on each other’s actions.

“Don’t jump to conclusions about people that you don’t know,” Robins said. “Just because you might have a little bit of their story doesn’t make them a bad person.”

Robins’ involvement in the department has helped her follow her acting dreams, and she hopes to fulfill those after graduation as well.

“If it’s for you, it’s everything you ever want to do,” Robins said. “I’m moving to Seattle in the next couple months, and I’m planning on doing theater my whole life.”

Robins hoped other students would participate in future department productions and gave insight as to why their work is important.

“Anything having to do with the arts is going to make you look at the world in a different way,” Robins said. “Even if it’s a painting and you hate the painting, it’s going to make you say that’s what not to do.”

Fitting the role of Eli, a Vietnam War veteran who disappeared, Will Read is happy to be part of the team after his acting debut in the musical.

“It’s not just the cast – there’s the crew, the lights and sound, the managers too,” Read said. “It’s just a lot of fun working with everybody.”

Without spoiling any of “The Spitfire Grill’s” story, Read described what some of the characters overcome in the musical.

“Redemption is there for everyone,” he said.

Contact Adam Lignell, staff reporter, at alignell@jccc.edu.

To post, or not to post: Religious sticky-notes create mixed reactions from students

May 8, 2012

Bible verse stuck to a window in a high traffic hallway on campus. The Sticky Note Revelation group posts their message frequently at the college. Photo by Patti Klinge

By Adam Lignell

While passing through hallways or going outside in between classes, students may have noticed neon colored squares dotting poles, windows or walls.

These sticky-notes displaying bible verses are created by Sticky Note Revelation, a group posting nearly every day all over campus to spread their messages to students.

Student and Sticky Note Revelation founder Deaven Schreifer with main goals other than decorating the school.

“We’re just trying to get the word of God out there,” Schreifer said. “People need to know about it.”

Sticky Note Revelation members do not cover hallways or rooms in more than two or three notes, and take no stance when they are removed. Note promotion has been an obstacle for the group as well.

“You’ve got the other end of the spectrum where people really like it and say they want to get involved and you never see anything come from it,” Schreifer said.

Those curious about the notes have contacted other members and participated on their website, but the notes are just part of the group’s activities.

“The posted notes are the main focus of what we’re doing, but the website brings it all together,” Schreifer said. “If someone in Arizona wanted to learn how to do this, they could go to the forum and we could teach them how to do it.”

Co-founder of Sticky Note Revelation and student Kristy Sharp joined after Schreifer asked for her help in posting one day after class.

“It’s not about confrontation, it’s not about us,” Sharp said. “If they take it and just walk away, there’s still that hope that they took it with them because they needed it.”

One of the group’s aims is to target people who aren’t regularly aware of what is happening on campus aside from their classes.

“My goal is to reach the people that I used to be,” Sharp said. “School’s important but you have to have a life too, there’s a balance.”

Not all initial members of Sticky Note Revelation have committed themselves to the group, but Sharp hopes new members will join in their place.

“We need people that aren’t afraid of putting a sticky note up on the wall,” Sharp said.

Student Senate President Gina Galanou has taken a neutral stance on motivational posters around campus, but doesn’t entirely agree with all religious postings.

“They could reserve a room and have a lecture, video, PowerPoint, discussion, something that people will choose to be exposed to,” Galanou said. “Religion is a choice, you can’t force feed it.”

Sticky Note Revelation has other activities and plans aside from the sticky notes, although the act of posting the notes themselves can be offensive to some.

“Personally I think regardless of whatever religion you’re in, you should respect others,” Galanou said. “I don’t necessarily agree with them posting it all over the place.”

Although there is some opposition from students, the college’s policy on littering is an issue as well.

“It’s a little disrespectful to those people who have to clean that up,” Galanou said. “I don’t think we should be littering all over campus with extra paper.”

Contact Adam Lignell, staff reporter, at alignell@jccc.edu.

College to require student background checks

May 8, 2012

By Jon Parton

Starting July 1, background checks will be performed for all new employees before they can be hired at the college. The school already requires background checks on certain jobs, including those positions involved with children and handling of credit information. This change marks the first time that all positions will require a background check.

Becky Centlivre, executive director, Human Resources, said that the school passed the policy late last year. Centlivre said that the move is in response to a committee that recommended it to the college.

“It’s something that has been considered over the last few years,” Centlivre said. “As an employer, it’s considered the best practice.”

The school will make use of a company called HireRight to conduct the background checks. Centlivre said that the entire process is very secure in the way it handles potential employee information.

“It was important to us to make sure it’s confidential,” Centlivre said. “It’s an automated process that they use.”

Centlivre said that the college has already been testing the service for the past few months. She added that the background check does not include a credit check. As for the price to the school, Centlivre said that it varies depending on the position.

“A position with a lot of responsibility may take more time and resources,” Centlivre said. “In general, it runs $100 for a check.”

Background checks vary on the sort of information they pull, which can be anything from work history to legal residency status. Most employers use background checks to determine any discrepancies between the check and the information provided by the potential employee. Background checks can also determine any criminal history.

The most common background checks look at criminal records, employment verifications and education verifications for the past seven years. According to HireRight’s own website, a background check typically reveals whether or not a potential employee told the truth on their application and in any interviews.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), access to an individual’s file is limited to employers, landlords, creditors or other businesses with a valid need. Employers must require consent from the individual before a background check can be performed. Individuals have the right to know what is in their file and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information.

Terrissa Ford, student, works at the Food Court and believes the new policy is a positive thing.

“It’s a good thing because it shows the college is thinking about safety,” Ford said.

Jeremiah Washington, student, agrees that the school needs to implement background checks for all new hires.

“I believe it’s a good idea because of so many safety issues,” Washington said.

Contact Jon Parton, news editor, at jparton@jccc.edu.

Sports briefs

May 8, 2012

Men’s basketball gains six new recruits

Six high school seniors signed national letters of intent to play basketball at the college next year. Three of the incoming freshmen are from Kansas, with 6’2” guard Logan Henrichs of Lawrence, 6’1” guard Pat Jones of Leawood and 6’5” forward Jalen King of Pittsburg. The other three are 6’3” guard JaRon Rollins of Platte County, Mo., 6’5” forward BiQuavious Sturgis of Thomson, Ga. and 6’1” guard Arvaughn Baker of Palm Bay, Fla. The newcomers will have big shoes to fill, with top-scoring forward Justin Leathers signing to the University of Texas-Pan American and guard Quasim Jones to sign with a university in the near future.

Track athletes nationally recognized

Sixteen individual students and four relay teams ranked in the NJCAA’s Direct Athletics top 25-performance list, with eight individuals scoring in the top 10. Freshman Hayes Grissom (javelin) scored the highest rank, with a second-best national performance of 411-11. Sophomore Ashley Reid (high jump, triple jump), freshman Vanessa Levy (discus, hammer) and freshman Monet Jackson (discus, hammer) appeared twice on the list, all placing at least once in the top 10. The team is pushing forward to be competitive at the NJCAA championship in Levelland, Texas in May.

Enrollment open for 2012 summer camps

For parents who have athletic children, the college has opened up enrollment for its summer 2012 sports camps and clinics. The Athletics department will host programs for every sport offered at the college, including Athletic Enhancement and Injury Prevention, Athletics Training/Sports Medicine and Speed Development. Children ages 6-18 have opportunities for the summer camps, but parents should check specific age ranges for individual camps. For more information, visit http://www.jccc.edu/cavs/department/youth-sports-camps.html.

Compiled by Ben Markley

News briefs

May 8, 2012

Follow-up: Former student to remain in US

In Vol. 34, Issue 13 of The Campus Ledger we reported that former student Jesus Torres was ordered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave the country by April 13. On April 6, the ICE granted Torres a one-year stay of removal. In June 2011, agency chief John Morton asked ICE personnel to focus on high-priority deportation, such as convicted criminals and national security risks. The agency ranked Torres as a low-enforcement priority for deportation.

Culinary students win gold at conference

Student chefs at the college recently won big at the American Culinary Federation Central Region Conference in Detroit. In the conference held from April 14 – 16, the culinary team won a gold medal while facing eight state teams. All teams prepared the same recipe and were judged on kitchen skills, adherence to the recipe, taste and presentation.

Interior Design students create space for Kansas City show house

Some of the Interior Design students at the college currently have their work featured at the 43^rd Symphony Designers’ Show house in Kansas City, Mo. The show house is open to the public from April 21 – May 20 and Interior Design students are selling tickets for $13 at the Student Activities desk. The students created a design studio and creative refuge on the third floor of the house.

Cavalier Film Festival winners named

After an afternoon presentation by Jonathon Dillon, college alum and Hollywood director of movies such as “Rigged,” the festival screened several of the winning pieces on April 26. First place category winners included Nation Morin, Dominick Williams, Nathan Mennel and Joshua Browning. Morin also won the Judge’s Choice award, and Taylre Jones won the Peoples’ Choice award.

Student News Center leaders chosen

The Student Media Board met to select applicants for editor-in-chief of The Campus Ledger and station manager of ECAV for the 2012-2013 year on May 1. Those chosen were, respectively, Mackenzie Clark and Kel Dansby.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge and Jon Parton

Student Senate ends year with lower food prices, improved reach to students

May 8, 2012

By Rachel Luchmun

Lower food prices and improved reach to students are just two of this year’s Student Senate achievements. The Senate also worked to host activities for the community at large.

“This year the senate had a purposeful goal, and it was to do what they can to connect more to the students, to show who they are, make students more aware of what they do,” said Mindy Kinnaman, manager, Student Life/Leadership Development.

Kinnaman also said a big accomplishment of the Senate was the lowering of catering fees for clubs and organizations on campus, a feeling shared by Gina Galanou, current Student Senate president.

“We got lower prices for clubs and orgs,” Galanou said. “For example, for Multicultural Night, the initial bill that they had was $6000 and we brought it down to $3000. They worked out some amazing deals. We’re talking about pretty significant changes.”

The lower prices for catering should enable clubs and organizations to save money and use it for other activities, as their budget is limited.

The Senate also aimed at helping clubs and organizations through their Leadership program.

“We have leadership training to clubs and organizations that wish to participate,” Galanou said. “Now and then they run low on numbers in terms of their members or they don’t know how to fundraise, so we give them tips and pointers on what to do and how.”

Reaching out to the community at large was the ‘JCCC Gives’ initiative, which aimed to pair community members in need with others who would be willing to give them a much needed gift over the Christmas break. It was so successful that Senate is planning to make ‘JCCC Gives’ a once-a-semester event, as opposed to just once a year.

“In all honesty I think ‘JCCC Gives’ is the best thing we’ve ever done,” Galanou said. “You read those stories and you realize you have things that other people don’t. We had so many students adopting others, it was extremely touching to see everybody get so involved with it.”

Other achievements of the Senate include:

SafeSpace training, which offers support specifically to the LGBT community.
Hosting the annual Daffodil Day, Photos with Santa and Trick-or-Treat for children.
Working with the sustainability committee to encourage students to submit green ideas for campus.
Supporting clubs and organizations by giving them as much money as possible.
An informative town hall meeting about the smoking ban.
A town hall meeting about dining services.
The Learning Management System project, which aims at encouraging professors to post more course content online, such as syllabi and updated grades.

The town hall meetings held by the Senate this year proved to be a success, due to the fact they addressed specific issues.

“Last year we had town hall meetings and they were very sparsely attended, whereas this year we had great attendance at all of our town hall meetings,” Kinnaman said.

Part of the success of the Senate this year can be attributed to having a majority of the seats filled, according to Galanou.

“This year we almost had a full senate, we filled almost every single spot, which was really good,” she said. “Recently we had our parliamentarian step down – not the newly elected, but the current one – but we are not going to replace him since [there is not a lot of time left in the semester].”

The newly elected executive board is currently in the process of shadowing, where they are learning their respective new roles. Newly elected president Awista Sherzada told the Ledger in an article published on April 13 that she will uphold the annual traditions of the Senate and work on promoting the Senate more around campus.

“I want to get the word out there, I want to get more people to come to these events because we all work so hard to make them happen and they’re so fun,” she said.

For more information about Student Senate and how to get involved, go to http://www.jccc.edu/studentsenate.

Contact Rachel Luchmun, managing editor, at rluchmun@jccc.edu.

Letter to the editor

May 8, 2012

“A gift that never stops thieving”

My husband and I recently attended a function at Yardley Hall and picked up a copy of “The Campus Ledger” to pass the time until our event began. Your article about our welfare system was so SPOT ON I felt compelled to thank you!! I wish that clear, to the point, honest piece would find itself in the Kansas City Star!! Or, in WASHINGTON. A policy of not feeding the bears is such a simple one. If we care so much that the animals in the forest not become dependent, why should we not care as much for our fellow citizens. I worry that elected officials are pandering and buying votes with their dole of our monies. It’s totally exasperating to feel voiceless as this all unfolds. Thank you for putting our feelings into words so positively perfect!!

When you run for President, please enlist our help. YOU HAVE OUR VOTE

In total admiration, Leanna and Maurice Holdgraf

Community members

Letter to the editor

May 8, 2012

On Responsible use of Political Rhetoric

Dear Editor,

It has come to my attention that as of late, american political culture has grown further and further a murky gap between precise and accurate use of political term, and the loaded yes hollow simulacra which has arisen in our cultures political rhetoric. The effect is this: a reinforced alienation from useful dialect, and political reality. Terms like: Capitalism, Communism, Democracy and Socialism, have become abated by redundancy and entropy. These terms are regularly used to describe various legal entities and policies. In the spirit of “old speak” I would like to inspire a little bit of interrogation between the civic meaning and scholarly meaning of some of these words.

First, America, whilst a democratic society -more so than it was ever mean to be- is not a democracy, Electoral College aside even. We are a Republic. The two are in essentially different, even some of the datums may be shared in each respective nexus, particularly our version of republic, Representative Republic. But a Republic could hold as much family resemblance with an Oligarchy as any Democracy. For example, America was meant to be a fairly democratic society by its legal architects. For white, testicle bearing, protestant, landowners, all else in the population (the majority of the people) were to be excluded for participation. By design. Yes, America now adopts a less sexist, racist, ect… mask than it has previously, but it remains, empirically, what it was meant to be, a Republic. Not a patron of that old mythology, the Democracy, least of all, the only true, the pure, the Direct Democracy.

Next I would like to state simply that Capitalism as well, does not exist in America. Much like Communism, history has only yielded evanescent caricatures of the ideas, shadows of the ghosts, fluxing in and out of one another in unity with the flicker of the candle that is human history. But dread not, history has selected a superior model to either archetype in the dichotomy: a Mixed Market Economy. Not the more otherworldly and romanticized cousin, who holds no loyalties, that is an in totality: Free Market.

As a quick digression, purely to divulge one of my favorite hidden secrets: Communism is a form of anarchy (stateless, classless), so it is entirely senseless to refer to any country or state throughout the entirety of human history as Communist, regardless of whether or not they attempted a Command Economy. That would just make them a semblance to socialism.

Socialism is not Stalinism. It could in theory, and has in practice, be an aspect of Stalinism. It is not necessarily a means of production by the command of the state (which would irreparably render it incompatible with Communism, which already cannot occur in a society that has not truly been Democratic and Capitalistic); it is a form of means of production, controlled by a collective which could be the State, or the general public, or the simply the ones who produce or subject goods and services. It is underlyingly, out of the hands of an economic business elite. Maybe some goods or services should be produced in some form of a socialist fashion. Say: Governance.

-Evan Payne

Student

Letter to the editor

May 8, 2012

Call to procreate outdated anti-gay marriage justification

Hey, Editor. I’m writing in response to Jack Van Kirk’s letter to the editor regarding his anti-gay marriage stance as a result of his being Catholic.

Real quick: Hey, Jack. Know your audience. Have you met the guy you addressed your letter to, by chance?

Jack’s letter says, in a nutshell, that he doesn’t hate gay people, but that homosexuality is immoral because marriage is a promise to make babies, men’s bodies don’t fit biologically, and homosexual acts are bad for the body.

Whole lotta BS, if you ask me.

Jack’s referring to a set of rules created when tribes were fighting against tribes. They needed the ladies to make babies who would grow to defend the tribe. Same reason Onan got offed when he spilled his seed on the ground (Genesis 38:9). Hope you don’t pull out, Jack. That’d make you just as “bad” as a gay man.

So, while we’re sort of talking about biology, here’s a little lesson. There’s this thing that cells do as a result of contact inhibition–they divide and grow until they fill a space, and then they stop. They do that because once a cell population reaches a certain density, the amount of nutrition available to each cell limits continued growth.

When cells don’t stop dividing, that’s called cancer.

We are the cancer of the earth. We’re too stupid to stop growing. The world’s population has grown from about three billion in 1960 to about seven billion right now, according to World Bank data. As of 2010, there are roughly 925 million technically malnourished people in the world, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

So yeah, perfect idea, guy, let’s make sure a promise to continue producing more humans than our planet can sustain is built into the marriage contract. Brilliant.

Listen here. Fact is, there are so so so many currently legal things that grossed Bible writers out. Tattoos (Leviticus 19:28). Divorce (Mark 10:9). Shellfish (Leviticus 11:10). Sackless men (Deuteronomy 23:1). Should we make any of those things illegal? If we did and made them retroactive, the majority of our country’s population would be in jail via divorce alone.

Those things are not illegal because it’s none of your damn business anyway. Don’t want to get divorced? Don’t. (Probably just don’t get married in the first place). Needles freak you out? Cool, you’re not required to get a tattoo. Hate lobster? Don’t eat it! Likewise, if you don’t want to interact with another man’s genitals, by God, you don’t have to. That doesn’t mean that no one else can.

You don’t have to think it’s great. You don’t have to do it yourself. You don’t even have to be ok with it. You do have to stop being such an asshole about other people making decisions that not only don’t concern you, but also don’t affect you in any way at all.

All of my love,

-Rachel Kimbrough

JCCC student

Monthly Archives: May 2012