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Monthly Archives: September 2012

Update to recent news brief on railroad closure

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According to a construction update from the city of Lenexa today, BNSF will postpone closing the railway crossing just south of Pflumm Road and Santa Fe Trail Drive due to “scheduling conflicts.”

Instead of this week, as reported in The Ledger‘s news briefs in Issue 3, the road will be closed to through traffic beginning Monday, Oct. 1. It is expected to reopen Friday, Oct. 5. In the meantime, detours will be posted.

Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu

InFocus: Money matters

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Click to see full image:

 

Information compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu, and Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu

Illustrations and design by Morgan Daigneault, mdaignea@jccc.edu

Related articles: InFocus: The money behind the man

 

Sources:

*Breakdown of alcohol charges via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports

Payout to *JE Dunn Construction and *Gates, Shields and Ferguson via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports

*Board donor information via Johnson County Election Office

College president Terry Calaway’s contract available via Freedom of Information Request 

Government official salary information courtesy Congressional Research Service report

* = files containing numbers compiled by Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, mclark68@jccc.edu

InFocus: The money behind the man

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Video: Special meeting of Board of Trustees July 5 to discuss Calaway’s contract

 

Click to see full image:

 

Related articles: InFocus: Money matters

Sources:

*Breakdown of alcohol charges via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports

Payout to *JE Dunn Construction and *Gates, Shields and Ferguson via JCCC Cash Disbursement Reports

*Board donor information via Johnson County Election Office

College president Terry Calaway’s contract available via Freedom of Information Request 

Government official salary information courtesy Congressional Research Service report

* = files containing numbers compiled by Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, mclark68@jccc.edu

State bill to provide tuition waivers to high school students

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Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is shown during his visit to the college Tuesday, Aug. 14 to promote SB 155. Photo by Tasha Cook
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is shown during his visit to the college Tuesday, Aug. 14 to promote SB 155. Photo by Tasha Cook

By Tabi Secor

The Kansas legislature has passed a new bill that will allow high school students in the state to attend college courses with their tuition waived.

Kan. Senate Bill 155, passed and signed into law July 12 of this year, aims to provide tuition-free courses in technical programs offered at community colleges and technical schools.

“With the way the state has set up a structure for our state funding for courses, all of our courses are looked at by the state and given a rating of being a tiered course, a tiered technical course, or a non-tiered course,” said Clarissa Craig, dean, Health Care Professions and Wellness.

Craig said some of the tiered courses are the focus of SB 155, and are the ones high school students will benefit from. These tiered courses include everything from Basics of Income Taxes to Criminology, from animation classes to health care classes.

“It is designed to help students build marketable skills while they’re still in high school, and students actually get career educational credit as high school students if they come out to the college,” said Shelia Mauppin, dean, Career and Technical Education Transition.

Despite the courses being offered free of tuition for area high school students, Craig said the college may not see jumps in enrollment numbers.

“We’re not anticipating a huge influx of enrollment that’s going to be specific to this because of those dynamics, but it does open up some opportunities for those high school students who have some flexible scheduling in their junior, senior years to take some college level courses,” she said.

Craig explained that even though the bill says the courses will be open to grades nine through 12, it will be up to each school district to decide which grades take part in the new bill. Regardless, each student who is part of that school district will be able to participate if they choose to.

“It is set up similar to College Now by the fact they have to have a high school authorization in order to be able to take the course,” Craig said, “but as long as there’s whatever those decision making points are for high school students in general, they’re the same as they would have been anyways.”

Mauppin said that there was some surprise to the college when the bill was passed.

“There had been a lot of work over the last year that led up to the bill,” she said. “The surprise kind of came into play was when the bill was passed on July 12, and the requirements were to begin all of these activities on July 1. So the college had to do some backtracking.”

Craig explained.

“With high school students already enrolled in summer courses and stuff like that […] it was more of trying to figure out the processing of those students who had already paid,” she said. “How are we going to get those refunds back? And for a student that has taken the last part of the summer semester, how do we get them so they don’t pay?”

Part of the difficulty, Craig said, is tagging students who will benefit from the law in the system.

No revenue will be lost from the college waiving the tuition according to Craig and Mauppin, because the college will be reimbursed from the state for the cost of those students’ tuition.

Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.

Related articles: Brownback visits college; promotes new statewide education initiative

16 Student Senators selected for new school year

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By Jon Parton

The results are in and the college has a new lineup of student senators for the upcoming school year.

The elections were held Sept. 4 through 6. Students were able to vote either on the second floor of the COM building or online. Sixteen at-large senators were elected after the final votes were tallied.

Among the newly elected was Brenden Brower-Freeman. Brower-Freeman attended Tonganoxie High School, where he was active in student government. He said he had to put college on hold after graduating in 2011.

The incoming freshman suffered from leukemia and said he wanted to focus on his health before trying to take on the responsibilities of college. He said that he hopes to get on a few key committees during the school year to help influence change.

Brower-Freeman believes that he can help make the school better in his role as a student senator.

“So many people only go to class without experiencing everything the college has to offer,” he said. “I wanted to contribute to make it a more collegiate experience for students.”

Sergio Sanchez, another new incoming senator, said his involvement in Student Senate came from his desire to immerse himself in the college.

“I just got out of high school, brand new here,” Sanchez said. “I really wanted to get involved in stuff because, you know, what I’ve come to notice is that people aren’t really talkative, at least during these first couple of weeks. I said, ‘Let’s get involved, let’s make some friends, have a good college experience.’”

Sanchez, a Shawnee Mission North graduate, said although he doesn’t have a specific major in mind yet, he wants to focus on either business or communication. He said he hopes to get more students involved in campus life over the school year.

“They’re just not participating,” Sanchez said. “What I plan to do is get more people involved in activities, clubs and just so they can experience that.”

For newly-elected senator Vanessa Lawton, a leadership role is something she is used to.

“This is kind of similar to a position I took two years back,” she said. “It was with Engage KC Leadership Board. We worked with city hall and we were the voice for the teenagers, young adults who were in college, throughout the city.”

Lawton, a graduate of the Paseo Academy in Kansas City, said her interest in serving as a student senator comes from her wanting to help others. She plans to major in fashion design, a subject she studied in high school.

“I just love volunteering, reaching out and making sure peoples’ voices are heard,” she said.

All elected Student Senators include Sierra Berry, Lara Blomberg, Brenden Brower-Freeman, Rachel Georges, Preet Kaur, Vanessa Lawton, Cecilia Lopez, Annie Lynn, Anthony Magee, Alanzo McIntosh, David Peterson, Elliot Rogers, Faisal Saidu, Sergio Sanchez, Mehak Sood and Shuaibu Umar.

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

Breaking down: the economy and student morale

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By Tabi Secor

According to a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, the greatest issue affecting this year’s election is the continuing growth of the economy and unemployment.

The global financial collapse in 2008 is said to be one of the major contributors to the United States’ economic decline.

“It would take a long time to discuss how we got here,” said Doug Copeland, professor, Economics, “but the global financial collapse is really what the tipping point was. We were already in a downturn recession. The economy was doing poorly before October of 2008, which was the big global financial collapse.”

According to Copeland, the economy has yet to bounce back from the event.

“We’ve been trying to recover from [the economic collapse] ever since,” he said. “We haven’t seen a collapse like that since the Great Depression.”

Kazi Abbas, student, works as a gas station attendant. He said he is fed up with both political parties.

“I’m not voting for anybody,” Abbas said. “I believe both republicans and democrats are working for their own profit. When it comes to issues with our country, why not work together?”

Abbas said he has seen the increased demand for jobs in his own workplace.

“I work in a gas station, and I’ve been working there for a long time,” Abbas said. “For me, it’s not really that hard to get hours, but at the same time we have a lot of students this semester coming and asking for jobs. We don’t have enough vacancies. Other people are looking for jobs very hard.”

Lauren Myers, student, is a self-employed guitar instructor. Myers said the current state of the economy has affected her negatively.

“I was in a car accident when I was sixteen; I broke almost every bone in my body,” Myers said. “A year later they hooked me up with a place for people with disabilities. Once Brownback was voted in, help with the [traumatic brain injury] waivers has gone down for me. I’ve lost a [transitional living specialist], I’ve lost a behavioral therapist, and all I have is a cognitive therapist.”

Myers said she does not believe the economy is improving.

“It’s hard to say, because [President Obama] is fixing it, but at the same time nobody’s letting him fix it,” Myers said. “I think all the old men that are in Congress need to be replaced. One of our justices, I think, is almost 100 years old. I’m not saying people like that are not sound mind, but they’re probably feeble minded.”

With the economy still in a slump, it is no wonder that it has become an important issue in this election season. Both President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, Republican presidential nominee, have outlined plans as to how they plan to solve the economic crisis. One of the issues the two seem to agree on is that unemployment is still too high.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate for August of 8.1 percent was slightly lower than the three months prior. Kansas unemployment is lower than the national number at 6.1 percent, and Johnson County is lower still at 5.2 percent.

Copeland said the lower numbers have been trending for awhile.

“Unemployment is stagnant,” he said. “It has been trending downwards, but not near as low as we all might like, of course.”

Copeland said one way to boost the economy is for people to actually spend more money.

“If we, as a nation, are spending more, businesses’ sales are up,” Copeland said. “When businesses sales are up, they will produce more. To produce more, they’ll hire workers. More workers mean more income. More income means more spending, which would generate more sales, more production, more jobs, and a drop in the unemployment rate. More income, more spending.”

Copeland went on to say government spending in a time of economic downturn is an appropriate way to boost the economy, but also reiterated that it is total spending that drives the economy.

“It’s always a good idea, on the spending front, to spend money on those things that will not only in the short term create jobs, but in the long term create economic growth,” he said.

Copeland also listed spending on health, education and training as ways to “enhance the productivity of the labor force.”

Despite the lower unemployment rates and policy makers doing what they can to boost the hurting economy, Copeland said he believes the recovery is not over yet.

“It’s going to take a long time,” he said.

Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.

David Hurtado, features editor, contributed to this article.

Jousting through the generations: a look behind the battlefield

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Attending the jousting tournaments is a favorite tradition among festival-goers. Photo by Andrew Shepherd

Attending the jousting tournaments is a favorite tradition among festival-goers. Photo by Andrew Shepherd

By Spencer Pressly

When the Kansas City Renaissance Festival starts up, most people think of one thing: turkey legs. Now when you have that turkey leg the next thing on your list is to watch jousting.

Jousting is a tradition at the Renaissance Festival known for always drawing a crowd. If you just stop to think a minute you may wonder why anyone would ever want to dress in heavy armor and perform all day.

Jousters Jeff Horick, 45, and Dane Gambrall, 19, do not think like that.

Horick plays a character named Sir Broadrick and has been jousting all over America for the past 22 years. Gambrall, who plays Sir Joseph Loddington, is on the opposite end of the spectrum with this being his first year jousting.

Horick started his Renaissance journey in Florida back in 1990 and has been jousting ever since. Gambrall has been spending the last year training to be a jouster after a friend helped him get
the job.

“I went ahead and created a character and I had to create a character, where he came from a specific place, and there is a storyline behind it,” Horick said. “As you get in front of a crowd the character pretty much starts to create itself.”

Different shows mean different stories for each jouster and the character they represent.

“The show that [Gambrall] and I just did, he is my illegitimate son and I didn’t know he existed,” Horick explained.

Gambrall said training is all about the horse. A typical morning for a jouster includes “watering and feeding the horses, then start out with a morning ride.”

The day really begins after the first cannon is fired at 10 a.m. Then everyone involved in the festival has to stay in character until the final cannon is fired
at 7 p.m.

Jousters all over the country can lead to many different scenarios state to state.

“When we’re in Florida in the Tampa Bay area, where I’m originally from, a lot of the big time wrestlers would come out and see us joust,” Horick said, recalling memorable moments. “We were meeting guys like Hulk Hogan and Macho Man Randy Savage.”

Although Gambrall has been jousting for a little over a year, he had one interesting moment during a show.

“I was doing a show with the boss of the company and just because my parents were in the crowd he made a killing bit with the hammer, and made it nice and bloody and killed me with that,” Gambrall said.

When they aren’t jousting, Horick is a fifth grade special education teacher in Ohio and Gambrall works at a grocery store. Neither expect to stop jousting anytime since they plan on doing it as long as they have fun with it.

If you ever had any interest in becoming a jouster, take a word of advice from Horick:

“It is not a matter of if you will get hurt; is it a matter of when you will get hurt,” he said.

Contact Spencer Pressly, staff reporter, at spressl2@jccc.edu.

Staff Editorial: Your money and the people who spend it

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Illustration by Sara Scherba
Illustration by Sara Scherba

The individuals running the college deserve a lot of credit. An initial amount of 1,380 students enrolled in the school’s first year in 1969. Since then, the college has grown to an enrollment size of more than 20,000 students. There are now more students attending JCCC than KU.

The school is now the largest taxing entity in the state. That means a lot of your money is in the hands of school officials. It’s doubly important to know how and why the money is being spent. The Board of Trustees approved this year over a million dollars to renovate the baseball stadium. The college spent about $700,000 for Galileo’s Pavilion. The new culinary building could cost up to $13 million for its construction.

If the college can spend that kind of money for new buildings and renovations, why is it now requiring its employees to empty their own trash and recycling bins? Is the housekeeping staff really that expensive for the college to maintain?

The Board of Trustees voted to approve a two percent salary increase for Dr. Calaway just last month. This is despite the fact that enrollment numbers have decreased this semester since fall of last year. Tuition has been increased at the school for the last five years. In the 2009-2010 school year, it cost $69 per credit hour for Johnson County residents. For the 2012-2013 school year, that price has jumped to $84 per credit hour.

The tuition rate is outpacing inflation during a time when the economy is trying to climb out of a recession. What do we have to show for it? We have Galileo’s Pavilion, a green building with limited classroom space. We have 200 less parking spaces, thanks to construction of the new culinary building.

Elected officials must carry out their duties above reproach. Although the Board of Trustees deserves credit for building up the college, its spending habits should not go unquestioned. Last year, the college spent nearly $10,000 at local liquor stores. Why?

It’s not enough that the college newspaper asks the question. As taxpayers and students that pay tuition, we should all ask why money is being spent the way it is. The disconnect between government and its citizens is one that people in power would like to maintain. The Kansas Open Records Act allows everyone to keep an eye on their elected officials, including the Board of Trustees.

Rather than use it just to uncover wrongdoing, open records help people stay informed. They help to explain the “what” and the “why.” Certainly, crooks have been elected into various offices before. A knowledgeable public will help prevent it from happening.

Student clubs aim to increase involvement

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International Club members participate in a cultural awareness activity during a meeting in CC 211 on Sept. 12. The club is one of the most popular on campus, and offers support and social opportunies to students from more than 100 countries. Photo by Kelly Daniels
International Club members participate in a cultural awareness activity during a meeting in CC 211 on Sept. 12. The club is one of the most popular on campus, and offers support and social opportunies to students from more than 100 countries. Photo by Kelly Daniels

By David Hurtado

There’s an old saying that birds of a feather flock together. Student clubs, whose members share similar interests, are one such example.

The college hosts more than 50 different clubs and organizations for students. Some of these are relatively new on the block, while others have been around for decades.

Mindy Kinnaman, manager, Student Life and Leadership Development, said Student Senate was among the first clubs to be formed at the college.

“[Student Senate] was formed within the first five years of the college’s founding,” Kinnaman said. “No one seems to be quite sure of the exact date.”

Student Senate provides representation for the student body of the college and distributes funds to the various student clubs and organizations on campus. In addition, Student Senate plays a role in policy-making that affects the student body. The smoking ban, approved last year by the Board of Trustees, was first initiated by Student Senate.

According to Kinnaman, the largest club in terms of members is Phi Theta Kappa with more than 600 members. Many of them are not actively involved, however. As an honors society, Phi Theta Kappa does not hold regular meetings. Instead, a leadership board meets and plans activities for members.

Currently the largest club of actively involved students is International Club, which has more than 100 active members. This is the first year the club has boasted such high membership.

Founded in 1985, International Club brings together students from America and around the globe for educational and social activities. It acts as a forum for learning about world cultures and fundraises for scholarships for international students.

David Ellis, the club’s adviser, said he felt the club was able to retain members because of the welcoming atmosphere.

“I think there’s a sense of belonging,” Ellis said. “Our president, Jason, makes you feel that way and the officers make you feel that way. So if you come and you’re brand new, there’s a lot of people who will come talk and visit with you and make you feel they’re glad that you’re here.”

In addition, Ellis said he felt many American students feel a special bond with international students. He said being around them makes you feel comfortable; you do not need to be a special person.

Some of the newer clubs on the block include Secular Student Alliance, Advertising and Public Relations Club and Cult Film Club. These were approved by Student Senate March 19. However, according to Kinnaman, that status is likely to change as five more clubs are awaiting approval.

Cult Film Club began in response to Cineclub, according to Kary Faria da Cunha, president.

“I noticed that there was a movie club on campus and I went and participated with it,” Faria da Cunha said. “With that club, they watch older films, more of your classic movies. There wasn’t any other club that explored avenues more contemporary, that students would be more drawn to. I thought, why not try another movie club?”

Cult films, or cult classics, are defined as films that do not achieve significant box office success, but acquire the following of a small fan base.

“A cult film has of a niche group that follows it, a certain type of individual who is drawn to these kind of films,” Faria da Cunha said. “They explore different realms outside the mainstream cinema, and deal with topics that are more risqué and taboo, making for great humor.”

Students interested in joining an existing club or forming a new one can get more information from the Center for Student Involvement, COM 309. At least 10 students and one adviser are needed to form a club.

Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Review: ‘Gangnam Style’ mania

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Bill Butts, student and ECAV radio host, leads friends and the Golden Girls in a Gangnam Style flash mob Thursday, Sept. 6. Photo by Mackenzie Gripe
Bill Butts, student and ECAV radio host, leads friends and the Golden Girls in a Gangnam Style flash mob Thursday, Sept. 6. Photo by Mackenzie Gripe

By Spencer Pressly

Korean Pop, otherwise known as K-pop, is popular in its respective regions. Still, it has never really had the spark that made it popular the around the world until now.

Psy, a famous Korean artist, released his latest single “Gangnam Style” via YouTube on July 15. The video became an immediate hit on the internet. The music video was the perfect mix of wild, crazy and catchy songwriting.

To long time K-pop fans this was a fresh take on a genre that had been taken way too seriously over the years, while new listeners were introduced to a completely different form of music.

The video now has over 180 million views, and that number grows larger every day. Since its release, the song has become an overnight phenomenon leading to flash mobs all over the world and coverage from major news stations. Not only that, but there are now many fan parodies of the video all over YouTube.

The parodies recreate the video in local home towns with people riding their invisible horses all over town. The iconic dance in the video is a mix of “classy and cheesy” in the words of Psy, and easy to learn for everyone to show off in public.

Now two months after the song was released, it seems to just keep growing with more people discovering it every day. There is now more of a widespread interest in different K-pop artists than ever before.

Psy has also been making appearances all over America. Just recently Psy showed up on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Saturday Night Live. It has also been popping up on music charts all over the world and is even a number 1 song on iTunes now.

The song has led to a bit of trouble recently with a group of lifeguards from El Monte, Calif. Fourteen lifeguards uploaded a parody called “Lifeguard Style,” filmed at the city’s swimming pool at the El Monte Aquatic Center. All 14 lifeguards were immediately fired for violating their contracts.

97.1 AMP Radio held an interview with Psy where he said this incident was a “tragedy” and officials “were taking things too seriously.” This even led to Psy appearing on MTV News to leave El Monte’s mayor a message, saying, “I’m begging you to not fire please, because they were enjoying their souls with some other cultures and it was even off duty.”

As of press time, the city council has not made a final decision.

Still, a song that brings so many people happiness has to be one of 2012’s best surprises. So whether you love the song and listen to it every day or just don’t understand what all the fuss is about, you cannot deny the large effects the song has left in such a short amount of time.

Contact Spencer Pressly, staff reporter, at spressl2@jccc.edu.

Campus Calendar

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Letter to the editor from Evan Payne: ‘I gatta dumb it down for those liberals!’

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David Hortado brought up a good point in his column about affirmative action. It’s totally reverse discrimination! Problem: those fat cats in Washington don’t know it! In fact, I couldn’t find anything in any amendments about a legal entity called “reverse racism” or “reverse sexism” for that matter! Now we find that it doesn’t protect whites from discrimination on the basis of their skin! This means that if reverse discrimination is a distinct social phenomena, without a legal counterpart any Negroid American, as well as in some cases getting jobs or into school, could just walk up to any Caucasian, a call him a “cracker” a “honky” or even a “white boy” and not be committing a hate crime at all!

He made another point. We need to restore pure capitalism! The more free the market the better! Society is that simple. We need to abolish all child labor laws; they interfere with the hiring process. And abolish the abolition of slavery; It drives wages up! No wonder the corporations outsource! American Capitalism has been crippled by the state! I know without a doubt that Blacks want to drive their wages up within the social confines Whites have created! Ayn Rand warned us! And if Martin Luther King were alive, he would let us twist his words to support an economic system he didn’t agree with!

End the oppression against whites! Before the Mexicans kill us all with drugs and take our land! It’s like Malcolm X said: White Power!

-Evan Payne, student

 

Related column: Affirmative Action: Promoting inequality since 1961

The Campus Ledger’s letter to the editor policy

Guest column by Taylor Dunn on ‘Affirmative Action: Promoting inequality since 1961’

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This is in regards to the article entitled “Affirmative Action: Promoting inequality since 1961.” In the past, perhaps I would have read an article like the one in question and chuckled, or if I decided to write in, would submit a well-structured dismantling of the absurd argument made in this particular editorial. At current, there is only rage. The only way that some person could hold the opinions expressed in this article is by blatantly ignoring facts and history. So any information I bring to the attention of Mr. Hurtado, any suggestion that Affirmative Action is not some sort of retributive policy, that hundreds of years of institutionalized racism, oppression and slavery still have a large impact on people of color and their opportunities in comparison to whites today, or that reverse racism is an impossible concept, would all be denied or ignored. So instead, I’m just going to say some things that need to be said.

Fear drives people to do, say, and think ridiculous things. There are people like David Hurtado that are afraid of the change that’s coming. But the beauty of it is that no matter what they believe, no matter how afraid they are, the United States will continue to take steps to promote equality, and more taxes will be levied to create a national healthcare system. And best of all, it will become socially unacceptable to voice uninformed, bigoted opinions like the ones that formulate “Affirmative Action.” The future holds even more pushback from the underclass and from people of color.

Lastly, a suggestion: The fine school that Mr. Hurtado writes for offers American, Latin American, and African American history courses that I recommend he take; that way, his next opinion piece won’t need to have “unfounded” written in front of it.

“If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, that’s not progress. If you pull it all the way out, that’s not progress. The progress comes from healing the wound that the blow made. They haven’t even begun to pull the knife out. They won’t even admit the knife is there.” –Malcolm X

Taylor Dunn, student

 

Related column: Affirmative Action: Promoting inequality since 1961

The Campus Ledger’s letter to the editor policy

Letter to the editor from Brandon Terry on ‘Reveling in drunken discord’

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I read your article in the in the campus ledger, “Reveling in drunken discord”. I would just like to voice about some of the text you have used in the article. In one of your sentence’s in you opening paragraph you quoted the word’s “frat boy” as a stereotype based on bias of things you have heard about them. I being from a fraternity back ground did not like the use of the word. You used the word in a bashing form, with out listing the other things that go into fraternity life. They have many other that go into there daily life then “drinking” They all have some kind of charity’s that they support, they are usually the most involved in campus activities, and have usually the highest GPA’s on campus. So when you used the stereotype word of Frat is really hit home to effecting on how i could even read the article. If you want to write a paper about the abuse of alcohol, try just informing the students instead of bashing other people.

Thanks,

Brandon Terry, student

 

Related article: Reveling in drunken discord

The Campus Ledger’s letter to the editor policy

Guest column by David Cuellar on ‘Talkin’ ’bout my generation’

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Consider this an intellectual shooting spree. While I appreciate cynicism and misanthropy, as much as one can without transforming into a Carlin-esque curmudgeon, and largely agree with you, your inflammatory characterization of the rampaging “last winners” grossly oversimplifies a very complex issue while obfuscating every possible solution.  

There are have been mass shootings lately, and they have been perpetrated by relatively young individuals. You made the correct observation. Although, your belittling of the role mental illness plays in these tragedies exemplifies irrationality par excellence. I am highly skeptical of the notion that parenting styles can overwhelm cognitive distortions or biochemical propensities for mental illness. If someone suffers from a mental illness, they will respond to losing differently than their “healthy” counterparts. Cognitive distortions derive their name from the effect they have on cognitive processes. They distort them. A healthy child might lose a competition and be upset, but it won’t haunt them because they do not derive their value from the outcome of that event. However, a child with a propensity for mental illness might magnify the importance of the competition to the extent that their identity is tied closely to the outcome. Losing, then, comes to identify the child in his or her mind.

Now, take off your riding boots, get off your high horse, wade through the vitriol you’ve spewed, and put yourself in the shoes of such a child, an awkward, reserved child who can’t help but view the world through a fun-house mirror that magnifies flaws and extrapolates them to a comprehensive worldview. Every loss, every failure, and every disappointment represents an attack against their being. Next time you fail, tell yourself “you are the failure and disappointment of the world concentrated in one human being.” Then, take the way you feel, and imagine that happening every single day.  

How exactly can someone who lives in a distorted, not necessarily candy-coated, reality come to healthy conclusions after failure? How can parental exposure to failure help children who deal with cognitive distortions or mental illness cope with failure when each exposure triggers a psychological crisis? It can’t. Letting a child lose or fail won’t fix chemical imbalances. It won’t fix cognitive distortions. It most definitely will not turn the child into the embodiment of perseverance.  You essentially advocate the Spartan approach to child psychology: test the child’s response to the cruel world and act accordingly. Do you know what happened to the weak Spartan children? The Spartans threw the frail children into a chasm on Mount Taygetus. In modern times, that chasm is a life of poverty, incarceration, and probably suicide. “Susie Sympson, adjunct professor, Psychology, said, ‘the majority of our homeless people are mentally ill’” (Parton 8). She continued, “the number of mentally ill in jails is super high. We don’t have the services, we don’t pay attention to the things that we can do,’” (Parton 8).  Demonizing the mentally ill will not fix the problem.

I’m not an expert in child psychology; I’m not an expert on much of anything, really. However, there is no one factor that causes rampages. In fact, “Brad Redburn, chair, Psychology, said that psychologists have yet to discover a link in behavior between violent killers,” (Parton 8). A sense of entitlement may be a part of rampages, but Redburn concludes, “these seem to happen under exceptional circumstances,” (Parton 8). Your equivocation of the roles that minor inconveniences and severe psychological trauma play in the motives of mass killers only stigmatizes the mentally ill. Portraying the mentally ill as people who will “snap” because of a failed test, employment difficulties, and financial woes only decreases the probability that they will seek help or talk to anyone about their problems, which increases the probability of their struggles to become overwhelming.

Despite this, I think you are correct in a sense; feelings of entitlement, whininess, and outright narcissism are problematic, but they constitute a minor, and easily resolved, annoyance when compared to the ongoing mental health crisis. (I call it a crisis because the lack of mental health solutions deeply affects many.) Parents should let their children fail at times. However, this character building should not supplant a genuine concern for mental health.

Regards,

David Cuellar, student

Work Cited

Parton, Jon “Alone, Fearful, Desperate: The Psychology of a Troubled Mind.” The Campus Ledger [Overland Park, KS] 6 Sept., 2012, Print.

 

Related column: Talkin’ ’bout my generation

The Campus Ledger’s letter to the editor policy

Sports Column: Two weeks of disappointment

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By James Russell

Editor’s note: Look for Russell’s column on this week’s victory online coming soon.

Chiefs vs. Falcons

Before anything else is stated, I would like to apologize to every KC fan worldwide for costing us this game. I have a pair of Chiefs shorts that I wear for every game which I didn’t wear for this one, and thus this first game is all my fault. I’m sorry.

Aside from silly superstitions that cannot have any possible effect on the outcome of anything other than my laundry load (but for which I am still helpless concerning my belief in their validity), this was a difficult game to watch – and an even more difficult game to write about.

I think what stood out most clearly from four quarters of play in game one of the NFL season is that our defense failed consistently. Granted, Brandon Flowers and Tamba Hali were not in this game so both our pass protection and our sack potential were virtually non-existent, but if two players being absent from a single game is the excuse for what I saw on defense, then we are in serious trouble.

I don’t believe this to be the case.

I expected to see a rough start; some stumbling and problems getting things to click right away, and that is exactly what I saw. We all saw it. So why focus on what went wrong? Spilt milk, et cetera.

So what went right? Well, if we’re talking about the first two quarters and we’re talking offense then the answer is “pretty much everything.” I watched a deep playoff contender take the field in the form of the Kansas City offense, and while we couldn’t maintain that momentum for the full game (I don’t think, for the record, that being unable to play an entire four quarters is a problem we will see on a week-to-week basis from these guys), what they did in that first half was nothing short of absolute dominance.

Matt Cassel looked like he should be wearing a diamond-studded ring on one or two of his fingers. His touchdown pass to Boss, his rushing touchdown that left Atlanta trying to figure out what the hell just happened, not to mention a clear ability to make accurate and game-changing decisions both at the line of scrimmage and in the heat of battle).

Dexter McCluster hauled in everything thrown at him like there was a homing device hidden inside the ball. The offensive line protected their QB and provided him with the time he needed, something which he took full advantage of (even after their abysmal second half, Cassel managed to rank seventh nationally on ESPN’s QB rating list for week one).

Sure, things went to hell in the second half. Three turnovers, one of which was a terrible decision by Cassel, but the loss cannot be considered a complete surprise, nor can it be laid at the feet of any one player. Our defense failed for most of that game and, in the end, our offense followed suit.

I’m looking forward to next Sunday and playing the Buffalo Bills. They’re the team responsible for the injury that resulted in an entire season without Eric Berry last year (as well as an absolute blowout of a loss), so I am hoping that we have a bit of a personal vendetta going into this matchup. I think we may see a very different game come high noon in Buffalo this week.

One loss in a 16 game season doesn’t mean much – or at least it doesn’t have to. My prediction is that we see a KC team with a chip on its shoulder enter the stadium Sunday (including Hali and, hopefully, Flowers), and the nation gets a taste of who we
really are.

I’m calling for a win in this game. A substantial one. I’ll be wearing my shorts, so it’s a pretty safe bet.

Chiefs vs. Bills

K, so my shorts didn’t help even a little bit.

I don’t have much to say after this game. I’m worried. Is it time to panic? I’m not really sure.

Our defense looked atrocious, even with Hali and Flowers back in the game. Our offense couldn’t generate anything. My guy Cassel wasn’t the leader that I believe he is capable of being; not in this game, at least.

Our offensive line didn’t generate the possibilities I hoped they would. Our defense was unable to stop a team that we should have dominated from start to finish.

We screwed this game up, and I have no excuses to offer for our performance. I will give Crennel another game or so to figure things out, but this was unacceptable. Our schedule only gets harder and we can’t afford to continue in this way.

I won’t say much else. I have no flowery (no pun intended) words to end this article. We performed abysmally in this game, and I was completely wrong concerning the outcome.

I don’t believe I’m wrong about our potential, but something has to change. And it has to change immediately. Two games into the regular season and things are looking bad.

Perhaps this is a knee-jerk reaction. I won’t change my thoughts on what we’re capable of. But Crennel has to fix this – and fast.

Go Chiefs.

Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse24@jccc.edu.

Sports briefs – Sept. 21, 2012

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Shelley enters ABCA Hall of Fame

The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) announced head baseball coach Kent Shelley will be inducted into the 2013 Hall of Fame.

Shelley has more wins than any other coach in the college’s history. He has been with the school for 26 years. During his time as coach, Shelley has won two East Jayhawk Conference championships, three Region VI championships and a World Series appearance.

Cavs golf team begin with a win

The Cavaliers golf team won its first tournament of the year at Hesston Golf Park on Sept. 10. The Cavs had four players place in the top 10. National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American Mario Funcic led with a 3.82 average on all par four holes. Freshman Gage Scheer, in his debut for the college, finished in second place with 143 total.

Win-win for soccer teams

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams walked away with victories over Independence Community College on Sept. 17. The men’s team won 5-1. Two of the goals were scored by sophomore Luis Cadena. The women’s team shut down Independence in a 9-0 win. Freshman Christianna Tran scored three of the goals in the blowout.

Upcoming women’s volleyball games

The women’s volleyball team will face off against four teams in a back-to-back double header during the JCCC Challenge Friday, Sept. 21 and Saturday, Sept. 22. The Lady Cavs take on North Platte College and Central Community College-Columbus Friday. Saturday, the team goes up against Coffeyville Community College and Iowa Lakes Community.

Compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu

Column: Campus zombies do exist

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By Tasha Cook

Let me tell you a story. This morning, on my way through school, I actually got the privilege to be part of a giant, life-sized pinball machine full of zombies. What, you didn’t see it?

You were part of it too.

This is the daily life of a college student walking through the halls, buildings and classrooms of our school, merely on account of the complete carelessness and lack of effort on the part of anyone else to just walk a straight line and stay out of other peoples’ way. I can’t tell you how many mornings I have walked to the Ledger office, lugging my laptop, camera, personal backpack and other various things, only to have to make every effort to dodge the one single person in the entire hallway who seems to make it a point to walk straight into me.

Common sense, people. Common sense.

I’m not saying the world should part the seas for me to walk through. On the contrary, I think it takes an effort from all people to try to make each other’s lives a little easier. What I don’t understand is the seemingly hundreds of people I see every day wandering aimlessly right into my path, staring ahead as if entranced by a giant hypno-swirl behind me that I must be oblivious to. It’s like they’re… zombified. Sometimes I feel like I’m surrounded by a meandering lot of zombies, not intent on eating other humans but just knocking them around or getting in
their way.

The same goes for people who find it necessary to walk in large groups spanning entire hallways and make no effort to allow anyone else to pass. I have actually spent entire minutes just trying to get around groups of chatting people, and I’m generally a small person who can get through small spaces.

People seem to find it easy to leave no spaces to get by, however, unless you’re a pygmy goat. I understand that you have your group of friends. So do I folks. But these halls are about eight people wide and somehow the three of you can take it all up.

When I see someone else in a hurry, carrying a load of things or just plain with the intention of actually getting somewhere, I try to move so that we both have a clear path and don’t hit each other or each other’s items. It’s unfortunate that half the time I do, the oncoming person seems to drift right into my path, making my entire walk ten times more difficult. The bottom line is, watch where you’re going and try not to just float around like an aimless dandelion foof.

Snap out of it, meandering zombies.

Contact Tasha Cook, photo editor, at tcook15@jccc.edu.

Harassment complaint leads to termination of professor

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By Jon Parton

Former Computer Science professor William Hailey was terminated by the college at the end of summer classes after a student filed a harassment complaint against him.

Student Raffi Hatutian filed the complaint against Hailey after receiving a series of text messages from the professor. Hatutian was enrolled in one of Hailey’s spring 2012 classes.

“Raffi, I hope your interest and follow-through so far is not what I have to look forward to,” Hailey wrote in a long text to Hatutian. “It’s going to have to do a 180 [degree] turn-around. I am taking my time for you.

“There are many things I enjoy doing with my time. I enjoy working in my yard. I enjoy time with my son. I really enjoy spending time with a student who asks for a chance. They always appreciated that I take time just for them. We work, but we get lunch, maybe racquetball or swimming, if they are interested.

“If you don’t think you can keep a promise to me, please tell me before we begin. We can both save save [sic] a lot of time, and do other things for ourselves and for people in our lives who value our time that we are able to give to them. Raffi, it’s entirely up to you. Please let me know very soon what you want to, AND WILL, do.”

Although Hatutian said he could not comment on the matter, he confirmed that his attorney, Joshua Seiden, is in contact with the college.

Dennis Day, vice president, Student Success and Engagement, confirmed that Hailey is no longer employed by the college.

“Every college and university is under the restrictions of- there’s a duty to report and there’s a duty to certain actions,” Day said. “So in this case, when we found out about suspicions of certain acts, the college moved very quickly and the employee is no longer an employee of the institution within hours of finding out.”

Day confirmed that other complaints against Hailey were brought to his attention.

“In this case, there was enough smoke […] that there was an action needed to happen rather quickly,” Day said. “And then once there was a semi-confirmation of what was done, then the action was termination because we have no tolerance for it.”

On the website RateMyProfessors.com, students can rate professors and leave comments for others to read. One user wrote an unfavorable comment about Hailey on Jan. 8, 2010.

“Mr. Hailey was never willing to help you,” the comment began. “The only people that he would help was [sic] the ones that couldn’t speak English. He did not teach on useful things. He gave his opinion on how the U.S. should work. He asks you to go swimming with him a lot. It really creeps me out a lot. He should be fired. He wouldn’t show us how to do certain things when asked [sic].”

Hailey could not be reached for comment.

Editor’s note: Joshua Seiden is a former student and former editor of The Campus Ledger.

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

Column: Kudos to the administration

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By Mackenzie Clark

Too frequently, I find myself with some sort of bone to pick with the administration of this college. However, recently they handled a very difficult situation as well as they possibly could.

If you read the article on page two of this issue, you know that former professor William Hailey was terminated from the college after sending quite disturbing text messages to a student.

Multiple administrators, now, have told me that this termination occurred within an hour of substantiating the claims of harassment.

Bravo.

In a situation like this, or, for example, the Jerry Sandusky case, the only logical policy is zero tolerance. Abusing a position of power in a way that could scar a victim for life is absolutely absurd.

I congratulate and thank the administration for their actions in this case, and highly encourage any victims of harassment – verbal, physical or otherwise – to come forward immediately.

Now let’s just hope no one else falls victim to Hailey once he finds a different job.

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

Column: Poor people are lazy, welfare moms drive Mercedes, and other stereotypes

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By Jon Parton

I remember the last year of high school very well. I was homeless.

It’s easy to stereotype people, even when we know that it’s wrong. Poverty is real. The need is real.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 46 million people live in poverty in our country. All the rhetoric about pulling yourself up by the bootstraps is meaningless to those who actually live in poverty. Too often, people point at the choices the poor made in their lives.

My mother raised four kids by herself for most of her life. What sort of choices did she make to wind up being a single parent? She chose not to remain married to a man who sexually molested my older sister from the time she was five until the age of ten. My mother blamed herself for not knowing and tried to take her own life. During that tumultuous period, our family relied on the government’s foster care program.

Compassion is not a flaw. It’s not a human defect. It’s not a weakness. If anything, it is humanity’s saving grace. The ability to look past your own wants and needs in order to help others is a virtue. It’s easy to forget the real problem of poverty in our country. Talking heads would have you believe welfare recipients are all lazy people who take advantage of the system.

Growing up, our family required welfare and social services for help. After our parents divorced, my mother found herself back in the working world after years of being a stay-at-home mom. With no college degree and four kids, she found work in a physically demanding labor job. Even though the job required her to work outdoors during the summer heat, she did so for the sake of her children.

Even then, it wasn’t enough. Without the benefit of welfare and the food stamps program, our family would not have made it. Approximately 3.9 million Americans age 65 and older currently live in poverty. Are all of them weed-smoking freeloaders? How about half? Are 2 million senior citizens not bothering to “pull themselves up by the bootstraps,” or are they all products of bad choices?

As my siblings and I grew older, we gained a unique appreciation for education and all it could do for us. My older sister was the first in my family to get a college degree. She became a teacher. My brother obtained a CDL, leading him toward a financially secure life. My younger sister is a stay-at-home mom, married to a member of the law enforcement community. None of them are on welfare. None of them do drugs. All of them are homeowners.

The face of poverty is not a stereotypically single mother who keeps having kids in order to continue to collect government benefits. Businesses close. Stocks fall. Poverty is a real effect of these things. They’re not just headlines of a newspaper, they’re events that can make or break families and individuals.

I’m glad that my nieces and nephews will never know what it’s like living in a car in a parking lot. I’m glad that they’ll never have to ask a friend if they can use their shower. During the time of her life when she should enjoy being with her grandchildren, our mother is fighting stage IV cancer, brought about from her years of working outside. Now she needs the help of Social Security and Medicare to make sure she can receive badly needed radiation treatments.

When I think of the all the dumb things our leaders spend money on (Yoder anyone?), I have no problem helping those who actually need it. Lifting Americans out of poverty should be our goal, and not by attaching a stigma of laziness and deceit to the effort. The only way to do that is by supporting these programs and doing everything we can to make education a priority.

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

Police briefs – Sept. 21, 2012

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Purse theft in LIB

A female student reported her purse stolen to the Campus Police Sept. 4. The victim stated someone took the purse while she was sleeping on the second floor of the Library. She stated that she decided to take a short nap before the start of her next class. The victim said her purse was missing when she woke up. Campus Police advised the victim to contact her bank regarding the incident and the stolen debit card in her purse.

Money taken from wallets

Two students reported a theft of cash in LIB 342 on Sept. 4. The two victims stated money was stolen from their wallets stored in their backpacks. The victims believe the money was taken when they left the classroom for a short time lasting no longer than 20 minutes. The first victim reported $60 stolen while the second victim reported a theft of $40.

iPhone theft

A victim reported her iPhone stolen from a table on the first floor of the library Sept. 6. The victim stated that she left her phone unattended three times while she used the copy machine. She said the theft was discovered when she got ready to leave.

Backpack theft

Campus Police were dispatched to the library in response to a report of theft on Sept. 4. The victim reported he was studying on the second floor of the library. He said he momentarily left his backpack unattended when he left the area to use the restroom. The victim reported that his wallet was inside the backpack at the time it was stolen. The wallet was turned in to the front desk at the library, but the backpack was not recovered.

Wallet theft

Campus Police were contacted by a student reporting theft of her wallet Sept. 4. The victim stated that someone stole the wallet out of an open pocket in her backpack. The victim stated that the wallet contained a debit card and $4 and change. Later in the evening, the victim reported that her husband found the wallet in the third floor men’s bathroom in the trash can. All items were in the wallet except the cash.

Compiled by Jon Parton, jparton@jccc.edu

News briefs – Sept. 21, 2012

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BNSF closes railroad on Pflumm at Santa Fe Trail Drive

Pflumm Road just south of Santa Fe Trail Drive will be closed beginning Monday, Sept. 24. BNSF will be replacing the railroad crossing there and no traffic will be allowed to pass.

According to a press release from the City of Lenexa, the road is planned to reopen Friday, Sept. 28.The city recommends motorists use Quivira Road or Lackman Road instead, although local detours will be marked.

Calaway to give State of the College address

College president Terry Calaway will deliver his annual State of the College presentation at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28 in the Polsky Theatre. The event is free and open to the public.

The event will also be televised on Channel 17 on SureWest and Time Warner Cable, or Channel 22 on Comcast.

Ledger staff will be present and live-tweeting the event on the Twitter account @CampusLedger.

JCCC declared Military Friendly school

Victory Media has named the college a Military Friendly school for the fourth year in a row.

This honor is given to the top 15 percent of schools who excel in their services for service members, veterans and military families. 

Campbell, author and entrepreneur, to visit college

Harry Campbell, who has served as president of two Fortune 500 companies and authored the book “Get-Real Leadership,” will speak to the college’s Collegiate Entrepreneur’s Organization (CEO) at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26 in RC 231.

For more information about the event, contact adviser Barbara Millard at bmillard1@jccc.edu or club president Michael Cauble at mcauble@stumail.jccc.edu.

Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu

Reveling in drunken discord + JCAV Video

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Illustration by Morgan Daigneault
Illustration by Morgan Daigneault

By David Hurtado

How can students stay happy in college? By drinking more alcohol in one setting than a frat boy at the Super Bowl game, of course.

According to a study conducted by the American Sociological Association, college students who binge drink are more likely to be happy than their peers who don’t. The study showed students from social groups considered to have high status were more likely to binge drink than those from lower groups. This, in turn, led binge drinking to become associated with being popular on campus.

“I think college students drink because they assume they’re suppose to,” said Meghan Wiggin, student. “They think that’s what you go to college to do nowadays. Instead of going to college to get a degree, it’s to party.”

The study also found students did not binge drink because they were unhappy, but because they wanted to fit in. However, researchers found students who suffered from stress, anxiety and sexual abuse were less likely to drink.

In addition to health risks such as liver disease, binge drinking can also create extra burdens for law enforcement. Sgt. Gregory Russell, Campus Police, said since the college does not have dorms, binge drinking is not as serious of an issue as it could be.

“Because of the lack of housing on campus, we don’t have the problem that a normal college setting would have,” Russell said. “Since we won’t have frat houses, dorms or apartments nearby, it’s not a problem for [the college].”

Binge drinking is defined as consuming at least five alcoholic beverages for men and at least four for women in a single drinking session.

Although some Americans point to the media or films such as “Project X” for encouraging binge drinking, others feel personal responsibility plays just as big a role.

“There’s a certain influence that comes from the media,” said Ronald White, student. “But I think the people you hang out with generally set the tone for what you do when you have fun. I definitely think it can start out from your peers and then the culture that the media can create can make it seem like this is what you should be doing.”

Russell said to his knowledge there have not been any episodes of binge drinking at the college in recent years.

“I’ve been here approximately five years and I’ve not had any reports of binge drinking,” he said. “It’s not tolerated by school policy, and if it was headed in that direction with any kind of alcohol consumption on school property, we would take the necessary means to discourage it.”

If binge drinking were to occur at the college, Russell said Campus Police would take action in keeping with Kansas law. Failure to cooperate with Campus Police would result in the case being handed over to the Overland Park Police Department.

“We would handle it within the confines of the law,” he said. “For the most part, we would have the interest of the student in mind as to try and resolve it on a more peaceful term, without having it to end in the result of an arrest, because that arrest would stay with that individual on their record.”

Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Cross Country teams set to break new records

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The women’s cross country team is shown practicing the morning of Aug. 29. Photo by Daniel DeZamacona
The women’s cross country team is shown practicing the morning of Aug. 29. Photo by Daniel DeZamacona

By Jon Parton

The men’s and women’s cross country teams trained in triple degree temperatures three weeks before the school semester even started.

According to Head Coach Mike Bloemker, it is that level of dedication and stamina that has led the success of both teams.

“There isn’t any real secret,” he said. “You just get out there and train, train, train.”

This season marks 15 years for Bloemker as head coach for the cross country teams. During his time at the college, he has garnered a number of achievements for the programs, including two individual national champions.

Bloemker has won more half marathon national championships than any other coach. He was named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region VI Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2004.

Both teams train together every day of the week. Bloemker said it was necessary in order to create competitive teams.

“We do a big long run on Sundays,” Bloemker said. “We’ll go anywhere from 12 to 20 miles, it just depends on the group.”

Sophomore cross country runner Tyler Roberts goes for a practice run on Aug. 29. Photo by Daniel DeZamacona

Last year, the Lady Cavaliers broke six school records and finished in the top five 18 times. The men’s team broke two stadium records and finished five times in the top five.

“Guys run a little bit more than the women,” Bloemker said. “Women, though, at this level out train any other team in the country. Overall, I think it’s one of the best teams we’ve ever had.”

Bloemker added that this year’s teams have a lot of potential.

“Right now, it looks like we have a really strong women’s team,” Bloemker said. “Our freshmen on the men’s side have come in and we’re really surprised with where they’re at.”

Angela Mancuso, sophomore on the women’s team, said she is optimistic about this year’s chances.

“There are always different personalities and that can be a challenge, but we all want the same thing,” Mancuso said. “We want to win.”

According to Bloemker, the race at Disney World is one the teams look forward to the most.

“Usually, you know, we compete well there,” Bloemker said. “Our guys were third there last year.”

Bloemker said it is the goal of each team to win at regionals. He thinks both teams have a good shot at making that happen.

“The guys I think, for sure, are top eight in the nation,” Bloemker said. “And the women are probably top five in national cross. Both sides will try to win the half marathon championship.”

James Bowlin, sophomore on the men’s team, said that the major challenges to face are health related.

“It’s basically staying away from injury,” Bowlin said. “Keep everyone together and stay focused.”

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

Drought affects campus community

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The same willow tree and lake in Heatherstone Park, Olathe, Kan., is shown Aug. 14, 2011 (top) and Aug. 30, 2012 (bottom). The severe drought the Midwest experienced this summer caused a visible difference in the park within just one year. Photos by Tasha Cook
The same willow tree and lake in Heatherstone Park, Olathe, Kan., is shown Aug. 14, 2011 (top) and Aug. 30, 2012 (bottom). The severe drought the Midwest experienced this summer caused a visible difference in the park within just one year. Photos by Tasha Cook

By Tabi Secor

The drought that has been engulfing much of the Midwest this summer has had major effects on two of the colleges’ programs.

“[The drought] has so severely impacted this program,” said Lekha Sreedhar, chair, Horticulture Sciences.

Students in the Horticulture program typically work during the summer and come back to school in the fall. In the summer students do landscaping and mowing, but because of the drought, there have not been many jobs available.

“I get emails from students who say they don’t have the money to come back in the fall,” Sreedhar said. “The program is down about 17 percent for the fall.”

The program has a 10,000 gallon reservoir available, but it mostly relies on rainwater that has been collected and stored on site. If there is no rainwater to collect, the reservoir serves as the primary source of water for the plants at the Horticulture building.

Stu Shafer, chair, Sustainable Agriculture, said that their program is also being affected.

“We were out on the campus farm, and I took a picture of four of the students working in the soybean section,” Shafer said. “One of the students was working on the rotor tiller, and you could see the dust come right up. The soil is just really dry.”

For the agriculture industry, the drought has played a significant role in global climate change.

“The drought is part of the bigger pattern of global climate change,” Shafer said. “It’s just not the drought this year, and the long term that’s affecting us, but the rising of the temperature.”

According to Sreedhar, droughts do not just impact plants, but numerous other areas that people may not realize.

The same willow tree and lake in Heatherstone Park, Olathe, Kan., is shown Aug. 14, 2011 (top) and Aug. 30, 2012 (bottom). The severe drought the Midwest experienced this summer caused a visible difference in the park within just one year. Photos by Tasha Cook

“Droughts seriously impacts our food production, our environment, our livestock consumption, everything,” she said.

As for how long it will take to bounce back from a drought like this, Sreedhar said it could take awhile.

“The problem is that winter wasn’t so good either, so there’s going to be pest issues as well,” she said. “West Nile Virus is a good example of how big the drought is. It’s going to take a couple years to bounce back.”

Sreedhar said that there are simple things the campus community can do to help out the environment during the drought.

“Don’t leave the sprinklers on, and start watering the streets,” she said. “Mulch really helps conserve water. So if you have mulched in the early spring, you don’t have to water as much.”

Shafer agreed.

“Reservoirs, which are major sources of water, and rivers which are another major source of water, and then the ground water, all of those supplies are finite,” he said. “It seems like it’s infinite when we can just turn on the tap, but they’re finite. And when in a drought, they’re reduced. So everybody should be aware how they’re using water and limit it.”

WaterOne provides water to Johnson County, and although they have not implemented any required water restrictions, they have asked some people in the county to voluntarily change their watering habits.

According to their website, WaterOne has asked customers living in sections of Leawood, Overland Park, and Prairie Village to change their outdoor watering schedule due to water demand in the area.

Sreedhar said the issue of water consumption is important to future generations.

“It’s time we started talking about these issues,” she said. “We can’t just deplete everything, and not think about the next generation of this planet.”

Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.

Taking a spin on the K-10

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The K-10 Connector bus drops off passengers at the Carlsen Center Friday, Aug. 30. Some students find the commute between Lawrence and the college is cheaper by bus than by car. Photo by Tasha Cook
The K-10 Connector bus drops off passengers at the Carlsen Center Friday, Aug. 30. Some students find the commute between Lawrence and the college is cheaper by bus than by car. Photo by Tasha Cook

By David Hurtado

With Americans paying through the nose at the pump, relieving the vice grip gas prices have on wallets resonates with many people.

The 710 K-10 Connector route, which runs between Lawrence and the college, provides students with a cheaper means of getting to school.

Chuck Ferguson, deputy transportation director, said rates for the K-10 Connector could see an increase in the near future. Johnson County Transit is currently dealing with a budget crisis that will require a significant reduction in services next year.

“The K-10 Connector is both the longest route in miles and the route with the most service daily of any JO route,” Ferguson said. “It also is equipped with Wi-Fi capabilities, unlike other JO routes.

The budget deficit is the result of a reduction in federal and state operating funds. Some local officials have recommended students be charged extra for using the Wi-Fi capabilities. Ferguson also said Johnson County operates the service that is designed to connect three campuses in two counties, yet Johnson County shoulders the operating cost burden alone.

The fare increase proposal is still being finalized and is expected to take effect in January 2013.

It costs approximately $933,000 a year to operate the 710 K-10 connector. Roughly $426,000 of the cost is funded by taxpayers.

Alternatives such as buying a hybrid or electric car can cost more than most people would like to fork out. Even carpooling has its setbacks for people who like driving on the road alone. Riding the bus or other forms of public transit saves gas, negates car insurance, eliminates maintenance expenses and reduces the monthly payments one makes.

Brandon Cleveland-Soter, student, said he rides the bus for those reasons.

“I don’t have a car, it’s very convenient and it’s a hell of a lot cheaper,” he said. “If [the bus] gets into a crash, I don’t have to pay for it.”

The route was first established in January of 2007 from a study conducted by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).

“They looked at widening the corridor and how they could move more traffic on the corridor,” Ferguson said. “As a subset discussion from that we decided it would be a good experiment to try a connector service between Lawrence and Overland Park, specifically connecting the universities of Kansas. It’s been widely successful.”

With the elimination of over 200 parking spots at the college, taking the bus may be a more viable option for students.

In addition to lending a hand to cash-strapped students, riding the bus can benefit the environment. According to the American Public Transport Association (APTA), 1.4 billion gallons of fuel and 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide are saved annually through public transportation. Another APTA study found families condensed their expenses by $6,200 annually though public transportation.

Still, riding the bus has its share of problems just as carpooling and energy efficient vehicles do. Traveling time can take longer, since it’s likely the bus will be making other stops before arriving at your destination. This is also compounded by the fact that the bus may not always be on time, whether it’s due to accidents, road work or the driver.

Katarina Unruh, student, said the bus is usually on time both to and from the college, and has only experienced minor discomforts on The JO.

“Sometimes it’s overcrowded and sometimes the Wi-Fi messes up, but that’s about it,” she said.

Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Staff Editorial: Transparency – A brief history: the college’s lack of communication

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Illustration by Sara Scherba

Imagine if you owned a company built with your own money. You would want to make sure the employees did the job they were hired to do.

Now imagine that your employees update you on their work only if you pay more than $47,000 to type up the report. That is the long-standing legacy of JCCC, the college built upon taxes and tuition paid by students.

As a public institution funded by taxpayers, it is the legal obligation of the school to act in an open and transparent manner consistent with our democratic system of government. Without this transparency, we run the risk of allowing school officials, our employees, to do what they will with zero accountability.

An official letter was made available to The Ledger last spring. In it, Dennis Day, vice president of Student Success and Engagement, stated that Brown & Gold Club members were no longer receiving free credit class enrollment as of fall 2012. Brown & Gold Club is available to Johnson County residents ages 55 and up. In an interview about the story, Day said the letter was never meant to be sent out and no changes had been made. We never learned how the letter got released.

Another issue that could have benefitted from more transparency was the smoking ban enacted last year by Student Senate and the Board of Trustees. In a decided move, smoking on the campus was restricted. The board did decide to allow for designated smoking areas near the ITC building only because Burlington Northern Santa Fe asked for them for their employees who attended the school.

The ban was enacted out of health concerns. Note that you can still purchase fried and sugary foods in the school’s cafeterias and many vending machines. Student Senate hosted a town hall meeting in February to discuss the matter. Although attendance for the event was high, the impotence of it was evident when school officials stated that no changes to the policy would be made.

A former Ledger employee, along with the Student Press Law Center, sued the college last year when the school determined that it would cost more than $47,000 to print up requested e-mail records. Such an exorbitant amount of money brings into question the college’s reasoning for the fee. Why would the school charge so much unless it had something to hide? When transparency is shut down, actions come into question.

The Ledger staff is all too familiar with school officials who do not check their voicemails or e-mail or are somehow too busy for a 10-15 minute interview. However, failure to receive an answer only leads to more and more questions.

This school is funded by you. The Board of Trustees, the college president and all college staff are your employees. Why wouldn’t you want to know what they are doing with your money?

Starting today, The Campus Ledger will make available on its website the information request form required by school officials for all inquiries. Our staff encourages you to use it to become more informed. You can ask for a large range of information, from lease agreements with Chick-Fil-A to weekly expense reports.

Discover how your money is being spent. You might be surprised.

 

Editor’s note: A link to the college’s open request form has been added to this entry as well as at the bottom of the page. 

New regulations to affect college teams

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By Tabi Secor

The National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) has passed new regulations that directly affect the college’s sports teams this season.

According to the NJCAA, the number of international students allowed on a sports’ roster cannot exceed one-quarter of the total number of athletes on the team.

NJCAA officials voted on the new rules in 24 regional conferences across the country two years ago and implemented them one year ago.

“The coaches have known about this for a year,” said Carl Heinrich, director, Athletics. “I am not aware of any player that would have been a freshman last year who was not afforded the opportunity to come back this year.”

Even though some teams have been affected by the new regulations, Heinrich said that he is unaware of any student who was dismissed from the team because of them. He did say, however, that sports such as soccer and tennis have had to cut back on the number of international students on the team.

The college belongs to the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC), one of twenty-four regional conferences in the NJCAA.

Bryce Roderick, KJCCC Commissioner, said the new regulations will have a positive effect on the conference.

“It will serve to balance the regions across the nation, because all teams in that sport can only have the same allowed number of international athletes,” he said.

The official reasoning for the change has to do with the philosophy of the conference being one which serves the community.

“When the dominant number of players on a team are international athletes, then there is a question of serving the community and therefore community support is eroded,” Roderick said.

Heinrich believes the new regulations were impacted by the amateur or professional status of some international athletes.

“What rules are made for is to put everybody on a level playing field, and to compete, and let the game be won on the court or the field,” Heinrich said. “So, were we really giving a fair opportunity for you as a student to compete against another school that had maybe pro players that were paid, and their skills were much higher?”

Heinrich said there are instances in which the new regulations come up short. One of those instances is in the case of international students who might not have been born here, but have spent a significant time playing sports in this country.

“We still have some holes, and it’s the undocumented person that maybe goes three years to Olathe North,” he said. “They don’t have a green card, then they come here and we have to count them as one of the four.”

Despite the fact that these new regulations have been passed, Heinrich wants to continue to focus on serving the local community.

“The reason for that is by definition of who we are,” he said. “We are a community college. We are here to serve Johnson County first. Our philosophy has always been we want the best athletes at Johnson County that we can possibly get and sometimes there are limitations.”

Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.

Point/Counterpoint: He had his chance

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By David Hurtado

As the 2012 election season comes into swing, the American people have two options on the table.

We can either reelect President Obama and have four more years of “hope and change,” or cast our ballot for Governor Romney and end the shadow that has fallen over America. President Obama is many things, but an effective leader he is not.

For starters, a good leader does not continuously blame his predecessor for what he inherited. Democrats took full control of Congress in 2006 and the presidency in 2008. For two whole years after, Obama had ample opportunity to pass laws designed to repair the economy. Instead, most of those two years were spent trying to pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

That law is not going to help improve the economy, especially when our elected representatives have no idea what’s in it.

“We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it,” former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said of the ACA.

If our lawmakers have no idea what’s in a piece of proposed legislation, it should never be passed.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 presented another opportunity Obama had to mend the void in the economy. According to an article by USA Today, the bill was intended to increase employment by 3.6 million by the fourth quarter of 2010. The problem here is, you can’t just take $787 billion, force-feed it into the economy and make everything all hunky-dory.

$787 billion doesn’t just magically appear out of thin air. It has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is either through taxes or borrowing. Picture the economy as a pie, with various slices comprising it. All this law accomplished was re-distributing how large those slices are, which failed to address the underlying problem.

The government spends exceedingly more than it takes in.

Romney, on the other hand, knows and understands how the economy works. According to FactCheck.org, job creation in Massachusetts rose to 28th in the nation during his final year in office. He also vetoed a measure that prevented Mass. from doing business with a state contractor who was re-locating customer service call centers to India.

Still, for those of you on the fence between Obama and Romney, this nation looks royally screwed. However, compared to Obama, Romney represents the lesser of the two evils in this election.

No, Romney’s not the ideal Republican candidate, but Obama has little to no knowledge of how economics work, nor does he seem to understand blaming his predecessor four years after he left office clearly displays his lack of leadership.

There is no guarantee Romney will improve economic conditions, as the future is uncertain, but four more years of Obama and America might not exist after them. Our country has fallen to a sickening standstill. Remember the proposal Obama made back in 2009 if he couldn’t turn around the economy?

“If I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition.”

Let’s hold him to that.

Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

 

Related editorial:

Point/Counterpoint: Hope for four more years

Enrollment numbers down but not out

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By Tabi Secor

First day enrollment numbers at the college are down 5 percent from last year, according to Pete Belk, director, Admissions.

The first day count came in at 17,245, which is around 850 students less than this time last year.

Even though the numbers are lower than previous years, Belk said what the college really looks at are the census numbers that are made available to the state on the 20th day of classes.

They also look at end of semester statistics.

“That end of the semester number is really where we be- come the largest undergraduate institution in the state,” Belk said. “We are not as concerned with first day numbers. Last year we were also down first day, but then late start classes and College Now kind of bring things up, and we ended up being up for the year.”

One thing Belk knows is that students are returning.

“The largest population that is increasing on campus is the returning student population,” he said. “So we are retaining more students than we have before.”

Although the Admissions department has not been told to do anything differently in terms of recruiting students, Mysti Meiers, recruitment specialist, said it does push the staff to work harder.

“Just the knowledge that that we may be down in enrollment kind of encourages us to get out there and be more aggressive in our efforts,” she said.

The college has also hired a new diversity recruiter, Melisa Jimenez, who will work directly with minorities in order to increase the number of students from different areas to the school.

“I’m going to be visiting high schools in Wyandotte County, some parts of Missouri, but I am going to be specifically working with diverse populations,” Jimenez said. “My goal for this first year is to really develop relationships with schools, with school counselors, with staff that is in charge of these specific demographics, so ELL, ESL teachers.”

She went on to say she hopes to put the college out there in a way that will meet the needs of diverse students.

“If I have to do something in Spanish, I will be able to do a presentation in Spanish,” she said. “If I have to meet families because, you know, studying the dynamic of some Hispanic families is more collective, so much of the time it is a family decision that is made.”

Meiers concentrates on Johnson, Franklin, and Miami counties.

“[Jimenez] and I’s charge really is to go out into the public, and bring awareness to Johnson County Community College to students with the ambitions of bringing them to campus,” she said.

Casey Wallace, student visit coordinator, said that around 3,000 potential students visit the college each year and are likely to attend.

“If we can get them to campus, we can get them to enroll,” she said.

Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.

Column: Affirmative Action, promoting inequality since 1961

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By David Hurtado

Of all the policies designed to keep Americans at each other’s throats, Affirmative Action is among the worst. There was once a time in our history when it was needed, but that time has since passed.

Affirmative Action was born from Executive Order 10925, which was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Its aim was to give all Americans an equal chance in employment and education opportunities, regardless of race, religion or national origin. Like most government policies, it’s done more harm than good.

Remember the old saying, “Two wrongs don’t make a right?” Affirmative Action discriminates against different races of people in favor of others by giving them special advantages. The concept revolves around making up for past discrimination by giving people employment based solely upon minority status instead of personal merits and experience.

Some feel this reverse discrimination is justified because it “makes up for centuries of oppression.” Not only is that line of reasoning baseless, it is self-contradictory. In our desire to right the wrongs of the past, we have discriminated against those who were not alive to commit the offenses, believing good reasons and intentions make it acceptable.

That is not equality; that is an affront to everything promoters of equality have fought against for decades. Instead of working toward a future where race no longer matters, we choose to continue legislation that carries on past hatred.

Martin Luther King, Jr. fought long and hard all of his life to teach Americans to treat each other with love and compassion, no matter our differences. Even though King endured prejudice at every turn, he never gave into hate.

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” King said.

Besides the blatant discrimination this failed concept encourages, affirmative action has an adverse effect on businesses. It undermines the principle of a free market economy by involving the federal government in the hiring process. Although it’s illegal in the United States to have quotas, Affirmative Action still pressures employers into choosing employees based on status even if some of the applicants aren’t the most qualified.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with having an ethnically diverse workforce, but the most qualified candidate should always receive the position. Too many unqualified workers negatively affect a company’s profits, and sufficient cumulative negative drag can impede economic growth. No one should ever be rewarded for something they have not earned, regardless of race, gender or any other factor.

Some feel that rewarding individuals through Affirmative Action because of these factors is both insulting and demeaning. Doing so insinuates they aren’t good enough to get ahead on their own and require assistance from Big Brother to succeed in life.

Thomas Sowell, economist, claims in his book, “Affirmative Action around the World,” that such policies are detrimental instead of helpful.

“Affirmative Action in the United States has made blacks look like peoples who owe their rise to affirmative action and other government programs,” he wrote. “It has been carefully cultivated by black politicians and civil rights leaders so as to solidify a constituency conditioned to be dependent on them, as well as on government.”

An eye for an eye is not going to make any anger or resentment go away. The only way to mend this deeply fractured country is through forgiveness, just as Nelson Mandela did to his captors of 28 years:

“Resentment is like a glass of poison that a man drinks; then he sits down and waits for his enemy to die.”

Contact David Hurtado, features editor, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Point/Counterpoint: Hope for four more years

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By Tabi Secor

Four years ago, Barack Obama was elected by the people of the United States to be their commander-in-chief. In that time, he has, despite what your favorite conservative pundit might say, accomplished a multitude of things while in the White House.

He signed into law the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare.” As a young person who is going to school full time, who is involved in campus organizations and is trying to balance everything at once with no health insurance, I can honestly say that knowing that the ACA is now law relieves a great deal of worry about my physical future.

That’s not to say there aren’t things that could be different, or better, but at the end of the day would Romney do anything close to what Obama has done? No. According to Romney’s own website, he will “pursue policies that give each state the power to craft a health care reform plan that is best for its own citizens.” In other words, he’ll restore health care to exactly what it is now. Tell me again who has the best interest of America in their hands. I’ll give you a hint: it doesn’t rhyme with tomney.

President Obama also repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the out of touch and polarizing law that said if you were gay and in the military, you couldn’t talk about it. He is also the first president in history to endorse same-sex marriage. Romney would not only support the Defense of Marriage Act but would also endorse an amendment that would define marriage between a man and a woman, constitutionally.

As students, we should be worried about the amount of money we are borrowing for education. Obama has signed into law a new measure that would reform student loans. Under the law, no borrower would pay more than 10% of their income. It also forgives any outstanding debt after 20 years. Any individual who chooses to be a teacher, or nurse or any other public service employee will have their debt forgiven in 10 years. Romney has said that he would not forgive student loan debt, or make promises he can’t keep when it comes to increasing grant awards.

Obama has increased funding for the Violence against Women Act, expanded Pell grants, cut costs on prescriptions for Medicare recipients, closed Guantanamo Bay, and oh yeah, there’s that little mission he ordered which killed Osama bin Laden. No big deal, right?

Analysts and politicians are quick to jump on the “it’s about personal responsibility” bandwagon, but when are people going to realize that whole idea of the American dream is to have a life worth living? People aren’t just going around merely wanting a government payout, or set out to get pregnant and have to undergo an abortion procedure or lose their jobs and have to go on welfare.

We have to learn, as a country, that we shoulder one another’s burdens. Vote for the candidate that will best stick up for what you believe in. Don’t just take my word for any of this. Do your research, on both candidates, and really decide who you want as your leader for the next four years. In my opinion, that man is Barack Obama.

Contact Tabi Secor, news editor, at tsecor@jccc.edu.

 

Related editorial:

Point/Counterpoint: He had his chance

InFocus: Alone, fearful, desperate: The psychology of a troubled mind

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Photo illustration by Tasha Cook
Photo illustration by Tasha Cook

By Jon Parton

Charles Joseph Whitman was a Marine, a Boy Scout troop leader, and a student of architectural engineering at the University of Texas. His wife taught biology at a nearby high school.

On Aug. 1, 1966, Whitman entered the observation deck of the Main Building at the university and began firing a high powered rifle at people on campus. An autopsy later found a tumor in his brain that may have affected his behavior.

Whatever the cause, many people suffer from serious mental health illnesses such as major depression, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in 17 American adults and an estimated one in 10 children suffer from some kind of serious mental health disorder.

This past summer has seen a number of mass shootings in the national headlines. Susie Sympson, adjunct professor, Psychology, believes that too much attention is being placed on the violence rather than the reasons behind it.

“I think that we’ve turned into a society that, you know, watches maybe in horror, but they watch these things,” Sympson said. “They are very much attracted to these things.”

She said action needs to be taken to help people with mental illness before it reaches a point where a person inflicts harm on themselves or others.

“The majority of our homeless people are mentally ill,” Sympson said. “The number of mentally ill in jails is super high. We don’t have the services, we don’t pay attention to the things that we can do.”

She added that people are more likely to commit suicide than to harm others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide was the eleventh leading cause of death of Americans and the third leading cause of death of Americans ages 15 to 24.

Sympson said people with mental health disorders do not just “snap.”

“That’s very simplistic,” Sympson said. “There is no one thing. There are lots of things. We can’t get away from society and what society is doing.”

Michelle Salvato, professor, Psychology, works to address mental health issues in children. She said behavior can sometimes be linked to family.

“History and psychology has shown normal people are capable of horrendous things,” Salvato said. “I think what happens is there may be a genetic vulnerability.”     

She believes parents play one of the most important parts in developing good mental health for their children.

“People don’t learn coping skills,” Salvato said. “I just don’t think parents teach kids coping skills.”

Brad Redburn, chair, Psychology, said that psychologists have yet to discover a link in behavior between violent killers.

“They have looked into aggressive behavior for a very long time,” Redburn said. “And what they’re finding is that there are no patterns. These seem to happen under exceptional circumstances.”

Redburn said there is not a lot of evidence to study because mass killings are so rare.

“There’s a perception that it’s more common,” Redburn said. “It’s sort of like when an airplane crashes. It makes the news because it rarely happens.”

He added that people should simply communicate better in order to help others.

“You run the risk of a false positive if you don’t talk to a person you suspect is having problems,” Redburn said. “It’s very much a situation-by-situation situation.”

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

InFocus: Staying safe in an emergency situation

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Photo illustration by Tasha Cook
Photo illustration by Tasha Cook

By Jon Parton

A series of mass shootings has gained national attention in recent months and the college has responded by implementing a new strategy known as ALICE training.

ALICE stands for Alert-Lockdown-Inform-Counter-Evacuate. The program was created 10 years ago by Greg Crane, a former law enforcement officer, and his wife Lisa Crane, a former counselor and educational therapist. The college contracted their company, Response Options, for the ALICE training.

The program created controversy back in 2006 when the Texas school district of Burleson rejected the program after training all of its teachers and some of its students.

Part of the ALICE training calls for students and faculty to physically confront attackers if the opportunity presents itself.

Alisa Pacer, manager of Emergency Preparedness, said the college decided to adopt the ALICE strategy because it was believed to be better than the school’s previous policy.

“If you truly break down ALICE, it’s the same strategies that are enforced and provided by the Department of Homeland Security, where you’ll hear the out principles ‘Hide out, get out, or take out,’” Pacer said. “In other words, it’s self-empowerment for survival.”

Pacer said that a possible emergency situation involving an active shooter on campus has no clear solution.

“Each situation is so volatile and so quickly changing,” Pacer said. “You know, in my experience, especially when I first came to this campus, active shooter was big then too. It was after Virginia Tech and people asked the question, ‘Tell me what to do?’ And there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer.”

Pacer said one of the most significant changes to policy involves the idea of lockdown.

“If we lock classroom doors, either for you, or you do it yourself… you can always get out,” Pacer said. “You’re never locked in. And in the training, that’s a big concept that we’re trying to change. And we’re not telling you to stay if it’s in your best interest to go.”

The training is a requirement for all college employees. Pacer estimated that more than 1,200 employees already completed training in the span of one week.

“By the end of September, we will have an online Angel core for those employees that just absolutely can’t make an in-person session,” Pacer said. “They’ll be able to take the online video course and we will be able to track the training that way.”

The school also adopted a new text and desktop alert system called JCCC Alerts. Pacer said that every credit student, continuing education student and college employee is automatically enrolled in the program. JCCC Alerts sends texts during emergency situations, informing people with up-to-date known details.

“We’ve gotten the buy-in that, as we have information, so will you, because that equals survival,” Pacer said.

Pacer said real-time communication of events as they occur is important to ensuring survival during a shooting.

“If you look at any instance that has fault, or turns to chaos, I mean if you look back at root cause, communication is usually 90 percent of the theme that you’ll see,” Pacer said.

The college is currently looking into making the program available for students, but nothing has been decided at the moment. Janelle Vogler, executive director of Audit and Advisory Services, said she would like to see students be able to take participate in ALICE training.

“Since it’s not a required thing, I think it’s such a positive, great skill for people to have,” Vogler said.

Larry Dixon, deputy chief, Police Department, said police officers on campus have taken the ALICE training as well.

“Our officers have trained with the Overland Park Police Department’s tactical unit,” Dixonsaid. “We’re trained to respond to violent intrusion, but the [ALICE] training offered a new perspective.”

Dixon said he believed the program would be very useful for students to take and welcomed the idea of opening training to everyone.

“Anytime you can make the college community more aware, the better,” Dixonsaid.

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

Culinary building to eliminate 264 parking spots

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The new Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center, which began construction in May, will eliminate 264 parking spaces from campus.

“The Library lot where the construction is happening in [has] 264 spots,” said Ryan Wing, senior Sustainability analyst. “The building itself is only supposed to sit on 120 when it’s completed, but we lose the whole lot during construction.”

A temporary parking lot was added by the Quivira entrance in response to the loss of the Library lot. According to Wing, the temporary lot will stay open throughout construction of the culinary building.

“There were several locations that were looked at for the building,” he said. “The building itself got moved at least a couple of times during that planning process. Originally it was going to be on [the west] side of campus and it would have taken up fewer parking spaces, but there was a concern about visibility of the building and access to the building.”

There are no current plans to build additional parking to even out the number of spaces lost.

“Our office has made the recommendation to the administration that we not build additional parking,” Wing said. “The cost to construct another garage the size of the Galileo garage that we currently have is $17.5 million or so. Part of our concern is we don’t want that cost passed onto students in increased fees to help pay for that.”

Compiled by David Hurtado, dhurtado@jccc.edu

News briefs – Sept. 6, 2012

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Campus Farm hosts lunch Tuesday, Sept. 18

The college will host a lunch using produce from the campus farm. The three-course menu includes a cantaloupe and lettuce salad, choice of chicken or stuffed red pepper and cinnamon flan for dessert.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for non-students and are available online or from the Business office (GEB 115). A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Student Environmental Alliance. The lunch will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18 in RC 101.

 

College joins National Preparedness Month campaign

This September is the ninth annual National Preparedness Month and the college’s office of Emergency Preparedness has joined a coalition with the intent of encouraging people to take action in their own communities.

The theme this year is “Pledge to Prepare – Awareness to Action.” For more information, visit http://www.ready.gov.

 

Deliberation over Brown & Gold Club continues

According to Dennis Day, vice president, Student Success and Engagement, no final decisions have been made regarding the Brown & Gold Club, available to Johnson County residents over the age of 55. Currently the club offers free tuition in credit classes and other benefits for an annual membership fee of $10.

One recommendation, mentioned in the minutes of the May 7 Learning Quality Committee meeting, is to start charging members $25 per credit hour. Day said members will be notified when decisions are finalized.

Kris Dye, former director of Brown & Gold, resigned from the position late last month. Day said he does not know if the position will be filled or if administrators will decide on a different route.

Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu

Police briefs – Sept. 6, 2012

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iPad theft in GYM

Campus Police were dispatched to the GYM after a college staff member said his iPad II, which had been charging in GYM 017, was reported missing on Aug. 16. He reported that he left the room for about 10 minutes. The room was open and many people would have had access. The Help Desk also instructed him how to clear the contents of the iPad via computer.

 

Equipment stolen from baseball field

A college faculty member reported on Aug. 15 that someone had stolen netting for the batting cage. He said he was mowing the field and was surprised because generally the netting is installed in spring and remains there until winter. He asked coaches and the contractor making repairs to the field if they had removed it, but none had. The reporting party also said he was unsure what value the net would have to the thief.

 

Missing laptop

A student reported his Macbook Pro missing on Aug. 22. The student was parked in the lower east garage of the Carlsen Center. He told police he remembered putting the laptop on the roof of his car as he put his book bag in the car and when he arrived home the laptop was nowhere to be found.

Compiled by Mackenzie Clark, mclark68@jccc.edu

Column: Talkin’ ’bout my generation

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By Mackenzie Clark

Perhaps some of you may have noticed a pattern emerging from the many shootings in the news fairly recently.

In quite a few of those cases the suspects were in their teens or 20’s. These immature kids decided that some aspect of their lives had gone wrong and it was their duty to make the world pay for it.

Naturally mental illness is a huge factor in cases of shootings, but I believe the root of the problem goes deeper than that.

This generation was raised in a society where there are no losers.

“Oh, you came in tenth place? You’re the last winner! Here’s your trophy.”

Not only that, but some schools have eliminated failing grades and instead offer students as many chances as they need to finally figure out the correct answer. This even applies to cheaters and plagiarizers.

We celebrate far too many of our inadequacies, and it’s exactly the wrong way to handle them. The areas where we fare poorly do not make us diverse; they make us human.

This is not how the real world works, and it’s time kids start to realize that at an early, healthy age. Otherwise they will be blindsided when life isn’t the sunshine and rainbows they believed it was before they graduated high school.

You know what happens when someone doesn’t live up to the standards set for The Ledger staff? I warn them, and if I have to, fire them. Game over. Just like all supervisors do.

At some point, society began turning its children into whiny, incompetent, spoiled, interdependent little pantywaists. Now the kids of my generation are growing into adults who, like their younger forms, believe they’re entitled to everything under the sun.

“I, like everyone else, can’t find a job in this economy! I need unemployment.”

“I can’t afford $8 a month in order to be as promiscuous as I want. I need free birth control. Oh, and in a few months, I’ll need free STD tests, too.”

“I can’t pay my tuition myself! But I really need to go to Harvard…” and the list goes on and on.

So, James Holmes of Aurora, Colo., you didn’t get into that graduate neuroscience program? That’s because you are a failure.

Those 12 people you killed and the 58 you injured had nothing to do with it.

Holmes failed an important oral exam, and he so miserably botched an interview with neuroscience program director Daniel Tranel at the University of Iowa that the man warned his colleagues, “Do NOT offer admission under any circumstances.”

Is this a license to kill? Last time I failed an exam I certainly didn’t go out and buy four guns and over 6,000 bullets and swing by a movie’s opening night on my way home. I dealt with it and knew no one had any choice in the matter but me. Holmes’ entitlement mentality, among other things, led him to believe that someone else needs to pay for his own shortcomings.

If after reading this someone decides to go on a shooting spree and I’m first on the list, I have but five choice words for you:

Go ahead. Make my day.

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

Sports Column: Arrowheading into the 2012 season

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“Red Friday at the Memorial” – Photo illustration courtesy Jim Russell

By James Russell

Preseasons are a hard thing to use as a gauge for what will happen in the regular season. There are too many variables going on behind the scenes for us to know with any certainty how much the team we see on the field has in common with who they really are.

Players are being scrutinized by coaches and as a result we see a lot of guys in the game that will not be around in a few weeks. Offensive and defensive play-calling is usually done at the simplest of levels – no reason to show the enemy your plans before the true battles have even begun.

Players have the psychological ability to not play to their potential in games that don’t count, which can lead to blown assignments and sloppy play. While that is a negative mindset which should be fixed by the coaching staff, it can’t really serve as a reliable indicator for how they will play come week one.

That said, there is no excuse for Kansas City’s third preseason game against the Seahawks. It is the most important game of the four and the one most scrutinized by fans of all 32 teams. The start of the regular season is only days away, and in truth I am a bit nervous. What team will we see take the field on Sept. 9 against a powerful offensive squad like the Seattle Seahawks? Will it be the team that is stacked top-to-bottom with talent on both sides of the ball; that is finally capable of waging a successful war against the rest of the AFC? Or will we see an unbelievably talented team that is unable to make that talent work together – to make it click?

After much thought, I expect to see the former. I don’t believe we’ll see it in all of its glory that first game, however. The game against the Seahawks proved that something, for at least one game, was seriously off for this team.

Look at the caliber of players we have sitting on this roster: Jamaal Charles, Matt Cassel (contrary to the popular, unreasoned opinion of him, he is a huge asset to this team), Eric Berry, Dwayne Bowe, Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Jonathan Baldwin, Steve Breaston, Dexter McCluster, Glen Dorsey, Eric Winston, Kevin Boss, Peyton Hillis – and this is only a handful of the quality players who currently wear the arrowhead upon their helmets.

Add to the quantity of great players, the quality of character and leadership among them, and on the side of those actually playing the game, our potential is nearly mind-boggling.

The only real question mark lies on the side of the coaching staff – and our head coach in particular.

Romeo Crennel, for all of the accolades he won in the final three games of last season, is still a variable in the formula that currently remains an unknown. His record as head honcho for the Browns is not exactly impressive at 26-40, but then again in Cleveland he was not surrounded by the level of talent he is here in Kansas City. He is a defensive genius, but should he really be at the helm of both Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator? Yes or no, I don’t believe that answer will be long in coming.

Crennel has the possibility to be great, but the truth, as yet, is that no one knows if he will be. He has to take the reins of this team, to balance being a players’ coach (Herm Edwards, anyone?) with the fact that he is the final authority for the 53 men in his charge and that he must make them respect him as such. He has to be willing, should it become necessary, to relinquish the role of Defensive Coordinator and focus solely on his HC duties.

There is no reason to believe he is not more than capable of all of the above. It is clear that the players do respect him. He brought them together in a spectacular win over the undefeated Green Bay Packers late last season.

My prediction, just before the regular season begins, is that we will see a few stumblings in our early games but these instances will be merely growing pains – some creaks and groans as the sleeping giant that is Kansas City pulls itself up from where it has lain for so long and prepares to go to war.

Those missteps, should they happen, will be worrisome when they occur. The game against the Falcons was gut wrenching, and it was only an inconsequential preseason matchup. The local media will likely pick apart every mistake and put it under a magnifying glass for the public to take as a sign of the apocalypse.

But we will get through it. The Chiefs are in a place that should allow them to grow at an exponential rate once they’ve begun to gain momentum – in strength and in speed, but just as importantly in unity as a team.

There is an invisible current running through this ball club, a current that hums quietly but powerfully beneath the surface of not merely Arrowhead, but of the entire Chief’s Kingdom. If you are quiet enough, if you can manage to drown out the naysayers and doomsday prophets that appear at the slightest provocation (not making a Super Bowl since 1969 has the ability to make some a bit cynical, I know), you can hear it. It’s that deep, nearly silent vibration that makes the helmets look just a bit brighter on game day, the grass on the field that bit greener. That makes hope just that small bit more real.

But it won’t be quiet much longer.

Contact James Russell, sports columnist, at jrusse24@jccc.edu.

Student Senate elections take place

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Student Senate elections are currently taking place on the second floor of COM from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. today and tomorrow (Sept. 5 and 6).

Students can also vote online following the instructions here.

Here is a brief biography from each candidate. None of the information has been edited for length, grammar or clarity.

All information courtesy Bruna Iacuzzi, president, Student Senate

 

Elliot Rogers

As a student senator I want to help people make the most of their campus at JCCC. Our campus is full of dozens of inspirational clubs and organizations with hundreds more ideas waiting to happen. As a student senator candidate I plan to put our accomplishments and school pride on display for everyone to see and be a part of through our teams, our clubs, our events, and our campus projects.

Brenden Brower-Freeman

I feel like JCCC has the potential to rival many four year institutions. Having the largest undergrad enrollment in the state of Kansas, and a beautiful and welcoming campus, all it would take to achieve a status similar to other institutions is a strong group of leaders willing to sacrifice for the school and make a commitment to raise it to its full potential.

Shuaibu Umar

I have a strong commitment to ensure that my fellow students at JCCC are felling the sense of belonging while pursuing their educational goals. One of my leadership experiences includes completing a leadership development program at JCCC. In the spring of 2012, I participated and completed a Cavalier Leadership Development Program organized by the Student Success and Engagement division of Johnson County Community College. In this interesting semester long program I was taught the qualities of an exceptional leader and since then I have been practicing and putting in action those qualities.

Alanzo McIntosh

I see that we are a very divided student population, unable to solve situation effectively. It will be my mission to create a higher state of living here on campus by bringing different groups of people forth, and then spreading the message of love and embracement to make us more efficient as a society.

Preet Kaur

JCCC senate is a great way to serve this community on campus. Being elected would give me the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a wide array of people, both peers and faculty. I am running for student senate because it is the people of JCCC who inspire me to stand up and do something for our school. My fellow students and peers give me the motivation to set forth and make an effort, which gives me a reason to run for a senator position.

Annie Lynn

To make a difference in the world, one must take action and work toward one’s goals. I am running for a position on the Student Senate because I want to make a difference on the JCCC campus. I would like to participate as part of the Senate team, listening and responding to students, and opening the JCCC community so it becomes even more welcoming. I would like to help students learn more about the opportunities that are open to them and unite the JCCC community.

Cecilia López

Student Senate is a very important part of the Johnson County Community College experience. I wish to run for senate, because it will put me in a position where I will experience leadership and service which are an important part of government, which involves my major, Political Science.

Vanessa Lawton

The thing I enjoy the most is serving others. Knowing the cause and effect brings out the best in every situation. I strive to stay informed as possible to know what to do, because that is what I feel. I stand on what I feel is valuable to others and the community. This position will allow me to help others who feel their opinion and concerns are just thoughts in their heads. They will be able to voice those concerns and know that it is taken into consideration.

Mehak Sood

This position would serve as an excellent opportunity for me to be involved in the JCCC family. Being a Senator would allow me grow in many ways, and would also be a great platform for me to help other students. Using my marketing skills I would like to help the clubs in our JCCC community grow and thrive to improve our student engagement around campus. This will not only make JCCC a fun place, but also make students feel a part of the college which is very important.

Lara Blomberg

I’m running for a Student Senator position because it’s important to me to try to make JCCC the best college it can be. I want to get as many people involved in activities as possible and make sure students know they have someone to talk to about things they don’t think are going right. Another thing that is very important to me is Dollars for Scholars; I want to continue to raise money for scholarships.

Sergio Sanchez

I believe being involved in groups and activities is an integral part of developing and refining social skills needed in various environments; which is not only why I’m looking to get involved but also one of the things I hope to make evident to the student body should I be one of the selected few. My past extracurricular experiences include debate, forensics, Club YESS (which is similar to the organization of black collegians here on campus), being involved with numerous assemblies in which I was asked to perform, Helping with the school’s poetry slam, and DECA which is a business and marketing club

David Peterson

I am running for student Senate to actively participate in council to make the school a more proficient learning experience. To make sure clubs have a direct goal and focus to not waste funding that could be used by other clubs.

My past experience involves being a Student Leader at the Intervarsity Club. Founding a political support and information institution. Actively participating and coordinating of various fundraising events, and working in managerial staff position for a retail conglomerate.