Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Yearly Archives: 2012

Staff Editorial: Prohibition a failure, yet again

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The war against drugs has raged for decades, evolving and adjusting to fit the times. In recent years, however, the voice of the opposition has grown louder than ever and is now being heard clearly.

A Gallup poll from October 2011 showed that 50 percent of Americans (±4%) now want to legalize marijuana, which is a record high (no pun intended). And why shouldn’t they? The potential benefits of legalization – or at least decriminalization – far outweigh the risks.

History shows that prohibition fails and has adverse effects almost every time it is attempted. In the 1920s, the Eighteenth Amendment banned manufacturing, sales and consumption of alcohol. Bootleggers ran rampant and over 50,000 people died of poisoning and overdose, according to an article from the Economic History Association. The homicide rate rose as well.

Now in 2012, the war against marijuana is following the same path, but we believe it should be legalized in the United States for the following reasons.

National security: A “Washington Post” article reports that up to 60 percent of the profits made by drug cartels from Mexico come from marijuana. If it were legalized in the U.S., it would result in an immediate loss of profit for the cartels and, thus, less motivation to do business here.

Economy: In a capitalist society, the market for marijuana could be massive. Growers allowed to compete for quality and lowest price would ensure consumers the best bang for their buck. This could also create thousands of jobs. If the government were to regulate marijuana and tax it as much as alcohol and tobacco are taxed, revenues could add up to anywhere between $40 and $100 billion per year, according to an article in “BusinessWeek.”

Practical use: The U.S. is one of few countries that require individual states to have licenses to grow hemp, a cousin of marijuana which contains a very low quantity of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical which causes marijuana’s euphoric effects. Hemp has a wide variety of uses, ranging from fabric to paper to food to building materials and more. In this era of “going green,” what better way to avoid cutting down trees and become more environmentally friendly than by utilizing an additional plant?

Reforming the prison system: According to a 2007 report by the U.S. Department of Justice, 12.4 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for drug charges are in prison for marijuana-related offenses. This is costing taxpayers over $1 billion per year and focusing legal efforts away from offenders who have committed violent crimes or sold more dangerous drugs.

Medical benefits: An article from the Livestrong Foundation cites many medical benefits of marijuana, including pain relief, decreased nausea, muscle relaxation and increased appetite, which can be a great help to some cancer and AIDS patients. In addition, it benefits patients suffering from glaucoma, psychological conditions, Alzheimer’s disease, insomnia and many other illnesses. However, only 16 states and Washington, D.C. have laws allowing medical use of marijuana.

Relative low risk to society: Opponents of legalization will talk about the dangers associated with marijuana use, then go out and celebrate with cocktails. Alcohol is perfectly legal for those of drinking age, but when users fail to “drink responsibly,” the outcome can be tragic. The chemicals in cigarettes kill thousands of people each year. Marijuana, on the other hand, very rarely causes bar fights, traffic accidents or disease.

Last, but certainly not least, is liberty. We live in a country where the government has no right or responsibility to tell us what we can and cannot consume, or how we should treat our bodies. We the people have the individual right to make those decisions for ourselves, and it is “high time” lawmakers step aside and let us live as we choose.

 

Related articles:

The legal effects of marijuana

Yes we cannabis: Kansas City organizations explain legalization movement

Infographic: Highs and lows of marijuana in America

The origins of ’420′

 

Beyond the big hits: new club geared toward a different kind of movie debuts

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By Jessica Mitchell

The college has a new film club who won’t be showing classics and masterpieces of cinema. The club is oriented toward films gone astray from the social norms and may have topics of questionable merit. This is a cult film club.

“There is already a group on campus called [Cineclub] and they’re more into art films and films that are great cinema – we think of them as an art,” said Matthew Schmeer, associate professor, English, and cult film club adviser. “This is the stuff on the flip side. Maybe it’s trashy or maybe these are films that have dedicated followers and didn’t do well at the box office. They were overlooked yet there is something redeeming in the story, something that draws us in.”

Kary Faria da Cunha, club president, founded the club and approached Schmeer to be the adviser after taking his creative writing course in fall 2011. Both of the men share the knowledge and appreciation for cult and low budget films.

“I have a great deal of knowledge when it comes to movies,” Faria da Cunha said. “Probably over 10,000 hours or more of movie watching experience. […] I like more of the dark, horror and twisted movies and then [Schmeer] is the lighter side – the comedy. It’s a good yin and yang team, I think.”

Faria da Cunha already devised a schedule of movies that will be shown for the rest of the semester. Opening night, on April 11, housed “Brainscan” followed by “The Fly” on April 18. “Brain Damage” will be showing on April 25.

“The third [movie] is called ‘Brain Damage,’ and it’s probably in my top 10 favorite films,” Faria da Cunha said. “It’s about a parasite that latches on to the back of a person’s neck and inserts a liquid that gives a type of euphoria. While under this euphoric state the host lures victims for the parasite and the parasite eats the person’s brains. […] It’s really bizarre.”

The next three films shown after that will be “The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8thDimension,” “Big Trouble in Little China” and “Evil Dead II.”

The club does not discriminate against any genre of film. Horror will share equal time with comedy and science fiction. “The Princess Bride” and “Monty Python” may possibly work into the club’s movie schedule, said Faria da Cunha; he wants the club to appeal to everyone and encourages student feedback.

“I think the cult film club will add a lightheartedness to normal movie showings,” said Alyssa Ebling, student. “These movies aren’t supposed to be taken seriously.”

Aside from playing the designated film, every meeting will have popcorn, beverages and a club discussion.

“We kind of want this to be audience participation, where you can talk about the film,” Schmeer said. “Talking to the screen will be encouraged, and they will, of course, talk and discuss the films and what makes the film interesting or great or particularly horrible.”

The club was set up through the continuing education department as to not infringe on the rights of the films. Members will have to call 913-469-2323 and give the operator the CRN number for the club, 21481. The CRN is only good for the first three films. A different one will be provided to members when necessary.

“The club is geared towards the students who want to have a lot of fun, it’s a real casual environment,” Faria da Cunha said. “Entertainment is basically an escape from space and time. Whether you’re looking at Kandinsky or Van Gogh or Gusav Klimt, it’s an escape. That’s basically what we want to do – fall and transport into a world for a couple hours.”

For more information on the club, contact Mathew Schmeer at schmeer@jccc.edu or Kary Faria da Cunha at kfariada@jccc.edu. The club meets at 5 p.m. every Wednesday in the Craig Community Auditorium (GEB 233).

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

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Rolling in a new ride: college’s EMS program teaches students how to handle emergency situations, receives new ambulance

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Photo courtesy Charles Foat/EMS program

By Jon Parton

The college’s Emergency Medical Science program (EMS) will soon have a new teaching tool. That teaching tool happens to be an ambulance.

Ray Wright, director, EMS, said that the new ambulance was recently retired from service and sold to the school by a government agency.

“We were very, very fortunate to get this one,” Wright said. “We had originally budgeted $25,000 for the new ambulance. Because it was government agency to government agency, we got it for $3,000.”

Although EMS already has one ambulance box located in SCI, Wright said that the extra one is needed to keep up with the necessities of the program. Students are trained to load and unload cots, as well as emergency vehicle driving.

“That’s not necessarily red lights and sirens, but it’s more mundane stuff like backing, where most accidents occur,” Wright said. “Just being able to handle that size of a rig because that rig, a lot of them, are on truck chassis.”

The program trains students who want to become Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) or Paramedics/Mobile Intensive Care Technicians (MICT). The EMR program requires about 200 hours of training while the MICT program requires about 2,000 hours of training.

“It’s full-time,” Wright said. “It’s one year, 47 credit hours, starting in January going through to December straight through. It is about 2,000 clock hours long.”

Wright said that an important part of the training involves hands-on experience. Students in the EMS program ride along with local paramedic services as observers before serving in hospital rotations in the summer.

“Learning to manage your adrenaline is a critical part of being a paramedic,” Wright said. “It’s like an actor or an athlete when you’re called to perform. Jitters, butterflies aside, you have to learn to manage that and you have to learn to be able to perform.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the median salary for all EMR workers is about $30,000 a year. That number is higher for MICT workers, whose median salary is about $42,000 a year.

Jay Hall, EMS student, said that the program is challenging.

“I think the information overload is the most difficult part,” Hall said. “But there are a lot of opportunities out there. It’ll be worth it when it’s over.”

EMS student Will Davis agreed with Hall about the difficulty of the training.

“Like our instructors told us, it’s like taking a sip out of the fire hose,” Davis said.

Davis said that although the program requires a lot of time and work out of students, he feels good about participating. Davis noted that EMS instructors Ray Wright and Kim Grubbs were among the first paramedics to be certified in the state of Kansas.

“The best part is the instructors,” Davis said. “They make us work hard to make sure we’re the best.”

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

Human trafficking and prostitution in Overland Park

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By Jon Parton

Human trafficking and prostitution arrests are on the rise in Johnson County. The increase in arrests is due to the police department’s crackdown on prostitution-related crimes and human trafficking.

The Overland Park Police Department conducted a vice sting in February that resulted in multiple arrests. Most of the suspects involved in that sting resided outside of Overland Park and Johnson County.

According to Gary Mason, public information officer, Overland Park Police, a lot of the arrests made in the past year involve suspects who are not residents of Johnson County. He said that a couple of minors have been arrested in the past as well.

“Most of the ones [arrested] are outside of the city,” Mason said. “I think we do have a large number of people that come through our city and get arrested on those charges; [they] are from out of town.”

The vice unit works with the FBI Innocence Lost Task Force, a group that seeks to address the increase of domestic sex trafficking of children nationwide. One member of the vice unit also serves as a member of the Kansas Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force Advisory Board. Mason said that Overland Park is a tempting target for human traffickers.

“The freeways that run through our city attract a lot of business, good or bad,” Mason said. “And a large number of hotels we have, too.”

Mason said that traffickers are using the internet more and more in order to conduct their business, requiring law enforcement to switch tactics. The police now frequently look at websites in order to curb the practice of prostitution.

“I think social media has definitely changed the dynamics of things,” Mason said. “We use different things, Craigslist one week, and the next time we’ll change it up, post an ad, and try to bring in people to come to us.”

According to Overland Park Police Chief John Douglass, the city sees increased activity of prostitution within hotels and sometimes even apartment communities.

“Currently, the most prevalent types of prostitution in Overland Park are ‘call girls’ who either rent a room and customers come to them, or travel to different locations to meet customers,” Douglass said in a prepared statement.

Mason said that the increase of arrests is due to Douglass’s policy to crack down on prostitution and human trafficking.

“A large part of it is from the chief’s initiatives brought forth to the city and department back in 2010,” Mason said. “That’s why you see such a big jump [in arrests].

Patrick Dobson, professor, History, said that human trafficking, or slavery, has consistently been a part of the world.

“In terms of slavery, in general, it’s probably never ended,” Dobson said. “It just has taken on a different face and a different legal status. And a lot of it is oriented around sex and labor.”

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

The origins of ‘420’

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420 is linked to marijuana use and April 20 is celebrated as the day to smoke and get high, but its origin is often obscure. Some cite it as a police code for smoking in progress, or the number of chemical compounds in marijuana, but the real story, as far as it can be traced, involves none of those things.

The term was first coined in 1971 by a group of high school students from San Rafael High School, Calif. “Four-twenty” referred to the time at which they would meet up to smoke, namely, 4:20 p.m.

The term is believed to have spread through the band The Grateful Dead, which rehearsed not far from San Rafael High School. As the band went on to play concerts both nationally and internationally, the term spread.

“High Times,” the magazine dedicated to marijuana and psychedelic drugs, started promoting the term through its events such as the World Hemp Expo Extravaganza and the Cannabis Cup, further contributing to its fame.

 

April 20 is linked to marijuana use, but other historical events occurring on that date include:

  • 1836: the Wisconsin territory is created.
  • 1871: the Third Force Act, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, is passed.
  • 1889: the birth of Adolf Hitler.
  • 1946: the League of Nations dissolves, giving its powers to the United Nations.
  • 1999: the Columbine High School shooting.

 

Information courtesy Snopes, The Huffington Post and The People History 

Compiled by Rachel Luchmun

 

Related articles:

The legal effects of marijuana

Yes we cannabis: Kansas City organizations explain legalization movement

Infographic: Highs and lows of marijuana in America

Staff Editorial: Prohibition a failure, yet again

Safety first: motorcycle training class aims to get you ready for the road

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Students in the college’s motorcycle training program practice riding safety skills on Saturday, April 14th. The motorcycle training course is offered through the college’s continuing education program for anyone in the community 15 years or older with a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit. Photo by Michael House

By Julius Williams

For the last three years, the college has offered a Department of Transportation (DOT) approved motorcycle training program as a continuing education course. If you’ve thought about getting that two-wheeler on the road, then this is the place to start.

Phil Wegman, program director, Skills Enhancement, said that enrollment has continually increased.

“Here’s what’s happening,” Wegman said. “As the price of gas increases, more and more people are turning to alternative modes of transportation. We have more and more people out on the highways and every rider needs to learn to be a safe as they can be.”

Wegman said that there is always an element of risk for motorcycle riders, so their goal as instructors is to teach people to be safety-minded. The class includes eight hours of classroom instruction and 12 hours of practice on motorcycles provided by the college.

Alex Gould is a student at the college studying sustainable agriculture. He took part in the course this past weekend and said he enjoyed it immensely. As a first time rider, Gould felt that the course gave him the foundation he needed to operate safely on the road.

All of the instructors are certified by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and take their jobs very seriously. One of those instructors is Greg Pruitt. A seasoned rider and instructor, Pruitt believes that the course is fundamental to keeping yourself safe out on the road.

“I highly recommend it,” he said. “I see a lot of people out here without the experience and you can tell who has gone through the course by the level of their riding ability.”

Not everyone who takes the course passes but students can retake the course if needed. After receiving a passing grade, students can take their diplomas to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get their licenses.

Other benefits include discounts on insurance and equipment. The program is sponsored by several local motorcycle dealerships and equipment retailers.

Wegman said that it’s not unusual to read in the local newspaper on a regular basis about motorcycle accidents, so it’s imperative that riders start off with a solid foundation.

“There’s always an element of risk, drivers don’t always see motorcycles so we have to teach people to be as safety-minded as possible to avoid accidents,” Wegman said.

The motorcycle training course is offered through the college’s continuing education program. You do not have to be a credit student to enroll. It’s available for anyone in the community 15 years or older with a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit.

“It’s a lot of fun and you will learn a lot,” Gould said. “I definitely recommend it and I feel confident that I can go out on the road.”

Contact Julius Williams, staff reporter, at jwilli78@jccc.edu.

Student wins CBYX award; will spend a year abroad in Germany

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Fashion major Joanna Swieton is shown wearing a dress top she made herself. Swieton recently won a scholarship which will enable her to study for one year abroad in Germany. Photo by Tasha Cook

By Mackenzie Clark

Joanna Swieton, fashion design student, is in her third year at the college. Next year she won’t be returning because she received an award that will allow her to work and study for a year in Germany.

The CBYX award comes from the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program, which selects career-oriented students from vocational fields in the U.S. as well as in Germany.

She said that she was “on the fence” at first and couldn’t make up her mind about whether to apply, but with her desire to learn a language fluently, the program became more enticing.

“I went [to Germany] for two weeks over the summer and I kind of fell in love with it,” she said. “And part of it has to do with my family history. My grandpa was from Germany and he was a tailor, so that was the first thing to spark my interest.”

The program will consist of two months of intensive German language school, a semester studying in a German university and an internship, which participants will have to find themselves. Swieton will live either with a host family or in shared living quarters.

Barbara Williams, administrative assistant, International Education, said that Swieton has been very active in the International Club.

“Through the club [Swieton] met some German students last year who were here, and I think that’s what really informed her about the program, as well as peaked her interest in learning the German language,” Williams said.

The college hosts German students from the program every year, and in recent years has sent students to study in Germany. Swieton is the first student from the college outside of the culinary program to receive this award.

Swieton said that missing her family and friends will be difficult, but she plans to stay distracted.

“Skype is a wonderful thing,” she said. “So that will help. And especially just really immersing myself there, because I want to take that opportunity and just enjoy it to its fullest, and just really be able to connect with the people that I meet there. […] Just being completely immersed in the culture and the language is what I’m really excited about.”

Swieton plans to finish her bachelor’s degree in design at Kansas State University and intends to continue pursuing her passions. She said she wants to design ladies’ eveningwear as well as casual clothes that are attractive and comfortable.

“Sort of my dream right now would be just to have a giant design studio, maybe somewhere in downtown Kansas City where I could collaborate with other designers, or just open it up to have other young designers come and be able to have a space to work on projects and sell them, and become established as designers,” she said.

For more information about the CBYX program and other available opportunities, contact Barbara Williams at bwilliam@jccc.edu.

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

Sports briefs, upcoming games

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Pitchers lead baseball team to victory over Neosho

The Cavaliers swept a four-game series victory against Neosho County Community College, with an overall score of 9-5. Sophomore Lee Ridenhour pitched the entire first game with two hits and six strikeouts. In the second game, freshman Gage Jacobs pitched for most of the game with four strikeouts and four hits, followed by sophomore Cameron Fisher who allowed one hit and a strikeout. Freshman Dave Gean struck out two batters and allowed only three hits in the next game, followed by freshman Nick Kolarik, who did not allow a single hit for the remaining 1 2/3 innings. In the final game, freshman Matt Blackham allowed two hits over 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts. The final 1 2/3 innings were pitched by Kolarik who allowed one hit and two strikeouts. The team’s current record is 26-11, with an East Jayhawk Conference record of 18-6.  The game established them as the highest ranked team in the state, 38th in the nation.

 

Sophomore women soccer athletes take next step

With the school year drawing to a close, many sophomore athletes are taking the next step in their careers as student athletes. Three members of the college’s women soccer team signed letters of intent to move on to play soccer at four-year universities in Missouri. Defender Jen French signed with Park University in Parkville; midfielder Marissa Nolan signed with Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph; forward Haley Wagner signed with Lindenwood University in St. Charles.

 

Tennis teams face off with Graceland, Emporia State 

The tennis teams met Graceland University at home on April 9, posting up victories for both the men and women’s teams. The men’s team swept all nine spots while the women’s team won 7-2. Two days later, the teams played Emporia State University in Emporia. The men followed up their past victory with a decisive 8-1 victory while the Lady Cavaliers lost in a close 4-5 match. The teams are preparing to take on the region playoffs in Wichita on April 20-21.

 

Upcoming games

April 20, all day – Track & Field – Mule Relays (Warrensburg, Mo.)

April 21-22, 1 p.m. – Baseball – at Coffeyville (Overland Park, Kan.)

April 23-24, all day – Golf – KJCCC & Region VI Championship (Newton, Kan.)

April 26, 3 p.m. – Tennis – at William Jewel College (Liberty, Mo.)

 

Compiled by Ben Markley

Letter to the editor

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“Jesus Torres”

This is a sad story about a young man that is being deported to Mexico.  There are a few things that are strange about this article.  Why hadn’t this young man of 21  made the effort to become legal?  His parents had completed the requirements and must have told him that he needed to do the same.  Why was he driving around with a Mexican driver’s license?   His comment was that he had been in the United States since the age of six.  Why would he have gone  to the effort of getting the Mexican license?  Was he working?  Had he bothered to get a social security number?  There are far too many people that take advantage of the loop holes in the system to live in the USA without paying their does.  Make the effort to become legal.  It takes more effort to avoid becoming legal that not to.  Be proud of your country……….stop avoiding it.  If you prefer being a Mexican, then move there and stay.  If you want to live  in the USA, make the effort to become an American.  I hear far too many people saying that America is not making an effort to give them everything that they think they deserve.  Get off you butts and make an effort to change things.  Let these people go back to their own countries and see how far that attitude gets them.  Maybe we need to deport more illegals to get the message across.  I feel sorry for this young person but it doesn’t seem to me that he made an effort.  There are many people living in America that have done the right thing and are following the rules.  Please get with the program or go home.

-Donald Lee

 

Police brief

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Report of criminal damage at West Park

Campus police were dispatched to the West Park facility on April 2 in regards to criminal damage. A staff member reported that they discovered a door that had been forced open. After questioning the employees, one of them admitted to leaving their keys inside the building and forcing the door open to retrieve them.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge

Correction

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In Vol. 34, Issue 10 of The Campus Ledger, we reported that the Alcoholics Anonymous group on campus offers support for all addicts. AA tradition actually states that the program is intended for those who have a desire to quit drinking. The Ledger apologizes for the mistake. Those who need help with other addictions should contact the Council Addressing Substance Abuse Issues (CASAI) or Lill Bajich-Bock, counselor.

Softball team tallies another win in successful season

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Softball team players at a recent practice on campus. Photo by Patti Klinge

By Adam Lignell

Despite a few snags early on, the softball team has been taking clear victories in its latest games of the season.

Head coach Aubree Brattin explained why she thinks the team has been improving lately.

“We don’t really worry about what the other teams are doing,” Brattin said. “Win or lose, if we can do the things that control what we do and how we play, we’re successful out on the field.”

After the recent 14-0 and 12-0 wins at Fort Scott Community College, Brattin emphasized where she wants the girls to keep their focus.

“If we would come with the mentality that we brought for Fort Scott to every game in our conference, we would be able to handle the games like we did in Fort Scott,” she said.

With that in mind, Brattin also said she thinks that enjoyment and love for the game play a huge role.

“Just seeing the girls have fun, laughing at practice, enjoying what they’re learning,” she said. “I think it’s important for them to love the game of softball, love what they’re doing and to understand why they’re doing it.”

Even with a few changes with last year’s roster and coaching situation, their new swinging style, defense and positioning allowed the team to play harder.

“I’m a much different coach than [the one who was here last year,]” Brattin said. “For the sophomores, they had to learn my philosophy of coaching.”

A torn ACL didn’t stop outfielder Taylor Allen, who credits the injury with helping make her stronger in this season.

“It’s improved me to always believe in myself, have confidence, a good mindset on and off the field, and to be a leader,” Allen said. “It’s made me who I am, and I have my team to back me up.”

Allen said her goals are both on and off the field.

“I would either pursue softball again here this year or somewhere else,” Allen said. “I’d get a degree, finish out school and keep my head up high.

Allen hasn’t forgotten about the team’s goals, either.

“I think our team is definitely capable of going to nationals and winning it,” Allen said. “I set high standards for our team, and I know we can win this.”

Karla Wooten, mother of third baseman Mataya Wooten explained why she attends every softball game this season.

“They have a good program here,” Wooten said. “It’s important to the girls, they like having the support. You do better whenever you have people watching you that care for the team.”

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

Yes we cannabis: Kansas City organizations explain legalization movement

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Photo illustration by Michael House. Product shown is not actual marijuana but a legal imitation.

By Ben Markley

Marijuana has been a hot-button issue since the war on drugs began, but with 16 states and Washington, D.C. legalizing medical marijuana, and 12 more (including Kansas and Missouri) pending legislation, the legalization movement seems more potent than ever.

Mark Pedersen, editor-in-chief of the Medical Cannabis Journal, said the effort to legalize marijuana will take more than a signature.

“We have to change the whole dynamic because the way we look at it is wrong,” he said.

Pedersen claimed the most heinous misconception comes from a medical perspective.

“Cannabis is non-toxic,” he said. “I can’t stress that enough. A lot of opponents talk about cannabis as if it is toxic, and too often cannabis advocates play along with that.”

Pedersen stressed that we come into contact with many other substances on a daily basis that are both toxic and legal.

“You get up in the morning, and you have a cup of coffee,” he said. “Guess what? The caffeine in that coffee is toxic.”

Pedersen said cannabis has been effective in treating Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia and cancer, as well as a number of other medical conditions.

“I’ve personally witnessed cannabis kill cancer,” he said. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

As far as Pedersen is concerned, the fight is half-over.

“It’s not a debate anymore because science is already on our side,” he said.

Rob Amerine, Kansas City representative for Sensible Missouri, said that cannabis had been around for ages in many different forms before it was originally banned in the 1930’s.

“Hemp and marijuana were grown by our founding fathers, including Jefferson, Washington, Benjamin Franklin and many others,” he said. “Our original flag, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, they were made of hemp.”

From the colonial times up until the late 1930’s, cannabis and hemp were totally legal substances.

“Some time in the 1930’s, practically every doctor carried marijuana in their little bag for menstrual cramps, headaches and standard operating procedures,” he said.

Pedersen said the reason for banning cannabis had no medical basis. He noted that Harry Anslinger, the man who spearheaded the initial fight against marijuana, was related to William Randolph Hearst, a major player in the paper industry interested in eliminating his primary competition: hemp.

“Hemp is a $200 billion industry in China,” he said. “Imagine if hemp was legal in Missouri, if we only had a fraction of that market.”

Pedersen said the ban was also racially charged, first against immigration from Mexico and later to curb the influence of African American musicians who used the drug during the Jazz Age.

“It was a racial thing basically saying how Mexicans were bringing up drugs that make kids go crazy,” he said. “They made statements that it made black men look at white women. That was everywhere; it was a really popular ad.”

Since then, the governmental stance on marijuana has been harsh.

“Right now it is a Class 1 drug, which is the same as dangerous drugs like crack cocaine and heroin, which is ridiculous,” he said.

Dustin Crews, student, said he preferred that marijuana stay illegal.

“I think it eventually will be made legal, but I really don’t like the smoke,” he said. “I kind of prefer people having to do it in private now. I don’t have to experience it that way.”

Sean Meyer, student, said he thought it was time for a change.

“People say marijuana should be illegal because people abuse it, but you can abuse prescription drugs too, so that doesn’t seem to cut it,” he said.

Amerine said people wanting to get involved with organizations such as Sensible Missouri and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) would be welcomed as petitioners.

“You don’t have to be a resident of Missouri or even a citizen to pass a petition,” he said. “You have to be a registered petitioner and come to a meeting. It doesn’t take long to explain how to do a petition, but we want to make sure it’s done correctly.”

Pedersen said the needs for the movement in general are simple.

“We need bodies, and we need dollars,” he said. “We’re going for a constitutional amendment, and this is our shot.”

To learn more about the organizations mentioned, visit http://www.kcnorml.org, http://www.sensiblemissouri.org and http://www.show-mecannabis.com.

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

 

Related articles:

The legal effects of marijuana

Infographic: Highs and lows of marijuana in America

The origins of ’420′

Staff Editorial: Prohibition a failure, yet again

Letter to the editor

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April 15, 2012

Dear Editor:

As members of the Reading Department, we were disappointed that your last issue (4/12/12) contained no mention of news editor Jon Parton’s meeting with Charis Sawyer, our department chair, regarding the attendance policy  discussed in the 3/22/12 article “Gray Areas: Emergencies and Attendance Policy.”  That said, perhaps through this letter we can provide a “teaching moment.”

That article about JCCC’s new attendance policy contained numerous inaccuracies, mainly because information was left out or not made clear.  First, professors who state the new attendance policy in their syllabi must first send students an “intervention letter” by JCCC email.  An “intervention letter” is not the same as “initiating a withdrawal” as your article implied.

An intervention letter is a warning notice to the student, an alert to tell the student that the professor is concerned that the student will not be able to complete the class successfully. (Successful completion is a grade of “C” or better.)  The student then has to attend class immediately and meet with the professor to see how to get his/her grade back on track.  If the professor still doesn’t see or hear anything from the student for another week, then the professor can initiate withdrawal procedures.  The withdrawal form, which includes the division dean’s signature, actually begins the withdrawal procedure when it is sent on to the registrar’s office.

The article failed to mention that the point of the intervention letter is to save the student from a failing grade. The article implied that there was no safety check for the student.  Intervention letters have saved students from being dropped from the course and from failing grades.  Since the Reading Department was instrumental in the creation of the new policy, we know its intention. It was never intended to be a punitive action. Instead, it tells the student that he/she should return or drop the class. Research shows that class attendance directly correlates with grades;  i. e., higher class attendance results in higher grades. Many beginning college students do not realize how hard it is to dig themselves out from under a bad GPA.  A bad GPA can prevent a student from entering the transfer college or the transfer program of choice. In our experience we are seeing too many students worry more about the impact of dropped classes on their financial aid, not realizing that a bad GPA will also impact financial aid as well as future educational possibilities.  As a general rule, an intervention letter from a reading professor also recommends that a student talk to a counselor about problems that impact attendance.

Another problem in the article was that the teacher named by the student had no legal recourse to respond.  Whereas the article contained 7 paragraphs of complaint by the student, only 9 words about that situation were given to the teacher, “…is legally unable to comment on any particular student.”

Federal privacy laws prevent College personnel from discussing specific student complaints and/or student records with anyone but the student. For that reason, it was imperative that the reporter research the College’s policy by talking to the administration regarding the reasons for and intent behind such attendance policies. In this case, that did not happen despite a willingness on our part to do so. While the reporter did contact the Dean to discuss the policy, an offer to meet with the reporter in the following days was declined. While we understand deadlines, stories should not be rushed and research overlooked just to get the story out. As a result, we had an opinion article placed into the “news” section of the paper.

Another inaccuracy in the article was the implication that many administrators must sign a form in order to take a class for pass/fail. Students can take one class per semester for pass/fail by picking up a form at the Success Center and having it signed by a counselor.  The deadline is April 15th for the spring semester or Nov. 15th for the fall semester. Such information is not shared with the professor of that course or the professor’s administrator. Information about the process for pass/fail grades can be found in the Student Handbook available online.

Finally, as faculty in the Reading Department, we want to emphasize that we are in our field because we care about students and believe that we can enhance student success at JCCC.

Sincerely,

Roz Bethke, Professor, Reading

Pat Jonason, Professor Emeritus, Reading

Ann Williams, Adjunct Professor, Reading

Linda Creason, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Reading

Charis Sawyer, Professor, Department Chair, Reading

Lisa Parra, Associate Professor, Reading

Suzanne R. Franklin, Associate Professor, Reading

Dianna Rottinghaus, Associate Professor, Reading

Leanna L. Graham, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Reading

Linda C. Fargus, Adjunct Associate Professor, Reading

Susan Steel, Adjunct Associate Professor, Reading

Taking the state by street: former student of the college aspires to be professional street dancer

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Alex Nonprasit shows off his street dancing moves. Nonprasit is a self-taught street dancer, and even though he doesn’t compete he still enjoys showing off his moves at shows like Multicultural Night. Photo by Hannah Hunsinger

By Rachel Luchmun

Some teenagers want to become firemen, businessmen, lawyers or professional athletes, but a former student from the college decided that professional street dancing was his goal.

Alex Nonprasit, who left the college in August 2011, started dancing in late 2006.

“Back when I was in ninth grade, I saw kids my age in music videos,” Nonprasit said. “I thought that was awesome, I really wanted to do something like that. On the internet, I would see other dancers. At first I would just watch, but gradually I started doing it myself.”

Nonprasit is self-taught, practicing mostly at home. He said he draws his inspiration from different artists, copying their moves from YouTube videos. His favorite dancer is Mr. Wiggles, a street dancer who started his career in the 70s.

“I just copy someone on YouTube and practice it to the music,” he said, “just record myself, judge myself, see if it looks similar. It took a while, I didn’t really tell anyone. It kind of just happened, I would just show [my friends] randomly.”

While his friends were generally supportive, Nonprasit said his family took longer to come around.

“At first, [my family] was not supportive, most parents wouldn’t see it as a good career, there would be arguments here and there, but they just want me to do what I love now,” he said.

Nonprasit performed at Multicultural Night held on March 30 in the Polsky Theater, in an act entitled “Silent Ballerinas, Finally.” He also has limited experience outside of Multicultural Nights.

“I’ve done a fashion show in downtown Kansas City where I was a model but our group, we were all dancers but the audience didn’t know so, once they saw us, they were surprised,” he said. “This was around December 2010.”

Daniel Ferman, president, Invisible Children, became friends with Nonprasit in fall 2009 through their respective involvement with Multicultural Night.

“I met some of the performers, the performers didn’t always come to all the meetings but Alex was one that did, he was always practicing, rehearsing, and he was just a cool kid,” Ferman said. “So we became friends and ever since that year we’ve depended on his support. He’s always down to perform for us or to help out with anything we need.”

Ferman commented on Nonprasit’s creative endeavors, which extend beyond dancing.

“He’s one of those people that always is up to something,” Ferman said. “Every time I see him he’s up to something, whether that is a dance project or making a movie. One thing he does is making short movies that feature his friends. He has that relentless creativity that he’s always using and applying to something.”

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

Sink your teeth into literature: English department offers vampire literature course

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By Ben Markley

Paul Restivo, adjunct assistant professor of English, had his first encounter with vampire literature at a young age when he read Christopher Pike’s series, “The Last Vampire.”  ​

“It was one of the first books that I really just kind of became infatuated with,” he said. “The story and this idea of never-ending life, of being immortal, and with me growing up Catholic, this idea of eternal life was really sort of fascinating to me.”

He had no way of knowing, however, that decades into the future he would be proposing vampire literature as the focus of the English department’s Special Topics course.

“One of the ‘Twilight’ movies had just come out, and I was just really in tune to the fact that so many reluctant readers were reading ‘Twilight,'” he said. “It just made me think, if I can lure in reluctant readers and get them to talk about literature in a critical, analytical way, I think I’m doing something good.”

The class, offered exclusively fall 2012, will analyze and discuss vampires in literature and film, from Bram Stoker’s classic “Dracula” to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to modern manifestations such as Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” and the show “True Blood.”

“Really what we’re doing here is defining the genre, defining the elements of vampire literature and film,” Restivo said.

Restivo said vampire literature explores a variety of themes, from romance to religion to HIV. ​

“I think that’s important, to be able to see the connection with the theme and content from very elevated sort of classical literature to the more pop culture stuff, and to see that they do connect,” he said. “You can have critical, meaningful discussions and analysis of very popular texts.”

He said that while vampire literature has been around for ages, recent authors have revitalized it by focusing on a new demographic.

“Charlaine Harris with the ‘True Blood’ series and then Stephenie Meyer with ‘Twilight’ really kind of brought [vampires] to teens,” he said. “When you bring stuff to teens and it explodes, it explodes at a societal and a cultural level.”​​​​

Despite some negative stigma surrounding the young adult “Twilight” series, Restivo said the course would cover Meyer’s books.

“How could you go 16 weeks in a course and not talk about ‘Twilight’ when it has resurrected the genre essentially?” he said. “Whether that is quality literature or brain candy or whatever, you have to talk about it, and I will.”

However students feel about “Twilight,” Restivo said it will not impact where they stand in the course.

“We will not tolerate vampire snobs,” he said. “We will embrace you, but nobody is going to condemn others for not having the obsession of vampire trivia and knowledge that others have.”​

Anna Ladd, student, said the course could be a good segue for those who don’t usually read classic novels.

“I guess you have people going in to talk about ‘Twilight’ and then reading ‘Dracula,'” she said. “That could be cool.”

Rachel Mullenbruch, student, said her main concern was the relevance of the course to a degree.

​”I’m just trying to imagine how a class like that would transfer,” she said. “It just doesn’t seem very practical.”

In the end, Restivo said the goal was to get students reading and thinking.

​”It’s like tricking the students, it really is,” he said. “It’s like hiding vegetables in a really tasty fruit smoothie, because they’re going to be doing stuff every class period that they really like, but every single day they’ll be doing stuff that they tell you they hate like analyzing and synthesizing and researching.”

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

News briefs

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Evening with the Stars

The college’s science division will present “Evening with the Stars” on April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Craig Community Auditorium. Thomas Armstrong, a retired professor

of physics from the University of Kansas, will speak about various topics of space exploration. After Armstrong’s speech, the science division will have telescopes set up at the Paul Tebbe Observatory for a group observation of the night sky.

Model United Nations team wins in NYC

The Model United Nations team at the college was awarded a Distinguished Delegation Award and an Outstanding Position Paper Award at the National Model United Nations Conference. The conference was held March 31 – April 5 in New York City.

LGBT panel on campus

A LGBT panel will be held on Wednesday, April 25 in the Craig Auditorium from 12
– 2 p.m. The forum will be open for anyone interested to come in, hear about the panel members’ lives and experiences, and ask questions of anyone who is LGBT. The panel will be hosted by the Queers and Allies club on campus.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge

A gift that never stops thieving

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By David Hurtado

Let’s be honest with ourselves, America, the welfare system has become a shadow of its former self and either needs to kick the bucket or be completely reformed. Its original purpose of helping the needy has been perverted by countless lazy and inconsiderate individuals who have no concept of self-responsibility.

According to the Heritage Foundation, welfare spending could cost the taxpayer at least $10.3 trillion over the next 10 years. In 2008, a total of $714 billion was spent on welfare, but by 2014 that number is projected to rise to $1.032 trillion. Taxpayers cannot afford to care for themselves and millions of other Americans any longer. Helping those who are in need is good and all, but far too many people out there abuse the welfare system.

Do you ever wonder why they have those ‘Do Not Feed the Bears’ signs at national parks? It’s because when humans begin feeding them, the bears become completely dependent on people for sustenance. They lose the ability to fend for themselves and will most likely die when that artificial food source disappears.

When people get dependent on the government to clothe, feed and house them, what happens when the government no longer has the capability to do that? The answer is complete and utter anarchy, fueled by tens of millions of irate Americans who feel the world owes them something special. The closest examples are the Occupy Wall Street protestors who looted stores and set cars on fire when they were told no more handouts on a silver platter.

As Mark Twain once said, “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.”

You are entitled to nothing in this life except the rights stated in the Constitution and the right to improve your standing in life. The world is a harsh, cold and merciless place that takes hard work and determination to have a decent life. There are billions of humans out there who suffer hardships that you cannot possibly fathom, you are no more special than they.

Not only does welfare remove the ability to provide for yourself, it puts you at the mercy of big brother. Think about it: if your day-to-day survival is in their hands, the federal government could easily start enacting laws turning America into a totalitarian state. If you have a family and children to care for, you probably won’t speak out. After all, you need that federal aid to ensure you all live to see another agonizing day under the glorious Democratic People’s Republic of America.

Our nation is on the brink of ruin; there is no denying that. The thing is though, only one solution can prevent the key from turning, and that is taking personal responsibility instead of relying on others to fix our problem. Many decades ago, Henry Ford, one of America’s greatest industrialists understood that one man cannot provide for the needs of many.

“You will find men who want to be carried on the shoulders of others, who think that the world owes them a living,” Ford said. “They don’t seem to see that we must all lift together and pull together.”

Contact David Hurtado, reporting correspondent, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Letter to the editor

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After reading your most recent issue I am taken back by a couple of articles.  I do not have a copy with me, so cannot refer to them by name.  The one about the former student being deported is very one-sided.  I would have liked to see the journalist address what the student should have done beforehand to be completely legal (including the licensing of the vehicle in question).

However, the biggest issue I have is that I am over 50 and working on my degree, while maintaining a full 40-hour work week.  There is so much going on at the school that I never know about because I am usually there for just my classes.  The article that addressed lackluster voting turnout for the student senate and campus activities is a prime example.  I do not know about these things unless I see a poster somewhere, and usually do not know what they mean.  And the whole world is turning anti-smoking, so what do I care if the college follows suit.  I smoke, but I follow the posted rules.  Many people do not, and I understand some of them when a teacher gives a 5 minute break in a 3 hour class and it takes that long just to make it one way to your car.

Keep up the good work.

Geo Cochran

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: College to hold annual Dollars for Scholars fundraiser for student scholarships

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By David Hurtado

The college will be holding its annual fundraiser, “Dollars for Scholars,” April 20 at 5 p.m. in the Carlsen Center. It is sponsored by friends, alumni, staff, students and faculty of the college.

Dollars for Scholars will feature a silent auction, games of chance, a raffle, refreshments and a draw down board. Kristin McDaniel, director of events and projects, said attendees can expect to see a good inventory of items to choose from at the silent auction.

“There are items like restaurant gift cards, sports tickets and a lot of unique items from the international students,” McDaniel said. “Sometimes [international students] have very unique items from different countries. The interior design group has items from a lot of home furnishings and businesses that they do internships with.”

The silent auction items are at booths and each booth is manned by a different group of students. What they auction off in the silent auction at their booths provides the money they get for their cause, whether it’s their scholarship or their service learning project. Some of the groups use the money for competition and others for certification testing.

The drawdown board is similar to dodge ball in that it uses elimination to determine a winner. Participants can purchase a $25 ticket for a chance to win, and at the end of the fundraiser the last three ticket holders standing will receive a set amount of money. Ticket holders are eliminated by having their tickets picked out at random.

According to McDaniel, this year only the paramedics are hosting a game of chance.

“The paramedics are going to have a Wii baseball game, but you have to pay if you want to play it,” McDaniel said.

Kelsey Boydston, student, said she thought the Dollars for Scholars fundraiser was a great idea.

“That’s always a good thing, students need all the help they can get nowadays,” Boydston said.

The event has raised $60,000 in the past, but last year the number was down around $40,000, according to McDaniel. Refreshments will include hot dogs, brat and veggie combos for $4.95 each and desserts made by the culinary team. Participants can also reserve a table for $200 that includes 8 bid cards for the silent auction and a stadium basket.

The stadium basket includes bay scallop seviche spoons, beef carpaccio rolls stuffed with truffle sweet onions and assorted cupcakes. Bid cards for the silent auction will cost $10 for participants or $5 for students with photo ID. A cash bar will be available.

Contact David Hurtado, reporting correspondent, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Ricky Nelson’s sons keep his music alive; coming to the college April 22

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By Adam Lignell

Despite their father’s passing, two sons continue to keep creating their style of music and concerts for fans. Ricky Nelson’s sons, Matt and Gunnar Nelson, will play with the Stone Canyon Band in the Ricky Nelson Remembered concert April 22.

Songwriter Matt Nelson talked about why his group has been continuing this tour.

“People are calling their friends when we’re rolling into town saying, ‘You have to see this,’” he said. “It makes me feel good that what I intend to make somebody feel in the audience is actually getting achieved.”

Relating to their audience, Matt Nelson said his family life changes as much as anyone else’s.

“Most of it has been either displayed on television or reported in newspapers or the Internet,” Matt Nelson said. “Gunnar and I have embraced that.”

With past fans now bringing their own families to enjoy their music, communication is key to an age-varied fan base.

“We play music and have sensibility when we’re communicating with our audience that transcends generations,” Matt Nelson said. “The Nelson story is really the American story, and we’re still writing it.”

Even if the Nelsons are currently focused on their tour, that hasn’t prevented them from preparing future albums and projects.

“We’ve put together an all-star lineup of guys that had country hits,” Nelson said. “Let’s just say that this time next year we plan on having something pretty special.”

Performing Arts General Manager Emily Behrmann said the show’s performance isn’t randomly created by band members with no relation to the Nelsons.

“It’s their family’s tribute to [Ricky Nelson] as a person and musician,” Behrmann said. “It’s a way to give [fans] a bridge between the generations.”

Matt and Gunnar Nelson may be directly continuing their father’s dream, but the Stone Canyon Band is playing a role as well.

“Stone Canyon Band was Ricky Nelson’s band,” Behrmann said. “It’s cool that they’ve played Ricky Nelson’s music and Matthew and Gunnar are able to be a part of that.”

Nelson’s music may have been created over a few generations, but Behrmann said that won’t stop newcomers from arriving.

“It’s been so pervasive in our culture that it has made an impression on me,” Behrmann said. “It’s going to be something that they’re familiar with, feel comfortable with and that they enjoy.”

Regardless of wherever the Nelsons have traveled, artist promoter Melissa Kucirek said that fans have only positive things to say.

“I think the biggest feedback that I’ve noticed is how sincere and classy the show is, and how much they really carry on the Nelson entertainment family tradition.”

No matter what happens when they’re on tour, Kucirek said the Nelsons are able to overcome any problems headed their way.

“It’s like nothing ever happened, they’re completely on and engaged in the show,” Kucirek said. “They always give 150 percent of their time and energy to the audience.”

The Nelsons may have started this tour in order for people to help remember their dad’s work, but it seems there’s more of a message.

“It’s more than a concert, it’s an experience,” Kucirek said. “It’s phenomenal to think these two guys are part of a family that’s been entertaining for more than 100 years in America.”

The concert is at 7 p.m. on April 22 in Yardley Hall. Students can obtain $5 tickets this week and general admission tickets are $30, $40 and $80.

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

 

For more information from the Performing Arts Series or to purchase tickets to the concert online, click here.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: New Student Senate president talks about vision, goals

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By Rachel Luchmun

The newly elected Student Senate president already knows what she will be focusing on at the start of her term next fall.

Awista Sherzada was elected following elections held on April 3-5. She came ahead of Lara Blomberg, the other candidate for president.

Sherzada, who is currently treasurer of the Student Senate, said her past experience as an officer will help her with her new duties.

“Some of the events that we do are done annually,” she said, “so because I’ve experienced those events before I can consider if I want to do things differently for next year, how I want to do it bigger and better, more awareness on certain things.”

Such events include the Trick-or-Treat for children and the Photos with Santa events that were held during the fall 2011 semester.

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

Other than raising awareness about the events organized by the Student Senate, Sherzada said she also had ideas about the issue of the smoking ban.

“From the town hall meeting we had a couple of months ago, Dr. [Dennis] Day and Dr. [Dana] Grove made it clear that it’s probably not something that’s going to change and they also said why smoking huts are not an option either,” she said. “[The goal would be] to get people to understand it better. This is the first year this has been going on and of course there is controversy and people are angry and asking questions.”

Sherzada, along with other elected officers, will assume their roles within Student Senate in fall 2012. Until then, they will shadow current officers to learn what exactly their roles will consist of.

“I’m really excited [to be president],” Sherzada said. “It didn’t hit me at first, but after people started congratulating me, asking me questions, I was like wow, I’m really going to be the president next year, so exciting.”

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

 

Related articles:

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Awista Sherzada named Student Senate President

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Get to know your Student Senate candidates: Q&A

Staff Editorial: Go vote: a lesson the smoking ban taught us

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Cell phone bill blues: Information to be a smart user of a smartphone

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By Jon Parton

The rise of the smartphone has also given rise to monthly cell phone bills. In addition to charging for voice minutes and text messaging, cell phone companies also charge for data usage. The cell phone companies are some of the greatest supporters of smartphones because they require a connection to the internet in order to function correctly.

Consumers used to be able to purchase unlimited data packages for a nominal monthly fee. These days, companies can charge up to $80 for data packages. In addition, some cell phone companies that offer unlimited internet access slow down access speeds once customers use a certain amount of data.

This can all be confusing for people who just want to be able to use the features of their smartphones without worrying how much it will cost them at the end of the month. The following breaks down the four major carriers and their costs.

 

AT&T

$2 per megabyte (MB) pay-per-use

$20 a month for 300 MB ($20 per 300 MB after)

$30 a month for 3 gigabytes (GB) ($10 per GB after)

$50 a month for 5 GB ($10 per GB after)

For users with previous unlimited plans, speeds are slowed down after 3 GB of usage.

 

Sprint

$30 per MB pay-per-use

$30 a month for unlimited data

Sprint does not throttle down speeds but reserves the right to cancel service for customers who use an excessive amount.

 

T-Mobile

$1.99 per MB pay-per-use

$10 a month for 200 MB

$20 a month for 2 GB

$30 a month for 5 GB

For users with previous unlimited plans, speeds are slowed down after 2 GB of usage.

 

Verizon

$1.99 per MB pay-per-use

$30 a month for 2 GB ($10 per GB after)

$50 a month for 5 GB ($10 per GB after)

$80 a month for 10 GB ($10 per GB after)

Verizon throttles speed for the top 5 percent heaviest data users, but only when a particular cell tower is congested.

 

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

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: International involvement

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By Jessica Mitchell

The college is a melting pot of different races, ethnicities and heritages. With the campus academically housing over 20,000 students, many of them international, the college has a bevy of different clubs and organizations aiding to their differences.

Some of the clubs that the college has to offer are American Indian Studies Association, Chinese Student Association, Ethiopian Student Organization, International Club, Mixed Ethnicities and Heritage Alliances, Turkish Students Association and many more.

One of the clubs that international and foreign exchange students tend to flock to is the International Club. The club is presented to the students during orientation to provide a stable place for them to meet friends and become part of the campus, said Barbara Williams, administrative assistant, International Education.

“It’s a great way for international students to start getting involved and learn about how to get more involved on campus,” Williams said. “Our leadership teams try to help them feel welcome. Generally a lot of new students come to that first meeting just to see what’s up.”

International Club is not exclusive to only international students. The club also has a number of American students who are interested in other cultures and meeting people of other cultures, or are hoping to study abroad in the future.

“We have a lot of American students who are members of the club,” Williams said. “So, that’s a really nice advantage for the international students coming and it’s also a great way for international students to learn about our culture, to start making connections and making friends.”

Another club geared towards international students is Amigos sin Fronteras, “Friends Without Borders.” “Amigos” is a club aimed toward people of a Spanish-speaking culture whether they are foreign or born and raised in America. “Amigos” meets twice a month and the members participate in activities ranging from music to games to food.

“It’s for all levels of Spanish, even from very beginners through native speakers,” said Lynne Overesch-Maister, foreign language professor. “We always hope native speakers will come. A lot of times they don’t, but we hope they will because we view this as a way for our foreign language students, Spanish students in particular, to be able to practice in an informal setting. Learn slang, expressions, daily student stuff that we don’t have the time to teach in the classroom.”

Another club aiding towards the Spanish-speaking and Latino community is LUNA – Latinos United Now and Always. LUNA was formed by Latino students in hopes of getting their culture out there and known on campus.

“It’s focused on both promoting Latino culture on campus, awareness of Latino culture, as well as raising issues that are affecting Latino students on campus and perhaps international students in general or students from other countries,” said Danny Alexander, English professor and co-adviser to LUNA. “Latino students have always been a mix. A lot of the core members have been people who grew up in Johnson County.”

LUNA has strayed away from focusing on issues and has started focusing more on student needs and cultural awareness. The club has also turned into a tight-knit group, said Alexander.

“I think it’s been a great home,” he said. “When it’s been running most actively, people come just because they want to be around each other. People in LUNA have a lot of fun.”

To find out more information on these clubs and organizations contact Barbara Williams, Lynne Overesch-Maister or Danny Alexander. For more information on other clubs and organizations contact Mindy Kinnaman, manager, Student Life/Leadership Development. The list of all clubs and organizations are on the college’s main website under Center for Student Involvement. [http://www.jccc.edu/student-involvement/index.html]

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

Singing, dancing, contributing: Multicultural Night a success

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Capoeira Club performs the Samba. Photo by Michael House

By Rachel Luchmun

Multicultural Night, held on March 30 in the Polsky Theater, hosted a myriad of acts showcasing the multiplicity of cultures on campus, as well as raising awareness over serious issues. A silent auction was also held.

The acts comprised of songs, dances, poems and a fashion show. Additionally, speakers intimately involved with Invisible Children shared their experiences.

One of the most unusual acts was “Elude For Edibles” by Timothy Hoare, professor of humanities. In this skit, members of the audience came on stage and performed classical pieces of music by eating fruits.

The demonstration by the college’s Capoeira Club was also a high point of the night. Graceful yet powerful with on-stage musical accompaniment, the martial artists impressed the room and showcased their skills.

Aizhan Tazhigulova dances to Kazakh music. Photo by Michael House

Other dances included a Bollywood piece with dancers clad in black and gold; a Samba dance by the Capoeira club; a dance to Kazakh music by Aizhan Tazhigulova; traditional Colombian dance “La Pollera”; and streetdance by Alex Nonprasit.

Music was not forgotten. Sulgi Yoon played piano twice, first accompanying Megan Kness singing “I’ll Stand By You,” and then Helena Salt singing “The Goose’s Dream.” Keyaira Hunter displayed her talents for high notes through two songs, “Work it Out” and “I Put a Spell on You.” Daby Hong performed “Lullaby of Berlin” wearing traditional Korean clothes. A band, the Nepali Boys, brought an element of rock music with electric guitars and drums.

The fashion show included traditional clothes from many countries around the world, including Korea, Japan, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, India and Mexico.

Megan Kness sings “I’ll Stand By You” for Invisible Children with Sulgi Yoon on the piano. Photo by Michael House

Two former members of the college’s Invisible Children club gave speeches to share their experiences. William Payne, founding member and former president of the Invisible Children club on campus, mentioned the controversy surrounding the Kony 2012 campaign, specifically the claims that it seemed to push forward the idea of the “white man’s burden.”

“As a multi-racial American I don’t see it that way,” Payne said. “Invisible Children stretches across boundaries.”

Sara Jawhari was involved with Invisible Children on campus and also interned at the Invisible Children headquarters in San Diego, Calif. She shared her experience as a Muslim in the United States and of her trip to the Gaza Strip to provide food and necessities to civilians.

Tatiana Herrera models a Colombian dress during the fashion show. Photo by Michael House

“I wanted to see how Invisible Children manages to mobilize so many people around one issue and apply it to my country [Palestine],” Jawhari said.

Masters of ceremony Daniel Ferman and Jason Wang Jr. kept the audience entertained between acts, improvising jokes when technical difficulties delayed the next act.

“We did all we could to prepare for the night, although there were some technical difficulties,” said Ferman, who is also the president of the college’s Invisible Children chapter. “We could probably have promoted it more.”

The night closed on a rendition of “Imagine” by Too Late for Satellites, in which all the participants and audience joined in.

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

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Awista Sherzada named Student Senate President

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Results are in for the Student Senate elections:

 

2012-2013 Student Senate Executive Board

President Awista Sherzada

Vice-President Bruna Iacuzzi

Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim Gul

Treasurer Benjamin Brown

Parliamentarian Neeraj Bang

Congratulations to the winners. Keep an eye on campusledger.com for more updates as they come.

Related articles:

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Get to know your Student Senate candidates: Q&A

Staff Editorial: Go vote: a lesson the smoking ban taught us

Reaping the nectar: Andy Anderson shares some stories

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Andy Anderson, shown in his office surrounded by his books and mementos, is the dean of English at the college. Photo by Jordan Wegele
Andy Anderson, shown in his office surrounded by his books and mementos, is the dean of English at the college. Photo by Jordan Wegele

By Mackenzie Clark

Andy Anderson, dean of English, never intended to become a teacher.

After growing up in a still-segregated Lawrence, Kan., school was far from Anderson’s mind when he first entered college at the University of Kansas.

“I was much better at protesting than attending class,” he said. “I remember when I finally got my last F, and they told me I was not needed on campus anymore, writing an appeal and I argued that I was sure I could do the work if I went to class, but they decided that I should go somewhere else to prove that.”

Anderson studied at Baker University on a pre-ministerial scholarship, originally intending to become a Methodist minister, but his plans changed.

“[Becoming a teacher] was really not by plan,” he said. “[…] I think I’d always had it, maybe, in the back of my mind, going into something like that. […] I don’t know if it was really a very well thought out decision, so much as it was sort of something I fell into, and it appealed to me.”

Anderson went on to teach English and Latin, first in high schools, then at the college level. He credits his teachers with his eventual decision to teach.

“I think when I was at KU and even when I was at Baker, somewhat, I had faculty that impressed me, that made a difference,” he said, “and it seemed like something I could do. I would be a lousy salesman, I couldn’t market anything, and […] it’s maybe more annoying what I was probably not cut out to do.”

Today, Anderson is still serving as dean of English, although he originally just volunteered to take over the interim position when his predecessor retired.

“It has never been a goal to be in administration,” he said. “This is not what I intended to do with my life, and I still frankly have to say I think I enjoy the classroom more than I enjoy being an administrator. I’m fortunate that I have – I think she must be the best assistant one can have.”

He is referring to Birgit Love, administrative assistant.

“Working with [Anderson] is very rewarding,” Love said. “He is a very capable and engaged administrator whom students, faculty and fellow administrators like and respect and call on for advice. One of his strongest points is his compassion. My responsibility is to support him and our English and Journalism Division faculty in every way I can. Andy is not a micro-manager, which makes my job easier and adds to my job satisfaction.”

Anderson said that mechanics of budgeting, managing resources, and dealing with day-to-day issues that arise take up a lot of his time. In addition, he teaches World Masterpieces (ENGL 250). In his class, he almost always turns back to Homer’s Odyssey.

“Probably everyone would assume my favorite book is ‘The Odyssey,’ by Homer, and I have taught that certainly every semester for about 30 years, twice, three times a year,” he said. “So that’s probably the book I know best, and it is one that I find sort of a perpetual renewal in; there’s always something new there.”

Anderson said that his favorite book is the one he is reading.

Other materials studied in the course include Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” Dante’s “Inferno,” and William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” He ranges to cover Virgil’s “Aeneid” to the more modern Christopher Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus.”

“Studying with Professor Anderson was one of the most memorable experiences of my college career,” said Clark Neal, student. “His spirited approach to education liberates his students, inspiring intellectual creativity and an ambition to explore the English language as fine art.”

Neal and Joshua Pack, student, both took Anderson’s World Masterpieces course in fall of 2011.

“He is an awesome teacher who really knows what he’s talking about, and he makes classic literature enjoyable and fun, and does a great job of relating it to our lives today,” Pack said.

Anderson rarely brings up fishing in his class, but he loved fishing with his father in Minnesota growing up.

“One learns a lot fishing, I think,” he said. “[…] It was one of those strange experiences that led to lots of interesting conversations, like, ‘You can’t catch a fish if your hook’s not in the water,’ those kinds of profound realizations. […] You learn to look at water, and see the sunlight. You listen a bit differently, I think.”

Anderson has two daughters and a son, all of whom have worked at the Billington Library. He credits his wife, Kathleen, as the reason he holds his current job.

“I don’t exist without her,” he said. “She runs my life. Actually she’s probably why I’m an English teacher, and why I keep up with everything. And in fact, probably, I wouldn’t be here at the college if it weren’t for my wife. In fact, almost assuredly. […] She pretty much saved me and kept me moving.”

After years of studying literature and poetry, Anderson finds a deeper meaning to ponder in places where many people wouldn’t.

“I think probably, actually something my students do know, they may not have really thought about it, is that I find almost everything interesting,” Anderson said. “In fact I had a professor who said that the definition of a dull person was someone who found everything interesting. And there’s some truth to that. I’m sure my students just assume I’m distracted and wandering, because almost anything can raise a significant point, I think.”

Anderson said that rather than try to get through 20 or 25 books in a semester, he’d prefer his students get deep into the assigned reading. He chooses what he considers to be outstanding examples.

“There’s so much to study, and then there’s the immediate realization that isn’t enough time to study it,” he said. “So in World Masterpieces, for example, time keeps going on and great things keep getting written, and you can’t possibly read all of them. I think we’re often tempted to just put together a huge list of books. […] If a student can have the experience of a really good book, you maybe don’t need to cover all of them.”

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

Instinct as old as time itself: humanity’s most primordial sense

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By David Hurtado

For as long as humanity has walked the earth, fear has always been lurking within the recesses of our minds, shadowing us as a species.

Susie Sympson, adjunct professor of psychology, said one of the theories on why people feel fear is that as young children we learn it from our parents.

“It’s one of the basic, natural things people have,” Sympson said. “Behaviorists believe we teach people to fear. According to classical conditioning, the neutral stimulus will lead people who experience a fear generalize that fear to similar things. If you grow up with a parent who has a phobia of storms, you’re either going to grow up fearing storms or as a protector.”

Behaviorism is one of the schools of psychology. Other schools of psychology include structuralism, functionalism and psychoanalysis.

When confronted with a perceived threat, humans either flee with their tail between their legs or they con- front the aggressor head on to protect their existence in what is called a flight or fight response. The flight or fight response was first coined by Walter Bradford Cannon.

Sympson said some fears are more common in humans than others, like arachnids and death. According to psychologists, these are primal fears that our ancestors developed for their survival. Fears like Aeronausiphobia, or a fear of airsickness, are relatively new on the playing field.

“There are some that are much more prevalent with people,” Sympson said. “It’s mainly things like snakes, spiders or other harmful creatures.”

For Rick Easter, student, the big- gest phobia in his life is not falling or needles, but tornadoes.

“I’m kind of scared of tornadoes, I don’t know what phobia that is, but when I think of tornadoes I kind of freak out,” Easter said. “I’ve never actually been in a tornado or seen 
a live one, but it’s just something about tornadoes that freaks me out. I know living in Kansas is kind of the wrong place to live with that phobia, but what can you do?”

And it’s not just toddlers, adolescents and adults that can feel fear creeping up their spine. Although many people assume babies don’t feel fear like heights or falling, Sympson said it is very possible that they do.

“In most instances people don’t think that they can,” Sympson said. “There was an experiment with a Plexiglas table where a baby crawled to the edge of it and stopped. Did the baby know to stop automatically or was it afraid of falling?”

Just as people have different phobias throughout life, so too are the ways in which we react to them. While some people assume societies both past and present have a similar way of coping with phobias, that is not always the case, according to Sympson.

“We live in such an ethnocentric society that we are very arrogant in thinking our way is the only way,” Sympson said. “Some societies are going to be more stoic than others and have a different attitude on how to express fear.”

There are some fears out there though, that do not have a name attached to them. Alex Sanders, student, said his biggest phobia was female drivers.

“It’s probably girls driving, that is one of the scariest things,” Sanders said. “Just being with them on the road, I’ve learned not to trust them when it comes to driving.”

Less common fears in human society include Bolshephobia, a fear of Bolsheviks, Dextrophobia, or a fear of objects on the right side of the body and Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, which is, ironically enough, a fear of long words.

Students who suffer from a phobia and want help in overcoming it are encouraged to contact Susie Sympson, adviser to Active Minds. Active Minds is a club on campus created to help students deal with various disorders pertaining to mental health.

Contact David Hurtado, reporting correspondent, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Facebook users beware: corporate big brother is watching

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Illustration by Sara Scherba

 

Illustration by Sara Scherba

By David Hurtado

The right to privacy has been debated 
all throughout American history, from cases such as Olmstead v. United States in 1928 to Roe v. Wade in 1973. In recent years, with the rise of social media, new arguments have emerged questioning whether employers should be able to demand an applicant’s Facebook password.

According to a recent article published by CNN, the American Civil Liberties Union said they have received numerous reports of applicants being asked for their Facebook passwords over the last couple of months.

Vincent Clark, adviser to the College Democrats, said he believes companies had a right to search an applicant’s Facebook profile because it constitutes public information and is legal.

“I don’t think anyone is guaranteed privacy by using a Facebook page,” Clark said. “American businesses have no trouble finding out everything about [applicants]. That’s always been the case, like with background checks.”

Facebook, however, does not take lightly to the misuse of its terms of service involving privacy. Eric Egan, chief privacy officer, wrote on Facebook’s privacy page that the company will not tolerate violations of its users’ privacy and could press for legal action if it occurs.

“As a user, you shouldn’t be forced to share your private information and communications just to get a job,” Egan wrote on the page. “That’s why we’ve made it a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to share or solicit a Facebook password. We’ll take action to protect the privacy and security of our users, whether by engaging policymakers or, where appropriate, by initiating legal action, including by shutting down applications that abuse their privileges.”

Jerry Magliano, adviser to the College Republicans, said he believes people should take personal responsibility for what they post on Facebook, especially if they are on the job.

“If a person is accessing Facebook on company property, then they are using that company’s resources,” Magliano said. “That opens you up to your employer having access to that information. It may be unethical, but it’s not a legal violation on your rights.”

Although the debate over whether the right to privacy applies to social media has picked up steam in recent weeks, Clark said it’s not likely Congress will step in anytime soon with a proposed bill. It’s more likely they will let the states decide for themselves.

“I don’t see any indication they are going to get involved,” Clark said. “There are other battles they are fighting over right now.”

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has ruled on privacy in a couple of landmark cases in the past, such as Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965, Roe v. Wade in 1973 and more recently Pottawatomie v. Earls in 2001.

In Griswold v. Connecticut, the Supreme Court struck down Connecticut’s law concerning the distribution of contraceptives to married people as unconstitutional. The court ruled that married couples had a right to privacy in making decisions regarding their families and procreation.

In Roe v. Wade the court built upon the ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut, declaring that women have a right to have an abortion
if they choose to. It was determined that the state criminal abortion law that Texas had
was unconstitutional because it violated the 14th Amendment’s Due Process Clause, which protects individuals against state actions restricting the right to privacy.

As in the United States Constitution, the Kansas Constitution makes no provision for the right to privacy of an individual. In section 20 of the state constitution, though, it states any rights not mentioned in the state constitution are reserved for the people.

“Kansas legislature has no law relating to the issue of privacy and the practice of some employers asking potential employees to give them their Facebook password,” said Anita Tebbe, chair of legal studies.

Nate Tate, student, said he believes companies have no right to demand an applicant’s Facebook password.

“That’s none of their business,” Tate said. “I mean, I could give them my strongbox with all my information or the rights to my home. It’s essentially the same thing they are asking.”

Contact David Hurtado, reporting correspondent, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Letter to the editor

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Dear Editor:

Regarding your article “No changes coming to Brown &Gold…yet” of March 22, the underhanded workings The College are starting to be revealed.

In the interests of an accurate record providing a full picture here is how it has gone down so far.

Brown and Gold was formed some 20 or 30 years ago and was ably run for many years by a board elected from the membership of Johnson County residents who are 55 or older.  Those trusted servants labored honestly and earnestly to ever enhance the image of The College and provide a connection for seniors.

Suddenly and without any previous warning of displeasure, middle level bureaucrats fired the entire elected board.  Students, take note, this would be akin to firing your Student Senate officers.  Or those of any other club on campus.

The college replaced the board elected from the membership with an Advisory Board hand picked by the administration.  Somewhat like replacing officers of, say, the Republican Club with a chosen few of their own.

Now, just a scant month or so before this mass firing, in a private meeting, President Calaway assured the President of Brown and Gold that the college loves the club, everything is “hunky-dory” and finances are not an issue.  Or so she reported at the next meeting.

The dismissed board members felt rather dissed so they fought back and presented their case at a Board of Trustees meeting. After their presentations, President Calaway seized the floor to “explain” his decision.  He claimed this was a “long time in coming” which seemed quite at odds with that very recent meeting with the B&G President.  He mentioned a few other problems, receipts or something, but none that were ever brought to the board’s attention.   His lynchpin reason was a botched Brown and Gold trip to Branson that forced him to act.  A trip that occurred three weeks AFTER the board was fired.  Smell fishy?

The hand-picked advisory board is now ready to jump, waiting only for Calaway’s instruction on “how high.”  It appears the college wants to protect it’s $50 million reserve acount by not only raising tuition every few months, but also by charging seniors for sitting in classroom seats that would otherwise be empty.  Can anything be more free?  Watch carefully now as The College manufactures an expense out of those free seats; scholarships or something.

Ron Platt

Overland Park, Kansas 66210

Letter to the editor

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Mr. Crable,
My name is Jack Van Kirk, and I would like to write a letter to the editor commenting on the editorial in the Campus Ledger, “The pursuit of happiness- for one and all?”

First, let me say that, as a devout Catholic, I do believe that homosexual actions are sinful and immoral. But I speak for the Church when I say this: I do not hate gay people themselves. I do not condone or approve of the violent and harassing crimes committed against gays, or the Westboro Baptist Church’s disgraceful and un-Christian protests. No human being deserves to be told that God hates them (in fact they should be told the opposite, that God loves them more than they love themselves). Loving someone does not mean that you have to approve of what they do.

This is the reason I feel gay “marriage” is wrong and should not be allowed. To truly love somebody means that you will the highest possible good for them. A marriage is not a legal contract, as society thinks it is, but a covenant, a promise of selfless faithfulness to death, in which life is procreated through sexual act between a husband and wife.

A homosexual union, therefore, is not a marriage, because it is physically incapable of procreating. If you know basic biology, a man’s body and a woman’s body complement each other; one does not make sense without the other.

A Catholic writer and speaker once said that the virtue of chastity is “not following a list of rules so you’ll avoid hell. It is wanting heaven for the person you love.” If a gay couple truly loves each other, they will not have sexual relations, because they are doing damage to their bodies and souls (semen has a chemical in it that inhibits the immune system, so that the woman’s body does not see the sperm as an invader and so she can conceive. In same-sex relations, this can put both at higher risk for STD infection).

God does not hate gays. Neither do Christians. Neither do I. We love them because we believe we have God, who fulfills all desires. The message is not “do this or you’ll burn in hell”, but “come see what He has, and be fulfilled.”

Sincerely,
Jack Van Kirk
JCCC student

Golden Girls prepare for national cheer competition

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Members of the Golden Girls dance team practice the morning of March 30. The team qualified for nationals for the second year in a row. Photo by Tasha Cook

By Christopher Khan

The Golden Girls made it to finals at nationals in 2011; this year, they plan to do even better.

The college’s Golden Girls Dance Team, which cheers at home basketball games and campus events, qualified for the National Dance Alliance Collegiate National Championships for the second year in a row.

The competition takes place April 11-13 in Daytona, Fla. The group is in Division III, where they will compete against other community colleges and smaller universities.

“We just had that mindset that we were going no matter what,” said Amy Sellers, head dance coach for the Golden Girls.  “We were going to make it happen.”

Last year, the Golden Girls placed seventh out of seven in finals.

“[Last year] was my first year coaching here, and it was our first year [at Nationals] for all but one of us, and we made it to finals for the first time in [the college’s] history,” Sellers said. “So it was awesome, but this year I have seven returners, and our goal is to just do better.”

Madalyn Meeker, student, is one of those seven returning dancers out of the 12 on the team.

“We had never made it to finals before, but last year we did,” Meeker said. “I’m really looking forward to doing even better this year, because I think we surprised a lot of the other teams last year.”

Mary Graves, student, thought that the national competition last year was a great experience.

“It was amazing,” Graves said.  “Just performing on the beach was an amazing experience.  It’s right on the beach with stages – but the stage gets really, really hot.  There’s a lot more energy performing outside than in an arena.”

Sellers and choreographer Shannon Summers created the routine for 2012 in October with the theme ‘Warrior.

“[The dancers] have this warrior mentality now, and it’s what they fall back on when they have some rough days,” Sellers said. “It’s a little cheesy, but it keeps us motivated.”

According to Sellers, this motivation has been helpful.

“We have really tough competition as a couple of other teams consistently win every year,” Sellers said. “But our team is really strong, and I feel confident that we can do very well. Our goal is to do better, and I have all faith that we can do that.

The work that goes into preparing the Golden Girls for nationals is immense. Since they learned the routine six months ago, the team has been practicing the routine whenever they can – usually for two hours a day after the end of basketball season.

“Just seeing the girls work hard every day, and then work harder than the day before [gives me confidence],” Sellers said. “The dance is only two minutes and 11 seconds long, but when you’re out there doing it, it feels like it’s a 15 minute long dance. It takes a lot of energy and a lot of endurance.

All in all, the Golden Girls say they are excited to be returning to nationals this year.

“I really hope we make finals again,” Graves said. “It’s just a different experience when you’re out there with your whole team competing for something so amazing. It’s way different than just practices and games. It’s a lot more intense.”

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

News briefs

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Dave Helling receives Headline Award

The journalism and media communications department at the college has awarded Dave Helling, reporter and columnist for the Kansas City Star, the 2012 Headline Award. The award is given to local journalists each year who make considerable contributions to local journalism and those who can inspire current journalism students at the college. Helling will receive the award on Thursday, April 26 in the Regnier Center.

Co-founder of Priceline.com to speak at the college

Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of Priceline.com, will be at the college on Wednesday, April 18 for an event titled “Growing Your Business in Today’s Changing World.” Hoffman will be informing listeners about the needs and demands of today’s consumers as well as what it takes to thrive in this economy. The event will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the Regnier Center. Student tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Student Information Desk. For more information about this event, keep an eye on http://www.campusledger.com.

Culinary student’s recipe featured in the Kansas City Star

Student Nash Zink’s recipe for coffee roasted beef was featured in the Kansas City Star’s Cooking 101 section on Tuesday, March 28. Zink is a fourth semester student at the college studying in the hospitality management program. Zink’s recipe uses regular or decaffeinated coffee as a dry rub on tri-tip roast. He also adds wilted spinach, glazed carrots and a whiskey cream sauce to accompany the roast. The complete recipe, along with recipes from other students at the college, can be found at http://www.kansascity.com under the Cooking 101 section.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge

Year without a winter

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Illustration by Sara Scherba

By Jessica Mitchell

With spring in full swing and having just wrapped up what some climatologists call the year without a winter, many people are unsure of the repercussions that this record-breaking weather will have on our world and its inhabitants. Many are also pinpointing global warming as a major contributing factor.

The New York Times reported on March 22 that 4,412 record highs were set in a single week this year. Nature and weather’s instability has caused the Midwest to experience a spring-like winter and, so far, a summer-like spring. The unusually warm weather has caused plants, animals and bugs to wake up earlier than normal, which can potentially have negative ramifications if weather were to change and turn cold.

“It hasn’t stayed cold long enough to really discourage things like mosquito development,” said Kim Criner, student Sustainability affairs coordinator. “So, we are probably going to have a much longer mosquito season just because it’s going to be warmer longer. Also, the plants have started to think it’s springtime. If we do get another freeze we can end up setting them back in their bloom cycles and things like that in terms of agriculture and even tree buds.”

While there are many negative outcomes of unseasonable weather, many people have favored our lack of winter and prefer it to the snow and harsh conditions to which we have grown accustomed.

“I can imagine that our warm winter would have some negative outcomes but I’d take 60’s and sunny over black ice and power outages any day,” said Michael Stephens, student. “I think I’ve made my peace with global warming.”

Having just wrapped up such a mild winter, global warming has become a topic of discussion and many people wonder if it is to blame and if we are seeing its effects.

“I am completely convinced that the globe is in fact warming due to anthropogenic causes,” said Jay Antle, history professor and executive director of Sustainability. “Having said that, I think it is very difficult to draw a connection between any single weather event and what’s happening in terms of overall gradual increase in global temperature.”

Even though the warm winter was something we grew accustomed to this year, it was not a landmark or permanent event. We will still have extremely cold winters and we will still wake up to an abundance of snow and ice. This winter was just unseasonable.

“The climate is basically trying to balance itself out,” Criner said. “The norms we have become used to are becoming disrupted due to changes in our atmosphere content by the burning of fossil fuels and things like that. So, we are going to have a really cold winter again. It’s not going to continue to get warmer and warmer. When we talk about global temperatures warming, we’re talking about only a few degrees, but that’s enough to often set things out of usual sync.”

When the term “global warming” is thrown around in conversation, many people draw parallels to a never-ending summer and a desert like existence. However, while us Midwesterners were experiencing the warming part of global warming, our distant neighbors in Europe were experiencing the cooling part of global warming.

“The rules we have been used to for hundreds of years now are increasingly uncertain and so rather than use the term ‘global warming,’ although the globe is warming, ‘climate destabilization’ makes a little more sense,” Antle said. “Extreme events are going to become more common, whether it be drought, flood, warm summer, cold summer, warm winter, cold winter – the unusual will become more usual. That seems to be what’s happening to the global climate.”

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

Staff Editorial: Go vote: a lesson the smoking ban taught us

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Illustration by Elizabeth Spooner

This is an election year. Across the nation, candidates are fighting over who will run for president. More locally, a myriad of other elections are taking place, at the state level and at the college level. It may not seem like much, but all students should care about Student Senate elections.

Some may think that they are not involved on campus enough or not around campus enough to justify taking an interest in Student Senate. Maybe those people think that student senators don’t do anything very important in the grand scheme of things. Maybe those people need to be reminded of the smoking ban.

The smoking ban was an initiative of the Student Senate last year. After carrying out surveys to gauge community reactions to a campus-wide smoking ban, the Student Senate informed the Board of Trustees, who instituted it. As a result, no smoking is allowed on campus unless in cars or in designated smoking huts near the ITC building.

There is outrage about it now: petitions going around, community members finding ways of circumventing the ban, allegations that the ban is not enforced. Too little, too late. Where were all the naysayers when the ban was being discussed? Where were their voices when they could have changed things?

Student Senate matters because, as the smoking ban has shown, its decisions can affect the lives of everyone on campus. That is exactly why you should vote. The same goes for local and national elections. They all have the power to affect your life, so why aren’t you caring?

Voting goes hand in hand with democracy; the more people use their voice in a meaningful manner, the better. In the “Chick-Fil-A: anti-gay?” article in Volume 34, Issue 12 of the Campus Ledger, student Arianna Poland said that she would take her fight to the polls. That is exactly what they are there for: for you to fight for your views in a place where they can actually matter.

Think about it. Only a figurative handful of people have the power to make decisions that can alter a community’s life – be it a college, a town, a city, a state or a country. But those people have to get there somehow – and that “somehow” is you. Your vote, your voice, your endorsement of why they are there. There may be flaws in the electoral system, but your voice still counts, for both small and big elections.

So go vote. Student senate polls will be open today until 11:59 p.m. online and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the COM building. If you’ve already missed it, you have a whole lot of other elections where you can make your vote count.

Santorum’s morals turn public policy

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By Jessica Mitchell

Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum’s personal morals and beliefs have crossed the forbidden line into aspiring laws and rules. His views on women’s health, contraception and abortion directly reflect his religious status and now he is trying to force it upon the country.

Santorum’s views go as far as states having the right to ban birth control because of his belief that contraception is dangerous and something to stay away from. Not only should states have the right to ban birth control, but they should also be able to enforce laws against any other form of contraception including educational programs.

“One of the things I will talk about that no president has talked about before is [what] I think [of] the dangers of contraception in this country, the whole sexual libertine idea,” Santorum said in an October ABC News/Yahoo! debate. “Many in the Christian faith have said, ‘Well, that’s OK. Contraception’s OK.’ It’s not OK because it’s a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

Not only should states have the right to ban birth control, but he believes they should also be able to enforce laws against any other form of contraception including educational programs.

While in the U.S. Senate in 2005, Santorum voted against funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs. He also aspired to end Title X for Planned Parenthood, which would ultimately eradicate access to preventative health care services for millions of women.

Not only does contraception carry a severe negative moral weight with Santorum, it carries a criminal weight. He authorizes a federal ban on abortion that would criminalize and send doctors who perform it to jail.

Even in matters of rape, incest or harmful birth, Santorum affirms that contraception is malicious and a harm to our society. According to whom?

Currently in the Netherlands, abortions are legal and financially provided for. Not only are contraceptives easily accessible, sex education is an acknowledged part of their schools’ curriculum. Against Santorum’s affirmations, their society is in no way malicious or in danger of being harmed. In fact, the Netherlands houses one of the lowest rates of abortion in the world.

With a shockingly high percentage of teenage girls undergoing abortions in the U.S., my first initial action would be to add more education involving planning and uses of contraception; not to eliminate it completely.

Even if Santorum gets his way and states start outlawing contraception, women will continue to have abortions and our country’s abortion rates may even rise. Closing the door to a controversial situation does not abolish it or make it go away. It only intensifies the situation even further.

Not only are Santorum’s personal religious and moral philosophies impeding on his ability to attempt to speak for an entire country, he is failing to understand the implications to his proposed laws.

His personal views on abortion do not need to be forced upon the rest of this country’s population and until he has carried a child and experienced the pain of giving birth, he does not need to be telling women what they can and cannot do with their sexual health. His personal morals should not be allowed to become public policy.

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

Fight dirty: what to do if you are attacked

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By Mackenzie Clark

A report of rape on campus has since been declared unfounded, but the importance of knowledge on how to handle such a situation will always persist.

The original police report, filed Feb. 29, stated that a rape occurred in a GYM locker room. The caller identified himself as the victim’s father, and said that the victim knew the attacker. The incident did not involve students of the college.

Following investigation, the report has been declared unfounded.

“Occasionally, [campus police] will receive a complaint that is determined through investigation to be false or baseless,” said Scott Wargin, campus police officer. “In other words, no crime occurred. If the investigation shows that no offense occurred nor was attempted, procedures dictate that the reported offense must be classified as ‘Unfounded.’”

Dennis Day, vice president, Student Success/Engagement, said there was no evidence that any criminal activity occurred.

“It has been fully investigated by the campus police,” Day said. “All parties have been interviewed and we have a determination that there was no criminal activity that occurred on campus or near campus associated with this event.”

Terry Calaway, college president, said that the college takes every report of a sexual assault very seriously.

“We will investigate all of those reports to the fullest extent we are allowed by law, and if we find there is evidence to support it, we turn it over to the district attorney, who has been a great partner in helping us deal with situations where we do find evidence to support it,” he said. “In this case, I think we found evidence clearly the opposite way.”

Most importantly, in the wake of this event, all students should know how to defend themselves in the event of an attack.

Stephen Taylor, adjunct professor of athletics, said the number one thing he teaches in his self-defense class is how to fall correctly.

“If it’s truly an assault, the objective of the attacker is typically to first of all surprise the victim, take them to the ground, and knock them unconscious, or at least into submission as quickly as possible,” he said. “[…] If you want to put it from a football perspective – the quarterback gets sacked, he’s ok when he hits the ground, but then that head hits the ground, and even with a helmet on he’s not sure what planet he’s on. If you can avoid that head contact with the ground and avoid that concussion, you have a chance to fight back.”

Bear in mind, however, that if you do decide to fight back, it will most likely escalate the situation. Taylor said you must be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done: biting, eye gouging, throat shots, and joint shots.

Taylor cited the book “Tough Target” by former Chicago police detective J.J. Bittenbinder. Bittenbinder shares the story of a woman who was attacked in the middle of the night and dragged the would-be rapist out of her house by his genitals.

“She had a plan,” Taylor said. “She was willing to do whatever it took, and she succeeded. And whenever I bring that up in this self-defense class, some of the women get a little concerned. They don’t know if they have the mental toughness to do whatever it takes to get the job done, so you always try to caution them that if they’re gonna fight back, they’re probably gonna escalate the situation.”

Taylor also said that no matter what, you do not let your attacker take you to a secondary location. Never get into a car or let an attacker lead you down an ally, even if he or she is armed.

He said that people who are not paying attention to their surroundings are more likely to look like easy targets for criminals. Another way to avoid attack is to use a whistle, scream ‘Fire,’ or do whatever it takes to make noise.

He emphasized the importance of what happens after something like this occurs.

“You cannot blame yourself, and you have to report it, because if you don’t it will eat you up inside,” Taylor said. “I have seen it happen.”

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

 

 

Other resources:

Campus Police Emergency Line: 913-469-8500 ext. 4111; non-emergency, 4112

Campus police website: http://www.jccc.edu/administration/police/index.html

Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA): http://www.mocsa.org/

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN): https://ohl.rainn.org/online.rainn.org/

Police briefs

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Theft from vehicle

A woman contacted campus police regarding a theft on March 19. The victim stated that she parked her car on the northeast side of the Nerman Museum; when she returned her purse was missing from the vehicle. The victim then stated someone found the purse at 106th and Quivira Road with most of the contents inside.

Student attempts to flee scene of smoking violation

On March 19, a campus police officer tried to make contact with a male student smoking on campus before the student tried to flee the scene on foot. The officer followed the student to their vehicle and asked to see a student I.D. The student yelled at the officer and attempted to run away before police caught up with him again. The student finally provided the officer with identification. He was then advised of the smoking policy and allowed to leave.

Criminal damage of property in parking garage

A student’s car was vandalized on March 21 in the Carlsen Center upper east parking garage. The victim stated that he returned to his car to find the driver’s side windshield wiper broken off. The victim then found a note under the passenger side windshield wiper that read “Learn how to drive” along with other explicit messages.

Man caught viewing pornography on school computer

Campus police were dispatched to the Billington Library on March 27 at 8:15 p.m. A staff member stated that they were walking past a computer on the second floor when they observed
a subject viewing pornography. After police arrived, they found that the subject was not a student or faculty of the college. The subject said that since the site was not blocked he thought it was acceptable. The subject was escorted off campus.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge

Changing lives: College program helps educate Johnson County residents

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Cheri Sims, a volunteer and tutor at the college’s Adult Education program, assists Ring Yel in the Literacy department at West Park on Wednesday, March 28. Photo by Michael House

By Jon Parton

Literacy and education can determine how much money a person makes, quality of life and can even be linked to crime rates and incarceration, according to a report by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

For 27 years, the Johnson County Adult Education (JCAE) program has been working with Johnson County residents who want to improve their lives.

The program offers adult basic education (ABE), GED test preparation and English as a second language (ESL) courses. The program also offers help for those who would like to make a transition in becoming students at the college.

Susan McCabe, program director, ABE/GED/ESL, is now in her 26th year of working for the program. McCabe said that volunteers greatly help the program meet its goals.

“We have about 160 volunteers,” McCabe said. “We do volunteer orientation on campus about three to four times a year. We always need volunteers.”

McCabe explained that the program receives more than 2,500 students a year, many of them requiring one-on-one instruction.

“We in Johnson County are so incredibly lucky to have such a talented pool of volunteers,” McCabe said. “But there’s always a need for more. There’s just lots of different opportunities.”

McCabe said that she finds the work to be rewarding.

“It’s never doubting that you made a difference in somebody’s life,” McCabe said. “We’re giving students the tools they need to succeed in life.”

Bea Peeke, program coordinator, ABE/GED/ESL, is also in her 26th year of working for the program. Peeke said that the JCAE program assists a wide variety of residents in the community.

“We work with adult basic education,” Peeke said. “Those are students who are literacy students or just wanting to improve in writing, math, or reading. Some of our moms come in because they want to be able to help their children with their homework.”

Peeke said that the majority of her work involves GED test preparation.

“That’s actually given at the main campus, but in the state of Kansas you’re required to pass a practice test before you can go register for the official GED test,” Peeke said.

Peeke said that the program goes above and beyond just preparing students for the GED test.

“Now we’re able to work with them and help them set career goals and set if they want to work on a certificate program,” Peeke said. “We’ve done a lot of work on becoming familiar with the programs at the campus, so we can do a lot of good counseling at the campus level.”

Sherry Sibold, volunteer, is a retiree who has only lived in Johnson County a short time, but said that she knew she wanted to assist others.

“I think we were all created to help,” Sibold said. “Even in retirement, it makes you feel good. It feels good to know that people are appreciative of your help and your time.”

Students interested in volunteering can contact Chris Specht, Johnson County Adult Education volunteer coordinator, at 913-469-3003.

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

Letter to the editor

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Dear Editor,

My name is Dan Payan and I am a student enrolled in my first semester at JCCC, I am also a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps using the G.I. Bill to fund my education. Before attending college here I was enrolled in classes in Utah at the Salt Lake Community College (SLCC). While attending SLCC I would spend time studying, relaxing, and talking to other Veterans in the Veterans Center (a center for Veterans and their families to use computers, study, relax, and get the information they need to succeed in their education and life) and as I would walk to the Veterans Center and my classes I would pass a memorial acknowledging the service and sacrifice of student Veterans like myself, and nothing made me feel as proud or honored than that memorial. It was a concrete stand with a copper placard thanking student Veterans surrounded by flag poles with each Military branches flag flying high. The problem I have is, now that I attend JCCC I have no place to meet with other Veterans such as myself, I have to ask to speak with an assigned person in order to get military and school related information, I can’t just walk into a room and read a Veterans billboard with Veterans information pamphlets or Veterans friendly resources, and I also have no daily routine of passing a memorial thanking myself and fellow Veteran students for defending America and its Constitution.

I am writing you to ask for your help informing the school, the students, and the community of the things that other schools have applied to help transitioning Veterans and thank them for their selfless sacrifice. I have contacted the Veterans Services Office about this issue and they have informed me that the discussion has come up at the Veterans Club meetings but that is has made no progress. I feel that if this topic has come up amongst the Veterans Club and no resolution has come of it then maybe more people need to be notified of this topic.

By more people I mean students, faculty, and whoever else may read the Campus Ledger, I for one give much credit and interest to the stories I read in it and I’m sure other readers do as well.

JCCC is listed as a military friendly school and I would agree wholeheartedly, but is there any reason it can’t be friendlier. I’m not saying that we need to neglect other students, I am just asking that WE as a school start showing a little more thanks to not only Veterans but Veterans who have fought for freedom and are now fighting alongside civilians for that sacred award know as a “DEGREE.” It’s hard enough to transition from the military to civilian life but to do that and get good grades is an almost impossible task if you don’t have the resources necessary to succeed.

I appreciate your time, and hope that with your help we can inform more people of the selfless dedication that our Veteran students have given to not only better the country but also to better themselves.

Thanks again,

Dan Payan

dpayan@stumail.jccc.edu

P.S. Your article in OP ED section the recent Campus Ledger (Volume 34 Issue 12) “Forgetting to Say Thank You to Those Forsaken By Their Government” was dead on, and has shown me that some people still remember us. Thank you and I look forward to reading more you have to offer.

No place like home: former student facing deportation after living in the US most of his life

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Photo courtesy Ada Luz Gonzalez Franco

By Jon Parton

On June 4, 2011, former student Jesus Torres, 21, was pulled over by Belton police for an alleged traffic violation. Today, he is facing deportation to Mexico due to that traffic stop. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ordered Torres to leave the country by April 13.

Torres said that he was pulled over by police three blocks away from his home.

“I was going home to pick up my brother and take him to Worlds of Fun,” Torres said. “They said that the tags were not a match to the vehicle. Once he checked all the paperwork, saying it must have been a dispatch error or some kind of mistake, he asked for my license. I gave him my Mexican driver’s license and he said it wasn’t valid.”

Torres was brought into the United States when he was six years old. Torres is one of many illegal immigrants brought into the country as children, young people who have been raised most of their lives in the United States.

The issue has become so prevalent, a legislative proposal known as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act was reintroduced into the U.S. Senate last year.

The DREAM Act aims to provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who were raised in the United States. The current bill requires the immigrant to have a high school diploma or GED, not have any felonies, and either be enrolled in college or serve in the military for two years.

Torres, who had no previous run-ins with the law, said he only had two semesters left before earning an associate degree in business administration. Torres works at his father’s mechanic shop in Grandview. Although his parents have since become legal residents and his siblings were born in the United States, Torres has no legal status.

“I’ve got a brother and sister here,” Torres said. “I’ve got my parents here and all my friends from back in elementary school. I’ve got my fiancée here.”

An online petition, signed by more than 1,000 supporters, did not sway immigration officials to offer him an extension. Torres said that living in Mexico will be especially difficult since he doesn’t speak Spanish very well. His only family in Mexico is his grandmother.

Torres said that the situation has been difficult for his fiancée.

“It’s tough on her too,” Torres said. “Since she’s in school right now to finish her nursing program, she can’t really go with me.”

Torres said that it was difficult to explain the situation to his 13-year-old brother and 9-year-old sister.

“It’s affecting them quite a bit,” Torres said. “They don’t even know what’s going on. My little sister is asking me why I have to leave.”

Torres said that he is unsure how he will fit into Mexico since he has lived most of his life in the United States.

“I wasn’t born here but I was raised here,” Torres said. “I was born in Mexico but my culture is not Mexican. This is my culture. This is my home to me. This is what I know.”

Torres went to the college because of Kansas state law that allows illegal immigrants to attend. Pete Belk, program director, Admissions, said that while the college looks at a number of things before admitting a student, legal status is not one of them.

“We can’t, by law, require a social security number but it’s optional,” Belk said. “It is a requirement for financial aid to have a social security number.”

The state of Kansas passed a law in 2004 that allows undocumented students to attend any Kansas public university as long as certain requirements are met.

“Undocumented students we will admit if they live in the state of Kansas or graduated from high school in the state of Kansas,” Belk said. “We can give them in-state tuition per House Bill 2145.”

Belk said that the bill allows undocumented students to attend college as long as they have graduated from a Kansas high school, attended a Kansas high school for three or more years and signed an affidavit that states the student will initiate the process that can lead to legal residency.

“If you choose not to sign that affidavit or you did not graduate from a Kansas high school, we charge you out-of-state tuition,” Belk said.

Although the law does not support a path to citizenship for Torres, he is not without sup- porters. Dorelle Harrison, student, is one such supporter who believes that children who grew up most of their lives in the United States should not be deported.

“It’s not their fault,” Harrison said. “They were too young to understand when it happened.”

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

Recovering from sub-par season

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Cole Phillips practices his swing for the college’s golf team at Overland Park Golf Park on March 13. Photo by Jordan Wegele

By Ben Markley

For many teams, finishing the fall season in third place would be exceptional, but to the college’s golf team, it means playing catch-up.

“I would’ve liked to have been first or second in the fall,” said head coach Lafayette Norwood. “I think it would’ve put us in
a better position to get some things we wanted to get done. In the spring, we have to come out ahead.”

Sophomore Devin Montague said the team goal was simple.

“From day one, the goal was for a conference championship, so that’s what we’re striving for,” he said. “That’s our expectations and our goals: to win our next two conference tournaments so we can win the next conference championship.

However, clinching a conference championship will be no easy task.

“We got a little bit of a road back to try and win the conference,” Rick Hairgrove, sophomore, said. “We’ve got to win all of our tournaments, and we’ve got to just kind of mentally stay in it and keep pushing each other.”

Despite the team’s upcoming challenges, Norwood is confident his team is capable.

“For me, [the Kansas City Kansas Fall Invitational] was a good indicator I think we’ll be able to get to where I thought we would’ve,” he said.

The team placed second at the tournament, with freshman Mario Funcic placing third individually with a stroke of 146 over 36 holes.

Montague said the team is ready to take first place in the spring season.

“I believe that we work harder than anybody else in the conference,” he said. “We didn’t have the greatest fall, so we’re coming from behind, but we know exactly what we have to do.”

In order to accomplish that goal, Norwood said the team’s improvement would have to come from each individual.

“What we need to do is get consistent output,” Norwood said. “We have five men on the team, and, one through five, we have to have each be more productive and step up to the plate.”

At the same time, Norwood has promoted an atmosphere of team unity.

“That’s what we’ve been preaching: team bond, a family thing,” Hairgrove said. “As the coach likes to say, being together in our goals.”

Montague said this bond brought a unique element to the team.

“People say golf is really individual, but I’m feeling more and more that we’re thinking about the team, which is nice,” Montague said.

The team’s next tournament, the KJCCC 5th Designated, will be Monday, April 16.

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

A league of his own: Coach Kent Shelley reflects on 25-season career

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Kent Shelley (right) bats while players practice base running and handling the ball on practice at the college on March 28. Photo by Hannah Hunsinger

By Ben Markley

Head coach Kent Shelley has been coaching baseball at the college longer than any of his players have been alive.

Shelley played collegiate baseball at the University of Kansas and served as a graduate assistant coach for the 1982-1983 season before he graduated. After spending a couple of years in the world of business, he applied for a coaching position at the college as well as Kansas City Kansas Community College and Fort Scott Community College.

“All three offered me jobs and, luckily, I chose Johnson County Community College,” Shelley said. “I signed a lucrative contract for $700 a year. By the end of the year, I think I was making $13,500, but I was working six or seven different jobs.”

In the fall of 1986, legendary Hall-of-Famer coach Sonny Maynard stepped down as head coach of men’s baseball, and Shelley landed the position. In 2007, Shelley scored a spot of his own in the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

“I see hall of fames maybe differently than other people,” he said. “I believe 
hall of fames are not necessarily for the person going in, but
 it’s more of a reflection of your
overall body of work and those 
who’ve made it possible. So it’s really a reflection of those people’s work, and I was just very honored to be the one chosen to represent that entire body of work and those people that have made my job much, much easier.”

Shelley is no stranger to success, having taken his team to championships, including the JUCO World Series in 2008, with 49 of his players going on to the major leagues. His success in the NJCAA reflects just how much he loves junior college baseball.

“I’ve just always been a junior college guy,” he said. “That’s the level where these kids are here for a purpose. They’re here to develop, they’re here to play, they’re here for an opportunity to get their education. Definitely the downside is you only have two years to work with these kids, and that’s tough … two years just isn’t enough to be with them.”

When it comes to the sport itself, Shelley said it was the bonds formed through the sport that made it great.

“[The relationships are] what makes, in 
my opinion, the game of baseball America’s game,” he said. “Some of my greatest friends
 in life developed through the game of baseball. These are lifelong friendships.”

That might explain why, despite being the winningest coach in the college’s history with 719 wins, Shelley counts his players’ development as his greatest success.

“I hope to think that my greatest accomplishment is touching the lives of young people, not only in terms of their development on the baseball diamond, but much more importantly, their development as young men,” he said. “These kids are turning out to be tremendous husbands, but most importantly, these guys that I’ve coached are becoming some of the greatest fathers to walk the face of the earth.”

One of those young men, sophomore first baseman Evan Brummett, said his coach certainly pushes his team but never puts the sport before his players.

“He always says, ‘I may not like you some days, but I’ll always love you,’” Brummett said.

Assistant coach David Canary has been learning from Shelley since the spring of 2001 when he played Cavalier baseball as a freshman.

“He had me when I was 18, 19 years old, so he was a big part of me growing up,” Canary said. “I was eight hours away from home, so he was kind of my dad away from home. I came out here, 22 or 23, coaching, and I thought I knew everything. He kind of threw the reins on me and helped me grow up, not only as a man but also as a coach.”

Reflecting on many years coaching Cavalier baseball, Shelley felt content.

“It’s been a tremendous run,” he said. “I couldn’t think of a better college, a better community to coach in. You’re truly talking to a blessed man.”

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

Battle-hardened Beret speaks at the college

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Mark Johnson, a retired Green Beret, signs one of his books at the leadership seminar Thursday, March 29. Photo by Michael House

By David Hurtado

Mark Johnson, a retired Green Beret, spoke at the college Thursday in the Craig Community Auditorium on leadership and how to make a difference in the lives of others.

Johnson began the seminar by talking about what we, as individuals, can accomplish when
we set our minds to it. It does not take anything extraordinary to do what you want in life, only the will to realize it, he said.

“You can accomplish anything you want to in this world, anything at all,” Johnson said. “If you want to be an astronaut, by gosh we have two astronauts who grew up within 100 miles of here. If you want to be a scientist and invent things and win the Nobel Prize for physics like Jack Kilby from Great Bend, Kansas, the path has already been paved. You can do anything you want to in life, anything.”

However, Johnson said we have to make a commitment to ourselves that we can accomplish what we set our minds to. No one else can bring us to our destination; we alone hold the key to our future.

“You are responsible, nobody else is,” Johnson said. “Not me, not your folks, not your good buddies, we are only enablers and facilitators. We help enable your success and facilitate your success, but you ultimately build your own ship. You ultimately decide your own fate.”

Johnson went on to say there are two paths we can take to accomplish what we want in life. There’s the easy path that mostly everyone takes or the hard path that gets us the self-esteem, like Paul Schneider did. Schneider was a captain in the German army during World War I who did not like the way things were going under Hitler.

“When everyone else became lemmings and let him go, [Schneider] stood up and fought him,” Johnson said. “And when they went to his church and put the Nazi symbols up he ripped them down right in front of them, put his Christian symbols back up and said, ‘You’re not going to do that in my town.’ They put him in jail, slapped him around a bit, then brought him back.

The second time the Nazis tried, again, Schneider defied them openly.

“The third time was the charm, the third time that big Nazi propaganda machine led by Herr Joseph Goebbels himself came in,” Johnson said. “For the third time he defied them openly and ripped their symbols down and said, ‘You’re not going to do this in my town,’ and he was sent to Buchenwald where he was executed by lethal injection.”

When it came time for Schneider’s funeral at the church, 4,000 people showed up to honor him. They came even though the Nazis had posted that only deacons, family and members of the church could attend.

“The correct path, that’s the path that Paul Schneider took, when he openly defied Nazi Germany at the expense of his own life because he dared to take the hard right,” Johnson said.

Johnson said though sometimes people
are scared to make the hard decisions in life because we are afraid we might hurt people’s feelings. Even if they do, we have to make them anyways.

Jake Akehurst, manager of Student Activities and Leadership Development, said Johnson has been a part of the Cavalier Development Leadership Program since its inception in fall 2007.

“Over the course of that time frame I’ve come to know him professionally and personally
as a great speaker and motivator,” Akehurst said. “We thought, ‘Let’s open this up to the community, to give them the opportunity to hear him speak and promote the leadership campaign.’ He has a real gift and passion for connecting people.”

The leadership program is open to all students of the college on Thursdays from 12:30-1:45. No formal application is needed to attend, but a minimum 2.0 GPA is required. Topics that students will discuss include how to plan a meeting, public speaking and strength finding to help students gain confidence.

From all his years as a Green Beret and the adventures he has had, Johnson said his most memorable experience was simply when a plan came together.

“The best moments have to be when you plan for extremely dangerous and hazardous missions, that mission goes successfully, you survive it, you walk away and none of your people get hurt, you can’t get any better than that,” he said.

Johnson served for 20 years as a Green
Beret in over 50 nations, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel when he retired in 2000. Johnson has also been awarded the bronze star for his actions during the Gulf War and has received the Parachutist badge from 14 other nations. He has also authored two books, “How to Get Anyone to Follow You Anywhere: Green Beret Secrets to Leadership and Team Building” and “Lessons in Leadership: Straight Talk from a Green Beret.”

Contact David Hurtado, reporting correspondent, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

Capitalism is democracy

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By Jon Parton

If you want to ask someone how they are doing in China, you would say “Ni hao ma?” Most Americans do not understand the Chinese language. In fact, there is a lot about China most Americans do not understand, language being just one of them. China is well on its way to becoming a democracy within the next 20 years.

The Chinese economy is now the second largest in the world. It finally opened up its trade borders in 1976, largely thanks to the Nixon administration’s efforts to normalize relations with the communist nation. Economic reforms led China to a complete overhaul of its longstanding system.

China’s poverty rate fell from 53 percent in 1981 to just 8 percent in 2001, according to a report by the World Bank. It is now the world’s largest exporter and has an increasing number of middle-class citizens who have benefitted by the nation’s adoption of capitalism. It also features a widening gap in wealth, something with which Americans are all too familiar.

However, China’s growth potential is limited by bureaucratic red tape and corrupt government officials. In order to start a business in China, the potential owner must get clearance by city, province, and national officials. If at any time an official declines to give the OK, there can be no business.

Elections were recently held in the village of Wukan in China’s southern Guangdong province. While villages have voted for local leaders before, this election came about by a 10-day protest and standoff between villagers and police and military officials after an elected official sold much of the village’s land to a real estate developer. It is the first time the authoritarian government has relented to the will of its people rather than suppress them.

It is just the beginning. As the middle class rises, citizens will demand better pay and working conditions. It is already happening in the Foxconn plant, the manufacturer responsible for assembling Apple’s iPads and iPhones. The company announced that it would reduce its grueling work schedule and increase pay for its workers.

The middle class in China can afford to buy cell phones and computers. They are able to bypass Chinese censors and take a critical look at the government that tries so hard to hide the world from them. It will be the middle class that will force the Chinese government to reform.

To truly understand why communism in China is doomed to fail, you need to take a step back and look at what happened to other communist countries. The downfall of the Soviet Union mirrors the situationChinais currently facing. The rise of “perestroika” and democratic reforms led to the overthrow of the Soviet regime.

Last year, former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro stated that communism had failed in Cuba. In 1979, there were a total of 23 communist nations in the world. In 2011, there were only five. China’s current economic might was only made possible by the rise of capitalism. Human history tends to fall into patterns. The patterns are in place for China to become a democracy.

Small changes are often the ones that contribute to greater changes. As one Chinese proverb said, “A tiny spark can start a fire that burns the entire prairie.”

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

Voting where it counts

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By Jon Parton

With so many national news stories about the presidential election, it can be easy to forget about local elections and their importance to the community. In addition to voting upon locally elected officials, voters often decide on other important issues such as increases in taxes and local initiatives like the light-rail plan.

Although Jasmine Couch, student, plans on voting in the fall election, she admits that none of the local candidates are familiar to her.

“I haven’t heard of any,” Couch said.

In addition to the national presidential election, JohnsonCountyvoters will be deciding upon the candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd Congressional District. Voters will also choose a number of state races, including state senators, state representatives, and district judges.

Local elections can often have a greater impact on communities than national elections. The candidates chosen for local offices such as city council and mayor can decide upon important issues that directly impact cities and counties.

Local officials govern what contracts can be made, how law enforcement policy is carried out and where road improvements will be done. Zoning laws determine where people can live and where business owners can set up shop.

Student Katie Reintjes said that she doesn’t keep up with political candidates in Kansas.

“I don’t know any of the local politicians,” Reintjes said. “I live in Missouri.”

The smoking ban initiated by the college was first brought up in the Student Senate last year. According to the United States Census Bureau, only 45 percent of all eligible Kansas Nick voters actually voted in 2010.

Across the country, a little more than 16 percent of voters aged 18-to-20 voted in the 2010 elections. Comparatively, almost 59 percent of voters aged 65 and older voted that year.

According to research done by the Center for the Study of the American Electorate atAmericanUniversity, voter turnout among young people is expected to drop sharply in the 2012 election. This is in sharp contrast to the 2008 presidential election, which had the highest turnout of young voters since 1960.

Nick McCoy, student, said he plans to vote on Election Day.

“A lot of people sacrificed their selves and their rights so I could have the right to vote,” McCoy said. “So I feel like it’s my responsibility to vote at least for somebody, even if they’re not going to win.”

McCoy said that while he was familiar with the candidates for the presidential election, he was less informed about local candidates and state races.

“Honestly, local candidates have not had a lot of exposure,” McCoy said. “I wish they had more advertising because I would like to hear what they have to say.”

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

New issues target younger voters and non-voters

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By Adam Lignell

Youth voting demographic numbers have changed a lot since the 2008 elections, and newer political issues have changed targets.

Younger and older voters may have differing views on why they vote, but almost all relate the action to their future goals.

Jerry Magliano, professor, personal computer applications, gives reason as to why voters ages 18-30 do have a lot of power if they want it.

“Individually, it’s hard to picture yourself as having much of a voice, but collectively [as a demographic] you do have a big voice,” he said.

Although his generation may be safe from changes in Social Security, Magliano stressed that all young people should pay attention to it.

“At your age, the last thing you’re thinking about is retirement, right?” Magliano said. “Trust me, when
you get to that point, it’s going to be an important part of your overall income.”

Related to income, the US economy’s state will greatly affect the current younger generation.

Factors such as high taxation and healthcare benefits will affect any soon-to-be graduates.

“There’s so much uncertainty about those things, that’s one of the reasons businesses aren’t growing and hiring people,” Magliano said.

Student Rodney Preston feels there is a major underlying cause for many of the issues this younger generation faces.

“I also believe that disparity of income is what’s really causing all this,” Preston said. “If we could just give a little bit back, it’d help out a lot.”

Jim Cusser, adjunct assistant professor, Political Science, explained that it’s his duty to vote as a US citizen.

“There’s a connection between education and a higher socioeconomic status in voting,” Cusser said.

People ages 18-30 have ways to best prepare themselves for the polls, too.

“[By] paying attention and getting up to speed on the news, you can familiarize yourself with the issues,” Cusser said.

Cusser also gave insight as to why groups of youth voters may have turned away from the process after 2008.

“Younger voters have been turned off because they felt like they’ve been burned in the 2008 election,” Cusser said. “There’s not as much excitement.”

Although some non-voters may complain about politicians’ decisions, student Gretchen Gilbreath explains why she doesn’t.

“If I really dislike an elected official, I feel the only way I can complain about them is if I voted against them,” Gilbreath said.

That sentiment is shared by Marilyn Gaar, political science and history professor. According to Gaar, students should put key issues first, particularly their education.

“Start thinking about your priorities,” Gaar said. “If it’s your education, you need to invest in your education with your career and how it compensates in mind.”

With the college’s recent tuition increase, Gaar stressed that younger students need to be aware of any bigger economic issues as well, such as Social Security.

“Because you’ve got to pay the bill,” Gaar said. “It’s on your backs, not mine.”

In terms of the way the entire US economy has been affected, however, Gaar has different advice.

“We have to bring ourselves out of this by becoming informed citizens,” she said. “It’s our constitutional role to shape our own future.”

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

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: 15th annual Night at the Nelson coming Friday, April 6

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By Mackenzie Clark

The college will host its 15th annual Night at the Nelson Friday, April 6.

The goal of this event is to help familiarize students, faculty and staff of the college with the art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo. Speakers will present on selected works of art at 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 p.m.

“All of our speakers are experts in their field,” said Allison Smith, chair, Art History. “[…] They take the research for their presentations seriously and spend a great deal of time preparing.”

All students of humanities, art history, fine arts, photography, interior design, graphic design, architecture and theatre are invited to attend, but Smith requests that students turn in a ticket in order to count attendance and give credit for attendance.

If you are attending, Smith recommends you arrive early in order to get a parking spot and a program. During each of the three time slots, attendees will choose from five speakers.

“An attendee at any one of our presentations will not be disappointed,” Smith said. “Many faculty tell me this is a highlight of their academic year.”

Smith expects about 1,000 attendees from the college.

For a complete list of speakers, see below.

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

 

For directions to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, click here.

 

2012 Speakers:

6:30

 

1. Ritual Cooking Vessel (li-ding)

Professor Marie Dolembo

Nelson-Atkins Building,

Gallery 232

 

2.  Robert Frank, Democratic Convention;

Danny Lyon, Sit-in by SNC Staff and Supporters at Toddle House

Professor Kathleen Mendenhall

Bloch Building, Gallery L10

 

3.  Roxy Paine, Ferment

Professor Mark Cowardin

South Lawn

 

4.  Edgar Degas, Rehearsal of the Ballet

Professor Pamela Hawkins

Nelson-Atkins Building,

Gallery P32

 

5.  John Singer Sargent, Mrs. Cecil Wade

Professor Allison Smith, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery 216

 

7:00

 

6.  Edward Hopper, Light Battery at Gettysburg

Professor Bernard Norcott-Mahany, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery 219

 

7.  Roman Sarcophagi of the Muses

Professor Michael Robertson, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery P4

 

8.  Guanyin of the Southern Sea

Professor Michael Hembree, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery 230

 

9.  Shen Zhou

Professor Brian Hogarth

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery 222

 

10.  Tony Cragg, Ferryman and Turbo

Professor Katherine Morse, Education Coordinator, Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art

Bloch Building, Gallery L5 (South Lawn between Lens 4 & 5)

 

7:30

 

11. Inner Coffin of Meret-it-es

Professor Stacy Davidson

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery P1

 

12.  Cassone (Chest)

Professor Rachel Geschwind, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery P11

 

13.  Kano Tan’yu,

Tiger Among Bamboo and

Dragon and Waves

Professor Timothy Hoare, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building, Gallery 205

 

14.  Gong Xian, Cloudy Peaks

Professor Dennis Arjo, PhD

Nelson-Atkins Building,

Gallery 222

 

15. Richard Estes, Bus Window

Professor Valerie Zell

Bloch Building, Gallery L 3

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Planet Comicon: Heroes take the city

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By Gabrielle Fitzgerald

Darth Vader, Captain Kirk, and Superman all made appearances in the Overland Park area last weekend.

The city wasn’t in need of heroes, but if it was, they need not look any further than the Overland Park International Trade Center, the location of this year’s Planet Comicon.

Planet Comicon was a two-day long event, March 24 and 25, costing $20 for both days. The Campus Ledger, however, held a ticket giveaway so many of the college’s students had a chance to attend for free.

This year’s convention had a variety of people in attendance, many of whom were from out of state.

Although a costume wasn’t necessary, many people were dressed in role playing attire. If you can think of  a comic book character, that character was most likely in the audience, especially on Saturday for the costume contest. Women dressed as Wonder Woman or Electra came with men who were dressed as Luke Skywalker or Batman.

Both days provided opportunities to meet a variety of famous people. The “Star Wars” saga actors Billy Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian, and Jake Lloyd, who played young Anakin Skywalker, made appearances and gave interviews. Also present were actors Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Felix Silla, and Adrienne Wilkinson.

There were over 50 booths selling any and all related items, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, DC, and Doctor Who. There were action figures, Legos, t-shirts, posters, and thousands of comic books at competitive prices sold by vendors who were more than eager to talk about their favorite characters or to help you find the exact comic you were searching for.  There were plenty more booths displaying art and comics by various comic creators, who were willing to draw anything upon request for a fee.

Also making an appearance at the convention was a life-sized Tardis, which is the blue police box used by Doctor Who for teleportation. The Tardis was co-built by a former student Hanna Oliver and is actually available for rent.

Contact Gabrielle Fitzgerald, advertising manager, at gfitzge1@jccc.edu.

REVIEW: “Wrath of the Titans” offers great visuals but fails to impress

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By Ben Markley

(WARNING: The following review contains spoilers.)

We all know someone just like “Wrath of the Titans” – gorgeous face, flawless figure, graceful poise and absolutely nothing going on upstairs.

Let me say right off the bat that I didn’t see “Clash of the Titans,” so I have no way of comparing the two, though several people at the theater said “Wrath” was better than its predecessor. As one gentleman eloquently put it, “It sucked differently than the last movie.”

Visually, “Wrath of the Titans” is by far one of the best films I’ve seen in 3D. There are shots in the film that would make James Cameron wet himself. The 3D gives the whole film, from the action to the landscape, beautiful texture and depth.

Unfortunately, the kind of depth missing from this movie can’t be remedied with 3D glasses.

“Wrath” centers on Perseus (Sam Worthington), the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson), who has given up the life of a god to raise his son. However, Perseus is forced back into the life of a warrior when Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Ares (Édgar Ramírez) betray and capture Zeus to awaken Kronos, the wrathful titan to which the title refers.

Besides the fact that Ovid and Homer are rolling in their graves right now, “Wrath” blatantly puts action before story, characters and themes.

For instance, Perseus (who’s about as dimensioned as a stick figure) spends a combined total of about an hour of the film fighting the Chimera, Cyclopes, Minotaur, Ares and Kronos in different scenes.

At the end of the film, Perseus kisses his ally Andromeda (Rosamund Pike) in what might be the single-most underdeveloped romantic subplot I’ve ever seen. There’s no sexual tension, no heart-to-heart, nothing leading up to this kiss. The only reason I can imagine is that Andromeda is one of three women that speaks in the whole movie, and she’s the most attractive.  

Maybe if the writers had cut the completely unnecessary battles with the Cyclopes and Minotaur, we’d have more time to actually develop this relationship, but “Wrath” makes its priorities clear.

The acting problems with the film don’t really come from poor acting. The “Titans” series is Neeson and Fiennes’ second pair-up on the silver screen, the first being “Schindler’s List,” the American Film Institute’s eighth greatest American movie. This is not a case of poor actors, just a bad screenplay.

Granted, it has its moments. Hephaestus (Bill Nighy), who guides Perseus to the underworld, is a major point of redemption for the screenplay; he’s perplexing, charming and surprisingly dimensioned given the little time he has on screen. Agenor (Toby Kebbell), a demigod trickster that joins Perseus on his journey, also provides some genuine comedy, though he’s suspiciously reminiscent of a sobered-up, Greek Jack Sparrow. Maybe the writers should have written an action comedy and left “Wrath” to someone else.

When the credits roll, “Wrath’s” biggest failure is that I walk away totally indifferent to everything that just happened. It left me with a ton of action and nothing to contemplate. If I’d wanted that viewing experience, I could’ve watched SportsCenter highlights.

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

 

“Wrath of the Titans” is now in theaters. For showtimes in Overland Park, click here.

Do you disagree with this review? Let us know – post a comment with your opinion of the film.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: “Uber-prepared:” Model U.N. team attends national conference in New York City

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By Julius Williams

Brian Wright, professor of political science, and the college’s Model United Nations team recently hosted students from China’s Northwestern Polytechnic University in preparation for the national conference beginning today in New York City.

Eleven students from Xian, China joined our students to participate in a mock debate and training session. Chen Jiexiu and Yu Huah were two of the students involved and were excited about the conference.

“We are here to make the most out of the experience,” said Jiexiu. “We get to practice our communication skills and learn diplomacy.”

Joseph Gideon, former president of the team and current member, said that the purpose of the training was to re-familiarize the delegates with the rules of formal debate. Gideon hails originally from Aledo, Texas, a town with a population of 250 people.

“My graduating class was eight,” Gideon said. “It was an extremely conservative place. Growing up there you don’t learn a lot about international affairs or diplomacy. Working with the Model U.N. team has expanded my worldview.”

Gideon credits the Model U.N. with making him a better leader and better manager at his job.It’s this kind of experience and exposure that Linda Makau, an exchange student from Kenya hopes to gain from participating in the program.

“I’ve always been interested in the program,” Makau said. “Getting the exposure, building my confidence and getting used to speaking in front of people.”

The team will be representing the Republic of Kenya at the national conference. They will debate economic and political issues as well as some of the social and environmental problems facing the African nation. One such issue will be how climate change and the resulting desertification of Kenya’s natural habitats is affecting its wildlife and tourism business.

The team has earned numerous awards over the years and national recognition, which according to Gideon is because of Wright’s excellent leadership.

“We are competing against universities like Yale,” Gideon said. “And we always win awards because we spend a lot of time learning our countries but also the rules of debate. Some other schools may know the right information about their country, but they don’t know the rules of procedure.”

Gideon said that the team wins awards because they are well informed and well prepared. The team is, as he likes to call them, “uber-prepared.”

The national Model U. N. conference will be held at the United Nations building in New York City, today through April 6.

Contact Julius Williams, staff reporter, at jwilli78@stumail.jccc.edu.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Kony 2012’s goals not invisible: future programs aim to aid children

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Invisible Children sold merchandise at the screening of "Kony 2012." Proceeds benefited the organization directly. Photos by Mackenzie Clark

By Adam Lignell

Invisible Children members arrived on campus Monday to make a relatively unseen war criminal famous, although some students have mixed feelings about the results.

Their film “Kony 2012” featured Joseph Kony, leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (L.R.A.) who kidnap and force children to kill.

Thiago Viamna, a student who related the Invisible Children’s events to that of the blood diamonds in Sierra Leone knew he had to act.

“I really got shocked and I really wanted to do something – at least something to help them.” Viamna said. “It’s a really complicated situation.”

Regardless of its complexity, the film has put a spotlight on Kony’s actions.

“I got really surprised about how such a person can do such terrible things with other people,” Viamna said.

Student Nima Amirshahpar thinks that people should keep a worldview approach.

“There are so many other things like this going on,” Amirshahpar said. “Just taking out this Kony guy – you’ve gotta go further than that.”

Former L.R.A. soldier known as Lawrence now dons Invisible Children gear and shares his story in hopes of stopping Joseph Kony.

Invisible Children members Andrew Whitmer and former Ugandan L.R.A. member Lawrence  spoke against the criticisms of their group and gave new supporters advice.

In 2006, Whitmer said he became involved in Invisible Children after seeing the film himself.

“Kony is the one that we’re going after, but even if we do get him it’s not guaranteed that it’ll end immediately,” Whitmer said. “So we are going to continue to pressure for the arrest of the L.R.A. commanders.”

According to Whitmer, the real work begins after Kony is captured.

“That’s when a lot of the development, education and economic programs that we did in Uganda, we’re going to spread those into the other countries affected by the L.R.A.,” Whitmer said.

Lawrence joined Invisible Children in 2008, and focuses on future plans while hunting for Kony.

“The rehabilitation center, which is targeting [L.R.A. members] who are actually defecting – they will regroup,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence and Whitmer confirmed that the L.R.A. effected families can be rehabilitated.

Lawrence explained that a radio network is being built along L.R.A. effected villages.

“The radio tower’s network is quite a unique one because we have several of them in this community that have been affected by the L.R.A.,” Lawrence said. “We send [the rebel army] peace messages.”

Interested students have quite a few ways to become involved as well.

“Engage representatives with Congress and Senate because they are the people who can make a really big impact,” Whitmer said.

Two bills supporting the US to stop the L.R.A. passed last week due to these actions.

Jason Russell, one of Invisible Children’s co-founders who has created many of the programs to rebuild African communities, was recently detained by San Diego police after undergoing a public outburst involving possible vandalism and blocking traffic.

Susie Sympson, the faculty adviser to Invisible Children for five years, provided insight for Russell’s recent stress-induced behavior.

“As soon as they met these kids that night, it impacted them so much that he actually quit college,” Sympson said. “It just moved him so much.”

Sympson said that reactive psychosis is what Russell went through after his work on the film.

“It’s like schizophrenia that’s caused by your circumstances, rather than a pre-existing condition,” she said.

Recent attacks on Invisible Children’s funding may or may not have been factually based.

“There are people out there with their own political agendas going on and it was really to their advantage to downplay this,” Sympson said.

Events such as Multicultural Night tomorrow will help raise funds for the college’s sister school in Uganda.

“It’s a fundraiser for our sister school in Gulu, Uganda,” Sympson said. “This year it just works that the Center for Student Involvement and Invisible Children remain the people who do it.”

Sympson shared her own advice for students recently getting involved with Invisible Children and Kony 2012.

“I would advise them to spread the word, do what they can to support it, tell people, to make Joseph Kony a household name in the worst way possible,” she said.

Students can support Invisible Children at http://www.invisiblechildren.com and http://www.kony2012.com.

Contact Adam Lignell, reporting correspondent, at alignell@jccc.edu.

 

Related articles:
WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Multicultural Night: Friday, March 30
WEB-EXCLUSIVE: The controversy around Kony2012: The college’s chapter of Invisible Children responds to critics

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Get to know your Student Senate candidates: Q&A

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Editor’s note: Candidates’ responses have only been edited for minor grammatical fixes. Details about when and where to vote can be found here: Reminder: Student Senate elections coming up

 

Awista Sherzad, candidate for president

How long have you been at the college?

This is my second year at the college.

Tell me a bit more about your background?

I am a pre-med student currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Neurobiology. I am really nerdy and think learning is fun! I have an extremely curious mind, and a deep appreciation for many different areas of study. Besides my school life, I am also a server at Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant in Leawood. I am definitely a people person. Whether I am at school, work, home, etc., I am always interacting with others. Furthermore, I enjoy exploring new places—such as restaurants or museums I haven’t been to. Spending time outdoors is a must for me; there’s so much beauty in nature. In sum, I like to lead by example by living a fit, active and balanced lifestyle.

Why are you running for Student Senate president?

I am currently the treasurer of the Student Senate and I thoroughly enjoy how analytical and resourceful the Senate allows me to be. I want to take the skills and knowledge I have attained and continue to grow and build on them.

[The college] is a phenomenal establishment for higher education. I really want to give back to the college and help students maximize their experience at [the college] by raising awareness of the resources, events and activities.

What is your vision for the Senate and the student body if you get elected?

I would like to promote more student networking to establish a strong sense of unity within the student body. Strong bonds create lasting relationships, which are substantial in the success of present and future endeavors. I think the new Facebook App for [the college] is a great start of that.

Ultimately, my goal is to ensure the efficient operation of the Student Senate in order for students, faculty and members of the community to reap its maximum benefits.

Why should students vote for you to represent them in Student Senate?

My broad perspective and multicultural background help me relate to all walks of life. I genuinely care about people and look forward to working with them on both a personal and professional level. I am always looking for ways to inspire others and be inspired. I know that

I will make an exceptional president because I have the necessary analytical mind power, the proficiency of time management, and the element of leadership.

I am easily approachable and wide open to the ideas and opinions of others!

 

 

Lara Blomberg, candidate for president

How long have you been at the college?

This is my second semester at [the college], I came here last August from Germany. I moved here to live with my boyfriend (in Lawrence) whom I’ve met in my junior year in high school, which I spent in Solomon, Kan. in 2007/2008. I was here with an exchange program.

Tell me a bit more about your background?

I am currently getting my [prerequisites] done to transfer to KU Business School in 2013. I am planning on studying Business Management and going into fashion retailing. Hopefully, to, at one point, work internationally. I have spent a lot of time abroad in different countries and learned their languages. I somewhat consider that my hobby. Otherwise I am really caught up in schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. I am enrolled in the honors program, I just joined Phi Theta Kappa, I work at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art on campus, and of course I am a Student Senator. I do love taking a bike ride or just going for a walk though, if I find time!

Why are you running for Student Senate president?

I am running for Student Senate because I want to give back. This college has given me the change to come to America, reach my educational goal, and be with my boyfriend. I am extremely grateful! I am able to broaden my horizon and challenge myself here.

Student Senate gave me the chance to be part of something bigger than myself. It gave my voice a place to be heard. I have been part of Student Senate since late last semester, when Student Senate Vice President Erick Mbembati insisted I joined. I want to make sure that more students use the opportunity to be part of Student Senate. I feel like there are many more students out there like me, who just need someone to reach out to them, who might not know all the opportunities [the college] offers to get involved.

What is your vision for the Senate and the student body, if you get elected?

I want to get more students to get involved, which will enhance the quality of their college experiences, and broaden Student Senate’s influence. We will have to find new ways to make the senator position more attractive and most importantly educate more about the natural benefits the involvement offers. The greater awareness I want to create for student senate is also part of the next project: Student Senate has great projects, like ‘JCCC Gives’ and ‘Dollars for Scholars,’ which need a lot of attention to attract more donators. We do great things for the Johnson County community and I want to make sure we can continue to do good and do more good. Lastly, I want to win students’ trust for Student Senate. I want to make sure that our students know that the Senate exists, and that our job and our interest are to stand up for them and their interests. One thing in particular I noticed is that many students feel treated wrongly by their professors.  I think most of these negative experiences are based on misunderstandings between the two parties. It would be great if we could find a way to mediate, in case misunderstandings occurred repeatedly with the same professors, simply to make for a learning environment, which is the main purpose of Student Senate!

Why should students vote for you to represent them in Student Senate?

Students should vote for me, because I truly care about the college and want to make a difference here. I can ensure that if I am elected president, students will have someone who will listen to their suggestions and problems and stand up for their interests. I can relate to a very wide range of students. Being a foreign student, I can easily relate to international students on campus. I know what it’s like to transition from taking a break after high school to going back to college, as I am 21 now and traveled before I enrolled at [the college]. Yet, I’m still young enough to relate to the 18-year-olds who just graduated last year. I’m open minded to any kind of view of the world, and I have learned to diplomatically assess every side of a problem, which is crucial for being a good mediator between students and faculty, which is exactly what the Student Senate president is. My nature is never to get myself into something without being well prepared, that’s why I have been antagonizing our current president Gina Galanou and vice president Erick Mbembati with questions about the duties of the president and impact we can actually have and I now feel well equipped to be the voice of the students!

 

 

Bruna Iacuzzi, candidate for vice president

How long have you been at the college?

This is my fourth semester.

Tell me a bit more about your background?
My major is Food and Beverage management. I work at Lidia’s Kansas City. During my free time I really enjoy playing basketball and go for a walk to some park.

Why are you running for Student Senate vice president?
I have been involved in campus since my first semester. I know many people, I know most of the regulations and I know the students most common problems. I know I can do a great job.

What is your vision for the Senate and the student body, if you get elected?
I want to make students aware of all the services and scholarship that [the college] offers.

I want to make sure that the Student Senate body gets benefits for its hard work.

Why should students vote for you to represent them in Student Senate?
Because I am incredibly qualified for the job. Other than being a member of Student Senate, I am involved with the academic excellence team, the hospitality management club and the international club. I am also vice president of leadership for Phi Theta Kappa. During my first year I was part of the [college] soccer team. I am in contact with students all the time, so I am aware of their thoughts about the college and I can help them to make their voice be heard.

 

 

Ibrahim Gul, candidate for secretary

How long have you been at the college?

It’s just been a couple of weeks since this is my first semester at [the college].

Tell me a bit more about your background?

My grandparents are from Afghanistan but I was born and raised in Pakistan. My family moved from Pakistan to here last October and this is our first time in the U.S. We came to Kansas instead of a bigger city because we have several relatives living here who used to tell us all the good things about Kansas before we came here, like it is peaceful, it has children-friendly neighborhoods and it has one of the best community colleges in the entire country. So my dad decided to move here and we really like this place.

I’m pursuing a degree in Petroleum Engineering and so right now I’m doing a double major in Mathematics and Chemistry. I plan to transfer to KU but I’m not sure as to when I would transfer. I’m pursuing this field because I feel confident and enjoy studying math.

My only hobbies are playing soccer and hanging out with friends. I’m especially passionate about soccer. I watch soccer, I play soccer and this year I will be trying for the [college] soccer team.

Why are you running for Student Senate secretary?

When I first came to [the college] I was looking for clubs and activities in which I could participate so that I would be more involved in college. Then I met Awista [Sherzada] in my math class. She told me all about Senate, about its purpose, its basic functions and the benefit of being a senator. I then started attending the Senate meetings and eventually gained enough confidence to stand up for the elections.

What is your vision for the Senate and the student body, if you get elected?

As the president of the public relations committee, if elected, I would take measures to increase the importance of joining the Student Senate among the students. I will make sure that all the senators are given incentives and sufficient publicity so that they are well known among their peers. I would make flyers, posters and pamphlets to encourage students to come to the Student Senate and express their ideas and opinions about the college.

 

 

Benjamin Brown, candidate for treasurer

How long have you been at the college?

I enrolled as a full time student in the fall semester 2010.

Tell me a bit more about your background?

I am nontraditional student. My hobbies include fishing and gardening.

After reaching the maximum number of credits that will carry over to KU, I will continue classes aimed at a bachelor’s degree in Biology.

Why are you running for Student Senate treasurer?

As a student at [the college], I have taken many opportunities to better myself and the community. As a student senator, I actively engage myself in leadership roles at [the college]. Furthermore, I am committed to serving the student body objectively with core values that promote equality and diversity with a focus, of course, on education. With the support of other students, I look forward to stepping up to the role of treasure on the Student Senate Executive Board.

What is your vision for the Senate and the student body, if you get elected?

I believe it is my duty to [the college] and its students to consider all decisions objectively without the influence [of] my personal bias. This is the primary reason that I completed the Safespace training. Too many students are continuously subjected to discrimination because of other people’s ignorance. Sadly, the voices of these students are often overlooked. In efforts to eliminate these hardships, I seek out students who may represent the minority and encourage them to step up their role on campus. This effort will have a positive impact on our [college] and the community as well as further encouraging diversity and equality by combating ignorance.

 

 

Neeraj Bang, candidate for parliamentarian

How long have you been at the college?

I started in summer 2010.

Tell me a bit more about your background?

I am studying in the paralegal program right now and also completing undergraduate requirements so I can finish my bachelor’s in English Literature at KU. I plan on attending law school after that and hopefully work in fields that interest me, such as human rights or international law.

Why are you running for Student Senate parliamentarian?

I have learned a lot in this last year and I think I will be an even more effective representative of the student body as I continue to build on my experience and challenge myself in a more demanding role.

What is your vision for the Senate and the student body, if you get elected?

I really want to make the Senate meetings and format more accessible to the student body. I hope we can keep informing the students of all the responsibilities of a senator and how they themselves can actively participate and learn more about their student government. For example, the ‘JCCC Gives’ initiative we started last year helped many families in the community and it would not have been as successful as it was without the help and goodwill of our student body.

Why should students vote for you to represent them in student senate?

I have been involved with Senate for a year and observed much from our current executives on how to manage meetings, successfully communicate with administration, and gain insight from fellow students. I hope anyone who has met me during my time here at [the college] can attest to the fact that I am very easy to talk to and always open to new ideas. Lastly, I think I am uniquely suited to be a parliamentarian from my experience and knowledge with the law classes I have had and can effectively transition into the new responsibilities which would be expected of me.

 

Compiled by Rachel Luchmun

Reminder: Student Senate elections coming up

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If you’re against the smoking ban, remember that it was passed by Student Senate. The next issue of The Campus Ledger will contain a staff editorial explaining the importance of paying attention to who and what  you are voting for.

Keep an eye on our website later today and tomorrow for profiles on the candidates.

Polls will be open online from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, April 3 until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, April 5. Voting booths are open from 10 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on those dates at tables three and four in COM 2.0.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Cavaliers return from Illinois

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By Jessica Mitchell

Last week, both the college’s men and women’s basketball teams made their way to Illinois for the national championship tournament.

The men’s basketball team, winning one out of three games, finished tied for ninth. On Tuesday, March 20, the men played against Moraine Valley Community College and finished victoriously 70-63. On Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22 the men lost to South Suburban College 65-60 and Baltimore City Community College 74-65.

“It’s like every team; they are not satisfied with the way it ended,” said Mike Jeffers, men’s basketball coach. “I think down the road they will be happy. In two or three weeks they will look back and look at their t-shirt and see the national tournament trophy and the region championship and district championship and they’ll be pretty happy and satisfied with what they did.”

The men’s team overcame obstacles of injuries and suspensions to reach their goal of making it to the national tournament in hopes of winning a championship.

“We just ran out of gas,” Jeffers said. “We weren’t deep enough. The injuries and things that happened during the year really depleted our depth. We weren’t deep enough to make a run in the tournament but I thought we did as well as we were capable of doing.”

The women’s basketball team also won one out of three games played in Peoria, Ill. The ladies started off strong winning 96-23 against Erie Community College on Tuesday, March 20. They lost the next two games on Thursday, March 22 against Monroe College, 64-50, and a consolation game Friday, March 23 against Mesa Community College, 44-42, ending the season in sixth place.

“Had a great [season],” said Benjamin Conrad, women’s basketball coach. “Unfortunately we did not shoot the ball well in Peoria, but we played hard and gave great effort.”

The ladies, while not finishing as well as planned, had the best season in school history, Conrad said.

“They have had tremendous growth throughout the year,” Conrad said. “They became a cohesive unit of players that cared about each other.”

Even though this past week did not end as well as hoped, the teams successfully played a fit enough season to land them both spots in the national tournament. The overview is better than focusing on specific games, Jeffers said.

“Overall was it a season of success? Yes,” Jeffers said. “We were where we wanted to be. The only goal that this team accomplished was getting to the national tournament.  We didn’t accomplish other things but if you’re going to accomplish one, that’s the one you want – to get to the national tournament and have a chance at winning a national championship. That’s what this team did.”

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

 

>>>Keep checking this article for photos from the tournament and radio broadcasts live from the games.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Multicultural Night: Friday, March 30

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By Rachel Luchmun

Invisible Children and the Center for Student Involvement (CSI) are co-sponsoring the Multicultural Night, which will take place on Friday, March 30, in the Polsky Theater. The main event will start at 7 p.m. A silent auction and international tasting will take place at 6 p.m.

Susie Sympson, adviser to Invisible Children, said that the event aimed at raising funds for their sister school, Gulu Senior Secondary School.

“We guarantee that 100 percent of funds goes to our sister school,” Sympson said. “A lot of people have heard a lot of different things about Invisible Children and I think it’s important to stress that.”

Multicultural Night also aims to bring awareness to the different cultures present on campus.

“[Multicultural Night is an] attempt to bring together cultural clubs and removing the ethnocentric view present around here,” Sympson said.

The silent auction consists of donations from the bookstore and the floriculture program, among others.

The main event will feature a fashion show, dances, original poetry, bands and musicians.

Tickets are on sale at the box office. Donations are still appreciated. If you are interested in donating, contact Susie Sympson  or Mindy Kinnaman .

Invisible Children will also host a free screening of their Kony 2012 video on Monday, March 26 in the Craig Auditorium (GEB 233).

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

 

 

Related articles:
WEB-EXCLUSIVE: The controversy around Kony2012: The college’s chapter of Invisible Children responds to critics

InFocus: Chick-fil-A: anti-gay?

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Photo illustration by Hannah Hunsinger

 

Photo illustration by Hannah Hunsinger

By Mackenzie Clark

Accusations of Chick-fil-A’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) being “anti-gay” have led many people to boycott the restaurant.

The perception of the COO of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, being “anti-gay” stems from donations the company has made to charitable organizations through their own charitable arm, Winshape Foun­dation. Winshape was created by Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy in 1984.

One of these organizations is Focus on the Family.

“We are convinced that the Bible leaves no room whatsoever for con­fusion or ambiguity where homo­sexual behavior is concerned,” Focus on the Family’s website reads. “The Scripture both explicitly and implic­itly regards it as falling outside of God’s intention in creating man and woman as sexual beings who bear His image as male and female.”

Whether this means the organiza­tion is anti-gay is open to interpre­tation, but many people believe it to be true. Representatives from Chick-fil-A and Focus on the Family could not be reached for comment.

In response to these accusations, Cathy issued a press release in 2011 attempting to clarify his views.

“In recent weeks, we have been accused of being anti-gay,” he said in the release. “We have no agenda against anyone. […] While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees.”

This does not change the opinions of some, though, who choose to boycott the restaurant.

Tom O’Tey, president of Queers and Allies, was never a fan of Chick-fil-A to begin with, but now avoids them on principle.

“I just know what I’ve read online, which is they said that they do not approve of homosexuality, and I’m not sure if they fire you because of it, which shouldn’t be allowed because it is under discrimination, but I don’t particularly know because I’m not personally a patron of Chick-fil-A so it’s never really affected me personally,” he said. “But I do try to at least stay aware of these things.”

Other organizations that have received donations from Winshape include the Marriage & Family Leg­acy Fund, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Eagle Forum and Exodus International.

“I want people to be aware that they [Chick-fil-A/Winshape] do this, and that if they don’t want to spend their money there because of that, it’s fine,” O’Tey said. “But if they still will give their money then, you know, I really can’t stop them. I would rather they be informed so that they can make their own decision about how they spend that money, but it’s not my money to spend.”

Student Arianna Poland does not feel the need to boycott Chick-fil-A.

“I don’t eat [at Chick-fil-A] because I don’t like the food, but that aside, if I did like the food I wouldn’t stop eating there because of [the anti-gay perception] because whatever their stance is, they employ people,” she said. “They’re helping people put food on their own tables, clothe their children, provide shelter for their employees, so they help people, too. My fight I can take to the polls. I can fight that with my vote. I don’t need to fight it with my dollars.”

Julie Haas, associate vice president of marketing communications, said she cannot comment on Chick-fil-A directly but explained how compa­nies can deal with public relations fiascoes.

“The first thing you want to do is get out in front of the story, which is increasingly difficult in an age with social media,” she said. “It’s hard to move quickly. But you do need your voice and your side of the story.”

She cited Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol crisis in 1982 as a good example of how to handle crisis communication, and Exxon Valdez’s handling of their oil spill in 1989 as a bad example.

“You need to show people that you’re taking the situation seriously, taking responsibility for it, not mak­ing excuses, and it depends on what the situation is,” Haas said. “It could be safety, it could be environmen­tal, all of that is a concern, and that you’re doing something, that you’re taking the best steps you can to rem­edy the situation, and that you are concerned for the people affected.”

So, to eat more chicken, or to boy­cott Chick-fil-A? The choice lies in the taste buds and personal convic­tions of the consumer.

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

 

Sources cited in this article:

Dan Cathy’s press release: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dan-cathy-president-and-coo-of-chick-fil-a-clarifies-recent-news-coverage-114872034.html

Focus on the Family on Homosexuality: http://family.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/26078/kw/homosexuality

 

Other resources:

Winshape Foundation: http://winshape.com/

Winshape IRS form 990: http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990pf_pdf_archive/581/581595471/581595471_200912_990PF.pdf

Equality Matters fact check: http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201111010001

InFocus: One step closer to “I do”

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Photo illustration by Hannah Hunsinger

 

Photo illustration by Hannah Hunsinger

By Rachel Luchmun

With last month’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitu­tional, advocates of same-sex mar­riage on campus hope the future will bring more positive developments.

Proposition 8, or Prop 8, stated that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” A ruling on Feb. 7 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Ap­peals found the law unconstitution­al. Both opponents and proponents of gay marriage are prepared to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, according to the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk).

At the college, the club Queers and Allies is devoted to bringing aware­ness and support to people from all sexual orientations and gender identity. President Tom O’Tey said the club was pleased with the ruling against Prop 8.

“We were all very happy,” O’Tey said. “What this means is that we are not being denied our basic human rights.”

O’Tey said the next step was to bring the matter before the Supreme Court. He said he hopes that eventually gay marriage is accepted throughout the nation, not just in individual states.

“I’m kind of offended that [indi­vidual states have to make that deci­sion],” he said. “What is really the difference between a straight couple and a gay couple?”

Among the more vocal groups against gay marriage are some religious groups, who claim that same-sex marriage goes against pre­scriptions in holy texts. For example, the website “No Same-Sex Marriage” (http://www.nosamesexmarriage.com) refers to the Bible as evidence that same-sex marriage should not be allowed.

O’Tey said he was not concerned with the religious view of the matter, but rather about the everyday impli­cations of legal recognition.

“There are government benefits,” O’Tey said. “You can be kicked out of a hospital room if your partner is sick or dying because you are not officially family.”

O’Tey said this happened to a woman who was a member of Queers and Allies last year.

“She had proposed the night be­fore, and the next day [her fiancée] started having seizures,” O’Tey said. “When they went to the hospital, this member was denied the right to be there and hold her hand as her fiancée died. And that’s just not right.”

Timothy Lin, Kansas area director for InterVarsity Christian Fellow­ship, said InterVarsity Kansas does not have a stance on gay marriage.

“We do not take a stance on this ethical issue,” Lin said. “We deal mainly with things of a spiritual nature, and some would argue that this issue is also political. So, we have not talked about it yet.”

Lin said, however, that all were welcome to the InterVarsity Chris­tian Fellowship, whether they are gay or straight.

Christian groups Young Life and Cru (formally Campus Crusade for Christ) did not respond to questions about their opinions.

O’Tey said the college community is very much accepting of alterna­tive lifestyles, even though there is always room for improvement.

“If there are any groups that are against gay marriage on campus, I haven’t heard anything about it,” he said.

Student Jacob Burghart said he believes gay marriage is a touchy subject.

“I shouldn’t be forced to have an opinion,” Burghart said. “I don’t really think [gay marriage is] as degrading to the institution as Kim Kardashian’s wedding. At the same time there are lots of religious im­plications. It doesn’t bother me one way or another.”

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

Want free movie tickets?

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The first 30 people to come by the Student News Center in COM 260 will receive a pass for two to attend a “Wrath of the Titans” advance screening at the Cinemark Merriam at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 28.

No changes coming to Brown & Gold Club… yet

6

 

Illustration by Sara Scherba

By Mackenzie Clark

Panic ensued last month at the un­intentional announcement that members of the Brown & Gold Club would no longer receive free tuition, but plans have since changed.

Membership to the Brown & Gold Club is offered exclusively to John­son County residents ages 55 and up. Benefits include free credit class enrollment and reduced fees for continuing education classes, trips and tours, discounted tickets to the Performing Arts Series and more for a $10 annual fee.

On Feb. 15, however, a letter signed by Dennis Day, vice presi­dent, Student Success and Engage­ment, stated a new policy: “Begin­ning with the fall 2012 semester, free credit classes will no longer be an option for members of the college’s Brown & Gold Club.” Instead, the letter stated that members would receive a 25 percent discount on cost-per-credit-hour for credit classes to Johnson County residents ages 65 and up.

Day said that this letter was not meant to be released.

“It was never really released to anybody at any time, on purpose or in general,” Day said. “When we would have communicated with the Brown & Gold Club it would’ve been at one time in a mass mailing or some type of communication and that never did happen.”

How exactly the letter got released is still being investigated.

“There were some folks that got a hold of some things, we’re a large campus and some information does get shared, and that just initiated more conversations,” Day said.

Instead of making a sudden change to the policy, Day said that he will be meeting with the advisory board over the next academic year to decide what changes do need to take place. Tax revenues are down and instead of raising tuition for students again, he wants to find another way to cut the budget.

“It was probably a little too soon to make a major change in that program, and we wanted to work with their advisory group to find some options that maybe they could come up with to help out,” he said. “So we’re going to take the next few months and visit with the advisory group of Brown & Gold and help them help us find some options to relieve some of the stress on the budget and not have to continue to increase tuition for students at the rate that we’re doing right now.”

College president Terry Calaway echoed his sentiments.

“The costs of the program are pretty expensive for the institution, and I think we’re at a place where we need to find some options,” he said. “But I think we’ve got, now, the right folks involved in the conversation to help guide us through to a good solution at the back end.”

At this point in time, the final solution is not clear.

“I don’t know what the solutions are going to be, or even what the options might be, but we clearly are spending a good chunk of money for those programs and scholarships for the Brown & Gold members, and it’s a solution that we need to kind of work on,” Calaway said.

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

Correction

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On March 1, we ran a story about Maxwell Matite, an alumnus of the college who is currently enrolled at American University in Washington, D.C. We reported that Matite turned down a fellowship in public policy and international affairs at Princeton University to study at American University. Actually, the fellowship is a summer program, not a baccalaureate. Matite did accept the fellowship and will study at Princeton in summer 2012. We also reported that Matite won an outstanding delegate award at the National Model UN conference in New York City. He actually won an outstanding delegate’s choice award at the Midwest Model UN conference in St. Louis.

Affirmative Action in higher education: What Fisher v. University of Texas is all about

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Illustration by Elizabeth Spooner

By Ben Markley

The Supreme Court is currently trying to decide whether Affirmative Action is a constitutional policy for college admissions.

The case, Fisher v. University of Texas, began in 2008 after two white students felt they were passed over for admission to UT on account of their non-minority status and sued the college. The case has since reached the Supreme Court, where the justices must decide whether to uphold their 2003 decision in Grut­ter v. Bollinger.

“The old ruling was that it was un­constitutional to look solely at race in college admissions, but it could be one of several factors that you could look at,” said Brian Zirkle, assistant professor of sociology.

Zirkle said the goal of Affirma­tive Action in higher education was to admit students solely on their individual merit while eliminating factors of privilege.

“If you’re going to a poorly funded school, and you end up testing out in the 80th percentile, but the other student who goes to the other school tests out in the 90th percentile, you’re left with the question: How much of that is left with the individual achievement of the student, and how much of it is that one student went to a good school or a bad school?” Zirkle said.

One argument of opponents of Affirmative Action is that the policy encourages reverse discrimination against non-minority students, such as the accusation in Fisher v. Universi­ty of Texas.

“If you are a minority and let’s say you have qualifica­tions that are the same as mine or maybe not as good as mine, but you get preferential treatment, then I would claim that’s reverse discrimination,” said Lynn Richards, associate professor of business. “Those reverse discrimination claims have largely not been recognized, and courts have not in general gone along with that.”

Zirkle said reverse discrimination is not a valid argument against the policy.

“I’d say it’s a myth and a misunder­standing because white people like myself, we typically don’t recog­nize our own whiteness and the privileges that we get because we›re white,” Zirkle said. “What happens is that my loss of privilege starts to feel like it’s discrimination. Ultimately it’s not, but it’s trying to not include those privileges that we tend to take for granted, so it feels like discrimi­nation.”

Others question the relevance of Affirmative Action nowadays.

“There are people who would claim today that Affirma­tive Action may have been a necessary thing in the past but that women and mi­norities can compete on their own merit today,” Richards said.

Zirkle cited Cali­fornia’s Proposition 209 as an example of Affirmative Action’s relevance. Prop 209 was a state law prohibiting employ­ers and schools from considering race, ethnicity or sex in admissions, in 1996.

By 2000, admission rates for Latinos at Berkeley University of California had dropped 64 percent, with Afri­can American admissions dropping 88 percent.

“When they took away the policy, then we saw this massive explosion in inequality again,” Zirkle said. “So Affirmative Action has proven to be successful. Maybe not as success­ful as we would like, but it has been successful.”

Richards said he was unsure about what to do with Affirmative Action.

“It depends upon the situation,” Richards said. “I think you need to look at the composition of a school and the reason for that composition. Do you have a proportionate repre­sentation at that point? I guess you could make the point that if you do, then Affirmative Action is no longer needed in that situation, and that›s kind of where the controversy is.”

Zirkle was not so torn.

“If the Supreme Court rules that Affirmative Action policies in education are unconstitutional, it’s going to have a very negative impact on the rates of college attendance by minorities,” he said.

As for students, the question may be a hard one.

“I don’t feel like there’s an easy answer,” said Taylor Givens, student. “Just because someone’s white doesn’t make it less bad to discrimi­nate against them, but I guess, are they really being discriminated against?”

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

Forgetting to say thank you to those forsaken by their government

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By Mackenzie Clark

Some people believe we may be leaving Iraq and Afghanistan in a dangerous state if we bring our troops home now. Some people believe we’re doing the right thing by bringing the troops home. Frankly, that’s not my concern. Regardless of our personal opinions on war, we need to remember to thank those who have fought for our country.

The men and women serving overseas in the United States Armed Forces didn’t ask to go to war. They didn’t want to leave their families and friends behind to go to the other side of the world and live in a desert wasteland for months or years at a time… but they did, for you and for me.

Many of these veterans dealt with conditions most of us would consider unlivable. They saw their friends die. They saw the unthinkable; the unimaginable. They are returning home completely different individuals from the people they were when they left.

According to Win Over PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), an organization devoted to helping combat veterans and their families, one in five combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffers from PTSD. That’s over 300,000 veterans in the past six years.

A study by the Center for a New American Security in October 2011 stated that although only one percent of Americans have served in the military, former service members account for 20 percent of the suicides in this country. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that a veteran commits suicide every 80 minutes.

Despite these shocking statistics, Congress is discussing making cuts to veterans’ benefits. With all the imprudent spending, including billions of dollars in aid to foreign countries, this is where they have decided to try to make cuts.

Let’s compare. In this economy, over a third of American households receive government assistance of some kind, according to a report by CNN Money on Feb. 7. This is up $2 trillion, or 75 percent, since 10 years ago.

A report from the US Census Bureau says that in 1980, the U.S. provided almost $9.7 billion total in aid to foreign countries. In 2009, this was up to nearly $45 billion.

So, instead of attempting to cut down on welfare fraud, or reassessing what countries really need aid from us, our representatives and senators in Congress choose to attack the one percent of those who have actually served the country and need the help of the government more than anyone?

Words can’t begin to express how far off our government is when it comes to handling just about anything, but this is an extreme example. What they are telling us is that they are willing to sacrifice those men and women who sacrificed for us.

Next time you see a veteran, stop and say thank you. Your government certainly isn’t.

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

Archaeological students step outside classroom

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Dr. William McFarlane, chair of the Anthropology department and co-director of Proyecto Arqueologico de Otoro (PADO), holds a handmade wooden memento from his research excavations in Honduras. PADO is a three-week archaeological field school in Honduras which offers students hands-on archaeological experience. Photo by Michael House

By Ben Markley

Of all the college’s off-campus loca­tions, probably the least well-known is Proyecto Arqueologico de Otoro (PADO), a three-week archaeological field school in Honduras.

William McFarlane, chair of Anthro­pology and co-director of PADO, said his purpose for the project is practical.

“My goal is to offer an opportu­nity for students to have research experiences as early as possible in their academic career so they have that ex­perience to build on in the classroom,” he said. “If you’re going to go on in anthropology or any social science, the sooner you have research experiences, the more valuable the classroom will become.”

Sandra Moran, field director for the 2011 PADO season, said no amount of books or classes could replace the experience.

“There is absolutely no substitution for getting out into the field and get­ting your hands dirty,” she said. “When you’re there, you are doing archaeol­ogy.”

McFarlane said he and his co-direc­tor Miranda Stockett were aware of the value of an archaeological field school before they started taking students in 2008.

“We both started through a field school,” he said. “We knew the value of a field school as far as getting research accomplished, but also as an educational tool.”

He said he enjoyed how the field school created a differ­ent kind of student-professor understanding.

“I think it’s one of the first times that students get to see their professors from behind the podium, as real people actually doing their work,” McFarlane said.

McFarlane has done research in Honduras through various field schools since 1998.

“[Honduras] is kind of an inventory of the entire cultural history of the country,” he said. “We’ve got stuff in our valley that’s very, very early on, prob­ably pre-farming, all the way through the colonial period. What we have is this cross-section of the entire country that reflects dynamics of Latin American political develop­ment.”

In 2004, he began doing research projects in the val­ley Jesús de Otoro, where the college’s field school currently excavates.

Moran said the cultures researched there are not nearly as widely studied as other cultures.

“When [McFarlane and Stockett] were aware of this valley, they rec­ognized that this was an area that no one was really working at,” she said. “The Maya are kind of the super­stars, but there’s this rich tapestry of people who lived outside of the Maya heartland that have their own stories to tell.”

McFarlane said students applying for the field school should expect a genuine archaeological experience.

“[Students] should expect to be engaged in ongoing archaeological research,” he said. “It’s not a case study; it’s not fake. It’s real, ongoing research that [students] are going to be contributing to the cultural heritage of Honduras.”

The three weeks at the field school costs approximately $2,648, which covers airfare, tuition, housing, food and field trips, including a trip to the ancient Mayan city of Copán.

“For $2600, [students] get to spend three weeks abroad, all expenses cov­ered, and they get eight credit hours’ worth of transfer courses,” McFarlane said. “It’s a good bargain.”

Janette Jasperson, coordinator of International Education, said that stu­dents planning to take the trip should expect culture shock.

“We have all these ways that we un­derstand how we behave and how life works, and you go into another cul­ture, and they have a whole different set,” she said. “That can be upsetting, and it can make you stop and evaluate yourself and your own views.”

McFarlane said the knowledge of the anthropology staff helps to ease the transition.

“We make it pretty comfortable as far as that adjustment period goes,” he said.

McFarlane, Moran and Jasperson all emphasized that students interested in going to Honduras should take time to learn about anthropology, archaeology and especially Spanish.

“Language and culture get wrapped up in each other,” Jasperson said. “If you don’t care about learning [the culture’s] language then you should probably go to a different part of the world.”

The field school is not currently look­ing for applicants for the June 2012 study. However, students interested in learning more about the school can contact William McFarlane at mcfar­lane@jccc.edu or visit http://www.jccc.edu/anthropology/field-school/.

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

Trustees pass second tuition increase

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By Ben Markley

The Board of Trustees voted to increase tuition for the next academic year, $1 for in-state students and $3 for out-of-state students, at their Feb. 16 meeting. Coupled with the tuition increase approved at the Nov. 17 meeting, tuition will be $3 more for in-state students and $8 more for out-of-state students.

The increase will go toward classroom furni­ture and equipment. Prior to the Board’s vote, President Terry Calaway clarified that these funds would ultimately be allocated with or without a tuition increase.

“Whatever the Board decides to do, it will be our intention to direct one dollar of our tuition to classroom furniture and equipment,” he said. “We are going to make those improve­ments, but we’d just have to find that money somewhere else.”

All commenting trustees who voted for the motion expressed reluctance over their deci­sion.

“I always find this to be one of the most troubling recommendations that comes before us every year,” said Don Weiss, Trustee Chair. “I believe that the mission and the charter of a community college demands that we keep tuition as low as possible in order to keep the door open to as many students as possible.”

Trustee Bob Drummond ultimately voted for the increase due to tangible benefits he had seen in past tuition increases.

“We’ve done this before, and this is another attempt on our part to improve the quality on our campus,” Drummond said. “There’s a limit to this, and we want to take a close look at that in the future.”

Trustee Greg Musil also voted for the in­crease but expressed concern over the college’s consistent increases in tuition over the past few years.

“I will look with more skepticism toward those future increases based on this one,” Musil said. “Every time we do this and add it to the student’s burden, we add it to the Foundation’s burden to raise more money for scholarships. We end up with students further in debt.”

Trustee Melody Rayl, who also approved the motion, suggested that future costs might fall on taxpayers rather than students.

“At some point we have to decide how much of the load we’re going to ask our students to carry and how much the citizens are willing to carry given the acknowledgement that the role that we play in the county-wide recovery is so important,” Rayl said.

Some trustees showed more than just reluc­tance.

“I think it’s very important for us to have the latest technology, and we did increase tuition in 2010 for that purpose…I do believe we should have excellent classroom environment,” said Trustee Jerry Cook. “I just frankly believe that we can find this $400- to $450,000 in our capital budget, or other sources in the budget and not at the expense of student tuition, so that’s why I will continue to vote ‘no’ on this issue.”

Cook and Trustee Stephanie Sharp both op­posed the motion, but it ultimately passed.

Student Jeb Flynn does not object to the tuition increase.

“It’s alright with me,” Flynn said. “I’m only taking one class right now, so three dollars isn’t that bad. It’s already so cheap, and so I feel like a little bit here, it’s not too much.”

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

Rachel Kimbrough, special to the Ledger, contributed to this article

 

Related articles:
WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Board of Trustees votes to increase 2012-13 tuition
Student tuition funds student activities fees, scholarships

Police briefs

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Suspicious person in the Carlsen Center

Campus police were dispatched to the second floor of the Carlsen Center at 1:30 a.m. on March 7 when someone found a student sleeping on the floor. The subject was asked where he lived and he stated, “At the college.” The subject was escorted off campus and warned that if he attempted to spend the night again he would be arrested for trespassing.

Theft from lockers outside of Testing Center

The theft of an iPhone was reported on the third floor of the Student Center on March 8. The victim stated that she put her wallet and cell phone into a locker outside of the Testing Center and forgot to take the key from the locker. After review of surveillance images, police observed a white female stand­ing behind the victim while she put her items in the locker, the female was later seen taking some items from the locker after the victim had left the area. The investigation is ongoing.

Wallet stolen from vehicle in parking lot

A theft from a vehicle was reported on March 9 in the Carlsen Center East parking lot. The victim stated that he parked his green four door vehicle at approximately 9:30 a.m. and acciden­tally left his wallet in the center con­sole of his vehicle. He returned to his vehicle around 2:50 p.m. and noticed that the wallet was missing. The victim stated his wallet was black leather in appearance and contained $200 and his driver’s license.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge

Letter to the editor

1

“Tim Owens: A RINO and a Coward.”

I have known Senator Owens for the better part of the past four years. I have had many-a-conversation with him; most which sent red flags straight up into the sky. Senator Owens may be registered as a Republican but he votes to the left of most Kansas Democrats in the state legislature. He’s voted, repeat­edly, against Conceal and Carry; he’s voted against, on numerous occasions, capital punishment stating that it seems hypocritical for Republicans to want the death penalty for murderers, but to be against the unethical killing of the innocent unborn through abortions. Last year he voted against Secretary of State Kobach’s resolution which would require all voters to present valid ID at the voting polls, which would help to cut down on voter fraud. He’s voted in favor of raising personal income taxes on ALL Kansans, and he’s refused to al­low conservative legislation that would limit his powers in the committees he runs.

Last month he presented and spon­sored at least two proposals for the Senate Redistricting Maps (Bison 12c and Buffalo 1) which gerrymander his opponent, Representative Greg Smith (R-22), out of Senate District 8, both Smith’s and Owens’ current district, by no more than 8 houses and no less than 3. Bison 12c puts Smith inside the district belonging to Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook, a strong fiscal conserva­tive. During the hearings for the Senate Redistricting Committee, in which Senator Owens is in charge of, Repre­sentative Smith was allowed to testify against Owens’ proposals; Owens’ would not hear what Representative Smith had to say stating, “…this is not a political debate…” Owens has also tried to downplay his proposals as “starting points for discussion,” but they are clear attempts to remove a vital threat to his “God-like” powers he possesses.

Besides fearing the strong opposition of a true conservative, Senator Owens fears his constituency, and on several accounts. In March 2011, Owens’ held a town hall meeting, which he packed with members of the local teacher’s union and other individuals which would help him prevent any conser­vative from bringing forth ideas and concerns that he didn’t want to hear. At that town hall he went on a two-hour rant of his leftist ideas on the US Con­stitution and anti-conservative agenda, using his career in the Army as valida­tion. It wasn’t until concerned citizen Nancy Hanrahan, along with Repre­sentative Smith and wife Missey Smith, backed by several others, took over the town hall to talk about an issue, which Mrs. Hanrahan had talked about in an email with Senator Owens a few days prior–the town hall was also guarded by police who had been tipped off about a possible violent outbreak, which never happened.

Another case where Senator Owens has shown fear of his constituency is during the 2011 Overland Park Parade where he spent $200 to put an entry in the parade. In the Dodge Challenger which carried his wife sat the cardboard cutout that sits in his JCCC office wear­ing his green and gold vest. What kind of ego problems does one have to have to make a life-sized cardboard cutout of one’s self? He didn’t even show up himself! Is he ashamed? NO! Sena­tor Owens is a coward: a Republican In Name Only, a Gerrymanderer, and a self-proclaimed “Happy little RINO.”

Alex Abramovitz

Editor and chief, The Final Revolution: Shawnee Mission’s Conservative Editorial

 

The Ledger‘s article about Sen.  Tim Owens:

http://blogs.jccc.edu/campusledger/2012/03/01/adjunct-professor-runs-to-defend-his-8th-district-senate-seat/

Track team brings the heat at Nationals

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Maisha Mitchell (right front), Chelsey Borders (left front), Molly Plummer (back right) and Jodi Young (back left) work on conditioning. Photo by Michael House

By Julius Williams

The college men’s and women’s track teams performed well at the recent NJCAA Indoor Champion­ships at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Ill. with the women plac­ing seventh overall and the men plac­ing 12th.

“Overall it was pretty good,” said Mike Bloemker, head coach. “We have four to six athletes in every event that contribute to the team’s success.”

Stand out performances came from a variety of team members. Six mem­bers earned NJCAA and Coaches’ All-American honors, including sophomore Ashley Reid (high jump/triple jump), sophomore Kaylee Eklund (pole vault), sophomore Justin Podvin (600 meters), sopho­more Alex Sanders (60 meter dash), sophomore Javier Segura (3,000 me­ters) and sophomore Garrett Smith (pole vault).

The relay teams also had a strong showing with the women’s 4×800 placing fifth nationally, and the men’s placing fourth nationally in both the 4×400 and 4×800. The women sprint­ers were Danielle Houltberg, Kirstie Sanders, Michelle Smith and Kayla Peterson. Alex Sanders, Mark Sitek, Kenny Lightner and Jordan Dodd made up the men’s sprint relay team.

“Guys and girls have been compara­ble all year,” said Tom Lester, assistant coach. “We were really pleased that the [men’s] 4×800 placed fourth in a slow heat, which is nearly impossible to do.”

Joe Turner (right) pulls against Mark Sample during track practice and general con¬ditioning on Tuesday March 20 to get built back up after ending the first half of the season strong at NJCAA Indoor Championships. Photo by Michael House

The season is not over though. The NJCAA Indoor Championships are held midseason, so the teams still have a lot of hard work ahead.

Assistant coach Brian Batliner, who trains the jumpers, vaulters and heptathletes, is already preparing his athletes for the next meet.

“We are done with indoors,” Batliner said. “We will keep it light this week and relax. Then we’ll start ramp­ing it back up next week. The first [outdoor] meet will be in Fayetteville, Arkansas in four weeks.”

Batliner said that moving from indoors to outdoors will not change their training methods. For him, it is simply getting back to basics.

“The next couple of weeks we will go back to basics and do general conditioning the way we started back in the fall and build them back up,” he said.

Bloemker, while looking forward to giving his players some much needed time off, echoed the same sentiment.

“We are halfway through the season, and we are adding personnel,” he said. “We are stronger in the throws than we’ve been in years and that’s gonna help because we can spread out to the javelin and the discus.”

Lester agreed.

“The 4×100 is an event that we will be strong in, and in the 4×800, Mr. Segura will be able to step in and help our team that finished 4th indoors and hopefully make that even higher,” he said.

Bloemker and the rest of the coach­ing staff are proud of their team’s performance and have high hopes for the rest of the season.

“Once again, it’s a team effort,” Bloemker said. “We are a really well-balanced team. That’s good because everybody gets to know each other. Everybody contributes.”

Contact Julius Williams, staff reporter, at jwilli78@jccc.edu.

Kansas lawmakers decline proposed immigration laws

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By Jon Parton

Kansas lawmakers recently de­clined to pass Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s proposed immigration bills. The proposed measures called for tougher illegal immigration laws similar to the one passed last year in Arizona.

The Department of Homeland Security estimated 10.8 million unauthorized immigrants to be living in the United States as of 2010. Although the issue of illegal immigration is politically charged, many people on campus look to the human side of the issue.

Carolyn Kadel, director, Inter­national Education, believes that politicization of illegal immigration has not helped Americans under­stand the issue.

“It’s a complicated issue that, really, I think demands a rational conver­sation which it doesn’t seem to be getting at the moment,” Kadel said.

One of the proposed laws would require law enforcement officials to verify citizenship of detained individuals if there were reasonable cause to suspect them of being in the country illegally. Although Kadel sees no problem in checking a per­son’s identification, she anticipates other difficulties.

“You have a lot of citizens who may be perceived as immigrants,” Kadel said. “We have a lot of very recent legal immigrants. We have a lot of native born people whose first language is Spanish or Chinese. It’s unfortunate if they end up getting negative treatment as a result of a perceived problem.”

Jerry Magliano, professor, Personal Computer Applications, believes the issue must be addressed from a humanitarian point of view.

“Any laws that are put on the books need to deal as humanely as possible with the people who are already here, because we were basi­cally culpable in allowing them to come here,” Magliano said.

Magliano said the United States needs to focus its attention on corruption within the Mexican gov­ernment. He believes that Mexico’s current leadership does not address the needs of its poorest citizens. Al­though Magliano sympathizes with their situation, he said it is impor­tant to maintain a legal procedure of immigration.

“If you came here illegally, I don’t think you have some sort of entitle­ment to become a citizen,” Magliano said. “I think you should be given the opportunity to come out of the shadows, identify yourself, be put in some sort of legal status short of citizenship.”

Patrick Dobson, adjunct professor, History, said he believes that unau­thorized immigrants play a central role in the American economy. He points out that they are subject to taxes anytime they make a purchase, buy gas or pay highway tolls.

“They’re still creating economic worth,” Dobson said. “They’re also paying taxes over and over and over again. The IRS gives tax numbers to undocumented immigrants. Not ev­eryone, obviously, but many people get a number, and that number is where they file their taxes.”

Dobson believes that a lot of these laws give rise to people who are not only against illegal immigration, but legal immigration as well. He said a number of English-only language laws target both legal and illegal immigrants.

“The thing I have about anti-im­migration, being a historian, is that the rhetoric hasn’t changed in 200 years,” Dobson said. “It’s the same stuff, and I wish someone would come up with a new argument.”

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

Letter to the editor

0

On page 14 of volume 34 issue 10 of the Campus Ledger there is a small blurb by Ann Williams in the bottom left corner about rebranding. My first problem with it was, as a journalist, why are there ex­clamation marks? Why? There were two in a small blurb. I’m amazed the writer could even fit two in the story. This is the problem with journal­ism today. The writer couldn’t make the distinction between a professional setting and social media. I realize journalism is falling off, but please hold your staff to some sort of standard.

The second problem I have with the story was the story itself. The writer griped about rebranding the school during the tough economic times. I don’t think the writer did an ounce of research to come to her misguided conclusions. If she had, she would have found out that rebranding is a common occurrence, even when money is tight, because a rebranding, done correctly, will create revenue and pay for it­self. The article was half-baked. It was merely a writer trying to fill space. If you’re going to publish someone, hold them to a professional standard of some sort.

-Connor Cape

Student

Editor’s note: The piece to which Cape is referring is a letter to the editor from adjunct profes­sor Ann Williams. As stated in the masthead and in accordance with journalistic standards, the Ledger does not alter letters to the editor before they are printed.

Review: The Shins release fourth album, return with serious modifications

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By Jessica Mitchell

After nearly half a decade, The Shins are back with new members, a new album and a completely new sound. “Port of Morrow,” released Tuesday, is a surprisingly upbeat, poppy variation of the quiet and melodic band that has plagued our music libraries since the early 2000’s.

James Mercer, founder and front man, placed The Shins on hold for five years while he dabbled in side projects and with differ­ent sounds. With the completion of the Sub Pop three record contract in 2008, Mercer decided to create and release the next Shins album via his own label, Aural Apothecary. Having complete musical freedom and crav­ing something new, Mercer let go of band mates Marty Crandall, Dave Hernandez and Jesse Sandoval. In their place, Mercer has been touring and recording with the likes of singer/songwriter Richard Swift, Yuuki Mat­thews of Crystal Skulls, Ron Lewis of Grand Archives and Fruit Bats, Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse and Jessica Dobson.

The new sound and new faces may throw stable fans into somewhat of a culture shock but Mercer’s talent has not diminished and everything we loved about his style is still very prevalent. Lest we forget Mercer is more than a founder and front man. He is The Shins.

With the assistance of producer/songwriter Greg Kurstin, Mercer drew forth an element of maturity and constructed a completely new version of The Shins to display in “Port of Morrow.” Even though the band has gone through rounds of serious changes, the raw talent and genius of Mercer still shines through the poppy and disappointing songs that make up the album.

The corny “No Way Down” literally sent shivers of disgust down my spine and my undying respect for Mercer urged me to stop and never replay the song again. Mercer’s talent and legacy is still noticeable in “Port of Morrow,” it is just masked with cliché background music.

For the few horribly un-Shins-like songs that make up the album, there are some dia­monds in the rough. “September” and “Port of Morrow” take on the likenesses of songs on “Wincing the Night Away” and “Oh, Inverted World.” “September” is a classic acoustic-style Shins’ love song, while “Port of Morrow” ends the album on a positive note with Mercer’s genius lyrics and intoxicating falsetto. As much as Mercer wanted to stray away from The Shins’ vibes and music styles, he could not push away his natural talent for haunting and melodious music making.

It is true that “Port of Morrow” displays an enhanced version of the band that, as Natalie Portman claimed in “Garden State,” could “change your life.” However, if Mercer was desperately trying to rid of The Shins and alter the style, maybe he should have never resurrected them in the first place. This album, even though well written and catchy, is night and day to the previous three. This could either be the album to save The Shins or the album to ruin The Shins.

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

Quivira Road and nearby highways to continue repairs

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By Elizabeth Grys

Current construction is slowing down traffic to the college, while seeking to repair and widen Quivira Road and nearby interstate highways as work continues into next year.

“Quivira Road will be pretty much under construction from 99th Street all the way down to 119th Street,” said Justin Nickel, civil engineer of Public Works at Overland Park City Hall.

The three projects include work from 99th Street to 105th Street, 105th Street to 109th Street, and College Boulevard (111th Street) to 119th Street.

The project from 99th to 105th Street is al­ready underway as is the section of construc­tion from 105th to 109th Street, which passes through the interchange of Interstate 435 and Interstate 50. The College Boulevard to 119th Street construction is currently out for bids for a contractor, construction is expected to begin in April or May, Nickel said. All of these projects are aiming for a completion date of Nov. 2012.

The two city projects from 99th to 105th Street and College Boulevard to 119th Street are being expanded from two lanes to three lanes, and simultaneously the older asphalt is being replaced by fresher, more stable asphalt.

“So really when we get done, Quivira Road should be three lanes all the way from 99th Street to 119th Street,” Nickel said. “It should add capacity.”

The city intends to keep Quivira Road open throughout all of the construction. The city plans to construct Quivira Road to shift driv­ers into the inside lane while the outside lane is being built. When the new outside lane is finished, drivers will be routed to the new lane so workers can reconstruct the middle lane, Nickel said.

While the city works to try to keep at least one lane of Quivira Road clear at all times, there will be three separate one-week time frames where the east entrance to the college turning into campus from Quivira Road will be closed to traffic and inaccessible to exits or entrances.

“The two entrances on College Boulevard will always be open and we set up detour signs to send people over there,” Nickel said.

While Quivira Road may be blocked off, work is finishing on Interstate 69 north of I-435.

“Hopefully if you can, you can switch over and use that new pavement and the new lanes on Highway 69,” Nickel said. “I know part of it is under construction as well, but the city is just asking that everybody bear with us.”

The Quivira Road interchange and the bulk of the roadwork on the highway stretches all the way across I-435 East over to I-69, and then along I-69 South from I-435 to 119th Street. However this project is controlled and largely funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT).

“[Construction on I-435 and I-69] is work­ing towards modernization and expansion projects which mitigate congestion,” said Burt Morey, metro engineer for KDOT. “So what we’re gonna do is build what’s called collector-distributor roads that are offset from the mainline and we take that weaving motion and take it away from the mainline traffic.”

Collector-distributor roads hold the main goal of easing the transition of entering and exiting the mainline traffic roads by using a separate lane running alongside the mainline roads. Collector-distributor roads are able to weave lanes into the main traffic ways for both incoming and outgoing cars with less conflict from lane changes.

KDOT’s goal is to eventually have collector-distributor lanes all over the place, Morey said. Now the current project is to have collector-distributor roads west of I-69 and south of I-435 to ease traffic.

Overland Park’s Public Works office and construction teams working on Quivira Road are aiming for completion in November of 2012. KDOT anticipates that their highway work on I-435 and I-69 should be complete by November of 2013.

Contact Elizabeth Grys, reporting correspondent, at egrys@jccc.edu.

 

Gray areas: emergencies and attendance policy

0

By Jon Parton

Student Theresa Campbell believes the school needs to revise its attendance policy in order to better serve students with extenuating circum­stances.

Earlier during the semester, Campbell was forced to have her gall bladder removed. Although the surgery was originally going to be scheduled, she said her health rapidly deterio­rated.

“I got to the point where I couldn’t even keep water down,” Campbell said. “And then one morning I called my doctor and said I couldn’t do it anymore.”

She went to the emergency room that morn­ing in order to have emergency surgery. Camp­bell said that she was worried about missing so much school. At the beginning of her Reading class, Campbell signed a contract that stated she would regularly attend class and complete assigned homework.

“I had tried speaking to my reading teacher before the scheduled surgery they were going to do,” Campbell said. “She told me that I needed to make a decision.”

The surgery and recovery process caused her to miss six of her Reading classes. Campbell said her instructor, Suzanne Franklin, profes­sor, Reading Department, had decided to drop her from the course.

“Supposedly she did not know what was going on,” Campbell said. “She had no contact with me, so she initiated a withdrawal.”

Although Franklin is legally unable to com­ment on any particular student, she did state that her classes use the attendance policy mandated by the Reading Department.

Campbell said that she had to talk to numer­ous administrators before being allowed to take the course as pass/fail.

“If I got dropped from my reading class, I would have to drop all my other classes too,” Campbell said.

Laurie Enneking-Conner, student, agrees with Campbell that something must be done to help address students with emergency situ­ations.

“There needs to be a student liaison person that is in-between the students and the faculty,” she said.

Lynn Richards, professor, Business Admin­istration, said that the new policy that allows professors to drop students is voluntary.

“Now I don’t know whether there are depart­ments around the college that have a policy that say ‘all of us are going to do that’ or ‘none of us are going to do that,’” Richards said. “I know that in our division, we have individual discretion.”

Richards said that he does not use the policy because he believes the natural consequences of missing classes are enough of a deterrent.

“I believe that by the time people get to col­lege, they’re adult human beings,” he said. “If you choose to go to class, that’s your business.”

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

Tennis season kicks off

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Maksim Fil competes in a match against Baker Uni¬versity March 6. Photo by Tasha Cook

By Ben Markley

With winter sports wrapping up, the tennis season is just beginning. Glen Moser, tennis coach, said he was “extremely opti­mistic” about this year’s season.

“My only concern is health, espe­cially for the females,” he said. “If we get healthy, we’re kind of right where I’d like to be.”

Members of the women’s team have faced injury issues, with some of them sitting games out and others being only recently released by their doctors for past injuries. However, Moser was confident the women’s team would heal up for a good season.

As for the men’s team, he said this year’s team should surpass last year’s success.

“The men have pretty good depth,” Moser said. “We’re pretty deep, deeper than we were last year as far as the team goes, and I think we finished 10th in the nation last year.”

Overall, Moser said the team members were functioning well as a team.

“I like the chemistry of the play­ers,” he said. “They’ve been work­ing hard.”

That hard work will be crucial against the unique competition the tennis team faces throughout the season.

“We’re about the only program here at the college, who competes against four-year colleges,” he said. “At least half of our schedule is against four-year colleges. Gener­ally speaking, we hold our own. We’ve got some pretty talented kids.”

Despite tough competition, Moser has goals set high for his teams.

“Our first goal is always to make it to the national tournament,” he said. “[Women] have been going 28 out of 29 years, men 26 out of 29 years; that’s the big thing.”

Whether the team reaches that goal or not, Moser said the ulti­mate pay-off comes from watching his players grow.

“I think all coaches are competi­tive, and it’s just fun preparing for your opponent and watching your individual players and your team improving their game,” he said.

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

Staff Editorial: The pursuit of happiness – for one or for all?

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Illustration by Elizabeth Spooner

Gay marriage isn’t that big of a deal. Same-sex marriage goes back as far as pre-Christian ancient Rome. It’s not that big of a shock. In this country, the real threat to our nation is not LGBT people getting married; it is, oddly enough, reality. Real­ity: the state of the world as it actually exists as opposed to an idealistic, fantastical one.

Opponents of gay marriage seem to feel that it’s time to go back to a “simpler America.” They want to unwind the clock and turn the dial, back to a time when gay people didn’t exist. The problem with that kind of thinking is that there was no time when gay people didn’t exist.

The old-timey America that some wax nostalgically about only existed on Hollywood sets of shows like “The Brady Bunch.” In real life, once the director called cut, Mr. Brady slunk back to his home and made love to his boyfriend in the dark. (Yes, for those of you who didn’t know, Robert Reed, the actor who played Mike Brady, was gay.)

The same groups, who advocate family values and marriage, speak in awe and horror of the divorce rate in this country and the number of births out of wedlock; hypocritically want to ban gay marriage with legislation such as Proposition 8. So families are important, and marriage is “a good thing,” as long as it’s not between two people of the same sex.

This is the real fear of gay marriage: the fear that LGBT peo­ple who were once ashamed, outcast or in hiding have stepped out of the shadows and stated firmly, “I am an American too, and I deserve the same chance at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Isn’t that what we learned America was about when we re­cited the pledge of allegiance in grade school? That we were one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all? Those words are lost on many of us today because the idea of justice for all started with a very limited definition in our nation’s history. It meant everyone, as long everyone was a white male landowner. Over the years, the true meaning of this idea has grown and expanded to include African-Americans, women, people with disabilities and LGBT citizens.

The persecution of gays is comparable to racism: it is hatred for a group of people for no reason other than the fact that their values and beliefs differ from your own. The idea is anti­quated, unfair and sanctimonious.

Once again, we’ve come to a crossroads, a time in history where we need to set a few more place settings at the table. It is a time for us to acknowledge the real America and the strength that resides in our diversity.

We, the staff of the Campus Ledger, hold these truths to be self-evident: that all of us are created equal, that each of us are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are living to the fullest, defending liberty as journalists, and the pursuit of whoever is nutty enough to want to marry one of us, without government restriction.

News briefs

0

New transfer agreement with Kansas State University

Students can expect an easier process when transferring credits to Kan­sas State University, thanks to a new agreement that will go into effect this semester. Students who have completed at least 45 credit hours at the college will be able to finish their final 19 credit hours at K-State. The credits will count toward the undergraduate degree and the associate degree. This arrangement aims to make the transfer process easier for students at the college.

Professor at the college teaches real life forensic nursing

Norma Fordham, professor of law at the college, will be discussing topics on forensic nursing in a presentation titled “It’s Not Dexter: Issues in Forensic Nursing.” The presentation will take place in the Craig Community Audito­rium (GEB 233) from 7:30 – 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. Fordham will be sharing her knowledge on topics such as career opportunities, the role of the forensic nurse and more. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

Grammy-winning artist will perform at the college

Grammy winner and former Billboard chart-topping artist Debbie Boone will be performing at Yardley Hall at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. Boone’s first hit single titled “You Light Up My Life” was released in 1977 and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts for 10 weeks straight. Boone will be perform­ing songs from her latest album titled “Swing This.” Tickets are on sale at the college box office.

Students are rewarded for school purchases

The bookstore at the college has a new rewards program that allows students to earn points with every purchase they make at the bookstore, convenience store or the online store. Students earn one point for every $5 spent and one point for every $10 of a buyback trans­action. The points can be redeemed on the online rewards catalog and do not have an expiration date. See http://www.bookstore.jccc.edu for more informa­tion.

Compiled by Erica Aldridge

 

Related articles:

BREAKING: Students of the college will be able to finish associate degree at K-State

The quest for the GPA

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By Rachel Luchmun

A recent survey showed that the college has a 93 percent ap­proval rating in the community. A majority of people believe education to be an important tool to improve their lives. After all, knowledge is power.

And yet, it seems to me that the quest for knowledge has been replaced by something different: the quest for the GPA.

At first glance, it seems that the two are one and the same – and why should they not be? The GPA is supposed to be a reflection of how well a student did in a class, and how well that student did in a class is proportional to the amount of knowledge obtained.

Right?

Like so many great concepts, real­ity is different from theory. Students care more about the GPA than their actual knowledge. Not all of them, thankfully, but a big enough number that it is definitely a problem.

You only have to look at http://www.ratemyprofessors.com, where students converge to learn about professors. How many comments talk about the “easy A?” The phrases “take this class if you want an easy A” or “don’t take this class if you expect an easy A” litter the website as if it was the professor’s respon­sibility to ensure everyone gets the perfect grade.

It’s not. Students go to college to learn, not to achieve a high GPA. In a class I took last semester, discus­sions often centered on current events and their relation to the class material. The professor wanted to push students to express their views and be exposed to different viewpoints. I never heard half of my classmates speak up – they sat there not paying attention. Most of them eventually dropped. Their rationale? Material from those discussions was not graded and therefore not important.

There is a widespread stereotype abroad that Americans are stupid. This is obviously not true… yet. Because if students are only preoc­cupied with the “easy A” to get the highest GPA, without caring about what they learn, how they develop their critical thinking skills, then what’s the point of an education? Is a degree a mere piece of paper to be shown around?

Yes, the GPA is important. It is what potential transfer universities look at. It can make the difference for applying to an internship. Many scholarships are based off a GPA. However, they all assume that the GPA stands for something: knowl­edge acquired, skills developed. Not just doing the bare minimum to pass with an A and show no more academic curiosity beyond that.

A counter argument that I often hear is that this is “just” a communi­ty college; the classes are “just” gen­eral education classes that are boring anyway. Or that students are just not smart, that they just don’t have time to learn things that are beyond what they need to know. They don’t want the annoyance of learning a lot of things, they just want the grade.

And I get that, obviously, you cannot learn everything, know everything. I get that some students perform better in one subject over another. But it does not mean they have to go through classes with a closed mind, only keeping the GPA as a goal. Education is more than just regurgitating things on a piece of paper. It won’t hurt to join into discussions, to listen, to ask ques­tions, even if nothing covered is eventually going to be on a test.

Education is a privilege, not a right. Students would do well to remember that and grasp the op­portunity to learn new things.

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

Economics of energy: Oil independence in America

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By Jon Parton

The rising price of crude oil is a growing concern for students. With local gas prices approaching $4 a gallon, increased domestic drilling and alternative fuel sources are once again gaining interest.

America currently imports about 50 percent of the oil it consumes. Jerry Magliano, professor, Personal Computer Applications, said that more domestic drilling should be done in order to lessen our reliance on foreign sources.

“It’s the old supply and demand equation,” Magliano said. “The more supply to meet demand or exceed demand, then prices go down.”

Although oil is a commodity bought and sold on an open global market, Magliano said he believes America can decrease the amount of foreign oil needed by increasing domestic oil production.

“There’s nothing we can do to really control the price of oil except increase our own independence in regard to the acquisition of oil,” Magliano said.

Domestic drilling has increased within the past few years, overshooting expected numbers of oil production. Magliano said that this was due to the efforts of private companies rather than the government. He said he believes this is partly due to the political activism of environmental groups.

“Environmental activism has been a very good thing for the country,” Magliano said. “Environmental radicalism has been a very bad thing. And environmental radicalism is what’s standing in the way of us becoming more energy indepen­dent.”

Not everyone shares the same opinion regarding the matter. Kim Criner, Sustainability Student Affairs coordinator, said she believes that in­dependence from foreign sources of energy is an important goal. How­ever, she is less sure of whether more domestic drilling is the answer.

“We’re continuing the dependence on a finite resource which is eventu­ally going to become so hard to get to,” Criner said.

Although Criner said an increase in domestic oil production can lessen our dependence on foreign sources, she is concerned about its effects on the environment and people.

“How are we really serving our citizens when we’re not taking into account those externalities from the extraction of those fossil fuels?” she said.

Criner said that Americans should look to alternative sources of energy rather than increase domestic drill­ing. She points out the increased use of wind farms and hydropower help produce energy that is not detrimental to the environment.

“That’s not only going to bring us energy independence, but it’s going to bring us a cleaner environment,” Criner said.

Michael Humphreys, stu­dent, said he likes the idea of more domestic drilling but also has concerns over environ­mental issues such as the BP oil spill two years ago.

“It’s got to be safe and not destroy the environ­ment,” Humphreys said. “I’m for it, but it has to be safe.”

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

New solar classrooms get design upgrade

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How would you paint this trailer? Show us! Download this photo, paint it yourself and upload it to the Campus Ledger Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/campusledger. Photo by Patti Klinge

By Julius Williams

If you find yourself cruis­ing along the south side of campus you might notice some trailers covered with solar technology. They are part of an experiment by the college’s department of energy performance and resource management, and they are about to get a color­ful upgrade.

“[The solar technology modules] were designed with the idea that everything can come down at the end of the semester,” said Dan Eberle, assistant professor of energy performance and resource management.

The modules he is talking about are the two shipping containers that will comprise the new classrooms and laboratories for the solar thermal and solar voltaic certificate programs, once construction is completed. Students enrolled in the program will be able to rebuild the equipment every se­mester. The photovoltaic equipment used in the project was funded by a grant through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The containers have solar panels on the roofs and solar space heaters on the exterior walls, all built by students in the program. Eberle said that the electricity produced by the panels could run an average-size house.

“We have solar electricity and hot water,” Eberle said. “We are entirely off-grid.”

Eberle said he believes the new classrooms will create more aware­ness of sustainability and the idea of living within our “energy means.”

“It’s possible,” Eberle said. “Folks have to live with the idea of living within your means. From a money standpoint, we learn that pretty quickly. From an energy standpoint, we haven’t come to that point. But if we live with the idea that there’s a bank account out there that we have to manage then it’s pretty easy.”

He added that it’s not really like a bank, but more like a trust fund since it doesn’t draw interest and just dwindles away.

Although the interior of the modules are still a work in progress with dust and equipment scattered throughout, the exterior will get a colorful facelift by local graffiti art­ist Eric Johnson.

Johnson is a graphic design stu­dent at the college who originally hails from Wichita, Kan. He has been doing graffiti-style artwork for 15 years and when Larry Thomas, chair of the fine arts program, ap­proached him about this opportu­nity, he said he was excited.

“My goal is to bring attention to Dan’s program,” Johnson said. “Sustainability is important and is even something that artists have to be aware of. What happens to the things we make 20 years from now?”

Although Johnson will not disclose the specifics of his design, he said he wants to create something unique for the buildings.

“Graffiti arts are some­times not the most common aesthetic,” Johnson said, “but I want to make something that is harmonious with the campus but also stands out enough to bring attention to Dan and his program.”

Timothy Lednicky, chair of the energy performance and resource management department, also praised Eb­erle’s work with the modules and looks forward to the new designs.

“I salute Dan’s work out there,” Lednicky said. “It has caught public attention. People driving by have been waking up to the program. It’s cre­ated great awareness.”

Once Johnson’s designs are ap­proved by the college, he can begin as early as the end of this month. His work can also be seen at the Loft Art Space in Lawrence where he has been a resident artist since last November.

Contact Julius Williams, staff reporter, at jwilli78@jccc.edu.

Drive smart

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By Jon Parton

That certain someone you were hoping to hear from finally sends you a text. In a rush of excite­ment, you quickly take a look at what the person wrote. You devote all of your attention to the message, trying quickly to respond to the most important person in your life. At least, I guess. All I really know for certain is that I’m stuck behind you going 20 mph in a 40 mph zone.

Ladies, no amount of makeup will cover up the injuries you might sustain in a crash. Stop applying mascara and drive. Gentlemen, watching Vin Diesel movies makes you neither fast nor furious. You live in Kansas. Accept that fact. Slow it down. Races down most Johnson County roads go 100 feet before you hit another red light anyway.

I mention all of this because of the increased amount of construc­tion that will affect students for the rest of the semester. Road crews are scheduled to work on Quivira until sometime in July. While driving home from school the other day, I witnessed a driver taking some of the turns a little too quickly. He ran over three traffic cones while trying to regain control of his vehicle.

Although he was a lucky driver, he wasn’t a very good one. Driv­ing is one of things that can easily be taken for granted. As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the day I could fi­nally drive. Having a car represented freedom and status. As I got older, having a car represented a metal box that required 30 to 40 bucks a week in gas.

As Americans, we love our cars but we hate traffic. The College Boulevard and Quivira Road inter­section is one of the busiest intersec­tions in the Kansas City metro area. Combine that with ongoing construction and bad drivers and you end up with a lot of potentially dangerous situations. Speeding to your destination won’t help you if you rear end someone.

It’s easy to sound like an old per­son when you complain about driv­ing habits. I’m aware that there are people out there who can multitask while driving. I don’t believe people need to drive under the speed limit and show extreme courtesy to other drivers. I believe people should just display a modicum of intelligence when driving. Don’t let your driving style get in the way of your common sense.

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

Hitting the books

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By Ben Markley

Textbooks are one of the staples of student routine and expenses, yet the way they are made, sold and used is far from perfect.

Student Jess Ebner said her main pet peeve was paying for an unnecessary textbook.

“I can’t stand when a class requires a textbook but is totally based off lecture,” she said. “To have a book put on the required reading list and not use it just makes me ask why I wasted my money.”

Suzanne Torok-Burge, adjunct profes­sor, said professors have an obligation to incorporate a text.

“If [students] have to pay a lot of money, the instructor ought to use the textbook,” she said.

Student Ben Lauridsen disliked pay­ing for something he could have gotten for free somewhere else.

“Having material that’s accessible online that you paid $100 plus to get in a book is irritating,” he said.

Student Steve Brown was not as con­cerned about classroom use as he was with the textbook industry itself.

“Publishers force writers to reshuffle the deck to make students buy new books,” he said. “That whole business model stinks.”

Student Sharon Brown, his wife, said the system frustrated not only professors, requiring them to write new lecture notes, but also students trying to save money in a struggling economy.

“My daughter worked at Buyback, and she saw people who couldn’t sell back their books because they had older editions,” she said.

Steve Brown said certain courses simply didn’t require new editions.

“I’ve got texts on classical Latin writ­ten back in the 1800’s,” he said. “Well, classical Latin hasn’t changed in 600 years. Some texts need to change, but some just don’t.”

However, Torok-Burge said updating textbooks can help keep the presenta­tion of a subject fresh and relevant for its current generation of readers.

“The basic principles of my particular subject haven’t changed for thirty years or so, but it helps to keep updating so that this generation can understand and relate to it,” she said.

Steve Brown also voiced a common student complaint: high prices.

“The only reasons these books are so expensive is because they’re ‘academic’ books used for education,” he said. “When I can get a thousand-page computer language book for $20, and I have to pay $200 for an inch-thick book because it’s ‘academic’, that’s ridiculous.”

For Steve and Sharon Brown, im­provements in textbooks would begin with adopting a new format.

“Based on the current technological environment, I think every student should have a laptop or tablet with PDF texts,” Steve Brown said. “Paper’s too expensive, and the publishing cycle runs faster on PDFs.”

He said the newer format would be more convenient for students as well as the publishing industry.

“Wouldn’t you like to have a tablet instead of a backpack?” he said.

Sharon Brown said the tablets would have more perks than just convenience.

“A tablet or laptop is more environ­mentally friendly,” she said. “The paper industry is a polluting industry, and when a book gets replaced by a new edition, that’s literally hundreds of worthless pages.”

For Ebner, textbooks should play a real but secondary role in the class­room.

“I always use textbooks as a supple­ment rather than a primary way of learning,” she said.

Torok-Burge said no professor should hide behind a textbook, good or bad.

“I think textbooks are a great guide for discussion, but in the end, the instructor has to know what they’re doing,” she said.

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

Sports briefs

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As of press time Tuesday, March 20:

Men, Women’s Tennis defeat Baker

The Cavalier Tennis teams both man­aged to win matches over Baker on their home courts on March 6. The men’s team kicked off their season with a conclusive 8-1 victory over the Wild­cats. The Lady Cavaliers fought a harder struggle but eventually pulled off a 5-4 victory, evening the team’s season re­cord to 1-1. The next home match will be Monday, March 19 against Southwest Baptist University.

Lady Cavaliers crush Erie, set tourna­ment record

The Erie Community College Kats suffered the most crushing defeat in NCJAA Division II Championship Tournament history at the hands of the Lady Cavaliers with a score of 96-23. No team in the tournament has ever been held to such a low score, and the 73-point margin also set a team record. Sophomore forward Kylie Cooper pulled off a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore forward Polly Harrington (24 pts), sophomore guard Mary Pat Specht (16 pts), sophomore forward Brianna Knules (14 pts), and sophomore guard Ameshia Kearney (13 pts) also scored double figures. The Cavaliers held the Kats to just 18.8% field goal percent­age. The Lady Cavaliers advanced to play Monroe Thursday, March 22 at 6 p.m. To read more about the team’s record-breaking conference record and timely updates on the tournament, visit http://www.campusledger.com/sports-2/.

Men’s Basketball defeat Moraine Valley

The Cavaliers scored their first victory of the NJCAA Division II Champion­ship Tournament with a 70-63 victory over Moraine Valley on March 20. Three players scored double figures: sopho­more guard Quasim Jones (21 pts), sophomore forward Justin Leathers (20 pts) and freshman forward Christian Hildebrandt (11 pts), who also racked up eight rebounds. The team played South Suburban College at 6 p.m., March 21. For timely updates on the tourna­ment, visit http://www.campusledger.com/sports-2/.

Compiled by Ben Markley.

 

UPDATE: Wednesday, March 21, 8:05 p.m.: Men’s basketball team defeated in second round by South Suburban College; final score JCCC 60, South Suburban 65. Congratulations, Cavaliers, on a great season.

The next game for the Lady Cavaliers is Thursday, March 22 at 6 p.m. vs. Monroe. Keep an eye on CampusLedger.com for coverage.

UPDATE: Thursday, March 22, 7:49 p.m.: Women’s basketball team defeated in second round by defending champions Monroe; JCCC 50, Monroe 64. Congratulations, Lady Cavs, on a record-breaking season, and best of luck in the consolation bracket game tomorrow.

Planet Comicon ticket giveaway

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Heads up, Cavaliers! We still have 15 Comicon tickets to give away. The first 15 people to come by the Student News Center in COM 260 will get a free weekend pass to Planet Comicon in Kansas City. Here’s the info:

 

 
Come on by and ask for your ticket!

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Segel plays stoner in “Jeff, Who Lives At Home,” in theaters today

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By Jon Parton

In an uncertain economy, Jason Segel has managed to find a lot of work. When the 32-year-old is not working on the Emmy award winning television show “How I Met Your Mother,” he is starring in feature films like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “The Muppets.”

Segel’s latest film, “Jeff, Who Lives At Home,” is the story of a 30-year-old slacker who still lives with his mother and believes the universe is trying to tell him something. The indie film, directed by Mark Duplas, also stars Ed Helms, Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon.

Segel noted that it was somewhat humbling to work with the veteran actress Sarandon.

“Any time you get to work around somebody that you’ve admired for so long, there’s a little part of you that feels like you’ve made a little bit, like it’s indicative of that you’re coming up in the world,” Segel said.

Segel’s character, Jeff, is unemployed and spends most of his days in his mother’s basement watching TV, smoking marijuana and waiting for a sign – something Segel said he could directly relate to.

“I had a really unpleasant out of work period from like 22 to 25 where I was just waiting around as well,” Segel said. “But I think that kind of – and I was smoking a fair amount of pot during that period as well – I think I related back to this time where you’re kind of bopping around and you have a sense that your destiny is to do something.”

Although the movie itself takes place over the course of one day, actual filming took a little more than a month to finish. Segel said that was not the biggest challenge for him.

“Mine is that we shot as much chronologically as we could and I, like, gained 25 pounds during the shooting of this movie,” Segel said. “So to me, in addition to all the complicated themes, it’s also the very subtle story of a man who gains 25 pounds over one day.”

Having taken on the role of actor, writer and songwriter, Segel dispelled any rumors of adding the title of director to his resume.

“Oh for me my answer is kind of complicated, but I think to do anything creatively you have to have a real sense of confidence and I think, to some extent, arrogance even if it’s false,” Segel said. “And so when I take a part, I really do believe there’s nobody who could do that part better than me. I have yet to feel about directing like no one could direct this better than me. I feel like I know three or four or five people who could direct this way better than me.”

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

 

>>>To read Ed Helms’ perspective on “Jeff, Who Lives At Home,” see “Comic realism: The Hangover’s “Stu” adds depth with new role.”

“Jeff, Who Lives At Home” premieres nationwide tonight. For showtimes in Overland Park, click here.

What to watch for

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Spring Break is coming to a close, Cavs, but next week you’ll have a brand new Ledger to check out. On Thursday, look out for:

  • Tuition increase, and the Board of Trustees’ justification
  • Quivira construction: how long will it last?
  • Proposition 8 declared unconstitutional – what does it mean?
  • Why are there trailers on the south side of campus?

… and much more.

We at the Ledger hope everyone has had a fun, relaxing break, and can’t wait for you to see what we’ve got coming up for you.

Remember, your feedback is always welcome – contact Mackenzie Clark, editor-in-chief, at mclark68@jccc.edu.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: America the fallen

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By David Hurtado

Once upon a time in America we were free to speak and express what we believed without fear of persecution. However, after 236 years, our freedom of speech is beginning to be crushed under a dark maelstrom of political correctness.

Kirk Cameron, whom many know as the former star of “Growing Pains,” came under fire for expressing what he thought of homosexuality. In his words, Cameron described homosexuality as “unnatural and destructive” to the foundations of civilization. Almost immediately, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLAAD, issued a statement condemning Cameron for exercising his freedom of speech.

I don’t know about you, but did Cameron sound like he was calling gays abominations or that he had a lack of respect for them? No, he did not. Cameron merely shared his beliefs on the subject and why he held them.

The Constitution clearly affirms the right to free speech for all Americans in the First Amendment. It does not matter whether you agree with Cameron or not, he has and always will have the right to say what he wants about homosexuality. There is zero need to apologize to GLAAD just because his opinion is different than theirs.

Like Cameron, I do not support gay marriage either. However, I firmly believe homosexuals should be treated with the same respect I would give any other person. And I can promise you I will never apologize for the beliefs I hold. I would rather die than give up the rights so many brave men and women who came before me gave their lives and blood to protect.

If it wasn’t bad enough that the federal government is actively trying to diminish our rights, now we have special interest groups trampling on the Constitution as well. GLAAD needs to understand that tolerance of others works both ways; it’s not some special privilege you get for being different.

We live in the United States of America, where all men are created equal. Last time I checked, that did not mean that some people are more equal than others. Unless you’re the federal government, of course.

Speaking of the federal government, our wonderful, Constitution-abiding president recently passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Sections 1021 and 1022 of the bill give the president power to detain any individual for an indefinite amount of time if they are suspected of terrorism. This so-called law is a serious and direct violation of Habeas Corpus and the 6th Amendment.

Even the ACLU is up in arms about this, saying it “violates international law because it is not limited to people captured in the context of an actual armed conflict as required by the laws of war,” according to NextGen Journal. A great American once said, “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither, and lose both.”

If we don’t start speaking out against this kind of injustice, the America the Founders envisioned will cease to be. Perhaps the best way to summarize the silence echoing across the nation at these infringements is a poem written by Martin Niemöller when German citizens began to lose their rights just before the darkest years in human history.

“First they came for the communists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Contact David Hurtado, reporting correspondent, at dhurtado@jccc.edu.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: The controversy around Kony2012: The college’s chapter of Invisible Children responds to critics

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By Rachel Luchmun

The Invisible Children campaign Kony2012 aims at bringing awareness about Joseph Kony, an African war criminal. As the video is gaining more and more popularity, numerous critics emerged against the effort.

According to the Kony2012 website, Kony abducts children to be soldiers in his army and women to be “wives” to his subordinates. Kony’s group, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), originated in northern Uganda but moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

A video documenting Kony’s crimes was available on YouTube on March 5. At the time of writing, the video had over 60 million views. The video has been widely shared over social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.

The surge in interest about Invisible Children’s Kony2012 video saw a wave of criticism about Invisible Children and about the initiative. Criticism included allegations that Invisible Children only sent a small proportion of its funds to Africa; that the video exaggerated facts about Kony; and that they were simplifying a complex issue, advocating dangerous solutions.

Invisible Children has put up an official response to all this criticism on their website.

Susie Sympson, adviser of the Invisible Children group on campus, said the criticism stemmed from ignorance of all the facts or a hidden agenda.

“A lot of people want to say that there is no problem, that we are exaggerating,” she said. “But there are no inaccuracies [in the video]. They’re asking everybody to share this, and maybe they stepped on the wrong people’s toes. Sometimes politics are just a smokescreen. There are more atrocities happening in Africa than in the Middle-East, but Africa does not have oil.”

Sympson also said that not doing anything about Kony was not an option.

“To ignore entire civilizations is ethnocentric,” she said. “[The situation in Uganda] is not as horrible as it was, but it is still bad. We are talking about a serious issue that no one talked about for 20 years.”

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

 

OTHER RESOURCES:

Kony2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

Response to critics of Kony2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQABpjCalJk&feature=youtu.be

Official Invisible Children response: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html

List of critics: http://visiblechildren.tumblr.com/post/18954353409/not-alone

Ron Paul, Kathy Gingrich Lubbers speak at Overland Park caucus site

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Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas
Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas

Article and photos by Mackenzie Clark

This morning kicked off the Kansas Republican Caucus. In attendance at Shawnee Mission West High School were Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, and daughter of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Kathy Gingrich Lubbers.

Also in attendance were Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and representatives for Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, Kansas State Reps. Amanda Grosserode (R-16) and Greg Smith (R-22), and supporters of Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS).

Paul was the first speaker at 10 a.m.

“I have been in and out of Congress for over 30 years, but I am known for measuring every vote I’ve ever taken by the Constitution,” Paul said. “I believe if we had more people who read the Constitution, who go to Washington and obey the Constitution, we would not be in the trouble that we are today.”

Paul’s speech was well-received by much of the audience.

“He respects liberty, in both from conception to natural death,” said Nicholas Clow, Paul supporter. “I do like that he’s pro-life and I also like that he did talk about economic freedom, which I think is a dwindling topic in today’s society, and I do think it’s an important one. He also talked about the importance of letting people decide what’s moral for themselves. This is important in response to gay marriage because while I’m opposed to it on moral grounds I do believe that people have the right to choose.”

Listen to Paul’s full speech here: http://snd.sc/yw73Tz

Kathy Gingrich Lubbers

Lubbers spoke on her father’s behalf at 11:30 a.m.

“I’m here today to say thank you for being here,” she said. “Our job is to consider who is going to be the best person to beat Barack Obama in the fall, and I can tell you from my heart and from personal experience why I think my father, Newt Gingrich, is that individual.”

Listen to Lubbers’ full speech here: http://snd.sc/wYBSGN

As of 6:53 p.m., the Associated Press is declaring Santorum the winner of the caucus.

“He best fits my faith and what I believe, and I think he will get our country back on track,” said Christina Blair, Santorum supporter. “I think fiscally he’ll be strong. I think with Obamacare, he’ll be strong in repealing that. For now and in the primary he is my first choice, but I will get behind any of the candidates after the primary and support them 110%.”

Angelo Miño, former district deputy grand master, District V of Freemasons in Kansas, is also supporting Santorum.

“We are tired to bring these old politicians who have been offering everything to us and accomplishing nothing,” Miño said. “I think it’s time to see a younger candidate with very strong morals, principals and values because that’s what the Republican party is about. It is about values. It is about living the legacy of our founding fathers, and I see that Rick Santorum is bringing that back to us. Being from another country and being proud to be an American citizen, I want my country back, the country that gave me the American dream. Now it is time for all of us to have the dream of America come true.”

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

BREAKING: Students of the college will be able to finish associate degree at K-State

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By Julius Williams

A new proposed transfer agreement between Kansas State University and the college will give students the option to finish their associate degree while studying at K-State.

Under the new reverse transfer agreement, transfer students with at least 45 credit hours will be able to complete the remaining 19 hours needed to earn an associate degree by taking classes at K-State. The 19 credit hours will count both toward the K-State undergraduate degree and the JCCC associate degree.

The arrangement is expected to provide a better, more streamlined transfer process for students and increase the number of students that earn associate degrees here at the college.

College president Terry Calaway and K-State president Kirk Schulz are expected to sign the formal agreement this afternoon and if finalized, the agreement will go into effect this semester.

“This is a big deal for both the institutions and the students of the state of Kansas,” Calaway said in a press release issued by the college. “It’s a win-win for both.”

Contact Julius Williams at jwilli78@jccc.edu.

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: “Modern Vision” Fashion Show Photo Slideshow

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The “Modern Vision” fashion show took place at noon and 7 p.m. Friday, March 2 in the Polsky Theatre. Campus Ledger photographers Jordan Wegele, Michael House and Hannah Hunsinger were on the scene.

Here’s the JCAV video of the rehearsal before the show:

 

 

Compiled by Mackenzie Clark

WEB-EXCLUSIVE: Lady Cavs make history with perfect record

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By Julius Williams

The women’s basketball team made history this past weekend winning a perfect 18 – 0 conference record. The Lady Cavs closed the season with a 72 – 51 win over Allen Community College. This is the first time the team has gone undefeated in conference play.

This weekend, the college will host the District B final of the NJCAA Division II Championship. The Lady Cavs’ win qualifies them for the semi-final match on Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the GYM building. They will face the winner of tonight’s game between Brown Mackie College and Hesston College.

In a press release issued by the college, head coach Ben Conrad said, “Winning a regular season championship in a good league is the crown jewel in college basketball in my mind. I couldn’t be prouder of our team. Our last two groups had a shot, and to finally get it done this year is very rewarding.”

The final game will occur at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 2 at the college.

Thank you, Rachel Kimbrough

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By Mackenzie Clark

I am saddened to report that the Ledger’s editor-in-chief, Rachel Kimbrough, has recently chosen to resign.

In her time at the Ledger, Kim­brough covered articles with crucial information for the student body. As editor-in-chief, she was extremely helpful to her staff under all circum­stances. As our leader, she guided us in our progression as student journalists and taught us how to improve our writing, photography, design, and personal character. She was also instrumental in begin­ning the convergence process in the Student News Center.

Despite the many challenges she faced, Kimbrough always held to her personal convictions and profes­sional journalistic standards, and helped her staff to do the same. The staff would like to thank her for her support and flexibility while she was with us. She understood the demands and distractions of college life but never wavered from her commitment to uphold a high-qual­ity publication, and encouraged all of us to follow her shining example. She handled the many pressures of her job with elegance and grace.

I have been appointed in her stead and intend to uphold the high standards set by my predecessor. The Ledger will continue to report on the facts and changes that occur on campus in a fair and balanced manner. We will also continue to share our personal opinions in our staff editorials and columns, and welcome all feedback from our readers.

As the new editor-in-chief, I plan to expand our coverage to include a wider spectrum and more variety. I intend to guide the staff toward more convergence with our media affiliates, JCAV and ECAV, in order to produce full news packages. Our readers can expect more online-exclusive pieces and breaking news coverage. I would also appreciate more reader feedback via letters to the editor, comments on our online site (http://campusledger.com) and on the Ledger’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/Cam­pusLedger).

Thank you, Rachel, for everything you’ve done for us. We wish you nothing but the best, and you will be sorely missed. Your legacy will not be forgotten. We are all better journalists after working with you, and I can only hope to live up to your example.

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

America the bold

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By Jon Parton

NASA was created more than 50 years ago. In just one year, our government has spent the same amount of money on our military as it has over the entire lifetime of our space program. Is it any wonder that our students rank so low in science and math? We are becoming a na­tion of anti-intellectuals.

We need NASA. The program means more to our country than just science. The space race between the United States and Soviet Russia in the 1960s represented a symbolic measure of American knowledge and drive. It was not enough to say that democracy allowed for the best of humanity; it had to be proven.

The space program is responsible for so many technologies that we take for granted. According to the NASA website, more than 1,500 technologies developed for space travel have been introduced to the world. The artificial heart has given people more years to their lives. It was developed with technology first used in space shuttle fuel pumps.

The lives of countless American soldiers have been saved from the use of land mine removal devices. Leftover fuel donated from NASA is used to help remotely ignite and destroy the mines. Aggressive development of computers and miniaturization within the space program led to the development of the microchip.

The GPS in our cars and smart­phones all benefit from NASA technology. Not only did the program expand our knowledge of the universe, it also created jobs. Engineers were needed to create the spacecraft. Scientists were needed to plot flight paths.

Companies like IBM and Boeing hired more workers to develop the products NASA needed for its mis­sion. The space program, rooted in science, has done a lot for the U.S. This year, NASA will receive more than $17 billion in funding.

That amount sounds like a lot until you compare it to how else Americans spend money. Last year, Americans spent more than $50 billion on their pets. The U.S. spent almost $700 billion on military expenditures and more than $725 billion on Social Security during that same time.

I know that our country is try­ing to stamp out pocket groups of terrorists, but I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s words. During World War II, Churchill’s finance minister said he should cut spend­ing for the arts in order to support the war effort. Churchill replied, “Then what are we fighting for?”

The money we spend on NASA is a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of our spending. Meanwhile, countries like China, India, and the United Kingdom are spending more on their own space agencies. This is because they recognize the inherent value of a space program and how it can benefit society.

Instead of siding with political parties, we ought to side with the belief that America should be the global leader in science and technol­ogy. We need to embrace the great unknown and pick up the mantle of exploration for which our country is known.

Contact Jon Parton, staff reporter, at jparton@jccc.edu.

All-or-nothing enrollment policy: The college’s understanding when it comes to late enrollment is nonexistent

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By Jessica Mitchell

The college’s no-tolerance when it comes to the enrollment dead­line is overly grating and can some­times be detrimental to a student’s GPA and financial situation.

Students who, for any reason at all, need to enroll in a course follow­ing its first meeting do not have the option to do so. There is an excess of valid reasons why students would need to take this enrollment alternative. The college’s rationale for omitting this option is a little unclear to me.

I understand that the college’s main concern for allowing late enrollment is the shocking odds that are against the students. Apparently success is moot to students who join a class after its first day. I know from experience that the first day of class is nothing but listening to instructors rant about their accom­plishments, childish “get to know you” games and the annoying yet ever-recurring syllabus review. Miss­ing the first day of class would put a student no further behind than any other student enrolled in the same course. Why not implement a one-day grace period? Allow students to get a feel for a class, let them drop it if they wish, and then let them enroll in a course better suited.

When students drop a course due to personal issues, unawareness, or even reasons outside their choice, it can force them into a lack of credit hours and cause major issues with their financial aid or scholarship(s). Aids like those have strict require­ments and if a class is dropped without adding another in its place, it could potentially become a money loss situation. Not only that, but the fear of dropping a course can seri­ously harm a student’s GPA because they are forced to stay enrolled rather than lose their aid and means to a higher education.

What happens when an entire class is dropped? Many students don’t even become aware of this circum­stance until the note is seen on the first day of class. This situation has nothing to do with the student yet directly affects their course load, graduating schedule, and financial situation all due to the college’s no-tolerance to late enrollment.

The college’s approach to late enrollment is overly harsh and has a serious lack of lenience. With the many situations that a student may face at any time, you would think the college would be understand­ing and have set rules to allow for easy and productive late enrollment. Have a grace period or have a set list of circumstances. The college is already a form-happy institution. So why not create a collection of forms for students to fill out in order to be awarded late enrollment? Do anything at all to exude the tiniest bit of compassion for the situations students face.

Enrollment seems to have taken the likenesses of an all-or-nothing policy and that negatively affects everyone involved. Life can be an unpredictable thing; the college needs to be a little more understand­ing of that.

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

Staff Editorial: Right to a gun-free education

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Illustration by Elizabeth Spooner.

If passed, House Bill 2353 would allow conceal-to-carry inside any public institution. The authoriza­tion permitting registered handgun owners to be armed on college grounds. Our question is, why would anybody ever need to have a firearm inside a math class?

Having a gun inside the closed doors of your home is one thing, but carrying it around Johnson County is pushing safety to a whole new level. What kind of city do we live in if people feel the need to be armed while going to talk to Finan­cial Aid? There is no logical reason for concealed guns to be carried on campus. The fear students will gain from this mandate heavily outweigh the profit of the paranoid few toting around a loaded firearm.

Many supporters of this bill use the argument of safety. But here’s the deal; allowing any and every registered gun owner to decorate their belts with a concealed firearm only creates for a more hostile and violent atmosphere. Tolerating guns is tolerating guns. We fail to see the safety and comfort it will somehow bring our students and faculty. Isn’t it common sense that people would prefer to learn in a gun-free zone? It is only going to encourage the insta­bility of the select few who believe their safety rides on packing a gun inside a community college.

A lot of people also like to throw around “right to bear arms” in hopes that it is argument enough to carry a gun wherever they please. At what cost is your “right?” The selfish desire to house a handgun is somehow trumping the thousands of other people who now feel too unsafe to come to school. We can­not think of one solid and intel­ligent reason why it is anybody’s “right” to have a loaded handgun inside the classroom.

If the ignorance of a few allows for this bill to be passed, what measures is the college going to be forced to take in order for guns to be on campus? Security checkpoints might have to be installed. Extra police officers might have to be hired. What’s to say a gun doesn’t get stolen or somehow makes it into unstable hands (or is already in unstable hands). Allowing for guns on campus is just a set-up for dangerous, drastic, and unnecessary measures.

Bill 2353 isn’t positively aiding to a single person. People have been safely going to class without their firearms for decades, why allocate a dangerous change? The reasoning be­hind this mandate is twisted and likely to founder.

Allowing conceal-to-carry is only allowing violence inside our school walls.

Letter to the editor

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Dear Editor:

I would like to address your “Hey, teachers, leave those kids alone” editorial piece and the many problems I found within it. First, I would like to point out that all professors are held to a certain standard by their school and department, and their syllabi are reviewed. Now granted, this does not totally protect students from an “agenda” the professor might have, but I think it’s fair to say that generally, what is covered in class is legitimate, academic material. This leads me to my next point. Perhaps what you took to be a political rant favoring evil, warping socialism, could have been legitimate schol­arly thought on the subject. Rather than sticking around and challeng­ing your own beliefs and possibly learning a lot about something dif­ferent, as well as maybe challenging the professor’s beliefs, you “ran for the hills.”

Second, I think it’s odd that you would bring up some obscure conspiracy theory regarding com­munism in America to drive your point home. However, I believe this points to your lack of education re­garding socio-economic ideologies such as communism or socialism; perhaps you should have stayed in that class a little longer before writ­ing this piece.

I think it is positively immoral of you to encourage students to avoid being taught by someone who views things differently. If you want to cripple your own educa­tion, then drop a class every time you disagree with the professor, but don’t tell others to do the same. The problem is not with overly opinion­ated professors; in fact regardless of beliefs, I prefer a professor who expresses their opinion because that often demonstrates a passion for their field of study. The problem is with students acting as if they were the ones who have been pub­lished and spent six or eight years in school, instead of the professors. You said “The truly amazing, life-altering professors on this campus understand that their job is to teach us how to think for ourselves, not what to think, or how to think like them,” and this is true for the most part. But what you left out is that the really, really good professors teach you how to think better than you did before, and often times, that means challenging every aspect of what you think now.

Taylor Dunn

Student

Letter to the editor

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Dear Rachel Kimbrough and stu­dents of JCCC,

I am a proud and returning student of JCCC. I have been attending here on and off for about two years and love the school environment. There is one thing that I believe this school is missing. That is a football team. Football brings positive things to school environments. It would give JCCC students more opportunities to get involved with the school and fellow students. I have talked to several male athletes that feel the same as I do and would enjoying playing on the team.

If we had a football team we could host pep rallies for our team, have JCCC football cheerleaders, and so much more. School spirit would be improved around JCCC, and I believe students would be more interactive with the school. Game days could be days of excitement to be at school and support our team. With all the talk of having a new logo, I think we should bring in a football team as well.

Along with other sports at JCCC we are lacking one of the most interactive sports a college could have. We could possibly see im­provement within students and our student body as a whole. I hope in the time I spend at JCCC there will be more talk and effort into having a football team on campus.

Sincerely yours,

Anonymous

Censored classrooms: Staying politically correct in a classroom setting

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By Jessica Mitchell

With the college housing over 20,000 students, the different political and religious affiliations are immense. Instructors at the college speak in front of many diverse students every day, their language and speech never going unnoticed.

To avoid any offense, some people would suggest stifling language and opinions; other people believe it’s important to stray away from any form of censorship.

“When people try to ban information, it’s the same thing as trying to push your own religious beliefs on somebody, your own political values on somebody, and while I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing for people to hear various points of view, I think the purpose of college in particular is to allow students to open their world up to different views than their own,” said Mark Raduziner, department chair and professor, journalism and media communications.

Staying politically correct and avoiding offensive language may seem like an important aspect in the classroom, but the act of oppressing can hinder learning and growing for the students.

“I think it’s up to the professor to try to keep a balance there and allow everybody to voice their opinion; whether someone may be socially conservative, liberal, religious, or not religious at all,” Raduziner said. “That’s how you learn about life and the world around you.”

While some professors attempt to hide their religious and political affiliations for the sake of a censored classroom, Raduziner argues that having an uncensored classroom allows for a better learning experience.

“Most of the faculty at this college try to stand in the middle and try to have ownership to what their policies are – to having an open class while also having the academic freedom to be able to teach what they want and to express their own opinions,” Raduziner said. “If I would be allowed to express my own political opinions, when another student would say, ‘Okay, now hear my opinion’—well, I’m learning from them as much as they are learning from me.”

Constantly watching what is said while in the classroom seems to be a cumbersome task that some students find unimportant. Students Emily Miller and Connor Pierce both say they don’t take any offense to foul language.

“I don’t care if teachers cuss in class,” Miller said. “I don’t notice it half the time because I am so used to hearing it and doing it myself.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Pierce said. “Cursing in a classroom setting isn’t necessary but I understand it happens. I don’t know why people get so offended by it. It’s only words.”

While the college, some students, and even some faculty may frown upon cursing in a classroom setting, Raduziner said that there is a time and place for it.

“If it’s in context of a lesson then I think it can be used,” Raduziner said. “I realize people may be offended by [cussing], but it’s going to happen in speech. People just make those verbal blunders all the time. I think that they just happen and you just sort of apologize for it and move on.”

While having a censored-style classroom may avoid the chance of offense, it may also suppress discussion and learning on part of the students.

“I just think that students have to hear various points of view,” Raduziner said. “Then they need to draw a conclusion for themselves.”

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

Not impossible, but Improvable: Improv comedy group headed to campus

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By Jon Parton

An improv comedy tour will be performing at the college this spring. The comedy team of “Mission Improvable” will be performing at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7 in the Craig Community Auditorium.

The group has toured all across the country and has even performed at Lollapalooza. The show originally started more than 10 years ago. Pat Kiely, one of the members of “Mission Improvable,” explained the show’s collegiate roots.

“It started with some guys from the University of Massachusetts and then moved to Chicago and later Los Angeles,” Kiely said.

The show itself is styled upon a special agent theme, with each performer assigned to a specific code name. The performers interact with the audience in a number of improvisational games, Kiely said.

“The whole point of improv is that you can never say no,” Kiely said. “You always use what the audience or another performer gives you.”

Kiely also has local connections. While studying at the Second City Theater in Chicago, he was coached by Jason Sudeikis. Sudeikis, a “Saturday Night Live” alum, grew up in Overland Park where he attended school at Shawnee Mission West.

Improvisational comedy relies heavily on audience participation. The challenge for the performers is to think quickly in order to adapt to the material.

“The best part of it is that no one owns these improv games,” Kiely said. “They belong to everyone.”

Rather than call them “games” onstage, the performers call them “missions.” The comedy team does not rely on scripts, making each show a unique experience.

Student Jakob Weber said he is a big fan of improv, including TV shows like “Whose Line is it Anyway.”

“It’s just taking something out of nothing,” Weber said.

Jacob Marshall, student ambassador of Student Activities, said that audience participation made this the right show to bring to the college.

“It’s interactive fun and the students can get involved with it,” Marshall said.

Marshall serves on the Campus Activities Board, a group responsible for putting together various activities and events for the school, including “Mission Improvable” and Rob Riggle’s performance back in October.

“A lot of people know us because we’re the people who make I.D.’s,” Marshall said. “But something else that not everybody is immediately aware of is how much we bring to the college.”

Marshall said he believed that the show caught their attention during a national collegiate convention attended by student activity boards. He believed their style of comedy was well-suited for the school.

“Comedy’s big and these guys, they’re not quite crude, they’re just improv,” Marshall said.

Contact Jon Parton, staff reporter, at jparton@jccc.edu.

Who, what, wear: Fashion design students prepare for annual fashion show

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By Erica Aldridge

Editor’s note: This article ran in Issue 11 as a precede to the fashion show which took place March 2. Further coverage of the fashion show will be posted.

The Fashion Merchandising and Design program will be hosting their annual fashion show on Friday, March 2 in the Polsky Theatre. This year the students chose to title the show “Modern Vision.”

Starting out as a small scale show with a runway set up in the Commons building, the fashion show has grown over its 40 years and now holds two separate show times in the Polsky Theatre. Twenty students in the Fashion Design program will be showing an average of five pieces in this year’s show.

“It’s open to any students in the program,” said Britt Benjamin, assistant professor of Fashion Merchandising and Design. “If [the students] feel they have strong sewing skills they’ll do it in their first semester.”

Fashion design students are encouraged to begin thinking about how they will put together a line during their entry level apparel construction classes. In November, designers are asked to sign up, submit illustrations and estimate the number of garments they will make. Designers then immediately get to work by finding inspiration and beginning to create their garments.

“My inspiration was the takeover of machines and the effect that it would have on nature,” said Samantha Dawdy, student designer. “My fabrics are inspired by tree bark, while harsh details, such as industrial zippers and leather signify the parts of the tree that have been transformed into machinery.”

About six weeks before the show, a jury of fashion merchandising and design professors meet with each designer individually and give them feedback about their work.

“We maintain the right to be able to eliminate a look for the show,” said Joan McCrillis, chair of the Fashion Merchandising and Design program. “We are not looking for perfection, but we’re looking something that represents the student’s talent.”

Although the instructors have the ultimate say, the students are still encouraged to use their own originality and creativity in their designs.

“There is always an approval process,” McCrillis said. “But we want the designer to feel the freedom to show their vision.”

As the day of the show moves closer, students begin selecting models and picking what music will play. Students also must decide whether they want their collection to be judged. If they do decide to be judged and their collection scores well, they are rewarded with a scholarship. The student’s work is judged based on the wear-ability and the construction of the garments.

“This is my first time ever being in the fashion show,” Dawdy said. “I am nervous, but so excited to see how my pieces will look walking down the runway.”

Tickets for the noon and 7 p.m. showing are on sale at the box office for anyone who would like to attend. Tickets are $5 for students and employees of the college. For the general public, tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

Contact Erica Aldridge, copy editor, at ealdridg@jccc.edu.

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