campus beat page 5◆

By Holly PabloEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

In high schools throughout West County, students have no choice but to sit on counters or on the floor during chemistry lab if they can-not find a seat. Teachers say the class, fit for 50 students, is serving 70 students within one class period.

Eduardo Martinez, a sixth grade teacher at Sheldon Elementary, said the contract offers being made by the West Contra Costa Unified School District means that the current over-crowding of classrooms would be acceptable.

The financial crisis to the kindergarten through 12th grade schools has resulted in an ongoing dispute as to how districts can con-tinue to operate within their budget without harming the quality of education.

“It’s a shame this is happening statewide,” United Teachers of Richmond (UTR) President Pixie Hayward Schickele said. “We aren’t going to have quality teachers, quality schools, if nothing is done to resolve this.”

W C C U S D administrators and UTR began contract nego-tiations in April 2008 about issues involv-ing health care benefits, senior-ity rights, class size capacity maximums and furlough days, among others.

The inability to reach an equitable agree-ment in the midst of the third and final contract has led both parties to prepare for the worst.

In August, after fact-finding was completed, 93 percent of UTR members approved autho-rization of a strike, Schickele said. In prepara-tion, within the past two weeks, WCCUSD has held three training sessions for strikebreakers enlisted from online employment Web sites.

Their last meeting at the bargaining table was on Sept. 15. Since then, both parties claim that the other is unwilling to negotiate and has not made contact to meet for discussion.

In attempts to inform the community about unjust practices, the district has been sending out letters, and the union has been demonstrat-ing in public.

The union consists of approximately 2,000 teachers. These teachers serve 31,000 students in the five cities of Richmond, San Pablo, Hercules, Pinole and El Cerrito.

Schickele said at this point, a teachers strike is likely, but should be avoided in the interest of the students.

By Jon PinlacSTAFF WRITER

This year’s ASU elections came to a close Sept. 24, with the three unopposed candidates becoming the new leaders of the student body.

The results declaring the c a n d i d a t e s the winners in their posi-tions were d i s c l o s e d Oct. 2.

As of last week, the new stu-dent officials are Kristina Bautista as p r e s i d e n t , Henry Parker as vice presi-dent and Jasmyn Oliver as secretary.

V o t i n g took place online on the college Web site from Sept. 19-24 and required a student identification number.

Since there were no opposing candidates for the positions, no campuswide campaigns were launched, making the elections some-what unknown to students at the college.

“I didn’t even know there was an election,” student Sam Ko said.

The quiet and passive nature of the elections, however, is diametric to the newly initiated candidates.

This season, the ASU has been experiencing a lot of positive change, growth and activity.

“We have a lot of new members this year,” Parker

C M Y K C M Y K

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B

C M Y K C M Y K

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW B

THE WEEKLY STUDENT VOICE OF CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE, SAN PABLO, CALIF.SINCE 19508 PAGES, ONE COPY FREE

VOL. 93, NO. 5WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2009

ACCENTADVOCATE.COM

Fresh faces lead ASU

■ SEE ASU: Page 4

ERIK VERDUZCO / THE ADVOCATE

Sharing memories — Former Contra Costa College secretary Dianne McClain signs a copy for Pat Kaya at the book-signing event held Monday at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond.

BRANCHES OF MEMORY

Hopeful promiseThe new leaders of the asso-ciation show dedication in their endeavors, but it is too early to assume that the year will be better than last year’s disaster.

page 2

editorial

History unmasked through memoirs

Final election declares new student voices

“We aren’t going to have quality

teachers, quality schools, if nothing is done to resolve

this.”

Pixie Hayward Schickele,United Teachers of Richmond

president

By Asia CamagongASSOCIATE EDITOR

In order to fully appreciate what is in existence, it is important to understand the journey it took to get there.

Celebrating its 60th anniversa-ry, the Contra Costa Community College District held a book-signing event at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, releasing a collection of memoirs chronicling the struggles and successes formulating the dis-trict as it stands today.

Unlike the typical history book,

the collection features news articles and stories written by college alumni, district personnel, former faculty and staff and many other voices branch-ing to share their experiences.

“A collection of stories always gives you more information than just cold hard facts,” former Contra Costa College health sciences pro-fessor Nannette Hancock said.

The book-signing event was held at the old Ford Plant, the same loca-tion where the first classes of CCC were taught in 1950.

“It is important to celebrate this to reflect how far we’ve come and not to forget our roots,” Governing Board Trustee Tomi Van de Brooke said.

The anthology depicts images of

District celebrates 60th anniversary

By Holly PabloEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Leticia Enriquez planned on becoming a teacher to help young people in Mexico before she was killed through the heartbreaking vio-lence that the community is much too familiar with.

Family, friends, the college community and state leaders gathered at the Peace Grove near the Student Services Building Thursday to wit-ness the planting of a ginko tree in her honor.

East Bay Career Advancement Academy (EBCAA) construction professor Chuck Carpenter said he specifically chose the ginko tree because of its beauty and memory enhance-

ment qualities.“Leticia was a very beautiful person,”

Carpenter said, “and what’s more fitting than a tree about remembrance, for remembrance?”

Enriquez, 28, enrolled in the EBCAA in spring 2009 for automotive technology. She decided she wanted to become an educator after completing the semester.

The Richmond resident died of multiple gunshot wounds while driving her car at the intersection of South 47th Street and Carlson Boulevard at approximately 10:57 p.m. on July 27. Her fiancé, Juan Villa-Zarco, was a passen-ger in the vehicle and was also killed.

Academic skills professor Rana Berman said Enriquez started the program unsure of

Dispute imperils learningTeachers’ labor union claims strike imminent

PLANTING FOR PEACE

■ SEE GROVE: Page 4 ■ SEE WCCUSD: Page 4

■ SEE BOOK: Page 4

ERIK VERDUZCO / THE ADVOCATE

Tree of hope — Student Sean Desrek Moore helps plant a tree at the Peace Grove near the Student Services Center Thursday in memory of his best friend, student Leticia Enriquez, who was killed July 27 in Richmond.

Men’s soccer: Team gets second straight blowout win, conquers T-birds in 4-0 victory.

Chat: Solutions explored for ex-convicts’ re-entry

Aggressive 8-bit returnHORSE comes back

with furious release DSPS: Programs to host event for raised awareness

campus beat page 6◆

scene page 8 sports page 7◆ ◆

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2009 ● VOL. 93, NO. 5

EditorialsVigilance necessaryImprovements to ASU

must maintain longevityt the end of the spring semester, the vacancy in student govern-ment positions left the future of

the Associated Student Union uncer-tain.

The 2008-09 academic year rep-resentatives’ lack of leadership skills and organization, combined with their inability to attract candidates, forced the ASU to delay elections until fall.

Finally, seven weeks into the semes-ter, President Kristina Bautista, Vice President Henry Parker and secre-tary Jasmyn Oliver, were officially announced into office Friday. Each ran unopposed.

Currently, the ASU is experiencing a large influx of senators, charging every-one in the association with high hopes and enthusiasm of the events and the improvements to come.

While the trio is showing promise of being a dedicated and experienced team, it is far too early to think that the problems that existed within the asso-ciation last year have been so rapidly solved.

Realistically, their statements claim-ing that they will unify the student body and provide enriching opportunities through events, programs and projects, is not a quick fix.

But admittedly, compared to last year, the new officers’ efforts are com-mendable, especially considering the wreckage they inherited.

The majority of last year’s ASU events severely lacked student involve-ment. More often than not, students did not show up to the events, because they were not aware of them.

Each of the new officers is col-lectively promoting their campuswide events through word-of-mouth, online social networking and posting fliers throughout campus.

At a Constitution Day Fireside Chat on Sept. 17 that discussed stopping the violence in the community, students filled the room until there were no more chairs available.

At the International Day of Peace display at the Recreation Room on Sept. 21, Bautista took time approach-ing students, engaging them in conver-sation about what issues they felt were problems on campus.

Parker served as president for Urban Music Group and has substantial back-ground in community outreach. Oliver served as president of the Black Student Union last year, helping to rebuild the organization.

The new officers have their work cut out for them, but they must remember that in order to address the concerns of Contra Costa College students, the most important thing is to remain enthusias-tic.

Until their words materialize into continued action, the future of the ASU in unpredictable.

A

“Probably, because I think some people aren’t getting enough tutoring assistance.”

Robert Allredundecided

CampusComment

Do you think extended tutoring hours would be beneficial?

“Tutoring hours would be beneficial, especially if the students would come to them.”

Jayne Smithson anthropology professor

“I think it’s good for students like me. I’m an international student. People like me have to push themselves to get a good education.”

Hihsem Almyttebscience

“Extended hours for tutoring would be bene-ficial, because students will have more time to get help with classes and they can do better because of that.”

Margarita Roma-RomaMCHS

“Tutoring would help Middle College (High School students), main-ly because you have a lot of work in Middle College.”

Otha ShamburgerMCHS

“Tutoring should have extended hours, because some students have to work or have children at home, so they need flexible hours to fit their schedules.”

Vanessa Herrerabiological science

Quotable“A writer who never

explored words, never searched, seeded, sieved, sifted through his knowl-

edge and memory... to find the right word, is

like someone owning a gold mine who has never

mined it.”

Rumer GoddenBritish author

1969

Holly Pabloeditor-in-chief

Sam Attal

associate editor

Asia Camagongassociate editor

Alec Surmaniassociate editor

Cassandra Junielspotlight editor

Diana Reyesopinion editor

Dariush Azmoudehsports editor

Lamar Jamesnews editor

Brent Baintoscene editor

Jack Andersonspecial projects editor

Isaac Thomasphoto editor

Erik Verduzcoassistant photo editor

Paul DeBoltfaculty adviser

Staff writersNatalie Estrada

Anthony FarrChad Garcia

Malcolm LastraJon Pinlac

Kristina PlazaAlexandra Waite

Staff photographersCrystal Joy BisGeorge Morin

Adam OliverDesmond Sylva

Brian YoungRoman Young

Staff illustratorsJames Heck

Cody McFarlandJoel Ode

HonorsACP National Newspaper

Pacemaker Award1990, 1994, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008

CNPA Better Newspaper Contest 1st Place Award

1970, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000

JACC Pacesetter Award1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Member

Associated Collegiate Press

California Newspaper Publishers Association

Journalism Association of Community Colleges

How to reach usPhone: 510.235.7800

ext. 4315 Fax: 510.235.NEWS

E-mail: advocate@contracosta.edu

or letters.advocate@gmail.com

Editorial policyColumns and editorial

cartoons are the opinion of individual writers and

artists and not that of The Advocate. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the

Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

CRYSTAL JOY BIS AND KRISTINA PLAZA / THE ADVOCATE

No progress shownon promises of change

■ Politics

f George W. Bush’s presi-dency was supposed to be a

forgettable breeze but turned into a defining era of history, then Barack Obama’s presi-dency is the exact opposite.

Obama’s presidency was supposed to induce deep, drastic progressive changes that would send shock waves across the nation and the world but is turning into a time of stagnancy.

The 2008 elections and the closing days of the Bush era were dire times mired in an unsuccessful war, a slow-down in the advancement for gay rights and feminism, set-backs for progressive immi-gration policies and a huge downturn in the economy; all of which were the ingre-dients for a revolution. All that was missing was a face, leader or brand to bring it all together.

Obama seemed to be that perfect leader. At the begin-ning of this year, even weeks before his inauguration, he was already taking action just as the voters hoped. Obama began a flurry of activity by announcing his cabinet picks, the nominees of other posts and plans and changes week-by-week and day-by-day.

But long hidden under the veneer of whirlwind political activity are the faltered, if not failed, hopes and prom-ises.

First came a slap to the gay community when he announced that Rick Warren, fierce opponent of gay mar-riage, would give his inau-guration invocation. And in the ensuing months of his busy legislations, he contin-

ued to avoid the issues of a core constituent, even as four states legalized gay marriage and former vice president Dick Cheney announced his public support. The gay com-munity cried foul and Obama gave a speech to quiet them down; but still their causes remain ignored.

Then, in his first month officially in the White House, he announced the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detainment facility and his democratic supporters cheered. Yet that was mis-leading, as the nation would still imprison people, but would hold them in the pris-ons of foreign countries.

Now, that plan is failing, as many countries refuse to take in the prisoners. Consequently, the Obama administration is softening its stance on Guantanamo, delaying the January dead-line promised.

He has also extended many policies of the Bush administration, even though he campaigned against them and even announced earlier this year that he was delay-ing and reviewing Bush’s midnight regulations. Since those announcements, with his first year nearing its end, the results of those reviews are still undisclosed.

Obama also has had little progress in Iraq. So far he has failed to draw down

troops and set a timetable or concrete plan for an adequate victory or an effective exit strategy. His administration refuses to even give a rough estimate of any plan what-soever. But the troops have increased. With Afghanistan the new focus, there are no signs of success and more troops have been requested by generals.

Now Obama is in a media-blitz to pass health care reform and to regain some public approval that he is continuously losing, but there are still no real results.

Even with all the debate and discussion about health care, the young voters who turned out on Election Day will still not have affordable health care. In reform talks, the president and his demo-cratic allies rejected a pro-posal to give young people benefits that would make it more affordable, similar to the proposal passed benefit-ing senior citizens.

The changes promised by the president and hoped for by the voters continue to be unmet.

Eight months into Bush’s first term, the uneventful presidential era that was predicted morphed into the exact opposite, and nine months into Obama’s first term history seems to be repeating itself.

The promise of massive, positive change and constant activity has become a stag-nant dream.

Jon Pinlac is a staff writer for The Advocate. Contact him at jpinlac.advocate@gmail.com.

JAMES HECK/ THE ADVOCATE

jonpinlac

I

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 20092 OPINION

CODY MCFARLAND / THE ADVOCATE

have to say I do not like this new cyber age we are

living in.More and more am I find-

ing that people, or should I say the social relationships of people, are becoming more ambiguous. The definition of social interaction has broad-ened so much that it now encompasses video games such as “World of Warcraft” and social networking sites such as Twitter, MySpace and Facebook.

A recent Associated Press article said, “Internet suicide pacts have occurred since at least the late 1990s and have been reported every-where from Guam to the Netherlands.”

Last year, a social net-working site helped six peo-ple meet and commit a sui-cide pact by carbon monoxide asphyxiation.

There has been a rise of Web sites people use to arrange meetings for the sole purpose of not dying alone. Last year, more than 90 peo-ple killed themselves in Japan by this method.

Media have not only made people become less socially inept and psychologi-cally unstable, but they have also made them physically unhealthy.

In August, a study was released by the medical jour-nal Pediatrics stating, “seven out of 10 children and young adults don’t get enough vita-min D, which could increase their risk for bone and heart problems.” The study pro-jected 7.6 million people of ages 21 and under in America were lacking vitamin D.

Gaming itself has links to several health problems in children. Obesity has been on the rise and seems to be con-nected to the rise of the gam-ing and Internet culture.

It has been suggested that attention-deficit hyperactiv-ity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to the increased Internet use as well.

Not all networking sites cause these problems, but I would not want these current-ly isolated events to become common among the youth of today. With today’s highly acceptable use of social net-working, these problems will only grow.

People are making these sites the center of their lives, and this has led to Internet suicides becoming more fre-quent. People have become increasingly detached from reality.

Admittedly, one could easily offer dating sites in a counter argument to my controversial stance on social networking sites.

These sites are popular and must work, otherwise their obnoxious commercials would not be on television channels.

This also goes for popular massively multiplayer online role-playing games. People have dated and married after meeting through the game.

I saw a preview for a movie called “Surrogates” recently. The story takes place in the not so distant future where humans control robots that look exactly like themselves. The people never leave their houses and use their surrogates to do every-thing for them.

Things seem to be turning out that way already.

Chad Garcia is a staff writer for The Advocate. Contact him at cgarcia.advocate@gmail.com.

chadgarcia

Internet risks wreck social interactions

I

■ Networking

By Holly PabloEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ecause I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to suc-ceed. If I fail, no one will say, ‘She doesn’t have what it takes.’

They will say, ‘Women don’t have what it takes.’”—Clare Boothe Luce, one of the first women to serve in the United States Congress (1943-47).

Whether we would like to admit it or not, it is certain that every woman has or will feel inferior in the pres-ence of her male counterpart at least once in her lifetime.

Growing up, children are taught that women and men are equals. We learn that we have access to the same opportunities, choices, freedom and privileges.

But through personal experiences, it is evident that the two genders are treated differently.

Biologically and physically, men are presumed to be strong and tough, whereas females are regarded as frag-ile and emotional beings.

This inferiority complex begins at infancy, with the clothing of new-borns in pink or blue, and continues into childhood.

In elementary school the boys play with their monster trucks while the girls play house with miniature stoves. Simply said, gender roles are set. Boys are aggressive. Girls are homemakers.

When I was 9 years old, I remem-ber asking my traditional-valued mother for a home basketball system or the opportunity to play ice hockey.

She told me that those sports were for boys. As my mother, I trusted her word and accepted that fact. As a result, I ended up taking an after-school gymnastics course instead.

It is this very gender discrimination that, especially introduced in child-hood, can condition young women to insinuate that they have fewer life choices than males.

It presents the fact that females are living in “a man’s world,” and puts them in a place that presents domi-nance in masculinity.

Through teenage years, I also encountered that it is normal for par-ents to be considerably stricter with their daughters than their sons. They presume boys can take care of them-selves but females need protection.

So while parents turn their backs while their sons are out and about having the time of their life, they hold their daughters on a shorter leash.

Though violent crime is not limited to women, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network found that in 2003, nine out of 10 rape victims were female.

It should not be disregarded that 10 percent of victims are males, and that many of these cases go unreported, but statistics indicate safety is a bigger

Gender equality begins with faith in inner freedom

B

Strength through selfWhether men have it easier than

women may not actually be prov-able, but it is definitely a sociological struggle that can be argued.

Advocates for women’s rights sup-port the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) written by Alice Paul, a law that states, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

The National Woman’s Party introduced the ERA to the U.S. Constitution between the years of 1923 and 1972. It fell three states short of approval by its June 1982 deadline.

The ERA was reintroduced into the House of Representatives, how-ever, in July. By approval of this amendment, the achieved and future advancements by women would be irreversible and protected by law.

Those opposing the ERA, such as the Eagle Forum, criticize that its approval would not provide any actu-al benefits and that eliminating any distinctions between the sexes means that women would lose protection laws such as pregnancy labor laws.

In addition, they argue that women would be obligated to abide by all laws pertaining to men, such as hav-ing to register for any military drafts.

Having such an amendment might create a positive trickling effect as to how women feel, act and participate in every day tasks, circumstances and society as a whole.

A typical cliché has a man taking a woman out for dinner and drinks at a bar. It is chivalrous for the man to offer to pay, but it is too machismo if the man refuses letting the woman take care of the bill.

It is not that women are compli-cated. It is nice to be treated like a lady and be paid for, but sometimes a woman just wants to be reminded that if she wanted to pay, she has the option of doing so.

Because gender equality is not something that can happen overnight, the first step is for each individual woman to find an inner sense of empowerment to reverse the behav-iors of gender roles learned in child-hood.

Anything that men can do, women can do just as well.

Only with that sense of mind will women begin to find freedom.

Contact Holly Pablo at hpablo.advocate@gmail.com.

concern for a woman than a man.It does not seem fair that women

have to constantly look over their shoulders in fear of victimization.

These problems are prevalent in society, but it is important to acknowledge the advances women have made since the Women’s Rights Movement, dating back to the early 1800s.

A mere 200 years ago, a woman’s rightful decision to own property, vote and make choices about her sex-ual activities, such as pregnancy and abortion, were denied.

Through the blood, sweat and tears of incredible activists such as Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, women have gained leaps in this endless journey that is easily taken for granted.

Today, women are continuously making amazing progress into new territories, such as Hillary Rodham Clinton being the first female front-runner for a major party in last year’s presidential election.

Also, reports in 2006 by the Center for Women’s Business Research found that 40 percent of the 10.4 million privately owned businesses in the country that year were women-owned or majority-owned by women.

It has been 61 years since the Seneca Falls Convention in New York in 1948, in which 68 women and 32 men signed a document supporting women’s rights, the Declaration of Sentiments.

But despite the advancements in the workplace, gender discrimination is ever-present and improvement will always be needed in female and male equality, especially in common dis-parities such as earnings.

The U.S. Labor Department gath-ered unsettling information in 2008 that found women’s median wages earned were 79.9 percent of men’s wages, despite experience, skill or hours worked.

Similarly, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 28,372 charges of sex-based discrimination in 2008.

There is no definite indication why males earn more than females, except for the fact that even when they hold similar jobs, men seem to be taken more seriously than females in the workplace.

Even if a female holds the highest leadership position, it seems as if she has to work harder than a male would to gain the respect of her col-leagues.

FORUM WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2009 l THE ADVOCATE 3■ Emotion

Refreshing season enriches lifes we wave goodbye to the summer season, many are

left feeling like they have not taken full advantage of the weather conditions.

But have no fear; the best is yet to come.

In the Bay Area especially, the autumnal equinox ush-ers in a period of tranquility and natural beauty unseen in the other three seasons. Hazy skies, a calm atmosphere and generally moderate tempera-tures characterize the condi-tions of this period.

As the days get progres-sively shorter and the nights longer, the leaves of many deciduous trees begin to change in color. Ranging from red to yellow, these leaves are a signature of the autumn landscape.

These conditions combine to create what many call Indian summer.

Transitioning from the severe weather of summer to the equally harsh climate of winter, Indian summer provides a much-needed bout of calmness between the extremes.

Unlike both summer and winter, the weather during Indian summer is mild, nei-ther too hot nor too cold. The temperature is so subtle, it almost seems to adapt to your own.

This may be a generaliza-tion, but to me there is some-thing indescribably comfort-able about the temperate conditions of this period.

There is so much I appre-ciate about this time of year.

Stepping outside to over-cast skies and a cold bite of air, there is no way I would rather start my morning.

And as the day progresses, the sun manages to push its way through the gray haze just enough to cut the chill of the morning and bring forth the warmth of the afternoon.

Also, as the sun sets increasingly earlier by the day, the nights get steadily cooler as we work our way toward winter.

Knowing that the cold sea-son is right around the cor-ner, but that it has not come just yet, there is an even greater reason to cherish this season more than the rest.

To me, this season both motivates and inspires.

Without the scorching sun or choppy wind, I really have

no excuse to not take advan-tage of the weather and ride my bike to and from where I need to go.

I feel motivated to get in all the hours I can riding on the road before the cold weather and beating rain have the chance to interfere.

Autumn weather just forces me to get outdoors. Whether just to read a book or write a paper, autumn rips me out of my comfortable indoor niche to show me just how much more enjoyable these activities can be with a change of setting.

With Sept. 22 marking the beginning of this refreshing season, I cannot wait to see what it has in store.

Adam Oliver is a staff pho-tographer for The Advocate. Contact him at aoliver.advocate@gmail.com.

adamoliver

A

said. “There are a total of 17 ASU senators now.”

Only two are returning senators, he said, and last year, the ASU was much smaller in size.

“I have never, ever seen this many mem-bers in the ASU,” former student trustee and ASU member Gigi Green said. “This is the largest (number of senators) I’ve seen.”

The association’s size is not the only thing that has grown and changed. Its ways of operating and coordinating events for Contra Costa College are maturing and reap-ing fruit as well.

“We’ve been trying to get students more involved,” Bautista said.

In the past, the ASU has struggled in trying to get students more engaged with college events, but the beginning of this year is showing some improvement.

The ASU recently held a discussion in the Fireside Room that explored ways of stopping violence in the area. The event had a high turnout with many attendees having to stand against the walls because of the lack of seats.

To increase student involvement, the ASU has promoted events more by using normal means like posting fliers, e-mail, making it known by word-of-mouth and sending them to teacher’s mailboxes, Parker said.

“The teachers’ mailboxes has worked the most,” Parker said.

More events and activities for students are planned for the upcoming months, he said.

The candidates hope to have a positive influence on the college in a variety of ways, such as uniting students and increasing their involvement with the college and local com-munity, Parker said.

They also hope to strengthen the school’s connections with the surrounding colleges and help solve the myriad of problems and issues facing students, like the budget cuts

and fee increases, as well as organizing fun events and activities, Bautista said.

“I want to give back to my classmates and the rest of the students,” she said, “and bring a great impact to the school.”

Bautista has enjoyed her experiences at CCC and has grown and learned a lot from the obstacles she has encountered.

She said she wishes the same for all of the students on campus. Her philosophy is to “put students first.”

Parker also wants to make a difference with the students.

“I’d like to bridge college and street together,” Parker said.

He likes to work with at-risk youth, teach them about policy and issues and get them more involved in the community, as well as decrease the violence in the area.

Parker also hopes to bring important issues to city council members and reach out to local companies.

Contact Jon Pinlac at jpinlac.advocate@gmail.com.

ParkerThe vice president will address community problems and issues.

BautistaAs president, she hopes to unite students by putting their needs first.

ASU representatives

Newsline

Thursday, Sept. 24Two cases of vandalism

were reported.

Monday, Sept. 28Vandalism was reported.

Tuesday, Sept. 29A person was shot with a

Airsoft BB gun on campus.

A female victim reported being hit by a male suspect.

Wednesday, Sept. 30A male suspect van-

dalized the hallway of the Physical Sciences Building.

Friday, Oct. 2An unknown suspect van-

dalized college property.

—Adam Oliver

CrimeWatch

One of the greatest disagree-ments within the contract is the issue of health care.

Martinez said health care would have monthly caps and dependents coverage will be eliminated.

“My colleague, a single mother with two kids, is taking a 25 percent pay cut in order to keep her kids insured come January,” Martinez said. “And the district is painting the teachers as the bad guys.”

WCCUSD spokesman Marin Trujillo said the district can no lon-ger afford to provide lifetime health benefits to workers and their depen-dents as they have done in the past.

The district’s expenditures and revenue balanced out to $285 mil-lion last year. For the 2009-10 aca-

demic year, however, the district is expecting $251 million in revenue with expenditures of $270 million if nothing changes, Trujillo said.

Since the beginning of this year, the district has closed three schools, Castro and El Sobrante elementary schools and Adams Middle School. Three more closures are possible.

In addition to workforce reduc-tions, programming, such as music and art prep teachers, are being cut. The district is also looking into sell-ing unused land, Trujillo said.

“The intent of the negotiations is to find a way to balance the budget in such a way that we can begin to close our deficit and not just cut in one area,” he said. “The bottom line is, we have less funding than we did before. It is our way of having a bal-

anced approach.”Martinez said the district is pay-

ing the strikebreaking subs $325 a day for high school and $285 for elementary, a top-paying salary.

UTR members demonstrated outside of DoubleTree Hotel in Berkeley Saturday morning. They also demonstrated at four major intersections within the district lim-its on Oct. 1 and at another training at a hotel in Concord Thursday.

“We are already ranked at the bottom of the 39 unified school districts in the nine Bay Area coun-

ties,” Schickele said. “Also, we’re the second lowest paid and a lot of our veteran teachers are leaving.”

If and when a strike will occur, the union must notify the district at least 72 hours ahead, Trujillo said.

“It’s not that we don’t support our teachers. They’re fantastic and irre-placeable,” he said. “But we want to avoid a strike because the ones who lose the most are the students.”

Schickele disagreed.“As a person who taught over

35 years, it takes you a while to be a topnotch teacher,” she said. “California has the ninth largest economy in the world, yet we’re not funding education.”

Contact Holly Pablo at hpablo.advocate@gmail.com.

WCCUSD | District prepares strikebreakers■ FROM: Page 1

■ HEALTH

Event to urge healthy living

The physical education department will be hosting “Health Day at CCC” Oct. 14 from noon to 2 p.m. to celebrate the college’s 60th anniversary and the grand opening of the new football and track field.

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 20094 CAMPUS BEATaccent

a d v o c a t e

TwitterReceive breaking news and updates by following The Advocate’s Twitter account, AccentAdvocate.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Grove | Hope■ FROM: Page 1her capabilities, but quickly blossomed into a motivated student that knew she could accomplish whatever she set her mind to.

Classmate Rodney West agreed.

“She was happy, laugh-ing, even if she struggled in class,” he said. “Her head was always up.”

EBCAA psychology pro-fessor Jeannette McClendon said Enriquez was person-able and “in-your-face.”

“Not only did she want to teach, but she wanted to work on cars. I thought that was remarkable for a woman,” McLendon said. “Trees grow for years and years. Her presence will always be here on campus.”

More than a handful of attendees took turns at a podium sharing their memo-ries of Enriquez. A student from EBCAA who is pursu-ing ministry recited a poem and psalms.

The sentiments were clear as the speakers explained how personable, friendly and loving Enriquez was.

At moments when it became too difficult to speak, especially when Enriquez’s best friend Sean Desrek Moore reflected on how they enrolled in college together and how he used to babysit her three children, comrades rushed to his side to console him.

He was probably the last

to see her, as she dropped him off at home just minutes prior her death, Moore said.

“We miss her a lot. She would have really liked the tree,” Moore said. “She would have wanted this.”

Whether or not each person knew Enriquez, California Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) said the acts of violence stem from hopelessness in the community.

“Hopelessness is what has to end because people commit senseless violence when they’re hopeless,” Skinner said.

The Peace Grove was created five years ago as a way to remember students who have perished due to violence, Carpenter said.

“It’s a family thing. We hope this is the last tree that is planted here,” he said.

Contact Holly Pablo at hpablo.advocate@gmail.com.

ASU | Positive attitudes

the steps toward the diversity of the district, ranging from the African-American expe-rience at CCC to the growth of educational programs for women and students with disabilities.

It also shines light on recent occurrences within the district, such as the Diablo Valley College grade scandal in 2006.

“History is important for future generations,” district Chancellor Helen Benjamin said. “(This is) the story of the district from the perspec-tive of different people.”

From the desperate jour-ney toward the establishment of the district in 1948 to the opening of new facili-ties in 2001, the book blends facts with the experiences of individuals to create a vol-ume placing the district in a brighter light.

As the product of near-ly 15 months of planning, research, writing and edit-ing, the book strives to pres-ent readers with a “sense of culture,” editor Bill Harlan said.

“At each of the critical anniversaries, we try to look back at how we got here and how we’ve gambled the chal-lenge of change,” he said.

Benjamin approached Harlan, a former faculty member at DVC, with the project while he was work-ing on documenting the his-tory of a new campus in San Ramon.

Rather than continuing to focus on just one cam-pus, Benjamin suggested he broaden his topic and extend the project to covering the history of the entire district.

“(Benjamin) came up with the idea of trying to

Book | Readers gain ‘appreciation’ of history

■ FROM: Page 1

ADVERTISEMENT

■ FROM: Page 1 give the voice of the people that actually lived through the events,” Harlan said.

Harlan worked to contact each of the contributors, urg-ing them to delve deep into highlighting the life of the district since its birth.

“Tracing history and tra-ditions of the college gives (readers) an appreciation for

what we do,” United Faculty President Jeffrey Michels said. “(It sharpens) our sense of what a remarkable district this is.”

Michels, alongside dis-trict Chief Human Resources Officer Eugene Huff and his-tory professor Greg Tilles, composed the history of the UF.

Through research, Michels found himself learn-ing more about UF than he had known before.

“It’s important for a school to celebrate its his-tory,” he said. “Not only does it connect us to our alumni, it reminds us of our own tradi-tions.”

The book will be avail-

able for sale at the district’s college bookstores for $30.

“(This will) help us pave our path to the future,” Student Trustee Christina Cannon said.

Contact Asia Camagong at acamagong.advocate@gmail.com.

■ TRANFERRING

College hosts recruiters

Transfer Day 2009 will be held in the new quad out-side of the Student Services Center Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event will feature representatives from many four-year colleges provid-ing information on trans-fer requirements, academic majors, financial aid, oppor-tunity programs, campus life and more.

For more information, visit the Transfer Center or call 510-235-7800, ext. 4241.

■ AUTOMOTIVE

Anniversarycelebration

The Contra Costa College Alumni and Friends Association along with the Student Auto Club and ASU will be hosting a tail-gate party and car show in parking lots 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 near Comet Stadium Saturday at 10 a.m. before the football game at 1 p.m.

The event will celebrate the college’s 60th anniver-sary and will feature live music by the CCC All-Star Blues Band. Barbeque grills will be available for use but alcohol is prohibited.

The football game will be $5 for adults and $3 for students, but CCC alumni who complete membership cards will be admitted with-out cost.

■ ASU

Blood drive to help cause

The ASU will be host-ing a blood drive in the Recreation Room at 9 a.m. and a Wellness Fair in the quad at 10 a.m. on Oct. 14th.

For more information, contact the ASU at 510-235-7800, ext. 4407.

“Trees grow for years and years.

(Enriquez’s) pres-ence will always be here on cam-

pus.”

Jeannette McClendon,East Bay Career Advancement Academy psychology professor

By Diana ReyesOPINION EDITOR

Plans to produce a re-entry strategic plan for ex-convicts who are released from county jails and state prisons were discussed in the Fireside Room Sept. 30.

Hosted by the Contra Costa County Re-entry Planning Initiative, the Fireside Chat focused on the development of a re-entry infrastructure in Contra Costa County, policy recommendations and an implementation and action plan on re-entry.

According to City of Richmond Neighborhood Safety Director DeVone Boggan, the action plan approaches the problems formerly incarcerated people face upon release.

“It was recent events that clearly spelled out that we had to do something different and be coherent,” Boggan said. “We need to create the infrastructure and elements in our community and in our city that can help us improve health and public safety for those coming home.”

He said the objective was redefining the policy toward crime and making it commu-nity related.

“The needs are stable human needs,” Boggan said. “This process, I hope, is going to make us more collaborative.”

The fundamentals are aimed toward employment training, education, general legal rights along with the right to vote, tem-porary and permanent housing, reconnecting the incarcerated with their families and early release of probation and parole.

“These are not just strangers who were dropped on the planet,” said Arnold Perkins, retired director of public health in Alameda County. “We are talking about our fathers, cousins, sons and brothers.”

John Gioia, vice-chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, said the event was meant to be a kickoff planning effort which would also ultimately focus on how they can relay how probation and social health money is spent.

College President McKinley Williams said a lot was done to organize the event, and he was pleased to host it because of the

importance of serving all members of the community.

“We want to make sure West County is really focused on what we are supposed to focus on,” Williams said. “I’m elated on what the outcome’s going to be, and I know it’s going to help everyone.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Urban Strategies Council Junious Williams explained that there are currently 2.3 million people in United States prisons and jails, which is a fourfold increase since 1990. More than 90 percent of prisoners are released, and according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), six out of 10 parolees will return to prison within three years.

“We want to provide people with data and information,” Junious Williams said. “You cannot successfully resolve and attack a problem without knowing the areas.”

Junious Williams said there needs to be a formula for re-entries, and what people need is housing, health insurance, integration, employment and income.

“We have to be realistic that one does not come out of jail on Friday and on Saturday, already have a job,” he said. “They need income.”

Guests were commissioned to arrange workgroups responsible to develop ideas for a Task Force that covered areas critical to the developing aspects for the Re-entry Strategic Plan. Their proposals were introduced to the Planning Task Force for approval.

The primary ideas the workgroups formu-lated surrounded the racial and demographic representations between African-American and Latinos, which were said to be the major ethnic groups affected.

“We need someone who is charismatic and is able to report the issues all the way to Sacramento,” Richmond Police Department Officer Mark Foisie said. “We need to start

a mentorship program staffed by people who have walked the walk.”

In addition, workgroups also decided on the improvement of communication between agencies and correctional facilities, as well as the involvement of the school district.

“Over time, this puzzle will and can come together,” Perkins said. “Some people came to listen, some people came to work. I want to encourage people who came to work to also listen.”

Despite the ambition to grasp new plans and outcomes for parolees, however, there were others who were not seeing eye-to-eye.

“We’ve heard a lot of high-paid people promise a better outcome, but I see no new ideas,” jail contractor John Bieth said. “Our community needs to study success, not fail-ure.”

Contact Diana Reyes at dreyes.advocate@gmail.com.

By Alec SurmaniASSOCIATE EDITOR

Given the struggling economy, state lawmakers and their constitu-ents look to not only carefully ana-lyze the budget’s divvying amongst various groups, but the fruits of this allocation as well.

Accountability, or whether money is being put to good use (and just how good), has become a driving force behind much of the state’s economic actions, includ-ing those pertaining to education, college Vice President Carol Maga said.

“Grades are good, but (the tax-payers) want more proof,” she said. “It’s more accountability for tax-payer funds.”

One area of this focus on accountability comes in the form of the educational accredita-tion process, of which the Contra Costa College will be sending in a follow-up report this month to the Accrediting Commission for

Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) to assure the organization that the college is earning its pay.

Administration, faculty and staff have been working together since March to prepare the report, Maga said, which details how the college has been implementing the recommended changes made to it by the ACCJC after the group’s visit in 2008. She expects a positive reaction, as the issues have been addressed.

“We’ve pretty much met the goals,” Maga said.

According to the final report that can be read at the CCC Web site, the first recommendation calls for the college to create a timeline for and incorporate student learn-ing outcomes (SLOs) into its cur-riculum and program review.

The second recommenda-tion asks for the district to expe-dite development of a financial allocation model, or a model of how money is distributed, with an emphasis on adjunct faculty and technology funding.

SLOs, which have slowly become a staple of every depart-ment’s curriculum since the ACCJC demanded their inclusion in 2002,

are essentially outlines for what information and skills professors want students to know by the end of instruction, CCC SLO coordina-tor Wendy Williams said.

Departments set up course objectives, assess how students are doing and analyze the results. Professors then make necessary changes to their teaching approach in the areas students where per-forming poorly, Dr. Williams said. After this process is completed, the cycle restarts.

“Instead of assigning a grade to the student we’re assigning a grade to the concept,” she said. “It’s a different way of looking at student work.”

Williams said that although willingness and participation in the development of SLOs was slow at first, there has been progress toward meeting the 2012 deadline, where the college must have devel-oped an outline and completed a full cycle in every area.

Roughly 94-96 percent of the departments and programs on campus have developed their out-lines, an upgrade from 15 percent at the time of the college’s 2005 report, and a few departments have

even completed an entire cycle, Williams said.

Additionally, she said continued cooperation should not be too dif-ficult, as SLOs already tie into the college’s expected self-evaluation processes anyway.

“There should be this evaluation all the time. It’s just now you have these formal write-ups,” Williams said. “And that way there’s evi-dence. We want proof.”

At the district level, Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Kindred Murillo said she and her fellow employees at the Martinez office are working to complete the financial allocation model by January.

They will then share the model during “road shows” at the three campuses for feedback, before making revisions and submitting the final version to the ACCJC by June 2010, Murillo said.

She said feedback from the road shows and the recently incorporat-ed Governance Council, a shared governance group where all con-stituencies are present, is vital to the model’s development.

“We believe that (Chancellor Helen Benjamin) and I can’t sit in an office and just say this is the way it is,” Murillo said. “We need to work with groups and the col-leges to make sure it’s as close to perfect as we can get it.”

Similar to the SLO integration at the college, Murillo believes the transition will not be exceedingly difficult at the district as a financial model had already been a focus prior to the recommendation.

“We knew we needed to fix our allocation model. The recom-mendation is basically saying get it done sooner rather than later,” she said.

After submitting the follow-up report, CCC will receive a response from the ACCJC with suggestions that must be addressed in the col-lege’s next mid-year report due in 2011, Maga said.

Contact Alec Surmani at asur-mani.advocate@gmail.com.

Report details progress, changesCollege follows recommendation

GEORGE MORIN / THE ADVOCATE

Making a case — Jail contractor John Bieth argues that parolees should be helped with re-entry into society by way of a strategic plan during the Fireside Chat held in the Fireside Room Wednesday.

Groups discussre-entry strategies

Smith

Middle College High School Principal Hattie Smith recog-nizes her students successes throughout the years.

“We have to be realistic that one does not come out of jail on Friday and on Saturday

already have a job.”

Junious Williams,chief executive officer of the Urban Strategies

Council

CAMPUS BEAT WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2009 l THE ADVOCATE 5

By George MorinSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Thanks to a recent visit from the Western Academics for Schools and Colleges (WASC), Middle College High School goes into the new year with the highest accreditation status possible.

WASC accredited MCHS with a six-year accreditation, MCHS Principal Hattie Smith said.

The school, housed on the Contra Costa College campus, also received the award in 2006,

and is as of yet the only school in the district to behold such an honor.

The accreditation process is extensive and takes approxi-mately a year of preparation, including a four-day visit by officials from WASC represen-tatives, Smith said.

Officials from WASC vis-ited MCHS April 5-8, where the organization concluded to award the school with the accreditation.

“We’re very proud of our students. We have some of the best students in the district,” Smith said.

MCHS has received multiple awards over the past years.

In 2006, it received the National No Child Left Behind Award, where the high school obtained its Blue Ribbon status.

From 2007-2009, MCHS was given the News Best School in America, by reaching the Academic Performance Index API, which is the standard for California schools and mainly focuses on disadvantaged stu-dents, Smith said.

In 2006 and 2009, MCHS received the California Distinguished School Award, for having a new unique style of mentoring, Smith said.

The style of mentoring involves having one voluntary adult mentor who is assigned to five students. They are to look after their students and make sure they keep up with their work.

It was made to bring a more personal level to the learning environment, Smith said.

This style of mentoring has shown to be very efficient, she said, and helps students learn and organize themselves.

MCHS student Nikita Adarkwah said the particular style is beneficial and helps her and her peers with whom to get as a teacher and also helps with organizing the students’ futures.

Vice Principal Jennifer Crowell said it makes the school proud, as everyone tries their

best to impart knowledge onto the students and help them suc-ceed in life.

The six-year accreditation from WASC has brought good morale to the students and staff of MCHS, Smith said.

With such good morale, the staff hopes to continue its successful career by obtaining future awards.

“We will keep encouraging the students to keep it up, and we stress that their records go with them everywhere,” Smith said.

“It makes us proud that we were able to accomplish some-thing so great,” student Rebekah Cha said.

Contact George Morin at gmorin.advocate@gmail.com.

MCHS awarded top accreditation

Plans for ex-convicts’ integration explored

High school’s education effort receives honors

“It makes us proud that we were able

to accomplish something so great.”

Rebekah Cha,MCHS student

“We’ve pretty much met the goals.”

Carol Maga,vice president

By Brent BaintoSCENE EDITOR

The innovative social net-working-oriented Web site, MySite Portal, draws closer to fruition as the district pre-pares for its launch.

Proposing to unify all college constituents district-wide, the Web site will have a subtle release of its beta version in mid-November, Director of Administrative Information Systems Daniel Abbott said.

The time following the launch of the beta version will be used to work through any technical issues as well as make sure the software used to build the portal system will run smoothly, Abbott said.

MySite Portal is cur-rently built using Microsoft Sharepoint and offers basic features such as profile cus-tomization for designated user portals as well as more in depth particularities like the ability to access academ-ic backgrounds, unofficial transcripts and entire edu-cational plans, Senior Dean of Research and Planning Timothy Clow said.

MySite Portal would make learning “easier and fun” with social networking aspects, Dr. Clow said.

Technology Systems Manager James Eyestone said, “The MySpace and Facebook generation won’t have a problem figuring out (MySite Portal).”

From within the portal system, users can also estab-lish study sessions, manage calendars and upload home-work assignments among other numerous functions, Clow told The Advocate in February.

“(Each portal will be) just as large as you want it to be,” he said.

MySite Portal will pro-vide the framework for col-laborative space and provide one communication channel for advisers, administrators and students, Eyestone said. “(Everyone) won’t have to be confined to the physical (aspects) of the classroom,”

he said.The portal project is the

largest and most complex that the current district oper-ating system Datatel has implemented, Eyestone said.

Other community colleg-es and universities already have portal systems imple-mented, Clow said.

“It would be good to get students into modern tech-nology. (MySite Portal) is totally student focused,” he said. “It’s kind of a disser-vice (especially) for students transferring to a university that uses a portal system.”

Eyestone also agreed with the portal system’s similarity to other campuses.

“(MySite Portal will be) very much like being part of a university system,” he said.

In addition to those fac-ets, WebAdvisor will also be an incorporated portal, Abbott said.

Users will be able to log into their accounts the same way as WebAdvisor, using the first initial and the last name with the last three dig-its of a student or administra-tor identification number.

The Web site will remain in its beta stage indefinitely, but will still be available to the entire district before its formal and wide release, Abbott said.

As far as the project’s progress, district Vice Chancellor of Technology Systems and Planning Mojdeh Mehdizadeh said the project is well on its way and on track with the allotted time frame of development.

Contact Brent Bainto at bbainto.advocate@gmail.com.

By Crystal Joy BisSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

In an effort to raise awareness and build a strong relationship between the college and Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), the Bay Area Outreach Recreation Program (BORP) is hosting a wheelchair basket-ball game.

DSPS, the Contra Costa College Foundation and the athletic department are co-sponsoring the event, which will be held Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Gymnasium.

Three practice dates were given for those who wanted to brush up on their basketball skills before the game, with the last one being Thursday from 12-1:30 p.m.

“We want to give the Contra Costa College community the opportunity to see what it’s like to play in a game of wheelchair basketball, build a stronger relationship with CCC and their dis-abled student programs, and last but not least, have fun,” said Johnathan Newman, the adult sports coordinator at BORP.

The wheelchair basketball game will be the second exhibition match between BORP and CCC staff, faculty and students.

Everyone participating in the event will be in wheelchairs for the game. Although it would be possible to have teams with people both in and out of wheelchairs, it would not be entirely safe.

The way the game is played will be slightly different. Wheelchair basket-ball has a few altered rules with consid-eration for those in wheelchairs.

“Wheelchair users can play basket-ball like anyone else,” DSPS Manager Yasuko Abe said.

BORP was started in 1975 by stu-dents at UC Berkeley who wanted a program for people with disabilities. BORP provides sports and other rec-reational programs for those with dis-abilities.

There are games, such an indoor variation of soccer called power soccer, cycling and track.

Abe worked with BORP executive director Kaia Burkette to start annual exhibition games between CCC and BORP as a way to expand itself to the college community and raise awareness for their programs.

“It was fabulous,” DSPS counselor Ruth Gorman said about last year’s event. “It was nice to see such a big crowd. I was impressed with how many people from the community showed up.”

Newman said everyone from kids and their parents, to students, to a cheerleading team composed of teach-ers and staff from different departments

attended last year’s game.“CCC puts on great events.

Especially when it comes to getting people to come out,” Newman said. “Our team had a great time.”

The Abilities Club will be provid-ing food and water to the players for the event.

Instructional assistant Richard Stollings expects a lot of players, but he will not know exactly how many until game day and wants to see “more students, more kids, more everything.”

For more information, contact Stollings at 510-235-7800, ext. 7220 or Newman at 510-849-4663.

Contact Crystal Joy Bis at cbis.advocate@gmail.com.

By Cassandra JunielSPOTLIGHT EDITOR

A few Contra Costa College stu-dents are counting their blessings as they were victims of an unexpected ploy to cause disruption on campus Sept. 28.

Four juveniles, described by wit-nesses as African-Americans wear-ing white T-shirts, were reported as the suspects who used Airsoft guns to randomly shoot BBs at students in the area between the Liberal Arts and Humanities buildings, Police Services Sgt. Jose Oliveira said. There were no significant injuries to the students.

“The students did not prompt the incident, nor were they acquainted with them (suspects),” Oliveira said.

A search of the premises was conducted; however, the suspects fled the scene, he said.

A day after the incident occurred, one suspect was caught by an on-campus patrol officer, Olveira said.

While on foot patrol, a CCC patrol officer noticed a suspicious person on campus that matched the description of one of the suspects from the previous day’s incident, Oliveira said. The suspect began to run but was subsequently caught by the officer.

“When questioned, the suspect gave a false name and would not release the names of the other three perpetrators,” Oliveira said.

“We eventually were able to deter-mine his name, and his parents in the meantime were contacted. They have been fully cooperative in helping to find out the names of the others, as well as discussing the proper disci-

plinary action with their own son.”As for appropriate charges to be

filed by Police Services, the process consists of the department filing its report with the Juvenile Probation office after an arrest. It is then up to that office in deciding how to pursue the case, based on the charges.

Possible charges could be either a misdemeanor, caused by pointing the Airsoft gun at someone to frighten them, or violation of the school code of conduct, as the suspects had the items in their possession on campus.

Although both can be considered for recreational use, BB and Airsoft guns have similarities.

BB guns are a type of air gun designed to shoot projectiles called BBs after the Birdshot pellet of approximately the same size. The projectiles are usually spherical but can also be pointed and are usu-ally used for bird hunting. They can cause major injury to small animals and minor to major injury to humans, depending upon the infliction area.

Airsoft guns, on the other hand, are sometimes referred to as BB guns and also launch spherical projectiles. Common Airsoft BBs are gener-ally made of plastic or non-metallic materials specifically designed to impart low target damage and the Airsoft projectiles are often designed for wargames, such as in paintball. They (Airsoft gun BBs) cannot penetrate the skin but can cause a “steamy” sensation when a person is hit, Oliveira said.

“Airsoft guns are typically not designed to injure,” he said.

Although there were no sig-nificant injuries, individuals were startled, Oliveira said. The incident, however, was not as bad as it could have been, he said.

Contact Cassandra Juniel at cjuniel.advocate@gmail.com.

Juveniles shoot BBs on campusAirsoft guns used to target students

Portal beta tests future of MySite

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 20096 CAMPUS BEAT

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Target site

ISAAC THOMAS / THE ADVOCATE

Made to order — Jaswaut Singh purchases a footlong sandwich from Subway employee Satinder Pahwa in the Student Dining Room Monday. The shop’s grand opening was on Thursday.

Event to raise awarenessProgram to play promotional game

“Wheelchair users can play basketball like any-

one else.”

Yasuko Abe,Disabled Students Programs and Services

manager

“The MySpace and Facebook gen-eration won’t have a problem figur-ing out (MySite

Portal).”

James Eyestone,technology systems manager

INFOGRAPHIC BY SAM ATTAL/THE ADVOCATE

Four juveniles, described by wit-nesses as African-Americans wearing white T-shirts, fired Airsoft gun BBs at random students between the Liberal Arts and Humanities buildings Sept. 28.

By Dariush AzmoudehSPORTS EDITOR

The men’s soccer team earned its second shutout in a row, blow-ing out Merritt College 4-0 at home Friday.

The Comets’ (5-3-3 overall, 2-0-1 in the Bay Valley Conference) two goals in the first half were enough to put the Thunderbirds (3-6-0 overall, 0-1-0 in the BVC)

away. Contra Costa College’s first goal came in the 26th min-ute by midfielder Chris Garcia who scored on a header from a corner kick by forward Carlos Vargas.

“The offense has been scoring and it takes off pressure from the defense,” defend-er Tao Sabella said. “Today, the defense didn’t play as well as before, but the offense helped.”

CCC is currently in first place in the BVC and in 14th place in the North Regional stand-ings.

“Defensively we’re solid. We’ve

allowed 11 goals in 11 games,” coach Rudy Zeller said. “If we can average allowing one goal or less

per game, we will have a good chance at the playoffs.”

The Comets will take a bye this week, but will return to the pitch on Oct. 13 against their con-ference rival Yuba College (1-0-1 in the BVC, 5-3-1 overall) at Marysville.

Zeller said against Merritt if Comet goalkeep-er Jesse Hernandez did not make several key saves in the first half, then their opponent would have

jumped ahead of them.The Comets scored another

first half goal in the 32nd minute when Garcia took the ball from the Thunderbirds’ defender and passed it to midfielder Vargas who got a clear shot on goal and scored.

“We finally got out shooting. We’re doing what we need to do, and unleashing the attack,” Zeller said.

The other two goals for the Comets came in the second half, by forward Diego Orellana and midfielder Sergio Garcia, with assists by forward Ricki Salazar and midfielder Jorge Abonce.

“Before, I was lagging with a lot of pressure,” Orellana said. “I’ve been getting in the right spot

at the right time.”The Comet midfield play held

the team together. They had good ball control and were able to do several one-two passes. Lately, Zeller has tried out different play-ers in different midfield positions.

“We’ve been experimenting with players in new positions. Edgar Wenze has been playing well in the defensive midfield,” Zeller said. “The spine of the team has been playing well.”

“We played well, had a couple of mistakes, but we overcame them (by scoring) goals,” Sabella said.

Contact Dariush Azmoudeh at dazmoudeh.advocate@gmail.com.

By Dariush AzmoudehSPORTS EDITOR

Lack of organization and costly mistakes led to the women’s soccer team’s 2-0 loss to Mendocino College at home Friday.

The Eagles (7-2-2 overall, 1-0-0 in the Bay Valley Conference) took advantage of the Comets’ (0-6-0 overall, 0-2-0 in the BVC) positioning errors in the first half to score the only two goals of the game.

“We constantly preach that organization is important, especially on our weak side where they were able to score on us,” coach Nikki Ferguson said. “At this level, good teams will put you away when you make mis-takes.”

The Comets take a bye this week, but return to play their next game Oct. 13 at home against College of Marin (0-4-0 over-all, 0-2-0 in the BVC) at 3:30 p.m.

Mendocino goals came in the 6th minute by forward Julie Jackson and on the 32nd by forward Ashley Smith. On both of those

goals, the Eagles’ forwards found the gaps in the Comet defense and were able to get through them to get a clear shot at the goal.

“We played well, but we gave up two bonehead goals on two bonehead plays,” Ferguson said. “They made us pay for those two mistakes.”

Despite trailing by two goals, Contra Costa College kept fighting, with several through balls. The Eagle defense, however, outran the Comets to the ball and cleared it.

One of the obstacles the Comets faced was their lack of speed compared to Mendocino’s as they were able to get to the

ball with ease.Another obstacle was the

aggressiveness of the Eagles, which not only prevented the Comets to get a shot on goal, but also proved to be a pain for the Comet team throughout the game.

“They were very aggressive. A lot of (our players) got frus-trated,” Comet forward Marisol Mora said.

Mora also said, however, the team just needs to play more united and talk more.

The Comets played a better second half, keeping Mendocino from scoring, slowing down its attacking plays and holding the team to only two shots in the half.

In the last 15 minutes of the game, the Comets were aggressive and tried to get at least a goal on the board, but they were still

blocked from getting a shot on goal.“We played a lot better,” Comet forward

Andrea Garcia said. “We usually get tired (toward the end of the match), but we didn’t give up. We pushed and tried our best.”

The Comets’ midfield attacking force was led by Daisy Huizar, while the defensive

spark was provided by Claudia Garcia.“(It’s the) first time that we didn’t have a

single player stand out. It felt like the whole team played well,” Ferguson said.

Contact Dariush Azmoudeh at dazmou-deh.advocate@gmail.com.

With hard fight and determination, the women’s volleyball team withstood the College of Alameda in Alameda Friday.

The Comets (1-2 over-all, 1-1 in the Bay Valley Conference) won three out of five sets against the Cougars (0-5 overall, 0-2 in the BVC) 25-23, 27-25 and 15-13.

Contra Costa College’s next game is against Solano Community College today at 5:30 p.m. in Fairfield.

The Comets lost the first set to the Cougars due to inconsistency in serves and slow momentum, resulting in a score of 25-18.

“We started off slow-ly and the team’s passing was off,” team captain and middle hitter Emily Hansen said. “(The team) took

time to react to College of Alameda’s play.”

With team effort, hustle for the ball and the outstand-ing play of first-year middle blocker Efaraima Danao, the Comets sealed the sec-ond, third and final sets, but lost the fourth set.

The Cougars showed frustration in the game, in which the Comets capital-ized and used Alameda’s own aggression against it.

“People don’t expect (the Comets) to win, which is why Alameda got frustrat-ed,” coach Azure’D Nunley said.

The Comets look to use their first win of the sea-son as a platform to play on through the rest of the schedule.

— Malcolm Lastra

Box scoresWomen’s soccer (Oct. 2)

Mendocino,Contra CostaMendocino 2 0 — 2Contra Costa 0 0 — 0

First half1, Mendocino, Jackson 6 (Smith), 6th

minute.2, Mendocino, Smith 15 (Castaneda),

32nd minute.

Second halfNo goals scored.

Yellow cardsCCC, Marisol Mora, 62nd minute.Mendocino, Whitney Vonfeldt, 73rd

minute.

Individual statisticsGoals — Mendocino — Jackson, Smith.

— CCC — none.Assists — Mendocino — Smith,

Castaneda. — CCC — none.Shots on goal — Mendocino — 4.

— CCC — 0.Saves — Mendocino — Diener 0.

— CCC — Aguilera 2.Record — Mendocino — 7-2-2 overall,

1-0-0 in BVC. — CCC — 0-6-0 overall, 0-2-0 in BVC.

Men’s soccer (Oct. 2)

Merritt,Contra CostaMerritt 0 0 — 0Contra Costa 2 2 — 4

First half1, CCC, C.Garcia 9 (C.Vargas), 26th

minute.2, CCC, J.Vargas 20 (C.Garcia), 32nd

minute.

Second half3, CCC, Orellana 7 (Salazar), 35th minute.4, CCC, S.Garcia (Abonce), 42nd minute.

Yellow cardsCCC, Hugo Perez, 45th minute.CCC, Tao Sabella, 46th minute.

Individual statisticsGoals — Merritt — none. — CCC

— C.Garcia, J.Vargas, Orellana, S.Garcia.Assists — Merritt — none. — CCC

— C.Vargas, C.Garcia, Salazar, Abonce.Shots on goal — Merritt — 6. — CCC

— 5.Saves — Merritt — Medina 1. — CCC

— Hernandez 6.Record — Merritt — 3-6-0 overall,

0-1-0 in BVC. — CCC — 5-3-3 overall, 2-0-1 in BVC.

ScheduleFootball

vs. West Valley, Saturday 1 p.m.at College of the Redwoods, Oct. 17

1 p.m.

Men’s soccerat Yuba, Tuesday 4 p.m.vs. Napa, Oct. 16 4 p.m.

Volleyballat Solano, today 5:30 p.m.vs. Yuba, Friday 6 p.m.vs. Laney, Oct. 14 6 p.m.at Marin, Oct. 16 6 p.m.

Women’s soccervs. Marin, Tuesday 3:30 p.m.vs. Yuba, Oct. 16 1:30 p.m.

Mistakes prove costly in defeat

Volleyball Contra Costa College

V S.

Yuba College

When: Friday, 6 p.m.Where: GymnasiumRecords: CCC 1-2 overall, 1-1 in the BVC. Yuba 3-3 overall, 1-0 in the BVC.

Background: The Comets return home after getting their first victory of the season against College of Alameda. Contra Costa College looks to ride the momentum from their victory to give them a boost when they take on Yuba College. Last year, the 49ers found the bet-ter end of both meetings against the Comets. CCC is trying to get its first win at home, along with turning its slow start into a strong stand throughout the season.

—Dariush Azmoudeh

Game of the Week

Contra Costa College

ScoreBoardEagles 2 Comets 0

Next game: Oct. 13 vs. Marin,3:30 p.m.

SportShortTeam holds off opponent for first win of the season

ISAAC THOMAS / THE ADVOCATE

Give and take — Comet forward Jessica Miller (left) and Eagle midfielder Brittany Castaneda fight for the ball during Contra Costa College’s 2-0 loss to Mendocino at home Friday. CCC remains winless this year.

Errors in positioning fall heavily on team, allow Eagles to score

SPORTS WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2009 l THE ADVOCATE 7

Comets’ offense comes up big, wins 4-0Experimentation in midfield leads to key shutout

ISAAC THOMAS / THE ADVOCATE

Sky high — Ram wide receiver Victor Sapp goes against Comet defen-sive back Duane Hooper in Contra Costa College’s Saturday 73-32 loss

Squad rammed with another lossBy Anthony Farr

STAFF WRITER

The football team continued to make costly mistakes on both sides of the ball in its Saturday afternoon loss to Gavilan College 73-32.

With the offense turning the ball over five times and the defense giving up huge yardage on the ground, it was difficult for the Comets (0-5 overall, 0-0 in the Bay Valley Conference) to stay in the game.

The Rams (1-3 overall, 0-0 in the Coast Conference) ran for close to 400 yards and rushed for five touchdowns against the Comet defense.

“The defense played hor-rible. We missed a lot of tack-les and gave up too many first downs,” interim head coach and defensive coordina-tor George Pye said. “The defense needs to

work on tackling.”Pye served as interim head coach because

Dave Johnson was suspended for one game by Athletic Director John Wade for “in-house reasons,” Wade said.

Johnson will return to his duties as coach of the Comets for the team’s next game on Saturday at home against West Valley College at 1 p.m.

Gavilan’s offense started the game strong moving the ball 52 yards and scoring on a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Andrew Gayles.

On the Comets’ offensive drive, quarterback Don Miguel Tutass threw an interception leading to a Ram field goal.

The Comets offense con-tinued playing poorly, fum-bling the ball resulting in the Rams’ Dante Young returning

it for a 33-yard touchdown.“Turnovers killed us on offense. We have

to protect the ball,” Tutass said. “If we elim-

inate the mistakes on offense when it comes to turnovers, the offense will play better.”

CCC’s first points came in the second quarter when Tutass found fullback Jamaris Knighten for a 6-yard touchdown pass.

The Comets would end the half on a good note with Myron Mooring returning a kickoff for an 89-yard touchdown.

“Special teams is the only thing in har-mony,” wide receiver Michael Hicks said. “If everybody would just focus on doing their job, we will have a chance at win-ning.”

At the half, the Rams led the Comets 45-14.

CCC became frustrated for much of the second half, committing several penalties.

“We didn’t play too well today. It’s too hard to play with turnovers,” Pye said. “The offense and the defense were very disap-pointing. We played badly on both sides of the ball.”

Contact Anthony Farr at afarr.advocate@gmail.com.

ScoreBoardComets 4 Thunderbirds 0

Next game: Oct. 13 at Yuba,3:30 p.m.

ScoreBoardRams 73Comets 32

Next game: Saturday vs. West Valley,1 p.m.

Guest pottery display awes

Newreleases:“Year One” (PG-13)

“My Life in Ruins”(PG-13)

“Not Forgotten” (R)

“Bones: The Complete Fourth Season” (NR)

Games

CDs

DVDs

Movies

This week:“Couples Retreat” (R)

“Free Style” (PG)

Newreleases:Backstreet Boys: “This Is Us”

The Fall of Troy: “In the Unlikely Event”

Built to Spill: “There Is No Enemy”

The Raveonettes: “In and Out of Control”

Headlights: “Wildlife”

Noah and the Whale: “The First Days of Spring”

Unleashed

Editor’s note: This column lists popular new (and upcoming) releases for the week.

Newreleases:“NBA 2K10” (PS3/XBOX360 - RP)

“Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising” (PS3/XBOX360/PC - M)

“Demon’s Souls”(PS3 - RP)

“Spore Hero”(WII - E)

THE ADVOCATE l WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 20098 SCENE

Community explores WWII history

By Kristina PlazaSTAFF WRITER

Known for his intricate and abstract pottery work, Mata Ortiz potter Pilo Mora presented his own array of handmade pots before a stunned crowd in the Art Building.

Mata Ortiz pottery is a form of pueblo art originating in northern Mexico.

“This is how my ancestors used to make their pots from the region I came from,” Mora said.

Although their techniques had advanced tremendously, he said he was simply devoted to maintaining the tradition started 600 years ago.

Eri Kku walked out of the build-ing with a pot on each arm, as she purchased two of Mora’s pots after the event.

“I don’t have the time to go to Mexico, and I just simply loved his creation,” Kku said. “Its simplicity, the traditions behind it, its meaning — I just loved it.”

A group surrounded Mora as he finely embodied a strip of white clay, adding sufficient layer of clay after another, while molding the desired shape of the pot.

He then dipped his hand in a bowl of water and used a blade to smooth around the edges, inside and out.

After Mora finished the sculpt-ing, Ricardo Corona took over and set up to paint a different form and size pot.

The brushes Corona used were also handmade. They were made of six strands of human hair each, preferably a child’s hair for its thin-ness and delicacy.

Corona carefully painted the pot around the whole neck top to bot-tom.

Designing the pots was never brainstormed, as Corona would start with a few lines and just go from there, he said.

The designs are purely native Mexican and completely exclusive, Corona said.

Art student Kate Freeman said it is interesting how 600 of the 2,000 people in Mora’s town are also involved in making pottery. “It’s really cool,” she said.

Mora’s work can be seen in exhibits found at numerous gal-leries and museums, including the San Diego Museum of Man and the Riverside Museum. Pilo’s pot-tery has also been featured in the books “The Many Faces of Mata Ortiz” and “Ceramica,”

Mora pursued his passion for making exquisite and aesthetic pots 30 years ago.

Since it was harder to make a living during times of drought, Mora decided to start constructing pots whenever he had the chance. It was then when Emetrio Ortiz, one of the early Mata Ortiz potters, taught Mora the basics.

Contact Kristina Plaza at kplaza.advocate@gmail.com.

By Brent BaintoSCENE EDITOR

Eight-bit revolutionaries, HORSE the band, unleashes its uncompromising wrath with its latest release.

“Desperate Living” is HORSE the band’s fourth full-length studio album and first release with indie and emo super label, Vagrant Records, but its latest label jump does not compromise its unrelenting sound.

“Desperate” still maintains their well-blended nostalgic chiptune Super Nintendo videogame synthesizer notes, namely reminiscent of Super Mario and the Legend of Zelda while weighing in much heavier and more progressive than previous releases.

This current release, however, pre-dominantly focuses on Castlevania-like sound effects, to which the entire album seems to follow as if it were the actual game’s score. The album quickly pummels listeners into a dark, thrash-ing submission with “Between the Trees,” a track that can very well sum-marize the engaging fury of HORSE.

The band has come a long way since previous albums by showing maturity in its melodically violent structure while being able to stay true to being aesthetically unorthodox. Nathan Winneke displays much more vehe-mence with his amplified piercingly shrill screams and his dark and cryptic murmurs over echoing song bridges, ambient transitions and gang vocals.

“Desperate” is an epic production masterpiece. HORSE’s intricacy is flawless; hysterically subtle keyboard introductions turn incandescent while weaving together with the rest of the blazing ensemble.

The album plays thoroughly as a

nearly hour-long aggression trip with fast-pace blast beats and floor-punch-ing breakdowns, but never seems to lose momentum. And although HORSE has not quite changed lyrically, its non-sensical wording and satirical humor all the more compliments its redefined and

evolved sound.Along with their

adapted sound, “Desperate” also fea-tures collaborations with guest musicians Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu, underground rap artist K-SLAX and Ukrainian classical pia-nist Valentina Lisitsa. Though the guest col-laborations are unneces-sary additions, they do show HORSE’s expan-sion and growth by further illustrating the

band’s versatility.Though distinctions of HORSE can

be comparative to the likes of other synthesizer/keyboard-oriented hard-core bands such as Genghis Tron and An Albatross, nothing comes close to the founders of seminal videogame soundtrack integration among contem-porary punk and metal subgenres.

Any reluctance to give “Desperate” a chance is put to bed as any disen-chanted listeners are renewed with the charmingly destructive quirks that seemed to have withered away gradu-ally since their albums preceding “A Natural Death,” which made HORSE seem as though they were just dabbing their feet in the water, only to warm up to their current emergence.

Contact Brent Bainto at bbainto.advocate@gmail.com.

ADAM OLIVER / THE ADVOCATE

Up for grabs — Mata Ortiz potter Pilo Mora showcases a pair of paint brushes made of human hair used to decorate pottery during a presentation to a stunned crowd in the Art Building Wednesday.

“Desperate

Living”

★★★★★Artist: HORSE the bandGenre: HardcoreLabel: Vagrant RecordsRelease date: Available now

cdreview

By Diana ReyesOPINION EDITOR

Locals gathered to learn about the history of their community and explore shipyards used in World War II in Point Richmond Saturday.

Members of the city of Richmond, Richmond Chamber of Commerce and Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historic Park celebrated the annual Home Front Festival by the Park. The event was held at the Craneway Pavilion Arts & Entertainment Venue inside the former

Ford Assembly Building and Lucretia Edwards Park.

“This (event) honors anybody who made a contribution to World War II,” Park Ranger Elizabeth Tucker said. “We invited people who worked on shipyards during World War II.”

The festival hosted nonprofit com-munity booths set up along the Lucretia Edwards Park as well as more general festival activities such as an entertain-ment stage, inflatable jumpers, and food. World War II historical booths were held inside the Craneway Pavilion.

“It is really interesting that the rang-ers talked about the history of the buildings and yards,” guest Jennifer Lee said.

Contra Costa College’s own culinary arts department provided its services

for the event.“We always participate and always

bring a group of students to provide some food,” culinary arts department Chairman Nader Sharks said.

Shipyard No. 3 and the SS Red Oak Victory hosted docent-led tours, World War II Home Front Talks and National Park Ranger shipyard tours among other attractions.

One of the highlights of the event was the tour arranged by the Richmond Sea Scouts and the Northland Sea Scouts. The tour took place aboard the Richmond Sea Scout Ship, also known as the USS Phoenix, as it sailed along the Richmond Canal.

“We’re here to provide tours to the public and also to show what our program is about,” USS Phoenix

Commodore John Sargent said. Additionally, the National Park

Service started a tradition two years ago to present an award to a memorable member of the community. This year the World Ward II Home Front Award was granted to Dr. Preston Maring for establishing the Friday Fresh Farmer’s Market at Kaiser Permanente.

“I accept this award really on behalf of Henry Kaiser and Dr. Sidney Garfield,” Maring said. “I’d also like to thank the National Park Service for all they do to (preserve) our land.”

Guest Arnie Kasendorf has attended the event annually for five years now.

“It is a fabulous event,” he said.

Contact Diana Reyes at dreyes.advocate@gmail.com.

Event pays tribute to Richmond’s past

SPECIAL TO / THE ADVOCATE

Keys to success — HORSE the band keyboardist Erik Engstrom manipulates his synthesizer to incorporate Nintendo-inspired notes over the band’s intensity.

HORSE’s latest release keeps thrashing gallop