Rampage: Spring 2014 Issue 3 by The Rampage at Fresno City College

AMPAGE Volume CXXVI Issue 3

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The Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College

BOARD VOTES TO AMEND CHANCELLOR CONTRACT

Going Rogue

March 6, 2014

Chancellor Deborah Blue to retire in June 2014. BY KAITLIN REGAN

Managing Editor kregan@therampageonline.com

& BY PATRICK FORREST

Fresno Dance Collective member Hannah Cavallaro performs her solo “Once” during NOCO’s Rogue show, “Raw Meat & Dignity,” on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 at the CalArts Severance Building. Photo/Kevynn Gomez

News Editor pforrest@therampageonline.com

BY JORDAN RUSSELL

Editor-In-Chief jrussell@therampageonline.com

The 13th Annual Rogue Festival has brought performers from as far away as Brooklyn, New York and London, England. But one of the festival’s most notable performances is homegrown. Fresno Dance Collective, directed by Rogue producer and Fresno City College instructor Amy Querin, has created a show that is both visually stunning and philosophically provocative. “Raw Meat & Dignity” is a multi-part story of the journey from birth to young adulthood in the strict world of debutante culture. The dancers illustrate the transformation of the individual from the formlessness of pre-birth, visualized against the backdrop of Jewish folklore, to the rigidness of being a “prim and proper” Southern lady. NOCO dancer Samantha Lazo was a performer in “Raw Meat & Dignity.” “[The show] was mostly about how to become a debutante, a lady,” she explained. “Because to be a

l SEE ROGUE ON PAGE 8

debutante, you have to be very proper, you have to go through all these classes. So it was kind of to train the audience on how to become a debutante.” The performance, though, seems to delve deeper into what it means to be a member of such an elite group of young women. Yes, they are being trained in the ways of graceful society, but are they not being stifled at the same time? Where in the debutante version of womanhood is there room for the burgeoning sexuality of adolescence or the emergence of women as individuals? These are all questions that “Raw Meat & Dignity” seems to address through the staggering beauty and athleticism of the dancers, as well Querin’s creative vision. The final performance of “Raw Meat & Dignity” will be on Saturday, march 8 at 7 p.m. in the CalArts Severance Building. Admission is $10 in Rogue-bucks or cash.

After controversy and speculation, a decision has been made regarding State Center Community College District Chancellor Deborah Blue’s future. In a 4-2 vote with one abstention, the SCCCD Board of Trustees amended Blue’s contract, ending her duties as chancellor effective June 30, 2014. Blue, according to a district statement released shortly after the meeting, will continue as Chancellor Emeritus until June 30, 2015. This allows the district to conduct a nationwide replacement to “hopefully” be in place by July 1, 2015. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as chancellor of the State Center Community College District for the benefit of our students,” Blue said. “I have greatly enjoyed working with the board and with district administrators, faculty, staff and students.” Board President Patrick Patterson commented on behalf of the entire board of trustees. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire [SCCCD] I want to express our heartfelt appreciation

l SEE DEBORAH BLUE ON PAGE 6

l TWITTER.COM/JCR1015

Fresno Dance Collective members perform “Prim & Proper,” a theatrical dance piece, during their “Raw Meat & Dignity” show at CalArts Severance on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 for the Rogue Festival. Photo/Kevynn Gomez

SCCCD Chancellor Deborah Blue at the Tuesday, March 4, 2014 board meeting. Photo/Darlene Wendels

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

NEWS

Rampage Staff Editor-in-Chief Jordan Russell

03.06.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

DROUGHT: WHAT’S NEXT FOR CA? The impact of President Barack Obama’s visit to the Valley BY CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ

Managing Editor Kaitlin Regan Production Manager Victor Aparicio News Editor Patrick Forrest Opinion Editor Kevynn Gomez Arts & Entertainment Editor Lauren Baker Sports Editor Keaundrey Clark Photo Editor Darlene Wendels Art Director Lauren Baker Copy Chief Jordan Russell Multimedia Editor Michael Monroy Reporters James Clark Yolanda Garzon Daisy Martinez Lizbeth Sanchez Razi Syed Loren Daniels Photojournalists Abel Cortez Akinye Chatmon Alexis Chavez Maria Vargas Multimedia Journalists Desiree Aranjo Rebekah Madison Jarrett Ramones Cresencio Rodriguez David Thammavongsa Business Manager Sydney Excinia Faculty Adviser Lynn Badertscher Journalism Instructor Jefferson Beavers Tip Line: 559.442.8262 Twitter.com/FCCRampage Facebook.com/FCCRampage Instagram.com/FCCRampage YouTube.com/RampageNewsroom Send Questions or Letters to the Editor to: editorial@therampageonline.com Fresno City College C/O The Rampage 1101 E. University Ave Fresno, CA 93741

Journalism Association of Community Colleges

Fresno City College

Reporter crodriguez@therampageonline.com

With the changes some valley cities like Orange Cove, Tulare and Visalia are beginning to make during this historic drought, the federal government has offered to step in and help the drought-stricken communities and its residents. “We’re all equally dependent upon California producers for so many of your products in your lives,” said President Barack Obama during his visit to Fresno on Feb. 14, 2014. According to the Office of the Press Secretary, at least $3 million is being made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist rural communities experiencing a significant decline in the “quantity or quality” of drinking water. These funds will be provided to eligible, qualified communities by application through USDA-Rural Development’s Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants. Another $60 million has been made available to food banks in the State of California to help families that may be economically impacted by the drought. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is providing help to food banks through The Emergency Food Assistance Program. Although the president’s visit was brief, he emphasized that his administration would stay on top of the issue that California is facing. “We are going to stay on top of this,” said President Obama, “because it has national implications not only for our economy but we’re also going to have to make sure that we weave in this issue of water in the West with the broader issues of climate change.” Along with making funds available for the state, the president has directed federal facilities in California to take steps to immediately curb water use. This includes a moratorium on water usage for new, non-essential landscaping projects and to redouble efforts to fulfill prior commitments to longer-term water use reduction at Federal Facilities. Efforts are currently underway to improve water use efficiency for drinking water at federal facilities across the country by 26 percent and improve water use efficiency for industrial, landscaping and agricultural water by 20 percent. The administration is already ahead of schedule towards meeting these goals according to the Office of the Press Secretary. The president also suggested that we rethink our infrastructure and determine what projects would make people 50 years from now, 100 years from now, able to say we had the foresight to deal with these problems in a serious way. Glen Foth, who works for State Center Community College District as the District Operations Manager, believes that Fresno City College is on the right track and well in response to the president’s suggestions with a new computerized system that is helping the college reduce its water use. “This is the direction that we see we

need to go,” said Foth, “this is the direction that we need to see others go.” District Operations is currently using a computerized irrigation system called Rain Bird. That system is connected to rain clocks that help determine when the grounds need to be watered and the data comes from a weather station at Willow International according to Foth. Depending on the amount of water that grounds may get from any rainfall, the automatic rain clocks determine how much water can be used. The computerized system requires little attention. Foth claims that using such irrigation systems reduces water use at a much higher rate and allows for more efficient use of the water during the current drought conditions. The water that the college uses is not underground water which is what most of the city uses, so Foth says it is not likely that the college will have to follow regulations imposed by the city. The college is considered to be a “large size exception” according to Foth. It is allowed to water every day but Mondays due to its exception, but Foth says the campus will still see efficient water usage and quick responses to any broken or damaged sprinklers. According to Foth, what District Operations seeks to achieve with the

computerized irrigation system is to use water in the most efficient way that they can so over-watering isn’t a problem. The new system is currently being used in the Old Administration Building area, the west lawn and the underpass area. Only 25 percent of FCC is currently running under the computerized irrigation system. The rest of the campus is on the manual system which requires weekly adjustments by District Operations personnel. Foth emphasized on checking the clocks on a regular basis, being diligent on monitoring water use, checking what’s broken and making repairs quickly. Despite any further implications, Foth says he will not consider letting the grounds go dry. He argues that the campus grounds are the livelihood of the college and the excellent condition of the grounds were mentioned in the last four accreditations. “What we are making a conscious effort of is to go back and tweak and cut back more than what we have and we are heading in that direction to reduce our water use,” he said. “But to totally stop watering here, no, not in my lands.” l TWITTER.COM/CRES_GUEZ

NEWS

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 03.06.2014

Obama keeps his ‘brothers’ safe

New White House initiative to focus on helping African-American and Hispanic males succeed in education system BY PATRICK FORREST

News Editor pforrest@therampageonline.com

The White House and many other organizations, in an attempt to rectify the struggles of students of color in our education system have put more than $300 million towards the creation of the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative. President Barack Obama even spoke and shared an inspirational message to young African American and Hispanic males . “I made bad choices. I got high without always thinking about the harm that it could do,” said Obama. “I didn’t always take school as seriously as I should have. I made excuses. Sometimes I sold myself short.” The initiative was started as a response to the nation’s large racial achievement gap a gap that has affected Fresno City College for a long time. According to statistics from Institutional Research going back to the summer of 2008, African-American students have gotten a 2.0 GPA and Hispanic students a 2.2, while their White counterparts have a 2.7 GPA in that same span. Also in that span, only 56

“I made bad choices. I got high without always thinking about the harm that it could do, I didn’t always take school as seriously as I should have. I made excuses. Sometimes I sold myself short.” -President Barack Obama

percent of African-American students and 64 percent of Hispanics passed classes with an A, B, C or P, while Whites were able to get those grades 75 percent of the time. The foundations supporting this initiative, including the Los Angeles-based California Endowment, have already made extensive investments, including $150 million in current spending that they have already approved or awarded. “More than 70 percent of people under 25 in California identify as persons of color. They will be our future leaders,” said Robert K. Ross, M.D., president and CEO of The California Endowment. Building on that, these foundations are announcing that over the next five years

they seek to invest at least $200 million, alongside additional investments from their peers in philanthropy and the business community, to find and rapidly spread solutions that have the highest potential for impact in key areas. “We need to give every child, no matter what they look like, where they live, the chance to reach their full potential,” said Obama. “Because if we do, if we help these wonderful young men become better husbands and fathers, and well-educated, hardworking, good citizens, then not only will they contribute to the growth and prosperity of this country, but they will pass on those lessons on to their children, on to their grandchildren, will start a different

cycle. And this country will be richer and stronger for it for generations to come.” The president has prepared himself since his State of the Union address, calling this a “year of action.” And he continues to work on attempts to better the education system and inspire the nation’s youth. “After all, these boys are a growing segment of our population. They are our future workforce. When, generation after generation, they lag behind, our economy suffers. Our family structure suffers. Our civic life suffers. Cycles of hopelessness breed violence and mistrust,” said Obama. “And our country is a little less than what we know it can be.” l TWITTER.COM/FORRESTP8

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure BY DAISY MARTINEZ

Reporter dmartinez@therampageonline.com

Notebooks. Backpacks. School supplies. All types of clothing. All of it is free. This Friday, March 7, members of the Alpha Gamma Sigma club will run their oncea-semester event RamCycle in front of the main fountain from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. AGS hosts an event where students and faculty can donate anything they don’t need, use or want and can pick up anything they need, use or want. Vice President Emily Haas said the event gives both faculty and students the opportunity to clear out stuff that is just taking up space at your home and can benefit someone else. “Everyone has something that is just sitting that they’re not using that has just been sitting on their shelves months and months and they will never use it again,” Haas said. “Those clothes that you know you will never wear again.” If you are wondering what type of items you can donate, Haas has the answer.

“Bring anything you don’t want, need or use and take anything you may need, want or use,” she said. Haas will join club President Matthew Sardella to set up tables by 9:30 a.m. to start taking donations, and they will stop accepting them by noon. You don’t have to be club members to pick any items you wish for, and anyone can drop off items they wish to donate. Food cans and large items like furniture are items that cannot be accepted. “One of our goals of RamCyle is to bring the campus community together,” Sardella said. Although this event is only held once a semester, AGS coordinates many community events. “We’re really active. We have an event every two weeks,” he said. Last year, the club made soldier’s angel packages that were sent overseas to U.S. soldiers. They also helped the Fresno Bully Rescue organization, helping rescue larger dogs who had been identified as violent dogs. On campus, Haas said

Emily Haas, vice president of Alpha Gamma Sigma, stencils in “Freecycle” on the the Fresno City College cement ground Monday, March, 3, 2014. Photo/Abel Cortez

when you donate to RamCycle the stuff you will never use, it can save students the five bucks for a pair of jeans they will buy at a thrift store. “Students can use that money for a scantron or any school supplies.” One of the club’s advisors, Dr. Linda Vang, an FCC professor, has advised the club since 2004. “Last semester was our first time running RamCycle,” Dr. Vang said. The major-

ity of the items donated were clothes and school supplies, she added. If you are interested in becoming a member of the AGS FreeCycle club, you can join anytime throughout the semester. You can contact Sardella at sardella_0651120@ my.scccd.edu for details. To graduate with AGS honors students need a 3.25 GPA. FCC’s other honors society, Phi Theta Kappa GPA require-

ments are higher than AGS and AGS is the only community honor society and PTK is an international society. “We plan a lot of different service events,” Sardella said, “and the main goal of AGS chapter is just to promote service to the community and character development, and we also recognize academic scholarship.” l TWITTER.COM/FLOWERDAZY

NEWS

03.06.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

GOING CLUBBING

FCC Clubs struggle to find new members

ICC representatives discuss plans for club action during a meeting in the Student Lounge, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Photo/ Darlene Wendels

BY CRESENCEIO RODRIGUEZ Reporter crodriguez@therampageonline.com

There are currently 43 active clubs and organizations at Fresno City College but while there may be many clubs to choose from, some clubs struggle to gain or keep their current members. ASG Pro Tempore, Victoria Mosby, says that students should not join clubs for the sake of the club itself, but for the sake of themselves per-

sonally. Mosby argues that club participation increases student success and gives valuable information to students. Mosby claims that poor club participation results in less activities and ultimately no club rush. She says it is important for students to be exposed to the various clubs on campus because it promotes diversity among students. Not only is club participation a good way to interact

with other students, it is also, according to Mosby, a good way to learn about each other and the different cultures of each student. The Native American Intertribal Students Association or N.A.I.S.A. is the oldest club at Fresno City College according their Inter Club Council Representative, Amberlonh Truang. Truang says that students wanting to join the club do not have to be Native American, which is what most students

do not know and thus don’t take part in clubs. Despite other clubs not being able to meet the quorum to hold official meetings, Truang says that participation in their club has been fairly good. The Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan or M.E.Ch.A club at Fresno City College has seen very poor participation compared to only a couple years ago. “Communication is the key,” said Rosanna Montoya, Vice President and Secretary of the M.E.Ch.A club,“and you have to have a set of officers who are willing to commit.” Rosanna explained what a club needs in order to maintain good participation among its members. She went on to say that a club also needs a strong leadership base that starts with the advisor and goes all the way down to the ICC Representative. She credits the poor participation to a lack of communication. When Montoya first came to FCC, she admits M.E.Ch.A was a very inactive club but she quickly learned from club officers at that time that it used to be a very vibrant, ac-

tive and recognized club on campus. Things have changed for the club and it has experienced a decrease in participation and a low amount of members who attend the weekly Wednesday meetings. For the M.E.Ch.A club, the struggle to gain members goes on with hopes of once again becoming the club it used to be. “Right now we are trying to gain members by having each officer or members or even people who are interested in the club go to classes and advertise the club” said Montoya. It’s a different story for the FCC Volunteer Club. The Volunteer Club meets weekly and has five regular members according to their ICC Representative Silvia Hewy. However, while other clubs struggle to gain members and get them to attend meetings, Hewy says that regular meetings are not mandatory for any of the Volunteer Club members. Hewy said, “We have meeting dates, but its not mandatory to show up.” l TWITTER.COM/CRES_GUEZ

Ratings from the rated

Professors share their opinions of the website Ratemyprofessor.com BY MARIA VARGAS

Reporter mvargas@therampageonline.com

It’s almost that time of year again when college students browse for classes and pick courses for the fall semester. Along with securing classes that start in the late morning, deciding which courses to take and getting a spot in a fast-filling required course is no easy task. On top of this, there is that quest to find the “best” professors. That quest to find professors that make accounting, math or even science exciting; that quest to find professors that can hold exciting and enlightening discussions with the class. Rate My Professor is a website where students post anonymous reviews of their professors for the benefit of future students. On the website, the category “Easiness” is used by students to describe how easy the class was to them. One would mean the class was very difficult, while a five would mean the class is very easy. “Some students learn differently than others. Somebody may not like a certain teaching style while others may be okay with that style,”

said Fresno City College math professor Nate Allen, who received 11 reviews. The ‘Hot’ category is for fun. It is the category where students rate how attractive they find the professor to be. A chili pepper that is located right next to the professor’s name would mean that they are ‘hot.’ “I believe it’s silly,” said FCC history instructor Paul Gilmore, who received 107 reviews. “I want people who will be interested in the class, and the energy that I bring in my lectures. That’s the kind of at-

traction I want to have.” Allen also commented on the topic. “It’s flattering but it has nothing to do with our teaching skills,” he said. The “Clarity” category is used by students to describe how clearly information is presented in class by the teacher, and how it is tested. If there is a high “clarity” rating, it means information is given in a clear and precise manner. If there is a low “clarity” level, it may mean the information is presented too quickly and not enough time is given to

ensure all the students understand the concepts. “As a math professor, a majority of students hate math so that’s another reason why we have to be clear and helpful to the students,” said FCC instructor Jeremy Brandl, who received 12 reviews. “A majority of students will need that extra clarity to feel comfortable with the subject.” Lastly, the “Helpfulness” category is used by students to describe how helpful the teacher is when approached with a question. The higher the rating, the more likely

Jeremy Brandl (left) and Nate Allen (right) in the Fresno City College Math and Science Building on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Brandl and Allen are rated as “hot” on ratemyprofessor.com.

Photo/Maria Vargas

the teacher will be available to help students understand the class material. A low rating may mean the professor doesn’t make a great effort to communicate with the student. The user’s comments are given by the students themselves. Just remember, not all comments about teachers are helpful. “There is absolutely no scientific validity behind this website,” said Gilmore. RateMyProfessor.com may be a tool that some students find helpful but students should keep in mind that the sample of students on the website may only represent a small portion of students. “The students who were unhappy will probably take the time to write something on the site and the students who were really happy will also take the time to write something as well,” said FCC math professor, Laurel Blackerby-Slater, who received 45 reviews. “But then that middle group of students you won’t hear from. So I feel like the site will often portray the extreme opinions.” l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 03.06.2014

FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY In a crowded job market, where jobs are getting tougher and tougher to come by, some college students have turned to network marketing to make money but one Fresno City College business instructor questions whether network marketing is the the right decision for students. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in network marketing, also known as multi-level marketing, ‘individuals sell products to the public — often by word of mouth and direct sales. Typically, distributors earn commissions, not only for their own sales, but also for sales made by the people they recruit.” Some well-known companies that utilize a network marketing business model include Amway, Mary Kay and Vemma according to the Direct Selling Association, a trade association representing various direct selling companies. Art Hurtado, an off-and-on student at Willow International Center, started working as a distributor for a network marketing company called Wake Up Now this past October. He joined WUN because of what he says is their generous compensation plan. The high compensation possible was also a major attraction for Fresno State Junior Chris Lopez. “I heard other people’s success stories and of people making a lot of money that were the same age as me. It was kind of mind-blowing to me,” said Lopez, who joined WUN last May. When a someone chooses to become an Independent Business Owner for the company, according to WUN’s webpage, they can begin to promote the company and be paid a commission for the customers they bring in. According to WUN’s Compensation Plan, the more successful they are at driving up business for WUN, the more they are paid. According to the Income Disclosure on WUN’s webpage, compensation can range from a low of $600 monthly to a high of over $100,000 monthly for their top earners. However, in WUN’s income disclosure, less that one percent of distributors make more than $2,000 monthly. In addition, more than half are unable to earn anything at all. Cornell University student and network marketer Nikkolas Pena believes the numbers on WUN’s income disclosure are misrepresentative. “People go in with the wrong expectations,” Pena said. “A lot of people join and think they will just immediately be making money without putting in any work. It all depends on what you’re willing to put in.” Some students are also attracted to being able to make their own work schedules - which is especially attractive for students who often have limited time available to work. “Network marketing allows me to be my own boss [and] set my own hours . . .” Pena said in an email. Network marketing is not without risks, however. Network marketing requires an up-front investment on the part of distributor. If the

NEWS

BY RAZI SYED

Reporter Rsyed@therampageonline.com

INCOME NOT GUARANTEED ANYWHERE FROM PER

$600

distributor is unsuccessful in promoting the company, according to a report in USA Today, there is the risk that the distributor won’t be able to earn back their initial investment Bernard Liscano, FCC business instructor and faculty advisor to the CEO Club, believes that the sales pitches used to attract students to network marketing are misleading. “I believe it needs to be more clear what it is that the average person makes,” Liscano said. Students are generally attracted to the ease of entry and the flexible hours, but also need to be aware of the opportunity cost that network marketing entails, Liscano said. “Does this mean that they are not able to attend classes or study for exams because they are busy with their marketing?” Even more concerning, the FTC warns, “not all multilevel marketing plans are legitimate.” The FTC states that if the money you make is primarily from recruiting others to be distributors instead of from selling the product, the company may be a pyramid scheme. A pyramid scheme is an unsustainable business model where the money earned comes entirely from new recruits paying to become distributors for the company. In pyramid schemes, according to the FTC, nearly all people involved lose money. Liscano believes that students entering into a network marketing venture need to have a plan. “It is incumbent upon the student to establish - is this a short-term thing for me? Or is it something I want to make a career out of?” How, Liscano says students should ask themselves, will a network marketing venture help them arrive at their big picture goals? Liscano said the miniscule chance of success network marketing ventures generally offer make them poor opportunities. “Let me give you an analogy that is relevant to this situation,” Liscano says. “While we’ll see

$100,000 TO MONTH

advertisements saying ‘We have a fantastic deal on [a particular car model,]’ what they don’t tell you is that in the microprint it says, ‘We have this deal on one car only.’” He believes students would be better served by the stability of a job

which pays by the hour. “You will find on occasion a strong success story,” Liscano said, “but that is the exception, rather than the rule.”

l TWITTER.COM/RAZISYED

NEWS

03.06.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

DEBORAH BLUE

l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

SCCCD Chancellor Deborah Blue listens as the Board of Trustees votes on ammending her contract during a meeting at Reedley College, Tuesday, March 4, 2014. Photo/Darlene Wendels

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to Dr. Blue for her outstanding service to the district,” Patterson said. Though Blue and Patterson’s comments were positive, members of the community spoke out against her contract amendment. Among the comments made were criticisms of the process that the board members went through to amend the contract. “They’ve handled it in a way that creates problems in that they have not been forthcoming and identified what the issues really were. When you do that and you’re not explicit, you allow folks to speculate, to guess and arrive at their own conclusions,” James Hendricks of Fresno Compact said. Hendricks added that the district’s handling of the situation was not done in a way that was “credible”. According to Hendricks, the board members have “created a situation that is not good for the district, not good for the chancellor or the community.” Hendricks stated that the board members have not been decisive and criticised the members further by telling them directly that this situation was not the type to “play games with”. Fresno City College counselor Dr. Geraldine Santos supported Blue and stated that she deserved respect and dignity. “[Blue] has the right to respect and dignity just as you would expect. Don’t make a hasty decision just because you have the authority to do so,” Santos said. “Do not

behave like Russia against Crimea.” Santos addressed the board members and stated that the way they deal with these issues needs to change. She urged them to to reach out to their constituents and find out what they are thinking and feeling. Santos also explained that the board members will one day be in Blue’s position. “At the end of the day, you too have a day of judgment. You, too, have a day where we will decide if you get back in those offices and if you don’t do right now, we know you won’t do right in the future,” Santos said. While not all that extreme, Blue’s supporters message was constant. “I wanted to show my support for Dr. Blue,” said Dr. Brian Olowude, Director of Psychological Services for the district. “Who I feel has done a good job in leading our district in what has been a very difficult transition into a more modern district.” Olowude admits that he has not been in constant agreement, with the chancellor but felt it not his place to complain. “The decisions she had to make were not easy, many were not liked. I don’t even think I agreed with all of her decisions,” said Olowude. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t respect them.” And respect for her was a theme throughout all of her supporters, her race was also brought into the discussion, but quickly dismissed. “We are more concerned with the prospects of everyone being treated fairly and equally, more so than the ethnicity of it,” said Mel Sanders, Fresno chapter NAACP. “Although that may have something to do with it. It’s much more did they follow the proper protocol with whatever action that they decide to do.” Sanders was much more concerned with the process that the board took in reaching and announcing their decision. “When you deal with people that have the kind of authority that they have, you want to make sure that it is being applied properly,” said Sanders. Sanders has also begun looking a bit deeper to find if the board may have any other “missteps.” “Usually the State Center District flies under the radar, nobody pays attention,” said Sanders “But because of Dr. Blue and her affect on the community, the interest level has been raised.” l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN l TWITTER.COM/FORRESTP8

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 03.06.2014

FCC orchestra blossoms

A&E

BY DAVID THAMMMAVONGSA

Multimedia Reporter dthammavongsa@therampageonline.com

Conducted by Jeffrey Sandersier, The Fresno City College Community Orchestra performed one of its two spring 2014 semester concerts with pieces from 19th century romantic era composers on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The cool evening in late February marked the near end of winter and the Fresno Blossom Trail blooming “en masse.” The evening began with “Good Friday Spell from Parsifal” by Richard Wagner produced in 1882, a beautiful passage based on a 13th century epic poem “Parzival” by Wolfram von Eschenbach. Next on the program is Johann Strauss who wrote one of the best waltzes of the 19th century. “Spharenklange Walzer, Op. 235” written in 1868 opens with the plucking of strings building towards its main waltz theme. After the intermission was “Symphony D minor” by Cesar Franck written in 1888. The three-movement, 40 minute piece ended the evening in its upbeat and spectacular finale. “It was a great concert,” said John Morris, Concert Master. His newly acquired 1735 Italian violin has a warm and rich sound, letting him hear the first violinists behind him. One of those first violinists, Lianna Stuart, returned to the orchestra this semester. “The orchestra is very forgiving. Pretty much everyone’s an amateur with a few professionals in there, which helps keeps things up,” Stuart said. With 125 ticket sales attending the million-dollar auditorium, Darryl

Keith, a second violinist said, “We get the least amount of promotion ... the FCC orchestra is a very good orchestra.” Low ticket sales also lower morale among performers. “For me personally, I become a little apathetic as a performer. I mean, I still get into it and give it my all sometimes, but I'm not as exacting and if I make a mistake I’m not as upset,” said Stuart. Attendees are mostly friends, family, and a few supporters. Ben and Karen Shaver enjoyed going and thought the music was great. “I enjoyed the woodwinds with the clarinet and oboe together,” Ben said. “The horn was more featured this time, it was an exciting concert.” Bryan Goldman traveled from Livermore to atend the performance. Goldman hasn’t seen a show in several years and appreciates the time and effort the musicians put int to perform something excellent. “As long as I’m not working, I’ll be there,” he said. Despite such sparse support, all the listeners applauded the orchestra’s efforts and performance. The FCC Community Orchestra’s final performance of the semester will take place on April 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Old Administration Building Auditorium. Admission is $8 general admission and $6 for FCC students and seniors.

Jeffrey Sandersier conducts the Fresno City College Community Orchestra on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 during the FCC Community Orchestra Concert in the Old Administration Building Auditorium. Photo/David Thammavongsa l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

New Gary Soto play may come to FCC BY CRECENSIO RODRIGUEZ

Multimedia Reporter crodriguez@therampageonline.com

Fresno native and award-winning poet Gary Soto wants to bring his new musical that focuses on the challenges of undocumented teenagers to Fresno City College. The musical, “In and Out of Shadows,” tells approximately 60 stories from undocumented students, according to Emily Klion, director of the Marsh Youth Theater in San Francisco. Klion approached Soto to join her in making the musical a reality. Klion said that Soto, the son of Mexican immigrants, felt a bit hesitant to take part in the project as it touched a controversial topic. Soon after, Soto signed on to write the play. But Klion said he insisted that if the show were to ever go on the road the first stop should be his alma mater, FCC. Sean Henderson, Director of Student Activities at Fresno City College, received an email from Soto on Sunday, Feb. 9 informing him of Soto’s intentions to bring the performance to our campus. “It is my belief the definition of education is the never ending pursuit of the truth,” said Henderson, defending Soto’s intentions of bringing his performance to the college. Henderson believes performances like these are important here at Fresno City College. “They break down the

Jeffrey Sandersier, conductor of the Fresno City College Community Orchestra, takes a bow as the orchestra stands for applause during the FCC Community Orchestra Concert on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 in the Old Administration Building Auditorium. Photo/David Thammavongsa

walls of ignorance and spark dialogue on meaningful events” Henderson said. According to Henderson, Soto has asked local organizations for grant funding to produce the traveling play and will know by April if they are successful. If approved, the musical would be held in November 2014 in the FCC Main Stage Theatre. Should Soto’s performance make its way to our campus, “Students Without Borders” advisor Perry Angle said he would like for “FCC students to learn from the stories that the student performers bring with them.” Angle believes that music and theater are powerful ways to communicate, and he feels glad to hear that Fresno City College will possibly host a performance like Soto’s. Angle hopes students walk away with a deeper understanding of what “living in the shadows” means. Angle added that “Students Without Borders” strives to convey a similar message. He said, “I hope everyone takes away a more humane and compassionate view of people who live in the shadows.”

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&E ROGUE

03.06.2014

Chicano Writers & Artists Association Returns to Rogue BY LAUREN BAKER

Arts & Entertainment Editor/Art Director lbaker@therampageonline.com

l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

MOFO Party Band BY DESIREE ARANJO

Mulimedia Journalist daranjo@therampageonline.com

We may not be New Orleans, but Fresno’s Tower District sure can put on some great shows during the Rogue Festival! March 2 marked off the annual Mardi gras parade that filled the streets of Tower with festive people. With Rogue running all day long in different venues, the public was able to run around from the Mia Cuppa Cafe to the Tower Theatre and see a different performance. Tonight, I had the honor of watching all the local bands play in the Tower Theater! I walked into the theater not thinking anything major was going to be inside. Little did I know, I would be enjoying an enthusiastic performance by a wellknown band. One band that I was lucky enough to catch was the “MOFO’s Party Band”, who are not your typical rock or R&B group . These guys really know how to entertain their fans with their jazzy blues music. John Clifton, the lead singer and his brother Bill Clifton, the bassist, owned the stage creating a unique vibe. During their last song, Bill Clifton walked down into the crowd with a blazing a bass solo while John played his heart out with his harmonica solos. The way the band connected with their fans made them a standout group. There was a sense of equality all around. In-between songs, the band interacted with the fans by asking them questions and taking song resquests. Being able to enjoy great music inexpensively is something everyone can enjoy at the Rogue Festival. l TWITTER.COM/DJCOURTSIDE

Back for their fourth round of poetry readings and various other works at the 2014 Rogue Festival is the Chicano Writers and Artists Association from Fresno State University, who promise much of the same elements that made the Fresno Bee’s “7 Promising Picks” lineup last year. CWAA is a club from the Fresno State campus that produces a collection of Chicano art and literature in celebration of Chicano culture while striving to also bring awareness to it. CWAA member Monique Quintana states that the club is more than just an outlet for Chicano-friendly creativity. “ We[CWAA] strive to provide a place for voices to be heard that wouldn’t be heard otherwise, even if you’re not Chicano-Chicana identified. I feel that art and poetry is one of the best ways to express your politics and motivations for progress. That’s what separates us from your average poetryreadings; we bring multiple different perspectives together.” CWAA not only gathers the work of its own students and faculty, but anyone in the community willing to contribute. “I know that we have had readers that were previously published in the Fresno City College Rampage, so that is always something that FCC students can get involved in.” CWAA vice-president Cody Hoover said. “We would like more people from throughout the central valley to connect with us and join our group so we can continue this legacy of valley writers.” said Quintana in reference to the CWAA publication “Cockroaches and Flies.” If you are interested in being a part of next year’s CWAA lineup for the 2015 Rogue Festival, you are encouraged to add CWAA on Facebook(facebook. com/chicanowriters.fresnostate). The next reading is scheduled for Friday at 10:15 p.m. at the Spectrum Gallery for 5 Rogue-bucks, which will also be the final show of the season. The Spectrum Gallery is located on 608 E. Olive Avenue. To see ongoing coverage of the Rogue Festival, visit www.therampageonline.com l TWITTER.COM/ELBTHEHERO

Members of the MOFO Party Band (left to right) Brian Clifton, Grant Clifton and Bill Clifton end their performance with a riveting triple solo at the Tower Theatre on Monday, March 2, 2014. Photo/Desiree Aranjo

(From left to right) Mia Barraza Martinez, Cody Hoover, Kyle Hoover and Monique Quintana of the Chicano Writers and Artists Association discuss their lineup for Rogue Festival 2014 at Fresno State, Tuesday, March 4, 2014. CWAA will be reading creative works at Spectrum Gallery on Friday, March 7, 2014. Photo/Abel Cortez

R edesign Our Masthead! Are you an artist looking for ways to have your art exposed? Submit your redesign of the Rampage Masthead for our Special Arts Issue!

We’re looking for a new look for the masthead that appears at the top of the front page every issue. We’re open to all kinds of fun ideas, so be creative!

Submission Requirements: - Your full name and major - PDF format - 10 in. x 2.50 in. at 300 dpi - Submit by April 16, 2014 Submit here

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03.06.2014 Keep your hockeypants on...

Fortress of Fandom Batman vs. Bruce Wayne

BY LAUREN BAKER

BY JARRETT RAMONES

Arts & Entertainment Editor / Art Director lbaker@therampageonline.com

Multimedia Journalist jramones@therampageonline.com

t should be a known rule by now, that any argument that pairs anything against Batman is automatically moot, because nothing and no one can compare to Batman. It may as well be called the “Batman-Coefficient” because it’s that concrete a principle. It never fails. But what if he’s compared to..dare we say...Bruce Wayne? Will the coefficient still stand as one man against himself? I say it can. You see, Batman is more than just a character, he is an image. The embodiment of a principle that Bruce aspired to be in the name of justice, because he knew he couldn’t accomplish all that he wanted to do as merely himself. Granted, he isn’t helpless by any means as simply billionaire “Bruce Wayne”. But how could anyone take him seriously as a major business tycoon if they knew that most of that money was going towards various Batmobile models and the latest spyware technology? You wouldn’t have to flip a coin to bet that there would be no more Wayne Corp. funding if they knew the boss was zipping around the city dressed as a bat. But back to the main point: Bruce knew that the image he had created as the embodiment of heroism, justice, and moral duty was bigger than himself. He identified more as a dark knight than that of a billionaire playboy. But he didn’t keep it all to himself either. In Christopher Nolan’s film depictions, Wayne made a point of saying that “A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy’s shoulders to let him know the world hadn’t ended.” And it’s absolutely true, but that’s what makes Batman all the more special. He could be the average, every day Gothamite. But instead, it is a man who has completely dedicated his entire wealth to the protection of the innocent and keeping the wicked at bay when he easily could live a selfish life in luxury. While Batman and Bruce Wayne are physically the same person, they are in completely different planes mentally. In actuality, one could argue that there isn’t really a Bruce Wayne at all. It could easily be a Superman-Clark Kent situation where Bruce Wayne is truly the alter-ego for Batman. He works to fund the resources he needs to be Batman. You never see Batman taking a sick day because Bruce Wayne is needed at Wayne Corp. All

citizens to commute about the city at an affordable price. They stressed the importance of this train to Bruce as a child by using the train themselves instead of being driven via limo everywhere. So of course it is only rational that Batman blow up the transit system along with an entire city block causing millions of dollars of damages. He leveled a huge portion of the city just to kill one single bad guy. If Batman wasn’t around then who would protect the streets from the violent crimes Gotham is home to?! Well how about the police? Now I know one would immediately argue that the police are just as corrupt and money hungry as the mobsters who run the city; however, this is only true if Gotham remains in the terrible economic condition it is currently in. If Bruce took it upon himself to better fund the police department there would be no need for corruption. Just take a look at Superman’s hometown Metropolis, there is little to no police corruption present. The reason that Metropolis needs Superman is because no matter how honest or well funded the Metropolis police department is they are no way equipped to fight off alien invasions. Consider before Batman started fighting crime, there were no “super villains” running around in spandex with ultra-powerful super weapons just good old fashioned gangsters. Gotham needs Batman now because he inspired these super criminal antics, if he had just been an adult and used his money for the betterment of Gotham they could have shut down the original gangster’s operations slowly but completely. The truth is Batman is maladjusted sociopath who believes his parent’s death justifies his violent behavior. In the words of Mark Hamill’s animated series Joker, “..behind all the stern and batarangs, you’re just a little boy in a play suit crying for mommy and daddy. It’d be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.” Thomas and Martha Wayne fought for economic reform for the city every day— all while trying to instill a sense of moral rightness in young Bruce; however, the tragedy of their death twisted his sense of justice crippling his ability to develop passed an emotionally frustrated child. This does not give him the right to break the law, along with several thousand bones.

Graphic/Lauren Baker we ever see is a signal in the sky, and a cool, calm, collected Bruce exiting a board meeting before it’s over to “attend urgent business”. Anyone within Bruce Wayne’s intimate circle knows that he lives to be Batman. Being Batman, is a fate that both chose Bruce, and Bruce chose to do. He did not go to Crime Alley that fateful night looking for Joe Chill to shoot his parents Thomas and Martha Wayne, leaving him orphaned and vastly wealthy with only his faithful butler Alfred for company. It happened as so many horrific nights do, simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it was that night and that raw primal fear that a child should never have to endure that shaped and molded Bruce into Batman. Some would say that Bruce Wayne died alongside his parents that night in Crime Alley, and that Batman was resonating within him ever since, waiting to birthed. So the question remains: between Batman and Bruce Wayne, who is more valiant? It will always be Batman, because Batman is the life within the shell of Bruce Wayne. Batman is the one that’s alive and fighting the fight for those who cannot.

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efore we even begin let me just say, I love Batman—I mean how could I possibly not? He is literally everything I have wanted to be since I first ran around my childhood home with a towel around my neck. Batman rules. That said, Batman is in no way shape or form fit to dispense justice in Gotham city; in fact, he is a plague whose bloated sense of selfimportance demands that he rule Gotham as if in a military state. The truth is Batman could do much more long term good for Gotham if he dropped the crusading anti-hero act and used his billion dollar fortune to fund something other than excessive amounts of “Bat Shark Repellent”. “But Jarrett!” you protest, “Batman was born out of a justice system so corrupt no amount of money could possibly fix it!” I am so glad you mention this. First and foremost money, despite its root in evil, is an impossibly effective tool in advancing justice. He can afford to create social economic programs that would more quickly benefit mass amounts of Gothamites rather than staking out rooftops looking for criminals. Consider Bruce’s parents Thomas and Martha Wayne, they believed in giving back to their community; moreover, in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins” Thomas and Martha funded a railway system that would enable

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Have a question or a topic you want discussed? Send an email to lbaker@therampageonline.com -“Fortress of Fandom” is a seasonal series-

OPINION

03.06.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Campus GLOBAL PROTESTS FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY Voices BY RAMPAGE EDITORIAL BOARD editorial@therampageonline.com

“Aside from voting, how can students get politically involved?”

Brandy Stanlake Alcohol and Drug Treatment Counseling “Get a petition and take it to city hall.”

Taz Krull English “Educate yourself in politics.”

Rachel Goodmon Nursing “Make videos on YouTube about your political views.”

Josh Clore Business Administration “Try to buy stuff from small businesses.”

WRITTEN BY: JAMES CLARK PHOTOGRAPHED BY: ALEXIS CHAVEZ

Across the globe, violent uprisings ourous as glossed-over historical acand public revolts against oppressive counts will warrant. government forces spread like wildThe future of daily life for citizens fire. in countries like Ukraine and Syria will Despite the violence, these con- continue to be convoluted and chalflicts reflect the ultimate power of the lenging. people and the importance of standing As a 2013 Human Rights Watch rein support of these brave protesters- port states, “Those now in power face regardless of national boundaries. a daunting task: building rights-reRight now, citizens are dying, de- specting democracies that uphold the tained in prisons and shot with rubber rule of law and protect the rights of all bullets and pepper spray while build- citizens, even those who are unpopuings burn. lar and suppressed.” News reports capture the chaos It will be difficult for such countries and unknown futures of countries far to gain a stronger foothold on democfrom us. For these countries, the social racy after such violent conflicts, and and political stability of their home- all of their triumphs and tragedies will lands is crumbling. be open to observation from those of In Ukraine, more than 80 protest- us privileged enough to not be caught ers have been killed in a clash between in the crossfire. the government, its citizens who desire a change of power, and the Russian troops refusing to withdraw from the Crimean territories they invaded. Yet this Eastern European nation is not alone. Venezuelan protesters march while dozens of individuals are thrown in jail and over 15 people were killed in police clashes. In Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and other African countries, brave protesters condemn the ant i - h o m o s ex u a l i t y laws and the “witch hunts” heightening the criminality of being gay. Burma (Myanmar), Turkey, Bahrain and Thailand are also among this array of countries struggling with sociopolitical problems that only seem to grow in intensity. In the most privileged and insulated country on the Graphic/Jarrett Ramones planet, Americans are morally obligated to inform themWhile other countries struggle with selves about these terrors currently very real battles for democracy and spreading around the world. justice, Americans watch idly as these American movements such as Oc- events play out on our flat-screen, cupy Wall Street, beginning in 2011, high-definition TVs. exposed similar sentiments of frusWhat we need to be doing, however, tration and distrust in government is taking action by standing alongside that are currently being displayed in our struggling comrades. Ukraine, Turkey and many other counWhere has our bold, brave dream tries. of a future founded on equality and Yet what began as raw and genuine freedom gone? Where is our solidarity desire for change in the U.S. became with citizens who give their lives for a another example of complacency in dream of democracy? Do such rights our wealthy nation. only apply to those of us born AmeriSociopolitical revolutions never do can citizens? run smoothly, nor are they as glamIf we ever hope to embody the lofty

goals of our own Constitution, we must stand in opposition to these recent attempts at suppression of democracy and human rights. Much like the Occupy Wall Street movement, Arab Spring sparked hope in thousands of people watching the events unfold day by day. “Much of the excitement of the early days of protest has waned and frustration at the slow pace of change has set in,” the HRW report continues. Quite frankly, the future is murky for countries in the midst of change. Their battle is far from over. If North African and Middle Eastern countries are still deeply entrenched in conflicts following the Arab Spring, these current problems will persist. For Americans observing these dramatic, historical events transpiring before their very eyes, supporting protesters in both action and thought is crucial. Not having empathy or concern for the protesters and oppressed in such imperiled states is not only cruel, it is hypocritical. Flaunting American “dedication” to freedom while turning the other cheek to the suppression of inalienable rights - such as the right to vote, the right to speak freely, the right to make sociopolitical choices and the right to disagree with one’s government- is hugely contradictory. So what can you do to stand in alliance with all the brave people fighting the catalytic battles of our time? Write letters to your local government, to the White House, or voice your opinion in open forums. Speak with your friends and family and explain to them why these protests are worth their concern. But most importantly, continue to support democracy and the establishment of democratic societies. Remember that these battles being waged are not all for naught, that people are dying to bring freedom and political rights to their countries. Even in the Internet age, people are still being killed simply for refusing to surrender to oppression and for demanding democracy for their countries. And even from the safety and stability of your own American home, the least you can do is stand in support of the individuals who continue to fight for rights we’ve long since taken for granted. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 03.06.2014

OPINION

Should drugs be legalized to curb illegal trade?

drugs in the U.S. is redundant. Think of the country as a teenager. What happens when you tell that teenager not to do something? They walk right toward what you told them not to do. Ann Fordham of the International Drug Policy Consortium for the United Nations stated, in an article by The Guardian, that there is no longer a consensus on the international policy for dealing with drugs. “We are starting to see member states break with the consensus about how we should control drugs in the world. Punishment hasn’t worked. All the money spent on crop eradication hasn’t had the impact we would like to see,” Fordham said. Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, director of the Open Society Global Drug Policy Program, stated in the same article that human rights are also a factor. “Heavy reliance on law enforcement for controlling drugs is yielding a poor return on investment and leading to all kinds of terrible human rights abuses,” Malinowska-Sempruch said. “The withdrawal from the most repressive parts of the drug war has begun – locally, nationally and globally.” The international drug trade is a

monumental task to undertake but the go-to answer will never be more law enforcement or legislation. In order to take a step further in the battle, things need to change. Legalizing something would take the permission factor and rebellion out of the issue completely and make way for real progress. When you legalize the drugs, you eliminate the need for the black market selling them. Unfortunately, drugs will never be completely gone but the rate of drug use will greatly diminish once a competitive market is established. Legalization will bring the legal competitors into play, causing price wars and a shift in both supply and demand. Not to say that capitalism is flawless; this is the reality of the country that we live in. The drug cartels that are distributing the drugs will be forced to compete with legal dispensaries. The dispensaries would have the ability to provide safer methods of using drugs than the average method on the street would. The supply of the drugs will increase while the demand will potentially decrease. However, addiction is still a factor when it comes to drugs. Legalization would be a great tool in combatting this as well. If these black market drugs were legal, drug dens could be opened in conjunction with rehab centers to work on addiction. Natasha Maguder of CNN wrote an article on an establishment called InSite in Vancouver, British Columbia.

This establishment allows addicts to use drugs in a safe environment with medical staff on standby. The cost of this establishment, according to Maguder, is $3 million in Canadian taxes, but that for every dollar spent, four lives are saved, she added. Those lives are saved by the medical staff. Something such as a blown vein or a mistakenly used needle will not be as serious as it would be if the person were to be away from medical care. It provides more in-depth medical care for addicts in the future and saves money in the long run, according to Maguder. The medical staff is there to ensure that the addict does not hurt themselves and, in extreme cases, overdose. This type of establishment is not necessarily a permanent bandage, nor should it be. It is just another avenue that opens when drugs are legalized and things can be done to combat the drug trade at every possible curve. Treating this issue as life’s dirty little secret and hoping that laws will do the challenging work for us has not yet been effective and won’t be effective in the future. We need to legalize drugs, tax them and create places that give addicts the same standard of medical care that regular citizens get. Until the taboo of drug use ends, people are going to treat this act as if it needs to be done in the shadows where the cartels are waiting.

increased tax revenue and curbing the drug trade. People will just say it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Individuals would also say that in lieu of decreasing crime, you have more “legal crime.” People taking advantage of the new law to excessively use drugs in the public space of pedestrians that disagree with using only increases aggression within the public. It is a likely problem that will happen in a society that’s not ready to accept other people’s choices. Let’s take roll call for the hypothetical woman who yells out that we should “think of the children.” An article in the Denver Post addresses the problems that could happen nationwide. A school resource office in Mesa County has seen kids getting caught with as much as half an ounce of pot. Because of the changing social norm, the preteens are assuming that legalization means marijuana is acceptable and safe to use. In one situation, a school principal saw a bag of pot fall from a student’s pocket, and much like someone dropping their wallet, the student reached out to take his weed back. He didn’t realize that he was doing something wrong by violating school policies, or that there were disciplinary actions.

As we continue to look to Washington and Colorado as the small examples for our nation, we also notice the crimes that follow the legalization. In the first 4/20 celebration after the November law allowing marijuana use, there was a shooting that left two wounded at Denver’s Civic Center Park. As people were celebrating and having fun with like-minded attendees, a man, his dog and a woman were shot for unknown motives, as cited by the Associated Press. While we can pass this incident off as individuals ruining more freedom for others, what can we expect if the entire United States legalized drugs? Another reason legalizing is not a good option can be an increase in other forms of crime. Like the saying goes, “When one king has fallen, another will take his place.” This means people in the drug trade won’t just stop, shrug and hit the breaks. To sustain their business, drug peddlers will either be aggressive in preventing a bill from curbing their trade or just move on to a more dangerous drug that is “better” than the legal options. A system of legal sales only works if vendors sell what they’re supposed to, as pointed out by an article on the website Policy Mic called “6 Biggest Problems With Marijuana Legalization

According to Pot Supporters.” Some shops are not bothering with the strict labeling or packaging regulations that are needed for the products. Regulations also have little effect on the various nature of some drugs. Stronger or mixed variants of drugs are too much for officials to keep track of. The ease of mixing up legal, pre-approved drugs for sale with other types is scary, as vendors themselves control what’s sold with no one official to tell the difference. In an attempt to stop the drug trade in its tracks, much more potential problems are brought up. We have a society that isn’t ready for a change that huge. Colorado is a small scale example of what may happen to young children everywhere.

Graphic/Jarrett Ramones

PRO

BY KAITLIN REGAN

Managing Editor kregan@therampageonline.com

The U.S. needs to come up with a proactive way of dealing with the trade system. This does not mean banning drugs because we have already done that. What needs to happen is legalization. Re-banning or continuing to say that the fight is being won by banning

CON

BY VICTOR APARICIO

Production Manager vaparicio@therampageonline.com

It is human nature for people to have a knee-jerk reaction to change. With a big topic like the legalization of certain drugs, people tend not to play nice. Tell residents of a city that any drug, whether they know what it is or how harmful it is, is being legalized next year and watch them whine and moan that it’ll be damaging to society and encourages others to freely partake in a negative influence. You could fire back with theories that the laws have a positive effect like

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OPINION

03.06.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Student educational plans potentially save time, money in long run BY MARIA VARGAS

Reporter mvargas@therampageonline.com

As a college student, you always hear that typical phrase, “I can’t afford to eat out!” Or, “I’m always eating Top Ramen because I’m broke.” Similarly, new student education plans are being implemented this semester. This plan will not only allow you to save money, and time but it will also allow students to graduate in a timely manner. You’re a student, and saving time and money can be simpler than you think. Who wouldn’t want to have extra money in their pockets? If you don’t know, the plan

Youtube wars, Internet bickering: pick battles carefully

requires students to meet with their counselor to make a class plan based on a major, transfer plans and future courses. As a college student, it is very important to get in and get out of Fresno City College. Personally, I am focused on getting a bachelor’s degree. I wouldn’t want to spend any more time than I need to at FCC. It is important for me to transfer as soon as possible to get on with my career. If the SEP will allow me to graduate in a timely manner and allow me to save money by not taking classes that I don’t need, then I believe it is a great idea. Making an SEP appointment with your counselor can speed up the process to your graduation date. Often, too many students assume

BY YOLANDA GARZON

Reporter ygarzon@therampageonline.com

Socialization on the Internet has become a normal part of modern society. It is part of social media interaction, and in between these interactions, arguments become part of the conversations. Different sites such as YouTube and The Los Angeles Times have decided to feature a comments section allowing viewers or readers to leave their thoughts. Users’ thoughts, however, seem to be quite explicit about many subject matters.

that they need to take certain classes in order to graduate when it turns out that they took an unnecessary course. Take Yang Thao, for example, a sophomore at FCC. She thought that if she kept passing her classes, she’d be on the right track for graduation. “Students rely on their selfjudgment to see if they are on track or not,” Thao said. But if students just went off their own judgment, they can delay their graduation date. And who likes taking a class that they really didn’t need to take? The money used to pay for that unnecessary course could have been spent on a class that is a requirement. This mistake can easily be prevented when students attend their SEP appointment with their counselor.

Also, failing to reserve a spot will prevent students from registering for their Fall 2014 classes on time. Students at FCC who are not only a full-time student, but who also have a family and a job, may find it a hassle to have to come into the office to set up their SEP with a counselor. The best incentive: By having a SEP, they will be able to save time and money. Think about all the unnecessary courses you may be taking without a plan. Wouldn’t you rather save that cash and have it in your pocket? Wouldn’t you want to spend it on some food, or go shopping? Having an SEP can also save time. By not taking an unnecessary class, you can use that extra time that you were

about to use on taking that unnecessary class and use it at home or at work. The SEP will bring great change and will allow students to manage their time better at FCC. Personally, I think this is a great and beneficial change. But remember, students who fail to make an SEP appointment will lose priority in the system and will not be able to register for their Fall 2014 classes. Whether you are a parttime student or a full-time student here on campus, the SEP will benefit us all in the same way. It will help us graduate in a timely manner and help us save time and money. As a college student, who wouldn’t like that?

No matter the word usage, the message behind the arguments is simple - user one is right about the argument and user two is incorrect. Now, one must ask why someone would want to engage in a long debate with a stranger. What good does it do to argue if the person on the other side of the screen has their own opinion by which they stand and which they are likely to keep? Personally, I feel that if it is not constructive, such as how to improve the video or the article, then one should not leave a comment. Especially offensive comments, or comments that do not have any relation to the topic, should not be left. Yet you cannot help but browse through the comments when there is an advertisement on, or when the article is about a heated topic, and often you stumble upon a long argument. The comments posted in articles on The Los Angeles Times’ website spark a deeper debate compared to those on Justin Bieber’s YouTube channel. Here, viewers of different

ages, political backgrounds and social class fight with comment after comment on their political stance or on their disagreement with the latest decision the president has made. These online arguments have become a simple “I have to have the last word because I’m right and you are wrong.” The concept of respecting others’ opinions and letting them be has been forgotten. In a cartoon posted on Buzz Feed, a white bunny sitting in front of a laptop states that the reason that he argues so much online is because he wants to feel like a “big man.” Could it be that those who argue are merely looking for a self-esteem boost by picking a fight with someone they consider ignorant? If that is the case, then these fights are just to make a person feel better about themselves. In a 2011 article in The New York Times, writer Patricia Cohen says that the reason people argue is to win. The article also mentions that arguing helps reasoning. Of course it helps out in reasoning when it comes to making decisions on a po-

litical stance, but how does it help in arguing with someone over which pop star has a better song on the top 40 charts? Perhaps the real help in developing better reasoning is in what sites a comment is posted on. Therefore, the best thing to do when reading about politics or a new product is to have an unbiased state of mind. Though, in the end, it all comes down to who decides to be bigger person and chooses to ignore a faceless instigator. You save yourself time from the useless typing that you endure trying to convince someone that it is actually your opinion that’s correct. But to leave you with a final word of advice, the next time you do take the time to leave a comment that someone disagrees with, you could always reply back with “it’s my opinion, not yours.” For those that do choose to argue, choose your opponent wisely.

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THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 03.06.2014

SO, YOU WANT TO DATE AN ATHLETE?

OPINION

Helpful how to’s to help you make your move!

BY REBEKAH MADISON

Reporter rmadison@therampageonline.com

Some people would die if they were given the chance to date their athlete crush. I know I personally wouldn’t mind having NFL quarterback Cam Newton as my boyfriend. My life would be nothing but a glamorous dream come true. Whether your crush is an FCC athlete or on their way to going pro, you might want to know what you are getting yourself into before sending that direct message on Twitter. Just like any relationship, dating an athlete takes patience, good communication and trust. If your athlete babe is planning on going far in their sport, chances are

they are going to be pouring the majority of their time and energy into working out, eating, sleeping, competing, traveling and prioritizing their life around their sport. It’s not that they aren’t interested in pursuing a relationship with you, rather it’s that their biggest priority is going to be their sport. So when they do have free time, you have to keep your expectations low. Most of the time, athletes are going to want to do nothing but chill with you instead of going out and partying the night away. It’s going to be very important to already have a healthy lifestyle and optimistic outlook on life before going after that certain player. Eating fast food for every meal, pigging out on the couch, getting “turnt up” on the weekend or gossiping about people aren’t going to be attractive qualities to a serious athlete. They need to focus on improving, so if your lifestyle is going to bring them down it’s not going to be very compatible. Some simple ways you can do that is by learning how to cook healthy meals, being independent enough to take care of yourself and making sure you get enough hours of sleep. Also, athletes will never turn down a good massage! Having a strong and physically fit body is very important in reaching an athlete’s fullest potential, but having a positive mind is equally as important.

Graphic/Lauren Baker If you want to start dating that basketball player, then building their confidence and having faith through the rough times is a must. A negative mind will never give you a positive life. Athletes are already used to getting hard criticism from their coaches and from themselves in times of failure, so it’s important to be supportive and encouraging. Athletes are extremely competitive, so after a game you cannot expect them to drown you with affection. If they had a huge loss at their last competition, you have to be willing to give them space and not take it personally. It’s important that you try to research and understand their sport so you can put yourself in their shoes.

If you can’t stand talking about that sport 24/7, then maybe you only like the idea of dating an athlete. As you can see, dating an athlete might not be as glamorous as it’s made out to be. We live in a superficial world that worships a person’s status rather than the motives of their heart. I’m not saying that athletes don’t have good hearts, but there’s so much more to dating than the label you give your future lovers. Get to know a person’s heart and values when it comes to dating. If they happen to be an athlete, well, then you can thank me later for the advice. l TWITTER.COM/REBEKAHRMADISON

FCC faculty: take responsibility too BY JARRETT RAMONES

Reporter jramones@therampageonline.com

For the first issue of the Rampage this semester, I wrote a news story on student safety and the way in which the administration is hoping to improve the security system. I am a first-time reporter and while I am grateful that my editors trusted me with a fairly important story, I have been reeling ever since the dross that was that story ran. During the process of writing that story, I was so intent on making sure I met the deadline that I forgot the whole reason I wanted to write the story in the first place: to get answers from the administration for the failing security system that they have put into place. Instead, I allowed myself to accept every answer that the administration threw at me. No one wants to be blamed for the failings of such an important system,

but the amount of excuses produced is unreasonable. The safety of the students and staff is far too important to be dismissed with classic lines such as, “students need to take responsibility to be informed.” How can students hope to inform themselves when the information they look to for guidance is unreliable? In any of the places one would expect to find emergency procedures, answers can hardly be found. I had to read in detail the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report for 20122013 and I found the information presented in the packet to be underwhelming. There were no procedures for what to do in the event of an emergency, just loose definitions of what qualifies as an emergency: a fire, earthquake or violence. If a person cannot recognize that a fire is dangerous, then I’m not sure what they are doing in college in the first place. I looked to other places that I might find the safety procedures: a link from the school website and the emergency procedure pamphlets that are posted in every classroom. I found that these definitions contradicted each other. There was no clear answer on what to do in the event of an emergency, so I spoke with Fresno City College Presi-

dent Tony Cantu and Vice President of Administrative Services Cheryl Sullivan. When I asked about the lack of a single set of emergency procedure definitions, they happily produced a brand new poster with such definitions that was sitting rolled up in the back of the office. They told me that the posters are mostly ready and that they are just cleaning up the typos. It has been a month since then and there is no sign of these posters anywhere on campus. I know that there is only so much that can be improved in a short amount of time. It seems, though, that so much more could be done if someone in administration would step up and improve the way in which emergencies are handled. Take, for example, the bomb threat that happened on Jan. 22. The Science Building was surrounded with caution tape, a few classes were cancelled, but that was it. If someone is threatening to blow up a building on a crowded campus, perhaps the entire school should be on alert rather than just that single building. Once while I was still in high school, the campus was similarly threatened by a bomb; the school’s response, how-

ever, was not caution tape. The school was shut down so quickly that not even the media knew about the situation until every student was removed from campus. Of course, FCC’s administration does not want to see students hurt, but their main priority, it seems, is saving face and improving public opinion of the campus. Students can’t even rely on our student government to effectively mediate concerns between them and administration, as the walking Pez dispensers known as Associated Student Government officers only exist to serve the administration. This piece, I suppose, is an apology to the students who read the safety article I wrote. I’m sorry I misinformed you. It was my responsibility to get the facts behind what precautions are being made to ensure our safety and I regurgitated the people-pleasing answers of a public image-concerned administration. In light of this, I urge any who read this to avoid following in my footsteps. Do not accept dismissive answers to questions that concern you. Demand answers to your questions because, despite what my original safety article said, there are more improvements that need to be made then have been. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE

SPORTS

03.06.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

RAMS EARN FIRST PLAYOFF WIN OF THE SEASON

FCC women’s basketball head coach Brian Tessler earns 200th Victory at FCC

Keyora Wharry (3) of Fresno City College moves the ball up against Laney College foward Bridgett Brewer (25), Saturday, March 1, 2014. Photo /Abel Cortez

Tessler BY KEAUNDREY CLARK

Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com

For some time, Fresno City women’s basketball Head Coach Brian Tessler had been the winningest coach in FCC history with a record of 200 - 35 and 73-1 in the Central Valley Conference. In 2011 he won the most games at FCC, passing Chuck Stark who had won 132 games in the early 1980s. Tessler credits his success to having players from the San Joaquin Valley play for him in his 17 years of coaching. “At this level is so important to develop a group a kids in a situation where they can be successful, watch them move on,” said Tessler Tessler stated that he is surprised that people bring up his statistics. He attributes his success to coaching local players. “I’ve always felt like I could have success with local players. Winning with players from the San Joaquin Valley has been big for our program. That’s one thing we pride ourselves on here,” said Tessler. All the players from this year’s team are from the valley. Elbria Wooley, Kaylor Kovacevich and Breona Minor all came from Bullard. Keyora Wharry came from Edison. Leslie Ahlenslager, Chay Coffman, Nina Gregory, Ali Orlich and Kristy Savanpanyadeth all attended a school in Clovis. Dominique Pilkinton, Jenae Alcantar and Diana Corona from Monache (Porterville) and Breanna Torres from Madera. “I know these kids, they know me, they know what to expect when they came to play here at FCC.” said Tessler Tessler took these athletes from the community and gave them a basketball product they could be proud of night in and night out, and is on the verge of another final four and maybe a state title.

“I’ll look at my accomplishments when its all said and done, but for me its about the players I’ve coached in my 17 years ,and the relationships I’ve built throughout time.” said Tessler Tessler’s conference winning streak was snapped earlier in the season when FCC lost to Merced College. It shows how dominant he has been in 17 seasons in the Central Valley Conference with 10 seasons at Reedley College and 7 at FCC. He has won 7 straight CVC league titles. He’s also won more than 30 games: 3 out of his 7 years here and more than 20 games each year he has been at FCC. The Rams continued their dominance this season with a 26 - 3 record, going 11-1 in the Central Valley Conference. “Our ability to overcome adversity early on in the season, losing to Merced, then getting to the hardest part of the schedule,” said Tessler. “Playing about a 10 game stretch against top ranked teams. Thats the make-up of this years team. Tessler got his 200th win at FCC on March 1, 2014. A date he will always remember, not because he passed the milestone, but because he did it his way with players from an area that is greatly underrated. He turned players that might have been overlooked into champions on and off the court. Tessler looks to make this his fourth final four appearance in six years with the Rams, a feat that has never been done. l TWITTER.COM/SLOCUM13

Playoffs

BY KEAUNDREY CLARK

Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College Womens Basketball team had another dominant season going 26 - 3 overall and 11-1 in Central Valley Conference play to capture their seventh straight conference championship.

They finished as the No.2 team in the state. They are entering the state playoffs as the No.2 seed and are looking to get back to the final four as they did last year, but they were beaten by Mt. San Antonio. This year’s team was led by Sophomore guard/forward Keyora Wherry, who was the conference and NorCal player of the year. She averaged 24 points per game and 13 rebounds a game. Sophomore guard Nina Gregory was 3rd team All-State. Head Coach Brian Tessler was named CoCoach of the Year. FCC opened up their playoff run against Laney College. Coach Tessler was nervous before the start of the game noting, “I’m always nervous before a big game. Foothill has some good players who can make plays out on the court.” Laney come out ready to play in a packed gymnasium at FCC. The Rams opened the game attacking Laney and getting to the free throw line with 34 attempts, successfully converting 25 of them. The first half was dominated by Wharry as she scored 18 points. Wharry finished the game with 32 points and 14 rebounds. With a 49 - 27 halftime lead, FCC came out sluggish and lacking as Laney’s Madison Mills hit a 3-pointer that pulled the Eagles to a 54-40 deficit with about 15 minutes left in the game. “We came out and didn’t play well in the second half. [In the] next game we have to keep the pressure for a full 40 minutes,” said Wharry. Tessler could not explain why FCC came out “so flat” in the second half and stated that the team has done that in four of the last five games. “If we get a big lead, we have to be able to make shots to put the game out of reach.” said Tessler. FCC went close to six minutes in the early second half before sophomore Ali Orlich came off the bench and stopped Laney’s early second half run with a corner 3-point-

er. Laney tried to make a late effort to get back into the game when Orlich hit huge a 3-pointer with 6:04. Orlich finished with three 3-pointers, scoring 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. “Aly never takes anything lightly, and in the second half she was the key to that game. She didn’t let the lead get any tighter,” said Tessler City kept the pressure on Laney all night forcing 35 turnovers. All - Conference guard Dominique Pilkinton was the only other Rams player in double figures with 10 points “Its exciting,to be here and get another playoff victory.

We shared this win with the freshman, its a good experience for them. It was good to get this win today,” said Pilkinton Wharry also became the first female player in FCC history to score more than 700 points in a single season. FCC will face Solano College (26-4, 16-0) on Wednesday March 5, at Fresno City’s gymnasium “Solano is a really talented team that went undefeated in their conference and when getting deep into the playoffs every game will be tough,” said Tessler. l TWITTER.COM/SLOCUM13

Fresno City College guard Ali Orlich shoots a 3-pointer during the second half of the game against Laney college of Oakland, Saturday, March 1, 2014. Photo/Abel Cortez

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 03.06.2014

SPORTS

Men’s basketball to advance to NorCal quarterfinal

Rams win close call against Foothill

“For our sophomores and our program it was a great win, I have a lot of respect with Foothill College. We played hard, we had to earn this win tonight, and that’s the point of playoff basketball,” said Madec after the win. FCC will face N0.7 Cosumnes River (23-8, 10-4) in the Norcal Regional Quarterfinals May 5 at FCC Gymnasium. l TWITTER.COM/SLOCUM13

FCC Mens Basketball 12 Straight CVC titles

2001-2002 27 -7 13-1 Sweet Sixteen 2002-2003 38-2 13-1 State Champs Runner up 2003-2004 28-2 13-1 2 Rd Chris Ashanti of Fresno City College (21) attempts a free throw against Foothill College, Saturday, March 1, 2014 in the FCC Gymnasium. Photo/Abel Cortez BY KEAUNDREY CLARK

Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com

The Fresno City College men’s basketball team continued their dominance this season, finishing with a 28-2 overall record: 10-2 in Central Valley Conference going on a 20 game winning streak during the season. FCC won their 12th straight CVC title. They were led by co-players of the Year, sophomore guards Chris Ashanti and Rich Tesmer. Head Coach Ed Madec received coach of the year. FCC will open the playoffs as the No. 2 seed; they will face Foothill College. FCC is looking to avenge the early exit from the state playoffs last season when they were knocked out last season by 15th seed Merritt College 100 - 83. “We know we can’t take this team lightly, last year FCC went through it and got bounced out of the playoffs in the first round,” said freshman guard Dejon Burdeaux. “The season was a shock, I know the program has a

history of winning. Coming here as a freshman is paying off. We’ve become a brotherhood, bonding throughout the season, we see each other as brothers. The three sophomores have taken us in like family,” said Burdeaux. The FCC Rams played in front of their biggest crowd of the season. They opened up their playoff run with a battle against Foothill and head coach Matt Stanley, who Coach Madec has a great relationship with. “Foothill is a great team that’s getting better every game. Stanley and I have a great relationship and he will have this team ready to play,” said Madec. “Every team in the playoffs is tough, there is reason they are playing,” said Madec. Foothill came to play against FCC, they played the Rams too tough. The game opened up with a Colton Hafey three and an alley-oop pass to Brian Chambers who laid it up to give FCC an early 5-4 lead. Despite the hot start by the Rams in a packed gym, Foot-

hill made 11-4 for run capped off by a 3-pointer by Kyle Toth of Foothill. Madec called timeout and subbed in Richie Tesmer who made three big plays in the first half, a 3-pointer to stop Foothill from gaining a bigger lead on them, a layup to get the deficit to 2 before

“This win was huge for our sophomores. I’m proud of our team tonight. If we come out hard next game like we did for the final four minuets of this game, we should win by 20 points ” -Ed Madec

the half, and a big steal and pass to Chris Ashanti who tied

the game before half with a layup. The game went into halftime 30-30. Coming out of the half, FCC chose to attack the Owls and got to the free throw line for 28 attempts, converting 22 of them. Burdeaux came through going 12-13 from the free throw line finishing the game with 18 points which also led the Rams on the night. “Dejon has been big all season, directing our offense. He’s our clock guy and we trust with the ball in his hands,” said Madec. Foothill and FCC battled throughout the second half as Foothill took a 47-41 over the Rams with 11:30 left to play. They switched to a full court pressure which allowed for opportunities to get steals. FCC capitalized as they fought back to a 47-46 game. After 4 straight points from Burdeaux, the Rams only trailed by 1. They went to a full court press Rich Tesmer came up with the steal and took it in for a layup that made the game a 57-56 rams with 3:35, and they never looked back.

2004-2005 34-0 14-0 State Camps 2005-2006 33-6 13-1 Final Four 2006-2007 32-8 12-2 State Champs 2007-2008 30-8 12-2 Elite Eight 2008-2009 34-1 12-0 Elite Eight 2009-2010 24-7 11-1 Sweet Sixteen 2010-2011 31-3 12-0 Final Four 2011-2012 33-3 12-0 State Champs 2012-2013 24-7 12-0 2 Rd 2013-2014 28-2 11-1 ???????????

PORTS

03.06.2014

THE RISE OF JENNA THOMASON BY REBEKAH MADISON

Reporter rmadison@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College foward Jenna Thomason on Oct. 2, 2012. Thomason will be playing for Fresno Pacific University in the Fall of 2014. Photo/Abel Cortez

Jenna Thomason is an AllStar forward for the Fresno City College soccer team and has been a Ram for the past two years. Thomason was the Central Valley Conference most valuable player this year and has recently committed to play for Fresno Pacific University in fall, 2014. Jenna was a star at Bullard high were she won a valley title, and advanced to a state playoff birth. She was a Bee All-Star. Jenna was 1st team AllAmerican, scored 22 goals this past fall, and added 5 assists. She was one of the leaders of a 18-2-3 FCC soccer team that was ranked No.1 in NorCal, No.2 in the whole state and as high as No.8 in the entire country. Head Coach Oliver Germond on how dominant of a player Jenna has been in her 2 season at FCC “Jenna is amazing, she is a goal scorer and also very unselfish in many ways to help set up her teammates. She makes a big difference on our team because she is so calm on the ball and teams struggle to mark her because of her size (6’1) and her speed. In the playoffs she was

covered well so the rest of the team needed to step up. That’s what happened vs Taft in our last regular match. They double teamed her every time she received the ball but we were able to still score 5 goals” saod Germond. Thomason has been playing soccer since kindergarten and much of her inspiration for the sport has been her three older brothers. “They have always watched out for me and expect a lot,” said Thomason. Before a game the star player listens to “Pocket Full of Sunshine” to get pumped up, which fits the spunky athlete’s personality perfectly. You can’t help but smile and feel good about yourself after talking to her. “During the season I really try to keep it on the healthy side,” said Thomason. “Every night before game day Coach will make chicken and rigatoni pasta with salad which I love.” said Thomason When she’s not playing soccer or studying for school you can find Thomason hanging out with friends or hunting. She also loves country music and would score one hundred goals if Luke Bryan ever came to one of her games.

lTWITTER.COM/RMADISON

Jenna

Thomason

2013 Central Valley Conference Playeer of the Year Led FCC with 22 Goals in 2013 First Team All-American in 2013 by NSCAA/ Continental Tire Junior College Went 18-2-3 in her final season Helped Lead FCC to its 6 straight CVC title Finish No.1 in NorCal No. 2 in California and as high as No.8 in the country