SEP maps goals
AMPAGE Volume CXXVI Issue 1
FREE
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February 5, 2014
The Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College
WORK IN PROGRESS
Administration looks to improve emergency information systems
BY CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ
Reporter crodriguez@therampageonline.com
SCCCD Communications Dispatcher Christopher Hornsby monitors campus activity at the District Police Office on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Photo/Darlene Wendels BY JARRETT RAMONES
Reporter jramones@therampageonline.com
In campus parking lot E a shooting took place on Oct. 14, 2013. Students and staff were left scrambling for answers, but due to a lack of communication, found none. Administration stated that action would be taken against this major gap of communication, promising that the system which students rely on for safety would improve. On the morning of Jan. 22, 2014, the Math and Science Building became the target of a bomb threat. This threat raised the question: how has Fresno City College’s emergency procedures improved since October? “...the communication that went out to all the classrooms worked a lot better than it did initially in October,” said FCC President Tony Cantu. “Initially the information only went out to the math, science, and engineering faculty because they were the ones most affected by this, but as we
Sergio Romo at OAB
learned more the message went out campus-wide.” Students and staff were informed of the threat in a much timelier manner than they were of last October’s shooting. This is not to say that the updates to the system are without its faults. There is still some confusion on how to access the 1st2Know system. “Where you state the wireless carrier, people were putting their phone numbers so then it makes it completely invalid because when you’re sending an email to a cellphone it is not as simple as sending a text message, it has to have an address attached to it,” said Associated Student Government President Edward James. “So that’s where a lot of the errors were coming from in the 1st2Know system.” Administration, while aware of the system’s faults, is apparently hopeful in the improvements within the system. “We are still having some issues
Inside
What’s
New guidelines in educational planning will affect when Fresno City College students are able to register for classes. Effective summer and fall of 2014, FCC students without a student education plan will receive later registration dates than those students with SEP’s. According to FCC Matriculation Coordinator and Counselor Renee Craig-Marius, an SEP assists the student in clarifying and understanding what it takes to reach their educational goal, as well as the course of study for their major. The SEP outlines and maps out all the courses they need in order to complete their educational goals whether it is for transfer, a certificate, an associate’s degree or if they just need to update their skills. “It is a roadmap,” said CraigMarius. “Students must know where they want to go and know how they want to achieve their goals.” To be eligible for an SEP, students must have completed less than 30 units and not have any registration holds for probation, disqualification, or continuing probation per board policy. Students must also have not attended any other colleges in order to be eligible for a student education plan. The Student Success Act of 2012, or Senate Bill 1456, is the reason many counselors have pushed to get students to complete an SEP. The guiding principle of SB 1456 is that student success is the responsibility of the institution and the student, supported by well-coordinated, evidence-based student and instructional services to foster academic success. FCC counselors have held twohour workshops that are designed to assist new students to learn about college procedures and resources, as well as the important nature of dates and deadlines. l SEE PLAN ON PAGE 2
with the 1st2Know,” Cantu said. “Some people got them at different times, some people didn’t get them at all, some the next day. Campus police is working on trying to resolve that.” In consideration of the existing gaps in the 1st2Know system, the administration took certain measures. “We did wind up sending an email, not the 1st2Know, but the [student] email to all students because our student trustee came by. The public information [office], had indicated that there were individuals who did not receive the text message and had signed up for it,” said Cantu. Concerns regarding the students who are not receiving the alerts are being further addressed. “The police department gets a list everyday of actively-enrolled students and they populate that list into the system, and it goes through and determines who is getting a text and who is not getting a text,” said FCC Vice President of Administration l SEE SAFETY ON PAGE 4
Sarah Chang returns
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NEWS
Rampage Staff Editor-in-Chief Jordan Russell 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 Colton Tracey Loren Daniels Photojournalists Abel Cortez Akinye Chatmon Alexis Chavez Maria Vargas Multimedia Journalists Desiree Aranjo Rebekah Madison Jarett Ramones Kenneth Rasmussen Cresencio Rodriguez David Thammavongsa Business Manager Syndey 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
02.05.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM
An opportunity for honor BY RAZI SYED
Reporter rsyed@therampageonline.com
The Leon S. Peters Honors Program is now allowing students in good academic standing to enroll in honors classes without being officially enrolled in the program. Students who have a GPA of 3.3 or higher and are either eligible to take English 1A or have completed it, can enroll in open honors classes, and upon successful completion have the possibility of gaining official admission to the program. There is also one new honors class being offered this semester, History 12 Honors, which covers “political, social and economic development since Reconstruction,” according the the Fresno City College website. According to Honors Program Coordinator Michael Roberts, an email was sent out in December inviting eligible students to enroll in open honors classes. Roberts estimates that roughly 30 to 40 students have taken advantage of the opportunity. “The [Honors Program classes] will have a class with the same curriculum, but the classes will go much more in depth,” according to political science instructor Dr. Sarbjit Johal. “There is much more writing involved in the honors classes.” Dr. Johal teaches both the honors and non-honors Political Science 2 courses, which cover the various institutions that make up the American government. One of the benefits of the Honors Program, Roberts said, is the smaller class sizes. “My class has 35 students right now, and that is the largest . . . but most classes are capped at 25 students.” Roberts explained that because of small classes sizes, “there is significantly more personal attention
[in the Honors Program.]” arship will take a holistic approach to Other advantages include having evaluating students based on work, a counselor dedicated exclusively for volunteering, and other extra-curricHonors Program students. The Hon- ular activities, but Roberts says the ors Counselor will advise students on main factor is the student’s academic the requirements for transferring to performance. a four-year college, as well as how to Students who meet the minimum take advantage of the Transfer Admis- requirements and are interested in sion Guarantee program. enrolling will need to contact Michael Transfer Admission Guarantee, Roberts or Honors Counselor Forouz or TAG, is a program which allows stu- Radnejad to receive permission. dents to “receive early review of their However, the biggest advantage academic records, early admission offered to prospective students, acnotification and specific guidance cording to Dr. Johal, is that “students about major preparation and general have the opportunity to challenge education coursework.” themselves.” Students in the TAG program can l TWITTER.COM/RAZISYED receive a guarantee of admission to a participating University of California campus provided they maintain a certain GPA and complete particular prerequisite classes required for their major. Of the 9 UC campuses that admit undergraduate students, 7 participate in the TAG program. Students enrolled in the Honors Program may also apply for the The Leon S. Peters Honors Scholarship, which awards the top 25 students participating in the program with a $1,000 scholarship. Michael Roberts, coordinator of the Fresno City College T h e m i n i - Honors Program, grades papers during his office hours mum GPA to apply on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014. Students that have a grade for the scholarship point average of 3.3 or above are eligible for the Honors is a 3.5. The schol- Program. Photo/Abel Cortez
Plan she said. Courtnee Hulsey, a third-year Carmen Lopez, a social work ma- graphic design major who plans to jor, attended an SEP workshop where transfer to Fresno State, said she heard she was assisted by the counselors and about the SEP workshops through her found out that she had been taking friends, as well as from the emails that classes that she did not need. were sent out to students. “I didn’t want to be the last one “[The SEP] will help me stay on to register for the leftover classes,” track and know what courses I need to take and what I need to take care of,” said Hulsey. Students will then complete a comprehensive student educational plan when they have a clear understanding of what direction they want their studies to head. New and continuing students who are unsure of their educaTarra Molineux (left), a dental hygiene major, receives guid- tional goals can ance for her student education plan from Fresno City College create abbrevicounselor Janine Gonzales onTuesday, Feb. 4, 2014 students ated SEP’s with the assistance of have until Feb 28 to have a SEP. Photo/Abel Cortez l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
a counselor. Notifications about SEP’s have been sent out through email, and flyers have been posted all over campus. FCC students are also in on the effort to get the word out about the SEP. Students in marketing and videography, as well as Associated Student Government members, have collaborated with Student Services to produce f lyers, posters and video that will help students know more about the SEP. However, counselors claim that this type of publicity is not enough to properly inform students about the SEP’s. Students must meet with a counselor in order to receive proper guidance. Students who belong to any special programs such as Disabled Students Program and Services, Extended Opportunities Programs and Services, athletics, Health Sciences Majors, Learning Communities and Honors should meet with their respective counselors to complete the SEP. The deadline to complete an SEP is Feb. 28, 2014.
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THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 02.05.2014
NEWS
FCC CLUB FIGHTS TO END DEPORTATIONS
BY CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ
Reporter crodriguez@therampageonline.com
The number of undocumented immigrants deported under President Obama is expected to reach 2 million this year, according to a study done by the University of California, Merced. Students Without Borders, a Fresno City College club, has joined the fight to end all deportations in the United States and send a message to the Obama administration that enough is enough. Students Without Borders has partnered with local organizations to bring information about new laws and current programs that benefit the immigrant community. In cooperation with Fresno Immigrant Youth in Action and the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance, a demonstration took place outside the Fresno County Jail on Dec. 23, 2013 and led jail officials to momentarily shut down the county jail. Addressing the high number of deportations has been a top priority for many of the immigrant rights groups in the United States in the recent months. While demonstrations similar to this one have taken place elsewhere in the country, this remains the first of its kind in Fresno. Two ladders were placed on M Street in Downtown Fresno which blocked the exit from the county jail. Between both ladders, a banner hanged that read, “Sheriff Mims, Fresno’s Deporter in chief.” Luis Ojeda, a central California organizer for California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance and member
of Fresno Immigrant Youth in Action, was among the individuals who locked themselves to ladders in front of the county jail. “We were trying to send a strong message to president Obama and Fresno County Sheriff Mims that it’s time to stop deportations,” said Ojeda. A removal or deportation process begins when undocumented individuals are arrested for a crime by local law enforcement and are placed on an immigration hold. Immigration officials then transfer them to detention facilities where the deportation takes place. Since Fresno county does not have a detention facility, Ojeda’s strategy was to go where the removal process begins, which is at the county jail, and make sure that Sheriff Mims understands that the community isn’t going to stand for one more deportation. “Not One More,” a chant all too familiar among the anti-deportation campaign, was one of many that were yelled outside the jail. “Not One More is a phrase that basically says that we are about to approach 2 million deportations under president Obama” said Ojeda. “For the immigrant community it’s really about making sure we do what we can to stop all deportations from happening and say that enough is enough.” Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the TRUST Act on Oct. 5, 2013, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2014. The TRUST Act, or Assembly Bill 4, limits cooperation between local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “I would like to see the sheriffs
department to comply with the TRUST Act” said Angel Lopez, former president of Students Without Borders. In a press release, Sheriff Mims made public that the Fresno County Sheriff ’s department would comply with the TRUST Act, but will continue to communicate with ICE. “I believe everyone is entitled to equal human rights” said Yesenia Valdez, an FCC student who also took part in the demonstration. Despite not being undocumented, Valdez argues that people should not be labeled and says that she feels the need to help in any way possible. “I would like the president to
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expand deferred action to all immigrants,” she said. Ojeda argues that it is important to maintain a relationship with Students Without Borders so that FCC students become aware of issues and are encouraged to become more active in their community. “I think it is absolutely critical that we raise awareness around Fresno City College” said Ojeda, “so that folks who are coming here as students understand that being undocumented and being a student is not something that they’re experiencing alone.” l TWITTER.COM/CRES_GUEZ
Angel Lopez, left, and Luis Ojeda, right, members of the Fresno City College club Students Without Borders, interact with students at the club’s booth in the Fresno City College Mall for the first club rush of the Spring semester on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014. The club is dedicated to advocating for immigrant rights. Photo/Cresencio Rodriguez
ASG focused on communication BY DAVID THAMMAVONGSA
Reporter dthammavongsa@therampageonline.com
The spring 2014 semester brings new and previous projects for the returning representatives of the Associated Student Government. They will vote in new senators and bring new faces to the organization. Senator Melissa Lopez made an early effort to forgive ASG book loans
this semester. “We’re working on possible scholarships, we just need to assess our financial condition,” said ASG President Edward James. President James began the second semester of his term establishing a new transportation committee, which will address the prominent issue of the lack of student parking on campus. “If we get people actually car-
Associated Student Government President Edward James interviews Toni Sandoval for a senate position in the ASG Office on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014. Photo/David Thammavongsa
pooling to school that would help solve a few problems,” said James. The previous ASG president, Monique Reyna, established the committee which is now led by Senator Matt Shubin. “Carpooling is one main idea, but the focus of the committee will be determined as the meetings progress,” said James. The focus for the communications committee is figuring out the logistics for Health Day. “There’s a blood drive on Feb. 6. We’re going to couple our resources with that and inform students about the nursing center and psych services,” said James, “so just all health services on campus.” ASG is also trying to inform students of the new student education plans, new requirements for students to gain a sooner registration date than students who do not complete their SEP’s. “We’re really trying to get the word out on that. They have to be fully matriculated … completing the SEP, do the online orientation and either having your basic skill requirement met or have taken the placement tests,” said President James. “So I highly encourage our senators as well as our e-board members as far as presenting it in their classrooms.” Students can make an appointment either in person or online. “The
cut off date is the 28th, we really really need to get on that. That will be the main focus of club rush for us.” Said James. Another big change coming soon are the designated smoking areas. “There’s going to be a task force, because all of the decisions have already been made, we just need to make the purchases, and Daniel Melchor is in control of that process, so of course he will be working with the appropriate officers to either get the communications out, get the purchases made or relaying the information to the campus facilities committee if needed.” Throughout the semester, ASG also organizes traditional events such as Ramdoggie and Ram Slam at the end of the semester.” A strong component ASG wants to focus on is their communication. “Communications is a huge thing…all of this takes communication to actually achieve the goal,” said James. “To me communications is connecting with our students, informing them what services we have on campus.” I think we did a decent job of that last semester, better than prior years and Sean Henderson actually attested to that as well. We want to carry that momentum over and do an even better job this year.”
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NEWS
02.05.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM
SAFETY
l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
SCCCD police cars parked behind the District Police Office on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014. Photo/Darlene Wendels Cheryl Sullivan. Along with the 1st2Know system, the Voiceover IP phones are getting updates as well. These phones are set up in each classroom throughout campus and are used to communicate information to students and teachers in the event of an emergency. Emergency messages are sent through the phones by the district. The Public Information Office, located on campus, is expected to take over managing the emergency messages sent through the phones as soon as possible. “[The Public Information Office] is getting the training that’s needed to actually get the message out via the Voiceover IP Phones,” said Cantu.
“The classrooms got the information [regarding the bomb threat] via the Voiceover IP phones.” Cantu explained that the PIO staff is being trained to construct each emergency message to communicate the necessary information in any given situation. According to Cantu, the phones seem to have been what were most efficiently improved. “I was in my office and ... I actually got three messages regarding the smoke in the Business [Education] Building,” he said. “[The message] telling people what happened, when it was going to be cleared, and when it was cleared. I got three messages one very quickly after the other. That piece of [the emergency procedures]
did work,” Cantu stated. Campus safety seems to be a primary concern of the administration; moreover, administrators believe it is up to students to educate themselves on what to do in the event of an emergency. “At some point, students need to take responsibility to be informed,” said Cantu. There are several mediums by which students and staff can make themselves aware of what to do in the event of an emergency. The FCC website, the police department’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, and f lip chart pamphlets posted in classrooms. However, these mediums contain differing instructions for what
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to do in the event of an emergency. “We are actually in the middle of getting [new sets of procedures] printed,” said Sullivan. “The little flip charts that are in classrooms are going to be replaced with a poster so hopefully [students] will find more alignment.” The new emergency procedure posters are expected to be released relatively soon. However, they are still being refined before their release. “They will go up in all the classrooms,” said Cantu. “There are still a couple of typos and misuses of grammar.”
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THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 02.05.2014
NEWS
Baseball ‘Giant’ inspires students stop fans, who waited more than four hours in line outside the Old Administration Building Auditorium to be apart of his special appearance. The OAB was completely filled with over 660 people altogether. Teachers, students, athletes and even children came to sit through the hour-long inspirational
story of Romo’s struggles and how he overcame them. When the interview was Sergio Romo came to over, fans were able to ask Fresno City College on Jan. questions and one even gave 30, 2014, to speak about how Romo a handmade bracelet he went from attending four that was made specifically for different colleges to being a him by her son. now two-time World Series The MLB relieving pitchChampion. er could definitely pass as an Not even the rain could FCC student, wearing a black zip-up hoodie with some Adidas high tops. Fans were instantly drawn to Romo’s downto-earth, yet conf ident personality as he shared his inspiring message. He took moments to pause and laugh throughout his message, occasionally drawing the entire audience to laugh The Fresno City College baseball team presents an FCC team jersey to San Franwith his facisco Giants Pitcher Sergio Romo (middle) in the OAB Auditorium, Thursday, mous, “That’s Jan. 30, 2014. Romo visitied the college to talk about his struggles and successes what’s up!” leading up to his baseball career. Photo/Michael Monroy BY REBEKAH MADISON
Reporter rmadison@therampageonline.com
slogan. Romo began his baseball career at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa and walked on to his city college baseball team, but was actually the least talented player on the team who redshirted his first year. He then transferred with a scholarship to play at Arizona Western University, where he started to notice he was a slightly different color than everyone else at the school. “Being a man of color who started at a city college, it got tough,” said Romo. As a junior he transferred to the University of North Alabama. With his ethnicity being so different from everyone else around him in Florence, Alabama, he battled getting along with the team. “There was only one hundred of us [Hispanics] in the state of Alabama,” said Romo. He decided to give up his scholarship and transfer yet again. He spent his senior year of college at Colorado Mesa University, and was soon after drafted to the San Francisco Giants in 2005. “The opportunity to be someone was all I wanted,” said Romo.
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Romo transferred to four different colleges and struggled being categorized as a minority, before his dream became a reality. Romo emphasized the importance in finding selfworth in who you are as an individual. “If you don’t believe in yourself, there’s not going to be many people who do,” said Romo. Even though Romo has become a major-league baseball player, the hard work and self-discipline has never stopped. “The hardest part is not getting to the big leagues, but staying in the big leagues,” said Romo. No matter who your loyalty is with in the MLB, we can all admire Romo’s dedication and hard work that has lead him to where he is today. No matter where you come from or how many times you have gone done the wrong path; you have the capabilities to make something of yourself. “With willpower and the right guidance,” said Romo, “you can do anything you want.” l TWITTER.COM/ REBEKAHRMADISON
Will proposed rapid transit aid students? BY RAZI SYED
Reporter rsyed@therampageonline.com
The Bus Rapid Transit is being touted as a project that will help Fresnans without cars get to school and work more quickly and efficiently than with the current Fresno Area Express bus system. According to a presentation dated Dec. 12, 2013 on the City of Fresno’s webpage titled “Fresno Area Express Bus Rapid Transit Project,” Bus Rapid Transit is the proposal to have a new bus system along the main corridors of Fresno that lead to downtown. The BRT will work in conjunction with FAX to transport Fresnans around the city. The same presentation stated that Phase 1 of the BRT will include two routes: one going east-west along Kings Canyon Avenue, the other running north-south along Blackstone Avenue from the Riverpark shopping center to downtown. Shaw Avenue is also named as a possible third BRT route to be developed at some point in the future. BRT will differ from the current FAX system, the presentation stated, in a variety of ways. Instead of stops spaced a quarter-mile apart, BRT will have stops spaced a half-mile apart. Currently, bus-riders pay the bus fare as they board; BRT stops will feature ticket-vending machines so bus-riders can pay prior to boarding. During the busiest times, BRT buses will arrive at stations every 10 minutes - twice as often as the busi-
est FAX schedules. The presentation, explained that these differences are intended to expedite the often long waiting periods at FAX bus stops and reduce traveling time. Rebekah Rallis, a Fresno City College student, is currently collecting student complaints regarding the current system. She is also trying to rally opposition to the BRT, which she says is well-intentioned, but will not address the needs of students. She agrees with city officials that the current system needs revamping, but believes that BRT is the wrong choice for Fresno. “I believe there’s a lot more we could do to improve the current system without having an express bus on two routes,” she said. So far, Rallis has talked to about 20 students regarding their complaints. Of the students she has talked to, she estimates that 70 percent are opposed to the BRT and 30 percent are in support of it. The three most common complaints she has heard are the need for better routes, for buses to arrive at bus stops more frequently, and for expanded hours of service. She plans to use the information collected from students to write an advisory letter to Mayor Ashley Swearengin asking her to reconsider her support of the BRT. A particularly important concern Rallis has found, “. . . is the need for more hours of service. Currently after 9 p.m. buses stop running,” and that means that students who take night classes that get out around 9 p.m. are unable to use the bus to get
home. The hours of service will not change when the BRT is implemented. Jeff Long, Senior Regional Planner for the City of Fresno’s Department of Transportation/FAX, said in an email, “The service hours for the BRT will mirror the hours of the regular fixed route system.” The funding for the BRT will come in the form of $50 million in federal and state grants that have been approved for the project, according to “Fresno Area Express Bus Rapid
Transit Project.” The grants will cover the the completion of Phase 1 as well as the maintenance of the system for the first three years. After three years, the city of Fresno will have to assume responsibility for maintenance. “Though the idea behind the BRT is admirable, there is a greater need for expansion of the current system,” Rallis says. “I worry that the value we receive from BRT isn’t equal to the amount that we will be spending.” l TWITTER.COM/RAZISYED
Rebekah Rallis, a Fresno City College student currently collecting student complaints against the Bus Rapid Transit, stands in front of a Fresno Area Express bus stop on McKinley Avenue, Monday, Feb. 3, 2014. Photo/Abel Cortez
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&E
ARTISTS NEEDED
Michelle Patton sits in her office, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014. Patton currently teaches English 3, English 1A and Honors Colloquium. Nominated for the Pushcart Prize that honors the best “poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot.” Photo/David Thammavongsa
02.05.2014 BY DAVID THAMMAVONGSA
Reporter dthammavongsatherampageonline.com
The “Fresno City College Review,” formerly known as “The Ram’s Tale” is a collection of student submitted work published each spring semester. Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, print art and photography are featured. At the end of the semester, students who publish are invited to a reception for a reading and showing with family and friends. “They’ve changed the name from the ‘Ram’s Tale’ to ‘Fresno City College Review,” said Michelle Patton, the editor of the newly named publication. “That was my idea,” said Patton. “We changed it because the ‘Ram’s Tale’ sounds like it’s only fiction, and we published poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art, and photography. “The Ram’s Tale” produced eight issues since 2006 and gives first, second and third place awards for each category. Students must submit work before Feb. 10, 2014 to be judged. “We expect excellent work and we get it, there are a lot of talented
students on campus,” said Patton. “We don’t have any preference for genre or style, it just is really about the quality of the work.” Submissions are accepted as follows: Poetry Send to: michelle.patton@fresnocitycollege.edu Fiction and Non-fiction Send to: margaret.hiebert@fresnocitycollege.edu E-mail submissions must include: full name, phone number, email address, title of the work, and genre. Digital Photos Send to: michelle.patton@fresnocitycollege.edu Must be larger than 4x7 and set to 300dpi, include full name, phone number, email address, and title of the work. No more than five photos may be submitted Printed photos and two-dimensional art Special submission forms are available on http://tegrity.fresnocitycollege.edu/fccreview, and are turned into the Humanties Division office FO-41 in protective envelopes.
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Sarah Chang reunites with Fresno Philharmonic BY KAITLIN REGAN
Managing Editor kregan@therampageonline.com
Renowned violinist Sarah Chang returned to be a guest with the Fresno Philharmonic at the William Saroyan Theater on Jan. 24 and 25. Chang’s appearance assisted in celebrating the Fresno Philharmonic’s 60th year of entertaining the Central Valley. The performance began with the orchestra playing Leo Janáček’s rhapsody “Taras Bulba.” The musicians of the orchestra were beautifully in tune with one another as they made the music dance effortlessly throughout the theater. After this, Chang joined the company to play Max Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op 26.” Her performance lasted 24 minutes, but those minutes went by in the blink of an eye. Her enthusiasm for music, as well as her powerful stage presence, made it easy to get lost in every note. During the pre-concert lecture, given by Dr. Benjamin Boone, it was said that Chang attended Juilliard at the age of 6. Juilliard is widely-esteemed as one of the best music schools in the world, holding some of the most prestigious arts programs ever seen. According to the Juilliard webpage, only 8 percent of applicants are accepted. The piece that she played with the Philharmonic was the piece that she used to audition for Juilliard, according to Boone. Chang made her performance
much more than a simple representation of notes. She moved in tune with the music as she played and seemed to get herself lost in the moment. Her joy translated into her playing as every note rang through the theater in triumph. After intermission, the Philharmonic played without Chang, but managed to keep the audience just as captivated as Chang had. Playing Edward Elgar’s “Enigma Variations, Op. 36,” the musicians emulated Chang’s enthusiasm and made the music resonate within the audience. This experience was both stunning and humbling. Seeing such a talented group of individuals come together to create such art is a rare treat and one that should not be squandered. Upcoming events for the Fresno Philharmonic include “Cirque de la Symphonie,” a blend of acrobatics and symphony music, on Feb. 15, and Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” on March 9. “Beethoven’s Symphonies 7 and 8: East Meets West” on April 4, 5, and 6, will feature a performance of a concerto for the pip, a Chinese lute instrument. The Philharmonic will end with “Side-by-Side: A Celebration of Youth” on May 4. For more information on the Fresno Philharmonic and its upcoming program, contact the box office at 261-0600. l TWITTER.COM/K_C_REGAN
Violinist Sarah Chang joins the Fresno Philharmonic in playing Max Bruch’s “Violin Concerto No.1 in G Minor” on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014. /Photo courtesy of Ron Webb.
THERAMPAGE
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02.05.2014
Theater lineup unveiled BY LAUREN BAKER
Arts & Entertainment Editor/Art Director lbaker@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City College Theater Department has put on countless shows that have entertained students, staff and the community for decades. It is sure to carry on that legacy well into the spring 2014 semester with lineup it has in store. Beginning Feb. 28, the stage production of Roald Dahl’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” directed by Debra Erven, will debut at 7 p.m. “The Fantastic Mr. Fox is a comedy revolving around three scheming farmers named “Boggis,” “Bunce” and “Bean” who in spite of all their efforts, cannot rid themselves of the Fantastic Mr. Fox who continuously steals their food. The plot also includes a clever plan devised by the Fantastic Mr. Fox that benefits not only himself, but his friends as well. Additional showtimes will be March 1, 6, 7, and 8 at 7 p.m., and 2 p.m. on March 2, 7 and 8. There will also be a City Dance Spring Concert directed by Jimmy Hao taking place in April, as well as a High School Drama Festival and a Performance Showcase. The City Dance Spring Concert
will showcase a variety of dance styles and will feature original choreography from both students and FCC staff members. The Performance Showcase will be a variety show of student performances, including monologues and song performances. Donations of $5 will be accepted towards scholarship benefits. The showcase will take place May 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Studio 105. Studio 105 will also host the “High School Drama Festival” March 26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Toward the end of the semester, students can look forward to “Teasers: An Evening of 10-Minute Plays,” which showcases short plays of various genres that are written and produced by students. Open auditions will be held for any FCC students interested in performing in the plays. “Teasers” will take place May 5, 6, and 7 at 7:30 p.m. in Studio 105. Donations of $5 will again be accepted to fund scholarships. Tickets can be purchased at the Theater Box Office between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and until 1 hour before showtime. l TWITTER.COM/ELBTHEHERO
7
Music is in the air BY KEVYNN GOMEZ
Opinion Editor kgomez@therampageonline.com
Spring 2014 won’t be a semester lacking in musical endeavors if the music department continues with its back-to-back performances. Led by department chair Larry Honda and staffed by many hardworking instructors spanning the fields of music with piano, brass, jazz and classical courses, the performances began Jan. 26 and will continue every month until May. One recent performance was a chamber music performance grounded by Fresno City College music instructor John Hord. The adjunct instructor was accompanied in his Feb. 1 performance by flute and a mezzo-soprano singer. Hord referred to the program of seven pieces as being “a wonderful set of harmonies.” Flutist Pamela Ellzey, a member of the Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, and opera singer Terry Estabrook, who has worked for several opera houses and works as a music director in Fresno, performed alongside Hord with pieces ranging from Mozart, Debussy and Bach. Hord’s chamber music per-
formance is only one of many events slated for the semester. There are more than 20 distinct events lined up. Most will take place in either the FCC Theatre or the OAB Auditorium. The performances are planned and orchestrated by the faculty members. Honda still finds the time to get involved with almost every event. “I’m just an interested listener, so in that way I’m involved with all of them; I’ve been to all of their concerts at some point,” Honda said. Honda is also very excited for the semester’s new batch of performances - so much so that he can’t pinpoint his favorite. “I’m like the mom, I can’t love any one child [more],” he said. For Mark Ross, an FCC student in attendance at the Feb. 1 chamber music performance, the prospect of having a variety of shows to attend this spring is appealing. “I think it’s really good for the college to expand the music department to have shows like this,” he said. For a list of FCC music performances and information, contact the Theater Box Office. l TWITTER.COM/THEONLYKEVYNN
EONLINE.COM
8
OPINION
PRO
BY DESIREE ARANJO
Reporter daranjo@therampageonline.com
We can all agree that being techsavvy in this life makes things a lot easier, especially for college students who always need to research something. Some feel that maybe integrating tablets with elementary school students is a good investment. But how can we afford a $520,000 investment when the educational board has cut 12 programs this past year? The answer is yes, tablets are a waste of money. The ’90s kids were taught the same teaching methods in elementary school. We used colored bears to count, letter outlines to master cursive and rulers to teach us measurements. What seemed to us as child’s play during the counting of bears and such was way more than that. We were creating skills, or what one psychologist would call “making kids smarter.” Dr. William R. Klemm, D.V.M in Memory Medic states that today’s students in primary school are no longer required to know cursive, but instead “keyboarding” has become a part of common core standards. Some schools have even dropped all teaching of simple cursive; it is now referred to as “an ancient skill.” Some are amazed by the work tablets allow students to do, taking away penmanship and replacing it with double-taps and typing in the margins. Things like this will lead us to regress in our interpersonal skills. We will be more at ease communicating via email or comments rather than face-to-face in reality. Such things like real-time communicating should be left alone. Writing paper letters have almost become a thing of the past, should we not stop there? Let’s talk money; where is it all coming from? Phillip Elliott of the Huffington Post says this investment is far beyond the schools needs. Each tablet costs roughly $199, in a regular school district like the ones on the East Coast, which have 200 teachers using this tablet system which cost them more than they can handle. This industry we are buying into is about $35 billion dollars and the fall semester has not even started. Los Angeles Times reporter
02.05.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM
Is school investment in tablets for class use a waste of money? CON
Howard Blume says that paying for the tablets is where the schools are having issues. If L.A. Unified School District spent $400 million for the tablets then price readjustments would be considered. That means that the school would spend $520,000 just on iPads. Visual learning is what we all start off with; most things that are taught in grade school are introduced as visual or tangible. You could argue and say that tablets are a great step in education; they are visual and match up with other styles of learning, just like with anything it can be argued back. Kinesthetic learning- this learning style requires the student to particBY COLTON TRACEY ipate in physical activity when learnReporter ing a new task instead of listening or ctracey@therampageonline.com watching the activity being done. According to Terry Farwell, with Schools are supposed to be FamilyEducation.com on visual, au- places of learning, where students ditory, kinesthetic learners, those of are exposed to new technologies and us who are kinesthetic only make up new ways of thinking. If tablets are about 5 percent of the population. provided to students, the benefits to Textbooks would be kicked out and their education would become quickly lessons would be replaced with a 9-by- obvious. 7 inch screen. We live in a world where it seems Reading, math- each day in that humanity is making technologielementary cal leaps and school we covbounds year ered each subaf ter year. ject. Devices If tabare getting lets become a smaller and main source smaller, and for learning, it wouldn’t how are we be surprising supposed to if in 50 years generate all the smartsubjects to be phone would compliant with just be an adthe new tablet hesive sticksystem? er on your Educaforehead that tors of all ages reads your will lose their thoughts. jobs to elecIf we tronic computas a society ers and teachhope to reach ers will be this obscure gone because Graphic/ Kenneth Rasmussen technologitech-support will solve and create cal milestone and others like it, then it trouble-shooting for the students is essential that our nation’s students and staff. are properly equipped with the right Teachers and parents will have technology to inspire them to reach a different way of communicating; for the stars. parents may be unable to help the stuInnovation should bring to dents with assignments. Are they go- life the technologies that only curing to fund workshops for the parents rently exist in science fiction. One to become savvy with the tablets or feasible way to ensure that we evenwill that have to come out of pocket? tually develop the jetpacks our parIn order to keep the cycle of ents dreamed of yesterday is to make learning and save our future genera- sure that today’s youth have access to tions from isolation of interpersonal touchscreen tablet devices. communication, we must give our stuThe overall cost of implementadents the access to tangible items, like tion of tablets in the classroom would textbooks, pens and paper. vary by school and in some cases the If we push tablets into the ele- initial costs are likely to be more than mentary schools we are risking more the costs of traditional textbooks. In than just the students learning op- the long run when all costs are facportunities. tored into the equation, there are We are changing lives, losing monetary savings. jobs and causing debt. Keep tablets According to the Federal Comout of primary schools like we have munications Commission’s 2012 refor years. port, E-textbooks could save between $250-$1,000 per student per year. Parents and schools could pay significantly less by not having to purchase a physical textbook in the first place. l TWITTER.COM/DJCOURTSIDE
Like online homework, the schools would just have to purchase software licenses. Currently, students are required to carry heavy textbooks. This is a common complaint among parents now that their children’s backpacks are loaded with much more and much heavier textbooks. If those paper bricks they are lugging around could be replaced with lightweight tablets, the students would benefit. The benefits of tablets in schools shouldn’t be confined to just the K-12 education system. A real-world example of tablets being implemented in schools is already happening across town at CSU Fresno. According to Fresno State’s new president, Joseph Castro, the university plans to provide tablets for 1000 students and 40 instructors in a trial program that Castro hopes will eventually cover the entire campus. “As you may have noticed, elementary, junior high and high school students throughout the Valley are using iPads and other tablets in their schools,” he said. “We must be prepared to serve these students well when they arrive at Fresno State.” Castro also said the university is working to upgrade its wireless Internet and classroom technology to make the program a success when it’s rolled out this fall. Schools that have implemented tablets and electronic learning devices have seen overall increases in standardized test scores. In 2012, Apple supplied iPads to a California middle school which resulted in 20 percent higher state math assessment scores among students who used an interactive algebra application versus students who used a traditional textbook. E-textbooks have come a long way since they were introduced decades ago. They no longer only display simple black-and-white text on a screen, but have become interactive, enhanced and refined to give the user access to extra learning materials in the text-like images, audio and video. E-textbooks are surpassing what a physical paper book can offer by allowing students to write in the margins, highlight text and access various reference sources like dictionaries and encyclopedias. Tablets offer the ability to constantly update material in subjects that are still evolving like science or criminal justice, rather than waiting for the next edition of textbooks to be printed years later. To develop a competitive edge with other nations, our students must have access to up-to-date information. Technology will always make its inevitable march forward, and humanity will always strive to keep up. Our ability to stay current with our rapidly advancing technology starts with our youth. If they are not taught about technology early on, it will only harm future generations’ rate of developing new technologies, like jetpacks, that they and us wish to see in the near future. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE
THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 02.05.2014
OPINION
9
Campus HONEST ADVICE FOR REAL SUCCESS Voices BY RAMPAGE EDITORIAL BOARD editorial@therampageonline.com
“What is one tip you can give to students for a successful semester?”
Tarah Togami Biology “Find a good study partner.”
Frank Donobedian Psychology “Find out how the information in class relates to your life.”
Shaunna Miller Social Science “Healthy body, healthy mind.”
Carlos Venegas Computer Engineering “Register early, at least for next semester.” WRITTEN BY: JAMES CLARK PHOTOGRAPHED BY: DAVID THAMMAVONGSA
A college education is typically considered a great, ultimate life achievement for many people; and yet, it is also one of the hardest goals to achieve for young and older students alike, especially when the trials of life get in the way. An education at a community college is a smart start that can potentially help circumvent many of the usual problems involved in attending and finishing college. Financial burdens, overwhelming responsibilities and multitasking are but a few of these problems for students. Here are some thoughtful tips to aid you in your journey through the first step of your college career. If there’s one constant hurdle that FCC students seem to face, it’s staying in school long enough to eventually transfer to a four-year university or college. It can be tricky to prioritize schooling when you hate your classes, feel dejected when you don’t understand your homework or think you don’t fit in on a campus of more than 20,000 students. So what is one effective way to overcome this all-too-common lack of determination? Make a plan. No, seriously - make a plan. Charting your future on paper is perhaps the single easiest way to give your life (and your education) a definite direction. Ask yourself, “What do I want to do for a career?” “What do I enjoy doing the most?” “What am I good at?” and finally, “How do I get to where I want to be?” Think deeply about this and don’t rush the thought process. The next step is to put this plan into action. Find out what classes at FCC you will need to transfer to your dream school, and then meet with a counselor to make sure you get those classes or courses similar to them. Consider what major you would like to study under, declare it and take classes that meet the requirements of it. Do the math on how many units you will need and how many semesters or years
it will take to reach that goal. Another tip is to never be ungrateful when it comes to financial help. The FCC financial aid department exists to give students a helping hand at a time in their life that may not be financially prosperous. The office of Federal Student Aid - part of the United States’ Department of Education - provides more than $150 million to students seeking a college education and in need of help. More than just financial aid, however, remember that any help is
beneficial - even if it comes in unexpected forms off-campus. If you need help buying groceries or providing for your family members, programs such as Women, Infants and Children and California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids are government programs created to help those at a financial disadvantage. CalWORKS alone provided over $253 million to individuals in August of 2013, according to a California Department of Social Services report. No matter how unglamourous, part-time jobs can also be a great start
to building your resume or helping to line your wallet. Asking around or letting friends know you are in search of companies that are hiring can establish a constant stream of communication on potential employment, which means you are never out of the loop. There’s an old adage that states, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” Always keep this in mind when traversing the often rocky paths of community college life. Although faculty members and professional adults are usually present to help aid you in many ways, remember that they make mistakes too and are not living solely to help you. Basically, things can (and often will) go wrong: you can be given misleading advice on what classes to take, receive email alerts too late or have important paperwork lost. These are only a few of many frustrating circumstances. So what are you to do? Be your own counselor, that’s what. Factcheck and double-check information given to you, especially if it sounds odd or conf licting. Nobody knows your personal situation better than you do, so don’t rely on others to know all the important details needed to make things run smoothly. Be your own cheerleader, secretary and therapist, while you’re at it. Also, accept that problems will arise when least expected. It’s not the most philosophical advice one can give out, but it makes the hardships you will inadvertently face in life easier to handle. Remember that there will be times in your not-so-distant future that will make you want to scream and shout, cry, throw objects out of a high-rise building’s window, and sometimes, feel like giving up on life. It won’t always be easy, and this is a given. But remember to take this with a grain of salt - your lowest lows will always find balance with your incredible highs in the long run. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE
10
OPINION
02.05.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM
The future of film: why B-films are back
BY JARETT RAMONES
Reporter jramones@therampageonline.com
It’s a new year and the Internet is well-past flooded with trailers, theories and trends regarding the coming films of 2014. Much of the excitement revolves around the grandstanding “popcorn” films with budgets that stand to set records for the most exorbitant in history. This does not bode well for box office revenue-with so many heavy hitters coming to theaters it is becoming too big a financial burden for viewers to see every film. Forget the fanboys whose cinephilia requires they attend every midnight showing, the average movie goer will tire of
familiar franchises as ticket prices continue to rise. This is hardly to say big budget films will dive into dodo-like territory; however, consumers today demand a consistent source of low-cost luxuries. Enter production companies like The Asylum, which is responsible for films such as “Snakes on a Train,” “Transmorphers,” and most notably “Sharknado”-the surprise hit that features such “Oscar-worthy” scenes such as an air-bound great white shark and its disembowelment via chainsaw. These films are cheap to produce and take only months to make. With the help of distributors such as Netf lix, Redbox, and Microsoft, the Asylum’s films are reaching a growing audience. These films harken back to classic “B-films”; one might argue, however, that this relentless onslaught of “mockbusters” is nothing more than a mediocre attempt at cashing in on big budget films. To say that this is inaccurate would be a lie; however, these low budget films have a significant history in the world of cinema. From
the ‘30s Golden Age of Hollywood to the exploitation films of the ‘70s until the decline in the 80’s, B-films have been a consistent source of entertainment-providing the film industry with cult icons such as Vincent Price, Bruce Campbell and even Godzilla. These films managed to reflect the mindsets of their given generation. Godzilla, for instance, was a reaction to nuclear fear. The B-films of today tend to be on the terrible side of corny, but watered-down hilarities that make light of world affairs such as “H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds” and “American Warships” may just be a manifestation of our generation’s desensitization to world affairs. Many f ilm watchers won’t be heading out to their local Redbox in search of specific modern-day B-films; however, the market will continue to grow as these films become increasingly accessible. It seems that there is a resurgence of these types of films—a sort of obsequy of popcorn cinema and the rise of the modern age of B-films.
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NSA: ineffective
BY RAZI SYED
Reporter rsyed@therampageonline.com
Over the past seven months, as the leaks disclosed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden have generated immense controversy and the NSA has been the subject of unprecedented scrutiny, one thing has become more and more clear: the bulk collection of telephone metadata serves no useful purpose. And according to a federal judge, it’s probably unconstitutional. In a 68-page opinion on a federal lawsuit challenging the program, Judge Richard Leon writes, “I cannot imagine a more ‘indiscriminate’ and ‘arbitrary invasion’ than this systematic and high-tech collection and retention of personal data on virtually every citizen for purposes of querying it and analyzing it without judicial approval.” Judge Leon also noted that the government failed to cite a single case where the intelligence obtained through metadata collection was used to stop an imminent attack. In addition to the telephone metadata collection, another program disclosed a few weeks ago is a program codenamed Dishfire, which as of mid-2011, was collecting nearly 200 million text messages per day. The sheer scope of these programs is incredibly concerning. A reading of history will show that unless strict limits are set on government powers, they will invariably be abused. The spying on and harassment of political opponents during the Nixon Administration is the most obvious example of government abuse of power; but even the recent “Bridgegate” scandal in which New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s staff used executive power to settle a score with a rival politician by closing toll lanes connecting to the George Washington Bridge reminds us that even if there is a remote potential for abuse, meaningful oversight of government power is crucial. And with the massive potential for abuse evident in the bulk collection program combined with the intense secrecy surrounding it, it should come as no surprise that there have already been
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serious abuses, some of which involved NSA employees using their access to spy on their love interests. In an effort to alleviate the concerns of the public regarding the NSA’s surveillance activities, President Obama gave a speech at the Justice Department on Jan. 17, where he proposed certain reforms for the intelligence programs. Those reforms included having a public advocate in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, removing metadata control from the NSA, stricter standards for accessing metadata, and narrowing authorizations for spying on the leaders of countries allied with the United States. While the proposed reforms are steps in the right direction, there have been no specifics put forth as to how these reforms will be implemented. The question of which third party will hold on to the metadata is left unanswered for now. And while having a public advocate in the FISA Court is unquestionably a good thing, it’s important to remember that the FISA court operates in secret and its past record in providing meaningful judicial review of government requests for information has been pathetic: According to a Wall Street Journal report published in June of last year, the FISA court has rejected only 11 out of 33,900 government surveillance requests (a rate of 0.03 percent.) And telephone metadata of American citizens will continue to be collected in bulk, despite the President’s appointed advisory panel concluding in their report that the bulk metadata collection played a minimal role in stopping any terrorist plots. While there are numerous concurrent threats that the intelligence community has to confront and those threats undoubtedly call for some electronic surveillance, that surveillance should not be indiscriminate. American citizens (and foreign nationals) who pose no threat to our national security also have a right to expect that every call they make isn’t logged and recorded into a database. And in light of the evidence suggesting that there is little valuable intelligence to be gained from the program, the potential for abuse that exists and the program likely being illegal under the Constitution, what’s needed is not for the program to be reformed, but for it to be ended in it’s entirety. There is no logical reason to maintain this program when it’s proven useless at it’s ostensible goal - protecting Americans from imminent attacks. l TWITTER.COM/RAZISYED
SPORTS
THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 02.05.2014
Terrell Lyday: FCC and Beyond
BY KEAUNDREY CLARK
Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com
In two years at Fresno City College, Terrell Lyday was a standout. Twice named All-Conference guard, Lyday led the team in scoring, helped the team to a 32-4 record and Conference title in 1999 and along the way was a part of a 16-game winning streak, the second longest streak in school history. Averaging 16.8 points per game in his two seasons at FCC, Lyday transferred to Brigham Young University in 1999. At BYU he played 66 games, scoring 1,105 for an average of 16.7 points per game. He now plays in Europe, winning a Europe Cup and being an All-Eurocup first team selection in 2010-11. Lyday ranks sixth in the Eurocup’s all-time scoring list (863 points), and is fifth in steals (105) .
Q. A.
Why did you choose to stay home and play at Fresno City College? “Well Fresno City college was one of the best programs out there at the time so it was a no-brainer to stay here and start my college career with a good program.”
Q.
What was the best time you had playing at Fresno City? What was the best game you played at Fresno City? “It’s been so long ago I can’t really remember which one was the best, but I remember having a good rivalry with C.O.S and Porterville. They were the teams to beat around here.
A.
Q. A.
You are the No. 8 scorer all - time at FCC. What does that mean to you as a player? ”Wow number 8, I know I was doing some scorer but not that much. It’s a great accomplishment, shows all the hard work pays off. I hope I stick around at the 8th spot for a while.”
Q. A.
What was the recruitment process like for you? What schools were interested in you? “The recruiting process was crazy. [I] had a lot of schools interested, almost all the WAC schools at the time: St. Bonaventure, Auburn, and a few others. I narrowed it down to BYU, Hawaii and Auburn at the end.”
Q. A.
Why did you choose BYU?
“Well I chose BYU because it wasn’t close to home and it wasn’t so far away from home. Also, on my recruiting visit I loved the school and the atmosphere was nice, a lot of basketball fans. Plus, the coach there was Steve Cleveland who was in the Fresno area and had been recruiting me since high school so it was a easy adjustment.”
Q. A.
Did you have to go on a 2-year mission at BYU, like most athletes have? “No I didn’t have to go on a 2-year mission, that was only for students who were Mormon. They tried to convert me a few times but I was comfortable with my religion.” What was the hardest challenge of moving to Europe?
Q.
A.
“Hardest challenge of moving to Europe was the language barrier. Not knowing the language was like a gift and curse. Knowing the language, everyone wanted to talk to you. Not knowing the language had disadvantages as far as grocery shopping or even asking for directions.”
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else to get it for you. Because always remember there’s someone out there working just as hard as you or harder.” l TWITTER.COM/SLOCUM13
Q.
How long did it take for you to adjust to life overseas? “ I t d i d n’ t take me long to adjust, because being around your teammates, you tend to pick things up and when I was in France I had a tutor so it worked out g reat for me. Plus, you’re mostly traveling playing ball so the time goes by really fast.”
A.
Q.
What advice do you have for a young kid trying to make it in their respective sport? “Just work hard and if you want something bad enough, you got to make it happen. Don’t sit around and Lyday going past a defender, during his time with BC expect someone UNICS/ Photo courtesy of Terrell Lyday.
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SPORTS
02.05.2014 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM
ANOTHER ONE GOES DOWN BY KEAUNDREY CLARK
Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com
Fresno City College men’s basketball has been dominant all season with an overall record of 23-1, sitting at 6-0 in the Central Valley Conference, No. 1 in the NorCal and No. 1 overall in the state. After an early season loss
to Sierra College (7-12), FCC has ripped off 20 straight wins, one of the longest streaks in FCC history, averaging 72.4 points per game, and giving up 59 points per game. Of the 20 wins, 16 have been by 10 points or more. The Rams have been led by sophomore guard Chris Ashanti, who is averaging 15.4 ppg- good for fourth in the
Alex Chavez, (20) guard of the Fresno City College Rams men’s basketball team, attempts a two-point basket during the Central Valley Conference game against the Reedley College Tigers, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014 at FCC’s Gymnasium. The Rams won 80-59, increasing their winning streak to 18 games. Photo/Desiree Aranjo
conference. Freshman guard Dejon Burdeaux is second on the team with 10.4 ppg On Jan. 4 FCC battled No.10 Saddleback (17-4) and dominated the Gauchos winning 64-54. FCC was able to get to the rim all night, getting to the line 34 times and converting 27 of them. They dominated on the glass, out-rebounding them 28-18. FCC also forced 17 turnovers. “We continue to play as a team, and we hang our hat on our defense,” said head coach Ed Madec. Three Rams got into double figures with freshman guard Brian Chambers scoring 10 points and Ashanti and Burdeaux scoring 19 and 13 points respectively. FCC Rams are dominating their competition with 11 freshman and only 3 sophomores. For the freshman they’ve had to mature really fast. “Hard work and practice, coach pushing us everyday. The sophomores have been big-time leaders for us, because they had been through this last season, and we learn from them about what to do,” said freshman point guard Chris Russell. “I just feel like, yes there is inexperience on the team with 11 freshman, but be have the urge to win, win bad enough that we’ve stepped up and matured early in the season like coach [Madec] has asked us to, and we’ve been winning,” said freshman Shooting Guard Brian Chambers. l TWITTER.COM/SLOCUM13
20-game Winning-streak Nov. 16 Feather River W, 91-55 Nov. 17 Allan Hancock W, 78-77 Nov. 22 at El Camino W, 49-38 Nov. 23 vs. Moorpark W, 73-66 Nov. 24 vs. Lassen W, 80-63 Dec. 3 vs. De Anza W, 75-60 Dec. 5 vs. Cuesta W, 61-52 Dec. 6 vs. Sacramento W, 78-55 Dec. 7 vs. Chabot W, 73-57 Dec. 18 Riverside W, 67-61 Dec. 28 vs. Cuesta W, 60-53 Dec. 29 Bakersfield W, 69-59 Dec. 30 at San Jose City W, 81-76 Jan. 4 Saddleback W, 64-54 Jan. 11 Sequoias W, 78-64 Jan. 15 at Porterville W, 79-55 Jan. 18 at West Hills Coalinga W, 67-54 Jan. 22 Reedley W, 80-59 Jan. 25 at Columbia W, 72-56 Jan. 29 Merced W, 96-59
State Top 5 Women’s
1 Ventura College - 20-3
2 Fresno City College - 21-3 3 Mt. San Antonio College 18-4 4 Pasadena City College- 16-5 5 Long Beach City College - 19-2
Men’s
1 City College of San Francisco 20-1 2 Fresno City College 23-1 3 Mt. San Jacinto Junior College 16-3 4 Yuba College 15-4 5 Chaffey College 20-4
Historic run snapped by Merced
68-game conference winning streak ended with 5 point loss on Feb. 1 AKINYE CHATMON
Reporter achatmon@therampageonline.com
The Fresno City women’s basketball team has been dominating their conference for some time now. With a record of 21-3, the two losses come by way of Merced in a conference game, the first conference loss in 7 years and one game at the Fresno City Tournament Final. They suffered one out of conference loss to San Joaquin Delta College. They are 6-1 in the Central Valley Conference. FCC women’s basketball is 68-1 in conference play, that’s 7 years of dominating the conference. They’ve won the conference crown 6 years in a row. On Feb. 1, again versus No.19 Merced College, a team who seemingly has FCC’s number this season. FCC lost 70 - 65 despite a 36 point, 22 rebound night from sophomore guard Keyora Wharry. City had a 40 to 32 rebounding edge. They gave up 70 points - the most they’ve given up since their Dec. 29 against Santa Rosa. “There’s no other option, we go out there to win. We focus one game at a time, just execute so we can get that win,” said sophomore guard Dominique Pilkinton. FCC has been ranked consistently in the Top 5 California Community College women’s basketball for the last 7 years. They have made it to the final four the past two seasons. “It’s simple, from the players
getting them prepared to play hard, they’ve done a good job not taking anyone lightly. They really focus on the team they are playing and in the past they don’t look past any of their opponents,” said head women’s basketball coach Brian Tessler. FCC’s remaining toughest games are against No. 11 College of the Sequoias and West Hills. “The winning streak motivates us to keep the streak going, work hard, and reach our ultimate goal which is to win a State Title,” said freshman forward Breona Minor. The past two prior seasons they have been knocking at the door for a State Championship. You know the saying: the third time’s a charm. If you’ve seen these players in action, you know they have the ingredients to get to the next level and take the state title. They are equally adept offensively & defensively , scoring 78.7 ppg while holding the opposition to 58.8 ppg. So for the opponents, pick your poison. “We outrun our opponents, make it a track meet against teams, get them out of their comfort zone. Hopefully that will get them out of their game,” said Pilkinton. These athletes are on a mission with the State Title in sight. As for the coaching and staff, they are doing an immaculate job keeping the team competitive and not letting up against their competition. l TWITTER.COM/FCCRAMPAGE
Fresno City College Rams guard Dominque Pilkinton (24) runs past guard Ramonique Redding (11) of Taft College on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014. Photo/ Abel Cortez