No splish splash for you No lifeguard funds, no year-round free swim at De Anza pool| PAGE 4
La Voz Weekly THE VOICE OF DE ANZA Vol. 41, Issue 28
June 9, 2008
The Week Ahead
Juana Briones Oral Literature Project The De Anza Chicano/a literature class will give a presentation on the Juana Briones Oral Literature/History Project, devoted to a California woman whose parents and grandparents journeyed with the De Anza expedition of 1776. Monday, June 9, 10:30 a.m. to noon, in the California History Center
Conversations across the Diaspora A discussion series on issues and concerns in the lives of African ancestry peoples throughout the world community. Share views on the topic: Why donʼt we love ourselves? Tuesday, June 10, 1:30 to 3 p.m., in the California History Center
Sexual violence: bearing witness The Institute of Community and Civic Engagement, the Department of Womenʼs Studies and Students for Justice thank and recognize current and former De Anza college students who have spoken out against sexual violence. Tuesday, June 10, 1:30 to 3 p.m., in Campus Center Rooms A&B
Open forum for Student Services VP The finalist for the vice president of Student Services position will discuss his experience and philosophy, and take questions from the audience. Wednesday, June 11, noon to 1 p.m., in the Campus Center Fireside Room
Find a complete list of campus events on PAGE 2
INDEX
Campus Snapshot...............p3 Meeting Notes...................p3 Campus News....................p4 Economics for Everyone.......p6 Drum for Fun......................p8 Love Voz............................p9 Editorial.........................p11 La Voz Weekly is a first amendment newspaper, produced by students for the campus community of De Anza College. La Voz Weekly is printed on recycled paper.
Boys & their toys Bookstore hosts Kiss an iPod contest | PAGE 7
Fast, but not so furious De Anza students stay after dark to race tiny cars| PAGE 7
SHOW ME THE MONEY With no official funds allocated to the Writing and Reading Center, faculty supporters and founders of the WRC are seeking ways to stay open
“We often feel like we’re educating our administrators about how important these programs are,” said Despite its popularity with students, Ken Weisner, former co-chair of the faculty and administrators alike, De WRC committee. “We’d prefer that Anza College’s Writing and Reading they say to us, ‘Let’s get together and find some money.’” Center is struggling to stay open. According to Gregory Anderson, “Long story short, there is no funding for the WRC,” said co-director director of the Student Success CenJulie Pesano. “There never really has ter, the lack of adequate financial rebeen.” Although De Anza has found sources for the WRC is a symptom various ways to fund the WRC over of lack of funding for community its three years of existence, the col- colleges in general. “The size of the [collective] pie is lege has no official budget for the shrinking,” he said. center. “[The administration told us] we According to Pesano, the administration pledged an institutional com- don’t want you to close, we want mitment to the WRC, but lacked ad- you to come up with creative ways for it to not cost money,” said Pesaequate funding. “We might be open next year, but no. “We’re already not able to meet the need – the student just a scaled demand.” Without adedown version quate funding for 2008, of ourselves,” [The administration told us] we donʼt want she considers it likely she said. you to close, we want that the center will shut The WRC you to come up with down next fall. is currently creative ways for it to Anderson expressed funded through not cost money. Weʼre confi dence that the several differalready not able to meet the need – the student WRC will be open next ent sources, demand. year, even in a downincluding the sized format. “Yes, the Language Arts institution will help Division, BaJulie Pesano, pay for it,” he said. sic Skills IniWRC co-director “[But] we don’t know tiative, a Title III grant and the De Anza Student how much.” Two weeks ago, the center began Body Senate. However, there has never been any distributing a petition throughout campus, asking students and faculty permanent funding for the center. Kelly Truong LA VOZ NEWS
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members alike to sign in favor of “It is wall-to-wall students,” she institutional funding, which would said. create a new division with guaranBiology student Chi Chan credits teed funding for the center’s tutors the WRC. Presiwith their assisThat actually upsets dent Brian Murphy tance in crafting me because Iʼm very previously considthe personal statebad at writing, I go to ered reorganization ment that helped the center and they give along those lines, him gain admisme advice. Man, what but the idea fell sion to UCLA. am I going to do without through. “I think it is a them?” “It met [with] so good resource,” much scrutiny by he said. Lucy Su, other people that De Anza Aspsychology major it got tabled,” said sociated Student Pesano. “I think we Body Senator need to make [the issue] more public. Karthi Kumar, who heads the senate If we were to tell the different divi- committee formed to assist the WRC sions and tell the students, we could with its funding problem, said that actually get some progress made.” without the service WRC provides Takahiro Mei, a liberal arts student for personal statements, De Anza’s from Japan, was similarly alarmed at transfer admission rates might go the idea of the center shutting down: down. “Oh my goodness, I need [it],” he The center serves as not only a said. Having progressed through the tutoring resource for students, but ESL levels with the help of the WRC also a space for workshops, litertutors, the prospect of the center ary events, club meetings and office closing next year makes him uneasy hours for part-time faculty. Given about taking EWRT 1A in the fall. the funding, Pesano said, the center “Most of the international students could expand even more. will be in trouble,” Mei said. “This space – it has so much poAccording to Pesano, the center as- tential,” she said. “[But] it takes sists approximately 60-100 students manpower, and creativity, and time on peak days. In the weeks before that we’re spending creating these college application deadlines, she petitions.” estimates that the demand for tutors Kelly Truong is a staff reporter for will double due to students seeking La Voz. Contact her at kellytruong@ help with their personal statements. lavozdeanza.com.
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De Anza Film and Television Program guarantees fame and fortune Program that helped launch careers of “Underworld” director and “Superman” composer holds annual festival Ehssan Barkeshli LA VOZ NEWS
The De Anza College Student Film and Video show will include a screenwriting competition for the first time since it was established 29 years ago. Students were to submit entries to De Anza College film and television instructors, along with the first ten pages of an excellent screenplay with a short summary of their story by May 22. Entries are judged by anonymous third party reviewers on several categories, including plot, characters and readability. Last week, 10 semifinalists were chosen. At the show this Friday, the first place winner will be awarded an all-access 2009 Cinequest film festival pass. The competition is the brainchild of screenwriting instructor Barak Gold-
man, who was hired last year by the De Anza film and television department to help invigorate and expand the screenwriting curriculum. “Screenwriters often go unrecognized,” Goldman said. “This competition will get them into the eye of the general public.” The student show offers the Film and Television Program a chance to gather as a community in appreciation of the creative output of students over the academic year. Prominent participants who have transferred out of the De Anza film department, such as Len Wiseman, director of “Live Free or Die Hard” and A-list film composer John Ottman, who wrote the score for “Superman Returns,” saw their films on the big screen in the years they attended. “I think [Wiseman] had a music video in the show shot on 16mm which was professional looking, es-
@
pecially for 20 years ago when we had lesser facilities back on the top of the Flint Center,” said film production supervisor Thomas Schott, who helps organize the festival every year. Zaki Lisha, founder and director of the De Anza Film and Television Program, said, “I am contacted by a lot of the people who went to De Anza, and they keep raving about what a difference it made in their lives.” Film critic and De Anza film theory instructor Susan Tavernetti said that the festival is one of the best evenings of the year for students and faculty in the program. “It often marks the first chance for students to experience their work in front of a paying audience, to hear laughter and gasps at all the right moments and to bask in the applause.” The 10 page limit allowed more students to submit their screenplays
for the competition. The program garnered over 40 submissions this year. “A screenplay must make an impact in the first 10 pages,” Goldman said. “That’s the entry point. A company, Lion’s Gate for example, recieves 70 to 80 screenplay submissions a day, and the readers and assistants can’t read through all of them.”
...CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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campus Events
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MONDAY, JUNE 9
JUANA BRIONES ORAL LITERATURE PROJEct Monday, JUne 9, 10:30-noon, California History CENTER
The De Anza Chicano/a literature class will give a presentation on the progress of the Oral Literature/History Project started in 2007 and dedicated to Juana Briones, a California woman whose parents and grandparents journeyed with the De Anza expedition of 1776. An update will be given on the court case to prevent the demolition of the Palo Alto house containing the original structure of Juana Briones’ home. Special guest Jeanne Farr McDonnell, who recently completed the biography “Juana Briones of Nineteenth-Century California,” will be in attendance.
COMMUNITY SCHOLAR WORKSHOP II: CIVIL RIGHTS CHICANO/A ACTIVISTS MONDAY, June 9, 12:30-2 P.M., California history center
Adrian Tepehua Vargas, the De Anza College Visiting Community Scholar for the first two weeks of June and co-founder of El Centro Cultural de la Gente, the first Chicano/a cultural center in the South Bay, will give a lecture and show a movie based on his first-hand experiences about the role of Chicano/a activists in the local civil rights movement of the 1950s. This is the second of four events. For information call the Institute of Community and Civic Engagement at 408-864-8349.
FREE CHAIR MASSAGE MONDAY, JUNE 9, 3:30 P.M., MAIN QUAD
Massage Therapy Program students will offer free 15 minute chair massages. For information contact Deb Tuck at 408-864-8205.
TUESDAY, JUNE 10 SHAVUOT TABLING TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 11:30-1:30 P.M., MAIN QUAD
Learn about the Jewish holiday of Shavuot and enjoy free snacks and giveaways.
FREE SPORTS MASSAGE TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 12:40-2:50 P.M., TRACK
Massage Therapy Program students offer free postevent sports massages at the track near the men’s locker room exit. Sign up on the P.E. Office door.
CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE DIASPORA: Why we don’t love ourselves TUESDAY, JUne 10, 1:30-3 P.M., California History CENTER
A discussion series for students, faculty and staff on issues and concerns in the lives of African ancestry peoples throughout the world community. Share views on the topic: Why don’t we love ourselves? Free pizza and drinks.
Sexual violence: BEARING WITNESS TUESDAY, JUne 10, 1:30-3 P.M., CAMPUS CENTER RMS A & B
Join the Institute of Community and Civic Engagement, the Department of Women’s Studies and Students for Justice as they recognize and thank current and former De Anza College students who have stood up and spoken out against sexual violence, discuss sexual violence in relation to college and community life and cultivate a plan of action to build upon campus and community resources relative to rape crisis. For information contact the institute at 408-864-8349.
STUDENT ART SHOW RECEPTION TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m., EUPHRAT MUSEUM OF ART
This reception is in honor of student artists who are featured in the current art show. Awards will be presented during the reception.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 VISITING ARTISTS: LISA MALETTE, KIT WILDER Wednesday, June 11, 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., CHC
Kit Wilder and Lisa Malette, directors from City Lights Theater in San Jose, speak to students. This season, Wilder is directing “A Few Good Men” and Mallette is directing “Hair.” For information contact Todd Gutmann at gutmanns@hotmail.com.
OPEn FORUM FOR STUDENT SERVICES VP Wednesday, JUne 11, noon-1 P.M., campus center, fireside rm
The finalist for the vice president of student services position, Gregory Thomas, will make a presentation outlining his experience and philosophy for student services at this forum. His talk will be followed by questions from the audience.
COMMUNITY SCHOLAR WORKSHOP III: ‘El GIGANTE AWAKENS’ FILMING EXPERIENCE WEDNESDAY, June 11, 12:30-2 P.M., California history center
Adrian Tepehua Vargas, De Anza’s visiting com-
JUNE 9, 2008 INFO
Send event notices to Happenings@LaVozDeAnza.com by Wednesday noon preceding the week of publication. Please type “Happenings” in the subject line. La Voz does not guarantee publication. All events take place on the De Anza College campus and are free, unless stated otherwise.
Happenings@LaVozDeAnza.com
munity scholar, will give a workshop on his experiences filming “El Gigante Awakens” and “Impacto.” For information call the Institute of Community and Civic Engagement at 408-864-8349.
CROSS CULTURAL PARTNERS FINAL GET-TOGETHER WEDNesday, June 11, 1:30-3:30 P.M., CAMPUS CENTER RM B
Cross Cultural Partners invites past and current supporters and members of CCP to their final event of the quarter to help celebrate their eighth successful year, hear testimonials from participants and enjoy an international food buffet. RSVP by Monday, June 9 to deanzaccp@yahoo.com.
BOOK LAUNCH FOR ‘VOCES DEL VALLE’ WEDNesday, June 11, 1:30-3:40 P.M., California History CTR
Celebrate the student-written and edited volume of oral histories, “Voces del Valle,” which highlights issues of immigration and education in Silicon Valley. It will be available for purchase as part of a scholarship fundraiser.
THURSDAY, JUNE 12 WRC college acceptance celebration THursday, JUNE 12, noon-2 P.M., wrc, atc RM 309
The Writing and Reading Center is holding a College Admissions Celebration and Open House with cookies, punch and high fives to congratulate transfer students and WRC advisers who worked so hard this year with applications and personal statements. Students may share their successful personal statements.
Xpressions Anthology release party THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m., wrc, atc 309
Come experience people sharing their identities, talents and stories to preserve the Asian Pacific American voice at the 2nd annual Xpressions Anthology Release Party. The event features Reie Cabico as MC and spoken wood performance by students who created the anthology. Refreshments will be served.
COMMUNITY SCHOLAR WORKSHOP IV: FILM SCREENING: ‘EL GIGANTE AWAKENS’ Thursday, June 12, 6:30-8:30 P.M., California history center
A film screening of “El Gigante Awakens,” Adrian Tepehua Vargas’ film documenting the May 1, 2006 March for Immigrant Rights. For information call the Institute of Community and Civic Engagement at 408-864-8349.
DADDIOS in concert THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 7:30 P.M., Cupertino Community hall
Study in Vietnam this summer June 25:
Application deadline
July 22-24: Preparation at De Anza
July 28Aug. 20: Travel in Vietnam
Courses include: POLI 3: International Relations INTL 4: Global Issues Trip is limited to 18 students
$
3,000
includes airfare, food, lodging, fees
Scholarships are available For more information: Vu-duc Vuong at vuduc.vuong@ gmail.com or 415-407-6282
De Anza’s “Six O’Clock” and “Eight O’Clock” Daddios Jazz Ensembles, directed by De Anza instructor Steve Tyler, present a program of contemporary big band jazz. Featured guest artists are Paul Tynan, trumpet, and Aaron Lington, saxophone. Cost is $10 for general admission; $8 for students and seniors. The Cupertino Community Hall is at 10350 Torre Ave. For information go to http://faculty.deanza.edu/tylersteve/calendar.
FRIDAY, JUNE 13 ¡LEAD! Murals tour of san francisco Friday, June 13, 10 A.M. or Noon (two tours), San Francisco
Join an informational and fun walking tour of the murals of the Mission District. Cost is $12. Participants need to sign up and pay in advance to reserve a spot. Contact lmadrigal07@gmail.com for information or to reserve a spot.
STUDENT FILM SHOW 2008 FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 7:30-11 p.m., Choral Hall A 11
An annual celebration of the best narrative, documentary, experimental and animated shorts produced by Film/TV Department students this academic year. Admission is $6. For information contact Zaki Lisha at lishazaki@deanza.edu or Tom Schott at schotttom@deanza.edu.
SATURDAY, JUNE 14 AUTO TECH CLUB’S CHEVY CAR SHOW SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 9 A.m.-3 P.M., S, L & MAIN QUADS DE ANZA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Saturday, JUNE 14, 7:30-10 p.m., Choral Hall ROOM A 11
Students in the De Anza Chamber Orchestra perform. Price is $8 for general admission and $5 for students. For information contact deanzamusic1@yahoo.com.
SUNDAY, JUNE 15 STUDENT PIANO RECITAL SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2-4 P.M., CHORAL HALL ROOM A 11
For information contact Anna Poklewski at poklewskianna@deanza.edu.
MONDAY, JUNE 16 FALL IN LONDON INFORMATIONAL MEETING MONDAY, JUNE 16, 12:30-1:30 p.m., CAMPUS CENTER, Don Bautista Room
This meeting explains Campus Abroad to London, where students will participate in a 12-unit British life and culture program focusing on historical, political, economic and cultural aspects of contemporary Britain. The approximate cost is $4,620 plus airfare. For information call Art Turmelle at 650-949-7614.
IMMIGRANT STUDENT RIGHTS WORKSHOP MONDAY, JUNE 16, 1:30-3:40 P.M., CALIFORNIA HISTORY CENTER
Learn about the rights of undocumented and AB540 students. This event will also serve as a fundraiser for the ADELA scholarship for students who would otherwise not be eligible for financial aid.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 ¡LEAD! END OF THE YEAR POTLATCH, POTLUCK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 3:50-5:30 P.M., CALIFORNIA HISTORY CENTER PATIO
Join the graduates of the 2008 ¡LEAD! leadership class and club members for an end of the year giveaway and celebration. For information contact Marc Coronado at 408-864-8409.
WORLD FAMOUS DANCE DEMO WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 7-9:30 p.m., CAMPUS CTR ROOMS A&B De Anza professor Warren Lucas presents the World Famous Dance Demo featuring De Anza students. For information contact lucaswarren@fhda.edu.
FRIDAY, JUNE 20 VOCAL JAZZ ENSEMBLE IN CONCERT FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 7:30-10 p.m., Choral Hall A 11
Michelle Hawkins presents the Vocal Jazz Ensemble comprised of De Anza students. Admission is $10 for the public and $5 for students/seniors. For information contact hawkinsmichelle@deanza.edu.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21 AUTO TECH CLUB’S FORD MUSTANG CAR SHOW SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 9 A.m.-3 P.M., PARKING LOT A De ANZA WIND ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM Saturday, JUNE 21, 6:30-10:30 p.m., Choral Hall A 11
The De Anza Wind Ensemble, comprised of De Anza students, will perform. Cost is $8/public and $5/students and seniors. For information contact John Russell at 408-864-8999, ext. 3525.
MONDAY, JUNE 23 JAZZ COMBOS CONCERT MONDAY, JUNE 23, 7:30 P.M., INSTRUMENTAL HALL A 31
Jazz combos from the Music 48 Jazz Improvisation class perform in concert. Cost is $5. For information go to http://faculty.deanza.edu/ tylersteve/courses/music48.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23 UNVEILING, DEDICATION OF MURAL WEDNesday, JUNE 25, 11:30 A.M., ARTS QUAD
Join students from Eugene Rodriguez’s mural arts class who designed and painted a new campus mural. Pan dulce and hot chocolate will be served.
THURSDAY, JUNE 26 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY: CELLO CONCERTO THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 8 P.M., FLINT CENTER
Join San Francisco Symphony conductor David Robertson and guest artist Alisa Wellerstein for Dvorak’s Cello Concerto. Tickets available from Ticketmaster for $38-$65.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28 GRADUATION CEREMONY Saturday, JUNE 28, 9-11 A.M., OUTDOOR EVENTS ARENA
De Anza’s 41st annual commencement exercise features keynote speaker and professor Francisco Jimenez from the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Santa Clara University. He is the author of “The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child,” “Breaking Through” and “La Mariposa.”
ONGOING STUDENT ART SHOW Now-June 12, EUPHRAT MUSEUM OF ART
This exhibition features paintings, drawings, mixed-media works, photography, graphic design, sculpture and ceramics created by De Anza College students. The artworks reflect expertise in diverse media, varied interests and points of view. Museum hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For information or for special tours contact Jan Rindfleisch at 408-864-8836.
NEED BOOKS? LIBRARY BOOK SALE CAN HELP JUNE 16-MID JULY, De anza library The De Anza library will hold its annual used book sale through mid-July, or until they run out of books. Buy books and support your library!
STUDENT DISCOUNTS WITH DASB CARD
Students with DASB cards can get discounts at Chipotle, Citti’s Florist, Coffee Society, Cynthia’s Professional Hair Stylist, Erik’s Deli Cafe, Fontana’s, Hobee’s, Homestead Lanes, It’s a Grind Coffee House, KFC, Lollicup, Marie Callender’s, RamenRama, Subway, Togo’s, Una Mas Mexican Grill and Yiassoo. Most are 10 percent discounts. For information on store locations and amounts of the discounts, go to http:// www.deanza.edu/dasb/discounts.html.
DE ANZA At a Glance
JUNE 9, 2008
PAGE 3
Search continues for new VP Three applicants for the position of vice president of Instruction denied; position expected to be filled by January 2009 after another series of interviews Thomas Phan LA VOZ NEWS
De Anza College is continuing to look for candidates to fill the position of vice president of Instruction. Former Vice President of Instruction Judy Miner stepped down after accepting the position of president at Foothill College, and former Dean of Language Arts John Swensson filled the position on an interim basis. He will be stepping down this year. The hiring committee, headed by Vice President of Student Services and Institutional Research Robert Griffin chose three finalists for the position, all from institutions outside of California. The candidates were then interviewed by De Anza President Brian Murphy. None were hired. The hiring process consists of two stages: a hiring committee first interviews viable candidates and then
recommends them to the president, who holds ultimate hiring authority. “The people that applied were all good people,” said Griffin. “Sometimes it’s just a matter of fit at the senior level and how they fit into De Anza College.” Irving Berkowitz and Brian Spillane were two of the three applicants. In his first interview, Berkowitz discussed his experience as a political adviser to Albania. Griffin said that the position of interim Vice President of Instruction will not be filled and that President Murphy has not yet decided how the role will be filled until a candidate is hired. “We’ll find some way of getting responsible coverage until then,” Griffin said. “Things have to get done, and we’ll find a way to do it. That’s not unusual. We often have vacancies where we have found coverage.”
Hiring for the position will cease for the summer but will re-open again in August for eight weeks. Griffin expects the position to be filled by January. “We think we owe it to the students and faculty to find the best person we can,” Griffin said. “We’d rather take our time and do it right as opposed to being hasty about it.” The vice president of Instruction is the most senior instructional administrator of the college and is responsible for academic planning, enrollment management and improving teaching and learning. Additionally, the vice president is in charge of developing and monitoring the instructional budget, overseeing the deans of each division and being a part of the hiring committee that recommends faculty candidates to the president. Thomas Phan is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at thomasphan@lavozdeanza. com.
STATSHOT OF THE WEEK
TRANSIT
76%
8%
9%
How long does it take?
MORE THAN 1 HOUR ABOUT 1 HOUR ABOUT 45 MINUTES ABOUT 30 MINUTES ABOUT 15 MINUTES LESS THAN 10 MINUTES
4% 2%
Why this matters: The money will be used to cover a portion of the expenses related to the annual Student Art Show at De Anza College, which is sponsored by the Euphrat Museum of Art, the Creative Arts Division and the DASB. Kelly Truong and Shawn McGann
What happened: Changes to the grade retention policy were discussed by the Academic Senate. The statute of limitations of the policy may be decreased, but the procedure to petition for grade changes will remain the same. The Academic Senate is administering an informal survey to all faculty members in order to reach a conclusion.
BIKE
1%
3%
28% 14%
38%
*Does not add up to 100%. 6% of respondents left their entries blank. Results were compiled from the De Anza Speaks survey of 250 students during the Fall 2007 and Winter 2008 quarters.
What happened: A vote was passed to approve a funding request of $928 for the Euphrat Museum of Art by the De Anza Student Body. The DASB also reformed their classroom presentation policy. Previously, senators gave one presentation per week and recorded student concerns, but there was no formal process to carry out change in response to those concerns.
June 2
WALK
8%
June 4
The De Anza College Academic Senate is the representative body for all full and part time faculty of De Anza College and deals with college and district policies. The Academic Senate meets Mondays at 2:30 p.m. in Admin 109 in the administration building.
The percentages of students surveyed who use the following modes of transportation to get to school:
CARPOOL
DASB SENATE The De Anza College Associated Student Body Senate is the governing body of the DASB. It meets every week on Wednesday afternoons in the Student Council Chambers in the basement of the Hinson Campus Center.
ACADEMIC SENATE
Getting to De Anza CAR
»WEEKLY NOTES«
GRAPHIC BY TOM GUFFEY/LA VOZ
CAMPUS SNAPSHOT
Why this matters: Students will have less than seven years to petition to change their grades if the Academic Senate decides to change the grade retention policy. Some oppose the change because communicating the information to past students may be difficult. However, some favor the change because if the instructor is no longer present, the responsibility lies with the dean of the department, who may not have all of the documentation. Nitzan Beck
POLICE LOG These notes are collected from Foothill - De Anza Policeʼs media log.
May 31 - June 6 DRUG VIOLATION Location: Flint Parking Garage – in a car Saturday, May 31 at 4:31 p.m. SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE Location: Lot E Summary: Duck torture Wednesday, June 4 at 3:09 p.m. THEFT Petty theft – under $400 Location: Flint Parking Garage Thursday, June 5 at 12:59 p.m. JAY DONDE/LA VOZ
The iconic fountains of De Anza College got a little bit bubblier last week. Nobody was brave enough to attempt a bath.
PAGE 4
CAMPUS NEWS
JUNE 9, 2008
Lack of funding limits swimming pool access Swimming pools available only to physical education students outside, competitive swim program. De Anza’s students are in the pool five days a week, and DACA uses the pool seven days a week. DACA is currently under contract with De Anza to use its pool facilities and, up until four years ago, funded lifeguards to be on duty for students to swim recreationally. However, according to Beggs, not enough students showed up to justify the expenditure, and DACA was losing money. Student Mona Jalaeian said, “Maybe
the rest of the summer. At De Anza, however, there are not enough funds for the pools during the Students at De Anza College will academic year. “It’s a lean year,” said have to petition the student senate if Frank Nunez, director of Facilities and they wish to use the campus pools Operations at De Anza. for recreational swim during the Maintaining the pools is one of the academic year. The reason for the more costly expenditures at De Anza, current restriction on free swim second only to electrical costs. comes down to two factors: money It costs approximately $144,194 and time. annually to maintain the pools, According to swim instructor according to De Anza’s maintenance Tom Beggs, De Anza cannot have logs. This figure includes pool recreational swim without supervision materials, personnel, heating and water costs. The district allocated BY THE NUMBERS $41,766 this year, In addition, DACA has and DACA’s had to pay more each year for its Summer contract brings in Each academic year, Swim Program. $4,803 another $54,404, the rent DACA 2007: $7,940 brininging this must pay to use $4,367 2008: $8,734 academic year’s 2009: $9,606 the De Anza $3,970 budget to around pools goes $96,170, leaving up: no room for extra expenses. The way to get money allocated is to petition the DASB Senate, said Beggs. This way, students PHOTO BY JOSH BAYS, Source: De Anza College Facilities Contract with GRAPHIC BY TOM GUFFEY/LA VOZ De Anza Cupertino Aquatics from 2007. can inform the DASB that they by qualified lifeguards – an expense students didn’t know about it. If they would show up to free swim if it was the school currently can’t afford. knew, they would really show up.” offered. De Anza student Wilson Yuen said, However, De Anza does offer Beggs hopes it will get students “I think the students have the right to free swim time during the summer. interested in De Anza’s pool program. utilize the swimming pool because According to Jerry Koch, associate He offers a little relief, too: Any we pay the tuition.” head coach of the Swimming and student who passes a preliminary Other students, such as Tuyen Diving Program, lap swim is offered swim test is welcome to jump in Nguyen, agree. “I like swimming, so to students and faculty for free from the pool during his adapted physical they should open it to students who noon to 4 p.m. Monday through education aquatic class on Fridays really want to swim. Maybe you Thursday. between 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. could sell tickets.” DE ANZA LA VOZ AD 6.063” De Anza’s sister school, Foothillx 7” “Friday would be the only available College, offers recreational lap time for recreational lap swim,” said swim during the summer and hires Stacy Lane is a staff reporter for Rich Shroeder, Athletics Division lifeguards at $10 an hour, according La Voz. Contact her at stacylane@ coordinator, but time on Friday is to Sue Gatlin, athletics director at lavozdeanza.com. Kelly Truong conalso restricted to hours after 1 p.m. Foothill College. tributed to this report. since classes are held until then. She said the pool use would Currently, the pool is used by De probably be offered only in June Anza’s physical education department because there are too many activites and De Anza Cupertino Aquatics, an to allow students free swim time for Stacy Lane
LA VOZ NEWS
06-07
08-09
07-08
Student Jonathan Penn dives into the De Anza pool on a sunny afternoon. PHOTO BY JOSE MARTE/LA VOZ
one’s help. I won’t need aonnym y own. I can do it gonna give me mor
opportunity so g with human resourcesI’m already workin how to deal with people, codes of conduct, loyalty, ethics, ork.... r i h the ing process, paperw A job is just a job. A career is something that you worked for . I feel better as a person now.
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JUNE 9, 2008
CAMPUS NEWS
PAGE 5
Film and television show spotlights new talent CONTINUED FROM FRONT “I want the screenwriters to work hard, love what they’re doing, find their creative voice and practice, practice, practice,” he said. Goldman graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting from UCLA and continues to develop his own writing projects to complement his curriculum, which he says compares well against film schools at UCLA, USC and NYU. “The program here has similar technology, vibe and level of education,” he said. “The only thing missing from De Anza is the millions of dollars in endowments.” Goldman just finished installing a library of over 300 feature-length and television screenplays for students who will be expected to leaf through examples of produced screenplays to learn to imitate qualities like structure and format, the way student directors do by watching films on DVD. The De Anza Film and Television Program consistently ranks as one of the top community college film programs in the country, and De Anza students’ work has been showcased at film festivals such as San Jose Cinequest every year since 2001. Lisha was hired on vague terms by De Anza to start a film and television program in the fall of 1974, when he was 25 and still writing his Master of Fine Arts thesis, having recently graduated from USC’s film school. “[De Anza administrators] didn’t know exactly how the program was going to be, but when you’re 25, you have this incredible enthusiasm, and I wanted to jumpstart the program as fast as possible,” he said.
Lisha began finding part-time instructors to help him expand the program. There was no physical film department, so he was forced to start out of the photo department. He wrote up a number of courses and proposed them to a board. From there, the program, which was mainly about film production, quickly grew to include film studies, animation, television, screenwriting and more recently, digital filmmaking. In 1979, the annual film show saw its first year. “In USC especially, there was not a lot of contact between students and instructors. There was a strict attitude that was extremely critical − not nurturing − and that did not help a lot of students,” Lisha said. The film and television show is one of the ways in which De Anza feeds students and inspires them to impress an audience, he said, and the screenwriting competition will do the same. “One of the things, in order to grow as a film school, is to have great stories to tell, and it starts with the script,” said Lisha. Goldman was hired because instructors felt the program would flourish if it had a primary screenwriting instructor who didn’t teach a variety of courses, but focused on screenwriting, Lisha said. “We’re lucky to have Barak do that for us.” The De Anza Student Film and Video Show will be held June 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Room A11. Ehssan Barkeshli is the excecutive news editor for La Voz. Contact him at ehssanbarkeshli@ lavozdeanza.com. Thomas Phan contributed to this report.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Industry players who studied in the De Anza Film/TV program
Len Wiseman
John Ottman
directed “Live Free or Die Hard” and the “Underworld” series. After graduating from Fremont High School, Wiseman studied at De Anza and made two short films, the second of which reportedly helped him land his first professional job.
scored “Superman Returns,” the “Fantastic Four” series, “X-Men 2” and “The Usual Suspects,” and is slated to score Brian Singerʼs upcoming “Valkyrie” and the announced Superman sequel, “Superman: Man of Steel.”
Brian Slack
Suzie Vlcek
founded Widget Post Production, the largest privately owned post-production audio company in Southern California. Widget was founded five years ago and has worked on “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “King Kong” and “Syriana.”
directed Silver Sun Pickupsʼ music videos for “Lazy eye” and “Kissing Families,” as well as the video for Tegan and Saraʼs “The Con.” She has been nominated for several music video awards for videos she has directed.
Kurt Kuenne
Joe Murray
wrote/directed chilling documentary “Dear Zachary,” an official selection at Slamdance film festival and SXSW, and won the Special Jury award and the Audience award at Cinequest.
created the Emmy award winning animated show “Rockoʼs Modern Life” for Nickelodeon and “Camp Lazlo” for Cartoon Network. Murray won an Emmy award for his involvement with “Camp Lazlo.”
Outdoor wireless on campus by fall? Daniel Gamberg LA VOZ NEWS
233
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In coffee shops, record stores and bookstores, wireless Internet service is defining contemporary hangouts and study areas for students by offering hip and sophisticated online access. Currently, De Anza College directors are actively working alongside district organizers to further implement a free wireless network on campus, aiming to make Internet service available throughout the college. Throughout the month, a series of wireless beta tests will determine the network’s active status and the quality of service on campus. Student volunteers will be asked to verify selected “hotspot” connections and record their experiences, which will then be reviewed to confirm the project’s functionality. The Kirsch Center and Administration Conference Room 109 will be the first to obtain wireless capacity and begin beta testing. The district’s plan to further expand wireless Internet service was initiated by Foothill College. De Anza joined the initiative after district administrators realized that a formal bidding process was necessary to acquire the project equipment. “We realized that the corporations weren’t willing to donate all of [the equipment] to the college,” said Sharon Luciw, Foothill-De Anza District Director of Systems and Networks. Aruba Networks − a worldwide network service provider − was one of many bidders in the district’s formal bidding process. As the winner, Aruba Networks will work hand-in-hand with the college to provide service and necessary equipment to power the network. Authenticating a wireless network in agreement with the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act − a communications standard in the U.S. designed for government surveillance − was a major obstacle in the deployment process. To comply with the act, the network was privatized so that each user could be identified. This will also guarantee users the appropriate service levels free of outside impediment. The network requires users
to login using either a student ID number or employee number followed by a PIN number to validate access. “I think it’s a good idea,” said Jessica Deniz, a De Anza communications student. “Having to personally log in is safer for students using the Internet.” The wireless network is made possible through Measure C funds, another obstacle that had to be dealt with before moving forward. The district was awaiting the release of the $490.8 million in Measure C funds from a lengthy litigation process that was settled earlier this year. Finally, having cleared all hurdles, the college can now move forward with the wireless expansion. De Anza is currently in phase II of the three-part process. The initial phase began with the installation of wireless Internet in the Hinson Campus Center and the library. Next, college directors will de-
“I think itʼs a good idea. Having to personally login is safer for students using the Internet.” Jessica Deniz, De Anza student termine the priority and order of locations offering wireless Internet. The third phase includes expanding the wireless service to outdoor quads and gathering places including parking structures. Given the subjective manner in which the network’s size is determined, a definitive budget is not yet in place. Making Internet access available throughout the campus has many advantages for students and staff. “The wireless network will help [students’] research in general,” said Jeanine Hawk, vice president of Finance and College Services. Deployment and management of the wireless network is overseen by the district’s network and telecommunications team. Daniel Gamberg is the assistant copy editor for La Voz. Contact him at danielgamberg@lavozdeanza.com.
PAGE 6
Back to the future STEPHEN ZILL
Economics for Everyone Earlier this year, when I was asked if I would like to contribute a student-oriented, weekly column to La Voz on economic issues, my first thought was, “Sure, I’ve got a few opinions – and it wasn’t so long ago that I, too, was a student.” Nevertheless, I did harbor some trepidation that I might eventually run out of things to say. Well, it turns out I needn’t have worried, because looking back now on the past six months of activity in the U.S. and global economies, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to paraphrase the Grateful Dead and comment, “What a short, strange trip it’s been.” Given that this is essentially my last column for the academic year (next week: summer reading recommendations), I thought it might be appropriate to “wrap up” some of the things we’ve been discussing and summarize the current state of the economy. One thing that I particularly hope I’ve succeeded at over the past 18 weeks is debunking the myth that economics is a “dismal science,” as Thomas Carlyle (see my column two weeks ago) once put it. While, perhaps, economists have no one to blame other than themselves for this misconception, these columns are an attempt to show that economics is, in fact, an incredibly exciting and interesting subject that has a lot to do with you and your everyday life – so much so that, as I argued earlier, it should be a requirement for college graduation. The two basic branches of what the Greeks called “Oikonomika” are microeconomics, which deals with the behavior of individual decisionmakers, and macroeconomics, which deals with aggregates and “the big picture.” Microeconomics helps to explain things like the recent hike in gas prices and answer questions like “Why is there Braille on ATMs at drive-thru banks?” Macroeconomics deals with things like rising inflation and recession. In the past half-year, both of these fields have seen their share of significant and well-publicized events. On the microeconomic side, I really doubt if there is anyone among us who hasn’t felt the impact of rising food and gas prices. And for those planning to move on to a four-year school and are in need of financial assistance, the lingering credit crisis has no doubt made your student loan options uncertain. As for macroeconomic issues: At this point, we have been able to avoid a “by definition” recession (as I predicted! Thank you – allow me to gloat a bit), but there is still much buzz and speculation as to when and if our luck might end. There also remains concern over whether the total rate of inflation (re: including gas and food prices) will filter down into the core rate of inflation (re: not including gas and food prices). Lastly, we saw and discussed the Federal Reserve’s participation in the bailout of Bear Stearns (see columns on the Fed and moral hazard), the U.S. government’s stimulus package (see column on tax rebates) and the many methods by which various parties have tried to nurse the economy back to health (see column on monetary policy and fiscal policy), among other things. In retrospect, I might concede the fact that I am just partly biased in favor of the subject I find “incredibly exciting and interesting,” and maybe these adjectives are a bit hyperbolic. But “dismal”? Hardly. Stephen Zill is an economics instructor at De Anza College. If you want to find out why drive-thru ATMs have Braille, sign up for his class.
PEOPLE On Campus PROFESSOR OF THE WEEK
The chronicle of an anti-teacher Kelly Truong LA VOZ NEWS
Bob Dickerson was kicked out of his first school before he even hit puberty. He was 7 or 8 years old at a Sunday school in the South, and his crime was asking a question. His teacher was leading the class in reciting the song “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” which included the lyrics, “Jesus loves the little children … black and yellow, red and white, they’re all precious in His sight.” “And I raised my hand and said, ‘Well, if Jesus loves all the little children, then why are we all white here?’” Dickerson said.
“I raised my hand and said, ʻWell, if Jesus loves all the little children, then why are we all white here?ʼ” Bob Dickerson, De Anza College professor
The school preferred not to answer. The incident marked the first step in what Dickerson has turned into a dedicated career of challenging the established social order: marching with Martin Luther King Jr., disrupting a George Wallace rally and sitting in a room with a group of Black Panthers who were plotting to overthrow the United States. “I was a political radical,” he said. “I had long hair, I was marching, I changed schools, listened to weird music.” A double major in English and phi-
losophy, Dickerson attended a total of five different colleges as an undergraduate after first being kicked out of Duke University for absence from exams without permission. As a student, he was a self-described rebel. “I would always speak my mind if I was in opposition to the professor,” he said. “I was a smartass and I would challenge people.” As an English professor at De Anza College, he’s no different. “I think I’m an anti-teacher,” he said. “I try to deliberately subvert everything that’s supposed to go on in a classroom.” According to Dickerson, students see what goes on in the classroom as a gateway to other things. “More money, a better-looking spouse,” he said. “That’s what they’re sold. I do my best to subvert all that and turn the classroom into an anticlassroom.” Dickerson never intended to be a professor when he was young. He taught his first class as a grad student, unaware that it would become his career of choice for more than 30 years. He recalls being armed with notes and books on the first day, ready to go. “I began lecturing, and after about two minutes, I looked up and noticed that pretty much nine-tenths of the class was asleep,” he said. His solution was simple: He threw his books up in the air and began talking in such a way that tied the discussion to his students’ lives and concerns. “From then on, I had a rapport with my students,” he said. This rapport with his students is what makes teaching a calling more than a career for him.
KELLY TRUONG/LA VOZ
Even after a lifetime of adventure, Bob Dickerson still finds new and creative ways to connect with his students.
“I think I love their humanity,” he said. “I love their minds. I love their hearts. I just love who they are. I love their nervousness. Sometimes I love their fear, but I love their courage too. They really want to be more alive.” Literature, according to Dickerson, is a way of becoming more alive. As a college student, he would go back to his room from the bar and read until 6 or 7 o’ clock in the morning. “I’ve always loved words, I’ve always loved stories,” he said. “Language can make us greater people.” He believes that he grows every time he reads a novel, the same way he grows every time he talks to another person. “One way you discover yourself is through others,” he said. “Every time I see another human being and their take on the world, my take expands.” Kelly Truong is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at kellytruong@ lavozdeanza.com.
ARTIST OF THE WEEK
If it goes on paper, it matters Dahlia Seroussi LA VOZ NEWS
Sarah Arakaki’s childhood art teacher, Kioko, told her that “everything you put on paper has to matter.” Arakaki began taking art classes with Kioko, a Japanese-trained art teacher, at the age of 6. Kioko was the first to recognize Arakaki’s precocious talent and urged the young artist to pursue a profession in the field. Arakaki remembers her mother thinking it was a cute talent, enough to get her through homework assignments, but not a viable career choice. Growing up in the Bay Area, Arakaki felt the pressure to discard her dreams of being an artist and focus on a more scientific path. Her sister, who Arakaki describes as also artistically talented, majored in biochemistry. In high school, Arakaki abandoned art altogether. Lacking an outlet, she described herself as an angry student at Monta Vista High School. But everything changed when Arakaki began Middle College, an alternative high school program at De Anza College, her junior year. Arakaki’s first sculpture class awoke her need to have art in her life. She realized how much she hated desks and how much she’d rather work with her hands. Rediscovering her passion, she thought, “What have I been missing these past four years?”
She also took oil painting with Eugene Rodriguez, whose success as an artist inspired Arakaki to enter the competitive field. Her parents will support her no matter what, but Arakaki did admit that a potentially penniless future is a concern. Her parents did not, as Arakaki put it, jump up and down yelling, “Yay! You’re going to be poor!” Arakaki has two pieces currently displayed at De Anza’s Euphrat Art Gallery. One of them is an oil painting titled “Taiko Nikkei,” whose subject matter, a drum and drummer, is both culturally and personally significant because Arakaki’s parents met at a taiko drum class. Her other painting is titled “Black Nectar” and depicts the effects of the Nigerian oil industry on the children there. Because companies like Shell and Chevron own the oil industry, Arakaki recognizes the pain in every tank she fills. Arakaki will pursue a double major in drawing and third world country studies at UC San Diego in the fall. Heeding the words of her first art teacher, she believes that those who have a chance to say something should, and that art can help those in need. After graduate school, Arakaki hopes to become a conceptual artist for film. She was first inspired by
COURTESY OF SARAH ARAKAKI
Sarah Arakakiʼs “Color People.” Arakaki began taking art classes at age 6. the work of Allen Lee in “Lord of the Rings.” Arakaki forsees a lot of hard work in her future but knows she will not have it any other way. When people ask her, “Why do you have to draw?” she responds, “Why do you have to pee?” Dahlia Seroussi is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at dahliaseroussi@ lavozdeanza.com.
Do you know an outstanding athlete, artist, student, instructor, administrator or student leader who deserves to be featured in La Voz Weekly? Contact LaVoz@fhda.edu and tell us!
JUNE 9, 2008
Whatever you do, do not phone home MARY JO LOMAX Your Health I know it’s only the beginning of June, but soon you will be worrying about final exams, and some of you will be graduating or taking off for the summer, so I think it’s a great time to remind you of the new wireless telephone driving law that takes effect July 1. There are actually two different laws that go into effect July 1. One law prohibits all drivers from using handheld wireless telephones while driving. If you are 18 years old or older, however, you are allowed to use a hands-free device if you plan to talk on your cell phone while driving. The second law makes it illegal for drivers under 18 to use a handsfree device at all while driving. In other words, anyone under 18 years old cannot operate a cell phone in any way while driving. Period. For cell phone users who are 18 and over there are a variety of hands-free options, the two most expensive being a special kit that is installed in the car and a wireless headset that uses Bluetooth technology. But a cheap, corded headset and even the speaker phone feature of your phone are also allowed. What is not allowed is having both ears covered (an earbud in one ear and a cell phone earpiece in the other, for example). As far as fines go, at first blush it
Starting July 1, all drivers are prohibited from using handheld wireless telephones while driving. looks like the first infraction is $20 and $50 for each infraction after that. But once all the various assessments are added in, the first offense could be as much as $76 and subsequent fines could be as high as $190. As of July 1, 2008, any driver can be pulled over for using a “handheld wireless device” (in other words, holding a cell phone while driving); it is a “primary violation.” But it is considered a “secondary violation” if a person younger than 18 uses a hands-free device while driving, meaning that an officer must pull them over for some other violation and not simply because he or she is using a hands-free appliance while talking on the phone. The only exception to the wireless telephone law is if you need to make an emergency call to the police, fire or other emergency agency. If you have an emergency, it’s okay to use a hand-held phone to speak to 911, but not to call family to tell them about the emergency. For more information about the new laws, go to http://dmv.ca.gov/ cellularphonelaws/index.htm. Mary Jo Lomax is a health instructor at De Anza College. She is also the driving force behind this column.
JUNE 9, 2008
FEATURES
PAGE 7
Kiss your way to an iPod
Students hoping to win the Kiss an iPod contest loosened inhibitions for a shot at love ... or just an mp3 player Aiselle De Vera LA VOZ NEWS
Thirteen teams locked lips for as long as they could on the afternoon of May 2. Why? For the chance to win an iPod. Pairs of students lined up for a chance to win iPods in the Kiss an iPod contest, held by the De Anza bookstore. All the contestants had to do was keep both their mouths attached to iPod cases at all times, and whichever team lasted the longest won. No body part other than the contestants’ lips could touch the cases or the team would be disqualified. Easier said than done.
“I’m trying to win so I can sell [the iPod] and get some money for gas.” Derek Teng, De Anza student and Kiss an iPod contestant
Some contestants were participating even though they already owned iPods. Others had more original motives. “I’m trying to win an iPod so I can sell it and get some money for gas,” said Derek Teng. Competitor Doug Beckett said, “I’m willing to do a lot of things for free stuff.”
The competition drew in a large and curious crowd. Audience reactions varied. “It shows that anybody would do almost anything for an iPod,” said George Chu, De Anza student. “It’s pretty cool,” said Justin Gerner, a spectator. “If someone can’t afford an iPod, they can just sign up for this.” Chrystianna Lyn, a cheerleader who was passing out free chocolate and candies from the bookstore, said, “It would be fun to do, but tiring. They have stamina – for sure.” The teams eventually dwindled down to two, both male. Rules became stricter and contestants were no longer allowed to adjust the iPod cases. Backs, necks and legs were aching from the strenuous positions while the crowd waited to see who would win. Then, in a triumphant moment, after 94 minutes of physical exhaustion, Aaron Pessah and Matt Neilson dropped their iPods. Ho Chan and Junji Otsuka each became owners of iPod Nanos. They had also broken the record of only 57 minutes from last quarter’s winners. Chan said that his knees were in pain and that he could feel the skin on his inside lip falling off. Chan and Otsuka, who knew each other from last quarter, didn’t plan to join the contest. Both had met each other in the cafeteria right before the competi-
Feeling good after “A Hard Day’s Night” Paul De Amicis LA VOZ NEWS
aiselle de vera /la voz
Contest winners and De Anza College students Ho Chan and Junji Otsuka beat last quarter’s winners’ holding time by a triumphant 37 minutes.
tion and decided that the prize was worth it, saying, “We divide it by two hours, it’s like a hundred bucks an hour.” Otsuka said that the motivation kept him going as well as the prospect of winning, while Chan, who is a cross country runner, thanks his four years of cross country training for the victory. Pessah and Neilson came in second. During the competition, Pessah used his phone to take a picture of Neilson and himself with the iPod
case between their lips and sent it to his friends. Pessah said, “It was a close competition and we weren’t going to give up very easily.” Other contestants didn’t leave empty handed. Runners-up walked away with water bottles as consolation prizes. Aiselle De Vera is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact her at aiselledevera@lavozdeanza.com
(left) Contest winnners Ho Chan and Junjii Otsuka toward the end of their record time. (right) Aaron Pessah and Matt Neilson, who won water bottles for getting second place.
aiselle de vera /la voz
A circle of drum beats brings joy to the quad Mike Anderson LA VOZ NEWS
A drum circle in the main quad lured students into an hour of improvisational drumming led by a world-renowned percussionist Jim Greiner on May 28. De Anza College resembled a tribal gathering during the Jews, Israelis and Friends Club’s interactive “Drum for Fun!” event with Greiner, who invited anyone and everyone to join the circle. I’m here to “bring a celebration,” Greiner said. “to create a community rhythm.” Greiner started drumming alone at noon. He called and beckoned for students to add to his galvanizing groove. Over 50 tambourines, frame drums, maracas, djembes (traditional African hand drums) and plastic tubes called “boom-
whackers” tempted passers-by to pick them up. Ernest Chavez, 19, said he heard the music from across the quad before going over to play a djembe. “It looked like you could just walk up and pick up a drum,” Chavez said. “Why not? It’s music.” Others hesitantly observed the circle before eventually joining. Greiner’s welcoming invitation to play was hard to ignore. “Join on in!” he said with a smile. “Just five minutes.” As the percussion grew thicker with every new participant, the circle’s pull strengthened. Luis Reyes, 19, said he noticed Greiner’s enthusiasm, but the “good vibes” of the circle were what made him join in. “[I felt] everyone’s vibrations and energy from within the circle,” Reyes said. “Playing the drums is a very good way to release energy and
also bring in a new source of energy.” A few students danced nearby before choosing an instrument from the center of the circle. Others left to bring back more people. Kelly Sze, 18, and Chloe Lu, 19, said their friend brought them to the circle because it was an enjoyable experience for everyone. About 30 people jammed together at the improvisation’s peak. The circle of strangers, united by a common love for music, broke with a long drum roll at 1 p.m. Drumming together is like having a conversation. According to Greiner, when we listen to each other with open ears, hearts and minds, “anything is possible.” See the video at http:// www.lavozdeanza.com. Mike Anderson is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at mikeanderson@lavozdeanza.com.
Students stay after dark to race tiny cars Paul Edison LA VOZ NEWS
It was half past ten. Headlights glared; engines revved. Passers by could hear the hurly burly, the bustling of the auto mechanics from a parking lot away. Jason Oliver and Jerry Knapp stood beside their black truck while two cars bolted around Parking Lot C, leaving streaks of blue and yellow across the empty space. The lights lapped, twirled, dashed and slalomed across the parking lot, until the yellow one twisted an unfortunate turn and toppled over with a little “crash.” The wheels still turned for a few moments after.
Everything was silent when Oliver walked toward the yellow car. He bent over, picked up the remote control car, turned it over and the engine once again triumphed over the sound of crows and crickets. Of course, there were other times when the car completely stopped and he had to bring it back to the truck and start it like a lawnmower. But, “half of the fun is in fixing them,” 24-year-old Oliver said. The two had just started this week, but Oliver says they are definitely going to bring their cars out more regularly. “Nobody seems to mind, and the police don’t bug us. But probably it’s just the matter of time until some-
Cinema Cafe
body gets annoyed by the noise and turns us in.” R/C cars can actually cost as much as their real-sized counterparts. “I’ve probably spent more money on [my R/C cars] than what I need to get through college,” Knapp says. He started playing with R/C when he was 10 years old. The cars also run on gas. But they’re a little lighter on the wallet than most. A gallon could easily last them a whole night’s worth of runs, Knapp says. Knapp has a habit of throwing his cars to a start because of his tournament experience. “I throw them so when they hit the ground they’re not starting
from a dead stop,” he said. Then he pulled out his radio, a device that to a layman’s eyes could only be described as a striking resemblance to the laser blaster in “Men In Black,” and the car dashed on at 35 mph. A few moments later, a police officer came. A complaint was filed. The police drove away with Knapp and Oliver packing up their stuff. They said they will be back next time, but probably before the residents of Cupertino are fast asleep. Paul Edison is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at pauledison@ lavozdeanza.com
A female reporter asks John Lennon, “Do you have any hobbies?” John Lennon grins and scribbles one word on the reporter’s notepad that causes her jaw to drop. Now, that’s funny. The Beatles groundbreaking 1964 film “A Hard Day’s Night” is my all-time favorite “feel good” movie. Rather surprising, considering that I’m not an avid Beatles fan. But it turns out you needn’t be in order to totally fall in love with this wonderfully intoxicating film. “A Hard Days Night” was groundbreaking and revolutionary in 1964 for five reasons: One, it was the first feature-length film about a rock band. Two, it was the first cinéma vérité film that became an international hit. Three, it was one of the first docudramas ever made, successfully fusing drama and documentary into a new, fascinating and revolutionary form of cinema. Four, the movie literally invented what we now call a music video. And five, the film introduced the world to a band that would become the most popular rock band of the 1960s. Much of the film is filmed in the cinéma vérité style of filmmaking with little or no scripting. The premise of cinéma vérité is that life and people are fascinating enough without scripting, special effects and tricky camera work. My favorite shot in the entire movie is pure cinéma vérité. This occurs when John Lennon walks briskly through a diner and peers out the window at crazed Beatles fans. The shot is simplicity itself and cinéma vérité at its best. And what makes this simple shot of John Lennon so compellingly and memorable is the magnetic charisma of John Lennon himself. The cinéma vérité style is also employed to absolute perfection in the famous party scene. The Beatles are unwinding at a wild party in their hotel, and the party itself is a deliciously intoxicating cocktail of loud music, wild dancing, unapologetic smoking and wildly excessive alcohol consumption. The party perfectly encapsulates the free spirit, wild abandonment and personal excess that the 1960s are now famous for. Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr’s outrageous dancing is the highlight of the party and perfectly embodies the irreverent whimsy of the entire film. The scene of The Beatles performing their classic singles before a live TV audience is also quite compelling on many levels. On the TV soundstage in front of a live audience, three things become powerfully clear: First, The Beatles wrote some truly great songs. Second, they look incredibly good on stage. And third, The Beatles drove teenage girls completely nuts. I’ve been to many rock concerts, but I have never seen teenage girls go so completely unhinged, loony, and hysterical for a rock band as teenage girls were for The Beatles in 1964. Watching thousands of screaming, crying, jumping, rapturous, orgasmic teenage girls lose their mind right on camera is truly an amazing sight to behold and one you will never forget. The early Beatles unlocked some deep ocean of desire in teenage girls, and when that ocean floods the screen in “A Hard Day’s Night,” you get hit by a tidal wave of primal energy and emotion the likes of which has never been seen before or since on film. “A Hard Day’s Night” is the quintessential “feel good” movie of all time. And in a world defined by war, terrorism, political lies, corporate scandals, economic recession, gas pump rape and chronic stress, who doesn’t need to feel good? Paul De Amicis is a columnist for La Voz. Contact him at pauldeamicis@lavozdeanza.com
JUNE 9, 2008
ADVICE & FEATURES
No job? Go on the Web! Or sell yourself!
Love Voz ʻShould [my friend] take a chance with a long distance relationship?ʼ Dear Love Voz, My best friend since high school is 20 years old and has been dating a girl for just over a year now. They’re totally in love, but sometimes I just don’t believe it. They constantly argue. She likes to find little things that he allegedly says or does and spin them. I think it’s just her paranoia, but this happens way too frequently. Now he has to make a major decision as to which university he’s gong to trasnfer to next fall. He has the opportunity to go to a university that can offer what he needs, but his girlfriend could put an end to that quickly because of her possible paranoia creeping up. She will only join him if he registers for a certain college. Should he make the decision based on her needs and attention, or should he just take a chance with the long distance relationship and go to the college that suits his scholastic needs? – Unnamed Male
Female expert
Male expert
Dear Unknown, I think that a common mistake young people make is to let a girlfriend or boyfriend stand in the way of their future. Puppy love is cute and all – I know, I’ve been there – but that’s all it is. There’s a certain age when we really shouldn’t let go of the person we’re with to benefit our career, but our early 20s are years to focus on ourselves and our lives. We all have individual goals that we want to reach, and your friend should follow his plan and get into the college he wants. The worst thing is to wake up one day and realize he threw away a great opportunity for something that wasn’t really worth it. If a person truly loves someone, he or she will never stand in the way of that person’s success. If she lets him go and he decides to stay by choice, then what they have is something to treasure. If your friend and his girl can’t possibly imagine living without one another, well, then this shouldn’t be a problem at all. Whatever their choice may be, it should be something they decide on their own. Don’t push him into something that you think is best, just advise him as a friend. Good luck!
Unknown, If your friend is in a problem relationship and doesn’t know it, a long-distance situation will bring that to his attention quickly, and you can stand back and watch things unravel from there. If you don’t like to play fair, you might even consider helping him get over her when their relationship is vulernable to attack. But maybe your friend and his girlfriend are meant for each other, in which case he might be better off staying close to her. Maybe your friend should iron that dilemma out for himself. In any case, you might consider supporting him by giving him pointers on how to survive his longdistance relationship so that he can remain happy. In this globalized age of cell-phones and Skype, maintaining a long-distance relationship is not so hard. Encourage your friend to schedule meetings with his loved one in advance, if they wouldn’t be living too far from each other. However, “love rituals” carried out at a certain time across hundreds of miles by both him and his girlfriend will not help maintain a connection, and don’t let any clairvoyant make you think otherwise.
Shabnam Mahmoudkhan is a freelance reporter for La Voz.
Ehssan Barkeshli is the executive news editor for La Voz. Contact him at ehssanbarkeshli@lavozdeanza. com.
Shabnam Mahmoudkhan
PAGE 9
Ehssan Barkeshli
Got a love dilemma? Send it in to love@lavozdeanza.com
Antoinette Luzano LA VOZ NEWS
When in need of money, one might scout the De Anza College bulletin boards scattered around campus, tempted to make an easy buck by trying out a job where the only requirement is that you breathe and own a credit card. Some flyers on campus advertise Web sites, such as http://studentworksite.com and http://datajobsite.com, which allow people to earn money by simply paying a fee to access their directories and type the information onto forms for different companies. The promise of receiving thousands of dollars doing only this is too good to be true. According to an operations employee at the Better Business Bureau, “any time they ask you to send in money first,” it’s a scam. Also, the two Web sites previously mentioned have different Internet addresses but lead to pages with almost identical layouts. “I don’t recommend that job seekers use Web sites or other services that charge a fee,” Cindy Lister, De Anza’s Career Center coordinator, said. “With the wealth of free online job resources and the extensive listings we have here in the Career Center, students, in no way, need to pay to access job listings.” The Career Center, located on the second floor of the Student and Community Services building, has hundreds of job listings organized in binders. There are both full-time and part-time jobs, as well as internship and summer opportunities, for students with different levels of experience. There are many legitimate businesses out there searching for employees. Most aren’t as mundane as sitting at home, incessantly pressing “copy” and “paste” for hours at time either. For example, take Classy Links, a new local dating agency of about six months that hopes “to introduce classy, beautiful, open-minded, wellspoken women to men, or vice versa,” according to Emjay, a co-founder of the company. Through Classy Links, people can earn a minimum of $100 to go out with someone and be themselves, with a maximum of $400 a day, depending on how long the date lasts — it must be
ANTOINETTE LUZANO/LA VOZ
Ads for jobs posted on a bulletin board. But are they real or are they scams?
at least two hours, however. According to their Web site, the service “has nothing to do with sex, but everything to do with companionship.” “Our employees can meet a client at a mutual location, typically followed by an evening out on the town, company party, opera, concerts, etc.,” she said. The expenses for each date are covered by the service, and confidentiality is kept. Everybody who participates is screened for sexual misconduct history and employee verification. Employees must be at least 18 years old, have reliable transportation and have no criminal history. “Our business is not based on long-term relationships,” Emjay said, “more of a ‘no strings attached’ type of fun outing.” For more information, visit http://myspace.com/classylinks. However, Lister suggests not to rule out the Internet completely when job hunting. Monstertrak, Career Builder, Hot Jobs, CalJobs and Craigslist, for example, are all reliable Web sites. “Craigslist is really shaping up to be a great, free resource for finding out about local jobs,” Lister said. Although some listings are a bit dodgy, they are often quickly flagged and removed from the Web site. If the Internet doesn’t work out for you, there’s always the mall. Or McDonald’s. Antoinette Luzano is the copy editor for La Voz. Contact her at antoinetteluzano@lavozdeanza.com.
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OPINION & Editorial
PAGE 10
JUNE 9, 2008 INFO
Staff editorials reflect the opinions of the majority of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author or the opinions of the La Voz staff. Opinions expressed by staff and contributors are the opinions of the individuals and not necessarily the opinion of La Voz Weekly.
A message to the newly elected student government
La Voz Weekly Vol. 41, Issue 28 The Voice of De Anza College Phone: 408-864-5626 Fax: 408-864-5533 lavoz@fhda.edu www.lavozdeanza.com Room L-41 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd. Cupertino, CA 95014 Jay Donde Editor in Chief lavoz@fhda.edu
Julia Eckhardt Managing Editor managing@lavozdeanza.com
E. Barkeshli Executive News Editor Nitzan Beck Enterprise News Editor Shawn McGann Opinions Editor Soheil Rezaee Features Editor Joe Chunnic Sports Editor Josh Bays Multimedia Editor Antoinette Luzano Copy Editor Daniel Gamberg Asst. Copy Editor Tom Guffey Editor Emeritus
Contributing Staff Mike Anderson Audrey Barker Paul De Amicis Aiselle De Vera Paul Edison Stacy Lane Matthew Larvey Jose Marte Thomas Phan Michelle Rydberg Karina Sendayen Dahlia Seroussi Kelly Truong
Business Staff Beth Grobman Faculty Adviser grobman@fhda.edu Walter Alvarado Lab Tech alvaradowalter@fhda.edu Reza Kazempour Business Manager ads@lavozdeanza.com
About Us
La Voz Weekly is a First Amendment newspaper written and published by De Anza College students. La Voz Weekly is partially funded by the De Anza Associated Student Body and is printed on recycled paper at FrickeParks Press. All rights reserved; no part of La Voz Weekly may be reproduced without permission.
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The first copy of each issue of La Voz Weekly is free to everyone. Additional copies can be purchased through Business Manager Reza Kazempour. Come to Room L 42 Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:45 p.m. for the newspaper staff class.
On June 18, our newly elected De Anza Associated Student Body Senate will be sworn in, having endured a grueling campaign and survived the frustrating and often disheartening grievances process. The new student leaders, some returning to the senate for their second or third term, will face a number of challenges during the coming year: working successfully with one another, enacting useful measures to improve De Anza and making efforts to raise the profile of the DASB Senate among the student body. But with a history of dysfunction, what chance does the senate stand to accomplish any of this? Many observers lamented the constant bickering between senators this past year, citing the frequent misuse of DASB resources and the monopilization of valuable meeting time by senators carrying out personal vendettas.
THE OPINION OF THE LA VOZ WEEKLY EDITORIAL BOARD According to former Student Trustee Jordan Eldridge, “This is the worst year of the DASB Senate in a long time.” The average length of a senate meeting during the winter quarter was approximately five hours – much longer than in previous quarters. Part of the reason for this was the senate members’ inability to come together on anything; a few senators in particular could be relied upon to declaim lengthy oratories or launch heated attacks on just about every measure brought up, and former Senate President Robin Claassen’s ineffective time management allowed things to get out of hand. Claassen’s removal from the chair seems to have solved the problem
of overlong meetings, but the questionable evidence brought against Claassen during his “no confidence” proceeding made it seem like his political opponents were pursuing a personal agenda against him. Earlier this year, debate over the DASB budget for the 2008-2009 academic year continued for days, each meeting lasting until nearly midnight due to the back-and-forth arguing that took place regarding countless budget amendments and stipulations – things that would have been better handled in a committee. The dysfunctional nature of the senate is the fault of all senate members. To see to it that the senate runs smoothly, every senate member should have some understanding of
basic parliamentary procedure. To that effect, they should all be reading Robert’s “Rules of Order” and should be required to pass a test on that material before they start campaigning. A meaningful way of bringing students’ concerns before the senate members needs to be established and heavily promoted. Posters could be put up to encourage student involvement or, better yet, the senators could try walking around and actually talking to students, asking them about their concerns and for suggestions as to how to go about solving their problems. The most important thing on senators’ minds right now should be spreading the word about themselves and what they stand for. No senator should be speaking of “empowering students” or “acting as the voice of students” when most of the student body is unaware of the senate’s existence.
Weakness of Chinese government exposed in face of tragedy JAKE PARENT
another voice The May 12 earthquake in the Sichuan province of China was the most deadly disaster to strike the country in decades. The quake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale, pointed out the stark contrast between the communist government’s ability to respond to tragedy on a massive scale and its utter failure at creating an infrastructure capable of withstanding such a blow. In the weeks following the devastating quake, more than 150,000 troops from the People’s Liberation Army poured into the affected region to help search for survivors and recover tens of thousands of bodies.
Top leaders of the Communist Party of China, including President Hu Jintao, have made trips to the region in an attempt to assess the damage and figure out where to start a process of rebuilding. While this systematic approach to recovery and rebuilding is efficient and effective for solving the current problem, it is also a prime example of how the Chinese government is ultimately responsible for such a large number of lives lost. As government officials do everything possible to make sure they are seen as the great caretakers of China, the question must be asked: Where was their compassion when they should have been building safe living structures for the public? The answer is that compassion was nowhere to be found. Sadly, while the
Raising beer tax a bad idea MATT LARVEY another voice
California State Assembly Member Jim Beall, Jr., a San Jose Democrat representing the 24th District, is pushing legislation that would drastically raise the tax on beer sold in California. The proposal calls for a 2,000 percent increase in taxes, from nine cents per six pack to $1.80. The tax is paid by the breweries, who will surely decide to pass a portion of that on to consumers. So why does Beall single out beer? He cites numerous reasons for the tax, believing it will help reduce alcoholrelated issues such as assault and underage drinking, two issues that may strike pretty close to home for De Anza College students. Also, there would be fewer cases of fetal alcohol syndrome and a slowing of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Problems like these cost taxpayers billions, and the increase in tax revenue would be used to offset these costs, according to Beall. But while raising the price of beer by some astronomical figure would surely put an end to beer pong games around the state, people can still pick up that 1.75 liter bottle of poor quality, grain based vodka for around 10 bucks. For the cost of a single case of domestic beer, people would be able to afford two giant bottles of hard liquor. I’m sure people will quickly be capable of doing the math.
What this tax is really about is raising money for the state, which is nearly $20 billion in debt at the moment. This is but one of the many tax ideas that California politicians have come up with in an attempt to bail themselves out of a hole. But this tax in particular would affect college students who love to drink beer. Don’t college students pay enough already without adding this heavy burden to our backs? Tuition is going up – as are book prices, gas prices, food prices and housing costs. Our pockets are being squeezed from all directions. Sure, alcohol consumption will go down, but this is no good reason to deprive us of our much beloved beer.
For the cost of a single case of beer, people would be able to buy two giant bottles of hard liquor. Two dollars for a six-pack of beer is an excessively high tax. Anyone who enjoys the health benefits of drinking one or two beers a night will feel the pinch. The tax will mostly be taking money out of the pockets of college students and middle class Californians who are already affected by the poor economy. So, Assembly Member Beall, take this one back to the office and rethink it. The health costs of people’s bad drinking habits shouldn’t be pushed on those who can drink responsibly, and it won’t be doing anybody any favors if a six-pack of beer costs more than a fifth of hard liquor.
country has spent the last 20 years experiencing monumental economic growth, the welfare of its people has taken a back seat. In the city of Dujiangyan, a high school completely collapsed, burying most of its 900 students and teachers. This is the kind of place that a community should be able to rely on in a time of crises to use as a safe haven. Its construction should be of the highest quality possible. The building was obviously not built to par, and nearly a thousand people paid a grave price for their government’s irresponsibility. Unfortunately this is typical of how the government of China operates. As long as they can add a spin to their actions and make themselves look good, there is no reason for them to carry out decent policies. Even as men like President Hu
spend time playing the part of responsible leaders, and the army does anything that it can to look good while in sight of cameras, it falls on the people to take care of each other. In fact, if there is something positive resulting from this situation, it is the fact that so many people have joined hands and come together in a culture where such behavior is normally discouraged. One can only hope that the Chinese people will collectively maintain this mentality as they attempt to rebuild and regroup. If so, they may be able to find enough power to demand real change in China. Hopefully the next time China faces real challenges, government leaders there will have realized that progress is worth nothing if it comes at the cost of so many lives.
Texas court wrong to return children SOHEIL REZAEE another voice Elissa Wall was only 14 when she was forced to marry an older man she disliked. During her ordeal, she was forced to have sexual relations with her husband and subjected to abuse until the marriage was called off. Her story had a happy ending when she testified against Warren Jeffs, the man who arranged the marriage and was on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. No one should have their innocence violated in a manner similar to Wall’s and many others in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. The raid on the Yearning for Zion Ranch by Texas Rangers and the rescue of 440 children there was a moral action that was justified. To return the children to their parents and back into the arms of the cult is nothing short of a disgusting joke, and the punch line is human suffering. So why did the Texas Supreme Court rule that the children must be returned to their parents? The decision is basically opening the way for these children to experience the same nightmare that Wall and so many others have gone through. The actions of the Texas Rangers were both justified and heroic, especially in the eyes of past victims. The law was trying to save the children from a horror that the judges have failed to notice.
The church has established a community where residents worship Jeffs and are bound to his will. Families are torn apart and young women are forced to marry much older men. To allow this cult to continue its existence with such power over people who have been brainwashed into slavery is a sin against the principles of our nation. It also gives a bad image to the honest and more mainstream Mormon church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The decision is opening the way for these children to experience a nightmare. Such a cult, which terrorizes its followers into false worship, needs to be dealt with using the iron hammer of the law. It could involve local law enforcement or even the military; all possible action need to be taken against the polygamist cult. However, by returning the children back to the environment they were taken from, the Texas court has completely undermined the efforts of law enforcement and has dealt a deadly blow to opponents of the cult like the Hope Organization. While the criminal investigation into the cult continues, the judges have given them hostages to use in the event of any future raids. The raid, along with the conviction of Jeffs, is one of many steps that need to be taken to break up this cult. While taking children away from their parents may have been a heartless act, it was a better alternative than provoking another Waco.
OPINION & Forum
JUNE 9, 2008
PAGE 11 INFO
Staff editorials reflect the opinions of the majority of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the views of the author or the opinions of the La Voz staff. Opinions expressed by staff and contributors are the opinions of the individuals and not necessarily the opinion of La Voz Weekly.
The Mail Bag
RE: “Christian preacher ... ” 5/27
I was quoted in the May 27 issue of La Voz as stating that I resent Bay Area preacher Mark Troutʼs “demeaning comments toward women, homosexuals and communists.” I am unhappy that the second part of my quote was cut out. In it, I continued that “However, we fully respect his right to be here and state his views.” With the second part of my statement erased, and given the placement of my words within the article, it sounds like Iʼm calling for Trout to be removed from campus. Nothing could be further from the truth! In my opinion, there should be no restrictions on what someone says in the Free Speech Zone (or anywhere, for that matter). Furthermore, I am a former, not standing, president of Students For Justice. SFJ is more than a “peace activist club,” as we were labeled. We uphold any and all fights for social justice at home and abroad, and explicitly asked to be identified as a “social justice” club. Some of our members do not feel comfortable being called “activists” because they view this term as demeaning to the working class, many of whom are too strapped with multiple low-paying jobs to be “active” in protest politics. Finally, neither Students for Justice nor the Muslim Students Association voted to endorse any sort of demonstration the week of May 12. I explained during my interview that those protests were carried out by a spontaneously formed group, the De Anza Naqba Committee, which consisted of members of several clubs and student groups formed to raise awareness about conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, to demand an end to their occupation, and not for any anti-Semitic or anti-Israeli purposes. Stefan Hird Member, Students for Justice
RE: “Christian preacher ... ” 5/27
In writing this letter, Iʼm not taking issue with the author of the article or the editors of La Voz. I am not offended in any way. I only want to bring attention to some unfortunate implications made in the article and its headline. Mark Troutʼs preaching shouldnʼt be considered “the word” as the
term is understood by Christians. I witnessed some of Troutʼs sermonizing, and while he included Christian doctrine, any truth he spoke was completely undermined by his hate speech. Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, such as his, should never be considered “the message of Jesus Christ.” As a Christian, I get frustrated with folks like Trout – misguided, combative fanatics moved by anger instead of compassion who spread contention instead of peace. They give Christians a bad name. Anyone trying to spread the love of God should understand that love is coupled with respect and that respect can only come through understanding. They should study the Quran and learn something about the beautiful religion of Islam before entering into theological discussion – not debate – with a Muslim. And they should never resort to slanderous speech. I understand that the implications made were not intentional and easy to miss. I simply would have preferred the headline “Preacher spreads his word,” distinguishing Troutʼs hateful intolerance from Christʼs gospel of love. Greg Baker San Jose
RE: “ ... pass the buck? ” 5/19
I think itʼs a great idea for VTA to give full-time students an unlimited pass on buses and light rail. It is already expensive to ride the bus. But with gas prices creeping up as they are, the bus doesnʼt seem that bad of an idea, and the possibility of riding for free really encourages the idea. Five dollars added to registration fees is no problem, in my opinion. I was actually interested in the DASB election for the first time after reading that article. I noticed how they are voting on my behalf on things that could really benefit me. Great article! Adriana Chaverri De Anza student
RE: “Graduation ... ” 6/2
You have a point about how boring graduation ceremonies can be: the march, the speeches, the tacky music – not to mention
the possibility of enduring blistering heat while wearing an outfit consisting of overpriced caps and gowns. I agree, these ceremonies can be taxing. However, I do not agree that they are useless. Ceremonies provide many people with a sense of closure. They also acknowledge the hard work and sacrifice many people made in order to go to school. And Iʼm not just talking about students. Parents, siblings, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands and wives have all made sacrifices on behalf of the graduating student. For some, this is the end of the education road. For others, this is the tip of the iceberg. Regardless of the destination, the ceremony celebrates that milestone. You mentioned that the graduation ceremony is supposed to be a joyous occasion. Iʼve never been to one where it wasnʼt. I feel bad if your last graduation ceremony was almost as depressing as a funeral. If thatʼs the case, then I understand why you feel the way you do. If itʼs not the case, then Iʼm not exactly sure what your beef is. The De Anza College graduation ceremony is optional. Itʼs your choice whether you want to endure the ceremony or not. Hereʼs a thought: When you are done going to school here, donʼt go to the ceremony. No one participating will miss you if you donʼt attend. Royce Augustin De Anza student
RE: “Graduation ... ” 6/2
Graduation ceremonies are droning – that is true – but judging by the number of students that actually attend the ceremonies that are held in their honor, itʼs difficult to agree that the ceremonies should be “done away with.” Sure, the school makes you buy your gown and cap, and you sit and listen to how great other people are, but graduation ceremonies celebrate how great an individual is and their accomplishments after years of hard work studying. I also know itʼs true that a studentʼs attendance to the ceremony isnʼt mandatory. The school doesnʼt make you come to commencement just to pick up your diploma.
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Whether youʼre there or not, they mail you the real diploma in two to three weeks, since the one you receive at the ceremony is a fake, anyway. I think graduation ceremonies are a lot of fun, and after four years of busting my back, I want that day for me and my family. Enjoy that day and reminisce on how you made it. That day is your pat on the back for a job well done. Latasha Singh De Anza student
Write Us Letters to the editor, submissions and press releases are welcome and can be submitted to: (online): lavozdeanza.com/letters OR (in print): Room L 41 Letters should be 300 words or less; letters more than 300 words may be edited for length. Letter content must not be libelous or intended to air personal grievances. La Voz does not guarantee that submissions and letters to the editor will be printed, nor does it guarantee coverage of events for which it receives press releases. La Voz reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for clarity in accordance with Associated Press writing style.
Corrections
RE: “Swab your cheek ... ” 6/2, front page Michelle Maykin is half Chinese and half Vietnamese, not half Chinese and half Japanese, as printed. RE: “DASB Senate Notes” 6/2, page 2 The Euphrat Museum of Art did not recieve $1,725 in funding from the DASB. A second vote was required to fund the museum, which passed this week. RE: “Editorial” 6/2, page 11 De Anza College and Foothill College are not the only two community colleges in California operating on the quarter system, as printed. Lake Tahoe College, as well, operates on quarters.
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JUNE 9, 2008
ATHLETIC ALUMNA
BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
From Cupertino to Louisville ... to Beijing?
Wagner overcomes injury, claims award
Joe Chunnic LA VOZ NEWS
When former De Anza College swimmer Whitney Campbell first came to De Anza, she was looking to move on to a four-year university where she could pursue her diverse interests. She didn’t realize that De Anza would catapult her to where she is today: Louisville, Kentucky. She is now attending the University of Louisville and is on the swim team. Her major is equine business, and there is no better place to learn that business than Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, just a short way away from the campus. “Being here in Kentucky, [the people in the industry] have given me the encouragement to pursue my dreams of being a part of the industry,” said Campbell. Before De Anza, Campbell wasn’t aware of the hard work and dedication it took to be an elite athlete. “I never thought I had the potential to attend a four-year school on a swimming scholarship until I swam my first year for De Anza,” she said. “It helped me see how much work it takes being both a student and an athlete.” Now this star athlete is training for one of the biggest moments of her life. The Olympic trials are coming up this month and Campbell is just a mere six-hundredths of a second off the cut time in the 50m freestyle and eight-hundredths of a second off the cut time in the 100m freestyle. “I hope all goes well and I make it,” she said. “But if worst comes to worst and I don’t, I still have two more years of college and college swimming to make goals.” Upon transferring from De Anza to Louisville, Campbell was shocked to hear that she would not be allowed to compete in her first year after transferring because a couple of her classes didn’t transfer from De Anza. However, she dedicated herself to training and had surgery
on her hip, which gave her an extra year of eligibility. She exuded a positive attitude and was confident that this – a Division I school – was where she belonged. This season, Campbell was a part of three record-breaking relay teams in the Big East Conference. Individually, she set a personal best during one of the relay events and has continued to improve, bringing her Olympic dreams closer to reality. Campbell has struggled in her academic and swimming career, but everything has seemed to work to her benefit and she’s achieving her goals as she sets them. She got her start here at De Anza College and has done herself – and her alma mater – proud. Joe Chunnic is the sports editor for La Voz. Contact him at joechunnic@lavozdeanza.com.
photo courtesy of whitney campbell
Whitney Campbell, a former De Anza College student athlete, now swims for the University of Louisville and might compete in the Olympics this summer.
Thomas Phan LA VOZ NEWS
The De Anza College baseball team has voted sophomore Jamie Wagner as its most valuable player for the 2008 season. Wagner was a starting pitcher but also saw plenty of work at the plate as a designated hitter and first baseman. Although he hadn’t played first base since Little League, a lack of depth at the position last fall led him to try his hand there. “I just wanted to help the team out as much as I could with my offense,” Wagner said. “I missed hitting. It’s a big part of the game.” As a pitcher, he started 11 games out of the team’s 35 and pitched 64.2 innings, both highs on the staff. He compiled a 1-7 record with a 5.29 ERA. As a hitter, he took part in 31 games while hitting .283 with one home run and 15 RBIs in 92 at bats. Head coach Scott Hertler was glad to have Wagner’s multiple abilities on the team this season. “When you’re a starting pitcher and you swing the bat too, you’re very valuable to the team,” he said. “There were times during the course of the season that he carried
us, on the mound and at bat.” Wagner’s competitiveness was particularly important during a season in which the Dons had a roster of 22 freshmen out of 30 players and finished with a 7-28 record. “He demonstrated leadership in every category: pitching, hitting and fielding,” said cocaptain Brian Roby. “Doing all that demonstrates a lot. He gave us his all every time.” Wagner did not miss a start on the mound this season, impressive in that he sat out all of last year due to a devastating injury. Wagner was hit on the left cheek by a line drive during a scrimmage. “It was pretty scary,” Wagner said of the injury directly below his eye. “I was wondering if I was ever going to see in that eye again. It was swollen totally shut for 10 days.” Coach Hertler praised Wagner for working hard to recover fully from the injury and for not letting it affect his performance this year. “Jamie jumped right back like nothing ever happened,” he said. “It’s hard to come back from a mental standpoint. He did a tremendous job, and his teammates were very supportive.” Next year, Wagner will take his talent to Southern Illinois University, where he will
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continue his baseball career. He is slated to be a pitcher, but he hopes to contribute as a two-way player again. “I want to hit as long as they’ll let me hit,” he said. “But when the time comes, I’ll be mainly a pitcher.” Thomas Phan is a staff reporter for La Voz. Contact him at thomasphan@lavozdeanza. com.
joe chunnic/la voz
Jamie Wagner recovered from a gruesome injury and worked hard to earn MVP honors from his teammates this season.