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Wednesday, January 25, 2022 – Volume 36 • Issue 13
@tccthecollegian • collegian.tccd.edu
DISTRICT
TCC’s food vendor changes unexpectedly Food options across district decrease after email announcement NINA BANKS & HOPE SMITH
campus editors
A week before classes started, TCC announced in an email students no longer had a food service option. This decision came five months after Genuine Foods became the new provider for TCC. The email only said this change occurred due to “unforeseen circumstances.” The change caused students and staff to say they feel worried about whether food options would be available to them. Each campus has experienced the removal of Genuine Foods, with only TR Campus containing Riverfront Cafe and Trinity Brews. For NW student Yulianna Paredes, she fears for the students who rely on the food service. “Definitely for other students it can be an issue going to class before snacking,” Paredes said. “I imagine it’s not very good of them. For them it would have been their only source of food. They could have given some sort of timeline rather than pulling out last minute.”
See Food, page 3
Joel Solis/The Collegian
NE student Aly Jones walks by the locked up cafeteria that used to have the Genuine Food food services at NE in the NSTU building.
DISTRICT
SOUTHEAST
South maintenance works over holiday due to flooding
Instructors worry due to changing office space
ALEX HOBEN
editor-in-chief alexandra.hoben@my.tccd.edu
TCC maintenance worked throughout Christmas on South Campus due to the freeze causing water damage to two of its buildings. During the holidays there were instances of damage done to facilities across the district. The
worst of the damage occurred in the SACD and SAUT buildings. According to district facilities manager Thomas Roese, a domestic water line burst in the second floor of SAUT and proceeded to flood a tool room, the connecting hallway as well as the men’s bathroom. “The ceilings all fell down and made a mess,” Roese said. The other main cause of water
damage was an HVAC coil in the SACD building failing and causing flooding damage. Roese explained that the cause of the damage was indeed the freeze and the way it affected the campus’ facility systems. “Over the holiday break when the cold front came in with the excessive winds and cold temperatures, we lost power here on the
See Flood, page 3
DISTRICT
OLLA MOKHTAR
campus editor olla.mokhtar@my.tccd.edu
SE Campus will be adopting a new office neighborhood model for faculty and staff. According to the SE vice president of academic affairs Zena Jackson, this will be a “neighborhood” where staff and faculty will be placed together with focus rooms and huddle spaces available should they wish to meet with someone privately. She said the decision was made years ago. “There was always an intent to move TCC into the 21st century in how offices function, and having what are called ‘neighborhoods’ for our staffing allows us to be more efficient in how we work together as a team.” Jackson explained how this will enable more collaboration between staff and faculty. “Offices, companies, systems and educational institutions function as a team, this allows us to be more collaborative in our spaces where we are together as one as opposed to isolated in offices, a silo if
you will,” she said. According to her, this will also help students. “This will give greater access for students to our faculty and our staff,” she said. “Instead of students having to chase down offices, you actually get to see us at work. Schedule appointments with us and have opportunities to meet with us in focus rooms.” An anonymously sourced professor at SE disagrees with having to be put into collaborative space and describes how it disrupts their work. “My concern stems from my experience as an adjunct professor,” they said. “I found it difficult to work because of other people’s work. It will be very difficult to concentrate, read, grade and write lectures because of the business going on around.” They explained their position with administration about the neighborhood arrangements. “Our campus president, vice president and deans are for the most part supportive about our feelings but this was not our decision.” The professor believed that faculty was afraid to speak out because
See Office, page 3
Joel Solis/The Collegian
NE students sign in to get free shirts and food and grab a photo with TORO at NE Campus.
TCC springs back with its Welcome Week As the spring semester began to arrive after TCC’s winter break, each campus made sure both new and returning students were met with open arms in activities meant to encourage involvement and acceptance. Beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 17, student activities and other organizations focused on hosting an event or helpful station for the week.
For NE Campus, the staff had been preparing some time prior to the kick-off date. Student activities coordinator Courtney Matthews explained that it was good to start off on “Toro Tuesday” for the students beginning the semester. “It was wonderful to have Toro there, a lot of students came over and took pictures with him and they were like, ‘I do this every semester!’ to kick off, you know, ‘my academic year’ or semester at the time,” Matthews said. “So that was really amazing
Website refresh New website presented at TCC board meeting Page 2
Bird flu effects Rise of bird flu cases impact poultry and egg products Page 2
HOPE SMITH
managing editor hope.smith393@my.tccd.edu
to just have students have their own tradition.” South Campus held many activities and prize winning opportunities, as well as a BBQ with police where students were provided food and given the opportunity to interact with the campus police. SO student activities member Edith Cruz said she enjoyed the “Wild Wednesday” event, which was Western themed and involved a mechanical bull ride, a Western costume contest, and giveaways.
See Welcome, page 3
‘A Man Called Otto’ A heartwarming story about a man with a heart too big Page 4
Ariel Desantiago/The Collegian
Construction workers on site building the foundation and initial walls for the new library extension on SE Campus. Automated service New McDonalds opening brings job security concerns Page 5
Realistic resolutions New Years resolutions with consideration to mental health Page 6