Rangeview First Issue FALL 2007 for RV

Public Safety supervisor, which means I run the Pub-lic Safety office here and supervise the employees within it,” he explains.

Prior to working at FRCC, Goldsmith spent 20 years with the Colorado State Patrol and also spent some time with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Depart-ment. A father to six col-lege-bound children, Gold-smith enjoys the liveliness of the college atmosphere. He feels that the upbeat energy on campus is impor-tant. He says, “We do have to enforce the regulations at the guidelines of the col-lege, but we try to do that in a positive fashion.”

With the recent shoot-ings at Virginia Tech last semester, it’s natural to wonder about campus safety. As a result, PS pro-cedures have been altered. “There’s a federal reporting

(Continued on page 4)

Welcome to the first 2007 issue of the Rangeview! After a few years on hia-tus, the good people at Student Life, particularly Director of Student Life Erin Smith and Student Activities Coor-dinator Rob Suglia, along with dedi-cated faculty members Kathy Mendt and Karl Dukstein of the Arts and Let-ters Department, decided that it was time to bring it back.

Together, they convened an Advisory Board and developed guidelines to ensure a publication that FRCC can be proud of.

With their sponsorship, the content for the Rangeview is produced by the tal-ented and hardworking journalism students of JOU-106, the Fundamentals of Reporting. Production is paid for with student fees.

In addition to SL and our Advisory Board, the Rangeview reporters and I wish to thank the many students, faculty and staff who helped us by allowing us to tell your stories — without you, there is no Rangeview!

Cheers, Kate Tarasenko Journalism Instructor & Rangeview Faculty Advisor

As you rush through the parking lot, with maybe a Starbucks in hand, you may see two Public Safety (PS) officers diligently taking surveillance of the parking lot.

PS patrols all buildings, grounds and parking lots periodically throughout the day here at Front Range Community College. When the campus is closed, an officer is on call to respond to any calls. With the job title of Public Safety, vari-ous responsibilities and duties are automatically underway. From maintain-ing campus security sys-tems and fire alarms, to providing escorts for staff members and any personal requests, PS officers fulfill various safety obligations every day.

For two years, Gordon Goldsmith, 48, has worked in the Department of Public Safety at FRCC. “I am the

TO OUR READERS:

BARSAMIAN TARGETS DEMOCRACY BY JILL PRENGER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

David Barsamian, founder of Alternative Radio, author, journalist and lecturer, visited FRCC on Sept. 12 to discuss his book “Targeting Iran.” Wear-ing a t-shirt with the words “Democracy, We Deliver” and a picture of a B-52 bomber, Barsamian personally greeted all who attended. He spoke about his book, the war in Iraq, the media’s coverage of the war, and the media’s portrayal of Iran.

Barsamian likes to lec-tures at colleges “because students are in a special place where their minds haven’t been fossilized yet.” These lectures are free to the public, and he does not ac-cept payment for most of them. Barsamian does this because, to him, “it’s about a movement.”

About 20 people at-tended his lecture, but few

were FRCC students. This was discouraging to Mohammad Kalantari who hosted Barsamian’s lecture. Kalantari, originally from Iran, is an anthropology in-structor and a media specialist at FRCC. He had planned to schedule more lectures, but was dispirited by the low at-tendance.


SAFETY FIRST BY ASHLEY BAILEY, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

MEET YOUR NEW SGA

BY TRENT SAWYER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

New SGA Vice President Spencer Farrell

Photo by Trent Sawyer

A Publication by the Students of the FRCC-Larimer Campus

Voting is one of the most im-portant things a citizen can do. It is the duty of all Americans to stand up for what and who they believe in. For some students, school governments can be just as important.

On Sept. 12 and 13, FRCC student elections were held for the executive and legislative offices. Spencer Farrell, 36, was elected vice president of the Student Gov-ernment Association (SGA). Far-rell decided to return to school for a career change. As a double-major in history and speech-communications, Farrell hopes to one day teach at the college level. As for government, he feels that students should participate more in their school. “You're here for two years. Might as well be in-volved,” he stated.

Leon Weaver, 20, is in his sec-ond year at Front Range and says he voted because it is his “civic duty,” and that “it bolsters com-munity and networking.” This year, though, only 78 people voted, which is up from last year's election which garnered fewer


VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2007

2

MEET OUR EDITORIAL TEAM

EDITORIAL TEAM (left to right): Ashley Storm, Kate Elisha, Denise Marshall, Jill Prenger and Loren Bayles. (Not pictured: Rebecca Morehouse and Nick Sutphin.) Photo by Landree MacLennan

MEET OUR PHOTO TEAM

PHOTO TEAM (left to right): Trent Sawyer, Landree MacLennan, Ashley Bailey and Justin Bauer. (Not pictured: Mary Leek and Nathan Schiefelbein.) Photo by Jill Prenger

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Rangeview provides a voice for FRCC’s Larimer campus. We strive to give our readers accurate and balanced coverage on a variety of news and events in an effort to keep our cam-pus well-informed about their college community. We approach our responsibilities with the goal of maintaining the highest journalistic standards to the best of our abilities.

Faculty Advisor…...……..Kate Tarasenko

Editorial Team…….…..……Loren Bayles

…………….……………..…Kate Elisha

……………..…………..Denise Marshall

…………….……….Rebecca Morehouse

…………….……………….Jill Prenger

…………….……………..Ashley Storm

…………….……………...Nick Sutphin

Photo Team…….…..…….…Ashley Bailey

………………….…………Justin Bauer

………………….…………..Mary Leek

…………………..…Landree MacLennan

………………….………..Trent Sawyer

…………………..….Nathan Schiefelbein

Layout….……………...……Kate Tarasenko

Advisory Board…….....……..Karl Dukstein

……………………..…….Kathy Mendt

……………………..…..…..Erin Smith

……………………..…..…..Rob Suglia

……………………..….Kate Tarasenko

SUBMISSIONS POLICY:

We welcome feedback, letters to the editor, articles and opinion pieces (as well as story ideas and tips) from all members of the FRCC com-munity. Please do not exceed 600 words.

The Rangeview also accepts photos and artwork in J-peg format (min. 1,200 pixels on the long side).

All submissions must be emailed directly from your FRCC account as a Word.doc or J-peg attachment, and must be accompanied by full contact information, including full name and local phone number, to:

[email protected]

All submissions are subject to final approval by the Editing Team/Advisory Board, and may be edited for length, clarity, and potentially libelous content.

3

than 10 votes. With a student population of more than 5,500, why aren't people vot-ing?

While campaigning, Far-rell noted that, “Most stu-dents didn't know there is a [student] government.” With a lack of notice to SGA, Weaver suggests “advertising sooner” or a “communication board” to let students know when the elections are and how to get involved.

“There is a lack of school pride,” Weaver claims, which may be why there is a lack of student involvement.

For some, Farrell says, “FRCC is a jump-school.” So, if those students are at-tending FRCC to move on to another school, how can the SGA get them more in-volved? Farrell is working on targeting students in the 18-to-25 age group in hopes that they will vote in future elec-tions. “I'm here to represent

(SGA...Continued from page 1) the students,” he said.

Farrell listed a range of issues facing student govern-ment this year, from the budget and parking, to even the CSU Homecoming float contest (for which FRCC re-ceived second place this year, and won the previous year). The computer labs on campus are important to Farrell, as well. He would like to see a better system that would “make better use of time.” This includes computer labs that have classes scheduled but would make the times they are not in use available to the stu-dents. Farrell would possibly like to see another computer lab but would mainly like to “make use of what we have.”

For students who feel stressed from school, work, home, etc., Farrell would like to see a “mental health/stress awareness club.” This club would not only be for those with serious mental illnesses but for anyone.

As for traffic issues, an

additional exit from the cam-pus is a possible solution, though where the exit may be is not set in stone. For the winter time, Farrell plans on proposing possible smoking shelters, though this is a no-smoking-campus. He says that, “Smokers pay tuition, too.”

Weaver agrees, “Smoking shelters would only help the social aspect.”

The SGA is made up of 11 members: four executive members and seven legisla-tive. These officers can pass legislation. Both executive and legislative offices serve for one year’s time. Officers can only hold a position for two years consecutively, but have no limits on how many times they can serve total. Legislative positions hold elections every year within the first six weeks of the fall semester, whereas executive elections are held in the last two months of the spring semester.

Farrell, as vice president, must be present for all SGA meetings and on two student committees, such as Campus Crusade or Gay-Straight Alli-ance. This rule holds the same for President Matt Cook and Treasurer John Daskan. Any student who holds a valid S-number can vote. This includes high school students who attend FRCC.

For more information about student elections and public meetings, visit the SGA office which is located in the Student Life office in the Longs Peak Student Cen-ter. ®

cause they don’t feel affected by [conflicts in Middle East].”

He believes that “instructors are the key to getting students more in-volved.” He stated, “[Change] starts with people. The government is not gonna change anything unless peo-ple get involved.”

Kalantari has seen first-hand the devastation of war. Many things were de-stroyed in Iran during the Iraq-Iran war, including date trees that had been around for decades and were a major source of food and income. Also destroyed was their largest oil refinery.


Kalantari’s motiva-tion for bringing Barsamian and other lecturers to FRCC is to provide another point of view for college students. He finds it “imperative for stu-dents to know what’s going on in the world.” Kalantari believes the media “never show the other side” and that “young college students need to know that.”

The greatest goal for him is getting at least a few students to care. If he can do that, then they will usually pass on the information and get someone else to care. But, “students don’t willingly at-tend [lectures] unless it’s required,” stated Kalantari. “They don’t really care be-

(BARSAMIAN...Continued from page 1)

SPRING 2008

Register for JOU-106, the Fundamentals of Report-

ing, and write for the Rangeview!

(3 transfer credit hours; 3:10 to 4:25 p.m., TR)

ALSO

IN THIS ISSUE:

Campus Equity Week…….4

Serving the Students

Writing Center……………5

Learning Opp. Ctr………...7

Scholars’ Square

Foreign Lang. Prog……….8

Club Hub

SAF……………………….9

Science Club…………….10

Latino Club……………...11

GSA……………………..12

Auto Club……………….13

Campus Wellness

Fitness Center…………...14

“A Different Sr. Yr”…….15

Medium Cool

“My Word”……………...17

MGD…………………….18

Theatre Dept…………….18

“Bleeding Hearts”……….19

“Sky Pond”……………...20

4

requirement called the Clery Act and, under that, we have to re-port different serious crimes to the federal government. We have not had to report any of those [types of] serious crimes,” Gold-smith says. Those serious crimes would include things such as homicide, sexual assault or auto theft. “So the crimes that we do have on campus are minor in nature,” Goldsmith adds. Crimes that have been reported on the Larimer campus have bee things such as vandalism to a car or building, vehicle break-ins or crashes.

“Whatever Fort Collins [Police Department] normally would not respond to in the pub-lic sector, we take care of on our campus,” Goldsmith adds. “We are trained to handle minor first-

(SAFETY...Continued from page 1) aid calls; if the first-aid call goes beyond our level of training, then we immediately call the ambulance and the fire department.” Goldsmith confirms that if the fire alarm system goes off, the city fire department will automatically respond.

One 19-year-old student, “Jane Doe,” enlisted the help of PS at the beginning of this semester. She saw someone with a sword on campus and immediately called PS and filed a report. “It ended up not being a big deal at all. It was a prop for a play or something,” she said. She called from one of the red phones that are located in all the buildings’ hallways. These phones go directly to a PS officer, rather than the PS office. “They do come at an efficient time,” she said.

Of all the FRCC locations, the Larimer campus has the most expensive security sys-tem. There are security cam-eras at every entrance and exit of every building. The funding for PS comes out of the college’s facilities depart-ment.

One of the key aspects of the PS’s duties is to act quickly and maintain a high profile on campus. Ilene Wi-cal, 59, an FRCC staff mem-ber in the counseling office for the past 10 months, enthu-siastically states, “I think they provide a really good presence as far as being visi-ble…visibility is an impor-tant thing and I think they do a good job.” Wical has had to call PS but only for small tasks such as unlocking doors.

The media has a “tendency to demonize the other side” to make them the enemy, Kalantari explained.

“It’s easy to demonize people if you put a face with it,” stated Haghighi. The “boo factor,” as he calls it, is then created, which conjures fear or a threat in people’s minds.

Kalantari also finds that the “media manipulates the

truth.” The media also rarely shows coverage of the war on TV and, if they do, they are recycled. The main source for images is the Internet. Kalantari shows these pic-tures to his anthropology class. Some of them have been taken by soldiers in Iraq and have racist overtones. One of those pictures is of a group of soldiers smiling and

posing by an Iraqi body that had been burned.

“These people are being desensitized by propaganda,” stated Kalantari. The military has to make the “enemy evil” and “less than human. Then it’s easy to kill him.”

The quality of the media that people receive is also an issue. “Most people get 10 to 15 minutes of news a day from talk radio and TV,” Barsamian stated. He said that most of that news is about celebrity blunders.

“It all comes down to, hopefully, remaining objec-tive,” Haghighi stated.

The United States charges that Iran is interfer-ing in Iraqi affairs, but, ac-cording to Kalantari, “[There is] no evidence that there is meddling.” Iran and Iraq are neighbors, and Shi’a Islam is the majority ethnic popula-tion in both of these states. The city of Karbala in Iraq is the home to a sacred Shi’a Islamic site, and many people from Iran make pilgrimages

Mehzad “Max” Haghighi is a student and a math tutor at FRCC. Haighighi was one of the first writers for the Range-view four years ago. He came from Iran in the mid-1970s when the United States was helping Iran develop nuclear plants. There were 55 students selected in Iran to come to the United States and advance their degrees in nuclear physics. Haghighi was one of them. He has read Barsamian’s books, has listened to his radio show, and has attended his lectures.

Kalantari, Haghighi and Barsamian share many of the same views on how American media portrays Iraq and Iran. Barsamian stated, “In general, the coverage is appalling of the Middle East.” The media fos-ters generalizations and stereo-types of Iranians and Iraqis.

“The media portrays them as backwards people,” Haghighi stated. He believes the media presents Iranians as “simple” because they are “brought up without running water.”

(BARSAMIAN…..Continued from page 3)

Public Safety is geared in educating everyone on the campus about their services as well as the rules and regula-tions. “We conduct two women’s safety presentations each semester and then I bring in different presenters for a variety of topics directed at faculty, staff and students. The number will vary, but for an estimate, five to seven presen-tations per semester,” states Goldsmith. There are Larimer Campus PS pamphlets outside of the PS office located in Mount Antero. PS also has a Website that is linked to the FRCC website. “We try to give as much information out to the student body as we can so they’re aware of what the laws are, what the guidelines, are and what changes are be-ing made in those guidelines as they come along,” he says.

Goldsmith is pleased with the level of security at FRCC. However, he feels that more Public Safety officers would be better to help keep the cam-pus safe. There are currently four officers. He explains that more officers would offer more visibility which would, in turn, provide more effective safety to the people. “Our main priority every day is the safety of the people in our campus community, that’s our main priority. That’s faculty, staff, students, visitors.” ®

there. Kalantari believes that because Iran shares a border with Iraq and many make pilgrimages to Kar-bala, Iranians should be con-cerned about affairs in Iraq. Barsamian began and ended his lecture with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.”

To learn more, visit the Alternative Radio Website at alternativeradio.org, and the True Majority Website at truemajority.org.®

“Most people get 10 to 15 minutes of

news a day from talk radio and TV.”

5

Many Front Range Community College students view their class instructors as edu-cators who support them, help them grasp new subjects, and help better their aca-demic lives—people who devote their lives to teaching. Most part-time faculty members at FRCC have their master’s de-grees, and many have Ph.D.s. However, it may surprise students to learn that many of their instructors may hold other jobs be-sides teaching. Nearly 80 percent of FRCC faculty members are designated as part-time employees.

Once called “adjunct instructors,” FRCC Program Assistant Jeri Mael ex-plains, “One of the many outcomes [from] the Accreditation Committee is that ad-junct faculty are now officially called part-time instructors.” FRCC is currently under-going its re-accreditation process, which occurs every 10 years, and which provides public notification that an institution of higher education meets standards of quality set forth by an accrediting agency. For FRCC, it’s the Higher Learning Commis-sion of the North Central Association.

Part-time faculty members are not officially employed full-time at their insti-tutions of higher education. These instruc-tors are contracted on a semester-to-semester basis, and do not receive any health care benefits. According to the American Association of University Pro-fessors Website, “Many faculty classified as ‘part-time’ actually teach the equivalent of a full-time course load,” yet the gap between full- and part-time wages is con-tinuing to widen. Some FRCC part-time instructors must also teach courses at other nearby colleges just to make ends meet.

Part-time FRCC and Colorado State University instructor, Kimberly Fields, has seen first-hand what part-time faculty can achieve when working towards a common goal. While working as a graduate teaching assistant at CSU, Fields witnessed the part-time CSU instructors make clear their de-mands for higher pay. “People started making a presence,” she says, and eventu-ally their demands were met. CSU part-time English faculty members now earn twice what their FRCC counterparts earn. “Luckily, people are here because they love teaching,” says Fields.

Other major concerns of contingent or part-time faculty include lack of health in-surance, and bereavement and emergency leave pay and policies.

Part-time faculty at FRCC and around the nation have been facing challenges like these for years. An upcoming nationwide campaign is aimed at addressing these chal-lenges. Campus Equity Week (Oct. 29 to Nov.4), sponsored by the American Asso-ciation of University Professors (AAUP) is a national campaign seeking to promote the fair and equitable treatment of part-time

faculty, call attention to the dramatic de-crease in the ratio between full- and part-time faculty, and to raise awareness about issues facing part-time faculty such as ineq-uitable pay scales, and difficult working conditions (lack of personal office space, respect, etc.).

The nationwide Equity Week takes place every two years. In the past, faculty members have held hearings on university employment practices, given out awards to part-time faculty, and hosted film screen-ings in an effort to raise awareness about the issues facing part-time instructors at col-leges across the nation. During Equity Week, many organizers also lobby their state legislatures and propose reforms.

During the last week of October, and for the first time, members of FRCC’s Ad-junct Faculty Organization (AFO) will be taking part in Equity Week. New AFO president and FRCC instructor, April McClure, has high hopes for this year’s

event and assures that it is “not all about the money,” but also about promoting better understanding and overall appre-ciation for the FRCC faculty who hold part-time positions.

The AFO has designated Oct. 29 as “Adjunct Faculty Appreciation Day.” The celebration will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new modular outside Blanca Peak that will be home to nearly 400 part-time instructors. McClure will also give a speech. Re-freshments will be provided for part-time instructors throughout the day. The Ap-preciation Day will encompass students, all faculty members and FRCC admini-stration. Pins will be available to show support for FRCC’s part-time faculty, and a poster table will be set up with a poster for students to sign and add posi-tive sentiments for their instructors.

While most of the part-time faculty remain optimistic for the future, there is always some hesitance when it comes to voicing the issues surrounding them. As Fields explains, “I’ve heard people say, ‘I don’t want to lose my job’… [and] the people who have been here a long time are just tired.”

Despite such concerns, McClure says that the AFO is not interested in stirring up controversy through Equity Week. They want to simply to show the campus the faces that make up FRCC’s part-time faculty. “Most students don’t realize we are [part-time],” she says.

McClure hopes that, with a better understanding of who the part-time fac-ulty members are and what they do for FRCC, students and everyone at FRCC will have a greater understanding and appreciation for their contributions. ®

EQUITY & UNITY: PART-TIME FACULTY TO CELEBRATE “EQUITY WEEK”

BY KATE ELISHA, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

“What is written without effort is

[generally] read without

pleasure.” — Samuel Johnson

6

WRITING OUTSIDE THE LINES: FRCC’S WRITING CENTER

SERVING THE STUDENTS

An unidentified student takes a smoke break in the des-ignated smoking area outside of Mount Antero. As tempting as it may be to light up between classes, Public Safety is strictly enforcing the campus’ policy of allowing smoking in restricted areas only. Infractions may result in a ticket and a fine.

Photo by Ashley Bailey

BY JUSTIN BAUER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER Front Range Community College offers several programs that are aimed towards assisting students as they work though college. These different areas cover courses such as math and English. One of these resources is the Writing Center.

Kerri Mitchell, 31, is a faculty member at FRCC. She teaches English and has been the director of the Writing Center since 2005. Her job as director includes marketing its services and training its consultants. “Basically, we just want to provide a sup-port system for our students,” she stated. “We believe that getting feedback is a really important part of the writing process and that students can use feedback.”

The Writing Center is a place for students to go and get help with their writing assignments from tutors and teachers, “It’s a misconception to think that it’s some sort of fix-it-shop,” Mitchell said. The Writing Center doesn’t proofread student pa-pers; the center provides a learning experience for the students so that they can gain the skills and confidence they need for writing.

The Writing Center now has a record number of staff mem-bers and is quickly evolving into a very influential part of the campus. In the past, writing centers in general would only hire English faculty to work within the center, but that has changed significantly in the last few years. In addition to the vast number of staff at the Writing Center, a new program called Writing

Across the Curriculum (WAC) is being developed by English faculty member Kathy Mendt. It is a college-based movement that is active nationwide. WAC is an attempt to get students to use more writing in all classes rather than in just English and lit-erature. The Writing Center staff is recruiting willing instructors from all different disciplines. Courses such as philosophy and art now have the option to apply writing in their instructional design and curriculum. This opens up a wide range of different styles of learning for different academic disciplines.

“So the idea there is that these are not expert writers, but they’re people who have been trained to give certain kinds of feedback to students, and so it also supports the idea of, ‘We’re not your editor, We’re your reader,’” said Mitchell. She has high hopes for the WAC program at FRCC because there are a lot of interesting possibilities on how the Writing Center will work to-gether with other disciplines to form continuity between the courses.

In addition to the WAC program, FRCC has introduced stu-dents as consultants in the Writing Center. This type of student employment is called Service Learning. It provides real-world experience as well as valuable learning and instruction.

Mitchell interviewed and hired two first-year students this semester. She said, “They’ve been trained and they’ve only been in there for a couple of weeks, so we’re just piloting it to see how it goes and, so far, it’s working well.” She also schedules all of the people working in the Writing Center and works one-on-one with them. She conducts workshops and presentations to teachers on campus and also brings other people in from other campuses to show how the center works at FRCC.

Susan Marshall, an instructor who teaches English Composi-tion 121 said that the Writing Center is a good resource, and the faculty involved are really good at what they do. “They put em-phasis on student accomplishments, and help [them] collect their thoughts and give feedback,” Marshall stated. One of the crucial steps in working with others is communication. (Continued on page 7)

English instructor and Writing Center Consultant Steve Sweek assists student Jon Lozen with a paper. The Writing Center is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Photo by Jill Prenger

7

The Writing Center staff is working hard to communicate with the college as a whole so that everyone will have a better understanding of how it operates efficiently and intuitively.

FRCC’s Writing Center has come a long way and has become much more than what it is historically known for, the misconception of being a fix-it shop. Other colleges across the state, as well as the nation, have adopted and developed writ-ing centers just like the one at Front Range. Colorado State University has a well-funded writing center that is not just limited to CSU students but to anyone in Fort Collins who needs assistance in writing.

Some writing centers are moving around and going mobile. “Why wait for the students to come to us? We’ll go to the students,” Mitchell stated, referring to the writing center at CSU. By bringing the resource to the students, it is much more efficient to operate.

Mitchell is grateful to all the students and staff who make the Writing Center possible and operational. “If our students did-n’t come in the way they do, if they didn’t support us like they do, then we wouldn’t be here.” ®

(WRITING CENTER...Continued from page 6)

SERVING THE STUDENTS

There are about 1,000 people who walk through the doors of Blanca Peak room 102 weekly. Each of those people comes in for many reasons, but the main reason is to get help. That room is the Learning Opportunity Center (LOC). There are many resources available to students in the center, such as math and science tutoring, the Writing Center, and the Assis-tive Technology Lab. Bitsy Cohn, director of the LOC, be-lieves it “offers one stop” for a variety of students who need help. “The LOC is for all students, not just students with dis-abilities,” stated Cohn.

Cohn has been with Front Range Community College for 17 years working as the literacy program director and the direc-tor of the Office of Special Services. She helps maintain the infrastructure of the center and works with students. Cohn stated, “If we don’t have it here, we know someone and can direct [students] where to go.”

The Office of Special Services is one of the many services offered by the Learning Opportunity Center. They assist stu-dents who need extra help taking tests and performing at school. To be able to use these services, students must have a documented disability. This documentation can be no more than three years old and must be from a healthcare professional accredited in the area of disabilities. If there is no documenta-tion, the student is referred to the Advising, Career and Coun-

UNIVERSAL HELP-CARE: THE LEARNING OPPORTUNITY CENTER

Student Ron Barenberg gets tutoring help in psychology from Maria Jensen in FRCC’s Learning Opportunity Center. Photo by Jill Prenger

seling Center. There, the student is screened by a Colorado State University (CSU) intern or by Tim Beecher, Ph.D. If there seems to be a disability, the student is referred to CSU Psychological Services to perform testing to receive documentation.

The Assistive Technology Lab has specialized software and hardware to aid students with their schoolwork. The software ranges from programs that allow students who learn better by hearing to listen to text, to programs that help students organize their papers. There are also adaptive devices such as ZoomText, which enlarges computer print. The lab can be useful to all stu-dents, not just students with disabilities. The only requirement is a one-hour orientation to help students learn how to utilize the soft-ware and hardware.

The Math, Science and Writing Help Centers are offered free to all students. Each Help Center is managed by its corresponding department. “We facilitate them being here,” stated Cohn. The funds for the Help Centers come from the each department’s budget.

The Math Help Center offers assistance with all levels of math. There is a separate area for people who are in developmen-tal math, which are classes lower than college algebra. This op-portunity allows for the attention needed by someone in that level. Students helped here can avoid becoming overwhelmed or con-fused by the higher levels in the main tutoring room.

The Writing Center provides help with writing for any class. The consultants assist students with organizing papers and writing skills. But the Writing Center does not edit or proofread papers for students.


BY JILL PRENGER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

8

The Science Help Center offers assistance with physics, biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and other areas of science.

The Learning Opportunity Center also offers workshops to provide students an opportunity to learn about many differ-ent approaches and skills to learning, studying and taking tests.

Some of the workshops are “Learning Style Strategies,” “Stress Management,” and “Reading Difficulties.” Workshops are scheduled throughout each month and are advertised on a sign posted at the main entrance of Blanca Peak.

The LOC also offers one-on-one tutoring. To be paired with a tutor, a student must complete three contact hours, which can be any combination of attending workshops or us-ing the Math, Science or Writing Centers. The student then must complete a Student Tutor Request Form. Tutoring ser-vices are free to students with a disability file open, and also to students who are going into a Career in Technical Educa-tion (CTE). Examples of CTE training include nursing, ac-counting and dental health. If the student doesn’t qualify for free tutoring, the Learning Opportunity Center provides a list of private tutors students can hire.

The Center for Adult Learning is nonprofit and offered to the community through the Learning Opportunity Center.

(LOC…...Continued from page 7) Education is provided in basic skills, in GED preparation, and English as a second language (ESL) classes. To participate, the person must be 17 years old or older.

The LOC also provides interpreters for deaf students at no cost. There are currently nine FRCC students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing who utilize this service.

The Enhanced Education Project is housed in the LOC. This project assigns students with disabilities to a case manager to aid them in overcoming roadblocks in college.

Jon Lozen, a student at Front Range Community College, has been utilizing the Learning Opportunity Center since he started classes two and a half years ago. Lozen has found that it provides a productive working environment because, “It’s quiet.” He uses the Math, Science, and Writing Centers and the Assistive Technology Lab. “It’s very helpful for me. I got straight A’s from getting extra help that’s free.”

The schedules for the workshops and the Help Centers are posted outside the LOC doors. More information can be found on the FRCC Website under the Student Services link.

There are many services available through the Learning Op-portunity Center to all FRCC students, most at no cost. But, ac-cording to Cohn, “The biggest problem is knowing when to get help. They [students] often wait too long. Then it’s too late.”

Lozen stated, “Try the services ‘cause [they] will benefit you.” ®

SCHOLARS’ SQUARE

AROUND THE WORLD AT FRCC: FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM

EXPANDS ITS HORIZONS

BY NATHAN SCHIEFELBEIN, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Creative, determined, and resilient are just three words that describe the Second and Foreign Language Program at FRCC. Despite the obstacles the program has faced in the past, the instructors remain steadfast in their goal to broaden students’ horizons in the realm of the world’s languages, cultures, so-cieties and beliefs.

“We want the students to know about perspectives…[that] people around the world have different perspectives,” says Liliana Castro, lead instructor of the program and instructor of English as a Second Language (ESL). The languages cur-rently taught include French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Castro is a Colorado State University graduate with two master’s degrees in Spanish language and literature, and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL). She is also Fulbright Scholar, and has been an instructor at FRCC since 1998. When she arrived, the foreign language program supported only Spanish and German classes, and only the Spanish classes were eligible for university transfer.

However, since Castro’s arrival, she has instituted major advances in her department. The program now offers classes in American Sign Language, Arabic, English as a Second Lan-guage, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish. Further-more, the program has evolved from a single-instructor depart-ment to one with two full-time faculty and many part-time in-structors.


Student Derek Smith receives help on an in-class assignment from his foreign language instructor, Liliana Castro, lead of the Second and Foreign Language Program. Photo by Nathan Schiefelbein

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Not only has Castro added more classes to the program, but she has also raised the standards each class must follow, and the levels of proficiency students must reach. She has also developed educational background requirements for new instructors. The program now has a university-standard class assessment which outlines how each instructor should struc-ture each class. The content each class discusses and the tests given are held in a universal format, so that every student finishes the class at the same level of profi-ciency. Additionally, each stu-dent finishes the semester with a portfolio displaying their knowl-edge and understanding of and advancement in the language.

The program is also a “pioneer [program] in Service Learning as a requirement,” says Castro. In order for students’ foreign language credits to transfer, they must spend five hours in their own communities familiarizing themselves with their surroundings. “We want them to be more open to their environment,” Castro explains. The Service Learning hours do not have to be directly involved with the chosen language of study. The purpose is to allow students to recognize the diversity in their communities.

In addition to the program’s many advances, there have nevertheless been some challenges. The program has had to relocate rooms, and has had to struggle without the use of a computer lab. “It is impossible to teach without a lab,” Castro points out. However, that didn’t stop the program. Now

(FOREIGN LANGUAGES….Continued from page 8) available for students’ use is a computer cart, located in the lan-guage room, equipped with computers, DVD players, and other technology.

Also, the program recently had its Study Abroad component suspended, stemming from public and student safety concerns, a decision not controlled by program staff. The past excursions, with destinations in Argentina and Italy, were a great success, according to Castro. Students were able to experience all aspects of life in a

foreign country. Students stayed with families, at-tended a local university, and became completely immersed in the local language and culture.

“It’s the most important tool you can give…[and a] good opportunity for students,” Castro com-ments. She wishes for a speedy return of the Study Abroad program. “Our students are interested…[and] they can’t get it here,” she states.

Outside of the language classes offered, the Sec-ond and Foreign Language Program offers many cultural experiences on campus, including movie nights, such as the Foreign Language Film Festival, and guest speakers during the semester. The festi-

vals are free and open to all FRCC students.

The program also offers the ESL Conversation Group/Partner Program, where a student in an ESL class is paired up with a stu-dent from a Spanish class. Here, both students communicate with each other to help both understand the difficulty in learning a new language. “ESL students don’t have the opportunity to use their target language in this country. They have to work really hard to communicate,” Castro explains.

Despite the past roadblocks facing the foreign language pro-gram, Castro looks positively towards the future, saying. “We do not give up.” ®

CLUB HUB

“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is, at last, to set foot on one’s own country as a

foreign land.”

-- G.K. Chesterton

The Society of American Foresters’ (SAF) student chap-ter at FRCC kicked off their new year on Sept. 12 at Rotary Park. The parking lot was filled with cars belonging to numerous climb-ers and hikers enjoying the cool of the afternoon, excellent boul-dering, and the breathtaking view that the Horsetooth Reservoir has to offer. Just south of the parking lot, the SAF congregated around a picnic table, some with their climbing shoes and chalk bags in hand. New comers in attendance mingled with veterans of the program over Qdoba burritos and an assortment of drinks. In a casual yet effective election process, the new officers were se-lected, including a joint president position that was filled by Chel-sea Seigneur and Craig McCloskey. By the time the sun had set over the reservoir and the group had gotten their fill of climbing and burritos, many ideas, plans and hopes for upcoming projects


TREE-HUGGERS, UNITE! THE SAF WANTS YOU!

BY LOREN BAYLES, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Overlooking Horsetooth Reservoir, the site of FRCC’s Society of American Forester’s first meeting in September.

Photo by Ashley Bailey

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CLUB HUB

(Continued from page 9)

were in rapid circulation among both new and returning mem-bers. Half a dozen FRCC students with minds set on changing the world had just taken their first steps toward their goal. Since the founding of the organization in 1990, the SAF has worked towards educating both its members and the public in the conservation of forest ecosystems, and preparing students for the natural resources profession and the great challenges they face. With 32 member states, each including both student and non-student chapters, the SAF makes up the largest society of profes-sional foresters in the world. The Colorado/Wyoming society consists of eight different SAF chapters, including the student chapter at FRCC. The FRCC student chapter has an annual tree-cutting event at Red Feather Lakes. The trees are donated to the local food banks so that those in need might enjoy a Christmas tree over the holidays. They have also adopted and maintained Harrington Trail at Horsetooth Reservoir for the last five years. The SAF also contributes on an interna-tional level. Last year, in cooperation with the Poudre School district, the SAF adopted a refugee camp in Uganda. By collect-ing donations for hand-woven baskets and handmade beads sent to the group, the SAF was able to raise just over $1,000 and send back the profits to the camp. The money raised was then used to construct a shelter that would serve as a place of gathering and education for the children there. The program will continue this year and on Oct. 22, the SAF will hold an educational exhibit in the Longs Peak Student Center where students can learn more about the Uganda project and make donations. Barb Patterson is the SAF’s chapter student liaison at FRCC, and has been heading the program on campus for the last 10 years. Patterson received her bachelor’s degree from the Univer-sity of Wisconsin, and then went on to earn her master’s from the University of Northern Colorado. Despite her intense dedication to the SAF and to her three children, she now pursues a doctorate in science at Colorado State University, where she participates in a program geared towards minimizing the achievement gap in science for minority groups.

“I love teaching,” Patterson says, and so, when she is not collaborating with her SAF students on their next project, she spends much of her time teaching low-income Hispanic students in the area. “It is really important for students to get leadership experience on their résumé,” she says. “That's what drives me.” Over her years with SAF, Patterson has had the opportunity to mentor and encourage many young leaders. Chelsea Seigneur, 21, returning member and recently elected co-president of SAF here at FRCC, is one such student. Now into her third semester at FRCC, where she is pursuing an Associate of Science degree with a concentration in environ-mental education, Seigneur plans to transfer to CSU in the fall to earn her bachelor’s in recreation and tourism with the same concentration. Seigneur became a member of the SAF last fall and immediately assumed a leadership role, volunteering to serve on the community and education committees. This experience, however, left her wanting to do more.

“We got some stuff done, just not as much as I would

have liked to have seen,” she says. “I’d like to get more programs going, more than just the typical stuff we do every year.” The enthusiastic co-president is focused on educating the community and says, “I think it would be really great to take little kids out on field trips and teach them about the environment.” Seigneur also hopes to more effectively engage the stu-dent community here on campus. She says, “Our meetings are open to everyone.” There is, however, a membership fee of $35, but contrary to the club’s posting and link under Student Life’s Clubs, Organizations and Boards page on www.frontrange.edu, Seigneur lets the student body know that, “Anybody can join. We want everybody to get out there and get involved in making a difference.” ®

RELAX! SCIENCE CLUB ISN’T JUST FOR SCIENCE MAJORS…

BY REBECCA MOREHOUSE, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

The Front Range Community College Science Club is al-ways looking for more members and, according to current partici-pants, there are all kinds of reasons to join.

Ulanda Baker, 27, a student at FRCC and the president of the Science Club says, “I’m a wildlife biology major… but you don’t have to be majoring in science to be involved with the club.”

Baker explains that the assumption that members need be science majors is one of the main reasons why many students may not to join.

Wilson Winner, 51, physics instructor at FRCC and the Sci-ence Club advisor says, “The strongest emphasis is to recruit any-one who’s interested, even English majors… We need as many


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people as we can get. U.S. engineering and other science ca-reers are falling behind, so we need as many people as possi-ble, and a lot of variation in experiences.”

Both Baker and Winner explain that the Science Club is always trying to incorporate different topics and de-partments. This is so that students are able to see the connec-tions between science and everything else.

“I make sure that we’re involved with other clubs, and not just science, so that we’re more interactive,” says Baker.

According to Winner, both “Science Day” and poster sessions are great opportunities for all kinds of students to get involved and display their interests. The demonstrations and poster presentations are set up in the Longs Peak Student Cen-ter. Winner says anyone from chemistry to nursing, and even psychology, get involved to share their ideas.

“You can see what students come up with… Interesting things,” Winner says, smiling.

Baker emphasizes that the Science Club is a great way to have fun while gaining important experience and skills that can be used in many different fields of study. She says that she plans on inviting many guest speakers to the club meet-ings this semester. On September 26, Jim Shoun, an expert on “invasive species” spoke. His talk focused on the overwhelm-ing numbers of Russian olive trees in Fort Collins. Shoun provided the opportunity for students in the Science Club to get involved with tree removal.

Baker also plans on hosting Rocky Mountain Raptors, an organization that saves predatory birds.

“Wilson also does demonstrations at every meeting,” Baker says.

Being involved in the club does not just include attend-ing meetings. According to Baker and Winner, there’s much more to get excited about.

“Last spring, we went to the Gates Planetarium [in Den-ver]. This year, we want to go to New Belgium Brewery, the ethanol plant, and one member even came up with the idea of an archaeological dig,” says Baker, excitedly.

Winner describes his plans, “At the end of each semes-ter, I invite people to the Little Shop of Physics. It’s reserved just for us.”

But, as indicated by Baker and Winner, the club mem-bers are not required to participate in any of these events. In fact, Winner says, a lot of their members are only able to come to meetings and events one or two times a year.

“You don’t have to come to all the meetings… and there are no fees or forms,” says Baker.

(SCIENCE CLUB…..Continued from page 10) According to Winner, much of the funding comes from the school. However, Winner says that last year, the club was awarded for being the most active club, and earned money that way. Winner says that they try to keep the club as inexpensive as possible for the members.

Baker also says that last year, the club sold energy-efficient light bulbs to raise money.

“All the fund-raising ideas come from the students, and those light bulbs were perfect,” Winner says.

He also says that a popular assumption about the Science Club is that science is hard.

“I try to mediate this hardness with interest,” Winner explains.

Baker says the reason she got involved is, “I’m a geek. But seriously, I was just very interested in what others were doing,” she explains.

Most importantly, Science Club members enjoy other benefits such as opportunities for scholarships, and even internships.

“This year, the ethanol plant needs researchers for global re-newable energy sources. It’s open to all college students, and is something I’m announcing at our next meeting,” says Baker.

She also shares that a very important aspect of club involve-ment is networking.

“You get connected with some of the top people,” she ex-plains.

Even if you’re a student of art, photography, or English, there’s always something that you can contribute to the club. Come share your ideas, learn and have fun.

For more information on the club and their meetings, email Baker at: [email protected] or visit the Science Club’s link on the FRCC homepage. ®

CLUB HUB

LATINO CLUB CELEBRATES

BY DENISE MARSHALL, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Front Range Community College has recently expanded its opportunities for social events and cul-tural exchanges with the Latino Club. The club’s advisors, Marla Manchego and Connie Sanders, both


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come from a Latino background, and have organized this club to bring more Latinos to the Front Range community.

Marla Manchego, 38 years old, graduated from Colorado State University, majoring in human development. She began working for the Poudre School District, then went to CSU and now works at FRCC in the Student Advising Center. Manchego is originally from Fort Collins, but goes generations back to Spain. She has three children and they were raised with Hispanic culinary traditions. Manchego has tried to host a club for differ-ent cultures before. In 1999, she co-advised Culture Connections with Chris Romero. Culture Connections, similar to the Latino Club, was meant to bring more ethnic cultures to the Front Range community.

It was an active club and went well for a while, but, “Students’ interests stopped and all the core leaders left for transfer reasons and graduation,” Manchego explains. The club was made up of a variety of students who had interest in differ-ent cultures.

Aside from this club, Manchego also is a part of the His-panic Enrollment Committee. The committee consists of faculty and staff members who look at the number of Hispanics in the FRCC community.

Connie Sanders, 30 years old, graduated from Front Range Community College. She was a student employee in Admissions and Records Department, then became a permanent employee and got her bachelor’s degree. She is now the coordinator of Admissions and Records at FRCC and has been working here for 12 years. She has two children. They weren’t raised with Hispanic traditions. Sanders is the chairperson of the Hispanic Enrollment Committee. She facilitates the committee meetings and creates the agendas. Sanders and Manchego are both a part of this committee and this is how they came up with the idea for the Latino Club. Sanders and Manchego want to see more Lati-nos at FRCC, and they hope the club will provide a way for them to meet.

Advisors Sanders and Manchego organize the meetings. Their main duty is to recruit more students into the club. The first week of school they had a table set up in the Longs Peak Student Center and recruited 22 new members. The first meeting was Sept. 18, and six of the 22 showed up. “To maintain a club, there have to be at least three members,” says Sanders.

Anna Marie Almanza, a member of the Latino Club, has been in charge of recruitment. She advised at the table set up in the LPSC and talked to students about the club. Almanza, age 20, has been at Front Range for two years, and is planning to transfer to CSU for business school. The Hispanic tradition has always been a part of her life. “We celebrate the Day of the Dead [Nov. 1 and 2]. We participate in Cinco de Mayo celebra-tions, as well as the celebrations for the Independence of Mexico [Sept. 16],” says Almanza. She was a member of her Spanish and Latino clubs in high school. She participates in Spanish and Mexican celebrations. As a member of the club, she finds it’s a

(LATINO CLUB…..Continued from page 11) way to learn about one’s passion for Latino culture. “It is a club that is dedicated to expressing our multicultural society and em-bracing the diversity,” Almanza explains.

The Latino Club is organized around the students’ desires. “We are advisors. We provide support. They decide,” Sanders says. The club members decide each meeting’s agenda and the activities they will plan.

“It’s new and open to a variety of directions. It has a broad spectrum,” Manchego explains. They hope to open the club up to everyone’s suggestions, getting a little bit of all cultures incorpo-rated into one group. One activity that is being looked at right now is Hispanic Heritage Month. It takes place during the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October. Sanders and Manchego are hoping to arrange some Hispanic dancing and cooking for this event and share it with the community of Front Range.

Latino Club is funded by student fees. Each club gets roughly $300 a semester to use toward activities.

The Latino Club holds its meetings in the small conference room in the Longs Peak Student Center. Each meeting runs about an hour and meets at least every other month. Notes about the La-tino Club, such as the meeting dates and times, are posted in the club room in the LPSC.

The Latino Club is a social service group. “It is open to any-one who has a passion for learning about it,” Manchego says.

Sanders closes with, “[The Latino Club] provides a place for students to promote Latino culture in the community.” ®

CLUB HUB

MILES TO GO: GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE

BY LOREN BAYLES, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) held their second meeting of the year on Sept. 19 in the small conference room of the Longs Peak Student Center (LPSC) at Front Range Community College. The group is dedicated to creating a safe environment for gay, lesbian, straight, transgendered, and questioning stu-dents in the hopes of establishing a more diverse and tolerant campus. Mary Croissant and Ivan Loy, who are faculty advisors to the GSA, started the organization almost four years ago. “We


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CLUB HUB

probably just looked at each other one day and said, ‘We need to do this,’” Croissant said. “I don’t think gay folk on our cam-pus feel as safe as they should...There are miles to go. It’s got to be really hard to be young and gay in this town and on this campus,” she explained.

Croissant and Loy are close friends and both teach at FRCC. Loy teaches math and Croissant teaches sociology and ethnic studies. Croissant received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Illinois after earning her bachelor’s degree from Washington State University. Over her last 17 years at FRCC, Croissant, in partnership with Loy, has overseen many activities for the GSA. She said that, “activities partly depend on our membership, which varies from year to year. Last year, we had very few activities. The year before, we were very busy.”

Many members of the club have participated in pride marches both here and in Denver. In the past, the group spon-sored the Human Rights Awareness Film Festival, and also participated in Freedom to Marry Day, which is held in Febru-ary around Valentines Day.

On Oct. 24 and 25, the club will once again sponsor The Act of Cross-Dressing, presented at the LPSC. “This is a group of straight men who will come dressed as women to talk about their need to dress as women part of the time,” Croissant explains. Last year, 75 people attended.

In addition to these past and upcoming events, the GSA enjoys social gatherings outside of their formal meetings which are centered around activities such as bowling, visiting the corn maze, or simply getting a bite to eat down in Old Town. Gath-ered with friends at Beau Jo’s Pizza on Saturday night, Sept. 22, Cris Sorenson, president of the GSA, held the first such activity of the semester. As president of the GSA, Sorenson, 23, who is in her fourth semester at FRCC, is responsible for organizing meet-

(GSA…...Continued from page 12) ings and events and has the task of engaging students in the pro-gram, a responsibility which she embraced from the beginning.

“I asked Ivan... if there was anything going on and he said, ‘No, we need someone to get it going again,’ and I just kind of took it from there,” she said. Since taking on the office of presi-dent, Sorenson has been brainstorming ideas. She has plans for several activities such as laser tag, and possibly a pumpkin carving party around Halloween. There are also human and civil rights issues that the GSA, with Sorenson at its helm, plans to address. Sorenson is in the process of arranging for “a couple to come speak about gay and lesbian rights in Colorado,” she said. She also plans to have educa-tional displays around campus that would address such issues as civil union in Colorado, as well adoption rights among same-sex couples. She hopes that the GSA will be active by providing tables and flyers on awareness days such as National Coming-Out Day on Oct. 11, and perhaps supply the campus with a panel of four club members who, on AIDS Awareness Day, would be available to answer students’ questions. The GSA’s membership is rather small. However, Sorenson said that, “We have about 18 people on our e-mail list, but only three showed up for the first meeting.” A larger group congregated at Beau Jo’s, but only two of the five were FRCC students. These reasons make the club’s actual student membership hard to gauge. Of the GSA’s membership, Croissant said that, “I’m sure there are lots of students on this campus who aren't a part of our club because they don’t want to be labeled.”

Sorenson referred not to the number of people attending the meetings, but rather to the diversity of those who do, when she said, “We would like to have more straight people involved... I mean, it’s great to have a place where you can feel comfortable with yourself, but we need it to be an alliance.”

(Look for announcements around campus for the GSA’s next monthly meeting.) ®

CALLING ALL GEARHEADS! FRCC’S AUTO CLUB REVS UP

BY NATHAN SCHIEFELBEIN

Open the shop door and your senses go crazy. Your eyes fo-cus on the variety of cars, vans, and trucks lined up, some raised high on a lift, some with open hoods, and others waiting for maintenance. Looking around, you notice all sorts of car parts lying in separated piles throughout the shop: brake parts here, an alignment system there. Your nose picks up the light aroma of oil and transmission fluids. Engines both big and small roar as mechanics yell commands and dig deep into the car engines. You love cars, you’ve worked on them before, and you’re ready to get dirty!


Automotive instructor and Auto Club advisor Charlie Watt unveils a Turbo 400 transmission, one of the many projects in progress.

Photo by Nathan Schiefelbein

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If this sounds like something you’re currently interested in or would like to become more involved in, then the FRCC Auto Club may be just for you.

The Auto Club had been more of an idea than a club for the past two years, being bounced between the instructors in the Automotive Department, but it has landed safely on its feet this semester.

“We wanted to provide…an outlet for students,” says Rusty Pooler, mid-30s, and the secondary automotive instructor at FRCC. The club was designed by the department staff, including Pooler, Charlie Watt, Joe Davis, and T. Reno Toffoli. The pur-poses of the club are to “expand [the students’] knowledge and enjoyment of vehicles…expand social skills and awareness…expand people’s horizons…and expand students’ awareness of what’s on campus and what the student body is like,” according to Watt, 59, program director for Automotive Technology, an automotive instructor, and the club’s advisor.

While the main focus of the club is to work both di-rectly (hands-on) and indi-rectly (in the classroom) with today’s and yesterday’s vehicles, the club is also a way for automotive students to meet others interested in the industry. “The automotive industry is more of a team setting today,” Watt explains. All vehicles and parts are acquired through donations by students, faculty, corpo-rations and community members, along with the school’s own inventory. Students and faculty are welcome to donate any vehi-cles and parts to the department.

For those who have been interested in cars and worked on them since they could hold a wrench, this club is for them. “Students don’t need anything but an interest, a desire. That’s all they need,” explains Watt. While full participation in the club does require that one pass a safety test covering tools, first aid, chemical information, and fire safety, one does not necessarily need a mechanical background. “I appreciate what I find to be a

(AUTO CLUB….Continued from page 13) great painting, but I can’t paint. Just because you’re not a me-chanic doesn’t mean you’re not interested,” Watt states.

The advisors will begin heavier advertising this October and would like to elect club officials and get the club operational as early as mid-November. Once officials are elected, the structure, meetings, meeting times and goals will be completely up to the students.

“I don’t wanna get in a position to say, ‘We’ll meet Tuesday from 7 to 9,’” Watt explains. However, advisors won’t hesitate to step in, if students become interested in an area they are not familiar with or if thye need some advice.

“We will help to guide students in a direction as far as where to go,” Pooler points out.

At the meetings, students can spend time working on their own cars, the cars owned by the school, or cars donated by com-munity members. Students can even decide, according to Pooler, to build a racecar to be raced at sanctioned events at Bandimere

Speedway in Morrison, Colo. The possibilities are end-less and up to the students in the Auto Club.

By now, you might be wondering why the Auto Club hasn’t been around longer. When beginning a new or-ganization or club, there are roadblocks that can slow the start. With the Auto Club, the challenges lie in finding a time most convenient for all students. The Automotive

Program has to factor in college students (in classes for up to four and a half hours a day) and high school students (in class for two hours a day). Automotive classes run from 7:30 a.m. to 9:50 p.m., so finding a time during the week is the biggest challenge for all those interested. Finally, finding a time when at least one faculty member can be on hand can sometimes be an issue.

But, as Watt states, “I’m optimistic.”

The Automotive Department is located in Redcloud Peak, room 130 A-G. Stop by anytime. The instructors will not hesi-tate to chat with a fellow gearhead. Keep a watchful eye for in-formation around campus. Be prepared to work hands-on with all sorts of vehicles, expand your mind, and meet other enthusiasts of all ages and levels of experience.

As Pooler puts it, “This is a really big family…” ®

“The automotive industry is more of a team setting today.”

CAMPUS WELLNESS

The Front Range Community College Fitness Center, located in the Longs Peak Student Center, offers many opportunities to keep one’s body in good and healthy shape. From fitness classes and weightlifting to kickboxing and Tai Chi, the Fitness Center can help transform one’s body while making it fun.

Chris Knobel, 20, a junior at Front Range, twice a week makes his way to the Fitness Center. Knobel is in the advanced weight-training class where the instructors start off with a program demonstrating to students the different lifts and cardio routines to accomplish each day. After starting with the basic program, the students are encouraged to change it to fit their own needs, such


LET THE FITNESS CENTER PUMP...YOU UP!

BY LANDREE MACLENNAN

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CAMPUS WELLNESS

as applying more leg strengthening workouts, or maybe changing the upper body workouts.

“My favorite machine is the cable column because you can do anything on it,” said Knobel. “You can adjust it and do curls, then adjust it again and do chest workouts, and you can adjust it for other things, too.”

Elaine Milligan has been in charge of the Fitness Center since 2000. She also teaches physical education classes, hires and trains the staff, makes executive decisions such as purchasing new equipment, and deciding which classes to offer. She also schedules how much of the Fitness Center will be used for physi-cal education classes and how much will be used for member use.

Milligan also uses the Fitness Center herself. She teaches four hours of P.E. classes, and makes it in on her own one or two times a week during the school year. During the summer, she usually uses it three or four times a week.

The Fitness Center has more than 20 machines, from cardio to weightlifting. Last spring, the Fitness Center acquired new cycling bikes, treadmills, and an elliptical trainer. The funding for these machines comes from the fees students and faculty pay for memberships. The membership for enrolled students is $25 for fall and spring. Staff and faculty pay $60 for a semester rate. There’s also an alumni semester rate at $75, and a “friends and family” rate at $100.

“The prices are pretty reasonable compared to normal gym prices, and it’s convenient because it’s right on campus,” Knobel stated.

Having the Fitness Center on campus is convenient for stu-dents and also for faculty. “The nice thing about the Fitness Cen-ter is that [if] it’s not busy, you can get on and off the machines easily. And you don’t feel like you have to compare yourself to people,” Milligan stated.

Orientations are offered to new members to train them on how to use the equipment and make sure they are comfortable when using them. “We really try to visualize those orientations,” Milligan said.

Out of about 5,000 students at Front Range, only 220 stu-dents and only 10 staff and faculty members make the most of the Fitness Center. Milligan stated, “Working out has other benefits rather than just having your body look better.” She said people have told her that right after working out, their writing skills and imaginations had boosted, which in turn helped them think more clearly and create better ideas. “The best thing about working out is that it is a big stress reliever,” Milligan stated.

The Fitness Center is not only for individual workouts. There are many different fitness classes one could take such as indoor cycling, step aerobics, walking, body sculpting, and “nia,” which is a combination of dance, kickboxing and Tai Chi. All classes are lead by an instructor.

(FITNESS CENTER…..Continued from page 14)

Bonnie Thompson, a certified Healing Touch Practitioner, performs a “healing touch” exercise, where she works energy into the body to relax and increase the body’s ability to heal.

The Fitness Center also offers programs such as safety tips for women on campus and at home. Also offered are wellness classes which include healthy cooking demonstrations, full moon hikes, and cholesterol screenings, all to encourage people to eat a healthy diet.

The Fitness Center is not only a place with fitness ma-chines, but it offers a wide variety of fitness classes, and also shows how to stay healthy and relieve stress. It has both a men’s and women’s locker room and provides available locker space to store any valuables. For a semester rate, locker rental is $10 for a small locker, and $15 for a large locker, in addition to a $15 dollar deposit. For one-day use, there is no charge for a locker. ®

Erik Sampson works on some of the Fitness Center’s state-of-the-art equipment.

Photo by Landree MacLennan

A DIFFERENT SENIOR YEAR

BY ASHLEY STORM, SPECIAL FOR THE RANGEVIEW

Your senior year of high school is supposed to be some of the greatest times of your life. You go to football games, par-ticipate in Senior Ditch Day and attend your prom. You have memories that will last you a lifetime. I, however, had a dif-ferent senior year. On top of school, my senior year was spent worrying about my blood count, my temperature, and if I was going to survive the year. My senior year was spent battling cancer.


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The cancer I had is called rhabdomyosarcoma, which is a fast-growing soft-muscle tissue cancer. Mostly found in children, it is a rare form of cancer. For me, it began growing in my jaw and localized in my jaw, the roof of my mouth and in my tongue. My doc-tors found it during a routine dental surgery to remove my wisdom teeth. My oral surgeon, Dr. Alan Reisman, took a biopsy that came back positive for a malignant tumor.

The Saturday after the biopsy was my Junior Prom and my parents waited till the day after to tell me the news. I will always remember the day my parents sat me down to tell me that the pain in my jaw was actually a tumor. It was Mother’s Day also. That was the last thing I thought about at the age of 16. The first thing that went through my mind was that I thought cancer was something people might get at a later age. I was very naïve about the world that was about to open up to my family and me.

The next week was the scariest week of my life. I was admitted into the cancer ward at Denver Children’s Hospital. The first day I spent in the hospital, I underwent an MRI, a chest scan, a CT scan, an IV, and endless appointments with different doctors.

The second day was even worse. In the morning I was scheduled for my first surgery to implant a medical port. A medical port is the size of a doorbell and even looks like one. It is placed right under the skin and attached to a vein that is used to draw blood, receive medica-tion, and, of course, rounds of chemotherapy. I also had a bone marrow test and a spinal tap.

They came back showing that my tumor had not spread to any of my vital organs or spinal fluid. My oncologist, Dr. Al-bano Head of the cancer ward at Denver Children’s, was the most amazing doctor I could have asked for. She put together an intense 42-week treatment that included 18 chemo treatments, six weeks of straight radiation, and lots of hospital stays. My chemotherapy, or my “chemo cocktail,” as my nurses called it, included Vincristine, acetaminophen and Cytoxan. I took Vincristine once every week, and all three medications every three weeks. I started chemo that Thursday, and it is truly the hardest thing I will ever have to endure. Radiation treatments were just as hard and intense. In order to continually fight the cancer, I had to have treatments every day, five days a week, for six weeks. The radiation literally burned my skin. My entire neck and jaw line turned black and was very painful. The worst part of everything I went through was the emotional fight. I watched my hair begin to fall out until I shaved my head. My dad actually did it in our garage with my Grandma, mother, sister and best friend Danielle there to hold my hand. I lost 30 pounds and was at a very unhealthy 85 pounds. I became so frustrated because no matter what I ate, I was always on the verge on being on a feeding tube. I watched my health deteriorate with each treatment and wanted to give up.

I tell every person who asks about my cancer to stay positive. I tried always to fight my cancer with a positive attitude and a smile on my face. When a nurse would ask how I was, I would always say, “Fine. How are you?” even if I was horribly sick. Nurses fought over who got to treat me. My cancer went away three months ahead of prognosis.

The tumor was officially gone on Nov. 18, 2005, and I finished my last round of chemo at the end of February of last year. The best feeling in the world was to have Dr. Albano show me the “before” scans with the tumor, and the latest scan with nothing. I later had a scare in November of 2006 that almost took me out of remission. I ended up having a total of 18 rounds of chemo, 35 radiation treatments, and four sur-geries, none of which were to actually remove the tumor in my jaw. In May of 2006, exactly one year after I was diagnosed, I had my medical port removed.

I honestly could not have battled my cancer without all the help I received. My family was there every step of the way. My school allowed me to take only the credits I needed to graduate with my class. A family friend organized din-ners to be brought to my family every night for a week after each round of chemo. My friends who stayed with me mean the world to me. Many of my friends could not handle my situation and simply never called again. I gained a lot of new friends through the hospital, one of whom is still a good friend and here with me in Fort Collins. My neighbors organized a Golf and Silent Auction Benefit to help pay for my surgeries. Everyone stepped up to help, not only me, but my family as well. With all this help, I was able to fully concentrate on what meant the most, my health.

I am currently still cancer-free. I recently had post-treatment scans (MRI, chest scans and blood work) that show no tumor anywhere in my body. I give back by speaking for and participating in American Cancer Society Relay-for-Life events every year. My immune system is still very weak but I am able to take classes and I live my life normally again. I am truly blessed to be able to go to school now, and I’m stronger than I ever thought possible. ®

(SENIOR YEAR…..Continued from page 15)

CAMPUS WELLNESS

“Your senior year of high school is supposed to be some of the

greatest times of your life…[M]y senior year was spent worrying about...if I was going to survive the year. My senior year was

spent battling cancer.”

Ashley Storm wearing a t-shirt made by a friend to celebrate her first year cancer-free. Photo by Nathan Schiefelbein

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“MY WORD” FEATURES LOCAL VOICES

BY DENISE MARSHALL, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

“One must learn to trust

one’s talent and continue the good, hard work,” Blair Oliver said.

Since October of 2001, writers have joined together to share their work with prospec-tive students and community members.

Hosted by Shawna Jack-son, “My Word” brings in the community to open their eyes and ears to local writers. The writer-readers range from po-etry to non-fiction. They write for magazines and a few have published books.

Oliver, 40 years old, is the chairman of the Arts and Let-ters Department and is the founding editor of the Front Range Review, and is a faculty member at Front Range. He recently published his first book, “Last Call,” and is a part of “My Word,” sharing with the com-munity his book.

Shawna Jackson, age 38, is the founder of the “My Word” series. She got her master’s at Colorado State University, major-ing in communications development with an emphasis in crea-tive nonfiction. She has published a few articles in “5280,” a magazine published in Denver. Teaching English and creative nonfiction, Jackson still finds time to organize the program.

“My Word” has four meetings throughout the school year. Each lecture has two to three writers sharing their opinions on the book and articles they have written. They read a couple se-lections from their stories and give insight on the material. Reader’s Cove, a bookstore located on Harmony Avenue, sells the books these authors write. Reader’s Cove is there at the lec-tures with the books on hand. Jackson came up with this idea by finding many writers within our local area. “It’s a great way to expose students at college to a whole new access,” she said.

Normally, around 60 to 100 community members attend. The readers come from local areas. Two of them are a part of the faculty at Front Range, Laura Pritchett and Oliver. The lit-erature series has inspired students and community members to take writing a little further. Jackson mentioned a young woman, a student at CSU, who is a columnist who has written for jour-nals that have been published.

MEDIUM COOL

Oliver has been writing for over 20 years. He got his under-graduate degree at Dickinson College, his Master’s of Fine Arts at the University of Montana, and his Ph.D at Denver University. He has published over 30 stories in various magazines, and wrote for three years for Yellowstone Magazine. Teaching for 11 years has made him familiar and comfortable with speaking in front of

crowds. However, he becomes a little nervous when it’s about his own work.

“There’s plenty of talent out there, but good writers must also have a strong work ethic as well as stamina, staying power,” Oliver said. When readers read his stories or his book, he reminds himself that, “If everyone likes it, I’m do-ing something wrong. I like challenge.”

“Last Call” is made up of nine short stories. Seven of the stories have appeared previously in magazines. His style of writing is filled with voice, keeping the reader interested, and the use of characters. Oliver has a unique technique with beginning to write. Unlike others, he doesn’t plan or expect anything within his stories. First, starting off with a charac-ter, he deals with making his stories have tension, and builds up conflict.

“I push an envelope of sympathy to challenge the reader,” he explained. “You are happiest when you like the character despite yourself.” He said that he makes up the protagonist with humor and voice, so when you read it, you begin to connect with the protagonist, even though he or she is the bad guy.

“My Word” is advertised through the Coloradoan, the Collegian, and on radio. The advertising funds are taken of

out of the Art and Letters Department budget. The first series started Sept. 19, which featured poetry with Jessy Randall and Kyle Torke.

On Oct. 24, the fiction writer Brian Kiteley will be reading. Oliver will also read selections from his new book.

The first series next year is Feb. 6, with young adult fiction with Lauren Myracle, Todd Mitchell and Laura Resau. The last series for 2008 is April 9, ending with nonfiction with Cara McDonald and Laura Pritchett.

“My Word” is held at the Harmony Library in the Community Room from 7 to 8 p.m. ®

Photo by

Mary Leek

Blair Oliver, chair of Arts & Letters, and author of “Last Call,” one of the offerings of the “My Word” reading series on Oct. 24 at Harmony Library. Photo by Karl Dukstein

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MEDIUM COOL

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: MEDIA ARTS AT FRCC

BY JUSTIN BAUER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

As technology evolves, it is important to keep a steady eye on how it moves throughout the globe. One of the most revolutionary forms of technology is multimedia. Art and even literature are now evolving and expanding into the digital realm.

Karl Dukstein, 48, is one of the leading instructors in multimedia at FRCC. MGD is the prefix for Multimedia Graphic Design. The classes cover everything from digital audio and graphic production to web design and visual media. Dukstein sat down in his office and explained the importance of the program to Front Range Community College.

“In order to do graphic design, you need to have classes in art.” He states that the history of art, and classes such as pho-tography and art history, are cru-cial to working with digital me-dia.

One of the main points Dukstein emphasizes is the effect that media and visual arts have on everyday life. “We have to infuse technology to all classes. Visual art translates from one form to another. It is real-world training,” he says.

The Visual and Media Arts Program at Front Range has a broader sense of instruction compared to other schools. By infusing both digital media and traditional art, a dynamic setting is created that, in turn, creates a better learning environ-ment for people who may be looking for a career in the field, or simply just learning to become better at creating their own me-dia. The close coordination between the art program and the

media program is one of the key elements in creating the bal-ance and structure of Front Range’s multimedia program.

The Multimedia Department at Front Range covers a wide range of subjects. It is almost two separate entities be-cause both art and media teach creative problem-solving through the use of visual communication. With a wide range of different courses taught, many people eventually transfer to other schools with a solid knowledge of media arts that would not be acquired at some four-year schools and universities.

Front Range has a solid internship program for students, including news-paper and magazine publications as well as visual arts programs.

Blake Dieters, an MGD student, said that he is very pleased with the pro-gram. “The class is real hands-on and it’s less about theory more about pro-duction,” he says about a class called Digital Darkroom taught by Dukstein. Dieters says, “The program at Front Range is in many ways much better than those offered at Colorado State University. A fair share of people at Front Range aren’t in the program to get a degree but to just simply get better with visual and media arts.”

The Visual and Media Arts Program at Front Range is growing rapidly—at times, almost too much for the school itself. As the programs grow by number of students, and new technology is unleashed, the campus itself sometimes does not have the

resources and infrastructure to accommodate the growth. It is expanding and bringing in new technology and instructional design. Becoming involved with the media program isn’t diffi-cult. There are many Front Range faculty teaching digital me-dia, visual arts, graphic design, and other classes.

Media arts is very much alive at Front Range and on track to becoming one of the most important and innovative programs in the state. Dukstein says that the program at Front Range is also on its way to becoming one of the most influen-tial media arts programs in the area, stating, “There are no bor-ders in the arts.” ®

Instructor and award-winning photographer Karl Dukstein inside his photo lab in Mount Antero.

Photo by Justin Bauer

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE FOR FRCC’S THEATRE DEPARTMENT

BY TRENT SAWYER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

From monologues to costumes, scripts to lighting, the Front Range Community College Theatre Department will be worth more than the price of admission if you take one of these classes offered. This semester, students were given the opportu-nity to take five different types of theater classes: Introduction to Theatre, Acting I and II, Theatre Productions I, and Stage Makeup I.


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Different introductory classes are also available, and a theatrical production is performed every October. This year, the play is Federico Garcia Lorca’s “Blood Wedding.” It is a tragic tale, set in early 20th century Spain, about a family feud that reig-nites when a bride runs off with another man on her wedding day. The play is directed by Peter Anthony, an instructor at FRCC who studied at the University of California at Irvine under Jerzy Grotowski, an internationally renowned theatrical teacher. An-thony is the adjunct instructor of theatre and has been teaching at FRCC for the past six years.

“Blood Wedding” incorporates dance and music and has many “surrealistic qualities,” says Anthony. He explains that this play will even include Flamenco guitar to add more authenticity. This play is a great opportunity for both students and anyone who would like to get involved. Auditions were held at the beginning of the semester. “Auditions are open to both students and the public,” he says.

Anthony also incorporates “Blood Wedding” into class assignments. “Assignments relate directly to the show,” he states. Many of his students are involved with the production process itself. Anthony also requires that each student critique another local play production.

Rosalie Robinson, 18, is a cast member of “Blood Wed-ding” and is taking Acting I with Anthony. New to FRCC’s Theater Department, Robinson feels that there is a high level of professionalism and enjoys the aspect of “more structure” com-pared to her high school theater classes. “The classroom setting,” she explains, “is...precise and right to the point.” In her Acting I class, Robinson was excited that “character content” and a play’s meaning were covered in the curriculum. When involved with

(THEATRE DEPT…...Continued from page 18) both class assignments and the play itself, students are given more opportunity to learn about theater first-hand.

Robinson also enjoys the smaller class sizes because she gets more individual attention for her acting needs. She says the class assignments are “meaningful lessons” and will help actors in areas they need improvement. She emphasizes that students can benefit greatly if they so choose to take an acting class. Students can also enroll in Theatrical Productions and Stage Makeup if they prefer working behind the scenes. Production crews get hands-on training in costuming, stage managing, and electrical work with lighting.

Robinson says she feels “safe” in this environment. “Under Peter’s instruction, knowing that he knows exactly what he’s doing, is a comfort, because you know you can trust what he’s saying, because he’s brilliant.”

With a production each year, the department itself has not seemed to gain a large amount of attention from the cam-pus. Fewer than 10 students are enrolled in each class offered this semester. So what can they do to bring in more students? Robinson suggests more advertising for the department itself, as well as their own performance space. An FRCC-owned thea-ter could bring more notice to the department and to the stu-dents, as well as generate revenue for the college.

“Blood Wedding” will be playing at Bas Bleu Theatre Oct. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and seniors. Family and friends are encouraged to attend. For more information about FRCC’s theatrical performances, contact Anthony at [email protected]. ®

MEDIUM COOL

“BLEEDING HEARTS”

BY

MIRANDA J. BAKER

Baker is a fourth- semester art student at FRCC-Larimer campus.

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“This picture is of Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park. I took it on Sept. 22, 2007, during PHE 153, Hiking, taught by Jim Choun. The elevation here is approximately 11,000 feet. I think it’s one of Front Range’s most beautiful classrooms.”

Photo and text by Kathy Mendt, English faculty

MEDIUM COOL

LOOK FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE THE WEEK OF NOV. 26, 2007

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS NOV. 16, 2007

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