J U N E 5 , 2 0 1 4 V O L U M E 5 0 , E D I T I O N 2 7 E U G E N E , O R E .

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INSIDE JAZZ CONCERT

ATHLETICS BUDGETTORCHIE GOODBYES

Library to move this summer

Board likely to pass $3 tuition hike

Instructor celebrates

40 years at Lane

BUDGET

Lighthouse. From left to right: Michael Maxey, Karlie Edwards, Chris Dillon and Daichi Tameshima.

TENAYA SMITH /  THE TORCH

Chayne Thomas Reporter

Workers will begin mov-ing books, computers, and furniture as the Library is dis-placed to Building 18. The partial relocation starting this summer is part of the contin-ued $35 million renovation of the Center Building.

Russ Pierson, the inter-

im assistant director of Lane Facilities Management and Planning, said that the con-struction project costs are on target so far.

Facilities Management’s goal is to have the library back in the updated Cen-ter Building by September of 2015.

Marika Pineda, interim

Chayne Thomas Reporter

The Board of Educa-tion is likely to approve a $3-per-credit tuition in-crease at its June 11 meet-ing, which will bring the cost of attending Lane to $98 per credit for the 2014-15 school year.

The increase is part of a $302.7 million budget pro-posal approved by the Bud-get Committee at its May 28 meeting. Chris Matson was the only committee member to vote against the proposal.

This year, the school re-ceived $38 million — or 14 percent of its income — in tuition revenue. Accord-ing to the proposal, Lane will receive $32.7 million — or 12 percent of its income — in tuition revenue next year, although this is based on a projected 12 percent enrollment drop.

Because a majority of the Board of Education mem-bers sit on the commit-tee, and they unanimously voted to approve this pro-posal, the board is likely to adopt this budget, Lane President Mary Spilde said after the meeting.

In an April 30 update posted to the Lane Com-munity College Educa-tion Association’s website, LCCEA President Jim Salt announced that faculty members no longer have to worry about closure of pro-grams and layoffs because of the tuition increase.

“We believe that a great mistake has been (narrow-ly) averted,” he wrote.

The closure of programs, and the laying off of fac-ulty members and staff, would have had drastic negative impacts on Lane, Salt wrote. Students would have diminished access to the programs that fund Lane — the “life’s work” of faculty and staff.

Budget Committee mem-bers agreed that next year’s

Penny Scott A&C Editor

Lane health professions in-structor Jeanne Harcleroad be-gan working at Lane in 1974.

It was the year Barbara Streisand topped the charts with “The Way We Were.” Ste-

book, Carrie, and American president Richard Nixon re-

Harcleroad remembers the limited career choices avail-able to women when she left high school in 1964 — teach-ing or nursing were the main options. She chose nursing and got her nursing diploma in Minnesota, where she grew up. Later, she earned her bach-

elor’s degree in Iowa and her master’s degree in California.

Lane has changed in some ways over the years, but not in others, she said.

There was ample parking at the college in those days, un-

-ing space can be challenging. Harcleroad said nursing stu-dents asked fewer questions in the past. Now, they are more

they wore starched uniforms instead of the scrubs they wear now.

Lane has consistently at-tracted dedicated high-cali-ber teachers, Harcleroad said, because Oregon offers a great lifestyle and all Lane presi-

BUDGET ON PAGE 4LIBRARY ON PAGE 3INSTRUCTOR ON PAGE 4

Center Building construction continues

Students make teacher’s career worthwhile

GOINGCOASTAL

Tuition will account for 12 percent of budget

AUGUST FRANK /  THE TORCH

Construction continues as Lane moves forward with its remodel

of the Center Building.

Mary Spilde, Lane president

2

THE TORCH / THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014

OPINION&COMMENTARY

POLICY

Letters to the editor should be limited to 300 words.

should be limited to 500 words.

-thor’s name, phone number

purposes only).

The Torch reserves the right to edit letters and com-mentary for length, gram-mar, spelling, libel, invasion of privacy and appropriate language.

The Torch reserves the right to publish at its dis-cretion. All web and print content is the property of The Torch and cannot be re-published without editiorial permission.

issue per person of The Torch are free; each additional copy is $2.

CONTACT The TorchLane Community College4000 E. 30th Ave.Eugene, OR 97405torch@lanecc.edu(541) 463-5654

STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAlyssa SuttonMANAGING EDITORSean HansonSPORTS EDITORJarrid DenneyA&C EDITORPenny Scott

REPORTERSJackson DietelEddie LeachLaura NewmanCourtney SpringerChayne ThomasPHOTOGRAPHERAugust FrankCARTOONISTRiley WebberPRODUCTION MANAGERByron HugheyGRAPHIC ARTISTSWes FryJames Capps WEB EDITORTenaya SmithAD MANAGER Randy MaxwellNEWS ADVISERPaige ParkerPRODUCTION ADVISERDorothy Wearne

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THETORCH COMMENTARY

The Torch staff: advice and learning

CORRECTIONSChayne Thomas Reporter

Advice for grads:First, head straight to the

local Department of Human

wasn’t cheap. The DHS can set you up with food stamps, housing, and even

sell all the clothes you wore to school. Dressing nicer can

won’t be able to dress the same way at work as you did on the Lane campus. Also, don’t forget about sell-ing all those old textbooks. You won’t be needing the information in them ever again. Finally, get yourself

Courtney Springer Reporter

Every term, I start off be-

my head, wondering where it went wrong. I end up with good grades, but the immense amount of stress I have to endure to get there leaves me concerned for my personal health. A lot can happen in 10 weeks, so start those projects and papers

-tion, or at least come to terms with the idea that life sometimes throws a curve-ball.

Penny Scott A&C Editor

Advertising implies that buying stuff will make your life better.

-isfaction from achievement.

Both buying things and achieving goals can lead to good feelings, but they are

transitory. Are you over the moon about that toy you got

thing you achieved at age

-ments. Appreciating them is key to lasting happiness and

now on the altar of more stuff or a better tomorrow.

Alyssa Sutton Editor-in-chief

For the last time, I am cre-

Drive, watching the cursor move down the page, and thinking, “This is it.”

I will never again create another article, take another photo or read another piece of copy for The Torch. I will go on, creating other articles, taking other photos, reading other copy — just not here. With a major in photojour-nalism, and acceptance to a

couple of incredible programs out of state.

I am thrilled to continue pursuing the crazy life of a journalist.

Nine months ago, when I -

taking a few photos, I never imagined I would be where I am now. Now, leaving the editor-in-chief position with more experience and insight than I could have ever gained in a classroom, I can only thank The Torch and the won-derful advisers and staff who

work here. At The Torch, I’ve learned

to always have coffee handy. I’ve learned how to interview effectively. I’ve learned to live on four hours of sleep a night. I’ve learned how to listen to people. I’ve learned how to write. I’ve learned about ethics. I’ve learned how to photograph. I’ve learned about teamwork. I’ve learned about design. I’ve learned about things on this campus I never thought I would ever have an interest in. I’ve learned about dead-

lines. I’ve learned to trouble-shoot.

This has been a life-chang-ing experience for me. Not just in things I have done, or things I have learned, but the people I have worked with. Every person who has walked through this door has taught me something, and I appreci-ate them all.

Lastly, I’ve learned that there will always be more to learn.

So, goodbye Lane campus. I’m off to learn something more, somewhere else.

Jarrid Denney Sports Editor

In the past year, I have: Conducted an interview over the phone while driving, with my phone plugged into my laptop in the passenger seat in order to keep it alive. Watched the live broadcast of a junior college baseball

game online, without sound on one computer, while I watched the gamecast on another computer in order to keep track of stats. At 11:30. On a Sunday night. Devel-oped an addiction to coffee. Pulled more all-nighters than I can count. The student-journalism grind is real, people.

Sean Hanson Managing Editor

As someone who was part of America’s workforce when the recession hit, I’m not go-ing to sugarcoat my advice for Lane’s graduates: Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, especially in this economy. If some guy named Vic hands you an aquamarine tank top,

and a silenced pistol, don’t look that gift horse in the mouth. You’re a hitman now. You do wet work. A job is a job, and you can’t afford to be choosy. The only time you tell Vic no is when he tells you to feed the bodies to swamp

-er, you could eat for a month. That advice is worth more than money — maybe more than an associate degree.

Wes Fry Graphic Artist

First and foremost, meet your classmates. Making friends with people in your respective career programs is an excellent way to begin networking. Being in the design program at Lane has given me the opportunity to meet some really amazing people and work alongside

my design sense and my personal perspective on life.

Also, it might seem dif-

to graduating, but in time, you will look back at this point in your life and realize what a great time it has been to learn. So enjoy it and take every day as another oppor-tunity to learn and become a better person.

Eddie Leach Reporter

-

Stress will soon abate. At least for awhile. But stress is an everyday companion as we all stumble through this maze called life. Don’t fear

here are a few verses about that old devil, Stress.

STRESSStress will mess you never bless you spiritually undress youleave your Spirit twistingin the wind you want to run insideit says you can’t come inso …

hang on tightjust move forwardyou’ll be all right ...

In its May 29 issue,

The Torch failed to men-

-

ployees and manag-

ers were also recognized

alongside faculty mem-

bers at the Lane Employ-

ee Recognition Gala. The Torch regrets this error.

In its May 14 issue,

The Torch incorrectly

spelled Women’s Center

assessment and testing

specialist Marci Parker’s

name. The Torch regrets

this error.

3NEWS&FEATURES

Student government ends year

CORRECTIONS

Lane wins Directors Cup

AUGUST FRANK /  THE TORCH

PENNY SCOTT /  THE TORCH

Lane’s library will be moved to Building 18 while the Center Building is remodeled.

Sarah Pishioneri

distributed desserts

to attendees at

government meeting.

director of the Lane Library, said key services of the library will move starting mid- to late August. The library may be closed for a few weeks during the move, but librarians plan to have library services open to students in Building 18 by the start of fall term.

A smaller collection, which will in-

picture books, young adult novels, maps, atlases, DVDs, and English as a Second Language materials, will be browsable in Building 18, while the rest of the li-brary’s collections will only be accessible to librarians, who will fetch students any book by request.

Public access computers and print-ers will be moved to Building 18 as well. Students will still have complete access to online databases, which includes digi-tal books. Furthermore, students will still be able to borrow books from the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium of 37 aca-demic libraries that shares resources.

“The Lane Library is a portal to the world — no matter what size it is,” Pineda

other spots around campus to study and read because space is going to be tight.

In the long run, the construction will create an updated, better library with more space than before, including 18 study rooms of various sizes, updated technology and more computers.

Steve Stearns and Tanner Perrine with Lease Crutcher Lewis, the construction

contractor for the site, said construction is going smoothly, with no delays.

When asked if they had run into any construction issues, Project Manager Tanner Perrine said, “Not so far, but we haven’t started demolition (inside the Center Building).”

He said they should be more than ca-pable of working around any problem that could possibly arise.

The target completion date for the en-tire renovation project, which includes the new Titan Store, a remodeled cafeteria, tu-toring centers, an open plaza, and a state-of-the-art library with private computer labs and study rooms, is January 2016.

The bookstore and food services will not move this summer, but both will be renovated by the time the project reach-es completion.The new Titan Store, with ground-level access, is scheduled to be completed by January 2015. The up-dated food court, with a variety of new

date. Further information about the library

move and continued construction will be released soon.

“We will keep students and staff fully informed throughout the project. We’re working on a campus-wide communica-

nals,” Pierson wrote in an email. Also, Pineda said the library will re-

lease its own FAQs on its website by the time it moves to Building 18.

LIBRARY: Books will

move to Building 18CONTINUED FROM P. 1

Penny ScottA&C Editor

Student government members made motions and amendments regarding the complex factors in-volved in sharing cupcakes at the June 4 student government meet-ing.

It took 30 minutes of light-heart-ed banter to establish the cupcakes’

were mixed with the cupcakes and how to distribute them.

The 48 assorted desserts were

eventually shared among the 25 peo-ple at the meeting.

The student government is going on a summer retreat, and it has yet to choose a venue. President Michael Weed said this year’s budget is like-ly to be $3,000, similar to last year’s. The retreat is usually attended by 22 people. Ten different workshops are proposed.

Public Safety Chief Jace Smith en-couraged students to sign up for Lane Alert, which can be accessed through MyLane.

“If you see something, say some-thing,” Smith said.

Jarrid DenneySports Editor

On June 4, Lane was announced as the winners of the second annual North-west Athletic Association of Community Colleges Directors Cup.

The award goes to the NWAACC school which had the best overall per-formance in all sports in their respec-tive athletic departments throughout the 2013-2014 school year.

The Titans were crowned NWAACC champions in both men’s and wom-

men’s and women’s cross country, and placed third in baseball and fourth in women’s basketball. The Titans’ wom-

game. Chemeketa Community College was

the winner of the inaugural Directors Cup.

Athletics awarded for success in NWAACC

4 NEWS&FEATURES

dents during her time at the college have been supportive of faculty members doing their own thing.

The Lane nursing program has enjoyed national recogni-tion over the years. Nursing it-self has changed a lot, however.

Nurses have far more re-sponsibility these days. They are leaders who are constant-ly required to make important decisions. They need to be in-dependent thinkers with inter-vention and teamwork skills. Technical skills play an increas-ingly important role as well.

Harcleroad teaches nursing at Lane, as well as at the Sacred Heart medical centers in Eugene

the nursing program director twice during her time at the col-lege. However, she went back to teaching because she missed in-teracting with students.

“Students keep me young,” Harcleroad said. “I enjoy their passion, optimism and enthu-siasm. They are wonderful to be around.”

Nursing is a tough program to get into. There are a lot of applicants. Motivation, self-

-est in the profession are pre-requisites for selection.

“I love my students. I really do,” Harcleroad said.

Making a difference in their lives is what motivates her.

“When a recent graduate

said to me ‘you are the reason I stayed in the program,’ it meant a lot to me,” Harcleroad said. “I asked her what I had done, and she said that I always took the time to listen to her.”

Harcleroad hears from past students from all over the world, and many of them are now colleagues in the hospitals where she continues to teach.

Mental health is an area of particular interest to Harcleroad. For example, she said people are often afraid of those with schizo-phrenia, but people with the dis-ease are even more afraid.

In cases where there has been trauma, she said, damag-ing psychological consequenc-es are far less when there’s

support immediately follow-ing a traumatic incident.

Harcleroad believes that the mind plays an important role in healing. People with a pos-itive attitude recover more quickly.

She loves animals and pro-vides a home for dogs and cats who have been rescued

takes in big dogs because they

now, she has Murphy, a Saint Bernard, and Blue, a Neapoli-tan mastiff.

Harcleroad said that when she started at Lane, she had no idea she’d still be here 40 years later. She loves her work and has no plans to retire.

INSTRUCTOR: ‘Students keep me young’ CONTINUED FROM P. 1

BUDGET:

Zito pushes for

lobby efforts CONTINUED FROM P. 1

AUGUST FRANK /  THE TORCH

budget issues are prologue.“The future conversation

(about the budget) should not be just on pieces of the pie, but on a whole new pie altogether,” board member Matt Keating said.

Furthermore, some committee members said students, faculty members and staff need to work collectively to bring funding concerns up to the Oregon Legislature. Only three states contribute less to higher education than Oregon.

Paul Zito, former student government President, told the committee that students support the tuition hike, as a compromise — they want to work together with the entire school to lobby the Oregon Legislature.

Zito’s term ended May 31 and Associated Stu-dents of Lane Community College President Michael

day.The student government

had voted earlier on cap-ping any tuition increase at $1.88, an amount that, once exceeded, could drive a student’s tuition cost past

award, but the senate re-cently voted to approve the $3 increase.

“My understanding is that it (a tuition increase of $3 per credit) will not ex-

said. “It is really close. It will put it right around there.”

Cutting programs, ver-sus increasing tuition, could hurt Lane’s image and cre-ate a “cascading effect” in which the school falls into a downward spiral, Weed said in an interview.

“Where do we draw the

the school down to where it isn’t worth going here any-

(Managing Editor Sean

Hanson contributed to this

report.)

“The future

conversation (about

the budget) should

not be just on pieces

of the pie, but on

a whole new pie

altogether.”

Matt KeatingLane board member

5SPORTS&RECREATION

BASEBALL

BASKETBALL

Athletics pinches penniesBemidji scoops up

second Titan

15 Titans will transfer

Coaches decide how to accomodate 24 percent budget reductionAlyssa Sutton Editor-in-Chief

Jarrid Denney Sports Editor

After taking a 24 percent revenue drop over the last two years, Lane’s athletic depart-ment is cinching its belt and looking for different sources of money.

Lane’s enrollment decline means that fewer students are paying the activity fee, almost a quarter of which — approx-imately $426,000 in 2012 — funds the athletic department. This year, that fell to $323,450.

While general funds provid-ed by the college supports the salary of three staff positions in Lane’s athletic department, all other department spending is paid through coaches’ fun-draising and the college’s stu-dent activity fees.

The decline in revenue has led the athletic department to

-nance, referee and umpire fees, uniforms, and traveling ex-penses.

Teams who do well go to playoffs “and playoffs cost money,” Lane Dean of Athlet-ics Chris Dawkins said.

“Each coach has made their own decisions on how they want to trim, and we’re at the point now where there’s not a whole lot more to trim. We’re down to literally counting pen-nies,” Dawkins said. “Meal money has been trimmed a lit-tle. When we travel, we’re put-ting four kids in a hotel room instead of two.”

Though many student ath-

letes attend Lane on talent grants, they vary. The grants can only cover tuition, but not books, fees or living expens-es. The number of paid credits offered to athletes depends on the individual coach’s decision.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘full ride,’” Lane Athletic Direc-

tuition only and rarely does it cover all of one’s tuition. It cov-ers about 66 percent of an ath-lete’s tuition.”

The athletics department can issue scholarships for 1,776 credits during a school year. Lane offers the fewest tal-ent grants among NWAACC member colleges — 20 to 50 percent fewer than other col-leges, Sheley said.

The Lane athletic depart-ment currently has a spon-sorship contract with Bi-Mart that will expire in about a year, Dawkins said, but the college is beginning negotiations for a renewal with Bi-Mart.

The department also has de-veloped a relationship with the Eugene Timbers Fútbol Club, a youth soccer group that us-es the college’s facility. In that sharing arrangement, the club pays the department money that goes into a fund that helps with maintenance and repair.

Athletics is also searching for new sources of money.

“We are leaning towards more business discussions. How do we sell advertising

sell advertising at our ven--

ing to help us here,” Dawkins said. “What sort of relation-

ships can we develop that are going to enhance the college,

The department is consider-ing a campaign, which they’re calling The Titan 300 Club, to reach out to 300 former stu-dent athletes and ask them to commit to contributing $25

transportation, new uniforms — but would not cover coach salaries.

“At a time when funds are decreasing, we have increased expenses that are completely out of our control,” Dawkins said. “We would like to put on a very nice show. We would like to have an announcer. We would like to have a nation-al anthem (but) because of the budget cuts, what we have now done is we’ve gone to the manuals and handbooks that say ‘this is what you must have.’”

Jarrid Denney Sports Editor

NWAACC tournament, three players selected for the All-NWAACC team and 12 players selected to the regional All-Star team made for one of the most successful seasons in school his-tory for the 2014 Titans.

That success is carrying the Lane players to the next level in their academic and baseball careers, as every Titans soph-omore is transferring to a four-year university.

Chris Neifert, Peter Davis, Robert Strys and Blake Mon-tague will all transfer to the

-ue their education, while 11 oth-er Titans will continue to play baseball across the country.

Spencer SmithJeff HardyColby Rice

Parker SherrellTucker CampbellJarren Goddard

Travis KellyEric Long

Isaias Zerufael

Konner ReddickJared Priestly

OUTFIELD

PITCHER

CATCHER

PITCHER

SHORTSTOP

FIRST BASE

PITCHER

THIRD BASE

SECOND BASE

UTILITY

PITCHER

University of Oregon

Western Oregon University

Western Oregon University

Northwest Nazarene University

Concordia University

Oregon Institute of Technology

College of Idaho

Central Washington University

Northwest Nazarene or Concordia

Western Oregon University or

Northwest Nazarene

LANE ATHLETES SIGNED TO NEW SCHOOLS

300,000

2011 2012 2013 2014

325,000

350,000

400,000

425,000

450,000

$416,762

$425,929

$387,252

$323,450

Percentage of

student activity fees

going to the athletic

department

Jarrid Denney Sports Editor

For the second time in four weeks, a Lane basketball play-er has committed to play at

-versity, an NCAA Division II school.

Lane standout Alex Sattley has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Beavers next season, and will accompany Titans teammate Zach Kirsch-baum, who signed with the Beavers in May.

Sattley chose Bemidji over

NCAA Division II school in Oakland, Calif.

“(Bemidji) was a better school for me academical-ly and for basketball,” Sattley said. “I took a visit and I real-ly enjoyed the campus, and all the guys there were really sup-portive.”

Sattley said that the fact that Kirschbaum had already signed with the school played a part in his choice, but he ul-timately had to do what was best for him. He is planning to dual-major in business and exercise science, and hopes to play basketball overseas after college.

In his only season at Lane, Sattley led the Titans with 19.11 points per game, which ranked 12th in the Northwest Athletic Association of Com-munity Colleges. Sattley shot 33 percent from three-point range and scored a season-high 34 points in a Jan. 8 home game.

“He’s instant offense,” Lane head coach Bruce Chavka said. “Having him around was great. He could just score. You always have to have a go-to guy to get some points for you, and he did that for us.”

Sattley and Kirschbaum were the Titans’ top two of-fensive threats all season long. They scored 48 percent of Lane’s points, and both earned NWAACC Second Team All-Southern Region honors.

“I’m excited,” Kirschbaum said. “It’s always good when you have someone that you have already played with and have chemistry with. Both of

-ly well, and we can create a lot of different options on the pick and roll as well.”

Sattley, a Portland native, and Kirschbaum, who grew up in Las Vegas, both said they are not looking forward to the Minnesota weather.

“That’s one part that I’m just not thinking about,” Sat-tley joked.

Total credits the

department can

award to athletes

1,776 24%

LANE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT BUDGET

UNDECIDED

6

REPLACE

ARTS&CULTURE

From Port-au-Prince to pole vault pit

Music students perform for an enthusiastic audience

Jarrid Denney Sports Editor

Lane track standout Luke McKay’s journey to Eugene has been anything but ordinary.

At a time in which the economy in Haiti was suffering, Luke’s bio-logical parents lost their jobs and were forced to put Luke up for adoption when he was 7 months old.

Joe and Joyce McKay had been

were turned down by adoption agencies time and time again, and were told their lifestyle in Eastern Oregon lacked cultural opportuni-ties for children.

They were informed by a family friend who knew of somebody who had recently adopted from Haiti, and Joe and Joyce then attempted to do the same. Shortly after, they

from New Life Link, an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.

-dren who the McKays would adopt in a span of three years, all of whom came from different biologi-cal parents.

At the time Luke was adopted,

forces in an attempt by former Pres-

was then the most impoverished in the Western hemisphere.

“I understood it was something that my mom had to do. I wasn’t really worried about the reasons why,” Luke said. “I just always knew it was because she loved me. She did what she had to do in order for me to survive. If I had stayed in Haiti, I probably would have been dead.”

Luke and his adopted siblings were raised by the McKays on a ranch in rural Juntura, west of On-tario, Ore.

Instead of growing up playing football and baseball like most kids,

-tive in rodeo sports. They rode sheep and roped when they were younger and eventually progressed to riding broncs and steers at rodeo events around Oregon and Idaho.

“I get a big adrenaline rush from that. Me and my brothers are com-petitive with it. Each year, we try

-nings. We try to go to as many ro-deos as we can around the area,” he said.

There was only one thing that made them different from the typi-cal ranch kid. They were black in a town that was 98 percent white, ac-cording to the 2000 census.

“I don’t dress like I’m a cowboy

or anything. When I tell friends, they’re like, ‘No, you’re not,’ and they don’t believe me. I show them pictures and they’re like, ‘Wow, you really are.’’’

Luke said that despite the fact that he and his siblings were minor-ities in the community, they rarely had to deal with racism. He recalled one incident in which a mother in the grocery story pulled her daugh-ter away from Luke and his siblings when they tried to talk.

do get used to people staring at you. After a while, we started to make a name for ourselves, and they would just know who we are,” he said.

-ed Paisley High School, the same school as Luke, watched him ex-cel as a pole vaulter and sprint-er at one of the smallest schools in the state. He went on to compete at Lane, where he earned All-Ameri-can honors as a pole vaulter during the 2013 season.

“I was well aware of him and his family, because I’m still pretty close with the coaches and the communi-ty in Paisley,” O’Connor said. “So I was excited when he was vault-ing so well at the 1A level … . Being

was cool for him to do well.”

-dered about his family. He sent multiple letters to the orphanage back in Haiti in an effort to reach any family member he could.

He received a letter from his sis-ter in Haiti this year in response to a letter he had sent almost a year and a half earlier. While he hasn’t spoken directly to his parents or any of his three biological siblings, who all speak Creole, Luke has been communicating through Face-book with a cousin who lives in Haiti and speaks English. He has been able to talk with his mom and siblings over Skype, with his cousin translating.

Luke said he hopes to go to Hai-ti very soon, potentially as early as this summer.

“It was like a dream come true. As a kid, I would wonder, ‘Where

he said. “I remember as a kid just praying day after day after day, asking my parents, trying to get in contact. Trying to call agencies. Trying to call people, sending let-ters to this and that. It was almost to a point where I had given up. Af-ter the whole earthquake that hap-pened in Haiti, I thought may-be they were just gone … . I’m just glad to know that they’re alive and well.”

Luke McKay overcomes odds, reconnects with family

“If I had stayed in Haiti, I probably would have

been dead.”

Luke McKayLane track athlete

FILE /  THE TORCH

CONTRIBUTED /  MCKAY FAMILY

7ARTS&CULTURE

Eddie Leach Reporter

If the Lane Jazz Combos show was any indication, the future of jazz is alive and well.

The nearly full Blue Door Theatre hosted four student jazz combos displaying their skills June 3. Each group pre-sented classic tunes from the jazz canon. Ron Bertucci, fac-ulty director of the project, served as emcee.

Beginning with the Tim Jayne Combo, we heard the light midtempo swing of “All of Me.” They followed with the bossa nova feel of “Yester-days” and the uptempo “La-dy Bird.” Jayne, on guitar, led this quintet, which consist-ed of Sam Dale on trombone, Evan Lawrence on guitar, Da-vid Cooper on bass and Nel-son Cornejo on drums. Dale’s solos got the evening off to a lively start, while Lawrence’s rhythmic chording knitted the group together.

Next the Schwartz/Davey Combo opened with the Her-bie Hancock jazz-funk clas-sic “Cantaloupe Island.” Cher-ee Pelkey’s vocal renditions of “Fly Me to the Moon,” the bal-lad “My Foolish Heart” and the uptempo “Out Of No-where” were backed by the solid rhythm section of pia-nist Phil Davey, bassist Aus-tyn Moore and drummer Josh Schwartz. Throughout this set, Charles Demonnin’s trombone solos plumbed the depths of his instruments’ lower register to a delighted audience.

The Dalton Lott Combo, a septet led by guitarist Dalton Lott, included Kelly Kelso on trumpet, Alvin Johnson on pi-ano, Jordan Nelson on vio-la, Calvan Christ on bass and Nick Alvarez on drums. Fea-tured vocalist Natasha Her-bert kicked off the set with Duke Ellington’s “Satin Doll.” Kelso’s muted trumpet gave a Miles Davis feel to his solo.

Then they launched into Juan Tizol’s “Caravan.” The distinctive mood of their com-plex arrangement transported the listener to the edge of the

Nelson’s viola added to the exotic feel of this, as did John-son’s lower-register chording.

The pace changed with a more quiet treatment of “Out of Nowhere,” highlighted by the rich tone of Nelson’s viola simply stating the melody.

This remarkably dynam-ic set ended with their own highly imaginative arrange-ment of Charlie “Yardbird” Parker’s legendary “Scrap-ple from the Apple,” which included clever stop-breaks. Kelso’s un-muted trumpet

bebop gem.Johnson’s inspired pia-

no solo drew the loudest ap--

derpinning the band was the strong and sensitive playing of both Christ and Alvarez.

The Sarah Burkhart Com-

the evening’s music. Her vo-cals were ably supported by “Cool” Raul Smith on trom-bone, Chris Lewis on guitar,

Sean Perkins on bass and Mac Monson on drums. Burkhart’s ability to use ‘scat’ singing techniques gave an added di-mension.

The audience happily ac-cepted their “Invitation,” a downtempo swing, to start the set in a cool and mellow West Coast style. Notable was the trombone ‘vamping’ from Smith behind the vocals.

Two lovely jazz ballads fol-lowed: “Alone Together” and “Body and Soul.” Traditional-ly, jazz players give their in-

terpretation of popular songs from Broadway musicals. The group used their own ar-rangements to express this.

On “Alone Together,” Smith used his mute with haunting effect. The band showed its control of dy-

slow fade-out. On “Body and

Holiday shone through Bur-khart’s vocals.

Closing the show was a lively version of “How High the Moon” joined with Park-

er’s “Ornithology.” Burkhart sang the complex melody of “Ornithology,” which was no simple task.

lines and solos throughout the set, along with the tasteful and spare drumming of Monson. The soloing from the group was uniformly excellent.

The evening’s performance proved the high level of talent among the music students at

-onstrated professionalism be-yond their years.

From Port-au-Prince to pole vault pit

Jazz bands strut their stuffAUGUST FRANK /  THE TORCH

AUGUST FRANK /  THE TORCH

Music students perform for an enthusiastic audience

REVIEW

Luke McKay overcomes odds, reconnects with family

8 ARTS&CULTURE

Exhibitions impress visitors

Penny Scott A&C Editor

Foreign troops have in-vaded America. It seems as though the world is coming to an end. Esther has to choose between panicking, commit-ting suicide or doing what needs to be done.

So begins Esther at the End

of the World, a three-min-ute video by media arts stu-dent Katrina Vollbracht. De-termined not to be a victim of circumstances, Esther takes the Wonder Woman costume from her kids’ old toy box, gets a handgun and goes out

The video is displayed in the annual Media Arts Student Exhibition in the Building 11

Design Student Exhibition.The pieces on display are

the creations of media arts and graphic design students who have reached the level of pro-fessionalism in their work that

These gallery pieces represent important inclusions for stu-dent résumés and become part of larger portfolios.

More than 60 pieces by in-dividuals and groups are on display in the two student ex-hibitions.

“There are some really tal-ented students,” Art and Ap-plied Design instructor Jan Halvorsen said. “I think it’s a

really strong show.”“Queens of the Stone Age,”

by graphic design student Tracy Klocko, is among the works on display.

“The whole look of it just drew me to it,” Lane student Jake Dolores said.

The boldly colored piece depicts a woman with 10 hu-man skulls hanging from

expression and makeup, in

particular, are eliciting com-ments from viewers about his-tory, status and human atti-tudes and emotions.

“The skulls could represent the slaves of the age she lived in,” Dolores said. “I don’t think I would like her. I think she would be really stuck-up, like royalty.”

Even though the woman looked unfriendly and even arrogant to Dolores, he said

she looked sad as well. Lane student Claudia Mo-

jarro, also commenting on the piece, said she thought the woman looked amazing.

“I’m wondering what the skulls are for,” Mojarro said. “And the way her makeup is done makes her look sad.”

Presenting their work in shows is an important way for media arts and graphic design students and professionals to

gain exposure.“Presenting and exhibiting

is a never ending part of be-ing a media arts maker,” Art and Applied Design instruc-

at some point, you have to hit that level. So this (exhibit) is saying, ‘You are starting to hit that level.’ People can come and see some of the cool work that’s being done by students. It’s much more diverse than people realize.”

The exhibitions are a way for students to demonstrate their skills and the levels of diversity and complexity they have reached. Vollbracht worked a full term on her proj-

product. She wrote the script, created the storyboard, cast the actors, arranged the lighting and sound, and did the camera work and the editing.

“It was a really important piece for me that’s been brew-ing for a long time,” Vollbracht said. “I wanted to do it right.”

Lane students showcase professional-grade projects

The Graphic Design Student Exhibition will be on display in the Sister Art Gallery in Building 11 until

PENNY SCOTT /  THE TORCH

ALYSSA SUTTON /  THE TORCH

Graphic Design Student ExhibitionSister Art Gallery 103, Building 11May 27 to June 11, Free

Media Arts Student ExhibitionMain Art Gallery 119, Building 11May 27 to June 12, Free