Fort

y y

ears of being the student’s voice

Volume XXXX, Issue 6

Friday, October 8, 2010

15th Street News

Soccer ClubSee pictures of your RSC Soccer Club’s

game on Oct. 2, 2010 at RSC... page 7

Global OklahomaSee photos of the festivities held on Oct. 2, 2010 at RSC... pages 4-5

The 2010 Great Issues Lecture Series held it’s first installment Wednesday, Sept. 29 in the Lecture Hall.

Suzanne Thomas, professor of art, presented her lecture, “Democratization of Information Defined.”

According to Thomas, democratization of information is about how freely people and entities exchange information, regardless of importance, and the consequences that come from such a free exchange.

“What information needs to be accessible?”

Thomas asked. “Who needs access to it? Who gets to choose who gets access?”

In her presentation, Thomas briefly spoke about the history of mass communication, the exchange of information, and how people absorb that information.

“[People] need to be aware of where we get our information,” Thomas said. “They need to consider their source.”

Thomas explained that as traditional mass media is supplanted as the primary means of information exchange by social media such as Facebook and Twitter, people allow information they might not want shared to

be shared and held against them.According to Thomas, what a student

posts on a social media service is essentially public information, citing stories where employees have been penalized or fired by employers for what they put on their public blogs and profiles.

“Students need to take responsibility for their information,” Thomas said. “They need to do what they need to do to get as complete a story as they can, to make an objective decision for themselves.”

“We have unwittingly democratized our personal information,” Thomas said.

“Maybe we need to be read our Miranda Rights before we sign up for Facebook or Twitter. While you may not be under arrest, you are under a microscope.”

The next lecture in the series, “Media Representation of Women and Consumption Patterns,” presented by Professor of Sociology Dr. John Carl, will be held at 3 p.m., Wednesday Oct. 13, in the Lecture Hall.

The fall lecture series, “The Democratization of Information: Power, Peril and Promise,” consists of four lectures and is funded by the Don Reynolds Lectureship Endowment.

By: Bryan TrudeFeature Editor

Chairman of the RSC Board of Regents Aarone Corwin hosts the opening of Global Oklahoma: Ireland. Amongst her duties was reading the a proclamation from the

Mayor of Midwest City Jack Fry declaring Saturday, Oct. 2 a cultural day for Midwest City. (Photo by Racheal Miller)

Visitors from across the state gathered to immerse themselves in culture Saturday, Oct. 2 for Global Oklahoma’s 2010 celebration.

The theme represented this year was the nation of Ireland. The opening ceremony began with a parade of nations. Members of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. of Charles B. Hall Chapter carried flags from the U.S., Ireland and Oklahoma. On the heels were representatives of RSC including President Terry Britton, Regent Aarone Corwin, and Ms. Jillian Whitaker, Miss Black Student Association. Joining the campus leaders were members of the United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma, Inc. and the Irish-American Club of Tulsa.

During the opening, Tom Hinchey, founder of the Irish-American Club, said “[RSC] has shown through this festival that even though many cultures exist in Oklahoma today, they all have the same basis: love of our fellow man.”

Jeffery Fisher, president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in American, noted that Global Oklahoma has been “greatly positive,” adding, “I love the fair. I think the [country’s] greatest strength is different cultures.”

Many groups and organizations in attendance come to Global for the exposure. Japan-American Society of Oklahoma member Masayo Bowles explained that, “We come out because people don’t know we exist. We do not have a lot of access to meet new people. We like coming to festivals like this to advertise our group.”

Vendors also attended Saturday’s festivities, talking with one another and using the event not only as a time to sell, but also as a way to allow others to see the culture their wares represent. Cindy Van Kley, a local artist, has attended Global nearly every year. “It’s been beautiful. It’s different than reading about [culture] from a book. You get to meet people from different countries,” Kley said.

Stages set around the campus exhibited the entirety of cultural representation on Saturday. From traditional Irish dance groups to belly dancers, the provided entertainment created a platform for the cultural soup that is Global. A mother-daughter trio, Flowers of Edinburg, played traditional jibs from their Celtic heritage.

Volunteers helped throughout the day with children’s activities like face painting and multicultural coloring sheets, and with vendors, visitors and attendees.

More photos of the events can be found at 15thstreetnews.wordpress.com.

By: Brittany McDanielNews Editor

A walk on the cultural side:

When traveling to the Professional Training Center, a variety of tools are immediately at your fingertips. For those interested in finding a good, quality job, there is one very dedicated individual who runs the Career Services Center at no cost to you. That individual is Connie Myrick, coordinator of career services. The first step in acquiring her help is simply scheduling an appointment.

There are a few things to bear in mind when preparing for your meeting. Myrick requests, that students bring a copy of their resume and dress as if attending a professional interview (pants, blouse/buttoned up shirt, and an overall neat appearance). She

explained the appointment is more beneficial when the student comes in ready for a mock interview. This enables Myrick to tell you, what you can do to improve your resume and yourself.

The Résumé is an evolving creature. With technological advances abound, it is important now more than ever to have a crisp, neat and to the point Résumé . “It’s got to catch [the reviewer] in 15 seconds or less, and grab their attention quickly,” Myrick said. Some of the advice Myrick provided includes:

-Résumé should be printed on thicker paper stock-Color of the resume should be slightly off-white-Résumé credentials should be kept at one

page-Only state skills pertaining to the job -Uniform format throughout the document-Cover letter specific to the company you are applying“The purpose of the Résumé is to get an

interview,” Myrick added. When you get to the interview session,

make sure to be yourself. Try not to work yourself up to a state of anxiety. Myrick explained that nerves are normal, and that even the interviewer feels a little nervous. The interview is not to see if you can answer questions perfectly, but how you respond overall. Future employers are looking to see how you fit with their overall work environment.

A quick tidbit Myrick offered was to bring a notepad and pen. This will allow you to write down any questions during the interview without interrupting, and take down the names of your interviewers. Afterward, Myrick suggested hand written thank you notes. You may not be right for the job you applied for, but that kind of interest will place you in their minds. They may even have another job opening that you are better suited for.

For more information about jobs and career services, contact Connie Myrick at cmyrick@rose.edu.

Students and community can also attend a career expo 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14 in the Main Dining Room for workshops and career match making.

By: Brittany McDanielNews Editor

A Great Issues Lecture: Personal information in a public place

Career services help prepare students and community for the workforce

Edgar Cruz performs live at Global Oklahoma. Lisa Price, director of community relations/special events, said Cruz has probably performed for at least 20 out of 22

Global Oklahoma events. (Photo by Adriana Valtinson)

Global Oklahoma 2010, Welcome to Ireland

Page 2 October 8, 2010

Opinion

The 15th Street

NewsStory Ideas/Questions: 733-7400Fax: 733-7931Web site: http://www.rose.edu/commfriend/15street/index.asp

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Editor in ChiefAdriana Valtinson (avaltinson@rose.edu)

Assistant EditorMiranda Liming Features EditorBryan TrudeNews EditorBrittany McDanielGraphic ArtistDanielle FinneganCirculation ManagerJacob SuddathTech SupportScottie Seger

VolunteersJonathon DyerLogan PierceTori BeechumRacheal MillerSecretarySharon Motley (smotley@rose.edu)Coordinator of Student PublicationsJulie Lesko-Bishop (jlesko-bishop@rose.edu)

Letters to the Editor The 15th Street News wel-comes and encourages letters to the editor. Letters should be no more than 300 words and may be edited for clarity, length, or to avoid obscenity, libel and invasion of privacy but ideas will not be altered. Submissions must include the author’s name, ID number, and title. Anonymous letters will be read, but not printed. Letters may be hand deliv-ered to FA110; sent by mail; or e-mailed to the secretary, [smotley@rose.edu].Policies The 15th Street News is a designated public forum. Stu-dent editors have the authority

to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. Columns, commen-taries and letters to the editor are personal opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of 15th Street News or other students, faculty or administrators of the college. The editorial staff writes editori-als. Publication of all materials is at the discretion of the editor. Anyone having a complaint may call the editor in chief, 733-7400, or the Student Pub-lications Board chairperson, Dr. Kent Lashley, 733-7490. 15th Street News, a stu-dent newspaper serving the RSC community, is published

weekly, except school holidays, on Fridays during the fall and spring semesters by the Office of Student Publications, 6420 SE 15, Midwest City, OK 73110. 15th Street News is a mem-ber of Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association, which has designated this paper top junior college newspaper six years, and Associated Collegiate Press, which has rated it All American 30 semesters. This publication is printed by Edmond Sun, Inc., issued by RSC and authorized by the Coordinator of Student Publica-tions. Cost to the state taxpayers is $301.81 for 4,000 copies per issue and $56.40 for spot color. This paper is recyclable.

RSC, in compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Executive Order 11246, as amended, Title IX of the Edu-cation Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orien-tation or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services.

EditorialPerpetual cultural tolerance advocated

My death was shrouded in mystery and the macabre and to this day no one has determined the exact cause. This is ironic because you know my literary works deal with mystery and the macabre.

Your LRC Fright Night Clue

Every semester we are faced with the worst of the college enemies: midterms. If you’re thinking that you don’t have enough time to study, or you’re just blatantly not going to, think again. We’ve found the five best excuses that have been used to get out of those test situations and haven’t worked.

1. “I got robbed/car jacked on the way to school.” Now, this is an excuse that can only slightly be believed in two ways. One, you are telling your instructor this a day after the test or, two, you’re calling from the police station.

2. “I got hit by a deer.” Unless you’re a character on the Gilmore Girls, this can’t work, especially not in our neck of the woods. If you’re going to really try to give this a shot, do the dirty work; take a Louisville Slugger to your driver side door.

3. “I had to bail my mom out of jail.” If you’re this desperate to get excused for anything, then it’s time to re-evaluate your

situation in the class.

4. “I can’t a get my car out of the garage.” Now, this is secret that only few know about, but every garage door has a pull chain for these situations. It’s a federal safety procedure, and most people know about it.

5. “I was arrested as a result of mistaken identity.” If this was 1920, this might just work. Emergency personnel today are trained

professionals. Arrests are generally not made until the perpetrator is identified correctly. And if you’re going to use this one, make sure you’re calling from a private number or the county jail.

6.”I couldn’t miss my _____ (fill-in-the-blank).” It is offensive to professors that you find a television show, dog race, etcetera, more important than their test. Unless it’s

a person’s funeral, or a court date, you have no excuse. Typically, you know about these events a few days before they occur and can make arrangements with the professor.

(Photo provided by MCT Campus)

By: Miranda LimingAssistant Editor What is the worst excuse

you’ve heard/used to get out of a midterm?

Now that Global Oklahoma is over and RSC has cleaned up its own backyard melting pot, it’s time to stop and consider whether or not we have actually learned anything. That is, of course, a part of Global Oklahoma’s purpose. It’s not just about souvenirs, food and entertainment; it gives us a chance to stop and learn about cultures other than our own.

Global gives the community a chance to walk around from tent to tent and talk to people who have first-hand knowledge of what other countries are like. We can spend the day watching the popular culture from those countries performed live on multiple stages and eating food we are not normally used to.

But such an acceptance of other cultures should not be reserved for one day of fun. This acceptance should be a year-around constant in everyone’s lives. Instead, other

days of the year sometimes spent segregating or self-segregating a person or people for no reason other than that they look different or have different beliefs. Some scholarships and clubs are available to only a certain type of person while others are left out because they were not born with the right criteria.

Other times a type of “pretend acceptance” is employed by handing something to a person entirely because of whatever criteria they did happen to be born with. For example, if a job that involves hard labor is given to someone who not only can’t do it, but who actually refuses to do it, that person should be let go. But if that person happens to be a woman, she might be allowed to keep that job only because it might look like she lost it because she is female. Some women can do those jobs, and some men cannot, but no one should be forced to do someone else’s work because the alternative

would supposedly be prejudice. All that does is reinforce the separation among people. Accepting someone for who they are and what they believe in means looking past those aspects and seeing only the person, rather than giving or taking something away based on his or her gender, ethnicity or religion.

Noticing that someone is different is not the problem. Noticing and recognizing that someone is different is quite human and to be expected. It is the way we react to those differences that matters. Rather than avoiding others and separating ourselves from each other, we can continue to have the same acceptance and interest in learning about each other that we had at Global Oklahoma.

(Photo provided by MCT Campus)

Dr. Jeremy CliftonProfessor of Music/Music Recording/

Percussion“The most common excuse I’ve heard is

car failure, or ‘I overslept’.”

Edmund GertAssociate Dean of Humanities/Professor of

Spanish“The worst that I gave was that I slept

through the test. Which was a really bad excuse, but it was true.”

Six vapid excuses to avoid

(Photos by Miranda Liming)

Raider LifePage 3

October 8, 2010

Briefly Speaking

Michael Scott, criminal justice major, is one of over 270 people signed up for the second annual Treadmill-a-thon, going on now in the Wellness Center. The Treadmill-a-thon challenges participants to run 26 miles on the treadmill before the end of October, with successful challengers receiving a special t-shirt. “It’s a fun event for me personally,” said Chris Leland, director of health and wellness activities. “It’s a challenging event for everyone, but in a good way.” Registration will stay open until the end of the month, however Leland warns that people who wait to sign up “will have less time to finish the challenge.”

(Photo by Bryan Trude)

Senate’s first piece of legislation was presented on Tuesday, Oct. 5.

Senate Resolution 001 reads “A resolution pertaining to the approval of open parking in faculty spaces after 5 p.m.” Authored by Senator Kealy Gillespie, the resolution touched on evening student safety. “Often times staggered class times and higher crime rates after dark increase the odds that individual students crossing the parking lots after hours are more targets of crimes,” Gillespie said.

Raised by Senator Jim Thavisay, Gillespie was asked if faculty had been asked their opinion on the legislation. “I haven’t talked to the faculty about [the issue], but in my opinion, the overall safety of the student body as a whole should be more important to us as a senate than the convenience that it provides to adjunct or fulltime faculty that teach here,” Gillespie said.

“[Other universities] have signs that post faculty parking and then they have an additional sign that’s posted ‘free parking

with current [identification] after the hours of 5 p.m. Monday through Friday’,” Gillespie said. “I haven’t researched the cost for additional signs.”

Resolution 001 failed with seven for, 10 against and zero abstained. When asked how they voted, “I voted yeah because I was concerned about the safety of the students as well as the faculty,” Thavisay said.

“I voted nay. However I am concerned about the safety of our faculty and our students, I just didn’t want our faculty to be inconvenienced,” Senator Melissa Nester said.

Senate was visited Tuesday by Connie Myrick, coordinator of career services, who spoke about the upcoming Career Expo scheduled for Oct. 14. “Even if you’re not looking for a job, you need to start networking,” Myrick said. “Throughout the day there are some workshops.”

Myrick encouraged senators to participate in the expo to ready themselves for the job market come graduation, or to receive a few extra credit points for volunteering.

Senate reported its budget at $28,681.59 as of Tuesday.

By: Miranda LimingAssistant Editor

Annual contest underway, race

for gift cards

Parking legislation fails due to lack of research, answers

40-4-40 Art ExhibitThe 40 artists for the 40th anniversary

will come to a close at 5:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11 in the Communications Center. Another exhibit, “Transcend: Part I and

Part II,” will open Monday, Oct. 18 with a reception, documentary and art

discussion.

Great Issue Lecture SeriesEvery year, RSC hosts a lecture series

covering a specific topic. The 2010-2011 Great Issues Lecture Series will examine the democratization of information. “Who has control? Who makes decisions? How

does access to information connect to power?” Professor Toni Castillo, honors program coordinator, said. The lecture

series will continue with a speech by Dr. John Carl, professor of sociology on Oct.

13. Lectures for the series are held on Wednesdays from 3:00-4:00 pm in the RSC Lecture Hall, and are open to all

students and local community. For more information, contact Professor Castillo at

tcastillo@rose.edu.

Flu ShotsRSC students, employees and Wellness Center community members can get flu shots 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.

12 in the Wellness Center Lobby. Flu shots are offered for $25, flu mist for

$30, and pneumonia shots for $35. No appointments are necessary.

Treadmill-athonThe second annual Treadmill-athon

began Oct. 1. Participants must go to the Wellness Center lobby to sign up. Those who complete 26.2 miles during the month of October will receive an

“I SURVIVED” T-shirt and those who complete 26.2 miles before Chris Leland, director of health and wellness activities,

might win a grand prize.

Mammography ScreeningsThe Oklahoma Breast Care Center will provide digital screening mammograms

Tuesday, Oct. 26 in the Wellness Center. Mammograms will be offered to women

40 years and older who do not have

any symptoms. The fee will include the radiologist’s reading, a second

computer reading and filing insurance; all insurances, except Global, are acceptable. To make an appointment, call 755-2273

x110.

Fall BreakThere will be no classes Thursday Oct.

21 or Friday Oct. 22. No day or evening classes will meet on Thursday, but Friday evening and Saturday classes will meet as scheduled. The LRC will still be open all

week and will observe its regular weekend hours. The LRC will be open 7:30 a.m.-

5:00 p.m. on Oct. 21-22.

Ramsey Lewis PerformanceComposer, pianist and jazz legend Ramsey

Lewis will be performing live at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 at the RSC Performing Arts Theatre. RSC faculty, students and staff can purchase $10 discount tickets at the cashier’s window in the administration building through Oct. 25. After that date, discount tickets may be purchased at the

Communications Center box office two hours before show time the day of the show. A valid Rose State I.D. must be

shown to receive the discount.

Domestic Violence MonthRSC will continue spreading the word

about domestic violence with vents throughout the month. The Helping

Hands Fair—Agencies that care will be held 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13 in the Student Center Main Dining Room. “Telling Amy’s Story,” a documentary about Amy’s story of

domestic violence as told by those who knew her will be presented 11:00 a.m.-

12:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 in the Lecture Hall. There will also be a book discussion on The Grave Digger’s Daughter 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29 in the Tom Steed Center Room 102; pre-

registration is required for the book discussion. Call 733-7373 to register.

Tuesday, Oct. 5, RSC leadership students jumped on a van to UCO. The group of students gathered to hear Governor Brad Henry speak about leadership. UCO President Dr. Roger Webb began the seminar with an enthusiastic speech about the importance of good leadership. Webb stressed the value of teamwork. “The rest of your lives you will be working in teams,” Webb said. He explained the importance of workforce cohesion. Should the team fail to come together, and instead act out as individuals, the team is inevitably doomed to fail. The question then becomes how to make this happen.

“We have to learn to forge relationships. Relationships build trust,” Webb explained. Webb then introduced Henry as a champion for education.

Henry began, “I don’t know if I have any great skill when it comes to leadership. It just sort of happens.” Henry went on to say, “If there is any common denominator it is a great desire to help people. A desire to make this world a better place.”

Henry ascribed to the “power of one” in each individual, giving examples of famous people in recent history. Henry said, “I’m a big believer in the power of one. Each individual can make a difference. Everyone has the ability to make a difference. Everyone is a leader. The question is do you have the motivation.”

Henry elaborated on the powers within, “Think about Google. These two college

friends started Google…[and it] has changed the way we gather information.”

Henry offered attendees what he considered “Brad’s eight principles of leadership.”

1. You have to believe in yourself.

2. Be willing to take a risk.

3. Turn liabilities into assets.

4. Surround yourself with good people.

5. Never believe that you are better than anyone else.

6. Do the right thing.

7. Be willing to realize and admit when you’re wrong.

8. Always keep in mind results are important.

You need confidence and respect for yourself. Henry used an example from his first year running for governor. Henry said, “Everybody said your crazy, you can’t win. It would have been very easy for me to say your right, but I believed I could [win the race].”

Henry said taking risks is an important element in leadership. “I don’t know any great leader who has not suffered failures. I was willing to lose that race. It was going to kill me. You learn more from your setbacks and failures than your successes,” Henry said.

As vital as firm belief in your talents is to success, surrounding yourself with valuable team members is just as important. Henry said, “You have to know and understand you can’t do it alone. Just because you’re a

good leader doesn’t mean you can [succeed] without your team.”

In his closing remarks, Henry drove home the point that personal connections make for memorable life moments. Henry asked the audience, “Name the last five Oscar winners for best actor or best actress. Name the last five governors. Some of the most famous people are not memorable. They did important things but they didn’t touch you personally. Now name five teachers. Name someone who did something nice for you. The point is it’s the little things that make a difference. Don’t forget that.”

Henry spoke of a trip to the southern African coast where a small act of charity became a life lesson. Henry and his wife went on a mission trip to hand out mesquito nets to help combat malaria stricken areas. “The area was so remote,” Henry said. The riverbed the aid truck got stuck at was rocky, and the terrain would not allow for the truck to get through. Calls were made, and the village that was just over two miles away came running toward the foreigners. “A group of children came running They had distended bellies from hunger, and little clothing. The children started clapping and singing. I turned to my wife and said, ‘I wish we could share this with the world.’ The children were singing despite their hardships…they were the happiest people I ever met,” Henry recalled.

Henry ended with the importance of service in the community. Henry proclaimed to the crowd, “Service is the rent you pay for the space you occupy…be a leader, make a difference. That’s what it’s all about.”

By: Brittany McDanielNews Editor

Leadership class experiences UCO;Learns Henry’s ‘eight principles of leadership’

Raider Soccer 2010The RSC Soccer Club gathers around Coach Corey Loyd for a half time

meeting. The club played the Arkansas Razorbacks on Oct. 2, 2010.

Midfielder, Josh Reed lunges in attempt to keep the Raider’s possession of the ball as an Arkan-

sas Razorback steps on his foot in attempt to prevent Reed from controlling the ball.

Midfielder, Dante’ Henderson looks to pass the ball to another teammate. The

games are free to attend; the next game will be a home game on Oct. 9, 2010.

Defensive wing, Taylor Lesser keeps control of the ball despite Razorback, Patrick Grant attempting to trip him.

Lesser jumps over Grant in order to keep possession of the ball during the RSC soccer games versus Arkansas University.

Lesser safely clears Grant and keeps Raider possession of the ball, preventing the Arkansas Razorbacks from stealing.

Midfielder, Kenneth Narwick blocks an Arkansas player to avoid losing the Raider’s hold of the ball. More

photos of the game can be found online at 15thstreetneews.wordpress.com (Photo Essay by Danielle Finnegan)

Defensive Center Back, Andrew Ber-

toliasio fights to keep the

ball.

Midfielder, Devin Skalla attempts to go around Hayes and keep RSC possession of the ball.

Henderson rushes to the ball, hoping to gain Raider possession.

Skalla looks to pass the ball to a fellow Raider before Arkansas

has the chance to steal.

Spotlight

Eddie GertAssociate Dean/Professor of Spanish

By: Adriana Valtinson Editor-in-Chief

Page 7August 20, 2010

News and FeaturesMusic Stand: Lil Wayne jams in slammer

A major trend has hit the streets lately and I’m frankly not understanding it. Lil Wayne, a.k.a Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. He is in jail, and he’s making headlines.

Earlier this year Carter was sentenced to one year in prison for weapon possession. During his incarceration, he was named Urban Songwriter of the Year by BMI, released a new album “I Am Not A Human Being”, and has participated in multiple interviews over the prison phone system. Why?

Why is a celebrity (and I’m using this term loosely) allowed to continue with normal activity while locked inside an 8 x 10 foot cell? Why are they allowed to conduct interviews, release albums, and so

on when the law is punishing them? Most criminals who are incarcerated are allowed only basic privileges, while Carter is still commandeering the rap industry in an orange jumpsuit.

These facts have been pushed in my face this week. News of Carter is on every social media site available in the U.S. I’ve even received tweets about it, like this one from @mattlip, “I don’t care about Lil Wayne in jail. He’s a joke rapper anyway. He just tricked millions of suburban white kids into thinking he’s cool.”

I have personally heard more coverage on Carter than the multiple school shootings of the past week. When did we become a society where murder on a campus is trumped by a rapper who’s latest single is called “Gonorrhea”.

As the American public, we should be

asking less about what they are doing while in jail, and more about why we care. Carter shares the prison life with many of today’s top celebrities; 50 Cent, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, and Jersey’s own Snooki, among scores of others.

Now think of the fans of these celebrities; teenagers, pre-teens, children. Do you think it’s ok for them to idolize a musician who goes to jail for gun possession, drug possession, and a hit song about an STD?

If your answer is yes, then I’m sure you’re already starting your Letter to the Editor. But if your answer is no, then congratulations, you understand the difference between what can be music, and what should be music. Without trying to sound like an elitist, Lil Wayne should be in prison for the defilement of rap and hip-hop.

(Photo provided by MCT Campus)

By: Miranda LimingAssistant Editor

(Photo by Miranda Liming)

Edmund Gert, associate dean of the Humanities Division and professor of Spanish, has been teaching at RSC since 2000 when he began as an adjunct. Later in 2002, he was hired full time as a Spanish professor.

Gert said he began learning Spanish in high school before joining the Spanish education program at UCO where he got a bachelor’s degree in Spanish education. After graduating from UCO, he started teaching at Piedmont High School for several years, but decided that he would rather teach at a college.

He went back to UCO and got a master’s degree in general education with an emphasis in Spanish and got a job at RSC as an adjunct immediately after graduation.

Gert said the language was “something that came easily to me and [that] I had a passion for.” Once he began working at a college he found that enjoyed the diversity of the students. He said that one of his favorite aspects of teaching at a college is “being able to accommodate and recognize the diversity of the students and their goals and helping

them reach those goals.” He added, “Small class [sizes] and the ability to help students are very important in community colleges.”

Gert became the associate dean of the Humanities Division in 2007. He explained that when the position of became available, it was the first time he had considered having that job. “I thought it would be a challenge, but it would fit me, and luckily it has.” He said that, among other things, the job involves speaking up for adjuncts and added, “I thought I could be that voice.”

Gert said his favorite moments at the college are the graduations. “It makes me proud of each and every one of [the students],” he explained. “It’s an evening of pride.”Age: Younger than a lot of faculty, but that is quickly changingHometown: Oklahoma CitySpouse: Married for 18 years to the perfect complement to my personalityKids: Two-year-old son Jonah who has inspired me more than anythingProfessional Credentials: BA in

Spanish education, MED in general (community college) education, currently working on PhD at OSUFavorite word or phrase in Spanish: I probably say “de todos modos” more than anyone should… It means anywayHeroes: My parents, who, whether I agree with them or not, always stick with their convictionsHobbies: I watch way too much television. It has been hard to cut my TV viewing time down since my son was born and I started back to school.Forms of exercise: Thinking that I need to exercise moreWhat is your most eccentric behavior? When I am watching television, I don’t like anyone to talk during the show.Most desirable place to visit: San Miguel de Allende, MexicoQuotes that most amuses or inspires you: “Only Nixon could go to China” – Spock, Star Trek VI: the Undiscovered CountryOne adjective a loved one would use to describe you:

ModestIf you did a career change, what would be your alternate career? Something in the film industryWhat was your worst subject? Biology—I think the teacher gave me a passing grade because he felt sorry for me.Would you prefer to end hunger or hatred? I think if hatred could be ended, an

end to hunger would soon follow.How do you get your reality TV fix? “The Amazing Race” is awesome. I would love to participate, but enjoy just watching.What cartoon character would you be and why? One of the Wonder Twins, the one who turns into animals because turning into forms of water is lame.What do you do when you get nervous? Say “um” a lot and gesture emphatically

Specially selected professors convene monthly in the Teaching in Community organization for the purpose of improving performance within the classroom.

Professors selected for the program will visit each other’s classes, observing teaching methods and student participation. This provides goals for instructors to see patterns of both positive classroom tactics and less effective ones.

The main mission of the group is to better connect with their students to enhance the student’s experience in the course, and lead to a better overall grasp of the material.

The program facilitators, Dr. Richard Wedemeyer and Professor Stacie Mayes,

oversee the group’s progress and keep track of the feedback from each professor. This feedback is then turned into goals for the instructors to keep in mind when fine-tuning their curriculum.

By the end of the program, professors are required to submit a reflection paper. The paper describes their experience, what they learned, and how it has enhanced their classroom environment.

The Teaching in Community program is yet another way that RSC students receive the benefits of an institution willing to incorporate alternative instruction methods. These professors are working to continually enhance their approach to teaching and, in turn, the students reap the reward.

(Photo provided by MCT Campus)

By: Brittany McDanielNews Editor

A fresh look can improve class environment