Rangeview Replacement FINAL Second Issue FALL 2008

A Publication by the Students of the FRCC-Larimer Campus

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2 NOV. — DEC. 2008

WOLFING DOWN DEALS

BY DANIELLE ZIMMERER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

FRCC's mascot has been resurrected and is now featured on the

new Wolf Card. A student‘s first Wolf Card is $5 dollars (and

$10 dollars for a replacement card). Dec.15 is the last day for a

free trade-in for returning students with last year‘s student ID.

Staff, faculty and students are highly encouraged to obtain the

Wolf Card this semester, as it is the official ID of FRCC.

Teaming up with Wells Fargo, this year‘s Wolf Card is

making waves throughout the campus.

All it takes is one credit at FRCC to be officially enrolled to reap

the benefits of the Wolf Card. Blue, white, and handy, this year‘s

ID card has more to offer the average student.

Students who have linked their Wolf Card to a new or existing

Wells Fargo checking or savings account can use the card at the

FRCC Bookstore to swipe costs, so that their transaction will be

processed just like a regular PIN-based debit card purchase.

Maria Smith helps students and faculty as a work-study

receptionist at the Longs Peak Student Center‘s Information

Desk. She was enthused about the functionality of the ID card.

(Continued on page 4)

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) gets ready to address a crowd of 50,000 people packed in shoulder-to-shoulder at the Oval at Colorado State University on Sunday, Oct. 26, while still campaigning for the U.S. presidency. Photo by Vashti Torrez

F INANCIAL FOLLY HITS HOME

BY JOSHUA BRICKNER , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

There is no comfort to be found in phrases like ―global

economic meltdown‖ or ―worst economic crisis since the

Great Depression.‖ Unfortunately, though, this is the

situation we find ourselves in these days. Even for those

who are not invested in the stock market, there is nowhere

to run. This crisis is sure to reach anyone with a penny to

their name, and that includes students.

According to the FRCC Fall 2008 Class Schedule, it costs

over $1,000 per semester for a student who qualifies for

in-state tuition to attend classes full time. Add to that books,

supplies, room and board, and it is easy to see why many

students seek financial aid options.

Frederick Fuentes is the assistant financial aid director for all

three Front Range campuses. He says that, ―Beginning in

early 2008, some lenders made the decision to stop their

participation in the Stafford Loan Program. While the

decisions were made for a number of reasons, the most

common reasons given are the decline in the subsidy given

by the government for [Federal Family Educational Loan

Program (FFELP)] participation, and the growing financial

crisis.‖

Stafford loans are facilitated by the government through

lenders that participate in the FFELP. The borrower can

choose from any participating lender, which keeps the

student loan market competitive.

Fuentes says that, ―Loans

certified after July 1, 2006 are

fixed for the life of the loan at

6.8 percent at repayment.‖

This is in stark contrast to the

types of loans that started this

crisis. In the early years of this

decade, economic growth

around the globe nearly doubled

the amount of money investors

had to work with. Collectively,

it was over $70 trillion, up from just $36 trillion a few years

before. This sudden and enormous growth caused there to be

fewer attractive places for money to be invested. There was

simply too much money looking for its place in the invest-

ment markets.

(Continued on page 4)

2

MEET OUR EDITORIAL TEAM

standing, left to right:

Joshua Brickner, Jeremie Schatz,

Vashti Torrez

seated, left to right:

Emily Severance,

Danielle Zimmerer

not pictured:

Chance Johnson and Brad Menefee

Photo by Michelle Motherway

MEET OUR PHOTO TEAM

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 campus well-informed about its college community. We approach our responsibilities with the goal of maintaining the highest journalistic standards to the best of our abilities.

Faculty Advisor &

Managing Editor………...… Kate Tarasenko

Editorial Team…….…...…..Joshua Brickner

………………………………Chance Johnson

………………………………...Brad Menefee

………………………………..Jeremie Schatz

……………………………...Emily Severance

…………………………………Vashti Torrez

……………………………Danielle Zimmerer

Photo Team…….. .……….…Miranda Baker

………………………….Michelle Motherway

……………………………….Whitney Weber

Layout…….. ..….……...……Kate Tarasenko

Publications Board….... .…….Karl Dukstein

………………………….David Murphy, SGA

………………………………..….Blair Oliver

………………………………...Rachel Rambo

………………………………...…..Erin Smith

……………………………….Kate Tarasenko

FREELANCE SUBMISSIONS POLICY:

We welcome feedback, letters to the

editor, original articles and op-ed

pieces (as well as story ideas and

tips) from all members of the FRCC

Larimer Campus community.

Please do not exceed 600 words.

The Rangeview also accepts photos

and artwork in j-peg format.

All submissions must be emailed

directly from your FRCC account as

a Word.doc or j-peg attachment,

and must be accompanied by full

name and local phone number, to:

[email protected]

All submissions are subject to final

approval by the Editorial Team and/or

Publications Board, and may be edited

for length, clarity, and potentially libel-

ous content.

Please direct your calendar event inquiries to

[email protected].

ALL CONTENT © 2008 RANGEVIEW

left to right: Whitney Weber, Miranda Baker and Michelle Motherway

Photo by Adam Stutzman

3

ALSO

IN THIS ISSUE:

Serving the Students

Kris Binard.……….…..….5

Emily Gaw…….…………6

Scholars’ Square

Greg Sahlen.….….……….7

Harmony Library..……….8

Alastair Johnson………….9

Kathy Wingate......……...11

Jenna Oliver…………….12

Club Hub

Interior Design………….13

Campus Wellness

Diversity………...………14

Parking………………….15

Snow Sports...…………..16

Medium Cool

The Friends Shop……….17

Social Networking...........18

Be Our Guest ...……20

QUICK HITS & ITTY BITS

The Rangeview is funded by Student Life

using student fees, and by the

Department of Arts & Letters.

Reporting for The Rangeview

is provided by the journalism

students of JOU-106,

the Fundamentals of Reporting.

Photography is provided by

the students of FRCC-LC.

SPRING 2009 Register for JOU-106,

the Fundamentals of

Reporting, and write for

The Rangeview!

CRN 63586;

3 transfer

credit hours

Also offered as an

Honors Institute class.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Tuesday, Nov. 18:

Last day to withdraw from

a 15-week class

Wednesday, Nov. 19:

Spring 2009 registration

opens

Thursday, Nov. 20:

A Professional Development

Workshop-Social will be

held at Pappy‘s Restaurant

(at Shields and Horsetooth )

from 4 to 6 p.m. for all

faculty. Contact Barb

Patterson for details.

Until Friday, Nov. 21:

The ABC Club is sponsor-

ing ―Coats for Folks.‖

Drop off your gently used

coats at the LPSC Informa-

tion Desk. Coats will be

laundered and dry-cleaned by Foothills Cleaners and Nu-Way Cleaners before distribution.

Wednesday, Dec. 3: Student Life will hold its annual Holiday Craft Fair from 10 a.m. till

2 p.m. in the Longs Peak Student Center. For information and questions about booth/table

rental, email [email protected].

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Have you activated your FRCC student email account?

Find out what you‘ve been missing, including campus-wide

emails and news! Go to: http://www.frontrange.edu/

and follow (or print out) the step-by-step directions today!

Correction:

In our previous issue in our profile about Writing Center

volunteer Ann Healy, the university she attended was mis-

identified. Mrs. Healy taught at the University of Wisconsin

at Madison, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin

at Milwaukee. (Go, Panthers!)

Reporter Vashti Torrez sincerely regrets the error.

4

(FINANCIAL FOLLY continued from page 1)

To solve this problem, Wall Street investment firms invented the

―mortgage-backed security‖ (MBS). An MBS is a collection of

thousands of mortgages that offer steady income at 5 or 6 percent

interest over 30 years.

As time went on, investors began to demand more MBSs than

were available. This caused lenders to begin taking risks on

borrowers, since the pool of less risky borrowers had begun to

dry up. Lenders began to lend money to people without

confirming how much income they had, if they were steadily

employed, or how much debt they had incurred elsewhere.

Fast-forward a few years and the United States is experiencing

the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Millions of

families have defaulted on their mortgages and have lost their

homes, and the investment banks who bought all those MBSs are

feeling the pain. So how does this affect a student trying to get

financial aid?

According to a report from the Inter Press Service, this economic

downturn has ―led banks to suspend or discontinue offering

private student loans upon which many students and parents

rely.‖ The lending markets are experiencing liquidity problems,

which simply means they do not have enough cash on hand to

provide credit. Since this credit crunch began, 36 lenders have

stopped providing private student loans.

As Fuentes alluded, 137 lenders have ceased to offer federally

funded loans, according to a report in Time Magazine. In their

Sept. 30 story, Time also said that, ―Loans made to parents

through the Parent PLUS program have plummeted — down 29

percent in dollar volume year-over-year.‖ PLUS loans are federal

student loans provided to the parents of students.

Potentially exasperating the problems caused by the credit crunch

are fundamental problems in how financial aid is determined,

which can cause more difficulties for students. According to

Fuentes, ―Data entered in on the Free Application for Federal

Student Aid (FASFA) is used to create an Expected Family

Contribution (EFC).‖ The EFC is a number that financial aid

professionals use to gauge how much assistance a student should

receive. Unfortunately, when calculating the EFC, debt held by

the applicant or their parents is not taken into account. With so

many families having adjustable-rate mortgages, a great portion

of their monthly income may be going to pay off their potentially

expensive balloon mortgage payments, and this is not taken into

consideration when the EFC is assessed. As a result, the EFC

does not accurately represent the capacity the student and their

family has to pay for college tuition.

The most you can do during times like these is prepare yourself.

Carolee Goldsmith is the financial aid director for all three FRCC

campuses. She says that students can prepare for the effects of

this crisis by ―maintain[ing] satisfactory academic progress…

research[ing] and apply[ing] for scholarships,‖ and taking

advantage of ―work-study opportunities through federal or state

programs.‖ She also says, ―Borrow wisely; there are federal

limits on the total amount you are eligible to borrow throughout

your education.‖

No one knows how long this crisis will continue to affect the

economy. However, if students get their paperwork filed

promptly, they will have a better chance of getting the loans they

need. Preparation is a necessary element of survival. ®

(WOLF CARD continued from page 1)

She was excited to encourage students to ―carry the Wolf Card

around to [access and] re-set your password at the computer lab,

access the Fitness Center, and/or [use it] as a possible form of

ID to rent out [billiard] equipment at the Longs Peak Student

Center.‖

For skiers and snowboarders who have yet to splurge on this

season‘s resort pass, maybe the wait can be rewarded. If you

open a Wells Fargo checking account by Nov. 23 and link it to

your Wolf Card, you‘ll get two adult Rocky Mountain Super

Passes for the price of one. Similar to last season‘s Buddy Pass,

this year‘s Super Pass will cost you and pal $204.50. The Rocky

Mountain Super Pass ―offers skiers and riders unlimited access

to Winter Park Resort and Copper Mountain, along with a

Steamboat component featuring six unrestricted days to use

anytime throughout the season,‖ according to the Winter Park

Web site.

Joe Anderson, a personal banker at Wells Fargo‘s downtown

branch, has been with the bank for two years and has noticed a

two-for-one buzz around the office this fall. The pass is

available to full-time students, faculty and staff statewide.

Existing customers simply can pack on additional (typically

free-of-charge) features.

And existing Wells Fargo customers need to add three to five

features to an account, such as overdraft protection, a debit card,

online banking, identity-theft protection, and a savings account.

Anderson says that the majority of added features are free of

charge. The Wells Fargo banker will give you a ―buy-one, get

one free coupon, then you can use it at Christy Sports,

Passwagon.com or Coppermountain.activitiesdesk.com,‖

according to Anderson.

Hidden fees will bite

the unconscious

consumer in the

wallet. Be sure to pay

attention to details

when opening an

account in order to

save on a Super Pass.

This season Copper

Mountain opened on

Nov. 7 and Winter

Park on Nov. 19.

Snow has been

falling in the

mountains since the

last week in

September. The

Wells Fargo and

FRCC duo has really

boosted business,

according to

Anderson. He

mentioned that the

Wells Fargo lobby

has been filled with

buzzing students and

(Continued on next

page)

Maria Smith assists students with their purchase of FRCC’s new Wolf Card. Photo by Michelle Motherway

5

SERVING THE STUDENTS (WOLF CARD continued from previous page)

faculty signing up for the Super Pass this season.

Smith estimates about 2,000 Wolf Cards have been

purchased this semester, ―But it‘s hard to say for sure with

the exchange system,‖ because students with the old ID card

are able to exchange, free of charge, for this year‘s Wolf

Card.

Freshman Nicole Bracht bought her first Wolf Card last

month, saying, ―I heard I needed it in order to check out

books at the library, and because my professors encourage

it!‖

While the card is required for access to Computer Commons,

other forms of ID,

including a City of Fort

Collins library card, can be

used at Harmony Library.

Buying a Wolf Card can

be a sound investment

because if it is your first

time in college, a student

identification card is

essential. Swing by the Longs Peak Student Center and drop

$5 on an ID that can grant you a free soft drink at Chipotle, a

discount movie ticket, and even some student lunch specials

around town. ®

BINARD BRINGS IT

BY EMILY SEVERANCE , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Juggling school, a career, family life and a social calendar is

considered normal for dean of Student Services Kris Binard.

Besides holding a major administrative position at Front Range,

Binard is a full-time mom, wife and part-time professor at Colorado

State University. When leisure time presents itself, Binard loves

to spend time outdoors with her two sons and husband.

Binard, 41, has been at Front Range for 10 years. Growing up in

the restaurant business, Binard spent her childhood years living in

almost every major U.S. city. Her father owned and managed five-

star restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas,

Atlanta and New Orleans.

―I really enjoyed the opportunity to see my own country and be

a part of something,‖ Binard commented.

Binard grew up with an entangling family tree, and while it was

difficult to move around a lot, she is thankful to have gotten the

opportunity to see America. When her mother remarried a French

man, Binard was given more opportunity to travel and learn about

a new culture. This love of travel has carried through Binard‘s life.

She has visited every state in the U.S. more than once and hopes to

spark this passion of travel in her two sons.

―How can you not travel?‖ Binard exclaimed.

After graduating from high school, Binard came to Colorado to

attend Colorado State University. Though she was involved on

campus, Binard was unsure of what she wanted to study her first

few years of college. Luckily, after talking to a few professors,

Binard found her dream major. She received her master‘s degree in

student services for higher education, a degree she didn‘t even think

existed. She then went on to get a doctorate from CU-Denver.

After three years as the dean of Students for Front Range in

Boulder, Binard came back to the Larimer campus and was the

Student Life coordinator for six years. Each year, her favorite

activity was Homecoming and creating and building the float.

―It was all fun, even when we had to finish the float at 6 a.m.!‖

Binard chuckled. Now, she sits as a parade float judge.

What exactly does the Student Services department provide for this

college? On the Front Range Web page, Student Services is

described as ―a variety of departments that promote an environment

for student success. We promote the intellectual, cultural, personal

and social development of all students while enhancing their

physical and psychological well-being.‖ This large umbrella known

as Student Services includes Admissions and Records, Advising

and Career Counseling, Enhancing Education, Financial Aid,

Recruitment, Student Life, the Testing Center, and the Office of

Special Services. The Office of Special Services also provide

assistance for veterans and the disabled. (Continued on next page)

Art Magana (left) and Tony Trujillo are the custodial and grounds crew for the Larimer Campus. Both men have lived in Fort Collins for about 20 years. Photo by Miranda Baker

6

SERVING THE STUDENTS

(BINARD continued from

previous page)

Assistive technology, the Learn-

ing Opportunity Center and

Public Safety departments are

part of Student Services as well.

At the beginning of each

academic year, Binard meets

with department chairs, the vice

president of the college, admini-

stration and Student Government

to create a Strategic Initiative

Plan. The plan is a collection of

goals for the future. Goals for

this year and future years include

obtaining and maintaining

national program accreditations,

developing a facilities master

plan, and remaining a resource to

the community of Front Range

and Fort Collins. Student

Services recently met the goal of

creating the Honors Institute Program.

For Binard, each week is fraught with telephone calls, board

meetings, visits with students and accomplishing projects.

Dean of Student Services Kris Binard in her office in Mount Antero Photo by Whitney Weber

WORK STUDY WORKS!

BY VASHTI TORREZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

―It was horrible,‖ Front Range Community College student

Emily Gaw exclaimed. ―It was just…the hours. I had to work

until after midnight. It was hard work.‖ Gaw, 22, described her

job as a shift supervisor at Good Times, a position that she

attained after just two weeks of working at the fast-food chain

located at the corner of Mulberry and College.

Gaw is now a work-study receptionist for Advising and Career

Counseling in Mount Antero. As she sits behind the Informa-

tion Desk, with her tousled hair knotted up into a loose bun,

she enthusiastically described her job, saying, ―This job is the

best job I‘ve ever had. I get to work around my school

schedule, and I‘ve never had a [supervisor] that would do that

willingly.‖

Students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student

Aid (FAFSA) in order to be awarded work study before they

can apply for a work-study position on campus.

―I work with them all the time. They do a great job represent-

ing us,‖ said director of Advising and Retention Stacey

Hogan .―They‘re a liaison between professional staff and the

students; they bridge the gap.‖

―There‘s no question about me going to class or not,‖ Gaw

said .―Class comes first – school comes first. If I call and say,

you know, ‗I really have to study for this test‘, [my boss] will

say, ‗Okay, we‘ll make up your hours.‘‖

Before working at Good Times, Gaw worked on an

Alzheimer‘s unit as a personal care provider, ―That was the

worst,‖ she noted, before laughing. ―I got punched in the face

by an 80-year-old man.‖

Part of Gaw‘s current duties include assisting students with

any inquires they have and redirecting them to the people who

can help them. ―What most students don‘t know is that if

you‘re having a hard time registering, we‘ll actually sit down

at the computer with you and help you register for classes

[and] show you how to do it, so that way, next time, you can,‖

said Gaw.

Despite the flexible schedule that Gaw‘s work-study job

provides, she did take a cut in pay between jobs. Gaw

explained that her work-study position started at $7.05 and

(Continued on next page)

She is thrilled to have found a career that she is passionate

about.

―I have the best job ever!‖ she exclaimed. ®

7

(GAW continued from previous page)

will usually go up incrementally until it reaches the work-study

award limit of $8.25. Her prior job as a personal care assistant

paid $7.75.

Gaw is currently in the pre-nursing program and is planning to

transfer to Laramie County Community College located in

Cheyenne, Wyo. She is taking Human Anatomy and Physiology

II, Human Nutrition, and Ceramics this semester, and is set to

transfer successfully in January, but she is planning to take other

classes at FRCC through summer 2009. She said that she made

the choice to stay because of her impending wedding that is

planned for Jan. 18.

In her spare time, she makes some of her own clothes and quilts,

and volunteers as part of the Larimer Campus Enrollment

Management Committee. The committee is in charge of

―keeping [students] here and recruiting new [ones] from the

community,‖ Gaw said.

―The people I work with are my best friends. One of the work-

studies in Cashiers is a bridesmaid in my wedding,‖ said Gaw.

―My boss is my favorite person in the world. Everybody around

here is very supportive. They want to see you succeed and

they‘ll do whatever they can to help you.‖

―[Work-study students] give us a new perspective,‖ said Hogan.

From the view of the staff and the employee, both parties benefit

from the Work-Study Program. It allows the student to focus on

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

HISTORY IS NO MYSTERY

BY BRAD MENEFEE , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

When one thinks of a history instructor, the image of Ben

Stein‘s character in the movie ―Ferris Bueller‘s Day Off‖ likely

comes to mind, with a dull, half-dead, old man standing at the

front of the class reciting dates and events that happened in the

distant past, and have no relation to modern life. Most the

students are either asleep or looking at the clock every few

moments. Time seems to have stood still. Even at FRCC,

sometimes you‘ll look at the clock and realize not even a

minute has passed. This is the opposite of what happens in

Gregory Sahlen‘s Western Civilization II (HIS-102) class.

Although it has the potential to be a boring class, Western Civ

II is possibly the most interesting class at FRCC. Even if

someone isn‘t very interested in history, Sahlen‘s teaching style

makes it so. As he stands in front of the class impersonating a

meeting between Grigori Rasputin and Tsar Nicholas II, some

students chuckle and others just stare, but they are all paying

attention. He engages students in discussions on the subject

matter. He described his teaching style as ―extemporaneous‖

with ―not much focus on events, but the reasons behind them.‖

Of course, for some students, history is interesting no matter

what. One can see how people have transformed the world

over time and there is always a correlation between events

from one time to another. But for some, it is just a bunch of

dead people and ancient events that don‘t interest them. That

is why it requires a teacher who is passionate and engaged in

what he is teaching. A lot of students may think that this

knowledge won‘t help them. After all, no one is going to be

asked in a job interview, ―Can you tell me when Napoleon

Bonaparte gained control of France?‖ This is why Sahlen

says he wants ―to hone students‘ analytical thinking and

critical thinking. These skills will always help people.‖

Sahlen‘s testing style is a little different than some teachers.

All his exams are essays. This certainly shows his efforts to

get students thinking analytically and to not just regurgitate

facts. He says, ―[My] whole emphasis for students is the

‗Why?‘‖ adding, ―I want to turn them into thinkers.‖

He started his teaching career eight years ago and has been an

instructor at FRCC for seven of those years. After graduating

with a bachelor‘s degree from CSU in consumer sciences, he

was somewhat aimless and decided that he wasn‘t happy in

the corporate world, and went back to college. He‘s always

been fascinated by history and the connection between the

past and present, so he decided to get a master‘s from CU in

history and became a teacher. (Continued on next page)

their school work, and the employer to broaden their horizons

with added input of the students that they serve. ®

Student Emily Gaw is a work-study receptionist for Advising and Career Counseling in Mount Antero. Work-study funds help qualifying students offset their college costs and provide wages for campus jobs with flexible work hours. Photo by Michelle Motherway

8

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

(HISTORY/SAHLEN continued from previous page)

When asked why she likes the class, Carina Evans, one of his students,

simply responded, ―He makes it interesting.‖

This seems to be the general consensus in his class, as students don‘t

seem to be looking at the clock, doodling, or text-messaging, as one

might see in a lot of other classes.

It seems to be the norm at FRCC for instructors to deduct points based

on attendance. This is made possible by the small class sizes, and

Sahlen‘s is no exception.

Often, what makes a class interesting is one‘s personal passion or

interest in the subject, and sometimes it is the teacher‘s efforts that

make the class engaging. Other times, it can be the attitude and

participation by the students in the class. Sahlen‘s World Civilization II

class combines all of the above. ®

IN PERFECT HARMONY

BY JEREMIE SCHATZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Most FRCC students will find themselves at the Harmony

Library at some point. It‘s a good bet for finding a quiet place

to study, using a computer, finding sources for research, or just

finding a good book to settle down with.

The modern, roomy library we now enjoy replaced a small

classroom-size library 11 years ago. When it was time to build

a new library, a logical proposition was made to create a joint-

use facility that would economically, and in many other ways,

benefit the college and the city. Joint-use libraries have been

popular in Europe and Australia and have been catching on

here in the U.S. These types of partnerships are formed around

an intergovernmental agreement which ―can be a great

document, but if you don‘t have people on the ground making

it work, it won‘t be successful,‖ says Harmony Library Branch

Manager Ken Draves. Draves is one of those people who is

making it work.

―A joint-use library takes more meetings, more care, and more

feeding to make it work right,‖ says Draves, who earned his

master‘s degree in library science at Indiana University in

1992. In a past Coloradoan article, Draves said that, ―A study

of public libraries in Florida concluded that for every dollar

spent on public library funding, $6.54 is returned in the form of

economic benefit to the community.‖ The extra work in

maintaining a joint-use facility makes it more than worthwhile

economically.

Draves is to the library district‘s side of the partnership what

Annie Fox is to FRCC‘s. After double-majoring in media

education and political science at the University of North

Dakota, she completed her master‘s in library science at

Denver University. She then cut her teeth in the library

business as the director of the public library in Vail for 13

years before becoming the Campus Librarian of the Harmony

Library.

Fox works as an advocate between the students, faculty and

staff of FRCC, and Draves and the library district. She works

with new instructors, giving a PowerPoint presentation, ―so

they can show students what‘s available in their field.‖

Research skills classes are taught to English 090 students by

Fox, and to English 121 students by Corky Walters.

―[English] 121 is a general education class. Almost everybody

has to take that class and that‘s…how you can get to the

majority of the students,‖ says Fox. There were 1,745 students

in 111 classes in 2007, so the research skills classes are a

considerable responsibility for Fox and Walters.

In her first semester at FRCC, Siobhan Bacombe, 25, took

part in one of the research skills classes through her English

121 course. She says she uses the library about twice a week,

and thinks that the library does a great job. ―Definitely. I was

really impressed by the orientation,‖ says Bacombe.

Fox communicates with different departments and prompts

the library to keep the collections up to date. For instance, she

says, ―I‘ll work with the Nursing Department to make sure

that there are books, journals, and a database available.‖


Instructor Gregory Sahlen has been impersonating famous figures from history to engage his Western Civ II students at FRCC for the past seven years. Photo by Whitney Weber

9

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

(HARMONY LIBRARY continued from previous page)

Oftentimes, instructors may require their students to review

some material that is limited in quantity and will take advan-

tage of the Reserve Room. ―It‘s good for instructors to know

that students don‘t have to buy everything; they can just put

some of the materials on hold and students can utilize it that

way,‖ Fox says.

―Here at Harmony, we probably have about 160,000 items,‖

says Draves. Although the library can have over 85,000 of

these items in circulation at any given time, available

resources extend well beyond what you find on the shelves

at the Harmony Library.

The Prospector Program, implemented in 1999, creates a

regional union catalog which links 23 libraries in Northern

Colorado and Wyoming into one central catalog. Books can

be delivered to a participating library and picked up at a

nearby branch. ―There are something like 20 million books

available through Prospector. I like students to know that if

they look something up in our catalog and they see we don‘t

own it, they shouldn‘t stop there,‖ says Draves.

Of Fort Collins‘ two public libraries, Bacombe says she

normally checks books out of the Main Library in Old Town,

but mostly takes advantage of the Harmony Library for its

five study rooms, the online databases for research, and the

free wireless Internet connection. According to usage statis-

tics, the wireless Internet is a popular service that saw over

7,000 connections in 2007, and it‘s growing.

While the library has something to offer to everyone in the

community, the students of FRCC are paying some of the

bills and the library‘s doors are wide open for them. ―We just

want students to be aware that we are here, and we want to

provide the services, staff, and materials that the students

need,‖ says Draves. ®

Campus Librarian Annie Fox is responsible for showing FRCC students and Fort Collins community members all the resources available in Harmony Library. Before coming to FRCC, she was the director of Vail’s public library for 13 years. Photo by Whitney Weber

A CURVE IN THE ROAD: ALASTAIR JOHNSON

BY VASHTI TORREZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

―I remember hearing [my parents‘] voices. They were telling me, ‗Just try to breath,‘‖ explained Front Range Community

College student Alastair Johnson, as he recollected the memories of his 2004 accident. Johnson, 33, is from Exeter, located in

Devon in southwest England. In September of that year, he was riding his motorcycle from Dusseldorf, Germany to pick up a

friend from the train station in Eindhoven, Holland when he rounded a sharp turn, hit a curb, flew off his motorcycle and shat-

tered his helmet, breaking his jaw and sustaining extensive spinal injuries.

The next thing he remembers were the doctors waking him up from his induced coma to tell him that he needed to be taken into

surgery to repair his spinal injuries, as well as to reconstruct his jaw. At the time, he was on a ventilator to assist his breathing.

―I didn‘t realize what I had done to myself. It wasn‘t until two weeks after [I regained consciousness] that it sunk in,‖ he said.

Johnson then placed his hand directly under his chest to indicate that the accident paralyzed him from that point down.

Johnson was in his tenth year of service with the British Army when he sustained his injures. His plan, at the time, was to stay

enlisted for several more years before retiring, and later go to work for Porsche or BMW.

―[My plan] was completely changed in a matter of seconds,‖ he said.


10

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

(JOHNSON continued from previous page)

In January 2006, Johnson was invited by Back-Up Trust, a

national charity that supports individuals with spinal cord

injuries, to learn how to ski in Winter Park, Colo. Within six

weeks, Johnson was married and had returned to Colorado

from England.

―[After we initially met] I tracked him down, I found him

magnetic,‖ said Johnson‘s wife, Jessica, 29. She explained that

it was after constant communication and a week and a half of

being in each others‘ physical presence that the two made the

decision.

―Oh, my god,‖ she said, ―This is the man that I‘m going to

marry.. It just

seem[ed]…

natural,‖ she

said, recalling

the moment she

knew they were

going to be

together.

Almost three years later, Jessica described her husband as

having a ―steady, positive attitude that doesn‘t seem to waver.‖

She went on to share what she found attractive in Alastair,

saying, ―He‘s resilient, enthusiastic, and confident...as well as

his dry, British humor.‖

Johnson is currently taking two courses at Front Range, as well

as working as a writing consultant at the Writing Center on

campus. This is Johnson‘s fourth and final semester at Front

Range. He intends to major in geology at Colorado State

University, and to later become a high school teacher.

―I didn‘t have to fill out an application,‖ said Johnson of his

campus job at the Writing Center. This is the first semester that

he has worked at there.

Recruiting students was originally an idea to give students a

service-learning opportunity. ―We needed more help, and

students are cheaper [to hire],‖ said Kerri Mitchell, Writing

Center director and English faculty. Mitchell went on to

explain that the position wasn‘t advertised at all, but a

colleague suggested Johnson as a good fit for the position.

Johnson explained that it was his English teacher, Kathy Mendt,

who introduced him to Mitchell.

―This colleague only sends me the best. She described him as a

good writer, and admired him as a person,‖ said Mitchell.

―He‘s very attentive, and he‘s interested in what others have to

say [which] makes him a good reader of student essays,‖ stated

Mitchell. She went on to explain that because the Writing Center

is staffed mainly by faculty, they had to make the student a good

fit, and they needed somebody with a certain maturity level.

Outside of school, Johnson enjoys watching soccer, working

out, fishing, shooting, and cycling. He cycles much like he

manages to drive a car, by using hand controls. He owns a

three-wheeled bike that is cranked by hand instead of the

traditional leg-powered pedals. His car is similarly hand-

controlled by a device that attaches to the gas and brake.

―Life has thrown me a lot of curves,‖ said Johnson, ―I‘ve

learned to be more laid back and less aggressive towards

people. I realized that life should be fun.‖ ®

Student Alastair Johnson served in the British Army for 10 years before sustaining a spinal cord injury as the result of a motorcycle accident four years ago. In addition to taking classes at FRCC, he also works in the Writing Center in Blanca Peak. Photo by Michelle Motherway

“[My plan] was

completely changed

in a matter of seconds.”

11

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

WRITING WITH W INGATE


Throughout every semester at FRCC, many gallons of ink and

reams of paper are used to print essays and other writing

assignments for the classes in the English department. Writing

is a common skill that every college student must master, but

writing in a way that engages readers and, in this case,

instructors, can often be difficult. So what is it that makes a

particular essay interesting or memorable?

Kathy Wingate has taught English and Basic Composition at

FRCC for seven years, and has also taught in the Center for

Adult Learning for four years. She says, ―When students are

writing what they want to write about, it is almost always

interesting.‖ Wingate says she changes the essays she assigns

each semester. She keeps ―most assignments somewhat open-

ended so that, for example, if the assignment is to practice

descriptive writing, the student can describe a favorite place.‖

It is from this open-ended ideology that students can really be

free to write about what inspires or excites them. Wingate

believes that letting students write about what they want, within

the framework of the assignment, really allows them to exercise

their creativity. She says that she has had students write essays

about building a house, detailing the steps from basement to

roof, raising children as a single parent with a full-time job

while attending classes, horse dressage, and skateboarding.

However, Sean Allen, who is one of Wingate‘s students, says he

―prefer[s] specific writing assignments, because it is much easier

to write them when I have the assignment as a prompt.‖ Allen,

who is also a stand-up comedian, says he

―finds it easier to write fiction.‖

There are many different kinds of essays

that must be taught in college writing

courses. Whether it is process analysis, a

description, or a reasoning essay, students

have to accomplish something specific in

their writing, but Wingate leaves the

actual subject matter up to them. For

example, in a process analysis essay,

students must explain the steps it takes to

complete a certain process (e.g., building

a house or dressing a horse). This type of

writing has great potential of being dry,

but if the writer is passionate about their

subject, it doesn‘t have to be.

Wingate says that, ―Some of the most

memorable compositions have been from

international students, maybe because I am

fascinated by other cultures and beliefs,

but also because they have thoughtfully

considered their positions and beliefs.‖ A student named Kofi

from Africa once turned in an essay to Wingate that talked

about his country, its beauty, and the political difficulties it is

going through.

Another memorable essay that Wingate remembers was one

written by a Tibetan student who wrote about the difficulties

people in that country experience. Wingate says, ―What

makes other people‘s writing so interesting to me is that I can

learn from them something I didn‘t know before or can see

something I knew in a new light.‖

According to a Web site hosted by the University of

Arkansas, there are several things that you can do in your own

writing to make it more interesting. Most importantly, make

sure that you have a good topic. If you aren‘t interested in

your topic, why would your audience be? Secondly, be sure to

focus on a few main points. Scattered writing can often be

difficult to follow. Lastly, it is good to spice up your writing

with humor, sarcasm or irony, but only when appropriate.

Allen believes that ―nonfiction humor is underrated, powerful,

and compelling.‖ You can read more of these tips online at

http://ualr.edu/epmoore/criteria.html.

Writing interesting essays can often be difficult. Luckily,

FRCC offers free resources to students who need assistance.

The Writing Center, located in Blanca Peak 102G, is a place

any FRCC student can go to obtain help with writing organi-

zation, development and mechanics.

Using the resources available, following some basic rules, and

finding topics that one is passionate are all great ways to cre-

ate interesting essays. The bottom line is that interesting writ-

ing comes from interested writers. ®

Sue Grebel manages The Friends Shop inside Harmony Library. See story on page 17. Photo by Miranda Baker

12

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

THE ART OF PERSUASION


Think taking classes at Front Range is difficult? Try juggling

teaching for three different colleges. That‘s precisely what the

English Composition II (ENG-122) instructor Jenna Oliver does.

Besides from teaching ENG-122, she also teaches Basic

Composition (ENG-090) here at Front Range,

journalism at Colorado State University, and

digital media at the Art Institute of Colorado.

This is probably why, when asked about her

office, she jokingly responds, ―My car is my

office.‖ At 39 years old with a youthful face, she

isn‘t the stereotypical image of a college

instructor.

One of the things that allows her to have such a

diverse and hectic teaching schedule is her

educational background. She has a bachelor‘s

degree in English, a bachelor‘s in political science

with a minor in theater, a teaching certificate in

English, and a master‘s degree in communica-

tions and media studies.

The creative arts is certainly a general theme

when considering her career and her education,

and her lineage was a

factor in this. Her

grandfather was a sound

engineer and did sound

effects for the original

―Star Wars.‖ He was

also a member of the

Academy of Motion

Picture Arts and

Sciences, which is the

―Academy‖ behind the Academy Awards. Her mother was also a

movie producer. So it was natural for Oliver to become involved

in show business. She lived briefly in Los Angeles and pursued

acting, but after failing to get a movie role she auditioned for, she

called it quits. However, she is still involved with producing and

is currently pitching an idea for a series to HBO.

Why would someone leave the exciting world of show business

for a career in teaching? For Oliver, it‘s an attempt to have the

best of both worlds. Acting wasn‘t stable enough for her, she said.

―Teaching allows me to be creative and still offers stability.‖ Her

students also help keep her professional life interesting. She says,

―Teaching allows me to facilitate students‘ creativity.‖

Now that she has three children, the stability that teaching offers is

even more significant to her. ―Producing sometimes forces you to

travel a lot,‖ she says, and she wanted to be in one place for the

purpose of raising her kids.

The road to teaching at Front Range began by teaching high

school English and broadcasting. This led to working at Red

Rocks Community College teaching film. She loved the

experience and decided to pursue more college-level

teaching opportunities. FRCC‘s Westminster campus was

the closest to her at the time, so she decided to work there to

supplement her income.

While her history with Front Range started 12 years ago at

the Westminster campus, she had a 10

-year hiatus from Front Range until

returning this fall to the Larimer

campus. She chose the Fort Collins

campus simply for the commute, as

she recently moved to Berthoud. As

for her experience here so far, Oliver

says, ―Students are far more interac-

tive and interested in learning [here].‖

She went on to say, ―The campus

environment is great here.‖ Her only

real complaint, when asked about the

campus, was that because there is a lot

of adjunct faculty here, there isn‘t the

traditional community of teachers

working together and seeing each

other all the time.

Oliver has jumped around a lot, not

just in her personal life, but also in her career as a

teacher. She offers an explanation for this: ―What

I teach is very unique.‖ She is referring to the

digital media, film, and producing classes. There

aren‘t a lot of schools in Colorado that cater a

great deal of their academics to the media arts.

She explains that because often a community

college will offer one or two classes in her

particular subject areas, she is forced to jump

around a lot and teach a variety of classes, English Comp

being one of them.

Anybody who takes English Composition II usually does so

for one reason and one reason only: it is a requirement of

their chosen major. However, for a lot of people, this could

be the most important class they take because of the skills

learned and enhanced. Oliver can personally attest to this

implication; argument and rhetoric are skills that are needed

in film and television production, as in any professional

career. The variety of the work she has done could give hope

to a lot of students with literary and English arts skills and

interests, but who are under the notion that there are no

careers in ―English.‖ Persuasive writing is essential for any

career that involves salesmanship. As Oliver puts it, ―If it‘s

not persuasive, it will get trashed.‖ ®

Why would someone leave the

exciting world of show business

for a career in teaching? For

Oliver, it’s an attempt to have

the best of both worlds.

13

CLUB HUB

TALENT BY DESIGN

BY DANIELLE ZIMMERER , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Welding, Automotive Technology, Architecture and Interior

Design all nestle under the same umbrella: the Integrated Tech-

nology Department. Claudia Romero, 41 years old, just began her

second year as Integrated Technology Department chair and

program director of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Interior

Design, working with traditional and nontraditional students who

pursue an interest in any number of integrated technology fields.

Romero earned an Associate of Arts degree at Aims Community

College, a Bachelor of Science in interior design, and a Master of

Education at CSU. She began

working in Greeley in the

interior design and architecture

field, gaining experience in

kitchen and bath and structural

design before she relocated to

Fort Collins once she got

married. Creativity, client

relations, shopping and spend-

ing money to remodel a space

are paramount memories of

her career. ―It's an exciting

career,‖ Romero stated, which

is no longer designated to only

decorating the interior of a

space.

―Our program is not just about

decorating and color selection;

it is about space planning, with

all human factors

involved. We start from the

outside and work in to the

inside of all of our designs. Our students learn what it takes to

keep a building standing, in addition to the materials used to

construct the building. We provide hands-on learning

experiences. We have state-of-the-art computer technology and

have faculty who love to teach! In addition, our faculty are

student-centered. Our students come first!‖ said Romero.

She said Italy would be the country she would love to visit for its

timeless architecture and design standards. Romero's mother was

born in Graz, Austria. She took trips overseas throughout her

childhood, but due to her age. she couldn‘t fully appreciate them.

Romero said she would love to go to Europe with her kids, but

probably will hold off until they can fully grasp the opportunity

of a trip abroad.

It has been 15 years since Romeo has worked in the field.. She

has taught CAD courses in previous semesters as well as

Introduction in Interior Design.

Romero is also the faculty advisor of the Interior Design Club.

Three officers, and about six to eight active members, joined to

further their skills and gain the fieldwork experience needed

to get a jump-start in their careers. The club was established

last semester. Recently, it started collaborating with CSU to

produce a Homecoming parade float made entirely of reusable

materials. The club is dedicated to be as green as possible.

Floor plans of the Longs Peak Student Center are in the hands

of creative club members who plan to carry out the design

model and concept of the new renovated Bookstore into the

Student Center space. Investing in smaller tables and maxi-

mizing seating, to enhance functionality for students and staff,

have been proposed.

Romero receives calls from community members who would

like opinions or help with personal home design, which are

delegated to the club,

which presents opportuni-

ties for club members to

work with a homeowner or

resident to conjure up ideas

for a space. A work-in-

progress for the Interior

Design Club is the

Berthoud Library Project.

Berthoud has a small

library, giving the interior

designers limited square

footage to revamp. They

plan to give the entrance

a coffee-shop feel, with

various seating areas

spread throughout the

space more effectively.

With little funds and a

relaxed time frame, the

designers must utilize

materials and gain as much

experience as possible. Endless ideas, labor and expertise are

what these club members have to offer the community.

Romero prefers residential interior work, rather than

commercial projects. A dream project would be in a Colorado

mountain town, like Vail or Aspen, designing a luxury lodge

with a down-home feel for an A-list individual.

The Interior Design Club is always accepting new members.

Here at Front Range, students hit the books hard and Club

President Leslie Kulbeck suggests a study color to heighten

concentration and focus would be yellow, which is ―a

communicative color that can sharpen the memory and

stimulate debate, while blue can slow the respiratory rate and

promote relaxation... So maybe a combination of the two

would be optimal for a study room!‖ she said.

The Interior Design Club is involved in a Sustainability

Committee and a Habitat for Humanity home that is being

built from energy-saving material.


Integrated Technology Department Chair Claudia Romero teaches CAD and Interior Design. She also advises the Interior Design Club.

Photo by Miranda Baker

14

CLUB HUB

(INTERIOR DESIGN/ROMERO continued from previous page)

The Interior Design Club meetings are held the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Long Peaks Student

Center Conference Room, and they welcome any major and skill level. Kulbeck, likes to keep up with new developments in

―reducing waste, reusing materials, and making choices in designs that benefit both the people and the environment.‖ Innovation in

sustainable interior elements is also something Kulbeck keeps tabs on, such as ―water-saving kitchen and bathroom fixtures,

environmentally friendly flooring and furniture, and ways to save energy through emerging technology and the use of renewable

resources.‖

Innovation, inspiration and ideas the Interior design club has something to offer students of an array of majors. ®

CAMPUS WELLNESS

EXPRESS YOURSELF!

BY CHANCE JOHNSON , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Coming into a new environment surrounded by people different

than you can be awkward. The way people look might be a

shock, and listening to some student‘s outlandish political views

may makes you want to bleed from the eyes. Expressing yourself

by dressing differently than most is an invitation for rude stares.

Likewise, one may wonder why a person would leave the house

looking like they are dressed for Halloween. The way people live

their lives, the way they look, the way they act… It would be so

much easier if everyone could just think like you. This could be

one of the worst things about being a student at Front Range, or

any college.

On the other hand, you may know what you believe in and why.

By constantly surrounding yourself with those like you, you may

be limiting yourself from broadening your perspectives, and rein-

forcing only what you already believe. One of the best things to

experience at Front Range is the diversity on campus.

―I really don‘t care what people think!‖ proclaimed Hana

Kissling, a 20-year-old art student at Front Range. ―For exam-

ple, I wore bright purple corduroy pants the other day.‖ Kissling

thinks her quirkiness sets her apart. She appreciates the many

individuals who are opinionated and open-minded. ―This makes

for good discussion,‖ said Kissling. In her third semester at Front

Range, it is her opinion that most people get along quite well on

campus. She attributes this to the instructors and students who

give Front Range an inviting atmosphere. ―One of the best things

about FRCC is when I‘m there, I‘m not afraid to be myself. I can

be quirky; I don‘t hide my thoughts or beliefs. High school was

way different. I felt I had to hide what I really value and believe,

or else I‘d be put down or disliked. I felt I couldn‘t express my

true thoughts without social and/or emotional consequences, but

at FRCC, I am free.‖

Staff Sgt. Ray Jester has recently retired from the Air Force

after 15 years. Jester, who is 42 years old, is attending his first

semester at Front Range. Aside from his observation that

everyone is here for the common goal of higher education, his

similarities with most students is limited. Since he is older

than most students

on campus, he

claims that his life

experience sets him

apart. This is

because of the time

he has served with

the Air Force, as

well as raising

children. Jester has

found that the age

gap has been

difficult in relating

to other students.

―A lot of them don‘t

appreciate what it

costs to be here,‖ he

said. It‘s what he

called the ―silver

spoon effect,‖ when

the cost of being

here comes out of

the parents‘ bank

account and not the

student‘s. Jester

believes that s

tudents should work

for a few years after

high school before

entering college to

better appreciate it.


Non-traditional student Ray Jester is a U.S. Air Force veteran who says he appreciates his education more with the perspective that work, service and fatherhood have provided. Photo by Miranda Baker

15

CAMPUS WELLNESS

SHARKING FOR PARKING

BY JEREMIE SCHATZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

You head out of class and breeze out into the parking lot, and

look out over the sea of cars, not quite sure where in the full

parking lot you left yours. You start wandering around the

1,700 spaces and curse your lack of ambition at scoring a

closer spot. With furrowed brow and perplexed look, you

stand on your tip-toes trying to spot your car and realize that

someone is, in turn, scouting you out, waiting to get your spot.

This is what Public Safety Supervisor Gordon Goldsmith

refers to as ―sharking.‖

―We don‘t have the sharking that we used to have, but when we

have it, it is usually during the first two weeks of the semester.

That‘s our busiest time,‖ says Goldsmith.

While most people at FRCC are thinking that the best spot is

that one right up front, that‘s not always the case. ―I like to

walk to class and get a little extra exercise. That‘s why I come

a little bit earlier,‖ says second-year student Steve Sylva. On

the rare occasion that Sylva, 35, drives his Corvette to school,

he‘s looking to park as far away as possible. ―The more

expensive the car, the more conscious you are of where

you‘re at,‖ he says.

For the rapidly increasing number of motorcyclists and scooter

riders, the parking is right up front and abundant. ―It‘s a good

problem to have too many motorcycles,‖ says Goldsmith. The

motorcycle parking areas have been expanded, and when the

weather is nice, you will find motorcycles and scooters packed

into the spaces like sardines.

To get the closest spot on campus and always be able to find

a space, you need to put your foot on the pedal – the bike

pedal, that is. With eight bike racks around campus and three

about to undergo expansion, you won‘t need to go ―sharking‖

to find a sweet spot. ―I think right at the beginning of the

year, it was the fullest, but I was always able to find a spot,‖

says bicycling advocate Matt Webb.

Inclement weather doesn‘t dissuade Webb, 31, from pedaling

his trusty touring bike through the 17- to 20-minute commute.

―I‘ve got fenders and a waterproof coat,‖ says Webb, whose

bushy beard probably adds a little

insulation on those cold winter days.

Webb‘s advice for those coming from

the north, who are thinking about

giving up the gas pedal for the bike

pedal, is to take advantage of the

Mason Trail. It‘s good advice,

considering Fort Collins‘ esteemed

reputation as a bicyclist‘s haven. In

fact, Fort Collins was recently awarded


Parking on campus can be a bit of a fish tale...

(DIVERSITY continued from previous page)

―It is very humbling paying for your education yourself,‖ he said.

Another aspect of this diversity that Jester feels clashes with

others is that he claims to live in a state where many people are

not highly supportive of the military. An exception to this would

be the instructors.

―An old dog can learn new tricks,‖ said Jester, as he explained

that it can be just as humbling for a 42-year-old to come back to

college, thinking he knows it all, than it is for a hot-headed

18-year-old. He has had positive interactions with other vets and

finds entertainment in listening to people‘s outspoken opinions.

Jester feels almost everyone on campus has the same motivation

to learn. ―It‘s a two-year school; most people aren‘t here to

party.‖

Someone who has an opportunity to bear witness to Front

Range‘s diversity on a regular basis is Government instructor,

Jeff Borg. ―You never know what kind of class you are going

into,‖ explained Borg, discussing the political spontaneity that

his classes are subject to. As for how his classes react to this

diversity, Borg stated that, ―Most students are open and curious

as to why people think the way they do.‖ Although he says that

there are ―overall good discussions without people‘s feelings

getting hurt,‖ there is sometimes tension that exists, and he often

has to step in and defuse a situation.

Although Borg is pleased with the diversity on campus, he looks

forward to seeing even more. He feels that this semester,

people‘s differences have definitely shown. The obvious answer

why is: ―This semester, emotions are very high because of the

presidential election.‖ ®

16

CAMPUS WELLNESS

(PARKING continued from previous page)

the Bicycling Gold from the League of American Bicyclists as one

of the most bicycle-friendly communities in the nation.

Bicycling is healthy for you and the environment, easy in terms of

the lack of topography in Fort Collins and, above all else, you can

park within feet of any building on campus. Judging by the bike

racks at the beginning of the semester, the secret is out. ―We‘ve

never had them full like we had them in the first three months [of

this semester],‖ says Goldsmith.

Ready to be a part of the bicycling community? Webb can help. ―I

run a bike shop… I have a garage where I fix up and sell bikes,‖ he

says. ―I‘ve seen a lot more people biking this year…We sold a heck

of a lot of bikes this summer, probably about 70 or 80,‖ says the

aspiring civil engineer. If you‘re interested, Webb says that, ―We

usually put all of our bikes out at the corner of Laurel and

Matthews.‖

There is one more option for those who don‘t want to deal with

maintaining a vehicle, driving, or sharking around looking for a spot.

Ride the bus. Fort Collins‘ Transfort bus departs FRCC at 6:18 a.m.

and runs until 7:26 p.m. According to the director of Student Life,

Erin Smith, currently enrolled students, staff, and faculty are eligible

for a $55 bus pass. This pass is good for unlimited bus rides for a full

calendar year from the date of issue. More information is available

at the Longs Peak Student Center‘s Information Desk.

So, the choice is up to you: Shark it or park it! ®

PILGRIMAGE FOR POWDER

BY DANIELLE ZIMMERER , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

After a hot summer and enjoyable fall, it's finally time to shred the

fresh powder at Colorado's finest resorts this season. Stoked skiers

and riders have begun to wax, tune, and gear up for this year's

season. The best thing to do during the bitter winter season is

partake in snow sports.

Arapahoe Basin was the first resort to open in late October. Jonah

Koepple, front desk employee at A-Basin, said ―snowmaking‖ is

the reason for the quick open. A-Basin is still making snow to keep

the base sturdy. Keystone Mountain Resort opened Nov. 7. And

Steamboat opens on Nov. 26.

The Colorado mountain range offers a lot to snow-sport enthusiasts.

Investing in a pass is the logical purchase for those who plan to

work the slopes more than five or six times. A single day pass

during the regular season is $91 at Steamboat. According to

Keystone‘s Web site, ―Prices vary for multi-day, single-day and

half-day lift tickets,‖ depending on the time of year. The Rocky

Mountain Super Pass Plus grants unlimited access to

Copper Mountain, Winter Park and Steamboat for $439.

FRCC sophomore Andrew Chapman bought this Super Pass

Plus and hopes to get up to the slopes ―40 to 50 days.‖

Chapman says, ―All my friends and I been riding with this

pass for seasons. We always have lots of friends to ride

with, which makes the days more fun.‖ Chapman says he

―mostly rides Mary Jane and Winter Park, which has a good

vibe towards boarders.‖

Seventy trails spread out among three mountains at Winter

Park, and average the most ―annual snowfall of any major

resort in Colorado, [with] over 30 feet of the white stuff

every year,‖ according to their Web site.

―My favorite mountain has to be Steamboat. They have

great powder days,‖ says Chapman, who has been riding

fresh powder for six or seven years. ―The last two, I been

hitting up the park, but I spread it all around the mountain,‖

―No pain, no Jane‖ is the well-known motto of the peak.

This season‘s Rocky Mountain Super Pass goes for $409,


Public Safety Supervisor Gordon Goldsmith says that FRCC students, staff and faculty vie for the campus’ 1,700 parking spaces daily, but bike riders have increased significantly, which will lead to the expansion of bike racks. Photo by Michelle Motherway

17

(POWDER continued from previous page)

which can be split with a friend through a Wells Fargo student

discount deal. The pass grants unlimited access to Copper

Mountain and Winter Park.

Cruising out of Fort Collins to the mountains takes about two

hours and 30 minutes, depending on traffic, for a one-way distance

of about 130 miles. Chapman mentioned making about 50 trips up

this year, but said, ―Gas just hurts.‖

Ski Carpool is a nonprofit organization working for a clean

solution to I-70 traffic congestion problems. One can save money

and car miles, reduce traffic, and meet new people. The Web site

is simple to use: check-mark your sport, the resorts you use, days

available, area code, and in seconds you will be synched up with

matches. Skicarpool.org make friends, not traffic.

Waking up early can be brutal, but Keystone gives riders the

chance to cruise up to the slopes later and hit runs under the stars.

They currently manage the largest night-skiing operation in

Colorado. Depending on the time of year, riders can board the

gondola, ski glowing runs, and bust some sick air at the terrain

park until 8 p.m.

―I hear good things about Keystone, [and] the five mountain

passes in general,‖ Chapman says.

The Summit Pass is $419, with no restrictions and unlimited

access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. Or for

$40 more, you can add 10 days at Vail and Beaver Creek with the

Colorado Pass for $459. Koepple describes A-Basin as

―a challenging mountain, which is busy on the weekends and

mellow on the weekdays, with a 50:50 skier-to-snowboarder

ratio.‖

Friday Night Lights is Keystone‘s night attraction. This season,

they are hosting three bands free to the public. Appearing will

be Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah on Nov. 21, Devotchka on

Nov. 28, and Girl Talk on Dec. 5. The bands will be staged in

the Village and their beats will belt to the slopes for the late

riders.

Recruit some friends, brush up on your technique and hit the

slopes. Find the ideal resort to get your Plexiglass sliding.

―Fake it ‗til you make it!‖ says Chapman. ®

A FRIEND TO ALL:

THE FRIENDS SHOP


Upon entering the Harmony Library, the racks of books overflow-

ing from The Friends Shop are unavoidable. The rectangular

storefront in the entrance hall of the library was always set aside

for the store. Over the years, though, the number of books housed

and sold at The Friends Shop has grown, and the hole-in-the-wall

bookstore (it‘s smaller than an average bedroom) could no longer

contain them all. As the bookstore expanded, books were put on

racks in the entrance hall. The shop also absorbed the room

directly across the hall, which previously contained lockers. It is

the dominant sight when entering Harmony Library, yet Sue

Grebel, The Friends Shop manager, still encounters library patrons

who don‘t know about the store. She said, ―The thing that amazes

me is that people don‘t know the shop is there.‖

The Friends Shop is operated by volunteers with the nonprofit

group Fort Collins Friends of the Library. The books are all either

donated by people or are discarded by the libraries in Fort Collins.

The fact that the books are donated leads to one of the most

obvious differences between The Friends Shop and an average

bookstore: the price of the merchandise. An average bookstore

normally sells used books for about half the cover-price.

At The Friends Shop, most books are under $2, and some are

even given away for free.

Joe Pampena, 20, a student at FRCC, was passing through

the library and thought he‘d check it out. As a first-time

customer, he was able to get the classic novel ―The Hobbit‖

for only 50 cents. ―Can‘t beat that price,‖ he said, adding,

―[It‘s] in good condition for being over 30 years old.‖

That is a common reaction among customers, according to

Kathleen O‘Callaghin, who started volunteering there after

retiring, and has been doing so for eight years now. She

said, ―[Customers] are surprised by how inexpensive the

books are.‖ She added that they get many repeat customers

and she knows many by name. She loves to read, so, for her,

the best aspect of The Friends Shop is that the books are

inexpensive so they can ―get more books into more people‘s

hands.‖

Ms. Grebel echoed this sentiment, saying, ―I love used book-

stores, but we charge less.‖

One might wonder that, with their books being so cheap,

how can they make any money? Since The Friends Shop has

all their merchandise donated, and all the staff is made of

volunteers, their business expenses are practically non-

existent. However, the money isn‘t going to any entrepre-

neur. All the proceeds help fund the libraries in Fort Collins.


MEDIUM COOL

18

MEDIUM COOL

(THE FRIENDS SHOP continued from previous page)

In 2007, the Friends of the Library gave over $77,000 to the Fort

Collins Regional Library District.

The Friends of the Library is one of the sponsors of the Summer

Reading Program for the Fort Collins Regional Library District.

Ms. Grebel estimates that, in a typical year, they donate about

$40,000 of the money earned to the Summer Reading Program.

She explained that another attraction for people is that they feel

good about spending the money and donating books

because it‘s going to a good cause.

Almost any genre one can think of can be found at

The Friends Shop, from sci-fi and fantasy to

romance and non-fiction. Ms. Grebel commented

that people don‘t seem to buy used romance novels

as much as sci-fi. Although they have literally

thousands of books in stock, that isn‘t the only type

of merchandise at The Friends Shop. There are

CDs, DVDs and VHS movies. Basically, anything

that could be found in a public library is there for

purchase, just in a smaller quantity.

―Pretty decent selection,‖ Pampena said of his

experience shopping there.

The Friends of the Library also holds three events

each year outside of The Friends Shop to move

more books. They hold events in March and July in

the Community Room at the library. There is also

an annual three-day event during the first weekend

in October at the Foothills Fashion Mall just off

College Avenue.

The Friends Shop is open Monday through Saturday

from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

They are always accepting literature and other media

donations. Anyone interested in volunteering is welcome to

inquire within; they‘re always looking for volunteers. The

Friends Shop can also be reached at 204-8405. Check it out;

you might just find a diamond in the rough like ―The Hobbit‖

for pocket change, and walk away with some classic literature.

®

Kathleen O‘Callaghin has been volunteering at The Friends Shop for the past

eight years. The bargain bookstore is located in the entryway of the Harmony

Library. Photo by Miranda Baker

ONLINE PROFILES ON TARGET?


Social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are growing by

the hour. This phenomenon is dramatically changing the landscape

of how people communicate by enabling a level of connection to

family, friends and colleagues that was never before possible. How-

ever, this new level of freedom in communication has brought with it

a fair share of issues that can be cause for concern. One issue that is

becoming more prevalent is privacy. Vast amounts of personal infor-

mation are available on social network profiles, and controlling

access to that information can often be difficult. For example,

employers are starting to look at the profiles of prospective

employees as part of the hiring process. As young people leave

school and head into their careers, they are starting to regret what

they have left on their profiles, open for the world to see.

In recent months, social networking has grown large enough to

dethrone pornography as the most popular online activity. A story

published by Reuters in October says, ―The hottest Internet searches

now are for social networking sites.‖ It goes on to state that this trend

is especially common in the 18- to 24-year-old population.

Facebook especially has seen this rise in use among college-

aged people, who are their main demographic.

Employers who are hiring young people out of college are

leveraging the online profiles of their prospective employees

in their hiring process.

Jeff Bristol is a local employer who owns Rocket Jones

Interactive, located in Old Town Fort Collins. Bristol‘s

company provides professional web development services,

has nine employees, and is growing quickly. When asked if

employers should check the profiles of prospective

employees, he said, ―I don't think it's a bad idea at all..‖ He

continued, ―Job interviews can be so canned, everyone

putting on the face they want to show. Social networking

sites show more about the person's personality, and even

character, than you can get in an interview.‖ Bristol said he

―would look for hints of character, things like loyalty,

responsibility, outlook on life.‖

Issues like this can raise privacy concerns for those who use

social networking. Once information is put on the Internet, it

is very difficult or even impossible to remove it. Facebook‘s


19

MEDIUM COOL

(SOCIAL NETWORKING continued from previous page)

own ―Terms and Conditions‖ states that by posting anything to

their Web site, users grant them ―an irrevocable, perpetual,

non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid,

worldwide license (with the right to

sublicense) to use, copy, publicly

perform, publicly display, reformat,

translate, excerpt (in whole or in part)

and distribute such User Content for any

purpose, commercial, advertising, or

otherwise...‖ In short, Facebook owns

any information, photos and videos that

are posted to their site.

When asked if employers should check

online profiles, Front Range student

Meghan Hummer said, ―I don't find any-

thing wrong with it. If what they see isn't

what they want, they have the right to

make that decision.‖ She said she puts

―name, hometown, religious and political

[affiliations], favorite quotes, movies,

music [and] interests‖ in her profile.

Hummer said she has ―never been

worried about privacy.‖

Social networking sites do provide tools

to users that let them set specific guide-

lines that dictate who has access to

particular information. Users can block

anyone who is not approved by them to

see their profiles. Users who have

implemented these privacy tools on their profiles are generally

safe from prying eyes, whether those eyes belong to employ-

ers or other parties.

However, these tools do not wholly protect the user‘s privacy

by default; so users have to take action to protect themselves.

Many students do not realize this and

suffer the consequences.

The question is what those consequences

are.

Bristol said, ―I don't think it should make

or break the [hiring] decision, but I

definitely think it can help shape the

body of information used in making

hiring decisions.‖ He continued, ―The

greater overall understanding you could

have as you evaluate whether or not the

person is a good fit for your company

could be very helpful.‖

If a user‘s profile contains content that

could cast a negative light on them in a

professional sense, the user should either

implement the privacy tools available,

or clean up their profile.

Since the Internet, never before have so

many people had access to such a wide

variety of information, especially about

each other. This has led to leveling the

playing field. Almost everyone has

access to the same basin of information.

This will continue to affect society and

culture in ways not yet known. Privacy is just one of those

effects. ®

Reporter Joshua Brickner has nothing to hide, so far...

Government instructor Jeff Borg has noticed an increase in lively discussion in his class during this election season.

Read our story about campus diversity on page 14. Photo by Miranda Baker

20

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FRCC student, Rangeview reporter and Obama campaign volunteer Danielle Zimmerer (above) gets ready to lead the crowd of 50,000 in the Pledge of Allegiance prior to Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign speech at CSU’s Oval on Sunday, Oct. 26. Photo courtesy of Danielle Zimmerer

At right: Sen. Obama enters CSU’s Oval. Photo by Vashti Torrez

Nathan Rega began his photography career by following his photographer-mother to New Hampshire’s primaries. He and wife Kira own Harper Point Photography (named for Harper’s Ferry) in Fort Collins.

Photo (at left) © Nathan Rega, Harper Point Photography 2008

Sen. Obama greets well-wishers as he takes the stage. Photo by Vashti Torrez

At right: FRCC student and Rangeview Reporter Vashti Torrez poses with husband Jin Batjargal, holding their 5-month-old son Ezra, at the Obama rally at CSU.

Photo courtesy of Vashti Torrez

Rangeview Replacement FINAL Second Issue FALL 2008

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