An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving students since 1922.
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An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving students since 1922. First Copy Free | Additional copies 25 cents August 31, 2009 Vol. XXXVIII, No. 1 Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org MARTIN INIGUEZ JR. / INTERIM PHOTO EDITOR HOLDING THE LINE: The line of scrimmage is where Riverside City College football will begin its quest for redemption. For a SPORTS STORY see Page 7 Tigers ready to tackle season Tigers ready to tackle season
Transcript
An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving students since 1922.
First Copy Free | Additional copies 25 cents
August 31, 2009 Vol. xxxVIII, No. 1
Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org
martin iniguez jr. / interim Photo editor
holding the line: The line of scrimmage is where Riverside City College football will begin its quest for redemption.
For a sports story see Page 7
tigers ready to tackle seasontigers ready to tackle season
ViewpointsServing students since 1922
Jan Muto, president of the Riverside campus, will preside over her inaugural convocation Sept. 29 at 11:30 a.m. in the Landis Performing Arts Center. Following the convocation there will be a reception in the Quad from 12:50-1:50 p.m.
Welcome to the new year
Mary anne Case / StAFF PhotogRAPheR
BooksMart: Students now have more options to obtain textbooks.
the Riverside Community Players present “4 Beekman,” the story of a newlywed couple who unknowingly move into the same building as the wife’s ex.
the play runs weekends in Sept. at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on Sundays.For more information visit riversidecommunityplayers.com.
‘Beekman’ explores awkward relationships
Presented by the Sheriff’s Athletics Federation, the SBSD Mud Run is a challenging obstacle course of mud pits, hill climbs and low climbs that gives runners the chance to see if they have what it takes to conquer the difficult course.
the run takes place Sept. 12 at 8 a.m. at the Sheriff’s training Academy in San Bernardino. the event always sells out so interested participants should register early.
For more information visit sbsdmudrun.com.
It’s time to play in the mud
Latin jazz artist Poncho Sanchez headlines the Riverside Downtown Street Jam on Sept. 12 from 2-9 p.m. the concert takes place at orange and Ninth Streets with Sanchez taking the stage at 7 p.m.
Sanchez jazzes up Downtown Riverside
For all those interested in expanding their college experience, Club Rush will be held in the Quad Sept. 22 and 24 12:50-1:50 p.m. and Sept. 23 4-6 p.m.
Beef up those extracurriculars
the Sixth Annual Race equality Week comes to Riverside Sept. 8-14. the event will feature remarks by Mayor Loveridge and include racially diverse presentations from local museums.
For more information call 951-826-5551 or visit riversideca.gov/brc
The diversity of Riverside
new episodes of the hit entertainment talk show
“Viewpoints on...”
Check out the new and improved viewpointsonline.org for web exclusives,
videos and photosthis issue’s exclusives:
“Inglourious Basterds” review by Phillip Levin
an opinions column by adrian Pascua on the removal of the smoking section
Javier Cabrera’s preview of the men’s soccer team
Viewpoint’s extensive comic-con coverage
2 | August 31, 2009
Waiting at the bookstore isso 2008A variety of Web sites offer students a choice when it comes to buying textbooksstaCy LeeStAFF WRiteR
As many students know, buying college textbooks is not cheap. in fact, textbooks can add up to more than admission fees at some community colleges.
What most students don’t know, however, is that buying textbooks from the college bookstore is not the only option.
there are several other options available to students who are looking for cheaper books.
For example, half.com, which is powered by eBay, allows sellers to list their books for their asking price.
Students can browse the listings by ISBN or the name of the book to find the textbook they need and choose a price that is in their budget by selecting a book that is either “Brand New,” “Like New,” “Very good,” “good” or “Acceptable.”
textbooks.com is another online store where students can purchase used textbooks.
they claim to have the “largest selection of used textbooks on the planet.” Unlike half.com, students sell their used textbooks to textbooks.com and they sell them for their own price.
however, a new trend is emerging within the textbook market. Web sites and companies are popping up across the country for textbook rentals.
Chegg.com is one of the Web sites on the forefront of textbook rentals, saying students can save between 65 to 85 percent when renting.
Chegg has hit the scene strong, appearing to be completely user friendly. they offer many perks that college bookstores don’t offer, such as 30-Day “Any Reason
guarantee” where students can get a full refund for orders returned within 30 days and full semester coverage is also guaranteed.
For those who are eco-inclined, Chegg.com also plants a tree for every book rented.
CollegeBookRenter.com is another Web site aimed towards textbook rentals.
Like Chegg.com, they say students save up to 85 percent by renting. they also donate to the American heart Association for each book rented.
CengageBrain.com, which will be open in December, is another Web site geared towards textbook rentals.
CengageBrain.com will serve as a go-to place offering students the choice of renting or purchasing the company’s materials.
though only several hundred books will be available in December, a more comprehensive list of books will be available July 2010.
in addition to Web sites, companies are popping up across the country that focus on textbook rentals.
Follett higher education group, which manages hundreds of college bookstores nationwide, will be starting a rental program this fall in stores across the country, including California State University at Sacramento. the program will offer about 20 percent of their titles for rent.
the Web sites above are only a few that sell new and used textbooks. it appears that spending an arm and a leg on books will be a thing of the past.
All students need to know is the iSBN of the book, which can often be obtained by contacting the professor ahead of time, a credit or debit card and have internet access.
Cheapesttextbooks.com
Cheap-textbooks.com
Bigwords.com ValoreBooks.com
More textbook Web sites
eCampus.com
campusbooks.com
Continuing coverage of the ongoing fall 2009 registration crisis
News
ViewpointsServing students since 1922 August 31, 2009 | 3
Students rally against cutserene abdelmeSeehinterim managing editor
the economic s i tuat ion has called for many budget cuts throughout the nation and education is among the many areas making large sacrifices.
Four hundred sections were recently cut from riverside City campus alone, leaving many students unable to complete their necessary courses because of the scarcity of classes available.
many students were left without the opportunity to continue their higher education and are choosing not to return to school this fall.
these students chose to speak up against the cuts rather than sit and wait to see how the government would handle the situation.
on august 26, students and faculty gathered together at the riverside Convention Center to rally against the recent budget cuts.
they marched from the riverside Convention Center to city hall yelling chants like “education now, politics later” and “affordable rates for higher education, open access for the future of our nation.”
during the rally, students and faculty alike spoke about the effect the budget cuts have had on them as well as the outcomes they expect if the cuts persist.
riverside Community College district faculty, including the new chancellor Dr. Gregory gray, encouraged the students to continue their protest against the budget cuts.
“Students’ voices are the most important ones for legislators to hear,” Gray said. “I am proud of our students for organizing this rally and advocating for their education. We hear you and we want Sacramento to hear you.”
maxine nanthavong, a moreno Valley campus student, shared her fears with the others in attendance as she encouraged them to pursue their fight for education.
“I am the first in my family to receive higher education and i don’t want that door shut,” Nanthavong said. “We need to get more people involved and keep fighting.”
other students, such as rebecca Christenson, returned to school after being laid off from their jobs in the past year.
Christenson said that she hoped to receive her associates
Khai le / StaFF PhotograPher
marching for change: California college students and staff march to Riverside city hall on Aug. 26, 2009 against cuts to the education system. Among the colleges in attendence were RCC, College of the Desert, UC Riverside and UC Irvine.
degree and attain a good job in order to support her family, but the classes she needed to complete are unavailable.
gray reinforced the importance of community colleges to those who choose to return to school saying that community colleges are the answer to the economic problem.
“it is our community colleges and public universities that will help the state and the country move forward,” Gray said. “We are the institutions that put people back to work through career tech programs and advanced educational opportunities.”
gray went on to say that rCCd is committed to maintaining access for students and the community and that they take responsibility for their own future and that rCCd is actively searching for alternative financial resources, such as grants and private support, to give students the college experience they deserve.
once the crowd of students and faculty reached city hall, they were greeted by riverside mayor Ron Loveridge.
Loveridge supported their rally
saying, “it’s easy to be a spectator, but it’s important for the students to get involved and have their voices heard.”
Finally, rCC president, Jan muto, praised the students for their effort.
“i am so proud of the students using their rights as members of the community to rally in a respectable and intelligent manner,” muto said.
after the students and faculty spoke, they began a call to action in which they called California legislators to explain their concerns and attempt to persuade them to comply with their needs. gray encouraged these calls saying, “as administrators and educators we are happy to stand with you and encourage our legislators to do everything possible to preserve funding for California’s public
colleges and universities.”mary Figueroa, a board of
trustees member, ended the meeting with a quote from Frederick douglas saying, “Progress doesn’t come without a struggle.”
as these students continue their struggle against the many budget cuts, they invite and encourage more students to join in the fight for their rights to higher education.
Khai le / StaFF PhotograPher
one Step at a time: Students begin their march to city hall in to protest against education cuts.
News
ViewpointsServing students since 1922
sandra diazinterim inscape editor
a Britishinvasionfor the 21stcentury
4 | August 31, 2009 August 31, 2009 | 5
images courtesy of: thebeatlesrockband.com
admit it, we’ve all had dreams of rocking out to a packed arena of screaming fans.
at some point in their life, everyone has wanted to be a rock star. now you can try your hand at selling out shea stadium from the comfort of your living room.
“the Beatles rock Band” is the latest rhythm game release by Harmonix, a video game development company in cambridge, massachusetts.
the “rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” franchises have become extremely successful titles, so it was only a matter of time before one of them got involved with the most popular band of all time.
“the Beatles rock Band” follows the story of the band from its beginnings, playing clubs in Liverpool, to selling out shea stadium and their abbey road studios sessions.
it progresses through the evolution of the band’s legendary career. cut scenes within the game involve a montage of photos, audio and
iconic Beatles moments that transport you from historical venues through the rapidly evolving look and sound of the Beatles.
in the game, players score on their ability to hit the notes on the screen with the controller, the player who is singing the song is scored by their ability to match the pitch of the song vocals.
Unique to the game, there is now the challenge to recreate the distinct vocal blend of the group’s most popular songs with three part harmonies. Using the new harmony system, you can plug in up to three microphones. one player sings lead while two others sing harmony.
this is a completely new feature for the series. By mastering the songs, special features can be unlocked such as rare
audio and unseen photos from the Beatles archives.audio clips featuring conversation from the Beatles recording sessions,
some of which have never been heard before, are also in the game.along with the game are exclusive controllers modeled after the band’s
real life instruments.serious fans can play on paul’s Hoefner bass, John’s rickenbacker 325
guitar, George’s Gretsch duo Jet guitar or ringo’s iconic drum set with the Beatles logo. these controllers are limited and not expected to last.
of course, other “rock Band” instruments as well as controllers from “Guitar Hero” are compatible with the game. the game can be played with up to six players, or band mates.
the game levels are set in famous, renowned places with historic significance to the history of The Beatles.
Venues like the cavern club, where the band started out in Liverpool, the set of the ed sullivan show, where they made their Us television debut and their monumental sell out of shea stadium are all included.
there will be 45 songs spanning the fab four’s epic career available within the game. songs like “a Hard days night,” “octopus’s Garden,” and “Get Back,” among others; not to mention downloadable content for some platforms. Fourty four of the 45 songs have been announced, leaving fans wondering about the mysterious last song.
“all You need is Love” is set to release exclusively as a downloadable song for the game through Xbox Live.
In addition, the Abbey Road album will be the first album made available for download purchase.
All proceeds from purchasing online content will benefit Doctors without Borders/medecins sans Frontieres (msF), an international medical humanitarian organization.
in an attempt to keep the game accurate to the history of the band, Giles martin, son of the Beatles’ music producer George martin and co-producer of “the Beatles LoVe” album project, is providing his expertise and serving as music producer.
developers also went directly to the source and received advice and support from paul mccartney, ringo starr, olivia Harrison and Yoko ono Lennon. they even helped promote the game’s release at the annual electronic entertainment expo by appearing on stage to introduce the trailer.
“the Beatles rock Band” will be available on Xbox 360, nintendo Wii and sony playstation 3 simultaneously in many countries around the world on sept. 9.
also being released that same day is a remastered version of the entire Beatles catalog.
opinionsViewpoints staff EDIToRIAL
Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less. Deliver letters to the Viewpoints office in the room behind the Assessment Building. Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student government, faculty, administration nor the Board of Trustees.
pRintinG sCHeDULeCopy deadline: Sept. 16Photo deadline: Sept. 17Ad deadline: Sept. 17Next issue: Sept. 24Viewpoints is a public forum, First Amendment newspaper. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.
Fall 2009 will be the semester from hell.From canceled classes to fee increases and transfer
holds, registration for the fall 2009 semester has become almost impossible to navigate. But now, the budget cuts have delivered the unkindest cut of all for students who registered using priority registration.
Those students, many of whom are about to graduate, registered before the fee increase went into effect and as such owed the college extra fees on top of what they had already paid.
When these students failed to pay said fees, they were all dropped from their classes for non-payment. While that may sound like a simple solution, unfortunately, there are serious questions about whether the college made every opportunity to notify the affected individuals or if they merely tried what they thought was the easiest avenue and the students paid the price.
A lot of the students hurt by this decision need certain classes in order to graduate and admissions’ response that they simply re-register is beyond ridiculous.
By the time many of these students found out about their circumstances it was too late to make a payment and certainly too late to get into an already full class with an equally full waitlist.
The college says everyone was notified through student e-mails and were also sent bills. First of all many students don’t even use their RCC e-mail and secondly if you think you’ve already registered and paid, why would you check your district e-mail in the middle of summer?
At the time that the college raised fees, many students were on vacation or working, meaning they were out of contact for several weeks.
How can the administration think that students could possibly receive the message that they owed the college money in time to pay off the balance?
on the college’s Web site it states that students will be
billed for the difference between old fees and new fees. When someone says that they’ll bill you that implies that
once you receive said bill you will be given adequate time to pay it. Translation: you have a grace period.
For students suffering the consequences of the college’s unilateral decision making, they have very little recourse.
They can show up the first day of class and beg for mercy from an instructor. However, many class sizes are set based on the number of computers or lab areas in a classroom. students who were added to a class based on waitlists don’t deserve to get bumped because the college screwed up, so what’s the alternative? There doesn’t seem to be one.
However, students can make their voices heard on the subject of budget cuts because almost every decision will have an adverse effect on them.
Riverside City College cut 400 sections for the fall 2009 semester and raised fees in almost every category.
That really doesn’t sound like a fair trade.By the way, the controversial fee raise happened between
summer and fall, when no one was paying attention. At the same time they finally got rid of the smoking
section and tried to change the maximum units a student could take.
The administration obviously wants to make these changes without getting input from students even though they’re the ones affected.
Look, everyone understands that California’s budget is in shambles and some tough decisions are going to have to be made, however, when those decisions are going to have this much of an impact on students’ lives and futures they must be included in the decision making process.
Instead of ramming these changes down the students’ throats and leaving them to suffer the consequences, the college could ask students for help and advice. They can’t be surprised at how smart and adept they are. They’re the ones who taught them to be that way.
A fee increase leads to a registration crisis for students
ViewpointsServing students since 1922
Football team focuses on future
martin iniguez jr. / interim Photo editor
Head to Head: Players line up to show off their skills as the RCC football practices for the new season.
daniel torresinterim asst. sPorts editor
the riverside City College football team is set to once again take on another season of the game that treated them so horribly a year ago.
Coming off a 3-7 season, this year’s tigers choose to ignore the past and instead look to have a brighter more successful 2009.
Having to reflect on last season, head coach Bill Brown simply said, “disappointing.”
now, he only discusses last season with his team as a reference to learn.
When asked what the team has learned from all of this, Brown said “We’ll see how much we’ve learned by how well we do this year.”
Brown said the team’s goal this year is an improvement record wise.
“We’ve upgraded our talent level this year,” he said. “We have a lot of division 1 talent on this team and we feel confident going into the season.”
in comparing last season to this year’s, Brown said there was no comparison.
“i spoke to the leadership group and told them last year didn’t matter,” he said. “We’re a better team this year. it would be like comparing apples to oranges. the only thing the same about last year is our uniforms.”
Brown went on to say that rCC is this year’s team to beat, just that no one knows this yet.
With a much different team this year and the preseason polls only looking at last year’s results, no one’s the wiser as to what rCC has up its sleeves.
With just a few weeks until game day, quarterback nathan Lomonica reflects on last season and uses it as motivation for this year.
“Coming off last season its kind of easy being motivated,” said Lomonica. “We just don’t want to
martin iniguez jr. / interim Photo editor
Completing tHe team: Perhaps the most crucial role in RCC’s rebuilding process will be that of the quarterback.
martin iniguez jr. / interim Photo editor
Hoping to suCCeed: With game day approaching fast, teammates challenge each other’s strength to prepare for the tough competition ahead.
end up like that again.” safety James Calhoun goes on
to add that the team talks before practices and will talk before games to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Being that there are a lot of freshmen on this year’s squad, Calhoun and Lomonica want to make sure the freshmen don’t get put down this year.
Lomonica said it best, “We want to bring them right on up with us.”
Brown’s advice to the freshmen is just to be patient and to always be learning.
the biggest thing he discusses with the leadership group is leading by example because the freshmen are going to be looking at their every move.
the team this year appears to be getting along really well. Brown would describe the locker room chemistry as tremendous saying that all of his players are
competitive, but in a good nature. he also notices that everyone
is helping each other improve, not just certain players looking after themselves.
Lomonica and Ca lhoun both agree that their goals this year revolve around the team’s improvement.
“If James has five interceptions in a game, and i have eight touchdowns and we don’t win, it’s not going to matter,’’ Lomonica said. “it’s the team playing together that’s going to get us those wins.”
the tigers had some downright bad games last season, like the 22 point loss against Chaffey College or the 50 point blowout against mt. san antonio College, but Brown doesn’t want any revenge against them.
“every year is a new year and i’m not even thinking about the
past anymore,” he said.Lomonica and Calhoun have
a somewhat different mindset though.
they both have their targets set on el Camino College, who barely escaped with a three point win last year on our home field.
Last season rCC sent around 15 players to four year schools with football scholarships.
When asked how many players he thinks can win a scholarship this year Brown said, “they’ve got to play well and they have to get good grades, there is a lot of things that go into them getting a scholarship or not.”
talent wise though, he says his players are capable of winning scholarships.
Brown considers his coaching style to be a lot like his parenting style.
he says he cares about all his
players but he won’t baby them one bit.
“i’ll push them when they need to be pushed and i’ll hug them when they need to be hugged,” Brown said.
Brown doesn’t take all the credit though. the team is also there to get on each others backs.
“i don’t even have to say anything when they make a mistake; they’re already on each other about those things,” he said.
the competition amongst them is already very high.
Lomonica and Calhoun know the season opener is getting close, but for them, this year’s season started when the last one ended.
the main goal for this team right now is focus, meaning focus on every play and on every game and to not lose that focus for anything or for anyone.
