Thursday, February 8, 2007	f	|..^ "|	*	Corning	Community	College
Issue 18	I	1^	/A'l4	1	Academic	Drive
Spring 2007	1	II	L	j	\	y	I	I	L	j	I	Corning,	NY	14830
Transit Workers Strike Could Strand Students
By Theresa Stermer
Recently local news station WETM- TV had a news story on the possibility of a First Transit workers strike.
The mechanics and drivers union has been without a contract since December 2005. If the contract negotiations fail this week, the workers could strike as early as next week. This would have a big impact on many CCC students and members of the community who rely heavily on the transit system to get places.
Student Samantha Weller was shocked when told of the news. Her first thought, “How am I supposed to get to school?” Besides taking the bus to school, she also uses the bus to get around, going to places like the mall.
A large number of CCC students use the bus to travel to campus. Many of these students are without other modes of transportation in the event of a strike.
Another student, Deborah Howard, said if there’s a strike she has no way to get to campus. She felt that the county (Chemung) who owns the buses should step in and do something to prevent the strike.
One of the few “lucky” students is Autumn Johnston; she parks her car and catches the bus. When asked what her plans were if there was a strike, she said. “I’d have to drive, I’d have no choice in the matter. I would
give people rides, if needed.” She also feels the county should step in and prevent a strike because people depend on the bus. Johnston also feels that the workers do have a right to strike and that all workers shoujd
have this right.
Many CCC students can't help but worry about the situation. They rely on the bus to get them to and from campus. Without the bus they’d have no way to get there and would most
likely miss class.
For more information and to view the news story, go to www.wetmtv.com and click on local news stories.
For more information about the strike, see page four.
Ten Things To Do This Winter
By Lottie Mae Watts
Excluding constantly complaining about how cold it is outside, there are at least ten things that you can do to pass time until spring blooms.
1.	Learn To Ski
Greek Peak offers a wonderful deal for first time skiers to learn. Discount coupons are available at McDonalds, Berger’s Ski & Snowboard Shop, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. With the coupon, your first three days of skiing are discounted. On day one, pay $20 and you get a lift ticket for the beginner slope, ski rental, and a lesson. On your second day, $20 will get you another lift ticket, ski rental, and a lesson. When you ski for a third time, you pay $25 for a lift ticket (good for all lifts), ski rental, and
another lesson. Rates for beginners are available at a great discount as long as you pick up your coupon.
Skiing is a fun way to embrace the cold and learn a new sport. Greek Peak is located about eighteen miles from Ithaca off of Route 392. For more information about rates, snow conditions, and directions, visit http://www. greekpeak.net/.
Snow pants will be vital to staying dry and warm. Dress in several layers and don’t worry about putting too many garments on. If you get hot, you can always peel away layers, but not a lot can be done once you realize that you don’t have enough clothing on. Wear a hat and gloves. Right now is actually a good time to pick up the various clothing items you need for skiing, because
most of it will be on sale.
2.	And if you don’t feel up to skiing...
...Try a day of tubing, also available at Greek Peak on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. $20 gets you a day of hike-free thrills. A tow rope pulls you up the hill on an inflatable tube that is provided. All you have to do is dress warmly and enjoy the convenience of a comfortable ride to the top and a thrilling ride down a snow-covered hill.
For more information, visit http://www.greekpeak. net/rates/tubing-center, aspx. For current tubing conditions, call 1-800-955-2754. Discounts are available for groups of twenty or more.
Story continues on page two.
Voicing My
By Theodore Lehman
As we swing into the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Seven,
I become increasingly worried about a topic which entered the forefront of my mind early this previous semester, a topic I like to call “student gullibility.” This first became a concern for me while in a lab session for a Computer Networking course. Our professor had left us with the task of learning to connect network cables to a central setup known as a “wiring closet.” He’d shown two or three students how to go about it and expected them to instruct the rest of us. I'm not much for the peer teaching method, but that was what happened.
Since we were only
Concerns
expected to wire up one computer each (in order to leave some for other classes) and since the job only took a few minutes for each computer, we were left with the task finished and almost an hour of spare time. Naturally, we began to talk. Or, more accurately, my classmates began to talk. I am more of a listener than a talker.
At any rate, one of my fellow students began to regale the class with a story about the so-called “lead problem-solver” of Cisco Incorporated. Cisco, dear reader, is a large and powerful company that produces networking hardware, such as routers, hubs, and so forth.
Story continues on page two.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Page 2
Things To Do
ContinuedFroniPage One
3. Stop hoping that whatever that gross thing is that is growing on your shower curtain will be acceptable to turn in for a science project
Now is a wonderful time to extensively clean your house, room, or apartment. It might seem tedious, but it will melt away hours on those days when it is too miserable to go outside.
While you’re cleaning, go through your closet and separate apparel into three piles: keep, donate, and trash. If you haven’t worn a garment in over a year, it is unlikely that you ever will wear it. If it is in good condition, donate it to the Salvation Army or the Samaritan Center. Those organizations will make it easy for your clothing to be recycled. You can also make a list of people that you know that might be able to use your old clothes. Unless it is stained or torn, clothing can usually be reused.
4. Listen to the subtle hints of your significant other
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, so it is time to open up your ears and listen carefully to what your boyfriend or girlfriend is not so secretly pining for.
However, a beautiful Valentine’s Day does not necessarily mean spending a fortune. In fact, all your mate may be hinting for is just some special time together.
An amusing idea is to plan ahead to have a favorite meal prepared, or suggest preparing a meal together. A new twist on chocolate is to have it in the form of fondue, with strawberries for dipping. After dinner, curling up on the couch together and watching a much loved
(and perhaps romantic) movie will be relaxing for both of you.
Instead of embracing Hallmark, embrace your significant other by planning ahead to make the day unique.
5. Attend a hockey game
After all, the reason why many hockey players exist is because of the frigid winters in Canada that freeze the ponds.
Discount tickets to Elmira Jackals games are available in the Student Life office for games on Friday, February 2, Saturday February 24th, and Saturday March 24th. Tickets are $4.00 or $6.00 each, depending on seating.
Even if you’re unsure of the rules, you can still get caught up in the excitement of the fast-paced game. The puck drops at 7:35 p.m. at the First Arena on Main Street in Elmira, NY.
6. Plan a Movie Night
With a group of friends, pick out two or three DVDs, pop massive amounts of popcorn, and grab tons of blankets. Planning a movie night once a week gives you and your friends something to look forward to.
7. Learn How To Ice Skate
There are ice skating facilities available in both downtown Corning and Elmira. Students can purchase discount passes for the Nasser Civic Center in Corning for open skating sessions for $.50 each (limit two per week). Skates can be rented for an additional charge.
If you want to get out of the elements, there are public skating times at the indoor Rec
Rink at the First Arena in Elmira. For information about rates, public skating times, and other available programs, visit http://www. firstarena.com/RecRink-PublicSkating.asp.
8. Go Sledding
This might seem like an obvious activity, but it is often times overlooked as you get older. The next time snow piles up, grab a bunch of friends, dress in warm layers, and scout out a perfect sledding location. You don’t need to get fancy with equipment, either. I have met people that use the plastic tops from garbage cans to sled, and it apparently works just fine.
9. Host a Potluck
Plan a potluck supper and invite your family and friends. Everyone brings a dish to pass. Invite warm food and company in to your home and build a sense of community. The only planning you really need to do before hand is make sure to have enough plates, cups, and cutlery. Tell everyone to bring their favorite dish, and if you end up with eight different versions of chicken or nothing but desserts, you’ll end up with a wonderful memory.
10. Sip hot chocolate...
...and read your textbooks. You probably paid hundreds of dollars for them. At least humor them a bit.
A chore can easily become more enjoyable if you pair it with something you like to do. In the winter, sipping hot chocolate and curling up with something to read is one of the best ways to pass time.
And if all else fails, start that countdown to spring. By my count, there are just fifty days left. ~
American Red Cross/CCC Blood Drive!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Make an appointment or walk-in to donate blood at our 3rd Blood Drive of the Year and I, Candace Rosing, will buy you lunch! All donors receive a coupon good for $4.50 in the CCC cafeteria; Double Donors receive two. I will also give a second coupon to all first-time donors. We will be giving away T-shirts to all second-time CCC donors by the Red Cross.
Make a difference in someone's life
and commit to donating at CCC Drives four times a year. We have extended our hours for donations to 3 p.m. due to campus demand.
Call me at 962-9198 to make an appointment, or if you have a question related to becoming a donor, come see me while I'm recruiting for the Blood Drive on 2/2 and 2/6 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the lobby of the Commons.
All of our drives are located in the Triangle Lounge in the Commons.
Bring a friend!
Concerns
Continued From Page One
Cisco is one of the biggest and most respected producers of these products in the world.
This student told us about how this “lead problem-solver” (an important position, if it exists) tends to use the drug known as acid in order to strengthen his problem-solving abilities. My fellow students all agreed that, well, sure, why wouldn’t he?
I was shocked. Here was a group of adults who, without evidence of any
kind, believed that a highly-placed member of a nationally recognized organization used illegal drugs in the course of his work, and that these hallucinogens actually made him better at his job! They took it as unarguable truth, without even a name for the high-powered executive in question, without even proof that he exists!
As I continued to observe this class, and other people on campus, it became clear to me that
a large number of Corning Community College’s student body will believe almost anything you tell them. This frightens me. Can you imagine a police officer or district judge who is so easy to fool? Or a politician? Imagine if our next President was willing to believe anything anyone told him? Or her?
Something needs to be done. People, please, please take it upon yourselves to learn how to discern between truth and fiction.
Fact-checking is a good way to start, as Dan Rather discovered, and simple logic always helps. Remember that just because someone said it, even on television or the Internet, that does not make it true. In fact, never, ever trust random people on the Internet.
There is only one exception to this frightful state of affairs: Most of the students on this campus will flat out refuse to believe anything that casts the Republican Party in even a vaguely positive light, even if it is true.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
New Senators Ratified
Page
Brian Hargrave
Declined to comment and be photographed.
“I want to help students in any way that I can and I would like to know what is going on around me and be of service to students and the community.”
Jodie Burley (Liberal Arts)
“I want to make a difference in the college and I would like to have a voice in what can better our education. I am a returning senator from a few semesters ago.”
By Anthony Popkin
As the semester rolls ahead into the third week, important events are occurring across the campus, including the ratification of eight new Student Senators. You might ask yourself, ‘‘What does the ratification of seven new Senators have to do with me?” Well, all rolled up in a nutshell, everything.
Student Senators are your representatives and voice at CCC. If you have suggestions ideas, questions, or complaints, don’t be afraid to approach them. In addition to being student representatives, they have helped provide supplies to support American troops, served on over a dozen college committees, and sponsored the annual Easter Egg Hunt.
The Student Senate office is located in the lower level of the Commons with open doors and abundant office hours.
Veteran Senators include Mindy Cassidy, Vazmenko Bondulic, Mike Hewitt, Sandi Beam, Talik Murphy, and Kristy Mazzio.
Nicole Zuniga (General Studies)
“I aspire to be an example of how we should treat each other. Live by the words ‘Your actions speak so loudly, the words you say I cannot hear.’ I was enticed to join the Senate because of how welcoming and receptive the entire student government is.”
“Being a Senator will not only make me aware of what is happening on campus, but it will give me a voice. It is my job to keep my fellow students informed of activities and other things happening at CCC. It is also my job to bring any questions, comments, and concerns that my fellow students have back to the Student Association so that important issues can be addressed.”
Lefonza Carter (Chemical Dependency Counseling)
Alicia Rathbun (Psychology)
Jamie Carter (Human Services)
“I want to be a voice for students, to get the students voices heard, and if possible, resolved.
I became a Senator because I was on a few semesters back.”
Joy Rutledge (Human Services)
Declined to comment.
Carissa Lovegren
“I have a great passion for Coming and would love to be a part of making it better and helping my fellow Senators achieve the same goal. I feel that I can contribute my creativity, discipline, and innovation.”
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Page 4
Letters to the Editor
In Support of Student Housing at CCC
I am enthusiastically in favor of providing dormitory housing for students at CCC. As a new faculty member (2005) charged with building the theatre program at the college, I can make a very strong case that on-campus housing is a pressing need if CCC hopes to increase student participation in extra-curricular activities like plays, concerts, and athletic events. The distance students must travel on dark and poorly maintained roads often discourages them from wanting to.be involved in evening or weekend play rehearsals. Competitive four-year colleges often look at a student’s initiative in being involved in extra-curricular activities when deciding whether or not to accept a transfer student from a two-year college. CCC students should have every opportunity to access the best, not only in academic courses, but also in the areas of arts and athletics. On-campus housing would encourage
involvement.
If our case is presented properly to the community of property owners on Spencer Hill, they can’t fail to appreciate the benefits of offering on-campus housing to our students. As last week’s article points out, the role of the community college is changing and evolving as the educational and economic needs of our population changes and evolves. We must be responsive to those needs or risk becoming irrelevant. We should want to remain competitive with other area community colleges for well-rounded students by offering opportunities to expand students’ horizons in many directions. CCC is an important local employer, perhaps providing jobs to some of those very nearby property owners. It enriches us all to provide better access for students to our programs.
-Mary Guzzy Division of Communications and Humanities
The Crier Staff	
Editor	Reporters
Lottie Mae Watts	
	Theodore Lehman
Assistant Editor	Amanda Morse
Anthony Grapevine	Anthony Popkin
	Theresa Stermer
Treasurer	Lottie Mae Watts
Rachel Seymour	
	Photographers
Secretary	Anthony Popkin
Theresa Stermer	Lottie Mae Watts
Student Association	The Crier welcomes
Representative	article submissions!
Anthony Popkin	Please send articles
	to lwatts2@corning-
Advisor	cc.edu.
Paul McNaney	
Feel free to attend our meetings on Tuesdays at	
12:40p.m. in our	office in the Commons.
Action Needed To Solve Bus Problem
really have a problem with this coming strike.
The CCC bus driver, who happens to be the union rep, has confirmed that on February 1st the First Transit Company drivers will be striking. This will affect the students who come from the direction of Bath and Horne 11 and students coming from the direction of Elmira.
I come from Homell and it takes me roughly two hours each way, everyday, to get to school. We pick up other passengers on the way to Corning, and then we have to transfer to the CCC bus or one of the other two that are there to bring us up to campus.
Last week, the drivers voted down a contract that would have given them a pay raise but would have raised their medical insurance costs.
This they voted no to, so they will be going on strike this next week if there aren’t changes or arrangements made.
This will again affect the students who rely on the buses to get to classes on campus or any of the CCC branches. This will not only affect students. What about the people that rely on them for getting to doctor’s appointments or completing errands? People that don’t drive, such as the elderly.
This strike can’t happen at a worse time. What are we to do, given that we only heard last week? Arrangements for students depending on the buses have not yet been made. Those of us with passes, what are we to do? We have paid a lot of money to get to school with what seemed to be the easiest solution, the bus system. When asked, one of the drivers stated “it could be a week that they would be out.” What will happen if they don’t get what they want?
When I heard the news,
I left messages with Ned Strausser (the acting Dean) to get in touch with me to let me know what he thought of the situation. I did not hear back from him at all. I don’t know if the school is aware of this important issue at present or not.
Something needs to be done by the school. Someone should get on the phone and get some arrangements in place that will get the students to and from school before the strike starts. If they do strike and there aren’t any plans in place, we can’t and shouldn’t be penalized if we can’t get to school as
planned. What then should happen? Do we get credit on our accounts for the days we’re not there, as suggested by one bus passenger?
It is a shame that this has to continually happen with this bus system. Since I started at CCC there have been issues with this company. First, there weren’t enough buses to get all the passengers from the Bath Transportation Center to Coming.
I understand that the drivers have families and need to provide for them, and I respect that. But when they strike they need to put a plan in the contract that if they strike, someone would take up the slack.
Hundreds of people are going to be left out in the cold if and when this strike happens. Something needs to be done before it happens. There are a lot of students at CCC and even a teacher that use the bus to get to Campus each day. We depend on the buses; without them we can’t get to school to get that education that is so terribly important.
Let’s get something done!
- Nancy Daniels
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By Amanda Morse
My mind is a dry riverbed; shriveled. Rocky, and dented in the center. Missing the water Missing the rush That brings life to many things.
My mind is an empty boat; hollowed, Weather beaten, with wide sides That dip down To the faded base.
Falling to the center into many holes.
My mind is a rushing river, swallowing and tormenting; over-thinking jumbles It swirls Contorting its circles of water Into shapes of worthless meaning.
My mind is an stretched boundary; limited To thoughtless inquiry, derogating. Useless with discovery Finding no drop off For water that falls into darkness.