Corning Community College Two-Bit Player in the Spotlight Two-Bit Players prepare for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. See review on Pg. 9 The Crier Volume XXIX Issue 8 Inside this issue: Commons Construction Pg. 2 Candidates Forum Pg. 4 Editorials Pg. 6 WCEB Pg. 12 Page 2 The Crier April 1993 CAMPUS NEWS_____________________ Financial aid changes will come slowly By Jeffrey Goldfarb Washington Correspondent College Press Service WASHINGTON - College students who expected rapid improvements in financial aid under President Clinton’s administration will be disappointed by the most recent news coming out of the nation’s capital. Education Secretary Richard Riley said budget problems will prevent the government from increasing the current $2,300 Pell grants to individual students right now. Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said the new administration is facing a deficit that is $60 billion to $100 billion higher than it was last year when Clinton proposed the National Service Trust Fund. The president "had to reconsider a lot of his options based on the higher deficit numbers," she said at a Feb. 4th news conference. By Crystal Daugherty Those who treasure the Commons, and view it as the best place on campus to "just hang out," will be glad to know that it's expanding. The upstairs will remain virtually the same, except for some shuffling of services. The main part of the construction will be a large addition being added to the lower floor. The parking lot on the back side of the Commons is where the addition will be located. The upstairs area of the Commons will be slightly different. In the main dining room, the fireplace and the unused closet space will be converted into usable space. Riley didn’t make too many friends on the collegiate level in one of his first public appearances when he warned that his department will probably be unable to offer much financial aid immediately because of budget deficits. "I don’t want to bear sad tidings," Riley said at a meeting of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), which represents about 1,600 private colleges. But that’s exactly what he did. Raising the maximum grant to needy college students from $2,300 to $4,000, as recent proposals have suggested, is "not possible under the current circumstances," he said. During his campaign, Clinton promised to increase dra- Due to this change, there will be more room for card playing and eating. For those who like to sleep or socialize in the large lounge, the fire place will be functional. This might be a positive change for all the romantics on campus. Near the present Activities Office, bathrooms will be installed. The porches outside the large lounge will be removed so that a greater amount of space will be available. Behind the large lounge another student accessible lounge will be placed. The present Academic Information Area will be expanded matically the amount of financial aid for higher education. Clinton also said one of his top priorities was to give any person, regardless of income, the opportunity to go to college. Working in public service after graduation would be a means of paying off college loans. But Riley said those plans will have to be phased in more slowly than the new administration had anticipated. "I don’t like it - you don’t like it," he said at the meeting. Riley has not elaborated on his comments since the Feb. 4th speech, and Department of Education officials said they had no new information to add. Riley’s sobering news came on the heels of a congression-ally mandated report that called for for a use that is not presently certain. The Activities Office will be moved to an unknown destination. The layout of the lower level isn't changing very much. The only real change will be the movement of Spencer Pub-but it isn’t going very far. Currently, plans put it where the present Transfer Office is. The major change will be the large addition attached to the back of the Commons. The bulk of the structure will house office space. There will also be a new and much larger bookstore. a plan that would require about $7 billion in government funding to enable every college student to get some form of financial aid. According to reports in The Washington Post, the Education Department has been one of the most neglected in the federal government, and some of its computers are so outdated they are nearly useless. Riley said he recently learned that his department’s budget deficit was $600 million worse than what he had expected because of miscalculations. Part of the department’s shortfall stems from debts incurred during the last two years when $2 billion more was doled out in college grants than was available. The main objective of the expansion is to relocate all student services into one common area. The bulk of the construction will be done during the summer, and hopefully will be finished by the next semester. During the summer, the Commons will be closed, but the vending facilities on campus will be increased in order to accomodate summer students. There is also talk of picnics every couple of weeks. If you're a summer student, you will get to witness the whole process and the returning fall students will see a changed campus. DayCare: a needed service By Julie A. Labosky During the course of an education at CCC, a dependable, affordable, and pleasant service may easily go unnoticed. This service is the day care at CCC located off campus on Denison Parkway. When searching for an institution to study, a college-bound parent’s requirements include proper child care facilities. The necessity of such service is of growing concern. The CCC Day Care program is useful in promoting a well rounded educational atmosphere, as well as, providing child care while students are in class. The children are divided by age into groups identified by simple of color (red, blue, and green) to ensure a more individualized play according to skill and ability. Special events occur on holidays and birthdays- such as the more recent Valentine’s Day party, in addition to its graduation ceremonies at the end of each school year (for those children whose parents have graduated). The parents and faculty come together with food and joy to throw a party that any child would enjoy. The children are such a big part of any parents' life, which makes getting an education a crisis. That crisis is made easier with the helpful, professional staff at the center. Commons break-in By Crystal Daugherty During the Christmas break, there was a break-in in The Commons. The video game "Streetfighters" was broken into, and an unknown amount of money was stolen. It is believed by Public Safety, that a screwdriver was used to push the locking mechanism out of place, and then the money was taken. Also during the Christmas break, two CCC students were questioned in connection with a tampering incident with a vending machine on campus. Public Safety reported that while questioning the students in their car, there were marijuana seeds and other drug paraphernalia in plain sight and that an arrest did occur. The Commons Building will have a new look College 25 Nurse Upper level CAMPUS NEWS The Crier April 1993 Page 3 Demonstrations are on the rise By Jeffrey Goldfarb Washington Correspondent College Press Service And you thought the 1960s were the heyday of protesting for college students. But, in fact, more than 40% of college freshmen surveyed by a University of California, Los Angeles research group said they participated in an organized demonstration last year, as opposed to just 16.3% of freshmen polled by the same organization in 1967. The Higher Education Research Institute at the UCLA, which has been conducting an annual survey of entering college freshmen for 27 years, also found that the percentage of students for whom "helping to promote racial understanding" is an "essential" or "very important" goal rose to an all-time high of 42 percent. Along those lines, 85.1 percent of those surveyed disagreed with the assertion that racial discrimination is no longer a major problem in the United States. That figure was a record high, up from 79.7 percent in 1991. The survey, sponsored by the American Council on Education, polled more than 200,000 entering freshmen at 404 colleges and universities. Community activism proved to be of al1-around central significance to those polled last year. About one-third (30.7 percent) said that becoming a community leader was a "very important" or an "essential" goal. In 1972, that figure was only 14.9 percent. "Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that students today are substantially more committed to serving their communities and to working for social and political change than were students who entered college just a few years ago," said Alexander Astin, a graduate professor at UCLA and founding director of the survey. Volunteer-ism in high school also increased slightly among those polled. More than 65 percent said they performed some kind of volunteer work last year, up from 64.7 percent in 1991. Student organizing campus demonstration for April By Ray Vose The controversy surrounding the state of Colette Bierwiler's position at CCC has made one of its students a spokesperson and organizer for other students who wish to speak out. Crystal Daugherty has taken the lead in speaking out about Colette Bierwiler because she has been affected by her. "During my first semester at CCC, while the ink was still drying on my high school diploma, I was in her evening Short Story class and was very intimidated by the presence of all the older students," Daugherty recalled. "I really think that she sensed my fear, and she took the time to remedy it." Daugherty has emerged as the student leader of the movement to speak out about Colette Bierwiler, but she acknowledges that she is only a small part of a larger effort, "I would never make the mistake of saying that I have done it alone. I would like to thank: Angie Carpenter, Jim Bogart, Matthew Roe, Michael Colon, Brian Colby, and many, many others." Daugherty and students are putting together preliminary plans for a peaceful protest to bring attention to the ordeal of Colette Bierwiler. "We want to bring the campus together on April 26th for a sit-in on the lawn," Daugherty said. "There will be entertainment provided, and we hope our peaceful protest will actually turn into a celebration, providing Colette Bierwiler gets her job back." Students who wish to have more information about the proposed demonstration, or who have any questions, can contact Crystal Daugherty through the offices the the Student Association Committee for Diversity or The Crier. Business Administration Division Students host 'Self-Esteem seminar' Coming Community College Business Administration Division students are presenting a professional seminar entitled, “Self-Esteem” at the Coming Hilton Inn on Tuesday, April 6, 1993, at 12:30 PM. The guest speaker will be Ms. Shawn Crouch, a Senior District Sales Director for a national direct sales organization. This seminar is coordinated by students in two CCC business classes, Office Management and Office Practice. Under the supervision of Ellen Jenks, Associate Professor of Office Administration, the students in these classes assume the roles of potential office managers and administrative assistants in designing, arranging and attending the seminar. For more information, contact Rosemary Piecuch at 962-9281, or the Business Administration Division at 962-9260. Workout for Hope will raise money for AIDS research The fifth annual "Workout for Hope" will take place this year on April 3rd and 4th. The "Workout for Hope" is a fundraising event for AIDS research at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. The three-hour Aerobics Against Aids will be held nearly simultaneously in more than ninety cities across the country. The goal for 1993 is 1.4 million dollars. City of Hope, which supports a national Medical Center and the Beckman Research Institute is known for its work in many forms of cancer, including leukemia. While more than ninety percent of all City of Hope patients are treated for some type of malignant disease, active scientific and clinical investigations also are underway to address blood and respiratory diseases, diabetes, genetic and hereditary disorders, and AIDS. Each Workout for Hope participant will be asked to raise a minimum of $50. Individuals that raise $100 and $200 will receive additional prizes as an incentive. Top fund-raisers from each city, region, and nationwide will receive additional prizes for their fund-raising efforts (trips, vacations, etc.). Locally, the Workout for Hope will be held at the North Gym at Horseheads High school. Bierwiler has submitted her application for tenure-track postion in Humanities/Communication By Ray Vose Colette Bierwiler-who is currently embroiled in a struggle with the CCC administration over the policy of moving visiting lecturers into tenure-track status-has announced that she has put in her application for the nation-wide search being conducted for the position in her department. Bierwiler's litigation against the college and the outspoken student support for her effort to attain tenure-track has caught the attention of the local media, including The Leader and the Star-Gazette. Bierwiler said the students played a role in her decision to apply, "I applied for the same reason I'm teaching and as a thank you for the support I have received from the student body." Bierwiler considers the show of student support as a vote of confidence in her as a teacher and as an educator. Bierwiler has also taken every opportunity to credit the students with the movement to keep her at CCC. Regardless of the outcome of her employment status at CCC, Bierwiler thinks that the students are the primary beneficiaries of their actions. "This is what I would like to see come out of all this: The recognition that students should have an active voice on the issues that affect them," Bierwiler said. "The students should be thought of as more than just a 'tuition'." The Honors Program expands the educational experience at CCC By Julie Labosky The Honors Forum is an educational opportunity to accomplish an independent study of specific interest. The course is open to any individual with a GPA of 3.5 or one who is recommended by a faculty member. Get in touch with an instructor and find out more about this exciting way to earn undergraduate credits of honor. You’ll need to choose a topic of interest that correlates with an existing course that you are taking or have taken. Talk with the professor and decide on a project of independent study. For a complete assessment of the Honors curriculum, Professor Joe Hanak is the man to speak with. He can get you acquainted with the specifics so you can decide if this program is for you. From a student perspective, The Honors diploma is a great addition to your transcript. (An Honors diploma is awarded when the spe- cific requirements are met). The Honors Forum is a sharing experience. Everyone is helpful in the trials and tribulations that you and your project experience, as well as assisting the development of your intellectual and oral communication. Presentations of your project and its progression is the main focus. These presentations consist of a preliminary, midterm and final report. The expectations of quality increase with your project’s progress. Along with class time reports, extra time is dedicated to intellectual discussion of current issues, Brown Bag Forums, and other learning experiences such as: Quarks, Squarks Strings and Things- (a presentation of high energy physics by Professor Larry Josbeno, put on by the Full Professors Council). The Honors Forum is worth putting your effort into. Come and check it out. Page 4 The Crier April 1993 STUDENT ASSOCIATION Candidates Forum Mary Swasta for Vice-President Dear Fellow Students: It has been my pleasure to serve as Vice-President of the Student Association for this ’92-’93 school year. My fellow officers on the Executive Board of the Student Association and I have worked very hard this year to have the voice of the students heard on campus. One way of seeing that we, as students, are heard is for students to serve on committees. One of the job duties of the Vice-President is Coordinator of Students on Faculty/Student Committees. We are very strong in this area. Students serve on the Faculty Committees such as Academic Standards, Curriculum Committee, and Educational Policies Committee, to name a few. We have strong student input on the Athletics Board. The Aids Task Force and the Student Services Committee, our ad-hoc committees which Marko Ashley as President initiated, are becoming viable forces on campus thanks to some very hard working students. With so many students wanting to get involved this year, my job as Coordinator of Students on Faculty/Student Committees has been very gratifying. As an officer of the Executive Board of the Student Association, not only is it my job to help to have the student’s voice heard on campus, but it is my duty to listen to those voices and try to respond to their wishes. As Vice-President, one of my roles is to serve as Chair-Person of the Activities Programming Committee. Although many students perceive this programming as where their activity fees are spent, the Activities Programming Committee (APC) only receives a small portion of the activities fee to fund student programming. The Committee this past year has been trying to address the issue of doing things for the part-time students. We hope that by next semester some of our efforts will be recognizable with events for students’ children, community events, and many more. This is the first year that APC has had a viable working committee. My hardest role as Vice-President has been as Chair-Person of the Constitution Committee. We are in the process of revising the entire Constitution and writing By-Laws to the Constitution to assure continuity in how things are handled. It is the vision of the Executive Board to give more power to the Student Senate in decisive issues. The Constitution Committee has been meeting on a regular basis this past semester and this current semester to secure the empowerment of students through an updated Constitution. I have taken on all the duties of the Vice-President and put a concentrated effort into every one of them. I have enjoyed working with new clubs on their constitutions and hope I have made it easier for them to become clubs within the Student Association. Although I shake in my shoes when I introduce the comedians, I love every minute of it. Now I have something to ask of all the students on campus. Please re-elect me to office as your Vice-President. I believe I am noted for my diplomacy and fairness to all sides of an issue. I am a non-traditional student with a strong background in leadership. I have committed myself to serving the students of Coming Community College and would like the opportunity to see some of my endeavors this year carried to fruition. On March 29th and March 30th please vote for Mary Swasta as Vice-President of the Student Association. Thank you. Michael Skrocki for Student Trustee To all Students: My name is Michael Skrocki; currently, I am your representative to the Board Of Trustees. I would like to let you know that I have become very attuned to the Students Needs this past year, and I have been relaying that information to the college’s directors. I encourage YOU to re-elect me in the upcoming elections so that I may continue to be your representative. There are issues from the State that are currently being addressed in which I feel I will be able to contribute important information concerning US, the STUDENTS. In the past year, I feel I have developed a good rapport with the Board Of Trustees, and the administration here at CCC. These individuals know that I am concerned with what is happening here on campus and know that I do speak my mind. I will continue to pursue as I have in the past, to speak up for the students, and to not back down. Thank You Students, For Your Support VOTE FOR ME, MICHAEL SKROCKI, ON MARCH 29th, AND 30th. Bobbi Stage for Secretary Dear Fellow Students: Hi, I'm Bobbi Stage and I'm sure most of you will agree, this semester is going by fast and election time will be here soon. I will be running for Student Association Secretary for the 1993 - 94 year. I currently serve on the Student Association Executive Board as Secretary. I will use my experiences and knowledge that I have attained this past year to better serve the student body. I have attended numerous conferences and seminars concerning leadership skills and have applied these skills in my every day duties with Student Association. I also serve on the Faculty Association Learning Resources Committee where I have the chance to work with faculty on student concerns. You, the student body, need caring, dedicated people to represent your needs and concerns. As a younger "non-traditional student", I understand the concerns of most students on campus such as day care, free-hour, financial aid, and issues concerning the part-time student. I feel I am fully capable of accomplishing these responsibilities for the Executive Board and the students here at Coming Community College. Please vote for me on March 29th and 30th for Student Association Secretary. Your voice counts! Cathy Manginelle for Auditing Treasurer Hello everyone ! My name is Cathy Manginelle. I have been a Senator in the Student Association since the fall of 1992. I would like to expand on this responsibility and become your Auditing Treasurer on the Executive Board. As your Auditing Treasurer, I will not only inform you of decisions but will become a part of making those decisions in your best interest. I understand the responsibilities of Auditing Treasurer, such as fund raisers and revising the Student Activities Fund. I am willing to put in as much time and effort needed to accomplish such tasks. I have had experience as a Senator with the Student Association and its responsibilities and would like your support in becoming Auditing Treasurer. Voting for me will be worth it! Vote on March 22nd, and 23rd for Cathy Manginelli. Thank you. — invite The Crier April 1993 Page 5 THE STATE OF THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION By Marko Ashley, Student Association President This academic year has been a monumental year for students here at Coming as well as all over New York State and throughout this country. Coming Community College Student Association has made tremendous strides in many areas this year. Under the motto “We Can Make the Difference”, the mission of the 92 - 93 Executive Board of the Student Association was to increase our visibility and overall involvement with and for all students. The student Senate along with the Executive board has worked extremely hard to enhance campus life and to create a true sense of community at Coming Community College. All members of the Executive Board have executed unyielding commitment to the Association. Mary Swasta, Vice-President has added a new meaning to the words “involvement” and “community”. Mary, with her cheerfulness, pleasant demeanor, positive attitude, and excellent listening skills, has re-instilled in the Association the idea that every person’s opinions count and are welcomed. She activated the APC (Activities Programming Committee) and now has it running stronger than ever. Mary is working to ensure good quality programming takes place at Coming this year and next. Mary has also been quite busy in her duties as Chairwomen of the Constitution Committee, which she activated in the fall semester, and is currently working to restructure Student Association Senate in an attempt to broaden the “span of responsibility" and include more students in decision making-while maintaining the integrity of the Association. I must applaud Mary Swasta efforts in these endeavors. Mike Skrocki, student member of the Coming Community College Board of Trustees, has re-defined the role of the trustee. Mike has taken his position to new heights this year and has verbally-without hesitation-stated the position of the Association at trustee meetings. He has challenged senators to make their voices heard in the Senate and truly be accountable to the Association in all matters. Mike, as one of his major accomplishments, has tapped into, and in certain cases initiated, a state-wide network of student trustees. Mike and I have travelled together to state-wide meetings, conferences and workshops where he has shown he is not afraid to speak up and speak out loud! (Mike has been a mentor, associate, and good friend to me; and for that, I thank him). He has attended a statewide ABC Conference to discuss concerns of Community Colleges. We’ve met with the Chancellor of SUNY, Dr. Bruce Johnstone, on two occasions and discussed the changing role of Community Colleges and where we fit into the State University of New York. He’s attended SUNY Student Assembly meetings with me and brought to the table issues and concerns of students attending Community College. We also, along with other students, met with Senator Randy Kuhl, Assemblyman Winner’s staff, and Assemblyman Davidson. We expressed concerns about the Governor’s budget proposal and lack of commitment to higher education, TAP, and other financial aid matters-such as public assistance and the formula for determining need. We are currently seeking routes to occupy seats on the New York State TAP Board and the legislative committee which will review the formula for financial aid. Mike is currently reviewing and revitalizing the Student Association elections procedures in an effort to get more involvement campus-wide. Jason Emerson, Treasurer and second year veteran of Student Government has probably been one of the most inspirational students I’ve met here at CCC. As Treasurer, he has made sure the Student Association acts prudently with your student activity fee. Jason has expanded leadership training with the creation of a campus-wide treasurer’s round-table, which he has held in an effort to get all club and organization treasurers equally knowledgeable in their positions. Jason has closely monitored the Student Association budget and tracked spending habits of the Association. This helped him to put together a real budget for the Association for next year. He has revised the Association SAF regulations, to hold recipients of SAF funds accountable to the Association and requiring them to give full reports of how the funds were used. Jason, through the Honors Forum, has developed a comprehensive proposal to market Student Government and increase student participation overall. Jason demonstrates his on-going commitment to the Association through all of the above efforts while at the same time maintaining a 3.6 GPA and 25 credit hour load last semester. I hope the Association will join me in applauding Jason Emerson and wishing him well as we lose him to Cornell University. Adieu my friend. Mike Velten, Auditing Treasurer, has expanded the roles of his position by nurturing a close relationship between our office and all clubs and organizations. Mike has risen to the call when rules have been changed on us. Fire codes at the college forced Mike to seek alternate areas for clubs to hold fund raisers. U.S. Health and Safety Codes and an incident on campus last year demanded Mike Velten to establish the policy of making ingredients available at all food fundraisers on campus. Mike has currently embarked on setting the budget for Student Association (fiscal ’93-’94). As Chairperson of the budget committee, he has made sure the committee has a diverse group of dedicated students. One of Mike's major accomplishments this year has been to collect college policies and procedures and create a ready file where they can be easily accessed. Bobbi Stage, Secretary, in most respects, has been the backbone of our organization. She maintains order among the Executive Board members and makes certain that we are accountable in all the tasks the Student Association places upon us. Bobbi is responsible for setting a number of office policies and creating a professional office protocol. Bobbi’s soft-spokeness, style and elegance enhances our relationship with clubs/organizations, senators, representatives and the Adminis-tration-with which she has spent countless hours setting appointments and arranging important meetings. People, who come in contact with her, express to me how pleasant she is to work with. The Student Association has tried to bring all entities of the Association closer together this year. Student Association held the first campus-wide student assembly in the fall semester. The Senate passed its first resolution stating the students' position on tuition and/or college fees increases, which was hand delivered to the Administration and the CCC Board of Trustees; the Executive Board, at the request of the Chairman, met with the CCC Board of Trustees; and the Senate welcomed the Christian Club, the College Republicans Club, the Auto Tech Club and the Judo club into the Association. We have taken a stron- ger interest in the CCC Daycare and how it operates. We demonstrated our interest by increasing Daycare’s budget this year for the first time in about 10 years. “Annette, your doing a wonderful job!!” We are branching deeper into the Athletic department and are working on solutions to the continuous budget problems plaguing our Athletics. The Executive Board is very committed this college having a strong Athletics Department and we are working to resolve their budget woes (we’re on your side Mary Gail Lee)!!!! Meta Spiegler and the Brown Bag Forum Committee has tried to address as many of your interests as possible and has had a successful programming year. We are hoping to do even better next year. There are many other great things that the Student Association has accomplished this academic year as well as many things still in the workings. If you have any questions comments or suggestions, please feel free to stop by the SA office (lower level, The Commons), all Executive Officer hours are posted on the door. In closing, I would like to say that I have deeply enjoyed working with and for all the students this year, and I hope that you will support me in my bid for re-election to one last term in 93-94. Thank you. Page 6 The Crier April 1993 EDITORIAL OUR VIEW: - From the Editor's desk.. Is the growing support of Colette Bierwiler anything more than just a popularity contest? Members of the CCC community have started to step out in support of Colette Bierwiler. Students and facility have voiced support for her because she is battling cancer, battling for the position she deserves, and battling to light the spark of inspiration and creativity in every student that passes through her classes. Nobody is denying that Colette Bierwiler is popular among her students, many have taken the time and effort to point out how she has made a difference in their lives. Something is happening in the lumbering giant called the student body. Murmurs are growing into voices, and those voices are demanding to be heard. The fact that a teacher like Colette Bierwiler might be allowed to slip away, has brought to the attention of the students that they have been left out. The students of CCC are not only the product of the institution, but they are the consumers too. Watching the struggle of Colette Bierwiler has made them stand back and ask, “Wait a minute, isn’t this our school? Did anybody bother to ask us what we thought about this?” Certainly the CCC administration did not overlook stu- dent input into the process of filling a tenure-track position in the Communications/Humanities division on purpose. For years students have been willing to be shuffled through the halls because their education was simply a means to an end. The administration had no reason to believe that the current generation of students would be any different, that they had an interest, or that they would be willing to make their views known by whatever means available to them. The situation that involves Colette Bierwiler has brought out one fact. If there are means for students to give input into decision-making processes, they have been lost in the back of some bureaucratic sock drawer. We students are not asking to take over; we feel we have a vital interest, and we wish only to be included. Colette Bierwiler deserves the popularity she enjoys; Colette Bierwiler deserves to be placed into the upcoming tenure-track position in her department; and the students of CCC deserve the opportunity to be included in the process that will determine whether or not CCC will keep one of its finest. Colette Bierwiler Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Ray Vose Production Editor Daniel Box Student Gov. Rep Matthew Roe Business Manager Melissa Frost Secretary Ann Donovan News Crystal Daugherty Ray Vose Feature & Entertainment Mike Taylor Matthew Roe Grace Santulli Layout Editor Daniel Box Photo Editor Daniel Box Ad Manager Matthew Roe Advisor Donna Layng REMINDER: The Crier cannot accept unsigned submissions for publication. By Ray Vose, Editor February was Black History Month and I have to admit that I did not think too much about it, at first. For me, I had previously thought that Black History Month was OK and everything, but was it much different than, say, Dairy Month? Confession time: I am a big fan of country music and have had the attitude that said, "If you don't like country music, you must be a pinko-communist." Last month a group called the Sonkofa Dancers, from SUNY Brockport visited our campus for a Brown Bag Forum. I wandered into their presentation with the intention of only staying for a moment or two. "They're not going to be Garth Brooks," I thought,"but I still ought to check this out." Check it out is exactly what I did. In a matter of moments, I was drawn into their music and dance that seemed very foreign to me. It was intense. It was visceral. It was full of life. Two days later, I found myself listening to a Hungarian chamber orchestra, thanks to the invitation of a friend (thanks Kelly). To my country state of mind, the week was quickly driving me to culture shock, but I stopped and tried to look at the diversity I had been exposed to in a positive light. The Sonkofa Dancers celebrated the driving force behind life itself. Their intensity, their dance movements, and the expressions on the faces that were present for that performance spoke of the effect they had. The Hungarian chamber orchestra spoke about a different part of the life experience. Their music was sober, precise, and a totally different kind of artistic expression. What I learned after experiencing different kinds of music, for essentially the first time, is that diversity is a good thing; it is something worthy of celebrating. My musical preferences are just that-preferences. There is so much more out there than what I am aware of; I can benefit from the tastes and experiences of others. It is unfortunate that the politically correct crowd has tainted what otherwise is a movement that can be a win-win situation for everybody. Another lesson from Black History Month: I have been fortunate enough over the last few months to establish a friendship with Warren Lewis, a student here at CCC with-shall we say-more life experience. Warren and I share many things in common; primarily, we are both students and dirt-poor. Being dirt-poor and thereby earless, we often find ourselves walking around the fine little city of Corning. We were walking one day last month across a local restaurant's parking lot. The establishment, known for its golden arches and a happy clown called Ronald, was offering cheeseburgers for only $.39. We walked in front of a white middle-aged woman sitting in her car at the drive-through. As we walked by, we distracted her from something she was staring at in the bowels of her huge purse. She looked up and gave me the most cursory of glances, and then her eyes found Warren. A glance exploded into a stare , and a stare boiled over into hate. Even though I was not the recipient of that hateful stare, I was close enough to feel it. It was cold, it was intense, and it made feel as if I was suddenly sub-human. We were doing nothing, and yet Warren was suddenly the object of scorn. Why? As we sat inside the warm restaurant and consumed, uhm, several cheeseburgers, I tried to determine why I got only a glance from the stranger while Warren was the object of hate: * Was it the fact that I was dressed like some kind of hood with my leather jacket, and Warren was dressed conservatively. . . No, I would have gotten that "look." * Did our behavior somehow earn Warren such an icy stare?... No, we were both minding our own business. * Was it because I'm white, and Warren is black? ... BINGO Because I'm white, that woman ignored me. Because Warren is black, she hated him. Unbelievable. It was the first time I had been close enough to the receiving end of racial hatred to be aware of it. It's not nice. When Black History Month began this year, I compared it to Dairy Month. When Black History Month came to a close, I was a different person. Diversity is important, the African-American culture is essential, and a woman waiting for her Quarter-Pounder and fries showed me that we have a long way to go before a real change occurs. The Crier April 1993 Page 7 OP/ED I am Woman, hear me roar Editor’s Note: As reported in the March 20th edition of the Star-Gazette, the editorial column "I am Woman, hear me roar" was rejected for this issue. The columnist, Crystal Daugherty, addressed the controversial Colette Bierwiler case. Our advisor read a draft of the opinion column and pointed out what she described as a "potential legal problem" that could arise from publishing the piece. I then decided that the whole Editorial Board of The Crier should make the decision as whether to proceed with the article at that point. I further made the requirement that the whole board would have to support Crystal Daugherty's column. A vote was taken, and it fell short of unanimous approval. I, in turn, rejected the piece. I wish to emphasize that the CCC administration did not directly censor The Crier for content. I voted to print the column, but I felt that it was a matter that the whole editorial board should support. That did not happen, and I thereby rejected the column . I encourage anyone interested in this matter to contact Crystal Daugherty through the office of The Crier. Ray Vose Letters Open letter to CCC community from Colette Bierwiler I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of The Crier, the Student Association, and all the others who have supported me in the recent controversy regarding my teaching postion at CCC. Due to your activities, I have been contacted by media outside the area of academia in regards to this matter.. I think it is important for you to realize that the voice heard was yours and not mine. This is in itself something of which you all should be proud. I know your activities, your critical thinking and your demands to be involved in what goes on at your school has certainly made me proud to be part of the CCC teaching staff. I sincerely appreciate the support I have received. Certainly you have brought my situation to the attention of many people. Regardless of the outcome, I would like everyone to know that one of the most important results of this matter is that the students have reacted to a situation, voiced their opinion and demanded to be heard. Is this not one of the primary goals of education? Again, my deepest thanks. Sincerely, Colette Bierwiler A new student's first encounter with "The Great One" Editor: I walked slowly that day for my mind was burdened, perplexed and weary from the struggle. My hands felt increasingly moist and vulnerable with each tension-filled step I took. On the count of three, I tucked them away quickly for security. And with their backs spilling over the rims of my pockets, I slouched my shoulders forward and proceeded with the final heavy steps. My walk on that day was not uncommon. It was the march of frustration, marked by an acute lack of confidence. Its cause was Poetry Anxiety. I approached the wood-framed door; a sign in bold authoritative letters said, "knock before entering." I had heard talk of one who could liberate me of my struggle, one whose great name was revealed and cherished. Who, I thought, would dare to foolishly intrude upon "The Great One?" I yielded three short knocks and listened as a deep resonating voice from beyond the door replied "Come in." I inched with a fearful reluctance into her room and was instantly overcome by her angelic countenance. There she was, "The Great One", her majesty even greater than I had imagined. She wore a silky robe of bright dancing colors and a matching turban about her head. Her arms were adorned with silver and gold bracelets. Upon my request, she wait to work on the poem with which I had snuggled with for days. She fed me morsels of information in which I could easily digest. After drinking from her fountain of knowledge, I felt quite content. I spun on my heels to face again the education jungle and the struggle that had prevailed against me. The thought again tip-toed across my mind to ask of her my future. "Don't worry Joseph," she said. "You’ll do just fine," My god! She read my mind! Returning to the classroom after a five years absence has proved to be a very frightening experience for me. But, through the guidance of Colette Bierwiler, I have become a more confident student. It is my sincere hope that "The Great One" will continue to work her magic here at Colette Bierwiler should stay at CCC Editor: In reaction to the controversy about Ms. Bierwiler, I feel that for the sake of the students, the college should continue the employment of Colette Bierwiler. This instructor is needed dearly. I have a disability with English, and in the spring semester of 1992 she helped me acquire the skills to structure and organize my writings. I have known her for the past year on a student/teacher basis, and feel that she has a concern for helping students learn. She also has a gift of being a friend as well as a teacher to her students. Colette Bierwiler is a person of compassion and has an interest in the students. I believe students with disabilities are in need of an instructor like Ms. Bierwiler. It is my belief that if she is a calling card and an asset to the college; and I earnestly believe that if she goes, many will go with her. She is well-known countrywide for her excellent teaching abliity. Brian Flewelling Page 8 The Crier April 1993 OPINION________________ Abortion: Think about it Lena Harper strained her eyes while peering through the old dusty window, her humble surroundings were common place to her. But all her materialistic possessions could not compare to the value of her family. As she glared across the plantation, cries of anguish could be heard from the nearby cotton field. There an exhausted man plows a dry field while being beaten repeatedly by his white owner. The man plowing is Lena’s true husband. Just fifty feet to the right of the shack she lived in, two children stood helplessly on a pedestal, in front of a gawking crowd. The boy and girl were to be auctioned that day. After momentarily viewing this cruel spectacle, she wept sorrowfully—for they were her original children. "Don’t they know we are made of the same material as they are?" cried Lena. "How could a person in sound mind and body be so callous toward human life and rank them as mere animals!" When leaving the vin-dow she went over to her bed where her newborn laid fast asleep. She chose to keep her baby, even though the father was white and she was raped. Lena, the slave, knew something her owners didn’t. No matter what state or appearance it may be in, she knew all human life is precious and unique. It is a shame that more individuals do not feel this way. The natural question is whether the unborn creation in the womb is really a human being. It is a scientific fact that human life begins at the moment of conception, or when the egg and sperm unite. Today no one questions the biological fact of the DNA and RNA which are nucleic acids that help transmit heredity. Why do people call into question the biological fact that life begins at conception? Answer: It is easier for us to kill if we can convince ourselves and others that what we are killing is not a living being. During the First Month: Conception: sperm fertilizes egg Fertilized egg implants in lining of uterus Mother misses first menstrual cycle Eyes developing Foundation laid for brain and spinal cord ♦Heart beats regularly (24 days) Arm and leg buds appear Muscles forming *1/4 inch long - 10,000 times larger than'fertilized egg Second Month: ♦Brain waves recorded ♦Lungs forming ♦Muscles work together ♦Reflexes present ♦Begins to move ♦Skeleton formed ♦Ears and ear lobes formed ♦Eyelids forming ♦Responds to touch ♦Fingers and toes defined ♦Permanent fingerprints ♦Sex identifiable ♦1 1/4 inch long Third Month: ♦Can suck thumb ♦Can hear ♦Begins to hiccup ♦Fingers can grasp objects ♦Lung and brain growth largely complete ♦Eyelids close if touched ♦Baby moves vigorously *3 inches long ♦Looks like a tiny, human doll Fourth Month: ♦May quadruple weight in 4th month ♦Grows from 4 inches at 13 weeks to 6 inches at 16 weeks ♦Heart pumps 6 gallons of blood every day ♦Downy hair covers body ♦Mother feels baby moving Fifth/Sixth Month: ♦Weighs 1 lb (5 months) * 1 foot long ♦Has chance to survive outside womb ♦Fingernails and toenails present ♦Mother feels baby hiccup Seven/nine Months: ♦Weights 3 lbs (7 months) ♦Lungs continue to mature ♦Fat deposits make skin smoother ♦At end of ninth month, baby weighs 7 1/4 lbs, is 20 inches long Since a woman may "consider" her child in her womb to be a part of her body, then that part of her body is personal property; so if another person interferes with her decision over her personal property (the abortion of her child), it is considered an "invasion of privacy." As a result, her child is not respected as a separate human, but property. This aspect reminds me of the landmark Dred Scott decision. On March 6, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court said that black people were not legal "persons" according to the Constitution. A slave was the property of the owner and could be bought or sold at the owner’s discretion. On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a landmark decision, ruled that unborn humans were not legal "persons" according to the U.S. Constitution. An unborn baby is the property of the owner (mother) and she can have the baby killed at her request or because of her social distress (health). This can be done anytime before birth. SLAVERY 1857 A. Although he may have a heart and a brain, and he may be a human life biologically, a slave is not a legal person. The Dred Scott decision by the U.S. Supreme Court has made that clear. B. A black person only becomes a legal person when he or she is set free. Before that time, we should not concern ourselves about him, because he has no legal rights. C. If you think that slavery is wrong, then nobody is forcing you to be a slave-owner. But don’t impose your mortality on somebody else! D. A man has a right to do what he wants with his own property. E. Isn’t slavery really something merciful? After all, every black man has a right to be protected. Isn’t it better never to be set free than to be sent unprepared, and ill-equipped, into a cruel world? ABORTION 1973 A. Although he may have a heart and a brain, and he may be a human life, biologically an unborn baby is not a legal person. Our U.S. Supreme Court has just made this clear. B. A baby only becomes a legal person when he is bom. Before that time, we should not concern ourselves about him because he has no legal rights. C. If you think abortion is wrong, then nobody is forcing you to have one. But don’t impose your morality on somebody else! D. A woman has a right to do what she wants with her own body. E. Isn’t abortion really something merciful? After all, every baby has a right to be wanted. Isn’t it better never to be bom than to be sent alone and unloved into a cruel world (spoken by someone already bom). Just because a law permits a woman to have an abortion doesn’t make it right. The laws have been wrong and unjust before. Workout For Hope April 3rd, 1993 Horseheads High School, North Gym 1-4 PM Registration begins at noon Children's activities for ages three and up To register: call (607)-535-9561 CCC Students may pick up registration forms in room S-203 ■ The Crier April 1993 Page 9 Two-Bit Players take the stage By Ray Vose The Two-Bit Players have been at it again, friends and neighbors. This time around, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream fell under the interpretation our our very own cast of merry actors. Director Claire Reidy led the Two-Bit Players through an interesting prologue to the play that Shakespeare purists might have groaned at, but it prepared their audience to enjoy the play to the fullest extent. The production opened with some of the actors wandering into the stage in the characters of CCC students (granted, that probably did not stretch their talents). Professor Bruce Sonner appeared as the character of himself and, with the help of Cliff Notes, explained to his "students" and the audience the play they were about to see. This audience member considered the "addition" to Shakespeare's work to be a bit risky at first. But after several of the lines by Mr. Sonner and his "students", any concerns I had faded away. The Two-Bit Players, under the direction of Claire Reidy, took Shakespeare and put their own spin on him. They are to be commended-for it worked, and it worked very well. Andrea Doddato, Jeff McConnell, Mark Wilson, and Bruce Sonner especially impressed this amateur audience member with their apparent ease in which they became absorbed with the characters they were playing. Claire Reidy and Hank Moonshein are to be commended for staging the production within the confines of the too-small Science Amphitheatre-the Two-Bit Players put together a splendid performance in a room that has no back-stage. Just imagine what our talented group of actors could do if Corning Community College had a real theatre. If you missed A Midsummer Night's Dream, this reviewer recommends that you pencil in their next production: The Nerd, May 6th, 7th, & 8th. STUDY in LONDON Earn your next 12-18 credits at Thames Valley University ° Social Sciences • Humanities • Criminal Justice • Business • Hotel Management & Catering Live in one of the world’s most exciting cities. ° Tuition, Room, and Board: $3,795 per semester • Financial Aid Applicable • Fall Semester Deadline: June 1, 1993 SUMMER PROGRAM AVAILABLE For further information contact: Jody Dudderar Center for International Studies Rockland Community College 145 College Road ,Suffern, New York 10901 (914) 574-4205 ROCKLAND A Community College of the State University of New York Our Stars of the Hour Page 10 The Crier April 1993 Here she comes the forest's growth There she goes again to fall, startled, flitting about, bounding forth with beaming onto drifted whiteness. displacing the gloom in smile, Others race to the clearings Winter's pout. she flirts in the solemn face of and stretch to loll in the Snatching the veil from nature's Winter, laughing and skipping juicy earth. head, about, trailing her warm hand She shimmers with delight. pulling young daffodils through the stale snow A flighty stream reflects. from their beds. and tossing it to pale She tires of the game. puddles below. Winter comes traipsing With a sigh, Winter strokes his through the gardens of snow, Winter looks on sternly, frosty beard. bellowing, "Child, you must raising a disapproving brow... She shines. go!" She teases her voiceless With rush of warm breath, She cries and kicks as he playmates branches tremble. shoves her away. in a game of hide-and-seek, Droplets quiver. hiding At the sight of her face, "Spring, you've played enough her face in the passing clouds. the winged choir breaks for today." Shadows stumble blindly through forth in song. Kelly Johnson HOPE Michael P. Carson I know not, what to write. My Thoughts are blank, I have lost all sight The silence surrounds me, singing its bitter song, only the loneliness abounds. Sadness chokes these words, reducing their numbers. Strikening grief gives way to pain, and I am empty. Farewell is not something, I shall say. for I have dared to love, and it will return to me. For where there is love, there is hope. In hope, someday, I will find you. \ The Crier April 1993 Page 11 Summer '93 Elmira College Courses Specialized Workshops Study Tours Offerings of 1, 2, 3 or 6 week duration Summer Session---------June 28-August 6 The 1993 SUMMER BULLETIN will be available in April Call or Write for your copy. Office of Continuing Education ELMIRA COLLEGE Room 117, McGraw Hall Park Place Elmira, NY 14901 607-735-1825 AIDS AWARENESS APRIL 5-9, 1993 Location: Commons - Large lounge Monday Aids Information Table Tuesday General Information Day Wednesday Movies - Free popcorn, 11am- 2pm Thursday "Aids has many Faces" Panel, 12:30 1:30pm Friday Questionnaires - " could you be at Risk?" CLASSIFIED SECTION INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYMENT - Make money teaching English abroad. Japan and Taiwan. Many provide room & board + other benefits! Make $2,000-&4,000+ per month. No previous training or teaching certificate required. For employment program call: (206) 632-1146 ext. J5230. SA President sends message to campuses about upcoming state budget (Editor's Note: Marko Ashley, CCC Student Association President passed along this letterfrom the state SA president and wished to let the campus know about it. Marko Ashley has been involved with this issue for the better part of the year and he notes that the Executive Committee of Student Assembly will be on campus the March 27.) Dear Friends and Student Leaders, The 1993-1994 Suny budget proposal challenged Governor Cuomo to “Reaffirm the Vision” of the State University of New York with a modest budget proposal that asked the Governor for three basic things. First, the proposal asked the Governor to account for SUNY’s “steady state requirements” which would allow SUNY’s budget to keep up with the rate of inflation (of which, SUNY got some). Second, the proposal asked the Governor to for some modest “recovery and forward progress” (of which, SUNY got none). Third, the proposal asked the Governor to restore the Community College base aid back to 1990-91 levels (of which, SUNY got none). The 1993-1994 SUNY budget proposal challenged Governor Cuomoto “Reaffirm the Vision” of the State University of New York. The Governor failed to meet this challenge but you would never know it!SUNY has been praising the Governor’s budget proposal because it is a “better” budget than we have seen in years. Assemblyman Sullivan said it best when he said, “when you’ve been hit over the head everyday with a shovel, you become grateful when you just get kicked in the butt”. SUNY’s budget has been butchered so severely over the last decade that a loss of “only” 11.8 million dollars has SUNY Central Administration relieved, but not necessarily ecstatic. But, I ask you, does this “better” budget translate into a good budget for SUNY? This better budget does include some good things for SUNY and for the SUNY family. First, the Governor’s “better” budget calls for a freeze on tuition at the State Operated campus and for GRI Matching Grant Program. Second, the Governor has also introduced some corresponding legislation known as“Management flexibility” and SUTRA or (as Rich Williams calls it) ‘the brother of TIFR’. Both of these initiatives would provide SUNY campuses with the type of flexibility that would empower them to weather the "budget storm" more effectively , but better management is no substitute for millions of dollars. The Governor’s “better” budget proposal appears to be lacking in many ways but I believe that senator LaValle has articulated our top two priorities accurately: 1) the restoration of both undergraduate and graduate T AP 2) the restoration of the $ 1,725 base aid for the Community Colleges. I would add a third to the list of priorities: 3) the restoration of the 11.8 billion dollar cut. Without this restoration the Governs budget translates into the 12th cut SUNY has been asked to endure in 3 years. The 1993-94 SUNY budget proposal challenged Governor Cuomo to “Reaffirm the Vision” of the State University of New York but apparently he wasn’t up for the challenge because his “better” budget reaffirms nothing but mediocrity and as Trustee Chu has said “access to mediocrity is no bargain”! To truly reaffirm the vision and the mission of State University of New York will take a long term commitment from our Governor and from the State legislature. On SUNY Day Assemblyman Sullivan issued all of the SUNY family the ultimate challenge by saying “these are 400,000 SUNY students, and they live in every county of the state,...If each one of your has a friend, just one friend, that’s 800.000 votes. There’s no political reason to put up with it. Some of this is in your hands.” I look forward to our continued success and student empowerment everywhere! Yours Truly, Elizabeth A Falvo SA President Licensed - Insured Residential - Commercial Cox General Contracting 959 West Water Street-Elmira, NY 14905 (607) 737-0443 or (607) 732-4323 Remodeling Poured Concrete Walls & Excavation Page 12 The Crier April 1993 STUDENT LIFE The new WCEB is here By Grace Santulli For the students who remember the old WCEB, it seems like an entirely different radio station. After years of indifference and lack of recognition, a new executive board offers hope. “I see a great future for WCEB,” states Aleathia LeBlond, General Manager and Alternative Director. A new format attracts a broader audience. WCEB now plays a variety of music geared toward the student body. Classic rock during lunch hours entertains both the younger and older college students. Early morning shows play jazz, easy listening, and light rock to empathize with students who do not what to hear anything too heavy during the early-morning stupor. The new format is one of the changes in WCEB. A major change is in the executive board itself. Aleathia LeBlond is General Manager and Alternative Director, Tammy Smith is Assistant Manager, Vince Simmons and Grace Santulli are music directors, Crystal Hoffman is the Student Government Representative, John Simcoe is the News Director, Amara Serrano is the Treasurer and Nikki Darmstadt is the Secretary. This new executive board has and will continue to dedicate themselves to making WCEB better. “What’s different is the attitude and commitment of everybody,” states Vince Simmons, Urban/R&B director. One of WCEB’s new assets is its administration. WCEB strives to have better relations with the student body. “Artist of the Week” displays inform students of new music. Public service announcements allow other clubs and organizations to relay messages through the radio station to its members and other students. WCEB plans to use their abilities to aid and enrich the community. After years of indifference and despair, a new administration has dedicated themselves to a WCEB they can be proud of. With a new format and a new outlook, WCEB may just achieve a greater future! Silly Rabbit rocks Coming By Crystal Hoffman On Monday, February 15,1993 a special guest came to “Rock the House” at WCEB. The first week on the air WCEB introduced “Silly Rabbit” as the artist of the week. When Silly Rabbit had arrived they gave an interview for everyone to remember. Aleathia LeBlond, alternative director, who conducted the interview, made the time worthwhile for all the listeners. While the interview was going on, the four member band, made up of Jim (not present for the interview), Tom, Bob and Boner talked about how they became Silly Rabbit, their five song ep, and a little free styling life that goes on off the side. The band has not yet played the States, but extensively played Manhattan and several other places. Maybe when they produce a new album they will make an appearance for everyone. Remember Silly Rabbit, Trix in not just for kids.