A Publication by the Students of the FRCC-Larimer Campus

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 AUGUST — OCTOBER 2008

HIGHER

GROUND

BY KELLI COLSON ,

RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Poverty is a growing problem

here in Larimer County.

Since 2000, the number of

people living below the

poverty line has gone up just

over half of what it used to

be, and now that number is

just over 34,000. More than

7,000 kids are currently

living in poverty, an increase

of 75 percent since the year

2000. These numbers are

only of people living in

Larimer County, and they continue to grow.

The Interfaith Council of Fort Collins is an organization trying to

help people rise above poverty. They recently co-sponsored a

candidates forum titled “Pathways Past Poverty,” which was held

in the Longs Peak Student Center on Sept. 23 and 30. Colorado

politicians running for public office came together to discuss how

they would help end poverty if they got elected and, in some cases,

re-elected.

One of the public officials who attended the Sept. 23 forum was

state Democratic Sen. Bob Bacon. He helped make over $26

million in bioscience grants available to Colorado universities and

start-up companies. He also sponsored a bill to renew Fort Collins‟

Downtown Development Authority. Bacon hopes sponsoring both

of those bills will help build more jobs.

The majority of the candidates agreed with Bacon‟s idea of how to

get people out of poverty, which is to gain more primary jobs

rather than service jobs. A primary job is a salary job for a large

company, such as Microsoft, whereas a service job is a waitress or

hostess at a restaurant. However, when asked how he plans to

close the gap between families‟ annual wages decreasing, and the

cost of living increasing, he simply responded, “We will never

close the gap.”

The best way to end poverty, according to all the candidates, is to

strengthen early child-care education. “Education is the building

block for a successful student,” Bacon said.

All of the candidates agreed that figuring out a way to provide no-

cost or reasonable childcare will help better educate the child, and

help with the finances of the family.

(Continued on page 4)

SGA FINDS A WAY

BY EMILY SEVERANCE ,

RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Want to be involved? Have ideas

of how to make Front Range a

better learning environment?

Make your voice heard and visit

the Student Government

Association.

The SGA is the representative

voice for students, faculty, and

the surrounding community on

campus at Front Range. It

advocates important issues with

the goal of making the quality of

life and education better. Weekly

duties of elected members include planning events and

community service, and holding open forums with administra-

tion. Each elected member is required to have available office

hours and attend various regional leadership conferences and

workshops. The SGA is funded 100 percent by student fees.

Just like any academic year, the SGA‟s schedule is jam-packed

with activities and

projects. Their hectic

semester was kicked off

with student government

elections. President Hana

Shatila was voted into

office last spring; however,

the vice president and

secretary positions needed

to be decided. Candidates

were seen campaigning

throughout campus and in

their classrooms, and in

the Longs Peak Student

Center. Votes were cast

and for the first time in

SGA history, there was a

tie between vice

presidential candidates

Benjamin Rencher and

Zachary Williamson.

Rencher won on Oct. 2

with 36 votes.

Anatomy and physiology instructor Molly Fiechtl captured one of the campus’ resident owls with her two owlets last spring.

(Continued on page 4)

SGA President Hana Shatila Photo by Michelle Motherway

2

MEET OUR EDITORIAL TEAM

(L to R) back row: Jeremie Schatz, Alex Hummel, Chance Johnson, Matt Etter, Kelli

Colson, Brad Menefee; middle row: Evan Brown, Joshua Brickner, Vashti Torrez;

front row: Danielle Zimmerer, Alex Golubski and Emily Severance

Photo by Karl Dukstein

MEET OUR PHOTO TEAM

MISSION STATEMENT:

The Rangeview provides a voice for FRCC’s Larimer campus. We strive to give our readers accurate and balanced coverage on a variety of news and events in an effort to keep our campus well-informed about its college community. We approach our responsibilities with the goal of maintaining the highest journalistic standards to the best of our abilities.

Faculty Advisor &

Managing Editor………...… Kate Tarasenko

Editorial Team…….…...……..Josh Brickner

….....……………………………Evan Brown

………………………………….Kelli Colson

…………………………………….Matt Etter

………………………………...Alex Golubski

……………………………...…Alex Hummel

………………………………Chance Johnson

………………………………...Brad Menefee

………………………………..Jeremie Schatz

……………………………...Emily Severance

…………………………………Vashti Torrez

……………………………Danielle Zimmerer

Photo Team…….. .……….…Miranda Baker

………………………….Michelle Motherway

……………………………….Whitney Weber

Layout…….. ..….……...……Kate Tarasenko

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

………………………………..….Blair Oliver

………………………………...…..Erin Smith

……………………………….Kate Tarasenko

FREELANCE SUBMISSIONS POLICY:

We welcome feedback, letters to the

editor, original articles and op-ed

pieces (as well as story ideas and

tips) from all members of the FRCC

Larimer Campus community.

Please do not exceed 600 words.

The Rangeview also accepts photos

and artwork in j-peg format.

All submissions must be emailed

directly from your FRCC account as

a Word.doc or j-peg attachment,

and must be accompanied by full

name and local phone number, to:

Rangeview@FrontRange.edu

All submissions are subject to final

approval by the Editorial Team and/or

Publications Board, and may be edited

for length, clarity, and potentially libel-

ous content.

Please submit your calendar items and events to

Erin.Smith@FrontRange.edu.

ALL CONTENT © 2008 RANGEVIEW (L to R): Michelle Motherway, Karl-Heinz Dukstein, Whitney Weber and Miranda Baker

Photo by Kathryn Dokter

3

ALSO

IN THIS ISSUE:

Serving the Students

IT Services.……….…..….5

Ann Healy, WC.…………6

Math Help…….………….7

PR Dept………………….8

Online Learning………...10

Scholars’ Square

Barb Patterson, NRP...…11

Wm. Foster, Eng...……...12

Club Hub

PTK…..………..………..13

SOFA…………………...14

Campus Wellness

Facilities Services………15

Denise Proulx, HHP…….16

Medium Cool

John Hill, Theater……….17

DNC Photo Exhibit..........18

Ballot Measures W/D...…18

Student Special

“Barack-ing the Vote”….19

Be Our Guest

“Independent Lens”…….16

Peru………………...…..20

FROM OUR READERS

The Rangeview is funded by Student Life

using student fees, and by the

Department of Arts & Letters.

Reporting for The Rangeview

is provided by the journalism

students of JOU-106,

the Fundamentals of Reporting.

Photography is provided by

the students of FRCC-LC.

SPRING 2009

Register for JOU-106,

the Fundamentals of

Reporting, and write for

The Rangeview!

CRN 63586;

3 transfer

credit hours

Also offered as an

Honors Institute class.

I have only recently become

acquainted with FRCC’s

Rangeview, and I am impressed

with its professionalism. The

expository writing is clear and

correct, conveying even complex

data so that it is accessible to the

reader. The interviews and

features are lively and well-

conceived, and each writer

possesses a “voice” that adds

human interest.

The Rangeview gives enough

information on a wide variety of

campus activities to be useful to

its readers. Grammatical and

spelling errors, the bugbear of

student writing, are rare.

All in all, the writing in The

Rangeview compares well with

that in the Fort Collins Coloradoan

and similar publications. Those

involved in its production should

be complimented.

David Healy

Professor Emeritus of History

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

(Fort Collins)

Cover Letter & Resume Writing Workshop Learn about the purpose of a resume, the various sections

within a resume, different styles and strategies for

formatting your resume, and how to avoid common

mistakes, as well as how to write effective cover letters

and develop a lists of references on Tuesday, Oct. 21

from 10 to 11 a.m. in MA 131.

Single Parent Program Information Session

Find out about free support services for single-parent

students: Monday, Oct. 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,

Longs Peak Student Center‟s East Conference Room

Pre-registration is required for all workshops. Sign up at

www.frontrange.edu/lcsingleparent (under Workshops).

Questions? Contact Sheryl.Harrell@frontrange.edu

Four-Year Transfer Fair Four-year college and university representatives from

around Colorado will be on campus Wednesday, Oct. 29

from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Longs Peak Student

Center.

Career Doctor Stop by and get a variety of career assistance with

informal career counseling, cover letter and resume

writing, career assessments, and job search assistance on

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., LPSC Foyer

El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Altars will be displayed in the Harmony Library Commu-

nity Room on Thursday, Oct. 30 from noon till 4 p.m.

Overcoming Test Anxiety

Learn a simple technique for managing stress and staying

calm before and during tests: Tuesday, Nov. 4 from 1:00

to 2:00 p.m., Longs Peak Student Center‟s East

Conference Room

QUICK HITS & ITTY BITS

4

(POVERTY FORUM continued from page 1)

Bacon hopes to help all educational institutes do the job they

were meant to do. He wants to make sure public schools earn

enough money for special education and programs where

non-English speaking students can learn English. He wants

to get more people to be hands-on with public schools and

help kids succeed. “[The] drop-out rate starts as early as

eighth and ninth grade,” he said.

Bacon, like all the other candidates, said that if we educate

children at an early age and get them started on the right

track, then they might have an easier time continuing through

college and getting a good job in the end.

Some people might think that a roomful of politicians talking

about one topic for three hours may be uninteresting, but the

audience stayed entertained the entire time. The candidates

held their attention by cracking jokes with each other. The

room was quiet throughout the entire forum and many of the

audience members were taking notes and asking questions.

A young woman who was focused on the forum and rarely

took her eyes off the candidates was sitting in the front row

(Continued on next page)

This year‟s agenda includes many annual events, special pro-

jects, and a trip to Colorado Springs for the State Student Advi-

sory Council Leadership Conference. At the conference, mem-

bers will get to meet the legislative teams from the other 13

colleges in the Colorado Community College System. They

will talk about issues affecting all campuses, and how to be-

come great leaders and impact the world around us.

This is a unique opportunity for members to network with other

student government members and advisors. The conference is

designed to inspire leadership and action for student

representatives to bring back to their college campuses.

Upcoming events for the Larimer campus include Halloween

festivities and providing Thanksgiving dinners to those in need.

Last year, the SGA provided 50 Thanksgiving turkey dinners

for the Fort Collins community. The SGA assisted with CSU‟s

Homecoming parade, as well. Possible projects for the Larimer

campus include a healthcare insurance system for students, and

creating private accommodations for nursing mothers.

Located in the Longs Peak Student Center, the Student Govern-

ment Association accepts applications all year for those who

want to help make a difference. Interested in Executive

Council? You must be a registered student enrolled in at least

nine credit hours, have attended FRCC-LC for a complete

semester, with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. Interested in

being a legislative representative? You must be a registered

student with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and enrolled in at least

one credit hour. SGA meetings are held every Monday from

4:00 to 5:15 p.m. in the LPSC‟s East Conference Room.

Students and faculty are welcome to sit in on meetings and

participate in the open discussions.

“Come see us!” Shatila exclaimed. “We want more students

involved!” ®

Incumbents and candidates for the Colorado House and Senate gather for “Pathways Past Poverty,” the first of two public forums held at FRCC on Sept. 23 and 30. Photo by Dr. Martin Carcasson, director of CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation, which co-sponsored the event

(SGA continued from page 1)

Williamson will act as secretary, treasurer and any other position

that the council needs filled. David Murphy will act as a legisla-

tive representative. Filling only five out of 16 available slots, the

SGA encourages every student to think about joining.

“We‟re small but mighty!” Shatila exclaimed. She is 18 years old

and has attended Front Range for the past two years. Born and

raised in Fort Collins, Shatila graduated early from high school

and is studying political science and pre-law. She hopes to

graduate from Colorado State University and become a lawyer.

Outside of Front Range, Shatila loves reading, shopping, traveling

and spending time with her friends and family.

“I am extremely proud of Hana,” said Erin Smith, Student Life

director and SGA advisor. “She can do anything she sets her mind

to.”

As president, Shatila is responsible for facilitating meeting

discussions, sticking to council goals, and spreading the word

about SGA on campus.

Smith has been the SGA advisor for the past five years. “My

duties as council advisor include developing good rapport with

students, suggesting ideas, acting as a liaison between students and

administration, and creating a sense of team spirit.” Smith said.

“I hope the SGA will set some challenging yet attainable goals that

I will work to help them accomplish,” she said.

After training and an induction ceremony, the real work begins.

New officers are required to pass an official background check and

are considered employees of the State of Colorado. Members of

student government receive a small monetary stipend for the work

they do.

5

SERVING THE STUDENTS (POVERTY FORUM continued from previous page)

and taking lots of notes. Nikki Schillaci is 18 years old and

a student at Front Range. She was attending the forum for

a class. “I thought all the candidates had really interesting

things to say,” she said. “And they pretty much all agreed

on many of the key issues.”

Schillaci is a member of the Democratic Party but thought

both Republican and Democratic candidates made valid

points. “More people should understand the poverty

problem we have here in Fort Collins,” Schillaci

explained. She had had no idea how many people here in

Larimer county live below the poverty line. Schillaci went

on to say, “It‟s important that people know so they can

help.”

After the forum, the majority of the audience stayed to talk

to some of the candidates one on one. Schillaci still isn‟t

sure who she will vote for. “Many of the candidates had

very good ideas. It will be hard to choose just one,” she

said.

There are many ways to help and get involved. One can

donate to charities, volunteer at daycare centers, etc.

“All of us are weak at some point and are in need of the

community‟s help,” Bacon said. ®

ITS Coordinator Susie Peppers, posed in front of an arsenal of computer towers, joined FRCC this past summer. (See related story below.)

Photo by Michelle Motherway

IN TOUCH WITH ITS

BY JOSHUA BRICKNER, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

It takes a lot of effort to keep the multitude of computers on

campus running smoothly. Susie Peppers, the Information

Technology Services (ITS) coordinator of the Larimer

campus, is in charge of making sure they do. Peppers manages

the IT Support Desk on campus which is a support resource to

faculty. They deal with the various problems that crop up with

the software and hardware that are installed on campus.

Peppers moved to Colorado 13 years ago from southern

California. She attended FRCC, receiving an Associate of

Arts degree in 2003, after which she attended Regis

University in Fort Collins where she received a bachelor‟s

degree in Computer Information Systems (CIS) in May of this

year. In that month she also got married. In July, two months

after graduating and tying the knot, Peppers began her career

at FRCC. In her free time, Peppers enjoys hiking, skiing and

reading.

When asked what especially interests her in technology,

Peppers responded, “Technology is always changing and

evolving. I like that nothing stands still. Change keeps us

moving forward in life.” Peppers says she enjoys using all

the gadgets that these advances in technology provides.

Peppers‟ tidy corner office consists of a large desk with a

computer, and a few piles of computers stacked about.

Peppers says that the best part of her job is “helping users,

and working with so many different departments and people.”

She decided to go back to school for her CIS degree after holding

a position as an administrative assistant, where she learned the

basics about how computer hardware and software work. Peppers

says she “always been interested in learning about technology.”

Peppers says the most common issue that her department deals

with is forgotten passwords. With all the things students and

faculty have to keep track of, it is quite common for them to forget

their computer login information. If you forget your password,

Peppers recommends you visit the Computer Commons (BP101)

in Blanca Peak. After presenting a photo ID, the lab monitor will

reset your password for you. “For student e-mail and Blackboard

Vista support, students can call 1-888-800-9198 or log onto

http://help.cccs.edu,” says Peppers.

It is important to protect your digital identity on and off campus.

“Never share passwords,” says Peppers. It is important that you

keep your passwords secret and change them often.

Peppers also warns that you should “be very careful of the

personal information you post to Internet sites.” Once something

is posted to the Internet, almost anyone can see it and it is very

difficult to remove something once it has been posted online.

Finally it is important that you always logout when finished using

the computer, to ensure that One common issue that Peppers says

ITS cannot help students with is corrupted or broken USB flash

drives. Although flash drives are cheap and useful tools, they are

not fail-safe, they can break, lose data, or become lost. She noted

that it is imperative that students do frequent backups of the data

(Continued on next page)

6

SERVING THE STUDENTS

(PEPPERS continued from previous page)

stored on their flash drives. By simply copying the files from

the flash drive to your computer‟s hard drive, you can save

yourself the pain of losing that paper or homework assignment

that you spent hours creating. It can also be useful to place a

text file with your contact information on your flash drive. If it

is found on campus whoever discovers it will have a good

method to return it you. If you happen to find a flash drive left

behind by another student, you can take it to Police Services in

Mount Antero.

Looking into the near future, Peppers said that a new Internet

Protocol (IP) telephony system will be installed across campus

“to enhance security.” The new IP telephony system means a

phone will be installed in every classroom. These phones will

be able to dial 911 and Public Safety in the case of an emer-

gency. This system should be rolled out this semester.

When asked what the worst part of her job is, Peppers said

“It‟s all good!” ®

HEALY ’S HELPFUL HINTS

BY VASHTI TORREZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Instructors from various departments of Front Range are

increasingly referring their student to the Writing Center on

campus. The Writing Center is an offshoot of the English

Department and is open each weekday on a walk-in basis. The

Writing Center is staffed by Front Range instructors and, for

the last three years, 77-year-old volunteer Ann Healy.

Healy originally moved to Colorado from Wisconsin 10 years

ago to retire from 25 years of teaching English composition

and history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Yet, when

she got here, she realized that she wasn‟t ready to put teaching

aside. “One side of me says that I wish I were still full-time

teaching, but the flexibility of volunteering has its advantages,”

she states.

Healy has dedicated much of her life to the institution of

education. Her post-secondary education began at the

University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned her

undergraduate degree in natural science. Healy states, “I was

actually doing that to be a vet-tech or a doctor.”

After five years exploring different opportunities in the Red

Cross, YWCA and eventually working as a grade school

teacher, Healy went on a trip. The trip was guided by a

Russian history professor and the destination was the former

Yugoslavia. She reminisced on this pivotal point in her life and

comments, “I just got interested. I went to Yugoslavia, [and] I

just got interested in the history of Eastern Europe. It was the

trip that was largely responsible for my interest [in European

history].”

At this point, Healy decided to go back to school and

explore the history of Europe with a concentration in

Russian history. She received her master‟s degree in

history and continued until she earned her doctorate in

European history, with a concentration in Russian history.

Throughout her schooling and teaching career, Healy has

published various pieces of work. Her first published work

was her dissertation for her doctorate titled “Russian

Autocracy in Crisis: 1905-1907.” She also translated a

memoir from Russian originally written by Gennady

Khomiakov-Andreev and published it under the title

“Bitter Waters: Life and Work in Stalin‟s Russia.”

While teaching English composition, she also co-wrote

and published a textbook for her class titled, “Strategies

for Writing: A Basic Approach.” She explained that she

fought for the book to be titled “So, You Don‟t Like to

Write,” with a funny picture on the cover, but the publisher

urged them against that approach.

Healy has a rich past of teaching various students on

different levels in their writing careers. Some include

English as a Second Language (ESL) students, some are

(Continued on next page)

The Writing Center is located inside

the Learning Opportunity Center in

Blanca Peak, room 102G. Staff is

available to assist all FRCC students

with any writing project or assignment

on a first-come, first-served basis from

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

This semester, you’ll also find staff

posted in the foyer of the Longs Peak

Student Center from noon till 2 p.m.

For help online, go to

http://frontrange.edu/writing

7

SERVING THE STUDENTS

(HEALY continued from previous page)

considered “at-risk” students, and others are

students who took her upper-level history courses

at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. With all

of these students, her underlying goal is the same:

to clarify, strengthen their work, teach them how

to become critics of their own writing, and

develop confidence by helping them realize that

they do have a lot to say and can bring a lot to

their writing.

She explains that the diverse student population

and student age at Front Range is part of the

attraction of volunteering at the Writing Center.

She explains that the best writing comes from

students relating to their own life experiences. But

she also sees a lot of different writing, ranging

from veterinary sciences to scholarship essays.

Healy states that “writing is a presentation of

yourself,” and she encourages students of every

level to come into the Writing Center. Most

professionals, including Healy, don‟t publish a

piece of work without first getting it reviewed. ®

YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED !

BY CHANCE JOHNSON , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

For those who struggle with math, a free tutoring service is avail-

able here at Front Range. The Math Help Center is available in

Blanca Peak, room 102 D. Getting help in math may be costly and

difficult to find, but by getting help from the tutors on campus, this

is no longer an issue.

Ceyra Sexton, a student at Front Range enrolled in Math 121,

sometimes struggles with math courses, homework, and the many

frustrations that the combination that the two present. Sexton

revealed that she takes advantage of the Help Center frequently, at

least twice a week, even if it is to make sure that she is clear on the

directions. She said that she will usually study there for an hour to

an hour and a half. To ensure that she is confident and under-

stands her math course, Sexton will visit a tutor even if she is not

struggling with anything in particular. She then admitted to using

the Help Center for three hours per session when in preparation for

a test.

Sexton steadfastly stated that the center is “very helpful” and that

the tutors “explain all steps and directions well.” She visits most

often with tutors Ivan Loy and Margaret Counts, who are math

instructors as well as tutors.

Janis Hess, another tutor and Front Range math instructor, gave

more insight and information of the usefulness of this facility.

Hess, an upbeat and thorough instructor, is participating in her first

semester working in the Help Center. She has also done group

tutoring for certain courses during the previous three years in

the Harmony Library. Hess currently tutors on Tuesdays and

Thursdays. She said that she starts her diagnoses by first

“discovering how much a student already knows,” then goes

from there. This saves time by not re-teaching a student what

he or she may already know how to do.

What Hess has noticed that has helped students is that the

tutor‟s guidance builds confidence. Some students sometimes

already know how to do the work, but require reinforcement,

which makes them more confident in doing the work. As an

instructor, Hess always makes sure from the first day of the

semester that her class is aware of the facility. From there, if

Hess notices that one of her students may require extra

attention throughout the course, she will direct that individual

to the Help Center.

Hess acknowledged that it is a challenge when a student is so

far behind in the material that she is required to go back several

sections to find the root of the problem. She has also noticed

that when a student misses class, he or she will show up

expecting to be taught an entire section instead of seeking

specific help.

Hess believes that the best part of using the Help Center is that

the one-on-one assistance allows her and other tutors to assist

at the student‟s pace, as opposed to group teaching where

several students may learn at varying paces.

(Continued on next page)

Semi-retired educator, author and Writing Center volunteer Ann Healy assists student Kathy Berry (right) with an assignment. On most days, the avid skier and hiker rides her bike to FRCC from her home in Old Town. Photo by Whitney Weber

8

SERVING THE STUDENTS

FRIENDLY RELATIONS : PR AT FRCC

BY JEREMIE SCHATZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Have you ever thought about what lures students to Front Range Community College? Maybe they saw the college‟s Web site

chock full of information, or read a press release in the newspaper about enrollment opening up, or simply heard a rumor about

the well-kept campus and quality instructors. In one way or another, whatever influenced their decision could in some way be

attributed to FRCC‟s Public Relations Department.

An often misunderstood or overlooked link in FRCC‟s success lies within the Public Relations Department. When John Feeley,

55, left the associate editor position at the Coloradoan in 1996, he filled the role as the director of college communications in

charge of media relations here at FRCC. Since then, the department has evolved into the Department of Marketing and Advance-

ment where a lot of the marketing responsibilities fall under Feeley‟s public relations position.

“The advancement part of the department is our FRCC Foundation, which raises money for programs and, particularly for readers

of The Rangeview, scholarships,” he says. The FRCC Foundation, established in 1994, focuses mainly on securing funding to

allocate to students in the form of scholarships. Feeley helps the Foundation by creating press releases for various fundraising

events that the Foundation organizes. It‟s hard to miss the many flyers plastered on bulletin boards around campus alerting

students to the different scholarships that are available, who can qualify for them, and when the window of opportunity exists to

apply for them. “There are scholarships that are for certain groups: single parents, ethnic minorities…A lot of these depend on

what the donor wants and the donor directs those,” says Feeley.

(Continued on next page)

(MATH HELP CENTER continued from previous page)

Hess has already noticed that her students that use this

service are “more apt to improve than not.”

Carla Berley oversees the Math Help Center, is in charge

of scheduling the shifts of the tutors, and is a math

instructor at Front Range. Berley has been challenged to

improve it with a limited budget.

As an instructor, Berley, like Hess, makes certain that all

of her students are aware of the Help Center, and even

walks them over so that there is no question of its

location. Berley said, “I inform my students of the free

tutoring on the first day of class so that they will use it

before problems arise and begin to snowball into larger

problems.” Math builds upon itself and if one detail is

not understood, it is very likely to affect future sections.

Berley even advocates the use of the lesser known,

smaller, Math Help Center in the Harmony Library for

030 and 060 students. She also tries to make all students

aware that Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. are great opportunities to

use the tutoring services because it is much easier to find an

available tutor than during the week. Berley is currently

challenged with having the center decorated on a limited budget

to be more aesthetically pleasing, thus more appealing to use.

Primarily, her constant challenge is making students aware of

the free service available to them.

The Math Help Center is an essential tool for students‟ success.

®

A: Pumpkin Pi!

Math instructor Janis Hess tutors student Alastair Johnson in the Math Help Center in Blanca Peak 102D. Photo by Whitney Weber

Q: What do you get when you divide

the circumference of a

jack-o-lantern by its diameter?

9

SERVING THE STUDENTS

(PR continued from previous page)

One of the responsibilities of the PR Department is to “tell the

story of the college…There are stories of successful students, there

are stories of important programs, there are stories of partnerships,

there are stories of outstanding faculty, and we try and tell those

stories to different audiences,” says Feeley.

Feeley also emphasizes the ties of the college to important perti-

nent community organizations throughout the area. For instance,

FRCC is a sponsor of Larimer County‟s Small Business Develop-

ment Center which advises new and existing businesses. “Here is

an organization about creating jobs…and saving jobs in Larimer

County, for the formation of businesses. It‟s part of driving and

supporting the local economy,” says Feeley.

Sometimes it‟s an internal audience that is being addressed, such

as the students who are getting the story about a new scholarship

that‟s available, or a faculty member hearing the story about an

instructor‟s recently acquired master‟s degree. There is a much

greater audience, though: the external audience, such as potential

financial donors, “the general public, legislators, community

groups, all kinds of different groups that we want to target at

different times,” says Feeley.

While one of the PR Department‟s goals is to keep the press up to

date on the college‟s happenings, it‟s important that there is a

gatekeeper of information. “I try to be successful by sending them

things that you really think are news,” says Feeley. In the end, he

says, “it‟s up to the infinite and autonomous wisdom of the media

itself to decide.”

For Feeley, public relations is much more than filtering out press

releases. There are a number of online duties that he is responsible

for as well. The college‟s internal audience is the target for a

biweekly electronic newsletter called the FrontLine. The content

“is contributed, of course, and I do the editing for it and assemble

it,” Feeley says. Another more visible online responsibility is the

college‟s Web site. “I‟ve been the content director of the

Web site for probably about eight or nine years, and the Web

site is a big contact point for the general public, and for

students and staff,” says Feeley.

In his eight years as the coordinator of student recruitment,

Marko Mohlenhoff, 38, specializes in reaching out to the

college‟s external audience. When representing FRCC at a

recruiting booth, Mohlenhoff may be the first to help create

an image of what FRCC is all about. He sums up his ideal of

the FRCC image in four concepts: “accessibility, quality,

professional, and supportive.”

Mohlenhoff isn‟t just on the giving end of PR; he‟s also on

the receiving end. “When we need promotional materials for

an event…[the PR Department] are the ones who basically

get us the final product,” he says. He and Feeley collaborated

with other FRCC staff to develop a full-color information

packet as a major-league marketing tool that is answers

many preliminary questions that a potential student of any

age or background may have, but mostly Coloradans.

“Ninety to 95 percent of our students are Colorado

residents,” says Feeley, ”so we‟re not like CSU, which

knows they have fertile grounds for recruiting in Texas and

Hawaii…Our students aren‟t there. Our students are here.”

Although many of the public relations responsibilities fall

largely within the marketing and advancement department,

Mohlenhoff and Feeley both agree that everyone involved

with FRCC is inherently contributing to the college‟s public

relations. “When Jim Butzek, the vice president [of FRCC]

is out at a community event representing Front Range, he‟s

telling our story. That‟s public relations, too,” says Feeley.

Mohlenhoff reflects that “A main benefit of having a public

relations or marketing department is that top-of-mind aware-

ness…Community colleges don‟t just happen; they need the

support of the community.” ®

(ONLINE continued from page 10)

students access to an online writing lab in which tutors would

return an essay within 24 hours.

Vercauteren and Salahub believe that online classes and learning

aren‟t for every student. “They have to possess a different dynamic

and personality style,” states Vercauteren.

In Fall 2007, a survey was given to online faculty. Of the 115

instructors, 45 responded to the survey from 23 different

disciplines. The survey, according to Vercauteren, found that the

top reasons faculty taught online course was, “they like the

flexibility of teaching online, they enjoy using technology, and

they enjoy interacting with students online.” The survey also

concluded that almost 38 percent “already started using audio

and video in their classes.”

Technology in FRCC‟s classrooms has significantly advanced,

with faculty making a determined effort to incorporate new soft-

ware and find better means to relay information for students who

take online classes, with on-campus students benefiting. ®

“Street Preacher” by Kathryn Dokter Read her editorial on page 16 about her experience photographing the sights around Denver during the DNC.

10

SERVING THE STUDENTS

ON BOARD WITH ONLINE LEARNING

BY VASHTI TORREZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Online classes at Front Range Community College began with one

class in 1991 that was done by e-mail between the instructor and

the students. Classes over the last 17 years have expanded from

that one to 250 courses, four online degrees, and 10 online certifi-

cates that can be completed exclusively online. Technology has

expanded beyond the scope of e-mail to include the use of Black-

board, a course management system provider. Online instructors,

in an effort to both customize their courses and provide more

content to students, are beginning to use various software to

provide audio, visual or a combination to get content to students.

Eric Salahub is the lead philosophy faculty and Online Learning

lead for the Arts and Letters Department. He is one instructor who

incorporated new technology in his online course. As Salahub sits

in his office, he opens the Blackboard

website that shows his Philosophy 112

Ethics class and explains that he started

this semester with a video of himself,

introducing the class for his students.

He also uses software called Screencast

-o-Matic, which allows you to create a

video recording of your screen and

include audio, to create a customized

tutorial of Blackboard which shows

students the applications used in his

course. “Students are getting more

[technology] savvy and asking for it,”

Salahub states.

Compared to on-campus classes, online

classes are almost double the tuition. As of Spring 2008, an on-

campus class cost $173 per credit hour, compared to $235 for an

online class.

Tammy Vercauteren, dean of Online Learning, explains that the

tuition for online classes is set up by Colorado Community

College System. The cost is the same for all students in Colorado

who attend community colleges. She hopes that in the future,

since even on-campus classes take advantage of systems that are

paid for with the online learning budget, that could be spread

across the board.

As Salahub reviews his online course, he leans back in his office

chair and proficiently navigates between two monitors connected

to his PC, each open to show various applications. “It‟s a third of

the way through the semester and I have a total 2,170 posts,” he

says as he reviews the online discussion component on Black-

board.

Students have to expect that they will spend just as much time in

an online class, if not more, as an on-campus class, Salahub

explains. “There is no „back of the classroom‟ in online classes.

You have to participate,” he states.

In addition to video and Screencast-o-Matic used in his classes,

Salahub records his lectures for student to open as an MP3 file. He

scripts and records each lecture completely separate from his

same on-campus course and makes the script and MP3 file

available for students. Salahub explains that the textbook as

a sole piece of information for the course “is not enough.”

One thing that Salahub stresses in reviewing his online

course is that content is added semester after semester. He

has been building off past experience of 14 years. Salahub

started teaching online courses in 1994 at Oregon State

University.

“We had no idea what we were doing [back then],” he states.

He set up his class on a website that his 12 students would

refer to throughout the semester, in addition to corresponding

through e-mail.

In the last eight years alone, enrollment for FRCC‟s online

courses has increased from 430 students to 1,160 students,

according to Vercauteren. Enrollment numbers include

online classes for the Westminister, Brighton, Boulder

County and Larimer

campuses.

Students from any of the four

campuses can enroll in either

Front Range Community

College online classes or

Colorado Community College

Online classes, or CCCOnline.

In the 2007 and 2008 school

years, online classes made up

almost 18 percent of student

enrollment, according to

Vercauteren. This percentage

includes Front Range

Community Colleges and CCCOnline classes. However,

from that number, 65 percent of students enrolled in Front

Range online classes, and the remaining 35 percent were

enrolled in CCCOnline classes.

Vercauteren explains that the difference between students

taking a course through the FRCC online and CCCOnline is

that the courses are taught by current or former Front Range

faculty, and that they possess a “personal touch” which

allows the students easier accessibility to faculty throughout

the semester. CCCOnline also doesn‟t proctor any exams

through the on-campus Testing Center.

Vercauteren is instituting technology on a college-wide scale

that would assist students taking online classes through

FRCC. One recent application is the Blackboard Vista Help

Desk that is available to students 24 hours a day, seven days

a week. Students can receive technical assistance by phone,

submit an e-mail, chat with a support team member or view

self-help articles. Vercauteren is also piloting a new service

with an English and biology class called SMARTHINKING.

The service would allow students to access to online tutors

24 hours a day, seven days a week. The service also gives

(Continued on page 9)

11

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." ~Aldo Leopold

TIED TO THE LAND :

BARB PATTERSON

BY JEREMIE SCHATZ , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

It can be quite the task tracking down the program director and

lead faculty of the Forestry, Wildlife, and Natural Resource

Program at Front Range‟s Larimer campus. Barb Patterson is a

busy woman with a gaggle of students, work-study employees,

and fellow instructors trying to track her down for a moment of

her time.

Patterson‟s small office, complete with plaque-mounted fish

and various preserved animals, was buzzing with activity and

students overflowing into the hallway. The

small crowd had dissipated and only a lone

work-study student remained as she re-

turned from a meeting. As she settled on

the grass in the shade of a tree outside of

Red Cloud Peak, she plucked a leaf and,

rubbing it between her fingers, proclaimed,

“Fraxinus Pennsylvanica, green ash.”

Patterson, born in Wisconsin in 1957, is

passionate about conservation. “I grew

up near a wildlife reserve where my dad

would take me hunting, fishing and camp-

ing, and I fell in love with the outdoors,”

she says. “I have a very strong land ethic,” a philosophy

conceptualized by environmentalist and ecologist AldoLeopold.

Leopold was a prominent ecologist during the early 1900s who

wrote: “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and

land,” and was a strong proponent of conservation education.

This passion for the outdoors and the science that fills it is what

Patterson has been instilling in students at Front Range for the

last 25 years.

At the beginning of her term here at Front Range, Patterson was

involved with the Vo-Tech Program, the Horticulture Program,

and went on to develop the Fisheries and Forestry Program. “It‟s

the best job for me because I created it,” says Patterson. Earlier

in her career, she taught at a college in Minnesota, and at a high

school in Wisconsin.

After receiving her bachelor‟s degree in agriculture with an

emphasis in forestry and horticulture, it wasn‟t a straight shot

from school to teaching for Patterson. Showing her dedication to

the field of science, she spent six years with the National Forest

Service working with timber and soils at a research station and

working with wolves in Minnesota, and with birds at the

Minnesota Department of Wildlife.

There is no such thing as down time for Patterson, who has an

other-worldly amount of energy and a million things going on

around her at any given moment. “I volunteer for the Colorado

Division of Wildlife, I‟m teaching a workshop in two weeks on

bird education, I‟m involved with the North American

Association for Environmental Education, and I‟m presenting at

a conference in Reno, Nevada in November for the Society of

American Foresters.”

SAF is an organization founded in 1900 that, according to their

Web site, “has provided access to information and networking

opportunities to prepare members for the challenges and the

changes that face natural resource professionals.”

Not one to limit herself to only teaching others, Patterson has

been furthering her own education and academic involvement

with the near completion of a Ph.D. from Colorado State

University. She received a grant from the National Science

Foundation for achievement-gap research which “minimizes the

achievement gap in science for…low socio-economic class

Mexican-Americans.” Achievement gap research deals with the

comparison in the rates of learning between different groups of

students, especially groups of differing

socio-economic status, ethnic background,

and gender. The program is a collaboration

between Oregon, Montana and Colorado,

and Patterson‟s research stems from

similar work she did on Native American

reservations. “I‟m transferring my research

from Indian reservations to Mexican-

Americans because it is the largest

achievement gap in the nation,” says

Patterson.

Patterson‟s favorite aspect of her work at

FRCC is hands-on experiential learning. This teaching method-

ology is also emphasized in her Ph.D. research, and forms the

basis of the entire Forestry, Wildlife, and Natural Resource

Program that she created. “People have to learn hands-on out

in the field. My dissertation is about how science needs to be

taught out in the field so [the students] can make connections

with the environment,” says Patterson.

Patterson‟s

vigor far out-

weighs her

small stature.

After she

disclosed that

she was born

in 1957, she

went on to say,

“I just climbed

three 14-ers

and bicycled

over three

mountain

passes…So

who cares how

old I am?” ®

(See related

story on

page 20.)

12

SCHOLARS ’ SQUARE

FOSTER FOLLOWS HIS HEART

BY CHANCE JOHNSON , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Take a closer look at folks at Front Range Community

College and you may be surprised at the stories you find.

English instructor William Foster is one such individual with a

story to tell. This 36-year-old could be profiled on campus as a

friendly guy, easy to talk to and always smiling. His laid-back

demeanor is immediately evident as he kicked back in his chair

and propped up his feet on his office‟s trash can.

Foster was born in Denver but lived there only for six months

when his family relocated to Maine. Foster‟s father, a retired

lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, was a criminal defense

attorney whose job required the family to move frequently.

Foster and his family lived on the East Coast until he was 12.

Soon after, he and his family found themselves living in Saudi

Arabia. While in this foreign land, he worked with his dad, a

master diver, and taught diving. This planted the seed for his

future career in teaching.

Foster fondly recalls this time in his life as very memorable for

having the privilege of being able to immerse himself in other

cultures otherwise unfamiliar to him. Not only did the young

Foster have the opportunity to better appreciate the Middle

Eastern way of life, but by the time he was in high school, he

was attending boarding school in Switzerland. In hindsight,

Foster finds himself fortunate that he got to experience

boarding school, as many children don‟t. At this early stage in

his life, Foster had already lived in three different countries,

shaping his character all the while.

After high school, Foster returned to the United States to study

at American University in Washington, D.C. With his already

extensive background in various cultures, he chose to major in

international relations. All this time, he still held closest to his

heart his passion for literature and writing. Being one who

strongly advocates doing what one loves, Foster decided to

couple his love of reading and writing with his love of

teaching, and pursue a degree in English Education, and made

the move to Colorado State University.

After he earned his bachelor‟s degree, he then returned to CSU

to earn his master‟s degree in 2004. Shortly thereafter, he

began teaching at Front Range where he has happily remained

since 2005. Until recently, Foster also worked as an adjunct

instructor at CSU teaching English as a Second Language.

This was until he began teaching full-time at Front Range.

“Follow your heart,” says Foster, who firmly believes that

people must do what makes them happiest. He feels that it is

his responsibility to share with others what means so much to

him. This is what he also considers one of the best parts of his

job; having the privilege to be able to share his passion with his

students through classroom interaction. Foster considers him-

self very fortunate that he is able to have a career doing what

he loves.

English faculty member William Foster grew up in different parts of the United States, as well as in the Middle East and Switzerland. Photo by Michelle Motherway

As Foster claims, he is “so blessed to live in a place where you

can do whatever you want.”

Since everyone learns differently and at a different pace, Foster

says he learns from his students as much as they learn from him.

Learning about the constant changes in his field is one challeng-

ing aspect of his job that he enjoys. Although Foster enjoys his

work a great deal, he also takes it seriously and expresses that it

comes first before any other commitments.

Foster recalls the beginning of his career and how it was diffi-

cult at first to manage his time and get into a routine, balancing

his home life and work. He explains that in teaching, much of

his work gets taken home with him, but he has since overcome

this obstacle. The only other thing that Foster finds frustrating

is when he comes across a student that he can not get through to,

especially when he is doing all he can to help that individual,

such as one-on-one help.

Although he is a very busy person because of his dedication to

his career, in his free time Foster enjoys several hobbies. He

loves his two dogs and cat, which he considers to be his family.

He likes to take them along with him on outdoor activities such

as camping, hiking, and snowshoeing. Reading is something he

does for fun, as well as fly-fishing and traveling. Foster also

contributes his time volunteering on behalf of Front Range as

well as at the Larimer County Humane Society, and values

being a good and ethical member of the community. ®

Traveling Man...

13

CLUB HUB

PTK SERVES WITH

HONOR

BY ALEX GOLUBSKI , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Of the many clubs at Front Range Community College, Phi Theta

Kappa is the leading honorary society for two-year colleges and

includes 50 states of active PTK chapters across the country. The

club promotes scholarship opportunities to students and residents

of Colorado for colleges all over the world, leadership skills,

fellowship, and community services.

Phi Theta Kappa originated at Stephens College in Columbia,

Miss. in 1918 by the presidents of the

Missouri junior colleges for women.

The new honorary society was based

on an already existing organization,

Phi Beta Kappa. With the idea of

promoting leadership and educational

programs and community service

projects, Phi Theta Kappa was built on

the same concepts. In 1926, Phi Theta

Kappa expanded beyond Missouri,

and was recognized in 1929 by the

American Association of Community

Colleges as the official honor society

for two-year colleges.

Bonnie Lindsey, the president of Phi Theta Kappa, was elected

last April at one of the conventions hosting PTK Honorary

Societies from all over the country. This year they plan to have it

in Dallas, Texas, where two potential officers will go to represent

their club. Last year, Front Range Community College‟s Phi

Theta Kappa organization won for Outstanding Officer of the

year and the Hallmark Essay Award. Lindsey says that the

outstanding officer of last year‟s Phi Theta Kappa club is now a

Peace Corps representative in the Republic of Ghana, in West

Africa. Lindsey is planning on raising money this year to have

some of representatives go to Ghana to help build a library for the

young students.

Victoria Eisle, faculty advisor of Phi Theta Kappa at FRCC,

explains that many children in Ghana haven‟t even seen a book

before.

Peace Corps Representative Katrina Rueschhoff hopes to raise

enough money for the children going to school in Ghana.

Lindsey has been in contact with Rueschoff and is trying to

organize fundraisers for representatives from Phi Theta Kappa

to visit Ghana next year to help build the library.

“The biggest project we are organizing this year is Ghana,”

Lindsey says. She hopes to be able to go over there next year

to help former PTK member Rueschhoff to teach English at

the local school.

Along with other projects this year, Lindsey says that it is

possible to still save money for the Ghana project by some

time next year. PTK is also planning their monthly food drive

for this November, along with other activities in Colorado

such as hosting a campus debate on Front Range issues,

making a Homecoming float, and putting on a Math

Department craft fair. Phi Theta Kappa also has

over $35 million worth of scholarships each year for

students in need.

Students at FRCC and other schools can participate

in Phi Theta Kappa projects and fundraisers. “It is

important to get involved,” Lindsey says.

Eisle helps Lindsey and other members incorporate

more students in the club‟s promoting of projects

and activities. Eisle started as the advisor for Phi

Theta Kappa in the spring of 2007, and helps

coordinate activities and fundraisers. Lindsey and

Eisle are both working on budgeting and finding

fundraiser projects to help get money for the Ghana project

next year. Later on this semester, they are planning to sell

pastries to raise money. Phi Theta Kappa volunteer members

also sell goods at the CSU football games to go towards the

fund.

PTK is looking for more people to join to help their causes,

and there is no limitation to how many students can join. To

meet their requirements, students must have a 3.5 GPA or

higher and maintain a 3.2 throughout the year, with 12 credits.

Members must pay the joining fee, depending on the level of

membership. The student must meet all of the requirements,

have an outstanding achievement at their school, and pay the

joining fee. Students can join at any time during the school

year. Members meet every other Monday at 3:30 p.m. in

Longs Peak Student Center. ®

(McKELVEY continued from page 15)

Front Range also operates with green-approved cleaning products

and 96 percent post-consumer recycled toilet paper and paper

towels.

Front Range Community College is a leading source of green

initiative and energy conservation. McKelvey encourages all

students to become a little more conscious everyday. “In order to

save our planet, we must become better at sacrificing a little

comfort for conservation; even just one thing a day can really

make a difference!” ®

GET YOUR GREEN ON :

www.resourceyard.org

www.hagemanearthcycle.com

www.goodwill.org

www.arcthrift.com

www.savers.com

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org

®

14

SOFA’s new president, Alysha Carmien Photo by Whitney Weber

CLUB HUB

GET OFF THE COUCH AND JOIN SOFA

BY BRAD MENEFEE , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

One of the most common flyers seen around campus that seems to

be in every hall is for the Students of Fine Arts Club (SOFA).

According to the outgoing president and one of SOFA‟s founding

members, Wade Rawley, 21, the big-

gest tasks of the club are advertising

and getting people to join. As he put

it, “It‟s so hard to get people

involved.”

Although SOFA helps members hone

their skills as artists, it offers them a

lot more. Alysha Carmien, 20, an

FRCC student and the club‟s newly

elected president, said, “[SOFA]

helps art students become artists.”

A lot of art students learn the skills needed in class and in practice

to be artists, but don‟t have the knowledge of the art business to put

their skills to use professionally. According to Rawley, the primary

objective of SOFA is to provide members with skills that will help

them in pursuing careers in art. As president, he wanted the club to

be fun but also serve a purpose for the members and not be a waste

of time. “I wanted the club to be active,” he said, “because if it‟s

not active, people don‟t care.”

This is why the club holds

activities like artist resume work-

shops and photography workshops.

Karl Dukstein started the club in

the spring of 2008 and now

co-advises SOFA with Jennie

Kiessling Michler, who teaches Art

Appreciation and Museum Studies

at FRCC. As advisors, they help

members learn about portfolio

preparation, art resume prepara-

tion, and taking images of one‟s

artwork. SOFA is an important

institution for art students because,

before it was started last semester,

the art community at FRCC didn‟t

have a club. It offered members a

much-needed extracurricular outlet

to not just learn about art, but also enjoy art.

The efforts made by Rawley could have paid off because “a lot of

the founding members stayed involved,” said Carmien.

Last May, SOFA held an art show at FRCC called “ARTSlam!” It

was a showing in which anyone could just drop their art off with the

club and give their information, and it would be displayed in a

conference room in the Longs Peak Student Center. When it closed

at the end of the day, participants could just pick up their art, so it

was easy for people to be involved and show their artwork.

It was well attended and SOFA got a lot of positive feedback

from students. People commented that they wanted to see

more student art shows like that around campus. Kiessling

Michler thinks that they will hold another ARTSlam! in May

this year. She said, “It‟s a great end-of-the-year event.”

“ARTSlam! was the defining project of the

club,” said Rawley.

One of Rawley‟s plans for this year is to do

an art show in which artists could donate

their art and it would then be sold as a fund-

raiser for SOFA. Raising funds is one of the

problems the club sometimes faces because

some of the art supplies for workshops can

be expensive.

Although SOFA can be useful and educational, it isn‟t just

about work. There is an event in Fort Collins called the First

Friday Art Walk in which galleries stay open until 9:00 p.m.

and are free to visit. A lot of communities around the

country do events like this on the first Friday of the month.

One of the mainstays of the club has been visiting galleries

in the area on some of these occasions. Some of the galleries

they have visited here in Fort Collins are the Colorado Coali-

tion of Artists (CoCOA) and the Fort Collins Museum of

Contemporary Art (FCMOCA). Kiessling Michler said, “It‟s

good for students to experience gallery culture.”

Last year, SOFA met almost every Friday. Kiessling Michler

doubts they will be meeting that frequently this year.

According to her, it was too overwhelming for some of the

club members trying to meet that often, plus it‟s nearly

impossible to get everyone to meet every Friday afternoon.

Because it‟s so early in the school year, there isn‟t a set

meeting time this semester, but after the Oct. 3 elections,

that should change.

SOFA hasn‟t been around for two full semesters yet, so

expansion is not only welcome but necessary. Rawley

explained that even though they try and plan it so that

meetings work with members‟ schedules, only a fraction of

the people can show up for most meetings, so overcrowding

isn‟t a problem. Although most of what the club has done so

far has been oriented around the visual arts, Kiessling

Michler wanted to make it clear that it isn‟t just for visual art

students. The “fine arts” include any art form developed for

aesthetics, so the club is open to students interested in music

and other art forms.

Anyone interested in the arts can join SOFA at any time.

Students interested in joining or just checking out a meeting

can contact Kiessling Michler at 226-2500, extension 2446.

®

15

CAMPUS WELLNESS

THE GREEN MAN

BY EMILY SEVERANCE , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Do you consider yourself environmentally friendly? Do you

make a conscious effort every week to recycle your pop cans or

turn off lights before leaving the house? Being environmentally

aware is becoming more and more important every day. Scott

McKelvey, director of Facility Services at FRCC, makes sure

that does happen everyday, helping our college campus become

greener.

McKelvey, 40, is from Orange County, Calif., and has lived in

Colorado for seven years. He graduated from BOMI with a

certificate as a Facilities Management Administrator. BOMI,

which stands for Building Owners and Managers Institute

International, is an online school much like the University of

Phoenix. Located in Annapolis, Md., this program teaches and

trains property and facilities management. After completing his

training, McKelvey was the facilities director at the Marriott

Hotel in Fort Collins. When asked to re-locate, McKelvey

turned down the offer and found an open position at Front

Range. The McKelvey family felt very much at home in

Colorado and did not want to move. “I was very lucky to find

something in this area,” McKelvey commented. This is his

second year on staff at Front Range. He also assists the Serve

on Safety Committee through the Dean of Students.

Outside of Front Range, McKelvey loves spending time with his

family, wife Ara and two sons, Travis and Kieran. The family‟s

favorite activity is going snowboarding or skiing together.

McKelvey is actively involved on the Climate Wise Committee

of Fort Collins, as well. Climate Wise, a city-run program, helps

local businesses tackle everyday challenges that affect quality of

life. Their main goals include promoting waste reduction,

energy savings, alternative transportation, and water conserva-

tion with the goal to lower greenhouse gas emissions that

threaten our future.

When asked to elaborate on his job title, McKelvey stifled a

chuckle and explained what he does here at FRCC. His duties

are mostly administrative, but McKelvey and his team are in

charge of repair and maintenance, painting, electricity, power,

landscaping…essentially everything needed to make a campus

run smoothly. Among his team are Julie Wilson, Steve

Zialpando and Jim Walsh.

Have you noticed the addition to the campus bookstore or the

new asphalt in the parking lots? These are just a few of the many

projects this department has accomplished. Upcoming plans

include a new addition to the science wing in Challenger Point,

and installation of a computerized energy managements system.

EMS is a control system allowing access to each building‟s

heating, air-conditioning and ventilation. This program will

allow localized control over the entire campus. Other

Scott McKelvey, director of Facilities Services, works at FRCC and with the Fort Collins community to advance green initiatives. Photo by Miranda Baker

developments include a high-tech camera security system and

exterior lock system. Though these things seem to be daily

operations, McKelvey says, “The most rewarding part of my

job is when someone says „thank you.‟ Compliments from

students, staff and the community really make it worthwhile.”

So, how exactly does FRCC stack up with the rest of the world

in green initiatives and energy conservation? Our recycling

system is through a third-party company called Waste-Not

Recycling. You may have noticed the white recycle bins placed

throughout campus. Waste-Not collects once a week and fits

needs based on what is being recycled. For example, if one

week there is an abundance of plastic bottles, they will send

more boxes for that. As for cardboard waste, McKelvey says

that operation has been a big success. Each department is

utilizing these Dumpsters, resulting in less garbage. Another

big success is the garbage system. The company in charge has

provided FRCC with bigger containers, thus resulting in 40

percent fewer trips for the garbage trucks to make. Instead of

coming once a day, the trucks are coming three times a week.

As for lighting and electricity, McKelvey was proud to

announce that every building at Front Range is equipped with

T8 energy-efficient light bulbs. These bulbs only use a third of

the energy compared to regular fluorescent lighting. As for

heating and air-conditioning, FRCC abides by a program called

Cool Biz. Adopted in Japan, Cool Biz encourages companies to

raise the air-conditioning thermostat, resulting in carbon

emission reduction. As for water consumption, FRCC uses

automatic, low-flow toilets and waterless urinals. The irrigation

system is advanced in that it adjusts to moisture in the ground

to signal when to irrigate the grass and flowers. That way,

sprinklers aren‟t left on for hours wasting water.

(Continued on page 13)

16

CAMPUS WELLNESS

HEALING THYSELF

BY ALEX HUMMEL, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Here at Front Range, class selections are getting broader every

day, and alternative healing methods are getting more popular and

even getting their own major, such as the Holistic Health Program.

Denise Proulx, age 50, is a part-time holistic health program in-

structor here at FRCC. Proulx teaches three classes available to

students at Front Range Community College: Reiki Massage,

Crystal and Mineral Usage, and Stress Management.

With a registered nursing- bachelor‟s degree (RN) from Michigan

State University, she stumbled upon holistic health. As a nurse,

Proulx had terrible headaches after work, and a colleague asked

her to take off her shoes. Stunned at this request, she did and

proceeded to receive an acupuncture massage, which, conse-

quently, relieved her headache. She exclaimed, “It couldn‟t be

magic.” Shortly after that, she took some classes on energy work,

they sparked her interest, especially after having worked on her

infant children and seeing drastic and positive results. Since her

children were too young to know what Reiki is, she could see them

reacting and had to research more in depth. “It took two and a half

years to unlearn what I had just learned in nursing school.” she

said. She got her first holistic degree in 1987 and now, over 20

years later, is a teacher of holistic health.

A popular holistic class Proulx teaches is Reiki Massage. Reiki

dates back as far as 630 B.C. in Tibet and is energy work based on

a Japanese technique learned by Mikao Usui, a Chi Gong master.

He developed these healing exercises after a 21-day fast in a

Tibetan monastery. Usui taught many students and eventually, in

1936, Reiki spread to America by means of Hawayo Takata, a

student of Usui‟s teachings.

“Rieki can be defined as spiritually guided life energy,” Proulx

continued. The word Reiki comes from “God consciousness

called „rei‟ that guided the life energy called „ki,‟ in the practice

we call Reiki.” Proulx described Reiki as “fine-tuning your radio

[body] to a different frequency” and increasing your power to heal

yourself.

Reiki uses both hands-on and hands-off techniques to offer or

to enhance energy that already exists in you and the universe.

In a typical Reiki session, the client will lie down on a massage

table and the practitioner will use his or her hands above the

person to channel energy into and around the client‟s body. The

energy is used as willed by the client‟s body, and most clients

say that they feel some sort of sensation, ranging from hot to

cold, electrical buzz, to calm and tranquility.

Proulx explained why energy is important and said, “Energy is

what the universe is made of…It‟s what animates the body and

what leaves you when you die, also known as the spirit.”

Proulx continued, “Everyone has the potential to heal [balance]

themselves.” Proulx illuminated what Reiki means to her as

simply, “To know Reiki is to be free of victimization of one‟s

own body.” Stress and bad energy is like a dam of one‟s own

energy and Reiki is the release of that dam. Proulx illustrated

that a key lesson from Reiki is that, “Feeling is believing…

Once you feel it, then you know.”

As far as a scientific explanation for the power of Reiki goes,

there are some still being developed; however, nothing is a

proven fact. In Proulx‟s Reiki class, she shows a video

demonstrating an energy and frequency correlation. This video

can be found under the YouTube query “Vibration Creates

Form.” As far as scientific explanations go, the research done

by scientists is still going on today. Research includes

cymatics, and kirlan photography [biomagnetic fields] which

are sciences in themselves but can relate wholly to holistic

health and energy work.

Proulx stated, “Everyone should know something. They should

know something to heal themselves…Give a man a fish, he

eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he feeds his village.”

Holistic health is spreading fast in today‟s society and Proulx

said holistic healing can be beneficial to “everyone: cat, dog,

and plants, anything with life force.” Proulx also owns her own

business that she runs out of her home called Wholistic Health

Options, specializing in Reiki, Jin Shin, Therapeutic Touch,

and Nutritional Supplements, all dealing with energy work and

healing the body. ®

INDEPENDENT LENS BY KATHRYN DOKTER , GUEST COLUMNIST

As a photographer, I desire to capture on film what others might not see. As one of the contributing photographers for the DNC photo

exhibit currently on display in the LPSC‟s Study Art Lounge, I want to share my experience at the DNC at Invesco Field.

Leading up to the convention, I was intrigued by what I perceived to be an overly extravagant event about to take place for the first time

in 100 years in Denver. The manpower, the security, closing I-25, Greek columns…What was this all about? I took this historic

opportunity to observe what made up the Democratic supporters and others attending the convention.

I was careful not to distort or promote any particular view. Rather, I strove to understand the people who are so excited about a man we

know very little about, a virtual unknown coming up through the ranks. What does he really stand for? Where is the massive amount

of financial support coming from? What I saw was hope and excitement about a charismatic personality, an “idea” – an idea that this

man will “save” America.

At the same time, I felt frustrated about the limitations that were placed on me as a photographer. Why was I stopped from photograph-

ing past certain barriers? Why were photographers allowed to use only 70 mm lenses and shorter? Why was no one other (next page)

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17

MEDIUM COOL

SETTING THE STAGE

BY MATT ETTER , RANGEVIEW REPORTER

Along with every instructor who walks through the campus here

at FRCC comes an interesting story. Among the packs of students

and faculty here on campus stands John Hill, a theatre instructor.

Hill, with his beard and glasses, and wearing jeans and a collared

shirt, looks casual, approachable and friendly. His office is

simple and organized, with a couple of posters on the wall.

Now teaching in his first full time semester, John Hill has been

trying to bring excitement and fun to the campus of FRCC for

over ten years now with the variety of plays over the years. Since

the spring of 1998, Hill had been an adjunct instructor at FRCC,

and is looking forward to teaching full-time. After growing up in

a theatre family in which both parents were involved in theatre,

Hill always knew has was going to be in theatre. He has his B.A.

in theatre performance and a minor in vocal performance. After

going to graduate school, Hill earned his Master of Fine Arts,

with a concentration in theatre and costume design.

“Like 99 percent of the people in theatre, I wanted to become an

actor,” Hill said, smiling. Before coming to FRCC, Hill said he

loved his job as the costume shop manager at CSU. Now that Hill

is a full-time member of the faculty at FRCC, he has big plans for

the future of the FRCC theatre program.

One of the things that Hill is most excited about is a production

that he has been working on that is called “Paint Box,” a

children‟s production that will focus on literacy, and reading and

writing skills. “Paint Box” will be feature a small group of actors

who will go around to public elementary schools in the Fort

Collins area and put on the shows for kids. Hill described it as a

“props-in-a-trunk” type of play. He plans to use three actors in

these performances, and hand puppets, if more characters are

needed. PowerPoint presentations are also used during the plays

so it is easier for kids to follow along.

Over the past five years, FRCC has been putting on a theatre

program during the summer on the FRCC campus called the

Front Range Family Theatre Project. This theatre program is put

on by the students and faculty of FRCC and is open to the public.

Over the past five years in the FRCC plaza, over 12,000 people

have come to watch these summer performances. The perform-

ances during this summer program are mainly for kids but are

open to everyone.

This Halloween, Hill and the FRCC theatre program will be

performing the classic play “Dracula” at the Bas Bleu Theatre.

Hill is looking forward to the play but says that it is hard to

deliver these types of performances because of the lack of space

to perform on campus. FRCC does not have a theatre on campus,

so Hill usually rents theatre space for all of the plays that he is

involved in at FRCC. Last semester, Hill and the students

performed their rendition of “The Wizard of Oz.” A friend of

Hill‟s named Tom McCabe wrote this particular version of

“The Wizard of Oz.” Hill likes to use McCabe‟s work because it

is a chance to share his friend‟s work with a new audience. Hill

has used McCabe's work in the past, and is planning on using it

again in the future.

Along with being the director of the Front Range Family

Theatre Program, Hill is an officer for a National Theatre

Program sponsored by the Kennedy Center American College

Theatre Festival. The KCACTF is a program designed to

support, encourage and develop theatre. This program also

gives scholarships to students from colleges across to country

and sponsors theatre festivals every January and February.

After every festival, one student is selected from each of the

eight national regions. Last year, a student from FRCC was

selected to go to the National Critics Institute in Washington,

D.C.

The next time that you see a flyer for a play being put on by the

FRCC students, think of John Hill and the theatre program. ®

John Hill’s students apply stage makeup during one of his theater classes. Photo by Michelle Motherway

(INDEPENDENT LENS continued from previous page)

than registered Democrats able to get passes to the event? And

why did the DNC set up the “Freedom Cage” to keep protesters

away from the delegates?

The DNC painted a pretty picture, giving the homeless haircuts

and bus passes to remove them from the stage they desired to

portray. To me, this was not free speech, but controlled

propaganda.

All these things limited me as a photographer, so I was content to

photograph “From the Edge” – of the “Pink Ladies” who travel

from event to event, of the police officers there to protect, of the

homeless man with a nice haircut, and of the street preacher who

wanted to show that no one man will “save” America. ® Kathryn Dokter describes herself as a“non-traditional, second-

year photography student pursuing my passion to make great

pictures.” See her photo on page 9.

18

how to move on. A man with a guitar passed her and she asked

him if he knew what was going on. He explained that he wasn‟t

allowed in due to his instrument and its carrying case and the

fact that he only had a vendor‟s pass, which he gave her. Weber

had to retrace her steps to another second level security check-

point. She was able to make it through the second and third

checkpoints by flashing the pass while never stopping.

Eventually, she made it to the fourth and final checkpoint and,

before she knew it, she was in.

Inside, she had to keep moving to stay away from the younger

volunteers who were “hassling everyone” within arm‟s reach

and to get that perfect shot. At the heart of the convention,

Weber was greeted by a surreal scene. As the speakers for the

party talked, they were greeted by a huge and enthusiastic

crowd, many of whom were yelling, screaming and stomping.

As she moved around the stadium, she caught all of this in her

photos.

Then Obama came to the podium. Whitney grabbed two shots

of the presidential nominee, one from the front and to the left of

the senator as he spoke, and the other from behind. Both pic-

tures “invoke the feeling of the crowd.” Weber‟s photo of the

crowd, “People

for Change,”

was an attempt to “capture the essence of the Democratic Na-

tional Convention, the energy, the atmosphere.” The other,

“Behind Obama,” captured “this serious historical event that is

occurring and the position of the crowd at the DNC.”

As the speech reached its midpoint, Weber left the heart of the

event and made her way to greater Denver once again. She

hopped on the light rail as the speech ended. As the fireworks

exploded at the end of Obama‟s words, she could only watch the

city from the station.

The photograph she took of the crowds and the presidential

nominee at the Democratic National Convention hang inside the

LPSC‟s Study Art Lounge. Weber‟s photographs, as well as

work by Dukstein, Motherway and Dokter, will hang there until

Oct 20. ®

MEDIUM COOL

THE LONG LENS OF HISTORY

BY EVAN BROWN, RANGEVIEW REPORTER

The Democratic National Convention was held in Denver from

Aug. 25 through 28. History was being made as Sen. Barack

Obama accepted the Democratic Party‟s nomination for president

of the United States. One Front Range instructor and three

intrepid photography students were on the scene to capture the

day with their hungry eyes and cameras. One in particular was

bold enough to sneak inside the convention and capture images

and events that she will hold dear for the rest of her life.

Whitney Weber is a sophomore at FRCC, working towards her

Associate of Arts degree with an emphasis on photography. The

day of the convention, she was equipped with two cameras – a

digital SLR that would plague her all day with faulty batteries,

and a 35 mm SLR with a 70 mm lens. She spent the day outside

and around the city shooting nearly 300 photographs of the

supporters and protesters who had gathered for the occasion.

However, shooting the crowd outside was not enough. Weber

wanted inside; she wanted her finger on the pulse of the historic

day.

After taking the light rail that

runs through Denver, Weber

and the other two photogra-

phers from FRCC, Michelle

Motherway and Kathryn

Dokter, camped out near the

first security checkpoint

around Invesco Field. There,

Weber joined a group of

ladies passing through the

checkpoint and moved onto

the next checkpoint. She

hung around for a few

moments, trying to figure out

“People for Change” by Whitney Weber BALLOT MEASURES WITHDRAWN

DENVER (Oct. 2) – Secretary of State Mike Coffman

confirmed that Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57 will be with-

drawn from the General Election ballot as requested by the

initiatives‟ proponents. The amendments withdrawn are:

Amendment 53: Liabilities of business entities and their

executive officials – criminal liability;

Amendment 55: Just cause for employee discharge or

suspension;

Amendment 56: Employer responsibility for health

insurance; and

Amendment 57: Safe workplace.

Although the ballots have already been printed, the results of

the measures will not be tallied, pursuant to C.R.S. 1-40-134.

®

19

BARACK-ING THE VOTE

BY DANIELLE ZIMMERER,

SPECIAL TO THE RANGEVIEW

In 12 days, I will be voting in my first presidential election! I am

stoked to walk into CSU‟s Lory Student Center and cast my ballot

for the eloquent gentleman who I think will guide

our country into a promising future.

Early voting starts Oct. 20 until the end of the

month. Students for Obama are encouraging every-

one to vote early, to avoid calling and pestering

procrastinating voters on Election Day.

The build-up and hype alone of this election can be

heard and seen daily. Canvassers are out registering

people, and the phone calls and emails about

candidates, and the yard signs and paid-for

campaign commercials are all aspects of the

election. The message streaming to the people is

to cast an educated vote.

I am a 20 years old and volunteering for Students

for Obama at the CSU campus. Due to the

magnitude of this election, I felt that helping where

ever seems fitting may help my main man Obama

become the next president.

On the CSU campus and surrounding neighbor-

hoods, I have been able to register Republicans,

Democrats and Independents for the election. I

have gone door to door, passing out mail-in ballots

to McCain and Obama supporters. Setting out on

Sunday afternoons, I am greeted with slammed

doors, friendly faces, and undecided voters who answer the

door during commercial breaks of a Broncos game. Feeling unappreciated, praised, welcomed and unwelcomed is what the

door-to-door is all about.

My aim is to register people to vote, seek Obama supporters, ask

for volunteers, and provide undecided voters with information

and a valuable resource, and

we encourage all to watch the

televised speeches.

A month ago I began to

engage fully in this election

and researched both parties‟ views on various issues. Personally,

I am an advocate for social issues, and Obama‟s community

outreach experience instills faith in me that he will work hard for

the citizens.

Students for Obama assemble on debate nights for viewing

parties. During the vice presidential debates, we made posters for

upcoming events and corrected flyer information. We filled a

living room with 13 politically aware college students who were

all critically watching the vice presidential hopefuls, and listening

for truthfulness and words of wisdom while the candidates

discussed and defended their policies and plans.

Volunteering with this campaign has been such an awesome

experience. Students for Obama hosted Eva Longoria Parker,

Kal Penn and Adam Rodriguez to come talk for free at the CSU

campus to stress the importance of the minority vote and the youth vote. It was inspiring to get to hear from Hollywood‟s

political activists.

I have had countless encounters with voters who are familiar and

knowledgeable about the candidates‟ policies and issues. Some

have settled on a vote, and others are still undecided and waiting

until the final speeches. But then I have overheard classmates here

at Front Range who admit they don‟t even know who is running or what the issues are. My own roommate is not planning to vote

because she can‟t decide how to vote. Spending five minutes on

each candidates‟ Web sites and reading

about issues that will affect you, and then

deciding who has the better outlook, is

simple. Why would any American dismiss

such a responsibility and privilege to be an

educated voter by Nov. 4?

I pride myself on being laid back and tame-

tempered when approaching people about

their party affiliations. It is a borderline

inappropriate question, like asking your

teacher how old she is. But in these

circumstances, it‟s best to identify those

who plan to support Sen. Obama‟s policies

and those who don‟t.

When people ask me why I support

Obama, I mention that he seems more in

touch with 95 percent of Americans, the

struggling middle class. I think that his

proposed changes and execution style are

needed, such as his plans to cut taxes for

these 95 percent, addressing discrepancies

in wages between men and women, and his

stance on education. According to his Web

site, Obama plans to “make college afford-

able for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity

Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure

that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for

most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at

the average public college or university. Recipients of this credit

will be required to conduct 100 hours of public service a year.”

This may seem like a bold initiative, but who can lose by this?

Opportunities to volunteer for the Obama

campaign are still available up until the week of

Nov. 4. The campaign office is located on Mason

Street behind the Sports Authority on College

Avenue. They open at 8 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.

On Election Day, they want 2,000 volunteers in the office to

partake in festivities, call pending voters, and be moral support

for the campaign.

“Enough is enough. I don‟t care what they say about me, but I

love this country too much to let them take over another election

with lies and phony outrage and swift vote politics. Enough is enough!” Barack Obama delivered these words in response to

Sen. McCain‟s desire to postpone the first presidential debate.

I would say don‟t vote if you‟re not interested in global warming,

gun control, the war on terror, the economy, education, poverty,

global genocides, health care, gas prices, Social Security, the war

on drugs, affirmative action, genetic engineering, welfare or

abortion rights. The future is in your vote, Oct. 20 through

Oct. 31, or on Nov. 4. With such a historic election upon us, you

must exercise the most crucial civic duty: voting. ®

Rangeview reporter and Obama campaign volunteer Danielle Zimmerer Photo by Miranda Baker

Why would any American dismiss such

a responsibility and privilege to be an

educated voter by Nov. 4?

20

LOOK FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK,

AND WATCH FOR FLYERS ANNOUNCING FREELANCE DEADLINES.

RANGEVIEW@FRONTRANGE.EDU

PRINTING BY THE IMPRESS TEAM AT OFFICEMAX IN FORT COLLINS , COLO.

PERU: LAND OF RUGGED BEAUTY

BY SCOT SHARP,

GUEST COLUMNIST

Waking up to howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) calling in

the distance, taking stunningly beautiful boat rides down the

Tambopata River, and exploring ancient Incan cities are

some of the amazing thing I got to experience in my trip to

Peru this past June.

The trip was part of a Tropical Ecology class offered at

Front Range Community College. Two teachers, Barbara Patterson, the natural resources instructor, and Chris Romero,

a biology instructor, planed the trip for 16 students, including

myself. The trip was arranged through the Holbrook Science

Foundation, Rainforest Expeditions, and Inca Nature

Travel.

The trip was a perfect mix of biology, botany and

anthropology, as well as a great opportunity to participate in

a service-learning project in the remote village of Inferno.

After a few flights within the country, we arrived in Porto

Maldonado where we boarded a boat that took us up river to the Posada Amazonas Lodge. Along the way we saw white Caiman

(Caiman crocodilus) basking on the shore, and hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) calling from the trees. We were all expecting rugged

accommodations, but were pleasantly surprised to find a giant wooden lodge with just about everything you would expect from a high

quality hotel, but deep within the jungle.

Our first day included a hike through the jungle to a canopy tower where one of our guides, Augusto, taught us about the many

different adaptations that the plants and animals of the jungle use.

The next day we visited the local village of Inferno. There we had a rare chance to talk with the, elected, president of the community

and learn about inner workings of the village. After that we were invited to play a friendly game of soccer with the local team. Of

course, they won. I blame the heat, but it was more than likely their superior skill.

This was only beginning of our adventure. In the following days, we also toured a medicinal plant farm, observed a clay lick used by

macaws (Ara spp.), and even got the unique opportunity to watch giant river otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) fish. And each day after

our dinner, our guides would present different lectures about topics ranging from macaw conservation to the history of the lodges.

A trip to Peru wouldn't be complete with out visiting a few Incan ruins. The two we visited were the famous city of Machu Picchu and

the ruins of Ollaytambo.

We traveled by train through the Sacred Valley, which is at the center of the ancient Incan empire, to the city of Aquis Calientes. From

there we took a bus up a mountain trail to the Machu Picchu site. As we rounded a corner, we caught sight of the breath-taking city

sitting atop a mountain. Elga, our tour guide, lead us through ruins and taught us about the history of the world-famous site. Some of

the other students chose to hike up Wayna Picchu, the mountain peak that rises out of the city. It was a beautiful and life- changing

experience. ® Scot Sharp is studying natural resources at FRCC. The 26-year-old hopes to transfer to a four-year school to pursue a degree in wildlife biology.

The ancient Incan city of Macchu Picchu sits high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Photo by Chris Romero

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