Students Feel Betrayed After Another Snow
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Gamers gain Professor U.S. Rep. points for Profile: John Dingell charity The Power of makes history Perkins B3 B1 A3 THETHE JanuaryMarch 4, 14, 2013 2013 Washtenaw Community College washtenawvoice.com Volume 19, Issue 129 Ann Arbor, Michigan @washtenawvoice VOICESNOW BLIND WCC gives cold shoulder to students while trustees play hooky PHOTO ILLUSTRATION PETER HOCHGRAF WASHTENAW VOICE White out: Outraged students commented on this photo of campus posted on the college’s Facebook page while Washtenaw refused to cancel classes during the Feb. 26 snowstorm. What was meant to be a playful gesture quickly turned into a self-inflicted slug fest. EDITORIAL Students feel betrayed after another snow job For the last couple of years now, population and course offerings, as is the sense that the leadership of WCC When the campus alert system security could not determine which the new leaders of Washtenaw well as its secure campus environ- actually gives a damn about them. And failed to inform students of an incom- rooms were safe for sanctuary, effec- Community College have been pre- ment, Washtenaw has updated its rarely is that more evident than in in- ing cyclone, many at Washtenaw were tively expelling whole classes from the occupied with presenting a pristine public image without many hiccups clement weather situations. left scrambling, searching for shelter, appropriate locations. image of student success to poten- in the process. Last year’s Dexter tornado fiasco wondering what to do and where to go. The entire campus community was tial donors and perspective students The college may tout its many great left administrators red in the face and Worse, the college failed to prop- outraged, and with good reason, but through clever marketing and out- academic programs, the success of its in a position of stymied embarrass- erly distinguish designated torna- aside from a few articles published reach opportunities, including bill- graduates and its low campus crime ment that has still yet to fade from do shelters throughout the various boards and social media outlets. rate, but what it has failed to convey to the memory of its students and long- buildings on campus. Adding to the SNOW BLIND By focusing on its diversity of the students who are already enrolled time faculty. confusion, even campus safety and CONTINUED A6 Campus crime can’t be ignored Spring-Summer changes: shorter courses, longer days But some local colleges incident reports In observance of Sunshine and crime sta- Week, Voice reporters visited six By BEN SOLIS that could be scheduled.” and universities skirt tistics as a re- campuses in and near Washtenaw Editor The course lengths were agreed federal reporting laws sponsibility of County, investigating whether and upon by the administration and the the college, ac- how security departments follow After attending Washtenaw faculty and will be introduced this By ADRIAN HEDDEN cording to Frank the guidelines posed by the Clery Community College for two semesters spring as a pilot program, she added. Managing Editor LoMonte, exec- Act, and assigning them a letter back-to-back, taking classes during While only a few of the courses utive director of grade for their performance. the summer months may be a time- have changed to the six-week format In an effort to shine some sun into the Student Press consuming drag on some students’ instead of the longer 10-week portion, the shadows of college administration, Law Center in CLEARY UNIVERSITY anticipated relaxation. the transition will ultimately be a ben- the federal government requires that Arlington, Va. Not all adult-learning insti- Those easy-going spring and efit to the summer student, accord- all colleges in the United States pub- “The idea that someone should tutions must provide incident summer classes are going to have a ing to Stuart Blacklaw, who refused lish incident reports — on campus — have to wait or find the information reports on campus. A satellite lo- different feel to them this year, as to speak to reporters directly and for immediate, public review. themselves is counter to the entire cation of a college in Howell, Cleary Washtenaw moves from tradition- chose instead to comment through Any school that receives federal purpose of the statute,” he said of cam- University in Ann Arbor is simply al 7½-week courses to six weeks. Associate Director of Public Affairs funding, even for financial aid, must pus crime reports. “There is not a dis- too small to warrant an active se- However, some of the more complex Janet Hawkins. adhere to this under the Jeanne Clery tinction for a level of compliance. curity department. courses that couldn’t be compacted “This is Disclosure of Campus Security Policy “It has to be available on demand. According to officials at Cleary, will run over 10 weeks. particularly and Campus Crime Statistics Act of They (school officials) are not cor- there have been no crimes or in- The adjustment was made to offer important for se- 1998. rect that they are entitled to make cidents on its campus in the past more options for students looking to quential courses, But Washtenaw Community you wait.” decade, but the school does use a take vital pre-requisites and a subse- but would allow a College and even some of the biggest personal, electronic alert system to quent higher-level course in the two student to focus schools in Michigan have struggled, SUNSHINE WEEK inform students of possible threats. shorter semesters. on one course at and in some cases ignored, the pro- Initiated by the American Society “Our campus crime stats re- “The intent was to offer greater op- a time regardless vision of this mandatory instant re- of News Editors, national Sunshine ported to the federal government portunities to students who couldn’t of the courses he source on campus. Week will be commemorated March for the past 10 years are zero,” take two pre-reqs at the same time or she is taking,” Stuart Blacklaw Violations of either annual report- 10-16, a week during which the news said Gary Bachman, director of because the two 7½-week semes- Blacklaw told Hawkins, who emailed ing or log provisions can result in a media has elected to celebrate and facilities. “We’re in a very visible ters overlapped,” said Jennifer Baker, the comments to The Voice. $27,500 fine, handed down by the U.S. inform the public about open gov- president of the WCC faculty union. Department of Education. ernment regulations and the right to CLERY “Because of the overlap, we were also COURSE LENGTH The law demands sharing of know. CONTINUED A6 restricted in the number of classes CONTINUED A5 A2 March 4, 2013 News The Washtenaw Voice Up to 82 Washtenaw Community College credits can be applied toward a degree at Walsh – one of Michigan’s most affordable business schools. Now that’s love. Winter registration now in progress. Classes begin Jan. 7. WALSHCOLLEGE.EDU ®The yellow notebook design is a registered trademark of Walsh College. And the campaign is a creation of Perich Advertising + Design. Thanks to the fine folks at Walsh for letting us say so. 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For more information, scan this QR code with your smart phone Get started today! Call 877-268-4636 or e-mail [email protected] Auburn Hills | Clinton Township | Dearborn cmich.edu/Detroit CMU is an AA/EO institution (see Livonia | Southfield | Troy | Warren | Online cmich.edu/aaeo). 35284b 11/12 The Washtenaw Voice News March 4, 2013 A3 The perennial servant SNIPS Mammography program produces Wednesday, March 13 first graduates College visitations Washtenaw Community College grad- Representatives from the following uated its first group of students from the two universities will be on-hand in the mammography certificate program. Student Center to answer questions from The program, which started in 2012, students looking to transfer. prepares students to perform screening University of Toledo from 10 a.m.- and diagnostic mammography proce- noon on the first floor of the Student dures using dedicated mammography Center equipment and is designed for radiology Eastern Michigan University from 1-5 technologists who are certified through p.m. in SC 206 The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Thursday, March 14 The curriculum is based on the recom- College Visitations mended American Society of Radiologic Representatives from the following Technology (ASRT) mammography guide- colleges and universities will on campus lines and includes both didactic and clini- to answer questions from students look- cal education. ing to transfer on the first floor of the student center. Welding student wins national Concordia from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. title Northwood from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Alex Pazkowski, a WCC welding stu- Walsh College from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.