Oklahoma City Community College Inside November 27, 2006 This Week • Write a letter to the editor, editorial, p. 2. • International Education Week, p. 7. • Wellness Center shaping up, p. 12. • Nursing majors see change, p. 14. IONEER P www.occc.edu/pioneer Advisers can Twelve days of Christmas steer students toward success By David Miller Editor nowledge is power. That’s why students should K use every resource possible at OCCC when plotting their college careers. When a student is initially admitted to OCCC or wants to change majors, he or she is required to meet with an adviser before enrolling in classes. “We do require that [students] meet with [an ad- viser] to change their major or when they enroll for the very first time,” said Aspen Svec, Advising and Career Services intake assistant. “If [students] talk with an adviser, they can declare their major, or when they change [their major], they should be able to get a pretty good picture of what they need See “Major,” page 16 Play offers insight via letters to God By Robert Smith News Writing Student “Children’s Letters To God,” a play based on the best selling book of the same title by Stuart Hample, will be performed at 7 p.m., Dec. 7, 8 and 9, in the OCCC Theater. In the play, children pose questions to God, such Photo by Carrie Cronk as: “Dear God, how did you know you were God?” or Holiday spirit abounds in the OCCC Bookstore as staff members Denise Smith, Lanita Haynes “Dear God, are you really invisible or is that just a and Pam Simonds get ready to host “The Twelve Days of Christmas” contest, scheduled to trick?” and “Dear God, how come you did all the run Dec. 1 to 18. The contest will consist of a different activity each day, Simonds said, with miracles in the old days and you don’t do any now?” one prize being awarded per day. College faculty, staff, students and visitors are welcome to Professor Jacque Hocking, director, said although participate in the contest. Contest rules will soon be posted in the Bookstore, she said. the original play cast children, the upcoming play will cast college students who will portray children. She said the play doesn’t necessarily have a reli- character of Brett reminds me of how I acted at the gious theme. “It is not so much Christian as it is ask- age of 13,” Mattocks said. ing God why things happen.” Joshua Houston plays Theo, age 11. “I look for- “Children’s The play has five main characters with some back- ward to play practice because it gives me a chance to up singers. relive my childhood,” he said. Lettersto Yousef Kazemi plays Kicker, age 9. “It is comfort- Houston said this play has touched his inner child able and so much fun to go back to being a kid again,” and he hopes it will do the same for others. God” Kazemi said. Admission is $4 for students and $5 for adults. “Kids are silly and goofy.” OCCC students, faculty and staff can get into the 7p.m. Erin McMurry plays Joanna, age 12. “The play has Thursday night performance free with a valid I.D. the answers to the age-old questions,” McMurry said. A special kids’ matinee will be held at 10 a.m., Fri- Dec.7,8&9 “Is God really there? Is he here? And, why did you let day, Dec. 8. Admission will be $2. it happen?” For more information, e-mail Hocking at OCCCTheater Matthew Mattocks plays Brett, age 13. “Playing the [email protected]. 2 • PIONEER • Nov. 27, 2006 Editorial and Opinion Editorial Flags to be respected To the Editor: buried in her palms, she ture. And she wept. Pertinence I want to share with ev- looked up and said, “Yes.” When you see a man or eryone an experience I felt Seeing me in uniform, she woman in uniform, stop so deeply about that it com- looked back and stated, and say, “Thanks.” After all, pelled me to write this letter “No.” it is why you are able to of news is to the editor in hopes of I asked if I could help her make the choice of where opening everyone’s eyes to and she said nothing was your education comes an event that occurs daily wrong, just that she was from. For the lady in this on the campus of OCCC. amazed and taken in the story, thank you for caring. relative My name is Kevin Tipton. moment of watching my —Kevin Tipton I work in the Safety and staff and me lower the flag Safety and Security In the past several weeks, a few students and Security Department as the of our country. We chatted Shift Sergeant faculty members have approached certain staff evening shift sergeant. One about her husband’s mili- writers of the Pioneer over the content of the oh- of my daily duties is to en- tary service and how people so-coveted space that we newspaper junkies call sure the flags in front of the walk by as the flags are low- the editorial. Main Building are lowered ered without giving them a The editorial is a section in a newspaper that is Vol. 35 No. 14 each day. second thought. often written by the editor that expresses an opin- David Miller..........................Editor Two other officers from As I was leaving, the lady John Savage.................Staff Writer ion, but, in the case of the Pioneer, staff, as well. the department and I were said, “Thank you for de- Phillip Hemphill............Staff Writer The complaints have questioned the relevance lowering the colors when I fending our freedom so we Rachel Carlton..............Staff Writer of the editorial to the college. Amanda Bittle...............Staff Writer noticed a new officer being can live in a free country Some think this column should not highlight a Valerie Jobe..................Staff Writer trained. They began to in- and go to school wherever writer’s opinion at all. Scott D’Amico............Online Editor correctly fold the flags, and, we choose.” Mike Ferak....................Webmaster Looking back at the past few editorials, there is having a military back- I, in turn, said, “Thank Carrie Cronk.............Photographer a major amount of overlooked relativity to be found ground, I informed the two you for being a member of Tim Cronk...................Ad Manager in the topics. Richard Hall.............Lab Assistant officers that, out of respect the biggest family on the Stair etiquette, slumbering students and procras- Ronna Austin.............Lab Director for the flags of our country, planet Earth. It’s because tination all pertain to this college. Sue Hinton............Faculty Adviser we needed to fold them cor- of the sacrifices you as a If they don’t, perhaps editorial writers should The PIONEER is a publica- rectly. I showed them how family member make that dig longer than usual in order to find more valu- tion of Oklahoma City Com- to fold the flags properly we are able to stand here munity College through the able and pertinent reasons to write in this space. and with respect and I then today and share this expe- Division of Arts and Humani- For that reason, and that reason alone, opinion stood for a couple minutes rience.” ties. It is published weekly writers should constantly be on their toes and keep looking over the parking lot. As I turned and walked during the fall and spring se- their eyes peeled for relative information. mesters and the eight-week As I was returning to my into the building, I looked Not that the toe upkeep and eye peeling are omit- summer session. office, I noticed a lady in back and noticed she was ted now, but even professional writers need a re- All opinions expressed are what appeared to be a still sitting on that concrete fresher or a reality check every now and then. those of the author and do not highly upset state. I asked step looking toward the flag necessarily represent those of The staff of the Pioneer encourages outspoken if she was OK. With her face pole, now in its bare na- the publisher. students and others to take the time to jot down The PIONEER welcomes let- their feelings in the form of a letter to the editor. ters to the editor and encour- Students who regularly read the Pioneer know ages the use of this publica- that the outrage, the anger, the blissful joy and tion as a community forum. the emotional upheaval that letters of this nature All letters must include the cause are highly appreciated. author’s name, address, phone number and signature. Printed letters like these give both the college However, the PIONEER will and the Pioneer staff thoughts about current ar- withhold the name if the re- ticles and sometimes suggest great ideas for fu- quest is made in writing. The ture ones. PIONEER has the right to edit In short, don’t shy away from reading this col- all letters and submissions umn because it was previously thought of as ir- for length, libel and obscen- relevant to the existence of the newspaper. ity. Letters to the editor can be Read the Pioneer so that there is a better under- delivered to the PIONEER of- standing of how staff writers think about the col- fice, mailed to: Pioneer Editor, lege in whatever light they choose. 7777 S. May, Oklahoma City, Editorials spark that part of the brain that makes Oklahoma 73159 or faxed to others think about the campus, too.