The ThundekwqRb May 19, 2005 Volume 44 Issue 27 Highline Community C6i£ege Students are stalled for parking Votes count in election By Austin Mackenzie STAFF REPORTER With every candidate running unop- posed, many are surprised that people are voting at all. "We've had about 100 votes," said Brian Massey, president of the Political Affairs Club while working the voting booth. "Most of them are jaded to the fact that there aren't a lot ofcandidates." This year's elections, while uncon- tested, also are the first to see the use of the revised electronic voting system that does not allow a person to vote multiple Photo by Keith Daigle times. Students can vote by entering their Student and Astudent walks tohis car as a line cars waits tofindaspot duringa busy time day. The time ittakes to aspot is the ID PIN numbers into of of find students subject ofa recent study for two students whofound that the average waitis under 10 minutes. the computer; are able to sub- mit their votes electronically. Votingwill continue today and is taking place in the Waiting for parking subject of study Highline Student Union building. "The system is workingfine,"Massey ByBen Pesicka The study could be viewed as showing to find parking, and they used many of said. "The only problem is that the Run- STAFF REPORTER improvement, more than half find park- those samples to improve their approxi- ning Start students can't vote online. ing in a relatively short amount of time, mation. They have to turn ina paper ballot." According to a recently conducted or itcould be seen as showing that a lot This yielded the fact that, on average, "It makes it easier," Massey said. "I more than half of Highline stu- of work stillneeds to be done to make it takes a Highline student roughly 13 think people are voting around campus, findparking spots in less than 10 the parking situation acceptable. minutes to finda parking spot. but Ican't say for sure." minutes. The study was conducted during the At the extremes of the data, 34 per- Of the students who decided to vote, The study, which was conducted by peak traffic hours of a 8:30-11 a.m. at cent of students find their parking spots most are second-year students who have Melissa Henry and Irena Lychik, who are Highline's three campus parking lots. inless than fiveminutes, and ittakes two been around and know what is going on. in Katherine Skelton's statistics class, To get the required information, Hen- percent longer than 24 minutes to find Even though many people are willing also found that three-fourths of students ry interviewed students indifferent areas parking. to vote, some question why. "What's the are able to park inless than 15 minutes, ofthe Highline campus. Parking continues to be a reoccurring point of voting?" one student asked as and only seven percent cannot findpark- "To avoid biases, Iinterviewed stu- issue for Highline students, and one ad- she accessed the system. inginless than 20 minutes. dents from the parking lot, Student ministrator has tried to solve it with car- That sentiment seems tobe echoed by Even though the majority of students Union building, and people Isaw be- pool parking and bus stops. many of the students, as there is no op- can find parking inless than 10 minutes, tween classes," Henry said. This illustrates why Henry chose position among candidates. "We need to there is stillmore than a thirdof students Henry and Lychik took a total of 90 parking for her study, "Idecided to con- vote because itshows that students have who take between 10 and 29 minutes to measurements to estimate the average duct a study inan area that Iwas both park. amount of time that it takes a student concerned and interested in." See Election, page 16 Student involvement questioned after elections ByMichelle Ericksen "Idon't see a connection between the dent Council, Stu- they're just not looking to run for Stu- STAFF REPORTER amount of student involvement and the dent Council, and dent Government," said Brown. "We amount of students running in the elec- the Union Crew," have data to show that students are get- Student Government elections this tion," said Jonathan Brown, associate said Brown. ting more involved now, than they have year have raised eyebrows about student dean for student programs and adviser to "I was really been inthe past." ftivolvement or lack of it. Student Government. surprised, we had "It's unique that all the positions Allof the seven candidates running Club numbers are up and more stu- so much more are filled, and all are unopposed," said for office are running unopposed. Usu- dent leadership positions are being filled, interest than nor- Brown. |ally there ismore competition. Brown said. mal," Brown said. For three or four years Highline has \u25ba Some students running wanted more "There are more options, levels, and "I had about 22 not had a fullslate of elections. There competition. paid student leadership positions avail- people express were several candidates for a few posi- "I got my job without an election, able for students now, itused to be just interest in running for Student Govern- tions, but not allthe positions were being that's called acoup," said HuyPham, one Student Government and Team Highline, ment." of the candidates for student senator. but now there is also International Stu- "Ithink students are getting involved, See Students, page 16 Page 2 5/19/05 us UF The Thunderword CRIME BRIEFS rections to the MaST Center, Scholarships available for Fall visit http://flightline.highline. edu/mast Scholarships are available Academ- rf—^-^.i-w for Fall Quarter to 15 high- \u25a0 : achieving students to help ment <: -j§BL^ jiift^',-i Cruise to soon continue education witha little less stress. set sail Winners of the Academic Achievement Scholarship Team Highline is sponsoring willreceive a 15 -credit tuition BLOTTER 2005 Boat so the Annual Cruise waiver for Fall Quarter. Correction students can celebrate the end of lanning Car troubles occur Applications can be found dents: Paula Mawm>7^ the academic year. inBuilding 18, room 107. Aranda, campus In May 12 issue, Friday, on the an ar- The cruise willbe on A 3.5 GPA is required to Kendal Bryant, Melinda D^ ticle about the Students ofColor $15 May 20. Tickets are per per- earn the award. Castro, Jill Fenton, Aurora reported that her conference should have $25 per A student said that son or couple, and are The application includes Hall, Kevin Henley, Hien Ho- Joshua is the light blue four- door Toyota Magallanes Run- sold in the Student Programs an essay, a copy of an official ang-Nguyen, Jessica Huns- the ning Development Camry was stolen from East Start/Student Office, located on the third floor transcript, and two letters of berger, Vilhjalmure Knudsen, Lot,by the perimeter fence line. Retention Coordinator. of the Student Union. recommendation. Kevin Krotzer, Melody Joy The happened between Highline has a Multicultural will start at 6:30 incident Boarding The due date for FallQuar- Mertens, Junghee Park, Kath- and Tuesday, located in p.m. at 55 in 9 a.m. noon on Services Department Pier downtown ter applications is Monday, leen Roney, Kathleen Spend- May 10. the Student Development Cen- Seattle and the boat leaves the June 27. love, Nora Velazco, and Anna ter inBuilding 6. A student had his Kenwood dock at 7 p.m. Completed applications can Wagenhals. In-Dash CD from There was no session on gay The player stolen theme is Hollywood be turned in to the Student De- For more information, parked marriage at to his car, which was in the the Students ofCol- Nights and it is expected be velopment Center on the upper contact Laura Manning at conference, night glitz glamour North Lot or and the workshop a of and on level of Building 6. [email protected] A student reported that "Don't Talk About It,Be About the beautiful Spirit of Seattle. someone entered her Dodge It"was cancelled. Dancing, lounging, and hav- on Thursday, May 12. She said ing a fun time with friends are Community interview. she had left her acciden- planned at this semi-formal •Lecture- Opportu- car Vietnam: - tally unlocked. Her CD player College reps event. Calendar nities and Challenges Friday, wasn't missing, but itno longer visit campus Light hors d'oeuvres willbe May 20, at 11 a.m. inBuilding worked. available as wellas dessert, and •Writing Center Workshop: 3, room 103. non-alcoholic drinks willbe for The Semicolon, Colon, and TarnNguyen willbe speaking Representatives from vari- - Silence disturbed ous four-year colleges willbe sale. Dash Thursday, May 19, at 9 on what is happening in Viet- For more information, con- a.m. in the Writing Center, lo- nam today and the advantages at library visiting Highline in the follow- ing weeks to set up information tact Student Programs at 206- cated inBuilding 26, room 319. and disadvantages of livingina tables and help students find 878-3710, extr 3536. Learn the differences between country with a Communist nflH Several male and female an- swers to their transferring ques- the punctuation marks and how Nguyen was born and liveii teenagers were being disruptive tions. to effectively use them. in Vietnam until 1975 when he inthe libraryon numerous occa- Radical Women The Evergreen State college •Arsenic Cleanup Bill dis- escaped to the United States. sions. They were warned about May 19, Nguyen will have an information table cussion- Thursday, at practices law at Tarn the library rules on noise, and host dinner set up on Tuesday, May 24, 11 a.m.