Do you know where they stand on the issues? pg 5 SGC Candidates Your vote counts Get to know who Are you registered to represents you make sure of it? pg 4 pg 5 Thank you, Science Made Easy Ms. Jackson Allergens: Nothing March’s Album to sneeze at. Anecdotes pg 12 pg 6 Online at: www.bergen.edu/thetorch FebruaryMarch 2008 2008MySpace: www.myspace.com/bcctorchnewspaper Vol. Vol. XIIXII Issue Issue 1011 Remedial Math Program BCC Debater Takes Home First Place Tries a New Formula To Boost Pass Rates BY AMANDA FERRANTE The remedial math program includes a series of non-credit classes ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR designed to bring students up to col- lege level math. Students are placed Major changes in the basic skills into one or more of the classes after math program have been approved taking placement tests and they must by President Jeremiah Ryan to help pass before taking college level math. reverse what has become an embar- The most widely prescribed rassingly high failure rate of sequence is Basic Math (MAT-011), remedial math courses at Bergen Algebra A (MAT-031) and Algebra Community College. B (MAT-032). On the recommendations of an Due to the disappointing pass internal review committee at the rates, an external review was held last college, Dr. Ryan approved several June. Math faculty members from changes such as eliminating the prac- other community colleges in New tice of using Accuplacer tests as exit Jersey came to Bergen to examine the tests to pass individual courses, end- remedial math program and make ing required course sequencing, and recommendations accordingly. hiring developmental math teachers. Dr. Porter said the review was In an interview, Dr. Gary Porter, unsuccessful; therefore, another PHOTO COURTESY/DEBATE CLUB BCC’s academic vice president, review – this one internal -- took BCCs Michelle Idler, of Teaneck, claimed a first place trophy for overall speaker points during called the changes an elimination of place, and made the recommenda- Rockland Community College’s debate tournament held March 9. Michelle is the tenth BCC debater the “one size fits all” approach tions that President Ryan has toward remedial math instruction. to claim a first place trophy over the last five and a half years. BCC will host the third annual Ann approved. Cunningham Memorial Debate Tournament on April 13. Pictured (L to R) are debaters Michelle The current system has strict guide- “Those external teams, in spite of lines and standardized tests that specific instructions from me, did Idler; Anita Pejic; Laura Villa; Professor Mike Echols, advisor, BCC debate club; Chris Viso; Vhish have proven to be barriers for devel- not address the questions we gave to Kahhadai; and Dan Nachum. opmental math students, many of them,” he said. “Because of their whom already have a math phobia. failure to address the questions, we “We need a program that recog- have been forced to have an internal nizes that our students have a review committee review those rec- Bergen Revises Campus Security Plan diverse spectrum of needs, that there ommendations for implementation will be multiple pathways that at the college.” BY JILL BARTLETT other security measures like an for how the community should students can engage in order to get Dr. Ryan approved the following increase in county police and pub- respond to an incident.” through the math sequence,” said recommendations from the internal EDITOR IN CHIEF Dr. Porter. lic safety officers, increased use of The lockdown procedure committee to be implemented: security cameras and installation instructs those who receive a “ The percentage of students who • The program should discontinue Bergen Community College is fail a remedial math class is high and expected to begin providing emer- of phones in every classroom that code red” alert message to lock the math sequencing policy. This can also serve as a public address down their office or classroom, it’s getting worse, according to the means that students will no longer gency text and voice messaging college’s statistics. In 2007, 47.4 per- be barred from taking higher-level alerts for those who subscribe as system in emergencies. barricade the doors, turn off the cent of students failed one of the math classes. “Students should be part of a new “Lockdown Bergen County Police, BCCs lights, close any open blinds, turn three remedial math courses offered free to enroll in the classes they Procedure: Code Red Alert” Dept. of Public Safety and the off all radios, TV’s, computer at the college, down from 48.7 per- need to transfer rather than what adopted by the college this semes- Paramus Police Department will be monitors and take cover. Anyone cent in 2006, according to BCC’s the college needs them to take for conducting a table top exercise of in hallways or outdoors is instruct- Center for Institutional Effectiveness ter in case a live shooter or armed graduation,” the proposal stated. assailant threatens the campus. the new lockdown procedure dur- ed to first “evaluate the conditions & Research. However, the pass rate • The faculty should be empowered is even lower when taken as a whole. The text service, which will be ing Spring Break on March 25 in in their respective locations” to utilize the tutoring center as the Anna Maria Ciccone Theatre. before moving to a safe area. Large “The problem is, if you start with needed to reinforce math skills. offered beginning in April, is just the lowest class [Basic Mathematics one element of a new emergency “We can’t respond to any emer- open areas such as parking lots The proposal states: “This form of gency or any type of incident with- should be avoided, as they may MAT-011], half of them get through reinforcement/extra assistance, by management plan at Bergen devel- and go to the next class [Algebra A requirement, would be making oped over several months with the out a plan,” Sgt. John LaDuca, place the person in open view of MAT 031], and then half of them better use of BCC resources, but help of the Bergen County Police. head of the Bergen County Police the assailant. get through, and if you go to a third ultimately it would lead to assist- The messaging is crucial because officers on campus, said in a The lockdown procedure states level [Algebra B MAT 032], you get ing in student’s success.” in past emergencies, such as the Student Government Council that those in secured areas should half of those. You go from 50% to • The class sizes should be reduced meeting on March 12 where he not come out until a law enforce- 25% to 12.5%,” said Dr. Porter. one at Virginia Tech, notifying the so it conforms to the average class campus community quickly was a spoke of the plan. “Last semester ment officer or public safety per- “The people coming out of the pro- size for New Jersey. Starting in the gram are lower than the success rates critical factor in saving lives. we focused on an emergency man- sonnel properly identifies them- because of the cumulative effect on a The new procedure also includes agement plan for the college, multi level system.” See Developmental Math . page 12 which provides broad guidelines See Security Plan . page 12 Gallery Bergen Gets Ready for a New Exhibition BY ERVISA BILALAJ from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Prof. Hajamadi said the idea for a faculty is to create an active and “We have a new building which Faces of Diversity, the last exhibi- gallery was presented to the com- vibrant cultural organ to enrich the gives art's academic programs a sig- STAFF WRITER tion for this school year, will illus- mittee by the Visual Arts experience of the students taking nificant presence on campus and Bergen Community College trate BCCs diverse student body and Department five years ago when our studio art and art history we believe that the Gallery Bergen prides itself on its diversity. Now multicultural community. Prof. construction began at West Hall. courses, the college community at has the potential to be an impor- it's about to highlight it in a new Fariba Hajamdi, an assistant art pro- Gallery Bergen’s first exhibition large, and also the residents of tant resource for the visual arts in art exhibit. Gallery Bergen, located Dedicated to Art: The Visual Art Bergen County,” said Prof. Greg on the second floor of West Hall, Faces of Diversity, the last Faculty opened in the fall of 2007. Biermann, art dept. coordinator. See Gallery Bergen . page 12 will see its second exhibition this exhibition for this school It presented works in a variety of semester, entitled Faces of media created by artists who work Diversity. The exhibition will year, will illustrate BCCs in the art program at BCC. showcase 20 oversized portraits diverse and multicultural Dr.Suzaan Boettger, a member of (roughly 20”x 30”) of Bergen campus community. the art faculty, acted as the gallery Community College students, director for that exhibition. coupled with short anecdotes Prof. Hajamadi specified that stu- about each individual pho- fessor at the college, is serving as dent’s cannot show their work at tographed. The show will run from director and curator of this exhibi- Gallery Bergen, as it is strictly a fine tion. She and her digital photogra- art gallery and an educational tool. April 10 – May 5, with an opening Faces of Diversity will be Gallery Bergen’s second exhibition reception taking place on April 15 phy students will install the portraits. “The long term goal of the art PAGE 2 THE TORCH MARCH 2008 BCC NEWS International Students at BCC One Big Happy, Global Family BY ANITA PEJIC CONTRIBUTING WRITER There are 195 nations in the world, 140 of which are represent- ed by the student population here at Bergen Community College.