OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSIDE PIONEER ONLINE To comment on stories or to access the latest news, features, multimedia, online exclusives and JUNEIONEER 13, 2014 PIONEER.OCCC.EDU COVERING OCCC SINCE 1978 updates, visit pioneer. occc.edu. P Gone fishin’ EDITORIAL MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE NECESSARY Online Editor Siali Siaosi says too many people are forced to work multiple part- time jobs instead of one good-paying, full- time job. Read more. OPINION, p. 2 NEWS HONOR ROLL RECIPIENTS LISTED Students who made the President’s and Vice President’s Honor Rolls will be notified by mail the week of June 21. JOHN HUYNH/PIONEER Look inside to see if Western Heights High School students Jonathan and Adam Thomas fish at the OCCC retention pond on campus June 2. you made it. Catch and release is the only method of authorized fishing in the pond, located on the northeast corner of campus. NEWS, p. 6 & 7 SPORTS College surplus often placed for auction GIRLS B’BALL CLASS ADDED Official says college’s surplus list. Items on mon surplus item. cess involved in surplusing a TO ROSTER computers most the list that aren’t able to be “All surplus computer equip- computer, he said. Basketball used elsewhere in the college ment first goes to our [Informa- “They trickle down comput- Fundamentals has common items may then be listed for sale on tion Technology] department ers. So, department A gets a been added to the a government online auction and they have the power to new computer that may be two College for Kids BRYCE MCELHANEY site called Public Surplus and determine what is no longer or three years old and it goes lineup this summer. Editor located at www.publicsurplus. going to be needed in the col- to tech support. Tech support Turn inside for more information. [email protected] com. lege,” he said. “Typically, [those] are items There is a fairly lengthy pro- See SURPLUS page 9 SPORTS, p. 8 housands of items are that have been identified as no Tlisted on OCCC’s inven- longer having useful life at the COMMUNITY tory. That includes desks, college college, yet may have some WORLD MUSIC vehicles, computers and much value outside of the college — Annual evacuation drill CLASS ADDED more — everything it takes to like old computers.” TO KIDS CAMP keep a college running. Steve Duncan said there is no real a success, official says Children can sample Duncan, Material Control time frame for when items are a variety of exotic supervisor is responsible for placed on the surplus site. STAFF REPORT patrick. Evacuation drills, as well instruments in an keeping up with all of OCCC’s “There’s not a busy time of [email protected] as fire drills and shelter-in-place all-day class being inventory as it arrives and as it the year versus a non-busy drills are conducted annually offered for the is no longer needed. time of the year,” he said. “It’s lanned evacuation drills as a Department of Education first time at this Duncan said once that oc- just as people clean out or reor- summer’s College Pthat took place at all OCCC requirement, he said. for Kids. See more. curs, the item is removed from ganize or get new materials in.” campuses the morning of Tues- “We do three primary drills that a department’s inventory, put Duncan said computer COMMUNITY, p. 10 day, June 10, were a success, said into storage and placed on the equipment is the most com- OCCC’s Police Chief James Fitz- See DRILL page 9 2 • JUNE 13, 2014 PIONEER | PIONEER.OCCC.EDU OPINION EDITORIAL | Many work multiple, part-time jobs to earn a better income Minimum wage increase needed During my three years of college, there were only At first I was concerned that 7.5 million Americans two semesters when I didn’t work more than one were unable to find full-time work, but then it made job — one of them being the first semester I started more sense when I considered how little full-time school. I currently work three jobs to make ends meet. jobs might be paying their employees. I’ve assuaged angry hotel guests as a front desk clerk, As a server for a local restaurant, I make $2.13 an edited endless essays as an English tutor, experienced hour without tips. The need for multiple part-time more than one bad interview occupations might not be necessary if the federal as a journalist and survived minimum wage was raised. the mayhem of a Friday night When I filed my taxes this year, I found I had made waiting tables. around $18,000 in 2013 working multiple, part-time For most college students, jobs. While $18,000 sounds ideal to a 21-year-old, working more than one part- had I not worked multiple, part-time jobs and kept time job is common. only one full-time job earning minimum wage, my Could I manage my finances a little better and And while some Oklahomans earnings in 2013 could have fallen below the poverty maybe save up a couple grand to cushion my bank are privileged with favorable threshold, thus placing me at a financial disadvantage. account? Sure, but it would be more logical if I were economic circumstances, a The money I earned in 2013 puts me well above paid more for how hard I work. A higher minimum large population of Americans the poverty line, as the poverty threshold for a single- wage would drastically improve the workforce. SIALI are working part-time jobs, person household is $11,760, according to the U.S. “…Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour SIAOSI according to a news release is- Department of Health and Human Services website would help more than 25 million workers and raise sued by the U.S. Department of found at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/14poverty.cfm. 5 to 6 million of them out of poverty,” according to Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics on May 2 regarding However, I can attribute a monthly rent payment, a the Huffington Post. the April 2014 employment situation. Jeep Wrangler and various living expenses — not to If more employees could give 100 percent at one “The number of persons employed part time for mention the money I spend on school each semester job rather than 50 percent at two, an employer could economic reasons (sometimes referred to as invol- — to an empty checking account each month, so it’s expect optimal performance. I don’t think this is untary part-time workers) was little changed at 7.5 not like I saw that $18,000 all at once. And with the a matter of character — I think this is a matter of million in April, and these individuals were working exception of a single student loan, I’ve not applied for common sense. History has said it best: Incentive part time because their hours had been cut back or any credit cards or charge accounts. In short, I’m still reaps reward. because they were unable to find full-time work,” living paycheck to paycheck in the richest country —Siali Siaosi according to the report. in the Western hemisphere. Online Editor LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Class includes Pediatric First Aid and CPR certification Red Cross offers Advanced Child Care training course To the Editor: having fun by blending tried-and-true information People who would like to sign up for the program The American Red Cross is now offering Advanced with digital learning techniques. Participants will should visit redcross.org/childcare for more informa- Child Care Training, a course for people 16 years and learn the most common child care routines and tion. The course is eight and a half hours and costs older who are or plan to become nannies, sought- behavior along with safety inside and outside of the $129. It combines two hours of self-paced online after babysitters or who are caring for kids for the house. The course also includes Pediatric First Aid, learning and six and a half hours of in-person training first time in a residential setting. CPR and AED training and certification. and skills testing. Upon completion, course takers Parents value a well-trained sitter, as more than Other features of the training include: will receive a two-year certification in both Advanced 80 percent of parents say they would pay more for a • 24/7 access to the self-paced, online training Child Care Training and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/ sitter who is trained in CPR, first aid and child care portion AED. Advanced Child Care Training is not a licensing skills, according to a 2012 Red Cross survey. The • Hands-on skills training and assessment program and does not meet all state requirements for course also is a good option for grandparents and • A resource center with downloadable skill sheets child care centers or day care providers. other relatives who might want a child care refresher on child care subjects, lesson summaries, fact sheets, The Red Cross also offers babysitting classes before watching young children. templates for résumés and business cards, administra- through traditional classroom and online classes. This Red Cross course enables people to learn while tive forms and age‐appropriate activity ideas. —American Red Cross OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE PIONEER Vol. 42 No. 35 Bryce McElhaney.............................Editor Ethan Cooper......................Webmaster The PIONEER is a student publication of name if the request is made in writing. Oklahoma City Community College through the The PIONEER has the right to edit all letters and Lauren Daniel..........................Staff Writer Jake McMahon.................Videographer Division of Arts.