Page 12 The Renegade Rip I www.therip.com March 4, 2009 Battle of the badges Snowboarding challenge Kem County policemen and firemen Both male and female students found EYES OF THE RIP box it out at annual Guns and Hoses. learning snowboarding to be difficult. Features, Page 9 Battle of the sexes, Page 5 THE RENEGADE RIP www.therip.com Vol. 80 • No. 10 Bakersfield College March 4, 2009 Winter State budget Chevron donates to MESA By GREGORY D. COOK ment and Public Affairs division, was on hand to [email protected] present the donation. He recognizes the impor­ Rip photographer tance of the MESA program and the worlc they do. days finally passed "'People think of the oil patch as kind of old-fash­ During a special luncheon in the Rene­ ioned and low-tech." Christy said. 'They don't re­ gade Room on Feb. 18, representatives from alize that \\'e are tremendous users of technology." • The California state "The CSU and UC systems will Chevron presented the Math Engineering Christy pointed out that Chevron does a lot of budget, which was long be reducing freshman admits. Be­ Science Achievement program a donation engineering and science work. "It's geologists cause of the economy, community of $20,000 to help sponsor the MESA Week that find the new oil."" he said. "And eogineers de­ warm up overdue, was passed members have been laid off and will O project. velop the technologies that get that oil out of the about two weeks ago. be coming back for job skills." MESA is a program that, according to its ground." Money from outside businesses mission statement.·· ... enables educational­ According to Christy. the MESA program at However, Bakersfield that fund programs on campus, such ly disadvantaged students to prepare for and Baken,field College is a great program. "It gets College students can as the nur-.ing progran1. v,:ilJ contin­ graduate from a four-year L'ollege or uni\TT­ engineering and \Cience students off on the right expect fewer classes and ue to be granted. sity v,ith a math-based degree in areas such GREGORY D. COOK /THE RIP trac!,,.."' he _:.,aid ... I ¥.'as very impressed by the way 1 ··No"'' u·e get dov,,:n to the \\. ork as engineering. the sciences. computer sci­ Representatives from Chevron present studenb get a \"tTy personal and pragmatic touch. longer waitlists. to provide service.., to our students:· ence. and 1nathen1atics." a donation of $20,000 to the Math MESA. g.i\·c-.. thL'rn !he tools they need to not only Chamberlain said. \1ES.t\. \\leek O is an important part of get a good eduL·arion but to get internships and By SEGGAN MOORE In thl:' early morning hours on Feb. that process. Incoming student:-.. intere\ted Engineering Science Achievement j()h<., J;itcr ·· [email protected] I 9. California\ Ja,\·makers pas-.ed in engineering and science 1najors. are in­ program Feb. 18. Th()-..L~ It)()].., i11L'ludc free tutoring. workshops in Rip staff writer the budget. The 18-month. $143 bil­ vited to attend the \a.'Orkshop held before the rC\Uml' \\ riling and obtaining financial aid and a sho"'°·ing: them "·here things are at on can1pus," lion spending plan raises taxes and start of the fall semester. stud: center 1hat otlcf\ Internet access and free The wait for the California budget Clonlalcz said. ··The idea behind \1ESA. Week O is GREGORY D. COOK I THE RIP cuts spending to help the S42 hillion "We take them through the degree pro­ printing. to be passed is finally over. to get the ..;tudent\ prepared and ready to go ~:hen Palm trees stand silhouetted against a sunset as seen from the Valley Plaza Mall on Feb. 20. deficit. ces~ ... ,aid Consuelo Gonzalez. director of \1ESA. al..,o ..,pon..,of\ field trips for students to Bakersfield College president school stan.-.:· Constitutionally. lau1makers are the Bakersfield College MESA program. Roger Chri..,ty. fro1n Chevron\, Policy. Govern- Greg Chamberlain says that this is a supposed to pass a budget by June ··we alw "'Ork on student devclopn1ent. See MESA. Page 3 good budget for BC, and the school 15 and have it ro the governor to be hasn't been cut as much as expect­ signed by July I. In the last 30 years, ed. this has happened a dozen times. "lbe state recognized our role at The last time a budget was pa,;,;sed community colleges as a part of the by June 15 was in 1986. solution to the economic problem," Feb. 19 also marked the Senate's 1iCos' Chamberlain said. longest session to achieve the re­ For the 2008-2009 school year, quired two-thirds vote to pass the there is no anticipatioo to cut any budget. 1be session took 45 and full-time employees. Some things a half hours to decide on the vote c BC students can expect are fewer of Republican Abel Maldonado of summer courses, all classes fill­ Santa Maria. An agreement v.•as met ing up sooner, and more waidists. with Democratic lawmakers and Chamberlain suggests to make sure Maldonado. who asked for election you have gone through the whole changes~ government reform and re­ process ·of lliltiilgtlleliilriussion 1e,1- moVal of increasing the gas tax. as tllld seeing a counselor so you have well as freezing legislative salaries the opportunity to register early be­ in deficit budget years. ALEJANDRO MONTANO/THE RIP fore open enrollment begins. Although the budget was official­ In celebration of our 44th president, Taco Fresco, located on Allhough there will be fewer ly passed. there will be a May revise courses, Chamberlain said that BC the corner of California and Chester Avenue, is currently that will be the final budget for the will not have fewer students. promoting 44 cent tacos while supplies last. 18-month plan. PATii J. LOOMIS I THE RIP PATii J. LOOMIS /THE RIP Scenery shot outside the horticulture department in the afternoon on March 1. New budget African­ A Bakers­ The field resi­ Bakersfield dent Fire affects students holds Department • The University of sions, pick out your majors and get American a sign and BC California and the California all your ducks in a row, the more suc- on the Department cessful you are going to be," she said. corner of Public State University systems "Almost every student I have seen can are cutting their budgets be a successful transfer student, you Appreciation of Ming Safety back. 1bis could affect any just have to be organized and have a Avenue respond to possible transfer students writteo educational plan. Transfer is and an accident Left: Among the many clubs that marched in interested in transferring. a possibility for all BC students." Wible on Haley Now that the Cal States have made the parade, President Obama impersonator Road. Street on earlier deadlines, Granger-Dickson made a visit to the downtown Black History GREGORY D Feb. 18. The By LEIA MINCH suggests gening ahead and filling out COOK/ THE [email protected] Parade on Feb. 28. Ahore: The percussion line accident Feature editor the priority application that can be R1P filled out October-November. in the parade makes its way down the street. occurred It's old news: 1be California state "It's tough to figure out, I know. ALEJANDRO MONTANO I THE RIP when a car See page 8 for story. budget is lacking. Look at what you enjoy doing. Come driven by Every newspaper has articles that in to the Career Cenler and make BC student Sl8le bow bad our ccooomy is. Bud- sure you're getting the right cla.sses Jennifer gds ew,rywhere a,e being cut. and dme." Lopez, people a,e being laid off. Students may be forced to get 19, hit a So, bow will the lack of funding more 01ganized or miss out on need­ be affecting transfer students to Uni- ed classes because, acconlmg to BC Gas prices begin to increase once again car pulling versities of California or California president Greg Chamberlain, there is away from State Universities? a cut for some summer and fall '09 By MANUEL MORFIN downtown Bakersfield, where she lives, the curb. -Aeoolrling to BC's transfer servic- classes. mr,[email protected] takes her about 15 to 30 minutes using the GREGORYD. es counselor, Sue Granger-Dickson, "We have to look carefully at all Rip staff writer COOK I THE RIP bus depending on what line she uses. lhe UC sySllm is rnosidering cut- the courses we are offering and will Dinh plans to get her drivers license soon, An un­ The tiug· lhe nprorning lieslnnan class be forced to give a reduced number In Man:h of last year, gasoline prices be­ but she will still use the bus because she known American by6'ili. ofcourses available," he said. "Right gan rising at a fast pace and in June reached finds it more convenient for her pocket. "They wging srudents to at- now we ttying to be as careful reason flag is ae are an average of $4.53 a gallon for regular gas­ Some students have no choice but to spend for hung from .· •.. -1dli:il"Jilc!il~ colleges as p<l'lSll!le to~ ~ over from oline in Bakersfield. Later, in July, gas prices much of their budget on gasoline. smoke ~ 'an,fcompleu, their first two years of last year. We can handle this year's began going down, averaging $1.59 a gallon Maribel Olvera, a psychology major a Kern causes schooling there," she said. cut, with the money from last year.