Volume 19, Issue #5 April 2018 Consolidation Update SEAT might cut TRCC Route Regional St. Patrick’s Day Events Advisor The Current is the official student publication of Three Rivers Community College. The Kevin Amenta Current is written, edited, and designed solely by students. The Current staff is producing five issues this Spring which Editor are free of charge. We encourage students, Cheryl Gibson faculty, staff, and other readers to contribute to future issues. Front Cover Email submissions, responses, and ideas to: [email protected] Cheryl Gibson or to Kevin Amenta at: [email protected] Staff Only submissions with proper contact Catalina Anzola information will be accepted. The Current reserves the right to edit submissions. Views Katherine Collins expressed are those of the writers and are not to be considered those of The Current, TRCC, the Kenzie Costello faculty, staff or administration. Mark Dunning Cheryl Gibson Ashley Hanson Abigail Moran Find and Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/ George Simones TRCCTheCurrent Special Thanks: Dr. Mary Ellen Jukoski, Robert Allen Painter, Kenzie Costello, Shelley Reynolds, Alexa Shelton, Kathryn Gaffney and the TRCC Copy Center 2 The Current CONTENTS 4 Editorial 5 Writer’s Guild Contest 12 6 College Consolidation 8 Transportation Budget Cuts 18 10 Veterans Resource Fair 12 Regional St. Patty’s Events 14 Rights of the Undocumented 17 TRCC Baseball 18 Food on the Go 20 At the Movies 20 22 GamerCon is Back! Trinity COMPLETE IDP YOUR DEGREE Fall in love with learning again! Trinity’s Individualized Degree Program (IDP) offers: • Excellent need-based, year-round financial aid • Accessible academic advising • Full-time or part-time study • Faculty-guided undergraduate research • Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholars Program • 41 majors and many minors Contact us to arrange for a personalized visit. idp.trincoll.edu (860) 297-2150 [email protected] TRINITY IDP facebook.com/TrinityIDP The Current 3 Convenience versus Talent: A Never-Ending Battle An industry evolved from cameras now EDITORIAL being smothered by the never ending technological revolution. Editorial by Kenzie Costello n today’s society, everywhere cell phone technology improves, you look you see someone credibility is taken away from DSLR I with their iPhone out taking photographers and you can now be an aesthetically pleasing photo seen as a professional just from a for their newest photography shot captured on your cell phone. Instagram. Unfortunately, the individuals taking pictures from Despite smartphones having a cell phone have been taking attachments available, DSLR’s have away business from those who the best quality of images. Phones work with DSLR cameras. do not have the same abilities that cameras have such as ability to It is noticeable that the typical adjust the aperture and shutter set up for photographers are speed manually. often “stolen” by cell phone photographers through lighting, backgrounds and themes. As 4 The Current Calling All Writers! The Writers Guild is having a Writing Contest! Story & Photo by Abigail Moran t started on February 13th and If you are interested in writing went on until March 26th of this but missed the contest, you can year at Three Rivers Community always join the club! The Writers I Guild meets on Tuesdays this College – the Writers Guild Contest. semester from 3 to 5 pm in Room This was a competition that F205. Their official club poster welcomed authors and poets of all says to “Come join other budding levels to join in the love of literature Writers as we write, review, for cash prizes and the glory of edit, and exercise our abilities,” winning. Two categories could be which, along with the welcoming submitted; these would be short competition, shows the amount stories and poems. of community and inclusion of With three top placements of their club. substantial cash, they submitted their best work and now comes the time to see who the official winners are! On November 5th, the Writers Guild is holding an event called the Student Showcase where the winners of this contest will officially be announced! This event is from 6 to 9pm in Room F117 and there will be food! It’s free to attend and it’s a great way to see others talent or showcase your own! Contests like these are a great way to show off your writing skill! The Current 5 College Consolidation Affects Students, Faculty and Education as a Whole Story by George Simones he merging of CT’s community colleges T is still controversial in many ways. Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, writer for The CT Mirror, wrote a couple of very informative articles regarding the consolidation of Connecticut’s community colleges. In her article, “Merging CT’s Community Colleges is Controversial. Here’s Why”, Jacqueline states, “Hundreds of positions at Connecticut’s 12 community colleges will be shed, more administrative functions will be handled at a central office and millions will be saved without impacting students’ education.” This lets us know that this consolidation will be Photos courtesty of Pexels.com doing plenty of damage to many people that have established their careers at 6 The Current Students, Faculty and their respective schools. This is arise and to be their voice to damaging to people’s lives. college administrators.” It’s also implied by many that This will be a detriment this consolidation is trying to to students who rely on focus on the students more this faculty position for than anything, hence the name assistance. The article also “Students First”, that was gives information regarding given to it by Board of Regents how other faculty members President Mark Ojakian. in schools feel about the However, there is the side that elimination of the Department argues that students will also be Chair position. affected by the consolidation. “The proposed elimination Jacqueline wrote another of these department chair article entitled, “How the positions is upsetting to faculty. “Students First” College That’s because many view Consolidation Effects Students”, these chairs as their advocates in which she gives plenty of who understand the nuances detail regarding why students and challenges they face — will also be affected by the problems that may be unique to consolidation. their departments.” Department Chairs are a So as it is evident, the college position that Board of Regents consolidation effects educators, President Mark Ojakian plan students, faculty, and in turn will do away with by the will effect the education beginning of July 2020. This process that is going on in position is very important for school. students. The matter of the college “When students have a consolidation is constantly problem with a grade they being updated as the plan is received or other aspects of officially being brought up for their education, department consideration on the 18th of chairs at many of the colleges April. More information will are tasked with trying to come as soon as it becomes remedy the situation. Faculty available, but as for now the rely on their department chairs debate continues. to help them when problems The Current 7 Proposed State Transportation Budget Cuts Directly Affect TRCC Students Story and Photo by Catalina Anzola he proposed transportation through the State’s Transportation budget cuts will affect Three Fund (STF) by taxing gasoline Rivers Community College and diesel fuels. Since 2000, the T gasoline tax has not changed and (TRCC) students who rely on the Southeast Area Transit Direct vehicles have become more fuel (SEAT) bus service to get to school. efficient, causing revenues to decline. A student waits to ride the TRCC route SEAT bus In January of 2018, the state announced it would cut subsidies On March 22, 2018, SEAT notified to its transportation by 15 % the community on social media for the upcoming fiscal year. about the proposed service cuts Consequently, SEAT could face a and the step it would have to take 15% cut in funding starting in July if the STF is not fixed. Among 2018 and a 50% cut the following the cuts being considered is the years. elimination of the Three Rivers service route used by students to In the past, Connecticut has get to school, and the elimination of funded its transportation programs bus service after 7 p.m. which would 8 The Current Proposed State Transportation Budget also adversely affect students who President Jukoski and state attend evening classes. representatives was suggested TRCC has students from all over by Montalban. Connecticut, and not all who attend Montalban has taken further own a vehicle. These students rely steps to help his cause. He on public transportation to get to created a petition and sent it to classes. Senator Cathy Osten. “I got a Student Raul Montalban is one message back from her saying of the students at TRCC who takes that she got it, and that she is the SEAT bus to get to and from going to be working to help.” He the college. Concerned about the stated. proposed cuts, he stated, “Many Students who rely on public students including myself rely on transportation have arranged the transportation to get here, and their class schedules around if they eliminate it in general that the bus, including Montalban. would cause many people who use He feels the effect would be it currently, and in the future, to be grave on these students if the unable to come to the college.” bus schedule was eliminated or Eliminating routes would make altered. it more challenging for students to When asked what he would get to the school. Montalban lives do if the bus routes were cut, in Ashford, Ct. He already spends Montalban replied, “I would a total of four hours on the bus to either not be able to come and from school Monday through to school.