Volume 24, issue 25, March 21, 2002

Learning through service
Metro program integrates classwork with real-world work
Christine DiNunzio
The Metropolitan

Think learning only involves textbooks, lectures and tests? Sometimes learning is more than just memorizing facts — a class can be a life-changing experience, one that widens your outlook and causes you to reflect upon the bigger questions of life.

Students in the Service Learning Program at the Metro have the opportunity for this kind of change. Service learning is a teaching tool that combines community service with classroom instruction.

Through volunteer work, internships and classroom projects, every year more than 170 Metro students each donate 45-150 service hours to community service agencies, public schools, addiction programs, domestic violence assistance centers, prisons, medical centers and mental health organizations.

Instructor Sidni Lamb says service learning is a way to make what students learn in the classroom relevant to their real lives. She has just started to incorporate a service learning project into her introductory speech classes this semester.

"Academia tends to exist as a separate island from the rest of the community; a separate territory; a separate world. A service learning experience can help students to explore the power dynamics between the ‘haves and have-nots’ in society and what the concept of service really means," Lamb said.

Linda Hoctor, a psychology major with a minor in women’s studies, took a course in service learning offered by the Psychology Department last semester. Her placement was with the Empowerment Program, a group which helps women coming out of prison to reintegrate back into society.

"I chose this placement because of my interest in women and addictions and in where the path of addiction can lead, such as prison, prostitution and homelessness," said Hoctor. "This class allowed me to get hands-on experience and to decide if this is truly what I wanted to do. It added a dimension of reality to my coursework."

But is the program just about political correctness? Or does it go deeper?

Professor Ann-Janette Alejano-Steele has taught the service learning course for the psychology department for the past four years.

"Each semester I tell my class that this isn’t ‘Political Correctness 1001.’ It’s not about everyone coming to the conclusion that we all need to get along and love each other. It’s about becoming aware of really difficult and inherently emotional issues," Alejano-Steele said. "You don’t get an ‘A’ by being PC, you get an ‘A’ by participating honestly, processing the difficult information, and of course, doing well on the exams and in your placement."

The main point of the course, says Alejano-Steele, is that students get involved in a lot of self-reflection on issues that aren’t covered in most college courses.

"The essence of the class is to get you to look at the ugliest pieces of yourself and forces you to come to grip with them," said Laura Hamilton, a senior majoring in elementary education. "Then you learn how to apply that knowledge to how you look at the world, and it all changes. You can never go back after this class."

Hamilton spent last semester volunteering at Marrama Elementary School in Greenwood Village, where most of the third-grade students she tutored were students of color.

"It’s hard to see how non-English-speaking students and their families are treated. The teachers have very little support, and the kids have very little connection to what’s going on in the classroom," Hamilton said.

Hamilton learned firsthand how students of color can become disenchanted with school at a very young age, when the lack of representation in textbooks and in faculty members affects their achievement and attitude.

She pointed out the pictures in a science textbook that showed all white male scientists. Black men are shown playing basketball. The graphics depict white teachers, and there is no use of names from diverse cultures.

"The issue is one of self-esteem. The students never see people that look like them in white-collar professions, so those professions just don’t seem like viable options to them," Hamilton said.

"Before, I just wanted to teach in whitebread America, but this class really changed my career plans," Hamilton said. Now she plans to teach for several years and then hopes to start a program to advocate for multicultural representation in textbooks.

"The hard work of this course is the soul-searching, not the academic work. This class will make your life a better place to be – harder, but better," said Hamilton. "It does what higher education is supposed to do – it pushes you to examine your role in society."

Helena Grenardo has a master’s degree in public administration. She is taking Lamb’s introductory speech course as part of her preparation for a teaching certificate. She is a social volunteer at the Hospice of St. John.

"I began to volunteer there after my father died in Poland and I couldn’t be there for him during his final days. I decided to sit with others who are dying and maybe make a little difference to them. I bring the patients water or ice cream, candy or whatever they ask for. I read to them, talk to them or sometimes just sit with them and hold their hand, if that’s what they want to do," Grenardo said.

"I have learned that there are as many ways that people take death as there are people. Some are ready to die, and others are nervous or anxious. It is an honor and a privilege for me to be there during that special time, and I learn something from each of them. My volunteering has made me appreciate every minute of my life."

There are many practical benefits to the program, as well, says Alejano-Steele. The students receive hands-on experience that is valuable on resumes and graduate school applications, and they can develop a network of contacts in their chosen field.

"Service learning allows MSCD students and all of us to give back to the community. We picture our role in a larger organic whole and seek to integrate ourselves into the fabric of the community," said Susan Warren Lanman, director of the Cooperative Education Internships Center and Service Learning. "Civic engagement is a student ethic we can all value; it helps us to reach beyond our immediate concerns."
‘This class allowed me to get hands-on experience and to decide if this is truly what I wanted to do. It added a dimension of reality to my coursework.’
-Linda Hoctor, Metro pyschology major
Metro alum new police chief
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Coogan, first woman to hold title, returns to Auraria
Christine Morgan
The Metropolitan

The light at the end of the tunnel which symbolizes success to many Metro students is graduation. For Heather Coogan, Auraria’s newly appointed Chief of Police, success entails the opposite, a return to campus.

"It’s like coming home and it’s part of my success story. Everything this campus prepared me for, I can come back and use," she said.

Coogan is the first female Chief of Police at Auraria.

"I grew up in the projects of North Denver," Coogan said. "I knew I wanted to go to college, but I didn’t have the money to go to college."

Federal grants were offered at the time for those interested in law enforcement, which appealed to Coogan.

But police work has changed in the last 25 years, Coogan said.

"Things we consider crimes today, weren’t always crimes 25 years ago-- domestic violence, computer crimes, workplace violence and child abuse- weren’t necessarily against the law."

Coogan said she enjoys the people aspect the most, as opposed to just busting the "bad guys."

"I had a special place in my heart for victims and felt they needed someone who cares about them on their side," she said.

It took her six years, but in 1979, Coogan got her bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and continued with her career.

"I went to school part time for years. It’s very hard," Coogan said.

All the while, she was inspired by her mentors. One in particular, Yale Huffman, was her professor while at Metro. He encouraged her to "be more" and he emphasized the importance of education, Coogan said. "Mentors are always important, always part of the success. Women, especially, need mentors."

Coogan was committed to her goals, and the education she began at Metro proved to be invaluable. A 24-year veteran of the Denver Police Department, she became the first female chief deputy and retired in 2000.

Returning to Auraria, Coogan got her master’s degree in communication from UCD. Coogan attended college while working full-time and raising two daughters, one of which is currently a freshman at University of Colorado at Denver.

Now, having her new position, Coogan’s education at Auraria and her career bring her fulfillment in the very deepest sense of the word.

"I believe in the AHEC philosophy," Coogan said, "it is part of my success story."

The AHEC mission statement states in part, that their commitment is to provide a safe and open environment for all employees and commit to the following in our daily activities: respect, courtesy, honesty, trust, consistency and service.

"There is a world of possibilities we haven’t even begun to explore," she said. "I came from a generation where women believe they can be anything."

She encourages women of today to set their sights higher and to keep believing in themselves and their abilities.

"There is a quote that has always stuck with me," Coogan said. "‘You find out when you arrive that the mountain wasn’t so high.’ It is the journey, not the arrival, that counts."
‘I had a special place in my heart for victims and felt they needed someone who cares about them on their side.’
-Heather Coogan, Auraria police chief
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Scrolling events coming to food court
John R. Crane
The Metropolitan

An electronic display board to inform Auraria students of campus events and promote student clubs and activities, will soon be added to the Tivoli food court.

"It’s to combat apathy," said Raj Rajkumar, president of student government at the University of Colorado at Denver.

The purpose of the board, which cost $7,750, is to make interaction between students and their government easier and to improve their relationship, Rajkumar said.

The LED (light emitting diode) board was ordered March 15, from Daktronics, an electronics company in Washington. It will be about seven feet wide and one-and-a-half feet tall, said Victor Vialpando student government administrative assistant at CU-Denver. The board will be installed by the end of the semester and will be located below the CU Credit Union in the food court.

"More people will see it in the food court as opposed to just walking by the PE building," said Chris Chandler, Metro Student Government Assembly vice president of administration and finance. An LED board is already located on the west side of the PE building.

Zav Dadabhoy, director of student activities at Metro, said he agrees with putting up the LED board.

"As a commuter campus, the more ways we can provide information about what is going on to students, the better," Dadabhoy said.

Doug Conarroe, director of student publications at Metro, said he thinks the board should display news items from the Associated Press in between campus events to keep students up to date on national and international news.

"It will be set up strictly to promote campus events," said Barb Weiske, director of the Tivoli. "With three schools, there will be no trouble filling the message board."

Rajkumar proposed the LED board idea to the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board last fall and they accepted, Vialpando said.

Rajkumar said he originally wanted a board for the CU-Denver student government office. Since the board would have been visible to all Auraria students, SACAB said it had to be for all three schools.

"So I approached Metro and (the Community College of Denver) and they liked the idea," Rajkumar said.

The $7,750 to pay for the board will be pooled from the three schools at Auraria.

The Community College of Denver’s student life and student government will contribute $500 each. Three thousand five hundred dollars will come from CU-Denver, with $2,500 coming from student government and $1,000 from student life. Metro will spend $3,250, with $1,500 hundred coming from student government, $1,000 from student activities, and $750 from student life.

Opinions about the LED board among Auraria students vary.

" I think it would be cool," said Lisa Howe, Metro sophomore. " I eat down in the food court fairly often."

CU-Denver senior Ola Adesola said she is not so sure about the idea.

"Aren’t there other things we need to do with our money?" Adesola said. "The money could go somewhere else. How about comfortable chairs in the student lounge? They’re not very comfortable. Plenty of students go by the PE building every day."

Dan Salazar, Metro senior, said he supports having the board in the food court.

"I don’t know what else the money would be used for," Salazar said. "It makes sense to put the board there."
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Online discussion heats up
Students taking greater advantage of message boards
David Proviano
The Metropolitan

With more than 19,000 posts last month, popularity of Metro’s online discussion board is growing.

Between the more than 250 registered members and many unregistered users, the board has already received more than 15,000 posts already this month.

Between Mar 13-Mar 14 total went up from 7,800 to 12,000 in one day.

"At a non-traditional campus like ours, the discussion board is essential for students to promote camaraderie and communication," said Zav Dadabhoy, Metro Student Activities director.

The board gives students the ability to anonymously discuss a wide range of different topics. Areas for discussions include student lounge, study hall, classified, tech talk, soap box, and the alumni forum. The most popular area is the student lounge. Students post and reply to any issues they think of.

Some recent discussions in that area range from proposed student fee increases to including porn in the Auraria bookstore. Other areas, such as the soap box, have tackled such controversial topics as cloning abortion, and white supremacy.

Recently, the board has been updated to include features like the ability to create a polling area, to vote on questions; current people online with information on the last areas they posted to; and increased processing speed of the site. One future plan is to add a chat room to the discussion board, Dadabhoy said.

Utilizing Internet technology, Metro Student Activities is connecting Metro as never before with a simple addition of software to their website, Dadabhoy said. Metro is not your average college campus. Most traditional campuses have a stronger unified link among their students. However, being a growing commuter school, with an increasing number of Internet classes, communication is becoming harder for students at Auraria, he said.

During this year’s convocation, Metro President Sheila Kaplan announced that this spring a record 18,226 students chose Metro. This surpassed the last record set in spring 1993 when 17,325 students enrolled. Kaplan stressed the college was "committed to people building."

By connecting the college community, Metro Student Activities is doing just that, said Jen Darnell, a Metro student working in the Student Activities office and previous SGA president. "It’s a great communication tool," she said.

Although they have no current plans to join the discussion board in their own areas, groups on campus including GLBT and Metro’s Student Government have expressed interest in adding their specific discussion areas to the board. However, Metro Student Government has already utilized the board to discuss pending issues of the groups.

Many users of the board have requested information on issues from Metro Student Government on the discussion board. They have even discussed why they think Student Government is not more involved on the board other than to post defensive responses to student posts.

Candace Farmer, Student Government president said she has posted discussions and addressed such things as student fee increases.

Becoming more involved with the discussion area would allow students to become more involved and assist in communication with us, Farmer said.

"This is an excellent resource available to them," said Darnell. "When I was president we didn’t have anything like this, students had to come to us. I think [the board] is great for the whole college."
‘At a non-traditional campus like ours, the
discussion board is essential for students to promote camaraderie and communication.’
-Zav Dadabhoy, Metro director of student activities
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news briefs

Meeting news

The plan to restructure the media center was unanimously approved and the new Chief of Police, Heather Coogan, was introduced at the Auraria Board Meeting March 11.

Warren Spaulding, Chairman of the Board, was welcomed back to Auraria after working abroad since last fall. He chaired the meeting, which also addressed resolutions to the continuing lack of parking.

The restructuring of the media center will reduce the number of employees from 27 to 17 and provide net savings of $612, 000 in 2002 and $570,000 in 2003. Dick Feuerborn, Division Director of Facilities, Planning and Use, said the restructuring will refocus the media center to direct and support classroom activities.

Coogan is the first female Chief of Police at Auraria and March 11 was her first day on the job.

"I consider myself a success story," said Coogan, who is a Metro and University of Colorado at Denver alumni. She worked for the Denver Police Department from 1973 to 2000.

Increased enrollment has contributed to the continuing problem of parking on campus. Both Metro and UCD have over 50 percent full-time students.

"People are staying on campus longer," stated Dean Wolf, Auraria Executive Vice President for Administration.

To alleviate the parking problem, Metro and UCD are considering reestablishing a winter interim of 12-to-14-day intensive classes in 2003. Purchase of additional land and a shuttle from the Pepsi Center to campus are other solutions being investigated.

Wolf told the board the South Classroom roof is on schedule to be completed within four weeks, weather permitting.

Read, succeed!

Applications are being accepted for the "Read, Succeed at Auraria" scholarship. The award is $500 per recipient

In order to apply, you must:

•be currently enrolled at one the three Auraria schools

•have at least one full semester’s transcript with at least a 3.0 gpa

•have at least one reccommendation letter from a faculty member

The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday, March 25. Send applications to:

Library Admistration Office

Campus Box 101

attn: Mary Dodge

For information e-mail Mary Dodge at mary.dodge@cudenver.edu

-Christine Morgan
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police briefs

Arrests

Nicolai White, 20, 7864 Elmwood Place, no campus affiliation, was arrested and held in connection with harassment and stalking at 1155 11th St. March 5.

Darnell Sharp, 40, no campus affiliation, was arrested in connection with trespassing at 1150 10th St. Mall March 6.

Richard A. Winston, 49, no campus affiliation, was arrested in connection with threats made at the Auraria Science Building in the first floor lounge March 6.

Tyrone Greene, 40, 2804 York St., no campus affiliation, was arrested in connection with shoplifting at 1155 10th St. March 8.

Attempted theft of A/V projector

Neal Allan Givens, University of Colorado at Denver employee, reported an attempted theft of a digital video projector in the King Center Building March 6.

Givens told police someone tried to remove the projector from a classroom ceiling between 8:30 p.m. March 5 and 8:45 a.m. March 6. Six security screws were removed from a mounting bracket and a padlock attaching the projector to a security chain had cut marks on it, police said. A metal wire wrapped around the projector was also cut, police reports said.

Police have no suspects or leads.

Watch stolen from Library

Kourosh Hakimi, CU-Denver student, reported a watch theft in the Auraria Campus Library March 10.

Police said Hakimi left his watch on a table on the library’s second floor from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. When Hakimi returned to the table, he discovered his watch missing.

Police have no suspects or leads.

Purse stolen from North Classroom

Laura E. Profit, CU-Denver student, reported a purse theft in the North Classroom March 7.

Police reports said Profit left her purse in her backpack unattended in classroom 3016 at 1:45 p.m. When she returned at 2:05 p.m., she discovered her purse missing.

Items stolen included two credit cards, a cell phone, wallet, several ID’s, and $60.

Police have no suspects or leads.

-John R. Crane
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Letters to the editor
More to feminism then politics

As a woman, a student, a professional and the daughter of two feminist parents (my dad always said he too was a feminist). I am personally appalled and disappointed that we women are still acting petty towards one another. It seems to me that feminism has become a political bitch fest for women, instead of using it as a platform to celebrate the triumphs, success and differences of women in business, life, motherhood and activism. I believe that we as women still have a long road ahead of us. When we judge and insult women we are only making the road to equality longer.

On behalf of the students who chose to bring Mrs. Debbie Fields and as someone who works in the Metro Student Activities office, I would like to respond to Jenny Arribau, member of the Feminist Alliance, regarding her column in last week’s paper. First, we do not bring women to speak just during the month of March. Second, we are dedicated in finding speakers that are diverse in their backgrounds, history and knowledge throughout the year. The students chose Debbie for Women’s History Month because often during this month we only bring lectures that deal with the politics of being a woman. This year we felt we should bring in a woman who did not allow discrimination to be an issue. Debbie Fields did not see herself as a hopeless woman trying to break through a fence of men, she saw herself as an entrepreneur with a dream and a goal. Jenny, why were you offended by Debbie’s dream? I am sure you have a dream, and a passion, and I am sure you will do whatever it takes to accomplish your goals. Debbie Fields built a business based on the one thing she was good at and loved, baking cookies. She did not have a four-year degree or the support of her friends and family, not to mention it was the 1970s and women getting business loans were practically unheard of. This woman took a cookie and turned it into a million-dollar business; she succeeded and realized her dream. Passion, perseverance and perfection was her recipe for success, it doesn’t have to be yours. Jenny, isn’t it true that the base of feminism is to be non-judgmental and non- discriminatory towards people of your sex, people of color, men, etc.? So then why are women who look like Barbie dolls inappropriate speakers? Feminism means being pro-woman, pro-active, believing in the right to chose, vote, own a business, provide an income for your family, and have equality.

The real offense here is that you seem to assume that we do not have women lecture during months other than March. We do. It is important that you, a member of Feminist Alliance, take advantage of these opportunities so that you can make a better arguments in the school newspaper! Recently we had Pearl Duncan who traced here DNA back to Africa. Before Duncan, there was Dr. Mary Frances Berry who helped free Nelson Mandella, and is a strong female civil rights activist. Let’s not forget last semester when we had Christy Haubegger, entrepreneur and editor of a Latina magazine, Winona La Duke, American Indian activist who spoke about her boycott of Columbus Day, Tipper Gore, advocate for mental health issues, and Elizabeth Martinez, who lectured on 500 years of Chicano history. For the record, Student Activities has previously hosted Angela Davis by bringing her to campus to lecture as well as Gloria Steinam.

Student Activities is open from 8 – 5, Monday through Friday and we welcome everyone to bring in their list of people they wish would lecture on campus. Please know we have a very diverse student body and we are trying to cater to the needs and wishes of all the students, one speaker at a time. We look forward to your suggestions and seeing you at future events!

Willow Bradner
Metro Student
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Article brings students together

Dear editor,

I was very excited to see a page devoted to Women's History Month right when I opened up the Feb. 28 Metropolitan. The use of color caught my attention and I was glad to see that it was made an important issue. By listing all of the events for Women's History Month and what they are all about, I think that more women on campus will come together and get involved in not only campus life, but in making new friendships with other people on campus. Being such a diversified campus, we need more activities and attention brought to uniting the student body.

This school is full of people of all different backgrounds and it can be a great opportunity to find out new things about new people if it is available through a resource like the Metropolitan. I wanted you to know that it was a great thing to put in the paper and will make people feel more comfortable and more welcomed among each other.

Miranda Martin
Metro Student
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New student excited to be here

Dear editor,

I am a new student here at Metro and I'm very excited to be here. So far it has been great. There are lots of new people from different cultures to meet and talk to. It's amazing. I was totally surprised when I first came to the campus to see how many things were going on and to see so many people enjoying themselves. I am really looking forward to my next two years as a student here. I hope that being here will teach me new things not only about myself, but about other people as well.

Maybe the Metropolitan can help bring all these different groups of people together so everyone can feel the same way I feel. I think a lot of the students here could use something like this to make this school feel more like a home than just a place of learning.

In the future, everyone should have the privilege of coming to a place as diverse and open as Metro. It would be good for people and great for society as a whole if everyone could see the things I get to see everyday. It could change people's attitudes towards other people of different heritages. Try and look at the big picture more than jus the things going on around us, and bring the masses together. Let's show everyone what we can do as a group and not just a bunch of different types of people.

Matt McKee
Metro Student
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Smoking ads to art
Eric Skougstad
The Metropolitan

Anyone who sees Rhonda Davis, 35, working as a waitress in the Hilltop Café in Golden might assume that this is all she’s experienced of life. It’s not.

She lived in Ohio, once. She graduated high school, but instead of going to college, she decided to enter the "real world." She was hired as the secretary of a company that makes large advertisements, billboards, etc.

Working hard day in day out, she was promoted. Then promoted again and again.

The company decided that she was a hard worker with lots of artistic talent. They gave her her own account. Not just any account, mind you, but the account of a very large, corporate tobacco company, one of which we all know.

This girl who had not gone to college, but had instead entered the workforce as a secretary was now making $70,000 a year.

The money was going out as fast as it was coming in, however. She was living the life of a queen.

But it wasn’t all fun and games. She woke up, and thought about work, she went in early, worked late, and went to bed thinking about work.

It also became apparent to her that her efforts were going into encouraging people to smoke. She began to feel guilty.

She quit her job. Up and quit, just as simple as that. The $70,000 a year, and that way of life were gone. She knew the temptation to go back might be too great, so she moved to Colorado to go to school.

Most people who meet Rhonda would think she’s crazy. She’s not.

She had money with her when she moved to Colorado, but it was quickly spent on fun activities like snowboarding and concerts.

She doesn’t regret that.

She took her job as a waitress, working four days a week, seven hours a day. She moved in with her brother and his girlfriend.

She now goes to Metro State College of Denver two days a week, 10 and a half hours a day, working towards an art degree.

She wonders now where her money went back then. She works 28 hours a week as a waitress now, but still has money to do the things she loves, like snowboarding.

She never looks back, and has given up financial prosperity for personal happiness.

Some people who meet Rhonda might think she doesn’t have it together. She does.
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Scripting, waiting, teaching
Eric Skougstad
The Metropolitan

Mark Weissman, a 34-year-old Metro student, has never stopped learning.

After graduating high school in Denver, he moved to New York, and earned a psychology degree from Vassar College.

He tried writing scripts for TV shows. He wrote a script for a TV show he’d made up called Undercover. The idea was to have different bands doing cover songs. Both MTV and VH1 rejected it, but VH1 came out with a show shortly after that was suspiciously similar to his idea, Mark said.

He also wrote a script called ‘Til Death Do Us Part for the TV show, 20/20. It was after the movie Sleeping with the Enemy was released. Researching and researching, he found that most women who had murdered their husbands and didn’t get away as Julia Roberts’ character did in the movie. The show 20/20 rejected the script, but a similar show came on soon after, and a large, weekly, national magazine came out with an article on the same subject, titled ‘Til Death Do Us Part, Mark said.

His lesson? Mark realized he wasn’t cut out for the fast-paced, backstabbing world of TV scriptwriting. He also wasn’t cut out for N.Y.

"Denver gives a fairer shake than New York," Mark said.

In Denver, he turned his sights on art. He had never considered art studies seriously, even though the head of Vassar College had been an art history major. He taught himself watercolor with a painting set he bought from Target.

Soon, people were asking for his watercolor artwork in shows, and he had customers buying his work. He was asked to have some pieces in a show benefiting battered women. He created pieces taking opposition to men who could hurt their wives. After the show, he accidentally left his eight paintings beside his car, and drove off.

His lesson? He says they went to a great cause, and hopes someone is enjoying them. He doesn’t want them back.

On the side from his artwork, he became a waiter. He was making good money and training other waiters, when he volunteered to teach literacy at Palmer Elementary in Denver.

"There were five kids who were ‘literacy challenged’," Mark said, "I met with them the first day in the school library, and their teacher told me ‘take ‘em wherever you want, teach ‘em whatever.’"

Mark decided to help their literacy with poetry.

"That was in September of ’96, in January of ’97, I quit my waiter job to teach," Mark said.

He is currently an art teacher at Mackintosh Academy in Littleton, as well as at Ebert Elementary in Denver.

"Kids have the freedom to do something you are ‘not supposed to do’ (with their artwork)," Mark said, "I have learned a lot from kids."

Students at both schools have been great teachers to him.

"Learning is ever in the freshness of its youth, even for the old" –Aeschylus

At Metro, Mark Weissman is studying for his Art Degree. Even though his expertise is in watercolor, Mark is taking a pastels class, a ceramics class, and a printmaking class. All of which he admits are kind of "weird".

His website is www.touchingsenses.com.

His artwork can be viewed at an upcoming art opening at Chac Gallery, 772 Santa Fe on Friday, April 5th from 6-10. His work will remain for Saturday from 1-4, and for the next weekend with the same hours.
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Tennis roadshow continues
Confidence runs high as teams head out on multi-state trip over spring break
David Proviano
The Metropolitan

The Metro men’s and women’ tennis teams are packing up and hitting the road during spring break following a bittersweet visit to the University of Northern Colorado. The women defeated UNC 9-0, while the men lost 4-5.

The teams will leave 7:45am Thursday. That afternoon they will play N.W. Missouri State. Then Rockhurst, Friday; Washburn, Saturday; Southwest Baptist, next Monday; Central Oklahoma, next Wednesday; Cameron University, next Thursday; Midwestern State, next Friday; Northern Arizona, March 31.

Both teams agreed the key to the women’s win and reason for the men’s loss may have been confidence.

"I think everyone toughed their matches out really well," said sophomore Jasmon Crabb. "There were a few close sets, it could have gone either way. Confidence added to our playing well."

Coach Eduardo Provencio expected increased pressure and lack of confidence, but the women surprised him.

"The women came out and exceeded expectations. We came out and really blitzed the number two team in the region," Provencio said. "That was a pleasant surprise, it kind of set the tone for everybody else. Actually, I think it helped Jasom in the ranking, she’s 18th in the nation now in singles, so I think it laid a nice groundwork.

"On the other side, the guys came out flat and they were nervous. The girls did everything we asked them to do and the guys were still struggling though," he said.

Provencio said the girls did a good job of letting their nerves go and playing the way they know how to play. Bottom line, "they were tougher than the other girls," he said.

Per Ranking Rockhurst and Northwest Missouri State should be the toughest adversary for the women’s team this next week. As for the men, pretty much every team is going to be a battle. The next four matches are top ten in the region, said Provencio.

Confidence may be high for the teams but, it might not be enough.

"What they need to realize that every team is gonna be out there gunning for us, and we gotta step up every time," Provencio said. "For the men, pretty much every team is gonna be a battle, the next four matches are top ten in the region."

by the numbers

Singles

Magnus Bohman.............3-0
(No. 10 in North Central Region)

Carlos Delgado...............3-0
(No. 11 in North Central Region)

Bruce Dicker....................1-2

Karabo Makgale.............1-2

Jojo Mmopi....................2-1

Alexei Sologoub.............1-0

Tim Green......................1-1

Doubles

Bohman/Dicker...............3-0
(No. 5 in North Central Region)

Makgale/Green..............2-1

Delgado/Kulbe...............2-1

Team...............19-8
(No. 2 in North Central Region)

Singles

Jasmon Crabb................4-1

(No. 1 in North Central Region)

Hande Gorur..................4-1

Natalie Ilott....................4-0

Jess Meares....................4-1

Rebecca Meares.............4-0

Lisa Pascual....................4-1

Tania Zuleva...................0-1

Doubles

Crabb/Gorur..................4-1
(No. 1 in North Central Region)

Meares/Meares..............4-0

Zuleva/Pascual...............4-0

Meares/Pascual..............0-1

Team...............36-7
(No. 1 in North Central Region)
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Baseball slumps along
Jason Sheehan
The Metropolitan

After a promising start, the Metro baseball team is now in a slump.

The Roadrunners,11-9, lost four of the five games they played in the Missouri Southern Mutt Miller Classic March 14-17. After beginning the season with nine straight victories, Metro has now dropped nine of it’s past eleven. Just as the case was last week, Metro wasted strong starting pitching performances by not being able to come through with big hits in key situations.

"I just feel like we didn’t hit," John Burney said about the team’s current trend of losing close games by not getting key hits. "We’re not swinging the bats very well, we’re not doing the little things …we’re probably as aggressive on the base paths as possible."

Head coach Vince Porreco agreed with his outfielder.

"We pitched well," Porreco said about the disappointing showing in the tournament. "We didn’t hit. We didn’t come up with the big hits that we needed to."

Porreco also agreed the team is struggling at being aggressive, a staple in the teams’ philosophy and that each guy needs to know that when he is called on, it is his job to produce.

The losing trend could not come at a worse time for the Roadrunners. The team is set to begin play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. With the next eight games against pre-season conference favorites Southern Colorado and Mesa State, the season could get a lot worse before it gets better.

"This weekend is huge," pitcher Jason Humphrey said. "We’ll pretty much know how our season is going to end up. It starts with Southern (Colorado). We have to attack them aggressive and stay within ourselves."

For the second straight week, starting pitcher Steve Fox turned in a brilliant performance only to come out of the game with a loss. Fox was let down by a Roadrunner offense that failed to give him any run support. Against South Dakota State, the senior allowed only two runs but it wasn’t enough as the Jacks shut out Metro 2-0. South Dakota State pitchers shut down the Roadrunner bats, allowing only five hits while striking out six. The week before, Fox was on the wrong side of a 1-0 loss to Southern Colorado.

Against Kansas State at Pittsburgh, the offensive woes continued. Again the pitching was strong as Steve Neely pitched a complete game without issuing a walk. But the Roadrunners collected only five hits in the 6-2 loss.

Metro’s lone victory of the tournament came against host Missouri Southern. In the 9-2 win, starting pitcher Jason Richardson did his job by throwing a complete game. The senior allowed only two unearned runs on five hits. Senior first baseman Nate Lavrenz continued his strong offensive season, belting a two run homer to close out the scoring in the seventh. Senior third baseman Jason Sepanski had three RBIs.

This weekend will determine what type of season Metro can look forward to as RMAC favorite Southern Colorado will visit Auraria Field Friday through Sunday.

"I think it is the perfect team to start off against," Burney said about the match-up against Southern. "We can’t falter here or we’re going to be in trouble the rest of the way."
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