The roar of race cars and the smell of high-octane fuel filled the air this Labor Day weekend as Denver welcomed the second annual Centrix Financial Grand Prix. The anticipated crowds, however, did not appear.

The three-day event started at 7 a.m. Friday at Pepsi Center and wrapped up on Sunday with the final race. The days were filled with activities for the entire family including practice sessions, qualifying rounds and an all-driver autograph session.

by Joshua Lawton - The Metropolitan

Bruno Junqueira dives into turn No. 3 during the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver Aug. 31. Junqueira, the pole winner, won the 174 mile race for the second year in a row by leading 76 of the 106 laps of the street course around Pepsi Center.

Friday’s weather was near perfect as the vendors and race car drivers geared up for the weekend. The crowd began to arrive at about 1 p.m. for the start of the pace car on-track activities. Vendors were busy selling food, beer, t-shirts and souvenirs.

The event was rained out on Saturday, which left many people seeking shelter at Pepsi Center.

Jeff Gostovich, a bartender in the Pitt Suites, said that customers were grabbing the tablecloths to use as umbrellas.

The rain put a damper on the event, but the “Rock ‘n Roar” concert sponsored by KYGO 98.5 featuring Colorado’s own Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ran on schedule.

The Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver drew another disappointing crowd on Sunday for the final race. When the clouds finally parted late Sunday afternoon, many of the seats remained empty.

“I was shocked that there were less people than last year, because it was supposedly marketed better this year,” Gostovich said.

by Joshua Lawton - The Metropolitan

Bruno Junqueira, center, holds the first place trophy after winning the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver Aug. 31.

The final race took place at 1 p.m. and lasted just over 2 hours and 3 minutes after being slowed down by four caution flags for 15 laps. In the end, Bruno Junqueira of Brazil earned his second consecutive first-place victory at the Denver Grand Prix by beating teammate Sebastian Bourdais by .335 of a second on the 1.695-mile street course.

The race was the biggest so far for (sponsor) Pacific Care, and Junqueira, who started from the pole for the second time this season, was very excited.

“I’m a fighter and I’m still going to fight,” Junqueira said as he held his trophy high.

Oriol Servia of Spain took third place, and the three men stood in the Winner’s Circle with their trophies as they joked around with each other.

“I hope everybody enjoyed,” Bourdais said as the crowd cheered.

The weather played a big part in the lack of attendance but it was not the only crowd deterrent.

Eddie Monjaras, an Aramark employee, said, “Scheduling the Grand Prix against the Taste of Colorado is crazy.” Both events fought for a bigger crowd and though the actual race attendance figures were not released, officials did say that the crowds were a fraction of the 50,000 in attendance last year.

The parking and driving situation was chaotic throughout the weekend and many students were delayed getting to class as early as Thursday because of the closure of Auraria Parkway.

by Joshua Lawton - The Metropolitan

Heather Thompson, 7, of Denver, takes a break from watching the Centrix Financial Grand Prix of Denver near a fence as fans in the stands watch the CHAMP cars navigate turn 5 on Aug. 31.

A UCD student, Ashley Cameron, said “Thursday I was late to my class because Auraria closed before it was scheduled to be.”

The cost of parking was also concern for budget-conscious race fans.
The parking lots at Auraria campus charged as much as $20 on Sunday.

Many claimed the cost of concessions was also too high with hotdogs running about $4.25 and beer at $5.25.

Ticket prices ranged from $105 for a three-day pass to the upper rows of the grandstands, to $50 for 3-day unreserved seats.

Those who worked the event were disappointed by the lack of attendees.

One bartender at Brooklyn’s said he would rather have one day of an Avalanche game than have three days of the Grand Prix.

Labor Day itself was enjoyable as the sun brought with it higher temperatures and dryer conditions.

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Over one hundred people gathered in the Tivoli’s Turnhalle last Thursday for Metro’s fall convocation to honor the faculty and staff who were chosen to receive awards such as the Golden Key Faculty Awards, Distinguished Service Award and the Emeritus Status Award.

Before the award ceremony, speakers welcomed in the new semester and discussed several issues and concerns among the faculty and students.

Metro’s interim President, Ray Kieft, welcomed the audience, then turned their attention to Faculty Senate President Joan Foster.

“A couple years ago, the students from all of the public colleges and universities in Colorado were surveyed and Metro’s students were the most satisfied with their education,” Foster said opening her speech. “US News and World Report ranked us as the 4th best comprehensive college in the West in both 2001 and 2002.”

Foster discussed how the college is searching for a new president, and how she looks forward to full participation in the decision making while the search is underway.

The budget concerns at Metro, a hotly discussed issue among many on campus, were not mentioned at the convocation. Kieft said he had nothing to offer on the subject.

“I don’t know what the state of Metro is,” he said. He explained that he has been at Metro only six weeks, so he knows about some of Colorado’s issues, but is not familiar yet with everything going on at the school.

Metro’s Board of Trustees are currently looking for a permanent president, and Foster said Bruce Benson, chairman of the board, stated in a letter to the editor that the trustees value the faculty’s perspective in selecting a new president.

She clearly stated the faculty’s plan for addressing issues surrounding the college’s handbook such as the reduction-in-force policy, which states that the president of the college can fire any faculty member, regardless of tenure.

“As Mr. Benson assured me during a meeting on June 24, he believes in the value of the exchange of ideas between individuals with different ideologies,” Foster said regarding Benson’s support of what the faculty has to say in the matter.

Foster closed her speech by reinforcing the attitude of open communication regarding issues like the reduction-in-force policy.

“It is through free exchange of ideas and modifications of policies that we will be able to forge a strong working relationship that will benefit our students and enhance their education.”

Felicia Woodson, Metro’s Student Government Assembly President, then spoke about diversity at Metro and how important it is that students, faculty and staff question everything.

The award recipients were recognized after Woodson gave her speech.

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“I prefer having a physical teacher to talk to in person.”
Zachary Brown

With the number of students enrolled at Metro rising, many students are taking advantage of the option to take classes online.

Although these classes are $23 more than the regular per credit price of $84.20, to some students the extra fee is more than worth it.

It was worth it to Eva Hilburn, a senior at Metro. Hilburn spent her summer in Farmington, N.M. working on a dig for her anthropology major. She received nine credits for this from San Juan Community College where she used the college library to take Metro online courses. She received six credits over the summer from Metro and she wasn’t even in the state.

“(The classes) made it easy to get involved in other projects,” Hilburn said.

As of last spring, 5,008 students agreed with Hilburn on the convenience of being able to attend class whenever they want, wherever they want. Metro registrar Tom Gray said the number of students enrolled in online classes this semester is very close to those of spring semester because the number of online classes available remains the same.

Of these estimated 5,008 students taking advantage of the online class option offered to them, 675 are strictly online. Gray said it was very unlikely for a student to be able to graduate taking just online courses, but it would become more of a possibility as the number of online courses increases.

If a student were to try this possibility, the technology fees would add up fast over the course of a college education. Students also pay a $67.56 Information Technology Fee per semester if the student is taking 15 credits or less, or $80.81 at 16 credits or more.

Student views of online classes vary. UCD junior Zachary Brown didn’t like his online classes much.

“I prefer having a physical teacher to talk to in person,” he said.

Metro junior Graham Wincott said he agreed with Brown’s views.

“You don’t get a lot of concepts because you don’t have anyone to talk to about it,” he said.

However, it doesn’t look like Metro will be canceling its online program any time soon with students like Metro freshman Jeff Thompson supporting it.

“I like it a lot more than normal classes,” he said. “It gives you the freedom to analyze the information in your own way.”

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Metro’s faculty recently formed a union in response to a policy change made by the college’s board of trustees which threatens job security for tenured faculty.

The union, a chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, was formed this summer in response to the Reduction in Force policy that was changed by Metro’s independent board.

The new handbook contains a reduction-in-force policy that would allow the president of the college to terminate tenured faculty during a budget crisis.

This policy is at the center of the debate between the trustees and the faculty. However, it is “the overall tenor of the handbook” that led First Year Program Director Renee Ruderman to join the union.

“I care about the quality of education, and it is being affected by the egregious changes in the handbook,” Ruderman said.

Ruderman is concerned that the trustees are adopting a “top-down business model” that jeopardizes academic freedom and shared governance.

“There is a trend to see the university as solely a business enterprise,” said Mark Belkin, director of field services for the AFT’s Colorado office, who believes that this trend toward corporatization is happening around the country.

“Faculties, more and more, are not having any real input into academic decisions,” Belkin said. The new union will “take collective action in support of any members whose rights are denied” as a result of Metro’s new policy changes.

“I don’t think we’ll have a problem,” Belkin said. “We think that the college will treat people fairly and respect the law.”

The new policy changes are still a source of concern, however. Belkin called Metro’s new tenure policy “one of the most radical proposals I’ve seen.” The tenure issue remains central to the union’s grievances because of its far-reaching ramifications.

“Having meaningful tenure is necessary to retain and attract the best professors nationally,” said Belkin, who added that the college will have “difficulty competing” with other institutions with its new tenure policy.

Tenured faculty are not the only ones who will benefit from union membership. The new union will also protect the rights of part-time faculty who join.

The union plans to push for a prorated health care plan for part-time faculty, since part-time faculty do not currently receive benefits. Full-time members pay monthly dues of $25 - $27, while part-time members pay around $7 monthly, according to Ruderman.

While many members of the faculty, including Joan Foster, faculty senate president, believe that the new handbook “treats us as though we’re not professionals,” Board of Trustees Chairman Bruce Benson has a different take on the issue.

“I would disagree. I think very highly of the faculty and I just don’t agree with that statement,” Benson said. “We believe the faculty is the heart and soul of an institution.”

With regard to the formation of the faculty union, Benson said “this is a free country and people can do whatever they want.”

The formation of an AFT chapter at Metro may lead to pressure on the board of trustees to revisit the tenure policy, according to Belkin. Benson has no knowledge of such action.

“We tweak policies from time to time, but as far as taking something out, I haven’t heard anything about that,” Benson said.

With so much controversy surrounding the trustees’ policy manual, it remains to be seen what effect the new changes will have on the students at Metro.

Ruderman offered that some effects might include larger class sizes and less individual attention, and believes that the quality of teaching will suffer due to less time being available for professional development.

“I’m sure the trustees and the faculty both want what’s best for the students here,” Metro student Tim Cronin said. “It’s not going to be easy, but I hope they can find a balance.”

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“Its not that the individual wants to kill themselves, it’s the pain they want to kill,”
Rebecca Emme

A mother held her son’s lifeless hand and felt the warmth that still emanated from it. A curtain in the emergency room was drawn, separating her from the frantic fight to save a life on the other side.

The room seemed dim but was bright enough for her to notice the discoloration on his skin made by the rope that had pulled taut against his neck. Kelly Garcia lost her son Luis to suicide on Jan. 27, 2000. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t relive the horror and grief.

As the semester begins, students face the daunting tasks associated with college: dealing with class schedules, homework, working, financial obligations, and for many, raising a family.

In this time of economic crisis, it is hard enough making enough money to survive; adding the workload of school can push students past the breaking point. First-time students often find the transition from high school to college challenging.

Knowing when the stress is too much and when to seek help can mean the difference between life and death.

No one wants to wake up to the nightmare Garcia has had to endure, but recognizing the danger signs and seeking help when needed can help prevent the worst from happening.

Dale and Darlene Emme lost their youngest son, Mike, to suicide in 1994. After the tragedy they founded the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Awareness Program to aid in the prevention of teen suicide.

“It’s not that the individual wants to kill themselves, it’s the pain they are enduring that they want to kill,” their daughter Rebecca Emme said.

Darlene Emme said that her son valued life. He cared about his friends. When his friend was shot in a drive-by shooting, he made himself available to all his friends.

When Emme took his own life, his friends showed up to support his parents. To help deal with the grief, Emme’s friends started to record the events that occurred after his death.

They journaled their feelings on yellow legal pads. Everyone started to associate the color yellow with it.

On the day of his memorial service, 12 of Emme’s friends distributed 500 yellow ribbons, which were attached to business-size cards with a message from Darlene: “If you ever feel suicidal, please take this card to someone, anyone, a friend, a school counselor, or some -one you trust.”

The card became a cry for help.

Three weeks after the service, the Emmes received a phone call from a middle school counselor in Casper, Wyo. A teenage girl had brought one of the Yellow Ribbon cards to the school counselor seeking help.

The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program had officially begun.

The Yellow Ribbon Program exists in all 50 states and 47 countries worldwide. According to the program, over 1,500 lives have been saved.

The program has received over 30,000 letters of gratitude since its inception and the Emmes have earned awards for their efforts and have appeared on talk shows such as the Oprah Winfrey Show. Chicken Soup for the Soul magazine carried an article about the Emmes and the success of the program.

The American Medical Encyclopedia states that 90 percent of suicides are caused by a psychiatric illness.

Medical problems that can lead to suicide include a chemical imbalance, learning or physical disabilities, or a dependency on drugs or alcohol.

Fifteen percent of suicides are caused by severe depression.

An Adams County Case Worker said that suicides fall into two categories: the impulse suicide and those threatening suicide.

The impulse suicides are often involved in a crisis and feel hopeless.

They experience a breakup or an incident that overwhelms them with shame. In talking with someone, they can get through the impulsive period of hopelessness.

People who are constantly threatening suicide are usually calm once they make the decision to take their lives.

Then they begin the preparations. They tie up loose ends by giving away pets and material possessions.

Adams County Mental Health distributes Yellow Ribbon cards. People who have used the cards have found the program helpful. Finding someone to talk to who has crisis training is essential.

Crisis counselors are trained to recognize the lethality of the circumstance and provide crisis counseling, which is part of the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The Yellow Ribbon website lists reasons why teens may feel suicidal. About 80 percent of people who attempt suicide do give warning signs.

Changes in emotions such as sadness, anger and rage, impulsive behavior or low self-esteem are possible clues.

Other clues are an inability to communicate feelings, isolation and feelings of not belonging, or an unrealistic view of death. Previous suicide attempts by a friend or family member, family violence, or a recent rejection raises the potential risk for suicide by 15 percent.

People going through a sexual identity crisis make up 30 percent of all completed youth suicides.

The risk of suicide is five times greater if there is a gun in the house.

More information about the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Awareness Program can be found on the Website www.yellowribbon.org. Email: ask4help@yellowribbon.org, National crisis lines:
1-800-999-9999 or 1-800-784-2433 operates 24hrs a day.

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Student Government Assembly (SGA) is working hard to enhance communication between their members and to continue working hard for the student body, according to Vice President of Communications for the SGA Rachel Miller.

“We are learning to communicate better as a group,” Miller said. “Some people have heard that there is racism and there is not any; it’s miscommunication.”

There was an election last spring and the new SGA members spent the summer learning their jobs, but were still unable to fix the problem of miscommunication.

They are now focusing on eliminating this problem.

“There’s a lot of learning going on in the summer, and a lot of things to get done for the students,” Miller said. “To me, the miscommunications could be impressions that are perceived as wrong,” Miller said.

Miller does, however, have hope that the situation will improve.

“I would say that as time progresses that it will get solved and we can continue to get on with helping the students.”

According to SGA Adviser Joanna Duenas, there were unresolved issues coming into the office.

“There were some communication problems coming into the office, some issues that came up when running the campaign, and there were conflicts on what people’s responsibilities were,” Duenas said.

“The members need to understand where my responsibility begins and ends, and where yours starts,” Duenas said.

At this point, the SGA has college administrators trained in mediation, in resolving communication problems, who were appointed by Executive Director of Equal Opportunity Percy Moorehouse.

The SGA is working through the issues of miscommunication in private because they do not want to draw attention to themselves, and they want to be known as being dedicated to the students.

“They are trying to resolve communication differences,” Duenas said.

Student Trustee Harris Singer was able to further explain the purpose of the mediation.

“We have a lot of cultures and personalities and the mediation is supposed to help with the communication and get a strong student government that will be united and do work for the student body,” he said.

Duenas maintained a positive attitude about the SGA’s work.

“SGA is dedicated to continuing to focus on the work at hand, and not get distracted,” Duenas said. “This mediation is good and will continue to work.”

SGA President Felicia Woodson was not available for comment.

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Tivoli gets face-lift

This summer, restoration began on the Tivoli, which is 137 years old and has only received minor work through the years.

Funding for the restoration came from a 2000 student bond fee.

The restoration includes repairing the exterior and upgrading mechanical, electrical and fire alarm systems.

The Tivoli will not longer be white; the paint will be chipped off of the building and the outside brick will return the building to its original red exterior.

The restoration of the Tivoli is expected to be complete in 2005.

Resolution delayed on weapons

The proposal to ban weapons on campus was delayed at the Auraria Board of Directors’ meeting last week.

Certain wording in the resolution document are of concern, causing the delay of the decision.

The Board is expected to discuss the decision in September’s meeting.

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Aug. 18:
The kiosk on the second floor of West Classroom was damaged. The glass screen was bashed in. A replacement screen costs about $50.

Mark Ridenour’s Jeep was broken into in Lot H. His radio, books, and some miscellaneous CDs were stolen. Damages to the vehicle and items stolen are estimated to be about $570.

A Panasonic AM/FM/CD stereo was stolen from Krista Glover’s car in Lot C. Her right front passenger window was smashed. The stereo was worth about $300 and damage to her window is an estimated $300.

Aug. 19:
Kathryn Fowler left her cell phone in a King Center bathroom around 5:30 p.m. The phone, worth about $100, was stolen.

Jason Bagwell’s car was broken into in Lot F. The right vent window was pried open and the passenger door was then unlocked.

Bagwell’s Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo, along with a case of CDs and $3 in cash were stolen. The stereo and CDs are worth about $400. Damage to the car is estimated to be about $180.

UCD student Valerie Warnick reported her wallet stolen after leaving it in a restroom on the first floor of the Tivoli.

Aug. 22:
MSCD student Michelle Stansberry reported a theft from her vehicle. Her Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo and mounting plate were taken. It is estimated to be worth about $320.

Aug. 27:
CCD student Andy Marrero was arrested at 12 p.m. near the South Building for the unlawful carrying of a weapon and for an outstanding warrant.

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