Volume 21 Issue 29 April 30, 1999 |
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Contents:
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NEWS |
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Metro faculty rally for pay
hike Student government members rallied with faculty April 27 to fight for salary increases for teachers in front of Central Classroom. "We have to keep good faculty here," said Jennifer Darnell, incoming student government president. "Students deserve to have a much better education and good professors and if what it takes is to increase their salaries, then we need to support it." Although the rally had few attendants, members said this is just the beginning of their campaign. Matt Johnson, Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board representative, said members started petitioning April 28 to gain support from the student body. "We're petitioning to stop
hiring administration and start finding a way to hire more full-time faculty,"
said Johnson. Government members were informed
of the low wages after attending a Faculty Senate meeting. Monys Hagen,
Full-time staff members made $57,200 in 1997-98, and the average among like colleges was $62, 837, according to a report by the Office of State Colleges. "Compared to salaries in selected urban colleges, we're below all of them," Hagen said. Faculty members discussed the issue with Metro president Sheila Kaplan and the Board of Trustees at numerous meetings, she said. Kaplan responded that the money is not available to raise salaries. Kaplan said. "It's my job to pay people the most I can pay them with the resources I have, but I can't snap my fingers and make money," she said. "We will do the best we can on equity salaries, but I recognize that we will never, never, never satisfy everybody." Senate and student government members said two options to get the resources are increase tuition or ask the Colorado legislative for more funds. Student government members believe students will support a tuition raise in order to pay for good professors. "If students weigh out the benefits of having a faculty member that can satisfy his or her needs, I think they may support it," said Aussy Rabih, outgoing vice president of Administration and Finance. Members planned to raise awareness on the issue by petitioning and then decide on a way get funds. "Once we get enough people
aware of the situation, then we're going to start talking about how we can
Johnson also said he would go to the Colorado legislature to request more funds. The Senate wants Kaplan and William Fulkerson, Office of State Colleges president, to go to the legislature and get money into the system, Hagen said. It is not fair that Metro students get less money from the state than other Colorado colleges, Hagen said. "We're hoping they'll
say to the Colorado legislature, 'This isn't okay to make us the Wal-Mart
of education By joining together, the Senate and student government members believe they can get results. "If anyone's voice is loud
enough, it will be heard," said Brendan Haymaker, vice president of
Student Hagen said the students' support is very important to the Senate. "I can keep raising the issue, but you only take this issue so far without the support of the student body," she said. |
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Nobel winner: Stop weapon production People must tell government officials to stop the production of weapons of mass destruction, said a Nobel Peace Prize winner in the Tivoli on April 26. José Ramos-Horta, said violence is a direct reaction to the amount of weapons produced in the world. "People don't kill people, weapons kill people," he said. He said there is an increase in the "arms race," which is the race of all countries to build the most and best weapons, before anyone else. "We have seen the insanity," he said about World War II, and asked for all people to leave behind the wall of weapons of mass destruction. "Reduce weapon production," Ramos-Horta said. Ramos-Horta said he has his own military strategy: no war. "It would be cost effective and bloodless," Ramos-Horta said. His military strategy includes "stopping countries from providing guns to other countries in the middle of a war and stopping military training." He spoke of his times in East Timor, Columbia, and when he was exiled from Mozambique. "We must enter a millennium where dictatorships no longer exist," Ramos-Horta said. He first visited Columbia in 1997. "In Columbia they still have dreams," Ramos-Horta said. "They are still trying to go on with their lives." "It reminds us of how important it is for us to study international relations," said Adolph Grundman, director of Metro's Honors Program. Metro student Jessica Wallace said the speech was fabulous. "I am defiantly going to send an e-mail to the Pentagon," she said. Ramos-Horta was born in East Timor and has spent 23 years denouncing the invasion and annexation of his homeland by the Indonesian army. He has received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 and the Unrepresented National and People's Organization award for commitment to the rights and freedoms of threatened people. In 1998, Ramos-Horta received the Order of Freedom award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the Portuguese government. |
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Vice President Gore joins Columbine memorial LITTLETON, Colo. — (U-WIRE) Under gray skies, an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 mourners — twice as many as what organizers expected — stood with grieving loved ones and friends April 25 to memorialize 12 students and a teacher slain at nearby Columbine High School. In an eerie silence, mourners prayed, held lilies and roses, displayed signs and embraced one another in tribute to the victims of the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Vice President Al Gore said: "To the families of all those who died here, I say you are not alone. The heart of America aches with yours. We hold your agony in the center of our prayers. "I would be misleading you if I said I understand this. I don't. Why human beings do things evil I do not understand." Colorado Gov. Bill Owens told the crowd: "As I look out on these thousands of faces, I see through the grief and the tears an outpouring of love. "Since the terrible event of Tuesday, we've witnessed a community that has found within itself a tremendous healing power." The service, in a movie theater parking lot across the street from Columbine, started more than 20 minutes late to allow time for the larger-than-expected crowd to get into place. Five days earlier, two gunmen laughed as they marched through Columbine High School, guns blazing and bombs exploding until a dozen classmates and a teacher were fatally wounded. Gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were found dead in an apparent suicide pact. Their bodies lay together in the second-floor library where most of the killing took place. A survivor said one of the gunmen asked Cassie Bernall if she believed in God. When she replied, "Yes, I do," he shot her, killing her. Gore made reference to that gut-wrenching element of the massacre and challenged adults. "All of us must change our lives to honor these children," Gore said. "If you are a parent, your children need attention. If you are a grandparent, they need your time. If you do not have children, there are kids who need your example and your presence." Gore and Owens were the scheduled main speakers, but retired Gen. Colin Powell appeared unexpectedly and took a seat on stage with community leaders and elective officials. Near the conclusion of the service as some filed away and others passed teddy bears forward to be placed among hundreds of bouquets, four military jets thundered overhead. One separated from the formation to represent 12 kids taken before their time and a teacher who was a grandfather of 10. As Owens slowly read the names of the students and teacher, 13 doves - one for each victim - were released and flew off into the gray skies, momentarily circling overhead. The service opened with Columbine students Jonathan and Steve Cohen performing a song they wrote to memorialize the tragedy. Jonathan, a junior, was trapped in the school choir room during the massacre as classmates died just feet away. Steve, a senior, was in the cafeteria where many students were shot or hit by shrapnel from pipe bombs. "Can you still hear raging guns ending dreams of precious ones?" they sang. "In God's sun, hope will come, his red stain will take our pain." Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver offered a prayer. "Surely the past week is about as much suffering as any community can bear," Chaput said. "Love is stronger than death. I believe that. Perhaps beyond all this suffering, something good can be achieved." At the end, a huge procession of bagpipers that opened the memorial with "Amazing Grace," led departing mourners in an emotional march down the street to Clement Park next to the school. There stands a makeshift memorial that started with one bouquet on Tuesday and has grown to literally acres of flowers, stuffed animals, messages of condolence and final farewells. Meanwhile, Attorney General Janet Reno, who met with law officers in Colorado two days after the attack, rejected calls for new laws to restrict children in such areas as access to the Internet and violent video games. Reno said people need the strength to say "no" to violence, and for colleges to teach teachers how to teach children to resolve their conflicts with non-violent methods. The National Rifle Association dropped most activities from the agenda for its annual convention in Denver, which had been scheduled for April 30 to May 2. Denver Mayor Wellington Webb called on the gun group to cancel its convention altogether, but the event schedule still includes a prayer breakfast featuring Iran-Contra figure Oliver North and the annual membership meeting. Owens, who supports gun rights with a few restrictions, said he was reluctant to blame the NRA for the Columbine massacre, adding, "by our count, these criminals violated all" gun control laws now on the books. NRA president Wayne LaPierre said charging parents for allowing kids to have guns "may very well be appropriate in this instance." He refused to talk about proposed laws allowing teachers to carry firearms. |
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| Columbine tragedy puts campus police on alert by Michelle L. Golden The Metropolitan Auraria police are on heightened alert since the April 20 Columbine High School tragedy that ended in 15 deaths. Officers are increasing campus patrols and encouraging students and employees to report suspicious incidents, police chief Joe Ortiz said. "It's scary to think that there are so many places where anyone could hide something that could be potentially dangerous to the students on this campus," Metro student David Craig said. "Personally, I don't think more police or anything else could really make a difference in the end. What happens to me happens." But Ortiz said he's already seen indications that the alert status is producing results. "We have seen more information from faculty about problem students," Ortiz said. "I want people to know that when they come onto campus, because of this physical and visible presence, that there is somebody there." Officers are patrolling parking lots, riding the campus on bicycles and talking to students about safety precautions. Police respond to most calls for help in less than two minutes, Ortiz said. Despite the police alert, Auraria is the safest campus in Colorado, Ortiz said. |
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| Columbine gunning suspect applied, accepted to the University of Arizona by David J. Cieslak Arizona Daily Wildcat TUCSON, Ariz. (U-WIRE) — A University of Arizona attorney said Dylan Klebold — one of the "Trenchcoat Mafia" members who killed 12 classmates and a teacher April 20 at Columbine High School — was accepted into the University of Arizona. "I can confirm he was admitted," university attorney Michael Proctor said April 26. But Proctor would not say whether Klebold, 17, planned on accepting the offer and attending the university. Citing privacy restrictions, Proctor declined further comment on Klebold's acceptance. "Our policy on all applicants is to treat it as FERPA," he said, referring to the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, which prohibits educational institutions from disclosing students' personal information. Klebold and Eric Harris, 18, both Columbine High School students in Littleton, went on the shooting spree before committing suicide. In their wake, Harris and Klebold left 13 people dead, while 10 remained hospitalized April 26. The New York Times reported April 26 Klebold was also planning to live in a University of Arizona residence hall. The newspaper stated Klebold's mother sent a deposit check to the university's Residence Life department prior to the incident. "I don't know what's going on," University of Arizona residence life director James Van Arsdel said. He refused further comment. Proctor said he has not asked Residence Life to perform a search for the Klebold's check, adding that he is not aware "whether or not that has actually occurred." "They aren't going to go picking through checks just to find the person's check," he said. "If the mom is saying she sent a check, then she probably sent a check." The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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| Computer certificates added to curriculum by Sean Weaver The Metropolitan Metro will offer four certificate programs in computer science if the Trustees of the State Colleges in Colorado approve the proposal. Certificate programs are designed for people who want to focus on a specialized area of study instead of getting a four-year degree. Currently, Metro offers 25 certificate programs, ranging from personal financial planning to multimedia production. "It's a shorthand way to convey to employers that the students have these skills," said Frieda Holley, Metro's interim associate vice president of academic affairs. "There is so much desire right now for people who are trained in computer information systems." The certificates, which would be offered through the school of Business, include database analyst, network specialist in information systems, programmer in information systems and user support specialist. Each certificate will require 15 hours of classes. According to the proposal, the programs will target students who are currently enrolled and want to improve their employability while in school and non-degree-seeking students who are looking for jobs in the computer information systems field. "In the case of (the first group of students), we get frequent requests from our students for some such credential to facilitate their employability," the proposal states. "In the case of (the second group of students), we already have numerous students who 'drop in' to our program to take a few courses for exactly that reason." The academic affairs committee for the Trustees will vote on the proposal in its April 30 meeting. If approved, the certificate programs will be available spring 2000. |
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| Metro students write for cash by Micaela Duarte The Metropolitan Metro students won a total of $700 in prize money from the Writes of Spring writing contest. The awards ranged from $100 for first place to $25 for third place. There are four categories in which the participants' work is divided into: fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry. In poetry, the first place winner is Andrea Roney for "Moth Sestina." Second place went to Cristian Salazar for "Dentures." Ruth Burns earned a third-place award for "Tank Heaven." In fiction, Alana Noel Voth earned first place honors for "Milagro Was." "Snow day" by Sharon Loy placed second, and Ken Pitt's "Peter Pan's Shadow" placed third. In the drama category, first place went to Jesse Ruderman for Recess. Second place honors went to Sonny Zwierkowski for Talk. Free Falling by Michael R. Drennan placed third. For non-fiction, Chris Craven's "Whose History" earned top honors. For her second award, Voth earned a second-place award for "A Love Letter For My Father." Third place went to Christian G. Boose for "One Last Letter." The deadline for the contest was March 31, and the winners were decided in April, said one of the poetry judges, Dr. Gene Saxe, a professor in the English department. Anyone can enter as long as they are current students of Metro, Saxe said. Once the entries are submitted, the 12 judges then classify the submissions into levels of quality and read them, Saxe said. |
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| Auraria celebrates Cinco de Mayo by Rebecca Rivas The Metropolitan Salsa dancers, free burritos, games and Spanish music will fill the plaza between North and Science buildings for the Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 5. The day-long event starts with a parade beginning at the South Building at 9:30 a.m. A popular band, Mariachi Vasquez, will lead the parade and play throughout the campus. "They're great!" said Beatriz Salazar, University of Colorado at Denver and M.E.C.H.A. member, "it's a family band with two daughters and three sons that perform all over the place." The parade ends at the flagpole where attendants can try to break a large pinata filled with candy. Various Auraria groups will give away free burritos and the food booths will be inexpensive. "It should be a lot of fun. We tried to make everything as low cost as possible, unlike many fairs," said Kim Poast, Colorado Community College event coordinator, who organized the event. |
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CU-Denver housing won't help Metro students The long-standing tradition of Auraria's being a strictly commuter campus may come to an end with the University of Colorado at Denver's proposal to house students. CU-Denver's consideration of dormitories is for its international and residential students only, said Debbie Thomas, assistant vice president of College Communications. "It's 100 percent a UCD thing," Thomas said. The increase in international student enrollment during the past couple of years at CU-Denver is the reason for the building of the dormitories, said Dean Wolf, Auraria vice president of Administration. Metro's international enrollment is 187 students. The number of international students attending Metro has also increased over the years. "We are a commuter campus," Thomas said. "It's our tradition, and it's our intention to stay that way." To help ease the frustration of finding housing, a list of local landlords looking for student tenants is available in the Campus ID/Commuter Lounge in the Tivoli. This list has 20 landlords looking for tenants, said Dan Buckley, Game Room supervisor. The housing is located in all areas of the metro Denver, Buckley said. Rent ranges from $300 to $1,400 per month. The average is $505 per month, said Colin Vito Housing Department supervisor. The list is used by about twenty people a day, Buckley said. "This service is supposed to be for students, but anyone can use it," Buckley said. This service is advertised solely on the Web pages of Metro and CU-Denver. |
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COMMENTARY |
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Perk up the professors' pay
Views: Metro professors are paid less than their counterparts at similar Colorado colleges: 15 to 20-percent less. Yet, Metro's administrators are paid the same as those at other colleges. This year, salaries for Metro professors increased 2.3 percent, while other state employees received a 4 percent raise. Faculty Senate President Monys Hagen said the 2.3 percent increase is the maximum a professor can get. Accounting for inflation and other factors, that means paychecks won't go as far. Until this year, Metro professors' salaries were based on a national index of salaries. This year it is based on Colorado professors' pay. "I, like most professors, was hired with the expectation of getting paid based on the national index," Hagen said. Metro's salary deficit is $1.1 million, meaning the school would have to obtain that dollar amount from the state legislature to move professors pay up to the Colorado average. Metro professors are paid $2,000 to $3,000 less than professors at other institutions. Metro President Sheila Kaplan has said she sympathizes with the professors. Her sympathy rings hollow when she enjoys a $100,000-plus yearly salary, and a 20 percent increase to her office's budget this year. If Kaplan wants to sympathize with the underpaid professors, she should call for a policy for administrators to decline pay increases until professors pay comes up to standard. But Kaplan has done relatively little to alleviate the problem. Witness Kaplan's repeated job evaluations, which show few employees here trust her ability to lead. Employee morale is on a long-term decline. That creates an environment of apathy, which carries over to the classroom, affecting professors' teaching. Kaplan doesn't control the budget, but she can take steps to increase moral. She needs to work with the faculty to find more money for salaries. She could make a greater effort to lobby the legislature for salary increases. When student government weighed in on the issue this week, the impact was underwhelming. Few showed up for their protest on April 27. Student representatives' best bet to influence the situation is the same as Kaplan's: lobby the legislature. It will be a years-long process, but one that is well worth it. |
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The bald-face truth, in my opinion "There's a time and a place for everything, and it's called college." I used to be a disgruntled postal worker. Really. I'm sure some of you already had that suspicion. Five years later, here I am ready to leave this God forsaken place with a degree in spewing gobbledygook. But, on the other hand, I have had some wonderful experiences here, and I've met some whacked-out people. Let's start with the repeat offenders. President Sheila Kaplan: Sheila is a humanitarian with a big heart just waiting to reward all those who deserve it. Those who aren't tripping on acid or main-lining between their toes think she is the devil. I'm somewhere in between. Lee Combs, the college attorney: Uh, enough said. Director of Equal Opportunity Percy Morehouse: Percy how have you managed to last this long with an honest, helpful and deliberate demeanor? Joe Arcese, the vice president of Administration and Finance. Joe is paying a Division II volleyball coach $45,000 a year. I don't know why. He says Metro competes in a tough region for volleyball and the funds are needed for that reason. Meanwhile, the Metro women's basketball team receives second-rate treatment and funding despite competing in a region with something like eight of the past 10 national championship winners. Let me repeat that. National ... championship ... winners. Go figure. Look, there are problems at this school, but I could come back here in 10 years and there would be problems. There are things being done right. Keeping all new administrators on the payroll as interim employees fretting about their livelihood is one of them. OK, I'm just joking, but I have developed that sense of humor here. I don't know whether or not this was the right place to come in search of a degree. I do know I'll not be doing any commercials here. I've come a long way since leaving the Highlands Ranch Post Office. The people I've met and experiences I've had have made it worth it. But I wouldn't recommend it. Metro is exactly what it is most famous for: A second-rate school with a damn good men's basketball team and a student body that could not care less. I met a judge recently who graduated from here. That gives me hope. He found out I was a Metro student and chuckled. That makes me puke. I guess I'll provide the world with one or the other, but I'll be sure to tell them I came from Metro. Kyle Ringo is a Metro student and a columnist for The Metropolitan. His e-mail address is ringok@mscd.edu. |
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FEATURES |
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Year in Review After stopping one win short of the national championship, will the men's basketball team go all the way next year? Two major construction projects - the administration building and the Academic and Performing Arts Center - forced questions on how the campus will look a few years from now, and how students will cope with dwindling parking options. The state legislature declined to increase money for financial aid and instead opened up state aid dollars to students at privately run schools. That means Metro students, half of whom are on financial aid, will compete with students at 19 additional institutions. While crime rates are down on Auraria and across the country, two national tragedies struck close to home - Matthew Shepard's death at a Fort Collins hospital and the shooting at Columbine High School. Additionally, three Metro students and one professor lost their lives to violence. What follows is a wrap-up of this year's top stories. AURARIA The Y2K bug should be no problem for Metro, officials reported, thanks to a new collection of software that runs many college operations. Experts are unsure what will happen on Jan. 1, 2000, when many computers are expected to malfunction, thinking it is the year 1900. The software, called the Banner System, allows Metro students to access registration, admissions, financial aid and grades information online. Tivoli workers stopped validating parking tickets for business patrons early in fall semester. Now the only ways for consumers to get free parking at the Tivoli is to buy a movie ticket (for all-day), buy a beer at the Boiler Room (for a limited free stay), or show up late at night or on weekends. Students on Auraria Campus approved renewal of the RTD bus pass March 30-31 by a wide margin. At Metro, 92 percent of voters approved the pass. Auraria and RTD officials say the pass will include extra services next semester, such as a greater discount for express service. The cost of the pass will not exceed $20 per student for fall semester, Auraria officials said. CRIME Auraria students restrained a man Oct. 2 after a female student was assaulted with a stun gun in a women's restroom on campus. Denver police arrested Ulises Vier-Solis on suspicion of felony assault. Several students near the restroom heard her scream, and some of the male students chased 28-year-old Vier-Solis. Police later said a paperwork mix-up resulted in Vier-Solis's release. A 19-year-old Metro student was shot in the head at a house party in Westminster on Oct. 24. Robert Adams and other people attending were standing in front of the house when shots were fired from a car leaving the party. Westminster police questioned Timothy Nitz in connection with the incident Nov. 5. He was arrested later that day. A 25-year-old man was charged
in the stabbing death of a 19-year-old Metro student Jennifer Foretich.
Paul Tinsley was charged in district court Nov. 30 with premeditated murder
and sexual assault. Tinsley later attempted suicide by cutting his wrists
with a razor. He was transferred to Colorado Mental Health Institute in
Pueblo. Tinsley's A former Metro criminal justice professor, Harold Eisenhuth, was found bludgeoned to death in his Eldora home Jan. 9. Boulder sheriff's deputies arrested Matthew Garcia, 21, of Denver, at a nearby home that same day. Garcia told authorities he hit Eisenhuth six times with a hammer because he thought Eisenhuth was going to sexually assault him. Police found Eisenhuth lying naked in the hallway. Garcia's arraignment is scheduled for June 4. A 19-year-old Metro student was stabbed to death in his apartment Jan. 26. A roommate found Robert Hayden's body in the hallway of their apartment at 1250 Galapago St., No. 701, according to police reports. Police arrested two suspects in connection with the stabbing. Joseph Crazy Horse Roybal, 18, was arrested on Feb. 2, and Darnell Prelow, 20, was arrested Feb. 3. The Nepal satellite campus of the University of Colorado at Denver has been closed after a Metro student said she was raped by a security guard there in November. A CU-Denver graduate and former Metro student, Richard Roberts, wrote a letter to CU-Denver officials months before the incident telling of sexual harassment and unsafe conditions at the campus. A subsequent investigation resulted in closing the campus, CU-Denver officials said. METROACTIVE "The situation is desperate
in Iraq," a former United Nations official told Metro students Feb.
19. Former Assistant Secretary General David Halliday helped organize and
administer the UN's Oil-for-Food program in Iraq. Continued UN sanctions
on the country take the greatest toll on civilian children, Halliday said.
"We can't kill the children of Iraq because we hate the boss. Whatever
we think of Saddam Hussein, Metro student Leonard Bortolotto took a 350-mile trek around Colorado on his bike to raise money for AIDS charities - and he came back wanting more. "I hope to get it together for next year," he said just after finishing in September. "I want to tell all my friends and hopefully we can get 300 riders next year." Bortolotto landed at Cheeseman Park in Denver with 56 other riders. The group raised $130,000 from sponsors of the Colorado Aids Project the Rockies tour. It might have been curtains for Bob if Bonny hadn't come along. She rescued the old Wal-Mart mannequin and made him beautiful again - as a piece of art at the Emmanuel Gallery on campus. Bonny Lhotka's work, at the gallery early in spring semester, was one of several exhibits that put common objects in uncommon situations. In another exhibit during February, Metro student Katy Johnson stretched worn underwear over aluminum cake molds. "I thought the underwear piece was very odd and puzzling," said Michael Johnson, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Denver Art Museum. ON CAMPUS Nearly all Metro graduates in a survey reported satisfaction with their experience at Metro - 99 percent - proportionally more than respondents at any other college in Colorado. The survey of 812 Metro graduates was conducted by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. Students who start college at Metro are unlikely to graduate there, a fall survey by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education showed. Slightly less than one quarter of students who started at Metro graduated in six years. That's the lowest graduation rate in Colorado, 62.9 percent of students at the University of Colorado at Boulder graduate in 6 years. Dozens of students and community members turned out Oct. 12 to mourn the death of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student from Wyoming. Two assailants pistol-whipped Shepard and left him to die on a fence in rural Wyoming in early October. Complaints of anti-gay harrassment increased from about 12 a year to 12 in the month following Shepard's death, officials at Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Student Services reported. "Gays are feeling more fearful about sharing their sexual orientation," said Karen Bensen, director of the office. Early the next semester, Bensen said she had received no more complaints. Most Metro students got an extra day of fall break. Metro President Sheila Kaplan agreed to include Wednesday and Saturday in the normal two-day fall vacation schedule after pressure from members of Metro's student government. Student assembly members had originally promised a full week break, but Kaplan wouldn't agree to it. Professors at Metro sharply criticized President Sheila Kaplan's leadership
of college employees, but they gave her measured praise for her interaction
with the outside community, a survey by the Faculty Senate showed. The senate's
evaluation of Kaplan has no affect on her job security. An evaluation by
Metro's governing board nearly a year Enrollment at Metro dropped by 517 students during the summer, a decline of 7.7 percent compared to the year before. A later drop of 1.4 percent in the spring resulted in a $1.5 million budget cut. "I have been here since 1989 and this is the first time we've had to make cuts," said Joe Arcese, vice president of Administration and Finance. Less than 5 percent of students voted to elect a new Student Government Assembly in April. Most winners came from a group of candidates called Students for Students. Jennifer Darnell won the presidential race with 205 votes. Slightly more students voted this year, 635, compared to 522 in 1998. Students also approved continued membership in the Colorado Student Association, a lobbying group. Student evaluations of professors should be posted on the Internet soon. Student Government Assembly members pledged to produce a comprehensive book of the evaluations a year ago, but found Internet access cheaper. Faculty Senate President Monys Hagen said she has no problem with easier access to the evaluations because they're public record. But Hagen said the evaluations aren't useful for students selecting classes. Students reacted to the massacre of 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton with horror and sympathy. The day of the shooting, and in days following, students crowded around television sets in the Tivoli watching for developments. A meeting at the flagpole in the center of campus April 20 drew dozens of mourners. SPORTS The Metro women's basketball team faced the end of an era in June. Head coach Darryl Smith left Metro after his most successful season with the Roadrunners (25-5) and winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship in 1998. Smith took a coaching position at Division I Wichita State University in Kansas. Mike Power replaced Smith in August. Metro played in the 1999 RMAC tournament but lost to the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers in the semifinals 69-58 and finished the season with a 19-9 record. The Chicago Cubs drafted a Metro pitcher in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft in June. Leo Torres, the left-handed pitcher, was the 916th player to be chosen. In 1998, Torres started nine games earning a 5-3 record for the Roadrunners. In 56 1/3 innings pitched Torres threw 62 strike-outs with a 5.27 ERA. Athletics director Bill Helman
retired Nov. 1 after 17 years in the position. Volleyball coach Joan McDermott
was named his replacement. College students in Colorado will experience greater competition for state financial aid dollars now that House Bill 1047 got the governor's signature. The bill opened state financial aid eligibility to students at 19 privately run schools. Previously, only students at Colorado's 28 state-sponsored institutions were eligible. Plans for high-tech classrooms on campus might be cut in half if a proposal from Gov. Bill Owens goes through the legislature. Owens is asking for a $2.1-million cut to funds for improving classroom technology on campus. With $5 million to pay for the improvements, Auraria Vice President Dean Wolf said the campus would get 60 high-tech classrooms, rather than the 122 planned originally. The body that governs Colorado's 28 state-sponsored colleges rescinded a policy of punishing schools that don't meet state-mandated goals for ethnic minority graduation. The Colorado Commission on Higher Education said this summer that the colleges should still strive to graduate ethnic minorities, but it would not impose punishment on those that fail. Lawmakers rejected a bill from Sen. Bill Thiebaut, D-Pueblo, to offer tuition assistance to high school students with good grades. Colorado lawmakers on April 14 refused to pass a bill that would have increased the penalty for committing a crime against a homosexual, disabled or elderly person. Colorado law already includes a provision for increased punishment for those who commit crimes against ethnic minorities. Nine offenders have been sentenced to prison for crimes involving ethnic intimidation since 1991, according to the Colorado Legislative Council. |
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Crtical Altitude Flying at 35,000 feet, everything is normal. The crew talk about their layover, where they want to have diner. Suddenly oxygen masks drop from compartments above the passengers, master caution lights blaze on and the cabin altitude warning sounds. Panic sets in. The crew has just experienced a rapid decompression. At 35,000 feet, the crew has mere seconds to react before losing consciousness. Reaction time is critical and if the crew does not act quickly, the flight and everyone on board are doomed. At Metro, students will learn how to react to such situations from Larry Garrett, physiologist and retired Air Force major specializing in environmental physiology. Learning will be aided by the addition of an altitude chamber, where 16 students will experience the effects of hypoxia at 25,000 feet. They will also learn about rapid and slow decompression, spatial disorientation and the proper use of oxygen systems, Garrett said. In years past, students have relied on video tapes and lectures to illustrate the effects and causes of hypoxia and related sicknesses. Students will not only learn about oxygen systems, they will have hands-on training. "Better equipment, better airplanes won't do it. The educated pilot is critical," Garrett said. The chamber will provide low-altitude climatization and measure physiological performance in pilots. The student, at altitude, will learn what their specific reactions are to hypoxia. Such reactions include euphoric behavior, lightheadedness, a tingling in fingers and toes, and discoloration of finger nails. "It is critical for pilots to recognize these effects and the speed by which they occur," Garrett said. "Only the informed crew will know the immediacy of oxygen. It is the mission of the program to illustrate the effects of hypoxia and the lack of human performance that results." No other national academic institutions are equipped to do this training. Even though other schools have altitude chambers, they are used exclusively for medical and veterinarian research. Metro will do research as well. With the use of flight simulators, pilots will learn first-hand how hypoxia effects performance. Plotting of flight paths will show how the human body deteriorates after just a few minutes without oxygen. Metro students will not be the only ones to use the chamber. Flight crews at major airlines, such as United Airlines, corporate flight departments, general aviation pilots and even the U.S. military will have access to this training, according to Garrett. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations states pilots who wish to act as pilot in command of a pressurized airplane above 25,000 feet mean sea level are required to have training in the causes of hypoxia and other high-altitude sicknesses, the duration of consciousness without supplemental oxygen and the effects of prolonged usage of supplemental oxygen. The addition of the chamber is part of the Aerospace department's goal to provide a unique learning environment to students, according to Jo Jones, chairwoman of the Aerospace department. A building will be erected in the south parking lot of the Seventh Street Building to house the chamber, oxygen room, air conditioning room, vacuum chamber and equipment storage, Garrett said. As with other departments, cutbacks in education funding has forced the Aerospace department to look for donors and grants. Garrett presented a grant proposal to the Air Force Surgeon General and the Chief of Air Force Physiology. The grant provided for the chamber's cost of $1.1 million and spare parts, such as pumps and regulators. The chamber came from Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah, and was excess Air Force equipment. The staff will increase as well, with two chamber operators and a physiologist. The department hopes to have the chamber operational by the fall semester, Garrett said.
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Lannie Garrett She has more sass than RuPaul. Her sexy physique is Jessica Rabbit personified. Her unpredictable voice and demeanor meander across vast jungles of jazzy melodies and campy twang. She has you wrapped, whipped and begging for more singing, of course. Lannie Garrett sings — rather she belts, croons and lulls. It's what she does. And it's been her living for more than 25 years. She got a late start, too, so that makes her how old? "I don't tell anyone my age," she quips with a quirk. She looks good for her age. She should be standing in the middle of the street announcing the mystery number with pride. Until that day, guesses are welcome — and they better be complimentary, she hints. Her spacious south Denver home is eclectically decorated with everything from Beatles paraphernalia to antique cross-stitch pillows she recently bought on a trip to Savannah, Ga. Garrett comfortably sits on her sofa, recalling her modest beginnings in Chicago. Her life had grown repetitive as a file clerk, and in search of excitement and fulfillment, she came westward to Colorado. "We were hippies, and we jumped off of a plane," she said. "It was like a turning point for me because it was brave." Like so many fame-stricken youths, she knew her one purpose in life was to entertain. It could have been dancing, acting or juggling, but instead she ended up in Denver lying to accomplished jazz singer Ron Henry about her supposed vast singing history. "I hadn't really sang before that," she said. It didn't matter. She sang back up for a group, subtly getting promoted to lead singer. And that's good, because anyone who has ever seen the diva knows that backup singing isn't her gig. She was meant to shine — and her red hair only enforces that opinion. Her bands opened for the likes of Ray Charles and the Four Tops in the '70s; They also played to roaring crowds at an old gay bar, the Broadway. It didn't matter. She sang back up for a group, subtly getting promoted to lead singer. And that's good, because anyone who has ever seen the diva knows that backup singing isn't her gig. She was meant to shine — and her red hair only enforces that opinion. Her bands opened for the likes of Ray Charles and the Four Tops in the '70s; They also played to roaring crowds at an old gay bar, the Broadway. Garrett then bought a restaurant with Denver Rocky Mountain News dining critic Thom Wise, and Ruby was a kickin' scene — and a prime stage where she could polish and create her shows. "I used to do quite an eclectic group of songs," she said. "Then I started putting them in groups, and those groups became shows." Her shows include Any Swing Goes, The Patsy DeCline Show and S'Wonderful. In each production she takes on completely different personas and displays her affluence at acting — be it seductive or half-baked; effeminate or rank. Her Patsy show is a melting pot of bad jokes, quacky comments and songs reminiscent of a country western, X-rated Gallagher. Patsy DeCline, not to be confused with the tasteful country singer with a similar name, makes her appearance each January upon the Stock Show's arrival. It's perfect for those irreverent and impious nights on the town. It's not a Howard Stern stage show, but a boisterous romp using corny artillery and superfluous rigmarole. "It just kind of wrote itself," she said of the Patsy show. "It was popular the first time I ever tried it at Ruby. Since then it's evolved." Her Any Swing Goes is a big band compendium, touching on the great works of Big Joe Turner, Louis Prima and Benny Goodman. S'Wonderful is a tribute Garrett created in honor of George Gershwin's 100th birthday. Another show, Slick Chick on the Mellow Side, takes on the jazz of Nat King Cole and Peggy Lee. The show opens at the Denver Buffalo Company (1109 Lincoln St.) on May 7 and runs through June 26. She performs most holidays, as well as across the country from Maine to Hawaii. Now the Denver Buffalo Company need only advertise Lannie's name and the newly redesigned ReCliner Lounge fills up quicker than Jerry Seinfeld paying at the pump. "And I can't even harmonize very well," she admits. "I don't read music either." Check www.lannie.com or call (303) 832-0880 for more information on Lannie and her Slick Chick on the Mellow Side. |
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SPORTS |
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| Tennis team headed to regionals Fourth place showing at Bronco tourney enough to give Metro trip to Oklahoma by Tom Viskocil The Metropolitan Without a single stroke of the tennis racket, the Metro men's tennis team accomplished a year-long goal. The Roadrunners qualified for the NCAA Division II Men's Midwest Regional Tournament, to be held at Central Oklahoma University on May 7-8. Metro was scheduled to play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Colorado Springs April 23-25, but the match was rescheduled for April 30-May 2 because of bad weather. Originally, assistant coach Buu Le felt the Roadrunners had to have a good showing in the RMAC tournament to secure a spot in regionals. But Metro was given a No. 2 seed behind Northwood University before the conference tournament could be completed. Host Central Oklahoma is seeded third and Ferris State, Metro's first opponant, is seeded No. 4. "The way its setup, the conference tournament doesn't count for anything now," Le said. "That's why we schedule the important tournaments where we can play regional teams." The Roadrunners were ranked No. 7 in the region in the latest poll. The only other team in the RMAC that is seeded is Nebraska-Kearney at No. 13. The extra week of rest before playing in the conference tournament was a welcome sight for both coaches and players. After playing in the tough Bronco Tournament on April 15-17, the Roadrunners were a bit tired and looking lifeless, according to Le. "We've played a lot of tennis since the Bronco Tournament, and we were experiencing some burnout," Le said. "We didn't have that drive and I could see it in practice." Le gave his players the option to skip some practices to rest up, and many of them took advantage of the opportunity. "It gave some of us a week to recuperate," No. 5 singles player Greg Davenport said. "We were definately ready to play before but now we're ready to win. That's good news to Le, who has been in the Metro tennis program for four years and has yet to win a RMAC title as a player or a coach. He feels this is the Roadrunners' best year. "I told the guys, if you don't win conference for yourselves, win it for me," Le said. Metro has plenty of reasons to be ready for this tournament. The Roadrunners, Nebraska-Kearney and Southern Colorado all have a shot at the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Metro and Kearney split their matches this season, Southern Colorado beat Metro and Kearney beat Southern Colorado, so all three teams have a chance at the title. The players also want to bring Metro another conference title. Men's basketball won one this year and women's volleyball captured a share of the title. The tennis team wants to add their name to the list. "It would be nice to finally be recognized," Davenport said. "This is probably the best team we've ever had. It would be good to win and maybe people would realize there's a tennis school out there. It might draw more tennis players to the school." Metro has been noticed by some teams. It's No. 2 seed at regionals, even without a good showing at conference, proves that. "Winning conference would establish us as a power," Le said. Metro's challenge at the regional tournament will be Northwood, a team that beat Metro at the Bronco tourney. Only the top team from each of the three regionals will go on to the national competition to be held in Pensacola, Florida, May 13-16. Despite the earlier loss, Le and his players feel they can capture regionals. They only lost 5-4 in the match and several of the matches went three sets. "Hopefully they will let down a little and we'll have a good game," Le said. Metro's first opponant, Ferris State, is a team Metro has already beaten
this season at the Bronco Tournament. A victory would match Metro up with
the winner of the Northwood-Central Oklahoma match. Either way, Davenport
says the Roadrunners "We're ready for it more now," Davenport said. "We're more closer to regionals and we're ready to play." |
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Regular season coming to end For his offensive performances in the past week, Metro rightfielder Matt Jerebker was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Position Player of the Week. In a four game series against the University of Southern Colorado on April
25 and 26, Jerebker went 11-of-15, a 733 batting average. Jerebker hit two
doubles and one home run, his sixth of the season, against the Thunderwolves.
The Roadrunners will play a doubleheader against New Mexico Highlands, who is in first place in the RMAC, at Auraria Field at noon on May 1-2. |
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Wrestling his way into the Hall of Fame Dr. Frank Powell, Metro professor in the Human Performance and Student
Leisure department since 1970, was inducted into the National Wrestling
Hall of Fame on April 25 in Golden. He and two others were the first class
"I was elated and excited to be accepted," Powell said. "It was exciting to be among the first class of people from Colorado." Wrestling has been a part of Powell's life for 49 years. He wrestled in high school from 1951-54. While in high school he took first and third place in state championship competitions. Powell wrestled in college until 1958. He was a coach in Iowa until 1968. Powell then became an assistant coach at the University of Utah while getting his doctorate in Education Administration. After getting his doctorate, Powell moved on to Adams State and began coaching once again. He took the team from the worst in its division to a fourth- and second-place finish in his last two years there. Thirty-two years ago, while coaching at Adams State, Powell started a wrestling camp. The camp, Top of the Nation, is among the oldest camps in the United States. The camp is for 8-to 18-year-olds, Powell said. The kids range in experience from beginning to advanced and come from all over the United States, Europe, Australia and South Africa. Some great wrestlers have gone through Powell's camp. Olympic Champion Tom Brands, current Olympic hopeful Terry Brands, and numerous other national champions have been a part of the camp throughout the years. Powell's intensive camp, which spans 12 days in the middle of July, focuses
on wrestling fundamentals.The drills and workouts he puts the athletes through
enable them to improve in the areas they are weakest, |
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Roadrunners recruit Belgium player Revamping the roster of the second best team in Division II men's basketball began with recruiting last week. The Metro men's basketball team signed Patrick Mutombo Kabongo, another on a lengthy list of international players already on the squad. Kabongo, 19, is a native of the Congo but moved to Leige, Belgium, a suburb of Brussels, when he was 14. Kabongo (6-5, 185) has an amazing wingspan of 6 feet 11 inches, said assistant coach John Peterson. "He can touch the top of the door jam and the bottom of the door jam at the same time," Peterson said. Kabongo, who played basketball for the first time when he was 15, is expected to contribute a lot to the team next season, Peterson said. "He's a very intelligent kid," Peterson said. "He should bring strong character, a strong work ethic, and good athletic ability to this team." The newest Roadrunner is still in Brussels where he is finishing some law classes at a university. However, Kabongo worked out with the team twice and got to know his new teammates. "The players really liked him," Peterson said. "He'll be a very good player. He'll get playing time." Metro is looking to recruit one more player for next season. Kabongo and possibly one other recruit will fill the gaps left on the roster by seniors David Adler and Kevin DeWig and junior Richard Lugowski. Lugowski is leaving Metro and returning to his home in California where he will play for California State-Stanislaus, a Division II school, which has hovered around the middle of its conference, Lugowski said. Lugowski expects to start next season. Lugowski started 14 of 34 games he played for Metro. He led the Roadrunners three times in scoring during the season and averaged 9.3 points per game. Lugowski averaged 2.5 rebounds per game. He put a tremendous amount of effort into the team, said head coach Mike Dunlap. "He did a great job for the Roadrunners," Dunlap said. "I'm very proud of who he is and happy for him that he's going home where he wants to be." Cal. State-Stanislaus is just 45 minutes away from Merced, Calif., Lugowski's hometown. "I've been homesick the whole year," Lugowski said. But that's not to say that Lugowski didn't enjoy his stint at Metro. "I had the time of my life. It's the best program I have ever been involved with. The coaches and the players were great." |
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