November 9, 2009

www.theAccent.org Volume 12, Issue 4

Student Life
Austin has Student Life Budget
drastic need
for health, Campus Activities

redesign
$43,400.00
The Orientation Program
tech grads $44,500.00

Matt Iserman Student

Staff writer
The Greater Austin Chamber
of Commerce released its
second annual progress report
over the state of ACC last
month. Despite enrollment
rates already at a record high,
the report recommends a
drastic increase in the amount
of graduates in health and
technology related fields by
2015 in order to meet the
Metropolitan Austin future
workforce needs.
Currently, ACC’s enrollment
rate is growing slightly faster
than the population growth
of the Metro Austin area. The
currently projected figures show
the Austin area creating or
replacing more jobs that require
an associate or other post-
secondary vocational certificate
than ACC can provide. The
May 2008 annexation of
Round Rock into ACC’s taxing
district will aid in enrollment
rates continuing to mirror the
Austin area’s projected 3 percent
population growth rate.
ACC, along with the Austin
Chamber of Commerce and
50 other educational and
community organizations
have undertaken the “20,010
by 2010” initiative to greatly
increase enrollment from Metro
Austin into post-secondary
education by 30 percent over
the 2005 baseline. As of 2008, 25
percent of high school graduates
from the Metro Austin area
immediately enrolled in ACC
post graduation. Course
enrollments show that ACC’s
two fastest growing enrollment
areas over the past 5 years are
college-level transfer classes
taken by students planning to
transfer credits to four-year
colleges as well as health science
classes taken primarily by
students planning to enter the
workforce after graduation.
Mike Midgley, ACC
Vice President of Workforce
Education and Business
Development, sees all of the
goals recommended by the
Chamber of Commerce as
reachable. “With the addition
of our new campus in Round
Rock, our enrollment rates
should continue to climb
through 2015,” said Midgley.
Midgley went further to
explain that among the factors
hindering growth is the college’s
limited facilities. The addition
of the Round Rock campus will
help to alleviate some of this
concern as the school plans on it
being their largest campus when
all development is complete,
hosting over 11,000 students.
ACC produced 50 percent of
the labor market needs in 2008
for allied health and nursing
completers and graduates in
ȩȩ see ACC page 4
Assistance Program Accent Student
$74,000.00 Newspaper
$43,000.000
Leadership
& Development
$26,200.00
Campus Activity Board
& Annual Events
$80,674.00
Intramurals & Campus Governance
Recreation
$37,900.00
$46,400.00
Clubs & Organizations
Diversity $13,800.00
Outreach
$23,200.00 Communications & Student
Life Marketing
Student Participation
$45,400.00 Student
Communications
Changes at a glance 111
Student Assistance New Student
Student Life is working on reorganizing the current clusters to 41
Orientation
accommodate for new, longer, mandatory student orientations.
Planning is still very preliminary, but some changes are certain.
2,790
What we know for sure: Leadership
Development
• Diversity, Leadership, and Intramural Sports and 719
Recreation will no longer be stand alone programs
• Welcomepalooza and Springtini events are cancelled for at
least fall 2010. Welcome Week is still on.
Intramural Sports
and Recreation
• Many events that have been scheduled, but that work has
not started on, will be cancelled 715
• The Student Life budget will not be cut Diversity Outreach
533
• Students will be able to complete mandatory orientation Clubs
online, or on campus. and Organizations
1,300
• Some of most successful aspects from eliminated clusters Campus Activities
and events will be blended into programs and events that 8,539 Campus Governance
have not been cut. 80
New mandatory orientation leads to restructuring of Student Life programs
Sarah Neve Student Life (SL) is being and any changes to the proposal that come up students to control what SL is like on each campus.
reorganized in order to expand in the meeting are made, the proposal will go to “I’ve always wanted to turn the reins over to
Editor-in-Chief
The Orientation Program Student Government so that students can weigh in the students. This whole thing with TOP gives us a
(TOP) as a result of the college deciding to make on the changes. SL is funded through the Student vehicle to do that,” Richard said.
orientation mandatory. Diversity, Intramural Activities Fee that all students pay. Some aspects of the programs that are being cut
Sports and Recreation and the Leadership There is some concern about the programs that will be blended in to exist within the remaining
programs will no longer be stand-alone clusters. are being cut, including a decline in the number of clusters.
Some of the most successful aspects of these the students involved. John Jacobs, who runs the Diversity Program,
clusters will be blended into remaining programs. “Student development is not the hopes that the Unity Jam event and the Diversity
Starting fall, 2010, all students new to ACC administration’s focus, orientation is,” SL Ambassador Programs stay in place after the
will have to attend orientation either on campus Coordinator and head of the leadership program diversity cluster is gone.
or online. Currently about 1,600 students attend Quevarra Moten said. Unity Jam is a college-wide event where each
orientation per year, but under the new mandatory Leadership had 719 students involved last campus is assigned a country, and SL on that
orientation, more like 10,000 will be required to semester, according to the report from the Student campus creates an event showcasing the culture of
attend. Orientation will also be three hours long Life office. that country with dancing, food and clothing.
instead of two. “I don’t want to say that I’m heartbroken, “These are experiences that all students need to
“The administration didn’t tell me I had to but I am torn…My whole program is being cut. have. It makes them well rounded,” Jacobs said.
reorganize Student Life, but they told me about Leadership is being turned into a club, but I mean While there is some concern that these changes
orientation, and we couldn’t make it work without it’s better to have something than nothing at all,” will lead to fewer students being involved with SL,
moving things around,” Director of Student Life Moten said. Richard is optimistic. “It’s not true. I don’t know
Cheryl Richard said. Part of the proposal that Richard is working how it won’t be true, but we will figure it out,” she
Richard is working on a proposal outlining on would be to create a Campus Activities Board said. “My passion and my goal is to always reach as
the changes to SL that she will share with the SL (CAB) on each campus that would be overseen by many students as possible.”
Coordinators on Nov. 9. After the feedback is in the SL Assistant and Coordinator. This would allow

Success workshops poorly attended Thousands of Texas jobs

Brynne Harder
Staff Writer
Each semester success
workshops are provided to
students in areas such as time
management, eliminating
stress and starting good
financial habits. These are
designed to improve a students
performance in, and outside of
their educational career.
But, based on the average
attendance, most students are
not using these workshops.
“I think community
college students are very busy.
They balance work, school,
family. They run to class and
run somewhere else,” said
counselor Linda Moeller.
It is debatable whether
students’ busy lives might be
the reason they are unable to
attend, or possibly that they
are not aware the workshops
are offered. Average
attendance varies from about
one student to 12 students.
The best attended workshops
are usually those that are
offered as part of a scheduled
class or as extra credit.
The counselors do say that
these are valuable workshops
that can help students in
their current pursuits and
also after college. The career
services workshops can assist
in finding a job and interview
and resume writing skills while
others help with avoiding
burnout or managing a hectic
schedule.
“Many of these topics help
a student juggle other parts of
their life. Problems at work,
or such, can diminish school,”
said counselor Stewart Sachers.
Traditionally workshops
were offered at all campuses,
however this semester they
are only being held through
the Northridge and Cypress
Creek Campuses. There
are an increased number of
workshops available online.
Moeller said that the online
courses have become better
attended, probably, because
they are more flexible for
students.
There are still a few more
workshops scheduled for the
fall semester. Understanding
what you need to register
successfully at ACC will
be held in November at
Northridge. ACC’s career
services available online 24/7
will be held Nov. 4, 10 and
Dec. 5 at Cypress Creek.
created, saved by stimulus
American Recovery and jobs with its $5 billion while
Christopher A. Smith
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Wyoming only took $800
Campus Life Editor was provided to the DOE thousand and, according to
to deal with state budget the report, created or saved
Federal stimulus money
shortfalls when President only three education related
saved or created almost
Obama signed the ARRA jobs.
4,000 education jobs in Texas
into law on Feb. 17. The DOE States are required to
according to a report by the
credits the use of that money report the use of stimulus
US Department of Education
for the creation of 325,000 funds quarterly and on Jan.
(DOE).The report said Texas
education jobs nationwide. 1 the DOE plans to release
used almost $30 million of
That is nearly half of the another report with more up
the stimulus money awarded
640,329 jobs created by to date information.
to it by the DOE.
the ARRA according to the “We’ll be able to see its
A draft of the report
recovery.gov Web site. impact for years to come,”
was made available on Nov.
Some states have taken said Secretary of Education
2 by the DOE. The report
full advantage of the money Arne Duncan of the stimulus
includes information on
awarded to them while money used to save and
money awarded to each state
others have not. According create education jobs. “We
in the nation and jobs saved
to the report, California can educate our way to a
or created in each state.
has saved or created 80,000 better economy.”
$100 billion from the
page 2
Forum w w w.the Accent.org November 9, 2009

Karissa
Explains Road to mandatory orientation
it ALL paved with good intentions
The Vatican opens its doors
Karissa Rodriguez
Layout Intern
I am a firm believer in God and faith. I believe that there is a
higher authority watching over everyone. That authority creates
miracles and allows terrible events to occur worldwide in order to
teach us to be better people.
Despite my personal beliefs, I have been confused about religion
my entire life and have opted to just shut religion and faith out of my
life rather than to understand it.
However, Pope Benedict XVI’s recent announcement on Oct. 20
inviting Anglicans into the Roman Catholic Church has re-sparked
my interest in exploring and understanding religion.
By welcoming Anglicans, Benedict is allowing their parishes to
retain their unique rights and practices while recognizing the Pope
as their religious leader.
In other words, the Vatican is poaching disenchanted Anglicans
who are upset by the growing number of ordained women bishops,
gay priests, and the acceptance of gay marriage among the Anglican
Communion.
By opening its doors to Anglicans, the Vatican will, without
a doubt, strengthens the Catholic Church in numbers, but will
also present itself as a more accepting and progressive church to
Christian churchgoers, like myself, who are on the bubble about
which denomination is right for them.
Benedict’s welcoming of the Anglican Communion was a rare
sliver of brilliance by a more pragmatic and open-minded Vatican.
This Vatican realizes progressive doctrine is the only way to pick
itself up from the shameful ashes of centuries of cover-ups.
I think this isn’t necessarily a step forward for the Vatican, but
more of a way for the church to catch up to the 21st century and
evolve their practices into a more modern way of thinking.
However brilliant this move is, it still raises a number of
questions concerning how the practices between both religious sects Staff Artist • Karen Kuhn
will merge together.
Yes, it is great that traditionalists within the Anglican
Communion have the choice, now, to join a sect that they identify
with, but what about the changes that need too, and should occur as
New policy forces unfortunate cuts in Student Life
a result within the Catholic community?
Specifically, changes will need to be made concerning the
institution of celibacy within priesthood. I believe that this is of -Staff Editorial- helps. While everything is still very
utmost importance, and Catholic priests should be allowed to get Like students who attend orientation, preliminary, the focus of the new SL
married, just like Anglican priests are allowed matrimony.. The administration has decided to students who are involved in SL programs will be to create more student-run SL
Married Protestant clergymen have been allowed to convert to expand The Orientation Program (TOP), are more likely to succeed academically. departments on every campus, which
Catholic priesthood on a case-by-case basis, and the Vatican’s move and to make orientation mandatory for all Working with SL creates a connection will lead to inconsistency from campus to
to allow married Anglican priests to convert to Catholicism will students before they take their first class at to the college that helps students stay campus.
likely lead to an influx of married men into the Catholic priesthood. ACC beginning fall, 2010. Student Life (SL) involved. Losing three SL programs for the There are programs in place that
Since the Vatican is already making radical changes within the will have to cut the Diversity, Leadership, sake of expanding TOP is not in the best help students decide how the money
church, they should also take the initiative to abolish celibacy for all Intramural Sports and Recreation clusters interest of anyone. they spend for student activities is used.
Catholic clergy as well. to compensate. These changes have the Unfortunately, SL does not really have Student Government, and specifically the
Unfortunately, the Vatican has a tendency to let change happen potential to make SL more difficult to a choice. The administration asked for Student Activity Fee Advisory Committee,
slowly - as in over the course of hundreds of years - so, in all become involved with and less consistent these changes to TOP, and the only way to should have been in on this a long time
likelihood, the church will remain as hypocritical as ever. from campus to campus. create enough funding and man power to ago. Instead of being able to decide if
After speaking to several students, I have gotten mixed reactions The administration, in trying to support the new orientation program was students wanted this change at all, they
about this issue. Many, both Catholics and non-Catholics, believe further the ACC Student Success Initiative to cut some of the existing clusters. will now only have a say in what the
that it makes sense for the Vatican to abolish celibacy. While others (SSI), believes that this new orientation One of the biggest changes to TOP is changes will look like, and only because SL
who are traditional Catholics feel uneasy with such a radical change. program will be beneficial for students. that students can complete orientation involved them, not the college.
Those against abolishing celibacy support the traditional The SSI states that it supports data driven online. It is expected that many students The administration should make data
Catholic view that priests should be married to God. decision making. In that respect, expanding will use the new option because it is faster, driven decisions that take into account
This is a difficult and sensitive issue that the Vatican needs to orientation seems like a good idea if one and can be done from home. In no way is all the available information. When they
review swiftly and inform the public about what they believe is best is looking specifically at data that suggests three hours looking at a computer screen decide to do things that force the entire
for their parishioners. that attending orientation helps students going to be more helpful to students SL department, which is funded by fees
As for myself, Benedict’s invitation to Anglicans feels like an succeed. However, when looking at the than semesters spent building their students pay, to be completely redesigned,
invitation for me to discover my religious beliefs, and even join the broad implications of that decision, it is co-curricular profiles and learning skills students should be involved from the very
Anglicans who are converting to Catholicism and officially become clear that it will hurt more students than it like leadership, tolerance and team work. beginning.
a member of the Catholic Church.

For thin sliver of the pedophile target for irrational hatred.

Log in.
Devons
population whose presence Mahatma Ghandi once

’
has been grossly exaggerated said, “Hate the sin, love the
by biased media coverage.
When uncles and stepfathers
sinner,” and perhaps that is
the approach we need. Many Get informed.
Sake
are arrested for child rape, it
rarely makes the front pages
pederasts were once the victim
of sexual abuse themselves who, Interact.
Sympathy for the Devil nationwide, but when the unfortunately, were never given

Devon Tincknell
Staff Writer
Before we get started, let
us make something perfectly
clear. I am not sexually attracted
to minors. I do not think sex
between minors and adults
is okay. I do not think child
pornography is okay, and when
sexual abuse does occur, I think
it is a reprehensible tragedy that
damages lives.
However, the demonization
of these offenders has done
nothing to mend this problem,
and in fact, has made things
worse. Rather than hysterically
casting pedophiles out of
society, we need to provide
these offenders with treatment.
Harsh punishments and housing
restrictions are not effective and
single out the mentally ill, while
pedophiles who can function in
society remain free to perpetrate
their abuses.
Recently, a student at
Eastview Campus misplaced a
flash drive containing a video
of an eight or nine year old
girl performing what has been
described as “lewd, sexual acts.”
The flash drive also held the
student’s resume and so, luckily,
he was quickly identified and
arrested. The student is not
suspected of personally doing
anything sexual with children,
but nevertheless, the discovery
of child pornography provokes
feelings of horror, revulsion, and
like TV news programs. These
attitudes may feel righteous and
justified, but in fact they are
part of a vicious cycle that hurts
everyone and helps no one.
For a long time in this
country, sexual molestation
was a dirty secret that adults
were loathe to admit existed.
Children who spoke out against
their priests, teachers, fathers
and neighbors were often
admonished for telling lies
and punished further. This
cultural denial trapped victims
in a world of guilt and isolation
where they believed this was
only happening to them and was
in some way their fault.
Over the last few decades,
more and more victims of abuse
have come forward to tell their
stories, breaking through this
veil of silence.
Blaming the victims of
sexual abuse, be it rape or
pre-pubescent molestation,
for what happened to them is
almost as ghastly as the crime
itself, but our effort to put an
end to these crimes has gotten
too caught up in paranoia and
retribution. Media, eager for
viewers, and politicians hungry
for votes understands that fear
is an effective motivator, and
recently both parties have used
it to capitalize on every parent’s
worst nightmare: molestation.
Despite overwhelming
evidence that the vast majority
suspect is some anonymous
creep, it triggers a media blitz.
The reasons for this
inaccurate portrayal goes
back to the original culture of
denial that pervaded over this
issue for so long. Parents do
not want to believe that they
might have been culpable in
their child’s abuse. When the
alleged molester is a spouse, a
family friend, or someone else
in the adult guardian’s circle of
trust, accepting the truth means
dealing with guilt over their
own ignorance or inaction. An
unknown monster, a stranger
with candy, is a lot easier to
hate, to despise, and to punish
unmercifully.
This lack of compassion has
actually created more problems
than it solves. Politicians have
succeeded in enacting residency
restrictions, registration
programs, and other drastic,
punitive measures to deal with
child molesters because no one
objects, due to fear of being
labeled pro-pedophile. While
these laws might be made with
the best intent, many of them
have serious side effects and
need careful revision.
Residency restrictions,
such as denying housing
or stipulations limiting
proximity to churches, schools,
playgrounds and other areas,
have driven pedophiles
underground and made them
more of a liability than before.
Thanks to the broad
Accent
the means to deal with their
trauma in a healthy manner.
By focusing on punishing the
Online
accused, rather than rescuing
the victims, we are creating an
endless cycle where yesterday’s
victim becomes tomorrow’s
evil incarnate. The taboo is so
strong that there is nowhere for
these people to turn for help
Student multimedia
before they slip up and give in to
their unacceptable desires. Web-only content
Human sexuality is still far Your home for:
from being understood, but we Reader feedback
do know that these lusts are
powerful forces. Sex offenders
have the highest recidivism rate Staff blogs
of any criminal and presenting
them with a harder existence as
a social outcast does not help
things one bit. A controversial
option is to allow offenders,
or people who have yet to
offend, to register for voluntary
chemical castration. By taking
drugs they could neuter their
sexual impulses and, with
the help of an understanding
community, live an ordinary life.
Draconian legislation and ADVERTISING
512.223.3166
EDITORIAL
512.223.3171
FAX
512.223.3086
media sponsored hate speak have
OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE
only been effective in driving RGC, 1212 Rio Grande St., Room 101.1 Austin TX 78701
pedophiles further away from
society, to the fringes where
Editor-in-Chief..................................................................................................................... Sarah Neve
their isolation encourages Assistant Editor.......................................................................................................... David Rodriguez
inappropriate actions. For the Photo/Web Editor...............................................................................................................Hanlly Sam
Layout Editor.........................................................................................................................Chris Scott
child molesting bogeymen of Layout Intern............................................................................................................Karissa Rodriguez
Fox News fame, this is a sickness, Campus Editor..................................................................................................... Christopher A. Smith
Office Intern................................................................................................................... Teodora Erbes
rather than a choice, and they Accent Adviser........................................................................................................ Matthew Connolly
need to have a refuge where they Accent Coordinator.......................................................................................................... Lori Blewett
Student Life Director................................................................................................... Cheryl Richard
can seek help and treatment
Writers Trevor Goodchild, Jason Haydon, Shiphrah Meditz, Michael Needham,Devon
instead of scorn and hatred. Tincknell, Adrienne Annas, Sarah Vasquez, Brynne Harder, Matt Iserman, Elisia Hartin, Anny
The ones who have a choice, Ibarra

hatred.
Sentiments run the gamut
from, ‘That’s disgusting,’ to
some expletive laden version
of child sexual abuse is
“Acquaintance Molestation,”
wherein the pederast is
someone the child, and perhaps
application of the term sex
offender, minors themselves
have been accused of possessing
child pornography over
and need to be exposed for
what they are, are the abusers
who walk among us and pass as
innocent. The touchy uncles,
Photographers Teodora Erbes, Tina Schumacher
Artists Karen Kuhn, Brock Caron
ACC President Dr. Steve Kinslow
Board of Trustees Nan McRaven– Chair; Veronica Rivera—Vice Chair; Dr. James McGuffee—
Secretary, Dr. Barbara P. Mink, Allen Kaplan, Jeffrey Richard, John-Michael Cortez, Tim
Mahoney, Raul Alvarez

of ‘That guy should be taken
out in the street and shot!’
Such commentary is natural
considering the strong cultural
taboo against pedophilia and
the fear mongering of tabloid-
even the parent, knows this
witch hunt has ignored the
clear and present danger in
favor of chasing after fictitious
bogeymen. The mustachioed
man in the white van is a
consensual pictures they
have taken of a girlfriend
or boyfriend. Even public
urination can land you on this
list, making the rest of your life
hell as you become a pariah and
the creepy neighbors, and
the drunk family friend all
commit crimes in the moment.
Unfortunately, they never
bother to leave flash drives full
of evidence laying around.
All rights reserved. All content is the property of Accent and may not be reproduced, published or
retransmitted in any form without written permission from the Office of Student Life. Accent is the student
newspaper of Austin Community College and is printed by the Texas Student Publications. Accent is
published biweekly. ACC students may submit articles for publication in Accent to RGC’s Office of
Student Life Room 101.1; e-mail articles to accent@austincc.edu or fax submissions to 223‑3086. ACC
does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age,
political affiliation or disability. Accent offers ACC’s faculty, staff, students and surrounding community
a complete source of information about student life. Accent welcomes your input, as well as information
about errors. If you notice any information that warrants a correction please e-mail accent@austincc.
edu. Individual views, columns, letters to the editor and other opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect
the views of Accent.
November 9, 2009
News Briefs
News
Addiction counselor honored
www.theAccent.org page 3
Golf Fiesta rescheduled due to Elisia Hartin
Staff Writer
rain, registration through Nov.11 ACC Human Services instructor
and Advanced Addiction Counselor,
The ACC Chapter of Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Elizabeth Ann Coccia, was awarded
Education (TACHE) was forced to postpone the first ever Golf the Mel Schulstad Professional of
Fiesta Team Scramble, because of bad weather. the Year Award on Aug. 21, 2009
Shari Rodriquez, President of the ACC chapter of TACHE, for outstanding and sustained
said “the greens were unplayable,” because of heavy rains. The golf contributions to the advancement of
tournament was originally scheduled for Oct. 27 but has been the addiction counseling profession.
moved to Nov. 13. The NAADAC, Association for
The tournament will be at Riverside Golf Course and will begin Addiction Professionals, presents
with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.. There will be an award ceremony at the award each year in recognition
1:30 p.m.. of an individual’s leadership, service
“We’ll take registrations up to Nov. 11,” said Rodriquez. and contributions to the addiction
Registration costs $75 per person or $300 per foursome. counseling profession.
“The money from the tournament will go toward Hispanic Elizabeth Ann Coccia, who has
student scholarships here at ACC,” said Rodriquez. been working here at ACC since
1990 and became a full time faculty
member in 2001, says that the advice
People Fund hosts annual that she would give to the other
addiction counselors would be to
economic conference at ACC “get involved” and always be “willing
to serve.”
People Fund hosted their seventh annual Conference on The Mel Schulstad Professional
Economic Opportunity (formerly East Austin Summit) at the of the Year Award was created in
Eastview Campus Multipurpose Hall on Oct. 24. November 1979 by Jay Lewis and
Open to all ACC community members, the Conference a select group of his peers and
discussed the economic changes in the Central Texas region and colleagues, and was named after the
effective ways to further positive and equitable growth. first President of NAADAC (the
People Fund is an organization that implements strategies to National Association for Alcoholism
create jobs and affordable homes and promotes good economic and Drug Abuse Counselors).
policy decisions for communities. It offers loans and small business Founded in 1972, as the
opportunities in the Central Texas region. National Association of Alcoholism
“President Barack Obama said that continuing education is
fundamental to the future of economy,” said Ayleen Perez, People
Fund representative, “and we share his opinion.”
Mexican authors remembered at Dia de los Muertos
Accent wins multiple awards at Trevor Goodchild “I had a great time. It wasn’t
national journalism convention Staff Writer
At the 2009 TCCJA and ACP / CMA National College Media Students honored great
Convention, the staff of the Accent won 25 awards. The convention Mexican authors at this year’s
lasted from October 28 - Nov. 1. The staff won awards on national Dia de los Muertos celebration
and state levels as well as in an on-site competition. at the Mexican American
The Accent Online was a finalist for the Pacemaker award. Cultural Center (MACC).
The Pacemaker is considered to be the highest national honor for Thirteen students worked
American college journalism. with San Antonio artist, Jane
The staff also won second place for Best in Show, and third place Madrigal, to build a traditional
for overall general excellence. Individual staff awards were given out alter. The alter was meant to
for news, editorial, features, and column writing as well as layout honor the authors in the Big
and design, headline writing, photography and cartooning. A Read selection “Sun, Stone and
complete list of awards is available online at the ACC Web site. Shadows” who have passed
away.
Counselors and Trainers (NAACT),
evolved and became, in 1982,
the organization of the National
Association for Alcoholism
and Drug Abuse Counselors
(NAADAC), which focuses on
uniting professionals who work for
positive outcomes in alcohol and
drug services. NAADAC’s new
name –NAADAC, the Association
for Addiction Professionals- reflects
the increasing variety of addiction
services professionals: counselors,
administrators, social workers and
others, who are active in counseling,
prevention, intervention, treatment
education and research.
With 10,000 members and
forty-six state affiliates, NAADAC
has credentialed more than 15,000
counselors, playing an important role
in sustaining quality health services
and protecting the well being of the
public.
Richard A. Greene, Vice-
President of the Austin Chapter of
TAAP, has worked with Coccia for
over eight years and said “her hard
work in the trenches educating and
training the new counselors coming
into this field has been a sustained
and invaluable contribution to the Teodora Erbes • Staff Photographer
field of Chemical Dependency
counseling, treatment, prevention COUNSELING AWARD — ACC instructor Elizabeth Ann Coccia
and intervention.” won Professional of the Year Award for her counseling work.
[Davila] about putting things throughout the city and today is
something you get to do every with the altar [that] these the culmination of all the hard
day. It isn’t too often that I get to writers would’ve enjoyed having work,” said Davila.
work on an altar for the Day of like soda pop, cigarettes, or She is the Program Manager
the Dead,” said Jenny Dodge, an fruit. I gave the cow skull and for ACC’s Big Read, and she
English major that helped create the typewriter that is part of that was at the MACC enjoying the
the altar. altar,” said Rochon. Dia de Los Muertos along with
“I am not artistic in the Rochon, Madrigal and the people painting faces, showing
least,” said Dodge, but she was ACC students were not the only off their classic cars, decorating
still able to help with, “both the ones who enjoyed the festivities sugar skulls, making jewelry and
candles and the sugar skulls.” of the holiday. Spanish Professor altars.
Margot Rochon, an Rosa Davila found it rewarding “I feel very satisfied to
Administrative Assistant for to see ACC’s The Big Read see ACC students getting
the Department of Foreign present at Dia de Los Muertos. involved,” said Davila. “To see
Languages, also played a part in “This is our closing day after the community getting to know
creating the altar. seven weeks of ACC’s Big Read. more about the Mexican culture;
“Jane was speaking to Rosa We’ve had more than 50 events it is the reason I am part of this.”
page 4 | News w w w.the Accent.org November 9, 2009
ACC should be able to keep up with job market
ȨȨ jumped from page one
students planning to enter
the workforce after graduation.
Mike Midgley, ACC
Vice President of Workforce
Education and Business
Development, sees all of the
goals recommended by the
Chamber of Commerce as
reachable. “With the addition
of our new campus in Round
Rock, our enrollment rates
should continue to climb
through 2015,” said Midgley.
Midgley went further to
explain that among the factors
hindering growth is the college’s
limited facilities. The addition
of the Round Rock campus will
help to alleviate some of this
concern as the school plans on it
being their largest campus when
all development is complete,
hosting over 11,000 students.
ACC produced 50 percent of
the labor market needs in 2008
for allied health and nursing
completers and graduates in
2008. To meet its target of
New ACC mascot search kicks off Legislature:
Students must submit ideas by Dec. 4
Christopher A. Smith
Campus Life Editor
Austin Community
College is looking for a
mascot and the college
is asking everyone in
the community to get
involved.
“We went live on Oct.
29,” said Brette Lea,
Executive Director, Public
Information and College
Marketing at ACC. The
college has set up a
Web site where people
can submit their ideas
electronically. People
have also gotten a chance
to submit their ideas in
writing on various ACC
campuses and at the Texas
Book Festival.
“There are some really
neat, thoughtful ideas,”
said Lea. There is a 12
graduating 1,163 students
with allied health and nursing
associate degrees, certificates
or continuing education
completions by 2015, ACC must
achieve a compound annual
growth rate of 3 percent from
2009 to 2011 and 4 percent from
2012 to 2015. According to
the report, the addition of 100
nursing slots on the Eastview
campus and health training
programs planned for the new
Round Rock campus should
ensure success.
The report went on to state
that ACC is well positioned
to produce enough associate
degree and post-secondary
certificate earners to meet much
of the overall local labor force
needs. Other findings in the
report include a slight decline
in completion of degree and
certificate programs from 2004
to 2007. ACC then made up all
losses in 2008 with a 16 percent
increase, year over year, to
1,994.
person committee that is
in charge of collecting all
the ideas. The committee
includes campus
managers, professors,
alumni, advisors and two
students.
The committee will
continue to take mascot
suggestions until Dec. 4.
After that, the committee
will begin narrowing the
field.
“We are finalizing a
4 step process for the
committee,” said Lea.
According to Lea,
there have been over 300
submissions and some of
the more popular so far
are the Bats, Eagles, Stars,
Grackles, Armadillos,
ACCadillos, and “A’s” for
academics.
Graduates needed in Austin
3,500
3,000
2,500
3,000
1,500
3,000
500
2004
2005
2006
Need
Total
Associates Degrees
Brock Caron• Staff Artist
Selection Process
Step 1:
Take in mascot ideas.
Step 2:
Narrow the field of
possible mascots to
three to five. The
committee will base its
choices on frequency of
the suggestion and focus
group research.
Step 3:
Those three to five
finalists will then be put
to a community vote
and the top vote-getters
will be submitted to the
ACC Board of Trustees
for final approval.
Step 4:
Unveil the new ACC
mascot in the spring.
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Certificates
Continuing Education
Tweet
Talk
A quick search
for “ACC mascot”
on Twitter yields
numerous results. The
following are a few
interesting tweets
tweeted...
reelscorpion: @
KeepAustinWierd ACC
Mascot?? I like the “Zombie”
idea though. How about a
fruit or veggie? Playdough?
Re-living old “Eagles” is better.
mikelafloyd: This reeks of
last week’s “Community”
storyline
kid_kansas: Apparently ACC
is getting a new mascot, this
is exactly like the show
CassWilliams: vote for ACC’s
mascot to be ZOMBIES!!!
jjakin: @jeffwardshow: ACC
Mascot - “For Nows” . . . I am
just going to ACC for now.
Then take your slogan . . . take
3 hours, stay a lifetime.
bluebeagle2: RT @
HOTLabRescue Austin
Community College is
looking for a Mascot. PLZ
submit Labrador Retriever at
www.austincc.edu/mascot Y
not a beagle?
m512915: From the “is
this really necessary” dept.:
Austin Community College is
searching for a mascot. Why?
It’s not like they have a sports
team...
2012
2013
2014
2015
syllabi must be
online by fall 2010
Christopher A. Smith
Campus Life Editor
The Texas Legislature has
given professors at public
colleges and universities a
little extra homework due by
next fall semester.
The ACC administration
is currently working on a
way to implement a new rule
that requires the college to
post on the web a course
syllabus for every credit
class offered. The syllabi
must be no more than three
clicks from the school’s
main Web page, and they
must be viewable by anyone
interested, not just students
enrolled in the college.
The rule comes from
House Bill 2504 passed
in the Texas Legislature
earlier this year. The bill
states that each syllabus
must include a list of all
required and recommended
reading, a brief description
of course requirements, a
brief synopsis of the subject
matter of each lecture or
discussion and a curriculum
vitae for each instructor that
lists where the instructor
went to school, and any
major publications.
The bill also requires that
colleges and universities
conduct end-of-course
evaluations of professors,
which ACC already does,
and then “develop a plan to
make evaluations available
on the institution’s website.”
The bill only requires
schools to develop a plan,
but does not oblige the
schools to actually post the
evaluations.
“We began an initial
internal discussion,” said
Michael Midgley, ACC
Vice President and Interim
Provost, of how the ACC
Within the recommen-
dations of the report, the
Chamber of Commerce
outlined the following
goals for ACC by 2015.
• Student enrollment will
reach 45,000, a level projected
to meet 90 percent of the local
labor force need in 2015.
• Student completion of
associate degrees and/or tech-
nical certificates will be 2,790
per year, a level projected to
at least meet 90 percent of the
projected labor needs in 2015.
• Student completion of
allied health programs will
be at least 1,163 per year, 90
percent of projected labor
need in 2015.
• Student completion of
non-health technical programs
will be at least 810 per year,
90 percent of projected labor
need, with particular focus on
additional computer support
specialists.
administration will deal
with the new requirements.
“We haven’t finalized the
exact committee structure
yet, but we will do that and
probably by the end of the
semester we’ll have our plan
in place.”
The deadline to have
the syllabi online had
originally been Jan. 1,
but the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating
Board has pushed back the
implementation date to
the start of the fall, 2010
semester.
Midgley said that this
early in the planning process
he was unsure if any new
hires would be necessary to
deal with the added work.
“We just don’t know at this
point how extensive it will
be.”
Midgley added
that he hoped that the
added “benefit of better
information for students,
better accessibility to
information, better
decisions on the parts of
students and others, [would
balance out] against the
increased workload, not just
for the faculty members but
for other members, other
parts of the institution.”
Kathleen Christensen,
Vice President of Student
Support and Success Systems
said that all the information
the state is requiring is
already available in some
format, but by putting it
online that information
would be more readily
available.
“I think particularly
the syllabi will help guide
students in understanding
what the requirements are
for a course and making
decisions,” said Christensen.
 Campus Life
s u
November 9, 2009 w w w.the Accent.org page 5

Threats, fishnets lead

Ca m p
Li fe Pinnacle
to death match victory
Michael Needham

Campus
Staff Writer
English instructor Amelia
Gray brought home the plastic
dollar store tiara by winning

Where To:
Austin’s first Literary Death Sarah Vasquez
Match. Staff Writer/Photographer
Opium Magazine’s literary
competition was held at First
United Methodist Church on
Saturday, October 31, as part of
the Texas Book Festival. Four
writers competed in front of
three celebrity judges, which
consisted of two Pulitzer Prize
Shop? Felicia’s Scrapbooking,
7010 W Highway 71,
Ste 355
winners and a comedian. Buried in one of the many strip malls near Pinnacle Campus,
“It’s a really cool reading this small scrapbooking store is packed with a lot of materials such as
series,” Gray said. “It takes the decorative paper, ribbon, and stamps to accentuate your memories of college life.
idea of a boring series and turns Have a presentation to give in class? This place has you covered to make your display
it on its head.” really stand out. Also with photography classes offered at this campus, they offer the materials
The sanctuary held about 150 needed to put together a portfolio. You will have to make plans to get what you need from
people for the event. this store as they are only open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.
“Everybody was into it,” Gray
said. “We got a lot of laughs.”
Some of the people involved
were surprised to find out that

the event was taking place in a
church.
“It’s usually held in a bar,”
Gray said. “So, it’s kind of weird
that it was held in a church,
weird in a good way.”
The competition was divided
into two rounds where each
writer read for seven minutes.
The audience was instructed to
Hang?
Starbucks, 7015 West US Hwy 290
Yes, I know Starbucks is a chain.
Unfortunately, the local coffee shops near this campus are now
closed. Nevertheless, this place does offer comfortable places to
study and hang out. If you’re running late for class, you can grab
Photo Courtesy of Mary Sleddt your coffee to go through the drive-through window.
DEATH MATCH — Instructor Amelia Gray read a series of
threats to win the first Literary Death Match hosted in Austin.

boo them off the stage if they
went over. After each round,
the judges judged literary merit,
performance, and intangibles.
The intangibles category was
basically used as a reason for the
comedian judge to make jokes,
Gray said.
“My intangibles were the fact
that I wore a fishnet stocking,”
Gray said.
The final round was a Texas
trivia round with questions like
“what soda was invented in
Waco?”
“I had the upper hand there,”
Gray said. seemed intimidating, the event
Gray read a series of threats
that she had printed on little note
cards. She dedicated the threats
to her competitor, Kyle Beachy.
Students Build a Park for tickets
Sarah Vasquez
Staff Writer
The second
chapter of the
Twilight Saga, “New
Moon,” will be
released in theatres
on Nov. 20, and
ACC students will
have a chance to
attend a special
midnight screening.
ACC Student Life
(SL) has partnered
up with Regal
Gateway Theatre 16
to bring this private
event to students.
Students had
the opportunity to
win one of the 250
free passes through
SL by helping out
with Project: Build
a Park on Nov. 7
or by attending the
Diversity Common
Experience Series
that occurred in
September and
October.
The movie will
be shown at 12:01
a.m., however,
doors will open at
11 p.m. During the
hour-long wait,
there will be a
taping with ACC’s
date doctor, Hasani
Pettiford, to give
students a chance to ask
him questions. Pettiford will
not be at the event, but he
will use the video questions
in his upcomming vist.
Following the successful
first movie of the saga,
“Twilight,” “New Moon”
continues the story of
young love between an
ordinary teenage girl and a
108 year old vampire. After
getting her heart broken
by vampire Edward Cullen,
Bella Swan turns to friend
Jacob Black to revive her
spirit. The story features
Bella’s introduction to
Black’s ancestral world of
the werewolves who are
the vampire’s enemies, and
Bella’s loyalties between
her friend and her love are
tested.
“He seemed super intimated,”
Gray said. “I don’t blame him.
They were scary.”
One of Gray’s threats
included “I will lock you in a
room that looks much like your
own until it begins to fill with
water.”
Another one of her threats
involved sneaking up behind
someone, drilling a hole into
their ankle, and draining out the
marrow.
While some of Gray’s threats
shot for a jovial overtone.
“I think their goal was that
it’s not supposed to be a fight,”
Gray said.
Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment
November 20, 12:01 a.m.
Regal Gatway 16
9700 Stonelake Blvd.
Austin, Tx 78759
Doors open Nov. 19 at 11 p.m.
Arrive early for best seat selection.
Gray has been teaching
for ACC for a year and a
half. She plans to compete
at a Literary Death Match
coming up in Dallas soon.
People interested in the event
can find more information at
literarydeathmatch.com.
Gray also runs a reading
series known as Five Things.
More information about this can
be found at fivethingsaustin.com.
Gray was happy to win the
competition and take home the
tiara.
“I was the only participant
from Austin, so I was happy to
win it for the home team,” Gray
said.
Eat?
Donn’s Texas BBQ
7001 Oak Meadow Dr
This BBQ place is actually one of the few
places conveniently located near campus. I
don’t recommend walking to this place, but
theoretically, you could. The prices are a
little high for a college student’s budget.
This is to be expected for most BBQ
places. They do offer lunch specials that
have more than enough food to feed you with an
affordable price. The staff is friendly, and the wooden tables
give the place a homely country feel.
Instructors recruit at festival
Christopher A. Smith practicing writers.
Campus Life Editor Gullick hopes that the
department’s presence at the
The Creative Writing Book Festival will attract more
department carved out its own students to the creative writing
niche at the Texas Book Festival. department.
Department Chair Charlotte “I like being at Austin
Gullick was at the festival Community College,” said
letting people know about the Gullick. “We take all students.
unique resource the department People who come into our
represents. ACC is one of a creative writing program have
small number of community probably had more challenges in
colleges in the nation to offer their life to their education, and
an Associate degree in creative I find that for those students,
writing. the process of telling their
“We are a valuable stories can be more important
educational institution,” said than for people who are at the Jason Haydon • Staff Photographer
Gullick, and she wanted “people four year institutions.” BOOKS — Instructor Irwin
who read and write books The Book Festival, which Tang talks about his book.
to keep Austin Community was hosted at the State Capitol
College at the forefront of their on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, featured months earlier. She says she is
minds.” over 200 authors. The festival amazed by “the fact that [festival
The Creative Writing was established in 1995 by attendees] get to go into their
department had a booth in the former First Lady Laura Bush. state capital as a way to advance
exhibitor tent where Gullick as The first festival took place at literacy. It’s stunning to sit in
well as other department faculty the State Capitol in 1996. the House Chamber and have
members talked to interested This year’s Texas Book say Colson Whitehead and
people and sold copies of Festival is the first for Gullick. ZZ Packer talk about fiction
their books. All of the faculty She moved to Austin from and racial identity. It is really
members in the department are northern California only three amazing feature about this city.”
page 6 | Campus Life w w w.the Accent.org November 9, 2009
Go Space Aces go
SPACE ACES — Dr. Allen Underwood, ACC physics instructor, ex-
plains the apparatus setup for the Smart Resistive Exercise Simulator
in Microgravity, part of which is shown in the front. Dr. Underwood
is the faculty advisor for the group of students that submitted a
proposal to NASA’s Microgravity Experiment Opportunities.
Austin Space Aces submit zero
gravity experiment to NASA
Travis Chapman
Staff Writer
The Austin Space
Aces have submitted an
experiment to NASA and
now have to wait until Dec.
9 to find out if they will
get a chance test it in zero
gravity.
The Space Aces are a
group of students that every
year attempt to come up
with an experiment to test
a theoretical principle in a
microgravity environment.
This year’s experiment,
according to team member
and treasurer Drew Doggett,
is free weight mimicry. “It’s
a computer that can simulate
weight in zero gravity.”
Doggett explains, “It’s a way
to exercise in space, stay fit,
and keep bone density up.”
Both muscle atrophy
and bone density loss in
astronauts are concerns.
According to Space.com,
bone strength dipped 14
percent in astronauts who
spent half-a-year in the
orbiting laboratory.
Christina Vasquez, ex
president and founder of
the Space Aces, explained
that ACC is one of hundreds
of schools that submit
Teodora Erbes• Staff Photographer
experiment proposals to
NASA which selects 50
schools to fly down to
Johnston Space Center and
perform their experiment.
“It’s not a competition,
it’s a think tank,” said
Vasquez.
“It’s an ideal opportunity,”
adds Doggett.
Vasquez states, “It’s a full
year of work.” The group got
together in July, submitted
their proposal Oct. 28, and
on Dec. 9 they find out
if they were selected. If
they are, they fly down to
Johnston Space Center to
perform the experiment and
write a conclusion. They
won’t finish until July.
The Space Aces have a
diverse group of students
from ACC, St. Edwards,
Texas State, and local high
school students.
Explaining the weight
machine, Doggett said,
“You type in a weight, and
the computer relays the
information to the machine.
So when force is applied, the
computer keeps the force
constant so it consistently
feels like you’re lifting a 30
pound weight instead of a
30 pound, then a 20 pound,
then a 40 pound [weight].”
ACC’s Got Talent
Shiphrah Meditz
Staff Writer
The first ever talent show
showcased student skill at the
Eastview Campus. On Oct.
22, ACC’s Got Talent-Our
Time To Shine, sponsored and
hosted by Women of Influence
(WOI), featured fourteen acts,
including interpretive dances,
singing, instrument playing,
stand up comedy and rap.
The talent show was used
to raise funds for students
to attend the Southern Black
Student Leadership conference
in College Station.
“We are saving up money
for our ten officers to go to
the conference at Texas A&M
next semester,” WOI President,
Jayneese Fitzgerald said.
“We’ve had various fund
raiser ideas such as a car wash
and a bake show, but when
Jayneese thought of the talent
show, we decided that was our
best choice,” Krystal Sheppard,
the Executive Director of WOI,
said.
WOI has raised money in
the past, including donating
$525 to help a girl undergo an
operation to remove a brain
tumor.
An audience of about 200
attended the talent show where
students competed for the top
prize of $100 and tickets to the
last installment in the Twilight
series, “New Moon.”
During intermission, local
rap artist Saul Paul preformed
for the crowd, and refreshments
were provided by WOI. Teodora Erbes • Staff Photographer
Throughout the show, raffle
tickets were drawn randomly ABOVE — Janeece
and a variety of prizes such as Calvert won fifth place
flashlights and thumb drives with her dance partner
were given away. Karla Vera they both
WOI’s online cheered and enthused
communications director, the audience at this
Kaneisha Cobbs, closed the year’s ‘ACC’s Got Talent.
evening with poetry as the On Oct. 22, at Eastview
Talent Committee tallied the Campus.
votes.
Rap performer Diovioni
Andrew came in first, followed RIGHT — Rapper
by Matthew Clark in second Saul Paul animated
and the dance duo Kiera the intermission act.
Colbert and Blake Druery The talent show was
winning third. preseneted by Women
of Influence.
Teodora Erbes • Staff Photographer
November 9, 2009 w w w.the Accent.org Campus Life | page 7
Under the Gaslight comes to ACC
ACC'S PLAY — Anna McConnell (left) and Senait Fessahaye (right). McConnel plays one of the lead characters Laura, the
young woman who flees to a suburb in New York in order to escape from her fiance.
LEFT —
Villain threat-
ens young
woman’s life
in the play
“Under the
Gaslight.”
Atkins coaches aspiring musicians at Northridge
Sarah Vasquez
Staff Writer
“Aim low, get high,” is one of
the many tidbits of advice ACC
students went home with after
spending an evening with Martin
Atkins.
Organized by the Commercial
Music Management program,
Atkins shared his experience of
life with the aspiring rock stars
that gathered in the Northridge
Campus lecture room. He
spoke about life on the road
with bands like Nine Inch Nails
and Pigface, running his own
independent record label and
other experiences in the music
business.
“Aim low, get high” is not
to be mistaken for a pro-drug
campaign. Atkins uses this phrase
as a reminder to be humble. Most
musicians dream of playing sold
out arenas and touring around
the country on someone else’s
dime, but this does not happen
overnight.
“If you’re wandering around
aiming for that, you’re going to
miss your next step,” said Atkins.
He compared the process to the
Great Wall of China
“It’s one of the seven wonders
of the world,” said Atkins. “On
one hand you can stand there,
how did they do this? I mean,
how could they? On the other
hand, it’s just a f---ing pile of
bricks.”
“So you can start your own
pile and after a couple of weeks,
now all you have is kind of a
meaningless pile of bricks,” said
Atkins. “After maybe six months,
you have a bit of a war going on.”
That war will then attract
outside observers.
“Then people will say to
you, ‘This is ridiculous, this is
insane. How can I help?,’” Atkins
continued. “Because that’s what
people are into, insane crusades
that don’t make any sense. If it
all made sense, it’s just a business
plan, isn’t it?”
One of Atkins’ main points
of this whole lecture was to stress
that aspiring musicians need to
do it themselves. They should
learn how to screen-print for
merchandise and make cool
promotional materials, but keep
it authentic. Musicians should
accumulate diverse skills whether
or not they relate to music to help
them get their foot in the door.
JUMP — Choreography by Shelby Brammer added several
dance routines to the play. Brammer is a screenwriting instruc-
tor at ACC.
All photos by Teodora Erbes • Staff Photographer
THE TRIAL — from left to right: Victoria Broughton, Zach Leos,
Spirit Mauge and Lizzy Gonzalez.
RIGHT —
Augustin
Daly’s play
was first
written in
1867. The
play was
performed
by a cast of
24 including
Enoch Tamez
(right) Joshua
Mays(center)
and David
Yeakle.
He shared a story about a
sound engineer from Indianapolis
called ‘Squirrel’ who is one of
the house engineers for The Pop
Machine recording studio. During
the hiring process, he had one
skill that the other prospective
engineers did not that made him
valuable for the job. That skill?
Aquarium management. He took
care of the fish tank in the studio.
“Many studios have a fish
tank which is a really calming
experience before a vocal take,
unless it’s a rotting, dead, stinky,
maggot-ridden (tank),” explained
Atkins.
The department Chair,
Geoffrey Schulman, felt Atkins
was the perfect person to speak
to his students as the Commercial
Music Management Department
stresses the use of classroom
education and to do hands-on
training outside of the classroom.
“Everything he said here is
what we try to teach our kids, to
pursue your dreams, and get out
there and build your audience,” Tina Schumacher • Staff Photographer
said Schulman. “It follows our
philosophy of do it yourself. If you MUSIC SEMINAR — Martin Atkins, the writer of “TOUR: SMART and Break the Band,” talks
want to do something, do it. Don’t about “Music Market Strategy” with intense sense of humor and lot of body language at NRG
talk about it. Do it, and that’s kind campus, Tuesday Nov. 3. Atkins used to play for Public Image with John Lydon from the Sex
of what we teach.” Pistols.
page 8 | Campus Life w w w.the Accent.org Accent | November 9, 2009

R
Soccer teams shoot to win
ant Will you use the
Karissa Rodriguez

n’
Layout Intern
free student bus Eleven soccer teams are
attempting to kick their way to a
passes available championship in this semester’s
next semester? soccer tournament.

ave
Kevin Forester • Staff Photographer
“Yes, I would use it. I think it’s
a good idea because I usually
get here by car, but I wrecked it.
So now I use a bike, but it’s not
reasonable to ride when it rained.
And then I used the bus and free
bus fair or even reduced bus fair
would be fantastic.”
– Logan Guerra, Nursing major
About 60 students in teams
like the ACC Warriors, Swag
Surfers and Twisters compete
and play against each other
on Monday evenings in men’s
3v3 Round Robin mini soccer
tournaments.
“The turnout has been great,
and students are really enjoying
the season. They bring their
friends and family out and
have a great time,” Student Life
Coordinator Jennifer Flowers
said.
The last regular season
tournament game takes place
on Nov. 9 and will be followed
by a post-season tournament Karissa Rodriguez • Staff Photographer
on Nov. 16 that will crown a FUTBOL — Swag Surfer Ephraim Vertiz defends the ball from
champion. an ACC Warrior player before passing it to a teammate. The
First, second and third place Swag Surfers went on to defeat the ACC Warriors 12 to 8.
winners in the standings will
receive giveaways from Student Road and Slaughter Lane. See oversees other activities such
Life. the Student Life website to find as golf lessons, Blazer Tag and
Games are played at out schedule times. the upcoming men’s basketball
SoccerZone, an indoor soccer The tournaments are hosted tournament on Nov. 21 at
arena, located near the South by Student Life’s Sports and Austin Sports Center.
Austin Campus off of Manchaca Intramurals Program, which

ACC Soccer League Team Standings

Games Wins Losses Goals Goals Points Winning
“Yes because college students played For Against percentage
need free stuff.”
– Mirella Alvarez Spanish major Twisters 3 3 0 47 26 9 1.000

Strikers 4 3 1 46 35 9 0.750

Swag Surfers 3 2 1 31 26 6 0.667

Cool Kids 3 2 1 32 29 6 0.667

Gitaner 3 2 1 31 29 6 0.667

Dream Team 3 2 1 18 18 6 0.667

Strat Nrop 2 1 1 14 10 3 0.500

ACC Warriors 3 1 2 23 27 3 0.333

“Yes! Awesome opportunity Polo 4 1 3 35 42 3 0.250

because college students struggle Heartbreakers 4 1 3 29 42 3 0.250
financially and the current monthly
bus pass costs are going to rise.” Wolverines 4 0 4 39 61 0 0.000
– Brenda Arciniega Data compiled from SoccerZone
Early Childhood Education Major

“Yes. Awesome! I never had

free buses when I went to
college at Texas State.”
– John Jacobs Student Life
Coordinator

“Yes. That’s my way of

transportation, and monthly
passes are a too costly.”
– Estela Hernandez Accounting
major

“Yes, because riding the bus

allows more time to study. I
currently drive from Cedar Park
to Eastview which takes time.”
– Jennifer Koepp Occupational
Health Therapy major
November 9, 2009
Life & Arts w w w.the Accent.org page 9

Notable,
Ren-flare S
ince 1974, the Texas Renaissance Festival has
brought to life knights, pirates, fairies, gypsies,

andL iv
and other magical creatures and mingled with
festival goers.

w
Each year, from Oct. 10 to Nov. 29 (8 weekends) from 9

Ne e
a.m. to dusk, the festival opens to the public and provides a
variety of performers, events, games, and vendors.
Performances include jousting, juggling, music, magic
and more. David Rodriguez
Each weekend the King's Feast is held. It is a six course
meal coupled with an entertaining performance by the Assistant Editor
festival's acting troupe. During the feast, the diners are
visited by pirates, belly dancers, traveling bards, and even
King Henry VIII himself. Books
For those who yearn to take a step back in time or who
just want to browse some of the finest crafts in the area, the “Generation A” is Douglas
Texas Renaissance Festival will have you covered. If you Coupland’s (“Generation X”) most
really want to get into the spirit, grab your finest doublet recent work. Literature in a digital world,
and tights and go in costume. paranoia and optimism are themes
breached in this ambitious novel. The
book will be available Nov. 10 from Scribner.

“Interesting Times” is journalist Robert Packer’s

investigative examination of the past decade. His essays and
narratives span from the Sept. 11 attacks to Barack Obama’s
election in 2008. This book looks to be pertinent, necessary
and important. The book will be available Nov. 10 from
Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

“Last Words” is the posthumously published memoirs of

George Carlin. It is written and put together over a decade by
Tony Hedra. Carlin always said other peoples stuff is sh%#
and your sh#! is stuff, well this looks to be good sh$@ from
the late great comedian. The memoir will be available Nov. 10
from Simon & Schuster.

“Through The Wire” is an unexpected collaboration

Ticket prices vary depending
on the weekend . Visit www.
texrenfest.com/ for more
information.
between Kanye West and Bill Plympton. Plympton is
illustrating 12 of West’s songs and inserting his own
vision into the renditions. Hopefully no one interrupts the
publication of this very intriguing book. The book will be
available Nov. 10 from Atria.
“Battle Royale” is the controversial graphic novel
illustrated and written by Koushun Takami that spawned
the equally controversial film by the same title. The book is
available for the first time in English and looks to be a true
masterpiece of social commentary. It is a 21st century “Lord
of the Flies,” but extremely more violent. All 632 pages are
highly relevant and sensitive to the direction our culture is
heading. The graphic novel will be available Nov. 17 from
VizMedia.

Music

The Devil Makes Three and Shed

Alfred will be playing Sunday, Nov. 15
@ Emo’s Inside. Shed Alfred is straight
good ol’ Texas whiskey drinking music.
Adrienne Annas • Staff Photographer The doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are $8.
RENAISSANCE FEST — The Great Manolete balances flaming batons and a multi-colored mobile, all while performing gymnas-
tics for the crowd at this year’s Texas Renaissance Festival. All that he is missing is a dragon and a gnome, maybe next year?
Theatre

Daniel Johnston, still truckin’ The Da Theatre Collective presents

Devon Tincknell
Staff Writer
After ‘Keep Austin Weird,’
Daniel Johnston’s ‘Hi, How Are
You?’ is probably the second
most common touristy T-shirt
slogan in town. Accompanied
by a strange looking, bug-eyed
frog, the crude drawing and
chipper greeting is best known
to Austinites as the mural on the
corner of 21st and Guadalupe
Street. Though they may drive
past it regularly, many residents
do not know what it is, why it is
there, or who the heck Daniel
Johnston is.
Raised in West Virginia,
Johnston made Austin his
home in the early eighties after
dropping out of college and
working briefly for a touring
carnival. Austin’s music scene
has always provided refuge for
unconventional artists and off
beat creative types and Johnston,
undoubtedly, falls into both
categories.
Before computers enabled
easy home recording, putting
your own music on tape meant
dealing with audio hiss and sub-
par sound quality. Johnston has
been making tapes since he was
a teenager, but it was not until he
reached Austin that those tapes
found an enthusiastic audience.
The, now sought-after, tapes
recorded by Johnston at home
with just a cheap boom-box,
were distributed hand to hand
by the artist himself. Though
the inferior fidelity and silly
cover art discouraged all but the
most intrepid listeners, those
that went home and listened to
Johnston’s albums were amazed
to find beautifully original
pop songs played with painful
earnestness on an old chord
organ.
After appearing on a 1985
MTV special on the Austin
scene, Johnston’s cult appeal was
elevated to the national level.
That weird frog (whose name is
actually Jeremiah the Innocent)
became his own celebrity when
Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), an
avowed fan of Johnston’s, wore a
‘Hi, How Are You?’ T-shirt at the
1992 MTV Music Awards.
Despite the interest Johnston
and his music received from the
media, his star never took off the
way fans had predicted, due to
Johnston’s erratic behavior and
his struggles with mental illness.
His struggles were chronicled
in depth in the award winning
documentary The Devil and
Daniel Johnston (2005). Thanks
to the film’s success, interest in
DANIEL JOHNSTON'S LEGACY — The tentacled eyed frog has
been greeting Austinites since the Sound Exchange days.
Johnston’s work has piqued, yet
again.
Johnston performed at
this year’s Austin City Limits
Festival, and he released the
slickly produced “Is And
Always Was.” A far cry from the
rough edges of Johnston’s early
masterpieces “Songs of Pain”
and “Hi, How Are You?,” “Is And
Always Was” shows an artist
growing old and working with
new palettes.
Iconic cover art aside,
Alma Hernandez• Staff Photographer
“Hi, How Are You?” is a great
starting point for anyone
looking to understand more
about Austin’s music history
and the legacy that is Daniel
Johnston.
Lo-fi before it was cool,
“Hi, How Are You?” is an
odd, uneven, and bizarrely
captivating album and an
important landmark from the
days when it was not such a
struggle to keep Austin weird.
Leave It to Beverly, a play on the classic
sitcom presented in three maniacal
acts. Consumerism, Tupperware
and Astroturf all get explored in this
bizarre production. The play is at the Off Center, 2211-A
Hidalgo, 78702 and it runs Thursdays through Saturdays,
Nov. 5-21 at 8 p.m. There is an extra show on Sunday, Nov.
15 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $15-$25; please visit http://www.
datheatrecollective.org/ for more information.
Capital T Theatre presents Sick, a romp about a family
of germaphobes. The message looks awesome and pertinent.
Sick is showing at Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W. 43rd St., 78751
from Nov. 5 to Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. Please visit
http://capitalt.org/ for more information.
Movies
The Messenger is the newest film
starring Woody Harrelson (Zombieland)
as the harbinger of death to the families
of those fell in battle. This film looks
riveting and the topic is very taboo that has warranted
attention since our war with Korea. The Messenger also
explores the war being fought at home. It premiered last
month at our very own Austin Film Festival and it will hit
theatres Nov. 13.
Oh My God is a very insightful documentary that
pops the universal question of what is god. Some of the
interviewees include Hugh Jackman (The Prestige), musical
artist Seal and famous magician David Copperfield. The
approach, style and topic of the film look very captivating.
The documentary will hit theatres Nov.13.
William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe is a new
documentary with the subject being Kunstler, one of the
most famous lawyers and defenders of our Bill of Rights
the 20th century has ever seen. Off Center media are the

Ideal Soul Mart’s debut rings up with substance

Sarah Vasquez
Staff Writer
The self titled album is
confusing, but it is good and
that is important. The eight
tracks on “Ideal Soul Mart,”
initially sound like very simple
garage rock that leads to toe
tapping. However, give it
another listen, and you will
discover there are layers within
each song.
Adam Luikart and Clay Fain
do a very good job at finding
the balance between vocals
and instruments. They do not
overwhelm the listener with a
chaotic mess. Little touches like
maracas lightly playing in the
background and jangly guitar
riffs, as shown in “Air To Be
Shared,” give their tracks a little
more substance.
producers of this informative film and they also exposed the
injustices in Tulia, Texas in the documentary Tulia, Texas:
Scenes From the Drug War that led to the exoneration of
It is these small but 46 wrongfully accused victims in the controversial case. The
documentary hits theaters sometime after Nov. 13.
important additions that make
Ideal Soul Mart stand out
above the rest of their genre. Events and Features
Of course, during a recording
process, it is easy for musicians Stephen Sondheim will be having a rare and unscripted
to add layers on top of layers conversation with The Austin Chronicle’s Robert Faires.
with the help of Pro Tools Sondheim is the man behind the wonderful score of the stage
and other digital recording production of Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet
programs. So, it is curious to Street along with a myriad of other theatre scores, film songs
see how these two band mates and television songs. The conversation will take place at The
translate their songs into a live Long Center on Nov. 12. The event is all ages and tickets
show. range from $23 to $79.
“Ideal Soul Mart” is a great
debut album, but with the Three of the greatest living cartoonists, possibly some of
band’s musical background the greatest cartoonists ever, Robert Crumb (Fritz the Cat),
(Crawling with Kings and Art Spieglman (Maus) & Francoise Mouly (RAW) will be
Friends of Lizzy), that came as holding a rare and one time only event presented by the UT
no surprise. Department of Art and Art History. This event is for mature
Check them out at www. audiences only, parental discretion is advised. It will be held
myspace.com/idealsoulmart for at the Bass Concert Hall Nov. 13 and tickets are $10 for
upcoming shows. students, $26, $36 and $52 respectively.
photo courtesy of John Pesina
For more notable, new and live suggestions visit theaccent.org
page 10 | Life & Arts w w w.the Accent.org November 9, 2009

Austin Film Festival

T he word festival conjures up thoughts of long lines, sport sandals and horrible, yet expensive food. The 16th Annual Austin Film Festival
and Conference (AFF), fortunately, lacks most of these traits and ,depending on the film one is viewing, most lines are manageable, if
not small. With festivals of this nature pretentiousness seems to pervade everything, the in-the-know usually donning various lanyards and
laminates and the comparatively naked know-nots and the obscure facts and amount of stuff that distinguishes them from one another. But,
AFF is very approachable not to mention accessible, and this year some amazing films were brought to Central Texas.

photo courtesy of Shan Nicolson photo courtesy of Singletree Productions photo courtesy of Dimension Films photo courtesy of Carnival Studio

Downtown Calling Simmons on Vinyl The Road Red Cliff

There is a myriad of documentaries, docudramas and
fictionalized accounts relaying the inception of graffiti as
it is known today and its collision with hip-hop and the
highbrow art world in the late seventies and early eighties
in New York City. To name a few, Wild Style (Charlie
Ahearn, 1983), Style Wars (Henry Chalfant and Tony
Silver, 1983) and Beat Street (Stan Lathan, 1984). Shan
Nicholson’s documentary, Downtown Calling, narrated
by Deborah Harry (Blondie) is by far the most intelligent,
thorough and cohesive effort to date concerning the
subject.
Nicholson manages to tie in the political climate of
New York City during these turbulent times, the history
and evolution of the underground disco party too the
hip-hop underground dance party lorded over by the dj.
Intertwined through all this is the advent of American
urban street art and how it became pop-culture influencing
the whole world. These are truly complicated subjects and
the attempt to explain their overlapping histories has been
attempted over and over, but not until Downtown Calling
has the story been turned from an amorphous enigma into
a complete puzzle.
What the documentary has that so many of the others
lacked is an outside the box approach, but with inside
information and a wealth of really telling interviews
including, but not limited to Fab 5 Freddy, former mayor of
NYC Ed Koch and the late Dj AM.
The film had its world premiere at the AFF and it
was awarded runner up in the Documentary Feature
Competition of the festival. As of late, there is no official
release date for Downtown Calling
This is truly a guerilla film, funny
and raw. Director/writer Mark Potts
and writer/actor Cole Selix have
produced a gem with under $400 and
platinum ambition. The comedy is
witty, succinct and slightly arrogant,
especially in Dwight’s (Cole Selix)
case. Selixs’ delivery is reminiscent
of Danny McBride’s deadpan
foulmouthed humor in the hilarious
HBO miniseries Eastbound and
Down (2009).
It was a pleasure to stumble across
a film of this nature and this is what
the Austin Film Festival was created
for as far as their mission statement is
concerned.
The team has made a few films,
The Stanton Family Grave Robbery
(2008) and For the Love of the
Family (2006). They are currently
working on a film titled S&M
Lawncare-Making Magic and these
individuals are proof that you do not
need anything to make a film, but
determination and the formation of
an idea, well, good writing helps. Go
to Singletree- Productions.com/ to
view clips and find out more about
these rouge filmmakers.
The anticipation for John Hillcoat’s near verbatim
translation of The Road authored by Cormac
McCarthy has been mounting since last fall when
the film was supposed to be released, and alas,
enthusiasts waited, and waited and waited. Finally,
The Road was shown at the beautiful Paramount
Theater and it was anti-climatic, but still a must see,
especially if one is unfamiliar with the novel.
The Road is incredibly difficult to translate onto
the big-screen. The Man’s (Viggo Mortensen, Eastern
Promises, 2007) utter despair, but determination,
the vast apocalyptic wasteland that is now America
and all the myriad shades of gray are elements that
resonated much more powerfully in the novel, than
as a visual interpretation.
Regardless, hats off to Mortensen he did a
really great job faced with such a daunting task.
Kodi Smit-McKee (The Boy) a relative Hollywood
outsider was believable most of the time, but whiny
at others. The real star of the film is the director of
photography Javier Aguirresarobe (Goya’s Ghosts,
2006) and Hillcoat’s (The Proposition, 2005) vision
complemented by Nick Cave’s and Warren Eliss’s
(The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford, 2007) eerie score. While hard core
McCarthy fans, with all the buildup, might feel a
little cheated, The Road is still an entertaining, and
relevant film about a man’s undying love for his son,
and a son having to separate himself from that love to
become a man.
The film will be released Nov. 25, 2009, hopefully.
John Woo’s latest effort Red Cliff is a truly
beautiful film. Woo gave action junkies Hard
Boiled (1992) and The Killer (1989) both
riddled with enough bullets to make Michael
Mann (Public Enemies, 2009) jealous. With
Red Cliff, Woo has traded in a hard edged
street theme for a third century dynastic
theme, saturated with arrows, sword fights
and soldiers getting impaled.
Red Cliff is epic. The cast, production and
effort conjure memories of Zach Snyder’s 300
(2006), Mel Gibson’s Braveheart (1995) and
Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon (1975). The
film is a period piece with an incredibly strong
militaristic strategy plot, but interwoven
with all the philosophy of Chinese culture
and bloodshed that Woo is so famous
for. The battle scenes are extravagant, the
cinematography is captivating and the story
line is relatively easy to follow considering it is
a subtitled film with a vast array of characters.
Red Cliff runs over two hours and
has to be read, but fans of Woo will not
be disappointed. The stunts are well
choreographed and believable, but still
fantastic, the set design is phenomenal and the
plot, while predictable, is engaging.
The film will be released in the US Nov. 20,
2009. There is a Red Cliff II already released
overseas, but there has yet to be a release date
slated for the US.
Kalua Spanish Rockin’
Anny Ibarra
Staff Writer
Kalua is a melting pot of
eclectic sound. The local quartet
began playing in 2007, and
Kalua’s Hispanic roots influence
their music with a mix of neo-
folklore, reggae, and salsa, but
their base rhythm is rock.
The band consists of vocalists
and guitarists Samuel and Juan
Diaz from Mexico, Andres
Delgado on percussion from
Venezuela and vocalist/bass
player Andres Acevedo from
Colombia.
Kalua has been featured on
the National Latin TV show
Escandalo TV, local music photo courtesy of Kaluamusic.com
television station ME and local They are currently back in Dec. to tour again,”
radio station KUT. promoting their new video “La according to J. Diaz.
They have also played in Novedad,” and they also are The four have big plans and
several music festivals including writing new songs for a future dreams. Kalua might eventually
Austin’s Pachanga Latino Music release. conquer not only the heart of
Festival and the Burger King Juan Diaz said, “right now we Austin, but also the Americas,
“Tu Ciudad, Tu Musica” annual are defining our own style and “we have a big commitment not
music contest. The latter, is a sound. We are working on a new only with ourselves, but also
yearly competition of Latino CD for next year, and we are with our fans because we want
rock bands held in the city of promoting our new video. You to please them, not only with
Houston. Kalua was selected should look for it on YouTube, our creative talent, but also with
as the contest’s last two years’ Facebook and MySpace.” our music,” J. Diaz said.
winners. “We have toured Texas, Kalua will play at The Saxon
The Spanish rock audience Miami and also Monterrey, Pub (1320 South Lamar Blvd.,
is very difficult to please, and Tampico in Mexico. In addition, 78704) Dec. 5 as part of The
Kalua does it while juggling we have toured cities in Fireside Acoustic Creative
gigs, school and work. Venezuela where we will come Showcase.

Ong Bak 2 jump kicks audience to the past

Jason Haydon
Staff Writer
Ong Bak II: The Beginning
is an excellent film.
The fighting and action
scenes are truly spectacular.
The acting and story is greatly
improved from 2003’s Ong Bak:
The Thai Warrior.
Tien (Tony Jaa, director and
star) is born as part of a royal
household, but when he is 10 he
witnesses his family murdered
and survives on his own, until
he is captured. He survives a
brush with death and falls in Photo Courtesy of Sahamongkol Film International
with a tribe of bandits. He works
his way up, learning martial no connection present between are a martial arts enthusiast, this
arts, and then, when he is about the two films? one is a must see.
to be made their leader, he sees Regardless, the cinematogra- Ong Bak II is currently
a chance to avenge the death of phy is excellent and the score is playing at Alamo South Lamar
his family. beautiful. (1120 South Lamar Blvd.,
The only thing, it is supposed It is subtitled, so be prepared 78704) until Nov.12, and it
to be a prequel to 2005’s Ong to read between people getting is showing in a very limited
Bak, however, there is absolutely their asses kicked. But, if you capacity.