Rangeview Replacement Final Second Issue Fall 2008

A Publication by the Students of the FRCC-Larimer Campus V OLUME 8, I SSUE 2

N OV . — D EC . 2008

F INANCIAL F OLLY H ITS H OME BY

J OSHUA B RICKNER , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

There is no comfort to be found in phrases like ―global economic meltdown‖ or ―worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.‖ Unfortunately, though, this is the situation we find ourselves in these days. Even for those who are not invested in the stock market, there is nowhere to run. This crisis is sure to reach anyone with a penny to their name, and that includes students. According to the FRCC Fall 2008 Class Schedule, it costs over $1,000 per semester for a student who qualifies for in-state tuition to attend classes full time. Add to that books, supplies, room and board, and it is easy to see why many students seek financial aid options. Frederick Fuentes is the assistant financial aid director for all three Front Range campuses. He says that, ―Beginning in early 2008, some lenders made the decision to stop their participation in the Stafford Loan Program. While the decisions were made for a number of reasons, the most common reasons given are the decline in the subsidy given by the government for [Federal Family Educational Loan Program (FFELP)] participation, and the growing financial crisis.‖ Stafford loans are facilitated by the government through lenders that participate in the FFELP. The borrower can choose from any participating lender, which keeps the student loan market competitive. Fuentes says that, ―Loans certified after July 1, 2006 are fixed for the life of the loan at 6.8 percent at repayment.‖ This is in stark contrast to the types of loans that started this crisis. In the early years of this decade, economic growth around the globe nearly doubled the amount of money investors had to work with. Collectively, it was over $70 trillion, up from just $36 trillion a few years before. This sudden and enormous growth caused there to be fewer attractive places for money to be invested. There was simply too much money looking for its place in the investment markets. (Continued on page 4)

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) gets ready to address a crowd of 50,000 people packed in shoulder-to-shoulder at the Oval at Colorado State University on Sunday, Oct. 26, while still campaigning for the U.S. presidency. Photo by Vashti Torrez

W OLFING D OWN D EALS BY

D ANIELLE Z IMMERER , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

FRCC's mascot has been resurrected and is now featured on the new Wolf Card. A student‘s first Wolf Card is $5 dollars (and $10 dollars for a replacement card). Dec.15 is the last day for a free trade-in for returning students with last year‘s student ID. Staff, faculty and students are highly encouraged to obtain the Wolf Card this semester, as it is the official ID of FRCC. Teaming up with Wells Fargo, this year‘s Wolf Card is making waves throughout the campus. All it takes is one credit at FRCC to be officially enrolled to reap the benefits of the Wolf Card. Blue, white, and handy, this year‘s ID card has more to offer the average student. Students who have linked their Wolf Card to a new or existing Wells Fargo checking or savings account can use the card at the FRCC Bookstore to swipe costs, so that their transaction will be processed just like a regular PIN-based debit card purchase. Maria Smith helps students and faculty as a work-study receptionist at the Longs Peak Student Center‘s Information Desk. She was enthused about the functionality of the ID card. (Continued on page 4)

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Faculty Advisor & Managing Editor………...… Kate Tarasenko

standing, left to right: Joshua Brickner, Jeremie Schatz, Vashti Torrez seated, left to right: Emily Severance, Danielle Zimmerer not pictured: Chance Johnson and Brad Menefee Photo by Michelle Motherway MISSION STATEMENT: The Rangeview provides a voice for FRCC’s Larimer campus. We strive to give our readers accurate and balanced coverage on a variety of news and events in an effort to keep our campus well-informed about its college community. We approach our responsibilities with the goal of maintaining the highest journalistic standards to the best of our abilities.

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Editorial Team…….…...…..Joshua Brickner ………………………………Chance Johnson ………………………………...Brad Menefee ………………………………..Jeremie Schatz ……………………………...Emily Severance …………………………………Vashti Torrez ……………………………Danielle Zimmerer Photo Team…….. .……….…Miranda Baker ………………………….Michelle Motherway ……………………………….Whitney Weber Layout…….. ..….……...……Kate Tarasenko Publications Board….... .…….Karl Dukstein ………………………….David Murphy, SGA ………………………………..….Blair Oliver ………………………………...Rachel Rambo ………………………………...…..Erin Smith ……………………………….Kate Tarasenko

FREELANCE SUBMISSIONS POLICY: We welcome feedback, letters to the editor, original articles and op-ed pieces (as well as story ideas and tips) from all members of the FRCC Larimer Campus community. Please do not exceed 600 words. The Rangeview also accepts photos and artwork in j-peg format. All submissions must be emailed directly from your FRCC account as a Word.doc or j-peg attachment, and must be accompanied by full name and local phone number, to:

[email protected] All submissions are subject to final approval by the Editorial Team and/or Publications Board, and may be edited for length, clarity, and potentially libelous content.

left to right: Whitney Weber, Miranda Baker and Michelle Motherway Photo by Adam Stutzman

Please direct your calendar event inquiries to [email protected]. ALL CONTENT © 2008 RANGEVIEW

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Q UICK H ITS & I TTY B ITS IMPORTANT DATES: Tuesday, Nov. 18: Last day to withdraw from a 15-week class

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Serving the Students Kris Binard.……….…..….5 Emily Gaw…….…………6

Scholars’ Square Greg Sahlen.….….……….7 Harmony Library..……….8 Alastair Johnson………….9 Kathy Wingate......……...11 Jenna Oliver…………….12

Club Hub Interior Design………….13

Wednesday, Nov. 19: Spring 2009 registration opens Thursday, Nov. 20: A Professional Development Workshop-Social will be held at Pappy‘s Restaurant (at Shields and Horsetooth ) from 4 to 6 p.m. for all faculty. Contact Barb Patterson for details. Until Friday, Nov. 21: The ABC Club is sponsoring ―Coats for Folks.‖ Drop off your gently used coats at the LPSC Information Desk. Coats will be laundered and dry-cleaned by Foothills Cleaners and Nu-Way Cleaners before distribution. Wednesday, Dec. 3: Student Life will hold its annual Holiday Craft Fair from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. in the Longs Peak Student Center. For information and questions about booth/table rental, email [email protected]. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Campus Wellness

Have you activated your FRCC student email account? Find out what you‘ve been missing, including campus-wide emails and news! Go to: http://www.frontrange.edu/ and follow (or print out) the step-by-step directions today!

Diversity………...………14 Parking………………….15 Snow Sports...…………..16

Correction: In our previous issue in our profile about Writing Center volunteer Ann Healy, the university she attended was misidentified. Mrs. Healy taught at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. (Go, Panthers!) Reporter Vashti Torrez sincerely regrets the error.

Medium Cool The Friends Shop……….17 Social Networking...........18

Be Our Guest ...……20 SPRING 2009 Register for JOU-106, the Fundamentals of Reporting, and write for

The Rangeview! CRN 63586; 3 transfer credit hours Also offered as an Honors Institute class.

The Rangeview is funded by Student Life using student fees, and by the Department of Arts & Letters. Reporting for The Rangeview is provided by the journalism students of JOU-106, the Fundamentals of Reporting. Photography is provided by the students of FRCC-LC.

4 (FINANCIAL FOLLY continued from page 1)

(WOLF CARD continued from page 1)

To solve this problem, Wall Street investment firms invented the ―mortgage-backed security‖ (MBS). An MBS is a collection of thousands of mortgages that offer steady income at 5 or 6 percent interest over 30 years.

She was excited to encourage students to ―carry the Wolf Card around to [access and] re-set your password at the computer lab, access the Fitness Center, and/or [use it] as a possible form of ID to rent out [billiard] equipment at the Longs Peak Student Center.‖

As time went on, investors began to demand more MBSs than were available. This caused lenders to begin taking risks on borrowers, since the pool of less risky borrowers had begun to dry up. Lenders began to lend money to people without confirming how much income they had, if they were steadily employed, or how much debt they had incurred elsewhere. Fast-forward a few years and the United States is experiencing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Millions of families have defaulted on their mortgages and have lost their homes, and the investment banks who bought all those MBSs are feeling the pain. So how does this affect a student trying to get financial aid? According to a report from the Inter Press Service, this economic downturn has ―led banks to suspend or discontinue offering private student loans upon which many students and parents rely.‖ The lending markets are experiencing liquidity problems, which simply means they do not have enough cash on hand to provide credit. Since this credit crunch began, 36 lenders have stopped providing private student loans. As Fuentes alluded, 137 lenders have ceased to offer federally funded loans, according to a report in Time Magazine. In their Sept. 30 story, Time also said that, ―Loans made to parents through the Parent PLUS program have plummeted — down 29 percent in dollar volume year-over-year.‖ PLUS loans are federal student loans provided to the parents of students. Potentially exasperating the problems caused by the credit crunch are fundamental problems in how financial aid is determined, which can cause more difficulties for students. According to Fuentes, ―Data entered in on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) is used to create an Expected Family Contribution (EFC).‖ The EFC is a number that financial aid professionals use to gauge how much assistance a student should receive. Unfortunately, when calculating the EFC, debt held by the applicant or their parents is not taken into account. With so many families having adjustable-rate mortgages, a great portion of their monthly income may be going to pay off their potentially expensive balloon mortgage payments, and this is not taken into consideration when the EFC is assessed. As a result, the EFC does not accurately represent the capacity the student and their family has to pay for college tuition. The most you can do during times like these is prepare yourself. Carolee Goldsmith is the financial aid director for all three FRCC campuses. She says that students can prepare for the effects of this crisis by ―maintain[ing] satisfactory academic progress… research[ing] and apply[ing] for scholarships,‖ and taking advantage of ―work-study opportunities through federal or state programs.‖ She also says, ―Borrow wisely; there are federal limits on the total amount you are eligible to borrow throughout your education.‖ No one knows how long this crisis will continue to affect the economy. However, if students get their paperwork filed promptly, they will have a better chance of getting the loans they need. Preparation is a necessary element of survival. ®

For skiers and snowboarders who have yet to splurge on this season‘s resort pass, maybe the wait can be rewarded. If you open a Wells Fargo checking account by Nov. 23 and link it to your Wolf Card, you‘ll get two adult Rocky Mountain Super Passes for the price of one. Similar to last season‘s Buddy Pass, this year‘s Super Pass will cost you and pal $204.50. The Rocky Mountain Super Pass ―offers skiers and riders unlimited access to Winter Park Resort and Copper Mountain, along with a Steamboat component featuring six unrestricted days to use anytime throughout the season,‖ according to the Winter Park Web site. Joe Anderson, a personal banker at Wells Fargo‘s downtown branch, has been with the bank for two years and has noticed a two-for-one buzz around the office this fall. The pass is available to full-time students, faculty and staff statewide. Existing customers simply can pack on additional (typically free-of-charge) features. And existing Wells Fargo customers need to add three to five features to an account, such as overdraft protection, a debit card, online banking, identity-theft protection, and a savings account. Anderson says that the majority of added features are free of charge. The Wells Fargo banker will give you a ―buy-one, get one free coupon, then you can use it at Christy Sports, Passwagon.com or Coppermountain.activitiesdesk.com,‖ according to Anderson. Hidden fees will bite the unconscious consumer in the wallet. Be sure to pay attention to details when opening an account in order to save on a Super Pass. This season Copper Mountain opened on Nov. 7 and Winter Park on Nov. 19. Snow has been falling in the mountains since the last week in September. The Wells Fargo and FRCC duo has really boosted business, according to Anderson. He mentioned that the Wells Fargo lobby has been filled with buzzing students and (Continued on next page)

Maria Smith assists students with their purchase of FRCC’s new Wolf Card. Photo by Michelle Motherway

5 (WOLF CARD continued from previous page)

S ERVING THE S TUDENTS

faculty signing up for the Super Pass this season. Smith estimates about 2,000 Wolf Cards have been purchased this semester, ―But it‘s hard to say for sure with the exchange system,‖ because students with the old ID card are able to exchange, free of charge, for this year‘s Wolf Card. Freshman Nicole Bracht bought her first Wolf Card last month, saying, ―I heard I needed it in order to check out books at the library, and because my professors encourage it!‖ While the card is required for access to Computer Commons, other forms of ID, including a City of Fort Collins library card, can be used at Harmony Library. Buying a Wolf Card can be a sound investment because if it is your first time in college, a student identification card is essential. Swing by the Longs Peak Student Center and drop $5 on an ID that can grant you a free soft drink at Chipotle, a discount movie ticket, and even some student lunch specials around town. ®

B INARD B RINGS I T BY

E MILY S EVERANCE , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

Juggling school, a career, family life and a social calendar is considered normal for dean of Student Services Kris Binard. Besides holding a major administrative position at Front Range, Binard is a full-time mom, wife and part-time professor at Colorado State University. When leisure time presents itself, Binard loves to spend time outdoors with her two sons and husband. Binard, 41, has been at Front Range for 10 years. Growing up in the restaurant business, Binard spent her childhood years living in almost every major U.S. city. Her father owned and managed fivestar restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Atlanta and New Orleans. ―I really enjoyed the opportunity to see my own country and be a part of something,‖ Binard commented. Binard grew up with an entangling family tree, and while it was difficult to move around a lot, she is thankful to have gotten the opportunity to see America. When her mother remarried a French man, Binard was given more opportunity to travel and learn about a new culture. This love of travel has carried through Binard‘s life. She has visited every state in the U.S. more than once and hopes to spark this passion of travel in her two sons. ―How can you not travel?‖ Binard exclaimed. After graduating from high school, Binard came to Colorado to attend Colorado State University. Though she was involved on campus, Binard was unsure of what she wanted to study her first few years of college. Luckily, after talking to a few professors, Binard found her dream major. She received her master‘s degree in student services for higher education, a degree she didn‘t even think existed. She then went on to get a doctorate from CU-Denver. After three years as the dean of Students for Front Range in Boulder, Binard came back to the Larimer campus and was the Student Life coordinator for six years. Each year, her favorite activity was Homecoming and creating and building the float. ―It was all fun, even when we had to finish the float at 6 a.m.!‖ Binard chuckled. Now, she sits as a parade float judge.

Art Magana (left) and Tony Trujillo are the custodial and grounds crew for the Larimer Campus. Both men have lived in Fort Collins for about 20 years. Photo by Miranda Baker

What exactly does the Student Services department provide for this college? On the Front Range Web page, Student Services is described as ―a variety of departments that promote an environment for student success. We promote the intellectual, cultural, personal and social development of all students while enhancing their physical and psychological well-being.‖ This large umbrella known as Student Services includes Admissions and Records, Advising and Career Counseling, Enhancing Education, Financial Aid, Recruitment, Student Life, the Testing Center, and the Office of Special Services. The Office of Special Services also provide assistance for veterans and the disabled. (Continued on next page)

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S ERVING THE S TUDENTS (BINARD continued from previous page) Assistive technology, the Learning Opportunity Center and Public Safety departments are part of Student Services as well. At the beginning of each academic year, Binard meets with department chairs, the vice president of the college, administration and Student Government to create a Strategic Initiative Plan. The plan is a collection of goals for the future. Goals for this year and future years include obtaining and maintaining national program accreditations, developing a facilities master plan, and remaining a resource to the community of Front Range and Fort Collins. Student Services recently met the goal of creating the Honors Institute Program.

Dean of Student Services Kris Binard in her office in Mount Antero Photo by Whitney Weber

For Binard, each week is fraught with telephone calls, board meetings, visits with students and accomplishing projects.

W ORK S TUDY W ORKS ! BY

V ASHTI T ORREZ , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

―It was horrible,‖ Front Range Community College student Emily Gaw exclaimed. ―It was just…the hours. I had to work until after midnight. It was hard work.‖ Gaw, 22, described her job as a shift supervisor at Good Times, a position that she attained after just two weeks of working at the fast-food chain located at the corner of Mulberry and College. Gaw is now a work-study receptionist for Advising and Career Counseling in Mount Antero. As she sits behind the Information Desk, with her tousled hair knotted up into a loose bun, she enthusiastically described her job, saying, ―This job is the best job I‘ve ever had. I get to work around my school schedule, and I‘ve never had a [supervisor] that would do that willingly.‖ Students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be awarded work study before they can apply for a work-study position on campus.

She is thrilled to have found a career that she is passionate about. ―I have the best job ever!‖ she exclaimed.

®

―I work with them all the time. They do a great job representing us,‖ said director of Advising and Retention Stacey Hogan .―They‘re a liaison between professional staff and the students; they bridge the gap.‖ ―There‘s no question about me going to class or not,‖ Gaw said .―Class comes first – school comes first. If I call and say, you know, ‗I really have to study for this test‘, [my boss] will say, ‗Okay, we‘ll make up your hours.‘‖ Before working at Good Times, Gaw worked on an Alzheimer‘s unit as a personal care provider, ―That was the worst,‖ she noted, before laughing. ―I got punched in the face by an 80-year-old man.‖ Part of Gaw‘s current duties include assisting students with any inquires they have and redirecting them to the people who can help them. ―What most students don‘t know is that if you‘re having a hard time registering, we‘ll actually sit down at the computer with you and help you register for classes [and] show you how to do it, so that way, next time, you can,‖ said Gaw. Despite the flexible schedule that Gaw‘s work-study job provides, she did take a cut in pay between jobs. Gaw explained that her work-study position started at $7.05 and (Continued on next page)

7 (GAW continued from previous page) will usually go up incrementally until it reaches the work-study award limit of $8.25. Her prior job as a personal care assistant paid $7.75.

their school work, and the employer to broaden their horizons with added input of the students that they serve. ®

Student Emily Gaw Gaw is currently in the pre-nursing program and is planning to is a worktransfer to Laramie County Community College located in Cheyenne, Wyo. She is taking Human Anatomy and Physiology study receptionist II, Human Nutrition, and Ceramics this semester, and is set to transfer successfully in January, but she is planning to take other for Advising and Career classes at FRCC through summer 2009. She said that she made the choice to stay because of her impending wedding that is Counseling planned for Jan. 18. in Mount In her spare time, she makes some of her own clothes and quilts, Antero. Work-study and volunteers as part of the Larimer Campus Enrollment funds help Management Committee. The committee is in charge of ―keeping [students] here and recruiting new [ones] from the qualifying community,‖ Gaw said. students offset their ―The people I work with are my best friends. One of the workcollege costs studies in Cashiers is a bridesmaid in my wedding,‖ said Gaw. ―My boss is my favorite person in the world. Everybody around and provide wages for here is very supportive. They want to see you succeed and they‘ll do whatever they can to help you.‖ campus jobs ―[Work-study students] give us a new perspective,‖ said Hogan. with flexible From the view of the staff and the employee, both parties benefit work hours. from the Work-Study Program. It allows the student to focus on Photo by Michelle Motherway

S CHOLARS ’ S QUARE H ISTORY BY

IS

N O M YSTERY

B RAD M ENEFEE , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

When one thinks of a history instructor, the image of Ben Stein‘s character in the movie ―Ferris Bueller‘s Day Off‖ likely comes to mind, with a dull, half-dead, old man standing at the front of the class reciting dates and events that happened in the distant past, and have no relation to modern life. Most the students are either asleep or looking at the clock every few moments. Time seems to have stood still. Even at FRCC, sometimes you‘ll look at the clock and realize not even a minute has passed. This is the opposite of what happens in Gregory Sahlen‘s Western Civilization II (HIS-102) class. Although it has the potential to be a boring class, Western Civ II is possibly the most interesting class at FRCC. Even if someone isn‘t very interested in history, Sahlen‘s teaching style makes it so. As he stands in front of the class impersonating a meeting between Grigori Rasputin and Tsar Nicholas II, some students chuckle and others just stare, but they are all paying attention. He engages students in discussions on the subject matter. He described his teaching style as ―extemporaneous‖ with ―not much focus on events, but the reasons behind them.‖

Of course, for some students, history is interesting no matter what. One can see how people have transformed the world over time and there is always a correlation between events from one time to another. But for some, it is just a bunch of dead people and ancient events that don‘t interest them. That is why it requires a teacher who is passionate and engaged in what he is teaching. A lot of students may think that this knowledge won‘t help them. After all, no one is going to be asked in a job interview, ―Can you tell me when Napoleon Bonaparte gained control of France?‖ This is why Sahlen says he wants ―to hone students‘ analytical thinking and critical thinking. These skills will always help people.‖ Sahlen‘s testing style is a little different than some teachers. All his exams are essays. This certainly shows his efforts to get students thinking analytically and to not just regurgitate facts. He says, ―[My] whole emphasis for students is the ‗Why?‘‖ adding, ―I want to turn them into thinkers.‖ He started his teaching career eight years ago and has been an instructor at FRCC for seven of those years. After graduating with a bachelor‘s degree from CSU in consumer sciences, he was somewhat aimless and decided that he wasn‘t happy in the corporate world, and went back to college. He‘s always been fascinated by history and the connection between the past and present, so he decided to get a master‘s from CU in history and became a teacher. (Continued on next page)

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S CHOLARS ’ S QUARE (HISTORY/SAHLEN continued from previous page) When asked why she likes the class, Carina Evans, one of his students, simply responded, ―He makes it interesting.‖ This seems to be the general consensus in his class, as students don‘t seem to be looking at the clock, doodling, or text-messaging, as one might see in a lot of other classes. It seems to be the norm at FRCC for instructors to deduct points based on attendance. This is made possible by the small class sizes, and Sahlen‘s is no exception. Often, what makes a class interesting is one‘s personal passion or interest in the subject, and sometimes it is the teacher‘s efforts that make the class engaging. Other times, it can be the attitude and participation by the students in the class. Sahlen‘s World Civilization II class combines all of the above. ®

Instructor Gregory Sahlen has been impersonating famous figures from history to engage his Western Civ II students at FRCC for the past seven years. Photo by Whitney Weber economically.

I N P ERFECT H ARMONY BY

J EREMIE S CHATZ , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

Most FRCC students will find themselves at the Harmony Library at some point. It‘s a good bet for finding a quiet place to study, using a computer, finding sources for research, or just finding a good book to settle down with. The modern, roomy library we now enjoy replaced a small classroom-size library 11 years ago. When it was time to build a new library, a logical proposition was made to create a jointuse facility that would economically, and in many other ways, benefit the college and the city. Joint-use libraries have been popular in Europe and Australia and have been catching on here in the U.S. These types of partnerships are formed around an intergovernmental agreement which ―can be a great document, but if you don‘t have people on the ground making it work, it won‘t be successful,‖ says Harmony Library Branch Manager Ken Draves. Draves is one of those people who is making it work. ―A joint-use library takes more meetings, more care, and more feeding to make it work right,‖ says Draves, who earned his master‘s degree in library science at Indiana University in 1992. In a past Coloradoan article, Draves said that, ―A study of public libraries in Florida concluded that for every dollar spent on public library funding, $6.54 is returned in the form of economic benefit to the community.‖ The extra work in maintaining a joint-use facility makes it more than worthwhile

Draves is to the library district‘s side of the partnership what Annie Fox is to FRCC‘s. After double-majoring in media education and political science at the University of North Dakota, she completed her master‘s in library science at Denver University. She then cut her teeth in the library business as the director of the public library in Vail for 13 years before becoming the Campus Librarian of the Harmony Library. Fox works as an advocate between the students, faculty and staff of FRCC, and Draves and the library district. She works with new instructors, giving a PowerPoint presentation, ―so they can show students what‘s available in their field.‖ Research skills classes are taught to English 090 students by Fox, and to English 121 students by Corky Walters. ―[English] 121 is a general education class. Almost everybody has to take that class and that‘s…how you can get to the majority of the students,‖ says Fox. There were 1,745 students in 111 classes in 2007, so the research skills classes are a considerable responsibility for Fox and Walters. In her first semester at FRCC, Siobhan Bacombe, 25, took part in one of the research skills classes through her English 121 course. She says she uses the library about twice a week, and thinks that the library does a great job. ―Definitely. I was really impressed by the orientation,‖ says Bacombe. Fox communicates with different departments and prompts the library to keep the collections up to date. For instance, she says, ―I‘ll work with the Nursing Department to make sure that there are books, journals, and a database available.‖ (Continued on next page)

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S CHOLARS ’ S QUARE (HARMONY LIBRARY continued from previous page) Oftentimes, instructors may require their students to review some material that is limited in quantity and will take advantage of the Reserve Room. ―It‘s good for instructors to know that students don‘t have to buy everything; they can just put some of the materials on hold and students can utilize it that way,‖ Fox says. ―Here at Harmony, we probably have about 160,000 items,‖ says Draves. Although the library can have over 85,000 of these items in circulation at any given time, available resources extend well beyond what you find on the shelves at the Harmony Library. The Prospector Program, implemented in 1999, creates a regional union catalog which links 23 libraries in Northern Colorado and Wyoming into one central catalog. Books can be delivered to a participating library and picked up at a nearby branch. ―There are something like 20 million books available through Prospector. I like students to know that if they look something up in our catalog and they see we don‘t own it, they shouldn‘t stop there,‖ says Draves.

Campus Librarian Annie Fox is responsible for showing FRCC students and Fort Collins community members all the resources available in Harmony Library. Before coming to FRCC, she was the director of Vail’s public library for 13 years. Photo by Whitney Weber

A C URVE BY

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Of Fort Collins‘ two public libraries, Bacombe says she normally checks books out of the Main Library in Old Town, but mostly takes advantage of the Harmony Library for its five study rooms, the online databases for research, and the free wireless Internet connection. According to usage statistics, the wireless Internet is a popular service that saw over 7,000 connections in 2007, and it‘s growing. While the library has something to offer to everyone in the community, the students of FRCC are paying some of the bills and the library‘s doors are wide open for them. ―We just want students to be aware that we are here, and we want to provide the services, staff, and materials that the students need,‖ says Draves. ®

R OAD : A LASTAIR J OHNSON

V ASHTI T ORREZ , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

―I remember hearing [my parents‘] voices. They were telling me, ‗Just try to breath,‘‖ explained Front Range Community College student Alastair Johnson, as he recollected the memories of his 2004 accident. Johnson, 33, is from Exeter, located in Devon in southwest England. In September of that year, he was riding his motorcycle from Dusseldorf, Germany to pick up a friend from the train station in Eindhoven, Holland when he rounded a sharp turn, hit a curb, flew off his motorcycle and shattered his helmet, breaking his jaw and sustaining extensive spinal injuries. The next thing he remembers were the doctors waking him up from his induced coma to tell him that he needed to be taken into surgery to repair his spinal injuries, as well as to reconstruct his jaw. At the time, he was on a ventilator to assist his breathing. ―I didn‘t realize what I had done to myself. It wasn‘t until two weeks after [I regained consciousness] that it sunk in,‖ he said. Johnson then placed his hand directly under his chest to indicate that the accident paralyzed him from that point down. Johnson was in his tenth year of service with the British Army when he sustained his injures. His plan, at the time, was to stay enlisted for several more years before retiring, and later go to work for Porsche or BMW. ―[My plan] was completely changed in a matter of seconds,‖ he said. (Continued on next page)

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S CHOLARS ’ S QUARE (JOHNSON continued from previous page) In January 2006, Johnson was invited by Back-Up Trust, a national charity that supports individuals with spinal cord injuries, to learn how to ski in Winter Park, Colo. Within six weeks, Johnson was married and had returned to Colorado from England. ―[After we initially met] I tracked him down, I found him magnetic,‖ said Johnson‘s wife, Jessica, 29. She explained that it was after constant communication and a week and a half of being in each others‘ physical presence that the two made the decision. ―Oh, my god,‖ she said, ―This is the man that I‘m going to marry.. It just seem[ed]… natural,‖ she said, recalling the moment she knew they were going to be together.

“[My plan] was completely changed in a matter of seconds.”

Almost three years later, Jessica described her husband as having a ―steady, positive attitude that doesn‘t seem to waver.‖ She went on to share what she found attractive in Alastair, saying, ―He‘s resilient, enthusiastic, and confident...as well as his dry, British humor.‖ Johnson is currently taking two courses at Front Range, as well as working as a writing consultant at the Writing Center on campus. This is Johnson‘s fourth and final semester at Front Range. He intends to major in geology at Colorado State University, and to later become a high school teacher. ―I didn‘t have to fill out an application,‖ said Johnson of his campus job at the Writing Center. This is the first semester that he has worked at there. Student Alastair Johnson served in the British Army for 10 years Recruiting students was originally an idea to give students a service-learning opportunity. ―We needed more help, and students are cheaper [to hire],‖ said Kerri Mitchell, Writing Center director and English faculty. Mitchell went on to explain that the position wasn‘t advertised at all, but a colleague suggested Johnson as a good fit for the position. Johnson explained that it was his English teacher, Kathy Mendt, who introduced him to Mitchell. ―This colleague only sends me the best. She described him as a good writer, and admired him as a person,‖ said Mitchell. ―He‘s very attentive, and he‘s interested in what others have to say [which] makes him a good reader of student essays,‖ stated Mitchell. She went on to explain that because the Writing Center is staffed mainly by faculty, they had to make the student a good fit, and they needed somebody with a certain maturity level.

before sustaining a spinal cord injury as the result of a motorcycle accident four years ago. In addition to taking classes at FRCC, he also works in the Writing Center in Blanca Peak. Photo by Michelle Motherway Outside of school, Johnson enjoys watching soccer, working out, fishing, shooting, and cycling. He cycles much like he manages to drive a car, by using hand controls. He owns a three-wheeled bike that is cranked by hand instead of the traditional leg-powered pedals. His car is similarly handcontrolled by a device that attaches to the gas and brake. ―Life has thrown me a lot of curves,‖ said Johnson, ―I‘ve learned to be more laid back and less aggressive towards people. I realized that life should be fun.‖ ®

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Throughout every semester at FRCC, many gallons of ink and reams of paper are used to print essays and other writing assignments for the classes in the English department. Writing is a common skill that every college student must master, but writing in a way that engages readers and, in this case, instructors, can often be difficult. So what is it that makes a particular essay interesting or memorable? Kathy Wingate has taught English and Basic Composition at FRCC for seven years, and has also taught in the Center for Adult Learning for four years. She says, ―When students are writing what they want to write about, it is almost always interesting.‖ Wingate says she changes the essays she assigns each semester. She keeps ―most assignments somewhat openended so that, for example, if the assignment is to practice descriptive writing, the student can describe a favorite place.‖ It is from this open-ended ideology that students can really be free to write about what inspires or excites them. Wingate believes that letting students write about what they want, within the framework of the assignment, really allows them to exercise their creativity. She says that she has had students write essays about building a house, detailing the steps from basement to roof, raising children as a single parent with a full-time job while attending classes, horse dressage, and skateboarding.

considered their positions and beliefs.‖ A student named Kofi from Africa once turned in an essay to Wingate that talked about his country, its beauty, and the political difficulties it is going through. Another memorable essay that Wingate remembers was one written by a Tibetan student who wrote about the difficulties people in that country experience. Wingate says, ―What makes other people‘s writing so interesting to me is that I can learn from them something I didn‘t know before or can see something I knew in a new light.‖ According to a Web site hosted by the University of Arkansas, there are several things that you can do in your own writing to make it more interesting. Most importantly, make sure that you have a good topic. If you aren‘t interested in your topic, why would your audience be? Secondly, be sure to focus on a few main points. Scattered writing can often be difficult to follow. Lastly, it is good to spice up your writing with humor, sarcasm or irony, but only when appropriate. Allen believes that ―nonfiction humor is underrated, powerful, and compelling.‖ You can read more of these tips online at http://ualr.edu/epmoore/criteria.html. Writing interesting essays can often be difficult. Luckily, FRCC offers free resources to students who need assistance. The Writing Center, located in Blanca Peak 102G, is a place any FRCC student can go to obtain help with writing organization, development and mechanics.

Using the resources available, following some basic rules, and However, Sean Allen, who is one of Wingate‘s students, says he finding topics that one is passionate are all great ways to cre―prefer[s] specific writing assignments, because it is much easier ate interesting essays. The bottom line is that interesting writto write them when I have the assignment as a prompt.‖ Allen, ing comes from interested writers. ® who is also a stand-up comedian, says he ―finds it easier to write fiction.‖ Sue Grebel manages The Friends Shop inside Harmony Library. See story on page 17. There are many different kinds of essays that must be taught in college writing courses. Whether it is process analysis, a description, or a reasoning essay, students have to accomplish something specific in their writing, but Wingate leaves the actual subject matter up to them. For example, in a process analysis essay, students must explain the steps it takes to complete a certain process (e.g., building a house or dressing a horse). This type of writing has great potential of being dry, but if the writer is passionate about their subject, it doesn‘t have to be. Wingate says that, ―Some of the most memorable compositions have been from international students, maybe because I am fascinated by other cultures and beliefs, but also because they have thoughtfully

Photo by Miranda Baker

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Think taking classes at Front Range is difficult? Try juggling teaching for three different colleges. That‘s precisely what the English Composition II (ENG-122) instructor Jenna Oliver does. Besides from teaching ENG-122, she also teaches Basic Composition (ENG-090) here at Front Range, journalism at Colorado State University, and digital media at the Art Institute of Colorado. This is probably why, when asked about her office, she jokingly responds, ―My car is my office.‖ At 39 years old with a youthful face, she isn‘t the stereotypical image of a college instructor. One of the things that allows her to have such a diverse and hectic teaching schedule is her educational background. She has a bachelor‘s degree in English, a bachelor‘s in political science with a minor in theater, a teaching certificate in English, and a master‘s degree in communications and media studies. The creative arts is certainly a general theme when considering her career and her education, and her lineage was a factor in this. Her grandfather was a sound engineer and did sound effects for the original ―Star Wars.‖ He was also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is the ―Academy‖ behind the Academy Awards. Her mother was also a movie producer. So it was natural for Oliver to become involved in show business. She lived briefly in Los Angeles and pursued acting, but after failing to get a movie role she auditioned for, she called it quits. However, she is still involved with producing and is currently pitching an idea for a series to HBO.

The road to teaching at Front Range began by teaching high school English and broadcasting. This led to working at Red Rocks Community College teaching film. She loved the experience and decided to pursue more college-level teaching opportunities. FRCC‘s Westminster campus was the closest to her at the time, so she decided to work there to supplement her income. While her history with Front Range started 12 years ago at the Westminster campus, she had a 10 -year hiatus from Front Range until returning this fall to the Larimer campus. She chose the Fort Collins campus simply for the commute, as she recently moved to Berthoud. As for her experience here so far, Oliver says, ―Students are far more interactive and interested in learning [here].‖ She went on to say, ―The campus environment is great here.‖ Her only real complaint, when asked about the campus, was that because there is a lot of adjunct faculty here, there isn‘t the traditional community of teachers working together and seeing each other all the time. Oliver has jumped around a lot, not just in her personal life, but also in her career as a teacher. She offers an explanation for this: ―What I teach is very unique.‖ She is referring to the digital media, film, and producing classes. There aren‘t a lot of schools in Colorado that cater a great deal of their academics to the media arts. She explains that because often a community college will offer one or two classes in her particular subject areas, she is forced to jump around a lot and teach a variety of classes, English Comp being one of them.

Why would someone leave the exciting world of show business for a career in teaching? For Oliver, it’s an attempt to have the best of both worlds.

Why would someone leave the exciting world of show business for a career in teaching? For Oliver, it‘s an attempt to have the best of both worlds. Acting wasn‘t stable enough for her, she said. ―Teaching allows me to be creative and still offers stability.‖ Her students also help keep her professional life interesting. She says, ―Teaching allows me to facilitate students‘ creativity.‖ Now that she has three children, the stability that teaching offers is even more significant to her. ―Producing sometimes forces you to travel a lot,‖ she says, and she wanted to be in one place for the purpose of raising her kids.

Anybody who takes English Composition II usually does so for one reason and one reason only: it is a requirement of their chosen major. However, for a lot of people, this could be the most important class they take because of the skills learned and enhanced. Oliver can personally attest to this implication; argument and rhetoric are skills that are needed in film and television production, as in any professional career. The variety of the work she has done could give hope to a lot of students with literary and English arts skills and interests, but who are under the notion that there are no careers in ―English.‖ Persuasive writing is essential for any career that involves salesmanship. As Oliver puts it, ―If it‘s not persuasive, it will get trashed.‖ ®

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Welding, Automotive Technology, Architecture and Interior Design all nestle under the same umbrella: the Integrated Technology Department. Claudia Romero, 41 years old, just began her second year as Integrated Technology Department chair and program director of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Interior Design, working with traditional and nontraditional students who pursue an interest in any number of integrated technology fields. Romero earned an Associate of Arts degree at Aims Community College, a Bachelor of Science in interior design, and a Master of Education at CSU. She began working in Greeley in the interior design and architecture field, gaining experience in kitchen and bath and structural design before she relocated to Fort Collins once she got married. Creativity, client relations, shopping and spending money to remodel a space are paramount memories of her career. ―It's an exciting career,‖ Romero stated, which is no longer designated to only decorating the interior of a space.

further their skills and gain the fieldwork experience needed to get a jump-start in their careers. The club was established last semester. Recently, it started collaborating with CSU to produce a Homecoming parade float made entirely of reusable materials. The club is dedicated to be as green as possible. Floor plans of the Longs Peak Student Center are in the hands of creative club members who plan to carry out the design model and concept of the new renovated Bookstore into the Student Center space. Investing in smaller tables and maximizing seating, to enhance functionality for students and staff, have been proposed.

Romero receives calls from community members who would like opinions or help with personal home design, which are delegated to the club, which presents opportunities for club members to work with a homeowner or resident to conjure up ideas for a space. A work-inprogress for the Interior Design Club is the Berthoud Library Project. Berthoud has a small library, giving the interior designers limited square footage to revamp. They plan to give the entrance a coffee-shop feel, with various seating areas spread throughout the ―Our program is not just about space more effectively. decorating and color selection; Integrated Technology Department Chair Claudia Romero teaches it is about space planning, with CAD and Interior Design. She also advises the Interior Design Club. With little funds and a relaxed time frame, the all human factors Photo by Miranda Baker designers must utilize involved. We start from the materials and gain as much outside and work in to the experience as possible. Endless ideas, labor and expertise are inside of all of our designs. Our students learn what it takes to what these club members have to offer the community. keep a building standing, in addition to the materials used to construct the building. We provide hands-on learning experiences. We have state-of-the-art computer technology and have faculty who love to teach! In addition, our faculty are student-centered. Our students come first!‖ said Romero.

Romero prefers residential interior work, rather than commercial projects. A dream project would be in a Colorado mountain town, like Vail or Aspen, designing a luxury lodge with a down-home feel for an A-list individual.

She said Italy would be the country she would love to visit for its timeless architecture and design standards. Romero's mother was born in Graz, Austria. She took trips overseas throughout her childhood, but due to her age. she couldn‘t fully appreciate them. Romero said she would love to go to Europe with her kids, but probably will hold off until they can fully grasp the opportunity of a trip abroad.

The Interior Design Club is always accepting new members. Here at Front Range, students hit the books hard and Club President Leslie Kulbeck suggests a study color to heighten concentration and focus would be yellow, which is ―a communicative color that can sharpen the memory and stimulate debate, while blue can slow the respiratory rate and promote relaxation... So maybe a combination of the two would be optimal for a study room!‖ she said.

It has been 15 years since Romeo has worked in the field.. She has taught CAD courses in previous semesters as well as Introduction in Interior Design. Romero is also the faculty advisor of the Interior Design Club. Three officers, and about six to eight active members, joined to

The Interior Design Club is involved in a Sustainability Committee and a Habitat for Humanity home that is being built from energy-saving material. (Continued on next page)

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C LUB H UB (INTERIOR DESIGN/ROMERO continued from previous page) The Interior Design Club meetings are held the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 2 p.m. in the Long Peaks Student Center Conference Room, and they welcome any major and skill level. Kulbeck, likes to keep up with new developments in ―reducing waste, reusing materials, and making choices in designs that benefit both the people and the environment.‖ Innovation in sustainable interior elements is also something Kulbeck keeps tabs on, such as ―water-saving kitchen and bathroom fixtures, environmentally friendly flooring and furniture, and ways to save energy through emerging technology and the use of renewable resources.‖ Innovation, inspiration and ideas the Interior design club has something to offer students of an array of majors.

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Staff Sgt. Ray Jester has recently retired from the Air Force after 15 years. Jester, who is 42 years old, is attending his first BY C HANCE J OHNSON , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER semester at Front Range. Aside from his observation that everyone is here for the common goal of higher education, his similarities with most students is limited. Since he is older Coming into a new environment surrounded by people different than most students than you can be awkward. The way people look might be a on campus, he shock, and listening to some student‘s outlandish political views claims that his life may makes you want to bleed from the eyes. Expressing yourself experience sets him by dressing differently than most is an invitation for rude stares. apart. This is Likewise, one may wonder why a person would leave the house because of the time looking like they are dressed for Halloween. The way people live he has served with their lives, the way they look, the way they act… It would be so the Air Force, as much easier if everyone could just think like you. This could be well as raising one of the worst things about being a student at Front Range, or children. Jester has any college. found that the age gap has been On the other hand, you may know what you believe in and why. difficult in relating By constantly surrounding yourself with those like you, you may to other students. be limiting yourself from broadening your perspectives, and reinforcing only what you already believe. One of the best things to ―A lot of them don‘t experience at Front Range is the diversity on campus. appreciate what it ―I really don‘t care what people think!‖ proclaimed Hana Kissling, a 20-year-old art student at Front Range. ―For example, I wore bright purple corduroy pants the other day.‖ Kissling thinks her quirkiness sets her apart. She appreciates the many individuals who are opinionated and open-minded. ―This makes for good discussion,‖ said Kissling. In her third semester at Front Range, it is her opinion that most people get along quite well on campus. She attributes this to the instructors and students who give Front Range an inviting atmosphere. ―One of the best things about FRCC is when I‘m there, I‘m not afraid to be myself. I can be quirky; I don‘t hide my thoughts or beliefs. High school was way different. I felt I had to hide what I really value and believe, or else I‘d be put down or disliked. I felt I couldn‘t express my true thoughts without social and/or emotional consequences, but at FRCC, I am free.‖

costs to be here,‖ he said. It‘s what he called the ―silver spoon effect,‖ when the cost of being here comes out of Non-traditional student Ray Jester is a the parents‘ bank account and not the U.S. Air Force veteran who says he appreciates his education more with the student‘s. Jester believes that s perspective that work, service and tudents should work fatherhood have provided. for a few years after high school before Photo by Miranda Baker entering college to better appreciate it. (Continued on next page)

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C AMPUS W ELLNESS (DIVERSITY continued from previous page) ―It is very humbling paying for your education yourself,‖ he said. Another aspect of this diversity that Jester feels clashes with others is that he claims to live in a state where many people are not highly supportive of the military. An exception to this would be the instructors. ―An old dog can learn new tricks,‖ said Jester, as he explained that it can be just as humbling for a 42-year-old to come back to college, thinking he knows it all, than it is for a hot-headed 18-year-old. He has had positive interactions with other vets and finds entertainment in listening to people‘s outspoken opinions. Jester feels almost everyone on campus has the same motivation to learn. ―It‘s a two-year school; most people aren‘t here to party.‖ Someone who has an opportunity to bear witness to Front Range‘s diversity on a regular basis is Government instructor, Jeff Borg. ―You never know what kind of class you are going into,‖ explained Borg, discussing the political spontaneity that his classes are subject to. As for how his classes react to this diversity, Borg stated that, ―Most students are open and curious as to why people think the way they do.‖ Although he says that there are ―overall good discussions without people‘s feelings getting hurt,‖ there is sometimes tension that exists, and he often has to step in and defuse a situation. Although Borg is pleased with the diversity on campus, he looks forward to seeing even more. He feels that this semester, people‘s differences have definitely shown. The obvious answer why is: ―This semester, emotions are very high because of the presidential election.‖ ®

Parking on campus can be a bit of a fish tale...

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You head out of class and breeze out into the parking lot, and look out over the sea of cars, not quite sure where in the full parking lot you left yours. You start wandering around the 1,700 spaces and curse your lack of ambition at scoring a closer spot. With furrowed brow and perplexed look, you stand on your tip-toes trying to spot your car and realize that someone is, in turn, scouting you out, waiting to get your spot. This is what Public Safety Supervisor Gordon Goldsmith refers to as ―sharking.‖ ―We don‘t have the sharking that we used to have, but when we have it, it is usually during the first two weeks of the semester. That‘s our busiest time,‖ says Goldsmith. While most people at FRCC are thinking that the best spot is that one right up front, that‘s not always the case. ―I like to walk to class and get a little extra exercise. That‘s why I come a little bit earlier,‖ says second-year student Steve Sylva. On the rare occasion that Sylva, 35, drives his Corvette to school, he‘s looking to park as far away as possible. ―The more expensive the car, the more conscious you are of where you‘re at,‖ he says. For the rapidly increasing number of motorcyclists and scooter riders, the parking is right up front and abundant. ―It‘s a good problem to have too many motorcycles,‖ says Goldsmith. The motorcycle parking areas have been expanded, and when the weather is nice, you will find motorcycles and scooters packed into the spaces like sardines. To get the closest spot on campus and always be able to find a space, you need to put your foot on the pedal – the bike pedal, that is. With eight bike racks around campus and three about to undergo expansion, you won‘t need to go ―sharking‖ to find a sweet spot. ―I think right at the beginning of the year, it was the fullest, but I was always able to find a spot,‖ says bicycling advocate Matt Webb. Inclement weather doesn‘t dissuade Webb, 31, from pedaling his trusty touring bike through the 17- to 20-minute commute. ―I‘ve got fenders and a waterproof coat,‖ says Webb, whose bushy beard probably adds a little insulation on those cold winter days. Webb‘s advice for those coming from the north, who are thinking about giving up the gas pedal for the bike pedal, is to take advantage of the Mason Trail. It‘s good advice, considering Fort Collins‘ esteemed reputation as a bicyclist‘s haven. In fact, Fort Collins was recently awarded (Continued on next page)

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C AMPUS W ELLNESS (PARKING continued from previous page) the Bicycling Gold from the League of American Bicyclists as one of the most bicycle-friendly communities in the nation. Bicycling is healthy for you and the environment, easy in terms of the lack of topography in Fort Collins and, above all else, you can park within feet of any building on campus. Judging by the bike racks at the beginning of the semester, the secret is out. ―We‘ve never had them full like we had them in the first three months [of this semester],‖ says Goldsmith. Ready to be a part of the bicycling community? Webb can help. ―I run a bike shop… I have a garage where I fix up and sell bikes,‖ he says. ―I‘ve seen a lot more people biking this year…We sold a heck of a lot of bikes this summer, probably about 70 or 80,‖ says the aspiring civil engineer. If you‘re interested, Webb says that, ―We usually put all of our bikes out at the corner of Laurel and Matthews.‖ There is one more option for those who don‘t want to deal with maintaining a vehicle, driving, or sharking around looking for a spot. Ride the bus. Fort Collins‘ Transfort bus departs FRCC at 6:18 a.m. and runs until 7:26 p.m. According to the director of Student Life, Erin Smith, currently enrolled students, staff, and faculty are eligible for a $55 bus pass. This pass is good for unlimited bus rides for a full calendar year from the date of issue. More information is available at the Longs Peak Student Center‘s Information Desk. So, the choice is up to you: Shark it or park it!

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Public Safety Supervisor Gordon Goldsmith says that FRCC students, staff and faculty vie for the campus’ 1,700 parking spaces daily, but bike riders have increased significantly, which will lead to the expansion of bike racks. Photo by Michelle Motherway

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After a hot summer and enjoyable fall, it's finally time to shred the fresh powder at Colorado's finest resorts this season. Stoked skiers and riders have begun to wax, tune, and gear up for this year's season. The best thing to do during the bitter winter season is partake in snow sports. Arapahoe Basin was the first resort to open in late October. Jonah Koepple, front desk employee at A-Basin, said ―snowmaking‖ is the reason for the quick open. A-Basin is still making snow to keep the base sturdy. Keystone Mountain Resort opened Nov. 7. And Steamboat opens on Nov. 26. The Colorado mountain range offers a lot to snow-sport enthusiasts. Investing in a pass is the logical purchase for those who plan to work the slopes more than five or six times. A single day pass during the regular season is $91 at Steamboat. According to Keystone‘s Web site, ―Prices vary for multi-day, single-day and half-day lift tickets,‖ depending on the time of year. The Rocky

Mountain Super Pass Plus grants unlimited access to Copper Mountain, Winter Park and Steamboat for $439. FRCC sophomore Andrew Chapman bought this Super Pass Plus and hopes to get up to the slopes ―40 to 50 days.‖ Chapman says, ―All my friends and I been riding with this pass for seasons. We always have lots of friends to ride with, which makes the days more fun.‖ Chapman says he ―mostly rides Mary Jane and Winter Park, which has a good vibe towards boarders.‖ Seventy trails spread out among three mountains at Winter Park, and average the most ―annual snowfall of any major resort in Colorado, [with] over 30 feet of the white stuff every year,‖ according to their Web site. ―My favorite mountain has to be Steamboat. They have great powder days,‖ says Chapman, who has been riding fresh powder for six or seven years. ―The last two, I been hitting up the park, but I spread it all around the mountain,‖ ―No pain, no Jane‖ is the well-known motto of the peak. This season‘s Rocky Mountain Super Pass goes for $409, (Continued on next page)

17 (POWDER continued from previous page) which can be split with a friend through a Wells Fargo student discount deal. The pass grants unlimited access to Copper Mountain and Winter Park. Cruising out of Fort Collins to the mountains takes about two hours and 30 minutes, depending on traffic, for a one-way distance of about 130 miles. Chapman mentioned making about 50 trips up this year, but said, ―Gas just hurts.‖ Ski Carpool is a nonprofit organization working for a clean solution to I-70 traffic congestion problems. One can save money and car miles, reduce traffic, and meet new people. The Web site is simple to use: check-mark your sport, the resorts you use, days available, area code, and in seconds you will be synched up with matches. Skicarpool.org make friends, not traffic.

―a challenging mountain, which is busy on the weekends and mellow on the weekdays, with a 50:50 skier-to-snowboarder ratio.‖ Friday Night Lights is Keystone‘s night attraction. This season, they are hosting three bands free to the public. Appearing will be Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah on Nov. 21, Devotchka on Nov. 28, and Girl Talk on Dec. 5. The bands will be staged in the Village and their beats will belt to the slopes for the late riders. Recruit some friends, brush up on your technique and hit the slopes. Find the ideal resort to get your Plexiglass sliding. ―Fake it ‗til you make it!‖ says Chapman. ®

Waking up early can be brutal, but Keystone gives riders the chance to cruise up to the slopes later and hit runs under the stars. They currently manage the largest night-skiing operation in Colorado. Depending on the time of year, riders can board the gondola, ski glowing runs, and bust some sick air at the terrain park until 8 p.m. ―I hear good things about Keystone, [and] the five mountain passes in general,‖ Chapman says. The Summit Pass is $419, with no restrictions and unlimited access to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin. Or for $40 more, you can add 10 days at Vail and Beaver Creek with the Colorado Pass for $459. Koepple describes A-Basin as

M EDIUM C OOL A F RIEND TO A LL : T HE F RIENDS S HOP BY

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Upon entering the Harmony Library, the racks of books overflowing from The Friends Shop are unavoidable. The rectangular storefront in the entrance hall of the library was always set aside for the store. Over the years, though, the number of books housed and sold at The Friends Shop has grown, and the hole-in-the-wall bookstore (it‘s smaller than an average bedroom) could no longer contain them all. As the bookstore expanded, books were put on racks in the entrance hall. The shop also absorbed the room directly across the hall, which previously contained lockers. It is the dominant sight when entering Harmony Library, yet Sue Grebel, The Friends Shop manager, still encounters library patrons who don‘t know about the store. She said, ―The thing that amazes me is that people don‘t know the shop is there.‖ The Friends Shop is operated by volunteers with the nonprofit group Fort Collins Friends of the Library. The books are all either donated by people or are discarded by the libraries in Fort Collins. The fact that the books are donated leads to one of the most obvious differences between The Friends Shop and an average bookstore: the price of the merchandise. An average bookstore normally sells used books for about half the cover-price.

At The Friends Shop, most books are under $2, and some are even given away for free. Joe Pampena, 20, a student at FRCC, was passing through the library and thought he‘d check it out. As a first-time customer, he was able to get the classic novel ―The Hobbit‖ for only 50 cents. ―Can‘t beat that price,‖ he said, adding, ―[It‘s] in good condition for being over 30 years old.‖ That is a common reaction among customers, according to Kathleen O‘Callaghin, who started volunteering there after retiring, and has been doing so for eight years now. She said, ―[Customers] are surprised by how inexpensive the books are.‖ She added that they get many repeat customers and she knows many by name. She loves to read, so, for her, the best aspect of The Friends Shop is that the books are inexpensive so they can ―get more books into more people‘s hands.‖ Ms. Grebel echoed this sentiment, saying, ―I love used bookstores, but we charge less.‖ One might wonder that, with their books being so cheap, how can they make any money? Since The Friends Shop has all their merchandise donated, and all the staff is made of volunteers, their business expenses are practically nonexistent. However, the money isn‘t going to any entrepreneur. All the proceeds help fund the libraries in Fort Collins. (Continued on next page)

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M EDIUM C OOL good about spending the money and donating books because it‘s going to a good cause. Almost any genre one can think of can be found at The Friends Shop, from sci-fi and fantasy to romance and non-fiction. Ms. Grebel commented that people don‘t seem to buy used romance novels as much as sci-fi. Although they have literally thousands of books in stock, that isn‘t the only type of merchandise at The Friends Shop. There are CDs, DVDs and VHS movies. Basically, anything that could be found in a public library is there for purchase, just in a smaller quantity. ―Pretty decent selection,‖ Pampena said of his experience shopping there.

Kathleen O‘Callaghin has been volunteering at The Friends Shop for the past eight years. The bargain bookstore is located in the entryway of the Harmony Library. Photo by Miranda Baker (THE FRIENDS SHOP continued from previous page) In 2007, the Friends of the Library gave over $77,000 to the Fort Collins Regional Library District. The Friends of the Library is one of the sponsors of the Summer Reading Program for the Fort Collins Regional Library District. Ms. Grebel estimates that, in a typical year, they donate about $40,000 of the money earned to the Summer Reading Program. She explained that another attraction for people is that they feel

O NLINE P ROFILES O N T ARGET ? BY

J OSHUA B RICKNER , R ANGEVIEW R EPORTER

Social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are growing by the hour. This phenomenon is dramatically changing the landscape of how people communicate by enabling a level of connection to family, friends and colleagues that was never before possible. However, this new level of freedom in communication has brought with it a fair share of issues that can be cause for concern. One issue that is becoming more prevalent is privacy. Vast amounts of personal information are available on social network profiles, and controlling access to that information can often be difficult. For example, employers are starting to look at the profiles of prospective employees as part of the hiring process. As young people leave school and head into their careers, they are starting to regret what they have left on their profiles, open for the world to see. In recent months, social networking has grown large enough to dethrone pornography as the most popular online activity. A story published by Reuters in October says, ―The hottest Internet searches now are for social networking sites.‖ It goes on to state that this trend

The Friends of the Library also holds three events each year outside of The Friends Shop to move more books. They hold events in March and July in the Community Room at the library. There is also an annual three-day event during the first weekend in October at the Foothills Fashion Mall just off College Avenue.

The Friends Shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. They are always accepting literature and other media donations. Anyone interested in volunteering is welcome to inquire within; they‘re always looking for volunteers. The Friends Shop can also be reached at 204-8405. Check it out; you might just find a diamond in the rough like ―The Hobbit‖ for pocket change, and walk away with some classic literature.

® is especially common in the 18- to 24-year-old population. Facebook especially has seen this rise in use among collegeaged people, who are their main demographic. Employers who are hiring young people out of college are leveraging the online profiles of their prospective employees in their hiring process. Jeff Bristol is a local employer who owns Rocket Jones Interactive, located in Old Town Fort Collins. Bristol‘s company provides professional web development services, has nine employees, and is growing quickly. When asked if employers should check the profiles of prospective employees, he said, ―I don't think it's a bad idea at all..‖ He continued, ―Job interviews can be so canned, everyone putting on the face they want to show. Social networking sites show more about the person's personality, and even character, than you can get in an interview.‖ Bristol said he ―would look for hints of character, things like loyalty, responsibility, outlook on life.‖ Issues like this can raise privacy concerns for those who use social networking. Once information is put on the Internet, it is very difficult or even impossible to remove it. Facebook‘s (Continued on next page)

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M EDIUM C OOL (SOCIAL NETWORKING continued from previous page) own ―Terms and Conditions‖ states that by posting anything to their Web site, users grant them ―an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, excerpt (in whole or in part) and distribute such User Content for any purpose, commercial, advertising, or otherwise...‖ In short, Facebook owns any information, photos and videos that are posted to their site. When asked if employers should check online profiles, Front Range student Meghan Hummer said, ―I don't find anything wrong with it. If what they see isn't what they want, they have the right to make that decision.‖ She said she puts ―name, hometown, religious and political [affiliations], favorite quotes, movies, music [and] interests‖ in her profile. Hummer said she has ―never been worried about privacy.‖

safe from prying eyes, whether those eyes belong to employers or other parties. However, these tools do not wholly protect the user‘s privacy by default; so users have to take action to protect themselves. Many students do not realize this and suffer the consequences. The question is what those consequences are. Bristol said, ―I don't think it should make or break the [hiring] decision, but I definitely think it can help shape the body of information used in making hiring decisions.‖ He continued, ―The greater overall understanding you could have as you evaluate whether or not the person is a good fit for your company could be very helpful.‖ If a user‘s profile contains content that could cast a negative light on them in a professional sense, the user should either implement the privacy tools available, or clean up their profile.

Since the Internet, never before have so many people had access to such a wide Social networking sites do provide tools variety of information, especially about to users that let them set specific guideeach other. This has led to leveling the lines that dictate who has access to playing field. Almost everyone has Reporter Joshua Brickner has nothing to particular information. Users can block access to the same basin of information. anyone who is not approved by them to hide, so far... This will continue to affect society and see their profiles. Users who have culture in ways not yet known. Privacy is just one of those implemented these privacy tools on their profiles are generally effects. ®

Government instructor Jeff Borg has noticed an increase in lively discussion in his class during this election season. Read our story about campus diversity on page 14. Photo by Miranda Baker

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B E O UR G UEST At right: Sen. Obama enters CSU’s Oval. Photo by Vashti Torrez

FRCC student, Rangeview reporter and Obama campaign volunteer Danielle Zimmerer (above) gets ready to lead the crowd of 50,000 in the Pledge of Allegiance prior to Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign speech at CSU’s Oval on Sunday, Oct. 26. Photo courtesy of Danielle Zimmerer

Nathan Rega began his photography career by following his photographer-mother to New Hampshire’s primaries. He and wife Kira own Harper Point Photography (named for Harper’s Ferry) in Fort Collins. Photo (at left) © Nathan Rega, Harper Point Photography 2008

Sen. Obama greets well-wishers as he takes the stage. Photo by Vashti Torrez

At right: FRCC student and Rangeview Reporter Vashti Torrez poses with husband Jin Batjargal, holding their 5-month-old son Ezra, at the Obama rally at CSU. Photo courtesy of Vashti Torrez

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