BCC students get restless and look for answers

November 8, 2009

On November 4, 2009, a strike was coordinated by Tyrone Heppard and me on the Broome Community College campus against the Board of Trustees in hopes that something would soon change for the sake of the students, faculty and the future of the college itself.

The strike took place in the Student Center’s cafeteria at 11 am until 2:30 pm. There was entertainment including: bongo playing by Rashid, two bands: The Ryan & Arthur Band and No Way José, break dancing by Laine, Omari and others, and rapping by Tyrone. However, everyone was more concentrated on the petition that was being passed around.

Tyrone and I had our hands full though with something else, the media.

On Friday, October 30, 2009, Doug Schneider from the Press and Sun Bulletin contacted me about the press release I sent him just a few hours early that stated:

“On Wednesday November 4, 2009, there will be a Student Strike held in the Student Center Quad at Broome Community College at 11 AM. The reasoning behind the strike is to inform the BCC Board of Trustees that the students are standing with the Faculty and the Broome County Legislature: we do not approve of the BOT’s performance. Students are concerned about the effect of their faculty working without a contract. We are also concerned that the campus is without a permanent president. Both of these situations have been going on for nearly two years: for some of us, that’s our whole education here. This strike was organized by BCC students for BCC students. We are often accused of not being as engaged in our campus as other students. This is our chance to get involved and express our concerns to the Board of Trustees and the public. We are exercising our First Amendment rights to make it clear that we are aware of the issues facing our college and understand how they affect us. We are hoping for a sizable turnout for this event, and hope you will find it worth covering.”

Before Mr. Schneider called me, he called Tyrone. In my head I was preparing what I would say to the reporters if contacted, and hoped I had something good to say. When my phone rang and he said, “Hello Ashley? This is Doug Schneider from The Press and Sun Bulletin.” I became scared. My hands went clammy, and my temperature rose to something that felt like 200°. I remember some of the questions he asked. Things like: who, what, when, where and why? How big of a turn out do you expect? What is the next step after the strike? What made you come up with the idea to do this? How does this issue of no permanent president and no faculty contracts affect the students?

Although he asked me some really great questions, and I gather from his response of, “Wow, that is a really great point” (that he must have said about 50 times in a 17 minute period) that I must have said some really good comments and answers, although until I read some of my quotes in the paper on October 31 and November 2, I couldn’t remember one thing I said. I honestly do not know why I was so scared and nervous, but that 17 minute phone conversation seemed like an hour, and all I have to say is, thank God it was on the phone and not in person because I think it would have been a whole lot worse. However if I had to analyze why I was scared, I think that I would have to say it was because I knew he knew that I was one of the protest organizers and I felt like I had to be professional and articulate.

The press release was sent to four media outlets in the Binghamton area along with The Press and Sun Bulletin, they include: News Channel 34, WBNG TV Channel 12, Fox 40 and News 10 Now, in hopes that at least one would show up. On November 4, when 10:55 am rolled around and Tyrone and I were getting ready to make an announcement to begin the strike, 2 of the four channels showed up and by 11:10, the other two were there and the interviews were done.

I am not sure why, but I was more scared to talk to Mr. Schneider on the phone rather than talking to the news crew on camera in person. I was still very nervous and kind of unsure what to say, even though I had been through it many times in my head, recited it to many people who asked what was going on and why, and I even had to tell a reporter once already.

Just about the same questions were asked by the video media that were asked by the print media, except in a shorter amount of time and not as many. In the back of my mind, I kept reminding myself to not say something stupid that they may use in the broadcast. Yet, I said this, “We don’t really have too much of a say, and this is us saying that we do have something’s to say. We aren’t really mad, like get your pitchforks kind of thing. We just want to calmly tell you that we aren’t happy.” And with my luck, channel 12 thought that was a great comment to use on the 6:00 pm news. On top of all that, I have a habit of talking with my hands- not wanting to do so on camera, I resorted to facial expressions and head movements.

Overall, the strike was successful. After the strike ended, Tyrone and I, along with the help of a mutual friend, headed to Front Street where we held our signs that said things like “The Students and Faculty Stand Together” while passing motorists honked their horns and gave us thumbs up.

On Friday November 6, 2009, Tyrone and I handed a cover letter and a petition with 179 signatures to the secretary of the Board of Trustees. We will see what happens, if nothing, we will work on a second plan.

LETTER TO THE BOT

Dear Broome Community College Board of Trustees, November 6, 2009

Lately, you have been the front and center of many news stories. Some of which I am unsure you even know about.

Hi, my name is Ashley Vincent. You may not have heard, but with the help of my friend Tyrone Heppard, we organized a strike against you. He, I and many of the students are frustrated with your lack of motivation in your duties. We have taken notice in many of the issues here on campus and the large problems here are all tied back to you.

Our strike took place on November 4, 2009 in the Student Center cafeteria at 11am, and then moved it to Front Street at 3pm with picket signs. I don’t know if you heard the constant honking of horns there in the Wales building, but there were many, motorists who honked, waved and gave us thumbs up.

Honestly, we have no confidence in you. You have had many chances to show that you are worthy of our respect and have not done anything to gain it. Frankly, we are sick of it. We here all have voice; this is your job to make this college all that it can be. Right now, you are just throwing BCC away. We just want you to know that, we cannot just stand by and watch you not do anything to make BCC better.

Sincerely,

Ashley B. Vincent

Tyrone L. Heppard

And the BCC Students

Creatures and Costumes of All Kinds Take over BCC

October 29, 2009

Any other day, having the Broome Community College cafeteria packed just means that there are lots of hungry kids on campus. However, this is a different story.

I walked into the cafeteria- a place a rarely have time to visit and never really need to anyway. But I was on a mission this day. October 29, 2009. I have spent most of October planning my 3-year-old daughters Halloween costume, I never got to plan one for me. That’s okay though, I did however buy a very nice and festive Halloween shirt just a couple weeks ago.

Since I have been going to BCC for awhile, I know that when October rolls in, the plans are being finalized for the BCC Halloween Costume Contest held in the cafeteria, and this is exactly what drew me in today. Nothing was ordinary about the cafeteria today. There were spider webs hanging around, people with lots of makeup and dressed in things I am sure are not their everyday attire.

Through the bubbling pots and howling music, I could hear people whispering. “Did you see the Joker?” “Who is going to win?” The contest hadn’t begun yet and I too was already anxious to see what was in store. I had a laundry list of ideas that I thought would be present in costume form. Things like witches, goblins and ghosts with perhaps the occasional Freddie Kruger thrown in to the mix.

It was announced that there were eleven participants and that they would be judged by six people from the Student Assembly. As each contestant was called, the costume kept getting more and more interesting. To my surprise, there were no witches, no goblins and no Freddie Kruger. There was however, 1) The Joker- John 2) Gaara Naruto- Sam 3) Logan Wolverine- Jordan 4) Union Soldier and Southern Belle- Carter and Andrea 5) River Otter- Michael 6) Wolf- Katelin 7) Ghost- Daniel 8) Cat- Ryan 9) Scarecrow- Amy 10) Designated Drinker- Patricia 11) Dark Wizard- Patrick.

Some of the costumes were downright hilarious; some scared the bejesus out of me, and some were really well thought out. In the end though, there would only be one grand prize winner, a second and a third runner up, with cash prizes ranging from $50-$100. One by one, the winners were called. In third place: #4, in second place: #5 and the $100 grand prize went to #6: Katelin Wilson the Wolf.

“I heard she made the whole outfit herself. That is pretty impressive. I could have told you she would win,” said a BCC student who didn’t want to be identified.

Butt In or Butt Out: Looking for a Solution

October 27, 2009

Citations: this seemed to be the main focus of the Butt In or Butt Out discussion held on October 27, 2009 at 11-1 pm in the Decker 201 lecture hall. (If you missed this lecture, there is another one being held 3:00 – 5:00 pm on the same date.) The discussion centered around the problem of smoking on campus. 11 people gathered to shed some of their ideas and opinions in the matter, including two Health Department Officials, Director of Campus Safety, Joseph O’Connor, and a mother of a Broome Community College student.

Four different “potential” recommendations were printed out and discussed about the smoking policy on BCC campus.

1) Change nothing about the current smoking policy- the current smoking policy entails that there are signs on every building saying that the smokers are prohibited within 25 feet of the building entrance while smoking. There is no indication of where this 25 feet mark is and no enforcement of the rule itself. Between the opinions of those in attendance to the lecture, the majority said that this option was irrelevant to the smokers because no one obeys the signs with no enforcement.

2) Demarcate and enforce the 25-foot no-smoking zones- this proposes that lines be painted on the sidewalks to indicated the 25-foot whereabouts and that when not standing behind those lines, citations can be given out by Campus Security. The majority thought this may help for a short while, but there are those who do not want to obey such rules. “The average students here at BCC are 17-20 years old. They are in the prime years to be rebels and probably will eventually not pay any attention to simple line just drawn on the sidewalk,” Said one BCC student and smoker.

3) Limit smoking to designated areas- This idea suggests that there be marked areas around campus that are just for smokers. While the handout suggested the parking lot as one place, people also named places like the gazebo, the back entrance of Titchener, the big grassy area in front of the Student Center and the area between the Business and Mechanical Buildings. “This is not going to stop people from smoking where they want to,” Said the mother of a BCC student whose daughter has a lung problem where only 40% of her lungs are workable. “No matter where these designated areas are located, there are cannot filter away the smoke. People still have to walk by the smokers and inhale. Options 1, 2, and 3 are not acceptable!”

4) Create a smoke-free (or tobacco-free) campus- This option suggests that the campus not allow any smoking on BCC property at all. “This would mean that, me as a smoker and all the other smokers who are on campus for long periods of time would have to walk to Starbucks, Regal Parking lot or Valero to have a cigarette,” said Tyrone Heppard, a BCC student and smoker. “That is just a little ridiculous I think.” However, the other place allowed would be the sidewalk right on front street which is considered public property. “That is still too far from any buildings that I have class in. That would only be accessible and reasonable for people taking classes in the Front Street building,” Heppard added.

The only options that offer citation usage are numbers 2 and 3, however most of the people present at the discussion seemed to think that citations would a good way to keep the boundaries set and enforced.

Crosswalks Are Your Friend- Maybe…

October 15, 2009

Are you parking across from BCC in the Regal Cinema’s lot? Are you using the crosswalks to cross the street? The answers are perhaps and probably not. Most of the students who park over there decide to jaywalk across Front Street. However, I suppose it would be more classified as playing a game of chicken with the cars. With Front Street being as busy as it is, there is no logical thinking to running across the four lanes.

“They want to get killed. The students literally want to die before they graduate. If they didn’t want to die, they wouldn’t do such a thing,” says frequent Front Street driver, Louis Goldman. “I drive through here every morning, and I could have killed half the campus with my car by now. Luckily, I am a cautious driver. I once saw one of the kids drop their books in the street running across. They stopped to pick them up with no regard that the traffic could potentially end their life.”

“It’s just so much easier to find a space over at Regal or Starbuck’s. I hate looking for a space on campus,” says a Broome Community College student who always parks at Regal. “As for running across the road, I guess there really isn’t a reason for it. Maybe it’s just the adrenaline rush.”

The main question here is why would the students find the better option to dart across the street in front of the paths of cars when there are crosswalks at both sides of the campus- only a few feet from where they are doing this? Maybe it is because of the fact that they hate waiting on the crosswalk signal to light up and that the people driving are practically running pedestrians over in the crosswalk anyway, so they see no point in crossing in the designated areas.

In Boston, Massachusetts all traffic signals turn red when the crosswalk signal is lit. We may not be a big enough or busy enough city to do such a thing, but in high-traffic areas and especially in front of a busy commuting college, that should be law. Even when the sign does say that you are allowed to cross the street, the cars that are also allowed to go at the same time get very annoyed if you are doing anything less than running.

Joke Writer and BCC Alumni Gives Presentation to BCC Students

October 1, 2009

Two time graduate of Broome Community College and currently a free lance writer, Bill Lake gave a presentation for BCC’s common hour on October 1, 2009 titled “Behind the Punch lines” giving attending students an insight on the process of creating a joke that would be nationally recognized and remembered.

Lake, who is in his fifth year writing jokes for the David Letterman Show and second season writing for Saturday Night Live, began his career 10 years ago writing radio sketches. He spent two years writing jokes for radio shows in Africa and the UK, along with a customer being from Turkey. Lake says, “I would listen to the show and since my jokes were being translated, I would hear ‘blah blah blah Madonna’ and know that was my joke.”

One joke he wrote and showed was played recently on David Letterman when President Barak Obama was the guest. The joke said, “Security here is tighter than Joan Rivers face.” Which got an uproar of laughter from the Letterman audience as well as the common hour audience.

Lake also showed how to create that perfect funny joke, stating there are two main points. 1. Joke Profile- find a subject matter in the news that is a common take that everyone can relate to or has heard about. 2. Manipulation of Information- turning a tragic story or boring story into something funny by finding key words to use.

The main point stressed by Lake was the fact that free lance writing jokes was not a full time job that he could have. Being paid on $75-$100 per joke used on TV, he said that this was not a job for money; it is a job for recognition since 99% of the jokes written will never see the light of day.

BCC Student Honored

September 28, 2009

On September 28, 2009, Broome Community College was awarded with a plaque and a trophy by the Binghamton chapter of the American Red Cross to recognize an outstanding increase in blood donations on campus in the past year. In 2008-09, the BCC community donated 182 pints of blood, a 152% improvement over the previous year. Presenting the awards were District Director Brandon Gordon and Account Manager Theresa Blank to Interim President Dr. John Deans.

Also in attendance to the award presentation were the medical assisting students of BCC, Public Affairs Officer Rich David, and local media. However, Senior Medical Assisting student Sabrina Wilson stole the limelight when she was award a $1,000.00 scholarship by the Red Cross for her participation and active recruitment in blood donations. An overwhelmed and grateful Sabrina said she was “surprised” by hearing she was receiving such an award. When asked “What do you believe the importance is of blood donation?” Sabrina replied, “I know people who give blood a lot and I know a lot of people in need of blood and transfusions.”

This week, BCC held another blood drive in the Baldwin gymnasium. Those who could not make it but want to make a blood donation can call 1-800-GIVELIFE or log onto USAREDCROSS.ORG to schedule an appointment.

The Buzz Promo Video

The Buzz Promo Video

_________________ Have you heard?

_________________ Have you heard?

_________________ Have you heard about The Buzz?

_________________ Uhhh… No.

_________________ WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

_________________ The new BCC newspaper is up and running. This isn’t just any paper. This is for the students—

_________________ By the students.

_________________ Want to know about

_________________ The presidential search?

_________________ The smoking situation?

_________________ The parking situation?

_________________ Or even who the coolest band is on campus?

_________________ We are professional enough to find out about the BCC Debit Card

_________________ But not too professional to talk about the goose poop.

_________________ Getting you the information about BCC is important and now it is accessible.

_________________ Want in on this? Join us for a meeting on Thursdays at 11 am in Titchner 107.

_________________ This is “Where it all begins.”

Pick-Me-Up

September 23, 2009

This being the last semester before I graduate in December from Broome Community College with a degree in Communications, I have always considered myself a stereotypical college student. With my thought of a college student being broke, being tired, being overloaded with homework and eating the only things they can afford on their budget: Ramen Noodles.

This morning however, I felt even more like a college student. I rolled out of bed and raced around getting things together realizing that I was more tired than usual. This trait, I generally hear in other conversations as I pass by at BCC. The two stories I hear are that students are tired because of the late night studying or the late night-early morning partying. Of course, I did spend my night studying but I contributed my sleepiness to my three-year-old daughter whom is a firecracker. She is a ball of energy and generally never stops.

So my night, last night consisted of a game of tag where we run in a circle around an object (generally her rocking chair), fighting her to eat her dinner rather than a cookie, playing hide and go seek until we were blue in the face, and then fighting her to go to bed. Ahhh, the joys having to put a child to bed who consistently says she is not tired. I hate when 9 p.m. rolls in. I know that I will have to get her to the bathroom and wrestle her to use the potty and brush her teeth, tackle her to get her day-clothes off and her pajamas on, and then try to make her stay still while I tuck her in- hoping for the life of me that the games play just an hour before hand made her tired enough to fall right asleep, but knowing they probably didn’t because I categorize her as a night owl. Therefore I know that for next half-hour after getting her to bed, I will be called into her room to give her kiss, after kiss, after kiss, after kiss, for a sip of water, then she has to use the potty (again and again and again), then she wants to clean her room then, she can’t find her favorite sleeping toy, then… then… then… it feels like it never ends.

Thus, this morning I was just about as tired as a dead man. So I ruffled through my purse and book bag trying to accumulate enough change for a nice hot chocolate from McDonald’s hoping that by the time my first class ended and my creamy, delicious, caffeine-filled drink was completely consumed, that I would be nice and awake for the following classes.

Furthermore, as I exited my vehicle and head towards the building of my Communicating about Ideas class, I realized I was not the only one with a drink in tow. Everyone had something; an iced coffee or cappuccino from the Starbuck’s across the street, an unidentified mug filled with who-knows-what or a Dunkin Donuts Styrofoam cup with their “pick-me-up” drinks inside.

Thus, there I was… becoming a stereotypical college student again; this time, just with a drink.

Edwin Black Speaks to BCC Students

September 15, 2009

The buzz on campus the week September 14, 2009 was all about an upcoming speaker. The communication students of BCC had their professors telling them that this was the opportunity of a lifetime. Edwin Black, an investigative journalist, was going to talk to all the students and faculty that wanted to hear him at 11 am in Applied Technology 200. He was willing to have a question and answer part and then was prepared to meet with those who wanted to have lunch with him in the cafeteria for a more intimate discussion.

Black, who is intriguing and dynamic, talked about the holocaust and how IBM of New York was involved with the Nazi’s. Three ear-catching topics came about: The Rockefeller Foundation and its role in eugenics: “The Rockefeller Foundation financed the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute and the work of its central racial scientists. Once WWII began, Nazi eugenics turned from mass sterilization and euthanasia to genocidal murder. One of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute doctors in the program financed by the Rockefeller Foundation was Josef Mengele who continued his research in Auschwitz, making daily eugenic reports on twins. After the world recoiled from Nazi atrocities, the American eugenics movement — its institutions and leading scientists — renamed and regrouped under the banner of an enlightened science called human genetics.”

His words, which are also available in printed books, rang true. However, truth is all we would expect from this man. Esquire Magazine says, “Edwin Black is a dangerous man. He tells us things we don’t want to hear.”

Other said about Black, “[He] seeks the truth no matter if it embarrasses the people or the institution.”

When asked, how come the book was published in 2001 the school still bares Watson Research name? Black answered, “How many organizations bare the name Rockefeller? It is money. It is namesake, based upon international binary with the Nazis. Nazi Germany saved IBM.”

If you missed him at Broome Community College, he also was speaking at Binghamton University and Endicott Interconnect on September 15, 2009. He will however have 6-7 events from Binghamton to Elmira. For a copy of one of his eight books, you can head to Barnes and Nobel in Vestal, where you can find such titles as IBM and the Holocaust, The Transfer Agreement, War Against the Weak, Banking on Baghdad, Internal Combustion, The Plan, and Nazi Nexus.

The Hectic First Day at “Where It All Begins”

August 24, 2009

Anyone in the vicinity of Broome Community College (BCC) on the first day of school can’t help but notice the traffic. Naturally, Front Street is a nightmare to begin with; it always gets a little more frustrating the first week of classes. This semester, I had my first class at 10 a.m.—I hoped by that time, things in the area would be cleared up traffic-wise.

They weren’t. The cars were backed up to Timbuktu trying to turn into BCC using the South Entrance, Lt. Vanwinkle Drive. Nevertheless, there are those people who are in the “wrong lane”—the lane that goes straight past BCC to go either to Upper Front Street or the North Entrance at College Drive—and “decide” at the last minute or at the most inconvenient time that they want to be in the turning lane to the South Entrance.

After searching, and searching… and searching for a parking spot that only exists out near the jail, I finally park my car and head to my first class … in Titchener Hall, conveniently located near Front Street, on the far side of campus from where I am parked. The long walk to my first class gave me the opportunity to observe everyone. I mean everyone!

Everyone and their brother seemed to be on campus; most probably didn’t have class until later, but needed to go to financial aid—always a nightmare for the first week of school—or they just really needed to see all their friends they didn’t see over the summer. Whatever the reason, everyone enrolled in BCC was on campus the first day; they were all there and outside walking around.

But not exactly “walking.” Most seemed to be doing a power-walk or an undefined jog. They all seemed like they were in a hurry, like they were really late to where they needed to be, when, just like me, everyone was probably actually early in fear that they would be very embarrassed the first day arriving late to class. Myself, I was there at 9:30 a.m., giving myself a half hour to get to my class, and to find a planner before they were all gobbled up. But I noticed that most people’s hurried walks were frequently accompanied by hops, jumps, quick side-skips to dodge the geese feces that littered the sidewalks of the campus.

Most students were prepared to begin college. They got their financial aid in order and went to the bookstore to pick up their books, which can range from $200.00 to $500.00. Like everyone else, I have done most of these things in preparation for my first day back to Broome Community College.

The first day of classes can and most likely will be nerve-racking. There is so much to think about: will my courses be exciting? Who is my professor is and what will he/she be like? Do I need to make some changes to my schedule if I don’t like the content of the courses I chose? How can it not be nerve-racking?

I, knowing my way around (having been going to BCC for about 5 years), ended up at my first class at a decent 9:45 a.m. This gives me fifteen minutes to sit and observe more people, like the ones who are completely lost, roaming around the teachers’ offices wondering if it’s the classroom.

Many of the girls (including myself), were dressed really nicely; you could tell they’d done their “school shopping.” Most probably sat up Sunday planning their Monday morning “first-day-of-school outfits” to make that great first impression.

My outfit was not so extreme, just comfortable jeans with flip-flops and a generally nice button-up shirt. Nothing so complicated as my classmate who walked in with heels that made her about a foot taller than I suspect she really is. She will most likely learn her lesson to never wear them again, if only because of the goose feces.

By the end of the first week, there will be a lot of girls who do not care anymore whether they look like runway models and will be wearing their favorite comfy pair of sweats with a hooded sweatshirt and hair still wet in a bun.

On the first day of school, we all can agree that whether it was stressful or not for us, we all are there for one reason… to learn and get a higher education. Just because we are there for the same reason, we also have realized that this is “Where It All Begins.”