I'm Just Sayin...

By Adelaja Obajimi, Editor in Chief

As we begin the new semester, one troubling issue on my mind is the lack of certain campus amenities, specifically “hang out spots” for students. There’s no doubt Prince George’s Community College has made a name for itself as one of the best community colleges in Maryland. Unfortunately, it’s also made a name for itself as “13th grade Largo University.” It’s a nickname meant to poke fun at the unbelievably high number of immature high school graduates that flood the hallways and disturb foot traffic every semester, especially during the first two weeks of class. On any day of the week, you can walk by the cafeteria or the printing office around 12:30 p.m. and watch the campus police officers force rowdy people to leave the building.

The Hollow tree, located in the Largo Student Center right next to the Office of College Life Services was provided to address just such a problem. So why would anyone pick a somewhat narrow hallway without chairs to hangout instead of the Hollow Tree, with its comfortable seating, television, massive space and vending machines? The answer is pretty simple. Rather than sit in a secluded room away from the “action,” people want to be where it’s all happening. Here’s a suggestion that might work. Maybe PGCC could expand Bladen Hall and create a new hang out spot in the hallway across from the printing office. With a good wireless internet connection in a coffee house setting like Starbucks, maybe people would stop hanging out in the hallways leering as girls pass by.

All colleges add value to the community they represent by enriching the minds of the scholars that pass through it. Enrichment comes not just through academic excellence, but also through other social opportunities and interactions provided on campus. Looking around at some of the amenities we lack here in PGCC, one wonders if it’s all part of some deliberate structural arrangement of the school, or maybe PGCC is just lacking behind other academic institutions in some areas. A school as prestigious as ours should have an open gym, faster, more reliable campus-wide Wi-Fi access, some type of boarding would be nice, and not one, but a couple of themed hang-out spots that help scholars relax, interact and develop minds and ideas. PG really needs to pick up the pace...I’m just saying.

Not the Announcement Paper

By Stephen K. Cooper, Associate Editor

Welcome back to a new semester and a brand new, redesigned OWL Newspaper. We’ve been working hard this month to bring you news and information that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet.

In celebration and recognition of Black History Month, we, the editorial staff of this paper, have embarked on a campaign of excellence. We are taking up the call of one of the most famous African American journalists in U.S. history, Frederick Douglass, who urged young people to "agitate, agitate, agitate."

We’ve decided to put as much real news in the paper as we can manage. Timely stories about PGCC issues that answer the questions who, what, where, when, why and how. Make no mistake; we enjoy printing good news about the campus sent to us by the administration and faculty. Everyone, including us, likes being recognized for excellent work.

But, we won’t shy away from getting to the bottom of controversial stories, either. We’re dedicated to news for, by, and about students. Anything less would be a disservice to this truly great institution. Our goal is to get students talking about campus issues, and in so doing, inspire them to get involved to make PGCC a better place to learn.

In addition to a more professional look, with reader- friendly graphics and a cool layout style, we’ve also added the ‘Etcetera’ page that includes John Adjei’s witty comic take on campus life, Sudoku and crossword puzzles, and other fun stuff to pass the time. After all, you know what they say about all work and no play. In coming issues, we’ll also focus on PGCC’s sports teams and profile interesting professors. We’ll offer more beauty and fashion tips as well as music, theatre, restaurant and movie reviews. From time to time, we’ll even include the occasional humor column.

So, if you were expecting to read a student paper full of stale press releases and recycled news, look again. This is not the announcement paper. This is The OWL Newspaper, the voice of PGCC students. We are simply doing what our professors keep urging us to do: use critical thinking, look beyond surface issues and change the world.

Having Second Thoughts About Attending PGCC?

By Tia L.S. Holmes, Associate Editor

There are many trivial reasons why people may feel ashamed or are being mocked by others for attending a community college. We live in a society that is obsessed with prestige, so with that mentality, why would anyone want to attend a community college? To combat that foolish way of thinking, here are a few points that will reinforce your sensible decision to attend PGCC.

One of the essential benefits of attending a community college is the cost. Community colleges are meant to be an affordable way to earn a degree. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) listed the average annual tuition costs of four-year and two-year institutions, both public and private, at $6,585 and $2,402, respectively. In this economy, it’s a logical choice to save a few thousand dollars where ever possible.

Community colleges educate almost half of the nation’s undergraduates, according to the AACC. President Obama even spoke about and visited 30 community colleges during his campaign. When referring to his Community College Partnership Program, he stated, “Without community colleges, millions of people would not be able to access the education and skills they need to further education or succeed in the workplace.” He recognized community colleges once again in his 2010 State of the Union Address.

Here at PGCC, there are programs and centers that keep you linked with other colleges. PGCC offers six collegian centers, and an honors program, society, and academy. To make transfers seamless, PGCC is partnered with many four-year institutions, enjoying such benefits as the Maryland Transfer Advantage Program, among many others. There are student groups here that are present on some four-year campuses, such as the newspaper, magazine, and theater groups. In essence, many differences between a community college and a four-year institution are minor.

In case you were wondering, many successful people have attended community colleges. The Pulitzer Prize–winning poet, Gwendolyn Brooks, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Maxwell Taylor, and NASA astronaut, Eileen Collins, have attended community colleges, to name a few. AACC Vice President for Communications, Norma Kent, commented, “Community college graduates have gone on to Ivy League schools.” So, always remember that among you are many future alumni who will go on to become famous and/or influential leaders

PGCC Instructional Service Fees Going Up Next Fall

By Stephen K. Cooper

Students attending Prince George’s Community College next fall may have to dig a little deeper into their wallets to afford a higher education. The PGCC board of directors, at its early December meeting, unanimously approved a $95.9 million budget for fiscal year 2010 that includes a $1.5 million hike in instructional service fees for students beginning with the Fall 2010 semester.

PGCC Vice President for Administration and Finance Thomas E. Knapp said the fee increase will boost the college’s spending on student clubs and activities as well as the inter-collegiate student athletic programs. It will also help meet the college’s general expenses, he said.

PGCC’s move to higher instructional fees comes at a time when many colleges across the nation are facing a choice of boosting tuition rates or cutting teaching staff to make financial ends meet during the recession. Although tuition rates are not currently set to increase at PGCC, the college’s budget won’t be finalized until June when the Prince George’s County Council and the Maryland state legislature decide on funding levels.

Knapp called the proposed fee increase fair, and said that students are getting a quality education at an affordable price compared to other local colleges. “Certainly, we remain incredibly less expensive than any of our four year institutions. I think we provide every bit as good instruction as they do, or better, and yet we’re a cheaper price than they are,” Knapp said. “I don’t believe there’s another community college in the state that’s better than we are.”

Student reaction to the proposed fee increase was intensely critical. Chris Monroe, a second year sociology major, said the college already makes enough money and did not need to raise fees. Donele Smith, a second year business and accounting major, said PGCC should keep prices at a minimum so that students can afford to come to school and get an education.

“This will affect me personally because my dad is paying out of pocket,” said Crystal Lindo, a first year general education major. She suggested that if the athletic department really needs money for student teams that they should try fundraising activities rather than raising fees on students.

The proposed $1.5 million increase in instructional fees would be imposed under a new structure. Under the current instructional services fee structure, students either pay $27 (Level 1), $32 (Level II) or $37 (Level III) per credit hour based on the type of class in which they are enrolled. Students are also required to pay a $1 per credit student activity fee, up to a maximum of $15 per semester. For a three credit, Level I class, a student would pay $288 in class tuition, a $25 registration fee, a $3 student activity fee, and an $81 instructional services fee. As a result, the total cost of a three credit class is $397.

Beginning next fall, the college wants to eliminate the three-tiered instructional service fee and the $1 student activity fee and replace them with a flat fee of $38 per credit for all students, except senior citizens and those retired early on disability. The result will be that for the same three credit course, the total bill would be $427, or an additional $33 per class.

Put another way, for a student enrolled in 15 credits of Level 1 classes, the total bill is approximately $1985 for one semester. Under the new system, the same student would pay $2,135, or an additional $150 per semester.

Knapp said that most PGCC students are enrolled in Level II and Level III classes, so their instructional fees will only be increasing by roughly $6 per credit, or an additional $90 per semester for 15 credits.

Reports of Alleged Lewd Conduct Rock Campus Christian Club

By Adelaja Obajimi

Last semester, around mid-to-late November, two students were caught by a third student allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual acts in the office space assigned to the Bethel Campus Fellowship (BCF) in Largo Student Center. An eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, reportedly heard strange noises coming from the student club and peeped over the office’s wooden wall only to find two people being sexually inappropriate.

The eyewitness immediately notified the College Life Services Office (CLS), which oversees all campus clubs. According to CLS Program Director Paulett McIntosh, a staff member from her office was sent to investigate. When the staff member arrived, the occupants of the room denied any wrongdoing, the eyewitness said. The students claimed they were not BCF members, but somehow they had access to the office.

Seun Adebambo, BCF President, said the alleged incident gave the club a bad image because it happened in the group’s office, but he maintained that the perpetrators were not actual members of the club. He said one student was a BCF member, and the other two, who were allegedly engaged in the inappropriate behavior, were guests. Regardless, the club still met its goal last semester of holding a program to show people how to be successful using Biblical principles, Adebambo said.

The incident occurred even after a new civility campaign was launched by CLS at the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester to reduce a lot of the irresponsible behavior exhibited by students on campus. The ongoing civility campaign is intended to address ill-mannered behavior exhibited in noisy computer rooms, crowded hallways and, of course, the college’s noisy and rowdy cafeteria. The aim of the civility campaign is to have students pledge to help keep order in the school by policing one another.

The incident also marks the second time in the same semester that a student club has come under scrutiny. In September, members of the Music Department faculty decided not to organize the student Concert Club, thereby forgoing funding from CLS.
As the Spring 2010 semester began, CLS posted several signs near the student club offices in Largo Student Center that read, in part, “spooning leads to forking” and reminded students of the rules for acceptable behavior.

When asked about the BCF incident, McIntosh confirmed that students of another campus organization informed CLS “that there were some students in the BCF office acting inappropriately and (it) was of a sexual nature.” She said that the CLS staff member sent to investigate the incident did not witness anything, but saw students leave the office.

McIntosh said she and Dean of College Life Services Dr. Yvette Galloway met with the BCF faculty advisor and Adebambo to discuss the incident. Moreover, she also stated that this was the second incident in which alleged, non-members of BCF were engaging in inappropriate behavior, although the first was not sexual.

“The club members are responsible for the office space. It’s a privilege to (use) the office space because not all clubs get an office space,” said McIntosh. “We felt that they did not need the space anymore, so we put the organization on probation and took away their office space.”

Adebambo said BCF is still active and has submitted the appropriate paperwork to CLS to be recognized as an official club this semester. In fact, the group is planning to hold two events, including the Gethsemane Experience, which is a Christian revival, and a Day of Prayer for PGCC. “We have not been told that the incident will have an impact on whether the club can operate this semester,” he said.

Adebambo said the lack of space will not deter the club from meeting its mission of leading students to Christ and preparing them to be reliable men and women who can be trusted with His word.

A Message from the President

Welcome to what is certain to be an exciting Spring semester! Whether you are new to Prince George’s Community College or returning from winter break, there is something here for each of you!

You are part of a community of 40,000 students from 103 countries who have chosen Prince George’s Community College for their education. We have more than 2,600 faculty and staff who are eager to teach and assist you in reaching your goals. We have more than 30 student organizations and 12 intercollegiate athletic teams to enhance and enrich the learning environment you have chosen to be a part of. Our students are of all ages and backgrounds which contributes to a rich, diverse and thriving community of learning.

Last fall we launched a campus-wide civility campaign. It is intended to remind us that we are here to teach and to learn, that hurtful words and actions interrupt the learning process and interfere with the educational goals we set before us. We are all encouraged to speak freely in this democracy and on this campus, but we can hold back from hateful, hurtful speech. That takes effort, self-control, and an honest desire to see individuals, not types; people, not things; issues, not absolute truths. We must reach out and support one another during these times of economic stress and worldwide conflicts.

As we support each other, let us remember those who have been affected by the devastating earthquakes which recently struck Haiti. Let us support our Haitian students in whatever ways we can. Some have lost homes, loved ones, dear friends. We are seeking ways in which we may offer hope, healing and assistance. To this end we have launched a campus-wide Haitian Relief Committee, which will be raising funds through donations and fundraising events. I encourage you to contribute and to volunteer for this effort. Contact College Life Services to see how you can help.

Volunteering while you are a student here will not only give you a great deal of personal satisfaction, but you will also gain valuable knowledge and experience which will serve you well in your chosen career. VITA (Volunteers in Tax Assistance) is a good example. This service provides training in tax preparation. Volunteers help prepare tax returns for students, individuals with disabilities, elderly taxpayers and those with low and limited income. Another way to volunteer is to share your knowledge of a subject with a student who may be struggling and offer your service as a tutor. Again, contact College Life Services to learn of the wealth of opportunities available to you as a student at Prince George’s Community College. I hope that you, too, will discover the joys of the classroom and enjoy the many co-curricular activities we offer to make our student’s time with us more memorable, meaningful and fulfilling. If you take advantage of what we have to offer here and ask for help when you need it, I know you will thrive. We care enough about you to give you our very best and we ask that you give us your very best effort in return. Thank you for selecting us as one of the most important stops you will make on your lifelong journey to success.

Fourth Annual World Cup Indoor Soccer Tournament Held at PGCC

Special to The Owl

More than sixty PGCC students, alumni and friends donned their socks, shin guards and indoor shoes for a fun end to the soccer season on November 21st. Eight teams played one another in 15-minute games, followed by 20-minute semifinal and final rounds of competition. The tournament was sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Performance and the International Education Center, as part of International Education Week. The tournament director was PGCC men’s soccer coach Richard Todaro.

The teams were named by their captains’ first names: Team 1, Everson; Team 2, Oji; Team 3, Mike; Team 4, Stephen; Team 5, Nana; Team 6, Armand; Team 7, Israel; and Team 8, Pascal. Many countries and the US were well represented by some fancy footwork, fast action and terrific saves.

Teams Stephen, Armand, Israel and Mike made the semifinals. The final round was between Team Stephen and Team Israel. Team Israel won 5-2. The semifinal winners took home soccer mini-balls and the winners took home Adidas soccer balls. Former PGCC and American University soccer All-American Hector Vargas served as referee.
Team Stephen was made up of famous PGCC alumnus Stephen deRoux, Adrian Clarke, Daydrian Givans, Kenroy Campbell, Ricardo Jarrett, Rondine Crawford, and Tiaye Akinmboni.

Winning Team Israel was made up of Israel Akanbi, Kunle Akinfeleye, Isiaka Kamara, Andy Ojinmaka, Tunde Banjo, Leroy Oligie, Kunle Banjo, and Sam Taylor.
MVP awards were given to Ricardo Jarrett and Kunle Banjo.

If you’re anxious for more soccer, contact the men’s and women’s PGCC soccer teams about joining their conditioning and tryouts, starting in early 2010, in preparation for the Fall 2010 season!

PGCC, Higher One, Inc., Unveil New Student Debit Cards

By Tia L.S. Holmes

Prince George’s Community College has begun distributing new student debit cards this semester in order to speed refunds of financial aid money or tuition overpayments, but careless use of the new cards could cause extra fees and charges. The college has partnered with Higher One, Inc. of New Haven, Conn., to disburse refunds to the college’s 14,000 students through FDIC-insured Higher One bank accounts and new PGCC Owl Debit cards.

In order to get the quickest refund, students should first make sure they have activated their new PGCC Owl Debit Cards as soon as they arrive in the mail, said PGCC Student Accounting Specialist James Devenney. About 3,000 students should have already received their cards and logged on to http://www.pgccowldebitcard.com/ to manage their accounts.

PGCC will experience great savings in time and money by instituting the use of the new banking accounts and debit cards, he said. The previous process for the school was to send paper checks for refunds of class payments and for rebates of student financial aid overages. This process was costing the school thousands of dollars in printing and postage owing to incorrect student addresses to which they would mail checks then re-mail, once returned.

With the new Higher One account, students will now be able to access rebates with their PGCC Owl Debit Card in as little as 24 hours after financial aid becomes available to PGCC. Devenney predicted that refunds will be available as early as February 8th, after the add/drop class period.

If classes were paid for with a credit card, then students should expect to see those charges back on that card, not in the Higher One account, Devenney said. For students who do not wish to use the Owl Debit Card, the Higher One website does provide the option to wire-transfer funds to other personal checking accounts. Choosing not to activate the account will result in the mailing of a check 21 days after Higher One does not receive a request for activation.

Student Jennifer Fair sees the use of the card as a benefit based on her past experiences with waiting for refunds. She also admitted that she did not do research on the card, but that she would before using it.

The Higher One bank accounts operate as any other checking account, minus the minimum balance requirement and monthly checking account fees; however, other banking fees apply, some unexpectedly. Among the most egregious fees are the Abandoned Account Fee ($19.00) and the Lack of Documentation Fee ($50.00).

Higher One ATM machines are already being installed around the campus to dispense cash. Using any non-Higher One ATM will cost $2.00 per transaction, including buying gas, food, clothes shopping or any other transaction that requires a pin number.
The best advice given to avoid fees is to always use the PGCC Owl Debit Card as a credit card; remember to always swipe and sign wherever MasterCard® is accepted. Buying on credit is fee-free with the exception of online bill paying; for free online bill transactions, you must maintain a $1,000 balance or sign up for direct deposit pay.

To ensure benefit from the Easy Refundsm system, verify your address with the college and the U.S. Postal Service and read the fee schedule and account usage information provided on the Web site, before signing up.

More information is available at www.PGCCowldebitcard.com and http://www.higherone.com/.

PGCC Star Wins NJCAA Women's Basketball Player of the Week

Special to The Owl

Asyja Smith of Prince George’s Community College was selected as the NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for contests played through Jan. 31st. Smith, a guard from Washington D.C., earns the Division II Player of the Week honor for helping PGCC to three wins in the last week of January. She averaged 26 points per game on 52 percent from the field (23-44), 43 percent from three-point land (6-14), 63 percent from the line (15-24), and had 27 rebounds, ten assists and two steals.

On Jan. 25, in an 81-36 win over College of Southern Maryland, Smith scored 19 points on an 8-of-15 shooting performance, with nine rebounds, three assists, and five steals. Two days later in a close 59-57 win over Allegany College (Md.), she dropped 30 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point land, 7-of-13 from the line, and also had five rebounds two assists and one steal. Next in an 84-76 win over Hagerstown CC (Md.), Smith did it again dropping 30 points on 8-of-14 from the field, just 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, 8-of-10 from the line, pulled down 13 off the glass, and had five assists and two steals giving her a double-double on the day.

PGCC VOICES: Do you think there is there too much PDA (public display of affection) on campus?

By Katryna Fernandez



Stephanie McCarthy (Pictured above): Actually, yes, cause I’ve seen a lot of rolling on floors and stuff…just wow.

Seneca Matthews: From what I hear, yes. But, I don’t think so, no. Let me be straight, no, I don’t see a lot.

Ivan Crump, Jr.: Yes I do. I believe that there’s a little bit too much cause I’ve seen some “stuff”, especially in this area (outside of the club rooms). I’m not going to state any names, but I believe they were doing a little bit too much, and this is a school and not a club. I see it in the cafeteria, the club rooms, the Hollow Tree, and just the whole Largo Student Center.

Janet Kilpatrick: Yes, I do, at times and certain places. I don’t see a whole lot of it but I hear a lot about it going on in certain places.>

Jeryle Greene: I haven’t been at this school that long, so I haven’t seen that much of that lately. Just this one time, but it didn’t affect me.

KAT FINDS BEAUTY TIPS FOR YOU!

By Katryna Fernandez

Let’s talk LIPS! Between ChapStick®, lip balm, lip gloss, and lipstick, there are limitless possibilities for your lips. For all skin colors and lip types, there is a product or a combination of products for you. From high-grade products like MAC to drugstore products like Revlon, hundreds of colors and color finishes are waiting to be tried on your lips.
ChapStick® or lip balm is the best way to start a perfect lip, (By the way, these lip tips can go for both male and females!). One could wear it alone for moisture, or better yet, to prep the lips for a lipstick or lip-gloss. Personally, my favorite way to give my lips the moisture they need is to use Carmex lip balm; it gives a tingly finish and leaves my lips smooth and moisturized. But, even that won’t do the job sometimes, since it is still winter. I find myself re-applying lip balm more than a couple of times a day. To get rid of the unwanted dead skin on your lips that many people are cursed with during the winter, try a lip exfoliator. I strongly recommend the Neutrogena® Lip Nutrition Lip Balm, in Berry Smooth. This lip balm has tiny beads that gently remove the dead skin from your lips. This may sound kind of gross, but it literally rolls away all the dead skin, leaving a smooth finish.
Now, on to the fun stuff: lipstick and lip-gloss. Lipstick used to be a total turnoff to me because it would leave my lips pretty dry, and if this is still how you feel, worry no more because there is a cure. Lipsticks are not as bad as they used to be, many brands are trying to come up with lipstick formulas that won’t dry your lips. Even though many still do there is a simple solution. First, apply your favorite ChapStick® or lip balm. Then, apply the lipstick of your choice. From there if you are still not satisfied, top that with a lip-gloss. These three simple steps open the doors to many possibilities. Choosing both a lipstick and lip-gloss, changes the look of the lipstick and even the color completely. For example, add a sheer lip-gloss to a matte red lip color and it adds some pop and shine; or add an opaque red lip-gloss to that same lipstick and it will give it a more vibrant, fun color. A combination I like to use is a nude lipstick from MAC called Blankety topped with a Peachy-Pink lip-gloss from N.Y.C. (New York Color), this is perfect for an everyday look, or to complement a dark smoky eye.
Need to find specific beauty tips? Anything from makeup tips to healthy skin tips, e-mail requests or questions to Katryna at theowlnewspaper@hotmail.com!

Snow, Snow Go Away

By Stephen K. Cooper

Blizzards Mangle Largo Student Center Canopy, Extend Spring Semester into late May
The twin snow blizzards that paralyzed the Washington metropolitan area in early February did more than just cancel classes for nearly two weeks at Prince George’s Community College. Heavy snow collapsed a canopy located above the Largo Student Center and transformed the main campus parking lot into a snow filled maze with limited visibility for drivers.
But long after the snow melts into memory, PGCC students will still be dealing with the aftermath.
Dr. Sandra F. Dunnington, PGCC vice president for academic affairs, said that in order for students to get the appropriate instruction time in the Spring 2010 semester, classes will be extended by an extra week. For all full semester courses, the final class week/exam week will be held May 18th to May 24th, not May 11th to 17th as listed in the current schedule.
Weekender, Saturday and Sunday courses will also have additional classes during the semester to make up for the snow closings. Commencement will be held as scheduled on May 27th. However, diplomas will be mailed to graduates, rather than being handed out at the ceremony, since the college will not have time to complete the graduate certification process.
“We didn’t cancel Spring Break,” said Dunnington. “We felt it was too close to cancel it. People might already have plans and reservations in place.” The current Spring break is scheduled for March 29th to April 4th. Dunnington said that if there are more snowstorms that cancel classes this winter, the schedule will only permit another three additional days of instruction in May.
The additional week was required by the state Secretary for Higher Education in order to meet Maryland Higher Education Commission guidelines for making up time missed in classes, labs and practical experiences. Dunnington said the extended week was approved by PGCC President Dr. Charlene Dukes, following a recommendation made by academic and student services leaders on February 16.
The nearly three feet of snow dropped on campus required the Facilities Management Department to hire contractors with heavy equipment to clear the parking lots. Dr. David Mosby, Dean of Facilities Management, said he was seeking estimates on the cost of repairing the crushed canopy and would also report the damage to the college’s insurance company. “When you have a snow load like that on a span with canvas on it, it eventually will give way,” he said.
His department’s efforts to clean the parking lot didn’t go unnoticed by students. Cheyanne Johnson, a third semester student, said she thought the Facilities Management Department did a “really good job” of clearing the snow from campus. Johnson said she spent part of the week off from school studying for a history exam.