Show Your Love for Mother Earth

By Tia L.S. Holmes

You don’t have to wait for Thursday, April 22, to celebrate Earth Day. There are changes you can implement right now to make every day an Earth Day.

Even, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley is a documented supporter of environmentalism. He declared Maryland an official Earth Hour state and turned off the lights in his own home in support of the worldwide event.

During Earth Hour, states, countries, celebrities, and citizens join forces to turn out nonessential lighting and electricity. Scheduled for the final Saturday of each March, this year’s third annual Earth Hour event fell on March 27 at 8:30 p.m.

With respect to the governor, yourself, and the environment, here are the “Rs” that the EPA and other environmental organizations suggest will help defeat climate change and its harsh effects.

Reduce. Lessen the amount of items or resources you consume by using only the amounts you need and by looking for alternatives that will reduce use.
* Buy permanent items instead of disposables.
* Buy and use only what you need.
* Buy products with less packaging.
* Buy products that use less toxic chemicals.

Reuse. Extend the life or re-purpose an item rather than throwing it away.
* Repair items as much as possible.
* Use durable coffee mugs.
* Use cloth napkins or towels.
* Clean out juice bottles and use them for water.
* Use empty jars to hold leftover food.
* Reuse boxes.
* Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
* Participate in a paint collection and reuse program.
* Donate extras to people you know or to charity instead of throwing them away.
* Reuse grocery bags as trash bags.

Recycle. Recycling is processing old used items in order that the material can be used to make new products. Recycle paper (printer paper, newspaper, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If your community doesn’t collect at the curb, take them to a collection center.

Respond. Implement these changes in your life to be more environmentally conscious and become helpful in spreading awareness.

*Purchase some cool post-consumer products at
www.uncommongoods.com.

More information is available on these sites:
www.42explore.com/recycle.htm; www.epa.gov/epahome/home.htm#recycle; www.cheasepeakebay.net/atschool.aspx?menuitem=16885

How Much Is Too Much?

Students, administrators frown on excessive displays of affection

By Willie Fenner and Peter Jackson

It’s a well-known fact that sex sells, but students here on the campus of Prince George’s Community College seem to sometimes get a complimentary peepshow from some of their peers to go along with their education.

To some PGCC students, it can be quite disturbing to witness public displays of affection (PDA). What’s even more disconcerting is trying to get around the public make-out sessions in the already crowded hallways.

According to an informal survey conducted on behalf of The Owl newspaper, PGCC students are not partial in their disdain for PDA, regardless of whether it is heterosexual or homosexual. Mentioning PDA inspired the same reaction from most students—a roll of the eyes in disgust.

Most people were not happy about witnessing so much PDA on campus. Many students had the same reaction: jolly faces quickly became distressed. “I don’t care for it whether it’s homosexual or heterosexual. Holding hands is okay, but kissing and groping is too much for both,” said Michelle Whitehead, a 25-year-old accounting major.

Another level of judgment was expressed when students were questioned about homosexual PDA. Males that took the survey didn’t mind seeing two females displaying affection. However, they showed anger when asked about two men.

Brandon Moore, a 21-year-old music major, shared his opinion on the matter saying, “I feel it’s like a religion at the end of day. You can do what you feel, just don’t involve me.” But Avery Sturdivant, a 19-year-old student, said: “There’s nothing wrong with holding hands or a small kiss before a couple departs from each other.”

Over-the-top PDA also is prohibited by the PGCC official standards of student conduct. According to the “2009-2010 PGCC Student Handbook,” lewd, indecent, and obscene conduct on college property are listed as types of misconduct for which students are subject to disciplinary action.

“It is not appropriate behavior to be displayed in an educational environment such as Prince George’s Community College,” said Dr. Tyjuan Lee, Vice President of Student Services. College officials have nine options for disciplinary action ranging from warnings and probation to dismissal or expulsion of students, according to the handbook.

PGCC President Dukes Speaks Out on Student Issues

For nearly two years, Dr. Charlene Dukes has served as the first female president of Prince George’s Community College. During her busy tenure, Dr. Dukes has overseen a 20-percent expansion in student enrollment, a rehabilitation of the campus library in Accokeek Hall and the construction of a new Center for Advanced Technology building. Currently, she is managing the construction of a new $40 million Center for Health Services building, which will break ground this spring.

As PGCC’s eighth president, Dr. Dukes brings a wide range of experiences to her position. In addition to serving as the college’s vice president for student services for 12 years, Dr. Dukes has also worked as a member of the Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education and dean of students at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburg. She was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to serve on the Maryland Board of Education.

In a wide-ranging interview with editors of The Owl newspaper last month, Dr. Dukes gave insightful answers to questions involving campus enrollment, developmental courses, campus crime, civility, public displays of affection, and the college’s reputation in the community.

Q. College enrollment is up more than 20 percent in the last two semesters. How is the college handling the stresses that come with that?

A. We believe the economy plays some role in that, but we also believe it is the message that’s out in the community relative to the quality of education and the opportunities that exists for students.

In the fall we were 13 percent up in enrollment, and this spring were about 19 percent up in enrollment. That means we have maybe somewhere around 1,000 more students on campus over the course of this entire year than we had a year ago.

We’ve hired more faculty on an adjunct basis. We have more part-time faculty working here in order to ensure that we can provide the classes that students are looking for. We also have classes spread more throughout the day.

Q. Last semester, the school began a civility program asking students to police themselves and take responsibility. Is the program working?

A. We understand that we are a college where people are coming at a point where they are transitioning into adulthood, or they are already adults. The civility campaign is not there to force or to mandate. It is really to ask people to look at themselves and understand where they are currently in the world and where they are headed and that civility plays a big part in that.

We didn’t’ expect things to change overnight. We understand that college is not all work, and I would say, no social engagement. But how do you balance both of those and how do you do it in ways that respect the environment that you’re in?

Some of the profanity that may occur is very commonplace today, on radio, on television. What we’re suggesting is even in this environment, a collegiate environment — where we want to respect academic freedom, freedom of speech, how we interact with one another — you are also preparing yourself for the world.

Q. One of the things that we hear among students sometimes and among the community is that this is 13th grade. How are you changing that perception?

A. Well I would suggest to you that there are probably a wide variety of perceptions in the community. I’ve worked at the Community College of Allegany in Pittsburg. We had the same issues where people don’t view you as a real institution. Well, one of the ways that I think that we can combat that is to look at how we market the institution. I think that we’ve done a great job with that with our logo and our branding.

I do believe that people think that there is a difference between what they see here and what they might see at a four-year institution. But I also know that students realize the quality of the education they’ve received when they transfer and they are able to compete one on one with students who are native to that four-year institutions. And I think we have to keep pushing, both internally and externally, the message of high quality, high standards, and high reputation.

Q. How well has the Prince George’s County School system prepared its graduates for education here? I’ve noticed there are a lot of developmental classes. Or are they more geared to people who’ve been in the workforce?

A. It’s a combination. I will tell you that the one developmental class that most people take when they’re coming in as incoming freshman is math. And there’s a reason for that. The placement test is geared toward Algebra. Most of us, even if we had Algebra in high school, have been away from it some time. I don’t know about you, but I don’t sit around doing algebraic equations, that’s not what turns me on.

If you look at the fact that our median age here is 29, we’re getting a lot of first-semester students who are not 18 or 19, just getting out of high school. So they’ve got to come back and do some refresher in math. Simultaneously, if you took algebra 1 in the ninth or 10th grade, and you’ve been away from it for two years, it is likely that you might need some refresher work. Everyone’s not starting at the lowest level of mathematics.

The percent of students needing developmental course work has decreased over the past three years. At one point we were hovering around 67 or 70 percent. This past fall it was 54 percent, so clearly there are some great things happening in our public schools.

Q. One thing that’s of major concern is public displays of affection. How is the school trying to make it known that this is what you can do and this is what you can’t do?

A. We certainly talk about that in every fall and spring at new student orientation. It is in the code of conduct that people cannot engage in behaviors that are inappropriate to being in a collegiate environment. And quite frankly, we have to not only police others we have to police ourselves.

Are there inappropriate behaviors here? Yes, and we’re tackling those each and every day. We do use the code of conduct. We will either give students a warning or censure, they are suspended. And in some cases, we’ve had the unfortunate opportunity, if we can call it an opportunity, to expel students , which means that they can no longer come back to the institution.

Q. But, where do we draw the line? Some people kiss and some people go that extra mile?

A. I would suggest that that’s a discussion that we need to have. I know that in many instances that people when they leave each other will peck or kiss. We do that in public. I think that as a community, we should engage in a dialogue, and it should include students. Where do student believe that the line should be drawn and how do students help us to draw that line.