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News Photo by Linda Simpson Vernie Nethercut strives to encourage community service. page 2 ~ POLEMIC Vol. 3 Issue 4 November 17, 1993 Nethercut represents volunteerism, community service Nethercut reappointed to commission BY SCOTT REED STAFF WRITER "Everyplace I go, there's so much respect for Vernie. I feel if it weren't for her, there would be no Volunteer Center." These are the words of Dot Gonia, Youth Volunteer Corps director, speaking of Vernie Nethercut. Nethercut, director of the Alpena Community College Vol- unteer Center, was reappointed to the Michigan Community Ser- vice Commission when ACC hosted the quarterly meeting of the Commission on Friday, Oc- tober 29. ACC President Donald Newport welcomed first lady Michelle Engler, chairperson, and Commission members in room 450 of the ACC Natural Resources Center. Nethercut was first ap- pointed to the Commission in 1991 by Governor Engler when he created the Commission to promote volunteerism and com- munity service in Michigan. Nethercutrepresentsvolun- teer centers and community colleges throughout Michigan as the Commission strives, as she says, "to encourage community service and volunteerism, espe- cially among young people, as an effective means of meeting the serious social challenges that face our communities today." Gonia further stated that Nethercut "wa.<s on the cutting edge seventeen years ago Lwhen she was appointed to head up ACC's Volunteer Center.J People from other sites are al- ways seeking her out for advice." At the quarterly meeting, a presentation was given about ACC's Volunteer Center by Sharon Genschaw, Jacqueline Grulke, Julie Smigelski, Merrill Downs and Nethercut, Volun- teer Center staff members. Alpena High School stu- dents Farah Wallen, Drew Downs, Melissa Brousseau, Sa- rah Werner, Melissa Brown and Jason Harris, supervised by Gonia, helped explain the VolunTeen and YVC programs. Gwen Downs, a member of MYPAC, the Commission's standing youth committee and a YVC summer team leader, also assisted. The Michigan Community Service Commission is composed of 21 ethnically and geographi- cally diverse members from all over the state and represents various segments of the popul<\- tion such as age, sex, race., political party, hackground, oc- cupation and economic level. The Commission has also been designated as Michigan's lead agency in applying for federal dollars from the Commission on ~ational and Community ser,~ Current initiatives of the MCSC include: developing an(,l implementing Michigan's Na- tional and Community Service Act Grant Program, creating :t, statewide volunteer recognition program and supporting thi President's Youth Service Awards, forming a statewide youth body to promote commu~ nity service, and promoting the Michigan Year of the Volunteer Campaign. ' Long lost languages return BY SHAWN DEMPSEY STAFF WRITER You've seen it in the cata- log and soon you'll see it in the classroom. According to English De- partment Chairperson Terry Hall, ACC will offer one year of Spanish and German starting in the 1994 fall semester. The department is now in the process of looking at and updating the old course outlines, and after next year the need for advanced courses will be evaluated. The hunt is on for a Spanish instructor but at least one person is currently being considered. English Instructor Priscilla Homola will teach German. Hall says she is "lively and energetic and [students] will have a good time in her class." In past years, ACC offered French, Spanish, German, and occasionally Russian and Polish, but Hall says, "There was a long period when we just couldn't get people to sign up. " Many of the four year schools are now requiring for- eign language, and Hall feels it's much better to get it at ACC than to take it during the senior year of college when students are focusing in on their majors. "I 'm hoping we can get good cooperatior, from the advi- sors in advising students into the classes because," Hall explains, "students need to know it's go- ing to be required most places theytramiferto." Foreign language classes will fulfill the cultural aware- ness classes that, according to Director of Student Services Rick Counsellor, many of the state's colleges and universities are requiring. He says, "At a lot of these schools, [ACC doesn't] have one course to sat- isfy this" Currently, transfer students who will need foreign language or cultural awareness courses to graduate must wait until they reach university level before they can fill the requirement. Some of the universities that require foreign language or cultural awareness classes for bachelor's degrees are: Central Michigan University, two semes- ters of foreign language for a BA and three semesters of di- verse cultural studies fol' a BA in Education; Ferris State Uni- versity, one global consciousness class; Grand Valley St.ate Uni- versity, one foreign culture class; University of Michigan, two years of foreign language profi- ciency in the school of Literature, Sciences, and Arts; and Western Michigan Univer- sity, one year of college level foreign language or two years of high school level for the school of Arts and Sciences. Starting in 1995, Michigan State University will have a col- lege wide requirement of one college year or two high school years of foreign language for graduation. "[Foreign language] is not something students need from ACC before they transfer, but it would be to their benefit," coun- sels Counsellor. Hall and Cousellor give other compelling reasons to take a foreign language. Cousellor recommends it to anyone ma- joring in business or teaching, or anyone comiidering a career on the West Coast or on a more global scale. In today's job mar- ket, with the economy the way it is, he feels ifs just a good idea. "In terms of job oppo - nities, a person strong in languages can write their own ticket in the business world. It opens all kinds of possibilities for travel or working in the global community as opposed to just the local communities," affirms Hall. "Learning to master an- other language really stretches you intellectually," Hall adds. ~1 think it's part of what it means to be an educated person." HaJI hopes the program will be successful, and says, "We're definitely trying to do something about [the lack of lan- guages offered] but it's Oeen tough in the past. If students won't sign up for the classes, you can't run them. It's as simple as that." This could be your next instructor ••• Photo by Linda Simpson Technology at ACC is bringing people closer together BY DENINE KONWINSKI Co-EnrroR stated. The classroom was recently -------- used for a meeting between the The new interactive class- room in Van Lare Hall "is operational,• but some fine-tun- ing is needed, says Learning Resources Director Charles Tet- zlaff. The classroom, expected to be ready for instructional use in January, will allow students and instructors at one institution to interact with others from an- other location via television monitors and telephone lines. ACC Telecommunications Com- mittee and a similar group at Lake Superior State University. According to Tetzlaff, the meeting went fairly smoothly with the exception of images locking up on the monitor. To correct the problem, a new kodak has been ordered to re- place the dysfunctional one. tions Office, to enter informatiori directly to the other screens. ,:: There will also be one aP the switchboard, and one for stu~ dent access. "You won't be able: to tune into soaps or cartoons,,.. Tetzlaff said, but the monitorS: will still prove to be useful. : Another advantage of the< cable head-in is that it will al~ low student organizations, such~ as student governments and/o-C student newspapers, to meet amt exchange ideas, as long as the,'.: technology exists at each loca~ tion. Where will the axe fall? All major technological components are place, and when the fax machine arrives, construction will be closer to be- ing final. Tetzlaff is excited about the new technological doors the in- teractive classroom opens up to the college. Once things are more in place and a cable head-in is in- stalled, TCI Cablevision of Alpena will play a large part in the elitire operation, partly by broadcasting announcements and related educational information on channel seven. It could prove to be costly,. $25 an hour, but with good plan-£ ning and organization, could also: be a cost-saver in the long run. Instead of groups and organiza- tions traveling to meet one another, they could simply gravi- tate to two locations equipped with the interactive system and exchange ideas through televi- BY GARY PINGEL STAFF WRITER The ACC Board of Trust- ees met Thursday, October 23 and raised the guillotine. Who or what will get it on the neck? Wait until Nov.18, the next board meeting, to see. This wa.'! not an early Halloween prank; someone's budget i.~ about to get the knife! Dr. Newport, ACC presi- dent, explained to the college trustees that budget monitoring reveals the need for cuts to be decided this month, a process that usually begins in January Presently, the goal is a reduc- tion in expenditure of $100,000 to balance lower than the pro- jected income. Areas targeted for possible reduction are: travel, supplies, mileage and advertising ac- counts. A freeze on equipment expenditure and reduced main- tenance is also expected. The department chairs have been asked t0 update balances and help identify areas where cuts can be made. English Department Chair- person Terry Hall gave an example of what may happen. "We've made a ten percent cut AA QUALITY TAXIDERMY By ...-ir Bob & Jerry Cummings J -~-v'":. or-,.. For the very best in Wildlife Art .· •. __, "You can see a dijference, because • - there is a difference" ~ 2106 Werth Road Bus. (517) 354-2403 Alpena, Ml 49707 Home (517) 354-2832 /J in supplies which raises concern about the art area. Usually we run out of clay at the end of the Vendors installin.g the year and have a little left over equipment are also waiting for a for summer school. The supply fire-proof curtain and a demag- may be exhausted prior to that netized chalk board before the time. The effect is not too great classroom can be completed. at the moment, but if there have Tetzlaff explained the col- to be more cuts I have real lege was unaware the curtain, concerns about the impact in which will be used as a back- the art area." drop when the room is utilized The budget will be looked for a meeting place, is required at again in January when actual to be fire retardant. "That was a Tetzlaff says television monitors will eventually replace The Splinter, ACC's daily news bulletin. There will be two moni- tors allowing qualified persons, such as those in the Public Rela- sion. If things continue to go as planned, the students should be able to take courses through at least two distant institutions, come January. '~"-'°_m_•_fig_u_"_' "_'_k_n_nw_n_. __ ,o_,_' _w,_•_•_dn_·,_,_"'_"_'P_"ed_."_h_e writers take note! DUNKIN' DONUTS' It's worth the trip. BY GARY PINGEL STMFWRITER The Liberal Arts Network for Development (LAND) has formally announced the opening of the 1993-1994 community college writing contest. The contest is open to all students and includes awards in three categories; essay, poetry and short story. First place winners receive $150 and second place is $l?J, In addition, all winning entries will be: published. LAND is an organization whose purpose is to promote and strengthen the liberal arts in Michigan's community colleges. Recognizing and rewarding oul~tanding written art is one. pllase of LAND's objectives. Take advantage of a chance to have your work in print. See your favorite English teacher for details of how to enter. Who knows? You may be another Hemingway! Good luck! i·