october 2014 issue of echo times

Oct. 1, 2014College of Marin

Financial aid scam rocks College of MarinPage 2

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosivisits Kentfield Page 2

Remembering Robin Williams

Actor, comedian,humanitarian, alumnus

News

Echo Times

College of MarinKentfield, California

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2 College of marin Oct. 1, 2014

Cover photo: Robin Williams studio portrait courtesy of www.robinwilliams.com

Under tight security, congressional representatives Nancy Pelosi and Jared Huffman spoke at a town hall forum in the foyer of COMs Performing Arts Building last month.

One hundred and fifty people crowded into the lobby of the James Dunn Theatre to participate in the discussion, which focused on college affordability and early childhood educations middle class jumpstart program.

Participants in the event, which was moderated by former CBS news anchor Dana King, also included Marin Community Colleges District Superintendent and COM President David Wain-Coon and San Rafael City Schools Superintendent Michael Watenpaugh.

Congresswoman Pelosi (D-San Francisco) shared her vision for middle class education.

To jump start the middle class, she told those in attendance that she wants affordable education, better jobs and economic equality for women.

The education of the American people is not an issue, its a value, Pelosi said.

Pelosi emphasized the importance

of restructuring student loans to make college education more affordable. Her comments were particularly timely since half of COM students are on financial aid.

President Wain-Coon pointed out that 21 percent of community college students end up defaulting on their student loans.

Pelosi plans to introduce legislation to improve childhood education opportunities in order to close the achievement gap throughout the United States.

Superintendent Michael Watenpaugh, who supports Pelosis goal, said the importance of preschool cannot be underestimated.

Congressman Huffman, who is concerned about the inequities of the job-

market, said: The U.S. is nowhere close to a post-racial America, the San Rafael Democrat said, touching on the fact that there are still plenty of racial inequalities in the job world.

COM President David Wain-Coon later told the Echo-Times he felt honored that College of Marin was asked to host Congressman Jared Huffman and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi at last months town hall focusing on the Middle Class Jumpstart campaign.

One of the key components of the Jumpstart effort is affordable education, and it is critical for the voice of our students here at home to be heard back in Washington.

Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi visits Kentfield Campus

Financial aid scam rocks College of Marin

College administrators are looking into possible financial aid fraud that may involve two dozen students enrolled here in online courses. Nearly $200,000 mostly in Pell Grants are at stake.

The suspects involved in the scam are believed to be posing as students.

Fraud cases like this are increasingly seen in college financial aid offices around the country. They cost the taxpayer up to $1 billion a year, The San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier this month.

The situation was brought to the attention of COMs administration by a couple of instructors who noticed that several of their online students were sharing residential addresses and phone numbers. The teachers became suspicious when they discovered that the same students were not participating in class discussions and were dropping out after financial aid disbursements.

Given that this type of scam is a problem many colleges are experiencing, we are grateful for the vigilance of the faculty who brought their concerns to the administration, COM President David Wain-Coon told the Echo Times.

With nearly 50 percent of our students receiving some form of financial aid, the need for financial assistance is greater than ever, he pointed out. The most unfortunate part of this situation is

that deserving students are affected by the actions of a few.

Jonathan Eldridge, COMs vice president of student learning and student services, told the Marin Independent Journal that the individuals under investigation qualified for a total of $200,000 in financial aid, but he said it is unclear how much of that they have received. He explained that most of the

aid comes in the form of Pell grants, which require no repayment.

Whether they are posing as students or are students is yet to be determined, he said.

Eldridge, who explained the investigation has been underway for several months, would not reveal if any individuals have been formally charged with a crime.

In a related case, three men pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1 million through financial aid scams between 2007 and 2011 from three other Bay Area community colleges including City

College of San Francisco.In March, the U.S. Department

of Educations Office of the Inspector General reported that 132 fraud rings were under investigation.

Eldridge noted that College of Marin has alerted the Inspector General about its own ongoing investigation.

At this point, the U.S. Department of Education is not involved.

According to the Inspector Generals recent report on education fraud rings, Education programs that are delivered solely through the Internet present unique opportunities for fraud and challenges for oversight, because Title IV programs were designed primarily to deliver aid to students who are physically present in traditional classrooms, rather than alternative online environments.

This method of fraud dubbed Pell running involves organized rings who recruit willing students, who allow their personal information and social security numbers to be used in order to enroll in classes. The financial compensation they receive for their cooperation is considered a federal offense.

(To report fraud, waste, misuse or mismanagement of U.S. Department of Education program funds contact the Inspector Generals toll free hotline at 1-800-MIS-USED. Mon. and Wed. 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., ET; Tues. and Thurs., 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., ET except for holidays.)

ECHO TIMES

By Christoph Zachhuber

Photo by Michael AmslerCongresswoman Nancy Pelosi was among the dignitaries who spoke at a COM forum last month on the importance of community college education.

ECHO TIMES


COM mourns loss of Robin WilliamsNews

3ECHO TIMESOct. 1, 2014

ECHO TIMES

By Christoph Zachhuber and Lauren Behm

The Victorian house in San Franciscos Pacific Heights, which served as the exterior for the Mrs. Doubtfire film, was transformed into a shrine for Robin Williams after his death.

Photo by Stephanie Lee

The news of actor-comedian Robin Williams death last month hit Marin County particularly hard. After all its where he grew up and lived.

The former College of Marin student had deep ties to his community.

Williams, who graduated from Redwood High School, attended College of Marin from 1970-1973, performed in 14 drama productions while a student here, including A Midsummer Nights Dream, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew and Oliver.

Sandi V. Weldon, who teaches dance at COM, first met Robin Williams in the early 80s at the former World Gym, located at the corner of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. and College Ave.

He was always very gracious to everyone, she recalls. His comedy was like a drug to people, that let them forget their worries for a while.

Robin McLaurin Williams, who began his performing arts career here, came to College of Marin after spending a semester at Claremont College in southern California, where he was a political science major. He moved back to Tiburon in 1970 and enrolled at COM, where he changed his major to dramatic arts.

That year Williams auditioned for the drama departments production of A Midsummer Nights Dream. Since all the lead roles were cast, director James Dunn offered Williams a part as a spear-carrier without any lines.

Williams continued auditioning for roles in other productions and got cast as Malcolm in Macbeth, Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew and Snoopy in Youre A Good Man Charlie Brown.

Between 1970 and 1976, Williams performed in a total of 15 productions here at College of Marin.

Dunn recognized that Williams was very talented on stage. But it wasnt until the first dress rehearsal for the musical, Oliver, where Williams showed his full potential. The rehearsal was running late and

the cast had gotten only halfway through the rehearsal by midnight. Dunn described the situation as very tense and uptight.

Standing next to a piano on stage, Williams started talking to a drum majors baton. Suddenly he was engaged in a dialogue with the baton.

This went on for about 15 to 20 minutes and he had everyone in that theatre on the floor laughing, Dunn recalls. His free-form improvisation broke all the tension in the theatre that night.

Dunn came home and woke his wife at 2 in the morning.

I have never seen anything like this, he told her. This kid is going to be someone someday.

But Williams early comedy routines didnt always work. Dunn remembers one time when students booed Williams during a stand up routine in the cafeteria.

After his stint at COM, Williams was accepted at Juilliard Art School in New York City. Dunn asked actor and Juilliard founding director John Houseman to take a look at his former student.

Christopher Reeves, who later achieved fame as Superman, became Williams roommate and best friend.

After a rough breakup with a girlfriend, Williams left Juilliard and moved back to the West Coast. Although he never finished school there, he later was awarded an honorary degree.

He came back to COM in 1976 to appear in one last performance here.

In later years, Williams continued supporting the Drama Department by doing benefits and donating money to student scholarship funds.

Dunn recalls him as a hardworking student who never forgot his roots.

Williams was not very Hollywood-like, he said. When looking for locations to shoot the movie Jack, Williams and director Steven Spielberg asked children from Williams friend Sandi V. Weldons kids drama program to take them on a bike tour around the area. The exterior shots for the house in the movie ended up being filmed in Ross.

Weldons three-decade long friendship with Williams gave her insight about the actor-comedian.

For most people currency is money, said Weldon, who now teaches dance at COM. Robins currency was laughter.

Williams never wanted anything from his audience but their laughter. The more energy he received from his audience the more he could give them back.

Victoria Dorazi, a former student at COM who now works at Murray Circle Restaurant at Cavallo Point in Fort Baker, was a friend of Williams. She says he was regular and had dined at the restaurant just four days before his death.

Dorazi remembers Willliams as a Theater Arts student here.

He was crazy as a monkey in a tree, she said. Robin needed no training. He was the same amazing talented man at 18... his gift lived in him already. He had the same fast comic flare and deep dramatic skills inside of him. He was always spinning wild winds of creativity and kindness everywhere he was. It was always at a higher frequency.

Dorazi and Williams performed together COMs Midsummer Nights

Dream and the musical Youre a Good Man Charlie Brown.

I was Lucy and Robin was Snoopy. We had so much fun on stage together. Sometimes we could not look each other in the eye, because we would crack up and then the whole cast cracked up.

Dorazi began her professional career on stage in San Francisco in 1968 in Youre a Good Man Charlie Brown at the Little Fox Theater. COMs drama department asked her back to perform the show again with Williams in 71.

We also performed together in an original comedy burlesque show in San Francisco at the Open Theater on Clement Street. He did his improv and I performed a character called Willy May Gumwacker.

When Dorazi moved to Hollywood in 1980 to do a film project, she ran into her old friend.

By then Robin, was the star of (his TV show) Mork & Mindy. He was filming Popeye. There were quite a few COM actors in Hollywood at the time and we all got together and had a lot of fun. (We were) a unique family of sorts.

Dorazi said that stardom in Hollywood could be a heavy and dangerous cloak to wear for sensitive souls.

To be honest, I was worried about Robin at that time. He was dancing with drugs. In college, she said, he was a clean machine he ran five to ten miles almost everyday.

Robin was amazing and a quite complicated fellow. His waters ran deep and high. (We) always had respect for each others work. I feel privileged to have shared the stage with Robin, but

treasure more the friendship and wonderful times we both had with our COM troop of college pals.

COMs former Theater Arts chair James Dunn, who has mentored hundreds of drama

students here, remembers the kid who used to pull weeds in his backyard.

I believe in the years to come, Robin Williams will be mentioned alongside Charlie Chaplin as one of the comedic geniuses of all times.

College of Marins most recognizable alumnus is fondly remembered by his former teachers and classmates. And he was a role model for students here.

The sudden death of acclaimed actor and comedian Robin Williams was felt profoundly across the campus, said David Wain-Coon, president of the college. Not only was Robin one of our most accomplished and celebrated alums, he was a long-time supporter of the Colleges Drama Program through his contributions to student scholarships. Although we are saddened by this loss, his star will always shine brightly at College of Marin as we remember him and all the laughter and joy that he brought us.Robin Williams starred as Tranio in COMs

1971 production of Taming of the Shrew.

He was crazy as a monkey in a tree. Robin needed no training. He was the same amazing talented man at 18... his gift lived in him already.

Victoria Dorazi, friend of Williams remembers COM days


Robin Williams starred in 15 COM productions while he was a student here between 1970 and 1973. From left to right, he portrayed: William Randolph Hearst in Bierce Takes on the Railroad (1972); Snoopy in Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1971); Reverend Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest (1972); and Mulleady in The Hostage (1973).

ECHO TIMES

By Stephanie Lee and Lauren Behm

The many faces of Robin Williams

Williams appeared in more than 80 films, including (from left to right): Patch Adams (1998); Popeye (1980); Night at the Museum (2006); and Toys (1992)...

Before his suicide last month, Robin Williams wrapped up several movies and a TV series. With five recent films three in post-production and scheduled for release later this year we havent seen or heard the last of him yet.

The prolific actor-comedian, who had starred in 44 films, continues to be remembered through his work and by those who respected his talents.

Earlier this month, PBS did a Pioneers of Television hour-long special called Robin Williams Remembered, which included several never-before-seen interviews with him, clips of his comedic and dramatic work, as well as tributes to him by friends and colleagues.

Shrines were erected for him by many of his fans who paid their respects to the actor/comedian by dropping off flowers, letters, and gifts to the front door of his home in Tiburon, the house he previously owned in San Franciscos exclusive Seacliff neighborhood, as well as the Pacific Heights Victorian that was used for the exterior in Mrs. Doubtfire.

And a recent petition drive to rename Marins rainbow-colored Waldo Tunnel in his honor would remind commuters every day of his colorful suspenders on Mork & Mindy. (With almost 55,000 signatures, the online petition to change

the name of the tunnel reportedly requires 20,000 more to introduce legislation.)

I want to remember and honor this very important citizen here in our community for the joy he brought to the world, said Marin resident Julie Wainwright, who started the petition, and to bring awareness to [depression] the silent illness that eventually took his life.

In addition, a 5-mile memorial bike ride was held in Tiburon on Sunday, September 14th. Hundreds of cyclists

showed up to honor their hometown hero. It was a show of appreciation for

Robin, who would do a lot of things to help people so generously, some of which was through cycling, Mark Comin of San Rafael told the Marin Independent Journal.

Cyclists shared their thoughts about Williams on a large pad of paper near the start. A bust of the actor/comedian created by John McLeod of Mill Valley for the movie Mrs. Doubtfire sat beside the memorial.

The story of his tragic death began

at 11:55 a.m. on August 11th, when a worried assistant broke into the bedroom of his Tiburon home. He found the 63-year-old actor unconscious with a belt around his neck, suspended in a seated position above the floor. The belt was wedged between the closed closet door and the door frame, investigators told the Washington Post.

The autopsy report revealed that the cause of Willams death was from asphyxia due to hanging.

Williams body was cremated the next day and his ashes were scattered in San Francisco Bay off the coast of Marin the same location where his mother, Laurie Williams, ashes were spread 13 years ago.

Born on July 21, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, Williams is survived by his wife, Susan Schneider, and three children from previous marriages Zachary, 31, Zelda, 25, and Cody, 22.

The world will never be the same without him, Cody recently told the San Francisco Chronicle. I will miss him and

take him with me everywhere I go for the rest of my life.

Williams only daughter, Zelda, remembers her dad as the compassionate comedian everyone loved.

Dad was, is and always will be one of the kindest, most generous, gentlest souls Ive ever known, Zelda told the Chronicle. To those he touched who are sending kind words, know that one of his favorite things in the world was to make you all laugh.

Zachary, Williams oldest child, was very close with his father.

I lost my best friend and the world got a little grayer, he said. I would ask those that loved him to remember him by being as gentle, kind and generous as he would be. Seek to bring joy to the world as he sought.

Williams supported and contributed to 28 charities, including the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Amnesty International, Comic Relief, Doctors Without Borders, LIVESTRONG, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital and UNICEF.

The actor-comedian, who went on six USO tours from 2002 to 2013, visited troops in 12 foreign countries, including several stops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a statement to the press, his wife, Susan Schneider, spoke candidly about her husbands health condition.

Robins sobriety was intact, she said. He was brave as he struggled with

Williams supported and contributed to 28 charities, including the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, and UNICEF.


Aladdin (1992) One Hour Photo (2002) Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) The Birdcage (1996)

Good Morning Vietnam (1987) Hook (1991) Mork & Mindy (1978-1982) Good Will Hunting (1997)

his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinsons disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.

The Marin County Sheriffs Department told the San Francisco Chronicle that Williams had struggled with depression in the past along with an addiction to cocaine and alcohol.

The academy-award winner apparently was struggling with money too, which may have contributed to his stress. His most recent divorce in 2008 reportedly cost him $30 million.

Last year, Williams listed his estate

in Napa for $35 million. He lowered the price to $29.9 million about $5 million less than he paid for it. The house is still on the market.

Of course, the impact of Williams death was more pronounced because of the amount of work he left behind.

The former COM student got his first big break as the alien Mork, on the TV sitcom Happy Days. His comedic character was so popular that ABC spun it off into its own series.

Mork & Mindy, which aired from 1978 until 1982, was a hit and established Williams as a comedic phenomenon.

He starred in his first film as the lead in Robert Altmans 1980 fantasy Popeye, which bombed at the box office.

In 87, he portrayed a manic radio DJ on Armed Forces Radio in Good Morning Vietnam. His mad-cap performance earned him his first of four Academy Award nominations.

The characters he portrayed in his films showed the range of his talent.

In 1989, he was an inspirational college poetry professor in Dead Poets Society. In 1991, he played a deranged homeless person in The Fisher King. That same year, Williams starred as Peter

Pan, in Steven Spielbergs film Hook.The following year his indelible

performance as the voice of Genie in the animated Disney hit, Aladdin, demonstrated his voice over capabilities.

In 1993, he amazed everyone with cross-dressing portrayal of the British housekeeper Mrs. Doubtfire, which was filmed in San Francisco, his home at the time.

In one of his signature roles, which earned him a best supporting actor Oscar in 1997, Williams portrayed a psychologist opposite Matt Damons troubled character in the film, Good Will Hunting.

The former COM student was nominated four times for Academy Awards for his rolls in Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King, and Good Will Hunting.

He received five Golden Globe Awards for his performances in Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin, The Fisher King, Good Morning Vietnam, and Mork and Mindy.

He had just finished the first season of his CBS TV series, The Crazy Ones. It would be his last.

At the end of the recent PBS special on Williams, several comedians gave tearful testimonials.

He will be remembered as a gentle soul, who travelled at the speed of light, said comedian Louie Anderson.

His Mork & Mindy co-star, Pam Dawber emphasized the impact he had.

If only he understood what happened when he decided to leave... The whole world was in mourning.

Williams latest film releases continue to entertainThe following films starring Robin Williams were released in 2014. Several others will be coming out at a later date.

Boulevard (April 2014). In a marriage of convenience, Williams portrays a devoted husband who is forced to confront his secret life.

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (May 2014). An aging, cranky man, played by Williams, is mistakenly told that he has 90 minutes to live by his doctor. The film co-stars Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage and James Earl Jones.

A Merry Friggin Christmas (November 2014). Williams co-stars with Lauren Graham in this film about a man who must spend

Christmas with his estranged family of misfits.

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (December 2014). Williams reprises his role as Teddy Roosevelt in this family comedy. Starring Ben Stiller and co-starring Owen Wilson, Ben Kingsley, Dick Van Dyke, Ricky Gervais and Mickey Rooney.

Absolutely Anything (February 2015). A teacher (Simon Pegg) experiences a series of mishaps after discovering he has magical powers. In his final film release, Williams does the voice over for Dennis the Dog. The cast of Monty Python play supporting roles in this mad-cap comedy.

Last summer I travelled to Normandy, France with my family to honor my grandfather, who had fought there a life-time ago.

First Lt. Ray Philopena was one of more than 100,000 American soldiers who took part in the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944.

June 6th marked the 70th anniversary of D-Day the beginning of Operation Overlord, a three- month battle that helped end World War II.

About 30,000 American servicemen were killed and more than 100,000 were wounded during the invasion, which lasted from June 6 to August 30, 1944.

We were here to participate in the commemoration of that event and to honor my grandfather, who died 14 years ago when I was in second grade.

As I looked out over Omaha Beach, it was hard for me to imagine that my maternal grandfather fought here.

The largest multi-national invasion army ever assembled gathered here and began the liberation of France. Its here where Allied Forces were able to penetrate Hitlers fortress Europe. It marked the beginning of the end of Germanys Third Reich.

President Barack Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, French President Franois Hollande, Russias President

Vlaldimir Putin, Britains Queen Elizabeth II, Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel and dozens of other world leaders were present at the commemoration ceremonies that I attended. Nearly 1,000 World War II veterans and their families also attended.

In his speech, President Obama said the Normandy invasion was the most powerful manifestation of Americas commitment to human freedom.

After Obama spoke, there were several military flyovers and a 21-canon salute that echoed over Omaha Beach.

My father, who became fascinated with his father-in-laws war history after his death, thought it would be a meaningful gesture for all of us fly to France to experience the commemoration first hand.

The early morning fog on the day of the ceremony reminded me of the Bay Area. After it burned off, the temperature reached 80 degrees.

The trip to the cemetery was long. We drove an hour to the town of Lisieux, then took a two-hour shuttle to Omaha Beach along a winding, one-lane road.

As we walked to our seats along a path overlooking Omaha Beach, I was awestruck by the immense cliffs that the allied troops had to scale.

The path, which was shaded by trees and tall hedges, formed a canopy on both sides. As we rounded a corner, the scene opened to reveal thousands of gravesites. Imagine row upon row of white headstones spread out over 10 football fields.

My parents, who are retired military officers, were moved by the experience. They engaged in conversation with enlisted or retired soldiers about their service and my grandfathers.

Listening to all their stories made me proud to be an American.

During a three-hour delay while security transported President Obama and

French President Hollande back and forth to event ceremonies my parents talked to one of the Presidents Secret Service officers, who was an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran.

He seemed to take a lot of interest in my grandfather. Asked if her father ever talked about the wars he served in, my mother responded, No, he never talked about any of them not World War II not Korea not Vietnam.

Suddenly, President Obamas speech began to make sense.

Fewer of us have parents and grandparents to tell us about what the veterans of D-Day did here 70 years ago, he said. So we have to tell their stories for them.

News Feature6 College of marin Oct. 1, 2014

Nearly 1,000 World War II veterans and their families attended the 70th anniversary ceremony of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.

Secret Service agents escort Secretary of State John Kerry to join President Barack Obama on-stage for the June 6th D-Day anniversary opening ceremony.

ECHO TIMES

By Patrick Brown

70 years after Alliedinvasion of NormandyStudent pays tribute to his grandfather

First Lt. Ray Philopena fought in the Battle of Normandy. But he never talked about the wars he served in. Not World War II. Not Korea. Not Vietnam.

News Feature7ECHO TIMESOct. 1, 2014

Above: Secretary of State John Kerry arrived by helicopter at the June 6th D-Day ceremonies on Omaha Beach.

Left: When soldiers jumped from their landing craft to storm the beaches of Normandy, their average life expectancy was 18 seconds.

Above: War reporter Ernie Pile described Omaha Beach the morning after D-Day: Bodies, uncollected, still sprawling grotesquely in the sand or half hidden by the high grass beyond the beach.

Above right: Nearly 10,000 graves are scattered over 170 acres on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach.

Right: Today, Omaha Beach is a quiet reminder of the sacrifices that Allied Forces made 70 years ago .

Color photos by Patrick Brown


Sports

Former College of Marin basketball player Devougn Lamont, 30, collapsed and died last month after a training session with his club Beaujolais Basket in Lyon, France.

The Trinidad & Tobago national went into cardiac arrest on August 8 and could not be revived.

Lamont attended College of Marin from 2001 until 2004. He played for the Mariners during the 2003-2004 season, averaging 22 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

Devougn, who was nicknamed Trini after his home country, transferred to play at CSU Monterey Bay, where he played for a while. Before returning to COM in spring 2011, Lemont played for professional teams in Argentina, Mexico, Japan, Venezuela and France, as well as for the Trinidad & Tobago mens national basketball team.

Trini (Lamont) was not difficult to find on campus as there were not an abundance of people who are 6-foot-9

with a giant smile plastered on their face at all times, Alex Chapman posted on his wordpress.com blog.

Friends and classmates remember Devougn as an outgoing and friendly person who was always eager to help and support people around him.

Beyond basketball, Devougn was also a gentle and affable giant, who instantly bonded with his teammates and held a steady calm in times of adversity, Brian Manning, former president of the National Basketball Federation of Trinidad and Tobago, told the Trinidad Express.

It is no surprise that Devougn had a positive impact on all he came in contact with, COMs mens basketball coach Dave Granucci wrote on the COM Athletics facebook page.

At 6-9 and 240 pounds he was an imposing figure on the basketball floor, but off it he had a calm and peaceful energy. He was truly a sweet man with a tender heart, Granucci writes.

A memorial service for Lamont was held on September 1st at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross.

$10 Students, Faculty/Staff

$20 CommunityFlu shots available to anyone over 18 years of age

KENTFIELD CAMPUS, Health Services Portable (next to Campus Police office parking lot on College Avenue)

Wed., Oct. 1 4 p.m. 6 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 3 9 a.m. 12 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 10 9 a.m. 12 p.m.

College of Marin, Health Center / 415-485-9458(We do not bill insurance plans & are not a Medicare provider)

Former COM basketball player dies unexpectedly

ECHO TIMES


Devougn Lamont, 30, collapsed and died of a heart attack last month after training with his French club team, Beaujolais Basket in Lyon, France.

Photo courtesy Diariosport.com

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NewsStudents getting younger as county ages

Completion of new Academic Center expected next spring

The average age of students at College of Marin is a lot younger than the average age of county residents. The average age of COM students is 34 years old,

compared to Marin County residents, whose average age is 45 years old.

About 26 percent of our student body is under 21 years of age, most of whom are planning to transfer to a 4-year university.

The number of students over the age of 35 has been decreasing over the years and will continue to decrease, according to COMs registration records.

Because most elective classes prevent students from signing up if they have taken the same class four times before, a rule that started in fall 2014, older students are discouraged from repeating classes.

In the past older students took classes in art, music, drama and dance, as well as physical education, more than four times. Now they can no longer do so. The new rule, that was implemented earlier this year, opens up space for new students, but also prevents students from repeating the same class.

Multiple elective classes have seen a decrease in enrollment because of this new regulation.

[As a result], we have lost students who have been here for a while taking classes, David Snyder, College of Marins dean of Arts and Humanities told the Marin Independent Journal.

Community College is not just for young people, its for the whole community, said Vivi Welczeck, a 19-year-old student whos still searching for her major. If people have a passion for a certain class then they should be able to take it.

Ivy Pannepacker, a 19-year-old nursing major, thinks that people who take the same class several times are probably getting a lot of repetition.

If someone who is interested in a course or topic, Pannepacker said, maybe they can seek classes from other community colleges, workshops or programs outside of school where they can continue to pursue their interest.

With a huge demand for classes here, many young students who want to get their prerequisites out of the way so they can transfer to a 4-year university are being given priority.

I chose to go to COM, Pannepacker said, because I could get the same education here as I could the first two years at a university, but significantly cheaper.

While many students may be taking their prerequisite classes here, they are also searching for a major.

Some people at College of Marin are trying to figure out what they want to do, says Welczeck.

Students have to declare their major before they transfer. Last year, 204 COM students transferred 105 went to California state universities and nearly 100 went to University of California schools.

Welczeck enrolled at College of Marin this fall and plans to transfer to a 4-year university.

I am at College of Marin because Id like to transfer to a UC, she said. I have better chances of getting into a UC out of a community college than out of high school. I feel like there are a lot of people on the same path as me.

Many UC campuses such as Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz participate in a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program.

The TAG program allows students to transfer to these colleges if they meet certain GPA requirements and have taken prerequisite classes.

The younger population at COM has grown significantly, but is still a homogeneous student body.

Harland Center, Olney Hall, the old Administrative Center, and Taqueria Mexican Grill de Marin on the corner of College Avenue and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard are history.

The new $33 million Academic Center, which has been under construction since January 2013, is expected to be completed this spring.

The 43,000-square-foot building, which is in the shadow of Mt. Tamalpais, will include 16 classrooms, a large lecture hall, and offices for faculty and administration.

The $249.5 million Measure C bond which passed 10 years ago, was set aside for facilities maintenance, job training and safety to modernize science labs, classrooms, and libraries.

The measure was designed to allow for modern computer technology; upgrades in fire safety, campus security, disabled access, and energy conservation systems.

The goal is meant to fit into the fabric of the campus, said TLCD Architectures Brian Wright, who noted that his firm is trying to preserve the majority of the mature heritage trees at the construction site.

The large valley oak tree, once located between Harlan Center and Olney Hall, will be the center piece of the new courtyard, he said.

We placed the building in a very careful way, in response to the campuses original master plan, dating back to the 30s, said Laura McCarthy, College of Marin Director of Modernization.

The elevation of the building along College Ave was really important to the community, she said. Close attention was paid to how the building met the street.

McCarthy said every effort was made to create an inviting separation from the street where there would be appropriate landscape and trees.

We didnt want to have any areas that would be an attractive nuisance, she said, but we did want a lot of light into the building and use the same very attractive materials to make the appearance soft and natural looking.

There will be many state of the art technologies in the new buildings classrooms, which will incorporate geo-thermal, green energy.

It will open the world to your classes in a way that we havent had before, said Academic Senate President Sara McKinnon. It will make the whole atmosphere more conducive to learning and more conducive to cooperate learning and shared discussion.

In the meantime, students, faculty and staff have had to put up with some minor inconveniences. The Learning Center parking lot has been closed in recent weeks to accommodate heavy equipment and construction of a wheelchair ramp.

Another wheelchair ramp was recently completed between the Learning Center and the Student Services Center.

The $33 million Academic Center, under construction since last year, is expected to be completed this spring.

Photo by Patrick Brown

ECHO TIMES

By Stephanie Lee

ECHO TIMES

By Lauren Behm

Join...10 College of marin Oct. 1, 2014

Photo by Alvaro Ponce

Miss California reaches for the crown

Former COM student

Crystal Leefirst runner-up

in Miss Americapageant

Page 4

Rachel Mouton:Full-time mom,

full-time student

Wendy Lee:On raising Miss California

Page 9

Page 7

Feature

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Enroll in:q Jour. 115 Reporting and Writing for Mainstream Media l MW 11:10 a.m. 12:25 p.m. l 3 Units l KTD / LC36

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CalendarEvents

Squeak Carnwath Horizon on Fire works on paper (1979-2013), Art Exhibit

Carnwaths paintings and prints are recognizable through her lush use of color, text, and pattern amongst identifiable images; but they resist art historical categorization. When: October 1 through 16Where: COM Fine Arts Gallery, Kentfield Campus

Student Success Speaker Series Entrepreneurs! Legal Tips for Starting Your Own Business Entrepreneurs! The third presentation in the Student Success Speaker Series is for you. Staff Attorney Miya Chen works for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area. She will be sharing legal tips on starting your own business. When: October 1Where: Student Services Building, Deedy Staff Lounge, Kentfield Campus

No Money for Groceries? Learn how to get it!Presented by Alexandra Danino, CalFresh Coordinator, SF-Marin Food BankWhen: October 8Where: Student Services Building, Deedy Staff Lounge, Kentfield Campus

Little Women

This is classic story about the inspiring March girls growing up in Civil War New England. The play faithfully follows the humor and tenderness of Louisa May Alcotts novel, interweaving the lives of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as they grow up happily together. This story is a tribute to feminine strength and independence as the March women discover not only their individuality, but also the importance of family and friendship. When: October 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7:30 p.m.; October 5, 12 at 2 p.m.Where: James Dunn Theatre, Performing Arts Building, Kentfield CampusAdmission: $20 general, $15 seniors; $10 students/COM employees and alumni

The American Dream/The Zoo - Audition

Story By Edward Albee, Directed by W. Allen TaylorWhen: October 6, 7-10 p.m.Where: Studio Theatre, PA 32, Performing Arts Building, Kentfield Campus

COMs team vs. MendocinoWhen: October 3, 4 p.m.Where: Mendicino

COMs team vs. FolsomWhen: October 7, 4 p.m.Where: Folsom

COMs team vs. Santa RosaWhen: October 9, 4 p.m.Where: Kentfield

COMs team vs. Los MedanosWhen: October 1, 6 p.m.Where: Kentfield

COMs team vs. AlamedaWhen: October 3, 6 p.m.Where: Alameda

Womans Soccer

Mens Soccer

Womens Volleyball

Golf Tournament

COMs team vs. SolanoWhen: October 3, 3:30 p.m.Where: Fairfield

COMs team vs. Contra CostaWhen: October 7, 3:30 p.m.Where: Kentfield

COMs team vs. MendocinoWhen: October 14, 1:30 p.m.Where: Kentfield

REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS COLLEGE. REALIZE YOUR DREAM AT MILLS COLLEGE.

M A K I N G T H E W O R L D M O R E . . .

Oakland, CA [email protected]

www.mills.edu/transfer

RESERVE YOUR SPACE AT WWW.MILLS.EDU/VISITPROGRAMS.

Mills offers talented women who want a personal and exceptional education the ability to:

Transfer in fall or spring.

Get the classes you need to graduate on time.

Complete your GE requirements at Mills.

Earn merit scholarships of up to $15,000.

TRANSFER VISIT PROGRAM October 18 9:00 am1:00 pmDiscover how we help you achieve your goalsmeet Mills students, explore our

curriculum, and tour our campus.


College of Marin Athletics TournamentWhen: October 24, 11 a.m., RSVP: October 8Where: 5800 Sir Francis Drake, San Geronimo

Emeritus Center Features Art by Nancie West Swanberg

Swanberg was born in California and raised in Oregon by her Norwegian immigrant grandparents. She studied at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, the Swedish School of Arts, Crafts and Design, the San Francisco Art Institute, and Sonoma State University. Swanberg always considered herself first and foremost a painter, but became a jack-of-all-trades artist, doing book and magazine illustration, working for publishing companies in San Francisco as a staff artist, and eventually working with her partner Larry Evans doing architectural art. Throughout all these years she also continued to paint.When: October 6, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.Where: The Emeritus Center on the Kentfield Campus

Masterpieces and Rediscovered Gems of the 20th Century

Pianist Paul Smith is joined by fellow faculty members Tara Flandreau and Anne Lerner-Wright as well as guest artists Susannah Barley and Nick Xelenis in a concert of works for piano, strings, and clarinet.When: October 18, 7:30 p.m.Where: Lefort Recital Hall / PA72, Performing Arts Building

COMs team vs. NapaWhen: October 8, 6 p.m.Where: Napa

COMs team vs. SolanoWhen: October 10, 6 p.m.Where: Kentfield

october 2014 issue of echo times

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