panther monthly (oct 2010)
DESCRIPTION
The latest at Richmond Community College. Published by the Student Government Association, this outlines school activities. Online copies are interactive.TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to Fall Semester 2010! Another semester comes with new students, old students, and transfer students who’ve al-
ready begun their college careers, well on their way to obtaining degrees, certificates, and
diplomas. Richmond Community College offers some of the best learning environments for all
types of learners—visual, auditory, tactile-kinesthetic, and those tech-savvy and in need of
technology supplements. Every student at RCC has the exclusive opportunity to become suc-
cessful, regardless of previous education or needed accommodations. Don’t forget to take
advantage of every opportunity available to you. Some of these services include free tutoring
offered for students needing additional help in many common curriculum subjects. Open com-
puter labs offer every student a chance to conduct online research, when necessary, and even
to print assignments. RCC has three open labs, one in the Dewitt Computer Sciences Building
and two in the Conder Learning Resources Center. Study rooms offer students who prefer
learning in a group a chance to excel. Located in the library (within the Conder Learning Re-
sources Center), our study rooms can comfortably seat a four or five member study group.
Writing and Math Labs are new on campus this semester! Having trouble in math or English?
Not a problem for our professionally-staffed Writing and Math Labs, located in the Dewitt
Computer Sciences Building. Check out your student handbook for even more resources and
services available for RCC Students!
this issue
Welcome Back P.1 From Your SGA President P.2
Affordable Fashion Tips P.5 Upcoming Events P.6
STUDENT EMAIL Every student at Richmond Commu-
nity College has, made available to
them, a student email address. Ad-
ministrators, instructors, and the
Student Government Association use
this to relay important information
regarding upcoming campus events,
community news, and sometimes,
your personal grades. To access your
account, visit www.richmondcc.edu
and click on “Student Email”. Here,
you’re presented with a login screen.
Login using your first initial, middle
initial, last name as your username,
and seven-digit student ID number as
your password. For example, John
Adams Doe (Student ID #0123456)
would login to his email account with
jadoe for his username and 0123456
his password, making his email ad-
dress as follows:
Student Email is a very important
part of RCC’s communication system.
What are you waiting for? You prob-
ably have new messages right now!
Go check it out!
The Panther Monthly A Monthly Publication of the Richmond Community College Student Government Association
VOL IV ISSUE 01 - OCTOBER 2010
From Your SGA President
A new school year is always a great chance
for a fresh start with new goals. This year,
your Student Government Association is
making it a priority. The 2010-11 SGA offic-
ers represent students from the , Early Col-
lege High School, Out of State students,
and traditional students, all working to-
gether to exemplify a new mission: We are
One College with One Common Mission for One Set of Diverse Stu-
dents. Breaking the boundaries of Early College High School, Work-
force & Economic Development, and Traditional Students will be a
goal this year. We are all RCC Students. Our job as your Student Gov-
ernment Association is to voice your opinions and concerns to college
personnel that turn our demands and questions into
actions and answers. We look forward to providing
open student forums where students can meet and
collaborate on what our campus needs, overseen by
the officers of the SGA, each a voice, able to act on
your concerns. In order for us to do our job of listen-
ing and responding, you must do yours and speak up!
The Student Government Association consists of eve-
ry student, both on and off campus. I’m honored to
be both a student and a leader in such a distin-
guished institution of higher learning. Collectively,
we can make this the most successful year in Rich-
mond Community College’s history!
Welcome to A New Year, A New Beginning…
Zach Stanford, SGA President
Zach Stanford
Early College HS Makes A Difference From 9th grader to college graduate in 5.0 years
Alex Pearson, SGA Delegate
My name is Alex Pearson and I am
a Senior at Scotland Early College High
School (SEarCH). After eighth grade, the
decision to take a journey to an alternative
school instead of going to the traditional
Scotland High School was very hard to make.
Not many of my friends were doing this be-
cause they wanted to go to the high school
and play sports after middle school. I felt the
same way, I knew I would be good enough
to make multiple athletic teams at Scotland
High School but instead I chose to attend
SEarCH.
The thought of going to a different
school and knowing that there are not going
to be many people you know is very scary to
most people. I talked to many people about
this and everybody I talked to told me that it
would be a great thing and that I should take
advantage of the opportunity. After hearing
different opinions, I decided I would commit
myself to SEarCH. By far, I think this was the
greatest decision I ever made. After my high
school career began I never thought I
would have as much fun as I have so far.
SEarCH has been great to me
and everything I have learned while I have
been here will stay with me for the rest of
my life. The thought of being able to take
a college class and talking to friends that
you used to go to school with previously
and telling them about being in class with
college students is awesome. Honestly,
most of the people I have talked to now
regret not joining the early college pro-
gram. I feel like without SEarCH I would
not be as far as I am now. This program
has helped me in so many ways that can-
not even be explained. The last three
years of my high school and college career
have been excellent. I have met people
that I will know for the rest of my life and
people I know want to strive and work
hard to be the best they can after college.
I have met people that want to make
something of their self and want to be
very educated just like me. SEarCH is a great
program and I believe that anybody can do it
if they work hard enough and apply their
self. At first I thought it was going to be hard
trying to juggle high school classes and col-
lege classes but it really wasn’t.
After leaving Richmond Community
College, I plan to transfer to Appalachian
State University. None of this would be possi-
ble without SEarCH, the faculty and staff that
I have met I the past and of course the
friends that have been there for me the
whole way. I will never forget SEarCH and all
of the people I met in the process of accom-
plishing my degree. So far, this has been an
incredible experience for me and I would not
discourage anybody from applying for this
program. I still have another year at Rich-
mond Community College and I am eager to
graduate so I can pursue my goals in life.
Without SEarCH and the benefits I have ac-
quired from it, I would not be where I am
today nor where I will be in the future.
Students Voice Concerns
On October 1st 2010, Student
Government Association held a
meeting be-
tween the stu-
dents and lead-
ers of Richmond
Community Col-
lege. Dr. McIn-
nis and his lead-
ership team
(Brent Barbee,
V.P. for Administrative Services, Car-
olyn Bittle, Dean of Learning Resources
Center, Bill Council, Dean of Develop-
ment, Sharon Goodman, Director of
Counseling, Carl Howald, Dean of In-
structional Services, Johnnie Simpson,
VP for Instruction, and Steven Smith,
Vice President for Workforce and Eco-
nomic Development) came together to
answer questions and concerns from
students. Twenty students attended
the forum, where they were asked the
leaders of Richmond Community Col-
lege any questions or suggested im-
provements that could benefit the Col-
lege. Most frequently asked questions
were: Can we get hot food on campus?
More parking? New curriculum cours-
es? During this forum all questions got
some sort of response, whether good
or bad. Dr. McInnis replied to the hot
food question by saying “We have dis-
Concerns of Students Get a Voice with the Campus
Leaders
Sierra Vandermark, PIO Student Poll
Many students and faculty
have expressed the need for a
dress code on campus. What
do you think? Does RCC need a
new standard for student
attire?
Click Here
to Vote Now!
cussed this issue many times, but de-
cided not to invest because students
would get tired of the same food every
day.” There has been a statement
about implementing a dress code. The
leaders stated that a policy was being
discussed. One student asked if it
would be possible to get a RCC bus/
van to transport students to and from
Laurinburg, for students who do not
have reliable transportation. Because
of the liability issues, Mr. Barbee sug-
gested that the local transportation
provider in Scotland Co. be contacted
for a possible solution. Dr. McInnis
discussed many plans for the future
and touched on some concerning prior
issues. Dr. McInnis stated that they
have plans started to expand the Forte
Building. He also touched on getting
more scholarships for incoming stu-
dents. Another very important issue
came up at this meeting: What hap-
pens to the students when the teacher
is sick? Students are allowed to miss
only 10% of classes before they are
dropped. Johnnie Simpson answered
this question by stating “if the profes-
sor is out more than the amount of
days allowed for students to miss than
they are not dropped. It is not the stu-
dents’ fault that the professor is out
for medical or other personal rea-
sons.”
Sierra
Vandermark
Tip$ from the Trea$urer
Discipline is a
word that was
rare in my vocab-
ulary. In terms of
financial matters
it was almost
never used. Reali-
ty set in when I
became a full-
time student and
my only choice was to live within my
means. Wants and needs take on totally
new meanings. Let's face the facts. The
economy is what it is and we may never see
a "full" economic recovery. So here a just
are few starter items to tighten our spend-
ing belts. If you have ideas or suggestions,
please send them via email to
[email protected]. Here we go:
1. If you live more than 10 miles from cam-
pus, it would pay to
rideshare/carpool 1 day per week with a
student or co-worker. Here's the math. The
average RCC student drives 25 miles round
trip (daily). Average fuel economy is 25 mpg
(on a good day). Carpooling saves 1 gallon
of gas per week. Not much, you say? With
16 weeks per semester, you save 16 gallons
costing on average $2.75 per gallon
=$44.00 x 2 semesters = $88.00 in savings
per school year. If you live farther than 10
miles, those numbers only increase. It's
certainly worth asking a classmate or co-
worker: "Wanna carpool?"
2. Eating even on the "Value Menu can be
expensive. Leftovers from home
cost you nothing. Invest in a collapsible
cooler. If you did this twice per week, an
Avg. savings of $8.00 x 32 weeks saves you
$256.00 per year. That would come in
handy at "Spring Break”!
3. For those who pay utility bills, pull
blinds and curtains during the day. Set
thermostat to 78 degrees whiles away and
adjust to 74-75 degrees when at home.
Fluctuating thermostats up and down will
spike your utility bill. Also keeping ceiling
fans running while away does NOTHING to
cool your home. Ceiling fans only affect
your body temp and comfort.
4. Lower cell phone bills by using low any-
time minute plans. Free
night/weekend plans allow you to keep in
touch with friends and family. Use
anytime minutes and texting for critical
calls only.
5. Consider only using a cellphone instead
of a "home" phone if reception is
excellent in your home (inside deepest
part of house.)
6. Consider BASIC cable TV. Most compa-
nies charge less than $20.00 per
month. If you have the internet watch your
favorite shows from your PC.
Cables are available to plug PC into your TV
for viewing on most TV's.
These are just a few basic ideas. I have a
close friend in Student Services who is a
REAL penny-pincher. I will seek his advice
and come up with some more ideas for the
next edition. Until then keep picking up
those pennies (even if they are "tails-up")!
This Month’s Bookstore
Bargains
RCC’s Campus Bookstore has been
booming with business since mid-
August with the
rush of a new
semester. With
hundreds of lap-
top computers
sold, they have
unfortunately sold out. However,
some software picks include Mi-
crosoft Office 2010($100) , a slight
upgrade from the
2007 version, but
for half the price.
In addition, Win-
dows 7 operating
system has be-
come a popular upgrade for existing
Windows Vista users and for some
XP users, available for under $120!
David Wells, SGA Treasurer
David Wells
TOP SELLERS!
$11.95 each
$3.99 each
For more great deals on ap-
parel, supplies, books, and
more, click here !
Madame Secretary’s Society & Lifestyle
Some people use
their personal
style as self-
expression, ex-
pressing their
personality, feel-
ings, or ideas.
The issue, con-
cern, and prob-
lem in today’s
society is not
what is worn, but
how it is worn. You are what you wear. Just
about everyone judges people by the way
they dress. It may sound harsh, but "image is
everything". You live in a world where you are
constantly being judged . Some cultures rec-
ognize clothing as a symbolic rhetoric of posi-
tive or negative inputs with mainstream per-
ceptions of "What is appropriate attire?".
How we present ourselves to the public such
as school, church and the workplace form an
instant impression of you at first glance. A
person's visual appearance is more powerful
than what a person says. Whether you are
going on a date, job interview or hanging out
with friends you want to look smart, ap-
proachable and relatively clean. What does
your clothing and grooming habits say about
you?. Your ideal wardrobe should reflect a
mixture of business, smart, sporty and formal
attire. It may be easier said than done but if
you put your value to the mile you can get
more bang for your buck. There are many
different ways at saving to build your ward-
robe. Personally when I shop, I wait for sales. I
know nowadays, who doesn't? You'd be sur-
prised at the number of people who still pay
full price for items. When I enter a clothing
store, I have the habit of scanning the store
to see if any sale signs are posted or usually
I'll ask a nearby sales associate if there are
any sales in the store (ask about upcoming
sales and sign up in-store or online to receive
exclusive email offers). I always begin at the
clearance rack to take advantage of items
that were on sale and have been reduced.
Even though we like to shop for clothes that
are in tact I sometimes buy articles of cloth-
ing that may have some irregularities to it,
you can always sew or patch a small hole or
tear. Plus, as an extra incentive you could get
an additional percentage taken off for clothes
that are already at full or sale price. Also, a
great part of shopping the clearance rack is
finding out-of-season clothes at bargain
basement prices. In my opinion you should
always be selective in what you put on your
body to portray the correct image.
What Am I Doing Here?
By: Jeff Hood
I’m listening. What am I to do if I
listen but don’t hear anything?
I’m looking. What am I to do if I
look but don’t see anything?
What will I hear? What will I see?
What if I take action and nothing
happens, nothing changes? What
then?
If I talk and no one listens, have I
been effective?
Was it worth it? Was it worth the
time and effort I put in to effect
change if no change occurs?
What good am I if I can’t help some-
one; if I can’t affect change?
Have my efforts been in vain?
What good is it to talk if no one
listens?
Should I still do the right thing if no
one sees: if no one cares?
If I do good just to be seen, am I
doing any good?
Even if all my best efforts seem to
be for naught: no one listens, noth-
ing changes, no one cares,
I’m going to keep talking, keep
helping, keep hoping, keep believ-
ing, and keep trying.
I never know who I might affect.
Fashion Morals, Values, & Norms
Leslie Evans-Whittaker, SGA Secretary
Leslie Evans-Whittaker
Be Heard!
Thanks for reading all we had to say!
We hope this newsletter was in-
formative to you as well as your
peers. Do you have an idea for us?
Do you have thoughts you’d like
others to see? With YOUR SGA, you
have a voice! It’s our job to make
sure every students’ voice is rightly
heard and to make changes accord-
ingly. What do you think about RCC?
Email your thoughts, stories, even
artwork to [email protected],
where our officers will do their best
to make sure your voice is heard and
you are represented as a valued
student and individual!
The Panther Monthly
VOL IV ISSUE 01
OCTOBER 2010
Midterms are over! Time for some fun and relaxation! Giant Twister, Bungee Sports Chal-
lenge, and more! Enjoy fun, food, and games from 11a - 2p and 4p - 7p here at Richmond
Community College’s Cole Auditorium!
Other clubs participating include:
October 19—Fall Festival 2010
Upcoming Events
Richmond Community College
Student Government Association PO BOX 1189
1042 W Hamlet Ave.
Hamlet, NC 28345
910.410.1733
www.RichmondCC.edu/SGA
Facebook: Richmond Community College SGA
Share the holiday spirit and keep kids warm by donating new or used coats and jackets to
RCC's Coats for Kids Drive (benefitting Church Community Services of Scotland Co.) , begin-
ning Fall Festival (10/19) to Holiday Spectacular (12/2)! SGA will have a drop box at all events
during that time frame and outside the SGA office at all other times during the drive. Please
consider the less fortunate. Let's show our community just how giving our school can be!
Coats for Kids
Let’s give thanks! We seldom stop to think about how grateful we should be. Here's a
chance to help others! RCC SGA will hosts a food drive to fill the Richmond County DSS Food
Pantry, beginning on Oct. 19 (kicking off at the Fall Festival) through Dec. 2 (closing at the
Holiday Spectacular 2010). The box will follow SGA to events throughout the semester, but
will be stationed outside the SGA office, located adjacent to the J.C. Lamm Student Center in
the Lindsey-Petris Building. Let's show our community just how giving our school can be!
Non-Perishable Food Drive
Criminal Justice
Club
Campus Crusade
for Christ
Human Services
Club
Social Diversity
Club