Scared straight: A junk food junkie sees the lite

Scared straight: A junk food junkie sees the lite

Joe Stumpo

Online Editor

On July 15, 2015, “a day that will live in infamy,” my family members, a few close friends and a couple of co-workers wondered if I had a death wish. I learned what happens when I put work, personal problems, the college newspaper and classes, among other things, before controlling my diabetes through diet and exercise.

Staff illustration Isai Diaz

As a result of not taking my medications on a daily basis for several months and not checking my blood sugar level, thinking I was immortal and eating whatever I liked, I enjoyed a rapid 5 to 10-pound a week weight loss without actually doing anything to properly lose the weight. As a result, I spent three days in the hospital in July.

Lying in bed that night with an IV attached to my right hand, I wondered if “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” was the reason the man upstairs ignored my “knock, knock, knocking on heaven’s door.” My late grandparents, Joe and Rose Stumpo, who most likely were watching my every move from above, must have decided it was time for a rude awakening.

“God loves you,” a night nurse told me when she came to do my blood work at 2 a.m., remarking how much better I looked after being admitted to the hospital. I no longer resembled a cross between zombies and  prisoners liberated from Nazi concentration camps.

She told me how I was a celebrity among the nursing staff on the floor. There was talk about how I was barely able to walk or think straight. My eyes looked like they were deep inside the sockets. I guess I am the only Type 2 diabetic in the country who doesn’t put their health first, or maybe local emergency rooms just don’t get many patients with a blood sugar level over 1,200 who live to tell about it.

Seeing the nurses come to draw blood, check my blood sugar level and replace the IV every few hours made me think how political correctness exists today in the hospitals. There was a time when typical nurses wore white dresses a little below the knees, nylons and white penny loafers. Today’s nurses dress in brightly colored scrubs and gym shoes. It is the medical equivalent of what is called in the IT departments today business casual (blue jeans and button-down shirts for those on the night shift).

Perhaps the reason for the nurses’attire today is that they want patients like me to pay attention when they explain how to inject yourself with insulin and what dosage to take during the day based on the insulin sliding scale as opposed to letting one’s dirty mind wander.

I still don’t know, however, if the hospital food is as bad as everyone says since I couldn’t eat it due to the sore throat I had. Diabetes attacks everything when your sugars are out of control.

Speaking of sore throats, I realize that today’s doctors are only there to cure the symptom and not the disease (that’s Obamacare for you). It would have been nice, however, when I told the doctor assigned to me that I had a sore throat if he would have actually looked in my mouth as opposed to standing on the opposite side of the room from me to say, “ It’s a yeast infection,” without even looking at my throat.

I know some, if not all of you reading this, especially those with diabetes, are saying to yourselves now that I am officially on insulin shots four to six times a day that I am on it for life.

Taking insulin is not the end of the world. I knew long before that it was only a matter of time before I’d have to take it anyway. I just sped up the process. You may find my belief system to be nothing more than a pipe dream, but I don’t believe being on insulin now is permanent. At the very least, with me doing the treadmill at work every few days and paying more attention to what I eat, I may be able to lower the dosage over time. Truth is, I feel better now than I did since being diagnosed with diabetes nine years ago.

I haven’t had a Coke since a couple days before going to the ER due to rapid dehydration. The last time I drank a Diet Coke was July 25 and I didn’t even finish it. The only thing I drink now that has sugar in it is lime Gatorade, along with coffee (which brings down your blood sugar level), an occasional glass of milk and water. I am now to that point I won’t even drink sweet iced tea.

I know now that when checking my blood sugar level and it’s over 200, to ask myself what made it that high. Then I remember those mashed potatoes and corn I had at Boston Market when I should have gotten green beans and mixed vegetables. On the opposite end, when the sugars get down to 80 and my patience starts wearing thin it means I better eat something before that Italian temper of mine kicks in.

I no longer eat at Subway, McDonalds,Cici’s, Pizza Hut and Papa Johns. I don’t have the money to eat out anyway. I hate doing it but I’m slowly getting into grocery shopping and bringing my food to work. When it comes to garbage food, if I am going to ruin my health I am going to make it worth my while. I will drive to Addison for an Italian beef sandwich at Al’s Italian Beef to get that rare taste of Chicago that, up until recently, I could only get when I was in the “Windy City.”

Yes, I admit I still have cravings for junk food. Name me one person who doesn’t! The fact is now when co-workers remark how good I look because of the 120-pound weight loss (which wasn’t healthy weight loss) and ask me if I feel good, I won’t have to lie when I say “yes.”

Professor concerned by campus carry

Professor concerned by campus carry

Joyce Jackson

Copy Editor

North Lake College journalism professor Joanna Cattanach recently wrote a scathing column that appeared in The Dallas Morning News (DMN) stating that the Texas campus carry law is “bad news” for community colleges.

I happen to agree with her. Cattanach said that for the first time in her teaching career she will actually fear her students come August 2017 when the law takes effect.

We assume that community colleges are safe places to be, but in reality are they really any safer than a movie theater, restaurant, library or any public meeting place?

Image courtesy gclker.com

First, how are we going to be sure that everyone carrying a concealed handgun is at least 21 and that they actually took the CHL course?  Unless a person is asked to show proof, there’s no way to know. It’s been said that certain areas of the campus, such as the area around Richland’s Collegiate High School may be declared a gun-free zone, but that will be up to administrators, staff and perhaps students.

Cattanach’s column spurred some different responses from DMN readers:  one in Arlington, Flower Mound and Dallas. They all attacked her for having such fears.

A guy from Arlington wrote that he thought she was paranoid about her future students and that the requirements for a handgun license are supposed to be for people who are “responsible citizens.”  Yeah, sure, until some nutcase goes berserk after leaving his shrink’s office. In addition, he thought her response was based on emotion.

A man from Flower Mound who teaches at Brookhaven College said that Cattanach seems to be afraid of her students. At his school the campus has a plan with practice drills for any emergencies. Students would be moved to a safer location; that is, unless someone with an AK-47 is standing right in front of you shooting.  Then, all hell breaks loose.

Finally, someone from Dallas wrote that since Cattanach thinks many students are inner-city residents coming from areas where violence is common, campus carry would encourage students to bring that kind of rage to the campus. Yet, we’re all in danger every day as long as we’re running around doing errands or whatever. None of us can be housebound every minute of every day, so it depends on individuals and their mental state as to whom we confront in our day-to-day activities. 

I’m still not crazy about campus carry on community college campuses. I do think, however, at other places of business such as airports, concerts, buildings and sports events, if everyone is checked when entering, the public will feel safer because they are sure no one has a gun except the police.

Just this week, the Regal Cinemas movie chain, which also owns Edwards and United Artists cinemas, is starting to check bags at the front door in California. We’ll see if that eventually applies to Texas. I assume that means large purses, too. If I see someone, especially a 20-something guy, walking into a movie theater with a backpack, I would tend to be suspicious and fearful. He just might be a student, however, getting off a bus and having no place to leave his backpack.

Searching through a woman’s huge purse for dangerous items will also produce all the goodies she has in it for her five kids to nibble on instead of wasting a lot of money on junk food at the theater. According to Regal’s website, however, no food or drink will be allowed into the theater, so one wonders if moms will have to dispose of it or what.

So, we’re not anywhere near finished with the controversy over campus carry, although each campus will have to decide how to deal with it. For the time being, we’ll just all be sitting ducks and hope we have a lot of happy, well-adjusted students on our campus who are only interested in learning and becoming productive members of society.

Faculty VIEWPOINTS Campus Carry

Joanna Cattanach, professor at North Lake College, wrote a column expressing her fear of students after the campus carry law goes into effect in 2017. Do you have an opinion about campus carry?

Dr. Michael Crawford
Director of choral music
“I think open carry compromises our ability to keep people safe. This whole thing about the good guys and the bad guys, this is not the Old West.”                                                 

Zoltan Szabo
Computer science professor
“My biggest concern about it is the veterans … We had some situations where they [veterans] duck under the table when a cellphone goes off.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Fred Newbury
Economics professor
“It may change the classroom atmosphere in some way. The idea of having to worry about that while you’re teaching a class just adds a whole new dimension.”

Zelda Smith
Volleyball coach
“It’s kind of scary. As an instructor, I’ve been attending classes at Richland on how to understand our students. These students are under a lot of stress.”
Staff photos Isai Diaz

 

 

 

The best of summer so far

The best of summer so far

Ricky Miller 

Entertainment Editor

Here are my favorite films of the summer of 2015:

“Woman in Gold” — Helen Mirren (“The Queen,” “RED”) stars as a World War II  survivor fighting to get back the painting that was taken from her many a year ago.  Also stars Ryan Reynolds (“The Proposal,” “Van Wilder”) and Katie Holmes (TV’s “Dawson’s Creek,” Sam Raimi’s “The Gift”). Grade: A

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” — Fun little spoof of modern day spy movies and the like finds Oscar-winner Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech,” “Love Actually”) squaring off against Samuel L. Jackson’s (“Unbreakable,” “Pulp Fiction”) Billy Ray Valentine, who speaks with a funky little lisp. A-

“Mad Max: Fury Road” — Tom Hardy slides into the shoes once occupied by Mel Gibson many a year prior.  At his side is Charlize Theron (“Monster,” “The Devil’s Advocate”) and Nicholas Hoult (“About a Boy,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past”). A-

“Going Clear: Scientology and The Prison of Belief” — Very intriguing documentary from director Alex Gibney that takes a look at the inner workings of the Church of Scientology. If one thought they had a favorable opinion about Tom Cruise, they will change their mind after watching this intriguing documentary. A-

“Shaun The Sheep Movie” — Fun flick from Aardman, the studio behind “Wallace and Gromit” as well as “Chicken Run.” B+

“Infinitely Polar Bear” — Mark Ruffalo (“The Avengers,” “Zodiac”) stars as a struggling manic-depressive father trying to take care of his two daughters.  With Zoe Saldana as his wife, Maggie. B+

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” — The gang assemble to fight Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) creation of the A.I. robot simply known as Ultron (voiced by James Spader). B+

“Ant-Man” — Paul Rudd joins the Marvel Universe as a character whose name he does not like in the least. Also stars Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly. B+

“Mr. Holmes” — Ian McKellen re-teams with his “Gods and Monsters” director Bill Condon for this take on Sherlock Holmes and one last case. B+

“McFarland, USA” — Kevin Costner plays a struggling coach who assembles a track team of runners who hope to become champions  in a southern California high school. B+

One of the most notable runners-up was the Brian Wilson Beach Boys tale, “Love & Mercy” with John Cusack and Elizabeth Banks.

I also had a good time with the unnecessary sequel/update featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Terminator: Genisys”  and his lead role in the zombie drama “Maggie,” the better-than-the-original sequel “Jurassic World,” the real-life-urban-slice-of-life drama “Straight Outta Compton,” the Amy Schumer-led “Trainwreck,” the rescue dog saga “Max,” the boxing drama “Southpaw,” the Cold War comedy “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” “Ex Machina,” the fast, fun ride of “Furious 7,” the con artist saga “Focus” and the vampire documentary spoof, “What We Do in the Shadows.”

Help!

Images courtesy kinepharma.es

Seasonal changes, pressure at job or school, family, lack of motivation, homesickness, some sort of trauma… Any of those factors can lead to depression.

What many people don’t know is that depression may be made worse by food. Tameca Minter, counselor at Richland, said depression is the most common problem she finds on campus.

Her recommendations to avoid that down feeling that almost everyone has experienced at least once start with making a change on food-habits.

Reducing fast food intake, fried food and saturated fats and replacing them with more fruits and vegetables would be a good start. Healthy foods have an effect on the brain and help to fight those chemicals that may help cause depression.

Increasing Vitamin D intake is another step that one can take when feeling depressed. Before making any changes on diet or taking any supplemental vitamins, however, everyone needs to consult with their doctor, said Minter.

Center needs volunteers for walk

Center needs volunteers for walk

Marta Planells

Editor in Chief

Richland College Counseling Services is looking for volunteers to participate in the 2015 Suicide Prevention 3K Walk for Awareness that will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sept.10 on campus.

Volunteers will be needed as students and faculty participate in the 2015 Suicide Prevention 3K Walk for Awareness next week.
Image courtesy adelgazarrapido.com

They need people to help with public relations to direct participants the day of the walk. They also need people who will help create posters.

Artists may be part of what counseling services calls “semicolon station.”

Tameca Minter, counselor, said there will be a station at the walk to get henna tattoos representing a semicolon. That is part of Project Semicolon, a non-profit movement dedicated to help those struggling with depression, addiction or self-injury.

The center is also looking for volunteers to encourage people to finish the walk. It’s what Minter calls “cheerleaders.”

The event is open to everyone on campus, not necessarily people who suffer from depression or other dysfunctional problems. For those students who are part of the Dual Program or the Honors Academy and they need to get credit for their volunteer hours, they will need to fill out an online form at the Service Learning website in order to get credit.

Minter said that even if students can’t attend the walk because of class schedules, the counseling center will need volunteers beforehand to work on the event setting.

To provide more information to those who may be interested in the event, the center will be having information sessions for volunteers from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday and 3 to 4 p.m. Also, from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday and 3 to 4 p.m. Sept. 4.

Obama’s college savings plan: Will it work in this country?

Jerome Robinson II
Staff Writer

Staff illustration Quan Tran
Composite images courtesy MichiganDaily.com, qualmnig.com

The ways and means of “free college” haven’t really been accepted by the masses in the United States, yet even people who support the president sometimes differ over this particular agenda item. Government-sponsored plans have derailed the support of many, based on their failures and the negative effects that they have had on millions of Americans and their bank accounts.

More often, people generalize about the expectations of college and the money it takes to graduate. Being a long-time college student, I understand the way one might feel about giving money to a person for a free college education.

These measures are meant to help the many people who live below the poverty level in the United States. Actually, the “well-to-do” will benefit from the proposal as well, which brings up an argument about “Who’s going to pay for this?”

Unfortunately, members of the middle class are the victims. That is always a problem. Changes in economic status predict that the middle class will foot the bill. Fair or not, this creates controversy about a government plan that proposes more taxes for the not-so-rich and, by some strange coincidence not so much for the rich.

I feel confused by the whole plan but still understand things have to begin with a format. The formidable starting point is the community college, which Richland represents. The goal is for the student to start small with that investment and then take the next step, which would be to attend a four-year school to finish their major and get the degree.

People may agree or disagree with the structure of the plan, but the bottom line is that helping the less fortunate achieve a dream that might not have been possible without it is a good thing. Financial participation in a greater way, by the government, would profoundly reduce the burden of student loans on the students.

Just something to try to get your mind around.

Wearing red to fight heart disease

Lydia Nigussie
Staff Writer

Richland students and faculty show their support in the fight against heart disease by wearing red. Photo courtesy Keenan Cobb

National Wear Red Day was Feb. 6. The American Heart Association created Go Red For Women in response to the fact that cardiovascular disease kills approximately 500,000 American women each year.

Sponsored by Macy’s, Go Red For Women is a dedicated group of women educating, researching and contributing improvements to heart health.

Red expresses the unity of other organizations that commit to woman’s health and want to support a healthier lifestyle. Students and faculty of Richland joined the movement by the awareness demonstrated in their wardrobe.

Linda Patzke, RN, who works at the Richland Health Center, said, “My favorite thing about nursing is helping people when they’re in a vulnerable state to feel more comfortable and to feel like they’re going to be taken care of.”

Patzke has been at the Health Center for one month. She was also wearing red.

According to the American Heart Association, one in three women die due to heart disease or stroke. Strokes are actually the No. 3 cause of death for women, who have a higher risk of facing a stroke, with one in five experiencing it at least once in their lifetime.

Stroke risk increases for women, especially during pregnancy and preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy). Women who smoke, take birth control pills, hormone replacement therapies or experience migraines with aura have an increased risk, too.

Spreading awareness is critical because heart disease is usually unnoticed. “Women overlook it because they’re taking care of their family, they’re taking care of other people and they forget to take care of their own selves,” Patzke said.

In the past, heart disease was viewed as a disease affecting elderly men. Heart disease can easily affect anyone if it is ignored.

Patzke said there are symptoms, such as tightness and pain in the chest and loss or shortness of breath. When the condition gets severe, it can still be reversible unless the damage has reached the heart. The next step would be to go immediately to a hospital or call 911.

According to the American Heart Association it is also crucial to know your family’s health history. High cholesterol, high blood pressure or high blood sugar levels and obesity cause heart disease and can be passed down hereditarily. If you see history in your family tree, the chances of heart disease go higher.

A regimen reducing one’s chances of heart disease can begin by reducing sugar intake. Sugar-sweetened beverages have become a huge source of added sugar, along with items, candy and ice scream. Read the nutrition labels at grocery stores before you make any purchases. According to the American Heart Association, consuming a lot of added sugar is a leading cause of the obesity epidemic. Check for added sugars like molasses, syrup or ingredients that usually end with “ose.” These are sugars added during processing and are known to increase the risk of heart disease.

Try to enjoy fruits instead of desserts and maybe sparkling water, unsweetened tea or buying 100 percent juices with no added sugar. You can also try replacing sugars with fruits and spices like cinnamon or ginger in your drinks or meals. These are good first steps to following a healthier lifestyle. Discipline your eating habits and participate in physical activity. You can start lightly by walking more and doing crunches. Yoga and breathing exercises can also help the heart.

The American Heart Association finds it beneficial to go outside at least 30 minutes a day five times a week. Above all, get examined periodically. Let the doctor catch any signs or warnings before it is too late.

Patzke provides checkups at the Health Center, which is located in Thunderduck Hall, Room T-110.

The Health Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are closed Saturday and Sunday.

If you or a friend have symptoms, get checked out. You can go red every day by simply being aware.

My truth about Black History

Jerome Robinson II
Staff Writer

History in our country is displayed every day through one’s visions and truth. One may feel about certain occurrences, create scenic well-rounded assumptions about belief or disbelief, that make up cultural awareness whether it be fair or not.

Color added to that particular standard is just that, color. When I think of black history the word “black” isn’t really that important to me because we, as Americans, whether black, beige, white or brown stand to make history every day in our lives based on decisions we make and partake in.

These decisions will affect the way we make history as people, hopefully in a positive sense, but sometimes we make a decision that will affect history negatively. That is disturbing, yet true. I want to share a few thoughts on some history-making events that involve both blacks and whites and have had enormous impact on our beloved country.

Police shootings, justified or not, have made our citizens react in some of the largest civil protests ever seen, from coast to coast involving marches larger than some led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the mid-60s.

Another movement that has changed the way I look at history in general is the gay rights movement/agenda. There’s no color to this history-making, impactful movement, events are taking place in this country that are huge, and no one month or color can capture the strength and prestige they hold.

Black people, famous or not, have had a number of history-making moments that are great and deserving of note, so many that I can’t possibly name all. But here are a few of the most famous and deserving people: Russell Simmons, (activist), President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey (mogul). The list definitely goes on and on, but it’s the people who make history every day, in my humble opinion, that make our history great and undefined. The way their humble spirit is silently drawn by the strong pull of what they love, that is love, because that is what history is all about.

Love thyself. Love thy neighbor. When we all do that we create better history.

Governor honors hero Chris Kyle

Joyce Jackson
Staff Writer

Navy Seal and sniper Chris Kyle, who was killed on Feb. 2, 2013 by a U.S. Marine veteran he was trying to help, was honored by Texas Governor Greg Abbott who declared Feb. 2 “Chris Kyle Day.” Image courtesy facebook.com

Gov. Greg Abbott declared Feb. 2 “Chris Kyle Day” in Texas on the second anniversary of the Navy SEAL’s death.

Abbott made the announcement at the Texans Veterans of Foreign Affairs Mid-Winter Convention in Austin Jan. 30.

I think that it was quite an admirable thing to do.

I must say, I’m glad I voted for Abbott last year, and I think he will make Texans proud. I believe he’ll work well with our legislature, too. Recognizing an American hero in the public eye is something few other governors would do.

“We thank Chris Kyle and all of you for your service and sacrifice,” Abbott said at the convention. “And we rededicate ourselves to a cause greater than ourselves – to freedom for our children, their children and for generations yet to be born. May God bless you and all who wear the uniform of the United States of America.”

Kyle is buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, where people have come to pay their respects. Some people left mementos and a few even shared a beer at the gravesite according to keyetv.com.

Abbott hosted a ceremonial signing Feb. 2 that creating “Chris Kyle Day.” An effort is underway to make it an annual event.

For the record, Kyle was born April 8, 1974, in Odessa and was a member of SEAL Team 3. The Pentagon claims he shot and killed more than 160 enemy combatants . He was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals. Kyle was honorably discharged in 2009.

Kyle died Feb. 2, 2013, at a shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, where he and friend Chad Littlefield both were killed while trying to help veteran Eddie Ray Routh cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. At press time, jury selection was under way in Routh’s murder trial, where his lawyers are expected to present an insanity defense.

Kyle served four tours of duty in Iraq and was credited by Pentagon officials with the most sniper kills in U.S. military history — 160. His job was to stop the enemy from killing fellow U.S. service members. His autobiography, “American Sniper,” became a best seller and the movie, currently still drawing crowds at theaters, has become a blockbuster hit. As of Jan. 31, it had earned $248.9 million, making it the second-highest grossing R-rated film ever, according to The Hollywood Reporter by Pamela McClintock on Jan. 31.

In spite of the praise and financial rewards “Sniper” has been getting since it opened in January, war movies and heroes don’t always fare well in the press or with a small percentage of the population. Controversy has been brewing over the film.

In an article published in The Dallas Morning News, Kyle’s father told director Clint Eastwood before production began that, “Disrespect my son and I’ll unleash hell on you.”

Officials in Los Angeles had to take down a billboard promoting “Sniper” in January after a vandal scrawled the word “Murder!” in large red letters near Bradley Cooper’s image. Cooper portrays Kyle in the movie.

Some in Hollywood have spoken up as well, with filmmaker Michael Moore in another one of his idiotic rants calling snipers “cowards” in a tweet and Seth Rogen comparing the film to Nazi propaganda. Moore seems to think that snipers aren’t heroes because they’ll shoot their targets in the back. I can’t imagine what he expects them to do.

I have yet to see “Sniper,” but I probably will. I do think it’s a shame the way Moore and others like him can twist the meaning of a movie. War is hell. There’s no doubt about that.

Anyone brave enough to serve in our military, especially in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, should be respected. We should all be thankful that someone out there is fighting for the freedoms we all enjoy here in America – especially free speech.

Free community college – A good thing?

Augustine Mukoka
Staff Writer

The announement by President Barack Obama proposing two years of free community college education was warmly welcomed by students at Richland.

Students believe this development is a huge financial relief to help them avoid student debt.

Daiquan Stewart, 21, is a first-year student pursuing a degree plan in sociology. He believes free community college will go a long way to help America’s graduating population avoid debt.

The New York native moved to Dallas to study at Richland and currently receives financial aid to subsidize his educational budget.

Stewart said it’s those in dire need of furthering their education that will greatly benefit from the proposal to make community college free.

“I think free college will actually be a good idea because there are not a lot of families that are able to support themselves or their kids to further their education,” he said.

“For those who can’t afford college, those are normally the ones who need to be in college, need to be in class, but they just can’t afford it.”

Amanda Nwachukwu, 20, said a college education should not enslave graduates to a perpetual loan payment when they are supposed to be progressing happily in their careers

Nwachukwu said getting loans to finance college should be “the last resort,” but that a program allowing students two years of free community college will “help people not be in so much debt so that after they graduate … they don’t have to work so many years just still trying to pay off a loan rather than graduating and be able to progress financially.”

While students at Richland returned to campus this spring to face a tuition increase of $7 per semester credit hour, these tuition costs are among the lowest in the country.

According to an announcement made by the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) board of trustees, the tuition rate effective in January is $59 per credit hour, up from the previous cost of $52.

This means a student taking a three-credit-hour course will pay $177.

The average tuition rate at community colleges statewide is $78 per semester credit hour. Currently, DCCCD’s tuition rate is ranked 49th-lowest among all community colleges/districts in Texas, according to members of the board.

“Tuition also helps the district pay for instruction and other expenditures, but at a far lower rate than DCCCD’s two other main sources of funding: taxes and state appropriations,” a statement from the board read.

In a statement issued by the DCCCD on Jan. 9, Chancellor Joe May said, “All of these actions are an investment in our students and in the communities that DCCCD serves.

“Our communities also are making a smart investment in DCCCD, in higher education and in economic development because we are educating the skilled workers this area needs to boost our economy,” May added.

It is the recent announcement, though, by Obama, which he repeated during the State of the Union address, pushing for free community college education that excites many.

The president’s initiative will not benefit Pell Grant recipients or students who can afford tuition at $3,300 annually.

In the Jan. 9 release, May expressed delight in the proposal, saying the announcement has the potential to make postsecondary education accessible to everyone and that it builds on the strong commitment that DCCCD and other community colleges across the country already have made to provide a low-cost, high-quality education.

“With this type of opportunity, the nation’s students can get the education and training they need to obtain employment with high salaries in high-demand fields, regardless of their financial situation,” he said.

In Obama’s plan, students will be required to attend community college at least half time, maintain a 2.5 GPA and make steady progress toward completing their program.

Community colleges, according to the proposal, will be expected to offer programs that offer either academic (and fully transferable) credits to local public four-year colleges and universities, or occupational training programs with high graduation rates that lead to in-demand degrees and certificates.

The plan also calls for community colleges to adopt promising and evidence-based institutional reforms to improve student outcomes.

Under this plan, federal funding will cover three-quarters of the average cost of community college.