Providing a Cleanslate for

Uptown page 5

Big beautiful dreams abound page 9

“It’s a matter of covering

expenses, such as rising property taxes and a possible 12%

budget cut.”

– Phoebe A. Wood, Director of Budget

and Planning

by Melissa BrandStaff Writer

Truman ScoreS a “clean 10” in 2010Higher Learning Commission approves Truman’s accreditation

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) awarded Truman College a clean 10 on March 24, 2010, conclud-

ing Truman College’s accreditation evalua-tion.

Receiving a “clean“ 10, which is a first in the history of Truman College, means that there are no issues needing correction at the present and that the next accreditation will not be until 2020.

“We are so proud of all of us at Truman College,” said Dr. Pervez Rahman, Vice Presi-dent of Academic and Student Affairs. “It’s the collective effort of everyone.”

The accreditation team consisted of em-ployees from colleges around the country, including Minneapolis, Indiana, Oklahoma, Milwaukee and Arizona, and despite being in-formed of the probable outcome early, they could not say anything until the official 10 a.m. announcement.

“There was a huge crowd downstairs,” Rahman said. “Faculty, staff, administration, students – it was amazing.”

The next step involves finalizing the re-port. The HLC will give their final approval sometime in August 2010.

When asked if anything could change the HLC’s decision between receiving the recom-mendation and finalizing the report, Rahman said, “Based on my knowledge and the infor-mation that I have, it has never happened.”

“Assessment of student learning. . . is such a complex matter,” Rahman said, when asked if he was concerned about any assessment ar-eas. “If there was a slight doubt that I had, it

was assessment that I was concerned about. But even there we pulled through and that’s why we made it with the clean 10.”

Preparation for the self-study process started in March 2007. It included participa-tion and feedback from faculty, administra-tion, staff, students and the college commu-nity.

The self-study coordinating team was comprised of Max Gulias, Pervez Rahman, Libby Roeger, William Settles, Elizabeth Silk and Lynn Walker, and members ranged from Associate Professors to Interim President of the college. In addition to this team, there were teams for each criteria and a steering committee.

The five criteria for accreditation included Truman’s integrity to its mission, future prep-aration, effective teaching and learning, acqui-sition and use of knowledge, and engagement and service.

During Truman College’s last accredita-tion in 1999, Truman College was cited for strategic planning and assessment. The last visit resulted in Truman College being given a focus visit and a monitoring report.

Losing accreditation could result in losses of state and federal financial aid, funding, grants and non-transferable credits.

For more information on the HLC ac-creditation visit, see http://www.trumancol-lege.edu/hlc2010/index.php. ■

Photograph by Doona Lee

Interim President Lynn Walker and Vice President Rahman celebrating the clean 10.

DiSTricT approveS TuiTion anD Fee changeSFirst fee increase since ‘97by Elena NovoselovaStaff Writer

Planned tuition and fee increases for summers 2010 and ’11 were amended at a City Colleges of Chicago (CCC)

Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, March 4. Due to recent economical develop-ments, the board changed the three-year tu-ition plan approved at a February 2009 meet-ing.

In-district tuition, vocational-technical training and continuing education classes were previously set to increase by $5 starting in the summer of ’10 and another $5 for ‘11. The amended plan changes these figures to $8 for ‘10 and $2 for ‘11, resulting in tuition of $87 per credit hour for 2010-2011, and tuition of $89 for 2011-2012, according to the Board report from March.

The out of state and out of district tu-ition rates are both decreased by about $50 for summer ‘10, according to www.ccc.edu/student/tuition.asp. CCC Director of Bud-get and Planning Phoebe A. Wood states that those rates are dependent on CCC expenses from the previous year, and due to settling of debts they’re thus decreased. Because of the way those rates work it’s impossible to set fu-ture rates right now, Wood added.

“It’s typical,” says student Raven Giore.

“They should realize that most students who have jobs cannot keep up with the payments.

“Raising tuition fees is not a goal,” claims Wood. “It’s a matter of covering expenses, such as rising property taxes and a possible 12% budget cut. Moreover, tax revenue ser-vice fees are going up.”

Furthermore, registration fees are increas-ing by $5 to $30 starting ’10, and Center of Distance Learning (CDL) Fees are increased by $5 from $40 in ’10 and an additional $5

in ’11. The activity fees are increased by $20 to $170 beginning fall ’10 for full-time regu-lar students and $10 to $85 beginning ’11 for summer students. The activity fee for part-time students remains unchanged at $50.

The last time fees increased was 13 years ago, in 1997, according to Truman Business Manager Gracie Gast. The increase in fees emerged, in part, from the rising cost of the UPASS from CTA, as well as Truman parking lot improvements, according to Wood. ■

OPINION.............................................................P. 2 EDITORIALS......................................................P. 3 FEATURES..........................................................P. 4 NEWS...................................................................P. 6 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT.......................P. 8

APRIL 2010 EDITION

A Truman Student Publication Serving the Uptown CommunityONE FREE COPY PER PERSON

The Uptown Exchange

trc-Uptown Exchange@ccc.edu

PAGE 2 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 section - opinion

Editor-In-ChiefDavid Palm

Managing Editor Benjamin Heimer

News EditorWilliam Oliver Hunt

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Andrew Murray

Copy EditorAvelyn Isada

Production & Design Manager

Phillip Romanello

Chief Photographer & Graphics Editor

Alberto Martinez

Faculty AdviserBenjamin Ortiz

Professional AffiliationsCollege Media Advisers

Illinois Community College

Journalism AssociationStudent Press Law

Center

UPtOWN ExCHANGE

StAFFEditor-In-Chiefby David Palm

Staff Writerby Juan V. Nuño

Change for the worsethe decline of public transportation

They are old, they are on the bus and they are pissed off.

In my seat in the back, cramped together with everyone else lacking gray hair, I watch senior residents occupy the front of the bus. Annoyed muttering escapes from those wanting a seat when none is available.

“I can’t stand, my legs cannot stand,” someone says loudly. There are several offers to take up seats in the back, but an unwilling-ness to climb the steps on the way prevents them from accepting.

Senior residents around Chicago have started complaining to their fellow passengers onboard the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) about the horrible conditions they have had to endure once the CTA changed both hours of service and frequency of buses.

The service changes are the result of bud-get cuts, leaving the CTA with less money than needed to maintain existing services, and over 1000 jobs lost. The frequency of 119 bus routes and seven rail routes has been de-creased, and the hours of service have been decreased on 41 routes, according to a CTA press release.

The elderly are not the only ones com-plaining. I have had annoyed businessmen telling me about missed meetings, as well as stressed-out mothers on their way to drop off their children at daycare. Truman students and teachers alike have been arriving late to class now and then in the last month, and most of them blame the CTA. Sometimes it has severe consequences.

“If I come 15 minutes late I can’t take my test! That’s my grade!” one student said. The bus arrived at Truman 20 minutes late, and I cannot blame her for being pissed off.

The worst part of this whole ordeal is the mayor. In a Chicago Sun-Times article on January 28, he said “You have to start realiz-ing that public transportation is the future of a city like ours.” Hah. When did that guy last take public transportation or really work his ass off to help expand it, or save it?

The changes are not only affecting time spent waiting at bus stops, but also how much work we can do on the bus. I used to study on the bus. Try that on a cramped bus when you are forced to keep your backpack in your lap, or maybe even standing. Students really got screwed there.

As if taking away my 15 minutes of study-ing on the bus was not enough, the ride to school is now closer to 20 minutes, and com-bined with the changes in frequency, I have been arriving late for classes just like so many other Truman students. I even received an ab-sence in one class because I was late. Thank you, CTA.

I would like to offer Mayor Daley advice for the next election. Unless he wants a group of angry vote rs to refuse to send their vote his way, he should get to work on his love for public transportation. ■

osCar night Captures Movie Lovers’ attentionShow sparks celebration

While a Wolverine strolls along one side of the bar, Annie Hall serves food to a table. At the

bar, an attractive Rogue carries “Avatar” cock-tails, while another server, dressed up as an “Inglourious Basterds” soldier, brings beer for a group of excited guys waiting for the show to begin.

On March 7, Fat Cat Bar and Grill at 4840 N. Broadway St. held its first ever Oscar party. Most employees were dressed as Hollywood stars and movie characters. The bar offered special cocktails for the occasion, and staff organized trivia and ballots for the 40 to 50 people who attended the event.

“Welcome to the 82nd annual Academy Awards,” this year’s co-host Steve Martin said, from the TV at the bar. “Everybody wants an Oscar, but they’re very hard to get,” he con-tinued, and the crowd responded with cheers of excitement.

The biggest disappointment at Fat Cat was when Sandra Bullock won the award for the best actress in a leading role. Bullock said, “Did I really earn this, or did I just wear you all down?” Someone at Fat Cat yelled out, “Hell yes, you wore all of us down!” Others in the bar commented that the Razzie Award, given for the worst performance, was more appropriate for Bullock.

Matthew Ventura, a 25-year-old profession-al, and his group of friends at Fat Cat were satisfied with the out-comes and said that most of their predictions were chosen as winners. Ventura considered the event to be one of the most exciting of the year. “We cel-ebrate the Oscars in the same way we cel-ebrate New Year’s Eve.”

Many people look forward to Oscar night. For some, the idea of watching the most fa-mous and acclaimed actors walking on the red carpet is a source of inspiration for organiz-ing an Oscar party and feeling like a part of the celebration. Other people go to bars or restaurants to celebrate the annual event.

Patricia Trudges, 58, traveled from New Hampshire to Chicago just to watch this year’s Oscar’s episode with her daughter Christine, 32. For the last 25 years, they have not missed one.

Patricia and Christine also have their own ritual at home leading up to the show. They dress up, put on makeup and prepare their fa-

vorite cocktails, all to feel, according to Patricia, like “Hollywood

stars for one night.” Traditions like the

Trudge family’s are common in homes around the world.

The show has gained pop-

ularity, and now it is widely viewed

and celebrated all over the world. It is a

time when the great work and performances in the film industry is hon-

ored.According to Nielsen Media Research, an

estimated 36.3 million people watched last year’s Academy Awards. This year, the event had a 14 percent increase in viewership. The first Oscar presentation was televised in 1952 and it remains one of the biggest broadcasted events in television history. ■

“Everybody wants an Oscar, but they’re very hard

to get,”

- Steve Martin

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 - PAGE 3editorial - section

Editorials reflect the opinion of the editorial board consisting of the Editor-In-Chief and the Managing Editor.

ChaLLenges of LeadershipOn April 1 the installation of a new City Colleges of

Chicago (CCC) chancellor became effective. Among the myriad of challenges Cheryl Hyman faces will

be the management of a $492.1 million budget sprawled over seven different campuses. Only the naïve would assume that someone with Hyman’s extensive corporate experience cannot help to close the projected $4.1 million and $9.5 million defi-cits in 2011, 2012. Dealing with a $100 million maintenance back log will also take some creative budgetary strategies.

The measure of success for the head of an educational institution, however, is more than closing budget holes. With outgoing Interim Chancellor Deidra J. Lewis’ latest impolitic maneuver, forcing the entire CCC math department to attend an all day workshop during the school week, the disconnection between the district office and the faculty in the classrooms is greater than ever. A top-down management style that fails to adequately address the concerns of the people who do the actual teaching and leaves the lines of communication so thor-

oughly one-sided can only lead to more tension between the district office and faculty. Hopefully, through the new chan-cellor’s involvement with outreach programs and community development, she has acquired some of the diplomatic skills required to repair that frayed relationship.

Finally, Hyman’s degree in computer science and back-ground in operational initiatives are encouraging qualities. Education today is a fully technological endeavor. Of the 31 computer equipped facilities here at Truman College, over half of them have technology that is greater than three years old. In order to stay competitive and provide students with the greatest chance for further success, CCC must continue to stay current with its technology. And not just in the class-room, only 35 percent of Truman faculty offices have tech-nology that is less than three years old. These, and many more challenges await the new chancellor, but with each challenge comes opportunity. ■

eLeCtions Matter

The Student Government Association (SGA) will be holding its annual elections at the end of this month. Considering the dearth of participants at the weekly

SGA meetings, every Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Student Club Center, we surmise most students attending Truman know little to nothing about the SGA. Asking the student body to vote for something they are unaware of or care nothing for will be a difficult undertaking, but an essential one if students are to be properly represented. In order for the elections to be considered legitimate, at least 10 percent of the student body must vote. If that threshold is not met the election could be thrown out and the next school year may start without an SGA.

Having no acting SGA means there will be no new clubs ratified. Any serious complaints students have with adminis-tration will languish unfiled. Disciplinary hearings dealing with students will have no SGA representation. Qualifying, current clubs wishing to tap funds for activities will have no student representative to petition. These duties are just a few of the things an active SGA does during the school year.

Government is only as effective as the people and insti-tutions willing to participate in it. To fight the information vacuum, the Uptown Exchange will be releasing a special elec-tion coverage issue on the first official day of voting. The issue will have interviews with each of the candidates running to fill the four executive positions available, and provide informa-tion on how and where to vote. It is our intent to facilitate the free flow of information between the candidates and their po-tential constituents so that the student body at large can make reasoned, well informed decisions on who will represent them in the coming academic year. ■

We want your feedbackCorreCtions:the Uptown Exchange sincerely apologizes for any possible harm caused by the following mistakes:

Outdoor Seating Season Hits Uptown• –

Credited to Staff Writer Alyssa Venable, actual

author was Staff Writer Robert McLeod.

SoCa Hosts Renter’s Rights Workshop • –

Credited to Staff Writer Alyssa Venable, actual

author was Staff Writer Johanna Granobles.

The photo credit for • Thursdays are Swingin’

at the Mill was misspelled. Credited to Donna

Lee, actual spelling is Doona Lee.

The courtesy photo for the • Gimmick on the

A&E Calendar was mistakenly given to Fuzzy

Gerdes, actual photographer was Michael

Brosilow.

to foster open discussion of ideas, the Uptown Exchange student newspaper would like to solicit Guest Editorials and Letters to the Editor from the community. truman students, faculty, staff,

as well as Uptown neighbors are all welcome to submit:

A Guest Editorial – no more than 600 words (word-document file). • Arguments are encouraged and clearly cited facts are required. Please focus your article on issues relevant to our truman/Uptown readers.

A Letter to the Editor – no more than 100 words (same format as • above). Letters must include the name of the author and a telephone number, for verification purposes. Please focus your letter on the content of the newspaper or other subjects relevant to our truman/Uptown readers.

truman’s Uptown Exchange reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, style, and editorial value, judged by our journalistic commit-ment to local readers.

trc-Uptown Exchange@ccc.edu

“Don’t put so much pressure on

yourself, be realistic on what needs to be done and

give yourself enough time.”

- P. Newman,

Director of the Early Head Start,

mental health counselor

Photographs by Jessica Zaehringer

PAGE 4 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 section - feature

College StreSS: Deal With itYou can get helpStaff Writerby Jessica Zaehringer

Every student has gone through it: the stress involved with trying to study for a test the day before, not hav-ing an adequate amount of sleep throughout the en-

tire semester and even having to temporarily say “goodbye” to a social life at the start of a school term.

College is difficult for many students and getting through the motions of classes, homework, quizzes and tests is ex-tremely stressful for most people. Stress can hold someone back from achieving their full potential in a school setting.

According to the “Psychology: Challenges of Life” text-book, stress is an event that exerts physical or psychological force or pressure on a person.

Stress not only has psychological effects, but also biologi-cal effects.

Stress can incite the feeling of anger and can “impair a student’s ability to focus,” said Olga Ruiz, Truman College’s psychology teacher and coordinator. Ruiz added that “ a stu-dent can read a page in a chapter over and over and still not remember what they had just read.”

P. Newman, director of the Early Head Start program at St. Augustine College and a mental health counselor, stated that if people get too stressed, it can lead to “panic attacks, alcohol or drug abuse, suicidal tendencies, depression and ul-timately giving up.”

The main thing a person should try to focus on to help cope with stress, especially in college, is being orga-nized. “Give yourself a lot of time. Don’t pro-crastinate with homework or papers due,” said Amanda Athon, Truman College English teacher.

Being organized and spend-ing adequate time studying is the key to lowering college stress. Start everything ahead of time. Trying to do too much at once is going to add unnec-essary stress. “Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, be realistic on what needs to be done and give yourself enough time,” Newman added.

In order to help cope with stress there are centers around the community where students can speak with li-censed professionals. Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4L) is a counseling center located at 4740 N. Clark St, (between Clark St. and Lawrence Ave.) and students are rec-ommended to seek it out as Truman does not have any counselors. C4L has numerous locations around the city, and payment is based on personal income.

To get started with speaking with someone, call C4L at (773) 769-0205 and make an “intake appointment.” An intake appointment is where the center will get all of the student’s

What do you do to control your stress level?

information and refer them to an appropriate counselor. Call between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. to schedule an appointment.

Coping with stress is hard to do, but when a student can identify their stressors, it can

help their life immensely. Different stress coping activities are helpful for differ-

ent people, although there are some common stress relievers to help

relieve stress for many.Exercise is among them.

“When you exercise, it pro-duces more serotonin,” said Ruiz. Serotonin is a chemical in your brain that is naturally produced and when released, the chemical makes you feel happy. According to Ruiz, one is actually triggering their brain to release more se-

rotonin when exercising.Some common stress re-

lievers include any form of ex-ercise that get the heart rate go-

ing, such as yoga, laughing (try watching a funny movie), writing on

a journal, talking to someone, getting lost in a good book and being social with

friends or family.Stress is a big deal in a person’s daily life. Try to do

a stress relieving activity at least one hour a day. Trying differ-ent activities is a great way to find out exactly what works best for a particular stressor. Every student should try their best to live stress-free and enjoy life. ■

Eileen Ortiz

Major: English Education

“Yoga and music.”

Izz Elmaazawi

Major: Chemistry“Sit alone and listen

to music.”

Jocelyn Lorenco

Major: Nursing“Pray and thinking about how cute my

kids are.”

Rob ByersMajor: Networking

systems “Stupid puzzles like

the Rubrics cube and drawing.”

Domonique Carney

Major: Social Work “Writing; I have a per-sonal journal I write in,

reading and dancing.”

PAGE 5 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 section - feature

Providing a Cleanslate for UPtownJobs help poverty-stricken

by Sabrina Perkins

Oliver Hunt

Staff Writer

News Editor

crosswalks and 302 bus stops of snow.“We do try to stay on top of things, so we

can keep a handle on things and it won’t be too hard on the next crew,” Bell said.

Bell added that while they try to main-tain the neighborhood workload, crews do not sweep the streets every day and some of Cleanslate’s resources will be directed towards events, such as the Taste of Chicago.

Cleanslate provided 173,199 hours of work time for their interns resulting in $1,760,049 of earnings in 2008.

The program’s sponsor, the Cara Program, was founded in 1991. According to Cleanslate’s website, 32% of the Cara program’s interns have criminal records. Cleanslate provides not only on-the-job training, but also classroom training detailing daily work situations, in an effort to lead their interns into permanent job placement and self-sufficiency. ■

Photograph by Doona Lee Cleanslate intern at work in the early hours of the day.

Sponsored by the Cara Program, Cleanslate offers homeless and poverty-stricken individuals a second shot at life

by providing job training and placement.“It’s not just about a job,” says Cleanslate

intern Maurice Bell. “It’s about making you a better person, to have respect for others, other people’s things, other people’s space, time management, being on time, things of that sort.”

Cleanslate operates in 13 Chicago neigh-borhoods, including Uptown. Interns, given designated routes, collect and sweep litter from the neighborhood’s sidewalks, vacant lots and as far as 18 inches into city streets.

Additionally, Cleanslate interns empty garbage cans, replace can liners and place full bags at designated pick-up points. They also clean, weed and maintain public gardens throughout the city, as well as collect and sort recyclable trash.

In addition to collecting and sorting recy-clables, the program promotes recycling and encourages businesses and individuals to re-cycle through special events and initiatives.

In 2009, Cleanslate interns at Uptown col-lected 11,684 bags of garbage and 3,946 bags of recyclables, while servicing 3,486 recep-tacles. During the winter months, they have applied 12,475 pounds of salt and cleared 979

“It’s about making you a better person, to have respect for

others, other people’s things, other people’s

space, time management, being

on time, things of that sort.”

- Maurice Bell,Cleanslate intern

trUman instrUCtor PUblishes Poetry book“A School For Fishermen” is a catch

Copy Editorby Avelyn Isada

Truman College’s very own English in-structor, Timothy Carlo Matos, has recently been published. “School for

Fishermen” is his first book, and contains a collection of select works of poetry from the past decade.

Matos comes from a family of fishermen and like him, the characters (a family of three generations), have ties to Azores and America. He is quick to point out, however, in an open-ing note in his book that “The Dos Santos family is not my family . . . the only sensible thing to do is let them speak for themselves, which I have done.”

The 33-year-old teacher, who also moon-lights as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter, is a playwright with works published and per-formed throughout the country. “I was once told,” he said, “that this is poetry that a playwright would write, and I’ve never thought of it.” To him, it made sense; the b o o k ’ s c h a r a c -ters were f o r m e d long before the poems.

So was the case with one of the book’s characters named Melinda. One of the poems about her

that was included in the publication is called “The Box Jelly #2.” It was a third place win-ner in the Mad Hatters’ Review Wrong Roof

contest in 2006.The new book is an an-thology collected from

an assimilation of themes Matos

finds fascinat-ing. Many of the themes i n v o l v e navigation, physics, in-sects, the rooster, the idea of be-

longing and being stuck

in between cultures. The

later two resonate throughout the work,

including its title.

Matos credits his wife for much of his success. “She is a powerful and scary editor . . . vicious. I wouldn’t be half the writer I am without her.”

Matos adds, “(Being published) doesn’t compare to getting my PhD, meeting my wife or having my first child, but it’s there.”

He recalls writing as early as age six, and even after 10 years of writing professionally, “I still feel like a beginner.” He plans to keep writing with a focus on not “becoming too comfortable,” as he puts it, and continuing to improve his writing.

A second book of poems called “Brine,” intended as a follow-up where the “School for Fishermen” characters had left off, is current-ly in the works.

Matos is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a PhD in English. He joined the Truman staff in 2005. He currently teaches English 99, 100, 101, Literature 112 and Interdisciplinary Studies 101 and is an adviser of the Truman College Chess club. ■

“(Being published) doesn’t compare to getting my

PhD, meeting my wife or having my first child, but it’s there,”

- Timothy Carlo Matos. Truman College English

instructor

PAGE 6 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 section - news

Photograph by Chirag Patel

Photograph courtesy of REST

The SGA (Student Government Association) hosted the safety forum in response to the series of security concerns around the Truman College campus last month.

2009 ‘Sleepwalkers’ pause for a photo on the lakefront.

Truman anTicipaTes sGa elecTionsApril elections approachby Oliver HuntNews Editor

by Alyssa VenableStaff Writer

Truman College’s Student Government Association (SGA) intends to

hold elections on April 19-26 despite a current lack of candidates to fill the four executive offices and senator positions.

The four ex-ecutive offices up for election are President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The deadline for fill-ing out applications for student office has been pushed back.

“We had originally set, not a deadline, but a goal for the end of this week (March 26),” says Coordinator of the Student Club Center Maegan Reddick. “But with all the HLC (Higher Learning Commission) stuff,

nobody had time to work on it, so we just put it back to April 8.”

Reddick says that late candidacies are nothing new. “I’m not worried about a lack of candidates,” she said. “It’s always the last minute, everybody’s ‘Oh yeah, I need to get this in.’”

Current SGA President Alice-Gray Lewis has said that her goals during the remainder of her term are twofold. For the outgoing

SGA, she is looking to host more ad-vocacy workshops, in addition

to clarifying the SGA’s role to the student body. She is

also looking to resolve differences between

the Truman’s SGA and district guide-lines for a more solid foundation for the incoming SGA.

“I would like the incoming SGA to continue to build on the en-

ergy of the student body,” Lewis says. “I

would especially like to see the roles of sena-

tors being filled.”Available senator posi-

tions are one for every 500 stu-dents. The senators help to populate

various committees created by the SGA and represent the opinions of the student body.

Lewis said that senator positions had not been filled in many years, and that was one of the goals of the current SGA.

Also according to Lewis, there had been a few senators during the fall semester, but they had dropped off in the spring. “We had about three students that had identified themselves as wanting to be senators,” Lewis said. “But at that time, we had several more positions

available. It’s just a matter of getting students involved.”

Lewis points out that the SGA during her run has met more regularly and has been ac-tive in hosting advocacy workshops and safety forums, including the one following a recent shooting across Truman.

“I feel like we’ve raised some awareness that the SGA even exists,” Lewis said. ■

“I would like the incoming SGA

(Student Government Association) to continue to build on the energy of

the student body,”

- Alice-Gray Lewis,

SGA President

Walk To puT Homelessness To resT

The 15th annual ‘SleepWalk’ will be held by the Residents for Effective Shelter Transitions (REST) to raise funds to

shelter the homeless on Saturday, May 8.The 4-mile walk-a-thon will have team

members aged 8 to eighty following the lake-front trail. Festivities commence at Addison and Lake Shore Drive, with free food and drinks at 10 a.m. and registration beginning an hour earlier. A raffle will include prizes pro-vided by local restaurants such as Ras Dashen Ethiopian on Broadway Ave.

Gail Lawler, REST development coor-dinator, is welcoming pledges and sponsors for this year’s SleepWalk. A small group of Truman College students will participate in the event.

The organization’s mission is to provide emergency shelter and assist homeless adults

who want to transition from homelessness to independent housing. “We invite every-one to walk and be a part of our mission to end homelessness, one person at a time,” Executive Director Kathleen Ahler stated.

REST provides overnight shelter, meals and clothing, in addition to permanent hous-ing options, support programs, case manage-ment, job skills and continued education. The Lawrence facility offers a day center that is available to residents while the shelter is closed. Internship opportunities for college students are also available to young women like Megan O’Gorman from DePaul University, who has spent two semesters working with REST and has become involved in events like this year’s SleepWalk 2010.

The organization’s service to Uptown and the rest of Chicago has been recognized with the Jefferson Award, for its achieve-ment in both local and national community service. It was presented in 2009 to Ahler. Previous recipients of the award include for-

mer President Jimmy Carter, former Supreme Court Judge Sandra Day O’Connor and tele-vision host Oprah Winfrey.

REST has provided a safe haven for the Uptown’s homeless since Chicago’s 1979 bliz-zard. Neighborhood residents had come to-

gether to create the community shelter. REST currently has two Uptown locations, 911 W. Lawrence and 1011 W. Wilson.

To get involved or request information, call REST at (773) 784-0909 or email at info@restweb.org. ■

Local organization serving community for over 30 years

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 - PAGE 7news - section

by Marsha LeonardStaff Writer

Uptown Residents Aim foR tARget JobsTruman opens its doors

The 150 people that crowded into the small Leland Apartments Community Room, some with resume in hand,

learned the ins and outs of finding work at the new Wilson Yards Target on March 23. The much anticipated store, located at Broadway and Sunnyside, is scheduled to open this sum-mer.

Hosted by the Organization of the North East (ONE), a panel of seven was highlight-ed by Alderman Helen Shiller of the 46th Ward, Nancy Kramer, Dean of Continuing Education of Truman College, and Megan Wszalek and Yovi Escorcia, both Human Resource representatives from Target.

Jobs will include cashiers, food vendors, produce people, experienced supervisors and overnight logistics personnel. “Entry level pay is $8 for hourly ‘team members,’ but I’m hop-ing for an $8.25 starting rate here,” Wszalek said. “Target is very flexible with hours for students because we value education.”

According to Angela Clay from ONE, on-line applications will be accepted beginning April 11, and priority will be given to transfer-

ring Target employees.Kramer explained that Truman College

will provide the public with computers to fill out applications, by opening up its Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Lab for the public. The lab is located in Room 2241 and will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. as of April 11.

Applicants will have to go through a back-ground check, drug testing and must be a good match for the “Target culture of fun, fast and friendly,” according to Wszalek. ■

“Target is expecting up to 5000 people to apply for the 250-300 available positions.”

- Megan Wszalek,Target Human Resources

by Marsha Leonard and Johanna GranoblesStaff Writers

stUdent VeteRAns ColleCt gift CARds foR woUnded tRoopsTruman fundraiser provides aid

Truman College’s Veterans United Advocacy Club (VUAC) is collecting gift cards through April 23 for injured

troops recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Cards of any amount may be dropped into designated box-es within the campus outside Rooms 1935, 1561 or 1128.

Cards will be distributed to recovering troops, many of whom are amputees, for pur-chase of electronics and music to aid in their rehabilitation and pain relief.

VUAC hopes to reach their goal of $1000 in gift cards. Ex-Marine Paul Loretto, a current veterans’ assistant and work-study student, explained that they are particularly interested in gift cards from Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy or Circuit City, “because these stores are in-expensive, accessible and located throughout the country.”

The gift card donations are given to Fisher House Foundation located at Walter Reed Medical Center. The Fisher House Foundation is a program that provides help to the United States military beyond the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The foundation provides free housing stays called “comfort homes” to military members and their families during difficult times, such as illness, injury or hospitalization. These homes are located on every major military

and VA medical centers.According to club President Bionca

Clayborne, a former Army clerk, “It’s often difficult to reintegrate into family, school and civilian life.” A current business student and expectant mother, Clayborne helped establish the club in 2008 when she found that the re-sources she needed were not available.

The VUAC is designed to help veterans like Clayborne, reservists and their depen-dants navigate through governmental red tape, address social problems and succeed in school.

With returning troops taking advantage of educational benefits, the club expects to find a growing number of student veterans on any campus.

According to Loretto, “there are 178 ex-military men and women attending Truman this semester.” The VUAC plans to address this need by launching a “Vet-Net” peer group, creating more work study jobs for re-turnees, as well as establishing a larger office.

The VUAC is currently sponsoring infor-mal meetings every first and third Mondays of each month in the Student Club Center (inside the cafeteria), in Room 1561 at 4 p.m., for networking opportunities for veterans and their spouses. The upcoming April 19 “meet and greet” will feature a speaker discussing job reintegration for returnees. ■

PAGE 8 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 section - A & e

Rolling on the flooR with flames and BlazesAnnoyance Theatre’s hot new musical

Staff Writerby Alyssa Venable

An exuberant new musical is running at the Annoyance Theatre through April 30. “Flames and Blazes” is a

comedic collaboration portraying a celebra-tion of New Year’s Eve in the “unburnable” Weissman Hotel in 1929.

The Annoyance Theatre was founded in 1987 on the quirky and comedic ideals of im-provisation and col laborat ion, and “Flames and Blazes” is no ex-ception to this ambition.

In just four weeks, director Dunbar Dicks and his cast wrote the jaunty script and com-posed the mu-sic alongside producer Sean Sykes, who pro-vided live piano accompaniment throughout the show. Their efforts are rewarded with bel-ly laughs and appreciative guffaws as the cast of six keeps the plot rushing forward with en-ergetic performances and laugh out loud song and dance numbers.

Purportedly inflammable and 60 floors in height, the plot’s Weissman Hotel assumes Titanic proportions in the media frenzy that accompanies its grand opening. The ensem-

ble expects viewers to remember the legend-ary fate of the doomed “unsinkable” ves-sel when hotel owner Mr. Weisscastle (Wes Perry) brags confidently about his fireproof architectural feat.

The Weissman luxury hotel is a costly monument of the elusive American Dream, a conceptual promise that dazzles guests and employees alike. The characters are dreamers, clinging to the illusory ladder of societal and capital hierarchy.

Occupying the lower rungs are am-bitious conman Hap (Michael Lacher) and disillusioned German reception-ist Senth (hilarious Mark Logsdun), inventor of the ill-fated hat radio. From the top rungs are Weisscastle and gold digger, Aunt Kitty (Karisa Bruin), while clinging to the precarious middle

of the ladder are unknown actor Thomas Hanks (Adam Schwartz) and Kitty’s niece, in-exhaustibly awe-struck Abeline Butter from Iowa, who dreams of nothing more than sell-ing perfume at Marshall Fields (a charming performance by Sarah Fineout).

The characters believe that the VIP status on the top floor of the unsinkable vessel not only secures them a coveted position in soci-ety, but also makes death “statistically impos-

“Hiss hiss, crackle crackle, pop pop, whoa! Thank you for coming

to our show!”

- Flames and Blazes signature song

Staff Writerby Andrew Dahl

Comedy show nets sCholaRship fundsProgram supports bilingual instruction

The Transitional Bilingual Learning Community (TBLC) will host a comedy show fundraiser in the O’Rourke Theater titled, “Fajitas and Greens and All

in Betweens,” on Thursday, April 15 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. All proceeds will go towards TBLC scholarship funds.

The comedy show will feature four comedians, Joey Villagomez, Ken Garr, Marcey Deloney and Lucky Luciano, with a special guest, Poet Isael.

Show up and “laugh a little, or a lot,” says associate profes-sor and TBLC Chairperson, Helen Valdez.

Scholarship funding was reduced in Fall 2009, cutting the hours covered from a student’s full semester enrollment to 12 credit hours. Facing the potential of more reductions this year, TBLC is working to raise money, supplement scholar-ship funds.

Each year, at least 75 percent of TBLC students are given the Harold Washington Scholarship, without which they may not be able to afford school costs, according to program coor-dinator Carlos Martín-Llamazares.

Students come from a variety of backgrounds, but wheth-

er it is growing up in Chicago speaking only Spanish or hav-ing recently emigrated from Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador or Peru, there is an emphasis on learning together.

Currently in its eighth year, the TBLC provides a two-semester program which places one “cohort” of bilingual Spanish-speaking students together in a blocked schedule, at-tending three classes for three days a week.

The program teaches students skills which are necessary to succeed at college level and beyond, focusing on English, math, social sciences and college transition.

The O’Rourke Theater is located at 1145 W. Wilson Ave. Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 in advance, and can be pur-chased from Carlos Martín-Llamazares, Madeliene Troche-Rodriguez or on the TBLC website at www.trumancollege.com/tblc. ■

sible.” While performers await rescue from the zenith, their “hydrogen hero,” the audi-ence can practically see the American flags flapping from the ramparts.

I kept chuckling throughout premiere night, as characters gulp champagne, form tenuous alliances and appeal to blind opti-mism, while ignoring the smoldering evidence that the Dream is going up in smoke.

From an inflammable beginning right down to the scorching finale number, this per-

formance is true entertainment that left me humming the signature song for days: “Hiss hiss, crackle crackle, pop pop, whoa! Thank you for coming to our show!”

For show times and information about the Annoyance Theatre, check out their custom-er-friendly website www.annoyanceproduc-tions.com, which provide updates on show information and daily drink specials.

The Annoyance Theatre is located at 4810 N. Broadway Ave. ■

- Review -

Photograph by Alberto Martinez A scene from Flames and Blazes.

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 - PAGE 9a & e - section

Big Beautiful Dreams aBounDTruman to host Illinois State Miss Plus America Pageant

A & E Editorby Andrew Murray

Thumbing their noses at mainstream beauty, delegates of the 2010 Illinois State Miss Plus America

Pageant will strut their curves in Truman College on Saturday, May 8. In its second year, the pageant promotes positive self-esteem, confidence and camaraderie among entrants, according to pageant director Juri Jones-Moore.

Jones-Moore, also Project Manager at Truman College, started the Illinois pageant last year after seeing the positive im-pact Miss Plus America contests had for state contestants. She wanted to bring that to the women of Illinois and say that the event’s primary message is that women are “beautiful, no matter what size.”

Contestants compete in various categories, including an on-stage interview, evening gown expo and talent performance. “We have some amazing women in the pageant,” Jones-Moore said. “They sing, they dance… they’re very special.”

Melissa Stamper envisioned the na-tional concept in 1998 and made it reality in 2003. When asked about the reasoning

behind founding the Miss Plus America Pageant, Stamper

pointed to what she de-scribes as, “excessive

reporting on the obese by the me-dia today.” She notes that self-esteem among obese women is at an all-time low and the constant fight

against blanket d i scr iminat ion

can be taxing.Stamper said she

is routinely asked, “How can you justify having a pag-

eant that promotes obesity?” She responds by saying, “I suspect that if any overweight woman could snap her fingers and become a healthy size five, she would do it. But she can’t. Contrary to popular be-

lief, the word ‘obese’ does not equal the word ‘lazy’, and I refuse to hide in a closet because society says I am not acceptable to experience all life has to offer because of my size.”

Another focus of the organization is the pro-motion of community service through volun-teering. Each delegate is required to represent a charitable organization of her choice, which can range from PETA to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The crown gives the women an avenue from which to promote

“Contrary to popular belief, the

word ‘obese’ does not equal the word ‘lazy’. . .”

- Melissa Stamper,Miss Plus America founder

and director

charities that are close to their heart.State winners will go on to compete against plus-size win-

ners from other states in the Miss Plus America Pageant to be held from July 13 to 17 in Monroe, La., this summer. ■

Flyers courtesy of Illinois State Miss Plus America Pageant

PAGE 10 - UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 section - a & e

Staff Writerby Jessica Zaehringer

A & E Editorby Andrew Murray

April Must-HAves ‘tAste of lAtin AMericA’ returns to truMAnFlavorful fundraiser provides scholarships

Imagine the warm feel and aroma of pupusas stuffed with chopped pork and cheese. Become immersed in the scent of cooked chicken, garlic and tomatoes, lazily

drifting from a tray of arroz con pollo. If your mouth is be-ginning to water, then visit “A Taste of Latin America” that the Latinos United For Education (LUFE) club will host in Truman College’s front lobby on Wednesday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Local restaurants representing various countries will be on hand to serve an array of dishes, ranging in price from $3 to

$8, according to LUFE President Daisy Contreras. The yearly event raises money for scholarships that are awarded to stu-dents in need.

“LUFE gives out a yearly scholarship to students who do not qualify for financial aid, whatever the reason,” said Contreras. “The past events have been very successful. For the 2009 event, we were able to raise $500 (for two students.)”

The event gives students a chance to try different foods that may be new to them. Past years have included cuisine from countries such as Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico and Guatemala.

While the event is a way to promote Hispanic cultural di-versity, Contreras hopes to build on last year’s success. “This year we hope to raise double the amount.”

LUFE sponsor and adviser, Carlos Martín-Llamazares will be on hand to remind students of Spain’s influence in Latin American cuisine. “I will be representing my own country, Spain, with Tortilla Española.” The dish is a traditional egg dish consisting of an omelette with fried potatoes. ■

1. Umbrella“April showers bring May flowers”

is a popular saying around this time of year. This month will bring a lot of rain, which means that you must buy yourself an umbrella. Dare to be different and buy a fun umbrel-la with artwork on it. How about a day spent buying an umbrella

replicated with Leonardo DaVinci’s art at the Michigan Ave Art Institute? Sounds like an amazing spring day to me!

2. Rain BootsYes, rain boots. . . also known as galosh-

es. If it is not presently raining, you should still have these boots on. Be ready for the jealousy that people who are obnoxiously trying to avoid puddles will feel when you

are zooming right past them.

3. “The Very Best of Prince”This “best of ” album came

out in 2001, but I dig old school and this one takes me back. This album makes me want to jump up and down and swing my arms. . . and I cannot even dance. With songs like “1999,” “Let’s Go Crazy” and “Little Red Corvette,” you cannot help but want to blast

this through your speakers while walking or even driving in the rain. Yes, “Purple Rain” is also one of the 17 songs on this album.

4. Yellow ShirtStop hibernating and

come outside! My personal fashion goal for this month is to dress like a flower. By this, I mean that I long to wear bright colorful cloth-ing. A yellow shirt will help brighten up your wardrobe. My favorite outfit for the month of April is green straight-legged pants, a yel-

low T-shirt (obviously) topped with a red knit cap. The outfit is my best impression of a flower, and I am hoping that this means that I will start to grow taller when it rains. Hey, a short person can only hope, right?

5. Cubs/White Sox GearWhether you are a Cubs or

a Sox fan, get your gear and get ready to rumble at the start of a brand new baseball season. With Chicago’s subpar seasons of football and basketball, it seems that most Chicagoans are now ready to root for ei-ther the White Sox or the Cubs. That’s right, Chicago has two baseball teams. One of the

teams won the World Series as recent as 2005, while the other has not in more than a century. For some reason, Chicago still has baseball love no matter how long it takes their favorite team to start winning. The first Cubs home game is on April 12 and the first White Sox is on April 5. Whether or not you bought tickets to any of the April games, bring your A-game and get your Chicago baseball swag on. ■

UPTOWN EXCHANGE - APril / 2010 - PAGE 11A & E - sEction

ACROSS

DOWN1. Diamond in the rough2. America’s favorite past time3. Three Sisters and The Seagull6. before summer vacation7. shoes with wheels9. refused to move to the back of the bus10. underpass13. the event where naked men used to race19. check the days off20. subjects of the Queen21. New Orleans; Fat Tuesday22. The only group in which every member has composed more than one chart-topping single23. art of transmuting metals26. four amphibians named after Italian artists27. gigantic vacuum28. online auction29. insects with ultraviolet vision31. Citizen Kane33. time teller35. free online WORD software37. Playstation 339. a rodent that can also be attached to a computer41. organ shaped bean45. December 8, 1941

2. “La Comedie humaine”4. Last Egyptian pharaoh5. hovers on a cushion of air8. mini notebook11. Lightning never strikes____12. frequency and sound14. Italians adopted this from Asia15. son of Daedalus16. combining two or more things to be unifiedintoone17. to trade18. eating healthy24. word puzzle

25. tragicflaw27. Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall in 1980’s horror classic30. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash sported this hairstyle in the 50’s32. derived from the German city of Hamburg34. Dave Thomas36. your POV

CrossWordCreated by Karl Dingle

38. Paint it Black40. engagement42. mobile communicator43. pointing directly “above” a particular location44. oldest media46. moisturizes the body47. “Lord of the Flies”48. universal solvent

Answers from mArch:

Photo courtesy of Flames & Blazes

Photo courtesy of Scott Goldberg

Photo courtesy of 30 Seconds To Mars

April HigHligHts

«April 12 - 23»

«April 15»

«April 22 – 30»

«April 21»

«April 19 - 30»

«April»

«April 10 - 11» «April 16»

Director Dunbar Dicks and his cast perform their quirky new musical, ‘Flames & Blazes,’ until the end of the month. See A&E section for a full review.

Milwaukee based Lorn, a member of Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder collective, highlights a night of dubstep/electronic/IDM at the Kinetic Playground. Watch out for his new album to be released June 8 on Brainfeeder.

Lorn @ The Kinetic Playground, 9p.m. $10 adv., $15 door

Flames & Blazes @ The Annoyance Theatre, Fridays, 8p.m. $15

Photo courtesy of Pamela Littky

Photo courtesy of Diana Nitschke

23-year-old Minnesotan Adam Young, aka Owl City, stops by the Aragon for a night, fresh on the heels of his new album “Ocean Eyes.” Tickets for this are going fast!

This English quartet is a tough one to categorize. Some say psy-chedelic rock, some say progressive rock. Maybe a little of both? Check them out at the Riviera on Friday night.

Owl City @ The Aragon Ballroom, 7p.m. $17.95

Porcupine Tree @ The Riviera, 7:30p.m. $32

Exhibition of artwork by students from CCC campuses.

TBLC hosts comedy show fundraiser. See A&E section for more information.

Truman Leadership Council hosts week-long event to promote leadership skills and the im-pact individuals have on the planet, as well as to provide resources related to sustainable liv-ing with food, habitat and lifestyle. Local or-ganizations will be on hand to host various environmental workshops and Q&A sessions with students.

LUFE club hosts Latin American food fund-raiser. See A&E section for more informa-tion.

SGA will hold elections on weekdays during this two week period. Make your voice heard, get out there and vote! See Editorial section for more information.

CCC District Wide Student Art Exhibition @ Truman Front Lobby, 12p.m. - 8p.m.

Fajitas & Greens and All In Betweens @ O’Rourke Theatre, 7p.m. - 9p.m.

Truman College’s Fourth Annual Student Leadership Conference: “Being a Catalyst for Change in Your Enviroment”

A Taste of Latin America @ Truman Front Lobby, 10a.m. - 6p.m.

Student Government Association Elections

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and his super-group – which features Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, producer Nigel Godrich, Beck drummer Joey Waronker and percussionist Mauro Refosco – play what should be two unforgettable shows.

Actor Jared Leto fronts the Los Angeles based rock band as they roll into Chicago on one of many stops on their world tour.

Atoms For Peace @ The Aragon Ballroom, 6:30p.m. $50

30 Seconds To Mars @ Aragon Ballroom, 6p.m. $28.50

M u s i c Truman College

T h e a t r e

Photo courtesy of Nathan Osterhaus

«April 10»

«April 30»