Mesa Legend - ARCHIVES - Volume 38, Issue 14


Volume 38, Issue 14. Today is .

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Volume 38, Issue 14.
May 8, 2001

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Year in review and a look ahead

LEGEND'S VIEW
MESA LEGEND
Submitted May 8, 2001

This school year was full of ups and downs, twist and turns that prove true that reality can be more bizarre than fiction.

Starting off with the unexpected, in early August it was made known that MCC student Jeramy Kerr was involved in bizarre master slave sex relationships with former dermatologist Bruce O'Dell.

The two met on campus in an agriculture class.

This incident and others like it have created a push for college safety and awareness programs like "The Megan Law" which require identification of sex offenders on campus.

A policy like the "The Megan Law" may have prevented O'Dell from carrying out his demented plan and could make college campuses safer in the future.

Politics on campus also had its share of unexpected convolution as Fabricio Rodriguez, vice president of student government, was denied payment, for his efforts in fulfilling his obligations, due to a political conflict.

Rodriquez affiliated himself with the Communist Party and refused to sign documents declaring his loyalty to capitalist ideals.

The college district has thrown out the old policy and now allow students to serve without declaring oaths contrary to their believes.

Toward the end of October of 2000 Bruce Dickson, MCC's business manger, was arrested on charges of stalking a 14-year-old girl who lived in Dummerston Vt. via the internet.

Dickson, 44, has currently filed for dismissal of three felony charges–one of aggravated stalking and two of unlawful restraint.

This was also a turbulent year on the largest political scale in the country.

A new president was chosen to fill the shoes of Bill Clinton, in the election race that will change voter turn out forever.

Voter apathy has been justified with the, "My vote doesn't count" attitude.

For the next election those listless voters will have to come up with a better excuse to fight off the rebuttle argument of, "But, remember what happened last time."

On the lighter side, this school’s campus went though a few changes of its own.

Coca-Cola dispensers are no longer at MCC.

In their place Pepsi is providing a cool refreshing escape from the heat with their vendors.

And MCC continues to become a cooler place with the patio expansion of the Kirk Center.

Adding a $45,000 awning to the outdoor patio south of the advisement and transfer center.

The new patio, when completed will soon have a misting and heating system.

It should be a nice place to enjoy a frosty Pepsi product.

Most recently we have seen the remodeling of our advisement and transfer center.

Bringing the infamous idea of "one stop service" to MCC.

Computerized sign-in and beepers will give us the freedom to leave while waiting to see an adviser.

Then we have Joe Arpaio, the most popular law enforcement figure since Wyatt Earp, who managed to work his way into the campus conversations.

MCC student Anthony David Chos, stalked and threatened the life of the notorious Arpaio and threatened to rape a television reporter as well, if he wasn’t given publicity.

His efforts were headed up from the library on campus.

Tuition was raised again this year.

Two dollars per credit will be added to the already long list of bills for students to pay-off.

We may be headed for another two dollar increase next year as well.

Last year, tuition was raised one dollar per credit hour and the year before that tuition was raised one dollar.

It is a trend seemingly has no end in sight.

Community college prices could increase more than fifty dollars per unit and still be under university prices.

This year was a whirlwind of events and next year will have its due share of goings on.

Only next year another community college campus will be joining us in the academic race for excellence.

The Red Mountain campus will officially open for fall classes.

Hopefully they have learned as much as we have from this year and can avoid obstacles in future an promote progress as MCC.