Frenchie Davis stars as Mahalia Jackson at the Hartford Stage Company
by C.C. Cash
On August 16, RadioCSN personality C.C. Cash caught up with Frenchie Davis, star of Hartford Stage's production of "Mahalia," a moving tribute to Mahalia Jackson, the Queen of Gospel Music. Listen to C.C.'s interview
(photo by Richard Termine, courtesy of Hartford Stage)
RadioCSN Meeting
Are you interested in bringing a radio station experience to Capital Community College? Join the organizational meeting for RadioCSN, a new branch of Capital Student News. The meeting will be held Friday, May 11 at 2:00pm in the TV Studio, room 1027 at the College.
Making Women Visible Day
By Paul Brightly
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) hosted Making Women Visible Day on January 24, 2007. Connecticut’s Legislative Office Building (LOB) on Capitol Avenue in Hartford housed the day-long event with women of all ages in attendance. There were many workshops, games, and discussions all focused on women.
The PCSW completed a survey of teenage girls and boys aged 14-17 years old. They released their data during Making Women Visible Day. The poll was facilitated by the University of Connecticut and was designed to research the feelings and challenges of Connecticut’s teens.
According to the poll’s findings, Connecticut teens seem to be optimistic about their futures – both their educations and family lives. 95% of teens polled believed that they will finish high school and find employment. The teens believed that gender equality correlates with opportunity and skill. 80% of these teens agreed that girls and boys are equally good in mathematics and science. 91% of the teens said that men and women are equally qualified to be president and 100% believed that men and women should receive equal pay for the same job.
The survey also found that teens feel adults play a significant role in their lives. 285 of them believed spending quality time with a parent or another adult would improve their lives. Another 41% felt that more time with adults would improve their lives slightly.
During the day-long event, the PCSW announced the winners of a 9th grade essay contest which was hosted by the Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP). The question students wrote about was “What would it be like to have a woman president of the United States?”.
Women in Action” was the name of one workshop. It consisted of leaders who are all young women that devote their energy and careers to helping women live better lives.
Another workshop, “It’s All in How You Logo”, asked girls to research work done by organizations in other countries. The researched organizations all focus on helping women and children. The girls used their research conclusions to develop logos and mini public relations campaigns which could be used to market for those organizations.
“Girl Grant Maker”, presented by the Coast Guard Cadets (CGC), gave youngsters an imaginary $45,000. The participants had to decide which international women’s organizations to delegate their funds to, while getting a sense of the real world of grant making.
Making Women Visible Day seemed to be a success for everyone involved. There was a considerable turnout of women and girls flooding the LOB. The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women staged day’s positive workshops aimed at aiding the continued struggle for gender equality in Connecticut.
Capital Staff Hold All-College Meeting
By Lillie Lavado
Students – ever heard of the All College Meeting? Neither had I!! The All College Meeting is a monthly gathering of CCC staff to discuss issues regarding the college and the students. During these meetings, the most recent of which occurred on April 5, the bi-annual CCSSE (Community College Student Survey of Engagement) results were reported by the Director of Institutional Research at Capital, Jenny Wang. CCSSE asks both faculty and students to answer confidential questions about the quality of their college experience. The answers are calculated nationally and locally to compare the respective institutions’ standings. Another issue of the meeting was ratifying the College Senate By-Laws. The constitution’s language was debated by everyone in the auditorium. And, Phi Theta Kappa’s president and Co-presidents presented Dr. Calvin Woodland presented awards for PTK's growth from a one-star chapter to a five-star chapter... all in the span of one semester!
Through the Eyes of Children
By Lillie Lavado
Through the Eyes of Children is a special art exhibit hosted by the Early Childhood Education program and CCC’s Lab School, who sponsored these artists, all of whom are… small children. Their art work, which includes paintings and sculptures, are on display in the Conrad Mallet, Junior Galleries. These galleries are located in Capital’s Main Lobby, on the first floor, near the Main street entrances.
Walk Against Hunger
By Lillie Lavado
Food share’s annual Walk Against Hunger is marching back into Hartford. This is the 24th annual Go at raising food to feed 100,000 hungry people in Greater Hartford. Individuals walk against hunger in teams, with colleagues, or individually. Find out more at www.foodshare.org
Give the Gift of Sight
By Lillie Lavado
Give the Gift of Sight, donate old prescription glasses. Last year this drive afforded 12,000 Hartford School children eye examinations and more than 2,000 were given free glasses, according to Emma Colon of CCC. The Give the Gift of Sight mission will be on campus from May 7 through May 18. Keep your eyes peeled!
Guest Speaker in Mathematics
By Lillie Lavado
Achieving Your Dream? Well, the Achieving the Dream program can assist. They are sponsoring a free seminar. Doctor Abdul alim Shabazz will be speaking in Centinel Hill Hall, the College auditorium on the 11th floor, on Thursday, April 26 at 3 pm. The topic is Strategies for Building Humanistic Learning, and, Effective Teaching for Students in Mathematics.
Scholarships Available!
By Lillie Lavado
The Human Relations Commission is offering four, $250.00 scholarships to Capital students! Applicants must follow the requirements outlined on the application. Pick up information for this scholarship, and find out about more scholarship opportunities, on the second floor at the Financial Aid window.
An Introduction to Capital's Newest Club: Students for a Democratic Society
by Matt Laughlin
Today’s crises reflect a central lack of democracy in our day-to-day. More now than ever in the modern era, we lack control over the decisions which shape our world and our lives. We find ourselves in a destructive and useless war which we opposed in the majority long before it began. Many are saturated by wealth, while nearby, millions are caught in a cycle of poverty and subjected to crime, disease and natural disaster. What does it say about our nation’s priorities when we allow thousands of our most poor and oppressed people to drown in the floodwaters of the Gulf Coast? Surely this is not a nation where we, the people are responsible for such mistakes. Why on earth would we, the poor and working class majority subject ourselves to such horrors. To be sure, it must be the fault of those who have a direct say in our nation’s affairs – those who have the most wealth in our society.
Over 30 years ago, America was reeling from the tragedy of Vietnam, and we said, “Never again.” What changed? Did we all consciously decide it was time to give it another go? If not, then why do we find ourselves here once more? The only possible explanation can be that we no longer have as great a voice in these decisions as we would need in order to avoid such changes in direction.
So what happened?
Civic institutions such as community groups, labor unions, community churches, student unions and local political organizations have all taken major hits in funding and membership in recent decades. These grassroots bodies form the basis through which regular people effectively influence the government by exercising their strength in numbers and putting their collective pressure on those in high places of power.
A call was put out on May 22 that convoys from the Army's first Stryker Brigade Combat Team stationed at
The first day of protests saw a few dozen people come out in the streets. Four resisters from
Almost every day a meeting was held to discuss direct action, tactics and media. Usually, attendance at the meeting numbered at thirty or forty and the meetings were conducted in a genuinely participatory and democratic way. Affinity groups were formed at meetings, tactics were discussed and strategies and potential outcomes were covered at length. A group calling itself Port Militarization Resistance was established to articulate the aims of the resistance and create a resolutely anti-imperialist and internationalist response to the port's militarization. A diversity of tactics were developed at these meetings and later materialized, along with more spontaneous events, in the streets. Some of the tactics of protest included flyering, banner dropping, critical mass,[mass bike rides to block traffic] establishing tent cities and rendezvous points, vigils, blockades, marches, community outreach and maintaining a 24/7 watch on the port.
As the democratic fervor of the meetings increased so too did police surveillance. A house that became defacto headquarters for a while was the target of around the clock police and Coast Guard mobile K9 Unit surveillance. Resisters were followed by pigs to and from the house and a number of resisters were confronted by undercovers on the street who made futile attempts to extract information from them. A painfully obvious undercover federal agent was spotted at the port later in the week, no doubt recording our conversations.
The next large wave of arrests came on Wednesday May 24th. Human chains were propped up on the main road leading to the port entrance. After halting the convoy for quite some time, nine people, including two SDSers, in the first human chain were arrested and carted off to jail. A second human chain ran to the entrance of the port when the convoy made a detour. The detour occurred because Ultimate Fighter [UFC] and anarchist Jeff "The Snowman" Monson refused to move; and the pigs, not surprisingly, refused to move him. The second human chain was created by people linking arms through PVC pipes.
SDS has risen up to advocate for student syndicalism [unionism] and a radical vision of a democratic university, and built an impressive coalition in the process. The SDS free speech demonstration on Friday, Feb 2nd, was attended not just by activists, but students most activists groups wouldn’t think to try to organize – including athletes and Frat boys.
I was invited to come to OU in
We woke the morning of the demo to a new blanket of snow coating the campus. It was beautiful. We met in a nearby coffee shop early to tie up loose ends. Somehow a PBS news crew found us an hour early and interviewed Olivia and Sarah.
The snow was falling as students gathered around the civil war monument – an area NOT in a free speech zone. A student read the plaque outside the monument - one that discussed liberties that we’re supposed to have in this country, and about 150 students gathered around the SDS banner hanging from the monument.
Initially, energy seemed low. Some folks didn’t even want to chant. I soon realized this was a good thing; about 90% of the people there had likely never been to a demonstration before. Despite the lack of racial diversity, in other respects the diversity of students there was staggering. SDS managed to mobilize a wide cross section of campus, including students with a wide range of interests and backgrounds - people who would have never come out to a demonstration if it weren’t for Athens SDS’ strategy to simply be relevant.
After the president of the Graduate Student Union spoke, Will Klatt gave a speech about the corporatization of our universities.I was also invited to speak about Free Speech Zones…After which I convinced folks that chanting can be fun and it doesn’t make you a hippy.
Rosemary Esch announced SDS’ demands on the administration…And Dylan spoke about SDS being inspired by Malcolm X and organizing students AS students. People were fired up and marched to the president’s office. Energy was high, people were dancing and chanting and whoopin’ and hollerin’. We reached the chief of police and demanded entrance...And got it.
The cop actually turned out to be a pretty nice guy. Most of his background in stopping “civil disturbance” had been shutting down KKK rallies, so he seemed pretty down that we were actually trying to do something positive. Always important to remember to try to get inside the head of the police if you confront them - on campuses at least, they usually just don’t want to look bad in front of their bosses. If you can challenge their power and authority and get what you want, while still making it so they can play it off to their superior like they had control over the situation, then not only do you win and alter the power dynamics, but you usually eliminate the chance of arrest.
When we found out the president was in hiding, we decided to have a spokescouncil to see what to do next. [Spokesouncils are large meetings representing large numbers of people, utilizing democratic mechanisms, such as the instant recall of representatives by those they are representing in order to keep them accountable to the majority]
Strategically, it was useful for a lot of reasons. Not only did we want to democratically decide what to do next, but it helped all the participants in the demo - people with very different backgrounds and experience levels in activism - feel ownership over the march. Part of the strategy of the demo was to engage and activate people as much as possible. It worked (I’ll explain how in a minute).
We decided to march to a meeting of Vision
We danced…And went inside the new student building and shook things up…And tracked down the Dean.
A student issued the demands…And he pinkey-swore Sarah that they would be responded to by the president before the deadline that SDS issued.
Afterwards we found out where the Vision
…
At the end, we pushed that idea even further. We announced that we were going to have a strategy session workshop, and it wasn’t just for SDS - everyone was invited to come shape SDS’ strategy. If SDS is supposed to be building a student movement, their vision and strategy has gotta be shaped by real students, not just a small section of them. We wanted it as participatory as possible.
I was asked to facilitate the training/workshop. Some of the best ideas came from people who had not only never thought strategically before, but had never thought about activism period before. In the session we identified clear concepts about what it means to strategize campaigns – differentiated between campaigning for change or simply protesting it, between specific goals, broader vision, and the difference between being guided by a strategy rather than a random assortment of tactics. We identified power holders in the administration, how they were related to other power holders, what their points of weakness were, and how to leverage our own power to target them. We identified what the different kinds of tactics are, how to build and escalate them, and brainstormed on how to use them to connect with allies, be accountable to other students and student groups, build power, and win concrete victories each step of the way.
Perhaps more than any other national organization today, SDS is doing the hard work of building a new society. We have 245 chapters at the high school, college and community levels, 2000 members and a wealth of knowledge from this generation and generations past.
CSN Spring 2007 Webcast Schedule
The CSN-Capital Student News organization announced its Spring 2007 schedule of four, half-hour webcasts originating live from the TV Studio at Capital Community College in Hartford. The webcasts mark the second season for CSN, which premiered on Hartford Public Access television in December 2005.
CSN editor Lillie Lavado and lead advisor Jennifer L. Thomassen said that the CSN TV program will continue on that channel, but that the webcast feature will allow students to engage in a real-time, live production available to a worldwide audience via the Internet.
CSN will air the live webcasts on certain Fridays at 3:00pm Eastern (US) Time:
- February 2
- March 2
- April 13
- May 4
To view the live webcast and/or archived CSN episodes, visit http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/media/csn. The webcasts are presented in RealPlayer format.
Common Ground Collective needs N.O. Volunteers
By Lillie Lavado
If you are searching for something meaningful to do this season, why not help Katrina victims of New Orleans? The Common Ground Collective is non-for-profit community based organization with a huge percentage of their staff being volunteers. If you can make to New Orleans to donate some time they will house and feed you for free for any duration. If that is too extravagant, you can hold a variety of fundraisers for items they have listed on their website, www dot common ground collective dot org. John, an honorary member of CSN is currently volunteering with Common Ground and sent us an email about the spanse of need people from the poorer sections of town need. Here is an excerpt :
‘New Orleans is crazy, you won't hear about what's really going on down here any where. No news organization would touch these stories, the battle of New Orleans is about so much more than disaster relief. The government and property owners are closing down low income housing in minority areas that don't have any safety or health issues. These are buildings that barely flooded but are condemned for the profit they'll make by not being designated for low income families. Our organization has rehabilitated one of these projects and moved a hundred families in, opened a community center and negotiated buying rights. Then another so called humanitarian organization came in and bought it out from under us, now those families have until the fourth of January to move out.’
This our country, your country, and that requires us to help others when they are in need. Here is that organization’s email address one more time. www.commongroundcollective.org.
Prof. Thornton to receive Student Retention & Success Award
By Lillie Lavado
Mary Jean Thornton, a Professor in the Business & Technology department, was selected as the winning entry in the Student Retention & Success category of the 18th Exemplary Initiatives Competition by The National Council of Instructional Administrators (NCIA). The NCIA is a professional organization affiliated with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the award recognizes outstanding ways to enhance the quality of education provided at two-year institutions in the United States. Mary Jean Thornton will receive the award and make a 30 minute presentation at a Celebration Breakfast on April 17th. The breakfast is part of the NCIA's Instructional Leadership Academy that will take place in Tampa, Florida, immediately prior to the AACC convention.
November 17 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, November 17, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
Mainstream Media Exaggerate Reports of Vandalism
By Lillie Lavado
On Friday, November 10th, WFSB channel 3 in Hartford reported that there was “a Sniper” at Capital Community College who shot at security guards on two separate occasions. This erroneous report resulted in tons of fearful students, parents, and downtown employees, many of whom did not enter the school that day.
What actually happened was that Capital Community College personnel discovered shattered windows on the 8th and 10th floors of the building. The Campus Department of Public Safety has determined that the damage occurred between the hours of 11:30 P.M. Wednesday and 6:00 A.M. Thursday, while the college was closed. There were no injuries and the projectiles did not penetrate the Plexiglas windows on the front of the building, the Main Street side. The college was not specifically targeted, and just happened by chance to be hit twice by a person that was reported to have fired several shots into the air, according to Master Sergeant James Griffin from CCC.
A suspect was detained following the gunshots and initially held on a $100,000 bond. A handgun was found with the suspect that matched the bullets’ caliber but we have no word on whether the bullets matched the gun. CSN was present while a WFSB reporter interviewed John McNamara, Director of Development, in front of one of the shattered windows while Academic Dean Mary Ann Affleck looked on and corrected the erroneous WFSB report.
iPods and the Radio Business
Mass Communication students at Capital were asked the following question: "How do you think iPods and other personal music players are affecting the radio business?" Here are some of their responses. Add yours! Submitted by Steven Minkler, CSN Advisor/Mass Communication instructor
U.S. Senate Hopefuls Visit Capital
All three major candidates for Connecticut's U.S. Senate seat visited Capital students while on the campaign trail. Incumbent Joseph Lieberman (running as an Independent), Democrat Ned Lamont, and Republican Alan Schlesinger participated in college courses and in the Lunchtime Lecture Series on campus.
3rd Annual Latinas & Power Symposium
By Shirley Navarro
Being at the Convention Center for the Latinas and Power Symposium event was a wonderful experience. It was also an honor to be a part of this unique and inspirational experience, not only for me, but for every latina woman there. I started shivering when i saw the courage, determination, and passionate motivation these women have to help others succeed in life by using themselves as examples.
Women like Marilyn Alverio, Consuelo Castillo and Carmen Sierra among others are no different from the Latinas in our community, they just followed their dream and fought for this believes. Myself, being a part of this community, encourage every Latina to take a risk. The opportunity is out there, and is only our decision to make a change in our lives or not.!!!!"
Even CCC was present to represent our 28 percent Latin student population. For Capital student news, this is Shirley Navarro.
October 27 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, October 27, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
September 29 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, September 29, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
CSN Fall 2006 Webcast Schedule
The CSN-Capital Student News organization announced its Fall 2006 schedule of four, half-hour webcasts originating live from the TV Studio at Capital Community College in Hartford. The webcasts mark the second season for CSN, which premiered on Hartford Public Access television in December 2005.
CSN editor Lillie Lavado and lead advisor Jennifer L. Thomassen said that the CSN TV program will continue on that channel, but that the webcast feature will allow students to engage in a real-time, live production available to a worldwide audience via the Internet.
CSN will air the live webcasts on certain Fridays at 2:30pm Eastern (US) Time:
- September 29
- October 27
- November 17
- December 15
To view the live webcast and/or archived CSN episodes, visit http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/media/csn. The webcasts are presented in RealPlayer format.
May 12 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, May 12, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
State Responds to Rising Textbook Costs
Do you have sticker shock every time you visit your college bookstore? Are the costs of your books pricing you out of school? The Connecticut Board of Governors for Higher Education may agree with you.
In a report issued in January 2006, the Board made the following recommendations that all Connecticut colleges and universities should follow:
How do you feel about this issue? Please post a comment. Thanks!
April 21 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, April 21, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
Capital and UConn Sign Business & Technology Articulation
By Jane Bronfman, Capital Director of Information and Marketing
Capital Community College (CCC) students interested in earning a bachelor’s degree in business from the top-ranked public university in New England – while remaining in Greater Hartford – can now do just that thanks to a business program articulation agreement recently developed between Capital and the University of Connecticut.
On Friday, March 24, Capital Community College will sign an agreement with the University of Connecticut that permits CCC graduates with an associate degree in business management to transfer as first-semester juniors to the UConn School of Business in West Hartford, or the university’s other regional campuses in Stamford and Waterbury. Core courses are also available in Torrington. Without this formal agreement between colleges, students who transfer to another school often lose credits that aren’t recognized by the accepting institution.
“This agreement is so exciting,” said Joan Marchessault, Capital’s Business & Technology Department Chair. “It provides Capital students with an excellent opportunity to make a smooth transition from their associate to bachelor’s degree.”
The Business & Technology Transfer Pathway Program builds upon a Connecticut Community College system wide agreement signed 1 & 1/2 years ago. This agreement is the latest articulation agreement for bachelor’s degrees between CCC and UConn, including others such as Liberal Arts & Sciences, Urban Studies and Science.
“This agreement is a significant opportunity for our students,” said Capital President Calvin E. Woodland. “Those who cannot afford to go to UConn for four years will now have access to a UConn business degree and all of the prospects that open up for them as a result of it.”
The primary goals of the Transfer Pathway Program are to promote and enhance a thorough foundation in the field without compromising the academic integrity of either institution’s educational program, and to facilitate a smooth transition for students who wish to earn a baccalaureate or higher degree. This agreement will foster regular, continuing communication and sharing of information between Capital and UConn, including joint advising of students and joint meetings of faculty and administration.
“We are extremely pleased to formalize this agreement to facilitate the transfer of Capital Community College students into the UConn’s Business and Technology major – it further solidifies our long-standing commitment to encouraging students’ achievement of a baccalaureate degree in business,” said Dr. William C. (Curt) Hunter, Dean of the UConn School of Business.
“A seamless transition from Capital Community College to the Business and Technology major at UConn is immensely valuable to our community, our respective institutions and most importantly, to our students,” adds Dr. Edna McBreen, Associate Vice Provost for UConn Tri-Campus. “The development of the agreement has brought faculty from Capital and UConn together to plan programs, and the relationships that have developed will ensure that students are well advised throughout their degree programs.”
March 3 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, March 3, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
February 3 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, February 3, 2006. Post your comments about the show!
December 16 TV Webcast
Click here to watch the webcast from Friday, December 16, 2005. Post your comments about the show!
