Welcome to Fall Semester 2010! Another semester comes with new students, old students, and transfer students who’ve al-

ready begun their college careers, well on their way to obtaining degrees, certificates, and

diplomas. Richmond Community College offers some of the best learning environments for all

types of learners—visual, auditory, tactile-kinesthetic, and those tech-savvy and in need of

technology supplements. Every student at RCC has the exclusive opportunity to become suc-

cessful, regardless of previous education or needed accommodations. Don’t forget to take

advantage of every opportunity available to you. Some of these services include free tutoring

offered for students needing additional help in many common curriculum subjects. Open com-

puter labs offer every student a chance to conduct online research, when necessary, and even

to print assignments. RCC has three open labs, one in the Dewitt Computer Sciences Building

and two in the Conder Learning Resources Center. Study rooms offer students who prefer

learning in a group a chance to excel. Located in the library (within the Conder Learning Re-

sources Center), our study rooms can comfortably seat a four or five member study group.

Writing and Math Labs are new on campus this semester! Having trouble in math or English?

Not a problem for our professionally-staffed Writing and Math Labs, located in the Dewitt

Computer Sciences Building. Check out your student handbook for even more resources and

services available for RCC Students!

this issue

Welcome Back P.1 From Your SGA President P.2

Affordable Fashion Tips P.5 Upcoming Events P.6

STUDENT EMAIL Every student at Richmond Commu-

nity College has, made available to

them, a student email address. Ad-

ministrators, instructors, and the

Student Government Association use

this to relay important information

regarding upcoming campus events,

community news, and sometimes,

your personal grades. To access your

account, visit www.richmondcc.edu

and click on “Student Email”. Here,

you’re presented with a login screen.

Login using your first initial, middle

initial, last name as your username,

and seven-digit student ID number as

your password. For example, John

Adams Doe (Student ID #0123456)

would login to his email account with

jadoe for his username and 0123456

his password, making his email ad-

dress as follows:

jadoe@student.richmondcc.edu

Student Email is a very important

part of RCC’s communication system.

What are you waiting for? You prob-

ably have new messages right now!

Go check it out!

The Panther Monthly A Monthly Publication of the Richmond Community College Student Government Association

VOL IV ISSUE 01 - OCTOBER 2010

From Your SGA President

A new school year is always a great chance

for a fresh start with new goals. This year,

your Student Government Association is

making it a priority. The 2010-11 SGA offic-

ers represent students from the , Early Col-

lege High School, Out of State students,

and traditional students, all working to-

gether to exemplify a new mission: We are

One College with One Common Mission for One Set of Diverse Stu-

dents. Breaking the boundaries of Early College High School, Work-

force & Economic Development, and Traditional Students will be a

goal this year. We are all RCC Students. Our job as your Student Gov-

ernment Association is to voice your opinions and concerns to college

personnel that turn our demands and questions into

actions and answers. We look forward to providing

open student forums where students can meet and

collaborate on what our campus needs, overseen by

the officers of the SGA, each a voice, able to act on

your concerns. In order for us to do our job of listen-

ing and responding, you must do yours and speak up!

The Student Government Association consists of eve-

ry student, both on and off campus. I’m honored to

be both a student and a leader in such a distin-

guished institution of higher learning. Collectively,

we can make this the most successful year in Rich-

mond Community College’s history!

Welcome to A New Year, A New Beginning…

Zach Stanford, SGA President

Zach Stanford

Early College HS Makes A Difference From 9th grader to college graduate in 5.0 years

Alex Pearson, SGA Delegate

My name is Alex Pearson and I am

a Senior at Scotland Early College High

School (SEarCH). After eighth grade, the

decision to take a journey to an alternative

school instead of going to the traditional

Scotland High School was very hard to make.

Not many of my friends were doing this be-

cause they wanted to go to the high school

and play sports after middle school. I felt the

same way, I knew I would be good enough

to make multiple athletic teams at Scotland

High School but instead I chose to attend

SEarCH.

The thought of going to a different

school and knowing that there are not going

to be many people you know is very scary to

most people. I talked to many people about

this and everybody I talked to told me that it

would be a great thing and that I should take

advantage of the opportunity. After hearing

different opinions, I decided I would commit

myself to SEarCH. By far, I think this was the

greatest decision I ever made. After my high

school career began I never thought I

would have as much fun as I have so far.

SEarCH has been great to me

and everything I have learned while I have

been here will stay with me for the rest of

my life. The thought of being able to take

a college class and talking to friends that

you used to go to school with previously

and telling them about being in class with

college students is awesome. Honestly,

most of the people I have talked to now

regret not joining the early college pro-

gram. I feel like without SEarCH I would

not be as far as I am now. This program

has helped me in so many ways that can-

not even be explained. The last three

years of my high school and college career

have been excellent. I have met people

that I will know for the rest of my life and

people I know want to strive and work

hard to be the best they can after college.

I have met people that want to make

something of their self and want to be

very educated just like me. SEarCH is a great

program and I believe that anybody can do it

if they work hard enough and apply their

self. At first I thought it was going to be hard

trying to juggle high school classes and col-

lege classes but it really wasn’t.

After leaving Richmond Community

College, I plan to transfer to Appalachian

State University. None of this would be possi-

ble without SEarCH, the faculty and staff that

I have met I the past and of course the

friends that have been there for me the

whole way. I will never forget SEarCH and all

of the people I met in the process of accom-

plishing my degree. So far, this has been an

incredible experience for me and I would not

discourage anybody from applying for this

program. I still have another year at Rich-

mond Community College and I am eager to

graduate so I can pursue my goals in life.

Without SEarCH and the benefits I have ac-

quired from it, I would not be where I am

today nor where I will be in the future.

Students Voice Concerns

On October 1st 2010, Student

Government Association held a

meeting be-

tween the stu-

dents and lead-

ers of Richmond

Community Col-

lege. Dr. McIn-

nis and his lead-

ership team

(Brent Barbee,

V.P. for Administrative Services, Car-

olyn Bittle, Dean of Learning Resources

Center, Bill Council, Dean of Develop-

ment, Sharon Goodman, Director of

Counseling, Carl Howald, Dean of In-

structional Services, Johnnie Simpson,

VP for Instruction, and Steven Smith,

Vice President for Workforce and Eco-

nomic Development) came together to

answer questions and concerns from

students. Twenty students attended

the forum, where they were asked the

leaders of Richmond Community Col-

lege any questions or suggested im-

provements that could benefit the Col-

lege. Most frequently asked questions

were: Can we get hot food on campus?

More parking? New curriculum cours-

es? During this forum all questions got

some sort of response, whether good

or bad. Dr. McInnis replied to the hot

food question by saying “We have dis-

Concerns of Students Get a Voice with the Campus

Leaders

Sierra Vandermark, PIO Student Poll

Many students and faculty

have expressed the need for a

dress code on campus. What

do you think? Does RCC need a

new standard for student

attire?

Click Here

to Vote Now!

cussed this issue many times, but de-

cided not to invest because students

would get tired of the same food every

day.” There has been a statement

about implementing a dress code. The

leaders stated that a policy was being

discussed. One student asked if it

would be possible to get a RCC bus/

van to transport students to and from

Laurinburg, for students who do not

have reliable transportation. Because

of the liability issues, Mr. Barbee sug-

gested that the local transportation

provider in Scotland Co. be contacted

for a possible solution. Dr. McInnis

discussed many plans for the future

and touched on some concerning prior

issues. Dr. McInnis stated that they

have plans started to expand the Forte

Building. He also touched on getting

more scholarships for incoming stu-

dents. Another very important issue

came up at this meeting: What hap-

pens to the students when the teacher

is sick? Students are allowed to miss

only 10% of classes before they are

dropped. Johnnie Simpson answered

this question by stating “if the profes-

sor is out more than the amount of

days allowed for students to miss than

they are not dropped. It is not the stu-

dents’ fault that the professor is out

for medical or other personal rea-

sons.”

Sierra

Vandermark

Tip$ from the Trea$urer

Discipline is a

word that was

rare in my vocab-

ulary. In terms of

financial matters

it was almost

never used. Reali-

ty set in when I

became a full-

time student and

my only choice was to live within my

means. Wants and needs take on totally

new meanings. Let's face the facts. The

economy is what it is and we may never see

a "full" economic recovery. So here a just

are few starter items to tighten our spend-

ing belts. If you have ideas or suggestions,

please send them via email to

sga@richmondcc.edu. Here we go:

1. If you live more than 10 miles from cam-

pus, it would pay to

rideshare/carpool 1 day per week with a

student or co-worker. Here's the math. The

average RCC student drives 25 miles round

trip (daily). Average fuel economy is 25 mpg

(on a good day). Carpooling saves 1 gallon

of gas per week. Not much, you say? With

16 weeks per semester, you save 16 gallons

costing on average $2.75 per gallon

=$44.00 x 2 semesters = $88.00 in savings

per school year. If you live farther than 10

miles, those numbers only increase. It's

certainly worth asking a classmate or co-

worker: "Wanna carpool?"

2. Eating even on the "Value Menu can be

expensive. Leftovers from home

cost you nothing. Invest in a collapsible

cooler. If you did this twice per week, an

Avg. savings of $8.00 x 32 weeks saves you

$256.00 per year. That would come in

handy at "Spring Break”!

3. For those who pay utility bills, pull

blinds and curtains during the day. Set

thermostat to 78 degrees whiles away and

adjust to 74-75 degrees when at home.

Fluctuating thermostats up and down will

spike your utility bill. Also keeping ceiling

fans running while away does NOTHING to

cool your home. Ceiling fans only affect

your body temp and comfort.

4. Lower cell phone bills by using low any-

time minute plans. Free

night/weekend plans allow you to keep in

touch with friends and family. Use

anytime minutes and texting for critical

calls only.

5. Consider only using a cellphone instead

of a "home" phone if reception is

excellent in your home (inside deepest

part of house.)

6. Consider BASIC cable TV. Most compa-

nies charge less than $20.00 per

month. If you have the internet watch your

favorite shows from your PC.

Cables are available to plug PC into your TV

for viewing on most TV's.

These are just a few basic ideas. I have a

close friend in Student Services who is a

REAL penny-pincher. I will seek his advice

and come up with some more ideas for the

next edition. Until then keep picking up

those pennies (even if they are "tails-up")!

This Month’s Bookstore

Bargains

RCC’s Campus Bookstore has been

booming with business since mid-

August with the

rush of a new

semester. With

hundreds of lap-

top computers

sold, they have

unfortunately sold out. However,

some software picks include Mi-

crosoft Office 2010($100) , a slight

upgrade from the

2007 version, but

for half the price.

In addition, Win-

dows 7 operating

system has be-

come a popular upgrade for existing

Windows Vista users and for some

XP users, available for under $120!

David Wells, SGA Treasurer

David Wells

TOP SELLERS!

$11.95 each

$3.99 each

For more great deals on ap-

parel, supplies, books, and

more, click here !

Madame Secretary’s Society & Lifestyle

Some people use

their personal

style as self-

expression, ex-

pressing their

personality, feel-

ings, or ideas.

The issue, con-

cern, and prob-

lem in today’s

society is not

what is worn, but

how it is worn. You are what you wear. Just

about everyone judges people by the way

they dress. It may sound harsh, but "image is

everything". You live in a world where you are

constantly being judged . Some cultures rec-

ognize clothing as a symbolic rhetoric of posi-

tive or negative inputs with mainstream per-

ceptions of "What is appropriate attire?".

How we present ourselves to the public such

as school, church and the workplace form an

instant impression of you at first glance. A

person's visual appearance is more powerful

than what a person says. Whether you are

going on a date, job interview or hanging out

with friends you want to look smart, ap-

proachable and relatively clean. What does

your clothing and grooming habits say about

you?. Your ideal wardrobe should reflect a

mixture of business, smart, sporty and formal

attire. It may be easier said than done but if

you put your value to the mile you can get

more bang for your buck. There are many

different ways at saving to build your ward-

robe. Personally when I shop, I wait for sales. I

know nowadays, who doesn't? You'd be sur-

prised at the number of people who still pay

full price for items. When I enter a clothing

store, I have the habit of scanning the store

to see if any sale signs are posted or usually

I'll ask a nearby sales associate if there are

any sales in the store (ask about upcoming

sales and sign up in-store or online to receive

exclusive email offers). I always begin at the

clearance rack to take advantage of items

that were on sale and have been reduced.

Even though we like to shop for clothes that

are in tact I sometimes buy articles of cloth-

ing that may have some irregularities to it,

you can always sew or patch a small hole or

tear. Plus, as an extra incentive you could get

an additional percentage taken off for clothes

that are already at full or sale price. Also, a

great part of shopping the clearance rack is

finding out-of-season clothes at bargain

basement prices. In my opinion you should

always be selective in what you put on your

body to portray the correct image.

What Am I Doing Here?

By: Jeff Hood

I’m listening. What am I to do if I

listen but don’t hear anything?

I’m looking. What am I to do if I

look but don’t see anything?

What will I hear? What will I see?

What if I take action and nothing

happens, nothing changes? What

then?

If I talk and no one listens, have I

been effective?

Was it worth it? Was it worth the

time and effort I put in to effect

change if no change occurs?

What good am I if I can’t help some-

one; if I can’t affect change?

Have my efforts been in vain?

What good is it to talk if no one

listens?

Should I still do the right thing if no

one sees: if no one cares?

If I do good just to be seen, am I

doing any good?

Even if all my best efforts seem to

be for naught: no one listens, noth-

ing changes, no one cares,

I’m going to keep talking, keep

helping, keep hoping, keep believ-

ing, and keep trying.

I never know who I might affect.

Fashion Morals, Values, & Norms

Leslie Evans-Whittaker, SGA Secretary

Leslie Evans-Whittaker

Be Heard!

Thanks for reading all we had to say!

We hope this newsletter was in-

formative to you as well as your

peers. Do you have an idea for us?

Do you have thoughts you’d like

others to see? With YOUR SGA, you

have a voice! It’s our job to make

sure every students’ voice is rightly

heard and to make changes accord-

ingly. What do you think about RCC?

Email your thoughts, stories, even

artwork to sga@richmondcc.edu,

where our officers will do their best

to make sure your voice is heard and

you are represented as a valued

student and individual!

The Panther Monthly

VOL IV ISSUE 01

OCTOBER 2010

Midterms are over! Time for some fun and relaxation! Giant Twister, Bungee Sports Chal-

lenge, and more! Enjoy fun, food, and games from 11a - 2p and 4p - 7p here at Richmond

Community College’s Cole Auditorium!

Other clubs participating include:

October 19—Fall Festival 2010

Upcoming Events

Richmond Community College

Student Government Association PO BOX 1189

1042 W Hamlet Ave.

Hamlet, NC 28345

910.410.1733

www.RichmondCC.edu/SGA

Facebook: Richmond Community College SGA

Share the holiday spirit and keep kids warm by donating new or used coats and jackets to

RCC's Coats for Kids Drive (benefitting Church Community Services of Scotland Co.) , begin-

ning Fall Festival (10/19) to Holiday Spectacular (12/2)! SGA will have a drop box at all events

during that time frame and outside the SGA office at all other times during the drive. Please

consider the less fortunate. Let's show our community just how giving our school can be!

Coats for Kids

Let’s give thanks! We seldom stop to think about how grateful we should be. Here's a

chance to help others! RCC SGA will hosts a food drive to fill the Richmond County DSS Food

Pantry, beginning on Oct. 19 (kicking off at the Fall Festival) through Dec. 2 (closing at the

Holiday Spectacular 2010). The box will follow SGA to events throughout the semester, but

will be stationed outside the SGA office, located adjacent to the J.C. Lamm Student Center in

the Lindsey-Petris Building. Let's show our community just how giving our school can be!

Non-Perishable Food Drive

Criminal Justice

Club

Campus Crusade

for Christ

Human Services

Club

Social Diversity

Club