The Voice of Butte College
since 1997
Student Life
Best Spots on Campus
Grace Wells, Sr. staff writer
The Walking Path
Want to take in some beautiful scenery while also getting in a bit of exercise?
Go check out the walking path on the east end of campus! The trees will keep you out of the sun, and you might meet some goats along the way.
Directions: Walk to the Ag Storage and Ag Mechanic buildings at the southeast side of campus.
Continue walking southeast to the edge of a forest, cross over the bridge, take the middle path, and go left at the first and second forks to loop around.
The Creekside
The creekside is the perfect place to see some wildlife! This is the best place to spot deer, and you’ll get to learn interesting nature facts while you walk.
Directions: Go to the bridge that leads to the Walking Path. Follow the creek to your right (there will be path markers with nature facts).
Photo by Grace Wells Nature Trail Pathway August 25, 2022 Oroville, CA
The Bio Pond
Although it is currently dried up, the biology pond is usually full of life, and is right next to the Walking Path! We can’t wait for the water to come back.
Directions: Walk along the Walking Path for about a quarter-mile (there will be a sign that says “bio pond”).
The Crop Field
The agriculture folks have a crop field that they keep on the east side of campus.
Recently, they grew pumpkins that the Horticulture Club have been selling all month. This is a beautiful spot to look at!
Directions: Go to the bridge that leads to the Walking Path, take the left path (the area is fairly large, fenced, and will have a variety of crops planted).
Photo by Grace Wells Campus Quad Stairs August 25, 2022 Oroville, CA
The Main Quad
To enjoy the afternoon sun or socialize with students, the Main Quad is where the party is at — sometimes literally! Outdoor events are usually hosted in this space.
You can also enjoy your lunch on one of the picnic tables. There’s always something interesting to do or see!
Directions: Go to the Student and Administrative Services Building, head south to the large grassy area.
The Side Quad
Underneath this tree is the perfect place to take a minute to chill or to catch up on a good book. If you don’t mind the grass, it’s even a good place to get in some quiet study time!
Directions: Go to the Campus Center building, head east to the grassy area.
Photo by Grace Wells Side Quad August 25, 2022 Oroville, CA
Photo by Grace Wells Campus Amphitheater August 25, 2022 Oroville, CA
The Art Center
The Art Center will always have mesmerizing works of art displayed through its entire first floor, from paintings to sculptures and drawings to clay models!
They also will occasionally have the exhibit room opened up to display even more works of art during specific times.
Directions: Go to the art building, walk through the entire first floor.
The Amphitheater
Want a good photo op? Go to the Amphitheater! Want to sit peacefully away from the hustle and bustle? Go to the Amphitheater! Near the amphitheater are many sculptures and pieces of art that decorate the surrounding area.
Sometimes, outdoor theater plays will be acted out at the Amphitheater. And the view in the early morning light is gorgeous!
Directions: Head south from the Main Quad or head south and east from the Media Center Building.
Photo by Grace Wells Life Science Building August 25, 2022 Oroville, CA
The Life Science Mural
The time and dedication that it took to make this intricate mural is definitely reflected in its beauty!
Directions: Go to the Life Science building from the Campus Center building (mural will be along west wall of Life Science Building).
Photo by Grace Wells Campus Art Mural August 25, 2022 Oroville, CA
Cultural Impact of Native Jewelry
Emma Petterson, staff writer
Since 10,00 BC Native Communities have been making jewelry with the resources given to them by the land.
But it is so much more than just a fashion statement.
Traditionally, Native jewelry was used to show wealth and tribal rank. Each tribe has a different medium.
For the Maidu and tribes in the northern region of California, the main resources used in traditional jewelry-making are clam shells, abalone and dentalium.
All three of these items from the coast would have been traded for things that were in surplus here, such as yew wood and obsidian.
Clam shells were used as a form of currency and a clamshell necklace (as seen in the Letter B pictured) would have been a great indicator of wealth and good fortune.
These traditional pieces of jewelry are still made and celebrated today.
Regrettably, in recent years, Native designs have been used heavily in “western fashion.”
Cultural appreciation is great; cultural appropriation is not. If you want to wear Native, I urge you to buy Native as well.
Thank you, Frankie Medrano and the Native American Center, for taking the time to share a piece of your culture with us.
Are You Financially Literate?
Darius Marmol, Sr. staff writer
Do you know how to start the process of building your credit?
Have you developed good saving practices and had opportunities to create budgets for yourself?
These skills are defined as "financial
literacy."
As we get older, these skills become the foundation for how we interact with the world in a monetary sense.
Virtually every foreseeable major purchase you make in the future will require credit in some form, whether it be financing a car, renting an apartment or emergency medical bills not covered by
insurance.
Your credit score determines the kind of loans you are eligible for and your interest rates on those loans; which ultimately translates into cash in or out of your pockets over the years.
Even seemingly simple things can be tricky to achieve without credit or credit cards in general.
Many rental companies will not rent to you without a large cash deposit, and retailers also may not be able to help you with in-store financing without an established credit history.
The fastest way to get over this hurdle is to ask a trusted family member with good credit to let you co-sign onto their account so you can start building a credit history.
However, be aware if you have
poor credit practices such as over-utilizing your limits or missing payments this will hurt the primary account holder's credit as well as yours.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to have someone let you co-sign, the next best option is going to your bank and getting information on a secured credit card.
Secured credit cards function in a similar fashion to debit cards in the sense that you give your financial institution an agreed-upon deposit and then
use the card for selective purchases.
Secured credit cards are typically issued at limits of $200, $500, $1,000, or $5,000 dollars.
There are multiple factors that go into determining your credit score: the number of accounts open, accounts paid in full or paying as agreed, length of credit history, and credit utilization to name a
few.
Ideally, you want to keep your credit utilization below 30%.
Good credit practices over time establish a positive history between you and major lenders.
Don’t worry about your secured credit card not having the best benefits, you are only using this card to establish
your credit which typically takes six months to generate a FICO score.
Arguably, one of the most essential aspects of financial literacy is your ability to budget and moderate your spending according to your goals in a realistic fashion.
What does that even mean??
It means understanding where your money is going.
You can’t address an issue if you aren’t aware of it.
People are often surprised when they’re asked to draw a budget of their monthly expenses on paper and realize how much of their income is going towards discretionary expenses. (Things you can
survive without: alcohol, cigarettes, subscription services such as Netflix and Hulu, yes, even all those Puff Bars.)
Knowing the difference between necessities and discretionary expenses is essential to start saving.
Sometimes, saving requires sacrifice.
Figuring out ways to cut expenses can be as simple as going out to eat less for a while and preparing food for yourself at home.
However, saving is not always easy. People have lives to live, people want new shoes, Door-Dash galore, and instant gratification.
This issue has become amplified in recent years by the adoption of electronic payment services such as Venmo and Apple Pay.
In 1996 Ofer Zellenmayer demonstrated through his research a phenomenon known as the “Pain of Payment"-- an emotional response that is triggered in the brain when consumers use cash to pay for an
item or services rendered.
This response can be considered beneficial by some standards in the sense that it deters impulsive spending to an extent.
When this research was published in 1996 it was noted the pain of payment response was diminished with credit and debit cards because “plastic is less tangible than cash, therefore the depletion
of resources is less visible.”
Since then, “Tap to Pay” culture for better or worse has disconnected us from this pain of payment phenomena even further, and it can be easy to overspend when you aren’t truly conceptualizing
the money you’re spending.
As you progress through life and build your financial skills you will improve your budgeting and figure out clever ways to make your money work for you without even breaking a sweat.
Managing your finances while looking at the bigger picture can seem intimidating at first, but you will thank yourself if you take the time to start saving and building your credit now, rather than later in
life when you really need it.
As a reminder, I want to end with the following reflection,
A true measure of one's wealth can be
determined by how well somebody retains wealth over time; not the ability to accumulate wealth quickly.
Do You Feel Safe and Supported on Social Media?
Madeline Morey, staff writer
Social media usage has increased dramatically in the last few years.
Kids and teens are spending the
majority of their time on social media sites and now call their use a type of socializing, maybe offering even better social interactions than real-life connections.
A new study done by the Pew Research Center looks at the use of social media and whether feeling safe is more important than being able to speak freely.
Published on Aug. 30, 2022, author Colleen McClain discusses how many kids ages 13 to 17 believe that it is better to feel safer.
McClain shows that 62% of teens feel that “people being able to feel welcome and safe online is more important than people being able to speak their minds freely online.”
Whereas 57% of adults “favor the
idea that people should be able to speak their minds freely online.”
Twenty-one-year-old Butte College student, Grace Hoxha, believes social media can be both—a safe place where people can speak freely.
“There is a difference between speaking freely and just being offensive to others.”
The issue may not be with social media but, instead, with the people using it.
While social media is constantly changing, there seems to be negative effects on many people.
What should be a safe place has now become a place where people feel safe to speak freely with no real consequences.
The best way to keep these sites a safe place is to encourage people to speak freely without harming others in the process.
The use of social media as an outlet for emotional and social interactions has dramatically increased in the last decade and may explain the difference of opinions between the age groups.
DSHI Grant and CASA Project
Rebecca Gonzalez, staff writer
Butte College received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s
Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program to support Latinx and low-income students.
The grants are available to community colleges/universities classified as Hispanic-Serving Institutions and serves to financially assist students and provide additional support for student
success.
The DHSI grant will fund the Center for Access Support & Achievement (CASA) project.
CASA focuses on increasing the number of Hispanic and low-income students that enroll, complete courses, and transfer.
The director, Allan Bee, enlightens on CASA’s specific long-term goals and impacts of the program.
Some include increases of financial literacy & FAFSA completion, degree or certificate completion and transfer to a four-year, and first-to-second year dedication of Hispanic/low income students.
CASA aims to increase the faculty knowledge of “culturally responsive evidence-based practices,” meaning that staff members recognize and equally support the needs of diverse students. The project will enact strategies that help students’ social, emotional, and academic needs.
Learning programs are incorporated giving students early career preparedness.
CASA services include course advising, financial literacy, career, and personal counseling, academic monitoring, and more.
Students should stay tuned for further information regarding upcoming events and how to get involved.
Bee also states that they are still working “to publicize and review the proposal, determine next steps, hiring staff, and working on where the program will be housed.”
The grant was put forward on Oct. 1. Butte College became a federally designated HSI in 2018 with roughly 31 percent of Hispanic/Latinx students. The grant will hope to attain and support students’ educational opportunities.
Online or In-person courses?
Victor Bordin, staff writer
Post-pandemic times have continued to bring enormous changes.
At the height of the pandemic, classes were mostly virtual.
Community colleges continue to offer online courses.
Some college students continue to enroll in online courses, as it brings flexibility to their schedules.
It is clear there are students who prefer one over the other.
Some students longed for the return of in-person classes. Others praised online classes as they brought flexibility to their
busy lives.
Each type of instruction has pros and cons. In-person instruction delivers more of a student and teacher relationship, but is tough to schedule into a busy life.
Online allows for students to complete work whenever they want, however, guidance from instructors can be
minimal.
Students who mix both class types in their schedules can find it beneficial if they have a busy schedule, while receiving proper guidance in classes as well.
With the demand of online classes, students will experience them more often.
Sometimes certain sections of classes are only offered online.
If you have not taken an online course, there is a high possibility that you will soon.
If you have a busy life but want the authenticity of class instruction, prioritize taking in-person classes for challenging courses, and take online courses for simple courses such as general education or electives.
Filter your search results when signing up for courses through the self-service tab on the Butte College website.
The three filters are in-person, online, and hybrid.
Hybrid is a combination of in-person and online instruction.
Remember, enrolling in various instruction types among your classes may result in a better school-life balance.
Photo by Darius Marmol Campus Quad November 3, 2022 Oroville, CA
How to Utilize Butte College DACA
Resources
Compiled by Megan Morales, staff writer
Know What You Qualify For
Assembly Bill 540 (AB 540) is a law that was passed in 2001 that allows undocumented students who meet certain requirements to pay resident tuition fees instead of non-resident tuition fees in California public colleges and universities.
SB 68 expands AB 540 to enable students to count years spent at a California Community College and Adult School towards AB 540 eligibility.
The California Dream Act refers to Assembly Bill 130 & 131 that passed through the California legislature in 2011.
AB 130 & 131 enabled eligible undocumented students to receive state-funded financial aid and privately funded scholarships.
Know Who’s Here For You
Aldo Cruz Vazquez, Student Success Specialist, Undocumented and Mixed Status Student Support. cruzvazquezal@butte.edu, 530-895-2817
Cindy Melendrez-Flores, Program Coordinator, Recruitment, Outreach & Orientation melendrez-floresci@butte.edu, 530-895-2818
Brenda Rodriguez, Recruitment & Outreach Technician rodriguezbr@butte.edu, 530-
893-7405
Know Your Legal Resources
Immigrants Rising - Getting Legal Help
California Rural Legal Assistance
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Red Cards
National Immigration Law Center
Know Your Rights
Information Regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Butte College Has Your Back!
“Our undocumented students are members of our Butte/Glenn Community College
District family. BCPD Officers will never ask about documentation status, and we will not work with federal immigration officials or support their activities on our campus in any way. We promise our continued support, even as DACA is challenged through federal courts.”
