New ACC board of trustees members Mark Williams and Gigi Edwards Bryant have had several months to settle into their new roles.
“It’s an exciting time to be in the community college world,” Williams, a University of Texas graduate, said.
Gigi Edwards Bryant is a sixth generation Austinite.
“I am most excited about the fact that we all have a shared mission for the college, students, staff and education. Everyone has great passion,” Bryant said.
Williams was elected to Place 1 in the Novemeber 2014 elections, and Bryant was elected to Place 2 in a runoff election in December 2014 elections.
Honorable Mention Illustration (Non-photo) – Daniel Groh, contributor
TIPA was established in 1909 at Baylor University and is the oldest collegiate press association in the nation.
This year 442 students and 76 advisers attended the convention from 62 member colleges and universities. The convention hosted journalism contests ranging from TV News Broadcasting to Newspaper Headline Writing. Professional journalists and journalism professors held workshops on networking, resume writing, and various aspects of journalism.
“The contests were very competitive and drove me to put my best foot forward,” Ryan Fontenette-Mitchell, Accent reporter and business clerk said. “The workshops were detail oriented and gave me a lot of information that I can apply in my career.”
Accent’s spring 2015 staff members complete registration at their first Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference April 9 at the El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio. This was the time attending the convention for (left to right) Ryan Fontenette-Mitchell, Chloe Kwak, Noor Alahmadi, Gaius Straka, Joseph Lee and Shannon Mullery.
When 29- year-old Brittany Maynard spoke publicly about the decision to end her life due to terminal illness, Death with Dignity Laws gained national attention.
Maynard, who died Nov.1 with medical assistance, moved to Oregon because of its Death with Dignity Law. The law allows terminally ill residents access to prescription drugs that induce death.
Texas does not have a Death with Dignity law.
“Texas is so far away from even starting a conversation like that, I don’t see that happening in my lifetime,” ACC nursing professor Sandra Yaklin said.
Texas has the Advance Directives Act of 1999, also known as the Texas Futile Care Law.
The law allows a healthcare facility to discontinue life-sustaining treatment ten days after giving written notice if such life-sustaining measures are deemed futile by the treating medical team.
Texas conservative nature and possible overlap with the Futile Care Law are possible reasons Texas may not pass a Death with Dignity Law.
Attending college can be exciting, yet stressful — especially during finals.
A 2013 survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute reported that more than 30 percent of all college freshman often felt overwhelmed.
ACC students are no exception and have their own ways of dealing with stress.
“I have a job and sometimes have to pick up my brother and make dinner for my family,” Analee Cantu, a music student at the Northridge Campus, said. “I get up really early to make breakfast and do homework.”
Cantu plays classical music while reading to create a relaxing atmosphere and said she likes to avoid unnecessary stress by not waiting until the last minute to study. She is also careful to get enough sleep and ask for help when needed.
“I know lot of people don’t actually seek help,” Cantu said. “Seeking help is not an embarrassing thing. It can actually save you from an ugly letter grade you might have gotten without any help.”
Although grades are not everything, they are an important indication of performance. Business major Heidi McCallum said, “Keeping up a good GPA is a source of stress, and I get stressed the most right before the exam.”
McCallum relieves her stress through hiking and other outdoor activities but also places great importance on being ready for exams.
“Be prepared. Know the material so you are not stressed about it,” McCallum said. “Study what you are uncertain about, more than the things that you already know.”
Student Marco Gutierrez said he stay plans to take time off from his job ona
so he’ll have plenty of time to write his final papers and study for his exams. He also plans to get a massage during finals week.
Zarina Adams said she plans to get a lot of sleep and eat well so she feels well enough to spend most of her free time studying. Adams said finals week is especially stressful for her because she suffers from test anxiety.
Here are some tips students can use to manage stress during finals:
• Write out a schedule which includes study time.
• Sweat it out — try an exercise class, or go for a run or walk before studying.
• Say no to distractions and try not to spend too much time on social media
• Don’t skip meals.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Allow time for proper sleep.
• Stop and breathe
• Try to stay on a regular schedule
• De clutter . Clean your desk to create a space where you can focus.
• For every hour you study, take a 10-15 minute break.
• Try an activity like baking or cooking to help silence racing thoughts.
• Listen to music while you study.
• Avoid stressful people.
• Visualize everything going right.
• If you’ve studied all you can, feel confident.
• Remind yourself that it will all be over soon.
• Don’t wait until the night before to study for a final exam or write your final paper.
