Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2006)
The 4 Feature Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2006 Clackamas Prin Club Dignity seeks awareness Ben Maras Editor-in-Chief A spot at this term’s ASG Clubs Fair provided just the boost needed for Clackamas student Mathew Spencer and his ideas. Spencer is the founder of the up-and-coming “Club Dignity” flie college’s first club specifically for people with disabilities. “I thought it might be a good idea to have one,” Spencer said. “From what I can tell, this campus has a lot of disabled students, and parents of disabled children.” After conceiving the idea, Spencer began drawing support. He enlist ed Casey Sims, coordinator of the Disability Resource Center, who was eager to help. “I think [Club Dignity] is some thing that’s needed on campus,” Sims said. “Often, people with disabilities feel isolated; one of the best benefits is that people [without disabilities] can relate to the challenges of overcoming the kinds of barriers [associated with disability] and raise awareness.” After turning his club constitution in to ASG, Spencer and company faced one last challenge: getting the minimum five members needed to be declared a campus club. After just a couple of hours at toe Clubs Fair the membership had already surpassed the requirement, as eight people signed up as club members. Spencer expects to see more soon. According to the club constitu tion, their main goal is to “foster a supportive environment at CCC for people with disabilities,” and to “offer a venue for group members to discuss and problem-solve challenges that are associated with disability.” Spencer says that the group is more about affecting and supporting the members of the club, but that they wish to make their cause on campus known. The constitution further indicates that they intend to “advocate for cam pus changes to promote access and acceptance for people with disabilities, as well as educate the general campus on issues pertaining to disability.” Sims says that accessibility extends beyond wheelchair ramps and auto matic door buttons. “It means the website being read by a voice reader, so that people with disabilities can surf the site. It also means providing [class] text in alternative formats,” naming books- on-tape and larger type for those with sight disabilities. Spencer himself has to take advan tage of these services. He has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder and a non-verbal learning disorder, which is similar to, but mild er than Savant Syndrome. “I sometimes jokingly compare don’t pay attention to the issue, and nation, myself to Rain Man,” Spencer said, that can sometimes lead to discrimi- “I have seen discrimination ( referring to file 1988 film campus,” Spencer said, “ffi everywhere if you look ha starring Dustin Hoffman, although he says his is not as enough.” extreme. “It takes me a while Sims says that while the to read or write, so I get my is discrimination, die colie books on tape.” is already doing a great deal Likewise, most of the make itself more accessible, members so far signed up in “I don’t know what oj Club Dignity have learning college can say [that] thej two rooms of toe main door disorders in some form or the main building are conn another. Although both Spencer ted to servicing people w and Sims say the campus’ disabilities,” he said, referi ing toe main doors of the! accessibility is better than most, they also believe that Brod Community C enter, In these early stages the disabled and their disad Club Dignity, big plansi vantages often get overlooked already being made. U as a group, and that the cam are already planning to lj pus would benefit from hav ing its awareness raised. speakers from various on nizations such as Voc Rdj “You look at different - which assists people w minority groups - and yes, I disabilities in finding j am referring to people with - speak to the members, disabilities as a minority help make Club Dignity group - any member will take community effort different layers of offense to “Being accessible that level of joke,” Spencer important with who we’ret said when asked about The Print’s use of the word “crip ing to serve [at toe college Sims said. “The culte ple” in a light-hearted man Clackamas is one of aco ner in an opinion piece about and acceptance.” parking last term. “I personally don’t,” he For more information said, adding that he thinks it Club Dignity, see the Al SPENCER Jeff Soensen Clackamas Print office. speaks volumes that people Control engineersaves college bucks, keeps rooms coz CJ Ciaramella I Feature Editor Hilmo Ljucevic may be the most powerful man on campus. He has control of every room of every building on campus at his finger tips. Well, at least when it comes to temperature. Ljucevic is part of Plant Services - the group in control of the power plant that heats the college. “My position here is control engineer,” said Ljucevic. “My first assignment is to take care of the utilities - electric, gas, and others. Also, I try to improve efficiency.” Efficiency is the key. As Ljucevic stated, the more efficient the system, “the more money we save.” To this end, Ljucevic imple mented a computer system, called “Automated Logic,” that can inde pendently monitor and adjust the temperature of any room on cam pus. “Depending on the outside tem perature, the boiler increases or decreases [the temperature accord ingly],” said Ljucevic as he demon strated the program. ‘Tor example, the outside temperature is 49, but if I say toe temperature is 48 ...” Ljucevic typed the number into the computer and turned to look at the huge boilers outside his office. In about 30 seconds, they kicked on with a loud “whoosh!” The automated system^ has made life easier, and not just for Ljucevic. “Before [the system was installed], we had four or five peo ple a day calling to say that their room was too hot or too cold.” And since Ljucevic implemented the program, the college has saved a lot of money. He Was too modest to say exactly how much, but a spreadsheet he briefly showed made it clear that he was doing more than turning off the lights when he left a room. “In every room, I’m checking the temperature and adjusting.” Ljucevic said. Before moving to the US from Bosnia, Ljucevic held a similar job LJUCEVIC as an engineer. He was also a seri ous chess player. “I played chess at the university in Sarajevo. I was good for a couple of years, but after my studies I got married, had children,” Ljucevic said, shrugging his shoulders. “You have to give some things up.” Of course, it’s hard to give some things up completely. “In 2004 I played in a tourna ment, and I won,” Ljucevic said. “The money I sent to the children in Sarajevo.” Ljucevic has long had soft spot for lads. “I’ve always liked working with young people,” he said. “After the war I taught children chess. Two of my students are now champions in Bosnia.” Ljucevic sees chess as a way to encourage the kids he adores, which is why he is currently work ing on starting a United States Chess Federation sponsored chess club on campus. “I’m thinking the way to save our children is sport ... My phi losophy is, if you make them busy, they won’t have the time to go out on the streets,” he said. ‘T feel I can help people with chess.” Ljucevic is happy working at Clackamas. “I want to say here, from the beginning, I had trust, understanding and a good environ ment,” Ljucevic said. He specifically wanted to thank Bill Leach and his co-workers. “They’re really good people,” he said. “[They] gave me a chance to show what I could do. I hope they are satisfied with my work.” Judging from his current pro: ress, Ljucevic need not worry. 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