A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
ROUNDUPwww.theroundupnews.comROUNDWoodland Hills, California Volume 117 - Issue 1 September 19, 2012 One copy free, each additional copy 50¢
Kirsten [email protected]
Wed. Sept. 19 Fri. Sept. 21 Sun. Sept. 23 Tues. Sept. 25
98/67 102/66 91/60 79/58Thu. Sept. 20 Sat. Sept. 22 Mon. Sept. 24 Wed. Sept. 26
100/65 103/64 86/58 74/57
What’s inside:
Within the week, Pierce College will finish and ratify its equity plan for the next two years, which aims to diminish the gaps in performance among different groups of students.
The equity plan looks at student success rates, transfer rates, completion of ESL and basic skills courses, course completion and retention, and degree and certificate completion.
The data is then broken down to measure differences between gender, ethnicity, and disability, said Crystal Kiekel, the Center for Academic Success Director and chair of the committee that wrote the new plan.
“What we do as an equity plan is plan to equalize those inequities,” she said.
Some of the data gathered from the plan included gaps in success between men and women, with men underperforming.
The new equity plan also made an effort to account for the differences among disabled students, rather than applying a single category.
“A student who’s deaf is going to be very different from a student who is dyslexic,” Kiekel said.
The equity plan goes beyond just collecting the numbers by following up on why the inequities are there and what solutions can fix them.
To get that sort of information, the equity plan committee will often ask those questions in surveys or focus groups. The committee also talks to four year institutions and high schools to gather additional data.
The new plan is the first to account for the difficult financial climate of the past few years. As a result, a common theme was how to build up support for struggling students in the face of budget cuts.
“A lot of [the equity plan] was about our incoming students and the barriers that they face,” equity plan committee member Sunday Salter said. “Our outreach program is basically eliminated.”
In the face of the harsh economy, more people are attending community colleges either to retool their careers or receive an affordable education.
At the same time, fewer classes are being offered, fewer counselors are available, and tutoring services are beginning to go away.
“It’s sort of a perfect storm,” said Keikel.
In regards to tutoring, which the college has lost funding for, the equity plan will attempt to recruit faculty and students as volunteer tutors.
The plan also seeks additional funding through private grants for tutoring and other services.
Kiekel stresses that in the plan, students come first.
“Our goal as an institution is not about budget. Our goal is to help students succeed,” she said.
The equity plan will be discussed at the next Academic Senate meeting Sept. 24, where recommendations and changes will be added before ratifying it.
For more on the Equity Plan, visit www.theroundupnews.com.
Associated Students Organization strives for fully functional senate
Budget cuts at Pierce College may be looming in upcoming years surrounding the governor’s tax initiative in the upcoming state ballot resulting in more class cuts and pos-sibly accreditation issues according to Pierce professors.
The governor’s tax initiative, Proposition 30, is a proposed tax plan that would imple-ment a 0.25 percent sales tax as well as a 3 to 5 percent raise on income tax on individuals making over $250,000 a year and couples mak-
ing over $500,000 a year, Sociology professor Dr. James McKeever said.
The money from these taxes would go towards K-12 education, the California State University system, the University of California system, the California Community College system, as well as funding to public safety, the police departments and fire departments.
The Sociology professor expressed his support for the initiative citing that passing it would not hurt anyone.
“These people won’t even notice the money is gone,” McKeever said. “As for the sales tax, you’d only get taxed, what, $2.50 on a $1000
purchase?”McKeever also said that low income fami-
lies will not be negatively affected based on the fact they purchase low-priced goods.
“It’s not that I’m not concerned about these people,” McKeever said. “It’s just that I’m more concerned about these people not having access to education.”
But McKeever is much more worried about if the initiative does not pass, as is the Academic Senate president, professor Tom Rosdahl.
“Without the passage of Prop[osition] 30, life would get real bad,” Rosdahl said. “It
would mean there’d be fewer classes than we have now.”
Fewer classes than now when Pierce has reduced classes already by 20 percent, higher fee costs, and less money for equipment and supplies, the budgets for which are already “unbelievably low,” according to Rosdahl.
Also, in the event the initiative does not pass, Pierce would have to dip into the district reserves to make sure the college meets the state mandated budget based on the number of students Pierce is educating, according to Rosdahl.
[See Prop.30, page 3]
Nick [email protected]
Equityplan onthe way
Kevin [email protected]
Without active members participating in Pierce College’s student senate, the organization found itself inoperable during its first weekly senate meeting Sept. 4, 2012 in Woodland Hills, Calif.
The Associated Student Organization (ASO) and the student population averted a crisis within one week, recruiting six active senators by their Sept. 11 meeting.
This semester, the ASO had not received any applications for its senate by its first meeting, and without senators the government cannot vote on issues or allocate funds.
“We don’t have a functioning government yet, but we need one,” said Brad Saenz, ASO adviser at the Sept. 4 meeting. “We need at least three applicants before we can function as a student government.”
Without student participation, nothing was getting done.
“Right now, our main thing we’re dealing with is getting a student government, but that’s not going to be a struggle for too much longer,” Kevin Sparks, the ASO vice president, said. “We all want a senate, so I think we are all willing to work hard
to get it.”As of Sept.11, the ASO had six active senators
and four pending applications, according to Sparks.
“I’ve never been in a position where we haven’t had a senate,” Sparks said.
In order to represent a department, applying senators must receive approval from their
department chairs and tracking down professors for signatures has stalled the application process for some, according to Sparks.
ASO is still accepting applications for senate, and the deadline is tentatively set for beginning to mid October, Sparks said.
Paulina Antounian, 18, was in the process of signing up for senate after the Sept. 4 meeting adjourned.
“I want to help the school out and make it more involving for students,” Antounian said.
The media arts major decided to get involved with the senate to alleviate the effects of budget cuts.
Senators need a 2.0 GPA and cannot be on academic probation to participate.
Applications can be found online at www.pierceaso.webs.com.Sparks plans to recruit new senators
during the ASO Welcome Day event Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in The Great Hall.
“I would like to have a big senate,” Sparks said. “I want to inspire people to be in ASO.”
Without senators, students at Pierce have no representation, no vote on fund
allocation, and no say in matters that affect all Pierce students.
For more on the ASO, visit our website,
New senators to fi ll empty seats
Professors weigh in on pivotal legislation as 2012 election season begins
Center aims to solve disparity on campus
Prop. 30 debate heats up
Photo Illustration: Jose Romero/Roundup
Weekly Weather:
Each week, meteorology student
Kevin Gabriel will
provide weather data direct from the
Pierce College Weather Station.
Stargazing Encouraged- FeaturesGearing up for fall events- A/E
Catching his dream- Sports
Bridgete Smyth/ RoundupREPRESENT: Shane Mooney (ASO President), Kanny Morgan (Treasurer) and Antoinette Mannie (Club Council President) work in the ASO offi ce Thursday, August 30, 2012.
ROUNDUP: September 19, 2012Opinion 2
Letters to the Editor
6201 Winnetka Ave.Woodland Hills, CA 91371
Room: Pierce College Village 8211Phone: (818) 719-6427
Fax: (818) 719-6447Website: www.theroundupnews.comE-mail: newsroom.roundupnews@
gmail.com
Roundup Editor in chief ....................... UDManaging editor ...................... Jose RomeroOpinion editor ....................... Calvin AlagotNews editor .................... Monica VelasquezFeatures editor ................ Monica VelasquezA&E editor ............................ Natalee AyalaSports editor .......................... Charlie KnappPhoto editor ....................... Kristen AslanianOnline editor ............................ Jose RomeroCartoonist ................................. Austin Faber
Advisers ................................... Jill Connelly.................................. Stefanie Frith ........................................ Jeff Favre
Advertising Manager.................. Julie Bailey[For advertising call Julie at (818) 710-2960]
Photographers:
Jasson BautistaCarlos Caprio Danny DuarteNadine Gostanian Sonia GurollaMartin Lester Lynn Levitt Adriana Lopez Fariba MolaviSteve Palma Todd Rosenblatt Monica SalazarBridget SmythStella Stewart Riley StigterLauren Vellve
Reporters:
Billel BensalemDevon BroomfieldViolet CaneloMario CruzLarry FobbsMatt GottesmanOskar GustowskiNavid KhoiNick McNamara Michaia HernandezKashish NizamiJackie NovaMarquis ParkerKevin PerezKirsten QuinnGonzalo ReyDavid SchubLatise SimpsonMartin Torres
Weather Correspondent:
Kevin Gabriel Policy:
Letters and guest columns for or against any position are invited. Letters should be kept as brief as possible (300 words or less) and are subject to non-substantive editing.
Letters must be signed and include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms or initials will not be used, but names may be withheld upon request and approval of the Editorial Board.
The Roundup publishes “Letters to the Editor” that are not obscene or libelous and do not contain racial denigration.
Writers are given the opportunity to revise unacceptable letters.
The Pierce College Roundup will not publish, as letters, literary endeavors, publicity releases, poetry or other such materials as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter.
The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.Editorial Policy:
The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials.
Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup.
The college newspaper is
published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff.
Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.
What if instead of driving around and around, you had a golden ticket and could pull into your very own personal parking space?
The administration should implement a gold parking pass system and offer them to students for $54, that’s
double the current price for preferred parking, guaranteeing parking in Lot 1 for the first 4 weeks.
This would raise additional revenue and alleviate parking problems.Currently students have three options when it comes to parking during
the fall semester. They can park off campus for free and walk to class, pay $20 for general
parking which allows students to park in Lots 2, 4 and the dirt parking, or purchase preferred parking for $27 which grants access to any of the parking lots on campus. (Minus staff lots)
These pass prices vary slightly around the community college district. LA Trade Technical College has a few options when it comes to parking.
There is preferred parking for $27, or general parking for $20, plus a $15 refundable deposit for an access key card.
LA City College students pay a $27 fee per semester for preferred parking, and also receive free photocopying, Blue Books, Scantrons, access to computers with internet, student representation, and sponsorship of college activities, according to the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) website.
The restricted parking is $20 and only gives students access to one lot. Another campus that offers perks when purchasing preferred parking
is East LA College where students receive bookstore discounts, and other discounts at local establishments.
However, there are no extra perks at West LA College, Mission College, LA Southwest College, or Valley College, but their passes are only $20.
The cost for parking is even greater outside of the LACCD. Students at Santa Monica College pay $85 to park their cars on campus.
Also, the faculty here at Pierce currently do not pay for parking, nor do the few remaining student workers. This could be revenue that could be allocated in the midst of these hard times.
If the administration were to create a gold system, full time students who have maintained a 3.0 GPA for one or more consecutive semesters would be eligible to purchase the limited pass for $54.
There are 260 spots available in Lot 1, not including staff, sheriffs, 30-minute guest parking, handicap, and motorcycle parking.
Each one of the 260 spots would be numbered and assigned.Students would be emailed before the semester begins, informing them
that they qualify for the gold system, and passes would be sold at a first come first serve basis, and a waiting list would be created for students who remain interested in the program.
Those who desire to maintain the parking spot will be able to pay an additional $54 for the next four weeks and so on and so forth, or buy a full semester for only $162.
If a student did not wish to continue with the gold system, a preferred parking pass would be assigned to them when the gold system pass was returned to the business office.
The next student on the waiting list would be contacted and assigned the spot, with their original $27 parking fee being credited toward their gold pass.
The college would benefit from and additional $35,100 profit should they decide on undertaking the project. The only expense that is for seeable to the college would be numbering the parking spots and the specialized parking passes.
According to the ASO Budget 2012-2013 Encumbrance Report the parking lot lease is $1,000, after this expense. An estimated cost of $2,000 for painting spaces and producing passes would leave the college looking at a profit of $32,100. This money can be distributed to various clubs and departments in a time of great need.
Supporting Prop 30
The debate over Proposition 30 is one that needs to be heard by not just Pierce students, but all students and supporters of the community college system.
If you’re unfamiliar with the November 6 ballot proposition, Prop. 30 would increase the sales tax by 0.25 percent, and it would increase the personal income tax by 3-5 percent on those making over $250,000 a year. The funds raised by the measure range from $6 billion to $9 billion annually.
The rejection of this measure would mean the state would have to cut $6 billion from the 2012-2013 budget, triggering cuts that would dramatically affect education. Of that $6 billion, $5.4 billion would be cut from K-12 and community colleges.
We’ve already felt the sting of budget cuts, whether it’s in the form of higher fees or reduced services. Having even less funds would place more burden on us, hurting the state more than it would heal.
Community colleges are the stepping stone to higher education and the path to a career. These institutions have been a means for the working class to afford an education beyond high school. The rejection of Prop. 30 would only make their difficult journey even more so.
Children of the Los Angeles Unified School District would suffer from the deep cuts to K-12. With increasingly less resources at their disposal, instruction will become harder for these students as they continue on to high school.
The damaged structure of
community colleges will be unable to support the weight of these under-minded students.
From a fiscal standpoint the higher taxes are sound, and the proposition stipulates that they are only temporary. The increase in sales tax which affects everyone would only last four years, compared to seven years for the increase in income tax. The personal income tax portion would also only affect the top 3% of California taxpayers, according to data from the California Franchise Tax Board.
Those opposed to Prop 30 argue that the funds raised by the measure could be diverted away from the schools by the state legislature. However, the measure does states that the legislature cannot touch the funds, and it leaves it up to the school’s discretion on how to spend it.
The numbers make sense. Not enacting Prop. 30 would mean a huge blow to K-12 public schools and the community college system. On November 6, students must make it clear that the price of balanced budgets should not come at the cost of our education by voting in support of Prop. 30.
Save community colleges by voting ‘yes’ on Prop. 30
Editorial
Everyone on campus has their own sob story about that one time they just couldn’t find a parking spot and ended up late for that all-important exam. You know the one.
The one where you scramble out of bed twenty minutes before class starts and debate with yourself on whether you should skip breakfast or skip showering. It’s okay, we’ve all been there with you.
So the question is, how do we fix it? Surely there’s some way to make it so everyone can park exactly where they want to every day, right? Dream on.
Coming up with a cure for the dreaded parking disease isn’t happening anytime soon, but there are some simple remedies you could use to combat the symptoms.
If your class starts at 9 a.m., you could always leave your house 20 minutes earlier than usual in the hopes that the parking lot will be less crowded at 8:35 than it is at 8:55. That’s what I do.
If soaking up every last possible second of sleep you can manage is more your style, you could compromise a tad on having to park right next to your classroom and settle with a parking lot a bit further away.
We have a free shuttle bus on campus available to you every day. It makes rounds every 15 minutes, if you can afford the wait.
There isn’t just a problem with parking when you arrive on campus, there’s a problem when
everyone tries to leave campus at the same time.
Ever been driving on campus at 12:45 p.m. on a Monday? It’s madness.
Everyone and their mother gets out of class right at 12:45 p.m. it seems and they’ve all got the exact same idea: “Get me out of this place!”
A simple solution to this problem could be to stagger class start times in the various departments on campus.
For example, morning math classes could start at 9:15 a.m. and morning English classes could start at 9:30 a.m., allowing some leeway so that not everyone is jammed in the parking lot.
This solution might cause some overlapping in classes that could prevent a student from taking classes in different departments back to back. But with a systematic staggering of classes we can solve the parking problem, as well as the conflict of classes only having 10 minute gaps, at the same time.
Kevin [email protected]
Opinion
Raising more revenue
Can’t find any parking?
Charlie [email protected]
OpinionSimple solutions for the problem that is parking on campus
Illustration by: Austin Faber
CO MI
C
By Austin Faber
ROUNDUP: September 19, 2012 News 3
(continued from front)
“We don’t have the money to educate all [the state] ask[s] us to for what they give us,” Rosdahl said. “Eventually we go into the red, and then where does the money come from?”
If Pierce College is forced to rely on district reserves, the reserves would run out by next fall, according to Rosdahl.
Both McKeever and Rosdahl expressed more concern for the students than themselves, saying that students would feel the brunt of the class cuts and fee raises that would go into effect in the future.
“Students are already paying too much,” McKeever said. “They’re paying more for less classes.”
But not all professors are convinced that proposition 30 is the way to go to solve the budget issue.
Economics professor Dr. Pam Brown feels higher taxes will cause the state of Calif. to lose revenue.
“We [would] officially have the highest sales tax, highest income tax, highest gas tax, 10th highest property tax, and customers go where things are cheap,” Brown said. “When you raise tax rates, you lose tax base.”
But Brown does not believe spending cuts are necessary, but cutting down on expenses is a must.
The economics professor believes that the state can cut down on expenses by extending the retirement age for teachers, cutting down on pensions payments and opening more money up for education programs.
“Retiree costs for state employees, including teachers, is half a trillion dollars for the next 30 years,” Brown said. “That’s eating our operating expenses because people are
living longer.”Brown also feels a that the number of basic skills
courses here at Pierce could be reduced to cut down on expenses to help out the budget, but only in tandem with improvement of K12 education.
“We could reduce [those] program[s] if we had better college preparation at the K-12 schools and we’d have more money freed up for our own programs,” Brown said.
But another question arises with the proposition 30 question: would there be any possible troubles with accreditation?
This was not of immediate concern for Pierce, according to Rosdahl.
“[Pierce] already has a budget set for the year, so the outcome may not have a lot of effect on [accreditation] based on timing,” Rosdahl said. “When the accreditors come in March, we’ll be running on district reserves. But as for next fall...”
McKeever echoed a similar thought, but also brought up another accreditation concern.
“The state requires us to have a certain amount of faculty, and if we are forced to start cutting teachers, that could be a problem with accreditation,” McKeever said.
Brown felt accreditation might be an issue but was confident that “there are ways to accomplish our goals without spending cuts.”
With all the different views around campus about Proposition 30 and its potential repercussions, Pierce students should get ready to make a decision in the upcoming elections.
The initiative will be on the ballot in California in the Nov. 6, elections.
One week into the end of the grace period for parking permits, students still raise concerns over parking at school.
A common complaint among students is how difficult it is to find parking on campus, with many spots being filled by the time they arrive.
For Anna Selverian, who just started her first year at Pierce, her first experience with parking was an unfavorable one.
“I really underestimated [parking] the first day,” Selverian said. “It was a nightmare.
Since then, she still feels like she hasn’t gotten used to the parking situation on campus, Selverian said.
“Sometimes it’s taken me 10 minutes to find a spot,” Selverian said.
An in-depth look at the numbers by the Roundup reveals that this might not the norm though.
On an average day, it takes four minutes, 21 seconds to find a spot in Parking Lot 1 and three minutes, eight seconds to find a spot in Lot 7.
Both are the most used parking lots on campus.The wait times for other parking lots are much lower.Lot 5 near Shepard Stadium takes 40 seconds.Lot 4 across the street takes 30 seconds.Near the art hill, Lot 6 East takes 47 seconds and Lot
6 West takes 40 seconds.Lot 8 behind Mason Avenue takes 39 seconds.If you average it up, this means it should take a student
one minute and 33 seconds to find parking.This does not mean the complaints about parking are
unwarranted; that is a matter of debate.Payal Sinha, majoring in biology and in her second
year, thinks parking can become less of a hassle by simply arriving early.
Last year, she got used to anticipating class dismissals and departing cars, she said.
“Some people exaggerate,” Sinha said. “If you get there early you should be fine.”
On the other hand, second year kinesiology major Daniel Molina believes students can reduce the stress of parking by avoiding Lot 1 and Lot 8.
Even though the other lots are not as close to his other classes, he’s fine with it.
“I don’t mind the walk,” Molina said. “I just don’t want to feel like I’m in a rush every morning.”
Some students think about ditching Pierce’s parking situation altogether.
Selverian is considering not buying another permit next semester and sticking to public transportation.
“The Orange Line isn’t too far away from my house,” she said. “It’s definitely feeling like the better option right now.”
Finding a parking spot is no easier now than it has been in semesters past, and students are discovering ways to avoid it altogether.
Approximate time to find parking:
Lot 1: 4 mins. 21 sec. Lot 7: 3mins. 8 sec. Lot 6 East: 47 sec. Lot 6 West:40 sec.
Lot 5: 40 sec.
The parking situation on campusWhere to find a parking space when you are in a rushKevin Perez [email protected]
Proposition 30 debate (continued)
Bookstore is without managerStudent Store holding steady this semester in wake of managerial theft case
The Pierce College bookstore is left without a manager after the previous position holder, who was arrested and charged with embezzlement last year, was officially dismissed from her position by the district’s board of trustees last week.
Because of the current hiring freeze at Pierce, which was announced last March, it is still unclear whether or not the administration will replace the managerial position left by Kim Saunders, 50.
“I have no idea what’s going on,” Vice President of Administrative Services Larry Kraus said.
Pierce College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly, who is instrumental in the decision to replace Saunders, could not be reached to comment on the issue.
“Some positions have to be replaced, freeze or no freeze,” said Interim Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Michael Shanahan.
Efforts to reach Saunders through the district’s human resources department were unsuccessful because personal details of a former employee are private.
Additionally, the Roundup tried to contact her through information listed online, as well as a social networking site; however, the numbers listed under her name were all found to be disconnected.
Saunders has been on paid administrative leave since her arrest, but the bookstore staff has been able to function relatively well, despite the lack of a manager, according to Textbook Buyer Holly Hagan.
“We work together pretty well, so we’re able to pick up the pieces that have been missing for a while,” she
said.Saunders was recommended for
dismissal based on five causes of action: incompetence; inattention to or dereliction of duty; willful misconduct, willful and persistent violation of the provisions of the educational code, public policy, or of policies, rules, regulations, or procedures adopted by the board of trustees or the Personnel Commission; and dishonesty, according to the agenda of the Sept. 12 board of trustees meeting.
Efforts to reach Saunders through the district’s human resources department and contact information listed online were unsuccessful, as personal details of a former employee is private, and the phone numbers associated with her online were all found to be discontinued.
Specific details about Saunders’ case cannot be shared due to its private nature, according to Shanahan.
The disciplinary action comes six months after Saunders’ court case was dismissed by the trial’s presiding judge.
A lack of district resources partially caused the delay in administrative action, according to Shanahan.
“In many cases, it takes us some time to receive the completed investigation [of the employee] and to build our case,” he said. “The district has no investigators, so we rely on college personnel but they already have their own jobs. We’re having issues.”
Additional factors for the six-month wait are how complicated a case is, and how long it takes to complete investigation of the employee, according to Shanahan.
“If we get challenged [by either an employee or his representative], we have to be able to defend ourselves
[with evidence],” he said.Shanahan also said that the
decision in the court case has very little to do with the trustees’ decision to dismiss Saunders.
“The trustees just look at the proposed action and penalty,” he said. “The trial’s not necessarily the end of the conversation in regards to administrative action.”
Instead of using reasonable doubt—the standard of proof used to convict someone in a criminal case—the district uses the preponderance of evidence, or “51 percent,” standard for all administrative action.
It involves comparing the evidence of one side of the issue to its opposition; whichever side is more likely correct than not is considered the truth.
“If you’re 51 percent convincing, you win,” Shanahan said. “Criminal proceedings don’t necessarily dictate [the board’s decision].”
Saunders, like any other district employee faced with administrative action, has the option of appealing the board’s decision within 14 days after receiving the written charges.
“It will be like a mini trial,” Shanahan said.
The district’s Personnel Committee makes the final call in appeal circumstances.
According to Christine Field, Saunders’ lawyer during her criminal case, if she decides to appeal her dismissal, she will have to hire a different lawyer to represent her.
“I’m not an employment lawyer,” Fields said.
Saunders was arrested Aug. 25, 2011 for allegedly embezzling $2,000 from the Pierce bookstore after then Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Nohles found the money in her desk.
She was dismissed of the charges March 20 after postponing her preliminary hearing six times.
DUI crash involving Pierce student on Victory Boulevard.
Details online atwww.theroundupnews.com
[email protected] Hernandez
Martin Lester Roundup Lot One: Parking lot in front of the Student Service, near the tennis courts. Photo taken on August 28, 2012 in Woodland Hills at Pierce College.
ROUNDUP: September 19, 2012Features4
Brail Trail o� ers an escape � om the city for the visually impaired as well as the rest of the community
Pierce College’s Braille Trail, located behind building 4900, is the school arboretum’s 500-foot nature path designed for the visually impaired.
Jody La Chance, American Society of Landscape Architects’ Landscape & Horticulture Director, has some advice before students decide to hike the trail.
“Please don’t walk underneath the Evergreen Ash Tree, it isn’t safe,” La Chance said.
This nature trail showcases native, exotic plants and trees within the setting of the Pierce College arboretum.
The original Braille Trail was created on April 20, 1970, and was
re-dedicated April 22, 1995 through the combined efforts of community service and the Horticulture Department
Students are working to uproot the Evergreen Ash Tree because of its potential danger; the tree is so dry that the branches are tumbling down at a dangerous and unpredictable rate.
The Ash tree is located at the beginning of the trail on the right hand side, and it presents a growing hazard .
Pierce student Mel Diab provides tours of the Braille Trail and she is extremely passionate about the landscaping.
Along with others like her, Diab has made it her mission to safely eliminate of all the Ash’s dead
branches, and then re-seed, and re-rope the Braille trail.
“You take a risk walking through the trail,” according to Diab.
At the same time, she encourages everyone to come out, walk it and see it.
She takes great pleasure in noting that no two trees are the same.
But make sure to dress properly… wear sneakers or hiking boots, and drink fluids to keep yourself hydrated.
“Night hikes are not encouraged due to coyotes and other wild life that lurks in the surrounding countryside,” according to student Patrick Cullen.
The entire area surrounding the Braille Trail is also undergoing a major facelift.
All the condemned buildings that dot the area will soon be torn down for safety purposes, according to La Chance.
The Horticulture Department is currently involved in a project run by Michael Pisani called the “Plant Project,” where the academic class ties together with efforts surrounding the Braille Trail hoping that it will take less than two years to re-beautify the trail and its surroundings.
Students and faculty who wish to become part of the Horticulture Club or join the “Plant Project” can do so by contacting Jody La Chance at [email protected].
It’s not just the tan uniform, so distinct from the white uniform of others, that gives him away.
It is the commanding presence and burliness he possesses that leaves little doubt that he holds a position of prominence on campus.
Sheriff’s Deputy Alfred Guerrero has been the team leader of the security officers at the Pierce College Sheriff’s Station since August 2012.
Guerrero, who also worked as the p.m. deputy at Pierce College from 2006 to 2009, isn’t a new face on campus.
“It’s a great place to work at,” Guerrero said. “I actually put in a request to come back here when the opening came up.”
One of the main differences he noticed when he started working on campus again was the significant
decrease in the population of students.
This does not necessarily mean he doesn’t have his work cut out for him, according to Guerrero.
“All it takes is one [student] to cause a problem,” he said. “You get the same problems any city has. That’s what [Pierce] is; it’s a small city.”
As team leader, Guerrero supervises all the security officers on campus.
He is also the liaison between the Sheriff’s Department and Pierce College.
Perhaps his biggest challenge is overcoming the elimination of all non-federal work study student workers this semester—including the cadets—due to budget restraints.
For the full story on Deputy Guerrero, check out theroundupnews.com
Scenic hiking trail helps the blind enjoy nature’s beauty
Deputy back a� er three years, to protect and serve.
Tucked down at the bottom of his Pierce website, a bold header reads, “Hint With Big Flashing Neon Sign.”
It doesn’t actually flash, but immediately beneath it can be found his fundamental stance on education: “Education is what you make of it, not what happens to you.”
Dr. Dale Fields is an astronomy professor here at Pierce College and the Astronomy Department’s Discipline Advisor.
Fields teaches Astronomy 1 and 2, Elementary Astronomy and its lab.
After getting his Bachelors in Astronomy and Physics from the University of Arizona, Fields went on to receive his Masters and Ph.D. in Astronomy from Ohio State in 2002 and 2006, respectively.
He took up his first post-graduate position as an assistant professor in the physics department at Pierce shortly thereafter.
He’s been teaching here ever since.
Despite his handful of degrees, Fields isn’t concerned with titles.
“Professor is just the title, it’s just what I do,” Fields said. “Being a scientist, among other things, I’m more interested in what’s inside someone’s head than the letters
around their name.”Don Sparks, a physics and
astronomy professor at Pierce since 1989, said Fields is “a terrific and dedicated instructor.”
Sparks, who shared an office with Fields for a year during his probationary period, was on Fields’ hiring committee.
“All of us on the committee were impressed with his interview and resume,” Sparks said.
Over the years, Fields has discovered a pattern when it comes to students that do well in his classes.
“I’ve had a huge variety of students,” Fields said.
He has had students come directly from high school, the penitentiary, a war, and people who just want to learn the subject for their own sake.
“The number one person who doesn’t do well in these classes is the wallflower,” Fields said.
He suggests students take the opposite of the wallflower approach.
“If you’re not willing to grab your education and demand that you get something out of it, . . . if you’re not one of the people who’s willing to push forward and be proactive, then you don’t really get anything out of it,” Fields said.
He encourages students to use every resource they can and he highly recommends using study groups.
“Teaching is learning twice,”
Fields says in a document available to his students entitled “Eight Ways to Succeed (or Not) in Astronomy 1.”
This way of learning by explaining things to others largely comes from his mother’s encouraging him to do so, according to Fields.
His mother would say to him after school, “tell me one thing you’ve learned and explain it to me.”
He still uses this technique as an adult.
“I may think that I understand something, but if I need to explain it to someone else, I will find out whether I actually do understand it,” Fields said. “ If you can teach something to someone, you know it. Conciseness really is a hallmark of being able to understand something.”
Fields even wears his profession on his sleeve, literally.
“I’ve liked random, funny, and nerdy T-shirts for a long time,” Fields said.
He cites one of his favorites that reads, “I hated Pluto before it was cool.”
He has spent a decent amount of money on wardrobe by buying customized T-shirts, largely from an online retailer called CafePress, that present current scientific topics in a humorous light to his students.
Fields frequently updates his homepage on Pierce’s website.
He uses it to keep students who are crashing informed about a class’s lottery, post links to “nerd-
related news,” and generally keep students up to date on classes.
He even has sections dedicated to his favorite mobile apps, like SkySafari and Star Walk, and TV shows, including “The Universe,” “Futurama,” and, “Good Eats with Alton Brown.”
He’s been an avid bicyclist for the past 14 years and rides to and from campus every day.
His home is near campus, but he likes exploring on his bike so takes alternative routes.
He has a generous offering of office hours and even invites students to come find him while he’s prepping the astronomy lab on Thursdays.
According to his web site, there will be two “Viewing Nights” and two planetarium shows this semester.
He called the planetarium a “multi-purpose media center,” and said he wants to “show the cool things that only a planetarium can actually show us.”
He only plans a little more than an hour of the two-hour planetarium shows.
He leaves the rest up for requests such as “what will the sky look like on my birthday?” or, “what did the sky look like in 5 B.C.?”
The first Viewing Night will be this upcoming Wednesday, at the Center for the Sciences “from sunset-ish until people get cold and tired.”
Star gazing encouraged Professor uses humor to bond with students Ma� Go� esman
Jackie [email protected]
Todd Rosenblatt/ RoundupA placard along Pierce College’s Braille Trail identifying the greenery for both sighted an blind hikers in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Sheriff ’s Department gets new leadership
Service hours are offered to members of the student government for attending the upcoming AIDS Walk as the Associated Students Organization.
Vice President Kevin Sparks and the ASO have given members the opportunity to earn four community service hours by attending the AIDS Walk, which takes place Oct. 14 in West Hollywood Park.
The AIDS Walk was founded by Craig R. Miller in 1984, with the goal of filling “the void left by the government’s negligible response to the crisis,” according to the AIDS Walk Los Angeles website.
The event has raised over $72 million total in its history and over $900,000 this year alone, according to the AIDS Walk Los Angeles website.
The proceeds go to
t h e AIDS Project Los
Angeles (APLA) organization.Sparks felt that Pierce could have
a higher representation at the AIDS Walk, but more publicity on campus is needed to raise awareness of the event.
“If more students knew about AIDS Walk, more people would go to it,” said Sparks.
That’s where ASO came in with their written support to try and bolster support at Pierce and get a higher turnout, according to Sparks.
“If people see their friends doing it, they’d be more willing to do it,” said Sparks.
Pamela Lynn, 45, has attended
the walk multiple times.It’s “unbelievable,” Lynn said. “[The AIDS Walk] is
breathtaking,” Lynn said. “You see the whole community of Los Angeles come out in support of those with this disease.”
Lynn, who grew up during the beginning of the epidemic in the 1980s, recalls the fear and confusion surrounding the disease in her adolescence.
“People were so scared of catching [AIDS] t h e y w o u l d n ’ t even go to a p u b l i c
r e s t r o o m , ” Lynn said. “Because
they were afraid to catch i t from the toilet seat.”
But now she is glad there are organizations like the APLA bringing awareness of the disease
t o the community and showing their support for those living with AIDS.
Sparks also knows the importance of awareness,
and that is why he has put up his support for the event.
“If we get careless with something as serious as AIDS, then it will drive us to extinction,” said Sparks.
Volunteers must sign in starting at 8:30 a.m. and the event begins at 10 a.m.
Student government promotes AIDS Walk Recruitment ongoing for annual eventNick [email protected]
Walk, which takes place Oct. 14 in
The AIDS Walk was founded by Craig R. Miller in 1984, with the goal of filling “the void left by the government’s negligible response to the crisis,” according to the AIDS Walk Los Angeles website.
The event has raised over $72 million total in its history and over $900,000 this year alone, according to the AIDS Walk Los Angeles website.
The proceeds go to
t h e AIDS Project Los
Angeles (APLA) organization.Sparks felt that Pierce could have
a higher representation at the AIDS Walk, but more publicity on campus is needed to raise awareness of the
“If more students knew about AIDS Walk, more people would go
those with this disease.”Lynn, who grew up during
the beginning of the epidemic in the 1980s, recalls the fear and confusion surrounding the disease in her adolescence.
“People were so scared of catching [AIDS] t h e y w o u l d n ’ t even go to a p u b l i c
r e s t r o o m , ” Lynn said. “Because
they were afraid to catch i t from the toilet seat.”
But now she is glad there are organizations like the APLA bringing awareness of the disease
t o the community and showing their support for those living with AIDS.
Sparks also knows the importance of awareness,
and that is why he has put up his
“If we get careless with
Jasson Bautista / RoundupRocket Man: Assistant Professor of Astronomy Dale Fields holds up an astronomy map of space exploration in Woodland Hills, Calif.
mgo� [email protected]
Michaia [email protected]
As the holiday season slowly approaches and people prepare to tune their environments to match the universal mood of celebration, the choir staff at Pierce College anticipates success in their own embellishing of the students’ voices– tuning them up to perform at the upcoming holiday concert.
“We are instruments of peace and music of the season,” music professor Cathryn Tortell says as she describes how the concert includes many different backgrounds and religious affiliations.
The holidays are just around the corner and the choir is practicing in class and at home in order to put on a successful show for all who will attend.
The choir prepares in more ways than one, including physical activity in addition to their vocal practices.
“We do yoga stretches, breathing exercises, 10 to 15 minutes of warm-ups,” Tortell says “…and then dig into the literature right away.”
All the students in the choir will participate and two or three students will audition to be showcased.
The auditions will be held in three weeks and only a few will be chosen out of the group.
The concert will take place at Pierce College on Dec. 1, 2012 and tickets will be sold ahead of time, according to staff in the Music Department.
“Music is medicine for the soul,” Tortell says as she welcomes all Pierce students to attend. “It is one art that we all share in this world.”
The Music Department recently submitted paperwork to form and organize a Pierce College
Women’s Ensemble Club.They have also formed a Facebook page which
includes updates and pictures of the college choir.If any students are interested in joining the college
choir next semester, the Music Department loves to see new faces and encourages students to try it out.
“Go for it,” Tortell says. “Students have nothing to
lose and everything to gain.”The department eagerly welcomes all students to
enjoy the concert, including all the other forthcoming performing arts events scheduled this semester.
“We are looking forward to seeing new students join the choir and putting on a great show to represent our college” Tortell says.
Free concerts, that are open to the public, are also scheduled every Thursday this semester, beginning Sept. 27. The concerts will be performed in Music 3400 starting at 12:45 p.m. The last concert is on Dec. 6; there will not be a concert on Thanksgiving Day.
Check out the music department’s concert schedule posted on the Pierce College website.
ROUNDUP: September 19, 2012 Arts & Entertainment 5
Violet [email protected]
HHOUSING
ROOM FOR RENTin Quiet/Clean Cul-de-Sac Chatsworth Home.
$448 Per Month with 4 Weeks Free(Including Free Furniture & Hi-Speed Internet Cable)
Central Air & Heat, Swimming Pool,Fully Equipped Kitchen and Washer&Dryer.
Furnished or Unfurnished.• Pierce College within 10 Mins.
Students Welcome. We accept I-20's.• Easy access to 118, 405, 101, 5 & 210 Fwys.
Short walk to Bus, Metro Link & Train Station.Orange Line Close By.
• 5 Mins from Shopping Centers (Ralphs, Walgreens and Trader Joes) & Great Restaurants.
If interested, please contact Ginny [email protected]
Choir warms up for winter concertYoga positions practiced in rehearsals
Gearing up for fall events
Dances, comedies, and invigorating music—this semester is filled with ample entertainment from the Arts Department.
Theatre Manager Michael Sande seemed optimistic for this season’s theatre performances.
“We are very excited,” Sande said. “We have already reached our goal with a record number of subscribers, who have bought tickets to all four of our shows this year. We’re very happy about that.”
Sande also added that these productions are commendable works of art that should be fun to attend.
“The plays have all been highly acclaimed, and they have all won Tony awards,” Sande said. “And they’re all different kinds of
comedies.”The first of the two plays this
semester will be “How the Other Half Loves” by Alan Ayckbourn, featured from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4 and directed by Anita Adcock.
The second of the productions will be “Art” by Yazmina Reza, adopted by Christopher Hampton and performed from Dec. 7 to Dec. 16.
In addition, the music department plans to have performances every Thursday this semester starting from Sept. 27 to Dec. 6 with the exception of Thanksgiving Thursday.
These performances will range from the Los Angeles Cello Quartet and the Los Angeles Baroque Players to solo players on the piano and the cello.
The Pierce Student Concerts will be on Nov. 8 and Dec. 6.
The department had to relocate to the Temporary Performing Arts Center, which is located at the corner of Mason Avenue and Olympic Drive, in order for the renovation of the Performing Arts Building.
They do not plan to return to the original building until the following fall semester, though reconstruction will be finished this January.
However, the Theatre and Musical programs plan to continue putting on plays and musical concerts, respectively, throughout the reconstruction.
To order tickets or to subscribe to the theatre shows, contact Michael Sande at (818) 719-6488.
To see the full calendar for the fall semester musical concerts, check the Pierce College website, under the Music Department.
Slew of shows awaiting up on the art hill
For more Arts & Entertainmentvisit www.theroundupnews.com
UD/RoundupREHEARSAL: Choral director Cathryn Tortell (foreground) leads Pierce College Choir members through one of a series of yoga positions in Music Room 3400 on Monday, Sept. 10. The warm-ups were designed to prepare students mentally and physically for the challenges of mastering vocals in several different languages.
Ava Weintraub/RoundupPERFORMANCE: (From left) Jeffrey Lavner, Adriana Zoppo, and Frances von Seggern Bach perform baroque music.
Kashish [email protected]
Pierce College’s women’s water polo team went undefeated at the Mini Valley Tournament at Los Angeles Valley College on Saturday, playing in the team’s first official event.
The Sept. 15, 2012 tournament, played at Los Angeles Valley College’s Aquatic Center, was a three way head to head matchup comprised of Pierce College, L.A. Valley College and Santa Monica College (SMC).
Pierce went on to win matches against SMC and L.A. Valley College in their season opener with an explosive offense led by freshman starting center Sam Buliavac.
B u l i a v a c scored 13 of the team’s 21 goals in the tournament, with 8 coming in the first match against SMC, a team the Brahmas played once in a scrimmage this season.
“Sam is a p h e n o m e n a l player,” said head coach Moriah Van Norman after the game. “She will most likely get a scholarship to play after Pierce.”
As the offense attacked their o p p o s i t i o n , Pierce’s defense allowed for the team to set up on the counter-attack.
“We’re playing good defense and forcing them to shoot with pressure,” said Van Norman during a break between games.
With two victories in tournament play, the team’s mood is very high despite only playing two games.
“We had first game jitters but we did really well,” said Buliavac. “We’re going to keep getting better.”
The inaugural season for the Brahmas is starting off well, but
the team knows it hasn’t reached its stride yet.
“The team really pulled through considering we didn’t focus on plays and drills and we were just conditioning to get faster than other teams,” said freshman Sara Booth. “We’re only halfway to our full potential.”
The team’s thoughts were echoed by coach Van Norman.
“We did great,” Van Norman said . “They had a really hard week of training and they were able to compete and pull out wins and that’s huge.”
As the season comes into full swing, the team looks to play well enough to be in position to win a
conference title.“We have a lot of work to do if
we have any thoughts of winning conference,” said Van Norman. “We have a great chance but it’s game by game.”
The team’s next match will be against Santa Monica College on Wednesday, September 19, at 2:30 pm at Pierce’s Steven E. Schofield Aquatic Center.
ROUNDUP September 19, 2012Sports6
The Pierce College women’s volleyball team defeated Bakersfield College on Saturday to win the San Diego Mesa College 27th Invitational Volleyball Tournament at Mesa College in San Diego, Calif., extending the Brahmas’ winning streak to 43 matches.
The Brahmas defeated Bakersfield in straight games 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 in the tournament’s championship match.
Pierce defeated Grossmont College 25-16, 25-19, 25-21 earlier on Saturday to earn their place against Bakersfield in the championship game after defeating Long Beach City College and Palomar College in straight games on Friday.
The Brahmas’ attack was again led by sophomore outside hitter Danetta Boykin, who finished the tournament with 52 kills spread across the four matches.
“I came in with a clear head and did my job,” Boykin said.
Sophomore setter Janelle Futch added to her 62 assists combined in the first two games of the tournament on Friday with 43 more
assists against Grossmont.The Brahmas have yet to play a
fourth game in a match this season, having beaten every opponent in straight games 3-0.
Though Pierce defeated both opponents in straight games on Saturday, sophomore libero Brooke Dawson pointed out that these matches were much tougher than their previous matches this season.
“We played some really close games today,” Dawson said. “We stayed mentally tough and pulled through together.”
Pierce head coach Nabil Mardini was pleased with the way his team handled the pressure.
“We played outstanding against two worthy opponents today,” Mardini said. “Bakersfield is in our conference, so we’ll be playing them again later in the season. They’re a very good team and I’m sure they’ll make adjustments just like we will and bring everything they have when we play again.”
Sophomore outside hitter Sakurako Fujii added nine kills for the Brahmas in the championship game.
The team also combined for 15 blocks against Bakersfield.
“We played really well together,”
Dawson said. “We were connecting really well between the setters and outside hitters.”
Though the team viewed the tournament as a big achievement for the season, Mardini viewed it as a learning experience.
“We did a great job serving and passing the ball to the outside hitters,” Mardini said. “But there is still plenty of things for us to work on to always improve.”
The learning experience wasn’t just for the starters.
“We had a chance to play some of our bench players,” Mardini said. “It’s always good to get everyone playing time against good competition.”
Boykin confessed that winning the tournament was important to the team, but she knew that the big prize is still ahead of them.
“It’s a big moment for us, it’s another accomplishment to add to the list,” Boykin said. “But we still need to come in to practice every day and try to get better.”
Pierce is currently ranked first in the state.
The Brahmas next game will be at home as Pierce faces off against Moorpark College on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
Water polo wins inaugural matchesMario [email protected]
Football
@ Mt. San Jacinto Sept. 8 (L 44-26)
vs. LA Southwest Sept. 23 7 p.m.
Women’s Water Polo
@ LA Valley Tournament (2-0)
vs. Santa Monica CC Sept. 19 2:30 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball
@ Mesa Tournament (1st)
vs. Moorpark Sept. 19 7 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
vs. Cerritos Sept . 14 (L 2-0)
vs. Santa Barbara Sept. 21 3 p.m.
Brahmas win tournamentCharlie [email protected]
or call: (818) 710-2960 For email Media Kit contact: [email protected]
FREE Media Kits via mail or email:To Receive a Mailed Media Kit send yourmailing address along with business name,contact person & phone number to:Roundup Advertising, Pierce College 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91371
Sept 19th
Sept 26th
Oct 3rd
Oct 17th
Oct 24th
Oct 31st
P u b l i c a t i o nS c h e d u l e
Nov 7th
Nov 14th
Nov 21st
Nov 28th
Dec 5th
F a l l 2 0 1 2
A d v e r t i s ei n t h e R o u n d u p
4
Call: (818) 710-2960
D i s p l a y • C l a s s i f i e d • J o bemail: [email protected]
• Reach thousands of students, faculty & staff
• Discounts for multiple-run advertising
• Looking for employee's? Put your ad on our Job Board
• Special discounts for students & campus community
Volleyball extends their win streak to 43 matches
The Brahmas have al-ways held a legacy of great wide receivers in the past.
Freshman wide re-ceiver Jaelen “Go-Getter” Strong is keeping this trend alive, quickly becoming one of Pierce’s strongest new offensive threats.
The 6-foot-3 Uptown, Philadel-phia native has already set the bar very high as a receiver.
During his debut game for the Brahmas against the Victor Valley Rams, Strong scored three touch-downs and gained more than 200 receiving yards.
Strong moved to California in August of this year.
“I moved [to California] to get out and seek exposure for football and for school,” Strong said.
The move has certainly paid off with him becoming a well-known name in the team.
According to ESPN.com, sev-eral PAC-12 schools are pursuing Strong with scholarship offers in-cluding Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon State.
Strong’s reason to leave Phila-delphia for California wasn’t strict-ly based on football.
“I did it to get out of the hood, and to get my family out,” said Strong.
His father, who passed away when he was young, was an inspira-tion behind his jersey number.
“My number is seven because my dad died on April 3 [4+3] and
his birthday is February 9 [9-2], so that’s where the idea came from,” Strong said.
Strong is known amongst team-mates and coaches as a player who gives everything he has into every single game.
“He works just as hard off the field as he does on the field,” team-mate and linebacker Omar Black said. “Everything he does he puts his all into it. He’s just that type of guy.”
Assistant coach Jason Sabolic cited Strong’s growing maturity as a reason for his great playing.
“Jaelen took a year off last year to focus on his academics, which I think contributed to his maturity greatly,” Sabolic said. “I have no doubt he’ll go D-1.”
Offensive coordinator Jim Thor-
ton says Strong is not only a good person, but he exhibits a positive at-titude on and off the field.
Alongside being a great player, Strong is also known to be a great teammate as well as a friend.
“As a person, he is a decent hu-man being and as a friend he de-fines the title friend,” Black said. “He’s always there for you if you need him and always looking to make those around him better.”
Strong’s goal is to get his degree and play in the NFL one day.
With his skill, size, ability, and focus on simply making himself and his family life better, he should have no problem getting there.
“I try to treat every game the same,” Strong said. “I just think of it as I may not be here tomorrow so I have to give it my all today.”
Latrise Simpson [email protected]
Catching his dreamFreshman wide receiver Jaelen Strong makes a name for himself
Jasson Bautista/RoundupFOCUS: Freshman wide receiver Jaelen Strong focuses on his football dreams at Pierce College.
Fariba Molavi/RoundupTHROW: Freshman attacker Maggie Kurzeka extends to throw the ball during a game against L.A. Valley College on Saturday.
Recommended
