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ccclarion.com Volume LXXV • Issue 13 May 3, 2022
ANDREW PEREZ - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Many students took to the COVID-19 testing site at the Haugh Performing Arts Center on May 2 due to required weekly COVID testing now be implemented after spring break.
Lines expand as trust falls The weekly COVID-19 test will be strictly enforced as students get surprising red alert
BY ANTHONY ROSSI
STAFF REPORTER
AROSSI@CCCLARION.COM
Every week, students are expected to take a COVID-19 rapid test as a prerequisite for being on campus. For the first time on May 2, that expectation was strictly enforced. On May 2, students filled out the daily pre-screening feature like any other day. The difference for some was instead of being given a green check for
clearance, they were halted with a red exclamation point for lack of weekly testing. The result does not constitute a change in policy, but rather a strict implementation of it. “I think people were seeing a relaxation of all the COVID requirements and we kind of got into this false sense of security,” head of the Citrus College COVID-19 workgroup Robert Sammis said. “(The thought) was that there was this decline in COVID but in fact case numbers
are going up again.” In past weeks, weekly COVID-19 testing was softly enforced with the hope students would fill out the pre-screening truthfully and receive their weekly COVID-19 test, Sammis said. Spring break marked a shift in that attitude, Chief Informations Services Officer and COVID-19 workgroup member Robert Hughes said. Hughes said Student Health Services directed his
department to give red non-pass marks to students after spring break. This mark was absolved when the student received their first weekly COVID-19 test since returning from break. “Testing is important for all of us so that we are limiting the potential exposure on the campus,” Sammis said. Lines for weekly testing on May 2 were much longer than in past weeks, partly due to this change in enforcement. Students and faculty were
not notified of the influx of red passes given to students who had not tested by May 2. There was not a notification because students should not be marking they have been tested for the week if they have not been tested, Sammis said. For the remainder of the semester, testing will be required and checked at the beginning of the week. The COVID-19 workgroup will decide if testing will be required for future semesters, Sammis said.
Low attendance, postponed meeting ASCC cancels meeting with no president and prior to the upcoming election BY MARK SNOW
MANAGING EDITOR
MSNOW@CCCLARION.COM
Close to the upcoming student leadership election, the Associated Students of Citrus College was unable to hold its April 26 meeting. The next meeting will not be held until May 3, one day after voting starts for new ASCC leadership. The ASCC was supposed to hold a vote to elect a new president to finish the 2021-2022 school year and finalize the 2022-2023 budget. “It is really important that your fellow student leaders are here
Tuesday,” ASCC adviser and Dean of Students Maryann TolanoLeveque said to the ASCC student officers. “Just because, election for ASCC president and then also your budget. So, if you can encourage each other to be here, we need at least four people (officers) to conduct business.” The three officers in attendance were student trustee Taylor McNeal, senator Hala Fakhoury, and legislative liaison Arvin Shahid. Daniel Caldera, the ASCC former president, resigned April 6 due to personal problems, ASCC adviser
“We just recently had in-person meetings. This was supposed to be our second one.”
Hala Fakhoury
ASCC Senator
and Student life supervisor Rosario Garcia said. ASCC is responsible for overseeing many student affairs,
ILLUSTRATION BY MARK SNOW
Inside n ASCC president resigns:
Page 2
n ASCC election this week:
Page 2
and the budget shows what the income and expenses are for the 2022-2023 academic year. The ASCC budget that was moved to the next meeting shows items such
as service fees that students pay totaling $314,244 and expenses such as salaries totaling $284,928, according to the April 26 ASCC agenda. “We just recently had in-person meetings,” Fakhoury said. “This was supposed to be our second one.” Fakhoury said that other than having a canceled meeting, ASCC has had a successful term. McNeal said that the incoming ASCC officers will have real input from the Citrus College board.
Read Meeting, Page 3
2 Tuesday, May 3,2022 CITRUS COLLEGE
CLARION Editor-in-Chief Mark Snow
msnow@cclarion.com
Managing Editor Anthony Rossi
arossi@ccclarion.com
Staff Reporters: Andrew Garcia
agarcia@ccclarion.com
Andrew Perez
aperez@ccclarion.com
Brooke Spears
bspears@ccclarion.com
Karina Curiel
kcuriel@ccclarion.com
Melissa Orozco
morozco@ccclarion.com
Miranda Palmas
mpalmas@ccclarion.com
Mizuki Smith
hsmith@ccclarion.com
Melissa Orozco
morozco@ccclarion.com
Nicholas Lira
nlira@ccclarion.com
Raven Luevano
rluevano@ccclarion.com
Rhys Teuber
rteuber@ccclarion.com
Clarion advisers: Patrick Schmiedt Stacy K. Long The Clarion is produced by journalism students and is distributed every other Tuesday during the semester. Ads are not endorsed by the Clarion. Published opinion is that of the writer. Views expressed do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College and/or CCCBOT.
News
CLARION
ASCC elections bring new ideas ASCC
Candidates hope to improve event access for students BY MARK SNOW
EDITOR- IN - CHIEF
MSNOW@CCCLARION.COM
Elections are being held in the campus center for the 2022-2023 Associated Students of Citrus College student government. Candidates for the upcoming election are: President n James Miles Senator n Sofia Guzman n Isabella Rivas Student trustee nSerina Nadine Mummert nDijimon Levi nJessie Audrey San Guzman and Rivas were the only two candidates who responded to emails sent by the Clarion. Guzman’s big plans for busy students Despite the challenges that the ASCC elections face, Guzman encouraged her fellow students to go out and vote, and to participate in all elections on campus. “The first thing I want to focus on is time-efficient participation,” Guzman said. “As a student, I know it can be extremely busy,
president resigns
Election Information When: May 2 to May 4 Where: Online How to Vote:
n Login to your wingspan portal n Click “personal information” n Click “answer a survey” n Select ASCC general elections May 2022 Please visit campus center room 106 or call 626-914-8603 for any questions. participation and extra events seem really fun, but there’s sometimes just not enough time. We have students that are mothers or have other obligations at home.” Guzman said she plans to have a Canvas class or portal that every student has access to. Guzman said her idea is to have these events posted in a place like Canvas so that students can see them, be made aware of them, and be able to actively participate. This portal will also serve as a way for students to express their opinions on current activities that the ASCC oversees, which Guzman said she believes will encourage more participation from busier students. “Voting is super important, no matter who it’s for,” Guzman said. “Whether it’s for me, or any of the other candidates. I know there are ADVERTISEMENT
RIVAS
GUZMAN
not many, but it doesn’t matter. Voting is so powerful and has the potential to change the trajectory of any situation.” Rivas wants to improve access “I feel like starting here at this community college I had a really hard time gaining access to programs and clubs that happen on this campus,” Rivas said in an email. “It would be great if we did more club rushes at school and also teachers bringing them up to their students.” Rivas said she believes that teachers don’t bring up clubs as often as they should. Rivas said she also wants to start a Canvas page, where students can have access to information specifically for clubs and other programs for easy signup. “Students should vote for me because one of my distinguishing characteristics is an outwardlooking attitude that tries to see things from the perspective of others,” Rivas said. “Even when confronted with difficulties, I strive to have a positive and cheerful outlook. Rather than dwelling on the negative, I try to concentrate on the positive.”
President Daniel Caldera has stepped down from the head of the ASCC, leaving the position open to two new candidates. BY ANTHONY ROSSI
STAFF REPORTER
AROSSI@CCCLARION.COM
The Associated Students of Citrus College president resigned on April 6, leaving a temporary void in leadership for this branch of campus governance. Former ASCC President Daniel Caldera left office citing personal reasons, Student Life Supervisor Rosario Garcia said. Caldera took office on July 21, 2021. The ASCC does not have a sitting vice president for this term, leaving the position of president vacant. The student officials will vote on a new temporary preisdent May 2. The ASCC Constitution dictates if the vice president position is not filled, a vote will be conducted by the sitting ASCC officers to determine a new president.
READ MORE AT CCCLARION.COM
News
Wednesday May 3, 2022 3
CLARION
Lose the mask and take the applause
Graduation will be in person at the Citrus Stadium without mask mandates BY ANDREW PEREZ
STAFF REPORTER
APEREZ@CCCLARION.COM
At the Citrus stadium on June 18, commencement will return to in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. No mask mandate will be in place, with COVID-19 health threats going down, Vice President of Student Services Richard Rams said. Rams said he is excited to host in-person commencement for the first time since 2019. “(We had) Two years of virtual graduations due to the restrictions and COVID, so we’re excited that we’re going to have a live graduation in June,” Rams said. Rams said this year’s commencement will be different as they will broadcast commencement live on the college YouTube channel. Commencement will be in alignment with the Los Angeles County guidelines, with no special screening protocols for graduates and guests being anticipated, Rams said in an email. Students who wish to participate in graduation must have submitted a graduation application by April 15, Rams
wrote in an email. Class of 2020 and 2021 have been invited to commencement, with 147 graduates expressing interest in participating as of April 1, Rams’ email said. Rams said in an email that the commencement website will have additional information and direct communication ongoing about caps and gowns, and event day information in May. With commencement being outdoors and students having to test anyway for finals weeks the school does not anticipate any COVID-19 restrictions, Rams said. If anything changes from this point to June, the school would adjust and follow the Los Angeles County guidelines, Rams said. Although commencement is going to be in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, some students are indifferent to the return. Leann Beans, who is majoring in Pre-Allied Health and planning to transfer to Cal State San Marcos, said she does not care about the format of graduation changing. Beans said she will probably not attend graduation. “I don’t know that many people so I really don’t care whether it’s
ANDREW PEREZ - STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Graduation will be held in person at Citrus Stadium on June 18.
in-person or online, so I know I personally am probably not going to go to graduation,” Beans said. Beans said her not being here the full two years, and the lack of community she has felt is the main reason she will not attend the graduation. Beans said she is not worried about getting sick with COVID-19 as she is young and vaccinated. Rams said students are encouraged to attend in-person to celebrate the work they put in. “Whether you might be shy or
uncertain or you’re worried that, hey, I didn’t get to meet many students, what better opportunity than at graduation? Cause guess what you are all one on a single
day and that is a graduate of Citrus College,” Rams said. The biggest difference between the livestream commencement and attending in-person is the livestream is a moment and attending in-person is an experience, Rams said. Someone who may fall under the category of students Rams is referring to is Monica DelaCruz. DelaCruz is majoring in child development and said she has become used to the online format and prefers to not have to walk on stage. “These days I’m so used to like it being remote, I don’t really care if I’m right there,” DelaCruz said, “... and I don’t have to be on the stage and that’s just too much.” DelaCruz said she personally prefers the remote commencement as she has grown accustomed to that format, however she is fine with however the school chooses to do it.
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Mobile food pantry resumes School has offered free food to all participating students since 2017 BY ANDREW PEREZ
STAFF REPORTER
APEREZ@CCCLARION.COM
The mobile food pantry made it return to campus since COVID-19 forced students off campus. The first event back on campus was in March, which had 101 attendees, Basic Needs Coordinator Dunia Valladares said. The mobile food pantry made its second appearance on April 4. Student Life Supervisor Rosario Garcia helps oversee the mobile food pantry. Garcia said she started working at Citrus in 2017, which is when the dean of students Maryann TolanoLeveque began working with Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to bring the Mobile food pantry on campus. Garcia said she finds the mobile food pantry memorable and rewarding. “I think every single time that I’ve been out there working during the mobile food pantry it’s always a great experience,”
Meeting from Page 1 Fakhoury said that other than having a canceled meeting, ASCC has had a successful term. McNeal said that the incoming ASCC officers will have real input from the Citrus College board. “You (student officer) should always be thinking about Citrus College as a whole and what’s better for the students as a general population,” McNeal said.
Garcia said. “... The times that it has stood out the most is just people you know thanking you.” Garcia said students have told her they do not want to take food from the mobile food pantry because they are not in need. Students do not have to be in a poor position to take food from the pantry, Garcia said. “The resources are here for our students, please take them,” Garcia said, “ … Maybe by taking that box of free food, you don’t have to spend money on groceries.” Due to the food being donated, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank can not promise they will have the same items each time, Garcia said. However, they always try to substitute what they do not have with similar items, Garcia said. They always try to provide fruit, fresh produce, vegetables and canned goods, Garcia said. Garcia said she enjoyed seeing students interact at the mobile pantry by giving each other suggestions on what is good . A favorite of the mobile pantry is
“Always make sure you’re on time for things and that you’re always prepared.” The ASSC election code says that a candidate must receive 50 votes to be elected into position. The voting procedure was modified in the 2021-2022 election to allow the current ASCC officers to be elected. Garcia said in an email that she and Tolano-Leveque circumvented the normal voting system for the 2021-2022 election.
the pizza crust, which students will ask for, Garcia said. Valladares said the mobile food pantry is set up differently from the past as they have to follow COVID-19 regulations. The pantry switched from a farmers’ market style to packaged food, Valladares said. Valladres said one of the rules for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is that the resources be available to everyone. However, the pantry in the Campus Center is only available to students, Valladares said. During the pandemic, the demand for food increased, which decreased the availability of the truck, along with the campus being closed, Valladares said. Valladares said one mobile food pantry came on campus with the help of Los Angeles County during December 2020. Valladares said it was a drivethru service with over 800 people attending. The next mobile food pantry will be on campus May 2.
“It (voting) was due to low participation,” Garcia said in an email. “Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the remote learning environment during the ASCC election, an exception was made to allow students to win with a simple majority of the votes. Many community colleges experienced similar situations.” Garcia said in an email that she is hopeful that the 20222023 election will not have to be modified.
MAY
15 YESTERDAY AND TODAY:
THE INTERACTIVE BEATLES EXPERIENCE
The audience creates the playlist!
Sunday I May 15, 2022 I 2PM
Tickets: $38 $30.40 with promo code RETRO20 Senior: $33 Citrus Faculty, Staff & Students: $19 Citrus Visual and Performing Arts presents
Citrus Singers’
PLAYLIST
May 21 & 22, 2022 at 2PM
The Citrus Singers ignite the stage in a performance that features the most iconic songs of all time.
Tickets: $25 Senior: $23 Student: $15 12 & Under: $13 All tickets $25 at the door, regardless of age 1000 W. Foothill Blvd. Glendora, CA 91741
TICKETS:
(626) 963-9411 www.haughpac.com
Get Social! @haughpac
Box Office Hours: Tues - Sat 11am - 4pm & One Hour Prior To All Shows
FALL 2022
LONDON, ENGLAND SEPT. 8 – DEC. 2, 2022
Enroll in 12 or more units of CSU/UC transferable credits next fall!
STUDY ABROAD WORK TOWARD YOUR DEGREE OVERSEAS! Visit www.citruscollege.edu/studyabroad for up-to-date program information and meeting dates.
WINTER 2023
PARIS, FRANCE JAN. 7 – FEB. 4, 2023
Enroll in 3-6 CSU/UC transferable credits next winter!