The Union
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946 EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Proposed grade change in approval process
By Greg Fontanilla
An update to El Camino College’s grade change policy was announced during an Academic Senate meeting on Oct. 15.
The policy is in the process of approval. The Academic Senate will vote on the proposal on Nov. 5.
Administrative Procedure 4231 allows a student to file a
petition or request to change a grade to a faculty member and the dean of the office overseeing the class within 18 months after the original submission of the grade, and cannot be extended after that period.
The Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said the update was made to
ensure students understand the process of changing a grade.
“The grade change policy was updated to provide more clarity for students and the process,” Lopez said. “The language was to create more flexibility so that instructors could go back and change grades.”
As per the update,
extenuating circumstances will allow students to file a petition past the 18-month period if the faculty member who issued the grade approves of making that change.
Darcie McClelland, the Academic Senate’s vice president of educational policies said the change to the policy went through a process
SEE GRADES PAGE 4 →
Board of Trustees seat up for grabs
Longtime board member faces newcomer in upcoming election
By Nick Miller
In the upcoming November election, El Camino College Board of Trustee member Katherine Maschler will be running against Nyree Berry for the Area 4 seat representing Hawthorne, Gardena, Lawndale and Torrance.
The El Camino Board of Trustees governs El Camino
College, with each elected member serving a four-year term.
Maschler previously ran against David M. Kartsonis and Nicole A. Ryan in the 2020 general election. She was elected alongside Kenneth Brown and Trisha Murakawa.
Maschler has taught at El Camino for more than 20 years and has been with the college
Maschler attributes her history, passion and knowledge of the college as key reasons for a reelection bid to retain her seat.
“My history at El Camino, I’ve been there, 50 years,” Maschler said. “El Camino was there for me when I needed them.”
Maschler said her goals will be budget and enrollment.
Maschler said that enrollment
is a huge factor. After COVID-19 decreased enrollment in schools throughout the United States she believes that every board member agrees that this must be a main goal and is a collective effort.
Berry is a sociology professor at Los Angeles City College.
PAGE 4→
Accused stalker follows Asian woman
By Kinzie Malony
The El Camino College Police Department is investigating two incidents involving a male ECC student stalking a female student of Japanese descent.
According to a safety advisory sent on Oct. 15, the student is described as a man in his late-twenties, with darkcolored hair and eyes. Additionally, the student selfidentifies as Black and Japanese.
On Oct. 10, ECCPD was alerted of a female student followed by a male individual from Schauerman Library to the bus stop on Redondo Beach and Crenshaw Boulevard.
The suspect asked the victim, who ignored his request for a date and boarded the bus. An additional incident report was filed on Oct. 11 involving the same suspect and same woman. Both incidents involve the suspect following the victim from the library to the same bus stop inquiring about a date but receiving no acknowledgment.
On Oct. 15, ECCPD received additional information indicating other female students of Japanese descent were approached by the suspect.
While there is no further information, ECCPD is increasing campus patrols.
“Nothing more than what we already sent out, I don’t have any further updates as of now,” Director of Public Information and Government Relations Kerri Webb said.
El Camino College Boxing Club members Christopher Munoz and club president Alec Rodriguez spars during a weekly meeting on Friday, Oct. 11. The Boxing Club will host an organized sparring event at Sweet Science Gym in Hawthorne on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Read more on page eight.
Photo by Mario Trejos
A police vehicle idles by the El Camino soccer field on Friday, Oct. 18. Photo by Greg Fontanilla
Show clubs the money
Campus clubs deserve seed funding from the Inter-Club Council
By Union Editorial Board
While there are an estimated 45 clubs active on campus, close to none are being funded by El Camino’s Inter-Club Council. They are often left to find a means of funding on their own despite there being an ICC Club Support budget of $15,000 to help active clubs.
As of this fall, there are three new clubs active on campus: Campus Connections Club, Core Consulting Group and the Barkada Club. They have not received any starting money to get going after being approved as official clubs.
The Union editorial board suggests that the currently active and newfound clubs on campus be provided a sum of seed money from the ICC to further prosper. Additionally, the board is suggesting clubs on campus be provided about $200 in seed money, which leaves about $9,000 left in the ICC Club Support budget.
There is a large collective of students involved in the clubs on campus, and without proper funding, these clubs could possibly have to disband due to lack of financial support.
It is recognized how much time and effort the clubs on campus work to get recognition and create a fun, interactive environment for club members while trying to generate funding to host activities and obtain supplies.
Currently, the Associated Student Organization has a revenue total of $450,000.
$22,000 of the revenue goes to ASO stipends, and $9,700 goes to ICC stipends, which began in spring 2023. On top of spending $5,000 on an ICC Recognition Banquet, it is safe to say that with all of that money, there could even be a small contribution outside of the ICC Club Support expenditures going toward supporting the new and currently active clubs on campus.
This is not to say that ASO is not looking out for other student-run organizations on campus.
ASO funds are going towards programs such as the Puente Project, which is currently receiving $4,930 in funding, the Immigrant Success Program, which is receiving $7,500 in funding, and the Black Student Success Center, which is receiving $4,900 in funding. All of these programs offer support to minority students to help them achieve their educational goals.
The Union editorial board believes that while the clubs on campus are not as large as some of these funded student programs, they are still deserving of some starting funds for the dedication they have to support student interests and provide added education through recreational activities.
Editor’s Note:
Editors Kinzie Malony and Katie Volk did not assist or edit this story due to their membership with the
EDITORS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
NEWS EDITOR
ARTS & FEATURES EDITOR
OPINION EDITOR
COPY EDITOR
Greg Fontanilla
Angel Pasillas
Katie Volk
Isabelle Ibarra
Rhiannon Ellis
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Kinzie Malony
Staff Writers
Camila Jimenez
Nick Miller Elliott Bullock II
Renzo Arnazzi
Elsa Rosales
Anisa Arnazzi Illustrators
Eric Delgado
Ivan E. Mendez De Leon
Joseph Figueroa
Lynn Kim Mia Gutierrez
Angela Osorio
Bailey Meacham
Justin Coleman Interns
Cameron Sample
Eddy Cermeno
Eric Wang
Erica Lee
Hong Dang
Jamila Zaki
Julissa Celis
Katie Gronenthal Argentina Talley
Kayla Mitchell
Mario Trejos
Miliana Cienfuegos
Philip Mawamba
Rosemarie Turay
Seph Peters
Susana Reyes
Taheem Lewis
ADVISERS
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS
Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu
Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu
PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu
ADVERTISING MANAGER Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS
Photographers jemartinez@elcamino.edu
Jessica Martinez
Doug Morino
dmorino@elcamino.edu
Gerard Burkhart
gburkhart@elcamino.edu
Joseph Difazio
jdifazio@elcamino.edu
CORRECTION POLICY: The Union takes corrections and clarifications very seriously. If a correction is needed, email The Union at eccunion@gmail.com for all corrections and inquiries pertaining to a story.
EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the views of the The Union’s editorial board. Columns represent the views of the writer. Neither are representations of what the newspaper staff, other students, our advisers, faculty or the administration think.
LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMN POLICY: No
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or rejection of any column is at the sole discretion of the editorial board.
Illustration by Joseph Figueroa
Blind spots mustn’t go ignored: a need for safety mirrors
Student safety concerns rise as drivers become more reckless in parking structures
By Camila Jimenez
Making way through the parking structures at El Camino College can be a difficult experience - distracted drivers, narrow lanes, blind spots when turning corners and fast drivers are factors that can lead to an accident.
During the first week of this semester, I was nearly hit by a vehicle twice while walking through parking Lot C.
On both occasions, the driver turned the corner too quickly without stopping and failed to check for oncoming traffic, cars backing out or pedestrians.
I was almost hit again recently when a driver was speeding down the lane at approximately 20 mph and didn’t stop while making a left turn. I realized that the
similarity of all my experiences was poor visibility due to blind spots in the parking structure.
I wouldn’t label myself as someone who is easily scared or paranoid, but once I step into the parking structure I’m constantly on edge. I often hold my Hydro Flask tightly and shake it, hearing the ice inside clink against the metal, deliberately making noise to let drivers know I’m walking through these narrow lanes. Every day, I’m hoping that the sound of the ice hitting the metal will echo off the concrete walls, drawing other drivers’ attention before they speed around the corner.
Since it is the closest parking structure to any academic buildings on campus, parking Lot C is commonly acknowledged as the busiest parking structures by students.
Not only does this parking structure have the longest lines, but it’s also filled with the most impatient drivers attempting to beat eachother to the first open parking spot.
The issue isn’t just that students drive recklessly.
Parking structures lack safety features installed in the lots, including safety mirrors at every corner, which contribute to the problem within El Camino’s parking structures. The dimly-lit structures make it practically impossible to see what’s around the corner, as the main source of light is coming from the outside.
Improved lighting across the parking lots would not only illuminate blind spots, but would also assist drivers and pedestrians in better navigating the area while lowering the possibility of a collision.
Battle of the baby animals: Moo Deng the pygmy hippo or Pesto the penguin?
By Union Staff
In a sea of internet trends and fads, the current craze taking over the media is the public’s obsession with two lovable baby animals.
A pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng, who lives in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand and a nine-month-old king penguin much larger than any adult of his species named Pesto, who resides at the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium in Australia, have taken the internet by storm with their adorable faces and relatably humorous antics.
The Union went around campus and interviewed students, asking which of the two trending animals they prefer and relate most to.
“I like the hippo the most, because she’s really cute and when it comes to mood, it’s the hippo because I like to chill and a little more calm than the penguin,” business major Camilla Bravo said.
Mary Owens, an English major, said she feels connected to Moo Deng.
“She’s cute, and she has a cute personality,” Owens said. Students also expressed their admiration for the animals,
finding their unique personalities amusing, wholesome, and entertaining. One student said she relates to Pesto, the penguin.
“I like the penguin [Pesto] because he’s so big, but a cute baby, plus it’s so me with being social and a big eater,” geography major Kasandra Calderon said.
Even if you are not familiar with these lovable creatures, it is inevitable that you will stumble across the baby animals at some point while scrolling through social media.
“I prefer Moo Deng the hippo because she’s so chubby and is
A fast turn can result in an accident at any moment.
With someone eventually being hit by a vehicle, these accidents will continue to happen until mirrors are installed and safety measures are addressed.
I have seen students on the verge of being hit by a vehicle because a large truck was parked in the corner of the parking lanes, making it practically impossible for a driver to clearly check for any cars or pedestrians on either side of the lanes.
It shouldn’t be a guessing game for anyone— students shouldn’t have to worry about whether cars will notice them when they turn the corners.
As adults, we should know better and be aware of the presence of others in the structure. I cannot imagine
myself driving in those narrow lanes at a speed of 30 to 40 mph just to get out of the structure, let alone thinking of not stopping at every corner and running the risk of hitting another vehicle or person.
The parking structures are so poorly constructed that even if you can turn safely or know what’s around the corner, the lighting makes it even more difficult to notice blind spots.
Just taking a look into the safety mirrors will greatly improve visibility in the parking structures for not only drivers but also for all students, and staff walking through, allowing them to know if a vehicle is approaching.
It’s not a difficult decision.
It’s time for the El Camino College Administration to invest in safety mirrors in these chaotic parking lots.
always on my Tik Tok,” communications major Varleria Lopez said.
It is clear to see how these animals have become so popular all around the world, as many find their uniqueness in personality and physicality something to admire.
“He’s cute, he’s big, he’s
unique, and he stands up from the rest,” El Camino College alumni Andrew Echeverria said.
Amari Jones, Renzo Arnazzi and Elliott Bullock II contributed to this story.
Illustration by Ivan E Mendes De Leon
Illustration by Anisa Arnazzi
Board of Trustee members Brett Robert and Trisha Murakawa run unopposed
She has a decade of experience working at community colleges, with her having previously worked at Los Angeles Southwest College.
If elected, Berry will be El Camino’s first black woman elected to the Board of Trustees.
She has received the endorsement of the El Camino College Federation of Teachers, the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
Nyree Berry said her goal as the candidate running is to represent Area 4.
“My main goals are just moving the college forward. We are in a different time where traditional education, traditional policy, is not necessarily registering with our students, as well as faculty and staff,” Berry said.
Berry also said that enrollment, working conditions and success for all students are very important.
“One of my priorities is to of course increase student, not just enrollment but retention and persistence. I think it is important that all students are able to be successful, despite their internal challenges,
Police Beat
By Seph Peters
The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release. Visit eccunion.com to read more.
Friday, Oct. 17, 2:08 p.m.
A vehicular hit-and-run occured in parking Lot C. The case is open.
Thursday, Oct. 16, 3:44 p.m.
A stalking occured at 6 p.m. near the Schauerman Library on Sept. 24 and reported on Oct. 16. A CSA report was filed.
Friday, Oct. 15, 3:43 p.m.
A scooter was stolen at 1 p.m. in the Center for Applied Technology Building. The case is open.
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 3:40 p.m.
The burglary of a wallet occured around 1:30 p.m. in the Student Services Building. The case is open.
Monday, Oct.14, 10:44 a.m.
A case of public intoxication and false identification to a peace officer in the Student Services Traffic Circle Area occurred on Monday, Oct. 14. The suspect was arrested.
Thursday, Oct. 10 and Friday, Oct. 11, 3:17 p.m
An individual stalked a woman of Japanese descent on Thursday, Oct. 10 and Friday, Oct. 11 from the Schauerman Library to the bus stop on the corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Redondo Beach Boulevard. On Oct. 15, El Camino College released a safety advisory and described the individual as a male in his late twenties with dark-colored hair and eyes.
external challenges as well,” Berry said.
Some students at ECC were not aware of the upcoming Board of Trustees election in November. One of those students is 20-year-old Hector Reyes Munoz, a child development major.
Drawing on his personal experience, Munoz said the school must make it possible for all students to have opportunities to be successful.
“I do think that a lot of people deserve opportunities, especially where I come from- because I’m a first-gen [student] and my parents did not finish high school,” Munoz said.
Aracely Gonzalez, 18, a business administration major said she would have voted if she had learned about the election.
“I think it is important, since we are the ones that will be affected by it,” Gonzalez said.
“So I think it is important for us to have a say in that, and who’s in charge.”
Board of Trustee members Brett Roberts and Trisha Murakawa’s terms will expire in November. Both will be running unopposed for Area 1 and Area 3 and will regain their seats.
In the 2020 election, Murakawa faced off and won against Siannah Collado
Boutte for Area 3.
Murakawa represents El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach.
Roberts was appointed to fill the vacant Area 1 seat during a special Board of Trustees meeting on May 12, 2023, after the passing of Kenneth Brown on March 23, 2023.
Roberts is serving the remainder of Brown’s term and represents Inglewood and Ladera Heights.
Murakawa chose to stay unbiased when asked who she finds as the best candidate to represent Area 4.
“I’m staying out of that race,” Murakawa said.
El Camino College Board of Trustee Terms
Terms expiring in November 2024:
President Trisha Murakawa/ Area 3
Vice President Katherine Maschler/ Area 4
Secretary Brett C.S. Roberts/ Area 1
Terms expiring in November 2026
Trustee
Nilo Vega Michelin/ Area 5
Trustee
Clifford Numark/ Area 2
Free service-learning trip offered for spring 2025
By Nick Miller
El Camino College professor Taka Tanaka is offering El Camino students currently enrolled in his classes a free trip to San Diego near the U.S.-Mexico border. The trip will allow students to experience the struggles of everyday life for certain communities. Tanaka said
he and the students will provide communities with essentials with help from Border Angels, a non-profit organization.
The ethnic studies professor said ECC will cover transportation, lodging, food and activity expenses and will take place in the spring semester from April 14 to 17, 2025.
With the help and knowledge
of Border Angels, students can get the full experience of communities’ challenges without the trip being an unsafe environment.
“We did water drop, and we donated gallon jugs of water and we placed them in strategic areas where Border Angels historically knows that migrants need access to,” he said.
Students with extenuating circumstances can change grades
as part of the accreditation requirement, passing through the College Council and Academic Senate. She said students have had
extenuating circumstances in which a grade change petition was filed after 18 months, adding that the admissions and records department was unable to process a petition due to the
current policy in place.
“The policy just needs to reflect that we allow for exceptions,” McClelland said.
Extenuating circumstances include military service, relocation to a new state or country or family emergencies.
If the faculty member who issued the grade is not available, the vice president of Academic Affairs can grant an extension.
Reasons for an unavailable faculty member include retirement or the instructor being employed elsewhere.
First-year student Marissa Zamora, 18, says the updated policy will benefit students who are in the process of transferring to another school.
“I think it would be very helpful for students who want to transfer,” Zamora said.
Charlene Brewer-Smith, the president of the Academic Senate, said the policy will not affect most students, though she added that it will benefit those who get put into special circumstances.
“Maybe they [students] had to withdraw a class, maybe they got to the end, something happened, and then they got a bad grade in that class – but the grade doesn’t represent the student,” Brewer-Smith said.
“They may be eligible for the grade change – this is a
Nyree Berry, an educator with over a decade of community college experience, poses at El Camino College’s campus on the morning of Oct. 22, 2024. Berry is running for the college’s Board of Trustee seat for Area 4 against the incumbent Katherine Maschler. If elected, Berry will be the first black woman in this position.
Photo by Philip Mawamba
Vice President of Educational Policies Darcie McClelland prepares to discuss the changes to El Camino’s grade change policy at an Academic Senate meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Photo by Greg Fontanilla → GRADES FROM PAGE 1
Board of Trustee member Katherine Maschler discusses new and upcoming plans for El Camino College during the Board of Trustee meeting on Oct. 21, 2024. Maschler is competing against Nyree Berry in the upcoming November election for Area 4. Maschler is hoping to regain her seat after winning in 2020. Photo by Rosemarie Turay
El Camino College ethnic studies instructor Takahito Tanaka previously taught at California University State Fullerton. Photo by Mario Trejos
El Camino College forensics team wins sweepstakes
By Isabelle Ibarra
El Camino College Forensics Speech and Debate Team won the overall sweepstakes at the Jannese Davidson Invitational.
The tournament at Concordia University Irvine was a three-day event in whic the team competed against 23 other community colleges and universities.
Andres Osorio, who serves as co-president of the Forensics Speech and Debate team, reflected on the team’s performance.
“I’m so incredibly proud of our collective performance,” Osorio said. “Our goal is for the school to win.”
In the Parliamentary Debate category, twin sisters Juliette and Julissa Celis were crowned JV team champions.
Danielle Kabboul, meanwhile, was named senior-level champion in the International Public Debate category, while Nia Gordon was named novice champion in Impromptu Speaking. Also in the category of Impromptu Speaking, Zayrah Robb was crowned JV champion. Ashley Singh was named novice Extemporaneous Speaking champion.
New security cameras approved and installed to enhance campus
By Kinzie Malony
New cameras installed at the Small Business Development Center and an updated intrusion alarm system were approved by the El Camino College Board of Trustees on Oct. 21, resulting in a $102,032 purchase.
Quotes for the cameras were $19,820.24, while a continental computer connected to these cameras was $18,904.03.
“There have been some on-campus incidents that occurred, one of which was physical safety, another that dealt with a property crime,” Board of Trustees Secretary Brett Roberts said. “I think it’s imperative that we seek out any way that we can to help secure the campus.”
The new cameras allow the ECC Police Department to see what is happening in real time outside and near the SBDC.
Mandated by the Campus Crime Statistics Act or Clery Act, ECC released its 2024 Annual Security Report showing no reports of any crime near or in the SBDC.
“It all boils down to campus safety, campus security,” Roberts said. “It is designed to secure all the major entry points on the campus.”
In addition, ECC updated its intrusion alarm system, resulting in a $63,308.15 quote. In turn, incidents on
campus are no longer reported to a third party, but directly to ECCPD.
“There was a third party and that third party would monitor ECC but is off campus,” Roberts said. “So, if there’s an alarm or some time of intrusion they would have to respond to it, whereas with this system here it will allow for our on campus police to respond to it in real time.”
Trisha Murakawa, the president of the Board of Trustees said when items are approved, it is due to the trust in staff and their suggestions.
“Most times, we take the recommendation from our
In its third year, students are welcome to El Camino’s Meditation and Prayer Room
By Nick Miller
El Camino College students have a dedicated place to practice their religion or meditate.
The college’s Meditation & Interfaith Prayer Room located inside the Schauerman Library’s West Reading Room was established three years ago, dating back to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Library and Learning Resources Specialist Erika Yates was one of the staff members who made the room possible for students.
“The reason why we created it in the first place is because we would have students praying in stairwells, wheelchair ramps, or we’d trip on them in book stacks,” Yates said. “There clearly was a need for the space.”
“Muslim students would come to the desk asking, ‘Is there somewhere quiet I can go for a few minutes to pray?’ So we got more than one person
““Me and my brothers, we have a group chat – we get together and we pray and text and be like, ‘I’m about to praise Salat thuhr,’ and they all come,”
— Ayoub Osman
asking us that,” Cain said. Cain said more than one person can fit inside the prayer room at a time.
‘If you see the size of it, about two to four,” Cain said. “If it gets
too crowded, then we start to wonder what is going on.”
Ayoub Osman, 18, a biology pre-med major, who practices his religion in the prayer room explains the unity the room creates.
“Me and my brothers, we have a group chat – we get together and we pray and text and be like, ‘I’m about to praise Salat thuhr,’ and they all come,” Osman said.
According to Al-Islam.org, Thuhr is the second of the five daily obligatory prayers (salah) for practicing Muslims and is also transliterated as Dhuhr, Duhr or Zhur.
Uthmon Desmond, 18, a chemistry major, practices the Muslim faith in the prayer and explained his experience using the space.
“We don’t get bothered by anyone and it’s usually free for us, and if anyone is praying in
staff because they have done their diligence and done their research,” Murakawa said. According to the Oct. 21 Board of Trustees meeting Agenda, ECC’s updated alarm system is installed to keep all buildings with financial documents and loose cash more secure as well as shorten response times in order to discourage any suture crimes.
“If it goes straight to people on campus rather than someone off campus, I think that’s better since the reaction time will be faster,” Lani Venegas, 20, nursing major said.
The benefits and increase in campus safety is a common topic that the Board of Trustees and regular day to day students seem to be able to agree on based on the responses received.
Roberts added that campus safety for students and staff is a high campus priority.
“I want to make sure that our students are safe – that’s paramount,” Roberts said.
there, they’ll be respectful,” Desmond said. “It’s completely peaceful.”
Desmond said he has seen people of the Christian and Jewish faith praying inside the Meditation & Interfaith Prayer Room but Muslims use the room the most often.
“Of course Muslims the most, because we pray five times a day, everyone uses it,” Desmond said.
Nursing major Ayah Shwaib, a student of the Muslim faith at ECC said the room is valuable.
“It’s very useful, honestly we were very happy when we got the prayer room, I believe two or three semesters ago,” Shwaib said. “I’ve been able to pray all of my prayers in a timely manner because we want to pray on time.”
To read the full story, visit the website at eccunion.com
The Meditation and Interfaith Prayer Room is located in the West Reading Room of the Schauerman Library at El Camino College. Once an empty space, library staff over time decided to transform the space into a prayer and meditation room, after several Muslim students inquired about a place to pray. Photo by Argentina Talley
Board of Trustees President Trisha Murakawa smiles reflecting on the past month of events during the Board of Trustees Report section during their monthly public meeting on Oct. 16, 2023. Photo by Khoury WIlliams
Student-directed plays deliver humor through humanist lens
An Evening of One Act plays features student talent in Arts Department
By Argentina Talley
Led by three student directors, An Evening of One Act Plays demonstrated comedic talent by students in the Campus Theatre on Oct. 11, 12 and 13.
“Knowing the political climate in the world right now, we wanted something where folks can come and feel joyful, whether in rehearsals or in the audience,” Nathan Singh, assistant professor and faculty adviser of the Theatre department, said.
The students enrolled in the class Fundamentals of Stage Directing would submit their application to be a director for this show. They received first priority over other students that were not registered in this class and non-members of the ECC community.
Singh said that three factors were considered that ultimately influenced the decision to nominate these three particular students. These factors included their artistic vision, their work ethic and their leadership skills.
Once chosen, each newlyappointed director needed to select three plays of their choosing that were within the guidelines provided by their professor. Additionally, the directors needed to follow a common central theme, which was comedy.
“We had to pitch him three different shows that we found that we would be okay directing, and then Nathan
made the final pick of which show we would actually be directing,” Bianca Ondatje, one of the student director for the event said.
Most plays produced in the past focused on drama and more saddening themes. For this year’s Evening of One Act Plays, the directors and professor suggested a cheerful and “lighthearted” theme to put the audience in a good mood.
“This year, we wanted to lean more into comedy, especially since all four of the shows last year were more drama-focused and less comedy focused,” Ondatje said.
After Singh approved of the plays, production meetings took place to organize and stage the plays, thus allowing for the smooth transition from one topic to the next.
The entire process of arranging the event took around three months of meetings and intricate planning, Varnado said.
Overall, the directors wanted to express and demonstrate an emotional impacts on the audience and to brighten their mood in a world full of division and uncertainty.
“If there’s anything that I would like the audience to get from the show, it’s just a good time. As long as they enjoy the show, and they’re having a good laugh, that’s all I really hope they get,” Dean Castro, 20, theater major, and a student director for the event, said.
ACROSS
1. Left or right candy bar
3. What is a vampire allergic to?
4. What do ghosts say?
8. A woman who casts spells
9. A haunting creature
10. An unlucky animal
11. The month of Halloween
14. Howls at the moon
15. Season of Halloween
19. Where do ghosts live?
20. Smart, sugary candy
DOWN
1. Halloween activity
2. A Mary Shelley novel
5. Colorful candy
6. A carved pumpkin
7. Iconic horror movie
10. Witch transportation
12. What do vampires drink?
13. What is worn on Halloween?
16. Synonym for scary
17. Popular chocolate bar
18. What kids get on Halloween?
Halloween Crossword Puzzle
Left: Jesse Hernandez Arellano, prepares his makeup for dress rehersal on the day before the opening day of An Evening of One Act Plays on Oct. 10. Arellano played the role of the prince in one of the three acts of the event.
Photo by Kayla Mitchell
Top: The cast of “An Evening of One Act Plays” warm up with vocal exercises in the Campus Theatre in preparation for their dress rehearsal Oct 10. An Evening of One Act Plays featured three performances directed and acted by students.
Photo by Kayla Mitchell
The female cast gets ready for dress rehearsal for An Evening of One Act Plays in the Campus Theatre on Oct 10. Photo by Kayla Mitchell
‘Cosmic Granny’ author hired at El Camino
From music reports to comic books,
By Erica Lee
After a nationwide search that spanned months, El Camino College welcomes its new Associate Dean of Humanities.
Edward Rice, 51, who has a doctorate in education, is an educator and children’s book author with a background in music journalism.
He joined the ECC faculty in fall of 2024.
Previously, Rice was an associate professor of journalism at Moreno Valley College and served as an advisor for “The Herald,” the student-run publication at the California college.
“He single-handedly built and resurrected [the journalism] program on the faculty end,” Scott Kushigemachi, dean of humanities at ECC said. “He had to advocate for the needs of the program - he knows what the faculty experience is like, how to navigate the community college system and how to advocate for the needs of the program.”
He takes over for Allison Carr, the interim associate dean and English professor, who held the position from August 2023 to June 2024.
She temporarily filled the vacancy left behind by Scott Kushigemachi, the previous associate dean, when he became the new dean of Humanities at ECC following the retirement of dean Debra Breckheimer in 2023.
“[Rice] went through a very competitive process, just like any associate dean or dean, with applicants from throughout the nation and was selected as the most qualified person who applied for the job,” Kushigemachi said.
Out of the pool of applicants, the new associate dean is from a place close to home.
he’s got it
and her adventures with her grandchildren.
Instead, he fell back on his love of reading and writing. His mother, an elementary school teacher, nurtured his passion with Mad Libs books.
Originally from Lynwood, Rice grew up alongside a burgeoning musical genre that would lay the foundation for his future.
“I grew up in the era of hiphop and I loved it,” Rice said.
Growing up in the 70s and 80s living near the Compton Swap Meet where a young N.W.A. would put on shows and give out tapes, he dreamed of getting involved in the music industry.
However, there was a problem.
“I couldn’t rap,” he said.
Through time, Rice’s favorite books evolved from the “choose your own adventure” genre that was popular in the 80s to works authored by Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni.
After graduating from St. Pius X High School in Downey, Rice studied journalism at Howard University in Washing ton D.C. There, he would be brought closer to the orbit of the rap and hiphop music industry.
In the early to mid 90s, Howard University was one of the epicenters for the East Coast hip-hop scene.
Biggie Smalls and the Fugees would make appearances on campus, while Boyz 2 Men, Ice Cube and Mary J. Blige performed during homecoming concerts.
“Our homecomings were huge,” Rice said.
During Rice’s freshman year, a sophomore student named Sean Combs, who is famously known as “P. Diddy,” was making the rounds for the homecoming parties he would throw with Kid Capri.
Artists such as Heavy D,
“He [Combs] was a local college student that was throwing parties, making extra money - at the time, he threw really good parties,” Rice added. “We didn’t know at the time… later on, we’re like, ‘oh, that was him.’”
covered
Register, where he covered concerts and music reviews for the likes of Usher, DJ Quik and Destiny’s Child.
Beginnings as a published author came when he was teaching at Moreno Valley College, but “Cosmic Granny’s” origin story goes back to a sixth grade homework assignment.
Years later, hints of Rice’s musical past sits in his office in the Humanities Building’s thirdfloor division office if one looks carefully.
A laptop cover designed to look like a cassette tape with “Dr. Rice’s Quiet Storm Mixtape” written across it. A mug quoting Tupac Shakur, “Wake Me When I’m Free.”
It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that Rice began to rework the story into the thrilling tale of Norma Gnarly, a retired space commander who is brought back to defend the cosmos when her “former BFF turned archenemy Meteor Molly” kidnaps her grandchildren Ashton and Ashley.
“One thing thats really cool is that he had this idea, this concept in sixth grade that he really liked and kept it,” Billy Johnson Jr., his publicist with Media and Repertoire, said. “He sees the moment to take the concept, to develop it, to bring it to fruition.”
Rice brings that same out-ofthe-box energy and innovation to ECC. Within months of starting as the associate dean, he began an Instagram page for the Humanities Division.
During his undergraduate years, Rice began writing for magazines. One of the first magazines he worked for was YSB, short for Young and Brothers, a magazine marketed for Black young adults and published through a subsidiary of BET.
He later got his big break when he was hired by The Source as a West Coast contributor. For four years, he interviewed luminaries of the 90s West Coast hip-hop scene - from Dr. Dre to Snoop Dogg.
Additonally, he interviewed Afeni Shakur, Tupac’s mother, shortly after her son’s death.
“He sees the moment to take the concept, to develop it, to bring it to fruition.”
— Billy Johnson Jr.
Outside of his duties as a dean, Rice is in the process of publishing the next installment of the adventures of Cosmic Granny in “Cosmic Granny and the Molars of Mercury.”
Rice’s journalistic career took him to the Los Angeles Sentinel and The O.C.
“I think there’s a lot of great stuff that’s happening in humanities,” Rice said. “El Camino is such a great resource for the community and can help change the trajectory of the lives of the people you know in the immediate area and beyond.”
El Camino College’s new Associate Dean of Humanities Edward Rice with his debut book, “Cosmic Granny,” in his office on Oct. 14. Cosmic Granny tells the story of retired space commander Norma Gnarly
Photo By Katie Gronenthal
Intertwining training with purpose and passion
El Camino’s boxing club president inspires next generation of fighters
By Nick Miller
→ BOXING FROM PAGE 1
Knowing how to defend yourself is a skill that most do not have.
Controling that skill for defense and not using it for malicious purposes is crucial. One way to learn these skills is boxing.
Alec Rodriguez, 20, an El Camino College student in the fire technology program, is the president of the Boxing Club at the college. In addition, he is a practitioner in the combat sport of boxing.
Rodriguez’s roots in boxing date back to elementary school, long before becoming president of the club.
“From second grade all the way to eighth grade, I was training – just me and my coach,” Rodriguez said.
When his family encouraged him to follow his passions, he discovered that passion through boxing. Learning he had “heavy hands” and natural skill for the sport, this realization encouraged him to begin training.
With this talent, Rodriguez’s parents made sure
“If someone does want to get into an altercation with me, I always try to difuse the situation by words, ” — Alec Rodriguez
he stayed grounded and a respectful person.
“They always told me to be humble and be confident,” Rodriguez said. “At least try to be as nice as possible to other people.”
While his father encouraged Rodriguez to practice the art of defending himself, Rodriguez’s mother was opposed to her son learning how to box because of safety.
“I was bullied when I was younger,” said Rodriguez. “My dad one day was like ‘alright, enough, this can’t keep going – I’m gonna put you up with a trainer,’ since elementary, second grade, all the way up to now I’ve just been boxing.”
While learning the combat sport, he encountered challenges early on.
“It was very hard to understand, I was a little younger so it wasn’t clicking in my mind as much,” Rodriguez said. “The movements, how to place my
foot, how to throw a correct punch.”
He took a break from the sport during his freshman year of high school, but resumed training during senior year of high school when a simple boxing training method reminded him of why he started in the first place.
“I started doing the punching bag at home after school during senior year,” Rodriguez said. However, the punching bag is not what truly drew Rodriguez closer to his passion.
Registering for classes at ECC is what drove Rodriguez to take the sport seriously again.
“When I registered at El Camino, I was going through the classes trying to see some sports to do and then I seen boxing and I was like, ‘oh this is like a sign that I should pick it back up again,’” Rodriguez said.
As a boxing practitioner, Rodriguez does not compete often, but trains consistently almost every day during the week. He has competed for El Camino’s Boxing Club, but most of his time in the boxing world is spent training students from El Camino.
According to Rodriguez, while training can be difficult and intense, it also requires equilibrium.
“It’s intense and difficult by the conditioning,” the boxing club president said. “You gotta balance your boxing life and then your home life as well.”
As a trained boxer, he acknowledges using his fists can harm a person in a conflict, though he prefers to de-escalate
verbally.
“If someone does want to get into an altercation with me, I always try to difuse the situation by words,” Rodriguez said. “I never try using my hands because it is dangerous, because I do know how to hurt someone.”
While Rodriguez focuses on de-escalating outside of the ring, he draws inspiration from fighters inside the ring, attributing his skill to fighters, including Floyd Mayweather, Canelo Alvarez, and Gennadiy Gennadyevich Golovkin.
He incorporates Alvarez’s techniques into his training.
“I use some of his movements a lot- more towards slipping, dipping,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said there is no need to be intimidated when beginning boxing, adding that putting time into the fundamental movements is crucial for self-defense.
“I would say knowing how to move around, knowing how to use your body to the fullest, fullest potential,” Rodriguez said. “Being able to know that you’re able to protect yourself and others.”
Jonathan Priebe, 22, is a fire science major who attends the Boxing Club and receives instruction from Rodriguez.
“He trains them well, he goes one-on-one at times with each other and helps them find their weaknesses,” Priebe said.
Rachel Pittock is an advisor of the club. She spoke on her boxing relationship with Rodriguez and how he is as a trainer.
“Alec is a great trainer, he
Friday from
started in my class last winter,” Pittock said. “He had technical skills and applied to be on our cabinet and was an easy option.”
According to electrician student Sam Goeppner, 29, boxing with the club and sparring sessions with Rodriguez have helped him improve his boxing skills.
“He’s a really nice, really cool, respectful guy,” Goeppner said. Correcting students self-
defense has also helped Rodriguez correct himself, or prevent bad habits during training sessions.
“I think it has helped me out, becoming a better boxer – as I am breaking down to them, I can break it down in my mind and what I am doing wrong as well,” Rodriguez said.
El Camino College Boxing Club president, left, Alec Rodriguez and club advisor Rachel Pittock spar during the club’s weekly meeting on Friday, Sept. 27. The club hosts meetings every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at the ECC South Gym. Photo by Mario Trejos
El Camino College Boxing Club members Alec Rodriguez spars during the club’s weekly meeting on Friday, Oct. 11. The club hosts their meetings every
10 a.m. to noon at the ECC South Gym. Photo by Mario Trejos