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EL CAMINO COLLEGE
March 1, 2012
International Club seeks new members
State’s budget targets aid for college students Roy Anthony and Kenneth Berry Staff Writer, Co-Opinion Editor Last minute statewide funding cuts will result in more than $2 million sucked from EC’s reserve fund with budget deficits that could affect students next year, an administrator said. “The $149 million in statewide cuts are the result of student fees not coming in because more students qualified for Board of Governors fee waivers,” Jeanie Nishime, vice president of student and community advancement said. She said the college plans to use the ending balance from reserve funds to absorb the $2 million deficit. “This year, we anticipated shortfalls and we budgeted frugally, so we’re not impacted as much,” Nishime said. She added that the cuts will not affect students this year, but that the administration doesn’t know whether any additional cuts will result in changes this fall. “Any further cuts could result in more cuts to course sections because the state will reduce our funding cap,” she said. She said EC is only in the beginning processes of building its budget for next year, but will include several contingency plans pend-
Robert Long/ Union From left, Tiyeri Gravitte, 20, vet medicine major, signing up for the International Club. While admiring the free spirit of club members, (middle) Angela Songco, 24, journalism/communications major and (right) Amira Petrus, 18, film major.
Students walkout in protest today Thomas Schmidt Staff Writer Rising up from seats in classes all across campus, students will stage a walk out today at 11:30 a.m. to coincide with the National Day of Action for Education, Occupy EC protesters said. The students will convene at the Ocuppy El Camino College camp on the Library Lawn, OECC organizer Daniel Osoy said. The event was planned following a call to action on the Occupy Education California website, which asks instructors and students from all levels of education to participate. “We refuse to accept educa-
tional re-segregation, massive tuition increases, outrageous student debt, and increasing privatization and corporatization,” the website’s statement reads. OECC hopes to use the event to bring attention to issues specific to this campus. “In general, the walkout is about the crisis in education” Osoy said, “More importantly, here at EC, we’re seeing the death of winter session.” Last November, the board of trustees approved a resolution that opened the door to cancellation of winter session, an outcome Osoy said he hopes to avoid by raising student awareness of the upcoming March 12 board meeting. “The hope to keep our winter
session is not over,” Osoy said, “we’re trying to get students to rally, to put pressure on the administration to reconsider what they’re doing and how it affects students.” OECC has invited several instructors to come to the Library Lawn today to offer tutoring to students missing their classes, Perry Petaccia, psychology major, said. “We don’t want people to think this is just students cutting class,” Petaccia said. Follow our walkout Tweets @ECCUNION
Torrance, California
ing the results of Gov. Jerry Brown’s statewide budget, which should be approved in the coming months. While the college is facing possible funding cuts under the state budget, students face tightening restrictions on what’s left of student aid. For his proposed 2012-’13 state budget, Brown would cut $110 million in funding to the Cal Grant program and would enforce new minimum grade point averages required for students to receive any Cal Grant money. Brown said that limited financial aid resources should be focused on “those students who are most likely to complete their degrees,” and subsequently to contribute to California’s economy. Many students, like Nick Coleman, 18, undeclared major, said that the new requirements are counterproductive and unfair. “A lot of people would have to drop out of school for something as simple as not having good study habits,” Coleman said. “It doesn’t mean they won’t graduate unless the financial aid that they rely on gets taken away because of it,” he added.
[See BUDGET, Page 2]
Library Fines for Overdue Books Carina Gomez Staff Writer Effective last winter session, Schauerman Library began charging students for materials not returned by due dates, from both the general collection and the library reserve. The new fine for overdue materials is 25 cents per hour for items on reserve and 25 cents per day for books from the general collection. The fines are kept on record in the library until totaling $10. At and above this amount, the library sends the fines for collection by the Cashier’s Office and a student is no longer permitted to check out library materials until the fines are paid and a receipt is brought back to the library. The fines was proposed by Ed Marti-
nez, public access librarian, to discourage students from abusing the library system by not returning checked out books before or at the time they are due. “Students who do not return the items on time create unfair access to other students,” Martinez said. Some students have reacted positively to the new measure and are happy that something is being done to help distribute library resources effectively. “I think it’s a fair fee because it prevents students from keeping books longer than they should,” Lorena Gutierrez, 20, linguistics major, said. David Shan, professor of Chinese and Japanese studies, said that this is a way to not let students take the books for long periods of time because other students waiting for a book are affected.”
Occupy EC students still on campus and moving forward with their plans Eva Ziss-Patton Staff Writer
NEWS LINE
Winter session is safe, for now, after Occupy EC students said they helped to delay the board of trustees’ vote to eliminate it. Activist Daniel Osoy said the vote which would have taken place last December, but is now set for March 12, was delayed due in part, to hard work and planning by the OECC. OECC participants said they stayed busy through winter session and will continue to rally into spring to prevent the cancellation of “one of the most successful sessions that we have,” Osoy said. OECC held its first protests against the winter session cut in early December and has since gained support through networking on and off campus, Osoy said. The protesters addressed clubs, distributed literature, and generated awareness using social networking sites, such as Facebook. Robert DeWitz, another OECC organizer, said the group “met with numerous activists, and established a relationship with the National Lawyers Guild.” “We’ve seen a lot of new faces,” he said. “We have a lot more active members than we did last semester.” OECC’s general assemblies take place every Monday and Tuesday from 1 to 2 p.m. on the Schaeurman Library Lawn and various students are encouraged to act as the assembly facilitator each week. Instead of meeting in a room on campus, a possibility discussed last fall, students involved with OECC continue to meet on the lawn by choice. “In the spirit of the Occupy movement, we want to be visible, we want to be transparent, we want to be all-inclusive,” DeWitz said.
DeWitz said that if OECC established a permanent meeting room, the movement would have to establish itself as a club that would mean more subjection to control by the administration. “So we’ve decided to stick to free speech, because it gives us the opportunity to accomplish more,” he said. A recent event OECC organized was Monday’s “Occupy the Club Rush,” where DeWitz said OECC protesters staged a “deathin” by dropping to the ground to symbolize the death of higher education. Throughout Club Rush week, DeWitz said OECC will use the busy campus quad as an opportunity to continue to educate students to petition elimination of winter session by tabling and providing students with free silk-screening of shirts to feature various OECC designs. Good Jobs LA, a nonprofit organization that aims to address major community concerns, said it is also working in conjunction with OECC because it feels the necessity to connect community members with students. “Often times, only the [groups] that are politicized are the one’s taking action so we feel that there’s a connection that needs to be made with those two groups,” Jose Beltran, of Good Jobs LA, said. However, Occupiers maintain that the OECC is a non-political movement because the issues they address are of concern for all students, regardless of which party they affiliate with. “We’re trying to appeal to everybody as opposed to when you’re actually affiliated with some political party,” which Osoy said creates “tension between people’s ideologies and philosophies.” Another project OECC has orchestrated is the Student [See OCCUPY, Page 2]
Today is the last day to apply for graduation
Major and university workshop is Tuesday
University Fair will be held next week
Students who qualify for an associate degree in June must apply for graduation today at 1 p.m. The graduation intents can be filed in the Admissions Office and late requests will not be accepted.
Designed to help students find the right fit, the workshop will take place on Tuesday, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the conference room of the Distance Education Building.
In an effort to motivate students for transfer, 30 universities will participate in the University Fair, that will take place on the Schauerman Library Lawn on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information about financial aid will also be available.
Kyle Borden /Union Occupiers Robert DeWitz, Michael Glass and Rapheiel Portillo set up camp.
Last day to drop without ‘W’ is March 8
Arts Month panel to take place
Students looking to drop classes without notation on their transcript must drop on or before March 8. To drop, log on to the myECC website portal.
Representatives from the arts division will present information about admissions requirements and program options on March 15 in Haag Recital Hall. The panel will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by portfolio reviews from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
NEWS
2 El Camino College Union
POLICE BEAT By Daniela Messarina
Women’s restroom vandalized with glass Feb. 21, 11:30 a.m.— After discovering shattered glass littering the floor of a women’s restroom located near the Art & Behavioral Science Building, a female custodian called campus police and a vandalism report was filed.
Student passed out from severe headache Feb. 27, 9:45 a.m.— While experiencing a severe migrane, a female student lost consciousness in the Life Sciences Buidling. Officers responded to the medical aid call and the student was transported to an area hospital.
Male student injures foot in soccer class Feb. 27, 8 a.m.— Officers responded to the soccer field after a male student twisted his ankle during soccer class. The student was transfered to the student health center for an injured foot.
Female student cited for suspended license Feb. 27, 8 a.m.— Officers issued a citation to a female student driving on a suspended license during a traffic stop conducted on the opposite side of Lot H.
March 1, 2012
EC counselors push for contract re-negotiations Daniela Messarina Staff Writer While the administration will move forward in imposing a shortened work-year on counselors, counselors say that they will push for contract renegotiations. Margaret Quinones-Perez, counselor for 24 years, said that a representative will advocate for removal of the imposed contracts in renegotiations this month. “I don’t have high expectations because I’m not sure where the value judgment of the administration is right now,” Quinones-Perez said. She said that the November board of trustees’ vote to change the contracts came after a fact-finding panel concluded in favor of the administration, which claimed that EC’s twelve-month counselor contracts were not comparable to those in other community colleges’ counseling departments. All counselors currently
under twelve-month contracts will be forced to work only 10 months by 2013. Counselors have taken issue with the imposed contracts for several reasons, mostly because they say that the reduction of time counselors spend on campus will put students at a disadvantage. “We have about twentysix full-time counselors to serve the entire El Camino population currently at twelve months,” Sabra Sabio, transfer counselor, said. “That same population now has to be served in ten months.” Many students, who stood lines for counseling appointments last semester that stretched far into the campus quad, have expressed frustration with counselor availability. David Gutierrez, 18, a first year student with an undecided major, said the difficulty of getting one of the limited counseling appointments makes registering for classes difficult. “I have not gone to meet
Budget Continued from Page 1 Opponents of Brown’s proposal argue that the reforms target lowerincome students who often rely on the grants but may struggle to hit the proposed GPA marks. “The idea of rationing out education to students with higher grades sounds good in theory,” Lyman Hong, English professor said. “When you put something into practice and it ends up having inequitable outcomes, you have to question the policy.” Byron Maxwell,19, architecture major, said he disagrees with the changes. “I believe everyone should have a fair chance at an education,” Maxwell said. “To assume that a student with less than a 2.75 GPA has less of a chance at graduating is stereotyping.” He also added that there are many factors, like students’ living and fi-
with a counselor since spring semester started,” Gutierrez said. “It’s not helpful and it’s unacceptable.” The administration contends that counselors will maintain the same number of student-contact hours under the new contracts and that the
“I will have to work fifty-two hours per week just to get four thousand dollars less than what I’m making right now.”
—Chris Jeffries Athletic Counselor
difference in work months only amounts to removal of counselors’ vacation pay. “El Camino was the only community college here in L.A. county that had counselors being paid a month’s va-
nancial situations that contribute to a student having a low GPA. “One semester I can have a 2.75 and the next I might not because of other things going on in my life. For my aid to be taken away just because I had a bad semester isn’t fair,” he said. The California budget is generally finalized in June and Brown’s Cal Grant provisions could go into effect as early as this school year. Students submitting applications tomorrow may be finding out in summer whether continuing their education will even be possible without Cal Grant assistance. Many students could be awarded provisional grants, only to have them canceled just before their first semester. Ramon Page, psychiatric technology major, called Brown’s proposals “a double-edged sword.” “It weeds out people who are only at school for a financial aid check,” Page said. “It will also hurt people who are not the smartest students but are really dedicated to making a better life for themselves.”
cation, then working eleven months,” Stephen Covert, the chief negotiator for the administration, said. In a plea to the board of trustees, athletic counselor Chris Jeffries painted a different picture of the implications of the shorter contract— which she said amounts to a 30 percent pay cut. Jeffries said that she would have to work an additional 12 hours per week in over-time in order to compensate for the reduced pay. “I will have to work fifty-two hours per week just to get four thousand dollars less than what I’m making right now,” Jeffries said. “I don’t know what kind of effective counselor I’m going to be at that forty-seventh, forty-eighth hour.” Faculty members have shown support for counselors and in a letter to the board, Alice Martinez, math instructor, questioned the basis of administration’s argument for imposing contracts.
Occupy Continued from Page 1 which is a series of workshops designed to educate students, teachers, faculty, and community members on important social and political issues. The Student Collective College workshops will take place on select Wednesdays throughout spring, at 5 p.m. in Room 103 of the Art and Behavioral Sciences Building. These free workshops are hosted by OECC and sponsored by MEChA, or the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán, which is a student organization that Osoy is involved in and promotes higher education, culture, and history. I’m trying to create knowledge,” Osoy, said. “I want to contribute something positive to my community and I definitely feel this is the way to do it.” The next Student Collective College will take place on March 7 and students, faculty and community members are all encouraged to participate and may present at these workshops, Osoy said.
“They are claiming that we need to downgrade ourselves to be like all of our neighboring community colleges,” Martinez said. “We don’t pay our president the third highest pay for a community college president in the state of California so that we can be a mediocre college.” Joshua Casper, 21, ASO student trustee and political science major, said that despite the administration’s claims that the number of contact hours is the same, students lose under the ten-month counselor contract. “Not only will it remain a difficult task for students to overcome the shortage of counseling appointments,” Casper said, “This will leave students doubtful from the lack of precise and valuable information counselors provide.” Quinones-Perez said that the administration seems to not value the service that counselors provide to students who need face-to-face guidance.
DeWitz said, students from 15 to 20 colleges across Southern California and people all across the country are anticipated to participate in today’s National Day of Student Action, staging walkouts, protests, and rallies to “publicize the crisis in education.” “What they’ve decided to do is a synchronized, decentralized action so that each campus is responsible for organizing its own demonstration,” DeWitz said. He said that students participating in the walk out will converge on the Library Lawn at 11:30 a.m. “We are going to rally there until approximately 12 p.m. and then we are going to march around campus,” DeWitz said. OECC said its main focus continues to be the education of students as to how their involvement in the decisions that concern them matters.
Follow our Occupy EC Tweets @ECCUNION
50 years of creativity
Thursday March. 1, 2012
Ashley Curtin Features Editor JJ Maldonado Staff Writer It was 1961. President John F. Kennedy succeeded Dwight Eisenhower to become the thirty-fifth President of the United States, the country was at war in Vietnam and a group of EC English majors founded the literary journal, “Myriad.” Now, 50 years later, the campus is celebrating the journal’s legacy and the creative expression it has brought to the community. “Myriad is a snapshot of El Camino College,” Peter Marcoux, English professor and current adviser of the literary journal, said. “It reflects the student body, the diverse voices and the diverse experiences that our student body brings to the campus. First titled “Impressions,” the “Myriad” was founded by The Literary Roundtable—an English club comprised of students and a faculty adviser—as an outlet for literary expression in a college community that was rapidly growing in the ‘60s and ‘70s. “The range of literary talent at the community college level was enormous,” Sheila Finch, retired English professor and adviser of the “Myriad” from 1979 to 1997, said. “And there were so many talented students at El Camino College that we wanted to give their talents a showcase.” The “Myriad,” which features student poetry, short stories and artwork including photography,
FEATURES
is an annual student-run publication under the direction of the English department. Students enrolled in English 98 manage the entire process of the magazine; they evaluate and proofread numerous submissions as well as design and compose the literary journal’s layout. “It’s a lot of fun,” Blair Tisius, 21, arts major and current editor of the “Myriad,” said. “Even though this is our fiftieth year, it’s really not wellknown, which is sad because it’s a really good chance for students to get their work out there.” While the “Myriad” is a representation of the creative arts and diversity on campus, it has gone through numerous changes throughout the decades. “This is a historical document because it captures not only the student body, but the events of the time these students are living,” Marcoux said. During the ‘60s and mid-’70s, the journal featured essays, short stories and poetry written by students, faculty and staff under the direction of The Literary Roundtable. Then in 1979, the English department took over publication of the “Myriad” and it became an entirely student-run publication. “It’s a fun experience for editors,” Finch said. During the journal’s early years, Finch added that the organization and layout of the pages were very labor intensive. “We did it the old way,” she said. “We typed each submission on a typewriter, cut each one out, pasted it on the page and capped it off.” The group followed these steps using a light table—an illuminated glass table equipped with different measurements—in order to build individual pages.
“We didn’t know any better back then,” Finch said. “We thought it was great.” Things became a little easier for the group in 1984 when the first Macintosh computer was introduced. “It seemed to help us save some time on the project,” Finch said. “But the computer was still so new to us.” By this time, the publication of the “Myriad” became a course that was offered as part of the English program. “We decided to give college credits as a result of students putting so much time into the (journal),” Finch said. In the late ‘80s, the class developed the first color-printed cover of the “Myriad.” “We always tried to do new stuff,” Finch said. “It was our goal to produce a good quality literary journal.” And in the 2000s, the “Myriad” continued to progress. Recently, the journal collaborated with Art 143, a graphic design class, to create a new cover and page design layout. “Technologically, in all the decades you see a tremendous leap forward as one can expect,” Tom Lew, dean of humanities said “The college has been very supportive of our creative writing journal over the years.” Students are encouraged to submit their work for thepublication through the website, www. myriadecc.com between now and April 10. To view past journals, visit the Archive Room in the Schauerman Library. While the “Myriad” has evolved throughout the decades, one thing remains constant; the representation of the creative arts and the diversity among the student body. “The ‘Myriad’ has always been the pride and joy of the English department,” Lew said. “I really appreciate the efforts that all the advisers have put in over the years.”
El Camino College Union 3
EDITORIAL
4 El Camino College Union
March 1, 2012
Budget cuts a threat to students
Illustration by Dan Baldonado
Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget plan will increase GPA requirements for Cal Grants, if passed. The deadline to apply for financial aid is March 2 so students could receive a Cal Grant and then have it canceled because they don’t meet the new GPA requirements. Brown is proposing to raise the minimum GPA requirements for Cal Grant B from 2.0 to 2.75, and community college transfers from 2.4 to 2.75. This will affect approximately 26,600 students and save an estimated $131 million. Brown said this will focus limited financial aid resources on those students who are most likely to complete their degrees. He believes that the students with the higher GPA is more likely to receive a degree and should therefore receive the financial aid. In actuality, it would have a seriously harmful effect on low-income students who are trying to afford college. If they are denied financial aid, then they won’t be able to afford to go to college anymore. Brown is also proposing
to decrease the award amount for students attending private, non-profit schools to the CSU award amount. This would decrease the maximum Cal Grant amount granted to students attending private institutions
The Issue • Gov. Brown’s budget plan will raise GPA requirements for Cal Grants among other cuts
Our Stand • The proposed cuts will stifle the academic goals of many students.
from $9,708 to $5,472. It would save $111.5 million and affect approximately 30,800 students. Decreasing the award amount may create an issue because students may choose to go to public universities instead. They would flood those
public universities with more students than the university can accommodate and end up increasing state expenses because California would pay more to fund them. Cal Grant GPA increases could also hurt college completion rates because more than one-third of those currently eligible for Cal Grants would be cut out. A student may have the current GPA requirement, but if the budget plan gets passed then they would no longer meet the new GPA requirements. Raising the GPA requirements for transfer entitlement awards would also hurt students who have already demonstrated that they can succeed in college. The student could have completed their community college coursework and gained acceptance to a four-year university only to be denied the financial aid they need to attend the college. If a student isn’t able to receive enough financial aid in the form of Cal Grants, then they can take out a student loan, apply for a scholarship, or seek out federal work study.
Navigating the journey through community college Welcome back for another fine semester here at EC. This being my last and final semester, I thought I would focus on writing a column so the new and interested students could get a better understanding of the “community”. I would like to open with what all of us go through; trying to hold onto the preregistered classes we signed up for at the beginning of the semester. It is hard enough attaining classes with it being so impacted at EC as well as at most other 4-year universities, so you are just warming up if you intend on taking the skills that you learned at a community college to a university. The first thing we need to do is register for classes, which usually happens in the last
quarter of the prior semester for all current students. This is a procedure in and of itself in which I will attempt to discuss in order to help give students a better understanding of the system. Once you have attained your classes keeping them can be the hardest part. There are many issues that come up between the time you register and the time you attend those classes that can all be assessed with proper timing and handling, which is pertinent to succeeding each and every semester while attending EC. The first thing you want to do is take a stroll to the Administration Building, located along Crenshaw Boulevard between the Humanities Building and the construction for
the new Business and Health Sciences Building on the south side of campus. Once at the Administration Building, go inside to the Cashier’s Office and if there is a line, which in many cases there is, stand there and wait. The lines can be so excruciatingly long at times that there are often police cadets to monitor the area. So my advice is to go there prior to the semester or some time later in the semester to avoid such lines. These lines can be compared to the Financial Aid Office and even the Bookstore. Eventually, after waiting in the line, it will be your turn to talk with one of the cashiers. When talking with the cashiers, you will need to bring
The Crisis in Education CAMPUS INSIGHT Budget cuts nationwide have thrown the state of education into crisis. Schools have been stripped of classes, instructors and student resources. There are skySabina Ibarra rocketing tuition costs Film Major accompanied by an influx of students attempting to enroll in overflowing class rooms. With the unemployment crisis, many students are finding no job opportunities upon graduation. They are settling for any job they can take before they accrue interest on their loans, yet many still default. Student loan debt has even surpassed credit card debt and is now a $1 trillion crisis. The crisis in education is a symptom of a corporate coup d’Etat. For democracy to survive education must thrive. Our education system has become a means to profit off of students who are exploited and forced into indentured servitude. Our government looks out for the interests of corporatism rather than those of the American people. This destroys the motivations of a society to see any sort of achievement in their contributions. They become enslaved to maintaining the collapsing economy, which rests on our backs, while the
El Camino College
Union Vol. 65, No. 10 March 1, 2012 E-mail: eccunion@gmail. com
one percent lounges atop holding the majority of wealth. Our futures cannot stagnantly wait for a figure promising “change” or for bills to pass while dangling in a court of endless appeals held up by corporate lobbyists and pocketed congressmen. To protect our futures we must begin taking care of our communities ourselves. Occupy El Camino College has brought together students, teachers and concerned community members to stand up against injustice. Hundreds of students showed up at the November 2011 board meeting to oppose cuts that will limit student access to counselors and hinder transfers. The looming threat of winter session led to the organization of a rally, led by The views expressed in Campus Insight are those of the authors. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or advisers. This column is available to students and faculty. All articles may be submitted to eccunion@gmail.com. Please note that articles may be edited for content and length
Editor-in-Chief ........................................ Viridiana Vaca-Rios News Editor............................................ Natalie Sripongkosol Co-Opinion Editor ........................................... Kenneth Berry Co-Opinion Editor ........................................... Carolyn Ayton Features Editor .................................................. Ashley Curtin Arts Editor .......................................................Eman Elshiyab Co-Sports Editor ............................................... Santina Wolfe Co-Sports Editor.......................................................Candice Criss Photo Editor ......................................................... Kyle Borden Online Editor-in-Chief .....................................Eman Elshiyab Advertising Manager....................................Stephanie Alcorn Adviser.......................................................................Gary Kohatsu Adviser ..........................................................Lori Medigovich Adviser .........................................................Kate McLaughlin Technical Support ....................................................Don Treat
with you your student ID, for identification purposes, and money to pay your fees; paper or plastic will work. There is a general health fee, which is about $18 dollars and some odd cents. The health fee may be worth it to students given all that is offered at the Student Health Center. Some of those services include free chiropractic services and STD testing along with health workshops to manage anxiety and depression. Besides the health fee, there is the obvious tuition fee that must be paid to register for classes. But compared to 4-year universities, EC is grossly less expensive. One last thing that is offered when paying the fees; students have the option of buying an Auxiliary Services Benefits
sticker for $10, which may be a helpful purchasing if looking for discounts on various activities. Now besides student enrollment fees, there are many students that must comply with financial aid requirements, which might obstruct students from registering and holding onto classes. There are many factors that come into the picture when visiting a financial aid counselor to determine financial aid eligibility. For instance, the lines may be really long and the paperwork is abundant. Not to mention, the time a student must wait for their check can take even longer. It is best to apply as early as possible or prior to the beginning of the semester.
Most of the time, students waiting in lines at the Cashier’s Office and the Financial Aid Office have had their classes dropped with factors they sometimes have no control over. For instance, students not paying their fees because of financial aid ineligibility, completing less than 67 percent of classes, and/or earning less than a 2.0 GPA. But if a student needs to fix any of these issues, they will receive an email from the Financial Aid Office explaining how to resolve the dilemma. So there is a better understanding on how students can navigate through their community college experience when waiting in long lines, filling out lots of financial aid paperwork and registering for classes. —See related article on Page 6
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The Union newspaper will ad- Staff is assured the right to committed dress national, state, local, and cam- editorially upon actions of the administrapus issues that affect El Camino Col- tion, the board of trustees, the facility or the lege students, the El Camino College student government on any issue. Community District communities and higher education indiscriminately. Books, films, plays and other en- The newspaper staff recognizes the liabiltertainment determined by the staff to ity undertaken in its behalf by the board of be of interest to El Camino students trustees, and remains committed to serving responsibly. will be reviewed and published.
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Letters pertaining to campus issues or responding to articles will have priority over commentaries or other letters on the editorial page, to the discretion of the editorial board. Letters may be from any El Camino student, faculty member, classified person or employee of the college. Letters from students have priority.
The Union is published Thursdays by Journalism 11 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week
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OPINION
March 1, 2012
El Camino College Union 5
UP FOR DEBATE
Should math be required for every college major? Math may be a requirement for future careers.
Thomas Schmit Staff Writer should also be of concern for current issues like rising taxes and our broken economy. Knowledge of math is vital in this regard. Perhaps it will be too late when people realize that the world that they live in is currently controlled by math in the form of technology.
Do you remember that time when you couldn’t pay for gas because you couldn’t remember if tangent X was equal to sine multiplied by cosine, or sine divided by cosine? You probably don’t. Now how about the time you had to fork over your paycheck to pay for a class that has absolutely nothing to do with your major?
For most students, this sounds far more familiar. Math is useful, but it is force fed to every student from the time they can finger paint until they graduate from high school, and yet there is an inexplicable mind set in education that more math is necessary for every major. In a world where both the size and number of classes are shrinking, while fees for tuition, books and gasoline grow higher and higher, can we really afford this obsession with math? One common claim is that math will be necessary for almost any job in the market today, but when was the last time you used anything more than basic algebra outside of school? If real world applications of math are so common, why do most of the problems in textbooks seem so arbitrary and artificial? Even accountants, people whose entire job revolves around math and numbers, rarely use anything more strenuous than high school math. Another common claim is that math “trains your mind” to think analytically. While this argument is valid to some extent, it centers on the fallacy that math is the only way to learn those analytical processes. Literature, Psychology, History, and any number of other classes teach those very same skills. Math is a useful ability to anyone, but it shouldn’t be a burden upon college level students whose major has nothing to do with math. As more students spend extra time at universities, the cost of mandatory math to students is growing heavier. Illustration by Sooria Hakimi
Loss of second languages leads to lack of cultural diversity COLUMN
Daniela Messarina Staff Writer
I grew up with the challenge of learning to balance two cultures. To think that I am bilingual shocks me, since all I hear, read, listen and speak the majority of the time is English. After taking two anthropology classes this past fall
semester, my professor’s eagerness and passion while lecturing about language and culture infused a tremendously unique perspective hidden in me all along when I found myself writing a required in-class essay on language extinction, in which I was able to connect and appreciate the cultural background I grew up in. I find myself speaking Spanglish to my mother in moments because I struggle to come up with legitimate sentences and vocabulary words in Spanish. It’s not because I intentionally mean to, but because the words I process before communicating with her speak the best of my ability to deliver the
By Mayu Kataoka
Higher level math is unnecessary for most college majors.
Diane Vay Staff Writer Although many students may not be fond of math, there is no way to deny that it is a necessity. At almost every corner, whether it be inside or outside of a classroom, math applies not only to assignments, but to the future as well. The world has already grown dependent on technology, which functions through math. In order to prepare for the future, students must boost their math skills. However, the necessity for math does not stop there. Because most of the world depends on technology, math skills are now needed for many jobs. High school math may be applied to what students do in their daily lives, but it is not enough for students outside of school. Jobs are becoming scarce and along with our dependency for technology, math skills are in demand. Even if students are not swayed by the importance of math, they must realize that their current activities, lifestyle and personal information all involve math. According to an article from Bloomberg Businessweek, “As more of the world’s information is pooled into mathematics, the realm of numbers becomes an even larger meeting ground. It’s a percolating laboratory full of surprising connections, and a birthplace for new industries.” Students who believe that high school math is enough should be encouraged to sharpen their math skills in case their job field requires it. The concern for math skills should not end with jobs, but
CAMPUS CORNER
most effective message through the English language. As the oldest in my family, my Spanish is much better than my sister’s and her Spanish is better than my brother’s. As generations continue to progress at a rapid pace, newer generations seem to put less emphasis on speaking a second language. The only excuses for learning a second language are because their parents didn’t teach them their native language, it’s a high school requirement, or they do not have the time and effort to devote to learning a completely different language. When a language dies, so does the culture. The diver-
sity of cultures in America has managed to sustain itself at a steady rate. But let’s face it. The new incoming generations will only learn to communicate through the English language. Language change is occurring globally. Several factors that pinpoint this current issue are the excessive spread of industrialization and urbanization in remote areas. Is it necessary to care about small, isolated groups hidden in remote places around this world? Maybe not. But perhaps we could benefit greatly from learning about a unique culture and the language they speak. Hopefully, students are taught more about culture in
their classrooms and take the time to research more about other cultures. Please connect with me by email at daniela.messarina@ gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @ECCUnionDaniela Join the conversation online at www.eccunion.com
Blair Tisius Myriad editor
Blair Tisius is an editor on the Myriad, El Camino’s literary journal. Students can submit work to the Myriad by emailing it to the.myriad@gmail. com. Find out more by visiting myriadecc.com. What made you want to join the Myriad? I like copy writing and creative writing and I haven’t done that in a while and I also wanted a fun class. What goes into editing a publication like the Myriad? The editing aspect is for the most part reading all the material, then we rate it grammatically, artwork wise and at the end of the writing process we view the top average score and those go to the final printing copying process of finalizing it. What is the goal of the Myriad? To showcase students’ work; we do poetry, short stories and artwork and give every students a chance to showcase and put them on their resume. They can submit up to seven pieces. Can anyone join the Myriad? As long as you are a current student of El Camino and you send your work to the Gmail account and provide your name, contact info and the title of your work you’ll be good. What are your plans for the Myriad in the future? It’s an annual thing but this year is the 50th anniversary of the Myriad and it started all the way back in 1962 so it’s really special. We plan on putting out info on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and our website. You can always find information there. We’re going to showcase students’ work as well as show the history of the Myriad.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or advisers.
CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS
Should math be required for every college major? By Daniela Messarina
Dane Wilbanks, 18, Psychology “No. I’m a psychology major so the point of forcing math on all majors is irrelevant.”
Yareli Cortez, 18, Business “Yes. You always have to deal with some numbers.”
Nilan Ross, 20, Undecided “Yes. Math is pretty important in our society.”
Nnedinma Ofoha, 18, Psychology “No. Some jobs won’t require math.”
Aaron Eldridge, 18, Engineering and Robotics “Yes. To a degree it should be required for all majors. You should know the basics.”
Tumaini Sabali, 19, Nursing “No. Some majors don’t require math, like dancing and singing.”
ARTS
6 El Camino College Union
March 1, 2012
ON THE SCENE By JJ Maldonado
Theater “Trunk Show: An Evening of Opera” Opera, song and theatre come together for the “Trunk Show: An Evening of Opera” in the Marsee Auditorium at 8 p.m on Friday in the Marsee auditorium. It will take you on one man’s journey of desire through words and music. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased online, at the Ticket Office, or by calling 1-800832-ARTS.
Songwriting workshop with Q-and A Pump up your songwriting game with Chris Sampson of the USC Pop Music Program in the 2012 ECC-USC Songwriters Workshop at 7 p.m. on Monday in the Recital Hall. Tips and techniques will be shared as well as an open Q-and-A session. For more information, interested persons may go to www. ECCGuitar.com
Music Symphony Orchestra in Marsee Auditorium Music will fill the Marsee Auditorium 3 p.m. on March 4. It will be the premiere of Nicholas Sobko’s “Clarinet Concerto in A Major” with James E. Mack, soloist, American Premiere of Sobko’s arrangement and Williams’ “Superman March” in a Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Ticket Office, online, or by calling 1-800-832-ARTS.
Robert Long /Union Left: Shyanne Flores, 19, video production major and right Kia Choi, 19, engineering physics major admire the art piece on display at the Art Gallery called “Night Sky Gems” created by Richard Pio.
“In Tandem,” represents love Candice Criss Co-Sports Editor Works of art featuring vibrant quilts and carefully bonded books filled with calligraphy-lettered poems line the white walls throughout the Art Gallery’s exhibit, “In Tandem”. The Art Gallery will showcase “In Tandem” until March 20 and is open on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. “In Tandem” reveals works of art by five couples that have, over the years, done works of art together and apart. Couples Jeff and Jocelyn Foye, Keiko Fukazawa and
Dennis Callwood, Barbara Jones and Gustavo Leclerc, Richard and Lois Pio, Laura Stickney and Vilma Mendillo are the examples of how influence on one another can create masterpieces. Art Gallery curator Susanna Meiers said the five artist couples in this exhibition were selected, in part, because their artwork bears significant evidence of the influence, of one partner upon the other. “Additionally, both partners create separately as well as together,” Meiers said. She also said that Richard and Lois Pio, who are friends of hers, influenced the exhibition.
Photo Courtesy of Yilin Hsu Yilin Hsu, 28, music major follows her passion in singing after recieving her bachelors degree in neuroscience.
Neuroscience major can sing Daniela Messarina Staff Writer Slowly making her way to the front of the piano, she opens her music book and takes a few breaths. As she begins singing, her voice connects with the lowest and highest note while she embellishes her elegance of poise during her rehersal. Yilin Hsu, 28, music major is on her fifth semester of applied music and will receive her associates degree this summer. Hsu is a mezo-soprano singer who has applied to universities in and out of state in vocal performance and music education. She said she enjoys keeping herself busy with her music by performing whenever she gets a chance. “I recently sang in ‘Symphony of a Thousand’ with Gustavo Duhamel,” Hsu said. “I also gave a soprano voice recital at the El Segundo United Methodist Church, where I preformed with another EC student.” Hsu has also been involved with the EC music department. She has since enjoyed the club by singing and performing at many concerts and
Cary Majano /Union Right: On display in the Art Gallery is a colorful ceramics plate and vase with added drawings and graffitii called “Horney Thoughts” and “White Poppy” created by Keiko Fukazawa.
orchestra performances. “I haven’t done any solo performances yet, but I want to,” Hsu said. “Right now, I am applying to local competitions.” Hsu started singing in grade school, where she attended music class every year, until she was selected to be in a choir in the third grade. “That was the time I started receiving instruction from teachers. I was taught to sight
Muto said Hsu has a very good heart and imagination. “She is determined to conquer her singing and sets it out,” Muto said. “She knows what she’s getting herself into and is able to find everything personal to her singing.” So far, Hsu’s experience in the music department has been the right choice, yet she said she finds some challenges in her singing, which can be frustrating. “It’s a constant support of the breath,” Hsu said. “It’s the notes to resonate the way you want it to, especially in a foreign language.” Regardless of her frustration, a friend of Hsu’s said she is headed in the right direction. “She is different because of the way she treats music and her academics. I don’t know how she finds time to do all of it,” Todd Pye, 27, music major said. Married, singing and conducting a children’s choir at her church in El Segundo, Hsu still finds time to relax and enjoy her life. “So far, it’s been amazing,” Hsu said.
RISING
STAR read, meaning, reading the notes before actually hearing it,” Hsu said. “I did musicals during the summer since my parents told me I had to focus in school.” With a neuroscience degree from Pomona College, Hsu said she wanted another chance to go back to school and major in music. “Once I graduated, I came back to school and it has been hard, especially with all the budget cuts,” Hsu said. Vocal instructor Dr. Vicki
“The Pios have been married for more than sixty years and have ridden thousands of miles together via their tandem bicycle,” she said. Meiers said their compositions are indeed different, but the way all of the couples compliment one another is what makes the works so special. “I think it’s an opportunity to look at not only the work by these ten different artists but also to look at how people affect each other when they are related closely,” Meiers said. Michael Miller, EC exhibition manager, said that the more students come to the Gallery the more they will be able to possibly find their creative
selves. “With the response that this particular exhibition has been getting, this might be the one to help students get that much closer to finding it,” he said. Several EC students said all of the compositions were great in their own right. Students Anthony Torres, Ariana Centeno, Dion Reed and Mike Alveraz said that they were drawn to their works of art not only because of the way they look, but also because of the story behind them. “I love when artwork has a story behind it,” Alveraz said. Fukazawa made some collaborative pieces with inmates from the California correction-
al system, making what Callwood called a “Japanese pop and American graffiti” fusion. Fukazawa’s decorated vessels, were shattered into pieces and the fragments dispersed to parolees who added drawings and graffiti. These shards were then pieced together with Keiko’s traditional Japanese erotic drawings and reassembled into patchwork vessels “I wanted to show the humaneness of them (the incarcerated),” Fukazawa said. “The compositions from all of the couples hold a certain quality that was humane and passionate for we were all made under the influence of being in love.”
SPORTS
March 1, 2012
ON DECK
El Camino College Union 7
Volleyball wins big at home
Ian Schmidt
Ian Schmidt Staff Writer
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Saturday at 10 a.m. Cal State Long Beach Invite
WOMEN’S TENNIS Tuesday at 2 p.m. vs. Long Beach
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. at Pasadena.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Moorpark College Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Santa Monica College
BASEBALL Tuesday at 2 p.m. at East L.A. College
SOFTBALL Tuesday at 3 p.m. vs. Cerritos
Vanessa Adams/Union The men’s volleyball team celebrates it’s win at home over Golden West College on Feb. 24 advancing their record to 4-2.
Optimism was the key word for the men’s volleyball team at the game against Golden West College on Feb. 24. With a 4-2 record and an all around solid team, the Warriors are back and strong as ever. The team’s ranks are made up mostly of freshmen this year, but the inexperience associated with the word “freshman” is no where to be seen on the courts, Richard Blount, men’s volleyball coach, said. “We’re very good, and I expect us to prove it,” Blount said. “There’s a lot of talent on this team. I have 10 kids who can start.” While the volleyball game went to five matches, the Warriors beat Golden West College, 25-17, 25-22, 26-28, 1725, 15-8. Trevor Butler, outside hitter, led the game with 16 kills, while Kevin Burrell, middle blocker, had nine kills and 13 blocks. Hunter Hovland, outside hitter, finished the match with a team-high 18 digs and eight blocks. Joseph Tanuvasa, setter, led the team with 39 assists. The team is equally as sure of its abilities as the coach is. All the pre-season play and training has given Blount a good idea of what players can accomplish and therefore, has
set the bar high for the team, he said. “We have a really strong team, we can do anything,” Alex Santamaria, libero, said. Blount added that even the bench is coming through strong during the games, which is a valuable strength for the team and will be absolutely necessary all season. “Our team is determined to go all the way to get into the playoffs and move on,” Blount said. Matthew Pimblett, outside hitter, is confident in his team as well. “Like any team, we have a few kinks to work out, but we’re good, and we’re improving,” Pimblett said. “There’s no team in the state we can’t beat if we play to our potential.” Riley Theunissen, outside hitter, said that they have a great “squad,” and thinks that everyone works well together. Santamaria added that there was “great camaraderie on and off the court.” Blount agrees about the team’s camaraderie, recalling a time recently when they all hung out at a player’s house. “It’s strong,” Blount said. “They hang out at the beach together. It’s terrific because we have a nice blend.” The Warriors will travel to Moorpark College on Friday for their first Western State Conference match-up.
Golf team places second in Foothill Conference match Matt Simon Staff Writer Despite hail and winds up to 30 miles per hour the day before, the Warriors golf team finished second in their first Foothill conference match at Spring Valley Lakes Country Club on Feb. 27. “The weather turned out to be great,” sophomore Ryan Saldana said. “It was nice to play in 55 to 65 degree weather compared to our practice round which hailed and had gusts up to 30 miles per hour or more.” The team finished second among the five teams competing and finished behind power house College of The Desert, who hasn’t lost a Foothill conference match in more than four years. Despite the second place finish, Saldana believes that the team still has room to improve and move forward. “No matter how well we play, we can always do better,”
Saldana said. “Last Monday was the perfect example. Even though we placed second out of five teams, College of the Desert was still able to take first by far.” The team boasts experience with 4 sophomores and 4 freshmen who competed in their first conference match. “I’m sure they were a little nervous,” Saldana said. “But they are solid players and everyone on the team has the capability to score low.” Saldana had a good showing, finishing tied for first overall, despite leaving some shots on the course. “I ended up playing well,” Saldana said. “I definitely left a few strokes out on the golf course, but finishing tied for first in the first conference match of the year feels pretty good.” Before his next match, Saldana already knows what he will work on during the team’s practice round.
“I will focus on studying the course and knowing where I want to be shot by shot,” Saldana said. “It’s critical to know the course and knowing where to miss off the tee and where to land on the greens can change your round drastically.” Stacy Komai, golf coach, has a positive outlook for this year’s golf team. “They are doing pretty well right now,” Komai said. “They are in second place in the conference match.” Komai said that it really depends on the day, the course and the conditions when figuring out how well a particular player will do. “They all practice a lot,” Komai said. “It’s really only the mental errors that they have to work out.” “We are very hard workers and we are looking forward to getting to the state championships this year,” freshman Michael Phillips said.
NIO U N EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Mike Williams/Union Sean Isaac, first baseman, waits for the throw from the pitcher to pick off his opponent to help the team end the inning.
Baseball team loses to Chargers Jorge Maldonado Staff Writer The feeling of camaraderie was surrounding the men’s baseball team throughout the game on Feb 21, as it went inning for inning against the Cypress College Chargers. But despite extra innings, the Warriors lost on the road, 9-8. “We lost a close game and we made a lot of mistakes,” Nate Fernley, baseball coach, said. Overall the team has been leading the scoreboard, winning seven out of their nine games. The game against Cypress College was the second loss of the season. Fernley said when games play out like this one, the team is encouraged because even though they lost the game it could have gone either way. He added that the team stayed in it and probably should have won
in the end. “This team is a pretty tightknit team, but I don’t know how important that is to a team sometimes,” Fernley said. “Sometimes you say you got a really close team and they do well and sometimes you have a really close team and they don’t do well.” Fernley said he thinks that one of the team’s strengths is that it is really supportive of each other and there aren’t many confrontations between players, which helps the team when it comes down to gametime. The team’s goal is to win a conference and state championship, and with the talent of this team they might do so, Fernley said. Rafael Ramirez, outfielder, Austin Watters, catcher, and Sean Issac, first baseman are newcomers but are promptly making an influence on the
team. “One of our strengths, is that we’ve been really balanced up and down our line-up,” Fernley said. “As far as break-out, those three freshman have performed really well right on.” A strong line-up combined with positive chemistry are additives for an explosive season, Watters said. “We’re actually really close, we all get along,” he said. “We know our role as a team and we know what we need to do to win.” Fernley added that Alex Mistulof, pitcher, who started the first game of the season, has been pitching phenomenally. But don’t think the freshman will lead the team alone. Fernley added there are four players who are returning that had a good year last year. “I think these guys play the right way. Hopefully that translates to the fans.” Fernley said.
SPORTS
8 El Camino College Union
March 1, 2012
Warriors Advance to Semifinals Candice Criss Co-Sports Editor
With a last second, one-point win over Mt. San Antonio College Saturday , the men’s basketball team advanced to the playoff semifinals. The Warriors had been in the lead for most of the game until Mt. SAC came back in the last 2 minutes, forcing Cameron Gray, power forward to shoot a game-winning bucket. With 3.1 seconds left in the game, Gray came up with a 3-pointer that gave the Warriors the win they needed to advance, ending the game with a 57-56 score. Gray, who is the team’s leading scorer and re bounder, has been making a statement in the past few games, severe clutch shots. A similar, yet effective style and pace was conducted during the men’s 82-77 win against Santa Monica on Feb 22. “When you watch them play, you can see that they really want to win. They play with a lot of heart” student Stefani Leavy said. Julian Camper, center, made a true impact on the scoreboards during the Warriors’ battle against Santa Monica, scoring the first seven points in the first half. Camper was obviously unafraid to go into the paint and put up shots that his team, as well as his coach, would appreciate. “He is a positive post presence for the team.” Michael Fenison, coach, said. Camper set the tone for the the team that ended up keeping a significant lead for the majority
of the game. At one point in the game, the Warriors were in the lead by 15 points. Also helping to keep the flow of the game intact was Joshua Wilson, point guard who averages about 12 points and 6 rebounds a game. “He gets better every time he plays.” Fenison said.
“The kids worked hard. They deserve to be in the playoffs.”
—Coach Michael Fenison
Providing an extra amount of help during the last few games was Christen Clark, small forward who put 15 of the Warriors’ 57 points on the scoreboard in the Mt. San Antonio upset. “The kids worked hard. They deserve to be in the playoffs.” Fenison said. There is a chance that the Warriors can make it to the finals. “We have a young team. It is special from the standpoint that we can still grow. We will grow well,” Fenison said. The growth and hard work has definitely been showing itself and paying off. The Warriors played at Antelope Valley yesterday for a chance to compete in the finals. For results, visit www.eccunion.com. Candice Criss/ Union Julian Camper, center, helps the Warriors defeat Santa Monica, 82-77, taking them to the second round of the playoffs.
Softball team makes big changes and gets big wins Eva Ziss-Patton Staff Writer After a three game winning streak, the softball team is eager to have a successful season. New coaches and players are contributing to a positive spirit on the field. Kendall Roles, left field and first baseman, said. “It’s a big difference from last year. The women are so dedicated, ” Eliana Gomez,shortstop, said. Elaine Martinez, coach, has joined El Camino this year from Pasadena City College. The new coach may prove to be a huge help for the Warriors this season, Vivian Santacruz, first baseman and pitcher, said. “Our coaches dedicate so much time to us, the
team, and the program” Santacruz said. The students said that the coach may do more than just improve their game. “They care a lot more,” Yasmin Antonio, outfielder, said. The coaches encourage their students to excel in school with the addition of frequent study checks and mandatory study hall sessions. They are also required to do weight training and conditioning this year, Antonio said. The team also feels a sense of chemistry that they did not have in past years, which should strengthen the team overall. “We really stick together. We mesh well as a team. That was our big problem last year,” Roles said. “I think last year the team really struggled,
so I wanted them to have some success this year. And so far we’ve been doing it, we’ve had some really big wins.” Elaine Martinez, coach, said. The team had three straight wins againgst Long Beach, 4-3, East LA, 9-7, and Compton, 20-4, before losing to LA Harbor on Tuesday, 6-0. “The goal would be just to be a competitive, well-respected program. And I think right now we are, we’re doing it,” Martinez said. All of the changes the new coaching staff has brought to the team are designed to prepare students for the next level. “Our goal is to make sure they have no surprises. If they do get a scholarship and are able to play at the next level, we want them to feel like it’s an easy transition. They’re getting worked
the way they would if they were at a four-year program,” Martinez said. With new, breakout players like Alia Williams, center and catcher, Jacklyn Peyrefitte, third baseman and pitcher, and Faafili Taamilo, starting catcher, and some returning players, like Roles, Marissa Merced, starting pitcher, there should be a lot to look forward to this season, Martinez said. Although the players work hard, they do have a lot of fun. “They’re probably one of the best groups I’ve ever had to coach. And I’m very lucky because usually your first year at a program is very difficult. They’ve made it very easy for me. They make me want to be here everyday. And even on the bad days, it’s still a good day,” Martinez said.
Men’s tennis team takes the final match, 8-1, against Orange Coast College Edwin Arredondo Staff Writer With friends and family members gathered around the interior of the tennis courts, the Warriors defeated Orange Coast College at home on Friday. The men’s tennis team improved it’s record to and is one step closer to it’s goal of making it to the state championships. “Winning the conference title is what really matters,” Steven Van Kanegan, men’s tennis coach said. The Warriors took the singles competitions. 6-0 and won two of the three doubles matches giving them the win, 8-1. Andrew Sarawasi, sophomore, won two straight matches in the singles portion to help lead his team past the Pirates. “I did a good job on the first set, so that gave me confidence for the next one,” Sarawasi said. The goal of the team is to be the state conference champions this year.
“I’m looking forward to the conference games,” Sarawasi said. Van Kanegan said that he is expecting great things from Sarawasi during this season. “He obtained a lot of experience during the last year,” Van Kanegan said. Even though this was not a conference game, Van Kanegan said he likes to “experiment” with the match-ups during these kinds of games to see how his players have gained experience. A few players didn’t see action on Friday and not necessarily because of their ability, it was just roster rotation, freshman Kevin Nakasone said. Jonathan Cipiti, sophomore, describes his first season with the team as exciting. “I got my swing towards the second set,” he said. “I want to bring some wins home.” Cipiti defeated his opponent in two sets during the singles portion of the match. Cipiti said he only wants the best for his team and expects
great things for this season. It was a rough start to the men’s tennis team’s season. It lost the first game of the season to Saddleback College 7-2 and then to Irvine Valley College 6-3. “We need to keep practicing really hard,” Van Kanegan said. “We are doing a good job, but if we want to bring home the championship we need to work harder.” The Warriors will have a bye before hosting Mount San Antonio College at home March 8 at 2 p.m..
“We are doing a good job, but if we want to bring home the championship we need to work harder.”
—Steven Van Kanegan, Coach. Michael Williams Union Andrew Sarawasi 20, physical therapy major, backhands a shot to defeat Orange Coast College on Friday.