Union
El Camino College
April 28, 2011
Pow Wow festivities on campus
Academic Senate takes aim at poor transfer rates to CSULB Jessica Mendoza Staff Writer
Patrick Osborne /Union Matt Porter, 24, of the Cherokee Tribe performing his dance during the opening ceremony of the annual All-Nations Pow Wow held April 9-10 on campus.
Torrance, Calif
With EC not having priority admissions to a local California State University (CSU) and students wanting to transfer getting rejected, the Academic Senate is preparing to take action. Chris Wells, vice president of legislative action of the Academic Senate, is putting up a fight to defend students on their attempts to transfer into the CSU’s programs. Currently, Golden West College, Long Beach City College, and Orange Coast College all have priority admissions to CSU Fullerton and CSU Long Beach. EC has no priority admission agreement with any CSU, said Wells. CSU Dominguez Hill’s local admission area is the entire state, therefore they are no more relevant than any other CSU. “I believe that we need to take the most aggressive stance possible,” Wells said. “Yes, it’s excellent for the students who have the priority admissions, but what about our students?” The policy of “free flow” was adopted by the state legislature in 1987, which permits students to enroll in any community college in the state, regardless of the district they reside in. Wells said he believes that if students are now choosing which community college they need to attend to guarantee admissions then it is no longer “free flow” and they are choosing community colleges based on what CSU it will get them and not the students needs. CSULB has given priority admissions to community colleges that are geographically further from them
than EC. “The system is totally inappropriate and unfair,” Wells said. According to a graph put together by EC’s Institutional Research, in the fall of 2007, 64.3 percent of students were admitted to CSULB. In fall 2010, just 26.1 percent of students were admitted. Wells said that students from community colleges with priority admissions, such as LBCC, only need a 2.0 GPA to get in to their local CSU, while EC students need about a 3.2 GPA. This is also affecting EC because it hurts the ability to attract students, Wells said. “If you work hard, then you should be able to get into the school that you want,” Laura Torres, 20, communications major, said. “It’s not fair for us to be left behind, especially when we can commute to these schools.” Some students are getting into the University of California system just fine, but it’s the CSU system that is
the biggest problem. “I got accepted into UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara right away, but I haven’t heard back from CSU Long Beach yet,” Mariela Villalobos, 21, international relations major, said. “I really didn’t want to move away from home, because it saves me a lot of money to stay local, but with how everything is playing out, it seems like I am going to have to move,” Villalobos said. For fall 2010, 1,039 students from Long Beach City College applied to CSULB, with 406 students being admitted, whereas EC had 1,095 applicants with only 286 being admitted. “This is a systematic problem and the state is being negatively affected by this,” Wells said. “My goal is to connect with the local colleges in similar situations because this is becoming a civil right issue. I want to file a complaint to the Office of Civil Rights, United States Department of Education.”
Statistics taken from an April 18 Daily Breeze article.
Eric Farrell /Union
Proposed policy may give priority registration to newer students Viridiana Vaca-Rios Co-Opinion Editor
At last Monday’s board of trustees meeting, board members discussed a new proposed priority registration policy that will affect students who have earned 90 units or more. The new priority registration system, which is said to possibly begin in fall 2012, will no longer grant priority to students who have reached 90 units or more. Instead, students who have reached the 90 unit mark will have two registration points deducted for each unit
earned beyond 90 units until the registration points equal 15 points. Bill Mulrooney, director of admissions and records, wrote the enrollment priority portion of the board of trustees agenda and explained how the new priority registration system will motivate students who have been enrolled here for a long time to earn their associate degree or certification. “The more units you have, you start losing points in priority registration and the reason we will do that is because students have been here for many, many years,” Mulrooney said. The new system will also help new
students to register in classes that fill up quickly by students on campus with priority. Although the new system was discussed in the recent meeting, there are still more details that need to be finalized before implementing it because the new system may possibly have exceptions for some students. “Somebody is going to have to come up with how each cohort comes up with registration stuff,” Don Treat, technical services supervisor, said. As to how students will be informed when this takes affect, Mulrooney said it will highly be publicized through
class schedules and the Web. John Wagstaff, director of informational technology services, said it is budget cuts that force the state to look at what the college is doing with registration. “The irony about this is we don’t tell you your point total and your point total is what decides your registration time,” Wagstaff said. However, with the system being reviewed and details under discussion, Mulrooney said that another idea that was given was to put students at the 90 unit mark back at zero, setting their time of registration farther on the list.
“One section in the agenda might change because the legal affairs office is making us reconsider that students with 90 units may go back to zero units once they reach 90,” Mulrooney said. Even though many students will be affected by this new system, Wagstaff assures that students are a priority here at EC. “Were committed to serving students here and making as little cuts as possible,” Wagstaff said. “At the end of the day no one wants to hurt new or continuing students, we want students to fulfill their goals.”
Forensics team takes home 17 awards, second place in nation Jessica Mendoza Staff Writer
While others may have been lounging by the pool over spring break, the forensics team traveled to Connecticut to compete in the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament, where it took home the first place title in debate and the second place title in the nation overall. The tournament had 398 students from 58 community colleges throughout the country. EC dominated as the team took home 17 awards total. Three gold and two bronze were won in parliamentary debate, two gold and three silver in Lincoln Douglas (LD) debate, gold in oral interpretation, two golds in extempora-
NEWS LINE Voting for ASO elections all next week Vote for your EC Associated Students Organization members next week, Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Schauerman Library lawn and 4 to 6 p.m. in the Activities Center.
neous speaking, silver in impromptu, and bronze in speech to entertain. “I think that the surprising thing was the margin by what we beat the other schools by,” Francesca Bishop, forensics coach, said. “It was pretty impressive, we left them in a bloody pulp on the floor.” The EC debate team has already taken home first place in state, and was ranked the No. 1 community college in the nation, according to the National Parliamentary Debate Association. “This was a lot different than state; it was a long, nine-day tournament with five days of non-stop competing,” Shannon Merideth, 19, communications major, said. “We are exhausted, but it was well worth it.”
Children’s Day happening on campus Saturday “Children’s Day” is this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The free event, presented by the Childhood Education Department, will include child friendly activities. Interested persons may contact mmoen@elcamino.edu for more information.
Merideth placed gold in parliamentary debate with partner Mark Faaita, gold
“I think that the surprising thing was the margin by what we beat the other schools by. It was pretty impressive, we left them in a bloody pulp on the floor.” —Francesca Bishop forensics coach in LD, and took home the Fish Nelson award, which is an award that the entire tournament votes on to determine
Space Science Day 2011 is this Saturday Space Science Day 2011 is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday at the Planetarium on campus. Astronaut Soichi Noguchi is scheduled to be at the free event. Interested persons may call (310) 600-3487 or email spaceday@elcamino.edu.
who they think best represents the finest qualities in their respective events. “We all get along so well, which reflects on our success. We all support each other,” Merideth said. Ben Porter, 18, political science and philosophy major, placed bronze in debate. “State gave us a good preparation because a lot of the California schools are really big powerhouses,” Porter said. “State was actually a lot hard than nationals because of that.” Whitney Gamble, 22, mass communications major, placed gold in oral interpretation where she did a piece about lyrics in the music industry and how our youth needs better role models. “I act as a career outside of El Cami-
no, so this is a perfect way for me to get my acting classes and practice my character development without having to play a ton of money for acting coaches,” Gamble said. At nationals last year, Gamble earned silver in oral interpretation, so meeting her goal in placing gold this year was accomplished. “It still hasn’t really sunk in that I placed in gold,” Gamble said. “Being the only woman to take gold in my event, it’s really awesome.” “We have people on this team that are really passionate about what they are doing,” Gamble said. “We are doing this because it’s fun to us and when you enjoy what you are doing, you just naturally want to be the best at it.”
Silent auction for Child Development Center
Nursing information session this Monday
Child Development Center’s 1st annual art night is today from 4:306:30 p.m. A silent auction fund raiser will be held to auction off “one of a kind works of art from the creative minds of children” from the Child Development Center.
Need information about nursing? There will be a nursing information session this Monday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Alondra Room on campus. Interested persons may call the nursing department at (310) 660-3281 for more information. -Tayani Davis
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NEWS
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
Union staff sets pace at journalism convention
POLICE BEAT Officers respond to an injured employee April 19, 1:30 p.m. —An officer responded to the Administration Building on a medical aid call. A female employee was walking between the Math Business Building and the Administration Building when she twisted her ankle. She sustained a minor injury and a report was filed.
Theft report in the Auto Shops Building April 18, 6 p.m. — A male student filed a theft report in the police station after his property was stolen from his locker in the Auto Shops Building. When he returned from class, his lock was missing and miscellaneous tools were taken.
Student files report for stolen cell phone April 18, 10:04 a.m. — An officer responded to the Physical Education North Building where a theft was reported. A female student realized she left her belongings behind after class. She returned 30 minutes later to a closed classroom, but once she was granted access she noticed her cell phone was stolen from her backpack. There are no suspects, but a report was filed. —Ashley Curtin
News Briefs Japanese Culture Club raises over $6,000 After two weeks of collecting donations and selling tshirts on campus, the Japanese Culture Club raised $6,244.85 to aid the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. “We would like to thank the El Camino College community, the students and other student clubs for their generosity and the heart-felt support for the earthquake and tsunami relief fund efforts of the club,” Sue Oda Omori and Lori Suekawa , Japanese Culture Club advisers, said in an e-mail to EC faculty. The club will be presenting a check to the Japan-America Society of Southern California, who will be in charge in making sure that all the money raised will be given to the correct organizations in Japan suggested by the Japanese government and United States Embassy in Tokyo. —Matt Simon
Alma Zazueta Staff Writer
Journalism students brought home 20 awards, including two General Excellence awards and a Pacesetter during this year’s Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) annual convention. “It’s very exciting to have the students do so well,” Lori Medigovich, Union adviser, said. “I was thrilled with the performance our students gave, they really showed their talents.” Approximately 500 students from more than 45 California community colleges gathered in Sacramento April 7-9 to participate in on-the-spot competitions, and workshops led by professionals. The Union was one of 10 newspapers to win the General Excellence award and one of five colleges to get a Pacesetter; the last time the Union staff received one was in 2009. “To win the Pacesetter, your newspaper had to win the General Excellence award and your students need to do really well in the on-the-spot competitions,” Medigovich said. Warrior Life, the student magazine, was
also one of the few magazines to bring home a General Excellence award. “Winning these awards is concrete evidence that our program and our students are successful, and it just makes our argument stronger when we ask for money for equipment and other needs,” Tom Lew, dean of humanities, said. Lew said he is proud of the department’s performance and will be taking the awards to the next Dean’s meeting to share with his colleagues. The editor-in-chief for both of these publications was Haipha Simon, 35, journalism major. Simon, has been a part of the journalism department for four semesters and has been editor-in-chief of the paper twice and once for the magazine. “The semester that won the General Excellence award for the paper, we tried a lot of new things, we did a new nameplate, new style and it was scary at the beginning, but we knew we needed some change,” Simon said. “With the magazine, I did a completely new layout, new format and it worked for the better,”she added.
Simon is also the outgoing student state president for JACC, and represented statewide journalism students at this convention. The big surprise of the convention was Joshua Sherman, 20, photojournalism major, who won first place for a news photo in an on-the-spot competition. “I didn’t even know he was a photojournalism student,” Medigovich said. “He was competing against 60 or 70 of the best photojournalism students in the state, for him to win first place was just amazing.” This is Sherman’s first semester as a staff writer for the Union and his first time attending JACC. For this photo, he took a shot of a new airport terminal that was being built in Sacramento. “I shot it through a fence and I framed it with some dead leaves and some growing leaves to kind of reflect how the whole terminal was being replaced by this new terminal,” Sherman said. Sherman himself was surprised by winning this award. “Being my first semester, I kind of just went in expecting to learn more than to win
anything,” he said. “I guess I just thought differently than everybody else.” Next semester he will continue to be a part of the journalism department and looks forward to attending a second convention. “I think everyone who comes to EC and everybody who works at EC can take a great deal of pride in the accomplishments of our journalism students and the program as a whole,” Lew said. Nelson Amaya, co-editor-in-chief, placed for the first time at the state convention when he took second in the sports writing competition. “Going into the competition, I knew I was ready to compete,” Amaya said. “I felt confident as soon as I turned my story in. I had never placed before, and hearing my name called was really special.” Not only did students who attended the conference win, but some also won awards for the mail-in category. “It’s pretty exciting to get recognized for all of your hard work,” Eric Farrell, co-news editor and winner of two mail-in awards, said. “Overall I would say we really showed what we’re capable of.”
Hands Across California brings students and faculty together Sam Barke Staff Writer
Instead of spending their last day of spring break lounging at home, students and faculty came onto campus to hold hands in front of the Humanities building on Sunday April 18 to raise awareness for the statewide event known as Hands Across California. “This was a very beneficial event, and the students really generated a lot of enthusiasm,” Rebecca Cobb Director of Student Development, said. “During these tough budget times we need to bring attention to community colleges and the students.” The main goal of the event was to raise funds for the California Community Colleges Osher Scholarship Endowment, a fund that creates thousands of scholarships every year and to advocate awareness on the state’s budget crisis and its negative impact on community colleges in California and the students that attend them. EC students were also allowed to submit raffle tickets to win a semester’s worth of tuition. Three lucky students won, including Alex Kim, the Commissioner of the Review Board for Inter-Club Council. “Hands Across California was definitely a great experience,” Kim said. “I liked how much more people than I thought were willing to spend time on their Sunday afternoon to come to this event and show their love and support for community colleges and to advocate for higher education. Not only did EC attendees and people from the community participate in the event, but students from LA Southwest, Rio Hondo, and West
LA showed up for support. About 80 Faculty and staff from El Camino College participated in the event. “It was surprising to see the amount of faculty and advisers who showed up to participate in the event,” Rebecca Greer, Clerical Assistant for the Student Development Office, said. “I was really happy to see that.” El Camino was one of the many colleges to participate in the event in California. “It was really nice when people in their cars started honking, whether they knew what it was or not they still acknowledged what we were doing,” Cobb said. “It brought a lot of attention to our cause.” The event was coordinated by members from Associated Student Organization (ASO), as well as faculty from the Student Development Office, El Camino Foundation, and the Public Relations and Marketing Development. With help from Nicole Reinertsen, Public Relations Officer for ASO, “team representative” in charge of spreading the word on campus and coordinating the event on the student side. “It was a thrill. I had a really great time stepping in and being able to help in any way I could,” Reinertsen said. “I was nervous because we were unsure what the turnout would be like, but I think we pulled off a great event.” Anyone interested in helping the cause can still text “HANDS” to 27722 to donate $10 (this will send the funds directly to schools in your area code), according to the Hands Across California website. For more information on the event you can go to www. handsacrosscalifornia.org
FEATURES 3
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
D
music enriches campus
Ashley Curtin Staff Writer
Recital Hall, which are open to the public as part of the Applied Music Program. While the choral ensemble features voices, the instrumental ensemble consists of various instruments. The groups range from a concert band and a symphony orchestra, to a varsity band, a jazz band and smaller ensembles made up of brass instruments and percussion. These groups perform on campus and occasionally at community events. Playing a variety of music, the concert band has auditioned and been accepted into Disneyland’s “Community Arts Showcase” over the past few years, which gives the band members a chance to perform in Carnation Plaza in front of a public audience. “We have won many plaques for our performances there,” Teter said. Another large instrumental ensemble is the symphony orchestra. There are three performances throughout the semester which feature student soloists. This showcases the most talented students and allows them the opportunity to demonstrate their ability. “It is a chance to get out there and put what you have on display,” Chris Craig, music major, said. “It also helps you get over stage fright.” The next performance will be on June 5, and is open to the public. While the orchestra plays on campus, the jazz band takes the opportunity to play off-campus at community events. “The program provides performing opportunities such as the Associated Student Body fair and Little Sisters of the Poor,” Kurt Festinger, lecturer of music, said. “It gives students the opportunity to gain expertise in jazz performance.”
Within these performing ensembles is the Applied Music. This program enables students to audition and study privately. “We choose the most talented students for the number of seats available,” Teter said. There are currently three sections of Applied Music, each section having a maximum of 30 students, Teter said. Each week, the students receive a private music lesson along with recital instruction and an opportunity to participate with one of the large performing ensembles. Teter added that the one-on-one instruction helps students with their technical skills and musicianship. “A private lesson would cost roughly $60 to $100 a week,” Wentlandt said. “We are only paying $26 a unit.” Aside from the performing ensembles, there are classes to learn how to make music, how to read music and understand the history and theory of music. “Students take our music classes even if it’s not their major,” Teter said. “They want to learn something about music.” Non-music majors along with students in the music programs have an opportunity to join the Society of Music. This club helps support the music community on campus and raise funds to purchase things needed in the music department. “It is a really supportive group made up of empathetic and dedicated students,” Wentlandt said. “We help each other out.” While the music department looks to keep these programs competitive and fun, it also brings the community together through music. “Arts keep the community in community college,” Teter said.
I
Melodies from symphonies and sonatas played by saxophones, trumpets and violins can be heard throughout the Marsee Auditorium’s corridors. Jazz, opera, Latin and classical music flow from the practice rooms, sounds of dreams becoming reality with EC’s music programs. It’s all music all the time, and EC offers students a variety of programs to prepare to perform and audition for the main stage as well as improve their musical skills and talents. “Music is an art, and art is a form of self expression,” Dane Teter, director of instrumental music, said. “It is a very individual thing.” As many students in the program work toward a music degree, some members of the community use the program to take part in concerts. “I find the program to be extremely valuable,” Yilin Hsu Wentlandt, music major, said. “So many of our instructors are amazing teachers.” Within the music program, there are two categories of performing ensembles; choral and instrumental. The choral ensemble which includes a concert choir, a community choir, a woman’s choir and a chorale is made up of both students and community members. These groups rehearse together, learn vocal techniques and learn to read music. While the groups are involved in some off-campus events, they play regularly on campus. “We have weekly performances, like mini concerts or recitals, as part of class,” Wentlandt said. Performances take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Haag
Tunes help to stimulate the brain and senses Jessica Mendoza Staff Writer
It’s an old concept, singing or playing music for your child to lull them to sleep. In addition to getting a decent night’s rest, playing music for you and your child has an added bonus; it makes you smarter. “There is a lot of research that has been done where people have done studies of the brain,” William Doyle, professor of music, said. “What they have found is that people who have early experiences with music tend to succeed or be better in certain things in life.” While Doyle was studying at the University of Southern California (USC), he did his dissertation on music and how it has affected people in their lives. “I took a look at the student population that took music and looked at what their background was,” Doyle said. “Correlating that with their grades, my research showed that the students with a musical background at an early age did better.” For those who are musicians, music has been a tool that has shaped their lives and guided them to becoming the person they are today. “Music has changed me for the better. Before I started playing, I was angry all the time,” Nestor Rogel, 21, music major, said. “Music is the only thing that makes sense to me. It is something I can focus my attention on from my outside problems. It makes it seem like everything out there is irrelevant.”
Rogel said he began playing the guitar in high school. Now in college, Rogel said there isn’t anything else he could see himself majoring in. “I grew up in a household with music always going on. My family members all play different instruments,” Rogel said. Studies by the Stanford University News Service have shown that most people who are musically inclined gain mathematical traits because the study of music involves ratios, fractions, proportions and thinking in space and time. “Most research now shows that music can help develop parts of the brain that are good for mathematics,” Doyle said. “People who excel in music tend to have other higher functions.” Rogel also noticed that having a musical background has helped him to succeed in other subjects, such as math. “When it comes to writing musical notes, you need to have a certain number of notes and values depending on the time signatures. It’s very mathematical,” Rogel said. “It has helped me with my math and I’m able to figure out most of the problems inside of my head.” According to The American Music Therapy Association, people with mental health needs, developmental and learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease and other aging related conditions could benefit from music therapy. Music with strong beats can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster
beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking. A slower tempo promotes a calm meditative state, according to a research from the Stanford University News Service. Music not only strengthens the brain, but can add a positive influence to one’s life by uplifting their spirits and allowing for a creative outlet. Tyler Bozeman, 19, music major, who got his first instrument at the age of eight, has dedicated his life to music ever since. “Music is my life and if I didn’t listen to music I would be a completely different person,” Bozeman said. “I play guitar whether I’m happy or sad. I feel like I have natural talent for musical instruments,
which could be because I come from a musical family.” According to a Los Angeles Times article, even if music did little more than lift our spirits, Dr. Antonio Damasio, director of USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute, says, it would be a powerful force in maintaining physical and mental health. The pleasure that results from listening to music we love stimulates the release of neural growth factors that promote vigor, growth an replacement brain cells. “When I got into music it was like I found my niche,” Bozeman said. “I feel that making music is just as productive as making money, music lives forever and music can help people.”
Sudoku Fill every row across, every column down, and every 3x3 box with the digits 1 through 9. Each digit must appear only once in each row across, each column down and each 3x3 box. For the solution to the puzzle, visit the Union website, www.eccunion.com
4 EDITORIALS Location should not determine university admission
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
Illustration by Samantha Troisi
In a perfect world, transferring to a university would be based solely on an applicant’s grades and achievements, regardless of where a person lives. Obviously, we do not live in a perfect world, or a perfect state for that matter. Instead, we live in a state where it’s OK to teach people from birth that getting a higher education will guarantee a good job, house and a family, then as they apply what has been imbedded in them, they get local university doors slammed in their faces because they live in Compton or Harbor City. We live in a state where a local high school student with a 2.0 GPA gets higher priority admission to a state university instead of a transferring community college student with a 4.0 GPA who lives 15 miles farther down the road. Due to the state’s current budget problems, certain California State Universities have made the admissions process even harder for transferring students by allowing local high school students higher priority registration compared to transferring students in neighboring cities. As a result, since 2007, EC’s admittance rate to California State University, Long Beach has dwindled from 64 percent to 26 percent, according to statistics from EC Institutional Research. So where do EC students go from here? Private universities aren’t a realistic option because they are expensive and simply not in the budget for the typical community college student. The other public option is a UC, also very expensive. That brings us to our local CSU: CSU,
The issue:
Priority registration for EC students to CSULB is at an all-time low.
Our stand:
Academics should be the main factor in priority registration.
Dominguez Hills. Though CSUDH is the designated campus for registration locally, they must accommodate all community colleges in the area, whereas CSULB only has to accommodate two; Orange Coast College and Long Beach City College. When this news gets out, if it hasn’t already, EC’s admission rate will drop because high school students in the area looking to transfer to a local CSU won’t want to apply here. If none of the previously mentioned options work for you, then you’re left with going out of state. The state needs to stop making cuts that benefit bureaucratic agendas that disrupts one’s education. How is it fair that Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, which is roughly 10 miles farther than EC, has priority registration to CSULB over Torrance, Compton and Harbor City. What the state needs to do is create campus regions which will consist of a 10-or 20-mile radius around each university. Any and all community college within that area will be allowed priority registration to that local CSU. Genius, right? And fair. It’s amazing what one can devise with a little education. —See related article on Page 1
Music programs on campus should be a top priority The well-known philosopher Plato once said, “Music is a moral law, which gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” The universal language that has the power to unite people from every corner of the globe is usually one of the most overlooked subjects in schools nationwide. Components of music such as pitch, harmony, melody, rhythm and emotion engage different regions of the brain, according to an L.A. Times article. This has proven to be advantageous when treating Alzheimer’s Disease, speech impairments such as stuttering and helping stroke victims regain motor skills. Another article also stated that simply listening to music helps older minds stay healthy. The pleasure resulting from listening to our favorite tunes, the article said, promotes the growth and replacement of brain cells.
For younger generations, involvement in music results in higher SAT scores and GPAs. Because so much focus on learning music is required, it filters into other areas in school, according to another L.A. Times article. Students who make music part of their lives also connect better with each other. The resulting increase in selfesteem leads to fewer fights, lower criminal activity and better overall citizenship in the community. With all of these benefits, why is that music and other fine arts programs are usually the first to be cut from academia? In the last board of trustees meeting this month, President Thomas Fallo mentioned that even he was surprised that the state looked at fine arts programs first when making budget decisions, especially with Los Angeles being an entertainment hub for the rest of the country and world. Student organizations such as the Society of Music were established to combat this specific problem.
Through fund raising with student-run recitals and raising awareness of the importance of music programs on campus and throughout the community, they have started a movement to support the music department that all of us should help to interest ourselves in. Whether helping a music major transfer to a university or teaching an older adult to finally take that piano class, the music department provides an enormous service to this community. Although advances in technology are making record stores and compact discs extinct, the music industry is still a lucrative business. Several success stories can be seen from the college’s Applied Music Program including professional musicians who tour the world, playing every big name venue. Brian Wilson and the other Wilson brothers are one of the most famous EC alumnus to have walked through our halls. If more cuts are made, they’ll probably be the last. —See related article on Page 3
Special Resource Center makes life easier “Chump”, I mean “Trump for President?” The mission of the Special Resource Center (SRC) is to facilitate academic success for students with disabilities by providing equal access to educational opportunities in an integrated campus setting. Our primary goal is to provide the accommodations necessary to assist students with achieving their educational and vocational goals while promoting self-advocacy and independent learning. Our office promotes shared responsibility with the student, instructor and college staff for student success. The SRC serves students with mobility and vision impairments, the deaf and hard of hearing population, speech and language impairments, learning disabilities, psychological disabilities, head injuries and other disabilities. A student with a disability is a student who has a verified impairment which limits one or more major life activities and which imposes educational limitations. Accommodations and services provided by the SRC include priority registration, academic counseling, assessment for a learning disability, orientation, liaison service, test accommodations (additional time, reduced distraction environment, or alternate format), note taking paper to facilitate procuring notes from another student, learning strategies instruction, interpreting services, alternate media (books on tape, caption and visual description), assistive technology, and mobility assistance. SRC courses provide specialized instruction for students with various types of disabilities and learning styles. The SRC curriculum increases student academic skills, fosters self-advocacy and enhances student awareness of technological support. The Adapted Physical Education (APE) pro-
Union
El Camino College
Vol. 64, No. 15 April 28, 2011
E-mail: elcaminounion@ yahoo.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329
CAMPUS INSIGHT
gram provides adults with disabilities a personalized and self-paced exercise program. APE offers fitness, swimming, yoga and bowling-type courses. Wheelchair accessible exercise equipment and other adapted accessories provide greater opportunity for students in their pursuance Kate Beley Special Resource of improved fitness, skills, and Center Counselor quality of life. A meeting with an SRC counselor is the first step for students interested in SRC services. It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of disability and educational limitations. The next step is to meet with a disability specialist to identify functional limitations and request accommodations. To learn more about the Special Resource Center, come into the office – located on the east side of the Student Services Building – or see the SRC student handbook online (http://www.elcamino.edu/ academics/src/docs/SRCStudentHandbook-final2. pdf). Phone (310) 660-3295. 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 adviser. 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.
“From Ronald to Donald” is one of the newest slogans used in Donald Trump’s latest potential presidential campaign ad comparing himself to President Ronald Reagan. Yes, President Reagan. The only thing that Trump can compare besides the rhyming of their names, is that Reagan started off as an actor and Trump is a real estate mogul turned reality star. No longer are years of education and experience necessary to run for some of the elite positions in the government. It seems as if the only qualification necessary is to be some sort of celebrity to pull enough votes and attention. Which seems that is what Trump has been doing since he is on TV and Web interviews speaking the unthinkable. When he isn’t verbally attacking someone beliefs or a group of people, he is talking about what a great relationship he has with “the blacks” and pointing out what politicians like Hillary Clinton have gone wrong. While it’s true that having a substantial amount of money in a presidential race is important, it doesn’t define what a candidate knows about running a country. That is about all Trump brings to the table, his financial stature. Just because Trump knows how to run a business doesn’t mean he has the qualifications and skills that are needed to become a great president. In an article on the Business Insider website, Trump states how he doesn’t agree with how President Barack Obama presents himself as president and expresses how the U.S. isn’t respected like it should be.
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COMMENTARY First off, we are a country that has celebrities running for office. Second, we are a country that actually elects celebrities into office. What is so respectable about that? And comparing himself to Viridiana Vaca-Rios one of the most respected PresCo-Opinion Editor idents in U.S. history is nothing but a joke. So many people speak about respect and the U.S., yet politics are being taken so lightly and being turned into a mockery. What would some of America’s founding fathers say about this? President Obama made history as the first African-American president elected into the White House and having someone like Trump insult and ridicule his presidency and raise questions about his birth certificate shows anything but respect for our nation. In an interview with Bill O’Reilly, he states that he is no longer pro-choice simply because of one of his friend’s experience with the decision of abortion. He also explains how he is against gay marriage because he doesn’t feel right about it. Never mind the millions of diverse Americans that make up this country and their rights, if Trump doesn’t “feel right” it isn’t right. Trump should stick to what he knows and does best which is firing people on national TV, because when it comes to politics, Donald, You’re fired! Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 California Newspaper Publishers’ Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
OPINION
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
UP FOR DEBATE
Should Planned Parenthood have kept its funding? Other clinics offer the same kinds of services. In a time where our country is in an economic crisis, the $80 million being given to Planned Parenthood can be used for many other programs, or for education. With classes being cut and enrollment fees increasing, the money given to Planned Parenthood could greatly benefit schools and colleges around the nation. Something else to consider, is that the money given to Planned Parenthood comes from the pockets of taxpayers and not all taxpayers agree with some of the services being given to women, or especially teenagers. Also, not all people believe in abortions and Planned Parenthood does provide these services. Planned Parenthood is known for providing women’s health services, including cervical cancer screenings and informing teenagers about sexually transmitted diseases. However, teenagers inquiring about information on STD’s can also learn about this in high school health classes. Why spend money on something that teenagers can get elsewhere? It is true that Planned Parenthood does have many beneficial services for women. No one is arguing with that, the point is, why should Planned Parenthood continue to be funded when there are other resources that people can use? According to The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Title X provides access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. Contraceptive services would include the birth control pill, morning after pill and condoms. Condoms are available in pharmacies all over the country and a visit to Planned Parenthood is not necessary to obtain these. HIV testing is also available for free at certain thrift stores across the nation, for example, Out of the Closet. By law, funds may not be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning. But the question that comes up is where does Planned Parenthood receive its fund-
Viridiana Vaca-Rios Co-Opinion Editor
Services provided are essential to women’s health.
Alma Zazueta Staff Writer
ing for abortions? Some say that they receive funding for abortions through donations, but if that is the case, then why can’t donations also fund other services that they provide? Our country is in an economic hardship and every dollar counts. Health clinics providing the same services are already available, the money used should be put into something that needs it.
Federal aid for Planned Parenthood is a great benefit to uninsured women. The $80 million in grants received by Planned Parenthood each year makes a big difference in the lives of women, as it provides breast and cervical cancer screenings. Through this program, women can obtain a wide range of services such as birth control, information on STD’s as well as
Illustration by MariaCristina Gonzalez
general healthcare. There have been arguments on what the money is being used for from both Democrats and Republicans, questioning if the money granted to the program is being used to perform abortions on women. However, according to an article by the Washington Post, abortions cover only 3 percent of the services offered by Planned Parenthood. By law, the money coming from federal grants cannot be used for the performance of abortions. However, Planned Parenthood receives donations from the public. It is important for Planned Parenthood to keep receiving fundings because it focuses on womens healthcare. According to another article by the Washington Post, Planned Parenthood receives federal grants through a program called Title X, which provides financial aid for family planning. Currently, Planned Parenthood uses the money from Title X for services in more than 800 health centers all over the U.S. Often times, the information women receive regarding birth control and the correct use of contraceptives comes from this program, especially when it comes to young women. Conservatives argue that clinics use part of the money to not only perform abortions, but to support abortion rights as well. Not every woman in this country has health insurance and not a lot of options are available. Planned Parenthood is available in multiple locations throughout the U.S., making their services easy accessible. Fees for the services Planned Parenthood provides are based on each women’s household income. Making it that much easier to care for their healthcare needs. For many women, Planned Parenthood is their only option and if it wasn’t for the money they receive from the government, then a lot of women would not have anywhere else to go.
Displaced student perseveres through hardships Perhaps if I hadn’t known she was homeless when I first saw her, I wouldn’t have guessed it. I remember she was wearing blue jeans, a sweater and a cap that covered her hair completely and was holding her cell phone between her hands. She was leaning against the front counter in the library, right where we had agreed to meet. We walked together to the second floor of the library, and sat down in the hallway where she began to tell me how she ran away from her house in Maryland five years ago. Cathema Bush, 21, business major, was only 16 at the time. In Maryland she had lived with her dad and stepmother but ran away to escape the constant verbal and physical abuse she suffered there. It amazed me to see her smile while telling me her story, especially when she told me about a time where her stepmother and her got into a fight and ended up choking each other. Finding a place to stay at was especially hard as family and friends began turning their backs on her. She eventually arrived in California to live with her biological mother, who had lost custody of Bush for stripping and prostituting when Bush was only six years old.
her mother didn’t supCOLUMN portButBush’s idea of going to school because this limited the amount of time she could spend working and taking care of her little brother who was two years old at the time. Her mom eventually kicked her out. At first, her story seemed a little Alma Zazueta unrealistic; it was hard to believe that Staff writer at such a young age, a girl could be forced to be an adult. Maybe it was so hard to believe because I grew up in a family that always offered me its full support. Growing up, I always knew that no matter what happened, my parents and family would always be there to help me. But sadly, stories like the one Bush shared with me are a common reality. According to the National Runaway Switchboard, more than 1.5 million adolescents run away from their homes in a year in the U.S. alone. Many teenagers return home within a couple of days or maybe months, but others never go back to their families. Bush is one of those people who never returned home, but
CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS
she did keep in touch with her father and stepmother. She now lives in a program called YMCA Brighter Future program, which helps young, single girls by offering them a small room of their own and a safe environment. “I considered that period of my time being in survival mode,” she said. “Everything was about where am I going to live, what am I going to eat, where is my money coming from, and how I’m I going to do this to stay in school.” Talking to her made me realize how important it is to have programs that can offer genuine help to girls similar to her. I feel like many times teenage runaways find themselves lost in drugs and alcohol, living in the streets and lost in their own tragedy mainly because there aren’t enough programs that can help them. Bush was lucky enough to find this program and to receive the help from counselors at EC. She is now majoring in business and will soon transfer to Clark Atlanta University. Although she proved to be a responsible girl capable of looking out for herself, not every person can do the same. This is why America should spend more time creating shelters that can offer more than a meal and a mattress to desperate teenagers.
5
CAMPUS CORNER
Ashley Arikawa President Japanese Club
Ashley Arikawa, is the president of the Japanese Club. With 20 active members, the club meets every Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Communications Building Room 306. What is the main goal for the club? The Japanese Cultural Club is a place for students interested in the Japanese culture to share their interest with each other. We want to expose members to various cultural activities and traditions, as well as help serve and support the Japanese and Japanese American community. When was the club started and what was the motivation for starting it? The club was reactivated by me and Sayo Guillaume in fall 2010. We both have a significant interest in the culture and wanted to share the culture with others on campus. Since there was no outlet for our specific interest, we decided to start the club. Does the club work with Japanese International students? Yes, we have students in the club that are International Students from Japan. They had been especially involved in planning and carrying out the Japan relief fundraiser that we sponsored. What are some events that your club sponsors or has sponsored in the past? Last semester, we had a Saturday potluck where we had karaoke. Recently, we sponsored a fundraiser to send disaster relief funds to Japan. We had a donation collection table and a table where people could write supportive messages that were forwarded to victims of the disaster. In total, we raised $6,224.85, but we have a couple more small last minute deposits to make. It was a huge success. Students and faculty have been very generous. It shows that students really do care about people beyond our borders. Can anyone join? Yes, we love having anyone who wants to learn more about the Japanese culture or share their knowledge of the culture in the club. What are the club’s plans for next year? The club plans to offer more cultural activities. I want to have a Little Tokyo (Japanese American district in Los Angeles) day trip and possibly do a Japanese movie screening or offer a taiko drum lesson.
—Samuel Barke
Should Planned Parenthood have kept its funding? By Jessica Mendoza and Anna Ashkinadze
Jennifer Sanchez, 18, biology major
Wayne Wagner, 18, kinesiology major
Steffany Gonzalez, 19, undeclared major
Ryan Valdez, 23, mechanical engineering major
Katie Heflinger, 20 biology major
Chenfan Zhang, 25, economics major
“It’s a secure place for people to go. Many people who are sexually active at a young age, need to be able to protect themselves.”
“There are other programs that can lose their funding besides Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is a high necessity.”
“No. Funding should be cut because we will have more money to put toward something else, like our education system.”
“The money could go to use during these financial times, but there could be high consequences if funds were cut to that program.”
“It’s better to prevent teen pregnancies and it helps us in the long run because if not, we are going to be the ones to pay.”
“Teenagers are our future, we need to focus on them and their needs. We can’t cut Planned Parenthood funding.”
6 ARTS ON THE SCENE
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
‘Legacy’ show dedicated to professor
Music
Resident artist series presents pianists Polli Chambers-Salazar, piano instructor, along with Christopher Brennan will perform selections from Sergei Rachmaninoff and Maurice Ravel next Saturday at 8p.m. Taking place at Marsee Auditorium, tickets for the event are $15. Interested persons may call 888-832-ARTS for more information.
Art
‘Uncommon Threads’ exhibition’s final week Tomorrow is the last day to see garment works including paintings, drawings, digital media and photography. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday. Interested persons may call the Art Gallery at 310660-3010 for more information.
Music
Society of Music hosts auditions for recital Auditions for El Camino Society of Music’s annual student recital will take place today at 2 p.m. in Music Building Room 134. The recital will take place Fri., May 20 at 7 p.m. in the Haag Recital Hall. Tickets cost $10.
—Joshua Sherman
Jose Flores /Union Brenna Bryant’s, 21, fine arts major, duet piece is one of five student choreographed dances in “Legacy.” Jessica Mendoza Staff Writer
More than a semester of hard work, dedication and sweat, EC’s dance department is proud
to present its spring dance concert, “Legacy.” “This show is dedicated to Bernice Boseman, a dance professor here who is retiring after 34 years,” Daniel Berney, dance
professor, said. “We are still including student choreography, but most of the show is her choreography over the years.” Five student choreographers
were chosen to choreograph a piece for this show after a competitive round of auditions. This show is different from previous ones, Pam Santelman, associate dance professor said, because a majority of the pieces are Bernice’s work. “We have pieces in this show that were done 15 years ago, so it’s very different in that sense. We are also bringing back old dance students,” Santelman said. Every piece in this show is unique in it’s own way. Some are light-hearted while others have deep stories behind them, Santelman said. “My piece is about my personal walk with God and the issues and struggles I’ve gone through,” Elisha Wiley, 23, dance major, said. “It starts with the building of this relationship and everything is going wrong. It gets so deep that it’s like a suicide, but in the end I find that connection with him and it ends in peace.” Amanda Meade-Tatum, 21, dance and theater major, incorporated musical theater into her routine. “My piece is called, ‘OMG
You Guys’” and the song is from the ‘Legally Blonde The Musical’. It has about 19 dancers in it,” Meade-Tatum said. “I hope the audience has fun and laughs with my dance. It’s a fun piece.” Another approach is including live music with the dance. “My duet piece is inspired by ballet and based on a lyrical poem. Luckily, I found a string quartet from the music department to play for me,” Brenna Bryant, 21, fine arts major, said. The dance department not only give students the opportunity to showcase their art, it helps them in their personal lives. “I have learned to be more confident and to trust myself,” Bryant said. “It’s really just something from within.” Santelman is one of the three professors coordinating the dance concert. “We believe that the community college level should have a variety of styles, which is what ‘Legacy’ is going to demonstrate,” Santleman said. It begins Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Marsee Auditorium. Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door.
Aspiring actor lands lead role in next play Alma Zazueta Staff Writer
It was a chilly December evening with glimmering lights and faint Christmas music. At eight years old with her wavy blonde hair and dirty clothes, Keri Winser, 21, liberal studies major, played a rebellious girl on a small stage in her church for a Christmas play. It was through this role that she realized how strong her passion for theater was. “I like theater because of the live audience,” Winser said.
“It’s almost like a veil. There are people watching you and you have to pretend like they’re not. You anticipate their reactions and thrive off of it.”
RISING
STAR Winser will be playing Wanda, one of three leading roles in the theater department’s production of “Waiting Room,” opening May 13 at the Campus The-
Erika Maldonado /Union Keri Winser, 21, liberal studies major.
atre. “It’s about three women who are afraid of their own bodies because of the need to be beautiful,” Winser said. “Wanda has these enormous breast implants that have produced breast cancer and throughout the play she shows fear and vulnerability, but also pretends to be courageous.” Winser was chosen to play Wanda because of her natural ability to do a New York accent. In her second year at EC, this marks her third production here. “I was pleased to get it be-
cause I knew it was a strong role,” Winser said. When long-time friend Rowan Negus, 20, graphic design major, saw her perform, she said she was shocked. “Acting comes naturally to her. She has always been an animated person,” Negus said. “I think she will do a fantastic job if she decides to commit to this career.” If her acting plans don’t pan out, she said she wants to teach history and incorporate her theater background to make history come alive.
SPORTS
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
ON DECK BADMINTON Next Friday at TBD for the South Coast Conference Tournament.
Warriors finish injury-plagued season Softball team starts to show some life as season winds down.
Baseball Today at 2:30 p.m. vs. Compton College. Tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at Compton College.
MEN’S TENNIS Today through Saturday at TBD for the Ojai Tournament.
WOMEN’S TENNIS Today through Saturday at TBD for the Ojai Tournament.
TRACK AND FIELD Tomorrow at 10 a.m. at East L.A. College for the South Coast Conference Finals.
—Andrew Lim
7
Joshua Sherman Staff Writer
As seasons near their end, teams get antsy, tensions rise and every game becomes the platform for a triumph or a disaster. Yet the softball team is set apart from the rest. The Warriors, with the end of the season in sight, defeated the Compton College Tartars, 7-1. With just one game left on the season, as of last Thursday, the Warriors stand with a record of 6-27 and a 2-17 conference record. Trying to play spoiler against the Harbor College Seahawks, Calderon said that at this point, the team has nothing to win or lose so the Warriors are just going to go out there, have fun and try their best. The combination of injuries, pitching trouble and hitting made it really tough this year, Calderon said. “It’s been kind of a disappointing season because I thought
Mike Williams /Union Catcher Camille Redman slides in at home base, scoring in a rout against the Compton College Tartars, 7-1.
we were going to do a lot better than we did,” Calderon said. “We had some games that were sort of heartbreaking. One thing that I will say is that the infield has improved so much and there was a big decrease in the errors made
toward the end of the season.” Starting pitcher Nicolette Royal pitched four innings striking out five batters and allowing three hits. Royal adds to our pitching arsenal and helps (Gazzaniga) out a
lot, Calderon said. “It’s good to have (Royal) back because she’s like a spark plug to the team,” assistant coach Tony Flores Jr. said. “All together we did well as a team and we hit better today,”
Royal said. Closing pitcher Sara Gazzaniga had similar statistics pitching three innings, striking out five and allowing three hits. Gazzaniga allowed the only run that was scored by the Tartars. The Tartars were scoreless until the sixth inning where they were able to bring one runner home due to an error on the Warriors’ part. “It’s great to get a victory here today but I wished we closed it a lot earlier,” Flores said. “We should have finished it in the fifth but we didn’t. Like I’ve said before, it’s just been like a rollercoaster. You can’t predict what’s going to happen but you have to keep on going out there,” This is Calderon’s last season with the EC softball team and is retiring; she doesn’t plan on coaching in the future and just looks to cotinue teaching in an elementary school. “EC has been a wonderful school to coach and work at and has been very supportive of the softball team,” Calderon said. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to coach at EC, but all good things must come to an end.”
Inexperienced badminton team ends the year with a 4-8 record With the season to a close, the Warriors look forward to playing in the individual championships. Rabiya Hussain Staff Writer
Aside from being a little sad that she would no longer be able to be a part of the badminton team next semester, Tanile Barnes was pleased with the team’s performance this season. “I played for the badminton team last year as well and really got to love the game,” she said, “I’m going to miss playing for EC.”
The Warriors won 20-1 against the Compton College Tartars last Wednesday, which was an impressive ending to an otherwise disappointing season. Next, the Warriors will be competing in the South Coast Conference individual championships on May 6. “It’s exciting, all the teams will be there, it should be pretty good,” Barnes said. “I remember last year’s tournament was a lot of fun and short.” However, not everyone shares Barnes’ eagerness. Vanessa Reid, first time badminton player said she is nervous about the upcoming competitions and hopes that she will be able to get a little more prac-
tice time before the tournament. If the players win at the individual championships the players will then move on to the semifinals. The teams ends the season with a record of 4-8; all four of the wins came against Compton, blowing them out time and time again. Despite losing all the matches against more competitive schools like Pasadena City College and East L.A. College, coach John Britton said it was important for the Warriors to play against them because it was a great learning experience. “Our scores kept improving throughout the season, but not enough to win the match,” he said.
After playing 12 matches this season the players on the team said they feel they have come a long way from where they started out. Due to budget constraints, it is still unclear whether or not there will be a badminton team next semester, Britton said. Nonetheless, if badminton is given a chance to return next semester for another season, Vanessa Reid, Kumiko Noguchi and a handful of other players will return as well. “It was a mostly inexperienced team and it was good to see the improvements made by them,” Britton said. “Another year under their belt and they will be much better.”
8 SPORTS
April 28, 2011 / El Camino College Union
Tennis teams have high expectations at Ojai Jorge Camarillo Staff Writer
Roger Morris /Union Lindsay Guardado serves during a match against Mt. San Antonio College. She was named the South Coast Conference player of the year.
When the women’s tennis team had a winless conference record last year, the players were heartbroken. This year it was a complete different story, in a large part due to Lindsay Guardado, who was honored as the South Coast Conference player of the year. “It was actually surprising and exciting (to win the award),” Guardado said. After the season came to a close, the women and the men will be headed to the Ojai tournament to battle other schools in singles and doubles matches today to Sunday. “(The Ojai Tournament is) the oldest tournament on the west coast and it’s over 100 years old and it involves several different levels of play in college, juniors, adults, high school, division 1, 2 and 3 colleges and university,” coach Steve Van Kanegan said. The Tournament, which was first started in the 1900s, is expecting roughly 40 to 50 colleges to be there, he said. From the tournament seeding on the men’s side, some of the notable players who are going to compete are Andrew Sarawasi, who advances to the second round with a bye, and the doubles tandem of Sarawasi and Attila Lassu, who also advances to the second round with a bye and will face the doubles tandem of Tyler Croisetiere and Matt Tyrell of De Anza College. “I’m hoping (Sarawasi) and (Lassu) can do well in singles and doubles and Yasuto Miy-
awaki and Jonathan Fisher had a very tough Caroline Mendoza, said that she is excited to draw meaning, that they have a tough first showcase her skills in the regionals. round opponent,” Van Kanegan said. “(SCC Tournament) wasn’t tough because On the women’s side, some of the notables all I had to do is win one match at Cerritos Colare Lindsey Guardado, who will be facing Car- lege and it wasn’t that tough,” Sarawasi said. olyn Morris of Ventura College, and the douWith the teams headed to the Ojai Tournables tandem of Sara Carranza and Mio Hosaka, ment to compete, they will be in uncharted terwho will battle Linda Inthongpradith and Chloe ritory as most of the players will be new to the Kuwabara of American River College. atmosphere of the matches. Both teams are getting prepared for the “Oh yeah, that’s the idea,” Van Kanegan tournament and will look to build on their suc- said. “It gives them a chance to play in a prescess, Van Kanegan said. tigious crowd tournament in Ojai, so they will “Last week, we practiced Monday to Thurs- feel different pressure than they did over the day and we worked on basic fundamentals for a year. With regionals, it will be a similar atmocouple of days and the other two days we played sphere.” sets,” Van Kanegan said. In addition to the Ojai Tournament, after both the men and the women played well in the South Coast Conference (SCC) Tournament, some of the players will be headed to play in the regionals next week. “We did very well, we had eight women and four men qualify for regionals, so it was a pretty good showing,” Van Kanegan said. Guardado, who will be playing in the singles Roger Morris /Union match at regionals as well Andrew Sarawasi returns a serve during a match against Mt. San Antonio as playing doubles with College. Sarawasi will compete in singles and doubles matches at Ojai.
Swimmers and divers staying afloat at regionals competitions Sam Barke Staff Writer
With almost a whole lap behind during the 1650-yard championship finals race, Brandon Gregory was in third place and knew he had to use every ounce of his energy left to catch up. As he slowly started catching up to the second place swimmer from Pasadena City College, he just barely missed out on second place by a mere .06 seconds. “Today was my best and worst moment of my life,” Gregory said. “Best because I dropped my time by 2 minutes, and I think I probably made it to state for the 1650 and 500. Worst because it has been a very exhausting meet.” The seasons of the swim and dive teams are
both coming to an end but not without making some noise at their respective conference meets. The diving team competed in the diving regionals from April 15-16 at EC for the state qualifying Diving Championships and conference championships, and the swimming team competed last weekend for its South Coast Conference Finals at Cerritos College, competing in different events throughout the three days in preliminaries. “We had a fantastic meet for the swim team, with almost 96 percent of our team swimming lifetime bests, which I think is phenomenal,” coach Corey Stanbury said. Amanda Atkins swam in respective championship finals races in the 500-yard freestyle with a fourth place finish of 5:36.66 and the 1650-yard freestyle with a second place finish of 19:02.62.
“Corey thinks my 1650 is a state qualifying time, I’ve been sick so hopefully I go faster once I feel better,” Atkins said. “I’m looking forward to state if it ends up being a possibility, but either way I swam faster from last year so I am happy.” Noah Rubke finished fourth in the men’s 100yard backstroke with a time of 57.11, and third in the Men’s 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:04.33, both of which were championship races. “I went into the 200 backstroke finals ranked second, and I’ve never been ranked that high before,” Rubke said. “ I didn’t drop my time as much as I wanted to, but I’m satisfied.” Paul Hiney, swimmer who was fighting sickness, got in his personal bests in his relays with splits of 1:11.41 for the B-team relay for the 400-yard medley relay as the first leg doing backstroke, and 54.50
for his leg of the 400-yard free relay. “Everyone’s done really great this season,” assistant coach Andy Harmatz said. “Everyone has worked really hard during workouts and we have all had a great time together.” In the diving regionals, Michael Colbert placed third in the men’s 3-meter board with a total score of 134.25 out of 11 divers in the South Coast conference, and placed second in the men’s 1-meter board out of 13 competitors with a total score of 148.65, and ended as the 13th best out of 38 1-meter divers in Southern California. “Michael’s 13th best is pretty darn good since he started his first day of diving petrified to even go off the 1-meter and 3-meter boards at all,” Stanbury said. “All of my divers are beginners and their progression throughout the season has been great.”
Warriors on high spirits as the rocky season almost comes to a close Andrew Lim Co-Sports Editor
With the Warriors already out of the playoff run, there was no pressure. Maybe this is what they just needed: no pressure. Andrew Puldio, starting pitcher, threw yet another complete game and continued the Warriors’ excellent play among their foes, winning in dominating fashion. The Warriors easily pulled out a victory against the Barstow College Vikings last Tuesday, 9-3, and beat them again last Thursday, 7-5. The team will look to end the season
strong and will play Compton College today at home at 2:30 p.m and will play the season finale tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at Compton College. “We always said we’re a young team this year and finally our younger guys are starting to figure out how to play a little bit so it’s exciting,” Nate Fernley, baseball coach, said. “We’ve won eight out of the last 10 and six out of the last eight in conference and we’ll try to finish strong this last week.” With the Warriors’ recent surge, their record stands at 15-18 and 7-11 in conference play. “We don’t have a chance for playoffs now,” Fernley said. “We buried ourselves
too much, too early. It’s unfortunate because we’re really playing well now because I think we can make some waves
“You always want to end the season strong and play hard for nine innings.” —Andrew Pulido Starting Pitcher
out there but we’ll just try to finish strong and carry it on to next year.” Eight out of the nine starters areturn-
ing to the team next year. Garrett Cooper, first baseman, is the only exception and is transferring to Auburn University to play baseball. Pulido pitched all nine innings giving up three runs on six hits and striking out four. “I think I pitched pretty well, but Barstow doesn’t have the greatest of fields,” Pulido said. “We had to deal with some wind conditions but I just let them hit the ball and let my defense work.” EC scored five runs early and the Vikings put up three runs all in the eight inning. However, the Warriors delivered the knockout blow by scoring four more runs in the ninth inning.
“It was a really windy day and I had a few errors at short, but overall as a team we did well. We closed out the last two games hoping to win with a winning season,” Peter Ives, shortstop, said. “We do have some veterans and year seems to be a really good year because everyone seems to be going along with what the team wants.” As the team is looking forward to next season, the Warriors will still look to end this season on a high note. “Even though we’re not going to make the playoffs, you always want to end the season strong and play hard for nine innings until the last guy is up to bat,” Pulido said.