March 6, 2013 by El Vaquero Newspaper

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Track & Field Off to a Running Start, page 14

Photo by John Ferrara

Volume 101, Number 1

March 6, 2013

Proposed Gun Show Ban Draws Protesters

Enrollment Increases after Prop. 30 Passes

By Sal Polcino

By Kristine Tuzon

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

n the wake of the Dec. 14, 2012, massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn., Glendale City Council members reacted quickly by voting at their Jan. 22 meeting, to draft a proposal that will ban gun shows held on city-owned property. The proposal, which passed by a 4-1 margin, is in process at the City Attorney’s office. If approved, it would make the Glendale Gun Show at the Civic Auditorium, which was held Saturday and Sunday, the last to be held in that venue. Michael Garcia, Glendale City Attorney, said his office is investigating the legal ramifications of the proposed ordinance. “We plan to have it [the proposal] ready for the council by March 12,” said Garcia. The council will then decide to bring it up at that meeting or possibly delay the issue until March 19. Dozens of picketers gathered outside the gun show Saturday. The protest was organized by the South Central L.A. Tea Party to protest the proposed ban. The crowd chanted, “No Biden,” and, “Nobama,” while shouting about second amendment rights. Glendale Public Information Officer Thomas Lorenz said the Glendale Police Department set up a “special enforcement detail to monitor the surrounding area” for crowd control and parking enforcement. He also said they had extra staff on duty and coordinated with the GCC police department who also added additional staff for the event. [See Gun Show page 3]

IN THIS ISSUE News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Features.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9 Arts and Entertainment.. . . . . . . . . 10-12 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-14 Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Vaquero Views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Photo by Agnessa Kasumyan

UP IN ARMS: South Central L.A. Tea Party supporters protest the Glendale City City Council’s proposed gun show ban outside the Glendale Gun Show at the civic auditorium on Saturday.

pring enrollment increased 1.7 percent after adding 90 additional class sections this semester, according to Edward Karpp, dean of research, planning and grants at Glendale Community College. With the added classes, 7,936 more students enrolled in transfer-unit classes, a 5.8 percent increase compared to fall 2012 and an overall 5.3 percent increase since spring 2012. The added classes were a result of the 2012 elections, when Proposition 30 passed, which helped the college avoid a $4.6 million mid-year budget cut. “If Proposition 30 didn’t pass, we were planning on how to find the $4.6 million, and part of it was cutting classes,” said Ron Nakasone, executive vice president of administrative services. “When it passed, we weren’t going to take that cut. We added back about 250 classes in spring.” [See Enrollment, page 3]

Art Gallery Showcases Architecture Students’ Work By Evan Ramirez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

ince its opening on Feb. 26, the art gallery in the library building is no longer just a blank canvas, but instead a showcase of architectural designs from GCC students. It’s been months in the making for the students involved in the gallery, and their work is finally on display. “It feels great for us students as well because you get to see what people think of your work,” said 21-year-old art student Nareg Ghazarian. “People actually see your work. It’s not just you when you go home and put it somewhere.” Student artist Sevan

Photo by Chantal Bevard

MODEL HOME: Mumtaj Chokbengboun, 23, left, and Tabitha De La Cruz, 18, admire work done by the GCC architecture students at the art gallery opening on Feb. 26.

Barseghian, 21, said that the gallery exceeded his expectations. “The depth of the work is amazing,” said

Barseghian. “We couldn’t have imagined this, maybe even a year ago.” Barseghian and Ghazarian had been working on

their pieces during the fall and winter semesters. Barseghian believes that students should be able to express themselves freely with more art around campus. Ghazarian also thinks that having events like the art gallery will inspire students that are undecided majors and show them what the school has to offer. Regarding the art presence on campus, Ghazarian believes they are “moving in the right direction.” The two explained that sitting in a room for hours at a time among your peers is one thing, but allowing your work to be shown is something else [See Gallery, page 12]

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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NEWS

El Vaquero EDITOR IN CHIEF Eric Bourse MANAGING EDITOR Chantal Bevard SPORTS EDITOR Marlon Miranda STAFF WRITERS Kelsey Anderson Jonathan Caballeros John Ferrara Sal Polcino Ksenia Rabinovich Evan Ramirez Dustin Rivera Monica Terada Kristine Tuzon STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Seneyda Rodriguez

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Jane Pojawa

NEWSROOM MANAGER

Richard Kontas

DESIGN ADVISER

Charles Eastman

FACULTY ADVISER

Jeff Favre

jfavre@glendale.edu (818) 551-5214 ADVERTISING Jeff Smith jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext.5493 Send Letters to the Editor El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. To submit an idea or an article, e-mail the editor at elvaquero.editor@gmail.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.

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Riggs Backs New Smoking Policy By Chantal Bevard

EL VAQUERO MANAGING EDITOR

he battle over whether or not to make Glendale Community College a non-smoking campus has been brewing since 2010; now Interim Superintendent/President Jim Riggs is urging not only the campus, but also the district, to become completely smoke-free. In a letter addressed to the GCC community, Riggs listed a number of issues he believes should be dealt with before he leaves this summer. Although his first priority is to work to try and fix “the college’s structural fiscal deficit,” Riggs stated that the community needs to, “Implement a district-wide non-smoking policy at the start of the Fall 2013 semester.” The district’s smoking policy currently states that smoking is allowed only in designated areas and that violators will be cited accordingly. Riggs said that the current policy is hard to enforce and still isn’t an effective solution. “The college has such small acreage for our large population,” Riggs said in an interview. “Because of the dense architecture, it is not feasible to isolate smoking areas that won’t affect other people who don’t want to be around smoke.” According to a November 2012 survey conducted by Administrative Affairs, 68 percent of students, faculty and staff surveyed prefer a nonsmoking campus to the 32 percent of students, faculty and staff that prefer the designated smoking areas. The non-smoking policy needs to pass through a series of committees before it can be implemented, according to Riggs. It has been approved in Administrative Affairs and is currently under review in the Campus Executive. If approved in Campus Executive, the policy will continue on to the board of trustees where the board can adopt, amend or not adopt the non-smoking policy. Riggs said that most people who are opposed to the outright ban on smoking throughout the district oppose because they feel that the current smoking policy hasn’t had enough time to be effective. Although the currently designated smoking areas were adopted in 2010, the GCC Police

Department did not have any way of enforcing the policy. “Prior to the current semester we provided education to persons who were smoking in non-designated areas,” Police Chief Gary Montecuollo said. “This included warnings against smoking where it was not allowed as well as warnings and citations for littering.” However, this semester the police department can now issue citations for smoking in nondesignated areas. The cost of a smoking citation is $100. As of March 1, the department had issued 17 citations for smoking in non-designated areas. While there is a resource management portion to having a non-smoking district, the main goal to ban smoking is to create a healthier district. “People have a right to smoke, but people also have a right to have a healthy work environment,” Riggs said. He went on to explain that there has been much discussion on the smoking policy and that the events concerning smoking on a national, state and regional level have influenced his decision to push for a non-smoking district. “As a society, we have decided that [health and non-smoking] takes precedent,” Riggs said. “It is in the best interest of anyone, from a health standpoint,

Photo by Seneyda Rodriguez

SMOKING AREAS: Keoung Yung uses the designated smoking area. that we need to move to be a nonsmoking campus,” psychology department chairperson Jessica Gillooly said. Gillooly has been pushing to be a non-smoking campus for years. She said that she will continue to work for a non-smoking campus while the proposed policy is being reviewed. During Gillooly’s push to eliminate smoking on campus, she has worked towards helping current smokers quit in a number of ways, one by paying to educate some of her students on how to stop the addiction.

Police Blotter

Although the majority of the district wants to have a non-smoking district, it is not unanimous. According to Riggs, the district may become a nonsmoking district as early as later this month, but will not start to enforce the policy until Fall 2013. Montecuollo said that the department would be ready to enforce the non-smoking policy next semester, if the board of Chantal Bevard can be reached at chantal.sophia.bevard@gmail.com

News Briefs

• 3/02 - T raffic Stop: An individual failed to make a complete stop at the traffic stop in lot f. Subject was advised. • 2/28 – T obacco Problem: Individual was caught smoking in a non-smoking designated area. Subject was advised. Petty Theft: Student caught stealing in the cafeteria. • 2/26 – Lost Property: Student lost personal property on school campus. Theft: Student caught stealing in the library. • 2/25 – Drugs: Subject caught with unidentified substance. Subject cited.

• According to Associate Dean/Financial Aid Director Patricia Hurley, students who are planning to transfer should monitor their Pell Grant eligibility to ensure that their funds are available because the grant runs out after six years.

From Feb. 18-March 3 there were 85 traffic stops, 68 tobacco problems and 9 elevator emergencies.

• The Glendale Fire Department donated a 1990 Seagrave fire truck to the Verdugo Fire Academy on Feb. 25

• The campus installed electirc car charging stations in the parking structure. • The ASGCC executive committee attended the March in March Monday to represent GCC by speaking to assemblymen and senators about the current issues community colleges face.

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NEWS

Gun Show Could be Last at Civic Auditorium [Guns, from page 1] H. Paul Payne, liaison to the executive vice president of the NRA, said there were 1.3 million background checks in California in 2012. “The Department of Justice wants regulated gun shows. Why would anyone not want firearms transactions on public property?” Payne said he doesn’t think the proposed ban is about the Sandy Hook massacre, but about a political agenda. “This is not the first time this has come up,” he said. “A certain person brought [the gun show ban] up before when running for city council and the same councilman is now running for city treasurer.” According to Lorenz, the City Council, including councilman Rafi Manoukian, who sponsored the proposal, decided not to comment until the proposal

has been approved by the city attorney. “All the city is doing is preventing gun shows on public facilities. If they want to go to the Glendale Hilton and have a gun show, we cannot restrict that under the First or Second Amendment,” said Lorenz. “The United States Supreme Court made it very clear. They’re saying ‘save our gun show,’ well, the Glendale Gun Show can still occur at a private facility.” “L.A. County has already banned gun shows on its property [but there are still] shows in San Bernadino, Ontario, Costa Mesa in Orange County and shows within 50 miles of the city,” said Lorenz, “One in Lancaster is coming up in a few months.” GCC Police Sergeant Samir Abou-Rass said there were no problems at the gun show. “Everyone is well-behaved and

respectful,” he said. Chuck Michel, civil rights attorney for the NRA, said there have been no problems in the 20 years the “family-owned” gun show has been held here. “The show normally attracts around 2,000 (attendees) but this year we are expecting 3,000 or more,” said Michel. NRA representatives manned a booth outside the gun show entrance soliciting members in exchange for free admission. The Glendale Gun Show has been held at the Civic Auditorium since 1992. The city council said the proposal was not about gun ownership rights, but concern for public safety, especially because the venue is in such close proximity to Glendale Community College. Lorenz said only about 30 percent of the display tables at the show contained firearms.

Fire Department Donates Truck

Photo by Sal Polcino

MORE RESOURCES FOR THE FIRE ACADEMY: Verdugo Fire Academy cadets stand at attention at the dedication ceremony for the latest firetruck donated by the Glendale Fire dept., held Monday Feb.25, in the San Rafael Plaza at GCC.

By Sal Polcino

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

lendale Community College dignitaries gathered to celebrate the donation of a 1990 Seagrave fire truck by the Glendale Fire Department to the Verdugo Fire Academy in a ceremony held at Plaza Vaquero on Feb. 25. GCC Board of Trustees’ President Armine Hacopian

served as master of ceremonies. Hacopian introduced guest speakers, including Interim President/Superintendent Jim Riggs, Board of Trustees’ Vice President Ann Ransford and Verdugo Fire Academy Director, Sam DiGiovanna, all of whom expressed their thanks to the Glendale Fire Department for the donation. The fire truck, equipped with a 100-foot tillered ladder, is

the third truck donated by the Glendale Fire Department to the fire academy. All three trucks were on display at San Rafael Plaza. Glendale Deputy Fire Chief Robert Doyle said the Glendale Fire Department was proud to assist in the training of a new generation of firefighters.

Sal Polcino can be reached at apolcin587@student.glendale.edu

The remaining 70 percent held accessories, including hats, t-shirts, bumper-stickers. “No one will be leaving the show with a weapon,” he said. “All buyers will have to wait for the 10-day background check before taking delivery.” However, there were dozens of customers leaving with heavy ammunition boxes. California, along with Colorado, Rhode Island, Oregon, Connecticut, New York and Illinois, has the most stringent gun purchasing laws in the U.S. Gun buyers at gun shows must adhere to the same regulations as buyers at gun stores. This means they have to go through the process of a background check, which includes exclusion for felonies and mental health issues, as well as a 10-day waiting

period before receiving a permit and actually taking delivery of a weapon. “California and Rhode Island are the only states with an across-the-board background check,” said Lorenz, who is also a Glendale police sergeant. There are 33 states that have no regulations, and buyers can leave gun shows with weapon in hand. Glendale and Victorville gun show organizer Steve Friesen declined to comment on the proposal at this time. There are two more gun shows scheduled at the Civic Auditorium this year in August and November.

Sal Polcino can be reached at apolcin587@student.glendale.edu

Enrollment Increases [“Enrollment,” from page 1] Additional hourly instructors were recruited to accommodate the added classes. Social science division chair Michael Dulay said seven additional sections were added to anthropology, economics, geography, history, philosophy, psychology and social science. “The additional sections created more enrollment opportunities for students, especially in our more impacted areas,” Dulay said. “I’m sure that things will stabilize over the next few semesters, and that we’ll continue to help students work toward their goals.” With the increased number of classes, some students can see improvement in their matriculation process compared to last semester. First year nursing student Brian Diaz, 18, said he was waitlisted in a couple of classes. Eventually he was admitted to both. “Last semester, I was waitlisted in three of my classes and I didn’t get in,” Diaz said. Other students, such as graphic design major Sara Park, 26, didn’t see any change this semester. “It got worse,” Park said, “It’s harder to get classes this semester than last semester.” She noticed that some teachers take waitlisted students and

some didn’t. With more classes and new professors, the demand, however, hasn’t been met. Nakasone said the demand is much higher than what the school can provide. “We could probably increase the number of classes we have, simply to meet the demand,” Nakasone said. “We could fill them, but we don’t get any additional money for it, so we are conscious of the budget, and trying to stay within what our budget will be able to fund.” Starting in the summer, GCC will look at adding more classes for the next academic year. Nakasone also said there is a discussion on bringing back winter session. For now, however, some say the additions appear to help. Dulay said, “This is the first time in years that we’ve been able to schedule additional sections, so it feels good to know that we’re moving in the direction [again] of putting student learning and enrollment opportunity first.” “This semester, I did get all the classes I needed, so I guess it was a good change for me for now,” Diaz said. “Hopefully it stays like that.”

Kristine Tuzon can be reached at ktuzon342@student.glendale.edu

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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NEWS

Spring Semester May Start Earlier in 2014 By Jonathan Caballeros EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

lendale Community College Interim President/ Superintendent Jim Riggs has proposed to move the spring 2014 semester to mid-January to help students succeed at a faster pace and to save money for college in the process. The movement of the spring 2014 session would allow the

campus to have a shorter break from winter to spring, while allowing at least two summer sessions, from June to July. High school students can take part in higher learning and returning college students will be able to take more classes during summer. “Moving spring 2014 to January, and without having winter session classes, students should be able to finish a year of classes in nine months,”

said Ron Nakasone, executive vice president of administrative services. The one month move would also allow high school students to take classes at GCC during the summer, given special permission from their school. “The move helps the college synchronize with the Glendale Unified School District,” said Riggs. “Now high school students can earn college credits and help

them with their college careers.” “Whether that’s going to be here at GCC or at another campus.“ On top of helping students on campus finish their classes faster, it will also help the campus save money, by allowing it to shut down for about one to two weeks in summer to save energy costs. “The college would see savings of around $300,000 per year simply by closing the

Pennsylvania Campus Sells Plan B from Machine By Ksenia Rabinovich EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

ollege students buy candies, snacks and beverages from vending machines, but recently emergency contraception Plan B has been added to the list of options. Emergency contraception is now available in a vending machine at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. The machine also sells condoms and pregnancy tests. Activists won the battle over emergency contraception in 2006 when the US Food and Drug Administration approved the sale over the counter to customers 18 and older. Since 2011, emergency contraception have been made available for 17 -year olds too. Shippensburg University conducted a survey on emergency contraception among their students and 85 percent of the participants supported permanent access on campus.

Women who consider buying emergency contraception from vending machines will not have access to medical professionals who can explain the health risks and possible side effects. There are five different types of emergency contraception available, but only two of them have been approved by the FDA. One contains ulipristal acetate, an agent that acts on the progesterone receptor, while the other contains Levonorgestrel (synthetic progestogen). Although Plan B and other emergency contraception cannot be considered an abortion pill because it is not intended to terminate an existing pregnancy; It stops or delays ovulation or prevents fertilization, and is not completely safe. Plan B One Step’s potential side effects include: nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches, menstrual changes, vomiting, and diarrhea. “Emergency contraception

has to be a prescribed drug,“ said Emelyn Judge, an associate dean of health sciences at GCC. New studies by Christine Durrance, Sourafel Girma and David Paton showed that free access to emergency contraception also stimulates the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. In 1999, the FDA approved the first emergency contraception for use. No studies have been conducted on the long-term effects of emergency contraception on existing pregnancy, nor have any studies examined the effect of multiple use of emergency contraception. It is considered to be an emergency pill, Plan B is not intended as a routine drug. Emergency contraception should not be over-used. “You run the risk of changing the natural processes in a body,” said Tony Reyes, the director of the Health Center at GCC. The health center does not sell emergency contraception, but it

provides a pregnancy test for $5 to students and the center workers are able to refer students to doctors. GCC Health Center can be found on the ground floor of San Rafael building, behind “The Café” kiosk. Additional services available at the Health Center are both mental health and nutritional counseling. Free and available to all students. Drop by to schedule an appointment. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ksenia Rabinovich can be reached at kseniarabinovich@gmail.com

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campus for around two weeks during summer,” said Riggs. “It would allow the campus to put those extra funds in other programs or just save the money to help the campus during a fiscal crisis.” To some students, having two summer sessions would help them. “The more time I can be in school, the faster I can transfer to a four-year [university],” said Harut Sarkissian, 19, a biology major. “I would be able to finish in two years.” To some students, it’s a new idea to think about. “I don’t know how I would feel about it, since that’s when I make the most money,” said Erick Barrientos, 20, a communications major. “I would maybe take one class, considering how hard it is to get classes during the regular semesters.” For high school students, it just depends on the cost. “If my classes can be paid for then I’d definitely take some,” said Kymberly Flores, 18, a high school student at El Camino Nuevo high school. “I’d like to be able to finish college faster and easier.” Nakasone said that moving to spring would be not only cost efficient, but would also make GCC far more competitive in retaining students. “We know that some students end up taking summer classes at Pasadena [City College],” said Nakasone. “What we would like to happen here is to keep those students here, to better retain [See Calendar, page 5]

Campus Comments Should college campuses sell emergency contraception on campus from dispensers in restrooms or vending machines? Catherine Yesayan, 64

Angineh Babakhanians, 21

Stephanie Cabrera, 18

Steven Diaz, 18

Art

Nursing

Business

Drug Studies

“I don’t know much about this drug. I am not familiar with it. My contraception time has passed.”

“Since it is easily accessible it is more unsafe. Younger kids are not educated on diseases; I think it is fine to sell emergency contraception from a pharmacy, but not like this.”

“It is good for women to have access to this. It would be better than to drive somewhere to buy it.”

“It will be used all the time, the way people use condoms. Plan B is not something that you use for your physical needs, that can be used on a daily basis. You use it when there is an emergency.”

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FEATURES

Expert Tips for Freshmen Ease Drop-Out Rates By Jonathan Caballeros EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

pproximately half of community college freshmen drop out in their first year, according to the Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE). About 2,000 freshmen attend GCC every fall semester. Under the PACE analysis, about 1,000 will drop out by the end of the spring semester. To help increase retention rates, professors, counselors and students have come up with some tips on how to keep students coming back to campus and how to handle the college lifestyle in terms of finance and counseling. There are many ways for students to keep the price of college to a minimum. Students can go to the financial aid office located at SF 110 and apply for the financial support they need to continue on the path of higher learning. Students can also check if they qualify for financial aid on the internet, by visiting www.fafsa. ed.gov and starting a new FAFSA application. “Remember that financial aid is limited,” said Interim Controller and Instructor of Accounting Amir Nour. “Use your financial aid wisely. There is a six year cap to it.” Scholarships are also another way to pay for college expenses, whether or not the student is qualified for financial aid. The scholarship office, located at J.W. Smith Center, can help students who have a GPA of 2.5 or higher and have completed 12 units on campus, with applying for GCC scholarships. GCC gives more than 500 scholarships, totaling around $300,000 every year, and the scholarships are typically used for registration, tuition and books.

If students would like to know more about GCC scholarships, they can visit Glendale.edu/ scholarships to see which scholarship can be right for them. The deadline for GCC scholarships is on March 20, so with only two weeks, it’s best to apply as quickly as possible. Another way to save money while attending college is by taking advantage of public transportation. According to AAA, as of April 2012, the average sedan costs 59.6 cents a mile to drive and costs an average of $8,946 annually to maintain, assuming an annual driving distance of 15,000 miles. On the other hand, a Metro student bus pass cost $36 a month, or $432 annually. A Glendale resident can save more money by using the Beeline, as student Beeline passes cost $22 a month, or $264 annually. Getting a regular Metro bus pass, which costs $75 a month, or $900 annually, would save the rider more than $8,000 a year. An option for mass transit users is the EZ Transit pass which cost $84 a month and $1,008 annually, which is $7,900 less than the cost of driving. The card allows students to ride most buses in LA County such as Big Blue Bus, DASH, Beeline and Metro as well as a reduced fares for express buses. If transit is not much of a problem, but choosing classes or a major is, there are many resources for students to use. The campus transfer center, located on the second floor of the San Rafael building, has many counselors to help students who want to graduate on campus and/or transfer to a four-year institution. “Keep an open mind where you are going,” said Kevin Meza, a counselor and Transfer Center coordinator. “Try to finish math

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and English first, so you have time to focus on your other classes as well.” “Don’t complain about reading the material, because in university you’ll be reading 10 times as much,” said Nick Smith, communications professor. Students also had a say in how to do well in college. “One thing you must do is you have to read your assignments,” said Bernardo Parada, 19, a fire science major. “It’s nearly impossible to do very well playing ‘catch-up’ in class.” Alex Davis, 19, a second year student on campus, said that freshmen shouldn’t let the new freedom of being in college go to their heads. “It’s so easy to get behind, because of the freedom,” said Davis. “You have to stay on top of homework.” Even GCC Interim Superintendent/President Jim Riggs had a few tips for freshmen. “Set aside time to study, and make it routine,” said Riggs. “And also try to be open and explore, try joining a student club. Most importantly, don’t be

afraid to ask for help.” After a year of being on campus, students may still not know about all of the programs on campus. Exploring the many resources and options that the campus offers is always a great thing to do. Whether it is learning about

new scholarships and classes or finding a new club or niche on campus, freshmen, as well as all students, should always look for options to stay in class, and excel in school. Jonathan Caballeros can be reached at jcaball942@student.glendale.edu

NEWS

Campus Calendar Changes [Calendar from page 4] students at Glendale and to also help the college save money with this move.” Although the movement of spring semester is still just a proposal, Riggs believes the move is certain. “We won’t know for about a month if the move is assured, but I

@gccelvaquero

believe it will definitely happen,” said Riggs. Whether the proposal passes or not is in the hands of the board of trustees and whether they think the college will benefit from the change. For now, the college still only has one summer 2013 session. Jonathan Caballeros can be reached at jcaball942@student.glendale.edu

El Vaquero Newspaper

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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FEATURE

Cadet Finds Fulfillment at Glendale College By Dustin Rivera

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

or police cadet Nicholas Allen, “Excellence Through Education” isn’t simply the motto on the police vehicles he uses on a daily basis, but it’s an ideal that he and the Glendale Community College Police Department strive to achieve. On track to receive his associates degree in the spring, Allen balances class with two 16-hour shifts a week patrolling the campus. The GCC police department helps to coordinate its cadets’ work schedule around their class schedule to ensure cadets such as Allen can continue their education. When Allen first started in the cadet program as an 18-year-old, he encountered some issues with operating one of the most integral tools of the job, the radio. “When I first started out I was a nervous stutterer when I talked over the radio. It’s gotten a lot better since then though,” Allen said His daily tasks involve operating the radio as well as patrolling the campus. One part of his patrol is checking cars across GCC’s 2,000 parking spaces for parking violations. But to Allen giving tickets for parking violations is a means to an end.

“I would rather give out warnings instead of tickets, but in my experience tickets make more of an impact,” he said. The ability to issue tickets is only one of many tools that the cadets on campus use to help protect and serve the students and faculty on campus. A means of enlightening the violators to their errors and to keep the other people on the campus safe. A self described “normal guy,” he spends free time with his girlfriend and playing video games with friends. Those who know Allen say being a cadet fits. “It really speaks to his personality. He likes doing the right thing, being responsible,” Allen’s close friend Justin Porchas said. Porchas and Allen have been friends for 11 years and played little league baseball together while attending Mount Gleason Middle School in Sunland, Calif. “He’s the kind of friend that if you call him he’ll be there,” said Porchas. Being a part of the cadet program has given Allen a sense of fulfillment, not from the gratitude of his peers, but from the self satisfaction of helping to protect his fellow students and the love of law enforcement. Allen’s love of law enforcement stems from having three uncles as members of the Los Angeles

Photo by Chantal Bevard

READY TO HELP: Glendale Community College police cadet Nicholas Allen gives out warnings to parked cars in the loading zone in front of the school during the first week of classes.

Police Department and from the action film “S.W.A.T.” (2003) starring Colin Farrell. “I was a freshman in high school when “S.W.A.T’ came out and it kind of solidified it for me,” Allen said. “I wanted to join S.W.A.T.” Even though Allen has grown older, his interests have drifted from S.W.A.T. to the K-9 side of

law enforcement, Allen’s love of his job has remained steadfast. “Any job in law enforcement is 80 percent paperwork and working as a cadet is a great way for people to find out if they love the job,” said Allen. Allen has high goals for his future. “Hopefully in five years I will have my bachelor’s degree in

criminal justice and be a part of the LAPD,” he said. Chinese philosopher Confucius said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” “I have never worked a day in my life,” said Allen. Dustin Rivera can be reached at dustinjrivera@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Should We Feel Safe on Campus?

n Dec. 14, 2012, 20-yearold Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Conn. and killed 20 first graders as well as six faculty members. In January, a 16-year-boy shot and wounded two fellow students at Taft High School in Woodland Hills. These tragic and violent incidents are sobering reminders of how fragile life can be. It’s not a stretch to assume that many of us here at GCC have imagined ourselves caught in a similar situation on campus. However, students should ease their worries as the Administration and the GCC Police Department have implemented various ways

to limit any such tragedies or emergencies by being prepared. The campus has an emergency response team made up of full-time executives and staff members that train together with the campus police. On Jan. 9, the campus police, along with the Glendale police and fire department, underwent active shooter training exercises to prepare for a scenario in which a shooter on campus who has shot multiple students had taken a professor hostage. More training exercises and practice drills will continue to be performed regularly.. Campus police consists of six sworn officers, two sergeants, and additional cadets

as well as extra Glendale Police Department officers that patrol campus. The impact of this patrols can be seen in the numbers. According to GCC’s Campus Crime Statistics Act Report, there have only been four reported cases of violent crimes during 2009 through 2011. Compared to LACC and PCC, our campus had half the amount of serious crimes. During this three-year stretch, PCC had nine illegal weapons possession related arrests while GCC had only two. In addition to copious amounts of training and an effective patrol presence, there are 26 emergency phones spread

throughout the main campus with some on the Garfield campus as well as the parking lots. If an emergency happens, one of these phones is easily accessible and officers would be dispatched to the location of the incident immediately. For some students, walking to the parking lot alone at night can be a stressful experience. Fortunately for those students, a campus officer can escort them to their car if contacted by calling 818-409-5925 or 818-240-1000 ext. 5925. For an emergency, call 818- 409-5911 or use ext. 4000. In case an emergency does occur on campus, the AlertU notification service sends out

alerts to anyone that uses the service. With this service, faculty, students, and staff will be on the same page about what is going on in campus. To sign up for this service, text GCC to 253788 and reply with “Y.” With the troubling amount of gun violence in schools in the past decade, the thought of something like that happening on GCC isn’t out of the realm of impossibility. However, with the amount of training and preparation that the campus police have done, it is safe to say that they are ready to handle any emergency that comes their way.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

FEATURES

ASGCC President Transformed Low Grades to Success By Chantal Bevard

EL VAQUERO MANAGING EDITOR

he current Associated Students of Glendale Community College president has come a long way since nearly failing his freshman year of high school. ASGCC president, Arman Marukyan, has overcome family tragedy, recovered from a serious car accident and he has completely transformed his academic performance. “I wasn’t the model student in high school,” Marukyan said. “After my freshman year, I had a .25 GPA; I failed everything, except I got a D in P.E. only because the coach liked me.” During his sophomore year of high school, Marukyan continued to fail most of his classes, and before his junior year he had around 40 academic credits, though students should have around 120 credits. Marukyan said that during his junior year something clicked and he started to put effort into school. He then started taking night classes, ROP classes and zero period classes to catch up on credits. Marukyan also took jump start classes at GCC his senior year and graduated high school

with just under a 3.0 GPA. “It’s nice to know you have someone who didn’t have his life together and now he’s turning it around and he’s student body president,” said Alen Andriassian, GCC student outreach and assessment program manager. “He really is an example of how students can be successful at the college.” Marukyan is dedicated to his job as student body president and he turned down a study abroad opportunity this winter so he could focus on preparing for the spring semester. “I think you have to be dedicated, especially in the winter, because you only have a month to prepare for the upcoming semester,” Marukyan said. Student activities coordinator and ASGCC adviser Tzoler Oukayan said Marukyan is a great leader and “is not afraid to roll up his sleeves when he needs to.” Although Marukyan is successful at GCC, his journey hasn’t always been a walk in the park. During his first year at GCC, Marukyan was rear-ended by a pickup truck at a red light. The impact of the crash was so intense that when his seatbelt pulled him back, the back of his

Photo by Chantal Bevard

ROLLING UP HIS SLEEVES: ASGCC President Arman Marukyan helps cook hot dogs at the semi-annual ASGCC back to school barbeque on Feb. 26.

seat broke. The 21-year-old still has to deal with the aftermath of the crash; he has two disintegrating

Wow, sir! Where’d you get the new iPhone?

I know Steve Jobs.

disks in his back. “For a month or two when I would look in the mirror and see a car getting too close, I would freak out,” Marukyan said. “At night, I would have dreams that I was being hit by a car.” After the crash, Marukyan wasn’t able to move much, walk or even get out of bed at times. He failed so many classes his first semester at GCC that he had to retake most of them. Now in his third year at GCC, Marukyan plans to transfer in the fall to Loyola Marymount University as a political science major. After graduating, Marukyan hopes to continue his political career and he has aspires to become governor of California one day. “Politics always fascinated me,” Marukyan said. “I feel like regardless of what career you choose there’s always going to be politics.” Marukyan said he remembers while he was growing up many people had told him he would do well to get into politics. “My senior year of high school my AP government teacher said, ‘Hey Arman, pay attention, this is what you’re going to do for the rest of your life.’” Although he has big dreams for the future Marukyan currently

is focusing on how he can help both the Glendale and GCC communities. Those who know him best, such as Oukayan, describe him as a great leader who will go far in life. Oukayan and Andriassian also agree on what most people are surprised to learn about Marukyan. Although the 6-foot-4inch ASGCC president is slightly intimidating at first glance, his looks can be deceiving. “He’s not such a tough guy,” Oukayan said. “He wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s a softy. You wouldn’t know that when you look at him.” Marukyan will continue to lead the Associated Students for the rest of the spring semester before transferring in the fall. To contact Arman email: ASPres@glendale.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5602. For an extended version of this story visit elvaq.com

Chantal Bevard can be reached at chantal.sophia.bevard@gmail.com

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Semester Kic

“T

Photo By Kathy Bakowicz

GCC Study Abroad

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* $3,495

Anthropology 104 • Music 127 (3 units) (3 units) Sign up before March 15 by calling x.5718, or Email: studyabroad@glendale.edu Web: www.glendale.edu/studyabroad

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“H S to viral video The sem corn and a (right, wea Jarritos the soda’s

On Campus June 17-27; Abroad June 29-July 20, 2013 * Price includes airfare, hotels, activities, many meals. Tax & GCC fees are extra. Photo by Marlon Miranda

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cks off with

he Shake“ Photo by Ksenia Rabinovich

Figueroa

Harlem Shake” broke out during the Associated Students of Glendale Community College’s back o school barbeque on Feb. 28, mirroring the latest o craze. mi-annual barbeque included shaved ice, grilled a hot dog eating contest, won by Bernabe Macaraeg aring sunglasses). provided free sodas and a masked wreslter bearing s logo made an apperance.

Photo by Kathy Bakowicz

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS o o

Film

reviews

Friday Flix Offers Free Movies, Flex Credit By Marlon Miranda

EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

ovies can be watched for entertainment or they can be watched for academic merit. John Michael Petros, an associate professor of media arts, started Friday Flix three years ago to help students and faculty find a medium between the two. Every other Friday, Petros shows classic movies on a theater screen. He selects movies that he thinks would be interesting to watch, and by what his students might need to see to aid them in their careers. “Friday Flix started when I wanted to show my students movies in a theatrical setting that they normally wouldn’t be able to see,” said Petros. When Friday Flix started three years ago it was exclusively for media arts students, but now it is open to all students and faculty. It starts with a brief lecture and some interesting facts about the film. After the movie there is a discussion, ranging from topics such as cinematography to critics’ reactions to the film. On March 1, the first film screened this semester was “Manhattan,” a 1979 romantic comedy by Woody Allen. Before the film, Petros discussed how Allen hated the movie and even told the studios he would make another movie for free if they didn’t release the movie. The movie turned out to be critically acclaimed and even garnered two Academy Award

nominations. “Manhattan is considered one of Allen’s best films. It is on numerous lists of the funniest movies of all time,” said Petros. Lynette Hartouni ,a media arts major ,attended her first Friday Flix three years ago. She was hoping to gather insight and watch a movie she has seen before in a new setting. “I am not seeing this movie for entertainment. I am watching this movie for learning,” said Hartouni. “I am a FRIDAY FLIX: “West Side Story” will be playing media arts major and Fridays throughout the semester. I will be looking at the camera shots and directing and find a correlation between what is editing.” happening on campus to the film Sanya Morris, a philosophy he is showing. The Friday before major, has been a part of Friday Easter he will show “Harvey.” Flix since its inception and loves “Harvey is a movie about to watch the variety of different a six-foot bunny,” said Petros. movies. Learning about movies “We try and have fun. In October and hearing the lecture Petros we show horror movies, and in gives, is why she continues to March, being women’s history attend as often as she can. month, we usually show a film “It’s a very special opportunity that showcases a strong female to come and watch movies on a role.” big screen,” said Morris. “I love This year’s selection,“Silence coming in the middle of the day. of the Lambs,” will be shown in It’s in between my classes and April due to a scheduling conflict. Petros always selects the most Friday Flix is presented in the wonderful movies.” SG 334 at 12:30 pm every other There is a wide selection of Friday. “West Side Story” will be films being shown this semester. shown on March 15. Petros has collected a large library Marlon Miranda can be reached at of films over the years. He tries to mirandaelvaquero@gmail.com

Friday Flix Schedule for Spring Earn flex credit and watch classic movies on Blu-Ray in the GCCTV studios, SG 334, free every Friday at 12:30 p.m. through the spring semester.

March 15 — West Side Story (1961) 29 — Harvey (1950)

April 6 — The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 12 — Pulp Fiction (1994) 17 — SPRING BREAK — NO FILM 26 — The Rules of the Game (1939))

May 10 — Jaws (1975) 24 — Paths of Glory (1957)

June 7 — American Graffiti (1973)

at the GCCTV studios on March 15. Other classic movies will be playing on

Jack’s Beanstalk Short on Thrills By Monica Terada

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

ontemporary movies are marked by fast paced action, amazing special effects and stunning cinematography. “Jack the Giant Slayer” is marked by contemporary Hollywood’s money-grubbing attempt to turn out blockbusters so fast they forget to actually consider the movie. This fairy tale adaptation was directed by Bryan Singer, whose last film was the 2008 film “Valkyrie.” It stars pretty- boy Nicholas Hoult (“Warm Bodies,” 2013) who stars as Jack, and Ewan McGregor as the Lancelotlike character Elmont. Eleanor Tomlinson plays the beautiful and emotionless damsel-indistress, Isabelle the princess. Together they kiss and prance, music plays in the background, but the film fails miserably in creating magical scenes. Singer’s fantasy adventure film marks his biggest disappointment and pales in

comparison to previous films, such as “The Usual Suspects” (1995) and “X2” (2003). But that’s what you get when you have a script completely devoid of substance. The idea of the movie comes from a cross between two famous fairy tales, Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack the Giant Killer. In the first, Jack’s mother tells him to go sell a cow in the city. Jack trades the cow for some beans, beans meet water and ginormous beanstalks sprout from their humble farm. The latter, as the name suggests, is about Jack killing giants. In the movie, the two plots are combined as follows: Jack goes up the beanstalk and giants come down the beanstalk. The end. If a movie is nothing but a sequence of deplorable one-liners and heart-attack-painful punch lines, what in beanstalk world could save it? Well, if the target audience is the action-loving, special-effects-craving youth of America, then a visually amazing [See Jack, page 12]

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Game of Thrones Season 2: Blu-ray Masterpiece By Evan Ramirez

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

t could easily be argued that currently, television is leagues ahead of film as far as consistent quality is concerned. We’re in a golden age of television, where cable programs dominate during awards shows and take over water cooler discussions. Programs such as “The Walking Dead,” “Homeland” and “Game of Thrones” are among the most popular series in years. While the second season of “Game of Thrones” is strong, it’s not able to maintain that exact quality that was special about its first season. Rather than move at the somewhat frenetic pace set during its freshman effort, its second season moves more slowly. However, as irritating as this might be, it’s actually quite normal for a show of this size. There are only two shows on TV that have casts of this size and that use them on a regular basis; “Downton Abbey” and “Game of Thrones.” The odd thing is, both shows have problems with how they deal with time as a character. “Game of Thrones,” at times, moves too slowly. “Downton Abbey,” on the other hand (particularly during season two), moves too quickly. This causes problems for some of the story lines in “Game of Thrones,” specifically for one of

the most interesting characters, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). When you finish season two and look back on what her character did, it’s almost laughable. She had some of the most interesting plot points in season one, and for the most part, season two just saw her spinning her wheels until the very end. The same can’t be said for many of the others. Arya Stark’s (Maisie Williams) story is enjoyable and it moves at a strong pace that lends itself well to the overall plot. Peter Dinklage continues to be the series’ strongest piece, and watching him maneuver around the areas where Ned Stark (Sean Bean) failed during season one is a joy. With a show as dense and populated as “Game of Thrones,” it’s bound to have some stories that misfire, but it stings when it comes from a character that proved to be immensely entertaining, such as Daenerys. As far as Blu-ray extras go, there’s the mainstay behind the scenes, but also included are some strong features that were present on the season one set. Character profiles play like promotional material that was released right before the season began. They’re compiled on the disc in an easy “play all” function that runs about 15 minutes and highlights

Beanstalk Needs Roundup [Jack, from page 10] scenario, that reeks of creative gusto and is filled with enough special effects to make you leave the cinema cross-eyed, could possibly, maybe, earn two or three stars…out of ten. “Jack” fails to do even that. Shot in different locations within the United Kingdom, pretty much all that’s shown in the movie is the green beanstalk and some ugly looking giants. The giants and their dwellings are probably the least interesting aspect of the movie. They’re big, monstrous and live in a green, rocky area. There is, however, one quick moment in the movie deserving genuine praise: an extreme close up of a giant’s

face revealing his disgusting hairy nose and decaying teeth. Perhaps that’s where the $200 million budget went. Surely it wasn’t in the old school animation used early in the movie to depict the fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. According to Singer: “There’s no point in making films unless you intend to show us something special. Otherwise just go out and watch a play.” Watch a play instead.

 Monica Terada can be reached at monicaterada@hotmail.com

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER: Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage, is the only likeable member of the

clan from Casterly Rock, and the unsung hero of King’s Landing when he saves the beleaguered city at the Battle of the Blackwater.

many of the main characters. There’s also “Histories & Lore,” which acts as a great information drop for people who want more in depth information on characters and houses that aren’t as high profile as others, including House Tyrell. This information comes from actors (as their characters) doing voice-over, which is played with beautiful drawings that look more like storyboards than anything else. Much of the information provided might seem a bit repetitive to readers of the book, but the “Religions of Westeros” piece is wonderfully compiled and extremely compelling. Author George R.R. Martin provides brief synopses of each of the main religions in the show while explaining the main beliefs surrounding them. Also included in the supplemental materials is a conversation with many of the actors on the show, as well as a comprehensive look at the

creation of one of season two’s most compelling set pieces, the Battle of Blackwater Bay. While the show looked great when it was broadcast last year, it was only in 1080i. Now on Bluray it’s presented in full 1080p HD, and it looks spectacular. The video is about on par with the season one release, and represents the overall look of the show brilliantly. With so many different locations and sets where the series shoots, the Blu-ray showcases it about as perfectly as it could possibly be. There are commentaries on every episode, in comparison to the seven that were featured on the season one set. Each commentary pairs different groups of actors and crew members, such as Alfie Allen (Theon Grejoy) and Gemma Whelan (Yara Grejoy), who play siblings on the show. Their banter is entertaining, and like many commentaries they allow the audience to listen in on some key points, while providing

bits and pieces of information whenever they feel necessary. Some of the best bits from Allen and Whelan’s commentary on episode two, “The Night Lands,” are their hilarious observations during the sex scenes. What makes this even better is the fact that Allen has a sex scene in the episode, and the two end up getting to talk over it. It’s difficult to top one of the best first seasons of any show ever, and while “Game of Thrones” falters a bit in its second season effort, it’s still one of the most compelling and visually stunning series on television. HBO and the team behind the show have put together a gorgeous season two Blu-ray that won’t disappoint fans.

 Evan Ramirez can be reached at eramire678@student.glendale.edu

Get: photos, breaking news, online stories, View: slide shows and broadcasts. Join: online forums and discussion boards. Add: events to the calendar, all at …

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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SPORTS

Vaqs Baseball Gets Into Winning Groove By Marlon Miranda

EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

he weather might have been cold Friday night, but the Vaqueros were on fire. The Compton College Tartars never recovered from the early game offensive onslaught by GCC. Vaquero Michael Robinson made his first start of the season, coming off an arm injury, and pitched six innings and struckout seven, leading the Vaqueros over Compton 8-3 at Stengel

Field on Friday. The Vaqueros jumped out of the gate, busting the game open in the first inning. The Vaqueros loaded the bases with no outs and scored four runs on five hits. Three different Vaqueros drove in runs in the inning. The first run was scored off of a single by center fielder Mark Strazzeri. The early lead helped relieve some of the pressure off Robinson. “It’s never easy pitching because baseball is such a crazy game,” said Robinson. “I felt

Gallery Features Architecture [Gallery, from page 1] to be shown is something else entirely. Like many artists, presenting their work to the public has been fulfilling. “Just express more feeling,” Barseghian said. “Don’t be confined by a classroom or a certain project. Just let students be free. Let them do what they’re meant to do.” In that same vein, Barseghian also believes that the art on campus shouldn’t be confined to the gallery, but instead be out in the open for all to see. Though the art presence on campus might not be as high as some want, events such as the art gallery are allowing students to get work out into the world for faculty members and students to see in a convenient location. To bolster the art presence on campus, galley director and art department professor Caryl St. Ama wants to see the exhibit open more during the early hours of the campus rather than at night. She also hopes that art will be relatable to students. This is St. Ama’s first experience viewing an architecture gallery at the school. “I am just completely blown away by the work here of the students,” St. Ama said. Turnout for the galleries tend to vary, although many people from the local art community often visit. However, St. Ama wishes to bring in the school and campus community. She hopes to continue bringing in art lovers, while making new fans out of the students on campus. Jim Riggs, interim superintendent/president of

GCC, said the art presence on campus is amazing, but would love to see more of it. “We could never have too much art,” he said. Riggs would like to see a larger gallery, as well as more art on the campus, but that the current gallery is a “great place to show students’ current work.” Architecture instructor Paul Chiu, whose students’ art is present in the gallery, said that they are “continuing to have more complex projects and bigger work so people will expect to see something special.” Chiu said this is their third time doing this, and that the present one has the biggest projects that they’ve ever done. Also included in the gallery are two entries to their first international student competition. Student Skyler Saleebyan was surprised to see the art gallery as he left the library. “I like the room itself,” Saleebyan said. “It’s so blank that it allows for the actual exhibit to take the centerpiece.” The art gallery is open Monday through Wednesday 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and by appointment only on Friday. The “3rd Annual Student Projects Exhibition” will run until March 28, and it is located outside the main entrance to the library. For more information, visit www.glendale.edu/artgallery. Evan Ramirez can be reached at eramire678@student.glendale.edu

comfortable out there and got into a rhythm, I stayed within myself and all the pressure was off my back when the offense gives you such a big lead.” When Compton had men on base and threatened to score, Robinson came through with a strikeout or a forced groundout. He finished the sixth inning by stopping a hit with his body. The ball bounced off his leg and Robinson picked it up and threw the runner out on first. Head coach Chris Cicuto was pleased with Robinson’s performance. He liked the way he was in control, but took him out of the game because he had reached his pitch count. “We knew he [Robinson] would be good coming into our program,” said Cicuto. “He is coming off an arm injury. He filled up the zone and had a lot of negative contact. He gave us a strikeout when we needed one.” GCC consistently advanced runners by bunting. In multiple [See Baseball, page 13]

Photo by Marlon Miranda

STRIKEOUT: Freshman left-handed pitcher Gary Acuna struck out two out of the three batters he faced to close Friday’s game.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Students Vie for Spotlight By Dustin Rivera

EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

n William Shakespeare’s monologue from As You Like It, he wrote that “all the world’s a stage and all men and women merely players.” For the students who auditioned for the theater department’s upcoming productions of “Almost, Maine,” which will run from April 4 through 14 and “The Anniversary Plays: New Play Festival,” which will run from May 8 through 11, nothing could be more true. The dimly lit lobby of the auditorium building was filled with students vigorously rehearsing their one-minute monologues. Some students mimed the words and actions of their characters without making a sound while they practiced in the minutes before they auditioned. Some loudly practiced with big gestures and wild movements. One student break danced while he waited, and in

between moves would recite his lines. For these students “All the world’s a stage” is more of a way of life than simple words. They all come from different walks of life, but for some of them it is the love of the stage that they have in common. Ren Madlangsakay is the vice president of the theatre guild at Glendale Community College, who, despite being a child development major, has a love for the theater that led her to audition for her first play at GCC. “[The audition process] is a good opportunity to see what actors [at GCC] can bring”. Courtney Crudele, who’s been acting since she was 12, said that a love for storytelling is what brought her to acting. “Almost, Maine” is a series of seven two-person vignettes. All centered in the fictional town of Almost. It delves into the vast ocean that is love and all the feelings that encompass it, without losing its comedic side. It is a comedy full of complex characters that these students are

more than willing to tackle. In “The Anniversary Plays” each of the seven plays is ten minutes long, all centered around the theme of birthdays and anniversaries in celebration of GCC’s 85th anniversary. Another interesting aspect of the festival is that each play will be helmed by a guest director, each with their own vision for their piece, adding a unique angle for production staff members, including Dina Dominguez. “The challenge of having different directors for each play is making sure they flow well from one into the other,” said Dominguez. Creating a cohesive voice from 70 minutes of different storylines is a challenge that these actors will look to meet head on, because “All the world’s a stage” and their love for that stage shows.

Dustin Rivera can be reached at dustinjrivera@gmail.com

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

SPORTS

Basketball Coach Approaches Major Milestone By Marlon Miranda

EL VAQUERO SPORTS EDITOR

reatness is measured by longevity and success. After 34 years and now approaching his 600th victory, GCC basketball coach Brian Beauchemin has lived up to that definition. There is only one other active coach in California with more wins than Beauchemin. He is currently second overall in longevity and fifth overall in wins in the state. From playing for Notre Dame High School in 1962, to later coaching Notre Dame at 23, basketball has not only been his

passion, but his life. Basketball to him is more about a brotherhood than X’s and O’s “I really enjoy the brotherhood basketball creates,” said Beauchemin. “The players, the practices, molding a team and the challenges I face day in and day out is what it’s all about.” Forming relationships between players and coaches can be difficult to do, especially in a community college where players are only eligible for two seasons. However, the coach has thrived under those circumstances. By forming meaningful relationships with players have been one of his strong suits.

Photo by Kelsey Anderson

FLYING HIGH: Men’s track won first place at Moorpark on Friday, See related story page 14.

Vaqs Look to New Season [Baseball, from page 12] innings they had runners in the corner and steadily increased the lead as the game progressed. When Compton would score a run, the Vaqueros would answer with two runs. “Coach [Chris] Casey is a bunting specialist and he really hammers our guys every day,” said Cituto. “The hard work pays off. The small ball is a big part of our offense.” Compton had a late rally in the seventh inning when they scored two runs, but as much as the Tartars tried to get back into the game, they never got closer than four runs. Infielder Oscar Tinjaca batted 3-5 with two RBIs. His late inning double sealed the game for the Vaqueros. Glendale had 14 hits and used three different

pitchers to keep the Tartars on its toes. “After I popped out in my first attempt, I was motivated to do better and find my timing,” said Tinjaca. “Feels good to get hits but it feels even better to win the game. Thats all that matters.” Glendale played the next morning against Cerritos and won 3-1 behind the pitching of Tei Vanderford, who threw for five innings and allowed two hits while striking out two. The Vaqueros started the season sluggish, losing three of its first four games. Since Feb. 8, the Vaqueros have been on fire, going 9-1 in its last 10 games. The Vaqs are ready for a first place battle Thursday against Bakersfield at Stengel Field at 6 p.m.. Marlon Miranda can be reached at mirandaelvaquero@gmail.com

“He helps you out whenever you need it, he has always been very supportive,” said co-captain Alex Bullock. “Coach has been a great mentor and has always been there for me, be it adding classes and pushing me to be the best I can be.” According to co-captain Mike Johnson, Beauchemin can get on players, but he also is always there for them as a friend. Johnson says most of the players consider Beauchemin a father figure. It’s that type of bond combined with his win total that makes the coach one of the elite. “A lot of players are looking for me to be the father figure away from home,” said Beauchemin. “I am glad I can be a substitute parental figure and I try to be as helpful as I can.” Players respond to Beauchemin’s leadership and together they achieve a common goal of team first basketball.

Buying into the program and caring more about the name on the front of the jersey and not the name on the back is what Beauchemin strives to achieve with his players. These players are willing to sacrifice their personal stats to buy into the team first mentality. Basketball has been a big a part of Beauchemin’s life; when he isn’t coaching, he is recruiting. He spends his time watching film and keeping up with the evolution of basketball. This has made basketball not just a game for Beauchemin, but a lifestyle. “It’s amazing how he [Beauchemin] has been coaching for so long, but yet can relate to players and stays current with all basketball trends,” said assistant coach Asatur Bagaryan. “He has a natural leadership ability that one can’t learn; either you are born with it or you’re not. A natural born communicator and leader.”

Beauchemin thinks that he wouldn’t have coached as long if he didn’t have the talent around him and the support from GCC. He also credits his longevity to a bit of superstition. The GCC coach once had a 10 game winning streak when he parked in the same spot before every game. On the day of the eleventh game he came to campus and found someone parked there. He asked them to move and then won his eleventh game in a row. “I try and not let superstition get the best of me, but I still look for pennies on the floor during game days,” Beauchemin said. “If it’s heads up, then I’ll pick it up; lucky pennies always help me.” Glendale and the basketball team hopes that Beauchemin continues his victorious tradition for many years to come. Marlon Miranda can be reached at mirandaelvaquero@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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SPORTS

Track and Field Takes First and Second at Moorpark By Kelsey Anderson EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

he Vaqueros dominated competitors at Friday’s meet at Moorpark College. The team showed a glimpse of what may be an indicator for the rest of the season. The Lady Vaqs showed up to compete, earning 146 points and finishing second to the 166 points posted by West Los Angeles College. Grace Graham-Zamudio finished first in 1500-meter race with a time of 4:44.24. Gonzales finished third closely behind with a time of 4:53.02. “I think we all ran really well,” Graham- Zumudio said. “As a team I think we scored a lot of points for this first event.” The Lady Vaqs swept the

800-meter race finishing top three. Lilia Asserian ran a 2:19.39, followed by Lizette Gonzalez, who finished with a time of 2:20.63 and Graham-Zamudio finished closely behind with a 2:21.64 In the women’s 3000-meter race, Graham-Zamudio left her competition in the dust, finishing in 10:24.15. Charlene Quintanilla finished third in 10:46.46 In the men’s competition, GCC finished first with 186 points. In the men’s 800-meter race Mario Castillo finished second in 1:59.58 and Eduardo Vasquez finished third with 1:59.70. Alejandro Chavez finished fifth in 2:00.01. “Not our best work, but not so bad either,” Mario Castillo said. “It was just one of those races where it doesn’t really go

your way, but you need to push through it.” In the men’s 1500 meter, Issac Diosdado finished third in 4:04.44, Kurt Lutz finished fourth with the time 4:06.84 and Mario Castillo in sixth with 4:10.53. “This is a good practice dual meet for us, especially for the freshman, definitely for the season that’s coming. This is also a good tune up for the Ben Brown Invitation, which is really our focus for the next coming two weeks,” Diosdado said. Diosdado finished first in the men’s 3000-meter with 8:56.13. Lutz finished second with 9:03.50. Enrique Ramirez finished fourth with 9:08.75 and Jorge Serrano in fifth with 9:10.72. In the men’s 100-meter dash Jourdan Honore finished first with

Vaquero Sports Summaries Scores Women’s Tennis: Feb. 21 — lost to Santa Monica College 6-3 Feb. 26 — beat Ventura College 6-3 Women’s Basketball: Feb. 20 — lost to Canyons 88-42 Feb. 23 — lost to L.A. Valley 56-25 Baseball: Saturday — beat Cerritos 3-1 Men’s Basketball: Feb. 15 — lost to Canyons 84-74 Feb. 18 — beat L.A. Valley 77-74

Men’s Golf: Feb. 18 — placed fifth vs. Santa Barbara WSC at Alisal Ranch Feb. 25 — placed fifth vs. Bakersfield WSC at Rio Bravo CC Men’s Tennis: Feb. 21 — beat L.A. Pierce 6-3 Feb. 26 — lost to Ventura College 8-1 Feb. 28 — beat Grossmont College 8-1 Softball: Feb. 22 — beat Antelope Valley 7-4, 9-7 Feb. 27 — lost to Cerritos College 3-1 Saturday — beat San Diego Mesa 1-0, Tied 1-1

Upcoming Events Women’s Tennis: Thursday — at Bakersfield 2 p.m. March 11 — vs. Pima College 1 p.m. March 12 — vs. Bakersfield 2 p.m. March 14 — vs. Santa Monica 2 p.m. Baseball: Thursday — vs. Bakersfield. 2 p.m. Saturday — at Bakersfield 6 p.m. Tuesday — at Mission 2:30 p.m. March 14 — vs. Mission 2:30 p.m. March 16 — at Citrus 1 p.m. March 19 — vs.Citrus 2:30 p.m. Men’s Golf: Monday — vs. Ventura College WSC at River Ridge 11 a.m. March 17 -18— North/South Cup at Hunter Ranch CC 10 a.m.

Softball: Thursday — at Mission 1:30 p.m. Tuesday — at Canyon 2:30 p.m. March 19 — at Bakersfield 5 p.m. Men and Womens’s Track & Field Saturday — Ben Brown Invitational at Fullerton 10 a.m. March 15 — Occidental Distance Carnival at Occidental 6 p.m. March 16 — Northridge Invitational at CSUN 9 a.m. Men’s Tennis: Thursday — vs. Bakersfield 2 p.m. Tuesday — at Bakersfield 2 p.m. March 14 — vs. L.A. Pierce 2 p.m. March 19 — vs. Ventura College 2 p.m.

For more information see: http://www.glendale.edu/athletics/

11.40 seconds and Nathan Weston finished fourth with 11.67. James Jones finished first in the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a time 59.67. For the men’s hammer, Nicholas La Croix took first and set a new personal record with a 51.89-meter throw. Quaid Vuncannon took first in the men’s discus with a 42.88-meter throw. Joseph Thompson placed third with 37.68 meters. Ana Tonga placed first in the javelin with 30.69-meters. Jason

Ahn took first in men’s javelin with a throw of 54.06-meters. “It’s going to be close,” said head coach Eddie Lopez about the remaining season. “It’s going to come down to who’s injured.” The track and field teams will participate in the Ben Brown Invitational at Fullerton College, Saturday at 10 a.m. On March 15 at 6 p.m., both teams will compete at Occidental College in the Oxy Distance Carnival. Kelsey Anderson can be reached at k.Anderson.ElVaquero@gmail.com

Dodgeball Fan Forms New Club By Taline Markarian EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER

n a case of life imitating art, Glendale Community College’s newest club recalls memories of a 2004 hit film. Harout Yerikyan took a page out of the comedy, “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” (2004). His idea appears to be successful because the Dodgeball Club has more than 50 members so far. “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball,” said Yerikyan, quoting a famous line from the movie. There are no fees or dues except for fundraising,” Yerikyan said. He is planning monthly meetings. Hard-working students are always looking for a little fun. “I missed playing dodgeball,” Yerikyan said. Dodgeball was first played in Africa more than 200 years ago, but instead of a fun contact sport, it was a deadly game. Rather than the bouncy plastic balls that are used today, players would play with rocks. It was extreme exercise for tribes and was meant to paralyze the competition. Today, the sport is more for fun, physical exercise and social interaction. “The dodgeball club sounds pretty interesting and fun,” said Monica Tecson, a club member. “I feel like it’ll let the students unite and get to know each other in a different, cool way.” The club will plan events through its Facebook group,

will practice regularly and have intramural games. The two basic rules are no head or groin shots. To fund the events, Yerikyan is planning a tournament every semester between the various clubs on campus. The winning club will get a trophy that will be donated by the dodgeball club. During club rush, which was held last week, students were able to learn more about the clubs that are offered on campus. Vazgen Stepanosyan was checking out groups to join when he overheard students talking about the dodgeball club. “I think it’s kind of pointless,” said Stepanosyan. But Yerikyan disagrees. He thinks it’s a good way to build a community. “He’s really passionate about it,” said Marian Mosinyan, a club member. “I think it’s going to head in a good direction, because if you don’t have a cabinet that’s excited about something, it’s not going to go well. I think the people who join can expect a lot.” For more information contact Yerikyan at GCCDodgeball@ hotmail.com Taline Markarian can be reached at yestalinem@aol.com

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Calendar On Campus EVENTS Potluck in the Park — Enjoy food and games with the Scholars Club. Donations welcome, but not required. Friday from noon to 3 p.m. at Verdugo Park. Volunteer Faire — More than 20 non-profit organizations will be recruiting students for various positions. Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Plaza Vaquero. For more information call (818) 2401000, ext. 5580. 12th Annual Athletic Hall of Fame — Banquet and induction ceremony. Saturday at 5 p.m. in the J.W. Smith Student Center. For more information or tickets call 818-240-1000, ext. 5764. Persian New Year — Nowruz Bazaar event sponsored by GCC’s Persian Students Association, featuring Haft-Seen, Persian food from Safir and music by DJ Alex. March 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Plaza Vaquero. Swap Meet — The monthly event is be March 17 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the upper campus parking lot. Free. For information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5805.

WOMENS HISTORY Womens History Month — WHM leads off with “What Education Means for Fertility & Population Growth.” A lecture by assistant professor of geography Mike Reed. Free, guests are welcome. Thursday in Kreider Hall from 9:10 to 10:45 a.m. Womens History Month — “Working Without Pay: The Women of Hull House.” A discuusion after the film will be led by history professor Peggy Renner. Free, guests are welcome. Thursday at 10:45 a.m. in AU 116.

Womens History Month — The holiday “International Women’s Day: Celebrate and Honor Women Across the Globe.” Friday. Womens History Month — The video “Generation M” will be shown. A discussion with Jessica Gillooly, psychology department chair, will follow the screening. Tuesday from 10:45 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. in CR 225. Womens History Month — The video “Generation M.” A discussion with history professor Peggy Renner, will follow the screening. March 14 from 10:45 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. in AU 116. Womens History Month — “One Billion Rising.” All are invited to join in a large dance led by dance instructor Phyllis Eckler and ESL adjunct Cheryl Anderson. March 14 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m in Plaza Vaquero. Womens History Month — Excerpts from the film “One Woman/ One Vote” will be shown with a discussion led by history professor Peggy Renner afterwards. Free, guests are welcome. March 19 at 10:45 a.m. AU 116. Womens History Month — “Gender Language and Socialization.” A lecture by J.C. Moore, asssociate professor of sociology. Free, guests welcome. March 19 from 3:25 to 4:50 p.m. in SR 115.

CLUBS I.O.C. Orientation Meeting — All new clubs and officers must attend an orientation meeting, club spaces will be raffled also. Friday from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. in SC 201. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 3126. S.O.S. Grant Applications — Grants are available to support

HAVE YOUR CAMPUS EVENT LISTED ON THE CALENDAR PAGE

registered clubs and organizations here at GCC. Deadline is March 18. For more information visit www.glendale.edu/AS or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 3126.

DONATIONS The Get On the Bus Program — The SPARK club is accepting donated children’s items such as crayons, puzzle books and postage stamps for Mother’s Day distribution. Drop off items at SM 266 or 267. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5789.

ORIENTATION Fire Academy Orientation — Learn more about GCC’s Fire Academy classes and application process during this orientation. Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. in AA 108. For more information visit www.glendale.edu/fire or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5906.

FINANCIAL FAFSA Workshops — Get help filling out your federal financial aid application. Free. Tuesday at 4 p.m., March 18 at 2 p.m. and March 19 at 4 p.m. in SC 212, room C. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5384. Federal Entrance Loan Counseling Workshop — Learn how to apply for federal loans. Advance sign up is required at the Financial Aid office in the San Fernando complex. March 13 at 3 p.m. in SF 107. Additional dates TBA. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5916. Campus Project Support — For projects on campus with innovative ideas; funding grants are available through ASGCC for up to $2,500. The deadline for applications is March 15. For more information email Arpa Shahijan-

ian at: asvpfi@glendale.edu or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5782.

PLANETARIUM

Free Money — If you have a 2.5 GPA and 12 completed units this is your last chance to apply for scholarships. More than 500 scholarships totaling $300,000 are available. The deadline to apply is March 20. For more information visit: www.glendale.edu/ scholarships or call (818) 2401000, ext. 5591.

Afternoon with the Stars — A lunchtime program highlighting the planetariums features. “Lunar Phases and Seasons” will be presented Wednesday and March 13 from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in CS 257. Free. For more information visit www.glendale.edu/planetarium or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5275.

MEETINGS Board of Trustees Meeting — March 18 in Kreider Hall. 5 p.m. For more information visit: www. glendale.edu/boardoftrustees.

TUTORING Learning Center — Tutors are available in a variety of subjects. Referral from an instructor, counselor or librarian required. Computers available. Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in AD 232. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5333. Math Discovery Center — The newly remodeled facility offers increased computer access and drop-in tutoring for math. Must be currently enrolled in a math course. Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in AS 103. For more information call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5362.

MOVIES Friday Flix: — A screening of the 1961 musical “West Side Story,” directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Free. March 15 at 12:30 p.m. in SG 334. A discussion facilitated by instructor Mike Petros follows the screeening.

ART GALLERY The Third Annual Student Projects Exhibition from the GCC Architecture Department — The exhibit showcases student work and includes the International Student Competition Project from the Tokyo Replay Center. Runs through March 28. Free. Monday through Wednesday from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Thursday from 12:30 to 7:30 p.m. Located in the Library Building.

WORKSHOPS “Effective Resume” — Focuses on essential resume-writing principles, formats and content. Monday from 2 to 3 p.m. and Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. Free. Career Center, San Rafael Building. For more information call (818) 2401000, ext. 5407.

HEALTH Mental Health Counseling — Free and available to all students. For information or to schedule a appointment visit the Health Center in the San Rafael Building. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nutritional Counseling — Free and available to all students. For information or to schedule a appointment visit the Health Center in the San Rafael Building.

• Email the details to Elvaquero.editor@gmail.com. • Call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349 and leave a message on our 24/7 event hotline, we’ll get right back to you. • The deadline for the March 20 issue is March 14.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

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LIFESTYLE

Saddle up for Cavalia stands in the middle of nine offlead Arabian horses. With her voice commands and body language she can ith a $30 million budget, control their choreography. She starts Cavalia’s creative directors by teaching one horse at a time and realized their wildest dreams for gradually includes more horses. “Odysseo,” including a carousel, screen Verdoncq said it’s important for the size of three IMAX screens and a her to have a strong bond with each 80,000-gallon lake. horse and know how to read their body Cavalia has been deemed Cirque language. She said that having patience du Soleil, but with horses. What many is the most important quality during the people don’t know is the co-creator of training process. Cirque du Soleil, Norman Latourelle, “You really need to be super patient founded Cavalia in 2003. The show is with the horses and be happy with based out of Montreal and has produced what they’re giving to you. Every two shows so far: “Cavalia: A Magical night is different,” Verdoncq said. “It’s Encounter Between Human and Horse” amazing.” and “Odysseo.” During the two-hour production, Latourelle found his inspiration horses and riders demonstrate their while working on a show containing 100 bond and athleticism in various ways. people and only one horse that solely The trick-riding segment displays trotted across the stage. He said noticed death-defying stunts. Men and women how everyone’s eyes were transfixed on ride backwards, upside down on the the horse, sides of the that’s when horses. Some he got the daredevils run idea for along side, Cavalia. remounting The every couple co-creater steps. One of Cirque man even du Soleil climbs under started his horse watching while at a how horses gallop. were used Antoine in current Romanoff, a shows and French native decided to who Roman combine rides, said he all the was nervous Photo By Pascal Ratthé disciplines. when he first With this ROMAN RIDING: Antoine Romanoff stands learned to new show, atop his two Appaloosa horses during Odysseo. trick ride. Latourelle He built recruited Benjamin Aillaud as the his confidence with a lot of practice equestrian direction and choreographer. and established relationships with his All horses used in “Odysseo” are horses. He likes having creative say trained in dressage, jumping, trick in his acts and he’s glad he can work riding and Roman. The horses may not freely with his horses. have mastered each discipline, but it There’s more to “Odysseo” than allows them to develop new muscles the four-legged performers. Under the and maintain interest in their work. “White Big Top” there is a 15,000 “What I really like was how kind square-foot tent featuring a life-sized the trainers were. Even if the horses carousel and an 80,000-gallon lake that misbehaved, they didn’t reprimand fills within minutes. Behind the stage them,” said Tara Burke, a local trainer is a video backdrop the size of three from The Paddock Club in Los Feliz. IMAX screens. “They seemed to train with positive The traveling show helps the local reinforcements.” economy as well. Cavalia employs 200 While touring, “Odysseo” purchases locally hired people for the construction new horses and the ones retired return and tear down of the show, work in the to Cavalia’s farm in Canada. The horses box office, kitchen, concession, parking range from as young as 5 to 18 years and front of house. old. The training process can take The show runs Tuesday through months to even years for the horse to Sunday until March 24. be ready. Some may not even make the Cavalia’s “Odysseo” is located in cut. Downtown Burbank at 777 N. Front Elisa Verdoncq is a trainer and rider Street in Burbank, Calif, 91502. who started with Cavalia about three For tickets and more information, years ago during its first creation. She visit http://www.cavalia.net. has two main acts, “Liberty” and a dressage piece. Kelsey Anderson can be reached at For the “Liberty” act, Verdoncq k.Anderson.ElVaquero@gmail.com

By Kelsey Anderson EL VAQUERO STAFF WRITER