Roundup Staff
ORCHESTRATE: The 55-muscian San Fernando Symphony Orchestra performed to a nearly full house in the Performing Arts Mainstage Saturday night. The group, led by Pierce College music director Maestro James Domine, performed pieces together and also featured solos by individual members.
The stage was dimly lit and consisted of a 55-member orchestra each armed with a different set of instruments.
Flutes, piccolo, oboes, horn, clarinets, bassoons, trumpets, horns, trombones, tuba, percussion, harp, contrabass, cello, viola, violin, piano and celesta were used to create a jubilant mix of glamour.
This was the scene when the San Fernando Symphony Orchestra performed their finest music at the Performing Arts Mainstage on Saturday night at 8 p.m.
The performance began their introduction to the program the American way as everyone stood up in alliance to the Star Spangled Banner.
Wearing a black tuxedo and bow with salt and pepper-colored shoulder length hair was Maestro James Domine, the music director who also teaches at Pierce College.
According to the group’s website, “the orchestra is a
showcase for some of the finest musicians and composers in Southern California.”
The performance started off with Offenbach’s Overture to
Orpheus in the Underworld. As they began, the audience was in complete silence. The viewers were mesmerized by each unique sound that came from the instruments. Crystal clear sounds came from the piccolo, a half-size flute that added brilliance to the piece. It gave each performer an opportunity to vividly emphasize each instrument.
In a mermaid-like blue strapless dress was Jenny Jin, violinist, who performed Saint-Saens Violin Concerto #3 in B minor, Allegro non troppo. Her fantastic performance left the audience in awe as she was the perfect selection for her part. Jin currently plays in the CSUN Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.
According to Jin it was her first time performing at Pierce College, then said, “I was nervous at first, but then I started to get excited.”
The audience’s appreciation for the music and their attention was so strong.
“I’ve been coming here for years and I enjoy the music,” said Dr. Joseph Silverberg, who is a retired Dermatologist in West Hills. “A lot of people here are in his classes. We are old folks, and the class is for seniors.”
Followed by Chisa Kodaka, violinist, who wore a long sparkly black dress, performed Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in Eminor Al legretto non troppo; Allegro molto vivace.
SEE SYMPHONY ON PAGE #4
Pierce College experienced record high temperatures Monday, with the campus weather station reporting 110 degrees at 2:10 p.m. Temperatures ranged in the triple digits throughout the day. Pierce College opened its weather station on July 1, 1949. For 55 years, the data was hand collected. In 2003, it was modified into a fully automated station, which cost Pierce College $10,000. The weather station holds the highest and lowest temperatures for all of Los Angeles. In July 1999, the weather station celebrated its 50th year and the website has been used by professionals and students ever since.
During the 1950s, its first decade of operation, the hottest Sept. 27 occurred in 1956 when the temperature hit 100 degrees. The coldest daily record of the decade was 47 degrees in 1950.
For a daily weather report, check out www.piercecollegeweather.com
Bryan
President Kathleen BurkeKelly sent out an e-mail to Pierce College faculty Tuesday that addressed the current state budget crisis.
“Thus far, the State has missed three payments to community colleges statewide totaling $840 million in funding,” she said in the e-mail. “This translates to 15% of the total CCC annual budget. Colleges throughout the state are beginning to run low on cash.”
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Robert Garber, the president of Pierce College between 2006 and 2009, is now serving as the interim president at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, CA, a position he started on September 1 of this year.
“It’s an opportunity to bring some of my knowledge and experience from working at other colleges to help this college develop and hopefully grow and become a better institution,” he said of his new position at Cuyamaca.
Cuyamaca College is one of two colleges in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD). It is a mid-sized college with a population of over 9,000 students. It is growing rapidly with a projected enrollment of 15,000 students by the year 2015.
Garber was originally hired on Aug. 1 to fill in as the interim vice president of student services for only a few months, but in the month of August he applied for the position of interim president, a position expected to last until July 1 of next year.
“Between the time when I agreed to come as the Vice President of Student Services but before I actually started, the interim president position became available and I decided to apply for that,” he said.
In August 2009, Garber resigned from his position as president of
Pierce College so that he could care for his son who was very ill with a serious medical condition. He then moved to the San Diego area. His son has gotten much better and is now doing well.
Garber was not planning on going back to work but he was contacted by the chancellor of Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD), Cindy Miles. Miles asked if he could fill in as the interim Vice President of Student Services position while a permanent replacement was being selected.
“It wasn’t about going back to work, it was about the campus, the people and me helping out an institution for a period of time during a very difficult transition.”
The president of Cuyamaca, Stuart Savin, resigned in the Spring 2010 semester after just one semester at the college to return to the east coast.
“Bob [Garber] was referred to us by several colleagues and search consultants from the region who commended his strong reputation and leadership skills,” said Miles. “For the interim presidency, he was selected through a rigorous search process from a field of more than 50 applicants.”
Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh was hired by Garber in mid-2006 as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Pierce College. They have remained friends and colleagues ever since.
“Bob [Garber] still has a lot of energy and excitement for community college education. He has a true caring for student development,” said Abu-Ghazaleh. “I think it’s wonderful that he can help a college out and provide all that experience and strong leadership when needed.”
Garber is planning on working only until July 1, 2011 when a permanent replacement is set to take over. He does not want to apply for the permanent position.
“I want to go back into retirement and work on projects like remodeling my home, professional activities, and skiing at Lake Tahoe,” he said.
Printed flyers on neon yellow and green paper, a new marquee that stands high on the Winnetka Avenue and Victory Boulevard corner, and frequent emails from Pierce College are not enough to capture the student body’s attention. What will it take for the faculty and professors to connect with their students and the campus’ surrounding community about events, performances and updates?
There should be a new requirement put in place immediately for all administrators and faculty. Administrators, faculty and staff receive the Weekly Bulletin, which include, but are not lim-
ited to, health center information, sporting events, symphonies and art shows, and transfer workshops.
The all-inclusive calendar should be shared with the student body by the faculty.
Professors would then be re-
quired to either make note of the printed flyer that will be passed around during the first few minutes of class or of the sheet that will be hanging on a window or door.
Regardless of how the professor chooses to implement the weekly
And yet, despite all of the headaches, students still enroll by the truckloads and pack themselves into classrooms, begging for a spot. This would not change even if the unit price was raised a mere $1, and even this minimal increase would help to loosen the increasingly tight belt.
Think about it.
Emily Kelley / Roundup
The California community college system boasts the lowest unit prices in the nation. And for the low price of $26 a unit, students can experience over-crowded classrooms, mass section cuts and diminished services.
Why? Because the 110-campus system is receiving $103 million less than last year under the Governor’s proposed budget.
There is no simple solution to this, but there are options. One of which is increasing the price of units, even a just few dollars.
The budget crisis is nothing new, especially in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The direct effects could be seen around Pierce College the first weeks of school.
The L.A. Times recently wrote in an editorial that at $27 a unit, the school system would have generated an additional $12.5 million a year. A $10 increase would have made $125 million. That would almost make up for the money the state is not providing, and California would still have the lowest costing community college systems in the United States.
Now, a lot people might balk at the idea of $30 or more a unit, but in the end it’s going to save the students of this school, district and state a great deal of money.
Because of the budget cuts, classes have been axed and class sizes have been capped. Both of these things, combined with the record number of enrollment, pose many obvious problems.
With class sizes smaller and fewer classes anyway, many students were not able to get into the classes they needed. This means
that students will have to stay in school longer, costing them even more money.
It wouldn’t just be more in tuition. Staying in school longer means another semester or years worth of books and housing expenses too. And we here in the San Fernando Valley know that living expenses cost much more than our tuition does.
Yes, we’re paying for the financial crisis figuratively and literally. But even as students, we’re still citizens of this state and if we can do something to help, we should.
Of course, like most change, big impact will take time. Most of us will (hopefully) be long departed from our fair Pierce, but what about those who come after us?
Your brothers and sisters. Your cousins. Your children.
For them to be able to sit comfortably in a classroom and complete college in four years, it has to start with us.
We didn’t start the fire, but we can help put out the flames.
A good education is priceless. So isn’t getting one worth paying for?
updated flyer into their class schedule, it needs to be on display at all times where it will remain visible.
This new program would create more clarity for both the students and professors to be aware of a common knowledge that would exist among the whole student body.
Some students may only take one course while others take only
night classes. Some students have never been to The Village, while others may not know that there is an Agriculture Science building.
The diversified campus needs to cater to all its registered students by implementing the weekly updated program as to include and educate those on campus of all the events.
Providing an easier outlet for students to obtain campus information can provide better financial outcomes for departments since there can be higher turnouts and ticket sales to performances and shows.
It is time for the faculty to better communicate with their students and for the students to better relate with their campus and their peers.
worse trying our best and failing the class anyway.
We all learn in different ways. Some of us learn by doing, some by seeing, and others by hearing. A good teacher will incorporate all of these techniques into a lesson plan that the whole class can understand. A bad teacher will stick to one way of doing things no matter what.
These math teachers might be highly intelligent people, maybe even geniuses in their field, but for some reason they can’t teach.
No matter how good the tutors are, they are merely students at a higher level than us. They haven’t received any special training on teaching; they hold no specialized degrees. They haven’t spent the last five to six years of their lives learning how to teach.
We’ve all had bad math teachers. We all know how painful they can be. A teacher who just opens up the book and reads from it, and then copies the problems onto the board while you sit there and struggle. A teacher with no patience for you and your lack of knowledge and who is unwilling to compromise on their way of doing things.
In college we all have to take classes we don’t necessarily like; they’re called general education requirements (GE’s). We only suffer through these classes to get to our major or to transfer.
Sometimes we run into teachers who we just can’t learn from and we wind up dropping the class, or
The LA Times recently rated teachers based on students’ test scores. This is not the only way to rate teachers and is in fact highly controversial, however, if a large number of students can’t pass a standardized test then something is wrong.
Yes, there is a math lab with tutors wandering around available to help the struggling, but it would be nice if they weren’t needed. It would be nice if the teachers that were hired to teach us actually taught us. It can be incredibly frustrating to sit through a whole class and feel you learned nothing, and then trudge over to the math lab where another student tries to help you.
We can’t afford to let bad teachers of any kind stay and teach poorly, and with an economy as bad as ours we need to watch every penny. If any teacher our school employs has a large number of their students find their way over to the math lab on a daily or weekly basis, then something is wrong. We have no need to spend money paying a teacher just to pay more money to tutors that correct their mistakes.
When Ph.D.’s are applying for janitor jobs and California’s unemployment rate is near 12 percent, good people can be found. They are out there; why aren’t they in here?
Students who find themselves in this situation are being done a disservice. If we really feel that education is the future, then we need to be paying more attention to our teachers.
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8-31-10 PETTY THEFT - IPhone stolen when student laid his head down to take a nap outside the library on a bench
9-1-10 LOST PROPERTY - Student set his backpack by the door of the business office while he went in to buy some scantrons, when he returned his backpack was gone
9-13-10 FOUND NARCOTICS - Black plastic bag containing a green leafy substance resembling marijuana found in a open locker in the men’s locker room
9-13-10 BURGLARY-LOCKED VEHICLE - Vehicle parked in Lot 7 was burglarized
PJ
/ Roundup
FRESH: The Pierce College CopyTech still suffering from broken machines and looking forward to receiving new equiptments as soon as possible.
flanked on either side by its gleaming, less noisy counterparts.
Students at Pierce College won’t have to worry about whether or not their term papers will come out cleanly printed, not with Copy Tech’s two new Cannon 7105s.
The 7105s will only be here until the end of the month, on a “special lease” loan by Pierce College until the school’s administration can decide whether or not to replace all the aging gadgetry of Copy Tech sometime this year.
“It’s like a Band-Aid, to get us through the start of classes,” said Larry Kraus, associate vice president of Academic Services.
Kraus has been pushing for a technological upgrade to the facility for the past year.
“Reliability in the machine, lower cost per click” were listed as some of the benefits of reoutfitting the Copy Tech with new tech. ‘Click’ means the individual photos taken by the scanner. Money for the proposed upgrade would come from the College’s funds, an expenditure that would be submitted to the scrutiny of the entire school before going up for a vote.
Kraus estimates it will take about $450,000 to replace the computers, printers and copy machines of Copy Tech.
For now, the shiny new machines whine and print, scan and copy for students and workers at
-Shane Smith Adjunct instructor of mathematics
Copy Tech.
“We’re very happy, it makes our work easy,” said Marina Ibarra, the supervisor of Copy Tech. “They used to break a lot,” she said.
The two rentals were installed on the first day of the fall semester, Aug. 30.
The machines cost roughly $1,200, according to Ibarra.
“I love those machines,” she said, with her hands over her chest.
Joshua Romo, 19-year-old, criminal justice major, also approves of the new machines.
“Well, it’s actually been a plus, they’ve been working great,” he said.
Romo has worked at Copy Tech for roughly one year. “It’s made things more efficient now.”
Shane Smith, an adjunct professor of mathematics at Pierce who has worked here since the 90s, has never had much trouble with the copy machines.
“It works fine, I’ve never had a problem,” he said as he stood at the last remaining older model,
“They aren’t necessary, they [Copy Tech] were better off without them,” he said. Kraus wants to begin installation of new upgrades as soon as they can.
“A copier has a life span of about five to six years,” he said, pointing out that the oldest copiers at Copy Tech are a decade old.
Kraus believes that the upgrade would improve efficiency and would make Copy Tech a better service to students.
An expenditure of this size will have to be approved by every level of school administration, from the Pierce College Council to the Budget Committee to any other body that wants a say, according to Kraus. “It’s a major purchase. There’re a lot of people needed to make the decision.”
Terms of lease & replacements
Two “special printers” will cost $1,200 for a two month lease
A complete technical overhall will cost an estimated $450,000
Sienna Jackson/ Roundup sjackson.roundupnews@gmail.com
Gary Mortaz / Roundup
SEND-OFF: Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, vice president of Academic Affairs, Richard Skidmore, instructor of business administration and Florence Robin, library chair listen as a guest talks about Abu-Ghazaleh during a recepetion for him at the Great Hall last Thursday.
win, Habit six: synergies and habit one: be proactive.
Many of the guest speakers all admired AbuGhazaleh’s ability to lead.
After four years of working at Pierce College, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh said his final goodbyes Thursday in the Great Hall.
Fellow colleagues and students gathered to honor the great work Abu-Ghazaleh contributed to Pierce College.
Tom Anderson, criminal justice professor described Abu-Ghazaleh’s leadership abilities.
“He is the most considerate and thoughtful man I have ever met. He’s very insightful and thoughtful, and has a way to sit on situations and not jump into conclusions,” Anderson said.
At the reception guests decided to relate his leadership concepts by taking monologues from the inspiring national bestselling book, ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,’ by Stephen R. Covey.
Barbara Anderson, dean of Academic Affairs related her experience with Abu-Ghazaleh by correlating there work together using Covey’s fifth habit that states “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
Barbara shared heartrending emotions about how much he will be missed. She also presented him with a huge gift bag, pulling out a huge bag of peanut M&M’s and a stuffed animal of Pierce College’s mascot, the bull.
Other colleagues took the podium and shared their most momentous experience with Abu-Ghazaleh using influences from Convey’s book.
Additional habit’s include Habit four: think win/
With all the refreshment’s and delicious snacks at the table’s hearts where weighing heavy as they said there good bye’s to Abu-Ghazaleh.
Denise Gibson, full-time dance professor, recalls a time where she first met Abu-Ghazaleh at Moorpark College and he wanted to learn ballet, so she taught him.
In a Dance recital she remembers when AbuGhazaleh danced with her and lifted her up so fluidly as if he was a professional dancer.
“He makes you want to strive for excellence, I don’t want to cry, but I admire his principles, he did what the right things to do,” said Joy McCaslin, vice president of Student Services.
Abu-Ghazaleh described when he first arrived at Pierce College and had trouble adjusting.
“It was a total culture shock,” he said.
Abu-Ghazaleh officially starts his new position Oct. 1.
He furthers his new career with the Coast Community College District (CCCD) in Costa Mesa, Ca.
“I’m leaving with a huge piece of Pierce College with me. I’m ready to move on and continue learning. Moving and learning is what I like to do,” he said. “Moving on and learning is the capsule of my life. I know Pierce College can rule the universe.”
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Lorena Perez-Valladares / Roundup
BRAVO!: Pianist TIffany Ju receives hugs and flowers after the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestraʼs (SFVSO) first show on the Mainstage of the Performing Arts Theatre at Pierce College in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sept. 25. Ju performed Sonata #4 in B minor on opening night of The SFVSO 2010-2011 season.
CONTINUED FROM SYMPHONY ON FRONT PAGE
A loud applause followed after each Sonata, it ended with a loud applause.
“I enjoy the concerts and having good local music, so we won’t have to go all the way into town like we use to,” said Silverberg.
“Let me introduce a brand new piece composed by myself, you are the first to hear, including me.”As Domine presented the next performer he said, As he welcomed Tiffany Ju, pianist played Sonata #4 B minor by James Domine.
In addition, Eulogy by James Domine was also performed by Joanna Ezrin, a pianist. “In
memory of my father, what he would have liked.”
Furthermore, as all things come to an end, the music stops and all you hear are applauses coming from the audience as everyone stood up with smiles for the phenomenal performances.
“Whatever piece at the time is my favorite pierce,” said Domine, as he was on stage describing his bliss after the performance.
According to Domine he felt like a football coach at the end of a winning game.
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The art room opened the doors to a grand audience on Sept. 22, all awaiting to see the guest lecture speaker Binh Danh. As the seats filled, a man with a blue collar shirt and friendly smile greeted everyone walking to their seats.
“ I first met Binh through a photograph taken by his family before leaving Vietnam while making a label copy for History San Jose,” Monika Del Bosque, Pierce College Gallery director and assistant professor of art, said during her introduction.
Danh lived in Northern California and is well known for his photography, but began his work in art installation. He currently has four art shows at work in Oakland, San Francisco, Nevada and North Carolina.
During the lecture Danh discussed many historical events, spirituality, religion, and philosophy concepts. He used picture imagery to help tell the stories of the Holocaust, Cherokee “Trail of Tears,” and the Vietnam Memorial; these three examples made an individual who they are and the history behind it.
“ I believe we could live a better life, if we reach nirvana it can teach us compassion and to be kind to others,” said Danh.
The use of photography is used to help understand ones past and how far one has come. Danh gave the audience a glimpse into his life as a Vietnamese refugee, the Vietnam War and the struggles that many faced during these gruesome times of war.
He explained the significance of a photograph during these times and the how it affected his family. The arranged marriage of his
mother and father was because of a portrait sent and taken of his mother.
“ To keep the people in the photograph alive and captures a slice in time,” said Danh.
According to Dahn, the philosophical viewpoint behind the chlorophyll print is to have a stronger relationship with Mother nature and to be close to roots of life, said Danh.
“ If the grass could talk what stories would they tell and what would they say about us.”
As the lecture was completed
the audience flooded to the Art Gallery to see Danh’s art installation. The gallery was lively with familiar faces as well as new ones who were interested in seing the art work.
“ It’s showing you that after a couple of years the aftermath (of the Vietnam war) from agriculture, way of life. People collecting tanks restored in concrete. Ideas is very subtle, the vases that look like bombs,” said freshman Gustavo Tepetla.
“I saw the art exhibit and I viewed it as anti militaristic. I felt
offended. I feel that the marines, army, navy and others shouldn’t be portrayed that way. We don’t really understand what the soldiers go through,” said freshman Arvin Aquino.
“I’ve come to the conclusion, that it’s not the artist, it’s the viewer. The viewer might have some personal take on my work but it’s the viewer who makes the opinion. I just place my work and it’s the viewer who takes the interpretation,” said Danh about the topic of criticism of his artwork.
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Julian Reyes/ Roundup
The Pierce College Council discussed a report regarding the scheduled structural and electronic renovations for the Performing Arts Building on Thursday.
The report included a presentation from Joseph W. Sion a senior associate of Steinberg Architects. Steinberg Architects is in charge of the renovations.
The proposal would provide a new face to the building. Renovations include new seating and an expansion of the interior and lobby.
Also planned are new railings, carpet, and wall treatment but the existing ceiling will remain. The restrooms will be updated and a new wheelchair lift will be provided as well.
The upper level will have a new elevator access and theatrical improvements will include a new audio-visual system.
New Pierce College President Dr. Kathleen BurkeKelly had a positive reaction towards the improvements.
“It updates the facility. It will have a better use of the balcony which has a great view of the valley,” said
Burke-Kelly.
Joseph Perret, professor of computer applications and office technologies, also had a good reaction to the building.
“It’s going to be a beautiful
building, it is quite an asset to have,” said Perret. “If you sit around the balcony during intermission you have the best view of the Valley.”
Academic Senate Presi-
dent Tom Rosdahl shared his opinion.
“There are various parts of the college that were built in different times and in some cases they were built at times
that were the architecture of the day,” said Rosdahl. “Financially you can’t make them look the same.”
Huell Howser Will be coming to Pierce on Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. in the Great HallVanessa Sahawi/ Roundup Gary Moratz / Roundup Vietnam exposed: Pierce College student, Gustavo Tepetla, a returning freshman, discusses Binh Danhs art with him. An exhibit featuring Danhʼs art is showing in the Pierce fine arts center gallery
run. He decided to look into what the group had to offer and is always amazed with the results.
As he looked at some of the members putting out the food, he seemed so moved and awestruck.
hot day, a community park, fresh food and local residents, is what a typical Sunday is like for those who participate in Food Not Bombs at Reseda park in Reseda, California.
Food Not Bombs, FNB, is a nationwide campaign to bring awareness to citizens that our government spends a lot of money on war and nuclear firearms and don’t recognize that there are still people starving in this country.
By taking a stand, every Sunday a group of volunteers meet at the Encino Farmers Market to collect all the donated left over fresh produce, stop at Western Bagel to collect bagels that would normally get thrown away, and take all the food to an apartment to cook a warm homemade stir fry.
After all the preparation, the vegan friendly food is transported to the park where people of the community gather to collect plenty of the free and fresh meal.
Some of the many nutritious foods that were provided include apricots, cauliflower, corn, vegetable juice, veggie bowls, and strawberries.
The fresh produce is all lined up in boxes along the grass as people gather to fill up their bags.
Hana Bower, a former Pierce College student who transferred to University of California Los Angeles, is one of the volunteers at FNB.
“A lot of food is wasted and it is true people need it,” Bower said. “We are grow-
ing up in a culture where instead of fixing old things, we buy new things.”
The same goes for food. People throw away the old leftovers even though it has not gone rotten and those who are less fortunate do not get the chance to eat.
Although FNB is giving back to the community and helping those around them, they are not a charity.
“We are solidarity,” Bower said. “It’s all about forming relationships.”
Everyone is accepted who show up each Sunday at the park.
It’s not just for those in need. It is for anyone within the community; Reseda consists of a mixed group of people, according to Bower.
FNB caters to all sorts of people with different backgrounds.
Some are local, unemployed residents like Damia Fersrane.
“I come here, take [food], and it’s free and very good,” she said. “I don’t work so I take food from here for the week.”
Others community members are college students like Justino Garcia, a Pierce student.
“I have been coming here every Sunday for the past 2 months,” Garcia said. “They make great food. Every week I have a bagel with stir fry vegetables.”
Garcia learned about the FNB movement through a volunteer at a charity he used to
“Beautiful,” he said. “It’s just so beautiful. Not only for the food [they prepare], but you just don’t see things like this every day.”
Although Garcia is not a vegetarian, he is very grateful for the food that is prepared every weekend.
“I love meat, but I love their vegan food,” he said.
As Garcia made his rounds and gathered food, he greeted one of the members who has became a good friend, Rajani Elek, a graduate of California State University, Northridge.
Elek enjoys being a member of the group, and has offered her apartment as a place for FNB volunteers to come cook and prepare the meals every week.
“We used to go back and forth in between houses to prepare the food but now we use my apartment,” she said. “We have people come back because they’re so gracious and they take our food and make different things with them.”
Elek enjoys how people use the vegetables and fruits they provide to make jams and other dishes for their meals.
“I’ve always enjoyed helping people,” Elek said. “I’ve always wanted to be active in my community. I feel like we’re actually doing something, not just protesting or waiting around to be heard.”
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On Sept. 20, no one at the Health Center could spare a moment.
“We’re in the middle of a mental emergency,” said Beth Benne, the center’s director. “We have a student who needs our immediate attention.”
Two days later, on Sept. 22, students are rotated through the waiting room of the Center, coming in, sitting down, going in to see a provider, leaving.
The cycle continues steadily throughout the day.
Students need care, and in keeping with recent trends, mental health services are in high demand.
The Center’s two contracted clinical psychologists work a combined 21 hours a week, Monday through Thursday.
On the first day of classes, both were completely booked, for the first time in Benne’s 18-year career at Pierce.
“They see them for a lot of depression, and stress,” Benne said.
This follows what may turn out to be a national trend in colleges and universities across the country, according to preliminary results from a survey by the American College Health Association.
A total of 912 Pierce students participated in the 300-question survey in Spring 2010, the first time that Pierce College has participated in such a survey.
The biggest disclaimer of these results is a skewed age demographic. The average age of the participants was around 22 years old.
“We have students ranging from under 13 to their 60s, 70s and 80s,” Benne noted.
While the findings haven’t been published, early data shows that students at Pierce are dealing with increased levels of stress, which can impact health and academic performance.
Some of the factors impacting academic performance according to the results are stress, work, lack of sleep, the flu, and finances.
In response to the findings, the Health Center is preparing a classroom outreach presentation on stress management, planned to begin around midterm season.
“Stress can cause a whole host of problems,” says Dr. Babak Govan.
Govan is one of the Center’s two contracted psychologists, and has worked at Pierce for over two years.
Besides bad academic performance, not paying attention in class, memory problems and a weaker immune system, Govan says that stress can even affect your personal life.
“Individual’s who are stressed don’t perform best in relationships,” he said. “Students could see their relationships begin to deteriorate.”
So how can students deal with stress?
“Nip it in the bud as soon as possible,” Govan said. “I think it’s good to find simple, practical ways for people to deal with stress in their lives. But to be successful in the long term at combating stress, people have to look at the patterns of stress in their lives. Oftentimes, the way we’ve learned to respond to situations leads to more stress.”
For more information, contact the Health Center at (818) 710-4270.
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Standing in front of the class behind a podium does not mean class is starting. Dr. Richard Follett’s students know that class will begin when the Verizon cell phone, resting in its holster, alarms.
As the first openly gay man to be hired as a professor at Pierce College, Follett, 62, has been an active participant in the student community for the last 26 years.
Recently, Follett chose to withdraw a nomination for being an outstanding teacher in order to allow others a chance to be honored and acknowledged.
The English professor’s unique personality and teaching style has acted as a magnet that draws students to his classroom every
semester.
Follett teaches his students by recognizing the importance of using his own life to demonstrate new concepts within the classroom.
“My personal life becomes a part of the text book,” Follett said. “I am just sharing, not imposing.”
Sahara Ahal, 19, a fine arts major who was enrolled in Follett’s English 101 course, values his “entertaining, supportive, and professional” ways of teaching.
“[Follett] makes himself more human and puts himself on the same level as the students, Ahal said. “Nothing he does in class is inappropriate. He never pushes his own beliefs on us and encourages us to share and hear the different sides and views.”
Follett cherishes his work at Pierce College and the diversity of students he meets through the several courses he teaches.
Through hard work and dedication, Follett has earned the Hayward Award for Excellence in Education from the California State Academic Senate in 1998 and received the first recipient of the annual Associated Student Organization, Pierce’s student government, Outstanding Teacher Award for excellent contributions.
For teaching for so many years, he truly appreciates the diversity and wide range of students that pass through the campus and his door.
He recalls the range of students who have come in and out of his classroom and remembers the youngest student being 13 and the oldest being 94.
“It’s wonderful to see people of those age ranges working together,” Follett said. “It’s a wonderful second chance for many of them.”
His students are excited and
eager when they step into his classroom. They say there is nothing easy about being in his class, but you learn and are entertained.
“He makes his lesson plans entertaining for the students,” Ahal said. “He expects a lot, like a father figure, but if you’re interested in learning, he’ll teach you.”
Heather Sutton, 45, a communication disorders major, enjoys the way he relates his own life to the lives of his students.
“He gives you a way to relate to real life. It’s relevant,” Sutton said.
Similar to how the students rave about his teaching style, the faculty at Pierce admire and treasure Follett just as much.
Donna Accardo, the English Department Chair, has known Follett for 20 years and recognizes his love for teaching.
“His passion, commitment, and creativity to working with students help reach their potential is his fundamental priority,” Accardo said.
Follett’s dedication and enthusiasm for teaching causes him to be fought over among the students every semester.
According the Mary Chavarria, a fellow colleague of Follett’s and professor of English, she admires his engaging and intellectually modest ways of teaching.
“He is very popular,” said Cha-
varria. “His name comes up a lot in the grapevine.”
Follett’s love for his students doesn’t end in the classroom; he also plays active roles throughout the campus and community.
He is the founding advisor to ACCESS for learning disables students, was the president of the Academic Senate, chair of the Pierce College Council, and has won several awards honoring his teaching.
Furthermore, outside of the campus community, Follett participates in a number of activities; one is being in the baritone section of the Gay Men’s Chorus Los
Angeles.
“I enjoy meeting and knowing so many wonderful people,” Follett said. “I love the cast of people.” Follett teaches several English courses at Pierce that include English 28: Intermediate Reading and Composition; English 101: College Reading and Composition I; English 102: College Reading and Composition II; and English 252: The English Bible as Literature. Teaching is not only a job for Follett; it’s a way of life.
“It’s the students who keep me alive,” Follett said.
It took ten years.
In the women’s soccer team’s ten years of existence, they had never beaten Long Beach City College. They had met five times, and each time the Vikings came out on top.
That changed on Friday.
The Brahmas ended non-conference play with a 1-0 win over Long Beach, recoring their fourth consecutive shutout and improving to 6-0-1.
“It felt really good…for all the previous [teams, doing it for them,” said sophomore forward Erica Vangsness, whose assist lead to the only goal.
“It’s awesome,” said head coach Adolfo Perez of the win. “I felt like there was something phantom or something.”
The gamer remained scoreless until freshman midfielder Jessica Gonzalez scored on a cross from
Vangsness in the 63rd minute, putting the Brahmas up for good.
This was the first time in four games that Vangsness did not have a goal, and only the second time all season.
Both goalkeepers were kept busy all game, as each team continued to make scoring opportunities for themselves.
Pierce keeper Marissa Graska ended the day with three saves, bringing her total on the year to 19, and lowering her goal allowed average to .1579.
“[Graska] is one of the best keepers I’ve ever seen,” said Vangsness. “She’s just an awesome person, she has so much raw talent, it’s unbelievable. I’m really glad we have her on our team.”
“We have great communication in the back,” said Graska of her defense. “Jenn [Veneges] does a phenomenal job of keeping the ball out of there. Same with my two wings and my stoppers.” The defense had a different look for the game, as sophomore Nicole Jovel, who recently returned from injury, played in the back instead of at forward. “Nicole’s a much better defender than she is a forward,” said Graska. “She knows defense like the back of her hand.
The move was made in an attempt to neutralize the Vikings quick forwards.
“She did so well, I don’t know,” said Perez with a laugh, when asked about whether the move might be made permanent.
The Brahmas are still awaiting the return of midfielder Daisy Alverenga, who has not played since the second game of the season.
Perez is hopeful that she will return for the conference opener against College of the Canyons (which was played yesterday and
not available at press time) but nothing is definite.
“As soon as we get Daisy back, we’ll be full force and be taking people down,” said Vangsness. “We’re gonna be amazing.”
UPCOMING GAMES:
10/1, 4 p.m. vs. Valley
10/5, 4 p.m. vs. Citrus
10/8, 4 p.m. vs. Santa Monica
10/12, 4 p.m. vs. Bakersfield
dcromar.roundupnews@gmail.com
DID YOU KNOW— that the Pierce College soccer team has shutout 5 of their first 7 opponents so far this season?
After winning backto-back games, the Brahmas winning streak came to an end Saturday at John Shepard Stadium against the Long Beach Community College Vikings, 38-35.
Before the game the team marched out together full of passion and excitement, while holding a huge bull horn, through the crowd of cheerleaders, yelling and pumping them up for there first home game. The crowd of fans cheered enthusiastically while welcoming their team home after being on the road for three consecutive games.
Pierce had a very good first quarter where they played well offensively but could have done better defensively. A muffed punt return hurt them the most in the first quarter as it was recovered by the Vikings, allowing them to regain possession.
In the first quarter, the defense started off strong as Michael Hodeib got off the line around the end to sack the opposing quarterback. The very next play, Jaston Wells intercepted a pass and took it down to the Brahmas 37-yard line setting up the teams first scoring drive and the early 7-0 advantage.
LBCC however would respond quickly, marching right down the field, eventually punching the ball in from 6 yards out tying the game 7-7.
Costly personal foul penalties and missed tackles left Pierce coaches flabbergasted on the sidelines. This created another scoring opportunity for the visiting team, who took full advantage scoring from 11 yards out taking the 14-7 lead, which would hold up going into the half.
Numerous dropped passes,
overthrows, poor tackling, and penalties summarized the first half of play.
Long Beach coach Mike Reisbig was happy to be going into half time on the road with the lead.
“They played well, especially offensively to start the game,” Reisbig said.
In the second half Clinton Granger fumbled the ball on the Brahmas 40 yard line, that was recovered by a LBCC defender.
The Vikings quarterback completed a 40-yard touchdown pass on the very next play down the sideline making the score now 21-7.
Exavier Johnson started the beginning of the 3rd quarter for the Brahmas and moved the ball down the field eagerly. Daniel Berhe made a perfect catch at the 44-yard line for a 24-yard gain, but another penalty was called against the Brahmas nullifying the play.
Johnson then spotted Kenny Davis on the next play wide open with no Vikings insight completing the pass up to the LBCC 35yard line.
Johnson’s successful drive would be short-lived as D’Andre Lewis of the Vikings stepped in front of the Brahma receiver for another costly interception.
The turnover bug would continue to haunt Pierce. Granger fumbled a hand off leading to a LBCC touchdown pass to Travon Payne and a 28-7 deficit.
Johnson, now back in at quarterback for the Brahmas connected with wide receiver Kenny Davis for a 27-yard scoring strike, Pierce
seemed to be gaining some momentum, still trailing 28-14.
The fourth quarter started with the Brahmas down two touchdowns. The Vikings confidence on the offensive side of the ball was so high they went for a first down on 4th and 11. The Brahmas couldn’t hold them as the opposition found their way into the end zone yet again increasing their lead with time running out, 35-14.
All hope was lost as the stadium remained quiet. A pair of touchdown passes would close the gap, making it a one-possession ball game.
The last 34 seconds on the clock was intense. The Brahma fans were cheering on the team who had the ball. The ball is snapped back to Johnson, he draws back, he spots Damon Julian wide open, and “touchdown Brahmas.”
The fans jumped up high fiving each other. The Brahmas just tied up the game. However, an “Excessive celebration” penalty against Pierce forced Steven Sandoval to kick a field goal from the 18-yard line turned out to be harmless as Sandoval slit the uprights. The game was tied 35-35 with 34.3 seconds left on the clock.
A combination of good special teams, clutch passes, and Pierce penalties, had Long Beach in range for a game winning 37 yard field goal attempt with 6 seconds left on the clock.
LBCC kicker, David Covey kicked his team all the way to victory, defeating the Brahmas 38-35.
This Brahma wide receiver out of Birmingham High School had 218 all purpose yards, including a touchdown, in a losing effort against LBCC Saturday night. Standing 6’4”, Davis, a sophomore currently leads the team in catches (18), yards (423), and touchdowns (4).
Graska, formerly of Rockwell High School, helped the Brahmas to a shutout victory over rival LBCC Friday afternoon. Marissa, a 5’11” sophomore has played a vital role in Pierce’s success so far during the young season as she currently has 5 shutouts to her credit.
“LBCC is a good team that deserved to win,” Pierce head football coach Efrain Martinez said after the game. “This was such an emotional game, I was afraid of a letdown, and that was exactly what happened.”
Next Saturday night the Brahmas will look to right the ship at home against West LA College at 7:00 p.m.
tjones.roundupnews@gmail.com
The 5’10” freshmen outside hitter was named the MVP of the 1st Annual Pierce Invitational Tournament last weekend. From Royal High School, Kathleen leads the Western State Conference in defense (digs) and passing percentage.
Tracy Jones / Roundup
Football team experiences flip-side of the upset coin
“[Graska] is one of the best keepers I’ve seen... I’m really glad we have her on our team.”
-Erica Vangsness Pierce College forward
showdownUD/ Roundup HEADS UP: Brahma forward Erica Vangsness goes up to challenge a Long Beach College defender for possession of the ball Friday. UD / Roundup GAME ON: Michael Hodeib (77), stands with his hands at his side, awaiting the next Photos by UD / Roundup
Pierce College women’s volleyball beat out Pasadena City College in the finals at the First Annual Pierce College Brahma Invitational in the North and South Gyms this weekend.
Women’s Volleyball hosted eight teams, providing sports drinks, snacks and an announcer who played enthusiastic music during time outs and in between plays.
Pierce met the Pasadena City College Lancers fired up to win. The Lancers brought with them an impressive 23-2 record from the previous 2009 season.
There was excitement in the air of the gym as each team lined up to introduce its players.
Pasadena’s head coach, Tammy Silva, beginning her 4th season with the Lancers, was ready to “bring it.”
Pierce found challenges early on in game one as Lancer player, Aliyyah Abdullah, middle back and outside hitter successfully killed into open spaces of the court on Pierce’s side.
The game was close throughout with only one and two points separating the scores.
Brahmas won game one 22–19.
“Push Hard,” Brahmas screamed as they raised their hands in the air to rally onto game two.
For the first time in the tournament, Pierce was down in game two as play started off 3-4.
With clumsy hands and a back and forth battle to win, Pasadena broke away and won game two 25-21. Pasadena was all smiles as they were the first team to beat Pierce in this tournament.
In game three Pierce was off to a great start leading 9–5, this didn’t last long as the Lancers brought it back to a head to head game tying it up.
Tied at 26 Nabil Mardini, Pierce’s head coach for his 12th season, called a timeout.
The Contour’s song “Do you love me (Now that I can dance)” played over the loud speakers of the gym to fire up the teams.
Pasadena City College took the win 27–29 at the end of game
1st Place: Pierce College Brahmas
2nd Place: Pasadena City College Lancers
3rd Place: Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros
three.
A fourth game began with Pasadena City set up to take first place in the tournament, with a 2-1 game lead.
Cheer’s from the Brahma’s bench “gravy train” were belted out by players in support of every point that was put up on the score board.
Pierce made a come back as Samatha Potter, Brahma outside hitter, towering at 5’11” made an impressive kill over to the Lancer’s side, it was clear that Pierce was heading to a fifth game after all.
Pierce won game four 24–16. Pasadena, psyched out now, watched as the Brahmas made it look like they were about to take the tournament by the horns.
At match point, all were anxious as the score board read 14–11 in favor of Pierce.
15–11, Pierce won first place and coach Mardini literally jumped from his chair on the side lines and pointed to the court, spinning his arm into a 180 degree circular victory move.
“We’ve been practicing really hard,” Mardini said with a smile.
“Pasadena’s a great team and they came and brought it.”
Pierce and Pasadena have been playing each other going on eight years according to head coach Tammy Silva.
“Both teams made crucial errors at important times in the game, but its a good way to end going into conference this week,” Silva said. “Nabil always brings a competitive game.”
As the team stretches after their win, Mardini and Silva exchanged a hug and she thanked her long time colleage for the great time they had at the tournament.
“Compared to how we were at the beginning of the year, we’ve improved a lot,” said Samantha Potter, a sophomore at Pierce. “I feel like now our team is more connected, [we have] good chemistry.”
Mardini refers to games like the one against Pasadena as “grind out wins.”
“They [Pasadena] made a couple of errors in the fourth game and it helped us in the end,” Mardini said.
Pasadena City College left the
gym as Pierce stuck around to clean up plastic bottles and empty nacho plates.
“We might see them [Pasadena City College] in nationals,” Brahma Kathleen Wright, who had 19 digs in the game said with confidence. “If they win . . . ”
Saturday’s first game against the Golden West College Rustlers determined which team played in the finals.
Pierce won the first game of the match, and early on set a precedent of high competition.
The Brahmas led 13-3 early in the second game accompanied by loud cheers of encouragement and support from nearly 70 fans in the bleachers sprinkled with crimson t-shirts displaying the Brahmas colors.
Pierce dominated the second game against Golden West. The Rustlers were finding it difficult to keep pace with the kills the Brahma’s served up. Pierce won 25-13 and sealed their victory in game three with a 25-15 win.
Friday’s match was against Palomar College Comets who were the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Champions of their season in 2009.
The games are played best three of five and no more than three were needed. The Brahmas took down the Comets 3-0.
The match against Palomar included a second game with an impressive 25–8 victory, showing Pierce meant business. Pierce won 3-0, moving on to Saturday undefeated.
This season is looking like the opposite of last years difficult challenges the Brahmas faced. In 2009 the Brahmas were plagued with five injuries, with all but one lasting throughout the entire season. One of the five injured was Sarah Martin who contributed 27 kills to the match against Pasadena.
“Last season was unfortunate, we didn’t have the strength and conditioning coach,” Mardini said. “Its [2010] got the makings of a great season, we’re off to a great start.”
Pierce traveled to Oxnard College Tuesday to take on the Condors.
