Volume 114 Spring 2011 Roundup Issue 9

President plans for 10% cuts

Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

In her first town hall meeting held Thursday afternoon, Pierce College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly addressed concerns surrounding the state budget crisis and the ramifications it has on the college.

The meeting, which was prepared following Burke-Kelly’s return to Pierce Monday, May 2, began with an open discussion on relevant issues. It was followed by a question-and-answer portion where audience members were encouraged to voice their concerns and inquiries.

Though the audience was predominantly comprised of Pierce administrators and faculty members, there were many students in attendance.

“I honestly don’t even know who the president is,” said Pierce student Veronica Liberato prior to the event. “I really want to hear what she has to say about the budget crisis and how it affects the classes being cut.”

DECONTAMINATE: Los Angeles City firefighters decontaminate construction workers following a chemical spill from containers discovered in a vault hidden underneath the old Chemistry 800 building Friday afternoon during renovation projects.

Toxic isotopes found at old chem building

A fire department hazardous materials team (Hazmat) concluded that there was no danger or threat to Pierce College at the end of the day on Friday following a chemical spill from an underground vault discovered in the old Chemistry 800 building during on campus renovations.

A group of construction workers stumbled upon the vault during a digging project and officials officials immediately once there was concern of the containers being broken.

14 construction workers were in proximity to the hazardous area and isolated for treatment and consultation, according to officials.

Emergency Medical Technicians offered to evacuate the workers, but they declined.

No one involved showed signs of contamination, according to Capt. Sean Miller of the Los Angeles City Fire Department.

The LAFD responded to the call quickly, along with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and L.A. County Department of Public Health.

By coincidence, the LAFD was conducting practice drills down the street from campus that same afternoon.

Teams were specifically working 7.2 earthquake drills, playing out scenarios involving hazardous spills, according to officials.

Two Hazmat teams arrived on the scene and a perimeter was formed around the con-

taminated area in Parking Lot 7.

The underground vault held eight labeled containers, four of which had low-level radioactive materials inside. Following further inspection, the fire department found none of the four to be broken or unsealed.

Once Hazmat teams were present and gathered to inspect the one chemical that spilled, they took samples before releasing the information officially.

In the meantime, the Pierce College Sheriff’s department declared several areas on campus unsafe and refused entrance to students and faculty. Two classrooms in the surrounding area were evacuated.

Following the inspection and the identification of the spilled chemical, Hazmat firefighters decontaminated and released the workers involved.

The containers were most likely placed there in 1965, according to Larry Kraus, associate vice president of administrative services.

“It is still unclear as to how the containers got there,” said Kraus. “It is believed that they were used in various experiments at the time, and over the years they were forgotten about.”

The old Chemistry Building and old Child Development Center have been left unused and untouched since summer session of last year, once the new Center for Sciences and Child Development Center buildings opened.

Crews worked Friday and Saturday to ensure that the area was safe for students and

faculty.

The containers held radioactive isotopes, declared safe by the Bureau of Environmental Protection of the county health department, according to Kraus.

Communication was key during the outof-the-ordinary situation.

During inspections, Vice President of Student Services, Joy McCaslin, and Kraus, stayed on scene to ensure that the students at Pierce were safe.

Kraus was in constant communication with Kathleen Burke-Kelly, Pierce College president and Doreen Clay, public relations manager, according to Clay.

Clay updates the Pulse, a news and events hot spot found on the Pierce College website.

She continued to update the release concerning the Hazmat spill while she obtained information throughout the day’s events from Kraus.

Of greatest concern were if classes should be canceled the following day and whether the campus needed to be evacuated, according to Clay.

“I’m proud of the way that everybody played their role and did their part to make sure that the campus was safe,” said Clay.

The release was posted to the Pulse by Friday evening.

“We’ve always had a very safe campus, and we want to make sure it stays that way,” she said.

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Some faculty members attended the meeting on behalf of the students they instruct.

“I wanted to see the direction we’re heading and how it’s going to affect the students,” said Shilo Nelson, instructor of physical education. “That’s why we’re here, for the students.”

For most of the meeting, Burke-Kelly spoke of the budget reductions proposed by the district.

The best-case scenario is a five percent cut to the school’s budget, according to Burke-Kelly.

“The five percent [reduction] at this point is a done deal,” she said as she pointed to her visual aid: a projection of a document that broke down the scenarios for each budget reduction proposal.

“We can get through next year,” she said. “What we can’t go through is [201213].”

Burke-Kelly also addressed the issue of the hiring freeze currently imposed on community college administrative positions.

“The hiring freeze is the worst way to plan,” she said.

Burke-Kelly also informed the audience that she has no intention of replacing two administrators who have recently retired. Instead, she plans to reassign existing faculty members to cover all the responsibilities of the retirees.

Many of the students who attended the meeting left feeling disheartened.

“This is all disappointing,” said Trixcee Comia, 19, nursing major. “It seems like we’re not moving forward at all.”

The feeling of disappointment was shared by the faculty officers who attended.

“This is really upsetting,” said Ellie Kligman, adjunct Computer Assisted Office Technologies (CAOT) instructor. “California has always been known for its community colleges and the services that they provide.”

Samantha Ferrante, 19, history major, expressed her appreciation for the effort the college administration is putting forth with regards to the budget crisis.

UD/ Roundup

POINTING OUT SCENARIOS: Returning Pierce College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly speaks to faculty, staff and students during a Town Hall meeting Thursday.

The two other scenarios are 10 percent and 15 percent reductions, the latter being labeled as the “worst case.” The ten percent cut is the most likely scenario, according to Burke-Kelly.

Burke-Kelly connected the current budget crisis in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) to the state budget in her presentation by discussing Governor Jerry Brown’s efforts last March to “extend existing taxes.”

Brown failed to gain the necessary Republican support for his proposal, so there is no possibility for it to be included in the June ballot.

At this point, the earliest that the issue can be brought to the voters will be in November, according to Burke-Kelly.

If the proposal for an additional budget reduction to the LACCD passes in November, it will prove “devastating [to] the spring semester,” she said.

“Students need to be more understanding,” said Ferrante. “They’re doing what they can.”

The majority of the audience members were aware, prior to the meeting, of the situation the budget crisis is leaving the district in.

“I had known things were getting tougher,” said Steve McHargue, instructor of history and humanities. “It would have been nice to have planned for this in advance.”

Phyllis Braxton, dean of Student Services, encouraged students to be vocal in expressing their concerns on the issue. She suggests that they attempt to go speak directly with the state legislature. “[The administration] doesn’t want these cuts for the students,” she said. “This is all happening at the state level, and we can’t do anything about it.”

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Scholars keep their eyes on the prize: Graduation

Lorrie Reyes/ Roundup

The spring semester is almost over, which means students can’t wait for finals and the end of the semester.

But for those graduating in 2011, the anticipation of June cannot come soon enough.

This year’s commencement ceremony will take place on June 8 at 6 p.m. in Swisher Park.

“Commencement at Pierce College is one of the nicest ceremonies that we do,” said Dr. Richard Follett, instructor of English and current graduation master of ceremonies. “We do a lot of things very well on this campus, and commencement is one of those.”

Students who petitioned for graduation before April 15 will receive an e-mail with all the details on where to go on June 8.

According to the Pierce College graduation homepage, graduates will meet in the Center for Sciences quad prior to the 6 p.m. start time.

“All students have to wear a cap and gown if they want to participate in graduation,” said David Follosco, dean of Student Services.

The traditional black gowns can be purchased at the student store for $29.85 plus tax.

Former Pierce College President and current chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District, Darroch “Rocky” Young will be the keynote speaker at this year’s graduation.

Swisher Park will actually be re-named in Young’s honor later this year.

“This year we’ll be renaming [Swisher Park] Rocky Young Park,” said Follett. “That has been approved by Board of Trustees.” Student speakers have not yet been chosen.

With the Center for Sciences and Business Administration buildings completed, planning has become easier for the graduation committee which includes Follosco, Follett and many others.

A new procession will begin from the Center for the Sciences building instead of the Campus Center.

“In the past, the students walked down by the audience, and back in” said Follett. “It kind of spoils the glamour.”

Last year, there were 387 students that participated in graduation. Although Follosco does not know exact figures on this year’s number of graduating students, he estimates this year’s number will be between 380-420 students.

“If a person is qualified for the transfer program, they automatically get an AA or AS degree if they request it,” said Follett. “[The degree] is yours, you’ve worked for it. Take it.”

Students can still participate in the commencement ceremony if they have missed the April 15 deadline, but they will not be able to have their transcripts evaluated, according to the graduation homepage.

Students are encouraged not to forget their cap and gowns or their reader card, which tells the speaker how to phonetically say their name.

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Joe Kukuczka/ Roundup

Joe Kukuczka/ Roundup

FORMALLY KNOWN AS: Swisher Park will be re-named during graduation in Rocky Young’s honor.

Kat Mabry/ Roundup

Loyalty is essential

Will the real KBK please stand up?

With 29 years of experience Kathleen Burke-Kelly joined Pierce College Aug. 1, 2010 as our college president, replacing Joy McCaslin who was interim president at the time, appointed by the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees July 29, 2009.

In a press release last year, LACCD Chancellor LaVista was quoted saying that “her (Kathleen Buke-Kelly’s) commitment to student success, and her ideas for implementing that commitment, will form the foundation for the college’s next stage of growth and development.” It’s interesting, however, that after only a few short months serving at Pierce College, Burke-Kelly left Pierce, during accreditation period to assist Mission College who apparently didn’t have a person such as McCaslin to fill in during their time of need.

The truth is that Burke-Kelley has constantly contradicted herself, providing mixed messages to her students, faculty, and the campus she is “serving” as a whole.

At likely a six-figure salary BurkeKelley should be loyal to her campus and know her priorities.

At the end of an LACCD board meeting in March, Burke-Kelly made it very clear that she was NOT the president at Pierce College, and told reporters of the Roundup that she had nothing to do with the concerns of the campus. Concluding that all questions and issues be addressed, to once again, interim president Joy McCaslin. This is confusing.

In her defense her contract specifies that all duties assigned by the Chancellor are to be fulfilled competently and diligently. Chancellor LaVista did request Burke-Kelly assist Mission, she did not ask to go.

Before she left for her time at Mission College, she had assured faculty during an academic senate meeting that she would be frequenting Pierce weekly, and continue to be very involved.

So why did she disown us and why didn’t she follow through on her commitment to be on campus during her time at Mission?

Perhaps Joy McCaslin should be compensated for her time.

She has served twice the time Burke-Kelley has and continues to consistently be there for this campus when she is needed, without compensation, and without a title further than “interim.”

For the record: The college president is typically responsible to a governing board for the successful operation of the institution.

The president’s relationship with the institution’s board of trustees is critical. One of the board’s primary duties is to hire and fire the president, and thus it is important for the president to be attentive to the needs and desires of the board.

Shouldn’t her loyality also be to the campus?

Upon her return to Pierce College last week, she showed promise and dedication by hosting her first town hall meeting of the year, during which she explained possible budget scenarios to concerned students and faculty.

So is she here to stay?

Another encouraging tidbit of information is the countless praise she received from Los Angeles Trade-Tech Community College following her success in improving their accreditation status. She was referred to as a “godsend” for their campus.

It will be interesting to see what she has planned next for her time here to achieve her goals as she says them; and that is student success and achievement.

We challenge you KBK to follow through on your original plans for Pierce and hope that your time will no longer be interrupted.

Let the picture tell the damn tale Let’s keep our dignity

After the assault on the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, photographs of Osama bin Laden’s corpse were taken – graphic images of the al Qaeda leader with a bullet hole in his eye.

In the first week after bin Laden’s death, amongst the flurry of dialogues that overtook the media and the public, the argument of whether or not the White House should release the photos ran on the sidelines.

But the White House has stated definitively that the photos will not be released.

“We don’t trot out this stuff as trophies,” Obama stated in an interview on Wednesday with the CBS program ‘60 Minutes.’ “That’s not who we are.”

Obama went on to say that to reveal the photos of the body would not only be a low action, but would also incite anger against the United States amongst Muslim extremists. The photos, Obama said, could be used as propaganda.

While that argument of national security is a sound one, revealing the death photos would not be a crude or crass act – no more so than revealing the faces of any person killed in war on either side.

It’s more a matter of confronting the truth of combat.

Obama should reveal the photos, not to satisfy the ‘deathers’ who are unconvinced by reports of Osama bin Laden’s death, but as a further acknowledgment

that this man, who has orchestrated the mass murder of thousands of people, is dead, and we killed him.

Perhaps the White House’s conviction against revealing the photos lies not just with the perceived threat to national security, but with the pervasive aversion towards death that Americans feel.

We live in a culture that does everything it can to minimize the truth of death in our daily lives: we wear makeup and dye our hair to appear younger, Photoshop our icons into immortal perfection.

Death and killing is the reality of conflict, and we should confront those realities as a nation; not only the costs on our end, the photos of troops’ caskets returning home, but of the deaths of our enemies.

It’s not a moral issue in the obvious sense, but of principle, particularly honesty, in whether or not to release the photos of a corpse.

I’ll add to that point:

If the White House were ever to reveal the photos of bin Laden’s corpse, they’d have to also reveal photos of his burial – which was, according to the White House, a respectful burial at sea in accordance with the Islamic faith.

Check out therounduponline.net for the rest of the story.

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Dan Cromar / Roundup

Here we are. 2011. Ten years after the horrible events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Ten years later, and we’ve finally killed the man responsible.

What a glorious national victory. We’ve proven that we’re resilient, strong and persistent in our endeavors, not just to the rest of the world, but to ourselves as well.

In these hard times, it’s so good for us to know that we can be unified by this event, and not turn it into a giant national pissing contest.

What’s that?...Really?...Over what?...Oh, for the love of...

Yeah, that’s right. We’re ruining our nation’s strongest moment in years over a few damn photographs.

Now, there are two reasons anyone would want to have the death photos of Osama bin Laden released: proof and vengeance.

The proof one is the one that really grabs me. This is literally a bunch of people screaming up to the president “SCREENSHOT OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.”

I’m well aware that there are plenty of people out there who don’t exactly have a ton of faith in our federal government. Things haven’t exactly been all roses lately, so that’s understandable.

But I have a really hard time believing that said government would have the nerve, nay, the balls to

fake the death of one of the most sought after fugitives on the planet and expect to get away with it.

How long does anyone really think it would take for bin Laden to pop his head out of whatever hole he’s “really” hiding in and go “Hey guys, still kickin! And plotting!”

Oh, and there’s that tiny issue of the new head of al Qaeda confirming bin Laden’s death.

Yeah. That’s right. The group who would benefit most from making our government look like a bunch of lying idiots has admitted that our government is not a bunch of lying idiots.

The ONLY scenario where the government could actually be lying about this that I can wrap my head around would be that we actually took bin Laden alive.

And if that’s the case, then please, continue lying.

Yeah, that’s right.

I’d rather be lied to about that then have every psychotic extremist on the planet kicking down our door trying to claim him.

The other part of the issue, however, is admittedly a little more complex.

Check out therounduponline.net for the rest of the story.

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Maria Salvador / Roundup

Sienna Jackson / Roundup

ITAP card in jeopardy

Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

Each community college in the Los Angeles Community College District now has the option to subsidize the cost of the Institutional Transit Access Pass (ITAP) program for its students.

“[The district] wants to continue the program, and this is the only way,” said Daniel Axelrod, Associated Students Organization (ASO) president at Pierce College.

Due to the lack of funds allocated to the ITAP program, talk of discontinuing the program altogether has been circulating among LACCD officials since last semester, according to Axelrod.

However, it was only recently that the district has decided to make the subsidization option available.

The alternative to canceling the program would require students, regardless of whether or not they use the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to pay a fee between $20 and $25.

Those who take the Metro would have to pay for both the program and the

card itself.

The student body of each of the nine LACCD campuses will decide, through a referendum, whether they wish to subsidize the cost of the ITAP program.

According to Axelrod, during last month’s Student Affairs Committee meeting, the nine student government presidents were informed of the possibility to set up campus-wide elections to determine whether the option of student subsidization will be implemented in their schools.

According to Brad Saenz, ASO faculty advisor, the individual student governments are expected to set up, as well as fund the elections.

“It doesn’t look like the district is giving money for it,” Saenz said. “I don’t think ASO should be funding the elections, since this is a district issue.”

Though Axelrod agrees with the idea of holding elections to determine the fate of the ITAP program, he doesn’t think it’s prudent to hold one before this semester ends.

“If the election was to happen this semester, only the students who take the

ASO banquet

Metro are going to be knowledgeable about the situation,” Axelrod said. “The voting results might not really reflect what’s actually happening around the campus because only one population of the student body is going to be voting.”

ASO senator Gabriel Mellibosky, the president elect for the fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters, agrees with him.

“We need to educate all the students about it before we take a vote,” he said. For that reason, the referendum is being put off until next semester, under the leadership of Mellibosky. Mellibosky plans to focus on getting the student population more informed on the issue.

“We might have people going around classes to inform the students,” he said. “We might also speak directly to the professors so that they can get the word out to their students.” If the election results in a majorityvote favoring subsidization, the ITAP program will most likely resume that same semester, according to Mellibosky.

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No parking spaces for profs

The Pierce College Sheriffs are now giving $35 citations to students who park in staff parking lots.

Administrative Services has tried to solve this problem by employing a company called SMS Transportation, which supplies the school with parking attendants who monitor Parking Lot 1 and control who is able to enter the staff area.

“We’re very much aware of the limited parking,” said Larry Kraus, associate vice president of Administrative Services.

Albert Johnson, 19, is one of the parking attendants in charge of Parking Lot 1 and explains that many students disobey commands.

“The guys are more rambunctious than the girls; they just drive past

me,” Johnson said. According to Kraus, the parking attendants are paid through the construction bond that Pierce has and they will no longer need the attendants after the lots reopen.

Until the reopening, Kraus suggests parking in other lots or on El Rancho Road, which is located near the farm area. Although there are limited parking spaces available, crime and vandalism to cars has not increased.

He acknowledges the inconvenience of the parking deficiency but looks forward to reopening the lots under construction.

“It’s a little frustrating, but it will be nice to see everything done,” said Deputy Nohles.

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Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

The Associated Students Organization is currently planning their banquet, an annual event that occurs at the end of each spring semester.

This semester’s banquet will be held Saturday, May 28, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Warner Center Marriott Hotel in Woodland Hills.

According to Joana Dorival, ASO senator

Budget woes continue

During Monday’s Academic Senate meeting, Vice President of Academic Affairs

Anna Davies, gave a brief synopsis of last week’s Town Hall meeting,where College President Kathleen Burke-Kelly

Club funding

Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

The Associated Students Organization voted May 3 to give the Business-Economics Club $250 worth of subsidies for an upcoming speaker event. The event, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Great Hall, will feature

Textbook policy

Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

The ‘Textbook Taskforce Committee’ plans on implementing a new policy that will result in more affordable books for students.

According to Febe Ruiz, ASO vice president and student representative for the

and chair of the social-cultural committee, reservations are for a total of 40 people.

Expenses, which are fully covered by ASO’s budget, will come out to approximately $41 per person. Dorival also said that because the banquet is a college-related event, the hotel is discounting the price.

“We’re actually only paying for the food and drinks,” Dorival said.

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discussed the prospect of a 10 percent budget cut that will affect both students and faculty. Recent cuts have already affected summer classes and eliminated the possibility of a winter schedule, according to Davies.

The harsh budget situations are expected to continue until the year 2015, according to Davies “I think it’s terrible that were eliminating student op -

CSUN graduates speaking about surviving college.

According to Alexander Tabolsky, standing president of the Business-Economics Club, the graduates are all majors in the field of economics, finance, accounting and business.

“They’re going to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of college,” Tabolsky said.

The ASO also approved, through a majority vote, to

committee, if professors fail to follow a standing policy, the Student Store will order the same textbooks they have been buying for previous semesters.

“We found out that many professors aren’t really following [the two-week notice policy]. They turn in their forms last-minute, and so the Student Store has to order books with overnight shipping,” Ruiz said.

“Books then become more expensive for students.”

Ruiz says that she hopes

portunities,” said Academic President, Tom Rosdahl. “But it all goes back to the state, we have no money”. As the state progressively continues to reduce sections, the need for adjunct faculty also decreases. “ When people retire, were not replacing,” said Rosdahl. “ We lose 12 faculty members, were only replacing four”.

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give $300 to the Vital program, a Pierce College project that involves accounting students giving free tax preparation assistance to community members.

The money will be used to displace expenses for an upcoming banquet for participants of the program.

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the new policy will encourage professors to follow the current two-weeks-notice policy.

The committee is currently considering implementing the policy, according to Ruiz.

“We basically write up the policies that we think of, and we finalize plans at a meeting at the end of the semester,” she said.

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Alexis Antoniadis/ Roundup

Crystal Endless / Roundup Sheriffs: Sheriff Security Officers, Cristian Valenzuela and Diego Ruvira.

Mayra Bocanegra/ Roundup

Double life: student-cadets

The citations seen on windshields at Pierce College are evidence of the efforts made by students in the LACCD Cadet Program to provide a safe, law-abiding campus for fellow students.

The Law Enforcement Cadet position at Pierce College is a steppingstone for students pursuing careers in law enforcement.

Cadets work under the direction of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Community College District.

Students can work up to 34 and a half hours each week with a salary of $9.20 per hour.

Angie Moore, senior office assistant, says there is also a critical background check during the application process.

“If you have any kind of criminal history on your background, you automatically can’t be a cadet; you have to have a clean background and preferably a clean driving record too,” Moore said.

Some of their responsibilities include opening classrooms, escorting students at night, assigning parking violations, patrolling the campus and desk duty in the office.

“They are the eyes and ears for the security offices

on campus,” Moore said.

A cadet can continue to stay in the program as long as they are full-time students in the LACCD; Moore says they do have students that have been cadets for over two years.

Cadet Al Guerrero has been a cadet for one and a half years and says he’s never regretted joining the program but admits the application process was difficult.

“It was excruciating; we had to go through multiple tests,” Guerrero said. “We had to also go through a background check and interviews, so yes, it was tough.”

Guerrero is in the process of becoming a Los Angeles City Fire Fighter and says being in the Cadet Program is preparing him for his career plans.

“This helps me out a lot because it shows me discipline and instruction within a well established jurisdiction,” he said.

Cadet Javier Gutierrez has also been in the program for a year and a half and says he’s had many rewarding experiences.

“I actually got nominated for Cadet of the Year last year and got to meet the head of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department; that was pretty cool,” Gutierrez said. “You experience the insight of law enforcement and you have some experience when you apply for a job. I want to be a police officer.”

Moore couldn’t think of any disadvantages of be -

Black Student Union

The club aims to promote academic excellence, prepare innovators and leaders, empower students to find their voice and expand cultural awareness through practicing inclusiveness, not exclusiveness.

It’s open to everybody interested. They meet weekly on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. in Behavioral Sciences 1300.

Next in store for the club, will be the partnering with the Sociology Club, as well as some members of the GayStraight Alliance, for a protest next week.

The protest will focus on the budget cuts plaguing California community colleges, as well as other educational institutions.

The event will deviate from the usual practices associated with protesting in that participants will be letting their

ing in the program; she says it’s a good opportunity for those looking into law enforcement careers.

“It’s a good steppingstone for them,” Moore said. “We have few that did work for the LAPD, and we have a couple that went on to be CHP.”

voices be heard through “creative” means.

The protest will take place Wednesday, May 11, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Mall.

They plan on personally delivering the “card” to Sacramento.

T-shirts customized by members of the club are available for purchase.

Each shirt costs $10. They can be purchased through either direct contact with Professor James McKeever, the faulty adviser for the club, or attendance of the club meetings or requests to the club’s Facebook page.

Also, on Thursday, May 12 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the Great Hall, the BSU will be holding an open stage event.

The event is open to everybody, and it will feature a handful of performances by club members themselves. Refreshments will be sold throughout the event.

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Moore says that because it is a student workers’ position, the staff works around the student’s school schedule and puts their education first.

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MEETING: B.S.U. members and first time visitors listen to Club President Jillian Smith speak about calender events & fundraisers at the Behavior Building 1300.

Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

Cynthia Garcia / Roundup

Semester’s final performances

PAB serves as venue to concert series before closing for renovations

RETIRING:

Community gallery

Prof and student art collaboration

who wish to attend are urged to call the center at 818-710-2262 for operating hours.

RENOVATIONS AHEAD: The Performing Arts Building is scheduled to close for renovations begining late June.

The tragic story of three Swedish explorers was converted into a piece of music written by Dominick Argento and performed at Pierce College’s Performing Arts Building.

The Thursday May 5 afternoon concert was the fourth to the last performance scheduled in the current performing arts building for this semester’s series.

The theater department is scheduled to close for renovations late June.

Ellie Schwartz, the Theater Department office assistant, discussed alternative methods the department

will explore after the theater closes.

“There will be a meeting next week to iron out the details, but the plan is to set up an air conditioned tent set up near the Mason entrance [by the Child Development Department] for future performances,” said Schwartz.

Singer Christian Nova and pianist Frank Garvey performed May 5 under the direction of Tony Gatto.

The explorers were three men who unsuccessfully attempted to travel to the North Pole in a hot air balloon.

The performance was segmented into two parts, the first told the story of how the balloon rose and

had they encountered unforeseen problems and concluded with “The Flight Aborted.”

“One of my favorite pieces is Anna’s Birthday,” said Nova. “I focus on telling the story, I feel the composer’s pain, because you know it’s going to have a very bad ending.”

With no hesitation Garvey also shared his favorite.

“Hallucination is my favorite one just because the story is easy to express to everyone,” said Garvey. “It combines so many emotions together.”

Jaime Mitchell, a 20-year-old psychology major, enjoyed the story behind the music.

Annual Student Art Exhibit, sale

11 artist recieve awards acknowledging their semester art projects

Myra Bocanegra/Roundup

A live band filled every corner of the art gallery courtyard with soothing Jazz music, as a crowd of 150 people including faculty, students and parents, attended the 2011 Annual Student Exhibition at Pierce College.

The exhbit is on display in the Piece Collge Art Gallery and will run until Tuesday May 24.

The gallery is free to all and is opened from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Students were awarded at the gallery opening night Tuesday May 3.

A total of 85 piecies were submitted, not including multimedia, and awards were narrowed down to 11 winners including Best of Show, 1st through 3rd place winners and Honorable Mentions.

The student work was displayed all around the courtyard, allowing spectators to get a good look at each piece.

Marking the end of the school year, students from all level of art classes were given the opportunity to submit entries ranging in categories such as ceramics, portraits, sculptures as well as multimedia.

“Without the Associated Student Organization (ASO) , this exhibition would not be possible” said Pierce College Gallery Director and Assistant Profes-

sor of Art, Monika Del Bosque.

A grant from the ASO and the Foundation for Pierce College helped bring the exhibition to life.

Fine Arts major, Faranak Amirrkhiz, won 1st place with her piece called “Portrait”, a drawing inspired by her mother in law who she said is her favorite person to draw.

“I’m really happy,” said Amirkhiz. “ I love drawing and painting and everything about art excites me”.

Using another form of expression, student KlaraMonica Siclovan, achieved third place with her multimedia piece “ Schools: A War Aftermath”.

“It’s a campaign...Save the Children Organization, which focuses on situations of children education and areas of warfare,” said Siclovan. “I feel great, I’m honored and really thankful”.

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Award Recipients

Best of Show- Lucas Bononi “Tre-Flip in the Clouds”

1st place- Faranak Amirkhiz “Portrait”

2nd place- Farnaz Sabet “The Silent Jar”

3rd place- Klara-Monica Siclovan “Schools: A War Aftermath”

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“The words themselves were hard to follow but it really helped that they had a visual slideshow,” said Mitchell.

Annalise Schmidt a 20-year-old film major, loved the performance as well.

“It was interesting, the thing I enjoyed the most was the story,” said Schmidt.

The series will conclude Thursday May 26 with the Pierce Student Concert.

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Retiring art instructor will be hosting his final art exhibition on May 14 at the Canoga Park Youth Art Center.

Instructor of art David Oshima will be retiring from the Los Angeles Community College District after 38-years of service at the end of the semester in June.

“Teaching has been a worth while thing,” said Oshima. “It’s been a good ride.”

The upcoming show will begin at 7p.m. at the Canoga Park Youth Art Center located at 7222 Remmet Avenue.

The exhibit will feature work from Oshima as well as former and current students.

“The art center has been supporting Pierce College for years,” said Art Center Director Stuart Vaughan. “The point is to collaborate with the College to present the arts to the public.”

The exhibit will be open for three weeks according to Vaughan. The center doesn’t always keep regular hours so all

“I really want this show to be more about my students,” said Oshima. “I want current students to see former students that were once where they are now, and to see how well they are doing.”

Oshima who has been the Chair of the art department for 12-years will miss his students but feels that it’s time to move on.

“It makes me feel good to see that my students are making a living doing graphic design, or web design work or art,” said Oshima. “That’s what it’s really all about to me.”

The art show will open on Saturday May 14 and will be available for view until June 4.

The Canoga Park Youth Art Center is open to the public.

“The technology keeps changing especially in graphic design,” said Oshima. “But art doesn’t really change much it’s pretty foundational what I teach.”

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Kevin Reynolds/Roundup

UD/ Roundup

Professor Oshima prepares his students for off campus art gallery.

Tracy Hernandez/Roundup

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Radioactive threats

LAFD responds to low-level radiation near Parking Lot 7

The temperature was already soaring when the Los Angeles City Fire Department arrived on scene at Pierce on Friday after calls from construction workers alerted authorities to an unknown substance at the old Chemistry building 800.

Immediately, campus law enforcement responded to the area of Parking Lot 7 near the old Child Development Center and assisted county emergency services personnel. Within minutes, all manner of police, firefighters, EMTs and campus administration had set up a mobile command center and cordoned off a 200 foot perimeter around the building as a precaution. Over a dozen construction

workers digging in the area were quarantined and decontaminated as a general precaution, and LAFD Hazardous Waste Containment Team members poured over the area for hours, utilizing specialized equipment designed to register radiactivity.

Firefighters, police and emergency workers braved the heat in cumbersome containment suits to ensure the safety of the campus and to neutralize any threat found. After securing the radioctive materials, emergency workers packed up and left the campus as quickly as they had arrived, having taken the curious substances away with them. The campus was never in any danger

of contamination, as the materials were used by chemistry students before the building was closed.

The samples, locked safely in containment vaults, were only disturbed when workers unwittingly cracked the seal while preparing the building for renovation, and campus officials were at the scene throughout to ensure the continued safety and well-being on all students, faculty and staff here at Pierce College.

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Photos by Emad Abbasi Joshua Cowan JosephKukuczka

Emad Abbasi / Roundup

COOL DOWN: Firefighters from Los Angeles City Fire Department’s Ladder 93 take a break in the shade during Friday’s large decontamination operation at Pierce College after construction workers discovered radioactive materials in Chemistry Building 800.

Emad Abbasi / Roundup

DUTY: A lone Los Angeles City firefighter surveys the area during a radioctive material containment operation on campus after workers unwittingly found the materials while digging near Parking Lot 7.

Emad Abbasi / Roundup

DECON: A city HAZMAT worker helps brush off contaminants during the decontamination of an LAFD firefighter as a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy in personal protective equipment waits his turn in the process.

Joseph Kukuzcka / Roundup

WELL DONE: Sweaty LAFD personnel walk back toward the mobile command center with equipment used during their operation to secure hazardous materials near the old Child Development Center

Joseph Kukuzcka/ Roundup

TESTING: Teams of emergency workers scan the area with Gieger equipment during Friday’s radioactivity scare at Pierce College.

The new stadium fit for champions

New facility comes with a hefty price tag. The million dollar question: will it be completed in time for the 2011 season?

Navid Khoi/ Roundup

Pierce College has been renovating all over campus these past few years, and the next in line for a face-lift is John Shepard Stadium, home of the Brahma football team.

Construction for the new look stadium will hopefully be finished by the middle of August, before the football team’s first home game on Sept. 10.

When asked about the backup plan if the stadium isn’t finished by the start of the season, athletic director Bob Lofrano said jokingly, “… we might play in the parking lot.”

Photo courtesy of Pierce Athletics

UPGRADE: Football field renovations to John Shepard Stadium have begun at Pierce College with the new facility due to open Sept. 10 for the Brahmas’

The real contingency plan in the event of a late completion is simple: the Brahmas will play their “home games” at the venue of their opponents.

So hypothetically speaking, the football team could be playing all their games on the road this season.

“The renovation of the stadium was needed,” said Lofrano.

The people of Los Angeles voted on letting Pierce get the upgrade to the stadium.

“The people were very generous in their votes allowing this to happen,” said Lofrano.

The total cost of the stadium is around 9 million dollars.

“It’s a symbol that Pierce is now an elite football facility and the new place to be as far as junior colleges are concerned,” said assistant coach of the football team Jason Sabolic. “It means a lot to the program and this

year’s team.”

Having won the past two conference championships, the team’s play on the field over the past few season’s dictates that they’re a program on the rise.

“It’s nice having a new stadium,” said head coach of the football team Efrain Martinez. “As far as recruiting, this should help.”

But does a new stadium mean the coming of a men’s soccer team to Pierce College?

“I’ve been trying to get a men’s soccer team since I’ve been the athletic director,” said Lofrano. “But it’s all about the budget, and since the budget is horrible, my main concern is to not lose any sports.”

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That’s all, folks!

Baseball team falters down the stretch of disappointing season

The concept sounded easy, one win and you’re in.

Unfortunately for the baseball team, things weren’t as easy as they sounded.

Winning 10 of 11 games down the stretch, the playoffs certainly seemed to be in the team’s future.

During that stretch, one of the teams they beat was conference rivals, Citrus College—the same team they had two chances to beat and failed.

After losing six of their last eight, the only playoffs they made was a one-game playoff against none other than Citrus College.

In another one-win-and-in scenario, the team couldn’t get it done, losing on the road to Citrus, 7-3.

“We didn’t do a lot offensively; we didn’t pitch great,” said head coach John Bushart. “We were just flat...they were better than us.”

Struggling against Citrus College is nothing new to the Brahmas.

Dating back to last season, the team is 1-5 against the Fighting Owls, and has been outscored, 48-26.

Starting pitcher Ryan Santhon (6-3) struggled immensely, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits while only striking out one. This is after averaging 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings during the season.

Outfielder Travis Forbes feels there were too many self-centered players on the team.

“We had a lot of guys with egos and a lot of guys just playing for themselves,” said Forbes, who will play at Gonzaga University next year. “There was a lot of guys in leadership positions that just didn’t care.”

Forbes admits that last year’s team was more focused, and as a result, made the playoffs.

“There were guys that all they were talking about was the draft and how they’d been drafted before,” said Forbes. “They never talked about what great opportunity we had to win this year.”

In addition, Bushart felt the team lacked leadership.

“We lacked that [leadership] a little bit at times, but I think the talent was as equal this year as it was last year,” he said.

The team definitely didn’t lack talent.

In the offseason, the team added outfielder Richard Stock, who transferred from the University of Southern California, and shortstop Matt Sanchez, who transferred from CSUN.

Stock filled the gap left by departed players Zack Gilula and Zachary Wagner, while Sanchez played well in the absence of Christian Ornelas, who was ineligible.

Stock led the team with six homeruns and 35 RBIs, while Sanchez finished second in RBIs with 26 and first in stolen bases with nine.

In addition, James Wharton returned to the team after missing the whole 2010 campaign with a torn labrum.

In 2009, Wharton led the team in homeruns with 16 and RBIs with 50, while hitting .361.

This season, Wharton only hit four homeruns while being “totally healthy,”—a drastic decline in power.

Prior to the season, the NCAA ordered all teams to remove traditional aluminum bats and replace them with BBCOR bats, which make the balls travel less.

“You get no pop with those bats; you have to really change your swing,” said Wharton. “Balls that usually go out were going to the warning track or getting caught.”

Besides getting acquainted with the new bats, the team will have more work to do.

But, with only six impact players leaving the team, they will have something to build off of.

“We’re going to bring some new guys in and look forward to some of this year’s freshman to step up as leaders,” said Bushart. “We will continue to build this team and move in the right direction.”

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first game of the season.

The kids -- and their coaches -- are all right

2010-2011 Athletic Year in Review

The Pierce College Athletic Department released its annual sports recap this week now that the season has come to an end. Although there will be no more games this year, the Brahma athletes represented Pierce College with great integrity and effort. The following players and coaches excelled on the various fields and courts over the past 9 months, resulting in numerous team championships and individual awards. Here’s a breakdown of what the 2010-2011 student-athletes and coaching staffs accomplished this year. Stay tuned for the Roundup’s spring semester athletic awards in the May 25th Roundup.

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Soccer - Adolfo Perez

Information courtesy of Pierce Athletic Director Bob Lofrano

Mark Gillman / Roundup

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