Budget time for fun with better planning

is coming up, and map out the time you need for each class.

The second thing on your list should be to get enough sleep. You know your body and what it is capable of handling, so schedule the amount of sleep you need each night. A well rested brain learns more quickly and effectively.

The most equitable and fair method to use when selecting which students to add would be to conduct a randomized lottery on the first day of class. Students who arrive prior to the start of the course wishing to add the class should be placed on a lottery list. No student arriving after the begin- ning time of the class should be allowed to participate in the lottery. This allows all students who arrive prior to the class to have an equal chance of enrollment.

This is the most reasonable and non-biased process because it leaves the ultimate decision up to chance. Dropping enrolled students that do not show up for the first day of class and giving no students preferential treatment should also be a rule that all teachers follow.

The school offers a list of tips and strategies on their website to enhance a student’s chances of successfully crashing a course, which includes sending email to the professor before the start of the semester, being professional and courteous, attending the first day of class and showing up early, turning in your add slip as soon as possible, looking for other options if there are no spots available for adding and planning early for next semester.

The only other options if crashing is unsuccessful are to attend the desired class at another time, at another campus or waiting until the next semester.

This procedure will only work if there is a uniform acceptance and adherence by all faculty as well as clear enforcement by school administration.

Chipotle price hike means burrito buyers should shop around

Chipotle will raise prices this summer, the first increase in three years. Now really, Chipotle is great and all, but is it worth it?

Opinion

“Dear Kate, I ended up having to take 21 units this semester to finish my general education requirements and to transfer, and now I don’t have any time for my boyfriend or my friends. What should I do?” -Swamped Student

Dear Swamped, Way to be determined and take on 21 units in one semester! You are a brave soul.

Professors at Pierce tell you in the beginning of each semester that you need two hours of study/homework time for each unit you are taking. That means, in theory, the typical three-unit class should take nine hours of time out of your week. At half time enrollment, you are looking at 18 hours per week, 27 hours for nine units, and 36 hours – almost the equivalent of a full-time job – for a full time student taking 12 units. More units than 12, and you have to become a time management expert. It’s your only choice if you want to keep your sanity intact.

The first thing you need to do is make a weekly schedule. Rely on the syllabi that your teachers provide so that you are never surprised when a test or a heavy reading week

Third, cut back on television and unnecessary social media that tend to drain your time.

While school should be your priority at this time, taking a break and having some fun is important too. Schedule a few hours a week for your friends and boyfriend, but be wise about it. Don’t go out if you have a test the next morning or need to write a paper.

You have to take breaks to eat every day, so use that time to squeeze in some fun. Meet your friends for lunch or coffee to refuel before your afternoon classes or study sessions.

If you drive, use your commute time to catch up with friends or family on the phone – with a handsfree device, of course.

You will have to be extra organized with your time while you are in school, but remember, it’s only a season. It will be over before you know it, so keep your eyes on that light at the end of the tunnel.

Do have a question for Kate?

Don’t shy away, ask Kate anything by sending an email to AskKateAnything@gmail.com. If you have a question of a sensitive nature, and wish to remain anonymous, your identity will be kept a secret.

They can raise prices and get away with it, because they know people will still buy their product. The only question is, is a burrito at Chipotle still worth the extra money?

Jordan Utley- omson jthomson.roundupnews@gmail.com

Prices are speculated to increase by about five percent. This would make the average Chipotle burrito in the San Fernando Valley cost around seven to eight dollars. Bless the hearts and wallets of those who add avocado or extra meat.

The increase is hardly surprising considering the rise in cheese, avocado and beef prices lately. While the amazing weather and lack of rain is wonderful for some, the shortage of food caused by California’s drought and the subsequent sticker shock is not.

Thus, it is to be expected that Chipotle will need to offset costs somehow, and unfortunately, that means the customer has to bear the brunt of it.

This isn’t to say that Chipotle is some evil corporate boogeyman though. After all, the chief business of the American people is business. Without raising prices, Chipotle could operate at a loss and eventually find itself bankrupt. Just imagine a world without their voluptuous burritos.

Inflation is a natural part of economic progression, and much of it is the fault of the very same people that love Chipotle so much. The long lines, the countless burritos and bowls made throughout the week, the word of mouth among high school and college students – Chipotle notices all of this. Their chief financial officer even remarked that they “have a lot of pricing power.”

In this mediocre economy, no. Wages remain stagnant, trailing inflation. The unemployment rate is over 6.5 percent. Economic growth is stubbornly low. Last week, The New York Times lamented that the American middle class is no longer the world’s most affluent. This country never truly recovered from the downturn five years ago, and if the time between past recessions is any indicator, another one could be just around the corner. That isn’t to say that any money previously spent at Chipotle should just sit around and do nothing. Look for alternatives. Tell friends that, instead of the usual Chipotle outing, a cook-off at home might be more fun. Enjoy some time at a few markets looking for the most intricate spices and best meats, all while trying to minimize costs.

Or if eating out is a requirement, keep an open mind and try something new. For example, Yum! Brands – best known for operating fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell and Pizza Hut – is looking to cut into the fast casual market dominated by Chipotle and Subway.

Yum! Brand’s response to millennials’ fascination with restaurants like Chipotle is U.S. Taco Co.: a taco joint that will offer an interesting fusion of ingredients for tacos. Never seen a taco with gravy or lobster before? Get ready.

With extra competition in the fast casual market, Chipotle could possibly lower prices at some point out of fear of competition. So shop around and keep an eye on the receipt, otherwise don’t be surprised to pay for a 10 dollar burrito in the near future.

-COMIC STRIP-

“We have always said [the farm] should revert back to the days when Pierce ran their own.”

Gordon Murley President Woodland Hills Homeowners Organization

“We were supposed to get originally $19 million [from bond money] to build a state-of-the art show-and-tell facility,” said Shapiro. “As there was money overspent on all the other projects, agriculture or animal science became very last, and we got very little of that $19 million.”

Then in 2005, the Foundation for Pierce College signed a twoacre lease with LACCD and hired Robert McBroom and his company Asylum Productions, Inc. to run a Halloween Harvest Festival, Christmas tree lot and eventually a farmer’s market as a way to fundraise money for its operations, Foundation officials said.

The Foundation is a fundraising and community outreach entity founded in 1970, which acts as a local fiscal agent for money earned or donated to the college.

Shapiro said that no money was promised from the Foundation’s lease and subsequent Pierce Farm Center, as it became known, but both organizations provided material support of farm operations by providing labor and equipment the college couldn’t afford or didn’t own.

The PFC is, in a much smaller way, the realization of Young’s agricultural education center

Final drop day is May 11 [5/11]

The last day to drop a class without a “W” is Sunday, May 11. All dropped classes are processed online and teachers are not responsible for dropping students.

“I drive by there and I say, ‘Where’s your agriculture?’ I don’t see a damn thing growing.”

Joe Cicero Owner Cicero Farms

“Foundations are unique concept through community outreach.

“When we started it was supposed to be the Farm Center and a place for the corn maze. Then later McBroom took over the farm because the farmer quit,” said Floriya Borzenkova, the Foundation’s senior program director. “It’s hard for him to do this. The college has more [farming] knowledge, but at the same time the college doesn’t have enough equipment and money to take care of this land. If Robert is not doing anything, it’s going to be like grass and weeds and that’s it.”

However, the college exerted control over PFC after the lease with the district ended in 2010, and the with the Foundation agreement ended in 2012, because of “transitions” happening at the time, said Associate Vice President Larry Kraus.

“Our contract expired, so we don’t have any relationship with PFC right now,” Borzenkova said.

According to Foundation 990 tax records, the private / public relationship Young called out in his plan contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to their operational fund.

Documents the Roundup has collected through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) show that McBroom’s attempts to negotiate

News briefs

Administration conducts survey because they are almost entirely funded by people who give a hoot.”

An online survey will ask students how much time they require between classes and the best starting and ending times for classes. It can be found at www. surveymonkey.com/s/5TLTDGP.

Dennis Washburn Executive Director, 2005 Foundation for Pierce College

“No other department is mandated, if you want to use that word, to make a profit.”

Leland Shapiro Chair of agriculutre Los Angeles Pierce College

“What’s interesting about Pierce is that it sits on a lot of land. It has the ability to grow into a major college.”

Michael S. Adler President Adler Realty Investments, Inc.

meaningfully on record.

In March 2014, the college took control over another Foundation fundraiser, the Topanga Vintage Market, which Foundation officials said surprised them.

“Our main source for the operational fund was the Vintage Market. We were planning for a long-term contract for a swap meet,” said Borzenkova.

“Open space, especially for families, doesn’t mean you go over to the mall. You gotta get out into nature.”

Robert McBroom Owner Asylum Productions, Inc.

know what was going on. Then she told us she didn’t read the letter- she didn’t read the letter. We tried to explain what’s going on and she told us, ‘There’s no money.’ Anything we tried to tell her or explain she said, ‘There is no money. There is no money. That’s it.’”

Asylum’s contract with the college were ignored.

In a Jan. 9, 2013 email, Schleicher intended to address only Kraus about a complaint from McBroom but he unintentionally included McBroom in the reply:

“… I do not see ANY compelling reason to continue with the Farm Enterprise as it is currently run, “Schleicher wrote. “We lose money on this enterprise from a P&L perspective and it does not support our college programs either. To move forward, we need to work on a Business Plan for a new venture to utilize our property more effectively such as a weekly swap meet and farmers market, or some other operation depicted and approved through a Business Plan. I would like to begin the process of notifying Mr. McBroom of my decision to close down the Farm now that the contract has expired.

Students can compete for cash [5/30]

A public speaking tournament will be held in Village 8342, Friday, May 30. Cash prizes, extra credit and refreshments are all being offered for participation.

Do not disclose or engage a meeting with Mr. McBroom (his emphasis) until we have met to discuss the facts of the contract and equipment ownership. I want to keep our claims to a minimum. He is free to bid on future ideas and concepts we endorse that will maximize our profits and support the farm needs currently unmet in our 10100 [general fund] programs.” (Schleicher’s emphasis)

Asylum was served a 30 day eviction notice on July 10, 2013, by Schleicher who said PFC was “taking advantage of the college,” said McBroom in an LACCD meeting.

“I feel the same way about the farm center as I did when I initially came in. It wasn’t a strong relationship for the college,” Schleicher said.

They have been in mediation ever since. Neither party will talk

“Something’s wrong with the contract. The college took over. All the money goes to the college from the Vintage Market. They say the contract we have we cannot have.”

Kraus said the college is currently working with LACCD to resolve contract irregularities that Foundation officials say were vetted by the Enterprise office. He said the money from the Topanga Vintage Market goes to the college’s general fund and that there is no current plan to give that money to the Foundation.

The resulting loss of operational revenue from these two fundraisers is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year according to 990 tax forms and contract terms they shared with the Roundup.

“The board sent a letter to Kathleen (dated March 5, 2014). We had a meeting on [April 7], then [April 8] - she canceled the first meeting,” Borzenkova said. “Kathleen came and she didn’t

Incident Report

4-26 – Petty theft bike – An unknown suspect stole a bike that was locked against a pole in the Village.

4-26 - Burglary structure – An unknown suspect stole folk dancing costumes from the Storage Room 5604 in the North Gym.

4-27 - Student incident – A student volunteering at the Farm Walk was transported by paramedic to the hospital after passing out after possibly taking medication with an alcoholic beverage.

5-2 – Forgery/Identity theft – A student filled out forms on the Mall and later received a call from her bank informing her that fraudulent charges were made on her account.

On April 16, 2014, the Foundation’s board met to contemplate laying off longtime staff to temporarily keep their doors open. They deferred the motion to look at alternatives.

Whether the Foundation will have its contract with the Topanga Vintage Market restored has yet to be worked out.

Whether PFC and the college will continue joint operations is up to their lawyers.

“I didn’t say they didn’t provide a great value here, but also the value has to be the educational component and they are paying their fair share because I’m running a deficit right now of $3 million,” Schleicher said.

The last time Pierce lost a wellestablished farming operation on this corner, the crops died and plans for a golf course grew in its place.

“Pierce College is supposed to be known for basically growing on the ground – you got to show me where the things are being grown,” Cicero said. “If your selling bananas in there, where the hell’s your banana tree?”

April 20 - May 3

– Compiled by: Genna Gold

Digital sign to honor transfer students

Castro Roundup Reporter

transferring to give them some positive exposure and celebrate their achievement,” Clay said.

In the next week or two, students that Pierce transfers and graduates students,” she said. Honoring students who are transferring out of Pierce seems