Volume 121 Fall 2014 Roundup Issue 10

Evacs, hires, Smart Classooms in works

Meghan McGillicuddy

Online Editor Seth Perlstein News Editor

In a continued effort to better protect Pierce College students, faculty, and staff, an emergency task force will be in effect.

Larry Kraus, associate vice president of Administrative Services, and Rolf Schleicher, president of Administrative Services, announced their plans for the Emergency Evacuation Coordinators at the Academic Senate meeting on Monday, Dec. 1, 2014. The task force is already in effect and has 37 members.

Pierce has had two lock downs/evacuations during this semester. The first one occurred in September and the second one took place in October. Many students did not know how to properly respond because of latency issues with Blackboard Connect (the emergency alert system used by Pierce College). Some students were sent incorrect information and others did not receive any.

In response to this issue, Schleicher, and Kraus have assembled a task force.

“They will have bright orange vests, clipboards, whistles, all that,” Kraus said.

The Emergency Evacuation Coordinators are volunteer faculty and staff that will be trained by the Los Angeles Fire Department to handle emergency situations. Two members of the task force will be stationed at each building on campus at all times.

“It’s a comprehensive plan to assist with the students, faculty, and staff to help us all. It’s all to help us,” Kraus said.

New Hires Pierce College is planning to hire 30 new by Spring, 2015, according to Kathy Oborn, president of the Academic Senate.

In an e-mail Kathleen Burke, president of Pierce College, sent to Oborn, Burke stated that she

approved two new counseling positions and one new position in the physics department for the Spring, 2014 semester.

For Spring 2015, Burke has approved several new positions in departments including math, English, and counseling for new students.

According to Oborn, Burke is still considering other positions for departments such as philosophy and sociology, business administration, and theater and dance.

Smart Classrooms

According to Schleicher, a plan is underway to add 82 “Smart Classrooms” on campus. Smart classrooms will be modernized classrooms that have technology teachers and students need.

“I think it will allow hybrid classes to be more interactive. For example, in a business class you could pull up a report and look at it as an example,” Schleicher said.

The smart classrooms have already been added to the budget for the construction that will resume in the spring. Each classroom will cost about $29,000- $30,000 .

“My goal is to get people job ready, and this will enhance that,” Schleicher said.

$40,000 software to aid SLO assessment College Outcomes Committee chooses eLumen as upgrade

Roundup Reporter Seth Perlstein News Editor

PierceCollege‘s

Academic Senate approved the College Outcomes Committee’s (COC) recommendation of eLumen as the college’s new student learning outcomes software.

The senate voted 26 yes, two no and two abstentions at its final meeting of the semester on Dec. 1 in the Great Hall.

“We think eLumen is the better choice,” Cleveland said.

The eLumen software will cost the college $40,000 up front, and $1,000 per year, according to Monique Cleveland, instructor of english and Academic Senate

secretary.

The money to purchase the initial software would come from the Student Success and Support Program fund.

“This is going to be purchased under special funds,” Kraus said.

The eLumen software will allow for more configuration than the current software the college uses,

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO).

It will also be easier to maintain with updates, and will be more secure.

Though SLO has been functional, it’s on its last legs, according to Beth Benne, director of the student health center.

“It’s near dead,” Benne said. “It’s terminal.”

The college needed to improve upon SLO to meet the standards of the accreditation renewal with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).

“They expect us to provide data,” said assistant professor of modern languages, and accreditation representative, Margarita Pillado.

The Outcomes Committee discussed two software options, TracDat and eLumen.

Pillado said she was “perfectly comfortable” with either option. But 90 percent of the COC said they thought eLumen was more user friendly than TracDat.

Even though the COC overwhelmingly recommended eLumen, either it or TracDat would have been an improvement to SLO.

SLO allowed faculty to gather general information about class

objectives and their outcomes, but not individual students or groups of students.

SLO was also not very secure, as its online portal did not require a user name or password. Anyone could access it and make changes to class outcomes.

“Anything is better than what we have right now,” Assistant Vice President Larry Kraus said.

To compile accurate outcomes assessment data, the COC recommended that assessments be updated every semester.

“It seemed like assessing every class, every semester, was suggested without fully vetting it,” said instructor of english David Gonzales.

In order to get the disaggregated data needed for accreditation, the sample needed to be much larger in order for it to make sense.

That is why it became apparent to do total assessment, according to Gonzales.

“We need 100 percent sample,” Cleveland said.

In order to meet AACJC expectations, the committee wanted Pierce to have a uniform, secure and user-friendly outcomes system.

“Visually, and for the needs of this campus, and for the faculty members in particular, it seems like the best way to go,” Gonzales said.

However, some instructors wanted to be sure the new software‘s data would not be used against them.

Cleveland assured committee members the software will assess student outcomes only, and not the teachers who provide the data.

“They won’t be able to see the actual names of the instructors,” Cleveland said.

Diego Barajas / Roundup

Larry Kraus displays the new evacuation cordinator vest that will be given to selected people in different buildings on campus incase of an evacuation at the Academic Senate meeting.

Jaël Allen

“We think eLumen is a better choice.”

-Monique Cleveland Instructor of English

Mohammad Djauhari / Roundup

Lauren Bollinger and Ekeme Ekanem walk in front of the Bull statue on The Mall during a rainy Tuesday afternoon. “I really like this weather,” Bollinger says. “I think the area needs it.”

STREET BEAT

Withdrawal dates in need of reform

Aconstant worry for college students and faculty each semester are drop dates that could potentially hinder their performance.

Do you plan on taking winter session classes?

Do you plan on taking winter session classes?

One way this could be fixed would be to extend the last day to drop without a “W” to one more week, and reduce the amount of days to drop with a “W” to five weeks before finals start.

Extending the drop date for a “W” would beneficial for students while the change to the second drop date would help teachers near the end of the semester so they have a better idea as to how many students they have left.

The community colleges in California follow a 10-20-75 percent format to schedule drop dates each semester, according to Golden West College’s academic calendar.

Unlike other colleges from different districts, Pierce and the rest of the LACCD choose to have its last day to drop with full refunds and last day to drop without a “W” as the same day. Schools such as Moorpark, City College of San Francisco, and Orange Coast along with the other colleges in their districts have a drop date for refunds at the two week period, 10 percent of the semester.

A week after that day, the semester’s 20 percent mark, there is another drop date for students so they can withdraw from a class without a “W”.

For Pierce and the other LACCD colleges having the second drop date could be beneficial to its students who don’t drop classes so quick into the semester. It will also give them the opportunity to try a class for another week and drop without the implication of a “W” on their transcript.

As for the last day to drop a class with a “W”, it comes far too late into a

“Yes, I plan on taking Sociology because I have to re-take it. Then just a couple of electives that are transferrable.”

-Earl Hargrove Communications major

semester and should have an earlier date.

The 75 percent “W” drop date is too lenient for students and gives them an easy out with such a late drop date, which hurts them. It also hurts classes because they empty out so late in the semester.

While Pierce is following the 75 percent of the semester formula, the Nov. 23 drop date was only three weeks before finals, which begin Dec. 15.

If the college wants to follow the 75 percent format then it should be from the last day of instruction, not the last day of finals. Doing so would have pushed the drop date forward to Nov. 16, and the Spring 2015 semester deadline from May 10 to May 3.

This date change would be five weeks prior to the first day of finals, a timetable that students know whether or not they will be able to pass a class.

These minor changes to a system that is already set in place could boost the performance of both students and faculty .

Do eBooks serve as a good alternative to textbooks?

the number of classes a semester you end up spending up a lot of money just on books when you can download eBooks faster and at a reduced price.

cpimentel.roundupnews@gmail.com

Life without technology can seem impossible at this point in time. The 21st century has altered some opinions, especially students. They believe that anything high-tech is better, when in reality it is depleting the worth of actual bound books.

According to an article in the School Library Journal, 66 percent of schools nationwide offer eBooks, while its collections in campus libraries grew in numbers between 2010 and 2014. Reports have shown that elementary schools have utilized eBooks over lectures while in class the most.

Age is overlooked when it comes to using any technological advances and children as young as six or seven years old learning from a screen is ludicrous. eBooks defeat the purpose of attending school and forgetting where real sources and citations originally came from.

There are even high possibilities of technical difficulties in using a tablet for school. An eBook can dysfunction at any time while trying to study for a test or turning in homework on its due date. An

Flydoskope

by

iPad or eBook is not as dependent as having the physical copy of the textbook. By having the book, it guarantees a smooth sailing study session without any connection problems, inability to open a new page, or any other technical dysfunctions.

Students complain about the weight of textbooks and how tedious it is to carry all the way to class. However, just because the iPad or Nook is lighter, there can be moments of clumsiness where it can drop and break. Textbooks and its high prices are inevitable and another main issue, but buying the eBook doesn’t allow students to sell or return it. It may be cheaper to purchase the eBook version, but at least students have the ability to rent and sell actual copies. Nooks, eBooks and iPads encourage students to use them because it is to their convenience, but what they don’t realize is that staring at a pixelated screen can do harm to your eye sight.

Students find it financially smart and more efficient to use a tablet to study, take notes, or read textbooks. However, nothing compares to flipping through a published book’s printed pages. The option of an eBook may be an easier and lighter way while attending class, but having the actual copy of the textbook in hand will go long ways for a successful study session without technical difficulties.

Tobennh Dacanay

Santiago Svidler

Cristina Pimentel ssvidler.roundupnews@gmail.com

In the technological era we live in, most students would prefer to use electronic books either through their tablets, laptops, or various smart phones instead of over priced and heavy textbooks.

Regardless of the subject, there is an eBook out there for download, instead of carrying multiple books in one bag. The ability to carry a whole semester’s worth of textbooks without carrying a heavy backpack full of big and bulky textbooks that can hurt your back.

When downloading an eBook you are able to access the file within minutes, making it much easier and faster to access your textbook rather than waiting in line at the student store or even few weeks by mail.

More professors on campus are allowing students to use an electronic device containing e-books and eBooks because it is more practical.

Most typical college textbooks can cost anywhere between $40 to $300 and if you multiply that by

-COMIC STRIP-

When you buy a regular textbook you are getting the book and only the book alone, whereas when you buy an eBook they come equipped with extra features that can vary from an integrated dictionary to doing online research from the palm of your hands.

When you have an e-reader device you have the option of a quick search for certain words or phrases, which can direct you straight to the desired page.

Considering the amount of pages most textbooks have and the amount of ink they use by buying e-textbooks or e-books you are saving a large amount of paper that results in less tree being cut down.

Having access to the internet at the palm of your hands can be very helpful when you are desperately searching for a certain textbook that it is already sold out in the student store or if the product is overpriced while in stores.

Most e-reader devices already come equipped with the ability to take notes, search key quotes and to be able to highlight words.

of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup. The college newspaper is Matthew Robinson Santiago Svidler Jordan Williams Estefani Zamorano

published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.

“Yes, I plan on taking [WesternHistoryCivilization] and Theater 100 because I need to get credits faster. I only took two classes this semester so I’m catching up.”

-Armando Barrientos Psychologyv major

“I do, I haven’t signed up for anything. I’m looking for English 103 but they didn’t have it.”

-Tony Marroquin Architecture major

“No. I’m concurrently enrolled so I’m still in high school. I’m not taking any winter classes because I don’t really need to take any winter classes right now.”

-Rosa Robertson American Sign Language major

Photos

by

Nico Heredia

Quotes gathered by Megan Moureaux

“It’s my first semester of college, so I was just kind of overwhelmed with classes so I just didn’t register. ”

-Devin Drain Undecided major

Illustration by Nick Part

Incident Report

Nov. 24 - Nov. 30

Pierce College

Sheriff’s Station

General Information:

(818) 719 - 6450

Emergency: (818) 710 - 4311

12/1—No Incidents

There were no incidents reported to the Pierce College Sheriff’s for the last week of November, according to Angie Moore, senior office assistant at the Sheriff’s Office.

Incidents have declined because the number of people on campus in November has dropped significantly since the semester’s start in September, Sheriff’s Deputy Al Guerrero said.

Since the final withdrawal date on Nov. 23, the students that are left on campus are focused on schoolwork, and not causing incidents, Guerrero said.

“It’s a good time of year for us,” Guerrero said. “And we’re just here to make sure they can finish their studies.”

Sheriffs remove transients

Three male derelicts were removed from campus by the Pierce College Sheriffs last month when they were found using the northend of the construction area by the old Campus Center as shelter, according to Sheriff’s Deputy Al Guerrero.

The Sheriffs found the men during one of their routine patrols, Guerrero said.

No transients have been found on campus since then, according to Guerrero.

– By Seth Perlstein

How to not get your stuff stolen

Petty theft of items like cell phones, laptops and purses are common crimes on campus that we report about almost every issue. But it’s easy to prevent your stuff from showing up in the next Incident Report.

“Take everything with you that is valuable to you, no matter how short a time you’re going to be away from it,” Sheriff’s Deputy Al Guerrero said. “Don’t assume anything’s safe where you leave it.”

– By Seth Perlstein

Interview with LACCD Board of Trustees hopeful

give back, and try to work to be an independent person.

RU: Why does Pierce play a role in the community?

building fund.

Former Pierce College student body president and current Northridge East Neighborhood Council vice president Glenn Bailey started a petition to get elected to the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees, and sat down with the Roundup to talk about it.

RU: What was it like for you to go to Pierce back in the day?

GB: I think the community college experience was very positive for me. There were good instructors and the classes were a reasonable size.

I liked the campus, and some of it has changed for the better as

far as the buildings that have been completed. I have concern about the ones that have been fenced up and not being used for the last threeplus years.

RU: You were once student body president. What was the activism like?

GB: In terms of the activism, you meet a lot of interesting people, work on a lot of issues and try to make change.

RU: Why are you running for Board of Trustees?

GB: As a past student body president at Pierce College, I kind of saw the interaction between both the ASO, the college administration and the college district, including college trustees, because we got to vote on who the student trustee was, and I attended some of the trustee meetings back then.

Admittedly, it was awhile back, but I have had an ongoing interest in Pierce and in the college district in general.

I am stepping up at this point to

GB: Pierce is, for the entire valley, an incredibly important institution. It is the first step for many folks either in their career, or in moving on to a four year college. Pierce also happens to be the last remaining agricultural center college in terms of having an area used for horticulture and agriculture. I would certainly like to help Pierce keep it.

RU: Do you think there has been a problem with building development?

GB: There have been a number of improvements with the building program, but there are a number of things that are serious questions in my mind as to why buildings are sitting unused.

These buildings that have been fenced off for over three years, and it doesn’t make sense to me. The theater building, for example, was supposed to be a six month renovation. It’s been three years. There is still $1.6 billion left in the

GB: What do you think is happening with the farm?

RU: A decade or more ago the community banded together working with the college, and to safe the Pierce College farm, and we thought it was permanently saved.

It was kind of a shock to many in the community to hear that Robert McBroom has been given notice to leave the farm. It is important to make it a win-win for both the college, and for the farm, and for the community.

– Compiled by: Seth Perlstein

Erick Ceron / Roundup Glenn Bailey, former Pierce College student body president.

am stepping up at this point to give back...”

Bailey Former Student Body President

Diego Barajas / Roundup

A hidden problem among many

Leaving abuse in the past while she moves forward

Kitty Rodriguez Features Editor

For this current Pierce College student and mom of two living in a abusive relationship was never the plan.

Kim Slater grew up in the San Fernando Valley, and is currently majoring in criminal justice and behavioral studies. She decided to share her story after surviving dealt domestic abuse.

Slater’s first relationship became abusive after she found out she was pregnant. When Slater became a mom it changed her outlook and her baby became her top priority.

She no longer felt she had time to waste with someone who would cause her and her baby distress. She decided to end the relationship.

After time passed as a single mom Slater then entered a new relationship, and described how charming he was. She was married at the age of 22, but her marriage only lasted about two years, again due to abuse.

Slater had another baby, this timea girl in the midst of the relationship and became single once again.

“Out of all of his friends, he was the quiet one,” Slater said. “He was really quiet, really sweet, really shy, but the very first night we met, we hit it off and then he asked me out again and he was so so so charming.”

Slater moved to Thousand Oaks ,and in time her husbands behavior began to change. Things that didn’t bother him before started becoming triggers that upset.

She felt she should have known better than to talk to him after he came from work. Slater began to think his excuses were logical reasons and ignored warning signs.

Soon after, things started taking a turn. Slater started losing weight, as the stress and abuse of the relationship began taking a toll

on her body. She began to feel the abuse was her fault. Her mom would make comments about how she could be controlling at times.

Her friends and family noticed her weight loss and began to question her, but she always found a clever response, saying she was working too much.

“I fundamentally from the core of my being believed that if he did anything to me it was my fault,”

Slater said.

“Nobody knew what was going on, but I lost weight. I normally weigh 125 and I dropped down to 95. I couldn’t eat. For me, 95. is skeletal. I don’t look good. And it wasn’t a 95 oh, you look good in a bikini. No. It looked like I was about to die.”

No one knew about the domestic abuse she was facing, as she lived far from her friends and family.

Slater shared how problematic it was, emotionally, for her dealing with the abuse as it became more frequent and confusing for her to grasp.

He would apologize right after hitting her while he would nursing her sores with ice packs.

“I can not emphasize the degree of which he apologized. The sincerity, the genius, and when you’re hurt and crying and you’re upset, and you think its your fault, and you just believe it, you believe what you want to believe. He hurt me, but took care of me at the same time,” Salter said.

“He would cuddle and hug me.”

One night, Slater called 911 to report the abuse. As the police arrived to their apartment, she remembers sitting down on the couch, watching a public service announcement on television about domestic abuse.

By the end of the public service announcement she realized she wasn’t at fault, and did not have to stay in the relationship.

Soon after she attended Haven Hills and received counseling to deal with the effects of domestic

abuse. She participated in therapy and met other women who gone through the same thing.

After a year of attending Haven Hills, started a group called “Survivors,” which visited colleges, high schools and hospitals to talk about domestic abuse.

She eventually became the spokesperson for Haven Hills for a few years, and reached out to anyone that would listen.

“The girls responded and the girls opened up and the girls could see that I wasn’t someone reading from a book. I’m not a lecturer,” Slater said.

“Like, when you talk to me,

and I’m telling you and I actually understand, ‘I know how hard it is,’ and ‘I know what you’re going through,’ and ‘this is how I can help,’ and ‘this is how strong you can be,’ and ‘this is how much better your life can be.’ It’s all baby steps.”

Although it’s been tough for Slater her children are now in

a healthy setting. Her son is currently working at Starbucks and her daughter is attending Cal State Long Beach and majoring in mathematics, considering becoming a math professor.

For now this 45-year-old is now a full-time student at Pierce, and looks forward to transferring to Cal State Northridge. She hopes to be able to work in the court system one day, though ideally she would like to be a lawyer. Her main objective right now is passing statistics, which she has difficulties with.

“I can’t pass it for the life of me. I hate it,” Slater said. “It’s so frustrating.”

Susan Donoghue, mother of Slater shared how she felt having her eldest daughter attend college

after everything she has gone through.

“I think its super and I hope she continues to pursue her education thats what she needs to do, she can’t stop. You have to keep going regardless of what happens in life,” Donoghue said.

Slaters eldest son Brandon Slater shared how he admires his moms ability to keep everyone close together in their family and by always staying optimistic even if things aren’t the best at times.

“She’s always been kinda the center of it all and she knows how to work things out and guide people in the right direction and I think its a really positive thing that she knows how to keep her family together,” Brandon Slater.

Nicolas Heredia / Roundup

Kim Slater poses for a portrait on the Mall of Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

“You have to keep going regardless of what happens in life.”

- Susan Donoghue Mother of Slater

Theatre opens doors for the last play of the semester, ʻCabaretʼ Pierce performers ready themselves for a Boardway musical

Nicolette Ashanti Roundup Reporter

Pierce’s next theatre production, Broadway musical ‘Cabaret,’ will be opening Friday Dec. 5 at 8:00 P.M. the Performing Arts Complex on Winnetka Avenue.

“We don’t want the audience to think they’re walking into a theatre, but to enter a world we created for them instead,” Gene Putnam, professor at Pierce College and director of the upcoming production said. “With a show that has been revised many times over the years, we are very proud of what we put together.”Initially derived from a book, the popular musical Cabaret is set in late 1920’s Berlin, as the Nazis were rising to power. Based on the nightlife of that era, we enter the Kit Kat Klub where we meet English cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with the young American writer Cliff Bradshaw.

“The era is during the time of Pre-Nazi Germany, so it can be a little shocking, but I feel that the clothes that some of us have to wear will be more shocking,” Alee Husmann theatre major playing the role of ‘Lulu’ said.

Although the show has been done before in 2003 at Pierce, the production has decided to take a little spin on the well known

musical.

“It is our unique take on a very famous musical that we created so the audience could have a unique theatrical experience that they may have never had before,” Putnam said.

Due to the new rendition of the play, regardless if you have seen it or not, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

“If you haven’t seen the show, it will be definitely shocking. If you have seen the show, you will notice how we adapted our kind of version the musical. We added a lot of our own stuff and took a lot of our ideas from performances from the past,” Husmann said.

Auditions for the production were very successful.

“A lot of dancers ended up auditioning for this musical which is a new thing and the way it should be,” Cassandra Godinez, assistant dance choreographer for the production and dance and child development major at pierce.

The production will run from Dec. 5 through Dec. 14, Friday through Saturday. Tickets will be available online at brownpapertickets.com or call 818719-6488. Tickets are priced at $15 for students and seniors and $20 for general admission.

“All the girls are really sassy, sexy and funny. Expect big personalities,” Cassandra said.

Swingheads add a little pep in its step

Dance group awarded second place in national competetion

Hotel and Convention Center.

Artistic Director Denise Gibson and Jason Sun worked together for the first time as co-choreographers for this year’s routine.

The Pierce College Swing Dance Team “The Swingheads” enter this year’s 2014 US Open Swing Dance Championship held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport

Although they had a few mishaps in their performance Friday night, they feel they did really well. The team existed since 2006 and participated in the first U.S. Open Swing Dance competition in 2007, where they won second place.

“I think it went really really well, although I’m not sure how the performance went because I ended up in it.

One of our girls got sick and Shi Young stepped in as the understudy,” Gibson said.

“I think everyone was a little nervous, because we really care about each other and all really want to do a good job for each other, and there’s a certain amount of nerves that happen.”

Gibson shared how unpredictable dance can be, as people sometimes become sick or are injured unexpectedly.

Two last-minute replacements in the dance competition were necessary.

Pierce student and understudy Bryan Garcia was brought in to the group four weeks ago and had to learn the dance routine in time for the competition.

“I’m still kind of shocked to be here, and I wasn’t nervous, I was really, really excited,” Garcia said.

“I think it went really, really well although I’m not sure how the performance went because I ended up in it. One of our girls got sick and Shi Young stepped in as the understudy. I think everyone was a little nervous because we really care about each other”

-Denise Gibson Artistic Director

group’s hard work paid off. Char

“It’s a different sensation; it’s all about teamwork. I think everybody pushed me to get better and answered any questions I had.”

Before they hit the stage, they shared a huddle and a hug with one another, a pre-show ritual. Jason Sun rallied the group by using his broadcast voice to reminding everyone to stay in character and beat the nerves.

“There’s nervous ‘excited,’ and there’s nervous ‘you’re a wreck,’ and you wanna keep it nervous excited, and you don’t want to be so nervous that you can’t function,” Sun said.

Having won second place overall, “The Swingheads” say they are honored, and are excited about next year’s competition.

They say they know that their

(Donai) Brooks, a Pierce student and dancer shared her feelings on winning second place in her first competition.

“It just makes me want to work harder, and makes me really excited to be part of the team and to be a dancer,” Brooks said.

Nicolas Heredia / Roundup

The Pierce College “Swingheads” took second place in 2014 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships in Burbank.

Kitty Rodriguez Features Editor

Swinging into second

Taking a final bow with their fellow competitors, the Pierce College “Swingheads” skipped off the dance floor, then promptly returned only to celebrate with even more dancing. While everyone was sharing Thanksgiving meals with their families, the “Swing Heads” spent their break representing the school and their department in the 2014 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships, in Burbank. The team was originally established in 2006 and entered their first competition in 2007, competing annually ever since. “There’s nervous ‘excited’, and then there’s ‘nervous you’re a wreck’. You want to keep it nervous excited. You don’t want to be so nervous you can’t function,” said co-choreographer Jason Sun. Before performing, the group huddled together for a large hug while Sun gave a rallying speech to prepare everyone for what came next. With last second additions, co-choreographer Denise Gibson, dancer Shi Young and understudy Bryan Garcia all stepped in to fill the open spots. Despite the late additions, nerves and exhaustion, the Pierce College “Swing Heads” managed to take home second place in the national competition.

The U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships are host to 5 days of workshops, competitions and late night dancing all between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following morning. The competition also awards over $50,000 in cash and prizes. The team expressed pride in their performance and are excited to return to next years competition in the fall of 2015.

Copy: Nicolas Heredia

Above: Choreographers Denise Gibson and Jason Sun perform as part of the Pierce College “Swingheads” at the 2014 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships on Nov. 28. Photo: Nicolas Heredia

Right: Christina Wagoner and Jason Sun stretch after their team competition at the U.S. Open of Swing Dance Championships on Nov. 28. Photo: Joshua Duarte

Above: Bryan Garcia and Char Brooks celebrate their performance with more dancing during the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships on Nov. 28. Photo by David

Left: The Pierce College “Swingheads” take a bow after performing in the 2014 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships on Nov. 28. Photo: Nicolas Heredia

Brahmas chosen as all-stars

Martinez, Word to play bowl game in Arizona

For the fourth year in a row, Triumphant Sports will be holding its annual Junior College (JUCO) All American Bowl game in Glendale, AZ. This year, six Pierce College football players were invited to play on Team Cali with 36 other junior college athletes from California. Team Cali will play against Team USA, which also consists of 42 junior college players from all states besides California.

Those asked to play from Pierce were wide receiver Bryson Martinez, cornerback Jay’Onn Myles, cornerback Andrew McCrea, tight end Trey Dunkelberger, kicker Jamie Sutcliffe, and long snapper Blake Word.

Out of the six players invited, only two have decided to play. Martinez and Word will travel with Team Cali via charter bus on Dec. 9 out to Glendale and will participate in team practices, volunteer event at the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, college tour of Arizona State University, and team meals.

Martinez is a 20-year-old biological science major from Farmington, N.M. Martinez decided to come play for the Brahmas after he hadn’t received any offers out of high school. He decided to go the junior college route and since California has over half of the JC’s in America, he chose Pierce after the team showed him the most interest.

“I looked at how many people they sent out to DI and was like, “oh god,” it’s almost 24 a semester,” Martinez said. “I think we’re the only team in the country that can go 3-7 and still get 20 guys DI offers by the end of the year.”

Martinez has been playing since fourth grade and played for Pierce for two years. He didn’t start playing wide receiver until his freshman year of high school and previously played quarterback, running back, linebacker, and corner. Martinez said being selected to

play in this game was probably his biggest accomplishment athletically.

“I’ve always kind of been the underdog from a little town,” Martinez said. “So to come on this stage where you have endless DI players who had bad grades or for whatever reason they’re here, to be nominated as one of the top 42 in the state of California is just a blessing. It speaks volumes to the staff around me and the hard work I’ve put in.”

Pierce has helped Martinez a lot as a player. He said the level of competition made him have to get better and he feels playing for the team for two seasons has gotten him Division I ready.

“Bryson was very focused on what he

Brahma Week of the

Vanessa DeSimone - Forward

had to do, he didn’t let things get him too bent out of shape, even going against other defensive players who would talk crap to him on the sideline,” said athletic trainer, Robert Horowitz. “I called him my adopted son because he had some of the characteristics that I have in my son.” Word, 20, is a criminal justice major from Chatsworth. He graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory high school in 2012 then came to Pierce in the fall and was a gray shirt for the Brahmas. He plans on transferring after the spring 2015 semester to play football for a Division I college. He was selected as the long snapper for Team Cali after his kicker Sutcliffe

Sports briefs

– Compiled by Lynn Rosado

Basketball

The Pierce College women’s basketball team lost its third game in a row in blowout fashion against the Eastern Arizona College Gila Monsters in the first game of Pierce’s home tournament on Friday, Nov. 28.

Pierce was never able to establish itself on either end of the floor against the Gila Monsters. The Brahmas were scattered on defense, and the opposing pressure created problems for them on offense.

Pierce head coach James Couch said that defense was the team’s biggest issue.

“Our inexperience defensively really hurt us,” Couch said. “We couldn’t stop what they were doing even though we’ve gone over it in practice. We’re not very good at it yet, but we will be.”

After losing the previous game to Eastern Arizona College, the Pierce College women’s basketball team bounced back and defeated the Harbor College Seahawks 93-78 on Monday, Nov. 29.

As soon as the game started, Vanessa DeSimone scored and the Brahmas soon led 9-2.

recommended him, but Word said when the organizers of the game watched his film they saw his playing ability.

“I think I’m the number one junior college long snapper in the nation,” Word said. “So that’s probably part of the reason I’m on the team.” Word is honored that he was selected. He said it shows that the hard work he put in during the off-season and throughout the season, came to fruition.

“It’s cool,” Word said. “I get to say that for the rest of my life and can put on social media that I was honored to play in the Junior College All American game.”

The Brahmas never trailed and were 60-48 going into halftime.

DeSimone continued to score at will in the second half and along with JuVay Dawn, proved to be the benefactor for Pierce’s offense.

“We played as a team and without the assist I wouldn’t have gotten any of the shots,” said DeSimone

The next tournament for the women’s basketball team will be held at Cuesta College on Thursday, Dec 4.

Vanessa DeSimone, a freshman from Thousand Oaks scored 24 points, was 7-8 from the field and with seven three pointers in the second game of the Brahmas Thanksgiving invitational. Her effort was key to Pierce’s second win of the year as the team defeated the L.A. Harbor City College 93-78.

Head coach Jim Couch is trying to find what works with this team, what will the players need to do in order to fit the mold he is trying to create?

We are definitely coming together a little bit more and little by little we are actually creating a team bond. I think we are going to be alright.

You were on fire during the game, what got you going?

After I made the first three I know it was going to be a good game because I just started to make them and they all were falling.

The team altogether just looked a lot more fired up and ready. What do you attribute the performance to?

Before the game we just had a lot of energy. The atmosphere was great, the music was loud and we were just able to get into it.

Being such a young team with no returning sophomores on the roster, finding chemistry offensively can be a challenge. Yet your team was effective against the Seahawks, why?

We just got to keep moving the ball and swinging it and doing the things we need to do offensively we will be fine. As long as we pass it, we will keep winning.

-Ethan Hanson Sports Editor

Diego Barajas/ Roundup Pierce College wide receiver Bryson Martinez and kicker Blake Word are the only Pierce players that will play in the annual JUCO All American Bowl Game in Glendale, Ariz.

Megan Moureaux Social Media Editor

PIERCE SPORTS SCHEDULE

Women’s Basketball Men’s Basketball

Antelope Valley Tournament: Dec. 5 vs. Glendale College 3 p.m.

Cuesta Tournament: Dec. 4 vs. Monterey 6 p.m.

Close to the net A height made for basketball

Luis

Roundup Reporter

At seven feet tall, the not so secret weapon for the Pierce men’s basketball team will use his hook shot to take the team to the next level.

From Encino, sophomore starting center Beau Brown is ready for this upcoming season.

In 2011 Brown began playing basketball for the Brahmas, despite not playing before.

For 11 years Brown played baseball as a pitcher and first baseman. He attended Center of Learning high school in Granada Hills, which did not have any sports teams.

Brown grew up playing baseball. but has found a passion for the game of basketball.

“I still love to play baseball,” Brown said. “With my height I tried out basketball, I have a god-given gift.”

In the first season of his basketball career with the Brahmas, Brown was hit with an injury, a dislocated patella. In his second season at Pierce, Brown wasn’t 100 percent healthy, and had a rough season but feels like he is stronger than he has been before and is ready for the upcoming season.

Brown hasn’t played basketball for very long, so he is still improving his game.

“My footwork is a lot better than last year, I can still do more things to improve on it,” Brown said.

Using his height as an intimidation factor will be big for the Brahmas. Brown will use his size to rebound and block shots that will make it difficult for opposing teams to score.

As a personal goal, Brown wants to average a double double and earn a scholarship. Brown plans to be more aggressive and use his hook shot that he has been working on.

Head coach Ed Babayan and assistant coach Charles White have been helping Brown develop into a more aggressive player physically and mentally.

“He has improved dramatically, he has done a really good job of working on not just the physical

aspect of it but on the basketball aspect,” Babayan said.

White thinks that Brown’s biggest improvement has come in his moves around the basket.

“His best part of his game is that he has developed a sky hook,” White said. “He has gotten a little bit more fierce around the basket and with his shot blocking ability he will help us out defensively. There are schools that are interested in Brown and he hopes that one of them is the University of Southern California, as that is his dream school.

Outside of basketball Brown’s major is Kinesiology and is working on being a physical therapist.

“I want to work with other athletes who are dealing with injuries, as I dealt with injuries in my first seasons,” Brown said. His favorite player at the moment is Deandre Jordan from the Los Angeles Clippers. His all time favorite player is Shaquille O’Neal because of the way he dominated the game in his prime. He hopes to one day play the same way that O’Neal did.

“He is the most dominant big man to step on the court and he’s a nice guy off the court too but once he is on the court he just turns on that switch and nobody can stop him. That is who I really want to be, someone who is an overall good guy but once you get on the court no one could stop you,” Brown said.

At CSU Channel Islands working side-by-side with professors, non-profit leaders and professionals is an opportunity for every student. They bring theory into practice. They learn how problems can be solved. These are more than field trips or internships to put on resumes. These are the lessons on which to build careers.

SERVICE-LEARNING: CI students volunteered to assist a community women’s shelter as part of the United Way Ventura County’s Day of Caring 2014. Service-learning is a direct expression of the University’s mission and a critical component of the curriculum and programming. During the 2013-2014 academic year, CI students served more than 22,500 service-learning hours, engaging more than 1,570 students in academic service-learning.

LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE

Learn more at go.csuci.edu/lapc

Ayala

“With my height I tried out basketball. I have a god given gift.”

-Beau Brown Pierce College men’s basketball center

Marc Dionne / Roundup

Beau Brown is a 7 foot 1 inch center for the the Pierce College menʼs basketball team in the North Gym.

WE START AS STUDENTS WE LEARN BEYOND THE CLASSROOM WE SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEN WE TAKE ON THE WORLD