New ASO Club advisor Phillips replaces temp

Tavian Quinn Roundup Reporter

Adjunct faculty member Shaina Phillips became the new ASO club advisor last month after former club advisor Curtis Smith stepped down from the position.

Smith was the ASO advisor on a temporary basis, but made many strides and improvements during his time, Vice President of Student Services Earic Peters said.

“Curtis has done an amazing job,” Peters said. “He was an incredible advisor, and the students love him. With his determination and foresight of what students need he did a good job. Ultimately students will realize this new advisor is awesome, too.”

The ASO advisor position required an Ed Code certificate to be in compliance and allow the advisor to sign off on physical matters. Smith did not have the certificate, but Phillips did, so she got the job.

Insurance addition cancels HIV/AIDS Awareness Week

Pierce College Student Health Center Director Beth Benne shook her head, and fought back tears when she described one of her leukemia patients who died of AIDS in the early 1980s.

HIV is not the death sentence it once was, Benne said. But that didn’t change her thoughts about the cancellation of this semester’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Week. The four-day event was scheduled for Oct. 27 – 30 but was scrapped.

The non-profit organizations that thought they were signed up to do the testing could not afford a last-minute insurance change by the LA Community College School District (LACCD). “I’m devastated,” Benne said. “This is big for me. I’m personally vested in HIV and AIDS education and awareness.”

The LACCD required BIENESTAR and AIDS Health Foundation to sign a letter of subrogation, which was designed to cover the LACCD from potential damages from a workers’ comp claim if an employee from either organization were injured at Pierce, Benne said.

“In other words,” Benne said.

“The workers comp insurance company is waiving their rights to come after us to pay for some of the workers’ comp.”

BIENESTAR’s workers’ compensation carrier, Frenkel & Company, agreed to the letter of subrogation, Benne said. But they would have charged BIENESTAR for it, which the non-profit organization could not afford.

The letter’s cost was based on a percentage of BIENESTAR’s payroll, and was “totally, way out of our budget,” BIENESTAR President Oscar De La O said.

LACCD’s insurance costs have risen in recent years as a result of litigation, Pierce Associate Vice President Larry Kraus said.

“The risk manager has taken some steps to mitigate that exposure,” Kraus said.

The district also increased the amount of insurance coverage for vehicles parked on the Mall from $1 million to $5 million. But BIENESTAR planned to park its mobile testing station in a parking lot, so the new $5 million premium was not a factor in the cancellation.

“BIENESTAR says, ‘OK we can do this,’” Benne said. “And I’m going, ‘whew, got that one done.’ Then, something comes up called the letter of subrogation with workers comp, and I went, ‘what’s a letter of subrogation.’”

Leila Menzies, LACCD Vice President of Administration, Risk Management, called Benne on Oct. 22, five days before the event was to begin. Menzies told her the district would have waived the letter of subrogation for this semester on the condition that they would have agreed to figure out a new deal for next semester and beyond, Benne said.

Benne said she immediately called BIENESTAR, but left a voicemail. The next morning, she emailed BIENESTAR to follow up, but didn’t get a response in time and had to cancel the event, Benne said.

“I felt there was a total miscommunication, and lack of coordination, in regards to lastminute requests for insurance, and to be added to our different policies,” De La O said.

People between 18 and 30 years old are the fastest-growing HIV infected group in LA County, De La O said.

“We allowed bureaucratic processes to get in the way of delivering healthcare to people that perhaps really need access to this service,” De La O said.

Phillips was associated dean of student life at Los Angeles City College and facilitated the student body government there.

“I am excited to be here,” Phillips said. “I think it’s important to have an environment of students being connected to each other and helping them succeed. My goal is to increase student engagement.”

The ASO engaged students at its Halloween event on Oct. 27 and 28, which was the same time its advisor changed.

But the advisor-swap didn’t slow down the ASO, Club Council President Lakshika Ruwanpathirana said.

“Phillips helped run things so smoothly, and helped in every way possible, making the event and ASO as stable as possible,” Ruwanpathirana said.

Smith helped to get the ASO its current space in the Library / Learning Crossroads. The ASO is currently brainstorming ideas on how to attract students, best use the space, add new members, and have a strong foundation with students at the forefront.

“The decisions we make on this level impact you,” Peters said. “I want to create history, and create tradition. I want students to own their institution. Pierce College is your start.”