Student trustees debate

Candidates take questions at Constitution Day event ahead of election

ZAC GROFF Reporter @zgroffnews

Procedural issues have triggered a special election for the Los Angeles Community College student trustee position, so the two candidates had another chance to state their cases in a public forum held on Sept. 17.

In his opening statement in the Pierce College ASO offices, Milo Anderson said the special election is being held because the ballot hours did not allow night students at Pierce to vote in the last election. Ryan Anderson said he “had to prove” this new vote is necessary. Before turning the microphone over to Navarrete, Anderson told the audience how he views the significance of the position.

“[The student trustee] can really change the impact of how the student voice is heard in the Los Angeles Community College District,”

Anderson said.

Nurse practitioner Kira

Shteyman, a six-year veteran of the health center, said the center has had to deal with a number of other problems in the past. She cited privacy issues at the center’s previous location, which it vacated in 2009 after the completion of the Student Services Building that year.

“We did not have privacy back then,” Shteyman said. “We only had a partition, and that was not cool.” work together on finding solutions,” said Anderson, a former member of KPCRadio.com, the Pierce College radio station run by the Media Arts department that also oversees the Roundup. “[The] board of trustees should not just have to listen to us, but want to listen to us.”

Shteyman acknowledged that the move put an immense strain on the restrictive budget, but said it was a necessary and welcome change.

The new location, though modern and well-equipped, remained understaffed and below its operational potential due to the health center’s deficit, according to Benne. She contacted Earic DixonPeters, the vice president of student services, and said Dixon-Peters was surprised to learn the office was still operating at diminished capacity. Benne attributes the center’s recovery to Dixon-Peters, and said it was he who noted that both her salary and benefits were paid for entirely by the health fee. DixonPeters suggested that Benne push to have her salary paid for by the Program 100 funds, a non-restricted fund given to the district and comprised of local, state and federal revenue sources and intended to pay for general operational services. She went before the school’s budget committee and successfully lobbied to have half of her salary paid for through the fund.

“Dr. Peters was the driving force behind getting my salary paid for out of Program 100,” Benne said.

The move resulted in an additional $60,000 of the center’s annual budget being freed up. That allowed the center to maintain its full-time staff, as well as a physician and a psychologist, both privatelycontracted, and four adjunct faculty personnel comprised of two nurse practitioners and two post-doctoral interns.

Sheena Sachdev, one of the two interns, said she is looking forward to working with new groups which deal with issues of anxiety and stress, a service made possible by the shift in funds this semester.

Sachdev encourages students to take advantage of their six free counseling sessions per year and emphasized her belief in the benefits of such campus services.

“There’s clearly a need for mental health [faculty] here,” she said.

In his response, Navarrete again highlighted his prior experience in student government and representation and said that his past roles prepare him for the position.

“I feel what is the most important is student advocacy, to advocate for you. What do you want to know, what do you want to see,” he asked, and added that he will be “advocating for your voice.”

A wallet was stolen from a student’s handbag at the Library / Learning Crossroads by an unidentified suspect. The student reported the theft at about 1 p.m.

9/16—Two-car Crash At about 8 p.m. Wednesday, two vehicles crashed in parking lot 7.

9/12—Student Injured A student injured her right knee during a dance class at 11:30 a.m. in the dance studio

9/9—Sexual Assault A female student reported she was a victim of sexual assault by Parking Lot 8 in Old Trapper’s Lodge at 8:00 p.m.

Navarrete, a former student government member at L.A. Trade Tech College, said in his opening statement that the attendees at Pierce were “the most people we have had at any forum so far.”

He told the crowd about his background as a communications officer with the Student Senate for California Community Colleges and as a member of Trade Tech’s student government.

“I am the former commissioner of student advocacy at Los Angeles Trade Tech College, I’m the current SSCCC communication officer,” Navarrete said. “So myself being involved in student government, [I’m] very active and very known throughout the district and the region.”

After opening statements, the forum was opened to questions from students in attendance. The candidates were first asked how their past and experiences would influence their role as student trustee. “Mass communication is what think our district needs, so that we can about how administrators bought TAP cards or spent that money on a retirement party,” Navarrete said. “That’s what happened at Trade Tech.”

Anderson and Navarrete were asked next about the number of hours student workers are allowed to work, and whether the number should be increased. Anderson reiterated that the student trustee position is an advisory one, and that he would not want to make a suggestion to the board of trustees without first meeting with all nine campuses to determine student opinions on the issue.

9/9—Student Incident A student was reported being disruptive in room 4400 at around 7 p.m.

Navarrete did in his term with the Trade Tech Associated Students Organization.

As part of the board that resigned in protest, Navarrete said he and the ASO had given their advisor a vote of no-confidence before stepping down. After the debate, Anderson called the event “extremely heartwarming.”

9/8—Petty Theft A suspect walked away with a victim’s cellphone at the Library / Learning Crossroads at around 2 p.m. The victim reported letting the suspect use his cellphone before the theft.

9/8—Petty Theft A student left her handbag on a desk in room EB 1310 to go to the restroom. Upon returning at about 2 p.m. her handbag was missing.

In his response, Navarrete said he would work to “have more hours, and not only that but more positions,” but said he would stop short of pushing for full-time positions. The next question posed to the candidates centered around an allegation that audit reports of student governments at all nine campuses show missing funds. That claim has not been confirmed or disproved as of print time.

Anderson said that while he does not rule out the possibility of “inappropriate” management of funds, he said he would approach the board differently than

Parking tickets return Enforcement of permit requirements, citations for violators kicks into gear

SAMANTHA BRAVO Reporter @SammyBravo93

Any car parked on the Pierce College campus without a parking permit is subjected to a $30 fine, following two weeks of free parking that ended Sept. 14. According to Sheriff’s station team leader Alfred Guerrero, more than 200 tickets have been given since Monday. Failure to pay the ticket may lead to substantial penalties and a Department of Motor Vehicles hold on vehicle registration.

“Buy the parking pass and put it on your car,” Guerrero said. “That will prevent you from getting a $30 ticket. Buy the pass, it will work in your favor.”

Permits may be purchased on the Pierce website or from the business office. The purchase of a Restricted permit costs $20 and allows parking in Lot 4, on El Rancho

Drive and in unpaved overflow lots. The ASO Preferred permit costs $27 and allows parking in all lots.

Daily parking permits cost $1 for 30 minutes in the green 30 minute zone, or $3 for all-day parking in all other student parking spaces. Stephanie Amber is a Pierce student and has been parking with a permit for two years. Amber bought a permit again this semester and said doing so has kept her from ever receiving a ticket.

“It’s not worth risking getting a $30 ticket when the parking permit is $20,” Amber said. “Get the permit.”

Students such as Emily Malley however have reported parking their cars, walking to the daily permit machines, and returning to find a citation.

“I got a ticket because I parked in a 30 minute spot,” Malley said. “I was going to buy a parking permit and then they ticketed me.”

With the exception of handicapped spaces and staff parking areas, no citations will

“We need to have a different attitude when approaching the administration,” Anderson said. “They won’t want to work with us, which is exactly what the ASO board did at Trade Tech last year when they resigned in solidarity, saying they are not going to work with their administration.”

While Anderson called the Trade Tech ASO’s decision to resign in solidarity a “failure of representation,” Navarrete defended it and said it sent a strong message to administrators.

“Just imagine all of you paying those [ASO] fees, and then hearing

“I am just blown away by the turnout,” he said. “It just recharged my batteries.” ticket in lot 2 at Pierce College be given to students on weekends according to Sheriff’s security officer Justin Ramos.

Tanisha Saunders, 25, is a child development major and ASO senator for the child development department at Pierce. Saunders attended the debate and said it was valuable and successful, and was impressed by the large number of attendees.

“I believe it went well and that it was very much needed,” Saunders said. Elections for student trustee will be held on September 22 and 23 at Pierce from 10 a.m to 7 p.m on the Mall in front of the student store.

9/5—Petty Theft Between the times of 12:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., an unidentified suspect stole the tailgate from a 2008 Toyota Tundra in Parking Lot 7.

9/3—Lost Property A student reported her Apple MacBook Pro missing.

9/2—Petty Theft A student reported his wallet missing after leaving it on top of a copy machine at about 3 p.m. The wallet was returned to the front desk of the Library / Learning Crossroads but $350 was missing.

8/31—Pedestrian vs. Traffic A student was struck while crossing the street on Stadium Way at about 7 p.m. The student was transported to the hospital by paramedics.

2015.

According to Ramos, students who do not wish to purchase a permit and are willing to accept the risks may use street parking on Victory, Winnetka or Oxnard. Parking at the Metro Orange Line station, located at the northeast corner of Winnetka Ave. and Victory Blvd., is free for anyone using the Metro. However, the lot is only for Metro passengers and is patrolled by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, which may issue citations to violators. “I personally don’t recommend parking off-campus,” said Ramos, citing a higher rate of damage and theft from vehicles in areas not patrolled by the Pierce College Sheriff’s deputies and security officers. Payments must be mailed to the citation service center to be processed, and all appeals must be submitted to the Pierce College sheriff’s office within 21 days of citation. Students can call the Pierce College Sheriff’s station general information line at (818) 719-6450 with any parking or other nonemergency questions.

Calendar

TAG application workshop Transfer 101 Basics Vintage Market LGBTQ Monday

SEPT. 27 The Topanga Vintage Market will be held from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. Admission is $3 for everyone 12 and over and the event features vintage dealers, local artisans, live music and food trucks.

SEPT. 28 A Transfer 101 Basics workshop will be held in the Transfer Center in the Student Services Building from 12 to 1 p.m. The event is open to all students interested in transfer information.

SEPT. 29 The Transfer Center will be holding a workshop from 2 to 3 p.m., open to all students seeking a Transfer Admission Guarantee to six UCs: Davis, Santa Cruz Santa Barbara, Irvine, Merced and Riverside.

Social Media Roundup

Tweet us @roundupnews to be featured in next weeks Social Media Column

“Praying I don’t get a ticket #Pierceprobs.”

-@itssamyyyy