Volume 123 Fall 2015 Roundup Issue 4

Abroad from Pierce

Students can summer in Italy

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ Opinions Editor @VRodriguez2100

Pierce College students will have the opportunity to learn Italian outside of the classroom starting next year.

The one-month program, introduced by art instructor Constance Moffatt at the Academic Senate on Oct. 12, will take place in Genoa, Italy.

“Finally we have a study abroad program approved for summer 2016,” Moffatt said. “It’s Art 102, which is a transferable course.” Moffatt said.

Students who go will be able to participate in various programs such as a weekend trip to Florence. The trip will last from June 17 until July 16.

Pierce at Night: Page 4

#PierceNews Snapchat

Are you on Snapchat? Follow the Roundup for behind the scenes stories, live look-in’s for sports and story previews.

No Decision on Burke’s Future at Pierce, yet...

Pierce College President Kathleen Burke is a finalist for El Camino College presidency. ECC Board of Trustees member Ken Brown said via email that the new president will be announced through the Office of Community Relations at El Camino and that “the board is being very deliberate and not rushing the process.”

ShakeOut

“The program cost is $3,800. It’s a month, with shared apartments,” Moffatt said. “It doesn’t include your food or airfare. Students still have to pay the fees for a three unit course.”

Earlier in the meeting, Beth Benne, director of the Health Center, was appointed as senate representative for the Student Success and Support Advisory Board (SSSB.)

Just kicking it

Long-time friends compete together at Pierce

MITCH NODELMAN Reporter

@MitchNodelman

You can’t pick your teammates, but you can pick your friends.

Two kickers who were teammates in high school are vying for the starting position on the football team at Pierce College.

Oscar Gonzalez and Edward Avila, both 18, met when they were freshmen at Canoga Park High School and became close in their sophomore year when they were both on the football team.

“First time I met him, I didn’t really like him,” Avila said. “He didn’t look like a fun dude, then I got to know him and he was cool.”

As the years went by their relationship became closer, they now argue like best friends and compete like brothers.

“Sometimes he gets me mad, we always make up,” Avila said. “Our friendship has grown, we are like brothers now, we do everything to-

gether. If we aren’t together we’re texting.”

They would agree that they both can rattle one another’s cage, yet they can always keep a close relationship just as siblings do.

“He is outgoing and spontaneous, however, he does get on my nerves because Oscar says mean things sometimes but he is my brother, he’s the yin to my yang, I’m the white one who’s nice and he’s the evil one,” Avila said.

“He gets on my nervous as well sometimes but at the end Edward is like a brother to me,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and Avila are competing with each other everyday during practice for the football team’s kicking position, but they both understand that the better man will get the starting job.

The two insist that it does not cause any strain on their relationship. Oscar currently holds the starting position as Avila is redshirting this year. Avila is assured that competition will not get in the way of their relationship.

[See KICKERS, pg. 8]

The Great ShakeOut, an annual opportunity to practice how to be safer during big earthquakes, is scheduled for October 15 at 10:15 a.m. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in the drill. Last year’s drill was canceled due to a threat on campus that forced an evacuation.

Flu Shots Available

Health Center Director Beth Benne announced via email that flu vaccine are now available at the Student Health Center. The vaccine cost $10 and walk-in appointments are available.

New Faculty Orientation

Pierce College Academic Senate is hosting its annual New Faculty Orientation. The senate has been hosting these orientations for over 13 years to help assist with new faculty. There will be three different dates with the first orientation on Oct. 16 from 9:30 a.m. - noon. The other two meetings are scheduled for Nov. 20, and Dec. 11, at B.J.’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. RSVP’s should be sent to Kathy Oborn before each session to ensure enough materials.

“Finally we have a study abroad program approved for summer 2016.”

Moffatt Art Instructor

Fields/ Roundup Pierce kickers Edward Avila (61) and Oscar Gonzalez (67) pose for a picture on the sidelines of John Shepard Stadium at Pierce College on Oct. 10.

Edgar Amezcua / Roundup

The Brahma Bull statue stands guard over the campus at night on The Mall at Pierce College on Oct. 9. See page 4 for more photos of Pierce at Night.

STREET

Do you research professors before you enroll?

“This teacher that I researched, a lot of students were saying this teacher is really good. Then one of my counselors said, ʻthat teacher, don’t take that, maybe he’s harsh.’ That’s her perspective, not your perspective.”

-Andrea Noblejas Child Development major

“If you want a good professor that is fit for you, then you should definitely use RateMyProfessor. Those rates are not kidding.”

-Daniel

Fire Administration Technology major

Community college, also commonly referred to as twoyear college--is anything but.

Whether it’s because of financial issues, “second chances” or any of the multitude of reasons, students attend community college with the hope that they will soon move on to something better: a four-year institution or a career.

This is even advertised as achievable in two years. Certain units, such as mandatory, at times irrelevant, general education requirements, and technicalities, such as nontransferable courses, however, make that difficult.

Graduating late is a problem across all higher education institutions. Reducing the amount of time it takes for community college students to graduate or transfer will significantly reduce six year graduates in four-year colleges.

By reducing general education requirements, or getting rid of them altogether, students can focus on their major or area of study and achieve their goals quicker. Pierce could also offer more in depth counseling and network more closely with other schools to provide the most accurate, specific articulation agreements for students to follow for their college of choice.

Students are encouraged to transfer to a four-year college with 60 units to have junior status. Of these 60 units, half are allotted to general education and the other half are allotted to the student’s major, ideally.

These units are typically expected to be accumulated in the course of two years, 15 units a semester.

-Katherine Castro ChildDevelopmentmajor

Assuming the student attends college full-time, they can knockout general education in a year. The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2013

-Banya Pon Electrical Engineering major

“Yes I do. [I’m] basically choosing the professor I want to go with. Which one has more workload, or the other one who gives a better grade. I choose my professor through that.”

-Kiarash

–CORRECTIONS–

Volume 123, Issue 3

Page 2: The StreetBeat was mistitled, it should have read “How do you feel about law enforcement on campus?”

Volume 123, Issue 3 Page 7: All soccer photos were taken by Abdolreza Rastegarrazi.

Volume 123, Issue 3

Page 8: The shared byline was supposed to feature Ke-Alani Sarmiento and Ethan Roman, both reporters.

Students should research their professors before they add classes because it helps the student choose the best course and professor with ease.

Adding classes can be stressful enough so RateMyProfessor makes it easier for students to check how the professor teaches, and can help you prepare yourself for the class. Getting advice and information from experienced college students can help you make better choices when adding classes.

Textbooks are expensive so before you purchase your $100 book, look up your professor. Some students say you won’t even use the book all semester. Knowing this can work in your and your wallet’s favor.

If you’re stuck between choosing two different professors teaching the same course, it would be nice to know how the professor teaches so that way it can be easier for students to choose what professor is right for them.

Reading reviews doesn’t take up a lot of your time so If you have more professors to look up, you should research them before adding their class. Knowing what kind of professor you are going to take can help you get comfortable and confident with your decision.

that 69 percent of community college students work while attending college. Some students can’t attend full time and have to dedicate more time to complete classes they will hardly ever need. Additionally, because general education is required for most students, these classes are the most sought after and fill up quickly. Students are not able to enroll in the classes they need and have to wait longer to fulfill requirements.

According to the Department of Education, 23 percent of community college students graduate in three years, while a majority graduate in five. Community colleges entice students with low tuition rates.

According to the College Board, average in-state tuition for community colleges in 2014–2015 was $3,347. Compared to the average tuition at Universities of California, which is $12,240, $3,347 seems quite reasonable.

You can also find out how your professor teaches the course material. Knowing if there is a lot of homework or quizzes, as well as how students rate the tests, can help you decide if that class is right for you.

Taking notes might not be your favorite thing about going to lecture, you can find out if the professor gives a long lecture and if you’re forced to write every single thing down, or if you can take a few notes on what the professor says is important to know.

Attendance might be crucially important to some professors. If you’re absent more than three times they might drop you from the class, or they might not take attendance at all.

Every student should know this because if the student knows not to be absent or late then they can decide if they are able to be on time weather that’s a morning class or afternoon class.

You might be asking how can I trust someone else’s opinion online? You’re reading students reviews based on their experience, and you’re not putting anything on the line.

The more reviews a professor has, there’s a greater chance of understanding what they’re like. If other students agree with that review, they can thumbs it up so you’re not just getting one students advice.

I think everyone should research their professor before they add them because you don’t want to add a really strict or boring professor and it might be too late to crash another class.

Community college tuition

is 1/4 the rate of UC tuition, but one common pitfall diminishes the frugality and increases time wasted.

Not all classes are transferable to the UC system, some are not even transferable to the California State University system.

Paul Attewell and David Monaghan, researchers of the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, reported in 2014 that 58 percent of community college transfers were able to bring 90 percent of their units, while 14 percent of transfers lost 90 percent of their units.

Though more than half of students are able to transfer the majority of their community college units, many enroll in a four-year college needing to make up the credits that were lost. Students would have to retake a low-level course in an institution with a higher tuition because the community college course

taken previously, did not satisfy specific requirements. Students lose hours of course credits and hundreds of dollars and end up having to spend even more money on higher tuition per year because they can’t graduate on time. Escaping the community college system does not end all problems. By the time a student transfers, they may still be behind. After transferring from a two-year college with 60 units, 3 to 5 years later, to a four-year college, a student may expect to obtain a bachelor’s degree in two years. According to figures released by the College Board in 2009, this is not likely to happen, in fact, it takes college students an average of 6.2 years to complete a four-year college education. According to the Department of Education, less than 40 percent of students graduate college in four years while 60 percent graduate in six years.

us with necessary knowledge. Researching a professor before choosing a class might cut the person short of the exact class they need. A student might hold off a semester just to get a “good” teacher. Instead of taking the class, trying hard and passing before moving on. Students can delay their graduation process due to being picky and doing research.

Students should not research or look up their professor before enrolling or taking their class. It can hinder both professors and students.

Most of those websites like RateMyProfessor can be inaccurate. When students read about the professor before actually taking the class, it can give a wrong picture of how they teach and who they are.

Some people might say it’s beneficial because you’re not going to waste your time if the professor isn’t what you’re looking for and you won’t be going in the class blind.

I can understand this, but can you understand before all these websites no one could tell how their professor was and people did just fine. We as a society have gotten used to being cushioned and given exactly what we want. The real world doesn’t work like that. We are tricking ourselves, because not being able to get a sneak peek as to what the professor is like will prepare us better for the future.

When we all leave college and move on into the harsh world, we are going to have to know what it’s like dealing closely with people that don’t necessarily rub us the right way but do provide

How can a student even make sure everything that’s being said about the professor is fact and something of substance, or a biased opinion from a few pissed off students?

Some may complain that they don’t learn the material as well if the professor teaches a certain way. Well information is information. It is supplied to you via slideshow most of the time. When it’s not, we should muster up our own will to learn the material to better ourselves. By law the professor has to provide the necessary material and knowledge to pass the class.

If an individual isn’t understanding it, it’s not because the teacher talks too fast or isn’t so enthusiastic every single day. It’s because said individual isn’t striving to learn the information.

When I want to learn something and pass a class, it’s not even about the teacher. It’s about the hard knowledge and making yourself understand it enough to pass.

Therefore, knowing more and researching a teacher before choosing a class is pointless because you can only truly tell from experiencing it yourself. What doesn’t work for other people, might work for you.

Quotes by Kristina Villamil

“I mean honestly some students don’t like their teacher, so they just say something negative. I mean, it’s pretty helpful for me personally.”

Wilkins

“I haven’t always been happy but I find the good in challenges, like the different kinds of professors and personalities you would get. ʻWork with what you get’ is what I do.”

Zeinali Economics major

Union at the table

AFT 1521A negotiates staff contracts with district to raise stagnant wages

ARYANNA DUNN Reporter @DunnAryanna

Staff workers at the nine Los Angeles Community College Districts are negotiating for a pay increase, which would be the first in more than two years.

The American Federation of Teachers 1521A, which represents staff at Pierce College, held a walk during the Wednesday Board of Trustees meeting at L.A. Trade-Tech to raise awareness of the ongoing struggle to reach a collective bargaining agreement over staff salary contracts.

Henry Chang, admissions and records assistant, described the negotiation process as delicate and private.

“The Board is still in the middle of working it all out,” Chang said. “They are still negotiating it through and haven’t come to a solution yet. The negotiation process is very confidential.”

During the process, union staff await the outcome of the opened article. AFT 1521A member and administrative secretary of academic affairs Isabel Real said the lack of increase in salary is one of the chief issues of the negotiations. Real said she hope to see salaries rise to match inflation.

“Our union has not had even one salary increase in over two whole years,” Real said. “We are hoping to finally get a fair increase in pay to keep up with inflation rates, and to keep up with other districts in our area and to receive the equivalent pay.”

The walk was intended as a protest, and Los Angeles Community College District staff were invited to attend and express their views on the situation, which has left the salaries of contract workers’ undecided.

Members of the staff union such as data communications specialist Greg Whaling have tried to address the delay in the process to the board of trustees. According to Whaling the unions must go through a specific and often lengthy process before it can meet with the board’s approval.

“October 8 is when we sit down to negotiations,” Whaling said. “Both sides have to agree to meet and open the same article.”

According to Whaling, both the LACCD and AFT 1521A agreed to negotiate the issue of salaries.

“When both sides have signed off on the one article that’s been opened, then we all go to a Board meeting. Their side and our side all sign a contract,” said Whaling.

Whaling said that even after the contract is signed, the process is still not done.

“This doesn’t mean the contract is settled. It has to go for ratification, then it’s sent out to all the members. Then the members have to vote if they accept it or not,” Whaling said. “If all the members ratify the contract, it goes to the district, then to the board, then again all members sign. Once everyone signs in front of the board, the contract is now valid.”

News briefs

Cut-hand causes chemistry class crisis

A student in the Center for Sciences building was injured at about 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12 after an accident in a chemistry lab.

The student, Humberto Herrera, received a “minor deep cut” on his fingers according to paramedics who arrived at the scene.

Herrera tried to remove a glass stopper from a round bottom flask when the glass shattered. Students had been instructed to grease the stoppers to prevent such an incident, but Herrera’s was ungreased.

Herrera was not exposed to any chemicals in the accident, and returned to class after paramedics finished treating his wound.

Incident Report

10/9—One-car crash

A woman drove onto the sidewalk and into a tree at about 3 p.m. Friday on Victory Boulevard after being cut off. The crash occurred directly across from the Pierce campus, next to the western entrance of the Winnetka Orange Line parking lot. The woman was not seriously injured.

Student trustee elected

Candidate from Pierce College wins special election for board position

both times around.”

Pierce College student Milo Anderson won the special election for L.A. Community College District Student Trustee after ballots were counted and tallied on Oct. 9 at the LACCD Student Affairs Committee meeting.

The tally of the 879 valid ballots found Anderson the winner with 462 votes, while his opponent Ryan Navarrete of Los Angeles Trade-Technical College received 417. Out of 917 votes cast, 38 were voided because they were either illegible or named an invalid candidate.

“It was a long time coming,” Anderson said. “We haven’t had a Student Trustee from Los Angeles Pierce College in over 25 years.”

For Anderson the victory marks the end of a long campaign and the beginning of a challenging new position.

“I am thrilled to be the new student trustee and to be the voice for students,” Anderson said.

“Ryan’s a great guy. I thought he did an excellent job [campaigning]

Admins buy

Kawasaki

Vehicle purchased with fund meant for business expenses

SAL FARIAZ Assistant Sports Editor @S_Fariaz

Pierce College administrators purchased a Kawasaki side-by-side using a fund meant for business expenses expected to show a return on investment.

According to Associate Vice President Larry Kraus, it was purchased “many months” ago with the Enterprise Fund. The Kawasaki website lists the 2015 MULE PROFXT model’s price as up to $15,899.

“It is used for putting up parking signs, electric signs and anything that has to do with mobility on campus,” Kraus said.

The vehicle was seen last week towing traffic signs.

“It deals with the college at large,” Kraus said. “With anything that requires mobility

During the summer recess Anderson and Navarrete took to the campuses of community colleges throughout LACCD. For his second campaign run Anderson focused on “connecting with students on their level.”

the board of the Student Affairs Committee and had met both candidates during their campaigns. He said he admires the candidates for their “enthusiasm and willingness to fight for the students,” and praised Anderson’s readiness to take on new challenges.

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]

10/7—Student argument

Anderson said his first act will be to encourage communication between all LACCD campuses and change student advocacy.

“One of the most important things I want to accomplish in this semester is changing the culture and the attitude district wide about student representation,” Anderson said. “I want to bring the students’ concerns to the board in a manner in which they will be heard.”

Gabriel Cabrera, president of the L.A. Harbor College Associated Students Organization, sits on

and assistance in support of our missions on campus to support the needs of the college.”

The space on the permits for “reason” had choices for assessment, job placement and other. The “other” box was checked and listed “foundation,” and the permit was signed by administrative analyst Brian Silk.

Denise Robb, chair of the foundation, said no one was in the office to approve a parking permit on the date it was issued.

“No one was at the foundation but a temporary bookkeeper,” she said. “We would not have signed for a parking permit.”

Floriya Borzenkova is the only full-time employee at the foundation and was out of the country the week the permits were issued.

“I did not approve a parking permit for the foundation but I will find out what happened,” she said.

Silk declined to comment on the permits, the vehicle and the fund used to purchase it.

“I wish that was our car,” Athletic Director Bob Lofrano said. “Sometimes our batteries die in our cars and it takes a while to get them fixed. So sometimes we buy a new battery ourselves to get it done. Ours are over nine years old.”

“What sets Milo apart is that he’s a go-getter,” Cabrera said. “He knows that whoever won the election would be behind and Milo is ready to put his feet to the ground running.”

The first election was held in April and had a much higher turnout, with 3,757 valid ballots counted in May. Navarrete won with 1,880 votes to Anderson’s 1,877, a three vote difference and margin of .07 percent. Anderson contested the results by filing three complaints with the district. The complaints alleged the votes were miscounted, that students

enrolled at multiple colleges had cast multiple ballots and that the hours of the Pierce College polling station did not allow night students to vote. The district chose to void the results and hold the special election which just concluded.

Cabrera was present for the first ballot count in May and said he knew that the second election would be just as tense.

“The count came down so close and I knew the same thing was going to happen this time,” Cabrera said. “Both candidates ran a tight race.”

Anderson will take over for interim student trustee Gerson Liahut-Sanchez of East L.A. College when he is sworn in on Nov. 4.

“It was definitely an experience,” Liahut-Sanchez said. “Now that Mr. Anderson will be taking over the position it will be interesting to see what he does and how the committee changes.”

Anderson called community college “a stepping stone to bigger, better, brighter lives.”

“I want it so that when all of us eventually leave community college we can say ‘we did something here,’” Anderson said. “‘That we actually existed and left our mark in a positive way.’”

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]

The Sheriff’s station responded to an argument between a female student and her ex-boyfriend at the Great Hall on Wednesday at about 6:30 p.m.

10/7—Ill student

At about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, a student at the North Gym swimming pool reported feeling ill. Paramedics were called to assist.

10/5—Ill student

A student in VLGE 8401 reported feeling ill at about 3:30 p.m. Monday. Paramedics arrived and helped the female student walk to a waiting ambulance, which transported her from campus.

10/5—Disturbance

An incident on the baseball field was reported at about 2 p.m. Monday. The person or people who caused the disturbance were warned and advised by campus enforcement.

Pierce College Sheriff’s Station General Information: (818) 719-6450 Emergency: (818) 710 - 4311

“I have to be cognizant of the fact that the senate has entrusted me to sit on that advisory committee representing the senate, but my other agenda is going to be [figuring out] how we can expand medical and mental health services for [the students], that’s the bottom line,” Benne said. Due to her current position as director of the health center, Benne is aware of what the health center is lacking.

“SSSB is paying for half of our mental health program now... they are taking [our] interns and making it a paid position, which

means a bigger pool to pull from, a more motivated pool and they have enabled us to double our mental health program,” said Benne.

Benne has pushed for a number of changes to the current views on the importance of mental health.

“I think our mental health needs for our students are way under-addressed, we need a fulltime psychologist...until the health fees go up that will never happen,” Benne said.

Izzy Goodman, adjunct professor of Chemistry and member of the Academic Senate’s information technology task force spoke on the current state of

campuswide connectivity issues.

“The task force hasn’t met so we haven’t gotten any feedback on the progress. Apparently things are working right now,” Goodman said.

Goodman also explained the fluctuating nature of Pierce College’s internet connectivity.

“However, when I last asked about whether that means the systems have been fixed I was told that the system is very unstable, and [a network crash] could happen tomorrow or the next day,” Goodman said.

The next Academic Senate will take place on Monday Oct. 26, in the Great Hall at 2:15 p.m.

Richie Zamora / Roundup

Student trustee hopefuls Milo Anderson and Ryan Navarrete await election results on Friday, Oct. 9 at the districtʼs office in Downtown L.A.

Luis Ayala / Roundup

Vice President of Academic Policy Lyn Clark, center, seated at the head of the Academic Senate round table in the Great Hall during its meeting Monday, Oct. 12.

MARIELLE STOBER Reporter @StoberMarielle

[From SENATE, pg. 1]

“One of the most important things I want to accomplish in this semester is changing the culture and the attitude districtwide about student representation.”

-Milo Anderson Student Trustee-elect

When the sun sets, the mood on campus shifts. The atmosphere is more relaxed compared to the hustle and bustle of the day—but still is alive and vibrant. Stars glimmer over the Brahma statue and lights sparkle along the Mall, leading the late night crowd through the campus. Those who attend night classes are often committed to work or child rearing during the day, so they attend college classes after dark.

Students are guided by the beacon of the Library / Learning Crossroads clock to the building’s well-lit steps where they congregate and converse. The sundial near Victory Parking Lot 7 transforms from a timetelling device into a sculpture silhouetted against the ambient light of the Mall. In the later hours of the night, the remaining students begin to filter off campus, and taillights can be seen trailing out of the lots. Another night comes to a close at Pierce College.

Photos and copy by: Skylar Lester

Above: Accounting major Veronica Asato eats her dinner of chicken, sausage, and rice with chopsticks in a quiet spot near the Student Community Center / Great Hall.

Left: A visiting girls soccer team practices on The Pit Soccer Field as the sun sets over Pierce College on Sept. 21, 2015.

Left: Freudian Sip employee and mechanical engineering major Robert Tang sweeps the floor toward the end of his shift on Sept. 24, 2015. The Sip is open until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 4 p.m. on Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays the Freudian Sip is not open for business.

Classmates Victoria Wood, Brian Grimm, and Nairy Shahbaz study in preparation for their upcoming Spanish quiz in the courtyard of the Pierce Village on Sept. 24, 2015.

Social Media Roundup

Get involved! Tweet us

@RoundupNews to be featured in next week’s Social Media Roundup.

Hashtag #PierceCollege or #PierceProbs with your Tweets or Instagram pictures.

“Hey are you leaving? ‘Yeah but I have a breathalyzer so it’s gonna be a few minutes’ #pierceprobs”

-@darrintheresa

Decolonized Great California ShakeOut CSU Application Workshop

OCT. 13

Pierce College Blatigenous hosts Decolonized: Exploring the Multiplicity of Latin@ Identities at 2:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. Speakers include Dr. Rebecca Romo and Dr. Julio Tsuha.

OCT. 14

On Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. the Pierce College Transfer Center will hold a CSU Application Workshop. The workshop will assist in the transfer process for those planning to apply to CSU’s.

OCT. 15

At 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, Pierce College students, faculty and staff are taking part in the Great California ShakeOut. The Library / Learning Crossroads will hold a full evacuation in participation at that time.

OCT. 21

The Pierce College Media Arts Department and Health Center will host Breaking Silence, an event that explores depression on campus and among college students in the Great Hall from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Hidden Pierce: Old Trapperʼs Lodge

MITCH NODELMAN Reporter @MitchNodelman

On the west side of Pierce College, next to the El Rancho parking lot, tucked behind a chicken coop lies a place with many faces.

Inside Cleveland Park there are sculptures that represent old western folk art, created by John Ehn. This hidden location is known as Old Trapper’s Lodge.

Trapper’s, California Registered Historical Landmark no. 939, houses statues of Native Americans (Ehn’s family) stabbing and kidnapping, and many faces of different expressions.

The place is isolated. It is difficult to notice even when driving through El Rancho Drive.

As you enter Old Trapper’s Lodge, an angry turtle statue is there to welcome you. Followed by a wall of stone faces, that leads to benches with expressionless miners and old-western women statues.

In the middle, is a small field with several tombstones, known as “Boot Hill.”

The tombstones are fictional and read various causes of a person’s death. One tombstone reads, “Cattle King Kelly: 1820-1880. Shot in the belly fer sayin muttin is nuttin sheepmen.”

“Broken ceiling tiles in the South Gym #pierceprobs #theskyisfalling”

-@SLesterPhoto

“When a cockroach crawls on your hand during lab... #pierceprobs”

-@chinobag

There are two statues in the back that feature a Native American man with fangs being stabbed with a knife in the ribs by a bald white-man with a beard, the man is also being struck by an axe in the shoulder from the Native American man.

The other statue shows a white-woman being carried by a Native American man. On the bottom of the statue reads “kidnap,” along with three

other faces with their mouth’s open.

On the sides are more statues, including his family and tombstones of women. One tombstone shows a man lying with his eyes open in front of a

faded tombstone.

Some of the statues’ paint is fading and several of the statues have lost their arms.

The artist Ehn, who was self-taught, created the hidden location for promotion of his

Burbank motel “Old Trapper’s Lodge.” The motel was built in 1941, before he created his statues on Pierce’s campus. He wanted create an Old Western feel to his art, according to www.roadsideamerica.com.

People of Pierce

When Ehn died at the age of 81 in 1981, his motel would be sold by his family to make way for the soon to be built Burbank Airport, according to www.losangelesbeat.com.

-@StoberMarielle

“The place we have right here, we call it like ‘the hut.’ It’s not an official club but dancers just know that we’re there. So dancers come. We kinda act like a club, but it’s not official. [The Hut] was there before I came here. I think like four years ago it might have started. [Dancers] were already there. People would bring speakers. And they’d bring like a floor too. But those people left who brought the floor, so no one brings the floor anymore. But we still bring speakers, that’s mainly how it started. It was just a group of dancers and they just brought a speaker, because we have nothing to do in between classes sometimes, and dancers just come and go.”

Edgar Amezcua / Roundup

Matthew Salinas a 20-year-old dancer shows off his moves outside the Library / Learning Crossroads on Oct. 12 at Pierce College.

Gustavo Sanchez / Roundup

“Old Trapper” statue located in Old Trapperʼs Lodge, a California

Registered Historical Landmark at Pierce College.

“When you have to go to the bathroom and the stall door falls off. #pierceprobs”

California Registered Historical Landmark lives inside the hills of Pierce College

Club experiences rebirth

Child develoment club resurrected after semesters of dormancy

Surrounded by toy kitchenettes and tubs of wooden building blocks, students wait eagerly with notebooks and plain white t-shirts in hand to make sure they garner your attention.

As the club members create art-on-fabric with permanent marker and rubbing alcohol, Child Development Club co-advisor Lila Snow shares her hopes for the newly resurrected club.

According to Snow, the club has been dormant for several semesters after four years of slow activity, but is now starting up again due to an increase of interest in the program.

“It’s tricky to keep the momentum of a club going when you have a two-year campus,” Snow said. “There’s a lot of opportunities right now in our field and we want our students to be able to tap into that.”

The Child Development Club, which meets alternating Mondays and Thursdays at 12:45, set out to cement the footprints of their organization at their second meeting last Thursday in CDAD 6101. In this meeting, members agreed on a mission statement, decided on how to run elections, and made custom T-shirts to promote their club.

“We could hit up to 50 members, though I’d be very happy if we had two-dozen active members,” Snow said.

The club plans to build networks with child development professionals in the industry by attending various conferences. Members of the Child Development Club will attend a conference

called “Fall into Fun” at Valley College hosted by the National Association for Child Development of Young Children. Up to 300 child development professionals will convene to discuss the most pressing matters currently facing the industry and how programs across the country can benefit from new findings, Snow said. According to Snow, the conference is a great place for child development students to meet influential people who may be able to assist them in their educational career.

to suit the growing needs in the child development community.

According to Snow, the child development community is focused on bringing awareness of new teaching techniques about the changing psychology of young minds.

“I’d like to see them feel confident and gain leadership skills,” Snow said. “They can make a difference in children’s and parent’s lives and network with people in the field.”

Kasandra Rubio, child development major, sits front and center waiting for the meeting to begin. Even though it’s only the second time the club has discussed any sort of business, she said she is positive about what’s to come and was eager to join the club when it returned.

“I think everyone is here for a good reason, so we all have that in common. I think it’ll be a good experience for all of us,” Rubio said.

Alyssa Divenedetto, child development major, joined the club to strengthen her skills and work towards her goal of becoming a teacher. Divenedetto believes that the club will grow

“I think it has a good start. Eventually it’ll get bigger and bigger and continue after we’re gone. It will become something everyone in the program wants to be a part of,” Divenedetto said. After a half-hour of group effort, club members put together a new mission statement to suit the club’s new-found energy and future potential.

The Child Development Club’s mission statement is: To make connections in the early childhood and child development community. To network with other students and professionals to stay up to date with current practices and to engage in philanthropic efforts for children and families.

It was then determined that the club would elect its club president, vice president, treasurer and secretary anonymously online via the polling site Surveymonkey. com. The club members will make their case for office in a written post and other members will vote for whoever they think is the most motivated to take on that position.

“The first five years of life are critically important and so we need strong leaders in the field for the better of our future,” Snow said.

Horticulture instructor will help grow program

New instructor uses her agricultural background to “revive” the horticultural program at Pierce

This is St. Clair’s first teaching job since graduating. She earned her bachelor’s degree at California State Bakersfield and her masters in agriculture at California State Poly Pomona.

Despite the recent closing of the Pierce College farm, new agriculture instructor Savanah St. Clair aspires to further grow and develop the agricultural program.

St. Clair began working at Pierce this semester as a fulltime instructor of horticulture and teaches two courses: landscape design and computer landscape design.

“She brings energy and enthusiasm as well as having a background in plant genetics and business,” horticulture instructor John Creedon said.

“I still wasn’t sure where I wanted to go with it and it wasn’t until my thesis at a plant seminar, that I knew I wanted to teach,” St. Clair said.

Before working at Pierce College, St. Clair was an assistant in a college course class for high school students. Students would come ask her for help instead of asking the teacher; this inspired her to become a teacher, St. Clair said.

“The best thing about teaching is being able to enhance students,” St. Clair said. “I really enjoy the chance to connect with students not only in the subject matter but

also helping them on the path to their future.”

Clair said.

St. Clair has enjoyed working at Pierce so far. The faculty and staff have been very kind to her since the very beginning, St. Clair said.

“She’s energetic, motivated and willing to grow the horticulture program to what it used to be and what it once was,” Keith Peabody said.

St. Clair speaks well of Pierce and said she likes the campus.

“It’s a smaller campus than Cal Poly but I’m adapting. But I like it because it’s kind of old fashioned,” St. Clair said.

St. Clair thinks that the best part of her career is the students. In five years she see’s herself still teaching at Pierce College hoping

to continue to enrich the lives of the youth.

Beside being a full-time professor, St. Clair is a mother to four children at home, along with owning a dog named “Halle Berry.” She enjoys belly dancing “and egyptian style dancing; it helps to relieves stress,” she said.

Born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley, St. Clair grew up with an agriculture background. Both her parents worked with plants in some way or another, she said.

Her grandfather built factory farms and constructed the drainage and water systems for them. Her mother had an AA in spanish and her father was an electrical engineer.

“Growing up, my father would push me to do extra work and now I realize that because of him I got this far in my career,” St. Clair said.

As a full-time agriculture instructor, St. Clair’s goal is to change the program in a positive way.

“I want to get the opportunity to revive this program, and develop a new curriculum for the next course that we’ll be offering,” St. Clair said.

Pierce recently got rid of the farm on Victory and De Soto and left the land vacant. According to St. Clair, that land will be used for educational purposes. St. Clair said that the agriculture department will take over that land and along planting agriculture, will be used to conduct research.

“We’re going to restore facilities and build new stuff. It is not all set in stone but it’ll progress,” St.

“I think it has a good start. It will become something everyone in the program wants to be a part of.”

-Alyssa Divenedetto Club member

“She’s energetic, motivated and willing to grow the horticulture program to what it used to be and what it once was.”

-Keith Peabody Instructional Assisitant of Horticulture

MARITZA SERRANO Reporter @MSerranoRU

Joshua Duarte / Roundup

Hayley Carter Dao decorates a t-shirt during the Child Development Club meeting at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif on Sept. 24, 2015.

Raul De Los Santos / Roundup

New horticulture and agriculture instructor, Savanah St. Clair, poses for a portrait at Pierce College on Sept.

ETHAN ROMAN Reporter @EthanRomanoff

Brahmas Ace Ventura

Pierce bounces back after the team’s first loss of the season

SCHEDULE

Oct. 14 to Oct. 21

Water Polo

Wednesday, Oct. 21 vs. Santa Barbara, 3:30 p.m.

Soccer

Friday, Oct. 16 vs. Ventura, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20 vs. Cuesta, 4 p.m.

Football

Saturday, Oct. 17 at Southwest, 6 p.m.

Volleyball

Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Mission, 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 16 vs. Cuesta, 6 p.m.

@VRodriguez2100

The Pierce College volleyball team resumed its winning momentum against Ventura, on Oct. 9 in the South Gym.

The team won in four sets 2523 Ventura, 25-17 Pierce, 25-17 Pierce, 26-24 Pierce. Pierce was fi rst on the scoreboard, quickly gaining a 2-0 lead. The Brahmas were aggressive in the fi rst set, despite losing to the Pirates.

Head Coach of the Ventura College volleyball team, Brad Lyans, explained the dynamics between these two teams.

“We are a very under-sized

team. We play like that every match so it’s not like it’s something new. We were number 20 in the state, [and] they’re number one,” Lyans said. The Brahmas and the Pirates have a mixed history. Lyans is a Pierce College alumni who played on the volleyball team while attending. In addition to having played for Pierce, Lyans also coached the Brahmas for some time.

“We know a lot about them because I went here, because I played here, I coached here with Nabil for many years so I have very strong ties to the program. I know what they do here, I know the style of volleyball they play, and it’s easy to talk about it and work on it at practice,” Lyans said.

Nabil Mardini, head coach of the Pierce College volley-

ball team, wasn’t surprised by the ferocious nature the Pirates displayed when they won the fi rst set.

“Everybody’s going to come hungry against the Brahmas. When you’re number one in the state what do you expect?” Mardini said.

The second set brought about a true back-and-forth between the two teams. The Brahmas managed to establish dominance before an overturned ruling from the main referee gave them the set at 2517.

After losing its undefeated streak, the Brahmas have been waiting to get back on top.

“After Wednesday’s game, the resilience, the bounce-back [they’ve shown]...they kept looking for a way to win. The girls stuck to the game plan, we knew what Ventura was capable

of doing,” Mardini said. Pierce successfully used fakeout tactics and multiple powerful spikes courtesy of sophomore Zaire Dartis, an outside hitter.

“We started off really slow and then I think in the second game we woke up and that’s why it showed in the score,” Dartis said, “We wanted to come back strong from that just to show that we’re not phased by that loss at all.”

The Brahmas fi nished off the third set without a hitch, scoring a tight 25-17 lead. Darrin Rice, a sophomore and team libero, dished out several aces and good serves in general.

“It’s defi nitely not the results we were planning on. We were hoping to take them in three [sets] but you know a win’s a win,” Rice said. “We defi nitely came back ready to win. We never want to feel the feeling we felt on

From U.S. to Spain and back

The Brahmas’ defensive rock in front of

of trophies in her years as a soccer player.

@ZGroffNews

Regardless of the city or country, Pierce College goalkeeper Cindy Godina has always played hard.

From Santa Monica to Spain and now Woodland Hills, Godina has gone from being a 5-year-old afraid of the ball to stopping them for teams across the globe.

Godina has played for teams and clubs including the Granada United Football Club, and a club in Santander, Spain.

Before becoming a Brahma, Godina played for the Santa Monica Corsairs in 2012. She remembered the times when she had to face her current team.

“My favorite soccer moment was when we played a tournament in Nomad [California]. It was a semifinal game and I blocked all the penalty kicks,” Godina said.

Godina’s favorite player is Jan Oblak, who plays for her favorite team, Atletico Madrid.

“The way he plays is just amazing,” Godina said. “His technique and the way he communicates is just great.”

Goalies often have to coordinate and arrange the defense, sometimes by yelling commands in order to communicate to their teammates.

“When it comes to the game, what I have to do is yell at them to direct them,” Godina said. “On the field I am a very talkative person.”

“[When] playing against Pierce, we had to go hard,” Godina said. “We had to win the game.”

Between her years at Santa Monica and her current season as a Brahma, Godina took a sabbatical from college to play abroad in Spain as a member of Granada United.

“My favorite trophy was winning State Cup with Granada United, my last year of playing club,” Godina said.

Godina has brought home plenty

Godina warms up for games by listening to spanish music by her favorite musician, Marc Anthony.

For Godina, being a Brahma is not being a part of an entirely new team.

“Most of these girls I [have] played with in club from the State Cup team, so we just have a bond together,” Godina said.

Sophomore defender Stephanie Alcazar, has played with Godina on both Granada United and Pierce

College. “She is the rock to the whole team,” Alcazar said. “Everybody [is] part of the team, but in order to have an even stronger team, you have to have the strongest in the back.”

Throughout the season, Godina has made 28 saves according the California Community College Ath-

Wednesday again so I think we came in ready to work hard.”

Kristen White, a freshman and outside hitter played through a sprained ankle.

“It was a good match. I sprained my ankle on Sunday, it’s really bad...I was out Monday. I didn’t get to serve Wednesday, and I’m number four in the western conference for serving so I wanted to come back strong and really bring it to the court,” White said.

The desire to win drove both teams into a 15-15 tie in the fourth set. The Brahma’s defense resembled a brick wall, and the Pirates returned heavy fi re.

In the fi nal moments of the fourth and fi nal set, the score was 25-24 with Pierce needing one last point to end the match. The Pirates failed keep the ball alive on a spike to end the game, and

Brahma

Volleyball

letic Association.

“I think it was the fifth minute of the second half, and a player from Fresno made a shot to the right hand corner and she made an amazing save.” said Assistant Coach Cruz Hernandez.

the Brahmas celebrated the team’s hard earned victory. Surprising still is the fact the former number 20 team in the state pushed Pierce into four sets before losing the game. “That’s the number one team in the state right there. They’re number one, and we just did that to them,” Lyans said.

of the

Week

Shari Volpis - Outside Hitter

Shari Volpis had 32 kills in two games last week. Nineteen of them came in a bounce-back win against Ventura College on Friday, Oct. 9.

How does it feel to be named player of the week?

“It feels good. I’ve been working really hard and I’ve been trying to make changes. Nabil always says to work hard all the time and over time and I feel that’s what I’ve been doing. So it feels good to be noticed.”

What are things you are trying to improve as the season goes forward?

“I’m kind of stiff with my approach. Also presenting myself at a good angle so I can have a wider fan.”

What are some of your strengths as a volleyball player?

“I’m able to pull through in big moments and I don’t make too many errors.

How would you describe your experience playing with this particular team?

“I love all the girls and know a lot about all of them. I’d say we are all pretty close. There can always be improvements but as teammates we are close.”

What are your expectations for your team for the rest of the season?

“We already lost one game. I don’t want to lose one more. We want to win state.”

the net is a keeper

“She is the rock to the whole team. Everbody [is] part of the team.”

- Stephanie Alcazae Sophomore Defender

Christopher Mulrooney / Roundup Cindy Godina, the Brahmas goalkeeper, poses for a portrait at the pit during soccer practice on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Pierce College Woodland Hills, Calif.

Joshua Duarte / Roundup

Rachel Lods (9) and Chelsea Lawrence (4) attempt to block a hit during a match against Ventura College in the Pierce College South Gym on Friday, Oct. 9 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ Opinions Editor

ZAC GROFF Reporter

Photo by Luis Ayala Quotes gathered by Salvador Fariaz

Football drops second game

Brahmas drop second game of the season to Pirates

MITCH NODELMAN Reporter @MitchNodelman

Turnovers and sloppy play caused the Pierce College Brahmas its second loss to the Orange Coast Pirates at home on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The Brahmas, ranked second in the state in defense, were easily defeated. Pierce’s offense never got into a rhythm against a savvy Pirate defense and lost 35-7.

Both teams would turn the ball more than five times each, with Pierce failing to capitalize and score on any of the Pirates’ turnovers.

“They controlled the line of scrimmage,” said Pierce Head Coach Jason Sabolic. “We made some bad reads and bad decisions and we turned the ball over way too much.”

Every time it seemed the Brahmas were starting to find a rhythm, they would turn the ball over in opponent territory.

Quarterback Sean Smith, had a roughing outing, throwing two interceptions, both to Brandon Worthy. Smith was constantly being pressured and forced out the pocket, and didn’t seem to be comfortable all night.

Smith, threw a crucial red-zone interception, in the closing minutes of the second quarter, into the arms of Brandon Worthy, to erase all momentum.

“He [Smith] just didn’t look like himself tonight,” Sabolic said. “We’re going back to the drawing board, to do some things that make him more successful.”

Defensively, Pierce was never able to stop Orange Coast widereceiver, Stefan Derrick, who had five catches for 110-yards and three touchdowns on the night, he constantly beat out Brahmas’ defenders.

Orange Coast Head Coach, Kevin Emerson, said the Pirates

Friends with a kick

himself well,” Waters said.

“Edward is learning and getting himself better.”

“Every day we’re always competing, it doesn’t cause any strain on our friendship. We know it’s just a job and at the end of the day the better man’s going to start. Once practice is out and games are done it’s back to brotherhood,” Avila said. “This brotherhood is not going to break apart that easily.”

Teammate Eric Waters, cornerback, said that they’re very hardworking, they get better and better every day.

“Oscar is under a lot of pressure, but has been handling

“They’re like Beavis and Butthead,” said teammate Nick Fields, fullback.

Off the field Gonzalez and Avila are hanging out at each other’s houses, swimming or playing video games together.

Each also insists that the other is a copycat. Both of them are Criminal Justice Major’s, want to transfer to the same college, dress similarly and used to play soccer.

“I played soccer for a couple years, but I left because I felt like

it wasn’t a man’s game,” Avila said.

Gonzalez said that he played soccer his whole life, but quit once he started playing football in college.

The two expressed interest in becoming police officers together.

“Maybe he could be my F.B.I partner,” Gonzalez said.

The teammates would also like to go to the same college together, whether that’s Oregon University or Washington University.

“If I get a scholarship, great, if I don’t I know my academic success will carry me through life,” Avila said.

were able to find success throwing the deep-ball against the Brahmas one-on-one coverage.

“We have a pretty good receiving core,” Emerson said. “Our quarterback can throw a pretty good deep ball, and we were able to throw some deep balls and come down with it.”

Pierce also had trouble, again, with penalties, although the Brahmas were flagged less during the night, than in in their previous games, those fouls proved to be crucial drive-killers.

“This week was probably our best week, we actually went through a whole first quarter without a penalty,” Sabolic said.

“I don’t think i’ve ever been apart of a football program at Pierce where we went a quarter without committing a foul.”

Sabolic said the team’s goal was to commit 10 or less penalties, but Pierce barely achieved that goal committing 10 penalties for 78-yards.

“If we reached our goal, I would be ok with that,” Sabolic said.

There weren’t many good plays for the Brahmas to look back on, but linebacker Tanner Kanteman’s performance was a bright spot in an otherwise rough night.

Kanteman had an interception, a fumble-recovery, 10 tackles and a nice 35-yard run, off of a fake-punt to put the Brahmas’ on the Pirate four-yard line.

“I was just doing what I can for my team,” Kanteman said. “We didn’t play to our full potential tonight.”

Sabolic said if the team was to slip up this would’ve been a good time to since it’s a non-division game.

“We’re going to erase this out of our memory banks and we’re going to move forward and go back to playing Brahma football,” Sabolic said.

Pierce (3-2) will play L.A. Southwest (1-4) on Saturday, Oct. 17 on the road at 6 p.m.

@RoundupSports

Volleyball gets first loss of the season

Vaqueros put an end to Pierce volleyball’s undefeated season.

Brahmas gets its first loss against Santa Barbara on Wednesday Oct.7 with a score of 3-1.

The Vaqueros challenged the Brahmas by going into four sets but the Brahmas were able to win only one set.

The highlight of the game was 15 kills by outside hitter Zaire Dartis and 17 digs by libero Darrin Rice.

Brahmas will be hosted by Mission College on Wednesday Oct.14 as they seek to get back its winning streak again.

Soccer end with a draw

The Brahmas ended up tieing with the score of 0-0 against the Vaqueros on a Friday, Oct.9.

The game resulted with both teams shooting back and forth but couldn’t manage to score.

Both goalkeepers kept the ball out of their side as they made three saves throughout the game.

The Brahmas next match are against the Ventura College Pirates on Oct. 16.

Luis Ayala / Roundup

Brahma kickers Edward Avila and Oscar Gonzalez practice kicking field goals at John Shepard Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 8 in Woodland Hills Calif.

Gustavo Sanchez / Roundup

Tanner Kanteman (47) tackles Kyle White (22) during the game against the Orange Coast College Pirates on Oct. 10, 2015 in John Shephard Stadium at Pierce College.