Faculty and staff are failing to comply with COVID precautions

Hundreds of employees haven't completed self-check ins and mandatory training

BY ANASTASIYA OREL Reporter

With the return of campus life, Pierce College’s Academic Senate addressed pressing issues and concerns, including COVID precautions and student graduation petitions, on Oct. 11.

Integrating the Biocept and Cleared4 companies into student and faculty protection details, Interim President Ara Aguiar said many have not taken the opportunity to create profiles or participate in self-monitoring on the apps.

“There are 288 individuals, both staff and faculty, that have not opened the link at all,” Aguiar said. “Additionally, there are 982 individuals from our campus that have not done the COVID-19 mandatory training. This is mandatory and has nothing to do with the district.”

Aguiar said an email has been created to try and reach out to those who have not completed their profiles on the apps, as well as answer any questions and concerns regarding the implementation and practice of COVID protocols.

Alongside the COVID protocols, staff members brought up the issue of a backlog on getting student’s graduation petitions cleared.

Aguiar said the backlog is due to Pierce under-staffment.

“Pierce has been experiencing this for over three years and has been asking help from Valley, Mission, and West,” Aguiar said. “I think we have been, as a college, underperforming in that area, have been under-counting our students’ achievements.”

Aguiar said that the external evaluation process is working to remove any barriers that are not necessary. She said she had also approved a desk audit to many of the registered systems to evaluate the position Pierce staff have in ANR, in efforts to increase the scope of work as it relates to the evaluation process.

Acting Vice President of Student Services Juan Carlos Astorga said the goal is to create a procedure for.

“The expectation would be that by having multiple evaluators that are then spread out, they’re able to correctly be doing it,” Astorga said.

“Right now we went from four evaluators to one and a half so the goal is to really grow the staffing that will be able to then train and be effective at getting these processed quickly.”

Director of the Transfer Center Sunday Salter discussed the events and opportunities provided to students to enable and encourage them in transferring and positioning for graduation.

“We are on campus and are working with students that are coming,” Salter said. “We have a ton of students that also use it online so we work Monday through Thursday eight to seven, and Fridays eight to four.”

Salter said that once you navigate onto the Transfer page, students are able to see events and workshops linked on a master calendar for the fall semester. There are also statewide fairs that are happening with students who are currently not attending school on campus. Other ways to contact counselors besides appointments are through the recently established Zoom Lounge and Live Chat found on the Transfer page.

“We no longer have to do everything virtually, we can do things in person,” Macaraeg said. “It’s a refreshing experience and a refreshing atmosphere as well.”

Macaraeg says students need the most help in the afternoon. On Tuesdays he works from 2-7 p.m. and on Wednesdays he works from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Answering people’s questions is the bulk of my job,” Macaraeg said. “It’s really enhancing my people skills and I’m enjoying learning how to speak with others more efficiently, clearly and in a professional manner.”

He believes that it is important to get involved and find his place within anywhere. He says that place for him was at the Career and Transfer Center.

“They took me in openly and they were the ones that helped me realize that anyone can find a place here in Pierce College,” Macaraeg said.

He really wanted to begin his professional career so he decided to submit his job application anywhere he could. This included any jobs that the Federal Work Study Program offered including the Career and Transfer Center.

A week later after applying, Macaraeg explained that he got an email about a follow up interview.

“A week after that email I spoke and interviewed with them,” Macaraeg said. “Three hours later, they emailed me that I got the position. It happened all so sudden and unexpected. It was an unexpected pleasure to get that offer and be employed here at Pierce.”

William Macaraeg says as a student worker it is important to always keep learning. Those that are willing to learn and devote themselves to giving their best is what is needed to get hired.

“Keep asking questions and keep being persistent in what you want,” Macaraeg said.

Career and Transfer Center

Graduate Intern Elizabeth Galadjian is usually in the Zoom Lounge where students can pop in and ask quick questions or have longer sessions if necessary. Students can be taken into breakout rooms to review applications, personal statements and anything regarding the transfer process.

Salter said a Transfer Center Canvas shell is hoped to launch on Oct. 18 to allow students to post discussion questions about the transfer and graduation application process and a counselor is able to respond to them without an appointment or walk-in.

Galadjian also runs the Brahma Jobs Instagram account, @piercectc. Weekly highlights are posted as well as podcasts and articles to keep students informed.

“I highlight three positions every week,” Galadjian said. “The highlight has the job title, the company, and where the job is located.”

Podcasts include topics about transferable skills, personal insight from mentors about becoming a mentor and job searching during COVID.

Galadjian said that a lot of the articles have a common theme in regards to virtual communication and landing a job remotely which are found through Brahma Jobs.

Galadjian said that students can find local and farther out positions in Santa Monica, Encino and Thousand Oaks. She said positions vary from office assistants, file clerks as well as jobs related to majors.