still pending

not uploaded vaccination proof, which prompted an all-staff email to be sent regarding a grace period.

Although the grace period concluded on Nov. 3, disciplinary action will not take place immediately because too many employees would need to be monitored.

“We will continue to send out messages and finalize our discipline process with our labor groups through the Labor

Caucus,” Gutierrez said. “We will not be extending another grace period.”

Faculty Guild representative

Joanne Waddell said that reducing class size and in-person services should be taken into consideration when discussing the safety of students, faculty and staff.

“Not only does [reducing these services] amplify the advantage of masks, sharing less air reduces the risk of poor ventilation that still needs to be corrected,” Waddell said.

“ Reduced class sizes gives instructors and students the opportunity to engage in dialogue and immediate answers to immediate questions.”

Waddell also urged the Board to listen carefully to students who would share their experiences living through pandemic related concerns.

The meeting turned to address homelessness as Pierce College ASO Senator Dustin Lopez said that many concerns in the community included housing insecurity.

“About 550,000 people in the United States experience homelessness, and about 150,000 individuals that are living in California do not have a home to live in,” Lopez said. “This problem has been circulating throughout higher education, and has been hindering future students from pursuing an education, negatively affecting the LACCD system.”

Lopez said statistics show that 55% of LACCD students experience housing insecurity and 18.6% experience homelessness. Lopez asked the Board of Trustees to use two billion dollars to build temporary housing for future students so that they can seek out numerous careers.

In other business, student Ruben Estrada said LACCD students are experiencing economic inequalities.

“Fifty-three percent of LACCD students reported having an income at or below the poverty line,” Estrada said.

Trustee David Vela said that in a budget committee meeting on Oct. 20, the state wide $2 billion budget allocation for staff and student housing was reviewed.

“We also reviewed our statewide $10 million dollar budget allocation for the LGBTQ Support Program and Services,” Vela said. “A lot of the student housing insecurity is vastly represented by our LGBTQ student population and I want to thank everyone for their participation and support.”

Student Trustee Coraima Martinez said she was happy to share that the next Student Affairs Committee meeting will be held in person.

“This will be the first Student Affairs Committee meeting that will be held in person on Nov. 12 since we have transferred online,” Martinez said. “LACC is so gracious to host us, it will be held in the conference room on the second floor of the student union building.”

She hopes that one of the trustees will join the meeting in person since she believes that the student representatives that will be in attendance have not met any of the trustees in person.

Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez was very happy to announce that six out of nine LACCD colleges were recognized as 2021 Equity Champions of Transfer Excellence for Latino students.

“I really wanted to thank and recognize these colleges East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Valley College and West Los Angeles College,” Rodriguez said.

The campaign will have a celebration ceremony on Nov. 14 to recognize the institutions.

“By far, no other district has this many colleges that are being recognized for getting our students from here to the four year CSU’s,” Rodriguez said.

Street Beat

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?

“I love fall and winter because IʼmahomebodyandIliketobe inside where itʼs warm when itʼs cold outside. I love the winter because of Christmas and spendingtimewithmyfamily.”

-NazarethHailey