Volume 136 Spring 2022 Roundup Issue 2

Protests during Board of Trustees

BY CECILIA PARADA Editor-in-Chief

The Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) mission statement vows to foster student success for all individuals seeking advancement through providing equitable and supportive learning environments.

But students with disabilities have not been afforded that luxury.

On March 3, the Board of Trustees and LACCD said in a press release they have unanimously voted against filing certiorari and will seek additional mediation instead.

The decision came after dozens of students with disabilities, community members and disability rights activists spoke at the Board of Trustees meeting on March 2 to support two blind LACCD students.

Roy Payan and Portia Mason filed a lawsuit in 2017 against the District with the support of the National Federation of the Blind.

The lawsuit alleged disability discrimination after the District failed to provide proper accommodations to the two students, which violated the students’ civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Payan said students with disabilities have the right to

expect a decent education and cited the 30 years since the ADA and the 49 years since Section 504 was passed.

“You have 50 years of legislation to fix the system. This institution continued to buy systems that didn't work,” Payan said. “That's not my problem. It's yours. Start buying [accessible] systems or work with us. That's what we're asking for. Ignorance, indifference and neglect are not valid excuses for you to continue to take our rights away.”

Since the lawsuit was filed, California courts have ruled in favor of Payan and Mason twice. Activists asked the board to not file certiorari, a motion that would move the case to the

United States Supreme Court. Executive Counsel for the Association of Higher Education and Disability Paul David Grossman said the actions threatened by the District are hypocritical of their mission statement.

“We all may be and likely will be individuals with disabilities at some point in our life,” Grossman said. “I hope the day does not come when you need the protections of those laws. And they're weak, because you weaken them. You cannot both promise that you want to educate students with disabilities and care about and support students with disabilities, and at the very same time, disrespect and

Payan vs. LACCD

According to the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) in 2019, the students successfully proved to the court that class materials were not accessible to them because screenreading software was not compatible.

The judge ruled that LACCD would not be required to do anything if it amounted to “an undue financial or administrative burden or would result in the fundamental alteration.”

LACCD appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that plaintiffs should not be allowed to file claims using the “disparate impact” theory of discrimination, which is unintentional, under the ADA and Section 504.

The appeal was ruled in favor of Payan and Mason. The appellate court ruled that the ADA and Section 504 were made to specifically address intentional and unintentional discrimination.

But Judge Kenneth K. Lee disagreed. Lee said the ADA and Section 504 only prohibit intentional discrimination.

damage civil rights. You cannot both honor and hold our rights hostage as a negotiation tool.”

Associate Dean of Services for Students with Disabilities at LA Valley College David Green echoed Grossman’s concerns and said if the District decides to move forward, it would be advocating for the removal of the ADA, a necessary tool for many searching for equal access to education.

“These actions are at odds with our own guiding principles and have the potential to permanently scar our District's reputation on how we include, educate and support our students with disabilities,” Green said.

LACCD Director of

On Nov. 17, LACCD lawyers told the federal trial court to place a hold on the case as the District was planning on moving the case to the United States Supreme Court.

The DREDF said if the District were successful the Supreme Court would rule the ADA and Section 504 do not prohibit disparate impact. Unintentional discrimination accounts for many cases of discrimination against people with disabilities, potentially devastating the ADA and Section 504.

Communications and External Relations William Boyer said to the Los Angeles Times that the District does not seek to challenge the constitutionality of the ADA.

“The issue right now is whether a person should be able

to sue a publicly funded entity, and to profit from taxpayer money, for non-intentional discrimination,” Boyer said.

[See Payan vs. LACCD on pg. 3]

CSUN hosts Ukraine vigil

BY MICHAEL MORENO Photographer

Avigil dedicated to Ukraine was held outside of the California State University Northridge University Library on Wednesday afternoon, after Russia declared war on Ukraine almost two weeks ago.

On Feb. 21, two separatist states in the Donbas region of Ukraine were recognized by the Russian government, and—just a few days later—a full-scale invasion was launched on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Students heard perspectives from the faculty and students on the Russian invasion and how it has impacted those who have family living in the region.

Ukrainian-born high school student Polina Tatarchenko came out to support her fellow Ukrainian sisters who attend CSUN and Cal State Fullerton.

Tatarchenko stressed the importance of informing others on

Volleyball drops conference game

the situation.

“It’s just hard not being able to do anything from here, but when you just come out and see other Ukrainians and Russian people supporting it. It’s probably like a big junk of awareness and happiness that will maybe push something through,” Tatarchenko said.

Tatarchenko was glad to hear the Ukrainian military and its citizens holding off Russian advances.

“I am so proud of my people because they’re just normal citizens that weren’t even in the military,” Tatarchenko said. “They’re fighting.”

Tatarchenko also shared that her family is on the ground helping many Ukrainian families cross over the border to Poland.

Mariia Nikitash, a Ukrainian-born student, explained why it’s important to make sure that the voices of Ukrainian brothers and sisters are heard.

“It’s our country, our families are there,” Nikitash said. “There’s nothing more important than to be together and be in touch.”

Many Ukrainian families like Nikitash’s are hiding in shelters

waiting for the battle between the two countries to cease.

Those who weren’t of Ukrainian descent still came out to support and better understand what is really happening in Ukraine.

CSUN student Christian Ochoa was walking to his next class when he stumbled on the vigil.

“I noticed this crowd and saw the [Ukrainian] flags and the speaker. [Mariia Nikitash's] words are very powerful,” Ochoa said. “I’m very saddened by it and to know her family is over there in Ukraine. She's doing a lot by being here.”

Ochoa expressed resentment toward Vladimir Putin, dismissing the invasion as “completely wrong” and citing the freedom of Ukrainians as “being at stake.”

Vigils have been held across the nation and on campuses like New York University, where about 400 members filled in the Kimmel Center on Monday, Feb. 28.

mmoreno.roundupnews@gmail.com

Photo by Michael Moreno

High school student Polina Tatarchenko stands with the Ukrainian flag during a vigil at CSUN in Northridge, Calif., on Mar. 2, 2022.

Photo Illustration by Trisha Anas

2 Opinions STREET BEAT

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?

Heritage workshops

Although several months of the year are dedicated to recognizing minority communities, many individuals do not know how to be an ally or offer support to these groups.

During heritage months, Pierce could host several workshops and events to help attendees be better allies and to teach them about the struggles minorities face.

EDITORIAL:

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These workshops could easily be held on Zoom or in person. Each event could be dedicated to a certain topic, such as mental health, education and racism.

Such events and workshops could be free and hosted by Umoja or the Associated Student Organization.

During Black History Month, the University of California Irvine held several campus events. Experts were invited to speak

about their experiences as Black individuals. Other events were dedicated to specific topics and included open discussions. Pierce could cover topics like language barriers, microaggressions, police engagement with people of color and immigration.

California State University

Long Beach also hosted events throughout Black History Month, including “table talk” Zoom sessions where attendees

had conversations about race and issues that affected their community. Other virtual events included trivia sessions about the history of racial issues.

To ensure these workshops are engaging, Pierce also could include quick trivia questions at the end of each workshop and give small prizes such as gift cards or candy. The workshops could dedicate some time for questions and answers. To conclude each

From the desk of the Roundup

Book it to the library

The COVID-19

pandemic is gradually improving, and more students have returned to in-person learning.

But students who started classes at Pierce College might not be familiar with what services the Library has to offer.

The Library should hold a book fair on campus and have an information tent to tell students about their online database and

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-Eric Miller

their One Book, One Campus program. They could also partner up with the local Ten Dollar or Less Bookstore and have the students from the Performing Arts department hold outdoor entertainment.

According to an article on the Daily Bruin, when University of California Los Angeles before the pandemic hosted an annual LA Times Festival of Books, it

brought together about 140,000 literary fans each spring, including students and local residents.

The book fair could be like the Festival of Books, but on a smaller scale. It could be held either on the Mall or Parking Lot 7. Pierce could also invite local food trucks and vendors from around the Valley.

Each of the booths could have books related to different departments at Pierce. For

example, music books could be placed at the Performing Arts Department booth. That way, everyone at Pierce has the opportunity to be involved.

The college could encourage students to visit each booth by creating a stamp card. If a student gets to each booth, they would earn a gift card to either the Student Store or the Ten Dollar or Less Bookstore.

As for COVID-19 precautions,

workshop, Pierce could share a list of resources, local events and protests, websites or readings that individuals could use to become a better ally. By hosting such events, Pierce can strengthen its relationship with minority communities and offer them a supportive environment.

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Pro: Sí, se puede

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-Karen Rosales

Learning another language is a great benefit. It can help personally, socially and economically Studies have shown that studying foreign languages results in respect for others.

A study from the University of Georgia states that, “The study of foreign languages teaches and encourages respect for other peoples.”

By understanding another language, you are able to appreciate the other person's culture, language and viewpoint.

You get the sense of who they are. It will make your interactions and words more considerate.

When compared to someone who knows only one language, being bilingual can help you gain employment.

According to FluentU web content writer Katherine Kostiuk, “Salary.com found that jobs with pay

differentials based on bilingualism usually pay 5-20% more per hour for bilingual employee. MIT economist Albert Saiz discovered that college graduates who speak two languages make an average of 2% more than those who do not.”

This might not sound like a lot, but over time it will add up. Once you retire, this can add up to $60,000.

Additionally, if you're bilingual, it looks way better on your resume than on that of someone who only knows one language.

Knowing another language can also aid in connecting with others in your workplace.

A recent report from Nielsen goes as far as saying that “marketers and advertisers who grasp and activate the multicultural edge will be poised to connect with rising super consumers.”

Employers prefer to hire people who speak more than one language over those who only speak one. Plus, you'll be able to meet new types of people and connect to your coworkers.

This speaks even more if you

live in Southern California. There is more diversity here and many languages are spoken here. This is due to it being one of the most diverse states.

Learning or knowing a foreign language can help you become more social and improve your social life. It also expands your brain to unbelievable heights.

According to the Lead with Languages website, “People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problemsolving and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask and better listening skills.”

In addition to being good for socializing, in the workplace and improving the brain, learning a new language can also be fun.

Learning a new language or becoming bilingual has many benefits and there is no reason that foreign language classes shouldn't be taken.

spectators should still be required to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status, and each booth should at least have a bottle of hand sanitizer ready.

Holding a book fair would be a great opportunity for both student and community engagement, and it would help book lovers across the San Fernando Valley turn to a new chapter in the pandemic.

newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com

Con: Comó se dice, waste of time?

ANASTASIYA OREL Managing Editor

Taking a foreign language class for a minimum of two years in high school is a requirement in order to graduate. Students transitioning from high school to college get excited about the idea of choosing their majors and the coursework they can take.

Por que (Spanish: Why) would students need to take courses they have already taken in high school?

En quoi cela aiderait-il les étudiants (French: How would this help students)?

It wouldn’t. Students who decide on a major start crafting their schedule with classes that are designated to help them succeed in that major.

Say a Biology student at Pierce was required to take a foreign language class for a total of five units instead of two courses related to the major for the same amount of units. The language class would be taking up time and effort for majorrelated courses to fill a requirement that the student most likely will not use after the class.

The Atlantic reported that roughly 93% of high schools in the United States offered language courses and yet less than 1% of American adults are versed in a foreign language that they had learned.

If so few people utilize the foreign language classes they took, then למה לקחת את זה בכלל (Hebrew: Why take it at all)? Learning a foreign language can be exceedingly difficult and may cause some students to get anxious. There’s even a name for it: Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) or “xenoglossophobia”, the fear of

speaking foreign languages. Many languages have been dropped as requirements due to difficulty, complexity, and uncertainty.

Inside Higher Ed reported that between the years 2013 and 2016, foreign language enrollments had dropped 9.2%. They had also reported only 7.5 foreign language enrollments per 100 students enrolled in American colleges in 2016.

An argument that can be made for why taking a foreign language class is beneficial is that it exceeds competition for transfers and college applications, as well as careers. If proficiency in a foreign language demonstrates that a student is competitive, then which language is the most scouted?

Figuring out which foreign language(s) would be a requirement for college coursework and graduation is another obstacle to overcome.

Ed Tech Review reported that more than 75% of the world speaks English and is considered the official language of many countries. It also reported that Korean is spoken by more than 75 million people worldwide.

The English language was once considered a foreign language to many outside of the United States. If the case is that English is now predominantly used around the world, what does that say for other languages?

Will languages circulate and drop like a trend? There is no use requiring foreign languages classes if the competition constantly changes.

Photo Illustration by Anastasiya Orel

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-MelissaJauregui

JOEL ROBLES Reporter

Higher education without fear of debt Free community college bill announced

BY JAYNA KUKLIN Copy Editor and reporter

Paying for community college can be tough.

Taking into account the textbooks, scantrons, and enrollment fees- it can get expensive.

What if there was a way to make community college more affordable?

A press conference held on Feb. 17 by Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees member Mike Fong, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis and other community members celebrated the introduction of AB 2266.

The AB 2266 legislation expands the California College Promise (CCP) program to provide two years of free community college to all fulltime students, regardless of their status as either a firsttime freshman or a returning student.

The CCP was previously only offered to first-time college students that were enrolled full-time under AB 19.

Santiago said expanding CCP will advance the lives of many Californians by providing two years of free tuition to full-time community college students.

“Community college changed my life," Santiago said. “It gave me choices, opportunities and it opened

doors. Educating communities empowers communities, plain and simple.”

Outreach Representative for Granada, Magnolia Science Academy V, and Kennedy High Schools Nasha Avijeh shared a positive review of the bill.

“I think the legislation is great,” Avijeh said. “It gives students a chance to actually go to school and provide for

themselves on the side.”

In 2018-19 and 201920, the Promise Program helped 28,967 students that received a Promise Fee Waiver via AB 19. In 202021 (Currently calculatedmay not be complete), there were 33,003 students that received a Promise Fee Waiver via AB 19.

However, AB 2266 has also garnered some concerns,

primarily from Pierce College Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter.

“Not every student is able to be full-time as the bill requires them to be to qualify for the free tuition,” Salter said. “Typically around 60% of our students are part-time because they are working. Perhaps free tuition would allow them to work fewer hours, giving students more

time in their schedules to take more classes and provide more free time to study.”

Salter stated that her primary concern lies within students biting off more than they can chew when it comes to classes and consequently struggling.

“We usually recommend a specific time formula for success,” Salter said. “For every hour a student spends

in class, they should spend two hours outside of class studying. I don’t know how many students do this equation and have time set aside like this but certainly if you’re working and taking care of family members- the first thing to go is the study time.”

jkuklin.roundupnews@gmail.com

Payan vs. LACCD: Standing up to the District

[Continued from pg. 1]

Guest speaker Ashley Rodriguez criticized Boyer’s statement and said the disabled community is only asking for changes to be made.

“These people are asking for basic human rights,” Rodriguez said. “They're not asking for taxpayer money. They're asking for accommodations to be made so they can pass classes, and to finish school and move on to higher education. It’s so they

can make salaries and be great members of society.”

Among the speakers was lifelong activist Jennifer KeelanChaffins, who participated in the “Capitol Crawl” in 1990 when she was 8 years old.

According to an ABC News article, Keelan-Chaffins got out of her wheelchair and climbed the Capitol steps, which took her nearly an hour.

"As a matter of fact, I said, 'I'll take all night if I have to,'"

Keelan-Chaffins told ABC News.

Keelan-Chaffins said the effect of LACCD taking Payan vs. LACCD to the Supreme Court would decelerate the progress and impact the ADA has in terms of education, housing and employment for people with disabilities.

“I am demanding that the Board of Trustees stop their efforts to undermine the ADA and Section 504 protections,”

Keelan-Chaffins said. “I did the Capitol Crawl to represent my generation and future generations of kids with disabilities. And if you continue on this path, you will be putting a barrier in our way. I am willing to make that climb again. And as I said 32 years ago, I will take all night if I have to.”

On March 3, the Board of Trustees and LACCD said in a press release they have unanimously voted against

filing certiorari and will seek additional mediation instead.

Board Vice President David Vela said in the statement the Trustees support and understand the importance of the ADA. He praised the people who took their time to voice their concerns to the District.

“Their strong, heart-felt beliefs resonate with us and it is our desire to bring quick closure to the case,” Vela said.

LACCD Chancellor Francisco

Where’d Everybody Go?

Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter said that students have had a difficult time transitioning back to in-person classes due to the pandemic.

“Students are going through a lot in their personal lives,” Salter said. “We get anecdotal data from student feedback and what they tell us is that it’s hard for them to focus on school when they’re struggling with family and work.”

Salter said that many students have made school a back burner in their lives, putting more effort and concentration into other situations and tasks. Pierce has been putting effort into creating a more flexible and convenient schedule for students who are trying to come back onto campus.

BY ANASTASIYA OREL Managing Editor

It’s become a quiet walk to class as students slowly leave campus one week at a time. The OWLS in the classrooms are starting to hoot and the computer fans become louder and louder as more students join the Zoom call. Pierce College has become

the second-lowest class enrollment size college out of all nine colleges in the district. The recent Pierce College Council (PCC) meeting spotlighted a drop in student influx of about 84% compared to 2021.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many students switched to online learning.

As the spring semester brought on dual-delivery and hybrid courses, students maintained

their virtual education.

Distance Education Coordinator Wendy Bass said Pierce College is trying to encourage students to come to in-person classes.

“I love seeing students on campus; it makes me happy,” Bass said. “We want to make sure that we continue to offer all the different avenues for students to successfully complete whatever their goal is and figure out what

we can do to get our students to come back on campus.”

Bass said that Pierce College is not the only college affected by low enrollment.

“The entire state is impacted, it’s not just our district,” Bass said. “Our goal is to have it be where we offer students the schooling that works for them because all of our students learn differently and everyone has a preference.”

“We’re trying to offer different lengths of classes,” Salter said. “Instead of a 16 week class which is a traditional semester, we’d get 8-week courses, 10-week sessions to try and encourage students to come back.”

Salter said that another factor that plays into Pierce’s drop in class enrollment sizes have been the lack of administrative position presence.

“Another piece of the puzzle is that we’ve lost some administrators,” Salter said.

C. Rodriguez said the District remains committed to reaching a settlement that will allow more inclusive and responsive educational services.

“The District is a strong and vociferous advocate for students with disabilities and we remain steadfast in our primary mission to help our students achieve their higher education goals,” Francisco Rodriguez said.

cparada.roundupnews@gmail.com

“The people who would have done the work aren’t at Pierce right now. It makes it really hard to get things accomplished when there’s no one in the role that would typically be doing that.”

Associated Students Organization (ASO) Club President Qais Azizi said that Pierce has Enrollment Management, a committee made up of faculty, students, and staff that are designated to address enrollment issues.

In the recent PCC meeting, Azizi said that the committee has thought of a few ideas to encourage on-campus student presence.

“We’ve talked about bringing on student leaders or mentors from the Peer-Mentor program to create some ‘welcome back’ or useful videos like how to get testing on campus,” Azizi said.

“We can post on our website or social media as we work transition back into campus and welcome our newer students.”

Pierce College will be sending out surveys during the middle of the spring semester in an effort to get statistical data and more student feedback on how it can improve the classes offered as well as tackle low class enrollment sizes.

File Photo by Chris Torres

The Bull statue with blue and yellow balloons on UCLA/CSUN Day at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on May 2, 2019.

Photo Illustration by Jasmine Casanova

Men's Volleyball Baseball Swim

Women's basketball Men's Basketball

Men's hoops returned to the court

Brahmas competed in the midst of the pandemic

BY JAYNA KULKIN

Copy Editor and Reporter

Up-and-downs are good for amusement parks.

Unfortunately, in sports, that’s a different matter.

The Brahmas lost to San Bernardino Valley in their last game of the season 81-67 on Feb. 21. The in a game was originally scheduled for Jan. 17, adding onto a two game losing streak.

The Brahmas finished the season with an overall record of 12-16 and a 3-9 record in the Western State Conference.

Shooting guard EJ Bushner had a mixed reaction to how the season went.

“We played well at home but we could have played better at away games,” Bushner said.

Basketball Pierce started their season dropping thetheir first two games of the season against versus West LA and Cypress for the O’Fallon and Singui Classic Showcase and the Santa Monica Showcase.

After the two showcases, Pierce went on to win the Skip Robinson Classic versus Glendale Community College as well as having a mixed record at the Gregg Anderson Memorial Tournament versus Cerro Coso and Rio Hondo.

Point and shooting guard Hector Page said there was a lack of understanding amongst the roster.

“There actually was conflict between some of the players at the start of the season,” Page said. “But we ended up getting past it and learned how to work together as a team.”

Bushner also stated that it felt different playing during the pandemic.

Page was more critical about playing during the pandemic, specifically about going through the process.

“Playing during COVID was the worst thing ever,” Page said. “The whole process [taking Covid tests and getting vaccinated] was annoying, and we just wanted to get out there and play.”

The pandemic had a negative impact on Pierce as a whole when it came to athletics, but it seemed

to have negatively impacted basketball the most. Many of the, where a lot of games were rescheduled or canceled, and when and no fans were allowed in for a while.

“It felt weird playing without fans,” Shooting guard Zion White said. “When we play with fans, it makes us play harder and it helps boost our morale.”

Despite some downfalls this season, there were some good moments.

The Brahmas won their Sophomore Night versus Santa

Baseball drop series Brahmas lose at Moorpark College

Barbara City College on Feb. 15 with 91-86 being the final score, with Bushner and wing Don McCreary leading in scoring that night with 31 points and 20 points respectively as well as center Gabe Abott finishing with 14 points and eight rebounds.

The Sophomore Night game was stated to have been Bushner’s best performance in the season, garnering praise from head coach Charles White and Zion White.

Zion White in general said Bushner was focused and that he could see it in his eyes.

The Brahmas are more than willing to put the season behind them while prepping for the offseason and 2022 in general.

“For the offseason, I want to come back better and be more of a leader,” Page said.

When discussing plans for the offseason and the rest of 2022, Zion White said he wants to go to Division One and wants to keep working hard to make it to the next level.

Bushner also said he wants to keep working out and improve on his weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

EJ Bushner and Zion White were rewarded by the Western State Conference for their performance throughout the season, even though Pierce did not make the playoffs.

“It shows how hard I worked into it,” Zion White said. “I put my heart into it and gave no excuses.”

jkulkin.roundupnews@gmail.com

Volleyball gets served

Brahmas lose in straight sets

BY PETER POLYGALOV Reporter

Volleyball season woes continued for the Brahmas as they lost to the Santa Barbara Community College Vaqueros in straight sets (25-19, 25-10, and 25-20).

The Brahmas showed grit in the first and third sets, but the Vaqueros were able to maintain the lead.

Pierce head coach Edison Zhou said the team had to play smart and highlighted the importance of a good mindset. He spoke about some of the disadvantages for the Brahmas.

“We are kind of like the shortest team in the league, but we have to be the smartest. Otherwise, we have zero chance to win any set,” Zhou said, “We use different volleyball weapons to score points. We play in different ways with different teams.”

Assistant coach Farzad Ramintalked about the team’s strengths and the key points in the game that solidified the outcome. He identified the exact moment when the team started to fall behind.

“The first set and the third set, we played very well. The passing was there, the defense was there, and the encouragement was there, but in the second set, we lost the energy,” Ramin said.

Team captain and middle blocker Alireza Manizani reasserted the importance of bringing a positive mindset to the court.

“I think we have to work as hard as we can, even harder than we have before because none of us want to go through a season where we are just going to continue losing,” Manizani said, “Whatever it’s going to take to get us our first win.”

ppolygalov.roundupnews@gmail.com

Women's basketball makes a comeback The program finished 2-19 after a three year absence

BY MICHAEL SMITHLIN Reporter

After having seasons canceled due to shortage of players and the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s basketball made their return to the court.

While the women’s basketball team finished the season with a 2-19 record, they overcame many struggles throughout the 2021-2022 season.

Typically, college programs develop their players in the off-season, and have returning players improve on their play and provide leadership for the incoming freshman and new players.

However, the women’s basketball team didn’t have that luxury in the 2021-22 season, since they only had two returning players, while many of the new players had limited experience of playing collegiate basketball.

Head Coach Charles White said this season was important as a developmental year for the women’s basketball program, since the program was in rough shape following the effects of the pandemic and limited sports participation at the school.

“A major disadvantage of the women’s team this year was this season essentially being the inaugural year or re-startup program,” White said. “They didn’t have a chance to do off-season basketball, which is a beautiful thing we can now do for next season, in which we can develop the players and their skills”.

White was trusted with a difficult task this year, having to recruit almost an entirely new team while dealing with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

Guard Izzy Ferguson said playing on the team was new to her.

“Getting the feel for playing

college basketball as a freshman and during COVID-19 but it felt good,” Ferguson said. “COVID-19 really restricted a lot, with all of us having being vaccinated and tested weekly, which led to it being all over the place but the team was there and ready to play.”

Covid-19 impacted all sports, however the women’s basketball team struggled to start the season well.

“The way the team was formed during COVID-19 was very stressful because we were trying to get everyone together and dedicated to staying and putting the work in throughout the season,” small forward and center Kay Fisher said.

Players and coaches agreed that the pandemic had an impact on fan attendance and player availability.

“In the beginning of the season we were allowed to have fans, however by mid-season fans weren’t allowed to watch us,” Fisher said. “You could see the difference in games when you have people in the stands cheering for you.”

The effects of fan attendance and in-person support were visible to fans and players alike.

“While the silence might work for some players, personally I feel like having fans and people there helps us play better and gets more energy and enthusiasm for the team,” Fisher said.

Despite losing almost all of their games this season, many of the players sensed a shift in team comradery and an overall improvement in teamwork after the Oxnard games.

“The game that turned everything around was the Oxnard game, since we lost two people from our team which shortened our players, rotations, and subs and dropped a lot of things we had going but we adjusted,” Fisher said. “One thing I noticed was everyone came out of their shells and got comfortable in the game, and finally had fun together.”

Photo by Cecilia Parada

Caleb Watson attempts to get the ball past Andre Doty during a game against Santa Barbara Community College at Ken Stanley Court at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on March 4, 2022.

Photo by Brandon Sinclair Estaban Perez (#8) slides in at home base for the Pierce Brahmas against Valley College in Van Nuys, Calif. on February 26, 2022.

Photo by Jasmine Casanova Izzy Fergunson, center, prepares to pass the ball to Kay Fisher (2) in the South Gym at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on February 16, 2022.

Photo by Michael Moreno

Guard EJ Bushner secures one of his 7 rebounds in the win over Santa Barbara at Ken Stanley Court in Woodland Hills, Calif. on February 15, 2022.