Volume 137 Fall 2022 Roundup Issue 4

(No more) horsing around this fall

Equine Science classes affected for lack of horses

BY VANESSA ROQUE Reporter

Students attending the Equine Science program are experiencing the absence of a key element to their program—the horses.

With oval-shaped hooves, long tails, short hair and a muscular build, horses are what these students need on campus to receive their Equine Science (ES) degree. This semester, the administration has not provided horses for the Equine Sceince classes and the Equine Science department has some concerns about whether the current students will attain their ES degree.

Equine Science professor Heidi Paul shared how important it is to experience physical encounters with horses.

“You wouldn't teach a car repair class or carpentry class without the proper materials and a course like this requires the proper materials just as those would,” Paul said. “The horses are our materials.”

Equine Science student Jack Mitchell expressed his frustrations during this time of uncertainty.

“It can be seen all over the Pierce website and advertising, how they boast of their agricultural programs, it is really shameful to the college that they cannot deliver on their promise to the public to provide a comprehensive education,” Mitchell said. “I wholeheartedly believe they are failing that promise by not having horses on campus for students this semester.”

The uncertainty has some

wondering if continuing the course will be beneficial to their future endeavors.

“If we can't be promised handson experience (with the horses) for our classes, how can we expect to be able to finish the program,” Mitchell said.

Paul said that developing the skills to handle horses for a profession takes both time and perseverance.

“You need to see and feel many things on the horse itself in order to learn what is truly going on, whether you are riding or checking

for injury or illness. And just watching them interact in their pens gives you a real insight into their "society", which is essential to understanding why they behave the way they do,” Paul said. The visions of working alongside horses are beginning to fade for

some.

“Personally, I know that practically all of my classmates and peers are unsure of the stability of the program. The first question everyone asked after we were told horses would not be on campus this semester was 'How are we going to

do these classes?' and the professors struggled to answer,” Mitchell said.

Equine Science professors Paul and Nicole Land are still teaching classes regardless of their horseless status.

“The students would have been served better had this class been offered in the Spring when we had horses on campus," Paul said. "I hope that can be remedied."

Interim president Aracely Aguiar shared the troubles of housing the horses for multiple semesters.

“Having the horses here yearround, or as long as we had them, has created some financial burden. It places a tremendous financial burden on the college,” Aguiar said.

Aguiar said that even though the class with the horses is only offered in the spring, they are planning out the curriculum for the Equine Science classes.

“In the spring, we always offer that class with the horses. So that is a done deal,” Aguiar said. “The key is going to be that as we are mapping out the curriculum, that the students are aware that it’s going to be in the spring.”

Mitchell explained how important it is to have horses for the Equine Science program as they are a requirement in many classes needed for students to earn their degree.

"Having horses is intrinsic to the program. Without them, we cannot have any of the required classes for the certificate or degree," Mitchell said. "All three levels of riding classes, equine health and first aid and the equine management class suffer severely."

Demolition begins of the old library Process ongoing as building will make way for new classrooms

BY FABIOLA CARRIZOSA Bull Magazine Editor-in-Chief

Gloom and fog hung in the air at dawn, as Pierce College began a new era, phasing out the old Library building to make way for a new structure to provide students with modern amenities.

The first phases of the former library building demolition project were completed as planned on Monday morning, despite the actual excavation process being postponed by a day due to a personal issue with the equipment operator.

Laborers in hard hats and yellow vests could be heard working and talking amongst themselves within the boundaries of the temporary fencing that continues to block off the old building from the public.

Piles of debris and concrete could

be seen outside the back left side of the gutted structure.

Above the former library on the hill leading up to the Performing Arts Parking Lot were two dormant excavators, as the “crunch and munch” method will be used to take the building down.

"The prep work proceeded and was completed as planned, but the actual demolition will start tomorrow morning,” said Marco Tarantino, the former College Project Director, on Monday.

There was plenty for the laborers to do, despite the setbacks.

Daniel Jesus Garcia, one of the laborers of the project, said that they did the prep work for dust control, and that piles of concrete were going to be loaded onto Super 10 trucks on Tuesday.

“Safety is key when it comes to these things because the power is still live,” Garcia said.

Excessive sound and dust were not

an issue on day one.

Ehsamzadeh Farahnaz, a payroll assistant whose office is near the demolition site, said that letters were sent out to staff to alert them of the activity. Farahnaz said that she was not disturbed by any extra sound.

“We welcome change. We should cooperate with the changes,” Farahnaz said about the ongoing demo.

Elizabeth Delgado, a Retail Management and CHW Major who has classes in front of the former library building, said that she is for these changes and renovations.

“You’ve got to continue to revise and to make the buildings compatible and safe for the students,” Delgado said.

According to the Bond Construction Management team, demolition will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, and should be complete prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Photo by Benjamin Hanson

Nicole Land's Equine Science students practice saddle cleaning techniques at the Equestrian Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2022.

Photo by Fabiola Carrizosa Rubble and dirt surround the old library before it gets demolished at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 10, 2022.

More food options at sporting events

It’s a hot afternoon on the Pierce College campus as the soccer team prepares for another season kickoff.

The players are focused, the referees are in position, and the fans are chanting, “Let’s go, Brahmas!” In that respect, a sports game on campus is nearly identical to a major game at the Crypto. com Arena or Dodger Stadium.

Pro:

for stadium food.

However, there are some differences. The crowd is a bit smaller. The players are a bit younger. The refs are a bit more inexperienced. None of these factors take away from the thrill of the game, but there is one thing missing. Where are the Dodger Dogs? Where are the pretzels, nachos drowning in cheese, popcorn and chicken tenders?

Allowing local food

vendors to set up shop at Pierce sports games would be a good solution to remediate the absence of these mouth-watering concessions.

The idea of allowing local vendors to serve food at college sports events isn’t novel.

According to FOX 5 San Diego, San Diego University’s newest stadium will feature nine food stands

Social media is essential

BY VANESSA ROQUE Reporter

When seeing the words social media, does self-absorption, inadequacy, or fear of missing out come to mind?

This will take a shift in perspective, but what if social media helped challenge any limited beliefs to live a better life?

An article by Amy Roeder, writer for Harvard School of Public Health, assessed the emotional connection of users to social media platforms and routine use to determine that using social media improves the user’s well being and mental health.

Social media is more than just a platform for selfies, promoting and selling business services or products. For some, social media can be a hub for connection, healing, inspiration, and motivation.

“Social media may provide individuals with a platform

that overcomes barriers of distance and time, allowing them to connect and reconnect with others and thereby expand and strengthen their in-person networks and interactions,” Roeder shares.

Knowledge is power, and social media is helping many learn new trades, how to attain wealth, how to cook, and the list goes on.

Emma Bonney, writer for Stanford University, details studies done that show young people see social media as a credible source of information. She says in her article that people can “learn valuable knowledge through social media” and “have insights on the topics that interest them, and establish connections with people who share the same interests”

To find a community that shares like interests or are in a position that one strives to achieve can be the catalyst for an incredible life transformation.

The days of watching television to receive news

has become less appealing for some. Social media has become a place where fast clips are easily accessible.

“One of the largest industries that social media has had an effect on is news and journalism. Since, the internet is now the fastest and easiest way to get news, print media is diminishing and publications are being forced to post their articles online,” Admin for InSegment.com says.

Attention spans are dwindling, and news has been recently criticized for broadcasting fear based and heartbreaking stories.

Social media provides news with many options to choose to from. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit.

Let social media be the catalyst for growth, wealth, and longevity.

with many local favorites being represented. The Pierce Athletics Department should follow suit. A variety of authentic options catered by local small business owners would be a significant step forward.

An independent study by Untold surveying people who used to attend live events before the pandemic found that 85% are nostalgic

Also, according to the WebMD website, comfort food and complex carbs help boost serotonin levels, a chemical that helps manage stress. Tasty snack options can pacify an agitated crowd and give the soccer dads a reason to attend every game.

The financial benefits are clear, because the money would go directly to supporting local food

businesses that were hit hard by the pandemic. This would also align with recent developments in the Los Angeles City Council, which called for changes to the state legislature to be more inclusive of street vendors, as reported by the Los Angeles Daily News.

newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com

from the apps Con:

BY JOAN VINCENT DAVILA Reporter

Social media is everywhere in our world, with about 59% of the world’s population using at least one platform as of this July, according to a statistic from Kepios published for DataReportal. com. Look around and ask yourself, “Who do you know uses social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? And why do they use these types of platforms?”

The most common answer would be friends or even family. And the reasons for using these types of platforms range from reaching out to friends and family members near and far to even sillier reasons such as getting into arguments over political views.

However, social media can be a double-edged sword, especially in the terms that people use it.

According to 20 Pros and Cons of Social Media Use written by Jon Patrick Hatcher for Success.com on Dec. 6, 2017, one problem that comes handin-hand with social media use is that it exacerbates feelings of disconnect and puts children at higher risk for anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders and even suicide.

So what would seem like a harmless post teasing a girl about how stupid her hair is for coloring it pink or how fat she looks wearing that black and white polka dot dress or even calling a guy a homophobic slur because he recently came out as gay, is really a post that damages their self-esteem and puts them at risk for harmful behaviors.

Another problem that comes with social media is that using social media too much can cause an addiction, according to 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media for Students | Drawbacks & Benefits of Social Media for Students written by Mishal Roomi for Hitechwhizz on May 31, 2021.

So if an individual were to spend all of their time browsing through Twitter or TikTok finding the latest videos to watch to keep themselves entertained, they’re not really doing themselves any favors. They’re building up on their addiction to social media, and just like with drinking and smoking, it’s hard to quit once you start.

Being addicted to social media can be so bad to where you may even forget to spend time with your family and friends, causing personal relationships with them to become strained.

The last major problem that comes

with social media usage is that it brings out unrealistic expectations.

7 Negative Effects of Social Media on People and Users written by Ben Stegner for Make Use Of on July 29, 2022 explains that a majority of social media platforms have one thing in common, and that is lack of authenticity. For example, someone who becomes an Instagram influencer or a YouTuber who has millions of followers online may not be who they say they are.

And this is the same thing with Facebook users along with TikTok users: They bring out this ridiculous belief that a person’s self-worth is based on how many followers they have, or how beautiful this one girl looks, and therefore, all women must have nice faces with certain breast sizes. One should not base themselves and their self-worth based on how many pictures one posts of themselves, their food, their pet, their family, or the number of followers that they have. Because in the end, the only people who really will stay with you until the end are the people who you eventually know well enough to where you’ve met them in real life.

Photo illustration by Raquel Frohlich

Photo illustration of a phone with social media apps at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022.

Striking first regardless of setbacks

Outside hitter performs well despite knee injury

BY JAYNA KUKLIN News & Copy Editor

When players get injured, they opt to take some time to recover.

However, outside hitter Alejandra Velazquez decided to come back from her knee surgery instead of allowing it to put a damper on her career.

Velazquez said she’s always had high expectations for herself when it came to reaching her goals, but it was still a surprise nonetheless as she had recovered from a knee injury.

“I just think I’m working on it,” Velazquez said. “But it is surprising just because I have been coming back from an injury and I go, ‘I’m still not 100 percent’. But I am, in a sense, still proud of myself for coming back to the sport.”

Velazquez’s career with volleyball first began as a preteen.

“I’ve been playing volleyball since middle school at Campbell Hall and that’s when I started taking it seriously,” Velazquez said. “So I played in eighth grade and I went to a previous university (Avila University). Then, I got injured so I decided to come to Pierce.”

Velazquez said she liked the sport because of how fast-paced it was.

Head coach Edison Zhou said he thought Velazquez was going to do well from the moment they met.

“Before we met her, she sent me the highlight videos of her high school season,” Zhou said. “And I’ll say ‘Oh my gosh, the way she caught points. You can’t do that in a gym and she just had knee surgery’.”

Velazquez said she came back from knee surgery on Oct. 2020.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to play,” Velazquez said. “It would take a year

of recovery.”

Velazquez was expected to take 10 months off, but ended up taking a year off.

Zhou said that she was supposed to kill the most out of anyone on the team.

“That’s why she should do that,”

Zhou said, referring to her kills. “She’s the team captain. She’s supposed to kill the most out of us.”

Setter and libero Hilda Zahedi praised Velazquez’s dedication while

also believing Alejandra would continue to play volleyball in the future.

“I feel like even from the day that I met her, the amount of commitment she’s put towards the sport even after being injured,” Zahedi said. “And the way that she’s been able to step back into it so quickly and progress so much, she’s definitely going to do well 100 percent.”

Velazquez said that seeing Pierce’s volleyball team’s track record in

previous years made her want to come to be on the team.

“I didn’t know that they were really good at volleyball in previous years,” Velazquez explained. “But it was just super close and convenient. So I was like, ‘Why not?’.”

Velazquez said she has had mixed thoughts on continuing to play volleyball in the future, especially after an injury.

“I’m half and half,” Velasquez said. “I do want to continue playing but

there are certain parts of me where I am scared to get injured again.”

Regardless of her decision, Velazquez said she is going to do all she can to continue playing because she loves the sport.

As of today, Velazquez appeared in 13 matches and three conference games. She made 11 kills and three strikes against College of the Canyons on Sept. 23.

Velazquez’s highest scoring games regarding kills have been on Sept. 9

versus Los Angeles Southwest College where she made 15 kills and scored 19 points.

For the season, Velazquez has 119 kills, five assists, seven service aces and 144 digs. Velazquez will lead the Brahmas during the next home game versus Santa Barbara City College on Oct. 14. First serve is at 6 p.m.

jkuklin.roundupnews@gmail.com

Being recognized for her work Articulation officer wins award in helping students

BY MADELEINE CHRISTIAN Reporter

Pierce Articulation

Officer Cristina

Castelo Rodriguez received an award for her Superior Work in Advancing Statewide Transfer Evaluation by CollegeSource, an online database and resource center helping students with academics and transfer.

Rodriguez provided the California identification number system (CID) for courses to CollegeSource and they programmed it into their system.

“It took probably a month to be finished,” Rodriguez said. “I saw that the Cal states did something similar, and I said, ‘Gosh, it would be awesome if the California communities had something like this.”’

According to CollegeSource, “TES® empowers users to quickly locate course descriptions, route and track the evaluation process, store, manage, group, and publicize the resulting equivalencies and employ powerful algorithms to generate lists of equivalencies between institutions.”

Roriguez saw a gap in the accessibility of transfer knowledge in the community college systems and went to work. She created an initiative to add course tags to CollegeSources’ Transfer Evaluation System (TES).

Transfer students in the California community college system now have access to a CollegeSource database that knows what courses transfer from a California Community College to any other institution

in the system.

TES currently utilizes 170,00 catalogs containing nearly 140,000,00 courses from more than 7,000 colleges.

Several California Community Colleges are already utilizing the data provided by Rodriguez, and she said that she hopes it makes

a difference for students.

“I originally just wanted to find a better way for Pierce to do faster articulation, and I didn't even realize ‘oh wait, this is gonna help everybody,” Rodriguez said. “I just hope that this makes a difference for students in the California community college system and

statewide.”

Rodriguez said that she’s proud of the work she’s done for transfer degrees. In 2016, Pierce offered 17 degrees for transfer. And for this year, they offer 31.

“Students don’t realize I’m doing it, but I’m making an impact on their lives and ability

to transfer,” Rodriguez said. “I spend a bulk of my time in the summer going through every single agreement to see if we're missing something, and then I send a proposal to the colleges so that they’ll take our classes.”

Interim President Aracely (Ara) Aguiar said that she appreciates the work Rodriguez

had done and appreciates faculty for working hard.

“I’m proud of all the things that are being done. I think it is great for our faculty,” Aguiar said. “These are individuals that have gone on and done incredible things. I don’t think that there is anything more rewarding for a faculty member than to see others succeed.”

Roriguez was nominated for the award by a CollegeSource products solution specialist who saw the effort and importance of her work. CollegeSource Product Solutions Specialist John Panzica worked directly with Rodriguez as her liaison and said she’s exceptional.

“We look for individuals who go above and beyond to help in the transfer student experience,” Panzica said. “She is essentially a code champion.”

Regardless, Rodriguez is proud of her work at Pierce. Her number one focus will always be ensuring her students have the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.

“My work in this way is helping students to get priority consideration,” Rodriguez said. “It's really helping our students have so many options.”

Rodriguez has served Pierce as an Articulation officer for nearly 20 years and she stated that she plans to keep working on behalf of students no matter where she ends up.

“I love my job,” Rodriguez said. “I’d love to stay at my job, but I'm open to whatever change comes my way.”

Photo by Benjamin Hanson

Alejandra Velazquez (30) celebrates a score during a game against Cal Lutheran University JV on Ken Stanley Court in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2022.

Photo by Rachael Rosenberg

Cristina Rodriguez poses for a photo at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 21, 2022. Rodriguez was recognized for "Best Practices" for Superior Work in Advancing Statewide Transfer Evaluation.

Photo by David Pashaee Alejandra Velazquez, hits the ball over the net during a game against Cal Lutheran JV at Ken Stanley Court at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Sept. 8, 2022.

Muralist speaks during heritage event

Robert Vargas discusses his career during the Speaker Series at the college

BY FABIOLA CARRIZOSA Bull Magazine Editor-in-Chief

The next time you drive through the streets of Los Angeles, tilt your head up and look for murals. Not only will you find yourself marveling at sweeping portraits of angels, rock legends and the everyday Angeleno who keeps the city running, there is a good chance that a mural you will see will have been painted by a Chicano from Boyle Heights.

A Los Angeles-based muralist spoke in a Q & A with a Fox 11 reporter as part of a series of events for Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday at the Pierce College Theatre.

Wearing leopard print Vans and long, jet black hair, Robert Vargas answered personal and professional questions from the half Portuguese and half Venezuelan TV personality and news reporter Gigi Graciette. Those in attendance were able to see what Latinos are capable of accomplishing by listening to a conversation between two legends within their respective professions.

A sixth generation Boyle Heights native, Vargas is no stranger to speaking at schools. Aside from traveling the world and getting commissioned to do murals and portraits for companies and celebrities, Vargas has brought

friends to inner city schools to set up tools for kids who have dreams of painting.

Vargas provided inspiration to the athletes of Pierce, the artists, the Latinos and everybody in between by providing motivational advice, such as to be true and to be serious with themselves.

Graciette said that she celebrates being Latina year-round, and she reminded those attending that there was a time when it was not “cool” to be Latino. Now, she added, we live in a time when Latinos are “in”.

Vargas painted “Angelus,”a 60,000 square-foot mural in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles on the corner of 5th and Hill Street. In the interview, Vargas said that Angelus is the world’s largest mural of a Native American. At 14-stories high, and that this piece was his way of taking back the land.

The mic was turned over to Professor Rovero to take questions from the audience.

Damien Pacheco, undecided major (doing general studies right now), asked Vargas for advice.

Not only did Vargas give Pacheco tips on how to get started as an artist, but he also encouraged Pacheco to tag him on any work he posts on social media.

Pacheco said that he was not expecting Vargas to be so nice.

“It was not what I expected at all,” Pacheco said. “Vargas was so

humble, but he was also so confident – you don’t see that in artists a lot.”

Vargas encouraged Pacheco to create and post his work on social media.

“I am very excited to be showing him my work,” Pacheco said. “I am a little nervous and a little anxious. It'll be the first time I've ever posted my art on social media.”

Gemma Padilla, a Fine Arts Major, asked Vargas for advice on creating charcoal art. After the event, Padilla said that she appreciated the advice from the perspective of someone who is experienced and professional.

“He seemed pretty confident,” Padilla said. “It felt nice that he even acknowledged my struggles and didn't just push them aside, like with other artists that I have talked to.”

Students from other majors besides the fine arts attended the event as well.

Isaac Martinez, an Automotive Service Technology major, said that he liked Vargas’ anecdote about a painting contest that he was disqualified from early in his career. Martinez liked the fact that Vargas wanted to know the reason why he lost a contest not because he deserved to win, but rather because he wanted to improve his skills.

“Everybody should just have that mentality—can’t stop, won’t stop,” Martinez said.

The Vargas and Graciette one-

on-one interview was blessed by the Mexicas en Aztlan.

Dancers ceremony, as were the previous two speaker events. The nine dancers paid homage to the four elements of nature with a preHispanic dance set to the rhythm of two huehuetl drums, a rattle and a conch.

The evening concluded with a catered Mexican dinner for all attendees to enjoy on the patio, including Vargas and Graciette.

Department Chair for Communication Studies Yeprem Davoodian, said that events like these provide a better school experience for the students, staff, faculty and community members.

“What a great turnout,” Davoodian said. “When I see someone inspiring students and who is actually humble, it motivates me to give back.”

Davoodian also said that these events with speakers are about learning new things.

“People say that you get into college to get an education,” Davoodian said. “It is not only about education, but it is also about exposure.”

There will be one more event for the 1st Annual Chicano/Latino Heritage Month Speaker Series on Oct. 13 featuring the East Los Angeles rock band Quetzal.

fcarrizosa.roundupnews@gmail.com

Students get glimpse of their future homes College hosts fair and multiple workshops for community in attendance

BY PAMELA KALIDASAN Features Editor

Both ends of the campus walkway last Saturday were reserved for high school, ongoing college students, their parents and anyone to stop by and check out what Pierce, other sister colleges and universities had to offer.

“I’m just interested to see all the colleges,” said Sebastian Carrasco who attends El Camino Real Charter High School. “I spoke to some schools already and I’m really interested in some of the programs.”

The event lasted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. where more than 20 booths were set up and roughly six workshops took place at the Campus Center, ELM, IRIS and GINGER buildings.

Each workshop had three sessions where attendees can go between 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. to learn about transferring, the Community College Promise program, financial aid, growth mindset and student engagement.

For financial aid and the Community College Promise/transfer workshop, there were seminars in both English and Spanish.

Vice President of Student Services

Jason Cifra said that this event is important for students to learn and find what’s right for them.

“We’ve invited a variety of partners

and also schools where students can get information about admissions and if they have the right programs, and how to get into the college of their choice,”

Cifra said. “At the same time Pierce College is here so that students know they can start with us. We do have a variety of student support services like

EOPs, UMOJA, our tutoring is here, and also our peer mentors are here in addition to the programs that we offer.”

Carrasco mentioned that he wants to pursue computer engineering and he said that he’s open to any school that offers him what he needs.

“Some of them give offers like obviously having a lot of people and obviously fitting my wants to have computer engineering, but there’s other schools that offer more like familyoriented communities and that’s what I really love cause you have a deeper connection with everybody rather than just having a lot of people,” Carrasco said. “You have a few people but they feel so much closer, it’s like comparing one-hundred pennies to four quarters. It’s a big difference.”

Peer Adviser from the Career and Transfer Center Elizabeth Pitpitan said that she transferred to a four-year university and wished she knew more about community college.

“I went directly from high school to a four-year at CSUN,” Pitpitan said. “And part of me kind of feels like I should’ve done more research on the community college system because I felt like it would've been much better to do for myself and my mental health and

financial status looking back now that I know more.”

In addition, Pitpitan said that along with others who are a support system for potential students, she’ll do her part in helping them navigate college.

“I should do my part to educate others, unlike myself, to really know what’s out there before really committing,” Pitpitan said. Cifra mentioned that having an event like this would’ve helped students, including him when he was starting out in community college.

“For me being a community college student who went to community college first and as a first generation learner, this is exciting because this is what I needed when I was a student or when I was trying to think about college,” Cifra said. “So for me it’s exciting that we have people interested in getting our community prepared, getting our students prepared not just when they are graduating from high school, but even earlier. And also bringing parents and family here when college is a family decision and not just an individual decision.”

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New state community college chancellor hosts teleconference Meeting discussed support for DACA recipients and financial aid for students

BY OLIVIA ESPINOZA Reporter

Following the news of the DACA programs' wavering future in this country, Interim Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC), Daisy Gonzalez shared her support for the program, and announced during the Student Media Teleconference on Thursday that the Undocumented Student Action Week will start Oct. 17 and CCC’s can now offer up to 30 new bachelor degree programs a year.

The federal appeals court decision deemed the DACA program illegal, while allowing current recipients to renew their status, Gonzalez shared her support for the DACA program.

“We wanted to send a clear message that California

Community Colleges, UC’s and CSU’s, mission has not changed.

Every single student is welcome, and we will serve every single student that comes to our door,” Gonzalez said. For current DACA recipients the Interim Chancellor advises them to renew their status as soon as possible and expresses the work that will continue to help support the DACA students.

“If you already have DACA status, we are urging to please seek an extension as soon as possible. There have been students, faculty and staff, who have been advocating for a permanent pathway for citizenship for undocumented students, and we know that advocacy work will continue,” Gonzalez said.

This year will mark 6 years of California Community Colleges celebrating Undocumented

Student Action Week, which through October 17th to October 21st.

“This is being celebrated at all 116 campuses. We have a clear theme. We worked alongside the students' Senate for California community colleges, and this year's theme is bilingual. It's called Juntos Podemos. Which means together we can.” Gonzalez said.

The Undocumented Student Action Week is meant to not only bring awareness and support to recipients of the DACA program, but to show students and staff that the CCC’s will continue to welcome them.

“With protests and calls for permanent solutions. I think that pressure will keep mounting.

For us, as a system, we will use that moment to direct that energy, direct folks to their Federal representatives. But

more importantly, to showcase that this system continues to be open to serving all students, and that you are safe in the system,” Gonzalez said.

Following the Undocumented Student Action Week announcemnt, Gonzalez also announced the Board of Governors decision to give colleges the opportunity add up to 30 bachelor degree programs yearly.

“In the last legislative session, there was a bill that passed that allowed the Board of Governors to open up as many programs as were needed as long as we do not exceed 30 new bachelor's degree programs at our colleges every year,” Gonzalez said. The Board of Governors have already approved new bachelor degree programs. “Now our students at El Camino and anyone nearby can

get a BA in respiratory care. They also approved the automotive technology management baccalaureate degree at De Anza College. They also approved the research laboratory technology at Baker's Field college,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also encourages students to stay up to date with— Icangotocollege.com. It offers information on financial aid and how to complete FAFSA. Information can also be found about the California Dream application.

“California Dream Act application is now available. There were some changes that were made at the Federal level, but that application is now available. Our students should be encouraged to apply to financial aid quickly as possible, to determine their award amount,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez mentioned that after the pandemic, students have an interest in online education and would like to continue their studies remotely. A goal of hers is to meet student interest and make that option a reality.

“[The CCC’s] then offer in person instruction for those that prefer to do that. We also know that there is a whole new stream that a portion of our students prefer, and that is HyFlex. Meaning you can come in person, or you can be online. A personal goal of mine is that between now and January of 2023, our board can open up a conversation,” Gonzalez said.

Photo by Ayoub Sanwari Robert Vargas speaks during the speaker series event at the Pierce College Theatre in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2022.

Photo by Pamela Kalidasan

El Camino Charter High School senior Kezim Charles asks admissions counselor Rickiyah McGrady questions about the programs in Cal Poly Humboldt during the Northwest Fest at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.

New fence, who dis?

Popping up along the perimeter of the Pierce College campus is a new, bright white fence. Beginning along Victory Boulevard, a construction crew has begun installing the fence, which is similar in color and style to the old fencing. The old fence was no longer suitable for the campus and was recently taken down.

Alex Godinez works to install a new fence on the perimeter of Pierce College along Victory Boulevard in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022.

Photo by Raquel Frohlich

Copy by Raquel Frohlich

Photos by Rachael Rosenberg, Raquel Frohlich and Benjamin Hanson

A new fence surrounds the Pierce College campus on Oct. 11, 2022. Photo by Benjamin Hanson

Enrique Godinez adjusts a post for the new fence that will surround Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2022.

Photo by Rachael Rosenberg

Adan Lopez (L) guides Alexander Godinez (R) as they work together to pour cement into the holes that they dug for the new fence at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 3, 2022. Photo by Rachael Rosenberg

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Former Brahma returns as football coach

Eldridge Salguero rejoins the program under his mentor

BY JOSHUA MESA Reporter

Bringing justice while being involved in the game. For Eldridge Salguero, it began when he saw one of his older cousins playing the game, and through him he got hooked.

“I just saw one of my older cousins playing and his passion and love for the game definitely inspired me and he was actually like a big brother to me, so him doing it kind of pushed me into finding an opening into football,” Salguero said.

Before becoming a coach at the school, Salguero played for the program.

Salguero recalled the experiences he had while being a student and athlete at Pierce, appreciating all the lessons and skills he gained during his journey.

“It was definitely a life learning experience that I don't regret, I definitely learned a lot about leadership, accountability, responsibilities, and a lot of hard work as well,” Salguero said.

As a student in 2016 and ‘17, Salguero had the opportunity of being a player under many coaches that he now works beside.

One of those coaches is head football coach and fitness center coordinator James Sims, who spoke very highly of Salguero from his time as a student.

“Outstanding young man, was excellent with doing the right things, going to class, doing the schoolwork, always at practice on

conference game

time,” Sims said. “Just, you know, one of those young men that does everything you ask of him and more.”

Assistant Head Coach Blake Word recounts Salguero as one of the most respectful students and athletes that he had ever met.

“He's probably literally one of the most respectful people I've ever met in my life.Anytime there was something that was said to him, whether it was a correction, even if we're saying like good job, anything like that it always got a ‘Yes Sir’ or ‘No sir’ response,” Word said.

Salguero’s time as a student at Pierce could not last forever, and Sims helped progress his future by pushing him to get a scholarship at Bowling Green State University.

Salguero continued to play football, but also worked towards getting his bachelors in criminal justice.

Although he had always wanted to work in law enforcement, working with Sims as a coach has changed his perspective on what career he could pursue.

“But he’s definitely shaped my mind from high school to now, I’ve always wanted to be in law enforcement but now that I’m coaching it's definitely opened another eye and I love this field that I never thought I would get into,” Salguero said.

Salguero has not lost his winning passion from when he was a player as Sims described that thirst for a win he’s constantly bringing to the team.

“His effort is still 100%, he still

has that passion to win,” Sims said. “He’s just so hungry for victory for Pierce, it reminds me of his playing days and it's so exciting to have him there.”

Even though Salguero is a coach now, the learning never stops as he expresses the continuous learning he receives from the same coaches he had as a player, when working as a coach with them now.

“I’ve been around great coaches, they all bring different aspects of football that I’m familiar with, but it's very different whether it be terminology, schemes, etc,” Salguero said. “They’ve definitely opened up another eye for me to see the game of football.”

Word also described the passion that Salguero has for the game and the non-stop learning opportunities he will take.

“He has so much knowledge of the game. He's just a student of the game, so every day, every football game that's on TV is a teaching opportunity for him,” Word said. Football to Salguero is not just a game, but his life, and he describes how continuously throughout his life his schedule was and still is shaped around football”

“It (football) definitely impacted my life completely, when I was growing up I shaped my schedule all around football,” Salguero said. “And I still do to this day with football being my job now.”

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Football begins conference play

Brahmas begin with a trip to Santa Barbara

BY FELIPE GAMINO Editor-in-Chief

After taking a bye week, the football team return to the gridiron as they prepare for their conference opener. Pierce's first three conference games are on the road. They travel to Santa Barbara City College on Saturday, followed by trips to Moorpark and Santa Monica. Their last two home games are against Antelope Valley and LA Valley for the Victory Bell. The game against the Vaqueros is at 1 p.m.

fgamino.roundupnews@gmail.com

City College

Update regarding soccer game

Director of Facilities Paul Nieman responds to light malfunction

BY FELIPE GAMINO Editor-in-Chief

On Friday Sept. 30, during the soccer game between the Brahmas and Condors, there was a light malfunction at John Shepard Stadium.

Director of Facilities Paul Nieman said he was unaware of this issue.

“Athletics changed the start time of the game from 4 to 6 p.m. and never notified facilities of that change. Had facilities been notified the lighting scheduled would have been

adjusted accordingly to avoid such a problem from happening,” Nieman said. The soccer team won that game 5-0.

fgamino.roundupnews@gmail.com

Baseball team begins fall season

Pierce start their schedule with a trip to LA Mission College

File photo by Raquel Frohlich Pierce soccer athlete Alexandra Meza (center) prepares to kick the ball during a game at Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.

File photo by David Pashaee Wide Reciever Dan MacWilliams Becerra breaks a tackle during a game against Compton College at Shepard Stadium in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2022.

Photo by Arwen Dominguez

Linebackers coach Eldridge Salguero on the field of Shepard Stadium at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Oct. 6, 2022.