Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Roundup is the student run publication
Citation preview
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
ROUNDUPwww.theroundupnews.comROUNDWoodland Hills, California Volume 116 - Issue 5 April 11, 2012 One copy free, each additional copy 50¢
Community provides farm aid
Faculty and community members at Pierce have been volunteering and donating to the farm in hopes of helping it.
Department Chair of Agriculture Leland Shapiro has raised $11,000 of donations from faculty and people around the community and four months worth of volunteers.
Though many of them have been professors, further information about the volunteers could not be obtained without their permission.
According to Shapiro everyone volunteering will be feeding the animals, watering the pasture and cleaning the corrals.
Considering the fact that the farm has only two working men but one
on sick leave, the job is undoubtedly impossible for one person to do everyday for consecutive hours.
“People don’t understand why we have to clean the corral once a day, its cruel to keep animals in a confined area and only clean once a week,” Shapiro said.
The U.S Department of Agriculture sets standards that include all aspects that go into maintaining the farm correctly. If violated the department can be fined $10,000 they don’t have.
The volunteers will help prevent those kinds of incidents.
The college administration has influenced decisions that could indeed further the farm successfully but without their permission Shapiro is out of luck.
One of the main factors about the farm closing is the cost of feed and though many would use the $11,000 raised towards that, Shapiro didn’t.
He used $1,555 from last years farm walk money to buy seed to create three permanent pastures that would allow animals to be in larger areas where they could move freely.
With the $11,000, he bought three water wheels that diminish labor in watering the pastures.
“With three pastures it would probably cut my feed bill by half, it is more humane to have animals grazing in a pasture and you don’t have to clean as often,” Shapiro said.
“For us to be successful and go into vet school, we have to work on the farm,” said Agricultural Ambassador of pre-vet club Jennifer
Artinian. “And this is the only program out here.”
Two kindergarten schools have been involved with donations to the farm. Letters were sent to Shapiro with details on how the idea came about and what they are doing to raise money.
Haynes Street School in West Hills and The Center for Early Education in West Hollywood plan to attend the Farm Walk where they will present the donations.
“The kids are doing chores at home to earn the money,” Mindy Levine, a teacher at Haynes Street Elementary, said in the letter written to Shapiro.
“Our goal is to raise $50, but I think with all the enthusiasm we will exceed that.” said Levine.
The kindergarten classes have attended the farm and Halloween festivals for the past seven years according to Janet Lee teacher at The Center for Early Education, .
‘The trip has been one of the highlights of our fall curriculum and we were devastated to learn you might have to close,” Lee said.
In an attempt to save the farm, the children will be making “farm illustrations” that will later become postcards and be sold for $5 the donations could add up to $500 by the time they present them to Shapiro.
“The fact that children are trying to raise money shows how the farm doesn’t only have an impact on our school but the community as a whole,” Maria Sance, 20, Pierce student said.
Professors and local children o� er help to the struggling farmMelissa [email protected]
Jeanine Brown sat next to the disconnected phone at her desk in the Writing Lab. She hasn’t had a working phone there for a year.
“I’ve been told there’s one person who’s responsible for all the phones on campus,” she said. “One person.”
She has tried to track that person down before, but had little luck. She relies on communication mostly through email on her personal laptop now. She used to have her own office computer, but not this semester.
This is only a small part of the broader effects the budget cuts have had on the Writing Lab.
Jeanine Brown, the Writing Lab’s only staff member, is set to retire in the fall. Due to the administration’s decision to freeze hiring at Pierce. There will not be a staff member to replace her, and the Writing Lab will most likely go with her.
Brown first started her work at Pierce in 1989, and she taught for three years before working in the Writing Lab. In 1993 she became part of the permanent staff, she said. Her former colleague, Bonnie Rapp, retired last year after teaching
at the Writing Lab for 30 years. Due to the hiring freeze, Rapp
was not replaced, and Brown now runs the Writing Lab herself. Her partner’s retirement has put a strain on her, she said.
“I love the work, but it is a two person job,” she said.
Richard Follett, professor of English, teaches an English 28 class and asks many of his students to get help at the Writing Lab. Coupled with the announced elimination of student tutors, he believes students will have fewer resources if they want to improve their writing.
“They’ll have to rely on each other, and I don’t know how that’s
going to work,” Follett said. While Brown believes that
students can definitely learn from each other, it’s not as valuable as professional tutoring, she said.
“You’re talking about the difference between someone who’s trained and someone who isn’t,” she said.
With basic English classes more full than ever, she believes students need more one-on-one time with instructors. Last semester, the Writing Lab took on 65 workshop appointments and 189 one-on-one appointments, she said.
“It seems to me that the students who need the help the most, are
getting less support,” she said. Adding to the increasing need
is an increasing number of students taking on more work. She hasn’t seen so many classes before in which students work full-time, often to support their family, and still find time to go to school and tutoring, she said.
“A lot of the people that I see here are very serious, or they wouldn’t be coming here,” Brown said.
Brown also speculates on whether the Writing Lab could return to its original setup, where it was entirely run by professors who donated their time.
Lights may go out for writing lab in the fall Another student service may be canceled due to budgetary declineKevin [email protected]
Pierce College may lose the Student Health Center due to a trailer bill within the California State Budget Bill.
Approval of this bill would allow students to vote on removing the health center’s fee.
Beth Benne, director of the Student Health Center, made this announcement during an Academic Senate meeting March 26.
“Students who don’t know [what the bill means] may say ‘Oh ya, I can save money on fees,’ but it goes beyond that,” Benne said.
The center provides services that are the cheapest in the country.
“It will limit the services we provide for students if the health fee changes,” Student Health Center Assistant Loralyn Frederick said. “It’s already difficult to run on the [funds from the] fee.”
A trailer bill is a bill that is attached to the state’s budget, and is not held to the same legislative processes as regular bills, allowing it to pass much quicker than usual.
California students pay the health fee due to a bill passed as part of the 1986/87 budget, all of which supports the operating costs of the Student Health Center, Benne said.
The 1986/87 bill did not affect Pierce College, which at the time did not have a health center, but in 1992 when the Los Angeles Community College District allowed students across all nine campuses to vote on the matter, the students chose to erect the fee to establish a health center.
The bill is believed to have originated in the governor’s office, but the sponsors, California Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield and California Senator Mark Leno, are most only on it because they are a part of the Budget Committee, according to Benne.
If the bill is passed, and students do vote to remove the fee, the Board of Trustees may shut down the Health Center.
Brent [email protected]
Health Center fears new bill
Courtesy of Sean Clemmons
Weekly Weather Wed. April 1161/48Thu. April 1262/48
Fri. April 1357/45Sat. April 1463/47
Sun. April 1575/51Mon. April 1678/53
-Inside-A new Moodle system has been activated. For more details, see page 3.
Did you know?Student government elections will take place April 16 and 17.
Sonia GurrolaPointers: Jenine Brown helping students in the writing lab.
Ava WeintraubHelping hands: Dean Jose Luis Fernandez feeds the cows and sheep and to check on their general well being at the Pierce College Farm in Woodlands
The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) needs to be more transparent and more easily accessible to
the people they govern. The Board of Trustees for the LACCD, an elected body, made the decision to remove their contact information from their website last semester.All but one member, Scott J. Svonkin, have removed all contact information from the website.In this current state of ever-increasing collegiate budgetary decline it is important for faculty, staff and students to be able to contact those making the decisions that affect them.This democratic republic in which we live is founded on the principle that our leaders are meant to make decisions based on what we the people want.When the wall of separation between those in power and the people is too high it becomes apparent that decisions cannot be based off the needs of those they can no longer hear.This breakdown of communication between those who represent us and ourselves is horrific in itself, but even worse a time when so much is in question.Yes, the LACCD still hosts bi-weekly meetings. And yes, those meetings are still open to the public.However, not everyone is capable of making it to these meetings. Many professors teach classes on those nights. Many students take classes on those nights.And let us not forget that with the high cost of tuition, books and supplies many students also
work full-time jobs as well as attend classes. Being available through e-mail or by telephone is essential for any governing board that truly cares what the people they represent want or need.Though there are other community college districts that don’t list contact information such as San Bernardino, Kern County and Riverside, more are accessible than not.Santa Monica, Ventura County, Orange County and San Diego all offer e-mail addresses for all members of their governing boards.Decisions are being made everyday that affect student’s education or faculty and staff jobs without taking into account the opinions of the people these decisions effect.The decision to increase tuition and to cut money for supplies was made due to the devastating state of the budget.However, what supplies were cut and how much
tuition was raised were decisions made with no input from the people it matters to. The board should not only put their contact information back on the website, but they should do a better job in finding out what the people want before making their decisions.
ROUNDUP: April 11, 2012Opinion 2
Letters to the Editor
6201 Winnetka Ave.Woodland Hills, CA 91371
Room: Pierce College Village 8211Phone: (818) 719-6427
Fax: (818) 719-6447Website: www.theroundupnews.comE-mail: newsroom.roundupnews@
gmail.com
ROUNDUP Editor in Chief ....... Kevin ReynoldsManaging Editor ........... Michaia HernandezOpinion Editor ....................... Calvin AlagotNews Editor ........................... Lior HaykeenFeatures Editor ........................... Carlos IslasA&E Editor .............................. Shannon MaSports Editor .................... Rodrigo CarbonelPhoto Editor ........................... Angela TafoyaOnline Editor ........................... Jose RomeroCopy Editor ................... Michaia HernandezCartoonist ............................. Maria Salvador
Advisers ................................ Amara Aguilar................................... Jill Connelly.................................. Stefanie Frith
Advertising Manager...................Julie Bailey[For advertising call Julie at (818) 710-2960]
Photographers:
Emad AbbasiKristen AslanianJasson BautistaLonni EpsteinSonia GurrolaJoe KukuczkaTodd RosenblattSarah StoreyAva WeintraubWilliam WellesJavier Zazueta
Reporters:
Brittany BlustEli DiazYajayra GilKevin PerezAurora RamirezTaylor RouchBrent SpectorMelissa TrahinJonathan TuckerKal ValasekMonica VelasquezSamantha Williams
Weather Correspondent:
Sean ClemmonsPolicy:
Letters and guest columns for or against any position are invited. Letters should be kept as brief as possible (300 words or less) and are subject to non-substantive editing.
Letters must be signed and include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms or initials will not be used, but names may be withheld upon request and approval of the Editorial Board.
The Roundup publishes “Letters to the Editor” that are not obscene or libelous and do not contain racial denigration.
Writers are given the opportunity to revise unacceptable letters.
The Pierce College Roundup will not publish, as letters, literary endeavors, publicity releases, poetry or other such materials as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter.
The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.Editorial Policy:
The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials.
Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup.
The college newspaper is
published as a learning experience under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff.
Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.
EditorialMoney to burn
Dear Roundup,
Your 29 February 2012 edition is one of the best I have read in my 30+ years here at Pierce College.Your editorial about the need to drop NO SHOW students, so others who came on the first day to learn could be added and be able to move ahead in their educational goals, was right on.I am surprised to read in your first page article that it has taken the LACCD so long to realize that we are top heavy with administrators at the cost of cutting needed classes for students. It certainly makes NO SENSE to keep a bloated administration being paid big buck$ to sit around the campus all summer while there are few or no classes serving students (except for the successful PACE program and basic skills).I challenge the student government to demand that the administration and the faculty create a task force to see how we could teach several dozen MORE class sections this summer by demoting several administrators, including the many department chairs who are not needed (West LA College and Pepperdine University get by with only 6 or 7 Academic divisions, while we have several one person departments”).After all, most of these administrators and chairs are certificated to teach, and they should serve our students by doing so rather than sitting in their offices cutting classes!I am not asking for people to be fired, but just to help out in this time of economic emergency. I gave up some of my class assignments voluntarily so that more of our part time faculty member would not be laid off and so more students could be served with more class sections being taught by the less expensive part time instructors.I hope someone in students government, faculty and administration will respond to this common sense call for more class sections to serve to our students.
Dr. Daniel Stephen McHarguePierce College Professor of History, Political Science and Law
Cal State president salaries are too high in this time of � nancial worry
Comic Maria Salvador
Letter to the editorResponse to: Roundup Volume 116 - Issue 1
Jonathan [email protected]
OpinionCal State Universities are facing many issues: increasing tuition, fewer open classes, and a possible increase in salary for the presidents of Cal State University Presidents.Clearly the last one does not seem to fit in with the rest of the problems. How can the Cal State system justify increasing salaries when their schools are facing a plethora of financial issues?The CSU board of trustees agreed to a payment package that would see that Mildred Garcia receives $324,500 a year in salary with an additional $1000 a month for a vehicle allowance payment as the President of Cal State Fullerton.Leroy Morishita is also receiving new compensation for his new president job at Cal State East Bay. Morishita will receive $303,660 plus $60,000 for housing and the additional $1000 a month for the vehicle allowance payment.The new compensation guidelines stated that the newly appointed could not receive more than 10 percent more than the predecessor. Morishita and Garcia are slated to earn exactly that.Is it right that they make the maximum they are allowed to under the circumstances that face the Cal State schools?The Governor is adamant in his disagreement and students should be as well.“I think there are a lot more people that can be college presidents, maybe even some of you,” said Governor Jerry Brown said while talking to reporters in Sacramento.Funding crises are hitting the California State systems hard and it is affecting students now, not in the future.Classrooms are full and tuition
is increasing. Many students are having to go to another campus to try and finish their requirements so that they can graduate and get their lives started.This pay increase is happening at a time when Cal State schools are looking at freezing admissions for the Spring 2013 semester.Students will not be able to enroll, but at least the head of the school will be comfortable while he/she is turning students away.Admittedly the president’s salaries are a small part of the overall budget, but when students are facing tuition increases they want to know that their money is going towards something tangible.Take the 10 percent increase and put it towards something the students need. The students need books. The students need classes. The students need computers. The students do not need a highly paid university president.
CorrectionsVolume 116 - Issue 3The Health Center does not offer radiology services as was stated in the article “Cutting health services” by Brittany Blust on News page 3Volume 116 - Issue 4“A string of classical music selections” was written by Kevin Perez.
Trusteesare out ofreachWith constituents le� in the dust, how will district decisions be properly made?
Trustee Contact Information
Board of Trustees SecretaryCarol Justiniano(213) 891-2044
Chief Information OfficerJorge Mata
(213) 891-2034
ROUNDUP: April 11, 2012 News 3
Sheriff’s BlotterCompiled by Lior Haykeen
Grand theft: March 20 - Laptop computers were reportedly stolen from Village 8203. The case is still under investigation.
Vandalism: March 23 - A fence at the Farm Center was cut. The report came from the Farm Center.
Disturbance fight: March 26 - Two male students between the ages of 20 and 24 got into a physical fight by the pool area. The fight was reported and broken up by officers.
The Pierce College Library is celebrating National Library Week with the hosting of Information Scavenger Hunt, an online information quiz, which began yesterday and will end Sunday evening.
The scavenger hunt, which appears as a shell under the “My courses” section of PierceOnLine, is designed to teach students about various online resources and research methods, librarian Paula Paggi said.
“We tried to incorporate technology [this year],” she said. “I think it will be fun for the students.”
By participating in the 11-to-13-item short answer quiz, students will be automatically entered to win about a dozen prizes that include 8 GB USB drives, Freudian Sip cards and $50 Student Store vouchers.
“I didn’t want students to just guess,” library intern Kat Koziar who created the quiz said. “The point is not to get the answers, but to find them.”
Topics of the quiz range from the history of the founding of libraries to financial aid, and answers can be found through college resources, like the Pierce College Library website.
“They aren’t library-specific questions,” Koziar said.
Upon submitting answers, participants receive feedback and additional information pertaining to questions in the quiz.
Also, upon clicking the shell
for the Information Scavenger Hunt, students will be directed to a calendar of the library’s upcoming workshops.
“I hope students participate and poke around,” Koziar said.
Anyone with access to PierceOnLine, even faculty members, can participate in the quiz. However, only students are eligible for the prizes.
The prizes, some feel, are a good incentive for students to participate in the online activity.
“It could be a good thing, especially since they’re offering prizes for it,” Jamie Mrasz, a 22-year-old psychology major, said. “People want to work for something.”
But other students think this online activity is unreasonable for college students.
“The idea is noble, [but it’s] also inefficient because college students have the mentality of doing just enough work, not more work,” philosophy major Patricia Arreola, 19, said. “Multiple choice would be easier.”
This year, National Library Week - an annual countrywide observance sponsored by the American Library Association - takes place from April 8 to 14 with the theme of “You Belong @ Your Library.”
In addition to the Information Scavenger Hunt, a display case depicting the event has been set up in the first floor of the library.
This is the third year the Pierce College Library is observing the event. Previous activities included a display case and raffle, a bake sale, and a presentation of the floor plan of the new library building.
Online scavenger hunt to celebrate nation’s librariesMichaia [email protected]
Data will have to be transferred, and costs will decrease once the new version of Moodle, Pierce’s virtual classroom system, will begin operating in the summer.
The decision to upgrade to Moodle 2.2 was forced upon the college by Moodle’s hosting site, Remote Learner, which will no longer support the current Moodle 1.9.
Distance Education Coordinator Wendy Bass said that the transition will be easy.
“For the students the transition will be unnoticeable, and training for teachers will be available,” Bass said.
By the numbersThere are currently 20,000 active
users in the Moodle system this year, and about 500 courses activated.
Profit is made by Remote Learner with the amount of data that is used, not by active members.
By a contract with Remote Learner, Pierce is considered a level 3 user. This is because Pierce keeps two years of data in archives, whereas most schools only keep about a year.
The change will tremendously decrease the amount of data, which will make Moodle less expensive for the college.
The changes“Moodle 2.2 includes new tools,
toolbars, APIs and user interface options,” Remote Learner Vice President of Client Services Rob Deter told faculty members in a meeting.
He also reassured them that the transition will be simple.
“The look and feel is very similar for faculty,” he said. “It is 90 percent of same.”
All of the information will be transferred by Bass so teachers will not have to worry about saving or backing up anything.
ReactionsDiane Levine, professor of
anthropology and linguistics at Pierce for almost 15 years, has been using Moodle as a supplement in her classes for the last four years.
“Instead of handing out the syllabus, instead of giving out handouts I put them on Moodle,” Levine said.
She has used other online systems in the past.
“I used Etudes and that was not helpful at all,” she said. “Moodle is a big improvement over that.”
Paula Deming, 23-year-old biology and veterinarian technology major, has used Moodle in her classes before.
“I have taken a lot of exams and quizzes on it, and it’s pretty good” Deming said.
Deming likes the connivence of being able to get handouts on it, but admits that it can sometimes tempt her to skip class.
“[If] I know that nothing is happening in class but this handout [on Moodle}, then I can just go online,” Deming said.
Monica [email protected]
Out with the old Moodle
FOLLOW USON TWITTER
FIND US ONFACEBOOK
California State University, Long BeachCollege of Continuing and Professional Education
No formal admission to CSULB required
Earn units toward your degree
Enroll on a “space available” basis
Two 6 - Week Sessions May 29 – July 6 (S1S)
July 9 – August 17 (S3S)
One 12 - Week Session May 29 – August 17 (SSD)
Lorinda Owens6.3125 in. x 5.25 in.Los Angeles Pierce CollegePub Date: 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2
Call: (800) 963–2250 ext. 60001 for more information.www.ccpe.csulb.edu/summer
email: [email protected]
CSULBSUMMER SESSIONS
2012
Register Now!
Stressed Out???• Feeling Overwhelmed & Out of Control?• Test Anxiety?• Forgetting What You Need to Know?• Losing Sleep?• Not Geting What You Want in Life?
Find Out How You Can• Feel More Relaxed, Calm & In Control• Improve Your Study Skills• Improve Your Memory• Improve Your Retention & Test Scores• Sleep Peacefully Through the Night• Increase Your Confidence & Motivation, so you can
Reach Your Goals100% Natural Process
Call Now For Your Free ConsultationMazda Lakpour, C.Ht.
Certified Hypnotherapist
818-916-3346
TAX PREPARATION$25 Off 1040A or 1040 • Professional Prep • Personal Service • Affordable Prices
1040EZ + CA = $35(EIC additional fee)
ELLEN KOMOCAR, CRTP6043 Tampa Ave., #206
Tarzana, CA 91356Corner of Tampa & Topham
Drop-off or while you wait!Available 7 days by appt.
Year-round service!
818-626-3600
Paying Too Much For Your Auto Insurance?You’re probably not
insured with us!Saving students money on their
car insurance for more than 25 years! We work with dozens of compa-
nies (Mercury, Progressive, Safeco, Infinity, GMAC, to name a few) and match you with the most affordable.
Student and Faculty Discounts Offered.
Call For our Free,No Obligation Quote
Request the Brahma Plan(818) 222-5595
CA Lic.#0660396
Jose Romeroillutration: The current version of Moodle is headed to the Trash Bin.
ROUNDUP: April 11, 2012Features4
As the sun rises, owner Frank Koppenhaver is up mak-ing sandwiches, pastas and loading his pick up truck with boxes of pizza ready to sell at Pierce College.
The Italian food truck parked outside of the North gym every morning invites people to enjoy their food and jokes.
“People think we are funny and silly which is probably true,” said Koppenhaver.
Valentino’s food truck has had a partnership with Pierce for roughly 25 years, their pizza sells at the Freud-ian Sip and was also sold at the cafeteria before closing for construction.
Due to the lack of a cafeteria on campus, Valentino’s food truck has been one of the few chosen to serve stu-dents at Pierce College.
Their flexible hours and funny ways have helped their revenue increase during this semester.
Regular business hours are Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. but are extended for athletic events dur-ing weekdays and Sundays.
“We stay longer to help out the parents that need food during games because a lot of food trucks leave earlier
than that,” Drew Maybury, 18, employee at Valentino’s food truck said.
The people behind the truck are dedicated to their business and customers.
“When the boss greets me, it makes me feel welcomed and like a regular,” Carol Medel a CSUN student said. “And of course the food adds on to the experience.”
Pizza is their specialty and a big part of their business success but they also offer two kinds of pasta, seven dif-ferent sandwiches, three flavors of Popcornopolis pop-corn and several energy drinks that help students boost their day.
Maybury is a trusted employee of Koppenhaver, he is young but knows everything about the business and how to represent it.
“I’ve known the family for about a year because I am dating my boss’ daughter,” Maybury said. “He needed someone he can trust to help him do this.”
The food generally has a big impact on the students because of its quality and more so the affordable prices but “the sheriffs love it,” said Maybury. Their offices are a step away, which makes it convenient for them.
“We are quick and efficient, very rarely do we get things wrong,” Koppenhaver said.
All styles welcomeDance club looks for enthusiastic members
Melissa [email protected]
Whether you have one right foot and one left foot, or two left feet, the Street Dance Club is always looking for enthusiastic members.
Students interested in joining this group of award winning students can do so in several ways.
Students can apply during Club Rush at the beginning of each semester, attend one of the many events that the club holds, or sim-ply contact the club president, Molly Siskin, or their advisor, Denise Gibson.
The club meets Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays fromm 2 to 6 p.m.
Students can also be recom-mended to the club by a current or alumni club member.
Siskin was one of the clubs founding members in 2005, and still remembers how it all started.
“(Siskin) was taking Gibson’s so-cial dance class on Friday nights and there were a few of us who stayed after to just dance and work on some extra foot work,” Siskin said.
After applying to the club, students will have to audition to join. Because there are several different styles of dance students must audition for the proper team.
The different teams include: hip-hop, salsa, bachata, lindy-hop, west coast swing, jazz and tap.
During auditions prospective members are shown a combination of steps and then ex-pected to perform them.
Students looking to join a doubles team will audition and rotate partners several times.
Members looking to join the jazz team must prepare a one minute self choreo-graphed piece.
Eric Falconer is a 24-year-old geog-
raphy major and part of the West Coast Swing team this semester.
He had a distant connection with the group before he was ever a part of it.
“I knew one of the members as a friend of a friend and she was an excellent dancer, so I knew it was a place I could
grow,” Falconer said. After a quick audition Falconer
was in. He still remembers the first time
he performed. “I was extremely anxious, es-
pecially since everyone had been doing it
a lot longer t h a n m e , ”
Falconer said. Paula Salvador, a
22-year-old undecided major, is the clubs vice president.
“This club is different because we have a bunch of talented dancers who each possess a unique way of moving,” Salvador said. “(It) feels like family, and it’s the biggest reason as to why I stay.”
The team recently competed in the High Desert Dance Classic where they brought home
a first place win in the college team competition for ballroom.
Monica [email protected]
Surviving after 25 years
Whether you have one right foot and one left foot, or two left feet, the Street Dance Club is always
in joining this group of award winning students can do so in several ways.
Students can apply during Club Rush at the beginning of each semester, attend one of the many events that the club holds, or sim-ply contact the club president, Molly Siskin, or their advisor,
The club meets Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays fromm
Students can also be recom-mended to the club by a current or
Siskin was one of the clubs founding members in 2005, and still remembers how it all started.
“(Siskin) was taking Gibson’s so-cial dance class on Friday nights and there were a few of us who stayed after to just dance and work on some extra foot work,” Siskin said.
After applying to the club, students will have to audition to join. Because there are several different styles of dance students must audition for the proper team.
The different teams include: hip-hop, salsa, bachata, lindy-hop, west coast swing, jazz and
During auditions prospective members are shown a combination of steps and then ex-pected to perform them.
Students looking to join a doubles team will audition and rotate partners several
Members looking to join the jazz team must prepare a one minute self choreo-
Eric Falconer is a 24-year-old geog-
raphy major and part of the West Coast Swing team this semester.
He had a distant connection with the group before he was ever a part of it.
“I knew one of the members as a friend of a friend and she was an excellent dancer, so I knew it was a place I could
grow,” Falconer said. After a quick audition Falconer
was in. He still remembers the first time
he performed. “I was extremely anxious, es-
pecially since everyone had been doing it
a lot longer t h a n m e , ”
Falconer said. Paula Salvador, a
22-year-old undecided major, is the clubs vice president.
“This club is different because we have a bunch of talented dancers who each possess a unique way of moving,” Salvador said. “(It) feels like family, and it’s the biggest reason as to why I stay.”
The team recently competed in the High Desert Dance Classic where they brought home
a first place win in the college team competition for ballroom.
Summer Session 2012 is for you if you are a
• Qualifi ed high school student
• Community college student ready for upper-division degree work
• Home-for-the-summer college student
• Business professional on a part-time degree track
• Community member who wants to take a university class
Summer Session Dates
• Summer Session 1 May 29 – August 21 (12 weeks)
• Summer Session 2May 29 – July 10 (6 weeks)
• Summer Session 3July 11 – August 21 (6 weeks)
Take advantage of the large number of Summer Session classes
offered beginning May 29. Whatever your academic goals, chances
are you’ll fi nd a class within the wide selection of listed courses.
C A L I F O R N I A S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y, N O R T H R I D G E
CSUN
.SmrPierce1.4p.indd
The course list is available online at http://tsengcollege.csun.edu/summer
$380 per unit
Online registration begins April 3
Visittheroundupnews.com
for more club information
Street Dance Vice President: Paula Salvador poses for a photo.
jose Romero
Valentino’s pizza still a favorite on campus
Kristen AslanianPizza, pasta, subs: Jessica De Nava, 19, places her order with Drew Roberts, 18, during business hours for Valentino’s
ROUNDUP: April 11, 2012 Arts & Entertainment 5
Aspiring artists have the opportunity to showcase their talent through Pierce College’s ceramics class that welcomes beginner and advanced level students.
“It’s hectic in the beginning of the semester,” Instructor of Art, Melody Cooper said. “But after a while it begins to settle down.”
Every December the ceramics class holds a pottery sale where students can sell the work they created in class. The student artists get to keep 75 percent of the proceeds while the remaining 25 percent goes back to funding ceramics equipment, special workshops or visiting artists.
According to Cooper, last semester’s sale raised approxminately $10,000.
Cooper’s Wednesday afternoon class features five different sections in one room.
Beginners sit on one side and work on their semester project with their hands.
The intermediate and advanced students sit in a different location in the room using different tools and the pottery wheels.
“The program is progressive,” Cooper said.
Approximately 90 students are currently enrolled in the ceramics program. Many students use the class to relax, Cooper told The Roundup.
“To me it’s relaxing so that’s why I come,” Jessica Gelbke, who is currently enrolled in Cooper’s ceramics class said. “It’s just to get away from the stress of everything else.
“I grew up knowing about Indians and their rituals,” Mayra Lara, an
aspiring artist said. “And I have always been into ceramics.”
Lara uses her prior knowledge of ceramics and the new things she is learning to help her in her other courses and as a make-up artist at Elegance in Hollywood.
Lara enjoys Cooper’s class because it reminds of her of childhood.
“My biggest compliment is when a student takes something home,” Cooper said. “And they tell their parents ‘Look at what I made today.’”
At Pierce College, in the hands of director Valorie Grear, “The Exonerated” finds an appropriate fit in the Temporary Performing Arts Complex, where the smaller space creates a more intimate atmosphere, augmented by great performances from the cast.
“The Exonerated” is an award-winning drama written by Jessica Blank and Eric Jensen, based on the six real stories of innocent citizens put on death row before being set free years later.
The play takes the form of a non-linear series of dramatic monologues told by the six convicted and later exonerated citizens.
The common thread tying their stories together, besides their eventual exoneration, is a background of oppression in their lives. Whether it is
due to racism, corruption, or the flaws in institutions like the police or justice system that dramatically impacts their lives.
Although the play is commendable for tackling such heavy themes, due to most of the play’s action coming from stories told by characters on stage, the messages can come across as too obvious and preachy.
While the play succeeds in handling its themes, it’s up to the audience members to decide what to make of the character experiences.
Cliff Ingram, who plays Delbert Tibbs in the play, stands out in particular. His booming voice weaves the different stories together by reciting poetry or offering commentary, sometimes humorous and sometimes serious, but always insightful.
The performers’ skills are not entirely shocking. Some of the cast members already have experience working in theatre.
“The cast has been working on the play diligently,” Chase Fulton, who plays Kerry Max Cook in the play said.
“We have been rehearsing close to 20 hours a week for almost two months,” he said, “We explore, make mistakes, make discoveries and refine the play.”
The scenery, designed by Michael Gend, remained sparse, with only a few chairs on stage and a trio of chain-link fences in the background.
At the center of the stage sat one ominous chair, representing the electric chair during a few scenes, which cast a threatening shadow over the play.
The sound, designed by Edward Salas, further contributed to the somber atmosphere.
Music was minimal, and the music that was present consisted of bare instrumentals that highlighted the more dramatic moments of the play.
Carlos [email protected]
Kevin [email protected]
Student artwork raises funds for ceramics class once a year
Clay creations
‘Exonerated’ thrills audience
JOB BOARDSummer Day Camp
Seeks fun, caring summer staff that reside in or
near the San Fernando & Conejo Valleys
Counselors, Lifeguards & Instructors for horses, crafts,
gym, music & drama, rock climbing, animals and more!
Earn $3275 - $3500+ for the summer 888-784-CAMP
www.workatcamp.com
PART TIME JOB
Part-Time Data Entry Job Hollywood PR Firm
Flexible Hours (No Evenings) $8 per hour
Hard working, detail-oriented, organized, conscientious, multi-tasker, computer savvy (Mac experience helpful). Data entry, computer research, making coffee, phones, etc.. This is a two-person firm so very comfortable. Must like to keep busy-- we are an extremely reputable, hardworking, fast-paced office.
How to Apply:Email Resume & Cover Letter to:
[email protected] PHONE CALLS
© 2
012
Nat
iona
l Uni
vers
ity 1
1037
An Affi liate of The National University System
The University of Values
TRANSFER DAY AT NORTHRIDGE FASHION CENTER
APRIL 28 | NOON – 2 P.M.
Northridge Fashion Center on Level One9301 Tampa Avenue818.718.3140
www.nu.edu
National University Online Information Center in Northridge
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ®
- One-on-one appointments with Admissions Advisors
- Detailed information on our online and on-campus degree programs
- Step-by-step guidance on our streamlined admissions process and course articulations
- Transfer scholarships and fi nancial aid available
Joe KukuczkaAlex Dye mixes diff erent colors of ceramic glaze. The mixture will later be used to paint or dip dried ceramic pieces to add color.
Todd RosenblattPolly Kelly, portraying Swunny Jacobs in the critically-acclaimed drama “The Exonerated”
Theater Review:
ROUNDUP: April 11, 2012Sports 6Dedication and willingness to helpBrahmas’ baseball team head coach brings experience to teach and guide young athletesMelissa Trahin
VISIT OUR NEW WOODLAND HILLS CENTER!California Lutheran University’s Adult Degree Evening Program (ADEP) is located in
our new, state-of-the-art center near Pierce College! Visit us at 5925 De Soto Ave.
1.888.CLU-GRAD | www.callutheran.edu/adepTHREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: THOUSAND OAKS, OXNARD AND WOODLAND HILLS
BACHELOR’S DEGREES:• Accounting• Business Management• Organizational Leadership• Psychology
TRANSFER TO CLU:• Articulation agreements for seamless transfer.
Transfer guides available online.• Transfer up to 70 community college credits.
ADULTDEGREEEVENING PROGRAM
CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE(Now Online!)
Todd RosenblattMound Visit: Bushart pays a visit to the mound to check on Brahmas’ pitcher (10) Tyler Peddicord and catcher (21) Greg Koll.
Ava Weintraub
Baseball takes up 80 percent of his life but during summer, Hawaii is where you can find him.
His office can describe most of who he is and what he does. Red and white dominate the room, boxes filled with brand new baseballs are always at reach.
Pierce College’s baseball head coach John Bushart has his hands full all year long. Most of his days consist of early practices and games, but that is what he loves.
“I love the game and I love working with kids,” Bushart said. “That is really my passion.”
Summer is less work and more fun for Bushart, Hawaii has been his getaway almost every year since his family owns a times share he can call home for a few months.
“I try and get away, spend time with family and friends but I work out a lot to stay in shape,” Bushart said.
Born in Chicago on Feb. 10, 1971, Bushart started his baseball life as a pitcher in Thousand Oaks High School, where he received an award for athlete of the year.
His performance as a pitcher stood out during his younger years in high school and he got what most athletes dream of, a scholarship to play on a higher level.
After playing college baseball at CSUN, Bushart played in the Los Angeles Angels organization for three years. His extensive knowledge and experience with the sport has led him to Pierce after a term as Kennedy High School’s coach.
Coming from winning teams as
a coach and a player, this season has been tough for Bushart and he can’t bear to question himself.
“My weekends have been pretty bad, at the end of the day you are supposed to brush it off but as a coach I question myself,” he said.
For 13 years, Bushart has built relationships within the Athletic Department and his players at Pierce, both on a professional and friendly level. Thirteen of those years as an assistant coach and three as the head coach.
“I consider him a true friend,” Athletic Director Bob Lofrano said.
Bushart has proved to be a hard worker and caring person outside and inside the field, for many coaching is just a job but his dedication and willingness to help his players succeed in life make him more than just a coach.
“I am there for them if they need me, not only do I teach them how to play but prepare them for life after baseball.” Bushart said.
Though he may seem quiet and
intimidating, Bushart is “very easy going, approachable and confident,” Lofrano said.
It may seem as if his time coaching at Pierce restricts him from doing other activities within his ability but that is only one of the many things he does outside of Pierce.
“I am a part-time scout for the [Milwakee] Brewers, I have been for ten years,” said Bushart. “I also do private lessons with kids around the valley.”
Pierce holds a special place for Bushart and his future plans to possibly become a full time employee but his interest to be a Division I coach would be a step further towards his accomplishments.
“I am kind of a workaholic, and people tell me that, but I enjoy it,” he said.
Bushart is part of a successful baseball program at Pierce where he has further five players to the major leagues with his coaching and life skills.
“I am there for them if they need me. Not only do I teach them how to
play but prepare them for life a� er baseball.”
- John BushartPierce College baseball head coach
----------------------------
-------
