Volume 78, Issue 1 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, September 15, 2021 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Dismissed ELAC dean hired at Cabrillo College BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Paul De La Cerda, former East Los Angeles College Foundation Dean who is being investigated by the Los Angeles Sheriff Department, has been hired as a Vice President of Instruction at Cabrillo College. De La Cerda took his position at Cabrillo College after his dismissal from ELAC and the Los Angeles Community College District. His position includes being Assistant Superintendent of the Hispanic Serving Institution task force steering committee. “The HSI Task Force is part of Cabrillo College’s overarching commitment to becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution,” Cabrillo College’s website said. LASD Sheriff Detective Mark Manskar, of the Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau, said no additional information could be given regarding the case. Manskar said any further information could be obtained from the District Attorney’s office after the case is filed. “This case is ongoing and the release of any information could compromise this investigation,” Manskar said. William Boyer, director of communications and external relations for the LACCD, said
generally speaking personnel circumstances of Paul’s departure issues cannot be discussed when from East Los Angeles College it comes to the release of De La were known to me and our board of trustees. Paul resigned from the Cerda. Boyer said he could not discuss LACCD in June in order to take his the ongoing investigation into new position here,” Wetstein said. The position De La Cerda alleged wrongdoings or De La Cerda being conducted by the previously held at the ELAC LASD Fraud and Cyber Crimes Foundation was that of Dean. Roman said the Bureau. position would “The college be changed, [ELAC] does not “This case is ongoing and it is now get involved with the position these matters, and the release of o f D i r e c t o r. therefore, I cannot provide any information could “ A r m o n d Aghakhanian you with an compromise this is the new update,” Alberto permanent Roman said investigation.” Director of of the current the ELAC investigation, Foundation,” and that he has Kristen M. Van no comment on MARK MANSKAR LASD Sheriff Detective Hala, executive De La Cerda’s assistant for new position at t h e o ff i c e o f Cabrillo College. the president of Matt Wetstein, president and superintendent at ELAC, said. The LACCD’s website said the Cabrillo College, said the decision to hire De La Cerda was made class specifications for a Director using the college’s normal hiring of Foundation include the abilities to plan, organize, implement and practices. Input on hiring De La Cerda came direct fundraising. It also involves from Cabrillo colleges community. managing the business affairs of the He said the college was happy to Foundation. The LACCD Board of Trustees have De La Cerda as part of that voted to no longer employ De La community. “I cannot comment on our Cerda as of March 3. personnel decisions, but the
BEFORE
CN/JONATHAN BERMUDEZ
BROWIN IN RAINBOW—Luis Alfaro, fellow genius award winner, talks to students at Mi Centro for an off site course for Chicano Studies 27 LGBTQ+ in literature.
$10 million dollars to go to colleges for LGBTQ+ programs BY JONATHAN BERMUDEZ Staff Writer A state fund of $10 million will be disturbuted amoung community colleges for LGBTQ+ programs by the Los Angeles Community College District on Wednesday, September 1st. $500,000 will go to any community college that applies. The money will go to bettering the programs on campuses that are strictly for LBTQ+. The fund will not only be for academic purposes, but also counseling and housing for those of the LGBTQ+ community. LACCD Trustee David Vela has been trying to get this approved since 2018. Vela said that a higher proportion of students who need help are LGBTQ+. Some of them are kicked out of their houses and have nowhere to go. “ We wanted LGBT students to be specifically
News Briefs
safe on campus and feel welcomed,” Vela said. Vela said the fund is at a pilot stage, but he is hoping this will become permanent. “Our goal is to ultimately grow the fund as the state expands and build LGBT centers at every college and have them fully staffed and fully funded.” “We really have to understand that LGBT rights and issues are all of our issues. This is to help a community that has been under served, discriminated and legislative against,” said Vela. As for LGBTQIA advisory, Felipe Agredano, wants to use the money to enhance programs already here at ELAC, provide counseling and have more courses that address LGBTQ+ studies. Agredano states there are only four courses at ELAC that provide LGBTQ+ studies and you need to take six in order to get a degree for a major. “It’s a new day,” Agredano said.
Fall 2021 Club Rush
East Los Angeles College ASU will hold club rush on September 29 and September 30 at E3/E7 quad from 11a.m. to noon.
He remembers being in the shoes of students today back when he came to ELAC, in the early ’90s. He felt that he wasn’t necessarily hiding that he was gay, but he didn’t feel comfortable or safe at the campus As he got older he kept asking himself what he should do to not let students go through the experience he went through. Just like trustee Vela, Agredano wants this to be a safe and welcoming campus for LGBTQ+ students. “It’s important to have an advocate who supports mental health, housing as well as the academics of the LGBTQ+ community,” Agredano says. He said it’s groundbreaking because it’s signaling all colleges that LGBTQ+ is getting the support needed. Agredano said he is hoping to have a flag raised on campus that shows community college campuses are a welcoming place for all members of LGBTQ+.
CN/PAUL MEDINA
AFTER—A bulletin board had not been updated since students were last on campus in March of 2020. The COVID-19 precaution signs that are around campus for safety.
ELAC frozen in time BY PAUL MEDINA Staff Writer During its 75 years in operation East Los Angeles College has never had to suspend in-person classes like the pandemic forced it to in 2020. Last year as the ‘coronavirus’ was beginning to sweep through the nation, the U.S. federal government would declare it a national emergency. ELAC, on orders from the district, ceased to offer in person instruction around
El Centro del Sur Latinx Theatre Festival
ELAC’s theater department will perform “From the works of John Leguizamo East Coast to East Los,” on Friday at 7p.m. along with six theater companies. This is a virtual event, join at https://elcentrodelsur.eventbrite.com/.
the third week of March. The semester was brought to a halt until further notice. Ultimately instruction resumed under a modified online method of instruction. All classes went online with the exception of a few district sanctioned courses such as Nursing, Respiratory Therapy and Emergency Medical Technician, which were allowed to remain in person under strict social distancing guidelines. As months passed, the campus looked like somewhat of a ghost
town. Prior to its limited reopening of very few courses during the summer session, only Sheriffs personal and custodians would be seen occasionally strolling through campus. It was a surreal feeling to see the campus empty on a weekday during normal operating hours. These are a collection of pictures showing what the lively ELAC looked like during the pandemic, taken during the Spring Semester, one year after the pandemic began. Showing at times an ELAC frozen in time. It is a view few were able to see.
Tending to Wounds of Racial Trauma Workshop
The Dream Resource Center will host a zoom with Dr. Farima PourKhorshid on September 30 from noon-2p.m. to help students heal from racial trauma and social toxicity at https://bit.ly/Fall21SpeakerSeries.