FEATURES Engineering club adviser nominated for award
ARTS
SPORTS
Musicians performance pleases audience
Volleyball splits conference games
See page 3
Volume 73, Issue 5
See page 5
2
See page 6
Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
www.elaccampusnews.com
Kinesiology professor Shepherd dead at 68 BY DIEGO OLIVARES Staff Writer
DEATHS IN
TWO WEEKS Woman found dead near parking structure BY IVAN CAZARES Staff Writer
A woman died near Parking Structure 4 on Sunday. The Sheriff’s Department received a call reporting the death at 4 a.m. The Sheriff’s Department would not reveal the circumstances of her death. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s homicide division is conducting an investigation on the matter. East Los Angeles College President Marvin Martinez announced the death of a person in an email addressed to faculty and staff. Public Information Officer Alejandro Guzman confirmed it was a woman. He referred Campus News to the Sheriff’s office. Multiple deputies, however, claim that Guzman is the person to talk to for information. Rumors suggesting that the women is an 18 year old ELAC student and that it is a case of suicide are circulating due to the lack of information being released. Staff and faculty were instructed to avoid the structure on the corner of Collegian Avenue and Floral Drive and park in the Stadium Lot or
Parking Structure 3. Deputy Alberto Romero admitted to knowing whether she was an ELAC student or not, but said he was not in a position to disclose that information. The Sheriff’s Information Bureau claims it doesn’t have any record of the death and was unable to put Campus News in contact with the detective in charge of the investigation. This is the second death to occur involving the parking structures in the last two weeks. Martinez is yet to identify the man believed to be a former ELAC student who died from a fall on Sept. 28. Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s station at (323) 265-8800. People in need of counseling services can visit the Health Center in building G8-111 or call (323) 265-8651. More information will be published when it becomes available.
East Los Angeles College Professor Michael A. Shepherd has died from cancer on Sunday, Sept. 27. Shepherd was part of the Kinesiology Department and part of the ELAC staff for over 30 years. Shepherd was born January 1, 1947 in Ohio. He became passionate about sports early in life. He played basketball and football at Carlisle High School. The Ohio Athletic and Scholastic Magazine placed him on their cover page. This was all due Michael to his early athletic success. After graduation, Shepherd attended Bowling Green State University to play football. Shepherd graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education and moved to California after graduation. Shepherd taught at various Los Angeles high schools, including Lincoln High. With Shepherd’s coaching, the Lincoln High Football team tied for league championship. This was his first year as a coach for the team. By 1975, two important milestones occurred in Shepherd’s life. He joined in the Los Angeles Community College District as an adjunct professor at Los Angeles City College. The second milestone was the marriage to his wife Maria in July 1975. The had two children, Ryan and Amanda. Last July would have been the Shepherds’ 40th anniversary. Ten years after being hired at L.A. City College, Shepherd went on to work at ELAC. As a kinesiology professor,
Shepherd took many of his students under his wing. “He really cared about his students,” Softball Coach Erika Blanco said. Shepherd was well liked by his students. “My former athletes were former athletes of his and they also spoke highly of him,” Kinesiology Professor L o u i s Ramirez, Jr. said. His coworkers also enjoyed him as well. “We meet at ELAC when he was an adjunct i n s t r u c t o r, ” Athletic Director Al Cone said. A. Shepherd “He had a hard work ethic. It appears that he loved to be here and never talked about retirement,” Cone said. Shepherd also had other interests beside sports. He held a real estate license that was of interest to him and sold homes around Malibu. Shepherd was described as a bighearted person who hugely cared for those around him. He took care of his father-in-law John as he was near the end of his life. The same could also be said about his students. Shepherd always ensured that his students were in good physical shape and healthy enough to live life. It is his friendly outlook that the people around him remember. “(Shepherd was) a nice man, always cheerful and when he was in a bad mood, you would never know it,” Cone said. “You won’t meet a person who had a bad thing to say about him,” Cone says. Shepherd is survived by his wife Maria, his children Ryan and Amanda and his grandchildren Lukas and Jaydn.
Report shows a crime rate decrease on campus BY IVAN CAZARES AND ROGELIO ALVAREZ Staff Writers The latest crime report published by the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and the Community College Bureau shows a decreased number of crimes on and around campus. The federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act)
News Briefs
requires colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs to disclose campus safety information. It also imposes requirements for dealing with incidents of sexual violence and emergency situations. The 2015 Annual Security Report records crime statistics between July 2013 to June 2014. Crimes are categorized under three different areas: on campus, noncampus and public property. Crime statistics are assembled between East Los Angeles College
Sheriff’s Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and with assistance from local law enforcement around the South Gate Educational Center and main campus. The report also contains information on how to report a crime. Campus Security Authorities have their numbers listed for students, faculty and staff to report any incidents. There was a total of five sex offenses reported in 2012 and 2013, but none in 2014.
Financial Aid Awareness Information about the 2015-16 Financial Aid Process and Program is available today between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the free speech area next to the food truck.
A robbery was reported on campus in 2012 and another in 2013. No robberies were reported on campus in 2014. There were four cases of domestic violence reported in 2013, one of which was associated with a robbery. Two were reported in 2014, one of which involved assault with a deadly weapon. On private property near the campus, three robberies were reported in 2013. The statistics for robberies on private property near campus in 2014 is not available in
the report. The ELAC website contains PDF links to monthly crime statistics reports that turn up during the 2012-2014 crime statistic report. Vehicular thefts account for the majority of crimes on and near campus. Eight vehicles were reported stolen in 2012 and 11 in 2013. That number went down to four in 2014. A total of five vehicles were reported stolen near campus in 2013 and 2014. Non-Campus crimes were
reported less frequently. Any crimes that occur outside of campus crimes fall under Monterey Park Police jurisdiction. The campus sheriffs are available to refer students, faculty and staff to local law enforcements for noncampus incidents. Los Angeles County Sheriffs contracts deputies to provide security for ELAC. The Annual Crime Report provides guidelines and explanations for what is considered illegal offensives.
California ShakeOut
Fatherhood and family conference
ELAC is participating in The Great California ShakeOut drill tomorrow at 10:15 a.m. People on campus will be asked to drop to the ground, take cover and to hold on until instructed.
The Greater East Los Angeles Fatherhood and Family Conference will be on Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. in the S2 Recital Hall. For more information visit conlospadres.org or call (323) 379-2529.