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Wednesday, september 19, 2018 Volume 181 number 1

NEWS BRIEFS By trissean mCDonaLD

Transfer Day to Bring recruiters to Campus Jump-start your transfer by meeting admissions representatives from schools like Loyola Marymount University, Pepperdine University, Otis College of Art and Design and Syracuse University. Representatives from nearly 50 colleges will be available to chat with students from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m on Thursday, Sept. 27 on the Quad next to Student Services.

Do you want a chance to win cash, exotic vacations, cool electronics, the latest fashions and possibly even a car? Your chance is here, because FremantleMedia is casting college students and professors to join special college tapings for popular game shows like “Family Feud”, “The Price is Right” and “Let’s Make a Deal.” Apply online at Fremantlecasting.com or call 818666-3606 for more information.

Man flashes student in fH Los Angeles County Sheriffs are seeking information about a man suspected of exposing himself to a female student who was waiting for a class to begin in a Franklin Hall classroom on Thursday, July 19 at 5:20 p.m. The suspect then ran out of the building. The man is described as a Hispanic male, 6 feet tall, 190 pounds, with short curly or wavy hair. He has a beard and a mustache and appears to be 27 to 30 years of age, according to a special bulletin from the L.A. County Sheriffs. If you have more information about the incident, please call (323) 953-4005.

students save with free software Downloads Currently enrolled students are eligible to download free software, including the Microsoft Office 2016 365 Suite, from LACC.edu. Students may visit LACC’s website and click on the “For Students” tab for download. Be sure to have your @student.laccd. edu or @faculty.laccd.edu email address to access downloads.

explore Campus Life Phi Theta Kappa, LACC Literature Society and the Chemistry Club are just a few of the groups recruiting members. The Associated Student Government (ASG) will host the event from Sept. 24 – 26 on the Quad.

The Voice of Los Angeles City College since 1929

GoinG, GoinG,

Gone In its place will be non-credit “supplemental” courses, embedded tutoring and other classes.

By tanya FLoWers anD meLissa CrumBy

ore than 150 math and English basic skills courses populate the online class schedule for fall semester. Next year, it will be a different story. California community colleges across the state are saying goodbye to assessment testing. By fall 2019, courses like “Math 110,” “Math 121,” “English 28,” “English 67” and “English 97” will no longer be offered for credit. These courses will be

scholarships

news sports

6-7 8

of students go on to complete a degree, certiﬁcate or transfer in six years.

An April 2016 study from Multiple Measure Assessment Project (MMAP) hints at problems for certain populations. The study showed only a small percentage of students of color enrolled in transferable courses. Data also suggest a large percentage of international students or students enrolled in English as a second language are people of color. According to the Student Success Scorecard, 70 percent of students who enroll directly into college-level courses transfer or graduate. Only 40 percent of students go on to complete a degree, certificate or transfer in six years. “The intent of [AB] 705 is that you are able to get out of math and English in a year,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Dan Walden. “Instead of coming in and having to take four or five math courses, you only at most have to take two. But you wouldn’t even have to take it. You have the option to go directly into [math] 227 and while taking 227 you can take 158. And in one semester you get out.” Across community colleges in California 170,000 students enroll in remedial math a year and 110,000 drop out. Some educators say there is a correlation between the skills acquired in high school and success at the college level. SEE “AB 705” PAGE 6

sTAY On TrAcK: There’s an App for That By niCK moreLanD Hidden among the now millions of iPhone and Android apps is one made specifically to help you stay on track and meet crucial deadlines in your academic career. And the chances are, you probably don’t even know about it. As of the first quarter of 2018, Android users have roughly 3.8 million apps to choose from and Apple users about 2 million. It’s no wonder some apps may fall through the cracks. LACC became one of the many community colleges to provide the Gradguru app to its students this fall semester. This useful tool is free and available to any student with a smart phone. Everything you need to know about what’s happening at L.A City College is presented on this app. Deadlines, news, tips, reminders, even rewards for attendance and grade point average. These are just

some of the features of Gradguru. Too bad it’s underutilized. The college sent out a newsletter informing students of useful resources available to them a few weeks before the fall semester officially started. Included on this list was the app Gradguru yet few seem to have seen that email. There’s also a banner on the LACC website promoting the app, but that didn’t do the trick either. Of the 53 students informally surveyed, only three had even heard of Gradguru. Only two had actually downloaded and used it among the three. Turns out that of the roughly 20,000 students enrolled at L.A. City College less than 500 have downloaded Gradguru. That’s less than 3 percent. These are truly unfortunate statistics since the app does have much to offer. SEE “GRAD GURU” PAGE 7

photo by tanya floWers/CollegIan

Collegian staﬀers pull up Grad Guru on their smartphones. The app is intended to help students keep track of academic deadlines, ﬁnancial aid and college transfer requirements.

Chemistry 3 Ceiling Sealed oﬀ to Keep Squatters Out By mattheW aLi

2-3

campus life

of students arrive unprepared for college-level English

sources: the Student Success Scorecard and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Oﬃce

“voluntary.” In the latest quest to ensure student success, lawmakers have crunched the numbers and created Assembly Bill 705 (AB 705). They concluded that a student’s high school GPA can be a better predictor of success in college than assessment tests. Authors of the bill say it will speed up the transfer and graduation rate. Gov. Jerry Brown approved AB 705 in October 2017. Authors of the legislation say this will help fast track students who are enrolled in 114 community colleges in California. Their data show many students tested into remedial courses and dropped out before they ever enrolled in a transferable course. “The spirit of this law is about one really leaning into students’ capacity and if the students are eager to learn, our job is to really develop the traditions that will support them best,” said Laura Hope the executive vice chancellor for educational services and support from the academic affairs office at California community colleges chancellor’s office. “And then secondary, we need to rethink the way we are approaching developmental education, so that if a student has a learning gap, like not knowing how to multiply a fraction we need to get that to you just in time, rather than making you take a whole course.”

indeX opinion & editorial

85% 70% 40%

of incoming community college students arrive unprepared for college-level work in math.

Placement Tests, remedial courses Under the Knife Starting fall 2019, students have the right to enroll directly into transfer-level courses for both math and English. Placement testing will be a thing of the past.

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Black smudges on a wall inside Chemistry Building, Room 3 have led professor Daniel Marlos and others to believe squatters are living inside the roof above the lecture hall.

Chemistry 3 may have someone or something living above the heads of students in the photography department’s lecture hall. Unless Spider-Man is registered for classes on campus, footprints ascending a classroom wall are unusual. Maintenance workers and campus sheriffs have taken steps to ensure who, or according to sheriffs a possible, whatever has been squatting between the basement and first floor of Chemistry 3 no longer has access to that area. The back wall of Chemistry 3 had about four feet of footprints that scaled the wall up to an opening in the ceiling where a panel is missing and the upper area was ex-

posed. Someone potentially could have used this as an access point to break into other rooms and offices in the Chemistry Building. “I found out this week from the sub-contractors that are working in the Chemistry Building to give us Wi-Fi access that they suspected that there was a person or persons that was sleeping in the ceiling of the lecture hall in Chemistry 3 and the evidence was that there were footprints on the wall of people going in and out,” said Daniel Marlos, vice-chair visual and media arts. “It’s kind of circumstantial evidence that we have, I don’t know that anybody has actually seen SEE “SQUATTERS” PAGE 6

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Opinion & editorial

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Editorial

Russia Uses Social Media to Invade America from the Inside

W Illustration by Natalia Zepeda/Collegian

orld War III is here, and it began three years ago with Russian hackers. Since the end of the Second World War, people have been speculating as to when the next one would be. Writers write about war torn life, artists create images to remind and to heal, while political scientists and sociologists try to predict when the next one will be. But war doesn’t need weapons of mass destruction or massive armies—not in the digital age. The hacking began in 2015, with the Democratic National Committee reporting a compromised computer in their offices, according to CNN reports. That and subsequent hackings that plagued senators, congressmen and Democratic Party affiliates alike focused on emails, internal memos and information about opposing candidates. This led to the belief that the Russians were trying to undermine the electoral process and destroy faith in the democratic system. But spying on the enemy is a technique that dates back thousands of years, and does not necessarily constitute an invasion. Merriam-Webster defines an invasion as “the incoming or spread of something usually hurtful.” In December of 2016, Adam Entous and two other reporters for the Washington Post reported that the purpose of the hacking attacks was to bolster then candidate Trump’s election, ensuring he would be named president. It had now become an invasion because it caused harm by compromising the American political system. This was a game-changer. What the Russian hackers did sabotaged the 2016 presidential election by establishing social media accounts that spread propaganda and lies. On Sept. 6, 2017, Facebook announced that between June of 2015 and May of 2017 over 3,000 advertisements were linked to Russian agencies. These ads defamed the candidates that opposed

Arming Teachers:

In response to the recent series of school shootings, Betsy DeVos, our country’s secretary of education, is proposing the use of taxpayer money to arm teachers. Being the academic leader she is, DeVos knows her history well and understands that since the first pilgrim loaded his muzzle, it’s kill or be killed out there--even with God on our side. We may be 193rd in math, science and every other subject compared to the rest of the world, but we’re number one when it comes to violence. And, we’ll stay numero uno because the nice Amway lady is now running a protection racket. At first glance, funding teachers to pack heat instead of chalk might seem to be a bit hare brained. But as everybody knows, we’ve been turning out millions of lazy, indolent, snot-nosed brats for decades. Forget about prim and proper and Maria von Trapp. That sweet, lov-

able kindergarten teacher really harbors a fantasy to be Belle Starr. She can’t wait to carry a rod in eager anticipation of blowing away her mentally deranged ex-lover when he comes a calling on her class. And when you got a teacher like that, what spoiled little fiveyear-old monster is ever going to pout or whimper when his crayons get swiped? With 90,000 elementary schools and over a million teachers nationally, think of the marketing opportunities. Shoot, the Roman Empire has nothing on God fearing, flag waving, gun toting, money-loving Betsy. What’s crucifying a few thousand freethinking pacifists compared to arming every schoolmarm in the country? Why, the possibilities for new sales are endless. And, we haven’t even touched high school teachers, school nurses, the janitor, school crossing guards, grandparents who teach reading, Mom’s who volunteer on hot dog day and best of all the school board and the PTA. Fire away! After arming herself with her family’s fortune, Betsy’s been going gaga to make MAGA by getting a militia full of senators elected here in the homeland--22 of them at last count. So, it’s just piffle that

“What the Russian hackers did sabotaged the 2016 presidential election by establishing social media accounts that spread propaganda and lies.” However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Since discovering about the hackings, groups ranging from Microsoft to independent techie geniuses have discovered that the Russians are still hacking us. This is an ongoing invasion that is now entering into its third year, and it’s time to act. It is the responsibility of every American to speak up through protests and petitions. This is war. The battlefield is virtual, the weapons are digital, but the casualties are real.

$200 Billion Robbery of Students Planned for 2019

Amway Lady Packs Heat By John Johns

Trump and spread lies that we as a nation are still trying to sort out. They hid behind social media accounts, altering people’s perception. The invaders ruined our process, which spread out into other areas. This helped lead to Trump’s win in 2016 and a social rift that resulted in protests, a spike in hate crimes and in a few instances death—most notably in Charlottesville where 32-year-old Heather Heyer was run over by a car during a protest march. After her death, right-wingers and neo-Nazis harassed her family, posted demeaning and crude memes about her and showed no sympathy for her or anyone else injured during the protest. Turning Americans against Americans is a great way to destroy a country from the inside.

By Louis Primavera

Illustration by Brian Z. Gomez/Collegian

in her confirmation hearings DeVos was called the “most unqualified” person ever to be nominated for the position. You gotta love it that the Amway lady has never taught a class, never run a school and never been elected to a school board, but is terrified that grizzly bears pose the number one threat to the safety of school children in

the land of the free and the home of the brave. Forget about teaching the miscreants to memorize the Gettysburg Address. What’s really going to make America great again is getting every muddle-headed educator to pack heat. And, better yet, when they buy directly from their friendly local Amway dealer in the hood.

President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ plan to slash many federal financial aid programs from the next year’s budget will hit students hard if it isn’t stopped. Students need to understand what’s at stake and get out and vote in the upcoming midterm elections in order to roll back this planned heist. “At a time when millions of students are struggling under the crushing burden of student debt, it speaks volumes that President Trump and Secretary DeVos are proposing $200 billion in cuts to financial aid,” said Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) in a Feb. 13, 2018, statement given to the Washington Post. Murray is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee The proposed cuts would eliminate $28 billion in subsidized loans as well as the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG). Close to $5 million in cuts are proposed to the federal workstudy program. President Trump has also been outspoken about the possibility of eliminating Federal Pell Grants. No-interest loans will no longer be an option and creat-

ing fewer loan repayment options have also been proposed. With the current lopsided economy and income inequality - the likes of which haven’t been seen since the 1920s - cutting funding for students who need it is unnecessary and deeply disturbing. Speaking this past September at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, former President Barack Obama urged young Americans to vote this November because American democracy “depends on it.” “To all the young people who are here today, there are now more eligible voters in your generation than in any other, which means your generation now has more power than anybody to change things. If you want it, you can make sure America gets out of its current funk,” President Obama said. If we want to avert this unnecessary financial disaster that directly affects our lives as students, we need to recognize the power we have and not be afraid to wield it in our interests. California’s midterm elections will be Nov. 6, 2018. Voters should be ready to “get to work” by helping prevent these awful policies from affecting the state’s most vulnerable students.

Have an Opinion? A Story Idea? write a letter to the editor! email: losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

OpiniOn & editOrial

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

COMPILED BY Russell Vicente PHOTOS BY Kaitlyn Kimble

Starting fall 2019, students will no longer be required to take assessment tests, but instead will be placed based on their high school GPA. This means that most students will enter and complete transfer-level English and math. What are your thoughts on this?

IrInA BUKrInsKAYA Marketing Major

MATCos sArTI paralegal studies Major

MAGreTTe foYoH nursing Major

LIsA BrYAnT Human services Major

“I had a great GPA, but I probably wouldn’t have passed my class if my teacher wasn’t also a P.E. teacher ... I passed, great, but I was not good. I was not prepared. Maybe [with] more tutoring, maybe more one-on-one with high school students. They don’t really understand that what they are doing now, it is going to affect them 10 years from now.”

“No, I didn’t need [math]. I don’t know. I kind of think that you have to prove you’re qualified. Because otherwise you would have students struggling in class. They are more likely to fail their classes.”

“During the summer bridge, I took math and English. I was placed in English 28 but decided to take English 97 ... I wasn’t prepared for it. I just took it because they thought I’d improved. But for me, I don’t feel I improved. I decided to take a lower class because I felt like I wasn’t ready ... I want to start at the bottom, because I want to be prepared.”

“I placed in Math 112, and [in] English placed in 97 … That would be bad. Because, what if the class is a hard class, and I’m not at that level? Then I’m not able to pass my class because it’s too hard. The way it is now, it gives us the opportunity to be able to place where we are, that we can excel in our classes.”

Show Sympathy for Devil’s Minions By mattheW James I think Donald Trump is human garbage. I don’t think it’s controversial to say things like that anymore. I don’t have the same disdain for the people who voted for him, though. In fact, I feel sorry for them, and I think you should too. His actions hurt them too, after all. T h e most recent example of this was his decision to roll back pollution regulations on burning coal in West Virginia. Many people there see it as a positive, allowing them to get back to the coal jobs that supported their communities in the days when America was “great.” Unfortunately, this will hurt more than help. According to the article “US plan for coal power deregulation could cause more deaths” by Associated Press reporters Ellen Knickmeyer and Seth Borenstein, this deregulation will also pose serious health risks for the people living there. The Aug. 22, 2018 news article basically says that even though living next to perpetual columns of smoke isn’t good for you, Trump’s supporters are willing to accept these consequences--at least those who believe that there will be consequences--just so they can get a decent job. It’s hard to pass up someone who promises to bring jobs back to your community. Trump’s infamous trade war with China also poses a threat to the livelihood of his supporters. A July 8, 2018 report by Business Insider shows that red states will be hit es-

“tRump suppoRteRs aRen’t monsteRs. they’Re Just despeRate people that think theiR Way of life is being thReatened.” pecially hard by his feud. They include Texas, Alabama and Wisconsin. The farming and manufacturing sectors that Trump claimed to be a supporter of are especially vulnerable. Trump thinks the trade war will be good for business, and his supporters seem to be just as naïve. However, his poor decisions just continue to screw over the people who gave him his job. Many people who voted for Trump are regretting it. A July 17, 2018 New York Times piece profiled a few of those regretful supporters. The president’s approval ratings also reflect that view, but there are still plenty of diehard Trump supporters out there. They still think he’ll make good on his promises despite evidence to the contrary. Trump supporters aren’t monsters. They’re just desperate people that think their way of life is being threatened. Yes, while some of them are tiki torch-wielding bigots that think people who literally fought against the United States are war heroes, most of them just want to find meaningful employment and provide for their families. So, on the off chance that you meet a Trump supporter in L.A., give them some sympathy because they could use it right now.

IllustratIon by brIan V. gomeZ/CollegIan

mLK Library Provides real Oasis By viCtor resenDiZ Since I enrolled at Los Angeles City College, the Martin Luther King Jr. Library has been a tremendous help to me and to my fellow students. I do not currently have access to the internet or a computer at home, so I go to the library to complete my class assignments. It is also one of the best spots to study on the entire campus. An

entire floor is dedicated to study space. If there is one thing this campus does right, it would be the MLK Library open for students. When I received my first written assignment at City College, I panicked. I had no idea how to type and print it out because my laptop at the time was not working. This was before I knew about the library on campus. I was new to the whole college thing. At first, I tried the public library and quickly decided that it was not the ideal place to write an essay. The computers have a onehour time limit and you can only use them twice a day. I realized that was not enough time to complete my essay. I returned to campus and even-

Los Angeles Collegian The Voice of Los Angeles City College since 1929

Los Angeles city college Visual & media Arts Department

855 n. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, cA 90029

MANAGING EDITOR Jason Piskopus

OPINIONS & EDITORIAL EDITOR Thandisizwe Chimurenga

LAYOUT EDITOR Richard Martinez

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Nick Moreland

ILLUSTRATORS Brian Z. Gomez, Natalia Zepeda, Juan Carlos Diego Angulo

PHOTOGRAPHERS Kaitlyn Kimble, William Torres, Cliﬀ Cheng

SPORTS EDITOR Will Pennington

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER Dave Martin, Franco Aguirre Fernandez

REPORTERS Louis Primavera, Felicia V. Gaddis, Nick Moreland, Matthew Ali, Melissa Crumby, Chris Argueta, Angel Johnson, Dave Martin, Jared Birdsong, Mary Paronyan, John Johns, Trissean Mcdonald, Jordan Rodriguez

ADVISER Rhonda Guess

want. However, for the best spot to study for that test, I recommend going to the third floor. It has a vibe that mimics a study room except this one is much more grand. If you require more privacy, you can go into one of the many rooms located to the side for maximum study time. Make sure to bring a study buddy, as the room requires two people. That is the only downside. Other than that, the library offers a wide selection of support and services to help you study and ace your exams. I could go on. From finishing my homework, to applying for jobs, the library offers valuable tools available to all students. Take full advantage.

for all submissions including letters to the editor and publicity releases, send materials to Collegian offices located in Chemistry building, room 207, or email: losangeles.collegian@gmail.com.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tanya Flowers

tually stumbled upon the library. The people who work there were so nice and explained to me that the computers there are available as long as you are enrolled. This was a much better place to work on my assignment because it was quiet and there was no time limit. Now, I go there whenever I need to work on any of my assignments. In order to succeed in your classes, you are going to have to study. I know most students at City College have jobs, kids or both, so studying at home may not seem like a great idea, but that’s where the library comes in handy. There are three floors and you can choose to study wherever you

neXT IssUe: october 1, 2018 eDITorIAL DeADLIne: september 27, 2018

the college newspaper is published as a learning experience, offered 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 virtue of the first amendment to the united states Constitution. accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be

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interpreted as the position of the los angeles Community College district, los angeles City College, or any officer or employee thereof. Collegian ©2017. no material may be reprinted without the express written permission of the los angeles Collegian.

CaMpUS liFe

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

‘CroWDSourCinG’ CurriCula: Campus ‘Re-Visions’ College Experience More than 70 staff, faculty and students collaborated in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Student Union about the future of course selection at L.A. City College while they munched on pepperoni and sausage pizzas. By FeLiCia v. gaDDis If you are a student interested in seemingly unrelated fields like English Literature, computer coding and psychology, and have no idea what career combines all of them or what classes to take, then Guided Pathways could help you in the near future. The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office sponsored the LACC Guided Pathways Kickoff, a workshop created to make it easier for students to select the right courses and majors to achieve their career goals. LACC Student Services hosted the event on Sept. 4. The Guided Pathways Kickoff is

the first of many workshops and events planned over the next five years to fundamentally change the way students think about college and career paths. “It is all 114 community colleges taking part in ... a framework to renovate our colleges – the whole system,” said Drew Yamanishi, LACC’s dean of student services, retention. The “renovation” Yamanishi referred to isn’t necessarily physical, but academic and organizational. The Guided pathways system implements a philosophy, recommendations and best practices that can be applied to just about any project at a community college according to Yamanishi. It uses the concept of crowdsourcing, which is the practice of obtaining information or input into a task or project by enlisting the services of a group of people. The administrators, faculty and students who attended this event were the first “crowd” sourced and there will be many more events over the next five years, giving students the opportunity

IllustratIon by felICIa V. gaddIs/CollegIan

to provide input. The process will give students the power to shape their majors to prepare for their ultimate career. “If you use a Guided Pathways philosophy in doing your course schedule for example … we need to look at what are our pathways,” Yamanishi said. “An English major for a degree or an English major for transfer or an English major you know, for Business or whatever it is and think about what do they [students] need and when do we offer it.” The program will design curric-

ula for students who know exactly what they want to do as well as students who don’t have a clue by making sure they get classes they need when they need them. “Are most of our students day students or night students or weekend students?” Yamanishi said. “Is there a class that this major needs that’s only offered every five years? Those [are] the kinds of questions that really get at … all those issues that are on the vision of success.” Tuesday’s workshop culminated with a “Meta Majors” activity. Meta majors cluster groups of ac-

ademic majors and interests that lead to a career pathway. “[We’re] grouping the majors that we have into categories that will hopefully, eventually make it more understandable to students,” said Kelly Miller, chair of childhood and family studies. Carol Kozeracki, dean of academic affairs, liberal arts says the process gives students a framework for planning their academic future. “If they don’t know what they want to major in, at least they have a general feel for ‘Oh, that’s of interest to me’ and they kind

of start down that path instead of randomly picking courses just to get started,” Kozeracki said. Diamond Johnson, a nursing student at LACC, also participated in the meta majors activity. “We’ve been separating careers into buckets,” Diamond said. “We’ve been separating the career stem – public service, humanities and social sciences into different categories.” Ultimately, the goal of Guided Pathways is to make the student experience at LACC more productive and user-friendly.

Metro U-Pass Brings Discounts to Campus By Chris argueta

photos Courtesy of Ian foXX

Left: H.B. Barnum (left) spent 25 years as the musical director for the late R&B legend Aretha Franklin (right). Barnum received a lifetime achievement award from the California Jazz and Blues Museum Awards at their ﬁrst annual ceremony on Sept. 10, 2018 in Hollywood. right: Mark Ridley-Thomas, Barbara Morrison and Allen B. Shay at the California Jazz & Blues Museum, Monday, Sept. 10, 2018.

Jazz Band Alum Among Legends honored in hollywood Thelonious Monk, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Herbie Hancock and Pat Metheny are part of a long list of prominent jazz musicians who played with Billy Higgins. He was once part of the L.A. City Jazz Band: a place for great beginnings. By DaviD martin Jazz aficionados and fans walked the red carpet in Hollywood at the first annual California Jazz and Blues Museum Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Sept. 10, 2018, at the Catalina Jazz Club. The great drummer who once played with the L.A. City College Jazz Band was posthumously inducted into the museum’s hall of fame. Higgins was one of the most prolific jazz drummers in music recording

history. He went on to teach at UCLA. Barbara Morrison, a Grammy Award winner who has performed at L.A. City College events was also honored along with conductor, H.B. Barnum. He was the musical director of the late Aretha Franklin for more than 25 years. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award. During his career, Barnum collaborated with Frank Sinatra, P-Diddy (Puff Daddy), Lou Rawls, Don Ho, The Temptations, The Jacksons and a host of other musicians and singers.

For students on a tight budget who want to save the little pennies in life, LACC offers the Metro U-Pass, which can get anyone nearly anywhere around the city. With the Metro U-Pass, students can board any and all Metro buses and trains. This includes the Red Line train, which has a stop on the northeast corner of campus near the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, and the bus routes 754 and 204, which can pick passengers up and drop them off on Vermont and Santa Monica or Vermont and Melrose. Emily Verga stood among a small group of students whose daily routine includes a ride on the 704 to and from the campus. She says she may consider buying the U-Pass. “So long as I don’t have to carry an extra bus pass, I’m fine with it,” she said. Students can purchase the LACC U-Pass at the Student Union Building next to the Cub Store. It costs $195 and will be valid from Aug. 27, 2018 to Feb. 24, 2019. The normal College/Vocational Pass that the Metro normally offers to students costs $43 per month. This will save students money: $195 for six months compared to $258. It’s almost a steal. Another feature students like, is that the U-Pass is a simple sticker, which attaches to the LACC student ID. There is no new card to carry around. Simply tap your ID each time you board a bus or train

IllustratIon by Juan Carlos dIego angulo/CollegIan

and voila, fee is waived and you are free to ride. New students who do not have their student ID can obtain one in the Welcome Center, located in the Student Services Building. There’s a process to obtain the U-Pass. First it is a requirement that students complete a Metro Survey, which can be found on the LACC official website. Students receive a confirmation email after completion. Finally, bring proof of your completion to the Cub Store, and pay, to receive your U-Pass Sticker. You are now ready to tap and ride wherever you wish. “This is my second year at LACC and I’ve [ridden] the bus the entire time and never heard of this,” said Marcus Escobar, student. Many students have been surprised to hear that a discount Metro pass exists, let alone that the college is the one offering it.

Have an OpiniOn? a StOry idea? write a letter to the editor! email: losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

SCHOlarSHipS

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

SCHOLARSHIPS

ComPiLeD By Jason PisKoPus

Scholars Helping Collars Scholarship

Truth Initiative Scholarship

Deadline: 2/28/19 Amount: $1,000 Eligibility: High School Seniors For consideration, applicants must submit a 500 to 1000 word essay describing the impact you have made in the life of a rescue animal or animal welfare cause in general. You must also submit two to three photos of your volunteer eﬀorts Visit: https://www.petplay.com/scholarship

related ﬁelds. Applicants must have a declared insurance/ risk management, accounting or business/ ﬁnance major with an overall and major GPA of at least 3.0. They must also have satisfactorily completed at least 30 semester hours, equivalent college work including at least six semester hours in their declared major and be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited four-year institution. Visit: https://www.thesuretyfoundation. org/application

CKSF Scholarship Competition

Mexican-American Dream Scholarship

Academic Hero 2018 Scholarship

Deadline: 12/1/18 Award: $10,000 Eligibility: 3.0 minimum GPA, 16 years old and over. Applicants must be enrolled in a U.S. high school or college, ﬁll out the application and submit a detailed essay responding to the prompt provided. Visit: https://www.coursehero.com/ scholarships/

College JumpStart Scholarship

Truman D. Picard Scholarship Deadline: 1/18/19 Amount: A mount: $2,500 Eligibility: Native American students pursuing higher education in natural resources. Applicants are required to submit a letter of application, resume, three letters of recommendation, proof of validated enrollment e nrollment in a federally recognized tribe or Alaska A laska Native Corporation, as established by the U.S. government and transcripts Visit: http://www.itcnet.org/about_us/ scholarships.html

Deadline: 10/17/18 Award: $1,000 Eligibility: High school sophomores through college seniors. To be considered for this award, you must be committed to attending school and acquiring an education to better your life, your family’s lives and/or your local community. For more information visit:. Visit: http://www.jumpstart-scholarship.net

Surety & Fidelity Industry InternScholarship Program for Minority Students Deadline: 11/22/18 Amount: $5,000 Eligibility: Minority students studying accounting, business/ﬁnance, or other

ACADEMIC GOALS COME INTO FOCUS FOR RALPH BUNCHE SCHOLARS By mary Paronyan Near the tents set up in the Quad on LACC Appreciation day Sept. 29, 2018 was a booth for the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program. A few clubs participated in the event to attract new freshmen members. Representatives from programs encouraged students to join or sign up for programs like Cal Works and EOP&S. The Ralph Bunche Scholars Program is considered one of the best programs at LACC because it offers scholarships and the ability to transfer to some of the best universities. The program is named for Ralph Bunche who was the chair of the department of political science at Howard University. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for mediation in the Arab – Israeli conflict. The program is considered best for students who have a 3.0 grade point average, and plan on transferring to UCs or USC, Cal States or even Ivy Leagues. Ofelia Hunanyan, a biology major shared her experiences in the program. “My dream has been to become a plastic surgeon ever since I can remember,” Hunanyan said. “I have been taking big steps by being a part of this program in order to have my dream come true one day. To be a part of this program, you have to take four to five hon-

ors classes.” Many who attended LACC Appreciation day were curious as to whether an interview was needed to join the program. “You must first speak to the CEO of the program who is Danielle Muller, then a short essay is assigned to write about why you should join the program,” Hunanyan said. “Then it is given to Danielle to go over and approve your eligibility.” Once admitted to the Ralph Bunche Scholars Program, students may find transferring much more competitive. The program wants more from them. However, the program provides many ways to help students, such as creating workshops, which introduce students to different learning techniques including writing skills. The Ralph Bunche Scholars Program is for dedicated students who want to meet their desired academic goals. LACC English Professor and CoDirector of the program, Danielle Muller, shared her thoughts about the program. “I started this a long time ago which was about eight to nine years ago,” Muller said. “This is a faculty driven program, we all work as a team. The program has about 250 students joined as of now, and is still open and seeking for more students to be a part of it and qualify.”

Dr. Muller described the beauty of the program, and how much of a wonderful opportunity it is for students who are preparing to transfer. “We are a transfer program, and we basically transfer students everywhere,” she said. “We expect a lot from the students who join, because we have an agreement with UCLA called “The TAP Program” specifically with UCLA, students who finish certifying the program, they get priority consideration.” If students have the GPA needed and they finish the program and taking honors classes throughout their community college years, they get priority consideration. “The minimum eligibility to join the program is 3.0 GPA and eligibility for English 101,” Dr. Muller said. “If students have at least a GPA of 3.0, we are willing that they will work their way up to a higher GPA. By creating this kind of a learning community, we hope that students will get together and work -- foster one another. Encouraging one another is very important.” The wonderful thing about this program is that it is open for all students with any major. “We love students, which is why we are a part of this job. We see students go off to Stanford, UCLA, Colombia, CSU’s and more. It’s all depending on the major.” Students can find an application for the program by typing “Ralph Bunche Scholars” in the search box.

Deadline: 9/30/18 Amount: $500 to $1,000 Eligibility: AB-540/DACA students, or students who are members of a COFEMaﬃliated federation or club. Min. 2.5 GPA Applicants must also reside and attend school in the following counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Inland Empire, and Ventura County. Students must be willing to volunteer 25-50 hours serving COFEM. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider’s website. Visit: https://www.cofem.org/scholarshipsbecas

Deadline: 12/10/18 Amount: $500 The Los Angeles Film Critics Association is excited to announce that we have established a $500 scholarship for an aspiring female ﬁlm critic who is a student at a Los Angeles-area community college. Women of color are urged to apply. Applicants should email a cover letter including a description of their experience and/or aspirations in ﬁlm criticism along with three writing samples. For more information or to apply, please visit the sscholarship cholarship provider’s website. Email: E mail: LAFCAscholarship@gmail.com Visit: http://www.lafca.net/ pressReleases/21Nov17.html

Stephen L. Teller & Richard Hotson TV and Cinema Scholarship

Deadline: 9/30/18 Award: $5,000 Course Hero will post one question online each month and allow registered, eligible entrants up to 150 words to submit a response. Each month, Course Hero will select one winner with the best response from among all contest entrants. Visit: https://www.coursehero.com/ scholarships/

Deadline: Varies Amount: $2,500 Eligibility: High school seniors through graduate students, year 5 The CKSF Scholarships are scholarship quizzes q uizzes that test your knowledge of topics ranging from “common knowledge” to speciﬁc subjects, books, movies and more. Scoring is based on accuracy and time. Students with the highest scores at the end of each competition win. Visit: http://cksf.org/scholarships/

Create Real Impact Scholarship

Deadline: 10/01/18 Amount: Varies Create an original work showcasing your idea for a solution or strategy to fix the very real problem of reckless and distracted driving. Car crashes are the #1 killer of young people in America, and the majority are preventable. Enter your innovative and effective solutions and strategies to end the deadly epidemic of reckless and distracted driving in one of the four categories; Writing, Art, Music, or Video. Two special awards for this contest are the Spanish language award and the sports team award. There are a total of 10 awards, ranging from $500 to $1500. The focus is on solutions to reckless and distracted driving. While driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is

$5,000 College Kickoff Scholarship

LAFCA Ruth Batchelor Scholarship

$ $

$ $ $ $$

Deadline: 9/30/18 Eligibility: High school and college students over 16 years old Award Amount: $1,000 Enter to win our $1,000 prize and ﬁght the butt invasion. (Cigarette butts of course). Truth wants to be the generation that ends smoking for good & clean up the environment doing it. Visit: https://www.fastweb.com/contests/ truth_initiative/splash

extremely dangerous and highly illegal, entries focused on that topic will not be accepted. For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider’s website. Visit: https://createrealimpact.com/how-toenter/

Deadline: 11/01/18 Award: $1,000 U.S. students who are enrolled in a community college film, television, cinema, or theater program and have completed at least 12 credits in their program are eligible for this award. Students must reside and attend school in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, or Ventura counties. Visit: https://ncjwla.org/wp-content/ uploads/2018/08/NCJW-ScholarshipApplication-Revisions-AUG2018.pdf National Council of Jewish Women Scholarships Deadline: 11/01/18 Amount: Varies Multiple scholarships offered with varying requirements. Applicants must be able to articulate a clear statement of goals, the likelihood of goal attainment, the personal courage and personal commitment of the applicant, and the financial need. Visit: https://ncjwla.org/what-we-do/ scholarships/

All About eve

pHoto by WIllIam torres/CollegIan

Eve Moreno-Luz wins a $5,000 scholarship from the Hispanic Public Relations Association in Los Angeles at the Premio Awards on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2018. Moreno studied photography and photojournalism at L.A. City College and has transferred to University of California, San Diego. HPRA also awarded scholarships to Arturo Gomez Molina of LaVerne University and Irma Guardado of the University of San Francisco. HPRA has awarded more than $400,000 in scholarships to support the next generation of Latino communicators.

neWS

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018 “GoinG, GoinG, Gone” from PaGe 1

LAWMAKers: AB 705 WILL reDUCe rACIAL ACHIeVeMenT GAp, HeLp sTUDenTs

Dr. Francisco Rodriguez stopped by LACC on Monday, September 12 in an attempt to engage th campus community. Collegian reporter Shisley Haynes covered the chancellor’s talk for Collegian Wired. Scan he QR code below or visit Collegian Wired YouTube proﬁle for more from the community.

“If foundation skills are not strong enough this will impact the students in the future,” said Dr. Bernadette Tchen chair of the English Department at Los Angeles City College. “However, we also understand that we need to do what we can to breach the inequity gap. Who are we to fight them back if they say they have all the data?” Research by faculty at the California Acceleration Project (CAP) suggests the current system does not work, and flawed placement practices are the reason. The system is responsible for an estimated 50 to 60 percent of the racial achievement gaps in college completion rates, according to CAP. The bill states students will be allowed to take remedial courses, but it leaves many with mixed feelings. Albert Arran is an ecol-

“this bill Would haVe WoRked out betteR foR me since i alReady took ap calculus in high school. it Would haVe cut off a yeaR oR tWo of me being heRe.” - APRIL LOPEZ, BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING MAJOR ogy major currently enrolled in “English 101.” He says he did not bother to take the college assessment test. Instead, he opted to enroll in “English 28” to prepare. “I think it’s a great idea,” Arran said. “The reason being is that most students will be able to pur-

sue their goals for their careers instead of having to go through unnecessary courses. It would have saved me time and kind of upsets me that they made me take classes I don’t need. It was easy, but it did prep me for the college-level class. It sounds like a good idea.”

“CHemiSTrY 3” from PaGe 1

chancellor engages campus eVIDenCe poInTs To sQUATTers on CAMpUs community During hAmc ‘chat’ “the sub-contRactoRs that aRe By JareD BirDsong Dr. Francisco Rodriguez made a late morning visit to the LACC campus Monday, Sept. 12. He spoke in Room 104 of the Herb Alpert Music Center. He welcomed the attendees and acknowledged alumni in the audience. The audience laughed at some witty comments, as he sought to encourage the audience by speaking about the common goals and struggles of LACC students. He talked about the undocumented and those who struggle to make ends meet. He said the stories of LACC students inspire

people from local communities to donate to campus causes and to participate in events supported by LACC. The chancellor participated in a question and answer period during the chat that focused on diversity, fundraising, scholarships and the cost of tuition. After a student said his favorite thing about LACC was the diversity, the chancellor spoke about the importance of seeing fellow students as human beings. The chancellor stressed the importance of available scholarships and government programs like California Promise that assists students with tuition.

sCAn To WATCH oUr reporT froM THe CHAnCeLLor’s LACC VIsIT Or visit youtube.com/collegianwired

anybody in the ceiling but there’s a lot of room between floors here. It is theoretically a place where someone can squat.” Students seem uneasy at the thought of someone living above their heads while they are learning. Some are concerned for the safety of whoever may be up there and are sympathetic to the plight of possible squatters. “I think it’s just like upscaling the fact that we do have … a homeless problem,” said Cassandra Munoz, an art major. “I feel like it’s just gonna keep escalating to a point where I don’t know something should be done it shouldn’t get to that point, right?” LACC Sheriffs are currently conducting an investigation to get to the bottom of the issue. Although there is definite concern, the sheriff ’s department seems to have a plan of action. “At this point we’re still trying

WoRking in the chemistRy building ... suspected that theRe Was a peRson oR peRsons that Was sleeping in the ceiling of the lectuRe hall in chemistRy 3.”

-daniel maRlos, Vice-chaiR Visual and media aRts to determine exactly what was going on in the Chemistry Building, but it was reported to us last week that they heard sounds either like in the air conditioning vent or on the roof,” said L.A. County Sheriff ’s Department Deputy, Ryan Rouzan. “At this point we have contacted facilities. [They are] gonna try to make it sealed and secured a little

bit better regardless of what it is and then the sheriff ’s department is going to up our patrols over there to ensure that it’s not people that are going in there and at this point that’s all we know.” Campus sheriffs still do not seem entirely convinced of it being an actual person who is living up there. Their investigation is ongoing.

eXTenDeD miDTerm liBrarY HourS FALL 2018: August 27, 2018 – December 16, 2018 Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday: Closed

1. study african-american history 2. earn a skills Certificate 3. apply for a scholarship

Course options: Afro AM 4 - The African-American in the History of the United States I

African-American studies at Los Angeles City College provides a rich education in the history and culture of African-Americans. A skills certificate is offered to students who take 15 units in required courses. Nine of those credits must be in African-American studies.

sCholarship requirements: •

Applicant must have a 3.0 GPA

Afro AM 5 - The African-American in the History of the United States II

•

Total units completed should not exceed 90

Afro AM 7 - African-Americans and the Political System

•

Plan to transfer to a four-year university or college

Afro AM 20 - African-American Literature I Afro AM 60 (same as Music 135) African-American Music Anth 102 - Human Ways of Life (Cultural) history 73 - Race and Racism in the United States sociology 11 - Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States

Refer to the table below for the days and times the Library will be open during mid-terms and finals MIDTERMS

FINALS

HOURS OF OPERATION

Wednesday, October 10 Thursday, October 11 Friday, October 12 Saturday, October 13 Sunday, October 14 Monday, October 15 Tuesday, October 16 Wednesday, October 17 Thursday, October 18 Friday, October 19 Saturday, October 20

December 5 December 6 December 7 December 8 December 9 December 10 December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14 December 15

7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

the moon, Collins, ealy sCholarship Professors Henry Ealy and Mattie Moon created this scholarship in honor of Elmer Moon, Nina Collins and Janis Ealy. It is for students who have completed at least nine units of African-American studies offered by the social sciences department.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” - Malcolm X

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Scan the QR code or visit collegianwired.tumblr.com

neWS

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

App City: Top College Apps to Help Students

IsTUDIeZ pro LeGenD

MY sTUDY LIfe Homework is usually a big part of any class and with MyStudyLife you can manage homework easily. Created and designed specifically for students as a goal-centric tracker that allows students to see their progress as they complete an assignment. The calendar view seamlessly combines timetable and deadlines. Another pro is that you can access this app from anywhere anytime through its web app and it’s free.

Show your schedule who’s boss with ISTUDIEZ PRO LEGEND. Download this app to organize your schedule, track grades and stay updated. Stay in sync by monitoring courses and updates with this planner app. It also stores long-term information that syncs your commitments from computer to phone. This app costs $2.99 for smartphones and $9.99 for laptops.

eVernoTe This note-taking app is a great resource for helping students. Evernote will help you capture, organize and sync search content from the web making it a must have when researching papers and projects. Take photos, record audio, and save it on any computer, phone or device. You can also save entire webpages: text, images and links. Basic services are free, however prices for more features and options range from $43.99/month to $69.99/ month for premium services. This app is available for desktop and smartphones.

ToDoLIsT preMIUM Nothing helps you feel more organized than a to do list. And with a clean layout and easy-to-read pages, TODOLIST helps students reach more goals by writing down and tracking productivity. Cool options like task label, reminders and automatic backup, make this app a must have for busy students. Enjoy a SSL secured connection and access on 10+ platforms. Get a free 1-month trial. After the trial, plans cost $3 to $29 per year.

Compiled by Tanya Flowers/Illustration by Juan Carlos Diego Angulo

QUIZLeT Go Students and teachers have created 264,454,913 study sets and counting using QUIZLET.COM. It’s the perfect way to ace that exam. With this app, you can create and view “Terms” that are customized to your own courses and learning material. These “Terms” include virtual flashcard decks, a learning module that quizzes you through writing, spelling and matching –– just to name a few. You can download this virtual study guide for $1.99/year.

source: College Life

“STaY on TraCK” from PaGe 1

GrAD GUrU: THe MosT UsefUL App THAT YoU’Ve neVer HeArD of Freshman Japanese and theater major Kelesa Higgins was one of the two students that downloaded Gradguru. She said she heard about it from the newsletter that the school sent out. “It’s a neat little tool,” she said, explaining how the app can show you everything from application and financial aid deadlines, to when the school planned on having meetings or special events. Even if you aren’t interested in school-wide affairs--such as student government meetings or pathway workshops--the app could still be very beneficial. Gradguru is user specific. It holds important information that applies solely to the student using it: such as deadlines concerning financial aid, adding or dropping classes and academic milestones to get students where they need to be. Ultimately this app was created to get students through community college quickly and proficiently. Social entrepreneur and philanthropy executive Catalina Ruiz-Healy is the founder and mastermind behind Gradguru. Ruiz-Healy is also the vice president of the Rappaport Family Foundation, which according to the website is a “private family foundation based in San Francis-

co… [that] aims to build the leadership, power and voice of community college students.” Ruiz-Healy says that college students, especially those who attend community college, struggle not only with access to the resources they need to attend college, but also the ones they need to complete it. “Almost half of America’s undergraduates study at a community college. We can support their success by urging state and local policymakers to invest resources in addressing the inequities in completion, not just access, through intensive academic and other support along the way,” Ruiz-Healy wrote in an Op-Ed for the San Francisco Chronicle. Community colleges tend to be underfunded and often short staffed, which can lead to students being unable to meet with counselors when they need to, or not getting the tutoring they require. Resources like Gradguru and the like aren’t going to fix this issue but they may help in more ways than you think. “We’ve seen a gap in funding for community colleges within the U.S. Community colleges are a uniquely American thing, yet somehow they have the least served students,” Hayley Rodgers said. Rodgers is

the content and partner manager for Gradguru. She is also one of only two people currently operating the entire company. Rodgers also said that Gradguru has plans for improvement. “We’re working on rolling out a new format by the end of spring 2019. This will include a notification filter, search bar and a calendar,” she said. The students surveyed that did use the app were pleased and saw it as a valuable resource. “I have enjoyed using Gradguru during the hectic first week back to school,” said sophomore anthropology major Annetta Martin, who also hadn’t heard of the app but agreed to download it and try it out for the purpose of this article. “It alerts me about deadlines, events and even reminded me that there was no class on Labor Day. The tips section led me to useful yet hard to find student resources and the milestone tab encourages me to follow up on my education plan and financial aid.” You can even earn gift cards by being proactive and checking off important tasks through the milestone feature, such as updating your education plan, attending campus events and workshops or even just filling out your FAFSA. “All in all, it’s the knowledgeable

POLIce wIRe ComPiLeD By CoLLegian staFF

•

Aug. 15, 2018, Time Unknown: Lost Property in the Student Services Building.

•

June 1 to Aug. 23, 2018, Time Unknown: Grand Theft in the Da Vinci Hall Basement.

Do not always pay attention to your phone. Be aware of your surroundings.

Learn the lay out of the campus. Knowing the entrances and exits can save your life.

Be aware of the locations of the Health Center and the Sheriﬀ’s Oﬃce in case of an emergency.

July 3, 2018, 10:50 a.m.: Grand Theft in Jefferson Hall, Room 311.

•

July 11, 2018, 11:30 a.m.: Campus Incident-possible person with a gun. Martin Luther King Jr. Library.

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July 15, 2018, Time Unknown: Burglary, Majestics.

•

July 23, 2018, Time Unknown: Verbal Disturbance between students Jefferson Hall, Room 214.

sAFety tIPs

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Sept. 4, 2018, 2 p.m.: Injury reported in the Student Union Building.

•

Sept. 10, 2018, Time Unknown: Vandalism in Da Vinci Hall.

•

Sept. 11, 2018, Time Unknown: Vandalism in District.

shame that it is practically a secret. Hopefully word will spread so that every student gets the chance to try it out for themselves. Gradguru isn’t perfect and it certainly won’t take your classes

laCC Sheriff’s Department 1. Do not walk alone at night. Try to have someone with you when on campus at night.

•

July 12, 2018, 10 a.m.: Petty Theft North West of Student Services Building.

college friend I wish I had, and I will definitely be completing some of these tasks through the app to earn points and gift cards.” Martin said. With something as useful and beneficial as this, it’s a real

July 27, 2018, 10:30 a.m.: Verbal Disturbance between students Jefferson Hall, Room 214.

July 2, 2018, 10:30 a.m.: Petty Theft at the Communications Building.

•

photo IllustratIon by by nICK moreland/CollegIan

5. Try to carry a whistle or an alarm of some kind in case

you are in trouble. In an emergency, dial 2911 from any campus phone or call the direct phone number to our Sheriff’s Office at (323) 953-2911. For questions and inquiries, please call our non-emergency number at (323) 953-4005, or 4005 from any campus phone. note: Calling 911 from your cell phone while on campus in case of an emergency will delay the response time for Sheriff’s personnel to respond.

for you. At the end of the day each student’s success is in their own hands. What the app will do is help navigate through some of the more tedious tasks and set you up to accomplish your academic goals.

sCAn Qr

CoDe To see oUr CoVerAGe of THe CoMMUnITY AnD BeYonD Or visit collegianwired.tumblr.com

SpOrtS

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Colin Kaepernick: INSPIRES RISE OF

Activist Athletes

By soPhia KueBer

t’s a tradition as American as apple pie or football: You stand for the national anthem, place your hand over your heart, and turn a blind eye to the victims of systemic injustice. On Sept. 2, 2016, San Francisco 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt for the first time as the national anthem played. Regardless of whether people think his way of protesting was right, it was effective. You don’t have to agree with someone to understand where they are coming from. The fact that people don’t understand Kaepernick’s reasoning for kneeling is preposterous. Why did he kneel? He knelt for those who are no longer able to stand because they are no longer here. Kaepernick knelt to call attention to the ever-growing issue of police brutality toward people of color in our country, and to call for justice for those who, until now, have managed to keep these kinds of concerns swept under the red, white and blue rug. It is amazing how much some people revere a simple song considering “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written when a black person counted as three-fifths of a person It was never Kaepernick’s intention to disrespect those who risked or lost their lives in war and serving our country. Colin Kaepernick’s real first attempt at protesting was simply just sitting on the bench during the playing of the national anthem. Nate Boyer, a retired Green Beret and former NFL player reached out to Kaepernick about his protest via an open letter in 2016, and the two met to talk. On a Sept. 27, 2016, broadcast of HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” Boyer said, “We sorta came to a middle

“Why did he kneel? he knelt FoR those Who aRe no longeR able to stand because they aRe no longeR heRe.” ground where he would take a knee alongside his teammates … Soldiers take a knee in front of a fallen brother’s grave, you know, to show respect.” Imagine the irony: how some believe kneeling during the playing of the national anthem to be disrespectful to the nation’s military veterans when it was a military veteran (and former football player), who first suggested that Kaepernick used that approach. Police brutality is out of control and people like Colin Kaepernick will not stand for it anymore (Pun intended). I have nothing but respect for our law enforcement, elected officials, and civic leaders, but the honest truth is that the system is broken. But what do you do when the people you look up to, our leaders are not doing their jobs? What do we do when no one is listening to the cries of the families of the victims of police shootings? What do we do when the justice system ignores the blood that has stained the country? You speak out. It’s no surprise how many other sports stars have found their voices in the two years since Kaepernick first knelt. It’s people like Colin Kaepernick who inspire others to want to speak up and use their own voices.

GOT a SPORTS STORY? Tell the Collegian at losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

SERENA SLAMS TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS By anGeL Johnson

woman, you’re going to take this away from me,” Williams said to officials at the time. She’s not wrong. Bad behavior has often been dismissed or even encouraged among tennis’ male competitors.

Boos rained down, and newly-crowned U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka fought back tears. Overshadowing the 20-year-old’s impressive run to her first Grand Slam victory was umpire Carlos Ramos’ altercation with Osaka’s iconic final opponent Serena Williams. The Los Angeles native was trailing Osaka when the trouble began. During the second set, Ramos spotted coach Patrick Mouratoglou signaling to Williams. Instead In the of giving a warning, Ramos 1991 U.S fined Williams $4,000 for the O p e n , coaching violation and asAmerican sessed her a penalty. Tennis “I don’t cheat to win, I’d player rather lose,” Williams Andre said to Ramos. Agassi The disagreement spit between the two esa t calated, eventually chair overshadowing the IllustratIon by brIan Z. gomeZ/CollegIan umoutcome of the match. Many tennis professionals and pire Wayne McKewen and called other athletes have expressed their him a ‘son of a b----’ and was only outrage over Williams’ treatment at fined $3,000. McKewen overruled an out call on a shot by his opponent the hands of tournament officials. “There are men out here that Petr Korda. Agassi also received a do a lot worse, but because I’m a warning for audible obscenity. Wil-

liams did not receive any kind of warning for any of the violations. As tensions mount in a society where it seems rules of all kinds are enforced differently depending on one’s skin color or gender, Williams’ vociferous defense of herself has been a rallying point for those who demand equality. In turn, some media outlets have depicted Williams in overtly racist or misogynistic ways, most prominently an Australian political cartoon gave Williams distinctly ape-like feature while portraying her opponent, the Japanese and Haitian Osaka, as a blonde woman. The 20-year-old Osaka recalled her admiration for Williams when she was younger at a press conference following the match. “When I was growing up, I did a whole report on her in third grade,” Osaka said. “I colored it and everything. I said, I want to be like her. It’s maybe in like a folder at home or something. I’m not sure.” The two competitors expressed nothing but support for each other off the court, and it remains to be seen if Ramos or other tournament officials will face any punitive consequences for their behavior in the women’s finals.

LeBron Brings Leadership to Lakers By Louis Primavera NBA superstar LeBron James signed a four-year, $154 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers over the summer. The three-time champion, four-time MVP is perhaps the biggest acquisition in franchise history, which is an accomplishment, given the Lakers’ storied past. With training camp in session and the season approaching, James, who appeared in eight straight NBA Finals must bring his experience

and veteran savvy to a young Lakers team in need of a leader. “It makes sense for him to be in LA with the influence he has on and off the court and his legacy,” said Andre Iguodala the Golden State Warriors former Finals MVP. “That goes right into his business endeavors. I’m always happy for guys who are enjoying the game and maximizing their potential on and off the court. And that is what he is doing” LeBron’s leadership in his community has kept him in the spot-

light as well. In July he opened the I Promise School in his hometown Akron, Ohio. The I promise School’s mission is to help low-income students from grades K-12 go to college and break the cycle of poverty that traps many in America’s inner poor communities. James has pledged to pay the college tuition for all of the students who complete the program. “The jitters before the first day of school are real right now! Tomor-

IllustratIon by Juan Carlos dIego angulo/CollegIan

sparks extinguished early, but WnBA sets sports World on Fire By WiLL PenninGTon For the first time in three years, the Sparks were snuffed out before the WNBA Finals. After losing in the second round to the Washington Mystics, the Sparks must spend the offseason looking for ways to get back to championship contention. While this season may have been a disappointment for Sparks fans, it was an astonishing success for the league. According to Forbes, the viewership among adults age 18 to 49 went up 36 percent relative to last season. Audience growth at this rate is huge for a league that is still only 22 years old. Many of the off-the-court numbers surrounding the WNBA this season have been astounding, while others have been outright appalling. In both the NBA and the WNBA, the amount of money teams pay players is determined based on a percentage of a figure called basketball related Income, or BRI for short. This number is essentially

the profit that each league makes on all basketball related revenue streams over the course of the league year. Per ESPN’s Larry Coon, in both, the percentage of BRI that goes to the players is determined by collective bargaining agreements between the players unions and the respective leagues. In the NBA, the players split 50 percent of BRI based on the contracts that are individually negotiated between the players and the teams. In the WNBA, the players share approximately 20 percent of the BRI, less than half of their male counterparts share. BRI is already much smaller for the WNBA than for the NBA. So not only are the athletes of the WNBA eating from a smaller metaphorical pie; they must also share a smaller relative slice. The gender pay gap is nothing new to American women who earn on average 82 percent as much as their male colleagues. Many WNBA players choose to

spend their off-seasons overseas as a way to supplement their income. In fact, many make more on their international contracts than they do playing for their WNBA teams. The Sparks’ 32-year-old star forward, Candace Parker is no exception. The two-time MVP and former Finals MVP, Parker, earned $115,500 at most last season per the league’s maximum allowed contract and earned over $1 million playing during the 2012 overseas season according to agent Bruce Levy. As the WNBA fan base continues to grow, and the league sees its revenue streams grow, pressure will likely also mount for the athletes to receive fair compensation for their work. “We have lots of room to grow, I just think that all of us want to leave the league better than we found it.” Parker said in a July appearance on ESPN. “If my daughter ever picks up a basketball I want her to have the same opportunity my nephew has.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Scan the QR code or visit collegianwired.tumblr.com row is going to be one of the greatest moments (if not the greatest) of my life when we open the I Promise School,” LeBron Tweeted on July 29, the day before the school opened. LeBron is also making moves in the entertainment world with the recent debut of his new HBO talk show, “The Shop.” “This show is real, it’s candid and it’s the essence of conversation,” Lebron told The Hollywood Reporter, “And we know with social media and text being the way people communicate, the form of conversation, actually talking, is kind of a lost art.” Not everyone is a fan of James’ activism. President Donald Trump

was critical of the Lakers’ new star online. Following an interview between Don Lemon and James about the opening of the I Promise School, President Trump insulted the Lakers’ new star on twitter. “Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made LeBron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I Like Mike!” Tweeted Trump. It seems there is not much love lost as James has been equally critical of Trump’s ban on immigrants from Muslim countries. “I am not in favor of this policy or any policy that divides and excludes people,” James said to CNN.

“I stand with the many, many Americans who believe this does not represent what the United States is all about. And we should continue to speak out about it.” While LeBron has remained in the center of media attention during the offseason, millions of fans in California and around the world are eagerly looking forward to his debut in purple and gold. The Lakers will play the Denver Nuggets in the first preseason game on Sept. 30 in San Diego. James and company will host the Houston rockets at the highly anticipated regular season opener in Los Angeles on Oct. 20 at the Staples Center.