LACC WEATHER FORECAST WEDNESDAY
75/55
THURSDAY
71/54
FRIDAY
70/56
SATURDAY
69/56
SUNDAY
64/49
Collegian
GALLERY SHOWS OFF ‘HERE AND NOW” SEE PAGE 5
Los Angeles
Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Volume 176 Number 1
The Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929
College Primes as Evaluation Looms
NEWS BRIEFS CAMPUS LIBRARY EXTENDS HOURS Library hours will be extended during spring semester. The hours will be Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Low scores prompt administrators to implement self-evaluation approach in preparation for upcoming assessment. Construction and campus beautification are at the core of their strategy.
SCHOLARSHIPS APPLICATIONS DUE IN APRIL Students can apply for scholarships through LACC Foundation. Minimum requirements vary for each scholarship. The deadline for application is April 2016. For more information, visits their office located on the third floor of the Student Union Building, or goes online at www. laccfoundation.org. Students may also call (323) 953-4011.
OSS OFFERS HELP FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The Office of Special Services (OSS) is designed to help students with disabilities to achieve their educational goals, assistance with tests and note taking, interpretative services, tutoring and much more. For more information, visit them at the Student Village, Room 100, in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Students may call (323) 953-4000 ext. 2270, or visit the OSS website at www.lacitycollege.edu/services/ oss/index.html
CALWORKS COMES TO LACC Students receiving public assistance through the Department of Social Services (DPSS) can access extra help through the CalWorks program. The program offers assistance with obtaining certificates, degrees and job preparation while helping students to comply with DPSS requirements. For more details visit: www.lacitycollege.edu or call (323) 953-4000 ext. 2599.
‘THE SEAGULL’ DEBUTS THIS MONTH The Theatre Academy will debut Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” The play is directed by Tina Kronis and Theatre Movement Bazaar. Performances begin March 11 at 8 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to enjoy “The Seagull” until March 19. For more information, call (323) 953-4000, ext. 2990. To purchase tickets online, visit www.TheatreAcademy. lacitycollege.edu.
HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER PROVIDES IMMUNIZATIONS Students can take advantage of health services through the Student Health & Wellness Center. The center is located in the Life Science Building, Room 101. The staff provides immunizations, physicals and counseling. Students can call (323) 953-4000, ext. 2485 for more information.
TRIO OFFERS SUPPORT, SERVICES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA Students who need guidance can ask Trio/SSS for assistance through Facebook at www. facebook.com/LACC.TRIO.SSS. Trio/SSS is an equal opportunity program that helps students achieve their goals. Assistance is being ofered to first-generation and disabled students.
BY CLINTON CAMERON
PHOTO BY TOMAS RODRIGUEZ/COLLEGIAN
George Greer, member of the burgeoning homeless community that dots Vermont Avenue sits next to his makeshift home on Feb. 16, 2016. The ‘tent city’ relocated last spring from Monroe Avenue, adjacent to the LACC student Union, to just steps from the Braille Institute campus. Homelessness remains an urgent issue in Los Angeles, which is ranked among the world’s top ten economic powerhouses.
Homeless Find Haven Near Campus Gates There has been an increase of people living on the street, but some have found refuge in encampments throughout the city. Makeshift homes and tents dot the Los Angeles landscape. At City, the encampment on Vermont Avenue raises concerns about safety and the lack of resources for L.A.’s homeless.
L
BY TOMAS RODRIGUEZ
ook around the area that surrounds L.A. City College. Homeless people have moved into tents of bright yellow and green, makeshift shelters that look like a pile of trash surrounded by duffel bags and bicycle parts across from the Braille Institute. There are piles of clothes that belong in drawers. Labels and wrappers from fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Yoshinoya, and Jack-in-the-Box are visible around the one-block tent settlement. Many other homeless roam the campus and nearby neighborhood. Their tents alongside Parking Lot 1, on Vermont Avenue, take up almost the entire sidewalk. They can remain there unless the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department moves them like they did last fall when the homeless set up tents behind the Student Union Building on New Hampshire Avenue. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA) – a network of city and county agencies set out to count the homeless in a census across Los Angeles – there was a 12 percent increase of people living on the streets from 2013 to 2015. “The situation is getting worse day by
day,” said Beatriz Garcia, a data entry clerk for Catholic Charities St. Mary’s Center located north of campus. “Throughout the years the city has said they will help clean up downtown and skid row. The services are just not being provided for the homeless to get off the streets. We are being told that there will be homes built for the homeless and programs for them to get off the street. But nothing is happening.” Catholic Charities St. Mary’s Center is located across the street from LACC’s Chemistry Building entrance, on Willow Brook Avenue. The center provides assistance for the homeless in health, groceries and provides resources for community services in Los Angeles. “It’s been good and bad for homeless people,” Garcia said. “We’ve had fights and arguments but we also have had good people cooperating with us. But sometimes our homeless in the neighborhood have been killed, hurt or deal with drug and alcohol abuse. Many of them end up dead.” Garcia says that many homeless people come to the charity and ask for help. A lot of them changed their lives for the better, but others have continued to live on the streets until they die. The issue of homelessness on campus is not new. More than 20 tents popped up behind the Braille Institute on New Hampshire Avenue – just south of LACC – last year. Deputy James McKain from the L.A. County Sheriff ’s Department says he saw a
Homelessness by the Numbers Records show the number of homeless people in L.A. County has spiked in the last two years after a period of stasis following a sharp decline in 2009. 44,359
2015 2013
39,463
2011
39,135
2009
38,602 52,956
2007
Source: Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
rise in property crimes when the homeless encampments were on New Hampshire. Once they left, McKain says the rate dropped. “Dealing with the homeless encampments was a very long, tedious and very civil rights [related issue],” McKain said. “It was a very tough process. It took us over nine months to move the population that was on New Hampshire. Three or four officers, six to eight guys from facilities, and four to six hours every single day for nine months, Monday through Friday. We provided many resources to them and gave them many opportunities for homeless shelters.” McKain says the Sheriff ’s Department currently has no intention of moving the homeless camped out in front of Parking Lot 1. He also says that unless the homeless commit crime or interfere with the campus order, the sheriff ’s department is not obliged to do anything. SEE HOMELESS PAGE 6
FOSTER YOUTH AT HIGH RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS BY ANDE RICHARDS @ANDECOLLEGIAN
Homelessness is at critical mass in California, and particularly at risk are children about to age out of the foster care system. When foster youth turn 18, they are “emancipated.” This means they are legally adults and no longer a part of the foster care system. To transition them, the state provides temporary housing for a few months. After that period they are left to fig-
ure out food, clothing, shelter, a job, and higher education for themselves. These children were in foster care in the first place because of abuse or neglect, so it follows that once they age out of the system they have no familial network they can depend on for support. For some youth leaving foster care, homelessness can begin the day they emancipate from the foster care system. Exact estimates vary, but research suggests that approximately 20 percent of the approximately 20,000 youth leaving foster care each year will become homeless.
•
• • •
There are an estimated 12,000-15,000 homeless youth living in Los Angeles County. Thirty-eight percent of California’s foster care population is in Los Angeles County. Fifty percent of youth who have aged out of foster care end up homeless or incarcerated. There are only 468 beds set aside for unaccompanied youth in Los Angeles County.
Sources: Covenant House California, Alliance for Children’s Rights, Local Emergency Strategy for Los Angeles County
College President Reneé Martinez and Faculty Accreditation Co-Chair Dr. Daniel Wanner addressed faculty, staff and administrators about Los Angeles City College’s infrastructure and accreditation during a forum at the Student Union on Feb. 24. “We wanted to talk about the current health of the college and where we stand currently in terms of things like construction and enrollment,” Wanner said. “We also wanted to look at the results of our accreditation self-evaluation and look at all the plans that we have as a result of that self-evaluation. We are going to use those plans to improve the college.” The State of the College forum addressed the college’s self-evaluation. The evaluation was sent to the Association of California Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) to assist the reaffirmation of accreditation. SEE ACCREDITATION PAGE 6
Black History Speech Writers Take Cash Home BY EMMANUELLA DUROGENE Four winners take home cash rewards and certificates for writing about their views of black history on Feb. 3. Winners wrote about a black history topic, event and person that influenced America. “The topic that I did was a persuasive speech on the problems, causes and solutions of #Oscarsowhite,” said firstplace winner, Eva Reyes. “I wanted to be original, and I wanted to talk about something that people didn’t really talk about. I wanted to be edgy and different and so I picked #Oscarssowhite. Reyes won $200 for her speech and says that her win also comes with “bragging rights.” SEE CONTEST PAGE 6
Obituaries Pg 4
CAMPUS MOURNS THE PASSING OF TWO BELOVED STAFF MEMBERS WHOSE LIVES TOUCHED COWORKERS AT LACC. INDEX Opinion & Editorial Black History Month Arts & Entertainment News Scholarships Sports
2-3 4 5 6 7 8
Collegian MUSIC DEPARTMENT GETS MILLION DOLLAR GIFT
LACC WEATHER FORECAST WEDNESDAY
91/69
THURSDAY
88/65
FRIDAY
85/63
SATURDAY
81/60
SUNDAY
76/58
SEE PAGE 7
Los Angeles
Wednesday, September 28, 2016 Volume 177 Number 1
The Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929
NEWS BRIEFS coMpiled By yoselin FloRes And lAVielle hiBBeRt
Registration Remains Open for Late Start Classes There is still time to enroll in fall 2016 late start classes. The late start sessions begin Oct. 24 and end Dec. 18. Registration is open online through the student information system until the first day of class. After the first day students must obtain an add card from the professor to enroll in the course.
ITT Technical Institutes closed its doors nationwide after providing 50 years of education to students. Corinthian, Everest, City University of Los Angeles and now ITT Technical Institute are part of a growing list of forprofit colleges that the Department of Education has shut down in the Los Angeles area.
Assistance with the Cost of Textbooks Available The Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOP&S) is a state-funded supplemental support services program designed to assist qualified low-income and educationally disadvantaged students. Students can get help with purchasing books, academic counseling, tutoring and food vouchers. Students can contact the EOP&S office at (323) 953-4000, ext. 2300, or visit the Student Services Village located in Room 119.
By WilliAM toRRes
Become a Radiology Tech Patient Caretaker Patient Care Skills certificates are now available for LACC students. The certificate can be earned in just one semester. Entry-level positions are available after completion, and hourly wages range from $10.50-$15.00. Visit the Radiologic Technology’s website for more information.
Free Health Services Accessible to City Students The Health and Wellness Center serves current LACC students. The center offers basic primary and non-emergency care, mental health and behavioral counseling. Hours: Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Life Sciences Building in Room 101.
On-Campus Preschool Open to Parents Parents at LACC are encouraged to visit the Child Development Center. The center offers a preschool program for children ages two to five. Priority is given to low-income families and full-time students. The center is open from 7:50 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and every Friday from 7:50 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY EDWARD LOCKE/COLLEGIAN
Legendary musician Herb Alpert and his wife, Lani Hall give a multi-million dollar grant to the surprise of many within the Los Angeles City College Music Department. The East Los Angeles native donated a $10.1 million gift to LACC’s Applied Music Program, that will help students cover the cost of tuition and private lessons during their enrollment in the program.
T
By clinton cAMeRon eenagers drift into the band room in small groups of four or five, ready to play music. Two female students remove trumpets from their cases and sit in the middle row of chairs. Then, the rhythm section arrives consisting of a bassist, pianist, guitarist and vibraphonist. Other instrumentalists arrive including a flutist, trombonist and saxophonist. The students tune their instruments and warm up to Duke Ellington’s “C Jam Blues.” Band room décor includes a poster of jazz musician Miles Davis, a guitar tablature chart and other generic classroom posters. Some include music theory and others have inspira-
tional quotes. It is just two miles from Los Angeles City College. Shakespeare Bridge leads to John Marshall High School, where band instructor Emerson Cardenas prepares freshmen, sophomores and seniors for the challenges of higher education. LACC and Marshall High School have something in common. Both schools serve the surrounding communities of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Glendale, East Hollywood and Echo Park. Music students from Marshall High School will more than likely be among those who benefit from Multi-Grammy Award winning musician Herb Alpert’s donation to LACC’s Applied Music Program. He announced his foundation’s $10.1 million endowment on Aug. 25. “I think [Alpert’s donation] will help expose students to be more musically educated,” Carde-
nas said. “It will give them a higher appreciation of the arts, not just rock ‘n’ roll but jazz, chamber music and other higher forms of the art.” John Marshall High School Senior, David Kevorkov plays the electric bass in the ensemble class. Upon hearing about Alpert’s gift, he considers attending LACC as an option before transferring to a four-year school. “I think it’s absolutely amazing to be honest,” Kevorkov said. “I can’t believe some person would actually donate to LACC that much money. Especially a community college instead of like a private university or something like that, right? It’s amazing.” Twice a year, J.B. Dyas visits Marshall High School to give private instruction to music students. He also serves as the director and vice president of education and Curriculum Development for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. His familiarity with Alpert’s generosity hits close to home. The Herb Alpert Foundation acts as the lead sponsor for one of the Monk Institute’s graduate programs. SEE MUSIC PAGE 7
It is an academic dream deferred as ITT shut down campuses in 38 states this September, leaving students burdened with overpriced loans and no clear direction in which to continue their studies. The U.S. Department of Education is cutting down on all financial assistance to small for-profit colleges and universities. Critics of the for-profit industry say students do not gain the right tools for the real world. The Department of Education also says ITT forced students to apply for additional loans to cover the cost of tuition. The Collegian used social media channels and personal connections to track down students who had attended ITT Tech and were willing to share their experiences. In 2006, Ryan Clifford attended ITT in Oakland. Two years later he graduated with an associate degree in computer graphics. In 2009 he received a bachelor of arts in construction management from ITT. SEE ITT PAGE 7
MIT STUDENT SHARES ADMISSION STRATEGY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Sharpen Your Transfer Knowledge
By soRinA szAKAcs
Students who want to transfer to a UC, CSU or an out-of-state college are welcome to visit the University Transfer Center, located in the Administration Building in Room 109. Get all the answers to questions regarding the transfer process, and meet college representatives and advisers from across the nation during transfer fairs throughout the fall 2016 semester.
Free Microsoft Office 365 Available to LACC Students All actively enrolled students at LACC are eligible for Microsoft Office 365 free of charge. For more information, visit: www.products.office.com/en-us/ student?ms.officeurl=getoffice365.
INDEX Opinion & Editorial Campus Life Arts & Entertainment News Sports
Students to Pay as ITT Falls Like House of Cards
2-3 4 5 7 8
PHOTO BY CURTIS SABIR/COLLEGIAN
DR. BIDEN BRINGS PROMISE TO CITY Longtime educator Dr. Jill Biden, who is also the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, was in town to promote the free tuition initiative with Mayor Eric Garcetti. The Los Angeles College Promise would cover the cost
of free tuition at L.A.’s nine community colleges. For more about the initiative scan here.
Math and technology wiz John Niroula received acceptance letters from Yale, MIT and California Institute of Technology, and came back to Los Angeles City College recently to help other students do the same. Niroula was also the winner of a Jack Kent Cooke scholarship, which is good for up to $30,000 over three years. He visited LACC on Sept. 1 to talk to students about the possibility of transferring to a private school. Niroula spoke to students and faculty about his successful transfer to MIT as well as his interviews with other universities and about the benefits of considering a private education. “Private schools actually give more financial aid,” Niroula said. “Most privates don’t distinguish international and domestic students as far as financial aid is concerned.” Niroula pointed out other positive aspects that students should take into consideration when choosing to transfer to a private school. SEE MIT PAGE 7
Collegian ollegian Los Angeles
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 Volume 177 Number 4 The Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929
ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF JOSE TOBAR
TRUMP CLOBBERS CLINTON
The Collegian reached out to City College professors from various disciplines to talk Trump policy, character and pragmatism.
D
By reBeCCa KliNesmith
uring his campaign, president-elect Donald Trump grabbed the public’s attention with his outspoken personality and antics. He insulted women, immigrants, the disabled and angered Muslims and the press during his campaign rallies. Yet he found support among those who were tired of career politicians and those who wanted someone they believed could make the country ‘great’ again. Professor Ashraf Almurdaah teaches in the business department. He said there is no clear evidence on who will have a better impact on economic issues like employment, wages and taxes. “Mr. Trump for example supports lowering taxes, but does not state how the deficit resulting from that reduction – estimated to be around $6 trillion – will be financed,” Almurdaah said. He also said that while Trump wants to bring back jobs, the effort would most likely result in a spike in the production costs of U.S.-made products, and the retail prices of those products would rise due to inflation. “Trump also wants to impose tariffs on certain
INDEX
OPINION & EDITORIAL ..... 2-3
products,” Almurdaah said. “But how will manufacturers be able to sell their products at the same price when the international supply chain is disrupted and their product components get expensive.” Music Department Chair Christine Park said the biggest problem in 2016 is discrimination. She said people are still discriminated against because of their race, culture and gender. “We would be in fear [of Trump] because the issues we struggle with will escalate.” Park said. “It could be devastating for the art world because we share humility, humanity, love and care for the world ... With him, it will create bigger negative issues.” Professor Emeritus Henry Ealy of the African-American studies department said there are policies in the United States that allow companies to take jobs off shore and manufacturing to countries where they can get the cheapest labor. According to him, there are no consequences for that, and Trump is taking advantage of those laws. “He has no concern for the rule of the law,” Ealy said. “He still has not revealed his taxes. Every other presidential candidate has shared his or her taxes with the public.” Trump has said he wants financial institutions to demand identification from prospective customers before opening accounts or conducting fi-
WOMEN RULE ..... 4
ELECTION 2016 ..... 5
nancial transactions. This would effectively make it so those without proper documentation cannot wire money outside of the United States. “It would take years for Trump to reverse any of Barack Obama’s immigration policies, not days like he says,” Ealy said. Trump also claimed he will deport 11 million illegal immigrants, but failed to provide a roadmap detailing how. “You can’t just arbitrarily deport people. That has to be done with the Justice Department with the approval of Congress, but he’s telling people what he’s going to do the first day in office,” Ealy said. “He’s going to build a wall and Mexico is going to pay for it. That’s madness. His policies resonate within a certain element of our country.” Trump also plans to remove the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and has called global warming a hoax. Michael Farrell, geology department chair, said it has been a long and difficult road for the United Nations and the international community to come to climate agreements such as the Paris Agreement. “I don’t know what Trump’s presidency would mean to our continued involvement in efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions,” Farrell said. Overall, many people refuse to support Trump because of his lack of experience in public office, and because of the character he has displayed during his campaign, however, there are also those who believe an outsider like him is the best chance the country has for the future.
FEATURE ..... 6
NEWS ..... 7
CALL IT ..... 8