The Union
EL CAMINO COLLEGE
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
@ECCUNION
Oct. 12, 2023
ECCUNION.COM
College faces budget cuts
Training center breaks ground
By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
By Kim McGill
Vice President of Finance and Special Projects Josh Troesh mentioned possible cutbacks during the Oct. 3 Academic Senate meeting. “Based on our current numbers, we would need 3,500 more students in order to not have a reduction in income,” Troesh said after the meeting. “If we get zero out of that 3,500 students, that would be a $17 million to $24 million cut in the budget.” State funding for community colleges is based on the number of students. How many fulltime equivalent students a community college has is determined by headcount. The current budget is based on an emergency funding formula the state put in place before the pandemic. “When the [non-emergency] funding formula comes into full effect, and we go back off of this emergency funding, we’re going to start being paid based on what our actual enrollment and our actual success criteria for students is,” Troesh said. The basis for computing how much money a college would get was changed when California moved to the Student-Centered Funding Formula.
A new South Bay Public Training Center is being built at El Camino College to help train fire technology students and working firefighters. Emergency medical service professionals and law enforcement will also use the center. Located on the western edge El Camino forwards Jovanny Mejia, number 11, and Steven Alvarenga, number 19, and other Warriors of parking Lot L adjacent to the celebrating a goal during a Sept. 22 home game against Chaffey College. At this point in the season El Dominguez Channel, the new Camino was ranked at No.2 in the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Rankings. Photo by Bryan Sanchez center will include a five-story tower, water hoses, fire suppression equipment, fire engines, props, classrooms, program offices and a large garage with storage facilities to protect vehicles and equipment from weather. The five-story tower will By Johan Van Wier simulate “real-life” fire incidents and incorporate he El Camino men’s soccer team is Jacobson has credited the team’s ability to play artificial intelligence to monitor currently the number one team in their as one, not individually, for this year’s success. temperatures, read smoke and national division according to the latest United “This year we have had our best playing group… fire conditions, and use thermal Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III we have had really good teams these last three imaging to detect the presence ranking numbers. years, but this year playing together collectively of human and animal life. The Warriors started the season strong and has been the reason we’ve been able to have The facility will serve as a maintained, they now boast a 10-1 record and success,” Jacobson said. regional training hub to help have not lost since Sept. 5. Following wins Team Captain Nicholas Baltazar reiterated the the staff of the Redondo Beach, against Mt. San Antonio College on Oct. 3 and same feelings as Jacobson when speaking to The Manhattan Beach, El Segundo Cerritos College on Oct. 6, the team is on an Union earlier in the season, attributing their and Torrance Fire Departments. eight-game win streak. winning streak to having a team mentality instead “Today is almost a decade in The team built its momentum over the semester of focusing on “individualism.” the making,” El Camino Public as the Warriors were ranked No. 2 in the nation Goalkeeper Donovon Palomares has been Safety Director Chief Jeff during the Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 rankings, dominant in protecting the goal for the Warriors, Baumunk said during the Sept. officially earning the top spot on Oct. 3. winning the United Soccer Coaches’ National 29 groundbreaking. “This will Men’s soccer coach Mike Jacobson said there Junior College Men’s Player of the Week. It’s his “Now the funding formula is satisfaction knowing the team is taking the top second time winning this award in his El Camino be a state-of-the-art fire training center to allow our students is about 75%, based on the spot of a poll voted on by other coaches. career. here at El Camino College to number of students we have, “It is a really good honor to have and [it] being Palomares has played 981 minutes of the total have access to the latest and and about 25% based on the first time [we’re] ranked No. 1 in my tenure, possible 990 minutes on the season. greatest technology in a safe other criteria, like graduation it’s nice to feel the team level up and having that Since the Sept. 8 game versus Moorpark environment.” rates, and how many acknowledgment from your peers,” Jacobson College, Palomares has only let one goal get past According to the Bureau of him and has 41 total saves this season. certificates are offered, and said. Labor Statistics, demand for The Warriors have shut out their opponents in “Our defense leads to offense … Big defensive success rates and those types firefighters is expected to the last five out of six games and have a combined stops can lead to the offense push and come back of things,” Troesh said. increase by 7% by 2026. score of 43-3 versus their opponents on their to gain momentum,” Palomares said. eight-game win streak. SEE CUTS PAGE 4 → SEE CENTER PAGE 5 → SEE SOCCER PAGE 8 →
Men’s soccer team No.1
After ranking No. 2 for two weeks the El Camino College men’s soccer team reaches the top spot in their division
T
Truck Driver Program
First Hispanic Center See Page 6
FEATURES
See Page 3
NEWS
OPINION
See Page 3
SCAN ME
Keep Parking Free
2
EDITORIAL
Oct. 12, 2023
The Union
The Union SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1946
Vol. 78, No. 2 Oct. 12, 2023
EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NEWS EDITOR
Eduardo Salas | Special to The Union
Midsemester slump resources roundup By Union Editorial Board
W
hether it’s midterm worries, schoolwork overload, mental health issues or lack of basic resources while El Camino College reaches the halfway mark this fall, many students are feeling the mid-semester slump. With 65 calendar days still left in the semester, The Union encourages students to take advantage of resources on campus to ease some of the academic anxiety. The American Psychological Association reports 87% of Gen Z college students say educational responsibilities are a significant source of stress. Even for returning and non-traditional students, the middle of the semester can bring overwhelming stress. Located on the second floor of the Schauerman Library, the Tutoring and Learning Labs offer online and in-person tutoring across a spectrum of subjects, from American Sign Language to oceanography and math. The Tutoring Lab works closely with the Reading and Writing Studio in the Communications Building, where the language arts tutors can be found. The studio also offers workshops and conversation practice for ESL students. The Tutoring Hub webpage posts tutorial schedules and access to online tutoring Zoom meetings. Library and Learning resources technician Charissa Penn said she knows it’s difficult for some students to understand the tutoring schedule and offers to help students in person; her office is located in the Library Tutoring and Learning Lab. Distance Education Faculty Coordinator Moses Wolfenstein said he recommends online students who may be struggling to use Pronto. Similar to Discord, Pronto is an instant messaging tool that is built into and syncs with individual online Canvas classes. Wolfenstein said the underutilized resource is secure and makes online study groups easier. Pronto can also be used to connect online students with their instructors during online office hours as an alternative to phone and Zoom calls. Students who are struggling more with their mental health are encouraged to visit the Student Health Center to make use of both in-person and online mental health services. Six free visits for short-term mental health psychotherapy are offered in an academic year. Students can call the center or make appointments online. The center also offers group workshops, off-campus referrals and access to TimelyCare, a 24/7 virtual telehealth program that offers online mental health services at no cost to students. TimelyCare offers a talk now service which gives on-demand access to mental health professionals as well as scheduled counseling with licensed professionals. If a lack of basic needs is distracting students from their midterm studies, the Basic Needs Center located on the second floor of the Bookstore Building offers the Warrior Pantry and the Warrior Closet. The two centers provide free groceries and free clothing to qualifying students, respectively. The center also offers transportation help via the U-Pass program and free application help for the Cal-Fresh nutrition assistance program. Basic Needs Center Coordinator Sharonda Barksdale said a resource she hopes students use more is the basic needs campus cupboards. While the Warrior Pantry is only available three times a week, the cupboards are available every day on campus offering free snacks. Students can visit the cupboard inside the Warrior Welcome Center, the Veterans Center, the Tutoring Center, the Black Student Success Center and the Social Justice Center. El Camino also offers resources for students worried about transferring, including workshops for UCs and CSUs. If finding work after college is a worry, Career Services offers resume and mock interview assistance. It also has internship assistance for organizations as varied as DreamWorks Animation and the FBI, says Career Services Specialist Carla Camacho. If the slump has got you down, use the free resources offered on campus. Help is closer than you think.
ARTS & FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITOR
Delfino Camacho delcam93@gmail.com Eddy Cermeno eddyrcermeno@gmail.com Ma. Gisela Ordenes theunionartsandfeatures@gmail.com Johan Van Wier jvanwier22@gmail.com Nasai Rivas eccunioncopyeditor@gmail.com
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS
Maddie Selack mselack19@gmail.com Kae Takazawa kaelealani@gmail.com
OPINION EDITOR
Nellie C Eloizard neloizard@gmail.com
PHOTO EDITOR
Raphael Richardson eccunionphoto@gmail.com
STAFF Senior Staff Writer
Joshua Flores
Staff Writer
Nick Geltz
Staff Writer
Angela Osorio
Staff Writer
Emily Gomez
Staff Writer
Joseph Ramirez
Staff Writer
Angel Pasillas
Staff Writer
Ivan Gonzalez
Senior Photographer
Bryan Sanchez
Senior Photographer
Renzo Arnazzi
Senior Photographer
Khoury Williams
Intern
Ira Mendoza
Intern
Isabelle Ibarra
Intern
Osvin Suazo
House Designer
Jenny Hoang
ADVISORS STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER
Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER
Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu
PHOTO ADVISER ADVERTISING MANAGER
Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com
First copy free, each additional copy cost 10 cents.
CORRECTION POLICY: The Union takes corrections and clarifications
very seriously. If a correction is needed, email The Union at eccunion@gmail.com for all corrections and inquiries pertaining to a story.
EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the views of the The Union’s editorial
board. Columns represent the views of the writer. Neither are representations of what the newspaper staff, other students, our advisers, faculty or the administration think.
LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMN POLICY: No more than
two guest columns from the same person will be considered for publication or online use in the same semester, and 60 days must elapse before a second column is published. Guest columns should generally run 300-450 words. Letters to the editor should generally run no longer than 200 words. All columns and letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. They must be free of libel and in good taste. Publication or rejection of any column is at the sole discretion of the editorial board.
The Union is an award-winning, nationally recognized publication that prints on designated Thursdays by Journalism 11 and 14 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. The Union publishes daily online at eccunion.com.
The Union
Oct 12, 2023
OPINION
El Camino should keep parking free on campus
3
Compared to other colleges, El Camino continues to ease financial burden on students By Angel Pasillas
F
ree parking has been available to El Camino College students since the 2022 spring semester and it should continue to be so. While some concessions have been made, the decision to make parking free at El Camino was ultimately a good one. The goal of instituting free parking at El Camino was to ease the financial burden for students and to increase enrollment. Continuing free parking for students forced El Camino to cut off a source of revenue. Parking passes generated $513,370 and daily permit machines generated $196,393 during the 2019-2020 school year. In the 2020-2021 academic year, those same daily permit machines only brought in $2,607. While the losses were due in part to in-person classes ending for a time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the college decided to keep parking free after a return to in-person classes due to several factors, with student retention being one. As someone who drives to El Camino, it is reassuring to know when I get to campus my only worry is finding an open spot and not having to pay for
Jeremiah Dela Cruz| Special to The Union
daily permits. Students currently don’t have to worry about permits, daily fees, or parking violation fines as long as they park in student lots. Earlier this year on Feb. 14, the Office of Marketing and Communications sent out an email stating general parking would remain “free for the remainder of the academic year.” While there are no immediate indications El Camino will reverse its decision to make
parking free for students, El Camino leadership should keep in mind for future decisions how much students appreciate the free parking. Before, a parking permit would cost $35 for fall and spring, and daily parking permits would cost $3. Santa Monica College, Southwest College and West Los Angeles College require students to pay for parking. Santa Monica College parking permits for the fall and spring semesters cost $93.50,
winter and summer semester permits cost $49.50. Southwest College, parking permits for fall and spring cost $20 and winter and summer semester parking permits cost $7. West Los Angeles College parking permits for fall and spring are $27 for preferred parking and $20 for regular parking. Winter and summer parking permits cost $10 for preferred parking and $7 for regular parking. Free parking on campus
would give the college a positive reputation among thrifty students. What has hurt El Camino financially is the decrease in full-time students following the pandemic and subsequent quarantine. Although enrollment has been growing recently, it is still not at the level it was before the pandemic. The amount of state funding El Camino receives is contingent on the amount of students enrolled so a decrease in full-time students means a decrease in state funding. In an Academic Senate meeting on Sept. 5, Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said there was a big increase in enrollment in the previous winter and summer semesters. One of the goals of free student parking was to help increase enrollment. It would be wrong to assume the increase in enrollment has solely been the result of free student parking but it is fair to say it has helped. El Camino administrators should remember why they made student parking free and it should remain free.
Lost in translation: My life as an international student How journalism helped me transition from Japan through struggles and endeavors By Kae Takazawa My journey as an international student began in August 2022. I arrived on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022 from Japan after a 12hour flight to pursue my academic goals here in California. I had mixed emotions. I was excited about my first semester at El Camino College, but also anxious about my new environment I would have to adapt to because I had no one to depend on. I had already experienced studying abroad three times so I thought the anxiety would disappear eventually and would begin to manage, somehow. Since I’m the only one in my family to go to college and study in another country, I continued to tell myself that I have to be perfect for my family. During my first semester, I often struggled to express my thoughts in English and ended up crying sometimes after classes, feeling the pressure to
catch up with the local students’ level. Beyond my speaking skills I was also struggling financially. International students like myself are given an F1 Visa, which is a visa for foreigners who want to study in the United States. Those with a F1 Visa are required to pay tuition and insurance fees. According to El Camino’s website, non-resident students have to pay $296 per unit and those with F1 Visa have to pay $707.58 for insurance, while students who reside here pay only $46 per unit for enrollment fee. In addition to these expenses, I had to pay $1,050 per month for homestay which caused a huge financial burden on me and increased my stress. This made me suffer from an intense skin condition causing itching and rashes all over my body. I wish I could’ve received more support when I was going through such a tough time.
I finally needed someone to help me, so I decided to give my mother a call after months of not being in touch. Following a medical emergency I had, I then decided to return to Japan for a month for rest and spend time with my family. After some time in Japan I got back to California, ready for a new semester. During Spring semester 2023 I was able to experience a newfound level of comfort in college, because this semester I began to involve myself with the journalism program. Asked by my professor, Kate McLaughlin, I joined The Union as an illustrator for Warrior Life magazine and The Union newspaper. As I became more involved in a new community with students whom I can share anything with I began to notice an improvement in my speaking ability, which I was not confident in before. I began to enjoy my college
life a lot more with the friends, I met in the program, unlike the hard days I endured in the beginning of my transition. However, I know that I’m not the only international student who faced similar problems. From my experience, there is a need for more oncampus support and resources for international students. Whether that support is financial, emotional or simply
Kae Takazawa | Special To The Union
moral, the help would be a big boost for international students and could help us be more involved in our college community. Like I have become. I had to overcome the struggles of being an international student by finally being a part of a team. I wouldn’t want to see anyone encounter the same obstacles I did.
4
NEWS
Oct. 12, 2023
The Union
More enrollment needed as El Camino faces budget cuts → CUTS FROM PAGE 1 The emergency funding situation will end in the 202526 academic year. “As faculty, because we’re okay in the minute, we don’t think that anything is going to happen; so [Troesh] is saying it, he’s sounding the alarm,” Academic Senate President Charlene Brewer-Smith said. Brewer-Smith said everyone needs to take the matter seriously. “Faculty needs to know that this is real, this is happening,” Brewer-Smith said. “It’s like the warning, the writing is on the wall of what is going to happen.” Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said El Camino is working hard to generate enrollment and to bring students back. Lopez said
efforts include call centers making phone calls and sending text messages to past and prospective students. “[Targeted populations] are like a student who started the application process, but didn’t finish the application, didn’t enroll, if they didn’t, or they only enrolled for one class instead of two or three or four classes,” he said. Lopez said El Camino is also building larger schedules to accommodate more students coming back. “We’re experimenting with new short-term courses that we hadn’t done before. Previously, we had full semester courses, and then a first eight weeks and a second eight weeks,” Lopez said. Lopez said the college is also
Academic Senate President Charlene Brewer-Smith reads an announcement during the Academic Senate’s third meeting of the semester on Tuesday, Oct. 3. Photo By Ma. Gisela Ordenes
adding 10 and 12 week long courses. Students who enroll late, after the semester usually starts, will now have options. Lopez said he is optimistic that El Camino will reach the 3,500 target.
“We saw a big increase in enrollment last spring, we saw another big increase in the summer, we’re still seeing more than a 9% to 10% increase,” Lopez said. College officials will
continue to monitor the status of enrollment and what effect it will have on the El Camino budget. “It will be an interesting couple of years,” Troesh said.
Webinar attendees can win $1,500 By Angela Osorio
S
A semi truck being driven by a student driver around an obstacle course in parking Lot L on Monday, Oct. 9. Photo By Eddy Cermeno
ECC offers truck driving class By Angel Pasillas
states the need for truck drivers and entices students with an advertised average hourly wage that ranges from $28.40 to $42.55. Due to retiring truck drivers and a lack of people joining the workforce, there is a shortage of drivers across Southern California and the U.S. There is high demand for the program. Each class is at maximum capacity and the program has a waiting list. “At one point we had a waiting list of 100 people,” Sedor said. Kenneth Patterson, a student truck driver, said he joined El Camino’s truck driving program to learn skills and have better job opportunities. Another student in the program, Joshua Gutierrez, is hoping to get a commercial truck driver ’s license to become a lineman after practicing his driving skills every day. “The instructors are amazing and it is a really solid course, I recommended it to everyone that I know,” Gutierrez said.
The Truck Driver program at El Camino College teaches students the necessary skills needed to qualify for a California Commercial Class A license. Class A licenses allows drivers to operate any legal combination of vehicles, including large commercial trucks. Students who pass and earn their license can then apply to jobs previously inaccessible to them. In the three-part program, taught in parking Lot L, students earn their learner’s permit and then perform behind-the-wheel operations and driving skills throughout 10 and a half weeks. Community Education Program Director Betty Sedor said the program has had success with students. “The El Camino truck driving program has a pass rate of 99%,” Sedor said. To register for the program, students must have a valid California Driver’s license and provide a copy of their DMV driving history. To read more visit the website The program’s application at eccunion.com
tudents who attend scholarship webinars in October and November will be entered in a drawing to have the chance to win a $1,500 scholarship. El Camino College will host free scholarship webinars in partnership with Sallie Mae. The money for the scholarship drawing is being provided by the California Student Aid Commission.
Student Services Specialist Marco Colom will host the workshops with the goal of making students aware that “free money” is available. “There are scholarships available for anybody, no matter what your walk of life is,” Colom said. Colom said he did not receive help while he was in college, and does not want students to be in the same boat. At the webinars, a guest speaker from Sallie Mae
will provide tips on applying for scholarships and writing essays for applications. Anyone interested in participating can register online for the remaining Zoom sessions on Oct. 17, Nov. 1, and Nov. 15. Learn about other scholarship opportunities on El Camino’s website. To find the link to register for a webinar, read the story at eccunion.com
LA Maritime Institute recruiting students By Joseph Ramirez A maritime internship program is recruiting El Camino College students who are interested in sailing boats and interning as deckhands, mechanics and marine electricians. The Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI) has many programs including tall-ship adventures and marine and ecology education. Sailing out from San Pedro,
the two frequent destinations the tall-ship adventures visit are Catalina Island and the Channel Islands. Based in San Pedro and founded in 1992 by science teacher Jim Gladson, LAMI has had over 110,000 students participate and travel the oceans by sailboat in the past 31 years. Volunteer Coordinator Donna Dunn said students can visit “multiple times” and volunteer with the institute,
even during the summer and during day camps. Dunn said it was her first time visiting El Camino after arriving in California earlier this year from Rhode Island where she used to race sailboats. For additional information on the program, contact Dunn at her phone number (310) 833-6055 or email at volunteercoordinator@ lamitopstail.org
Old art building preparing for demolition By Ivan Gonzalez In preparation for a future demolition, classes previously held in the Arts and Behavioral Science Building have been or are in the process of being moved elsewhere on campus. The Behavioral Science classes will move into the new Behavioral and Social Sciences Building starting this winter. Art classes have already been moved into the Arts Complex.
Dean of the Fine Arts Division Berkeley Price said the second floor of the building is still in use by the dance department. “It is expected that the dance department will move into the new modular village sometime next year,’’ he said. The modular village is under construction near parking Lot L and will provide newer facilities for the dance department to use after the building is demolished.
The basement and first floor of the Arts and Behavioral Science Building are now closed with the stairs going down to the basement gated off. Once the building is fully empty and vacated it will be demolished at a not yet known date. This demolition is a continuation of El Camino’s on-campus construction project to remove old buildings to build new facilities.
The Union
Oct. 12, 2023
NEWS
5
New training center will help firefighters prepare for disasters → FROM CENTER PAGE 1 For more than 30 years, El Camino has been training future firefighters, paramedics and emergency medical technicians at a center located at 206 W. Beach Ave. in Inglewood. That facility was built in the late 1960s as Inglewood Fire Department’s training center. It then served as the South Bay Fire Academy until El Camino took over in the late 1980s. El Camino will continue to train students in Inglewood until construction on the new center is completed. “Advancements in technology will be incorporated into this facility to prepare the next generation of firefighters to be on the cutting edge in providing services to all the South Bay departments,” San Bernardino Assistant Fire Chief Martin Serna said. Serna also served with the Torrance Fire Department for 29 years, eventually becoming fire chief. He was credited by many at the groundbreaking ceremony for helping establish the new training center. He, along with former El Camino College President Dena Maloney, appealed to California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi for state funding to build the facility sometime between late 2017 and early 2018. In 2018, Muratsuchi, who represents the 66th Assembly District where El Camino is located, secured $10 million from the state’s general fund to provide the initial support for the center. “This project brought together two of my favorite causes: good schools and safe neighborhoods,” Muratsuchi said. Vi c e P r e s i d e n t o f Administrative Services Robert Suppelsa said El Camino has received $700,000 from Torrance and the college will commit approximately $20 million of its own funds toward the development of the training center, in addition to the $10 million El Camino received from the state. He estimates the total cost of the project to be $35 million.
Police Beat
Info courtesy of El Camino College Police Department
The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release. Visit eccunion.com to read more.
Armed with gold shovels, officials prepare to break ground during a ceremony announcing a new public safety training center at El Camino College on Friday, Sept. 29. The center will serve both El Camino students and professional firefighters around the South Bay. Photo by Kim McGill
The build-out will occur in three phases: phase one will include the construction of classrooms and administrative offices, phase two will include the development of the tower and propane system and phase 3 will include the garage and storage units. Baumunk said the sale of the old center could bring significant revenue to the college, given its proximity to Sofi Stadium, the Intuit Dome and Inglewood’s city municipal yard next door. Manhattan Beach Fire Department Division Chief Anthony Gomes, a 23-year veteran of the fire service, e x p l a i n e d d u r i n g l a rg e emergencies, departments have to rely on each other to save both lives and property. Practicing and strategizing together before a crisis is necessary to ensure the response is coordinated. “The South Bay is unique in that the departments in this area do a really good job of collaborating in training everywhere from the recruit schools like El Camino, to the fire academies, to explorer programs, reserve programs and full-time professional firefighters,” Gomes said. He said incidents are also growing in their complexity – from structural fires to
wildland-urban interface fires, hazardous waste spills, escalating intensity of natural disasters and understanding new threats caused by increased use of batteries, their charging and storage for electric vehicles and technology. “What makes this facility important is that it gives us a place to put all resources into one area so we can better help each other, share best practices, and bring in state-certified training,” Gomes said. “We will now have one fixed facility where we can do that as a team.” Under the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association, the Regional Training Group coordinates training for 29 fire departments and 9,000 firefighters within L.A. County. Los Angeles Area Regional Training Group Executive Director Jim Birrell started with the Monterey Park Fire Department in 1983. He said firefighting has changed since then and coordinating training and communication efforts across L.A. County is essential. “We do a lot of threat-based training for natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Our overall goal is to train as one,” Birrell said. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Torrance City Mayor George Chen said Torrance would continue to support
San Bernardino Assistant Fire Chief Martin Serna attends the groundbreaking of a new public safety training center at El Camino College on Friday, Sept. 29. Photo by Kim McGill
building the center. The new center will be nearly “As long as I’m sitting on the double the size of the college’s City Council, anything our fire current training site and will department can do to help the add classroom space enabling training center with equipment up to 45 students to participate or staffing, that’s my role,” in the Fire Academy each Chen said. semester. The center will also prepare Currently, spring and fall South Bay firefighters who are semesters serve a maximum of regularly called in to respond to 35 students. wildfires and other disasters In Torrance, the “Grow Our a c r o s s t h e U . S . a n d Own” program incorporates internationally. youth into ambulance operator “My dream is to have this be training and supports them the premier center for fire through paramedic training and training not only in the South El Camino’s Fire Academy. Bay but in Southern California,” “The jobs are there, all around El Camino Trustee Nilo the United States; fire Michelin said. “We’ve seen departments, and public safety climate change increasing fires as a whole, are truly hurting for in the west, in Hawaii and personnel,” Baumunk said. Alaska, what we’re doing at El “COVID took a toll and we are Camino needs to happen trying to play catch-up.” statewide.” To read more, visit the website at eccunion.com
Friday, Sept. 22, 7:54 p.m. A bicycle was stolen from the Arts Complex. The case is still open.
Friday, Sept. 29, 10:35 p.m. A burglary was reported at the Art Gallery. The case is still open.
Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2:00 p.m. Someone was stalked at the Center for Applied Technology Building. A Campus Security Authority report was taken.
Thursday, Sept. 28, 9:36 a.m. A charger was stolen from the Bookstore. The case is still open.
Monday, Oct. 2, 8:26 a.m. A fondling was reported at the Distance Education Center. A Campus Security Authority report was taken.
Thursday, Oct. 5, 5:15 p.m. An aggrevated assault was reported on the sidewalk in front of Gigi’s Pizza across from El Camino. The incident has been turned over to an outside agency.
6
FEATURES
Oct. 12, 2023
The Union
Arts Calendar
First Annual World Music Festival
Music of China, Africa, Indigenous Mesoamerica and Mexico Haag Recital Hall Oct. 12 @ 7-9 p.m. Free, open to the public
Dmytro Choni, pianist, Cliburn Bronze Medalist Second Ukrainian pianist to win a medal at the prestigious contest Marsee Auditorium Oct. 13 @ 8-11 p.m. $26 general, $10 student with valid ID
Artist Talk "Wearing It On Our Sleeves" Los Angeles-based artist Susan Yee Social Justice Center Oct. 17 @ 12-1 p.m. Free, open to the public
US Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus Concert "Heroes," a musical representation of the bravery of the United States Army Marsee Auditorium Oct. 17 @ 7-10 p.m. Free admission
Co-coordinators and planners for the Mi Casa center, Maribel Hernandez (left) and Griselda Castro point to the future site of El Camino's first Hispanic center located inside Communications 302. Photo by Khoury Williams
'Mi casa' es su casa First Hispanic center at El Camino to open in spring 2024
By Angela Osorio
T
wo years ago, three faculty members pitched their idea for a center dedicated to Hispanic students, faculty Open Mic Night and staff to El Camino College. An evening of spoken word Argelia Andrade, Shane and performances Ochoa, and Xocoyotzin Herrera El Camino Art Gallery will see their vision come to life Oct. 18 @ 6-9 p.m. in the spring semester as Mi Free, open to the public Casa, which stands for Mexican, Indigenous, Central American and South American, officially An Evening of One Act opens during the spring semester. Plays (Three shows) The center will be on the Three thought-provoking third floor of the short plays directed by Communications Building, members of the El Camino above the Social Justice Center, theatre community and will consist of seven offices Campus Theatre and two classrooms. Oct. 20-23 @ 8-10 p.m. “This is historical for [El $10 general Camino],” Director of Student Equity and Achievement Nayeli Oliva said. Evening of Dance The faculty members wanted Choreographers John a space for the Hispanic Pennington and Liz Hoefner community at El Camino to Adamis with live music by congregate and mingle. cellists Brent Samuel and Shane Ochoa, associate Margaret Edmondson English professor and Puente Marsee Auditorium co-coordinator, said the main Oct. 21 @ 8 p.m. concern was a lack of $22 general, $10 student representation on campus. With with valid ID the inclusion of staff, faculty and students, Hispanics form about 60% of the El Camino population. “Not having an affinity center For more information on ticket and event details, visit for the largest demographic on the Center for the Arts page campus was criminal,” he said. Mi Casa will be sharing some at elcamino.edu
of their offices with the upcoming MANA and Foster Youth centers. The MANA program focuses on the success of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. A similar program, the Puente Project, helps educationally underserved students attend a four-year university. The Mi Casa committee, which consists of several Puente Project counselors along with faculty members, expects to receive the keys to the center before its soft opening on Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The furnishing and redecorating process will begin from there. “What’s really important is comunidad. We’re at a community college, so how do we create a community for Latinx students?” Ochoa said. Puente counselor and cocoordinator Maribel Hernandez said the goal is to get students involved and to represent their heritage at the center. The center will host a study hall where students can drop in, work on assignments, request help and attend a professor’s office hours or talk to a counselor. There will be guest speakers, open mic sessions, workshops and opportunities for students to present their research, art and music. Career and transfer
The Communications Building houses several centers dedicated to underrepresented communities, including Mi Casa, the new Hispanic Center opening in spring 2024. Photo by Khoury Williams
resources will also be available. Ochoa hopes the center will be student-led and studentcentered, and to evolve as students input their ideas. Acquiring the space would not have been possible without former Vice President of Student Services Ross Miyashiro. Once Miyashiro approved the center, Oliva said he was a big help when it came to finding the space and securing funding. While Student Equity and Achievement will be partially funding the center, some of the funding will also come from SB-85, a California bill that provides funding for equity compliance in education.
“In the future, the goal is to have the institution, the district, pay for that space,” Oliva said. Ochoa said the center is open to everyone, not just Hispanic students. “It’s not exclusionary. We want everyone on campus to know that they can come to Mi Casa for whatever they need,” he said. Oliva said she's excited to have the space. “It means a lot to my department,” she said. “The Mi Casa center that targets the Latino population should've happened in my opinion a long time ago, but we’re doing it now, and that's something very positive.”
The Union
Oct.12, 2023
FEATURES
7
‘Lights, camera, back in action’ for film club
After years of virtual meetups, El Camino’s Scene One cinephiles make a return to campus By Olivia Sullivent
T
he only film club on campus is finally meeting again in person after meeting online for the past three years. Crudup struggled with the online format the club had last year when members couldn’t get together in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Unfortunately, it felt very isolated, we really did not do a lot,” Victoria Crudup, 18, a film major and event planner for the club, said.. Now as the club returns on campus, they’re aiming to engage a new set of creative visionaries. “We want to make sure people actually use this club to build their portfolios and to make films because that’s one of the main reasons why many people join,” Aiden Ross, 19, a communications major and the club president, said. Ross said they want the club to be a vehicle for the members to get experience and make connections. “But that didn’t really happen much last year,” he said. Ross recruited advisor Michael McDermit, an English professor and accomplished
documentarian. McDermit’s credits include the 2023 film “We Will Speak,” about the disappearing language of Native Americans. The club will organize fundraisers to support their events such as AMC Movie Nights and the end-of-year film fest award ceremony. Kenjy Bervera, 26, a film major and vice president of the film club, said it originated with a focus on catering to film majors, but has since changed. Scene One Film Club’s goal is to look for artistry and connection among its members. “If you have the slightest interest in talking about films, sharing your opinions, you want to write a script or connect with people, I think that’s one of the main reasons why [you] should want to join,” Crudup said. “Anybody who wants to have any film experience [is welcome],” Bervera said. “My goal is to basically make it more interactive, [and] make the club feel more like a family. Scene One meets every other Tuesday from 1-2 p.m. in Lecture Hall 7 in the Music Building. Meetings consist of diverse discussions, movie
Students attend a Scene One Film Club meeting at the Haag Recital Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Photo by Osvin Suazo
debates and hands-on experience in filmmaking with legitimate cinema equipment provided by the college. The club has 30 active members. They will elect additonal officers in the coming weeks. For more information on Scene One, email sceneonefilmclub@gmail.com, or check out their Instagram: @ sceneonefilmclub and TikTok: @scene.one.film.cl.
Michael McDermit, faculty adviser of Scene One Film Club, watches the Sept. 26 meeting at the Haag Recital Hall. Photo by Osvin Suazo
Honors Transfer Club helps students forge their academic path Created during the pandemic, the community extends its reach through in-person activities By Emily Barrera
The club recently hosted the first meeting of the semester on The Honors Transfer Club is Sept. 19, where 23 members a student-run organization at El attended via Zoom. Camino College whose focus is While current members are to serve those who are taking not aware of its full history, the honors courses and those who club was created during the are in the Honors Transfer COVID-19 pandemic. Program. Saara Hashim, a 19-year-old A student needs to have and engineering student and club maintain a 3.1 GPA or higher to treasurer, said the club is a great be in the program. One doesn’t environment that has helped her have to be in the Honors connect with other honors Transfer Program (HTP) to take students. honors courses. “You are surrounding yourself The club is not exclusive to with students who are taking HTP members. However, many honors courses and are announcements will be aimed constantly pushing themselves at honors students looking to to be better, so you want to be transfer. better,” Hashim said. “It’s also “We’re more of a social club a great way to network.” meant to run together wit HTP,” This semester, the club plans Martinez said. “It’s so we can to expand by creating more connect students to HTP board positions, doing ininformation that they might person activities, and inviting h a v e m i s s e d , ” C a m i l e guest speakers. Martinez,19, an Art History “We’re going to have speakers, major and co-vice president of such as honors counselors or the club, said. professors, so people can get Built as a community, the the information they need and Honors Transfer Club aims to feel more acquainted with HTP,” provide a relatable and Martinez said. supportive environment for the The first guest speaker of the students, especially those fall semester will be Honors getting ready to transfer. Transfer counselor Jose
A collage of photos of the Honors Transfer Club members during 2022 social events hosted by the club. Photo Photo courtesy of the Honors Tranfer Club
Cortezan. One of the biggest concerns honors students have is getting an appointment with honors counselors, Co-Vice President Julianne Tran said. Tran said that having counselors speak to members is a good way to provide more one-on-one interaction for students and make things more accessible for them. Because the club is meant to be more interactive, there is no set budget.
Some possible events the Honors Transfer Club has planned for this year are ice skating, beach days and In-NOut hangouts, with the possibility of a Krispy Kreme fundraiser. Students who have at least two semesters remaining at El Camino and want to apply for the Honors Transfer Program. should do so by Oct. 20. For more information about the Honors Transfer Club check out their Instagram: @ecc_htc.
These stories are part of “Clubs on Campus,” a series where club representatives and members talk about what their wwclub is about, how it got started, who the members are, what their activities for the semester are and how they plan to finance the activities.
8
SPORTS
Oct. 12, 2023
The Union
Men’s soccer No. 1 in latest Junior College rankings → SOCCER FROM PAGE 1 Jacobson acknowledges the toughest part of the season has been being consistent and doing the work every day despite having success. “The hardest part is coming in every day,” Jacobson said. “It’s a tough spot to be in the rankings and having the team’s motivation to beat us because of the high ranking, so it puts us out there in a tough spot to keep ourselves and to keep our motivation.” The Warriors started their South Coast Conference play on Oct. 3 and are undefeated through the first two games. “It feels good going into our conference with [a streak],” Baltazar told The Union earlier in the season. “We have to keep expanding.” Jacobson acknowledged a higher level of play will be needed against conference opponents. “We are playing in the South Conference now, so all the games are going to be tough,” Jacobson said. “It is only the start of what we need to keep [doing] as a team to achieve our goals deep into the season.” The Warriors look to keep
El Camino goalie Donovan Palomares catches a ball from Bakersfield players during a men’s soccer game against Bakersfield College at El Camino on Tuesday, Sept. 26. At this point in the season El Camino was still ranked No. 2. Photo by Bryan Sanchez
stacking wins in their next key matchups coming up against Rio Hondo on Oct. 10, and East Los Angeles on Oct. 13. Union reporter Emily Gomez contributed to this report.
Men’s soccer timeline: Aug. 29 : vs Irvine Valley 3-0 Win Sept. 1 : vs Santa Monica 4-0 Win Sept. 5 : vs Norco 3-1 Loss
Sept. 8: vs Moorpark 9-1 Win Sept. 12 vs : Cypress 11-1 Win Sept. 15 : vs Palomar 5-0 Win Sept. 19 : vs Glendale 5-0 Win
Sept. 22 : vs Chaffey 4-0 Win Sept. 26 : vs Bakersfield 4-0 Win Oct. 3 : vs Mt. San Antonio 3-0 Win Oct. 6 : vs Cerritos 2-1 Win
Men’s soccer defeats Cerritos, continues win streak El Camino earns their eighth consecutive victory in hard-fought away game
the Falcons offense flowing of the game,” El Camino coach and dominated the control of Mike Jacobson said. ball causing the Warriors to The Warriors fought hard to he El Camino College scramble back on defense. close the game out with a win men’s soccer team Following two stoppages for after successfully saving goal etended their winning streak to minor injuries to El Camino attempts on multiple corner eight games after defeating the defender Bogart Roca and kicks and open looks from the Cerritos College Falcons 2-1 in Cerritos defender Kevin Meza, Falcons. an away game on Oct. 6. the Warriors had one more push “The [Falcons are] better than El Camino started the game down the field. the record shows, we gave them off with control of the ball as El Camino forward Marvin the respect they deserved the Warriors looked for ways to Gamez scored what would be coming in,” Palomares said. attack the Falcon’s defensive the game winning goal after the “They came in with a lot of formation. ball rebounded in the Falcons’ energy and we know we are Both teams missed early goal goalie box with three minutes more low energy so we knew and free-kick opportunities as remaining before the half. that’s how the game was going both defenses were strong to The game ramped up in the to go.” start. second half as fouls were called Palomares had four key saves The first goal of the game and both teams had free-kick in the last 15 minutes to help came early in the first half when opportunities to score goals, prevent the Warriors from El Camino defender Aldahir which ignited the sidelines. lrtting the game get away from Rua scored with open space, A total of 24 fouls and five them, due to the commication giving his team momentum. yellow cards were given the Warriors defense and “You can’t attack without a throughout the game with most Palomares have. good defense…the goals come coming in the second half. “We always coach our guys to from setting up transitions from Although the Falcons had b e g o o d [ o n e - o n - o n e ] playing together on defense,” more ball control in the second defenders,” Jacobson said. “We El Camino goalkeeper Donvan half, their scoring opportunities followed too much today which Palomares said. never came to fruition as the made the game more difficult The Falcons answered back Wa r r i o r s d e f e n s e a n d for us, we have to get better on as Cerritos forward Chris Palomares protected their goal. defense and not give up as Ramirez scored a goal from a “We knew it was going to be a many free kicks today.” fast push up the field following tough game coming in here … The Warriors will try to a missed kick by the Warriors It’s always tough playing here extend their winning streak to with 15 minutes left in the first [at Cerritos College] so credit nine games as they continue half. for the guys for matching and through the South Coast Cerritos defender Kevin Meza prepares to kick the ball during a men’s The momentum shifted with soccer game against El Camino at Cerritos College on Friday, Oct. 6. sticking through the rough parts Confrence. Courtesy of Daryl Peterson, Cerritos College the Falcons, following the goal By Johan Van Wier
T