Issue 10, Feb. 28

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:

Listen to the featured EC clubs on the Union Podcast at ECCUnion.com

NIO U N

SPORTS, Page 7: Nail-biter game for Warriors men’s basketball team

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

February, 28, 2013

Torrance, California

Anthropological art on campus EC warned again of poten-

tial accreditation loss Steven Tran Staff Writer

Amira Petrus/ Union Kimberli Shigeta, 20, Nursing major, snaps a photo of the “Roman Amphora,” an ancient Roman vessel on campus.

Accreditation for EC is at riskagain.

During a recent meeting, the board of trustees addressed a warning from the Accreditation Commission of Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) based on problems with SLOs on EC’s campus.

“The bar keeps raising as far as SLOs go with the Accreditation board,” Jean Nishime, vice president of Student and Community Advancement and Accreditation Liaison Officer said.

We should have been at proficiency in the fall. EC will be expected to be beyond proficiency in October she added.

According to the Commission letter from ACCJC, “El Camino College must correct the deficiencies noted no later than October 15, 2013 or the Commission will be compelled to act.”

A glitch in the database, Curricunet, may have added to the trouble of retrieving data for the assessments.

The database that has been

used does not allow to pull out the reports that are needed, Nishime said.

“As courses are revised, the assessment that is completed for the course disappears and we can’t retrieve it,” she added.

“Now we are having to go back and trace the reports back by hand to see what has been done and what needs to be completed.”

According to the Commission letter from ACCJC, there is a two year time period where monitoring progress is essential for maintaining accreditation.

Currently at a “high level development stage,” EC will require some additional work to meet proficiency, In order to progress properly, the utilization of SLOs (student learning outcomes) and assessments is increasingly important.

“In six months the plan is to show them that we are on track.

I’m optimistic we will, we want to equip the administration and staff with the proper tools to get the job done,” Kenneth A. Brown, board of trustees vice president said.

The EC faculty has progressed on SLOs and assessments, Chris-

tina Gold, professor of history and Academic Senate President said.

They have begun “weaving” SLOs and assessments into instruction, curriculum, programs, planning and budgetting, she added.

According to an External Evaluation report from Dec. 2012, EC was on accreditation warning in Jan. 2009 as well, however the ACCJC “reaffirmed” accreditation on Jan. 29, 2010.

“We have come a very long way in a short period of time,” Gold said.

Remaining positive on the actions that EC plans to take, Brown feels strongly that accreditation will not be revoked if the proper steps are taken.

“We are not going to sit on our hands,” Brown said.

Not wanting to point fingers, Nishime is ready to help EC in taking on the challenge of exceeding the proficiency requirement.

“I don’t want to make excuses for any of it, we should have been further along,” Nishime said.“Now we know and now we need to get to 100 percent by the fall and that is our ultimate goal,” she added.

Contract extension for President Fallo buys EC time for search Monique Judge

Co-Opinion Editor

As Sean Puffy P. Diddy Combs said, it’s all about the Benjamins.

Thomas Fallo, president of EC, surprised the board of trustees by announcing his plans to retire at the November 2012 meeting.

He has now been granted a four-year contract extension that includes a significant pay increase to stay on as president and superintendent of the ditrict.

In an email to EC faculty written in January and available on the board of trustee’s website, Christina Gold, President of the Academic Senate wrote, “President Fallo is returning with a significant pay increase. This has upset many people in the campus community who wonder how President Fallo

can justify accepting a substantial raise when so many deep sacrifices have been made by students, staff and faculty in the name of budget cuts.”

According to documents available on the board of trustees website, the contract extension grants Fallo a new four-year agreement, a nearly $40,000 pay increase for 2013 and 5 percent incremental pay increases for each additional year that he stays on at EC. Luukia Smith, president of the El Camino Classified Employees Union is not a fan of the pay increase.

Her feelings echo those expressed in Gold’s email.

“We all went through really difficult negotiations last year,” Smith said, referring to contract negotiations for EC faculty and

staff. “I think the timing is bad.”

One of Smith’s concerns is that Fallo will not serve the full four

“The proof is in the pudding, people are complaining that he got more money, but they are saying nothing about the new classes and sections we’ve opened.”

—Board of trustees vice president, Ken Brown

years of his contract.

“He’ll only be here for three of the four years of his contract,”

Smith said.

The biggest factor in the decision to offer Fallo more money was the time required to find a new president.

At the time of his announcement, the board would have had six months to find a new president for EC. “Money was part of it, but from my perspective that wasn’t the big deal,” Brown said.

“The big deal is I need help to find a replacement and we need time for that.”

Now that Fallo’s contract has been extended, he will serve the next two years as EC president and will announce his retirement at the end of 2014.

This time frame will allow the board and the district one year to find his replacement.

In the same email to faculty, Gold also felt this was a good thing.

“On the other hand, President Fallo’s decision to stay can be viewed as an opportunity. The college will continue to benefit from his outstanding management of our fiscal and facility resources,” Gold wrote.

I hope that President Fallo will extend his leadership into critical areas, Gold added.

Brown thinks that focusing on the money is focusing on the wrong thing.

“The proof is in the pudding.

People are complaining that he got more money, but they are saying nothing about the new classes and sections we’ve opened,” Brown said.

“I think if you look around

at other campuses and compare what’s happening at our campus, students, faculty and the public will be happy with what’s going on. We’re putting the right foot forward,” Brown added.

Smith remains skeptical.

“It appeared to me as though the board members got afraid that there wouldn’t be enough leadership here,” Smith said.

Brown thinks Fallo’s decision to stay should be viewed as a positive.

“I appreciate Dr Fallo’s decision because he’s helping the district. He’s helping me personally; he’s helping the students and the faculty that are here by rescinding his resignation; he’s giving the board a little bit more time to get their act together by staying.”

Proposition 30 expected to increase budget and responsibilities for community colleges Eric Hsieh

Staff Writer

NEWS LINE

The future looks bright for California schools with the passage of Proposition 30 on last fall’s November ballot.

However, EC may expierience that with great privilege, comes great responsibility Sponsored by Gov. Jerry Brown, Prop 30 increases the state’s sales tax by a quarter cent until 2016 and increased income tax on earnings over

By Emerson Keenan

$250,000 until 2019.

“Prop. 30 is already making a difference,” Tom Lew, dean of humanities, said.

EC is only one of 112 community colleges recieving a portion of the $210 million in funds, but we’re also one of the largest, Lew added.

Benefits of Proposition 30 are highly anticipated after numbers of cuts the last few years.

“Approximately 3,300 classes will be added to the system,” according to a press

release by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. “The measure makes room for an additional 20,000 students.”

However, Lew warns that this money may come with renewed expectations from the powers that be and that EC will have to prove it’s making good use of the revenue it receives.

“He (Brown) is saying ‘Now that you’re getting some money for the first time in a number of years, I want you to take things seriously

or more seriously than you have in the past.’”

The governor specified an array of reforms he hopes to see from community colleges.

In addition to improving numbers and accountability, he proposed that schools make high-demand classes and placement tests available to students through the Internet.

According to the 2013-14 Governor’s Budget, the initiative will include the creation of a “virtual campus

to increase statewide student access to 250 new courses delivered through technology,” as well as options for students to explore new environments for education.

If an additional initiative within the budget is approved, students can expect changes in EC’s course policies.

There would be greater pressure on students to move through community colleges and achieve their degrees at a quicker pace.

Community college stu-

dents “will be allowed to take no more than 90 semester credit units starting in 2013-14,” according to the budget’s proposals.

Those that exceed this unit cap “will be required to pay the full cost of instruction” while the community colleges “will not receive any state funding for these students,” according to the Governor’s budget.

It seems inevitable that EC students, teachers, and administrators will be tasked with new responsibilities in

the upcoming years.

Lew remains optimistic however, feeling that whatever changes come from Proposition 30, will ultimately be for the better.

“I’m looking forward to the future now that it appears that the years of successive budget cuts are over,” Lew said. “It will give us a better opportunity to serve our students and do a better job to ensure they succeed in their educational goals.”

One week left to apply for graduation

Community College Day Financial aid workshop at UC Riverside tomorrow Monday

Math, Business, Allied Health Building tour

Writing Center hours have been updated

March 7 is the last day to apply for graduation and certificates.

Students who qualify for an associate degree in June must apply for graduation by next Thursday.

Graduation intents can be sent to the Admissions Office and no late requests will be accepted.

Tomorrow the Transfer Center will be chartering a group to UC Riverside’s Community College Day. The van will leave campus at 7:00 a.m. and will return at 4:00 p.m. Those attending must pay a $5 refundable deposit. For more info and to sign up, visit the Transfer Center.

A tour of the new Math, Business and Allied Health Building will take place on Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. This is a great opportunity to explore the new building that EC has been waiting for.

Writing Center tutoring is now available Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 12:40 p.m, Monday through Thursday 1:30 to 5:40 p.m. and Friday from 1:30 to 4:10 p.m. The Writing Center is located in H-122. Please bring a current student ID and printed assignment sheet or prompt.

Students interested in applying for financial aid can attend a financial aid workshop Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. in SSC 204-G. All financial aid applications must be submitted no later than Tuesday. To register or for more information, contact the Financial Aid Office.

news

2 El Camino College Union POLICE BEat

By Karen Garcia

Woman detained for public intoxication Feb. 19, 12:30 p.m.–Officers responded to parking lot D, the visitors lot, regarding a checkthe-welfare call. A female subject was seen lying on the grass and wasn’t moving. Paramedics were called and responded. The female was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, barely able to communicate and not fit to care for herself. The female was a non-student. She was arrested for being drunk in public and was transported to the Torrance Police Department to be held for six hours and then let go.

Officials follow graffiti artists’ tracks Feb. 20, 3 p.m.–The EC Grounds supervisor reported to officers that he found three areas of matching graffiti. Unknown persons snuck inside the football stadium and graffitied on the east side of the press box as well as the west side of the stadium. Unknown persons also graffitied on the double doors of the entrance of the Women’s Physical Education Building.

Officers escort elederly Chinese man home Feb. 21, 2 p.m.–An Officer was called into the Police Department in regards to an elderly man in the lobby who was apparently lost and disoriented. The man could only speak Mandarin Chinese and did not have any identification on his person. Officers found a student that could speak Mandarin Chinese and who was able to do some interpretation for him.

Officers were able to confirm the man’s address and took him to his Gardena home.

Teacher’s story causes student to pass out Feb. 21, 8 p.m.–Officers received a call regarding a student that had fallen and struck his head in the Technical Arts Building. He was in his fire technology class when the professor was talking about a gruesome scenario that could take place in that particular field. The student felt dizzy and stepped outside to get fresh air.

All he remembered after that was waking up on the floor. Witnesses say that he was unconscious for about 15 seconds. Paramedics treated him on scene and he refused to be transported to the hospital.

Used drug paraphernalia found by officers Feb. 24, 11:30 p.m.–Officers were doing a patrol check in the Art and Behavioral Science Building.

On the second floor, the officers discovered an open locker and noticed four used syringes. There were also two empty prescription bottles and other medical articles, such as used bandages covered in dry blood. The articles were confiscated and marked for destruction.

Unattended laptop stolen Feb. 25, 5 p.m.–A female student plugged her computer laptop into an outlet in the Learning Resources Center to charge her battery and left. When she returned an hour later at approximately 6 p.m., she realized that unknown persons had stolen her laptop.

February 28, 2013

Parking tickets, fees may rise Brian Camacho

Co-Opinion Editor

Tuition and textbook prices are going up, so it only seems fitting that the price of parking may also about to go up in the near future.

EC Police Chief Mike Trevis proposed an increase in price to the daily parking permits and parking violation tickets on Feb. 14 to the Associated Students Organization Senate (ASO).

“They (parking prices) haven’t really kept pace with the price of inflation or similarly the cost of doing business,” Dillan Horton, vice president of the ASO, said.

The proposition would increase the price of daily parking permits from $2 to $3 and the price of parking tickets from $38 to $43.

Prices for parking and parking citations were originally set

over 15 years ago, but EC has not kept up with inflation since.

“The parking fines and tickets go to public safety, keeping up with the police polls and maintenance of different safety features across campus,” Horton said.

The majority of the revenue that comes from parking permits and citations goes toward public safety as well as the refurbishment of parking lots and signs.

“In an effort to get new revenue, the state enacted a law which they get a percentage of all the parking fines for any local agency. That can be any sheriff’s office, any police office, and of course campus police,” Horton said.

In the past two years, the state of California passed a Senate bill which states that any agency that issues parking tickets must give the state $9.50 of the total ticket price, Horton added.

That amount required by the

state is significant and could be a factor in why fees are added.

Parking tickets at EC are $38, however the school only receives $28.50 for each ticket issued, Horton said.

“That’s created additional cost on to the normal amount that they would take in,” he said.

As for the parking permits, Trevis said that there were 225,000 daily permits sold last year, totaling $450,000 and that adding a dollar to this price would significantly raise more revenue.

Cost of maintenance for permit machines is very expensive and the extra dollar would benefit the upkeep for the parking lots greatly, he said.

EC is also hoping this will encourage students to purchase the semester parking permits in order to save money, Trevis said.

The bulk of those who purchase daily permits are those

Photo illustration by Philip prins/Union A car has recieved a citation in the visitors parking lot for exceeding the 45 minute limit.

who come to attend concerts, sporting events or handle a single transaction, not everyday students, Trevis added.

Trevis must now take his proposal to more bodies before go-

ing before the board again and is hoping this change will take effect in the fall of 2013.

“From his (Trevis) explanation these prices are a little outdated,” Horton said.

School shootings prompt police to host workshop Karen Garcia Staff Writer

Recently, there has been a growing amount of active shooters on school campuses, but are people aware about how to defend themselves?

EC’s Chief of Police Michael Trevis conducted a workshop called Active Shooter Workshop to give students advice and safety tips on what to do if students find themselves in such a situation.

It is important to inform students on “how to basically be safe” in these types of situations and the best way to do that is by “knowledge and education,” Trevis said.

In a worst-case scenario, students should run.

“Get out of the situation and at the same time call for help if pos-

sible,” Trevis added.

Trevis advises that if calling the police while trying to get away is possible, a student must

“Always be aware of your surroundings, wherever you are, not just on campus.”

—EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis

do so in order to let the police know what the situation is and how they can help as quickly as possible.

“Officers here have received a lot of training and are quite capable of dealing with any type of situation,” Trevis said.

If getting away from the harmful situation isn’t an option, Trevis said the students are advised to shelter in place, turn off the lights and block the doors or any entrance with furniture, if any.

If a student finds him or herself in a situation in which they cannot shelter themselves, Trevis advises that the student defend themselves.

“Find a way to protect yourself and the life of others,” Trevis said.

Trevis’ biggest concern is that students are not aware of their surroundings because they are constantly on their cell phones, whether it be while walking and talking or texting.

“Always be aware of your surroundings, wherever you are, not just on campus,” Trevis said.

If there is ever any danger on

campus, there are blue telephone poles that link directly to the EC police dispatch.

According to the EC police website, elcamino.edu/police, “the phones are equipped with information buttons that will dial the police department’s regular non-emergency business number,” or if there is any emergency situation, there is a red button that links directly to the EC Police Communications Center automatically identifying your location to the police.

Many students agree that this workshop was necessary, not only to inform students of how to react when confronted with such harmful situations, but also in light of recent active shooter incidents.

It is imperative that students have some prior protocol training.

“Any kind of safety awareness is important because as college students, we’re out there in the open on campus and knowing how to defend ourselves is useful,” Faizan Mehmood, 19, business major, said.

Students and officials both agree that being informed and vigilant is key in preventing or dealing with incidents like the ones that have been plaguing the country.

“It is important because we are on campus where we cannot control our safety, whereas we could try to control some of our safety at home,” Emma Robertson, 19, English major, said.

“General awareness is absolutely necessary.”

3 El Camino College Union

ADVERTISEMENT

NIO U N

February 28, 2013

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Visit our redesigned website! www.eccunion.com

Like us on Facebook

www.Facebook.com/ElCaminoUnion

@ECCUnionOnline

EDITORIAL

4 El Camino College Union

February 28, 2013

Staying involved is crucial to future causes

Illustration by Eugene Kim

Occupy Wall Street, Rock the Vote, and Kony 2012 have all been recent twitter trends. Have these slogans which were once household mantras fallen off of our radar, labeling young adults not as “Generation Advocacy” but “Generation Apathy”?

The need to keep the momentum going is often overlooked once a cause has been successfully fought for.

Supporting a cause or movement involves so much more than an inspirational Facebook status or controversial YouTube video.

Fighting for a cause requires passion and endurance to maintain support.

Standing up for a cause after the excitement has died down or the campaign has ended requires knowledge and understanding of the issue to continue the fight.

Recently, students used their voting privileges to help pass a proposition that proposed to tax those with earning levels above $250,000 and increase the sales tax for the next several years with hopes of benefitting the California educational system.

Had Proposition 30 not passed, there would have been major bud-

get cuts beginning in 2013, further affecting financial aid and the process of transferring to from a community college to a university.

According to LATimes.com, “Proposition 30 passed statewide with 54% of the vote,” student voters had a large part in the success.

The Issue • Fervor and enthusiasm for issues tends to die down after the voting is over

Our Stand • Students need to remain active in order to facilitate change After dozens of rallies, petitions and protests, student involvement in the campaign to pass Proposition 30 helped spread awareness across school campuses up and down California.

The November Election proved that if our generation desires to create a change in the society in which we live, we are fully capa-

ble of doing so. However, consistency is key.

Thomas L. Friedman, columnist for the New York Times, dubbed our generation as “Generation Q (for quiet),” claiming that we rarely look above our phones to attempt to understand what is happening in the world around us.

Students may be wrapped up in their virtual lives, bringing a rise in the number of tweets per day, but there has also been been an increase in the number of twentysomethings changing policies and lives locally and globally, through activism and advocacy.

“Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy didn’t change the world by asking people to join their Facebook crusades or to download their platforms. Activism can only be uploaded, the oldfashioned way — by young voters speaking truth to power, face to face, in big numbers, on campuses,” Friedman said.

Now that we have seen our voices make changes for our future and the future of others, the momentum should not stop after Election Day. See related article on Page 1

Campus shootings are becoming an unfortunate part of our reality By taking precautionary measures, schools can help prevent these incidents from becoming mass tragedies With so many school shootings having occurred in the last several years, the question of whether or not larger measures need to be taken to prevent such disasters needs to be addressed.

Two of the the most deadliest school shootings in U.S. history have happened in the last 10 years alone.

A total of 32 people were killed in the Virginia Tech Massacre, which took place in 2007.

More recently, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, which took place in December 2012, took the lives of 20 children and seven adults.

As disturbing as these events are, they are just examples in a large number of mass shootings

that have been going on throughout U.S. history.

Campuses across the country need to start taking larger precautions to prevent these tragedies from happening.

EC has already taken a step in the right direction by setting up training seminars which teach students how to counter these kinds of threats and provide instruction on what to do in these types of situations.

These training exercises should be set up in schools all over the country, not just in colleges.

High schools, middle schools and elementary schools could all benefit from the knowledge gained in these special training sessions.

Students need to be prepared

and understand what to do if a person ever appears on campus with a deadly weapon.

There should also be safety drills for these kinds of scenarios.

If drills for fires and earthquakes are a common accepted reality in schools, so should be active shooter workshops.

Being prepared for events such as these will certainly help reduce the amount of injuries and fatalities that could potentially happen.

It would also be beneficial to know how to spot the warning signs in order to prevent mass shootings altogether.

Most of the time the people involved in campus shootings have been labeled as “loners.”

They may have sought out

Mathletes can compete for cash and scholarships CAMPUS INSIGHT Come one, come all! Step right up to the Spring 2013 Math Contest!

I know what you’re thinking, “Math is like love; a simple idea, Samuel Couch 21, chemical science but it can get complicated.”

Wrong!

The test used in the contest covers concepts varying from pre-calculus, college algebra, geometry, probability and general math logic. It does sound simple!

Sure, it’s a difficult test, but $1,000 in cash prizes as well as $3,000 in scholarship awards sure make it sound all the more worthwhile to at least try.

Typically there are around only 40 participants; do I need to do the math for you? Those are great odds!

The contest will take place March 8 at 1:30 p.m. in MBA 219. The test is free, lasts one hour and has 20 multiple-choice questions. You can even use a calculator!

There are plenty of resources available to help prepare for the contest, including copies of tests used in previous years.

I first became aware of the math contest when one of my high school peers, math department legend Timothy Johnson, took first place not once, but four times!

U N NIO EL CAMINO COLLEGE

Vol. 66, No. 10 February 28, 2013

E -mail: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329

Knowing his caliber of genius, it seemed like a daunting challenge, but I do love challenges.

This semester I am taking multiple courses with Greg Fry, professor in the math and computer science department.

He regularly reminds his students of the upcoming math contest at the end of every class session.

Hearing Mr. Fry so excited about the contest inspires me to want to prepare for and compete in it.

Whether I come in first place or last, I know it will be a fun and rewarding experience.

Competing against the best and brightest that El Camino College has to offer sounds like a great opportunity.

Even if I don’t walk away crowned champion, I’ll at least leave a more adept mathematician; hopefully having earned some extra credit too!

The views expressed in Campus Insight are the author’s. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or advisers.

This column is available to students and faculty. All articles may be submitted to eccunion@ gmail.com.

Please note that articles may be edited for content and length.

Editor-in-Chief ����������������������������������������������������������������������� Thomas Schmit Co-News Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Karly Daquila Co-News Editor ���������������������������������������������������������������������������Rigo Bonilla Co-Opinion Editor �������������������������������������������������������������������Monique Judge Co-Opinion Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������ Brian Camacho Features Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������� Thomas Schmit Arts Editor �������������������������������������������������������������������������������Kayla Maaytah Co-Sports Editor �������������������������������������������������������������������Emerson Keenan Co-Sports Editor ��������������������������������������������������������������������Jessica Martinez Photo Editor ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Kyle Borden Advertising Manager ����������������������������������������������������������������JJ Maldonaldo Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Lori Medigovich Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Kate McLaughlin Technical Support ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Don Treat

friendships with others, only to be rejected by individuals or cliques, and ultimately find themselves angry and frustrated by that rejection.

They are often the ones who try to fit in but can never find a place to fit in with their peers, causing feelings of alientation.

Another telling sign is the simplest one to spot, the outright warning from the shooter.

In both the Virginia Tech shooting and the Sandy Hook incident the perpetrators, Seung-Hui Cho and Adam Lanza respectively, both had a history of social anxiety disorder.

This should not imply that people who are shy or seem awkward to others will do horrible things,

but it is important for all of us to know the warning signs and be able to spot them.

While social anxiety is one of the most common traits in these shooters, it is not the only one.

Many perpetrators have actually announced their intentions of attacking, but no one has taken them seriously.

Students usually think nothing of it, or simply assume that the person is seeking attention or acting out.

In today’s climate, these kinds of threats need to be taken more seriously in order to prevent tragedies from happening.

Students, staff and faculty should be more cautious and alert in addition to being prepared for

worst case scenarios.

On the other side, maybe we should all be more accepting of others and reach out to those that look like they need help or maybe even just someone to talk to.

In the event that an individual is unable to help, finding a professional to step in and intervene could make the difference between life and death and a massacre like those we’ve witnessed happening or not happening.

While it is far too late to prevent both the Virginia Tech and the Sandy Hook tragedies, taking precautionary measures will go a long way to prevent such tragedies in the future.

See related article on Page 2

Formal newspaper policy

The Union newspaper will address national, state, local, and campus issues that affect El Camino College students, the El Camino College Community District communities and higher education indiscriminately.

Books, films, plays and other entertainment determined by the staff to be of interest to El Camino students will be reviewed and published.

Staff is assured the right to comment editorially upon actions of the administration, the board of trustees, the facility or the student government on any issue.

The newspaper staff recognizes the liability undertaken on its behalf by the board of trustees, and reamins committed to serving responsibly.

Letters to the editor policy Letters pertaining to campus issues or responding to articles will have priority over commentaries or other letters on the editorial page, to the discretion of the editorial board.

Letters may be from any El Camino student, faculty member, classified person or employee of the college. Letters from students have priority.

The Union is published Thursdays by Journalism 11 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff.

Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113.

Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.

Every attempt will be made to run all letters received before the editorial deadline, which is the Monday prior to publication, each week.

In cases of sensitive circumstances, anonymous letters will be published. Depending on the gravity of the content of the letter, some anonymous letters may not be published

Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 California Newspaper Publishers’ Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Opinion

February 28, 2012

El Camino College Union 5

campus corner

UP FOR DEBATE

Is Tom Fallo worth the investment?

Investment provides positive outcome

By Joh’nysha Vercher

Fallo raise will cost school too much

Joh’nysha Vercher Staff Writer

Kyle Mounce Staff Writer

Although students and faculty members generalize that President Thomas Fallo isn’t worth the money, it’s quite the opposite.

According to Salary.com, the average salary for a Los Angeles community college president is $271,296 annually. With the pay raise given, Fallo can expect to receive $313,000 annually, which is a mere 15 percent increase.

However you choose to look at the numbers, it doesn’t matter in the big picture. In the grand scheme of things, Fallo is worth every penny that he will be receiving, both in terms of his qualifications as well as the strides taken to improve EC as a whole.

Being the president of EC for more than 19 years, Fallo has an extensive resume with administrative and teaching experience.

Along with serving as president and other administrative titles at EC, Fallo has effectively overseen other districts, including Glendale Community College District and the Los Angeles Community College District, according to Easy Reader News.

Among these many attributes, Fallo also has a master’s degree in business management and a bachelor’s degree in economics from UCLA. He also has a doctorate in institutional management from Pepperdine University.

When it comes to the improvement of EC over the years, much of it can be attributed to Fallo and his invaluable efforts.

Not only has he used his financial prowess to ensure EC and its financial future but his persistence in maintaining the growth of EC has benefited everyone as a whole.

In 2002, Fallo fought for a $349 million bond measure that funded new math, science and humanities centers and in return saved EC $100,000 annually, according to the Easy Reader News.

Fast forward to 2012 when Fallo saw that the bond money from 2002 would run out in 3 years, he immediately rounded up support for bond Measure E which not only helped EC but local industries as well.

The passing of Measure E ensured funding for a new music, theater and arts building, as well as a new football stadium, counseling, fitness and student activities centers. .When it comes down to it, Fallo puts on his suit and tie every day greeting students and lending help any way he can.

I don’t think that President Tom Fallo is more deserving of a raise than the rest of the staff on campus.

Fallo is being given a pay raise of $40,000 with an additional five percent of that to be added annually, in order to rescind his somewhat abrupt retirement an-

Illustration by Eugene Chang

nouncement.

If you do the math, Fallo will receive an additional $172,000 over the next four years on top of his original $277,000 salary.

According to Salary.com, he was already making almost $6,000 more per year than the average community college president, and he will now be in the top seventy-fifth percentile of Los Angeles community college presidents’ salaries.

Some students cannot afford classes because of rising tuition costs and the board still decided to give one person a raise simply because he would be difficult to replace.

All of this on top of the fact that he announced his retirement three years ago and was offered a $36,000 pay increase to stay, which he refused due to financial controversy.

The primary goal and concern for someone who leads an institution that prepares students for their future should be the well being and growth of those students, not a thicker wallet.

We recently received some relief due to Prop. 30, but that doesn’t mean it is acceptable to skim off the top and take funds that could be put to better use.

While I believe Fallo is an outstanding president and has done a great job managing this institution, I do not think that he needs to have this gross pay raise to fulfill the same responsibilities.

He is not taking on any additional tasks, he is simply doing the same job that he has had since 1995, especially when the money could be put to better use.

The money could help offer more classes, as well as help settle any pre-existing debts that the school has.

Is it really a good idea to pay Fallo more money at this point?

We cannot afford to pay more for the same service if we are in difficult financial times.

There must be a better alternative to help our school.

Spring fever can distract students from acheiving academic success Column

Monique Judge Staff Writer

Monday, March 4, marks the beginning of the fourth week of the semester here at EC. That’s four weeks of class completed and roughly four more before midterms begin.

It is at this point that a lot of students begin to discover that they have let too much time slip by without getting much accomplished in some of their classes.

It is very easy to get caught up in this beginning of the semester slump.

This is especially true when a holiday is thrown in right as things

get started; it throws the game off and it can be hard to get things back on track in a timely fashion.

Add the fact that I have now decided to take on 15 units while writing for the college paper, and I realize that maybe it is not the best idea after all.

The deadline to drop without a permanent notation on your record, Feb. 22, has already slipped by, and the stress levels have greatly increased.

Although taking a ‘W’ happens to even the greatest among us, it has now become more important than ever to limit the number of times a course is unsuccessfully attempted because future priority registration now depends on it.

As if the scenario were not complicated enough, enter the temptation of gorgeous L.A. weather.

Seriously, how can a you be expected to sit inside a stuffy classroom when the beach is right down the street along with the

80-degree temperatures performing a duet that begs to be listened to?

Don’t blow off the semester just yet though; spring break is a mere four weeks away, and there is a lot of work that needs to be done before then.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy both the beauty that comes with spring and the challenge of keeping up with classwork.

Here are a few things that have worked for me in previous semesters; feel free to try these or come up with your own.

The EC campus is nothing if not beautiful, there are plenty of grassy spots to put out a blanket, smooth on some tanning oil and catch up on those ten chapters or reading that need to be done for history class before midterms start.

If being outdoors is not conducive to you getting a lot of studying done, try visiting the Schauerman Library on a Saturday.

Only the most serious and quiet of study buddies can be found there on the weekend, and this more than makes up for the clublike atmosphere that is encountered most weekdays.

Of course, if the beach cannot be resisted, then taking along a book or a reading selection is a good way to multitask both business and pleasure.

Make photocopies to prevent permanent damage in case of gigantic waves or frolicking, splashing children.

On school days, brighten up the boring classroom hours with the vibrant colors of spring; it’s sundress season, ladies! Flip flops and sandals were made for pedicures and this weather while gentlemen can break out the shorts and tanktops.

During spring, the clocks move forward, meaning longer days of sun.

This means increased potential to take advantage of staying on

campus to get things done.

The library or writing center don’t seem so gloomy when the sun is still shining at 7p.m.

If students find that the days have become too busy to enjoy much downtime at all, there is still an upside to all of this: getting the work done now will guarantee a restful and happy spring break in the future, and really, isn’t that all everyone wants in the first place?

Please connect with me by email at eccunionmonique@gmail.com Follow me on Twitter @ECCUnionMonique Join the conversation online at www.eccunion.com The views expressed in this column are those of the author. They do not represent the views or opinions of the Union, its staff, editorial board or advisers.

Rachel Lewis Ketai Puente Project Coordinator

Professor Rachel Lewis Ketai is the coordinator of the Puente Project. Students can apply during the spring or summer for the following fall.

What exactly is the Puente Project?

The Puente Poject is a program to serve educationally disadvantaged students, to help more of them succeed at EC and transfer and graduate to a 4 year.

How does the Puente Project Work?

There are three components of the program, An English instructor, counselor, and a mentor. Students take English A with me in the fall and English 1A in the spring. They take human development courses with Maribel Hernandez and we have events with mentors.

Who can join and when?

(Puente Project is) Open to all students who are placed in English A and are transfer oriented. Typically we do most of our recruitment in the spring when students are placing in their classes.

What are the eligibility requirements?

Your reading class can’t be lower than English 84 because we have to be in 1A by spring and now they’re not offering things in the winter.

What sorts of events does the Puente Project support?

We do a lot of events, every fall we do a student motivational conference with all the other Puente students in California.

We have mentor and mentee mixers and we do a family night where we bring their families.

Why would you encourage students to join the Puente Project?

The journey of education is best when you experience it with others; it helps you get involved and have a sense of place at EC.

What makes the Puente Project important?

(Puente Project) Helps students build a bridge from their home culture to school culture, from high school to EC, and from EC to a four-year (university).

What is the most beneficial aspect of the Puente Project?

Definitely the biggest aspect of the program are all these relationships that nurture college success.

Campus viewpoints

Is Tom Fallo worth the investment?

By Monique Judge

Tatiana Medina, 25, Economics

Derrick Torres, 19, Automotive Technology

Kaoutar Talibi, 18, English Second Language

Everitt Keneipp, 20, Undeclared

Doshionae Anderson, 20, Nursing

Arnold Herrera, 24, Electrical Engineering

“(No) The additional $40K a year increase could have been used to add more classes.”

“I don’t think it’s worth it.

They should have found someone with the same knowledge who would do it for the same pay.”

“It’s worth it to keep him. If it isn’t, that will become immediately apparent.”

“No. That’s a lot of money.

Classes are being cut. I’m sure there’s someone cheaper.”

“I think it’s a good thing because it shows he cares about the school and students.”

“I think it’s a good thing that he’s president again because the school is improving.”

6 El Camino College Union

On the scene

arts

“Washed up” expresses concern for pollutio Karen Garcia

By Kayla Maaytah

Music Symphony Orchestra concert The EC Symphony Orchestra will be performing pieces of classic orchestral literature Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m. in the Marsee Auditorium. Tickets are $10. For more information call 310-3295349.

Dance Bravo! ballet performance South Bay Ballet will be presenting, “Bravo! The Classical and Contemporary Dance Experience” this Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. Tickets are $22. For more information, call the Theatre Box Office at 310-781-7171.

Events Artful Days event The Torrance Cultural Arts Center is presenting, “Artful Days Part II Learning the Language of Art,” Tuesday from 12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m. Learn the fundamentals to understand and analyze artwork using LACMA’s art collection.

Admission for this event is free.

For more information, call 310618-2326.

Art EC “Washed up” exhibit The EC art gallery is currently hosting, “Washed Up: Oceans in Peril” in the Arts and Behavioral Sciences Building. The gallery is open Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday from 12 to 8 p.m. The exhibit runs until March 7.

February 28, 2013

Staff Writer

“Washed Up: Ocean in Peril” is a new exhibit featuring a collaboration of artists uniting to shed light on society’s effects on the environment.

The exhibit will be featured in the art gallery of the Art and Behavioral Sciences Building until March 7.

“As a consequence of world climate extremes, human misuse of natural resources and the ongoing power of the sea itself, the Earth’s oceans and coastal areas are undergoing an alarming transformation,” according to a Jan. 29 press release.

Susana Mieres, director and curator of the exhibit, says this is an “observation” from various artists of what is already going on in the ocean along with the actions of, “man’s folly.”

Destruction, created by man and nature itself, is reflected from many different directions, such as the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan. Satoe Fukushima’s piece, “Incoming Tide,” reflects these emotional events.

After the tsunami hit her native country, Fukushima traveled back to see her family and helped those living in the surrounding area.

“Many people lost everything,” Mieres said, “but (they) still smiled and had a sense of hope.”

Fukushima’s piece includes

photographs of various smiling faces that represent the spirit and will to continue when all hope seemed lost.

A different direction in which this exhibit displays the consequences of our actions is Angie Bray’s piece, “Eldon Down,” in which she is displaying the shadow of a gull hopelessly twirling in an emotionless state.

“I hope that it [the exhibit] will make people pay more attention to what they see,” Bray said..

Bray wanted her piece to convey her feelings towards the subject matter rather than advocating or telling people what to do.

Because EC is also part of the beach community, students must realize that their actions affect their environment. Bray said that this is a chance to reflect on how changes over time are caused by people individually, and as a society.

“I want people to realize, ‘oh look what’s happened,’” Bray said.

Bray reminisces on her beach experience when she was a child and can note the obvious differences in the environment and hopes others will too.

Another artist, Adrian Amjadi, suggests the idea that humans are “guilty of their emotions,” in such a way that we do not think about how we affect our environment.

“Humans are distant to the idea that their behavior is reflected in their environment,” Amajadi said.

Paula Geerligs /Union Alain Miranda, sociology major, 21, and Sheehan Bagcat, biology major, 19, observe artist Dawn Ertl’s beach trash weavings on display at EC’s Art Gallery exhibit “Washed Up: Ocean in Peril.”

Amjadi’s piece can be described as a gem-like prism representing a slice of the ocean with piping inside, that is being supported in the air by a tower.

The piping in the slice of the ocean represents the benefits that we receive from the ocean such as oil, without caring about how we come about those resources or how they affect the ocean in the future.

“It’s about the human experience. We are harming the earth, not just scarring it,” Amjadi said.

“As humans we are repeating history without even knowing it.

It’s an ongoing cycle,” Amjadi added.

Ultimately, Mieres, along with the other artists, hopes that this exhibit will get students thinking about their environment, their actions and what they can do to preserve it.

An issue that was found on the EC Campus, for instance, is that there are no recycling bins on campus. Many students, along with the artists, were unaware and shocked to learn this.

Carlos Payes, 21, Graphic De-

sign major was very interested in the exhibit. He never considered all the aspects that the artists touched upon as being a whole and believes that students will be more active about this issue.

“We need to be mindful of our actions because it’s not just an individual thing; it’s the community as a whole. As for the recycling situation here, maybe we as students can start making this known because it is an issue,” Payes said.

standard structure for heavy rock lyrics.

While past albums represented the band’s artistic lyrical ability, “Temper, Temper” does nothing more than rehash overused concepts. The song, “Dirty little secret,” leaves no space for interpretation by the listener. Instead, it repeats the sound of many rock songs before it.

Fans who have remained loyal throughout Bullet for my Val-

entine’s consistently changing career might enjoy this album.

Fans of their early work however, probably will not, as it deviates too far from the style that made them popular.

Overall, “Temper, Temper” is boring when compared to previous albums. The musical ability is still there, but Bullet for my Valentine definitely has some work to do for the most loyal of fans.

“Temper, Temper” disappoints fans with a lack of originality, consistency Kayla Maaytah Arts Editor

“Temper, Temper,” the newest studio album by the metal band Bullet for My Valentine, was released Feb. 12, and fell short of fans’ expectations.

Bullet for my Valentine fell back on sounds of previous hits and the new songs lack freshness. Even with the implementation of more screaming vocals, a

change from past albums such as “Fever,” the overall tone of “Temper, Temper” is more heavy rock rather than metal, the genre with which they are associated.

The musical composition and band’s ability to produce quality instrumentals is still great with intros like, “Dead to the world.”

While the band’s instrumental ability has not veered too far from past albums, their aptitude for lyrical composition fell short.

While the instrumental aspects of the album remain constant to an acceptable level of skill, the lyrical content is completely lacking in subtlety and originality.

In many ways, “Temper, Temper” weaves back and forth between opposing musical styles.

It lacks rhythm and harmony, shakily balancing between an attempt to cross musical elements of past successes with those of a

Dancer is inspired to follow her passions Kayla Maaytah Arts Editor

It is just after 10 a.m. on a Friday morning and she smiles warmly as she waits outside a building with her fellow dancers.

Her kind reception is only a testament to the sweet and sociable young woman making strides as a dancer at EC. Nicole Leger, dance major, 20, didn’t discover her love of dancing until she came to EC and enrolled in a modern dance class with Pamela Santelman her first semester.

“It was weird because it’s very abstract and I wasn’t into that,” Leger said. “At the time I was more into hip-hop and later on I just started becoming more open minded.

“I took a jazz class with Kim Borgaro, which is an amazing dance teacher and I just fell in love with it.”

She said her experience here made her realize that she wanted to explore dance.

“Previously I’d danced, like cheerleading, but I guess when I came to college it made me really think about it as an important thing,” she said. “I just took it as something that I really wanted to do.”

She said she hopes to transfer with a major in dance and a minor in business to California State University, Long Beach, where she hopes to enter a program for coordinating events such as weddings and parties.

Leger is also secretary of the Dance Association Club, a new club on campus for anyone who is interested in dance.

She said she believes a dancer is someone who is passionate.

“What really makes you a dancer is actually having passion, having emotion, having your heart into the music or feeling it,” Leger said.

Leger has danced in numerous live performances at EC, some of

Mark Mendez/Union Nicole Leger displays her sharp body action through Jazz dance movements.

the most prominent being, “Momentum” and “Jubilation.”

This semester, Leger said she hopes to take part in the Ameri-

can College Dance Festival Association’s (or ACDFA) dance convention.

The ACDFA dance convention, which EC will host from April 11- 14, is an opportunity for students to compete and attend workshops and classes with their peers from different colleges and universities.

Leger is not only a dancer but has discovered a love for choreography here at EC as well, a skill in which she has been selected to demonstrate at a student choreography showcase.

Leger and her dancers are al-

ready rehearsing weekly in preparation for the showcase near the end of May, where students, choreographers and dancers alike, can compete with original dance compositions.

“It’s work. It’s time consuming. But, it’s something that’s worth it at the end of the day when you see everything combined,” Leger said.

Laura Valdez, president of EC’s Salseros club, which is only one of the many clubs that Leger participates in, has nothing but praise for the aspiring dancer.

“Nicole has so much heart, charisma and an incredible personality that makes people around her feel a part of the family,” Valdez said.

“I would get a lot of people coming up to me saying, ‘thank you.’ What matters is what you give out to the audience as an entertainer,” Leger said.

“You don’t have to be skinny, you don’t have to have the longest legs or whatever to be a dancer.

You just be yourself and express your emotions,” Leger said.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

On deck

By Emerson Keenan

BASEBALL Today at 2 p.m. vs Santa Barbara City College at EC Tuesday at 2 p.m. vs Long Beach City College at Long Beach City College

GOLF Wednesday at Crystalaire Country Club at 11 a.m.

MEN’S TENNIS Today at Cerritos College at 2 p.m.

Tuesday at Mt. San Jacinto at 2 p.m.

WOMEN’S TENNIS Today vs. Cerritos at 2 p.m. at EC Tuesday at Long Beach City College at 2 p.m.

SOFTBALL Today vs. East Los Angeles College at 3 p.m. at EC Tomorrow vs. Rio Hondo College at 2 p.m. at EC Tuesday at Cerritos College at 3 p.m.

SWIMMING AND DIVING Tomorrow vs. Long Beach and Cerritos at Cerritos at 12:30 p.m.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Tomorrow at Santa Barbara City College 6 p.m.

sports

El Camino College Union 7

Warriors fall short on a buzzer-beater James Bell

Staff Writer

After tremendous starts to both halves, a game-winning jumper by Los Angeles Southwest as time expired put a somber end to El Camino men’s basketball Sophomore Night last Wednesday with a loss 65-63.

After jumping out to a 15-point lead to begin the second half with a 14-0 run, the Warriors (8-16, 4-9) seemed to have the game in hand.

The Cougars (8-18, 4-9), however, had plans of their own, taking the lead with just under six minutes to play, ultimately winning with a shot at the buzzer.

Joshua Wilson, sophomore, guard, who played his last game at the EC North Gym in a Warrior uniform, was brief in his description of how his team didn’t come away with the win.

“Lack of focus,” Wilson said, “And just a good shot at the end of the game,” He finished the game with a double-double by scoring 22 points and grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds.

Co-captain, Brandon Boyd, agreed with Wilson on how the game was played.

“No execution. We stopped playing hard,” Boyd said. “They out played us, and that led to the victory for them.”

Boyd ended the game with 13 points, including two big free throws late in the game.

The Warriors lost key player and starter, David Howard, early in the game to an apparent ankle injury. The Cougars looked to capitalize on the loss by pressing on defense, and caused 16 turnovers.

“We started making some really sloppy passes. We got very casual and complacent with the

ball,” El Camino head coach, Robert Uphoff said about the lack of ball security towards the end of the game.

With just 0.6 seconds remaining, the Warriors’ attempt at a full-court pass hit a light above the court. That mistake gave the ball to the Cougars underneath their own basket.

The ensuing play resulted in Charles Glaster, guard nailing a 15-foot jumper as time expired.

With Glaster’s shot attempt being released so close to the sound of the buzzer, the referee’s call of “good” came much to the dismay of the Warriors team and fans.

“No execution. We stopped playing hard.”

—Brandon Boyd , Co-Captain

This past season for the men’s basketball team had its share of ups and downs. The Warriors began the season with a two point victory over the preseason No. 1 ranked team in Southern California, Citrus College.

After that it was a season of streaks and close games. The Warriors endured a season high 10-game losing streak, with five of those losses by seven points or less. The streak came to an end with a win over Los Angeles Trade Tech on Feb. 1.

That streak, however, held a few bright spots which were highlighted by a 103-point outburst against Allan Hancock College.

Even through the struggles of the season, Wilson had compliments for the makeup of his team.

“Just good people around me.

Like a real family,” Wilson said.

He hopes for the same type of at-

Phil Prins/ Union Brandon Boyd, shooting guard for the Warriors, drives to the basket during the Feb. 20 game against Los Angeles Southwest College.

mosphere wherever he plays next season.

Boyd looks to build on his experiences going into his sophomore season here at EC. “Just learning from our mistakes this year,” Boyd said. “We have a good core coming back for

next year. Just picking it up from what we did wrong this year, fixing it, and, you know, getting us better for next year,” Uphoff hopes his freshman captain comes back next season ready to lead the Warriors once again.

“Probably most importantly is going to be his ability to be a leader,” Uphoff said.

Failing to make the playoffs, the Warriors played their final game of the season Feb. 22 at Long Beach City College, falling to the Vikings 82-97.

Baseball team prevails over Imperial Valley Men’s volleyball team falls late in the fifth set Brian Camacho

Co-Opinion Editor

As Kyle Shore threw the final pitch, it seemed fitting that Imperial Valley College struck out looking in what was virtually a no contest game from the get go.

After a rough start to the season, the Warriors were finally able to exhale as they played tremendously in a 13-4 beat-down of Imperial Valley.

“We’ve been trying to put things together,” Coach Nate Fernley said. “I’m glad that we played well,” The Warriors got off to a fast start as Dylan Hatch, first basemen, hit a line drive to deep right center to drive in two runs.

“It felt good, we executed on all sides of the ball, offense, defense, at the plate,” Justin McCullough, catcher, said.

With a four run lead heading into the bottom of the third in-

ning, the Warriors once again chewed up Imperial Valley pitching in what would be their biggest inning of the game.

“It’s a tough game when you get up by a lot of runs just try to stay focused the whole time,” Sean Isaac, sophomore said.

Outfielder Johnny Palmer got an RBI which started off a five run barrage that included a couple of timely hits, stolen bases, and a couple of wild pitches on Imperial Valley’s behalf.

With a nine run lead, this would be the deciding inning in the game.

“We put some pressure on them, they didn’t make a couple plays when they had to, and I’m proud about how we responded,” Fernley said.

Star pitcher Ralph Ramirez dominated the beginning of the game and finishing with a total of eight strikeouts.

The only time Ramirez seemed

to be in a jam was in the top of the fourth when a couple of walks led to loaded bases, but he remained calm and managed to only allow one run After that, Imperial Valley never threatened again.

“He [Ralph] did great, he had that little hiccup in the fourth inning where he walked a couple guys, but other than that he was really good,” Fernley said.

Ramirez confirmed that he has signed his letter of intent with the University of Tennessee and will be attending in the fall.

“I’m stoked.” Ramirez said. It’s a Division 1 SEC school.”

The Warriors improved their record to 4-6 as they get ready for conference play which starts March 5 against Long Beach City College.

“This is a chance for us to mesh as a team and work things out that we might see in conference play,” McCullough said.

Jessica Martinez

Co-Sports Editor

After five close sets, the Warriors lost to the visiting Grossmont College Griffins at EC on Feb. 20.

“It was a painful loss,” Coach Dick Blount said. “When we were playing well, we were playing extremely well. It was brutal.”

Thirty minutes before the game began, both the Warriors and the Griffins practiced to loud music to get themselves pumped up for what would be a tough match.

Daniel Welch, Middle blocker, started the game with a strong serve even though Grossmont scored the first two points of the set.

Soon after, outside hitter Trevor Butler scored the first point for the Warriors, causing the rest of the team and the crowd to go wild with a few even hooting and hollering.

Such encouragement gave the

Warriors the kind of energy they needed to win the first set, 25-14.

Grossmont again scored the first point of the second set but the Warriors were able to come back and score just as quickly.

Karl Acres, middle blocker, was able to continuously provide block after block.

After Grossmont scored three points back to back, Matthew Pimblett, outside hitter, served a spike that stunned the visiting Griffins.

This upped the score to 14-11 with Grossmont still in the lead.

A long rally was ended as Acres spiked the ball earned a point for the Warriors. But that wasn’t enough as Grossmont won the second set 25-23.

“Our concentration level wasn’t at what it was in our previous games,” Frank Flanagan, setter, said.

Grossmont again scored the first point of the third set as EC failed to rally back after Gross-

mont’s block.

Acres, Pimblett, and Ryan Olson contributed three blocks in a row to move the score to a score of 10-9. Their contribution lead to a 25-17 victory for the Warriors for the third set.

“We had lots of chances, but we just didn’t take them,” Blount said.

Grossmont won the fourth set 25-12.

“We got too comfortable and it showed,” Acres said.

Finally, El Camino scored the first point of the fifth set and quickly took a 10-8 lead.

The game changed as more of a competition of who could be louder, fellow players on the sidelines or parents in the stands.

The Griffins defeated the Warriors in the fifth and final set 1816. Regardless, the team is still optimistic.

“If we get better everyday, we could be one of the top teams,” Flanagan said.

sports

8 El Camino College Union

February 28, 2013

Women’s basketball shuts down Compton in last game of the season Eric Hsieh

Staff Writer

Determined to close out the season strong, the Warriors dominated their game against EC Compton Center last Wednesday, 74-32.

At the forefront of the team’s effort was sophomore Samone Davis, who scored nine of those 11 points. There was no letting up as she finished with 29 points at the end-game buzzer.

“It felt great to end like that,” Davis said. “Everyone kept saying ‘Samone, I want 20 from you,’ and I told them ‘No, I’m getting 30.’ I like a challenge, and I love working hard.”

Coach Steve Shaw also acknowledged the team effort it took for the Warriors to double, if not sometimes triple, their opponent’s score all game long.

“Samone was a key person, but also you have great basketball coming from the team, especially defensive plays from the freshman girls,” Shaw said.

Despite the exhilarating score, many girls described it as a bittersweet victory since the win marked the final game that many transferring sophomores would play with the team.

“When I got there I went into

it like any other game, but then it started to hit me that it was going to be my last,” sophomore Kaitlyn Kung said. “Because I don’t think I’ll be playing after this. Maybe intramurals if I transfer, but not at this level.”

Other sophomores echoed her sentiments, including Afolake Akingba, who described the team dynamic as both familiar and supportive.

“We got really close, beginning to end. Even now we still hang out and that’s the way it should be.

There’s no animosity, there’s no drama. We all respect each other, learn from each other, and push each other. You should always stay close like family,” Akingba said.

“So it’ll be sad to leave. I’m going to miss everyone.”

Even the night’s leading scorer wasn’t immune to the emotions accompanying her last game with the Warriors.

“For the most part, I was sad about it being our last game. Before, during, and after the game.

But everyone handled it well, and I believe I handled it well,” Davis said.

Whether they’d just finished their first season with the Warriors or their last, players on the team recognized the influence their coach has had.

Afolake Akingba, 20, kinesiology major, grabs the rebound to score a basket for the Warriors against the EC Compton Center Tartars on Feb. 20.

“Coach Shaw is always good to us, and that affects our mood and our play,” Faith Matsuda, freshman, said.

For others, it wasn’t just the motivation he provided, but the opportunities as well.

“I finally became part of a

team where I could play my true position because most schools and coaches have me playing outside of my position and I wasn’t

Amira Petrus/ Union

comfortable,” Davis said. “Coach Shaw gave me the freedom to do what I wanted and he made me feel comfortable.”

Warriors swim their way to victory during first meet at East L.A. College Brian Camacho

Co-Opinion Editor

After five hours and 13 excruciating races, the El Camino swim team has officially begun its quest for a conference championship in a season filled with high hopes.

The 2013 swim season kicked off Feb. 15 at East Los Angeles College as eight schools competed in a series of races to see how they all measure up against one another.

“I’ve seen the conference; it’s pretty fast, but I think we have a very good chance to win the con-

ference. My goal is to win the conference championship this year in men’s and see if we can finish for sure in the top ten in the state, maybe top five,” Coach Corey Stanbury said.

The men’s team has large aspirations this season with several swimmers that are expected to make it to the state finals.

Jonathan Diaz, men’s distance swimmer, said he’s looking forward to breaking school records, including the 500 freestyle and the 1,000 freestyle.

Other star swimmers on the men’s team include Hogan Inscore

and Ivan Urueta.

“Hogan is probably going to break several of our school records with a group of other people that should break some relay records,” Stanbury said.

Overall, the men’s team finished second in the team rankings throughout the 13 events while the women’s team finished last.

“We might have one or two that possibly have a chance to make the state championships but we’ll see. Our conference is pretty fast, we’ll probably be in the middle of the pack,” Stanbury said regarding the women’s team this year.

Both teams have been training hard this offseason with speed drills, water aerobics, and a brutal five-week stretch in the winter that included four hour practices each day.

“I was kind of surprised they swam as well as they did because I did my level best to make them tired,” Stanbury said.

Practices started Jan. 15 as the students had to swim about 15,000 yards a day in double workouts that lasted until the spring semester.

“We cut back the morning practice to about two hours prob-

ably only covering seven or eight miles a day,” Stanbury said.

These intense practices have already paid off as swimmers finished in the top ten in seven of the events including first place by Inscore in the 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke, and the 200-yard individual medley.

“Our guys team is a really good group, and we’re definitely going to be strong this season,” Inscore said.

The teams also finished second in both the 200-yard medley relay and the mixed 200-yard freestyle relay.

Now that the season has begun, the team can look forward to several meets in the coming weeks against their biggest competitors such as Mt. San Antonio College, Long Beach City College, and Pasadena City College.

“Every meet is going to present some different challenges,” Stanbury said.

Both teams are expected to do very well this season with the prize of the state championships on the line.

“I definitely have some people that can go to state,” Stanbury said.

Tennis teams have set goals for season Emerson Keenan

Co-Sports Editor

With a swing of a racket the season has started for the Warrior men’s and women’s tennis teams.

For the Warrior women’s team, “The sky is the limit,” coach Steven Van Kanegan said.

“Our goal for the season is to win the state championship,” Ashley Guerrero, sophomore, said.

These goals are right on track with the way the women’s tennis team has played so far. They are currently undefeated and have been winning with ease.

The men’s team has less experience because many players that were leaders last season have transferred. The result is now a completely new team.

Van Kanegan is confident that the men’s team will be competitive. ng. They have a really positive

attitude, great team rapport and good work ethic,” Van Kanegan said.

Kia Choi, one of the leaders on the women’s team, was confident with how the team is playing but also said that that she would like to see the players grow together as a team.

The men’s team is completely new and lacks the experience the women have. This has proven to be difficult for the doubles teams, as they have not had sufficient time to get to know each other and learn each other’s skills.

Eric Sanders, freshman, had some positive reinforcement for the men’s tennis team.

“Our goals for the season are to have a positive record and to have some fun out here,” Saunders said.

“Also, to try my best as well and just try to help the team in any way I can.”

The way the matches are

scored is there is a total of nine matches: six singles matches and three doubles matches. To win the overall match as a team, the winning team needs to win at least five total matches out of the nine.

The women’s team so far has an impressive record of 4-0 with wins of: 7-2 against Orange Coast College, 9-0 against Irvine Valley College, 5-4 against Fullerton College, 9-0 against Rio Hondo College, and in their latest match, they won 9-0 against Long Beach City College.

The men have been doing fairly well, considering their inexperience. They have started 1-1. They started with a 0-9 loss against Irvine Valley College, and had a win, 5-4, against L.A. Pierce College.

Their latest match on Feb. 15 was postponed due to rain.

Dive team starts off season with a splash Jessica Martinez

Co-Sports Editor

Although the season has just begun, the El Camino diving team looks as promising as ever and they have anything but a lack of enthusiasm.

On Feb. 16, El Camino hosted several colleges for the South Coast Conference Pentathlon, an event that marked the beginning of the diving season for the Warriors.

Christy Villasor, sophomore, received fourth place in the women’s one meter event. Villasor said she looks forward to the rest of the season.

“It was our very first meet of the season, and for most of us it was the first dive meet of our entire lives. You could tell we were all really nervous but we weren’t alone as we met friendly athletes from other schools who were also

nervous and new to the sport,” she said.

Villasor was one of two Warriors who placed in the top five of the women’s one meter. Amy Tran

“It was our first meet of the season, and for most of us it was the first dive meet of our entire lives.”

— Christy Villasor diver

received fifth place in the same event.

Shane Guerrero won both the men’s one meter and the three meter events and he was pleased with his results.

“Today was good. It was not

too serious of a meet. It was a fun one,” Guerrero said just seconds before the announcement came he had won the three meter event, a message that was met with high fives and fist bumps.

Coach Corey Stanbury said he’s counting on Guerrero continuing to do well this year.

“It was a good first outing. We had our rough spots,” Stanbury said. “But it was nice Shane Guerrero won both events.”

In the men’s one meter event, Guerrero received first place, Fletcher Lopez received tenth, and Jabari Echols received eleventh.

In the men’s three meter event, Guerrero again took the top honor while Echols took seventh place, Lopez took twelfth, and Gregory Griffin took fourteenth.

“I think the season will go well,” Echols said. “I thought it was a great start and we’re looking forward to getting a lot better.”