EL CAMINO COLLEGE SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 Follow us at /ECCUnion
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El Camino Warrior Pantry scheduled for grand opening in early October of 2017 Alissa Lemus
Staff Writer @ECCUnionAlissa
Signs indicate that pedestirans must take a detour around the Administration Building to reach MBA Building.
Emma DiMaggio/ Union
Campus-wide construction hinders pedestrians
Students arrived on first week of school to find multiple buildings fenced off, including popular drop-off locations
Faith Petrie
Opinion Editor @ECCUnionFaith
As the fall semester began, students encountered several fencing structures obstructing walkways throughout the El Camino campus. According to EC’s Facilities Director Thomas Brown, there are currently four construction projects underway, including a new Administration Building, gymnasium, service center, and pool surrounded by fencing. “[The fencing] is for the safety and security of the students as well as the contractors,” Brown said. The construction sites around campus began in 2002 as a part
of ECC’s Facilities Plan. This plan, “established the long-range vision for campus development,” according to the Facilities Master Plan. “We kind of outlined the sequencing of which buildings we would do and the time frames in which we would do them,” Brown said. A majority of construction projects conducted at EC can take between 18 to 24 months, according to Brown. “The demolition is going to take about six months and then, as things are progressing, (the demolition) will be completed early spring next year,” Brown said. “The new Administration Building should be beginning to be built probably
“The demolition is going to take about six months and then, as things are progressing, (the demolition) will be completed early spring next year.”
—Thomas Brown, Facilities Director said.
April (or) May of next year and should be finished by the end of 2019.” While the Facilities Master Plan is going according to schedule, some students have found the fencing to be unhelpful en route to
classes. “The construction in the front (of the Administration Building) has made it really difficult for students like me who are picked up and dropped by parents,” Beenish Siddiqui, 19, business major, said. “There aren’t many places to get dropped and picked up from at El Camino. The construction makes it take longer to get to school because of the morning rush.” Library staff member Jennifer Bailey could not attribute the Library’s recent traffic flow to the fencing surrounding the Administration Building but did feel it caused other difficulties. “I’m not sure if it’s because of the fencing but I am sure it’s because it’s the beginning of the
fall semester,” Bailey said. “It is an inconvenience when someone needs to get dropped off.” Brown had advice for students finding it difficult to adjust to the fences around the campus. “It’s kind of planning, and a lot of it really depends on the classes you’re taking and the sequence in which you’re taking them,” he said. While many may see the undesirable aspects of the fencing around campus, Brown sees it as a way to enhance the school’s appearance. “We believe that the college is trying to be proactive and really get the newest buildings and technology for students,” Brown said. “That’s what we’ve been working on for several years.”
Student leaders teamed together to create a food pantry that would help students and encourage EC students to get involved and help their fellow school community. Student leaders in the Associated Students Organization (ASO), Inter-Club Council (ICC) and Student Equity Advisory Council (SEAC) created the El Camino Warrior Pantry to provide healthy food to students. The EC Warrior Pantry’s main goal is to collect and distribute healthy foods to students who struggle financially both at school and home. “We are trying to establish a better way for students to meet their needs when it comes to food,” co-chair of SEAC and director of Human Resources for ASO Rocio Munante, 21, said. “Students might not make enough money to pay for their books and pay for food as well.” Bryant Odega, 20, director of Academic Affairs for the ASO, believes that the EC Warrior Food Pantry is important to have on campus because it shows students that as a community, ECC cares for the well-being of all students. “Our main goal with the food pantry was to alleviate challenges students face in regards to food insecurities, homelessness, and transportation,” Odega said. According to Munante, all students will need to be able to access the Warrior Pantry is a valid EC student I.D. card. At the moment, there will be no need for proof of financial status. “We do not want to discourage students who might be too shy or embarrassed to ask for help,” Munante said. Donation bins are located in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building, the EC Bookstore, the MESA Center, the Schauerman Library and the Student Development Office. “Donations will be helping so many students,” Odega said. “We are a community. Anything that students can do to contribute to the pantry can help our community flourish. We’re all in this together.”
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