Vol. 47, Issue 3 (October 1, 2014)

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Lariat

SADDLEBACK & IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGES’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOLUME 47, ISSUE 3

Find out how Campus Pride Tuesdays works at Saddleback College Check out www.lariatnews.com/news for full story

WEDNESDAY, October 1, 2014

LARIATNEWS.COM

Saddleback’s new armored vehicle

Zone diagram of where the vehicle would be stationed in the event of a shooting or an armed gunman situation Orange Zone

Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP)

GREEN ZONE ORANGE ZONE

(High-Risk Zone) SWAT/EMS Law Enforcement Fire Dept.

RED ZONE

POLICE

Can Withstand:

•Small arms fire •Explosives (IEDs) •Mines (can drive over explosives)

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Red Zone

(High Danger Zone)

Green Zone

Active Armed Suspect(s)

(Safe Zone) Press Civilians

Illustrations by anibal/LARIAT

Saddleback College recently acquires MRAP vehicle that can potentially help the college in case of a natural disaster or other immediate threats Zachary Epstein

Co - Editor in chief

Saddleback College’s campus police department acquired a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) from the Department of Defense (DOD) this past April. Campus police utilized Excess Property Program 1033, managed by the Defense Logistics Agency, which provides DOD equipment to law enforcement agencies at a low cost. These agencies, who are only responsible for paying shipping and handling, can order office and medical supplies, weaponry, vehicles, and spare parts for their equipment. Civilian versions of armored vehicles, like the Lenco BearCat, can cost upwards of $350,000. “If grant funding is

not available, the 1033 Program allows departments to acquire an armored vehicle,” said Lieutenant Joe Balicki of the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau, Homeland Security Division. Saddleback’s police department paid $5,000 dollars in shipping and handling for the MRAP, received drivers’ and maintenance training at no cost, and is able to stock the vehicle full of free medical supplies. Campus police can also lend the MRAP to the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department. The sheriff ’s department provides training and advisement to Saddleback’s police force, in exchange for access to the MRAP in the event of a South Orange County disaster or active shooter event.

Zachary Epstein/ LARIAT MRAP: Saddleback College aquaired the MRAP last April. Certain of Saddleback’s campus police have been trained in its utilization.

“North County SWAT hosted BAE [British Aerospace defense company] Systems instructors to provide operation and maintenance courses,”

Balicki said. “If there’s a situation that requires SWAT to use an armored vehicle, having access to this MRAP staged farther south, cuts our response

time in half.” Officers are required to gain a Class B License to operate the vehicle. MRAP vehicles were developed and produced for the United States military to protect solders in combat environments against improvised explosive devices (IED) and small arms fire. This MRAP has not been outfitted for any type of duty other than transport. “It will be utilized as a rescue vehicle,” Balicki said. “It allows us to take fire and EMS [Emergency Medical Services] into the ‘Hot Zone’.” In the event of an active shooter there are three zones: hot, warm, and cold. A Hot Zone is “an area where there is a known hazard or direct and immediate life threat,” according to the National Fire

Protection Agency, “(i.e. any uncontrolled area where an ‘active shooter’ could directly engage a team).” Teams would not be deployed into a Hot Zone. A Warm Zone is “an area of indirect threat (i.e. an area where a police agency has either cleared or isolated the threat to a level of minimal or mitigated risk). This area can be considered clear but not secure. The appropriate teams would deploy in this area with security to treat victims.” Having the MRAP greatly increases Fire & EMS capabilities.

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‘The perfect storm’ hits enrollment Saddleback is dealing with low enrollment this year, but is taking measures to boost it Anibal Santos

Co - Editor in Chief

On Aug. 13, President of Saddleback College, Dr. Tod A. Burnett, announced in his Annual State of the College report that student enrollment had reached a remarkable low. “We have predicted for some time that our enrollments would eventually decline, and over the past year a number of factors have created an enrollment ‘perfect storm’,” wrote Dr. Burnett. According to the South Ornage County Community College District’s College Daily Term Comparison Report Fall

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2014’s enrollment number is currently 25,220 compared to Fall 2013’s enrollment which was 26,118. Saddleback College Vice President of Instruction Kathy Werle said the numbers could increase for this current semester because the enrollment for late start classes has not been finalized yet. “The decline in enrollment is due in part to new, state-imposed regulations that require students to matriculate to get priority enrollment, and reducing the number of times students can repeat courses,” Werle said. Limits have now been placed on the number of times a student can enroll in a course after completing with either an unsatisfactory, or passing grade. “In some of our career technical programs, there are labs

“We have predicted for some time that our enrollments would eventually decline, and over the past year a number of factors have created an enrollment ‘perfect storm,” -Dr. Burnett. where students want to repeat the same class to learn the latest software or to improve their skills,” Werle said. “They are now unable to do so.” “When people are able to get jobs, they are not typically attending school,” Werle said, while noting an improvement in the OC economy. “They come to us when they need new skills or to finish a degree

so they can get a job.” which is another reason for the drop in student enrollments, given California’s economic recovery from the recession. Werle estimates potential students were also lost because of technological glitches with the college website, frustrating prospective students and hindering the enrollment process. Saddleback is reviewing the courses it offers and the courses in highest demand. “We are looking at all the data to see what classes are offered, and we’re looking at ‘bottleneck courses’ that students need to finish a degree or [a] certificate,” Werle said. “We’re looking at the courses that students need as prerequisites and are trying to increase the number of courses that will help the students finish their specific program, or get them to

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the next level of [that] course. A lot of those are in math and English.” Saddleback is working to target potential students by informing the public of career technical course options. “In the career technical area, we put out a wonderful magazine for all the career technical programs that we have,” Werle said. “We have also made enhancements to the web, [such as] the registration page.” Additionally, Saddleback is encouraging enrollment through “nudges,” which are electronic reminders the college sends to specific students to register. Nudges are more effective than overwhelming the student with email reminders, Werle said. The college is encouraging students to enroll in Saddleback earlier in the year, “So that we

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can give them the two semester priority registration that they get as new [highschool] graduates,” Werle said. “We are working closely with our K-12 schools and the [Capistrano] Unified and Saddleback Valley Unified school districts.” “This is the college’s priority this year,” Werle said. “We want to make sure we are fully funded to be able to do the work we need and continue to develop a schedule based on student needs.” Enrollment isn’t just a Saddleback issue, it is also prevelant at the district’s other campus, Irvine Valley College. IVC 2014 fall semester growth has been smaller than originally projected, said IVC Vice President of Instruction Craig Justice.

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