@lariatnews /lariat.saddleback /LariatNews @lariatnews VOLUME 45, ISSUE 11
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SADDLEBACK AND IRVINE VALLEY COLLEGES’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, Februar y 13, 2013
safety first at saddleback Chief Wilkinson intends to use the safest protocol if a shooter ever comes to Saddleback
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LARIATNEWS.COM
Valentine theme for club rush A lexandri a Larsen
Staff Writer
An gi e L. Pineda
Editor-In-Chief
Saddleback College president Tod A. Burnett recently sent an email to faculty, staff, and management to specify the safety of the Saddleback campus and to emphasize active shooter protocol. “We would like to take this opportunity to let the entire Saddleback community know that your safety is our number one priority,” Burnett wrote. Interim Chief of Police Christopher S.M. Wilkinson said that since December up until February 4, he has managed to set up numerous presentations at faculty and staff division meetings for active shooter protocol. “You’re in an opened community. There’s a good reasonable belief there could be [guns on campus],” Wilkinson said. “We don’t know if there are guns on campus, but have we trained and prepared for that? Sure. Are there laws in California that allow civilian individuals to carry firearm? Yes there are. Do we know if they bring them on campus? We don’t know,” Wilkinson said. According to the California’s Gun-Free School Zone Act, Penal Code 626.9, guns are not allowed within 1,000 feet of school grounds unless for specific cases. Wilkinson said that campus police take weapon situations very seriously, especially since Saddleback has local community members who are on campus and are allowed to use certain facilities. In a 20-minute video made by the Center for Personal Protection & Safety (CPPS), is a statement that appears across the screen. “Campus violence is defined as any action or behavior that may threaten the safety of a member of the campus community or impact his or her physical and [or] psychological well-being. “Campus violence includes everything from harassment, threats, and bullying … to the unthinkable.”
Opinion
Michael Grennell / Lariat
Protocols: Chief Wilikinson explains what training campus police have in case a student brings a fire arm on campus. The video made by CPPS is placed in the Saddleback police webpage under the active shooter section. It contains real life emergency calls and video footage of student endangerment. Although Wilkinson says that from his experience Saddleback is one of the most safest campuses he’s worked at, they still have crucial training and “qualify” at the shooting range once a month. “If we have an active shooter incident, the law enforcement, myself and including my officers are going to go to the location as fast as we can, as safe as we can with the equipment tools that we’ve been trained with. “There are three things we are going to do: We are going to locate it, we’re going to isolate it, and we’re
IVC earns an award for toys for tots drive Vale ry Fergoso
Staff Writer
The Irvine Valley College Performing Arts Center gets recognized from the Calif. 34th state district for their successful “ticket for a toy” toy drive in support of Toys for Tots last year. The Toys for Tots Foundation is a foundation that allows people to donate a new toy for a child in need during Christmas time. Through this foundation, many people host their own drive in support of this foundation. “Last year we had a drive but we didn’t talk about it in time,” Karen Martin, Operations ManValery fregoso/ Lariat ger of the Performing Arts Cen- Recognition: Karen Martin recieves an award on behalf of the Perter said. “This year we started forming Arts Center of IVC the drive in early Oct. and it went on to the second week in Dec.” “It is called compassion for The IVC Performing Arts Center did not just others and it is nice to see this have an ordinary toy drive, they hosted a “ticket for a toy” toy drive, which gave the incentive to happening in Irvine” donors for every $10 toy you donate, the donor - Robert Flournoy received two free tickets to any of their shows throughout the season. With the help of the students, faculty, and pa- used backpacks and school supplies in support of trons, this toy drive was able to successfully hap- Edward B. Cole Sr. Academy in Santa Ana. They pen. Robert Flournoy, Maintence and Operations are once again offering two tickets to any of their at IVC, helped set up the initial Toy Drive with shows from the remainder of the season for those his connections to Toys for Tots. who bring a donation of $10 or more. “Last year in 2011 we did our 1st toy drive on “In this economy where people are strugcampus,” Flournoy said. “Karen messaged me gling, what the Performing Arts Center is doing before this drive because she wanted to get vari- is great,” Flournoy said. “It is called compassion ous departments involved.” for others and it is nice to see this happening in The IVC Performing Arts Center collected 150 Irvine.” toys and gave away around 300 tickets. Donations can be brought to the IVC PerformAfter the state senator, Lou Correa, found out ing Arts Center box office during their normal about the success of the “ticket for a toy” toy operating hours, Tuesday through Thursday from drive, an award for recognition of the toy drive 10am- 1-pm and 2pm- 4pm. Donations will be acwas made. cepted through May 19th. “I am overwhelmed with the responses to patrons on the idea of this project.” Martin said. The IVC Performing Arts Center is currently holding another drive by collecting new or gently vfergoso.lariat@gmail.com
going to eliminate it,” Wilkinson said. Wilkinson said that while a chaotic crowd would be running one way, that his team would be running toward the shooter. “If I didn’t have a gun, I would run and hide,” Cameron Fuentes, criminology major, said if an active shooter was on campus. If you’re out in the open and have nowhere to go Wilkinson advises to play dead, he also adds that if you’re in a building then barricade it and lock it down with furniture and to put your phones on vibrate For more on this story visit lariatnews.com. lariateditor@gmail.com
Saddleback College will be having its first club rush this coming Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1p.m., in the quad. It will be specially themed for Valentine’s Day, and will feature many same themed games and activities, food trucks and an ice cream run, as stated in the ICC’s first meeting, held last Thursday in SSC 212. Every club table will have a special station set up with different toppings and ice cream. The Inter-Club Council held its first meeting l to discuss the clubs that will be on campus this semester. There will be a total of 38 clubs which is about double the amount of semesters past. Here is a list of just some of the clubs that will be on campus this semester: anime club, architecture club, chemistry 4 life club, enviromental awareness club and many more. Yasamin Enshaeian, Chair of the Inter-Club Council, stated “We do not know exactly which or how many clubs there will be at Wednesday’s club rush. Some don’t show up.” Wednesday’s club rush is bound to be a very fun event and a wonderful prelude to Valentine’s Day on Thursday. See you there! alarsen.lariat@gmail.com
Campus police warns transgender student not to enter restroom in women’s locker room An g i e L . P i n e da
Editor-in-Chief
Natalie Smith was told by campus police that she would be arrested for using the woman’s restroom in the girls locker room late January at the beginning of the semester. “We can’t have men in the women’s locker room,” said Interim Chief of Police Christopher S.M. Wilkinson. Natalie Smith was born a male and went by the name Nathan Smith while attending Saddleback a few years ago. Smith said that she returned to school to continue her dance major, only this time she would be on campus no longer dressed as a male. “I qualify myself as a woman,” Smith said, “when I was six, I knew I was different, but I was not able to voice my belief up until five years ago.” Wilkinson said that once Smith completes her therapy requirements, undergoes surgery to become a transsexual, and carries official documentation then she is more than welcome to use the woman’s restroom. “We’re an opened community, anyone is allowed to come on here,” Wilkinson said about college grounds. “He has a right to be on this campus but the thing is is that you can’t disrupt the function of the campus.” Smith left Saddleback this Spring semester because she’s uncomfortable with the Saddleback policy and believes that transsexuals have more rights than a transgender’s mainly because transsexuals have undergone “sex reassignment surgery.” Smith said that she currently has plans to have this surgery and to fulfill the sex reassignment therapy which will require a full psychological treatment according to the Transgender Health Program. “I plan on finding a doctor, it’s just basically having the finances to pay the doctor,”
Cody Shoemake/ Lariat
AT HOME: Natalie Smith pets her dog in her room. Smith said. “I haven’t changed my name because it costs too much.” According to health.costhelper.com, a full gender transition would cost a maximum of 50,000 dollars. That includes consultations, hormone therapy, psychiatry, the actual surgeries, care taking and follow-ups. Smith said that when she uses male restrooms she feels very awkward, and although she hasn’t legally changed her name, she still demands the right to occupy the woman’s facilities. “I was surprised that they didn’t have a policy towards transgender students. I think Saddleback should have a better policy than they do on that issue, they need to update their policy,” Smith said. Some students on campus express indifference on the subject. Marlene Gonzales, nursing major, said that she doesn’t care if a transgender uses the restroom, “if they want to use a particular restroom, then just let them use it.” lariateditor@gmail.com
Saddleback career fair held Cou r t e sy of saddleback colleg e press r e p or t s
A free career fair for students was be held today. The division of science and economic workforce development and Career Technical Education transitions local and private industry em-
ployees to the second annual campus wide career day. This will be in the Saddleback College Quad from 10 AM-1 PM if whether permits or the BGS building if whether is poor. For more on this story go to www.lariatnews. com. elizabethortiznews@gmail.com
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