Volume 115 Fall 2011 Roundup Issue 1

Co-enrollment blues

Shepard Stadium remains un nished despite the start of the fall semester

The statewide co-enrollment issue has become more noticeable as more than 15 percent of Pierce College students have enrolled in other community colleges as well as Pierce for the fall semester in order to complete the required classes and transfer to a four-year university.

As budgets were cut and classes were cancelled, more than 2,500 Pierce College students were left no choice but to co-enroll and begin attending other colleges as well as Pierce, according to Pierce College’s Dean of Research Carol Kozeracki.

The $400 million decrease in the California Community Colleges (CCC) budget will keep ap-

proximately 200,000 students from classes during this semester, according to California’s 2011-2012 state budget.

The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) has lost $24 million due to these cuts.

Although Moorpark Community College is 20 minutes farther away from her home than Pierce College, Orr Moshe chooses to attend both

schools this semester.

“It’s a longer drive,” she said. “But it’s worth it if I’m able to get the classes I need.”

Although Moorpark is a common choice amongst Pierce students, more than 12 percent of Pierce students who chose to enroll in other colleges selected a college within the LACCD, according to Kozeracki.

“I have to go to Moorpark if I want to take all the classes I need anytime soon,” said Joanna Zlatanov, another Pierce student who began to attend Moorpark after learning that all of the core classes at Pierce were full.

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The Pierce College Campus Violence Response Team (CVRT) will be hosting the Clothesline Projects Domestic Violence Awareness event for Domestic Violence Awareness month in October.

People will be reading and writing on T-shirts telling their stories about domestic abuse.

Those who have suffered from domestic, and sexual abuse can share their stories and get help as well as people that have family members or friends that have suffered.

Some teachers will be given credit for attending this event.

The reasons for the T-shirt is for people to “empower themselves to write their story on the Tshirt.” According to Holly Hagan the Textbook Buyer and co-team leader.

The T-shirt will be hanging from poll to poll on clotheslines from both ends of the mall.

There are already 200 T-shirts ready to be hanging. There will also be a discussion about domestic and sexual abuse and more.

“The Clothesline Project is a therapeutic experience for those who attend,” said Beth Benne honorary member of CVRT and Campus Nurse Beth Benne. “Since they not only have a chance to tell their story, but can also get help.”

Yesenia Hernandez, 19, a student of Pierce College and majoring in Nursing, said that this Project would be of great help since she has a friend that has suffered from domestic abuse.

She feels that if she goes that she will be able to get some sort of help for her friend and be able to tell him about it and maybe convince him to go to the event himself.

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Students dream of financial aid

just like most undocumented students: embarrassed and apologetic.

School has started for the fall semester but the construction of Shepard Stadium remains uncompleted forcing the football team to play on the road until the stadium is ready.

The new stadium is scheduled for completion in December; however, the team will be able to start playing in October, according to Project Deputy Director, Ed Cadena.

The six weeks of delays in the $8.9 million stadium, which will be ready for action Oct. 8, have been

caused by the Division of the State Architect (DSA).

“It’s a project to make the stadium ADA compliant,” said Cadena.

“But we also focused a lot of the field to the visitor side seating.”

The stadium was supposed to be ready for the first Pierce football home game on Sept. 10, according to Pierce Athletic Director, Bob Lofrano.

Because the stadium is unavailable, the team has had to practice and play at Moorpark College.

The team has to share locker rooms and traveling has not been easy.

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Regemralph Corpuz isn’t ashamed anymore.

After years of living in constant fear of being discovered and eventually deported, the undocumented immigrant now uses his citizenship – or lack thereof – as a way to fight for the rights of students in the same situation.

Corpuz, in addition to holding the title of communications officer for the Student Senate for California Community College Colleges (SSCC), is also a former Associated Students Organization (ASO) senator and a two-time dean’s list student.

Though he is now relatively open about his immigration status, the political science major and Pierce College sophomore, who, like most undocumented immigrants, takes offense to the term “illegal alien,” remembers a time when he was

One incident in particular still, to this very day, manages to upset him.

He was attending a financial aid workshop as a high school student when he asked the lecturer what his chances were of getting any sort of financial assistance.

“The teacher yells out to the entire class, ‘No undocumented students can apply for [financial aid],’” said Corpuz, recalling the mortification he felt at the time.

He has since learned to accept – embrace even – the label he sports as an undocumented student.

“I was in UC Berkeley, and I saw how [other undocumented students] were so confident,” he said. “Even in high school, a lot of them just came out and talked about it like it was nothing. I thought to myself, ‘These guys aren’t scared, so why should I be?’”

Corpuz, who came to the United States through legal

means, gained his current undocumented status 12 years ago after his family’s lawyers lost their legalization papers.

“The lawyers messed up, lost our papers, and couldn’t retrieve it,” Corpuz said. “It’s a common story.”

Corpuz is one of the thousands of undocumented students who would greatly benefit from the passage of the second half of the California Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors (DREAM) Act of 2011.

The California DREAM Act, first proposed by Assemblyman Gil Cedillo in 2006, is a two-part legislative package that would grant qualified undocumented students access to financial aid.

Dreaming: We B.U.I.L.D club members Estefania Pulido and Regemralph Corpuz pose for a photograph. See

Sean Dullaghan/ Roundup

Michaia Hernandez/ Roundup

Yajayra Gil/ Roundup

Jose Romero/ Roundup

Co-enrollment: Joanna Zlatanov Poses with her two Student ID cards outside of Pierce College. Alatanov attends both Pierce and Moorpark colleges.

Jose Romero/ Roundup

Stadium: Shepard Stadium will be ready for use in early October.

Itʼs almost finished

The Battle to Transfer

Priority enrollment should be given to students with the most seniority and who are ready to transfer.

This semester found classes filled wall-to-wall with students attempting to add, totaling more than two and three times the amount of actually enrolled students.

One might think, why didn’t these students just register for classes at their scheduled registration date to avoid not getting into the classes they needed.

A lot of them did register early and those courses required to transfer were already filled to capacity.

The reality is, the state’s 112 community colleges offered 5 percent fewer classes this semester than last, according to Chancellor Jack Scott in an August article in the Los Angeles Times.

Scott was also quoted as saying that 670,000 students who would ordinarily have at least one class, would not be accommodated.

Do the math and that’s approximately 6,000 students from Pierce College alone.

And though an estimated 400 students graduated from Pierce College this past summer, immediately following that ceremony, they were replaced.

Who replaced them? More than 400 students from neighboring high schools who were gearing up for their first semester at college joined the campus this fall. This would be great for them, if it were only somewhere else.

Little did they know what they were getting into and where the state of available classes was left after the Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) funding was slashed, again. Classes necessary to transfer, course times and course availabilities/options were cut.

Pierce College had 948 fewer students enrolled in this semester compared to Fall’s 2010 semester, according to Carol Kozeraci, dean of research and planning.

And while we should be cheering on one another to succeed, existing

Pierce College students can’t help but be competitive as they are fighting for survival (meaning getting the hell out of Pierce and in a position to transfer).

There were 64 fewer classes offered this semester than in Spring 2010, according to Kozeracki. Instead it puts an insatiable demand for what is ours; and a fear into students hoping to add that last Biology or English class that they need to move on.

Despite heavy cuts to K-12 education over the last decade from the state, students in the Los Angels Unified School District (LAUSD) have raised their Academic Performance Index (API) scores by 19 points over the last year, according to the LAUSD website.

We should be proud and cheer on our fellow students. After all, those students will be replacing us when we graduate and go into the job market –whatever that means.

But the truth is, and it’s sad really . . ., there is really no room to be supportive when it’s an all out competitive war for classes.

A rise in students passing exit exams leads to one thing: packed classrooms.

Lotteries to add classes are frightening and extinguish any hope of transferring.

We beg of you, our administration, and our leaders: Is there not a way to guarantee placement based upon seniority?

Those here with the intention of getting through this semester as their last, should have first crack at the classes they need to get accepted to the UC/CSU that they dream of attending.

Freshman, you have a minimum of four solid semesters to get your requirements. Some of you, sadly, may be here longer.

So don’t take classes away from those just hanging on for that one last prerequisite. Seniority should rule!

The New EIC’s Welcoming

Palmer / Roundup

Coburn

Falling leaves, dropping temperatures and students once again returning to school, characterize the fall season at Pierce College.

The students in charge of the Roundup Newspaper have returned also, but we’re not the same faces you remember from last year.

Many of us have moved on, either transferring to a four-year college or making it into the workforce.

There is a brand new crop of reporters, photographers and editors who will do their best to provide coverage of all the happenings on campus. This semester you will see Roundup staff at your meetings, in your clubs and at your sporting events. I ask you to welcome them with open arms.

We are all students striving to do our best, learn our lessons, and move on to bigger and better things.

If you have been wronged, misquoted or mischaracterized by a member of the Roundup staff in the past, I ask you not to take it out on our new staff members.

They have no idea of the sins that been committed before they arrived

UC’s Tuition Increase?

Eduardo Razo / Roundup Universities of California (UC) are now joining the California Community Colleges and California State Universities (CSU) and could raise their cost of tuition from 8% to 16% over the next four years.

To put this in the dollar sense students who are considering transferring to a UC could be paying approximately more than $22,000 for school by 2015-16.

In case you were wondering what tuition is this year, it is about $31,000 for California residents only, according to The Los Angeles Times.

We can once again thank our state government for making another so-called excellent decision.

According to the Los Angeles Times UC’s will receive about $2.37 billion in state funding. It may seeem that a lot of money is being given to the UC’s, however, it’s $650 million less than last year.

If the government refuses to help with money for higher education in the near future, it will be time for the UC’s to take action to help save our institutions of higher learning.

University leaders need to launch campaigns to persuade California businesses, and perhaps some of their higher income earning alumni,to donate money so that by working together we all pitch in to help the school and its’ students

with financial aid.

Another solution that may help would be for student’s who show they can’t afford to pay tuition.

If they meet the income requirements, they should be the first and perhaps only students considered for work-study.

If tuitions are raised, the universities should lower prices on their campus that they can control, such as room and board, while also offering more affordable ways for students to get their textbooks . If the UC’s don’t act soon and allow the increase of tuitions to pass, many minority and lowincome students will adversely affected and may look to transfer to a CSU instead of a UC..

Higher tuition can become responsible for the deferment of the dreams that many students hold of going and transferring to a UC.

“We’ve seen the possibilities, and we don’t want to accept them,” Sherry Lansing the regents chairwoman on the budget proposal

“We need stability. We need sustainability. We need to be able to honor our commitments to our students, our employees and certainly our faculty,” UC President Mark G. Yudof.

UC leaders are saying the right things to show current and future students that they are against wanting to raise tuitions, but will they back up what they are saying with some action?

erazo.roundupnews@gmail.com

and I hope you feel it would be unfair to hold them accountable for others’ mistakes.

In keeping with idea of change we have created a brand new website with a new look and feel, which I encourage each of you to visit.

I would like to draw attention to two new features: Club 411, which will feature extensive club coverage and Roundup TV, which will LiveStream important events to the web.

In closing, I hope you will consider us to be your campus newspaper. I hope you will allow us to represent you, to provide you coverage of important events and to be your voice.

cpalmer.roundupnews@gmail.com

Maria Salvador / Roundup

Construction issues continue to build

orders under the current contract.

fi nish performance under the contract because their surety company would not be wiling to provide payment or performance bonds.

and instructor of automotive services.

point is being determined,” said Cadena.

The construction of the North of mall area at Pierce College is suffering delays that may push completion back to the third quarter of next year, according to Project Deputy Director Ed Cadena.

Construction that was scheduled to be fi nished by this coming

spring semester has been delayed due to construction issues.

While on the other end of campus, the Horticulture area is still unusable due to issues with JD Diffenbaugh, the construction company hired for the job.

JD Diffenbaugh informed Pierce that they would be unable to

“We are looking for a different entity to fi nish the project,” said Cadena. “We are in discussion with some of the proposers for an assignment of contract.”

The buildings in the North of mall area that went up in the 1960’s followed different fi re codes than those used today.

When the plans for the new building were made they didn’t take that into account and they were denied, according to Tom Rosdahl President of the academic senate

“While doing the construction some different things were revealed,” said Cadena. “The solutions have to be approved be D.S.A (Division of State Architect).”

The project was approaching its 10 percent limit to make change

Once that limit is reached all work would be stopped.

The project director’s office requested that the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) cancel the project for convenience, according to Cadena.

“The determination of that end

The construction is currently fi nishing phase one of a two-phase process. The fi rst phase should be fi nished by the third quarter of next year according to Cadena.

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Being Alive is walking

California’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraising event, AIDS Walk Los Angeles, will be taking place Oct. 16.

The event raises money by having people participate in a 10-K walk and having one or more people to sponsor them.

According to the AIDS Walk L.A. website the organization has already raised $784,527 for this years event and the event isn’t until next month.

Last year they raised over $2.8 million and hope to do better this year.

There is no fee to register and no minimum amount to sponsor someone.

Anyone can join as an individual or with a team.

At Pierce the Gay Straight Alliance(GSA) has a team that participates in the event every year.

“It was really good and they give you a lot of free food” says Fernando Aquino, member of the Pierce GSA team that participated last year, “people are like ‘oh I’m going to go exercise’ but in reality you end up gaining calories not losing them.”

The GSA team successfully raised more than a thousand dollars with around 30 participants last year.

“I remember it was more than a thousand dollars because the officers(on campus) made a pledge that if we raised more than a thousand dollars they would dress up as the spice girls and they did!” says Aquino. This year they have pledged to dress as the Power-

appointment.

G.S.A. ready to walk on A.I.D.S.

time delays plague campus beauti cation e orts Enroll in Trinity Law School in the Fall.

puff Girls or 80’s pop stars if the team is able to raise more than $1,200 according to Aquino.

“This is a huge thing, and it’s got a party atmosphere” says Hillel Wasserman, Board member of Being Alive and co-captain of team Being Alive, “At the same time its a day to reflect and remember everyone we’ve lost and all the work we have ahead of us.”

“ is is a huge thing, and It’s got a party Atmosphere,” said Hillel Wasserman, Board member of Being Alive Get Your Associates Degree and go to Law School. Good Idea. Great Idea. All of the above. You can attend law school upon completion of your Associates Degree. Go straight to law school. Save time, save money, and get a great education with unlimited opportunities.

Wasserman has been participating in the event since 1987 and has been a co-captain for team Being Alive since they became a Community Coalition Team five years ago.

The money raised will go primarily to Aids Project L.A. However, any AIDS service organization can actually form their own team under the Community Coalition Initiative and keep 100% of the funds they raise at no cost to themselves.

Crystal Endless / Roundup

for new construction company to finish long over due project according to Ed Cadena.

Sean Dullaghan/ Roundup

Kevin Reynolds/ Roundup

Shannon Ma / Roundup

After the attacks of 9/11, a new generation of veterans was formed, with many of them now pursuing their education at Pierce College.

Christopher Sorbello and Kort Huettinger were some of the few brave men who, after serving their duty, came home to find that there were not enough resources available to help them adjust back into civilian life.

“The reason I came back to school was because there were no jobs when I got back in August 2007,” said Sorbello, who served six years in the army, including one tour of duty in Afghanistan, and two tours of duty in Iraq.

“When they [veterans] come back… the odds are stacked against them,” he said. “The reason why we started the club is more of a helping hand to let them know they are not alone and that we’re there to support them in any way we can.”

After three years of pushing for a club that would help with the rehabilitation process of student veterans, Sorbello, with the aid of fellow veteran Huettinger, was able to

establish their first official meeting in the fall of 2010.

Although the club was established three semesters ago, they still face hurdles ahead, including the equal treatment and resources that are provided to other clubs on campus and a need for an official place to meet.

tant it is to provide proper treatment of veterans. Their hope is to prevent future veterans from ending up forgotten or on the streets like many veterans of the Vietnam War and other previous wars.

“Say ‘thank you,’ there’s not enough of that,” said Huettinger, who was docked in San Francisco while serving in the Coast Guard during the time of the attacks. “Some people, for whatever reason think that veterans don’t deserve anything extra and there are people that don’t care.” This semester, the club hopes to start a petition that students can sign in order for them to receive the benefits they feel they deserve. They encourage all students, no matter what their political standings are, to support their mission for proper treatment.

“I think it’s important to get a place to meet like many other student groups… For now we’re just having to reserve a room here and there,” said Patrick Salazar, club advisor and founder of the Veteran Association of the University of Utah.

Aside from providing educational, financial, counseling and other forms of support, the club’s mission is to bring awareness of how impor-

“It’s an honor to work with these guys [Sorbello and Huettinger],” said Salazar. “They could have just stayed home and gotten their own degree. Their service to these students is just remarkable and that’s why I’m proud to know these guys.”

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Students keep dreaming

CONTINUED FROM PAGE #1

The first part of the bill, better known as Assembly Bill (AB) 130, allows qualified undocumented students to acquire privatelyfunded scholarships; it was passed and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown July 25 of this year.

The second part of the bill, AB 131, is currently awaiting approval of the governor after being passed by the state Assembly on Sept. 2. This section of the bill gives undocumented students who meet the aforementioned criteria access to state-funded financial aid like Cal Grants.

The DREAM Act will not go into effect until July 1, 2012.

“[The passage of AB 131] is a great impact for students,” said Corpuz. “It alleviates some of the burden that comes with focusing on paying for college. Students will be able to focus more on their academics.”

Corpuz notes that the California DREAM Act is merely the beginning of improvement in the treatment of undocumented students.

“Even if the DREAM Act passes, it’s going to be a very long time before it’s implemented,” he said. “This is a tough time for all of us, especially because of the budget cuts; we’re being pushed farther away from pursuing an education.”

Pierce Counselor Sergio Belloso, the faculty advisor of campus club We Bringing Unity to Immigrants and Life to their Dreams (We B.U.I.L.D.), agrees with Corpuz.

“It’s a big step, but it’s nowhere near where we want it to be,” he said. “It doesn’t take away from the discrimination or legalization.”

In conjunction with his role as a self-proclaimed activist for additional rights for undocumented youth, Corpuz is an active member of We B.U.I.L.D.

In addition to advocating the California DREAM Act, We B.U.I.L.D. aims to assist undocumented students in terms of academic support, according to Corpuz. “We want to offer tutoring to members so that they won’t get behind on their school work while they’re helping with the club,” he said. “Also, if you’re [an active member] and you’re affected by the economic downturn, we want to make sure that your school supplies are covered.”

The club plans on eventually raising enough money to create their own scholarship. RU

Amber Barrero, being an active member of organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Free Bradley Manning, is no stranger to activism.

However, everything changed for her upon entering motherhood.

“I want my children to have a good future,” said the

22-year-old sociology major. “Anything that has to do with the future and children or students is something I want to get involved [with].”

Now, in addition to promoting social awareness in matters of agricultural bioengineering, Barrero is taking an active stance in education. She holds office as the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) student trustee.

Barrero, who also works as building manager for family-owned apartment complexes, is currently in her third year at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC). She plans to transfer to Pacific Oaks University, where she will major in human development.

“When I got to my campus, I saw that there were a lot of students not getting involved,” she said.

One of the requirements for student trustee hopefuls is to hold forums at each of the nine campuses under LACCD. Barrero came to Pierce College to introduce herself to the student body the same day of the debate between the Associated Students Organization (ASO) executive board candidates.

“The [other candidate for student trustee] wasn’t there that day,” she said. “I gave a little spiel about myself. I was a little nervous, but it went okay.”

Her responsibilities as student trustee require her to clear out her Mondays and Wednesdays for her term in order to take care of board duties.

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to Kathy Oborn, chair of Political Science & Economics & Criminal Justice. That was when Oborn was the head of ASO.

Donna Rumaldo, who has been working for Copy Tech since 2006, has been recycling at Pierce College for the last two years.

“Donna is a very good worker,” said Marina Ibarra, copy tech supervisor.

Rumaldo started by selling tomatoes at the farm in what is now called the Pierce Farmers Market.

“I dig in the trash,” said Rumaldo. “I don’t get in the dumpsters, but these young adults are just throwing [their trash] in the nearest container, and it’s usually the trash with no regard to recycling.”

Rumaldo decided to start recycling when her daughter became pregnant. She uses the profits of the cans she recycles to start her grandchild’s college fund. She makes $60 to $80 weekly.

“I think that there should be options to separate different trash: trash, recyclables and organic compost,” said Rumaldo.

She said that she went to the Associate Vice President of Administrative Services Larry Kraus with this idea, and asked him how she could go about to make a recycling program on campus.

“I went to [Kraus] to get this trash separated,

because right now the recycling system at Pierce College is just blue containers for paper and some containers for plastic bottles,” said Rumaldo. “ I want options. I want students to have the option to see a container for recyclables and a container for trash, and to just know they are there whether they recycle or not. if they get an option to segregate the trash they might.”

The Associated Students Organization (ASO) had a recycling program in the ‘90s, according

The ASO had blue, green and black dumpsters at the back of the school.

“I don’t know what happened to it,” said Oborn.

“We have already polluted the environment enough. A cardboard is worth recycling. It’s just messing with the environment,” said Rumaldo.

Rumaldo makes a lot of effort to leave a greenfoot print on the earth. She only uses water when she washes her car; she never uses any soaps or detergents. If she has a gum wrapper in her hand she puts it in her pocket until she finds the correct train container. She does not litter. According to Rumaldo, the landfills in the United States are full of chemicals and carbon dioxide. Rumaldo believes that the pollution is already out there and people should want to keep the environment in balance as much as they can.

“I understand people need jobs and we can’t get rid of every company that is polluting the world, but we can at least try to lessen out footprint on the earth,” said Rumaldo.

Tessa Miller / Roundup

SVO President Student Veteran Organization (SVO) President Christopher Sorbello, Veteran Army Cpl., aims to support fellow veterans through the club.

Michaia Hernandez / Roundup

Levitt / Roundup

TRENDS

to put together what they call a “classic look” are Zara, H&M, Anthropology and Banana Republic.

wearing his JVC oversized headphones on campus.

Fresh Ink

While out trend-spotting this semester, it’s easy to notice that students’ styles range from classic, to bold, to edgy. As diverse as the styles are at Pierce College the overall consensus is students are choosing outfits that reflect their personality and will keep them comfortable and focused in the classroom.

Summer Shorts

Ladies all over campus have been spotted trying to beat the heat by wearing breezy summer shorts. Vivian Tu and Eren Timario’s favorite places

“My style doesn’t really change throughout the seasons,” said Tu. “I wear less during the heat and more layering during colder seasons.”

Playlists and Papers

Some students prefer not to limit their style to what they wear, but they help define their style with what they listen to. From rock to hip-hop, you never know what might be coming out of some student’s sound systems.

“Certain music I listen to actually motivates me to go to class,” said student Lanear Kennedy who enjoys listening to, 30 Seconds to Mars, while

The Cast

‘Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow’ cast prepares for opening

The play is set to open Friday Oct. 21 in the Temporary Performing Arts Complex, under the direction of Valorie Grear.

Dana Craig- Dr. Yakunin

Eric Dodson- Preston

Jeremy Fain- Terrence

Denis Fehan- Col. Hubbard

Jenny Kang- Jennifer Marcus

David Klane- Mr. Marcus

Kristina Reyes- Jenny Chow

Laura Ring- Adele Hartman

Cyrus Zoghi- Todd

Ever heard of the saying “Fashion is seasonal, style is forever”? Well they forgot to include tattoos. Many students express their individuality with tattoos that tell a story of who they are and their passions.

Take student Carla Meliton for example, who’s racer-back tank top helps to beautifully display a margarita flower, which represents her mom and her own middle name.

And while some students show their love for music by wearing headphones, Alex Gaxiola shows his love with a treble clef and other art emblazoned on his forearms.

“Artisically, it [a tattoo] doesn’t always have to be about gang affiliated people,” said Gaxiola while taking a break from class.

Colorful Kicks

With such a large campus, students need comfortable shoes to navigate to their classes. But being practical doesn’t need to mean boring, and some students, such as; Chris Darrett, Tae Foster, Devon Lacroix, and Newton Hallowanger, choose boldly colored sneakers that they call “Fresh to def,” and “clean” to take them wherever they need to go.

sma.roundupnews@gmail.com

Tessa Miller / Roundup

MORE SKIN: Vivan Ta and Eren Timario shows off their summer shorts in front of the Student Services building at Pierce College Woodland Hills Calf. on Sept. 14, 2011.

Tessa Miller / Roundup

TATS: Carla Meliton and Alex Gaxiola shares the inspiration behind their tattoos at the Student Store at Pierce College Woodland Hills Calf. on Sept. 14, 2011.

Tessa Miller / Roundup

‘FRESH TO DEF’: Chris Darrett, Tae Foster, Devon Lacroix, and Newton Hallowanger show off their shoes in front of the Student Store at Pierce College Woodland Hills Calf. on Sept. 14, 2011.

Shannon Ma/ Roundup

Tessa Miller / Roundup

TUNES: Chris Pizarro and Pierce College Football player Lanear Kennedy, with their music players in hand at the Student Store at Pierce College Woodland Hills Calf. on Sept. 14 2011.

GROW. . . Room to

Broken glass windows and rotting wood leads on lookers into the Horticulture Center which sits neglected to the left of the entrance to Parking Lot 1.

Issues arose when demolition began in March 2010 with the construction company hired for the job, according to Project Deputy Director Ed Cadena.

The project remains on hold until a new company is hired to complete the work.

- Jose Romero/Roundup

RU Online? Visit theroundupnews.com for more information on campus construction.

Full attack mode

Soccer team impressive on rst part of new campaign

“

Rodrigo Carbonel / Roundup

After only a shady first game tie, the Pierce College women’s soccer team quickly turned to the right direction and has been unbeatable since.

They have been dominating so far and have displayed a powerful attacking game having scored 19 goals in their first six games of the 2011 campaign.

“After the first game we were a little disappointed because we tied and we should’ve won, but it’s been getting better,” said freshman forward Edith Dominguez. “I feel we’ve improved a lot since that game so we’re happy about where we’re at right now.”

During this first six games, the Brahmas have shown a great job distributing the ball and creating a lot scoring chances, main reason why they have won five games in a row, and four of them by a difference of three goals or more.

The Brahmas soccer team’s head coach Adolfo Perez knows what the reason is for his team’s early success. “The understanding of each other [the players],” said Perez. “During the first game they didn’t really understand the concept, and I think it’s the understanding of each other and executing what they have to do.”

The team has an exceptional midfield which is composed and directed mainly by sophomore Daisy Alvarenga, who leads the team with seven assists, sophomore Jessica Gonzalez, and freshman Joandra

Ramirez. This trio have scored 11 of the 19 goals the Brahmas have so far this season.

Another main reason of why the women’s soccer team understand each other well on the field is their relationship outside of it.

“This is one of the best bonding teams I’ve ever play with, the chemistry off the field is a lot stronger than in most girls’ soccer teams.” said sophomore defender Jennifer Venegas.

Not everything is sweet on the Brahmas’ front though, injuries

Winning is becoming a volleyball tradition

Although they lost 10 players from their 2010 state championship team, the Pierce College women’s volleyball team is off to an exceptional start.

The Brahmas have played nine games so far and have won every one of them.

They have only lost two sets out of the 27 they have played so far posting impressive and dominating victories.

“We’re doing really well, considering there are so many freshman on the team, we’re matching really well with the sophomores, we’re becoming a very strong team,” said freshman setter Janelle Futch. “We’re building an unbreakable bond so the teams are going to have to work really hard to

beat us.

Since the start of the 2011 campaign, the Brahmas have competed in three invitational tournaments, one at Modesto, the second one at Pierce, and the last one in San Diego.

It was during this last tournament in which the volleyball team lost their first two sets of the season.

It was not very easy for the new players to get in on a team that has a target on the back, a team who everyone wants to beat now.

“At first we weren’t there because we’re a lot of new players and we still trying to get used to being together being a new team,” said freshman opposite hitter Danetta Boykin. “As time is progressing we are getting stronger, we’re building bonds and we’re just having each other’s backs more than we did

have plagued the team during this first part of the season and it has been felt in the lockerroom.

-Jennifer Venegasr Sophomore Kathleen Wright on the MVP award in this past weekend’s San Diego Invitational Tournament. She is the cocaptain of the defending state championship team.

“It has affected, especially the chemistry,” said head coach Perez. “Losing Bri Chopin [ankle injury] for the season, our hardest working player on the team affected us especially the first couple of days.”

Sophomore defender Janelly De La Puente broke her nose in the game against the Ventura College Pirates but according to head coach Perez, the doctor already cleared her and she will be available for the next game.

During the same game, Brahmas’ starting goalkeeper Emily Ortiz had to be substituted due to a dislocated shoulder.

Coach Perez feels confident with his roster.

“I think for any team to be great, you have to be able to make up for when players are unavailable,” said Perez. “We have three goalkeepers and we’re blessed that we can count on any of them.”

The Pierce women’s team will look to keep up the great start to the sesaon as they travel to Santa Barbara this Friday at 7 p.m.

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Entering his 12th season as the women’s volleyball head coach is the hard-working Nabil Mardini.

Since he took the head coaching position at Pierce College, Mardini has led the Brahmas to nine consecutive Western State Conferences, a final four appearance in 2005, the state runner-up in 2006, and finally, to winning the state tournament.

Coach Mardini started playing volleyball in his native Lebanon, for Club Relevement Social Knat, and had a brief stint with the

Sophomore midfielder Daisy Alvarenga has three goals and leads the team with seven assists this season. She will look to keep up the offensive success throughout the season.

Greg Wanamaker ran for 71 yards and had a touchdown on 18 carries against Fullerton last Saturday. This is the sophomore’s first game back since missing the most part of last season due to a knee injury.

during the first week of practice.”

Head coach Nabil Mardini mainly emphasizes in players trusting their teammates and holding each other accountable during games.

“We’re taking care of business so far, the players are working very hard and getting better every day,” said Mardini. “We come to practice every day with the mentality that we have to be one percent better by the time we’re done.”

After winning state last semester, head coach Mardini expected more from his players.

After graduating from Birmingham High School, Pierce College soccer head coach Adolfo Perez. four years at CSUN where he was named team captain in 1992. He then went to play professionally for two years in Guadalajara, Mexico while earning his “A” coaching license.

Lebanese Junior National Team.

After he came to the US, he played for Santa Monica College and was voted best athlete of the

He came into coaching by accident, needing a part time job, he started coaching an all-girls team.

“I really fell in love with it and I’ve been doing it since then.” he said.

Upon his return to the US, he coached El Camino Real High School and Mission College from 1994 to 1996.

As the head coach for the Pierce girl’s soccer team, he has led the team

year. Coach Mardini is also the director of the Los Angeles Volleyball Academy (LAVA), and LAVA Girls Club in Santa Monica. He received the Regional Coach of the Year award, the Southwest Region Coach of the Year Award, and the mother of all awards, the AVCA National Two-Year College 2010 Coach of the Year award. Since he joined the Pierce Athletics Department a decade ago, the team has been in a winning mode posting a record of 217-50.

to the Western Southern Conference and won six straight times, and eight in 10 years, posting a 18127-30 record during that time. He has won the Western State Conference Coach of the Year award five times during his tenyear tenure with the team.

Coach Perez doesn’t want his players to just look him as their soccer coach.

Compiled by Rodrigo Carbonel and Navid Khoi.

Photos by Jose Romero Ahmad Abbasi.

Rodrigo Carbonel/ Roundup

Jose Romero / Roundup

HEADLINE: Freshman forward Edith Dominguez dribbles the ball around defenders.

is is one the best bonding teams i’ve ever played with, the chemistry o the eld is a lot stronger than in most girls’ soccer teams.”

Jose Romero / Roundup

Volleyball: The 2011 Womens Volleyball team

Yenifer Velasquez / Roundup

Jose Romero / Roundup

Dazed... but not confused

e coaching sta is con dent that they can turn the season around

Inexperienced starters on offense, a tough non-conference schedule, and playing without a home stadium has Pierce College is at 0-3 at the beginning of the season.

Coming into the 2011 campaign, the Brahmas were ranked number 21 in the nation and were trying to build on last season’s success.

“Being young and inexperienced is not a good combination when you have to travel on the road to tough places,” said Pierce College football head coach Efrain Martinez. “The season is young, it’s a marathon.”

Two out of the first three games that were on the road were at top 30 ranked Bakersfield and Fullerton Colleges.

“These tough road games will make us better as a team, even though we lost, but all that matters really to us as a team is winning our conference.” said Brahmas’ assistant coach Jason Sabolic.

Brand new freshman receivers are still trying to fit in into an offense that asks for a lot from them to make plays.

“The playmakers this year feel a lot of pressure to step up, since last year’s receivers could score from any spot on the fields.” said Pierce College Athletic Director Bob Lofrano.

Playing on the road as a good team means you can’t make costly penalties and turnovers that will hurt your team, Pierce has done the complete opposite.

In the first three games Pierce has had a total of 45 penalties and nine turnovers.

“We have had a hard time putting any drives together, and scoring points, penalties and rookie mistakes are killing us as a team, said Sabolic. ”We play great in the first half, we just need to put a full game together.”

Stability behind the center is also a liability to the team, passing bad

snaps to the quarterback and the punter causes many problems for the Brahmas.

A bright part of the season was when sophomore running back Greg Wanamaker returned to the team in their last game at Fullerton.

“Wanamaker is someone that will defiantly help the team in the running game.” said Lofrano.

He ran for over 100 yards and had a touchdown against the Hornets.

“He is a hard runner, who is hard to bring down,” said Sabolic. “His attitude to do whatever it takes to gain yards is something the team needs.”

Head coach Martinez is confident about his roster and knows where to fix the problems.

“If we fix our issues at the wide receiver position, we will not lose another game this season,” said head coach Martinez.

The Brahmas will search for answers and their first win of the season when they travel to Long Beach on Saturday.

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Embracing the youth

Despite winning consecutive conference championships in 2009 and 2010 as the Pierce College football team, head coach Efrain Martinez is more focused in making young stars.

As head coach of a community college football team, Martinez highly emphasizes the importance of players advancing to upper division colleges.

It therefore serves as no surprise that just last season 15 players went on to division one schools, while 21 went on to division two schools.

“That’s the whole reason why we do this.” said Martinez.

After being at both Van Nuys and El Camino High Schools as an assistant coach, Martinez moved on to

Brahmas’ Schedule

Wednesday, Sept. 21 @ Moorpark

6 p.m.

-SoccerFriday, Sept. 23 @ Santa Barbara

7 p.m. -FootballSaturday, Sept. 24 @ Long Beach

1 p.m.

become assistant coach at Valley College in 2001, then at Pierce College 2002 before becoming the Brahmas’ head coach in 2006.

As head coach at Pierce College now for his fifth season, Martinez shares his anticipation for each and every game with the team.

“No one game is more important than the other”, said Martinez. “Each approaching game is anticipated equally.”

With consecutive championship victories, both the team and coaches have raised the level of expectation accordingly which should make for a promising season this year.

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Navid Khoi / Roundup

Lindsay Martinez/ Roundup

Head Coach Efrain Martinez talking to his team in the huddle

/ Roundup