Volume 127 Fall 2017 Roundup Issue 7

Pierce cages Citrus Owls

Brahmas hold on for 28-27 victory, keeps season

JOSHUA MANES Managing Editor @TheManesEvent

In a week following an emotional 7-6 defeat to cross-town rival LA Valley College, Pierce football (3-4, 1-1) kept its hopes of a conference championship alive with a 28-27 victory against the Citrus College Owls (1-6, 0-2) Saturday night.

The Brahmas’ offense struggled to find a rhythm throughout the night. Quarterback Jonathon Saavedra finished the night 7 of 18 for 91 yards with one touchdown and one interception, but it was a 38-yard touchdown run by the freshman in the fourth quarter that gave Pierce the final lead.

“The whole week we felt like we owed the defense; they really stepped up last week,” Saavedra said. “We owed the defense, the team, the fans.”

It was a sack by defensive lineman Eric Mateo on a twopoint conversion attempt with 59 seconds to play that sealed the victory for the Brahmas, reminiscent of the blocked field goal last week that secured things for Valley with 41 seconds left.

“My coaches told me they needed a play, so I just went out there and made a play for them,” Mateo said.

The game started ominously when Owls’ running back Cordelle Taylor II was injured on the first play from scrimmage. Taylor was carted off with an apparent leg injury. The silence in Shepard Stadium was reminiscent of the Quicken Loans Arena last Tuesday when Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward was injured.

“They lost a good player early,” Pierce interim head coach James Sims said. “I think it changed their game plan, not ours.”

The Brahmas defense made it difficult for the Owls offense to take off following the injury.

Linebacker Blaze Allredge intercepted Citrus quarterback

Darreon Lockett’s pass at the Pierce 28-yard line and returned it to midfield.

A few plays later, running back Kyshawn Richards would take the Brahmas down to the 4-yard line with a 21-yard run. An offside penalty on Citrus set up a Marquise Mickens 2-yard touchdown run for an early 7-0 lead.

The teams traded punts for the next six possessions, and Citrus won the field possession battle, starting at the Pierce 48-yard line midway through the second quarter.

The Owls offense finally woke up when receiver Mason MesinaRowe caught a ball over the middle

Stupid bird soars

Comedic turn on Anton Chekhov

ANDREW

FORTIN-CALDERA Sports Editor @afortincaldera

Unrequited affection, a tortured artist, a dysfunctional family— seemingly the ingredients for just another cliched story. However, the Pierce College Theater Department’s production of Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird is absolutely anything but.

The first sign came in the minutes before the opening act when the cast members took to the stage, performing stretches and vocal warmups while intermittently (and perhaps ironically) chirping like birds. As the cast zip, zap and zopped with each other in the center of the stage, the audience was told over the intercom to take their seats and prepare for the show.

Funny… it seemed like it had already begun.

But, with absolute seriousness, the cast turned to the seated viewers, and the play’s central character Con, played by Jon Michael Villagomez,

hopes alive

DOJ backs student in free speech lawsuit

VANESSA ARREDONDO Copy Editor @v_anana

The Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in support of Pierce student Kevin Shaw, who sued the college last year, stating that the Free Speech Area was too small and restrictive.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a statement explaining the Justice Department’s interest, stating that the DOJ strives to protect Freedom of Speech on college campuses.

“University officials and faculty must defend free expression boldly and unequivocally. Last month, I promised a recommitment to free speech on campus and to ensuring First Amendment rights. The Justice Department continues to do its part in defending free speech, protecting students’ free expression, and enforcing federal law,” Sessions said in a statement.

Last year, Shaw was confronted by Pierce administration as he handed out Spanish-language copies of the U.S. Constitution on the Mall, seeking to recruit students for Young Americans for Liberty, a political organization with chapters on college campuses across the United States.

on third down and went 30 yards to the Pierce 18. Lockett capped off the drive with a 2-yard pass to tight end Sean Witham to tie the game.

The Brahmas offense remained stagnant and punted the ball back to Citrus.

Again, sparked by a long catchand-run by Mesina-Rowe, the Owls took the ball 82 yards on 10 plays to take a 14-7 lead with seconds remaining in the first half.

The second half started how the first ended. The Brahmas continued to struggle moving the ball, and following a punt, Citrus drove 79 yards on 12 plays to increase the lead to 21-7.

A 46-yard kick return by Joseph Branch finally ignited the Brahmas’ offense. Starting at the Citrus 33, the team converted two third downs, and finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Saavedra to Damaris August.

To start the fourth quarter, the Brahmas drove inside the Citrus 5-yard line looking to tie the game at 21, however the drive stalled, and Oscar Gonzalez missed a 27yard field goal.

The defense would make up for it when defensive lineman Shaheim McCullough forced a fumble on the first play.

Saavedra connected with

Branch on first down for 21 yards, and two plays later, Xandre McCleary plunged in from the 1-yard line to tie the game at 21.

The Brahmas defense remained strong, forcing a three-and-out from the Owls.

The ensuing Pierce drive saw Saavedra, on a third and six, rolled out of the pocket.

“In the moment, I just wanted to get the first down, probably slide or get out of bounds,” Saavedra said. “Great job from my receivers blocking down field, I saw a lane and just took it.”

The free speech zone is a 616 square-foot area located on the Mall, and composes about .003 percent of a 426-acre campus.

Shaw was told that he could not distribute literature outside of the Free Speech Area, and to distribute within the area he would have to fill out a permit.

A hearing for Shaw v. Burke is scheduled for Nov. 14 at the California Central District Court to determine whether the case will go to trial.

Faulty promise, food frustration

spoke to the audience, “The play will begin when someone says, ‘Start the fucking play.’”

Such a candid and crude prompt effectively set the tone for the rest of the play.

The play takes place on the grounds of a lakefront home, and opens with Dev (Trevor Alkazian) and Mash (Monica Vigil) comparing the perceived sorry state of their lives. Mash is a quintessential goth; she dresses completely in black and laments defeatedly about her unhappy life while deriding Dev’s professed hopefulness in the face of his own troubles. Dev mentions to Mash, almost in passing, that he “loves her ridiculously.”

It is revealed in this scene that Con is staging a “performance event” with Nina (Meagan Truxal). Dev expresses, somewhat enviously, that it is nice that Con and Nina get to share that experience with each other. The thought noticeably agitates Mash, who is in love with Con. She drives Dev away after rebuffing his romantic interest

in her before ending the scene by serenading the audience on a ukulele with a song that reiterates her bleak view of life.

Con and Nina prepare a showing of his piece for Con’s mother Emma (Justine Brandy), a famous actress, her lover and famed author Trigoran (Josh T. Ryan), and Con’s uncle Dr. Sorn (Matt DeHaven). Con is

completely infatuated with Nina, who he regards as his muse, but she idolizes Trigoran, much to Con’s jealousy. Con’s performance event is derailed by Emma’s criticism; she feels that the piece derides her body of work. Con is deflated and retreats from the stage, wondering in a later scene if his

Senate addresses Pierce Promise

Faculty voiced concerns about Pierce Promise, highlighting issues involving students who are not meeting the 12-unit enrollment requirement and a lack of available counselors.

mother hates him. He reveals his desire to further a new form of meaningful, “real” theater that actually changes the hearts and minds of those who view it—a reflection of “Stupid Fucking Bird’s” overarching theme.

On Monday, Oct. 23, the Academic Senate discussed solutions to make the Los Angeles College Promise run smoothly at Pierce. The program was implemented at the start of fall semester for LAUSD graduates helping them attend community college tuition free for a year.

Academic Senate Secretary Susan Armenta said that to qualify, students must fulfill requirements, such as being an LAUSD graduate, complete a summer program and be enrolled at Pierce with at least 12 units.

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com] [see promise on pg. 3]

Titus Littlejohn/ Roundup

Dr. Sorn (Matt DeHaven) mixes a cocktail while performing a monologue during dress rehearsal of “Stupid Fucking Bird” on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in Woodland Hills, Calif.

TAYLOR THIBODAUX Reporter @taylorthibbs

"The Seagull" earns laughs

[see football on pg. 9]

Soccer wins at Valley pg. 4

Shae Hammond / Roundup

Jonathon Saavedra looks to throw the ball as his teammates protect him from Citrus College's Grant Trueman in a win of 28-27 against Citrus College at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on Oct. 21, 2017.

From the desk of the Roundup: Editorial

The sorry state of Pierce’s bathrooms has been a topic of importance to the Roundup for years. Articles written throughout the 2010’s have made appeals to the student body to be more conscientious of its conduct and expressed desires for increased janitorial diligence to address the problem. Despite this, we’re still regularly met with revolting sights and deplorable conditions whenever we answer the call of nature at Pierce.

However, in light of the deadly hepatitis outbreak in San Diego, it’s time to treat the uncleanliness of Pierce’s bathrooms as an issue that poses a serious risk to good health, rather than one of simple inconvenience.

According to the LA Times, the hepatitis A epidemic in San Diego has resulted in 315 hospitalizations and 17 deaths, and shows little sign of slowing down. KTLA reported that the disease has spread to Los Angeles, with four of the 10 known infected people having acquired hepatitis A after being exposed to the disease in San Diego.

Hepatitis A is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the liver, which is most often spread through ingestion of food and water that is contaminated with the feces of an individual who is infected with the disease. However, transmission also occurs as a result of poor hygiene and through exposure to sewage-contaminated water.

Poor hygiene and sewagecontaminated water. If that isn’t characteristic of Pierce’s bathrooms, then nothing is. And while the duty to correct that may be one of the primary functions of Pierce’s janitorial staff, we—the student body as a whole—should take measures to correct it as well if we value our collective health.

Sure, we could take the easy route and seek vaccinations if hepatitis A threatens us, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; it’s better that we do our part in

Volume 127, Issue 6, Page 2: Cartoonist credit should have been attributed to Beck Shields.

If you would like to have the newspaper delivered to your classroom please email newsroom. roundupnews@gmail. com

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keeping the bathrooms clean rather than prepare for the worst. Keep in mind that custodians are picking up after about 20,000 of us, and if we make their jobs harder by absolving ourselves of any responsibility to keep the campus tidy because we think that that’s THIER job, then it is no surprise that the bathrooms are never as clean as they should be.

We can begin to rectify that with the simplest of things, such as

throwing our used paper towels in the trash, rather than on the floor, and flushing after ourselves. We’re all college students—our bathroom conduct should reflect the maturity that suggests.

For efficiency’s sake, cleaning logs can be posted within bathrooms for both students and custodians to see when a bathroom was last serviced. If a student notices that a bathroom hasn’t been cleaned in

Pro: Gore is just garbage

/

an inordinate amount of time, they can bring it to the attention of the janitorial staff, who can then make it a priority to visit and service that neglected bathroom. Administration at Pierce can help the issue as well. Waste can be cut back by installing electric hand dryers to replace paper towels in the bathrooms. Also, signs placed in bathrooms that detail the risks of diseases such as hepatitis

“'The Exorcist.' It's a classic. Scarymoviesarenʼtthesame anymore,theyarenʼtscary.”

-EmilyCantell,25,Nursing

can inspire students to be more hygienic. We all need to make a concerted effort to ensure that our bathrooms are clean. With health concerns such as hepatitis A posing such a risk in unsanitary environments, doing our part and cleaning up after ourselves is as much a conscious preventative effort as it is a common courtesy.

newsroom.roundupnews@gmail.com

“'TheNightmareBefore Christmas.'Ilikethemusic, andhowJackSkellington tries to reinvent Christmas.”

- Talar Linton, 21, Liberal Studies

happen on almost a weekly basis.

Computer-generated imaging has given birth to a new world of filmmaking. The new millennium has seen films such as “Avatar,” “Wonder Woman,” and awesomely gruesome films like the notorious “Saw” series. The “Saw” movies catapulted the film industry into a new realm of horror and science fiction movies that would not only make their audiences fear everything that goes bump in the night, but also change their brain chemistry altogether.

When people watch a scary movie, they are exposing themselves to bloody murder scenes, terrifyingly evil paranormal activity, and triggering psychotic behavior. Exposure to horror films has been scientifically researched to truly gain perspective on exactly what horror movies do to audiences’ brains, and it’s far from happy.

A study conducted by New York University in 2008 found that after showing participants four different film scenes, Alfred Hitchcock had the most neurological response from the participants.

“The fact that Hitchcock was able to orchestrate the responses of so many different brain regions, turning them on and off at the same time across all viewers, may provide neuroscientific evidence for his notoriously famous ability to master and manipulate viewers' minds’ control over participant’s brains,” NYU reported.

If Hitchcock’s classic film was capable of holding 65 percent control over its viewers’ minds, can we even begin to imagine what consistent horror film watching may do?

A study conducted at Iowa State and Brigham Young University found evidence that aggressive behavior on screen reflects in the behavior of audiences watching horror films. Whether the behavior includes a paranormal serial killer murdering camp counselors, or invisible forces prying into the minds of their victims to get them to harm themselves or others, aggressive behavior is the main focus of horror films.

Jennifer Ruh Linder, Linfield College psychology professor, said, “Past research has shown that viewing physical violence on TV activates aggressive scripts in the brain, but our findings suggest that watching both onscreen physical or relational aggression activates those cognitive scripts.”

According to Linder, horror film viewers do not consciously choose to imitate characters and engage in aggressive behavior. Instead, it is an automatic response that stems from the subconscious mind.

What else can watching horror films do to the rest of your body? A study conducted by Dutch experts found that horror films actually coagulate your blood. Anyone down for a scary movie-induced blood clot?

When it comes to horror films, audiences should consider the havoc that the scary movies are wreaking on their whole bodies--not just their dreams.

ROCIO ARENAS Reporter @rarenas_roundup rarenas.roundupnews@gmail.com

Photographers:

Alan O'hara

Damiesha Williams

Erick Salgado

Rebecca Schulman

Reza Razi

Shae Hammond

Sebastian Cornejo

Titus Littlejohn

Advisers:

Jill Connelly

Jeff Favre

Tracie Savage

Advertising Manager:

Matt Thacker

NOAH GOLDBLOOM Reporter @noahgoldbloom

The idea of violent or horror movies being detrimental to anyone is silly. Movies, excluding a documentary, are an escape. They are made up tales by visionaries. Granted, some have more skills than other, but all have a vision they try to tell. Sometimes, that vision includes elements of violence. Western culture has never been shy to violence. Movie franchises like “Saw” belong in a genre where the more gruesome the better. It’s a strange fixation on blood and guts. But, there is nothing wrong with it.

Violence on the big screen is very common, almost mundane. Growing up in the early 2000’s, there was always a movie out that had something gruesome in it. When I was young, I didn’t see them. The Motion Picture Association of America has a rating system to prevent younger viewers from seeing anything that is deemed too vulgar. Using this system, a parent can judge what is appropriate for a child to see. No movie that is extremely violent or gory will be rated below a restricted (R). While the rating system isn’t perfect, it works well enough.

Some may just find the imagery of violence abhorrent on a moral level. However, we live in a world where horrific acts of violence

Cartoonist: Beck Shields

Wyce Mirzad

Saying that a movie will cause a person to act violent is an unfair statement. With that ideology, children should be banned from watching CNN or documentaries about WWII. It is impossible to escape violence today. A movie is not going to hurt anyone. It's fiction. It exists in a realm of make believe.

There have been controversial movies, of course. Violence can become so intense that it is more of a test to see how far one can sit through a movie, but that is fun for a specific group. Movies like 1982’s “The Thing” was praised for its special effects. The movie was gruesome. There were scenes of pure gore. There were bodies contouring into monstrous shapes, with grotesque, walking flesh puppets throughout the movie. It was amazing to see, and truly a feat of visual effects.

There is also an issue of limiting expression. If violence is needed to convey the characters, and the world of a movie, then it should not be suppressed. What would “Pulp Fiction” be without the violence? A passenger in a car has his head explode after being shot. It’s shocking and hilarious at the same time, and it creates a base for a series of jokes on the matter. Banning someone’s artistic vision is easy. Having others understand and be tolerant of another person’s expression is worth the trials and tribulations.

ngoldbloom.roundupnews@gmail.com

“'Scream'isbyfarmyfavorite slasher film of all time mainlybecauseofhowiconic Ghostface was.”

-LoidaNavas,18,English

*For advertising call Matt at (818) 710-2960

a letter.

The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date. Editorial Policy: The Pierce College Roundup position is presented only in the editorials.

Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup.

The college newspaper is published as a learning experience

under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.

Illustration by Beck Shields

Roundup

Con: Horror genre not horrible

Students debate California's future

Day of Politics creates opportunities to discuss laws and engage community

JORDAN NATHAN Reporter @JNathan_Roundup

The future of California was up for debate at the Day of Politics where more than 200 people interacted with students, faculty, and government officials and discussed state and national issues that affect citizens.

The Great Hall was crowded for the event on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. featuring former mayor Mike Feinstein, assemblymember Matt Dababneh, state senator Henry Stern and political science students.

Host Denise Robb said she was happy with the turnout.

“This is the most politically active I have seen students being on this campus,” Robb said. “It is unbelievable.”

The theme for this semester was California's future. Events included: student debates on issues involving the government's role in healthcare, the increase of refugees and the travel ban, and what to do about gun control and gun rights.

Sen. Henry Stern, who attended and hosted a Q&A session, said he enjoyed the Day of Politics and advised California citizens to become politically active.

“I am really excited about a day of politic,” Stern said. “ Politics is a really compelling and attractive platform. What we are building in this state is a really good engine for good. You can get involved and help

[From Faulty promise, food frustrations, pg. 1]

However, faculty is unsure of what actions to take if students don’t meet enrollment requirements.

“Do we let them make up those units in spring? We’re still trying to figure out that piece because they do get priority registration,” Armenta said.

Another requirement students must complete is attend a peer-topeer meeting twice during their first semester. With 800 students and

us make our community better.”

Day of Politics was organized by the ASO, UCLA Government Relations, the Political Science Society, the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society, the Vegan Society, and the Pierce College Republicans, Democrats, and the Young Americans For Liberty.

The three main events were:

“Our Situation with our Southern Border,” “Money in Politics and Electoral Reform,” and a Q&A session with Stern.

UCLA representatives were at the event to encourage students to transfer to the school. And a table was set up to register students to vote. The Young Americans for Liberty also passed around a survey that would help determine one’s political philosophy.

Assemblymember Matt Dababneh introduced the student debates at the beginning of the event. Debaters from the Pierce College Democrats, Republicans, and the Young Americans for Liberty went on stage to voice their opinions.

Each student from their respective group expressed how they felt about healthcare, the travel ban, gun rights, and the potential border wall.

During the “Money in Politics and Electoral Reform” portion, Sylvia Moore and Dan Vicuna of Common Cause and former mayor of Santa Monica Michael Feinstein spoke. Topics involved gerrymandering, money and its

only 16 counselors to execute this requirement, it’s become difficult for them to track who is attending.

Political science instructor Denise Robb said during the meeting that she had problems with Pacific Dining catering service for Day of Politics.

Robb said that since she began organizing Day of Politics, she never had an issue with catering services on campus until this year.

“Since 2011, I always used Ofir who was our regular guy. He had Falafelicious, and we always had so much food leftover that people in facilities would have some. We never

effects on the political spectrum, and current government issues that affect California. During the second half, the audience was allowed to ask questions.

Jon Christensen, an adjunct assistant professor at UCLA, introduced Stern’s Q&A segment. Christensen asked questions prepared by UCLA and Pierce students. Issues discussed

had a problem with food,” Robb said. “I was required to use the food we have now because we have a contract with Pacific Dining. This was my first time using them, and we ran out of food.” Robb said she wanted to know how to prevent this from happening again.

College Outcomes Committee

Representative Jennifer Moses suggests that there’s a way around using Pacific Dining for future events.

“The key is telling them exactly what you need, exactly when you

included: environmental changes in California, what California can do to support DACA, and sanctuary cities and what the state is able to do about them. A topic that appeared to interest the audience the most was how California is standing up to the federal government.

Dababneh said he was glad that Pierce was having the Day of Politics event, and wanted everyone

need it. Tell them this is what I had in the past, I’ve had this many falafels and this much salad at this price, can you do that?” she said. “And if the answer is no, have them get that in writing.” After Robb commented on Pacific Dining catering services, members of the senate voted on the StudentSuccess Integrative Plan. The Student Success Committee (SSC) and Support program (SSSP) worked on the plan prior to it being ratified. The state of California is pushing the Student Success Integrative Plan which involves three

Brahma Blotter

These incidents were reported between Oct. 8 - Oct. 14

Reported by: Jose Herrera and Vanessa Arredondo

10/17

Trespassing Advisement

A non-student was caught trespassing on campus near the Library/Learning Crossroads at 3 p.m. Sheriffs warned and told them to leave campus.

10/17

Student Incident

A student reported that she was being followed outside the Bookstore around 1 p.m.

attending to know that politics is an important part of daily life.

“Politics, when you really come down to it, is for the greater good of helping someone. You need to be passionate and know that everyday you are going to have an opportunity to help someone,” Dababneh said.

varredondo.roundupnews@gmail.com

initiatives required by the state: the Student Equity plan, the StudentSuccess and Report plan, and the Basic Skills initiative.

According to Director of the Center for Academic Success Crystal Kiekel, Pierce College has had many years implementing the three initiatives.

“California when they started to accept these plans, modeled what to do off of Pierce College's original plan because we were so far ahead in the game,” Kiekel said.

tthibodaux.roundupnews@gmail.com

10/19 Theft

Deputies reported that an unknown suspect broke into a vehicle and stole a student's handicap placard and parking permit in Parking Lot 6 between 12:45 - 1:45 p.m.

10/21

Visitor Injury Visitor broke his ankle during a football game at Shepard's Stadium at 6:18 p.m. Paramedics were called and transported them to the hospital.

Pierce College Sheriff’s Station

General Information:

Emergency: (818) 710 - 4311

Samantha Bravo /Roundup News

Edwin Dagdagan Jr was speaking for the student debate at the Day of Politics on Thursday Oct. 19, 2017 in The Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

An air FORCE to be reckoned with Professor adds Kinesiology Department Chair to list of accomplishments

ANNA CLARK Features Editor @AnnaClarkReport

The best teachers are cheerleaders and disciplinarians, but few have the professional experience in the fields that bring about these qualities.

Kinesiology Department Chair

Shilo Nelson is an Air Force veteran, an ex-Seahawks cheerleader, a 500-hour trained yoga instructor, a certified personal trainer and a member of the District Equivalency Committee.

Nelson grew up in Washington and was raised by parents who had joined the Air Force right out of high school.

According to Nelson, the mindset she grew up with was shaped by the military, and that is all she knew.

“It has been since conception, because both my parents were military,” Nelson said. “I think that things are black and white, which can get me in trouble, because I have been told that the world is grey, so I’m still learning and growing in that area.”

Being in the military for four years taught Nelson to be diligent. She said that she was raised on the philosophy of paying attention, asking questions, and staying until a job is done.

“I have a very strong drive and am able to have boundaries,” Nelson said. “That’s the only way I can function.”

Nelson said that serving in Desert Storm during the war taught her many qualities.

“Everything is orderly. I know where things are,” Nelson said. “I believe in systems. It teaches you to pay attention to detail, because if you don’t in the military, someone dies.”

Nelson started going to the gym while in the military to fill time with her roommate, who was a bodybuilder. Though Nelson said that she wasn’t that coordinated, she began to take step aerobics because she found it to be fun.

“They would move forward and I’d move back, they’d move left and I’d move right,” Nelson said.

“It took me awhile to get it. I was always the person that was all over the place.”

Soon, Nelson became determined and made it a mission to attend class daily.

“I stood back, and I watching the whole gymnasium moving in unison,” Nelson said. “I thought, it can’t be that hard, and if they can do this, I should be able to do this too, so I made it a mission to learn.”

Nelson turned to the idea of becoming a trainer so that she would have a clearer understanding of what she was doing.

“I started checking out books from the library, and I took training on how to become an aerobics instructor,” Nelson said.

According to Nelson, Michelle Olsen, who lead her aerobics instruction class, is one of her main inspirations and gave Nelson the best training.

“She impressed me so much, that I filed her in the back of my head and said, ‘I want to be like her,’” Nelson said.

Once Nelson got out of the military, she went back home and had an encounter with a woman who worked at the health club she was attending, which lead to her figuring out what to do in life.

“I didn’t know what this field was called, but in all the books, they said they were doctors of exercise science or biomechanics. I thought, ‘What is that?’ And she said, ‘Oh, you want a degree in exercise science, that’s what I got. You want to do what I did,’” Nelson said.

“Then she helped me get a job at the health club, so I started teaching at Gold’s Gym. It was onward from there.”

Nelson received her bachelor’s degree from Eastern Washington University. Throughout her time there, she was able to practice what she studied.

“What I do is very practical, so I could study on the job and actually put what I was learning in a textbook to use,” Nelson said. “I think that is what made school easy for me, because I was always utilizing what I was learning.”

Nelson took a break from school to become a Seattle Seahawks

cheerleader.

“I had just got out of the Air Force, and I was working at a department store and my supervisor decided that she wanted me to be in a pageant,” Nelson said. “I didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t want her to bother me about it, so I looked into it and they told me that I was too old. I was 24. She came back a day later and she told me that I should be a Sea Gal. I went to try out, and I made each and every cut. They took only six of us out of the original few hundred. I was quite shocked.”

Nelson said the experience was a confidence booster.

“After I did that, I realized that I could do anything,” Nelson said. “I have accomplished things that most people would say are out of reach, and I’m not afraid to fail.”

Following her time in Washington, Nelson continued to work in gyms, starting to work at 24 Hour Fitness as a group coordinator, which relocated her to Oregon.

Nelson received her master’s degree from Cal State, Northridge.

“I wanted to get a job with Nike designing shoes and clothes, but they wouldn’t interview me because I didn’t have a master’s, so that’s what brought me to California,” Nelson said.

While at CSUN, Nelson said that she had her first experiences with collegiate teaching.

“There, I got hired as a grad associate, so I was teaching the the undergraduates the activity classes and the exercise science labs,” Nelson said. “I was a grad student and still teaching aerobics at the gym, and personal training, and after that, I heard that Moorpark needed an adjunct professor teaching pilates.”

Pierce student Carmen Flores is enrolled in Nelson’s body conditioning class.

“She is very good,” Flores said. “She has been teaching for years, so she has more experience with students.”

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com] aclark.roundupnews@gmail.com

Professor shares his culture and brings new ideas to lingustics departement Frenchman teaches Latin love language

students; he cares about where they have been, where they are, and what they want to do in life,” Romero said.

Learning languages can be repetitive and tedious, but French instructor Denis Pra incorporates culture and cinema in his teaching style, lessening the monotony.

Pra began as an instructor of modern languages for Pierce College in fall 2016 and acts as advisor to the Pierce French Club. The club is run by students and focuses on language, culture, food, art and French cinema.

“It’s a pleasure to share my experience and to teach my native language,” Pra said. “It becomes stronger when you are living in a foreign country.”

Pra speaks four languages: English, Spanish, Italian, and French. Born in Bordeaux, France, Pra obtained two master’s degrees, one in French history and the other in French as a second language.

His first experience as a professor was in Cali, Colombia where he lived for two years and taught at Alliance Francaise, a French institute.

In 2000, Pra came to Los Angeles for the first time and worked at a private school for five years. He lectured at USC for a few months and at other private institutes where he taught French and Spanish history.

A few years ago, Pra decided to go back to school, but as a student. He attended UCLA and received his doctorate degree in French and Francophone Studies.

“It was a lot of work, and you have to be very dedicated,” Pra said. “In each profession, you have to work hard sometimes,

whatever you decide to do, you have to give yourself fully and do the best you can.”

After graduating from UCLA, Pra taught at Southern Illinois University for one year.

“I came back because I love Los Angeles,” Pra said. “My obsession was to come back.”

Another opportunity

presented itself, so he moved again, this time to the east side of the country. Pra was hired at Florida State College in Jacksonville, where he worked for one year.

“I thought I was going to stay there forever, then I got this position,” Pra said. According to Pra, when he was

told about an open position at Pierce, he applied immediately.

“I was very happy when I got hired by Pierce. I’m glad they selected me,” Pra said. “Pierce is the biggest from the nine colleges in the district, so it is very good to be here.”

Freshman Yanneth Romero said Pra teaches his students

about the culture of France.

“I like that he’s actually French,” Romero said. “He incorporates that into the class and makes us feel like we are in France; it’s awesome.”

Romero said that out of the many professors she has come across, Pra is one of the best.

“He’s more engaged with his

Pra said he always had the support of his parents and was given the freedom to pursue the career of his choice.

While studying in France, Pra was part of an exchange program that sent him to Spain and England where he learned to speak English. Pra wishes to establish the same program for Pierce students and transfer them to another country to spend a semester or a year studying away.

He said it may still be too early to think about it, but he already met with the French consulate and hopes his idea gets approved.

Pra, along with students and colleagues, is planning to start working on a French film festival at Pierce for all students and movie lovers to enjoy.

Another goal for Pra is to start offering a French 10 class, which would be taught in English, but showcase French art, literature, movies and food. According to Pra, it would also meet a requirement for an associate’s’ degree in French.

Volunteer tutor Bernadette Singer has known Pra for two years.

“He’s a very dynamic person, very smiley and open minded; a very good teacher,” Singer said.

Singer speaks the language fluently, and she said she is glad to be able to help Pra’s students.

“He has a slight, nice little accent when he speaks French that is very enjoyable,” Singer said.

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com]

Marc Dionne / Roundup

Shilo Nelson is the Kinesiology Department Chair and was previously in the Air Force and a SeaGal for the Seattle Seahawks football team. Nelson sits on the floor of her office, GYM 5615, at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, with a group photo of the SeaGals, a group photo of her Army unit and a Seahawks helmet..

YADHIRA GONZALEZ Reporter @yadhiralGS

Samantha Bravo / Roundup

Denis Pra was a modern language professor for 19 years. He began working at Pierce College in the fall of 2016 and is also the advisor of the French Club. Pra is sitting in front of one of his favorite paintings in the waiting room near his office called, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” 1884 by Georges Seurat. At Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Libraryclosed

StupidF*cking Bird Play at 2 p.m.

Another Sunday morning at the market

Vendors try

to

A person can learn about history or different cultures by interacting with vendors who share the stories behind their collections.

Each month, the Topanga Vintage Market gives the community a wide range of antiques and oddities for all visitors to enjoy.

Vendors filled the parking lot on Sunday, selling the smallest of items, such as pins and buttons, to large, possible investments like vintage trailers.

John Miner, a market vendor, displayed an American flag above his collection of vinyl records and table of vintage buttons, toys, knives and miscellaneous americana.

“I sell half records, and half junk from the American dream. Just interesting old stuff,” Miner said.

Miner said that he loves his regular customers because they joke around and have fun, but he also enjoys being a vendor at a vintage market because it gives him the opportunity to meet younger people and educate them about the past and expand their interests past usual teenage interests.

“If somebody picks up a Grateful Dead record, I get to introduce them to a more obscure sixties group,” Miner said. “Educating teenagers can get

them into new types of music that isn't in the Top 40.”

Visitors are also likely to find themselves lost in nostalgia as the vendors take pride in their vintage collections.

Katherine Holmes, who has been a vendor at the Topanga Vintage Market for nearly four years, explained that the market is rich with nostalgia.

“You can find anything here,” Holmes said. “T-shirts from your past, something your family had when you were younger, it will bring back a lot of memories. You

always find something.”

Rita Lynn, owner of Wanderlust Vintage Trailers, said that although the market focuses on vintage miscellaneous items, there are some vendors who design their stores for younger generations.

“My style of stuff is really geared toward the younger crowd, and I don’t have a huge markup,

so students get great prices on really fun things,” Lynn said.

Visitors tend to find something unusual. Visitor Michael Mcquillen was excited about the unusual purchase he had just made.

Media Arts Department and Film Club screen "All e President's Men"

NATALIE MIRANDA Reporter @natalierosemir

The Pierce College Film Club explored that question in the Great Hall on Monday Oct. 23 with their first film screening of the fall semester.

This semester’s theme is “Journalism: Ethics or Profit?” Day one of the series presented the 1976 political drama “All the President’s Men” with a panel discussion that followed. Panelists included philosophy instructor Cara Gillis, instructor of journalism Richard Favela and two Film Club members.

The remaining days of the Film Series will screen “Nightcrawler” and “Spotlight”. Day two of the Film series will be on Wed, Nov 9, from 7-10 p.m., and day three will be on Thurs, Nov 30, from 2-5 p.m. Both will be in the Great Hall.

The film “All the President’s Men” focused on Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, two journalists from The Washington Post who investigated, and reported findings that uncovered the identities of people involved in the Watergate Scandal that took place during Nixon’s presidential term.

Film Club Advisor Ken Windrum said he thinks the event was great, and he enjoyed the panel.

“I thought the turnout was good, but I really enjoyed the event,” Windrum said. “The panel was wonderful. The two professors were great, and the two Film Club people were great. And each of them had something interesting and original to say that actually made me think about the movie in a different way.”

Windrum said he was impressed

Jose Herrera / Roundup Film Club and the Media Arts Department present Journalism: Ethics or Profit? with their first screening of "All The President's Men" on Monday, Oct. 23 in the Great Hall from 1-4 p.m. at Pierce College in Woodland Hills. From left, Ken Windrum, Cara Gillis, Richard Favela, Mario Lawson and George Brooks make up the panel after the movie.

by the performance of the panelists.

“I hardly spoke at all on the panel today, which to me is a great success,” Windrum said.

Joan Hahn said she is taking a film class senior divisions, and she said it’s been years since she saw the original movie when it first came out.

“I thought the movie held up very well,” Hahn said. “I was very intrigued. Even though I knew what was happening, the way it was done caught my interest, and I watched it progress with more knowledge than I had the first time.”

Hahn said the event exceeded her expectations, and she enjoyed the interchange of ideas.

“We have young people that are interested in what’s going on in the world, which is contrary to the belief that millennials walk around being

superficial,” Hahn said. “This gave me a better view of people with brains.”

Virginia Gaglianone attended the series and said she watched the movie 15 years ago.

“I love it. I love the fact that I could watch the movie again,” Gaglianone said. “I think this is valuable nowa-days when people don’t read the paper and don’t get informed, and we get easily manipulated by the government. It’s a good refresher for the students to know how reporting is, and how important the role of reporters are for democracy.”

nmiranda.roundupnews@gmail.com

“I bought this handmade, really cool, cutting board. I saw it when we first walked in, and after we did the whole loop, I came back and bought it.” Mcquillen said. Mcquillen said that the people at the market are friendly, and

he thought it was nice to meet the vendors and see families out enjoying their day.

“It’s a fun time; it’s a nice little Sunday,” Mcquillen said.

The Topanga Vintage Market will return to Pierce College

Sunday,

Oct. 22, 2017.

For the full story visit www.roundupnews.com

A toast to life

The Pierce College Theater Department’s production of Aaron Posner’s “Stupid Fucking Bird” premiered this weekend, and has people talking about more than just the title.

Love triangles, temptation and betrayals, the play takes place on the grounds of a lakefront home where the characters go through an emotional ride based on Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull.”

According to theater manager Michael Sande, the contemporary piece was written in 2013, and has been on the theater department’s list since its release.

Sande told the Roundup that this play was chosen because he wanted his students to become familiar with the complicated playwright Chekhov. His plays are classic and older, but the theme remains the same.

“Stupid Fucking Bird” runs through Oct. 29 at the Pierce College Dow Arena Theatre. Tickets are available through www. brownpapertickets.com. Read review on front page.

Left: Dr. Sorn (Matt DeHaven) mixes a cocktail while performing a monologue during dress rehearsal of “Stupid Fucking Bird” on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Below : (Left to right) Dr. Sorn (Matt DeHaven), Dev (Trevor Alkazian), Emma (Justine Brandy), Nina (Megan Truxal), Trigoran (Josh T. Ryan) and Mash (Monica Vigil) react at the end of the first act during dress rehearsal for “Stupid Fucking Bird” on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Photos by Titus Littlejohn and Copy by Samantha Bravo

Left: Trigoran (Josh T. Ryan) and Nina (Megan Truxal), share a forbidden embrace as Emma (Justine Brandy) watches in the wings during dress rehearsal on Oct. 17, 2017 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Far left : Mash (Monica Vigil) and Trigoran (Josh T. Ryan) commiserate on the floor during dress rehearsal on Oct. 17, 2017 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Talking business (schools)

Fourth workshop of business month focuses on transfer options

CHRISTIAN JUAREZ Reporter @roundupcaj

Business Month at Pierce brought a variety of workshops to students who want to be informed about what a career in the field entails. The fourth workshop on Oct.16, Navigating Business Colleges, was one of five workshops planned for Business Month. The latest workshop focused on transferring options for those interested in

college business programs. Pierce hosted many colleges including: CSUN, UCLA, Pepperdine and Woodbury. These colleges provided students with information about the business programs they offered.

More than 5,000 Pierce students are majoring in business or a related study. Norine Fine, a Pierce counselor, said these workshops are helpful for those students.

“We have a lot of students who are business majors here, so we have five events that were planned throughout the month,” Fine said. “Last year we did

#PIERCEBUSINESSWEEK, this year we decided to have more of a fair so students can walk around and just talk to the individual university. It’s for anyone thinking about business. It is one of those majors that is very broad.”

Career Center Director Wendi Meckler said the workshops help students who are interested in business obtain the knowledge they need for the future.

“I think it’s always beneficial to try to increase your knowledge of the world of work,” Meckler said. “Everyone who has an interest in business should be here to learn

Spend a day at the fair

more about the different programs that are offered at various colleges.”

Career Guidance Counselor Assistant (CGCA) Lisa Misson, who helped plan the event, said challenges sometimes arise when putting a workshop together.

“The only challenges, and this is true with anything you try to put together, is making sure that everything is done in a timely fashion, in good order, and that we are on top of it.”

cjuarez.roundupnews@gmail.com

SAMANTHA BRAVO Editor-in-Chief @sammybravo93

More than 50 representatives from various colleges will be on campus to answer students’ transfer questions during the College Fair on Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the Mall.

Colleges such as Sacramento State University, Humboldt State University and UC Berkeley, will be at Pierce for this semester’s fair.

Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter said the College Fair can benefit students who need direction toward transferring.

Salter said there will be workshops from 1-2 p.m. Arizona State, UCLA, and Pepperdine will be going over admissions overview.

“Traditionally, we only have one per year in the fall, and it’s during that time, because the fall is when students are applying to transfer,” Salter said.

“So it’s a good time for those who are ready to ask their questions to the universities.”

According to Salter, fall is also a good time for a college fair because students are preparing and thinking about where they want to transfer.

“It’s also a great time for students who aren’t ready to transfer, and just start getting an idea about what’s out there,” Salter said. “So many of our students are fixated on the UC’s, CSU’s, UCLA and CSUN in particular, but there are 23 Cal States, nine UCs and many private and outof-state schools.”

Salter said they can ask questions about admissions, majors, financial aid, scholarships, when to apply, and about the general application process. Salter said there will be churros and hot dogs at the fair.

“It’s a good day to come out, regardless of where you’re at and your planning, and just get some of your questions answered and see what’s out there,” Salter said.

Club funds cut

ASO fee opt out leaves budget issues for club funding

NATALIE MIRANDA Reporter @natalierosemir

The ASO is enforcing mandatory training for clubs to fundraise, while also taking a conservative approach when approving financial requests.

Clubs are encouraged to provide individual funding because of short budgets due to students having the option to opt out of paying the ASO fee.

Dean of Student Engagement

Juan Carlos Astorga said that club training has always been a procedure, but is now being strictly enforced.

“As a dean, I won't sign off on a student club organizing a fundraising effort if they haven’t participated in the training. Because, reasonably, we should be able to provide them with that information, so that they can be as successful as possible,” Astorga said. “And if they didn’t attend the training, it’s really difficult to mandate that they follow the rules, because they won’t know them.”

Astorga said a training session for advisors is mandatory to charter every club. The meeting informs them about procedures and paperwork to support students with events and fundraising efforts.

Astorga said the training sessions and Club Council meetings help establish expectations for the clubs. “We also have Club Council meetings, which all 58 ASO clubs on campus send a representative to. The Club Council meetings happen as a way to maintain information flow, and to ensure that everyone is on the same page in terms of what we're doing moving forward,” Astorga said.

ASO President Efren Lopez said the rules and procedures put in place are necessary.

“Even after Pierce, even after university, and after transfer, there's always a procedure. There's always bureaucracy,” Lopez said.

Astorga said he wants to meet with clubs that did not attend the mandatory training.

“If they didn’t attend, what I’m trying to do to is arrange a time that both advisor and leadership of the club can meet with us,” Astorga said.

Lopez said clubs that do not attend the mandatory training are still able to access assistance from ASO.

“They are not cut off of any financial assistance from ASO or anything else. They just can't fundraise,” Lopez said.

Astorga said ASO is implementing stricter rules. He said the methods of club publicity are one of the concerns. He said the use of blue tape denotes ASO approval, but also serves another cause.

“Students in the past would use clear tape to post all over campus. And when they rip down the fliers, it takes the paint off the walls,”

Astorga said. “What we are trying to do is ensure that we motivate students to know that the use of blue painter’s tape is necessary. So, if students don’t participate in the club council and they didn’t go to the advisor training, these clubs are not going to know what is available to them.”

The $7 ASO fee has always been optional for students. However, the new student information system has made opting out of paying this fee easier. Astorga also said enrollment has been down across LACCD, and there are less students paying for the fee than in previous semesters.

Lopez said the lack of incoming fees from students has significantly decreased the ASO budget, and the organization is now more conservative about funding.

“Right now, we are running on a contingency amount that is less than other semesters. Our objective for this semester and next semester is to lower the amount of grants for financial requests for things that are not as significant,” ASO Treasurer Matthew Aguilera said.

“We are funding what you would call ‘big-ticket items,’ or things that have to do with being able to orchestrate an event.”

Lopez said past ASO leadership approved too many financial requests.

“It didn’t matter what their investment was, or what they were asking for, they just gave away the money really easily. There wasn’t that much advocacy to try and coordinate something to make sure what we financed was beneficial to the students,” Lopez said.

Aguilera said ASO is being conservative with allocating

funding to clubs. He said the Media Arts Department made a financial request to rent the Great Hall for its Film Club’s film series, an ongoing screening event, and some funding that was deemed unnecessary was denied.

“They requested for not only the amount to rent out the space of the Great Hall to orchestrate their event, but they also requested for catering and food services. We denied the latter, because we felt it wasn’t a priority, nor was it significant to being able to reach out to the student population on campus,” Aguilera said.

Aguilera said that cutting back funding on less significant items, such as catering, allows funds to be allotted to newer clubs or bigger projects that will have more of an impact on campus.

“We are trying to go by that method this semester and the next semester to retain, or at least have enough of an amount from the contingency, to be able to supplement other clubs and other departments that might have something more prudent,” Aguilera said.

Film Club Advisor Ken Windrum said the club is having trouble with ASO’s lack of funding.

“It’s kind of unfortunate that they seem to have less money, and it’s difficult for us, because with our events, it is really important for us to have food. And the students really like that,” Windrum said.

Astorga said the ASO fee helps fund events, concerts, music, conferences and guest speakers on campus.

“The unfortunate thing is that I really believe that students don’t know all the benefits the ASO offers, especially, for those students that are involved in clubs and organizations,” Astorga said.

Astorga said the ASO budget is unpredictable, and is estimated based on whether students pay the fee.

“We tentatively develop a working budget based on the average of the last 3 to 5 years,” Astorga said. “But because of the new portal, the PeopleSoft system, we don’t know what to anticipate in terms of what a true budget is going to be. We are going off an assumption right now.”

Career counselor Esmeralda Martinez encourages students to attend the college fair to ask questions about transferring or to clarify any general questions.

“They will hear specific information from admission representatives and be able to get more pieces of what the campus will look like,” Martinez said. “And they will receive more specific information about their major that you can’t necessarily build online.”

Martinez said representatives try to encourage students to go to their tables by having goodies for them, and said not to be afraid to ask questions.

“Never be afraid to ask questions,” Martinez said. “Even if you think it’s a dumb question, that’s what they’re there for, and it’s the one opportunity that you get so many at the same time. You don’t have to send out emails, it’s more personal. They just don’t want to sit there, they want students to ask them questions.”

According to Career Center director Wendi Meckler the fair can help students learn about their options.

“I think students will be surprised at the different types of programs that each college offers,” Meckler said. “Even in their same majors, there are different programs, so the more students know about these different programs, the better they can set themselves up for the what their career goals are.”

Meckler said the students can look into different universities other than what’s nearby for the type of educational programs they want to study. “The more information they have, the better they're going to set themselves up for the future,” Meckler said. “You never know what colleges they might be interested in. Attending this fair, they can learn more and open their minds to different opportunities.”

sambravo.roundupnews@gmail.com

Midyear resolutions

2 ASO initiatives look to help homeless and DACA students

TAYLOR THIBODAUX Reporter @taylorthibbs

Many students have to deal with homework and quizzes. Some also have to face new federal immigration laws or worry about getting enough food to eat.

To help overcome these noneducational issues, leaders on campus are taking action.

ASO President Efren Lopez signed two resolutions “Brahma Initiative” and “Dreamers Coalition” to dedicate efforts to eradicate student homelessness, food insecurity, and support DACA students at Pierce College.

According to Lopez, LACCD conducted research earlier this year about food and housing insecurities that students in the district may face. The research reported that one in five students in LACCD were suffering from food and housing insecurity.

“I was a little bit surprised,” Lopez said. “I experience this myself, but not in the degree that they might experience it every day.”

Lopez empathizes with the students and hopes to change the environment on campus to aid any student.

“Just imagining that these students go the entire day without eating, or when they go home, they don’t have a proper place to relax and to study when they go back,” Lopez said. “Thinking about what these students go through at Pierce is very alerting.”

Upon receiving the information, ASO members collectively felt the need to find solutions to these issues.

ASO senator and author of the Brahma Initiative Gisela Tarifa began to put a plan into action. She said the first step is making the issue known on campus.

“One of the steps in the Brahma Initiative is starting an awareness campaign, so at least talking about it, and being out on the Mall, for example, has been a way to physically and actively help people,” Tarifa said.

The Dreamers Coalition began as a stand against the Trump administration rescinding DACA.

ASO senator Allen Lopez said he and his colleagues want those who were affected to know that they have support.

“The resolution is where ASO stands in this issue,” Lopez said. “It is to support dreamers, undocumented students overall and to help provide information and resources for them and the community.”

In addition to raising awareness and organizing its members for events and outreach, the ASO has a goal to secure funding for a new center for the campus.

Lopez said the focus of the center would be to integrate the needs of students to be make it more accessible to them. He thinks their current facility does not sustain what they can provide.

“If you look at the ASO right now, the student union, we just have this office and two closets,” Lopez said. “It's finding space for all of our initiatives, such as finding space for the food pantry and the resource center. It’s difficult, it's limiting us.” If students want to find out more information on to get involved with either initiative they can visit the ASO Building located under the Library / Learning Crossroads.

Rebecca Schulman / Roundup

Karina Mardirossian, Admissions Counselor at Woodbury University, talks to Brenda Pasos, student, about their business administration program during the Navigating Business Colleges Workshop in The Great Hall at Pierce College on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Class cancellation policy changes recommended

Academic senate and administration looking at keeping low-enrolled classes open

STEVEN TAN Reporter @stevent_roundup

Unfamiliar technology may have hindered courses from meeting the required number of 15 enrolled students, resulting in closed class sections, school administrators said.

However, leaders in the Academic Senate are revisiting a recommendation by the Academic Policy Community (APC) that will decide whether their concerns about the current policy will go to administration for consideration.

Vice President of the APC

Adrian Youhanna explained the process for the initial discussion regarding the Notion Proposal document on class cancellation that was put forth by the senate members.

“The APC voted unanimously in favor of the Notion Proposal, which states that our recommendation is that classes with 10 or more students enrolled remain open until the end of the first week of the semester,” Youhanna said. “The culture needs to change. Students have to add classes.”

Vice President of Academic Affairs Sheri Berger said administration seeks to optimize resources for student needs and success. However, low enrollment indicates that specific courses that don’t fulfill the requirement are not needed.

"To change the policy, students would need to sign up early for their classes,” Berger said. “It will show us that there is a high demand for the class, and we will keep it open.”

Berger said that if the class

Doling out knowledge

Media arts speaker series continues with former anchor Cindy Dole

ANDREW FORTIN-CALDERA Sports Editor @afortincaldera

has very few students, the class would be canceled but new classes would be opened to meet student demand.

“Sometimes, we don't cancel classes because it is required for students to meet their goals,” Berger said. “We have a limited amount of resources, and we seek to make the most of it for the students.”

Yohanna said that the current policy and problems with the student information system caused faculty members to cancel classes that were under the 15 student mark. The impact trickled down into other sections that were already full.

“I had students knocking on doors, wanting to add those classes already in high capacity,” Youhanna said.

“I had a class that had 14 students, I had to cancel, but it could have easily been filled."

Communications studies instructor Barbara Anderson said the APC decided to handle the situation and make a change.

Anderson said that before school began, there were concerns that some classes did not have the same enrollment numbers that they would typically have at that point during the summer.

“It is never ideal to cancel a class, because ideally, all the classes fill, but unfortunately that didn't happen. There was a concern that was discussed at the senate for a resolution,” Anderson said. “What they were suggesting is that if we could wait until after the semester starts then students have time to add classes.”

stan.roundupnews@gmail.com

Showing an audience how a home improvement show is the norm. But to be able to just describe the design and steps sounds difficult. Not for broadcast journalist Cindy Dole.

Dole has worked as a news anchor on radio stations such as CBS Los Angeles and KNX, and co-hosted “Home Wizards,” a nationally syndicated home improvement talk show. She recently took a position as an adjunct professor teaching public relations at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

The Media Arts Department Speaker Series will host broadcast journalist Cindy Dole in the Great Hall at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Dole will be visiting Pierce to present on the knowledge and skills she has developed in her 35 years of experience in the field of journalism.

Assistant professor of journalism Tracie Savage said that Dole’s expertise spans many fields relevant to journalism and that she will be a good source of information for students.

“I can already guess that Cindy is going to be a fantastic speaker. She is extremely bright and has had a ton of experience,” Savage said. “She has touched on many different forms of media in her career, like radio, television, public relations, and social media. She really gets it and really understands what’s going on in the industry, so the students ought to love her.”

In a phone interview, Dole said that her choice to pursue journalism stemmed from a desire to uncover truth and help others

Sucessful shakeout

YADIRA GONZALEZ Reporter @yadhiralGS

More than 56 million people worldwide simultaneously dropped, covered, and held on to practice procedures in case of a natural disaster.

On Thursday Oct. 19, at 10:19 a.m., people nationwide experienced The Great Shakeout, an earthquake practice drill. The Great Shakeout is the world’s largest earthquake drill, and it has practiced since 2008, Los Angeles Community College District Safety and Emergency Services Manager William Ramirez said.

Ramirez said it began in California and expanded all over the country, and now it’s known and practiced around the world.

Although all LACCD schools are required to participate in the drill, Ramirez said the level of participation varies by school.

At Pierce, the district wanted to test its mass notification procedure. Registered students would receive a text at 10:19 a.m. letting them know that it’s time to “Drop, Cover, and Hold on” regardless of where they were.

According to Ramirez other schools practiced evacuating buildings.

“We are going to tell students that the buildings are stable and have students leave the buildings and meet at the safe zone locations. It would take 30 seconds to one minute maximum,” Ramirez said.

Pierce Professional Development Coordinator Shannon Krajewski informed students a day before the drill what the plan was for the campus during the drill.

“We are not going to actually evacuate people tomorrow because we are going to be doing that at a future date. And we want to make sure we are able to work with faculty to make sure that we are causing as little distraction to the students in their classes as possible,” Krajewski said. A few days before the drill, Ramirez sent out an email to all LACCD faculty and staff. Krajewski said the purpose of the email was to let people know that the drill is happening statewide and remind them that “we live in earthquake country.”

“It’s more of an awareness than an actual physical drill. That is the purpose of the Great Shakeout annual event; it’s just to keep it in people’s minds,” Krajewski said.

Everything started with the California Resiliency Alliance, a partnership between Caltech and the Southern California Earthquake Center, Ramirez said.

“They came up with the idea statewide, but people were brought into it. It got bigger and bigger, and now it’s global,” Ramirez said.

“This year, we have 52.8 million people registered to participate. You can register online, but I already registered all of our students as a district,” Ramirez said.

The purpose was to do an exact count of how many students were going to participate.

Sophomore Jennifer Alvarado said it is important to have earthquake drills. She said in high school nobody gave the event much importance.

“If a real life emergency happened, we would not know what to do. Now that we are older, I think we would take the drills more seriously because everybody knows

the big one is coming,” Alvarado said.

Alvarado said she is aware of the importance about having an emergency backpack at home and said that her immediate reaction to an earthquake would be to grab her dogs and go under the table.

“The longer we go between earthquakes, the more people forget because It’s been so long since we had a big one. People then start thinking it’s never gonna happen,” Krajewski said.

Pierce faculty and staff are working on preparing students for real life situations that can occur on campus at any time, Krajewski said.

“We have a lot of emergency things to make people aware of throughout the year. We are also talking about doing an active shooter drill, which would really just be how to do shelter-in-place wherever you are, in a classroom or the library. We are making plans for a lot of things,” Krajewski said.

Ramirez said he wants people to take action and prepare themselves at home, work, school, and anywhere else they can possibly be when an earthquake occurs.

“It is extremely important because it’s not a question of, if there’s going to be an earthquake, it’s a question of when, and we don’t know when. But we do know we are going to have more earthquakes,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez said it is important that students create a family emergency plan. Visit thegreatshakeout.org for more information and tips on how to prepare for a disaster.

ygonzalez.roundupnews@gmail.com

understand events occurring in the world around them. She said her work in the field has helped her become more assured and effective when speaking with others.

“It’s fun being a part of different walks of life and being in the middle of things, and doing that has helped me to think and speak on my feet,” Dole said. “It really gives you the confidence to talk to anyone with warmth and engage with people from all walks of life. It helps you become a smart listener.”

Dole hopes that her presentation will impart on students the importance of awareness during their school years and motivate them to learn all that they can.

“A student needs to be a sponge during their college years—not only in the classroom, but throughout their time on campus. Getting as involved as you possibly can will help you, because journalists are really observers of the human condition,” Dole said. “All the experiences you have will make you a better reporter, a better

writer, a better producer, a better journalist.”

According to Dole, the most valuable trait that a journalist can develop is adaptability, and doing so will help a person keep up with the the ever-changing field of journalism and develop skills that can be applied to other career paths.

Ken Windrum, an assistant professor of cinema, said that the opportunity to host professionals like Dole is worthwhile to pursue because it offers students the ability to learn lessons which might not be taught in the classroom. Windrum said that the Media Arts Department is happy to give students the chance to learn valuable supplemental information from the Speaker Series that can help them experience success in their careers following school.

“Putting an event like this takes financing and organization— it takes work. But we have no problem doing any of it because we’re all thrilled to do it since we know that it directly helps students.” Windrum said.

“She really gets it and really understands what’s going on in the industry, so the students ought to love her.”

-Tracie Savage Assistant professor of journalism

Speaker series flyer provided by the Pierce College Media Arts Department

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Stepping up to the sidelines James Sims returns to the gridiron to guide the football team toward success

YADIRA GONZALEZ Reporter @YadhiraIGS

For the football team, a new era began a month ago when James Sims was named interim head coach after the firing of former coach Jason Sabolic.

Sabolic was fired on Sept. 11 due to decorum violations and Sims was chosen to fill the position temporarily, at least until the end of this season. A decision will be made by Sims, athletic director Moriah Van Norman and other faculty whether he stays or leaves the position vacant.

“They literally pulled me out of my office and asked me if I was willing to step in and help them out. I agreed to,” Sims said.

Prior to taking over, Sims was the strength and conditioning coach. Not only did he train his football players, but all Brahma athletes. He worked one-onone with every player at the fitness center and prepared them physically before they headed out to their respective discipline.

This is Sims’ second year working at Pierce College. He said he has been with the district for five years. Before coming to Pierce, Sims worked at Southwest College.

Sims was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. His passion for football started when he was young; he recalls coaching a sixyear-old team when he was 13.

According to Sims, he was blessed to go from high school straight to a Division-1 school. It was at the University of Toledo in Ohio where Sims started playing at a superior level. But during his freshman year he got injured, got

a richter staple put in his shoulder and was forced to hang his cleats.

After his football career was over and so were his dreams of making it to the NFL, Sims joined the military. The base was stationed in Virginia where he served four years and coached a football team at the same time.

Sims said he got into a major car accident that injured his back, than left the military as a disabled veteran.

Years later, Sims decided to open up his own mortgage company in Jacksonville, Florida, where he met a guy that invited him to help him coach. Sims said

he coached there for 13 years.

“I’ve always had the passion for helping people,” Sims said.

When offered the position of interim head coach, Sims knew it was going to change his work schedule and life plans. According to him, being a coach is very time consuming.

“It’s not just about football practice, it’s about watching films at home, coaches meetings, players that contact you and have situations at home. You’re a father, a mentor, a lot involved,” Sims said.

Sims said his players facilitated the decision of accepting the offer to coach them.

“When some of the players came and asked me to take over the job, that they don’t want a stranger coming in, that made it easy for me, because they asked me to do it,” Sims said.

Marquise Mickens who plays as running back, said he was happy when the team found out Sims was their new leader.

“We were building chemistry with him in the weight room, it was stress relief when he was left as head coach. I’m definitely very blessed to have him on the team as head coach,” Mickens said.

Mickens hopes Sims stays permanently in the football program.

Sims said coaching is bigger than just football, it is also about the players.

“I care about their life, I care about how they’re doing in school, how they’re doing at home and how’s their family,” Sims said. “Athletes they don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Lawrence Coleman, safety, said things have already changed in the locker room even though it

has only been a few weeks with Sims in charge of the team.

“Ever since he came in there is a whole new vibe to the team, everybody is more disciplined, it’s just more enjoyable to be at practice,” Coleman said. “He put an end to all the foolishness and playing around, we got down to business.”

According to Coleman, Sims holds his position with such embrace and power, and it’s easy to follow what he says.

For Sims it is not just about wins and loses, he wants to make sure the team keeps competing.

“I want to make sure everybody is giving everything they got,” Sims said. “That everybody stays healthy and at the end of the day, it’s just a game.”

After the end of the season, whether he stays permanently as head coach or as fitness trainer, Sims said he will still be at Pierce.

“I’ll be here probably the next 15 or 20 years whether im coaching or not,” Sims said.

For now Sims just wants to continue doing what he loves: coaching, cooking and traveling.

“Im going to enjoy life until there is no more life,” Sims said.

Sims said that his goal is to make a positive impact on his players so they can be successful.

@Roundupsports Preview:

“The ultimate goal is to help affect their lives in a positive way,” Sims said. “If they go on to become great fathers and brothers and good citizens of the community, if I can still hear from them and know they are doing well, I consider this a success.”

ygonzalez.roundupnews@gmail.com

Brahma of the Week

Gisell Cruz

Sport: Soccer

Position: Forward Class: Freshman

High School: Van Nuys

How did it feel to score a hat-trick?

“I feel like it was an accomplishment. I haven’t scored three goals in a while.”

Coming from two wins, how is the team’s confidence?

“It really helps the team. Especially with conference on the line it boosts or confidence and motivates us.”

What do you feel you can improve on?

“Confidence in myself and being better on those one-on ones.”

Do you have any pregame rituals?

“I usually get on one knee and pray.”

[Football, from pg. 1]

Saavedra’s 38-yard touchdown

and the extra point gave Pierce a 28-21 lead with 7:58 to play.

The Owls reached the Brahmas 15-yard line on the next drive, but turned the ball over on downs after receiver Jacob Bystry failed to get a foot inbounds on a reception in the back of the endzone.

Pierce was able to take time off the clock on the next drive, killing 4:14, but Citrus was left with just under two minutes.

The Owls promptly drove down the field, going 67 yard in six plays, taking less than a minute. A Pierce penalty on the extra point changed things. Citrus decided to go for the win rather than the tie, which is when Mateo stepped up with the only sack on the night for the Brahmas.

The next game for the Brahmas is Saturday, Oct. 28, when they host Allan Hancock College (5-2, 2-0) in the final home game of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m., not the traditional 6 p.m. Hancock defeated Valley Saturday night, leaving the Brahmas chances of a conference title in their own hands. If Pierce wins out, it will set up a possible threeway tie between the schools. “We have a hard game coming in here,” Sims said. “Hancock is a tough team and we have a lot of work.”

jmanes.roundupnews@gmail.com

Red & Black Madness

TAYLOR THIBODAUX Reporter @taylorthibbs

As a tip off to the season, the men’s basketball team is hosting an event called the “Red and Black Madness” that will showcase the team’s talents in a number of contests and in an intersquad game on Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m.

Assistant coach Michael Farmer said the game is put together for the students and locals to check out the new team.

“It’s a game where we showcase the talent that we have here. Terrence takes a team, I take a team, and we play against each other to let the community see what Pierce has going on,” Farmer said.

According to head coach Charles White, the “Red and Black Madness” also gives the coaches a new angle to look at their team and know where they will be placing each player for the season.

But unlike last season when there weren’t many returning players, White said that they really had time to grow.

Classified

Mohammad Djauhari/ Roundup

Interim head coach James Sims took over for Jason Sabolic after the second game of the season. The team’s overall record is 3-4.

Volleyball wins 8th in a row No. 3 Brahmas continue streak, haven't dropped a set in ve matches

FELIPE GAMINO Sports Editor @fgamino13

Women’s volleyball is on a roll as they continued their winning streak beating Glendale College in straight sets.

The Brahmas have won eight straight games and have not dropped a set since the game against Cabrillo College.

The team won the first set 25-19, the second 25-16 and the last 25-13.

Haley Rouselle and Cairo

Harell were on fire with 13 kills each. Kimani Larry had 5 kills, and Anamaria Stanciu and Janis Serrano had one.

Head Coach Nabil Mardini said the team improved their passing and their hitting since the previous game against Victor Valley.

“We got off to a rough start in the first game, but we picked it up. We served better, we passed better. We just improved on everything,” Mardini said.

Mardini said they don’t focus too much on the 8-game winning streak. His main goal is to have all of his players fit.

“We don’t focus on it. The goal right now is to have all the players healthy,” Mardini said. “We want to win conference. We are in the driver’s seat.”

Injuries prevented the team from winning more state titles, and Mardini doesn’t want that happening this year.

“Our hearts got broken in the last couple of years because of injuries, so I just want to make sure we are all healthy,” Mardini said. “Weight lifting is key, stretching is key. Also how we eat, how we sleep. We want to make sure we are not over training, but that we are not under training.”

According to Mardini, the reason why the Brahmas haven’t dropped a set in these games is that the teams they faced aren’t as good as the ones they faced in September.

The team’s next opponent El Camino College comes from defeating Pasadena City College in straight sets with scores of 25-21, and the other two sets finished 25-13.

“I expect them to be physical. They are a playoff team, so these are the teams that we want to play,”

Mardini said. “We want to see how we matchup against them, and we played the common teams they played already. They are getting better. We are getting better. Any team can beat anyone on any given day.”

Mardini said that the most important thing for the team is to always be humbled, and they are just improving as the games go by.

Libero Tallie Monsalve said the team had a shaky start, but they knew how to compose themselves throughout the game.

“We are a really good team. We have the tools and we are using them pretty well, and we are working together a lot,” Monsalve said. “We were able to execute the plays we needed.”

Monsalve said that the team is

striving to reach the top and they know that their next game is going to be a tough one.

“It’s going to be a tough match, because they are our toughest competitor. We are excited to see what we can bring to the court against them,” Monsalve said.

Defensive specialist Linnea Romero said the team not only has what it takes to reach the championship game, but to also win it.

“We don’t want to experience the heartbreak again, so the secrets are to maintain and sustain energy among us,” Romero said.

The game against the Warriors starts at 6 p.m. at Ken Stanley Court.

Soccer gets on the right foot at Valley

Brahmas win second straight game; now 2nd in

MANNY LUISI Reporter @mgluissi

The soccer team earned bragging rights over crosstown rivals LA Valley College with a 4-0 victory at Valley on Friday night.

Pierce came in to the game with a 7-4-3 overall record against a Valley team which had won their previous two conference games despite being 4-9 this season.

The teams began the game playing defensively which was evident in the fact that only Valley managed to get a shot off between the two teams in the first ten minutes.

Pierce however struck early in the 14th minute on a headed goal from Layla Bravo. A cross from the right

wing was met by a charging Bravo to beat the keeper right down the heart of the goal.

The play however ended in an injury to Bravo, who collided with the Valley keeper and stayed down for a couple minutes.

She was able to walk off the field but was subbed out to tend to an injury to her thigh. Bravo was upset after the game because she believed that the injury occurred on poor judgement by the Valley goalkeeper.

“I was going toward the ball and the goalie came straight at me, she didn’t go to the ball at all,” Bravo said.

Bravo, who had a bandaged leg after the game, explained that she was in pain, but expects to rest over the weekend and hopes to play in

their upcoming fixture at West LA College on Tuesday.

Bravo’s goal swung the momentum in Pierce’s favor and the team did not turn back.

The offense pressured the Valley defense and beat them on runs through the middle and on the wings, and the Valley backline struggled to counter with their offense.

A second goal was scored by Esmeralda Guzman in the 29th minute on a strong individual effort in which she overpowered the Valley backline and broke through the middle past two defenders for a poke shot past the incoming Valley keeper.

“It wasn’t an easy goal, I had to get through a few defenders and toe poke it, but I was really proud of that. It felt really good,” Guzman said.

The Brahmas did not stop the offensive pressure and added a third goal in the 33rd minute on a high, looping shot from outside the area from Jennifer Veliz.

One minute later, a Valley counter attack created a scoring opportunity for midfielder Karla Lopez in which she snuck past the last Pierce defender and went in on a one on one with Pierce goalkeeper Brianna Jacobo.

Jacobo shined with a great defensive play by coming off her line to smother the attack and deflect the ball wide right to keep the momentum going for Pierce.

The team took a commanding 3-0 lead into the half.

Conference