the roundup / issue 1 / fall 09
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Issue one of The Roundup for the Fall 2009 semester.TRANSCRIPT
Woodland Hills, California One copy free, each additional copy 50¢Volume 111 - Issue 01 September 16, 2009
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Rounduptheroundupnews.com
Interim President Joy McCaslin - Page 4
As flu season approaches, more worries arise about the H1N1 virus and how students can protect themselves. The H1N1, or Swine influenza, is a flu virus found in pigs. The virus has changed and can be transferred to humans, and is cur-rently a worldwide pandemic. Beth Benne, director of the Pierce College Student Health Center, said the virus is not as severe as the flu, but she is afraid the numbers will go up once flu season arrives. “It’s hard
to keep track of the students and faculty, and makes it harder to pinpoint any cases,” Benne said. The health center is going to protect students by putting up posters, handing out pamphlets on the virus and giving away free hand sanitizer. David Follosco, interim vice president, said, “Our goal is to get the word out to limit the spread of
the flu.” According to an article by WebMD, the American College Health Association reported more than 2,000 cases of the flu among col-leges across the country. “We’re hoping that doesn’t emerge as an enor-mous problem, but we just don’t know,” Joy McCaslin,
Ph.D, interim president, said. “Some (colleges) are being hit hard. We’re worried about that.” Benne said the Los An-geles County is expected to receive the H1N1 virus in mid October. If the county gets the vaccine, the Health Center will be giving it out to students and faculty for free. The one worry she has is how many are they going to get and how many the county will be getting. “If you are having (an) influen-za-like illness with all the symp-toms, stay at home,” Benne said. “Stay at home for 24 hours after the fever is gone without the us-age of Tylenol, Advil or aspirin.” Symptoms include body aches,
muscle aches, coughing, sneezing, fever over 100 degrees and pos-sible abdominal problems. The best ways to prevent con-tracting the virus are washing your hands and coughing or sneezing into a sleeve instead of your hand.
The service of Dr. Tyree Wieder, interim chancellor of the Los Ange-les Community College District, is coming to an end. Raised in South Los Ange-les, Wieder went to local public schools. She attended Comp-ton Community College before transferring to CSUN, where she received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in educational psychology. She also earned a doctoral degree from UCLA in higher education admin-istration. Wieder has been with the district since 1981, including being the president of Los Angeles Valley College for 14 years, before retir-ing last summer. She was named interim chancellor in August after former chancellor Marshall Drum-mond resigned. She also serves as president of the Board of Library Commissioners for the Los Angeles Public Library, where her term ends in 2013. “It’s amazing that after 13 or 14 months away, how easy it was to return,” Wieder said. She added that, due to her experi-ence, it was easier for her to take the interim position and “help assist initially in the transition.” By serv-ing as interim chancellor, Wieder is ineligible for permanent appoint-ment, according to district rules. A search committee will be formed to select a new chancellor by early 2010, according to Wieder. “We haven’t begun the search process,” Wieder said. “Putting a focus on student success is always important.” “When Dr. Wieder indicated an interest in serving as the Interim Chancellor, she committed not to apply for the permanent position,” wrote Deputy Chancellor Dr. Adri-ana Barrera in an e-mail.
Barrera has announced that she will apply for the permanent position. She is confident in her chances. “I anticipate that my previous ex-perience in this district as a college president (five years at Mission College) and my experience serv-ing as the Deputy Chancellor will have prepared me for the position of Chancellor,” Barrera wrote in an e-mail. Barrera served as acting chancel-lor this summer before the selection of Wieder. Looking back on her time with the district, Wieder says she is most proud of the Strategic Team for the Advancement and Retention of Stu-dents (STARS) initiative at Valley. The program, which began in 2002, is “focused on student success.” After the search for the next chan-cellor is complete, Wieder intends to return to her retirement and her position within the library system. “When you are working 24/7, as you do as a college president, you do not have time to enjoy L.A.,” Wieder said.
Courtney Coles / RoundupCONCERNED— Daniel Levin, 31, explains his personal experiences with the budget cuts at Thursday’s Students Organized for Success meeting.
Normally, a meeting to educate students on a budget doesn’t start with a children’s game. Yet that is exactly what happened Thursday, as the Student Organization For Success (SOS) attempted to break the ice among attendees. The meeting began with students hand-in-hand, spelling out “suc-cess” one letter at a time around the circle. Hosted within English room 1202, the classroom seemed the perfect place to educate students on the severity of educational cuts affecting community college cam-puses across the state. “We need to cut fatter parts of the California budget, things that are not absolutely essential. We need to make the (California) legisla-
ture realize exactly how important education is,” said Emily Harake, 19, an American Federation For Teachers (AFT) intern. The AFT is a union that repre-sents educators across the state. The SOS was created under the guid-ance of the AFT in hopes of moti-vating students to speak up about the current budget cuts affecting the Los Angeles Community College District. Other AFT interns, all who took turns pitching ideas on how to or-ganize and educate further students, flanked Harake as she spoke. The union has reached out to other community college campuses as well, creating small groups to or-ganize and educate students. Many of the students at the meeting were stunned to hear of the cuts to the upcoming Winter Session at Pierce. “I need to take biology over the
winter. If that doesn’t happen I won’t be able to transfer on time,” said Ari Cohen, 19, when asked to share how the budget cuts were directly affecting him. “I guess I’ll take it at Santa Monica College,” he added, still a little bewildered by the concept. The LACCD Board of Trustees agreed Aug. 19 that individual colleges could reduce or cut their winter session if needed. Pierce College will offer approximately 50 percent of their original winter classes, mostly consisting of core classes such as math, English and speech. Joseph Catling, also an AFT intern, shared his problems with the budget cuts. “I was planning on transferring out after this fall, but Summer Session B was cancelled and by the time I had found out, Session A was
already full,” he said. Also on the agenda for the SOS was the creation of a town hall event hosted on the Pierce campus. The organization plans to bring the event to the Great Hall in October. Planned speakers would be professors and elected officials, who would be on hand to answer students questions. Despite the planning and discus-sion, some students still felt unclear about what they could actually do to sway the legislature. Cohen stayed after the meeting had adjourned, watching as other students began shuffling out of the room. “I’m still not quite sure where we would get the money to curb the budget cuts,” he said. “We’ll just see what comes of this.”
Swine flu hits college campusesThe Health Center prepares for the H1N1 virusSarah Mednick / Roundup
Twilight of a bright career
Students cry out SOS
Elliot Golan / Roundup
Dr. Tyree Wieder is holding her final position within LACCD
Students react to the cuts on campusAntonio Hernandez / Roundup
For more news, the Sheriff’s Blotter, and multimedia, seetheroundupnews.com
Photo Illustration / Gerard Walsh / RoundupMASKS— The fear of swine flu is very real to the students of Pierce College.
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Roundup
Editor in chief ....... Melissa MeekManaging & A&E Editor ...... Antonio HernandezOnline /Multimedia Editor...............Anibal OrtizAssist. Online/Multimedia Editor...Louie HerediaOpinion Editor.......................Arnavaz Fatemi
Copy Editor .............................. Aaron Sheldon
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Reporters: Calvin Alagot, Shannon Berry, Laura Corral, Paula Duran, Andre Fuller, Ashley Green, Elliot Golan, Adrian Herrera, Eimantas Kiseliovas, Eduardo Lagunas, Jalima Maldonado, Tyler McGee, Sarah Mednick, Beatrice Negulescu, Kevin Peyton, Alina Popov, Helen Ramirez, Lorrie Reyes, Matthew Rubinfeld, Jeff Sandstoe, Gizette Segura, Eunice Virgen
Photographers: Aisha Ahal, Jason Alan, Takahiro Aono, Burke Bryant, Courtney Coles, Christina Colucci, Danny Duarte, Jill Durgan, Melissa Elder, Ryan Gall, Ayda Memary, Kody Robinson, Galit Royker
PIERCE COLLEGE
www.theroundupnews.com ROUNDUP:September16,2009Opinion2
SURVIVING THE T ITA N IC DEBTCalifornia is a sinking ship.
In dire need of help, the state is
drowning in a sea of debt. Just this
July, Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a
state budget designed to cut a $26 billion shortfall.
The budget deal included a $15 billion cut to
services across the state, according to an article
published by the New York Times.
Now we, the students, also have to pay to keep
California afloat.
The State Legislature recently agreed to raise
community college tuition to $26. That is a $6
increase from the previous cost of $20 per unit.
Six dollars and students throw their arms up and
cry foul.
Considering the travesty California is in right
now, is it really that bad to ask for an extra $6? Even
with the increase, California community colleges
still have the lowest tuition fee in the nation.
Just across the border of California, students pay
outrageous tuition compared to our own. Western
Nevada Community College currently has a tuition
of $60 per unit.
Our neighbors to the north also pay far more for
their education. Portland Community College, one
of the largest in the state of Oregon, has a tuition of
$74 per unit.
Both of these rates are for resident students.
It is understandable to feel disgruntled at doling
out more money for classes, especially with the
high prices of textbooks.
But California needs money, and that is going to
take some sacrifice on our part. We live in this state
after all. We too should bare some of this weight,
even if it may be largely the Legislature’s fault for
getting us all into this.
Regardless of who’s to blame, we are all now
shoulder deep in a rising waterline that threatens to
take us all down.
It’s time for us to take a bucket and start dumping
it out, or we too will sink with this ship.
OPTION:ANYTHING BUT THISHealthcare overhaul is long overdue. Is the “public option” really the way to go?
The healthcare system in this country is nothing short of pathetic.
Healthcare overhaul is essent ial. The term “public opt ion” has been thrown around a lot in the past few months.
President Barack Obama wants to install a public option to the overhaul of the healthcare system. His goal is to create competition between a govern-ment-run insurance program and private insurers.
Makes sense. If private insurance compa-
nies have to bid against another insurer, the beneficiary is the consumer.
That’s precisely what we need. We need more affordable and ac-cessible insurance.
Some of the changes that young adults could gain most from the coming overhaul, re-ported by the Los Angeles Times, would include:
• A congressional provision that would allow young people to stay on their parents’ insur-ance plans until the age of 26.
• The expansion of Medicaid to include more low-income work-ers.
• The possible inclusion of young people in the Medicare program, which currently serves only the elderly.
After all, Americans between the ages of 18 to 29 are the most uninsured age group in the coun-try, according to a press release from Rock the Vote.
Furthermore, the New York Times recently reported the same age group to be the least employed group in the country. Coincidence?
In an article in the Los An-
geles Times, Michael Tanner, a senior fellow at the Cato institute, a libertarian think tank, says, “Young people are probably one of the groups that’s going to come out the worst in this.”
In the same article the oppos-ing view was shown. Genevieve Kenney, a health economist at the Urban institute, a nonpartisan Washington think tank, says, “I think many more uninsured young adults stand to gain from healthcare reform than stand to lose.”
Healthcare overhaul is being worked on through seemingly endless heated debate. We know that full well. Debate has yet to yield results. As every day of deliberation passes, the unin-sured of our country continue to suffer.
The public option is the best way for the largest amount of uninsured Americans to receive insurance. After all, this is a numbers game.
Elliot Golan / Roundup
A-M A ZE-ING
As a returning student to Pierce College, I was not looking forward to all this con-struction I had been hearing about.
I arrived at my first class, or I thought so, on the first day of school to find the music buildings under construction like everything else at Pierce.
It seemed to me that the exterior of the buildings had been recently painted and because of that, most if not all of the classrooms were not numbered.
As I gazed around I noticed that many students were in my same situation, lost in a maze of number-less classrooms. I still, however, began asking if they knew where Room 3414 was and the immediate answer was no.
After spotting two school administrators in the area I walked toward them and overheard one of the administrators saying, “The classrooms are not
numbered, this is not going to be good.” I approached them and asked if they knew where Room 3414 was located. One administrator had a map in his hand while the other had what seemed to be temporary classroom numbers to put near the doors. Both men looked puzzled as well.
“Down past the double doors to your left,” said the administrator as he glanced at his map. I walked toward the direction he had pointed me in, but the only classrooms past the double doors to my left were an office and a computer lab.
Just what I expected: The administrator was as confused as I was.
Right after I asked what seemed to be a professor the same question, he pointed me to the double doors, not past it like the administrator had told me previ-ously. I yelled to the other students that I had found
the room.It was already 9:35 a.m. and with no sign of an
instructor, two students and I walked to the nearby office and asked the clerk if she knew the instructor who was teaching Music 161. We were sent down the hall to the right, and that is where the office of our instructor, Professor Schneider, was located.
We asked when and where the class was meet-ing, and shockingly, he said, “The 9:35 a.m. class is cancelled because it was double booked in the same classroom and at the same time as Harmony II.”
Immediately, I was in disarray and could not believe this. Professor Schneider said it was a clerical mistake and there were other sections available at other times and that there was nothing he could do.
I asked him why this had not been noted in the schedule of classes online or why the students had not
been informed, and he had no answer. All he kept repeating was that it was a clerical mistake and that he was sorry.
Pierce College failed me on day one. My first day back and I had to deal with this. No numbers on the classrooms on the first day of class, noisy con-struction everywhere, 40 minutes of searching, and walking around frustrated only find out the class was cancelled with no notice given to the students.
An excellent combination of inconvenient construc-tion and incompetent school bureaucracy.
Adrian Herrera / Roundup
Emily Beesley / Special to the Roundup
ROUNDUP:September16,2009 www.theroundupnews.com Features 3
Beginning Spring 2010, college students around the nation under 21 years of age will be affected by the Credit Card Accountability, Respon-sibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, signed into law May 22 by President Obama.
The new bill, which is being called the credit card “Bill of Rights,” amends the Truth in Lending Act in that consumers under 21 who wish to obtain a credit card have to meet two requirements: (a) They have a cosigner over the age of 21, such as a parent, guardian, or spouse, or (b) have proof of adequate income.
“I think it’s pretty inconvenient since most students starting are around 18… especially for a lot of students who aren’t able to get a cosigner and, in times like this, it’s harder to find jobs, so they don’t have proof of income,” said Max Jaffe, 18, a full-time student at Pierce College.
Economics professor Pamela J. Brown, Ph.D., believes the new law is useless red tape.
“Americans are eligible to vote at age 18. If you are old enough to vote and to become employed, you are old enough to open a checking account, pay taxes and use credit cards… these [laws] are enabling philosophies that only validate and prolong childish conduct and choices,” Brown said.
Placing restrictions on college student credit cards is not a new concept. The College Student Credit Card Protection Act, introduced in 2005, limited the amount of credit a college student could receive to either 20% of the student’s annual income, or to the product of $500 times
the number of years the student has had the card, not to exceed $2,000.According to a 2009 survey by Sallie Mae, half of college students
have obtained four or more credit cards with the average balance being $3,173. This is a record, having increased from 40% of students having four or more credit cards in 2004.
Until the College Student Credit Protection Act was passed in 2007, the use of gifts to gain customers had been a normal practice to lure in students. This law prohibited the offering of incentives to students for filling out credit card applications in California.
The CARD Act also addresses the marketing of credit cards on col-lege campuses. It is intended to bring about stricter guidelines as well as transparency in this marketing relationship. Each higher learning facility has to make available any information regarding an agreement between their facility and a financial institution offering lines of credit.
The Govtrac.com summary of the bill states that the law also requires “mandatory reports submitted by creditors as well as their marketing practices to determine the impact that college affinity card agreements and college student card agreements have upon credit card debt.”
“Credit card companies are counting on students to spend beyond their means with their credit card. They make a fortune on interest payments from college students,” said Naomi Rockler-Gladen in an article at colle-geuniversity.suite101.com regarding the College Student Credit Protection Act.
According to CreditCards.com, the average credit card APR is 12.66%, while the average student APR is 15.79%. The Citi Forward and Platinum Select Visa Cards for College Students both have introductory APRs of
0%, and then they adjust back to the regular 17.24% APR that applies retroactively.
“The higher interest rates charged are completely reasonable, given that students are unknown quantities with little bill-paying, credit or employment histories. The banks and credit card lenders must protect the interests of those lending money — depositors, who are the rest of us, including parents and grandparents of these students with savings at risk,” Brown said.
The CARD Act does not protect anyone against raising interest rates, but it does put limitations on the circumstances under which a credit card company can raise the APR on a credit card. Some of the circumstances where a card issuer can raise the interest rates include falling 60 or more days behind on payments or if you have an adjustable rate instead of a fixed rate.
CreidtCards.com has many resources that are useful to anyone seeking to learn more about credit card options. They encourage people to shop around and be educated before making any credit-related decisions.
The Web site also provides customized calculators that can be used to determine the length of time it will take to pay off a balance, how much money can be saved by transferring the balances to a lower interest rate card, and more.
Photo Illustration/ Gerard Walsh / Roundup OWNED — Many students find themselves under a mountain of debt due to outrageously high credit card interest rates.
Ashley Geren / Roundup
Students might want to think twice before getting a credit card
PREPARED BY KAISER MARKETING
PEP-199E Los Angeles Pierce College AdSize: 12.75" x 10.5"
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Visit bschool.pepperdine.edu to learn more about Pepperdine’s Bachelor’s Completion Program.
Thank you for sending us your best and your brightest.
First Row: Dr. John Mooney (faculty), Dorice Cooper, Lupe Hernandez, Marisa Fujimoto, Cynthia Ayala, Lynie Ueda, Nyah Asanok, Beatriz Rivera, Agatha Pierre, Dr. Ron Ford (faculty); Second Row: Brandon Coen, Elvira Bannon, Latania Wood, Viviana Arellano, Edwin Polanco, Ralph Klink, Elizabeth Dyer, Karla Gorgij; Third Row: Arturo Cabral, Phillip Cutler, Darryl Harvey, Tyrone D. Stallings, Jasmine Rodriguez, Hugo Ayala; Fourth Row: Cary Heaton, Andrew Stajduhar, Robert Bishop, Scott Dunkle
Our Thanks Go Out to the Transfer Center Counselors at the Following Community Colleges:
Coastline Community College College of the Canyons Cypress College El Camino College Fullerton Community College Glendale Community College
Irvine Valley College Los Angeles Valley College Moorpark College Orange Coast College Pasadena City College Pierce College
Riverside Community College Saddleback College Santa Barbara City College Santa Monica College West Los Angeles College
BSM Graduates, April 2009:
www.theroundupnews.com ROUNDUP:September16,2009Features4
Pierce College is experiencing quite a few changes this semester thanks to new build-ings, reduced classes and continued con-
struction. One change that is less evident is the new occu-
pant of the president’s office. Joy McCaslin, Ph.D, was appointed interim presi-
dent by the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees on July 29.
McCaslin took over for Robert Garber, who retired Aug. 1 in order to care for his son Jesse, who needed a liver transplant due to acute liver failure.
“It was sad that he had to leave quite suddenly be-cause of a family emergency,” said McCaslin during a recent interview in her office. “I respect him for doing that, but he left things in really good shape so that’s nice for me.”
Jesse Garber, who received a liver Aug. 5, is still recovering. Garber has written to letters to the Pierce community, but declined interviews with the Roundup.
Garber served as president for a total of 4 years, and had just completed one year of his second three-year contract as president.
“I don’t feel like it’s difficult (to follow Garber), because I’m the interim president and I’m not going to go for the permanent position,” McCaslin said. “I don’t feel like I’m competing with him in that way.”
David Follosco, who was appointed interim vice president Aug. 2, had worked under McCaslin for the past three years.
“She’s always very calm and just a pleasant per-son,” said Follosco, who formerly served as dean of student services. “She always seems to find the good side of everything.”
• The early years
McCaslin, who said she prefers being called “Joy” over “president” or “doctor,” was born in Illinois, but moved to Sylmar with her parents and four siblings in 1957 so her father could find work.
“It was a really nice community, somewhat rural. There were lot of little farms and I knew a lot of people with horses. It was a very nice working classes place,” McCaslin said.
After graduating from Sylmar High School, she began her higher education career at Pierce.
“My parents did not get the opportunity to go to college, but they really wanted that for us,” said Mc-Caslin. “When your parents haven’t gone to college, it’s really kind of different because you don’t grow up hearing about ‘When I went to college’ and ‘You should do this and that.’ But still we all ended up go-ing to college.”
McCaslin spent two years at Pierce before trans-ferring to U.C. Santa Barbara, where she received a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology.
“I was one of those students who always had to work. Looking back, I realize that so many students are in that situation, so it’s nothing unusual,” McCa-slin said.
“It’s too bad because that takes up so much of your time, so looking back I wish I’d had more time to be a part of student government and things like that. That’s why I really push that now.”
• The times they are a changin’
A lot has changed since she was a student at Pierce, however.
“In 1969 when I came here, it was predominately a white college. We are much more diverse of a com-munity and as a college then we used to be,” McCas-lin said.
McCaslin said that her favorite part of Pierce is the diversity of the students, both in age and ethni-cally.
“I know from talking to my kids that other universities are very homogenous, if not ethnically, in terms of age,” said McCaslin, whose son Connor graduated from UCLA and daughter Caitlin attends UCSB. Both of McCaslin’s children attended Pierce before going to four-year universities.
“I’ve always really appreciated that we have such a big age range and many, many cultures.”
• Return to the beginning
As a girl, McCaslin had already planned to be-come an educator.
“Honestly, and this really dates me, but when I was a little girl, there were only two things that little girls focused on and that was either teaching or nursing,” McCaslin said. “I never saw women doing anything else other than those two things.”
She then received a master’s degree from U.C. Riverside in special education, which ultimately led to her return to Pierce.
“For a while there, I was looking into speech therapy and ended up going into special education instead. I learned that learning-disability specialists worked on community college campuses, so that’s how I got started in community colleges.”
McCaslin and husband Jim Dawson, a political science professor at Pierce, were living in Woodland Hills, but was working at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, causing her to have a “very long com-mute.”
“Having gone to Pierce College, I knew this was a great place and always thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be won-derful if I could get a job here?’” McCaslin said.
In 1988, she became the Associate Dean of Ex-tended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) and in 1996 she became the chief student services officer, serving first as dean and then in her current position as vice president.
“I’ve known Joy for nearly 20 years,” Follosco said. The two met when McCaslin first came to the district and Follosco was still at (Los Angeles) Mis-sion College.
McCaslin presided over Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, Counseling, Health Services, matricu-lation, extended opportunity programs and more in that position.
“She’s always been conscientious about doing a good job and keeping Pierce on course,” Follosco said.
• The road ahead
After the permanent president is selected, McCa-slin will return to this position, but before that time, she still has some big challenges to deal with.
“The way this budget is coming down, some things are already targeted. The state chancellor’s office is asking us to reduce classes and our student services. We’re having to cut programs — we’re not eliminating anything, but we’re having to reduce the services we offer,” she said.
Along with big challenges, McCaslin wants to ac-complish big goals.
“I really want to get us through this budget crisis and make the strategic decisions that are going to be most helpful to students. That’s really my number one goal,” McCaslin said.
“We’re going to have to select just the right classes and the right programs that are the most meaningful to students.”
Joy McCaslin goes from alumni administrator to interim president Emily Kelley / Roundup
Louie Heredia / RoundupPRESIDENTIAL— Pierce College alum Joy McCaslin, P.h.D., assumed the role of interim president after Robert Garber retired. McCaslin faces many challenges, including the budget crisis and swine flu.
new presidentNew semester,
ROUNDUP:September16,2009 www.theroundupnews.com A&E 5
All artists strive to find a place where they can express them-selves. Pierce College students have been able to find that place for the past 50 years in English 32 which produces the college’s liter-ary magazine, Direction.
Direction is a collection of po-ems, short stories and other various forms of writing. The book also includes artwork, photos and new to this year’s magazine, a DVD. What makes this publication differ-ent than a typical collection is that it is filled with only student work.
The 125-page publication is separated into five sections pertain-ing to different parts of the body and nervous system. The magazine begins with works pertaining to the heart, and takes a journey through-out the body, hitting pieces of our skeletons, eyes, ribs and nervous system.
The 50th anniversary of Direc-tion brings new innovative ideas and takes the magazine to where the world is heading: technology.
As we continue to move into a technological driven society art is not limited to the paper and canvases.
This year the Direction class has included a DVD with the an-nual publication. It contains 10 different tracks with an assortment of works that include short films, an open- mic night, two musical tracks and more.
Visual artists include Joshua Kadish, who directed “Crime of Cowards” and Rasika Ruwan-pathirana, who wrote, directed and edited “Lesbian Story,” show
promising talent and passion.Although technology has found
a new home in Direction, the magazine is still mainly composed of written work. The decision to divide the magazine into different body parts based on the similar subjects submitted was an original take on the publication.
Within each section of the body many pieces and art that stood out.
In Section II: Anatomy of Angst alone, “The Bargain” by Marianne Menter and “Red, White, and Blue” by Dori Samadzai stood among the most memorable.
Los Angeles seemed to be the inspiration in numerous submis-sions. The untitled photo by Jorge Alvarado and the piece named “Los Angeles” by Julie Payne obviously gain their inspiration from the city we dwell in, whether it be in a positive or negative view points.
The Editor’s Choice awards went to Nick Granger for his poet-ry and Robert Lee for his artwork. Granger wrote three pieces for Direction that include “Crouching at the Door,” “Reckless Conjura-tion,” and “Projection.”
Lorrie Reyes/ Roundup
From the hi-tech projector on the ceiling to the polished studio floor, Pierce College’s improved dance studio is ready for intense synergy.
Before the extreme makeover the dance studio in the North Gym was not equipped with modern technology such as a screen that comes down with a push of a but-ton or a hidden sound system.
“It gives you a sense of pride,” said dance instructor and cheer coach Jenny Ghiglia.
With tears filling up her eyes, Ghiglia mentions her fond memo-ries of the old dance studio.
“I remember students working hard,” Ghiglia said. “Many hours of blood, sweat and hard work was spent in this room.”
The studio is home to 20 dance classes ranging from dance spe-cialties, dance studies, and dance techniques. Some classes include: afro hip-hop, tap, latin social and salsa dance.
Although the project is com-plete there are still improvements to be made. The old dance studio had multiple light switches that controlled different sections of the overhead lights. The lights set a tone for the room and are essential for dance styles such as modern or jazz.
“You really can’t have a dance studio without it,” said Dance Vice Chair and Faculty advisor Marian S. Weiser.
Adapting to the new equipment is a task for some professors.
“It is heavy and high,” said Ghiglia. “I have to get on a stool to
reach it.” While the renovation occurred,
classes took place at the Campus Center and the Performing Arts Building. Professors and students said it was difficult to adjust.
“I had to carry speakers on a cart from the Campus Center to my car, to the Performing Arts Building, then finding another parking space,” said dance instruc-tor Denise Gibson. “That was very difficult.”
Gibson said there were other challenges of dancing in the Per-forming Arts Building.
“It was hot, dirty, limited dance space, and no mirrors,” said Gib-son. “It’s not designed to have a dance class.”
Gibson said the students ac-cepted the alternative dance room and always worked hard.
Some students said that the dance room alternatives were not a welcoming environment for learn-ing dance techniques. Dance stu-dent Tina Nassoudi said the room made students not want to take the classes seriously.
“They don’t care you don’t care,” said Nassoudi.
Despite the new studio, some wonder if it’s getting enough use.
“When I pass by the studio I don’t see anyone using it. I want to see it being utilized. We want to inspire, entertain and perform; there are not enough outlets for that. We want to be able to use what we learn to show that form of progress,” said Dance and Fine Arts major Jay Pasi.
Gizette Segura/ Roundup
Homer Perez / RoundupINSTRUCT— Professor Marian S. Weiser goes through dance routines for her Modern Dance class, located on the North Side of the Gym.
Same steps, new studio Point us in a new direction
Chyla’s earliest memories were that of stages and studios.
Her mother, Maxi Anderson, was a background singer and took Chyla along for the ride at a young age.
“[My mom] used to include me all the time, as much as she could. When I was like 3 or 4 years old, we went to Denmark and toured with a big artist out there… the band basically adopted me as their child. So all these rough drummers and guitar players taught me the ropes,” Chyla said of her early experience with music.
Over the years, Chyla has done background singing with artists such as Pink, Alicia Keys,
and Barbara Streisand, as well as soundtracks for Hairspray and Gos-sip Girl.
“Hairspray was fun. That was a couple years ago, and we did the whole soundtrack. They had like segregated sessions, white kid ses-sions and black kid sessions, since the movie was about racism,” she said.
Chyla decided to try a different path and to explore her options in the world of the arts.
She spent years in the theatre and spoken word scene and at-tended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
“There’s a total different mental-ity with actors. It’s just not my thing. I knew that I wanted to be in the arts, I was trying to find my thing, but I didn’t want to choose
music right away because my mom, that was her thing. I love theatre, but not for a life plan,” said Chyla
After a few years of self-explo-ration and investigating the arts, she has come to realize that her passion for singing and songwriting is too great to ignore.
She is currently taking classes at Pierce to expand her musicianship skills.
“I was an English major last semester. All literature classes at the same time; it’s too much. So I’m splitting it this time, music and English. I’m taking Fundamentals, Guitar, and I was taking harmony but I decided I wasn’t ready for that,” she said.
Chyla describes her music as “simple soul medicine.”
“It’s like a marriage of folk
music and acoustic soul, in one. It’s modern hippie music,” Chyla said.
Although she believes the harder music has its place, Chyla is drawn to artists such as John Mayer, Col-bie Caillat, Alicia Keys, and Robin Thicke.
“…I try my hardest to be a vul-nerable songwriter because all of my favorite artists (all the Wood-stock era artists) that I love to listen to were like that,” she said.
They had substance. People like Joni Mitchell could touch your heart, and people like Janis Joplin could rip it out. I love it! And it’s harder to find music like that these days,” Chyla said.
New Path: A journey through music
Ashley Geren / Roundup
Courtney Coles / RoundupFINDING SOLICE— Chyla Anderson, 21, playing outside a local Starbucks coffee house.
A student who can sing through ‘Hairspray’ and dance through finals
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Sloppy play and a plethora of penalties throughout the game lead to the defeat of the Brahmas.
Coming off an impressive victory against Moor-park College, the Brahmas couldn’t seem to put it all together the following week as the football team fell short to the Fullerton Hornets 37-21.
From the start, the Hornets looked to be in sync as Fullerton’s Damon Smith returned an 89-yard fumbled kickoff return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff of the game.
Big plays early and often by the Hornet offense impaired the Brahmas as their defense couldn’t get off the field. Fullerton running back Kenny Turner was a big contributor to the worn-out Brahma defense.
After missing last year with a season ending knee surgery, Davis has had a couple games since com-ing back from the injury. With 131 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 17 attempts, Davis had a fantas-tic game against the Brahma defense.
“I came off a knee injury last year and so it feels pretty good to come out here and help my team win a game,” Davis said. “Well the defense played pretty aggressive, but I was able to make some plays and get the job done tonight.”
Davis had help though. With bad penalities caused by the Brahmas and the apparent injury bug on the Brahmas’ defensive side of the ball, the Pierce team didn’t have a lot rhythm throughout the first half.
Lack of tackling on defense, an inconsistent of-fense, and poor special teams by the Brahmas in the first half is a big reason why they went into halftime down 24-0.
Even when the Brahma offense effectively moved down the field, it was their special teams that would hold them down with a blocked field goal and a missed field goal. The running game, which is a strong point in the Brahmas offense, was also shut down early as they could only muster 13 yards on 22 attempts.
“They are a pretty good team. We are still nervous and lack that confidence, but they just played well,” said Brahmas head coach Efrain Martinez. “They were gonna make sure Prince Young, our running back, wasn’t going to run so they keyed on him.”
Starting off the third quarter with a bang, the Brahma defense showed more energy forcing Fuller-ton into several punting situations.
Brahma defensive back Brandon Turner got the Brahmas back in the game with an interception early in the third quarter.
After the defense started to show up in the third quarter, the Brahma offense showed some signs of maturing and learning how to deal with pressure.
Led by quarterback Matt Wabby, who made three touchdown passes all in the second half, the Brahma offense seemed to be getting it together by scoring 21 unanswered points through passes to wide receivers Ty Harris, Coleman Edmond, and Damon Juliwan.
However, after getting intercepted with 3:11 left in the fourth quarter, it seemed as if the momentum the Brahmas gained was fizzling out.
“We hung tough with one of the best teams and you gotta feel good about that,” Martinez said.
Brahmas fall to Fullerton
Andre Fuller / Roundup
Homer Perez / RoundupJUST MADE IT— Kenny Turner (bottom, with ball) of Fullerton stretches out for a touchdown against the Brahmas on Friday. The Hornets went on to win 37-21.
The Pierce College women’s soccer team dominated in their fourth consecutive shutout victory against he Mariners of Loyola Marymount, 9-0, at home Friday.
The Brahmas took control of the game with a goal by forward Erica Vangsness two minutes into the game.
“I feel like we haven’t reached our full potential. It’s still early in the season and we’re still meshing as a team,” Vangsness said. “I’m super excited for this season.”
The second goal came in the 14th minute by mid-fielder Rachel Kove, putting the score at 2-0.
“It’s just a lot of fun to play,” Kove said.Forward Michelle Oakes scored two consecutive
goals in the 15th and 18th minutes of the first half.“We’re a great team with a lot of winning attitudes.
We work really hard and still have so much potential,” Oakes said. “A group of girls with great chemistry.”
“I’m happy about our four victories and I hope we keep on winning,” said forward Jennifer Alvarez, who scored the final goal of the first half in the 44th minute.
The Brahmas launched an offensive explosion in the second half of the game, keeping the Mariners on defense for the remainder of the game.
Alvarez scored her second goal of the game in the 20th minute of the second half, making the score 7-0.
At this point in the game the Brahmas seven-point lead was so substantial that goalkeeper Betty Ramirez was put into the game as a defender.
In the 28th minute Vangsness scored her second goal, and the offensive onslaught continued.
Kove made her third and final goal in the 40th min-ute, completing her hat trick and giving the Brahmas their 9-0 win against the Mariners.
Mariners’ head coach Shelley Collins expressed her feelings about the performance of her team.
“This is the girls’ fourth game together and I’m proud of the way they performed. They looked strong at different points in the game, but played well,” she said.
The Brahmas have only lost an astonishing three home games over the last eight years, according to Adolfo Perez, head coach of the women’s team.
“I hope more fans come to watch us because these are exciting games,” Perez said.
The Brahmas will play an away game Friday against the Ventura College Pirates, who currently stand at 4-1.
Chris Aragon - Suffered a shoulder sprain. Status is day to day.
Marquis Brown - Left game with dislocated knee, no timetable for return
Third quarter rally is not enough as the football team drops their home opener to bring their record to 1-1
Lady Brahmas lay waste to Mariners
Injury Report For Sept. 12
Takahiro Aono / RoundupONE OF NINE— Jennifer Alvarez (9) dribbles between defenders en route to a goal on Friday. Alvarez would end up with two goals as the Lady Brahmas beat Marymount 9-0.
Women’s soccer beats Marymount, 9-0, their fourth shutout to start the season
Calvin Alagot / Roundup
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