RUONLINE?

Woodland Hills, California Volume 120 - Issue 3 Wednesday, March 26, 2014 One copy free, each additional copy $1.00

MondayMarch 31

High: 75°Low: 50°

Partly Sunny

The Pierce College Weather Stationhas provided meteorological data to

national agencies since 1949.

ThursdayMarch 27

High: 70°Low: 50°

Mostly Sunny

FridayMarch 28

High: 75°Low: 54°

Partly Cloudy

SaturdayMarch 29

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SundayMarch 30

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A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION

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WednesdayMarch 26High: 66°Low: 49°

Partly Cloudy

P I E R C E W E A T H E R R E P O R T

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Baseball: Bahamas improve winning streak.......Page 8

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TuesdayApril 1

High: 69°Low: 48°

Sunny

WednesdayApril 2

High: 71°Low: 50°

Partly Cloudy

Campus cafe offi cially openLong anticipated Lovebirds Café � nally opens its doors to faculty and students

The cafeteria on campus officially opened its doors for a soft opening on the bottom floor of the

Library/Learning Crossroads on Tuesday, March 25.

Regular hours for Lovebirds Café and Bakery will be Monday through Friday between 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. They will be closed on Sunday. They are currently expecting the cafe to remain open through summer session while testing out their hours and even opening their doors Saturdays to students.

“The goal was to get their feet wet and then do more of an announcement,” Rolf Schleicher, vice president of administrative services said.

The owners of Lovebirds Café, brothers John and Jahan Jomehri, were setting up for the opening with the manager Fonzie Aliga at 7 a.m.

Lovebirds Café prides themselves on the quality of their food, according to Aliga.

An assortment of pastries including coffee cake, cinnamon buns, muffins, and croissants will be available daily. Above their display case is a menu with a variety of smoothie and coffee selections. A variety of grab n’ go sandwiches will also be available.

“The smoothies are all organic,” John Jomehri said. “They do not have ice in them.”

The espresso machine is manual and allows the cafe to make just the right type of coffee for their customers.

“I like making custom drinks for people,” Aliga said.

Students and faculty arrived at

the new cafe at 8 a.m. to be some of the first customers to experience the new addition to the campus.

“I’ve been waiting for it to open,” Maria Lopez, 20-year-old web design major said.

The newly opened cafe also drew the interest from the campus sheriff’s department.

“We were driving around and decided to check it out,” Justin Ramos, a sheriff’s security officer said. “I think it’s nice. It’ll be good for students.”

The food trucks positioned around campus will still be available and will continue to operate as usual.

“We are planning to leave our trucks on campus,” Larry Kraus, associate vice president of administrative services. “We are going to move some of them around a bit.”

Administration may also look into using a full time distributor for the cafeteria after Lovebirds fulfills their contractual obligations on December 31.

“Right now we’re going to concentrate on opening the Lovebirds Café,” Schleicher said. “We’re not going to go too far because the district didn’t want us

to open that because of a global contract. We felt the need was high here. We took a little grief for it, but it was well worth it. So it’s not a full fledged food court by any means. We’d love to have some independent vendors come in like Subway, and Panda Express and all that. It’s going to be viable. And we’ve got to have capitalization. No one is moving into these spots for friendships. they move in because they want to make money.”

Lovebirds is also thinking of extending their hours during midterms and final exams, though “nothing is set in stone,” according to Aliga.

“Let’s just see what the demand is,” Kraus said.

Students who choose to break the already enforced rules of no bike riding or skateboarding on campus could soon find themselves being intercepted by law enforcement.

At Monday’s Academic Senate meeting, Pierce College Associate Vice President Larry Kraus showed a PowerPoint presentation on solutions on how to manage the transportation problems on campus.

“We’ve all been dealing with bicycles and skateboarding on campus,” Kraus said. “It’s been a real issue for us.”

Some of the proposed solutions to the problematic transportation are to purchase newer bike racks, further enforce the rules, and encourage students to park and walk at the appropriate places. Kraus estimated these services costing $23,326.

The funding would not only go to new racks for bicycles, but skateboarders would be able to lock their boards on special docks, and “share the road” signs would be placed in high traffic areas throughout campus.

One solution is to verbally intercept students riding bikes and skateboards to class. Kraus mapped out the busiest areas where it would be best to stop and ask students to walk the rest of the way around campus.

“We want to make the campus more friendly to bicycles,” Kraus said. “We want the bicycle riders to come on campus but we want them to park their bicycles.”

The current bike rack locations and designs are not ideal. Kraus admitted that the older racks were not optimal, only allowing for the front tire to be locked in. This makes it difficult for bikers to lock up their frame without scratching it.

Wheels to be curbedPlans shown for new restrictionsCarrlyn BatheRoundup Reporter

[See SENATE, pg. 3]

The possibility of adapting a single Learning Management System (LMS) for the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) was recommended as achievable by a team through the Feasibility Taskforce Report on Thursday, March 6.

The LACCD is composed of nine colleges which are: Pierce College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los

Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Valley College and West Los Angeles College.

Within the nine schools, there are currently two LMS’s being used which are “Moodle” and “ETUDES”, according to Wendy Bass, the distance education coordinator at Pierce College and member of the taskforce.

Pierce’s current LMS is Moodle, which is used as a tool by faculty members and students for both online and face-to-face courses that are “web-enhanced” by the

system. The current annual cost for Moodle, Bass said, is $37,000 under an enterprise license that allows all of the classes to use it.

The Los Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC) is the only other institution in the district that uses Moodle, according to Bass.

The taskforce that recommended the feasibility of the single LMS was created in May 2, 2013 by the Distance Education Stakeholders. This was done in order to investigate the pros and cons of a district-wide system and to see if it would be possible to have just one

system, according to the Feasibility Taskforce Report.

By offering a single LMS throughout the district, faculty and students would be able to receive extended technical support, faculty members would receive uniformed training, and each college would pay a possible lower cost, according to the Feasibility Taskforce Report.

However, according to the same report, a potential over reliance on one system, training costs, retraining of faculty and the migration of current data from one LMS to the other might become issues.

District considers narrowing down systemsToo many learning systems cause confusion through out LACCD

[See LMS, pg. 3]

Stacey ArevaloRoundup Reporter

“We’d love to have some independent

vendors come in like Subway and Panda

Express and all that.”-Rolf Schleicher

Vice President of Administrative Services

Meghan McGillicudyRoundup Reporter

Diego Barajas / RoundupTREATS: Maurice Klein purchases a cookie during the soft opening of Lovebirds Café in the Library/Learning Crossroads on Tuesday March 25.

String Theory

Nicolas Heredia / RoundupBULLET: Cellist Andrea Yu (right), violist Theo Ma (left) rehearse before performing for students on March 20.

Letters to the Editor

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ROUNDUP Editor in chief .... Tracy WrightManaging editor......................... Genna GoldOnline editor...................... Raymond GarciaOpinion editor ....................... Jeremy NationNews editor .............................. Marrisa NallFeatures editor .......................Caleb JohnsonArts and Entertainment .............. Lynn LevittSports editor ............................... Carlos IslasCopy editor................................... Kate NoahPhoto editor ................. Mohammad Djauhari Nelger Carrera Multimedia Editor..................... Eliezer DiazAssistant editor....................... Ethan HansonAssistant editor......................... Jessica BoyerCartoonist ..............................Maria SalvadorAdvisers ................................... Jill Connelly

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.................................. Stefanie FrithAdvertising Manager.................. Julie Bailey[For advertising call Julie at (818) 710-2960]

Photographers: Diego Barajas Stephen CastanedaErick B. CeronJames H. ChannellMarc DionneNico HerediaGiuliana OrlandoniMitra Sharifi Jason SuddsGina Woodring

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or against any position are invited. Letters should be kept as brief as possible (300 words or less) and are subject to non-w editing.

Letters must be signed and include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms or initials will not be used, but names may be withheld upon request and approval of the Editorial Board.

The Roundup publishes “Letters to the Editor” that are not obscene or libelous and do not contain racial denigration.

Writers are given the opportunity to revise unacceptable letters.

The Pierce College Roundup will not publish, as letters, literary endeavors, publicity releases, poetry or other such materials as the Editorial Board deems not to be a letter.

The deadline is 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the issue date.WwWw 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.

2 Opinion ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014

–EDITORIAL–

-COMIC STRIP-

Reporters:

Stacey ArevaloCarrlyn BatheSamantha BradfordJesus CastroDeliylah ChristopherAnaiya FordNadine GostantianMatthew GottesmanJeffrey HowardMeghan McGillicuddy

Manuel Rios Kitty RodriguezMariah SherriffeSedigheh SirchiMartin Torres Tim TotonJordan Utley-ThomsonRichard Zamora

STREET BEAT STREET BEAT

-Corrections-Volume 120 Issue: 3

Page 2: Marissa Nall’s correct email address is mnall.roundupnews@gmail.com.

Marissa Nallmnall.roundupnews@gmail.com

Samantha Bedfordsbradford.roundupnews@gmail.com

Time is ticking and the battle of events quickly approaches. The Pierce College Farm Walk and Vintage Market will both be held on Sunday, April 27. While two events at Pierce College on the same day can generate business, it might also pit one against the other. They shouldn’t have to share the day or visitors.

These two generally populated events are known to bring in a lot of foot traffic. Will Pierce College be able to manage both of these events on the same day? It may be possible, but they might have to compromise one for the other.

It’s already a struggle to raise money for one event, with two in the same day security costs may get out of hand. Safety for the public is very important, so it is necessary to have sheriffs on cam-pus for the events. Having them there for both events may become costly. Neither The Farm Walk nor Vintage Market should have to cut things out of their events to make sure there is enough funding for security.

Parking is also a problem at Pierce College on an average school day. With two events on the same day, parking will be crucial. Whether they’re on opposite sides of campus or not, the traffic caused

and limited space available will be an issue for them.

Busing visitors from parking lots to the event in shuttles is one of the tactics Foundation Financial Manager Kathy Zanghi is using to mitigate traffic, but without guarantees where visitors will be parking, this approach may yield little change to gridlock. Knowing there will be congestion in a park-ing lot can make people skeptical about whether attending the event is worth it.

The Farm Walk takes place annually and the Vintage Market happens every fourth Sunday. Many people look forward to both of these events, but they might not be able to attend both since they will coincide.

It may be a sticky situation to force people to make a choice. While the events have two com-pletely different things going on, some people may want to be present at both. There are more op-portunities to attend The Vintage Market since it is held throughout the year.

Having the events on separate days could be beneficial for both parties. If the events took place on different days there wouldn’t be competition. Issues with budgeting them at the same time would also be eliminated.

The Farm Walk only takes place once a year, and deserves to have its own day. After all the time spent and money put toward the Vintage Market and the Farm Walk it would be a shame to see people not show up, particularly for reasons that could have been prevented with proper scheduling.

The Pierce College Farm Walk is facing some surprising disad-vantages this year, as the Vintage Market is planned to set up on the same day. But this could come as a stroke of luck, helping the program out this year and in years to come.

Last year’s Farm Walk event turned out record numbers of attendees, generating thousands of dollars of extra revenue for the program. This year, with another event taking place right alongside, those numbers could continue to go up.

The Vintage Market garners be-tween 2,500 and 3,500 people each month coming to their 180 plus booths for their wares, according to Lori Rotblatt, one of the owners of the market. These are people who may have been unaware of the Farm Walk, or would have chosen to attend the Market instead, had the events been at different loca-tions.

Now, with both happening in the same place at the same time, people won’t have to choose. Additionally, the Market might generate some added publicity for the agricultural event, drawing in new crowds.

Finding somewhere to park will be a complicated issue since both the market and the Farm Walk tend

to have a large turnout. Parking for each event will be hard to control and will likely fill up, requiring a shuttle system to one or both events. There has already been increased planning and advertis-ing, however, to keep this situation organized. Patrons should be able to find their way around, perhaps even stumbling on something new.

The additional planning that has already gone into this year’s Farm Walk will help for years to come. Many things will have to be changed, moved or reorganized in order for it to come off well and that is a good thing for a campus and its students to experience.

The new reordering that needs to take place will show Pierce stu-dents where they can improve on an already traditional event. The so-called competition will show both students and administra-tors new and perhaps better ways to hold the Farm Walk. Students who participate this year will find next year easier and will be better equipped to avoid any problems encountered in the future.

The Foundation for Pierce Col-lege is handling much of the com-munication between the two events since the Vintage Market raises funds for the school. Though the shuttle system and added security will cost a little more this year, both parties could find themselves making extra revenue, with the crossover in marketing and at-tendance.

All the proceeds will make it to the school to keep Pierce’s programs running at their high standards and student experiences worthwhile and educational.

Pros and Cons: Farm Walk versus Vintage Market

One of the worst times to be at Pierce College is during the night. When the sun sets and the few sources of light left are the fluorescent glow from open classroom doors, or from the hallways, dangerous events have been known to take place at

Pierce College. For the safety of everyone on campus, it is necessary for the places with foot traffic to be properly illuminated.

Already during this spring semester, a sexual assault has occurred and the cover of dark gives those who would commit crimes an added advan-tage. Something needs to change or anyone who is on campus during the night will not feel safe.

A particular issue is the lack of lighting in parking lots. Anyone who needs to go to their car at night has to deal with the bad lighting. Faculty members and students alike must take a risk by traveling in the dark. Some find themselves taking long detours for a lit path to vehicles.

A simple solution to this problem is for Pierce to have bright lights along all pathways people use. If those on campus can see where they are

going, they would be better equipped to sense nefarious figures.Whether it be the areas north and south of the gym building, the rear

part of campus near the auto-tech buildings, or the lawn between the Center for the Sciences and the Library/Learning Crossroads, or by the football fields, the campus is simply lacking in adequate lighting.

If students want to feel safe, all it takes is light at night so they can see and be aware of their surroundings. In addition, better visibility would allow campus police and law enforcement to catch people committing crimes by removing the cover of darkness, possibly deterring car thefts or people who try to harass other students.

Pierce administrators must make a decision that ultimately elevates the environment at Pierce. That means allocating some money to invest in making Pierce a safer campus, and part of that fund must be set aside to install proper lighting fixtures outdoors. On the pathway to a safer college, Pierce can start by shedding a little light for a more illuminated campus.

Faulty lighting fails campus community

ConPro

“Dear Kate, There is this girl in my English class, but I don’t know if I should ask her out or not. Should I ask her out or should I wait?” Frantic Romantic

Dear Romantic,Having a crush is possibly

one of the best feelings in life. The thrill of catching their eye, the butterflies that wreak havoc on your stomach when they smile at you, the hope that they think about you as much as you think about them – it all leaves you in a semi-dazed state of bliss. You don’t know anything bad about them yet, and all you want to do is spend time with them.

Dating is complicated to begin with, but add a situation such as school or work, and you could have a real conundrum on your hands. When it comes to someone that you see on a regular basis in the confines of a classroom or a workplace, you have to take several things into consideration.

First, there is the distraction of dating someone new. Are you ready to focus extra hard on normal things because your mind will already be full of this new person? If you have a busy school schedule and a lot of tests, projects and papers coming up, it is better to wait until you can handle a bit of a distraction.

If you decide that focusing on a new relationship won’t keep you from studying or working as hard as you need to, the next is-sue is the fact that if this person is not interested, you are now stuck seeing them every week and possibly being embarrassed

that you admitted to having feelings when they had none. If you realize that not everyone you like is gonna like you back and don’t let a little rejection define your worth, this might not be a problem.

Before asking anyone out, it’s usually a good idea to have had some interaction with this person and know that you have some things in common and can carry a conversation. Are you just star-ing longingly at her across the room but you’ve never talked? Start small. You don’t want the first thing you say to her to be an invitation to dinner.

A girl usually wants to know that there is more to a guy than what he looks like before she will agree to go on a date with him. She wants to know that she is comfortable with him and that he makes her feel good. So talk to her, find out what her interests are, and compliment her. If you don’t feel comfortable telling her that she looks pretty, tell her that she has a great smile, that you like her hair, or that she’s funny or smart. Keep talking to her and giving her genuine compliments. Give her a reason to think about you and wonder if you are going to ask her out.

If you get to the point where you think she’ll say yes, ask her out. Confidence is very attrac-tive, so don’t be shy about it.

If, however, you are unsure, waiting a while is probably wise. If you get to the end of the semester and are still not sure if she likes you, take a chance and ask her out anyway. You won’t know unless you try.

Do you have a question for Kate? Don’t shy away, ask Kate anything by sending an email to AskKateAnything@gmail.com. If you have a ques-tion of a sensitive nature and would like to remain anony-mous, your identity will be kept a secret.

Kate NoahAskKateAnything@gmail.com

AK A:Ask Kate AnythingAdvice Column

On behalf of the Foundation for Pierce College we would like to express our deep frustration and disappointment after reading the article “New neighborhood market brings community together at local high school” by Richard Zamora, Roundup reporter.

What about the Foundation’s Vintage Market that has been run-ning since October 2013? Doesn’t this market bring the community together?

Why would anybody promote somebody else’s venture that is in direct competition with the Foundation’s project, which is raising money for the Pierce Col-lege students? Even though, the author of the article mentioned that Natalie Iturbe, vendor manager for the Fairfax Trading Post, said that there is no conflict in regards to other markets in the area such as the Topanga Vintage Market, we strongly disagree with her opinion. Don’t you think that if there are two grocery stores across from each other selling the same or very similar products, they are not going to be in conflict with each other? Of course, they will! They will always compete for the customers!

In our opinion, non-profits should not compete with each other. They are even using the same name “Vintage Market” in their advertis-ing campaign.

Also, the author didn’t mention that the Topanga Vintage Market is the Foundation’s project which, as I mentioned above, is raising funds for Pierce.

For your information, we are concerned that the Taft market will harm the Foundation (and consequently, Pierce College) since The Foundation Vintage Market’s attendance and income may decrease. The Foundation has been planning to open a weekly Swap meet in May. Now we will have to reconsider the project we have been working on for several months and have to come up with something else to raise funds.

Where is the support for your Pierce College’s Foundation?

With great disappointment,

Letter to the editor

Balancing school and dating

Cartoon by: Maria Salvador

Kathy ZanghiAccount ManagerFoundation for Pierce College

Floriya BorzenkovaSenior Program DirectorFoundation for Pierce College

ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014 News 3

March 16 - March 23incident report

– Compiled by Marissa Nall

3/17 – Student incident – Two students got into a verbal altercation in the Performing Arts department after paint was thrown. They were reported to the dean of Student Services.

3/20 – Petty theft – An unknown suspect attempted to steal a book from the bookstore but set off the alarms. He was not detained or identified.

pierce college sheriff’s station

News Briefs – Compiled by Marissa Nall

The Associated Students Organization (ASO) participated with the American Red Cross in collecting blood donations during their monthly blood drive, Wednesday, March 19.

Students came to the event from 9 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. to enjoy snacks, tunes, and save some lives.

ASO President Gus Sandoval

helped organize the drive, and pointed out that the ASO has worked with the Red Cross in the past.

“We’ve had a long-standing relationship with the Red Cross,” Sandoval said. “It’s part of our community welfare outreach.”

The Red Cross has provided a consistent and comfortable atmosphere at every oncampus drive, according to Sandoval.

The nonprofit organization hosts

these events at Pierce for free.“They want us to start getting

fair market value for the use of our facilities,” Sandoval said. “Our administrative services are pushing to make sure that happens.”

Courtney Caldwell, a Red Cross donor recruitment representative, said that Pierce’s ASO helped find more donors.

“I’m in charge of getting the word out there and ASO helps me do that,” Caldwell said.

The Red Cross usually sets up four blood drives every semester that draws an average of 300 units of blood a year, according to Caldwell.

Morgan Winston, a 19-year-old nursing major, said she was nervous the first time she gave blood, but found it was not such a bad experience.

“I was really nervous because a lot of people were like, ‘you’ll feel really dizzy after’,” Morgan said. “But I felt fine.”

Students and faculty that missed the drive can go to the Red Cross’ Woodland Hills Donor center to give blood or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.

Students attended a workshop offered by the Career and Transfer Center that explained the

University of California’s Transfer Admission Guarantee on March 18.

Judy Lam, an intern with the Pierce College Counseling Center, offered a 30 minute presentation and spent another 30 minutes addressing questions that explained the intricacies of the TAG program, which is designed to ensure acceptance to a UC.

“The reason for the TAG program is because colleges really want transfer students, and this is the way to get them in,” Lam said. “For the most part, transfer students are people who haven’t been able to get in right away, and this is a second chance for them. Colleges don’t want to miss that.”

A student who fulfills the TAG requirements and maintains satisfactory conditions with the UC campus of their choice will be offered admission without

exceptions.“It takes off a lot of stress,”

speech therapy major Jessica Larios said. “It’s something to stop thinking about and lets you focus on classes. You’re not stressed about transferring anymore.”

However, the TAG program is limited. GPA and course completion dates vary across each campus, some higher and earlier than others respectively. Certain campuses, such as University of California Berkeley and University of California Los Angeles have never been involved throughout the program’s history, and University of California San Diego will withdraw after the 2014-2015 TAG cycle.

“I don’t know if they’ll phase out TAG,” Lam said, dismissing the possibility of other campuses leaving the program. “UCSD decided to withdraw because they think they’re so impacted and they have so many applicants applying there.”

Additionally, the requirements for the TAG program have increased over the years for many campuses. For example, University of California Santa Barbara,

University of California Irvine and University of California Davis all previously had their TAG GPA set at 3.0. They have since raised the requirement to 3.2, although University of California, Santa Cruz remains to keep the original intact.

“If for Santa Cruz you get a 3.0 and your English and your math done – you’re in,” political science major Tomas Morales said. “That’s great. I never even knew that was possible. In high school, you never heard of that.”

The current matrix is outdated so students interested in the TAG program should check the UC’s transfer website throughout the summer for the updated 2015-2016 TAG cycle requirements.

Students can also use the UC’s online Transfer Admission Planner, a tool meant for organizing coursework. The TAP can add up total units, sort classes from various community colleges and calculate GPA.

Applications for the TAG program open in September and students will have to apply as a regular applicant in November.

“Transfer students provide a different perspective in the classroom,” Lam said. “A lot of the time, if they only look at high school students, they miss a lot of really good students and people who have a lot to offer.”

For additional information including last fall’s TAG requirements for each campus, visit http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/guarantee/.

UC colleges crave transfersWorkshop helps take the stress o� obtaining a higher education

“The reason for the TAG program is because colleges

really want transfer students, and this is the way to get them

in.”-Judy Lam

Counseling Center intern

Nadine Gostantian / RoundupDRIVE: Students lay on cots as they donate blood at the at Great Hall.

Matt GottesmanRoundup Reporter

ASO hosts campus blood drive Monthly appearance by American Red Cross

Jordan Utley-ThomsonRoundup Reporter

Rolf Schleicher, Pierce College vice president of administrative services, and an avid bicyclist, understands the need for transportation, but recognizes that it can have its consequences.

“I bike all the time, so for me I understand where they’re coming from,” Schleicher said. “As a bicyclist, I know how dangerous it can be. Anyone who rides bikes knows that as well.”

College administrators said verbal reminders and current signs have failed at stopping rule breakers, including Pierce College student Amber Clark, who rides her skateboard on the Mall.

“It’s their only way of transportation,” Clark said of

students like herself who choose to ride their boards.

Clark was not opposed to the proposal of new skateboard docks, but only if they were located in what she considered to be reasonable places.

“They should be placed next to gyms or the botanical gardens,” Clark said.

No plan of action has been finalized but the future of student riders’ class-to-class transportation at Pierce could soon be in jeopardy.

“We are trying to find a middle ground that works best for the campus,” said Schleicher. “We’re not trying to cater to people with special interests. I have to keep [the discussion] as open as possible but prevent people from getting angry or injured.”

[From SENATE, pg. 1]

New signs, old policies

A big concern for faculty members is the cost of a single LMS.

“If you look at the cost today for Pierce to use ETUDES, it would cost us over $100,000 a year,” Joseph Perret, professor of computer applications and office technologies, said.

A possible manual transferring of data from one system to the other is also a concern for Perret.

“Moodle makes our classes rich and vibrant and there is so much stuff available for the Moodle environment,” Perret said. “Etudes is a lot simpler.”A concern from faculty member

Amy Sirott, associate professor of computer applications and office technologies, is whether the new LMS would still be offered for all of the classes taught at Pierce.

The taskforce is searching for ways to keep the system available for both online and web-enhanced classes, according to Bass.

“I am fighting for that,” Bass said. “Any LMS we are looking at would get an enterprise license for the district so that all classes would be able to use it.”

There is no certainty on whether Moodle would remain the governing LMS, according to Bass.

“We don’t know which LMS it would be,” Bass said. “A request

for a proposal would go out and any LMS could bid for it.”

The state has a proposal that might implement a district-wide LMS and additionally a state-wide system.

“If there is a state LMS, we may all actually be able to use it for free,” Bass said. “So, we are not moving forward right now.”

If a single LMS is brought to a vote, all faculty members will have a chance to vote, according to Bass.

“The main focus is student success,” Bass said. “It’s not about saving money at all. It’s really about what is best for the students.”

Campus-wide power outage [3/31]

A campus-wide power outage is scheduled for Monday, 3/31/14 from 5:45a.m. and 6:30p.m for repairs. Pierce will be closed during this time to students and staff.

Center will host job fair [4/3]

The Career & Transfer Center will host a free job fair on April 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Employers will be hosting on-site interviews and students are encouraged to bring their resumes.

Graduation rentals

Students can rent their caps and gowns for graduation at the Book Store until May 1. Rental prices begin at $55, and there will be a 10 percent discount at the register. Students are required to wear a cap and gown to participate in the graduation ceremony.

New exhibit at art galley [3/20]

The new art exhibit, Access Ukiyo-e, opens Thursday, March 20 in the Pierce College Art Gallery with an opening reception beginning at 6 p.m. The exhibition will run through April 23.

New theater production [3/28]

The Los Angeles Pierce College theatre 2013-2014 season continues with “Incorruptible” beginning Friday, March 28 through Sunday, April 6. Ticket prices are $12 for students and seniors and $15 for general admission. For more information, call (818)719-6488.

Cesar Chavez Day [3/31]

The campus will be closed on Monday, March 31 in honor of Cesar Chavez day.

CSUN SUMMER SESSION

Summer 2014 Forecast:

summerSession 1

summerSession 2

summerSession 3

JULY 9–AUGUST 19(6 weeks)

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Carrlyn Bathe / RoundupSENATE: Larry Kraus discusses future plans for bikes and skateboards.

[From LMS, pg. 1]

Possibility of unifying online systems

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The walls of this office are bare. A few boxes are still packed with what will fill the empty bookshelf.

The occupant of this faculty office moved in last semester but hasn’t had time to properly settle in.

Marra Kraemer has been an adjunct professor at Pierce College since 2001. This is her first year as full-time professor in the English department, previously having been a part-time instructor at the college.

This year held another first for her as she recently returned from maternity leave after giving birth to a baby girl, Cora Jane Kraemer.

“I was pregnant in the interview,” Kraemer said. “I was so grateful and happy to be hired. At the same time it coincided with a major life change, which was a little difficult but the staff here, the faculty, the English department has been very welcoming and helpful with the transition.”

Kraemer didn’t start out studying English. While in college she initially began as a pre-medical major, but with one year left before graduation she came to a conclusion about her educational path.

“I was a year away from finishing when I realized I hated pre-med, and I thought ‘well that’s ridiculous why would I do that for the rest of my life if I hate it now’,” Kraemer said. “I went to see a counselor in tears because I had one year left and I didn’t know how I was going to finish.”

While reviewing her options Kraemer discovered that she could build a different degree on other classes that she had taken. These clases hadn’t been for her original

degree, but instead for her own enjoyment.

“We looked at my transcripts and it turned out I had done all the English prerequisites and some of the major classes as electives,” Kraemer said. “I had just done them for fun and I really enjoyed them. Of course what I was going to do with it once I graduated I had no idea but as soon as I switched I loved it and I loved the classes and it just felt like home.”

Chair of the English department Donna Accardo said Kraemer takes great care in getting the best out of her students, pushing them to succeed.

“She is known for how much she cares about her students and how much she wants them to succeed,” Accardo said. “Her standards are very high, which is great. She expects a lot from her students but she does everything possible to help them meet those standards.”

Fillip Shaposhnik, a 21-year-old

student, is a Political Science major in Kraemer’s English 102 class. He finds Kraemer’s classes appealing because she involves the students in the discussions.

“She is very enthusiastic and fun. She explains everything pretty well,” Shaposhnik said. “I really enjoy her as a teacher, it’s too bad I can’t have her for more classes.”

Kraemer’s involvement at Pierce College goes beyond the classroom. Along with wanting to help her students, Kraemer wants to benefit the school as a whole.

“I do a lot of committee work,”

Kraemer said. “I work with the student success committee, which is really a nice part of being a full time faculty member, being involved in politics and improving the campus.”

Pierce College seems to be a perfect fit for her, according to Kraemer. She said she feels at ease here on campus.

“It is such a nice community,” Kraemer said. “We’ve got a very diverse student population, which is very similar to the high school that I grew up in so I feel really comfortable here.”

ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014Features 4Teacher takes on new roleNew full-time professor returns to teaching a� er maternity leave

Club 411: F.A.S.T. cars shared at showNew group on campus brings community together through automotive technology.

From coast to coast on horseFormer Pierce College student shares her story of passion for equestrian trails and adventure outdoors

Gina Woodring / RoundupBABY: Professor Marra Hamma Kraemer holding her offi ce hours on the fi rst day of spring at Pierce College with her fi ve-week-old baby, Cora Jane Kraemer, after returning from maternity leave.

Richie ZamoraRoundup Reporter

At just seven years old, riding horses and trailing through the dirt roads is what one former Pierce College student lived for.

Gillian Larson is not only passionate about becoming a science professor, but also an accomplished young women who travelled the 2,600 mile route on the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT).

“I’ve been riding horses since seven and my current horses, Shyla and Takoda, since 13 and 15. I decided to do the trail over the summer,” Larson said. “I’ve been daydreaming of riding from coast to coast my whole life.”

The PCT spans the United States from Mexico to Canada, venturing through a variety of states including California, Oregon, and Washington. Even though she has completed this route, the journey does not end there.

“There’s another trail guys around my age did. It’s a trail that takes you around Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and Montana,”

Larson said. “That’s seems like an awesome trail ride.”

Larson is 22 years old and has been doing trail ride-alongs since she was 11 years old. When she decided to do a trail by herself, Larson’s mother was nervous but knew her daughter was strong enough to do it alone.

“In the beginning she wanted me to do a smaller trail. But now, I’m trying to go as far as I can. But she is very supportive and she has been the one to figure out the logistics: food and water,” Larson said. “She has been like my support crew.”

Her mother has been there since the beginning and seeing her grow and mature into a brave young woman has made her a delighted mom.

“I didn’t think it was possible. But apparently it is. I never really was worried about her. I know she is smart and capable of doing it,” said mother Jodi Johnson who is an English professor at Pierce College.

The PCT Association is a nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to protect the Pacific Crest Trail and also provides CPR/First Aid training, hiking, chainsaw training and more.

“It’s important to protect the experience of the trail and to ensure that it is what is intended by the people who envisioned it,” said Trail Guardian and former PCTA board member Nick Donnelly.

The Pacific Coast Trail Association is always accepting new volunteers and makes sure that on their trip food, and sometimes camping gear, is provided.

Gillian Larson starts graduate school this Fall of 2014 at CSUN. But until then, she will keep on riding.

Caleb Johnson / RoundupAUDI: Alfredo Escobado, a 20-year-old member of the F.A.S.T. Club in his silver Audi during the club meet at OCD Chemicals.

“Her standards are very high, which is great. She expects

a lot from her students, but she does everything possible to help

them meet those standards.”

-Donna AccardoEnglish Department Chair

Mariah SherriffeRoundup Reporter

“I never really worried about her. I know she is smart

and capable.”-Iodi Johnson

English Teacher and Larson’s mother.

From shiney custom cars to beaters only for transport, the Feature Automotive Service Technicians (F.A.S.T.) club had it all at their most recent meetup at OCD Chemicals in Panorama City on Friday, March 21.

The F.A.S.T. club is one of the newer clubs on campus, boasting 60 total members and around 20 active members. The club meets on Tuesdays in Applied Technology Room 3040 at varying times depending on plans.

President of the club Dennis Collatos says their mission is to provide an environment to encourage “gearheads” and transform the automotive students into mechanics.

“We just started last year, so we’re trying to build, build, build,” Collatos said. “We’re aspiring technicians.”

Some members have even found jobs through teachers at the school, encouraging those in the

field and pushing others to learn.“Pierce has actually helped us

join the workforce doing what we love,” Collatos said.

José Barrera is one of the club members, a 26-year-old Automotive Technology Services major. He has been part of the club since its inception, and is now their Public Relations Officer.

“It’s a field that will never stop growing,” Barrera said, explaining that there is always room for people to join the field and enjoy themselves.

Other automotive clubs from the community joined in as well, among them the group from OCD Chemicals, a California State University Northridge club.

Dan Poppell is another one of the founding members. Even though he’s no longer in the club, they still spend time together in and out of club meetings as a friend for the other members.

“What we wanted to do is to make sure that you’re doing it right - that’s a common goal we all share,” Poppell said. “I think that’s what really sets us apart.”

Caleb JohnsonFeatures Editor

Club CalenderWednesday, March 26The Psychology Club will have a fundraiser at 7:30 to 11:00 a.m.Alpha Gamma Sigma will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. in BUS 3206.The Political Science Club will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. in the ASO Office.

Thursday, March 27The Anthropology Society will meet from 12 to 1 p.m. in CNC 3808.Alpha Gamma Sigma will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. in BUS 3206

Monday, March 31The Vegan Club will be having a potluck to honor Cesar Chavez Day at Shadow Ranch Park.Habitat for Humanity will meet from 4 to 5 p.m. in BEH 1309.

Tuesday, April 1The Architecture Club will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. in AT 3808.The Business Economics Students Association will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. in the ASO Office Conference Room.

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Briefs compiled by Caleb Johnson

ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014 Arts & Entertainment 5

Every fall semester for the last six years, Associate Professor of Architecture Beth Abels takes a group of students on a trek from one end of the Los Angeles River to the other.

This select group of architecture students go on the trip as part of a design studio course of the river. The course involves researching and touring the river, and leads up to eventually drafting centers to mark headwaters.

“In this city, there’s maybe a thousand people who know a lot about the river, and Pierce architecture students are 40 of those thousand people,” she said. “I think that’s so cool. I love that.”

A practicing architect, Abels received her first taste of working as an educator right after she had her first child. At the time, she was volunteering at an elementary school.

“It wasn’t like I was thinking,

‘Oh, I should be a professor.’ It kinda just happened,” she said. “I found I really liked it.”

She discovered the job opening for Pierce College’s architecture program through a Craigslist ad, and, when accepted, started in 2008.

“I thought it might be fun to teach full time and I was ready for a change from my practice anyway, so it seemed like a good switch,” she said.

Because of her heavy workload as the only full-time architecture professor at Pierce, she has been forced to take on less building projects. She plans on getting her practice up and running again in the next year.

“I feel like I’ve been at Pierce long enough that our program is running relatively smoothly,” Abels said.

She credits her passion for architecture to her affinity for art and desire for social justice, a trait that she inherited from her activist parents.

This zeal is passed along to her students by going the extra mile

as a professor with the LA River-centric class.

“The L.A. River’s been ignored pretty well,” she said. “It can be this fabulous asset for us as a city.”

This fact has stuck with architecture major Juan Becerril, 21, who took the class with Abels during fall 2013.

“A lot of people look at the LA River like it’s a giant water drain,” he said.

Through the course, she’s able to teach her students the importance of relating the area they are in to the surrounding places, as well as the city as a whole.

“For architecture education, it’s very important to understand what the layers are and how things are connected,” Abels said. “Almost like when you think about the structure of a body, with the veins and arteries and flesh and bone, cities are like that.”

Abels says that while the LA River has been more accessible these days because of ongoing resurgence, in the past there have been areas that were closed off to the public.

“I’m careful. I don’t take my students to those places, but there are places where you think you’re going in and you find out you’re not supposed to be there,” she said. “We’ve been pretty lucky.”

She says that although none of the students who have taken the class have moved on to work directly with the LA River, they have been able to incorporate what they’ve learned into their next career or educational choice.

The class also personally impacts the students who take it.

“Many of my students have transferred to architecture programs where their expertise with the LA River is what made them a desirable candidate,” she said. “I have a lot of students who are becoming experts in sustainability, and that expertise comes from their developing this understanding of how water systems work.”

Michaia HernandezSpecial to the Roundup

The Pierce College Art Gallery opened its doors with a Japanese flair using paper lanterns, tatami mats and floor pillows to present hundred-year-old woodblock prints, from the Edo period of Japan, on March 20.

The `Ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) were generously donated to the Pierce Foundation and are now part of Pierce’s permanent collection.

“The prints were found in boxes in a garage,” said former Director of the Foundation for Pierce College Dennis Washburn.

Washburn facilitated the exchange by appraising the work and filling out a charitable donation form.

Featured student co-curators Heather Bourse and Grace Culbertson installed the show with the help of Art Professor Monika Del Bosque.

“This is the first time the gallery has ever had student curators,” Del Bosque said. “The prints themselves span over 100 years of the Japanese woodblock printing tradition and I am incredibly excited to share them with the public.”

Culbertson and Bourse have been working on this project as an independent study under Del Bosque for the past three semesters.

The collection is seen as fine art, and examines the art form and beauty of the traditional woodblock printing process. It also tells the story of how prints functioned within Japanese society at the time they were made.

“The exhibit took me back to Japan,” art major Michelle Basche, said, “and perfectly reflected the precise patience, eloquent design and profound beauty which is found in the culture.”

Aside from the great masters,

each print became a collaboration of four experts: the artist who designed the prints, the engraver who carved the blocks, the printer who inked and pressed the woodblocks onto hand-made paper and the publisher, who financed, promoted and took care of distribution.

The art in its original form were posters, advertising theater performances and brothels, or portraits of kabuki actors. With time, Ukiyo-e subject matter expanded to include famous romantic vistas and eventually, in the final years of the nineteenth century, dramatic historical events.

Being on display in the show enlivens the prints to become a vibrant reflection of yesterday’s Japan, and today’s life.

The Pierce College Art Gallery is located on Art Hill in room 3301.

The show will be open from March 20 to April 23 Mondays and Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Theater ads become artU k i y o - e n o w p a r t o f P i e r c e a r t c o l l e c t i o n Lynn LevittRoundup Reporter

Quartet hits high notes with audienceConcert series draws a crowd as Pierce features musicians on the Art Hill

Rolling down the L.A. RiverAnnual trip the city’s aqueduct enriches education

Nicolas Heredia / RoundupSOUND: UCLA’s Gluck String Quartet performing at the Thursday Concert Series.

Lynn Levitt/ RoundupART: Martaza Sandoval, art student, reads through Asian art culture books.

“The exhibit took me back to Japan.”

-Michelle BascheArt Major

Nelger Carerra / RoundupTRIP: Professor Beth Abels leads the trip to the L.A. River every year.

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The UCLA Gluck String Quartet performed a stellar presentation for Pierce College in a jam-packed music hall at the Concert at Pierce event March 20, sponsored by the Pierce College Associate Student Organization.

James Bergman, music adjunct and host of the Thursday concert events, started off the recital with his praises.

“They [UCLA] have an amazing program,” Bergman said. “We’re glad to have the Gluck String Quartet perform for us at Pierce.”

The group, Amy Tang, Timothy Chin, Theo Ma, and Andrea Yu, is composed of two violinists, a violist, and a cellist respectively. The quartet delivered a moving performance for the people in attendance.

Playing compositions by Mozart, George Gershwin, and Tchaikovsky, the quartet showed their musical versatility while

feeding off the energy from each other and the audience. The group did a total of seven compositions.

Starting the concert was Mozart’s Divertimento in D major. The classical composition epitomizes chamber music, gradually picking up pace and leading with riveting violin riffs.

During the performance, the group broke down each composition and provided information as to which instruments served what purpose.

Ma talked about the pros and cons of playing the viola in chamber music and in music as a whole.

“It’s kind of a hard position to be in,” Ma said. “The violist is more of a pace setter, it doesn’t really stand out as much as the other instruments.”

Another composition they performed, Rhapsody in Blue, resembled the score of an old Tom and Jerry scene, with several changes of pace and a pizzicato interlude which fell right in the middle of the song.

For their last composition, the group performed a medley of 50’s era R&B, doo-wop, country, and rock n’ roll hits. This composition was especially interesting because they’re not normally performed in a chamber music fashion.

Along with their performance, the quartet cellist Yu offered perspective to the audience about the specific mind sets that the composers were in when they created their music.

“Apparently Mozart liked to party,” Yu said. “Were these composers writing these pieces because it came from the heart? Or was he writing them to support his habit?”

Altogether, the quartet’s talent and execution brought culture to the audience while still managing to give a great performance.

The Ruslan Biryukov trio is set to play at the next Thursday concert March 27, in the 3400 Music Building. with the doors opening at 12:45 p.m. and free admission.

Jeffrey HowardRoundup Reporter

Photo Essay6 ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014

The Pierce College Art Gallery recently showcased Japanese woodblock prints that were gifted to the school. Previously

an unseen collection found in a garage, the first public viewing opened March 20, on the Art Hill near Parking Lot 6.

The Japanese art of Ukiyo-e was developed in the city of Edo (now Tokyo) during the Edo Period (1615-1868). This time refers

to a relatively peaceful 250 years, during which the Tokugawa shoguns ruled Japan and made Edo the shogunal seat of power.

The merchant class turned to art and culture as an arena at which they could participate on an equal basis with the elite upper classes. The

early prints were spare and monowchromatic, printed in black ink only, some with minimal hand-coloring. Later works were built up in

layers of printed color. Some prints featured embossed areas created by the interplay of pressure, carving, and paper texture. Ukiyo-e

attests to the unrivaled craftsmanship, technical excellence, and spectacular results that artists were able to achieve in woodblock printing.

Grace Culbertson and Heather Bourse are the fi rst two students to co-curate at the Pierce College Gallery Ukiyo-e exhibit, March 20.

A glimpse into the Past

Right: Former Director of the Foundantion for Pierce College, Dennis washburn talks about the art pierces.

Photographs and Copy by Lynn Levitt

Left: Cut-outs were made for children to express their percep-tions of the vibrant colors of the woodblock prints.

ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014 Sports 7A hero on and off the fi eldFormer serviceman provides experience to Brahmas baseball team

It was a surreal moment to be playing baseball on the Pierce College men’s baseball team, when in 2012 this left fielder was a

staff sergeant in Afghanistan only talking about baseball.

Jeffrey Wright, 27, worked in his uncle’s truck shop, servicing his fleet of trucks. His cousin had just gone for a second tour to Iraq.

“I just felt a little bit of guilt that there’s all these guys doing second and third tours. I figured I just should take at least one somebody’s tour away so they can stay with their family,” Wright said. “I always wanted to go (in the service) growing up and the two things met at the same time. So that’s why I joined.”

Staff sergeant in the 2-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Wright was a section leader and a platoon sergeant in an anti-tank platoon of heavy weapons, machine guns and I -Taz missiles.

“I deployed to Iraq in 2008 to ’09 and then I deployed to Afghanistan in 2012,” Wright said. “ No, (I was) not really scared. I mean there were times I’m sure I was scared, but your training kicks in and wanting to get your boys home takes over that fear and dismisses it.”

Stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Wright was sent on a four month rotation. It was a specialty mission that, when called on by the Army, a soldier will deploy anywhere in 18 hours. Wright got called up on June 2, 2012 and by June 14 he was in Afghanistan. It is a tough question to answer, if Wright killed anyone in battle.

“Everybody is shooting so you don’t really know,” he said.

When his tour of duty was up it was definitely tough to make a decision whether to stay or go.

“I was in a good place in the Army. As staff sergeant you’re up there in the ranks,” Wright said. “You are almost a career guy, but with the war dying down I felt like it was time.”

He needed to come to school and help out the world in a different way.

“I still have all that camaraderie, so baseball is a great team sport and the military reminded me a lot of baseball all the time,” Wright said.

Eric Bloom, assistant coach of the Pierce baseball team, was Wright’s best friend growing up. He told Wright he should come out and play for Pierce, when Wright didn’t know where he would be after a decade of not playing.

“Jeff and I were best friends from the sixth grade. We went to Noble Middle School together, then I went to Cleveland and Jeff went

to Sylmar High School and played baseball,” Bloom said.

One of Bloom’s best memories was winning the Best Wave of the Day and Wright winning the Dog Heat on the Ventura surf. Both competitive by nature, it was only right they would end up together in a competitive team sport.

“I reach on the air a lot because I think the defenders see me and they don’t expect me to be that fast, but my nick name in high school was ‘White Lightening’ so I am quick down the base paths,” Wright said. “I’m still shaking out cob webs, you know I haven’t seen a lot of curve balls in the last ten years – little hard to pick up, but I control what I can control and that’s the hustle: the part that might get me on base or get me a hit. But it’s my own. It’s as good as that.”

Athletic Director Bob Lofrano said that he would hope these young guys, younger than Wright, listen and pay attention. It is a pretty good lesson, but maybe they don’t have to learn that way (in the service). God forbid they would have to learn it that way.

“From a coach’s standpoint it’s good to have someone like that. That brings maturity, and it brings more focus, because he was dodging bullets. Now he is just dodging the fast ball. It is a total difference,” Lofrano said.

Wright laughs when talking about his game stats.

“I definitely lead the team in hardest 90’s down the line,” Wright laughs. “Batting average is somewhere around the Mendoza line.”

The “Mendoza Line” was

created as a clubhouse joke among baseball players in 1979, when pro ball player Mario Mendoza’s average was always within a few points of .200 either way. Wright is batting .230.

As far as being a role model for his teammates, he shares these words:

“I think they all respect me a lot. I’ve always been the kind of leader to have power people around me; I try to help these guys have their own leadership voice,” Wright said. “I kind of guide them on the back side, not too vocal, but when they need a kick in the butt, like your mom telling you to clean your room, I’ll definitely be there to tell them to do that. These guys do a good job of being leaders themselves. I think that is why we are so successful as a team.”

It seems like years since the Brahmas’ baseball team has had something to really be proud of about itself, but this season the diamond has been hot.

The Pierce Brahmas are not only contending for a playoff birth and are second in the Western State Conference northern division, but they are playing with a style and flair that hasn’t been seen since former Brahma, now Oakland Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp flashed the leather.

First off, the Brahmas hitting numbers are off the charts. As a team the Brahmas lead the state, in team batting average. That’s right, not in conference but the state hitting 324. They are ranked second in on-base percentage and third in slugging percentage. If that is not impressive enough, the Brahmas have six players that are hitting over 350. Combine that with a pitching staff that has had four quality starts in a row during the recent winning after struggling during the beginning of the season, the Brahmas now have a recipe for getting wins.

Pierce’s baseball team now has finally arrived. They have won four in a row and recently annihilated the number five ranked Allan Hancock Bulldogs scoring 26 runs in the two game sweep including going all the way up to the Bulldogs kennel and scoring 16 runs showing that this Brahmas team can now compete with any team on a daily basis.

The freshman now are showing that they have the ability to play at a high level. Much maligned former Chatsworth High School stars, shortstop Austin Peters and pitcher Harsa Prahara have become mainstays for the Brahmas. Peters after getting off to a slow start has

embraced his role as being not just a productive hitter with a now .358 batting average, but his defense has massively improved too. During the win against Santa Barbara he made big plays including a game saving leaping catch in the ninth inning. Better yet he didn’t commit an error against the third ranked team in Southern California and his poise and confidence is growing with seemingly every game he plays.

Harsa Prahara has shown maturity much like Peters, but on the mound. His command of his breaking balls are now helping a Pierce team that are slowly but surely becoming a team that can not only hit the ball, but can deliver solid starts and keep teams at bay. He is leading the Brahmas in victories and is now showing that he can go deep into ball games.

Now the Brahmas have the ultimate test coming up this week. After playing the Santa Barbara Vaqueros on Tuesday, the Brahmas get to square off against the Oxnard Condors on Thursday March 27 and Saturday March 29, with the game on Saturday at home. The Condors are ranked second in the Southern California rankings and feature one of the top pitchers in the state Patrick Weigel who throws a 95 mph fastball.

Last time the Brahmas played the Condors, they were swept in the two games they played getting outplayed in every aspect of the game. However during this stretch the Brahmas have gone on, they have proven that they can not only score runs, but now the pitching is coming alive. The recent outing from freshman right-hander Harsa Prahara who went seven innings and gave up only three runs, is proof that the Brahmas are now becoming a complete team.

A showdown with first place on the line against Oxnard this week. The Brahmas are out to prove that they are they a competitive team.

Pierce will need everything they have shown during their recent run and they can only hope things will be different this time.

James Channell / RoundupPATRIOT: Jeff rey Wright was a leader of men as a Staff Sergeant in the Army.

Former athletic trainer returns to playing fi eldPennsylvania native helps CSUN form women’s lacrosse team

Atheletes sometime sacrifice what they love to play for the betterment of their lives. For Holly Sirotta, she had to stop playing her favorite sport lacrosse to come to California for an affordable education at Pierce College. Now at California State University Northridge, the former athletic trainer’s assistant has found her passion and is back to playing lacrosse.

Sirotta is from Philadelphia, Pa. where she first discovered her love for lacrosse when she was about seven years old.

“My sister played before me, I followed her,” Sirotta said.

Sirotta played varsity lacrosse at Arvington and Hempfield High School in Pennsylvania and moved to Los Angeles in 2010 to study kinesiology, sports science.

After completing her degree at CSUN, Sirotta plans to transfer

to either Temple College in Philadelphia or the University of North Carolina located in Chapel Hill, N.C. But there’s one problem with North Carolina.

“North Carolina doesn’t have a lacrosse team,” Sirotta said.

Sirotta loves lacrosse. She started playing when she was about seven years old, and now plays goalie for the Women’s Lacrosse Club for CSUN. Not only does she play on the team, she is also president and founder for the Women’s Lacrosse

Club, which is new to CSUN.“We became official in

December, 2014,” Sirotta said.Including Sirotta, there are four

members of the Lacrosse Club and their coach.

Their coach is 21-year-old Gabriela Gomez, a forensic anthropology major at Pierce.

She started playing lacrosse when she was 14 years old. She played defender for the variety team at Glendale High School and the Granada Hills Club Team.

“Lacrosse has anyways been a big, big assign of mine. It’s a great way to relieve everyday stress. It’s a great sport, I encourage anyone to play it ,” Gomez said.

Kirsten George is 19 years old and plays cover point on the team. She played lacrosse in high school but likes it better in college.

“It’s easier in college because it’s a club team, George said.

For full story visittheroundupnews.com

Meghan McGillicuddyRoundup Reporter

Lynn LevittRoundup Reporter

Ethan Hanson

Scooby’sCorner

Assistant Editor

Photo: Diego Barajas

Good times for baseball team

Jason Sudds / RoundupGOALIE: Holly Sirotta stands in front of net at CSUN.

ROUNDUP: March 26, 2014Sports8Baseball (10-8-1, 3-3) Softball (0-8, 0-3)

P I E R C E S P O R T S S C H E D U L E

March 20 @ Hancock 2:30 p.m.

March 22 vs. Santa Barbara 1 p.m.

March 20 @ Cuesta 1 p.m.

March 25 vs Ventura (DH) 1/3 p.m.

Swimming/Diving

March 22 WSC Meet #3 Dive

Tennis (8-4, 2-2)

March 20 vs. Ventura 2 p.m.

March 25 vs. Riverside 2 p.m.

Men’s Volleyball (4-8, 1-4)

March 19 @ LA Trade Tech 6 p.m.

March 21 @ El Camino 6 p.m.

Off ense stays hotBrahmas baseball team spear Vaqueros 12-5

After gaining a five run lead in the fourth inning, the Pierce College baseball team

did not lose any ground until taking the win with a final score of 12-5 against Santa Barbara City College on Saturday March 22.

The Brahmas kept the Vaqueros at bay from the beginning of the game, only giving up one run in the first four innings and letting them only an inch closer to a tie in the sixth, ultimately pulling the rug out from under them in the bottom of the eighth.

Heading into the game, Pierce and Santa Barbara were tied for second place in the Western State Conference North Division.

With the win Pierce is now in second place in the Western State Conference Northern Division.

Pierce is now the leading the entire state in batting average with the team hitting .324. The Brahmas are also second in on base percentage at .410 and fourth in slugging percentage at .404.

SBCC’s Connor Mc Manigal led the Vaqueros with two hits in three at bats and led the team with two RBI’s.

The Brahmas’ came out and played very well according to Pierce head coach John Bushart.

“Any time you beat a quality

opponent like Santa Barbara is a great win,” Bushart said.

The Vaqueros earned the first run of the game in the second inning and held the lead until the bottom of the fourth inning.

It was during the top of the eighth inning that the Brahmas sealed the win when they pulled off a 6-3-5 double play keeping the score at 7-5.

During the bottom of the eighth, Pierce infielder Joe Christian hit a ground rule double which scored two runs and totaled up the runs to five for the inning.

The score after eight innings was 12-5 and would stay that way until the end of the game.

The Vaqueros are now 5-4 and sit in the third spot in conference and are 16-7 overall. Pierce is now second in conference standing at 6-3 and 13-8-1 overall.

Although SBCC lost head coach Jeff Walker believes they did have

one good thing out on the field: their sweet red uniforms, Walker joked.

“We played fine. They’re a hot team and they just played better than us,” Walker said.

Pierce starting pitcher Harsa Prahara, who pitched for the seven innings, has been doing a better job in his last three starts and doing better, according to Bushart.

“I was just confident. I always know that the defense is going to have my back,” Prahara said.

Prahara credits the team’s performance to its practice.

“I think everyone did well,” Prahara said. “Our offense came through, defense came through, and we had good pitching today.”

Pierce will play against Santa Barbara again on March 25 on their campus and will play against Oxnard on Thursday March 27 at Oxnard and Saturday March 29 at Pierce.

The games against, the second best team in Southern California Oxnard, will be crucial for the Brahmas as they have a chance to take over first place. Pierce is not ranked in the top 20 teams in Southern California.

With Santa Barbara on the Brahmas’ tail, Pierce must win in order to keep a better seeding heading into the postseason.

The baseball team’s next game will be on March 27 on the road against Oxnard at 2:30 p.m.

Jesus CastroRoundup Reporter

Caleb Johnson/ RoundupSOLID: Brahmas starting pitcher Harsa Prahara pitched seven innings, giving up three runs on fi ve hits and struck out four batters.

“Our offense came through, defense

came through, and we had good pitching today.”

-Harsa PraharaStarting pitcher for Pierce.

Divers make a splash at ValleyVolleyball team loses in straight sets against El Camino

In their last meet before the Southern California Swim and Dive Championship two divers representing Pierce College competed against Los Angeles Valley College, Santa Monica City College and College of the Canyons on Saturday March 22.

“It’s a small niche, they all come out of club diving or gymnastics,” Josh Foster, the diving coach for Pierce College said.

All eleven divers competed on the low dive for the first round.

One diver, 19-year-old Kevin Kichik, is in his first semester on the dive team and came out of gymnastics, according to Foster.

Jovany Gonzalez, 19, started diving when he was in the ninth grade at Cleveland High School in Reseda, Calif. this is his first semester diving for Pierce College. His major is undecided, though he is leaning toward business. When he transfers, he wants to transfer to a UC with a good dive team.

“It’s pretty fun, but there is always room for improvement,” Gonzalez said.

Even though there may always be room for improvement, the two men made a comeback according to Foster.

“Jovany overcame the reverse 1 1/2 obstacle. He hit the (diving)

board about two and a half weeks ago and it’s been a challenge for him to feel safe and confident to perform that dive,” Foster said.

Gonzalez performed his dive well and earned second place with 168.55 points in the first round. Kichik placed first with 206.5 points.

Peighton Hall, who was diving for COC, placed first in the women’s division with 206.5 and Veronika Oleynik, who was diving

for SMC, placed second with 117.6. Oleynik is an accounting major

at SMC. Like Gonzelez she wants to transfer to a UC that has a good dive team.

“I didn’t think my dives were all that good, I’m usually best at somersaults and dives,” Oleynik

said.In the second round, only six

divers competed in the high dive. Luke Wesselhoff, who was

diving for COC, placed first with a time of 194.35. Kichik placed second with a time of 185.3 and Gonzalez came in a close third with a time of 184.25.

In the women’s round, Hall placed first again with a time of 139.5, Annie Gomez, who was diving for SMC, placed second with a time of 102.85.

“The divers competed their hardest on both boards today,” Foster said.

Meghan McGillicuddyRoundup Reporter

Nelger Carrera / RoundupDIVE: Kevin Kichik, 19, took fi rst place in the 100 meter diving competition at Valley on Saturday, March 22.

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Sports briefsSoftball Tennis Men’s volleyball

Pierce College’s three-game losing streak finally ended, defeating newcomer LA Trade Tech College 3-1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-22, 25-22). It was the Beavers first meeting ever against the Brahmas who are in their first season of competition. The Brahmas are 5-9 with a 2-5 conference record while the Beavers fell to 1-13 and have not won a conference game.

The Brahmas failed to finish a game, losing to Cuesta 28-0. Pierce fell to 0-11 with an in-conference record of 0-6. Cuesta is now 19-9 and lead, the Western State Conference Northern Division with a 6-1 conference record. Pierce will play a doubleheader at home against Ventura on March 25 starting at 1 p.m., then will play Oxnard March 27 at home at 2:30 p.m.

Pierce’s tennis team, after winning six of its first eight matches of the season are on a two game losing streak, recently falling to Grossmont 6-3 and have dropped three of their last four matches.

The Brahmas next matches will be all the way in Fresno, where they will be playing in a tournament starting at 1 p.m. on March 28.

“It’s pretty fun, but there is alway room for improvement.”

-Jovany Gonzalez.Pierce College diver