ROUND OUNDUP theroundupnews.com
Woodland Hills, California
Do you know when your finals are? Finals Schedule page 3
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 115 - Issue 11
December 7, 2011
One copy free, each additional copy 50¢
Record breaking state champions Volleyball team finishes their season undefeated
Rodrigo Carbonel
Jose Romero
Photo illustration: Pierce student Shanni Tal peers into her future as a transfer student. Pierce leads the district in transfers.
First in transfers
ed season since Orange Coast did in 2005. rcarbonel.roundupnews@gmail.com Pierce faced elimination in two matches during the state championAfter facing elimination not once, ship tournament when they were but several times in two matches dur- down to Santa Rosa and El Camino ing the weekend, the Pierce College 1-2 and 0-2 respectively, but managed women’s volleyball team came out to keep it together and come out vicon top to capture back to back state torious. “People have to understand that championships. Despite losing key players like we had two starters that weren’t playteam captain and aces state leader ing,” said Pierce College Athletic Kathleen Wright before playoffs and Director Bob Lofrano. “Shayna and sophomore Shayna Guitare in the Kathleen blew their knees out, and middle of the season both to ACL you only play six at the time so we injuries, the Brahmas showed their had 33% of our starting unit on the toughness to overcome the challenge bench, and we were still beating this guys.” and regain their title. Several serving and defensive “It means a lot to me personally, to the program more than anything, mistakes made by the Brahmas let El and it means a lot to the sophomores Camino take a commanding 0-2 lead who basically have something to talk in the winners’ bracket game on Satabout for the rest of their lives,” said urday. Pierce won the next three sets, Brahmas’ head coach Nabil Mardini. “It’s quite an accomplishment for however, thanks in part to 2011 tourthem to win two state championships nament MVP Danetta Boykin who in a row, not a lot of people can say managed to contribute with 62 kills over the weekend, 21 in this game, that, so the feeling is very ecstatic.” The Brahmas became the first and the experience of Veronika Ban team to win back to back state titles who in the absence of Kathleen since El Camino in 2007 and 2008, Wright was the natural team leader. See VOLLEYBALL page 8 and the first to complete an undefeat-
College leads the district in transferring to universities Victor Stephen Kamont
vkamont.roundupnews@gmail.com Pierce College is rated number one in transfering students to public universities in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The number of admissions are decreasing at four-year universities and there is more competition than ever before leading to larger and more popular transfer wokshops. “High school students are coming here (Pierce) with the goal of transferring because the UC’s have reduced the number of freshman
they’re admitting which increases the transfer population,” said Sunday Salter, director of transfers at Pierce. Pierce College led the district in transfers with 4,805 students, according to the California Community Chancellor’s Office (CCCO). There are three public higher education systems in California, the California State University (CSU), the University of California (UC) and California Community Colleges (CCC). Pierce has a transfer center in the Student Services Building which
can help students gain acceptance to a four year institution. Students have been encouraged to file their paperwork as early as possilbe. “See a counselor right away, understand from the beginning that every course you take will impact the access to the school of your choice,” said Joseph Roberson a counselor at Pierce. Adrian Sondhi, 22, a representative from Cal State University Northridge (CSUN), was recently at a transfer workshop at Pierce to recruit students during an outreach
and recruitment program. “What you need is 60 transferable units, you need English, critical thinking, and math,” said Sondhi. “You also need at least a 2.0 grade point average.” Pierce College transferred 880 students to a public universities in 2010, according to the (CCCO). “Most business students transfer to CSUN,” said David Braun, department chair of business administration. “Their business school has a good reputation, a lot of major companies recruit from their graduates.” See TRANSFERS page 3
Photo Courtesy of Michael Burke
Dig:Pierce players vie for the ball during a championship game.
Assessment test show lower scores
Entry level college students now entering school below basic skill levels Kevin Reynolds
kreynolds.roundupnews@gmail.com
Assessment results 2009 Dec. 7: High 65, Low 40 Dec. 8: High 65, Low 43 Dec. 9: High 67, Low 43 Dec.10: High 65, Low 45
Assessment test results for student English and math placement levels are lower than expected for high school graduates. High schools students entering community colleges are expected to test into English 101 and Math 120/125. But the average placement levels for students who have taken the assessment exam are under the expected placement levels. “I believe it’s a reflection on the LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) from K through 12,” said Matriculation Director Miran Prochter. “I see that students who go to private schools seem to perform better.” One of the issues is the possible lowering of scores needed to pass the high school exit exam. Those allegations are denied by the
Dec.11: High 63, Low 40 Dec. 12: High 57,Low 39 Dec. 13: High 61, Low 39
LAUSD, however. “The passing scores haven’t changed,” said Jim Overturf, test operations manager. “The whole thing is scanned and scored as one and the questions change every year.” The assessment tests offered at Pierce College are optional. Students can choose to begin at the lowest levels and work up without taking the tests. However, for students who wish to graduate or transfer quicker the tests are available. Students can start at higher levels of math or English depending on how they score on the tests. But even those students taking the exams still have to start at lower levels, according to data compiled by the Pierce College Assessment Center. “There is a big disconnect between what is going on in the high schools and the colleges,” said Dean of Student Services Phyllis Braxton. “Only 13 percent of our students are placing in English 101.”
Inside Sections
Opinion: Occupy Pierce News: Finals schedule Features: Year in review A & E: Side Show Photo Essay: Different views Sports: Volleyball wins
Not all students taking the assessment tests are just out of high school; there are also students who are returning after a long reprieve. “Because we are a community college we have to take everyone that comes to our door,” said Braxton. “All we can do is try to provide classes for the students coming in.” Over the last several years there has been an increase in students taking the assessment tests, according to Braxton. Assessment tests are provided by each college. They are not standardized. Moorpark College doesn’t offer assessment tests, students are allowed to take the classes they believe they are capable of passing. “The self-placement doesn’t really help the students,” said Prochter. “Students are more likely to take classes they aren’t ready for and not pass.” See TESTS page 3
Sports Scores Volleyball vs Santa Rosa 3 sets to 0 Womens’s Basketball lost 1 won 1 Cuesta Tournament
Photo illustration by: Jose Romero
LIBRARY OPEN EXTRA HOURS FOR FINALS Sat. Dec 10 and Sun. Dec 11 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday toThursday 8:30 am - 8:30 pm Friday 8:30 am - 2:30 pm