ROUND OUNDUP www.theroundupnews.com
Woodland Hills, California
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 116 - Issue 2
March 7, 2012
One copy free, each additional copy 50¢
Early enrollment offered to foster students
Priority registration for adopted children Melissa Trahin
mtrahin.roundupnews@gmail.com
Foster youth members will be offered priority registration and special services starting summer 2012. The foster youth services program provides support services to children that have been through events in their Ava Weintraub life that caused them to suffer. Some Save Education: Nearly 200 students rally outside of West Valley Occupational Center against the upcoming vote by the LAUSD to cancel adult education programs. of the problems with these children have to do with the displacement from family, schools and multiple placements in foster care. “The goal is to give them a fair advantage with all the other students,” David Follosco, dean of Students Services, said. “In order to do that priority registration was put into the program.” “We have been doing a huge letployed people can learn skills to help Priority registration allows qualified schools”. Kevin Reynolds ter writing and email campaign to them become employed.” students to register for classes ahead of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is kreynolds.roundupnews@gmail.com board members,” Karen Hribar, The rally began at 10a.m., and new students. doing nothing to prevent the cutting adult education teacher for 27 years, already had a large crowd of protesIn addition, special services like of adult education programs, medisaid. “We serve a very important tors by 10:15a.m. including faculty counseling, tutoring, note-taking cal billing student Stacy Stein said. Nearly 200 people gathered part of the community.” and staff members. assistance and seating arrangements The protest was prompted by an outside West Valley Education The protest was scheduled to last “We want the community to will be offered. upcoming vote on Tuesday March Center to protest the possible until noon. know that we want to be here,” There are four groups of students 13 that would decide the fate of the cancelation of adult education For the two hours it lasted cars Deborah Thompson, teacher of adult that can take advantage of priority district’s adult education programs. programs in the Los Angeles Unified drove by honking there horns while education for 35 years, said. “We registration and they must all qualify The LAUSD board will vote to School District(LAUSD). protestors continued their loud are an invaluable part of the comunder their programs: disabled students, reduce funding to adult education The crowd, which was comprised Ava Weintraub Extended Opportunity Programs and chanting. munity.” by $200 million. of the school’s faculty, staff and The voices of the protestors could Vet: Marine Veteran Brian Adult education schools provide Services students, veterans, and foster “I think they should just raise our students, held signs with slogans be heard by students across the street Seligman holds up a sign as he youth. vocational education for veterans, tuition,” Stein said. “We need the like “Dump Villaraigosa” and “No in the Village area at Pierce College. participates in Tuesdayʼs rally. young adults, and laid-off workers. Although there are many factors schools to stay open so that unemmore cuts” while chanting “Save our in students that can be taken into consideration to be given special services such as early enrollment, some students agree that it is necessary and fair to the groups that are given that chance. “I may not always get the classes I need, but the people that get the benefit [priority registration] deserve it, they Today, the farm has 20 cows, 12 sheep, no should feel just like any other student,” nology students in the San Fernando Valley Lior Haykeen pigs, 33 chickens and only 3 workers. Carol Medel, a marketing major and Los Angeles without an opportunity to lhaykeen.roundupnews@gmail.com “There is no imminent threat of the farm student, said. obtain hands-on experience in treating anibeing closed down,” Kozeracki said. Many students on campus struggle mals. The Pierce College Farm, the only urban The cost of feed per day for the animals is to get classes every semester due “No one is going to go to a doctor who’s community college farm in Southern Califorabout $90. to budget cuts. Some think early only watched surgeries on television or in nia, is undergoing a financial crisis as a result “We could feed more animals with that enrollment for these certain groups can movies,” he said. “Likewise, no one is going from budget issues plaguing California commoney, but we don’t have enough workers also affect the amount of time it takes to hire a manager of a farm or operation unmunity colleges. and I don’t have money coming down from to graduate. less they have the hands-on experience.” If the farm does not gain resources within the sky,” Shapiro said. “Many students that are given this Without the farm, students would be ina month, Pierce will have insufficient means In past years, the farm earned money from opportunity don’t take advantage capable of competing against other students to feed the cattle, sheep and chicken, accordmovie shoots on the farm and a profitable of it and its not fair to the rest of us. in the country when applying to graduate ing to Dr. Leland Shapiro, head of the Agridairy. Seniors and students with a high GPA schools, UCs or CSUs, Shapiro said. culture Department. Eventually, the college requested to reshould also get priority to pick classes,” “I love my students,” Shapiro said. “They The college will be forced to shut down ceive a part of the income from the movie Andrea Meneses, 20, a political science have to work so much harder than any other the farm, which is home of dozens of animals shoots. Today, the farm only receives 20 permajor student, said. student just to get the work done.” and many dedicated students. cent of money paid for usage of the farm for According to Follosco, the college Tanisha Naido, pre-veterinary major, “It will be wrong to raise animals here if filming. follows the decisions of priority chose to attend Pierce over a community colwe can’t treat them humanely,” Shapiro said. In addition, when on-sight filming causes registration under the state law lege closer to her hometown of Redwood City, “But we’re broke.” accidental damage to the farm, the Agriculmandated by the California education Calif., because of the Pre-Veterinary program The college administration, on the other ture Department is forced to pay to repair it, code. and the tools it offers its students. hand, insists that there is no intent to close Shapiro said. Priority registration serves a “[The farm] has helped me a lot,” Naido the farm. The school also decided to close the Pierce purpose for these groups and that is said. “ [We have] the animals, and get hands“There is no imminent threat of the farm College Dairy to save money, Shapiro said. to help them achieve their educational on experience. If the farm closes, we won’t be being closed down,” Dean of Research, PlanJose Romero “Actually, this costs money because the goals with less difficulties; the foster able to learn the way we do.” ning, and Enrollment Management Carol Horse: Horse in stables at Pierce College dairy was the only part of the farm that was youth program will be given that When Shapiro began his work at the farm Kozeracki said. Farm near De Soto Avenue at night. profitable,” he said. opportunity to the students that qualify 40 year ago, it provided a home to 450 cattle, If the farm does close, it would leave ag[See Farm on page 3] under the requirements. 250 sheep, 250 pigs and 6,000 chickens. riculture, pre-veterinary and veterinary tech-
LAUSD to vote on adult education Hundreds protest the possible cancellation of adult education
Future of college farm now in question Animals may be sold, Pre-Vet classes possibly canceled due to budget cuts
Did you know? Pierce College will have a new women’s water polo team beginning next fall semester.