ROUND OUNDUP www.theroundupnews.com
Woodland Hills, California
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 116 - Issue 9
One copy free, each additional copy 50¢
May 9, 2012
New buildings on the horizon Six construction sites on campus have been freed from current holds Michaia Hernandez
mhernandez.roundupnews@gmail.com
Six Pierce College construction projects will be released early from the moratorium imposed by the Los Angeles Community College District on a number of building projects late last year. The district had originally deemed 10 projects eligible for early release, but the administration decided to ask to be able to move forward with only six of them, college president
Kathleen Burke-Kelly said in a Pierce College Council meeting last month. The projects that qualified were either a remodel of an existing facility or an infrastructure project, not buildings that were looking to add additional square feet, she said. The six projects decided upon were the Performing Arts Building renovation, the Mason Avenue reroute, classroom modernization and technology upgrade of the classrooms south of the Pierce Mall, landscape and campus accessibility for both the South of Mall and the De Soto Avenue/Mason Avenue entrance, and
campus-wide utilities extensions. Among the building projects, two deal with landscape and accessibility, one deals with a student learning environment, and one deals with parking lot improvements. In taking them off the construction moratorium, the district will be expending a total of $33 million, according to the final expanded moratorium list released by BuildLACCD. The four other projects that qualified, but were not chosen, for early release are the expanded automotive and new technical
education facilities, West Central Plant, and parking lot and roadway projects by the anthropology and geography building and for lots 5 and 6. “There were some projects that we could have asked for, but there were still some issues with the remaining buildings,” Burke-Kelly said during the meeting. She cited the West Central Plant as an example. The plant is associated with the project to expand the automotive facility, but because of design awarding issues, it wasn’t one of the projects chosen to move
forward with. “I think the president [BurkeKelly] is trying to be very fair and accommodating [with the projects],” Tom Fortune, chairman of the Industrial Technology department, said. The campus now plans to proceed with looking for a consultant to help with the reevaluation of the projects, according to Project Deputy Director Ed Cadena. “[We’re applying] the measure of master planning so that we can address not only budgets and educational projects, but also be
responsible to things the moratorium is speaking to,” he said. The construction moratorium was implemented by LACCD so that they could evaluate whether or not they could afford to maintain and operate projects under its 14-year, $6 billion Building Program. “In essence, the district’s evaluation of the candidates does show that there won’t be an increase in maintenance requirements,” Cadena said. “Some, [like parking lots] don’t even involve maintenance and operation.”
Eyes looking to the future
Daily News page editor educates journalism students in Great Hall Monica Velasquez mvelasquez.roundupnews@gmail.com
Adaption to new technology was what journalism students were reminded of in The Great Hall on Monday. Hammerwold was part of the Media Arts Department Speaker Series, organized by Amara Aguilar an assistant professor of multimedia. “We bring these speakers in to share their experiences and create a dialog among what they are doing in the profession or other issues related to the media industry,” Aguilar said. During his time with the students Hammerwold discussed how the Internet has impacted his career. “The internet is the biggest threat to my profession and my career as a journalist,” Hammerwold said. He was also not afraid to tell students that people in the journalism field are losing their jobs. “We lost 45 percent to 50 percent depending on what number you look at of journalism jobs in this country over the last four years,” Hammerwold said. Hammerwold explained that professionals who are getting laid off are not willing to adapt. “If you want a job and you have the right skills this is a prime time to be a journalist,” Hammerwold said.
He spoke of the importance of being adaptable. “The internet is the single biggest opportunity for our profession and [their] career as a journalist.” One of the recommendations that Hammerwold provided was to start a portfolio and have something to show that spans years of work as opposed to just a few months. “No one wants to read your story, they want to be informed,” Hammerwold said. At Pierce College COMMA Aguilar is aware of the changing times. “In the Media Arts Department our focus is on the fundamental journalism skills no matter what format you’re using or what platform you’re using,” Aguilar said. Steven Rosenberg, a web editor at The Daily News is using technology like Twitter to help him with news judgment. “I watch it for breaking news and know how ‘important’ a story is by how often it appears in my Twitter stream,” Rosenberg said during an email interview. While the idea of Twitter is new in regards to the days of the printing press Hammerwold feels that it is just another step of the process. “I am a journalist,” Hammerwold said.
Jose Romero
Pointer: Walter Hammerwold of the Daily News speaks to a crowd of Media Arts students gathered in the Great Hall.
Weekly Weather Wed. May 9 87/60
Courtesy of Sean Clemmons
Jasson Bautista
Headliners: Latin Sol perform at Rocky Young Park to gathered students during the Cultural Diversity celebration on May 1.
Mixing food and culture
Many gather to dance and eat at diversity festival Taylor Rouch
trouch.roundupnews@gmail.com
Salsa music spilled through the speakers as a live band played for a large gathering of students during the Cultural Diversity Celebration. Food trucks featuring Cuban, American, and Mexican food were lined up on campus, allowing students to try out various foods from different cultures. “It’s interesting. I’m definitely into the music and I like the style they’re putting into it,” Anirudh Rai, who attended the event, said. Andre Morris played the trombone for the live band, Latin Sol. The lead singer, Angelo Salazar, is a Pierce student. A group of students sat watching and listening while others started dancing. “I think the music is bomb. I haven’t tried [the food] yet but I’m trying to get to it,” Angel Rosales said. The Cuban food truck featured classic Cuban food such as black beans and rice, fried plantains
Fri. May 11
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Thu. May 10
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and other treats for those in attendance. A May Day event was occurring simultaneously right next to the celebration so students were attending that as well. Paige Reimer was there to support her friend and the cause. “My friend is one of the people speaking about budget cuts and where our school’s money goes when it’s not going to the school,” Reimer said. “I just learned about May Day last Monday.” Assistant Professor of Sociology James McKeever was at the event, supporting the May Day celebration and supporting students speaking their minds. “It’s International Worker’s Day Rights, it’s celebrating all of the things we have, that we appreciate that workers and unions have fought for,” McKeever said. Students weren’t just celebrating but also using the event as a time to speak against increasingly serious budget issues and budget cuts. With a microphone and a mini stage, students protested with words. With all of the incidents surrounding students protesting, Reimer spoke out about the fear behind it now.
“All the protesting that has worked in the past is now illegal and it’s really sad,” Reimer said.
Jasson Bautista
Dance: Karen Melgar and Matt Amper Keyboard player of Latin Sol, dancing at the Diversity Day celebration on May 1.
-Inside-
Did you know?
For information about our new vice president, Alma JohnsonHawkins, see page 3.
Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would prevent students interest rates from nearly doubling. For more, visit www.theroundupnews.com