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INSIDE
Roundup
Editorial: Parking problems persist Pg. 2 News: Board of Trustees vacancies Pg. 3 Photo Essay: Spring into Action Pg. 4 A&E: Student publishes first book Pg. 5 Sports: Women’s Basketball score Pg. 6
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 118- Issue 1
February 27, 2013
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Transfer blog aims to inform students New website made to help
Nicole Pinto/Roundup
npinto.roundupnews@gmail.com
Carlos Carpio/ Roundup
VICTORY: Pierce College men’s basketball team celebrates the win of 75-73, as Alan Hancock players walk off the court on Feb. 23, 2013 in Pierce College’s South Gym.
Brahmas end drought
Pierce men’s basketball team wins first championship title in almost 40 years Javier Meliton/Roundup
jmeliton.roundupnews@gmail.com
W
hile having a tough first half, Pierce College men’s basketball team played hard in the second half and defeated Alan Hancock College on Saturday to win the Western State Conference Championship. After a long 39 year drought, the Brahmas won the Western State Conference Championship and are heading to the playoffs after defeating Hancock College 75-73 making decisive free throws down the stretch. Hancock had a chance to win the game with 21.7 seconds left on the clock and a one point lead until a controversial over the back foul was called on Hancock sending Pierce forward Codye Hatcher to the free throw line. “They (Hancock College) were a good team and they came out competed and played hard,”Assistant coach Jason Cunningham
said. “Funny thing about it is coach was standing up in front of me and I couldn’t see through him so I can’t really tell you what happened down there, I’m just happy we got the ball.” Brahma point guard J.R. Williams started off the first half struggling but managed to pick it up towards the end of the half by making layups and a three pointer. Pierce forward Terrel Funches agreed Williams was big for them. “He was huge he made a lot of adjustments like taking the ball to the basket, getting key guys open for the shots, penetrating to the basket, getting fouled and shooting free throws and was a big help for us winning the game,” Funches said. “At halftime we cut
down on them and stopped them from getting rebounds.” The controversial call on Hancock shooting guard Demetrius Thomas gave him his fifth personal foul meaning he had to sit out the remainder of the game. Thomas was torching the Brahmas from the three point line hitting his last three shots from outside. “I think the referee made the right call, he used his elbows to clear space which is an offensive foul. We got the foul made two free throws and went up by one point. It was the right call,” Funches said. Pierce starting wingman Donte Williams played every minute of the game and was aggressive throughout the game. He was a big
“We expect nothing less than a State Championship.” -Myles Mungcal
factor in the Brahmas second half by scoring a huge corner three to bring the Brahmas up by one with a minute left. “They were playing harder and we didn’t play hard enough and kept scoring back and forth, but in the second half we stepped the defense up,” Williams said. “I pretty much picked my spot and my teammates knew where I’d be and all year I been shooting the three’s and it was pretty much just knowing each other and picking a spot.” Pierce wingman Myles Mungcal understands the playoffs are next for the team and expects great things from this team. “We expect nothing less than a State Championship,” Mungcal said. The Brahmas celebrated with glass bottles of juice in the locker room and will now head into the playoffs with aspirations of winning the State Championship. Pierce plays Palomar in Playoffs March 1.
LACCD chancellor resigns District seeks successor after announcement Michaia Hernandez/Roundup
mhernandez.roundupnews@gmail.com Carolyn Arredondo/ Roundup Attendees at the Day of Politics in the Great Hall on Tuesday, Feb.26, 2013.
Day of Politics
Candidates running for varying positions in the March 5 local elections spoke during the Day of Politics in the Great Hall, Tuesday. Jeff Bornstein, who is running for city controller, spoke about the different aspects of the job, as well as his qualifications. “I want to change the way the government and city officials act,”
he said. “I’d be out there every single day saving people money.” Other speakers during the politics-focused event included Pierce student Michael Iascone, who spoke about the different marijuana initiatives on the ballot for the elections and Tom Oliver and Nancy Pearlman, who are running for the same seat in the district’s board of trustees.
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The Los Angeles Community College District chancellor announced February 19 ,that he will be resigning from his position, effective June 30. “The Chancellor who leads this… district must take the long view and make a long-term commitment, something I’m unable to do,” Chancellor Daniel LaVista said in an email circulated by his office. LaVista adds in the email that he wants to “pursue other opportunities that combine my professional and family interests.” Because the district’s Board of Trustees only received affirmation of LaVista’s decision today, it is still premature for any concrete plans to already be in place with regards to finding a replacement, said Perrin Reid, executive assistant to the chancellor. LaVista became chancellor for the LACCD Aug. 1, 2010.
P I E R C E The Pierce College Weather Station has provided meteorological data to national agencies since 1949. The information in this graph was gathered from weather.com
John Gutierrez/ Roundup
Chancellor Dr. Daniel LaVista in LACCD board room Feb. 20, 2013
W E A T H E R
The Career and Transfer Center (CTC) at Pierce College has created a blog to provide students with instant access to tools that can make the transfer process to a fouryear-university easier. Irene Shvarts, graduate intern with the center, created the blog as another web resource where students can find more information on what the CTC has to offer, according to Sunday Salter, director of the CTC. “Essentially the blog talks about upcoming events including workshops, when different college representatives come in, and different tips on how to select a college that is right for you,” said Shvarts. The blog, which is updated weekly, is a quick, easy and accessible way for students to get the information they need on how to transfer, according to Shvarts. Nonetheless, the CTC has had a hard time to get the news out there for students. “My main goal right now is to get it out there, because of the budget cuts in paper and the problems with the emails, we haven’t gotten the information out,” said Shvarts. Another issue that the CTC has on campus is the lack of participation from students. “Part of our problem on this campus is that students come here to take classes and go home, they don’t come to be a part of the community or even attend workshops,” said Salter. “We have a hard time getting students to come in to attend workshops because its extra time they have to dedicate.” Mohammad Cazi, a Computer Science major who has attended Pierce for nearly a year and a half, has never gone to the CTC, and did not know the blog existed. This is the case for many of the students at Pierce, given that from its thousands of enrolled students the blog has only been seen by 400 people. Pedro Salcedo, an Electrical Engineering major who has attended Pierce since the summer of 2011, was a little more familiar with the center. “I have heard about the Career and Transfer Center from my personal development class I took my first semester at Pierce, but I have never been to the center myself,” said Salcedo. The center offers events regularly, they range from workshops to visits from college representatives that help out students with the transfer process and any concerns they might have. “The Transfer Center helps to be the middle man between the university and the student. It is there to help the student through out the application and transfer process,” said Shvarts.
R E P O R T
Wednesday Feb. 27 High: 73° Low: 48°
Thursday Feb. 28 High: 77° Low: 50°
Friday March 1 High: 80° Low: 50°
Saturday March 2 High: 79° Low: 53°
Sunday March 3 High: 74° Low: 47°
Monday March 4 High: 73° Low: 46°
Sunny
Sunny
Sunny
Partly Cloudy
a.m. Clouds
Sunny
Tuesday March 5 High: 70° Low: 45° Mostly Sunny
Wednesday March 6 High: 71° Low:45° Partly Cloudy