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A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 118- Issue 8
May 1, 2013
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Diversity observed on campus Celebration of culture at the Great Hall May 1 Nicole Pinto / Roundup
npinto.roundupnews@gmail.com
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o bring attention to the diverse campus at Pierce College, the Diversity Committee (PDC), in partnership with the Associated Students Organization, will be hosting Diversity Day in the Great Hall on May 1 from 3 to 5 p.m. The event is free for all. “This event is for everyone because diversity is something that affects faculty, staff and students, and it’s something that should be encouraged in all of those levels,” said Christine Valada, co-chair of the PDC. The idea to create a day to celebrate diversity at Pierce came from the PDC during the spring of 2012, according to Mitra Hoshiar, committee chair. “In order to be as inclusive as possible we decided to have one Diversity Day so we could celebrate everyone,” said Hoshiar. “All different backgrounds instead of celebrating just one ethnic day per group.” The purpose of the event is to bring all of the Pierce Community together and celebrate the differences that make each one of us unique, according to Hoshiar. While people usually assume diversity is just culture, English professor Maria Bates states that diversity also comes in age, sexual orientation, and gender. “It is a coming together of different people in celebration of different ideas about diversity, not just culture,” Bates said. Diversity Day is not only a festivity, but also an event that aims to educate students on what diversity really is, and the different meanings it has for individuals. “Our objective is to showcase diversity at Pierce while educating attendees of the benefits of diversity,”
said Hoshiar. This is the second year the PDC is celebrating this day. Last year it took place in the Rocky Young Park, but this time it will be in the Great Hall. “We are trying to find a way to celebrate and commemorate this special day in some kind of exciting fashion for the students,” said Bates. On the day of the event there will be free food, dances, an open mic and tables gathered around the Great Hall, with each one of them representing a unique side of diversity, according to Hoshiar. “We are going to set up a label table where people can go and take a label that shows [for example] ‘I am a woman,’” said Hoshiar. “We are going to attach the label on ourselves and show how different we are. Everyone is going to have minimum one label.” The activities will range from cultural performances to open mics, according Bates. “There is some open mic component to it, but there is also an exercise that is going to be done to demonstrate what the kinds of diversity are,” said Valada. Different clubs on campus will be doing performances, and are also invited to speak about different subjects involving diversity, said Bates. “We are getting clubs to perform. They will mostly be doing cultural performances, but we are also inviting them to speak of subjects that they feel could help other people,” said Bates. “We have some people involved who will be speaking about gender, specially sexual orientation.” This day is about embracing diversity, Valada said. “It’s going to be an educational day for students,” said Hoshiar. “Hopefully students can take something nice from that session and they can walk away with a different perspective.”
Pierce by the numbers Total students: 29,372
ETHNICITY/RACE 5.9 % African American American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.3 % 8.6 % Asian 37.3 % Hispanic 3.6 % Filipino 0.3 % Pacific Islander 35.3 % White 2.4 % Two or more Races 6.3 % Unknown AGE Less than 20 years old 20 to 24 years old 25 to 49 years old 50 or more years old
28.2 % 33.1 % 27.2 % 11.4 %
GENDER Female Male
55.4 % 44.6 %
Information provided by the California Community College Chancellorʼs Office website
Mental health services provided by Student Health Center May is Mental Health Month David Schub / Roundup
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dschub.roundupnews@gmail.com
ay is Mental Health Month. Organizations are spreading the word that there is help out there, with services including no-to-low-cost therapy. Between attending classes, studying for exams, paying bills, tending family needs and trying to fit in a social life, the pressure can be overwhelming. While some individuals can handle the curveballs life throws them, others can’t and find themselves on a downward spiral of losing control. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, a 2010 survey of community college students found that 50 percent of respondents reported feelings of sadness, loneliness or hopelessness and more than one-third said it was difficult to function due to major depression. Additionally, 8 percent of respondents reported they had considered suicide and another 3 percent said they attempted suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, accounting for more than 1,000 deaths per year on college campuses. “Be aware though, people who have mental illness are not violent or dangerous,” according to a document from a PowerPoint presentation by Dr. Deborah Tull, director of special services at Los Angeles Harbor College. “The National Institute of Mental Health research indicates that only 1 percent are potentially dangerous.” With the technology world booming, including online mediums such as Facebook, it is now the social norm for millions of people around the world. Yet, social media can be detrimental to one’s health. Posting a status is a public journal for everyone to see, both the positive and negative. The ultimate goal of Facebook users was to be as popular as possible. A friend list in the 1,000s meant making connections and bonding with new friends over hobbies, movies, etc. However, seeing friends, either real or virtual, post their photos from Australia or a concert, accomplish a huge goal, or buy extravagant items, can give others a sense of jealousy and feelings can become worse about one’s self. Facebook and Instagram have become the newest outlet for cyber bullying by posting unwanted posts or photos in the cyber-world. Several young girls have committed suicide after fellow students have made negative comments toward and about them. California passed Assembly Bill 9 two years ago, which gives school districts the right to suspend and, in some cases, expel students who are caught bullying through the Internet, including through the use of cell phones, computers, websites and email. In 2011, the California Community College District was awarded $7 million for mental health training to help students cope with stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. The California Community Colleges have also started a program called Kognito, a 40-minute interactive session for role-playing to help not only
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BRAIN: Plastic models of brains and the upper torso of the human body can be observed in the Anatomy and Animal Science classroom at Center for Sciences 91102. at-risk students but also veterans who have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. This program will be free to college students through the spring of 2015. “We are all gate-keepers, being creatures of habit,” said Beth Benne, director of Student Health Center. “We sit near the same people in class and see the same people day in and day out. If a classmates’s behavior changes, we should be aware, be concerned and ask the right questions to help them.” With all the resources available, getting help is at one’s fingertips either in person, over the phone or even online. The last resort should be having to call 911. “There are many ways to cope with everyday stressors, including exercising, healthy eating, getting between seven to eight hours of sleep,
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 provided by our weather correspondent, Sean Clemmons.
having a good social support system, knowing when to say no to others without feeling guilty and most importantly self-management,” said Maria Preser, assistant professor of psychology at Pierce College. The Pierce Student Health Center and the Building Healthy Communities Initiative (BHCI) will be presenting the film “First Break,” a documentary that explores the impact of a “first break” in mental illness on three young adults and their families. The movie will be shown on Wednesday, May 8 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the Great Hall with a discussion followed by BHCI doctoral intern Dylan Keenberg. Pierce has three licensed psychologists on staff during the semester who work up to 30 hours a week. “Suicide is a cry for help, don’t shut the door on someone who really needs it,” said Benne.
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Wednesday May 1 High: 83° Low: 60°
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