www.theroundupnews.com
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Woodland Hills, California
Volume 120 - Issue 11
INSIDE
UP
We B.U.I.L.D. Club..............................................Page 4
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Photo Salon: Showcase for photography students, Page 5
Weather station director dies
Professor’s legacy remembered Tracy Wright Editor - in - Chief Raymond Garcia Online Editor
Studentsʼ photos displayed on the second floor of the Library and Learning Crossroads for the 37th annual Photo Salon on May 14.
Raymond Garcia / Roundup
Pierce among top ranked in state
College reported as No. 14 of 19 top transfer community colleges in Calif. Meghan McGillicuddy Roundup Reporter
P
ierce ranked among 19 community colleges that sent about half of its students to a University of California, according to the University of California (UC) Transfer Action Report that was reviewed at the Pierce College Academic Senate meeting on Monday, May 19. The UC Transfer Action Report surveys the community colleges across California and tallies how many students transferred to a UC school. Santa Monica City College was ranked number one, with 783 students transferring to a UC between 2012-13. Other schools, such as Feather River College, only sent one student to a UC, according to the report. “They really need to improve the scope of where they
are getting their transfer students from,” said Sunday Salter, director of the Transfer Center. The UC Transfer Action Report proposed that community colleges should look into improving their counselors and counseling resources in order to make the transferring process easier. “I think that counseling does a pretty good job, but they need a little help in getting the word out as well,” said James McKeever, assistant professor of sociology. In addition to improving counseling, the report suggested that colleges make it easier for students to choose classes that not only meet their need for their major, but can also be transferred to a UC school. “There is a huge push on all of our departments to modify our curriculum,” said Joe Perret, an instructor in the computer application and office technology department. Should community colleges follow through with the plan
ENCORE for student director
Aspiring filmmaker hones his craft on campus Richard Zamora Roundup Reporter
In one day on a film set he went from prop man to baby director, and the tool that set him on the path of his new career was bubbles. “Nobody doesn’t like bubbles,” said Jimmy Wagner, former child
therapist, turned director and Encore student at Pierce. “They’re like little rings of smiles.” Wagner has worked on many projects, including the film “Baby Boom” with Diane Keaton, and the television show “Friends.” It was on the set of “Baby Boom” that Wagner discovered he was able to calm a crying baby with bubbles
long enough to shoot a scene and thus began his new career. “The film came to a complete stop, everybody was going crazy, the director was pulling his hair out,” Wagner said. “I went up to him and I said ‘Can I try something?’ and he said ‘Anything you want.’” Wagner ran to the prop truck and returned with bubbles, which did
to modify their curriculum to meet the needs of the students transferring to a UC, it will create more competition between community colleges across California. “What that means for us is that we need to continue our push to make sure that we are offering the right courses for our UC-bound students and that is major prep. Their major prep is what sets them apart from everyone else during the admission process,” Salter said. One of the final things the UC Transfer Report touched on was cost. Attending a UC rather than a California State school is usually more expensive, and that has caused the number of students applying to a UC to decrease. The idea is that the change in curriculum will encourage students to at least apply to a UC. “Cost shouldn’t be a deciding factor when a student applies to a UC,” Salter said. “A student should apply to multiple colleges and then they can decide where to go based on cost.”
the trick. Wagner was even able to blow the bubbles in such a way that he directed the baby’s gaze. “The director calls me over and said ‘You’re fired. You’re never going to do props again. You’re going to direct the baby from now on’,’’ Wagner said. Wagner is currently working on a short series modeled after a “Baby Snooks”, a character played by Fannie Brice, who was a wellknown comedienne of the 30’s through the 50’s. The series has five episodes up on YouTube with ten
more still to shoot. Wagner’s goal is to reach 30,000 hits in order to gain the financing and freedom to produce his other projects. “I figured maybe we could redo it and give it a new millennium twist,” Wagner said. “And that would be to use relevancy of today with jokes and things that were current.” “I was going for the older generation, maybe people who are 40 and up,” Wagner said. [See DIRECTOR, pg. 5]
William “Bill” Russell, instructor of anthropological and geographical science and director of the Pierce College Weather Station, died from a heart attack during a surgical procedure on Monday, May 12. Pierce announced the professor’s death in an email sent out by President of the college Kathleen Burke on Thursday afternoon, May 15. Russell received the National Weather Service’s distinguished Special Service Award in 2004, and received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by Congressman Brad Sherman in 2012, according to the email. He was a member of the California Geographical Society and the Los Angeles Geographical Society. Russell joined the Pierce College staff in 1984, and in 1985 he became the director of the Pierce College Weather Station. The weather station at Pierce College has been in operation for over sixty years and is recognized by the National Weather Service. With help from students and staff, Russell obtained grants for rare sensors to record data for obtaining the most accurate statistics. Russell taught courses in geography, meteorology and environmental studies, and currently he was teaching Geography 1 and Geography 3. He had been a part of the Los Angeles Community College District for over thirty years, according to the email from Burke. Russell is survived by his two sons, Blair and Blake, and his granddaughter. Memorial will be held on Saturday, June 7. To R.S.V.P
Rick Ramerez / Roundup File Photo
William “Bill” Russell on Oct. 11, 2010
CAMPUS CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY »»» NO CL ASSES Monday, May 26 and Tuesday, May 27 «««
RUONLINE? /theroundupnews @roundupnews /roundupnews /roundupnews
PHOTOESSAY: Olympians practice
Page 6
NEWS: Spring Festival celebrates students
Page 3