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A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION Volume 120 - Issue 12
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Authorities Isla Vista killer once attended Pierce investigate Elliot Rodger month took computer class in 2009 old sexual Matt Gottesman battery Roundup Reporter incident The 22-year-old man who killed six people, wounded 13 and took his own life near U.C. Santa Barbara Friday in a premeditated rampage previously attended Pierce College, according to Pierce records. In his manifesto initially obtained by ABC affiliate KEYTTV, “My Twisted World,” Elliot Rodger wrote that he attended class at Pierce. Dean of Student Services Marco de la Garza confirmed Rodger enrolled in Computer Science 501 in the fall of 2009. “The place reminded me of Taft, though the people seemed nicer and the environment was less intimidating,” Rodger said in the manifesto. Attempts by the Roundup to reach Professor Robert Grogan, who taught Computer Science 501 in 2009 were unsuccessful. The London-born Rodger said in the manifesto he moved to Woodland Hills early in life where he went to Pinecrest and Farm School, now Woodland Hills Private School. “The town of Woodland Hills has great significance in my life,” Rodger wrote. “My 5-year-old self at the time could not imagine how significant this place will eventually become for me.” Rodger also attended Topanga Elementary Charter School and spent a semester at Moorpark College after leaving Pierce, he said in the document. Amanda McNutt, a Pierce student and water polo coach of Veronika Weiss, one of Rodger’s victims, grieved for her teammate at the swimmer’s memorial at Westlake high school Monday. “She did whatever she could for her team. Anything,” McNutt said. “She’d give you the shirt off her back. She never thought of
Genna Gold Managing Editor
Nicolas Heredia / Roundup
A UCSB student writes words of encouragement in chalk at the I V Deli Mart in Isla Vista on Monday, May 26 where Christopher Ross Martinez was shot and killed in the planned mass murder by Elliot Rodger. herself. She always thought about everybody else.” The Roundup respected families’ request to not enter the memorial, but McNutt said the pool deck lights were turned off after the crowds cleared and the swimmer’s friends swam with glowsticks and played catch in remembrance of their teammate. Before the memorial, McNutt expressed how difficult losing her teammate was. “It’s [going to] be pretty hard today.” McNutt said. “If it had been somebody else and not her, she would be the one there that would be picking it all up.” Residents of Santa Barbara paid their respects to the victims at multiple memorials with flowers, candles, chalk drawing, and vigils. Daniel, a 20-year-old UCSB student who withheld his last name, contributed to the memorial chalked on the street in front of the Santa Barbara delicatessen riddled from Rodger’s warpath. “This could have been any one of us,” Daniel said. “And the fact
Nicolas Heredia / Roundup
Students embrace each other at the memorial site for Christopher Ross Martinez inside the I V Deli Mart in Isla Vista, Calif., on Monday May 26. Flowers were placed in the window where bullet holes remained at the since opened deli. that he had 400 rounds of bullets in his car, it really shakes me up.” Pierce College has a behavioral intervention team where faculty and staff can document students who they are concerned about. “I think the behavior intervention
team is our best defense at this point in time. I think what’s important for the students to understand is that if they see something of concern or hear something of concern is that they tell the faculty member and then that person can turn around and file
the report,” Health Center Director Beth Benne said. Benne said she would like to see more training on campus about safety and mental illness. “There is such a fine line between the rights of the mentally ill and the rights of everybody else who might be in danger and is it fair to assume that everybody with a mental illness is a potential time bomb? No, it’s not at all,“ Benne said. Feminist club founder and secretary Michelle Borsco offered a different perspective based on information released in Rodger’s manifesto. In the manifesto, Rodger goes into detail about his failed interactions with women in the past. “A lot of people are saying the shooting happened because of mental illness, and that may very well play a part in it, but there are plenty of people suffering from mental illness that aren’t shooting up schools,” Borsco, 25, said. “This was definitely fueled by misogyny and men’s feelings that they are entitled to women and their bodies.”
Year of club presidency prepares student for speech
Student commencement speaker prepares for graduation Marissa Nall News Editor A year of working with the Club Council and the Associated Students Organization (ASO) around a packed schedule of classes and the stresses of being an international student has prepared Krishna Ayungao for a variety of challenges. This year’s graduation will feature Ayungao, the president of the Club Council for the academic year 2013-2014 as the student commencement speaker. Ayungao, who submitted her speech alongside several other active members of the ASO and student bodies, continues to fine-tune her speech with help from professors and hindrance from
her nerves. “I try not to think about it until it’s actually here,” Ayungao said. Her time at Pierce and as Club Council President has thrown many demanding situations her way, she said, but taught her a lot about how to manage a hectic schedule. “I was taking 18 units every semester and I don’t work because I’m an international student, so I can’t work outside of campus. It was pretty hard catching up with all the deadlines,” Ayungao said. “My first semester here was probably the first semester that I dropped from a 4.0.” Much of her work, however, has given her a taste of event planning, contributing to her goals after Pierce. “I want to be an anthropology professor but short-term I kind
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Krishna Ayungao poses in front of the Bull on the Mall on Monday, May 26. Ayungao is the student commencement speaker at this yearʼs graduation. of want to work in a project management setting or an organizing setting because I like organizing events and managing
SPORTS: Top 5 athletes for the fall 2014 Semester
things,” she said. “I discovered that I really love being pressured and I like the thrill of doing events.” Her projects for the last year
have included such campus events as The Halloween Carnival, the Spring Festival, the Club Council Chill Out, and, most recently, the ASO and the Club Council Banquet. Gus Sandoval, the current ASO president, worked with her on several of these projects and was happy with the results of the year. “It’s been my pleasure to work side-by-side with her. Krishna has definitely displayed a lot of leadership and organizational skills with regards to various club council and ASO events that she planned,” Sandoval said. Ayungao also worked closely with the clubs to streamline processes on campus for them. “She has also instituted several programs with various different clubs as far as getting them the appropriate knowledge on how to submit the appropriate forms, paperwork, and other activities,” Sandoval said. [See SPEAKER, pg. 4]
A student was the victim of an alleged sexual battery on the Pierce College campus on April 30, according to a crime report released by the campus Sheriff’s Department on May 26. The crime was reported May 24, and the incident is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau. Further information will be provided as soon as it becomes available. The Special Victims Bureau can be contacted at (562) 946-8531 for any questions or information. Safety Tips: The Pierce College Sheriff’s Department suggests to always be aware of your surroundings and do not hesitate to call law enforcement if you feel threatened by anyone. In case of emergencies, the campus is equipped with “Blue Emergency Phones” that connect directly to the campus Sheriff’s station or call them directly at (818) 719-6450 or 311 on a campus phone.
Annual speech contest
Winners to receive cash prizes Nadine Gostantian Roundup Reporter The annual Speech Tournament, initiated last year by Michelle Silver, professor of communications at Pierce, will take place again this year on May 30, 2014 in the Village Room 8342. According to Silver, all current Speech 101 students can compete and have a chance to win cash prizes and students can also earn extra credit by just attending the Speech Tournament. The Speech Tournament will be in two categories: informative and persuasive speaking. First place winners will get a chance to win $200, while the second and third place winners will win $100 and $75 respectively. Silver advises students to check with their speech class instructors about obtaining extra credit for their courses. This is the second annual Speech Tournament at Pierce. According to Silver, last year’s was a success, with hundreds of students participating in the event.
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