ROUND OUNDUP
A&E
ʻCheeseʼ debuts at renovated Performing Arts Building
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 | Volume 122 - Issue 5 | Woodland Hills, California | One copy free, each additional copy $1
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Students offer free tax prep
#PIERCEWIRE
Volunteers assist with VITA program
Use #piercewire to connect with us on social media. -Compiled by Seth Perlstein -Additional reporting by Harry Bennett
Spring break April 6-10, next Roundup April 22
MONICA SALAZAR Roundup Reporter @salazarmonica8 Business 10 students have learned the fundamentals of how to prepare state and federal taxes, and will offer free tax preparation Saturday, April 4, for anyone with an annual income lower than $50,000. Instructor Norachai Chawareewong has taught the class for two years. The free tax service has been offered by the The Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program. “I really want to see this program grow,” Chawareewong said. “You cannot sign up for this class twice. Many of the preparers are returning students and cannot re-enroll, and they have taught themselves to qualify for the advance certificate provided by the IRS.” Around eight students will prepare the taxes with the help of experienced volunteers for around 50 people on a first-come, first-served basis. “It’s really rewarding,” said accounting major Helen Jung Suh. “They are really happy because some people actually get money, thousands, back.” Travel agent Jackie Zhuang signed up for Chawareewong’s class to gain experience in a new field, and to have something else to fall back on. “I was just thinking of getting a side job and expanding myself in another kind of field,” Zhuang said. “I have a small business myself, but I don’t know how long it’s going to last.” Tax filers arrive at 9 a.m. with W-2 forms in-hand to help ensure a smooth process and allow for the largest refund, Chawareewong said. The VITA program’s free tax filing is Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m. to noon in BUS 3218.
There will be no classes the week of April 6 for spring break. The next Roundup issue will hit newsstands after the break April 22. What are your spring break plans? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter with #piercespringbreak.
ASO election April 21 23, first-ever e-ballot The Associated Students Organization’s (ASO) election is set for April 21 to 23, and will use electronic balloting for the first time. Links to the electronic ballots will be emailed on April 21, according to Michael McGee, ASO treasurer. The candidates will introduce themselves at the Day of Politics Thursday, April 2, from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Great Hall, and will debate in the ASO April 16 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Who will you vote for when the Mohammad Djauhari / Roundup candidates are announced? Tell Former NFL wide receiver and current offensive coordinator of the Pierce College football team Matthew Hatchette draws plays on at a mirror STOMP UCLA PRESENTS us on Facebook and Twitter with inside the Wet Class and Adaptive Physical Education room on Thursday, March 26. Woodland Hills, Calif. #pierceaso.
NFL vet to coach offense
UCLA STOMP transfer STOMP TRANSFER CONFE
SCOTT PREWITT News Editor @s̲prewitt LA Community College District Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez fielded questions March 26 at a Pierce College event dubbed “Conversation With The Chancellor.” Rodriguez addressed several issues centered around the district’s budget woes during the recession, and attempted to reassure audience members that those issues are in the past. “I’m not concerned about this year’s budget, or the following year’s, but three or five years from now,” Rodriguez said. “And the good news is, we’re finally out of the recession.” Rodriguez said between the 200809 and the 2013-14 school years, the LACCD cut its enrollment by 20,000 full-time students. He added that the district is starting to increase enrollment to pre-recession numbers. But before Rodriguez took the stage, Facilities Director Paul
conference
Former Viking, Jet, Jag joins revamped football staff MEGAN MOUREAUX Managing Editor @meganlmoureaux
G
etting drafted by an NFL team is a long shot, even more so if a player doesn’t come from a major university. But there’s a new coach at Pierce College who knows exactly what it’s like to go from a small school to playing on Sundays. Matthew Hatchette graduated from Langston University, a Division II school in Oklahoma,
and played in the NFL for six years. Hatchette brings his professional experience to the Pierce football team as the new offensive coordinator. The former wide receiver was drafted in 1997 in the seventh round by the Minnesota Vikings. He played three years for the Vikings before he played for the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars. After he retired from the NFL in 2003, Hatchette moved to Los Angeles and began teaching football camps and local high school teams. “I pretty much got into the high school football portion of coaching, and since then it’s kind of
evolved,” Hatchette said. “Now this opportunity came up through some friends out here at Pierce while training some high school kids. I decided it was a good opportunity, so I took the position.” This will be Hatchette’s first stint as a college football coach, as he mostly teaches off-season camps for Nike and Elite 11, where he works with some of the top high school players across the nation. “That kind of gives me a widespread view of the talent across the nation on this level,” Hatchette said. [See HATCHETTE, pg. 8]
Nieman and two Sheriff’s officers escorted an audibly upset former Pierce Foundation Director Dennis Washburn from the building. “This is not a way to run an airline, I’ll tell you that,” said Washburn, also former mayor of Calabasas. Pierce President Kathleen Burke took the stage after the incident and welcomed the chancellor. In her introduction speech, she made reference to the event’s private nature. “I just want to remind everybody this isn’t a public event,” Burke said. However, the event’s fliers made no reference to that, and listed only the “Conversation With The Chancellor” tagline, accompanied by Rodriguez’s name and the location, date and time of the event. Rodriguez called for questions at the end of his address. One student seated in the back of the theater asked the chancellor why there were no notifications on the vacant cafeteria to explain the absence of food vendors. Burke stepped onto the stage and redirected the question to Associate Vice President Larry Kraus. “I assume you’re talking about the fact that the cafeteria had been open at one point, and that the contract wasn’t renewed with that company,” Burke said. “Larry, is
NEWS
UCLA will educate community
college students aboutLiberati transfer “Education for strategies, its majors, student housing
and financial aid at its Student Transfer Opportunity and Mentor Program (STOMP) conference. The STOMP conference is Friday, April 24, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Do you want to transfer to Ackerman Grand Ball Room UCLA? Tell us why on Facebook and Twitter with #piercetransfer.
Friday, April 24th,2
Chancellor visits, answers audience questions Former Calabasas mayor escorted from theater
The 16th Annual
8:30am—4:00pm
The Student Transfer Outreach & Mentor Progra UCLA invites allʻMAJOR community college students in MATTERSʼ dents that have been historically underrepresent engineering seminar ties such as: students of color, low-income, firs The Pierce Counseling Faculty’s and non-traditional interested in pursing higher workshop series “MAJOR the UC system. MATTERS” Don’t miss onitsthe willout shift focusopportun to strategies and resources for a successful t engineering for its latest installment.
It will cover how to prepare for WORKSHOPS the engineering major and how to get guaranteed admission to aupdates f * Financial Aid * Admissions University of California school. with depend * AB540 information * Students The “MAJOR * Graduate MATTERS” * Admissions selection and criteria Professiona * Transfer Strategies * And more!!!!! engineering workshop is much Friday, April 3, 1 to 2 p.m., in the CTC Room 16th on thethrough first floorApril of the22nd R Beginning March Student Services Building. www.admission.ucla.edu/stompconference Share your thoughts about For more information Cristina Garcia Pierce’s contact: majors on Facebook and or Asan Twitter with #piercemajors. stomp@saonet.ucla.edu 310.206.8118 UCLA
CTC Transfer 101 Admission Co– Sponsored by Undergraduate workshops
Calvin Alagot / Roundup
LACCD Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez speaks to Pierce College at the “Conversation with the Chancellor” event hosted by Pierce President Kathleen Burke on March 26 in Woodland Hills, Calif. Larry [Kraus] still here? So you’ll take care of that Larry.” Kraus responded affirmatively. However, he had no information when he was asked about it later that day. “No, I don’t have any [answer],”
Kraus said. “I don’t have any information right now.” Rodriguez also addressed a question about whether costs to operate the cafeteria were taken into account before its construction during the recession.
FEATURES
“Uh, so, what we want to do is, you know, and, when the district was running food services through a variety of mechanisms,” he said. “It was spending, it was costing the district about $700,000 per year to do that.”
The Career and Transfer Center will host free workshops for students to learn about transfer resources, minimum transfer requirements and general education pathways. The workshops will happen Wednesday, April 1, 10 to 11 a.m. and Thursday, April 2, 1 to 2 p.m. in the Career and Transfer Center Workshop Room on the first floor of the Student Services Building. Where do you want to transfer to? Tell on Facebook and Twitter with #piercetransfer.
SPORTS
HIV/AIDS Awareness Week returned, offered free testing
Professors split salary, co-teach American Sign Language
Coaching rugby is one of this New Zealanderʼs ultimate joys
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