www.theroundupnews.com
Woodland Hills, California
A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Volume 125 - Issue 11
Page 7: Brahmas beat Rustlers
ROUND OUNDUP
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Gender equity: one stall for all
Gender neutral restrooms to be added by March 17 RANDI LOVE Sports Editor @Randi̲Love29
G
ov. Jerry Brown mandated an amendment of Assembly Bill No. 1732 to include gender inclusive restrooms, according to an announcement made during the Pierce College Council meeting on Nov. 17 by Director of Facilities Paul Nieman. It will take effect as of March 1, 2017. “The President [Kathleen Burke] wants to do it as soon as possible, but we’re waiting to hear from facilities,” Nieman said. Nieman said the Division of the State Architect (DSA) must weigh in on when the changes can be made to the facilities on campus, but some people are ready to get it done. DSA provides design and construction oversight for K-12 schools, community colleges and various other state-owned and leased
facilities, according to the California Department of General Services. Director of the Health Center Beth Benne does not see a problem with the changes being made to the restrooms on campus. “I don’t see it as being a big deal,” Benne said. “My suggestion was to get rid of the urinals and make them all unisex. To me, what difference does it make? If you’re in stalls and if there’s a man next to you, or a woman next to you or somebody that is gender nonspecific, what difference does it make? The stalls are private. So, I think everybody needs to be comfortable.” The law stands to include all single-stall restrooms, but Athletic Director Robert Horowitz is concerned it could extend showers and athletic locker rooms as well. “It’s an administrative decision. It doesn’t affect athletics in any way unless changes bleed out into other areas, then things can become uncomfortable for some,” Horowitz said. “Unless they change the single-
use showers, then we have an issue. What’s the difference between single-use bathrooms and single-use showers, if you look in the long run?” Leonard Ramirez, athletic trainer, said as far restrooms are concerned, it shouldn’t matter who is using them. “You can say all the bathrooms have stalls, the doors and everything. If you walk by can you tell if there’s a man or a woman in there without [looking]? So, does it really matter? But showers, that gets a little interesting there,” Ramirez said. Nieman said all new restrooms will include gender inclusive restrooms and current single-stall facilities on campus will change to include nonspecific signage. “A gender inclusive restroom does not have to be single-user stalls, it can have three stalls in there. One men, one women and one gender inclusive. People can choose whichever one they like,” Nieman said. “The signage is going to be expensive as they have to include Braille and wheelchair accessibility.”
Benne said that the Student Service Building is new, built in 2010, and it doesn’t have gender inclusive restrooms. “I did get an email from a counselor, she asked if we knew the location for the gender nonspecific student bathrooms and I told her I don’t think they are ready,” Benne said. “In her email, she had indicated that right now there are only faculty [gender nonspecific] bathrooms, and I didn’t even know there were gender nonspecific faculty bathrooms and apparently, you need a keycard to get into the faculty bathrooms.” Ramirez remembers when he worked as a construction worker and only men were employed. The restrooms catered to men, but when women began working for the company, they didn’t tell the women they couldn’t use the restrooms. “No one said anything. These are our bathrooms. It’s fair for everyone,” Ramirez said. Benne said that the health center has a single-stall bathroom and
Graphic by Taylor Arthur
everybody uses it without complaint. According to Benne, the Health Center has one bathroom inside and everyone is able to use it without questioning. “You go in because you need to give a urine sample or you’re a
patient here and you need to use the bathroom,” Benne said. “We all get along just fine because it’s a singlestall bathroom and nobody cares.” rlove.roundupnews@gmail.com
Historical insight in modern time Outage leaves Fences explores racial barriers in family drama campus in dark
Campus black outs leave students in the dark SALVADOR FARIAZ Editor-in-Chief @s̲fariaz
Taylor Arthur / Roundup
Victoria Hubbard (Rose) stands behind a screen door while Lester Purry (Troy) and Jean Hyppolite (Cory), argue on the set of “Fences” on the main stage of the Performing Arts Building at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.
RICHARD ESPINOZA Reporter @Richard6515789 Drama takes the stage, transcending time with themes of overcoming social norms and a universal tale of familial bonds that speaks to audience members across the spectrum with the production of August Wilson’s “Fences.” Set in 1950’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the story follows the life of 53-year-old garbage collector Troy Maxson as he struggles to provide for his family. Troy, one-time home run king of the Negro Baseball League, grapples with his past and his youngest son, Cory Maxson. Cory, an emerging football star, sees the world though different eyes. Troy must come to terms with his past dreams and opportunities that were denied to him due to the color barrier, or risk tearing his family apart. “What I love about this play is that it makes you think of your
culture, other people's culture and the diversity, because we are living in a time that is very relevant,” said stage manager Karen Ashley. “I am so happy we are doing this.” Director of the production Valorie Grear said that she decided to direct the play because it is an mportant work that speaks to a diverse audience as well as students. The characters of the play include: Troy Maxson (Lester Purry), wife Rose Maxson (Victoria Rene Hubbard), best friend Jim Bono (Stan McDowell) , youngest son Cory Maxson (Jean Hyppolite), brother Gabriel Maxson (Cliff Ingram), eldest son Lyons Maxson (Kevin Linell) and 8-year-old daughter Raynell Maxson (Kiarra Beasley). Wilson’s play provides insight into a time period when discrimination was rampant against people of color and it inspires everyone to see the heart of the human spirit, Grear said. “When I read this play I understood something that I have not understood
before, and I have experienced something that I have not experienced before and become immersed in a work that had the power to change me after I read it,” Grear said. McDowell explained how Wilson’s plays are unique in that he shows something that hasn’t been seen on television or even in movie theatres. “It's a play that actually gives voice to African Americans during a time period when they haven’t had a voice. That's the great thing about it because he does it in a artistic and powerful way,” McDowell said. Actress Hubbard loves that this play is multifaceted and that there are lots of colors within the show that compels the audience to feel a lot of different things. She mentions that the relationship between Rose and Troy will be a familiar sight for viewers. “As an audience member, I believe everyone will walk away from this particular play being able to relate to a lot of the ups and downs that Rose has encountered with Troy, but most
importantly the forgiveness and the undying love for her husband,” Hubbard said. Purry, who has been cast in numerous adaptations of Wilson’s work, said Wilson writes about every man and women in his stories. “What I think is unique about Troy is, the same that is unique of all the characters, that they really are for real when you read and perform them,” Purry said. “You actually feel, see, and here real people that either you have known or know because they remind you of someone in your family or in your neighborhood, regardless of your ethnicity.” “Fences” will be presented on Friday, Dec. 2 and continue through Sunday, Dec. 11 in the Performing Arts Mainstage. Tickets priced at $12 for students, $15 for senior citizens and $18 for general admisison can be purchased on brownpapertickets.com. rjespimpza.roundupnews@gmail.com
&
Two unrelated power outages in the past three weeks caught many students and faculty offguard. Classes were cancelled after the blackout on Nov. 9 but classes were cancelled at professor’s discretion on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Power went out on campus around 6:24 a.m. this morning Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. According to Maria Moe, spokesperson for the Department of Water and Power, she said it is a single phase condition and it could have been a blown jumper. “We’ve received information before 8 a.m.” Moe said. “There are currently crews on Brahma Drive.” According to Deputy Barreras, this power outage is not related to the recent power outage that occurred on Wednesday November 9, 2016. Pierce College associate professor of library science and department chair, Paula Paggi, her staff informed her about the outage before she received an a message from the college. “Thankfully we have cell phones, my staff contacted me before we opened and said everything just went down,” Paggi said. “My staff is here at 7 a.m. to prepare. I connected with my dean who connected with vice president, and will let us know if we should shut down the campus or should open, so I let my staff know immediately what to do.” According to Paggi, when the power went out this morning the emergency lights went on and Paggi is hoping the power will be restored for afternoon events she has scheduled. “We’re keeping people informed, I’m keeping informed with my dean and VP,” Paggi said. “DWP is working on it, hopefully it will be up soon, that
SAMANTHA BRAVO News Editor @sammybravo93
was about 8:45 a.m.” When Paggi arrived to campus, she saw about 10 DWP trucks parked on Brahma Drive and Winnetka Ave, near the agricultural area on campus and is hoping they are working on it. According to the Falafelicious owner Ofir Bass, when the power went out this morning, they called in the food truck to campus because they can’t operate without power. “We can’t make food so we called in our food truck. It’s affecting us big time,” Bass said. “They’re keeping us updated, they’re coming every 20 minutes and letting us know.” Pierce College student Lislie Abac, arrived to campus but she was not informed about the power outage. “Someone told me near the library, I didn’t know until I came in today.” The power went back on around 10:13 a.m. Please check with your instructor about additional information.
“We’re keeping people informed, I’m keeping informed with my dean and VP. DWP is working on it, hopefully it will be up soon, that was about 8:45 a.m.” -Paula Paggi
Department chair of library science
sambravo.roundupnews@gmail.com