Considering that nothing has happened in the five years that the course has been held on campus, there doesn’t seem to be a real need to relocate it.

Removing a gun safety course from our college campus is not going to make the place any safer.

The instructor has been providing the course at Los Angeles Harbor College as well and similar gun courses can be found at Glendale City College.

Some members of the Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council, the same group that got the Heritage Days Civil War reenactment removed from Pierce, want the course removed because the basic pistol course involves unloaded firearms that they feel should not be present on college grounds.

The course has been at Pierce for five years with no incident, why is this group just now is raising concerns about it?

Some of the reasoning behind this is presented in a letter addressed to Pierce President Kathleen Burke-Kelly, including that the sight of a gun on campus might cause alarm among those unaware of the course.

But the class is held in a room with a locked doors and windows that are covered from outside eyes.

The letter also mentions that Deputy Al Guerrero was unaware of the course offering, but the instructor of the course told the Roundup that he checks in with the Sheriffs and that they are aware of the unloaded guns that he brings onto campus.

The Woodland Hills – Warner Center Neighborhood Council sounds as if they are a group of  NIMBYs, which stands for “not in my backyard.” They might have the interests of their neighborhood in mind, but their role in the decisions of Pierce College should be limited.

Removing a gun safety course from our campus because a NRA certified instructor will be using unloaded guns to demonstrate how to properly handle and maintain a gun seems a bit excessive.

If anything is to be done, a written policy outlining the procedure for introducing such a course should be drafted and voted on.

Woodland Hills has been known to experience some of the highest, ands record-breaking, temperatures during summer months.

This scorching weather is not the best for students who are walking through campus or hanging around while they wait in between classes.

Although Pierce College does have ample areas for students to sit around and hang out, most of which are not shaded or cool, including the picnic tables directly across from the Freudian Sip.

The spots with shade are very limited in number and are not able to accommodate even a fraction of students on campus.

The Roundup proposes that Pierce takes further action with regards to providing shade on campus.

Since Pierce is reopening its summer session, the campus may want to consider installing umbrellas near the benches or tables around campus.

Aside from umbrellas, Pierce could also install more water fountains on campus to help keep students hydrated.

The college could make sure every table or seating area where students sit down to socialize or eat is properly equipped with an umbrella or something to keep the tables out of the sun.

Pierce could also move some tables or benches with shade up to the art hill, where shade is exceptionally limited.

Installing more umbrellas and water fountains along with mist lines could greatly benefit the campus population during summer session. It’ll not only benefit, it could reduce any potential accidents caused by extensive heat.

The San Fernando Valley is a desert, and Pierce should seriously consider these changes to ensure their campus and students stay cool.

Since the arrival of the food trucks, Pierce College staff, faculty and students have been looking for an alternative source of food.

Pierce does not need to look far when they have a gold mine on the corner of Victory and De Soto.

Finding a slice of pizza, a fatty hamburger or a greasy burrito is pretty easy, but what about healthy alternatives?

The Roundup recommends Pierce should use what they have at their disposal to at least try and attempt to remedy the unhealthy eating options on campus..

One way they can achieve this is by using the harvest from the Farm Center.

Students have looked for something a little healthier than the heavy, fried food offered by the food trucks.

The Freudian Sip has done its best to offer healthy food options with the fruit they sell, but their small selection is not enough.

The Roundup has written several stories asking for healthier food options and since some our peers are not involved with campus life, many of us have been left with no choice but to eat what’s available.

It’s either that or wait until you’re off campus to eat.

With what seems like never ending budget cuts, Pierce understandably may not have the financial means to meet the request; after all, eating healthy is pricey.

According to the Farm Center’s website, they begin harvesting their crops in March and do not finish until November.

Some of their crops include albion strawberries, sweet yellow corn, white peaches, white nectarines, peaches and several other vegetables.

The Farm Center could make and sell fruit salads or put together small dishes using a some of their vegetables.

They could even make smoothies and milkshakes, the possibilities are endless and the income would constantly flow in, since many people at Pierce eat healthy.

The Farm Center has the healthy alternative students are looking for at their disposal, but their location is somewhat inconvenient to the student looking for a quick meal and not a long trek.

Administration could make accomodations by investing in a refrigerated cart to serve the farm’s produce somewhere a little more central to campus.

Though this would require a small fee, the Roundup feels that promoting healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle to students is worth the small costs involved.

This might be just a small step in providing healthier food options, but a small step is better than nothing.

The only online documentation of a bicycle policy is a one page PDF labeled “Bike Safety Rules” which is approved by former Pierce President Robert M. Garber and former Vice President of Administrative Services Kenneth B. Takeda, back in 2007.

This document is not easily found on Pierce College’s website.

The Work Environment Committee is currently working on a new policy, and there are some suggestions the Roundup thinks would be a benefit to students.

Rather than attempting to enforce a policy that limits the use of bikes, rollerblades and skateboards on campus, the governing bodies of our campus could push for a policy that includes them.

These rules ban the use of skateboards and skates on campus, but it also states that “No bicycle riding permitted on pedestrian sidewalks and mall walkways. Riding on sidewalks adjacent to classrooms, library, gyms, gardens, grass areas, or in any other college facilities is also not permitted.”

This section of the Bicycle Safety Rules is followed by an underlined message for students to walk their bikes within the restricted areas at all times.

It is possible that Pierce students continue to break these rules because they are unaware of the policy.

It is also possible that law enforcement on campus is not strictly ticketing for any abuses of the policy.

So what good is a policy that is not visibly posted or enforced?

Perhaps the Associated Students Organization (ASO) could draft a policy to present to the Pierce College Council (PCC) considering that many of these outlaw bikers and boarders are students.

It doesn’t make sense to exclude the entire biking and boarding population. We need a policy that works for all students, not against them.

Without a proper policy or procedures in place, people have been securing their bikes in inconvenient places, such as benches, classroom ramp rails, and light poles.

Bicycle racks would be a simple way to encourage the eco-friendly method of transportation. There is an apparent need for them in the Village and up on the Art Hill, for these locations are somewhat distant from the center of campus.

The ASO could consider allotting some of their funds for this purpose.

The ASO could also consider allotting some funds toward a bike lane along the Mall, this would ensure the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians alike by giving two wheeled travelers a path to ride down.

But what about skateboards and skates?

As for boards and skates, it can be written into this new policy that no tricks are to be performed on campus and that they should be used for transportation purposes only.

Students need to let their voices be heard in order for changes to be made.

Students now have one of the best resources available on campus.

It is not only the best, but also the nicest place to be to get work done or to simply hang out while in-between classes.

It is the students’ very own personal hub.

There are very few places on campus with soft seating, air conditioning and a silent atmosphere to relax and even get some homework done.

That being said, let’s treat it with respect.

But there have already been some incidents of vandalism at the new building.

The glass on the entrance was etched not long before the opening of the building.

It would be nice to go a month without seeing our new center vandalized or abused.

Seriously, would you treat your mom’s house that way? No? Didn’t think so.

Let’s all work together to keep the LLC looking as brand spanking new as possible.

Don’t go around skateboarding on the handrails, tagging the walls, or handling the computers poorly.

We, as students, rely on this building a lot.

And without it, it would be very difficult to study, research, relax, and more.

Remember the condition of the old library before the move?

It was dirty, dingy and many appliances were not operational, such as the outlets on the study carrels.

The LLC was expensive, and any vandalism costs money to repair, which the college might not have available to spend on maintenance.

Times are tight, and any extra expenses hurt the college, which in turn hurts the students.

Not many other community colleges have a space this nice.

So next time you’re in there and see someone messing with our hub, stop and them and say, “Would you seriously do that to your mom’s place”?

They might not care, but at least they will have to face the realization that they are disrespecting the LLC.

Let’s all do our part and help keep the Library and Learning Center as cool as can be.

All of that running around can really work up an appetite, and with Pierce College looking for food vendors to occupy the new cafeteria, an emphasis should be put on finding healthy food to offer students and staff.

While Pierce College does offer food on campus, the choices are limited to greasy food at a nearby food truck, or quick chips and a soda at the student store.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but the Roundup feels there could be healthier choices of food on campus to encourage healthier lifestyles.

A study cited by the Nutrition Journal stated that the poor eating habits of students who transition into college or university is a big concern, as habits developed in college years often persist into adulthood

And these poor habits can lead to lifestyle diseases later in life..

Pierce College only has a couple of places on campus that offer sustenance, so putting healthier choices of food in the mix could appeal to those trying to eat healthy without having to leave campus.

The Freudian Sip does have some sandwiches and fruit available, but more can be done.

This would not be a very expensive change, if the school were to invest in healthier food choices.

If anything, we could simply replace some of our unhealthy products.

Pierce could invite places like Subway, Veggie Grill or Jamba Juice into the cafeteria instead of burger and burrito joints.

The college could allow the Farm Center to bring a cart on campus and sell fruits and vegetables to students on the Mall where students might actually take advantage of the opportunity.

Some high s-chools have begun to incorporate this system for their students, to help their students stay focused and keep active.

Before CST’s, some teachers will give their students fruit drinks and trail mix before the exam, and studies have shown about 80% of school that did this performed better than others that did not.

We feel that the Pierce College students could benefit in a similar fashion.

Having healthier food choices in the new cafeteria could be a great addition to our school, and could possibly help student get back on track to leading a healthy life.

But the voice of the students in the Pierce College shared governance system, the Associated Students Organization (ASO), has been noticeably absent from the proceedings of campus government groups.

In the hierarchy of campus government, two groups are directly below the college president: the Academic Senate, the faculty’s voice regarding academic matters, and the Pierce College Council (PCC), the representatives of faculty, staff and students on policy and planning recommendations.

ASO has had spotty attendance at these meetings in the past, and under President Shane Mooney, representatives have been absent from all but one senate meeting and at least two of the last three PCC meetings, according to the meeting minutes available on their websites.

What did the ASO miss at these meetings?

There was discussion of whether or not to move away from Moodle.

The question of whether or not there will be a new student union building or designated student space was raised.

The Student Success Act was explained, which would make students who do not maintain a 2.0 GPA ineligible for the Board of Governor’s fee waiver, thus forcing them to pay the cost of full tuition.

These all touch on something that could be for or against the interest of the student body, but there was no representative present when these issues were discussed.

Though this is true, ASO has not been all quiet.

A group of students and senators took part in a march to rebuild education at the state Capitol in March.

Also, representatives who attended the Academic Senate meeting on March 4 were vocal about returning the Great Hall to student administration, and began a campaign which successfully reformed the fundraising policy.

The ASO plays a vital role at Pierce and can be an influential force on this campus, but they must put a sustained pressure and push to be heard and have their demands met.

While they are not required to attend meetings, having representatives who attend meetings where those who can approve policies can hear them is invaluable.

If the students’ voices are not heard then there is little hope that our interests will be considered, as the administration will not know what the students find to be in our interests.

Our representatives must be passionate and relentless in getting out and telling the faculty what we want and need.

With the ASO elections past, a new group of officers will be taking the reigns next semester, under whom we hope to see a larger presence in shared governance.

There can be a lot of power in the voice and demands of the student body, but it must be brought to those who can meet these demands and hear our voice.

One of the best places to do that is at these meetings.

Representatives, take charge. Your fellow students are counting on you, whether they know it or not.

Wait. The what? Where?

Exactly.

Some policies have been approved during the semester that highly affect students. For example, the district fundraising policy that is now being enforced and the new parking permit policy that is preventing students that have not paid their dues from purchasing permits.

Per the Brown Act of 1953, the minutes and agendas for these meetings are posted online, but they’re hidden deep within Pierce College’s unorganized website.

Discussions about governing procedures, regulations and policies that affect our campus and community are held during Academic Senate and Pierce College Council meetings, which are open to the public, also per the Brown Act.

While the meetings are open to the pulic, the cramped room they’re held, tucked in an easily-overlooked nook next to the Business Office, isn’t exactly inviting.

These meetings were moved from their original location in the Great Hall for the sake of convenience. Though this is understandable, it is not practical.

Public meetings should be held in a public place. The AS and PCC should return to the Great Hall: a readily visible, well-known campus landmark with room enough for all of Pierce’s voices.

This might create scheduling conflicts with the Associated Student Organization’s meetings, but, considering that the ASO should be at these meetings anyway, this might be less of a problem and more of a solution.

By combining these meetings, the ASO could learn from the faculty and staff meeting’s well-honed structure, and perhaps both parties could engender stronger communication that could benefit the entire school.

Combining these meetings could ensure the ASO would learn a thing or two about how they should be conducting their meetings, or vice versa.

To encourage shared governance, the space in which governance is taken should be shared.

In light of the recent budget cuts, Pierce College’s ten-year-old High School Outreach and Recruitment program’s team of 12 student workers was downsized to one staff member.

The Roundup understands the Los Angeles Community College District had the rug pulled from under it financially, and we feel showing potential what we have to offer would help Pierce in these times.

There’s one group in the community that needs us more than anyone else: high school students.

High school students are primarily the ones coming into Pierce and, according to a fall 2011 survey, 26 percent of Pierce students are under the age of 20.

Typically, right after graduating high school, new college students have some common questions like, “What classes do I need?” and, “Where should I transfer?”

Many high school students don’t get the guidance they need, and some don’t know what they want to study or what career they want to prepare for.

At about 18 years old, this is understandable.

A majority of high school students that go straight into a four-year colleges switch their majors more than once, or financial struggles keep them from finishing, leaving them academically stranded.

A recent survey conducted by classesandcareers.com revealed that the average undergraduate dropout rate at four-year colleges for freshmen is roughly 20 percent, and it’s rising.

This is where Pierce can help. Even though Pierce does offer classes at some high schools, more could be done.

The program could consider making presentations at local high schools, where student volunteers from Pierce could sit down with high school students and discuss what community colleges like Pierce could provide.

We have the resources. Pierce has bright, capable students who are familiar with the community college system and who can share their trials of re-evaluating important goals.

By facilitating discussion among Pierce and high-school students, we could widen the bridge and ease students’ transition into college. We could even create some bonds that could help students throughout their college career.

Community college is a beneficial in-between stage that could help any student, even if they already have a plan laid out.

It offers more than just an opportunity to save money, but it could give high school students an encouraging and positive impression of community colleges.

If Pierce focuses on helping high school students successfully transition into college, we would be helping Pierce get through these rough times, too.

If Pierce mandated an orientation orientation, it would afford students an opportunity to become better informed on what the school offers and get a running start. It may even help them better define their own goals.

Eighty percent of incoming college students have not decided on amajor, according to US News. They might not even know where to start.

Pierce offers a free online orientation for new students. And, though it hiply splices helpful information with music and video, it comes up short for students who don’t have a path in mind.

The first slide of Pierce’s orientation video says having a plan is important to fulfill educational goals a student has set out.

But the video doesn’t suggest how to go about deciding on a plan, as students cannot create an education plan through online counseling, according to the orientation.

Students who do not take advantage of in-person counseling wouldn’t be informed of what major is best for getting into what career, which classes that would entail, and what university to transfer to.

There are numerous programs geared to help students succeed, but they’re for naught if they skip orientation and never see a counselor.

The Program for Accelerated College Education (PACE) is one of these programs, which aims to help students graduate in two years with fast-paced classes. The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) helps students financially, and the Pierce College Honors Program guarantees students admission into schools like The University of California, Los Angeles.

Mandating an orientation for incoming students wouldn’t only help them get the most out of their college experience, it would help the entire Pierce community.

An in-depth orientation could allow students to get their assessment tests out of the way, enabling them to get past impacted general education classes.

Orientation could make it easier for students to know their way around campus and reduce tardiness in a semester’s first weeks.

Students could meet with clubs, sport teams, and student government representatives who could share some insight on how to be a part of the Brahma community.

Following suit with CSUN’s orientation, incoming students could be clued into campus safety practices, learn where the Sheriff’s office is. This could make the campus a more secure place.

A mandatory orientation could lessen the strain on faculty and staff.

Were students more knowledgeable and prepared, some of free professors’ and counselors’ time would be freed up, time they would have otherwise spent getting the information out student by student.

Pierce wouldn’t have to make any new hires, either. Both the orientations given by CSUN and Calif. State University, Channel Islands are lead by student volunteers.

The success engendered in new students by a mandatory orientation would grow beyond its roots.