It should come as no shock that the Los Angeles campus of Pierce College is a haven for film production, but the reason is not proximity to Hollywood – rather it’s the bare nature of school spirit.
Film productions are costly because they build elaborate sets to transport viewers to faraway places.
So, if a location can offer a virtual blank canvas that requires little to no modification to turn it into anywhere in the country, then it is going to attract the movie industry.
Pierce is that blank canvas. Walking down the Mall or in any corridor on campus, one might think they are at UCLA because of the blue and yellow lanyards adorning many. Maybe we could be at Arizona State University or maybe one stumbled into a supermarket in the San Fernando Valley without noticing.
Yes, that’s it – Pierce is a supermarket of other school’s spirit and none of its own. Occasionally, a red shirt or hat may come out, but the odds of it being Pierce or CSUN runs about 50-50. School spirit seems dead in the wardrobes and hearts of many students.
It’s likely that some of the school problems plaguing the campus right now good old camaraderie on a campus-wide scale.
According to the latest Scorecard published by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, students are spending nearly six years at this two year institution. That education fatigue is bound to be, well, binding. It would do the administration well to acknowledge it has this problem and give everyone a few sponsored days of ridiculous fun.
Giving the Associated Students Association the Great Hall was a smart move towards good will and a step closer to reconnecting with the main goal of the school — providing the student with a great time while receiving a great education.
If the ASO and school administration work together on other benevolent endeavors then it may cost future film productions a fortune to paper and t-shirt over Pierce’s newfound school spirit.