Students from Los Angeles Valley College (LA Valley) used the Student Health Center at Pierce over the summer after paying their health fee to LA Valley.
During the summer session, LA Valley switched health care providers which resulted in their Student Health Center being temporarily closed.
LA Valley students in need of health services began coming to the Health Center at Pierce, according to the Director of the Health Center Beth Benne.
Benne said that LA Valley still charged their students a student health fee over the summer even though the Valley Student Health Center was not available.
“Valley chooses to charge their students the $8 health fee, which is technically illegal if you don’t have an operating health center,” Benne said.
Benne said that the Health Center at Pierce should be compensated for their services to Valley students.
“We should get 50% of whatever health fees were collected over the summer sessions.”
Benne said. “We haven’t seen a penny.”
Los Angeles Valley College Dean of Student Life Maria Negrete confirmed in an email that the Student Health Center at Valley had been temporarily shut down over the summer.
A note posted on LA Valley campus told students “if you need immediate assistance, please visit the Student Health Center at Los Angeles Mission College.”
Both the note and the email mention LA Mission College but not Pierce. Negrete also confirmed that LA Valley did collect the student health fee over the summer.
Benne said that Vice President of Student Services Earic Dixon-Peters had been “in discussion” with LA Valley college regarding the matter.
Dixon-Peters declined to comment on the subject.
