Issue 8 March 14, 2019 by El Camino College The Union

EL CAMINO COLLEGE

THE UNION

S e r v i n g t h e E l C a m i n o c o m m u n i t y s i n c e 19 4 6 eccunion.com

Sports page 10

March 14, 2019 Follow us @ECCUnion

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Arts page 5

TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA

Send us an email at eccunion@gmail.com

Females represent small fraction of STEM field Clubs, programs attempt to reach women Jaime Solis

Staff Writer @ECCUnionJaime

Nicoleene Yunker/Union A cat looks on as it hides in the bushes from predators during the night. This is just one of several cats that live on campus. March 6, 2019.

On campus from dusk to dawn

Coyotes attempt to establish home in midst of urbanization

Jun Ueda

Staff Writer @ECCUnionJ

s the sun goes down and night classes begin to wrap up, the El Camino College campus becomes a playground for cats, raccoons and squirrels as they wander throughout, scouring for food. On several corners, a pulsating red light glows in the darkness— below it reads: Coyote Deterrent. Do Not Touch. “It is important for students to immediately report any sightings of coyotes on campus,” EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis said. “Avoid them, don’t feed them, if

you see one on campus, please call us, use the blue poles, or call us.” In the last year, EC’s police department received seven reports of coyote sightings on campus from janitors and faculty at night and students during the day. Because of this, coyote deterrents were set up around campus in the Fall of 2018. EC biology professor Bryan Carey said the reason why coyote awareness has risen in the past decade could be because of our lack of exposure to wildlife in urban areas. “It could be the change in perspectives in the decades of generations over time,” Carey said. “We are more sheltered and not exposed to seeing coyotes around,

whereas my father could’ve been regularly seeing coyotes or other wildlife more often.” Carey said urban coyotes have been around long before we began to raise awareness about them. Carey added that as humans begin to colonize more land, the habitats for wildlife shrunk, forcing them to adapt to urban environments. “You kind of have to think beyond our bias for some of that and those answers come from changes in ice ages, migration patterns, humans coming or going, and humans introducing other species that might compete with or be similar to [coyotes],” Carey said. “I don’t want people getting attacked certainly not, but

I don’t want them [coyotes] being punished for trying to be what they are.” Growing concerns Journalism and English professor, Kate McLaughlin, who has also been involved with the EC Cat Care Volunteer Group, said she was concerned regarding the risks of other cats and people being attacked by coyotes. “It’s a concern that urban areas across the nation are having to deal with as the coyote’s habitat is being developed and is getting pressed into urban areas,” McLaughlin said. Campus wildlife continued on page 4.

Breaking barriers between cultures

International Student Program helps foreign students adjust Anna Podshivalova

Staff Writer @ECCUnionAnna The International Student Program(ISP) at El Camino College enrolls about 650 students every semester from over 67 different countries all over the world, according to EC’s 20162017 Annual Factbook. The Factbook also provides insights into specifics of international students’ origin. Thus, the largest share of EC international students come from Asia: 31 percent from Japan, 14 percent from China, 13 percent from Korea, and 11 percent from Vietnam. European students make up 7 percent, while South American students represent 4 percent.

“Foreign students find out about us at educational fairs that take place in their home countries,” Lindsey Ludwig, ISP manager, said.”Most often, students will learn about our college through friends or family members.” However, not all of the incoming foreign students have an understanding of English and need to go through a language school before they are able to attend community college. “It took me six months at a language school before I transferred to El Camino College,” ISP assistant, Caroline Etges said. “Now I work at the ISP office on campus but also attend Long Beach California State University— majoring in communication and media studies, and I still struggle with writing skills.” For international students requiring additional language

training, EC offers an English language program called El Camino Language Academy (ECLA), which provides staff support through quality language instruction and one-on-one interactions for each student, according to the EC website. But despite the language barrier, international students choose to pursue majors that require strong communication skills. The most popular programs for international students include business administration, computer science, fashion, psychology, art, and cinema, according to the Annual Factbook. Shaotong He, an international student said she studies business administration. I am very interested in it, as it is quite versatile.” she said. “After graduation, I want to transfer to UC Irvine or UC Santa Barbara.”

However, learning a new language is not the only barrier international students face. Trump’s travel ban has created limitations for several potential students. However, Ludwig said that although the travel ban has not affected EC students directly, the number of visa approval has decreased. “In many countries such as Russia, Venezuela, or Iran, there are now difficulties with the economy,” Ludwig said. “Because of this, studying abroad has become quite expensive for some students.” Yet, EC charges non-residents $270 per unit plus the original $46 per unit residents pay, according to the EC website.

Over the last year or so, society as a whole has been plunged into the uncomfortable discussion of equality in the workforce and an emphasis on equal representation across many industries. Social movements such as the #metoo and #timesup movements have garnered much attention and a degree of success to the cause of on a national level. However, this problem has not fully been resolved in engineering classrooms. “There are professional organizations out there trying to recruit women into the field,” Victoria Martinez, faculty advisor for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Women in Technology (WIT), and El Camino Robotics club, said. “But they’re finding out there are no women at the community college, or college level, to move into those professions.”

Machine technology major Brady Fernandez said he witnessed the stark lack of women in engineering classes. “There’s one woman out of 16 students in my ‘Intro to Machine Tools’ class,” Fernandez said. Kimberly Orellana, electronic engineering technology major and co-president of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), said she has experienced this isolation firsthand. “Sometimes I’ll be the only female in my class,“ Orellana said. “And I hear that from other girls too, about their classes.” EC has two clubs dedicated to promoting the representation of women in the industry: the Society of Women Engineers and the Women in Technology clubs. “We aim to get women to be aware of the programs we have here involving the industry,” Orellana said. STEM industry representation continued on page 4.

Astronaut visits EC in effort to promote space field

EC hosts annual Onizuka Space Science Day

Jaime Solis

Staff Writer @ECCUnionJaime Students in between fifth and twelfth grade from throughout southern California landed at El Camino on Saturday, March 9 at 7 a.m. to participate in the annual Onizuka Space Science Day. This event was presented by the Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Committee and sponsored by American Honda Motor Co., Inc, and El Camino College and included the 32nd Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Lecture Series at the Marsee Auditorium. Held in memory of the seven astronauts that lost their lives in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on Jan 28, 1986, the event’s goals

were to spark an interest in the space and science fields to generate an awareness of the various potential career paths possible for youth. “We’re interested in laying a foundation for interest in STEM” Erik Wedin, manager of Corporate Relations at American Honda Motor Co., Inc, said. “We want them to get their hands dirty and dream big.” The doors open The event at Marsee Auditorium began at about 9 a.m. with keynote speaker Dr. Stanley G. Love, a NASA astronaut that has logged over 306 hours in space. Daniel Vasquez, fifth grader from Chapman Elementary School, said he was excited to see the astronaut and hear about space. Space day continued on page 4.

Mona Itani/Union Student Natalie Okamura, pre-nursing major, helps International students continued preschool student Vianey Cardenas make squishy on page 4. polymers at the science courtyard. March 9, 2019.

Spring University Fair................................................... March, 19, at 10 a.m. Library Lawn

Options for Transfer Workshop .............. March 21, at 12:30 ITEC 112

UCLA Transfer Admission Workshop......................... March, 19, 1:30 p.m. ITEC 112

San Diego State Tour ................................ March 23, at 6:30 a.m. Parking Lot J

Photo credits: Jun Ueda Elena Perez Mari Inagaki

EDITORIAL

2 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

MARCH 14, 2019

CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS: STUDENTS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE PLACES TO STUDY Jose Tobar

Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar Whether it is fall or spring semester, students need their places to study. The Union went around campus to ask students about their favorite places to study.

Andrew Bundy, 19, digital arts major “My favorite place would have to be home because it’s easier to focus when you’re somewhere that’s comfortable.”

Illustration by Jose Tobar/Union

Females underrepresented in STEM programs, needs to change Through 2016 and 2017 sixteen percent more women earned Associate Degrees in art as opposed to science degrees

t is Women’s History month but if The Union were to ask you to name five famous women scientists, you’d stutter. And while that may be the case, El Camino College needs to lead the way for change and encourage its female students to pursue an associate of science (AA-S) degree now more than ever. EC offers resources for students interested in science, math, engineering and technology (STEM) programs and the STEM Ambassador Program is made up of students who are available to assist individuals interested in a STEM career. Robotics, women in technology club and the society of women engineers are just some of the efforts students have taken to promote their program’s value. However, from 2016-2017, EC had a total of 778 students complete their AA-S degree, according to the latest EC Annual Factbook. Of those students, 47 percent were female and 53 percent were male. But in the same year, there were 1,424 students that graduated with an associate of arts degree. Female students make up 63 percent as opposed to 37 percent being male students, according to the Annual Factbook. Meaning there were more female students graduating from an AA-A than there were AA-S graduates altogether, creating a 26 percent difference in their respective categories. So why do women shy away from jobs in the STEM industry? Because in spite of their accomplishments, they are often reduced to sexism and harassment in the workplace. In a survey of 4,914 adults, in which 2,344 of them were STEM workers, half of the women working in STEM jobs felt they had been discriminated against in the workplace because of their gender, in comparison to 19 percent of men, according to the Pew Research Center. With 78 percent of the women working in a predominately male environment, they said they had experienced some kind of gender discrimination, compared to 25 percent when the genders are mixed equally, according to the survey. Yet, women have faced issues regarding gender discrimination for years.

In the 1950s, British chemist Rosalind Franklin played a vital role in the discovery of the DNA double helix but her contribution was not acknowledged by Cambridge University scientists James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins when they received the Nobel Prize in 1962, four years after her death, according to the CQ Researcher. That’s not saying this will happen at EC. The college has hosted several events to provide students as young as elementary school kids an opportunity to look into STEM programs. On Saturday, Feb. 16. EC hosted a robotics competition for elementary and middle school children. Space was the next frontier the college explored on Saturday, March 9 when EC hosted the Onizuka Space Science Day, which featured NASA astronaut Stanley G. Love. It isn’t enough to provide. We live in a time where we seem to ask for permission from someone else to move one step forward. We let others speak for us because we’re too afraid to be wrong. So, don’t let anyone overshadow you or make you feel less than you really are because you are a woman. Nobody is going to make you do it but if someone had to pave the way for the next generation, wouldn’t you like for it to be you? That is why Women’s History month should be a bigger deal. We encourage you to think of all the women who made a difference in your life because the fact remains—we would not be where we are today without women.

THE UNION

Vol. 74, No. 8 March 14, 2019

Contact: eccunion@gmail.com Newsroom: (310) 660-3328 Advertising: (310) 660-3329

Editor-in-Chief........................................Giselle Morales News Editor.............................................Fernando Haro Features Editor, Managing Editor...........Ernesto Sanchez Arts Editor...............................................Kevin Caparoso Sports Editor...........................................Devyn Smith Opinion Editor........................................Roseana Martinez Assistant Editor.......................................Justin Traylor Photo Editor ...........................................Elena Perez Copy Editor.............................................Omar Rashad Staff Writer..............................................Kealoha Noguchi Staff Writer.............................................Diamond Brown Staff Writer..............................................Jun Ueda Staff Writer..............................................Jaime Solis Staff Writer.............................................David Rondthaler Staff Writer..............................................Oscar Macias Staff Writer..............................................Lydia Lopez Staff Writer..............................................Anna Podshivalova Staff Writer..............................................Melanie Chacon Advertising Manager...............................Jack Mulkey Adviser....................................................Stefanie Frith

Solee Scarlet, 19, childhood education major “I like to study at the library just because there are specific places that you sit and have your own space where, like, no one else is disturbing you, but you can also go in the rooms with other people and group study. So, it works out really well both ways.”

E ditoria ls a re u n signed a n d a re writ ten a n d voted u pon by the editoria l boa rd. W hat a re you r t houg ht s on t he nu mb er of women i n ST E M major s? G ive us you r t houg ht s at e ccu n ion@g ma i l.com.

Editor’s Thoughts: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down Thumbs up to daylight saving time because we have more sunlight during the day.

Herman Orozco, 20, music major “I like to study at the library. At just any table, really.”

Thumbs down to daylight saving time because we lost one hour of sleep.

Photographer........................................Rosemary Montalvo Photographer........................................Mona Itani Photographer........................................Cody Siraguglia Photographer........................................Eliana Rodela Photographer........................................Monalisa Chavez Photographer........................................George Martinez Photographer .......................................Mari Inagaki Photographer........................................Nicholas Chumori Photographer.........................................Hasani Photographer.........................................Kamran Soomro Photographer.........................................Marina Virishmar Photographer.........................................Nicoleene Yunker Photographer.........................................Sergio Blacarcel Photographer.........................................Dakari Jones Photographer.........................................Carina Cardena Photographer.........................................Alfred Terry Photographer.........................................Daniel Pineda Photographer.........................................Tramarr Boudrocx Photographer.........................................Delesia Jackson Photo Adviser........................................Gary Kohatsu

The Union is published on designated Thursdays by Journalism 11 and 14 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113. Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.

Dania Flores, 23, English major “I

like to study at the library because it’s quiet—not really that many people there. I get distracted at home.”

College Media Association Newspaper of the Year Award 2015, 2016 (2nd) Associated Collegiate Press Regional Pacemaker Award 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012 California News Publishers Association General Excellence Award 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Journalism Association of Community Colleges General Excellence Award 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018 (eccunion.com)

OPINION

MARCH 14, 2019

girl power Empowering

CAMPUS VIEWPOINTS: WOMEN WHO INSPIRE OTHERS EVERYDAY Jose Tobar

strong

Women

Staff Writer @ECCUnionTobar

In honor of Women’s History Month, The Union asked students who the most influential women in their lives are and how they inspire them in their everyday lives.

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 3

Feminism

Inspiring

Brave

Women’s history month Romeial Hilaire, 33, machine tool technology major

Society pressures women to concieve children by a certain age

26-year-old student not ready to have kids, wants stable home environment first

“My mom, Angel Magee. She came from nothing and she just made, like, a whole empire. She gave birth to me, she gave me all the tools that were needed to succeed, to like overachieve than everyone else. She was like the rose that grew with no watering.”

Diamond Brown

Staff Writer @ECCUnionDiamond

Katie Shelton, 18, music major “Probably Joan Jet because, she was a pioneer in punk-rock and really kinda pushed that movement for women-playing rock and roll, and music in general, especially guitar.”

here is so much societal pressure on women to hurry up and have children before they get too old as their “biological clock” starts ticking. I’m 26 years old and married with no children. I am not trying to have them anytime soon. Growing up, most women in my family had babies in their

late teens or early 20s. So, the fact that I don’t have any kids right now seems to be the topic of conversation whenever I’m around family and relatives. Questions like, “When are you guys going to have a baby?” or, “Wow you’re not pregnant yet?” seems to be constant points of interest for my family. To be honest I never wanted to have children at a young age. I’ve seen all the women in my family struggle with having children young; some are single parents, some married, but nonetheless, they are still struggling significantly. All I hear from aunts and cousins is, “Don’t wait too late.” What is too late? And by whose standards? I want to have children when I feel that I am ready and my husband and I have laid a solid

foundation to raise our children. The studio apartment where I currently reside is not the ideal space I see fit for a kid. I feel silly even explaining the reasons I don’t think it makes sense to bring a child in an environment that isn’t completely stable. People don’t even consider that fact that some women have a hard time conceiving or can’t have children. Many women have a hard time getting pregnant. It’s hard for me because I have a health condition and am currently overweight. After many doctor visits to find out why I kept having irregular cycles and pelvic pain, the doctor recommended that I have an ultrasound of my ovaries. My lab results came back and it said I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). I had never heard of that before

but I was relieved that I finally got some sort of answer after so long. That relief was short-lived once I found out the details of the condition. The Mayo Clinic states that PCOS is a hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. To name a few symptoms, the condition may cause women to have irregular periods, elevated testosterone levels, weight gain, hair loss, cysts on the ovaries and infertility. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for PCOS despite it being common among women. According to my doctor and womenshealth.gov, it is recommended that birth control is the primary way to control the symptoms, aside from diet and exercise, so women with this condition have to work twice as

hard to conceive if they want to. It doesn’t help that the “treatment” is contradictory to conception, but I do worry about it once I do decide to have a child. Though I am not ready to have children, I can’t remember a single time when the prying people in my life haven’t asked about my health. People just assume women can just pop babies out. Well, I can’t and it’s not that easy. So it would be nice if my family would stop trying to pressure me into having a child without all the facts. It’s offensive and immensely inconsiderate. • •

Facts on PCOS

Women with PCOS have higher rates of anxiety and depression Eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder are common among women

International student leaves home and adapts to life in the U.S.

Student is excited to start new chapter in U.S. despite culture shock, language barrier after leaving Russia

Yishem Fan, 23, nursing major “I think it’s my mom, because she’s strong, and she’s smart. She took care of me, and I learned a lot from her, like, she taught me how to fight for what I want.”

Anna Podshivalova Staff Writer @ECCUnionAnna

Linda Olsen, administrative assistant for the athletic’s department “It was my grandmother. She learned things the old fashion way, she had hard knocks, she trained me, you could say, nowadays it’s street smarts, what kids have. Well, that’s what my grandmother had and she was rough but yet she had a heart of gold, and she was like my foundation for everything. She always had an answer, and her answers were always the right way to go as I found out.”good for the day.”

In my hometown of Moscow, Russia I had lots of friends. I didn’t even have enough time to meet everyone but everything changed after my move to the U.S. I wanted to learn the English language and get an international education, so I thought about moving to another country. In the year of 2013, I finished my studies in Moscow and decided to pursue academic studies in the U.S. I had the desire to move much

• •

earlier, but I could not make up my mind on this because when I was 16, I was very dependent on my friends and family and I was scared to move to another country at such a young age. As I looked into the process of studying in a different country, I learned about the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Students who want to study in the U.S. first need to pass the TOEFL; I, however, did not have enough knowledge of the English language. Though English was part of my curriculum in Russia, I knew I wasn’t prepared, so after reading a lot of forums about studying in America, I discovered the option of not having to take this exam. I found out I could enroll in a language school that offers a course consisting of several levels of language, after which I could go to community college without having to take TOEFL. I chose to go to language school rather than taking the exam, so I quickly applied to ELS Santa

•

El Camino College enrolls about 650 students every semester from over 67 dif• ferent countries • European students make up 7 percent • •

Monica school in February 2015. Language schools in the United States are quite expensive for international students, especially those that provide the opportunity to go to community colleges without TOEFL. I studied there for five months and every four weeks I would have to pay $1,800, including medical insurance. However, this school gave me the certificate of completion that is accepted by more than 600 colleges and universities worldwide as proof of English language proficiency required for admission, according to the ELS website. In March of the same year, I received the I-20 document, which is a document required for a student visa and in April, weeks before beginning school, I had arrived in Los Angeles. The first day of school arrived, but it was very difficult to adapt because everyone spoke different languages. Not being familiar with the

English language made things awkward and difficult, but all the students and I were there for the same reason which was to learn the language and study in the U.S. Being a shy person by nature, it became difficult to interact with others from different countries. Not having my family and friends near me, became hard because I started to realize that I am alone; sometimes I started to doubt my choices and considered moving back home. I got depressed. It was not comfortable for me to walk in parks or to eat alone in cafes. I was constantly feeling anxious. This all changed when a boy from Japan, Kota, invited me to attend a house party after class. He studied with me in the same class and we often practiced our dialogues in English in the same group of students. After this practice, we could already speak fluently on the most simple topics. The party became the start of

Facts on international students • South American students represent 4

Largest share of EC students come from Asia 31 percent from Japan 14 percent from China 13 percent from Korea 11 percent from Vietnam

• •

percent EC charges foreign students pay is $270 per unit The regular cost is $46

• •

many friendships going forward because I started to feel more comfortable with my peers, I even met people from my hometown. Finally, thanks to intensive communication with friends, I lost my anxiety and was able to get away from my depression. After completing the language school program I entered El Camino College and parted ways with the friends I made, as many of them went to colleges in other cities and even other states. Coming to EC, I made new friends who also came from Moscow, and even live in my neighborhood. My parents always try to visit me, or I fly to Russia on holidays. Overall, I understood that in order to mitigate the culture shock and homesickness, one needs to get out of the comfort zone and communicate more with people, even if they are strangers.

The most popular majors for international students include: business administration, computer science, fashion, psychology, art, cinema.

NEWS

4 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION

Police Beat

The Police Beat was not provided by the El Camino Police Department after several attempts made by The Union.

In t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s continued...

Yet, EC charges foreign students $270 per unit plus the original $46 per unit domestic students pay, according to the EC website. Ludwig said that the program does get help from a general government fund. Since several students are thousands of miles from home, Ludwig said EC offers international students activities and workshops to pursue outside of classes and familiarize themselves with the campus. “We have a lot of social programs and workshops in which foreign students can take part,” Ludwig said. “We also cooperate with universities and do everything possible to involve as many students as possible in social activities.” In addition, EC is ranked in the top ten for transfer colleges to UC, and in the top three for transfer colleges to CSU, according to the EC Annual Factbook. “Foreign students usually take two and a half or three years to transfer to a university,” Ludwig said. “Students are welcome to visit our International Student Program Office for more information.”

STEM industry representation continued...

Both clubs are nationally-based and provide many benefits such as scholarships and conferences for members. Here at EC, SWE and WIT have hosted events such as Woman Tech Voices, a panel where professional women from outside organizations such as JPL and Amazon are invited to speak. “We invited our women to hear what’s happening in the field and to encourage them to want to go into these fields,” Martinez said. Currently, SWE is only an affiliate at EC—the goal is for it to become an official student chapter of the organization, but that in itself is a struggle. “To become an official student chapter, we have to get 10 women in engineering to sign up for SWE,” Martinez said. “Our biggest challenge is finding the 10 women in engineering.” SWE and WIT, in conjunction with other clubs such as the robotics club, participate in community events, such as the Onizuka Space Science Day, in an effort to promote women in the industry to students of all ages. But Brandon Marshall, electronics and computer hardware technology major, said many of the engineering and STEM majors seem to follow traditional gender views. “If you go to something like [computer-aided design] or construction, it’s mostly guys,” Marshall said. “While if you go to something like cosmetology or nursing, it’s mostly women.” This tradition is one that SWE and WIT hope to break through the continuous promotion of women in technology and the value women bring to the industry. “That’s why we do these community events,” Martinez said. “To get people aware, especially when we bring our women, that women can do this

Corrections In the Feb. 28 issue, Copy Editor was mispelled. The Union regrets this error.

MARCH 14, 2019

Smoking on campus continues despite regulations Individuals continue the use of tobacco, nicotine products at EC

Oscar Macias

Staff Writer @ECCUnionOscar

hile a smoke-free campus policy is established at El Camino, individuals can still be seen smoking cigarettes, vapes, and even marijuana on campus. The policy, approved on Feb. 17, 2016, establishes the EC campus as smoke-free, meaning that smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products and the use of unregulated nicotine products are prohibited in indoor and outdoor spaces including parking lots, according to Board Policy (BP) 3750. However, EC Chief of Police Michael Trevis said that smoking is not the biggest concern on campus but students should still report smokers. “We are not the smoking police,” Trevis added. Students may think that if police catch them smoking, they would be arrested but that is not the case. If a student is smoking near

a door, it is possible to receive a ticket for violating policy and Calififornia law. According to the California Government Code Chapter 32: Smoking in Public Buildings (7596-7598), “No public employee or member of the public shall smoke a tobacco product inside a public building, or in an outdoor area within 20 feet of a main exit, entrance, or operable window of a public building, or in a passenger vehicle.” Trevis said that in most cases, campus police will assess the situation, explain that this is a smoke-free campus, try to have them stop and give them a warning. If a student has to be warned multiple times, they will face disciplinary action from the dean of students, while faculty is reported to the human relations department. However, one thing can lead to getting arrested by campus police: marijuana. “MJ is still illegal on campus, so if we catch you with that, then

we would have to make an arrest,” Trevis said. Still smoking The administration has tried relaying the message about EC being a smoke-free campus by putting up no smoking flyers around campus. While the information is known, students continue to smoke on campus—most notably by the benches near the Art Building and the Humanities Building. “I thought that this was the smoking area on campus, “ said Louis Gonzales, music major. “I see people come here to smoke so I just assumed it was.” In a previous article published by The Union, Brian Fahnestock, former vice president of administrative services said that creating a designated smoking area would be difficult because students don’t even follow the anti-smoking policy. But Gonzales said he believes there should be a designated area where individuals can relieve tension and smoke without being

judged. “College is stressful man, it [a cigarette] usually helps me relieve that,” Gonzales said. Health Risks Tobacco, vapes and other smoke products are the same in the sense that they can lead to short and long-term health problems. Tobacco is a plant that contains over 7,000 chemicals—250 of which are harmful to humans, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cigarettes and vape products such as Juul contain nicotine, an addictive stimulant. Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases and reduces the health of smokers in general, according to the CDC. While vaping may seem like a safer option, it is still, nonetheless, dangerous. The difference between the two is that cigarettes burn the tobacco inside the product, whereas vapes can come in pods or pen-like devices that burn the oil with other

chemicals. Continuous smoking of tobacco products can lead to lung cancer, strokes, and heart disease. Vape products can cause brain damage in adolescents and contain cancer-causing chemicals like lead, according to the CDC. Along with being harmful to one’s body, products such as cigarettes can affect others and the surrounding environment through second-hand smoke. “The toxic exposure can contaminate water and poison fish, as well as animals that eat cigarette butts,” according to nonprofit organization Truth Initiative. Students or faculty looking to quit smoking can make an appointment at the Health Center with current school ID. Free workshops are also offered every Wednesday at EC with the De-Stress for Survival Group presented by Dr. La Faune Gordon from noon to 12:45 p.m. in the Math Business and Allied Health Building’s Room 418.

Space day continued... The main focus of Love’s discussion revolved around reasons why mankind has not reached Mars yet, which included various comparisons to and calculations for traveling to the moon and insight to the preparation required for launching people into space. His presentation concluded with a Q&A for curious students. “I was inspired to be an astronaut since I was very small,” Love said. “I guess I never outgrew my love for space, thinking about the future and making it real and exploring places people haven’t been before.” Hands-on science After the lecture, students broke up into various workshops situated around the ITEC and Natural Science Buildings, which included various chemistry and physics demos, a robotics demo and an egg drop contest. Sofia Halpin, a seventh grade student from Adams Middle School, said she waited a year to participate in the egg drop. “Last year we missed out,”

Halpin said. “But this year we got in line earlier.” Mayra Munoz, a mother and nursing major at EC, said her kids were in love with the robotics demo. “I’m very happy these opportunities are around,” Munoz added. “The kids are very excited.” Keilah Plascencia, a homeschooled fifth grader from Ontario, said her favorite part of the event was dissecting the owl pellets and playing with the robots. Many of the demos and workshops set up on campus were run by student and faculty volunteers. Natalie Okamura, pre-nursing major, said she understands that it is important to get younger students interested in science. “It makes me excited to see so many kids here,” Okamura added. “It’s really cool.” Outside organizations that participated in demos or workshops included the US Air Force, The Natural History Museum of Los

Angeles, Space and Missle System Center (SMC) Heritage Center, NASA Johnson Space Center, and Driscoll Strawberry Associates. Karen Austin, director of the SMC Heritage Center, said they participated in an effort to do what they can to make the community more interested in science. Let out for lunch The egg drop competition continued after families gathered to eat lunch provided by In-n-Out Burger food trucks around noon. But a sense of exhaustion and satisfaction could be seen on the faces of parents and students as they slowly cleared out and others began to clean up. Orlando Plascencia, a parent at the event, said he was glad he brought his kids because he likes to expose them to new things. Plascencia, who is an accountant, added: “I might have chosen something else for a job if there was an event like this when I was growing up.”

Campus wildlife continued... The EC Cat Care group support the stray cats that are abandoned on campus by feeding them and giving them medical attention. Despite their work, there is only so much the group can do to protect the cats as Don Cornelius was found ripped open alongside the northern area of the Humanities Building on Saturday, Dec. 16. While no coyote reports were made that day, according to EC police, the attack was believed to have happened sometime between midnight and dawn. Carey said that coyotes will usually only take drastic measures,

like confronting humans, under special circumstances. “They’re generally doing what a predator would do—they are trying to survive, trying to get food, and reproduce,” Carey said. “Unless they are absolutely so desperate for food or they’re injured and they’re out of their normal instincts and conscious choices, they don’t want to be chased after by humans.” Carey added that humans should enjoy living with wildlife as there is not much left after urbanization. “We do have to occasionally have that bit of humility towards nature or modify our behavior where

possible,” Carey said. “What we’ve made kind of our urban lifestyle and our urban structures is a challenge to them.” Regardless, Trevis said that containing wild animals like coyotes can be difficult, dangerous and best left to the LA County Animal Control. “Though we are actively trying to contain them, we strongly encourage people not to feed the coyotes, pet them, and not to approach them,” Trevis said. “However, if you are encountered by one, yelling, and showing aggression will scare them away.”

Mona Itani/Union Rio Shaune Harris (right), from the US Air Force Journey to Space, helps a participant build his module rocket from straws and papers. March 9, 2019.

Jun Ueda/Union A raccoon looks on as it sits between bushes. They are primarily nocturnal and scavenge for food. March 1, 2019.

Student publication receive multiple awards The Union, Warrior Life takes home 15 awards from Society of Professional Journalists, College Media Association Omar Rashad Copy Editor @ECCUnionOmar

El Camino College’s newspaper, The Union, and monthly magazine Warrior Life was recognized with a number of awards for work done in the Fall 2018 and Spring 2018 semesters. The California College Media Association holds annual statelevel competitions and recognized

The Union newspaper and Warrior Life magazine 15 times with one first place, six second place, three third place awards and five honorable mentions in the community college division. The two print publications were recognized at the California College Media Association’s banquet which took place in La Jolla, Calif. on Saturday, March 2. In another competition, The College Media Association recognized Fernando Haro at their annual New York City convention

with the David L. Adams Apple Award for best student media tweet in the nation, competing with twoand four-year colleges. The Society of Professional Journalists recognized The Union’s online news site, eccunion. com, and two students as regional finalists. The winners, who will be announced at the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual March Las Vegas conference, will advance to the national stage. Visit eccunion.com for list of winners

Justin Traylor/Union Members of The Union staff pose with their award. The Union won ‘Best Tweet’ the College Media Association. March, 13,

ARTS

MARCH 14, 2019

EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 5

Mona Itani/Union Tim Gill performs a trumpet solo while his bandmates cheer him on at the Marsee Auditorium, on March 10, 2019. Starting from the left, Tim Gill, Phil Moore, Dan Kaneyuki, Kirsten Edkins, Brian Mantz, Walter Simonsen, and Ben Devitt.

Jazz band has fun during concert at Marsee Auditorium

Tim Gill & the Tim Gill All-Stars Band perform renditions of classic American pop-music with touch of humor

Kevin Caparoso Arts Editor @ECCUnionKC

he other band members were already in motion—playing their instruments—when he walked towards the microphone wearing his dark blue blazer. He had a smile big enough to see from the back of the theater. Tim Gill & The Tim Gill All-Stars Band entertained the crowd in the Marsee Auditorium on Sunday, March 10. A majority of the band’s performance came from the Great American Songbook in which Gill defined as the golden era of American popular music from the 1910s to the early 1960s during an interview before the show. Before the next song began, Gill introduced Aydron de León who he called their “special guest vocalist” during an interview. The on-stage lights switched from blue to red as de León took center stage as she was greeted with an applause. After the song concluded, Gill praised de León in an old-timey movie accent and said she had “quality” and “star presence.” There was a playful comedic

energy amongst the band throughout the entire performance. “I like to give people a little bit of the inside picture of this music [Great American Songbook] and where it came from,” Gill said during an interview. “But also deliver it with a little bit of humor.” Gill said that he believes most musicians who perform similar material forget about connecting with their audience and making it fun. The band’s humor made the crowd in the auditorium laugh. “All the antics of the band were very funny along with Tim,” Gary Larsen, an audience member from Hermosa Beach said after the concert. Gill explained to the audience that everyone in their band gets a moment in the spotlight. “There is no I in Tim,” Gill said, jokingly. Then Gill called Ben Devitt, the trombone player to the front of the stage while the rest of the band played the tune from “The Price Is Right.” De León said during an interview that besides singing with the band, she loves watching the antics they perform. She particularly stated that “The Price Is Right” bit was her

favorite. “It’s just like a throwback, like Dean Martin, you know,” de León said. “That kind of like old school comedy vibe and they perfected it and I love watching that.” A duet between Gill on the trumpet and Devitt on the trombone took place during the band’s performance of “Just Squeeze Me” by Duke Ellington. Every member of the band either had a solo or took center stage with Gill at some point during their performance. Towards the end of the show, the band took a break from the Great American Song book and played a rendition of Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse.” “Here is a song written by Katy Perry and 65 other people,” Gill said. The crowd gave a big applause when the last song concluded and “Bravo” was yelled by an audience member. Owen Kirschner, the band’s booking agent complimented EC during an interview after the concert. Kirschner said that the Sunday afternoon audience that consisted of students and senior citizens was a good fit for the band. “And who doesn’t like to smile for two hours?” Kirschner said.

UPCOMING PANELS MARCH

21: Communications