Student speaker speeches will go online, college leaders to give remarks at commencement
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NEWS
Student speaker speeches will go online, college leaders to give remarks at commencement
El Camino College’s upcoming graduation ceremony on Friday, June 7 will not have physical student speakers or a keynote speaker, officials said. The 77th Annual El Camino College Commencement Program will instead have students’ speeches posted online and not have a video stream of the event, which officials say was done to save time and money. The news of the cancellations was first made public by the Associated Students Organization on May 8, which released a statement on Instagram criticizing the decision made by the college. Read more.
Board of Trustees thumbs up over $120,000 for graduation ceremony
By Kae Takazawa
The Board of Trustees has approved more than $120,000 over the last few months for El Camino College’s 77th Commencement Ceremony on June 7. Ten items in preparation for graduation were given go signals in February. The board added two more items during its board meeting on Monday, May 20. Expenditures approved by the board from February are only for the main graduation ceremony. These include security services, cart rentals and trumpeters. Read more.
Legal expert weighs in on new social media policy
By Nasai Rivas
A new social media policy which gives club advisers control over club accounts is unusual, unconstitutional and violates prior restraint, a legal expert said. The Student Organization Handbook’s social media policy states that access to club social media accounts will be “granted solely to designated club advisers” and the advisers will be responsible for overseeing and managing content. Laura Beltz, the director of policy reform at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression told The Union the new policy was unusual compared to other policies at colleges and universities and the policy is limiting. Read more.
Architecture students showcase sleeping pods, other projects
A $20 million request by the Health Sciences and Athletics Division to further expand the new Public Safety Training Center at El Camino College is pending approval from the Planning and Budget Committee. Students who are training to become paramedics, firefighters and emergency medical technicians are currently being trained at a center located in Inglewood. The new center will be located near parking Lot L and will have a bigger training space for students. Read more.
ARTS & FEATURES
Finding community: Incoming student government president shares her college journey
Meet Danielle Kabboul, the incoming Associated Students Organization president for fall 2024. When Kabboul first came to El Camino, she didn’t have many friends. It was through Speech and Debate Club that she found her place in college and got to where she is today. Read more.
From law to X-rays: El Camino alum takes the reins as radiology director
By Kae Takazawa
Michele Perez will be taking on the position of radiologic technology program director after current director Dawn Charman retires this semester. Perez, who was originally a law student at El Camino before switching to radiologic technology, will be the third director since the program started over 30 years ago. Read more.
Appetizing and Allowed: 5 halal food establishments near El Camino
Halal, Arabic for lawful or permitted, is a term used to describe food that is OK to eat according to Islamic customs.
Halal forbids the consumption of dishes that contain pork, pork byproducts, blood and alcohol, according to the American Halal Foundation. While many restaurants offer halal options, not all restaurants are strictly halal.
The Union went to five restaurants specializing in halal foods that are safe to eat according to Islamic customs. The locations are between 5 and 16 minutes from El Camino College. Read more.
In the South Bay, small bookstores thrive
Amid the rise of ebooks, audiobooks and bookselling-monopolies, local bookstores have struggled to maintain their businesses and nurture a love for reading.
Major retailers that dominate the book sales industry, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, have made it difficult for mom-and-pop bookstores to survive.
The Union found five bookstores near El Camino College that have long been community staples of the South Bay and are well-known for catering to a specific niche and fostering a love for reading.
Join The Union in exploring these local bookstores, where you just might find your next read. Read more.
Bathroom Break: Top 5 restrooms on campus in comfort and cleanliness
The daunting task of using the restroom at school has never been an easy decision.
In a study conducted by Talker Research, “69% of people hate using public restrooms so much, they hold it in until they can be in the comfort of their own home.”
Nobody has to be afraid at El Camino College, though, because the hard part has already been done, as The Union has researched the best restrooms available for students on campus.
Join The Union in its quest for the top 5 restrooms students can use on campus. Read more.
SPORTS
Warriors outperform non-athletes academically, reports show
By Kae Takazawa
During the May 20 Board of Trustees meeting, Health Science and Athletics Dean Russel Serr and Athletics Director Jeffrey Miera highlighted the Warriors student-athletes, who outperformed non-athlete students with a higher GPA and course completion rate. The Warriors had an average GPA of 0.22 higher than non-athletes in fall 2022. Read more.
EDITORIAL
El Camino College, stop wasting people’s money
Illustration by Athens Parducho Special to The Union
El Camino College needs to raise over $40 million to crawl out of a major deficit, because the college has been spending more money than it’s been receiving.
Now we’re being told, as students, that we will have to pay for parking next semester and that tuition fees for non-resident students will go up by $24 per unit, all because El Camino is reckless with its money spending.
This isn’t right.
The Union Editorial Board wants the college to spend money wisely. Read more.
OPINION
High school athletes need to be prepared for college-level demands of sports
Union reporter Jaylen Morgan speaks about his experience as a high school coach. Morgan states that as a coach he believes high school athletes are unprepared for college sports. He said athletes are struggling with grades and popularity, affecting their field experience. Read more.
VIDEOS
By Nasai Rivas
The Union got a sneak peek of El Camino College’s Jazz band rehearsal. The band was practicing for “Concert Jazz Band & Vocal Jazz Ensemble Spring Concert.” The concert was held on May 29 in the Marsee Auditorium.
By Ethan Cohen
Discover a behind-the-scenes look with El Camino College’s Digital Media Coordinator Paul Rosales. This video provides an inside look at Rosales’ role, showcasing his expertise in managing the college’s digital presence and his dedication to keeping the community connected and informed. Get to know who Rosales is and his vital work to enhance El Camino’s online engagement.
The 2024 baseball season has come to an end and it’s officially time to reflect upon it. The Warriors finished with a record of 21-21 and lost to Santa Ana College in the playoffs to end their season. Even though the team didn’t end up with a state championship, Grant Palmer has no problem finding the positives within the chaos, as well as things they can build on for next season.
Junko Hanafusa, 65, died on Dec. 25, 2023, after she was attacked with a sledgehammer outside the El Camino College Gymnasium while walking her dog and collecting recyclables. The Union spoke to neighbors who knew Hanafusa about the Dec. 24 attack. They said she would regularly walk in the neighborhood with her “little white dog,” collecting recyclables in the surrounding areas including Alondra Park and El Camino.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Grace Molinero, left, decorates her graduation cap at the Grad Cap Decorating Event at the Student Services Plaza on Wednesday, May 29. Molinero plans on pursuing a career in business management.
The fifth issue of the spring semester is here!
The Union’s fifth and final print issue of the spring 2024 semester is now available on news racks around the El Camino College campus.
Read the digital version of our newspaper here.
About The Union
The Union is El Camino College’s student-run newspaper and the only local source of news for its college community. Everything published by The Union is done by student journalists. The Union is proud to present the El Camino College community with weekly newsletters delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday morning.
The Union will commit to covering stories that deliver the truth and highlight diversity, equity and inclusion on campus at El Camino College and its surrounding community in Torrance, California.
If you have any comments or questions about this issue of The Union’s newsletter or any of the stories you’ve read, please contact Editor-in-Chief Ma. Gisela Ordenes by emailing her at sablayenya@gmail.com. If you feel satisfied with what you read today, let us know by sharing this newsletter and tagging us on X, Facebook or Instagram.
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