The Pioneer, Vol. 53 Issue 2

Nov. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s student news publication, Est. 1974
The potential
of VR headsets
on campus
Pages 12-13
Lakewood turning
the other cheek
on rent control
pages 14-15
Student body
president envisions
big changes
for Pierce
pages 10-11

THE
Web: piercepioneernews.com
Email: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu
Facebook: piercepioneernews
Twitter: @piercepioneer
Phone:253-964-6604
Room: CAS 323
Writers
James Sarabia Zaldivar
Anne Paxton Hammond
Lizzy Rowe
Katie Kittlitz
Matthew Slater
Eben Johnson
Avathni Pathammavong
* Your name here
Interested in writing?
Stop by our office
CAS 323
Podcaster
Tyler Grover
Staff
Editorial Manager
Taylor Riley
triley@pierce.ctc.edu
Production Manager
Ciara Williams
cwilliams@pierce.ctc.edu
Web Manager
Myra Fehling
mfehling@pierce.ctc.edu
Social Media Manager
Kotone Ochiai
kochiai@pierce.ctc.edu
Office Manager
Manuela Schneider
mschneider@pierce.ctc.edu
Designers
Abri Wilson
Darrell Kuntz
Jezreel Proo
* Your name here
Interested in design
or illustraation
Stop by our office
CAS 323
Photographers
Veronica Lu
Lily Binderiya
Ty Phay
Kevin Collins
Jesus Contreras
ABOUT THE COVER:
VR headsets, a once untapped source for potential are now
being seen as a possible tool for learning. As the opportunity
arises, students are left with an important question - What
could this entail for the future of classrooms on Pierce?
Letters to The Editor
Have an opinion on our articles or about campus events, policy?
Write a letter to the editor and send to: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu.
We cannot publish letters that are anonymous.
THE PIONEER MISSION STATEMENT
The Pioneer is an official publication of the Associated Students of Pierce College and is sanctioned as such by the college’s Board of Trustees and funded primarily
by student fees. It is a public forum for student expression since 1974.
The Pioneer’s mission is:
(1) to inform the student body of issues and events of interest, relevance and importance;
(2) to provide students with a forum for discussion, opinion and expression; and
(3) to provide the student body with editorial leadership.
In carrying out this mission, The Pioneer will use as its ethical guide the Statement of Principles adopted by the American Society of Newspaper Editors. Although
it will strive to represent the diverse views and interests of the student body, The Pioneer is not responsible for representing, endorsing or promoting any
person, group, organization or activity.
02 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

PIONEER PAST ISSUE
Miss a past issue? Come into
our office and get a copy. It’s not
too late! Room: CAS 323
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Campus
Feature
Feature
6-7/ CLASS IS
CANCELED
Are online classes taking
over?
8/ ECO-FRIENDLY
ON A BUGET
how to make a diffrence
without breaking the bank
18-19/ MEET
STUDENT LIFE
Welcome the new Activity
Board
Anne Paxton Hammond/Staff Photo
Feature
Feature
Sports
10-11/MEET CHAZ
The friendly face of the
Student Government Board
12-13/LEARN IN VR
Could Pierce be getting VR
headsets in the near future?
20-21/NEW CROSS
COUNTRY TEAM
Pierce College first Woman’s
Cross Country team
courtesy photo/ pierceraiders.com
Feature Feature Feature
14-15/RENT IN
LAKEWOOD
16/HALLWAY HASSLE
23/HOUSING
RESOURCES
Rising rent makes it hard
to find an affordable place
to live
What do students have to
say about the rise in rent
prices?
All the info you need
if you’re a student with
housing problems.
pixabay.com/Courtesy photo
15
Sports
24-25/PAYING
STUDENT ATHLETES
Should student athletes
earn money if their image
is used?
Kevin Collins/Staff Photo
Coffee Break
27/ CARTOON CORNER
Drop by the Cartoon Corner
for this issues new comics
pixabay.com/Courtesy photo
November .2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 03

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
Nov 18,
Monday
Clubs Council
Meeting
1-2pm
OLY 205
Nov 21,
Thursday
Game-Con
11am-2pm
Preformance
and Fireside
Lounge
Nov 22,
Friday
MLI Workshop
12-1pm
Nov 26,
Tuesday
Student
Government
Meeting
1-2pm
Student Life
Lobby
Nov 27-29,
Wed-Fri
Thanksgiving
Break
no school
Dec 2,
Monday
Clubs Council
Meeting
1-2pm
OLY 205
Dec 2,
Monday
Raider Review
4-10pm
Preformance
and Fireside
Lounge
Dec 3,
Tuesday
Student
Government
Meeting
1-2pm
Student Life
Lobby
Dec 5,
Thursday
Frosty Fest
9:30am-Noon
Student Life
Lobby
Dec 6,
Friday
ELA Workshop
12-1pm
Dec 6,
Friday
Dec 9-13,
Mon-Fri
Last day of
Instruction
Finals Week
Abri Wilson/ Staff Illustrator
04 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

PIERCEPIONEERNEWS.COM
check out more content beyond the magazine
Promoting Peace in Times of Trouble
Peace activist attends local elementary school in hopes of
educating children about peace, empathy, love and how they
can implement it in their communities.
By: LIZZY ROWE PHOTOS By: VERONICA LU
Homestay Barbeque
Staff Photographer
Photo gallery
By: LILY BINDERIYA
Halloween at Pierce College
The Pioneer decided to explore and share the Halloween culture of the
Pierce community. From the sports team to the international office, everyone
was making plans and celebrating the spooky day.
By: PIONEER STAFF PHOTO By: TY PHAY
Professor Alan Kemp Retiring in 2020
The sociology professor reflects back on his three
decades at pierce.
By: MATT SLATER
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 05

Campus
ONLINE COURSES
SWEEPING AWAY CAMPUS CLASSES
A surge in online enrollment is leading to colleges having to find a
way to balance two different learning styles
BY KATIE KITTLITZ
Staff writer
It’s the middle of the quarter, and
already time to start thinking about
what classes to take next. With so many
options available between going on
campus, taking hybrid courses, or a class
completely online, this is a situation all
students have faced at some point. However,
weighing the different pros and cons
can help students find the perfect class to
succeed in.
With the world moving more towards
technology, education has to move along
with it. This provides a new challenge
with finding a balance between faceto-face
and the online world within the
school system.
At Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s
campus, the number of students taking
online classes has been growing each
year. According to Pierce’s Tableau dashboard,
the number of students enrolled
in online courses has increased by 20
percent over a 10 year period.
As the popularity of online classes
increases, on-campus course enrollment
is slowly decreasing. In the past 10 years,
the number of students enrolled in faceto-face
classes has gone down 10 percent.
This fluctuation has caught the attention
of some staff members at Pierce.
Fred Metzger, a communications and
film professor at Pierce College, notices
that whenever an online class is offered, it
fills up quickly. “It becomes a safe move,
and strong evidence that this is where
the need is,” he said. “People that are in
charge of those decisions can easily think
we need more online classes.”
Each quarter, choosing between online
and in-class courses are a choice that
faculty have to make as well. Joyce Pace, a
history professor at Pierce College said
BY KOTONE OCHIAI
Staff photos
06 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

Campus
“WE DON’T LEAVE
PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND,
WE BRING THEM ON
BOARD AND MAYBE
HAVE TRANSITIONAL
CLASSES, OR
UNDERSTAND SOME
THINGS YOU JUST
DON’T WANT TO
TEACH ONLINE,”
SAID FRED METZGER,
COMMUNICATIONS
AND FILM INSTRUCTOR.
that teaching an online class can be
more of a workload on staff members.
This is a result of trying to recreate classroom
experiences in an online environment,
which can be hard to keep up with,
she added.
Selecting the right class has much to
do with the individual’s learning style,
however. Marilyn Gay, a Pierce College
student, mentioned how on-campus
classes are important to her because of
the teacher and peer interactions. “I like
the interaction with the instructor and
the other peers, and you don’t get that
with online classes.”
E-learning can provide an exceptional
opportunity for many people. As Pace,
said, “I knew a military student who ended
up finishing some online course work
while he was deployed in the middle east,
and another who was going to school online
while on a ship in the Persian Gulf.”
Cases like these show the benefit of
online courses. However, could there be
too much of a push toward online in this
day and age? Metzger says that his public
speaking class almost didn’t happen this
quarter.
Metzger mentioned how there is no
substitute for the energy, nerves, and
emotion that are in the room during a
public speaking course. “We don’t leave
people left behind, we bring them on
board and maybe have transitional classes,
or understand some things you just
don’t want to teach online.”
Although there are many positives of
online classes’ availability in this digital
age, it’s also important to keep enough
campus classes available to students.
Naudyia Pichette, a student in her fifth
quarter at Pierce College mentioned,
“Not everybody has access to a computer
and that’s basically your lifeline with an
online class. Also, the books tend to be
pretty expensive.”
Pichette said she likes to take electives
online, instead of core classes, such as
accounting. She adds that usually more
help is available from a teacher and
fellow students in an on-campus math or
science course, that isn’t as needed in an
online class such as art appreciation.
Upon entering college, it can seem
overwhelming with all of the different
options of what classes to take, but once
everybody finds the type of class that
works best for them, it can be a rewarding
and enjoyable experience.
Metzger had a valuable statement that
those on campus should keep in mind
when discussing the removal or addition
of both forms of courses, “It’s not which
is better? It’s why can’t we have both?
Why can’t we nurture both? Why can’t
we be diverse and be open to all with the
diverse community?”
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 07

Features
4 WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON
FOOTPRINT ON A BUDGET
Being environmentally cautious can be pricey, but fortunately
there are a few ways that you can help
By Abri Wilson
Staff Writer
The health and wellbeing of the planet is a current hot topic that has people asking what they can do to make a difference. But if
you’re on a budget, doing this can be difficult. Below is a list of four things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. Just doing
one of these can make an environmental difference.
RECYCLING AND REUSING
Recycling doesn’t make as big of a difference as people think,
as it doesn’t do much for reducing waste. However, when you
save and reuse objects, as well as give unwanted items a new
life, then it makes a bigger difference than recycling does by itself.
For example, objects such as jars and old shirts can be used
for things like storing food or making shirts into a shopping bag
and reusable makeup wipes.
SHARING / RENTING
Share clothes, movies, games and other things with your
friends and family, or even rent them. This way you can save
money while also reducing the amount of plastic products you
buy. You have a pair of shoes that just sit in your closet, let your
friend that has a party to go to borrow them, now they are getting
some use out for them and saving your friend from buying
a new pair.
THRIFTING
Buy things used, doing this can save you money and save
plastic products from making its way into landfills earlier than
needed. Join groups like BuyNothing on Facebook and post
your unneeded things for others to have and ask for thing you
need. People tend to have things laying around that they don’t
need and giving them to others save it from being thrown out.
BUY REUSABLE REPLACEMENTS
Save up to replace your one use plastic products, replace your
razor with a safety razor and replace Saran Wrap with bees wax
cloth and use solid soaps in place of bottled soap. Find ways to
reduce your everyday plastic waste and after paying for a reusable
produce you’ll eventually save money by not having to buy
one use plastic products.
If you can not do some of these things do not beat yourself up for it, everyone has different circumstances that may contribute to
not being able to meet their minimal waste goals. Even just supporting companies and elected officials that want to make a difference
helps. Do what you can with what you have, future generations will thank you for it.
Abri Wilson/ Staff Illustrator
08 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

ENROLL NOW!
Winter
Registration
Begins
NOV.
4
Make an appointment with your advisor today!
Pierce College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic
information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained
guide dog or service animal in its programs and activities. For inquiries regarding compliance contact the Pierce College District Title IX Coordinator,
253-964-6519 | 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood WA 98498.

Campus
CHAZ SERNA: PASSIONATE ABOUT REFORM
Meet your new Fort Steilacoom Student Government President
Anne Hammond/ Staff Photos
BY ANNE HAMMOND
Staff Writer
BIGGER THAN LIFE WITH A
RADIO VOICE, a gentle smile and a
hearty, kind laugh – that’s what students
experience when they meet new Student
Body president Chaz Serna.
“This door opened up and I took it,”
said Serna. “It’s very exciting.”
Serna views himself as a mediator
between the activities board, the student
government, and what they collectively
do together.
“I see my world as finding ways to
reach out to and connect with the student
body and to interest them in building
a community here at Pierce College,”
said Serna. “My role is to facilitate those
10 / piercepioneernews.com
things and bring them about; to be the
voice in the presence of the legislators
and the Board of Trustees and to oversee
the respective projects the senators have
going on.”
His vision for Pierce College Fort
Steilacoom starts with easing stress and
beating down barriers to education.
“We’re trying to enhance the educational
and health experience that people
can have here because health starts in
your mind,” said Serna. “Your body can
really react to the things that are going on
in your mind -- stressors and stress levels
– so we’re trying to ease that. We’re trying
to reach out to our more at-risk population,
people who are on the cusp of
having issues of not being able to pursue
their education. We’re all about trying
to beat those barriers down and build
bridges, build pathways, build roads, if
need be, out of one place to another for
an individual.”
His term for 2019-2020 started this
summer with workshops, conferences,
and joining Director of Student Life,
Cameron Cox, and Student Life Program
Coordinator, Allie Morrow, for training.
“Chaz ran his own nonprofit and has
experience working with people, teams,
and communities,” said Cox. “Those are
unique skill sets that he’s bringing. Not
every student body president in the past
has had those specific life experiences.”
Cox went on to say how he believes
Serna to be a very goal oriented man;
passionate about his values and genuinely
caring about making a difference.
November. 2019/ Vol. 53, Issue 2

Campus
Cameron Cox (left) and Chaz Serna (right) had fun discussing student plans.
He cares about Pierce College and his
fellow students.
“I WILL CONTINUE TO
LISTEN, TO SEE, TO
IMPLORE, TO ASK, TO
TRY TO GET STUDENTS
TO ENGAGE, AND TO
TEACH THEM THAT
THEY CAN COME TO
US WITH ISSUES,”
—STUDENTBODY
PRESIDENT, CHAZ
SERNA
Serna immediately went to work
tackling three issues before fall quarter
even began. One of the main issues is the
Health Administration Center (HEC) fee
which he hopes to eliminate.
“Another one of my larger issues is
financial aid – the way it happens, the
way it doesn’t happen, the loopholes,”
said Serna.
“Other colleges have up-to-date ways
of dealing with and distributing funds.”
Serna is also trying to bring self-compacting,
solar powered recycling trash
cans to the campus, as a way to
encourage recycling.
“The ones we have now, the birds get
into them and spread trash everywhere,
and nobody wants to clean it up,” said
Serna. “These trash cans, they cannot get
into. They hold five times the capacity of
a normal trash can.”
Serna hopes to knock off these challenges
left and right. “If they give me
authority to do things, I’m going to use
it,” he said. “It’s not about trying to leave
my print or name on anything, I’m just
trying to leave something that future
student body generations are going to
be able to appreciate and enjoy. What
matters is the lasting legacy.”
Serna enjoys supporting each student
government senator and their programs,
and leading by servitude.
“I will continue to listen, to see, to
implore, to ask, to try to get students
to engage, and to teach them that they
can come to us with issues,” said Serna.
“Whatever it may be, if we ourselves
can’t help you we’re going to direct you
in some path where you can get help. We
want to do as much as we can, to be the
servants we were hired to be.”
His humble heart has roots in a very
tough childhood and upbringing, during
which he learned powerful lessons about
people and life that he plans to use while
at Pierce.
Serna did prison ministry and taught
Sunday School for six years. He also
started his own nonprofit organization,
called CJS Urban Outreach Ministries
that reached out to homeless children,
to give back to the things he didn’t have
when he was a kid.
“That’s what I sought to do, hence my
major of clinical psychology,” said Serna.
“I want to work in abnormal psychology
with kids.”
In the meantime Serna has big plans
for students at Pierce College this year,
specifically to create a community.
“We don’t want sects of individuals
here, and cliques of individuals here and
there,” said Serna. “We want to show
people: Have pride in where you go to
school. Don’t just come, go to school, and
then go about your business. Be part of
this community. Serve in ways that you
can. Give back.
“We want the student body to know
they have a real voice. Student input
won’t fall on deaf ears, fall through the
cracks, or get caught in bureaucratic red
tape. We want to create a vibrant, viable,
healthy community that’s inclusive to all.”
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 11

Features
VR HEADSETS TO POTENTIALLY
BE USED IN CLASSROOMS
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom has purchased a small set
of VR headsets and is looking for student participants.
By TAYLOR RILEY
Staff writer
ILLUSTRATION By
Abri Wilson
THE WAY CLASSROOMS INCOR-
PORATE GAMING into their courses
has been subtle yet effective, so far.
Games like Kahoot, an online trivia
game, have students scrambling
to play during class. Even simple
games, such as an educational
styled jeopardy on the whiteboard,
manage to entice students to engage,
both with technology and their
classmates.
Video games have influenced
the way classrooms are conducted
since their creation. New devices are
announced annually at conventions
such as E3, and this rapidly growing
market is beginning to push schools
into improving their own technology.
Schools are now finding ways to
adapt to this ever growing climate.
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom is
currently looking to test out virtual reality
headsets that have the potential
of being incorporated in classrooms
such as for STEM and the design
programs. Kyle Pierson, an educational
technology specialist for the
Center for Engagement and Learning,
says that Pierce is still trying to
formulate plans on how they can be
incorporated into classrooms.
“We wanted to introduce new tools
to be used in the classroom,” said
Pierson. “VRs are an ever expanding
and growing field that’s used in K-12,
and it’s getting into higher education
more frequently - more in the last
couple years.”
The Employee Learning and
Engagement department has purchased
four headsets for the campus
and are looking for students willing to
test them. With vested interest and
time for a trial run, this could bring a
whole batch of headsets to certain
classrooms in the future. This will
be an ongoing experiment at Pierce,
as ELAD continues to organize the
logistics of it.
VR headsets used for learning is
not an unfamiliar concept, but this
idea is a fairly recent one for Pierce.
While specific classes have not been
chosen to use VR headsets, STEM
and design programs seem to be
the main target audience. Pierson
explains how he believes VR can be
applied to STEM courses in particular.
“There’s a lot of stuff about human
anatomy, chemistry, space, exploring
the ocean, geology - The sciences
are pretty easy to apply the headsets
to because of all the apps that are
already out there, which dive into
all these different things that can be
used in a classroom.”
STEM program students could
see a benefit in learning with such
technology. Justin Hawes, a student
at Pierce who’s currently pursuing
psychiatry, shared his thoughts on
the usage of VR headsets for the
program. “I think that it would be
valuable to use VR with things that
can be potentially dangerous,” he
said.
12 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

Hawes explained how VR headsets
could reduce in-class risk of injury or
harm in places such as science labs,
which typically require hands-on
approaches. Rather than dealing with
dangerous materials physically, it’s
possible the risk can be removed by
doing so digitally.
While STEM would be using the
headsets in ways that allow them to
simulate learning scenarios, classes
such as design could use them for
creating. Instructors such as Leigh
Rooney, assistant professor for digital
design, have been attempting to
garner interest from students.
“I’m thinking of how you can create
virtual reality environments,” said
Rooney. “There’s also some virtual
reality applications or software that
you can paint in 3D in VR, which
I think is a really cool way to think
about design.”
Earlier in October, Rooney sent
emails to her students, creating a
virtual sign up sheet for the trial run.
Rooney believes that the usage of
VR headsets can be an exciting and
brand new learning tool that Pierce
does for future classrooms.
Instructors on campus are seeing
the benefit of using headsets for in
class learning. But as ELAD continues
to work out more of the details
on the matter, certain concerns have
been mentioned by students, one of
them being the cost.
VR headsets within the gaming
community may be seen as a gimmick;
a fad that has slowly begun
losing its steam over the years. And
with the cost of headsets ranging
between $100 - $400 on average,
Pierce could be spending thousands
to supply a single classroom of 30 at
the risk of it being wasted.
Once a class is supplied, maintaining
student’s interest in using the
headsets would be the biggest challenge.
VR has been around for years
and arguably peaked between the
years of 2012 to 2016. Nathan Jefferey,
a business student at Pierce,
wonders himself how exactly Pierce
plans to get students to engage with
such devices.
“I don’t think it’ll be like a necessity,”
he said. “A lot of students, especially
older ones, I don’t think are
really going to care for VR headsets.
“Some people already feel like
they’re kind of goofy to wear. Even
gamers are kind of like, ‘I don’t want
to put that thing on’, so I can only
imagine someone who’s 30, 40, or 50
years old being asked to wear a VR
set.”
“PEOPLE WOULD
PROBABLY
INITIALLY NOT BE
AS COMFORTABLE
BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE
THIS STIGMA THAT
THAT’S NOT HANDS ON
EXPERIENCE. YOU’RE
NOT USING THINGS
IN THE MATERIAL
WORLD, YOU’RE NOT
PLAYING WITH A
MODEL. INSTEAD
YOU’RE PLAYING WITH
A DIGITAL MODEL.
SO PEOPLE MIGHT
FEEL THAT YOU HAVE
THE SKILLS TO IT
THEORETICALLY, BUT
NOT PRACTICALLY,”
— JUSTIN HAWES, A
STUDENT AT PIERCE WHO’S
CURRENTLY PURSUING
PSYCHIATRY.
Cost and interest aside, other
concerns such as hygiene have also
been mentioned. “I’m worried about
hygienics in general,” said Hawes.
“I think that if people are constantly
swapping them, how are they going
to be handled in that regard?”
Hawes also mentions that others
on campus might also be skeptical
of the changes that could come from
switching to VR. “People are very
apprehensive to change,” he said. “I
think that because it’s a little different
I might be a little wary of getting
into it.
“People would probably initially
not be as comfortable because people
have this stigma that that’s not
hands on experience. You’re not
using things in the material world,
you’re not playing with a model.
Instead you’re playing with a digital
model. So people might feel that
you have the skills to it theoretically,
but not practically.”
Despite his fears however,
Hawes feels that a problem such
as student’s adjustment could
easily be mended with the right
methods. If ELAD could find a way
to have both digital and physical
teaching methods conjoin and
compliment one another, the
usage of VR headsets could be
invaluable.
Other concerns such as hygiene,
also prove to be less of an issue
than feared if handled properly.
Most classes at Pierce range
around 50 minutes, with many
STEM and Design coming close to
two hours. On average, students
might spend half an hour using the
headsets, allowing time for them to
be cleaned and properly handled
like any other lab equipment.
While these concerns exist,
the interest it creates is the main
reason that the headsets are going
through a trial run on campus. The
idea is still young, but discussing
both the potential costs and benefits
is exactly what ELAD wants.
Pierson spoke on the importance
of gathering awareness for the
project, as more students interested
means for better testing results.
Students interested in signing up
or learning more about it can do so
with eLearning located in CAS 322,
as they're still accepting
participants.
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 13
Features

Features
HEY MTV, HELP ME FIND
AN AFFORDABLE CRIB
Lakewood has no limit on how much monthly rent can be increased,
giving students the difficult task of finding an affordable home.
BY ABRI WILSON
Staff Illustration
BY LIZZY ROWE
Staff Writer
Everyone deserves access to clothing,
food and shelter. They are essentials to
living and surviving. But can you imagine
not having access to these essentials? For
many college students, there is uncertainty
with securing a warm place to come
home to.
Pacific Lutheran University held the
Ruth Anderson Public Debate on Oct. 1,
debating rent control in Tacoma and surrounding
areas. Rent control is the limit
the amount a property owner can charge
for leasing and lease renewal for a home
or apartment.
There were two opponents on each
side for and against rent control. Summer
Ash, a senior at PLU, argued that the
increase in rent costs forces people to
move out of the city they grew up in. “We
aren’t afraid of growth and development,”
said Ash. “But we have to recognize that
new development is not being conducted
in a way that is uplifting to all Tacoma’s
residents.”
Hannah Backus, also a senior at PLU,
was against putting a cap on rent. Backus
emphasized the rights to own property
and do with it what you please. “This is
where rent control unknowingly seeks to
undermine the principle of the American
Dream, by trivializing the ownership of
property,” said Backus.
Pierce College students have a variety
of living circumstances. Some live alone,
with their families or with roommates,
and each present challenges when working
a part-time job and furthering their
education.
Keara Tiedeman, a student at Pierce, is
working part-time as a nanny and attending
school full-time to make ends meet.
Tiedeman lives in an apartment with her
girlfriend and her roommate, both being
military veterans, and says the housing
allowance they receive every month helps
them afford their apartment. “If we didn’t
get that housing allowance,” she said. “I
don’t think we would be able to go to
school because it pays all of our rent.”
Tiedeman hasn’t had the most pleasant
experience at her current living space -
It’s impossible to find parking, there are
loud neighbors and every time a new
lease is signed, the rent increases. She
says if she was a landlord and raised prices,
she would need to be reassured that
tenants are responsible and have stable
jobs. “Society puts a label on people who
only work minimum wage jobs, that they
are younger and less reliable, so I can see
both sides.”
Erin Teston, a criminal justice major
at Pierce, has lived independently for
27 years and has had experience with
apartment living. “I don’t agree with rent
control,” he said. “But I do agree with a
14 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

level of which the rent can be increased.”
He described a time when he was 22
years old, was divorced and moved into
an apartment as a single dad on a tight
budget. He was alarmed when his landlord
gave him an increase of $50 on rent,
with one month’s notice.
Living on your own without any help
from family or friends can be difficult in
any situation. Teston said requirements
to get an apartment didn’t align with the
cost of the apartment because residents
must make three times more than the
monthly rent. “It is attempting to survive,
that’s the best way to describe it,” he said.
“It puts shackles on people that want to
go to school with those requirements.”
As a communication manager in
Lakewood, Trini Balles said she must
abide by specific codes that take a lot to
maintain the property, which includes
522 units. “Residents don’t anticipate an
increase in rent and the increase is based
on the market and what everyone else is
charging,” said Balles. “Landlords have
to keep some sort of renewal process to
sustain the property and market control.”
Balles has been in the housing industry
since 2002 and managing apartments
across Pierce and King county. She makes
herself accessible to residents either in
“IT IS ATTEMPTING
TO SURVIVE, THAT’S
THE BEST WAY TO
DESCRIBE IT. IT PUTS
SHACKLES ON PEOPLE
THAT WANT TO GO TO
SCHOOL WITH THOSE
REQUIREMENTS,” -
SAID ERIN TETSON,
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
MAJOR.
person or via email based on
her past experiences with apartment
living; but she expects her
residents to be consistent with
the lease. “Having the same
communication is huge to having
a good relationship with the
landlord or property manager,”
she said.
With the population in Washington
State nearing eight million people, the
demand for affordable housing increases.
The average monthly apartment cost in
Lakewood is $926. For many full-time
students working part-time, this cost
causes an unbearable burden and limits
their access to housing. How can apartment
managers and leasing companies
ensure they are able to make a profit
while meeting the needs of a financially
diverse population?
Features
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 15

Features
HALLWAY HASSLE
Q&A
LYDIA FITZSIMMONS
“I think there should be some kind of regulation put on rent.”
WILLIAM WASSON
“Every human being deserves housing. Landlords don’t deserve
the right to just make endless money. There is a very easy
way to change that.”
CHRIS HETTER
“Right now is tricky. Many people are unable to afford both
[school and rent] when you’re not being supported. I’m working
two jobs right now.”
KRYSTAL ROBLES
“Sometimes landlords do overcharge. They just want to make a
lot more money than they are already making. the prices definitely
going up right now I’m renting so I know.”
MELONIE WASHINGTON
“I think that rent control in Tacoma is pretty high. It’s also hard to
get into a lot of communities depending on your background and
how much you make. Even when me and my wife were qualified
we were still denied, and we fixed what they told us to fix and tried
to come back and we still got denied. They wanted their own type
of people in that area. I was making way more than what they were
asking for. They are really picky in who they let live in certain places,
and they’re background.”
VERONICA LU/
Staff Illustrator
ABRI WILSON/
Staff Illustrator
16 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019/ Vol. 53, Issue 2

Business Classes at Pierce
Earn your business certificate and degree
both online and in class
Classes offered in winter 2020
Classes on campus
MNGT 182: Creative Sales and Customer
Relationship Management
MNGT 186: Professional Development
MNGT 295: Human Resource Management
Classes online
MNGT 136: Online Selling
MNGT 137: Independent Contracting
MNGT 138: Information Design
MNGT 276: Employment Law
BUS 240: Human Relations
Certificates include
Social Media Marketing
Human Resource Management
Entrepreneurship
Business
Project Management
Supervision and Management
Degrees
Associate of Science in
Applied Business
Bachelor of Science in
Applied Business Management
For more information, contact
Dr. Paul L. Gerhardt, PhD
Phone: 253-964-6429
Email: pgerhardt@pierce.ctc.edu
Web: www.pierce.ctc.edu/business

Campus
THESE ARE THE FACES
They spend their time dreaming up ways to make
O
e
BY ANNE HAMMOND
Staff Writer
Anne Hammond/ Staff Photos
Yajahira Parham
Special Events Coordinator
YDominguez@pierce.ctc.edu
Parham hopes to surpass event attendance
goals, attract students who don’t
normally attend events and create new
events.
Last year she worked as an Entertainment
and Recreation coordinator for
Student Life.
“Planning events is like a piece of pie
for me now,” says Parham. “I definitely
like going all out.”
As an organizer and planner at heart,
she is also focused on her board goal of
increasing attendance at all board events
and activities.
She plans to earn an AA in dental
hygiene and then continue at Pierce in a
special program.
Kaela Belen
Issues and Awareness
Coordinator
KBelen@pierce.ctc.edu
Belen organizes events that raise
awareness for certain causes such as
mental health, Breast Cancer Awareness
and Hispanic heritage. Mental health is a
priority for Belen.
“I want students to know where they
can get help and know the resources
and hopefully help people feel like they
belong,” said Belen.
She hopes students feel like Pierce College
is a community and a family where
they can get to know each other, not just
a school. She wants to help students build
connections and feel happier as a result.
“I like to think big,” she said.
Belen wants students to remember an
event. That it made an impact on them,
they got something out of it and it helped
them or a friend.
Belen is an education major who came
from a large family and loves to cook.
Tracy Vo
Outreach Coordinator
Lvo@pierce.ctc.edu
Vo wants to create memories, opportunities
for creativity, and attract new
students to engage more in college so
they learn how much Pierce College cares
for them.
When students complete their college
education, she wants them to leave with
lots of good memories, in addition to
knowledge. She feels that Student Life
events can affect students in positive
ways and increase their happiness.
“We can find more services for the students,
such as the free bus pass,” says Vo.
Vo says she is passionate about what
she is doing; she’s creative, very organized,
a good learner and loves working
with people.
“My strong point is that I’m an international
student and I want to create new
things that all students can enjoy,” says
Vo.
“People are curious about differences.”
Vo is studying business at Pierce
College and ultimately will specialize in
marketing elsewhere.
18 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

e
OF FUN AT PIERCE
each week something special for their peers
Campus
Dennis Johnson
Communications Coordinator
DJohnson@pierce.ctc.edu
Johnson is in the digital design program,
and is passionate about helping
students with mental health by providing
speakers, resources, and by increasing
awareness of what exists.
“I just want to sit down and talk to
people,” said Johnson. “Because a lot of
people who suffer from depression don’t
want to talk. They just keep to themselves
and will be the ones hiding in the back of
the room.”
During the first two days of classes he
was personally walking lost students to
their classes as part of the board’s ‘Welcome
Days.’
Johnson’s also focused on improving
the social media presence on Instagram,
Facebook and possibly Twitter by
updating it regularly and providing a lot
of relevant content that’ll keep students
up-to-date regarding events.
Johnson is enthusiastic about a campus
cleanup effort, including a focus on trash,
recycling, and landscaping.
“We are committed to the students,”
says Johnson.
Taimane Rice
Entertainment and
Recreation Coordinator
Trice@pierce.ctc.edu
Rice is studying digital design, and
has creative ideas on how to broaden the
variety of students at events.
“I want to ensure that we create a platform
that accommodates both Running
Start students but also students who may
just want to come by on the way to class,
who probably have to go pick up their
kids later and maybe have a job as well,”
says Rice.
She wants to entice more people to
sporting events, including those held off
campus.
Rice has exciting plans for an international
Passport Café with free drinks and
tables with treats.
She grew up in a big family where her
mom entertained, then she became a
wedding planning assistant for her aunt.
“After a while I ended up becoming
her right hand,” says Rice. “She put that
little bug in me to want to be able to plan
things.
“I like that ability to be able to affect
somebody so much that even years later
they’ll remember it,” says Rice.
Kaitie Ferencik
Promotions Coordinator
KFerencik@pierce.ctc.edu
As a digital design student, Ferencik
creates constantly -- all the posters,
flyers, handbills, and the quarterly event
calendar.
“The calendar has a list of all the events
that Student Life holds which is really
cool because almost every single one of
them has free food, free resources, giveaways,
games, things that they can do,”
says Ferencik.
She’s looking forward to creating three
very different calendars – fall, winter, and
spring – that are gender-neutral, and easy
to read and navigate.
Ferencik is also making sure that all
promotional material is posted in ways
that students can access it.
“Our biggest issue is reaching certain
demographics of students, like students
that take online classes or nighttime
classes,” says Ferencik. “I’d really like to
create promotional banners for Canvas.
We have a very large demographic of
people that are not right-out-of-highschool
college students, so our goal is
finding events that they would like to go
to as well as students that are just out of
high school.”
piercepioneernews.com / 19

Sports Commentary
20 YEARS IN THE MAKING
This year marks the beginning of an era as Pierce College
introduces its first ever Women’s Cross Country Team
courtesy photo
/ pierceraiders.com
JAMES SARABIA ZALDIVAR
staff writer
Ready, set, go! #132 Serin Caldwell (left) and #133 Tiffany Compton(right) Line
up at the satring line moments before the first race in the Pierce College’s
Womens Cross Country history.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PIERCE
COLLEGE’S HISTORY, the women’s
cross country team debuted on Aug. 31
after twenty years in the making. Daniel
Richards, head coach of the team, helped
orchestrate the meets and practices,
playing a key role in getting this team off
the ground.
Richards had conversations with
Duncan Stevenson, director of District
Athletics, which focused on strengthening
the college’s athletic program. This
is what led to Pierce adding women’s
cross country to the program, which has
been a goal of Stevenson for the past two
decades.
“Year one we just wanted to form a
team,” said Richards. “Next year, I want
to be able to compete in the NY conference;
it's a prestigious conference when
it comes to distance running and cross
country and I want Pierce to be in the
conversation as early as next year.”
As far as how Pierce should be seen
in the realm of cross country, Richards
20 / piercepioneernews.com
mentions that he hopes to make this a
place to go and run for. “That’s my goal
- competing for and winning conference
championships in the next few years,” he
said.
Currently the team is excelling as
the season progresses, and students are
excited that they have this new opportunity
available to them. Serin Caldwell, a
student on the team, expressed her thrill
for being able to be a part of this. “I’ve
always loved to run and now that Pierce
College has a cross country team I think
it’s a great opportunity for lots of girls to
go in and do their passion.”
Other athletes on the team, such as Tiffany
Compton, have also expressed their
excitement about their experience. “I
enjoy my time very well,” said Compton.
“I’ve done this since high school and took
a two-year break, so it’s really nice getting
back into the individual school schedule.”
When it comes to Richards experience
coaching he says his favorite part is the
comradery. “Meeting these girls with a
passion for running, it’s a diverse group
of girls and it's cool seeing how running
can bring them together. Sometimes you
have a handful of people and you’re like
‘how is this going to form a team?’. It's
cool to see them bond over hard work
and practices day in to day out, that's the
biggest reward.”
Over the season, the team has done a
total of six games, including their most
recent one on Nov. 18 at Saint Martin’s
University. Each member has been
improving and enjoying their time since
the creation of this team, and are looking
forward to continuing to do so.
For those that have an interest in
learning more about the women’s cross
country team, students can check out the
sports athletic page on the Pierce College
website. Students can look forward to the
future of this new team as it becomes a
competitive and sought out school to run
for. It is here to stay.
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

ine

HOUSING RESOURCES
THROUGH PIERCE COLLEGE
Features
Pierce College has an abundance of resources that includes housing
on this page are some of the resources they offer. And Pierce College
is going to implement more in the future.
FIND OUT MORE AT:
HTTPS://WWW.PIERCE.CTC.EDU/HELP-HOUSING
ARE YOU A SINGLE PARENT FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
EXODUS HOUSING: : Must be a single parent 18 or older with a minor child in their custody, must be fleeing
or attempting to flee domestic violence and lack resources to obtainstable housing. Employed or able to obtain
employment for a hsort period of time. Applications are active fo 60 days and then deleted. Applicants are welcome
to reapply as necessary
Website: https://exodushousing.org/
Call 253-862-6808
Are you a minor who lives in Eastern Pierce County?
Open Hearth Ministries — Provides short term motel assistance to those with children up to 18 years old in
Puyallup and Eastern Pierce County.
https://www.gtcf.org/community/directory/open-hearth-ministries-organization-helping-hand-house/
Call 253-307-2274
Are you a pregnant woman or a new mother and looking for a place to live right now?
New Beginnings — Provides housing support services for young women who are pregnant as well as new
mothers who are in crisis and need assistance with temporary housing.
Website: https://newbeginningshome.org/our-programs
Call 253-353-2229
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 23

Commentary
SHOULD
COLLEGE
ATHLETES
BE PAID?
24 / piercepioneernews.com
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2

Commentary
Kevin Collins / Staff photos
By MATT SLATER
Staff Writer
The debate of whether or not we
should be paying college athletes has
come to prominence with the introduction
of a new California law regarding
the subject. Recently, California governor
Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to
Play Act, which would allow college athletes
to make money from sponsorships
and product endorsements.
The National Collegiate Athletic
Association objects to this law. According
to NPR, they see it as a threat to the
traditional model amateurism in college
athletics. However, considering that
colleges make money off of the athletic
games, it doesn’t seem so fair that the students
aren’t being compensated, but their
professional counterparts are compensated
with significant payment.
Take Zion Williamson, a basketball
player from Duke University, for an
example. According to The New York
Times, Williamson is college basketball’s
best and most prominent player.
However, back in February, he
suffered an injury to his right knee after
his sneaker split open during a game.
This unfortunate event led to calls for
him to stop playing college basketball,
seeing as he was already an NBA
draft prospect.
This drew criticism towards the NCAA
for not paying student athletes. In another
case years earlier, a college football
player chose to end his college career prematurely
after receiving an injury more
serious than Williamson’s. This was due
to the fact that he wouldn’t be compensated,
along with the athlete wanting to
limit the risk to his professional payday,
according to the NYT.
Of course, there are arguments against
paying college athletes. Some college
athletes get numerous privileges from the
schools they’re at - scholarships, reduced
fees, and getting priority when picking
classes for each term. However, the law
does not say that the students would
get paid by the college itself, or by the
NCAA.
The money would come from sponsorships
by outside companies to use their
name, image, and likeness for product
endorsements and advertisements.
If the money paid to athletes came
from the university, the student athletes
would become student employees, presenting
Title IX challenges.
There are cases of athletes being
drafted into the professional leagues right
out of high school, meaning they might
not have to play in college in order to
get a position in a major sports league
like the NBA or NFL. This may distract
them, and prevent them from pursuing
an education, which is a risky way to go.
Besides, the odds of getting drafted right
out of high school is small, and having a
good education is the safer route.
So, while I still support college athletes
being paid, I can see reasons why others
would go against this.
As we were making this commentary the NCAA is now in development to allow
athletes to earn compensation for use of their name, likeness and image
after a unanimous vote (NPR)
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com /
25

Science
Dome
South Sound’s only planetarium!
1910 TM
ALL AGES SHOWS
$6 for ages 3 and up | FREE for Pierce College students with I.D.
Includes a half hour live astronomy presentation and half hour fulldome video
Fridays at 7:15 p.m.
Saturdays at 3:15 p.m.
CHILDREN’S SHOWS
$6 for children | Adults FREE
Interactive live presentations
Saturdays at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Pierce College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,
marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or use of a trained guide dog or service animal in its programs and activities. For inquiries regarding compliance contact the
Pierce College District Title IX Coordinator, 253-964-6519 | 9401 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood WA 98498.
Pierce College is committed to equal access to all college sponsored events. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations or who have questions about physical access provided should
contact Access & Disability Services, 253-964-6468 or ADS@pierce.ctc.edu. Requests can be served most effectively if notice is provided at least 2 weeks before the event.
piercecollegedome.com | 253-964-6440
Pierce College Fort Steilacoom
Rainier Building, 263
9401 Farwest Dr SW
Lakewood, WA 98498

1910 TM
TAKE A BREAK
You deserve it
Coffee Break
Written by
ABRI WILSON
Written by
MATT SLATER
November. 2019 / Vol. 53, Issue 2 piercepioneernews.com / 27