CAMPUS TIMES NOVEMBER 2, 2018 SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE COMMUNITY SINCE 1919 VOL. 127, NO. 9 Admins Dia De Los Muertos commit to diversity Jocelyn Arceo Arts Editor Christian Shepherd News Editor University President Devorah Lieberman and Provost Jona- than Reed presented a draft of a resolution on Oct. 26 to students and faculty listing the actions they plan to take in the coming weeks and months to improve the treatment of minority groups on campus. The resolution was presented in President’s Dining Hall be- fore roughly 40 students, faculty and administrators. The commitments outlined in the resolution were in direct response to a protest that took place outside of Lieberman and Reed’s office on Oct. 25, where students demanded a list of five Melody Blazauskas changes including: Jahna Rae Aieto paints Raquel Arenas’ face Saturday for En Me- tion. The event included live music, food vendors, art and a low ● Promoting diversity and in- moria, the Fairplex’s second annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebra- rider car show. See story on page 8. clusivity in all unit and strategic plans; ● A faculty handbook that addresses mandatory diversity LV community gathers in solidarity training; Jocelyn Arceo everywhere,” Wagoner read the audience to shout one-word and the audience was given the ● An employee handbook Arts Editor from the poem, “What They Did descriptions as to how they felt chance to write in a journal be- that addresses mandatory diver- Yesterday Afternoon.” when they first heard of the longing to the Chapel. sity training; Around 70 members of the Wagoner introduced Devorah shootings. “There is a core sickness that ● Enforcing cultural compe- La Verne community gathered Lieberman, president of the Uni- The audience responded is part of the American character tencies as part of all review and on the grassy area in front of versity, shortly thereafter. The with: sickened, lament, hope- that has a deep fear of the other,” promotion processes, including the University’s Chapel to show audience could hear the shaki- less, horrified and tired. Buch said. faculty tenure and promotion their solidarity with the Jewish ness of emotion in her voice as In the middle of the seats set “The arch of human history and merit pay; and black communities in light she uttered statements of sup- up for guests, there was a table has been marching forward to ● Changes to the curriculum of the tragedies of last week. port. holding 13 candles on top of a a greater degree of inclusive- that match the diverse back- Eleven Jewish communi- “I know that it’s difficult to purple tablecloth. ness and integration and a sense grounds of students. ty members were killed in the move forward under the heavy Following a prayer led by that... we realize we are all inter- Lieberman and Reed com- Tree of Life synagogue in Pitts- weight of this sadness because Cantor Paul Buch from Temple twined in a way where we can mitted to all five of the demands burgh Saturday morning, and these incidents remind us yet Beth Israel in Pomona, the can- never consider ourselves sepa- in Friday’s draft of the resolu- two black community members again of the broader anger and dles were lit as Nicole Temple, rate again.” tion. were killed in a Kentucky gro- divisiveness that we continue president of Hillel, read off the Buch said he remains hopeful Lieberman and Reed said an cery store Oct. 24 after the gun- to wrestle with in our society. names of the those who were in spite of the darkness brought updated version of the resolution man was unable to gain access Sometimes, so heavy and over- lost in the two horrific events. on by the horrific actions of ter- would be made public today, to the predominantly black First whelming, that it feels like we “Shield us from our despair, rorists such as these. including new ideas brought Baptist Church. have no control,” Lieberman God, ease our pain. Let our fears Temple said it is far too easy up during the meeting, such as “Sacred spaces are too often said. give way to hope,” Buch said. to become apprehensive after mandating diversity training for the target for acts of terror and “We must carry that weight “We must never learn to be in- such incidents, but that it is more all faculty and staff, and whether hate. Let’s be sure to reclaim and we must move forward. We different to the plight of any who important to look toward the fu- that would be online or in per- Tree of Life and First Baptist cannot allow hate to prevail.” suffer, we must learn to care, to ture for hope. son. Church as sacred,” University The event was co-hosted by open our hearts, to open our “I’d like to think that in the When asked if the adminis- Chaplain Zandra Wagoner said. the Jewish club, Hillel, and the hands, because innocent blood future, someone is thinking back tration would also be enacting “These are spaces where love Black Student Union. During the is calling out to us.” to the events that happened to- mandatory cultural competency is stronger than hate, wisdom is ceremony, Aryn Plax, vice pres- After the prayer and lighting day and is saying ‘I wish they training for faculty and staff, deeper than fear, where justice ident of Hillel, offered words of of the candles, Buch led the au- knew that everything was going Reed said he believes the best knows no violence, where com- contemplation to the audience as dience in a song meant to pro- to be okay,’” Temple said. way to enforce such a policy is passion is the norm even toward she stood at the podium. vide hope for the community. Jocelyn Arceo can be reached to have it approved by Faculty enemies.” “It is more important now to Closing statements were made, at [email protected]. Senate, a group of 12 faculty Wagoner opened the cere- recognize that solidarity doesn’t members who represent the fac- mony with statements of grief, just exist now, but has existed INSIDE THE CAMPUS TIMES ulty voice in many policy deci- and a poem by Warsan Shire, a historically under a system of sions. Veterans consider support Somali-British poet. She also white supremacy, and will exist “Telling people to do some- services ....................................... Page 2 discussed how important it is to as we respond to this upsurge thing is never as effective as come together as a community in white supremacist activity,” La Verne has a new Pappa people wanting to do some- in order to show support for one Plax said. in town ....................................... Page 5 thing,” Reed said. “I think if we another after tragedies such as “In responding to these trag- Theater major brings can get the student voice to fac- these. edies, I’d like people not to an- monsters to life ......................... Page 9 ulty, they’re going to embrace “I ran my fingers across the alyze them in isolation, but to Leopards claw out win this and intrinsically want to not whole world and whispered, remember the past.” over Tigers ............................... Page 16 Continued on page 7 where does it hurt? It answered, While speaking, Plax asked Page 2 NEWS November 2, 2018 Veterans consider support services This led, in part, to the open- Resources ing of the Veteran’s Center this year. Michael Zschoche, a veteran made and CAPA psychology major, felt support across campus from available faculty and professors to admin- istration not only for himself, Nicolette Rojo but for veterans as a whole. Staff Writer “I would definitely give the support a 10 on a scale,” Many veterans, including Zschoche said. “I’ve never had a veteran students at the Univer- bad experience with the admin- sity of La Verne, suffer from istration; I’ve always had good Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, experiences, particularly with and other mental health issues the support of Ann Jeffers.” of which affect their daily lives Veterans have a variety of op- as they return to civilian life and tions for healthcare, particularly pursue their education. mental health services, includ- Ruben Ramirez, a veteran ing the government funded Vet- and CAPA educational studies eran Affairs department and Tri- major, said the Veterans Center City Mental Health Services in has been helpful not only aca- Pomona. Tri-City offers veteran demically, but also emotionally, services and employees who thanks to the comfort and inter- have veteran-type experiences, actions with other veterans. including a one on one program “It’s good to just be around called “Vets Helping Vets.” other veterans,” Ramirez said. “With Tri-City, the biggest “We’re all going through the problem I come up against is same thing, we’re all old- that there is a fee,” Towles said. er. Sometimes we get really “While the VA is free, it is hard stressed out and it helps to say to get an appointment since it the stuff that’s on your mind... takes a while to set one up.” especially when you’ve been For Mark Soto, CAPA busi- on duty, where you’re taught to ness administration major and suck it up. Having outside coun- president of the Veterans’ Club, selors through the VA and refer- the VA and Tri-City options are rals help out a lot.” out due to the extensive amount Ramirez admits that being a of paperwork and criteria. veteran student is tough at times “If it has the word VA on it, because the mentality in the mil- you know it’s going to be a lot of itary is different.