Hey there here I am back again. I was walking to my car the other night at ECC in Lot L, when i saw something very alarming. I noticed a few rows up that there was an ECC officer. That was comforting to me at first having it been night time and second the common attacks that have occurred on campus. Until I noticed what he was doing. I saw this officer shinning his light into some one's vehicle and then try the door handle to see if it was open. My mouth dropped and I literally stopped and stared for a second. The worst part was he quickly made it look like something else and then made a comment to me as to intimidate. I was so shocked and appalled. How can students feel a sense of safety when we catch police blatantly trying to get in to our vehicles.
As if that's not bad enough, I was recently informed that if a student's vehicle is stolen on campus there is no protection. The lots are "Park at your own risk" yet it is controlled, charged, and ticketed like a private lot. So not only do we all constantly park at our own risk, if we get out parking pass stolen (By someone breaking in or stealing the whole car) you are responsible to purchase an entirely new pass. Once a pass is given if it is never seen again, the school will not replace it no matter what and it is your responsibility to buy another. I am so aggravated to find this information. It makes me feel like i can't be safe on campus.
This is really serious for all students because we already have to deal with physical attacks and our sense of safety being compromised. Now I feel like my car and I are not being protected to the best ability. I think this is some useful information and really alarming as well. Just remember knowledge is power and contagious. Things like this are only allowed and accepted because people don't know about it. For more info on crimes that happen on campus check out ECC P.D.'s page at http://www.elcamino.edu/police/SpecNotice/index.asp.
Hey everyone it's Heather back at ya again. I've been having a wonderful time going out on campus and taking photos. I really enjoyed shooting Darilyn Rowan. She is an amazing teacher, photographer, and woman. We really got to have a ton of fun together. We went out at about 10 a.m. and walked around campus looking for good lighting and backdrop. We ended up shooting in some beautiful diffused lighting by some roses and the cashier's office. I shot a ton of photos! Some to test lighting and color, and once my camera was set, then i started to shoot Darilyn.
I took about 30 images of her. Some were just profile shots, only being the side of her face. Others were full length shots, much like the one that ran in issue 2 of EC Union News. I am so honored to take images of Darilyn Rowan. Especially because i am a photographer myself and i find it to be very uncomfortable to be on the other side of the camera. I would assume, much like me, that she would rather be on the other side of the camera. I am great full she has given me the instruction and opportunity to shoot her. One of the hardest parts was that as her student I have to make it perfect. Not to mention, she is a world recognized photographer. That is very intimidating and a lot to live up to and impress. I was really happy with the images that were made of her and so was she. I was mortified at minor mis-print errors, but she went out of her way to let me know how much she loved it. I feel so accomplished as a photographer getting her warm recognition and I find it inspiring. This one shoot has given me a huge confidence boost. Although I will continue to learn to be a better photographer, this is a significant shap shot in my photographic experiences and learning. For info about photo on campus check out Darilyn's photo blog at http://reginarowanart.wordpress.com/.
The parking lots, classes, wait lists, and hallways are full of returning and new students at El Camino College. Yet, the challenges students are facing seem to remain. The parking is always a main issue here on campus. Since the new parking structure has opened the traffic has decreased. There is also an abundant amount of parking compared to previous years. Students may still experience some trouble at peak times, like before classes at 8am. Over all the amount of spaces have increased significantly and the construction in Lot "L" shouldn't contribute to any future problems. One thing that is costing students time that they usually would spend parking, would be navigating through the construction on campus. I find myself stopping to direct students in the right direction at least three times a day. As a student I find it to be frustrating to walk through an area one day and then it's closed the next. Unfortunately, it will not be ending anytime soon with the renovations and the new Humanities mall under construction. So be sure to give yourself enough time to get from one end of campus to another.
The main issue that is reoccurring on campus is the sexual assaults. In every student's email we received a notification about another occurrence here on campus. I was shocked to hear that this has happened again, and the magnitude of the attack was unbelievable. What happened overall is that a gentleman asked a female student to escort him to his vehicle, where a second abductor was waiting. The female was blindfolded and taken to an isolated area, and sexually assaulted. She was later dropped off at Crenshaw Blv. and 110th st. and contacted the police. It was another occurrence in broad daylight that could have possibly been avoided. It's super important for female students to remain aware of what is going on around them at all times. I also suggest to use the buddy system and never walk alone (especially at night). Remember El Camino College has strict rules about weapons and the police will not make exceptions to these rules. But, they are here to protect all students so familiarize yourself with the emergency poles to contact police. I also encourage bringing pepper spray and holding it in hand, especially while walking at night. For more info on this topic visit www.elcaminouniononline.com 0r www.elcamino.edu.
