The Pioneer, Student News Magazine

April 8, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 6 

JOCELYN 

HILLYER 

A great volleyball leader is taking her 

final bow at Pierce 

DEBATING GUNS 

ON CAMPUS 

PG. 6-7 

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR 

UNDER INVESTIGATION 

PG. 12-15

THE 

Web: piercepioneernews.com 

Email: pioneer@pierce.ctc.edu 

Facebook: piercepioneernews 

Twitter: @piercepioneer 

Phone: 253-964-6604 

Room: CAS 323 

2 

Editorial 

SHOULD THERE BE A TIGHTER GRIP ON GUNS? 

Ever since the Columbine High School massacre 

20 years ago, there has been one revolving issue: 

guns on campus. In November, Washington state 

Gov. Jay Inslee supported a law that would restrict 

certain firearms and raise the minimum wage for 

purchasing semi-automatic rifles. 

Initiative 1639 not only raises the age of gun 

purchasers to 21, but individuals must also pass a 

background check and take a safety training course 

in order to buy a firearm. 

Gun supporters have opposed this initiative 

since it came into effect. Some go as far as calling 

it unconstitutional and say it does little to stop gun 

violence on campus connected with mental health 

or substance abuse. 

Recently, “The Pioneer” surveyed 100 students 

at Pierce College about whether our country needs 

stricter gun laws. Fifty-seven percent want stricter 

gun laws, 15 percent felt more people need to carry 

guns, while 28 percent proposed a different solution. 

Of the 28 percent, 2 percent expressed more 

education about guns is important. Meanwhile, 

7 percent stated that mental health screenings 

or programs to help people cope would be most 

beneficial. 

Should there be stricter gun laws? Should teachers 

be allowed to carry? 

According to Pierce College’s Student Code Of 

Conduct, which can be found on on the website 

(www.pierce.ctc.edu) Firearms are prohibited on 

campus. If a student does have permit to carry, 

they must keep it locked up in their personal 

vehicles. 

Should the event of an active shooter arise, the 

current policy is that you run to a safe place. If you 

can take others with you, do so, but do not wait for 

them. Hide in a locked quiet room with the lights 

off, keep all cell phones quiet. If need be, fight back 

using what is around you to disarm the shooter. 

But that should only be a last resort. 

Let’s all keep our campus safe. If you see something 

suspicious, say something. Always report 

unlawful activity to campus security and dial 911. 

/ piercepioneernews.com 

Editorial Manager 

Calvin Beekman 

cbeekman@pierce.ctc.edu 

Production Manager 

Carl Vincent Carallas 

ccarallas@pierce.ctc.edu 

Web Manager 

Alyssa Wilkins 

awilkins@pierce.ctc.edu 

Social Media Manager 

Malia Adaoag 

madaoag@pierce.ctc.edu 

Office Manager 

Jenn Burgess 

jburgess@pierce.ctc.edu 

Staff 

Find Victoria: Victoria will 

make an appearance in each 

of our cover photos. Can you 

find her in this one? 

Nick Nelson/Staff Photo 

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 

Candee Bell 

Jed Brewer 

Sophiya Galanesi 

Marji Harris 

Nick Nelson 

Taimane Rice 

Diane Russell 

Khuong “Finn” Quoc Ho 

Karley Wise 

This 

could 

be you! 

Cover Photo: Duncan Stevenson/ Courtesy Photo 

Insert name here_ 

Interested in working for 

The Pioneer? Stop by 

room CAS 323 to pick up 

an application today. 

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. 

April 8, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 6

CONTENTS 

Pg. 6-7 Pg. 10-11 Pg. 17-19 

Pg. 8-9 

Pg. 12-15 

Pg. 20-21 

Pg. 6-7 

20 years after Columbine 

How has the past 20 years 

affected us? 

Pg. 12-15 

Kristopher Gutierrez 

Here is what The Pioneer knows 

about the high-profile case 

Pg. 22-23 

Men’s Baseball 

Going for a home run 

Pg. 8-9 

Passover and Easter 

History of traditions 

Pg. 17-19 

Student spotlight: Jocelyn Hillyer 

The volleyball allstar 

Pg. 24-25 

Hallway Hassle 

Gun safety in the classroom 

Pg. 10-11 

The Science Dome 

Enlightening info on light pollution 

Pg. 20-21 

Women’s Softball 

Striking out the competition 

Pg. 26 

Coffee Break 

Take a break and enjoy some fun 

April 8, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 6 piercepioneernews.com / 3

HAPPENINGS 

April 8 April 10, 24 April 11 

Spring Welcome Daze Student Government 

Clubs 101 

Meetings 

7 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the 

Student Life Lobby 

5 p.m. on the 2nd floor 

of the Olympic building 

1 p.m. - 2 p.m. 

Where: Student 

Life Lobby 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Where: 

Olympic 202 

April 12 

Raider Softball vs Skagit 

Valley College 

4 p.m. 

Where: Heritage 

Recreation Center - 

Softball Complex 

April 12 April 14 

April 16 April 16 

Multicultural Leadership 

Institute (MLI) Workshop 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Where: 

Cascade 529 

Raider Baseball vs 

Grays Harbor College 

1 p.m. 

Where: Mt. Tahoma 

H.S. Baseball Field 

Clubs Carnival 

10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

Where: 

Student Life Lobby 

Wear Your Pajamas to 

School Day 

ALL DAY 

Wear your pajamas and 

go to the Student Life 

Office to win a prize! 

April 17 April 17 April 19 April 22 

Raider Softball vs 

Douglas College 

4 p.m. 




MLI and ELA Intensive 

Noon - 4 p.m. 

Where: Performance 

and Fireside Lounge 


Centralia College 

Noon and 3 p.m. 



Earth Day 

Arts and Crafts 

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. 


and Fireside Lounge and 

the Student Life Lobby 

April 23 

April 26 April 28 April 29 

Clubs Council Meeting 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Where: 

Olympic 202 

Emerging Leaders 

Academy (ELA) Workshop 

Noon - 1 p.m. 

Where: 

Cascade 529 


Green River College 

1 p.m. 



Family Movie Night 

Tickets Available! 

In Student Life Office 

4 free tickets 

per student ID 

Showing: “How to Train 

Your Dragon 3” 

April 29 - 30 

April 30 

May 3 May 4 

Cascade Blood Drive 

9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Where: 

Outside Commons 

De-Stress for Success 

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 


and Fireside Lounge 

Raider Softball vs 

Olympic College 

4 p.m. 





Lower Columbia College 

1 p.m. 



4 



Science 

Dome 

South Soundʼs 

only planetarium! 

KIDS’ SHOWS 

$6 for children | Adults FREE 

Interactive live presentations 

Sat at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. 

Public Shows ALL AGES 

$6 for ages 3 and up | FREE for Pierce College students 

Include a half hour live astronomy 

presentation and half hour fulldome video 

Fri at 7 p.m. 

Sat at 3:15 p.m. 

Wed at 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. (summer only) 

Field Trips 

$35 

For pK-12 schoolgroups and 

youth programs 

Private Shows 

$200 

Up to 60 People 

Special Events 

FREE with hands on science activities 

piercecollegedome.com 

(253) 964-6440 

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom 

Rainier Building, 263 

9401 Farwest Dr SW 

Lakewood, WA 98498

20 YEARS 

AFTER 

COLUMBINE, 

gun rights versus campus 

safety still debated 

News 


ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY of 

the Columbine shooting, gun control 

balanced against campus safety is still a 

hot issue. One popular solution to the 

debate has created a controversy of its 

own. But should staff and faculty should 

be allowed to conceal-carry if they have 

licenses? 

According to Campus Safety Magazine, 

there are 12 states that allow concealed 

carry on campuses with state-issued 

permits. Washington state is one of 23 

that leaves it up to individual institutions 

to create their own policies. 

By MARJI HARRIS AND CALVIN BEEKMAN 

Staff Writers 

“SHOOTINGS ARE ALWAYS 

ON OUR MINDS. THEY 

DON’T ALWAYS HAPPEN AT 

SCHOOLS.” 

— JEFFERY SCHNEIDER, 

DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS 

SAFETY 

Like Bates Technical College in Tacoma, 

the Pierce College Student Code of 

Conduct regarding weapons is specific 

– they are not allowed to be carried on 

campus. However, the policy does allow 

individuals to bring firearms, provided 

they are kept secured in a vehicle. 

Students come and go without giving 

a second thought to their safety on 

campus. For Jeffery Schneider, Director 

of Campus Safety, safety is a constant 

concern. “Shootings are always on our 

minds. They don’t always happen at 

schools. You need to actively be thinking 

how to get out before, not after,” he said. 

Ken Levine, one of the tutors here, 

pointed out that gun safety on campuses 

is a complicated topic. Factors such as 

gun training have to be considered, as 

well as the right of self-protection. “At 

Boeing, we were taught to never approach 

a problem with the solution in 

mind. You can’t come up with a solution 

if you do not understand the problem,” 

he said. 

Even if staff and faculty were given the 

same training as police officers, the question 

remains how effective it would be. “I 

don’t think it would make any difference. 

6 / piercepioneernews.com April 8, 2019 / Vol. 52, Issue 6

“IMAGINE IF A STUDENT 

ACTS OUT, A TEACHER 

COULD SHOOT THE KID. I 

THINK THERE WOULD BE A 

BETTER WAY.” 

— DYLAN HARRIS, FINE 

ARTS STUDENT 

The four Lakewood police officers who 

were shot at a coffee shop several years 

ago had plenty of training and it didn’t 

help them,” Levine said. 

According to the website teenviolencestatistics.com, 

the Secret Service did 

a study related to school shootings. The 

study reviewed reports from 1974-2000, 

and at first incidents with targeted school 

shootings seems small, only 37. But the 

study also noted that these types of incidents 

are rising each decade. 

Common factors noted in the study 

were time of day, gender and weapons 

used. Attacks happened mostly during 

school hours, were committed by males 

and used guns. The attacks were not 

random and peers knew something was 

being planned, and even if they did not 

know details, they usually knew who. 

Dylan Harris is a student pursuing an 

associate’s degree in Fine Arts and does 

not see arming teachers as a good idea. 

“Imagine if a student acts out, a teacher 

could shoot the kid. I think there would 

be a better way,” he said. 

Recently, The Pioneer conducted a survey 

on campus to get student input. The 

survey questions ranged from needing 

stricter gun laws to allowing more people 

to carry guns. Out of 100 students that 

answered, 57 said that when they first 

hear about mass shootings, their first 

thought is that our country needs stricter 

gun laws. 28 wanted more education and 

an emphasis on mental health programs. 

They also felt that including mental 

health screenings to the background 

checks are important. Only 15 felt that 

more people need to be allowed to carry 

guns. 


One other important 

aspect to consider is police 

response. In their training, 

they are taught to eliminate 

the threat(s) first. This 

means anyone holding a gun 

is perceived as a threat; they 

do not have time to decide who the good 

guys are. 

Katlynn Lamere is getting her associate’s 

degree in Social Sciences and Mental 

Health. From her perspective, letting 

teachers carry weapons can make them 

a target. “What do you think is going to 

happen if a cop sees a black teacher, or 

any other teacher of color, holding a gun? 

They’re going to shoot them,” she said. 

Feeling protected is a group effort. 

April Stapp is one of the Psychology 

professors here. She feels that Pierce has 

a good support network. “I enjoy the 

community that Pierce has here, how 

everyone looks out for each other, the 

community is really strong,” she said. 

WHAT TO DO IN THE CASE 

OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER 

SITUATION 

The Department of Homeland Security website 

has basic tips that anyone can follow in the 

case of a shooting. 

Nick Nelson/Staff Photo Illustrations 

Good practices for coping with 

an active shooter situation: 

• Be aware of your 

environment and any 

possible dangers. 

• Take note of the two nearest 

exits in any facility you visit. 

• If you are in an office, stay 

there and secure the door. 

• If you are in a hallway, get 

into a room and secure the 

door. 

• As a last resort, attempt to 

take the active shooter down. 

When the shooter is at close 

range and you cannot flee, 

your chance of survival is 

much greater if you try to 

incapacitate him/her. 

Call 911 when it is safe to do 

so. 


Features 

OBSERVING SPRING’S 

PASSOVER 

APRIL 19 - APRIL 27 

Once, they were slaves; now they are free 

By MARJI HARRIS 

Staff Writer 

JUST ABOUT EVERYONE KNOWS 

ABOUT EASTER – either the commercialized 

sugar-filled hype or the Christian 

version. However, unless someone has 

a background in some form of religion, 

Passover may get missed. 

It is easy to get Easter and Passover 

mixed up, since the two are celebrated so 

close together. But for someone of Jewish 

heritage, Passover is far older, beginning 

in Egypt thousands of years ago. 

A fair number of the 25,000 members 

of the Jewish community in Pierce County 

will gather on April 19 to celebrate the 

Passover feast. The first night is spent in 

homes as family and friends gather for 

a relaxing evening. According to Rabbi 

Debbie Steil in “What to expect at a 

Passover Seder” on reformjudaism.com, 

the idea is to rejoice freedom, and to 

remember they are not slaves anymore. 

“Seder” is Hebrew for “order” and 

signifies this meal is set apart from other 

dinners; it has a specific set ritual in 

which the food represents the history of 

slavery to freedom. The “Haggadah” – the 

telling – is read, prayers are said, and 

psalms of deliverance are sung. 

Passover is more than just remembering 

the flight from Egypt. Memories 

of persecution and slavery are deeply 

embedded in the memories of the Jewish 

people. In the Passover ritual, they are 

reminded of where they were, and then 

they use those memories to look out for 

the less fortunate. 

Today’s tradition of Passover has 

changed from the days of Moses. Like 

many Jewish teachers, Rabbi Bruce Kadden 

of Temple Beth El in Tacoma, knows 

the history well. “The Passover ritual 

focused on the slaughtering of the lamb, 

cooking it and sharing it in family groups 

with unleavened bread with bitter herbs 

and the telling of the story,” he said. 

Changes were made to the ritual after 

the Romans leveled the Jewish Temple in 

70 A.D., and the Rabbis discontinued the 

sacrificial practices. Instead, they added 

more ceremony to the meal. They kept 

the key elements of the unleavened bread 

and the bitter herbs, but other parts were 

added. Four cups of wine served during 

the meal represent the four promises that 

God made to free the Jews from Egypt. 

Another of the elements served in the 

meal also has a special meaning. “The 

charoseth, a mixture of chopped apples 

and nuts and wine, signifies the mortar 

used in the making of the bricks, the 

salt water that we dipped the parsley in 

representing the tears of the people,” said 

Kadden. 

On the second night, a community 

Seder is held at the local temple. Services 

are open to anyone. Even in today’s 

changing world, celebrating Passover still 

has relevance. 

“The central core of Passover is 

remembering that we were slaves in the 

land of Egypt and based on that to make 

sure that we treat others appropriately. 

I think one reason that it is so widely 

observed is that people understand that 

it is a reminder that, having experienced 

persecution, we should work for peace 

and justice in the world,” said Kadden. 

8 


Carl Vincent Carallas/Staff Photo 


RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS 

EASTER 

APRIL 21 

Features 

Traditions celebrated around the world today 

By CALVIN BEEKMAN 

Staff Writer 

EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN WAY 

TO CELEBRATE EASTER. Malls have 

court areas set up to have pictures with 

the Easter Bunny, while others spend the 

day worshiping at church. Easter customs 

have origins as old as civilizations. 

According to germany-insider-facts. 

com, Easter as it is known today stems 

from German customs such as the 

“Osterhase,” which means “Easter Hare.” 

This represents fertility and rebirth. 

Easter eggs have been used in connection 

with the spring equinox; they were often 

decorated with intricate designs to show 

new life. 

The Easter Bunny is another familiar 

figure that has old origins. German and 

Switzerland both have tales of the Osterhase 

hiding the eggs for the children to 

find. 

Other countries have different ways 

of celebrating the holiday. In Sweden, 

children dress up as Easter witches wearing 

long skirts, colorful headscarves and 

painted red cheeks, and go from home 

to home in their neighborhoods trading 

paintings and drawings in the hope of 

receiving sweets. 

In the Czech Republic, young people 

will gather in a social setting. The boys 

carry sticks made similar to fly swatters 

and will “tag” the girls that catch their 

eyes. The next day, the girls will throw ice 

water on the boys they like. 

According to myczechrepublic.com, 

Christian traditions have been revived 

after communist restrictions were lifted. 

On Green Thursday, boys from the 

village would furnish wooden snakes that 

rattle. The rattling keeps Judas away. 

Christians view the holiday as the 

day that Jesus Christ resurrected from 

the dead after his crucifixion on Good 

Friday. Traditionally, Christians attend 

Easter services, have an egg hunt and 

then will celebrate with a ham supper. 

Patrick Daugherty, who teaches film 

and theater, had a more laid-back view 

on celebrating the holiday: “It really 

depends on what is going on in my life, 

sometimes I go to church and brunch 

with friends. Other times I stay at home 

and play with my dog and relax, it really 

just depends.” 

Isaac Gutierrez, who is pursuing a 

criminal justice degree at Pierce, talked 

about his Easter plans: “We normally go 

to church and then have time with family 

and friends. We try to be more active 

with the religious reason, but sometimes 

life gets in the way.” 

Many communities will have Easter 

events. Whatever the tradition, Easter 

is a great day to spend with friends and 

family. 

Nick Nelson/Staff Photo 


Features 

FILTER OUT LIGHT POLLUTION 

AT THE PLANETARIUM 

Pierce Science Dome 

illuminates path to brighter night skies 

Sophiya Galanesi/Staff Photo Illustrations 

By SOPHIYA GALANESI 

Staff Writer 

IT HAS BEEN THREE MINUTES 

since take off. Hands gripped tightly 

on the seat handles, you brace 

yourself as the shuttle breaks 

through Earth’s atmosphere. After 

all the training, the moment to 

finally see the stars unobstructed 

has arrived. All that is seen is an 

endless expanse of stars until 

Jupiter and Saturn come into 

view. It’s an unforgettable and 

unimaginable experience, one that 

can be found at the Pierce College 

Science Dome. 

The show at the planetarium 

starts by revealing how little can 

be seen in the night sky because of 

light pollution and how much more 

can be seen without it. Projectors 

illuminate the unpolluted night sky 

through red lines that outline the 

constellations. 

This is one of several shows 

that the planetarium displays to 

educate Pierce College students, 

along with the community, about 

space. The screenings are free to 

Pierce students and happen 

10 / piercepioneernews.com 


every Friday. Every show includes 

a briefing on light pollution, 

which, for the past six years, 

has increasingly become an 

environmental issue in Tacoma, 

Washington, according to the Globe 

at Night program, an international 

citizen-science campaign. 

Light pollution occurs when 

people turn on lights at night that 

shine into the sky and limit their 

ability to see the celestial body, 

said Hillary Stephens, Science 

Dome director. 

“Pierce is an urban area, and the 

light pollution is pretty bad, but not 

as bad as being in the middle of 

downtown Seattle,” said Stephens. 

“A lot of the light pollution around 

here comes from the tide flats in 

Tacoma, but there are more local 

sources, too, like the parking lot 

lights on campus.” 

Outdoor lights, such as those 

near Pierce College, prevent the 

community from seeing more 

than half of the constellations, 

Stephens said. “One of the things 

this does is wash out the starlight 

so that in the city you can only see 

a couple of dozen stars,” she said. 

“Far away from city lights, you can 

see around 3,000 stars without a 

telescope.” 

Stephens said the showings try 

to include information about light 

pollution - either in the screening 

itself or through a five-minute 

video called ‘Losing the Dark.’ “The 

Science Dome is a great place to 

see what the sky would look like 

without light pollution,” she added. 

Light pollution could have a 

hazardous impact on one’s health 

and the environment. Bright 

lights at night mess with natural 

circadian rhythms, Stephens said. 

In addition, many animals use 

moonlight to navigate. Artificial 

lights can confuse this navigation 

process. 

To combat light pollution, the 

planetarium is completely covered 

in carpet 

and matte 

black paint to 

absorb light that 

may taint the view 

of the stars. Two projectors 

behind the dome immerse the 

audience into the night sky. 

Grace Valdez, a former 

Running Start student who decided 

to work as a Science Dome 

ambassador after completing 

her general degree, narrated an 

experience of virtually flying 

through the Science Dome, while 

naming the most prominent stars 

and planets. “A lot of this is just 

astronomy. If you don’t know 

anything about it, this is a really 

friendly place to start,” Valdez said. 

“This is basically just [a] glorified 

PowerPoint but [with] planets and 

space.” 

Vijoleta Wallace, a frequent 

visitor, said she comes here to see 

the beauty of the stars in a way not 

possible in Federal Way because 

there is no other place like it in the 

area. “The narration is different 

every time, and it’s just beautifully 

made.” 

The Science Dome, which is in 

the Rainier building, opened in 

2010 when Stephens was hired 

on at the same time to install a 

planetarium. Construction ended 

Features 

fall 2012 and 

opened to the 

public in January 

2013. “The original building 

plans included a planetarium, but 

with the recession, it wasn’t in 

the budget when the building was 

under construction,” she said. “So, 

when I got here in 2010, there was 

just a big empty room.” 

Pierce College offers astronomy 

classes that give students handson 

experience by demonstrating 

how to use the Science Dome as a 

resource. Astronomy courses are 

not part of the Associate of Arts - 

Direct Transfer Agreement (AA- 

DTA) degree, and are not required 

for those pursuing careers in 

physics or astronomy. 

Often, universities don’t count 

these classes toward these majors 

until students have completed 

a full year of calculus-based 

physics, Stephens said. However, 

the planetarium provides a new 

way of learning about galaxies that 

doesn’t require sitting in a lecture 

hall. After a visit, you may never 

look at the night sky in the same 

way. 



Pierce College, 

local police investigate 

adjunct instructor 

In an investigation police consider high-profile, an 

instructor’s social media posts raise ethical questions 

By CALEB HENSIN 

Staff Writer 

ON FEB. 27, adjunct instructor Kristopher 

Gutierrez was teaching his Physics 

110 class when security arrived to escort 

him to the office of Student Services. 

“I was forced there against my will to 

delete all videos that contain any footage 

that included Pierce, whether they were 

cute videos or suggestive videos, or regardless 

of the content of the video, they 

wanted me to remove all the videos that 

had any of Pierce in it,” Gutierrez said 

in a March 2 video interview with “The 

Puyallup Post,” one of Pierce College’s 

student publications. “They made me go 

through my account and delete [it] in 

front of them as they watched. Security 

was outside, I didn’t have a choice.” 

Gutierrez teaches physics at the 

Puyallup campus, and is under separate 

investigations by Pierce College administration 

and local police. Police Sgt. Kevin 

Gill is currently leading the case, but 

MALIA ADAOAG AND 

CALVIN BEEKMAN 

Contributors 

he may pass it down to another officer. 

Representatives at the Puyallup Police 

Department were unable to offer specific 

details because it is an ongoing investigation. 

However, Captain Ryan Portmann, a 

public information officer for the Puyallup 

Police Department, provided general 

details. He said in a high-profile case like 

this, detectives help gather evidence. He 

added that the lead officer on the case 

typically appoints internal technology 

specialists for investigations involving 

social media. 

“Sometimes if we aren’t sure if there is 

sufficient evidence to lead to an arrest or 

if, like this case, it’s a high profile investigation, 

we will send what we have to the 

prosecuting attorney. That’s the stage this 

investigation is at currently.” He added 

that in this case, evidence refers to corroborating 

reports regarding Gutierrez’s 

behavior and his use of technology. 

Portmann said it is fairly rare for the 

Puyallup Police Department to investigate 

accusations against public figures. In 

this case, Gutierrez is considered a limited-purpose 

public figure because, though 

he is a private individual, his actions have 

become a matter of public interest. 

Agnes Steward, the dean of Student 

Success at the Puyallup campus, could 

neither confirm nor deny Gutierrez’s 

statements regarding the deletion of his 

videos. “As it is an ongoing investigation, 

it would not be ethical of me to confirm 

any information at this time. I would be 

happy to talk again once the investigation 

has finished.” 

Brian Benedetti, director of Marketing 

and Communication for Pierce College, 

spoke as a representative 

for the investigation into 

Gutierrez. He stated 

in an email on 

March 6 that 



the investigation is still underway; however, 

he said he couldn’t discuss personnel 

matters. 

“Please know that we are not being 

secretive, it is just standard policy for 

us not to discuss confidential details,” 

he stated. “We are still participating in a 

fact-finding process and it would be irresponsible 

of me to comment on further 

details of the investigation at this point.” 

He went on to repeat much of the 

same message Pierce College posted on 

social media after a concerned mother 

went public to news organizations about 

her allegations against Gutierrez. Pierce 

administration has taken action, but the 

investigation has not uncovered illegal 

activity by the time “The Pioneer” went 

to press. Benedetti added that Gutierrez 

had been placed on administrative paid 

leave and was not to contact any of his 

students in the meantime. 

On Feb. 27, Pierce posted a message 

to their Twitter and Facebook accounts, 

stating that they have been alerted to 

concerns regarding an instructor’s posts 

on social media. “The college is investigating 

this matter and is taking action,” 

the statement read. “While we have no 

indication of any illegal activity, we are 

taking precautions during this investigation 

and have arranged for other 

faculty to provide coverage of the faculty 

members classes in order to not interrupt 

the education of our students.” The same 

message was also sent to students and 

staff through email. 

Roya Sabeti, an associate professor of 

the Natural Science Division at Pierce’s 

Puyallup campus, has since taken over 

Gutierrez’s Physics 110 class. 

One of the most compelling aspects 

of this investigation is that the issue involved 

minors, specifically Running Start 

students. 

Running Start is a state-funded program 

that allows junior and senior high 

school students to take college courses 

at community and technical colleges 

without needing to pay tuition. Other 

requirements outside of being in 11th or 

12th grade vary by college. At Pierce, the 

only other requirements are that students 

should be 16 years of age or older and 

place into English 101. 

“Much like a student’s financial aid 

status, professors would not be privy to 

whether a student is in the Running Start 

program unless the student told them,” 

said Valerie Frey, Pierce College Running 

Start manager. Because instructors are 

not privy to this information, Pierce does 

not have any specific policy dictating 

instructor interaction with Running Start 

students, who are often under the age of 

18. 

Emma Andress, a Running Start student 

who is making up credits for classes 

she failed in high school, said Gutierrez’s 

behavior in the classroom sent mixed 

signals. “I thought he was joking the first 

time he mentioned his TikTok and talked 

about how many followers he had.” 

Emma said that it felt less like he was 

advertising his social media account, and 

more like he was “trying to act cool.” She 

also said that while she never felt unsafe, 

there were moments she felt uncomfortable 

or awkward around him. 

She specifically recalled Gutierrez 

mentioning her brother’s 

anorexia to the class. “I wasn’t 

sure if he was joking about it or 

not,” Emma said. “It was weird.” 

According to Holly Gorski, 

vice president of Human 

Resources and head of Pierce’s internal 

investigation into Gutierrez’s conduct, 

candidates are usually required to have 

a master’s degree in the subject they are 

interested in teaching to be considered 

for an adjunct instructor position. 

“Outside of unique contracts, due to 

the quarter-to-quarter nature of adjunct 

teaching, job posting pools are open all 

the time,” Gorski said. “When we have a 

good list of recommendations for the position, 

we send them to our coordinator, 

though all final hiring decisions are under 

the department dean’s jurisdiction.” 

Gorski also said that most staff positions, 

including instructors, do not 

require background checks. Exceptions » 

Alyssa Wilkins/Staff Photo 

Lab 129 in the Brouillet Library/Science Building (LSC) is where 

Kristopher Gutierrez taught Physics 110 to Pierce students. 



exist, depending on “industry 

standards” and professions 

where background checks are 

common practice, she added. 

“We have recently been considering 

requiring more background 

checks,” Gorski said. “It’s 

something that has been brought to the 

college’s cabinet.” However, Gorski was 

unable to confirm how far along such 

considerations were towards becoming 

actual policy, if at all. 

The story was first broken when a 

parent of a Running Start student taking 

Gutierrez’s class went to news organizations 

and police. Ann, who said she is a 

mother of a 16-year-old Running Start 

student at Pierce, chose not to reveal 

her last name to protect her daughter’s 

privacy. 

“I told her she needed to go get some 

help from the professor, and she told me 

she didn’t feel comfortable going to him, 

and so I asked her, ‘Why?’, and she said 

he makes her feel uncomfortable and that 

he’s posting these videos on TikTok,” she 


• Erin Burnham Skelton comments on disturibing 

and vile Pierce Professor (Kristopher 

Gutierrez) 

• Pierce College Twitter updates and says 

"Pierce College has been alerted to concerns..." 

• Erin Burnham updates her FB page with the 

statement that Pierce released. 

• Erin Burnham drops a link to Gutierrez's Tik 

Tok of inappropriate videos. 

• After several angry comments from people 

in the community, Pierce College replied to 

Burnham's post. 

• Pierce College commented, "Pierce College is 

aware of the situation regarding videos taken 

by a part-time professor, and we are taking 

appropriate action. The safety of all of our 

students is our number one priority." 

told Q13 News in a story published Feb. 

28. 

TikTok, a social media app, allows 

users to post videos and share them with 

people who follow them. According to 

Ann, Gutierrez asked students to follow 

his account on the app, on which he said 

he has more than 2,500 followers. 

Many of Gutierrez’s videos have been 

deleted from his account, but downloads 

of a few of them obtained by “The 

Pioneer” contain explicit and sexually 

suggestive language, and all of them 

feature a Gutierrez on a split-screen with 

one woman in each video. 

Most of the videos appear to be humorous 

in their intent, but the humor 

is often of an explicit and sexual nature, 

such as one featuring him and an unknown 

woman reenacting a scene from 

Paul Feig-directed film “Spy.” Another 

video is laden with sexual innuendo and 

flirtation. 

Other videos were filmed on the Puyallup 

campus itself, which according to 

Gorski could raise other ethical concerns 

Timeline 


February 27 

regarding the use of college resources under 

the Washington State Ethics in Public 

Service Act and the Family Educational 

Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. 

Gutierrez also had an account on Pinterest, 

an image-sharing website, which 

appears to have recently been deleted. 

However, images of the account were 

saved, including a board – an equivalent 

to file folders – titled “Lolita.” The folder 

contained images of young girls displaying 

clothing, mostly likely taken from 

advertisements, as the images have titles 

such as “Girls Frayed Denim Skirt.” 

“Lolita,” a term originating from a 1955 

Vladimir Nabokov novel of the same 

name about a young girl who is sexually 

victimized, has come to mean “a precociously 

seductive girl.” 

Ann told Q13 that she contacted Pierce 

College on March 4, but personally 

received no reply from the school, which 

spurred her to go to press and contact 

police. 

In the interview with “The Puyallup 

Post,” Gutierrez stated that making a Tik- 

Tok account was therapeutic and helped 

with his depression, which he claims was 

diagnosed by a licensed therapist, though 

he also said creating a TikTok account 

was not something his therapist specifically 

recommended. 

According to Gutierrez, most of the 

videos were “a duet,” performed with 

other people. “I haven’t actually done any 

single videos of me with another person 

who was physically there,” he said in a 

video obtained by “The Pioneer.” All of 

them have a clear split screen indicating 

that Gutierrez and the other woman are 

February 28 

• Julie Kelley posted on FB, "Asking students to 

follow you on social media for EXTRA CRED- 

IT where you are posting sexual content is 

WRONG. Doing it in the classroom is WRONG. 

This guy is disgusting. He has the videos on 

his facebook as well. What an upstanding 

person to represent Pierce College. They ARE 

taking steps to handle it. Trust that. They are 

not going to advertise it all minute by minute. 

It is ongoing as we speak" 

• Jamie Eidson posts link to Gutierrez's 

FB page. 


not in the same place. 

“I had a few people – one or two maybe 

– ask for my username,” he said in the 

video. “And so I gave my username, not 

really thinking anything of it. And then I 

didn’t mention anything of TikTok again 

after that, unless I gave like a number 

count. Like I have half a million views or 

I have something like that.” 

When a “The Puyallup Post” reporter 

informed Gutierrez that he had a student 

who was willing to go on record that the 

instructor promoted his TikTok in class, 

rather than simply mentioning it offhand, 

he replied, “I think that must’ve been a 

misunderstanding. I mean, unless they’re 

saying I promoted it by simply talking 

about it, but I never encouraged that 

they follow it or force them to follow it to 

give extra credit, which are some of the 

things I read [in regards to the allegations 

against him].” 

Gutierrez added that, while he was not 

being constantly updated about the status 

of Pierce’s investigation, he had been told 

that both an internal and external investigator 

had been brought in. He was also 

aware that the Puyallup Police Department 

was conducting its own investigation, 

though no police had contacted him 

as of yet. 

The interview ended with the student 

reporter asking Gutierrez if there was 

anything he would like to say to the 

viewers of the video interview. “I’d like to 

say if you are listening to this video, don’t 

listen to the rumors,” Gutierrez said. 

“Listen to my students, they’ll tell you the 

truth.” 

Gutierrez worked at several schools 

throughout Washington state over the 

years, activity common for adjunct 

Running Start Enrollment Facts 

Step 1. Take the Accuplacer Test in the Testing Center 

at Pierce College. 

Step 2. Meet with a high school counselor. Parents/ 

guardians must also attend. 

Step 3. Attend an orientation at the college. 

Step 4. Meet with a college advisor. 

Step 5. Register for college classes. 

“We tell students it is a college environment, so you will have 

students of all ages that go to the college, and they do treat you as 

an adult. The professors don’t always know who the high school 

students are and who the other students are, so it is very different 

than high school.” - Dan Million, Clover Park High School 

counselor. 

*Put together by Noelle Clardy and Brendalynn Sunia 

instructors. Though this information has 

since been deleted, his Facebook page 

included Seattle Central College, Everett 

Community College, North Seattle College 

and Odessa High School as previous 

workplaces. 

Hillary Stephens, physics and astronomy 

professor, said Pierce has not yet 

found a replacement instructor for the 

Engineering Physics III course originally 

scheduled to be taught by Gutierrez at 

the Fort Steilacoom campus this quarter. 

“If we can’t find an instructor, students 

would be notified similarly to if a class 

had to be canceled for other reasons.” 

She added that there isn’t a specific date 

by which a replacement had to be found, 

besides the beginning of the quarter. 


Gutierrez’s name had not been removed 

from Pierce College’s spring class 

schedule when the allegations against 

him were first made public or when he 

was first placed on administrative leave. 

However, on March 12, his name was 

eventually removed on Pierce’s online 

eSchedule. 

“Things like this take time to process 

and get in the system,” Stephens 

said. “I do not believe it was something 

intentional.” Previously, he was listed as 

teaching Introduction to Statistics at the 

Puyallup Campus and Engineering Physics 

III at the Fort Steilacoom campus this 

quarter. “The Pioneer” made multiple 

attempts to reach out to Gutierrez for 

comment but received no response. 

March 6 

• Editorial Manager for The Pioneer, Calvin 

James Beekman, emailed Brian Benedetti 

asking if Kristopher Gutierrez had indeed 

been forced out of his classroom and ordered 

to delete any Pierce-related videos from his 

computer in the presence of school officials. 

Brian repied that same day saying only that 

everything was still under investigation and 

he could not give any details. 

March 12 

• Editorial Manager for The Pioneer, Calvin 

James Beekman, went to talk to Hillary Stephens 

about the status of Kristopher Gutierrez's 

Engineering Physics III class for Spring 

2019, specifically inquiring about why Gutierrez's 

name was just now taken off the class 

roster on the website this late into spring 

registration. Stephens did not know the answer 

nor who to direct Beekman to. 


STUDENT SPOTLIGHT PG. 17-19 

PIERCE COLLEGE RAIDERS 

16 

WOMEN’S SOFTBALL PG. 20-21 

SPORTS SECTION 

MEN’S BASEBALL PG. 22-23

STUDENT 

SPOTLIGHT 

Campus 

JOCELYN HILLYER 

A great leader takes her final bow 

By TAIMANE RICE 

Staff Writer 

TWENTY-FOUR-YEAR-OLD 

PIERCE COLLEGE STUDENT JOC- 

ELYN HILLYER is a humble athlete, a 

military wife, a mother, a future educator 

and a decorated Pierce volleyball player. 

Her drive and ambition has made a 

definite impact to those around her and 

added a sense of family to the team. 

As a member of the Raider volleyball 

team, she earned a number of awards last 

year. Hillyer won most valuable player for 

the Northwest Athletic Conference West 

Division. She was also voted player of the 

week for Under Armour, and the national 

Amateur Volleyball Coaches Association 

award. 

Taimane Rice/Staff Photo 

Jocelyn Hillyer won the AVCA, All-American two-year college award as a 

first team pick among fifteen other state-wide college students. 

“HILLYER IS ONE OF 

THE TOP FIVE, BEST 

FEMALE ATHLETES TO 

EVER PLAY AT PIERCE. 

I DON’T KNOW IF THERE 

WILL EVER BE ANOTHER 

PLAYER LIKE JOCELYN 

IN THE NORTHWEST 

ATHLETIC CONFERENCE 

AGAIN.” 

— GREG FINEL, THE 

VOLLEYBALL COACH 

Hillyer played for Pierce in 2015 before 

moving to Texas. She had a scholarship 


Campus 

Jocelyn Hillyer was first introduced to volleyball when her high school 

coach approached her. She says she was not any good at first, but 

today she is one of the top five female Pierce athletes. 

the value of being a humble athlete. “It 

puts an aspect on who you are to society 

and what you cannot only bring to your 

team but to the world,” she said. 

“WE CARED ABOUT 

EACH OTHER’S LIVES 

AND GOT TO KNOW 

EACH OTHER ON A 

DEEPER LEVEL, WHICH 

MADE US A FAMILY – 

NOT JUST A TEAM.” 

— KENZIE SEITZ, 

SOPHOMORE VOLLEYBALL 

DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST 

for Texas State University, but found 

the atmosphere and environment was not 

for her. She returned to Pierce last year. 

Women’s volleyball coach Greg Finel 

was captivated by Hillyer’s skill, heart and 

passion. “Hillyer is one of the top five, 

best female athletes to ever play at Pierce. 

I don’t know if there will ever be another 

player like Jocelyn in the Northwest Athletic 

Conference again,” he said. 

Hillyer has a soft but noticeable leadership. 

She does not allow fear or nerves to 

set in when she plays because she trusts 

Duncan Stevenson/Courtesy Photo 

in her ability. “She has added dimension 

to the team. There is an underlying 

feeling that you have to play up to this 

potential, because you know she’s going 

to do the same thing,” Finel said. 

Teammate Kenzie Seitz relied on Hillyer 

in order to gain momentum. “Every 

ball she puts down just fueled me to get 

the next one dug for her to attack again,” 

Seitz said. 

As a high school freshman, Hillyer 

made varsity, even though she did not 

play well. As a beginner, she discovered 

The team would take Hillyer’s 2-yearold 

daughter with them to games like she 

was their tiny Raider mascot. Hillyer said 

she felt as though she had a second family 

with her team because the player’s loved 

ones watched over her daughter while 

they cheered. 

The family dynamic moved the Raiders 

to succeed. The team built a stronger connection 

because they adopted an “I got 

your back” mentality. “We cared about 

each other’s lives and got to know each 

other on a deeper level, which made us a 

family – not just a team,” Seitz said. 

Hillyer will be exchanging her Raider 

uniform for a Geoduck this fall. Thanks 

to a National Association of Intercollegiate 

Athletics partial scholarship, she can 

further her education at Evergreen State 

College. 

She will continue working towards her 

degree in teaching kindergarten through 

third grade at Evergreen. Her love of 

teaching extends from a charming place 

in her heart. “I didn’t have a good experience 

growing up with teachers,” she said. 

“I also came from a minority town, and 

we didn’t have the resources or teachers 

that fostered my learning, so I want to be 

that teacher for children.” 

Hillyer took her last bow on Pierce’s 

court in November; but she will be 

bringing her determination and influence 

to Evergreen. “I hope she continues to 

play for the love and passion of the sport,” 

Finel said. 



Jocelyn Hillyer’s cool and calm demeanor transforms to a fiercer side 

of her when she is on the court. 

Campus 

Duncan Stevenson/Courtesy Photo 


SWINGING INTO 

A NEW ERA 

Duncan Stevenson/Courtesy Photos

New friendships and leaders have Pierce College 

Softball headed in the right direction 

Sports 

By JED BREWER 

Staff Writer 

THE PIERCE COLLEGE SOFTBALL 

TEAM comes into the new season with 

a number of new players. Leading them 

is a familiar face from the past: Coach 

Mike Nelson. His experience has helped 

form one of the most successful teams in 

program history. 

Led by Mike Nelson, the Raiders have 

goals of reaching the Northwest Athletic 

Conference (NWAC) tournament this 

year and playing for a chance at a ring 

following a 9-27 finish last year. 

Nelson brings an approach that emphasizes 

the most basic parts of the game 

which has a trickle-down effect on other 

things too. 

“Proficiency in the basic fundamentals 

leads to the game becoming easier to 

play,” Nelson said. “Teaching not only the 

how, but the why. In the long run, a better 

understanding of what we are doing 

leads to more confidence.” Confidence as 

a team leads to positive experiences both 

on and off the field and having fun as a 

team will also be important, Nelson said. 

Nelson returns to Pierce College, 

where he was an assistant from 2010- 

2012. He helped guide those teams to 

a 67-46 record over that span. That includes 

2011, where the team tied a school 

record with 37 wins. Sophomore catcher 

Brittany Camp said the team has come 

together as a unit and the bond between 

the women is a key theme this year. 

Camp plans to get her general Associates 

in Arts degree and evaluate her options 

to play at the next level when the season 

ends. 

“We honestly revolve around food,” 

Camp said. “We always go out to dinner 

and hang out with each other. We’re all 

really close this year and hang out even 

on our off days.” 

Among the returners, outfielder Michaela 

Hougland has an opportunity to 

repeat as a member of the NWAC’s North 

All Region first team. She terrorized 

opposing pitchers in her freshman season 

with a .412 batting average and a .521 on 

base percentage. 

Natalie Vollandt returns for her sophomore 

season after leading the team in 

innings pitched last year 

with 86. 

Freshman utility player Riley Rivera 

comes to Pierce College all the way from 

Rathdrum, Idaho. She said the transition 

has not been a whole lot different but 

there’s more work and responsibility now. 

“It’s a big reality check having to move 

states and live on my own,” Rivera said. 

“You learn to take responsibility for more 

things.” 

Rivera also said the experience has 

been positive so far and spoke on the 

transition from high school to college 

softball. 

“There is definitely more talent so you 

are working with girls at a similar skill 

level,” Rivera said. “In high school you 

are working with younger girls and in 

college most people only have a year age 

gap.” 

So far this season, the team holds a 3-7 

record and will look to come into league 

action playing their best. Their next 

matchup is a road double header against 

Highline College on April 9. 

Women’s Softball Spring Schedule 

April 9 (Tuesday) 

Highline College 

Des Moines 

April 12 (Friday) 

Skagit Valley College 

Puyallup 

April 13 (Saturday) 

Bellevue College 

Bellevue 

April 17 (Wednesday) 

Douglas College 

Puyallup 

April 23 (Tuesday) 

Everett Community College 

Everett 

May 3 (Friday) 

Olympic College 

Puyallup 

May 5 (Sunday) 

Shoreline Community College 

Shoreline 

May 8 (Wednesday) 

Edmonds Community College 

Lynnwood 

May 11 (Saturday) 

Highline College 

Puyallup 


Sports 

A Family 

on the Field 

“OUR GOAL IS TO WIN AN 

NWAC CHAMPIONSHIP AND 

TO DO THAT WE NEED TO PLAY 

WITH CONFIDENCE AND FOR 

ONE ANOTHER. WE CANNOT 

GO OUT PLAYING SELFISH, WE 

NEED TO PLAY AS A FAMILY.” 

— BROCK WROLSTAD, 

SOPHOMORE PITCHER 

By JED BREWER 

Staff Writer 

A Championship Culture and high aspirations for 

Pierce College Baseball 

LAST YEAR, THE PIERCE COL- 

LEGE BASEBALL team dominated 

conference play en route to the 

Northwest Athletic Conference 

(NWAC) Super Regionals. This year, 

they aim to put championship rings 

on their fingers when the season 

ends. 

After finishing with an overall 

record of 26-23, and out matching 

conference opponents with a 

record of 17-8, this year’s group 

has the mix of veteran leadership, 

talented young players, and a bond 

amongst each other to take them 

to great heights. 

Sophomore pitcher Brock Wrolstad 

touched on the goals of the 

team and what it takes to achieve 

them. Wrolstad is currently getting 

a general Associate in Arts degree 

and plans to further his baseball 

career beyond Pierce College, but 

has not decided where. 

“Our goal is to win an NWAC 

Championship and to do that we 

need to play with confidence and 

for one another,” Wrolstad said. 

“We cannot go out playing selfish, 

we need to play as a family.” 

The family culture the team 

carries is something they have 

built through relentless offseason 

preparation. 

Sophomore pitcher Tyler Fox 

intends to major in sports management 

and further his baseball 

career as well. He is waiting until 

the season’s end to decide where. 

Fox knows how important the 

culture the team has created is to 

their success. 

“We have a culture of family and 

want to fight for each other every 

day,” Fox said. “We’ve been grinding 

for about seven months now and 

we all know we would go to battle 

for each other.” 

The team’s family mindset pairs 

well with the high standards and 

goals players have individually. 

For Fox, he wants to have an 

earned run average (ERA) under 

2.00 and a batting average above 

.300. Wrolstad also wants to have 

an ERA under 2.00 and be named 

to first team all NWAC. 

Sophomore pitcher Tucker 

Stroup also has the goal of having 

an ERA below 2.00. Stroup plans 

to get his Associate in Arts degree 

before transferring to a four year 

university to continue his baseball 

career. Stroup had other individual 

goals he brings whenever he’s on 

the mound. 

“Play fast and relaxed and never 

give up on your teammates,” 

Stroup said. “Be consistent as a 

pitcher, throw strikes and throw 

with intent.” 

For the Raiders offensively, a top 

returner at the plate is outfielder 

Nainoa Paragoso, who had a 

strong freshman campaign with a 

batting average of .325 while also 

wreaking havoc on the basepath 

with 12 stolen bases. 

On the mound, Dominic Agron 

hopes to continue making an example 

of opposing batters as he did 



in his freshman season where he 

had a 2.44 ERA, 70 innings pitched, 

and 58 strikeouts; all second on the 

team. 

For the freshman, there is definitely 

a bit of a transition from high 

school baseball into college, Fox 

said. 

“In high school you kind of know 

if you’re going to play a lot,” Fox 

said. “But in college ball, you’re 

fighting for a spot in the lineup 

every single day.” 

Thus far into the young season, 

the Raiders are 6-10, but with the 

most important games ahead, the 

team will gear up to dominate the 

conference as they did last year. 

The team’s next home game is 

April 13 where they travel to Grays 

Harbor Community College for a 

double header. 

Sports 

Duncan Stevenson/Courtesy Photos 

Candee Bell/Staff Photo Illustrations 

The men’s baseball roster (left to right) 

Top row– #35 (Lachlan Arford), #31 (Jason Sizemore), #27 (Balas 

Buckmaster), #33 (Spencer Howell), #23 (Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa), 

#9 (Jacob Hinkle), #13 (Clay Spacher). 

Second row from the top – #27 Balas Bukmaster, #22 (Cole 

Benson), #34 (Ashton Dulfer), #28 (Andrew Oasay), #15 (Chris Trisler), 

#17 (Trucker Stroup), #26 (Jamie Maples), #6 (Alex Sisley). 

Third row from the top – #8 (Nainoa Paragoso), #19 (Dominc 

Agron), #25 (Ryan Ancheta), #16 (Wyatt Ohlson), #11 (Kennedy Cook), 

#1 (Nathan Gelbrich), #3 (Hobie Mahon), #12 (Cody Isa). 

Last row – #2 (Colby Tam), #7 (Cody Russell), #5 (Josiah Factora), 

#4 (Josiah Factora), #20 (Austin Eisenmenger), #10 (Tyler Fox), #24 

(Brock Wrolstad), #14 (Rhys De Highden). 


Tom Link 

Psychology Professor 

Jack Lelko 

Math Instructor 

Answer #1: I think that the presence of 

a gun makes violence more likely, so I’m 

pretty decidedly against it. 

Answer #2: No, Ben Gomes use to 

be the head of security here and he was 

amazing at defusing potentially intense 

situations and he didn’t need a gun. If 

you have that skill you don’t need to 

come in with a gun, it makes the situation 

more dangerous and there is 

research to prove that. 

Hallway 

Q&A 

Answer #1: I don’t feel comfortable 

with the idea [of] ... mandatory training, 

on it. 

Answer #2: Given the choice between 

the two of me having to carry a gun and 

not feeling very secure with it and having 

someone else, yes, I would feel okay with 

that. However, even with the option of 

having a trained security individual with 

that ability, it is hard for me to say. I just 

don’t feel comfortable with it. 

Hassle Pierce Voices 

Question #1: Would you favor the idea of armed security guards on campus? 

Question #2: How do you feel about training teachers to shoot guns? 

Mark Garcia 

Student 

Answer #1: If regulated correctly, 

I think it could work. There are some 

things that would need to be addressed. 

Answer #2: Yes, I feel like having 

security guards at all on campus already 

[provides] ... security. Giving them 

weapons in case of an emergency, you 

would have to give them a few tests to 

pass to make sure their sanity is okay. 


Lily 


Answer #1: I feel very bad for it. 

I am against the idea. I feel like it is 

more dangerous, and I don’t think it is 

necessary. 

Answer #2: Yes, it’s a form of 

protection, so I trust them to have it. 

Candee Bell and Carl Vincent Carallas/ 

Staff Photo Illustration 


Alexis Tisby 


Answer #1: I feel [my answer] would 

be somewhat in the middle. I feel that 

teachers do need to be protected, but 

at the same time, I feel like teachers 

shouldn’t have guns. When someone 

shoots a gun, even if it is in self 

defense, you are still going to go to jail 

regardless [of] how you were handling 

the gun. 

Answer #2: Yes, because if there is 

a shooter on campus just randomly 

shooting, then it would be perfect to 

have security guards with weapons that 

could protect us from harm. 

Richard Boulware 

Criminal Justice Professor 

Answer #1: I don’t think more guns 

make people safer. Those teachers who 

have training in the use of firearms, it’s 

fine. I’m not sure the college, the state or 

anyone else should pay for teachers or 

professors to get private training in the 

use of firearms. 

Answer #2: Seeing the isolation of 

this campus, unless there has been some 

recent type of incident that would call 

this into question, and as long as local 

law enforcement are available to get here 

for any emergencies, I don’t see a reason 

on the surface for anyone to be armed on 

this campus. 

Starting Fall 2019 

BA 

Science Math High 

Demand 

Earn your Bachelor’s degree, Teaching Certification and two high demand endorsements 

in Middle Level Mathematics and Science in 6 quarters (after your community college DTA 

with approved prerequisites) at CWU-Des Moines, located at Highline College. 

Kurt Ikemeier, 

Regional Director 

IkemeierK@cwu.edu 

206-439-3800 x3866 

cwu.edu/teachstem/des-moines 

CWUteachSTEM 

CWU is an EEO/AA/Title IX Institution. For accommodation email: DS@cwu.edu. 


Coffee Break 

sit back, relax, and have a laugh 

It’s 

Cartoon Corner 



Take classes that help 

you gain the skills 

employers are 

looking for. 

BUSINESS CLASSES AT PIERCE 

Classes offered in 

Spring 2019: 

Business 

BUS& 101: Introduction to Business 

BUS& 201: Business Law 

BUS 240: Human Relations in the Work Place 

BUS 261: Project Management II: Managing 

Business Management 

MNGT 130: Customer Relationship Management 

MNGT 139: Social Media Digital Content for Business 

MNGT 141: Professional Portfolio 

MNGT 186: Professional Development 

MNGT 198: Work-Based Learning 

MNGT 275: Introduction to Visual Promotion 

MNGT 284: Small Business Planning 

MNGT 296: Current Trends in Human Resources 

With Pierce’s three business options, 

students can earn a specialized certificate 

in one year or an associate’s 

degree in two years. 

The Applied Business Program gives 

students the knowledge, skills, experience 

and abilities that employers 

seek from top employees. 

The Associate’s in Business is flexible 

between a face-to-face classroom 

experience and an online option. 

For more information, contact 

Dr. Paul L. Gerhardt, PHD 

Phone: (253) 964-6429

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s 

student news publication, Est. 1974

The Pioneer, Student News Magazine

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?