Pierce farm and its hands-on vet training need protection

Where's the Pierce College hands-on vet op-ed???

I would just like to take some time to make a comment regarding the farm at Pierce. After receiving a BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley, and working as a designer for 2 years, I decided that I wanted to go back to school to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. I essentially had to start over. I looked all over California for the best place to take my pre-vet classes. I moved down to Southern California to attend Pierce college because of the opportunities offered through a REAL farm right on campus. I can truly say that I would not have been able to reach my dream of becoming a veterinarian today if I had not had the opportunity to gain this rare valuable experience working with real farm animals. I really believe that the Pierce college pre-veterinary program directed by the dedicated Dr. Shapiro is as successful as it is because of the valuable hands-on training that could not be achieved without this live farm. It would be extremely unfortunate to take this opportunity away. I hope that Pierce's farm can be saved so that many more people can reach their dream.

It is a shame to still hear about the continued plight of the Pierce College Farm ... a tradition that goes back to the inception and original mission of this institution. I went on from the Natural Resource Program that was discontinued at this school to Northern Arizona University to graduate with my bachelors in Parks & Recreation Management and am currently finishing up my Masters in Administration with my focus in Forestry. I consider the farm experience and the program that was under the dept of agriculture to be very strong roots. I hope these programs can continue on for future students.

Dr. Shapiro is so correct, the opportunities given in the Pierce agriculture/prevet/vet tech programs are indeed unique, and are one of a kind in the entire Los Angeles area. If this resource is lost due to the greed of the trustees it is a clear slap in the face of the man who gave the school, Clarence Pierce, to the LACCD with the stipulation that there would always be an agricultural program offered. Without this program Pierce becomes just another run of the mill community college. If the board of trustees really understood their responsibilities they would do everything to preserve this treasure, because once it is gone it is gone for good. As a former ag student and graduate of the Pierce Animal Science program I was throughly prepared for a career serving the needs of the agricultural community in California and now in Washington.
Every current and potential future student deserves the chance and has the right to pursue these unique agricultural programs of study, and it is the duty of the trustees to protect those students ability and right to obtain that unique education. In our techno crazy world we seem to have forgotten where our food comes from and how to make sure it is safe, and the veterinary research of today leads to cures for animal disease and these will lead to cures for human disease as well, now and in the future.
Save the Farm, it is the human thing to do and the right thing to do!

I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Shapiro. He was my dairy professor when I attended Pierce College back in the 1970's. I graduated with a Dairy Science degree and went on to work on dairy farms in Arizona. After I married, my husband and I managed large dairies in Arizona for over 25 years. The training I received at Pierce College was invaluable and changed the course of my life. Don't let it slip away!

Very well written Dr. Shapiro. I hope the community and the veterinary profession will join their voices together and help the Board of Trustees and College Administrators preserve and protect the strong "learn by doing" agriculture facilities at Pierce College!!

As the grandparent of a future Veterinarian, who has already discovered that the BEST PLACE to start her college career is at Pierce due to the outstanding program available, I am horrified that it has become a constant threat to change what is wonderful. It is time to realize that "change" is not always for the good, and certainly in this case it is devastating. The best way to protect our future students in this instance is to look to the past -when opportunities abounded in this program.. The concept of making Pierce farm a 25 year farm preserve is a concept worth bringing to fruition. Let's not cry over split milk- let's continue making sure there is milk to spill!. How can we help with this important issue?

It is just incredible that Pierce is still going through this nightmare of being picked apart little by little. The Board of Trustees needs to understand that there is an incredible need for the "hands on" methods of learning which is invaluable. Please do not destroy what Pierce is all about. We have way too much cement already!
Pierce is as successful as it is because of Dr. Shapiro, Ron Wexler, etc. teaching the unique and valuable hands-on training that makes the classes so special. The community, alumni and the veterinary profession need to raise their voices and help preserve and protect the agriculture facilities at Pierce College!
Dr. Shapiro, what else can we do to help in this situation?

I grew up in Woodland Hills and the 1 thing we all could count on was the animals and the education of those animals that came from the most caring students at the college. There is plenty of room around the campus for other needs that should allow this department to stay in tack. Take away 1 or more of the baseball diamonds. Why should that be more important than the farm preserve? Or use the parking lots that are not in full use. It would be a disgrace to the educational system and those that have lived our lives in the S F Valley to remove this area of the campus.

Our education system is not run my educator, but by Business men that only look at the end dollar amount. This college does pretty good on that aspect. They want what they call progress. farming and its components are not necessary in a BiG city atmosphere. They are wrong of course, it is needed more now than ever. I wish they would wake up from their greedy corupt ambition and realize that we need farmers now more than ever, to feed all of the people. Let's stop imports of food. Make it in the United States. Keep our Drs. here and our Argiculture.

I am a Pierce graduate (1984). I did not take the AG classes there. I wanted to be a nurse. I went on to take classes at CSUN so that I now have a BS in Health Education.
Last year, I went back to Pierce for a refresher course in Environmental Science. I am a public health and environmental health advocate.
What I believe is that some of the best teachers that I ever had were those at Pierce. Pierce professors are not forced to "publish or perish". They are there to teach. Many give up their office hours and more to assist their students with their education.
It took a long time for me to get my degree because I was raising two sons. And how did I do that - by taking them to Pierce College for community service classes, and to walk and play on the Pierce Farm.
In those days, there were hundreds of cattle all over the hills. There were lots of pigs, goats, and sheep.
I also took my kids to the LA Zoo and the "pony rides" in Reseda. But those things were further away - and they cost money.
Pierce does not cost the casual visitor anything to walk its streets and trails to see a working farm.
It is imperative that we maintain a balance - to preserve the front portion of the farm land for the Pierce College Foundation - give it a 25 year lease.
Maintain the equestrain center and have it there for use by Pre-vet students.
Have the buildings and the food available for those animals that are constantly evacuated due to fires. How do the Pierce Presidents and Board of Trustees think that we meet those needs of the community when more than 200 animals are brought in on short notice without a farm manager onsite or without the training of prevet students?
We need to have a farm manager on site 24 hours a day to protect the animals.
Maintain the current Agriculture Building for AG students to be near the animals.
Protect the programs at Pierce that will matriculate with the UC Davis and Cal Poly veterinary programs.
The college has a "Draft Master Plan" that has been designed to implement $400 million dollars of Prop J money.
It is time for the college to release that "Draft Master Plan" to the community before it gets to the EIR stage.
The last EIR or "Master Plan" was taken to the community for public comment in 2002. There have been significant changes made to that Master Plan without the community at large being made aware of them.
The Interim President, Dr.Joy McCasling, needs to call a meeting that is at a convenient time to all involved parties - reach out to the students, the faculty, the Neighborhood Councils throughout the Valley - not just in Woodland Hills, the Chambers, the HOAS, the environmental groups, the City Departments of Los Angeles, and all of the other entities that commented on the original DEIR in 2002. A 500 foot notification with a one month response period is inadequate for a project of this scale.
It is the obligation of elected officials to be transparent. This is what we need - transparency.
In this time when we have a State Budget Crisis, it is more important than ever to have the input of the very knowledgable people that have a stake in this campus. The Pierce faculty are not the only stake holders on this campus. The Pierce faculty have been made aware of your "Draft Master Plan". It is time to take it to the community.

The Interim President of Pierce is Dr. Joy McCaslin - I do not know how her name got the added g. There is no way to preview a comment before posting on this site.

I enjoy reading all of the pro-farm comments. I am so grateful! I hope those who love the farm and agriculture department will take needed steps to let their voices be heard throughout the community!