PCC Courier 04/17/2014 by PCC Courier

COURIER VOLUME 109 ISSUE 11

The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena since 1915

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EDITORIAL Is PCC becoming a McCollege?

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PASADENA CITY COLLEGE

April 17, 2014

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OSCAR WINNER LOSES SPEAKING ROLE Christine Michaels Editor-in-Chief

After being placed atop a Board approved short list of potential commencement speakers earlier this semester, the college decided against selecting Oscar winning screenwriter and PCC alumnus Dustin Lance Black because they feared sexually explicit photos of Black that surfaced on the internet in 2006 would tarnish the school’s reputation, according to administration officials. Black was the first of eight potential candidates to make himself available as a speaker, but the Board of Trustees were

made aware of nude pictures found on the internet of him with a man having unprotected sex and he was dismissed as a candidate because the board thought his actions might inflame the college’s own sex scandals. “With the porno professor and the sex scandals we’ve had on campus this last year, it just didn’t seem like the right time for Mr. Black to be the speaker,” Board President Anthony Fellow said. “We’ll be on the radio and on television. We just don’t want to give PCC a bad name.” The college recently went through two scandals involving professor Hugo Schwyzer, the

“porno professor” who admitted to sleeping with students, and journalism instructor Warren Swil, who admitted to showing nude photos of himself to a student. The administration decided to go forward and invite a safer pick: Pasadena Director of Public Health Dr. Eric Walsh, who accepted and is confirmed to be the commencement speaker, according to Robert Bell, a commencement committee member and vice president of academic affairs and student services. The problem, however, is that Black accepted what apSPEAKER page 3

Courtesy of Neville Kiser Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black won’t be speaking at commencement.

Barney Soto/Courier Simon Fraser, Student Trustee, states his opposition to the BOT’s decision.

Speaker policy to be revised

TWO ARTS BEAT AS ONE

Philip McCormick Managing Editor

STORY ON PAGE 8>> Charles Winners/Courier Krystal “Tree” Herrera, left, holds up one of her paintings and her twin sister, Karen, holds up her guitar in the PCC Amphitheater on Mar. 31.

Center for the Arts goes for LEED gold Jessica Arceo Staff Writer

When the Center for the Arts officially opened in January, President Rocha stated that it would “transform the landscape of the PCC campus and ultimately transform the lives of our students.” By designing a building that is well on its

way to being certified as a premier example of sustainability and energy efficiency, the center is on the road to achieving the message of those words. To prove its seriousness in providing a center that was innovative both artistically and environmentally, the school was determined to go above and beyond the mandated building codes and become an LEED,

SPEAK OUT! Should Dustin Lance Black be the commencement speaker?

Vote at PccCourier.com

I N S I D E

CHEERS! Ready for a good time with your friends at the local bar?

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or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, certified building. Those buildings that have been LEED certified have been recognized as “best-inclass building strategies and practices,” and have truly transformed the way projects are approached, according to the U.S Green Building Council. GOLD page 2

After miscommunication issues arose about who has the final decision regarding who the commencement speaker will be, the Board of Trustees decided to take a closer look at its policy Wednesday night. “It needs to be an orderly process,” Trustee Jeanette Mann said. “And it really isn’t. As it is, this policy really isn’t a policy.” Superintendent Mark Rocha agreed, saying that the current policy wasn’t working and that there is no official decision maker. “What’s absent in the current policy is that there is no final decision maker,” Rocha said. “The Board needs to have a decision maker about who commencement speaker should be and then instruct me on what to do.” The miscommunication came when Student Trustee Simon Fraser formally invited Oscar winning screenwriter and PCC alumnus Dustin Lance Black

EROTIC ART Does erotic art always have to be so serious?

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POLICY page 2

NEWS

2 COURIER

April 17, 2014

Employees say goodbye to PCC Paul Ochoa Staff Writer

As the semester approaches its end and students get ready to leave PCC, some of the employees who have helped them along their journey are also making their departure. Dina Chase, director of degree and transfer services, Kim Miles, assistant dean of scholarships and Dale Pittman, director of management information services are among some of those retiring. Cynthia Olivo, dean of counseling, who worked with Chase for seven years, said she appreciated Chase’s service to the college and the effective relationships she maintained with universities to make sure students transferred with ease. Chase’s work with projects that helped students transfer helped keep PCC one of the top transfer colleges in California, she said. “The PCC Transfer Center is home to many successful projects including the PCC Ambassador Program, the CLAVE and ROPE programs,” Olivo said. “Over the years, Dina provided the leadership to ensure these and many more services were running in tip top shape.” With her office just down the hall from Chase’s, Kim Miles began her career at PCC 15 years ago when she applied for a job at the financial aid department.

“I came to PCC and like anything else, it was an opportunity that I applied for and I have no regrets,” Miles said. A PCC alumni and graduate from Cal State LA with a degree in journalism, Kim Miles did not originally intend to work in financial aid. “I don’t think most of us working here planned to work in financial aid,” Miles said. Despite that Miles says she fell in love with the job and her workplace environment. “There is something about it that once you’re in it, it draws you in,” she said. Olivo, who has worked with Miles for seven years, said she was impressed with Miles’ ability to ensure that students were served in the best possible manner. In a time when there was no technological support to run processes electronically, Miles did so manually. “Needless to say this was very stressful, yet Kim ensured the work was completed correctly for the sake of helping students succeed,” Olivo said. Olivo was not the only one who recognized the hard work Miles did for the PCC community. For continuing to make higher education available to minority students, Miles was the recipient of the NAACP Education Award last year. “I am extremely humbled by the honor and even to this day it is something I can’t

Rocio Vera/Courier Dale Pittman, Director of Management Info Services, right, and Kim Miles, Assistant Dean, Scholarships, left, ready to retire, in their offices on Tuesday.

believe,” she said. Though she is retiring, Miles said she will still keep in contact with PCC as a member of the community. “I am still going to continue to be involved with the community so I’ll definitely be keeping in touch with PCC,” she said. A PCC student when computer systems were first introduced to the college, Pittman has seen many changes in the tech-

nology he’s worked with over the years. “We’ve had many leaps forward here over the decades,” he said. It wasn’t until 1985, 29 years ago, that Pittman was hired by PCC as the Director of Administrative Computing Services. “The best thing that I leave behind is a superior IT team that not only supports everything that we currently have, but is also continuing to prepare for the next steps,” he said.

First salvo in the war of surveys released John Peters II Asst. News Editor

The Academic Senate presented the results of their Town Hall Survey to a room full of faculty, staff and students with representatives of the administration noticeably absent April 7. A total of 173 faculty and staff participated in the survey to measure the climate of the campus in the lead up to the town hall. “The rationale for the town hall is to facilitate the discussion of ideas and have effective communication with various campus constituencies, including the Board of Trustees,” said town hall committee chair Melissa Michelson. Overall, respondents provided a bleak picture of the campus climate. 79% of respondents believed that the administration is

GOLD continued from page 1

“Obtaining LEED is important because it is a standardized system of measuring sustainability that the industry has supported and embraced,“ stated Gail Bouvrie, the design director at AC Martin who worked on the project. The architects took a holistic approach while keeping LEED certification in mind as they “look for synergies across different disciplines when designing a building in order to maximize sustainability,” Bouvrie stated in an email. Not only is the Center of the Arts LEED certified, it has the potential to receive the highest

not operating with transparency 72% of respondents disagreed that established policies and procedures were being followed at PCC. 64% of respondents believed collegial consultation is happening poorly or very poorly at PCC. Jane Hallinger, visual arts instructor, who went through a similar situation in the 1980s with what she described as a “very draconian” board, was surprised by the survey results. “I never in the history of PCC have seen three no confidence votes, nor do I remember seeing a survey this caustic,” she said. The Board sent a letter to Michelson in October 2013 stating that they would be unable to attend the Academic Senate town halls because they violate the Brown Act. On February 28, 2014, Board of Trustees President Anthony Fellow reiterated that position.

“The Board of Trustees must conduct all regular scheduled business meetings and study sessions according to the Brown Act,” he said. “The Brown Act does not permit the Board of Trustees or the Academic Senate to hold unagendized or impromptu public meetings.” The lack of collegial consultation at PCC was the first topic discussed during the town hall. Academic Senate President Eduardo Cairo said that the changes to block scheduling, class sizes, and the cancelling of winter session were made by the administration without mutual agreement and should not have happened. Academic Senate Vice President Kris Pilon said it appeared policies were not being followed because people did not know the policies and offered a solution. “At the beginning of every school year, we have representa-

tives of the administration meet with representatives of the faculty and go over all the policies… affected by shared governance and sign a contract saying that we understand these policies and we agree to abide by them,” she said. The second discussion involved transparency. Cairo discussed how the Academic Senate was able to force the CAPM meetings to change from closed-door to open-door meetings under the Brown Act. “If we remain diligent and constant in our moral values and our ethics, we can change things for the better,” he said. The final topic on policies focused on hiring policies. Hallinger asked why retiring full-time faculty positions aren’t being filled with full-time staff. “There is supposed to be a one-year limit where you can have a part timer in the position

and then you are supposed to fill it,” she said. Alexis Moore, a visual arts and media studies instructor representing adjunct faculty, noted the growing importance of adjunct faculty at PCC and their limits. “There are over 900 adjuncts teaching classes at PCC,” she said. “That’s over 40% of classes at PCC.” “While full-time faculty are paid to provide 5.5 office hours per week, adjuncts only receive 22.5 minutes per week.” Despite the compliments, complaints and suggested solutions offered during the town hall, Michelson summed up the one problem with it. “(Attendance) was a nice mix of staff, faculty and students. The only bit that was missing was the board. We can talk to each other all we want, it’s just talking to the hand it seems,” she said.

certification of Gold in the very near future. While chances are good that the building already has enough to secure the Silver level of certification, project manager Stephanie Pulcifer believes there are enough points to move up in level but said that it’s a matter of waiting for the evaluation and paperwork to go through until the building is Gold certified. “Being sustainable sets a model to emulate. We’re not just talking the talk, we’re walking the walk,” Pulcifer said. The team surrounding the project became committed to achieving LEED certification as it was important ethically and supported the school’s message of achieving sustainability.

“As we went along, everyone became so invested in the project, we all tried to find whatever way we could to achieve more points for a higher goal other than just plan certification,” she said. There were also a number of measures to ensure that the building does not use any more water or energy than is needed. Many rooms have censor-operated lights that only turn on when there are people present in the room. Ecologically sustainable buildings make our campus a leader in addressing global climate change, which is an issue that affects students today and in the future,” said Sarah Belknap, the Associated Students vice president for sustainability.

POLICY

the Board should have a limited role in the process. Associated Students President Jordyn Orozco, who also attended the meeting, said that student opinions should be better recognized. “[The Board] isn’t commencing, the students are,” Orozco said. “I just want [them] to keep this in mind when they are developing the policy.” Trustee Bill Thomson said that he and Rocha would work together on revising the policy so that there wouldn’t be any future issues on this matter. He said that the policy would be brought back up in June or July. “Recent problems that arose in the process of choosing this commencement speaker brought these policy issues to light,” Thomson said. “This should have been addressed earlier than this.”

continued from page 1

(who was on a Board approved shortlist) on March 11, saying that Heba Griffiths, interim associate dean of student life, asked him to send the invite using a template she provided. However, the college decided against selecting Black because they feared sexually explicit photos of Black that surfaced on the internet in 2006 would tarnish the school’s reputation, according to administration officials. The administration decided to go forward and invite a safer choice. Fraser said that he felt that there was an overreach in the process in how the commencement speaker was chosen this year. He said that

NEWS

April 17, 2014

who can or cannot invite a speaker. Also, too many people were involved in the process, he Continued from page 1 said. “There were too many cooks appeared to be an official inviin the kitchen,” Bell said. “We tation to speak at commencehad an offer extended … which ment more than a month ago. was premature.” The emailed invitation, sent by Bell officially informed Black’s Student Trustee Simon Fraser on assistant on Monday that he behalf of Heba Griffiths, interwould not need to make arrangeim associate dean of student life, ments to attend commencement. states: “I wish to inform you that Mr. “…We would like to formally Black will not need to rearrange invite Mr. Black to conduct the his busy schedule to appear commencement address to the as commencement speaker. I students as we celebrate our understand that Mr. Black’s time theme of “Proud Past, Global is valuable and important and, Future.” again, I apologize for the delay According to Fraser, he was asked by Griffiths, a commence- in finalizing this with you and him,” the email reads. ment committee Black said member, to in an email to email Black the the Courier invitation using that he is a template she considering provided. Griftaking legal fiths argued the action against email was not the college, an official or according to final invitation emails from for Black to be his assistant the commence~Dustin Lance Black Neville Kiser. ment speaker. Black ex“[Black] was the first to say he is available out pressed his deep discontent with being disinvited by the college. of the eight potential speakers,” “The offer was made. I acGriffiths said. “The administracepted the offer, booked flights, tion did not confirm with him cancelled work to make room [to be the official speaker]. The for the honor,” he wrote. “It confirmation was never made is heartbreaking, hurtful and with the administration.” wrong headed.” Bell explained that a major At an Associated Students miscommunication occurred meeting last week, Vice Preswith officially inviting commencement speakers because the ident for Sustainability Sarah policy does not clearly indicate Belknap denounced the way that

COURIER

SPEAKER

“It is

heartbreaking, hurtful and

wrong headed.”

Photos by Benjamin Simpson and Andrew French/Courier Left, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services Robert Bell was unaware that Academy award winner Dustin Lance Black was officially invited and accepted to be the commencement speaker for May 9. Right, Associated Students Vice President for Sustainability Sarah Belknap argued for Black to be the commencement speaker this year.

the board was framing the situation. She felt that it was wrong for the board to compare what happened to Black to the situation with Schwyzer, whose sex scandal last year made national headlines. Black was a victim of a boyfriend seeking out revenge, while Schwyzer used his authority to have inappropriate relations with students, she said. “As a person who myself has been harassed and as a queer person, that really hits me right

UPCOMING EVENTS

Today Studio Jazz Performance Center of the Arts West Patio. Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Friday Transfer Orientation - L110. Noon. CSULA campus tour. Sign up in L110. 7:45 a.m. Vocal Jazz Ensemble - Westerbeck Hall CA 140. 8:00 p.m.

Last Day to Apply Online. Last Day to Drop with a W online.

Saturday Sixty-Second Annual Visual Arts Scholarship Exhibition CA 101.11 a.m. Monday Academic Senate Board Meeting - Circadian. 3 p.m.

Tuesday Transfer Orientation - L110. Noon. Jazz Big Band Performace West Patio Center of the Arts. Noon. Wednesday Jazz Combos and Improve Concerts - Westerbeck Recital Hall. 7 p.m. ~Compiled by Aerika Dave

CSULB SUMMER SESSIONS

Earn units toward your degree

Two 6 - Week Sessions May 27–July 3 July 7–August 15

(S1S) (S3S)

Enroll on a “space available” basis

One 12 - Week Session (SSD)

May 27–August 15

More than 75 Online Summer Classes

Register Now Call: (800) 963–2250 ext. 60001 for more information. www.ccpe.csulb.edu/summer email: CCPE-info@csulb.edu FIND US ON FACEBOOK

California State University, Long Beach College of Continuing and Professional Education SS_PCC2v_Ad2_S14.indd 1

Lorinda Owens 5.94 in. x 5 in.

3/6/14 11:37 AM

betrayed and said that his group of community college queer students had been maligned and desperately needed role models like Black to show them how a PCC student transformed himself into to a Oscar winning screen writer. “I can’t think of a better role model for any students, let alone queer students,” Fraser stated. ~Staff writers Raymond Bernal and Jessica Arceo contributed to this report.

POLICE BLOTTER April 7th

A woman reported leaving her cellphone at a vendor’s table in the Quad and was told an unknown woman had taken the phone. She called her phone from a landline and an unknown woman answered and refused any information. A student reported falling asleep with an iPad under his arm in the library and when he woke 30 minutes later the iPad was missing. Nothing was determined after a video review. April 8th

2 0 14 No formal admission to CSULB required

where I live,” said Belknap. Fraser spoke out against the board’s disregard for Black, stating he found the board’s claim that the pictures depicted unprotected sex to be homophobic because it was not viewed as intimate contact between two adults but as a promotion of unsafe sexual practices. “We are held to such a different standard where any single misstep is a bad thing,” said Fraser. Fraser felt personally

An unknown man called from an emergency call box to report witnessing a white Lincoln striking a vehicle in lot 5.

Field officers located an unoccupied silver Ford Taurus with major damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle. They then located the white Lincoln and a man returned to the vehicle with varying stories of what had occurred. The suspect was driving on a restricted license and was currently on probation from a previous DUI arrest. In a search of the suspect’s vehicle, officers found unopened beer cans, a disconnected alcohol monitoring device, marijuana and miscellaneous drug paraphernalia. The suspect was arrested for DUI, possession of marijuana, possession of alcohol on school grounds and hit and run. ~Compiled by Kristina Wedseltoft

4 COURIER

Courier 2012 JACC General Excellence Award-Winner Editor-in-Chief Christine Michaels Managing Editor Philip McCormick Asst. News Editor John Peters II Online Editor Justin Clay Asst. Online Editor Tiffany Roesler Opinion Editor Raymond Bernal Asst. Opinion Editor Tiffany Herrera A&E Editor Samantha Molina Features Editor Aubrey Quezada Asst. Features Editor Monique LeBleu Lifestyle Editor Paul Ochoa Sports Editor Daron Grandberry Asst. Sports Editor Andrew Salmi Photo Editor Antonio Gandara Asst. Photo Editor Nagisa Mihara Online Photo Editor Benjamin Simpson Scene Editor Charles Winners Social Media Editor Concepcion Gonzales Staff Writers: Jessica Arceo, Aerika Dave, Matthew Kiewiet, Emma Koffroth, Janel Leonard,Mary Nurrenbern, Lucy Patrikian, Robert Tovar, Kristina Wedseltoft Staff Photographers: Joseph Adajar, Josh Balmadrid, Jorell Brittenum, Victoria De La Torre, Andrew French, Chris Martinez, Mary Nurrenbern, Billy Skelly, Barney Soto, Daniel Valencia, Rocio Vera, Faculty Adviser Nathan McIntire Photography Adviser Tim Berger Advertising Coordinator Daniel Nerio

The Courier is published weekly by the Pasadena City College Journalism Department and is a free-speech forum. Editorials and comments are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the institution and its administration, student government or that of the Pasadena Area Community College District. The Courier is written and produced as a learning experience for student writers, photographers and editors in the Journalism Department. Phone: (626) 585-7130 Fax: (626) 585-7971 Advertising (626) 585-7979 Office: 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., CC-208 Pasadena, CA 91106-3215 © Copyright 2014 Courier. All rights Reserved.

OPINION

April 17, 2014

Should college athletes get paid? Justin Clay Online Editor Last week the University of Connecticut PRO won the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship. However, the celebration was overshadowed by the news that Connecticut’s point guard, Shabazz Napier, made comments before the game about going to bed hungry some nights. “I feel like a student athlete,” Napier told FOX Sports. “Sometimes, there’s hungry nights where I’m not able to eat, but I still gotta play up to my capabilities.” Every year, colleges and universities bring in millions of dollars in revenue from television deals, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and merchandising. That revenue is based on the work that college athletes do on the field. It is hard to believe that a player on a collegiate sports team can play for a national championship, risking injury, making the university millions in revenue, and maintain his or her academic responsibilities, while facing hunger. The NCAA maintains that college athletes are amateurs and that compensating them monetarily would be a violation of their amateur status. But the National Labor Relations Board ruled last month that football players at Northwestern University provided enough evidence to classify them as employees, and they have the right to unionize. The players say that they are seeking better medical coverage, concussion testing as well as the possibility of being compensated. The NCAA maintains that college athletes are privileged to be able to play college sports and the

value of athletic scholarships is sufficient enough payment.However, in 2011 the National College Players Association released the findings of a report called “The Price of Poverty in Big Time College Sport.” The report found that 86 percent of college athletes live below the poverty line. The idea that being compensated for your own abilities somehow violates academic integrity only seems to pertain to college athletes. If a journalism student on a scholarship submits an article to the local publication and receives payment for it, that student’s scholarship wouldn’t be in jeopardy. Yet an athlete that sells his or her autograph, based on labor provided that also generated revenue toward the institution, is subject to losing everything.It wouldn’t be difficult for colleges and universities to provide a small allowance for athletes on scholarship, in order for them to be able to cover necessities like food, clothing, toiletries and social expenses. The NCAA’s current model reads more like indentured servitude. It takes advantage of the athlete’s ability while showing little regard for the welfare of the student.It is up to the NCAA to take better care of its athletes. If a student is facing the stress of going hungry, or not having the money to socialize with other students, it not only hurts his or her ability tomaintain academic responsibilities, but it also hurts his or her ability to perform well on the field.

Tiffany Roesler Asst. Online Editor

measure drivers by their cars’ odometer readings and give out a bill every month or year. Yikes. The watchful eye of Big Brother is at it again, making its way into cars in Southern California. As if cell phone tapping and metadata collecting weren’t already enough for the NSA and the government. According to the Metro website, vehicle miles would be measured by an onboard vehicle device that would capture the distance driven by a vehicle through GPS or other technology and relate that to a method of charging, which could range from manual cash payment to automatic deduction for a prepaid customer account. This so-called resolution is a result of the Highway Trust

Fund being more than likely bankrupt by July, SCAG officials said in a San Gabriel Valley Tribune article. If this program were to be implemented, it would bring in roughly $110.3 billion in tax revenue in just one year, whereas the Highway Trust Fund contains less than a fourth of that amount currently. Carrie Bowen, director of Caltrans District 7, which includes Los Angeles and Ventura counties, told SGV Tribune that the money earned through the gas tax will not be enough to maintain roads or earthquake-proof bridges and freeway overpasses. So just to reiterate, the excise tax we all pay now is 18.5 cents per gallon. My car, for example, is a little more than 18 gallons bone dry. At $4.22 per gallon,

State lawmakers in Connecticut took notice on April 7 after the University of Connecticut’s talented guard, Shabazz Napier, made an unusual statement in his post-game interview. Napier, who led the Huskies to victory in the NCAA championship game, told reporters that there were nights where he would go to bed starving because he couldn’t afford to eat. But Napier and his teammates would be hungry no more. As of Tuesday the NCAA approved a rule permitting all Division I programs to allow their athletes unlimited meals and snacks. As a college athlete (hopefully soon-to-be Division I athlete), that is exciting news. Most athletes would agree that the daily consumption of food for one sports team amounts to a ton or two. NCAA, I applaud you. But as for Napier, I call bullshit. Napier is a NBA prospect and UConn’s outstanding star player on a full-ride athletic scholarship in the American Athletic Conference, yet the school isn’t giving him enough money or meal plans to properly fuel him? Something just doesn’t sound right. PCC has turned out a few Division I athletes over the past couple of years on either full-ride or partial scholarship, which for one player in particular allowed him to have a set meal plan and a

CON

stipend. PCC alumnus James Le’au finished up his senior season as an offensive lineman at Fresno State, part of the Mountain West Conference. “They give us enough,” Le’au said. “It’s enough for the necessities. They give us a check, and it’s coupled with a set amount of meal plans prepared at the school dining hall per semester.” And not even all the players use their entire meal plan. “One player had over 200 meals left one time,” Le’au said. Another issue that goes under-the-radar is what stipend and extra scholarship money is spent on. It’s given to the athlete for food and other necessities, but that’s not what it’s wholly spent on. Yes, I’m talking alcohol and maybe even drugs. Back to Napier’s comment. Should athletes, who probably expend the most calories on a college campus, be well fed and allotted as many meals and snacks a day? Hell yeah. This has raised an even trickier question: should college athletes be paid? The time and effort put into their sport is demanding and leaves little room for any job opportunity or time period. And in reality, a scholarship—full ride or not—doesn’t cover it all. Not to mention college sports bring $16 billion in revenue, which athletes don’t directly benefit from. The bottom line is that athletes don’t get the high return from all the work they put in compared to all the money colleges make off of them, but they get more than enough to live comfortably. It’s how they choose to use those benefits that could leave them starving.

SoCal drivers shouldn’t be taxed for every mile Tiffany Roesler Asst. Online Editor

The Southern California Association of Governments recently passed a resolution asking Congress to replace the federal gasoline tax, which is 18.5 cents a gallon and hasn’t been raised in more than 20 years, with a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) tax by 2025 under the Regional Transportation Plan. The six counties under SCAG want to see Southern California become a pilot for the VMT program. However, in Oregon a similar bill has passed limiting the VMT program to 5,000 volunteer drivers of high-efficiency vehicles. This particular California VMT program would tax drivers 5 cents per mile. A device would be installed in every vehicle to

Note to Readers Letters to the Editor The Courier welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be about 300 words and may be edited by Courier staff. All letters must contain your full name and a correct daytime phone number. Letters can be delivered to the Courier office in CC 208 or sent by email to raymondjbernal@gmail.com Corrections The Courier staff endeavors to ensure accuracy in all aspects of its reporting. If you believe we have made an error, please contact us at (626) 585-7130 or via email to michaels.courier@gmail.com

I only pay about 78 cents every week in tax currently. Now if it were switched over to this new VMT program, I would be paying roughly $1.54 in tax a day during the school year. That’s taking into consideration that I live 13 miles away from PCC along with going to work and the gym. Don’t take my arithmetic too seriously—I’m only a Communication major and haven’t taken math in about three years—but I’m confident that’s in the ballpark. Yes, I want freeways that won’t collapse beneath me or on me, but the last thing I want as a Southern Californian driver is to pay tax per mile. Maybe it’s time to either raise the gas tax or take money from someone else’s pocket.

ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Do you think that people should be taxed for every mile they drive? Results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday: Yes, it’s a fair way to raise revenue for transportation: 10 % No, the tax burden is already too much in California: 80 % Who cares, I take the bus/rail: 10 %

Vote at PccCourier.com

OPINION

April 17, 2014

COURIER 5

The McCollege of Pasadena Community colleges throughout the nation seem to be teaching their students on the cheap. And is it in the best interest of the students to be taught almost 60 percent of their community college education by part-time professors? Probably not, but that is the reality. Part-time faculty teach more than half of all credit-earning classes and about three-quarters of all the developmental classes at community colleges, according to a report released by the Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2009, the 987 public community colleges in the United States hired more than 400,000 faculty members, and 70 percent of them were parttime hires. Between 2003 and 2009, the number of full-time faculty grew by about two percent compared with

a 10 percent increase for part-timers during the same time period, according to the CCCSE report. Currently PCC has 1,108 part-time instructors with 118 of them being hired since the beginning of this school year. But the college has only 373 fulltime instructors, according to figures provided by the Faculty Association. How can being taught by so many part-time professors be good for a student’s education and future? Especially when these part-timers are basically ignored by the administration and left to teach on the fly. Part-time faculty usually will learn which courses they’ll be teaching just days before a semester begins and lack many resources they’ll need to help insure a successful education for students. “Their [part-time professors] access to orientation, professional

development, administrative and technology support, office space and accommodations for meeting with students typically is limited, unclear or inconsistent,” the report said. “Moreover, part-time faculty have infrequent opportunities to interact with peers about teaching and learning…and rarely are included in important campus discussions about the kinds of change needed to improve student learning, academic progress and college completion.” At PCC, most part-time professors get little if any benefits such as pensions or medical, dental, and vision insurance. They have no rehire status or seniority and only get paid about $3,000 per class, which forces many to have to teach at various campuses. Most also have full-time jobs outside of the classroom. Some de-

clined to talk to the Courier, fearing that they would be denied future contracts. PCC must find a way to better include part-time professors into our family of higher education and stop treating them as just visiting second cousins. We put most of our students’ education in these part-timers’ hands, yet we deny them a much-needed hand for them to do their jobs successfully. Has this administration become so bloated and bureaucratic that sacrificing a quality education for students becomes the only way to save money? Fast food chain restaurants are notorious for hiring mainly part-time employees with little or no benefits. With so many part-time professors, Pasadena City College should change its name to the McCollege of Pasadena.

“Ordering your teachers from the value menu”

Cartoon by

Aimee Scholz VOICES:

“I would prefer to be taught by a full-time professor because we would all have more hours to reach them, where a part-time professor might have another job.” Paola Martinez, humanities

Would you rather be taught by a full-time professor or a part-time professor and why?

“A full-time professor because then I know I have full availability to that professor during a time that works best for both of us. I’m astounded that the number of part-time professors is so high.” George Tinoco, graphic design

“I think as long as my professors are equally passionate about teaching my classes then it has no affect on me if they are part-time or full-time.” Daniel Muereury, business

“Doesn’t it make it kind of difficult for the other professors? Obviously they have a passion for teaching but at the same time aren’t getting their full-time pay or right amount of treatment I’m sure they want.” Christian Miyamae, communications

Reporting by: Janel Leonard / Photos by: Christopher Martinez

SCENE

6 COURIER

April 17, 2014

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COURIER

FEATURES

8 COURIER

April 17, 2014

Combining the art of silence and sound Monique LeBleu Asst. Features Editor

Twins Krystal “Tree” Herrera and Karen Joyce Herrera are PCC students with a twin purpose: to make art a key to their communication with the world. Laughing easily with each other, the twin sisters have their own unique communication, which is mainly the combination of interpretive sign language, sounds, and motions gleaned from their life-long connection and companionship. Tree, outgoing and vivacious, prefers her adopted nickname that her sister and her friends affectionately call her. She uses her art to communicate, as she has been mute since birth. The name suits the very open breath of fresh air that is the artist within. “Despite Krystal having a disability, she gets over things very quickly,” Karen Joyce said. “As opposed to me. Our personalities are very different, even though we are twins. I tend to be more inhibited, which is kind of weird. We’re both outgoing. Krystal can just go up to everybody. I do too, but there is some part of me that is quiet.” Tree uses oil paint, acrylics, ink, watercolor, charcoal, pencil, and duct tape in the art that she sees as “being therapeutic.” “I can release my emotions,” she said. “Since I have a hard time communicating, all of my energy goes in art. Since I was born mute I have difficulties communicating and talking to people. Whereas through art, I can show my abilities on canvas,

Karen Joyce Herrera plays a song on her guitar.

Krystal ”Tree” Herrera shows off her paint brushes.

paper, wood, etc. to express unlimited possibilities. I express being mute where I feel I can use art to be a strong medium.” Inspired by classic artists, such as Gustav Klimt and Amedeo Modigliani, Tree uses music as a direct inspiration as well, listening to bands like Gorillaz and Toro y Moi while she works. She credits her sister’s music as a large influence as well. Karen Joyce, a vocal jazz major, whom Tree calls “Carrot,” uses her given and middle name professionally and performs on campus with the Lancer Jazz Big Band and Chamber Singers. She also plays guitar, keyboard, and bass for friend’s bands of various genres. “I wish this was a four year university,” said Karen Joyce, of PCC. “Because some of the teachers here are probably better than, or up to par with, any other universities that I’ve

transferred to. It’s a really good program here. I’ve learned most of my theory and what I know now here.” She went to CSUN as an English major, and then decided to switch and do what she really loves, which is music, at PCC. Karen Joyce shared that the PCC twins were recently recognized for their respective arts. “Tree’s art was noted by Doug Harvey in the Juried Student Art exhibition,” Karen Joyce said. “I received the first place award for the Bobby Bradford Jazz scholarship competition.” The sisters plan to combine their talents soon, along with their artist friend Sebastian Genato, in an art exhibit and music event along with other PCC music students at The Cafe in Eagle Rock on May 25. In addition, Karen Joyce will perform with the Lancer Jazz Big Band lunchtime concert

Photos by Billy Beans Skelly/Courier Krystal “Tree” Herrera, left, holds up one of her paintings while her twin sister, Karen Joyce, holds up her guitar in the Jameson Amphitheater.

this Tuesday, and again with the band and the Chamber Singers in upcoming concerts at the Westerbeck Recital Hall. Karen Joyce fondly said that, as twins, their “two arts beat as

one.” “I look forward to performing, writing, teaching in the future, and someday coming out with an album that features my twin sister’s art,” she said.

Student seeks to effect change, starting in his ‘hood Monique LeBleu Asst. Features Editor

Rocio Vera/Courier Even Sena during his Advanced Body Building class on Wednesday. His necklace is a replica of one his grandfather owned and his tattoo is also a copy of one his grandfather had. He wears both proudly in his grandfather’s memory.

Evan Sena wants to effect change through his education at Pasadena City College by seeking a future in counseling at-risk youth, starting with his own neighborhood. While relaxing over lunch in the Piazza, the fit and charismatic Sociology major spoke animatedly and with seasoned assurance with his fellow students over their individual fitness regimes, while equally quick and clear on his own life goals: to create change in the world around him, beginning in his own backyard of East Los Angeles. Sena, 23, said his neighborhood is “very different from other communities” because he lives between two gang territories. “It’s right between the County Line-the LA County Sheriff ’s Dept and the LAPD,” he said. “I see how the kids live,” continued Sena. “And I want to help out as much as I can, informing them of the resources that are out there available to them. If I find out that a kid is being abused, by a mother or father, that’s when I want to come in and help the kid out. My intention is just to help.” PCC Police officer Don Norek, who has counseled in after school programs such as the Police Activities League for more than 26 years, is of a

similar opinion that the issue is often found at home, but it doesn’t always stem from abuse. “Ninety percent of the time the children are having a problem at home or school because of some kind of change in their situation,” Norek said. “Maybe the father lost their job. Maybe the mother and father are not getting along. Maybe their sister or somebody else in their family is sick or somebody in the family is having issues. But there always seems to be something in the family that affects the child’s behavior.” Already immersed in the gang life atmosphere, but not in a gang himself, Sena has a certain advantage. With a finger on the pulse of the neighborhood, he explained the “in” he already has for the “participant observation” part of his sociology education. “That’s basically when a sociologist gets to go into a subculture—like a gang within a culture—and you go and investigate,” he said. “You ask why and how they live. You ask questions, and you record it. This is something I really take as a privilege. It’s a dangerous situation, but I have been living there about 19 years and nothing has happened.” Ernest N. Bustillos, social sciences instructor, said this research tool is useful as a method for gaining accurate data in a unique social environment. “It’s the kind of thing that enables a

person to understand people’s motivation,” Bustillos said. “A person goes to a particular setting, taking notes. It is a very common research method and it’s a lot better than looking at cold numbers.” Sena explains the hierarchy that exists and its breakdown that has come with the incarceration of some older generation gang members. This has prompted a younger generation to seek power and respect on their own. “You have the O.G.’s–the Original Gangsters,” Sena explains. “Those are the ones with respect. They won’t harm women and children. But the youngsters, those are the ones that really have no discipline. They are the ones that will rob and shoot a lady with a bag just to get money. It’s pretty dangerous. It’s very serious.” Another plus for Sena is his own home support situation, where many of his family members have active careers in law and law enforcement—a career that he has also touched on. “I served as a cadet in the LAPD in 2008,” he said. And with that, along with his unique access into how things are in gang life in East Los Angeles, Sena plans to use insights from his direct contact with at-risk youth in his neighborhood, their current situations and experiences, his contact with existing gang members, and his education at PCC, toward his future as a social worker and counselor.

April 17, 2014

LIFESTYLE

COURIER

Student-friendly bars near campus Aerika Dave Staff Writer

Daniel Valencia/Courier Alex Landaverde, accounting, enjoys a nice cold beer at Luigi Ortegas on Colorado Boulevard after an accounting class on Tuesday. Pasadena contains many bars and restaurants to accommodate all sorts of budgets and tastes.

With the semester slowly coming to an end, students at PCC relax and kick back at some local watering holes before the tense week of finals approaches. Pasadena contains many bars and restaurants to accommodate all sorts of budgets and tastes. From Italian delights to tasty seafood, Colorado Boulevard is home to many bars that are just minutes from the school. With all these fabulous choices and an exquisite plethora of options to choose from, which bars can students afford? PCC student Chris MacQuarrie said Luigi Ortega’s and Lucky Baldwin’s Trappiste offer the best selection and happy hour deals nearby. Situated conveniently on Colorado Boulevard, Luigi Ortega’s offers students a hang out spot conveniently located across the street from the campus. After class, students can unwind with delicious breadsticks made fresh from a brick oven while enjoying the crisp taste of Blue Moon with a zesty orange slice. For those students who

require a little bit more bang for their buck, Lucky Baldwin’s is just a few blocks away. Located at 1770 East Colorado Boulevard, Lucky Baldwins is an authentic British pub which continues to satisfy their customers with their friendly, upbeat and entertaining environment. It remains a hit among the locals in Pasadena. “I love the IPA choices at Lucky Baldwin’s,” MacQuarrie said. However, for a more affordable student friendly spot, Macquarrie recommends a pitcher of Blue Moon at Luigi Ortega’s. Also located east of the campus on Colorado is Cameron’s Seafood, a San Francisco style fish house that offers students near campus a taste of the ocean in their own backyard. Genevieve Parsons loves the happy hour selections at Cameron’s and the various promotional offers on drinks. With great day deals such as Martini Mondays, Wine Wednesdays and Sunday Brunch, students can dine and drink within walking distance from PCC. “I used to go there even by myself after class,” said Parsons. Student David Segura has

alternate ideas of drinking after class, which include going to the nearest liquor store and enjoying an ice cold brew. Not all students have the time or energy to go bar hopping, especially after a busy full day of classes and student affairs. “I have no shame in my game,” Segura said. “The liquor store on Allen and Colorado Boulevard is the spot for me.”

Concepcion Gonzalez/Courier A cold Blue Moon served with an orange wedge at Luigi’s Ortega’s restaurant on Colorado Blvd on Wednesday.

A&E

10 COURIER

April 17, 2014

‘F*ck Art’ presents erotica with humor Aubrey Quezada Staff Writer

From subtle and unassuming to salacious and lewd, erotic art is often regarded as awkward or abrasive. But in his new exhibition entitled “F*ck Art,” Tony Wong addresses the uncomfortable art form in a new way: with humor. Inconspicuously displayed in a small alcove inside the Z Building, “F*ck Art” was created because of an under-appreciation for good erotic art and includes several works by students as well as instructors, according to Wong, who curated the exhibition as part of his Art 26 class. Wong, who has three of his pieces on display in the show, has been tossing around the idea of presenting an exhibition with an erotic theme for a while, and though he incorporates erotica into a lot of his work, he’s not doing it just for shock value. “I use it playfully, but sometimes it is a little bit of a slap in the face,” Wong said. “There’s not a lot of good erotic art out there and art that I like usually isn’t shown in a gallery, or it’s too far away and I wanted to do something more local with friends and up-and-coming artists. It’s just for fun and for people to enjoy.” The exhibition touches upon the themes of how the art scene is controlled by the wealthy and things become a commodity instead of being art made simply to be appreciated. “[It] stems from my frustration within the realm of art,” Wong said. “It has been commoditized in such an insane way that no one can truly afford it. This phenomenon of commoditization of art creates an insatiable thirst for hoarding art by the ultra-wealthy, and for the artist [it creates] an inflated ego, thinking he or she is a god. Art should be affordable and shared

Charles Winners/Courier Fluorescent rodents fornicate behind a peephole in Peter Garnica’s “In Flagrante Delicto” on display in the Z Building.

to all and therefore I say: ‘Fuck art!’” “F*ck Art” also plays with the idea of censorship, hence the asterisk in the title, according to Wong. “Even though there’s not necessarily a punch line in his work, there’s this exposure that’s sometimes absurd,” said Stan Baden, an assistant professor in the arts department. “The way he uses sex and language is like a sophisticated ‘Beavis and Butt-head.’ There’s always that raunchy giggle after something.” Inspired by a belt buckle worn by the

chairman of the arts department at the graduate school he attended, Baden’s drawing called “Fucking Art” displays a disorderly pile of shoes and clothing with a belt whose buckle reads “ART” looped through a pair of jeans. “In my artwork I always try to have some kind of raw humor that’s really subtle so you can look at it and not really get it. It lessens the chance that someone might get offended,” Baden said. Though he still incorporates humor into his two photographs displayed in the

Jewelry offers opportunities for all Kristina Wedseltoft Staff Writer

PCC offers a series of jewelry and metal fabrication classes that allow students to express their creative side through various projects, all due in part to Kay Yee, a 32-year veteran of the program. Yee received her Master in Fine Arts (MFA) in metalsmithing, jewelry and crafts and thought it was important that other people interested in the craft were given the opportunity to learn the techniques. But after her many years of teaching, Yee is expecting to retire in 2015. She hopes someone will continue the program and make it stronger.

The ART 36 A-C classes offer jewelry/metal fabrication and jewelry casting that allows for a wide variety of projects that demonstrate the mastery of skills needed to excel in the craft. “There is a wide range of students,” Yee said. “There’s an always changing curriculum, but the students who complete their projects love it.” Karen Westerfield previously held a job as makeup and special effects artist in the film industry, but severe arthritis forced her to find something new to do in her free time. Westerfield said she always had an interest in metalsmithing when she was younger and is class has been the perfect outlet to explore her interest.

Concepcion Gonzalez / Courier Ashley Van Dylce, undecided, makes a spinner ring during the Art 36 class, on Monday.

“[This class] is filling a huge void for me,” Westerfield said. “I use my knowledge from makeup effects to make things I love and Karen has been so encouraging.” Westerfield recently won a jewelry craft scholarship for her pieces that were centered around Japanese food and folk art. She created metal pieces to resemble sushi and Japanese cranes. Roxanna Morelli is in her second semester of the program and in the process of creating a spinner ring, a ring combination that is composed of a stationary ring with a moveable piece layered on top. Morelli is creating a spinner ring that she described as “a modern version of Game of Thrones.” “I’ve always had a passion for jewelry making,” Morelli said. “I’m taking this class for fun and to further my education as a metalsmith.” Yee takes her job very seriously because she finds it important that an instructor has to teach the techniques and teach them correctly so students are able to make the most of the program. “People take these classes for personal enrichment,” Yee said. “People want to explore themselves and someone with the knowledge and passion has to teach these techniques.

exhibition, Rick Osaka, an art instructor who has known Wong for years, took a different approach to overcoming the dangerous subject. Fascinated by culture and identity, Osaka used a Chihuahua doll and a Japanese kokeshi doll posed in a whimsical sexual position. “I had to find a way to make myself comfortable, but also address what the show is about. I tried to do it in a palatable way using dolls or objects in my studio and personifying them,” Osaka said. “I don’t personally do erotic art, but I definitely do neurotic art.” Almost hidden in a corner of the exhibition is one of Yolanda McKay’s tiny inedible coffee cakes that comes from her series “Poodle Boys and Coffee Cakes.” The cake was cast using recycled coffee grounds and sodium silicate as a binder before she put a decorative pattern on the outside of it. On top of the cake is a nude male with fleur de lis patterns embedded on his back and what looks like an acupuncture chart pointing to his different personality traits. “I like using coffee because it speaks about obsessive nature… It’s about desire, consumption, submission, role-playing and humanity,” McKay said. McKay teaches the Art 26 class that Wong created the exhibition for and gives her students a lot of freedom to do something that represents their individuality and creative approach. “Tony has an interesting point of view and aesthetic,” Osaka said. “He’s delving into an area that’s a little bit risqué. It’s definitely personal and definitely about sexual morays, and that in itself can be a little uncomfortable, especially for young people. But Tony bravely goes on.” “F*ck Art” opened on April 11 and will be on display through April 25.

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April 17, 2014

A&E

COURIER

Percussion takes crowd on a musical tour

Antonio Gandara/Courier The Percussion Ensemble performs “Johnny’s Mambo” in the new Westerbeck Recital Hall on Friday. “Music from Around the World” was the first concert by the Percussion Ensemble at the Westerbeck Recital Hall. Paul Ochoa Staff Writer

There were no horns, strings or—at one point during the show—any actual drums, but the PCC Percussion Ensemble managed to entertain and delight the audience last Friday by banging on unconventional instruments. Directed by Tad Carpenter, the “Music from Around the World” concert took the audience on a musical tour around the world, playing a different style and genre of music from different countries using only percussion instruments. Among some of the countries visited

were Africa, Germany, Japan, Russia, Cuba and the United States. “I liked the ‘Music from Around the World’ theme because of the contrast between the pieces,” said Carlos Castaneda, music. The concert, performed in the Westerbeck Recital Hall in the new Center for the Arts building, was the Percussion Ensemble’s first in the hall. “It was a great performance and I loved the acoustics of the new room,” Carpenter said. One of the highlights of the performance was “Head Talk,” part of the Africa section of the tour. It consisted of

Carpenter and four ensemble members sitting in a circle playing with only drum sticks and drum heads. It started off with just one member playing, sounding unorganized and out of time. But as other members joined in, it picked up and created a hypnotic, tribal groove. “It was a community effort,” said Carpenter of the “Head Talk” performance. “Like an African tribe they need each other. If one member is absent its not right.” The Cuban stop on the tour brought another highlight to the show, which was “Johnny’s Mambo.” With all members up on stage, “Johnny’s Mambo” was a wild

Latin jazz rollercoaster which really had the audience moving. “Johnny’s Mambo woke me,” said Pedro Contreras, music. “It was a great show.” The final stop on the tour was the United States with the familiar “Theme from New York, New York” closing the show. With great lighting, acoustics and an amazing musicianship, the concert was a treat for many in attendance, who seemed more than satisfied with the ensembles performance. “I really liked the show,” said Roger Zuniga, undeclared.

‘The Marriage of Figaro’ proves opera is not dead Samantha Molina A&E Editor

“I am here today to tell you that opera is not dead,” director Anne Marie Ketchum de la Vega said before Saturday’s performance of the comic opera “The Marriage of Figaro.” And then operatic voices reverberated throughout the Sexson Auditorium as the singers performed for a full crowd. Directed by Ketchum de la Vega, the cast of twelve sang an English adaptation of the Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, all set to the famous music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Music director Wendy Caldwell and a string quartet

Barney Soto/Courier Wesley Moran and Nicole Renee Bouffard perform as Figaro and Susanna in “The Marriage of Figaro” on Friday.

consisting of bass, cello, viola and players accompanied the singers. The opera buffa’s four acts follows the complicated love affair between Figaro and Susanna, played by Wesley Moran and Nicole Bouffard, Count and Countess Almaviva, played by Carson Gilmore and Madeleine Andragna and the young Cherubino, played by Clare Bellefeuille-Rice. Figaro and Susanna are set to be married but the Count also has his eyes on Susanna and plans to stop the wedding, all while the young page boy Cherubino flirts with all the women in the castle including Countess Almaviva. Figaro, Susanna and the Countess work together to embarass the Count and expose his unfaithfulness, ultimately restoring his relationship with the Countess. “We practiced for months and it really showed in the performance,” singer David Dalari. “These singers are very young and it takes a lot to understand the character and to sing the recitative,” Ketchum de la Vega added. “For them to sing this range of music and act it all out at the Barney Soto/Courier same time.” Carson Gilmore, Nicole Renee Bouffard, and Michael Cruz (Count Almaviva, SuThe singers put everything into the sanna, chambermaid to the countess, and Basilio, music master) in “The Marriage evening performance and won over the of Figaro” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the Sexson Auditorium on Friday. audience with their talent while also proving their ability to perform one of first opera and they put their hearts, souls running for years to come. the most well known operas to their and voices into doing this,” Ketchum de “It costs a lot to put on these producdirector. la Vega said. “I’m very proud because this “I was very impressed with the talent tions so were hoping that people will is one of the great masterpieces of all of and professionalism of the entire cast, I step up and put some money into it,” opera and to be able to do it here at PCC didn’t expect this level of expertise from Ketchum de la Vega said. is tremendous.” community college students,” audience Donations to the Opera Program can The Opera Program is accepting member Brian Johnson said. “For some of these singers it is their donations to help keep the productions be made through the PCC Foundation.

12 COURIER

SPORTS

Softball decimated 25-1 Tiffany Roesler

Asst. Online Editor The Lancers have two games remaining to move up one more spot in the South Coast Conference after a 25-1 blowout loss to No. 11 Mt. SAC. The Mounties, who totaled six homeruns, made it nearly impossible for the Lancers to put a stop to the scoring frenzy. The third inning was the only scoreless one for Mt. SAC. “We had an off day,” Lancer head coach Monica Tantlinger said. “I dont think this loss defines our staff at all. We have to let this loss go and not let it affect our Andrew French/Courier confidence.” Mt. SAC’s first basemen Char- The Lancer softball team gathers after their worst loss of the season at Robinson Park on Tuesday. Mt. SAC routed the Lancers 25-1. lotte Foster, who finished the game with two homeruns, currently leads the state in homerand pushed through the innings. “They didn’t quit,” said veteran assistant uns, while shortstop Celina Felix is top five “We showed our true character and stayed coach Mary Geer. “That’s hard to do.” in the state for RBI, batting average (.540) together,” said outfielder Vanessa Contreras. The Lancers dropped to 12-24 overall and and homeruns. “Aside from the score we continued to back 4-15 in the SCC. The loss drops the Lancers The Lancers got off to another slow start each other up.” to seventh place in the eight team conferTuesday, allowing a grand slam in the first It was in the second inning when the ence. inning by Mt. SAC third baseman NiaRaye Mounties pulled away, with 13 hits and 10 “We let the game get away from us in the Ceasar. Ceasar was a perfect 4-for-4 on the runs. second inning,” Zavala said. “Although it day as the Lancers could not contain the The Lancers attempted to fire back soon was a bad loss we never gave up. We just hard-hitting Mounties. after. Right fielder Breanna Rodrigo scored have to stay focused and finish the season “For the most part our pitchers have the lone run, second baseman Justine Zavala strong.” put us in a position to win every time,” had one hit, and Contreras had one RBI. The Lancers face off against LA Harbor Tantlinger said. “Tuesday they had a bad Those were the last stats the team would in Willmington in hopes of redemption. game.” Nevertheless, PCC kept its composure record. First pitch is at 3 p.m.

Baseball drops tenth straight an RBI single by DeZotell. Irvine Valley had an instant response, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth inning and another run in the top of the seventh inning. After a hard-fought series against El Freshman starting pitcher John Flores Camino-Compton Center the past week, turned in a very strong pitching effort, makPasadena lost its tenth straight game on ing his first start on the season by pitching Tuesday by a score of 5-3 versus Irvine 7.1 innings against Irvine Valley, but the Valley College. The Lancers have lost their offense was unable to produce runs for him. last three games by a combined four runs, “I’m just extremely happy with John after adding even more frustration to the season. he pitched a gem,” said O’Meara. “It’s disFollowing a 2-1 loss to visiting ECCC last heartening when a guy does his job Thursday, the Lancers managed to so well but we didn’t do enough to jump out to an 8-1 lead over ECCC back him up offensively.” on Saturday heading in to the top Fraijo added two more RBI for of the seventh inning. However, the the Lancers, but it wasn’t enough wheels completely fell off for PCC in a 5-3 loss to Irvine Valley. The as they gave up six runs in the sevtenth consecutive loss dropped enth inning and two more runs in PCC to 4-26 on the season. the eighth inning. PCC was unable An interesting note to take away to score any more runs, resulting in from the series against ECCC was a stunning 9-8 loss. the return of former Lancer third “We took advantage of a lot of baseman Aaron Correa, who played their mistakes and we managed to for PCC last season before transferput the ball in play,” said head coach ring to ECCC this season. CorEvan O’Meara. “Our continuous rea had a lot to prove against his problem this season is we can’t hit former team, as he erupted for six with runners on base. We started total RBI in the three games played off pretty well, but as the game got against the Lancers the past week. closer we stopped executing.” “I’m happy that Aaron is doing The Lancers had 12 hits on Satwell,” said O’Meara. “He seems urday hosting ECCC, ten of which to be buying in to the Compton came from five different players baseball program, and I’m always who had two hits each: sophomore very happy when I see one of our shortstop Bobby Fraijo, freshman former players succeed.” right fielder Arnaldo Limon, freshThe Lancers, who lost 14-6 man center fielder P.J. DeZotell, to Ventura College on Wednesfreshman catcher Macrin Gallardo day, visit Irvine Valley college on and sophomore second baseman Thursday for a 2 p.m. game. PCC Kai Nakamura. will then wrap up its season in a PCC Freshman starting pitcher Zach Britt pitched a brilliant first Richard Quinton/PCC Athletics series against rival Mt. San Antonio six innings of the game before ECCC John Flores throws a pitch against Irvine Valley on Tues- College beginning next Tuesday on stormed back. Despite the ECCC day. The Lancers lost 5-3 despite his impressive outing. the road. Andrew Salmi Asst. Sports Editor

rally, the Lancers did not have a response on offense. “The difference in our games is we need just one or two more hits with runners on base,” said sophomore catcher Jason Clark. “We have to take advantage of opportunities.” Looking for redemption on Tuesday, the Lancers hosted non-conference opponent Irvine Valley. In the bottom of the fourth inning, PCC knotted the game up at 1-1 with

April 17, 2014

Clark shines at Mt. SAC Relays Phillip McCormick Managing Editor

Lancer runner Breanna Clark is quickly becoming a standout star this season on the track and she didn’t disappoint at the Mt. SAC Relays on Saturday. Clark ran for the state’s fastest time in the 400 meters race with a time of 55.33 seconds. She beat the state’s three previous top performers in the event, including El Camino’s Raven Nunez and the Terry twins, Shebanet’te and Shemanet’te from Riverside. “Clark is doing an outstanding job out on the track,” head oach Cedric Hill said. “I am confident that she will make it to the championships and do extremely well.” Clark went from No. 4 to No. 1 in the state rankings on Saturday. She also came in second place in the 200 meters race, moving up to No. 3 in the state in that event. “It was really fun winning,” Clark said with a smile. “I was running fast and had to keep pumping my arms. I really hope to make the championships, that’d be great.” Thrower Yvette Bastidas, who didn’t place in the top three for the first time in three events, came in fifth in the javelin but broke a new personal record with a throw of 111 feet and 5 inches. “I’ve been trying to beat my personal records all season,” Bastidas said. “I’m really glad I was able to break that record. It shows that I keep improving. I’ll keep motivated and continue to try to beat myself.” Hill said that he was happy with his team’s overall performance at Mt. SAC. “I have no doubt that we will be sending some great athletes to the state championships,” Hill said. “What they have been able to do while juggling school and their personal lives is amazing. I really like our chances.” The Lancers will compete at the Cal State Los Angeles Twilight Open meet today at 3 p.m. Assistant coach Armand Crespo said that he expects it to be a day filled with personal records. “The athletes have been consistently getting better,” Crespo said. “Their hard work should payoff at Cal State LA.”