PCC Courier 04/24/2014

The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena since 1915

PASADENA CITY COLLEGE

COURIER

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 12

INSIDE: EDITORIAL

Did the District have good reasons for disinviting Dustin Lance Black?

PAGE 4>>

FAB IN DRAG

Life is not a drag at the PCC drag show.

PAGE 9>>

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April 24, 2014

Women’s swimming sets six records

Antonio Gandara/Courier Two-time Swimmer of the Year Shannon Cheung is congratulated by head coach Terry Stoddard after her record-setting victory in the 1,650-yard freestyle.

Daron Grandberry Staff Writer

The 2014 Lancer women’s swim team made a bold statement with their impressive performance at this year’s South Coast Conference Championships, breaking several conference records.

Led by two-time SCC Swimmer of the year Shannon

Cheung and freshman Connie Peng, the Lancers broke six conference records and 11 school records on their way to a prosperous meet from April 17 to April 19 at Mt. San Antonio College.

“We put up a pretty good fight,” Cheung said. “I’m happy with our improvement from last year. All of our girls swam best times so that was great.”

On the opening day of the SCC Championships, the Lancers broke a 14-year-old SCC record in the 400-yard medley relay with a new conference record of 3:58.94 in the event title win.

Returning sophomore Arolyn Basham and freshman Tiffany Wong paired with Cheung and Peng to become the first team in conference history to break the four minute mark in the 400.

“I’m so proud to have such amazing teammates,” Peng said.

“I’m having the best time of my life swimming with such amazing athletes.”

Adding to their record breaking meet, the quartet of Basham, Cheung, Peng and Wong also recorded a new SCC record in the 200 medley relay SWIM page 12

District apologizes to Oscar-winning alumnus

Governing board has final say in ‘shared’ governance

Christine Michaels and Philip McCormick Staff Writers

Philip McCormick and Justin Clay Staff Writers

The Board of Trustees apologized to Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black in a prepared statement released Monday and said that an email received by Black inviting him to be the school’s commencement speaker resulted from “an honest error.”

Senior Vice President Robert Bell took responsibility for what the district described as miscommunications that led to the controversy.

“Due to errors in following procedure for which I am responsible… we have embarrassed our esteemed alumnus Dustin Lance Black because of an invitation that was mistakenly delivered to his representative, and we owe the public an apology for involving Pasadena City College in a confusing situation that has unfortunately spilled over into public comment on homophobia,” Bell said, according to the statement.

An official from the Community College League of California clarified that the administration has the final say on issues that are discussed between the “participatory governance” groups at a technical visit on April 14.

“Participatory governance” has been area of tension between the administration and the Academic Senate for the past few years, as the Academic Senate and Associated Students have consistently criticized the administration for not considering their input when making campus decisions. But Scott Lay, President and CEO of the Community College League of California, said that final authority belongs exclusively to the administration.

“Shared governance is a general term used in higher education,” explained Scott Lay, President and CEO of the Community College League of California. “The [CCLC] and the Academic Senate refer to participatory governance to describe California’s law, as it’s about providing people affected by decisions the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. At the end of the day, you can’t ‘share’ a decision. Someone/some body (i.e. governing board) has to make it.”

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College’s Accreditation Standards states: “Through established governance structures, processes, and practices, the governing board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students work together for the good of the institution.

These processes facilitate discussion of ideas and effective communication among the institution’s constituencies.”

PARTICIPATORY page 2

Benjamin Simpson/Courier Board of Trustees President Anthony Fellow at a Board meeting on Jan. 15, 2014.

Black posted to Facepolite a final warning as I book early Tuesday, saying can offer now. Get honest, he was unsatisfied with the apologize to your students and school and make district statement. amends.”

“It took the @LAtimes Black was the first of mere hours to see through eight potential candidates PCC’s dishonest, disingenuous statement. I can’t to make himself available as a speaker, but the Board imagine it will take PCC of Trustees were made students, professors or a aware of nude pictures court of law much lonof him with a man having ger,” his post reads. “Mr. unprotected sex which [Fellow], in a courtroom, evidence matters, not spin. surfaced on the internet in 2009 and he was dismissed There, you must tell the as a candidate because the truth, the whole truth and STATEMENT page 2 nothing but. This is as

NEWS

2 COURIER

Architecture department opposes structural move

Paul Ochoa Staff Writer

The Academic Senate voted unanimously to support the Architecture Department’s bid to remain part of the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts after the department was informed by administrators that it will be moving to the Career and Technical Education division.

In a letter presented to the senate, Coleman Griffith, Architecture Department Head, asked for the Senate’s support for the Architecture Department to remain in the VAMS department and requested that their physical class space be retained.

“On Friday, April 11th afternoon I was informed by Vice President Bell of his impending decision to move the Architecture Department from the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts to the CTE, Career and Technical Education Division,” Coleman said. “He indicated that the rooms currently utilized by the Architecture Department would be given to the Second Year Experience program.”

In his resolution, Coleman gave a list of potential negative impacts, arguing that the move

Nagisa Mihara/Courier Architecture department head Coleman Griffith requests a resolution to prevent his department from being moved to another division at an Academic Senate meeting on Monday.

could create negative financial and educational impacts on both current and future architecture students, eliminate the F1 Visa student transfer population, and block access by underrepresent-

ed minority and economically disadvantaged students.

Coleman said a recent technical visit from the Community College League of California made it clear that “any changes

that impact either the faculty, the students or the curriculum must be implemented by mutual agreement.

“If there is no mutual agreement, the status quo stands,” Coleman said.

The resolution also went on to state that the PCC Architecture Department is widely recognized in Southern California as the number one transfer school for students seeking transfer to a four to five year University Degree in Architecture.

Members of the Senate openly expressed their disapproval of the move, with Rod Foster, visual arts and media studies, pointing out the temporariness of grant-funded programs, which will replace architecture in the department.

“Grant programs are inherently temporary, what’s the value in moving it for a program that might not be here in a couple years,” Foster said. “More of the same from the gang that can’t shoot straight.”

Kris Pilon, engineering and technology, feels that classroom space played a role behind the scheduled move.

“There is no reason except they want classroom space,” Pilon said. “We have to take a strong stand against this.”

PARTICIPATORY Continued from page 1

that the administration was ignoring this process and the ideas coming from the senate.

“Title 5 does indicate that [the administration] is the final decision makers,” Haley said.

“However, if [the administration] cannot reach a mutual agreement and they have to make a decision contrary to the wishes of the Academic Senate, it has to be for compelling financial, legal or organizational reasons. Thus far, the senate has seen them make decisions that don’t seem to be cause of compelling issues.”

Lay also said during his presentation at the visit that the school’s accreditation might be in danger due to some issues between the district and PCC’s Academic Senate and Faculty Association.

“The Accrediting Commission would not sanction a college because people aren’t getting along,” Lay said “However, if the lack of trust and collaboration leads to work not getting done, or there is a perception that collegial governance processes are not being followed, it certainly could affect the college’s accreditation status.”

Academic Senate President Eduardo Cairo said that it is still too early to gauge how well the technical visit went.

“It’s not until we get an actual engagement with the Board of Trustees and the administration that we can truly be able to answer that question,” Cairo said.

April 24, 2014

STATEMENT Continued from page 1

Board thought his actions might inflame the college’s own sex scandals. 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.

Board President Anthony Fellow said that the board members were unanimous and clear in their position that details of Black’s personal life had no place in public discussion, especially if Black had been the victim of recrimination and revenge.

However, in an email to Associated Students President Jordyn Orozco, Fellow gave other reasons that might have gone into the decision making. “Black some years ago participated in unsafe sexual practices that have now gone public,” Fellow said in an email to Associated Students President Jordyn Orozco in early April. “A public figure needs to set an example for our young people.”

The college’s prepared statement, which was posted to the college’s website Monday evening, contained an unusual “additional questions and answers” section in which the district provided answers to two questions it posed to itself. In it, the district said that statements in emails about Black were never intended to be publicized. “What you have are pieces of personal conversations assumed to be confidential and never meant to be a final conclusion,” the statement reads.

Fellow made similar comments about Black’s sexual history in an interview with the Courier last week, when he said the board did not select Black because they didn’t “want to give PCC a bad name.”

Student Trustee Simon Fraser said that the District was attempting to “rewrite history” with its statement. He also said that Black should have been this year’s commencement speaker.

The statement did not address the email templates that were put together by Heba Griffiths, interim associate dean of student life. Fraser was asked by Griffiths, a new member of the commencement committee, to email Black what she perceived to be an invite to check the availability of the four potential candidates she was charged with, using the template she had provided. “We would like to formally invite you to conduct the commencement address to the students as we celebrate our theme of “Proud Past/Global Future,” the template reads.

Fraser’s email only changed the word “you” to “Mr. Black” and mentioned the message was sent on behalf of Griffiths.

All eight of the speaker candidates received this email and “were inadvertently “invited” due to miscommunication about what the email should state, according to the district’s statement. ~Additional reporting by Raymond Bernal

NEWS

April 24, 2014

COURIER

3

Police work to slow school zone speeding Lorraine Snyder, a CDC instructor spearheading further progress on the issue, met with Norek and other officers to discuss efforts to collect data and pursue solutions toward slowing traffic there.

Snyder’s involvement stems from her own observations and concerns.

“We have families—we have clusters of children—coming up from Saint Philip’s [church] going to Cherry On Top,” said Snyder of the popular frozen yogurt business across the street. “They have a lot of fundraisers, and there are so many children out there, always. And the cars don’t stop. They will actually switch lanes to avoid you.”

Lt. Pete Hettema of the Pasadena Police Department, who was involved in the sting operation and participates in monthly updating meetings with Pasadena Department of Transportation, concurred with Snyder’s observations.

“We consider that a major violation,” Hettema said. “Because that’s what’s killing our citizens.”

A data control box was installed at the targeted intersection, according to the CDC, around the time of the sting operation. In the five blocks preceding the intersection there are no stop signs, traffic lights, or other warning signals alerting drivers of the frequent pedestrian and school drop-off crossings. School zones are normally 25 miles per hour, but the section of Green Street by the CDC is zoned at 35. Many drivers gain speed

Monique LeBleu Staff Writer

Years of complaints from PCC’s Child Development Center about dangerous driving near the campus prompted a traffic sting operation earlier this month and campus police hope further safety measures will soon be put in place.

An hour-long sting operation on Apr. 3, conducted by four PPD officers—one in plainclothes acting as a crosswalk pedestrian, with the others observing motorists—resulted in the ticketing of at least ten violations within that hour. The traffic targeted was at Holliston Avenue and Green Street, across from the CDC. “Most of the time they don’t stop for pedestrians at the crosswalk,” PCCPD Officer Don Norek said. “We had a lot of complaints from some of the employees and staff that work at the CDC, about pedestrians trying to get across the street there and how many accidents almost occur. We also discovered it’s not a school zone at the CDC, which it should be.”

This operation was just one of several that have been held citywide in a monthlong Distracted Driving Awareness Month campaign by the PDD for the month of April. However, the specific target location was prompted by complaints from the CDC and the neighborhood and businesses in the area.

The CDC has been writing letters of complaint about the problem since 1998.

Concepcion Gonzalez / Courier A car enters the crosswalk before pedestrians finish crossing Holliston Ave. and Green St. on Wednesday.

to as much as 50 miles per hour, as there is nothing for blocks in the way of traffic signals or signs to slow them.

“We see accidents,” said Nicki Harmon, the CDC director. “An instructor got hit. My own daughter got hit. And they come out and they’ve done different studies. Holliston church did one in 2005. And there was one in 2003, because there’s accidents that happened there.

That is how we got a crosswalk.”

According to Harmon, other than the crosswalk markings, there have been few other safety measures put into place.

Red curbing and fluorescent signs were installed, but a stop sign or flashing traffic

signal is sought to help slow the traffic.

However, somehow the intersection is not meeting a city guideline to warrant it.

“Every time they came out to do a study, it wasn’t during high traffic times,” Harmon said.

Of the overall traffic issues of the area, especially at Colorado Boulevard and Hill Street, Norek said that there had only been “three accidents in four years.”

However, he also noted that “if there’s no injuries, then there’s no police report.”

For the CDC, the next step may be to approach the neighborhood again in a concerted effort to petition city hall.

AS reviews accreditation and GM building safety Jessica Arceo Staff Writer

Following the disappointment in the change of speaker for the upcoming commencement ceremony, the Associated Students board shifted gears to discussing matters with accreditation and getting a better handle on how to deal with the concerns some students have in regards to the GM building.

Accreditation Coordinator Stephanie Fleming said there has been a focus on campus-wide communication for accreditation matters, such as assessments and

self-evaluations, with presentations for shared governance groups, having interactive workshops, and revamping the accreditation website to be more user friendly and allow for certain information to be more attainable.

Fleming also noted that the Accreditation Commission for Junior Colleges (ACCJC), which is responsible for accrediting PCC, was having difficulty in attracting more participation from faculty to be a part of the peer-review process.

“It’s really hard for faculty… it’s very labor intensive,” Fleming said.

Fleming also reached out to the board for suggestions on how to get newsletters to students so they know what is happening on campus, as security issues prevent the school from sending students mass emails.

VP for Sustainability Sarah Belknap suggested something more face-to-face with the students as it was a better method of getting their attention. Eric Bustamante, VP for Academic Affairs, recommended using the library rotunda as a venue for engaging more students.

The committee is also focusing on the history of past recommendations about issues

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on campus.Not resolving the issues might lead to sanctions, such as warning or revocation of accreditation. One major item of concern is the persistent negative campus climate, which dates back to at least 1996.

“They’re pretty telling of the fact that we had a consistent issue on our campus,” Fleming stated.

However, measures are being taken to try and fix the problem.

One possibility is the hiring of a third party consultant that could come in and bring an objective look at campus climate issues.

Fleming pointed out that while they are only in the process of possibly looking at applications for consultants, there would be a student that serves in the selection committee that looks over the applications for that consultant.

VP for Cultural Diversity Auriana Duffy also wanted the board to address the issues of how the GM building could be a safer place for students on

campus. There has been some concerns from gay and female students about the behaviors of some athletes and the intimidation they feel when having to visit or pass by the building.

President Jordyn Orozco said that as a queer person of color, he did not feel safe when he has visited the building for staff reasons.

VP for Student Services Miranda Alvarado said she would get the “stare” when she would pass by and that she no longer goes in through the main entrance and goes through the side of the building.

“It’s not comfortable for me,” said Alvarado.

Orozco and Belknap suggested that it would be a good idea to start with the coaches and work their way down to the athletes to try and have a safe zone for coaches and team captains to give them a better understanding of the situation and reach out to the student population.

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 Gonzalez Staff Writers: Jessica Arceo, Aerika Dave, Matthew Kiewiet, Janel Leonard, Lucy Patrikian, Robert Tovar, Kristina Wedseltoft Staff Photographers: Joseph Adajar, Josh Balmadrid, Jorell Brittenum, Victoria De La Torre, Andrew French, Christopher Martinez, Mary Nurrenbern, Billy Skelly, Barney Soto, Daniel Valencia, Rocio Vera.

OPINION

April 24, 2014

Apologize about the real problem It seems that every time the District tries to cover up the commencement debacle, it digs itself a deeper pit to fall into.

If you haven’t read the international headlines about it, Oscar winner and PCC alumnus Dustin Lance Black was at the top of the board-approved list of commencement speaker candidates.

But he was soon dismissed by the board because it feared that nude photos of Black with his ex-boyfriend, which surfaced on the internet more than five years ago, would tarnish the school’s image after all of the poorly-handled sex scandals on this campus over the past year.

“With … 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.”

Well, it seems like simply saying that has sullied PCC’s reputation in the world’s and the majority of its students’ eyes.

How do sex scandals from our own campus have anything to do with extremely dated nude photos of two men in an intimate relationship?

Associated Students President Jordyn Orozco correctly labeled our own scandals, which included “porno professor” Hugo Schwyzer admitting to sleeping with his students and journalism instructor Warren Swil admitting to revealing nude photos of himself to a student, as abuses of power.

The situations are polar opposites.

If the college had made any attempt to look further into what

VOICES:

it thought was a sex scandal for on homophobia,” Bell said in the Black, it would have discovered statement. that Black went to court and won Bell didn’t even know that a case about his privacy being Black was invited until last week. invaded and him being publicly How could he be held solely humiliated by a vengeful past responsible for this fiasco? lover.

Fellow, however, attempted to His victimization has nothing save face in the statement: to do with PCC’s own dark past “Board members are unaniof professorial misdeeds. mous and clear in their position

By Fellow simply stating that that details of Mr. Black’s perthe dated pictures would “make sonal life have no place in public PCC look bad,” he did just that. discussion,” he said.

Another blunder the District If Black’s personal life had no made involved completely ignorplace in discussion, then why did ing these painful remarks about Fellow explain to Orozco that he Black’s past and instead focused did not want him to be the speakon blaming different college ofer because he had “unsafe sex,” ficials for inviting him in the first and that his understanding that place. the AIDS virus First, the was passed on board tried by this, Black to blame its would set a own Stubad example dent Trustee for the stuSimon Fraser, dents? who sent “Thus, even ~Trustee Berlinda Brown today I cringe an email to Black in early when I hear March on of unsafe sexual practices as this behalf of commencement comdisease is on the rise again. Mr. mittee member Heba Griffiths, Black some years ago participated which appeared to be an official in unsafe sexual practices that invitation to be this year’s comhave now gone public. A public mencement speaker. figure needs to set an example for When Fraser sent a scathing our young people,” Fellow said email to the board, claiming its in an email to Orozco earlier this members were trying to scapemonth before the controversy goat him, the District let vice exploded in his face. president and commencement If Black’s private life truly committee member Robert Bell should stay private as Fellow said take the fall in a statement rein a prepared public statement, he leased earlier this week. should practice what he preaches.

“Due to errors in followIs it even Fellow’s business ing procedure for which I am to care about the private and responsible … we owe the public intimate decisions a committed an apology for involving Pasacouple makes about their sex life? dena City College in a confusing Or is this just his excuse for situation that has unfortunately not wanting a person involved in spilled over into public comment a “sex scandal” to speak at com-

“We shouldn’t be treating Mr. Black as an outcast.”

mencement?

At least two other board members have advocated for Black to be considered as a speaker, but their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

According to internal emails obtained by the Courier, Trustee Berlinda Brown agreed that the new commencement speaker, Pasadena Director of Public Health Eric Walsh, would be a great speaker, but she did not believe Black should be overlooked.

“I don’t believe we are being fair to the students. If what the President of the student body and the Student Trustee are saying is correct then we shouldn’t be treating Mr. Black as an outcast,” Brown said.

Trustee Linda Wah also argued to Fellow in an email that Black was a clear first choice of the commencement committee and should be considered.

“I heard Mr. Black speak …

He received a standing ovation from the audience, comprised of Trustees and CEOs across the State,” she said. “Bypassing Mr. Black would continue to reinforce the distrust and damage the small advancements we have made to … help heal the Campus relationships.”

Prescient words, and we cannot agree more.

It is time for the District and Fellow to apologize about the real problem here. Black’s supporters have now spoken loud and clear that it would be an honor for him to speak at commencement, no matter his past. This is the students’ commencement, not the college’s.

Stop trying to save face and do the right thing: bring back Black.

Should someone’s personal life be a factor in deciding who comes to speak at the college?

Faculty Adviser Nathan McIntire Photo 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.

“I don’t think it should be a factor.

I think this situation makes PCC look kind of homophobic in a way.”

Bryan Valdez, kinesiology

“I don’t think his personal life should be a factor. ..We don’t judge people based on their favorite milkshake flavor.”

Kale Hurtado, undecided

“I think it matters. The college has a right to choose the example it shows to its students.”

Zukeyka Santiago, psychology

“You’re gonna come across a lot of people that do great things and most of them are gonna have some kind of personal secrets.”

Melissa Archer, music

“Someone invaded his privacy and took images from his posession. He is clearly the victim in this situation, and it’s wrong.”

Leila Rasas, music

Reporting by: Justin Clay Photos by: Rocio Vera

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

ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Do you think that Dustin Lance Black should be the 2014 commencement speaker?

Results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday:

Yes, he would be great: 93%

No: 4%

Who?: 3%

Vote at PccCourier.com

OPINION

April 24, 2014

COURIER

Associated Students 2014-2015 Candidates Reporting by Jessica Arceo

Jordyn Daniel Orozco - President (Students for Progress)

Photos by Charles Winners

Marshall Lewis - Student Trustee (Students for Progress)

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Amaris Jacobs - VP of Student Services (Students for Progress)

Cindy A. Lucio - VP of Student Services (United Students for Change)

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Jenny Chuang - VP of Public Relations (United Students for Change)

Hubert Tran - VP of Public Relations (Students for Progress)

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Ryan Liu - Chief Justice (Students for Progress)

Irving G. Morales - VP of Cultural Diversity (United Students for Change)

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Alfonso Mares - VP of Internal Affairs (United Students for Change)

Valerie Roque - VP of Internal Affairs (Students for Progress)

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Jonathan Reed - VP of Campus Activities (Students for Progress)

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Eric Laughlin - VP of Academic Affairs (Students for Progress)

Other Candidates

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The Courier did not receive statements from these candidates.

Voting Information

5

SCENE

6 COURIER

April 17, 2014

COURIER

Barney Soto/Courier Christopher Martinez/Courier

Angel Hernandez, a Small Business major at PCC, is working on a Water Slide Decal print during Monday’s class for Grfx 113. The class meets twice a day Monday and Wednesday.

Welding Professor Alan Armstrong cuts pieces of metal for his class to practice on. His class holds about 20 students.

Rocio Vera/Courier

Gil Sanchez (front left), Studio Arts

major, works on his ceramics piece in the Ceramics room. The ceramics are left out in the sun to dry.

Josh Balmadrid/Courier

Chemistry major Rene Santiago of East Los Angeles edits his photo at his Photo 31 class.

Concepcion Gonzalez/Courier

Francis Audelo makes a jewelry box for her Art 36 A-C class, in the Center of the Arts.

Audelo will be using her jewelry box for her wedding rings when she gets married next year.

Daniel Valencia/Courier

Ashley VanDyke (right), Alison MacCarthy (center), Caitlin York (left), sit with one another editing through photos in their Photo 21 class on Wednesday afternoon.

Mary Nurrenbern/Courier

In the Center for the Arts Building, Jeff Petersen paints a landscape titled V, after the V building below him. The painting to his left is a self-portrait.

The class is a mixture of four different levels of painting, all instructed by Craig Antrim.

7

FEATURES

8 COURIER

April 24, 2014

Fencing: Students practice safe poking Justin Clay Online Editor

“Lunge, recover, retreat, and advance,” yells a group of eager students in the W building. No, there isn’t a war happening on campus. The students are participating in warm-up exercises in one of PCC’s fencing classes.

“The warm-ups are primarily for stretching, but since this is a PE class, I want them to get some cardio too,” says course instructor Daryl Taylor.

For those not familiar with fencing, it is the activity of fighting with swords in a competitive manner. Most people associate competitive fencing with the Summer Olympics.

“I saw Olympic fencing on television and decided that I wanted to try it,” said Khalil Jammal, a neuroscience major taking part in Coach Taylor’s fencing class.

Jammal said that he enjoys the class and would recommend it to any student looking to fill their PE requirement.

“It’s great if you’re looking for something fun and energetic,” he said. “Once you learn the basics, it becomes second nature and it’s really fun.”

The class begins with various drills. And then as the semes-

Mary Nurrenbern/Courier Chris Torador (left) and Vinh Trung, radiology, have a fencing match on April 17, in W201.

ter progresses, students get the chance to spar with each other using weapons from all three fencing categories: foil, sabre, and epee.

“For the first part of the semester, we work on drills and positioning,” said Taylor. “I want to teach them a lot of the fundamental elements of fencing.”

“But at this point in the term, I just let them go at it,” he added.

The program provides the students with jackets, masks and weapons. The only thing the students have to purchase for themselves are the gloves.

Taylor says that the college is adding more fencing classes, starting in the fall term, to meet the demand of students wanting to take it.

“It’s pretty unique for a community college to have fencing classes,” said Taylor. Some four

year colleges don’t even offer fencing.”

Students who take the class seem to have a lot of fun.

“I’ve been trying to get into this class for years, but it was always full,” said David Quezada, philosophy. “This semester, I was lucky enough to get in because my registration was sooner.”

Quezada said that taking the class has improved his con-

ditioning and he also praised the instructor for the level of seriousness he brings to the experience.

“Our instructor is actually a professional fencer, so we’re getting the top training and we are getting every dollar’s worth with this class,” he said.

Taylor said that the sport of fencing is not only a great physical activity, but there is also a mental aspect to the competition.

“There is a lot of strategy involved,” said Taylor. “This is a sport where you have to watch your opponent, learn their tendencies and try to form a strategy based on that.”

There is a social aspect as well.

Fencing is a sport where you get to know a lot of your opponents.

“Fencing helps improve your concentration, because you have to be constantly aware of your surroundings,” said Heidi Hong, medical assisting. “I would recommend fencing because it’s fun, you bond with the other people in the class and you get a great workout.”

In addition to offering fencing courses, PCC also has a Fencing Club that meets on Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Flowers and formaldehyde: dissection in spring Tiffany Roesler Asst. Online Editor

A single white curtain hanging in the open doorway of a particular room in the science village blocks wandering eyes for their own good.

Venture inside and it would become crystal clear why an extra obstruction is necessary.

Students might easily overlook the old brown cabinets full of plastic and rubber body parts, bones and anatomical specimen not unusual to a science lab.

Pictures and posters opposite the cabinets create an inspiration wall displaying best-case-scenario human dissections that wouldn’t immediately grab one’s attention.

No, it’s the bright orange body bag with a protruding skull-less head in the center of the small lab that could make anyone forget about the overwhelming stench of formaldehyde.

Welcome to Anatomy 110, Professor Teri Trendler’s human dissection lab.

“We try to keep it sort of on the down low only because there’s a chemistry room next to us,” Trendler said. “They have no interest whatsoever for knowing what’s right next door to them. We hang a curtain so that while we’re coming and going no one who is walking by accidentally becomes really, really shocked and startled.”

Indeed, PCC has been home to two human cadavers—both a male and female— for students enrolled in the Anatomy 110 course to observe and dissect.

About 10 years ago all the anatomy classes only worked with cats, which came at a high price for the division because the felines needed to be both procured and destroyed post-dissections due to all the chemicals.

Assistant professor Terri Borman and Trendler suggested that the former dean of the natural sciences division, Bruce

Carter, swap out the cats for the real in the lab are pursuing a career in the thing. medical field. Amongst the students, a few After all, it is human anatomy. just got into nursing school and some are “Carter asked me one day what we transferring out. could do instead and I said ‘it’s human Tonya Michlin is amongst that group anatomy, what about humans,’” Trendler and is about to start the accelerated said. “At that time, it was really rare for bachelors program in nursing for entry any of the community colleges to have into the masters program in nursing at Cal them.”

State L.A. in June.

The natural sciences division has a con“I’m going to put my head down in a tract with UC Irvine to keep the cadavers book for the next three years,” she said. for a two“Hopefully year period.

I’ll pop up.”

Before Then arriving at there’s the PCC, the outlier, human caCaius Chickdavers get anis, an their blood anthropoldrained ogy student and tested with a deep for any disinterest in eases, then anatomy and embalmed. physiology.

Once the “I did cadavers massage arrive at therapy as the school, well [as] art, students so I got into enrolled anatomy in the lab through get the that,” said Illustration by Samantha Molina/Courier hands-on Chickanis. experience “Now I’m over the course of spring semester, while doing forensic anthropology, so it’s all just other Biology and Anatomy classes get to educational.” come visit and observe the body throughEven these students enrolled in the out the year. class were slightly nervous at first despite “Those students in the Bio 11 classes their science-heavy career paths, but soon occasionally do come over for a field it all became routine to them. trip and might have the biggest reaction “They already pretty much know what because they are not science majors,” they are getting themselves into,” Trendler Trendler said. “Those in Anatomy 25 may said. “There’s a little bit of gallows humor be a little squeamish. They don’t like the because they actually start to be able to smell necessarily or they are only going talk about food while working.” into nutrition, so they don’t really ever Ribs anyone? Students of Anatomy 110 want to deal with the insides of the body.” were working on the thoracic cavity (chest Pretty much all the students enrolled cavity) on April 11, which was only half

cracked open. Within the next two hours of class, the students worked on getting it fully exposed.

“This week we are opening up the chest,” Trendler said. “The clavicles are so thick they have to use a bone saw, so we practiced on a piece of cast first since it’s about the same density.”

Contrary to what non-science majors may think, these human cadavers aren’t kept in a morgue-like setting, and the room isn’t held at bone-chilling temperatures either.

“The embalming that is done after they pass away is all the preservative that’s needed,” Trendler said. “They are in cases that are locked up to prevent anyone from unauthorized access. We do have to remoisten the tissues after every use because they start to dehydrate— just like your lips being chapped.”

But before the students could even get to the chest cavity, they had to remove the skin—which comes off in one piece.

Depending on how lean the cadaver was at the time of death, skin removal can be instantaneous, revealing a complete structural sight of muscle groups. However, that wasn’t the case for their male cadaver this time around.

“Ours happened to be heavier than average at the time of death so there’s a whole lot of work in between skin and the muscles,” Trendler said. “It’s a lot of cleaning the individual muscle groups.

Not even until after midterms do we start opening up the body cavity.”

Though non-science majors or even the maintenance crew may shiver at the thought of dead humans resting on campus, the addition of these cadavers has added to student resumes throughout the years.

“They are invaluable,” Trendler said. “I think that the division agrees that it’s a big enough importance for our future. It’s a little dose of reality.”

A&E

April 24, 2014

COURIER

9

Drag divas strut down the runway Samantha Molina A&E Editor

Students sashayed up and down the runway at the fourth annual Drag Show in Harbeson Hall on Thursday.

Hosted by Associated Students Vice President for Cultural Diversity Auriana Duffy and Student Trustee Simon Fraser, the night of festivities included lip-syncing performances, runway shows and performances from special guest Shangela Laquifa, comedian and former contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

The show opened with lip-syncing performances from Janel Thompson, Rico and Shane, Monae and many other students. Monae stood out the most from the group of performers for her stage presence and ability to work the crowd.

After the student performances, the crowd began to chant Shangela’s catchphrase “halleloo” to call upon the special guest. But, like all divas, she was fashionably late.

After Shangela’s first performance, the winner of the show was chosen by the crowd. Monae was undoubtedly the crowd favorite and left with a $300 prize.

“I really enjoyed everyone’s performances and the runway,” audience member Juan Palma said. “My favorite performance was Monae. She really put everything into it and made it fun.”

“I didn’t expect to win,” Melvin “Monae” Moreno added. “It was my first time doing drag, I was very fortunate to win.”

In between the lip-syncing, dancing and laughter were a few serious and thoughtful moments.

At that time Fraser spoke about the “safe zones” around campus, a place where students can go to be away from judgment and comfortable being themselves.

Shangela closed out the evening with an energetic performance to a mix of Beyoncé hits.

“This little girl is going- to go back to kindergarten thinking she saw Beyoncé,” Shangela said about a child in the audience.

The drag show brought together all types of people for

Charles Winners/Courier Melvin Moreno aka “Monae,” won the $300 grand prize at PCC’s drag show Thursday in Harbeson Hall.

a night of fun. It was a place for students to get dressed up, be themselves and have a great time.

“I didn’t really care about winning,” Moreno said. “The most important thing was to have fun and support everyone that was there.”

Charles Winners/Courier Shangela Laquifa made an apearance at PCC’s drag show Thursday in Harbeson hall.

Dancers illustrate originality in ‘Authentic Kinetic’ Samantha Molina A&E Editor

More than just your typical dance show, “Authentic Kinetic” is an artistic embodiment of students’ individuality.

The show, which opens on Friday, fuses together multiple dance styles. Artistic director Cheryl Banks-Smith pushed the student choreographer to construct dances that represented each student’s originality.

“I wanted the choreographers to show their strong, authentic creative voices,” Banks-Smith said.

The production, choreographed by nine students and

five faculty members, will feature a variety of dance styles including rhythm and tap, lyrical, jazz, flamenco and many more, sometimes all in a single piece.

“I have an eclectic background in dance from hip-hop to flamenco,” student choreographer Moises Garcia said. “So when I choreographed my piece I wanted it to be lyrical but also to blend a lot of different styles to make a fusion.”

The dances are not only entertaining to watch but many of the pieces have a profound message.

“Beyond the artistic aspect of dance we also try to choreograph pieces that are symbolic and mean something deeper, something that will get you

thinking,” Banks-Smith said.

“The dance I choreographed is a dramatic social commentary on the way girls outside of the United States grow up,” Alisha Mosley added. “Girls all over the world are brought up to be less than men and aren’t allowed to express themselves freely and I wanted to show that in my dance.”

Mosley, a dancer and choreographer in the production, also designed and constructed the dancers’ costumes.

“When choreographing dances or designing clothes I think of colors and emotions,” Mosley said. “I also do a lot of reading a research before anything I do.”

The dancers have been

working hard since the first day of the spring semester and will continue to work until the final dance.

“We’re rehearsing our dances down to the very last minute before show time,” Banks-Smith said. “Putting on a dance show

is a huge collaborative effort and we hope that all our hard work will show.”

“Authentic Kinetic” opens Friday, April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Sexson Auditorium with two more performances on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

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LIFESTYLE

10 COURIER

April 24, 2014

Zankou’s: Garlic lovers rejoice John Peters II Staff Writer

On a recent Wednesday, Zankou’s Chicken was filled with students, professionals and a mother with three children enjoying a variety of Mediterranean foods.

This is not a place for quiet contemplation, but a hive of activity as patrons come and go, laugh at jokes or talk business over meals of meat, garlic sauce and pita bread while world music plays in the background.

Shane Seah, biology, said he has been eating at Zankou’s since he was a young boy.

“My dad would bring Zankou’s home since I was three and ever since I’ve been hooked,” Seah said.

His favorite menu item is the

tri-tip shawerma wrap, although he does have to chew bubble gum after every meal because of the garlic sauce.

Shift leader Melanie Baghdasarian said a lot of PCC students visit Zankou’s.

“They usually just order the wraps to go,” she said. “But a lot of them ask for extra garlic sauce.”

Zankou’s garlic sauce is so popular that they have a policy about it on their website.

“Customers may receive one extra garlic spread per item they order which includes garlic spread,” the site states.

Baghdasarian said at the Pasadena location, if customers ask for extra, they will get it for no charge. Customers do have the option to order small and large

Kabobs being cooked at Zankou’s Chicken on Wednesday.

Kabobs are one of the items Zankou’s offers.

size containers of the sauce for those who just can’t get enough of it.

According to Zankou’s website, the company opened its first store in Lebanon in 1962 and the first one in the U.S. in 1984.

“The mission was simple – to share with the community the delicious family chicken recipe and secret garlic sauce,” the site states.

The rotisserie chicken is the most popular item on the menu, Baghdasarian said. The simple recipe is to add a pinch of salt to the chicken and place it on the rotisserie for 20 to 30 minutes.

Lisa Magill, history, said that was her favorite meal at Zankou’s.

“I have been going here since I started at PCC two-years ago,” she said. “I always order the half-chicken plate.”

Vanessa Ledesma, studio arts, said her boyfriend had introduced her to Zankou’s and was equally in love with it.

“Chicken Tarna wraps are all I ever get,” she said. “It’s very good.”

Not only does Zankou’s attract PCC students as customers, but a handful of students work at Zankou’s as well.

Cashier Yarely Lopez, psychology, said her favorite dish is the kabobs.

Every student interviewed had a different favorite dish, making it harder for me to order

Photos by Andrew French/Courier Zankou’s Chicken cook Roberto Ovilla prepares shawerma for customers on April 16.

only one item from the menu to try. In the end, I settled on the chicken Tarna wrap.

A chicken Tarna wrap consists of sliced chicken that has been marinated for two days, chopped tomatoes and lots of garlic sauce wrapped in pita bread.

It was very messy and oh so good.

A side dish of purple pickled turnips in beet juice and neon

yellow-green chili peppers accompanies every meal. Baghdasarian said a lot of students ask for extra beets and peppers, but since I have a low heat tolerance, the peppers were too spicy for me.

Zankou’s recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. With the long lines and good food, there is a good chance it will last 50 more.

April 24, 2014

COURIER

11

SPORTS

12 COURIER

April 24, 2014

Track and field exceptional at SCC prelims Phillip McCormick Managing Editor

Benjamin Simpson/Courier Sophomore Breanna Clark competes in the 100-meter dash at the Cal State LA Twilight Open on April 17. On Tuesday, Clark placed first in the 400-meter race and third in the 200.

The PCC track and field team will be sending many athletes to the SCC Finals Friday after their strong performances at the SCC Prelims, according to Assistant Coach Armand Crespo.

“It’s great that so many of our athletes did well,” Crespo said.

“Now they have given themselves a really good chance of making it to the state finals.”

It’s no surprise that track star Breanna Clark placed first in the 400-meter race and third in the 200-meter race. Crespo said that Clark wants to redeem herself for not doing as well last season.

“Clark feels like she could have won last year,” Crespo said.

“She really wants it this year and has showed that it’s hers if she wants it.”

Out on the field, thrower Yvette Bastidas did well enough in javelin with a fourth place finish to send her directly to the SoCal finals next week. She also advanced in the shot put with a sixth place finish.

“I’m disappointed that I didn’t get a personal record,” Bastidas

said. “I’m always striving to do better. But I’m happy with the results. I’ll put more effort into practice this week and focus on shot put and discus.”

Thrower Nathan Wolitarsky also did well, grabbing fifth in the shot put.

“It was a fair throw,” Wolitarsky said. “It got the job done and I’ll be throwing in the next round.”

Other stand-outs included Brinten Reed, who finished with the second best overall time in the 400-meter hurdles, and Christina Shamirian who advanced to the SoCal Finals with a fourth place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

“Reed has the ability to go to the State Finals,” said Crespo.

“He ran really well Tuesday.

Shimarian could have won. She has a good chance to go to the state finals.”

The SCC Championships are scheduled for Friday at Long Beach City College. First race is TBA.

Softball defeated in season finale to ELAC, 6-2 Tiffany Roesler Asst. Online Editor

The PCC women’s softball sealed its seventh place spot in the South Coast Conference with a 6-2 loss against East Los Angeles College, the newly crowned SCC champions. The Huskies celebrated their first-ever SCC softball title.

The Lancers finished 13-25 overall and 5-16 in the SCC, while the Huskies topped the conference with records of 29-2 and 18-3 in league.

Emotions ran high in the last inning as

SWIMMING Continued from page 1

record in the 400-yard medley relay with a new conference record of 3:58.94 in the event title win. Returning sophomore Arolyn Basham and freshman Tiffany Wong paired with Cheung and Peng to become the first team in conference history to break the four minute mark in the 400.

“I’m so proud to have such amazing teammates,” Peng said.

“I’m having the best time of my life swimming with such amazing athletes.”

Adding to their record breaking meet, the quartet of Basham, Cheung, Peng and Wong also recorded a new SCC record in the 200 medley relay (1:51.64) and finished first in the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.62).

“It was really fun and exciting,” Cheung said of winning the relay events. “I don’t think I’ve had that much fun in relays.

We knew we were going to do well, but I don’t think anyone expected us to do so well. We exceeded expectations.”

No stranger to winning and

the Lancers battled at the plate. Frustration was evident on the faces of flustered batters who were eager to get on base one final time before the season ended.

But shortstop Maddy Gionali, outfielder Justine Zavala and catcher Allie Lacey all failed to reach base, concluding the game and 2014 season.

“We gave that team a run for their money,” said head coach Monica Tantlinger.

“The team battled and this is the first place team in our conference. I thought that we did a good job fighting against them making adjustments that we needed to make.

high expectations, Cheung snapped a 14-year-old conference record in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a time of 17:42.91.

Cheung beat the previous record by 3.15 seconds and finished the championships with three school records in the process. Cheung also broke her own SCC record by winning the 200 individual medley in 2:07.76 “Shannon and Connie were in a zone and it produced great swims,” head coach Terry Stoddard said. “I’m proud of all the girls here. We’re looking forward to take this energy into the state meet.”

Despite admitting to being anxious before the meet, Peng showed no sign of nerves by breaking the SCC record in the 50-yard backstroke with a title-winning time of 27.20. Peng also broke a 14-year SCC record by winning the 100 backstroke in 58.09 seconds and became the first Lancer women’s swimmer to break a minute in the 100 butterfly with her first place time of 58.57 seconds.

“Connie has improved so much this year,” Basham said.

“It’s amazing watching her swim because she doesn’t know how

It went well.”

It was pitcher Casey Ramirez who fought ELAC’s hungry batters through all seven innings with one strikeout while allowing four earned runs.

“I wish I had her for another year,” Tantlinger said. “Every game she goes as hard as possible, [and] she wants to win all the time. She was struggling the last three games with her confidence a little [but] she made some adjustments.”

The mood brightened in the sixth inning as PCC gained momentum at the plate.

The Lancers, who totaled seven hits,

struggled with offensive execution. First baseman Sara Quintero, who went 2-for-3, led off the inning with a double to center field. After center fielder Vanessa Contreras struck out swinging, freshman Vanessa Cortez reached base on an error by Huskies shortstop Felicia Gonzalez. That gave Estelle Glorioso, pinch running for Quintero, the chance to score. But Cortez was caught stealing and tagged out at second.

“We finished strong,” Ramirez said.

“I’m satisfied with my performance. Everything came together and we went all out.”

fast she is.”

Peng and Mt. SAC’s Rosemary Garcia were also named the SCC’s Swimmer of the year, joining repeat winner Cheung.

“Our focus has always been state,” Basham said.

“We just want to give it our all like we did in conference and perform well.”

Not to be Antonio Gandara/Courier Sophomore swimmer Shannon Cheung broke a 14-year-old conference record outmatched in the 1,650-yard freestyle (17:42.91). by her teammates, Basham going to happen and my best total points. claimed her first SCC individual time ended up winning. I’m The Lancers won a meettitle with her victory in the 100 happy I won.” best 10 events overall (Mt. SAC individual medley. After finishThe Lancers settled for fourth six),and will learn about the ing second in the same event place at the championships at last year’s championships, qualifying swimmers early this with 506 points as they trailed Basham swam her personal best week for the CCCAA State second-place Chaffey by just 17 of 1:01.13 to claim this year’s Championships. The 2014 State points (523) and third-place El conference title.

Championship will be held at the Camino by only seven points “Honestly, I just wanted to East Los Angeles College Swim (513). Mt. San Antonio won the improve my best time,” Basham said. “I didn’t know what was conference team title with 705 Stadium from May 1 to May 3.