The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena since 1915
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE
COURIER
VOLUME 109 ISSUE 13
INSIDE: GET HOOKED
How can you say no to a burger with pretzel buns and BBQ sauce?
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A PLAY FOR ADULTS
Things get a little frisky in the PCC play Lysistrata.
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SPEAK OUT! Will you be going to commencement after the controversy surrounding it?
Voteat at Vote PccCourier.com PccCourier.com
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT PCCCOURIER.COM
May 1, 2014
WALSH OUT, BLACK BACK?
Board unanimously votes to re-invite Black Christine Michaels Editor-in-Chief
The Board of Trustees voted to apologize and re-invite Oscar-winning PCC alumnus Dustin Lance Black to be the Spring 2014 commencement speaker following a weeks-long controversy over the school’s decision not to choose him because they believed sexually explicit photos of him on the internet could tarnish the school’s reputation. If Black decides to decline the invitation, there will be no speaker at this year’s commencement. The board-approved apology included Black’s background as a distinguished alumnus. “He has distinguished himself as a film producer and a champion of equal rights and protections for all regardless of sexual orientation,” it states. “The Board of Trustees and college administration deeply respect Mr. Black, his work and his causes. The Board also sincerely apologizes to Mr. Black for any actions that may have caused hurt.” Black’s assistant, Neville Kiser,
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Board of Trustees President Anthony Fellow and PCC President Dr. Mark Rocha consult during the Board meeting at the Creveling Lounge on Wednesday night.
said in an email to the Courier Wednesday night that Black has not yet received a formal apology or new invitation from the board. He declined to comment until Black is officially notified. After the board unanimously approved a proposal to re-invite Black, several board members denied ever voting to approve Pasadena Director of Public Health and pastor Eric Walsh, directly contradicting an April 21 statement from the district that claimed the board had voted to invite Walsh. “The Board’s position to SPEAKER page 3
City of Pasadena website Dr. Eric Walsh.
President evaluation revealed Justin Clay Online Editor
An evaluation circulated among full-time instructors earlier this semester has found that a vast majority of faculty believe PCC President Mark Rocha’s job performance is severely lacking in many areas. The survey found that 82
percent of faculty polled gave President Rocha the lowest rating possible when it came to promoting participation by all groups in planning and shared governance structures. Eighty-one percent gave Rocha the lowest rating possible when it comes to fostering an environment conductive to productive collective bargaining ne-
gotiations, while 79 percent gave Rocha the lowest rating when it comes to fostering an environment conducive to harmonious employee relations. The Academic Senate sent out the evaluation in January to assess President Rocha’s performance. The survey was in EVALUATION page 2
Infograph by Daniel Valencia/Courier A sample of the 32-question survey distributed to full-time faculty with the purpose of evaluating President Mark Rocha. Forty-five percent of those surveyed responded.
Courtesy of Mr. Black Dustin Lance Black.
Full 2014 calendar postponed Christine Michaels Editor-in-Chief
The Calendar Standing Committee voted to recommend a Fall 2014 calendar, fearing that recommending a full year calendar would overstep its boundaries as the District awaits a decision on its appeal of a legal ruling requiring it to bring back winter intersession. Last year, the Faculty Association filed an unfair labor practice to Public Employees Relations Board regarding the cancellation of a winter intersession. Last November, PERB ruled in the FA’s favor and ordered the college to reinstate a winter intersession immediately. The District appealed and is still waiting for a response from PERB. Committee co-chair and vice president of student services Robert Bell explained that the committee had not met in over a year because of the impasse over the ruling. He suggested that the committee recommend a similar calendar to this year’s but without a winter intersession. CALENDAR page 10
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NEWS
COURIER
May 1, 2014
Gallery repurposed as Conference Center
Andrew French/Courier Exterior view of the new Conference Center, formerly the Gallery on the Quad, on Wednesday.
cation, the decision to turn the gallery into a conference center was not superfluous, according to Associate Dean Joseph Futtner, who pointed out that the existing meeting rooms are always booked and hard to get into. “It’s not without a sense of need,” Futtner said, though he believes these decisions should not have been made behind anyone’s back. “We recognize that the college has a need for conference space,” Futtner said. “We have been reassured about the space in the V Building and it gives us a better opportunity to integrate a larger gallery program.” Renovations on the space in the V Building are still being
planned, but are well underway, according to Tucker. Futtner said that the new design will be consistent with the design of The Boone Family Art Gallery, and renovations will include removing the suspended ceiling in order to allow for new lighting to be installed as well as a polished concrete floor. “I think the new gallery in the V Building will provide excellent opportunities for our students, and allow our gallery program as a whole to better serve both the art students and the community at large,” Tucker said. “The new rooms will have more usable gallery space than the Quad gallery did; it will offer great possibilities.”
EVALUATION
evaluation shed light on, I hope the board of trustees will help us address them quickly so that we can address them,” said Eduardo Cairo, the president of the Academic Senate. Cairo said he had not yet reviewed the results of the survey. “I haven’t had time to look at the results yet,” Cairo said. “I have delivered them to the President’s office and I hope the board has seen them also.” The evaluation praised President Rocha for his implementation of technology over his tenure as well as his support for undocumented students. Members of the Board have stated that the evaluation isn’t board policy and they will not acknowledge it. “It’s not the official evaluation,” said Assistant Superintendent Robert Miller. “Only the Board can evaluate the president, so I haven’t seen it and I wouldn’t actually look at it.”
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response to Senate members who felt that they were left out of the evaluation process when the Board approved an extension of President Rocha’s contract through June 30, 2017 after conducting their own close session evaluation process last October. Rocha did not respond to requests for comment on this story. The 32-question senate evaluation was distributed to full-time faculty in January and responses were received by 45 percent of those surveyed. Some of the recommendations made in the comments from faculty members include the removal of the president, the restoration of shared governance and the reinstatement of the winter semester. “Whatever problems that the
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forced to cancel it, even though students and faculty had worked through the holiday season to prepare for the show, when he was informed in January that the building would no longer be an art gallery. “I was frustrated and demoralized by the way that the Gallery on the Quad was closed,” Tucker said. “I was not consulted or even given notice of the decision, and the efforts that my colleagues and I had made to communicate our long-range plans for the space—which included a substantial letter sent to the president and other executives last summer—were never acknowledged by the administration.” Despite the lack of communi-
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After serving for decades as an art gallery to display the works of students, faculty, staff and renowned artists, the Gallery on the Quad, otherwise known as the G Building, has been repurposed as a Conference Center to be used by the entire campus. Renovations to the building began earlier this semester and are expected to be completed by the time the first summer session begins, according to Rueben Smith, executive director of facilities services. “The college has never had a shared multi-purpose conference center and this creates the opportunity for serving a multitude of needs,” said Senior Vice President Robert Miller. The new Conference Center will feature two different rooms, one seating 18 to 20 people and the other seating eight to ten people, and both rooms will be soundproof so that they can be used at the same time without disruption or distraction. It cost around $100,000 to complete renovations, which included repainting, roof repairs because of water intrusion, fixing the drainage problems in the outdoor patio, waterproofing and soundproofing the building, and adding more natural light, according to Smith. The cost also covered new furniture for the conference rooms
as well as new technology like a Smart Board in the larger room, large-screen televisions, conference telephones, microphones and portable white boards to create flexible room, according to Smith and Miller. Unfortunately, the seemingly abrupt decision to remodel the old gallery left some in the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts feeling blind-sided and disappointed because they were given no explanation for the change. There were already shows scheduled to be displayed there this semester, as well as long-term plans to continue with its use as an instructional facility. However, realizing that the arts and design programs at the college also needed adequate display space, a section of the V Building has been designated to be re-designed as an art gallery that will function in tandem with The Boone Family Art Gallery at the new Center for the Arts, according to Gallery Director Brian Tucker. “I am greatly heartened that the administration has agreed to renovate a good-sized space in the V Building as a gallery,” Tucker said. “If this means that the college will commit to ongoing support of an active and growing gallery program, that bodes well for the future of the visual art programs at PCC.” After promising the architecture program a show in the Gallery on the Quad, Tucker was
C NEWS . PC
Aubrey Quezada Staff Writer
NEWS
May 1, 2014
COURIER
Associated Students officers elected
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PCC has a new Associated Student Executive Board as the 2014-2015 elections have come to an end. And the winners are: Vice President for Internal Affairs Alfonso Mares (United Students for Change), Vice President for Academic Affairs Brandon Arizmendi (United Students for Change), Vice President for Student Services Cindy Lucio (United Student for Change), Vice President for Business Affairs Emily Samvalian, Vice President for Campus Activities, Jonathan Reed (Students for Progress), Vice President for Cultural Diversity Irving G. Morales (United Students for Change), Vice President for Public Relations Jenny Chuang (United Students for Change), Vice President for Sustainability Josh Witten (Students for Progress). A total of 683 votes were cast in this year’s election.
Jordyn Orozco President
Marshall Lewis Student Trustee
“It is an honor to be elected to represent the students in the capacity of student trustee. It is my intention to represent all students while improving the communication between the Board of Trustees, Associated Students of Pasadena City College, and students so that we may have conversations that continue the mission of transparency, education, and advocacy.”
SPEAKER Continued from page 1
invite Dr. Walsh was voted on by the Board and stands as its final decision,” the April 21 statement posted to the school’s website reads. Trustee Ross Selvidge said that he was never consulted on the District’s statement and its claims of a vote by the board to approve Walsh as a speaker. “I don’t know what vote they are talking about,” Selvidge said.
Ryan Liu Chief Justice
“I’m really exited to continue my goals for next year to fulfill what I promised to the student body. More so than ever, it’s important that students are heard at the shared governance table and students are part of every decision made on campus.”
“I had nothing to do with that statement. I was not consulted on the content in it.” Trustee William Thomson explained that he did not remember any vote to approve Walsh as a speaker. “There was a consensus that if the other candidates could not make it, that we would move forward with Dr. Walsh,” Thomson said. “But I don’t remember if we voted on it. The record will show if we did.” Other members of the board did not wish to comment on the
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“I’m honored to be able to be chosen to represent the student population next year. I want to fight for student representation on campus and the decisions made ... especially with the issue regarding commencing policy. I want to aim for all our elected officers to be accountable and for shared governance to continue on campus.”
Reporting by: Jessica Arceo, Photos by: Charles Winners supposed vote, and there is no record available showing that the vote took place. Director of Public Relations Valerie Wardlaw said there would be no changes to the District statement released on April 21. “We are not going to go back and revisit it,” she said. President Mark Rocha would not comment on District statement. “I can’t do anything about yesterday. I can’t do anything about the past,” Rocha said in an interview. “This is not about the board or me. It is about the students. We are sincere in our apology to Mr. Black.” After initially accepting an invitation to speak, Walsh pulled out following news reports of sermons he delivered that appear to bash transgender people and claimed evolution was “created by Satan.” Walsh said he had “an unforeseen scheduling conflict” that
precluded him from speaking at commencement. Other members of the board, however, came to defend Walsh and his views on creationism and his negative views of the LGBT community. Trustee Jeanette Mann believed that Walsh’s Christian viewpoint should be left out of public conversation. “He seems to be a conservative Christian I think we should respect that. I think what they said at church is not what they would say at commencement,” Mann said. “I think that we are going to be very, very careful and respect everyone.” Thomson agreed that Walsh’s religious views should not mar his reputation. “I think it is unfortunate that criticism of his views should be brought to discussion here,” Thomson said. “I also wanted to make it real clear that the decisions initially had nothing to do with homophobia it had to do with a memorandum by Dr. Bell on April 2. That’s not something we ought to be criticized for.” An email Rocha sent to the board hours before its April 2 meeting, which excluded Student Trustee Simon Fraser, said that none of the possible candidates
for commencement speakers were available, except for one who “is a controversial figure.” “I concur with Dr. Bell’s recommendation that we announce Dr. Walsh as our commencement speaker for the Commencement of the Class of 2014,” the email reads. The problem is, however, that the “controversial figure,” Black, had nude photos of himself having unprotected sex with an ex-boyfriend surface on the Internet in 2009, and it became a critical matter that impacted the board’s decision. “With the … sex scandals we’ve had on this campus this last year, it just wasn’t the time for Mr. Black,” 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.” Fraser believed that apologizing and re-inviting Black was the right thing to do. “I think this is the appropriate measure to take and I am very appreciative of that,” he said. Trustee Linda Wah also agreed it was the right thing to do. “I am proud that the board did the right thing,” Wah said. “I hope this allows us to heal the campus.”
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Irving G. Morales, elected Vice President for Cultural Diversity, speaks to the Board of Trustees on the commencement speaker issue during its meeting at the Creveling Lounge on Wednesday.
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
OPINION
Students react to Sterling’s lifetime ban Andrew Salmi Staff Writer
On Tuesday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver brought the hammer down on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for the fallout of his racist comments, banning him for life from all NBA activities or business with the league going forward. “I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners to remove him,” Silver said in Tuesday’s press conference. “We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views. They simply have no place in the NBA.” As imagined, many people were outraged when the comments surfaced of Sterling’s bigoted views. However, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this happened because Sterling has been in hot water for racial and discrimination issues in the past. “Adam Silver should be commended for bringing the NBA firmly into the 21st century,” said Matt Covell, a communications and media studies major. “Racism has no place in the As-
sociation and Sterling should’ve been removed years ago. I thought the ban was severe, but justifiable due to Sterling’s past issues. I believe that Sterling will take this to court and there is a chance he will be able to keep the team, even if the owners vote him out.” Back in August 2006, Sterling was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice for housing discrimination for using race as a factor in filling some of his apartment buildings. The suit charged that Sterling refused to rent to non-Koreans in the Koreatown neighborhood and would not rent to African Americans in Beverly Hills. In February 2009, Sterling was sued by former longtime Clippers executive and Lakers great Elgin Baylor for employment discrimination on the basis of age and race. That particular lawsuit alleged Sterling told Baylor that he wanted to fill his team with “poor black boys from the South and a white head coach.” ESPN columnist Bomani Jones wrote a column back in 2006 on Sterling’s racism, but many people seemed to not
Daron Grandberry Staff Writer
Scene Editor Billy Skelly Social Media Editor Concepcion Gonzalez
“I applaud you all for having the courage to take back Dustin Black... but you must also reach out to the queer community and apologize to them.” Sara Belknap
“When the scandal came up it made me feel like I’m some diseased individual that can only be touched through rubber. Thank you for bringing back DLB.” Jerry Marquez
“The last few weeks I’ve been feeling ashamed. I hope my college does not have a reputation for being homophobic.”
“The entire LGBTQI community deserves a sincere apology from all of you, including Rocha and Tony Fellow. The actions you have taken have sent a message that PCC is not on a path to social justice.” Renee Haserjian
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.
“As we all know, what Donald Sterling said was terrible. Racism has no part in our society and what commissioner Silver did was completely justified,” said Sam Butler, a journalism major. “A travesty like what has transpired with Mr. Sterling can only strengthen the NBA. As for the future of the Clippers, I would love to see Magic Johnson and the Guggenheim group purchase the Clippers.” Some defenders of Sterling online have said he should not have been punished as severely as he did because he is entitled to free speech. However, people seem to be forgetting that although Sterling has that freedom, it does not guarantee he gets to keep his privilege as an owner of an NBA franchise. There are guidelines and codes of conduct that Sterling failed to follow in different instances. As stated by Adam Silver, it no longer matters whether his comments were made in private and were somehow made public. What matters is that his conduct and comments were without a doubt prejudicial and detrimental to the NBA as a whole.
students is lots of hard work
Benjamin Simpson
Staff Photographers: Joseph Adajar, Josh Balmadrid, Jorell Brittenum, Victoria De La Torre, Andrew French, Christopher Martinez, Mary Nurrenbern, Barney Soto, Daniel Valencia, Rocio Vera, Charles Winners
bat an eye on his behavior. He questioned why his most recent racism has now attracted so much attention. “Well now eight years after I wrote a column that even my editors when I wrote it admitted they didn’t give it enough play, now everybody wants to come around and hail me as having some amazing level of foresight for seeing this coming. I didn’t see this coming, I saw this happen,” said Jones in an interview with Dan LeBatard. “So where the hell was everybody else when this was actually happening? They were out here trying to tell me I was crazy about racism, but now they know it because Donald Sterling’s mistress put out a tape and an 80-year-old man said she’s embarrassing him by coming to games with black people.” Former Lakers great and current Dodgers owner Magic Johnson, who is a focus of the controversy regarding him appearing in pictures with Sterling’s mistress, now has been rumored as one of the potential candidates to buy the Clippers once Sterling loses the team.
comment to the Board of The solution for minority VOICES: Public Trustees on commencement
Online Photo Editor
Staff Writers: Jessica Arceo, Aerika Dave, Matthew Kiewiet, Emma Koffroth, Janel Leonard, Lucy Patrikian, Robert Tovar, Kristina Wedseltoft
May 1, 2014
Melissa Michelson
Reporting by: Paul Ochoa Photos by: Benjamin Simpson
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
According to a recent University of Texas at Austin report, male students of color have lower academic outcomes than White male students who are significantly less engaged. The report, “Aspirations to Achievement: Men of Color and Community Colleges,” is based on responses from more than 453,000 students nationwide to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement. “We have to start with the gap and find out why it exists,” PCC sociology professor Dr. J.P. Harris said. “I think it starts with the resources and particularly what resources are available for students of color.” Despite the gap between the success rate of black males and their white classmates, the report also states that among male students, black males are the most engaged, followed by Hispanics, and white males are the least engaged of the three groups. The Ujima Program is a culturally based learning collaborative dedicated to the empowerment and holistic advancement of African-American students through rigorous academic standards, community outreach, and social
activism. “Unfortunately the statistics are true,” Ujima director Gena Lopez said. “I think that our young black men have limited options once they hit a certain age. They either have to support their family or themselves. We’ve had students in Ujima who were scholars, our top students, who have had to leave school because they had real life issues they had to take care of.” No, I’m not asking for a pass or for the results of the reports to be swept under the rug. I think the report can be used as motivation for us men of color because it does show that we are more active within the classroom. “The Ujima program has definitely grounded me a lot,” environmental science major Little Shorts said. “The instructors in the program have helped me develop myself into someone who wants to graduate college.” I believe the report does show positives about black males inside the classroom, but it is up to us to perform and seek all of our resources. “A lot of these hardships are not because these students don’t have the wit or intellect, it’s because they don’t have the resources,” Harris said.
ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Do you think that applying for financial aid should put your college applications at risk? Results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday: Yes, colleges have the right to know: 20 % No, students should be judged on their performance in school: 80 %
Vote at PccCourier.com
May 1, 2014
COURIER 5
SCENE
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May 1, 2014
People gather at an immigration rally in Downtown LA in March. (Victoria De La Torre/Courier)
Chris Torador (left) and Vinh Trung, radiology, have a fencing match on April 17 in W201 during their beginning fencing class. (Mary Nurrenbern/Courier)
Mohammed Esmaeilian is a freestyle-backstroke swimmer on the PCC swim team in the PCC pool prior to practice on April 20. (Ben Simpson/Courier)
David Saldana dancing in the piece “Embers At Dusk” choreographed by a student, Darlene Jimenez during a rehearsal for the Authentic Kinetic Dance Show at the Sexson Auditorium on Apr. 22. (Nagisa Mihara/Courier)
The Salsa Club dances in the quad at PCC during club week, January 22. (Barney Soto/Courier) Emergency call box while a train arrives at Allen Station. (Daniel Valencia/ Courier)
Lancers Kai Nakamura, 15, slides into home. The Lancers won 9-5 against LBCC on March 22 at Jackie Robinson Memorial Field. (Andrew French/Courier)
A student diligently works on a sketch of a nude model in a life drawing course inside of the Center for the Arts building. (Joe Adajar/Courier Lucky Baldwins is a local PCC student favorite. Traditional British food like fish and chips—their most popular dish—is served along with a large assortment of beers on tap. (Concepcion Gonzalez/Courier)
Coach Caleb Wood, right, with the discuss, shot put and javelin team at Robinson Stadium on Apr.1. (Rocio Vera/Courier)
Alanna Carrol relaxes in the grass near the reflecting pool while reading No-No Boy by John Okada for her History homework on Apr. 1. (Billy Beans Skelly/Courier)
A stiched-together panorama photo of the reflecting pool in front of PCC. (Christopher Martinez/Courier)
Bethany Martinez sat by her friend Irais Acosta’s memorial on Rosemead Boulevard on Feb. 16. Acosta, a 19-year-old PCC nursing student, was fatally shot Sunday, Feb. 16. (Charles Winners/Courier)
Music major Ellan Cheng shows his arm full of tattoos on February 11. (Josh Balmadrid/Courier)
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COURIER
May 1, 2014
Let Hook Burger reel you in Andrew Salmi Staff Writer
Billy Beans Skelly/Courier The Hickory Burger at Hook Burger is only $6.25, which includes thick cut bacon, Sweet Baby Ray’s® bbq sauce, homemade crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and mayo. Other additions can be made to the burger as well, such as avocado.
The Pasadena area definitely has its share of burger joints, but a very promising spot to check out is Hook Burger located by the Sierra Madre Villa station at 3453 East Foothill Blvd. Of only four locations in California to date, Pasadena is lucky to have one of them in its vicinity. The restaurant was founded by Bruce and Brent Reichard, the original owners of The Habit Burger Grill, which is a chain located across California, Arizona and Utah. “This isn’t just a burger joint,” write the Reichard brothers on their website. “We are a community-minded, built-withreclaimed materials, serving responsibly-sourced, sustainably-grown, humanely-raised, 100% fresh, incredible-tasting, labor of love.” Hook Burger has a menu that focuses on burgers, sandwiches, salads, appetizers and desserts to satisfy their customers. “The fries are some of the best I’ve had, the burgers are delicious, and the prices are cheap,” said Pedro Argueta, a nutrition major. “I love how you’re given a device that lets you know when your order is ready.”
Outside of Hook Burger’s five main burgers on the menu, which consist of the Prime Burger, the Hickory Burger, the Maui Burger, the Bistro Burger and the Fire Roasted Chili Burger, there are a few specialty burgers. For instance, the Pretzel Burger is cooked with smokey barbeque sauce, caramelized bourbon onions, chipotle mayo, melted American cheese on a warm pretzel bun. However, the Hickory Burger seems to be a hot commodity. It is stacked with thick cut bacon, Sweet Baby Ray’s barbeque sauce, homemade crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise all on a toasted bakery bun. “I had the Hickory Burger with onion rings and a lemonade and it was delicious,” said Chris Veitch, an education major. “Super friendly atmosphere and the service was great. The food was fresh and well seasoned and honestly for the price I will keep coming back to try the chicken sandwich and maybe one of those tempting shakes.” With these extremely happy customer reviews in mind, Hook Burger is definitely a spot for PCC students to check out to satisfy their cravings.
Thrift Shopping: Save money and give back Kristina Wedseltoft Staff Writer
PCC’s central location provides for bountiful opportunities for students to shop at various local thrift store locations where they can save money and give back. ACTS thrift store and Out of the Closet both provide a large selection of new or gently used clothes for costumers to peruse, all while donating portions of their proceeds to help the local community and those in need. ACTS Thrift Store is just north of Colorado Boulevard on Hill Avenue and benefits at-risk youth and families, while Out of the Closet is about a block East of the campus, with proceeds benefiting the AIDS Healthcare foundation. The city is also home to American Vintage, Miss Plum’s Thrift Shoppe, Goodwill and of course the PCC Flea Market. Each location provides a large and very different selection of clothing, home décor and accessories and costumers flock to these stores to find unique pieces of clothes or anything vintage. The origins of ACTS Thrift Store began in 2008 when an idea surfaced that there was a need for an independent thrift store with profits supporting atrisk children and their families. Spearheaded by the Lake Avenue Community Foundations, now
known as Star of Tomorrow, ACTS Thrift Store opened its doors in July 2010 and has since partnered with various local non-profits that needed a location to donate items that they have no place to store. These items then receive credit from ACTS in which the local non-profits can use to purchase what is actually needed by the people they serve and when they need it. “The local focus of ACTS [is], making a difference in the lives of children and their families in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley,” the website reads. Gale Woods has been working with ACTS for four years and finds her job important because she enjoys helping Pasadena and the local community. She always notices students coming in and out of the store, hoping to find unique purchases and especially vintage purses. “I think [thrift stores] are a cheap, economical way for students to save some money,” Woods said. “They also are able to support their community and might not even know it.” Woods mentioned that ACTS has a different sale everyday of the week and all-day Wednesday is “Student, Teachers and Pastors” day where they receive 20 percent off their purchase. Courtney Payan an environmental design student and thrift store aficionado loves shopping at thrift stores for the “thrill of
Daniel Valencia/ Courier Acts Thrift Store on Hill Avenue and Locust Street provides a variety of items in its store like footwear, clothing, and everything inbetween at good prices.
the hunt.” “My favorite thrift store is probably Crossroads in Old Town [Pasadena],” Payan said. “They have items you can’t find in particular stores and you can get vintage items at a more affordable price.” Payan recalled a leopard coat from the 1960’s she found and described it as a “prize possession.” Although she believes it can be trendy to shop at thrift stores, her motivation to shop at thrift stores is the variety and quality of items you can find. Out of the Closet is another thrift store that donates a portion of their proceeds to benefiting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
“It’s really cool to help people out,” said Adrian Benitez, a prospective PCC student. “It makes me feel good that I’m part of a store that gives back.” Out of the Closet is just a block away from PCC and Benitez said he always sees students come in looking for “neat” things that they probably wouldn’t find elsewhere, especially clothing. Some people tend to think of thrift stores as out of date, with clothing from older generations. But Benitez said that’s not always true and credits Macklemore’s song “Thrift Shop” for drawing more teenagers into the scene. “We have a lot of popular brands,” Benitez said. “It’s not
just old clothes. You may have to look around a bit, but if you have time it’s worth it to check it out. You can find really cool things” Out of the Closet also has weekly color-coded sales that provide an even bigger opportunity for savings. People can tend to shy away from thrift stores because they think the clothes are old and dirty, but both Woods and Benitez agreed that potential customers should not be intimidated because the merchandise is always changing. And while thrift shopping is somewhat of a trend now, with donations coming daily, you never know what you may find.
FEATURES
May 1, 2014
COURIER
Armenian Genocide: reflect and remember Monique LeBleu Asst. Features Editor
A 104-year-old woman—clutching close her prayer beads for comfort—recalls a night of her early childhood that was filled with rifle fire, where families were attacked, parents murdered, homes looted and the “good-looking” daughters taken by the “fire and thunder gangs” to “rape them or do whatever they wanted to with them,” while the authorities of the time did nothing. “They took my mother. They killed my father,” the woman says. She cries and rocks herself softly, because she can’t forget. Women and girls were later taken in deportation caravans, where their fates varied from prostitution, forced concubinage, slavery or death. If they lived, their enslavers had them marked for all to know—shaming them for life. Beginning a week of city-wide events commemorating the date of the Armenian Genocide, PCC’s Armenian Student Organization brought students, family and friends together on April 22 to screen Suzanne Khardalian’s documentary film, “Grandma’s Tattoos.” The event, held in the Wi-Fi Lounge next to the Cross Cultural Center in the CC building, was designed to create an open forum of discussion about the “cycle of genocide” as well as inform on the various rallying events leading up to the April 24 date that marks the Armenian Genocide 99 years ago. “‘Cycle of genocide’ is a term used to illustrate the repercussions of not
Josh Balmadrid/Courier Speaker Hykaz Paronian talks about “Grandma’s Tattoos,” a documentary that the Armenian Student Organization showed in the Wi-Fi Lounge on April 22.
recognizing genocide,” explained Nareen Manoukian, a PCC English professor with several students attending the event. “The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century and it’s unrecognized still.” Aside from the 1.5 million people killed in the genocide, many died as a result of being “driven out of their homeland [and] into the deserts of Syria and Iraq” where “thousands of young women were abducted to become the concubines of Turks, Kurds and Arabs,” according to the film. “There was a lot of sexual violence too,
and there was a lot of shame associated with that, so [the survivors] were not comfortable talking about that,” said Manoukian. “The women in the video had their faces tattooed because they were trapped and enslaved in harems.” Manoukian explained why there was an almost 50-year lull prior to the community response that has occurred within the last half century. “About the first 50 years following the genocide, there was a cultural P.T.S.D. that occurred,” said Manoukian. “The immediate survivors—they weren’t the descendants of the survivors—they were
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completely shell-shocked. They didn’t know how to respond to what had happened.” Senior Hykaz Paronian, mechanical engineering, collaborated with students, faculty and the Cross Cultural Center to organize and host the event for his last year, in order to provide the award-winning film and have a guest speaker from the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), PCC alumnus Caspar Jivalagian, for PCC’s own commemorative event. “We are gathered here tonight to not only mourn the loss of the 1.5 million Armenians that we lost to the Armenian Genocide,” said Paronian. “We are here to be educated about the past in order to move forward from racism, hate and intolerance.” Jivalagian spoke on behalf of AYF before their short film, “Revolution in Progress.” He spoke passionately on the AYF’s annual event, which took place on April 24-25, and on what it takes to be an activist. “This year we decided to do a 24-hour protest,” Jivalagian said. “There will be a reflection on each date of a genocide, which is not limited to the Armenian Genocide, but all the genocides of the 20th and 21st century.” Clear feelings were stressed on how critical this recognition is to the Armenian people. “We are at the 99-year mark now,” said Manoukian. “I feel like it’s a crucial time. That if it hasn’t be recognized thus far, this next year is the most crucial point.”
Campus takes to the SKIES with interactive learning app John Peters II Staff Writer
PCC Instructor James Maloney posts a question to his Calculus class using the Su-Kam Intelligent Education System (SKIES) on his iPad. His students post their answers anonymously on electronic cards through the app. Maloney reviews his answer with the class, then reviews the cards submitted by the students as they follow along on classroom-provided iPads. PCC has gone digital. “When I saw the [SKIES] app, I realized it could have a huge impact on teaching,” Maloney said. “Here is a really awesome format that is flexible, where I could get input from students, give them instant feedback and also collaborate with faculty.” Julius Su and Victor Kam, graduates of the California Institute of Technology, developed SKIES to allow teachers and students to post electronic “cards” that may contain text, pictures, drawings, audio clips, web links or videos to an easy-to-browse “class tree.” “It really emphasizes the connections between ideas, concepts and contributions,” Su said. “All the ways things are connected together into a big structure.” Maloney is finishing his oneyear trial run with SKIES in his Calculus classes at PCC and said every experiment he’s done with it has been a success, from lectures to student-created business
portfolios to campus tours at Caltech. Through a Career Technical Education Act grant, PCC purchased 50 new iPads loaded with the SKIES learning app for use in selected courses next fall. After speaking to Maloney’s students, Walter Lusk, a business and computer technology instructor, decided to implement the technology in his summer school classes. “[The students] like it because they can go back and review,” Lusk said. “If they don’t understand something, they can submit a question. They don’t have to raise their hand. For people that are shy, that is helpful.” Maloney’s student, Jeremy Beckman, business, liked it’s collaborative learning aspect. “I like the interaction between the instructor and the students,” he said “I feel it’s really hands on in terms of demonstrating concepts we’ve discussed in class.” John Nguyen, computer information systems, found the sharing of students’ answers particularly helpful. “Everyone has their different methods,” Nguyen said. “When the professor goes over it…we get insight on the different tricks that people do…It opens up new doors.” Esther Lee, business, likes using SKIES because it saves time. “Taking notes in general is so much easier because you can take screenshots and use the note-taking app from the iPad to integrate it, so it’s a lot easier
than writing everything down,” she said. Maloney and his students like SKIES analytic features. “I can see what the level of student engagement is,” Maloney said. “I can see how many students are participating, making cards or answering my quizzes.” Nguyen explained a feature that rates the cards. A “1” signifies I really don’t get it and a 5 means I really understand it. This helps the professor see which cards he should spend more time on. SKIES is still in Beta-mode which has been in development for two years and must be downloaded through the SKIES website. One limitation is that SKIES is only available for the iPad. Beckman does not have a personal iPad so he writes information in a notebook from lecture slides and takes screenshots with the classroom iPads of interesting information, then emails them to himself. “We’d like to expand to more platforms,” Su said. “But we would need more people and more resources.” Su said that he and Kam are chemists, not computer scientists. “We went on Amazon and got a book on how to program iOS and just started doing exercises,” he said. “What benefitted us most was we didn’t just sit and program all day. We went to Caltech and PCC and got [SKIES] into the hands of stu-
Video by John Peters II/Courier A video still of the SKIES app at pcccourier.com.
dents and teachers so we could get feedback constantly. And the more we did that, the better it got.” SKIES is being used at Catech, PCC, PUSD, LAUSD and in China. Su said his co-developer Victor Kam is currently in China attempting to implement its use
in his old high school. “We figure that one thing is universal, that we want students to learn better, we want more engagement, and more participation,” Su said. “We think [SKIES] is going to be a part of a movement that affects education everywhere.”
A&E
10 COURIER
May 1, 2014
‘Lysistrata’: A sexually charged good time Tiffany Herrera Staff Writer
The posters advertising Lysistrata warn: “Strong language, mature content, adult audiences only.” And for good reason. As soon as the music starts and the actors walk on stage, the theme of sex is staring at you in the face. This comedy is filled with sexual innuendo and double entendres, which will leave you gasping for air. The play takes place during the war between Athens and Sparta, in a bathhouse. There, a young socialite, Lysistrata, gathers a meeting of the women of Athens and Sparta for a secret meeting of the “Women for Peace.” At dawn Lysistrata tells of her plan for peace to all the women: for all the women of both Athens and Sparta to tease their men and refuse sex until a peace agreement is settled on. The song that jumpstarts it all is Jason Derulo’s “Talk Dirty.” The song starts and soon the three women dressed in servant’s
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Jackie Holder as Myrrhine and Evan Langle as Kinesias during the rehearsal of Lysistrata at the Center of the Arts theater on April 23.
clothes dance around, shaking and whipping a towel back and forth. Scattered all throughout the play were lesbian innuendo, gay references, penis and boner jokes, and sex references that produced many laughs.
One of the one-liners was in a scene where the women are drinking during their “peace ceremony.” When the glass was taken from her she apologized and said she was “thirsty.” One of the best penis references is when the women are in
Piano ensemble sets the passage of time to music Samantha Molina A&E Editor
Students tickled the ivories in the Westerbeck Recital Hall for the production of “Tempus Fugit,” Latin for “Time Flies,” on Saturday April, 26 The Piano Ensemble and Piano Accompanying classes performed the classic works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lili Boulanger, Florent Schmitt, Robert Volkmann, Cornelius Gurlitt, and Manuel Infante. “The music in the program is all related to the passage of time; what happens in a day or an hour, what happens over a change in the seasons and what happens over the span of a lifetime,” director Phillip Young said. “Music is the perfect medium to talk about time because music takes place in time.” Tiffany Yang, Mei Cheng, Xinyi Wang and Emily Su opened the night of performances with Bach’s “God’s Time is the Best of All Times.” Following the opening performance was a piece by Volkmann entitled “Times of the Day.” Five groups of pianists played Volkmann’s music about
the morning, midday, evening and night. “I enjoyed the piece about the different pars of the day if you were to do that now it might be a little dull because of the daily routine most people follow,” student Robert Walker said. Even student Katarina Butenschoen, who performed a sonata by Mozart, got to relax and enjoy her classmates’ performance. “The students did a great job,” student David Jacobson said. “Everything seemed to be in sync. I enjoyed every moment of the performances.” “I played in the first half of the show so I was able to enjoy all the performances after intermission,” Butenschoen added. “I thought everything was fabulous, I’m really happy with how everything turned out.” Hianako Deits and Shotaro Matsumoto ended the evening of performances with an energetic piece by Spanish composer Manuel Infante. The students effectively displayed their semester long hard work and delighted the full crowd with their expertise.
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Hianako Deits and Shotaro Matsumoto playing Ritmo from “Danses Andalouses” (1921) composed by Manuel Infante at the Westerbeck Recital Hall on Saturday.
the bathhouse eating bananas. Some were eating it slowly and some were shoving the whole thing in their mouth and down their throats. But the best scene of the whole play was when one of the women’s husband comes home
CALENDAR continued from page 1
“I am not going to excuse that we didn’t meet,” Bell said. “We need to have a calendar in place so students and faculty can plan for next year. It was inappropriate to have the same calendar without this level of discussion so we can look at the current 13/14 calendar and roll it into 14/15.” Members of the committee argued that not having a winter intersession would in fact cause more harm to students and faculty alike. Associated Students Vice President and committee member Sarah Belknap argued that she could not transfer in time this year because of the cancellation of winter and hoped the committee would consider recommending a calendar with a winter session. “Winter intercession allows us to pick your strengths to do in the shorter semester, it allows you to have continuous enrollment, it helps us transfer faster because it allows us to take classes in that time lapse,” Belknap said. “If the [new] calendar doesn’t work for students, it won’t work for anyone else in this room. That is going to trickle out to every corner of this campus.” Academic Senate representative and committee member Lydia McDonald said she believed it would not be wise to recommend a full calendar yet because of the controversy surrounding a winter intersession. “We’ve had so many discussions about winter some of us have strong feelings. It doesn’t do any good to talk about it right now,” McDonald said. “I personally do not want to have a calendar for next year until we
from the war. As he stands in the doorway, she is at the top of the stairs wearing pink lingerie with a corset and surrounded by the servant women. Soon “Naughty Girl” by Beyoncé starts playing and the other women start doing a sexy dance to entice and entertain the husband. Eventually the women grab chairs and end up doing a burlesque dance. The scene following the dance produces one of the funniest lesbian jokes. A husband was complaining about his wife not being home. He shouts at the other women asking why his wife is in “this lesbian brothel.” The women defend their position and try to convince him to go with the plan. But the three senators who were punished for starting the war by dressing as servant women are trying to ruin it. So if you haven’t seen Lysistrata and you love sex humor, this is a must-see. The last showings are Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. The price is $10 for general admission and $5 for students, staff, and seniors. know what we will have to do [regarding PERB].” Committee member Melissa Michelson believed that because the committee hadn’t met in a year, one meeting would not be enough time to properly create a calendar to recommend to the Board of Trustees. “We are up against the clock here. I don’t know if we have any time to even discuss fall and start dates,” Michelson said. “How do we mitigate this suddenness? Why is it OK to have a meeting today when we could have had a meeting back right after PERB came out? What is the plan how are we moving forward with this [calendar]?” Michelson also brought her own draft of a calendar with a winter intersession. Bell explained that because time was short, it would be best to recommend a rollover calendar from last year to this year. “We are really under the compression of time,” Bell said. “[It is important] that we lead this discussion with the recommendation with the rollover of the same calendar we have now. If we reintroduce the winter intersession, it would be in opposition of the District’s stance.” Committee member Kelly Camacho argued that the District was appealing an unfair labor practice, not a winter intersession. Interim Vice President of Enrollment services and committee member Karen Semien argued that even if winter was recommended, it would not be easy to implement. “It was easy to get rid of it, though,” Camacho said. The committee voted to have another meeting on Thursday to continue crafting a full year calendar to recommend and stuck to recommending a Fall semester for now.
SPORTS
May 1, 2014
COURIER
ROAD TO GLORY
Nora To’omalatai: Northwestern Oklahoma Kevin Tapia: Whittier
Reggie Williams: Briar Cliff
Eric Chavez: Manhattanville Audrey Serna: St. Katherines
Raul Martinez: Dominion
Javon Bradford: Pine Bluff
Taj Spencer: Cal Baptist
Lester Quintana: Langston
Jose Montez: Langston Skai Thompson: Fort Smith
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SPORTS
12 COURIER
May 1, 2014
Clark wins conference championship Philip McCormick Managing Editor
All season, Lancer runner Breanna Clark has been consistently climbing the ranks in the women’s 400-meter race and finished the season as the first Lancer to have the title of Conference Champion in the event. Clark won the event Friday at Long Beach City College, with a time of 56.10 seconds, missing her personal record by a second. Clark was not done for the day though; she also broke a new person record in the 200-meter and finished in second place. Mt. San Antonio’s Sarah Dunmore beat out Clark by only .20 seconds. “Clark did what she has been doing all year,” assistant head coach Armand Crespo said. “She ran well. All she has to do is qualify at the SoCal Prelims Friday, which we expect her to do.” “All these athletes worked hard everyday,” head coach Cedric Hill said. “They get out of it what they put into it. Clark works hard
Courtesy of PCC Sports Information Sophomore sprinter Breanna Clark became the first Lancer to finish first in the 400-meter race at the SCC Championships on Friday.
to be where she is at.” On the field, thrower Yvette Bastidas placed third in the discus with a season-best 121 feet, 10 inches and fourth in the jave-
lin. Bastidas broke her records in the discus and shot put. She will be competing in the discus, javelin and shot put at the SoCal Prelims on Friday.
“As always, I wanted to break my [personal record],” Bastidas said. “And I did just that. I feel like I did well overall. It was a good day for the throwing team.”
Freshman runner Brinton Reed took third place in the 400-meter hurdles, placing the highest in the men’s events for the Lancers. “I was injured all year,” Reed said. “This was really a break out race for me. There was a point earlier this semester that I doubted I would be able to race at all this season. Coach Hill was patient for me and helped motivate me to get well and perform on the track.” The Lancers will be sending 12 athletes to the SoCal Prelims this Friday at Riverside City College. “The only thing these athletes have to focus on is qualifying into the next round after the prelims,” Crespo said. “At this point, this is more of a mental game. Physically, there is nothing more they need to do. They have prepared for this moment and I think they are ready.” The 2014 SoCal Prelims are scheduled for Friday at Riverside City College.
Longtime softball More than just a double threat assistant retires Tiffany Roesler Asst. Online Editor
PCC softball honored veteran assistant coach Mary Geer, who is saying farewell to the softball program after 21 seasons, prior to the 2014 season finale held on April 22 against East Lost Angeles College. Geer threw a ceremonial first-pitch before the game. The Lancers (13-25, 5-6) finished seventh in the South Coast Conference under first-year head coach Monica Tantlinger. Tantlinger was the fifth head coach that Geer aided in her time at PCC. During her career, Geer helped the Lancers make 12 playoff trips, all under former head coach Sandi Iverson (19802007), and was part of the 2001 National Fastpitch Community Colleges Coaching Staff of the Year. “I don’t see her not coaching anymore,” said designated hitter Audrey Serna. “I’m shocked she’s retiring because I know she has so much passion for the sport. She’s pushed me to my breaking points, but I have
Courtesy of PCC Sports Info Softball assistant Mary Geer retires after 21 seasons.
become a stronger person by her doing that.” Seven sophomores were also honored alongside Geer. Serna, Gionali, catcher Allie Lacey, first baseman Sara Quintero, pitcher Casey Ramirez, centerfielder Vanessa Contreras and leftfielder Viviana Ordaz all finished their two-year careers as Lancers. In both her seasons at PCC, Serna led the Lancers with the highest batting average with .408 in 2013 and .426 in 2014 and had the highest on-base percentage with .492 and .524. She also contributed the most home runs, averaging two per season. Lacey recorded the second highest batting average this season, batting .375 with the second highest on-base percentage at .451. Ramirez, who was voted most-inspirational, appeared in 27 games, and led the team in innings pitched with 113 as well as complete games with nine. Despite losing strong hitters and starting pitcher Ramirez, PCC will still see the return of aggressive players such as third baseman Karen Najera, designated hitter Jennifer Pegg, second baseman Justine Zavala and pitcher Breanna Rodrigo. “We may not have won every game, but we competed with each team,” Pegg said. “We had our ups and downs like every other team.” “The PCC softball prgram is losing a great coach and a great supporter,” shortstop Maddy Gianoli said. “I’m just glad she was there for all three years that I was there and we were able to leave together. That makes it most memorable for me.”
Kristina Wedseltoft Staff Writer
Carmina Ortiz may only be 18 but she is dominating the local sports world, playing both badminton and volleyball as she excels for the Lancers while harboring aspirations to become a special education teacher. A product of Azusa High School, Ortiz played badminton, volleyball and basketball. Ortiz has always had a full plate of academics, sports and extracurriculars. Over the years she has learned how to balance everything on her plate and can never see herself slowing down. “There’s never a day I want to give up,” Ortiz said. “[My] schedule gets busy, but I never give up.” Ortiz was the top recruit from AHS for the badminton team and has demonstrated why this season. Ortiz started playing in high school just because all her friends were playing and she thought she would try it out. She said being the number one recruit added a lot of pressure, but it meant so much and provided a great feeling and added to her strong work ethic. “She works really hard,” badminton teammate Serena Yan said. “She’s always at practice and gets along with everyone.” Ortiz grew up in a sports-oriented family that all played volleyball as well as other sports. Athletics became something of a habit because it keeps her busy. Every Tuesday she gets together with her family to play volleyball at local parks and encourage each other. While Ortiz’s family provides her with plenty of inspiration, she credits her mom for being
Nagisa Mihara/Courier Freshman Carmina Ortiz balances both volleyball and badminton in pursuit of becoming a special education teacher.
her biggest supporter because she also played volleyball and understands the commitment and dedication that is required. “I love to play smart and think about where I’m going to hit the ball or place the birdie,” Ortiz said. Ortiz has been playing volleyball since she was about 7 years old and originally was a setter before switching to outside hitter. Ortiz decided to red-shirt for volleyball this season in order to gain more skills and be better prepared for next season. “I’m very excited for next year,” Ortiz said of volleyball. “I’m going to try my best and hope to be a starter.” Karla Flores, another red-shirt freshman from AHS, has been a teammate of Ortiz for several years and spoke highly of her teammate. “She’s really supportive,” Flores said. “She’s always there for you and always smiling.” Coach Bill Sanchez is both the
volleyball and badminton coach and sees Ortiz on a daily basis, whether it’s for practice, games, or providing coaching support. “We’ll probably get sick of each other,” Sanchez said jokingly. “She’s a good kid. She deserves to do well, she puts a lot into everything.” Sanchez sees her passion to play and her dedication in working hard to always play and become better. Sanchez said Ortiz needs no push for motivation because she always gives it her best. Ortiz says volleyball and badminton taught her different lessons about life, but both have been very important. “Volleyball has taught me patience, strength, and the ability to work around a busy life and schedule,” Ortiz said. “Badminton has given me more self-confidence and has given me more self trust.”