VOLUME 111 ISSUE 3
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Board, Rocha deny violating state open meeting law Philip McCormick Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Erica Hong /Illustration by Nagisa Mihara Alex Mashikian gives his best mad scientist pose at night in the commons at PCC on Sunday.
Former student returns after successful career for one last romp. Mick Donovan Online Editor
As a child, he would dance and sing Weird Al Yankovic songs on top of the coffee table for his family. In middle school he tried out for his first musical ‘The Music Man’. He just got back from a sold out house Off-Broadway in New York with his comedy group. And now he’s back one last time for PCC’s production of Mel Brooks’ ‘Young Frankenstein’. PCC doesn’t have Gene Wilder or Mel
Brooks, but it does have Alexander Mashikian leading what is said to be a very talented cast. With an impressive resumé including training with the Groundlings and the chemistry between himself and the rest of the cast, it is little wonder that Mashikian was cast as Frederick Von Frankenstein. “Alex has done a lot of musicals,” said Whitney Rydbeck, the director of the production. “He has an incredible voice. And he’s a very talented actor.” Mashikian was not always certain about theater. That all changed when he discovered musical theater. “When I was little, I didn’t like theater,” Mashikian said. “I loved movies, I loved music more. I used to perform for my family on top of the coffee table. I
would sing Weird Al Yankovic songs. I didn’t know what I was doing, but that was as far as my performing went.” It was in middle school that he discovered his love for the stage. “I tried out for my first musical, which was ‘The Music Man’, in middle school having absolutely no prior experience in theater, nothing.” said Mashikian, “I liked having a reaction from an audience, from when I was little on the coffee table. I guess that’s where it started.” For Mashikian, it’s the rush and adrenaline an actor gets from the energy of an audience that always pulls him back to the stage. “I love getting reactions from audiences, just the live energy, making them FRANKENSTEIN page 6
The Board of Trustees and former president Mark Rocha deny violating open meeting laws and are asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit group seeking a reversal of Rocha’s $400,000 severance package. Californians Aware, the group that filed suit against the school in September, claims that the Board hid the discussion of the severance package under the title of “anticipated litigation” on its closed session agenda items. File Photo However, Rocha and the Mark Rocha Board both claim that they were able to use the term “anticipated litigation” because there was a threat of litigation. “The subject matter of the board’s meeting relative to Rocha was not compensation, but rather, negotiated terms for a settlement which would include his retirement and a general release of claims,” the board states in its answer to the suit. “At all times during these precedent negotiations, with the threat of litigation, Rocha was represented by counsel as was the board.” In both the board and Rocha’s response to the suit, they are requesting that the suit be dismissed, claiming that they didn’t violate any laws. “The petition in its entirety and each and every claim fail to state a claim upon which relief LAWSUIT page 2
Hiring process underway for 36 new faculty jobs Justin Clay and Kristen Luna Staff Writers
With faculty and senate officials agreeing to hire 36 new full-time faculty for the college by September, the long process in attaining that number has begun. A Faculty Hiring Priorities Committee is formed by the Academic Senate to assess all requests for new positions, and the process is supposed to be put into motion during the beginning of the fall semester,
I N S I D E
according to the Pasadena Area Community College District Policy. “We try to make the decision by late fall because January is a big hiring time and there are a lot of job fairs so we try to know what we need, so different faculty or divisions need can go to those job fairs and recruit,” said Kristin Pilon, Academic Senate Vice President. The committee meets and asks each department what their hiring needs are and why. “There’s all these questions that they need to answer,” said
LUNAR NEW YEAR Check out the story and photos on SCENE
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Academic Senate President Eduardo Cairo. “Then the committee compiles all the data, score it, then we combine our scores and based on the scores, we get the top 10 or 15 we are going to hire.” The committee forwards the college president their recommendations for hiring priorities. Then the division dean and another committee prepares job descriptions and minimum requirements. The college’s equal opportunity officer then reviews and HIRING page 2
LOVE “Hearts and Flowers” exhibit to open at The Folk Tree
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