Inside Contraception mandate is justified Page 3 Instructors integrate social media Page 5 Volume 105, Issue 4
Faculty ratio may lead to penalty
COURIER
For the first time this semester, limits were placed on the number of add codes provided to instructors to keep a cap on enrollment, officials said. “The prior process that we had that included add slips, resulted in us losing control of FTEs that the college generated,” said Robert Miller, vice president of educational services, at the academic senate meeting February 27. The Full Time Equivalent Student (FTEs) is a calculated number of students enrolled in PCC, in which the state pays PCC approximately $4,600 per FTEs, said Miller. FTEs are the number the state gives PCC, to limit how many enrolled stu-
March 15, 2012
Baum responds to critic’s concerns about freedom of speech NEIL PROTACIO Editor in Chief
Blair Wells / Courier Laura Stylaster, web designer, Juan Gutierrez, director of Public Relations and Brock Klein, director of the Teaching and Learning Center, discuss possible changes to the PCC Web site.
PCC website undergoing a redesign BRANDON DREXEL Staff Writer
The college web site is being updated to provide a higher level of transparency about the shared governance process and provide up to date information on the budget crisis in Sacramento, officials said. "We are attempting to make critical information on the web site more easily accessible while creating better, more intuitive navigation for all users," said Juan Gutierrez, director of public relations. ”The recent changes were to provide a higher level of transparency about the shared governance process at PCC. We also wanted to make sure that accurate and timely information about the budget cuts from Sacramento is readily available." In addition, the web redesign
Speak out! Does the PCC web site work for you? vote at pccCourier.com is a larger project to improve navigation and information distribution to everyone, Gutierrez said. The new design will help communicate governance as well as issues regarding the budget by giving standing committees their own page. "Shared governance groups and standing committees now have their own pages complete with agenda and video of the latest meetings," said Gutierrez. These changes aim to provide timely and accurate information
Procedure limited number of add codes MICHAEL MCGRATH Staff Writer
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Board chief defends actions
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PAUL OCHOA Asst. News Editor
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Retirements leave too few full-time instructors on staff
Following the last year’s retirement of 42 faculty members PCC is in potential danger of facing a hefty fine for not meeting the state’s requirement for the percentage of full-time faculty a community college must have. Richard Van Pelt, vice president of administrative services, explained the situation via email. “The essence of the issue deals with an extremely complex formula that determines how many full-time faculty the college is obligated to have on staff. It is called the FON, or full-time obligation number,” said Van Pelt. According to Robert Bell, vice president of student and learning services, under state law if a college’s full-time faculty falls below 75 percent and the college does not take direct action to raise it, it runs the risk of a fine. “We fell below 75 percent with the recent retiring of professors last year,” said Bell. According to Robert Miller, vice president of educational services, PCC still needs to hire 10 more full-time faculty because of the retirements. “We hired twenty-two fulltime faculty this year in order to get to the obligation [number] but as a result of retired faculty from last year, we still need to hire 10 additional full-time faculty before fall 2012,” said Miller. “As of right now we only have
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Pasadena City College
dents the state will pay for. “Whereas the old system allowed for plenty of add codes for instructors to give out, the new system allows only five,” said Robert Bell, vice president of student and learning services. The add code system was changed because the old system allowed too many sections to exceed their cap, and the college had to pay for every FTEs over that cap said Bell. “[It was] to balance our enrollment, aligning it with the new realities of the budget,” said Bell. The state does not fund any enrolled students that exceed this number, so the college must reach into its reserves to pay for them, said Miller. Some students and faculty are finding the new system to be problematic.
One section that is currently being held in a lecture hall which used to accommodate almost 200 students is now capped off at 45. “I’m qualified to teach 200 students and I feel the same way students do when they see all those empty chairs,” said Lauren Arenson, Anthropology instructor. “The administration hoped this change would maintain enrollment,” said Bell. “Earlier in the year, PCC’s budget was cut by $2 million,” said Bell. “And then what we are calling the ‘February Surprise’, an additional $2 million was cut from our budget about two weeks before spring semester started.” Some students were still able to get into their classes despite Continued on page 6
to the students and faculty. “[The web site] will be more robust” said Laura Stasytyte a web designer. “We wanted to make it more user friendly.” Currently, the first phase is underway as the information technology area works on updating the current content on the website. "From there a new design will be researched with the help of our campus and community steering group," said Gutierrez. "The goal is to get input from students, faculty, staff, and the community on how we define groups of interests and how we present the information they need into the new design of the web page." The current web site has been modified over the years, but a complete re-design has not been done in years said Gutierrez. “We plan to have a new design up by this year.”
In a response to a letter from a student, Board of Trustees President Geoffrey Baum said that there was no desire to restrict freedom of speech. A letter sent to board members and various media outlets by student Andrew Bott alleged the Board’s desire was to restrict free speech with a new Time, Place, and Manner policy. “While it may be true that the board felt ‘threatened’ by protests, To read the full text of that does not the give them letters, visit the right to Courier limit our online freedom of speech,” pccCourier. Bott wrote. com Baum replied a day later, saying that there was “no desire to attempt to restrict freedom of expression at PCC.” “The board is responsible to protect the safety of students, faculty, and staff,” Baum wrote. “The board directed the district to take reasonable measures to maintain a safe campus environment in compliance with our policy.” PCC is no stranger to the Time, Place, and Manner policy. The Continued on page 6
A night of art
Anar Nyantaisuren / Courier Artist Erin Cosgrove's scroll is displayed at PCC’s Art Gallery during ArtNight Pasadena on Friday.
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News
Courier
March 15, 2012
Community adapting to high gas prices AMAR KASAPOVIC Staff Writer
Teresa Mendoza/Courier Tanya Parra, finds a parking space in lot 5A after a 20 minute search.
Parking crunch eases after 2 weeks COLIN SUM Staff Writer
Three weeks into the spring semester some students are still having trouble finding parking, but the crunch seems to have loosened a bit after the first week. Many students say that during the first week of the semester finding parking at PCC is a hectic experience. The student parking lots are always seemingly filled, even as more drivers circle around campus. Jerry Heng, journalism major, ended up having to skip his class after trying to find parking about an hour. He said parking avail-
ability seems to have improved after the second week. “I would rather park on campus,” Heng said. “It feels much safer than parking on the streets and much closer.” Freddy Gavarrette, psychology, said that parking availability depends on the time of day. He said it is usually between the times of 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. With the recent class cuts, he said, students not getting their classes and others who have dropped have increased the amount of parking spaces available. “It's cluttered every day,” said Brandon Che, game design. “It's like nobody has ever left.”
Che's main concern was the lack of space due to reserved parking decreasing the amount of spaces available. He also said that with the recent class cuts, there are more available spaces. Jason Carmi, engineering major, parks his car two blocks west of campus on Green Street. He would usually park either there with an allotted time zone or on PCC's parking lot depending on the situation he's in. He has a flexible schedule, so he has time in between classes to go back to his car. “It's not impossible to find a spot,” Carmi said. “If you are running late, you should definitely park closer.”
With gas prices jumping close to an all time record members of the PCC community are adapting. Gas prices are within 30 cents of their all time record according to the Auto Club of Southern California. “It’s ridiculous.” said Kevin Lopez, computer science. “They’ve gone up and it’s not even summer, yet. They usually go up higher in the summer.” The gas is continuously rising and students and faculty has been trying to find new ways to get around. Students have resorted to walking to get to places, and some have started to take the bus and the metro to bring them to their desired destinations. The prices have been so high that students are also starting to bike to school and ask their friends for rides. “I think its ridiculous how high they are,” said Jocelyn Phaecharoensook, graphic design major. “But its also pushing people to use public transportation, carpools and bikes. There’s kind of a good and bad to everything,” Phaecharoensook said. A major negative affect is the fact that some students don’t have the luxury to get to places
Justin Clay/ Courier Students and staff have been feeling the heat since gas prices jumped.
so easily, many students need to drive to school, because they live so far. “I’m waiting for the gold line to extend,” said Lopez. “I live in Covina and I drive a lot. I work and go to school in Pasadena.” According to the Automotive Club of Southern California, at this time a year ago, the gas was 57 cents cheaper. In 1950 you were able to pay for gas for three cents. “I’m concerned, because its going to have an adverse effect on the US economy” said Dan Haley, librarian in The Stafford Library.
Metro bus pass program offers discounted transportation RAYMOND PECSON
Staff Writer
The Metro I-TAP (Institutional Transit Access Pass) program, now in its fifth semester, offers students enrolled in 12 units or more a TAP card for unlimited travel on any LA Metro and Foothill Transit bus and rail line all semester, according to the AS web site. The passes have gone
up $2 this semester. According to Scott Thayer, assistant dean of student affairs, the increase is a one-time only fee required to purchase the TAP card because the stickers that were previously used to place on student’s LancerCards are no longer needed. Despite the additional fee, students still see I-TAP as a silver lining to their financial woes.
“It saves me a lot of money. For as much as I would spend the whole week riding the bus, I have [a pass] for the whole semester,” said Manuel Villapando, technical engineering. Many students seem to feel the same way as long lines formed outside the entrance to Student Business Services on the first few days of school, where the passes
were being sold to those who provided a printout of their class schedule. The Student Activity Fee which students pay each time they register for classes funds the program, said Daniela Rueda, AS vice president of business affairs, in an e-mail. According to Thayer, about 2,200 I-TAP bus passes were sold this semester. Students are not just using these passes as an alternative for driving to campus either, but for transportation in general. Nursing major Jeffrey Quintanilla agrees. “If I had a car and drove, I would still buy the [bus pass] because it’s convenient and it gives you all the
access to Metro which I can use to go to work,” he said. The transit program is a money-saver at $32 compared to Metro’s monthly pass of $75 and its college 30-day pass of $36. According to Metro’s web site, PCC is one of a few schools, including UCLA and all nine colleges in the LA Community College District, to subsidize transit costs. “With the money I save [on the pass] I can use on books and other stuff I need like clothes or just to hang out,” Quintanilla said. “I get to focus on studying because I don’t have to worry about bus money.”
March 15, 2012
Opinion
Courier
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Courier Contraceptive mandate is justified
2011 JACC General Excellence Award Winner EditorinChief Neil Protacio News Editor Nicholas Zebrowski Assist. News Editor Paul Ochoa Online Editor Galen PattersonSmith Assist. Online Editor Ander Arostegui Arts & Entertainment Editor Jessi Alva Assist. Arts & Entertainment Editor Mary Nurrenbern Opinion Editor F.E. Cornejo Assist. Opinion Editor Philip McCormick Sports Editor Nicholas Saul
CICELY CHISHOLM Staff Writer
When President Barak Obama announced The Affordable Care Act would require insurance companies to cover contraceptives, it caused a huge debate. Conservative American radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh then called Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student, a “slut” and “prostitute”, he was calling attention to an outdated stereotype, not to mention being very inappropriate. Fluke had gavin testimony before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee after being denied the chance at a House Oversight Committee hearing to support the insurance mandate. Limbaugh took her testimony to mean that contraception was a way for her to have as much sex as she wants without the conconsequence of unwanted pregnancy, promting his attack. A large problem with Limbaugh’s thinking is that contraceptives aren’t just used as a form of preventing pregnancy anymore.
Assist. Sports Editor Linda Pineda Features Editor Mercy Fabila Assist. Features Editors: Cicely Chisholm, Christine Michaels Photo Editor Gabriela Castillo Chief Photographer Daniel Nerio Online Photo Editor Louis Cheung Scene Editors Buren Smith, Max Perez Social Media Editor Justin Clay Multimedia Editor Natalie Sehn Weber Staff Writers: Antero Barrantes III, Brandon Drexel, Dustin Earl, Jesus Gomez, Tiffany Herrera, Amar Kasopovic, Edwin Lee, Michael McGrath, Raymond Pecson, Brenda Renteria, Luis Rodriguez, Karla Sosa, Colin Sum
Young Women’s Health says that the pills can help with conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and irregular menstruation, among others. Fluke’s testimony that prompted Limbaugh’s attack cited her friend as an example for the many uses contraceptives have besides preventing pregnancy. Maybe the biggest misconception about the mandate is thinking that taxes pay for the contraceptives. The White House web site states that the only people who would be covered for free contraceptives already have an insurance plan, a plan they have to pay for. Some of the biggest arguments against the contraceptives mandate come from religious groups. Believing all life deserves to be lived and procreation is one of the most important parts of having sex, some religious institutions, such as churches, wanted to be exempt from the mandate. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, stated in a news release that churches are
excused, but groups such as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops didn’t believe it went far enough. To dispel the backlash from religion groups, President Obama announced during a press conference in February a compromise that would not require religiously affiliated institutions to offer the coverage, but insurance companies would be required to offer complete coverage for free. Their outrage is understandable, and it has been cited as an example of disregarding the First Amendment. There are problems with the mandate though. One example would be leaving out those women too poor to afford insurance, who also may be the ones who need it the most. Contraceptives should be fully covered. Not everyone will have to take them, but considering the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 62 percent of women in the United States are currently using some form of contraceptive, the option is useful.
Letter to the editor
Core belief at PCC is to be transparent, factual One of Pasadena City College’s core beliefs is that it is important to be transparent and factual. To that end, PCC began broadcasting in July 2011 live online video of the Pasadena Area Community College District Board of Trustees regular business meetings. It is important to be clear that the live video stream was not cut during the Feb. 22 Board of Trustees meeting nor has it ever been cut for any other meeting. What may have looked like interruptions in the feed were times when the camera focused in on the PCC logo on a projection
VOICES:
screen within the meeting room while the Board meeting was not in session. This has always been the practice for the video streaming of Board meetings. In short, a meeting is broadcast only when it has been called to order. Whenever a meeting is not in session, it is standard practice to have the camera cut to a close-up of something in the room, be it the screen with the PCC logo, the flag, or a wide shot of the room. This also happens when the Board is in recess for any reason, including receptions for the Rose Court, legislators, or after the
induction of a new student trustee. The Feb. 22 open session was streamed and can be viewed on the website at http://www.pasadena.edu/board/granicus.cfm/. Another core value of PCC is a commitment to integrity. The college encourages discourse in a civil manner and will continue to provide accurate and timely information through its website and broadcasts. Juan F. Gutierrez Director of Public Relations
Should taxes on the rich be raised to help finance educational programs?
Staff Photographers: Kevin Balmadrid, Katherine Bussey, Megan Carrillo, Nikki Debbaudt, Minela Dela Cruz, Steven Fuel, Ya Ling Hsu, Ronald Johnson, Teresa Mendoza, AnthonyRichetts, Sasha S. Tracy, Steven Valdez, Blair Wells Faculty Adviser Warren Swil Photography Adviser Tim Berger
“We students are the ones in need of money for education. The rich have enough money.” Michael Marquez, English
“Yes. Students will benefit from “Some of the rich earn their money the tax money, since it will be and shouldn’t be the only ones being going towards education.” taxed for education.” Miriam Vazquez, Psycology Jacklyuen Portillo, Animal Biology
“They should have their taxes raised, if it’s going to a good cause such as education.” Paul Felix, Criminal Justice
“Yes they should. The middle class and poor are already in poverty. They should help out.” Chris Jones, Multimedia
“Everyone has the right to spend their money how they want to spend it.” Daniel Vettran, Music
“Yes. The rich get to write-off a lot of stuff that they shouldn’t be able to write-off.” Eli Locke, Undecided
Advertising Coordinator Anthony Richetts The Courier is published weekly by the Pasadena City College Journalism Department and is a freespeech forum. Editorial opinions and com ments are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the institution and its administra tion, student government or that of the Pasadena Area Community College District. Phone: (626) 5857130 Fax: (626) 5857971 Advertising: (626) 5857979 pccCourierAds@yahoo.com Office: 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., CC208 Pasadena, CA 911063215 Email: pccCourier@yahoo.com The first copy of the Courier is free. Additional copies are $1 each © Copyright 2012 Courier. All rights reserved.
“They have the money, so why not help students by contributing to educational programs?” Destiny Johnson, Music
ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Should taxes on the rich be raised to support education? Results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday: 73% Yes 27% No
vote at pccCourier.com
“If I got rich, I know I wouldn’t want the government deciding where my well earned money went to.” Breeze Arnold, Engineering
“Those who have enough money to help out with education, should.” Austin Drake, Music
Reporting by: Philip McCormick, Photos by: Steven Valdez
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 cornejo_courier@yahoo.com.
Corrections The Courier staff endeavors to ensure accuracy in all aspects of its report ing. If you believe we have made an error, please contact us at (626) 5857130 or via email to protacio_courier@yahoo.com.
SCENE
March 15, 2012
Justin Ammen, 21, Kinesiology, shows off his T-shirt, which features a bright, colorful design. Max Perez/ Courier
Blair Wells/Courier Arvin Dicioco, 18 accounting, flashes his 'club' Tee in front of the CC Building while handing out flyers during Club Rush week.
Blair Wells/Courier Katherine Ramirez, 18, biology, with a time themed long sleeve T-shirt by the R Building.
Tee-Chic Showing their true colors
Blair Wells/Courier Nick Sanchez, 19 undecided, works on a sketch as he waits for his ride home at the drop off area by the CC Building. His T-shirt displays the classic arcade icon, Pac-man.
Blair Wells/Courier Matt Paragas, 22 graphic design, displays his Japanese inspired T-shirt in the Quad during Club Rush week.
Features
March 15, 2012
Courier
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After Vietnam, instructor mentors vets GALEN PATTERSON-SMITH Online Editor
When he was sent to Vietnam in 1969, Harold Martin assumed he was going to die and made no plans to return to America. “I was fully prepared to die in Vietnam. I wasn’t prepared to come back,” said the social sciences instructor in a recent interview. Martin was assigned to a light infantry unit in 1969. It was a shock for him, to come back to the U.S. in 1970. Martin knew the war had changed him and he wasn’t happy about it. “The best part of me really had died in Vietnam,” he said. The person he was after the war, was not whom he wanted to be. “I didn’t feel capable of joy,” he said. What changed Martin’s life
was when his first son was born. “I had no desire to live, until he was born,” Martin said. “I’m not motivated by money, but by students and being true to myself.” In this way, his life has never lacked for meaning or purpose. Martin began teaching at PCC 10 years ago. Four years later, he noticed some of the veterans coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan needed help in a way that people didn’t help him when he first came back from Vietnam. He formed a veterans club at PCC six years ago with nine founding members. They started out small, selling candy bars in the Quad, according to original member Carol Calandra. “Now, they are a force to be reckoned with,” Calandra said. Calandra is a former student from Martin’s first “Boots to
Books” class, a course designed to help veterans adjust to the civilian world. Now a colleague of Martin’s, she works closely with him acting as a liaison between Martin and the veterans. Calandra describes her first impression of Martin was that he is an odd duck, but admits that once she understood his sense of humor, her opinion changed. “At first I didn’t get it, but he is amazingly brilliant,” she said. Lisa Castaneda, paralegal studies, is another former student of Martin. She describes him as “a tough cookie” and “old school.” Castaneda believes that Martin has influenced her in becoming a stronger student and has taught her to be aware of her surroundings. Harold Martin was born in Munich, Germany. At the time,
post-war Europe was in shambles. Countries were still recovering from ravaged economies and bombed-out cities. His mother feared another war was imminent and chose to emmigrate to the United States. After high school, Martin left America and reconnected with his family in Germany, and then began hitchhiking through Asia. He explored some of the tribal areas that are now considered to be among the most dangerous places in the world. Eventually he decided to go to college in India, but due to the primitive conditions he encountered on his travels, he contracted some major tropical diseases. He returned to the U.S. to heal and begin his higher education. However, in his first semester, he was drafted and sent to Vietnam.
Daniel Nerio/Courier Instructor Harold Martin serves veterans at the Veterans Resource Center at PCC on March 7.
Social media find their way into some classrooms CHRISTINE MICHAELS Staff Writer
Anar Nyantaisuren / Courier Artist Erin Cosgrove's scroll was on display at the PCC Art Gallery during ArtNight on Friday.
Gallery hosts ArtNight event EDWIN LEE Staff Writer
PCC presented two different exhibits with works from artist Erin Cosgrove and the PCC cinema program at ArtNight on Friday. ArtNight is a citywide program with an evening of free art, museums, music and entertainment. Twelve different venues opened their doors for the evening. Other venues included Art Center College of Design, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena Museum of California Art and more. Art Gallery Director Brian Tucker was pleased with the evening. He received many favorable remarks. “People seemed to like the videos and many commented on the talent and skill evident in the student films,” he said. “The art gallery had roughly 350 visitors this night,” he said. The cinema highlights from 2006 to 2011 were screened inside the Art Gallery for the evening. Ten different short films were shown on repeat throughout the evening. Cosgrove, multimedia artist, displayed five different pieces
Teresa Mendoza/Courier Sage Monroe, 19, PCC art major, Reyna Hernandez, 19, and Rose Dias, 20 attend the ArtNight Pasadena event at the PCC Art Gallery on Friday.
that included four short films and a scroll called “What Manner of Person Art Thou?” Her short films were shown in R122 while the scroll was on display in the Art Gallery. The scroll drew inspiration from the short film “Mysteries of the Hertson Scroll.” The scroll and short film talked about the beginning of time and what happened afterwards. “A post 9/11
piece,” Cosgrove said, “the short film takes on the subject of dogma.” “[I] give space for the attendee’s own views,” Cosgrove said about her own views on her artwork. The short film “Happy Am I,” tried to compress history. “This idea was shown in a song and dance in less than three minutes,” she said.
Social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook are slowly finding their way into the classrooms with teachers adopting them at PCC. Interpersonal Communications Instructor AC Panella uses Facebook in three of his courses for interpersonal communication. For all of them, there is one Facebook group with shared material for each class. One of the assignments includes having the students open their profiles so other students in the other course sections have access to them to analyze the person. “It’s fairly entertaining,” said Panella in an interview. “It’s very hard to isolate ourselves.” Facebook use in the classroom helps the students apply what they learn in class, instead of just reading the material in a book, he said. History Instructor Victor Nebrida uses both Facebook and Blackboard in his ITV course. The class can accommodate up to 199 students, and meets only six times during the semester. “[The students] are on their own,” Nebrida said. He began using Facebook along with Blackboard in 2009. “Everybody seemed to be on [Facebook],” he said. It was easier to get discussions on the Facebook group page and have all of his students involved. “The participation on Facebook goes up to 100 responses for a discussion topic…it’s very effective,” he said. Nebrida explained that he could relate better to his students. “You start to see from their perspective, the students become more open and loose in discussing topics on the group page,” he said. “There’s an absence of hierarchy.” Business major Edward Bataitas, a former student of Nebrida, explained how the Facebook group discussion page
helped him with the class. “It was extremely effective, it’s like having a classroom discussion 24/7,” he said. Bataitas enjoyed the easy availability of the classroom Facebook group page. “If you don’t make it to class, it’s very easy to contact another student in the class through the group page,” he said. Another positive to using Facebook in the classroom is the safety it provides as well. Both instructors Panella and Nebrida agree closed groups allow only students who are on their class rosters to join. Panella explained how in the beginning, a few students had issues with social conduct on the group pages, but rules have been set up to avoid problems. Nebrida describes the closed groups as being safe. “[The students] are not threatened,” he said. With the growing social trends, education systems are beginning to merge in ways aimed at better educating students. “It’s a great tool for instructors to use [in the classroom],” Nebrida said, “and the students love it.”
Courier Staff History instructor Victor Nebrida shows the Facebook group dedicated for his class.
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News
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March 15, 2012
Board president answers critic Continued from page 1
Across from PCC 626-578-9512 Open til 10pm nightly
measure, which aimed to limit protests and demonstrations to a certain time and area, had been a controversial issue for months last year before it was ultimately rejected by the Academic Senate. At the March 7 meeting, Board of Trustees Vice President John Martin mentioned the revival of the proposed policy as a future agenda item, Bott said. “It is sad that when we need our freedom of speech the most, people like Mr. Martin, with agreement from President Mark Rocha, try to take it away,” Bott said. Rocha, on the other hand, said that he does not support Time, Place, Manner nor will he accept, receive, or forward to the Board a recommendation for a new policy or any limitation on speech. “I believe there is good policy already in place that protects free speech,” Rocha wrote in an email to the Courier. In addition, Rocha said that he knows of no new effort to establish a new Time, Place, Manner policy. “Mr. Martin’s comments at the March 7 board meeting had nothing whatsoever to do with limiting free speech and everything to do with a call for conducive environment for dialogue,” Rocha said. The current policy of the district states that “Pasadena City College seeks to maintain a safe, orderly, and constructive campus environment in which there is freedom to learn and respect for the dignity of all members of the College community. Students are expected to be responsible, honest, and non-violent in exercising their rights to free inquiry and free speech.”
According to Baum, the Pasadena Police Department had presented information on threats to the physical safety of students, faculty, staff, and members of the public at PCC. “In response, the Board directed that there will be no restriction on public comment and expression, but we need to take some measures to maintain a safe and orderly environment to conduct the business of the district,” he said. Bott’s letter also accused the board of limiting access to education by slashing enrollment, cutting winter intersession, and cutting class hours despite strong student concern. “The Board obviously did not hear the student voices yet – how much pressure do we need to apply before you start to take action, instead of just listening?” Bott wrote. Baum replied that the school maintained itself despite $10 million in cuts. In addition, unlike other schools and college districts, PCC has refrained from laying off, furloughing pay, and reducing benefits to its employees. The future, however, is grim. “Unfortunately, there will be even more severe reductions in funding next year,” Baum said. “PCC will no longer be able to completely shield the impact of these cuts on students, faculty, and staff.” Bott has since been in contact with both the Board of Trustees and Rocha. According to Bott, Rocha has agreed to a meeting at 10 a.m. on March 23 in the WiFi lounge and encourages students and student government representatives to attend and pose their concerns and questions.
Full-time faculty ratio below standards Continued from page 1
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1705 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91105 *Cheese extra. © 2012 The Johnny Rockets Group, Inc.
368 full-time faculty,” he said. The fine PCC would pay if the obligation is not met would total $650,000 with each missing full-time faculty costing $65,000. “If we do not hire faculty at the current moment we would pay a penalty of $65,000 per faculty member but that could be waived by the Board Of Governors,” said Miller. Even though the fine has not been waived, the Board of Governors might decide to waive it if the obligation number is not met because of the state budget cuts. “There is no indication they will waive
us, but that does not mean they won’t as the difficult state budget deliberations continue,” said Miller. To bring up the number of full-time faculty, PCC is in the process of recruiting 10 new faculty to meet the state requirement of 378 full-time faculty. “We are recruiting 10 new faculty. Once those individuals are hired, that will bring our numbers back up so that 75 percent of our faculty are full-time,” said Bell. “The bottom line is that to the extent that any community college district does not meet its FON, they can have apportionment. That is a penalty that makes it very unattractive to not meet the FON,” said Van Pelt.
New policy limits number of adds Continued from page 1
these changes, although it was a long process. “I was forced to return to classes I wanted to add for two weeks. Even though I was unsure that I would even be getting into those classes, or if the teacher even had enough add codes to let me add [the class],” said Michael Siller, undeclared major. These problems stem from surprise cuts to PCC’s budget, only days before spring semester began. The new add procedure has required a new wait list system. Students are over the class maximum, and therefore not
actually enrolled in the class. For a student to add the class from the wait list, an enrolled student must first be dropped for a valid reason such as not attending the first class meeting according to Bell. Then the instructor will give that student one of the five add codes so that they may finally register for the section said Bell. One irregularity with this procedure is that many sections have wait lists longer than just five students. Any instructor who gives out the five add codes, must ask the dean for permission to receive any additional add codes.
Arts & Entertainment
March 15, 2012
MARY NURRENBERN Staff Writer
David Aguilar/ Courier
Faculty, staff recognized at ceremony PCC faculty and staff were recognized in a celebration on March 6, where over two hundred employees were given a certificate and a keepsake to those who have dedicated five or more years of service. The staff was recognized in groups depending on how many years they have been employed. The groups ranged from 45 years and more to newly hired staff, but the majority of the PCC staff has dedicated 10 years or more of service. President Mark Rocha gave special recognition to Professor Kenneth Cheney and Haroldine Gardner, a public relations secretary, for dedicating over 45 years of service to PCC.
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Photographer to begin his residency week
President Mark Rocha left, David Douglas, Garry Potts, Edward Martinez, and former student Tanganica Turner are seen during the staff recognition event at the Creveling Lounge on March 6.
BRENDA RENTERIA Staff Writer
Courier
Rocha was the first to express his gratitude to all staff for their hard work. “We are proud of your service and thank you all from our hearts,” said Rocha. The president kept the mood up beat, complementing the staff, “We might be violating some child labor laws, because you look well. You look good as a staff.” Assembly Member Anthony Portantino’s district representative and former PCC student, Tanganica Turner, presented a certificate from State Senator Carol Liu and Portantino to David Douglass, Management Association president, Edward Martinez, Academic Senate president, and Gary Potts, Classified Senate president in support of all the dedication and hard work to the staff.
Douglass expressed his gratitude and had the audience chuckling when he said, “We’ll be having a fundraiser now and I’ll be auctioning off some add codes for chemistry.” “This event is special,” said Salpy Mankerian, a career center clerk. “I never felt that time would go by so fast. At first it was one year, then two, and now, wow, 10 years have passed,” said Mankerian. “This celebration was nicer than usual,” said Christopher Lucas, a Facility Services staff member for over 10 years. Lucas said he has always been happy with his job. All staff that did not attend should check with their department to obtain their certificate package.
Widely acclaimed photographer Aberlardo Morell will begin a week as the Artist in Residence for 2012 on Monday. Morell will begin a weeklong series of events with an opening lecture at 7p.m. in the Vosloh Forum, followed by a reception in the Art Gallery. The AR exhibition of his work will take place March 19 through May 5. During the week Morell will work with students creating photography. “It will be exciting to bring the students to Huntington Gardens to shoot,” Morell said in a telephone interview “I have been an artist for a thousand years,” Morell laughs. He has been shooting photography since college, when he knew he didn’t want to look back. His camera obscura work, which is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen, has helped him to explore a new kind of freedom. “Being able to bring someone to campus who is internationally
recognized is rewarding,” said Melanie Willhide, photography instructor who organized this year’s residency. Willhide hopes that many other departments will come to the show to experience the vast array of disciplines. “His work touches on many different themes people are interested in,” said Brian Tucker, Art Gallery director. The Artist in Residence program brings nationally and internationally renowned artists to PCC and the Pasadena area community. The Artist in Residence will work with photography students throughout the week, producing new works that will be displayed in the Art Gallery throughout the week; there will also be a lecture, president’s lunch and closing reception. Morell’s future camera obscura photographs will be shot in various national parks. “I love being able to travel to new places and see other parts of the world,” Morell said. The exhibit runs through May 5.
Camera Obscura : Brooklyn Brdge View from Bedroom is one of Aberlardo Morell’s many works
Library has artist’s books for check out for three days TIFFANY HERRERA Staff Writer
Judy Ohye and Krista Goguen of the PCC Shatford Library have purchased several books for the community to get familiar with the work of the Artist in Residence, Abe Morell, this March. Three of these books can be checked out at a time for three days. They are Abelardo Morell and the Camera Eye, Book of Books, Camera in a Room, Face to Face, Camera Obscura, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
According to his book, Camera in a Room, Morell was born in Cuba and in 1962 at the age of 14 came to the U.S. Eventually he was awarded a scholarship to Bowdoin College in Maine. This book shows his work with camera obscura, or pinhole photography, which is a lightsafe container with a small hole on it to capture the image. Morell's book, Abelardo Morell and the Camera Eye, shows 105 images over his career of 30 years. It also lists his exhibition tour and his work in them. It starts from 1998 at the Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego to 2000 at the University Art Museum, University of New Mexico, Alberquerque. According to his website, he has won several awards spanning from his 1992 Cintas Foundation Fellowship award to his most recent award, the International Center of Photography Infinity Award in 2011.
COUR IER
March 15, 2012
SPORTS
Baseball team suffering mid-season slump The Lancers show up late in loss against LA Harbor DUSTY EARL Staff Writer
The PCC men’s baseball team lost to the Seahawks of Los Angeles Harbor College in a March 8 home game at Jackie Robinson Field. The Lancers put up four runs in the game but it wasn’t enough to rout Harbor who scored 16 to give PCC its fifth straight loss. Harbor increased its record to 7-5 with their fifth straight win, and PCC added the loss to their meager 2-11. The first two innings went by scoreless before Harbor’s Nolan Sax was hit by a pitch by PCC starter Trevor Gleason in the third, starting a rally that resulted in four runs for the Seahawks. The struggling Gleason gave up two more runs in the fourth inning before he was pulled in favor of lefty Cory Burgard. The Seahawk’s took advantage of a fielding error by PCC second baseman Matt Chavez to score another run and Harbor
batters drove in another three runs before Burgard finished up the inning. The Lancers finally returned the favor in the bottom of the inning with an RBI from first baseman David Halstead, in the fifth inning with a run by outfielder Anthony Martinez, and an RBI double by shortstop Tyler Dominguez in the sixth. Harbor added to its lead in the seventh with two RBIs on a triple from outfielder Kris Cayton, and an RBI single from infielder Anthony Villela despite a PCC pitching change for the right hander Evan Stranski. The Lancers showed some aggressive base running in the bottom of the seventh with catcher Marco Ordaz stealing second base after being walked by Harbor left handed reliever Chad Kim. Ordaz made it all the way to third on a single by outfielder Damian Santamaria, but failed to score before Kim quieted the Lancer bats and ended the
Anthony Richetts / Courier Sophomore third-baseman Sean Stone takes a strike in a 16-4 loss against Los Angeles Harbor at Jackie Robinson Field on March 8.
inning. There were signs of life in the eighth for PCC with outfielder Brandon Spicer scoring on a Halstead double, adding a run to the board. Base runners capitalized on a
walk and a wild pitch by Kim, but were left stranded on second and third. In the ninth, Seahawk’s bats answered back and took full advantage of Lancer errors to increase their lead to twelve
runs. The bottom of the ninth was fairly quiet for PCC with only one hit off Korean born closer Eun Sup Jung, which was a single by third basemen Francisco Cabral.
Lancers fail to score in loss to visiting East Los Angeles LINDA PINEDA Asst. Sports Editor
The Lancers baseball team was unable to score any runs in a loss during an error-filled game against East Los Angeles College on Tuesday, with a score of 7-0. The Lancers struck out in the first inning while the Huskies
scored a run. Starting catcher Marco Ordaz said they were distracted by the home runs scored against them. “We didn’t play great, we only played OK. We made too many errors,” said Ordaz. “The first couple of innings we were in the zone, but once [The
Huskies] started scoring against us everything went out the window for us,” he added. Left-fielder Anthony Martinez disagreed, and said the Lancers had a hard time in the beginning of the game. “The team did good, the problem was the we had to put it all
together earlier in the game, and we didn’t,” said Martinez. In the seventh inning Coach Evan O’Meara tried something new by putting in freshman pitcher Brian Cuiriz. “I was just waiting for that chance and I wasn’t going to blow it once I got it,” said Cuiriz.
He had good control of the ball and kept the Huskies from scoring more runs. Despite Cuiriz’ attempts, the Lancers were unable to catch up. “I did what I needed to do, unfortunately we couldn’t rack up any runs to get the win,” Cuiriz said.
Women’s softball continues to struggle CHRISTINE MICHAELS Staff Writer
Megan Carrillo / Courier Sophomore center-fielder Brittany Skoien eyes a pitch against a Warrior pitcher.
While the Lancer softball team played hard against the El Camino Warriors at Robinson Park on Thursday, the score was still 7 – 11 by the seventh inning. David Hellen, a long time supporter of the team, said that the women were “hitting fine, but the pitching might be a little weak today,” as he watched the game from the bleachers. The players had a tough time, going from 2 - 2 in the first inning, to 3 – 11 in the third, the phenomenal comeback in the sixth inning holding the Warriors at 11 points as the Lancers score to seven points is notable. Even the Warrior’s star player No. 5 Alia Williams only made it to first base before being outed from a catch by a Lancer outfielder. Star player and pitcher No. 9 Kayla Moore was injured in a previous game, so the team suffered the loss of a strong player for most of the game. No. 23 Bronwyn Stewart pitched for five out of the seven innings, and kept the Warriors at bay during the last two innings. The seventh inning had notable saves in the outfield by No. 13 Alexandra Oddenido, catching a fly ball and outing a Warrior, as well as No. 2 Maddy Gianoli, catching another fly ball and outing yet another Warrior player.
Megan Carrillo / Courier Sophomore outfielder Kayla Moore makes contact in the Lancers’ 7-11 loss to El Camino.
By the end of the game, the Lancers had gotten their spirit back, and did their best. Even with a loss, fan Alexandra Ballesteros said, “they’re not giving up.”