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COURIER
Spring Forward session begins Page 2 Library adds graphic novels Page 9 Volume 105, Issue 6
Sexual predator still at large
Pasadena City College
The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena Since 1915.
Increase the peace
PCC students hoping to transfer to a California State University by spring of 2013 may have to look elsewhere as state budget cuts could shut the doors for transfers at most CSU campuses, officials said. California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott addressed the issue at a PCC Town Hall meeting on March 22, calling the situation a “March surprise.” “[It’s] a cruel reality [that] California State University can take only a handful of our transfer students next spring,” Scott said. “[CSU] Chancellor [Scott] Reed has been put in a tough spot and has to do what he
April 5, 2012
CHRISTINE MICHAELS Staff Writer
Natalie Sehn Weber/Courier During a ‘Million Hoodie March’ demonstration near the R Building on March 29, Aaron Nininger carries a sign demanding justice in the death of Florida youth, Trayvon Martin.
‘Million Hoodie March’ seeks justice CICELY CHISHOLM Staff Writer
Members of the PCC community gathered in the Quad for the Million Hoodie March on March 29 in solidarity after the killing of Trayvon Martin, voicing their concern about the injustice of the situation. Armed with posters and a microphone, those in attendance aimed to bring to light the existence of racial prejudice in society and honor Martin’s memory. The event included with a march around the R Building and Z Building, where the crowd chanted phrases such as “No justice, no peace. No racist police” and “Justice for Trayvon now”. “Even though we made a lot of progress in racial relations in America, there’s still a lot that still needs to be done and we’re not always aware of it,” said
Speak out! Has justice been served in the Trayvon Martin killing case?
vote at pccCourier.com Kiersti Plog, writing consultant for the Writing Center. When neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, people cited racism as the cause, as Zimmerman was Hispanic and white, while Martin was African American. Zimmerman cited self-defense as the reason for the shooting, even though Martin was unarmed. No evidence was collected that would contradict his statement though, leaving many
CSU plans to close doors on enrollment RAYMOND PECSON Staff Writer
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Four-semester calendar approved
PHILIP MCCORMICK Staff Writer
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Winter session clears hurdle
Police searching for assault suspect Police were still, on Wednesday searching for a man suspected in the sexual assault of a woman student last week. “As of right now, there are no new developments in the investigation,” said Interim Campus Police Chief Frank Scialdone, on Wednesday afternoon. Scialdone said in an interview that a man, who had touched the woman inappropriately, was still at large and had yet to be apprehended. A women reported a sexual battery to campus police on March 26 after a man came up behind her on the first floor of the C Building and touched her in a sexual manner, according to police. “We are looking for help,” said Scialdone. “We can’t do this by ourselves. If anyone on campus sees any suspicious activity, they should report it right away to us. That would help.” In a news release sent to the campus on March 27, police said that a woman had been looking at a bulletin board in the first floor corridor when the man came from behind her and asked what she was doing. She didn’t reply, but when she turned around to address the man, he had positioned himself closer to her. According to the news release, the student turned her back to the man and a few moments later, turned to face him again.
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thinks is fiscally prudent to prepare his colleges for the worst.” According to CSU officials, the worst is an “enrollment freeze” to deal with a potential $200-million state cut to CSU next year if Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax initiative is not passed on November 6th. The ballot proposal, which aims to increase the tax on the income of the wealthy and raise the state’s sales tax, would prevent more damaging cuts to schools and protect education, Brown said last December. According to Anthony Fellow, Board of Trustees member and chair of communications at CSU Fullerton, the CSUs have already closed acceptances for spring unless the tax hike happens. “We will be accepting 50 to 60 new transfer students for fall [2012] in the College of
Communications and no transfer students in the spring. Everything appears to be contingent on the Governor’s ballot initiative,” he said. Come ballot day students, like Meliza Gonzalez-Sanchez, communications, will be pressured to vote for the tax proposal and whether or not the freeze on enrollment occurs. “I would vote for it,” she said. “It looks bad but it’s not like we’re throwing money away. [Raising taxes] would not only benefit me, but thousands of others [looking to transfer.]” Passing the tax initiative looks to be the only way to restore funds as university administrators seem to have their hands tied. “Increases in student tuition Continued on page 11
Campus speaks out on controversy Page 5 angry that no arrest resulted from Martin’s death. “It’s an unfortunate event, however it’s not the one and only. There have been thousands of cases like this that need to be brought to attention as well,” said Victor Silva, ethnic studies. “You can’t have a justice system in an unjust world.” Many of those who spoke behind the microphone spoke about the important of justice being served. “Murder in general is a hate crime and [this march is] what we need as individuals to come together and see that hate is hate,” said Miracle MurrayMcKnight, sociology.
The 2013 winter intersession will commence Jan. 7, 2013, if a March 29 decision by a key committee is upheld. The Calendar Committee unanimously approved a foursemester academic calendar proposal on March 29. According to Committee Cochairman and Vice President of Student Services Robert Bell, the vote debunked the “misquoted” information in the Board of Trustees minutes from its March 7 meeting, which incorrectly stated the Calendar Committee approved a trimester calendar proposal. Many faculty members were angered by the misquotation, including Graphics and Engineering Instructor David Cuatt, who said he could not trust the information given on the college website. “We already have imaginary information on the record, why should I trust what I’m told?” Cuatt said at the meeting. According to Social Sciences instructor Philip Ricards, approval of the trimester proposal was “a bold face untruth that was never told to us in the first place. [The calendar] is a negotiable item [for the union].” Bell explained there was much misinformation in the minutes.
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Laker Girls draw crowd
Buren Smith/Courier Brenda Andrede, 25, mortuary science is seen with Laker Girls, Deanna and Octavia at a nearby restaurant on Tuesday.
Story / page 3
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News
Courier
April 5, 2012
‘Spring Forward’ session gets under way KARLA SOSA Staff Writer
The Spring Forward 12-week intersession started Saturday with 13 classes. The intersession was designed to help students who had their classes cancelled before spring semester startedofficials said.
“The classes were chosen by instructional deans in consultation with the vice president of instruction and vice president, enrollment management beaded on the classes lost to students through the spring class cancellations.” Dr. Robert Bell, Interim Vice President said via email. Although Spring Forward has
started, students are still able to register for classes, except for online classes. As of March 29,only 45 percent of the classes are full. Spring Forward wasn’t available for every PCC student. “The students selected are the ones directly impacted by the spring semester class cancellations and/or, two students who
were one - two classes away from completion of transfer, degree or certificate requirements in the spring semester,” Bell said. Daniel Schwer, art major, a student enrolled for the intersession. “If I pass my art class then I’ll be able to transfer,” said, Schwer.
According to Bell, the intersession aims to help students who need classes to complete their graduation, transfer or certificate requirements, without them having to taking a summer class. “Spring Forward will not be planned for subsequent academic periods. However the possibility can be considered,” Bell said.
Upcoming Events Sen. Carol Liu, second from left, is seen with the five Women of the year recipients on March 23. Recipients from left, Esther Takei Nishio, Amy Navarette, Lui, Theresa Reed, Armine Hacopian, and Dominique Evans-Bye. Kevin Balmadrid / Courier
Two PCC women honored by Senator ANTERO BARRANTES III Staff Writer
PCC alumnus Esther Takei Nishio and Director Theresa Reed, were among five honored “Women of The Year,” by Senator Carol Lui on March 23 at the Senators residence, for their dedicated efforts and unique story in education. Nishio, an alumnus of what was known as the Pasadena Junior College was the institution’s first “test case,” an experiment to see how it would react to a Nisei (Japanese-American) student just after WWII had ended
in 1945. Nishio previously to that had been a dental assistant and a column writer in a Japanese internment camp in Colorado. “The idea was to have Esther enrolled at the college to test the reaction to its first Japanese American student after the war,” said Sen. Lui. Nishio said the problem was the residents of Pasadena. It was the student body, who Nishio supported her every step of the way. “No matter what adversity you have, they are people who will to try to help you,” said Nishio. Former PCC President Lisa
Sugimoto recalled back in 2010 when the college and herself had given Nishio along with several others, an Honoree Degree, part of Nisei Diploma Program. Sugimoto stated, “We wanted to make sure she got her honoree degree.” Theresa Reed is currently Program Director of Foster & Kinship Care Education and Independent Living Programs at PCC. Reed dedicates her life to helping the very same who had been in her shoes as an adolescent, fostered youth. “Theresa Reed is an inspiration, overcoming lots of barriers, and lots of challenges,” said the Senator. Dir. Reed and the department program make it easier for foster youth to have better access to the community college and successfully use it. “Theresa Reed’s wonderful, and I got to work with her directly, her passion and heart for young people is just amazing,” said former Pres. Sugimoto. When asked what motivates Reed to do what she does, Dir. Reed replied, “It’s knowing that our young people have potential, and being able to show them that they do have options.”
Today A general transfer adviser will be in the Transfer Center in L110 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get transfer advisement and research universities in the lab.
A representative from CSU Long Beach will be in the quad from 10 a.m. to noon and in L106 to discuss program and admission requirements, 1p.m to 2 p.m.
“Into the Woods,” a musical, will be presented at the Sexson Auditorium at 8 p.m. Admission is $15 for general admission and $10 for students, staff and seniors. Tickets are sold at the door beginning an hour before curtain. More performances on Friday, at 8 p.m. and Saturday 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Representatives from CSU Los Angeles and UCLA will be available in the Transfer Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday The PCC Foundation will meet in the Circadian room at 7:30 a.m.
Friday A general transfer adviser will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m in L110.
A UC Santa Cruz adviser will be in the Transfer Center from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a general UC adviser will be present from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday The Academic Senate Board meeting will take place at the President’s Conference Room, C233 at 3 p.m.
Wednesday University Night at PCC, a college fair, will be in the Quad from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Compiled by Luis Rodriguez
Blair Wells / Courier
Tutor’s hard work honored John Wood, Director of the Learning Assistance Center, received the National Tutoring Association 2012 Award of Excellence at the NTA conference in March. Wood was honored for 24 years of dedication as director of the high ranked tutoring center.
Board supports tax increase ballot proposal PAUL OCHOA AND NICK ZEBROWSKI Staff Writers
In a five to two vote, the Board of Trustees on Wednesday evening decided to support California Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax increase initiative proposed for the November ballot. Brown’s proposal would temporarily raise the state sales tax and increase taxes on highincome individuals balancing the state budget. Because of extensive cuts imposed on community colleges, the Board supports the initiative that would limit the cuts in education. “This initiative is the only one that would address structural
gaps in the budgets,” said Trustee Jeanette Mann. “We’ve seen what’s going to happen if the initiative doesn’t pass.” Board members Bill Thomson and John Martin abstained. “I worry and wonder about the impact on businesses [from the tax increase],” Thomson said. “When [the Board] takes actions like this, I’m concerned we do not have all the information,” he added. Martin declined to go on the record supporting or opposing the initiative. The Board’s resolution in support of the initiative says that California community colleges are essential for providing students with skills needed to be
economically successful in the California economy. Without the “Temporary Tax to Fund Education” Initiative, the resolution says, community colleges and other segments of education in California are likely to have funding curtailed for years. The initiative is also supported by PCC President Mark Rocha. “Obviously, I hope voters approve the tax increase so PCC’s budget won’t be cut any further,” Rocha said in a previous interview. According to Rocha, the budget scenario would remain the same if voters approve the initiative. If rejected, however, the cut would amount to $10 million.
News
April 5, 2012
Courier
Facilities master plan presented
Laker girls visit fast food chain nearby
DUSTY EARL Staff Write
Architects presented PCC's Centennial Facilities Master Plan, the FMP100, to students and faculty on March 21. The meeting, held in the Creveling Lounge, was meant to get feedback and ideas from those that the plan would affect most. It was a "kickoff for goal setting on campus," said Richard Thompson, chief planner on the project. After Thompson outlined the general plan for PCC's future development, the room broke up into round table discussions on various aspects of the undertaking. Topics discussed were the classroom of the future, sustainability, innovation, accessibility, and the campus of the future. "With community college being a shared governance space, it's crucial to get student and faculty opinions," said Thompson. The innovation table discussed the building of a state of the art innovation center, to be located
Students line up to show support for team Blair Wells / Courier PCC President Dr. Mark Rocha and Gregory Sun of PBWS Architects discuss future plans for buildings becoming more accessible for students with disabilities on March 21
either on the site currently occupied by the W building or on the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Hill Avenue. Whatever the location, it would be a student startup incubator, modeled after Bell Labs, and MIT's Lincoln Lab, a place where students in different disciplines can meet and work together on projects. "The innovation center has to invite everyone in, and be a home base for new students," said architect Otis Odell. Seismic retrofitting is a big part of the proposed plan. Several buildings on campus will undergo structural improvements, but there are no feasible retrofits for the U building. Planners are "...appealing to the state to replace that building,"
according to Thompson. In the arena of creating a sustainable campus, many things are proposed from solar panels to building an 800 kw fuel-cell plant. In addition to environmental sustainability, social sustainability was also mentioned in Thompson’s opening and at the sustainability discussion. Court referral programs, and improved academic probation programs would make education at PCC more attainable for the most at risk segments of the population. "PCC is committed to fully serving the community it its educational needs and satisfying its responsibility to the Earth and the future generations of it's inhabitants," said Thompson.
Priority registration to be rearranged PAUL OCHOA Staff Writer
The Board of Trustees has approved guiding principles to help students complete their studies at PCC faster and to change the way enrollment is managed. The registration priority will now go to (FYE) first year experience students [new incoming students] but this does not mean that current students will completely lose priority, said Robert Bell, vice president of student and learning services. “When a student reaches a certain number of units their priori-
ty will remain but will lower a little,� said Bell. Robert Miller, vice president of educational services, said the goal of the Strategic Enrollment Management Planning Principles is to help [students] move out of the college in a quicker fashion. “The idea is to help students complete their work at PCC faster than they currently do,� said Miller. The principles are centered on two main pillars, said Bell. “The first pillar is registration priority and the second is changing our class schedules so that classes meet our completion
agenda,� said Bell. The completion agenda is a list of classes which support students moving forward toward transfer, a degree, or certificate, he said. “The current system is based upon the scarcity of classes. We need to have more strategies on the way we offer the classes we can offer in order to help students complete in a much more timely fashion,� said Miller. The principles will take in effect in this summer Miller said. “We will be adopting the SEMPP this summer,� said Miller.
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Los Angeles Laker Girls Octavia and Deanna visited the Carl’s Jr. across the street from PCC on Colorado Boulevard for an hour on Tuesday, signing autographs and taking pictures with Laker fans. A crowd of PCC students attended. “I’m a huge Laker fan!� said Kyle Bowman 22, film. “I was going to lunch and heard this guy on a microphone saying that the laker girls were inside Carl’s Jr., so I decided to get in line and get a picture with them.� The line to see the Laker Girls snaked outside the building and onto the sidewalk. It was about a 15-minute wait to see them. “I heard about it on Facebook,� said Brenda Andrede 25, mortuary science. “I dressed up in Laker colors and came over to see them.� The crowd was not unexpected. “We expect about 150 people to show up,� said Julie McLean,
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public relations specialist for CKE Restaurants, Inc. McLean said that Carl’s Jr. had been picked to host the event because of its placement so close to PCC. They aimed to attract a younger audience, she said. “We try to market to a lot of hungry guys,� added McLean. The Lakers meanwhile, are in first place in their division and third place overall in the Western Conference with a record of 3320, having won six of their last ten games. There has been a lot of talk about their recently acquired player Ramon Sessions and how well he has been playing with the team. “Sessions has been doing great,� said David Ascota 19, undecided. “The Lakers needed a new point guard and Sessions gives the team a younger look. They are fun to watch.� The event, advertised over social networks, was also being advertised after Laker games. “I saw the [Laker commentators] talking about it after a game,� said Ascota. “My friend and I really wanted to come out and show our love for the team.�
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Courier 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
April 5, 2012
Opinion
Courier
Editorial
‘Spring forward’ is the solution The budget cuts and class closures that sparked protests at college campuses throughout the state earlier this semester, displaced many people. PCC students were angry at the way it was all handled and wanted their classes back in order to move on with their education. They took action and held the administration and the Board of Trustees accountable. So, the administration worked out a solution: “Spring Forward” Intersession. As of Saturday, hundreds of displaced students
have the opportunity to register in over a dozen essential classes. The intersession classes will help students get back on their educational track and closer to transferring. While the climate at colleges throughout the state is far from perfect, the situation at PCC is much improved because students empowered themselves to make their voices heard and brought about change. Each and every student is ultimately accountable for his or her own educational destiny, no one else.
Students have now realized that it is time to accept the realities of the current educational system so that they can move on. Currently, about half of the students who were contacted and offered “Spring Forward” classes have registered. The reality is our state’s economic situation is at best a disaster. More cuts may be on the horizon, but we have to find a way to rise above adversity. The first step is to take advantage of the best available solution by registering for “Spring Forward.”
Assist. Arts & Entertainment Editor Mary Nurrenbern Opinion Editor F.E. Cornejo Assist. Opinion Editor Philip McCormick Sports Editor Nicholas Saul Assist. Sports Editor Brenda Renteria Features Editor Mercy Fabila Assist. Features Editors: Cicely Chisholm, Christine Michaels Photo Editor Gabriela Castillo Assist. Photo Editor Teresa Mendoza 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, Luis Rodriguez, Karla Sosa, Colin Sum Staff Photographers: Kevin Balmadrid, Katherine Bussey, Megan Carrillo, Nikki Debbaudt, Minela Dela Cruz, Steven Fuel, Ya Ling Hsu, Ronald Johnson, AnthonyRichetts, Sasha S. Tracy, Steven Valdez, Blair Wells Faculty Adviser Warren Swil Photography Adviser Tim Berger 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. The Courier is written and produced as a learning experience for student writ ers, photographers and editors in the Journalism Department. 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.
Bullies should be responsible for suicides BY ANTERO BARRANTES III Staff Writer
If the death of an individual is attributed to a weapon, the individual responsible is the one who used the weapon. Why then should suicide due to bullying be any different? In bullying the weapon being used isn’t a gun, it’s words and actions. In the current Rutgers University case involving the September 2010 suicide of 18year-old freshman Tyler Clementi, his ex-roomate Dharun Rhavi was convicted Friday on fifteen charges including invasion of privacy, the hiding and tampering of evidence, and bias intimidation, in other
words, a hate crime. There’s only one thing missing here, the most important of them all. Rhavi was not charged with the suicide of Clementi. He should have been. Clementi’s eventual suicide due to Rhavi’s malicious acts is not merely boorish. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), victims of bullying are more likely to show signs of depression and have a greater risk of committing suicide compared with individuals who are not bullied. The SPRC describes bullying as an ongoing physical or emotional victimization of an individual. Their verbal and physical
attacks could lead to an individual’s psychological instability, which could ultimately result in a devastating consequence: suicide. Bullying increases the probability of the victim’s attempt at suicidal acts. It shouldn’t take away from the fact that the victim was mentally or physically mistreated. On BullyingStatistics.org, a study at Yale University showed bullying victims are two to nine times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims. Some may argue that victims of suicide weren’t emotionally and mentally strong enough to take the hard knocks of life, but Clementi’s suicide was the result
of Internet bullying. Clementi was exposed to the world having intimate relations with another man in his dorm room, by a secretly placed web cam that streamed a live video feed. Rhavi, who was Clementi’s roommate at the time, planted the web cam. Clementi later jumped to his death off a bridge. In this case the webcam is the smoking gun. Whether it resulted in death or not, the individual who used the gun is responsible. The same applies to bullying. If that individual ends up committing suicide, ultimately the bully is responsible. Rhavi should have been charged with murder.
Scaring smokers with ads is not proven effective NEIL PROTACIO Editor-in-Chief
Amputated limbs, half paralyzed faces, and gaping stomas are just some of the many new images that cigarette smokers will have to look at the next time they sit through commercials or view a website. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has invested in a $54 million ad campaign, graphically depicting the realities of diseased smokers for the next 12 weeks. Since the campaign’s first run on March 19, smoking cessation agencies like 1800-QUITNOW have seen a huge increase in both inquiries and phone calls
- a sign that the ads are actually working. While the ads aim to save lives and prevent potential new smokers from lighting up, the campaign is actually nothing more than just a scare tactic with no actual way of helping smokers quit, leaving them completely alone in the dark. Nicotine addiction is where problems arise. After introducing the body to nicotine via cigarettes repeatedly, the brain operates in such a way where the person feels as if they need to smoke in order to operate fully. That is when the full effects of the numerous carcinogens take their toll on the body, resulting in
strokes, heart attacks, and lung cancer to name a few. In order to combat smoking addiction, nicotine alternatives dovetailed with behavioral counseling were devised so that the smoker would eventually forget about drawing another stick. Unfortunately, in research conducted by a team from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, studies found that regardless of counseling and nicotine therapies, about twothirds of the 800-person study group ultimately relapsed. From that point, smokers who are bent on quitting must turn to prescription therapy. According to the American Cancer Society,
popular brands like Chantix and Zyban do not contain nicotine and instead, affect certain brain receptors to help keep cravings at bay. Though both companies can boast success, both Chantix and Zyban are either expensive or not covered by health insurance policies. What the CDC or any other entity should be doing is working hand in hand with health insurance companies to make those medications and services available to those who really do want to quit – that includes the coverage of prescription drugs and also the lowering of health insurance premiums of major employers for smokers.
Best of the web Tax the millionaires The following comments are in reference to the editorial “Brown’s millionaires tax deserves support.” (March 22) There's no way this will ever happen, if Republicans have their way. They are so myopic, they will shoot themselves in the foot before they agree to any increase in government revenue. All they
want is crony capitalizm for their rich buddies, and to hell with the rest of us. What's even more pitiful are the millions of Americans who can't see they are voting against their own self interest when the support a Republican. Pitiful. We deserve the government we get, alas. Exasperated This editorial hits the mark. The
ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Has the Courier's reporting of the budget cuts been fair and balanced? Results as of 4 p.m. Wednesday: 50% Yes 50% No
vote at pccCourier.com
only way higher education as we know it in California will survive is to raise taxes on the rich. Ever since George Bush's massive giveaways (not once, but twice!!) the top 1 percent have seen their share of taxes plummet, while the rest of us have seen our incomes stagnate or drop. The rich benefit just like the rest of us from an educated, employed work force that is not collecting unemployment benefits. They should make a
more equitable contribution because they can most afford it. The plan to increase taxes on the rich should be supported by every student, teacher and voter. 99 percenter Arrggh. Let me keep my ill-gotten gains from crony capitalism. It is in your best interests, you know. What you don't know CAN hurt you. Fat Cat
Note to Readers Letters to the Editor
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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.
April 5, 2012
OpEd
Courier
5
Court should uphold healthcare reform NICHOLAS ZEBROWSKI Staff Writer
The United States Supreme Court is currently considering whether the healthcare reform act signed by President Obama in March 2010 is constitutional. Although the act may not be perfect, it has made healthcare more accessible and affordable to millions of Americans, and has especially benefitted young adults. If the law is ruled unconstitutional, Republicans and Democrats will be back at square one when it comes to healthcare, and millions of Americans will loose their coverage. Healthcare should be made available to every citizen of the
VOICES:
United States. The Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” is a great step towards making good healthcare available for everyone, and if shot down by the Supreme Court it would put more pressure on the states to provide healthcare. Obama’s current plan allows 2.5 million young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance through age 26. Many students (including me) rely on their parents’ health insurance for their medical care Without this healthcare reform young adults under 26 years old without jobs that provide healthcare, would have to pay for healthcare on their own. It also gives young adults without jobs
the ability to stay on their parents’ health care as long as they are full time students. The White House website states that: “Under the law, most young adults who can’t get coverage through their jobs can stay on their parents’ plans until age 26 – a change that has already allowed 2.5 million young adults to get health coverage and given their families peace of mind.” Along with young adults, 17.6 million children with pre-existing conditions can no longer be denied coverage because of their condition. The act also makes 54 millions Americans eligible to receive preventive services like cancer screening at no additional costs.
on their parents insurance and cutting the cost of prescriptions. Opponents to the bill point out the underestimated cost of providing healthcare to people who cannot afford to pay it themselves. According to Mint.com, the act will cause a rise in taxes for only the wealthy. The fact of the matter is this is the United States America, one of the most advanced nations in education and medicine. We should be able to provide affordable health care to those in need of it, and our government representatives need to work together to be sure that all citizens have an equal access to the care they need.
Has justice been done in Trayvon Martin case?
The shooter should not be the main focus of this issue. The law of Florida should be the one in question. We cannot prosecute someone for doing his/her job. Even if it is wrong.”
“This should open our eyes to what is going on in the world. Trayvon isn’t the only “accident” we’ve seen in the past couple of weeks. Justice should be served to those who deserve it.”
“The shooter should be tried but at the same time the whole Neighborhood watch system should be reviewed. Guards shouldn’t be allowed to carry arms.”
Spencer Major, PCC Veteran’s Club
Gisel Anaya, Biology
Alisa Au, Graphic Design
“Zimmerman shouldn’t have had the gun in the first place. He should be tried for manslaughter.”
“Immediately. Somebody killed somebody, regardless of race. The shooter should have been arrested ages ago.”
“If somebody says to stop pursuing somebody, you should stop. Because he didn’t listen to [the dispatcher], somebody got killed.”
Kayla Hilary, criminal justice
Sacha Guvara, psychology
“The media will use Zimmerman as a scapegoat to avoid the fact that racism still exists everyday.”
“I don’t think [Zimmerman] should be walking around with a gun. The kid was just wearing a hoodie.”
“[Zimmerman] was paranoid so he shot and killed a kid just walking around. He should be arrested.”
Chris Terry Smith, Entertainment
Carlos Marin, business
Christian Arka, business
Christal Carrasco, kinesiology
All this information and more are available on the White House website President Obama commented on the Supreme Court review at a recent press conference saying, “I’m confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress.” “It is constitutional,” he added. According to Pew Research Center, 47 percent of Americans support the law. A New York Times/CBS News poll found that large majorities of people in favor of certain parts of the law, such as letting young adults stay
“I don’t think it was a hate crime. I do think Zimmerman was out of line for the shooting though. The whole situation could have been handled differently.”
“In all situations where someone is killed whether innocent or not it is still wrong. Even being innocent, the fact that he killed someone should be acknowledged.”
Amanda Quick, Biology
Joseph De Alba, Computer Science/ Engineering
“It doesn’t matter what race anybody was, murder is wrong. [Trayvon] was only getting candy.”
“If [Zimmerman] killed someone, it’s not fair to let him go. Others are jailed for the crime, so why not him?”
Richard Barragan, business
Amparo Esterada, pediatric nursing
“Yes. Murder is a crime, whether you’re crazy or not.” Daniel Winners, communications
“The shooter should be arrested and tried but hopefully the court will not be biased.” James Parks, Photography
Reporting by: Cicely Chisholm Jessi Alva, Photos by: Daniel Nerio, Steve Fuel, Gabriela Castilloy
SCENE
Courier
April 5, 2012
7
Louis C. Cheung/Courier The orange glow of an overhang illuminates a back entrance to the D Building on Thursday.
Max Perez/Courier Jean Pierre Chanbonpin, 29, accounting, sends a text as he sits in the glow of his phone on Tuesday. Blair Wells/Courier A reflection of the C Building in the Mirror Pools at PCC, an iconic image of the campus.
Glowing in the dark Campus takes on a new aura after the sun goes down The moon serves as a glowing eye as it peers through the "Red Pine" sculpture by Deborah Butterfield next to the Jameson Amphitheater on Tuesday. Max Perez/ Courier
Louis C. Cheung/Courier A campus street lamp highlights the surrounding tree branches by the L building on Thursday.
Justin Clay/Courier A view of the south side of the R Building on Thursday.
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Features
Courier
April 5, 2012
Phone apps can be useful, fun BRENDA RENTERIA staff writer
Antonio Gandara/Courier. Ludwing Wassmer, math major, performs on March 27 during the Club Italia event in the Quad.
A taste of Italy offered in Quad ANDER AROSTEGUI staff writer
Under a bright sun, a small group of students observed the volunteers from the Italian Club and Italian instructors decorate the tables with red, green and white balloons in front of the north entrance of the R Building on Tuesday. While they worked, they chatted in a mix of Italian and English. The $5 dollar pasta menu, performances and games were organized to attract students’ attention to the study abroad program said Simonetta May,
Italian instructor. On a nearby table filled with flyers and other information about Italy and Florence, Sandra Haynes, art history instructor, and members of the ItalianAmerican scholarship committee chat about the program. Haynes will be one of the two instructors flying to Florence for three months in fall. “I can’t wait to be there” she said. Haynes will be teaching art history while there. “Such a great opportunity of learning is priceless”, she said. The $8,000 of the program covers all the main expenses of the trip from air fare and tuition to
housing and unlimited museum passes, said one of the handouts distributed during the event. May said that the program is fully booked every year. May said that compared to other schools’ programs the cost of PCC’s program is much lower so it attracts students from other schools. The event also gave interested students the chance to interact with some of last year‘s participants such as Isabella Genato, international relations. She said the event is a great way of introducing the program to the PCC community and attracting interested students.
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Everywhere one looks on campus whether it’s in the library, the hallways, or in the classroom before a class, students can be seen on a phone listening to music or playing the latest game apps. In the Apple app store, it seems as though there are apps for every situation and addicting games that could take over all one’s spare time. “I use to play Farm Town and Mafia wars on Facebook and I would spend hours on Facebook that the entire day would fly by,” said Tina Lebeau undeclared. “I ended up having to delete my account and denying any further game requests.” Lebeau now has a slider Metro PCS phone that only has apps like Snake and Brick Breaker but also has a Pandigital tablet where she downloads music trivia games. Lebeau is currently waiting to upgrade her phone and wants to download the latest apps like Ghost Hunter Pro to help her with her ghost hunting. “If the PCC mobile app was available for Android I would use it,” said Stephanie Quinonez, psychology major, as she waited in the hallway before class. “I just upgraded my phone to an Android smart phone and so I haven’t been able to download many apps but I do have Draw Something,” she said. Draw Something seems to be the newest game that both iPhone and Android users have been downloading. The app is a mixture of Pictionary and Scrabble combined: one player
Photo illustration by Antonio Gandara/Courier
picks one of three choices to draw for their opponent and then the opponent gets to see the picture being drawn in real time. Another Draw Something player, Sabrina Ishoo, liberal arts major, her favorite app is the Chipotle Ordering app. “I like it. You can order straight through the app and pay, so when you go you bypass the line and pick up your food,” she said. Ishoo also uses apps like Instagram, Pandora and the Blackboard Mobile app to help her with her current Speech Class. The Blackboard app lets her know when the instructor has posted any assignments, announcement and her grades. Film major Julia Lopez uses the Metro transportation app to get to school and uses Google Maps to get her to concerts. “I like to go to a lot of gigs and Google Maps helps,” said Lopez as she waits for the library to open for the day. Lopez is also an avid user of Tumblr “I can express myself and meet so many random people to connect with,” she said.
Features
April 5, 2012
Courier
9
WiFi lounge a hotspot for video game lovers
Graphic novel collection expands
COLIN SUM Staff Writer
CHRISTINE MICHAELS Asst. Features Editor
The Shatford Library has recently expanded its graphic novels collection to over 80 additions due to requests from instructors for their class readings, according to Librarian Diana Lopez. A graphic novel is defined as a fictional story presented in comic strip format and published as a book, according to the Miriam Webster online dictionary. “There are more instructors using graphic novels in classrooms trying to get students to read,� said Lopez. One of these instructors is Elsie Rivas-Gomez, a creative writing and composition teacher. “Graphic novels can be just as complex as texts,� said Gomez, “[And] students tend to be more receptive [to graphic novels].� Her classes read novels such as “Latino USA, a Cartoon History� by Ilan Stavans and “American Born Chinese� by Gene Luen Yang, which are both multicultural texts on graphic novels. Her required texts discuss graphic novels’ importance to be recognized as complex readings
Nikki Debbaudt/Courier The Shatford Library recently expanded their graphic novels collection, as well as created a new section for the additions.
just like other texts, according to Gomez. Kale Hurtado, undecided, said graphic novels are complex reads as well. “You can analyze every story and every narrative, so why can’t it be the same for comics?� he said. One example Hurtado cited was the comparing of “Arkham Asylum� by graphic novelist Grant Morrison to “The Cask of Amontillado� written by the poet and writer Edgar Allen Poe. “They are both really complex reads about the same idea of insanity,� he said. Lopez smiled enthusiastically. “[I] was really excited [by the library’s additions]. It’s a move forward for us in terms of what people want to see in the library.� Hurtado was disappointed when he did not get into the philosophy of graphic novels class. “For us comic fans, [the reading
material] is convenient, like ‘Watchmen’. We already have it on our shelves,� he explained. The library’s extra editions of graphic novels, once scattered around in different sections, are now put in one place on the second floor to the left of the textbook section to provide more access to students and instructors alike for courses that require graphic novels, said Gomez. “They’re not cheap,� said Gomez, referring to the cost of graphic novels. “I hope students access them for free [at the library],� she said. Gomez’s favorite graphic novel, “Return of the Dapper Men� by Jim McCaan and Janet Lee, can cost up to $24 for a hardcover version. But the library has it, along with four shelves worth of graphic novels available for standard check out, according to Lopez.
The WiFi lounge has been a central hotspot where students are hard at work mashing away on their handhelds, keyboards, and controllers just to play friends or have a fun time. Andrew Beckerman, technical theater, has been playing “Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3�, since its November release, as well as the most recent release of “Street Fighter X Tekken�. Both games are team-based fighting games developed by Capcom, with UMvC3 having a stronger fan base with its 3-character based teams, over the top action, and popular roster of Marvel and Capcom characters. SFxT, on the other hand, pits the “Street Fighter� cast of characters against the “Tekken� cast in a 2-on-2 tag team battle. “[UMvC3] is my main game because it is the [most fun] game ever,� said Beckerman. Beckerman brings his Playstation 3 set-up every Tuesday and Thursday morning to play with his friends. “It’s a burden [to play] because of certain characters as well as people [complaining] about the game’s mechanics,� continued Beckerman. David Lee, hospitality, and David Melara, biology, both play UMvC3 and SFxT with Beckerman. Lee hopes it will bring a lot of “Street Fighter� and “Tekken�
players together. “The most hyped game is Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3,â€? Lee said. “[I like] Street Fighter X Tekken because you can do flashy combos, [and] it looks cooler than UMvC3.â€? Melara said both UMvC3 and SFxT are fun because it makes you think. He loves the “tag teamâ€? mechanic in “SFvTâ€?. “Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is exciting because it’s fast paced,â€? Melara said. “People have given it hate, but you still have to think [strategy]. [Street Fighter X Tekken] is new, so a lot of people are playing it and there are things in it that haven’t been explored.â€? Santi Decunto, psychology, plays the “PokĂŠmonâ€? series on his Nintendo 3DS handheld. Current versions of the series he plays are “Heart Goldâ€?, “Soul Silverâ€?, “Blackâ€?, and “Whiteâ€?. He also runs the “PCC PokĂŠmon Leagueâ€? since its establishment two years ago. Decunto said the “leagueâ€? is a resemblance to the leagues in the “PokĂŠmonâ€? anime, where a boy or girl will begin their journey and face different “gymsâ€?. He said the “leagueâ€? is popular among students in their early twenties and who have played the PokĂŠmon series since the 1990s. “It’s a very challenging league,â€? Decunto said. “We all work our best to represent the PokĂŠmon community of PCC.â€?
Want to be part of the process? Participate in shared governance at PCC. www.pasadena.edu/sharedgov/committees.cfm On the website, you’ll find information on the following College Council standing committees. You may also call the committee phone numbers to get more information. t )FBMUI BOE 4BGFUZ (626-585-7995) t 1MBOOJOH BOE 1SJPSJUJFT (626-585-7170) t #VEHFU BOE 3FTPVSDF "MMPDBUJPO (626-585-7258) t "DBEFNJD $BMFOEBS (626-585-7072) t 5FDIOPMPHZ BOE "DBEFNJD $PNQVUJOH (626-585-7734)
t &OSPMMNFOU .BOBHFNFOU (626-585-7170) t 1SPGFTTJPOBM %FWFMPQNFOU (626-585-7388) t 4VTUBJOBCJMJUZ (626-585-7684) t 'BDJMJUJFT (626-585-7258) t $PMMFHF $PVODJM (626-585-7170)
Your voice matters. Be a part of the process today.
Pasadena Area Community College District Policy Policy No. 2000 – It is the policy of the Pasadena Area Community College District to encourage the participative role of faculty, staff, management, and students in District and College governance through an ongoing consultative process. In matters relating to curriculum, academic and professional PDWWHUV WKH %RDUG RU LWV GHVLJQHHV VKDOO FRQVXOW FROOHJLDOO\ ZLWK WKH $FDGHPLF 6HQDWH 7KH %RDUG DI¿UPV WKH ULJKW RI IDFXOW\ VWDII PDQDJHPHQW DQG students to express ideas and opinions at the campus level with the assurance that such opinions will be given respectful consideration.
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April 5, 2012
Courier
Morell’s exhibit a success
Crowd fills lecture on stem cell study MARY NURRENBERN Staff Writer
A full classroom filled with students gathered on Thursday to find out about stem cell research through Core facilities. Core Facilities is a center dedicated to stem cell research at USC. Speaking on behalf of the center was the director Victoria Fox. She described the work in which they do on a daily basis and what goes into the research that Core Facilities does. “A lot goes into a day’s work at the facility. A training program is held in conjunction is California Institute or Regenerative Medicine. Industrial collaborations and a training program are held where 200 students participate in workshops that last from two days to specialized longer training pro-
DUSTY EARL Staff Writer
In the PCC Art Gallery, several works by the Cuban-born photographer Abelardo Morell, the 2012 Artist in Residence, are on display through May 5. Morell is most famous for his camera obscura technique, a process that transforms whole rooms into cameras, projecting the image of the surrounding area on its walls. His pieces are as much works of technology and engineering as they are works of art. The room is completely sealed, allowing no light to enter. A small hole is made to allow light, and the image of the surroundings fill the room. “I like his technique. It’s really original,” said student Julia Aquino, Graphic Design. Morell also is able to project an image of the surrounding area on the ground through the use of a tent camera obscura, and has done so with the Brooklyn Bridge, Old Faithful, and a host of other landmarks and landscapes. “I love Pasadena,” said the artist after he spent the week of March 18 - 23 on campus. He
Katie Bussey/ Courier A work by Artist in Residence Abelardo Morell is exhibited in the Art Gallery. Cuban-born Morell is known for "camera obscura" images.
jovially introduced himself as Abe as he met with students and faculty, and gave talks about his work. As is customary, Morell created an original work for his residency. He turned the Shatford library into a camera obscura, projecting shelves of history books over art books, showing the crucial relationship between
the two fields. In addition to his camera obscura works, some of Morell’s recent cutout pieces also hang in the gallery. They are odes to master engravers Piranesi and Dore, cutting and layering their works into fascinating collages, that both honor the artists and create modern impressions of the original source art.
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grams,” said Fox. “I am interested in getting an internship with CIRM,” said Salvador Recinos, molecular biology. “I am most proud of the support we get from the researchers,” said Fox. She explained to the group how research has advanced since the 19 century. “It used to take a year to complete work on cells, now it is done in days,” said Fox. The room was quiet, students listening intently as Fox spoke about what stem cells are and how they can divide and replace themselves. “It was neat I learned how people work with stem cells,” said Jennifer Hugie, biology. “Our goals are to centralize important technologies for working with stem cells, so cells are easier to work with,” said Fox.
Summer program offered to future engineering majors KARLA SOSA Staff Writer
Johns Hopkins has a summer program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in Engineering. PCC is teaming up again this summer with Johns Hopkins after working together for five years in this program. “Engineering Innovation” is a program designed for potential engineering high school students. According to Salomon Davila, associate professor of Engineering, students who are interested in joining the summer program have to submit an application, letter of recommendation, high school transcripts and are required to of taken trigonometry. Students who enroll for “Engineering Innovation” come to PCC for, four weeks, classes are from Monday through Friday, starting at 8.p.m to 2p.m. They have about two to three hours of homework each night, said Davila, who teaches the program.
“We teach students different types of engineering; civil, electric, mechanical, and chemical engineering,” said Davila. Students also work on projects, one of the projects is that they learn how to built bridges out of spaghetti and also learn how to use certain software. At the end of the four weeks, students are required to take a test to see how well they did in the program. “I don’t know what is on the test, I have to make sure I teach them the important things of engineering,” Davila said. Hugo Perez, co-teaches the course with Davila as a Teaching Fellow. “My responsibility within the program is to make the college-level material approachable and bring it down into terms a High School-level student can understand and work with,” Perez said via email. Perez has been working with this program for about four years. “Each year I’m just blown away by the caliber of students I get to work with,” he said.
Winter session advances Continued from page 1
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Sexual predator still at large Continued From page 1
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“I apologize for that error, that was a mistake,” he said. The recommendation to exclude winter intersession hadn’t been discussed or planned previously by the Calendar Committee, said Bell. “We recommend this calendar to go forth to the College Council for approval, which includes a winter intersession, meaning there are no changes to the aca-
getinfo.nu.edu/transfer
demic calendar,” he said. The four-semester academic calendar was carefully reviewed one more time as suggested by Calendar Committee Co-chairwoman Krista Walter before voted on unanimously. “The administration talked about [the trimester proposal] informally, but everyone’s talking about it,” she said. The four-semester calendar will go to the College Council for its consideration on April 25.
“He sounded a lot like a suspect we had arrested before,” said Campus Police Sgt. Steven Matchan, the investigating officer. The campus police, after hearing the student’s description of the man, thought they knew who he might be, Matchan said. The
police showed the woman pictures of a few suspects they had in mind, but she turned the photos back, saying there was not a match. Matchan said that there was a similar sexual battery reported Dec 5., in which the suspect has not been caught.
April 5, 2012
Courier
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Demonstrators demand justice Continued from page 1
There was emphasis on how the situation could have happened to anyone. “My little cousin is 16. He goes to high school in Pasadena and he walks home everyday. Trayvon could’ve easily been my cousin,” said Myra Whittington, political science. Whittington urged the PCC community to rethink racial stereotypes to help prevent fur-
Steven Valdez / Courier Karen Bagdassarian, Lost and found Clerk, shows the many items that get turned into the lost and found in PCC.
Hidden treasures lost, then found Campus police store missing items LUIS RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer
It happens to students, teachers, faculty and even the occasional squirrel on campus. They lose things. For anyone who has ever lost something on campus, Lost and Found services in B210 in the Campus Police Department may have it. “I get tons and tons of keys,” said Karen Baghdassarian, Lost and Found clerk. Along with the keys is an assortment of expected things like clothes, books, ID cards, and cell phones. But among the mix, are a Rock Band guitar, a croquet set and a reel of photographic slides that recall the iconic 1960s classroom. “I thought I lost a green binder at the library but when I asked them, they said at the end of the day they turn in everything to the lost and found so I came here,” said Ian Fisher, Undecided. Fisher had no luck finding his binder but left a description and contact information. “I lost a copy of Plato’s “The Republic” but I didn’t know about the lost and found then,” he said. According to the PCC website, after 90 days the items are then donated assuming they contain no personal information, such as a
social security card, which is subsequently destroyed. “We give blankets to the humane society, calculators to the math department, bikes go to an organization called the LA County Bike Coalition, and we give to Books for People who operate mobile libraries, clothes to veterans…everything finds a place,” said Baghdassarian. The only things not donated are umbrellas, which the Campus Police then use.According to Baghdassarian her favorite part of the process is the search for the owner of lost property. “It doesn’t have to be something of much value, but to the owner it can be irreplaceable, like a term paper saved on a flash drive or a semester’s worth of notes,” she said. Baghdassarian offers words of advice to help people get their stuff back if someone turns it in. “Attach a cheap flash drive to your keys with your name, number and current e-mail address so I’ll be able to locate you,” said Baghdassarian. “Since phones are locked it’s best to put your e-mail address to come up on the front and just put a sticker in your books.” The office is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Monday through Thursday and on Fridays by appointment only.
CSU budget cuts may limit enrollment for transfers Continued from page 1
fees have not made up for state funding cuts. We must consider other drastic options if our budget is cut again,” said Robert Turnage, CSU assistant vice chancellor for budget, in a press release. As many as 25,000 transfer and freshmen students could be shut out of most of CSU’s 23 schools. Only eight campuses, like CSU Fullerton and CSU Los Angeles, would be accepting applications for spring 2013, but only for college students who have completed an Associate Degree for transfer, officials said. Transfer students who com-
plete these degrees look to be the only ones who would benefit if a “freeze” occurs, leaving many students still uncertain on when and where they will transfer. Jeff Quintanilla, nursing, calls it a stressful situation. “My plans to transfer have to change now because I have to worry about how I will pay for other schools that might be more expensive and I might even be forced to take a year off school [which] will hold me back even more,” he said. According to Fellow, CSUs currently are already lowering acceptances for fall 2012.
ther incidents like Martin’s from happening again. “Challenge your mindset. When you see an African American man walking around campus with a jacket or hoodie on, don’t automatically think he’s up to something or don’t automatically be scared and walk somewhere far from him. I see it all the time,” said Whittington. “Being black does not mean
you’re suspicious. Ask yourself why you think that.” Not everyone was convinced the march would help though.“All those speakers are doing is attacking the heartstrings. I don’t know what they saw,” said Douglas Matthews, engineering. “The situation happened 3,000 miles away. People are protesting and they don’t even know the full story.”
COUR IER
April 5, 2012
SPORTS
Baseball winless against Mt. SAC
Swim team excels at tri-meet
Lancers lose back-toback-to-back games against long-time rivals
Women’s team takes out both Long Beach and LA Trade Tech
BRENDA RENTERIA Asst. Sports Editor
CICELY CHISHOLM Staff Writer
A triple swim meet held at Long Beach City College on Friday saw the women’s swim team win both meets against Long Beach City College and Los Angeles Trade-Tech, while the men’s team found victory only against LA Trade-Tech. The women’s team scored 6260 against LBCC and 91-30 against LA Trade-Tech. The men’s team defeated LA TradeTech with a score of 104-15 but fell short against Long Beach with 92-38. Freshmen Paige Watroba won in the 100-meter butterfly in 1:08.33, 100-meter backstroke in 1:09.95, and 50-meter butterfly in 30.35. Sophomore Cynthia Martinez followed Watroba in the 100 butterfly in 1:10.62. The women’s team started the meet off with a close victory. The
Steven Fuel / Courier Lancer freestyle swimmer Bryan Munoz competes at the triple meet at Long Beach City College. The women’s team took victory against both Long Beach and LA Trade Tech, while the men went 1-1, dousing LA Trade Tech.
200-meter medley relay clocked in at 2:03.52, only 1.73 seconds faster than Long Beach. Sophomore Courtney Jensen gained three victories in the 1,000-meter freestyle in 11:52.21, 50-meter backstroke in 33.40, and 500-meter freestyle in 5:41.81. Sophomore Mikela Velasquez lost the 100-meter freestyle by just .76 of a second, but won the 100-meter individual medley race in 1:04.73. The women’s team won all the races against LA Trade-Tech, and lost only six against Long Beach. “We stayed in the lead because of the medley relay, but we lost
PHILIP MCCORMICK Staff Writer
Natalie SehnWeber / Courier
Baseball hangs on for win The Lancers narrowly defeaedt Cerritos College on Saturday on a spectacular bare-handed grab and throw by second basemen Sean Stone, which he turned into a double play to end the game, as PCC holds onto a 9-8 lead. PCC (5-18, 3-9 in the South Coast Conference) ended a sixgame losing streak in the victory against Cerritos College (7-17, 4-8 Conference). “Our offense and defense both clicked and our true potential was shown,” said infielder Matt Chavez. “If we can keep this up, I think we will have a shot to move past conference.” PCCs offense finally started to
was a moral victory as [To] won three events and [Liu] won two,” said Stoddard. “I had [Liu] swim three events in a row that he was best at, and he beat two of his season’s best times.” The women’s team overall South Coast Conference record now stands at 5-3, while the men’s team is at 3-4. “I like our chances at the championship meet because I feel like we match well with the other teams. We’ll need the sophomore and next level athletes to win,” said Stoddard. The swim team will host the 12th Pasadena Invitational on Friday and Saturday at noon.
Badminton keeps smashing
Will Emerson pitches to a Cerritos batter at Jackie Robinson Memorial Field at Brookside Park in Pasadena on Saturday. The Lancers beat the Falcons 98.
MICHAEL MCGRATH Staff Writer
some [events] we didn’t expect to,” said Head Coach Terry Stoddard. The men’s team lost in all but five competitions to Long Beach, but won them all against LA Trade-Tech. Sophomore Cario Liu pulled together three wins for the Lancers in the 200-meter backstroke in 1:59.33, 200-meter breaststroke in 2:13.17, and 500meter freestyle in 4:57.05. Freshmen Stephen To won the 100-meter butterfly in 51.65 and the 200-meter butterfly in 1:54.67. “Even though we didn’t come close to beating [Long Beach], it
click in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Lancers got five runs off just five hits, after trailing 4-0. The Lancers had built the lead up to 9-4, but Cerritos would not go away and rallied back in the top of the ninth, scoring four more runs. Finally, a grounder was picked up by short stop Tyler Dominguez, which he tossed to Sean Stone who caught it barehanded. Stone seamlessly threw it to first base in one quick movement, to beat the runner and close the door on the Falcons. “I have to say that I’m really happy about the outcome. A [win], for me, is a good day,” said third baseman Damien Santamaria.
The women’s badminton team dominated the court when it faced the El Camino Warriors in their March 30 match. The final score was 192. “We did well,” said Coach Bill Sanchez, threetime South Coast Conference coach of the year. “It was a good match for us and a great team effort” Winning all four of her games, Angie Ortiz had a great match. “There were a few tough games out there today,” said Ortiz. “ But we played well, like we know we can.” Otriz played against Corinne Belandres of El Comino and the two of them played a very good game. The two players exchanged a lot of rallies during their games. In the end, Ortiz came out on top, scoring 2114 and 2112. “[Ortiz] played great today,” said Sanchez. “She was very aggressive in her games, and showed that by winning her games.” Sanchez made some changes going into this match, as he paired up Betty Bermudez and Gabby Anjani for the first time this sea son for women’s doubles. “We did really good together,” said Bermudez. “It was different playing with a new partner, but
Sabrina Hsu / Courier Cynthia Gutierrez returns the shuttlecock in a 19-2 home win.
we won our games, so that’s good.” The Lancers badminton team is trying to go for its fourth consecu tive SCC title this season, having won the title for the past three years. The team is off to a clean start thus far, with a 60 record. “We have been playing out standing badminton,” said Sanchez. “We will continue to play aggressive no matter who the opponent is, each match we play.”
In the Lancers threegame series against their rivals, Mt. San Antonio College, the Lancers lost all three games to the Mounties and were blown out on their last meeting Saturday 31-1 in the Mounties home turf. The Lancers also lost to Mt. Sac 13-4 at Brookside Park’s Jackie Robinson Memorial Field on March 22, and 12-1 in their first series game at Mt. SAC on March 20. The baseball team has hit a major dry spell in losing the last four South Coast Conference games dropping its overall record to 4-16 and its SCC record to 2-7. “We lack [a] certain amount poise, effort and focus and it was illustrated when a pitcher hits the batter and then throws a wild pitch,” said Coach Evan O’Meara. The coach felt the incident of the pitcher hitting the batter and then throwing a wild pitch was isolated, but this behavior continued on Saturday. “The conference is not easy we’ve faced two of the better teams and hopefully we can bounce back from this,” said O’Meara. At Saturday’s game the Lancers struggle was apparent allowing the Mounties to score 10 runs in one inning. The Lancers did have plenty of hits against the Mounties but couldn’t follow through and score. In Saturday’s game, the Lancers were able to rally at the top of the eight inning when Spencer Stute hit a pop fly out that brought in Charles Smith to score the Lancer’s only run. One bright spot in Thursday’s game was first baseman David Haltstead who hit a solo home run over the center field wall at the bottom of the fifth inning. “Haltstead had a tremendous game [on Thursday] with good plays defensively, his solo home run, and [I was] happiest to see him giving up his body to hustle down the first base line to catch a foul ball,” said O’Meara. “It felt good to hit that homer,” said Haltstead. Haltstead would not catch the ball but gave a great effort on the diving play. He was almost cut from the team in late fall but has turned out great said coach. “I knew I was on the bubble and worked hard to come back before winter break,” said Haltstead.