PCC Courier 09/06/12

COURIER

Service!

Pasadena City College

Volleyball wins two in a row Page 8» Volume 106, Issue 2

The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena Since 1915.

Online edition pccCourier.com Facebook PCC Courier Twitter @pccCourier September 6, 2012

Winter classes canceled Faculty members vexed at rushed Board decision

Fate of summer session in limbo

EMILY CHANG-CHIEN Staff Writer

Winter classes were eliminated on Aug. 29 and in the new calendar the fate of summer 2013 session has not been decided.

When the Board of Trustees adopted a tentative three-semester calendar for the 2012-13 academic year, winter session was jettisoned.

However, uncertainty surrounds whether there will be one summer session, two summer sessions or none at all.

“We will [in the future] make a calendar for summer session,” President Mark Rocha said in an interview on Aug 30. “Whether we have the money to fund [one] is an open question at this point.

Will there be classes? We hope.”

The Spring 2013 semester will begin on Jan. 7, and end on May

Disbelief swept the Jack Scott room of the Communication Education Center as the decision to eliminate winter intersession was made on Aug. 29.

After the vote, most in attendance — primarily faculty and students — left the building.

Many who were there left with mixed emotions — they were unsettled and shaken up by the events of the evening. Many were speechless.

Faculty Association representative Julie Kiotas — who delivered an impassioned address to the Board — admitted that “How did you feel about the meeting?” was a tough question.

NICHOLAS ZEBROWSKI AND NICHOLAS SAUL Staff Writers

Justin Clay / Courier Board of Trustees members John Martin, Geoffrey Baum and President Mark Rocha during the Aug. 29 Board meeting held at the Community Education Center.

“I am disappointed that the Board is not more interested in what the students have to say….

I was saddened. When you keep the students from talking, it denies their existence,” Kiotas said in an interview on Tuesday.

Newly elected FA Secretary

Paul Jarrell felt that everybody lost sight of the primary goal of the discussion: an opportunity for students to get the classes that they needed.

“The Board is far enough Continued on page 7

Editorial / page 3 Related story / page 7 4.

The vote at the Aug. 29 Board of Trustees meeting was 5-1 in favor of the three-semester calendar, with Trustee Berlinda Brown voting against it. Trustee Linda Wah abstained.

Brown wanted more time to consider the proposal.

Students and faculty packed the meeting to express their concerns with the three-semester calendar. Many were not allowed into the meeting room, but those outside could be heard chanting, “Let us in! Let us in!” while they pounded on the walls and windows.

The proceedings were disrupt Continued on page 7

Terminated employees replaced van Pelt replaced amid realignment NICHOLAS SAUL Editor-in-Chief

Daniel Valencia / Courier Completion of the future Center for the Arts, currently under construction, has been delayed for at least three months.

Below: A ground view of the building construction site.

Arts building completion delayed EMILY CHANG-CHIEN Staff Writer

Completion of construction of the Center for the Arts building has been delayed at least three months from its anticipated December date, officials said.

According to Jack Schulman, Director of Measure “P” Projects— who is overseeing the $28.2 million project—the general contractor Edge Development, Inc. has gone out of business. Before the company went under, Edge experienced internal problems with scheduling and financial obligations, all of which have greatly impacted the progress of this

project, Schulman said via email.

Schulman is negotiating about a new construction company, BNBuilders.

Unforeseen circumstances with the building construction site also contributed to the delay. Many utilities were not shown in construction drawings, all of which required time to address and remediate, according to Schulman.

Despite these setbacks, Performing and Communication Arts Division Dean James Arnwine, whose division will relocate into the structure when it is complete, said that things slowed down, but never completely stopped.

“At this point, the completion date is Continued on page 7

Former Vice President of Administrative Services Richard van Pelt, and former Facilities Supervisor Alfred Hutchings – both under investigation in a bribery probe – were officially replaced on Aug. 29 when the Board of Trustees approved of an extensive realignment of the college’s executive cabinet.

Van Pelt and Hutchings were fired by the Board of Trustees on June 18 a week after officials announced that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office was investigating them for “conflicts of interest.” The had immediately bee placed on administrative leave.

The “conflicts of interest” that the DA may have been investigating pertained to van Pelt’s and Hutchings founding of a company together. The company, Sustainagistics, was based in van Pelt’s Altadena home and, according to data compiled by the California Secretary of State, specialized in import logistics.

The District Attorney is moving on with the probe, but officials are not willing to disclose investigation details nor can they predict a timetable for completion. “It is a matter of law,” said Jennifer Schneider, assistant head deputy of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Division.

“The investigation remains confidential and we cannot predict how long or short it may be. Our goal is to find out what the facts are.”

Continued on page 7

2

News

Courier

September 6, 2012

Faculty Association claims college can afford winter CHRISTINE MICHAELS Staff Writer

The Faculty Association claimed at an emergency meeting on Aug. 28 that the winter intersession did not need to be eliminated since the college has enough money in reserve to pay for it.

CEC Instructor Daniel Hamman, left, presents an analysis of the college's financial situation to the crowded Faculty Association meeting on Tuesday.

FA President Roger Marheine is at far right.

The college has about $20.7 million - 18.9 percent of its total budget – in general reserves according to the PCC Operating Statements and Acting Vice President of Administrative Services Robert Miller. The minimum reserve mandated by the state is three to five percent.

According to Hamman, the possible $6.75 million more from the state could be used to add more class sections.

“If Proposition 30 passes, 675 sections can be paid for. If [the Board] cuts winter, where are they going to put the extra sections?” said Hamman.

Another issue raised during the meeting was the 2011 - 2012 Quarterly Financial Status Report, which stated there were no “significant differences in budgeted revenues or expenditures,” meaning the college is not currently in a budget crisis for this year or the next fiscal year.

But college President Mark Rocha later explained there was not enough funding from the state to support another winter intersession.

“No matter what occurs with the new calendar proposal, there will be virtually no classes offered in winter because the state reduced our enrollment funding for additional classes,” Rocha said via email.

Faculty Association President Roger Marheine explained that it was a good thing the college had reserves.

“Not to be conceited, but we are PCC. We have money, and we should be spending it wisely, which is on classes,” he said.

Marheine expressed his concern over the Oct. 1 date, saying it felt like an ultimatum in regards to negotiations between the district and the FA.

Blair Wells/Courier Daniel Hamman presents an analysis of PCC finances at the FA meeting.

Cicely Chisholm / Courier The Science Village holds the classrooms/Labs and offices relocated from the U Building

Natural Science moves to new home ANTHONY RICKETTS Staff Writer

Due to the unsafe seismic condition of the U Building, the entire Natural Sciences Division has been relocated to Parking Lot 5A, which has been refitted with 36 newly built units including classrooms, laboratories, and faculty offices, and has been renamed the “Science Village” According to reports prepared by the Facilities Services Department, the temporary new facilities are a result of the U Building Abandonment and Relocations Projects, an $8.5 million project being headed by facilities services in order relocate all divisions housed in the U Building until it can demolished and replaced with a structure that is seismically safe and up to code.

The Natural Sciences Division was selected to be moved to the 44,000 square-foot area previously known as Parking Lot 5A. Located at corner of Bonnie Avenue and Del Mar Boulevard, the lot is now home to 36 newly constructed, air-conditioned, modular buildings.

According to the Dean of

Natural Sciences David Douglass, the newly constructed Science Village will be a temporary home to two-thirds of the natural sciences classes until the U Building can be replaced.

Geology and physics classes will remain in the E Building.

Even thought the new location is temporary, Douglass is enthusiastic about the division’s new location.

“The facilities here are much more updated, the hoods are updated and the gas lines are custom to the way we teach,” Douglass said.

“I think students and staff will be happy with the new facilities and the labs. They’re not so pretty on the outside, but they’re really functional and well designed on the inside.”

Teachers such as assistant instructor Valerie Foster and Joe Conner, a biology teacher, are finding the new location as a pleasant change.

“Chemistry teachers were on the third floor and biology teachers were on the fourth floor,” Foster said.

“Now we are all in the same room, and we can potentially collaborate and figure out what’s

going on in each others’ worlds a little better. Ultimately that will help our students.”

“I see the change as potentially much better,” said Conner. “It still has bugs to work out in the electronics, but once all the glitches are worked out it will be good for the students. For the faculty, a change in atmosphere is always good for the creative juices.”

Students waiting outside the Science Village for their classes to start noted that the new location has some problems.

Most of them agreed that there are not enough shaded areas to escape the heat while they wait for class, the air-conditioning in some of the buildings is not working, and some of the new buildings are having problems with ants.”

All agreed, however, that they feel safer being at a new location.

“Everything is a lot cleaner and there’s a lot more space.” said Jenny Le-Nghiem, a chemistry 1A student.

“There is an ant problem, but that can be fixed with time. The earthquake hazards in the U Building are a lot more dangerous than ants.”

police was called.

August 3 A 10-year-old boy fell down the stairs of the bookstore and twisted his ankle. The boy’s father was contacted and the child was transported to the hospital.

reported that broomsticks were being used as weapons. The group was dispersed by campus police.

Police Blotter

July 9 A student at the bookstore said that he overdosed on brownies laced with marijuana. The student was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital.

July 30 A 40-year-old man was lying on a bench on the second floor of the Campus Center Building and allegedly performing a lewd act upon himself. The man was detained at the scene and escorted off campus by police.

July 30 A 60-year-old woman entered a classroom, began preaching the gospel and refused to leave. The woman left the campus after

August 9 A man suffered a seizure in Parking Lot 5. Paramedics were contacted and the man was transported to the hospital.

August 21 Women were heard screaming and fighting on the corner of Del Mar Boulevard and Bonnie Avenue. A group of 15 people gathered and campus police

August 29 A customer at the campus bookstore was caught trying to pay with an allegedly counterfeit $100 bill. The suspect was interviewed by campus police.

August 29 Campus police transported a man to the Pasadena Police Department jail on charges of battery upon a police officer. The alleged assault occurred at the CEC Building during a Board of Trustees meeting.

Compiled by Raymond Bernal

September 6, 2012

Opinion

Courier

Courier 2011 JACC General Excellence Award Winner Editor­in­Chief Nicholas Saul Managing Editor Nicholas Zebrowski Online Editor Anthony Richetts Opinion Editor Christine Michaels Arts & Entertainment Editor Paul Ochoa Assist. Features Editor Emily Chang ­ Chien Sports Editor Philip McCormick Sports Editor Nicholas Saul Assist. Sports Editor Karla Sosa Photo Editor Buren Smith Assist. Photo Editor Antonio Gandara Online Photo Editor Teresa Mendoza Scene Editor Max Perez Staff Writers: Alfonso Ardon, Ander Arostegui, Raymond Bernal, Geness Gilkey, Maggie Ho, Alan Lopez, Shelly Maldonado, Mary Nurrenbern, Elizabeth Piedra, Amanda Pimentel, Luis Rodriguez, Benjamin Simpson, Mykeisa Willis Staff Photographers: Cicely Chisholm, Justin Clay, John Garcia, Wendy Garcia, Connie Gonzalez, Gabriela Gonzalez, Jordan Harris, Makoto Lane, Triana Melendez, John Novak, Anar Nyantaisuren, Patricia Reyes, Daniel Valencia, Alexis Villanueva, Ryan Yamamoto

3

Editorial

The end of collegiality?

Shared governance a casualty of rushed decision on winter session The Board of Trustees’ rushed vote to eliminate winter session despite the urgent protestations of multiple groups makes us wonder whether shared governance is still part of the college’s decision making process.

When the proposal to eliminate winter was originally floated in 2010, the reason cited was lack of money.

At an Aug. 28 emergency meeting, the Faculty Association heard a presentation by Community Education Center Instructor Daniel Hamman, which seemed to demonstrate that the college was no longer in a fiscal crisis. The numbers came from the California Community College’s Chancellor’s Office Quarterly Financial Status Report.

Since the original rationale has proven to be unsupportable (the college has over $20 million in reserves), the reason to eliminate winter changed suddenly over the summer to “it’s good for students.”

The Board heard its first public presentation of the new rationale for the suddenly renamed “student” calendar during its Aug. 29 meeting.

While the presentation, led by Vice President of Instruction Robert Bell, asserted a three-semester calendar would offer more flexibility, others were not given any opportunity to evaluate this.

Both the Academic Senate and the Faculty Association asked for a delay in the vote.

VOICES:

They were ignored.

At the same meeting, Board President Geoffrey Baum said trustees were eager to hear public comment. “[This meeting] will give an opportunity to extend and receive additional comment from the public,” he said.

A few minutes later, the Board was confronted with heartbroken protesters and concerned faculty members, all urging it to keep a winter intersession. The Board did not respond to any of the pleas.

Faculty Association Representative Julie Kiotas said the existing calendar was a product of a year of meetings. “[The new calendar] is a violation of shared governance, it is an unfair labor practice, and it is a significant loss of institutional credibility,” she said.

While the so-called “student” calendar is identical in almost every respect to the “academic” calendar, the only difference is semantics. The FA may have solid grounds for a legal action based on this change of wording.

Academic Senate President Dustin Hanvey said the Senate had no position other than the current calendar.

Previously in March, the Associated Students Executive Board unanimously voted to support the necessity of a winter intersession. The AS resolution noted that “every survey, opinion poll, public comment and town hall comment performed or

received by the ASPCC in the last few years has shown overwhelming and near universal support for a winter intersession on campus.”

AS President Simon Fraser said at the Board meeting that a “‘student’ calendar is of vital importance to students, but the AS was not consulted.”

Hanvey pointed out discussion of a threesemester calendar occurred while most of the faculty (and students) were away on vacation. “It is important the faculty can express their views on [the calendar],” he said.

Why the rush? The college’s budget situation is unknown due to Proposition 30 on the November ballot. If Proposition 30 passes, the college may get $6 million in additional funding.

But the real issue is why remove winter intersession when it is no longer a budgetary necessity? The college has enough money to fund a session which costs about $750,000.

Due to the hasty vote, none of the shared governance groups were able to participate in any meaningful way before a decision was made.

The lesson the Board and administration seem to be sending with how they handled such an enormous issue – which affects every single person at the college – is that participation in shared governance is pointless. Why should anyone bother? Their input will just be ignored.

How was your experience registering for classes?

Faculty Adviser Warren Swil Photography Adviser Rachel Fermi 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.

“I did the Pathways program this semester so it was easy for me.”

Jillian Nybakken, Nutrition

“It was difficult at first. I ended up crashing classes and getting three.”

Luis Villalovos, Undecided

“I didn’t get any general education classes.”

Alessandra Okuma, Psychology

“Of course it was tough. It’s tough for everyone.”

Mark Nardone, Physical Therapy

“Horrible. In one class, there were 20 people trying to add.”

Von Roy, Accounting

“I found it easy. I got all the classes I need because of Pathways.”

Tyler Ogden, Nursing

“Even though I was registered for two classes. I was not on the enrollment list.”

Ady Carrillo, Art

“Hard. Difficult. You have to get used to rejection.”

Jason Lowe, Undecided

“It sucks. Period. There’s not a lot of classes open. I had to follow professors around.”

Chris Castillo, Photography

“”I was dropped from [my classes]. I haven’t got any yet.”

Ryan McAfee, Computer Science

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.

ONLINE POLL RESULTS Online, we asked: Do you think Lance Armstrong used performance enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France?

Results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday: Yes 67% vote No 33%

at pccCourier.com

Reporting by: Shelly Maldonado, Geness Gilkey, Photos by: Jordan Harris

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 michaels_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 saul.nicholas@yahoo.com.

SCENE

Courier

September 6, 2012

5

Students get together in the Quad on Tuesday and get back into the swing of things for the start of the new semester.

Max Perez / Courier

Cicely Chisholm / Courier Students line up outside the Scholarships & Financial Aid office in the L Building on Tuesday, waiting for help to sort out any financial problem they have.

Back in the saddle College roars back to life as fall semester begins

Justin Clay/Courier The Associated Students offers information as well as free food and beverages from their booth in the Quad on Aug. 28.

Denise Vazquez, 26, Nursing, takes a minute to relax on Tuesday during the stressful first week of school.

Max Perez / Courier

Cicely Chisholm / Courier Students line the Mirror Pools outside of the C Building taking refuge in the shade of the trees.

Cicely Chisholm / Courier Students sit on the steps of the C Building, a favorite place for many to wait for their next class.

6

September 6, 2012

Courier

Faculty art displayed in gallery

Health guru tries to keep campus free of disease

Painting by Joe Futtner, interim dean of visual arts and media studies, is displayed at the Art Gallery on Tuesday. Pieces in the Faculty Art show “Arguments For and Against” will be displayed through Sep. 28.

Gallery admission is free.

Buczko coordinates clinic care AMANDA PIMENTEL Staff Writer

Alexis Villanueva / Courier

‘The Avengers’ showing is a smash RAYMOND BERNAL Staff Writer

Free popcorn, hot chocolate, cookies and movie memorabilia giveaways were all part of the return of Lancer Movie Night on campus on Aug. 30 at the WiFi Lounge with the screening of the film “The Avengers.”

The event was sponsored by the Associated Students and organized by Fernando Becerra, vice-president for campus activities, with a lot of help from an army of dedicated student volunteers.

“There are many activities for PCC students during the day, but we wanted to find a way to include our night students in our activities,” Becerra said.

About 20 films have been featured in the past two years during Lancer Movie Night. Usually the films are screened on a giant inflatable screen in the Quad, but the Thursday event was moved indoors due to rain.

“I would love to see many more movie nights. What a great way for new students to make friends,” said Lorenzo Byers, theater.

Over 100 people attended the event. Some students brought their small children to see the film, their eyes beaming with anticipation for the start of the film. “[This] makes us all a little bit more united,” said student Jermey Barron who was snuggling in a comfortable couch

with his girlfriend Khalia Walk, enjoying the film.

Becerra says he is planning to have at least one Lancer Movie Night a month but will be trying to add more.

At movie time, moviegoers scrambled to find that comfortable soft spot in the lounge.

Some lucky ones were able to commandeer some of the very few but highly sought after leisure couches.

After everyone helped themselves to some hot chocolate and popcorn and all the movie memorabilia was given away, the lights were dimmed, the room went silent, the film began and a Lancer Movie Night was seemingly enjoyed by all.

Co-chair of the Health and Safety Committee, nurse practitioner, and Coordinator of Student Health Services Jo Ann Buczko has made her mark in improving the health of students and staff on campus.

As a faculty member, Buczko has made it her mission to improve the health of the campus by providing her expertise in the medical field.

According to Buczko, the common concerns at PCC include student’s nutritional health, immunizations, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Yet, all these medical demands can be treated at the clinic which provides health services to all students and faculty free of charge.

“The clinic is very confidential. It’s run like any other professional clinic; whatever is said here, stays here,” says Buczko.

The clinic provides nurse practitioners and a registered dietitian that comes in once a week ensures Buczko.

“Every staff member [who] works here loves working with college students, and really wants to be here,” says Buzcko.

Buczko has worked at PCC for 20 years and in 2010 won the award for Outstanding NonProfit Employee by Senator Carol Liu and Assembly-member Anthony Portantino.

Before becoming an employee, Buzcko attended PCC as a nursing student.

“Jo bleeds PCC,” says Dr. Kent Yamauchi, co-chair of the Health and Safety Committee.

“She’s clarified the role of college health services” says Yamauchi.

Buczko has brought in many new programs including opportunities for students in the nursing program to receive hands on experience at the clinic.

“She’s very committed to not only providing the highest level

“Even one or two changes can help a student in a lifetime. Start working on making healthy choices now.”

Jo Ann Buczko, Coordinator of Student Health Services of professionalism, she is also very committed to this college,” said Daisy Ung, senior clerk at Student Health Services.

Buczko focuses on promoting healthier lives for students. She wants to create the healthiest environment on campus.

“Even one or two changes can help a student in a lifetime. Start working on making healthy choices now,” says Buczko.

She believes that students should commit to working on one change at a time instead of trying to fix all bad habits at once.

She is working on a new campaign called “Walk PCC” to provide maps for students to see which routes they can take around campus to get more exercise.

Distances are calculated, as well as recommended times.

Buczko also wants to raise awareness of smoking policies that smoking is permitted only in the designated areas. “We’re really looking into making people more aware [of] our campus policy,” says Buczko.

Buczko does her best to keep herself, as well as others healthy. She does so by taking spinning classes, which is riding a bicycle that is stationary, as well as walking at the Rose Bowl.

“Walking changes your mental attitude and helps you [relieve] stress,” says Buczko.

She also encourages students to look at other alternatives to keeping healthy such as meditation and yoga.

Cicely Chisholm / Courier Coordinator of Student Health Services Jo Ann Buczko holds up a pamphlet detailing “Walk PCC” in the Student Health Center in the D Building on Wednesday. Buczko explains Walk PCC is a way to encourage students to be active while waiting for their next class by walking around the campus.

September 6, 2012

Courier

7

Protesters bring the ruckus to board meeting PAUL OCHOA Staff Writer

The stage was set once again at the Aug. 29 Board of Trustees meeting for another clash between protesters and the board; protesters, faculty, students, journalists, and spectators made up the audience.

Once the public comment on winter session began the sounds of chanting could be heard from outside the meeting room.

The first speakers talked about the benefit of having a winter intersession. “Of the top ten transfer schools 60 percent offer winter intersession. Of the bottom 20 percent, zero offer winter intersession,” said Faculty Association representative Julie Kiotas.

Meanwhile, outside the crowd gathered and began chanting, “Whose school? Our school!”

When Joshua Fleming, performing arts instructor approached the podium to talk about how the Faculty Association is not representing all the faculty, audience members did not take it fondly and began yelling, “Non agenda item! That is inappropriate.”

A protester then stood up and began yelling at the board as the police officers moved to escort him out of the room, he shoved an officer and a scuffle ensued.

Other officers then jumped in to assist the first one. “ Don’t fucking touch me,”’ yelled the protester at the officers trying to escort him as he continued to struggle with police while being marched out of the room.

A female protester in the audience then got up and cried, “Shame on you,” at the board for the way the protesters were

being treated.

After both the protesters were escorted out President Mark Rocha continued to speak to a surprisingly calm room until another protester stood up and began yelling at the board. Police Chief Stanton Perez then addressed the crowd and asked audience members to stop the outbursts.

“Unless there is order in the room we cannot continue with our meeting,” said Perez.

The meeting was then called back into order with a noticeable number of seats vacant in the room.

As soon as the motion passed to eliminate winter intersession, almost all of the protesters left the meeting and a five-minute break was called.

When the break was over the room was nearly empty.

Justin Clay/Courier Campus Police escort student protestor Sarah Belknap out of the Board of Trustees meeting at the Community Education Center on aug. 29.

Ex-college officials replaced Faculty chagrined by elimination of winter amid executive realignment and economically disadvantaged students. She felt Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

Vice President of Educational Services Robert Miller has been promoted to senior vice president and assistant superintendent, according to the realignment. Miller’s responsibilities will now include business and fiscal services (the former domain of van Pelt), facilities (Hutchings’ old stomping grounds) and Human Resources, another executive office that was left vacant after an abrupt departure of its supervisor in April, former Vice President Benedict Lastimado.

“I replaced [van Pelt] by action of the board,” said President Mark Rocha in an interview last week. “Facilities, fiscal services and Human Resources – [Miller] is in charge of it all and the board has approved of three more directors.” Miller’s responsibilities will also include Information Technology, and Safety and Security.

Vice President of Education Robert Bell will be similarly promoted to senior VP and assistant superintendent of academic and student affairs. Like Miller, Bell

will also be in charge of six divisions.

According to Rocha, the school has no updated information regarding the DAs investigation into van Pelt and Hutchings.

“The rest of the matter is in the hands of the Los Angeles District Attorney,” said Rocha. “I have no information since we’ve terminated those employees. We have moved on with our business and the DA, I assume, is moving on with his business.”

Since gaining knowledge of the investigation, the school has conducted an audit into its own financial records by hiring the outside accounting firm of Vicente Lloyd and Stutzman which updates the school at every board meeting.

“So far so good,” Rocha said in regard to the audit’s progress. “It appears that there’s been no financial damage as a result of the actions of the two former employees. And that’s about all we wanted to know.”

A report on the audit was scheduled for discussion by the Board of Trustees at its Wednesday meeting.

New building construction delayed Continued from page 1

tentatively set for March 3,” Schulman said.

Despite delayed progress, both Arnwine and Visual Arts and Media Studies Interim Dean Joseph Futtner continue to be very excited and are really looking forward to occupying the new building.

During a tour in mid-July, Arnwine and other music faculty members were given the opportunity to walk through the building.

“You already get a feeling of how the building feels. It is going to be very nice—it flows nicely…. I am very pleased with it, and it just feels like a very comfortable and inviting building,” Arnwine said.

“It’s going to be really, really

cool,” Futtner said.

However, Futtner also explained that there are multiple implications of obstacles even after completion. The two divisions relocating into the new structure—Performing and Communication Arts, and Visual Arts and Media Studies—will require carefully scheduled time to move from their respective buildings. “[The classrooms must be] set up in terms of the layout, furnishings, technologies, and equipment that will allow it to be actually used,” Futtner said.

According to Schulman, preparations to move the Performing and Communication Arts and Visual Arts and Media Studies divisions will not happen until the completion date draws closer.

removed from the students because they don’t see them on a regular basis. And when they do see them, we have outbursts like [Wednesday night],” Jarrell said in an interview on Aug 31. “And that’s what they see. They don’t see students in classrooms, students waiting in line trying to get into a classroom; they don’t see how things really affect [students].”

After the decision to cancel winter intersession was made, Jarrell told the Board that he was experiencing a range of emotions including disdain, embarrassment, anger and confusion.

FA negotiation committee member Lynora Rogacs — who also spoke to the Board — was concerned with the impact on at-risk students: parents of young children, students with long commutes,

that the calendar change was “institutionalizing sexism and classism.”

“Hindsight is 20-20; obviously things could have gone differently…[the arrests and ejections] could have been avoided,” Jarrell said.

The FA intends to continue fighting. Kiotas planned to make a presentation on Wednesday that will show the college does not have a budget problem.

“On a month to month basis we may be a little short in money, but we certainly have cash on hand to cover the shortfall,” Kiotas said via email. “The state is slow in paying right now, but they have consistently paid us…. The district has maintained for years that [it has] been saving money each year for an emergency. It is hard to imagine a greater emergency.”

Board cuts winter session, summer in limbo Continued from page 1

ed several times by the protest.

Campus police escorted at least three students out of the meeting room. At one point there was a brief struggle between one student and an officer.

Faculty Association representative Julie Kiotas said the administration was doing an end-run around the legally binding employment contract by using the term “student” calendar instead of “academic” calendar.

“It is a violation of shared governance,” Kiotas said. “It is an unfair labor practice, and it is a significant loss of institutional credibility.”

Additional reporting by Paul Ochoa and Christine Michaels

COUR IER

September 6, 2012

SPORTS

Football team fumbles to first loss NICHOLAS SAUL Editor-in-Chief

The Lancer football squad opened up the regular season with a road loss against non-conference opponent Citrus college on Saturday.

PCCs 35-14 loss at the hands of the Owls stemmed from the Lancers’ inability to keep possession of the football, turning the ball over four times on two interceptions and four fumbles.

“You’re not supposed to give them the football,” said Head Coach Fred Fimbres.

“It’s

turnovers. And when you get some penalties, it makes it difficult to win.”

And PCC was penalized – over 153 negative yards racked up through penalties, often in the red zone and in third-down conversions.

Other than the costly turnovers and untimely penalties, the Lancers played a strong all-around game, especially for a team coming back from a 3-7 record last season.

The Lancers saw the return of Quarterback Justin Posthuma who had a season-ending injury

last season after he threw for a school record 96-yard touchdown.

This week, Posthuma threw for a healthy 279 yards and two touchdowns on 19-35 passes against the Owl secondary. But he was sacked four times, and threw two picks.

“It was great to play football again but it’s hard to feel good about a loss,” Posthuma said.

“We’ve got a young team. Maybe a loss is a good thing in the long run.”

This Lancer team is full of freshmen with only two key

players returning on the defensive end (linebacker Mike Sepulveda and defensive lineman Bryan Luna).

And the Lancer secondary is young and was exposed during their play against Citrus, often committing pass interference penalties after getting beat on the route.

“It’s trial under fire,” Fimbres said. “We don’t have a whole bunch of experience there, but we’ll make it work.”

The Lancers run game looked shaky as they rotated three backs and accumulated only 42 yards.

They also fumbled the ball four times, giving it away twice.

The receiving corps looked versatile as seven different players recorded a reception.

Chetachi Jackson lead the team with six receptions.

Jeremiah Andrade put up 113 yards on five receptions, and Tairen Owens recorded 101 yards and a touchdown.

“Statistics are great but only one statistic matters – the win column. And we got the wrong end of it,” Fimbres said. “Our goal is to be playing well when we get to our conference.”

Volleyball beats Citrus and Glendale TIFFANY HERRERA Staff Writer

Benjamin/Courier Tiana Fortuna, goalkeeper for the Moorpark Rangers, makes a fingertip save on PCC foward Vanessa Capra's, attempt on goal, in the second half of the Women's Soccer team’s opener on Friday.

Women’s soccer opens the season with a tie BENJAMIN SIMPSON Staff Writer

Despite a spirited showing, and numerous goal-scoring chances in the second half, the Women’s Soccer team was held to a season opening tie Aug. 31 with the Moorpark Rangers 1-1.

Scoring opened in the first half with a perfectly placed set piece kick by Julie Watson of the Moorpark Rangers, bending the ball from near the corner flag directly into the top corner of the Lancers’ goal.

But the Moorpark lead was short lived as Lancer Vanessa Capra hustled down the center, volleying her own ball into the back of the Moorpark net in the 27th minute.

“The girls have been waiting all summer,” said Coach Randy Lilavois of the Lancers. “And I think a lot of that anticipation… And that excitement they brought out here and it

shows… I was impressed, we fought hard, it’s just a shame we could not get that second goal.”

The remainder of the first half was an even match between the two sides, with few goal scoring chances.

That changed in the second half as the Lancers repeatedly attacked the Moorpark goal. Capra, top goal scorer from last year, again was central to the Lancers attack, with a fingertip save by the Moorpark keeper Tiana Fortuna just keeping out one attempt.

“We could have scored a lot more,” said the goal scorer Capra. “I think we will be great [this year], we have a strong defense, strong offense, strong centers.”

Heather French pinged the ball off the Moorpark goalposts with a lofting shot from a long-range set piece.

During a Lancer corner kick the ball bounced around the Moorpark sixyard box, bouncing between

Cassandra Saavedra, Amanda Papac and Capra just barely ricocheting wide of the net.

In the last 10 minutes of the second half, both teams fought for a winning goal. Both sides had excellent chances, but none of them could find the back of the net. For the Moorpark Rangers this was their second game, the first they won 3-0.

In the closing seconds both Hallie White for the Lancers and Watson for the Rangers fought hard for a ball with the scuffle continuing as the ball and players left the field. Both players were given a yellow card. Lancer Nancy Nunez also received a yellow card earlier in the game for complaining twice to the referee about different calls.

“If we can keep more possession of the ball,” said Coach Lilavois. “We can create more chances, score more goals.

If we do that, we will have a really successful team.”

The women’s volleyball team defeated Citrus College on Friday in three of its four matches and swept all three matches against Glendale College.

PCC defeated Citrus in the first match 26-20, 2420 in the second and 24-19 in the fourth.

The third match was a loss but an intense one.

The match went back and forth.

The Lancers gained and lost the lead several times over the course of the match. It seemed hopeful that they could turn it around and win the match after they caught up, but ended up losing 23-25.

Fresh off the game with Citrus, the team had about 20 minutes before the game against Glendale.

Coach Tammy Silva beamed with pride in her team. “We played well. [We] got into tight situations and we came out of them. It’s all the stuff we want to see in a first match,” said Silva.

Assistant Coach Alison Sharp praised the team’s serving and two players. “Nora [To'omalatai] stood out for us today. [She is] an all-around player and wherever the ball is she knows how to do something with it [and] put it away,” she said.

“Kailey [Faust] did a really good job of…setting it up [and] running a good offense,” Sharp said of setter Faust.

Faust agreed. “As a whole we played really well.

We came together and worked really hard.

Everyone played their positions really well,” Faust said.

Sharp was excited about the match against Glendale. “We scrimmaged with Glendale last week.. but it should be a good match,” said Sharp.

PCC defeated Glendale with a 13 point lead in the first game at 25-12.

PCC won with a comfortable lead in the second at 25-19 and 25-17 in the third.

Sharp said it best saying it was a great season opener.

Jordan Harris / Courier Sophomore Kailey Faust makes a nice dig on Friday