PCC Courier 07/19/12

COURIER

Killing

Pasadena City College

Ex­student gets 11 years Page 2» Volume 106, Issue 1

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

Online edition pccCourier.com Facebook PCC Courier Twitter @pccCourier July 19, 2012

Job cuts, furloughs weighed

by Board

Photography teacher has need for speed

Aim is to save $10.5 million NICHOLAS ZEBROWSKI Managing Editor

Yvonne Najera / Courier Photography instructor Roland Percey takes off his helmet after a successful run on the El Mirage race track in Mojave on Sunday. Below: Percey runs diagnostic tests on his modified Corvette before taking it to the starting line.

Instructor hits 182 m.p.h. in racecar NICHOLAS SAUL Editor-in-Chief

Over in the barren desert of El Mirage Lake, where entire bodies of water are left dry and the sun’s omnipresence scorches all forms of moisture, there is life. Once a month the Southern California Timing Association hosts speed tests in this desert playground where some of the world’s fastest drivers and most intuitive car engineers look to break land speed records.

The dried-up lake bed creates a solid, and perfectly flat landscape that stretches for miles. A perfect venue for those that like to test the limits of how fast a person can go. One such person

is PCC photography Instructor Roland Percey.

Percey drives a customized and suped-up vehicle known as a gas mod-

ified sports car. Percey’s vehicle-ofchoice? A 2002 Chevy Corvette, which at 3300 pounds has over 830 horsepower. “Everything’s custom. Actually the only thing ‘Corvette’ about this, is its body,“ Percey said.

Percey, has been teaching photography at PCC since 1995, and racing since the 1970s. On Sunday, he looked to improve his personal record of 209 m.p.h.—which is a feat that must be completed within one and a third miles.

“I don’t want us to go less than 200,” said Crew Chief Rick Haynes. “The car can go 200, but what will the driver do?” he jokingly added.

Staff reductions and elimination of the winter session were among the options scheduled to be considered on Wednesday evening by the Board of Trustees as they weighed $10.5 million in possible budget cuts.

Also on the table was a 10-day furlough for nonfaculty to be scheduled for 2013, if Gov. Jerry Brown’s tax increase measure on the November ballot fails.

The options scheduled for discussion were presented in a report from an ad-hoc subcommittee of the Board that drew up its recommendations July 9.

Under the heading “Actions we are able to take now,” the first item is a “reduction in force of hourly temporary unclassified workers of 50 percent.” This implies that at least some would lose their jobs. The action is said to save an estimated $3 million.

Also, a reduction in the number of class sections by eliminating another 578 of them during 2012-13 would account for another $3 million in estimated savings.

“By law the Board has to adopt a new budget by the Sept. 5 meeting…so there is not much time,” said President Mark Rocha, ad hoc subcommittee member.

“These are recommendations from the subcommittee to be discussed [by the Board] and the committee put them on the agenda,” said Rocha. “The budget situation is absolutely terrible…[the Board has] some very difficult decisions [to make].”

Also scheduled for Board consideration was a 2012-13 hiring plan for 41 positions, seven of which

Continued on page 8

Employment of former CEC dean comes to an end

Designated smoking areas to get makeover EMILY CHANG-CHIEN Contributing Writer

The dismal three areas designated for smokers on campus are about to get a facelift.

Immediate plans to upgrade the smoking sites were discussed Tuesday by the reconstituted Health and Safety Committee.

According to committee Cochair Dr. Kent Yamauchi, the committee aims to revamp these smoking areas and “leave something to desire, if you are a smoker, in terms of making it a comfortable place.”

Facilities Service Supervisor Sarah Flores will be temporarily upgrading these areas and making them as aesthetically pleasing as possible, she said. Each area will be made uniform, given trash receptacles, potted plants,

graded terrain; excess cigarette butt cans will be removed, and foreign plants will be weeded.

Flores explained that these plans will suffice “until something more permanent comes up.” She estimated that these modifications will be completed

by Aug. 24, just in time for Welcome Day. Permanent upgrades are still in the planning stages. In the long term, the committee aims to remedy these rough spots by planting vegetation, as well as building overhead shade to make the areas attractive, and most of all comfortable.

The committee hopes to turn this project into a community effort. “[We hope] to have a collaborative or cooperative arrangement with PCC’s construction department [and

Continued on page 7

CHRISTINE MICHAELS Staff Writer

Blair Wells / Courier One of the few designated smoking areas presently on campus which is located between Shatford Library and the U Building.

botany classes]…which will also allow the students in [these] particular programs to contribute to the campus,” Yamauchi said.

In the meantime, the committee is working to raise awareness

of district policy that prohibits outdoor smoking on District owned property, except in designated areas.

Continued on page 7

The now former Community Education Center Dean Richard Hodge did not have his employment contract renewed as of June 30.

General Counsel Gail Cooper announced Hodge was put on administrative leave on Feb. 21 by the Board of Trustees, according to the meeting’s minutes.

Cooper would not respond to inquiries asking about the nature of Hodge’s contract expiring.

According to CEC Instructor Danny Hamman, the administration sent an email to the CEC explaining Hodge was on administrative leave, and Vice President of Educational Services Robert Miller would be aiding in the “day to day operaContinued on page 7

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News

Courier

July 19, 2012

New registration priorities are implemented PAUL OCHOA Staff Writer

Students with an educational plan who have between 16 and 30 credits are now getting the top priority slots for registration. No longer do those with most credits get the coveted first crack at classes.

This change is being implemented for the first time with fall 2012 registration.

The reasoning for the change, said Robert Bell, vice president of student and learning services, is to help students with an education goal by making sure they get the classes they need.

“The rationale for the change is to give students with an educational plan, priority to make sure those students are able to get their classes. It helps students complete AA degrees and transfers within a two to three year period ” said Bell.

Students with more credits will now fall behind on the registration queue, said Bell.

“When a student gets to that point, the sense is if they haven’t achieved their educational goal by then, we’re not going to kick them out. It’s not that they won’t be able to take classes, it’s just that their priority will come later in the registration queue and students who are between 30 and 45 credits will move up,” said Bell.

Lowering the priority of students with more credits is because they should have

already of completed some educational goal, he added “The theory is that when a student gets to a hundred credits, the sense is by the time you get to a hundred you should have completed at least your AA or all your requirements for transfer, or all your requirements for a certificate,” said Bell.

Bell said the main goal is to try and get students out of PCC successfully and quicker.

“It helps students complete AA degrees and transfers within a two to three year period. I’ve heard from students that it sometimes takes four to five years to complete a transfer program to transfer to a four year [college] and the reason it takes so long is because there is so much competition for those classes they need to graduate and the are so late in the registration queue,” said Bell.

Some students like the new priority registration system, feeling that it will help them achieve their goals faster.

Hamza Shakil, business, agreed. “That is a very big step for them and a real good thing done by PCC. They are not going to make students wait,” she said.

Other students are not so thrilled with the new priorities.

“That sucks because I have an educational plan and I do need just a couple more classes to get out of here,” said Pedro Almazon, Tele Communications.

Blair Wells/Courier Academic Senate President Dustin Hanvey, Ph.D., who is in the first month of his new position, has been a professor of English at PCC for 8 years.

New Senate president takes charge EMILY CHANG-CHIEN Contributing Writer

Newly elected Academic Senate President Dr. Dustin Hanvey is hard at work during the summer intersession, fueled by his passion to help as many people as possible.

Hanvey comes from a family of teachers: both his parents were teachers, as well as an aunt, and even his grandmother. “It’s just in the blood,” Hanvey says.

“I’ve really always enjoyed helping people—helping people become better, conveying the knowledge that I have to others, and actually learning from them too—it is a two way street.”

Over the course of his eightyear tenure at the college, Hanvey has been involved with the Academic Senate for seven years—starting off as a representative, then becoming a treasurer, vice president, and now president.

The English professor decided to run for Senate President, he said, because he had an interest

in governance since a young age.

However, what compels Hanvey the most is his deep concern and sincere interest in the wellbeing of students and faculty on campus. “[I] got involved to make a difference,” Hanvey says. As the new Senate president, Hanvey’s top priorities are to “improve communication and mutual respect on campus,” he says.

Hanvey holds true to his personal philosophy of listen first, speak later. In an effort to further improve the climate on campus, as well as improve and unite the relationships among students, administration and unions on campus, Hanvey adopts a hands-on approach.

It is extremely important, he says, to “just [talk] to people— actually get out there and [not] just hide behind a closed door.”

Academic Senate Vice President A.C. Panella expressed his excitement in getting more involved with the school’s community and servicing it.

Academic Senate office secre-

tary Judy Benson is thrilled to work in an environment with a “very approachable, personable, interactive, encouraging, and very open supervisor (Hanvey),” she said.

However, Hanvey and the Senate are preparing for a year fraught with hardships from top to bottom due to the ever-present state budget cuts.

The Senate has had “to deal with large cuts, [while] trying to maintain quality in the midst of these cuts,” Hanvey said. “[My goal is] to try to serve the same number of students, with less money…and also at the same time keep improving the quality,” he says.

The Senate is looking to host monthly town-hall meetings— for students, faculty, and management—to discuss major issues of the day. The first one is due to be held in September, Hanvey said.

“This is a service industry, and that is what we do—serve students. The more people I can serve, the better.”

Killer of student gets maximum sentence NICHOLAS ZEBROWSKI Managing Editor

A former PCC student has been sentenced to the maximum prison term for killing his girlfriend and storing her body in a trash can filled with kitty litter.

Isaac Campbell was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison after being convicted last month of voluntary manslaughter in the death of his girlfriend Liya Liu, both former PCC nursing students.

“I recommended the maximum on voluntary manslaughter,” District Attorney Steve Ipson said after the sentencing.

“I estimate he will get out around May 2017.”

Ipson added that Campbell’s conduct in prison may affect the length of time he serves. Ipson expects an appeal to be filed.

Judge Stan Blumenfeld also sentenced Campbell to two years for possession of marijuana and three for transportation of marijuana. The sentences are to be served concurrently. Campbell has been in custody since

Louis C. Cheung/Courier Parents of Liya ‘Jessie’ Liu listen to a court interpreter explain the courts decisions.

December 2007, and has about five years served.

Campbell’s first trial in 2011 ended in a 10-2 verdict that resulted in a hung jury after no cause of death could be found because of the mummification by the cat litter.

Ipson argued that Campbell killed Liu with a martial arts

chokehold after a heated argument in his apartment.

According to testimony from a neighbor, there was loud fighting then a loud noise, then silence.

Campbell may also been ordered to pay restitution, this is to be determined at a hearing on August 31.

July 19, 2012

Opinion

Courier 2011 JACC General Excellence Award Winner Editor­in­Chief Nicholas Saul Managing Editor Nicholas Zebrowski Opinion Editor Christine Michaels Features Editor: Paul Ochoa Photo Editor Buren Smith Assist. Photo Editor Antonio Gandara Chief Photographer Blair Wells Online Photo Editor Louis Cheung Scene Editor Max Perez Multimedia Editor Natalie Sehn Weber Staff Writers: Emily Chang­Chien, Kirk Chu, Mary Nurrenbern, Raymond Pecson, Neil Protacio, Anthony Richetts, Luis Rodriguez Staff Photographers:

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

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Public’s voice squelched by Board NICHOLAS ZEBROWSKI Managing Editor

Public comment is the most important aspect of meetings of governing boards. But, the policies the PCC Board of Trustee has established concerning public comment limit concerned citizens’ ability to be heard.

This year, protests have occurred at most board meetings. Some of these meetings have gone very wrong, although some did turn out successfully.

Board President Geoffrey Baum seems to think that going into recess is the right way to deal with an uproar from the audience that disrupts the meeting. But at the Jan. 18 meeting, when Baum was absent, Board Vice President John Martin took control, and the meeting was conducted successfully with a room full of protesters.

What was done differently?

The protesters were louder, and in greater numbers than at any other meeting this year, but somehow this meeting seemed to be the most productive.

Martin was able to calm the crowd, restart the meeting, and

go on with public comment and other business without offending most of protesters, cutting people off rudely, or threatening to adjourn to another room.

There is no reason why the meetings of June 6 and June 20 could not have been handled in the same way.

Baum has more than once had the Board leave the room at the first sign of uproar or anything that may “disrupt” the meeting.

Board meetings are times for the conduct of official business, but this should not be at the expense of the public voice. The Board needs to think seriously about the repercussions of constant threats to adjourn to a private room.

Relocating to a private room and allowing only a few members of the press in to document the proceedings is a manipulative way of doing things, and is one way to loose the confidence of the public.

The Board’s reaction to the protesters gives the public less of a voice. Surrounding the audience with police, as happened on June 20, not allowing water into the meetings, and having the

Max Perez/Courier

police chief hover around the podium during public comment are scare tactics to discourage people from expressing their views.In fairness, the Board has to deal with some obnoxious and rude people in the audience.

Some who yell and scream at the Board reflect badly on the whole group.

They prevent those in the audience with real problems

from being heard. The way to allow citizens’ voices to be heard would be to allow public comment to simply run as long as necessary to accommodate all speakers. Or the Board should hold separate meetings strictly for public comment and board feedback. The protesters may be rude and inappropriate at times, but the reactions of the Board have been equally inappropriate.

Is anyone taking care of business?

CHRISTINE MICHAELS Opinion Editor

Yvonne Najera, Daniel Nerio Faculty Adviser

Courier

With six vital senior management positions at PCC vacant, students, faculty and staff can only wonder how business is being properly and efficiently conducted on campus. The recent bribery investigation led to a vice president and facilities manager being put on administrative leave. A week later, Vice President of Administrative Services Rick van Pelt was terminated.

Since the beginning of the spring semester, there have been three vacant dean positions, two vice president vacancies, and

VOICES:

one director position left unoccupied. Others have had to fill in covering the duties of up to three positions simultaneously.

What is more troubling is the manner in which these vacant positions are being filled. The Board of Trustees has appointed other vice presidents and even the college’s General Counsel to oversee the business of divisions and administration positions alike.

The Interim Vice President of Instruction Robert Bell is also the acting Division Dean for both the Business and Computer Technology Divisions. When asked by the Board in February to help run the Community

Education Center after former dean Rick Hodge was put on administrative leave, Bell explained he already had a full plate.

Vice President of Educational Services Robert Miller was asked

by Bell to help the CEC with overseeing its day- to- day operations in early February. In June, Miller was asked to take on yet another position as the Acting Vice President of Administrative Services after van Pelt was put on administrative leave.

Vice President of Information Technology Services Dwayne Cable was asked to take over the position as the Acting Director of Facilities in van Pelt’s absence.

When the former Vice President of Human Resources left on “personal leave” in May for an undetermined amount of time, General Counsel Gail Cooper and President Mark Rocha took over his duties.

These constant and growing vacancies on campus are often filled by officials who are not qualified to for them.

Having the college lawyer taking over Human Resources, having the Vice President of Information Technology overseeing the Facilities Department for a still undetermined amount of time, is not a wise, progressive, or safe way to run the college.

Was the Supreme Court’s decision on the Obama health care law the correct one?

District.

The Courier is written and produced as a learning experience for student writ­ ers, photographers and editors in the Journalism Department.

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Top three results as of 5 p.m. Wednesday: Very well: 43% Awfully: 37% The best we can expect from them: 10%

vote at pccCourier.com

“People are always going to complain, whether they are asked to pay or not.”

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Reporting by: Anthony Richetts, Photos by: Yvonne Nejara

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.

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SCENE

July 19, 2012

Max Perez/Courier Raymond Yu, 20, Zoology, busts out some skateboard skills on campus during summer session.

Max Perez/Courier Swimmers take advantage of the heat by taking swim classes offered during the summer season.

Blair Wells/Courier Jase Toomalatai carries team mate Ernesto Moreno during drills at the Lancer's summer football practice at Robinson Stadium on Wednesday.

Courier

Yvonne Najera/Courier Patrons crowd near the entrance to the Flea Market, which runs first sunday of every month in Parking Lot 5 near Bonnie Ave.

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Blair Wells/Courier Lancer football players Kevin Tapiano, freshman, and Lewis Sovalbaro, freshman, work together on the Wheel Barrel Walk as they participate in the summer practices at Robinson Stadium on Wednesday.

Summer swing Campus takes no breaks for the sizzle of the season

Yvonne Najera/Courier Shoppers pull their carts around the Flea Market.

Max Perez/Courier A Swimmer prepares to jump into the pool during a summer swim class held at the Aquatic Center on Tuesday.

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July 19, 2012

Courier

New interface for online classes arrives ANTHONY RICHETTS Staff Writer

The online course interface used by many classes at PCC has been replaced.

At the start of the summer semester, students who are taking online courses got to experience something different this semester. Blackboard, which has been the campus’ tool for providing online courses for many years, has been replaced with a new learning management system, Canvas.

Learning Management System Evaluation Steering Group, a group of 30 faculty and staff members representing each department on campus were asked to determine whether or not to continue with using Blackboard as the primary sys-

tem for online courses, or to choose between two other potential systems, Canvas or Moodle.

The group set up a website that explained who the group was comprised of, and the evaluation process.

It also outlined the group’s reasons for the evaluation, stating that faculty and students were “dissatisfied with blackboard” and according to the Director of Distance Education, Leslie Tirapelle, with Blackboard’s contract ending at the end of June, that it was time to find a more effective system.

“It had a lot of bugs, and every time they would create a patch to fix one bug, something else would essentially break,” said Tirapelle about Blackboard, “We just found it to be glitchy for faculty and students and we were

getting a lot of complaints.”

According to the group’s website the evaluation process lasted only three weeks, from April 27 to May 11.

The group watched presentations from the three different companies fighting for the top spot. They were then able to try out the three different systems, after which they took an anonymous vote to reach a majority decision.

Based on a one to 10 scale, Canvas received the top marks, receiving a 7.8 overall score, scoring high in both user interface and performance & reliability.

Moodle and Blackboard took second and third.

Moodle received a 5.5 overall rating while Blackboard had a mere 4.5.

Photo illustration by Max Perez Canvas has replaced Blackboard, boasting a 7.8 score with the Learning Management System Evaluation Steering Group.

“With Canvas I can do basically everything by myself, and with just a couple hours I can teach myself how to use

Canvas.” said Julie Kiotas, psychology instructor and one of the evaluators that voted for Canvas.

New parking permit machines now accept cards YVONNE NAJERA Contributing Writer

Natalie Sehn Weber / Courier Technology Instructors Solomon Davila, left, and Debra Bird attend a news conference at which the $3.9 million grant was announced.

Grant awarded for design program NICHOLAS ZEBROWSKI Managing Editor

A $3.9 million HispanicServing Institution Title V grant has been awarded to the college for the Design Technology Pathway program.

The U.S. Department of Education will provide PCC with $755,000 for the next five years, increasing the college’s grant total to nearly $7 million for 2012. PCC was one of 19 colleges in the country to receive the grant, boasting a 34 percent Hispanic Fulltime Equivalent enrollment, which is 9 percent more than what is needed to be eligible for the grant.

“This grant represents a major step forward in our goal of transforming our current 20th century engineering and technology programs into 21st century workforce education programs that

provide students the means to excel in today’s global workforce and to provide employers the skilled workforce they so urgently need to compete domestically and abroad,” said President Mark Rocha at a news conference July 13.

The grant, according to school officials, will be used to help develop the Design Technology Pathway program. The school will partner with Cal Poly Pomona to develop the program even further.

“We conceived a program that would be project based so that all the students, rather than learning a theoretical traditional classroom environment, would be active design problems using technology,” said Debra Bird, technology and engineering division instructor.

According to Solomon Davila, also an instructor in technology

and engineering, the premise for the use of technology in Design Tech was for preparation for the workforce. The class integrated use of technology such as 3D modeling and laser cutting.

“Our experience in working out there in the industry … we’re able to address the fact that … we’re not preparing our students for the workforce,” said Davila.

“We felt that a social justice in innovation that PCC stood was very much about Design Tech.”

Students from the pilot of the Design Tech Program were present at the meeting and said that they learned a lot from the course.

“This Design Tech Program kind of explained how your major or your GE’s collaborate together,” said Sandra Perez, a mechanical engineering major who aspires to work for NASA. The program, according to Perez, integrated the use of English and math to help the students understand problem-solving situations. A major project that the first students of the Design Tech Pathway took on was the designing of a Rose Parade float.

“We were all surprised that we could create our Rose Parade floats,” Perez said. “It’s possible that anyone can do it if there’s the right teaching.”

New parking permit meters have been installed on campus that now accept credit and debit cards.

According to Parking Technician Paul Broadnax, the main campus has 37 meters operating, and the Community Education Center campus on Foothill Boulevard has four machines.

Police Chief Stanton Perez, director of police and safety services, said the new machines have the capability for real time notification of any system failure or malfunction. They alert Broadnax on a system integrated iPad for immediate maintenance to that machine, he said. “[The new machines] provide us with tremendous capabilities beyond what we had up until this point, which is coins or the dollar [bill],” Perez said.

This updated technology can greatly reduce the number of complaints about the parking

machines, which mostly consisted of their inability to take cards, he said.

“Long term, we are looking to make further improvements with all of our parking systems around campus,” Perez added.

“We looked at different technology, but this is the one that immediately came about. There are other functions we are looking at for the future, one is being able to take more than the one dollar or coin.”

Perez said complaints from students and visitors in the past have been that a machine is not functioning or they do not have the proper change or dollar amount. Then they run the risk of receiving a citation and have to spend the time to contest it.

The new system was put into place a couple of weeks ago to test out during the summer semester, Perez said, and now that the machines have passed the test, they are ready for the influx of students for the fall semester.

Film on overpopulation to be screened on campus KIRK CHU Staff Writer

The award-winning documentary Mother: Caring for 7 Billion will be shown in a free public screening on July 31 at noon in the Circadian Room, CC Building.

The screening will be one of two free showings presented by the Glendale chapter of Population Connection and the Glendale Human Relations Coalition. The latter organization supports the film’s message in emphasizing the importance of women’s rights and in providing contraceptive freedoms to women if they need them, according to Sharon Weisman from the Glendale Human Relations Coalition.

The film examines the oftenoverlooked and growing problem of overpopulation, focusing uniquely on the importance of women’s education.

Ludina Sallam from Population Connections said, “Studies have shown women who are more educated tend to marry later and have fewer children.”

As the population continues to grow, addressing this issue from the standpoint of women’s rights is an important step to fixing this problem, she added.

A second screening of the film will take place at Glendale Central Library Auditorium on August 10 at 7 p.m. After both screenings, there will be a brief discussion of the film’s content.

July 19, 2012

Courier

Job cuts weighed

by Board members

Smokers getting help in kicking their habits LUIS RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer

The hottest accessory all over campus this summer is not a pair of trendy shoes or designer jeans. It’s cigarettes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more Americans die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer.

In an attempt to help students quit, Student Health Services offers a smoking cessation program in room D-105.

The program is eight weeks long, costs $15 and is offered to full-time students. Those who successfully complete the program are given a refund, according to the PCC website.

“I have tried to cut down many times but I always get the desire to smoke,” said Brian Diaz, broadcast journalism, as he puffed away on a Turkish Silver Camel cigarette outside the Shatford Library.

Jo Ann Buckzo, coordinator of Student Health Services, said this program was started four years ago with the intention of leading PCC towards being a smoke-free campus.

“I believe the campus would benefit if it was 100% smoke-

free,” said Buckzo. “For starters, it would eliminate the substantial litter of cigarette butts we see discarded on our campus…and decrease the illnesses we see in the health center related to smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke.”

No AA-style meetings where people gather in groups to discuss their issues with strangers are involved. These are one-onone sessions. Each session confronts a different problem faced by smokers such as managing stress and urges.“For those with withdrawal issues we do have nicotine replacement aids,” said Buckzo.Smokers got lucky when Proposition 29 was rejected by voters on June 5; otherwise the tax on cigarettes would have gone up $1 dollar per pack. But the already high cost doesn’t seem to stop smokers.

“I’ve been smoking for over 20 years and I’m getting to the point where I know I need to do something,” said Diaz.

Matt Suzuki, business, is unfazed by the cost. “[Cigarettes] are expensive but I don’t care,” he said.“I’ve been harassed for smoking around people who don’t want me around.” Buckzo has first-hand

Continued from page 1

Buren Smith/Courier Many students and faculty, including student Neil Protacio can be seen frequently smoking at the designated smoking areas around campus.

knowledge of breaking the habit.

“I smoked in college for about eight months during my freshman year,” she said.“From saved cigarette packages that I had and from those of my friends, I wallpapered one of my dorm room walls. When I saw that....I was

done with smoking. It wasn't a useful habit and was mostly socially driven. I haven't smoked since,” she said.When the smoke clears, students are awarded a certificate of achievement, but ultimately in the long run get an even bigger reward; good health.

Dismal smoking areas slated for renovation Continued from page 1

Committee Co-chair Jo Buczko explained that the committee started meeting only in May, and is in the process of discussing creative and friendly ways to enforce the policy. Buczko said the committee is working

towards creating an educational campaign to alert people about the policy and to try to decrease mixed messages on campus.

“We want to make clear in message that our campus is smoke free, which means that smoking is allowed in designat-

ed areas only,” Buckzo said, Yamauchi elaborated: “Rather than being punitive and give citations, we want to do our best to inform people about our policy. We want to make the areas attractive [and comfortable] so as to not make smokers feel like

second-class citizens,” he said, The “no smoking within 20 feet of the buildings” signs situated around campus have been updated. Alongside these signs, a campus map marked with the designated smoking areas also will also be installed.

Former Community Education Center dean gone Continued from page 1

tions of the CEC.” “The email basically said that Miller was going to be our new dean…he is helping our director [Ibrahim Naeem] with everything over at the CEC,” said Hamman in an interview.

Miller explained he was not the CEC dean. “I’m just helping

Mr. Naeem out with delegating how things work at the CEC,” he said. Miller also said Vice President of Instruction Robert Bell was originally going to be in charge of the CEC. “Dr. Bell already has a full plate, so he asked me to help him,” Miller said. Miller had no comment on why Hodge was put on administrative leave. “I believe it is a

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personal matter, but you can ask the General Counsel Ms. Cooper, if you’d like, but she will probably tell you the same,” he said.

Bell also had no understanding as to why Hodge’s employment contract was not renewed.

“I’m still relatively new here,” said Bell. He explained he was asked to help the CEC with its day to day duties, but consider-

ing he is already the acting dean for the E&T Workforce Development and Business divisions, he asked Miller to take over the duties. “I don’t know why Mr. Hodge was put on administrative leave, but Mr. Miller has been doing an outstanding job in assisting Mr. Naeem in the CEC’s day to day activities,” said Bell.

would be new jobs that would require new funding.

“A lot of will depend on the discussion [Wednesday],” said Trustee Linda Wah, also a member of the subcommittee.

The furlough – time off without pay – would have to be negotiated with non-faculty unions.

No classes would be scheduled in winter session 2013.

Administrators and staff would take a one-week furlough at the start of winter and a one-week furlough at spring break.

Pay would be reduced in six installments between January and June.

The California Community College Chancellor’s office has advised districts to plan the cuts into their 2012-2013 budgets.

Other recommendations that require negotiation with the Faculty Association include a freeze in step pay increases for faculty, estimated to save $740,000.

Elimination of the winter session would save an estimated $1 million.

An action that would require agreement by the Academic Senate would be to increase class sizes by 20 percent from and average of 29 to 35 students.

Estimated savings: $2.75 million.

Addressing the new hires, the subcommittee report says the additional money would be realized by “additional cost reductions in discretionary spending and contributions from grants.”

“The odds of changing the state mandated workload [the number of full time equivalent students] is unlikely,” said former Student Trustee Alex Soto who sat in on the sub-committee meeting.

Soto also expressed concerned that the reduction of temporary workers may include student workers.

“Hiring new managers can bring nothing but good things,” Soto said about the hiring of new employees. “[Things] are more likely to be overlooked if there are less staff.”

Disabled students have a place to get help MARY NURRENBERN Staff Writer

Students who are having difficulties have a place to go to: Disabled Student Programs and Services helps physically and mentally disabled students.

“We help every person with a disability based on educational limitations,” said Bianca Richards, counselor.

DSPS helps disabled students with counseling, tutoring, training assistance with technology, liaison with off campus agencies and class accommodation assistance. “I get students to think about what their strengths are,” said Richards.

Students appreciate the services offered. “I use the counseling. I like the people, they are patient,” said Carly

Farrell, welding. Farrell suffers from major depression and the services have really helped her. “They helped me to find the wellness center, which has really helped me,” said Farrell.

“Our largest population of DSPS students is those with hidden disabilities like learning or psychological issues,” said Richards.

“I have anxiety and depression and get overwhelmed really easy,” said Jake Denton, art. “They have helped me to stay focused and even figure out what I wanted my major to be,” he said.“I listen and I make them feel comfortable,” said Richards.

The biggest problem the students face, according to Richards, is adjusting to college classes when coming from

high school. An assessment is done to figure out what challenges each student has and what specific assistance they will need.

Students, depending upon their disability, may need specific equipment or devices. “If a student is blind, then we will need to have all their schoolwork turned into audio,” said Richards.

Catering to the students is what DSPS specializes in. “We make sure every student with a disability has access to an education,” said Richards.

Students have responsibilities they are required to fulfill. They are required to meet with teachers and discuss any changes in their current condition, and any accommodations they may need.

Blair Wells/Courier Connor Martin,20 and mother, Maureen, hopes to have the P.A.L.S. classes he attends moved from Edision School to PCC.

COUR IER

July 19, 2012

SPORTS

Football has high hopes for next season NICHOLAS SAUL Editor-in-Chief

It’s almost that time of the year: football season. A game of chess played by giants.

Last season the Lancer football team wouldn’t have what you would call a successful season.

Plagued by injuries, by the end of the season the team was down to their fourth-string quarterback, a less-than-stellar running back corps depleted from injuries, and a defense that at times looked dominant and at other times, non-existent. The team went 3-7 for the year.

Despite this the team still experienced encouraging bright spots. In the first game of the season Quarterback Justin Posthuma threw for a school record 96-yard touchdown pass in the team’s 49-28 decimation of Glendale Community College.

Then, PCC upset the No. 3 ranked Fullerton College with the poised arm of third-string QB Zeek Julien and a viciously hard-hitting defense.

Blair Wells / Courier Quarterback Justin Posthuma, Offensive Coordinator Shannon Silva, and Quarterback Zeek Julien run passing drills during the team’s summer practice on Monday.

“We ended the season strong, and we look to improve on the way we finished,” said Steve Ruedaflores, defensive coordina-

tor.

Under Ruedaflores PCC employs a 4-3 pro-style defense that relies heavily on linebackers

and defensive ends. “The integrity is in the defensive line and we have a lot of talent in that area,” he said.

Essentially, PCC is going for a smashmouth game next season, with the defensive emphasis in controlling the line of scrimmage, and a ground-and-pound run game.

Offensive Coordinator Shannon Silva is looking to change the pass-heavy offense that they employed last year into a more conservative style that focuses on the running game.

“We’re expecting someone to step-up,” Silva said. “We have so much talent right now that we don’t know who’s going to be the No.1 guy.”

The Lancers will also be changing conferences this season. “We’ll still be playing in the top level,” Silva said. “Each team on the schedule is highly competitive.” PCC will not play long-time rival Mt. SAC. Hopes are high for this squad.

“We’re bigger, faster, and stronger than last year,” Ruedaflores said. “We expect to win every football game.”

Instructor is also modified car racer Continued from page 1

Percey felt that if he could keep his revolutions per minute (RPM) up at 9500 through fifth gear he’d hit a speed that would eclipse the course record for his vehicle class of 220mph.

“Just trying to get my head into the sequence of things I need to do during the run,” Percey said a few moments before his race. “It’s got to be consistent, and hopefully we make the record. I mean, we’re always shooting for the record.”

At the starting line, I had the opportunity to sit in the pushtruck—which, surprisingly, is a truck that pushes the racecar for the first few yards or so—and it allowed me a unique viewing experience of the race.

Both vehicle’s engines roared to life, their speeds in unison.

After a few yards they were still bumper-to-bumper, then Percey’s Corvette reached a new gear, and made me realize I wouldn’t see the whole run, because Percey was going to drive off so fast that in mere moments the distance he’ll outgain the push-truck by will be further than the eye can see.

Percey hit a whopping 182 m.p.h. against a 20-mile headwind. The crew was ecstatic as they heard the results over the radio. The Corvette had had been experiencing handling problems after they had started to modify the chassis, and they were finally figuring out how to drive it after they had changed it.

’Everything’s custom.

Actually the only thing ‘Corvette’ about this, is its body’ –Roland Percey, photography instructor “The drawback to this type of racing is it’s hard to get used to the idiosyncrasies of the car driving only once a month,” Percey said. “But that’s the nature of the game.”

But the 182 m.p.h posted was a much improved result, and the people at the event noticed.

Other drivers and racing officials congratulated Percey and his crew. This spoke to the environment of the event. Everyone was easy-going, they all knew each other.

The crew is looking to get the Corvette back to its 200-plus m.p.h. triumph by August, when they’ll go to Utah in an event where drivers from around the world reach speeds of over 400 m.p.h. at Bonneville’s famous salt flats.

“Don’t wear shorts to Bonneville,” said crew Chief Haynes, speaking about Bonneville’s highly reflected salt surface. “You’ll burn your balls,” he joked.

The world of desert speed racing is pretty cool.

Yvonne Najera / Courier Above: Roland Percey’s fully customized 2002 Chevy Corvette that has over 830 horsepower and the ability to hit 182 m.p.h within a mile and a third.

Below: Percey gets set at the El Mirage Lake starting line.