Palomar College
Volume 39 No. 12
Publication for the Associated Students
Friday, February 21, 1986
Air quality report prompts changes
Contest gives AGS leg-up on finances
By Cyndie Claypool
By Robert Rowsey Young men seated at the front row tables eagerly perk up and begin whooping excitedly as the first set of legs strut across the stage behind the partially raised curtain. Their whoops turn to animalistic shrieks as the second set, longer and even more slender, walks slowly across. A hairy, muscular pair of legs appear on stage and the cries turn to moans of derision, as laughter mixed with catcalls pierce the air from the back of the room. No, this is not the opening act of a burlesque show. This is how the Leg Contest, sponsored by Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, began Feb. 12. "We are all very pleased with how this turned out," commented Rosemary Samhammer, president of AGS, surveying the still full student union after the contest. "It was extremely successful. The student union was jam-packed. The students were having a good time, and that's great because so many people have been talking about student apathy," said Samhammer. "The contest was a personal success for the club, more because we got the students interested." Approximately $200 was earned by the AGS Honor Society for scholarships from the leg contest. "All of us (organizers) worked so hard to see that this came off," said William 'Buff Witt, AGS financial advisor. "We made it work." The week before the contest Witt could be seen walking around campus signing up voters while wearing a baseball cap featuring a blue dolphin head protruding from his forehead. Competitive spirit ran high among contestants shortly before the contest. "The competition looks real keen," said wrestling coach John Woods, one of the entrants. "I'm very happy John Woods entered. He's making the rest of us look real good," commented Frank Hankin, dean of students. The final standings were: Patti Waterman, first with 61 votes (winning the shortest legs category); Dr. Ken Burns, second, (winning the best (Continued on page 4)
Frank Hankin, Director of Student Services, displays his winning form in the hairiest legs category of the Leg Contest Feb. 12. ( Photo by Mike Goodma n )
New transfer center opened By Anne Husk After four months of "coming soon" the transfer center has completed their move to new quarters. Once located in the counseling office they are now adjacent to the student union patio, in what used to be student health services. Bob Larson continues to head the center which exists to counsel students wishing to transfer to four year colleges. Larson says, "The primary activities (of the center) are to service students on a walk-in basis, run workshops on how to transfer, how to select the major and an appropriate university
Mail-in registration kicks off semester By Paulette Oberle
San Marcos, CA
these figures," says Lee. This is in contrast to four year schools in the Herman Lee, director of admissions West, where 88% of the students and records, released an opening day attend full-time. enrollment report which showed "There is a trend to increased 13,094 students registered for the evening enrollment and decreasing spring semester as of Feb. 3. day enrollment which generally means 2,500 of these students registered contact hours will be less," says Lee. by mail in Palomar's first experience In an effort to accommodate stuwith mail-in registration. dents and reduce stress to the regThe opening day figure is 484 more istration staff, Lee plans to open the than first day enrollment for the fall mail-in registraton program to all 1985 semester and 22less than spring continuing students for the 1986 1985. summer and fall semesters. "Since the enrollment is running For this semester, 5,300 mail-in even with last spring and if it con- registration packets were sent out and tinues to go well, it should exceed last 48% of the eligible students completed year's figures," says Lee. However, he the registration procedure at home. points out that although the figures "Problems were relatively few and are about the same, students are modifications to the instructions will taking fewer classes than last year. reduce certain problems further," says Also this semester has about 100 less Lee. Less than 10% of the mail-in full-time students and about 5,000 registration difficulties related' to fewer weekly student contact hours actual registration in classes. The than last spring. most frequent problem was students' Lee notes that according to a study failure to enclose their English eligiamong two year community colleges bility cards when enrolling for English in the western region of the United classes. Lee points out that every communStates, overall 31% are full-time students and 69% are part-time. "Palomar ity college in San Diego county already is quite consitent on the whole with uses the mail-in process.
and how to adequately prepare to transfer." The center houses scores of college catalogs and invites representatives from universities to this campus to meet with interested students. The center will also assist students with fmancial aid forms, housing applications and related college needs. Larson is assisted by Nancy Diaz, a guidance service technician. An open house will be held on Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and students are invited to familiarize themselves with the services.
Confirming previous suppositions, the long-awaited report regarding the Palomar library's air quality has arrived, explaining the conclusions derived from the tests taken last spring. According to the Jan. 24 "Indoor Air Quality Investigation" draft report, prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc., the test results, taken in regards to physical complaints from the library's employees, concluded that the "tight" infiltration characteristics of buildings at the time of construction (1983) could be contributing to an indoor air quality problem. The draft report cited several ways to curb the problem, with the majority of the recommendations concentrating on changes on the first floor. This is because "most full-time employees experiencing respiratory problems are on the first floor, most air contaminating activities take place on the first floor, and the air on the first floor is isolated from mixing with that of the rest of the building." According to Michael Ellis, Palomar director of buildings and grounds, the college is already responding to recommendations made by Tetra Tech to improve "air flow" to the building and, by the end of February, all major adjustments should be completed. One of the recommendations of the consultants and responses by the school district includes increasing the amount of fresh air reaching the occupants of the first floor by opening the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning system) air intake vents further and resetting thermostats to a comfort range of 68 to 74 degrees. The benefit of narrowing the comfort range, according to public information officer George Cordry, is that when the temperature in the library rises above 74 degrees, the HVAC system will bring in a higher volume of fresh air. With the maximum previously set at 78 degrees, the system produced a higher volume only when the temperature rose above 78 degrees. Resetting the thermostats will increase the
number oftimes the system circulates high volumes of fresh air. Another recommendation being acted upon is allowing the exhaust fan on the first floor to run enough so that building air balance is not upset. According to the report, "Besides bringing more outdoor air in, this will prevent the back flow of fresh air through the exhaust vent. The maintenance on the HVAC system is now known to be critical in keeping the proper pressurization." If these suggestions do not stop the library's employees' symptoms, including "stuffy feelings, mental fatigue, irritation to eyes, nose and / or throat, headache, difficulty in breathing and dizziness," two other recommendations should be implemented. One additional suggestion would be to install a fume hood in the instructional media production area, where graphic artists Floyd and Elaine Collins work. Both Collinses at one time were wearing gas-mask respirators, at the suggestion of their doctors, to filter the library's air. In the fmal report, Tetra Tech, Inc. will recommend a specific brand and model of the fume hood. The district will be looking into the additional costs and installation data. The draft report concluded, "If all the above recommendations have been implemented without satisfactory results, an air purification system could be installed. This is an expensive alternative, but would be effective in cleaning the return air before recycling it. According to Doug Haines at PurafJ.l, "It would require costly maintenance at approximately yearly intervals. The approximate cost would be $19,080 for the appropriate side access unit with filters, uninstalled. The maintenance requires the replacement of sorbent at a cost of $3,640." Palomar's business manager Mike Gregoryk, commented that the school is doing some minor things as recommended, but it is too expensive to install the air purification system. And the school's funds are very low. However, Gregoryk is confident that (Continued on page 4)
Inventor designs winning logo Robert A. Eckhart, veteran design consultant, is the winner of Palomar's contest to select a new logo as the college observes its fortieth year of operation during 1986. Eckhart's winning logo was chosen by a six-member panel representing
the college from a field of more than 100 entries. He received a check for $500 when the logo was officially accepted by the board of trustees at its Feb. 11 meeting. The winning entry was the unanimous choice of a panel composed of
Robert Eckhart was awarded $500 for the winning logo design.
Mary Trotta, a member of the board of trustees; Dr. Ted Kilman, assistant superintendent / vice presdent of instruction; Bernice Hart, graphics specialist in the public information office; Neil Bruington, instructor of graphic communications; Val Sanders, chairman of the art department; and Ron Page, director of TV operations and production, TV production and operation-vocational education. Runnerup in the contest was Scott Gruenert of La Costa, while Pat Joy of Vista submitted the third-place entry. Gruenert and Joy will receive $150 and $50 respectively. "Naturally, I am excited and honored to have had my logo selected from such a distinguished field," said Eckhart. "After being associated with so many quality firms and institutions during my lengthy career in the field," he said, "it's especially nice to be a small part of Palomar College, because this is the area where I live and work I have great respect for Palomar and what it is accomplishing." Eckhart, who has lived in Escondido for five years and does free-lance work in his home studio, has had his paintings exhibited in San Diego, La Jolla, Philadelphia and Laguna. He has more than 30 inventions to his credit and four patents in progress.