Palomar educator vo1ces concerns
Soviets paint cultural portrait
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Women volley for playoff spot
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The Telesco e Tuesday, November 7, I 989
Palomar College, San Marcos. CA 92069
Volume 43, Number 8
Periodical thefts plague librarians Thief escapes capture By Michelle Pollino Staff Writer The theft and mutilation of periodicals is a chronic affliction that's getting worse for the Palomar College Library, according to Public Services Librarian Tamara Weintraub. Last Thursday, a person leaving the library, was caught with articles ripped out of nine magazines. As the librarians discussed what should be done with that person, they ran out of the library with the stolen articles. "I don't think (thieves) realize that this theft is costing everyone money, as well as preventing someone else access to those articles," said Weintraub. Even though the library institutes an alarm system upon entering and exiting, not all pages in magazines are marked. Libraries pay 50 to 500 percent more for scholarly journals, like the Journal of American Medicine. When these journals are darnaged or stolen it costs twice as much to replace them. Sometimes these periodicals are so old they can't be replaced. "It not only costs money to replace these articles and magazines, it costs valuable staff time," says Library Media Technician Bonnie Corzine. "The reason we're not open on Sunday and only open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday is because we don't have money to pay for staffing on those days." Palomar's library has the third largest academic periodicals collection in San Diego County. Palomar also has one of the cheapest photocopying rates at 10 cents a copy, while the others charge up to 25 cents. "We provide change when alot of otherlibraries don't. We go out of our way to make sure students get what they need," adds Corzine. Monetary losses are not the only results of
• Page 2 - Palomar offers library technology classes. periodical thefts. "Information is being stolen. It is really sad when a student has a term paper due and can't get the necessary information because someone has ripped out an article they need," says Weintraub. "I feel so helpless when I have to tell someone we don't have the article they want, and that it will take 10 days for a replacement" One instructor brought in his own copies of magazines for his students to use. Articles that contained needed information were ripped out, of the professor's periodicals as well. "It not only affects the people presently using the library, it affects the users in years to come," adds Weintraub. This problem of periodical mutilation is not a new one. It is common to all types of libraries. One study showed students' perception on mutilation to be rather lackadaisical. The great majority who were surveyed were unconcerned about getting caught. "The attitude of the students getting caught is very defensive. One student even wanted the pages back," says Weintraub. In January of 1989, the library stopped checking out magazines. "We were losing too much money and information. We are still trying to assess the damage," noted Weintraub. Because of this increase in damages, the library may start inflicting stiffer penalties. "The worst possible scenario will be sending people who are caught to see the director of student activities, which might lead to expulsion," said Weintraub. "We don't want to be lax, but we do want to be fair."
Complaint sounded on campus noise levels By Kathleen Nelson Contributing Writer Complaints from a Palomar student have led the Associated Student Government to propose specific decibel levels for live and taped music played outside class on campus grounds. At the ASG Oct. 18 meeting, student Sherrie Edwards described the problem encountered in her classes during Rocktoberfest, an ASG fundraiser. "Sitting in the classroom the
volume of the music is such that I can hear it in class. It interferes with listening to the teacher," said Edwards, who is asking for a specific volume level to be set for bands. "If a volume is agreed on, it should be a measurable volume where people can say 'Yes, this is too high,' or 'This is too low.' " ASG President John Weber said Edwards, "brought to the government a legitimate complaint. It's our responsibility to
(see NOISE - page 2)
(Photo by Mark Hopkins)
Librarian Bonnie Corzine exam ens destroyed periodicals from the Library's collection. Library officials say they are 'helpless' in combating the theft and mutilation of periodicals.
Student pay raise proposed By Michelle Van Aalst Staff Writer Students that work on campus may be in for a pay raise, pending the decision at the President's Advisory Council meeting today. Starting pay for student workers is currently $4.25 an hour but if the proposed pay increase goes through, salaries will go up to $5.00 an hour. The raise was proposed by school officials who say there is a need for Palomar Campus to compete with off-campus jobs. Ronald Jordan, director of Placement Services, said that Palomar College cannot rival other job offers off campus if
the school doesn't have comparable wages. "Students can read the job offers posted in the student placement office and see the difference in wages," says Jordan. Concerns about whether certain departments will have to cut back on the hours some students work to compensate for the budget increase were voiced at the Faculty Senate meeting on Oct. 16. Candice Francis, associate professor of Life Science, said some departments rely greatly on student help and a cut back on the hours may affect a number of departments. However, according to Dean of Student Support Programs, Kent
Backart, there is enough money in the budget so that student's hours will not be cut. "I don't see any reason why the hours should be cut The money is there,"Backart said. "We've had trouble filling jobs (due to higher pay elsewhere) so the money that could have been spent this semester hasn't been spent. It has accumulated so we have more money for the second semester than we thought we had." The proposal calls for an 11.5 percent increase for the entire school year. If the budget proposal goes through, the raise will go into affect by Jan. 1.