PCC Courier, April 05, 2012

Inside Spring Forward session begins Page 2 Library adds graphic novels Page 9 Pasadena City College Volume 105, Issue 6 The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena Since 1915. Online edition pccCourier.com Facebook PCC Courier Twitter @pccCourier April 5, 2012 Sexual predator still at large Police searching for assault suspect Increase the peace Natalie Sehn Weber/Courier During a 'Million Hoodie March' demonstration near the R Building on March 29, Aaron Nininger carries a sign demanding justice in the death of Florida youth, Trayvon Martin. 'Million Hoodie March' seeks justice Winter session clears hurdle Four-semester calendar approved Philip McCormick Staff Writer Police were still, on Wednesday searching for a man suspected in the sexual assault of a woman student last week. "As of right now, there are no new developments in the inves¬ tigation," said Interim Campus Police Chief Frank Scialdone, on Wednesday afternoon. Scialdone said in an interview that a man, who had touched the woman inappropriately, was still at large and had yet to be apprehended. A women reported a sexual battery to campus police on March 26 after a man came up behind her on the first floor of the C Building and touched her in a sexual manner, according to police. "We are looking for help," said Scialdone. "We can't do this by ourselves. If anyone on campus sees any suspicious activity, drey should report it right away to us. That would help." In a news release sent to the campus on March 27, police said that a woman had been looking at a bulletin board in the first floor corridor when the man came from behind her and asked what she was doing. She didn't reply, but when she turned around to address the man, he had positioned himself closer to her. According to the news release, the student turned her back to the man and a few moments later, turned to face him again. Continued on page 10 Cicely Chisholm Staff Writer Members of the PCC commu¬ nity gathered in the Quad for the Million Hoodie March on March 29 in solidarity after the killing of Trayvon Martin, voicing their concern about the injustice of the situation. Armed with posters and a microphone, those in attendance aimed to bring to light the exis¬ tence of racial prejudice in socie¬ ty and honor Martin's memory. The event included with a march around the R Building and Z Building, where the crowd chanted phrases such as "No jus¬ tice, no peace. No racist police" and "Justice for Trayvon now". "Even though we made a lot of progress in racial relations in America, there's still a lot that still needs to be done and we're not always aware of it," said Speak out! Has justice been served in the Trayvon Martin killing case? vote at pccCourier.com Kiersti Plog, writing consultant for the Writing Center. When neighborhood watch coordinator George Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, people cited racism as the cause, as Zimmerman was Hispanic and white, while Martin was African American. Zimmerman cited self-defense as the reason for the shooting, even though Martin was unarmed. No evidence was col¬ lected that would contradict his statement though, leaving many Campus speaks out on controversy Page 5 angry that no arrest resulted from Martin's death. "It's an unfortunate event, however it's not the one and only. There have been thousands of cases like this that need to be brought to attention as well," said Victor Silva, ethnic studies. "You can't have a justice system in an unjust world." Many of those who spoke behind the microphone spoke about the important of justice being served. "Murder in general is a hate crime and [this march is] what we need as individuals to come together and see that hate is hate," said Miracle Murray- McKnight, sociology. Continued on page 11 Christine Michaels Staff Writer The 2013 winter intersession will commence Jan. 7, 2013, if a March 29 decision by a key com¬ mittee is upheld. The Calendar Committee unanimously approved a four- semester academic calendar pro¬ posal on March 29. According to Committee Co- chairman and Vice President of Student Services Robert Bell, the vote debunked the "misquoted" information in the Board of Trustees minutes from its March 7 meeting, which incorrectly stated the Calendar Committee approved a trimester calendar proposal. Many faculty members were angered by the misquotation, including Graphics and Engineering Instructor David Cuatt, who said he could not trust the information given on the college website. "We already have imaginary information on the record, why should I trust what I'm told?" Cuatt said at the meeting. According to Social Sciences instructor Philip Ricards, approval of the trimester propos¬ al was "a bold face untruth that was never told to us in the first place. [The calendar] is a nego¬ tiable item [for the union]." Bell explained there was much misinformation in the minutes. Continued on page 10 CSU plans to close doors on enrollment Raymond Pecson Staff Writer PCC students hoping to trans¬ fer to a California State University by spring of 2013 may have to look elsewhere as state budget cuts could shut the doors for transfers at most CSU cam¬ puses, officials said. California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott addressed the issue at a PCC Town Hall meeting on March 22, calling the situation a "March surprise." "[It's] a cruel reality [that] California State University can take only a handful of our trans¬ fer students next spring," Scott said. "[CSU] Chancellor [Scott] Reed has been put in a tough spot and has to do what he thinks is fiscally prudent to pre¬ pare his colleges for the worst." According to CSU officials, the worst is an "enrollment freeze" to deal with a potential $200-mil- lion state cut to CSU next year if Gov. Jerry Brown's tax initiative is not passed on November 6th. The ballot proposal, which aims to increase the tax on the income of the wealthy and raise the state's sales tax, would pre¬ vent more damaging cuts to schools and protect education, Brown said last December. According to Anthony Fellow, Board of Trustees member and chair of communications at CSU Fullerton, the CSUs have already closed acceptances for spring unless the tax hike happens. "We will be accepting 50 to 60 new transfer students for fall [2012] in the College of Communications and no transfer students in the spring. Everything appears to be contin¬ gent on the Governor's ballot initiative," he said. Come ballot day students, like Meliza Gonzalez-Sanchez, com¬ munications, will be pressured to vote for the tax proposal and whether or not the freeze on enrollment occurs. "I would vote for it," she said. "It looks bad but it's not like we're throwing money away. [Raising taxes] would not only benefit me, but thousands of oth¬ ers [looking to transfer.]" Passing the tax initiative looks to be the only way to restore funds as university administra¬ tors seem to have their hands tied. "Increases in student tuition Continued on page 11 Laker Girls draw crowd Buren Smith/Courier Brenda Andrede, 25, mortuary science is seen with Laker Girls, Deanna and Octavia at a nearby restaurant on Tuesday. Story / page 3