PCC Courier, April 22, 1983

PCC COURIER TENNIS STAR DESTROYS OPPOSITION — See Page 4 VOL. 55. NO. 9 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE. PASADENA, CALIFORNIA APRIL 22, 1983 'Racism' in Layoffs? Faculty Senate Says Layoffs Will Destroy Affirmative Action By Mark Blocker News Editor The Faculty Senate Board heard reports from two sub-committees last Monday, one maintaining that the college’s Affirmative Action Program will be destroyed by faculty lay-offs, the other presenting nine alternative budgetary recommendations. The Faculty Senate Personnel Committee reported that of 86 faculty receiving lay-off notices, 65 were women or minorities, according to its chairperson, Marjorie Forsythe, associate professor of social science. In light of this, the committee asked the college Affirmative Action Director, John Madden, who is also vice-president of administrative services, several questions pertaining to the matter. Madden aknowledged that if all 86 lay-offs go through “the faculty will look much as it did 15 years ago: predominately male-whites.” As Affirmative Action director, Madden must “look at the ethnicity of the community to ascertain where representative minority groups are not repre¬ sented in the campus staff and increase employment of the target groups to attain representative figures,” said Forsythe. The target groups are Asians, Black Americans, Hispanics and women, according to Forsythe. The committee findings suggest that the original policy of last hired-first fired when issuing “pink slips” were not neccessarily the rule. “We asked him if seniority was the sole basis for the lay-offs, and he replied that in several instances someone who was the most recent employee were passed over because they possessed a certain skill or taught a subject which was needed by the college,” said Forsythe. Madden also told the committee that he was “dismayed” and disappointed when he went through the personnel folders of faculty looking for lay-off candidates, many of whom were hired in the program he directs. Forsythe says “the community is alarmed” at the lay-offs, but will even be more so when the statistics her committee unearthed are made public. “The committee is a permanent branch of the Faculty Senate, designed to help faculty with personnel problems when they don’t know who to contact,” said Forsythe. Budgetary Recommendations The Budget and Resources Committee came forth with nine alternative cuts and recommendations to be voted on as official recommendations of the Faculty Senate. One was deleted and several were reworded after considerable debate by senators. The recommendations, passed with varying degrees of support, call for initiating student fees for virtually all services rendered by the college, with all student activities to be self-supporting. Also “students could serve as volunteers in the student activities office, so as to cut down on budget expenses.” Another point passed was for each administrator to cut his budget by 20 percent, and for non-instructional mileage allowances to be re-examined. Office staff should also be restructured or re-assigned, furthered the recommendation, which also calls for administrators to be on a “10 or 11 month” contract. Measures for each department and all offices on campus to scrutinize their operations for cost-effectiveness were also passed. It was also recommended the salary for Special Projects personnel be based on funds the office generates. It was also recommended that the Public Information Office be eliminated. Passed with no opposition by any senators was a resolution to “solicit a committment from the Board of Trustees to include the faculty in proposing a budget for the college. The final recommendation was to evaluate the new re-keying plan for cost- effectiveness and to reevaluate the current inventory system. Several senators voiced concern that the board was voting on matters it knows little about. Others cautioned on “cannibalism,” saying the board members may be sacrificing other staff to save their own jobs. Faculty Senate Board President Dr. Fredrick E. Holland vehemently denied this, saying no one should have to lose his job, but could be reassigned to other positions if proper cost-effective measures were practiced throughout the college. The board criticized allotting $57,000 for the re-keying process, and funding $36,000 for administrative references, while the campus library is allocated $29,000. JOBS OIM THE LINE — Faculty tagged for lay-offs had their union- guaranteed hearings this week, before a judge from the Administration Hearings Board. California Teachers Association supplied faculty counsel. while the administration's counsel was from a private law firm paid for with college funds. — Courier photo by Debbie Santana Faculty Layoff Hearings End Today By Leann Sumner Staff Writer Hearings scheduled to determine instructors stand¬ ings regarding layoff conclude today. Final layoff notices must be sent no later than May 15, according to John Madden, vice-president of administrative services. On occasion instructors have been retained as a result of a hearing, however “the odds are in favor of the district,” said Madden. After hearing each instructors’ case, Milford A. Maron, administrative law judge from the Office of Administrative Hearings, renders a “proposal” to retain or layoff each teacher. The district is not obligated to accept the judge’s proposal, although it would be “the tendency of the district” to do so, said Madden. “A gross error in hearing proceedings” enables those instructors who receive final layoff notices to pursue the case in a superior court, said Madden. Serious conflict over incomplete consideration of a teachers’ credentials or experience also constitutes sufficient grounds. Positions which become available after final layoff notices have been sent must be filled by instructors who received notices. In this case those instructors already tenured retain their tenure if rehired within 39 months. If reinstated after that time they lose their tenure and “must start all over without seniority,” said Madden. Probationary instructors retain the “right of re¬ turn” for 24 months after which time they also lose their seniority. One faculty member submitted a letter of retire¬ ment which reduces the number of final layoffs by one. One department chairperson also retired reduc¬ ing the number of layoffs in that department by one. However, the early retirement incentive “received no response from the СТА,” according to Madden. Eleven faculty members did not request hearings or file “notices of defense,” which constitutes their resignation, said Madden. Health Fee Costs $7.50 in Fall Board Increases Health, Other Fees By Stephen Williams Editor-in-Chief A measure to increase fees for stu¬ dent health, F-l student visa applica¬ tions and transcripts and verifications to help generate additional revenue was approved by the Board of Trustees recently, said Dr. Henry P. Kirk, vice president for student personnel serv¬ ices. Health fees will be raised from $1 to $2.50 for this summer intersession and from $5 to $7.50 for next fall. This increase could bring in approximately $50,000 for the fall, if 20,000 students enroll. A strategic planning task force aimed at finding new sources of rev¬ enue for the college determined last March that the users of services and materials must pay for part of the cost, and the fees are not intended to make a profit. The task force, chaired by Stu¬ dent Trustee L. Jeremiah Hand, said fees should reasonably reflect the cost of materials and services involved, and revenue generated by fees should be apportioned or returned to the depart¬ ment bearing the cost of the service. Dr. John E. Tulley, school psy¬ chologist, said the health fees have remained the same for five years, and with inflation and reduced enrollment, the fees had to be increased. “We’re using up what we made in the past couple years, (when there was high enrollment) and it will be hard to maintain the same level of service without it. Health fees pay for salaries, equip¬ ment, supplies and insurance for stu¬ dents in case of on-campus accidents. “This increase is in line with what other colleges are charging,” said Tulley. “Glendale, Rio Hondo and Chaffey colleges charge $7.50 for health fees.” An application fee of $25 for F-l visa students will raise approximately $15,000, according to Wallace E. Calvert, foreign student advisor, if only 600 applications are received for next year. This year 999 F-l applications for admission were sent to PCC. This $25 fee will “cut down on shop¬ pers,” said Kirk. Out of 451 students that were accepted, only 270 were to actually enroll. “That costs us money.” According to the consent item passed by the Board, most four year colleges charge this fee and recently Glendale And Cerritos community colleges started charging. Transcript and verification fee in¬ creases become effective July 1, 1983, and will now be $2 rather than $1. This will generate an additional $18,000 an¬ nually. “Other colleges charge between $1 and $5 for transcript handling, but this increase will do for now, especially since we’re doubling it,” said Kirk. Talkers Take Twelve in Texas and received another bronze trophy in Informative Speaking. Tate was a National winner in 1982 in the Lincoln- Douglas Debate Nationals at Bloom¬ ington, Ind. Ann Moffet trophied in Duet-Acting with Dwain Schenck and she was awarded another bronze trophy for Informative Speaking. Schenck’s speech on “Magic” won him a second bronze trophy in Informative Speak¬ ing. David Leatherberrey took bronze plaques in two events, Persuasive Speaking and Informative Speaking. Mike Bozeman received a bronze medallion in the Lincoln-Douglas De¬ bate and a silver medallion in In¬ formative Speaking. Tony Rael along with Diana Gomez, director Moffet, and Schenck won four rounds with their Readers Theater production of “Metamorphosis.” Rael received a special honorable mention for fellowship. Due to this year’s budget cuts, not all the team was able to participate in this “grueling” tournament, accord¬ ing to Anthony Georgilas, team- coach. Four state champions were excluded. They are Sandra Mehterian, Margie Gear, James Hamilton and Laura Dukes. The team is under the direction of Joe Probst, and assisted by Georgilas, Chrystal Watson and Dr. Patrick Brown. By Miran Rabadi Staff Writer Eight members of the forensics team recently won 12 national trophies and received a national standing of 11th place in the United States. The team competed against more than 100 community colleges from the United States in the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in San An¬ tonio, Texas. Hugh McTeague won a silver trophy in the Cross Examination Debate, his topic was “The Right to Privacy.” William Tate received a bronze trophy in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate . CHAMPIONS RETURN — The forensics team returned from Texas, where it won 12 trophies. Kneeling (left to right) are Mike Bozeman and Tony Rael. Standing are coach Tony Georgilas. Bill Tate. Ann Moffett. Dwaine Schenk. Diana Gomez and David Leatherberry. Not pictured is Hugh McTeague. -Courier photo by Barrett Stinson Student Government Distributes 1 5,000 Discount ' Magic Cards' By Sharon Ching Assistant News Editor The Associated Student government is currently working on distributing student discount cards, purchasing a new computer and selling “US Festival” tickets. AS is now distributing discount “Magic Cards” to PCC students, staff and faculty. These cards enable people to receive discount rates from selected local merchants. Twenty-six merchants are listed, including Aamco Trans¬ missions, Numero Uno Pizzeria, Command Performance, A.Q.M.’s Hot Dog Building Company and Video Den. These cards, manufactured by Ad America, were given to AS at no charge, just as they are free to people affiliated with the college. The cards will be available in the quad this week until all 15,000 are dispersed. New Computer Plans to purchase a new Epson computer to replace the present Apple computer are now being considered. AS hopes News Briefs Jellybean Guess Contest The staff of Nursing 1 is sponsoring a jelly bean guessing contest with proceeds going to defray the costs of its graduation ceremony, according to Lori Kroll, nursing student. The jar is now on display for estimates in the glass case by the north entrance to U-building. Starting Tuesday, students can buy tickets for 25 cents that are good for three guesses at the Nursing table in the quad during the Festival of Arts. After that, tickets will still be sold again in U- building. to sell the Apple for $2,000, using that money to help pay for the Epson which will cost under $3,000. Simplicity is one of the reasons of the new purchase, according to Richard Freeman, vice president of business affairs. “It doesn’t take a great amount of computer knowledge to run.” He also believes the Epson is easier to operate, and that it will benefit the future AS government. In addition, the Epson’s memory is seven times greater than the Apple computer, thus allowing AS to store more information. ‘US Festival’ AS will sell US Festival tickets at the Student Bank. Tickets for this three-day rock event will be sold separately for each day. This permits buyers to purchase the specific days desired. They will be sold to students for $20. All profits will be placed in the AS general fund. The purpose of selling the tickets is not necessarily to raise money, but “to make tickets easily accessible to students,” said Freeman. Festival of Arts A three-day “Festival of the Arts at PCC” will be held in quad April 26, 27 and 28 from noon to 2 p.m. The sponsors of the festival, Inscape, expect up to 75 booth participants displaying different varieties of arts and music. Proceeds from the booth fees will go to Inscape. Summer, Fall Priority Numbers Permits to Register with priority numbers are now available for continuing students desiring to attend summer session and/or fall semester. Summer session permits may be picked up in D200 and fall semester permits in assigned counseling teams. Schedule appointments for fall registra¬ tion now.