PCC Courier, April 23, 1987

‘Tin Men’ Scrap Metal SolidGold Page 3 VOTE for Student Trustee Elections April 28 & 29 Candidates Story on Page 2 Baseball Out Of Contention Page 5 VOL. 64, NO. 9 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA APRIL 23, 1987 President Scott Views Our Future “I’m excited about serving community college students. I think that without the community col¬ leges there would be a tremendous vacuum that would exist in society as far as serving the needs of so many of the students in higher education.” —Dr. Jack Scott By Catherine F. Reynolds Editor in Chief Cypress College president Dr. Jack Scott was appointed by the Board of Trustees as PCC’s new superintendent- president on April 8. He will replace Dr. John Casey on July 1. Scott, an articulate, personable man, expressed enthusiasm for his latest challenge as PCC’s new president. “One of the first things I want to do when I arrive at PCC is to get to know the staff and to listen to their ideas and suggestions. I think the first thing to do is to listen, to understand the institu¬ tion, and to make those decisions that would be in the best interest of the students’ education.” Since 1978, Scott has held his current position as president of Cypress Col¬ lege. His strong leadership there im¬ proved the communication between the college and the community resulting in increased enrollment. Improvements in registration procedures and student retention were also evident. His fund¬ raising capabilities increased financial support through the Cypress College Foundation from $10,000 in contribu¬ tions to a total last year of $350,000. According to Scott, he firmly be¬ lieves in a management style that allows participation by faculty mem¬ bers in the decision making process. “I feel that the people who are impacted by decisions should have in¬ put in the making of those decisions. There ought to be processes set up for faculty, classified staff and students to have input into decisions. I think there are tremendously good ideas that come from all the people in a college com¬ munity. Secondly, they are more likely to be willing to involve themselves if they feel they have a hand in the decisions.” Scott feels serving as dean of instruc¬ tion at Orange Coast College and in his current capacity as president at Cypress, will provide him with a for¬ mula that would help develop a strong brand of leadership and successful in¬ teraction with faculty and staff. “It’s not something that one does by waving a magic wand. It’s just the day to day interaction in which you display your willingness to listen, perhaps the wisdom of your decisions and the fact that you are viewed as one who makes decisions as equitably and fairly as possible. “I think that certainly a measure of any president’s performance is his or her ability to lead, and you can’t lead effectively if you’ve lost the confidence of the faculty and staff.” Scott’s main point of focus will be the shortage of funding at the state level confronting PCC as well as all other community colleges. “Anything I can do in terms of legislative advocacy, in terms of let¬ ting both the community and the legis¬ lature know our need for additional funds, I want to do. Money is not the only solution to problems, but ob¬ viously, if we’re going to be an effec¬ tive institution, you have to have good salaries, a fine physical plan and good equipment. All of those things require money. With regard to lottery funds, Scott feels such funds should enrich the present budget, not compensate for the current lack of funds coming from the state. “It was intended from the beginning that these lottery funds would be over and above our regular funds. Un¬ fortunately, it’s very tempting in days in which the community colleges are under funded for it to become part of the regular funds. If that happens, there’s a real danger because lottery revenue is inconsistent.” Scott agrees that meeting with state legislators is a viable way to increase needed funds from the state. “It can be very helpful because it can influence legislation and funding for the college. I’m aware that we as a college are not in isolation. The com¬ munity impacts us, the legislature im¬ pacts us, the governor impacts us, the chancellor’s office impacts us. I think the more active one is in being an advocate for PCC the more likely that funding would be given to us.” Scott feels his teaching experience with large lecture classes as well as smaller seminars would assist him in encouraging “flexibility in terms of the most effective teaching.” “The only limitation that we always have is that we have to operate a college within financial parameters. Obviously, PCC could not afford to operate on the line of Oxford Univer¬ sity where they have a tutorial system. That may be one of the world’s great ways to educate, but the state doesn’t finance us at that level.” Although PCC’s student enrollment almost doubles that of Cypress College, Scott does not feel he will have to make any personal adjustments in order to govern a campus of this size. “Each campus has its unique en¬ vironment. You begin to discover the strengths and the kinds of needs that a particular community has. Then in turn your education relates to the people in the community. I’ve always enjoyed looking at the way in which education can be most effectively communicated to the clientele that you have.” Scott considers community colleges the most democratic of higher educa¬ tion, and the community college stu¬ dent the most exciting. “It’s democratic because it gives the person who is poor an opportunity to go to school. It gives people a second chance who may not have succeeded so well in high school. And it’s democratic because of the tremendous variation in ethnicity and age. One of the most exciting things about community col¬ leges is the students. “I’m excited about serving com¬ munity college students. I think that without the community colleges there would be a tremendous vacuum that would exist in society as far as serving the needs of so many of the students in higher education. After all, 65 percent of high school graduates who go on to college first enter the community col¬ lege in California.” NAACP Challenges Trustees By Lolita B. Parker Jr. and Jennifer Landis Staff Writer and News Editor Prominent members of the Pasa- dena/Altadena Black community have voiced their outrage at the Board of Trustees decision to deny the PCC presidency to Dr. Bonnie R. James, assistant superintendent for adminis¬ trative affairs. The group stated objections at a press conference on Monday, April 13 and again at the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, April 16. At the meeting, the president of the Altadena chapter of the National As¬ sociation for the Advancement of Col¬ ored People (NAACP), Tony Stewart, read the group’s demands to the Board of Trustees. • The resignation or termination of Dr. Frederick Holland, professor of social sciences, for what the group feels is “unprofessional conduct, including ra¬ cially biased and perhaps slanderous statements about the NAACP and the black community in general.” • An immediate investigation into the selection process which the group feel deliberately denied a minority a posi¬ tion for advancement. • The stalling of Dr. Jack Scott’s con¬ firmation as superintendent-president until the probe’s findings are com¬ pleted and made public. • That the investigative panel include at least two members of the NAACP. • That any teachers who may have used their influence to persuade students to contact board members and speak against the selection of Dr. James beterminated or suspended. • An investigation into the alleged con¬ trol by a small group of faculty mem¬ bers over certain members of the Board of Trustees. The coalition of groups had previously stated these demands at a noon press conference held in front of the mirror pools on Monday, April 13. At the board meeting the Black community was represented by Stew¬ art, Ibrahim Naaem, director of the Los Angeles Urban Leagues Pasa¬ dena/Foothill area; Marjorie Morse, representative of the Altadena/Pasadena Black Coalition on Education; Dr. E. J. Farris of the Pasadena Ministerial Alliance; Elbie Hickenbottem, member of the Pasa¬ dena Unified School District Board of Trustees and Marjorie Forsythe, as¬ sociate professor social sciences. Many other representives were there to view the proceedings also. At the Monday press conference Stewart, said that the trustees selec¬ tion process “deliberately denied a minority a position for advancement.” According to Stewart the Black com¬ munity is not as concerned that Dr. Bonnie R. James was not selected but that the selection process was con¬ ducted with “wide scale affirmative action abuses ranging from the covert to the flagrant.” At the Thursday meet¬ ing she added, “James is not the issue, the procedure is.” The Board of Trustees voted Dr. Jack Scott into office with a vote of five with two members, Walter Shatford and Richard Green, abstaining. At Thursday’s meeting, Shatford re¬ sponded to the NAACP’s accusation that the board had no intention of electing James in the first place. Shat¬ ford said that if the board had that intention it “would have elimanated James in the (preliminary) process.” Green said the entire “process was very broad in its represention,” and that the board had many “tough dis¬ cussions on the decision.” Trustee Jeanette Mann, Affirmative Action officer at Cal State L.A., saw no violations and no racism in the process. She added that she understood the “frustation” felt by the Black com¬ munity, but she “did not hear one piece of evidence” to justify an investigation. “I based my vote on he best qualifica¬ tions. It was a difficult decision.” Trustee John Martin said that the “process did what it had to do. It gave us a list of qualified candidates. To say that the process is flawed is saying that all the candidates were unqualified.” In demanding Holland’s resigna¬ tion/termination the NAACP cited Cal¬ ifornia Educational Code 87732 sub section A. According to the group, the code states, that a teacher may be terminated due to “unprofessional con¬ duct.” According to Shatford the term “unprofessional conduct” must involve a student or classroom situtation. Holland had “no comment” on the situtation because he is hesitant to talk to reporters, he said. Throughout the controversy, James has remained calm and declined any comment. Forensics Undefeated, Take National Gold By Paul Allen Sports Editor For the second straight year the PCC Forenics team captured the most gold medals in the annual nation wide tour¬ nament. This year’s version of the tourney was held in Odessa, Texas, where the team from Pasadena was the toast of the town and the country for that matter. “With teams from Massachusettes, Utah, Idaho, Illinois and Alaska we had to be on our game to beat these teams,” said forensic director/coach Anthony Georgilas, whose team hasn’t had a better performance since the 1982 season. The Lancers were primed for this tournament. They grabbed victories in the Fall Champs, Governor’s Cup, Spring Champs and State tournaments. Outstanding member of the team Daniel Hurst, took three gold medals in Odessa. Hurst, who scored the second highest overall speaker points, teamed with fellow Lancer Tony Lacsamana to defeat all comers in debate. Hurst also hit pay dirt with persuasive speaking and extemporaneous speaking. Even with all the success the Lancers reveled in, one of the expected winners had trouble. Susan Stevens and Timothy Todd had taken second in two tournaments and placed first in two, but failed to break into the finals in Odessa. “Our team consistency had been lacking entering the tournament,” said Todd, referring to their duo presentation. “We didn’t show up with our best, and we got beat.” Todd made up for the results in the duo presentation, shining in the solo spotlight and grabbing an impressive bronze medal in poetry. Doyle Sterkin, who works at The Magic Castle restaurant as an amateur magician, took a gold mecjal in dra¬ matic interpretation and trophied with partner Joe Botana in duet acting. In the readers’ theater department a remarkable story emerged. The quartet of Sterkin, Betty Wang, Evan Reid and Kristin Young finished with the silver medal in the competi¬ tion performing Radio Primer, but the route was not a bed of roses. “We had 13 days,” said Primer direc¬ tor Dr. Patrick Brown, “to prepare this piece. “We could only arrange five solid rehearsal days, but on those days these kids were the best in the coun¬ try.” Brown, taking pride in his as¬ sociation with the cast, added, “these kids make the directing a piece of cake.” In totaling the final scores, PCC garnered 28 gold medals, 10 silvers and six bronze medals in what was an outstanding team effort. “Without the debate coaching of Chrystal Watson and directing of Dr. Brown, the forensics team would’ve never prospered the way it has,” said Georgilas. An always exuberant Georgilas added, “They were unmatchable and unstoppable. If there is any doubt as to the best team in the country, it is still PCC!” Dr. Jack Scott, PCC’s new Superintendent-President Cocaine Bust Students Charged By Jennifer Landis News Editor PCC students, Darnel Nelson, Darrin Stevenson and Frederick Stevenson were charged Monday with possession of cocaine for sale and maintaining a house for the sale of cocaine. The three were arrested on Tuesday, April 14 after the police searched the trio’s residence and found one ounce of rock cocaine with an estimated street value of $3,700. At 11 p.m.. after obtaining a search warrant, the officers of the Neighbor¬ hood Crime Task Force entered the residence in the 2100 block of east Corson St. The task force also un¬ covered $500 in cash and an estimated $1,500, in what police believe to be, stolen property. According to Pasadena Police Sgt. Greg Henderson, five suspects were originally taken into custody. Two were released due to insufficient evidence while Nelson and the Stevenson brothers were each freed on $5,000 bail. Although it has been reported that the three students were PCC football players they were not on the team. According to Dennis Gossard, head football coach, “none of the three were players, they were only in a weight training class which they are no longer in.” Gossard also said that Fred Stevenson did play two years ago dur¬ ing the 1985 season. Gossard was upset that the students had been previously mislabled as foot¬ ball players. He feels that this mis¬ labeling will damage the reputations of the team members. He also stated that all the players know the athletic de¬ partment’s views on the use of drugs. “We won’t stand for it!” International Artist To Make Impression By Jennifer Landis News Editor The PCC art department is proud to present Nathan Oliveira, Artist in Resi¬ dence. Oliveira, an internationally recog¬ nized painter and printmaker, will be PCC’s first artist in residence between Wednesday, April 27 and Saturday, April 30. According to Linda Malm, art de¬ partment chairperson, it is an “op¬ portunity to see an important contem- pory artists’ mind at work.” Oliveira is most recently known for his monotypes, a form of printmaking at¬ tractive to many painters. Oliveira creates his monotypes by painting an image onto a plate and then pressing that plate onto paper. The image printed is a one-of-a-kind image. Oliveira often makes secondary im¬ ages from the original plate. These images, along with the original, often form a series of images built on a process. The artist has devoted much of his energies to teaching and has expressed an interest in the college, wishing to visit classes. Oliveira will be welcomed to the college this Monday with a reception in the Art Gallery Court from 9 : 30 to 10 : 30 a.m. On Monday afternoon and all day Wednesday there will be an opportunity to observe the artist working on his monotypes in room R235. The space is limited so reservations are required. An exhibition of Oliveira’s monotypes will be held in the Smithso¬ nian Institution’s Archives of American Art located in the Scott building of the Huntington Library. The exhibition will begin April 28 and continue through April 30 from 1 to 5 p.m. daily. Many books and articles on Oliveira and his work are now on reserve in the PCC library for anyone to view. The Monotype an illistrated public lecture will be presented by the artist in the PCC Forum on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m. To answer any questions about the monotype, a formal workshop with the artist will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, April 30 in Circadian B, located just north of the cafeteria. To conclude the visit, PCC’s first Artist in Residence will present the college with one of his monotypes. Malm hopes this work of art will be housed in the Library for everyone to see. Additional daily information can be obtained by calling (818) 578-7413.