- Title
- PCC Courier, April 28, 1988
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- Date of Creation
- 28 April 1988
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- Description
- Student newspaper published and edited for the Associated Student Body of Pasadena City College weekly during the college year by the journalism students.
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PCC Courier, April 28, 1988
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COURIER
VOL. 66. NO. 10
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
APRIL 28, 1988
Band Member Drowns in Fresno Pool
By Heidi Wilson
Opinion Editor
A trip for PCC’s brass and per¬
cussion ensembles ended tragically
Friday when 19-year-old student
Gabriel Gonzales drowned in the swim¬
ming pool of the Fresno Hyatt Lodge at
approximately 1:40 a.m.
Band director James Arnwine, who
traveled with the group, explained,
“We arrived late. At 1:15 a.m. people
went to their rooms. Gabriel went for a
swim with one of the other band mem¬
bers.” The name of the swimming
companion was not released.
According to an account given to the
Star News by assistant superintendent
Dr. David Ledbetter, “they decided to
race each other, but when the other
student reached the end of the pool, he
saw Gonzales floating lifelessly at the
other end.”
“I was awakened right after it hap¬
pened and I was told he wasn’t doing
well,” said Arnwine. “By the time I got
there, police and paramedics were
attending to him.” They were attempt¬
ing to revive Gonzales by cardio¬
pulmonary rescusitation.
“We tried to contact Gabriel’s
mother right after the incident, but she
couldn’t be reached,” said Arnwine.
Approximately 90 minutes after the
incident, Fresno Police informed Mrs.
Gonzales of her son’s death. An autopsy
would be conducted.
A main concern of the family and
friends of Gonzales is the reason for the
delay in notification by school author¬
ities, who finally reached Mrs.
Gonzales Saturday afternoon. “I only
got a very businesslike call from the
Fresno Police that gave me a few basic
facts,” said Sara Gonzales, Gabriel’s
mother. “My daughter and I went
through mental agony trying to reach
someone who knew something. They
(the school) said I wasn’t home when
they called, but I have witnesses who
know that I was.”
According to Cynthia Edwards, fam¬
ily friend, “It is amazing that a respon¬
sible adult traveling with them didn’t
call right after. They said they tried,
but this was an emergency situation
where you had better make sure the
family is notified. I spoke to the school
and expressed my disappointment in
that they were lax in responsibly han¬
dling this dire emergency. There was
time for a personal call.”
The delay also hindered the process
for consent of donating Gabriel’s or¬
gans to medical science. “It was real
sad that there was such a long delay.
They could only use his eyes, bone
marrow and skin, but no vital organs.”
Sources say that the hotel pool gate
may not have had a sign prohibiting
swimming at late hours. “At 1 a.m.
anyone could go in and drown if there
isn’t a sign or a lock,” said Edwards.
As a result, Mrs. Gonzales and her
family are considering legal action
against the hotel if such is the case.
According to Gabriel’s brother
Anthony, Gabriel’s body will be
cremated and a memorial service will
be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at St.
Bernard’s Church.
Gabriel attended Franklin High
School where he started as a drummer
in the marching band. Gabriel played in
the Los Angeles All-City Band with
whom he marched in the Rose Parade
twice. He entered PCC in 1986 and
played in the Tournament of Roses
Marching Band before starting in the
percussion ensemble in 1987. “The fac¬
ulty felt that he was naturally gifted as
a percussionist,” said music depart¬
ment chairperson Paul Kilian.
The band was scheduled to perform
in the Wind Festival at Fresno, but, due
to the incident, returned to Pasadena
the following morning.
Gonzales was the youngest of six
children residing at the family home in
Los Angeles. He would have celebrated
his twentieth birthday last Monday.
“He was just always so happy,” said
his sister Mona.
“Gabriel was real sweet and real
innocent; almost too innocent for his
own good sometimes,” said brother
Anthony. “He was really a good guy.”
Talented Deaf
Students Win Big
By Sally Blake
News Editor
Although most deaf people live in a
silent world, some find unique ways to
communicate their ideas. Manuel Alva,
Melanie Oxley and Alexander Bilenke
found the perfect way.
They demonstrated their artistic
skills and won top honors at the In¬
ternational Creative Arts Twelfth An¬
nual Regional Three Contest, a contest
for deaf artists.
Alva won two first place awards and
one third place. Oxley won second
place and Bilenke won a first place and
second place.
Alva has entered the contest the last
four years and has placed high every
time. This year his first place entry in
the photography category was entitled
Columns Right. The photograph was a
picture of the pillars of Pasadena City
Hall.
The second first place prize, Reminis¬
cence, was done in prism colors. This
piece also took best of show. His third
place award was won for water colors
of a little boy with a puppy and a kitten.
It was entitled Inseparable.
Speaking through Gloria Muldoone,
instructional aide and interpreter for
the special services center, Alva ex¬
plained that he was very excited when
he won. “I was so surprised that I won
again. I knew there were a lot of good
artists there, and I didn’t think I had a
chance. I was really shocked.”
Oxley won second place for her stipal
art of two hummingbirds fluttering
around a branch of flowers. She enti¬
tled it Sweet Hummingbirds.
She said that Alva had convinced her
to enter the competition. “I’m really
glad he encouraged me to enter. I was
thrilled when I was notified. I went and
told all my friends. It was really a good
experience.”
Bilenke won first prize for an oil
painting of his self portrait. He re¬
ceived second place for a picture that
was drawn in white pencil on a black
matte.
He also expressed surprised in win¬
ning the award, “I really was not
expecting to win. As a matter of fact, I
wasn’t even going to enter. Now, I’m
glad I did.”
Artists from such countries as Can¬
ada and Puerto Rico also entered the
contest.
Bilenke is a student at the Art Center
Institute of Design, as well as PCC.
All the students will receive their
awards at a banquet in Chicago on
April 29. Alva will enter a pantomime
competition while there. He will per¬
form Bubblegum, in which he acts as a
little boy who begins to blow up a
bubble, and finally ends up in the
bubble.
Bilenke said that he is really looking
forward to the competition, “I will be
very thrilled to meet other deaf ar¬
tists.”
None of the artists were born deaf,
as 99 percent of deaf people are not.
Alva became deaf at age 2 because of a
high fever caused by the measles. He
was an oralist, (one who practices
oralism — which is the oral method of
teaching the deaf) until the fifth grade,
when he learned sign language. Oxley
became deaf when she was eight
months old. Her handicap was also
caused by a high fever that resulted
from the chicken pox. Bilenke lost his
hearing when he was nine months old
from an infection that developed from
the flu. He said he does not remember
a lot of his hearing, but he does
remember the noise of cars and trains.
Courier/Megan Feeney
Manual Alva, Melanie Oxley and Alex Bilenke display their talent.
Women’s History Soon Added to Curriculum
By Coleen Meyers
Editor-in-Chief
Changing the basic perspective of
women in history seems natural for a
woman to do. And three women on
campus have set out to do just that.
Phyllis Mael, associate professor of
English, Laura Davis, associate
professor of social sciences, and Kay
Dabelow, professor of social sciences,
have pooled their resources and or¬
ganized “The Western States Project
on Women in the Curriculum” to meet
on campus May 19 through 21.
This conference will bring professors
from 13 western state community col¬
leges together to share and disseminate
information about the contributions of
women in molding the society.
And two hours prior to the con¬
ference Mael, Davis and Dabelow will
brief PCC and local high school faculty
on the conference materials.
Dabelow has already begun integrat¬
ing women’s historical contributions
into her history 7A class and Davis has
done the same in history 7B.
“We have been conditioned,” said
Davis. History has always focused on
men, the government and the economy.
But a balanced view of women and
minorities who didn’t have anything to
say about economics must be included,
she said.
“Students for so long have been
taught that presidents, legislation and
wars have been important, but when
the issues of women and social changes
and child rearing practices come up,
somehow they begin thinking that is not
really history,” said Dabelow.
According to Davis and Dabelow
their future classes will look at family
structures and the way people relate to
each other. They will go beyond simply
acknowledging specific accomplish¬
ments of women.
Both Davis and Dabelow agreed that
their courses will still deal with the
same issues of legislation and wars, but
their goal will be not to overlook the
women who took care of the home front
or worked in the factories during the
war.
“We will be looking at the way that
the issues of gender, class, ethnicity
and race actually changed and molded
history. That is the integration proc¬
ess,” said Dabelow.
The conference’s keynote speaker
will be Dr. Johnnella Butler, chair of
Afro-American studies at the Univer¬
sity of Washington. She will speak on
“Gender, Ethnicity, Race and Class:
New Visions for Curriculum.”
Fridays panels will discuss in¬
corporating women’s contributions into
the courses of literature and composi¬
tion, introductory psychology and soci¬
ology, American history, the arts and
humanities and classroom teaching
strategies.
Saturday’s workshops will include
developing and sustaining a curriculum
change through institutional perspec¬
tives and networking.
Aproximately 100 people are ex¬
pected to participate.
Conference participants are en¬
couraged to bring 50-100 copies of syl¬
labi, bibliogrphies and other course and
program information to share. The
deadline to register for the conference
is May 9. Conference registration form
and the $35 two day fee or $25 one day
fee can be turned in at Dr. William
Goldmann’s office C209.
Additional information may be ob¬
tained by contacting Betty Schmitz or
Candace Conte at (206 ) 543-9531.
Risser Awards
Honor the Best
By Meta McCullough
Staff Writer
Teachers play an important role in
education and very often their in¬
fluence can either make or break a
student’s future. Every year, PCC stu¬
dents are given the opportunity to show
their appreciation to their instructors
by nominating them for the J. Ray
Risser Outstanding Teacher Award.
According to Dr. William Goldmann,
executive assistant to the president,
this award is currently open to all
regular, full-time faculty members
who students feel have aptly demon¬
strated the necessary criteria. The
criteria is quality of instruction, in¬
spiration to students, fair and under¬
standable grading, evaluation, grading
and loyalty to the college and to the
United States of America. Adminis¬
trators are not eligible for the competi¬
tion. Along with a plaque, the winner
receives a check for $1,000.
“The Risser Award provides the
student with an opportunity to not only
nominate an outstanding teacher, but
to thank that teacher in a most tangible
way,” said Goldmann.
Past recipients of the Risser Award
include Tony Georgilas of the com¬
munications department, Ted James of
the engineering and technology depart¬
ment and Sam Soghomonian of the
social sciences department. The 1987
award winner, Leonard Franco, of the
English department, is currently in
Oxford.
There is also a separate Risser
Award for the non-teaching staff. The
winner ofthat award receives a check
for $500. “Whether one wins or loses, it
is truly an honor to be nominated for
the Risser Award,” said Goldmann.
The Risser Award was originated by
the late Dr. J. Ray Risser in 1976, and
the funding was set up at that time.
Risser was at one time chair of the
social sciences department. Risser
served PCC from 1938 until his retire¬
ment in 1975. His son, Dr. Joseph
Risser, is currently overseeing the
selection process. He is a former
educator from PCC having worked
extensively in the counseling area.
The judging committee includes past
recipients of the award and Risser. The
winner will be announced at the awards
ceremony and banquet in May.
Students interested in nominating a
deserving teacher should pick up the
necessary forms in C209. A minimum
of 20 student signatures required for
each application.
The deadline to submit the applica¬
tions is Wednesday, May 4, 4:30 p.m.
Hallinger Re-elected
To Senate President
By Sean DuPont
Associate News Editor
Jane Hallinger was re-elected to the
presidency of the Faculty Senate last
week in a landslide victory over two
other opponents.
Of a total of almost 200 ballots,
Hallinger captured almost three-
fourths of the votes cast, defeating both
Joseph Barnes and Dr. Enrique Orosco.
Both Rosemary Gaines and Mary
Ann Sherman were re-elected to the
posts of vice president and secretary
while Donald Wilson was elected as
treasurer. Their terms begin June 1
and last one year.
The results were posted Friday three
hours after balloting closed at noon.
The election ran smoothly, according
to Hallinger. Earlier this year, senate
ballots were thrown out after some
senate members expressed their con¬
fusion over nominating and election
dates. At that time, Hallinger decided
to reset the elections. “I didn’t want to
assume an office with an election that
people questioned,” she said.
Hallinger declared that the biggest
challenge she faces in the next year is
dealing with the passage of AB1725, a
proposed law in the state senate that
would allign the community college
system closer to that of the state
university’s. Included are reforms in
tenure, funding, faculty input and
credentials. Hallinger said that she will
work to pass the bill and also lobby the
governor to pass a funding bill that she
feels is needed to complement the
proposed law. A letter writing cam¬
paign and other lobbying efforts are
planned.
Hallinger believes that the faculty
members on campus are very active at
the state level concerning legislation.
“We’re known to bring the most dele¬
gates to state conferences, as many as
11.” She added that Dr. Harry
Kawahara, past president of the sen¬
ate, holds a powerful position in the
state faculty senate organization.
Programs such as faculty retreats,
peer reviews and faculty advisements
are also attention worthy in the coming
year, according to her candidate state¬
ment.
Rosemary Gaines had the closest
race of the four posts, winning re-
election by only 35 votes and defeating
John Jacobs. And Hallinger’s opponent,
Barnes, is the current treasurer of the
senate.
Wilson, who ran unopposed, has held
the post previously. “He did an ex¬
cellent job in his two years as treas¬
urer. He brought us to the modern
world by putting our records onto
computer files.”