PCC Courier, December 08, 1988

Tomorrow Is the Last Day to Withdraw from the College This Semester Hanging Out at The ‘E’ Bar Page 3 ‘Naked Gun’ Goes Bang Page 4 COURIER VOL. 67, NO. 14 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 8, 1988 Mentor Program Comes to PCC By Robert Nuno Staff Writer Maya Allerusso / The Courier A uniquely California Santa pays an early visit to the Quad in the form of John Fairbanks in an attempt to catch some rays and check out the surf. The 1988 Holiday Program In effort to assist students on academic probation, a teacher-student mentor program will be introduced on campus in the Spring 1989 semester. Initially, Linking Education to Achievement Program, LEAP, will at¬ tempt to increase the success of spe¬ cially selected students placed on academic probation by creating a one- to-one relationship with a volunteer faculty member. According to Earnestine Moore, dean of student services, academic success in the collegiate world depends heavily upon the student’s relationships within the school. “Having a relationship with someone in the system is a strong force in the success of a student,” Moore said. Alarming figures on students facing academic difficulties prompted PCC and the Pasadena Mental Health Agency to write and develope the LEAP program. In the Spring of 1988, 2,000 students received a G.P.A. under 2.0 placing them on academic proba¬ tion. An additional 307 students on academic probation can no longer at¬ tend classes here because their G.P.A. ’s dipped below 1.75. Although LEAP doesn’t intend to drastically lower those figures first semester because it will selectively chose only 50 qualified students for its initial test. However, it plans to con¬ tinue to target students on probation and gradually increase the numbers helped each semester. Connie Richardson, employed by the Pasadena Mental Health Agency and acting as LEAP adviser, emphasized that the program will readily adjust to better meet the needs of the students. “We’re free to develop ideas where we see fit. We want students and faculty to have input in this program,” Richardson said. The bulk of LEAP’S funding will be made available through two major contributors. The Pasadena Com¬ munity Development Department granted LEAP a block grant with the condition that the new program serve the northwest area of Pasadena. The Pasadena Mental Health Agency will also include the LEAP program in its annual budget. PCC agreed to provide office space and auxiliary services. Student selection for the LEAP pro¬ gram will be made by a management committee consisting of officials from PCC and the Pasadena Mental Health Agency. According to Richardson, many of the student participants will be chosen from the northwestern area of Pasadena in accordance with the block grant. The management committee also will choose qualified faculty members to act as mentors for the troubled students. Before the spring semester begins, the mentors will attend a train¬ ing session designed to improve basic helping techniques when working with ‘Night Visitors’ Brings Christmas Cheer By Jim Gunther Staff Writer Kicking off this holiday season’s dose of good cheer, the PCC Communica¬ tions department will sponsor its third annual Christmas program. The program is a two-part produc¬ tion featuring the one-act opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, and the Seven Joys of Christmas, featuring a variety of Christmas carols from around the world. Both productions feature a musical score accompanied by a full orchestral arrangement under the direction of music instructor Donald Brinegar. Department of Communication Chairperson Michael Bloebaum com¬ mented that the play, “Is a classic. NBC ran it from the early ’50s for about ten years.” The story itself revolves around the travels of the three wise men on their journey to worship the newborn king in Bethlehem. On the way they encounter a mother and her lame son, Amahl. What unfolds is a beautiful tale about love and sacrifice for the newly born savior. The cast includes a wide variety of people, including faculty, students, and professional singers. Bloebaum said, “It will have a mixture of professionals and non-professionals.” Following the opera will be a choral choir presentation of international Christmas songs, featuring an audience sing-along. A special presentation of the pro¬ gram will be offered to the faculty on the night of December 14. Preceding the presentation will be a buffet, “So the staff doesn’t have to to go home to KPCC Raises $83,000 During Fund Drive By Tim Frank Special Correspondent KPCC is wrapping up its biggest fund drive ever, surpassing the old record by over $30,000. The campus radio station received pledges of over $83,000. “We came a lot closer to our goal of 2,000 new subscribers than I ever thought we would — 1,700. That was fantastic,” said Rod Foster, the sta¬ tion’s general manager. “I thought that goal was way out there, unattainable. Until now our best drive netted 500 new members. “We’ve taken on a lot of expenses with the new transmitter, so these young people. “A mentor is a reliable faculty mem¬ ber who really cares about students and can develop a one-to-one relationship with a student,” explained Richardson. The student and faculty participants will be paired by academic or extra¬ curricular interests and will talk for a few minutes at least once a week. Students probably will have a group meeting once a month. “You need to do that with a new program,” Richardson said. “At this point we don’t know what will work best.” The goal, however, will remain the same and continue to be at the core of the mentor program. “We want to get to students who need help and connect them with someone on campus who can help them,” Moore said. Richardson stated that the program will get students more involved, im¬ prove their success and retention rates, and decrease the feeling of alienation. “The relationship maximizes a stu¬ dent’s potential . . . and will benefit students, faculty, and the entire com¬ munity,” Moore said. eat and lose their parking spaces.” explained Bloebaum. Bloebaum continued, “Each year we build a greater audience and interest in our Christmas productions. We want this to be an event that people will mark on their calenders.” The program is scheduled for De¬ cember 15, 16, 17, at 8:00 p.m. Also there is a 2 :00 p.m. matinee for Decem¬ ber 17. Admission prices are $5 and can be purchased by calling the PCC Com¬ munication Department at (818) 578-7124. Curtis Kim / The Courier The mirror pools reflect the serenity and peace of the campus at night. They underwent renovation last year. funds will pay the bills,” said Foster. KPCC, which used to be broadcast from campus, now has a facility on Mount Wilson. “It’s a serious trasmit- ter,” says Libby Huebner, Interim De¬ velopment Director for KPCC. “Before, we broadcast to a tiny little pocket in the San Gabriel Valley, and now we go from Santa Barbara to San Diego, to Catalina and to Riverside. “People are still discovering us,” says Huebner. “I can bet you today somebody somewhere in Los Angeles is going to turn on his radio and say ‘Wow, what is this station? It’s KPCC. It’s big band swing jazz.’ ” People like what they hear well enough to be paying for it. “We had an 11-year-old girl call in and pledge her support,” said Huebner. Volunteers donated over 500 hours to pitch, take pledges and take care of everything behind the scenes. Tina Harris, a transmitter operator and student, coordinated the volunteer ef¬ fort. “She did a great job,” said Huebner. “Libby Huebner did a tremendous job of organizing the drive,” said Foster. Huebner was as quick to praise Rod for his role. Both of them want to thank a seemingly endless list of people for a job well done: Larry Shirk, Rene Engel, Doug Johnson, Beth Cooper, Tony Hann, Freddie Johnson .... Newsline La Raza Luncheon The La Raza Faculty and Staff Association will hold a luncheon honoring state Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig for his support of minority students, especially Hispanics. The luncheon will be held in the Palm Cafe on Dec. 15 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Honig, the highest ranking official in Califoria’s elementary and secondary public school system, will join the ranks of Assemblyman Charles Calderon, Garfield High school teacher Jaime Escalante, Marketing Director for the Raiders Gil Lafferty-Hernandez, jour¬ nalist Mario Machado, float designer for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Raul Rodriguez and former PCC Superintendent/President Dr. Armen Sarafian, who have all recieved honors from the La Raza Faculty and Staff Association. Tickets for the luncheon are available at the College Bank for $15 for faculty and staff and $7.50 for students. All procedes will benefit the student scholorship fund. Donations Needed “Food Baskets for Christmas” is the theme for an A.S. project which will donate food, clothing and toys to needy families in the Pasadena area. This project is being sponsored by “Friends in Deed,” a Pasadena-based company which provides poor people with assist¬ ance for Christmas. There are more than 700 families in the Pasadena area that need hilp. If A.S. recieves aid from the Inter Club Council and all PCC clubs it will be able to provide about 50 families with food baskets. There will be turkey or ham, fruits, vegetables, canned foods, toys and clothing in each basket. The A.S. Board is sponsoring a Christmas Tree Decorating Contest from Dec. 12-15 to raise money for the project. For more information contact Cynthia Wagner or Stacey Dempsey in the Campus Center. Nursing Car Wash A car wash and bake sale is being sponsored by the nursing students in an effort to raise funds. The event will take place in the east lot adjacent to the U Building from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. Play Continues The Lady Cries Murder will end its scheduled run this weekend with three performances this weekend. The play, a spoof on detective novels and movies of the ’30’s, will be staged at the Little Theater, C130, on Friday, Dec. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. A matinee performance will be held on Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5. Students with A.S. Student Benefit Stickers are free. Christmas Dance The International Club is hosting a semi-formal holiday party. The event, christened “Winter Ball ’88,” will take place Friday, December 16 in the Campus Center Lounge. Food and drinks, a disk jockey, and a booth for photos will be available. Tickets and more information are available in CC220. The cost is $4 in advance, $5 at the door. Louisa Moseley Scholarship A $4,000 per year scholarship is being offered to any PCC student with a 3.0 GPA, carrying at least 12 units, majoring in the humanities, with a financial need, and planning to tranfer to a 4-year university. Application forms are available in the English and Foreign Language Office, C217. Deadline for Applications is Friday, Dec. 16.