VOL. 52, NO. 15
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA. CALIFORNIA
DECEMBER 1 1. 1981
Priority System Sparks Debate
LINE OR MOB? — The lines for priority numbers
Monday seemed endless. Many wondered if you could
even call this mob of people a line. Once the doors
opened, however, registration information was dis¬
pensed quickly to approximately 4,200 students.
— Courier photo by Eddie Mundo
'Still Lowest in State'
Meyers Gets Raise
The Pasadena Area Community Col¬
lege Board of Trustees approved a 9.1
percent raise for Superinten¬
dent/President Dr. Richard S. Meyers
at a recent meeting.
In addition to the increase, which
boosts Meyers’ salary from $55,000 to
$60,000 a year, the superintendent’s
contract was also revised to include an
annual evaluation of his performance.
The board will decide whether to ex¬
tend Meyers’ contract based on the
results of the evaluation.
Board members voted for the salary
increase for two reasons, according to
Meyers. First, they found that over the
last 10 years superintendent’s salary
increases had not kept pace with those
of the faculty. Second, after examining
the earnings of superinten¬
dent/presidents at other colleges they
found that Meyers’ salary is the lowest
for all colleges of comparable size in
the state.
Embarrassing Salary
Despite severe funding cuts in this
year’s budget, Meyers felt the raise,
his third in three years, is justified.
“My salary, with the raise, is still the
lowest in the state and I’m embar¬
rassed by that. It plays on your self-
image of yourself and the' college,”
said Meyers.
In addition to an improved image for
PCC he also said, “The raise is helpful
in that it tells the staff the Board has
confidence in me.”
The evaluation process, suggested by
Meyers, will replace an informal round
robin of talks between the Board and
Meyers in which each board member
Unhappy Wait It Will Work/
For a Number
TWO LEADERS — Joe Krovoza deft) and John McTeague were selected
by PCC officials to apply for the Truman Foundation Scholarship. If they are
awarded this national scholarship, they will receive $5,000 a year for four
years toward their education.
would express what he felt were
strengths and weaknesses in Meyers’
performamce. The problem with these
informal talks, according to Meyers,
was that he never had a concise state¬
ment of the objectives of the Board as a
whole.
“I have in some ways been guess¬
ing,” about what the board wants for
PCC. The formal .evaluation will
provide, “The Board’s public dis¬
closure of their goals and how they
relate to me. This way everyone will
know where the Board wants to go.”
Planning Ahead
Board members must decide
whether the evaluation is satisfactory
by May of each year. They are still
compiling a list for the 1982 appraisal
and Meyers said it should be ready for
publication after a special open board
meeting for public input in January.
Goals Meyers would like to see on
the list reflect PCC’s need to find new
sources of funding. He would like to see
more lobbying in the state legislature
for funds to meet public demands for
expanded sevices, including classes
geared toward senior citizens, closed
classes for specific industries and de¬
velopmental classes for students with
learning disabilities.
He would also include ways of im¬
proving faculty and staff morale de¬
spite low wages. “Our employees’ pay
is very low compared to the cost of
living. We have to find ways to keep
morale up without enough money.
Education is losing qualified people (to
private industry). I’m worried about
that.”
Meyers, who asked for a postpone¬
ment of a one-year extension on his
contract until after the evaluation, is
currently in the second year of a three-
year agreement which expires June 30,
1983. —Mike Mendez
By J. C. Catlin
Contributing Writer
The administration’s decision to change the procedure for
spring semester programming resulted in students lining up
as early as 5:30 a.m. to obtain priority numbers, Dec. 7.
The line started at the front of the D building, continued
down the stairs, past the mirror pools, threading its way to
the U building, over the steps of the Forum, through the
faculty parking lot, up the sidewalk, and eventually ending
on Bonnie Avenue across from the U building.
Some disgruntled students were prepared for the wait and
some were not. Some students were angry at the long line,
others found it a good excuse to miss classes.
Students and Friends
Lancer football player, Marcus Bond, and seven of his
friends, had been in line since 5:30 a.m. All eight were upset
with the system and hoped it wasn’t repeated next fall.
Jim Neil had been waiting since 9 a.m. and wanted to
know, “Why didn’t the administration assign a registration
date according to length of time and attendance at PCC.”
Mike Petersen showed up at 8 a.m. thinking the doors
were going to open at 10 a.m.
Bob Smith came prepared. He brought his beach chair,
beer and his friends. He’d been waiting since 5:30 a.m.
Ching T. Li only had one question, “Is it going to improve
next semester?” She had been waiting since 9 a.m.
Kathi Petersen came prepared also. She brought a couch
mattress, her sweater and a pillow. She had been waiting
since 8 a.m.
Another student was ready for anything. He brought a cot,
three beach chairs, a cassette tape player with two
briefcases full of tapes, pizza, friends and undetermined
amounts of liquid “nourishment.” He’d only been waiting
since 10 a.m.
Security Problems?
Many of the students voiced concern over security, since
there didn’t seem to be any. Students were afraid of a college
version of the Who concert where a mass stampede occurred
resulting in four fatal injuries when the doors were opened.
Bob Carroll, Senate president, said that he was appalled
that the administration did not foresee such a problem as the
long line occurring. “Student government officials put ropes
up and tried to control the line somewhat, but security did
not come until later on in the day,” stated Carroll.
“It’s the administation’s responsibility to anticipate these
problems and they didn’t,” Carroll said. To many student
government officials, such as Carroll and Richard Kim, the
long line showed that students care very much about
education. “Students need certain classes to graduate and
were determined to get those classes,” said Kim.
Angry for a Reason
“Students were worried. They didn’t really know what
was going to happen. The administration should have
informed students beforehand about the exact procedure
which wasn’t done until after the priority numbers were
given out,” said Carroll.
The long lines also told Kim that the alphabetical system,
which the administration was going to institute, would have
caused a lot of dissatisfaction among the student body. “If
you were at the end of the alphabet, registered late and
didn’t get the classes you needed, you would be angry and for
good reason,” said Kim
“The philosophy of the priority system was good, but it
was poorly implemented,” Carroll said. Kim added, “The
students fulfilled their part of the job and presented the
administration with the best and most equitable system to
benefit all the students. But the administration didn’t do
their job. The administration must look at other colleges and
implement a system that not only works but is fair. This
shouldn’t happen again.”
Say Officials
By Valerie Provines
Staff Writer
Continuing students began lining up at 5:30 a.m. Monday to
be the first to receive priority numbers at 2 p.m. for
registration beginning Jan. 4. The consensus among adminis¬
trative officials is that the priority system of registration is
working out very successfully, regardless of the long line.
“4200 people went through the line in an hour-and-a-half,”
said Dr. Henry Kirk, vice president of student personnel
services. “One could go over right now and get a priority
number— no problem.
“This will allow the information to be fed into the
computer fast. We literally can tell by those cards how many
people are registering at one time. A priority number is
given to a certain number of students for each hour time slot
for registering.” A Success
When asked about the maintenance and security problems
Monday involving the people who stood in line, Kirk said,
“The mess after they left was no problem. There were
hundreds of highly motivated students out there.” He said it
looked like some of the students brought along supplies such
as radios, pizzas, things to drink, even chairs to sit on so they
could enjoy themselves during their wait. Kirk said that he
appreciated the fact that many students are highly
motivated enough to want to assure themselves of the
classes they want. “However, I was very disappointed with
students cutting classes to wait in line so early.”
Dr. Richard S. Meyers, superintendent-president, said, “I
consider yesterday a very large success. We processed
almost 3,500 students in one hour. Even the people at the end
of the line got very good priority numbers. We opened up the
processing early because of the press of people. People in
line did very well. There were very few people who began
pushing ahead in line. Also, security handled itself well.”
Dean of Counseling Services Ernestine Moore said, “It
was very successful. When the door was opened, there was a
mad surge at the door. It’s difficult to tell people that there
is not a need to get there so early” (some people stood in line
morning and afternoon). “We didn’t have a lot of time to
have a more sophisticated system. We have to have time to
get the system up and tested. We could not start registering
students until Jan. 4. The first time around with a new
system you don’t really know what will happen. Hopefully
we’ve learned something from yesterday. Students have not
had to stand in line here very often. The students who were
at the end of the line who only had to wait a half hour got a
priority number for registering the second day (Jan. 5).”
Condensing Time
James Tuedio, supervisor, computer Services, said that
“Last semester, registration drug out to four or five months;
now registration time will be more concentrated.
“In this particular case, the old computer system was
failing. We had no way to get the new Hewett-Packard
computers in and programmed the old way (the way
registration has been in the past) in time to use it for spring
registration. They’re finishing up the electrical work today
on the new computer. Then they will be putting the computer
parts together. Usually that takes anywhere from a couple of
days to a couple of weeks. But with the Hewett-Packard,
putting things together should be accomplished in a shorter
amount of time.”
Kirk said that there are two basic ways to register
students. “One is, that you find some arbitrary means. Some
schools do a lottery system. Some register according to
social security numbers, also there is the alphabetical
system, according to last name.
“Then there is another whole concept: that students must
show their desire to have a choice in the matter. That is the
one that was chosen.”
A registration method for fall 1982 has not been decided on
yet. One idea mentioned by Kirk is that “a PCC student
transferring to another college will have high priority.”
Special Campus Events
FORENSIC CHAMPS!
The PCC Forensic Team is the new
State Fall Champions (novice division)
after a three-day competition held last
weekend.
The Pacific Southwest Collegiate Fo¬
rensics Association held the competi¬
tion at San Diego State University.
Thirty-six state colleges and univer¬
sities competed.
LAST NIGHT
Modern and jazz dance will be per¬
formed tonight at 8 p.m. in the
women’s gym (W203) by PCC students
under the direction of Rikki Magee.
Admission is $1.50.
CHRISTMAS JAZZ
Take a moment to relax during the
hectic Christmas season with the
sounds of jazz. “A Jazz Christmas
Happening” will be held Monday, Dec.
14 at 8:15 p.m. in Harbeson Hall.
Three jazz bands will be featured:
Bobbie Bradford’s Jazz Combo, the
Studio Jazz Ensemble, directed by
Gary Foster, and Robert Taylor’s Jazz
Rock Ensemble.
All three groups will perform indi¬
vidual sets of classic jazz numbers.
Remember, the best seats in town
are free.
FREE MUSICAL EVENTS
The Community Concert Band opens
its performing season tonight at 8:15 in
Sexson Auditorium.
Director Robert Evendon has chosen
musical selections by Grainger, Sousa,
Chance, Bach, Handel and others.
Admission is free.
MESSIAH SING-IN
Gather your favotrite Christmas mu¬
sical scores and bring them along. The
annual Messiah Sing-In will be held
Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.
The Pasadena Chorale, directed by
Donald Brinegar, will vocalize the
selections brought in with the audience
invited to sing along. Accompanying
the chorale will be the College Com¬
munity Symphony Orchestra under the
direction of Wayne Reinecke.
This afternoon of Christmas songs is
free to the public.
MOONLIGHT HIKES
Six mile interpretive nature walks
are provided by Griffith Park rangers
the first Saturday of each month in
Griffith Park. Hikers are to meet at 9
a.m. in the Ranger Station parking lot
at 4730 Crystal Springs Drive. Evening
hikes at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Thursdays, moonlight
hikes on the Friday of the full moon
each month, family hikes and for the
really hardy, eight mile hikes in Brush
Canyon on the fourth Saturday of each
month are also offered. For further
information, call 665-5188.
INSIDE
Fighting Crime
□
Binge Syndrome . . .
□
Hyde Named Head
Coach at UNL V . . .
See story pg. 2
See story pg. 3
See story pg. 4
