PCC
COURIER
VOL 59, NO. 12
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
DECEMBER 14, 1984
Gun Proposal Crops Up
By Gabrieli Meindl
Staff Writer
A proposal to allow campus police
officers to carry guns during evenings
campus hours was explained Tuesday
to the AS Board by Phillip Mullendore,
campus safety office director, Mullen¬
dore appeared before the board at the
invitation of Chris Cofer, AS president,
in response to the PCC Peace Oficers
Association plea to protect its officers.
The campus organization is a branch of
the Peace Officers Research Associa¬
tion of California (PORAC).
Security at all nine L.A. Community
College district campuses carry guns
24 hours per day, according to Mullen¬
dore. As it stands, PCC’s policy
prohibits any security officers to carry
guns. “It had been standard practice
for guards to carry guns on the grave¬
yard shift,” Mullendore said. In No¬
vember of 1981, a month after Mullen¬
dore had taken office, however, he took
the guns away from PCC’s graveyard
shift officers because the officers car¬
rying them had little or no training.
Guns on campus provoke emotional
responses, Mullendore said. However,
“the college is a community of 30,000
people. We face many of the same
problems a community that size faces,
such as robberies, family fights, etc.
Even though incidents of crime are
much lower among the general popula¬
tion, they still do occur.”
Between 1983-84, the college security
made 100 arrests, including 19 sex
offenses, two assualts with a deadly
weapon, 15 misdemeanor assualts,
protect the students, I would be for it,”
said Scott Svonkin, vice president of
student services. “I would like to see it
on a trial basis,” said James Mares,
coordinator of cultural affairs.
Five years ago, the Board of
Trustees appointed an ad hoc commit¬
tee to report on campus security needs.
On May 1, 1981, the committee’s report
was adopted by the board. Since Sep¬
‘PCC is five to ten years behind on this issue*’
—Phillip Mullendore
three possessions of hand guns, two
robberies, 40 auto burglaries, five sto¬
len cars and over 200 petty thefts.
The AS board plans to investigate the
issue by contacting other campuses
where the security force is armed,
according to Cofer. “I think it is a good
idea and a limited policy would be a
good start,” said Joe Bruna, vice presi¬
dent of academic affairs. “Personally,
I am against guns. But if it will better
tember of 1982, campus security has
been in the process of reorganization,
according to Mullendore. Three of the
four recommendations made by the ad
hoc committee have been im¬
plemented. The one remaining recom¬
mendation concerns arming security
officers during the graveyard shift.
On Nov. 3, 1983, PCC security was
admitted to the Peace Officers Stan¬
dard and Training (POST). POST sets
the rules for selection of all California
police officers which includes a four
month training program. Conse¬
quently, PCC’s nine sworn peace of¬
ficers now handles all police duties
except homocide.
PCC security also received a Memo¬
randum of Understanding on April 1,
1983 from the Pasadena Police Depart¬
ment that formalized “who would do
what,” Mullendore said.
In August of 1984, the ad hoc commit¬
tee was reconvened in response to
pressure from the PCC peace officers
association, which requested that it
make a recommendation to the Board
of Trustees about arming campus se¬
curity officers. Members feel it is a
“safety issue.”
“Officers should be armed when they
are out there on their own" for their
protection as well as the protection of
students, Mullendore said. “PCC is five
to ten years behind on this issue.”
If the board accepts the recommen¬
dation, “one maybe two” authorized
security officers would carry “some
type of hand gun” during the graveyard
shift.
Senate Considers Curricular Duties
By Lorene Rosen
News Editor
The Faculty Senate must decide
whether to accept more authority and
responsibility for determining college
curriculum. At last Monday’s senate
meeting, Dr. David A. Ledbetter, as¬
sistant superintendent for education,
requested that the senate redesign the
curriculum committee and resolve
which duties it would assume.
Committee members do not receive
money for their services now and
“serving on this (new) committee
would be the same thing," Ledbetter
said in a Tuesday interview.
The current 16 member committee
consists of four students, faculty, de¬
partment representatives and adminis¬
trators. “Although everyone has input,
it has been mostly incumbent upon
administration to manage college cur¬
riculum,” said Ledbetter. “If we truly
wish to be part of the post-secondary
arena, faculty needs to be more in¬
volved in curriculum development.”
“I shouldn’t be part of the cur¬
riculum committee. I see my role as
approving recommendations (from the
committee) or presenting my argu¬
ments if I disagree,” Ledbetter said.
“Too often in the past criteria for
degrees was based on existing courses.
Courses should be based on degree
criteria,” Ledbetter said.
‘If we truly wish to be part of the post-secondary arena,
faculty needs to be more involved in curriculum develop¬
ment.’ Dr. David Ledbetter
The senate scheduled a meeting for
Monday, Jan. 7 at 3 p.m. in board
chambers to discuss the curriculum
matter.
Ledbetter also asked the senate to
establish criteria for and make recom¬
mendations by May regarding im¬
plementation of an Associated Science
degree. In that process he would like
them to review the Associated Arts
degree so that the board can approve a
program to become effective in sum¬
mer 1986.
The statewide Academic Senate and
the California Community College
Board of Governors are looking into
different associate degrees and con¬
sidering changes. Though academic
senate findings are not binding, the
board of governors' decisions could
affect what the college does, said
Ledbetter. “I believe we’re working in
the same direction it is."
Dr. Henry P. Kirk, vice president for
education and assistant to the president
for development, reported to the senate
on the progress of the college's 60th
Anniversary plans and the PCC Foun¬
dation. He discussed a multi-media
slide show, PCC A Cornerstone of the
Community, which is available to
feeder high schools and community
organizations. Kirk suggested that fac¬
ulty members may volunteer to present
the 20 minute show to outside organiza¬
tions.
Alvar Kauti, student activities dean,
introduced Don Siriani, Campus
Cuisine vice president, who discussed
the company's plans and fielded ques¬
tions from the faculty. He explained
that due to the college's dual food-
service contracts, Campus Cuisine has
been prohibited from serving anything
more than what can be heated in a
microwave.
They do prepare fresh sandwiches
daily in a room by the cafeteria and sell
them at the trucks. In response to a
complaint about too much junk food,
Siriani said a survey has been prepared
and will soon be distributed at the
trucks so that Campus Cuisine can
supply what its customers really want.
LUCK O' THE DRAW — Bobbie Smith purchased a Highlighter
pen, filled out an entry form and won a Huffy 1
0
bicycle at the
Bookstore this week. — Courier photo by John Vaughn
Board of Trustees Hold Annual Organizational Meeting
Mirror Pool Projects Conflict; Academic, Registration Changes Tabled
By Lisa Lowery
Editor-in-Chief
The college has spent about $150,000
in the last 50 years on refurbishing the
mirrored pools, according to William
Shatford, who was elected Board of
Trustees president at its annual or¬
ganizational meeting Dec. 6. The board
postponed any immediate action to
continue with a project to refurbish the
50-year-old pools which leak due to
earth movement.
The refurbishment project was on a
“collision course" with another ten¬
tative solution which pertains to re¬
designing or replacing the pools, said
Dr. John Casey, superintendent-presi¬
dent. Dr. Henry Kirk, educational serv¬
ices vice president, asked for 60 days to
locate a donor who may come forth
with an aternate solution to the costly,
ongoing problem.
Dr. Bonnie James, assistant super¬
intendent for administrative services,
reported on the status of the mirrored
pools refurbishment project. He said
$15,000 was alloted in' this year's
budget. The first attempt at seeking
estimates had concluded with the bids
ranging from $31,000 to $51,000. The
primary problem, however, is that the
earth beneath that area continues to
move, causing cracks in the pools and
leakage after a short period of time.
James said the pools hold water for
about five to six years if luck prevails.
This time, an attempt to get a thinner
coating on the pools may increase the
amount of time to 10 years.
Trustee Shatford asked if an esti-
CAFE KUDOS — From left, committee members James Menath,
Bob McDaniel and Henry Kirk present an award to Ed Miller and
Paul Hennessey, Professional Foodservice Management officials in
appreciation of cafeteria decor improvements.
— Courier photo by Mike Luna
mate had been obtained for a process
which would involve laying a mat
beneath the pools which has worked in
similar situations but was expensive.
Kirk, who brought the subject to the
board, said he didn't know how long it
would take to prepare a proposal, but
that he would try to get an early
indication as to whether a donor will
come forth.
ACEDEMIC CHANGES POSTPONED
Dr. David A. Ledbetter, assistant
superintendent for education, asked for
a one-vear extension for such proposed
curricular changes as stiffening AA
degree requirements, and offering an
AS degree. The extension would also
include time to evaluate and revise
English and math courses so that trans¬
ferring students would meet UC re¬
quirements.
Dr. Rae Ballard, English depart¬
ment chairwoman, agreed with Ledbet¬
ter stating the changes should take
place simutaniously to avoid student
confusion and to ensure success
through extensive research efforts.
Ledbetter also asked the board to
extend offering English 100 and busi¬
ness 11 A to qualify under AA require¬
ments until 1986.
Ledbetter said all suggestions from
faculty and others should be made
before the end of this semester and
discussions be held before the summer.
BOARD RETREAT SET FOR FEB. 8
An all-day board retreat has been
scheduled for Feb. 8, at 9 a.m. at the
Art Center. Trustee Susanna Miele,
who was elected board clerk, had sug¬
gested at a previous meeting that the
board conduct a casual meeting to
discuss topics such as long range plan¬
ning.
Trustee Joseph Sargis, newly elected
board vice president, said they should
develop a focus so that the board would
not supersede what Casey has been
working on. The trustees decided that
Casey would develop a list of topics
which the board could address without
conflicting with current studies to
avoid redundancy.
INTERDISTRICT REGISTRATION
The interdistrict registration agree¬
ment between PCC and the Los Angeles
Community College District remains
unsettled. Casey said several com¬
munity college presidents were sched¬
uled to meet again on Fh'idav to discuss
the district's proposal. He informed the
board that the L.A. community college
district included four items which had
not been negotiated previously and
recommended that the board address
the agreement at a later date.
Monday. Casey said the items in¬
volve reporting to the L.A. community
college district figures of summer ses¬
sion attendance, which has already
been extablished as free-flow, and the
number of students' weekly contact
hours instead of the number of units.
The L.A. community college district
also included an item which would
allow its auditor to audit PCC's atten¬
dance records. “We audit our records
regularly and make it available.”
Casey said. He added that originally
the districts agreed not to recruit in
each other's districts. However, during
the presidents' meeting Friday, he
learned that the L.A. community col¬
lege district had broken that agree¬
ment already.
El Camino Community College has
negotiated an agreement with L.A.
which included raising the minimum
number of units that students can take
without a permit from five to six. Also
the districts agreed that students who
have applied for enrollment prior to the
signing of such an agreement will also
qualify for free-flow in the spring
semester. Casev said PCC will also try
to negotiate for those conditions.
During the trustees meeting, Casey
said the Board of Governors will be
looking at the situation after
Chancellor Gerald Hayward introduces
it as an item of concern. The gov¬
ernor's board is expected to ask for
more information and will require the
chancellor to report back in March
with that data.