PCC Courier, December 21, 1979

A Look At the ’70s On campus and off, gas lines, inflation and three presidents characterized the decade. In this issue, the Courier takes a look at the ’70s. rfi VOL. 48. NO. 17 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE. PASADENA. CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 21, 1979 Controversies of the Decade Energy Crunch Block-long gas lines were a common sight during the 70s. They first ap¬ peared during the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo when gas prices also began to climb. On campus, “share a ride” became the theme of a pilot carpooling pro¬ gram. When the embargo was lifted and gasoline began to flow more freely, old driving habits were resumed. How¬ ever, increased energy costs prompted a number of changes on campus. PCC initiated an energy conserva¬ tion program recently reported to be saving an average of $45,000 annually. The boiler house began to run on “interruptable service,” using more expensive oil only when the daily con¬ sumption limit for the less expensive gas had been exceeded. Beginning in February 1977 air con¬ ditioning units on campus were shut off every night and turned on again early in the morning. Reflecting the times, students in architecture, construction and interior design classes designed and built a solar house, the first one in the nation to be constructed by a college. Gas lines reappeared last spring when oil production in Iran was dis¬ rupted by the revolution. Odd/even regulations governing the sale of gasoline were instituted to reduce pan¬ ic buying and long lines at the pumps. Gas prices increased daily. The park¬ ing lot at PCC thinned out and bike racks filled up. No sooner had the situation stabi¬ lized than the United States-Iranian crisis developed. President Carter’s ban on importation of Iranian oil pro¬ duced a resumption of odd/even regu¬ lations. Gas prices, which passed the dollar mark, are still climbing. The forecast for the ’80s: Higher prices and dwindling supplies. By Dan Hutson Editor-in-Chief Political activism has been a term applied to college students of the ’60s and 70s. Although not as visible at PCC, student interest in the effect of politics on our lives has surfaced occa¬ sionally. The early 70s saw the United States become increasingly entangled in the nightmarish Vietnam conflict. Stu¬ dents were among the first to speak out strongly against our involvement in the war. Vietnam, ’72 Election However, student interest in Viet¬ nam barely existed at PCC, if past Courier issues are any indication. Ex¬ cept for editorials condemning the latest move by President Nixon to escalate involvement, little was writ¬ ten about students here making their protests known. In May 1972, PCC students did march in front of the Nixon re-election head¬ quarters in downtown Pasadena. Anti¬ war activities began with a rally on the Campus Center steps attended by sev¬ eral hundred people. Handicapped Vietnam veteran Ron Kovics described some of his experiences for the crowd. The subjects of overpopulation and ecology also concerned students here at that time. The 1972 presidential race received much attention in the Courier, which endorsed George McGovern. Political Awareness Week, spon¬ sored by the ASB in April 1972, gave local candidates and various party rep¬ resentatives the chance to woo newly- enfranchised 18-year-old voters; un¬ fortunately, attendance during the five days of activity was generally sparse. Club Activity The 70s saw the birth and subse¬ quent passing away of a variety of political organizations on campus. The Student Union for Peace and Justice, representing the “radical non¬ violent point of view,” was formed in 1972. It hasn’t been heard from in years. The Pan-Afrikan Students Alliance, which sponsored a variety of politically oriented and cultural events on campus in the past few years, launched a protest against the showing of a film- lecture on South Africa as part of the Tuesday Evening Foriim Series in Oc- Campus Politics By Mark Haines Staff Writer Student apathy, contested elections, insufficient funds and mismanaged fi¬ nances were recurring problems that helped keep student government in the news during the 70s. LaGk of student involvement plagued the ASB. The school year frequently began with many ASB offices unfilled. Voter turnout was usually low. In the spring of 1970, 550 out of 8000 eligible voters cast ballots. In the winter of 1975, approximately 200 of the 19,000 students voted. This semester only 180 students participated in the student trustee election. Elections during the 70s always seemed to spark some sort of con¬ troversy. The most recent charges have included ballot box stuffing and allowing candidates to file after the deadline. Controversies earlier in the decade centered around “illegal press” and campaigning practices. Finances were also a major issue in student government. The biggest con¬ troversy occurred in 1974 when first the student senate and then the Board of Trustees investigated ASB spending practices. The student senate has continually been at odds with the ASB over how money is to be spent. In 1975 the senate voted to revise the ASB finance code to set a $700 limit on funds that could be allocated to groups on campus from the general account. Prior to that time there had been no limit. Last spring the senate failed to ratify the ASB budget for several weeks, thereby freezing all ASB funds. The final semester of the 70s has been comparatively quiet. Only future semesters will tell whether ASB will continue to follow trends set in the 70s. tober 1977. The Board of Trustees allowed the film to be shown, but also added an anti-apartheid film on the political situation in South Africa to be shown the same evening. Approximately 75 people peacefully demonstrated against the film outside C Building that night. Shortly into the program, a bomb threat forced the evacuation of the entire building. No bomb was found and the program continued. In March that year, the Young So¬ cialist Alliance became embroiled in a battle with the PCC administration over the selling of publications on campus. This eventually led to a revision in the “Students’ Rights and Responsi¬ bilities” policy which allowed presen¬ tations by outside organizations but prohibited the sale of off-campus publi¬ cations. The Board further revised the policy later, restricting literature sales to one table and prohibiting anyone selling material from roaming the campus. Activism in the political arena by campus organizations has also brought some well-known speakers to PCC. Ceasar Chavez was brought to PCC through the efforts of MECHA, the Chicano students’ campus organiza¬ tion. Two months later Jack Ford, the son of then-President Gerald Ford, came to PCC for a press conference. Spon¬ sored by the Social Sciences Depart¬ ment, the discussion was broadcast over PCC-TV. Ford stopped by during a campaign swing through Southern Cali¬ fornia on behalf of his father. No Nukes, Less Taxes Recent action has included a march through Pasadena against Prop. 13, in which PCC students took part. The PCC Alliance for Survival, a chapter organized this semester, brought speakers on campus to inform students on the risks of nuclear energy. Another currently explosive political situation, United States-Iran relations, has prompted forums on the issue held by the PCC chapter of the International Committee Against Racism, another relatively new group here. Vietnam, Nixon, Prop. 13, nuclear energy and Iran— while centers of po¬ litical controversy have changed over the decade, PCC students have made an attempt to understand the workings of a political world and make their voices heard. ’70s in Retrospect Watergate Sylmar quake Breakup of the Beatles Skylab and the space shuttle Roots Vietnam, POWs, MIAs Crock pots, microwaves and cuisinarts 18-year-old vote Rung Fu Patty Hearst Terrorists Jarvis and Prop. 13 Potato Bowl Mini, midi, maxi Jonestown Pet rocks Streaking Punk rock, new wave Star Wars, Jaws, Godfather Laetrile Henry Aaron Kermit and Miss Piggy Jimmy Who? The Hulk, Spiderman, Wonder Woman Test-tube baby Recognition of China Collective bargaining comes to PCC Kent State Bicentennial RVs and CBs| Archie Bunker, Mary Richards Pm O.K., you’re O.K. Defecting Russian dancers Courier policy Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Gay power Busing The Shah and the Ayatollah Hot tubs Disco Child care controversy Jogging Frisbees, skateboards Nixon, Ford, Carter Sarafian, Floyd, Meyers