- Title
- PCC Courier, February 09, 1979
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- Date of Creation
- 09 February 1979
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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, February 09, 1979
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Budget Issues Revised
New Financial Plans at PCC
By Steve McManus
Staff Writer
The new year began some days ago
in China. It is the year of the Ram.
A person born in this year should be’
artistic, elegant, charming, and fond
of nature.
The new semester began this week
at PCC. In California, it is the year of
the greenback.
A person going to school this year
may find his books cost more, the class
he wants not offered, the library not
open on weekends, his favorite
professor out on strike.
There are decisions being made this
semester, by the state legislature and
by our Board of Trustees, that will
affect the future quality and quantity
of higher education in this state.
The passage of Proposition 13 last
year greatly altered the financial
structure of higher education. Local
revenues, principally those received
from property taxes now account for
only a small percentage of the college
income.
Average daily attendance, ADA, is
no longer a factor in the funding
process, though it may be revived in
the future.
What this amounts to is that we are
in the midst of difficult economic
times. Granted, this is not a crystal
ball discovery, but Americans often
have a hard time relating recession
rhetoric with seemingly unrelated cuts
in local services.
There are a number of things
therefore, that those who are involved
with education here at PCC should be
aware of. The first is that the college
will probably be funded next year as it
was this year, that is, by block grant.
Two bills are being considered in the
state legislature right now. The Rodda
Bill, SB 186. deals with educational
funding for next year only. A long
range plan is outlined in the Dills Bill,
SB 234, which covers educational
funding for K-l through K-14, first
grade through the community college
level.
If the Dills Bill is passed and signed
before July 1, it will preclude any
further action on the Rodda Bill. Both
bills are likely to be chafed by the
amendment process.
In the interlude, however, PCC must
form a tentative budget by July 1. This
process is greatly hampered because
the information on the community
college revenues is hazy. In fact, last
year the various budget deadlines
were pushed up a full month until the
full extent of college funding was
decided.
To facilitate budget formulation.
Superintendent-President Richard
Meyers drafted several planning
guidelines and presented them to the
board last week. The board is having a
special meeting this week to consider
those and other budget issues.
Adding to the econimic confusion
was the governor's promulgation of a
$4.3 percent increase in funding for
community colleges. This proposed
increase was to have put an end to
extensive program slashing and staff
reduction. According to Dr. Bonnie
James, newly appointed Director of
Indeed, $1.9 million of the reserves
was used in what Dr. Meyers has
refered to as “deficit spending." He is
hopeful it won't be necessary next
year.
It is apparent that either programs
will have to be cut or staff will have to
be laid off. Neither of these two
possibilities is promising, but in order
to control our spiraling economy, some
educational belt-tightening is
necessary.
Financial Services, the $4.3 percent
figure is misleading. Brown’s budget
takes into account an increase in local
revenues which James feels is not part
of state funding.
“The present assumption," said
James, “is that we will be receiving
the same income we received this
year. With that as an assumption, we
will be facing a cut of seven percent
over this year's budget because we
spent more than our income last
vear."
Summer school, which ran for a six
w’eek session last year, is likely to
meet the same fate again this year.
Staff contracts are up for re¬
negotiation. There was no cost-of-
living raise in last year's salary set¬
tlement. There is some doubt that they
can “go without" again.
Sabbatical leaves are in abeyance
indefinitely.
The district has given a one year
notice on the Community Adult
Training Center (CATC) on Lake
Avenue. The center, leased from the
Bertea Corporation, has been an off
campus educational site for over 10
years.
All of this portends the possibility of
leaner cirriculum offerings, higher
fees, and a reduction of educational
extras such as team travelling, guest
lecturers, and new equipment.
Hopefully, these things will be taken
advantage of while they are here
rather than missed when they are
gone.
Future Dim For Iranians
A significant number of PCC Iranian
students are being forced to drop
spring semester classes due to the
political violence now occurring in
Iran.
The country is in turmoil. Banks are
closed and commercial business
functions have been prohibited. If
people do business they are considered
pro-Shah. All postal service in Iran has
been censored indefinitely. This
situation has precluded students from
receiving funds to pay for their tuition.
“A number of students will not be
able to attend spring semester classes
because of the interruptions of mail
and the inability to receive funds from
their own country," said Dr. Irvin
Tuition Money Due
For Foreign Students
Lewis, dean of student personnel
services.
Dr. Lewis spoke about the conflict
this situation has created for many of
the Iranian students. The political
strife in Iran has not only interrupred
their education, but many are now
faced with the possibility of being
taken into custody and deported back
to Iran. “We are required sometime
during the semester to report to im-
VOL. 46, NO. 17
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 9, 1979
migration those who are not enrolled,"
said Dr. Lewis.
Foreign students are obligated to
pay for their tuition upon registering.
Fach student pays $48 a unit, which
represents $1,100 to $1,500 per student
a year, depending on how many units
he carries. It is required that a foreign
student carry a minimum of 12 units.
“We are trying to give as much time
as possible, but are consistent with
having the tuition paid as required,"
said Dr. Lewis.
February 1 was the original deadline
set up by the administration, to allow
students an opportunity to pay their
tuition. However, this date was ex¬
tended to Friday, Feb. 9, because of
the situation.
Of the 60 Iranian students now at¬
tending PCC it is estimated only half
will remain.
The college has also helped by ex¬
tending loans (foreign student
emergency loans) to help out. About
five were allowed to apply for
government work permits and all were
granted, so far. “It's been difficult to
find a job. they have certain
requirements, and many of us don't
have experience. Still the work per¬
mits have been a big help," said one
Iranian student. All Iranian students
interviewed asked to remain
anonymous to protect their identities.
Regardless of the conflicting
position in which these students find
themselves, many are seeking
alternatives to solve the situation.
Some are tutoring in classes at PCC for
which they are being paid minimum
wage. Others have sought help from
the administration.
Most of the students live with
relatives and friends in order to share
living costs, but still this has not
completely solved the situation. “We
can't survive, we have to have money,
otherwise we can't do anything." said
one student.
They consider the need for more
time to pay their tuition as the most
important factor in this situation. "It
would really be a big help if they could
extend the deadline." a student said.
"Cutting down our education, would be
cutting our opportunities for the
future."
How soon the situation clears up in
Iran remains uncertain. Only a change
in the Iranian government will
promote a change here.
Student Curriculum Committee
Petitions for Course Outlines
The Student Curriculum Committee
asked the Board of Instruction that
students be provided with more ac¬
curate course objective outlines.
‘(Students feel not enough in¬
formation concerning course coverage
is being provided the first day of
classes,” said former committee
member Eileen Rockwell.
The Student Curriculum Committee,
an advisory group to the Vice
President of Instruction, which
represent the students brought the
matter to the boards attention,
January 16. “The committee felt it was
very important that students be
provided with this informational
course outline, this will help students
plan better in terms of what is coming
up." said Dr. Stanley Gunstream, Vice
President of Instruction.
Though a majority of faculty
members provide students with this
type of course outline, still there have
been a few complaints made by
students that informational course
outlines are not provided in some
classes. “I think this course outline is a
good idea, it will make things easier
for everyone,” said Ms. Rockwell.
Ms. Rockwell spoke of conflicts she
experienced with some teachers. “I
have personally been in situations
where teachers have throw'n it at you
all at once." Ms. Rockwell said, “Some
teachers should be fair with students
and tell them what they expect"
This information sheet would include :
General course objectives: due dates
of any papers or projects; dates of
major tests; schedule of reading
assignments and topics to be covered
in class.
Other information covered would be
mention of field trips and grading pol¬
icies on assigned papersand exams.
“I think its a good idea if teachers
make this clear in the beginning," Ms.
Rockwell said. “Organization makes it
easier for students and teachers."
This new' petition is supported by the
adminstration. However, it has been
left to the decision of the faculty
whether to provide their students with
this information or not. “For those
faculty members not doing this, the
decision is left up to them, we are not
mandating it." Dr. Gunstream said,
“We are only saying it is important"
Bonnie James Selected To Assume
Business Services V.P. Position
Dr. Bonnie James, 40, has been
selected as the new vice president of
business services for Pasadena City
College.
Having served as PCC’s director of
financial services for the past two and
one-half years, Dr. James fills the post
relinquished by Dr. Charles Miller,
who retired this week.
Dr. James, whose office oversees
maintenance of the school grounds and
facilities, accounting, purchasing and
data processing centers, has some
doubts whether PCC will be able to
expand in the next few years.
It all depends on whether we need
more facilities and if we have the land
and the money to pay for the building
material,” he said.
“At the present time, we don’t have
the land to build on. but we could
always build up on the top of our
present buildings.
New Deadline for
Drops Enforced
This Semester
Starting in the spring semester, PCC
will be enforcing new drop deadlines,
according to Dr. Irvine Lewis, Dean of
Student Personnel Services.
The final date for a student to drop a
class will be the Friday of the 12th
week of the semester. Any course
dropped before the fourth week will not
be recorded on the student’s record;
after that a student will receive a with¬
drawal grade.
After the 12th Friday no student will
be allowed to drop a class, but will be
encouraged to continue in the class.
The Friday of the 16th week will be
the deadline to totally withdraw from
the college. Any program adjustments
must be completed by the third Friday
of the semester.
Hi
BONNIE JAMES
It comes as no surprise to Dr. James
that his work in the near future will be
affected by Proposition 13, the
property tax measure voters passed
into law in fhe last state elaction.
‘When Proposition 13 passed last
year, the City of Pasadena had to cut
city property taxes, so we (PCC) had
no choice but to trim our fiscal
budget." he said.
“We receive funds from both the city
and the state, but if the funds are cut in
half, you can't keep operating as if you
still had the same budget before the
funding was cut."
Dr. James still sees some rough
times ahead, roads which will
probably worsen because of Prop. 13.
"We may have to charge tuition at
some point in time, but I would not like
to see this happen."
“A free education provides open
access for all students who wish to
attend community colleges," he ad¬
ded.
Of course, if the budget is cut, then
some classes must also be cut, and Dr.
James sees some trouble there.
“One person’s fat is another person’s
lean. What I mean to say is that a
program important to one group might
be considered 'fat' or expendable by
another group.
“I wouldn’t like to single out any one
program to be cut," he added.
“All programs, whether they be
sports or night school, should and must
be evaluated in terms of financial
resources"
Though at the present time things
appear to be gloomy. Dr. James sees a
rosey future.
“PCC has a reputation as an out¬
standing community college, and if we
stay within our fiscal budget, I can't
see why PCC couldn't continue being
an outstanding community college.
“If the state (California) steps in
and provides the community colleges
with additional funding, it would
certainly alleviate fiscal pressure on
the community colleges throughout the
state."
Dr. James is a graduate of USC
w here he earned his master's degree.
He .has been appointed to the
California State Education Finance
Reform Task Force and was awarded
the annual Ford Foundation Education
Fellowship.
Ilis past positions have included
director of the School Finance Unit for
the Los Angeles Unified School District
and Financial Analyst with the State
Department of Finance.
Л
FINALLY OFFICIAL— Dr. Richard
Meyers will be - formally
inaugurated as Superintendent-
President of PCC on Thursday,
Feb. 22. The ceremony will be held
in Sexson Auditorium at 11 a.m.
%
MIKE AGUILAR
Editor Jobs Filled
Bobbi Villalobos and Mike Aguilar
have been named Editors-in-Chief of
the Courier and Prism Magazine
respectivelv for the spring semester of
1979.
Miss Villalobos, a freshman out of
Pasadena High School, served in the
fall as sports editor of the courier.
“While attending PHS, she was on the
staff of the Chronicle where she was
feature editor and managing editor.
Miss Villalobos is also interning for
the Pasadena Star-News Intercity
papers where she is a sports writer.
The staff for the upcoming semester
includes: Laura Carlos, news editor;
Cathy Guth, associate news editor;
Mark Watney, opinion editor; Lewis
Scott, sports editor, Michelle An¬
derson, associate sports editor, and
Marcus Wilk, photo editor.
Aguilar is a product of South
Pasadena High School and a former
member of the United States Navy.
While in the navy, he became in¬
terested in journalism. When he was
discharged, he came straight back to
PCC and has been majoring in jour¬
nalism for the last four semesters, the
last two while serving on the Courier.
He too, also named his staff for
Prism, which will consist of Steve
Franklin, photo editor, and Davis
Barber, chief photographer.
Prism, which will be published near
the end of the semester, will focus on
campus life at PCC. The features will
range from adminstrators to various
departments, to unique students on
campus.
The Courier, is published every
Friday during the school year except
for holidays.
Irregularities Charged in
Spring ASB Elections
Tobias Talk—
Bushmen of
South Africa
l)r Phillip V. Tobias, Chairman of
the Anatomy Department at the
University of Witawatersrad Medical
School in Johannesburg, South Africa,
will lecture Wednesday. Feb. 14. at 8
p.m in the Pasadena City College's
Forum .
The lecture, entitled “The Bushmen;
Hunters and Herders of Southern
Africa, " is presented by the Pasadena
City College Anthropology Club and
the L. S
В
Leaky Foundation.
Tickets, priced at $3 general and $2
students, may be purchased in ad¬
vance at the PCC Bank from 9 a.m.
until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or
by mail through the Leakey Foun¬
dation, Foundation Center 206-85.
Pasadena. 91125. Tickets will be held
at the door lor mail orders received
after February 7
The PCC Forum is located at the
corner of Sierra Bonita Ave. and
Francisca Ave on the PCC campus.
By Arthur Wood
Staff Writer
Charges of irregularities in the
Spring ASB elections were introduced
at Thursday's Senate meeting by
Senate member Helen Roberts.
Questions of the election's validity
began the day after the election con¬
cluded. January 18.
Phyllis Jackson, dean of student
affairs, who supervised the election
stated there will not be a recount. The
Courier has learned, however, that a
student has allegedly claimed she
stuffed the ballot box while it sat
overnight in Dean Alvar Kautis office
in the Campus Center.
Ms. Roberts read a letter, at the
Senate meeting, she sent to Dr.
Richard Meyers January 19, in which
she questioned the legality ol the
election procedure .she questioned
specifically not giving out ballot stubs
to voters, and the use of dittoed sheets
lor ballots when regular forms ran out.
This lack of a checking system, her
letter stated, makes it “impossible to
challenge an election."
The letter also questioned the
legality of holding the election over a
period of two days without counting the
lirst day's votes.
The ballot box. the letter said, was
stored overnight in Dean Kauti s of¬
fice, where a student with access to the
room could have placed counterfeit
ballots inside.
Dean Jackson said it was unlikely
that a student could have entered the
office to alter the tally. She said that
she and Kauti are not the only ones
with access to keys for the Campus
Center. The Security office, she said,
has master keys to the entire school.
'The person alleged to have changed
the ballot box's contents is a member
of the campus security staff.
Ralph Riddle, director of campus
security, said Thursday that all em¬
ployees of the security staff carry
keys, but students do not.
Dean Jackson also said Thursday
the recount would not be allowed
because. 'The election is over. It's a
dead issue." She said the recount was
not requested until after the time limit
for such a request.
No candidate has asked for a recount
or challenged the election though this
may be due to the election code
provisions not being generally known
by the candidates or student govern¬
ment members before the election.