PCC Courier, February 21, 2002

у > » I % I) • * « Measure P , Voters too decide on March see page 5 ‘A Flea in Her Ear’ to Open on March 1 see page 6 Softball Team Blanks the Huskies see page 8 COURIER Since 1915 2ЩЩ838888888Ш8ШШ888ШШ88ШШ838Ш£8ШШ8883ШШШШ$ VOL. 87 NO. 17 www.pcc-courieronline.com FEBRUARY 21,2002 News , in on 8&F t о « о I о • ') * I A о * © i 41 ! t Э I * Planning to transfer to Cal State Northridge? The March 1 5 dealine for fall 2002 transfer applications is rapidly approaching. Omicron Mu Delta, a PCC honorary organization, will recognize leaders of the furture at its first annual student luncheon, March 1 5 at 11:30 a.m. The affair will be held on the Circadian pation, or in the Louis Creveling Lounge in case of rain. On Campus KPCC Still Looking to Move By Kevin Awakuni Entertainment Editor A common misconception among many students is that KPCC is the college radio station. This is not true. For several years the sta¬ tion and PCC were legally divorced. The station is completely separate from the college and is professionally run. The two parties ■ decided that it was in their best interest, if they split up. However there is only one small problem - they are still stuck living in the same house. Bill Davis, CEO of KPCC, said that both the station and the campus have a “very acute” need for space. “We don’t have room to expand here, and the college has pressing needs to use this space for class¬ rooms.” Specifically, the adminis¬ tration would like to use that space to begin its Digital Academy class¬ es. Davis said that prior to the sepa¬ ration, the station allowed students to come in and work for a certain amount of time, and then eventual¬ ly run their own radio program. That no longer happens. Instead, students have a chance to work in the internship program, in either the news, broadcast or administrative sections. The station currently has eight full-time PCC students, and five part timers working as interns. None are on the air. Davis said that, “you can argue the merits of whether or not the change was for the better or the worse but the proof is in the audience [membership].” The number of listeners has risen from 250,000 two years ago to.380,000. This in turn has allowed the station a better financial plat¬ form to stand on. In addition the station has just won six “Golden Mike” awards from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California, for outstand¬ ing reporting KPCC’s current status is a far cry from the financial woes and low listening audience that plagued the station several years earlier when it was still affiliated with the college. Back then KPCC still fea- # see KPCC, page 5 Erika Sanquist/Courier Parks Speaks Out on KPCC Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard Parks appeared on campus for a dis¬ cussion on KPCC. in the interview Parks fielded questions from inquisi¬ tive high schoolers. The Immaculate Heart students challenged the chief with queries about his record in office and the lack of support he is currently experiencing from both his own officers and Mayor Jim Hahn. Vandal Targets Members of Gay and Lesbian Club Hate messages deface club’s announcements promoting acceptance of individual differences By Jaynita Carney Staff Writer Vandalism targeting United Rainbow Alliance (URA) posters and fliers struck PCC’s campus early last week. The first wave of vandalism began on Feb. 13 when at least 20 of the club’s posters and flyers were tom down. Also announcements posted on the L-building and on the west side of CC building had words of hate written on them. Some named specific members of the club. Yesterday when URA members arrived on campus they spotted more vandalized posters. This time the message read, “Die losers and bum in hell.” A police report was immediately filed. Campus police said the vandalism was the work of one individual. They were all written in a black ballpoint pen and the handwrit¬ ing was identical. Sgt. Steve Lester, the officer heading the investi¬ gation, classified the incidents as vandalism of prop¬ erty. “We simply don’t see it escalating to physical assault, because the perpetrator chose not to confront any members of URA personally. It is believed that their intent was to make a statement on how they don’t agree with URA views. In the event the perpe¬ trator decides to inflict harm or violate the URA mem¬ bers in any way, if identified he or she would be pros¬ ecuted to the fullest extent of the law. At that point, it would be considered a hate crime.” “It makes me feel sad and angry, but not terrible surprised, because I think this kind of discrimination of gays and lesbians is experienced everywhere. I am, however, surprised that college students in this day and age are still uninformed and small-minded enough and insecure enough about their own values that they have to act out in a way that is so oppressive to others, I believe these kinds of incidences, more than anything else, serve to unite and strengthen the gay and lesbian students,” said Sue Talbot, the col¬ lege’s publications editor and staff adviser of the club. Christopher Hickman, ICC representative for the URA said, “I think it is a shame that malicious people would vandalize and destroy information created to enlighten the campus.” “Stop The Hate,” an organization focused on mak¬ ing people aware of their rights in regard to hate crimes published the following guidelines: * “If you or someone else is in danger, call your local police. In many areas, “911” is the best number to call in an emergency. * Talk about what happened with an adult whom you trust. This person might be a parent, a relative, a teacher, a guidance counselor, a coach, a religious leader, or other grownup. ♦Unless you fear for your safety, talk to the person who is hurting you or harassing you and ask him to STOR Sometimes an aggressor simply needs to see the victim stand up for himself or herself and then will stop the hurtful behavior. * If the incident happens at school, your school has a responsibility to protect you. Tell a school official - a teacher, principal, counselor, school nurse, or other school officials. You have a right to feel safe and to be protected from hate crimes and other violations of your civil rights. If someone hurts you because of your race, religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or some other aspect of whom you are, it is a hate crime.” For more information visit www.stopthe- hate.org. The mission statement of the URA explains what the organization is all about. “The united Rainbow Alliance was created for and stands for the public awareness of gay and lesbian issues. Whether you are gay or straight, this club is a place where you can be who you are. It is a place where you can learn who other people are. It is a place of understanding, sup¬ port, and strength. We as members of the United Rainbow Alliance, hope to create a place of openness and ultimately, acceptance. That acceptance may be for ourselves or for the people around us. We want everyone to have a voice; we want everyone to be Union Protests Delay in Negotiations By Sarah Hykin Courier Correspondent PCC faculty members were up in arms at the California Teachers Association (СТА) meeting Thursday over what they say appears to be tacti¬ cal stalling by the district in salary negotiations. District offi¬ cials have failed thus far to pres¬ ent counter-proposals to the to the faculty negotiating team’s demands for faculty salary raises. A presentation by lead negotiator Roger Marheine outlined the dis¬ trict’s budget, explaining that a 14 percent salary increase is already budgeted for the current fiscal year. The general consensus among members is that the district is stalling. Howard Hertz, an English professor present at the meeting, accused the district of using “corporate hardball tactics” aimed to wear down and demoral¬ ize activism among faculty mem¬ bers. Faculty activism seemed any¬ thing but worn down, however, after a review of the district’s budgeting practices. As Marheine explained, capital outlay, a myste¬ riously unidentifiable expendi¬ ture, has been increased in years past to lessen budget surpluses, while money set aside for teacher salaries has consistently not been spent in full. The result is that district pet projects have received more than their allotted amount, teachers have received less, and there are still surpluses that would allow a 13.84 percent salary increase. These facts strike a nerve, especially among long-time fac¬ ulty at the Community Education Center (CEC). Professors there, with upwards of 25 years of serv¬ ice, have not had pay equal to their Colorado campus counter¬ parts since 1970, when a separate pay scale was implemented. And while professors at PCC have a pay scale based on seniority, CEC faculty salaries do not reflect their years of employment with the dis¬ trict. It is a problem that would cost approximately $91,000 a year to rectify. “That’s not much, considering the district has mil¬ lions in surplus,” said Marheine. Much of the information about budget surpluses was pro¬ vided a few weeks ago by Alan Fry, an expert budget analyst with the CCA. He was brought in by the СТА to better explain the dis¬ trict’s budgeting practices. Fry pointed out numerous accounts with large surpluses. College president Dr. James Kossler said, “I was very disap¬ pointed that they brought in someone from the outside who basically demeaned the character of people on campus. The first person they bring in calls admin¬ istrators and board members liars and cheats. I thought it was an unfortunate ploy.” The faculty negotiating team, represented by Marheine, Suzanne Anderson, Rod Foster, Mabel Duncan, Gil Ramos, Cheryl Beard and Lisa Adams, have presented three issues to the district for consideration. First, they are asking that the district apply significant increases in salary to all full-time schedules. Secondly, they’re negotiating for non-credit faculty at CEC to receive pay equal to their PCC counterparts. The third proposal requests that the district apply state provided augmentation to part-time salaries. The district has met only the last of these requests since negotiations started a month ago. The СТА is working in con¬ junction with the Community College Association (CCA), a sub-organization of the СТА, according to Marheine. CCA rep¬ resentatives have expressed their disappointment with the district’s apparent lack of preparedness during negotiations. Faculty negotiators have threatened to withhold support of Measure P on the March 5 ballot should the dis¬ trict continue to stall. Sheryl McQuilkin/Courier A bus like the one in which Rosa Parks made history visited campus.