VOL. 54. NO. 17
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 21, 1983
PCC Fears Change
' Tradition — Two-Edged Sword'
QUEUING UP FOR REGISTRATION— It s time for
registration once again. Those planning to attend
classes next semester have until Feb. 4 to choose
classes. Check your priority number to determine when
you register. Next semester starts Feb. 7.
— Courier photo by Barrett Stinson
Alumni Willed $30,000
Tradition and conservatism are the
school’s greatest enemies, according to
Superintendent-President Dr. Richard
S. Meyers. In a recent Courier in¬
terview, Meyers also said faculty
members are the most conservative
group on campus.
“Most of the faculty do not get
involved in the governance of the col¬
lege. Until they do, the college will not
reach its full potential,” he said.
The outgoing president also said the
board of trustees and students are at
opposite ends of the scale in their
resistance to change. Students are the
most liberal group on campus, accord¬
ing to Meyers.
“Tradition is a two-edged sword”
with good and bad points, he said.
Meyers cited the Alumni Association,
the Parent-Teacher-Student Associa¬
tion and other campus volunteer or¬
ganizations evolving from tradition as
good points.
“On the other hand, tradition makes
people too comfortable doing things
one way. That’s when apathy sets in,”
he said. He likened the situation to
becoming comfortable with an old
chair. “After a while, you don’t want to
get off your chair to try another which
may be more comfortable,” he said.
Meyers said “Instructors are more
protected on their jobs and there’s
tendency to want to keep things the
same. Some faculty members have
tenure and contracts which gives them
job security.”
Classified employees, however, don’t
"Tradition makes people
too comfortable . . . That's
when apathy sets in. "
—MEYERS
have the same employment security
and tend to be more accepting of
change, Meyers said.
“I don’t mean this as criticism,” he
said, “it’s just how I see things. It’s
part of human nature, as people be¬
come more established, they get more
conservative.”
Faculty members from different
academic departments vary in their
resistance to change, Meyers said.
Teachers in departments where change
occurs frequently in their fields accept
change more readily. Instructors from
departments where change never oc¬
curs or it happens infrequently are slow
to change and accept new ideas.
Meyers said during his administra¬
tion he tried to change things which
would improve the college. “I didn’t
just sit here and complain. I tried to
find solutions. But people critiziced me
when the changes didn’t work,” he
said.
Meyers said the trustees have “built-
in” reasons to be conservative. “They
are elected officials who want to be
reelected.”
Students “only come to school for a
few classes and they see constant
change,” Meyers said. They are the
most liberal group and accept and
expect change, according to the school
president.
On a scale, Meyers sees the faculty
as the most conservative group on
campus, closely followed by the board
of trustees. Classified staff and admin¬
istration employees are less con¬
servative and he sees students as the
least conservative group.
By Sharon Ching
Contributing Writer
PCC’s Alumni Association recently
received a $30,000 grant bequethed
from the estate of John S. Christie, past
president of the association.
The money will be deposited in a
bank and the $3,000 interest will be used
for alumni scholarship awards. By
storing the original amount and only
using the interest, the association will
be able to use this continuing fund each
year.
The scholarships will be distributed
to PCC students graduating with a 3.0
GPA or higher and enrolled in at least
12 units. “We hope to start distributing
applications as early as this spring,”
said Louis Creveling, current alumni
president.
Creveling also said even though the
amount of each scholarship has not yet
been determined by the association, it
will probably depend on how many
students apply.
Friends felt Christie left the money
to PCC not only because young people
“were trying,” but also because “some
of the happiest days of his life were at
the college.”
The Alumni Association started in
1926 with the first graduating class, but
it wasn’t incorporated until 1974, when
Christie, along with two other alumni,
drafted the constitution and by-laws for
the association.
Each year the association sponsors
many special events in honor of the
college. These annual events include
Christmas parties, summer picnics,
class reunions, campus honors, Presi¬
dent’s Circle dinners and homecoming
activities.
The association’s * purpose is to
“maintain mutually beneficial rela¬
tionships between the college and the
alumni,” said Creveling. He believes
the grant is significant because be¬
cause providing scholarship funds is
one of the “primary functions” of the
association.
“The alumni have been a part of the
college’s many accomplishments, con¬
tributing support and participating in
expanding academic excellence,” said
Creveling.
A look into John Christie as a person is
featured on Page 6.
Cable TV Courses
Offered in February
■ЩГ
John Christie
Academic Commissioners Sought
Get involved in student government. Become an AS academic commissioner.
There are 18 positions available. Commissioners will have veto power on the AS
board. Come up to the campus center and ask any AS officer or Mrs. Byles for
information regarding these appointments. Board meetings are held at 11 a.m.
every Tuesday in the campus center.
News Briefs
Study Hotline
A hotline for mathematics and physics students is available through a group
at Caltech. The Bureau of Resolving Academic Difficulties is funded by the
Calfifornia Department of Education. Caltech students will be trained on
answering allowable questions from other students. The hotline “BRAD” will
vary in times during the week, one day reserved for 24 hour service. For more
information, contact Caltech.
Symphony, Chorale Perform
The College Community Symphony Orchestra appears in concert with the
Pasadena Chorale this evening at 8:15 p.m. in Sexson auditorium. The orchestra,
directed by Wayne Reinecke, will perform Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. The
chorale, conducted by Donald Brinegar, will present “Polovetzian Dances” from
Prince Igor by Borodin. Admission and parking is free.
Commencement Speaker Suggestions
Who would be an inspiring speaker for June commencement? Kurt Vonnegut,
Bob Dylan, Buckminster Fuller, John Cage, Anais Nin, Fidel Castro, Jerry
Garcia? Give your suggestions to Alvar Kauti, dean of student activities, in the
campus center now.
Library Books Due
All library books and other materials are due on or before Tuesday, Jan. 25.
To prevent your name from being added to the delinquent list please return all
library materials by that date.
Women in Science
There will be a career conference at Cal State Northridge on Saturday, Feb.
26. This is an opportunity to hear women professionals from industry’s scientific
workforce. Make your reservation now at (213) 885-2030.
By Joy Stephens
Contributing Writer
Beginning next month, college credit
courses and community services pro¬
grams on cable television “will be
offered throughout the day so more
people can view them,” said David
Ledbetter, dean of instructional serv¬
ices.
Proposed changes in the school’s
cable telecommunication policy were
passed by the board of trustees earlier
this month. The result will improve
“production and instruction in cable
television for the surrounding com¬
munities,” said Ledbetter.
“PCC will eventually have a mobile
cable unit on campus so that students
can have ventures in making their own
programs,” Ledbetter said.
Instructional programs offer stu-
$6,000 Raised at Benefit
dents a chance to take courses for
college credit in their own home. Stu¬
dents can receive transferable credit
by completing the study assignments,
attending the seminars and taking a
mid-term and final examination.
PCC is offering seven transferable
courses on cable during spring
semester. Also offered are three com¬
munity service programs. Enrollment
is necessary to view these programs
which air on Sierra Madre and
Arcadia’s channel 10.
Under the new policy, the college
district will use cable telecommunica¬
tions for two-way interactive video
instruction and use the cable telecom¬
munications systems as an “on-the-
air” laboratory to enhance the tele¬
communications production and opera¬
tions curriculum.
Scholarships Deadlines
Rotary International: Deadline Feb. 18.
Edison Awards, $500-$1500: Deadline Feb. 4.
College Women's Club: Deadline Feb. 11.
Vermont Incentive Grants: Get more information as soon as possible.
American Business Women's Association: Deadline Jan. 21.
La Canada Thursday Club: Deadline Jan. 21.
Norman Topping Scholarships for USC: Deadline Feb. 11.
Nursing/Allied Health: Deadline Feb. 18.
Health Scholarship for Veterans
The Veterans Administration announced that it is seeking applications for its
Health Professional Scholarship Program for the 1983 fall school term.
The program, authorized by Congress, provides support for baccalaureate
and master’s nursing students on a pay-back-in-service basis. The scholarship
provides tuition, educational expenses and a monthly stipend with participants
agreeing to serve a minimum of two years as a full-time registered nurse in one
of VA’s 172 hospitals or 226 outpatient clinics.
Applications for the scholarships and information about the program are
available from the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program, Office of
Academic Affairs, DM&S (14N), 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20420. Application requests may be made between Jan. 3 and May 10, 1983.
Completed applications must be submitted to the Scholarship Office no later than
June 1, 1983.
Vietnamese Aid Refugees
By William Noertker
Assistant News Editor
The Vietnamese Students Associa¬
tion raised $6,000 at a benefit for
refugees last Saturday. Operation
Rescue, Inc. received $1,000 and Father
Peter Namwong received $3,000 for an
orphanage in Thailand. The other $2,000
paid entertainment expenses.
Vietnamese refugees have been at¬
tempting to leave Vietnam since 1965,
the year of the Tet offensive. The U.S.
government assisted the refugees until
1980. In order for Vietnamese to leave
Vietnam they must pay the government
in gold. “Sometimes this works, some¬
times it doesn’t,” said Stan Tsukahira,
assistant director of extended op¬
portunities and services.
Vietnamese refugees generally have
gone to Thailand and Cambodia, but
now these countries are returning re¬
fugees to Vietnam. The United States
believes that it has helped enough in the
past.
After Cambodia, refugees usually go
to Hong Kong or Malaysia. Boats will
do this for a fee. About 50 percent of the .
boat people actually make it to their
destination. The rest perish, according
to Tsukahira.
Operation Rescue, Inc. was started
by a retired Naval Officer, Jack E.
Bailey. With the help of Vietnamese
Americans, Bailey raised money to buy
a boat to transport refugees. He also
organized a fleet of 100 fishing boats to
help patrol the waters for pirates, so
the boat people have a better chance of
making it to the refugee camps.
“If Americans aren’t willing to lift a
hand, the Vietnamese living here have
an obligation to do as much as they can
to help,” said Tsukahira.
Courier photo by Tom LaBarbera
— Courier photo by Wilhelm Bleckmann — Courier photo by Tom LaBarbera — Courii
HOME, SWEET HOME — PCC's building construction class has bargain price of around $25,000,” said Lome Johnson, instructor. Both
completed the frame of this model home. Next to it is a structure that was structures have two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Students constructed
completed last year. "The completed house is on sale and should go for a both houses in the last two years. The third picture from left is Pablo
»
by lorn LaBarbera —Courier photo by Wilhelm Bleckmann
Hernandez, a building construction student this semester. "Next year the '
second house will be completed. But it is more important to sell the already
completed structure." said Johnson.