PCC Courier, January 21, 1983

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.