The Force
Forensics Team
Lancers
Is With you
Page 3
Wins First Place
in Cypress Tourney
Split Two
Page 4
The
VOL. 63, NO. 19
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 22, 1987
InCar, the International Committee Against Racism, held a speak-out meeting last Thursday to by members of the committee, as well as representatives from nearly every campus organization,
discuss the Spoken English Proficiency Committee Survey. The jam packed meeting was attended such as Bill Logan (above left) and committee chairman Mike Bloebaum (above right).
— Courier photos by Vern McGuire
InCAR and Committee Members Meet
By Andre’ Coleman
News Editor
InCAR, the International Committee
Against Racism, met with Communica¬
tions Dept. Chairman Mike Bloeabaum
and members of the Spoken English
Proficiency Committee last Thursday
to discuss the findings of a recent
committee survey.
The meeting, which was suppose to
be an open forum for questions con¬
cerning the committees findings,
turned into a shouting match between
committee opposers, InCAR sup¬
porters and members of the faculty.
The trouble began after the commit¬
tee, which is headed by Bloebaum and
formed at the request of Dr. David
Ledbetter, Assistant Superintendent of
Educational Services, was asked to
investigate the growing concerns
among some campus instructors, local
four year colleges and universities that
some graduating students, particulary
ESL student, demonstrate inadequate
speaking abilities.
To accomplish this task, the commit¬
tee formed a one question survey ques¬
tion which asked, To what extent do
you think that student deficiencies-in
speaking, hearing and comprehending
English are a problem in the classes
you teach?
Of the 121 responses the committee
received the results indicated that 10
percent of the instructors polled be¬
lieved a severe problem exists, over 60
AS Vice President
Resigns; AS now
Accepting
Applications
By Keith Foster
Staff Writer
If you want to get on the AS
Board without the election hassles
now is your chance.
At a recent AS meeting it was
announced that Denise O’Brien,
Vice President of Student Services
will be resigning, and that her
position will be open on the AS
Board.
The Courier has learned that
O’Brien’s position may not be the
only opening. Inside sources have
indicated that two members of the
current board may apply for the
position.
Although examination of the AS
Constitution did not reveal an es¬
tablished line of succession, there
exist in the Constitution, a section
in article 5 which says, “Any
vacancy which occurs among the
elective or appointive offices of the
Associated Students (except as
outlined in article II, sections 7,8
and 9) shall be filled by AS Presi¬
dential appointment upon ratifica¬
tion of the AS executive board by a
two-thirds majority vote.
Although the constitution does
not state specificly if the open
position must be publicized, this is
the proceedure that has been used
in this type of situation previously.
According to AS President Steve
Amezola everyone should know
abou the open position. “I think
their are a lot of eligible candidates
and they should know the position is
open,” said Amezola.
Currently the AS Board is accept¬
ing applications for the position of
VP of Student Services. Anyone
interested in applying for the open
AS position may pick up an applica¬
tion in the Campus Center.
percent belived a significant problem
exists, 28 percent concluded a slight
problem exists and two percent in¬
dicated they did not see a problem.
After the Courier published the re¬
sults of the survey, INCAR published a
flier criticizing the survey and went on
to say, “Such a “survey” is designedto
generate the right answer ; it is a thinly
disguised effort to engineer a reaction
from faculty against foreign students.
It was also revealed that InCAR was
planning to protest the findings of the
survey.
In an effort to diffuse the situation
Bloebaum agreed to meet with the
group and field question concerning the
survey and the function of the commit¬
tee. An effort he thinks has helped the
situation.
“I think it was a vauable meeting.
People aired their views, and that’s
what the meeting was for,” said
Bloebaum.
InCAR adviser Roger Marhiem also
felt the meeting was valuable. “I was
amazed at the size of the of the turnout,
the voice of the group was wonderful. I
commend all of the students that par¬
ticipated,” said Marhiem
But the results of the meeting may
have done everything but diffuse the
situation, at the meeting, which was
attended by members of every major
campus organization, accusations of
racism, communism and red baiting
were thrown. But one group decided to
voice their opposition to the survey in a
more refined manner. The students of
Dan Meier’s ESL class wrote a letter
which Meir read to the audience.
We the students of Mr. Meier's English
la ESL class, overwhelmingly oppose the
Spoken English Proficiency requirement
test on two grounds: First, we do not
perceive a problem in a foriegn student’s
ability in speaking english. Many foriegn
students do not participate enough in
class because of cultural differences, but
this fact does not mean they do not speak
the language well.
Weoppose the wording of the survey
question “To what extent do you think
that student deficiencies in speaking,
hearing and comprehending English are
a problem in the classes you teach?’
because it is misleading. We are not quite
sure what you mean by the word “hear¬
ing,’’ and comprehension skills are some
times separate from a student’s speaking
skills. The fact is many foriegn students
maintain very high grade point averages,
an indication that the perceived deficien¬
cies in their hearing, comprehending and
speaking skills do not exist, just look at
the Dean’s List!
However despite the yelling and ac¬
cusations one thing appears to be clear,
the battle has just begun.
The Courier has learned that InCAR
will hold an informational picket in
front of the cafeteria Thursday at noon.
MEChA Mix — Up Over
By Eric P. Scott
Staff Writer
It had been a tense 4% hours for Jean
Otto last Thursday when Jose’
Rodriguez read the unanimous verdict
of the Supreme Council: Otto’s Nov. 25
impeachment was not conducted in
accordance with the MEChA constitu¬
tion.
Otto served as president of the
MEChA (chicano students) club until
her controversial ouster last fall when
then-vice president Gino Morales as¬
sumed her position. The Supreme Coun¬
cil granted her a hearing to decide
whether the impeachment was prop¬
erly handled.
AS Executive Vice President Bren-
don O’Brien led the pledge and called
the meeting to order. Rodriguez served
as chief justice, with Andrew Bravo
and Tim Owens as associates.
Otto began by condemning the han¬
dling of her Nov, 25 impeachment as
“very unconstitutional and very un¬
parliamentary.” She said that Robert’s
Rules of Order were “thrown out the
window.” Otto also claimed that some
of the people who voted didn’t have the
51 percent attendance required to vote.
“Also, the secretary was not present to
make the agenda or to get the roll
call.” The proceedings started before
the adviser (Enrique C. Orozco) ar¬
rived. She said that no roll call or
agenda was presented upon request by
the adviser.
Morales responded by saying that
Otto had “violated Robert's Rules of
Order, four items of our constitution,
two bylaws,” misused the MEChA
name and logo, and had the club placed
on probation as a result of her actions.
He then repeated his accusations citing
the specific articles and sections.
Morales introduced what he claimed
was the roll sheet for Nov. 25 to support
his contention that the 21 votes cast
were legitimate. Several of the signa¬
tures were questionable.
Both parties then elaborated their
claims. Otto said that Morales had
been given the floor to discuss his
recent participation in a statewide con¬
ference and changed to “surprise”
impeachment. She said, “I was
shocked.” Morales said he gave her
ample opportunity to defend herself
and she refused.
Otto claimed that Morales presented
insufficient evidence, and that he relied
on verbal rather than written
“documentation.” Morales produced a
copy of a flyer allegedly distributed by
Otto in September opposing Psych 31
(Studies in Chicano Behavior) and a
letter from dean Alvar Kauti repri¬
manding the distribution of literature
in class (a violation of Board of
Trustees policies).
Morales said that some members
wanted the vote conducted by closed
ballot but the adviser insisted on a
show of hands. Morales explained that
some students have classes with Dr.
Orozco and didn’t want to “expose
themselves.”
Each party brought three witnesses,
who gave alternate testimony. Sal
Huerta, Paul Guerrero and Israel Re-
goza spoke for Otto; Nancy Martinez,
Alfonso Villegas and Isabel Torres
spoke on Morales’ behalf.
Huerta pointed out several dis¬
crepancies on the roll sheet, including
the omission of his signature.
Martinez said she’d motioned for the
closed ballot and harshly criticized
Orozco for his furor and continual
tardiness. She also said that the club
was “still on probation” and feared the
consequences of a second offense. “We
wanted to impeach Jean Otto so we
wouldn’t lose our charter,” an ap¬
parent reference to the flyer incident.
O’Brien asked why MEChA had two
ICC representatives; she said that
there was only one— Torres, and that
she accompanied her as an observer.
Guerrero, MEChA’s ICC representa¬
tive, had not been present Nov. 25 and
said he “never resigned. I still retain
my ICC position; no person can take
my spot at ICC meetings.” He too
questioned signatures on the roll sheet.
Villegas recounted the events of the
Nov. 25 meeting and criticized the
club’s boycott of a recent statewide
conference. He explained the dubious
roll sheet: “A few people knew there
was going to be an impeachment so
they missigned their names ... so
when the hearing came up they would
be able to count off their names as
illegitimate.”
Regoza, former MEChA secretary,
also did not attend the Nov. 25 meeting.
He said he “didn’t know about the
impeachment” and would have
canceled any job or appointment he had
to be there if he had. He wondered why
everyone left the meeting so upset at
the outcome if the majority wanted
Otto impeached.
Torres also began to relate the his¬
tory of the Nov. 25 meeting but broke
off her testimony to address the Coun¬
cil. “I’d like to comment on some¬
thing,” she said. “I’m a freshman
here ... I can’t believe what’s gone
on . . . How could this be occuring?”
She went on to praise Otto and her
performance, then called her an “emo¬
tional and unstable person” lacking
leadership qualifications. Torres
claimed she had been branded a “com¬
munist” by club members and de¬
nounced “racist attacks” on hispanic
and chicano students before she was
excused.
The former and acting advisers were
then invited to speak.
Orozco characterized the witnesses’
testimony as “contradictory” and said
“there seems to be some maliciousness
here.” He pointed out that the “truth
usually comes out in the end.’’
Ynez said that Otto’s impeachment
was subsequently “affirmed” at the
Jan. 13 meeting. “There’s no reason
she cannot be duly impeached,” he
said.
Morales and Otto then gave their
closing statements before the Council
adjourned for what was to have been a
20-minute recess. After over an hour’s
deliberation the verdict was in and
Rodriguez read several parts of the
MEChA constitution that should have
been followed in an impeachment pro¬
ceeding. Otto had triumphed.