PCC Courier, March 21, 1986

State Control of J.C.'s Urged Severe Cut-backs on Remedial Education Also Planned By Andre’ Coleman Opinion Editor A state higher education review panel issued a report Tuesday urging that the balance of power in California community colleges switch from local control towards Sacramento. It was also recommended that community colleges be patterned more after state universities. The Battle Since 1983 Governor Duekmejian and legislative leaders have been locked in battle over the two-year colleges. The governor wants tougher standards at the two year college level, while the Democrats are fighting to keep the colleges open to all students, even those who can’t make it into a state university. The panel members have described their final report as a series of compromises, but its chairman and executive director said the report calls for higher standards and stronger state controls. “We wanted to give more clout to the state,” said commission chairman J. Gary Shansby. The commission said it wanted to reaffirm open access to the California community colleges and to provide equal opportunity to all high school graduates. The board also recommended setting forth minimum academic skill levels appropriate to different types of courses.” Each college would be required to have a mandatory assessment, placement, counseling and follow-up program,” Limit Remedial Work Students could be allowed to enroll in a college, but not be allowed to enroll in certain courses until they could reach the collegiate level on the placement tests, said Lee Kerschner, executive director of the commission. Kerschner also stated that, “A student could take no more than 30 hours of remedial work in a community college. Remedial work should be seen as a means to an end, not an end in itself.” PCC President Dr. John W. Casey feels that local control must be maintained. “The board of trustees and myself feel that community colleges must maintain local control. But we must also have a strong board of governors also.” “Being strong does not mean control. It means leadership, assistance and cooperation. Some people want to change the community colleges into ‘transfer only institutions,’ but over half of our students are in vocational programs. We must maintain a comprehensive community college,” declared Casey. Sen. Gary K. Hart, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, supports the report but questions whether the members will lobby for for the $70 million that the committe said it needs to implement the reforms. The commission will not decide whether to give control to the state or not until fall. The 15 member commission also postponed a decision on the “free flow” issue. Residents in the Los Angeles college district are restricted from enrolling in community colleges outside that district. If free flow is approved, college students could enroll in any community college of their choice. The commission also recommended: □ Community colleges develop a general education cur¬ riculum that is parallel to the first two years at the California State University or the University of California. □ That faculty evaluate their peers and decide who gets tenure. □ Funding be less tied to current enrollment levels so that the schools’ financing would be more stable. □ That financially troubled college districts be given a fiscal and management audit and that a “special trustee” be assigned to those that cannot straighten out their problems. □ That the governor, lieutenant governor and Assembly Speaker be added to the state Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. PCC COURIER VOL. 62, NO. 5 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA. CALIFORNIA Free Income Tax Workshop - Campus Center, April 3 MARCH 21, 1986 Allred Slams Child Aid Welshers By John Willis News Editor Taxpayers should not have to sup¬ port Aid to Families with Dependent Children said feminist attorney Gloria Allred during a taping of Air Talk last Friday night. Air Talk, a weekly talk show, is a production of the telecommunications department and is hosted by Larry Mantle. The ardent feminist spoke passion¬ ately on the plight of single mothers. Approximately 79 percent of all men ordered to maintain child support fail to do so within the first three years said Allred, either paying late or not at all. The outspoken counselor stated bluntly her opposition to taxpayer- supported AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) because of delinquent, child supporters or for single mothers to have to work two or three jobs and suffer collapse or breakdowns from the strain they un¬ dergo. Allred called for stricter en¬ forcement of child support laws and wage deductions from offenders. She also expressed severe disappointment at Gov. Deukmejian’s lack of sympa¬ thy or response in this area. The impassioned legal adviser also elaborated about her most recent case, involving a local girl, Tara Ann Katona, who committed suicide. Katona had a history of depression and had previously attempt to kill herself. When her parents learned that Tara Ann had applied for a firearm permit at a local gunshop, they had their daughter temporarily committed at a mental facility in Camarillo. Upon her release, Tara Ann’s sister called the gunstore to explain the situation and asked that they not sell the firearm to Tara Ann: According to Allred, employees of National Gun Sales in Northridge agreed at the time but later sold a gun to Katona. Shortly thereafter, the distraught young girl killed herself with the same firearm she had purchased. Allred, representing the family of Tara Ann Katona, argued the gunshop exercised negligence in selling a fire¬ arm to a suicidal person and entered a lawsuit against the store. A few hours before the taping of Air Talk, National Gun Sales made an out- of-court settlement of $175,000. Allred advised her clients to accept the settlement, which they did. The plainspoken lawyer stated that she felt it was in her clients’ best in¬ terests to accept the offer, rather than go to trial. “Companies don’t always have a conscience but they do listen to money.” Asked about her seemingly bound¬ less energy, Allred stated that anger and rage fueled her, that she “would not allow (herself) to be silent” as long as she had the ability to do something about discrimination against women. “I used to think it was something personal,” said the fiery advocate who later came to see discrimination against women as “pervasive” and “systematic.” “I have to respond to my own conscience, the needs of my client, my community and my country. I do what is right as I see it.” The outspoken counselor is not afraid of critics. When told that her anger frightened some people, Allred interjected, “Good!” “I will use any way to win change that is legal and peaceful,” she stated. When asked to comment whether she thought discrimination suits against businesses were a waste of time since people could patronize other companies, Allred’s response was a flat denial. “Of course there are equal facilities that are free of sex discrimination. But I don’t be¬ lieve in the ‘Like it or Leave it’ philosophy, the ‘Go back to Africa’ rationale. I think we can change it.” The program also featured seg¬ ments on psychic Susan Lehrman as well as Men’s Liberation as outlined by Andrew Bokelman of the Coalition of Free Men and Alejandro Crespi of Males Achieving Liberty and Equal¬ ity (MALE). Air Talk is hosted by KPCC program director Larry Mantel. The program is filmed before a live studio audience every Friday evening from 7 until 10 p.m. in C102. NOTED FEMINIST ATTORNEY Gloria Allred was the guest last Friday night on KPCC's "AirTalk,'' hosted by Larry Mantle. — Courier photo by Doug Dean THE PLAY'S THE THING — Patrick Stewart, 15-year veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company, presented a special program, "Shylock and Other Strangers," last Thursday in the student forum. The program was a dramatic presentation of different Shakespearean characters and commentary and was sponsored by the Enqlish and communications departments. — Courier photo by Alan Duignan Chicken Little's Revenge Is the Cafeteria Ceiling Unsafe? By John Willis News Editor Police barrier lines were used to rope off a section of the campus dining room and cafeteria entranceway last week. The action was taken in response to a health department report which declared the area potentially unsafe. The boiler on the second floor of the campus center “exploded” during semester break, revealed Crystal Kollross, director of food services at PCC. Water leaked through the ceiling and into a portion of the cafeteria dining room, loosening acoustic ceiling tiles and causing some of them to fall. Kollross said she notified both main¬ tenance and the Pasadena Health De¬ partment of the occurrence. Pasadena health inspector Ofelia Cavazos responded to the location on March 7 and again on March 10. Inspec¬ tor Cavazos ordered the affected area closed and repairs made “at once.” At first, chairs and tables were used to try to block the area off, said Kollross, but students kept turning them around so police barrier lines were borrowed from the safety office. Building maintenance supervisor Jim Menath was also advised of the inspection findings. Menath disclosed that the college is currently requesting $20,000 in emergency state funding to effect repairs. The repair is more than a matter of replacing a few ceiling tiles, declared Menath. There have been problems with the boiler in the past and this is “second or third time” ceiling repairs have to be made. Menath opined that “there’s no use in fixing the ceiling until the problem (the leaky boiler) has been solved.” The second floor boiler is responsible for the large amounts of hot water required by the campus center food facilities for cooking and dishwashing purposes. Replacements for the water heater and dishwasher are being sought as soon as funding is available. No' serious damage to the floor be¬ neath the boiler is apparent at this time. The cordoned-off area appears to have little effect on cafeteria opera¬ tions, except for a slight increase in dining room congestion. The com¬ pression of the remaining dining room area is particularly noticeable during the noontime “rush hour,” especially as the recent rainstorms have dis¬ couraged many students from eating outdoors. Dan Stuart Wins LAJCC Competition By Natalie Shore Feature Editor Dan Stuart, former Courier editor in chief, walked away triumphant from a recent Los Angeles area community college essay competition sponsored by the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce (LAJCC). Held in the LAJCC’s downtown of¬ fices, the contest invited college stu¬ dents to write a short, thematic essay on “What challenges does your gener¬ ation face in today’s world.” Stuart was one of the two winners selected. Competing against 15 other local community college students of diverse backgrounds and disciplines, Stuart composed a forceful commentary on America’s deteriorating education sys¬ tem and how our generation is charged with its restoration. “It’s a great honor to be recog¬ nized,” said Stuart. “It’s great for PCC, especially since John (Willis) won as an alternate. It says a lot for the journalism program.” Stuart looks forward to an all-ex¬ pense paid, three-day excursion to Sac¬ ramento, April 6-9. He, along with Terry Vermulen of El Camino College, will enjoy the chance to participate in LAJCC meetings with legislators and contribute their ideas on vital state political, economic and social issues. Both winners will also meet with state officials informally. John Willis, current news editor for the Courier, received honorable men¬ tion by being selected as an alternate winner. He will accompany the LAJCC to Sacramento in the event that one of winners is unable to attend. The contest was especially challeng¬ ing given the expertise of the three judges: Walter Coyne, manager of ex¬ ecutive communications for ARCO; Joseph Sullivan, national newswriter for KCBS and professor at USC; and Steve Tragash, director of marketing and corporate relations for Glendale Federal and former UPI reporter. Prior to announcing the winners, the judges took the opportunity to com¬ ment on the essays. All three expressed surprise at the pessimistic tone the majority of the essays conveyed. “We had hoped that the students would see challenges as opportunities and not in terms of problems,” said Sullivan. The judges also spoke on the contes¬ tants’ writing ability and give valuable advice to the contestants. Each judge emphasized the need to communicate in clear simple sentences. Coyne, how¬ ever, elaborated on the paradox behind the simple sentence. “It is a challenge to write a simple, declarative sentence,” asserted Coyne. “It presupposes that a complex mind is reading the sentence, or rather, a mind that understands the complex ideas behind it.” The essay contest represents the first of what the LAJCC hopes to establish as an annual competition. ASB Notes At its March 13 meeting, the AS board announced the winners of the “Name the Driveway” contest. “Alumni Avenue” was the name supplied by alumni Louis Creveling to the service drive running north/south along campus center to the women’s gym. Student Gino Morales supplied the name “Tennis Hill” to the driveway running east/west from the tennis courts to lot 4. Staff member R.W. Rose coined the title “Bungalow Drive” for the north/south drive between A and В buildings. Student Janet McSaravey designated the north/ south drive between A bungalow and V and T buildings “Lancers Lane.” Another student, Mary Alice Fox, dubbed the north/south drive from Del Mar to lot 8 as Horrell Drive. Lastly, staff member Stan Coutant labelled the east/west drive south of the C and R buildings “Academic Drive.” All six winners will receive a $20 parking permit from the safety of¬ fice as well as a $20 gift certificate to the bookstore. The winning en¬ tries were chosen unanimously by a six member board of AS officials. The reason for the naming of the driveways was for identification purposes to aid the campus police in their duties. □ The AS board appointed three students as commisioners and one member of the Supreme Council last week. Arda Melkonian will serve as commissioner for English/foreign languages. Andrea Counselman was tapped for the physical sciences position and Gladys Gonzales has been named mathematics com¬ missioner. Guy Vandeman was nominated to the Supreme Council. AS president Jim Mares was sat¬ isfied with the appointees, espe¬ cially Vandeman. “I’m excited be¬ cause now the Supreme Council is filled and they officially go to work on election procedures.”