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COURIER
Pasadena City College
Swimming
Teams get
mixed results
in SCC meet
Page
8»
Volume 103, Issue 5
"The Independent Student Voice of PCC, Serving Pasadena Since 1915.”
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Track team competes in relays
President
soothes
concerns
over cuts
No lay-offs, pay cuts anticipated
Sara Medina
AND CHENIN BURNETT-DOERING
Staff Writers
Dental care
Clinic cleans
PCC’s pearly
whites
Page
5»
ONLINE POLL
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vote at
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Daniel Lottes/Courier
Freshman Day Ion Wright of the men's 4x400m relay team sits in the starting block during the California Relays at
Cerritos College on Friday. Wright, along with relay teammates Eddie Tripp, Stephen Peevy and Korey Brown, came in
third place overall. Sophomore Tracee van der Wyk had a strong presence once again, taking first place in the 5000m
run.
Campus planning for potential quake
severely damaged, people would still be
able to get out after an earthquake, said
van Pelt.
"Considering the enormity of the
event, any building in the immediate
vicinity would be devastated by a 9.0
earthquake," van Pelt said. "That having
been said, the likelihood of a 9.0 earth¬
quake occurring in Pasadena is extreme¬
ly small, as no known faults in the imme¬
diate area are capable of anything that
Continued on page 7
CHENIN BURNETT-DOERING
Staff Writer
The aftermath of Japan's 9.0 earth¬
quake has left many wondering, 'Could
something like that happen here?'
In the wake of the disaster, PCC is con¬
tinuing to plan and improve its prepara¬
tions to prepare for the inevitable, offi¬
cials said.
"We have made, and continually
upgrade, our plans," said Richard P. van
Pelt, interim vice president of adminis¬
trative services.
The buildings at PCC were built fol¬
lowing specific codes, but as time passes
and other earthquakes occur, much is
learned so the building code is constant¬
ly being updated, said van Pelt.
"While the U Building met the build¬
ing code at the time of construction, [it]
does not meet current code, and there¬
fore, the district is planning on vacating
the building this year," van Pelt said.
The current building codes are such
that even though the structures might be
Panelists share personal stories on racism
Natalie Sehn Weber
Staff Writer
More than 200 students listened intently as four panelists
gave personal accounts of living in the shadow of racism in the
1940s and 1950s, in the Creveling Lounge on Tuesday.
The African American, Asian American and Latina panelists
shared their experiences with segregation, internment and
racism as part of the ongoing Shatford Library and Pasadena's
One City, One Story program.
Camila Alva Lopez shed light on an almost idyllic Mexican-
American experience in San Gabriel. Born in 1938, Lopez
referred to herself as an American "mutt," since her father's
family was originally from Mexico and her mother's family
had Latino, American Indian and Anglo roots.
Lopez was 3 years old when her father, rejected by the mili¬
tary for being too slim, served as an air raid warden on their
neighborhood block. Despite the threat of war, she recalls a
very secure childhood.
"We knew all our neighbors personally," Lopez said. Her
neighborhood "was like a big, extended family."
As for the "Zoot Suit" riots that occurred between Latino
youths and some white military men in the early 1940s, she
recalls only the exciting mode of dress that made its way to San
Gabriel. Although their elders considered the Pachucos and
Pachucas hoodlums, Lopez has only fond memories of the stylish
Continued on page 7
YouiTO
Kari Kase
/
Courier
President Mark Rocha speaks to students in the
Courier newsroom on Tuesday.
Going viral
YouTube rant
evokes mixed
reactions
Page
7»
PCC President Mark Rocha re-emphasized Tuesday
that there would be no job reductions, pay cuts or
other drastic measures at PCC like some being taken
by other community colleges.
"I know it's hard to feel fortunate in these circum¬
stances," Rocha said during a news conference in the
Courier newsroom. "I wouldn't trade our circum¬
stance with any other community college in the
state."
Rocha added that PCC has a better "opportunity"
than the other colleges and cited Long Beach City
College which he said announced lay-offs, salary
reductions and furloughs for some faculty and staff as
well as the elimination of two sports and class section
cuts.
"I am very proud that, as difficult as it's going to be
to balance the budget, PCC will not go through that,"
Rocha said. "That will not be occurring here."
With the economy showing little signs of improv¬
ing, Rocha feels that fixing the financial problem by
cutting money from education is the wrong idea.
"So many things about education are written up as
the problem, but we're not the problem, we're the
solution," said Rocha. "I can't believe that we let it get
this way, but I do believe that we will come to our
senses," he added.
Rocha noted that regardless of the cuts that will
come in the future, most students would not notice
much of a difference from the way things are now.
Continued on page 7