PCC Courier, May 12, 1978

■d in the all hind LBCC’s [defeated this Butrum and up things for ced fourth in tel horse and encouraging ico and Fish- Jxt season, ir first with the vaulting Pennefather event with a linard ended called the the parallel they placed ely with 8.8 e then came i sixth in the scores, td the season rence record о the state ect,” added le general ir 14 athletes return next tant loss the ..inane to the Pennefather lave another oming Is (LBCC) and C) 9.15. 4. Fish- C) 9.25, 2. Lopez im (PCC) 8.9. 5. CC) 8.7. nd Charshaflan West) 9.3, 4. CC) and Davis I 9.15. (LBCC) 9.15; 2. !. Hart (LBCC) 51.1, 2. Pen- CC) 49.56 .eh 173.50 (new na CC 182.50, 3. 06 i VOL. 45, N0.12 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA MAY 12, 1978 Board Holds Off Child Care Center in Limbo Floyd: So Long By Mike Phillips Fine Arts Editor The first thing you should know is that he’s leaving. Then you should know more about him. He is an administrator. Ad¬ ministrations imply first something to be administrated, and second someone who is administered to. He is an old administrator, gray and smiling. He is efficient and well-liked, charac¬ teristics which imply each other. Dr. Floyd had never intended to become the third implication of ad¬ ministration, the administrator. Though it may sometimes appear otherwise to the occasional observer, the superintendent-president of PCC has not been an administrator all his life. He wanted to be a chemist. “That was the heart of the Depression," he said. “I was majoring in chemistry in college, but nobody was getting any jobs, so I went ahead and got my teaching credentials. ,1 have never gone back into the field of chemistry.” He described where he grew up. “A little dry-land farming com¬ munity. We had nine in our graduating high school class. We’re planning a reunion and we’re all still here* all nine of us.” The territory of one’s youth deter - He is efficient and well-liked, characteristics which imply each other. mines in part the character of one’s old age, as the character of one’s youth can determine the territory of an occupation. It was through a syn¬ copated series of opportunities and decisions that Dr. Floyd became who he is today. He worked and taught, designed rocket guidance systems, instructed ground school for the Navy at Baker in the desert between Bar- stow and Las Vegas, similar probably in many ways to Siberia for a mature young teacher, and he became a principal, and PCC’s first dean of instruction, and a principal again, and in between, of course, a husband and father, and then once upon a February two years ago he became the superintendent-president of our school. “I will be completing 41 years of service to the Pasadena City Schools,” he said. To the occasional observer it might appear as though Dr. Floyd had been an administrator all his life. Could be. But even if this were not his intention, Dr. Floyd is sincerely happy with his job. But then he’s also going to be 65 in October. The ‘‘announcement" was made at last week's Board of Trustees meeting after concerns of the community had been voiced and while the trustees was not expected, and a few knew it was coming. He read a short letter which he had written in longhand. It ex¬ plained that he would stop being the superintendent-president of PCC on Halloween, and how he felt about that. It could have been typewritten, but only a few could see the handwriting. “It probably isn’t as readable as a typewritten one,” he said later. It was more personal that way, he said. There To the occasional observer it might appear as though Dr. Floyd had been an ad¬ ministrator all his life. was something very much like pride in his eyes. Some of the words in the letter were : Personally, privilege, competing, challenging, stimulating, opportunity, goal, striving, maximum, educational and dream. Once sentence said: “I shall always treasure the op¬ portunity to serve the Board, the College, and the Community.” It was three pages long. So Dr. Floyd is retiring, you might think, and he has written his letter of resignation in longhand. What does this mean to me? Well, no one will die or go crazy when Dr. Floyd leaves. Consider, however, that whatever your con¬ nection with the school, this gentle old man is the first thing between you and those seven men called the trustees. You are being administered to. and he administers the ideas and decisions of these men, as well as money, paper, experience, prejudices, plaques, inter¬ office memos and Dixon Ticonderosa No. 2 pencils. Someone else will be doing it in November, and in terms of almost every aspect of school life here, this will cause change. In the method of administration, that is. not its framework. His position is one of inherent Someone else will be doing it in November, and in terms of almost every aspect of school life here, this will cause change. complexity of intention. Servicing the Board, the college and the community at the same time is quite a nifty trick. He is between the policy-makers and the policy-receivers. Dr. Floyd's job seems as though it might put him between a rock and the student body, DR. E. HOWARD FLOYD, superintendent-president, will step —Courier Photo by Marcus Wllk down. the Faculty Senate, a union or two, the community and his conscience. All quite possibly hard places. “You have to make choices," he said. "It isn’t a case of power. All of us working together; that's the only way you can get anything accomplished.” Dr. Floyd said that he does this with the help of an experienced and ex¬ tremely fine Board and a tremendous staff. His duties as superintendent- president are many and mysterious to the unadministrative mind. He showed me a list of duties in the Faculty Handbook. It took him several minutes to find the correct page, and it is probably reasonable to assume that he doesn't check off each duty lasted as he goes through a day. The Faculty Handbook says that he serves, provides, recommends, directs, reports, appoints, interprets and participates. What he does, besides this, as PCC’s head administrator is certainly very difficult to explain in terms other than those already mentioned. Perhaps he is like oil lubricating a powerful old machine. Or a rebellious active figurehead. He said that he attempts to carry out all of the Board's directives and decisions. “That's important." he said, “because that's the way it is.” It's easy, in contrast, to explain what he does as a human being: “I'm an avid water-skier. I fish. I Continued on Page Six By Arthur Wood Staff Writer PCC’s Board of Trustees took no position on a child care center amid discussion at last week’s meeting. Trustee Roger Gertmenian opposed any center on campus while Walter Shatford expressed support for one integrated with existing child development programs. Shatford said, “We’re talking about an educational thing which has a dividend beyond the ADA (average daily attendance funds). “If you have an early childhood ed¬ ucation program on the campus,” he continued, “and a model on the campus, you have added something to the learning process.” Shatford also argued that costs would be cut by integrating a center with the child development program. It would save more than if the center were run by a separate professional staff, he said. Trustee Robert Spare joined Gert¬ menian in opposing the center. “I’m against setting up any child care center on the campus at any cost," Spare said. “If the teachers want to do it voluntarily, that’s fine.” Dr. Irvin G. Lewis, vice president of Student Personnel Services, presented the affirmative action proposal for the center. He indicated PCC might lose state funds through the Chancellor of Community Colleges office if a center is not begun. Spare questioned that possibility, saying the Chancellor’s office does not have power to withhold funds. Gertmenian supported him by saying, “You don’t even have to invite them to lunch if they can’t withhold funds. “We already have a child care center at CATC,” Gertmenian con¬ tinued. “I think we should discuss retaining it for next year or cutting it off.” PCC counselor Suzanne Bourg spoke from the audience about declining enrollment among 18-year-old students. PCC serves a “broad age spectrum” and a center would serve these other age groups, she said. The state average daily attendance funds (ADA) would increase if a center were begun, she added. Supporting privately owned child care centers, Gertmenian cited “free enterprise” as his concern along with conservation of taxpayers’ money. “This is not the time to be asking for it,” he said. “Don’t ask the taxpayers to pay for everything.” Faculty Senate President Chrystal Watson, representative to the board, said a center could be an educational tool as well as a service. “We make a case for a new photo lab,” she said. “It’s expensive, but over the years its cost is amortized and it is used by thousands of students.” The child care center, she said, should be seen in the same way, as an educational tool which will justify its cost through knowledge gained by students enrolled in child development programs. “If you think in terms of the related educational activities the center would have,” she said, “you can make a much better case for that type of ex¬ penditure. “We have child development programs because we think it's good to train people about children,” she added. “More knowledgeable people make better parents, and we help kids grow up in a better environment.” The Board of Trustees has until May 15 to adopt an affirmative action plan. It may wait until then to decide whether or not a child care center will be part of it. Club Spent Money on Nonmember Circle К Act Questioned KPCS Censorship Investigation Yields No Supporting Evidence By Todd Axtell , News Editor Investigation into the possible censorship of part of the Panama Canal hearings broadcast over KPCS has produced no evidence to support any claim of wrongdoing. A letter from state Sen. H. L. (Bill) ■■■1 ЩЩЛ ■ iiil ■■ * V * CELEBRATIVE SWIRL— A member of PCC’s Ballet Folklorico per¬ forms at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in a celebration of Cinco de Mayo last Friday. This week’s observance of Asian Awareness Week concludes tonight with a dance in the Campus Center lounge. Ad¬ mission is $2.50. -Courier Photo by Blake Sell Richardson's office to Trustee Roger Gertmenian prompted the board member's request for an investigation. An official from the senator's office said the letter made no charge of censorship— “It offered constructive criticism" The letter was sent in response to some calls the senator’s office received to urge PCC to air all the hearings. “Censorship is a word I should not have used,” commented Gertmenian Wednesday. “There is just some difficulty in the department. “Censorship is a continuing problem we're having in the Communication Department," he added. Dr. David Ledbetter, whose Office of Instructional Resources administers the radio station, said he is unaware of any censorship of the hearings. “The only complaint I saw was in the paper.” Approximately five houes of coverage were preempted in order to air instructional courses the station offers to the community, according to Dr. Ledbetter. “We didn’t know in advance who was speaking,” he ad¬ ded. The administration did not consult him, despite the fact that KPCS is under his direction, Ledbetter said. Results of the administration’s in¬ vestigation were given to the Board at last week’s meeting. Gertmenian plans to present a report of his own at the May 18 meeting. Gertmenian would not reveal the content of his report. “If there was any wrong-doing, I want to make sure 1 have the right people who are responsible," he said. Gertmenian said he is concerned with the overall situation in the Communication Department. “In the last five years we’ve had five depart¬ ment heads. They’ve been churned up like sawdust." Commenting on the administration’s move to put’the radio station under Dr. Ledbetter, he said; “That change was not the right, one. “We have to make sure that the radio station and the newspaper have a right to say what they want to say,” said Gertmenian. By Glenda Cade Assistant News Editor Circle K, a men's service organization at PCC, has violated its charter and could be subject to Inter- Club Council (ICC) sanctions. ICC President Marti Mathias said, “I could be nasty and suspend their charter, but it was an honest mistake. We may slap their hand a bit, but that's all." The mistake was made when club members spent approximately $32 to take an “honorary" sweetheart to a leadership conference sponsored by the Kiwanis Club in Los Angeles. “There is no such thing as an ‘honorary’ sweetheart in the Circle К constitution,” Ms. Mathias said. There are honorary “members," but they can be recognized as such only after a general membership vote has been taken, she explained. Robert Defries, a Circle К member, acknowledged no vote was taken before the conference. However, the club's board did vote "after the in¬ cident to forgive and forget.” he said. They decided “under the cir¬ cumstances it would be okay for her to have been taken," he continued. A general membership vote still has not been taken, Defries said, “but maybe by concensus" Apparently, the ASB Board began an investigation into the matter about three weeks ago. ASB President Ron Grant called a special meeting (one closed to the public), which was later canceled by ASB Finance Com¬ missioner Stephen Skordiles. Grant said he “okayed” the can¬ cellation because “that’s something between the members of Circle K" Originally, ASB Board members thought the money spent on Kim Watkins, the “honorary” sweetheart, had come out of funds granted to Circle К by the ASB. Circle К was loaned $100 from the Student Service Fund, granted $100 from the ASB fund, and $100 collec¬ tively from the Associated Men Students, Athletics and Freshman Class funds, all for the conference. “We can’t tell where the money came from,” ASB Vice President Derek Coleman said. “They presented our finance commissioner with a receipt for the money, so as far as the ASB is concerned, I'm going to have to be satisfied." Whether or not the $32 came out of ASB funds. Circle К is still in violation for spending money on a non-member, according to Ms. Mathias. Only official sweethearts are considered members, she said. She asked Skordiles to get an itemized financial statement from Circle K, but that was three weeks ago. “I don't know what's taking him so long, but we haven’t really pressed him for it,” she said. Skordiles could not be reached for comment. The ASM president, Athletics commissioner, ASB vice president, and the ASB Finance commissioner all belong to Circle K. Circle К members have labeled the •situation an “in-house matter.” The club is an “honorary" organization, and thus not subject to ICC rules, Defries said. However, Phyllis Jackson, dean of student activities, said any student club which meets on campus must have a charter and must belong to ICC. As a “legitimate group," Circle К is answerable to ICC, she said. Ms. Mathias said some people might misconstrue her motives in pursuing the matter. “Some members feel I give them a hard time because I ran for sweetheart. So I get that kind of treatment if I confront them with this. “Derek (Coleman) and I are both upset over some things that some Circle К members said to us. Certain of them are very prejudicial and crude. “I'm for the club; I’m just not for the people running it." Chairman Asks For Return to Teaching Duties William Shanks, Communication Department chairman, has requested to be relieved of his duties. In a memo to Dr. E. Howard Floyd, president-superintendent, dated May 3, 1978, Shanks revealed his decision. “I want to return to the joy of teaching. The joy of administrating and the joy of teaching are equal," said Shanks. Before becoming Communication Department chairman two years ago, Shanks taught in the English Depart¬ ment for 10 years. Shanks' request will be presented to the Board of Trustees at the May 18 meeting. The change will be effective at the beginning of fall semester. Discussion Centers Around Who Does or Doesn't Approve Policy The PCC Board of Trustees last week postponed discussion of changes in the PCC Courier editorial policy. Trustees asked that consideration of the changes be deferred until a later Board meeting. Trustee David Hannah said he wanted to wait until Board members had had time to study a statement of principles drawn up by the Courier editorial board and given to the Trustees at last week’s meeting. The administration gave the Trustees the Courier statement of principles and an editorial policy proposed by the administration. Both have been proposed as replacements for the old editorial policy which was found to be in conflict with recent changes in the Education Code pertaining to student publications. The two proposals differ in the amount of control given faculty ad¬ visers and the Board of Trustees over newspaper content. “There is. a difference here in the law, in the interpretation,” said Dr. E. Howard Floyd, PCC superintendent- president. “The Education Code has for so many years remained as the original version, it was just added to and added to and added to. Then we had the complete renumbering, sec¬ tion 1, section 2, section 3 and so on of the code. They were supposed to make every possible change from what it originally was over into what it should be. Now this is a very great theory, but it just didn’t work that way and there seems to be a bit of difference of opinion. “The administrative proposal is in so-called conflict with what the students are talking about and the student policy is in conflict with what our County Counsel is recommending. “The question, one of the main questions, is whether the adviser has any responsibility at all and a number of other factors and there seems to be a difference of what each one of the lawyers is referring to,” said Dr. Floyd. "The crux of the matter,” according to Kathy Prohs, Courier editor in chief, “is that there is a basic difference of opinion between the Courier editorial board and the administration con¬ cerning which section of the Education Code applies to community college students. “The administration cites Section 48916, which lumps college students in with high school and elementary school students. The administration says that the Education Code still intends that college students should have the same tight controls over them as the controls over eight year olds. The administration also says that the Board of Trustees should approve any new Courier editorial policy. “But the Courier editorial board, on the advice of our legal counsel, cites Section 10611 as the part of the Education Code applicable to com¬ munity college students. We believe that the Legislature recognized that children and adults should be treated differently. “We believe that when the Education Code was revised, they intentionally did not restrict the freedoms of speech and press of community college students in the same manner that they regulated the freedom of expression of younger students. We have written our statement of principles in line with Section 10611 and say that the Board of Trustees does not have the right to formulate the Courier editorial policy" she said. Melanie Lomax, the Deputy County Counsel and legal representative for the college, has contended that changes in the Courier editorial policy must be approved by the Board of Trustees, according to Dr. E. Howard Floyd. “The County Counsel has given us assurances that what we had in the administrative proposal was in agreement with the (Education) Code and that is the way we moved on this. County Counsel said the student proposal for the Courier policy was not adequate as stated and that it was not within the Code limitations" Flqyd said. He recommended that the County Counsel work together with the students’ legal representative, Frederick Tepker, to arrive at an editorial policy “acceptable to both the students and the administration.” Tepker, who was assigned to the case by the American Civil Liberties Union, represented the Young Socialist Alliance last year in a case against PCC which also dealt with the extent of administrative and Board of Trustees’ control over student expression. In a brief address to the Trustees, Tepker said he would welcome the opportunity to try to “work out an acceptable and legal form of regulations so that the interests of both parties can be resolved." He also countered Dr. Floyd's comment that under the policy written by the students, the adviser would not have “any responsibility at all." Continued on Page Six