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Volume 106, Issue 9
The independent student voice of PCC, Serving Pasadena Since 1915.
November 1, 2012
Dead men walking
Concepcion Gonzalez
/
Courier
Chris Jones channels his inner zombie in the Associated Students-hosted 'PCC Run for your Lives' event on Tuesday at
Robinson Stadium.
Zombies make students 'run for their lives'
Paul Ochoa
Staff Writer
The living dead looked all too alive
on Tuesday during the first ever "Run
for you life," a zombie-themed obsta¬
cle course held in Robinson Stadium.
The event was put together by
Associated Students Vice President for
Campus Activities Fernando Becerra
with coordination from several clubs.
"It was vivacious and I had a lot of
committee members helping me out.
Overall it was awesome," said Becerra.
Participants in the run had to sign a
liability release form before being able
to participate.
"Because this event is somewhat of a
contact [event] we have [participants]
fill out a liability release form so that
we are covered," said Paul Tran, a vol¬
unteer at the event.
Participants were then able to decide
whether they wanted to be "zombies"
or "survivors." The "survivors" were
given a belt with three flags, which
"zombies" throughout the course were
trying to snag. The "zombies" had
their faces touched up with makeup to
give them that living dead look.
Karla Jovel, who is part of the
Graphadena group, was one of those
volunteers providing the "zombie"
makeup.
"I'm doing some of the cosmetic
work today. I am kind of into zombies
so that's why I [decided to do it]," said
Continued on page 6
Bribery investigation of fired officials continuing
Nicholas Saul
Editor-in-Chief
An investigation into two fired
school officials who are accused of
soliciting bribes is ongoing, according
to officials in the Los Angeles County
District Attorney's office.
Former Vice President of
Administrative Services Richard van
Pelt and former Facilities Supervisor
Alfred Hutchings were fired in June
after the school found out that the two
men's homes and offices were
searched by investigators from the
DAs office on suspicion of 'conflicts of
interest.'
"[The case] is still open," said Dave
Demerjian, the head of the DAs public
integrity division, in a telephone inter¬
view on Monday. "Because it's an
ongoing case, I can't share much more
than that."
Michelle Gilmer, the attorney
assigned to the case, stated that they
are currently investigating and compil¬
ing evidence for the case. "I will con¬
struct a case when the investigator
determines whether there is enough to
make a charge," she said.
While details of the investigation, as
Continued on page 7
New law's
impact will
transform
college life
Stricter fee waiver rules
among big changes on tap
Anthony Richetts
Online Editor
Stricter rules on fee waivers, new registration
priorities, and different funding criteria will be
coming to community colleges under a new state
law, officials said.
With Gov. Jerry Brown signing into law the
Student Success Act of 2012 last September,
California community colleges will have to make
an effort to boost graduation and transfer rates.
In a recent interview, Acting Chancellor of
California Community Colleges Erik Skinner and
Vice Chancellor for Students Services Linda
Michalowski, both members of the task force that
wrote the SSA, described some of the changes on
the way.
The Student Success Act was drafted in response
to a 2010 law, SB 1143, according to Skinner. SB
1143 changed how California community colleges
would receive funding, basing it on students com¬
pleting courses and the colleges' graduation rates,
he said.
"With that bill the Legislature was essentially
stepping up and saying that [they] wanted to see
us do a better job in helping our students succeed,"
said Skinner. "It initiated a conversation between
the community college system and the Legislature
about this completion agenda and a shared desire
to have more of our students complete their educa¬
tional objectives."
Eligibility for fee waivers will be one of the
major changes. According to the new law, students
applying for fee waivers will have to meet minimal
education requirements to be established by the
community colleges' Board of Governors.
While the requirements have yet to be finalized,
and will not be implemented until fall of 2014,
Skinner and Michalowski, provided some of the
recommendations that the Student Success Task
Force made for the requirements. To get fees
waived, students would have to have a 2.0 grade
Continued on page 7
Trustee honored by the NAACP with community award
Paul Ochoa
Staff Writer
Board of Trustees member Jeanette
Mann recently received the
Community Award from the local
chapter of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP).
The award is given to those in the
community who improve the quality
of living for African American's.
Mann recently received the Ruby
McKnight Williams Award by the
Pasadena branch of the NAACP, for
her work in improving the lives of
African-American students.
Mann, who is an advocate for social
justice, said she has been doing her
best to improve the quality of living for
people of color since her days as the
special assistant to the president for
equality and diversity at CSU
Northridge.
"My job was to develop programs
wluch would diversify the students
and faculty. I developed a faculty
diversity program where, in one year,
we hired as many faculty of color [as]
we had hired in the past five years,"
Continued on page 6
Trustee
Jeanette Mann
was honored
by the NAACP
for improving
the quality of
living for
African
Americans
Justin Clay
/
Courier
: Speak out!
Night Owls
: When do you
Character of campus
j believe raising taxes
is entirely different
is justified?
after hours
vote at
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Students rock cool,
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