PCC Courier, October 05, 1973

Prexy Seeks New Food Contract VASQUEZ— “If R & R can’t meet our demands, we’ll get a food company that can. We’ll put an ad in the Los Angeles Times and take bids for a new contract.” By David Rust Gene Vasquez, ASB president, facing the first controversial issue of his ad¬ ministration, wants a 10 per cent across the board decrease in cafeteria food prices. To achieve the price cut, Vasquez plans to ask members of the ASB Board to terminate the current food service contract held by R & R Foods. This would give the food company 60 days to either renegotiate the price hike or leave the campus. The issue is controversial for several reasons. First of all, over half of the new ASB Board members, not including Vasquez, have already approved the price hike prior to the beginning of the semester. Secondly, Vasquez wants lower prices, while the management of R & R faces rising wholesale prices and resulting monetary losses. Originally, the cafeteria was owned and operated by the Board of Trustees. After averaging a $42,000 per year loss, the trustees decided to select an in¬ dependent food company to run the food service peogram at PCC. Under the law, the Board of Trustees could not do this, so they gave the power to select a food service company to the ASB Board. After interviewing 12 companies, the student board chose R & R Foods and negotiated a five-year contract for food service. In the contract, it provides for price negotiations, subject to the approval of the ASB Board. Last year, R & R asked for its first price increase, to help offset a $13,000 loss, incurred in the first six months of operation. After much publicity and con¬ siderable controversy, they got the increase. Last summer, preparing for the new fall semester, R & R Foods again asked fof a price increase. R & R, maintaining it was unable to open without the in¬ crease, asked that the ASB approve its hike. Unable to contact all members of the board, John Eikenbery, dean of student activities, managed to gather four out of the seven current student body officers. The four board members listened to the R & R arguments and agreed that a price hike was necessary and voted approval. Now, after the price hike has been in effect for over a month, Vasquez, not agreeing with the earlier decision, wants the ASB Board to reconsider the issue. According to Vasquez, the price hike was unnecessary and the prices should have been brought down instead of increased. “If R & R can’t meet our demands, we’ll get a food company that can,” stated Vasquez. “We’ll put an ad in the Los Angeles Times and take bids for a new contract.” In reply to Vasquez’ charges, Mel Jackson, cafeteria manager, stated that the increases were justified. Jackson said the food price hike was needed to offset some of the losses incurred going into this year. Total loss suffered by R & R Foods last year was just under $17,000. Jackson added that the prices he pays for wholesale raw materials have drastically in¬ creased, while the prices charged for food have remained the same. To back up his statement, Jackson cited numerous examples. He listed the prices that R & R had to pay in March for supplies alongside the prices R & R had to pay in July. In every case, the prices had increased. The increase ranged anywhere from 20.2 per cent per pound for hamburger, to 151 per cent increase per dozen for eggs. Roast beef went up from $1.25 per pound to $1.65 per pound, while bacon rose 67 per cent, or from 95 cents per pound to $1 .59 per pound. Jackson tried to spread out the price increases to as many items as possible. According to the cafeteria manager, in order to keep the price hike on a sandwich to a minimum, he raised the price of “high sell” items such as coffee and Coke from 10 cents to 15 cents per cup. When questioned about lowering the prices, Jackson said, “If we are forced to lower the prices, we will have to take items off the menu— items such as beef, bacon and eggs.” Although the ASB Board was given the right to negotiate the food service contract, the ultimate power for food service on campus still rests with the Board of Trustees. According to Dean Eikenbery, if the ASB Board decided to nullify the contract with R & R Foods, the Board of Trustees would still have the right to re-establish control over food services at PCC. One price that R & R did not increase was that of the poverty breakfast. It costs the student on financial aids 30 cents, for which the student gets bacon, eggs, toast, coffee and juice. JACKSON— “If we are forced to lower the prices, we will have to take items off the menu— items such as beef, bacon, and eggs.” ASB Officers Question Bookstore Operation As a part of his “Education, Unity and Involvement” program, Gene Vasquez, president of the ASB, is conducting an investigation not only into cafeteria prices, but also into the operation of the bookstore. Vasquez and Lynne Calamia, acting Senate president, met with A1 DePonte, bookstore manager, Oct. 1. A nonexistent bookstore committee was not in attendance. The committee is supposed to be comprised of three ASB members and two advisers from the Faculty Senate. The bookstore is not an outside concession like the cafeteria. Its employees work for the community college district. Prices of textbooks are established by the publisher, said DePonte, and not by the store itself. A 20 per cent discount is given to the bookstore for purchase of the books in quantity. This discount does not, however, cover freight costs. Out of the 20 per cent the store makes from the students, it must pay freight, rent, maintenance, utilities and salaries of the employees. Vasquez asked for a profit and loss statement from DePonte on the net profit that is made. He was told by DePonte to see either the account firm that handles the bookstore or Stanley Riordan, business manager of the college . DePonte pointed out several prob¬ lems that create waste and lost profit in the store. One is the faculty use or non-use of textbooks that have been ordered. Students complain when they are required to buy an expensive book just for the assignment of one chapter or even several pages. Many books are ordered that are not wanted after they arrive. As a result the bookstore must pay the freight again to send them back . In his Nader-like investigation of the bookstore, it is Vasquez’ intention “to look behind the red tape and trivia to find out what’s happening and to get involved.” Iddon Exchanges Jobs With Chandler in English John P. Iddon, a teacher from London, England, joins the English Department staff at PCC. Iddon taught humanities courses “back home.” Here he is an instructor for English 1A, IB and 401. “I am highly impressed Committee Discusses with PCC— the ^people are very friendly,” he said. Iddon arrived in the U.S. the last week of August, exchanging teaching position, home and car with Fay E. Chandler, assistant professor of English at PCC. A one-week stay in Washington, D.C. not only gave him the opportunity to meet with Ms. Chandler and her family, but also allowed him to reacquaint himself with “America.” Policy Plan The PCC Student Personnel Com¬ mittee met last Wednesday to discuss plans for next year. The agenda in¬ cluded studies regarding the present credit-no credit policy, preadmission testing, mail registration, and academic probation. Dr. Irvin G. Lewis, administrative dean for student personnel services, serves as chairman for the committee. Members of the committee include Delmar H. Heyne, dean of admissions ; E. Erdley Beauchamp, dean of records; Ernest F. Neumann, dean of counseling services; Dr. John J. Risser, psychologist; and Gene Miller, counselor and coordinator from the Scholarships and Financial Aid office. Also on the committee are Ralph Gutierrez, coordinator in the Coopera¬ tive Education and Placement Ser¬ vices office; Dr. Bruce E. Conklin, dean of institutional research; John M. Eikenbery, dean of student activities; William G. Norris, dean of extended day and summer; John H. Snyder from the counseling office and Richard J. Peirce, instructor in the Life Sciences Department. Student representatives are Lynne Calamia, first vice president of the Student Senate, and Bernie Horner, member. In 1968, he spent a seven-week summer vacation hitchhiking across the U.S. He traveled from New York to New Orleans, but never made it to California. A frequent visitor to museums and art galleries, Iddon also likes the out¬ doors. He has traveled extensively, seen Eastern Europe, worked in a kibbutz in Israel and on farms in Yugo¬ slavia, and visited North Africa. During his shorter vacations, he has seen all parts of England. While he is here, he hopes to see more of the U.S. His immediate plan is a trip to Mexico during Christmas vacation. Iddon is a graduate of Leicester University and he completed one year of postgraduate work in Bristol. He taught three years in Liverpool, followed by three years in London. His present position in England, tem¬ porarily held by Ms. Chandler, is that of an instructor at the University of London’s Institute of Education, St. Mary’s College in Twickenham, Middlesex. Iddon is also on the staff of the Open University, a school allowing students of all ages and backgrounds to com¬ plete their education through tele¬ vision and radio lectures. The British Broadcasting Corporation publishes these programs and the students meet once a month with their instructors to discuss their work, OUTSTANDING SERVICE— Leonard C. Perry (left), associate professor in the Communication Department, last week presented a gavel and plaque to William F. Baum, chairman of the Math Depart¬ ment, for his service as outgoing president of the Faculty Senate. Perry is the new president. PCC CouSii&v VOL. 36, NO. 2 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 5, 1973 ARRIVEDERCI ROMA — Future teacher Simonetta Talarico from Rome, Italy, receives a full scholarship, all inclusive, for one year at PCC. Umberto DiFiore, chairman of the Italian student scholarship committee, will present Miss Talarico with her scholarship at the Italian cultural hour Oct. 11. Italian Cultural Day Fete Highlights Food, Music Dr. Marina F. Cobb, Foreign Language Department chairman, has announced Italian Cultural Day honoring Christopher Columbus Oct. 11. Sharing the spotlight with Columbus will be Simonetta Talarico, recipient of a full one-year Italian student scholar¬ ship. A pizza sale from 9:30 a. m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 11 highlights the week. The sale is to raise more money for scholar¬ ships. Dr. Carmen Brunol, assistant professor in the Foreign Languages Department, has planned an Italian cultural hour the same day at noon in R122. Festivities on that day start with the Chamber Singers, directed by William B. Hatcher, presenting the “Pro¬ gramme Madrigal,” by Palestrina. Operatic arias by Laurie Osborne and Italian folk songs by two Italian teen¬ agers, Dino Putrino and Beth Salis¬ bury who play the accordian, will follow. Bruce Gill’s drama students will also perform excerpts from Arthur Miller’s “View from the Bridge.” At the end of the hour, Miss Talarico will receive her scholarship. An open house with refreshments for all foreign students concludes the program. Year-Long Sabbatical Leave Brings In New Psychologist Dr. Lance Johnson, former coun¬ selor and psychology teacher at PCC, is substituting for Dr. John Tulley as a psychologist in Psychological Ser¬ vices, while Dr. Tulley is on a year¬ long sabbatical. Dr. Johnson has a Ph.D. from USC in gerontology and is considered an expert on the subject, according to Dr. Ralph Hallman, chairman of the Social Sciences Department. After two years as a member of the Air Force skydiving team and 10 years as a pilot, Dr. Johnson worked for NASA in 1970. In preparation for Sky- lab experiments, he administered tests to determine the effects of being confined to a small, enclosed space. The tests were conducted with a four- man crew for 90 days. Supportive therapy is provided by Dr. Johnson and Dr. John Risser ip Psychological Services. The coun¬ seling is designed to help a student gain insight into his problems. “We help a student work with his problems and understand them,” says Dr. Johnson. Often the problems of college students include trouble with class- work and difficulty in making career decisions. To meet this situation, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Risser conduct a Monday night class in career planning (Psychology 117) in addition to indi¬ vidual counseling. Information is given about specific jobs and their requirements. They give vocational, interest, mental ability and personality tests to enable a student to assess his potential in different careers. “No one test can tell you what career you should follow,” says Dr. Johnson, “but a battery of tests gives an overall picture of interests, ability and per¬ sonality.” Journalism Experience Planned for Students Ways to beef up the PCC journalism division’s earn-learn program were discussed at the recent Journalism Advisory Committee meeting held in the board room. Bill Buttler, assistant professor, described how he works with students in finding employment in the com¬ munication field while attending school. He said he would like to expand the program and asked members of the advisory committee for suggestions. The Journalism Advisory Commit¬ tee is made up of professional repre¬ sentatives from all newspapers within the community college district. College administrators, faculty and student editors of campus publications were also present at the meeting. Elwood Williams, assistant to the publisher of the Pasadena Star News, reported that his newspaper had for several years participated in a suc¬ cessful intern program with UCLA in Courier Rates 'First Class' in Rankings The PCC Courier was awarded First Class Honor Rating by the Associated Collegiate Press, All-American News¬ paper Critical Service, with mark of distinction in coverage and content, editorial leadership, and photography. Giving the paper the maximum score in Balance Among Sources and Treatment of News, the judges commented, “You cover a wide range; news and features in good balance; coverage is complete and varied; copy well evaluated and well placed.” Noting that “a school paper must offer sound editorial leadership in the educational community it serves,” the judges awarded the Courier the highest score in the editorial section. “You are vocal and vital, relevant topics are well researched and viable alternatives are offered to status quo, ’ ’ remarked the judges. Effective news and feature photo¬ graphs tell their own stories, and the judges agree that Courier pictures managed to do so. The technical quality of the photos also scored the highest possible points. In the Physical Appearance section, sports page makeup, editorial page makeup, headline schedule, typog¬ raphy and printing all received the maximum score. The Courier was analyzed and rated in comparison with publications produced in schools of approximately the same enrollment, by similar printing methods with similar frequency of issues. The rating is intended to show how one college newspaper compares with other newspapers in its classification throughout the nation. which students got on-the-job training for college credit. Close liaison was maintained bet¬ ween the Star News and the university. This included a comprehensive form to be filled out by the intern’s immediate superior on the newspaper. Williams suggested that Buttler contact UCLA to find out how the pro¬ gram operates. Other suggestions were made and invitations extended to students to follow reporters around on their beats. This could include police beats, city council and school board meetings, as well as social events. Dorothy Kolts, assistant journalism professor, asked about the possibility of sending students out to various newspapers for two or three weeks of practical experience. It was agreed that this would require some planning since student schedules often do not fit into a newspaper’s routine. Following the meeting the advisory group was taken on a tour of the new and still unfinished journalism division facilities in В bungalow. The expanded division includes a complete newsroom, plus enough type¬ writers to accommodate other jour¬ nalism classes, an editorial room, a faculty office and completely new darkroom facilities. New furniture, including smart¬ looking, modern black desks and chairs, has been ordered. Preceding the meeting, refresh¬ ments were served to the guests by Vicki Strong, meeting coordinator. Dr. Armen Sarafian, president of the college, presided with Agnes Leung, Courier editor at his side. The Journalism Advisory Com¬ mittee meets twice a year. The next meeting is scheduled for February 28, 1973. Fees Charged for Non-Credit Classes on Trial Fees are being charged for the first time for noncredit general interest classes offered by the Office of Con¬ tinuing Education. A student pays a $5 registration fee and then may take as many classes as he wants during the semester. Some of the continuing education classes meet only four to six sessions. The fees were initiated on the basis of a study from other community college districts to the Board of Trustees here, said L. Herman Smith, administrative dean for continuing education. It has not yet been determined whether this charge has affected enrollment or not. Photo Gear Stolen From Student's Car Over $1000 worth of photography equipment was stolen from a student’s car on the campus parking area Wednesday, Sept. 26, making it one of the worst thefts in the history of PCC. The student (who requested that his name be withheld) reported to the polige that upon entering his car after night class, he discovered his photog¬ raphy equipment along with the car radio missing. It is theorized by the police that the assailant entered the car by forcing the right wing window open, and was thus able to open the locked door from the inside. Police also believe the assailant must have previously known about the equipment, for it was well hidden from view under the back seat. The student was insured for his photo lenses, but nothing else was covered. He hopes to somehow make up for the loss of the stolen equipment, which took him years to accumulate. Gil Robinson, chief of campus security, said this incident should remind students to be more careful with their belongings in the future. “Too many thefts are caused by student’s negligence,” he said. Robinson added that thefts on campus have declined tremendously in the past few years thanks to tighter security, but the theft rate would decrease further if students were more careful with their belongings.