The Independent Student Voice of PCC, Serving Pasadena Since 1915 Volume 94, Issue 7
Governor’s Veto
Raises Concern
Stacey Wang
News Editor
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
vetoed a bill last Saturday, which
has resurrected the conflict over the
rights of illegal aliens, particularly
college students.
Senate Bill 160 (SB 160), also
known as the California Dream
Act, was written to give undocu¬
mented aliens the right to receive
financial aid. As it stands now, stu¬
dents who are in this country ille¬
gally are ineligible for financial aid.
The bill was introduced by Sen.
Gilbert Cedillo (D-Los Angeles),
who wanted to broaden the oppor¬
tunities for students who were here
illegally but needed financial help to
attend college.
Schwarzenegger, in his veto mes¬
sage to the California State Senate,
stated, “While I do not believe that
undocumented children should be
penalized for the acts of their par¬
ents, this bill would penalize stu¬
dents here legally by reducing the
financial aid they rely on to allow
them to go to college and pursue
their dreams.”
PCC student Alyssa Dumont
feels that it would be unfair to deny
financial aid to any student, despite
their status. “Yes, they are here ille¬
gally, but they’re trying to make a
better life for themselves. Everyone
deserves a chance regardless,” she
said.
Currently in California, undocu¬
mented students are exempt from
paying nonresident tuition at Cali¬
fornia community colleges and Cal¬
ifornia State Universities as long as
they meet specific requirements.
Outlined in Assembly Bill 540
(AB 540), which became law in
2001, undocumented students are
expected to attend a California high
school for three or more years and
must graduate from a high school in
California as well. Once they have
completed these two requirements,
the student must then file an affi¬
davit with the college or university
in order to be eligible for the in-state
tuition rate.
In mid-December of last year, a
lawsuit was filed against the Univer¬
sity of California because of the law
allowing illegal aliens to pay lower
fees than legal citizens. Many out-
of-state college students who were
attending the University of Califor¬
nia felt that it was unfair for them to
pay thousands of dollars more to
attend school while students who
were in the country illegally were
charged in-state tuition.
Daniel Belts
/
Courier
Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed a financial aid bill for illegals.
p— — - —
Piano Prodigy a
Student
Maria Rios
Staff Writer
All parents want their children
to be stars. Joe Astor noticed his
son, Zak Rios, had the potential
to be a great pianist when he was
only 6 years old. So he decided to
take a chance and do everything
in his power to create a superstar.
To play the role of a stage par¬
ent, like Astor does, is a difficult
task, because not only are the par¬
ents a child’s manager, but they
are also nutritionists, chauffeurs
I and psychologists.
Zak, 13, is a piano prodigy
who has been performing for nine
;
at PCC
years under the guidance of his
father, who doesn’t seem to fit the
typical stage parent mold.
Some people would say Rios is
being deprived of his childhood
because of the limited time he has
to do other activities besides prac¬
tice and homework. “We already
knew he would be giving up his
childhood,” said Astor. But music
is so important to Rios that he
said he didn’t mind the sacrifices
it took to be a star. His parents
gave him different instruments as
a baby, but he liked the piano
more than any others.
Continued on page 6
Rafael Delgado
/
Courier
Zak Rios practiced Latin Jazz in a music room at PCC.
Church in Pasadena
Refuses IRS Summons
Jesse Sears
Staff Writer
All Saints Episcopal Church
Pasadena, a liberal congregation,
has decided to refuse a summons
by the IRS for the turnover of
church financial and procedural
information, bringing national
attention to Pasadena over the
First Amendment rights of free¬
dom of speech and religion.
The government is threatening
to revoke All Saints’ tax exempt
status. If they succeed, it would
deal a considerable blow to the
church’s ability to operate.
The controversy arose after a
sermon given by guest preacher,
Rev. George Regas, two days
before the 2004 presidential elec¬
tion. In the sermon, Regas staged a
mock debate between Jesus, Sena¬
tor John Kerry and President
Bush.
“Jesus [would say], “Mr. Presi¬
dent, your doctrine of preemptive
war is a failed doctrine. Forcibly
changing the regime of an enemy
that posed no imminent threat has
led to disaster,” Regas said from
the pulpit.
The IRS alleges Regas over¬
stepped the boundaries of the law
preventing churches from interfer¬
ing in any political campaign, say¬
ing he “took a position in opposition
Continued on page 4
International Student Woes
Christine Calvo
Staff Writer
Many students who thought that
it wasn’t a big deal to skip class and
miss assignments are in for a big
surprise. About 45 international
students attending PCC for the fall
semester are facing possible depor¬
tation because of their failure to
adhere to the federal governments’
requirements.
“International students cannot
drop,” explained Amy Yan, assis¬
tant director for the International
Students Office.
The strict program requires inter¬
national students to take a mini¬
mum of 12 units per semester to
qualify as a full-time student, and
only allows a maximum of five
absences per class to maintain a stu¬
dent visa.
International students cannot
drop a class if it will change their
status from full-time to a part-time
student.
The requirements allow very little
leeway for students who find them¬
selves in academic jeopardy in the
middle of the semester. The ISO
offers workshops to keep students
informed, but, “No matter how
much we try, not many students
attend the workshops,” explained
Yan.
She suggested that the “at risk”
students would understand the seri¬
ousness of program requirements
had they only participated in the
workshops that were created to help
them.
Miae Yun, a PCC international
student, finds it “unfair” that she is
required to enroll for 12 units and is
not given better treatment. “Tuition
is expensive. We pay 10 times more
than the regular student,” said Yun,
who pays about $3,000 a semester.
For many international students,
the opportunity to go to school in
the United States is worth the cost
of tuition, but many still can’t
afford to pay for it without working.
There are strict rules on students
working here, and student visas do
usually allow the student to work
without the ISO’s permission.
Continued on page 4
Art Night
is
coming!
More than 14 museums
and galleries will be open
and free to all Oct. 13.
from 6-10 p.m.
See page 6.
Oct. 14
5-8 p.m
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, Oct. 10
• Domestic Violence
Awareness Day at
noon in the Quad.
• “Side by Side: A Jour¬
ney with Depression”
at 12:30 p.m & 5:30
p.m. in Creveling
Lounge.
Friday, Oct. 27
• Fall Choral Recital at
8 p.m. in Harbeson
Hall.
Saturday, Oct. 28
• Swing Band Concert
at 2 p.m. in Harbeson
Hall.