PCC Courier, October 15, 2009

For exclusive stories and photos check out the Courier on the web @ pcccourier.com Pasadena Oity College ArtNight pleases crowds Page 4» i Volume 100, Issue 7 " The Independent Student Voice of РСС, Serving Pasadena Since 1915.' Thursday, October 15, 2009 Woman attacked on campus Justin Clay Asst. News Editor A female student was assaulted Tuesday night on Tennis Hill Drive between 8:40 and 8:50 p.m. According to PCC Chief of Police Peter Michael, the woman was walking down Tennis Hill Drive when she thought she heard footsteps from behind her. When she turned around she saw a man she described as about 5 feet 6 inches, between 160 and 200 pounds and wearing a hooded sweatshirt, police said. The woman described the attacker as having a dark complex¬ ion with a goatee and with his hood on. The man allegedly grabbed the woman and pushed her against a wall. While holding the victim, the attacker pulled out a box cutter, which he held to her neck and told her not to yell, police said. The man ran his hand down her side onto her buttocks. The woman then pushed the man away at which point a struggle ensued, said police. During the struggle, the woman's face hit the concrete wall and she sustained a scrape on her cheek, said police. Also during the struggle, the man cut the woman with the box cutter on the left side of her chest, between the chest and shoulder area. The woman managed to free herself and ran eastbound towards the center of campus. Campus police were contacted and a report of the incident was taken. "We will contact the Pasadena Police Department to see if they have similar incidents or descrip¬ tions of suspects. And we will also notify the surrounding campuses to see if they have had similar inci¬ dents," said Chief Michael. President Lisa Sugimoto sent a campus-wide email asking every¬ one to exercise great caution on the campus. "Campus Police are increasing their level of vigilance. Additionally, to the extent that we look out for each other, we can do Continued on page 2 Brian Warouw/Courier PCC Librarian Dona J. Mitoma at the reference desk explains how the text reference works. Library offers new 24/7 texting service Roy Lenn Staff Writer The Shatford Library has expanded its live chat online reference service and has introduced a program that allows librar¬ ians to answer students' reference ques¬ tions by text message. Students now can use their mobile phones to send and receive answers to reference questions from PCC librarians. The library staff has also increased its monitoring of the 24/7 online chat serv¬ ice for reference and research. "It is a huge advantage for those who study late at night or during hours we are not open," said Mary Ann Laun, dean of library services. The "Text A PCC Librarian" service began this semester. To use the service, students text a question prefaced with "PCCLIB" to the mobile number 66746. For instance, to find out when the library is open on Saturday, one would text: "PCCLIB What are the library hours on Saturdays?" According to adjunct librarian Patty Johnson, the texting service is good for getting quick responses to questions. Examples of text inquiries she's received have been to request a play, ask when the library is open, and find out to which databases the library subscribes. The 24/7 chat service, accessible by clicking the "Ask a librarian" link on the Shatford Library homepage, is better for more involved responses, according to Johnson. "If you want to have a conversation and get a meaningful response, it's good to chat," she said. Many students use the live chat service to get help with scholar¬ ly research or to find out how to cite papers in ML A format. Johnson esti¬ mates that the library receives "a few dozen" chat requests per day. Shatford Library began offering the 24/7 chat service in 2007, joining a collec¬ tive network monitored by PCC librari¬ ans as well as academic and public library staff outside of the college. PCC staff workers oversee the service for eight hours a week, while outside institu¬ tions cover it the rest of the time. While that service is still available, Continued on page 2 AS debates gay marriage Previous approval of proposal for Social Equality event rescinded Catherine Sum And Kerry Maines Staff Writers The Associated Students Executive Board voted Wednesday to rescind its approval of a Social Equality for Marriage Awareness Day. Following this, AS had a heated debate about its stand on gay marriage. Nolan Pack, head of the sustainability committee, presented a proposal for the event at the meeting held on Oct. 7, during which it was approved. The original document proposed that both the Cultural Diversity Committee and the Sustainability Committee host the event in November, but AS has Wednesday voted to hand jurisdiction of the event solely to the Cultural Diversity Committee. Natalja Karniouch- ONLINE ЮН Do you support gay marriage? VOTE AST i pcccourier.com ina, vice president of the cultural diversity committee, was told to write up a schedule and budget for the event, to be presented at a later date. Pack strongly advised AS to allow the Sustainability Committee to co-sponsor the event along with the Cultural Diversity Committee. "All leading scholars agree that sustainability is not just an environmental issue," he said. "It is also intri¬ cately tied to economic issues and issues of social jus¬ tice." There was much discussion among the board about possible implications if such an event were to be host¬ ed by AS. It was clarified toward the end of the meet¬ ing that the purpose of Marriage Awareness day was not to advocate gay marriage, but rather to document the history of marriage through historical events in the U.S. "It's not a bad idea," student Trustee Brian Abadia said in an interview, "but it should be dealt with through the Cultural Diversity Committee, not the entire AS body. Associated Students in no way wants Continued on page 2 Frozen Yogurt, Your Way. 1 299 c . Green S* . , # I С 30 cherryontop.net 157c О OFF Yogurt or Coffe with valid PCC ID card. (Cannot be combined with any other offer. Expires 12/1/09.} Colorado Bivd Г. Groan St г о % =L ь > b. Dei Mar St $ We Proudly Serve. TullY's. COFFEE — / ' ЙРЙ I