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Pasadena Orty College
Soccer
Men’s team falls to
El Camino Compton
Center
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Volume 100, Issue 8
"The Independent Student Voice of PCC, Serving Pasadena Since 1915." Thursday, October 22, 2009
All the world's a stage
Natalie Weber/Courier
Student Daniel Kim shows off his breakdancing skills to Anthony Jackson and others on the patio in front
of the Campus Center, which has become an impromptu stage for student performers. Story page 4
President's pact welcomed
Catherine Sum
Staff Writer
The announcement of Dr. Lisa Sugimoto's contract
finalization, which extends her job as PCC president
to June 30 (or until a new president is found), and the
removal of the "interim" designation from her title
have been well received.
The contract ensures she will be paid retroactively
for her work while she doubled as both interim pres¬
ident of the college and vice president of student serv¬
ices.
In separate interviews many indicated their sup¬
port and respect for Sugimoto.
Roger Marheine, president of the Faculty
Association who has in the past been critical of
actions taken by the Board of Trustees, gave his full
support to Sugimoto.
"She is an exceptional president: fair and extremely
competent," Marheine said. "It was a mistake not to
hire her as president two years ago."
Trustee Geoffrey Baum also indicated his support
for Sugimoto.
"1 was very pleased to both support the appoint¬
ment and approve the contract for Dr. Sugimoto,"
Baum said. "As far as [I'm] concerned, Dr. Sugimoto
is PCC's president, interim or not, and I plan to work
actively to support her efforts to address the many
challenges ahead for the college."
Some of the challenges ahead include the search for
a new president - a position Sugimoto has previously
stated she will not opt for - and the continued stabi¬
lization of a campus in transition, among other con-
Continued on page 6
Officials mum
on withdrawn
attack claim
Woman's report being investigated
Justin Clay
Asst. News Editor
Campus Police would not com¬
ment on Wednesday on whether
or not a woman who filed an
assault report on Oct. 13 would be
charged.
"I can only refer you to the state¬
ment that the college has released
officially," said Lt. Brad Young of
the Campus Police.
PCC President Lisa Sugimoto
would not comment on the situa¬
tion Wednesday.
"We are not able to give a com¬
ment at this time because the
investigation is still ongoing," said
Sugimoto.
According to an email to faculty
and staff from Sugimoto on
Tuesday, the student recanted her
story and admitted it to be a fabri¬
cation.
"The student presented a
detailed description of what she
alleged," said Sugimoto in her
email. "During the investigation
by Campus Police, the student
recanted her story, stating that she
fabricated the entire event, and in
fact self-inflicted her minor
injuries," she said.
According to California Penal
Code section 148.5, any person
who files a police report knowing
it to be false is guilty of a misde¬
meanor.
"Preventing criminal activity on
campus is a fundamental part of
maintaining a safe campus,"
Sugimoto said in her email.
According to police, the claim
filed last week alleged that a man
wielding a box cutter attacked the
woman on Tennis Hill Drive at
around 8:40 p.m. on the evening of
Oct. 13. Police said the woman
alleged that she heard footsteps
behind her and she turned around
and saw a man that she described
as 5 feet 6 inches, between 160 and
200 pounds. The man pushed the
woman up against a concrete wall
and fondled her buttocks.
Police said the report also
alleged that she pushed the man
away and then a struggle ensued.
During the struggle the attacker
cut the woman on the chest
between the chest and shoulder
area. The woman said she received
a scrape on her cheek from her face
striking a concrete wall when the
attacker pushed her.
The report then claims that the
woman ran east to the center of
campus where she called Campus
Police and a report of the incident
was filed.
According to Sugimoto's email,
the woman's injuries were self-
inflicted. Campus police are con¬
tinuing their investigation into the
matter, but the assault and battery
portion of the investigation is over,
according to the email.
"Although this incident turned
out to be unfounded, the practices
of maintaining a watchful eye and
being vigilant at all times still very
much applies," said Sugimoto.
Six Board of Trustees
candidates duel at forum
Courier
From left, candidates Berlinda Brown, Anthony Fellow and Steven
Gibson at the candidates forum Oct. 15.
Catherine Sum
Staff Writer
Three incumbents and three
challengers vying for seats on the
Board of Trustees wasted no time
launching into their respective
arguments at the Oct. 15
Candidates' Forum held in
Creveling Lounge.
Candidates were quick to speak
on questions pertaining to former
President Paulette Perfumo and
the partial reinstatement of the
2009 winter intersession, citing the
board's decisions as mistake-filled
and rash.
In attendance were Trustees
Geoffrey Baum, of Area 1; Beth
Wells-Miller, of Area 7; and Hilary
Bradbury-Huang, of Area 5.
Bradbury-Huang is the only candi¬
date running unopposed. Trustee
Consuelo Rey Castro, of Area 3,
was not in attendance.
In an email, Rey Castro
explained her absence was due to
a conflict with her teaching sched¬
ule at LACC, where she is a profes¬
sor of political science.
Rey Castro said the Thursday
previous to the forum she had an
interview with the Pasadena Star
News that required her to miss
class, but could not "in good con¬
science miss [class] two Thursdays
in a row" for the forum, "[know¬
ing] students understand how
important it is for their teacher to
be present."
Challengers in attendance were
Steven Gibson, running for Area 1;
Berlinda Brown, running for Area
3; and Anthony Fellow, running
for Area 7. Donna Wilson, who is
also running for the Area 7 seat,
did not attend the forum.
Gibson was the first to speak on
a question posed about the con¬
sulting fees and salary Perfumo is
still receiving while on special
assignment in Sacramento.
"A serious mistake was made
when Perfumo was hired two
years ago," Gibson said. "I under¬
stand it is not legally possible to
completely sever our ties... but it
has come to the point where it is
now best to pull the band-aid off
quickly."
"It was a fumble," said Anthony
Fellow. "When the current acting
president was a candidate two
years ago and Perfumo was cho¬
sen over her, the process was a
fumble."
A question raised about the par-
Continued on page 6
AS takes no
position on
gay marriage
Kerry Maines
Staff Writer
After three weeks of discussion,
the Associated Students took no
action Wednesday on the issue of
same-sex marriage. They dis¬
cussed the issue for about ten min¬
utes and President Allen Tsay
declared no action would be taken.
The agenda called for the board
to discuss and consider taking a
stance on marriage equality.
Jason Herbert, vice president of
academic affairs, apologized to the
board for asking for a vote to
approve Social Equality for
Marriage Awareness Day, two
weeks ago.
"It was a lapse in judgment,"
said Herbert.
Continued on page 2
