PCC Courier, October 25, 1974

Report Called for by Trustees Student Assistants Role Studied By Eric \V. Epling Editor-in-chief A total of 22,803 hours of w ork was completed at PCC by 229 student assistants during the fall and spring semesters of 1973-74. For their work, the assistants were paid a combined total of $(17, (149. The figures were released in a report prepared by Ur. Stanley Gunstream. vice president for instruction and continuing education, with the aid of PCC's departmental heads. The study was called lor by the PCC Board of Trustees to help capsulate the extent to which student assistants are used at the school. The report was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the types of work which, while once done by the instructors themselves, are now handled by assistants. It was the feeling of trustees J. Kay Kisser and Koger Gertmenian that perhaps too many job responsibilities normally reserved for teachers were being placed on the shoulders of assistants. Used to Free Instructors The report showed, for the most part, that student assistants are being used in areas where their employment will help to free instructors from time-consuming and menial tasks. Once freed from such, the instructor is able to more fully concentrate on more important facets of his job. For example, the Department of English was responsible for 720 hours worked by assistants, and involved mostly reading and evaluating student papers. "Most of our assistants are graduates with B.A. degrees,” Woodrow Ohlsen, department chairman, said. ‘‘But a student could be doing it because we would choose a student who is competent.” Ohlsen added that of the department's 15 assistants, only two are PCC students. "We need the help desperately,” Ohlsen said. "Without it, the teachers would have to cut down on the amount of writing the students do.” Assistance Formula For every 10 students over 100 that are taught by each teacher, one hour of reader assistance time is given each week for a period of 16 weeks. So, for example, if a teacher has 150 students, he is entitled to five hours of assistance each week. Headers, according to Ohlsen, parry a substantial amount of the workload that would normally be aimed at instructors. "Some do want to read their own papers,” Ohlsen said. But, he added, the teacher who does want to avail himself of reader services does not necessarily short-change his students. “The teacher has to get together with the reader and arrive at a just method of grading." In other departments, for example Communications, where the highest number of student assistant hours, 5376, were chalked up, the role of student assistants is quite different. Equipment Instruction Most, according to department chairman Dr. Harold Salisbury, are involved with instructing in the use of equipment, providing security lor material and supplies, and assisting students with lab procedures. Assisting in clerical tasks is another area in which students are used as assistants. Students, however, are not used to grade or evaluate assignments or to help teach a class. Instead, their employment, according to Dr. Salisbury, alleviates the workload on the teachers and allows the instructor more time to do these things himself. In the Life Sciences Department, headed by Dr. John Babel, duties of the student assistants include the preparation of examinations. However, only trusted assistants, who are under both oath and close supervision, are allowed this job. Emphasis on Lab Techniques Otherwise, student assistants in the life sciences perform much the same type of duties as do those in Communications, but with more emphasis on laboratory techniques. According to Dr. Babel, this leaves instructors free to keep abreast of ad¬ vances in the biological, biochemical and medical fields, by allowing them more time to be spent reading research journals. In the Social Sciences Department, the grading of tests and exam preparation is left to the teachers. There, students, in addition to other duties, serve as "errand runners,” according to the department report prepared by Kalph Hallman. They deliver and return materials, such as assignment sheets, to and from duplicating services, and prepare reading lists or bibliographies in the library. ; In summation, the report presents a picture of teachers which, if not for the aid of student assistants, would be substantially more burdened than they are now. Gunstream Named to Biological Committee PCC CotVu&v VOL. 38, NO. 5 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 25, 1974 Handicapped Students Make Use of New Van to Attend Classes By Dave Moore Managing Editor Stanley E. Gunstream, vice president for instruction and con¬ tinuing education, was recently re¬ appointed to the education committee of the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS). The AIBS is a national committee made up of biologists nationwide which discusses biological teaching methods and curriculum. Dr. Gunstream is the only returning member of the education committee, which he served on from 1971 through 1974. Appointment is made upon recommendation by the AIBS staff. The committee meets twice a year at a three-day session, but is constantly working independently between meetings. According to , Dr. Gun¬ stream, the committee’s purpose is to give “direction and guidance” to the biological curriculum across the nation. Dr. Gunstream said that the current thrust of the committee is to provide new, pragmatic biological curriculum for the non-biology major. The com- DR. STAN GUNSTREAM . . . education committee Causing people to smile is con¬ sidered by many a subtle business, an art in itself, and satirist-author Dr. Richard Armour will attempt to prove it at the fourth program of the Tuesday Evening Forum series Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Sexson Auditorium. Author of more than 45 books, Dr. Armour has contributed almost 6000 pieces of light verse and prose to 150 magazines in the United States and England. His byline has appeared from time to time in Readers’ Digest, and his weekly syndicated features are used by more than 300 newspapers across the nation. Dr. Armour gained national popularity with his book, “It All Started with Columbus,” a satire on the history of the United States which critics hailed as “a classic of American humor." His lectures usually combine learning and laughter no matter what DR. RICHARD ARMOUR . . . renowned humorist mittee will try to set up model courses for the non-biology major. “Enough attention has not been given the non-major,” said Dr. Gun¬ stream. “He needs it because it relates to being a citizen in modern life in many ways, such as genetics, energy problems, and population control.” Another area of concern of the committee is an ongoing “Project Biotech,” in which the committee is forming a collection of instructional modules. “The modules are ‘how-to’ packages made up from a multi-media approach, using such instructional methods as films, slides, and booklets,” Dr. Gunstream said. “At the present time there are about 50 modules,” said Dr. Gunstream. “They will be marketed within the year. They are made by biologists around the country. If the committee accepts the idea, the biologist is paid $500 for his efforts.” The funding for such projects comes from the National Science Foundation. In past years, some of the achievements of the committee have been the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) and the Commission on Undergraduate Education in Biological Sciences (CUEBS). The BSCS study resulted in the formation of three different ap¬ proaches in high school biology. These were molecular, cellular, and ecological. “This was done because we found out that college students were ill- prepared,” said Dr. Gunstream. The CUEBS study resulted in the formation. of curriculum models on the college level, built on BSCS ex¬ perience. According to Dr. Gun¬ stream, this was done because of the need to improve undergraduate education. Both the BSCS and the CUEBS were funded by the National Science Foundation. Gunstream sees the main charge of the committee now as picking up the ball and moving on farther, mainly focusing on pragmatic courses for the liberal arts major which will be useful in modern society. the topic, but it is Dr. Armour’s opinion that humor is a tough field to work in. “1 think it is as hard to make people laugh as it is to make them cry,” he said, “and it is more important. “I mean ‘laugh’ in a deep, satisfying way. I’m not speaking of a belly laugh, but a lot of brain laugh,” he pointed out. Expressing his opinion on how to amuse readers and listeners, Dr. Armour commented, “Someone once said that laughter is feeling good all over and showing it in one place. I don’t think you have to show it. “Some of the best, most lasting humor brings not a laugh but a smile, or no response at all in either the belly muscles or the facial muscles," Dr. Armour specified. “What I’m trying for is a sense of pleasure, a recognition of human imperfections which the writer and the reader share. "So, in iny playful way, I am working toward understanding. Perhaps it’s on a low level, but it is on the level, at least,” he added. After receiving his doctorate from Harvard, Dr. Armour was active in research fellowships in Europe. He has taught English and American History at the University of Texas, North¬ western University, Wells College, University of Freiburg (Germany), University of Hawaii, Scripps College and Claremont Graduate School. He has lectured at more than 200 colleges and universities in Europe and Asia as an American specialist for the State Department. Dr. Armour served in the Army in both World War II and the Korean War, and was discharged with the rank of colonel. CALTECH SHOW Don Ellis, a leader in modern big- band jazz, will appear at Caltech's Beckman Auditorium Saturday at S p.m. in one performance only. Discount tickets are available for $2 w ith PCC student ID. Some of the transportation problems affecting PCC handicapped students have come to an end as the college recently purchased a specially equipped van with a hydraulic lift and wheelchair brackets. The purchase was endorsed last year by the Board of Trustees, after a series of debates. “Many wheelchairs may be folded and placed in cars,” said Fran Baldwin, coordinator of the handi¬ capped students at the college. “But that’s almost, if not totally impossible The administration of justice division of the Engineering and Technology Department has a unique police training program and teaching staff that is perhaps unsurpassed by any other community college in Southern California. “Right now PCC has a police academy at the Civil Defense Center in Eaton Canyon, where nine different agencies in the San Gabriel Valley send their recruits for training,” said Vincent Hughes, coordinator for the administration of justice division. Hughes, a law school graduate and retired FBI agent after 29 years of service, came to PCC in 1969. The agencies trained include Ar¬ cadia, Burbank, Monrovia, Pasadena. San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena and the L.A. County Marshals. with the motorized models. They’re just too big. And not too many families can afford the large private vehicles necessary to transport this equip¬ ment.” But transportation problems are not limited to those confined to wheel¬ chairs. “There are some students,” Ms. Baldwin continued, “who wear braces but cannot ride in regular buses. Their braces do not permit them to navigate the steep bus steps— and they can’t always find a ride to school. Recruits receive basic training in specialized courses, plus training required of peace officers under the new state law calling for minimum training. This fall semester marks the first time in PCC history that a woman has taught administration of justice. Sgt. Winona Franz from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is teaching juvenile law and procedure. An expert on the subject of juvenile activities and sex crimes, Sgt. Franz has been seen on television in connection with lectures at the Sheriff's Academy regarding rape assaults. Also on the teaching staff is Judge Warren Ettinger, who is the head of the municipal court judges in the Pasadena courts. Judge Ettinger teaches courses in court systems with Mike Montoya, head deputy district attorney of The PCC vehicle, which cost $10,000, went into operation this fall. It nor¬ mally serves eight students daily. During the bus strike that number rose to 12. “We’re still working on some minor repairs,” said Ms. Baldwin, “and it needs a paint job . . . but the van has already proved to be invaluable.” Some of the stories surrounding the students' experiences sound like pages out of fairy tales. A young quadraplegic (limited, if any, use of all four limbs) had been transported to and from school by her mother. Her mother is now facing surgery and the strain of lifting the girl in and out of the motorized wheelchair, plus trying to load and unload the heavy vehicle from the family wagon, is too much for her. If not for the van, the student would have to drop out of school. A woman who had suffered a stroke found it impossible to ride public transportation and due to paralysis could not drive. She burst into tears when she was told she could receive a ride to school each day. A cerebral palsy victim who is able to use public transportation found himself stranded during the bus strike. It had taken him 10 years to work up the courage to attend college. He was ready to quit. The PCC van provided the transportation he needed— and possibly a new future. “I’ve found out that my body is in worse shape than my mind is,” he said. “I used to think that my mind wasn’t so good.” “He needed to attend classes regularly to overcome his fear,” said Ms. Baldwin. “I think he would have lost his nerve during the bus strike if he hadn't had transportation to school.” Seven members of the forensics team won superior ratings at their first major tournament, the El Camino Warm Up, last Saturday. The winners and their categories were: Judy Daughrty, expository; Barbara Mitchell, communication analysis; Louise Houssen, expository; Harris Fontaine, oral interpretive; Steve Hentsch and Stan Swantek, impromptu speaking and Debbie Pillon, persuasive speaking. Fontaine and Hentsch, doing double Pasadena, who teaches in the day and evenings. Sgt. Frank McPherson of the Pasadena Police Department, teaches introduction to administration of justice, replacing John L. Sullivan, who retired in July. Sgt. McPherson works on the robbery detail. Teaching the same course is the chief training officer of the South Pasadena Police Department, Lt. Bill Reese. Also another first in the history of PCC is Lt. Gerald Conner and Sgt. Ron Rutherford of the Los Angeles Police Department and the L.A. County Sheriff's respectively, who are the first Black officers to teach community relations. Lt. Conner heads the team unit for the southwest portion of Los Angeles. All instructors teaching ad¬ ministration of justice are experts in their field, with a considerable amount of experience in law enforcement. Approximately 150 handicapped students are currently enrolled at PCC. “Many of our handicapped students are able to operate automobiles and can handle their own transportation,” continued Ms. Baldwin. “But I know for a fact that if we did not have the facilities to transport the students that we do, they would not be attending college. Education holds so much hope— it would be a shame if it were denied these people simply because they couldn’t get to the campus.” A former Air Force medic, Edwin Haines, drives the bus. But he’s more than a bus driver. He also serves as a helper and counselor. Haines’ day may run from 6 a. m. to 5 p.m.— or later. Not only does he transport the students to and from the campus, but he takes them to physical therapy sessions, travels to wheelchair repair shops and to specialized handi¬ capped equipment shops. “The benefits that this bus can bring to the students, the college and the community cannot be counted,” Ms. Baldwin said. “I’m getting phone calls every day from people who need trans¬ portation. I only hope we’ll be able to accommodate everyone in the district who calls.” According to Ms. Baldwin, few— if any— vans such as the one purchased by PCC exist for the handicapped in the Los Angeles area. A national organization for the handicapped had to close its local chapter because its members had no way to get to the meetings. Ms. Baldwin sees a growing need for city governments to accept more responsibility for handicapped persons. “It’s a real problem for everyone,” she concluded. "People have to be educated to become useful members in their communities.” duty, also won excellent ratings in other events. Crystal Watson and Joe Probst, faculty advisers to the team, were judges in events not involving PCC students. The group’s debate teams are en¬ tered in the Cal State Los Angeles Fall Forensics Tourney today and tomorrow. Probst said the club is still actively seeking new members. “It’s not too late as we have tournaments through¬ out the year,” he said. Types of speeches are divided into three categories: debate, memorized or improvised. In debate, there are either two on a team , Oxford style, or one against one, the Lincoln-Douglas style. The subject being debated this year is “Resolved: The powers of the presidency should be significantly curtailed.” Memorized works are speeches written by the speaker either of an original nature or an analysis of already published works. This allows for a wide range of topics. Belly dancing and pizza were the topics chosen by Ms. Houssen and Ms. Daughrty for their expository (in¬ formative) talks. An example of an analysis speech was Ms. Mitchell’s presentation of a speech by Winston Churchill. All extemporaneous talks are on international, political and economic affairs that have appeared in publications within the last 90 days. Contestants are given half an hour to prepare their talks. Impromptu speakers have less time to prepare, but may give shorter speeches on topics of a cultural, social or educational nature which have been in the news 90 days prior to the contest. Writer Richard Armour Set for Tuesday Lecture By Sergio Caponi Assistant Managing Editor —Courier Photo by Jeremy Ketelsen GETTING A LIFT— The handicapped van provides an invaluable aid to the school’s handicapped students. Diane Hill is assisted into the van by Ed Haines, using a special lift device. The- motorized wheel¬ chair weiahs 300 Dounds. Judge, Attorney, Police Officers Give Expert Instruction in Administration of Justice By Rob Wagner Staff Writer Speakers Win Superior Ratings at El Camino