PCC Courier, October 25, 2012

Volleyball Women’s team dominates Page 8» f ^ Pasadena City College Courier Online edition pccCourier.com Facebook PCC Courier Twitter @pccCourier Volume 106, Issue 8 The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena Since 1915. October 25, 2012 Prop. 30 rally gets students' attention Paul Ochoa Staff Writer The crowd was sparse but stu¬ dents in the Quad had their ears open on Thursday during a Proposition 30. rally, which encouraged students to vote yes on November ballot measure. The event even offered laptops to help students register to vote. "I personally felt like the turnout should have been better but it was nice to see people were turning around, paying attention and listening," said Miranda Alvarado, Associated Students vice for academic affairs. According to Voterguide .sos.ca.gov voting yes on Proposition 30. means, "The state would increase personal income taxes on high-income taxpayers for seven years and sales taxes for four years. The College not Raymond Bernal Staff Writer According to officials, PCC has not been targeted by members of a financial aid fraud ring broken up by federal investigators recently. Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid Assistant Dean Kim Miles said: "To my knowledge PCC has not been targeted. We are watchful of stu¬ dents who insist someone else speak for them about their finan¬ cial aid." Sustainability Christine Michaels Staff Writer New goals for sustainability in a template created by Citrus College are recommended for the campus according the cam¬ pus-wide Sustainability Committee at a meeting on Oct. 15. Sustainability is the quality of not being harmful to the envi¬ ronment or depleting natural resources, and thereby support¬ ing long-term ecological balance, according to dictionary.com The goals include zero waste, Makoto Lane / Courier California Assembly member Anthony Portantino (44th district) rallies support at a Yes on proposition 30 event in the PCC Quad on Oct. 18. new tax revenues would be available to fund programs in the state budget." Assembly Member Anthony Portantino of the 44th District was among the speakers urging students to vote for Proposition 30. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General filed federal indictments in September on 21 individuals for allegedly conducting "fraud rings" that defrauded 15 California community colleges federal student aid programs of over $1 million. "Federal student aid exists so that individuals can make their dreams of higher education a reality, not for criminals to use as a personal slush fund," said on Proposition 30. We need folks to step up," said Portantino. Andrew Bott, AS vice presi¬ dent for business affairs was glad to see that Portantino was trying help with the cause. "It was amazing to have an assembly member like Portantino [here]. It's wonderful Inspector General Kathleen Tighe in announcing the indict¬ ments. In an interview with the Courier on Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Dolan said: "The fraud rings involved both tradi¬ tional education and online edu¬ cation. Many of them [fraud rings] are now focused on the online part because it's easier to defraud when you don't have to show-up and lie to somebody." Dolan explained that fraud ringleaders would recruit "straw to see people come from all walks to make a difference," said Bott. Bott encouraged students to vote yes on Proposition 30. "This is one of those chances students have to make an imme¬ diate impact on their lives," said Continued on page 2 fraud ring students", people who were not students and did not intend to attend classes. Also the identity of actual students would be stolen and used in the scam. "In some cases the identity of mentally disabled people were used because they are the most vulnerable in our society and enrolled in classes without their knowledge," said Dolan. Straw students would stay enrolled in classes just long enough for the financial aid grant checks they Continued on page 7 Racial gap in grades revealed Concerns aired about trends Nicholas Zebrowski Managing Editor Information presented at Monday's Academic Senate meeting shows a racial gap in academic performance amongst students. In the 2011 school year over eight percent of all students received failing grades in their classes. Hispanic and black stu¬ dents made up almost 45 percent of the student body in 2011, and almost 25 percent of all failing grades. The information, compiled by Interim Director of Institutional Planning Crystal Kollross, shows that in almost all divi¬ sions at PCC, Hispanic and black students received lower grades on average than Asian and white students. Social Science Professor Susie Ling presented the information to the Senate. The numbers, compiled by Kollross, show that 13 percent of black students, and over 11 percent of Hispanic stu¬ dents received 'F' grades in their classes. Compared to just over five percent of white students and seven percent of Asian stu¬ dents received 'F' grades. "I'm glad Susie brought this information up [to the Academic Continued on page 7 "It's so critical that we vote yes targeted by financial aid panel works on new model renewable energy, improving on transportation, water usage, con¬ struction, and informing stu¬ dents of sustainability through curriculum, according to a tem¬ plate on the Citrus College sus¬ tainability website. Committee Co-Chair Lauren Arenson said the template was going to be a good start towards being more sustainable on cam¬ pus. "It's rough, but it's a really good start. IF s flexible and it can change, too," said Arenson. Acting Committee Co-Chair Hanna Israel felt the template would be helpful for creating a base to work on. "We don't want to be reinventing the wheel," said Israel. Committee member and Facilities Supervisor Sarah Flores explained the template would be helpful for record keeping and setting standards for sustainabil¬ ity on campus. "It will also be benchmarking. I want us to be the benchmark," said Flores. A list was passed around at the meeting with sustainability Continued on page 6 File Photo Tim Martinez, member of the environmental sustainability club on campus works in the sustainable garden in 2011. Speak out! Who will get your vote for president? vote at pccCourier.com Soccer Women's team moves to third place after win against El Camino Page 8» Donating the past College receives cameras and film gear from JPL Page 7»