PCC Courier, October 29, 2015

LOCAL LATINO PRfDE Pa sadena G G ollege ity OCTOBER 29, 2015 Serving PCC Since 1915 VOLUME 112 ISSUE 08 Latino Heritage Parade and Grand Fiesta at La Pintores- ca Park celebrates the local Latino community / pg. 6 Pasadena launches Planetary Society Monique A. LeBleu Staff Writer A full day culminated in the cele¬ bration of 35 years for the Planetary Society last week with a combined dedication of their new facility in Pasadena, now open to the public, and a star-studded evening variety event complete with entertainment and the love of all things science. The building’s dedication ceremo¬ nies included words from Congress- woman )udy Chu, Planetary Society board members, and The Science Guy himself, CEO Bill Nye. Once underway, the event included a facility tour, discussion panels and exhibits, a Theremin demonstration, Sci-Fi authors and Planetary Society co-founder Lou Friedman on hand to discuss and sign their new books. Donning his signature bow tie, Nye welcomed the eager public with assurances that the new space would fulfill all expectations that a society built on the love of science and space exploration should bring. “I feel it finally has that ‘this is a space-enterprise’ feel. We’ve got glass! And metal! An mid-century style futuristic bridge of the Enter¬ prise furniture!” laughs Nye. “It’s a futuristic space that’s based on the foundation of celebrating the joy of discovery. And that’ really why we explore space is to feel that joy of discovery. And I hope that when you are in the building that you feel a litde bit joyful!” The new interior’s customized space renovation features an open foyer that includes artwork, archive memorabilia, and audio and visual displays that are open to the public. The central working space opens to modular cubicles and fishbowl offic¬ es of the staff that are personalized and adorned with their own science collectibles and memorabilia. A mural depicting a planetary skyline overlooks a state of the art kitchen. Facing it, a large idea white board has been christened bv staff with statements of welcome and marker art, and the public was encouraged to participate. Jonathon Martinez, 5, of Sierra Madre Elementary, came with his family and was among the first to enter the new facility and decorate the whiteboard with his art among the plethora of words of admira¬ tion, inspiration, and thanks already expressed. When asked what his favorite subject in school, Martinez respond¬ ed, as if he really had to be asked, “Uh. . .space!?” Martinez was also impressed with a unique feature nesded in an old bank vault space in the budd¬ ing. Adorned with planet frescos, PLANETARY PAGE 2 New PR director hired to revamp image John Ororia News Editor Working with the backdrop of PCC trying to get out of accreditation probation, under the direction of a new president and new academic senate leadership, Alex Boekelheide, PCC’s newly hired executive director of the recently rebranded Office of Strategic Communications and Mar¬ keting, is setting the stage to cast the school in a more positive light. Boekelheide, who originally studied theater at USC before being recast in the world of public relations, comes to PCC after serving as the executive Director of communication for UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs. Before that, he served as the director of online and print communications at USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism. “Alex will be tasked with developing a com¬ prehensive external and internal communications and marketing plan to serve the ever-expanding needs of our campus,” President-Superintendent Vurdien said in an email. The Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing brings all of the school’s media resources, such as photography, social media, and the PCC website, together in one place. “The Public Relations Office was under-re¬ sourced and under-staffed in the past,” said publications supervisor Gilbert Rivera. “With the retooling of our area into Strategic Communi¬ cations and Marketing, we’ll hopefully be able to address those issues.” According to Boekelheide, one of the goals of bringing these departments together is to provide Keely Damara/Courier Alex Boekelheide, the new executive director of Strategic Communications & Marketing, stands in the PCC Sculpture Garden on Monday. Scene: Ghouls, monsters, and the macabre take over the city of Pasadena / pgs. 4 & 5 the school with a unified, strategic vision of how it wants to present itself internally, to the com¬ munity, and to current and future students. “There’s so much good going on here,” Boekelheide said, “but we can’t have it all just land in the crowded media environment of Pasadena.” Boekelheide first got interested in public rela¬ tions reflecting on the way institutions can affect a city’s image, development, and how people see themselves in relation. PCC was an exciting example of that effect to him. “PCC has been part of the Pasadena culture for the past 90 years. You can’t have Pasadena without PCC, you can’t have PCC without Pasa¬ dena,” Boekelheide said. “We have an excellent reputation within the community, and moving forward we would like to continue to keep that reputation intact,” Rivera explained via email. With the office restructuring, the school hopes to get away from any negative image it has developed from accreditation probation and conflicts between school leadership and faculty. The school’s previous public relations head, Val¬ erie Wardlaw, left the college in September 2014, months after presiding over the school’s response to the commencement speaker controversy PR PAGE 2 FA backs candidates in board election John Orona News Editor The PCC Faculty Association has endorsed Tom Selinkse for the district two seat and Hoyt Hilsman for the district four seat on the PCC Board of Trustees. The PCCFA voted to recom¬ mend the candidates after they responded to a Faculty Association questionnaire, expressed their views on issues facing the district at a can¬ didates’ forum on Oct. 6, and met with the association. “Tom Selinske’s understanding of the needs of students and the contributions faculty, staff and administration make in meeting those needs, made a convincing case that he’s the candidate of choice,” PCCFA president Julie Kiotas said in a press release. The Faculty Association joins Congresswoman Judy Chu, former PCC president and state senator Jack Scott, Assemblyman Chris Holden, and retiring district two trustee Jeanette Mann in endorsing the educator, small business owner, and PCC alum. Also vying for the district two seat are USC adjunct professor James Osterling and social scientist Martin Enriques. Osterling, who teaches finance and real estate, is endorsed by over ENDORSEMENT PAGE 2 ■ ONLINE EXCLUSIVES AT PCCCOURIER.COM Samantha Molina/Courier Bill Nye, CEO of the Planetary Society hosted "More to Explore: A Space Celebration" at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, October 24.