PCC Courier, September 05, 2002

тжшшшшшшятшжж Lancer Faculty members •-w‘ ЧЙМЦЦ* ’< />■ .... i *2; defense shines тЕШШзЯ!: **-* ' -.* ■■■■ Щ in annual д ужЖ, ^llllll!l show off scrimmage v‘ ’ their skills see page 7 see page 5 Meet one of the new trustees see page 4 ч t- '*/ if A I) 1 N A C I T Courier Since I9I5 VOL. 88 NO. 2 www.pcc-courieronline.com September 5, 2002 w U I j If V On Campus Figures Add up to Crowding By Steve LuKanic Staff Writer Although it’s still too early to lock down official numbers, pre¬ liminary figures show 29,213 stu¬ dents have enrolled at PCC this fall, an increase of 392 students from this time last year. In fact, enrollment records over the past- few years indicate an increase of only 2 to 4 percent each year — a “managed growth” says Dr. Stuart Wilcox, dean of institu¬ tional planning and research. According to Wilcox, who was formerly the associate dean of admissions and records, the slow, steady rise in enrollment at PCC has been the direct result of how much the state is willing to fund for the maximum growth at the col¬ lege. That percentage cap is based on a number of variables, including, population growth, high school graduation rates and the economic climate. Since PCC is located in a stable area with minimal population influx, the state has been funding a growth rate to the college of nearly 4 percent since 1996. But the rippling effect in a year of economic turmoil has had a sig¬ nificant impact on PCC, beginning with the state cutting the growth cap to 2 percent. That alone has had little effect on enrollment numbers this fall, but it has reduced the number and increased the size of available classes. “Every class has a cost connect¬ ed to it,” said Wilcox, “whether it’s a teacher’s salary or the custodial services to clean the classroom and empty the trash.” In order to cut back on those costs and operate efficiently, Wilcox says PCC is offering fewer classes this semester and trying to fill as many seats as possible in the classes available. “Students may have a harder time getting a class,” said Wilcox, “but we can’t offer a class that the state doesn’t pay for.” Wilcox believes the real hard¬ ship will come next year, after the state balances a $22 billion budget shortfall. “It’s going to be tight,” ® see STATS, page 3 Man Beaten Unconcious Lives Three PCC students were arrested for unprovoked attack on alumnus Photo by Mikyl Nutter Students walk in front of the sign on Colorado and Bonnie unware of the mugging of a former PCC student that took place there last week. By Andrew Campa Editor A festive evening turned into tragedy late last month when a for¬ mer PCC student was attacked by three current students while hav¬ ing his photo taken on the comer of Bonnie and Colorado Bpulevard. Josea Gomez, 32, was severely beaten by three students on Tuesday, Aug. 27, after he and a friend pulled their white Hyundai over to take a few photos. The three students involved in the attack were identified as Daniel Sciolini, Antonio Cervantes and Archie Thompson. “They just jumped out of the car and started beating on him,” said family friend Edgard Villaroyrta, who traveled with Gomez and his family. “We didn’t do anything to ask for this.” Gomez and his family (wife and son) were returning from Chucky Cheese after celebrating their son’s birthday party. Gomez had chosen a route that would pass through Bonnie Avenue and directly in front of the campus. “My husband just wanted a few photos in front of the school,” said Gomez’s wife. “He really valued his time at PCC.” Villaroyrta had just taken pho¬ tos at the party and began to size up the campus when another vehi¬ cle pulled near him and Gomez. Before Gomez could say a word, two of three suspects had jumped out of a car and tackled the father to the ground. To the horror of Villaroyrta, the driver and front passenger started beating and kicking his friend, the later mostly coming when Gomez lay helplessly on the ground. “I was shocked, I didn’t know Ш see BEATING, page 3 Former Dean Agrees to Resign and Settle for $150,000 Payday By Courier Staff After months of debating the future of a former social science dean, the PCC board of trustees decided late last month to pay Gretchen Anderson $150,000 in exchange for her dismissal of pending litigation against the col¬ lege. The boards’ vote was unani¬ mous at 7-0. Anderson resigned her employ¬ ment with the district and with¬ drew a lawsuit against PCC on Aug. 20 in exchange for $150,000. “It’s a small price to pay to have some unity in the social sci¬ ence division,” said one unnamed board member. Although Anderson was at the helm of the division for almost a decade, her problems started back in 1996. Some faculty members cried fowl when Anderson took part in the hiring of current social science instructor, Milton Brown. Although Brown is a former community college president with previous teaching experience, the fact that Anderson (who was living with Brown) was on the commit¬ tee was enough to raise a few eye¬ brows. However, former PCC instruc¬ tor Marc Dollinger contended that there was never any investigation, and that rumors were spread to hurt Anderson’s reputation. “There was never any investi¬ gation of a conflict of interest in hiring Dr. Brown nor was there ever an investigation of his appar¬ ent qualifications,” wrote Dollinger in a letter to the Courier before his departure. “Both of these accusations are mean-spirited rumors created by those who seek to marginalize one of our college’s most esteemed and best-loved professors.” The real fireworks did not begin until the fall of 1999, when JDL (Jewish Defense League) leader Irv Rubin spoke to the Humanities Block program hosted by professor Michelle Ireland Galman. Brown and Dollinger opposed Rubin’s visit, who’s currently awaiting trial for allegedly plotting to bomb a Congressman’s office as well as a mosque. Back in January, both Dollinger and Brown claimed that Rubin’s Former Dean of Social Sciences, Gretchen Anderson. presence on campus “placed our students and faculty at unneces¬ sary physical risk.” Although that was not the first time the embattled Rubin had spo¬ ken to a class at PCC, it was the first time some faculty members and Anderson openly protested, revealing a hidden schism within the division. The split in the social science division spilled over from offices and classrooms all the way to the board of trustees. In one meeting in mid- December, Dollinger alleged that a small group of white faculty mem¬ bers had conspired to silence dis¬ sent and do whatever was possible to discredit Anderson. The dean was removed from her office on Jan. 1 , 2002 for vari¬ ous reasons, one of which was a violation of college policies. Although the official policies she violated were not expained, Anderson is believed to have angered college officials when she instructed certain faculty mem¬ bers, “to throw away their jury summons when they come in the mail. It works for me,” she said. However, Brown and Dollinger assented that Anderson was removed because she did not back down from “senior white faculty members.” Even though she was removed from office, Anderson was not resign from the school until Aug. 20. Some administrators said the change was necessary. With Anderson and Dollinger having recently departed, the social science division has a new Michael Finkenbinder. Although much of the faculty is split on the decision of the board of trustees to pay off Anderson, one faculty member is hoping that the only drama this semester will come out of Sexson Auditorium. “Some people may think that that is an exorbitant price to pay, others may not,” said Alan Lamson, English professor and president of the Academic Senate. “In any case hopefully these issues have been put to rest.” Please forward all questions or comments on this article to Courier _frontpage@yahoo.co 4 •I 0 The PCC website still proudly displays the Oaks Oak Trees Gone, Students Ask Why By Matthew Robinson Contributing Writer Many students and staff mem¬ bers noticed that something was missing as they walked across the sculpture garden past the library and towards the steps of the C building. Where once there were two oak trees now there is only one. In addition, two oak trees in the mid¬ dle of lot five, where the new park¬ ing structure will be built were cut down also disappeared. Students and staff were upset to learn the trees were cut down. “Find out who did it,” said 21- year-old student Zaven Kcchichian. “1 think it’s wrong. The students deserve an explana¬ tion.” According to Rick van Pelt, director of facilities services, the trees . were dead and had to be removed. “We plan to remove any other tree that dies,” van Pelt said. He was talking about the quercus georgiana or more commonly known as a Georgia Oak, but Russell Di Fiori, natural science instructor said the tree in question was a coast live oak that is native to California. The tree, according to some estimates, could have been between 80 and 1 50 years old. A facilities worker, who did not want to be identified, said, “The tree was taken out sometime after 2:30 a.m.” —English Instructor Gloria Horton to know why it was taken down in the middle of the night. Gloria Horton, professor of English said, “This is not any tree, this is a coast live oak, a protected tree. I question why it was cut in the wee small hours of the morning. Any other time, the trees are trimmed on the weekend,” she said There was no trace of the tree next to the East entrance of the C building by 7:30 a.m. the follow¬ ing morning. “It was not removed at night. It was removed in the morning, prior to opening for business, in order to cause the least disruption possible to students and staff” said van Pelt. He explained that “facilities services has planted approximate¬ ly 500 trees on campus over the past five years. We have a remark¬ able record for planting trees.” Millers tree service of Pasadena, which has a standing contract with PCC, performed the work. ® see TREES, page 3 Several staff members wanted This is not any tree, this is a coast live oak, a protected tree.