PCC Courier, September 10, 2009

For exclusive stories and photos check out the Courier on the web @ pcccourier.com Pasadena City College Football PCC loses season opener to Mt. Sac. Page 8» 5 Volume 100, Issue 2 "The Independent Student Voice of РСС, Serving Pasadena Since 1915." Thursday, September 10, 2009 Courier Bason in hes. nference ed about h 47 and Mt. Sac. g season id well to у veteran rom mid- 153 kills, n in digs :r Nicole la Rangel le veteran va. I’m mak- e’re going ie team in new play- ombine to ear. Even s looking Perfumo's exit still unexplained i Few details offered about former president's departure BARBARA BEASER Editor-in-Chief Questions about former PCC President Paulette Perfumo's surprise resignation linger as few details have emerged in the weeks since. Two weeks after she requested a personal leave of absence, Perfumo resigned as presi¬ dent, but retained an unspecific administra¬ tive role, according to a prepared statement read by Board President Jeanette Mann after a special meeting held on Aug. 25. "The Board of Trustees of the Pasadena Area Community College District and Dr. Paulette J. Perfumo, superintendent /presi¬ dent of Pasadena City College, have reached an agreement by which Dr. Perfumo will relinquish her current leadership role as president of PCC for personal family rea¬ sons," the statement said. Other details of Perfumo's resignation have not been disclosed. "I am legally prohibited from commenting on Dr. Perfumo's situation," said Trustee Consuelo Rey-Castro last week. "You may want to talk to Dr. Mann, the board presi¬ dent." Other trustees deferred to Mann as well. "Try Dr. Mann," said Geoffrey Baum on Monday. William Thomson said he would have to direct any questions to Mann, as did John Martin. "I'm governed by board protocols on such personnel issues to refer you to board presi¬ dent," Martin said. Most recently, Mann reiterated what she had said at the special board meeting. "The only thing I can say is what I read in the statement," Mann said in an interview on Tuesday. Perfumo surprised the PCC community by asking for a personal leave of absence on Aug. 5, just days after her vacation ended. She had been facing anger over the decision to cut the winter intersession at the July 1 board meeting, and was accused by some of being unaware of crucial financial matters. Continued on page 5 Making way for new arts building Jenny Bartlett/Courier From the left: Student Trustee Brian Abadia, trustees John Martin, William Thomson, Geoffrey Baum, Jeanette Mann, Acting President Lisa Sugimoto, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, trustees Hilary Bradbury-Huang and Consuelo Rey-Castro participate in groundbreaking cere¬ monies Aug. 28 for the new Center For The Arts. Tuition fee increase leaves some with debt Karen Guzelian Staff Writer While students were out of school and on their summer break, California's Legislature increased tuition fees for all community col¬ leges from $20 a unit to $26 per unit. Although community colleges across California tried to postpone the fee increase until the next semester, the state wouldn't do it, according to Stuart Wilcox, assis¬ tant director of admissions and records. As a result, PCC owed the state an estimated $1.1 million from 18, 037 students who had already registered and paid for tuition at $20 per unit. "This is the second time in 20 years where they've changed the fees during a registration cycle and all community colleges were com¬ plaining about the same thing: don't change the fees once we start registration," said Wilcox. Weeks before school started, about 8,900 students who owed the extra $6 per unit were contact¬ ed via email. The following week students were contacted through pre-recorded phone calls and around campus signs have been posted informing students about the change. While some students knew about the possible tuition fee increase, others found out after they paid. "I didn't even hear [the tuition fee] was going up. I just went online and saw 'fee due'," said Sonia Somma, 23, who tried to add a class online and was not able to do so, unless she paid the money she owed first. "I was shocked that I had a bal¬ ance, because as far as I know I had paid everything," she said. Even though students cannot get dropped from classes for not Continued on page 7 Winter intersession partially reinstated Bruna Nessif Staff Writer The Board of Trustees has reversed its July decision to cut PCC's winter session, reinstating half of what is usually offered. Although a full winter session was deemed unaffordable, Acting Dean of Enrollment Management and Academic Support Allen Dooley explained that a partial winter session will be offered instead. "Right now we're offering about 55 to 60 percent of what we usual¬ ly offer for winter," Dooley said. This means that about 300 sec¬ tions will be available as opposed to the usual 600 according to Dooley. Lie emphasizes that subjects in high demand such as math, eng- lish, social sciences and natural sciences will be the majority of what is offered in winter, although other sections are also available. Dooley explains that there were not any course eliminations. Professors were asked to cut their course programs in half. Dooley commented that the lack of knowledge on the previous year's spending and the state's budget caused PCC to initially eliminate winter. "The budget was unknown. All Continued on page 7 Supply of parking permits runs out, frustrating many Katie Yost Staff Writer The new system for purchasing parking permits left many stu¬ dents confused and without a per¬ mit. Passes on campus ran out Aug. 31 and again Sept. 1 when the line was dispersed around 10:30 a.m. Parking permits were again available in the CC Building after a FedEx shipment Sept. 2 for those who did not make their purchase online or get one of the limited permits available the first two days of the semester. They are sold beginning at 10 a.m. each morning. Police confirmed that there Continued on page 7 Roger Lai/Courier Students wait in line in the new Campus Center to obtain parking passes on Aug. 31. nclude an i day. She issess and n. gher level middle of ;ht in to as ne against asium at 3 Opinion Designated Art show ONLINE POLL New smoking policy is justified. SMOKING AREA News of the World: Adjunct faculty exhibit opens at PCC Art Gallery. Page 6» Is the new smoking policy fair? \ W\ Page 3» i f l VOTE &Yi pcccourier.com