PCC Courier, September 13, 2001

Cell Phone Meltdown see page 2 Gettin’ Irie with ‘Burning Star’ see page 5 Lancers Destroy Glendale see page 6 P A S A DEN \ CITY C О L l E G E COURIER Since 1S)15 * i *» * VOL. 87 NO. 3 www.pcc-courieronline.com SEPTEMBER 13, 2001 On Campus Slave Labor Campus forum held on unfair wages By Latoya Sturge Associate Editor The plight of undocumented immigrant workers was brought center stage at the Unified for Dignity Labor Rights Forum at PCC last Thursday. Designed to increase awareness, the forum was comprised of prima¬ rily Spanish speaking workers who gave hundreds of PCC students a glimpse of the problems of not knowing the language and culture. The primary issue of the forum was an announcement of the “Taco Bell Truth Tour,” a nationwide boy¬ cott organized by the Coalition of' Immokalee Workers (CIW). The “tour” which kicks off today includes several rallies from Florida to California to Washington, D.C. Two members of the CIW, Romeo Ramirez and Peter Stedman, informed spectators of the 40 eent-per-bucket wages toma¬ to pickers in Florida get paid. They reported Taco Bell’s 2000 earnings # see FORUM, page 3 Vincent D ’Orazi / Courier Watching the Story Unfold Students view Tuesday morning’s developments in the Campus Center Lounge. Although all Cal State classes were cancelled for the day, life went on as usual at PCC. Ф For related stories, see today’s SPECIAL EDITION Board Member Green resigns By Matt Robinson and Bethany Johnson Editors After 28 years of service as a member of the board of trustees, Dr. Richard Green has resigned. He announced his decision to fel¬ low board members in closed ses¬ sion at the beginning of the Sept. 5 board meeting. PCC President James Kossler, the secretary of the board, called Green an outstanding board mem¬ ber. “He always makes his deci¬ sions on what is best for the col¬ lege. This will be a great loss to us.” Kossler also said that he would not hesitate to call on Green to give the board guidance in the future. Green’s resignation comes three months before his term was to end. His decision to leave came as a result of a recent hospital stay due to a medical condition and the completion of remodeling on his condo in Mission Bay. San Diego. The board will not appoint a member to Green’s seat to fill out the term because a new member will be elected to that seat in November, said Green. Green’s resignation also comes in the midst of charges that he has been living outside of the district he represented, which includes La Courtesy of PCC Former board of trustees member Dr. Richard Green Canada-Flintridgc and parts of west Altadena and Pasadena. In order to qualify to serve on the board of trustees, a member must live within his district. Richard McKee, a natural sciences professor, said, “I heard all the rumors for some time that Dr. Green was actually living in La Jolla and his board agenda packet and his stipend forwarded by the superintendent’s office to that address.” McKee has asked the District Attorney’s office to look into ® see TRUSTEE, page 3 Rave Ends in Tragedy for Local Students Area college students are among the casualities at the “8th Annual Nocturnal Wonderland,” held near Lake Havasu « « Photo Courtesy of Expoitz. i Dancers groove at the "Nocturnal Wonderland" By Matt Robinson Editor in Chief Officers from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department found a man they did¬ n’t even know was missing five days after he attended a rave on an Indian Reservation in Lake Havasu City. Deputies had been searching for another man who walked into the desert after the all night Rave and had been reported missing by friends. During the search, they discov¬ ered Ryoji Amiya, 23, a former PCC student who was rescued from Catfish Bay were he spent five days in the desert where the average daytime temperature hov¬ ered around 1 1 5 degrees. The two men, along with an estimated 30,000 others, attended the 8th Annual Nocturnal Wonderland Festival. Officers had been searching for Matthew Alejandro Torres, 24, of Indio, when locals came upon Amiya on the shore of Catfish Bay, diredtly across the Colorado River from Lake Havasu City. “He was confused and disoriented said Jodi Miller, community services officer at the Colorado River Sheriff’s Station. “ There is a lot of tall grass at Catfish Bay, and nobody could see Amiya., He sat in the water for days,” Miller said. The locals brought him to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department Search and Command Post where he was airlifted to Havasu regional medical center where he is under¬ going treatment for dehydration and hypothermia. Not only was Amiya suffering the effects of being out in the desert, he had trouble communi¬ cating with rescuers because he could not speak English. When Amiya left the Rave on Sunday, his rental car be’eame sfbek, so he began walking around the area of his vehicle. When he saw the lake, he stayed there. He spent most of his time in the water trying to keep cool. During the Rave event, officers made 82 arrests, mostly drug relat¬ ed offenses. “There were a high number of ecstasy arrests,” Miller said, “ ecstasy coupled with desert heat get people dehydrated quick¬ ly. Most don’t realize what they are dealing with.” On Saturday, Sept. 1 , Golden Voice Events hosted the Nocturnal Wonderland Festival at Havasu Landing. The promoters had entered into a contract with the Chemchuevi Indian Tribe to hold the event on tribal lands because the San Bernardino County rules and permits were not applicable. “This location enabled the tribe Ф see RAVE, page 3 AB 540 May Offer Relief for Illegal Students Bill, which awaits senate approval, would allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition and grants. By Doris Valenzuela Staff Writer Gabriel Noriega was born in Guatemala but raised in the United • States. He has spent his whole life here. While in high school, he earned many academic awards. He has also been involved with his t community and school activities. But, due to his illegal status Gabriel cannot afford to go to col¬ lege. Gabriel’s case is not unique. In » Gabriel’s school, 10 to 15 percent of the nearly 900 high school sen¬ iors are undocumented, and the option of financial aid is not avail- , able to them. These students, many of whom have lived in this country all their lives, have to pay non-resident tuition. California residents only pay SI, 839 a year to attend classes in the UC system. On the other hand, non-residents pay $7,380. In California Community Colleges, residents pay Sll per unit, while non-residents pay $130 per unit. Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh introduced the AB 540 bill in an attempt to help these stu¬ dents. This bill would allow undocumented students to pay in¬ state tuition and qualify for finan¬ cial aid or Cal Grants at any uni¬ versity or community college. The education committee approved the bill unanimously. Then on Sept. 7 it was passed by the Senate of Appreciation Committee; 8-1. The bill is now on the senate’s desk waiting for approval. Showing their support for the AB 540, the Wise Up group as well as other more years and be a California high school graduate. It also requires students to have at least a 3.8 grade point average. “More find themselves unable to because of financial considerations,” said Firebaugh in an interview with The Chronicle of the Higher Education. Charles B. Reed, chancellor of the Cal State system said: “This is a country that tries to improve everybody’s standing. The issue is really the cost. No one knows what this might cost.” University administrations released figures showing that the UC and CSU system could lose as much as $63.7 million in the year¬ ly income. Those opposing the bill argue that the students have no legal right to stay in this country, much less to be supported finan¬ cially by state taxpayers while earning a college degree. Firebaugh, however, said that these students come from families who pay taxes, and that therefore they should be allowed to receive educational benefits. In addition, many of these immigrants usually contribute to the country’s econo¬ my with their cheap labor. Meanwhile, students like Gabriel will have to patiently wait for a miracle to help them realize the “American Dream.” Their only other option would be to put college aside and use their skills flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant. “This bill was made for stu¬ dents with academic achieve¬ ments,” said Julie Neilson, a col¬ lege counselor at Garfield High in Los Angeles. organi¬ zations that defend i m m i - . grants’ rights are plan- ning to march to the governor’s office and per¬ sonally ask for the approval. AB-540 requires undocument¬ ed students to have attended a California high school for three or than 50 percent of these stu¬ dents have already worked hard enough in their high school years to qualify for scholarships. These young people arc not dissimilar from many young Californians who have the ability and the desire to pursue higher education and “This is a country that tries to improve every¬ body’s standing.” Charles B. Reed, chancellor of the Cal State system l