PCC Courier, September 25, 1968

PCC CdViieSv VOL. 30, NO. 2 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 25, 1968 Board Considers Constitution Since the election of the ASB president, Ron Firestone, many innovations have been planned for student government at PCC. Firestone, his vice president Larry Cluff , and the other officers of the ASB have been working on a new ASB constitution and a more up to date and effective method of student government. The new type of government will be called the Pasadena City College Student Association (PCCSA) and will serve many more functions of benefit to the student body, according to Fire¬ stone. One of the major changes will be in the Student Senate. This legislative body will consist of 19 members, 18 elected and one ap¬ pointed. Present ASB officers will form the Executive Council, and will have the veto power over the Senate. This council will re¬ place the now-in-effect Student Forum. According to Firestone, “The Student Senate in the new TRAFFIC CONTROL — Courier photo by Jim Martin EXTRA PROTECTION — will be given the campus, and the cars on the campus parking lot will have less chance of thefts now that the security force is equipped with a new communication system. Officer Jim Ransom uses a walkie-talkie that will be used by stu¬ dent assistants, as well as the security staff, in directing traffic as parking lots fill up in the morning rush. The communication system also includes mobile units and several radio phones located about the campus. Library Seturity Set-up Over Eager in Debut Pasadena City College has the first junior college library on the West Coast with a Sentronic Se¬ curity System. Installed during the summer, it prevents unauth¬ orized loans and deliberate theft attempts. Student Action Committee Holds Membership Meeting on Campus By MAUREEN ABBOTT “Support is the root, change is the end.” These were the words of Craig Short at the Student Action Committee meeting at the Campus Center Free Speech For¬ um last Thursday. Purpose of the meeting was to perpetuate stu¬ dent support, interest, and mem¬ bership of the SAC, also known as the Human Relations Commit¬ tee. Purpose of SAC is to provide with comprehensive information on all viewpoints on various con¬ troversial topics, such as, the draft, birth control and abortion, the Black Panthers, Vietnam, stu¬ dent government, and drugs. Four key words of SAC are “Educate,” “Mobilize,” “Train,” and “Resist.” These terms rep¬ resent the basic foundation of Enrollment Up Again Registration at Pasadena City College increased for the sec¬ ond straight year. This year’s total is 13,670 as compared to a total of 13,403 last year and 13,332 in 1966. In the past eight years, registration has in¬ creased by nearly 4000, making PCC one of the largest jimior colleges in the state. SAC. Educate people on all topics and problems of vital con¬ cern to college students today. Mobilize or organize ideas and truths into action which will bring about changes in some ad¬ ministrative policies at PCC. Train their members to under¬ stand topics on controversy so that they can present their own ideas clearly and factually. Re¬ sist, as I understand the term, means to resist that which the members of SAC feel is morally wrong and unjust. Of course, these are only a few definitions to four words which have many interpretations and meanings to SAC. Present members of SAC feel that media for getting the news to students or, for that matter, getting students to the news is in dire need of rehabilitation. The Courier was constantly criticized throughout the meeting, as was The Crier. It was said that there was too much censorship on campus. It is one aim of SAC to abolish such censorship. The organization is also concerned about the fact that many students are uninform¬ ed on topics of major concern to them today. SAC hopes to cor¬ rect mistaken ideas and half- truths by distributing pamphlets Off-Campus Individuals Disrupt Member Drive The Student Action Committee began its membership drive on campus last Wednesday by pass¬ ing out a pamphlet explaining the purposes, views, and platform of the organization. It also an¬ nounced a meeting for interested members in the free speech area for the following day. Problems arose over the dis¬ tribution of the pamphlets, from a table located at the front of the Campus Center at 10:30 a.m. A campus security officer ap¬ proached the table and found two members of the black community arguing with two individuals who were manning the table. The ver¬ bal confrontation was taking place over names on the front of the publication. According to Gil Robinson, co¬ ordinator of security, one name in question was that of Malcom X. The security officer then took the names of the individuals, none of whom were students. According to the security officer, he then took the pamphlets to the security office to avoid possi¬ ble violence. A student member of SAC went to Dean S. Luke Curtis’ office to get the booklets returned While he was with Curtis, a phone call came from Robinson informing Curtis of the confisca¬ tion and explaining that the rea¬ son for the move was to avoid violence. The SAC members than went to the security office where the pamphlets were returned with the advice from Robinson that they had been objectionable to some students and to think twice about handing them out. He went further to say that if any trouble started, SAC shouldn’t expect security to be there to break it up. The security member said the names of the off-campus individ¬ uals involved could not be re¬ leased. Robinson told a Courier reporter that the event was not newsworthy and should not be printed. to students, by setting up infor¬ mation tables throughout the campus, by sponsoring speakers, seminars, rallies, and films. SAC supports the new consti¬ tution, and feels indirectly re¬ sponsible for perpetuating it. Their main concern in student government is to have the posit¬ ions of Senators taken more seriously, thereby destroying the present idea that student govern¬ ment is a farce. In the future, when the mem¬ bership of SAC is larger, and their funds wealthied, SAC plans to sponsor a Black Panther and a conscientious objector as speak¬ ers on campus. The organization also plans distributing pamphlets on the major controversial topics. Nurses 1st Meeting Set First meeting of the Student Nurses Association of PCC will be held October 10 at noon in 104D. SNAP is the student nurses’ first professional contact with their future profession. Members go to conventions all over the country and to events sponsored by the California chapter or na¬ tional offices of SNA. These students are given the same privileges as registered nurses, including insurance cov¬ ered by their dues. SNA also reaches many different countries. Mrs. Joan Davidson, chairman of the Nursing Department at PCC, and six student nurses will assist in medical preparations at the community immunization clin- at Franklin School, October 3. Student nurses enrolled in the RN program will participate in the Doctor’s Fair October 5 in a heart disease program with the help of computers. This is the first time students have par¬ ticipated. Cyclists Urged To Obey Rules Because of complaints from both faculty and student body, Gil Robinson, of PCC’s security and traffic control force, has asked for observance of regula¬ tions regarding the parking lot entrances and exits to be used by motorcycle riders. This regulation requires all cy¬ clists to use the Bonnie Avenue driveway. According to Robinson, “The reason for this is simple; • Continued on Page Four Last year PCC lost $3000 in stolen books. The Sentronic Se¬ curity System works on an alarm installed at the check out desk. When a student passes out of the library through one of two turn¬ stiles with a book which has not been checked, the turnstile locks and an alarm is activated at the checkout desk with the intended borrower immediately apprehend¬ ed. According to William K. Grang¬ er, head librarian, the new system offers somewhat of a problem. Occasionally a false alarm is set off and a student is stopped who has not taken a book. “False alarms are running one to two per cent,” says Granger. The reason for them stems from metal objects, such as en¬ closures of ringbinders, which ac¬ tivate the alarm. Students need not worry about the false alarm if they haven’t made an unauthor¬ ized laon. Perfection of the sys¬ tem is progressing, Granger adds. A private college in Santa Barbara has now installed one of the systems. Swahili A new three-unit course in Swa¬ hili will be opento all students at Pasadena City College. Miss Beverly Coleman, a former member of the Peace Corps who served for two years in Tanzania, will be the instruc¬ tor. For further enrollment in¬ formation, call the PCC Coun¬ seling Center, 795-6961, or con¬ tact the Department of Foreign Languages, extension 212. Constitution will have the same relation to the Student Body as U.S. Senators have to U.S. citi¬ zens. The function of the Student Senate will be that formerly held by the ASB Board — that is, legislation. According to Firestone, the ac¬ tivation of the Senate will “broad¬ en the democratic base because of the election of the 18 senators.” “The Senate will halt the limiting of Democracy at Pasadena City College. The power of the Pres¬ ident will be greatly lessened. As a matter of fact, as far as power is concerned, I predict that the president will be a Queen Elizabeth or figurehead type ruler. This will place the majority of the power and influ¬ ence in the hands of the senators. Through this added democracy, we hope to have better under¬ standing with the students, and more active student participa¬ tion. Another major change in the constitution will be the addition of a due process clause. This clause authorizes the formation of a student court to try offenders of disciplinary and educational laws, codes, orders, or rulings. There will be from two to four students appointed to the court bar by the Student Senate, and approved by the Senate president, Firestone. Other appointees to the bar will be two members of the PCC Faculty. The court will try the accused, make an evaluation, and will then give disciplinary recommendations to the College President, Dr. Armen Sarafian. One of the helpful articles to the constitution is that which makes the editor of the Courier, presently Bryan Cuthill, a non¬ voting member of all student organizations. The editor will be able to participate in discussions held at meetings, but will not vote, which will help the news¬ paper in producing accurate and non-biased reports of the govern¬ mental activities and accomplish¬ ments. This enablement article allows the incumbent officials to remain in office after the adoption of the new constitution. By remain¬ ing in office, the writers of the new constitution will be able to get the changes made quickly change of leadership at this cru¬ cial period, according to Presi¬ dent Firestone. — Courier photo by Ron LeGrand TO CATCH A THIEF — or just a forgetful student is the job of the new Sentronic Security System installed in the library during the summer to prevent another loss of $3000 worth of books, as was true last year. Kathy Myers, victim of the over-eager system, stands watching the red light go on as the turnstile locks and an alarm goes off. The system has been giving some false alarms on ring binders and spiral notebooks, as it is doing here to Miss Myers.