“*■ OPINION —
Staff and students respond to recent
Courier articles
Letters address KPCC and CCRI.
2
NEWS ——
Lecture explores fears and evils of
today's society.
Annalee Newitz discusses “Violence, Monsters,
and Money: Economic Horror in American Pop
Culture from the 50s to the 90s. ”
— SPORTS
Lancer Football loses to Orange Coast Pirates
20-17
In second game of season, 19-yard field goal with five seconds left
hangs the Lancers out to dry.
4
Faculty subcommittee backs instructor in grade dispute
■ Professor challenges
Board of Trustees after
administrator attempts
to change a student’s
grade.
BY DOUGLAS WILKIE
Courier Staff Writer
In what appears to be yet another
phase of an ongoing controversy
between PCC faculty and adminis¬
trators, the Faculty Senate Board
voted unanimously Monday to ac¬
cept a report in which the PCC Board
of Trustees was taken to task for
considering a grade change for a
PCC student, overriding the
instructor’s grade.
The report was submitted by a
five-member subcommittee of the
faculty professional rights and re¬
sponsibilities committee. The sub¬
committee, chaired by James Bickley,
professor of social sciences, deliber¬
ated over a nine-day period during
which it considered both the “practi¬
cal and ethical implications” of
changing a student’s final course
grade by someone other than the
student’s instructor.
The instructor, Gregory Lee, is an
associate professor of geography and
is currently on sabbatical leave. He
is pursuing the issue with both the
Faculty Senate and the California
Teachers Association, the exclusive
bargaining unit for PCC faculty.
In a memorandum circulated to
the faculty, Gary Woods, PCC fac¬
ulty member and
СТА
representa¬
tive, stated that Lee had been asked
by one of his students to change that
student’s grade for a 1 995 fall semes¬
ter course.
Because the student had allegedly
not followed the prescribed format
for filling out a scantron card used to
administer the final examination, Lee
refused the request. Joyce Black,
vice president of instruction, was
asked by the student to intervene.
After concurring with the student’s
position, Black referred the matter to
the Board of Trustees.
Bickley asserted that the grade-
change issue was “a very important
matter with the subcommittee look¬
ing at all sides of the issue.” Al¬
though the subcommittee presented
its report in open session, details
including the student’s identity, re¬
mained confidential. Bickley said
the student complainant was invited,
but declined to address the subcom¬
mittee.
In a one-page memorandum to the
Board of Trustees dated Sept. 16, the
subcommittee wrote that it “finds no
basis for the Board of Trustees to
change the grade.”
Mathematics professor Mary Jane
Cordon presented a “minority” view,
although she had voted in favor of the
report. In her opinion, Cordon cited
the twin issues of faculty rights and
student rights.
“Since evidence indicates dis¬
crepancies and inconsistencies on
the part of both the instructor and the
student, I recommend that (the) in¬
structor resolve this dispute with
(the) student without interference of
the administration,” she wrote in a
memorandum.
She also regretted that the sub¬
committee had not interviewed the
student.
In light of the subcommittee’s
unanimous vote in support of Lee,
Senate Board member Gordon
Brown inquired why a minority re¬
port had been submitted. Cordon
replied that “there are two sides to
every story. The student’s rights
were involved and not addressed.”
Bickley stated that members had
decided to allow for minority view¬
points at the outset of their delibera¬
tions.
Brown emphasized that grading
is in the sole jurisdiction of faculty
and is mandated by state law. Only
four notable exceptions would di¬
minish that authority: a clerical
mistake, bad faith, fraud or incom¬
petence.
Apparently, the “mistake” excep¬
tion was the rationale on which the
PCC administration and Board of
Trustees justified the possible over¬
riding of Lee’s grade assignment.
See GRADE CHANGE, page 2.
Weeklong activities
planned for voter drive
BY RACHEL URANGA
Courier Staff Writer
In hopes of ensuring a more po¬
litically aware and active student
body, the Associated Student Board
will sponsor a festive four-day voter
registration drive from Sept. 30
through Oct. 4.
Carnival booths will be set up, a
radio station will broadcast from the
campus, and contest will be designed
to encourage students to vote in an
election year where they have a lot at
stake.
All political parties were invited
to set up booths in the quad to kick off
the drive on Monday. The booths
will not be used to promote party
candidates said Jody Wymar, stu¬
dent trustee, emphasizing that their
purpose is to inform students about
the party platforms and get students
to vote. As of yesterday, the Peace
and Freedom, Independent, Demo¬
cratic, Reform, and Republican par¬
ties had confirmed their appearances.
Volunteer supporters and oppo¬
nents of Propositions 209, 210, 214,
and 2 1 5 will staff information tables
in the Quad. The Associated Stu¬
dents will also provide information
on all of the propositions.
A sports day with carnival games
will be held from 1 1:30 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. on Tuesday. There will be a
football toss and basketball shoot
out. Games are free for students who
register to vote or show proof of
being a registered voter. These
students will also be eligible to enter
prize drawings. Representatives of
the YMCA will also be on hand to
offer 50 percent off memberships to
registered voters. MTV’s “Singled
Out” is also scheduled to appear.
Professional martial artists will
do demonstrations of different of
disciplines in the Quad Tuesday.
Set to appear Wednesday is a
surprise guest, a prominent Califor¬
nia assembly person. Talking on the
political process, the mystery guest
will address students at noon in the
CC Lounge.
Students will get a chance to ex¬
press their own political beliefs in a
speech contest which will be held
after the legislator’s speech. Open
to all students, the contest requires
students to prepare a written state¬
ment that clearly outlines their argu¬
ment in the context of a political
party’s platform. Any student can
enter by contacting Jody or Catherine
at (818)585-7904. A prize will be
awarded for the best speech. The
winner will be determined by a
panel of faculty members from its
political science and speech depart¬
ments.
On Friday, Y 107.1 will be on
campus to support the voter drive by
giving out promotional freebies.
The week-long set of activities is
being coordinated as an effort to get
students not only involved in cam¬
pus activities but to vote as well.
• THE TAVERN TO BE STAGED IN PCC'S LITTLE THEATER
CARLOS SANTIESTEBAN/ THE COURIER
“The Tavern” by George M. Cohan will be
presented Sept. 27 through Oct. 6 in PCC’s Little
Theater, inC130. The PCC Theater Department,
underthe direction of faculty memberDuke Stroud,
will stage this mystery-comedy beginning
tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Performances will
continue on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 and 8 p.m.
The play’s run will then resume Thursday through
Saturday, Oct. 3, 4 and 5 at 8 p.m., with a final
matinee performance at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct.
6.
Set in a tavern on a rainy and inhospitable night
in Albany, New York in 1900, “The Tavern” is a
comedy in two acts and includes a cast of 1 5. The
famous drama critic Robert Benchley wrote in
Life Magazine that “one cannot help having a
good time” with Cohan’s play.
Ticket prices are $5 for the general public and $3
for students. Weeknight campus parking is $1, with
Friday evenings and weekends free. The Little
Theater is wheelchair accessible. For more informa¬
tion, call (818) 585-7485. Above (from left to right),
Alicia Brooks, David Tracq, and Tim Owen perrorm
a scene from “The Tavern.” BY Douglas Wilkie
AS votes to
oppose CCRI
BY SID SARAF
Courier Staff Writer
With the incessant noise of the
blood drive setup in the background,
the Associated Student Board met
bright and early on Tuesday to ham¬
mer out some important decisions.
The major issue on the agenda was
the controversial California Civil
Rights Initiative (CCRI) once again.
AS President Forrest Poindexter
raised the topic about 1 0 minutes into
the meeting. The board then voted
not to support the CCRI . Leading the
charge forthe majority was Catherine
Hazelton, the coordinator of external
affairs.
“We are brainstorming an idea of
Forrest’s to double the size of the
African-American . student enroll¬
ment to match the population, of the
community. These plans would be
illegal if 209 passes,” said Hazelton.
Before a vote was taken, a student
named Quinton Bemiller, who was
in the audience, requested a chance
to address the board. Bemiller de¬
nounced the student poll on CCRI
taken two weeks ago, that was spon¬
sored by the AS.
“I am concerned about this issue,
and hope that you, as leaders' of the
Associated Student Body, will make
a responsible decision, not necessar¬
ily the popular one. We must be a
color blind society and see people
first as humanbeings not as a color or
See AS VOTES ON CCRI, page 3.
JUDY WANG
/
THE COURIER
Two candidates hope to be the Queen of roses.
Following the initial meeting, 250 candidates will
be asked to return for another interview. The field is
then narrowed to 60, then to 25 applicants. From
those remaining 25 finalists, seven women will be
chosen as the 1997 Royal Court members. According
Please see ROSE QUEEN TRYOUTS, page 3.
Tradition continues for Rose Queen hopefuls
By SUSAN BELL SAMPLES, Courier Staff Writer
early 800 women from PCC and local high
schools converged on the grounds of
Pasadena’s Tournament House this week to
vie for the opportunity to be part of a
tradition. This tradition is the search
for the 1997 Rose Queen and Royal
Court.
The first Rose Queen was selected
in 1905. However, it wasn t until
1930, that saw the debut of a queen
and court that were made up of young
women selected from local commu¬
nities.
For many years, high school stu¬
dents were not eligible to take part in
the selection of the Royal Court.
Tryouts were only open to PCC stu¬
dents. At the time, it was a require¬
ment inall gym classes thatthe women
had to participate in the selection
process. Lee Ann Whittinghill, avol-
unteer at the Tournament House, re¬
members trying out when she at¬
tended PCC. She says, “The first cut
was in gym clothes, and you know how lovely you look
in those!”
Whittinghill greeted the young women as they en¬
tered the grounds of the Tournament House, the hub of
the New Year s Day celebration. “The girls this year are
lovely,” she says, “ft is the largest turnout in years.”
As the young women filled the waiting area, Keli
Hutchins modestly introduced herself as one of the 1996
court. Actually, she was the queen. Hutchins answered
questions, quelled fears about the judging, and talked a
little about what to expect as a
future member of the court. She
reminded the entrants to “look
confident, smile and let your inner
self come out.”
Caryn Eaves, director of public
relations for the Pasadena Tourna¬
ment of Roses, says the women are
screened by a panel of 10 commit¬
tee members, who are all volun¬
teers. Entrants, who were assigned
numbers, walk to the committee,
state their number and give a small
statement explaining why they are
trying out for the court. “The
selection process is totally anony¬
mous, and the womenare reminded
not to give their names, school or
any personal information in front
of the selection committee,” she
says.
JUDY WANG
/
THE COURIER
Every Rose Queen candidate who trys out, gets her photo taken with a bouquet of
roses, given tickets to the “Rose Court Ball,” and a Tournament of Roses poster.
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