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Volume 104, Issue 5
The independent student voice of PCC. Serving Pasadena Since 1915.
September 29, 2011
'Realignment' focus of president's speech
Sara Medina
Editor-in-Chief
Though the State of the College address is
meant for the president to address several
topics, it was one topic in particular on
Wednesday that drew the most attention of
those in attendance.
That topic was a goal adopted by the Board
in September that could result in a total
restructuring of the administration.
"There is one goal I want to pause on for a
moment because it involves everyone in this
room," said PCC President Mark Rocha dur¬
ing the State of the College speech in the
Creveling Lounge. "It implies new strategies
for working together in shared governance."
What Rocha was referring to was a goal in
a list of ten that were adopted by the Board of
Trustees to be "achieved" in the 2011-2012
academic year, according to a handout given
at the meeting.
The goal is a realignment of the "adminis¬
tration and staff that includes the division of
instruction" as well as streamlining "the
administration and staff to reduce costs and
improve efficiency and service."
"The overwhelming advice I was given
was to speak straight, say clearly what I think
we should do and why I think we should do
it," said Rocha when addressing realignment.
"Plain and simple, we need to align the
administrative structure with our college mis¬
sion of student learning and success."
Rocha then went on to list the four major
reasons to implement the goal: to highlight
shared governance and better communica¬
tion through all levels of faculty and staff; to
take down artificial boundaries that "divide
academic disciplines and intellectual free
trade;" to continue to be cost effective in non¬
classroom services so that classroom instruc¬
tion remains a number one priority; and to
align the administration structure in a way
that will allow students to meet their goals.
The speech was followed by a question and
answer session in which several members of
the audience referred back to the realignment
plan.
With the aim of managing academic pro¬
grams, Rocha said that having faculty depart¬
ment chairs who are elected by members of
their departments is being considered, but
was quick note that the change has nothing to
do with criticism of the deans.
"[Having faculty chairs] is the normal
model in California Community Colleges, the
CSU's and so on," Rocha said. "So alignment
Continued on page 2
Women's soccer wins against El Cam i no 1-0
PCC sophomore
Brittany Austin
aims for the ball in
a match against
El Camino College-
Compton Center
on Tuesday at
Robinson Stadium.
Austin serves as a
defender for the
team and scored
the game's only
goal.
Story /Page 7
Ander Arostegui
/
Courier
Incumbents
all opposed
in Board race
Michelle R. Brown
dsst. News Editor
Six candidates will vie for three spots on the
Pasadena Area Community Colleges Board of Trustees
in the November elections.
Incumbents Jeanette W. Mann (Area 2), John H.
Martin (Area 6), and Wdliam E. Thompson Jr. (Area 4)
are opposed by Brian M. Fuller, Chris Cofer, and M. A.C.
"Maestro" Enriquez-Marquez, respectively.
PCC continues to struggle with state budget cuts, and
though the Board attempts to keep cuts away from
classes, many students feel the effects of budget cuts
and overcrowding.
"The biggest issue in this election is maintaining the
momentum to continue to offer a maximum number of
classes," Mann said. "[This] state is in a financial crisis
and it can have disastrous effects on a college."
Thompson, who currently serves as Board president,
also cited the impact of state budget cuts on PCC. "This
state is a horrible economic mess ... in the future we are
going to be forced to depend less on state money," he
said.
According to Maestro's letter to the PCC president,
Board, and various local dignitaries, which includes
maps drawn over in marker and what appears to be
crayon, another big issue is redistricting and segrega-
Continued on page 6
Reactions vary as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' ends
Judy lim
Staff Writer
The end of the military's controversial policy
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was received with mixed
reactions at PCC, but a majority seemed in favor of
its demise.
DADT was implemented in 1993 and barred
gays and lesbians from serving openly in the mili¬
tary.
Chief Anthony Briggs, public affairs officer for
Navy recruiting in the District of Los Angeles, said
that not much has or will change with the end of
DADT as far as recruitment goes.
"On Tuesday [Sept. 20], we went on our business
as we went on Monday. Yes we're still open for
business," he said. "What the gay folks have to
understand is that there's not going to be any spe¬
cial treatment. They're going to have to compete
for the job like anyone else."
Jairo Garcia Saucedo, an English major, and
Marine for four-and-a-half years, supported the
end of the ban. "In every service there's going to be
gays and lesbians," he said. "As long as they keep
it professional, there's nothing wrong. There
should be no reason to hate them."
Saucedo knew of two people who were kicked
out of the military because of their orientation.
"Everyone should be entitled to be open about
[their sexuality], but some considerations should
be made," he said.
"In the end, the repeal is good because the peo¬
ple who are affected don't have to worry about it
anymore so long as they're professional, and the
ones who aren't affected shouldn't worry either,"
Saucedo added.
Briggs said the Navy is still going to continue to
look at recruitment requests to see where they are
going to get the best results, which includes gay
centers.
"Our policy has always been the same and the
repeal does not affect anything at all," he added,
since sexuality is not asked about in recruitment.
When DADT was still enforced and "someone
actually self-identified themselves, we would stop
processing because we had to," Briggs said. "But
now we don't."
Continued on page 7
Ben Kong
/
Courier
A.C. Panella, Speech
Instructor, is seen in the
office on Sept. 28.
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