Assembly Urged to Vote Funds
Legislature Must Act by Oct. 3
By Leann Sumner
News Editor
Faculty members, classified personnel and admin¬
istrators this week sent letters, telegrams and made
phone calls to pressure Gov. George Deukmejian and
state assemblymen to reconvene and vote funds to
community colleges.
"I think this is happening throughout the state,”
said Dr. John W. Casey, superintendent-president.
Administrators and trustees from all districts were
encouraged to push for the passage of Assembly Bill
207, which contains both a $50-per-semester tuition
and restoration of $108.5 million.
The assembly must complete action by October 2
for the colleges to receive funding during this school
year. If the assembly has not acted by that date, the
bill must receive a
2/3
vote and be stipulated as
emergency legislation or funds will not be dis¬
tributed.
“We ourselves have maintained that we would not
support the addition of tuition,” said Casey. “How¬
ever we have now accepted it as the lesser of two
evils. We want to maintain access to students to the
fullest degree possible/’
If tuition is charged, 96 percent of the students in a
financial stress category could have the size of their
grants increased, said Casey. “We will deny access to
fewer students by charging tuition than we will by
cuting back class offerings, which will be done if we
do not receive state funding.”
Both the governor and certain assemblymen have
"We must develop better
ways of communicating with
legislators and stronger
lobbying methods. "
—CASEY
indicated some willingnessto compromise and sup¬
port implementation of tuition under a “sunset
clause.” Under this concept tuition would be im¬
plemented for a certain period of time only, after
which it would expire unless the legislature and the
governor agreed to continue the fees.
“We must develop better ways of communicating
with legislators and stronger lobbying methods.
Without legislative assistance we are $2.5 million
short this year, and adjustments will have to be
made,” said Casey.
“In order to meet our budget this year we used $2
million of our reserve funds, so we face a $2 million
shortfall next year. We are still living beyond our
means, but we have some planning time for next
year.”
“As state funding continues to recede, new means
of financing must be found,” said Casey. In order to
provide “direct assistance with funds, equipment and
tie in more closely to our needs” the PCC Foundation
was made an auxiliary of the college.
If the college continues in the same financial
pattern “we will be forced to look at the entire
organization, detemine what we do best and concen¬
trate on that. We will have to accept that we cannot
be all things to all people,” said Casey.
In a noon meeting last week Casey encouraged
faculty members. “Our view of excellence need not
be eclipsed. We must guard against the loss of the
quality of education which has been achieved at this
college.
Casey told faculty members, “I cannot promise
success in problem solving, and I cannot promise that
the college will receive more money. I can promise
that I will give it all I’ve got.”
— Courier photo by Duane Valjalo
CASEY SPEAKS OUT — Superintendent- President John Casey
talks about finances and faculty morale.
1
СТА
Protests Class Size
In Pending Labor Lawsuit
association activities.”
In the July 26 decision, the adminis¬
trative law judge stated: An un¬
negotiated unilateral change in an area
within the scope of representation by
an employer is unlawful if such change
is made without notice to the employee
and an opportunity to negotiate is not
afforded the exclusive representation.
Such unilateral changes are inherently
destructive of employee rights and are
a failure per se of the duty to bargain in
good faith.
“This decision becomes the basis for
the unfair labor practice charge
against the district,” said Woods.
Both Woods and Ortell stressed the
effects of LGI on students, faculty and
on the quality of community college
education. “We must,” said Ortell,
“put a lid on LGI.”
“We are also stepping into the politi¬
cal arena,” said Woods. “We have
interviewed potential candidates for
the upcoming trustee elections. We
plan to support these candidates heav¬
ily throughout the community.”
“Voter registration campaigns will
also be held in order to gain student
support,” said Ortell.
— Courier photo by Kristin Larsen
JUST PRACTICING — Pasadena Firefighters put out an imaginary fire in the R Building.
By Lisa Lowery
Staff Writer
The PCC/California Teachers As¬
sociation
(СТА)
stands firmly against
the district’s proposed 3.5 percent
salary cut for instructors. “Our posi¬
tion has not changed,” Edward Ortell,
PCC/CTA chief negotiator, said Mon-
filed an unfair labor prac¬
tice suit against the district because of
the district’s unilateral decision to in¬
crease maximun class size from 40 to
150 or as many as fire regulations
permit.
The district ignored past practices
on class size and assigned large group
instruction (LGI) to approximately 30
instructors without negotiation or
PCC/CTA aproval, which is in violation
of the existing contract, said Gary L.
Woods, PCC/CTA president.
“The suit concerning LGI and the
district’s unilateral decision to in¬
crease class size is now pending with
the Public Employment Relations
Board (PERB).”
“We ask that the LGI be lowered to
the normal standard of 40 students per
class, or according to past practices
and subject matter,” said Ortell.
“In addition, we ask for proportional
pay for instructors already teaching
LGI. If the class has doubled so should
the pay,” said Woods.
“Unfairs take time,” said Ortell.
"If the class has doubled
so should the pay. "
—GARY WOODS
“The unfair labor practice suit filed
Sept. 8 is in the hands of PERB. They
investigate, and if they find a war¬
ranted charge against the district the
suit will go to an informal hearing with
the association and the district. Both
sides are presented to an adminis¬
trative law judge.”
“If there is no concurrence, the suit
goes to a formal hearing with attorneys
representing both sides and a judge as
arbitrator.”
“PCC/CTA won an unfair labor prac¬
tice suit against the district July 26 1983
which involved Dr. Woods and myself,”
said Ortell. “The district removed us
from our overtime classes because of
AS Election Campaigns Begin
By Richard Riehl
Assistant News Editor
Candidates seeking executive offices
in Associated Students (AS), began
their two week campaigns today.
AS elections will take place during
the last two days of campaigning,
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 11 &
12 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the center
quad and 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. on the
campus center porch.
Student government seats open to
aspirants are president, executive vice
president, vice presidents of academic
affairs, business affairs and student
services, coordinators of campus ac¬
tivities, external affairs and special
programs.
The office of president is being
sought by Helen Hansen and Kathy
Minges, and Jay Harvey and Anthony
Mitchell are running for executive vice
president.
Successful applicants, regardless of
position pursued, must meet the re¬
quirements of continuous enrollment in
nine credit units of course work, main¬
tain a minimum 2.0 grade point aver¬
age and must not be on academic or
disciplinary probation. Presidential of¬
fice hopefuls must have completed 18
units.
A mandatory candidates meeting
was held on Thursday, Sept. 29, to
“advise the candidates of the do’s and
don’ts of campaigning,” said Jennifer
McKinney, student activities adviser.
In the interest of keeping the cam¬
paigning within the limits of fair play,
candidates were told that they are
responsible not only for their own
actions but, for the actions of their
constituents. Accordingly, such con¬
duct as unauthorized tampering with
opponent’s campaign publication mate¬
rials and verbal or physical confronta¬
tions will not be tolerated.
Violators of campaign and election
guidelines could be disciplined by elec¬
tion disqualification procedures or ex¬
pulsion from college depending on the
extent of the infraction.
Throughout the following two weeks
candidates may spend up to $50 to
campaign. Speeches will be delivered
to campus clubs, organizations and
classes, handouts will be distributed to
students in the quad and flyers will be
posted on designated bulletin boards,
fences and walls around campus.
A lottery will be used to determine
the order of candidates’ names on the
ballot for election days. Students cur¬
rently enrolled in credit classes at PCC
on the days of election are eligible to
vote.
Ballots will be tallied on Thursday,
October 13, under McKinney’s super¬
vision. Candidates will have the op¬
portunity to contest the elections
through submission of a written
protest.
— Courier photo by Ted Soqui
NEW TELEVISION STATION TO OPEN— Story on page 6
Was Drop Fee Charged Illegally?
The Controversy Continues
Pasadena City College’s practice of collecting refundable
fees during registration for dropping courses is a violation of
state law, according to the Board of Governors of California
Community Colleges.
The state advised the 70 community college districts not to
collect drop fees before classes began, and most colleges
refrained from doing so, said Charles Klein, spokesman for
the Board of Governors.
“There is more than just one issue involved, there are
several issues involved here,” said Dr. Bonnie James, vice-
president of business services.
The colleges see the $20 as a ‘deposit’ but the Board of
Governors sees it as a ‘fee’. James said. “However when you
see the entire picture as we do it becomes a different
problem. A deposit is refundable, a fee is not. If we collect a
‘fee’ then perhaps the interpretation of the board is correct.”
The money collected was deposited in the district general
fund account, and is drawing monthly interest. The money is
refundable as long the student does not drop a class before
the end of the second week of school.
In order to collect the drop charge additional persons were
hired to the sub-unit which collects all other fees, and their
salaries were paid from the interest drawn by the drop
charges, said James.
The chemistry department has a breakage deposit and the
music department has sheet music deposit. “These deposits
are forfeited if music is lost or if there is breakage. We’re
saying this is no different from the drop charge since it too
is refundable.”
James said the Board of Trustees decided to collect the
money during registration as allowed in the state legislature
mandate. James also felt it would be impossible to collect a
deposit of this nature ‘after the fact’.
The mandate from the state legislature said ‘shall collect’
a drop charge. James’ position is if the legislature did not
intend for us to collect the drop charge, then it should not
have used the word ‘shall' in the mandate.
Senate, AS Sponsor Drive
Voter Registration Scheduled
By Richard Riehl
Assistant News Editor
Voter Registration Week, Oct. 3
through Oct. 7, is being co-sponsored
by the Faculty Senate and Associated
Students to emphasize the importance
of student involvement in regional,
state and federal political decision¬
making, according to Bill Farmer,
English department representative to
the Faculty Senate Board.
In the September 19 FSB meeting,
Farmer suggested the Senate sponsor
a voter registration drive. “It is
necessary to organize students as a
bloc that will have the potential to
influence legislative decisions,”
Farmer said. “We have 18,000 stu¬
dents who may be potential voters. It
is a matter of making it known to the
legislators that the students exist.”
Such recent events as faculty
layoffs and severe budget cuts, com¬
bined with the probable addition of
tuition, have precipitated student po¬
litical consciousness around the state.
The Los Angeles Collegiate Council
announced a goal of 25,000 new stu¬
dent voter registrations from 25 area
campuses within the next two weeks.
The council will be working in con¬
junction with PCC on campus during
the Voter Registration Week.
All instructors are being asked to
cooperate in the voter registration
drive by distributing registration
forms at the end of their 9 a.m.
classes. Several campus organiza¬
tions are being approached for volun¬
teer help in passing out registration
forms to students in the quad.
A student is eligible to register to
vote if he is a citizen of the United
States, a resident of California and is
18 years of age on or before the date
of the next election.
As Farmer stated, “Together we
can be strong; alone we can do very
little.”