[img]1769|right|Dr. Mark Rocha||no_popup[/img]Dateline Pasadena – As students step out to testify, the learning environment around the campus of Pasadena City College has become oppressive and discouraging in the last nine months, since controversial president Dr. Mark Rocha began toying with the curriculum and the school calendar, says a student named Frank.
Outwardly, he appears to be an ideal catch for a community college.
Patient, gentle and as soft-spoken as his slight frame would suggest, Frank resembles someone who could facelessly glide through his pre-university days without attracting attention.
Oh, he is not one of the noisy trumpeters (see below) in the soapy PCC opera who has been calling for Dr. Rocha to be chased for the third consecutive time from a leadership position.
Because he is past 30, Frank is in a hurry to get on with the professional dimension of his life – teaching. But because both the U.C. and Cal State systems have entrenched transfer rules and Pasadena City College’s, by contrast, has resembled a bowl of warmed-over ice cream in the noonday sun, Frank still is 12 credits short of qualifying.
He had planned to be gone by now. He hopes to be out by the end of next semester. But given what some students have labeled “Dr. Rocha’s constant meddling with our lives,” Frank cannot be sure.
Talk about dedication. Frank, whose last class was weeks ago, was interviewed last Friday afternoon outside of a library where he was doing research.
Like most students, he has no idea what is prompting Dr. Rocha to “meddle” except that “he can,” Frank adds, to the detriment of students.
Ordinarily, he would be focused on his studies. But in the daily churning campus turbulence since last November, Frank has become aware that Dr. Rocha’s so-called “disproportionate” compensation may be the highest among the state’s community colleges. The president, he and fellow protestors have said, is closely guarded by the Board of Trustees. They serve as validations, as rubber stamps for each other, say students and faculty members.
“I love the school,” said Frank, who originally enrolled a decade ago and then dropped out. He wasn’t ready.
“I am going to be happy, though, to get the heck out of here. I don’t want to be here one minute longer than I absolutely have to under these conditions,” he said.
[img]2052|right|From Frank's tee-shirt||no_popup[/img]Frank’s slogan-loaded protest tee-shirt eloquently stated his case:
• Don’t treat students as commodities.
• Restore winter (session).
• Retain 16-week semester.
• Honor shared governance.
• Demand honesty and transparency.
• New president, new trustees.
• Stop intimidation.
• Spend Prop. 30 (funds) on instruction.
• Compensate faculty fairly.
• Provide access to all students.
• Cut administrative salaries.
And on the back:
• Students and faculty united. Take back PCC 2013.
Frankly speaking, Frank’s shirt is his best spokesperson.
[Editor’s Note: For a perspective on current events at Pasadena City College, here is a mid-summer report from the school newspaper, The Courier.]
By Madison Miranda
Dateline Pasadena – Students barraged through campus during a walkout at noon on Tuesday, July 23, protesting the Board of Trustees’ decision not to restore the winter intersession in the college’s recently approved calendar.
What started off as a small, minimally enthused gathering of 50 people became a march that could not be ignored, as spontaneous chanting broke out within the crowd.
“Let’s get the media to listen to us since the school won’t,” said Spencer Major, anthropology, to the assembled students. Mr. Major was one of the students who helped to organize the walkout. No one person was in charge, he said. Rather, it was the collective idea of many students.
Students met on the steps of the C Building where several people expressed how upset they were about not having a winter intersession. From there, chanting started and the group marched around campus.
The group chanted loudly as they marched through places such as the Shatford Library, even going up to the third floor study area, and the L Building. The crowd also marched through the C Building, passing the offices of the administration.
David Uranga, political science professor, was a participant and supporter of the walkout. Mr. Uranga said he was happy to see his students joining in. “[Students] wanted to take action,” he said. “They felt powerless. They are doing what they feel will make their voices heard.”
Many students were worried that the college was going to lose its accreditation because of transfer issues that arose late in June.
Robert Miller, vice president of business and college services, explained the college was not at risk of losing accreditation and that all Extended Spring classes would count.
“As far as I know, it’s all taken care of,” he said. “I’m sure if any students who had issues [transferring because of Extended Spring reading as summer] they will come back for assistance,” said Mr. Miller. The classes will count toward transfer, but the college’s attempt to label classes “Extended Spring” was rejected when the Chancellor’s Office ruled classes had to be listed as summer on student transcripts.
Kayleigh Sheridan, liberal studies, participated in the walkout but did not attend the July 17 Board of Trustees meeting when the decision regarding winter intersession was made. “I have no interest in hearing what the school says [because] they don’t listen to what I have to say,” she said.
While there were few people in attendance, members of the group said the protest was successful. “Now everyone on campus has been informed [that there’s a problem],” said Mr. Major.
Sam Resnick, history, also said the protest had a good number of participants. “It’s a good turnout for the situation,” he said. Since the walkout occurred during the summer session, and this was the first action taken by the group, Mr. Resnick was pleased with attendance.
The next protest by this group is scheduled for the Wednesday, Aug. 21, Board of Trustees meeting.
