Month: June 2012

College President Mark Rocha has just finished an on-camera interview with two Courier editors regarding the bribery crisis.

President Mark Rocha is now overseeing the Facilities Services Department after two senior officials with responsibility for its operations were placed on administrative leave in connection with the bribery probe.

The events of Wednesday, June 6 became one of the most intense and frustrating reporting experiences I have had, until the following day. On Thursday morning, as I was helping to fill up the Courier newsstands, I handed a paper to a worker who mentioned there were “suits” on campus at 5 am that morning. On my way back to the newsroom, at about 8:45 a.m., I saw Dowell and President Mark Rocha walking into the police station.

Members of the campus community are shocked and saddened by revelations of a criminal investigation into allegations of bribery on campus. Students, faculty and staff  were stunned by Thursday’s announcement that search warrants issued by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office targeting Vice President of Administrative Services Richard van Pelt and Facilities Supervisor Al Hutchings had been served at both men’s homes and offices.

A trustee on Friday defended the Board holding an “open” meeting behind closed doors as the Board did on Wednesday evening.

Members of the Associated Students Board were angry Friday that they weren’t quickly informed of the District Attorney’s investigation into allegations of bribery against the vice president of administrative aervices and a Facilities Services Department supervisor.

Now that the semester is coming to an end and the Associated Student elections are final, the majority of the current board will be relieved of their duties and replaced by other students.

In a stunning development the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office has launched an investigation of alleged criminal activity at PCC.

Search warrants were served this morning on the vice president of administrative services and a facilities supervisor.

An emergency news conference has been called by college officials for 2 p.m. for reasons that have not yet been disclosed.