Share: Federal TRIO programs serve disadvantaged students in the U.S., they work alongside community college, universities, and high schools to help students access resources and higher education. Recently, Trump released his fiscal Year 2026 budget which includes cutting funding for TRIO and GEAR UP programs that are heavily utilized by PCC students. Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 established the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity Act (EOA), an independent agency created to help students in pursuit of postsecondary education …
Harvard’s funding freeze elicits fears about financial aid’s future at PCC
Share: On Monday, April 14, the Trump administration froze over $2.2 billion federal funding for Harvard’s research grants after the campus refused to restrict student activism, leading the university to sue them in retaliation. As a publicly funded higher education institution, PCC is reliant on government funding, prompting faculty and students to share their thoughts on the frozen funds’ implications. As a private institution, Harvard is funded by investment returns within endowments, donations, tuition, and more sources. Although its assets allow for financial sustainability, the …
Mariachi and Ballet Folklórico bring Mexican culture to life at International Culture Week
Share: As part of International Culture Week, Mexican heritage was celebrated through live mariachi music, traditional dancing, all cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd. On Tuesday, April 29th, in the quad, the Foreign Language Department hosted a mariachi band that played live music that the folklore ballet dancers performed to. As soon as the mariachi started playing their instruments, the festive tone was set and the dancing began. The violin, trumpet, and guitar, all complemented one another to offer an upbeat melody that the crowd …
Arrest of Judge Dugan shows Trump doesn’t do due process
Share: The Trump administration’s pattern of firing government officials who work against its belief system is evident yet again. The FBI arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan for supposedly obstructing the arrest of an undocumented immigrant, she faces multiple charges and the public is now demanding justice on her behalf. On Friday, April 25th, in a parking lot of a Milwaukee Courthouse, Dugan was arrested for allegedly misleading ICE agents, set out by the FBI, from finding and arresting Eduardo Flores-Ruiz. After previously …
ICE is becoming the American Gestapo
Share: ICE is now detaining and deporting foreign students and children despite them being legally permitted to live in the U.S. These unlawful deportations are evidence that the U.S. federal government is growing increasingly similar to an authoritarian regime that disregards rule by law. Growing similarities between the two organizations have caused sources to compare ICE to the Gestapo, the most well-known example of a secret police. Just like what Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is doing now, the Gestapo initially started arresting people without …
After losing everything to fire, PCC student is named scholarship semifinalist
Share: When the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena and Pasadena in early January, it left behind a trail of devastation—including the home, belongings, and pets of Pasadena City College student Jose Gadea. Amid the ashes, Gadea, a third-year natural sciences major, continued his studies from a temporary shelter, applying for one of the nation’s most competitive scholarships: the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Annually, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awards this prestigious scholarship to a number of high-achieving undergraduate community college students planning to …
If France can prosecute corrupt politicians, so can oui
Share: Donald Trump has faced a total of 34 indictments of which he has yet to be found guilty in court. Despite this, he was still legally allowed to run for office and win the 2025 presidential election, in comparison with France’s government recently ruling against presidential candidate Marine Le Pen from running in the country’s 2027 race. Our federal government missed the opportunity to take similar measures, preventing a convicted felon from obtaining presidential office. On Monday, March 31st, Le Pen was found guilty …
Faculty respond to ‘Dear Colleague’ warning letter from Department of Education
Share: A letter from The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to a range of educational institutions claims diversity programs violate federal law, prompting responses from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and PCC’s faculty. On February 14th, the letter from the Office of Civil Rights titled “Dear Colleague,” was received by a variety of educational campuses, including community colleges. The author, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the DOE, Craig Trainor, asserts his expectation that campuses uphold Title IV within programs. However, in opposition …