Share: A new COVID-19 grading policy for Spring 2020 was presented at the most recent Academic Senate meeting on May 4. The policy proposed consideration of the following: that all withdrawals (W) be converted to excused withdrawal (EW), all F grades be automatically converted to EW and students earning a D grade may petition for an EW if needed. According to Dean of Instructional Services, Stephanie Fleming, who presented the policy, this would allow student petitions for D grades to be automatically converted to EW. …
COVID-19 town hall briefs students on available aid
Share: PCC’s Student Services department held their first coronavirus town hall on May 6. During this informational panel, the department discussed its efforts to assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of campus. A focal point of the meeting was the distribution of funds that the college has received from the Coronavirus Aid, Response, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. According to Cynthia Olivo, vice president of Student Services, 5,500 students have currently been awarded funds. The disbursement of CARES Act funding to PCC …
Blotter: Transients escorted off campus
Share: Monday, April 27 A female used the emergency call box located at Lot 1 to report that a man was following her. Officer assisted her and searched the area. They were unable to locate the suspect. A subject inside a parked vehicle in Lot 10 was escorted off-campus. An area check of the southeast side of Science Village was requested due to possible encampment. Officers conducted an area check with negative results. A transient sleeping south of the D-building was escorted off-campus. Tuesday, April …
Associated Students outreach teams lend a virtual hand
Share: “I feel you! It’s no fun being stuck at home. It’s ok to be sad, but if you’re feeling happy, spread it around!” That is the message that Associated Students of Pasadena City College (ASPCC) President Dionne Shelton wants to communicate to all PCC students. The ASPCC Executive Board is responsible for many things, including advocating for over 25,000 students and the oversight of more than 80 clubs and organizations on campus. The board serves as a liaison between the students, faculty and administration …
Eligible PCC students to receive funding from CARES Act
Share: PCC notified eligible students through an email on April 27 of the coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds that the college will receive. The college is planning to distribute these funds to students and other programs, to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re getting a little over 15 million from the CARES Act,” said Cynthia Olivo, vice president of Student Services. “50% goes directly to students and the other 50% can help the college with the expenses related to addressing …
Blotter: Four transients escorted off campus
Share: Monday, April 20: No incidents reported on this date. Tuesday, April 21: A transient was observed sleeping north of the C Building. An officer responded and escorted the transient off campus. Wednesday, April 22: No incidents reported on this date. Thursday, April 23: Three transients were observed near the east side of D Building. Officers escorted transients off campus. Friday, April 24: No incidents reported on this date. Saturday, April 25: A lock used to secure a stairwell on the south side of CA …
PCC extends excused withdrawals and refunds deadline
Share: After the Chancellor’s Office temporarily suspended student withdrawal regulations due to the global pandemic, PCC students can now drop classes through excused withdrawals (EW) and have their enrollment fees refunded through June 14, according to the campus website. Prior to the novel coronavirus shutting down campus life, students only had until the second week of the semester to drop with a refund. With this temporary change, refunds will be automatically allowed for each student that drops a course. Currently, classes can only be processed …
Rather be safe than sorry
Share: COVID-19 isn’t going to disappear by May 15, so why would we reopen the largest populated county in the country during this pandemic? If we extend the ‘Safer-at-home’ act and follow all of its protocols we will all be able to go back to our normal world with a greater sense of safety and a greater appreciation of the precautions the county took to protect us. LA County alone is responsible for more than half the cases in California, so it shouldn’t be a …
PCC clubs expected to struggle with remote elections
Share: On April 28, Executive Vice President of Associated Students Christopher Theung released a series of guidelines for remote club elections to members of Inter-Club Council (ICC). These guidelines are intended to help clubs that plan to hold remote elections for the new officers that will be taking over in the fall. The guidelines contain recommendations about conducting an online election from planning to execution, including checklists, things to consider, and resources for voting. An example is also provided at the end of the document …
PCC’s new triage teletherapy: ‘You don’t need to be in crisis’
Share: Amid PCC’s coronavirus closure, the Personal Counseling department has shifted gears to help students cope through triage teletherapy appointments until the campus reopens. During normal times, students may access the department’s in-person therapy sessions up to eight times during the regular term and six during intersession. “These telephone triage appointments don’t count towards people’s session limits,” said Jason Vasquez, a counseling psychologist for the department in a zoom call. “We know that people need extra support right now. So that’s why we wanted to …