Share: While Pasadena is pushing back on book censorship through participation in events like Banned Books Week, Huntington Beach, Fresno, and other cities across California are becoming the target of efforts to ban books in libraries and public schools. These cities are following a wider national trend in states like Florida, Texas and other predominantly conservative areas. “Book bans are incredibly effective,” said young adult author and national leader of Authors Against Book Bans (AABB) Maggie Tokuda-Hall. “They target places where books are most accessible—in …
AI in the classroom? Policy is still up to professors at PCC
Share: Throughout 2023, educators saw an incoming boom of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools and discussed how to prepare for its impact on their classrooms. Now, as we reach the end of the first full school year since AI came on the scene, PCC instructors have had to adjust their preparations in real-time. “It’s bad out there,” said Dr. Liesel Reinhart, who teaches Visual Arts & Media Studies at PCC. “We are getting a tremendous number of assignments turned in that use various types …
PCC Associated Students Election 2024-2025: Battling Candidates
Share: Pasadena City College is holding elections for the 12-member Associated Student Governing Board (ASG) for the 2024-2025 school year, featuring key positions such as the Student Trustee and the President of the Associated Students. The Governing Board works closely with student committees and faculty subcommittees to advocate for student needs and make recommendations to the college’s administration. Sixteen candidates are running for the 10 open positions on the next Associated Students Executive Board, making the selection process highly competitive. Each committee focuses on specific …
‘Liberation Through Education’ posters covering classrooms promote inclusivity
Share: Over spring break the Academic Senate (AS) put up posters to introduce the “Liberation Through Education” campaign in most classrooms on campus, as a part of an effort to bring cultural awareness and inclusivity to Pasadena City College (PCC). AS President Gena Lopez and faculty created the “Liberation Through Education” campaign and put posters up in classrooms over spring break in hopes of creating an institution where all students are celebrated. The campaign idea began when Lopez started her term in office in 2021. …
More than 80 percent of polled students support winter intersession
Share: After the recent return of the winter intersession in January 2024 at Pasadena City College, (PCC) the Associated Students (ASPCC) have brought up the discussion of removing it once again. While this discussion was only a quick idea brought up by the ASPCC, the group did send out student polls to see what PCC students thought about the winter intersession and if bringing it back has been beneficial to them. After the Pasadena City College Board of Trustees voted in favor of removing the …
PCC’s foster youth programs remain strong despite statewide budget cuts
Share: Despite the massive cuts coming to the California state budget, foster youth programs, including those at Pasadena City College will not face significant cuts to their budgets, one of the many upsides during Foster Youth Awareness Month in May. At PCC, the foster youth program has four separate branches, including Scholars Transitioning And Realizing Success (STARS), NextUp, the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE), and Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOP&S). The revised California May budget, as of now, has seen a slight increase …
BLOTTER: Transient dances like no one’s watching but gets caught
Share: Monday, May 6, 2024: 1:27PM: A student reported a possible transient in lot 4 level 2. The subject was asked to leave and compiled. 2:48PM: Graffiti was reported in the IT building second floor men’s restroom. 7:55PM: Staff reported a transient without a shirt inside of the GM building. The transient was escorted off campus. Tuesday, May 7, 2024 1:49AM: Dispatch received a silent call from the R building elevator. Facilities staff in the building requested an area check. 6:16PM: Facilities staff reported …
Attempted sexual assault takes place on PCC’s main campus
Share: On Sunday morning a female “non-PCC student” reported an attempted rape at Pasadena City College’s main campus on the open patio of the Circadian to the Pasadena Police Department (PPD). The victim was transported to Huntington Hospital for treatment following the incident, however it is unclear on the type or severity of the injuries, according to PCC Spokesperson Alex Boekelheide. The suspect has not been located or identified and an investigation is ongoing with both the Police Department on campus and the PPD. The …
Associated Students unanimously passes divestment resolution
Share: In a unanimous vote, the Associated Students at Pasadena City College passed a resolution that pressures PCC and the school’s foundation to divest from major polluters and defense contractors by July 2025. The vote comes a week after around 300 students demonstrated on campus calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the foundation’s investments in companies linked to Israel’s military and profiting off war. “The Associated Students of Pasadena City College calls on Pasadena City College Foundation to refrain from making …
Faculty union pushes for adjunct pay parity
Share: As a single mother, Wendy Eller, an adjunct Spanish professor at Pasadena City College (PCC), spends more time on her non-teaching job outside of the college. Eller is one of the adjunct professors at the school who is not a ‘freeway flier,’ a term referring to adjunct or part-time faculty who spend most of their time driving between teaching jobs at various CalStates, UCs and community colleges in the region. In many cases, adjuncts are paid a fraction of what full-time professors make, but …