Master plan: Will PCC get an extreme makeover?

Share: The Academic Senate (AS) voted to approve a Facilities Master Plan (FMP) at their meeting on Mar. 23. This plan includes a multitude of campus renovations, ranging from small duties like reorganizing campus areas to big construction developments such as additional buildings. The planning for the FMP has been in the works since 2014. However, while AS has approved the plan, the final draft is still waiting to be passed by PCC.  “Currently the college is reviewing the final draft of the FMP through …

Blotter: Staff injured walking down ramp

Share: Monday, March 16: A staff was injured walking down a ramp on campus. The staff was transported to the health center for assistance. Tuesday, March 17: No incidents reported on this date. Wednesday, March 18: An officer contacted a subject who was observed taking food items from Lancers Pass without paying. The subject was escorted off campus. Lancers Pass didn’t wish to prosecute the subject. A staff member reported a female transient roaming around the piazza. The transient was escorted off campus. Transients were …

Board grants emergency authority to superintendent

Share: On Mar. 18, the PCC Board of Trustees (BOT) voted to bestow emergency authorities to Superintendent/President Erika Endrijonas due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.  According to Mary Thompson, Enrijonas’s executive assistant, this is the first emergency board resolution in the history of the college, which goes back to 1933. The BOT only meets once a month, and the CDC and county officials have been issuing updates of cases and guidelines at least once a week so far.  “I don’t need to wait for the …

PCC’s snail email leaves students confused

Share: PCC’s email system has been staggering the delivery of important emails, resulting in some students receiving updates about changes on campus much later than they were initially sent out.  This has led some students to question if PCC is properly assessing the urgent needs of its student body during this time of crisis.  Due to the campus closure, the only way PCC has been able to communicate with students is to notify them through their email service. Updates regarding the college’s response to the …

Just call it quits for the spring semester

Share: Transition to remote learning, study abroad failures, counseling fiascos, virtual commencement ceremonies, and transferring inquiries is all unfair. The current COVID-19 pandemic is now becoming an added stress factor to the lives of the many students who worked closely to achieve their spring semester courses, and academic goals, in the once known face-to-face settings.  Now more than ever, PCC students remain confused, and rightfully so, as to what their future will look like. As California officially declared a stay-at-home order, what does that mean …

PCC services support non-residents during COVID-19

Share: With students being impacted at the moment due to COVID-19, now more than ever are they relying on PCC’s services and programs with the new transition of going remote. Some students are struggling with online classes or finding a place to stay.  The International Students Center (ISC) is a campus resource that is helping students during the COVID-19 crisis. The center works with non-resident students, whether they are international or out-of-state U.S. citizens. The ISC has a program called The Student Exchange and Visitor …

Dead tired employees try to adapt to COVID-19

Share: “It was eerie! Almost like the opening scene of ‘28 Days Later’!” said Writing Support Center (WSC) faculty member Giselle Miralles. “Twenty Eight Days Later” is a 2002 film dealing with the aftermath of an accidental release of a deadly virus on the deserted streets of London. That is what Miralles was reminded of the first time she reported to work after PCC’s announcement on Mar. 14 concerning the temporary suspension of on campus classes.  From the environment on and off campus to the …

PCC’s dash to catch up to COVID-19

Share: Pasadena City College has been rushing to keep up with the necessary responses to the COVID-19 pandemic described by the school’s Aerosol Transmissible Disease (ATD) plan.   The ATD Emergency Preparedness Plan was made as a companion document to the college’s Emergency Operations Plan. It was released on March 5. The day before, on March 4, the first death in California related to the virus was confirmed and Gov. Newsom declared a state of emergency. The plan identifies five levels, which correspond to the linear …

Lancer Pantry closes, other campus resources go remote

Share: UPDATE: As of March 28, the Lancer Pantry will be open for one distribution day a week on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting April 3. Note: This was canceled again on April 1. See, here, for more information on accessing gift cards for food. The PCC Lancer Pantry Drive-Thru/Walk-Up was closed on Tuesday following guidance from the Department of Public Health intended to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. PCC is currently working on other ways to provide help to those students who …

After 10 years away, PCC swimmer jumps back in the pool

Share: Swim cap—on. Swimsuit—fitted. Water polo ball—at hand. Goggles—snug. Oh, and don’t forget to keep the swim parka close for those 6 a.m. practices. Ready, set, deep breath, whistle blown—go! Anna Herrin, PCC sophomore water polo and swim team competitor, never imagined how her life back in the water after a 10 year dry spell, would feel as good as it does now.  What seemed like a distant dream to return to the poolside became Herrin’s new reality, as the rookie swimmer was given the …