While the community respects and applauds the numerous investigations being conducted by various agencies, it does not diminish our everyday concern about racial profiling and Police Practices in Pasadena including Secure Community issues.

Tuesday’s show of solidarity and support on the steps of City Hall by our diverse Pasadena community was for transparency and justice for Trayvon Martin and Kendric McDade, and a statement about the state of affairs in Pasadena and around the country. It was a call for close look at our Police Policies, and Procedures that may have been a contributing factor to the death of Kedric McDade and at the legal system that is charged with bringing criminals to justice in a court of law.

Community advocate Martin Gordon shown speaking at a rally honoring Trayvon Martin and Kendrec McDade held on April 10, 2012, on the steps of Pasadena City Hall. [Photo: James Macpherson]

A diverse group of agencies/individuals met with the City Manager Michael Beck and our Chief of Police Phillip Sanchez on Wednesday to outline many of the community’s concerns and ask for the some immediate clarity on policies, procedures and protocols that are currently in place in the Pasadena Police Department surrounding use of force, hot pursuit, code 3 protocol and manual activation of recording devices to name a few.

Although the community wants and is entitled to a detailed accounting in the McDade shooting we understand that specific facts of the case may need to be scrutinized by the many investigating agencies before accurate information can be released. But the current protocols, policies and procedures request related to this tragedy should be released to the public forthwith.

This is not about criticizing the City or the Police Department, it is about getting at the truth and looking closely at our current policies and procedures and changing those that do not work. This analysis and the necessary changes should be done in concert with the City, Police Department and the Community.

You see the community is not the enemy here. The City works for us to serve the community. The community is a partner with the City in this endeavor.

The Community can and will have to wait for a detailed analysis of the McDade shooting but, looking at the policies, procedures and protocols in place now that may have been a catalyst to the shooting must be done now so they can be changed before we have another tragic death!!!

Martin A. Gordon
Community Advocate

Special to Pasadena Now | An Opinion Piece by Andrew Bott
As a student of Pasadena City College and an environmental advocate, I am fighting for my campus, and the world, to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions and wasteful energy consumption before it is too late.

At the same time, I am trying to go to school. At the beginning of this semester 54 classes were cut, and many more merged, due to a last minute budget crisis. Forty-five teachers received notices of “early retirement,” one week before classes began. There is currently a teacher hiring-freeze, we have moved to hourly janitors instead of full-time employees, and there are serious discussions about cutting winter or summer session entirely.

Sharing my views on sustainability, the Pasadena City College shared-governance has made a big commitment to a green campus. Combined with the newly created student Sustainability VP position, there is also a shared-governance Sustainability Committee. The college has many projects in the pipeline, including final talks to obtain two free fuel cells– giving PCC a greener power grid while saving up to $250,000 a year. I am also very pleased that the PACCD Board of Trustees has taken actions for a more sustainable campus.

At the same time, that does not mean we will always agree. The problems began last year. In 2011, the PACCD Board of Trustees swept $3.9 million into capital outlay funds — meaning the funds would be designated for college infrastructure and could not be touched for anything else. This is a decision that is hard to stand behind because of the limitations it places in a crisis situation — like the one the Board finds itself in now. On October 5th of 2011, the Board approved a $2.4 million contract for a LED lighting retrofit, using… capital outlay funds, some funds from a bond-measure and a parking fund.

Over the past few months, Pasadena City College has been paying for this project. They are in the final stages. While they plan on receiving an $850,000 rebate from Pasadena Water and Power, which would again be used to replenish capital outlay funds, and saving money in maintenance and electrical costs, they are still paying a significant amount of money up front.

Unfortunately, this project is being implemented at a time when $2.4 million dollars could have saved all students from unnecessary class cuts this year, and 45 teachers from early retirement.

While I support a greener campus, students should come first and renovations second. A better time to retrofit buildings would be at the end of the school year, when there is always a budget surplus — that way, classes come first and necessary projects can be approved without worry of a mid-year budget-cut crisis, like the one we are experiencing now.

I hope that the PACCD Board of Trustees has more foresight in the future. After all, it is their job to oversee and manage funds so that the college can attend to its most important role; as an educational institution. I believe the Board has felt the sting of capital outlay funds and are planning on lowering the amount of money designated as such in the future. I hope they follow through and do not make the same mistake again.

Andrew Kane Bott
Pasadena City College Student

Dear Andrew:

Thank you for coming Wednesday night, staying to witness to the entire board meeting and expressing your opinions as we considered the policy recommendations about how to address the budget crisis.

Thanks also for sharing the link to the video coverage of the Board meeting. The Board of Trustees has worked hard to make sure the proceedings and discussions are open, transparent, inclusive and collegial.

As you heard, the overriding budget priorities adopted by The Board of Trustees are:

1. Minimize the impact of state budget cuts on student access to classes

2. Minimize the impact of the state budget cuts on PCC employees

You can find the document online and distributed with the board packet: http://www.pasadena.edu/MeetDocs/board_15463_C.pdf

We also took time to explain the more than $10 million in cuts that have already hit PCC and absorbed before any class sections were canceled. Also, unlike other school and college districts, not a single member of the PCC faculty or staff has been laid off or furloughed during this budget crisis (now in its fourth year). Nor has there been a reduction in benefits to PCC employees, who receive a fully funded pension and free medical, dental and vision benefits for themselves and their dependent family members.

The District has taken extraordinary measures to protect PCC students as well as faculty and staff during this budget crisis.

Unfortunately, there will be even more severe reductions in funding next year. PCC will no longer be able to completely shield the impact of these cuts on students, faculty and staff.

The Board has instructed the administration to meet these challenges and minimize the impacts while ensuring the financial stability of the District.

Finally, the Board is committed to ensuring freedom of expression, even if it means we must endure attacks, insults and misinformation during our meetings. This is one of the most precious aspects of our democratic process. In my professional life, I have worked to protect and honor journalists who spoke truth to power, exposed institutional corruption and risked their own lives in order to keep the public informed. It is an overarching principle I have maintained in my personal, professional and political life.

There is no desire or attempt to restrict freedom of expression at PCC. However, the board is also responsible to protect the safety of students, faculty and staff. The board directed the district to take reasonable measures to maintain a safe campus environment in compliance with our policy, which states:

It is the policy of the Pasadena Area Community College District that Pasadena City College seeks to maintain a safe, orderly, and constructive campus environment in which there is freedom to learn and respect for the dignity of all members of the College community. Students are expected to be responsible, honest, and non-violent in exercising their rights to free inquiry and free speech.

One just has to watch the news to know that campuses are no longer safe havens from gun violence. Also school board meetings have been the scene for shootings and other physical attacks. If you need me to send you links to some examples, just let me know.

The Pasadena Police Department presented credible information about new threats to the physical safety of students, faculty, staff and members of the public at PCC. In response, the Board directed that there will be no restriction on public comment and expression, but we need to take some measures maintain a safe and orderly environment to conduct the business of the district.

I look forward to seeing you at future board meetings and hearing your thoughts as the District deals with the many difficult decisions that need to be made in the coming months.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Baum
President, Pasadena City College Board of Trustees
Member, California Community Colleges Board of Governors