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Email hints Flores left due to investigation
By CHELO GRUBB
Pima Community College governing board member Sherryn “Vikki” Marshall said in an email the board was “not blindsided” by allegations of misconduct lodged against former chancellor Roy Flores.
The PCC Board of Governors called a special meeting on April 17, during which they approved Flores’ request to leave the college June 30.
After the meeting, Pima sent out a press release announcing the college was investigating allegations of misconduct filed against Flores by women who worked at PCC.
The day after the meeting, Marshall emailed a former adjunct faculty member. She said the board had previously heard “gossip” about Flores’ behavior, but everything lacked details.
“Even people who were no longer working at Pima refused to tell me what they knew firsthand,” Marshall wrote.
“I would have jumped on ‘facts’ like a tick on a dog – but NO ONE would give me any facts or data.”
According to the April 17 press release, several women reported claims against Flores on March 26. Once allegations were made, Pima launched an investigation.
But before that, Marshall said there wasn’t much to go on.
“It was always innuendo, no names, no dates, no identified behavior,” she wrote.
“Innuendos will not make a case in court.”
Marshall also expressed displeasure that the women waited so long to come forward.
“Sitting on information like this, refusing to share details with either a union or a board member, just makes the matter worse. Any story brought forth would have been (and now is being) investigated,” Marshall’s email said.
The college cited “health reasons” to explain Flores’ pending departure in June. However, Marshall’s email suggests his departure was related to the allegations filed by the PCC employees.
“Everyone said ‘get rid of him now.’ We have, and before any investigation has shown any wrongdoing,” Marshall wrote.
Flores denies any wrongdoing. The college is not releasing the names of the employees who complained, or the nature of their complaints.
On April 20, interim chancellor Suzanne Miles announced steps the college will be taking to help ensure professional behavior at PCC.
In an email to all Pima employees, Miles said the college will start new training sessions to help identify inappropriate conduct.
The email also said PCC will strengthen internal processes regarding behavior and look into a third party option for reporting inappropriate behavior.
“Please know that Pima Community College does everything it can to assure that no employee mistreats another employee,” Miles said in her email. “Our workplace must be absolutely free of improper conduct.”
Marshall, who has been on the board since 2001, acknowledged the public’s discontent with news coming out of the college.
“It’s likely I will not be re-elected and that too is okay. I hope I am re-elected. There are still things I would like to see changed,” she wrote.
Pima Community College has declined to comment.
The Aztec Press had not heard back from Marshall by press time.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Sun awareness evolves
By SIERRA RUSSELL
In Southern Arizona, summer dominates the year. Its heat arrives early and stays late. Residents are frequently drawn to pools, rivers and lakes, which can result in prolonged sun exposure.
In the early pages of the Aztec Press, the dangers of skin cancer were rarely mentioned. A front-page photo from April 1974 shows a “sun worshipping” student basking in the sun between classes.
Articles from the early ‘80s reflect an increasing awareness about skin care. In the spring of 1982 there was a full-page layout focusing on ways to protect skin.
Staff writer Susan McGarry stated that sunshine can be beneficial but also warned of hazards.
“The right amount of sunshine can reduce blood pressure and the levels of sugar and serum cholesterol in the blood,” McGarry said. “It can enhance strength, relieve asthma and aching joints, as well as improve intake of oxygen to body’s cells and reduce stress.”
McGarry warned readers about the threats of overexposure in the sunlight, such as sunburns, which can result in permanent skin damage and lowered immune systems.
She also told hikers that the higher the altitude, the more susceptible one is to ultraviolet rays.
“Ultraviolet rays are invisible and unfelt,” McGarry said. “Infrared rays are also invisible but are the rays we feel as heat.”
In the same article, skin expert Lowell Ponte said, “If the earth were exposed to a full force of ultraviolet radiation, all life would be destroyed.”
McGarry discussed sunscreen, which at the time, ranged in sun protection factor from two to 15. Today there are sunscreens with SPF’s of 100 and higher. “Proper knowledge of your specific skin type is key to choosing the best lotion, McGarry said.
In an article from May 1982, Pat Martinez covered the topic of spring fashion. It was a season of pastels, pedal pushers and prairie skirts. Martinez said that wide-brimmed hats were not only fashionable but also helpful in warding off harsh sunlight. Martinez said that in spite of the lure of a dark tan, sun exposure will ruin the skin and cause premature wrinkles.
The article also encouraged sun lovers to protect their hair from too much sunlight and chlorine. Cosmetologist Melinda Martinez said, “Whenever you’re out tanning, always cover your hair because the sun can cause hair to become dry and brittle.”
In April, 1984 Cynthia Roedig wrote about skin cancer.
One warning sign is revealed by moles that are upraised from the skin, change color, size and shape. Roedig wrote that although skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, it is also the easiest to treat especially if it is caught in its early stages.
Translator has plenty of stories to share
By ALEX ALMADA
A man from Ecuador is on the phone, crying for an opportunity to stay in the United States.
His doctor is on the other end of the line, trying to explain the man’s situation to Dennis Rojas, an interpreter.
The man is an HIV-positive homosexual who lost his brother to hate crimes in Ecuador.
If he goes back, he is sure he’ll suffer the same fate. He begs to be allowed to live.
Rojas sits between the man and his doctor, bridging the language gap.
One phone call, one story. Rojas receives an average of 45 calls per day.
Rojas, 26, works for CyraCom International, a Tucson call center for over-the-phone interpretation.
The company mainly focuses on medical calls, but other clients include insurance companies, theme parks and law firms.
Rojas, who majors in Spanish for interpretation, heard about CyraCom when one of his Pima Community College instructors mentioned the job opportunity.
At first, Rojas was skeptical about applying.
“I heard a lot of bad things about it,” he said. “I heard it’s a call center job, it’s not an interpreter job. The hours are crazy, you’re not gonna like it. But I needed a job.”
After an intense application process, CyraCom hired Rojas on Sept. 13, 2010. Three weeks of training followed.
Rojas had to drop his full-time class load so he could focus on his new job.
It was a difficult decision, but after speaking to an instructor he decided the job presented a good opportunity to gain experience in his field.
“It’s a really interesting job,” Rojas said. “I like it.”
Rojas never knew how many stories he would hear while working at a call center.
One such call involved a distraught mother whose daughter suffered brain damage from loss of oxygen during a medical procedure. Rojas said the doctor failed to apply a breathing tube for 25 minutes.
“The doctor said, ‘If you had listened to me, to what I told you to do, your daughter wouldn’t be in the state she is.’ He was really rude,” Rojas said.
“The lady started crying with real pain, as if her daughter was already dead. And in reality, she was.”
The call escalated into the mother threatening to sue the doctor.
“That was when I said I needed to file a report,” Rojas said. “At my job, whenever there is a problem that you can’t control, you have to write a report.”
He has many similar stories. “If I were to tell you all of them, we’d be here all night.”
Rojas said he’s learned there are genuinely good people in the world, while others care only about money.
“I’ve learned that patience is very important for everyone,” he added.
Working at CyraCom changed Rojas’ opinion about himself. The job helped him stop pre-judging others.
“He is more responsible now,” said Andres Garcia, his roommate and life partner. “And he is more loving now.”
To help himself cope, Rojas takes time off whenever possible.
“It’s just taking days to be with my family, doing other things other than work,” he said.
A confidentiality agreement prevents him from giving out names and information, but he likes to repeat the stories he hears.
“I share because I have to,” he said.
Rojas graduated in 2006 from Cholla High Magnet School, which focuses on law-related and international baccalaureate diploma programs.
He hopes to one day become a court or hospital interpreter, and would like to earn a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Arizona.
“I wouldn’t mind being a Spanish teacher,” Rojas added. “I wouldn’t mind creating some sort of Spanish interpretation and translation program that is law-related or international-related.”
Rojas also enjoys writing, and hopes to one day write a book about his father.
“When my dad was dying, one of my last conversations with him was, ‘Dad, do you think you are the way you are because of the way you lived?’” Rojas said.
“And he answered me, ‘yes and no. Because I know I have done some bad things and I know I have done some good things.’
“I told him, ‘you know what, Dad? I’m going to write a book about you because I think you’ve led a very interesting life and I don’t think it should be left unsaid.’”
Rojas’ eyes glint when he talks about his writing. He says he always knew he was good at it, even when he was very young.
“In kindergarten, I was writing at a third-grade level,” Rojas said. “And I got put into gifted classes.”
During a high school honors English class, his teacher used some of the papers Rojas wrote as a model for other students to follow.
Rojas mentions PCC instructor Laura Van Etten as a big influence in his writing.
He is particularly proud of a story he wrote during her class titled, “How to Exchange a Bad Battery for a New One at Wal-Mart.”
Today, Rojas is confident about his future.
“I just know that I will one day be successful, whether it’s me writing good books or whether it’s me succeeding in my career as an interpreter or whether it’s me winning the lottery,” he said with a smile.
Pima students win Coca-Cola awards
By EDWINA FRANCISCO
Pima Community College students Adam James, Maya Swainson, Sharon Buhs and Lorre Laws have been recognized with 2012 Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team scholarships.
More than 1,700 community college students nationwide entered the competition, which honors academic rigor, leadership, and campus and community involvement.
Judges include business and education leaders and the staff of Phi Theta Kappa, an international scholastic honorary society for students at two-year colleges.
James, a veteran of four combat deployments as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman, was named one of 20 nationwide winners in the All-USA competition. He was earlier named a New Century Scholar for earning the top rating in Arizona.
He attends East Campus, and maintained a 4.0 GPA while pursuing an associate of applied science degree. He will transfer to the University of Arizona to obtain a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology.
“I am a big advocate of community colleges,” James said in a press release. “I’m eager to take what I learned at Pima and show that Pima produces good students. I am what I am now because of the Pima professors who have mentored me along the way.”
Swainson, a Community Campus speech, language and hearing science major, was named a Gold Scholar. The Phi Theta Kappa officer and school volunteer devoted time to community projects.
One three-day project involved recycling materials and educating youth about health and environmental issues. She believes the project played an important role in her winning the scholarship.
“It is important to give back to the community, even when you think you don’t have the time,” she said. “It will make a difference.”
Buhs and Laws were named Silver Scholars.
Buhs is working toward an associate of applied science degree in computer programming and will transfer to Northern Arizona University. Laws, a nursing major, will transfer to UA.
News Briefs: College selects three to speak at convocation
College selects three to speak at convocation
PCC has chosen three students to be speakers at its multicultural convocation celebration at West Campus on May 3.
• Marci Robledo is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. She is earning two certificates and an associate of arts degree in anthropology, a certificate in field archaeology field and lab fundamentals, and a certificate in field archaeology for Southwestern cultures.
• Berenice Terán Parra is receiving two associate degrees: an associate of arts in liberal arts and an associate of general studies. She is also receiving an Arizona General Education Curriculum Certificate in liberal arts.
• Wendy M. Turner is receiving an associate in general studies degree. She works for PCC in the office of grants, planning and institutional research.
-By Nina Elliott
Contest honors
Japanese
speech skills
Three Pima Community College students received awards at the Arizona Statewide Japanese Speech Contest held April 15 in Phoenix.
Nine Pima students participated.
Awards included:
• Judges’ award (overall): Katie Gleckler.
• Second place, category B (second semester): Jaclyn Mona.
• Second place, category C (third and fourth semesters): Kiyono Bernier.
• Penmanship Award (overall): Kiyono Bernier.
-By Eric Klump
Aztec Calendar: May 3- 16
CAMPUS EVENTS
May 3: Resume Writing workshop. Northwest Campus, B-121. 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
May 3: Career Exploration and My Career Path. Northwest Campus, B-121. 3 p.m.-4 p.m.
May 3-4: Annual Student Juried Art Exhibition. West Campus, Center for the Arts. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 4: PCC Fashion Design – Spring Fashion Runway Show. West Campus. Center for the Arts. 7 p.m.
May 7 and 14: Voter Registration. East Campus, student mall. 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
May 8: Writing Contest. East Campus, Community Room. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
May 8: Preparing Your Schedule for Next Semester. Downtown Campus, LB 1153. 4 p.m.-5 p.m.
May 8 and 22: Financial Aid Orientation. Community Campus. 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
May 11: Cinema Under the Stars: “Puss in Boots.” Northwest campus, Level 2. 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
May 16: Preparing Your Schedule for Next Semester. Downtown Campus, LB 1153. 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
May 17: Graduation. Tucson Convention Center. 7 p.m.
MOVIE OPENINGS
New movie releases:
May 4:
“A Little Bit of Heaven”
“The Avengers”
May 11:
“Damsels in Destress”
“Dark Shadows”
May 16:
“The Dictator”
May 18:
“Battleship”
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
“What to Expect When You’re Expecting”
May 25:
“Men in Black III”
DVD/Blu Ray releases:
May 8:
“Chuck: Season 5”
“The Front Line”
“Humans vs. Zombies”
“Playback”
“Underworld Awakening”
“The Vow”
May 15:
“Chronicle”
“The Devil Inside”
“The Grey”
“Hell on Wheels: Season 1”
“One for the Money”
“Rampart”
May 22:
“Beyond”
“Newlyweds”
“Perfect Sense”
“The Secret World of Arrietty”
“Sherlock: Season 2”
“This Means War”
Movie events:
Loft Cinema
May 3: “Monte Walsh” with special guests. 7 p.m. $25, advance tickets not available.
May 4: First Friday Shorts: “The Golden Gongs” year-end showdown. 9 p.m. $6 general, $5 Loft members.
May 9: Magic Hour: short fiction films from the UA School of Theatre, Film and Television. 7 p.m. Free.
May 10: “Last Call at the Oasis” followed by Q&A with director Jessica Yu. 7 p.m. $9 adult, $7 student, $5 Loft members.
May 12 and May 15: The Mary Poppins Sing-a-long! May 12 @ noon, May 15 @ 7 p.m. $8 general, $6 Loft members and children under 12.
Video game releases:
May 4:
“Sniper Elite V2” (PC, PS3, Xbox)
May 8:
“Warlock: Master of the Arcane” (PC)
“Starhawk” (PS3)
May 11:
“Street Fighter x Tekken” (PC)
May 15:
“Diablo III” (PC)
“Game of Thrones” (PC, PS3, Xbox)
May 18:
“Max Payne 3” (PC, PS3, Xbox)
TUCSON EVENTS
April 28- June 1: Basketry Treasured. Arizona Sate Museum. 1013 E. University Blvd. Details: 626-8381.
May 5-6: Ballet Tucson Presents “Cinderella.” University of Arizona, Centennial Hall. Various times. Student price: $26. Details: 621-3341.
May 5-6: The Tucson Folk Fest. El Presidio Park, 160 W. Alameda St., Tucson. Noon- 9 p.m. Details: tkma.org.
May 5-6: Sonoita Horse Races. 3142 S. Highway 83. $3, plus $3 parking. Gates open at 10 a.m. Details: 455-5553.
May 5-6: Tucson Heart Group Cinco de Mayo 10K and Fun Run. Details: 327-5400.
May 11: National Public Gardens Day. Tucson Botonical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. Free. Details: 326-9686.
May 13: Tucson 5000. 7 a.m. at Reid Park. $18-25.
Through July 30: Science Downtown: Mars and Beyond. 300 Congress St. $7 with ID. Details: 622-8595, sciencedowntown.org.
Pima confirms ex-chancellor investigation
By CHELO GRUBB
Pima Community College is looking into allegations of professional misconduct on the part of former chancellor Roy Flores.
According to an April 17 press release, several current and former female PCC employees came to the college to report claims against Flores on March 26. Flores denies any wrongdoing.
The college refused to release the names of the employees or the details of the allegations.
Current and former college employees have also contacted the Aztec Press, though none wanted their names published.
PCC spokesman C.J. Karamagin has confirmed the investigation is ongoing, although he isn’t sure what will happen now that the Board of Governors has approved Flores’ retirement.
Flores moved up his impending retirement to June 30—exactly one year earlier than his most recent contract would have paid him.
Scott Stewart, chairman of the governing board, maintains that Flores’ retirement was moved up because of lingering health problems.
The announcement, which will save the college Flores’ $282,965 salary, came just two days after interim Chancellor Susanne Miles’ salary was reduced by about $92,000.
Miles asked for the college’s board to reduce her salary to help compensate for the school paying both her and Flores chancellor-level salaries.
The board held a special meeting on April 17 to approve Flores’ most recent retirement request.
Greg Hart, former dean of PCC adult education, used the public comment portion of the meeting to encourage the board to protect PCC’s employees.
“If there are people who may have been wronged over whom you have responsibility, you must assure them and the rest of those in the college community that you will honor and enforce college policies and protect them under the terms of the law,” Hart said.
“If you have any cause to believe that there may have been serious misconduct, then I urge you for the sake of the college, its employees and the community to do not the easy thing of the convenient thing, but the right thing.”
Hart also cautioned that failing to take the allegations seriously would adversely affect the college’s public relations.
“If by your actions you create an impression that college policy is enforced only selectively, I believe your bond of trust with the public will be irrevocably lost and as a result the college and its employees will suffer additional harm,” Hart said.
Flores was making headlines even before he first announced his plan to retire by the end of 2012. Key developments include:
• A week before announcing his retirement, Flores was rushed to the hospital after experiencing chest pains at work. Doctors placed a stent in a coronary artery and performed an emergency angioplasty.
• John Crnokrak, an out-of-town PCC consultant and self-proclaimed friend of Flores, was under investigation by the Arizona Daily Star.
According to the Star, Crnokrak was dismissed after it was discovered that he sent lewd and inappropriate emails to PCC administrators.
He also billed the college for expenses such as flights to and from Tucson, as well as a $43 massage at the Tucson Mall.
Flores denied a previous connection with Crnokrak.
• Flores rescinded his initial offer of retirement after the college’s board voted against Miles stepping into the permanent chancellor position. Flores renegotiated his contract, securing a non-specified position through 2012 while maintaining his previous salary.
Other Flores headlines have renewed interest in previous allegations against the ex-chancellor:
• In 1995, while Flores was working as president of Elgin Community College, members of the ECC Board of Trustees accused Flores of mismanaging college funds by unnecessarily creating the position of vice president of instruction for Edna Baehre, which paid an annual salary of $81,000. In the end, Flores was offered an extension of his contract and given a pay raise.
• Also in 1995, the Chicago Tribune reported that an ECC former secretary of Flores’ filed a complaint, saying that he had yelled at her “in a demeaning and threatening manner” and had exposed himself in a sexual manner. In 1996, the college concluded its investigation and found that Flores had not committed any wrongdoing.
• As president of Community College of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania in 1998, Flores handpicked Dennis Scott, a former Elgin administrator, to be his executive assistant. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Scott was found to have false credentials. Scott listed master’s and doctoral degrees that were awarded to him by unaccredited correspondence schools. He resigned after having being asked to leave, according to Flores. Flores said he was unaware Scott’s credentials were made up.
Read a more detailed account of the ECC hiring and the Allegheny controversy here, with responses from Flores.
See the Chicago Tribune’s coverage of the ECC investigation into the allegations from Flores’ former secretary here and here.
Festivals galore await visitors
From Earth Day celebrations to the Pima County Fair to cultural events, a wide variety of events take place in upcoming weeks.
EARTH DAY
Tucson Earth Day Festival – April 21
The Tucson Earth Day Festival will showcase food, music, performances and environmental exhibits on April 21 at Reid Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.
The festival will feature a variety of activities for all ages.
The theme for a 10 a.m. parade is “All Species Procession.” Participants will dress as species of their choosing and make banners that show why their species is important.
Middle school students in a solar competition will model solar electric cars and houses. There will also be an alternate fuel vehicle exhibit.
A “Bike to the Zoo” event offers free admission to Reid Park Zoo for bicyclists who show their safety helmets.
For further details, visit tucsonearthday.org.
Downtown Campus
‘Show, Tell, Give: Earth Day’ – April 23
Downtown Campus will combine an Earth Day celebration, an art showcase and a reading to recognize the talents of Pima Community College students.
The event will be held on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As a service project, the event welcomes donations for Operation Gratitude, an organization that gives care packages to U.S. service members. Personal letters, candy, snacks, socks, electronics, gift cards and stationary will be accepted.
People interested in the reading, which starts at 2 p.m., can show up and volunteer at the event.
Desert Vista Campus
‘Garden Celebration’ – April 26
Desert Vista Campus will hold an Earth Day garden celebration April 26 at the campus garden, 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
-Compiled by Roberto Avendaño
PCC CAMPUSES
Show, Tell, Give: Earth Day – April 23
Downtown Campus will combine an Earth Day celebration, an art showcase and a reading to recognize the talents of Pima Community College students on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event will gather donations for “Operation Gratitude,” an organization that gives care packages to U.S. service members. Personal letters, candy, snacks, socks, electronics, gift cards and stationary will be accepted.
People interested in the reading, which starts at 2 p.m., can show up and volunteer at the event.
Garden Celebration – April 26
Desert Vista Campus will hold an Earth Day garden celebration April 26 at the campus garden from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
-Compiled by Roberto Avendaño
PIMA COUNTY FAIR –
April 19-29
Bigger and better! That’s what the Pima County Fair promises to offer from April 19-29.
The fairgrounds, located at 11300 S. Houghton Road, will be open from 2 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and 10 a.m. to midnight on weekends. Admission costs $8.
Highlights include a large carnival, vendors, performances, demonstrations, exhibits, attractions and concerts.
For details, visit pimacountyfair.com or call 762-9100.
-By Vanessa Avila
NORTHWESTFEST – April 27
Events ranging from high school student orientations to a free evening benefit concert will take place April 27 at Northwest Campus.
Northwestfest activities include two high school student orientations. The first is from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and the second is from 2:30-4:30 p.m.
An open house for the public will be held from 4-7 p.m.
The orientations and open house will provide advice on classes and majors, paying for college, assessment test preparation, student resources, campus programs and university transfer options. Classroom demonstrations and campus tours will be offered.
The free “Concert for a Cause” from 5-10 p.m. will feature performances by Ka-Ta, One Way, RadioDriveBy and Rowdy Johnson Band. Bracelets will be on sale, with proceeds benefitting the global Thirst Project. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.
For further information, call 206-2131.
-By Eric Klump
‘THE NEON MILE: SOCK HOP’ – April 27
A lighting ceremony and night of fun will commemorate installation of four 1950s-era neon signs mounted along the north border of Downtown Campus on Drachman Street.
Free “The Neon Mile: Sock Hop” festivities will take place April 27 from 6-9 p.m.
Highlights include a classic car show, a 1950s fashion show, live music, food truck vendors¸ dance lessons and demos, plus vintage family movies and TV shows.
Hosts are PCC, the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation and the City of Tucson.
On April 28, the fifth annual “Neon Mile Historic Open House” will feature lectures, shuttle bus tours and an Evergreen Cemetery tour.
For further Sock Hop details, call 206-7100.
-By Elizabeth Peterson
FUSIONFEST – April 28-29
FusionFest, celebrating arts and cultures from around the world, will take place at Northwest Campus on April 28-29.
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance will sponsor numerous live performances from musical and theatrical groups.
International films and digital art centering on global themes will showcase emerging and established filmmakers’ work.
Textiles, jewelry and accessories inspired by traditions around the world will be displayed, while a marketplace will allow visitors to purchase arts, crafts and other items inspired by foreign cultures.
Hours on Saturday, April 28, will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours on Sunday, April 29, will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For additional details, visit fusionfest.org.
-By Eric Klump
KFMA DAY – April 29
The 13th annual KFMA DAY 2012 on April 29 will feature Incubus, Cage the Elephant, Chevelle, The Dirty Heads, Neon Trees, Awolnation, Anberlin and Civil Twilight.
KFMA DAY 2012 will be held at Kino Veterans Stadium. Tickets cost $39.50 in advance, and are available at Tucson-area Domino’s and at kfma.com.
-By Vanessa Avila
Cowboy Music Festival –
April 28-29
Old Tucson will host a Western music festival on April 28-29. For full details, visit oldtucson.com.
-By Chelo Grubb
UA full-time requirement may change
By TESSA CASE
The University of Arizona may increase the full-time student requirement from 12 to 15 units.
The Arizona Board of Regents discussed the possibility during a recent Financial Aid Task Force meeting.
Bob McLendon, task force vice chairman, said members introduced the idea to encourage students to graduate faster.
That way, students eligible for financial aid would incur less loan debt.
In December, the federal government decreased from 16 to 12 the number of semesters students are eligible for Pell Grant financial aid.
Some scholarships already require a 15-credit enrollment minimum.
However, the change could negatively impact students who participate in athletics or work at jobs while attending school.
Current Pima Community College student and future UA student David Lazarus takes three classes per semester and works part time.
“It’s a terrible idea,” he said. “Taking three classes is just enough. Five classes would pack too much on me, on anyone who has a job and lives on their own.”
PCC student Raul Sanchez is not worried.
“If I only have two years to get my degree after I transfer, it makes sense to take more classes,” he said. “While it’s very stressful, an extra class would help me get in gear. Right now, my easiest class seems like it gets neglected.”
The UA Academic Affairs Committee will discuss the proposal next. If it passes, it will be brought back to the full Board of Regents for a vote.
Education called a key to HIV, AIDS awareness
By ANA RAMIREZ
“It could never happen to me” is a phrase that’s uttered all too often. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.2 million Americans live with HIV and more than 460,000 have AIDS.
Former U.S. Army Sgt. Enrique Franco was discharged in 2007 for admitting he was gay. A medical exam he underwent as part of the exiting procedure revealed he was HIV-positive.
The Aztec Press first talked with Franco in 2010 after he spoke at National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.
At the event, he urged community members to educate themselves, and to protect themselves against the virus.
In a recent interview, Franco said he was disappointed by the 2010 crowd and its response. He has declined to speak at any other NLAAD events and says he is burnt out on being an activist.
“I wasn’t seeing any kind of response,” he said. “It’s no longer a big deal to have HIV.”
In 2010, Franco was also writing a blog at thebody.com.
“I felt like a guy in the desert screaming my lungs out and no one was listening,” Franco said. “We don’t need a 37-year-old; no one’s going to listen to me. We need to find that one golden person who has a voice.”
Ed Dunin-Wasowicz, a volunteer media adviser for NLAAD, and Manny Garcia, a speaker at the 2010 National Aids Awareness Day event, agree on the need for education.
Garcia, 43, has lived in Tucson his entire life.
“I felt that HIV was in bigger cities, not here,” he said. “Education is important and sex ed should be taught in all high schools, if not junior high schools.”
Dunin-Wasowicz said many cultural barriers exist, especially in Native-American and Hispanic communities. “There’s a huge stigma about HIV,” he said.
Last year, the NLAAD impacted a larger and younger audience by moving to a daytime event at Pima Community College’s West Campus, Dunin-Wasowicz said. The 2011 event also included more free HIV testing.
Franco said cancer is still seen as more dangerous, even though AIDS is very powerful and compromises the immune system. “Prevention is the key, not trying to find the cure,” he said.
“The younger generation may be embarrassed or scared but they are the ones who need to speak out,” he added. “It is the older generation’s job to encourage the young ones to speak out.”
Someone in the United States is infected with the virus every nine and a half minutes, according to the CDC. In addition, 21 percent of people living with HIV are unaware of it.
“We live in the moment,” Dunin-Wasowicz said. “We don’t realize we’re having sex with whoever they had sex with.”
Aztec Calendar: April 19 – May 2
TUCSON EVENTS
April 19-29: Pima County Fair. Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road. Admission: $8. Parking: $5. Details: swfair.com or 762-9100.
April 20: UA Earth Day. University of Arizona, Main Gate Square. 4-8 p.m. Details: 622-8613.
April 21-29: National Parks Week. Free admission to all national parks. Details: Nps.gov/npweek.
April 22: Alberding Amble. Lincoln Park, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive. 9 a.m. 5-K ($20), 10 a.m. fun run/walk ($10). Proceeds benefit PCC scholarship. Details: 206-7667 or ajimenez@pima.edu.
April 22: Tucson Earth Day Festival. Reid Park, off Country Club Road. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Details: tucsonearthday.org.
April 28: Solar Potluck and Exhibition. Catalina State Park, 11570 N. Oracle Road. 10 a.m.- sunset. Free with $7 park admission.
April 28-29: Fusionfest. PCC Northwest Campus. Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Details: fusionfest.org or 797-3959.
April 28: Tucson Taco Festival. Downs Rillito, 4502 N. First Ave. 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. $10. Details: (480) 466-0579.
LIVE MUSIC
April 20: Andrew Bird with Laura Marling. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. 7 p.m. $30 in advance/$33 day of show. All ages. Details: rialtotheatre.com.
April 21-22: Club Crawl. Fourth Avenue to Congress Street. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. $12 in advance/$14 day of event. 21+. Tickets available Zia Records, Tucson Weekly.
April 23: Bon Iver with Feist. TCC Arena, 260 S. Church St. 7 p.m. $30-40 advance general admission. All ages. Details: rialtotheatre.com.
April 23: Tumbleweed Wanderers. Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. 9:30 p.m. Free. 21+. Details: plushtucson.com.
April 23: Dead Meadow with Spindrift and Stranger Family Band. Solar Culture, 31 E. Toole Ave. No time listed. $10. All ages. Details: solarculture.org.
April 27: The Project. Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. 7 p.m. Price not listed. 21+. Details: hotelcongress.com/club.
April 29: Ingrid Michaelson with Harper Blynn. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. 7 p.m. $18 in advance/$20 day of show. All ages. Details: rialtotheatre.com.
May 3: Kyle Bronsdon. Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. 7 p.m. Free. 21+. Details: plushtucson.com.
CAMPUS EVENTS
April 19: Writing Contest. East Campus Community Room. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Details: 206-7427.
April 19-22: “Inherit the Wind.” West Campus CFA Proscenium Theatre. Thurs-Sat 7:30 p.m., Sun 2 p.m. $15, with discounts available. Box office: 206-6986.
April 21: Japanese Speech Contest. Exhibits, performances, student speech competitions. East Campus Community Room. Noon-5 p.m. Free. Details: 206-7616.
April 23: Show, Tell, Give: Earth Day. Downtown Campus. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Details: 206-4500.
April 23: Jazz Improv Combo. West Campus CFA Proscenium Theatre. 7:30 p.m. $6, with discounts available. Box office: 206-6986.
April 26: Earth Day Garden celebration. Desert Vista Campus Garden. 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Details: 206-4500.
April 27: NorthwestFest. Northwest Campus. 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Free. Details: 206-2131.
April 27: The Neon Mile: Sock Hop. Downtown Campus. 6-9 p.m. Free. Details: 206-7100.
May 1: Jazz Ensemble. West Campus CFA Proscenium Theatre. 7:30 p.m. $6, with discounts available. Box office: 206-6986.
May 2: Cinco de Mayo Celebration. Desert Vista Campus. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Details: 206-5026.
Through May 4: Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition. West Campus CFA Bernal Gallery. Free. Details: 206-6942.
Through May 25: Jazz Photo Exhibit. Downtown Campus, second floor lobby of Campus Center building. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. Free. Details: 206-4500.
PIMA HOME SPORTS
April 21: Softball vs. Phoenix College at West Campus, noon.
April 24: Softball vs. Yavapai College at West Campus, 2 p.m.
April 28: Baseball vs. Cochise College at West Campus, noon.
April 28: Softball vs. Cochise College at West Campus, noon.
MOVIE EVENTS
DVD/Blu-ray releases:
April 24:
“Contraband”
“Dark Tide”
“The Fields”
“The Innkeepers”
“Pariah”
“The Wicker Tree”
May 1:
“Covert Affairs: Season 2”
“Joyful Noise”
“Level Up”
“New Year’s Eve”
Movie openings:
April 20:
“Chimpanzee”
“The Lucky One”
“Think Like a Man”
April 27:
“The Five-Year Engagement”
“Footnote”
“Safe”
“The Sound of My Voice”
Loft Cinema events:
3223 E. Speedway Blvd., loftcinema.com
April 21: “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Midnight. $6 general, $5 Loft members.
April 26: “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Film introduction by musician Ralph Stanley at 6 p.m., film starts at 6:15 p.m. $8 general, $6 Loft members.
April 28: “The Garbage Pail Kids Movie.” Saturday Morning Cinema. 10 a.m. $6 general, $5 Loft members.
May 1: “The Education of Dee Dee Ricks.” 7 p.m. Live Skype Q&A with Dee Dee Ricks. Presented by Susan G. Komen for the Cure Southern Arizona. Free.
Pima confirms ex-chancellor investigation
By CHELO GRUBB
Pima Community College is looking into allegations of professional misconduct on the part of former chancellor Roy Flores.
According to an April 17 press release, several current and former female PCC employees came to the college to report claims against Flores on March 26. Flores denies any wrongdoing.
The college refused to release the names of the employees or the details of the allegations.
Current and former college employees have also contacted the Aztec Press, though none wanted their names published.
PCC spokesman C.J. Karamagin has confirmed the investigation is ongoing, although he isn’t sure what will happen now that the Board of Governors has approved Flores’ retirement.
Flores moved up his impending retirement to June 30—exactly one year earlier than his most recent contract would have paid him.
Scott Stewart, chairman of the governing board, maintains that Flores’ retirement was moved up because of lingering health problems.
The announcement, which will save the college Flores’ $282,965 salary, came just two days after interim Chancellor Susanne Miles’ salary was reduced by about $92,000.
Miles asked for the college’s board to reduce her salary to help compensate for the school paying both her and Flores chancellor-level salaries.
The board held a special meeting on April 17 to approve Flores’ most recent retirement request.
Greg Hart, former dean of PCC adult education, used the public comment portion of the meeting to encourage the board to protect PCC’s employees.
“If there are people who may have been wronged over whom you have responsibility, you must assure them and the rest of those in the college community that you will honor and enforce college policies and protect them under the terms of the law,” Hart said.
“If you have any cause to believe that there may have been serious misconduct, then I urge you for the sake of the college, its employees and the community to do not the easy thing of the convenient thing, but the right thing.”
Hart also cautioned that failing to take the allegations seriously would adversely affect the college’s public relations.
“If by your actions you create an impression that college policy is enforced only selectively, I believe your bond of trust with the public will be irrevocably lost and as a result the college and its employees will suffer additional harm,” Hart said.
Flores was making headlines even before he first announced his plan to retire by the end of 2012. Key developments include:
• A week before announcing his retirement, Flores was rushed to the hospital after experiencing chest pains at work. Doctors placed a stent in a coronary artery and performed an emergency angioplasty.
• John Crnokrak, an out-of-town PCC consultant and self-proclaimed friend of Flores, was under investigation by the Arizona Daily Star.
According to the Star, Crnokrak was dismissed after it was discovered that he sent lewd and inappropriate emails to PCC administrators.
He also billed the college for expenses such as flights to and from Tucson, as well as a $43 massage at the Tucson Mall.
Flores denied a previous connection with Crnokrak.
• Flores rescinded his initial offer of retirement after the college’s board voted against Miles stepping into the permanent chancellor position. Flores renegotiated his contract, securing a non-specified position through 2012 while maintaining his previous salary.
Other Flores headlines have renewed interest in previous allegations against the ex-chancellor:
• In 1995, while Flores was working as president of Elgin Community College, members of the ECC Board of Trustees accused Flores of mismanaging college funds by unnecessarily creating the position of vice president of instruction for Edna Baehre, which paid an annual salary of $81,000. In the end, Flores was offered an extension of his contract and given a pay raise.
• Also in 1995, the Chicago Tribune reported that an ECC former secretary of Flores’ filed a complaint, saying that he had yelled at her “in a demeaning and threatening manner” and had exposed himself in a sexual manner. In 1996, the college concluded its investigation and found that Flores had not committed any wrongdoing.
• As president of Community College of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania in 1998, Flores handpicked Dennis Scott, a former Elgin administrator, to be his executive assistant. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Scott was found to have false credentials. Scott listed master’s and doctoral degrees that were awarded to him by unaccredited correspondence schools. He resigned after having being asked to leave, according to Flores. Flores said he was unaware Scott’s credentials were made up.
Read a more detailed account of the ECC hiring and the Allegheny controversy here, with responses from Flores.
See the Chicago Tribune’s coverage of the ECC investigation into the allegations from Flores’ former secretary here and here.
‘Kony 2012’ stirs activists, controversy
By ELIZABETH PETERSON
The power of social media is evident with the Kony 2012 campaign.
Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony became an international household name when a nonprofit organization, Invisible Children, released a YouTube video titled “Kony 2012” on March 3.
To date, the video has been viewed on YouTube more than 86 million times.
Jason Russell, co-founder of the American activist group Invisible Children, made the controversial 30-minute film.
His film highlights Kony’s crimes and speaks of making the warlord “famous” in order to help keep American forces in Uganda.
U.S. troops are there now to assist Uganda’s military search for Kony.
In the video, Russell says the purpose of the film is to keep U.S. forces there in hopes of Kony’s capture.
Kony is the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a violent rebel band opposed to the Ugandan government.
He has been listed as the number one fugitive on the International Criminal Court’s most-wanted list for crimes against humanity and war crimes since 2005.
Russell’s video lists and discusses Kony’s crimes against children over the past two decades.
Near the end of the video, an assignment is given to those who support Kony’s arrest.
When the sun sets on April 20, people across the world will participate in an event called “Cover the Night.”
The event will help raise awareness of the tyrannical leader by blanketing towns and cities with posters provided by Invisible Children featuring his name and picture.
One poster depicts Kony next to Osama bin Laden and Adolf Hitler, labeled “The Worst”.
University Of Arizona students have organized a Facebook event in response to the video titled “Cover the Night – UA @ Tucson.”
The event shows more than 3,500 people planning to attend, with another 750 saying they might participate.
They plan to get together on April 20 at Old Main on the UA campus from 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
“Our goal is to cover the night with Kony’s name in a sea of red, document this action, and send it to Invisible Children so the world will see that we are demanding justice,” the event description says.
In addition to showing up ready to hang posters, the event literature asks people to come wearing red shirts. If possible, the shirts should bear the Kony 2012 logo.
Since the video went viral, there has been controversy surrounding Russell and his organization.
The campaign’s integrity and the facts provided in the film have been questioned because Kony and the LRA have not been active in Uganda for several years and much of the footage in the video is old.
Public responses have been mixed: While some praise the creators for bringing awareness to the issue, others claim they are seeking purely financial gain.
“Of course I support the cause to stop Kony, but supporting an organization whose co-founder can’t maintain his mental health and whose balance sheets are under constant scrutiny doesn’t seem like a good idea,” Pima student Daniel Casarez said.
Whether the responses have been positive or negative regarding the campaign, it is clear that the “Kony 2012” video has already accomplished its primary goal of spreading the word to millions of people in a short amount of time.
To view the online video “Kony 2012,” go to www.kony2012.com.
Guns to stay off campus
By MEGYN FITZGERALD
A proposed bill that would have allowed concealed weapons permit holders to carry guns on Arizona college campuses has officially been killed.
State Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, proposed SB 1474 with the hopes that it would help deter criminals from entering college campuses and keep law-abiding students safer.
However, the state’s colleges didn’t agree.
Pima Community College spokesman C.J. Karamargin said that PCC has opposed the bill since the beginning, and was pleased to hear the bill had died.
“It’s nice to have good news come out of the capital for once,” Karamargin said.
Gould thinks the colleges were hoping media coverage would keep the bill at bay.
“There were some legislators that were feeling weak-kneed about it,” Gould said. “The universities were putting a full-court press on them because they knew if I could get the bill up to the governor, the governor would probably sign it.”
Even after proposing that gun lockers could be installed to keep guns out of classrooms, the Board of Regents shot down the bill, saying that the lockers would be too expensive to install.
Gould is convinced that, regardless of what the Board of Regents publicly states, the real reason SB 1474 failed is because “liberals run the university system” and “they don’t like guns.”
However, SB 1474 has been largely unpopular among students as well, with many of them stating concerns about safety.
“Allowing guns on campus is a hindrance to the progression of education,” former Pima Community College student Sean Mott said.
Phi Theta Kappa honor society president believes in determination
By KYLE WASSON
Phi Theta Kappa is the world’s largest junior college honor society with more than 2 million members; 250,000 of whom are active.
Among their ranks stand Pulitzer prize-winning journalists, a country music star, a presidential candidate and even an Apollo 13 astronaut.
Pima Community College’s PTK President, Gabi Payne met Fred Haies at a recent conference where Haies described wearing his PTK pin into space.
Payne however, is confidently reaching for other stars.
Payne was born and raised in Weiden, Germany, roughly 50 miles northeast of Munich.
Her hopes of becoming a cosmetologist were halted with the German Reunification in 1990.
“The reunification brought more people into nearby cities and the workplace was flooded with an influx of families in need of work; the economy was completely unstable,” said Payne.
Payne’s frustration with finding a job was met with her husband’s homesickness and in 1992 the couple packed up.
Her husband was originally born in Texas and had lived in Arizona previously.
America, once world leader in education, was worth the risk of starting from scratch.
“I wanted to give myself a better education as well as my children,” Payne said.
Sadly, once they settled, Payne’s marriage became distant and she sought change in her life.
“Things just became routine and I wasn’t fulfilling any of my goals, I needed a change, again,” said Payne.
Shortly after her divorce was final, Payne met local Tucsonan—an IT student at Pima. The two married and Payne, with healthy persuasion from family, became interested in pursuing a degree.
“My mother-in-law was a PTK member and she told me of all the benefits and opportunities that followed with membership. I knew it was something I wanted from the beginning” Payne said.
In the fall of 2009, Payne, a grandmother of two with a third on the way, began her trek as an undeclared major, working towards a general studies degree. A mere six months later she had accrued a 4.0 and was routinely attending PTK meetings.
Upon her official induction on April 23, 2010, Payne began preparing for the May elections in hopes of becoming an officer.
“I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew. Academics were more important and I needed to keep my GPA above a 3.5,” said Payne.
Payne won the position as West campus liaison in May and five weeks later was confronted by PTK officers with an offer for vice president after the position had yet to be filled.
“It was a big step but my chapter needed me and I wanted more responsibility to prove myself,” Payne said.
After just three semesters at Pima, Payne had finished the year as vice president all while keeping her GPA above a 3.5.
Upon completing a one-year fellowship, Payne ran in the 2011 elections, being majority elected to president.
Today, Payne is a mere nine credits away from completing a double associate degree in liberal arts and is currently running for International Vice President of Division 4; a seat that would watch over 284 chapters, nearly the entire West Coast including Alaska and the Virgin Islands.
The elections are held in Nashville, Tenn. in front of nearly 6,000 members.
Payne will be interviewed by a caucus including the executive director all while streaming through YouTube.
“I’m not worried about meeting the higher ranking officers. It’s mostly the thousands of people I have to convince in three minutes,” Payne said.
Most believe PTK is for outstanding students with too much free time. Payne disagrees and believes anyone can get to a similar status by simply wanting to.
“I want students to look at me and see that anyone can do it. No matter where you come from or where you want to go, people can change their future,” said Payne.
Aside from presidential duties, Payne volunteers at local events and new happenings at Pima. The most impressive being ‘Market on the Move’: a food service that allows people to give $10 for 60 pounds of fruit and vegetables.
Why such motivation toward PTK?
“My dream was to come here and contribute while supporting my family,” Payne said. “The life I wanted was only possible if I worked hard and stayed focused.PTK helped me obtain my goals.”
On any given day, Payne has turned down offers from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Columbia and Cornell. Her new focus is to become a surgeon.
The University of Arizona has already offered Payne a two-year scholarship as a pre-med student.
“I don’t know if I want to be a nurse or a doctor,” she said. “My optician said I have great vision so who knows, add that to my steady hands and perhaps I’ll be a surgeon one day.”
Market to raise funds for kids
By CELESTE ORENDAIN
Phi Theta Kappa will run a Market on the Move event the first Saturday of every month.
They will have up to 60 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables for a $10 donation.
Markets on the Move has become a big organization that helps children in Arizona.
The 3000 Club is a group of small business owners, volunteers and organizations that help rescue about 30 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.
This year PCC has joined the cause and their first event is going to be held at 8 a.m. – noon. The first market will be held Saturday, April 7.
The club helps save food and prevent children’s hunger in Tucson and other places.
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