EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS-ft^NEWS Volume XU, Issue 3 Monterey Park, California September 26,1985 Bal esteros baffled by administration BY SEAN VAN LEEUWEN When asked if he thought this was the case Ballesteros said that Actions taken by the administration Alderete had not been enthused about this week have left Dean of Student the proposals submitted by the ASO. Services Ernesto Ballestetos unsure of He also said Jim Chavez's placement in his status in the adminislration. the Student Center was a demonstration According to Ballesteros it started on of Alderete's disregard for the ASO's Thursday when student center assistant, proposals, since Ballesteros had been Les Perry's ( Perry is out on sick leave) given control of the Student Center. office was cleared out and volunteer Ballesteros said "I get the feeling that I worker Jim Chavez was moved into his was stirring up too much student's office. unrest. I see my position as making Ballesteros said he asked Acting them aware of the student's financial Vice-President of Administration Frank resources." Students were led to believe Alderete why Chavez had occupied that they had no money." He also said Perry's office and Alderete said that "he that he wanted ASO to take a more (Chavez) had every right to do it." "assertive"role but that many students Friday moming, Ballesteros cleared he talked to felt intimadated by the Chavez's things out of the office and administation. told Chavez he could no longer use the Ballesteros also said that before he office, Chavez responded by pointing to came Ihe aditude towards the students in the Administration Building and saying ASO " is that they were children and that they had assigned him that office. that the advisors job was to babysit Chavez has been unavailable for them. " I feel that they're college comments. students and they are adults and should The same day while Ballesteros was be treated that way". at lunch his secretary was reassigned to On Monday ASO President Linda another office. That afternoon Escajeda met with Avila, V.P. Don Ballesteros went to Alderete's office to Saguchi and Alverette and gave Avila a ask why his secretary had been taken signed letter from the ASO Board of ACCUSATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS- The In addition to President Avila representatives of many other from him. Alderete said it was because Directors who ununamously voted to impromtu debate between spectators and President Avila carrpuses and cx>mniunity organizations spoi<e. he had not been in his office when he endorse Ballesteros as their advisor and was the highlight of the 'Save Elac Rally' last Monday. Photo by Henry Yue came to talk to him. President Avila Dean of Students. later joined them in Alderete's office and At the meeting Escajeda asked Avila reiterated Alderete's position on the point blank if he planned to replace matter. According to Ballesteros his Ballesteros and AvUa said that theres a Save Elac Rally attracts students, secretary did not request a transfer "proper procedure" for everything and Some people.including Ballesteros that he didn't know at that time what feel that the admisnistration is unhappy Ballestero's status was. Ballestesteros with Ballesteros because of the high faces Avila with impromptu debate concluded, "I don't ^ow whats going profile that the Associated Student on." "I've been on this campus for 10 BY HECTOR CASTRO called for an external audit of the DeLa Cruz. Saying that Elac had Elac wu not emphuizing the positive Organization has taken since Ballesteros years, I've always served this coUege in The Save Elac rally sponsored by the LACCD. Suting tiiat there was no helped out tiie UFW when they needed upecU of the school to potential has been advisor. it's best intest. ASO and supported by many reason for a deficit in the system in, DeLa Cruz said, "...now we have StudenU. Avila answered saying there community orginizations went off Sanchez said "We should not have to come back to help you." while UFW was a recruitment program whick smoothly Monday night to a crowd pay for our education." flags were held up behind him. empahisized the positive. However, Low enrollment, estimated at about 300 students, faculty Antonio Rodriguez, an attoray with Many of the speakers called on this caused one faculty member to aak and community members. According the Los Angeles Center for Law and StudenU to vote in order to initiate "How can you ask studenu to come to to a newsletter sent out by organizers Justice, started the crowd cheering as change. One speaker who expressed a college that's cutting iU clusesr to budget deficiency of the rally, the rally was a response to well when he began his speech by this y^as Dave Fisher, an instructor here which the crowd shouted iU agreement. major cut-backs in the Los Angeles asking "Are we going to let at Elfec and a member of the academic Avila said studenU could come to Elac BY ELYSHIA JOHNSON in 1981 through 1984," Lucero said; Community College District. The EHiekmejiin take Elac away?" to which senate, who said "Since young people and take the classes offered A decline in this fall's registration and she believes the sutiitics will be newsletter states "...it now appears one the crowd responded by shouting back don't vote, Duekmejian doesn't have to Someone in the crowd then uked has caused a budget deficiency which is less next year meaning a slim budget or two schools may actually have to be "No." 'If Elac had not been in pay attention to them." The highlight Avila why he was cutting cluses. reducing classes, supplies and for Elac. closed dovra after next semester." existence, I would not have gone to of the rally, however, was President Avila appeared to get defensive uying, employmenL college." said Rodriguez. A statement Art Avila's impromptu question and "I'm not cutting cluses. I don't have Vice-President of Academic Affain The rally began with Alicia Sandoval, expressed by many of the speaken at answer session. control of it" Ignoring the questions Donald Saguchi says, there is a a part-time instructor at Elac and one Monday night's rally. Cutting the Avila began his speech on an upbeat still being asked Avila then quickly According to Public Information possiblity that Liberal Ait classes may of the organizers of the rally, cluses and the budget of the campus note saying, "This school doesn't need introduced the next sspeaker. Officer for the district, Diane Lucero, be reduced as well as supplies for those introducing Linda Escajeda, president of was "sending a message of saving. We're still operating." Other speakers at the rally represented early registration and not enough and other classes, due to the budget cut. ASO. Escajeda called on studenU to financial aid publicity may be the prime encourage petitions and expressed her hopelessness" to the community, said Touching on the subject of the $50 groups ranging from the faculty here at factors for the decline, which has Fifty-three employees, district-wide hope that the rally would make Rodriguez. "We gotU tum that tuition Avila said that "Our only hope Elac to the National Orgaanization for k>wered the budget. have been laid off and there will be a everyone aware of Ihe budget cuU. around." he said. is that it will fade away along with tht Women. parking fee for classified employees as a Among the speakers at the rally were Scheduled to speak at the rally was present incumbent in Sacramento." Afler the rally, coordinators were aasked how they thought tbe rally wenL Lucero said, "The percenUge of result of the low budget; and various two representatives of the Mexican Assemblyman Richard Alatorre. Avila had just reiterated that Elac will Escajeda said "I'm impressed." adding enrolled students decides the amount of district properties are being sold, American Political Association, However, Alatorre never showed up. not close iu doors when some of the that she thought rally reinforced a money given to the college from the according to Lucero. Geronimo Ortega and Virginia Reade. Instead, unannounced speaker Renny people in the crowd began shouting out questions. conunitment to education. She also tUte." "Elac has a recruitment program where Reade spoke only long enough to Mcndez-Martin, one of the coordinators. introduce Ortega whose speech, in bf the rally and president of the United Sandoval then approached the said she wu disappointed that .Alatorre From 1981 through 1985 registration the counselors visit high schools in the which he stated that the main issue Hispanic College Fund, called on the microphone and uked Avila about the did not show up particulariy u she had has been dropping rapidly. area and explain the courses the college involved was "incarceration versus •ssemblymans' aide to explain why rumor that some campuses may be sold checked with his office earlier in the day has to offer, Lucero said," However, no to confirm his presence at the rally. education", was greeted mostly with Alatorre had not shown up. The aide by tiie district to pay off iu $5 million "This fall 91,000 studenU registered, additional plans have been made u far Escajeda's oommenu were reflected by laughter. Ortega responded by saying it said that Alatorre had meant to t>e at the loan and about the 350 classes to be 44,000 less with those who registered as recruiting students for Elac." most of UK organizers behind the rally was sad to see so few studenU present rally and as evidence ofthis he held out cut.