Campus News
chaffeybreeze.com | Sept. 7, 2010
Auto tech students protest axed classes They take grievances to Rancho City Council Virginia Lucero
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everal students marched in protest to the office of Sid Burke, Dean of Business and Applied Technology, on May 17 in an effort to have their Automotive Collision Repair classes reinstated for the 2010 fall semester. Leading them was student Donovan Caver. The purpose of the protest seemed to turn against them when Dean Burke could not give them any answers to their questions about the classes being cut at that time. The discontinued classes would make it impossible for the students to finish the vocational program they had hoped would qualify them to acquire employment. For some students this class was the only class they needed to complete their vocational certificate.
“This was a waste of time,” said Isaac Rojas in regard to all the classes he had taken and not being able to finish and receive his certificate. The students left Burke’s office disheartened, some showing the strain on their faces. Caver did not give up, but continued to pursue his goal of getting the classes reinstated. Before the students went to talk to Burke, Caver had circulated a petition with 189 signatures of students to bring attention to their plight. The petition was sent to Burke, Student Council and Dr. Shannon, but no one responded to their petition. “When I bought my book they said it was good for four years and now the class is cut,” said Preston Pierre. After failing to get the attention of the college, Caver stepped it up and decided to go to the Rancho Cucamonga City Coun-
Carlos Acosta
Student Donavan Caver shows Rancho Cucamonga City Council and Mayor Don Kurth copies of The Breeze at the May 19 meeting.
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cil meeting on May 19 in hope of finding some help for the other students and him. In a calm demeanor, Caver presented the students’ situation before Mayor Don Kurth, the city council members and the audience that was gathered that night. He had taken several copies of The Breeze, to give to Mayor Kurth and each council member, because he wanted them to read an article which appeared in the May 3 edition about the cutbacks to the program. In the foyer, just outside the main city council chambers, some members of the audience and city government officials approached Caver to encourage him and ask him questions. The city council meeting went on until after 10 p.m. The monthly meeting is also televised on a local cable station. Shortly after Caver’s appearance at the city council meeting, he received a personal telephone call from Burke letting him know that the classes had been reinstated. The other students were individually called by Burke’s office with the same message. The outcome of the students’ fight for their classes seems to have had a successful ending. However, at the beginning of this semester when the students returned they were confronted with some facility changes which had a negative effect on the students’ ability to have access to the classroom space, tools, and equipment needed for the classes. The details of the students’ ongoing struggle will be continued in the next edition of The Breeze.
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Virginia Lucero
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Auto students march on Dean Sid Burke’s office May 17.