PCC’s new triage teletherapy: ‘You don’t need to be in crisis’

Share: Amid PCC’s coronavirus closure, the Personal Counseling department has shifted gears to help students cope through triage teletherapy appointments until the campus reopens. During normal times, students may access the department’s in-person therapy sessions up to eight times during the regular term and six during intersession.  “These telephone triage appointments don’t count towards people’s session limits,” said Jason Vasquez, a counseling psychologist for the department in a zoom call. “We know that people need extra support right now. So that’s why we wanted to …

COVID-19 campus closure cancels clubs

Share: Since PCC’s campus closure, its usually crowded classrooms and packed hallways are now reminiscent of a ghost town. The rooms where club officials used to meet in droves to discuss the exciting events they had planned for the semester are empty. Students who were once able to participate in extracurricular clubs on campus are now left to entertain themselves in their homes, far from the hustle and bustle that once existed.  Follow:

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 …

Work study students still have a paycheck

Share: Pasadena City College has received permission to pay Federal Work Study (FWS) students who work on campus, even while the campus is closed to prevent further transmission of COVID-19. In addition, 8,000 PCC students will have their Pell Grants and all other financial aid funds available by March 27, according to Mathematics, Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) and More Math and Science (MAS2 ) representatives.  Financial Aid payments have also been moved up. According to Alex Boekelheide, special assistant to the superintendent/president, the second wave …

Students face tough transition to online learning

Share: During the first week of campus closure, computer science student Richard Sequeira was facing difficulty meeting his deadline for an assignment. He was occupied getting groceries to prep for the period of self-isolation, which already took two days of the entire week of school. Some of his professors were not accommodating with deadlines at this period, and he had to explain to them that students, like professors, need time to prepare for self-isolation and remote instruction. What Sequeira experienced, however, is merely one of …

The financial impact of campus closure

Share: The extent to which Pasadena City College will be impacted financially due to the recent campus closure is unknown. However, the Chancellor’s Office has said that funding for PCC this academic year will not be impacted if enrollment drops, according to Alex Boekelheide, a PCC spokesperson. PCC, like many other college campuses, has been working to transition to online operations, while endeavoring to ensure continued success for students and faculty employment.  Amidst the changes being seen day to day, there remains the unseen: the …