Western Carolinian Volume 40 Number 18 |
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VOICE Ol THK STIIUMS VOL. XL NO. 18 THURSDAY OCTOBER 31, 1974 WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY CULLOWHEE, NORTH CAROLINA $600,000 suit being filed by 3 ex-Englishh professors against WCU trustees, Dooley All the problems of being in college showed on the face of this unidentified student yesterday as she prepared for mid-term exams. (Steve Cook photo) Hot air bag demo set at Scott today This summer Western Carolina University purchased a- $5,500 hot air bag. Commercially calleda "LifePack," the bag is to serve as a fire escape for the high-rise dormitories on campus. The new device will be dem= onstrated today at Scott Hall at 4 p.m. The bag is an inflatable rectangle of nylon measuring 20 feet by 24 feet and standing, when fully inflated, nine feet high. According to the iranufact- urer, the bag will sustain 350 pounds of tension per inch of width, which translates into something like a hefty person jumping onto it from a 12-story building. Easily transportable, the bag can be set up quickly and once two small capacity fans are turned on, it inflates within 40 seconds. The Life Pack is designed to save the lives of people who find themselves trapped by a fire many floors up and left with no alternative but to jump. According to Dr. Glenn Stillion, vice chancellor for student development, the bag will be demonstrated tomorrow to show students how the bag works in case it should be needed. Currently, there is no fire- fighting equipment such as ladders that can reach the upper stories of the high-rises. A juniper's body is completely cradled by the air bag so that the impact is without an abrupt stop or even a bounce. by Sager A. Williams United States Marshals have begun serving summonses in a combined $600,000 civil suit filed by three former WCU English professors against members of the University Board of Trustees and James Eā Dooley, acting Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences here. Allan D. Grant, James E. Kasprzak and D. Newton Smith, plantiffs in the action, charge that "Defendant trustees,..have deprived plaintiff of rights, privileges and immunities se- cured...by the laws and by the Constitution of the United States. The actions of defendant trustees...were arbitrary and without legal cause." Filed in United States District Court ā Asheville, the suits askaminimumof$200,000 in special and general damages for each professor. Attorney Clyde C. Randolph, Jr. of Winston-Salem is representing the three professors. In the suit, Grant, Kasprzak and Smith allege that they were denied permanent employment because of their "active role in the affairs of the American Association of University Professors and the American Feder ation of Teachers (AFL-CIO)." Denying employment for union activities is against Federal Law. Last January, all three professors learned that over the Christmas holidays their departmental recommendation for full tenure had been reversed by Dooley and Vice Chancellor for Academics J. Stuart Wilson. They were not allowed to appear before the executive committee of the School of Arts and Sciences to appeal the tenure denial, nor were they told at that time how they might appeal. Then, in a bizarre turn of events, the trustees termination notices were delivered to the waiting professors by a campus security policeman. Grant and the others had originally been given permission to speak on their own behalf before the trustees, but this was rescinded the day of the meeting. At about the same time, over 2200 students signed a petition supporting Grant's efforts to gain a reversal ofthe decisions. Earlier, the WCU student senate had unanimously adopted a resolution calling for Grant, Kasprzak and Smith to recieve tenure. Meanwhile.the AFT ended rumors of a possible strike and boycott, but steadfastly suppor ted the English department's original recommendation of tenure for the three professors. The AFT statement charged Vice Chancellor Wilson with "professional bankruptcy," and termed the delay in setting up an appeals procedure "unconscionable." On February 27, then acting Chancellor Frank Brown, in a bombshell announcement, told the faculty senate the whole tenure granting procedure in use at that time was illegal because the UNC Board of Governors had not approved it. Brown said the university would have to revert to the old guidelines used in 1972. A week later, the AFT announced it was hiring an attorney. Calling Brown's statement a "mind-boggier," the union said that instead of admitting the tenure procedure was illegal all along, the University hid this fact until all tenure decisions were final. Finally, an appeals process was announced, and at the end of March a special fact-finding committee of the Board of Trustees heard the appeals of Grant, Kasprzak and Smith along with those of five other professors denied tenure. "All of the evidence heard CONTINUED Page 3 . . . . Students could see private files Educational organizations and college administrators are making an eleventh hour attempt to halt a new federal law that will force adminis- trators to allow students to see their confidential school records. The new law, an amendment to the Education Act of 1965 sponsored by U. S. Sen. James L. Buckley (C/R-N.Y.), is scheduled to be implemented on November 19. It will allow college students to inspect their personal files including high school and college personal recommendations. For students who ha vent reached 18, the same rights are transferred to their parents. Students may also request a hearing to challenge the contents of the records and request deletion of "inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate data." WCU attorney William Scott said yesterday the University had not yet established any guidelines for allowing students to see their files. Scott said he was waiting for a decision by officials of the University of North Carolina system, of which WCU is a member, on the procedure that would be adopted. College and university administrators are currently urging Congress to delay implementation for one year while they establish procedures for handling student requests. When Congress reconvenes on November 18, it will have one day to amend the law, which was signed by President Ford. Many college administrators fear the "very sweeping lang uage" of the provision and feel it "could create serious problems" with the confidential recommendations gathered for college admissions and job placement. Barring a dramatic reversal or delay of the bill on Nov. 19, which seems unlikely, colleges will technically have to begin processing student requests to examine their files. Under the current guidelines, schools have 45 days to comply with the student's request for information, and there is a chance that a change in the law could occur during that time. Buckley plans to introduce amendments to the bill on November 18 or 19 to clarify parts of the bill that are causing administrators the most worries. Buckley's amendments will seek to exempt from "full dis closure" confidential materials that went into the record earlier than 30 days after the enactment of the law (August 21, 1974). The amendment will relieve administrators somewhat by allowing a student to "waive his right of access to specific statements," like letters of recommendation, according to a Buckley aide. Educators are fearing that without such a clause the privacy of those who write letters of recommendation would be violated and that in the future such letters would be difficult to obtain. Under the Buckley amendment, the material that institutions should make available to the students (failure to comply could be penalized by withdrawal of federal aid) includes but is not limited to "identifying data, academic work CONTINUED Page 9 .. . .
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Title | Western Carolinian Volume 40 Number 18 |
Transcription | VOICE Ol THK STIIUMS VOL. XL NO. 18 THURSDAY OCTOBER 31, 1974 WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY CULLOWHEE, NORTH CAROLINA $600,000 suit being filed by 3 ex-Englishh professors against WCU trustees, Dooley All the problems of being in college showed on the face of this unidentified student yesterday as she prepared for mid-term exams. (Steve Cook photo) Hot air bag demo set at Scott today This summer Western Carolina University purchased a- $5,500 hot air bag. Commercially calleda "LifePack," the bag is to serve as a fire escape for the high-rise dormitories on campus. The new device will be dem= onstrated today at Scott Hall at 4 p.m. The bag is an inflatable rectangle of nylon measuring 20 feet by 24 feet and standing, when fully inflated, nine feet high. According to the iranufact- urer, the bag will sustain 350 pounds of tension per inch of width, which translates into something like a hefty person jumping onto it from a 12-story building. Easily transportable, the bag can be set up quickly and once two small capacity fans are turned on, it inflates within 40 seconds. The Life Pack is designed to save the lives of people who find themselves trapped by a fire many floors up and left with no alternative but to jump. According to Dr. Glenn Stillion, vice chancellor for student development, the bag will be demonstrated tomorrow to show students how the bag works in case it should be needed. Currently, there is no fire- fighting equipment such as ladders that can reach the upper stories of the high-rises. A juniper's body is completely cradled by the air bag so that the impact is without an abrupt stop or even a bounce. by Sager A. Williams United States Marshals have begun serving summonses in a combined $600,000 civil suit filed by three former WCU English professors against members of the University Board of Trustees and James Eā Dooley, acting Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences here. Allan D. Grant, James E. Kasprzak and D. Newton Smith, plantiffs in the action, charge that "Defendant trustees,..have deprived plaintiff of rights, privileges and immunities se- cured...by the laws and by the Constitution of the United States. The actions of defendant trustees...were arbitrary and without legal cause." Filed in United States District Court ā Asheville, the suits askaminimumof$200,000 in special and general damages for each professor. Attorney Clyde C. Randolph, Jr. of Winston-Salem is representing the three professors. In the suit, Grant, Kasprzak and Smith allege that they were denied permanent employment because of their "active role in the affairs of the American Association of University Professors and the American Feder ation of Teachers (AFL-CIO)." Denying employment for union activities is against Federal Law. Last January, all three professors learned that over the Christmas holidays their departmental recommendation for full tenure had been reversed by Dooley and Vice Chancellor for Academics J. Stuart Wilson. They were not allowed to appear before the executive committee of the School of Arts and Sciences to appeal the tenure denial, nor were they told at that time how they might appeal. Then, in a bizarre turn of events, the trustees termination notices were delivered to the waiting professors by a campus security policeman. Grant and the others had originally been given permission to speak on their own behalf before the trustees, but this was rescinded the day of the meeting. At about the same time, over 2200 students signed a petition supporting Grant's efforts to gain a reversal ofthe decisions. Earlier, the WCU student senate had unanimously adopted a resolution calling for Grant, Kasprzak and Smith to recieve tenure. Meanwhile.the AFT ended rumors of a possible strike and boycott, but steadfastly suppor ted the English department's original recommendation of tenure for the three professors. The AFT statement charged Vice Chancellor Wilson with "professional bankruptcy," and termed the delay in setting up an appeals procedure "unconscionable." On February 27, then acting Chancellor Frank Brown, in a bombshell announcement, told the faculty senate the whole tenure granting procedure in use at that time was illegal because the UNC Board of Governors had not approved it. Brown said the university would have to revert to the old guidelines used in 1972. A week later, the AFT announced it was hiring an attorney. Calling Brown's statement a "mind-boggier," the union said that instead of admitting the tenure procedure was illegal all along, the University hid this fact until all tenure decisions were final. Finally, an appeals process was announced, and at the end of March a special fact-finding committee of the Board of Trustees heard the appeals of Grant, Kasprzak and Smith along with those of five other professors denied tenure. "All of the evidence heard CONTINUED Page 3 . . . . Students could see private files Educational organizations and college administrators are making an eleventh hour attempt to halt a new federal law that will force adminis- trators to allow students to see their confidential school records. The new law, an amendment to the Education Act of 1965 sponsored by U. S. Sen. James L. Buckley (C/R-N.Y.), is scheduled to be implemented on November 19. It will allow college students to inspect their personal files including high school and college personal recommendations. For students who ha vent reached 18, the same rights are transferred to their parents. Students may also request a hearing to challenge the contents of the records and request deletion of "inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate data." WCU attorney William Scott said yesterday the University had not yet established any guidelines for allowing students to see their files. Scott said he was waiting for a decision by officials of the University of North Carolina system, of which WCU is a member, on the procedure that would be adopted. College and university administrators are currently urging Congress to delay implementation for one year while they establish procedures for handling student requests. When Congress reconvenes on November 18, it will have one day to amend the law, which was signed by President Ford. Many college administrators fear the "very sweeping lang uage" of the provision and feel it "could create serious problems" with the confidential recommendations gathered for college admissions and job placement. Barring a dramatic reversal or delay of the bill on Nov. 19, which seems unlikely, colleges will technically have to begin processing student requests to examine their files. Under the current guidelines, schools have 45 days to comply with the student's request for information, and there is a chance that a change in the law could occur during that time. Buckley plans to introduce amendments to the bill on November 18 or 19 to clarify parts of the bill that are causing administrators the most worries. Buckley's amendments will seek to exempt from "full dis closure" confidential materials that went into the record earlier than 30 days after the enactment of the law (August 21, 1974). The amendment will relieve administrators somewhat by allowing a student to "waive his right of access to specific statements," like letters of recommendation, according to a Buckley aide. Educators are fearing that without such a clause the privacy of those who write letters of recommendation would be violated and that in the future such letters would be difficult to obtain. Under the Buckley amendment, the material that institutions should make available to the students (failure to comply could be penalized by withdrawal of federal aid) includes but is not limited to "identifying data, academic work CONTINUED Page 9 .. . . |
Inventory Number | HL_WesternCarolinian_1974-10-31_Vol40_No18_01 |
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