Sex Discrimination Suit at Mid-Wf

- Lternatives: J Geils Band, 'Brideshead,' Leary Lecture, and More.... SexDecision Discrimination Col Haste Suit at Mid-Wf ly qw Decision Coul Iave Far-ReachingEffects By Craig Schneider The State University of New York-the largest university system in the world-has placed Stony Brook as the focal point in one of the biggest sex discrimination suits in history. The suit, which involves 29 professional women, has taken six years of data gathering, legal maneuvering and sorrying to finally bring it to court. Yesterday's proceedings marked the midpoint of what is hoped to be a two week trial. The women have charged the university with sex discrimination involving the hiring of women, inade- quate salary distribution for them, tenure problems and other unfair conditions. The university, which is being defended by Lillian Cohen, claims it has taken sufficient actions to insure equality. Judge George Pratt will decide who is right. The class making the complaint is defined as "female professional employees of the university," including librarians and administrators, as well as members of the faculty. Also, because this case deal with such a widespread controversy, untold numbers of women's futures are at stake. "The administration has violated principles of jus- tice and equality," said Rose Cosar, professor of sociol- ogy and community medicine. "And they should be held responsible for it." The culmination of the trial, which is being heard at Sone of the litigants who are charging the Federal District Court in Uniondale, arises out of that the university discriminates on the basis of sex when hiring and promoting. many events. In October 1973, an investigation by an dollars to defend the university - including an extra ing; and Ruth Miller, the only full time female equal opportunity committee showed wage and $75,000 allotment granted by theLegislature in 1978. professor in the english department. employment disparities between men and women We have been tithing ourselves for six years." Miller's personal testimony yesterday (paraphrased employed at Stony Brook. Their report discovered that The plaintiffs are being defended by Judith Vla- below) deemed a microcosm of the entire issue of sex white men dominated both the higher ranks and deck, a specialist in labor law. According to Vladeck, it discrimination. Though speaking only for the English higher salaries. is not necessary to prove that discrimination is deliber- Department, Miller exposed both unfair examples of By January 1974, due to the urging of the faculty, ate. "Even if their policies appear to be neutral and fair salary allotment: then University President John Toll appointed a on the face, the way they've been applied has resulted Attorney: Isit true that you are paid less than your Salary Equity Task Force to study male and female in discrimination," she said. colleagues, even though you are of equal rating? wage differentials. The task force's results reported Some of the plaintiffs involved in the suit are Ruth Miller: Absolutely. massive differences between the salaries of men and Cowen, associate professor of history and currently a and illegal hiring and promotion practices; women, even though they held the same position and Phi Beta scholar; Estelle James, professor of econom- Attorntey: Please explain the procedurefor the selec- rank. In a controversial decision, Toll decided that only ics and currently in residence at the Woodrow Wilson tion of top level posts. eight women's salaries would be adjusted. In Center; Rose Zimbardo, associate professor of english Miller: Many times, even though the selection should December, after numerous tries to appeal this deci- and winner of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence have gone through committees and other e-raluations, sion, the women employed a lawyer. in teaching; Ora James Bouey, assistant professor of peopleuwere selected simply because they knelt someone. "We have had considerable trouble financing this nursing (on the line for her professorship) and recip- In addition, Miller also spoke out on a more action," said Cosar, "while the state has used our tax ient of the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in teach- (continued on page4) Castro Endorses Latin America Pealce The leader of Nicaragua's leftist Mexico City (AP) -Fidel Castro has peace initiative outline yesterday by to what Lopez Portillo has called the junts, Daniel Ortega, has also plan for Cen- Lopez Portillo in Managua, Nicaragua. "real possibility" of U.S.-Cuban talks, endorse endorsed a Mexican peace Lopez tral America that calls for talks It called for a negotiated settlement of Castro offered to participate in the Portillo's proposed non- agressions pact. between Cuba and the United States. El Salvador's civil war, a non- peace plan if the United States 4prom- But heset a condition-thattheReagan aggression pact between the United ises not to assault its neighbors, if it White House Administration stop what he called States and Nicaragua, and U.S.-Cuban stops its continuous threats, if it stops spokesman Larry "continuous threats" against its talks to cool mutual hostility. using its arms and money to support Speakes said Monday in Washington neighbors. genocidal regimes, and if it stops its sub- that the Regan administration would Castro was responding to a three-part Although Castro did not refer directly versive activities." study Lopez Portillo's plan. -lVews Diyest United States and that the United States has spent letter dispatched yesterday afternoon. -International money for various sabotage acts in Iran," speaker Among the signers were Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., Hojatoleslam ali-Akbar Rafsanjani told an open ses- the chairman, and Sen. Walter Huddleston, D-Ky., Moscow - Draftees were hailed as patriots and the sion of Parliament. panel's ranking Democrat. builders of a "new society" in a blaze of publicity yes- "Under the emergency program, you are authorized terday marking the Soviet Union's armed forces day. to make and guarantee loans to farmers who are Pravda, the Communist Party newspaper, and other -VlN-R-onalt unable to obtain sufficient credit elsewhere due dailies gave front-page to eco- coverage to the role of Soviet nomic stresses," the senators wrote Block. troops in defending the country, stressing that "every- Washington, D.C.- Congressional investigators thing necessary" was being done to improve combat * * * readiness. said yesterday that commodities fraud has grown into a $200 million-a-year "floating crap game" that easily Fireworks lighted up frigid night skies over Moscow Washington, D.C. - President Reagan's economic eludes the federal agency responsible and other major cities in an annual observance for the for policing the program with its whopping budget deficit suffered estitmated 3.5 million members of the world's second industry. more battering yesterday in Congress. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investiga- largest standing military force, surpassed only by the Members of the Senate Finance Committee, which 4.3 million Chinese in uniform. tions heard testimony from investors who were duped overwhelmingly backed the president's tax cuts last out of their life savings and convicted In a long Pravda article yesterday Defense Minister swindlers who year, used an appearance by Treasury secretary Dmitri F. Ustinov declared "Fulfillment of this mil- practically overnight turned their knowledge of Wall Donald T. Regan to criticize the economic program. Street into fortunes. itary obligation...occupies a very responsible period in "There is a grave feeling that on the revenue side the life of practically every young man of our country. Sen. William V. Roth, Jr., (R-Del), the subcommittee tax policy we don't have our act together," said Sen. chairman, said thousands of Americans have been vic- This period is more important because in the course of John Heinz, R-Pa. it there is an especially intensive growth of the person- timized "by con artists operating under the guise of Regan said he and the president do not want to try to ality and formation and fixing of higher moral and legitimate commodity investment firms." balance the budget through tax increases or decreases Roth political qualities which are characterized for Soviet said the Commodity Futures Trading Commis- in defense spending. men - the builders and defenders of the new society." sion, with only 25 lawyers and 10 investigators to han- "I think the program will work," said Regan. "We dle alleged fraud, "has been no match for the * * * have to give the program at least a year to work." avalanche of schemes." A six-month investigation by London- America's allies have moved only hesit- his subcommittee said investors are losing at least * * * antly toward joining the United States in sanctions $200 million a year in phony trading in precious and against the Soviet Union and Poland because of the strategic metals, crude oil, coal and other imposition of martial law in Poland. Washington, D.C. - Medicare's kidney dialysis commodities. program has been overcharged The impact of most of the actions appears minor, millions of dollars * * * by hospitals and clinics,the although together they represent growing displeasure Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general charged at the Polish clampdown Dec. 13. In addition, a major Washington, D.C. - The Republican chairman of yesterday. deal with the Soviets to pipe gas to Western Europe the Senate Budget Committee declared yesterday that apparently is going ahead with the participation of Richard P. Kusserow also criticized the depart- President Ronald Reagan's big-deficit budget "threat- ment's proposed new reimbursement rates for kidney West Germany, France and Japan despite U.S. opposi- ens to crush any hope of economic recovery" and pro- tion. dialysis, saying they would be too generous for some posed an alternative that would trim Pentagon outlays profit-making clinics. The decision affects a small but still undetermined and boost some taxes.

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