Duke Drama Director Ball Accused of Slander in Suit University Begins

THE CHRONICLE FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1990 © DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA CIRCULATION: 15,000 VOL. 85, NO. 76 Duke Drama director Ball accused of slander in suit By MATT SCLAFANI peated phone calls. Duke Drama Director David Neither Kumin or his attorney Ball is being sued for slander by were available for comment. a former instructor in the drama Kumin left the University be department. cause of "serious professional In a suit filed in Durham and ethical disagreements with County Superior Court on Dec. 4, the philosophy and activities of Ronald Kumin alleges that Ball David Ball," the suit states. lied to several individuals about Kumin's suit alleges that Ball Kumin, damaging his reputation. told a number of individuals that The University is named as a co- Kumin was fired "for un defendant in the suit. authorized activities and misap Kumin was an instructor in propriation of funds" including the drama department, where he breaking into the desk of a taught business management drama department employee and and promotion of dramatic arts, stealing her artwork. until September. The suit characterizes Ball as Kumin was also director of the "rude, furious and hysterical" in Broadway Preview series, which a conversation with the propri promotes plays and musicals at etor of a local typesetting com the University before they ap pany that was preparing adver pear on Broadway. Kumin was tisements for "The Merry Wives responsible for bringing a num of Windsor, Texas," a play that ber of notable productions to the appeared at the University in University including December. Kumin was responsi "Metamorphosis" with Mikhail ble for organizing the advertising Baryshnikov and, more recently, for the production. "The Circle." The suit alleges that Ball International circulation Ball had no comment on the called a local printing company The Chronicle hits a Nairobi newstand overwinter break. suit and referred questions to his to find out if they were printing attorney who did not answer re See LAWSUIT on page 4 ^ University begins switch Trinity freshman dies of chest tumor from styrofoam products From staff reports demic team. dent in 1989. A Trinity freshman died dur The Exchange Club of the Kollmer had yet to declare a ing Christmas vacation as a Northern Palm Beaches chose major but his father said he was By HEATHER HEIMAN ucts are burned, said Ram result of an undiagnosed tumor Kollmer as the outstanding stu- considering a business career. In a conservationist effort, Oren, assistant professor in in his chest. Duke University Food Ser the School of Forestry and En Ryan Kollmer died on Jan. 4 at vices (DUFS) is eliminating vironmental Studies. his home in Juno Beach, Florida. styrofoam products such as Styrofoam also occupies When he returned home from Gorbachev warns Soviet plates, bowls, and burger more space in landfills than school, his neck was swollen. He boxes from all campus food es paper does, said Amy Naylor, was diagnosed as having thy tablishments. member of the Environmen roiditis and placed on medica republic against secession The transition from the tally Concerned Organization tion, according to his Hanes non-biodegradable styrofoam of Students (ECOS) and a House roommate Scott Bradfield, to biodegradable paper prod Trinity junior. Another bene a Trinity freshman. By ESTHER FEIN ucts should be complete in fit of the conversion is that The condition never caused N.Y. Times News Service Union," he told workers at a fac less than 60 days, according to "there's also an option of recy Kollmer any pain and it was not VILNIUS, U.S.S.R. — Presi tory on Wednesday, according to Barry Scerbo, DUFS director. cling the paper," she said. She discovered until after he died dent* Mikhail Gorbachev im an account published Thursday Styrofoam production said she is happy with the that he actually had a tumor in plored Lithuanians Thursday to night in the government newspa per Izvestia. results in the emission of chlo- decision. his upper chest. remain within the Soviet Union, roflourocarbons, chemicals All waste from campus food A neighbor sighted Kollmer warning that secession would Thursday afternoon, a quarter which may destroy the ozone establishments is currently lying in a yard across from his mean economic calamity for this of a million of the republic's 3.5 layer. In addition, the inciner dumped in landfills, said parents' house holding a portable tiny republic, while weakening million people jammed into Ca ation of styrofoam releases Regis Koslofsky, assistant di phone in his hands. Paramedics Soviet security and endangering thedral Square here to hear na pollutants which are more dif rector for Facilities, Planning arrived on the scene at about his own position and program. tionalist and local Communist ficult to control than those and Management. 12:30 p.m. But Yuri Maslyukov, a fellow party leaders reaffirm calls for a reconstituted independent Lithu produced when paper prod See STYROFOAM on page 4 • He is survived by his parents, Politburo member who joined Bill and Marianne Kollmer of Gorbachev as he started a three- ania as they brushed aside the Juno Beach, Fl. Bill Kollmer is day mission to stem the tide of appeal for national unity that mayor of Juno Beach. separatism here, told factory Gorbachev had made earlier in a No funeral service was held, workers that Lithuanians have a series of remarkable encounters but there was a gathering of fam legal right to secede by popular with nationalist-minded people ily and friends last Saturday. referendum. on the streets of this Baltic city. While at the University, The statement, reprinted in See LITHUANIA on page 4 • Kollmer played the tenor saxo the national press, constituted phone in the marching band and the first explicit acknowledge alto saxophone in the jazz band. ment by a top Kremlin official He also played intramural soc that a republic has the right to Weather cer and was an intramural refer secede. Maslyukov, head of the ee. state planning commission, said, BlUStery day: Highs near He excelled at both activities "Our position is that leaving the 50 tomorrow. Enjoy it since in high school. Soviet Union is possible." most of you poor misguided people will spend hours wait CHAD HOOD /THE CHRONICLE Kollmer was first saxophone in "It is only natural that Lithua ing in the drop/add line for Students now eat their Rathskeller burritos off of paper the Palm Beach All-County Band nians have the right to decide their fate — to be within the So classes you probably won't get plates instead of styrofoam. and a first team member of The Palm Beach Post all-area all-aca viet Union or to leave the Soviet anyway. Have a nice day. PAGE 2 THE CHRONICLE FRIDAY, JANUARY 12,1990 World & National Newsfile Associated Press East Germany to form domestic security force Accidents linked to cocaine: A By FERDINAND PROTZMAN zens have a right to security and protec saying: "My administration has done study of 643 people killed in New York N.Y. Times News Service tion against political extremism, drug nothing and will do nothing that justifies City traffic accidents shows that 18.2 BONN, West Germany — The East dealing and terrorism," Modrow said. "To the criticism that it is endangering the percent had used cocaine within 48 German premier said Thursday that preserve this security, the necessary in process of democratization. We are ready hours of the accident. plans to create a new domestic security stitution must be formed." to talk." force would be carried out despite opposi He promised to maintain close contacts In a clear attempt to ease opposition MiSt machines Shut dOWn: Su tion parties' threats to walk out of round- with the political opposition at the weekly fears, he said for the first time that he permarkets around the nation table talks intended to pave the way for talks and to guarantee strict controls for might accept opposition members in his Thursday shut down mist machines multiparty democracy. the new police organization, but gave no government. designed to keep fruits and vegetables But the premier, Hans Modrow, tried to details of its organization, staffing or "We are waiting for proposals on how looking fresh after one such device was calm the storm by offering opposition scope of operations. competent members of the opposition linked to a Legionnaires' disease out groups a role in his communist-led coali Modrow, whose popularity and reputa could take part in government directly break in New Orleans that killed two tion government for the first time. tion as a reformer have been hurt by the and responsibility," Modrow said. people. Some opposition groups immediately plan, rejected the opposition's criticism, See SECURITY FORCE on page 5 • rejected the offer, saying they have little Right-tO-liferS tone dOWn: Anti- to gain and much to lose by taking part abortion groups intend to project a ahead of the general elections scheduled more moderate image this year as they for May 6. U.S. criticizes German decision lobby state legislatures in the after But it appears to have bought time for math of the Supreme Court's Webster Modrow, who also faced a revolt over the By BARRY SCHWEID tees the force will be disarmed and assur decision. But they will face re-ener police issue from three minority parties Associated Press ances former agents will not have a part gized opposition, not just from pro- within the governing five-party coalition. WASHINGTON — A decision by the in a new agency. choice groups but from their own "While I disagree with much of what he East German Communist Party to set up In a speech to the national parliament, movement's hard-liners.

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