Umass' Resident Assistants Unionize
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An Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award Winner • THE • Barry Manilow takes the Diver qualifies for NCA stage, Championships, Bl B8 Non-Profit Org. 250 Student Center • University of Delaware • Newark, DE 19716 U.S. Postage Paid Thesday & Friday Newark, DE Permit No. 26 FREE \'olumt• 128, Issue -tO www.n·,·iew.udel.edu Tucsda~. :\larch 19. 2002 ·clinton aide to discuss race UMass' BY AMIE VOITH Edley said his speech would be programs. Administrative New.<Editor relevant to people who expect to He said he helped Clinton Christopher Edley, special counsel live, work or lead lives in formulate his "Mend it, don't end it" to former President Bill Clinton, will resident communities with people different position in 1995, which effectively discuss his views on affirmative from themselves, which pertains to killed a threat in Congress at the action and racial injustice at the almost everyone in a diverse society. time to repeal Affirmative Action university's annual Louis Redding "If you are planning to live with programs. Diversity Lecture Thursday at 7 p.m. the white militia in the wilderness of Edley recently published "Not All assistants in 140 Smith Hall. Idaho, this won't be news you can Black & White: Affirmative Action, Using affirmative action as a use," be said. Race and American Values." • • central example, Edley will focus on Edley is currently an He said he is also proud of his its effects on a wide range of issues, administrative law professor at work during the Carter including law, social science, public UniOnize Harvard University, where he is the Administration in which he invented policy, values and politics. co-founder of the Civil Rights the Low Income Heating Energy BY AMY B. MIKELS "[The speech] is about the Project, a multi-disciplinary think Assistance Program and his key role Student Affairs Editor challenges we face today in view of tank. He said he hopes the project in a vast expansion of the Women, Resident Assistants at the University of the dramatic demographic changes will "provide new intellectual capital Infants and Children nutrition Massachusetts-Amherst recently voted to underway, together with the truly to fuel a rejuvenated racial justice program, which produced dramatic form a union, despite opposition from UMass' frightening social and economic movement." reductions in infant mortality. administration. divisions," he said. In 1999, Edley was appointed to a Edley's speech is sponsored by The UMass RAs are the first · "In part it is about appreciating six-year term on the United States the Commission to Promote Racial undergraduates in the country to unionize. the range of tools needed by Commission on Civil Rights. and Cultural Diversity and the TiiE REVIEW/Courtesy of University Public Relations UMass senior Emilie Williams 'said the advocates and leaders. It is about As Clinton's principal adviser on Center for Black Culture. It is also Christopher Edley plam to discuss afti.nnati.ve action RAs had several grievances toward the debating and defining the vision, or race issues, Edley led the review of part of the university's African in a world of changing demographics at the university present Resident Assistant system, which dreams, we ought to share." federal Affirmative Action Consciousness Celebration. as part of the Louis Redding Diversity Lecture series. many students feel does not pay well and is inconsistent in the number of hours an RA must work. UMass spokeswoman Kay Scalan said the university intends to pursue every legal option Natural Law Party at its disposal to reverse the decision made by the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission, which said the undergraduates could unionize. emphasizes peace, UMass administrator Javier Cevallos said the administration began an See editorial, anti-union campaign before AS the vote was passed. harmonious living "We have a relationship BY STACEY CARLOUGH theological." with our students that is different from our Senior News Editor The party was founded in 1992 employees," he said. "By students opting to Pop quiz: How many political by followers of Maharishi 1\itahesh join the union, it puts this relationship at panies exist today in America? Yogi, leader of the Transcendental risk." Yes, Virginia, there are more Meditation movement. Nuclear The RA's vote to unionize was passed 138 than two. The number of political physicist John Hagelin ran that to 88, Williams said. She said approximately parties that have fielded year for the presidency, and again 350 RAs work at UMasli, so she was surprised candidates for political office in in 1996 and 2000. by the low voting turnout. the United States is actually 35, Critics may dismiss some Cynthia Cummings, University of with dozens more waiting in the Natural Law ideas as nonsense, Delaware associate vice president for Campus grassroots, diligently working to but Mattson said concepts like Life, said UMass has challenges that break through the two-party holism and transcendental Delaware does not, which could make the RA gridlock. meditation have been proven job more difficult. • One such party is the Fairfield, scientifically to help solve The higher number of undergraduates and Iowa-based Natural Law Party, national problems, like the high-rise buildings are examples, she said. which rallies under the banner, country's ailing health care UMass junior Troy Lorusso said the ...: Bringing the Light of Science system. decision made by the commission was a fnto Politics." The party promotes "We're the sickest nation in the landmark event for undergraduates. a platform of peace, prevention world," she said. "However, the He said they believe unionizing was the and "proven scientific solutions" NLP believes in only option the RAs could take to get what to society's ills. prevention, so they wanted out of their job. ; The NLP is only a very "We didn't feel we would be met halfway," currently one of s m a l 1 Lorusso said. the five " third ....... Ul percentage [of Williams said as a part of Local 2322 of the p a r t i e s " _,......,. · ] ld United Auto Workers, students would elect ... • • A REASON TO VOTB money wou off i c i a I 1 Y need to be executives to go before the university for recognized by spent to prevent collective bargaining. the state of 1---------------1 disease. She said the RAs picked that particular Delaware. "Now, it' s all , THE REVIEW/Rob Meletti union because UMass graduate students were Natural Law This is the first in afour-part spent on Approximately 500 people packed into Mitchell Hall Friday to hear the tunes of already a part of it, therefore it was Party member disease care." the annual a capella groups' concert, featuring six organizations. See Story, AS. convenient for the RAs to choose it as well. Nancy Mattson, series profiling political Mattson said who ran for the the party is see UD page A7 State Assembly third parties opposed to the in 2000, said manner in 326 NLP which post- members are Sept. 11 events have been handled registered in the state of by the Bush administration. Program combines arts and ethnicities Delaware, which is well within the "We feel like he's playing 'Star BY JEFF OSTER the mixture of students in required 0.005 percent needed to Wars' with our future," she said. Staff Reporter attendance. stay on the ballot. "Our foreign policy is based on "Up in the Cfub" provided a mix "You usually don't see this much Mattson said a typical NLP military power, which creates ill of comedy, poetry and music Friday diversity at these programs," he said. member will "look wholesome and feelings toward [America] and night at the Trabant University "It really brought people together." healthy with lots of energy and makes us targets." Center for approximately 250 Senior Michelle Guobadia said brilliant ideas." Instead of the United States students. she attended the event last year and This vivacity, she said, comes "waving its big stick," Mattson Performers included poets Rich had to come again. naturally from living said, the NLP advocates sending Boucher and Mariposa, as well as "It's really a good mix of harmoniously with your American technology to under- comedian J-Rock and an after-party performers," she said. "Mariposa surroundings - something the developed countries. hosted by DJ Amaze. was excellent. She really made you NLP has integrated into their "If we send our know-how, our Senior Wenddy Haro, HOLA think." platform. sustainable agriculture rather than events coordinator, said the purpose Senior Alonda Tann said she did Mattson said the NLP promotes blowing them up," she said, "it of the event was to demonstrate not mind going to a non-alcoholic a "prevention oriented will create good will and harmony unity around campus through program on the weekend. government," or "government in and make [other countries] self- entertainment. "It's a cool alternative to your accord with natural laws of the sufficient." "There was both a white and a average Friday," she said. "We had universe," hence the party's name. Other facets of the NLP's Puerto Rican poet, as well as a black a night of great entertainment at an "The whole universe is run by platform are detailed in its 50- OJ," she said. "Every race was affordable price." one principle that unites Point Action Plan: represented." Lawler said the proceeds from the everything," she said. "When you • A "pro-growth" economic Junior Leighla Lawler, first vice event go toward the planning of get out of harmony, you cause policy with a "truly balanced president of the BSU, said the three additional activities. stress." budget" and a flat tax of 10 organizations have the same ideals "It was a really good program, · This is why the party promotes percent; and wanted a program that would and appealed to many people around things like preventative health • drug legalization; appeal to everyone.