Administration Challenged on Holiday Policy by ANDREA KRASKER Issue at Presidents' Councilbecause Ever
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Former Government professor criticizes Colby. See story page 3, Administration challenged on holiday policy BY ANDREA KRASKER issue at Presidents' Councilbecause ever. istrafion, who then Editor Rosh Hashana had been on the The psychology exam had al- set up a meeting HHaMHHHHM nBn ^liMMBBWVMHMWim ^ia Monday of that week. "I did not go ready been scheduled when with Charron and Controversy erupted this week to temple," said Charron. "1 had McArthur's memo was distributed, Bill Higgins'93,Stu- over the scheduling of exams and two glasses and I thought that 1 said Diane Winn, professor of psy- dent Association assignments on the Jewish holiday would fall too far behind." chology. [Stu-A] president. of Yom Kippur. Holiday scheduling has been an The Psychology Department has Charron and Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of issue in the past, particularly last revised its policy so that students Higgins were told Atonement, is one of the most im- year when thefirstdayof classes fell mayreschedule their exams toavoid that there was "not portant holidays in the Jewish on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New religious conflicts. Three students enough time to have calender. It is commemorated by a Year. Traditionally, a memo is sent rescheduled their psychology exam, anything beneficial sundown-to-sundown fast, reli- to the faculty from Bob McArthur, according to Winn. come out of it," said gious services and by refraining dean of faculty, asking that no ex- Presidents' Council unani- Higgins. from work. ams or assignments be scheduled mously passed a recommendation "Only the fac- The issue of Yom Kippur sched- on religious holidays, but the deci- that classes be cancelled for Yom ulty could cancel uling was first brought up by Bill sion is up to the individual faculty Kippur, Wednesday, Oct. 7. A boy- classes." said Presi- Charron '93 at the Friday, Oct. 2 member. Two exams, introduction cott of classes on Yom Kippur was dent Bill Cotter. Presidents' Council meeting. to psychology and religion, were brought up as an extreme measure. "Procedurally it Charron decided to bring up the scheduled for Yom Kippur, how- Theproposal was sent to theadmin- wasli'cerally impos- sible to have the fac- ulty meet." "In memory we Coming out of the closet at Colby have never can- celled classes," said Friday night and faculty advisor to the Bridge. McArthur. "There there will be a "Heterosexuals need to realize that photoby An Druker showing of 10% of the population is gay or les- are no faculty rules Bill Charron '93 speaking at the forum and bian. That 10% includes people close about what it would "Maurice" , "Since Stone- to them, not just anonymous mem- take to cancel classes. No teacher is sis " said McArthur. wall" in the bers of some other society that they bound to follow a majority vote on The issue became the focus of M a r s o n have no contact with. It's also im- the issue of cancelling classes." this year's first all-campus forum Multicultural portant for other gays, lesbians and Policy issues are dealt with by on Monday, Oct. 5. Hillel, Colby's Room, and Sat- bisexuals, particularly teenagers, so the faculty at their monthly meet- Jewish organization, was not in- urday night the they know that they aren't alone." ings. There was no meeting sched- volved in the discussion of the is- Brid ge will be 'The larger the numbers the safer uled in time to deal with this issue. sue. sponsoring a the group," said LaPan. "One-third "I'm quite sure there would be "I think the authors of this re- "Red Hot and of all teen suicides are because of no willingness within the faculty to form show real sensitivity towards Dance" party in homosexuality. These teens need deal with this on an emergency ba- See HOLIDAYon page 5 the SOBHU role models to show them that you room, according can come out and survive." to Brown. "Vvebeen out since I was twenty- Social chair reinsta ed Coming Out one and I've been coupled to the t Week will con- same person for the past twenty- cludeonSunday five years," said LaPan. "I've sur- after short resignation with a candle- vived and I'm very happyl People BY ANDREA KRASKER Center, which were not well at- light vigil, which need to see that. Before I came out, tended in the past." and that includes coming Editor , will meet out- out to "[Stu-A] decided that basically sideofRobertsat myself which was the hardest part, he just needed some help," said 9:30 p.m., said I went through a very difficult pe- Student Association [Stu-A] Tullio Nieman, director of Student riod. So- photo by Yuhgo Yamaguchi Brown. Presi- " cial Chair Scott Parker '93 briefly Activities. "I think he agreed that he dent Cotter and It was not until he came out that The flag for National Coming Out Week resigned from his position last week was getting inundated with work other faculty he began to feel good about himself during discussions with Stu-A over and needed some help." again, members will be said LaPan. the necessity of an assistant for "While at first there was a dis- there and all are "Unfortunately, many people Parker. Parker has withdrawn his agreement, he came around and re- BY KATHRYN COSGROVE asked to attend and show their sup- see coming out as the end of their resignation and will be receiving alized it would be the best thing for . StaffWriter port. life as they know it, and they would assistance from Andy Milgram '96 everyone," said Higgins. IMM«HMHHMWMWMMHM ^MMM«MM< rather die then face the "We extended National Coming fears that in planning campus social events. "Because we have so much go- Sunday, Oct. 11, will mark the Out Day to a week this fall because they have," said Brown. "Once "He resigned, but I think when ing on," said Higgins, "because the fifth anniversary of National Com- there seemed to be so much support people do comeout they realize that he did he was just really upset that social life is totally improved over ing Out Day. At Colby, however, it duringGay Pride Weeklastspring," their fears were unjustified." we were going to bring in someone last year, he doesn't have time to do will be the final day in a wceklong said Bill Kaufman '93, an officer of "Wc want students to feel, safe to work with him," said Stu-A Presi- the basics—party forms, refresh- the Brid coming seriesof events celebratingstudents, ge. "We wanted to begin out or exploring the possi- dent Bill Higgins '93. "I think he ments, bandsand contracts for that bility of coming DJ.s. faculty, friends and relatives who support early in the fall so it can out at Colby," said thought that we were going to re- There's so much stuff that you have have come out of the closet. It is a carry through the whole year." Kaufman. place him. This is just someone to to get for a party, he had a little week for the Colby community to "Comingout week is to increase "The people who are feeling take some of the pressure off." trouble getting that done." show consciousness, threatened are the support for the millions of and anytime you in- people who are Stu-A does not normally plan as Higgins listed problems with lesbians, gays and bisoxuals across creaseconsciousness and awareness afraidof questioningthcirown sexu- many social events at the beginning purchase orders that came in late, ality, the country. you go through an educational pro- " said LaPan. "The moreconfi- of the semester as it has this year, missing contracts and difficulty in cess, and you dent peop Tonight at 8 p.m. in tho Robins will experience an le are with their own sexu- according to Higgins and Parker. finding people who were willing to room in Roberts Union there will be increase in acceptance," said Al ality the more apt they arc to accept The effort this year to sponsor more work at parties. LaPan, a gay /lesbian /bisexual Colby stu- communications supervisor gays and lesbians." events contributed to an overload Parker has been able to imple- dent panel discussion where stu- and member of the Maine Lesbian "Someone who's comfortable of work for Parker. ment a few new ideas, however. dents will discuss their own experi- and Gay Political Alliance. with their own sexuality has no "We wanted tocomcinand have There is a new student volunteer ences coming out and what it is like "It's important for people to problem wilh other people's sexu- a strong year," said Parker. "Wc group—the Student Organization to bo homosexual in the Colby com- know how many people arc gay ality," said Kaufman. "It's the people wanted to capture back tho students' munity, and lesbian according to Ned Brown ," said Cheshire interest in events at the Student See PARKERon page 12 '93, an officer of the Bridge. Calhoun, professor of philosophy See COMING OUT on page 12 Chopper descends on Library lawn The helicopter that landed on the lawn of the library on Saturday, Oct. 3 belongs to the family of a prospective stu- dent, according to Carleen Nelson, administrative secretary for admissions. TheConnecticut prospective flew in for a campus tour and to pick up literature, said Nelson. Safety and Security was contacted in advance to facilitate the land- ing. (R.L.) Walkathon in Waterville benefits Maine Children's Cancer Program A committee of Waterville residents sponsored the First photo by Cina Wertheim Annual Waterville 10K Walk to benefit the Maine Children's Prospective makes grand arrival during Pare nts' Weekend.