Philosophy Professor Alleges Hiring Process Discriminatory Incoming

Something new, something blue: Bride's guide\/^4 THURSDAY. APRIL 19. 1990 JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY VOL. 67 NO. 51 Potential violations of ABC laws shoot 300 down Duckfest By Carol Willey 200 assistant news editor Duckfest, a twice-yearly fraternity fund-raiser featuring food, fun and music, has been canceled. 100 Drew Flynn, social chairman for Alpha Chi Rho fraternity, one of the event's sponsors, said the Staff graphic by crackdown came because the Alcoholic Beverage SHARON GRAVES Commission believed underage people were drinking Total Faculty Tenured Tenure Track Non-tenured on the Rockingham County Fairgrounds. Mark Shaffer, AXP vice president, said his fraternity was notified by the manager of the Philosophy professor alleges fairgrounds after the manager had been contacted by the Rockingham Sheriffs Office about the legality of Duckfest hiring process discriminatory at JMU. And unless some action is taken, Stephen O'Brien, information officer for the By Christy Mumford Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Commission Board, assistant features editor Robinette will have to leave JMU at the end of this said, "The fraternities needed to file for a banquet A faculty member's complaint of discrimination semester. Her current year-to-year contract will not license if they wanted liquor on the premises, during a search to fill a tenure-track position in be renewed because the new tenure-track position otherwise it would be drinking in public and therefore JMU's philosophy department may lead to an replaces her current job next year. A tenure-track position would allow Robinette to illegal. investigation of the university by the Equal "Even if the event is held on private property, they Employment Opportunity Commission. apply for tenure in a number of years. William Ingham, acting dean of the College of still are inviting the general public so they need to Dr. Mary J. Robincttc, assistant professor of Letters and Sciences, said in a statement apply for a liceqse." philosophy, complained to the EEOC this year that Wednesday, "I have complete confidence in the But Shaffer said because of the short notice, "There she was not given equal consideration for a position propriety of the recommendation process and the was no way for us to be able to get an ABC license that eventually could lead to tenure in the work of those involved in it before Saturday." philosophy department — and the EEOC has agreed "If I did not, I wouldn't have made the hiring "We tried to explore any options open to us before to investigate her situation, according to Robinette. recommendation that I did." deciding to cancel Duckfest," he said. But a commission spokesperson this week said Robinette originally filed a complaint with Flynn said in the past Duckfest was handled on a all complaints the office receives are confidential JMU's Affirmative Action office during last year's BYOB basis and "you had to be of age to get any and would not say if Robinette's complaint has search because she fell she was not being treated beer." been accepted. fairly. O'Brien said the ABC Board takes underage drinking The tenure-track position has been filled by a white man who is not currently a faculty member See EEOC page 2 > See DUCKFEST page 2 >• Incoming freshman class could increase by 110 also those who arc well-rounded and she said. will contact students on the 500- to By Robyn Williams will bring a number of different In addition to the projected 2,030 600-person waiting list. staff writer strengths to the university," said Alan incoming freshmen, about 500 transfer The six-member Admissions JMU's 1990-91 freshman class may Ccrvcny, director of JMU admissions. students are expected to enter JMU in Committee, headed by Cerveny, be 5.7 percent bigger than this year's, About 900 students who applied Fall 1990 — a decrease of 10 percent considers several factors when deciding with about 2,030 incoming freshmen were offered early action admission in from this past fall. who to select among JMU's thousands expected in the fall. ihc middle of January, but they still About 2,000 students applied to of applicants. These include the quality Of the 11,500 students who applied have until the May 1 deadline to transfer to JMU for Fall 1990. Of of the student's high school program of lor admission for next fall, 4,200 were respond, Cerveny said. those, 800 students were offered study, the student's performance in accepted. But slightly less than half of Students who apply to JMU before placement. classes and the class rank, those students are expected to enroll. Dec. 1 arc considered for early action, For the current school year, there were 1,900 transfer applications, about extracurricular participation, and the About 12,500 students applied for according to Laura Lee Niswandcr, 860 acceptances and about 550 combination of the student's best math this year's freshman class, about 4,300 assistant director of JMU admissions. enrolled. and verbal SAT score. were accepted, and about 1,920 "They are highly qualified seniors who are in the most challenging The deadline date to accept the offer JMU docs not require a minimum enrolled. of admission is May 1. If the number grade point average or SAT score when "We want students who not only programs in their high schools, have of students who accept is lower than have outstanding academic credentials good, solid SAT scores, and have anticipated, then the admissions office See ADMISSIONS page 2 >• which are first and foremost — but extensive extra-curricular activities," Page 2, The Breeze, Thursday, April 19, 1990 EEOC > (Continued from page 1) advised her in a letter to file a formal grievance. all of the options — anything that won't be covered However, she would not discuss the details of the Robincttc said, "Then I attempted to file a by the state or federal people," she said. alleged discrimination, under advice from her complaint with the state, but I had difficulty Robinetle's attorney, William Helsley, refused to lawyer. getting information about jurisdictions and those comment on her case. The office set up a committee to investigate her sorts of things. I had to wait until the search was If the EEOC finds JMU has discriminated against over and we actually had the results. complaint, and the committee concluded she was her, the department will be forced to create a new being treated unfairly. The search to fill the "I went ahead and filed a formal grievance here, position, Robincttc said. But she could not position then was aborted. too, but I haven't heard anything from that yet," comment on whether or not she would be interested Robinetle's contract was renewed for one year, she said. in that position if it were created. and the search to fill the tenure-track position was Robinette then contacted the EEOC. initiated again this year. After the search was Robinette said she has received anonymous phone JMU will know if the EEOC will investigate the announced, Robincttc immediately began an calls of support from several women. "One woman university if JMU receives a copy of Robinetle's informal complaint process. She felt she would not went so far as to say she thinks that every woman processed complaint. The commission will then at JMU knows that this [discrimination] is the way "get a fair hearing in this search" because she would make a determination in the case. be retaliated against for her previous complaint. it is here," Robinette said. The state branch of the EEOC will carry out Robinette took her grievance to Ingham, the essentially the same procedure, Robinette said, but "It never gets attention because people arc afraid," person who oversees the college's hiring process. they are more flexible and are willing to negotiate she said. "I was warned that there would be bad She then took her complaint to Dr. Russell at any time. repercussions if I rocked the boat, but the position Warren, vice president of academic affairs, who "I also have a private attorney who is exploring I'm in now, I have nothing to lose," she said. Duckfest- > (Continued from page 1) accidents after Duckfest," Flynn said. alcohol at the fairgrounds. Bull on the Cain also said she was told by the Ernie Jones, Duckfest chairman for very seriously, and if the practice was Beach, an event similar to Duckfest, ABC agent that "local businesses and Tau Kappa Epsilon, the other fraternity occurring, the fraternities would find it resulted in two sororities being warned residents were complaining," but didn't sponsoring the event, said, "We difficult to sponsor any future about monitoring drinking by minors know who had complained. weren't told not to have it, but that we Duckfests. on April 6. were responsible and could be shut Weatherholtz said that he had "ABC agents have the authority to down if anyone was seen drinking." "I feel we ruined it for them [TKE received 15 complaints, an unusually attend the event, and then take and AXP]," Julie Cain, president of high number for this time of year. necessary actions if the law is broken," A monitoring system was used at the he said. three previous Duckfests, Jones said. Zeta Tau Alpha, said. "It came down Both Flynn and Jones said plans for Rockingham County Sheriff Glenn "We stamped [hands] with legal or on us and repercussions on AXP and another Duckfest next fall were TKE." Wcatherholtz said he contacted the minor." proceeding. Flynn said they were Cain said the ABC warned her at manager of the fairgrounds about the taking any suggestions as to where to Bull on the Beach, sponsored by ZTA needed permits for such an activity as Both Flynn and Jones said the move Duckfest and how to regulate and Alpha Sigma Alpha, that she was Duckfest to take place.

Load more