Action Oti Amahol Skowbo Charges Sex Iliseri Tni Riation
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Skowbo Charges Sex Iliseri_tni_riatIon by.Jane Ekluhd "She is a very Diane. Skowbo, Assistant Professor of parently used by the College in this instance to Psychology, has filed, a grievance with assess merit and grant tenure (teaching, concerned Colby's Affirmative Action Officer and' a scholarship, and service to the College) , I was ^ complaint with .the Maine Human Rights more qualified than certain white male ap- person. Her Commission, charging that sex plicants granted tenure by the College. The discrimination was a factor in a recent ' members of the Committee on Promotion and credentials decision to deny her tenure. Tenure who voted against me, therefore, On^ Monday, Skowbo issued the following either applied different standards to me and are good, her statement to the ECHO: "In December of to other applicants, or misinterpreted in- 1 1979, the Colby College . Committee on formation in the dossiers. The Dean of reputation is ; Promotion and Tenure voted a 5-4 in favor of Faculty, in recommending to the President my • candidacy for tenure. However, that the decision be negative, apparently good. She's one : President Cotter, - acting on- the recom- disregarded my superiority to certain other ' candidates. very mendation of Dean Jenson, overturned this * * ^ oif a few affirmative vote. I consider several aspects "Both the Dean of Faculty and the women in of the process that led to this negative action President justified'their actions by referring experimental to have been both irresponsible and unusual. to a standard they labeled 'significant i psychology/If she leaves, "The President denied me due process..." Jhev're — Diane Skowbo probably not "Because I was treated differently than dissent.' Such a standard-bas not been going to get white male candidates granted tenure this adopted by the College for »use in tenure year (and in past years) , I can conclude only decisions, and nowhere is set forth iri the another woman'. that sex discrimination was a factor in the relevant regulations of the College. The process. I, therefore, have filed a grievance President denied me due process by failing to with the Affirmative Action Officer, of the examine my dossier prior to overturning the — Student College, and also have filed a complaint with recommendation of the Committee on the Maine Human Rights Commission. Some Promotion and Tenurje, and by refusing to as to my request Trudy Mulford of the allegations in these documents¦ ¦ are review my dossier in response follows: * • ¦ ' - . ". for an appeal of his negative decision. The "Within the three broad categories aj)- Board of Trustees also denied me due process by refusing to review or appoint a body to review my qualifications in response to my request for such a review. One result of these actions is that the Affirmative Action Action Oti Program of Colby has not been followed, AMahol either in spirit or in letter. by Fran Mullin "These actions also contradict several /Abuiiye drinking at . Colby has led to jn- Freshmen Orientation week next year," he there "is any correlation between student erasing:¦concern guidelines established by the American among students-and ad- said. Fraternities must "not have alcohol at frustration, academic problems, and abusive Association of University Professors. The ministration: alike. Drinking clubs hiaive been freshman-oriented activities — - including ¦ ¦¦¦ drinking. Association recommends, for example, that iasked ;h6t ;to advertise** but wiil. continue to smokers." ,. v ' ; ¦ An "alcohol awareness" booth will be setup the institution define for faculty members its host parties. President Cotter has said that Cotter would like to see a "vigorous campus in Roberts Loft for this weekend's Winter criteria for tenure and . its procedures for freshmen orientation weekend and smokers in awareness program" which eiriphasizes that Carnival. Reaction-timing machines, like reaching tenure decisions. The Collge has the Pall will be dry and a Stu-A committee is "the consumption of alcohol is a responsible those used in Drivers' Education courses, as referred to the areas of teaching, scholarship, breaking hew ground with ,alcohol awareness : ' act." He would; especially like to stop sen- well as a "breathalizer," and lots of alcohol and service to the College as 'criteria '; these, prograrn_.::tU :- ''' vv'' > .' ' -;' '' ; : . • • ' :> . '-aAAA-a^ seless "booze-cruising" and other drinking ( ^ ¦¦ ¦ ¦ information will be exhibited. of. course, are not criteria Webster's {Early , last week, a rumpurr£swept across while driving. " ¦/.. i; ; ' ••- . ' •¦ . •: '. The committee may also sponsor a wine and Collegiate Dictionary defines a criterion as 'a ' campus hinting that weekhigHtdrinking clubis President Cotter has .projwsed: a "per- beer tasting "contest" to prove that "quality standard for judging; a rule or test by which ; (specifically KDR's Monday; Night and Phi manent Coffee House" where students.could is better than quantity." Lehigh recommends anything is tried in forming a correct : pelt^ Theto's Thi-rsday Night Drinkin meet in a different kind of atmosphere. The "extending jitney service later on Friday and judgement respecting it') , but rather are .'had been permanently cari^ fraternities ;have been encouraged;;to vary Saturday nights." The Alcohol Committee has categories within which standards must be ' ' , ;:ministriition.y [ A::. :.:' u : to^ ip.A^A' - ^AA^ASMA their parties and offer alternatives to beer,, a lot of good ideas but would like more student defined. , £A ^According AtidyTGoode; president of Phi According to Cotter, one frat has suggested an Input. If you have any suggestions, contact "The College also has never specified the •sDielt^therumbur was^false; ;: 1 ..;- ¦' V p f i ir = "ice-cream sundae .party¦ ¦ " during Winter John Moylan or Bob Bower. absence of. 'significant dissent' as art o ts | '.\ I A"Theyihayeh^t approached us^" Goode Siald, ; . ' ,¦ : ';. .:¦ .,¦> ' ' A.A.U.P. feels . ' Carnival Weekend •' . :\ !v .: . : John. Joseph, the manager of the campus re uirements for tenure. The ;He suggested that ' the stories .may have . After, freshman David Quill was killed inn Pub, when questioned about abusive drinking thbt procedures for reaching tenure decisions started when ¦Thursday Night Drinking 'Olub ; ^ car accident Jast November, Cotter called a said he has had little trouble with very in- should be approved by the faculty ; this has ?! ;wa| postponed ' for the first ;time all ;year, meeting of student leaders to discuss attitudes toxica fed students. He wants to "keep this not been done with regard to theapplication'of . during initiation week,; or the rumours began toward drinking.at fcolby. The discussion led place high-class," and in accordance with {lis 'significant dissent.' , afteriDeqln'Smlth spoke to a few KDR's who to the formation;of l h diff " "The A.A.U.P. states further that faculty > l ' < ''at east t ree erent philosophy , (and the law) , will not serve : .; ;h^dy^_ted::some ' Ml]e'galV signs advertising groups working In coordination'' to examine anyone who lias already members who feel they have been treated ¦ ' ' !, ' "had too much." -: -theirdHhking club. v. Colby's alcohol problem, specifically the¦ IFG, The biggest problems stumble into the Pub unfairly in tenure evaluations are entitled to a ;¦ President Cotter was surprised about the ¦ "' :¦¦ ¦ v ' ;, ' ' faculty body. I asked ¦ Campus Life, and Stu-A. AA : . af ter largo, open parties. Joseph is amazed at review by another .,' drlnklng clubr . The Stu-Aj Alcohol > .Committeej<_ ¦ set i up by the huge amounts of alcohol consumed at frat President Cotter to refer the matter, to the ;^o stop them}'' ' ; , , but he refused Ai He chained; The president¦ Becky Rogers and Stu-A : ChairpersonvScbt parties and estimates that the Pub pnly Academic Council for review : ;j.hn$ voiced; his . concern . ."about' Colby's _ -.ox- Lehigh, is composed | of•; roughly^a; dozen handles "ten percent of the beer on campus," to do so. f cessive drinking problem a number of times, people. Said member Xlhda^ Davis^it Is *'a '"I've been , encouraged," Cotter said, "Because the criteria and procedures used 'has several suggestions that could lessen good :crdss-sectlbh; ' of> klds. ;Co chairmcn in tenure evaluations at Colby are so vaguely ^I^He ' 'V : referring to the attitudes expressed by the ¦7, abusive drinking at Colby,,. ., John Moylan arid Bob Boweivnre planning an Alcohol Committee, "Attitudes change, but defined , any candidate, male or female, M^Cotter^is Arm ; about tliei lbgai aspects! of V Alcohol Awareness Program^ that will give minority or non-ihinorlty, can be treated students must¦ give more support," snid li' drinking, and next September wants better students tlio facts about alcohol, ; i; 'A Cotter, ' '. ' .. unjustly. Part of what I hope to accomplish | ''compliance wlth;Maino, State laws.^ "Voii A':K 'campus-wide 'i survey : will / soon' bo * , . ¦ Continued on page seven ;s cp be puro ; thp Pubiwlll nbt'bp open dtirlng distributed, Tho: committee wants^to see if ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ AA A ' -AA\-- ' . : .' . ' ¦¦ ¦i :. i ' : .v. ' . ¦' . ' • ¦ , ' ¦ , . ,. '' ' - . - . Grads On Alaskan Tundra by Craig Birrell (>n Coi^CMRatie^ : Following their nine-week stay iri Alaska's Brooks Mountain Range last summer, Colby Graduates Joel Horn and Karen Gustafson decided that "rational" development of the Respc^ • area was feasible, but to ruin the natural beauty of the tundra would be a "crime.'.' Joel and Karen's job was to, on the baste of their analysis of the area , recommend by Kathy McCulloch solutions to the Department of the Interior regarding controversial problems in the vast "Corporate Responsibility and the • up the Brooks §> expanse of land which makes „ *S Environment'' was the topic of the lecture mountain range. i«? given , by Joel Horn ('77) on Monday af- . "(") -The two Colby scholars concentrated most terhoon. A graduate student^ ait Stanford 0. of , their research on the -plant life and II Business School, Horn is concerned with the- '" ' $ ecosystems of the northern Alaskan tundra. %kSk. organizational behavior that influences "Our main emphasis was on the botanical corporate decision-making^ processes.