Athletes Pack A.S. Chambers Belli Disputes NCAA Ruling, Calls It 'Absurd'
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Spartan Daily Serving San Jose State University Since 1934 Volume 92, No. 9 Thursday. February 9, 1989 Athletes pack A.S. chambers Belli disputes NCAA ruling, calls it 'absurd' By Daniel Vasquez Belli said the NCAA decision is Daily staff writer "un-American" because it punishes The latest chapter of the boycot- the players for their association with ting basketball players' saga unfolds him. with disputes over the latest ruling of "I have the right to choose my the National Collegiate Athletic As- friends. I like these boys," Belli sociation. said, referring to the 10 Spartans The NCAA is demanding repay- who boycotted SJSU Coach Bill ment of the extra benefits David Berry's team Jan. 18. Hollaway and Angelo Foccia alleg- Dietrich Waters. SJSU center edly received from attorney Melvin until he joined the boycott, agreed Belli. with Belli. NCAA rules restrict college ath- "The only reason we're in trouble letes from receiving any benefits not is because Belli has a little status." open to the student population in Waters said. general and the association has de- Randy Hoffman, SJSU director of termined that Belli's services fall athletics. disagreed. 'I must talk to 50 people a day and I don't charge them. Why should I charge these boys?' Melvin Belli San Francisco attorney David Pipkins Daily staff photographer Protesting athletes make their demands in the A.S. chambers known Shiras, campus administrator and philosophy professor leading the 14 ith Barbara Hulse, a senior majoring in Spanish, left, and Natalie groups. The teams hope to force the A.S. to release frozen funds. under such benefits. He said it is unfortunate that Belli The NCAA declared the players was not aware of the NCAA regula- ineligible for competition and will tions before he began working with not restore their eligibility until resti- the players. Minor sports players demand release of frozen funds tution has been made, including pay- Belli has clearly continued to rep- By Shelby Grad for away games. Without the A.S. president. mation at some of the meetings is ing Belli for legal services. resent the players, especially in the Daily staff writer funds, some programs may have "We're ready to sign over the confidential. However, determining the amount media. Hoffman added. He has been on television and on Nearly 100 student athletes to resort to ground travel that money." McCarthy said. "We Fullerton proposed in Novem- the players owe has already proven the radio representing the team," and coaches packed the Asso- would take longer and cause ath- want a simple process of open ber that students members be al- difficult. Hoffman said. ciated Students chambers letes to miss more time in class. meetings and due notice (if a lowed to attend meetings where Belli denies he provided the bas- Wednesday afternoon to demand coaches said. sports program is cut)." A.S. money would be discussed. ketball players with free legal serv- Belli has also continued contact with university lawyers about the that the A.S. Board of Directors After hearing the complaints, "We're not the villains here," He said the proposal was not ac- ices or any other extra benefits. He case, Hoffman said. release funding for their teams. the A.S. board agreed to discuss added Scott Santadrea, A.S. di- cepted by the A .SS. provided the players with an initial If the NCAA wants to dispute Bel- The funds, which total about the possibility of fund restoration rector of sponsored programs. Since SJSU now has the the consultation without charge, but said li's claims, he said, then he is ready S100,000, were frozen last year at its next meeting Wednesday. "The ball is in the administra- minimum number of teams nec- that is normal procedure. Other than for them. by A.S. in protest over the uni- Board members froze A.S. tion's court." cessary to keep National Colle- that, he said, he did not give any "If they want to wrestle. I'm the versity's decision to cut four contributions to the sports pro- Dan Buerger, A.S. board giate Athletic Association stand- other legal services to them. guy to wrestle with," Belli said. minor sports. grams because the administration member who is SJSU President ing, it is unlikely that any other "I did not charge those boys any- Further investigations into the If the funding is not restored. refused to satisfactorily open ath- Gail Fullerton's assistant, said teams will be cut, he said. thing. I never intended to," Belli Hollaway and Foccia case will prob- coaches and athletes said, their letic board meetings to the these meetings are already suffi- "There's some kind of victim- said. "And I think the NCAA rul- ably begin some time next week. programs will suffer. groups involved in the decision ciently open to students. The ization going on here," Buerger ings are utterly, utterly. absurd. when a request for restoration of eli- Many teams need the money to cancel the minor sports pro- A.S. demands cannot be legally told the crowd. "I think you're "I must talk to 50 people a day gibility for Hollaway and Foccia will to pay for planned travel costs grams, said Terry McCarthy, met, he said, because the infor- See PROTEST, back page and I don't charge them. Why he submitted to the NCAA. Hoffman should I charge these boys?" See BELLI, hack page Shelters overcrowded Rec Center steps torn up, Cold streets haunt homeless, new set to be constructed volunteers open homes, hearts By Rob Lyon Daily staff writer The steps to the Rec Center %%ere By Phillip Best neuvers so could not provide their six o'clock news. She called Jim built properly and shouldn't be re- Daily staff writer usual shelter services. An appeal for McEntee, director of the office of constructed, said a foreman for the Cecil White lived on the streets of public assistance was broadcast on human relations for Santa Clara company that built them. San Jose for 20 years. She was con- local television stations. county, and offered the use of the Construction crews began tearing sidered by many to be the mother of "The response from the commu- school gymnasium. Out a second set of steps Wednesday the homeless. nity was phenomenal," said Sky McEntee then contacted the Emer- after the architectural firm of Hall, She died Jan. 19 from chronic ob- Anderson, director of programs for gency Housing Consortium, a non- Goodhue. Haisley & Barker said structive pulmonary disease. She the Emergency Housing Consor- profit organization that manages pro- they failed to meet proper specifica- had been ill for some time, and life tium. grams for sheltering the homeless. tions. The first set of steps was fin- on the streets did not provide her People called to offer rooms in After a concentrated effort of trans- ished Monday. said Peter Pietrang- with an environment conducive to their homes, community organiza- porting and setting up bedding, and do, a foreman for Dolan Concrete healing. tions offered their support, and one collecting food donated by McDon- Construction. White's man called from his place of busi- ald's, the doors of the funeral service on Friday. gymnasium A mistake in the surveying of the the day an Alaskan ness to say he was working late and opened at 8 p.m. About cold front moved 60 people steps or swelling due to a coloring into the state, emphasized would stay all night to provide space spent the night in the makeshift an urgent shel- process could have been the reason need to provide shelter for the home- for six to eight people. Anderson ter. said Anderson. why the steps didn't meet the ar- less. said. The concern Ironically, on the same day, showed by the com- chitect's plans. Pietrangelo said two cold weather shelters in Santa Sister Virginia Unger. principal of munity inspired everyone involved Clara County were closed. Notre Dame High School at Second in the effort. "Thcy (the steps) looked good to me The San Jose and Sunnyvale Na- and Reed streets, responded to a re- "I thought, 'Wow, we live in a the first tinie." Pietrangelo said "But their tional Guard armories scheduled ma- quest for assistance she saw on the See COLD, back page company said that the steps are an inch high . Roebbelen Engineering Com- pany, the contractor for the Rec Cen- ter project, will hold Dolan Concrete Student dies in hit and run accident Construction, the subcontractor hired to build the steps, responsible By Steven Musil occurred, Mrs. Roberson said. It for the reconstruction costs, Pie- Daily staff writer was snowing when the car crashed trangelo said. An early morning hit-and-run car into the side of the road. "I can't believe what they (Roeb- accident in Southern California Cooper was pulled unconscious helen I are doing." Pietrangelo said. the life of an SJSU student from the burning car by an off-duty claimed -1*%e never seen anything sergeant travel- like this Saturday. Los Angeles police before Victoria Antoinette Roberson, 20, ing north on Interstate Highway 5, The steps on the west side was killed. Her friend. Marni Coo- according to Ralph Elvira, a Califor- of the building near Carlos per. was injured. nia Highway Patrol officer. San Street were constructed in error, said Bob Lus- The women were driving south on Cooper was wearing her seat belt, tig, associate architect i or HGHB. Interstate Highway 5 in the Valencia but it is unknown if Roberson was "The area when the accident occurred.