Colby "In a Real Dilemma "

Read about Colby*s Celtic connection on page 16. Non-Profit I U.S. Postage Paid! Waterville, ME 04901 Permit #39 Colby policy em Trustees reflect on the alcohol par with ant£~ policy: Colby "in a re al dilemma " discrimation law I think that the campus is in a real policy must come from the students. dilemma," said trustee Mary Elisabeth Turner "It is not an issue of [the administration] am '63,memberoftheStudentAffairsCommittee. versus [the students]," said Madden. "We are ^ iffl iPi iiiK "The law states that there is no drinking for looking for students to try to solve the people under twenty-one years of age, but at problem. It is an issue that every single college the same time, the College does not want to in the country is trying to deal with." The Americanswith DisabilitiesAct , declare that it is a dry campus." nowly passed by the government to "The Board is aware of the problem facing Many of the trustees worry that the the students and administration, and is really implement fair hiring &nd employment banning of alcohol would dampen the social practices for disabled -citizens, Will affect supportive of the efforts," said James life on campus. Banning all alcohol would Crawford '64, vice-chairperson of the Student Colby '$ Fersonrael Departmen t "lead to students sitting in their rooms and minimally, "The personnel aide is less Affairs Committee. Last year, the Board of closet drinking," said trustee Beverly Madden Trustees allocated over $20,000 to be used for expansivefthan theatehiiech^sideland '80, chairperson of the Student Affairs the Mainestatutes1iavel>ee:nmuch more the support of non-alcoholic events such as Committee. this year's Beatles party. The amount is aggressive than the fede*^ government/ Rather than simply ignoring the problem said Doug Terp, director of Personnel expected to increase thisyear. or. creating a policy that outlaws alcohol on 'The Board supports and will continue to Services, campus, the Colby administration has tried Colby has mai ntainedthe samepalicy support these efforts financially," said Pugh. to find a solution which will be in accordance What has distinguished Colby from other for hiring disabled citizens for the past with the law and also satisfy students. The fifteen years. schools is the way that the administration is ^ "'Thou shall not administration hopes to use student discriminate/ said Earl Smith going about the problem. "Student leaders , dean df Trustee Mary Elisabeth Turner '63. suggestions to solve the problems. the college. "Ifs never teen an issue.'HTa are very active, everyone is involved in this," "[The alcohol policy] is an ongoing issue said Crawford. "Students at other campuses accommodate disabled, workers, Colby on the Colby campus," said Lawrence Pugh has added railings, walkways, and By Brian Schwegler are often overshadowed by the STAFF WRITER rf' a, chairperson of the Executive Committee. administration." enlarged tbe width ot bathroom stall BaOMOiBl ^nMiHMHIMiH ^nnHM_ -B^B«HBiMrtni ^«N«HMKl ^BÎ 'There is clearly an effort to ease the alcohol doers. Trustees realize that the alcohol issue is problem, and at the same time an opportunity One of thefewchangesêqufredunder Campusopinion on thisyear's most talked not one which will be easily solved. "It is not about issue-the alcohol policy—has been to improve the social life on campus." going to happen tomorrow morning," said the new law is thnt a fob description be In the October meetings of the Board of available upon request* "This isn't expressed in a variety of forms and forums. Pugh. "The only way that it can be eased and The voice of the Colby trustees has seldom Trustees, much discussion centered on how improved is by increased dialogue between anything new for us/ said Terp* "Wtfte the alcohol issue can be approached. In most alreadylooking atwhat th ingapeopl e are been heard by the student body, whose lives students and administration."Q are affected by the decisions of the board. cases the trustees decided that a workable capable of andaccOmmodatingtorpeopfc after they/rehired/' "The College has had a commitment for some time to not discriminateagainst Growin g up with a gay parent thm* With disabilities/ $aid T*fp7 Accommodations for disabled workers include different types of furniture, Colby students talk about their experiences modified jobgy.md specialteedeqttipment $v>cb a* $pfccia| computer $crfcen$ for the By Laura Longsworth didn't tell anyone about it until the summer color blind and forger-handled ladles for STAFF WRITER after my sophomore year [at Colby]." those with wristrproblems. "It's pretty scary to discover you are a gay "We've only had to make special In the wake of Dr. Ernest van den Haag's or lesbian person," said Dr. Zavasnik, who arrangements on * temporary basis for rejection of gay/lesbian parenting at a Colby feels there are.many added difficulties to people recovering tram injuries, such as lecture three weeks ago, Erik Zavasnik '93, being a parent as well as a lesbian. "When we providingparidngplacesfor teachers and and Liz Thornton '92,discussed theirpositive [Dr. Zavasnik and then-partner Vicky] were making ante they pWt have to el Unto experiences as straight children of a gay or raising the kids, Erik was five. Wecouldn'tgo $tofa& Wfc do the &MMs for students/ $mrf lesbian parent at the last Bridge meeting. to P.T.A. meetings. It was awkward and Smith* H Zavasnik discussed growing up with a embarrassing," she said. Xt\ order to avoid discrimination the lesbian mother while his mother, Dr. Victoria Dr. Zavasnik was a nun for eight years college hasmoref hsin oiiepewoti involved Zavasnik, spoke on her experiences as a before she married Erik's father. After they in reviewing Application for lesbian parent. Thornton, whose father was had Erik and adopted two other children, employment. 'Terp's office has all the unable to attend the meeting, spoke about they divorced. She was in her thirties before resumes and would fed fla it growing up with a gay father. she discovered she was a lesbian. handicapped applicant and ask why^ one "I got the inkling mom was gay in about "It takes an enormous amount of self- person Was hired 0V*r anptlVrtwthaf; Way fifth or sixth gradebecause there were women study to know what makes you tick," she one person couldn't get away With living with mom. It seemed normal," said said. "You have to look at everything in your discrimination/ said Smith. Zavasnik, whose mother didn't discuss her life. One side of your brain is saying notice Tlio oame antidiscrimination ethicis lesbianism withhim until he wasolder. "Mom this, look at that, and your heart is saying trne f ax admissions, said Smith* 'The finally told mo straight out when I was a 'what about me?' It is unbelievable to bc standard is whether or noi tho person is freshman in high school because I got in this speaking and unreal to hear about Erik's qualified Ito be a student or employee. I debate at school about gay parents," said experiences. It 's forced me to face myself. I Liz Thornton '92. Photo bV Arx Druker worry least abo*.. dtorimluatlon in Zavasnik. "I have such a problem with people feel very proud." ^dmiwionÂttdhirin^lWOfrymwe^bOMl; assuming hctcroscxuality makes a good Unlike Zavasnik's mother, Thornton's father," said Thornton, who currently devotes discrimination on the job, such as people* family." father knew he was gay when he married. much of hertimeto working with peoplewho ntubehigsensitive. Wehtivelried la make' Thornton found out her father was gay When he finally told his wife, they already are HIV positive. it possible for a tantftatfppe-dp ctson to when sho was in eighth grade. After her had two kids, and they stayed married for Zavasnikwasequallysupportiveof Vicky. function wlwthttr thcy ata »ta<l«nt in parents had been divorced for several years, nine more years. "[She] taught mc swimming, sailing, faculty* Only «0ro*0ne who's her father took her out to dinner one night to Thornton described her father as basketball and all these things that are so hi.iulict.pped can say whether they have break the news. Sitting in the car in tho "wonderful and important." Through her important." befol accotntnodajed Ott<e<sssfu)ly,tt driveway at tho end of the evening, he told experience with him, Thornton said she has Dr. Zavasnik wasatColbycarlier thisyear Mowwer,altho ugh Colby wmM not her that he was gay. "learned not to pass judgement [on people]." to discuss homosexuality with a group of hall Handicap continued on pngn H "I didn't care. It didn't make mc feci any "I don't think there are many people that different. He was still Dad," said Thornton. "I can say they've been to a gay bar with their Growing up continued on page 12 Theft , harassment, and a News Briefs | report of rape An estimated $1200 worth of jewelry was reported stolen Monday by three roommates in an East Quad triple. The roommates suspect their jewlery may have been taken while Student guilty of assault they were in the building, as they usually keep their door Two cases of assault involving Colby students eamebefbre locked when leaving, said Acting Director of Safety aad the Judicial Board this week. The incidents both occured on Security John Frechette. The Waterville police have been the weekend of November 9 in Pierce Hall. informed of the theft. In a closed hearing on November 24, the students each Also, a female student jogging alone on the five-mile loop pled not guilty to the assault charges. The board found one reported she was harassed by several men in a white sedan, student not guilty of the allegations and the other guilty, said said Frechette.

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