MSU policeman is officially reprimanded The reprimand is an official warning that if anything like the incident but the Student Health Service refused to verify that happens again, the officer could be fired, according to this. Witnesses at the scene said O'Connell's face became Sarge Pettys, Chief of the MSU police force. contorted with pain and he sank to his knees after Decker O'Connell's arm was twisted out of its socket and he was twisted his arm. thrown against the trWlk of a squad car by Decker last Since the incident, O'Connell claims, his shoulder has Wednesday. The incident occured after O'Connell yelled been giving j;tim more problems than usual, but admits it "Hey, slow down, pig," to Decker, because Decker was may be a result of the extra athletic activities he has been allegedly driving too fast for conditions in front of Montana participating in due to the recent fair weather. Hall. O'Connell does not think too much will come of his "He was driving too fast and endangering my fellow complaint. students," O'Connell said, in a Monday interview. "He was "I turned a letter in to Chief Pettys. He's kind of a laid­ obnoxious and honking his horn. It was ridiculous during a back guy," O'Connell said. He added that the Chief ap­ rush hour." peared to be taking the incident "all right." "I yelled loud enough for him to hear," O'Connell added. During a Tuesday interview, Pettys said that O'Connell "I think he should be suspended," O'Connell said. "It's an indicated he wanted Officer Decker's job when he com­ obvious display of how he can lose it too easily. They plained. (Police) shouldn't be prone to emotional explosions if they "It is absolutely not necessary to take the officer's job," carry gWIS." Pettys said. "It's kind of a two-sided affair. He aggravated O'Connell has had his shoulder dislocated in the past and · the officer and the officer was wrong in how he handled it." by Nick Geranlos too much pressure on it at any time causes it to pop out of its The incident appears all but over. O'Connell said he MSU policeman Robert Decker has been officially socket. It usually pops back ill. but is sore for a few days expects a letter of apology but Pettys said that he does not reprimanded for his role in an altercation with MSU student afterwards. know of any such request. He indicated that he was not Phil O'Connell. O'Connel claims that his shoulder was re-injured during against the idea. EXPONENT Friday. April 13. 1979 VOL. 70. NO. 40 Bozeman. MT. Richardson chosen to replace Petit as commissioner by Nick Geranios Regents, MSU President William Tietz, Montana's new Commissioner of Higher University of Montana president Richard Education is John Richardson, Bowers, and Hugh Dresser of Montana · Montana's new Commissioner of Higher Tech, chairman of the university systems Education is John A. Richardsor 39-year­ faculty association. old assistant chancellor of the Oregon There are still several matters to be university system. Richardson becomes decided, including whether tbe Montana the second commissioner of higher University System will pay for Richard­ Education, replacing Larry Pettit, who son's move to Helena and bow long his resigned earlier this year. term will last. He will begin his new job on The Board of Regents voted July 1. unanimously to accept the recom­ Richardson received a B.A . and an M.A. mendation of the search committee to hire from the University of Oregon, and Ph.D. Richardson. in Administration of Higher Education Richardson's salary will be $48,000 per from Stanford. year, the same as was paid to Pettit. The He was assistant to the Chancellor of the Commissioner is the highest paid em­ Oregon University System from June 1971 ployee of the state of Montana. The con­ to JW1e 1975. He was assistant chancellor tract includes no benefits except the use of from JW1e 1975 to the· present. a car from the state motor pool. Outgoing interim commissioner of The last of the seasons snow (hopefully) is put to a practical use. Richardson was one of three final higher education George Bandy called candidates chosen from the 140 original Richardson "a very good appointment". applicants for the job. The other two were He added that he considered Richardson Albert Brown, president of the State the best of the candidates. University of New York for the past 14 "Within the system, I'm convinced that Gays assert themselves years, and Phil Burgess, executive there was the most support for this can­ director of the Western Governor's Policy didate. Any one person will not be judged after February incident Commission and a faculty member at the as best by all people," Bandy said. University of Colorado Graduate School of "I think the people felt his experiences in by Nick Geranios Bauer said in the future the gays will Public Affairs. the Oregon system will be most relevant Plenty has happened at the Black Angus make appearances whenever they feel it is The search committee was chaired by here," he added. and in other parts of the commW1ity since necessary but have decided not to hit any Ted James and included the Board of Dr. Jim Goshorn of the English a group of gays from the Lambda Gay one bar. Department, who was a member of the Alliance brawled with revellers at that Bauer said the strategy will be to hit the faculty screening committee, called local nightspot late last February. bars unexpectedly "so they won't have Richardson "aggressive, articulate, and The gays went back to the Black Angus time to rally their forces." The gays will Twister devastates bright." twice more after the incident, in prepare for trouble before going out, The faculty screening committee had which gays were struck by 2 men and then Bauer said. This will include notifying the Pioneer Bowl city only one objection to Richardson, Goshorn threatened by a man wielding a knife. The policed and the press of their whereabouts. said, and that was his lack of experience as third time they went back the gays were "We don't want to be pushed into a gay a faculty member. · accompanied by police and members of ghetto," Bauer said. "We want to in­ by Bill Kesblear For this reason, many of the members of the press, who witnessed a standoff bet­ tegrate." A few years ago the number 1 ranked that committee preferred Albert Brown. ween the gays and their antagonists, Bauer noted that the actions of the Montana State University football team "I picked Al Brown," Goshorn said. whom the gays term " rednecks." Bozeman gays are not common, but are thrilled a national TV audience in the "He's an older man with a track record. The gays haven't gone back to the Black slowly ga ining popularity. He cited the Pioneer Bowl from Memorial Stadium in He's a seasoned administrator and he had Angus since March 9, according to MSU University of Colorado and Princeton as Wichita Falls, Texas. been a faculty member for a number of Professor John Bauer, who was struck in places where the gays recently decided to Memorial Stadium, Wlique among high years. He's been aroWld longer." the head during the first incident. They are assert themselves. school stadiums because of its artificial However, Goshorn expected Richardson trying to avoid tagging the Black Angus " People are moving to the front of the surface among other things, no longer to get the appointment because Brown with a gay bar label. But Bauer has bus," Bauer said. " People are asserting exists. would have cost far more than the $48,000 acknowledged that the attempt may be themselves more, it's nothing that was The structure which seated ap­ the job paid. futile. The Black Angus is already planned or thought out." proximately 20,000 people as well as most "He's a good man," Goshorn said. "He'll popularly know as the "queer steer", "We don 't want to make this a big !Continued to page 41 do a bang-up job for us." according to Bauer. lContinued W pag(> -II ~ EXPONENT 2 Friday. April 13: ,1979 ( SUBJECTIVELY@~~~~O~@ ) Hopes are high for new commissioner Dr. John Richardson has been chosen as the new Com­ made by the Commissioner. I have no doubt that Dr. student bodies of each. institution in the system keep in­ missioner of Higher Education and will take office in July. Richardson will prove to be an impartial administrator and formed and involved will we assured of such impartiality, The position, vacated in December by Lawrence Pettit, is look forward to the improvements and growth which I trust promise of growth, and decisions reflecting the needs of the one of the highest paid and most responsible of state jobs. will evolve during his administration. But only if the institutions and their individual student populations. The Commissioner must work directly with administrators and faculty in all the state's higher educational institutions. c_)OH\ ~ Such a position requires impartial decisions and it is \-JHEN I Girow UP hoped that Dr. Richardson will have no prejudices for or l'M 60JN6 Tg O\./N A against any unit in the system and will thus keep in­ HoUSE AND :;END MY KID.5 To c.<>LLEGE! consistancies and decisions favoring one school over another to a minimum. He will be faced with complex and intricate decisions as the economic situation gets tighter and the competition between the Universities increases.