Index N ew s ................................ 1 -6 Mississippi Opinion .............................7 River A&E ..........................8-10 TEif* ___________ ____________ ____________ Sports .......................1 2 -1 4 I f f ■ I f f Festival Puzzle ................................ 1 5 Revival Classifieds .......................1 6 See A&E AltonAlestle - East St. Louis - Edwardsville Thursday, September 17, 2009 www.alestlelive.com Vol. 6 2 , No. 8 Discrimination suit hits SIUE Former employee claims termination due to race and age by Allan Lewis “The person who took over had the exact same their jobs because they are being reorganized, and SIUE Alestle Managing Editor responsibilities and was not a minority individual,” routinely gives assistance to find employment within the Szewcyk said. “Our claim is that Mr. Banks is out o f his university or finding other employment opportunities,” Former assistant to the dean o f engineering Ronald job because o f his race.” Szewcyk said. “Mr. Banks was not given this assistance, Banks is suing SIUE, the Southern Illinois University The suit Banks filed states the defendants in the case and we believe that it is because o f his race.” Board o f Trustees and the state o f Illinois for what he feels “intended to discriminate unlawfully and did discriminate Banks seeks liquidation and compensatory damages, is discrimination. unlawfully against the Plaintiff because o f his race, color back and front pay, job reinstatement or reassignment, Banks, a 51-year-old black male, was employed at and/or age.” attorney’s fee and other relief. SIUE from March 1994 until October 2007 as an The suit states Banks believed he was entided to SIUE Director of Public Affairs Greg Conroy and assistant to the dean, but was let go once the university no reassignment within the university once the position was SIU Executive Assistant for Government Affairs David longer needed the assistant position. abolished, but he was not granted that opportunity. Gross were unavailable for comment as o f 5 p.m. Banks attorney Edward Szewcyk claims the university Szewcyk said Banks deserved reassignment within the Wednesday. has since implemented a new position with similar university. responsibilities and filled it with a white individual. “Similarly situated white employees are not losing AUen Lewis can be reached at [email protected] or 650-3527. 529 demolition underway Demolition crew hard at work removing asbestos in Cougar Village Aren Dow/Alestle Above: The demolition crew removes the debris of Cougar Village Apartment 529 to clear the area for the future building. Below: The lining in the truck helps protect potential asbestos harm to nearby residents during the transportation process. by Aren Dow chief carpenter o f University Housing, said asbestos was material is present in the area. Alestle Opinion Editor found in the flooring and drywall compounds. “There are strict state and federal guidelines when ‘Asbestos was found in some o f the drywall tape, and you have material that is hazardous to the public. Cougar Village Apartment 529 is on its way to now that they’ve had a fire, some o f that could become Asbestos is one of the materials,” McCutcheon said. restoration. friable,” McCutcheon said. “The whole building has to be To protect students in the area, there are abatement First, the damaged building needs to be torn down, (demolished) as an abatement process.” air samplers on the fence that surrounds the demolition which will take place all week. The demolition of John Gilmore, part of an environmental group who site. Gilmore said the samplers measure the amount of Apartment 529 will be finished by Friday, if it completes oversees the demolition, said the safety measures taken particles in the air to make sure the area outside the on schedule. The building was originally destroyed after a during the demolition were nothing out o f the ordinary. demolition zone is safe. lightning strike ignited the roof on Aug 17, ultimately “It’s normal,” Gilmore said. “It’s the same way we According to Gilmore, several trucks are being used gutting the apartment complex. would treat any other building built in the ‘70s.” to transport the materials to the landfill in Roxana. Once An e-mail was sent out to students Friday informing The safety procedures followed by the demolition the truck’s bed has been filled with debris, it is sealed off residents when the demolition would take place and listed crew are standard as well. There are different levels of the precautions students should take. Bob McCutcheon, government standards which must be met if hazardous DEMOUTION/pg. 2 www.alesdclive.com Thursday, September 17, 2009 DEMOLITION from pg. 1 to prevent any problems occurring during the Freezing new hiring transportation process. When needed, drivers and workers wear clear suits and gas masks to avoid Budget constraints place a ceiling on employment for SIUC any potential problems. All o f the debris has to be transported in by Rosie Githinji this manner, not just the items Alestle Reporter Sean Roberts/Alestle that had asbestos. “Everything in this building Southern Illinois University of could possibly have asbestos Carbondale is now joining the ranks o f residue,” McCutcheon said. “It employers who have been forced to take all has to be viewed as hazardous measures to make sure they do not exceed Southern material. Ninety-nine percent of their budget in the form of a hiring freeze. Illinois University the materials in here are asbestos SIUC Chancellor Sam Goldman held a C a r b o n d a l e free, but it only takes 1 percent to press conference announcing many o f the SIU be hazardous.” changes taking place at the university, some McCutcheon said the plan o f which are going to impact the school. was to remove the building and According to the press release, debris, leaving only the Goldman told those who attended his State foundation. Whether or not the o f University address that the university is foundation would be used for the instituting a hiring freeze. new building will be determined “Only essential positions will be filled, at a later date. and only with the approval o f the provost “They’ll strip it all the way and the chancellor. We will continue to down to the tile. That will have look for efficiencies in our operations, and to be abated,” McCutcheon said. where necessary, we will deploy resources to “What we want to wind up with areas o f known greater productivity for the Affairs Bill Winter said the hiring freeze will Carbondale.” is a clear slab o f concrete.” university,” Goldman said in the speech. not affect SIUE employees. The current enrollment numbers for McCutcheon said having the According to Rod Sievers, university “As far as the hiring freeze at the SIU C is at 2 0 ,2 2 0 ; Edwarsville is at crane knock the building down is spokesman for SIU C, the hiring freeze is in Carbondale campus, I really can’t tell you 13,940. the most time-consuming part of preparation o f any budget shortfalls. about that because its in Carbondale, and I Winter also said that each o f the new the project. The trick to have the “It’s not a set-in-stone hiring freeze,” don’t make any decisions concerning their positions would have to be individually demolition move efficiently was Sievers said. “Non-essential positions will campus,” Winter said. approved on the SIU E campus. He said to have the trucks coordinate not be filled.” Winter said there are a few differences there is no reason for employees to worry. with the crane moving the debris. The university is looking for ways to between the campuses that help SIU E, such “As it stands right now, we don’t plan “I f it’s sitting here, it is compromise, for example, hiring one as the amount of money that is given to the on having any layoffs,” Winter said. wasting money,” Gilmore said. person instead o f two, according to Sievers. public universities by the state. For video footage of the 529 The hiring freeze will not affect positions “We are in a little bit o f a different demolition,go to the university already planned to fill. It is situation than they are,” Winter said. “One www.alestielive.com. for those that may be needed in the future. of the differences is enrollment is up on the Rosie Githinji can be reached at [email protected] or 650-3527. A ren Dow cm be reached at SIUE Budget Director for Financial Edwardsville campus and is down in [email protected] or 650-3527. Meals & Music "frizz* V 1}.$. 6-8 pm Sundays 6-6:45 pm Wednesdays Woodland Hall MFR Prairie Hall MFR Free to all, all you can eat Come watch Check out our Facebook Page mealsandmusic.org Ryan McCullough Let MUC Print&Design help. Perform live on Monday, September 21st. One of the most important things He’ll be in the Goshen Lounge about doing an assignment is knowing where to get it printed, from 11 am to 1 pm! enlarged, bound, laminated or how to pay for it. Late Night Expresso Print & Design is a one stop shop for students on the go. Come listen to the relaxing sounds of We offer many services that students need to complete their projects. You don't have to have a pocket full of change to pay for your copies either. Print & Design accepts Mary Brooker cash, check or the Cougar debit card, Copies • Printing • Lamination Performing Banners • Flyers • Posters • Cards Thursday, September 17th Personalized Coffee Mugs etc.