Digital Kenyon: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Exchange The Kenyon Collegian College Archives 3-29-1990 Kenyon Collegian - March 29, 1990 Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.kenyon.edu/collegian Recommended Citation "Kenyon Collegian - March 29, 1990" (1990). The Kenyon Collegian. 772. https://digital.kenyon.edu/collegian/772 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the College Archives at Digital Kenyon: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Kenyon Collegian by an authorized administrator of Digital Kenyon: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. lifflT Reviewer Gives A Day in the Life of Kenyon Swim Teams Thumbs Up to Five Phil Jordan Do It Again! Finger Exercise 7 V. Volume CXVII, Number 18 Established 1856 Thursday, March 29, 1990 Committee Presents Draft of Racial Harassment Policy By Guy Tino According to the Minutes taken at the that person's contemporaneous conduct or Professor Baumann told the Collegian that At a meeting full Febru- meeting, Senator Tyler Rust expressed con- of the Senate on statements befbre, during and after the con- while the committee's statement casts a wider ary 28, cern that the statement as it stands would Professors Fred Baumann and Ric duct or expression-whic- h is the subject of a net around which actions can be considered Sheffield, faculty members Senate threaten First Amendment rights, and two of the complaint or grievance, including any racial, harassment than a proposal argued in the Subcommittee on Senator Stephen Kennedy questioned how Harassment, presented for sexist, or similarly offensive slurs or epithets, Senate last year, "in some ways I wish it could Senatorial review the "intent" of the accused individual would the committee's draft state- and by the totality of the facts, cir- be even more precise" in its definition. He ment, titled "Statement on Harassment on be determined by the College. cumstances, and conduct surrounding the said the committee was from the start con- the Basis Race, Sex, Sexual In a telephone interview, Mr. Rust said of Orientation, subject conduct or expression." cerned about the protection of free speech: Age, Handicap, Religion the document was "in the exact spirit" of and National Expressions of harassment encompassed "We all wanted to protect freedom of speech. Origin." every other College regulation, with within this definition, and thereby en- We all wanted as well to stigmatize and at- The document breaks new ground in that, by College, "characteristic" generalization that does not forceable the include offensive tack harassment . we've tried our best to leave enough powers of determination to the unlike any current College regulations, it graffiti on an individual's workplace andor indicate the guidelines which provide the precisely attribute-relate- students. He also reiterated his strong belief defines what constitutes an act of home, offensive d humor balance they've tried to strike." Special pains harassment as of- that the statement violates the freedoms opposed to other kinds of directed at an individual, electronic mail were taken, for example, to distinguish com- guaranteed in the First Amendment of the fensive behaviors. This precision allows for messages, personal property destruction, ver- ments made in the classroom environment as Constitution. Mr. Rust would prefer that the the student population at Kenyon to better bal character abuse, threats of physical con- part of reasonable discussion from blatantly understand which might be con- College not have such a statement at all and behaviors tact, and actual acts of unwanted violence. offensive comments spoken with obvious in- page eight strued as harassment; it also provides a Professor Sheffield said an important com- tent of malice. see HARASSMENT clearer set of standards for the College to im- ponent di the statement is that it is directly plement in policing any harassment com- expressed by the College itself, indicating in plaints. more certain terms Kenyon's commitment to Area Resident Arrested for Rape The statement defines harassment in this a more diverse and varied student population By Beth Staples al tims. manner: (1) Any kind of physical, non-verb- free of harassment and hostility. While the Preliminary DNA tests revealed that or verbal conduct or expression which is broad freedoms of expression previously set Earlier this month Paul W. Lepley of Lepley's blood type was of the same type as designed or intended to intimidate, insult, de- out by the College still apply, Professor Shef- Mount Vernon was sentenced to 14 years in a the semen samples. Further complex DNA mean, taunt, annoy, injure, threaten, field stated there is a need to abide by the state prison for the rape of a Mount Vernon test will be done by the Federal Bureau of In- humiliate, or hinder the academic or profes- general rules of the community, and therein woman on Sept. 6, 1989 and for the kidnap- vestigation in Washington D.C. sional performance of an individual where lies the need for an expanded conception of ping and attempted rape of another woman The Knox County Sheriffs office refused 1987. such conduct or expression is made because the definition of harassment. He said by giv- from Mount Vernon in His sentence to comment on the Kenyon rape. They have of the individual's sex, race, color, age, ing specific examples of harassment types, was later reduced to 12 years. not confirmed if there are any suspects in the religion, national origin, sexual orientation, students and faculty alike will be able to Officials believe that Lepley may have been case or if Lepley will be named as a suspect if handicap or disability." (2) The intention, distinguish between general offensive involved in two unsolved rape cases in Knox the DNA tests are positive. design or reason of the person charged with behaviors and conduct or expressions more County including the Dec. 1987 rape of a According to the Mount Vernon News, violating this policy may be inferred from readily identifiable as harassment. Kenyon student in the New Apartments. Lepley had cuffed and taped his victims Lepley was not confirmed as a suspect in the mouths shut. He also threatened his victims Kenyon rape, although court records reveal- with death and intimidated them into not Kenyon Considers Calendar Changes ed that he was questioned by the authorities reporting the incidents to the authorities the rape. through his high ranking with By Joyce Tecson academic year would begin Wednesday, Nov. about connections Lepley and his attorneys agreed to state the Sheriffs Department. He served in the The Kenyon Calendar Committee is in the 27 and end Monday, Dec. 1. Reading days 13 15, exams ordered blood tests to match his DNA to Sheriffs Department for eight months in the process of proposing a plan for the 1991-9- 2 would be Dec. 12, and and 16-throug- h semen samples from the other two rape vic early 1980s as a Special Deputy. academic year. If accepted, the new calendar would be given on Dec. !4 and Dec. will include a shortened Thanksgiving bjeak,-on- e 18. Classes would resume Monday, extra reading day during first semester Jan. 11, 1992. This would shorten the normal Wilhelmto ResignFromCDC and will allow students to leave a few days Thanksgiving break from nine days to. four By Tamar Gargle 71 earlier for winter vacation. days. Winter break would then be longer. the Career Develop- According to Thomas J. Edwards, dean of Liz Forman, registrar, and chair of the Assistant Director of Hoyte L. Wilhelm, recently an- students, the proposal was suggested because calendar committee stresses that the proposal ment Center, his resignation in order to accept a of two factors. Dean Edwards explained that is tentative and that the committee itself is nounced at College of Wooster. some faculty members were concerned that divided. Forman, "senses the faculty are not new position the Wilhelm will leave Kenyon on June 1st to the 10 day Thanksgiving Break, "disturbs enthusiastic," and "suspects the students Wooster's Director Career class rhythm and momentum." These faculty won't be either." Faculty members have become of members claim that a full week away from already been notified about the proposed Development and Placement. According Wilhelm facility he will classes so close to first semester exams is changes in the calendar. John Loud, Student to the enlarged remodel- counterproductive to semester courses. The Council president and member of the calen- head has recently been and ed. The full time consists of one career room - into their offices for on campus second reason for the change is the cost of dar committee, presented the proposal to stu- staff intern, a Secre- recruiting. Wilhelm explained that Wooster transportation to students; under the present dent council on Feb. 25. counselor, one administrative two to four recent draws more on campus recruiters because of system, students return to Kenyon after Fall Forman also stated, "each year the calen- tary to the Director and employed as peer their close proximity to Cleveland and other Break and leave two and one half weeks later dar committee tries to look with a new eye at graduates that are counselors. Although the two offices are Ohio industrial centers. He remarked that for winter break. The new system would en- the academic calendar." This year's plan is overall, Wooster's center is Wooster's CDC has a "very healthy operating courage students to stay on campus for fall similar to a schedule implemented a few years comparable break. ago, but was not well received by the Kenyon organized and staffed slightly differently budget, compatible to Kenyon's." than Kenyon's.