■ Faculty, student panel Signs o f Spring I South Bend community discusses non-discrimina­ and others honor SMC presi­ tion clause. ■ Notre Dame sponsors dent Hickey p. 3 bike to campus day. p. 3 . X H OBSERVER Wednesday, A p ril 23, 1997 • Vol. X XX No. 130 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME AND SAINT MARY'S University reconstructs compensation plans By BRIDGET O ’CONNOR junction with several staff “The reason the action was Administration to the Faculty because as a group, the clerical Assistant News Editor groups, has developed a new taken was because the Senate in February of 1996, and secretarial staff is predomi­ plan for all non-faculty workers. University had outgrown its cur­ “the relative discrepancy nantly female. For the first time since the “ One of the outcomes that we rent or previous pay system,” he between the salaries paid to our “The reason why Gender late 1970s, the University of wanted to achieve is to put in explained. “Under our previous secretarial and clerical workers Studies is interested in clerical Notre Dame has restructured its place a process that would pay system, there were some and our service and mainte­ workers is that it is a feminized employee classification and make sure that all employees of groups of employees that were nance workers creates an inter­ occupation,” explained profes­ compensation plans. Calling on the University, regardless of paid higher levels than other nal inequity which needs to be sor Teresa Ghilarducci. “That is, the services of the Towers- classification or level, were paid groups of employees.” remedied.” the workers do what is regard­ Perrins firm to assist them in competitively with the market,” One of those groups is the This inequity was seen as par­ ed as women’s work and most this undertaking, the Human said associate vice president for office clerical staff. According ticularly alarming to some in the of the workers are female.” Resources department, in con­ human resources Roger Mullins. to a report of the Committee on Gender Studies department see SALARIES / page 6 South Bend’s The Observer/Kim Michalik league Brigid Coleman is the new student trustee. SMC names of its Coleman as own new trustee ‘Yeah, of course I did that. What did you expect?” ’ By P. COLLEEN NUGENT Fifty-four years after the Patterson is one of a handful of Notre Dame and Saint News Writer Mary’s women who play for the South Bend Belles in the AAGPBL, a new baseball Great Lakes Women’s Baseball League, the first m ulti­ Saint Mary’s College announced the state baseball league for women in 42 years. appointment of junior Brigid Coleman to the league for women emerges “I played Little League baseball when I was 9 or 10,” position of student trustee for the upcoming Patterson said. “I never played softball, 1 was always school year. By DAN CICHALSKI brought up on baseball. I didn’t see softball on television, Coleman has been involved in various cam­ Associate News Editor so there was nothing pushing me to it. Spring and sum­ pus groups, including her class government, mer was just baseball.” the sophomore and junior class boards, the Laura Patterson stands in line with two of her team­ In 1992, a lot of girls and women were made aware of, social work club, and with Christ Child’s mates and several adolescent boys at the Grand Slam or were reminded of a time when women had a baseball Society. U.S.A. batting cages in Elkhart. When it’s her turn to hit, league all to themselves. “A League of Their Own,” a film As student trustee, Coleman becomes a she steps into the cage and deposits the token for 20 directed by Penny Marshall starring Tom Hanks and member of equal standing with the same pitches. But she does not have the attendant switch the Geena Davis, chronicled one season for two fictional sis­ rights and privilege as other members of the pitching machine from the hard, straight baseball pitches ters on the Rockford Peaches. board, including an equal vote. The main dif­ to the slower, arched softball tosses. “ I saw the movie and I loved it,” Patterson said. “ I had ference lies in that Coleman is responsible for Crack. It’s an aluminum bat hitting a plastic batting never known there was a women’s league. I hoped they’d representing the voice of the entire student cage ball, but the contact is so solid it resembles a start it again. When this opportunity came up, I couldn't body. “crack” with only a little imagination. Patterson com­ say no.” The student trustee also resides on the the pletes the 20 pitches, hitting line drives to all sides of the In 1943, with American men fighting in World War II, Board of Governance, the student governing narrow cage and up the middle. The boys in line watch in women stepped into jobs they never before had experi­ body, where she is also a voting member. genuine amazement at the 5’3” female making better enced, or even considered. “ Rosie the Riveter” became a Both positions demand a large weekly time contact than some of them have. national icon as women entered the workforce enthusias­ commitment. “ I always kind of laugh at that,” Patterson said about tically. “I am looking forward to representing the boys’ reactions to her baseball talents. “ I’m from a small Baseball was no exception. With Major League stars in students and being able to articulate their town where all the guys are athletes. Everybody looks ideas," said Coleman. twice when a girl plays a boy’s sport. But I always think, see LEAGUE/ page 4 Surveys and conversations will be Coleman’s main venues for increasing com­ munication between herself and the students at Saint M ary’s College. The selection of the student trustee is a lengthy process. Letters sent out each year to juniors by Dr. Linda Timm, Vice-President of Student Affairs, include an application for Official N Official 1 8 BASS B*U. 9|'-S BASE 8AU. the student position for the Board of Trustees. The letter explains that the position on the Board of Trustees is open to all cur­ rent juniors. The student must submit a personal letter and three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a professor and one Photos courtesy Joyce Sports Research Collection from a current student. After these have When the All American Girls Softball League began, the women played with softballs. Gradually, the size of the ball shrunk to equal the size of a regulation baseball. see TRUSTEE / page 6 page 2 The Observer • IN S ID E Wednesday, April 23, 1997 INSIDE COLUMN WORLD AT A GLANCE Smoking — Peruvian troops storm Japanese embassy, free hostages LIMA, Peru transfixed two nations and focused In a lightning assault, Peruvian global attention on a little-known left­ troops stormed the Japanese ambas­ ist rebel group, Tupac Amaru, which a virtue??? sador’s mansion Tuesday and rescued has waged guerrilla war here since 1984. The issue of smoking 71 hostages held for four months, on the Notre Dame cam­ W endy Klare killing all 14 rebel captors as the In Tokyo, Japan's prime minister pus has long been a Advertising Design unsuspecting guerrillas reportedly called it a “ splendid rescue,” but also heated debate. Recently M a n a g e r played soccer. said it was “ regrettable” that Peru had the spark has been One captive, Supreme Court Justice not forewarned his government of the rekindled, with the assertion that by smoking, Carlos Giusti, and two soldiers also surprise, broad-daylight attack. one can reach an enlightened state. I have no died, President Alberto Fujimori said. Fujimori told reporters late Tuesday doubt that this statement strikes most of you Some hostages were secretly warned San Isidro that intelligence information convinced as ridiculous. However, I feel that it is my just before the raid, one of the freed him it was an ideal time to end the duty as a former smoker to respond to this men said. impasse by force. outrageous claim. Fujimori said 25 other captives were He apparently was referring to word Apparently some people think that because injured in the gunfire and explosions of the indoor soccer game. Bolivian they are forced by the Notre Dame adminis­ that rocked the compound, only two Ambassador Jorge Gumucio, one of the tration to walk a mile in search of a pack of seriously — Peru’s foreign minister, freed hostages, said eight hostage- cigarettes and a lighter, this makes them of Francisco Tudela, and another holders were playing soccer in the uncommonly strong character. And that Supreme Court justice, both suffering main ball of the diplomatic residence because they are forced to stand outside in gunshot wounds. when the security forces struck, first the subzero temperatures to feed their habit, “ I didn’t waver for a single minute in Pacific setting off an explosion in a tunnel they are somehow superior to the fortunate giving the order for this rescue opera­ directly under the hall. majority here at Notre Dame — those who tion,” said the president, who through­ It was about 3:30 p.m. The 140-man have not succumbed to the grip of a frighten­ out the crisis adamantly rejected the guerrillas’ demand military-police assault team poured through the com­ ing addiction. that jailed comrades be freed in exchange for the captive pound’s front gate, then blasted open the mansion’s front My question is this: do these people truly diplomats and businessmen.