The Towerlight, April 22, 1988

tl19880422-000 "10 Inside Pains Elizabeth Buck takes on the bellyachers page 11 Th Tower1.1 ht � Published weekly by the students of Towson State University Towson, MD 21204 Index news 1 2 features & entertainment 3 business 4 sports 5 classifieds 7 8, 9 editorial 11 perspectives & letters 11 weekwatcher 12 01. 81 No. 21 Towson State hosts campus racismfo rum by Judy Jelenko News reporter Wednesday, April 13, Towson State University held its first Racism forum in the Potomac Lounge with over 150 students, teachers, and community mem-bers attending. The objectives of the forum were: 1) awareness of the dynami�s of racial discrimina-tion in society; 2) awareness of racial issues on campus; and, 3) candid discussion of racial issues pe�, on campus and in the larger so-iety. The forum opened with the 1965 movie ""The Eye of the Storm,"" about a third grade teacher who created an atmosphere of racism in her classroom to give children an Idea of the feelings of those who are victims of racism. Following the film, small dis-cussion groups were formed to answer questions about the movie and how it applied to the Towson State campus. Following dinner, Richard Gil-lespie, of the theatre department, directed twelve small improvisa-tions dealing with actual events that students have experienced on campus. Skits included dining room scenes, interracial dating sit-uations, and conflicts over music. The skits pointed out how many questions go unanswered because people are not willing to ask. They attempted to relieve racial tension with humor. Following the skits, another dis-cussion group was formed to talk about these tensions and how they might be resolved in the near fu-ture. Many people admitted their guilt in certain situations and the fact that the reason they felt un-comfortable was a lack of under-standing. Towson State president Hoke Smith addressed the group to close the forum. He applauded the im-provisations and said, ""With such a sensitive issue we [the popula-tion of Towson State] feel we must be careful. We are careful not to ask, we avoid questions, but per-haps it is time to ask."" One year after Lawson incident BSU President Angela McIntyre said, ""An attempt is being made [to would like to see more."" Story below. Racial controversy leads to by Michael Raymond News editor One year ago this week, Towson State University was awash with bitter emotion as the tides of racial controversy and judicial inade-quacy flooded cam pus. A minor fender-bender, the kind that rou-tinely occur on parking lots and side streets everywhere, had escal-ated into a major confrontation between minority students and the administration. The principal players were Wil-liam ""Rodney"" Lawson, a law en-forcement major, who also hap-pens to be black; Lynnette Ed-wards, a tenure track professor in the business department, who hap ens to be white; and Dorothy Sei-gel, vice president for student ser-vices, also white, whose discretion-ary authority to impose student suspensions had previously been Without serious challenge. According to police reports, Law-son and Edwards exchanged Words after their cars collided March 13, 1987, on Stevenson Lane. Although the pair accused each other of threats, Edwards Was the one who pressed charges through both the University and District Court. Lawson was arrest-ed and suspended. Almost immediately Lawson alleged racism. Minority groups such as the Black Student Union and the NAACP came to his sup-port, and one fender-bender quick-ly became the springboard for a major debate on race relations and judicial process. Until recently, concerns over the limitations of University judicial policy did not receive much atten-tion. Racial policy was the issue of the moment, however, and as Law-son's fate remained in question, emotions were strong within the black community. A ""memo of action"" dated April 17, 1987, by the combined BSU / NAACP organizations threatened a ""media-involved protest by the end of the week of April 20,"" if satisfaction was not obtained on the following issues: William ""Rod-ney"" Lawson; Campus Police;the Stud-ent Government Association; black faculty, staff, administra-tion and coaches; black academic courses and Judicial Policy nil-ings. Apparently satisfaction was not met. A sit-in was staged Friday, April 24, 1987, on the third floor of the Administration building, and the following demands were made: more black hiring and recruit-ment, more classes focusing on p'- photo by Dave Hammond Jones' [left] successors may benefit from increased scho-larship revenue. Story page 2. Afro-American studies, better treat-ment by police, fairness in the judi-ciary, specifically with regard to Lawson, and greater attention by the administration to inter-student organizational matters. A second, more vocal public pro-test was held shortly thereafter, but the emotional intensity of the ""Racism is like rain: if it's not falling, it is somewhere forming."" �Dr. William Parker, University of Kentucky Lawson incident, now seen as a specific venting of accumulated frustration, eased somewhat as Uni-versity President Hoke Smith re-duced Lawson's suspension to pro-bation following the spring sem-ester. Lawson has since returned to school. Edwards has left the Uni-versity to work in the private sec-tor. Seigel remains a vital part of the administration. But what of the greater issues this single inci-dent raised? In what condition is the Towson.State social fabric one year later? According to Dr. Camille Clay, Ed.D., assistant vice president for Minority Affairs, the issue of race relations within the University com-munity was an acknowledged is-sue before the Lawson incident made waves on campus. ""[The Tow-son community] needed some kind of program...to improve the way people were getting along with each other,"" Clay said. In fact, during the 1986-87 school year, a three-part racial environ-ment assessment was initiated. The assessment, which included informal discussion and observa-tions among the entire commun-ity, formal interviews of high-level administration officials and a stu-dent survey, was designed as a basis for recommendation of change. Interestingly, the recommenda-tions of the assessment are similar to the concerns and demands of the BSU/NAACP during the spring protests; the two were almost pub-licized concurrently. The assessment listed the follow-ing as ""dire needs"": an oversight task force to monitor minority sta-tus; a comprehensive racial envir-onment improvement program photo by Dave Hammond improve race relations], but I action and more opportunities for inter-racial dialogue; established and publicized procedures for handling racial complaints; increased recruit-ment of black students, faculty, and staff; an inclusion of an Afro- American curriculum and struc-tural opportunities for black stu-dents to interact with each other. The conclusion read, in part, ""Our students cannot be consider-ed well-educated if they have not learned to live successfully in a multi-cultural, pluralistic society. With planning and thoughtful in-put from all components of this institution, we can create an environ-ment which prepares our students to handle diversity without divis-iveness."" Supplemental to the assessment, Clay published a paper entitled ""Toward a Pluralistic Community: a Preliminary Proposal to Improve the Racial Environment at Tow-son State University."" Prefacing Clay's work is a quo-tation from Dr. William Parker of the University of Kentucky that set the theme for many of the ensu-ing pluralist efforts on campus. ""Racism is like rain, if it is not fal-ling, it is somewhere forming."" Clay's paper affirmed her office was an ""oversight task force"" for minority status activities, thus satisfy-ing the first need of the assessment see ACTION, page 2 April 22, 1988 SGA OKs 2 bills by Robert Pattison News reporter The Student Government Asso-ciation approved a bill to give over $7,000 for the senior prom and another bill to give an additional $344 to the Tower Echoes the Uni-versity's yearbook, at Tuesday's meeting. Todd Mattingly introduced the senior prom bill which asked for $7,200 and passed unanimously with no debate from the senators. Mattingly also introduced the Tower Echoes bill, which asked for $334.40 to buy additional year-books for seniors who graduated in December 1987 and those who will graduate this May. He explained that the Tower Echoes staff mis-calculated the number of year-books they needed. He added they would not need the money until July 1, 1988. Treasurer Jon Long said the SGA cannot approve a bill to give money to any group or organiza-tion at a future date when the SGA is not in session. Since the bill requested the money in the middle of the summer break, when the SGA is not in session, the bill was in danger of defeat. In order to ""save the motion"" Long suggested that Mattingly change the bill and place the money in an escrow account to be made available to the Tower Echoes when needed. After this amendment the motion passed un-animously. Following these motions Sena-tor Lauri Sears, University Affairs committee chair, announced a pic-nic on Burdick Field starting May 5 from 2-7 pm. Sears said between 2-4 pm olympic-style games and other ""wacky things"" will be staged followed by dinner from 5-7 pm. She said the dining halls will be closed because dinner will be held at the picnic. Commuters are welcome, but must pay $5.25. Sears said prizes will be awarded for the olympic events: $200 for first place, $100 for second place, and $50 for third place. Sears also, asked for the SGA's help in fullfilling the wish of David, a seven-year-old boy in Eng-land who is dying from a brain tumor. It is his wish to receive a record-setting number of postcards from around the world. Sears is asking for 1,000 post-cards which students can buy and help this cause. The University -Residence Government will ap-prove how much money Sears will receive. Honor code means activism by Judy Jelenko News reporter Although honor codes are in place at many universities across the country, Towson State is not one of them. In view of current debate over alleged judicial inade-quacies on campus, the adminis-tration supports implementation of an honor code here, but stresses the need for student support. Two or three years ago, one stu-dent approached the administra-tion at Towson State University about setting up a student-run honor code. That was the last the administration heard of this sug-gestion. According to University President Hoke Smith ""the reason the suggestion did not proceed any farther was lack of student in-terest."" Summer registration dates announced by Lisa Zullo News reporter Towson State University will hold summer registration for cour-ses offered during the 1988 sum-mer sessions beginning May 4 on an in-person, walk-in basis, alpha-betically arranged. Days and times are listed on the registration calendar in the summer school schedule booklet. Most courses will meet daily Monday through Friday. The first five-week day session is June 13 to July 19. Other session dates and times are available in the summer schedule booklet, available in the Registrar's Office in the Adminis-tration building, room 213. Students should review course selections and check for prerequi-sites and other restrictions before registering. All special permits must be brought to the registrar and payment is due at time of reg-istration. Students are encouraged to register for the entire summer during the listed registration per-iod. A late fee of $75 will be charged on all regestrations after June 3. There will be a summer credit limitation. Anyone hoping to reg-ister for more than 9 credits per session or 15 credits total for the summer must obtain approval prior to registration. 15 credits is considered the maximum load for summer. A request for exception to the credit limitation must be made in writing. For more information, contact the Registrar's Office at 321-2700. Vice president for student servi-ces Dorothy Siegel said, ""An honor code means starting from the ground up."" She said that ""the students must first be willing to not put up with certain behaviors and then be willing to stand by their decision."" The University of Virginia has the longest running student-run honor code in the US. The reason their code works so well is because the students do not condone activi-ties such as cheating. The honor code at VA states that ""Ladies and Gen-tlemen do not LIE, STEAL, or CHEAT, nor do they associate with those who do so."" At universities such as Virginia, Perdue, and Oberline a student caught cheating is expelled from the university after charges have been filed by two students who witnessed the incident. However at Towson State, the students must be caught by the professors. To start an honor code at Tow-son State will take ""the students not accepting behavior from other students. It means that I the stu-dent will not put up with you the student acting against me,"" said John Carter Matthews, retired Towson United States history pro-fessor. Matthews said that the stu-dents must be willing to take some responsibility in their own hands. ""The reason the Virginia honor code works is because the students realize that they are all affected if one student cheats,"" said Mat-thews. ""Thus they [the students] are more willing to point out a cheat."" ""To instigate an honor code at Towson State would mean rethink-ing and establishing some basic ground rules,"" said Matthews. ""The students must make the deci-sion that they want to have an honor code. The administration cannot make that desicion for them,"" said both Smith and Siegel. ""If students make this decision, the administration would need to see certain changes. For example, at the end of every exam, the student should write [I have not received or given information about this paper],"" said Siegel. ""The question is not whenter Towson State wants an honor code; we [the administration] would welcome it. The question is are the students of Towson State ready to put one into action and show the administration it would work,"" Siegel said. Siegel said that ""you, [the stu-dent] know whether someone in your class is cheating when an exam is passed around. You also know what is considered common sense behavior."" There will be cheating on these exams coming up, we [the administration] know that from the past, are you [the student] willing to put up with that?"" said Siegel. Next week, a look at how the pres-ent judicial system has affected some students and organizations on campus. "