The Towerlight, February 11, 1977

tl19770211-000 "Tigers ,number one See page 10 � VOL. LXIX, NO. 15 otuttt.i TOWSON STATE UNIVERSITY Today is iIiv las t day to ropiadd free Anium FEBRUARY 1 I. 1977 Governor asked to review charges of TSU discrimination by Pete Binns Twelve persons have brought Charges of discrimination against Towson State University over the last two and a half years, according to Dr. Annette Flower, Towson's affirmative action officer. In twelve separate filings made to the Maryland Human Relations Commission or its federal counter- ['art, each of the charging parties ,uss contended that the university ass in some way violated either state (1r federal legislation prohibiting elnployment-related discrimination. Dr. Flower said the general Position of. the university in the chscrimination cases is that ""if we are ever convinced that any bias or inmstice had taken place, we would rectify it, but that we feel that all reasons (for uhiversity actions) are logical, rational, and job-related. ""We are not presenting an entrenched position�just the best !Ogical view of the facts as we know mem ,"" Dr. Flower said. Two of those who filed are librarians Margaret Huang and Grace Schroeder, who presented 81Milar, yet separate, charges of discrimination on the basis of ostional origin (Chinese-American) With the MHRC in fall 1975. Both !toles, having been deemed to have 'Probable cause"" by the MHRC, !_re now before Governor Marvin andel for review. If he agrees that discrimination exists, hp will decide what action to take to resolve the dispute. He has final say in differences between two state agencies (TSU and the MHRC). Dr. Flower said that the Univer-sity feels the MHRC finding was based on errors made by the Commission while processing in-formation supplied by the Universi-ty. ""It turned University-supplied information into chart form but made numerous errors in the charts on such things as salaries,"" Dr. Flower said. She also said the Commission made ""mistaken as-sumptions about work performed by a librarian."" Before taking her charges to the MHRC, Huang made an unsuccess-ful attempt to get satisfaction through internal channels. (Schroe-der didn't, explaining, ""After she (Huang) went thrugh the whole thing with no result, I saw no point. Our cases are similar."") In a letter dated Sept. 9, 1975, to Dr. James Fisher, president of TSU, Huang wrote, ""I am asking that I be promoted to the same position (Librarian III) and grade to keep in line with other librarians who have the comparable qualifications, ex-perience, and seniority. I also ask that such promotion should be retroactive, and my loss of wages as a result of such discrimination should be compensated."" Both Huang and Schroeder said that persons doing the work they are doing should be paid more than what they are now receiving. ""We are functioning at the Librarian III level; that's why we should be paid at III,"" Huang said. Dr. Fisher referred. the librarian to Dr. Flower, to present her case, and according to Huang, ""her title is Affirmative Action Officer, but she acted as an agent for the College (before the MHRC). ""I'm very disappointed in her attitude. The only input to her was from the administration. ""Affirmative Action in this college is nothing more than window-dressing after what we've gone through,"" Huang concluded. Dr. Flower explained that when Charges are brought to the MHRC, both the charging party and the university supplies information to the commission which then makes a decision based on that information. ""What my position requires me to do,"" Dr. Flower said, ""essentially is to bring nv expertise on the laws and procedures-involved to bear on the investigation of any particular situation here at the university. ""At any stage in this kind of proceeding, I am impartial. I'm not predisposed either to assume the complainant is correct or the university is correct,"" she said. Dr. Flower said that in the last two and a half/years she has handled 20 problems involving TSU employ-ees. Seventeen of those problems were ""apparently satisfactorily re-solved,"" she said, and only three of the employees took their complaints to external agencies. She said most of the grievances brought to her concern relatively minor matters such as working conditions, opportunities for promo-tion, and relations with co-workers. Complaints taken to external agencies, however, ""are usually about the big things�getting hired, salaries, getting fired,"" she said. Four of the twelve who made external complaints said they were not given a job at Towson State because of discrimination. Thus, Dr. Flower said, a third of the external complaints had to be external. Of the twelve filings, the MHRC has found two to have no ""probable cause."" One of those cases'involved alleged age discrimination; the other race. ""In effect,"" said Dr. Flower, ""the University won two cases."" The rest of the cases, involving discrimination charges on the basis of race, sex, or national origin are still in ""investigative or review stages."" Dr. Flower said as far as she knew the twelve cases filed against Towson in the last two. and a half years have been the only charges made against the University. ""With an agency with 12,000 people, 12 cases in two and a half years is a pretty low incidence,"" Dr. Flower said. roodard back in Senate conditionally by T. F. Troy, Jr. Controversial senator and outspoken candidate for SGA President Jeff Woodard was expel-led from the Senate Tuesday for Illissing six of nine committee Meetings, but was reinstated a few flutes later. University Affairs Committee Chairman Marc Land notified the Senate of Woodard's poor atten- ,clance record. Under SGA rules, Woodard was automatically expel-led for missing just three of four Meetings. A debate followed over �eliether Woodard should be given a second chance."" Woodard said he skipped the Meetings because he attended other mittee meetings which required ',Os attendance more urgently, and ,u,ocause he felt he could not spare 'tie time from his schoolwork. As a Condition of his reinstatement, he Ptomised to attend all future econmittee meetings. , The Senate turned down a request eY the Grub Street Wit magazine for f3,000. The money was to be used c'1"" publication of a 64-page rtgazine this April. A refusal by 11,e editors to sell the magazine was ''ted as a reason to turn down the ,, 'equest. Richard Andrews resigned his rest as Senate Parliamentarian at "" meeting. He graduated this December. In his letter of resignation, he wrote that ""the most courteous and proper treatment has always been accorded me by the Senators."" He summarized his career with the Senate ""and added, ""All of this seems to me an excellent example of how any student, by simply taking an interest , in its workings, can attain a position of influence within the Student Government Associa-tion, an ,organization annually disposing of over $200,000 in student funds."" His accomplishment was the complete revision of all SGA rules, procedures, manuals, and, especial-ly, the Constitution. , He told a reporter of his impressions of the current Senate. ""As in Senates before this one,"" he said, ""there are some outstanding senators, some adequate senators, some inadequate senators. At least the senators have shown responsi-bility in not resigning in large numbers the way previous senators were wont to do. They are not professional legislators. They are just trying to do what's right for the students. As with all senators, though, they engage in too much personal wrangling."" Andrews was appointed to the Senate last March and served until May. Realizing that he would be Lair entry fee rises by Steve Haas The Tiger's Lair admission price ,111 rise on Thursdays beginning 'eh 17. S , A recent ruling by the Maryland �s'ate Amusement and Entertain-nt Board has lifted the enter-ment tax exemption previously joyed by the Tiger's Lair. Thus, a 'lye Per cent entertainment tax now 40Plies to all Lair revenues. b"" We were exempt when we se,gan having entertainment in L Pternber,"" said Tim Brewer, the 1.1Eur manager. ""Now, rather than �.�,ve to raise prices 5 per cent on 941issions and food and beer sales, tLe're raising the admission price at 'le door."" ij,,he Thursday admission price for e'ti students will increase from 50 \,!nts to 75 cents. The price for t:Sitors jumps from $1.50 to $2, but rjewer said, ""The Lair is a service t""�ainlY for Towson students. We try � 'ver.discourage outsiders from coming "" ql.rhe tariff began with the rnencement of Lair operations '15t week. Brewer noted, For, the tat two weeks, we are incurring the of the taxes. We aren't raising ission prices until Feb. 17 so that we can advertise it. ""We felt it was easiest and simplest to raise the admission price at the door, rather than have a 5 per cent price rise across the board on both days,"" he added. Admission to the Lair Fridays will remain free. ""We're just trying to cover costs,"" Brewer said. .""The admission increase on Thursday night will cover the entertainment tax cost for both nights. Brewer mentioned that Wayne Schelle, TSU Vice President of Business and Finance, felt that the Lair should not have to pay the state entertainment tax. Schelle plans to appeal to the state legislature for exemption, since the Tiger's Lair is primarily a TSU student service on the campus. Brewer also noted that the hours for the Tiger's Lair this semester are 8 p.m.-12 p.m. Thursdays, and 5.p.m.-12 p.m. Fridays. He said the Lair closes at midnight due to problems in the parking lot when it closed at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. ""We were asked to cut back our hours,"" Brewer said. Brewer also mentioned that 5 p.m.-7 p.m. on Fridays will be a ""happy hour,"" featuring discounted beer prices and ""listening music."" graduating in mid-term, he did not run for reelection, but proposed the Post of Parliamentarian. He was the only candidate for the job, and was appointed to it by the Senate. His encyclopedic knowledge of parliamentary rules and his objec-tive impartiality earned him the respect of every member of the Senate. Andrews was one of the few people who could bring silence to a crowd of bickering senators simply by opening his mouth. SGA President Joanne Finegan said, ""He helped us out in many ways:. updating the policies and rules - the drier stuff that nobody else wanted to do. He and I did not always agree about things, but he's a good worker and we'll miss his conscientious style."" About Finegan, Andrews said, ""I think Joanne has been an excellent president, very effective. Somebody who can veto four bills and not have any of them overridden is an effective president."" Andrews is waiting to learn if he has been accepted at the University of Baltimore Law School. He plans to run for State Senator from the 44th district of Baltimore City in 1978. He ran for the U.S. Congress last spring and lost in the Republican primary to Sam Culotta by only 350 votes of the more than 8,000 votes cast for Andrews, Culotta and a third candidate. Fisher blasts state budget procedure by Bill Stetka Towson State is being pei4lized by the Maryland Department of Budget by receiving less general funds from the state ""in spite of being the lowest cost four-year institution of higher education in the state,"" President James Fisher said in Annapolis Wednesday. Dr. Fisher said that ""antiquated"" state procedures do not allow line agencies, such as state colleges and universities, from participating in the process of reducing their own budgets. In his speech before the Joint Appropriations Committee, which Dr. Fisher said ""I could have given in 1969 or 1970,"" the TSU president cited inequities in the amount of general funds given to different state schools in their relation to each school's efficiency of operation and increase in student populace. Dr:' Fisher told the legislators that Maryland has ""become the classic large bureaucracy,"" reducing the amount of ""services rendered to our students . . . while the cost of government increases."" � He said that he had warned the same committee seven years ago that the state was operating on ""procedures that make it difficult and at times impossible to operate with even a modicum of economy and effectiveness."" After a Task Force was formed, ""the system seemed almost to work"" for three to four years. During the past year and a half, however, the inequity in funding has reappeared, according to Dr. Fisher, to such a point that ""a near paralysis has seized us."" Dr. Fisher said that Towson will receive only $1,268 per student in general funds for fiscal 1978, lowest among public four-year institutions in Maryland, and a decrease form the $1,337 the university received for fiscal 1977. At the same time, Towson will have increased its fulltime equivalent sudents by 543. As a comparison, Dr. Fisher said that the University of Maryland-Bal-timore County will receive $1,997 per student, an increase of $11 over the present fiscal year. Yet, UMBC will add only 100 FTE students. In order to combat the decreasing amount of general funds, Towson has been forced to increase the cirriculum materials fee, a primary source of student fees. The curriculum materials fee, said Dr. Fisher, has increased from $235 in 1975 to $370 for fiscal 1978. ""In 1969, it was $40 a year,"" he said. � ""So once again we have inequity . . . and the negative reward 'system where the more efficient and effective you are, the fewer dollars you receive,"" he said. Dr. Fisher is not pleased with Maryland's budgeting system, which he says places in charge ""an analyst who is never accountable for his line item budget reductions. ""In conscience,"" Dr. Fisher said, ""you could never fire a line agency head (such as ,a college president) in Maryland, because they are unable to make any important decisions."" The president said he can understand that the state has limited resources, but he doesn't , understand ""the lack of trust and complete lack of communication"" between the Department of Budget and the line agencies. ""We stand ready to participate in whatever cost reductions are, neces-sary to ensure prudent utilization of our resources,"" Dr. Fisher said. ""But let us participate. ""If you must reduce our budget by a certain amount or percentage, let us at least participate in the reduction process,"" he reiterated. Rites of Spring (Semester). ower fee lobbiers to hit Annapolis by Kathy Pascuzzi ""In the past four years, student fees (required payments) have increased 68 per cent,"" SGA President Joanne Finegan said Wednesday. Several students met with her then to discuss forming a group that will lobby in Annapolis to promote higher education in Mary-land. Finegan, as a member of the Task Force on Student Fees, began last semester to read materials relating to Maryland support of higher education. In addition to the 68 per cent rise in Towson fees, the Task Force found that fees at Coppin State College have increased 109 per cent in the past four years. , The Task Force is made up of representatives from TSU's Finan-cial Aid Office, Office of Business and Finance, Adfnissions Office and the student body. Besides the research, the Task Force gathered recommendations from members of the state Board for Higher Educa-tion. Finegan said state support for higher education has been ""consis-tently declining."" During the last few years, ""student fees had to go up"" to make up the difference, said Finegan. The students at Wednesday's meeting will start what Finegan calls ""the next stage."" ""One group will travel to Annapolis to talk to the senators or delegates from their home district,"" she said. The others will write letters to the legislators and gain public support for their efforts. ,""Our main focus in Annapolis will be legislators who are in favor of increased state support"" for Mary-land colleges, said Finegan. ""We'll be asking them to go from ideological -to practical."" The aim of the Task Force, said Finegan, is ""to Preserve public higher education in Maryland."" She explained that the percentage of the state budget allocated to higher education has remained about the same over the past few years, 'while costs have risen steadily."" The result has been a steady rise in student-paid fees. Finegan said the Task Force has projected an additional 60 per cent increase in these fees by 1980. ',We're trying to keep higher education accessible,"" said Fine-gan. She added that the other state colleges arid universities are in about the same position, even though other schools may appear to receive a larger amount of tax money per student. Finegan ex-plained that ""while other colleges are failing to meet their projected enrollment figures, Towson exceeds its figures.',' Finegan does not expect immedi-ate results from the Task Force activities. ""This year I would expect a resolution from the Legislature affirming their support of public higher education. Next year we'll hope for more concrete action on the budget,"" she said. Permanent liquorlicense sought again by Towson by Steve Verch It will be four to six weeks before the University will resubmit its application for a permanent liquor license to the Baltimore County Liquor Board, said Wayne Schelle, vice president of Business and Finance. The University is seeking a permanent license as opposed to the costly one-day licenses it must now procure for any on-campus event which offers beer, wine or liquor. Schelle estimated that $2500 could be saved yearly if a permanent license is granted by the Liquor Board. Currently, the one-day licenses cost $15 each. A permanent license would cost $500, and permit alcoholic beverages to be served throughout the week by the University and all groups linked directly with the University. President Fisher Schelle said that licenses of this nature have already been granted to Johns Hopkins University, Univer-sity of Baltimore, Morgan State, and Loyola. Tovyson's hearing before the Liquor Board in December was postponed when a legal question arose concerning the names which would be on the permanent license. Lawyers for the University had originally listed Al Walsh and Roy Whitley, both of Dining Services, and Don McCulloh, director of Finance, on the application. Balti-more County law specifies that three officers of an organization must be listed on the license, and the Liquor Board requested that three TSU vice presidents be listed instead. With several TSU vice presidents already listed on the permanent license for the Towson Club, the University lacks enough vice presi-dents to be listed on this second license, as County law does not permit officers of an organization to be listed on two different permanent licenses. Assuming the issue is resolved and Towson is granted a permanent license, the University would be able to purchase beer, wine and liquor wholesale for its activities, as the Towson Club now does. Anderson here tonite Jack Anderson, syndicated inves-tigative reporter, will speak at 8 tonight in the Stephens Hall Auditorium as part of the SGA-spon-sored Celebrity Speakers Series. John Holt, educator and author of ""How Children Fail"" and ""How Children Learn,"" will appear March 11, and Ralph Abernathy, civil rights leader, will speak on April 22. "