Maroon

              THE MAROON ESTABLISHED 1923 VOL. 73 NO. 20 Loyola University New Orleans FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1995 Montgomery, Joseph win 1995 SGA elections By EMILY DREW Managing Editor After four hours of anxiety, pacing and scantrons, the commissioner of elections announced Katy Montgomery and Justin Joseph as the president and vice-president of the 1995-96 Student Government Association. After the polls closed on Wednesday at 9 p.m., members of the election board, board of review and other helping hands verified the results of the two-day election. Montgomery, political science junior, soundly defeated Ryan Scafidel, communications senior, with a tally of 1,003 to 358. The vice presidential race, also needing the 50 percent plus one margin for victory, almost resulted in a run-off election. Joseph, accounting/finance junior, received 673 of the 1,339 votes cast, with his nearest opponent. John Carbo, marketing senior, taking 298 of the votes. "This election is going to change the face of student government," Joseph said. "We have taken it where it should be, and now we're going to take it where it ought to be." Montgomery said she feels that working together with Joseph will allow the SGA to do "extraordinary things for the students." "We will be able to make great strides, work hard, be dedicated and fulfill our promises," she said. "It's going to he a great year." Other victories for the incoming college presidents included the following: Christi Rogers will serve for tht College of Business; Jennifer Kelley for the College of Music and Pamela Houlette for City College. Because of a misspelling of one of the candidate's names, the election of the Aits and Sciences president will be re-run on April 4 and 5. Run-ofTs for the position will take place after the spring break. This was a ground-breaking year as far as the election process was concerned. For the first time, with hopes of creating greater efficiency and accuracy, the election utilized a commissioner. Erica Jenkins, psychology senior, and votes were tallied by scantron. "It seemed to be a very clean year," Jenkins said. "None of the past complaints of previous elections occurred this year. Some candidates did have some problems with each other, but those were basically ironed out." Christian Creed, SGA president and thirdyear law student, agreed that the elections ran smoothly; he praised the newly elected officers. "Loyola students are fortunate to have Katy and Justin serving them." he said. "It has been my experience that there are not two more hard-working or dedicated students who truly have the best interest of all students at heart." By CLAUDIO RIVERA Sandra Rosby and Tamika Deverney use the new scantron method to vote for SGA candidates. Frazier's discrimination complaints sent to EEOC By STEPHEN STUART Assistant News Editor □ Delays cost university money and frustration, Knipfingsays After two postponed hearings and the City Attorney's office's failure to subpoena necessary records and witnesses, the New Orleans Human Relations Commission refered Will Frazier's complaint of racism and discrimination against the university to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The university received a copy of a Jan. 20 letter addressed to Frazier, a former Loyola student, from the executive director of the HRC stating numerous reasons for the referral. According to the letter, the case falls outside the scope and resources of the HRC; the EEOC intends to process the case; and a national agency would better handle the case. Frazier filed an initial complaint of racism and discrimination with the HRC in early December 1993 for Loyola's handling of three alleged incidents in which Frazier reported he was directly involved. These incidents, which happened at the end of 1993, included Frazier's finding of a black CPR mannequin hung from a pipe by a life vest in a Rec Plex storage room, an Asian student's report to Public Safety of Frazier's verbally abusing her and making an ethnic slur, and Frazier's report of racist statements written on his residence hall room door. After the HRC informed the university of Frazier's initial complaint concerning these incidents, university officials met with HRC representatives on Dec. 6 and turned over all documents relating to these incidents. On June 23, the HRC sent the university an official notice of the complaint and the City Attorney's opinion that the commission had jurisdiction in the case. The university then provided more written documentation to refute the allegations. Vice President for Student Affairs Vincent Knipfing said that the university accepted the HRC's decision and provided all necessary information to the HRC. "Again, because the university wanted to cooperate, we didn't even challenge that," Knipfing said. "And it probably could have been challenged ... But... we had nothing to hide." Several factors entered into Residential Life's Aug. 31,1994 decision lo terminate Frazier as an R. A. including the incident with the Asian student, a practical joke in the residence hall and Frazier's reaction to a letter from Robert Reed, director of Residential Life, regarding his academic probation and behavioral expectations as an R.A. On Sept. 14, Frazier filed a supplemental complaint with the HRC, claiming that he was fired because of his original complaint to the HRC. Then on Sept. 22, the university was told that Frazier filed an additional complaint with the EEOC claiming racial discrimination and retaliation by the university. In response to both of these complaints, the university provided complete documentation to its lawyers, Knipfing said. The documents include Public Safety reports, Loyola's narrative in response to his allegations and witness Living wage increased to $6.90 an hour By NICK VACCARO Staff writer Another wage increase awaits the university's support staff members, according to the Rev. Joseph Currie, S.J., dean of Campus Ministry and member of the Minimum Wage Committee. The Minimum Wage Committee, a subcommittee of the University Budget Committee, proposed the wage increase. The current wage of $6.71 an hour has been raised to $6.90 an hour, which the Rev. James C. Carter, S.J.. university president, approved. According to Currie, the Social Justice Program assures fairness to Loyola employees. Under this program, every university employee is to be paid the living wage, which is determined by the Federal Register. "The faith and justice of this university should be reflected in our employment policy," Currie said. In addition, outside contractors must pay their employees the living wage if they are to do business with the university. According to John Perkinson, director of Marriott Dining Services, the Social Justice Program is good in theory, but it drastically affects business. He explained that he has to raise prices of the dining services to keep up with the wage increase. However, Perkinson believes the living wage should apply to workers who have been employed by Marriott for a longer period instead of those whom have just been hired. "What do you do when you have an employee working for maybe 10 years making the living wage and then you have an employee working for the same wage who just started?" asked Perkinson. Perkinson added that it is hard to make a profit at Loyola because of this. He said Marriott has hired students because the company can pay them less. Perkinson feels the university should aid in allocation of the living wage. According to ÜBC member Antonio Lopez, math and computer science professor, the ÜBC is in the process of devising a plan to fund the wage increase. Currie, however, said contractors such as Marriott simply has to raise their prices. Currie said there is no association between the wage increase and Marriott's laying off of employees this past January. 'There is no linkage between the layoffs and this policy," Currie said. According to Perkinson, Marriott reduced its working staff and its operating hours."lt was a smart business move." See FRAZIER Pg. 3 Assassin School 4 H Sailing Away it-,**I*** Baseball team sends Merchant Marines down the river. Pg. 5 hfghfgh