DAILY LOBO new mexico
Fashionistas see page 14
February 10, 2011
thursday The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
Judge: Professor can keep money UNM to decide in coming week whether to appeal by Shaun Griswold shaun24@unm.edu
A district judge rejected a University attempt to take back $11,000 in unemployment pay from former English professor Joy Harjo, ruling that the administration effectively forced the Native American author to leave her post. Second District Judge Ted Baca ruled last week that UNM administrators forced out Harjo after she complained about instructor Lisa D. Chavez moonlighting with students on a sado-masochist website. “(Harjo) was no longer able to do her job effectively because of her own mental state and the realities of the program,” the judge’s ruling said. “Harjo legitimately felt humiliated, degraded and concerned for her job.” The University took Harjo to court to have her repay $11,000 in unemployment compensation because UNM claimed she left her position voluntarily. Harjo resigned October 2008. Baca dismissed the claim and said Harjo resigned because a situation existed in which she was unable to perform her job and was forced to leave. He cited testimony that Harjo’s reputation was tarnished within the department. The department chair screamed at her in public, and Chavez threatened to file lawsuits against her, according to testimony. University legal counsel is reviewing the case to determine if it will appeal the court’s ruling, UNM spokesperson Carolyn Gonzales said. A decision should be made by next week. Harjo’s attorney Catherine Baker Stetson said she is ready to defend her client if the University appeals. “I don’t think they’ve been smart so far,” Stetson said. “They’ve caused themselves more trouble than they needed to. Now they’ve created a lot of additional publicity.” The episode began when the English Department received an anonymous letter that revealed Chavez and fellow graduate students posed on a sado-masochist website. At the time, Chavez had been working for the website as a phone-sex dominatrix under the pseudonym “Mistress Jade.” The University reviewed misconduct complaints against
see Harjo page 3
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 115
issue 96
Robert Maes / Daily Lobo Professor Mohamed Ali finishes Maghrib prayer Wednesday in his office. Ali has been watching the Egyptian revolution closely. He has three sisters, four brothers and more than 30 nephews and nieces living in the turbulent Muslim nation.
Egyptian student: Don’t forget protesters by Hunter Riley hriley@unm.edu
Student Randa Elbih said she wishes she could join her family members who have taken to the Egyptian streets. Elbih participates in the local effort to support the Egyptian people. She is a UNM Ph.D. student and studies language literacy and socio-cultural studies. She said she regularly attends and organizes protests in the area. “I was feeling like I needed to go and be there, and that there were people sacrificing their lives there for us,” she said. “And I’m not doing as much as they’re doing.” Elbih said she is concerned that the
international medemonstrations dia will stop covin very peaceful ering the Egyptian ways.” protests now that Amnesty Inthey’ve been unternational Coderway for more President Adrian Today than two weeks. Carver said the Smith Plaza “I wish the inorganization is 6-7 p.m. ternational comhosting a canmunity would dlelight vigil for still stand beside Egypt today at Today the protesters and Smith Plaza. It’s would not lose intended to draw Smith Plaza interest because attention to the 2-4 p.m. the time is get1,200 protesters ting longer,” she who have been said. “I want them detained since to still pressure the Egyptian govern- Egyptian protests began. ment because the protesters have no “We’re doing this to stand in soliweapons, nothing. They’re doing the darity with them, so that our commu-
CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR EGYPT RALLY FOR EGYPT
nity knows … that we are in support of their basic rights,” Carver said. Elbih said the protests have given cultures the chance to unite. “One of the scenes that really made me cry was there were Muslims that were praying during prayer time, and the Christians were surrounding them,” she said. “To me, this is something that has been achieved that is even better than people’s lives.” Elbih said the Egyptian government is not fulfilling its duty to its people. She said Egyptians are being asked to serve the government, as opposed to the government serving its people. She said the U.S. has not been direct enough in asking Egyptian President
see Egypt page 3
Sharpton to talk about labor, civil rights by Elizabeth Cleary news@dailylobo.com
Famed racial justice and human rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton will give a free and open-to-the-public speech today at the SUB to advocate for the labor movement. Sharpton’s speech, “The Role of Government,” is sponsored by African-American Student Services and serves as the kick-off event for New Mexico’s African-American Day on Friday. “We need to get labor and civil rights communities to work together to make sure we create jobs,” Sharp-
ton told the Daily Lobo in a brief in“Facing a shortfall of an estimated terview Wednesday night. $400 million next year, New Mexico’s Sharpton will travel around New Legislature proposed slashing the Mexico on Thursstate budget and day and Friday consequentially to discuss the reslashing the basic lationship bebenefits countless tween the Civil workers dedicated Rights and labor their lives securmovements. ing,” he wrote. “At a In a Huffington time when so many Post article, Sharpfamilies are strug~Rev. Al Sharpton ton criticized budgling to simply get cuts proposed put food on their by Gov. Susana tables, Gov. MartiMartinez. He said the cuts would take nez of New Mexico would like state essential benefits away from hard- workers to contribute even more into working government employees. their own retirement plans.”
“We need to get labor and civil rights communities to work together to make sure we create jobs,”
Seeds for growth
Backstage
See page 11
See page 2
Sharpton told the Daily Lobo he will discuss the issue with the Legislature in Santa Fe. UNM doesn’t host black leaders of this magnitude often, and Sharpton’s speech will provide a unique educational opportunity, said Scott Carreathers, African-American Student Services director. “I think a lot of our students don’t either grasp or maybe not even care … about the past, but I think that’s so important that you can have an icon like Rev. Al Sharpton here to possibly talk about that, and just the role of the government and how that affects us presently and for the future,” he said.
TODAY
39 |20